panacea

Some days start out worse than others, with photographs to download, tents to dry out, the car to reload (yes, I'm getting to "what's in the truck" though the lading list varies daily) and a late start. There is always hope, however. And just a few miles down the road, we caught a bit of the hopes of yesteryear.

Apparently the town was named after mineral springs that promised succor.

They had fallen into disuse, but we dipped a toe into the tepid pools.

Soon thereafter, we found the lone boiled peanut man beside the road . . .

. . .Chris finally found the tree of his dreams. . .

. . .and we could tell by the signs in the sky that we were meant to stay at a fab motel directly across From Weeki Wachee Springs! About which more later, including mermaids. . .