25.4.12

On Travel: Jacksonville, FL




Greetings from Jacksonville, Florida. Initially, I wasn't sure whether coming down here could be considered "travel," but let's face it - I boarded a plane, checked in luggage, and landed in the Republic of Suburban America, a place that will always feel like foreign territory as far as I'm concerned.  While I can handle anything from the concrete jungle of NYC, small cities like Portland (ME) or Savannah, or rural farmland in Pennslyvania, something about suburbia with it's endless highways, having to drive everywhere,  strip malls, aesthetically boring houses that look identical in "communities" all just freak me out a little. This isn't a reflection on the entire state of Florida, a place I quietly admit enjoying when I get to go to places like St. Augustine, Amelia Island, or hanging with my friends in St. Petersburg which has that quaint feeling that I love.

Nevertheless I'm here.  Two full long weeks. Not on vacation hence I'm glued to an office cranking out work like usual. BUT friends - contrary to everything I've written thus far - I'm going to find the silver lining to this place! It starts with a "nearby" park. Ignoring the fact that I had to drive for 20 minutes to get to a park that gives me less than 1.5 miles to run before repeating the loop, this place was just the oasis I needed with a short trail hidden among tons of trees and emptying into a small marina.

As this is Florida - I foresee some beach time in my nearby future so I'll be sure to report back on that....

{Photos: Brandie}

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