![\"Just](\"http:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Orange-grove.jpg\")
<\/a>I had been wondering where all the orange groves were. That orange grove was right across the entrance from the State Park. I entered, checked in and then started driving to my campsite.<\/p>\n Lake Louisa State park had a bunch of lakes, not just Lake Louisa. I passed several of them on the way to my camp site. After I got backed in – on one pass, mind you – and hooked up, I went to check out the main lake.<\/p>\n I was amazed to find swamp up here in the highlands. Not only was it on top of a hill, it was right next to the lake. And, there is water under the light green plant material.<\/p>\n This lake had a swimming beach. Hmm…I wonder what that sign says?<\/p>\n NOTICE Hmm…<\/p>\n Yep, the water is dark, all right. I read that it is dark because of the tannins leeching out of the plant material in the swamp, which drains into the lake. Kind of like the water in\u00a0Tahquamenon Falls<\/a> in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, that I saw last summer. There was a sign that said that the water isn’t harmful to plants, animals or human, but I did wonder if it would give me an instant “tan”.<\/p>\n The thought of \u00a0having one of these guys cast a hook into me while I was swimming made the brown water even less appealing.<\/p>\n So, I settled for looking around. One thing I saw was a monument to an aviator who had crashing into the lake during a training exercise during World War II. I was intrigued that the flier’s last name was Gilmore – a big name in Kalamazoo, which is where I lived for the roughly 30 years before hitting the road. I Googled the name, but it turns out that he was from Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n I found out in reading more about the park that the land had previously belonged to a family by the name of Bronson, which is another big name in Kalamazoo. What are the odds?<\/p>\n The park was quite large and had cabins as well as campsites. These cabins, however, are like no other cabins that I have ever seen in a state park.<\/p>\n This is what the Park says about the cabins:<\/p>\n “Lake Louisa State Park’s 20 cabins overlook beautiful Dixie Lake. The cabins accommodate up to six people and have two bedrooms, two baths, full kitchen (with appliances) and dining\/living room. Dishes, pots and pans, silverware, linens, towels, picnic tables and rockers on the porch are also provided. All you need to bring is your food and personal items.”<\/p>\n Rockers on the porch!<\/p>\n And a view of Dixie Lake.<\/p>\n All this for $120 a night.<\/p>\n Oh, and do you know what makes this even more special? It’s only a short drive from Orlando! And you know what’s in Orlando, don’t you?<\/p>\n Now, I wan’t planning to go take in the wonders of all things Disney. For one thing, this was still during the Christmas\/New Year break. And if there is one thing I like less than spending money, it is spending money to be in crowds. But, I couldn’t resist driving over to check it out and see what I could see.<\/p>\n I had always had a thing for domes. I would have like to have seen the dome at Epcot.<\/p>\n The art deco motif kind of reminded me of Crystal Beach Amusement Park in Crystal Beach, Ontario, back in the good old days.<\/p>\n I finally got to the last gate – the gate to the Magic Kingdom!<\/p>\n Now, I wasn’t planning to pay the $20 to park, as I wasn’t going to the park. When I pulled up to the booth, though, I almost wanted to! The attendant greeted me in his best Mickey Mouse impersonation! I was so tickled! I explained that I was just out for a drive, and he directed me to where I could turn around.<\/p>\n The attendant gave me an idea, though. I thought that maybe I might want to consider getting a job there some winter.<\/p>\n While I was driving around, I saw the Casting Office and I thought I’d stop in and inquire. Well, it is quite the place!<\/p>\n You grab ahold of the nose of one of the whimsical doorknobs and walk right in to a small rotunda with statues on pedestals.<\/p>\n And then go up a long ramp to a reception desk.<\/p>\n I was greeted warmly and I explained what I was after. She told me that their roles are listed on the internet and that when I am ready to join them, I can look up the information online. She told me to check at waltdisneyworld.jobs and to follow them on Facebook.<\/p>\n Facebook! I love Facebook!<\/p>\n I thanked her and then headed back to Bart. (the B<\/strong>ig A<\/strong>ss R<\/strong>ed T<\/strong>ruck) On my way out of the building, I noticed more special Disney touches.<\/p>\n Faux plaster peeling off the faux stonework.<\/p>\n And murals!<\/p>\n I have to say that the one with Mickey and the trailer was my favorite one.<\/p>\n And, after a few days at Lake Louisa State Park, I was ready to roll again. Next stop: St. Augustine, Florida!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My next stop was Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, Florida. I was amazed by the change in landscape. For the past several weeks, I had been near the shore. Everything there was flat-flat-flat. The plants in the parks were a combination of saw palmetto, mature pine and palm trees. As I got further away … Continue reading Lake Louisa State Park<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[351,349,350],"class_list":["post-3297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-disneyworld","tag-lake-louisa-state-park","tag-orange-groves"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3297"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3337,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3297\/revisions\/3337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.towingsilver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Dark Water
\nNo Lifeguard on Duty
\nSwim at your own risk.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n