A Burned-Out Blob

I'm nicknaming Florida's Jonathan Dickinson State Park Camp Demo.

We hear bulldozers, chainsaws and trucks. We see death and destruction
all around us. They are killing off plants and animals -- including feral pigs -- not native to Florida. (We saw some of the pigs. Two mommas and their babies. I hate knowing they are done for.) They are tearing things down to rebuild them anew. They are in a period rebirth after hurricanes blew down so many trees over the past few years.

On top of all that, the campground looks just plain dirty. A controlled burn designed to rid the area of unwanted underbrush also charred the trees and shrubs. Sooty palms surround our campsite. It's just not nice to look at, or touch.

We wear blinders as we bike ride because we want to enjoy the exercise, fresh air and 74 degree weather. We just don't look at the soot or the cleared land or pay much attention to the huge machine chowing down on tree stumps.

Members of our family volunteers here, so we know the hope behind the
disruption. There's to be a longer bike trail (as it is, we hop off and on a paved bike trail to ride five miles between campgrounds) and one of the campgrounds is being remodeled into a RV Resort (which means  it'll cost more next year than the $20 a night we  pay this year.)

So next year, it'll be great here.

This year, well, at least we're spending quality time with family. And that's great.

FYI: The campground is north of West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side of Florida.