Cocoa Beach to Macon
Kennedy Space Center, Daytona Beach & the Okefenokee Swamp
Day 47 — leaving Florida behind and heading north through Georgia.
Day 47 was the last full day in Florida — and Ray made the most of it.
Another visit to Kennedy Space Center on the way out — the launch complex on Merritt Island had been a highlight of the previous day, and Ray wanted one more look. The space shuttle program was still active in 2003; the Columbia disaster had occurred just four months earlier, in February.
Daytona Beach was a stop — the famous stretch of hard-packed sand where early land speed records were set, and home of the Daytona International Speedway. Ray tried to get onto the track for a lap or two. No luck.
Then north through Florida and into Georgia — through the Okefenokee Swamp, one of the largest intact freshwater ecosystems in the United States. The swamp covers 438,000 acres of southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida.
Photos from the Day
The Day's Route
Kennedy Space Center — Merritt Island, FL
Another visit to NASA's Kennedy Space Center — the launch facility that had sent humans to the moon and continued to launch space shuttles. The Columbia disaster in February 2003 had grounded the shuttle fleet, but the center was still operating.
Daytona Beach, FL — The Speedway
Daytona Beach — the 'World Center of Racing.' The Daytona International Speedway is home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR. Ray tried to get on the track for a lap. No luck.
Okefenokee Swamp, GA
The Okefenokee Swamp — one of the largest intact freshwater ecosystems in North America, covering 438,000 acres of southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida. The swamp is home to alligators, black bears, sandhill cranes, and the famous Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Macon, GA
Macon, Georgia — the 'Cherry Blossom Capital of the World,' home of the Allman Brothers Band and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.