Florida Spectacular

Send us your Florida questions!Buckle in for a wild ride... this episode starts in Bithlo, detours through Orlando Speed World, gets chased by a cobra, and then goes on an adventure through the springs. Links We MentionedBithloBithlo real estateOrlando Speed WorldSwampySt. Cloud SerpentariumBarberville Yard Art EmporiumDeLeon Springs State ParkQueenie the Waterskiing ElephantGinger Ale SpringsGreen SpringsSam Stoltz housesOrlando ShineGiant inflatable pigeons in OrlandoPhoto of Orlando inflatable pigeons by Rick Kilby.Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Rick and Cathy talk about gentrification, the difficult relationship white people have with Black history, its place in Florida's history, and how Florida's Black history impacts modern-day Florida.Links We MentionedLincolnvilleFort MoseAxe Handle SaturdayThe ZorgEatonville's Zora Neale Hurston MuseumKingsley PlantationCarter Woodson MuseumLincolnville MuseumHistoric Hampton HouseAmerican BeachA.L. Lewis Museum Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Eliot Kleinberg, a journalist whose career spans five decades, has turned his talents to fiction. His first book, Hypocrite's Row, is due out February 26.From Eliot:Hypocrite's Row, the first book of my “Adventures of Nate Moran” novels about the Roaring 20s Miami police detective, comes out next month. The setting is the real battle between gangsters and law enforcement during the mostly failed effort to enforce Prohibition in South Florida.Florida native Eliot Kleinberg, creator of the Civil War historical novel "Peace River," the"Adventures of Nate Moran" novels, and the original "Weird Florida" books, spent nearly a half-century reporting on local news and writing about Florida and Florida history. He produced two history columns and wrote fourteen books -- and co-wrote or contributed to several more -- all of them about Florida. Son of longtime journalist Howard Kleinberg, he lectures regularly on Florida topics and runs a blog on better writing called "Something Went Horribly Wrong." Links We MentionedEliot's websiteEliot's newsletterLevel Best booksPlanner or Pantser?Hypocrite's RowBookshop.orgSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Ann McCutchan's book, The Life She Wished To Live: A Biography of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Author of The Yearling, focuses on Rawling's life. Ann, Cathy, and Rick talk about Rawlings' life, how she learned not to be a racist, her struggles with alcohol, and why The Yearling is not the best of her works.Links We MentionedAnn McCutchan's websiteHere is Home: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Cross CreekThe Life She Wished To Live: A Biography of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Author of The YearlingMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings Society annual conference Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Author Holly Sprinkle joins the podcast to talk about her book, Florida Natural Springs: A History. The trio talks about — among other things — Naked Ed, the historic marker at Manatee Springs, and why fat mermaids are the best mermaids.Links We MentionedThe William Bartram plaque at Manatee SpringsBuy Holly's book!Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!While working as a journalist, Pete Gallagher investigated Florida stories that made a difference. He joins the podcast this week to talk about two of those stories, people buried under Tropicana Field, and his book (in progress) about his life in journalism.Links We MentionedJames RichardsonEmateloye Estenletkvte: Polly Parker Got AwayFlorida Folk Showradiostpete.comSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Florida has a significant history with enslaved people escaping their oppressors in the United States. If you want to see history, these are places you can visit to learn the real history of Florida's underground railroad.Links We MentionedFort MoseBill Baggs State ParkGulf Islands National Seashore in Pensacola Podcast episode about Prospect BluffFernandina Plaza Historic State ParkKingsley PlantationFitzpatrick Plantation RuinsAngola Settlement (more about Angola)The Fort at Prospect Bluff by Dale Cox Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Nichole Delafield-Bromme and Lief Bromme talk about their book, Little Wekiva Memories: Kayaking & Other Adventures.Links We MentionedLittle Wekiva Memories: Kayaking & Other AdventuresNicholeDelafield.comMaffrey's at Ivanhoe VillageBrick and Mortar Places Selling Little WekivaSunshine Book Co. 647 Lake Ave., Clermont, FL 34711 Maffrey's  (see link above)Barnes and NobleB&N  Sand Lake, 7900 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando B&N Colonial Plaza Market Center, 2418 E. Colonial Dr., OrlandoB&N Altamonte Mall, Altamonte SpringsB&N 331 N. Alafaya Trail, OrlandoSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Mary McLeod Bethune founded the school that became Bethune-Cookman University, but why — and how? Ryan and Cathy take a look.Find Submerged Stories on Facebook.Find Ryan and Cathy on Instagram.Links We MentionedBethune-Cookman UniversityThe ZorgSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!As Rick and Cathy look to the new year, they talk about the podcast's origin story, what Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings would have sounded like as an influencer, and the ways social media can help Florida research.Links We MentionedAnn McCutchanDesperately seeking information on:Mary Mae Campbell (Most likely: South Florida/Homestead, ca. 1967)Donald W. Sill (Winter Park artist /Altamonte Springs)Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!A search for legendary Key West fire chef Bum Farto led historian David L. Sloan down a path that led to how Key West played a large part in the assassination of JFK in Dallas. His detailed research helps prove a conspiracy that has long plagued Americans.Links We MentionedDavid's website telling the story of JFK, the CIA, and the mafia in Key WestBum FartoBuy the bookCover image courtesy of David L. Sloan. Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Tibbals Curator of Circus, Jennifer Lemmer Posey, talks about the history of the circus in Florida, where it's going, and the state of things today.Links We MentionedThe RinglingCirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil's Drawn to LifeInternational Independent Showmen's AssociationShowmen's ClubThe Ringling collection at FSUSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Ross Allen's daughter, Betty Allen Bashaw, talks about growing up around her father's menagerie, some of her most interesting tasks at the Ross Allen Institute, and how to get a gator to take a nap.Pictured: A young Betty Allen holds an indigo snake (now threatened) at Ross Allen's Reptile Institute. Photo courtesy of Betty Allen Bashaw.Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Have you been to Havana? No, not that one — the one near Quincy, in North Central Florida. Mark Pettus, co-owner of 16 newspapers in North Florida, gives insider tips for visiting Havana and Quincy.Things To Do in Gadsden CountyVisit QuincyHavana Main StreetAntiques in HavanaHavana Main StreetSist3r ChicksOscar's in HavanaHeroes and VillainsEl JaliscoWeezy's CottageRed Door Wine BarPlanters ExchangeHavana History and Heritage SocietyCoon Bottom Farms Country StoreOff the Rails Irish PubGadsden Historical SocietyLinks We MentionedRay Charles in FloridaAttapulgiteThe HeraldFlorida Newsline Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!This week, Ryan Worthington and Cathy Salustri talk about their forthcoming podcast, Submerged Stories: Florida's Other History.Find Submerged Stories on Facebook.Find Ryan and Cathy on Instagram.Links We MentionedProspect Bluff: Part of the Underground Network to FreedomDale Cox YouTube EpisodeFort Gadsden and the Underground Railroad Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!The Florida Wildlife Federation calls Karen Chadwick a conservation hero. She's spent her life on and around the waters of Central Florida, and she talks about her passion for the Ocklawaha, the impacts of keeping the dam, and the splendor of the regular drawdowns.Links We MentionedOcklawaha RiverRodman Reservoir and DamCross-Florida Barge CanalKenwood boat rampBuckman LockNorth Star ChartersKaren's YouTube channel about the Ocklawaha A Cruising Down the RiverPhoto of Karen Chadwick by Alan Halaly.Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Jason Vuic (rhymes with Buick!) talks about his latest book, A Town Without Pity: Aids, Race, & Resistance in Florida's Deep South. In it, he delves into two notorious cases from Arcadia: the Ray brothers, and the James Richardson case. Links We MentionedA Town Without PitySwamp PeddlersWheeler's CafeFlorida's Peace River Frontier by Canter Brown, Jr. PHOTO:  In 1987, Arcadia brothers Ricky (left), Robert (center), and Randy (right) Ray suffered from hemophilia and contracted the AIDS virus through tainted blood factor. Ostracized by their community and thrust into the national spotlight, they were the victims of intense anti-AIDS hysteria (courtesy Tribune Publishing).Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Robin Mimna talks about the darker side of Henry Flagler, Stetson, and other "founding fathers" in Florida. We also talk about the women behind the men, and how the men controlled the narratives about them.Links We MentionedLake HelenFlagler's LawArthur HamlinMary Grace QuackenbosAnnie Laurie's Triumph Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Elizabeth Randall, author of Florida haunted history books, joins the podcast — this week only, we've changed the name — to tell us some fantastic Florida ghost stories. Links We MentionedElizabeth Randall websiteBosque Bello Cemetery in FernandinaAmelia Island Museum of History (the old jailhouse)Robert the Doll by David SloanDavid Sloan ghost tour and VIP Robert the Doll ExperienceRobert the Doll Florida Spectacular episodeBooks from Elizabeth Randall Women in WhiteMurder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell LindsleyHaunted St. Augustine Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!To celebrate the 25th annual issue of Saw Palm, the editors came on the podcast to talk about what sorts of things to expect in the anniversary issue, a book from the man who started Saw Palm, and things to do in Ybor City.Links We MentionedSaw PalmFearsome Creatures of FloridaColumbia RestaurantThe CastleKress Contemporary Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Can AI make Florida better? Bess Auer joins the podcast to talk about AI, being a UF cheerleader during the Danny Rollins serial killings, and her Orlando treasure hunt.Links We MentionedCherry 2000"How Ted Bundy Ended Our Innocence" by Diane RobertsSecond Harvest Food BankFenn's treasureHoundsHouse OrlandoThe Secret: A Treasure Hunt (Byron Preiss)HaveIBeenTrained.comBess' SubStackCan AI plan a decent Florida road trip? Here's what happened when Rick and Cathy tried to get AI to do just that.Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Haley Moody, the director of the Florida Springs Institute, joins the podcast to talk about the idea of creating a National Springs Heritage Area in Florida.About HaleyHaley's passion for the springs began during her first visit to the Ichetucknee River. Her love of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was born during her time at the University of Florida, where she graduated with honors in Landscape Architecture. After a GIS Internship at the Florida Springs Institute, she transitioned into managing FSI's outreach efforts and now focuses on the direction of FSI. Her dedication to the springs continues to grow as she communicates the challenges that face the Floridan Aquifer.Links We MentionedThe VRBO Cathy mentioned in the Orlando areaFlorida Springs InstituteReach out to Haley to be a stakeholder: hmoody@floridaspringsinstitute.orgLearn about how springs work and who controls what with the FSI Pocket Guide Springs photo by Rick Kilby.Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Florida nature photographer Matt Keene talks about how he uses large-format film cameras to create his portraits. Matt has an exhibit at the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine (through Jan. 18, 2026), and this episode offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how much work, forethought, and effort goes into this extraordinary body of work. Links We Mentioned More about Matt Keene River Be DammedLost SpringsEchoes of the Wild at the Lightner Museum Oct. 3, 2025-Jan. 18, 2026Image: Gores Landing on the Ocklawaha River, Florida, Aluminum, 2024, by Matt Keene Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Brandy Carlisle, a tour guide at St. Augustine's Fountain of Youth Park, is fascinated with the woman who bought the land that is now the park. So much so she's published a book about her: Luella. The trio talks about Luella, prostitution, and the Fountain of Youth.Links We MentionedLuellaFountain of Youth Park in St. AugustineFind out more about Brandy — and her fascinating hobbies — on her website. Unearthing St. Augustine: America's Oldest City, by Kathy Deagan.  Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Rick and Cathy talk about Rick's trip to St. Augustine, then answer a letter from a listener about whether or not moving to Florida is a good idea. Things To Do in St. AugustineSt. Augustine's Fountain of Youth (visit with a critical eye!)The San Marco shops in St. Augustine, including Duddington'sColumbia Restaurant in the St. Augustine Historic District  Don't forget to check out Spinster Abbott's. Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Mikita Brottman, author of Guilty Creatures, joins the podcast to talk about the Tallahassee murder that scandalized the town when Denise Williams and Brian Winchester plotted and executed the murder of Denise's husband, Mike.Mikita Brottman is a writer and psychoanalyst. Her latest book Guilty Creatures was published by Simon and Schuster in 2024. She has a D. Phil from Oxford University and is a professor of literature at the Maryland Institute College of Art, in Baltimore.Links We MentionedVilano BeachCap's on the WaterGuilty CreaturesMr. & Mrs. MurderSprings of FloridaImage via Simon & Schuster Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions! The face behind the super-popular Florida's Folk History Instagram account joins the podcast this week. Aubrey Naulin talks about her art, her hopes for Florida's future, and Florida's Indians.Links We MentionedFlorida Folk History on InstagramRosewood RememberedIslands of Cedars by Shana SmithSubmerged Stories: Florida's Other Histories on FacebookLake Hourglass Studio Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Mark Barrow grew up around gators — both the real one and a certain Florida college that pays homage to them. Now, he's written a book about alligators, and he joins Rick and Cathy to talk about why alligators deserve respect, not fear. The trio also talks about the gator's place in Florida's culture, roadside Florida gator attractions, and why gators are amazing creatures.Links We MentionedMini-Lights and Black children used as gator bait?Mini Lights proof of concept trailer from Vitale BrothersNature's Ghosts (this is the one we mentioned with the dead Carolina Parakeet on the cover)William Bartram's alligator"Alligator Capital of the World": A post by Rick KilbyThe alligator engravings some call DeMoyne, but are not Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!This week Rick and Cathy talk about Punta GordaLinks We MentionedWarm Mineral SpringsThings To Do in North PortMyakka River State Park Royal Order of Ponce de Leon ConquistadorsRadioactive Fountain of Youth in Punta GordaSunseeker ResortDeSoto Veterans Memorial ParkPonce-apaloozaPonce-y SchemeRevisiting Warm Mineral SpringsOld World Meets New Age at Warm Mineral Springs(Image via Google Maps/Fair Use) Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Florida icon Lars Andersen joins the podcast to talk about his passion: Florida waterways. Links We MentionedPayne's Prairie: A History of the Great Savanna by Lars AndersonBook a river tour with Lars at Adventure Outpost or email him.Lost Springs in one minute with Margaret TolbertWacissa Slave Canal Big Blue Spring.Haulover Canal.Photo: Canon Springs during drawdown.Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Michael Grunwald talks about cattle ranching and why Floridians — and everyone — should eat more plants. He, Cathy, and Rick also talk about meat grown in a lab, why Grunwald thinks Michael Pollan gets things wrong, and Michael's new book, We Are Eating the Earth: The Race To Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate.Links We MentionedWe Are Eating the EarthThe Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Anna Cooke, editor-in-chief at The New Barker magazine, jons the podcast to talk about rescue work in Florida; the long-gone Florida roadside attraction, Dogland; and a few famous Florida dogs. Links We MentionedThe New Barker MagazineAn abandoned dog in MemphisDave the Wonder Dog (Annie Oakley was a snowbird) (bonus link)Brownie the town dog of Daytona BeachGarden of LoveCoonhound Cemetery in AlabamaSenior Dog Sanctuary in NashvilleDonte's Den Animal SanctuaryPinkey Sells War BondsSuncoast Animal LeagueImage generated by AI (we couldn't get a real dachshund mermaid to pose for us) Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!The Ocklawaha River in Central Florida has been dammed for decades. Now, there's a chance to tear down the dam and reunite the rivers. That's good news for bass, anglers, environmentalists, and the local economy. Margaret Spontak comes on the podcast to talk about why, and she encourages people to call their state legislators and ask them to support restoration of the Ocklawaha and reuniting the rivers. Links We MentionedInteractive map of the OcklawahaReunite the Rivers and the Rodman DamGovernor Ron DeSantis and the budget to tear down the damGreat Florida Riverway TrustReunite the Rivers Student Showcase Rick Kilby: Reclaiming the Sublime on the OcklawahaRick Kilby: Return the OcklawahaRick Kilby: Holy Water, Sacred GroundRick Kilby: What I Saw at Silver Springs Photo by Rick KilbySupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Ryan Worthington joins the podcast to talk about a new initiative he and Cathy are working on — a podcast to document and discuss history in Florida that doesn't get taught in schools. Submerged Stories is the name of the forthcoming podcast, and the Facebook group they've created to crowdsource information. Check out the link below, join the group, and share it with your like-minded friends.Links We MentionedSubmerged Storie: Florida's Other History (Ryan and Cathy's Facebook Group)Magnolia Lakes State ParkDon't Tread on Me history Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!With Cathy traveling through what she calls "historic West Florida", she and Rick talk about forgotten parts of Florida's history — and geography, the War of 1812, and some less savory parts of the early history of the United States and why they get left out of history classes.Links We MentionedMap showing Florida and a "contested" area "sold" to the US by FranceDocuments Accompanying the Message of the President of the United States of the Fourteenth Instant on the Subject of East Florida (abstract only; paid subscribers should email us for a full copy of the letters)The Other War of 1812, by Jim CusickImage in the public domain. Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Did you know cattle ranchers were the "first intentional conservationists" in Florida? Annie Muscato does. She wrote her doctoral dissertation on it, and this week she joins the podcast to talk — passionately! — about research into how some Florida cattle ranchers are working to protect wild Florida, why Florida cattle ranching isn't nearly as cruel as it is in the rest of the country, and how ranchers work with the Florida Wildlife Corridor.Links We MentionedFrom Cattle to Conservation (the ecological humility of cattle ranching)The Omnivore's DilemmaFood, Inc.Florida Wildlife Corridor Adena Farms Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Andrea Conover of Azalea City Brewing and Palatka Mayor Robbie Correa join us this week to help roadtrippers find Palatka's best-kept secrets.Links We MentionedPalatka Coffee CompanyAngel's DinerPalatka's historic riverfrontVelchoff's CornerRavine Gardens State ParkMagnolia CafeAzalea City BrewingLemon Street MarketKayak tours North Star Charters Amara Zee Bronson Mulholland House (and Rick's post about it — and this one)Camping in Palatka25 Taps for the St. JohnsFestivalsAzalea Festival (last weekend in February)Bartram Frolic (April)Palatka Blue Crab Festival (Memorial Day weekend)Palatka Craft Beer Festival (November)Palatka Porch Fest (first Saturday of December)Historic Home Tours (second Saturday in December)Mayhem Datil Pepper Festival (November)Photo by Rick KilbySupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Rick serves on the board of the Winter Park History Museum, and Cathy lived there for a time in the '90s (and loves to go back). That's why the book written by this episode's guest, Kim Michalak, was so appealing to both of them. Kim shares how she selected her 100 things for her book 100 Things To Do in Winter Park Before You Die.Links We Mentioned100 Things To Do in Winter Park Before You DieWinter Park History MuseumBarnie's CoffeeThe ImperialTen Thousand VillagesTyler Gillespie"Because This is Florida" by Campbell McGrathUmi JapanesePark PlazaAncient Artifacts and TreasuresThe Hurston Museum in EatonvilleThe EnzianPrometheus EsotericaSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Dan Reiter joins the podcast to talk about his career surfing Florida and writing about the same. The trio talks about everything from the best place to surf in Florida to why surfers shouldn't be scared of sharks. Check out Dan's book about surfing (link below).Links We MentionedOn a Rising Swell: Surf Stories From Florida's Space Coast (and a link to buy the book)Ron Jon Surf ShopKelly SlaterSurfing Upham in Pinellas CountyBeach renourishment and why it's bad for surfing (and so many other things)Florida Surf Festival Film Festival June 13-14, 2025 Siam Orchid Thai food in Cocoa BeachSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!"Nature isn't just more complex than we know, it's more complex than we can know."There's a sadly great chance that the State of Florida is going to build a toll road through the last remaining wild growth of a pretty — and pretty endangered — plant. Here's what's happening, where it's happening, and what you can do about it. Links We MentionedBackground on the dangers to this endangered mintSign up and get involved to protect this mintArticle by Rose Schnabel, WUFT on the mint and the roadBackground article on the threats to the genus Dicerandra in FloridaPresident Eugene Kelly's interview about this issueHorse Creek (where you can see the last remaining stand of this wild mint)More about the mintFDOT details on the projectPhoto by Gene KellySupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Historian Holly Baker joins the podcast to talk about her work in preservation in St. Augustine, Vero Beach, and throughout Florida. The trio also talks about what makes a building historic, preserving historic evidence of Jim Crow, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Links We MentionedSt. AugustineDavis ShoresBridge of LionsDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in St. AugustineLincolnville MuseumWhere is Lincolnville?Cathy's article about Lincolnville Rick's post about St. Augustine and the battle for civil rights Vero BeachPocahontas ParkThe DriftwoodElsewhereMore about the Orlando Public LibraryPhoto: Orlando Public Library Casa FelizMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings' homeImage via (State Archives of Florida) Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Florida author and naturalist Andrew Furman returns to the podcast to talk about his latest book, Of Slash Pine and Manatees: A Highly Selective Guide to My Suburban Wilderness.Links We MentionedBitten: My Unexpected Love Affair With FloridaBidens pilosa (aka beggartick, etc., etc.) and its medicinal usesFrogfruit (aka hatpin)Who invented the grassy lawn?Yellow-crowned night heronPhoto by Andrew Furman Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!How Bowers of the Retro WDW podcast joins Rick and Cathy to talk about the not-so-secret-after-all Florida Project, the origins of Disney Springs, and what Cypress Gardens had to do with Walt Disney deciding Florida would be a great place for a theme park. Links We MentionedRetro WDWLake Buena Vista Historical SocietySupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Orlando historian Rachel Williams joins the podcast to talk about Colonial Plaza Mall (now a shadow of its former self and called Colonial Marketplace), and from there the conversation moves to caves in Ocala, coffee roasters we love, and the importance of the shopping mall in Florida culture. Links We MentionedOcala Caverns (and what's the difference between a cave and a cavern, anyway?)Rachel's article about Colonial PlazaFlorida Historical Society conference in Orlando (May 15-17 in Orlando)Remembering Ronnie's RestaurantRick's post about living on the former Datson Dairy landWho created the shopping mall?Secret Mall ApartmentJoffrey's CoffeeBarnie's CoffeeOrlando Milk DistrictHappy Mother's Day to a fierce Florida momRoadhouse movieSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!TJ Fridrich, with the Save the Manatee Club, joins the podcast to talk about what listeners need to know about when manatee can be dangerous (seriously!), what their mating behavior might look like, and where you can see some excellent documentaries about manatee and their ilk.Links We MentionedSave The Manatee ClubThe Disturbance TheoryMating herd in Haulover CanalReport a manatee sightingAmazonian manatee and Last Chance To SeeLast Chance To See documentarySwimming Through Air with the Springs Eternal ProjectForgotten Mermaids (Jacques Costeau)Save the Manatee 5KAttack of the Killer Manatee Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Rick and Cathy talk about the middle basin of the St. Johns River, eco tours, and wildlife seen along the waterway. Links We MentionedFloridiana Festival at the MathesonSquarehouse PizzaLove Vine?Welaka FloridaLake JesupSt. Johns River infoAirboat on the St. JohnsAirboat chase sequence in Gone Fishin'"36 Hours in Orlando" (New York Times)Bill Belleville's River of LakesFlorida's American Heritage River: Images From the St. Johns RiverSt. Johns Riverkeeper Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Josh Ginsberg, author of Secret Tampa Bay, Secret Orlando, Tampa Bay Scavenger, Oldest Tampa Bay — among others — joins the podcast to talk about his favorite hidden gems in Tampa Bay and Orlando. The trio talks about everything from the Wizard of Oz to taxidermied animals.Links We MentionedTerriblyOdd.comJosh Ginsberg booksDysfunctional Grace (Ybor City)Tiger Dust (Seminole Heights)Wizard of Oz Museum (Cape Canaveral)Ripley's world headquarters (Orlando)Prometheus Esoterica in Winter Park More info on JoshSecretTampaBay.comFacebookInstagramBooks and PublicationsSecret Tampa Bay: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure (Reedy Press)Tampa Bay Scavenger (Reedy Press)Oldest Tampa Bay (Reedy Press)Secret Orlando: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure (Reedy Press)Haunted Orlando (Arcadia/The History Press) Coming soonThe Ghostly Tales of Orlando (Arcadia)Tales from the Dusty Tiger (Independent)Amazing Florida (Reedy Press)Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Craig Pittman, co-host of the Welcome to Florida podcast, joins Florida Spectacular to talk about his latest book by the same name. This episode takes a roller coaster approach to Florida, and along the way the trio discusses nudist resorts, snakes, where to find dead bodies, and... well, take a listen. It's quite a ride.Links We MentionedWelcome to FloridaDawn Lee McKennaGod's Trombone's Florida PhoenixFlamingo MagazineFORUM MagazineReptile World Serpentarium in KissimmeeNowak's Swamparium is gone but there's a book by the owner. Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Josh Gunderson, the creative mind behind the popular Oviedo Mall account on Twitter, joins the podcast to talk about mall culture in Florida, his new book, The Lamenting Mall Rats Society, and whether or not Oviedo Mall really is haunted. Links We Mentioned @OviedoMall on ThreadsThe actual Oviedo MallThe Lamenting Mall Rats SocietyB. Dalton BooksellersDistrict OviedoPaddler's Guide to the Sunshine StateTop 3 Oviedo ExperiencesCrazy Cork Wine BarPinball LoungeFind the chickens!Take the Central Florida Mall TourMall at MilleniaAltamonte MallFlorida Mall Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Jon Bortles joins Cathy and Rick to talk about Florida Tiki culture and all things Tiki. Bahi Hut Meetup with Rick, Cathy, and Jon — April 11, 7 p.m.Links We MentionedTahitian Motor Lodge TarponTahitian Inn TampaHawaiian Inn DaytonaBest Western Aku TikiPeking Palace in ClearwaterMai KaiJulian's Ormond BeachThe HonuSupport the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!

Send us your Florida questions!Spring has sprung, the pollen is here, and it's time once again to talk about plants and landscaping. Eric Schmidt, the Botanical Records Specialist for Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens, talks about a few of his favorite plant places in Florida, his experiences consulting on the Animal Kingdom and Star Wars landscaping efforts at the Walt Disney World Resort, and a special tree he has planted in his own yard.Links We MentionedWhat Hurricane Michael Did to the Torreya Tree (non-paywall link)Mail Order NativesCharles BronsonKilbee TrailSeminole State ForestRock Springs Run State ReserveTosahatcheeNative Butterfly WildflowersSand Live Oak (Eric suggested this tree for residential landscapes) Support the showQuestion or comment? Email us at cathy@floridaspectacular.com. Subscribe to The Florida Spectacular newsletter, and keep up with Cathy's travels at greatfloridaroadtrip.com. Keep up with Rick at studiohourglass.blogspot.com and get his books at rickkilby.com. Find Cathy on social media: Facebook.com/SalustriCathy and everywhere else as @CathySalustri; connect with Rick Facebook.com/floridasfountainofyouth, Bluesky (@oldfla.bsky.social), and IG (@ricklebee). NEW: Florida landscape questions — Send us your Florida plant questions and we'll have an expert answer them on the show! Use this link!