Taking the Road Less Traveled

Being an FSU alumni (Go 'Noles!) I've made that dreaded four hour interstate trek from Tampa to Tallahassee more times over the last ten years than I care to count. Typically on these road trips I'll hit I-75 early to avoid traffic, get stuck in some sort of backup just outside of Ocala, then watch my speed like an OCD maniac on I-10 to avoid getting pulled over, all in hopes of getting to Tally in four hours or less. On my most recent trip however, I decided not to withstand the monotony of another four hour highway drive. Instead, I threw caution to the wind, told Siri to shove it, and chose the "alternate route", even if it meant I would be in the car an extra half-hour.

My journey up US-19 was quite scenic and appealed to the nature-lover in me. I ooo-ed and aww-ed over the rolling emerald hills of the horse ranches and snickered at some of the business names in the rural towns (ie. Yoga Ya'll in Chiefland).

Around 11 A.M I was in Fanning Springs, a small town on the Suwannee River, and was beginning to get a little hungry. I was deciding between a BBQ joint and a country store and grill when I saw it- Chomper's drive-thru diner. Chomper's is a small yellow building off US-19 with double sided drive-up windows and a menu that consists of roughly ten items. I went with a Cuban sandwich, the special that day (but it could be the special every day for all I know). Service was a little slower than your typical drive-thru, but when the cook handed me my lunch he gave me a big ol' southern smile and apologized for the delay- they had just opened and the grill was still warming up. I found that charming, in a southern kind of way, and it made me forget all about my wait (which wasn't that long to begin with).

Cuban Sandwich from Chompers Drive-Thru in Fanning Springs, FL

I took my lunch over to the Fanning Springs State Park and ate at a picnic table as I watched birthday party guests and vacation-goers enjoying their weekend. As for my meal, the Cuban was delicious; I was quite pleased with the smokiness of the pork. The springs also made for a nice dining atmosphere- I wished I had time to take a dip in the crystal clear 72 degree water.

Swimmers cooling off at Fanning Springs

Fanning Springs opens up to the Suwannee River

With the additional 30 minutes of drive time and my pit-stop in Fanning Springs, my total travel time was increased by about an hour. The fact that I ran into zero traffic and had a nice, relaxing lunch that did not involve the golden arches made up for it, though. The back roads of Florida have a lot to offer if you give 'em a chance. I highly recommend on your next road trip you get out of the fast lane and take a tour of the real Florida on the roads less traveled.



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