Paynes Prairie Preserve

We loaded up the motorhome and headed to the woods for New Years. It was the most quiet place to spend the holiday! HONEST! The place was like a ghost town by dark. The people camping were quiet and respectful. No fireworks allowed in the park or campground.

I love riding up front in the motorhome. Mom and Emmerson take the sofa and I play co-pilot.

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After we got settled we enjoyed an evening of yummy pizza at Satchel’s and then bats at the UF Bat Barn.

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At dusk 300,000+ bats fly out of the houses. It is quite a site to see!

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We had a great time playing in the woods at the campground. We climbed trees, play with ropes and other toys. We enjoyed a few really long hikes. We learned about the preserve and how once it was a giant lake that suddenly disappeared as oddly as it appeared!

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Dad chilled outside and worked on trip planning in the shade while we made up adventure stories and played in the dirt.

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We visited the Florida Natural History Museum in Gainesville. We love the butterflies.

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The weather turned icky and started to get drizzle and chilly. We had a few camp fires and then check the weather for the next day. We opted to pack up a day early and drive home. We were glad we did because it apparently rained the entire next day in Micanopy.

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I found a fully intact snake shed and managed to bring it home in a box to keep…forever!

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