Perception and mint ice cream

Happy Thursday, Citrus County! Sez the man in Tallahassee.

Let’s talk a little about U.S. 19 and perceptions.

I can’t think of another 3-hour drive better than the one between Crystal River and Tallahassee. I am on the road a lot, constantly seeking scenic routes through Florida, and there are very few that touch this one.

---

As you can see, my perception of U.S. 19 north of Crystal River is a four-laned thing of beauty for motorists who prefer the scenery of woodlands and charm of small towns over exit signs or parking lots.

That’s my thinking heading north on Wednesday when, in Chiefland, I see a little sign nailed to a telephone pole telling me to “Google Legends Dessert Shop.” The sign said it was 12 miles up the road on the left.  Similar signs on similar poles followed.

That’s all the Google prodding I needed. I stopped a way up the road for a Google search on Legends and was pleasantly surprised to see it was just across the Suwannee River in Old Town.

I dropped in for an ice cream cone and had a pleasant chat with the co-owner. When I mentioned I had driven that highway dozens of times to and from Tallahassee, she asked if I noticed the difference.

The difference?

“The traffic. The traffic is awful.”

The traffic. On U.S. 19. In Old Town.

She explained they used to easily zip out of the parking lot. Now it’s a wait. And left turns, forget about it.

More people are moving in to escape the cities. They may be scattered about — no one is building a Tuscany Ranch in the middle of Dixie County — but the locals notice it right away.

Sound familiar?

Those of us who have called Citrus our home for decades, or longer, are appalled by the traffic. New arrivals don’t see the problem because it’s so much better than where they left.

“It’s far worse in Philly,” I heard someone say, and nearly fainted.

Tiny Dixie County (population around 17,000) is not immune from that debate. Some of the older folks aren’t too happy. The younger ones hoping to carve out careers at home are eager for growth. Traffic brings cars with people willing to spend money. 

A drive through Dixie County and you see its dilemma. The place is gorgeous. Who wouldn’t want to escape there? Yet…how do the locals keep it that way and still welcome economic growth?

I told the nice woman about the blog and handed her my business card. I said I write about the very thing she’s concerned about. We face these challenges head-on every day.

Places like Dixie County are struggling with their own version of this same debate. I’m sure they get a lot of, “I moved here to escape the people” from newcomers who don’t even realize the irony of what they’re saying.

A whole bunch of Citrus County people are up in Tallahassee this week trying to get money from the state to keep us ahead of the game. I didn’t attend any of the agency meetings, but our folks were grinning ear-to-ear when I asked how they went. Everyone’s trying to figure this thing out.

I hope U.S. 19 in Dixie County never becomes like our U.S. 19. Because it really is a beautiful part of Florida. 

For their part, the telephone pole ads are helping Legends just fine. Travelers like me drop in all the time. It also hosts children’s parties and has free video games. Ten-year-old Mike would never want to leave.

Stop by. You can look them up on Google.

Have a great Thursday, friends.

Join the discussion on our Facebook page.

Individual donations are appreciated through Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon.