Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens

 It was a bit warmer today, low 60s, so a longer bike ride was our daily goal.  In Port Orange I found a destination I thought we could ride through with the bikes.  Nope.  We wound up having to leave them in the parking lot.  (Note to self - bring a lock.)  Although the likelihood that the older people visiting the Sugar Mills Gardens would be interested in bikes.  So we walked.

The sugar cane mill originally was originally built in 1804, burned by the Indians and rebuilt.  Never truly successful.







The gardens have been meticulously groomed and maintained with a lot of interesting fauna, all described in placards.  Multiple benches, waterfalls and bridges.  







                                                            Even a sundial!
Before the gardens, there was a theme park on the site.  Created by a dermatologist with a love for dinosaurs, Bongoland was developed.  He created concrete dinosaurs, recreated a Seminole village, a miniature train, live animals and a baboon named Bongo!  Unfortunately it was only opened 5 years, closing in 1952.  I would have visited!





                                            The bathroom even had dinosaur paintings!

                                    And we passed Sugarplum Lane on the way home!

The day was warm enough to ride in shorts and tee shirts but the wind!  The 7 miles to the gardens was "easy" but the ride back we were heading into the wind.  Ugh.  Seemed twice as far having to pedal harder against the wind.  


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