I know, I know, I didn't tell my three long-suffering readers that I had gone up to the Cape, but I did, this morning. Early.

Not a bad drive. Only two-and-a-half hours from north Boca.

It's amazing how much the state changes both culturally and demographically just north of the Palm Beach/Martin County line. South lies the southern annex of New Yawk/Jersey. Italian restaurants and steak houses prevail. Seafood may be found, but generally only at the steakhouses.

North lies the south. Seafood shacks, fried stuff, barbecue, grits.

We used to say in Michigan that Detroit was the only place in the US (well, outside of Alaska) that you can look south and see Canada (go look at Detroit and Windsor, Ontario on a map). Well, Florida is the only state in the US where you have to drive north to get to the South.

It goes suddenly from quite urban to quite rural, with long stretches of nothing but swamp and pine forest--no sign of man except for the freeway itself, upon which one traverses them, up through Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties. They and their suffering inhabitants were ground zero for both Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, in the space of two weeks, only a few weeks ago. Both storms made land in almost exactly the same location, somewhere between Vero Beach and Fort Pierce.

I was surprised to see little damage. Or, I should say, I saw little damage to nature, but perhaps that's because I'm not attuned to recognize it. The angles of the trees on the hammocks in the glades may have been altered, but I wouldn't have known.

Man-made stuff is another matter. I saw many billboards absent both bills and boards, nothing but a frame, a skeleton, remained, appropriate for the upcoming season. Stopping for gas in Fort Pierce, I saw a Golden Arch ungilded, frame only, bereft even of the plywood upon which to place the gold, but with a stalwart handwritten sign below: "We're Still Open."

Had I more time, I'd have toured A1-A along the barrier islands, where I suspect the damage was both more extensive and obvious.

The Cape was in good shape, all considered. I was in a meeting at Boeing, in a conference room with a lovely view of the Indian River, and the Vehicle Assembly Building across it, off in the distance.

It looked closer than it was, as it always does, because there's no sense of scale to indicate that it's one of the largest buildings in the world. It lost some panels in the maelstroms, but neither of the storms were the ones that would put NASA out of the manned spaceflight business. That's one of the reasons that the Cape was chosen for the premiere launch site. Historically, that region has been largely hurricane free, at least when it comes to Cats 3 and above. But that doesn't mean it can't happen. They dodged two bullets this year.

Make that four Rand! Thanks for the essay and, as a Florida native I know very well that one has to go 'souf to go nawf!

I used to do product support for a Golf proshop point of Sale and travelled into the Inverrary golf course many times. Large Jewish community around that area. Watch out for the blue haired old ladies driving 25 mph.

I went the Cape one time when I was a kid. Stood next to one of the crawlers, saw the space shuttle sitting on the launch pad in he distance, and visited the gift the shop. The Space Shuttle was even more exciting then seeing all the alligators sitting on the side of the road on the way out there.

Big question is, now that you are living in Florida. What kind of fishing reel and rod are you gonna get?

I've done lots of fresh/saltwater fishing with my Grandfather around there. Even caught a really nice big crab one time. Caught a snake fish one time with knarly pointy teeth. Most of the fish I caught though I'd feed to the pelicans.

What kind of fishing reel and rod are you gonna get?

No kind. I don't fish. I also don't golf. Florida sucks.

But at least the weather's started to improve a little--it's not in the nineties any more, and the humidity is down.

Oh okay then you probably partake in the hobby that I prefer the most which is sit on the beach and enjoy the biki....err...scenery. Yea thats it

Actually, no. I'm not that big a beach fan, particularly here (though I liked walking on the beach in CA, where there was other scenery in addition to the bikini-clad kind). The beaches are small, parking is tough, no good places to walk except the sand itself. And it's too sunny, hot and humid. I hate the sun.

The only activity that's better here than other places for me is diving. But I haven't done that since I got here.

More than three readers, I think ...

I used to live in the midwest, but I had forgotten what true humidity was like until I took a vacation in Florida. I was surprised how few buildings had double-pane windows (you couldn't see through the single pane windows due to condensation, so what's the point?). Visiting the Keys was nice, though, and actually being able to swim in the ocean without freezing was a great experience. Clear water, too. If I had been there longer, I would have done some serious diving.

"The only activity that's better here than other places for me is diving. But I haven't done that since I got here."

Florida has some of the most diverse and outstanding diving in the US. I have cave and wreck dove in Fl.

You also have the Keys.

Rodales SD generally rates Florida tops in US diving.