Comfort Suites - Lumberton, NC

It’s our last night out.  The drive has been in the rain the entire day, and tomorrow is suppose to be more rain...we are thankful that it’s not snow!  Dinner at the Outback, again...with Drex waiting patiently for his piece of prime rib.

All in all, a great trip.  It was a little cool, with temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s.  Will we do it again?...only the blog can tell!

Jekyll Island State Park - Jekyll Island, GA (2)

Driftwood Beach

So just for context, Jekyll Island IS the State Park...the whole thing, taken by eminent domain in 1947.  The campground is a money maker by packing in as many RV’s as possible.  For day two, we rented a couple of bicycles and circumnavigated pretty much the entire island.  The trail winds all through the island, sometimes on the beach, sometimes in the woods,  and sometimes next to alligator infested waters.

Cottage in the Historic District

Close to the end of the trip, we biked through the historic district, with 6,000 sq ft “cottages,” and an interesting old hotel that has been restored.  Deb pulled lame as we were passing the cafe and bar at the end of the pier, so we stopped to resuscitate her with a glass of Chardonnay.  It got her almost back to the RV, but I thought I might have send Drex out with a cask hanging from his collar, to get her the last few yards.

The Wharf Bar & Grill

Back at the RV, we are dealing with our new “free range” eating.  We have learned that laying hens don’t necessarily make the tenderest meat, and at $13/lb there may be a different solution in our future.  We had chicken and root stew (after boiling for 40 minutes, the chicken was more tender)
Then we watched “Pacific Rim!”

Tomorrow, the Comfort Suites in Lumberton, our last night before home.

Jekyll Island State Park - Jekyll Island, GA

We have been doing two night stays at each campground on this trip.  So on the travel day, we stop along the way for something interesting.  Today it’s the Butterfly Rainforest, part of the University of Florida in Gainesville (Go Gators).

There is a small visitor parking lot ($4) next to the exhibit, but there are two problems, 1) we are too big to fit in the lot and 2) the lot is full.  While the attendant is focused on the first problem, I am more focused on the second.  Finally she directs us to another lot a few blocks away.  We make it over to the other lot which has exactly the same two problems.  Across the street is a Hampton Inn hotel and convention center which has neither problem. A short visit to the front desk gets us permission to spend an hour or two for free.  Thanks Hampton Inn, we owe you one!  

The butterflies are amazing, there are hundreds of them, many of them quite exotic, plus a few birds and lots of bromeliads and ferns.  We also saw where they hatch the butterflies for the exhibit, and where they pin them to boards for archival.

Back to the RV for a quick lunch, and off to Jekyll Island.  It’s Friday night and that means we go out to dinner.  The Driftwood Bistro is only a mile away, but because it’s getting dark we drive, found a little parking spot pretty close.  Had a great dinner at the bar, eavesdropping all the way.  I had scallops in a lemon sauce, Deb had a burger.

Tomorrow we plan to bike around part of the island.

Manatee Springs State Park - Chiefland, FL (2)

Day two, and still no outdoor furniture.  It was cold enough for our warm coats.  We walked the dog around the park and saw the campers all huddled around the little cafe they have at the Springs. Seemed strange, must be something there...ah ha...Internet. Bunches of people holding phones or typing at their laptops.  Once Drex was exercised, we dropped him off to take a short walk at something faster than the geriatric pace that Drex sets.  A short boardwalk led to a short path which led to a longer path, which led to a “ScenicTrail.”  It was a lovely walk, but we finally turned back, with no particular “Scenic Trail” stuff ever discovered.

Small alligator on shore

After lunch, we went canoeing.  This has been on Deb’s must-do list since we came here in 2015. With a brief trip down the Manatees Spring Stream (the spring produces over one million gallons of water a day, so the current is pretty fast), we were on the Swanee River, actually “way down upon the Swanee River!”  We paddle against the mild current and the wind for about an hour until we were well upstream of the campground, turned around and Huck Finned our way back.

At the mouth of the stream there were at least a hundred buzzards up in the trees.  The water was so clear that Deb saw a 4’ catfish... “How big Deb? “.... “Honest, it was this big!  On the shore was a small alligator, maybe 3’ long, honest!

Back to the RV for some BBQ, and a good Doctor Who episode.  Tomorrow, the Butterfly Rainforest in Gainesville, and then to Jekyll Island, our last campground on the way home.

Manatee Springs State Park - Chiefland, FL

Bok Tower

We are starting today from our most southern point.  It’s a 175 mile trip pretty much north.  Since the day is short, we start off with a quick trip to Walmart.  With our supplies topped up, we head to Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales.  Never heard of it, or even of Edward Bok who built it.  We didn’t know that it was Iron Mountain which is the tallest point on the Florida Peninsula at 324 Ft (the tallest point is actually 345 ft on the panhandle. On the grounds is a 239 ft Tower with a 60 bell carillon.  We didn't know that Edward Bok was the editor of Lady's Home Journal and he coined the word Living Room.

We strolled the 50+ acres of gardens, stopping for lunch at the cafe just as the Bells were chiming 12 o’clock.  From there it was onward to Manatee Springs, with a quick stop for some oranges and some boiled peanuts.

Georgia Pink Marble and St. Augustine Coquina

With an ever so slight miscalculation of the time it would take to avoid the Florida Turnpike (possibly not my best decision), we arrived at Manatee Springs about 5:30...so much for that short day.  By the time we got here, it was in the fifties, so we just hunkered down for some quick stir fried pork.  Well, it’s a two nighter, so we’ll do our exploring in the morning.

Air plant display

Lake Kissimmee State Park - Lake Wales, FL (2)

So first of all the accent is on the second syllable Kis-SI-mmee.  Second of all it’s no where near Disney Land, and third of all it’s a long walk to the water.

We did a short little jaunt with Drex to the observation tower.  He was all over going up...going down...not so much.  Then we did the Buster Island Trail... 6.7 mile loop... with 85% humidity in 80 degrees.  But then again, I think that was precisely the reason we came to Florida in the middle of January.  We got back to the campsite about 3:00, sat outside, without really moving for 3 hours till dinner (I think I got up once to get some bug candles).

With the nice weather, I took the opportunity to bathe the dog.  It’s been too cold at home.  We forgot the dog shampoo, so we had to use people soap...he’s nicely moisturized and smells like a spring rain!

Tomorrow, Bok Gardens, and then to Manatee State Park.

Lake Kissimmee State Park - Lake Wales, FL

St. Augustine Lighthouse

Woke up this morning to birds singing...still cool, but nice.  Before leaving St Augustine, “we need to do something besides watching football.” (NFC/AFC championships)  Well there’s the fort, but we are in Goverment Shutdown, so NO.  There’s a winery, but they make sherry and port, so NO.  There’s a lighthouse with 219 steps, YES. It was foggy and the iron spiral staircase was wet.  Climbing the lighthouse is apparently the morning ritual for the local fitness walkers, climbing with weights you have packed onto your body, either externally or internally.  The sound of dozens of squeaky sneakers going up and down the stairs is a little unnerving, but we made it to the top for a lovely foggy view (fortunately, taking in the view is not part of the fitness regimen).

My next idea, since it was a short day, was lunch in a beach front state park.  The park we found was slightly off the beaten path.  Actually, so far off the beaten path, we had to turn around.  So my next idea was a county park on the ocean.  Deb did some investigation and said the only thing was Daytona Beach,  but all I heard was beach.  About an hour later, we did find a county park in the middle of 30 story apartment buildings, with parking (no oversized vehicles).  I asked Deb if she thought we were oversized...it didn’t even merit a response.  While making root vegetable soup...not sure why since by now it was over 80, the local park patrol came up to the RV.  With trepidation, and over 42 potential excuses, I went to beg for mercy...but she said, “Oh, your fine there!” She was just using the RV as some shade.

Ormond Beach

I was getting sleepy driving, after the soup...asked Deb to drive...fell asleep and woke in a construction zone in downtown Orlando.  After about an hour of white knuckle driving, Deb was ready for me to take over (switched right in the middle of I-4 while stopped for an accident.  The rest of the drive was uneventful.  After deciding to do a few extra things, and getting stopped for a few traffic jams, we pulled into our site just at 5:00.  Our campground is in the middle of the lakes area of Florida...there is absolutely nothing for miles from here.

Anastasia State Park - St Augustine, FL

Anastasia SP Beach

We first saw this State Park in 2014.  We checked to see if it had walk-in vacancies...NO.  I tried to reserve two months in advance for the next time we went to Florida...NO.  This time six months in advance, I got one night in the middle of the week in the farthest campsite from the beach (over a mile away).  I asked if there was a chance of a second night, he said “sure, let me check!”  Let’s see 24’....NO.  It’s still a little funky from the hurricanes and the beaches were about 65 degrees. (No dogs allowed).  We walked the beach a little, and then went to find our campsite, hooked up the TV and watched the Patriots take out the local Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tomorrow it’s off to Kissimmee.

Colleton State Park - Walterboro, SC

 In the fall, I got an e-mail that our reservation at Hunting Island was not going to happen.  Hurricane Irma tossed everything and then Hurricane Maria washed it all away.  So pick a place...any place as long as it’s still in South Carolina.  I picked site 9 at Colleton State Park...pig in a poke, as they say.  Oh yeah, South Carolina is one of those, “ya gotta reserve 2 nights minimum.”  The plan was to get there on day two but the trip from Lumberton was so short that we got there for lunch.  As we are pulling into this gorgeous site sitting high over the Edisto River (the longest black water river in the world...I have no idea what I’m talking about....just what I learned from Prof Google.). The camp host comes charging over...seems everyone is trying to take the spot but it’s reserved, and has been for a day.  I apologize for being a little late and blamed the weather.  This is a tiny little park that is along the 63 mile canoe and kayak route.  Nice place to overnight if you don’t want to pull your canoe up on a sandbar and sleep with the alligators, we didn’t want to.  A ways up the river (that’s almost South Carolina speak) they got overnight accommodations in treehouses, over the water.  If alligators can’t climb, we might check them out sometime (I will first check with Prof Google about the alligators).

We finally got the bugs off the RV from the fall, Deb washed the windows and we are ready for a week in warmer Florida.

Comfort Suites - Lumberton, NC

The plan, there is always a plan, was to drive south in the middle of January, spend one night in a hotel, because it would still be too far north to stay comfortably in a campground.  We left home with water, sort of...we had water in the RV but couldn't fill the tanks and the water pump was still frozen. By the time we got to the North Carolina border, we were able to add some water and run the pump.  So it looks as though we should be okay.  It’s suppose to get just a little under freezing tonight but we have the heat on.

Comfort Suites is nice. They even have a little cover on the sofa for the dog.  He loves it, spent the whole night there.  Within walking distance of the hotel is every fast food place I have ever heard of.  I started reading them off to Deb.  She stopped me at Outback.  Turned out to be right next door.  We are stopping here again on the return trip.  Guess I know where Drex and Deb will be.

We were going to a favorite spot on the ocean - Hunting Island but it was destroyed in one of the hurricanes, so we had to select a different place.  Nothing exciting but at least a little further south.