Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Central Florida
We’ve turned lazy since we’ve settled in at Salt Springs! We’ve gone out exploring forest back roads a few times. Lots of signs about bears! We’ve heard there is one in the camp but have not seen it. Last night we heard the call of an owl and this afternoon we watched a hawk soaring high over the trees. We’ve ridden the bikes out and around a few times.
We’ve met some great folks! We’re sad that they have moved on to their next location but after Christmas we’ll be in the same area again and are hoping to get the canoes in the same river at the same time! Jim and Nancy are from North Carolina so of course have that wonderful southern accent and all the cool “isms” that go with it! Nancy is a crafter like me and we spent an afternoon sharing “projects”. I now have a sweet crocheted angel and she has a Christmas potholder. We’ve shared a campfire and a bag of marshmallows. Jim and H found plenty to gab about – boats, guns, planes, cars and travel stories!
Across the way from us is an older fella, Joe who is a novice camper. I mean NOVICE! H had to help him finish setting up his tent because he didn’t know that the poles go into the little pockets at the bottom of the tent and he wondered why his tent wouldn’t stay standing up straight. He has a laptop but was having trouble getting the wifi that’s across the way. He didn’t realize you had to scroll down to see them when there are more than 3 on his screen.
Monday has come and gone. The temps were in the mid 80’s and again – mostly sunny! Our big adventure was to venture down the highway to go snorkeling at Silver Glen Springs. Thankfully they have not “improved” that beautiful spring! Silver Glen is rustic and still the way it was a long time ago. Even the split rail fence that encompasses the deep area is RUSTIC! A large oval spring with plenty of swimming and snorkeling areas!! And fish!!! We thought they were mullet but a gentleman there said they were “lady fish”. He was out there swimming and caught a catfish with his bare hands! He called out whenever he saw a different fish – catfish, gar, ladyfish, mullet, tilapia and even a ray! We started to follow a hiking trail thru the “jungle” and forest near the springs but once H saw the FRESH pile of bear scat – we didn’t walk much further. As we walked we played kindergarten kids and clapped our hands till we were back at the picnic area!
Tuesday had a VERY froggy start. The fog was so wet it was dripping off the awning. Five miles on the bikes with a run to the grocery store and then another run to the post office and thru the resort across the road. After a light lunch we finally donned our snorkel stuff and counted fish in the springs here in this park. Since the springs have been closed to the public for the last 2 years, it is now clogged with all kinds of grasses and weeds making it difficult to get around. Luckily there were a couple of folks down there who were pulling up weeds by the handfuls, thus creating “paths” to paddle from one rock clustered deep spring to the other. One of the new “improvements” to the swimming area was to remove the picnic tables so there was no place to sit and soak up some sun so we climbed back on our trusty 2 wheels and came back home so we could soak up the sun in our own easy chairs. But a pleasant surprise greeted us!. While at Silver Glen we chatted with a delightful couple from Ontario who are circling the states in their compact size motorhome. We ran into them while on our bike ride and they came over to investigate the park and visit with us!
We’ve met some great folks! We’re sad that they have moved on to their next location but after Christmas we’ll be in the same area again and are hoping to get the canoes in the same river at the same time! Jim and Nancy are from North Carolina so of course have that wonderful southern accent and all the cool “isms” that go with it! Nancy is a crafter like me and we spent an afternoon sharing “projects”. I now have a sweet crocheted angel and she has a Christmas potholder. We’ve shared a campfire and a bag of marshmallows. Jim and H found plenty to gab about – boats, guns, planes, cars and travel stories!
Across the way from us is an older fella, Joe who is a novice camper. I mean NOVICE! H had to help him finish setting up his tent because he didn’t know that the poles go into the little pockets at the bottom of the tent and he wondered why his tent wouldn’t stay standing up straight. He has a laptop but was having trouble getting the wifi that’s across the way. He didn’t realize you had to scroll down to see them when there are more than 3 on his screen.
Monday has come and gone. The temps were in the mid 80’s and again – mostly sunny! Our big adventure was to venture down the highway to go snorkeling at Silver Glen Springs. Thankfully they have not “improved” that beautiful spring! Silver Glen is rustic and still the way it was a long time ago. Even the split rail fence that encompasses the deep area is RUSTIC! A large oval spring with plenty of swimming and snorkeling areas!! And fish!!! We thought they were mullet but a gentleman there said they were “lady fish”. He was out there swimming and caught a catfish with his bare hands! He called out whenever he saw a different fish – catfish, gar, ladyfish, mullet, tilapia and even a ray! We started to follow a hiking trail thru the “jungle” and forest near the springs but once H saw the FRESH pile of bear scat – we didn’t walk much further. As we walked we played kindergarten kids and clapped our hands till we were back at the picnic area!
Tuesday had a VERY froggy start. The fog was so wet it was dripping off the awning. Five miles on the bikes with a run to the grocery store and then another run to the post office and thru the resort across the road. After a light lunch we finally donned our snorkel stuff and counted fish in the springs here in this park. Since the springs have been closed to the public for the last 2 years, it is now clogged with all kinds of grasses and weeds making it difficult to get around. Luckily there were a couple of folks down there who were pulling up weeds by the handfuls, thus creating “paths” to paddle from one rock clustered deep spring to the other. One of the new “improvements” to the swimming area was to remove the picnic tables so there was no place to sit and soak up some sun so we climbed back on our trusty 2 wheels and came back home so we could soak up the sun in our own easy chairs. But a pleasant surprise greeted us!. While at Silver Glen we chatted with a delightful couple from Ontario who are circling the states in their compact size motorhome. We ran into them while on our bike ride and they came over to investigate the park and visit with us!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Northern Florida
It’s pouring down rain and 52 degrees! This morning, Friday the 11th, we joined the rest of the campers in Salt Springs National Forest Campground for a pancake breakfast in the “barn”. Pretty good fixin’s! This afternoon we went out exploring more backwoods when a young VERY black bear loped across the roadway! We were looking for a large sinkhole that someone told H about but we never found any. The “lakes” we saw on the maps were actually just overgrown water spots in vast wild swamps. By the time we returned to the trailer it was pouring down rain, which was a perfect time to get out the sewing machine and work on some Christmas potholders. 4 are done so now I can get you caught up on what’s been going on since our last visit.
From Blythe Island Georgia, we moved on down to Amelia Island, Florida and got a nice spot in Little Talbot State Park for the night. Of course, before we parked at the State Park, we had to make a stop and do some shopping in the touristy town of Ferdindina at the north end of the island. Nothing has changed there!! Even the shark is still hanging high on the dock in the harbor. (H had his picture taken with it several years ago!) On our way early Monday morning, the schedule for the day included (finally) a stop at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Our Toledo Zoo membership didn’t get us in free but even half price was well worth the experience. African elephants, a small herd of giraffes, Bongo’s, a pretty neat reptile building with ACTIVE inhabitants, a pair of cougars and several domed aviaries were among our favorites there. NO polar bears and only one nervously pacing cheetah! In one of the jungle aviaries there was a pair of extremely colorful ducks who took turns preening themselves whenever I attempted to take their pictures. Snap – one duck was swiveling his neck. Snap- the other one was! Oh well! Our feet and legs were soon wore out and after a sandwich in the trailer we were back on the road south to St Augustine and 2 nights at Anastasia State Park. This time we parked in the loop that was nearest to the beach but STILL never made it out to walk on it. Way too windy! Tuesday morning we headed to the beach - to drive on it! It was a bit foggy and still windy. The waves were rolling in hard and the beach was fairly empty of vehicles or foot traffic but there were plenty of bobbing little shorebirds. And plenty of gulls and “bad hair” terns! After going slow for nearly 10 miles we turned inland and found ourselves across from the Fort Matanzas National Historic Site. We HAD to visit! Our free boat ride took us out onto an island down river from St Augustine. The island originally was only an acre and the size of the tiny restored fort matched that island in size! The 8 soldiers who once manned the fort never saw any battles but spent 30 days at a time serving as lookouts – protecting the city of St Augustine from the mouth of the river to the south. The Jeep was parked next at the “Castillo De San Marcos “ near historic downtown St Augustine and we spent an hour going in and out of the shops that lined the pedestrian mall. Since we STILL had time on the meter we entered the fort and took our own private tour there. Up on the walls of the fort, the view of the harbor below offered moored pleasure sailboats instead of Spanish war ships. The roads buzzed with vehicle traffic instead of marching soldiers or civilians going about their business in the nearby town.
Wednesday morning the road before us led us inland to the Ocala National Forest and here in Salt Springs we parked in the same site as last year. This will be our home for the next week. The awning is out and Christmas lights are hung on it. Our American flag is flying on our pole that Bud made for us! The Christmas tree is on the dining room table and our two little blue velvet stockings are hung. The radio station is called “The River” and Christmas Carols play all day. The wifi is still across the road in the small strip mall there! The temperature on Thursday was 84 degrees and today it only made it up to 52. Then there is the rain – it’s now gone and the temps are to be back up in the 70’s and 80’s for the weekend.
From Blythe Island Georgia, we moved on down to Amelia Island, Florida and got a nice spot in Little Talbot State Park for the night. Of course, before we parked at the State Park, we had to make a stop and do some shopping in the touristy town of Ferdindina at the north end of the island. Nothing has changed there!! Even the shark is still hanging high on the dock in the harbor. (H had his picture taken with it several years ago!) On our way early Monday morning, the schedule for the day included (finally) a stop at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Our Toledo Zoo membership didn’t get us in free but even half price was well worth the experience. African elephants, a small herd of giraffes, Bongo’s, a pretty neat reptile building with ACTIVE inhabitants, a pair of cougars and several domed aviaries were among our favorites there. NO polar bears and only one nervously pacing cheetah! In one of the jungle aviaries there was a pair of extremely colorful ducks who took turns preening themselves whenever I attempted to take their pictures. Snap – one duck was swiveling his neck. Snap- the other one was! Oh well! Our feet and legs were soon wore out and after a sandwich in the trailer we were back on the road south to St Augustine and 2 nights at Anastasia State Park. This time we parked in the loop that was nearest to the beach but STILL never made it out to walk on it. Way too windy! Tuesday morning we headed to the beach - to drive on it! It was a bit foggy and still windy. The waves were rolling in hard and the beach was fairly empty of vehicles or foot traffic but there were plenty of bobbing little shorebirds. And plenty of gulls and “bad hair” terns! After going slow for nearly 10 miles we turned inland and found ourselves across from the Fort Matanzas National Historic Site. We HAD to visit! Our free boat ride took us out onto an island down river from St Augustine. The island originally was only an acre and the size of the tiny restored fort matched that island in size! The 8 soldiers who once manned the fort never saw any battles but spent 30 days at a time serving as lookouts – protecting the city of St Augustine from the mouth of the river to the south. The Jeep was parked next at the “Castillo De San Marcos “ near historic downtown St Augustine and we spent an hour going in and out of the shops that lined the pedestrian mall. Since we STILL had time on the meter we entered the fort and took our own private tour there. Up on the walls of the fort, the view of the harbor below offered moored pleasure sailboats instead of Spanish war ships. The roads buzzed with vehicle traffic instead of marching soldiers or civilians going about their business in the nearby town.
Wednesday morning the road before us led us inland to the Ocala National Forest and here in Salt Springs we parked in the same site as last year. This will be our home for the next week. The awning is out and Christmas lights are hung on it. Our American flag is flying on our pole that Bud made for us! The Christmas tree is on the dining room table and our two little blue velvet stockings are hung. The radio station is called “The River” and Christmas Carols play all day. The wifi is still across the road in the small strip mall there! The temperature on Thursday was 84 degrees and today it only made it up to 52. Then there is the rain – it’s now gone and the temps are to be back up in the 70’s and 80’s for the weekend.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Georgia
Saturday, December 5 – we have moved south from the wet, swampy state park just outside Savannah to a wet county park on Blythe Island, just SW from Brunswick Ga. The sun has finally come out for a while this afternoon and the temps are above 50 degrees. It poured down ALL night long and the “mobile motel” should now be called the “Aerolite Ark” because we woke up this morning parked in the middle of a HUGE puddle! H had to pull out onto the roadway before he could finish the chore of hooking up and putting everything away. It has rained everyday since we left Michigan and twice was an all night, steady downpour of rain. Last night the sound of the rain on the roof was like being inside of a popcorn popper that never ran out of exploding kernels.
Historic Savannah was decorated for Christmas and we walked thru the shops, both down on the riverfront and on the upper street level. Poinsettias were plentiful and festive wreaths were hung on most doors! The cobblestone streets and the gas lamps flickering on the various storefronts easily took us back in time. All that was needed were the ladies in their long dresses and the gentlemen in their waistcoats! Christmas music floated on the air from different areas and at one small waterside park there was an elderly gentleman playing carols on his clarinet. I spoke a “Good Morning” to a man who was weaving roses and intricate crosses from reeds and he handed me one and said it was a gift. I tried to decline and teased him that it was one way to make a sale! He said – no- it was a gift because I was nice to him. Yeah, I gave him a dollar. I’m a softy and H fussed that I am. Two brightly decorated paddlewheel boats were secured to the seawall and just up from them was a grand dame of a tall ship named Peacemaker. The sign at the boarding ramp said “free tours” and up we went! She was 150 ft long and stood 126 ft tall. A big girl – she weighed 380 tons! A beautiful lady! As we visited with a gentleman who seemed to be in charge, we watched 2 mammoth ocean freighters cross by each other – one coming down river and the other – one of the largest ocean going cargo container ships from China going up river. The upriver vessel was guided by a tugboat that was bigger than any we see on the Maumee! As they passed close by the moored tall ship, we felt the power of their engines.
From downtown Savannah we crossed over to Tybee Island and had to stop for a side trip to Cockspur Island to visit Fort Pulaski National Monument. We arrived just in time for a guided tour and learned all about her 18 year building process and the short Civil War battle that ended her short career as a fort. We continued out onto Tybee Island, hoping to be present for their lighted Christmas parade but the rains came and we went - - back to the campground and out of the downpour.
This morning we followed Rt 17 past several plantations and thru swamps and mixed forests of both hardwoods and tall skinny pines. All along the way the roads were lined with fall colors of bright yellows, reds, oranges and dark greens of the live oaks. Oh yeah - - - palm trees and Spanish moss, too!!! Northern Georgia has snow and this area still has fall colors!
At 2 30pm, H says its now 55 degrees and the sun is STILL shining! He’s had his nap and we’ll be heading to Historic Downtown to find some more Christmas decorations! May visit another island while we’re out!
Historic Savannah was decorated for Christmas and we walked thru the shops, both down on the riverfront and on the upper street level. Poinsettias were plentiful and festive wreaths were hung on most doors! The cobblestone streets and the gas lamps flickering on the various storefronts easily took us back in time. All that was needed were the ladies in their long dresses and the gentlemen in their waistcoats! Christmas music floated on the air from different areas and at one small waterside park there was an elderly gentleman playing carols on his clarinet. I spoke a “Good Morning” to a man who was weaving roses and intricate crosses from reeds and he handed me one and said it was a gift. I tried to decline and teased him that it was one way to make a sale! He said – no- it was a gift because I was nice to him. Yeah, I gave him a dollar. I’m a softy and H fussed that I am. Two brightly decorated paddlewheel boats were secured to the seawall and just up from them was a grand dame of a tall ship named Peacemaker. The sign at the boarding ramp said “free tours” and up we went! She was 150 ft long and stood 126 ft tall. A big girl – she weighed 380 tons! A beautiful lady! As we visited with a gentleman who seemed to be in charge, we watched 2 mammoth ocean freighters cross by each other – one coming down river and the other – one of the largest ocean going cargo container ships from China going up river. The upriver vessel was guided by a tugboat that was bigger than any we see on the Maumee! As they passed close by the moored tall ship, we felt the power of their engines.
From downtown Savannah we crossed over to Tybee Island and had to stop for a side trip to Cockspur Island to visit Fort Pulaski National Monument. We arrived just in time for a guided tour and learned all about her 18 year building process and the short Civil War battle that ended her short career as a fort. We continued out onto Tybee Island, hoping to be present for their lighted Christmas parade but the rains came and we went - - back to the campground and out of the downpour.
This morning we followed Rt 17 past several plantations and thru swamps and mixed forests of both hardwoods and tall skinny pines. All along the way the roads were lined with fall colors of bright yellows, reds, oranges and dark greens of the live oaks. Oh yeah - - - palm trees and Spanish moss, too!!! Northern Georgia has snow and this area still has fall colors!
At 2 30pm, H says its now 55 degrees and the sun is STILL shining! He’s had his nap and we’ll be heading to Historic Downtown to find some more Christmas decorations! May visit another island while we’re out!
Heading South Again
December 2nd - we’re on the road again! Going places that we’ve never been!!! Our “mobile motel” pulled out on Wednesday morning just before 8am and got in the long line of vehicles who had to go to work that morning. HA! We kept going and ended up at a rustic little campground just after 5 o’clock in Camp Creek State Park on Rt 77, just south of Beckley W Va. Glad to be off the windy and wet road, we really didn’t mind that it rained all night – we were safe and dry -- and slept well, inspite of our colds.
Back up on the road again, thru Virginia and into North Carolina. Our 1st stop for the morning was breakfast in Elkins. On the menu was something that neither of us had ever seen, so I HAD to try it. Livermush! A molded mixture of ground liver and cornmeal fried to a crispy brown– so said the waitress. And whatever else was in it, I will never know! It was interesting but will never force bacon off my list of favorite pork items. We left the 4-lane expressway in Columbia, South Carolina and drove the rest of the way thru the state on 2 laned Rt 321, past several cotton growing areas and slowed down for the many small towns complete with cop cars sitting at the 1st speed sign of each town. 5 o’clock traffic in Savannah, Georgia is just like 5 o’clock traffic in ANY city!! Stop. Go. Stop again! But what a good way to see the restored old southern buildings and neighborhoods! Ok, so H didn’t think so either. We are parked at Skidaway Island State Park just SE of Savannah for the next day or so. Just enough time to see the town decorated for Christmas. All the local parades and festivals are tonight and tomorrow. We have a lot of things to cover in the next day so we’ll chat again later. Wifi is up at the park office!
Back up on the road again, thru Virginia and into North Carolina. Our 1st stop for the morning was breakfast in Elkins. On the menu was something that neither of us had ever seen, so I HAD to try it. Livermush! A molded mixture of ground liver and cornmeal fried to a crispy brown– so said the waitress. And whatever else was in it, I will never know! It was interesting but will never force bacon off my list of favorite pork items. We left the 4-lane expressway in Columbia, South Carolina and drove the rest of the way thru the state on 2 laned Rt 321, past several cotton growing areas and slowed down for the many small towns complete with cop cars sitting at the 1st speed sign of each town. 5 o’clock traffic in Savannah, Georgia is just like 5 o’clock traffic in ANY city!! Stop. Go. Stop again! But what a good way to see the restored old southern buildings and neighborhoods! Ok, so H didn’t think so either. We are parked at Skidaway Island State Park just SE of Savannah for the next day or so. Just enough time to see the town decorated for Christmas. All the local parades and festivals are tonight and tomorrow. We have a lot of things to cover in the next day so we’ll chat again later. Wifi is up at the park office!
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