A couple of days in Savannah

After a nice stop at a small botanical garden just off Interstate 95, we set up camp at Skidaway Island State Park.  Less than 15 miles to old Savannah, this was the perfect place to overnight.  On arrival, we got out our bikes, and rode the trail through the woods, by an old still, and by the marshland of Skidaway Island.

The next morning, we drove to the Visitor Center in the heart of "old" Savannah, where we took one of the designated RV parking spots.  Then our walking tour began.  First with a stop at the restored 1859 Mercer mansion where the movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, was filmed.  Next on to the third oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, Mickve Israel, founded in 1733.  Of the 42 who arrived 34 were Sephardic Jews who had survived the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions. We toured their third sanctuary, built in 1876 in a Gothic style.  Fascinating to hear the history and the success of the original and later immigrants; many being prominent in Savannah politics and affairs.  In their museum they still show the original Torah brought over with the initial settlers.

Following our walking of this beautiful old city, we headed to The Lady and Sons restaurant...Paula Dean...for good Southern country food.  And what luck, Paula was there to join us!

Finally back to the parking lot where we extracted our motorhome and headed back to Skidaway Island.

Now fully oriented, the next morning we drove back to the VC parking lot and secured an easier in&out spot.   Took a 4 mile walking tour through the many neighborhoods and parks of Savannah before ending our tour with a great lunch stop at Vic's on the River.  Before leaving we had to have some shrimp & grits...and they were good!

We had planned to spend this last night at the Visitor Center, where you can sleep in your RV.  But, the temperatures were in the mid 80s, we couldn't put our slideouts out, nor run our air conditioner.  So we smartly, said goodbye and drove a day earlier to Michael & Jess's house.

Always, check your mirrors !

On the day before we were leaving Salt Springs, we became part of a RV meet-n-greet.  As one of the motorhomes was preparing to move on to its next site, the driver cut to the right too quickly.....Our entertainment for the afternoon.


So what do you do when a pine tree is tight up against the side of your RV?  Definitely, don't try to outgun the tree.  Choice was either to move the RV (not possible) or move the tree (possible).  So out came a tree service company and worked diligently to extract the tree without dropping cut branches on its roof.

Success!  But a costly mistake.

Camping in a Florida Forest

Specifically, we camped in the Ocala National Forest, less than 50 miles north of Orlando.  Who says that there are no good NFs in the southeast?!  Two years ago, we camped at Alexander Springs; nice but we found nicer!  Pulled our RV into Juniper Springs; nice campsite, nice facilities - even showers.  The CCC was busy here in the mid 1930s building a pool for the natural warm spring to bubble up and fill.  They even built a water wheel which generated electricity for the then new campground and recreation area.  All really nice.

Met our RV friends, Gail and Dan, and with their transport help, we first went went on a five mile hike.  Then another day we headed back to finish the Paisley off road bike trail, which we had started two years earlier.  A little sandy, but what a great ride through the palmettos, the live oaks, and the big leaf pines.  Eleven miles felt like twenty, but gladly, no one fell in some of the deeper sand patches.  FUN.

Next activity....canoeing the seven miles from the springs bubbling pool, and then down through the forest.  Very clear instructions regarding staying in your canoe made sense as we passed a number of alligators sunning themselves.  A pretty strong current made our paddling easy, except for a few sharp bends and even a rapids.  We were ready to finish up our four hour paddle when we spotted the one and only bridge where we were to end this adventure.

Before we said goodbye to Dan and Gail, we celebrated Ruthie's birthday.  Good to have some friends to help in this celebration.





Following our activities at Juniper Springs, we pulled in the sides and drove to Salt Springs, just 20 miles further north.  Another nice campground in the Ocala NF, even electric and full hookups, but this campground did not have the environment of Juniper.  An OK place to spend a few days, but we wished we had stayed at Juniper.

Ruthie swims with the Manatees

After spending a few days at Wekiwa State Park and canoeing the warm spring waters, we drove the less than an hour drive to Blue Springs State Park (after a stop at the local laundromat).  This being our second time to this really nice State Park, Ruthie built up her courage....

She jumped into the constant 73 degree spring waters, and swam with the Manatees...........and all of the other fish and creatures.  The manatees come into this warm spring area to stay toasty warm after eating greens all day on the big St. Johns River.  So, how could you NOT swim with them?

While here at Blue Springs we biked the expanded paved biking trail which included a bike to the Red Box to pick up an evening movie. 

Blue Springs is one of our favorite Florida Parks.

Miami Beach.................via the Everglades

While our RV resided at Long Pine Campground, we took our rental car to Miami Beach to spend a few days in this happening place.  Spring Break craziness was in full action.  Special thanks to Ruthie's friend Lisa and David, for "loaning" us their "honeymoon suite" right on Miami Beach. 

We enjoyed incredibly great meals with our friends, especially the Stone Crabs and really fresh fish.  Walked Ocean Drive checking out all of the restored art deco hotels.  Stopped into a couple of interesting museums, and even got back to Joe's Stone Crab restaurant.......
we ordered fried chicken and chopped salad (not Stone Crab).

Before heading back to Long Pine and our RV, we took an evening boat tour along the Miami River. 


Pretty incredible history and quite a skyline.

The Florida Everglades

This is the Everglades.................

Leaving the Marco Island area, we drove east along the Tamiami Trail.  Stopped first for a couple of days at Midway campground.  A surprisingly nice place to spend a few days.  Near to the Oasis Visitor Center and Shark Valley.

Then we drove to Long Pine Campground which is near the Everglades National Park entrance.  Originally we had planned to spend almost a week at Flamingo at the southern tip of Florida, but the worst "mosquitoes in 20-30 years" caused us to change our plans.  We rented a car in Homestead and then used Long Pine as our base of operations. 

Headed over to the Anhinga Trail to see the turtle eating alligator, also some nice walks.  Then took a day trip down to Flamingo, checked out where we had planned to spend almost a week, and decided that we made the right choice.

We did some biking including a ride with a park ranger through the open saw grass areas, through the pines, and by the hammocks.  Really loved the Long Pine area!

And we must mention, we only stopped 3 times at Robert is Here for smoothies and milkshakes.  We had to control ourselves.

Enough already! Time to get out of town

On our RV travels, we've had the attack of the fruit flies, the attack of the goatheads, and even the attack of the Stink Bugs....... but this is the worst!

THE ATTACK OF THE MOSQUITOS.......

Having used up two cans of bug spray, and lots of swatting, it's just simply time to revise our travel plans.  I did call down to Flamingo, in the Everglades, and spoke to a Ranger who confirmed "The mosquitos are the worst they've ever been. But come on down, we need some fresh blood."

So we've changed plans and will spend a week in Miami Beach... even a rental car.