12,412 miles......We're Home!

Arrived home last night after a 10 hour drive from Michael & Jess's house (So nice to see them!).  Sure seems strange to to have all the room to roam in our house, missed the RV's homey close quarters.  Today we emptied all of our stuff and cleaned up BIW, so it's ready for the next trip.

On the way home we stopped in Charleston, SC, where we walked the historic district.  Perfect weather to wander the many gardens with all of their Spring blooms, and to tour the houses.  We'll need to go back and spend more time; nice town.

So, you won't be hearing from us for a while....not until we rev up BIW's engine, and head out for more ADVENTURE !!! 

Besides, Ruthie is looking to keep cool in another fountain.

Ruthie celebrates her Birthday at the "Club" Grand dining room !!

It's only once that you celebrate your 61st birthday, and where you celebrate, is the important part.  So....First get dressed in "proper attire", hop on your bike and cycle 5 miles, then ditch your helmet and leisurely stroll into the Grand dining room for a very proper dinner....And most important, it was good!!

After camping for the past few months, how nice to be attended to at the lovely turn-of-the-century Club, on Jekyll Island.

Everything about Jekyll Island was Grand.  Nicely paved bike paths, beautiful "live" oaks (centuries old) with spanish moss, turn of the century buildings and service, and even a nice campground.  We even watched the moonrise where the full moon came up out of the Atlantic on its closest orbital pass in 18 years - Spectacular!

Savannah was next on our itinerary.  Drove in and parked our RV at the visitor center and spent all day walking through the many parks and exploring the turn of the century (1800s) houses.  Looking for Southern Fried Chicken for lunch, Morey googled, "fried chicken Savannah"; and up pops KFC, local fast food places, and Mrs. Wilkes.  So we decided on Mrs. Wilkes....if we had only known that there would be an hour line for a family style fried chicken dinner (and 22 other dishes!).  Well worth it.  We discovered that we followed President Obama by a few months.  Guess we both wanted the fine Southern cooking at the incredible price of $16 per person.  Google comes through.  Barely able to move following this meal, we walked around town, took a house tour of the Owen-Thomas  house, and then indulged at Leopolds for a genuine soda and a malt....  OMG!

The Snowbirds including us are heading North

As we checked out of our Dade Countycampground, we followed a long line of RVs, trailers, and 5th wheels heading north.  Spring is in the air, and it's time to get home.

First, though, we needed to get back to Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne.  Great memories of Morey and Ruthie going to this awesome beach among the pines...the smell always brought back this place in our minds.  Hurricane Andrew in 1992 leveled the place, not a palm nor a pine tree left (the lighthouse did survive); but after a number of years of rebuilding, the park has reopened.  Same nice beach with the sand and the water calling us to jump in, but none of those pines and those old smells. 

Camped for two days at Jonathan Dickenson State Park, just north of Jupiter.  Biked the 5 miles to the Loxahatchee River, where we rented a 2-person Kayak and paddled up the river.  We turned into a smaller stream and soon discovered that we were not alone!!  As we paddled by, a number of friendly alligators sunning themselves on the banks, smiled.... and one did jump in and head toward us.  We knew that alligators can run up to 30 mph on land, but how fast can they swim?!

Surviving our kayak trip, we then headed up to Leesburg to see Ruthie's cousin, Marlene and her husband, Bill.  And they surprised Ruthie with a birthday cake!  How nice to see them and their lovely surroundings.  We couldn't believe the new downtowns and the special roads just for the golf carts.  For all you 55+ers, take a look at Lady Lake and the Villages.

Everglades National Park

We spent four days, but we could have spent many more.  There is only one Everglades in the world, a very unique area.  This park even opened our eyes to bird watching and the natural settings around them.  [Hard to believe that Morey could become a bird watcher?!]  Must have taken 50 pictures of really cool birds.  What incredible and beautiful birds, and they liked their picture being taken!

We first camped at Lone Pine Campground, a lovely campground where we were at the edge of the lake with the pine trees and tropical plants all around us. Then we drove the park road stopping at the many trails including Royal Palm where we walked the two trails, and viewed the birds and the alligators up close. Also walked through the hammocks on boardwalks.

We continued down to Flamingo on the Florida Bay where we camped and checked out the visitor center and all of the activities.  We attended the many Ranger talks about Manatees (and saw some), Alligators (saw over 100), and the birds. 

Every night we biked over to the amphitheater for the evening program, using our headlamp for the return trip under the stars.  

We also took the 3 hour canoe trip on Nine Mile Pond where we dodged around the alligators. 

What a great park, we will be back.....................................

Drove my Chevy to the.........

I know, the next word should be levee, THE famous song by Don McLean;   

But in this case, it was Spring Break 1973, and Don's song was playing as we drove across seven-mile bridge to Key West.  We borrowed my mom's Chevy Vega.....So, I drove my Chevy Vega to Key West (I know, it doesn't rhyme); set up our tent in the howling wind at Boyd's Campground, "The southernmost campground in the U.S."), and explored Key West.




 
 



Our 1972 tent site at Boyds



Our 2011 RV site, no water view



Well, we're back for Spring Break 2011, and can't say we feel any older; well for the most part.  Set up our RV at Boyds, still the most southern campground in the U.S. (continental); place got spruced up alot!! Then we went out and did all of the stuff to do here in Key West.  Ate stone crab, pink shrimp, and key lime pie; biked to the beach and played volleyball (at least thought about it); and watched the sun go down at Mallory Square.  We did have to stop the jugglers from using our bikes in their juggling act! 

All good memories both now and 38 years ago (can't believe where the time's gone).  From this point we're heading home - more stops on the way, but we're "homeward bound."

PS  Had to include in this blog a shot of the Key West cemetary...is it our age?
Located in the center of town at the "DEAD END".

On the way to Key West...

Spent a couple of nights near John Pennekamp in King Kamps trailer park (with a marina).  Squeezed in between two mobile homes, it was an "interesting" place to park BIW.  Great location as we biked the mile down the road to Pennekamp State Park where we took the snorkel tour 5 miles offshore to the Grecian Reef.  Great to snorkel after being away from the carribean.  Saw huge parrot fish and lots of barracuda.

Then down the road to Bahia Honda SP where we stopped for a dip in the ocean and a picnic lunch.  But before, stopped to pick up some stone crab which made for a great dinner tonight. 

Now down at Boyd's Campground in Key West. Don't those stone crabs look good? -- They are!!

Looking forward to checking out the town!

Ruthie outruns a Gator!

This blog is all about Ruthie.... First she narrowly survives all of the hoardes of shell shoppers and shell seekers on Sanibel Island, and then while biking in the Everglades on the famous Shark Valley bike path, she almost has her bike tire (and maybe more) chomped by a HUGE alligator.  Fortunately, the gator had just filled his tummy with delectible Anhingas (look this bird up).  Did you know that alligators can run as fast as 30 MPH?!

Looks like we'll be coming back to this part of Florida.  Next time a week in Sanibel.  Lots of shells, great beaches, good food and drink places, and bike paths to take you wherever you want to go.



Chomp, Chomp



Coastal Relaxation along Florida's panhandle

After our wild and crazy time in New Orleans, we've been relaxing.  First St. Andrews and now St. Georges State Park; great campsites among the palms, and the beautiful Gulf to shell and listen to the waves.  Stopped in Apalachacola to check out the gifty shops and some great oysters and crabcakes for lunch.  Then drove across the causeways to St. Georges Island where the state park has over 8 miles of coastline on both the bay and gulf.

Too much relaxing, so we biked to the far eastern end of the island, before heading into town for ice cream.  A 28 mile ride with absolutely wonderful weather at 70 degrees and bright blue skies.  NICE!