Waterfalls Galore

We called Silver Falls State Park last night and they indicated they have 7 sites available today so we did not make a reservation thinking we could pull in before lunch and get a site just like that! Well, our thinking is going to have to change while we are in Oregon. We did get a site but only for one night and then we will have to check in at registration to see if they have anything for Monday night and then we will have to move again. What a hassle!

By the time we got set up and ate lunch it was after two but we decided to take the 8.7 mile Trail of the 10 Falls hike anyway. The geology of this area is such that waterfalls are plentiful. In this park there are 10 waterfalls along a six mile canyon. We walked by 9 of the 10 falls but were too tired to hike the additional mile to see the last one. We only photographed six of the falls since the other 3 were more or less obscured by trees. It seemed like a very long hike since we are so out of shape but we made it back to the RV before supper, even if we had to eat late.

We took pictures of the following waterfalls: The South Falls are the most famous in the park and drop 177 feet. We walked behind the falls along with a lot of other people. The Lower South Falls drop 93 feet and we walked behind these falls as well. The Lower North Falls have a 30 foot drop. The Double Falls drop 178 feet and even though it has a double drop, it is the largest in the park. The over hang produced a neat place to walk under the falls for the picture of John. And the last falls we visited were the North Falls with a thundering drop of 136 feet. The trail led us into a huge cavern under the creek and behind the falls before climbing a lot of steps to trek out of the canyon.

Oregon Coast to Newport

After a late morning, we started our drive to Newport with the intention of going to their Farmer's Market. But along the way we were sidetracked several times with scenic pull overs, loop drives and one lighthouse.

In Otter Rock we found a couple of scenic areas with great views of the Pacific Ocean rolling into high tide. The waves were crashing with big swells pushing them onto rocks and sand. Cape Foulweather aka Otter Crest was first discovered by Captain James Cook in 1178. It is reported that winds can blow as high as 100 mph along the coast, thereby its name. On one side of the point was a large beach where we watched surfers riding the waves, well, one or two actually caught a wave, the rest were just floating in the water. But there were a lot of them and maybe the waves would get better.

We then drove a short way to Devils Punch Bowl. This rock formation had two huge arched openings into a bowl like area that spouts the water into the air during storms and high tides. Again, there was a large flat beach that soon filled up with people from the nearby state park.

Our third stop was at Yaquina Head Lighthouse. It was the seventh of ten lighthouses built along the Oregon coast in the early 1900's and was used to not only warn sailors of rocks but to keep tabs on the weather, report forest fires, and during WWII, look for submarines or other incursions by Japan. Today it is electric and run by the US Coastguard.

We finally made it into Newport and to the Farmer's Market just as they were getting ready to close but I did get some great produce including cherries and Marion Berries. These berries are a cross between blackberries and raspberries and can only be found in Oregon and are very sweet. We had lunch on the bay front at a highly recommended restaurant so we had to wait for a table but that gave us a chance to explore the nearby shops.

We took another route home, happy for a chance to explore the inland area. We followed the Yaquina Bay River for about 20 miles inland before turning back toward the 101 Hwy. It is very densely forested and in fact, we came across a huge paper mill. The wind is not nearly as bad inland and it warmed up to almost 68°! Back at the RV it is only 60°. I'm ready for some warm inland sunshine!

All the Campgrounds Are Full!

We really should know better, we've been around the block a few times but we did not think ahead to the 4th of July Weekend and we did not make any reservations or even check reservations for the state park campgrounds and some of the commercial campgrounds. Almost all of them are full -- no vacancy! We were beginning to think we would have to sleep on the side of the road and incur the wrath of the highway patrol at 2 AM, forcing us to move onward, when we found a marina and campground in Waldport, just south of Newport, OR. Just a small coastal town on the Alsea River with lots of fishing and crabbing. But we camped in an open area where a north wind is blowing at about 20 mph.

After making a few phone calls we found another campground on Friday in Depoe between Newport and Lincoln City but still on the coast. We'll stay here until Sunday when we hope campgrounds will clear out some after the holiday weekend and we can find another state park to stay in. It's not a bad place to stay although noisy from busy highway 101. We can cross the highway and walk about two blocks and be on the beach. Depoe is just a short drive from the campground and has several claims to fame. It has the smallest working harbor in the world, it is the Whale Watching Capital of Oregon, and is the home of one of three blow holes along this coast.

After supper we waked to the motel down the road. It appears they have the only bar in this area with a view of the ocean. Unfortunately we did not see the sun set because of the clouds but did enjoy the view.

Honeyman, I'm Here!

Sunday morning we regretfully left Melrose Vineyards and drove westward towards the Oregon coast. Our route followed Elk Creek and Umpqua River around steep hills and through green valleys. One valley held a large herd of elk wondering along the roadway. We came through the mountains and to the coast at Reedsport in the middle of the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area. These sand dunes run for 35 miles along the coast with some of the dunes as deep as three miles from the ocean.

We landed at the Jessie M. Honeyman State Park near the small town of Florence in the heart of sand buggies and dune crawlers, but also near two fairly large freshwater lakes. We snagged a spot for two nights under the condition that we would have to move on Tuesday for another two nights and they were completely booked for the 4th of July so we would have to find another place to stay. Knowing we would have to move, Monday morning found us driving up the coast in the Jeep scouting out other state parks and National Forest campgrounds. We also did some sightseeing as this coastline is very wild and beautiful.

We also spent some time in the Old Town of Florence under their historic bridge and along the Siuslaw River. We tried two different times to eat at the most highly recommended restaurant in town but could never find a seat so we ended up at the second rated and excellent Bridgewater Fish House and Zebra Bar where we dined on appetizers and salads with martinis and wine. We drove home v e r y carefully.

After changing sites on Tuesday morning, John got the kayak out and went fishing in the Cleawox Lake while I grocery shopped. Later we rode our bikes around Woahink Lake and explored some of its forest pathways. Wednesday found John fishing from around 9 to 2 while I got my hair cut and the laundry washed. It has been a very lazy four days which I think we really needed after all the driving we've been doing.

We wish all of you a safe and happy Independence Day!

Melrose Place

It's not a TV show in Oregon but a really nice vineyard gracious enough to let us spend the night in their parking lot.

We left Crater Lake late morning for the, supposedly, short drive to Roseburg where the vineyard is located. We ended up on a scenic by-way which translates into narrow and curvy but it did follow the Umpqua River and made for a pretty drive. After reading about a waterfall along this road we decided to stop and see it for ourselves. Toketee Falls were worth the hike but not worth the trouble we had in the parking lot. The turn around at the end of the lot was too short for our RV and we had to stop, un-hitch, move, and re-hitch the Jeep. In all the years that we have towed a car behind an RV, this is the second time in this coach we have gotten ourselves in that predicament. So, instead of a 3 hour drive, we ended up on the road for 4.5 hours.

We pulled into the Melrose Vineyards in plenty of time to taste and buy some of their wines. We belong to a group called Harvest Host who line up vineyards, orchards and farms where RVers can request the opportunity to spend one night on their property at no cost. This winery is set up as an event destination. They have a huge, lush green yard surrounded by their vineyards. Near the tasting room is the outdoor event center with lovely patio and fountain. The tasting room itself has a couple of patio's and pathways through the yard. Once everyone leaves for the day, we have the whole place to ourselves. It is so quiet and peaceful after a long stressful drive.

Inside a Crater

We left the campsite earlier than we needed to catch the boat tour of the lake but it gave us an opportunity to drive the Rim Road one more time and to have a nice picnic lunch sitting on a log swatting mosquitoes.

The Crater Lake Boat Tour was definitely the highlight of this trip. Again today we had to hike a mile down (and back up) to the lake's edge where we boarded a boat that circled the lake while Ranger Mike gave us descriptions of what we were seeing and answering questions. The day was sunny and hot but on a cold lake surface, it was very pleasant.

There are many features of the rock walls that geologists interpret were caused when the volcano erupted. It happened over 7700 years ago and may have been witnessed by native Americans. There were actually 5 volcanos that made up this mountain with lava tubes and vents all around the lake. After the initial eruption which would have lasted about a week, the collapse of the mountain top only took a few hours. Later other smaller lava flows and eruptions left new volcanos inside the crater, one of which is an island visible in the water.

Wind, rain and snow have changed the landscape and will continue to do so. In one of the pictures you will see Wizard Island towering 700 feet over the water. Pumice Castle is due to erosion, and Phantom Ship is a small island made of lava rocks and is actually as tall as a 16 story building.

We learned about the scientific reason the lake is so blue but suffice it to say it involves the purity of the water and the depth of the crater and the way light is refracted in the water. You will find no purer water or air in the USA and no other lake will ever be this blue.

We had a delightful dinner at the Crater Lake Lodge but then the mood of the evening was ruined when the Jeep refused to start due to a totally dead battery. The park maintenance man tried to jump it once, it wouldn't start so he took us to the RV. That's when we discovered we had left the keys in the Jeep so back up to the Lodge, 13 miles of curvy roads. The maintenance man then drove to his personal pickup truck, got a spare battery out of it and jumped the Jeep. This is an employee who went above and beyond the call of duty!

Bluest Blue Ever

First thing this morning we went to the visitor center to check out hiking opportunities and to get the lay-of-the-land. We saw a great video that explained how the crater was created. The short version - a volcano blew its top off and the mountain collapsed into the hole left by the explosion. Over centuries snow melt and rain have filled the hole. Because no other water has entered this hole, no creak or river has flowed into it, Crater Lake is the purest water in the world. The lake is almost 2,000 feet deep. We heard one man say that if you stacked the Eiffel Tower, George Washington monument and the Statue of Liberty on top of each other, the statue's torch would still be 100 feet below the surface. The blue color is due to absorption of light with only the blue spectrum visible to the human eye. The lake is 4 miles across at the narrowest and 6 mile across at its widest.

It is Beautiful! We've never seen such a deep, pure blue water. The towering sides add to it grandeur and impact and while snow is on parts of it and on the surrounding mountain peaks that just accentuates its purity. The closest part of the rim to the surface of the lake is a mile hike over about 1000 feet. A Rim Road goes all the way around the lake and if it were open, it would be a 33 mile drive but they have closed about 1/3 of the road due to repair work and snow. Speaking of snow, we discovered that summer doesn't start at Crater Lake until tomorrow, June 28. The boat rides on the lake start then, the ranger talks start then and so do the trolley rides around the rim.

We drove the rim road to take in different vistas of the lake and then hiked the mile down to the boat dock which we will do again tomorrow. We also took a short off-trail hike after our picnic lunch and almost got lost! But it was so pretty and peaceful in the woods despite all the mosquitoes.

Onward To Crater Lake

We pulled out in rain this morning and it appears we will be in rain most of the day. We drove up Hwy. 101 thru Del Norte Redwoods State Park and Jedediah Smith Redwoods St. Pk. So saw a few more trees and some awesome Pacific coastline. It would have been better if the clouds weren't so low.

Just across the Oregon border we turned onto another winding and narrow road towards Crater Lake but first a stop for groceries and gas. In Oregon you cannot pump your own gas but it is about $.46 cheaper than in CA and when you are filling an RV that's a huge savings!! Plus Oregon has no sales tax.
We got to Crater Lake National Park about supper time so took the first site we came to. Tomorrow we'll get one that is a little more secluded.
A crackling campfire rounded out the evening.
(By the way, we have no cell or wi-fi service here so these next few posts will have been delayed and all coming thru at the same time. )

Eel River Rockbar

It rained most of the night and into late morning with more rain predicted. We have decided we need to get to Oregon if we are going to have enough time to see every thing on our list so today we found a commercial RV park in Eureka, CA to clean and do laundry in preparation for the next leg of our journey.

Before we left the Redwoods we took one last drive along 'The Avenue of the Giants' to sate our love of these trees. But then John found a road down to the riverbed where we could drive on the gravel bar and he could dream about fishing for trout. We always wonder how many pickup trucks get stuck there!

After a nice seafood dinner in Eureka we walked around the Old Town and then spotted this beautiful Victorian mansion.

Bull Creek Flats

After a very lazy morning we suited up and went for a long hike among the giants. The area of the state park we chose, Bull Creek Flats, is considered the largest old-growth area in the Redwoods forests. Old-growth refers not to just old trees but to a forest community for we saw ancient redwoods among many other types of trees; ferns and clover coated the floor of the forest, and dead trees and stumps littered the area while some dead trees remained standing. We found ourselves saying, "There's a really big one!" many times. Monstrous logs, cave-like holes in the bottom of living trees, or trees leaning so far we were afraid they could fall had us explaining "Wow!" Our necks grew sore trying to locate the tops of the trees or examining the canopy.

We saw the largest living Redwood and one of the widest logs but, I swear there were bigger logs in the forest! Flat Iron Tree,the name given the log John is standing near, was measured at 7.5 X 17.5 feet in a cross section but it looks like the tree I'm next to is even bigger. We also tried to convey in a picture the serenity we found among the trees. It was very quiet and peaceful wherever we walked. As it was a very cloudy day, we didn't experience the dappled sunshine many brochures mention.

The trail map showed the trail we walked to be about 7.5 miles but our pedometers indicated we walked over 9 miles! A beer at the end of the day was very welcomed! And the rain that was predicted to arrive at 3 PM didn't start until 9 PM! Good Day!

Rain and Redwoods

This morning dawned foggy and cloudy and rainy. The forecast is for lots of rain for the next 2-3 days all along the coast. The Redwoods were beckoning and we felt that hiking in the rain under their tall canopies was more appealing than sitting in the RV. Hwy 1, the Coastal Highway, is just as narrow and winding as the other roads we have driven and when we added in rain, the drive got really slow.

We are staying in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park in the Burlington Campground. The California way of reserving all the campsites puts us at a disadvantage when we pull in without a reservation. We did get a site for two nights but if we want to stay longer, we run the risk of having to change sites. This campground is in the midst of a Redwood grove that is so dense, we didn't even realize that the sun had come out! We both enjoyed a nice 2 mile stroll among the giants. I wish we could show you a picture that could help you visualize the massive size of these trees. Some are over 2,000 years old, the tallest are longer than a football field and the largest diameter is 20 feet.

My neck hurts from craning up for a look at the top of the trees!

Wine Tastes Better in Anderson Valley

John had read about the up and coming wineries located in the Anderson Valley region of California's wine country. The wineries we chose to visit were located north of Booneville on the same twisty, narrow road we drove up here on, Hwy 128. It took us about an hour to drive the 40 miles to the first winery on our list.

Almost all the wines we tasted were estate wines or a blend of grapes from vineyards located in Anderson Valley. Our first stop was Roederer Vineyards. They specialize in bubbly wine and was a real treat for me so I insisted that we buy a bottle. Next was Handley Winery. We bought a bottle of their Pinot Noir and when John checked it out, it has a rating of 91. We knew it was pretty good but had no idea it was rated that highly.

We did a tasting at Navarro Wines, which came highly recommended by Wine Spectator. We bought a half bottle to have with our lunch on their lawn. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. Not too many people are visiting the wineries today, most likely because of the music festival. Therefore, we had two empty benches where we grabbed a quick nap.

The fourth winery was Toulouse but we didn't find any there that we liked although the people really knew their wine and had some good suggestions for food parings. More than four wine tastings in one day is really pushing the limit. At this point we couldn't decide if we liked a wine or not as our taste buds were becoming overwhelmed (or was it the alcohol affecting our brains?) but we pushed on to our last stop, Breggo Winery. We liked their wines, we think, but we really enjoyed visiting with the other customers and the young lady serving the wine.

We returned back to the RV via a short cut more directly over the coastal mountains but it took about the same time since the road was so narrow and curvy. In the little town of Manchester we saw these sculptured trees.

California State Parks

The reason we can only stay in the Hendy Woods State Park for one night is that they are completely booked for the weekend due to two music festival nearby. And California parks are completely reservable. One can reserve and pay for a site for three nights and never show up and the park cannot give that site away. Other places we have stayed will give that site away if not occupied within 24 hours.

We sure wish we could stay at Hendy Woods. It is deep within a forest where several Redwood groves are located and has a bunch of hiking trails running thru them. It is a peaceful location. So before we left we took advantage of the trails and saw our first Redwoods. Late morning we pulled out and had to drive another 20 miles or so on the dreadful narrow, curvy road up to Hwy 1, the coastal highway, which is also very narrow and curvy, plus they are repairing evey bridge and they are closed to one lane. This time I'm driving the Jeep following John in the RV. But we did find Manchester State Park with lots of empty sites located near the Pacific coast. We are close enough to hear the waves but far enough away to avoid some of the wind.

From our campsite we can see the Point Arena Lighthouse which is actually about five miles away. Late afternoon we decided to go to the lighthouse and then on into the town of Point Arena for some wine and dinner. Of course, the lighthouse and museum were closing as we arrived so we will have to come back. The little village of Point Arena is quaint but has a couple of very nice places to dine. The wine bar was having a Tango Dance evening including lessons which we declined but we did enjoy their wine. Dinner was at Uneda Eat, very cozy and nice food. We sat at a communal table so had an interesting conversation with a couple from Boston who are in the area on vacation.

We watched the sun set into the ocean and the moon rise over the mountains for a pleasant end to the day.

We Have Arrived FINALLY

It rained most of the night but cleared up Wednesday morning as we crossed from Wyoming into Utah. Still on I-80 we crossed the mountains, passing by Park City ski resort and into Salt Lake City where we had decided we would gas up. Now we discover a BIG problem with our GPS. The Love's gas station is on our "route" according to the GPS but she has us exit into downtown Salt Lake City, pass the temple then turn left to travel along the tram tracks then left again through an industrial part of town and then left again and into the gas station which is 1 block off of I-80!! A big circle all for nothing.

As we are leaving Salt Lake City the wind starts to pick up which makes it very difficult to drive the RV even with all the suspension upgrades. Since I don't feel comfortable driving in the wind, John drives all day. We have several misconceptions about northern Nevada. One being that it is all flat desert and two that it will be hot. Both of these are wrong. We traveled up and down mountains all day and it was a bit chilly, not the least bit hot. But one thing we knew to be true was that there are not many places to stop along this leg of our journey. We pulled into the suburbs of Reno about 9 pm and found a casino parking lot that allowed RV's to spend the night if you sign up for their 'players card'. We did not play but - we went to bed! They did give us some coupons so we had the $2.99 bacon eggs & all you can eat pancake breakfast.

Thursday was the travel day from HELL! From Reno into CA we have to cross the Sierra Nevada mountains over Donner Pass with lots of altitude changes and many curves. Then we drop into Sacramento and lots of freeway and city driving. Once through there we get on the absolute worst road we have ever traveled along thinking we would take a short cut and miss the bay area freeways. Hwy 128 is a narrow, squirrelly route through most of California wine country. If we had been in the Porsche, it would have been lots of fun but not in this top-heavy, tall and long RV! We never drove over 45 mph, we hit tree limbs, we narrowly avoided several oncoming logging trucks and the edge of the road by inches.

John has now been driving for two days over 900 miles with no break. His back, knees and arms are killing him and all I can do is try to warn him if we get to close to the edge or to an overhanging tree. By the time we pull into the campground he is exhausted! Then we find out the campground is full but they might be able to get us on one site for only one night. I take it!!

2,240 miles

We left the Newmar Rally on Saturday morning and drove to St. Charles to visit my mom and step-dad, my brother and sister-in-law, my sister and niece and our grandson and his parents all at my mom's home.  We had a really nice mini-family reunion and visit!

Monday morning found us on the road headed west.  It took us most of the day to get to Lincoln NE where we got onto I-80 which we will travel all the way to CA - 2240 miles total.  We spent Monday night at the Walmart in North Platte NE. 

Today we finished crossing NE and most of WY staying at a KOA in Lyman WY. Only about 920 miles to go. 

We were only getting 6.3 mpg driving 65 so John drove 70 on one tank of gas and we got  6.0 mpg so we slowed to 55 mph and we improved to  6.4 mpg. Can you guess how fast we are driving now?

Getting Lots of Exercise

At this rally, there are not very many activities or seminars which John and I are interested in attending but we are getting plenty of exercise. Every morning we join the walking group for 30-40 minutes of brisk walking. Today we rode our bike for about 8 miles. Then, any time we walk up to the event center we are logging about 1/2 mile there and back plus it's a big event center so we get lots of steps in there as well.  And it seems we go to the event center often! 

Today we drove to Carbondale, home of Southern Illinois University, and had lunch at Fat Patties. We had great hamburgers! John's was a 'heart attack waiting to happen' -  burger, brisket, bacon, cheddar, fried egg - and mine was a blue cheese burger. 

We are so ready to really start our adventure now!!

Rally Days

We arrived at the Newmar International Rally Monday morning after taking a wrong turn. We have met a few couples from last year and are making new friends. We have upgraded some of our interior lights to LED's, gotten the coach washed by someone else, and we are considering chassis stabilizing improvements. Other than that, there is not much else we are interested in doing. 

The weather has turned very hot but luckily the A/C works and we are parked under a large shade tree!

Summer Adventure Begins

We are headed to the Pacific Northwest this summer but first a short trip eastward to Du Quoin, IL for the Newmar Kountry Klub National Rally. 

We stopped for the evening at Cave Vineyard near Sainte Genevieve. We belong to a organization called Harvest Host. As such we can spend a night on the property of their members' wineries, farms etc. at no charge. We are encouraged to buy some wine or food. That's not hard. 

This place is so pretty and peaceful. And they have some nice Missouri  wines. But the unique aspect of Cave Vineyard  is the natural cave on their property. They have made it into a great tasting area which is a cool place to be in the hot summers afternoons. 

Tomorrow we join the rally.  

Winter 2013 Recap

Having left home on Dec. 8 and returning home on April 1, we have had an interesting and certainly a laid back winter. The weather started off on the chilly side but warmed up nicely in January and pretty much stayed warm the rest of the winter.

We certainly took a circuitous route to get to Florida with some time spent in Arkansas and Texas before heading to North Carolina. From there we traveled along the Atlantic coast with numerous stops until we reached St. Augustine where we spent about 2 weeks in the area. Down the coast a bit further we decided we were tired of the ocean and headed inland for a short time then stopped on the Gulf side for a time near Marco Island.

The first week in February found us as far south as we could go in Key West. Our plan was to stay one week there and then move back up the Keys but one week turned into two weeks and then into three weeks. Who knew we could spend that much time in one place? But we certainly enjoyed the city and the friends we made while there.

One week in Marathon, one week in Key Largo and then to Miami where we met up with our son, daughter-in-law and grandson who were attending a convention in Miami Beach. Of course, we enjoyed our babysitting duties while they took in the convention. We had a week in Ft. Myers Beach tracking in the sand and then turned towards home with a stop in Norman to see our other grandsons.

This trip is vastly different from our winters out west. We stayed in one spot longer, did more bike riding and kayaking, less golfing, and lots of walking. It was an easy going trip with fewer exciting adventures and more relaxing, casual days with fine dining experiences and wine to fill in the evenings.

We both are homesick and ready to be in a large house where we can spread out for awhile. Thank you for joining us this winter. We hope we kept you warm, or at least thinking about being warm.

Long Easter Weekend With Grandsons . . .

. . . And their parents. We arrived in Norman on Wednesday afternoon so that we were at our daughter's home when the grandsons arrived home from school. We loved the joyous and excited welcomes we received. Thursday we attended Vincent's pre-school Easter egg hunt and party. These three-year-olds are just precious. The rest of the day was spent shopping and doing chores until 3 pm when we picked up the oldest grandson, Luca, from school and spent some special one-on-one time with him. His birthday is coming up April 3 so he got to pick out one of his birthday gifts from Toy R' Us. He thought that was pretty cool!

Friday we spent the whole day with Vincent who wore us out with all his running and "Play with me!" requests. That night we celebrated three birthdays - Vincent's was March 22, Erin's is April 2 and Luca's is April 3.

Saturday was busy with shopping and playing with time out for a visit to the site of the Perillo's new house they are having built and a tour of the model home like the plan they will have. We are really excited for them. Oh, yes, we did decorate Easter Eggs.

This morning dawned with a thunderstorm that literally shook the RV. John learned later in the day that we withstood up to 55 mph wind gusts! Of course, this did not deter the Easter bunny from visiting and leaving the eggs scattered around the living room and a cardboard castle in the middle of the room. Lots of excitement in this household. This afternoon, as we did most afternoons, we played some kind of ball game on the front lawn - baseball being the favorite.

John and I are exhausted!

On the Road Again

Can you believe that we drove almost 8 hours on Sunday and we were still in Florida? It's a long way home! Monday we drove from Tallahassee thru Mobile, AL to Biloxi when we turned north (what were we thinking?) towards Jackson, MS. We stayed in a park on the outskirts of Jackson. Evidently they had some bad weather move through there recently as half the RVs were occupied by roofers or contractors as evidenced by the signage on their trucks.

Tuesday we drove from Jackson across the northern part of LA and into AR at Texarkana. About 60 miles north of there we stopped early at a State Park located on a small lake so we could get out a stretch our legs. We walked a really nice nature trail along the lake taking in the wonderful smells of spring even though it was quite cool and very windy!

We woke on Wednesday morning to 34°! It's cold out there!! We had about a 6 hour drive today to get to our grandson's! We crossed AR into OK and then went cross country to Norman, OK. Our GPS indicated that this was the shortest route. It was all two lane roads with some of the roughest roads we have driven on this winter.

We will be in Norman until Monday, April 1 when we will head home.

Family in Florida

Saturday morning we checked out of the Red Coconut and moved the RV to a park on the north side of Ft. Myers. Our original plans had been to leave Ft. Myers and start home while making a stop or two along the way in the Florida panhandle or in New Orleans. But, when I learned that my cousin from CO was coming out to stay with her parents, my favorite Aunt Shirley and Uncle Harold, who reside on Captiva, we changed that plan as I wanted to stick around long enough to visit with them. Thus the move so that we could leave Ft. Myers without having to deal with the traffic off of Ft. Myers' Beach.

This morning we drove to Captiva and had a lovely brunch with my family.

By 3 pm we were on the road and determined to get as far as we could today so that the next few days might not be as grueling of a drive. We got as far as the east side of Tallahassee where we stopped in a rest area for the night.

Spring Break

Spring break is in full swing down here! We rode our bikes up the beach the other day and there were a lot of people but it was about half old folks like us and young families. Yesterday (Thursday) we walked up the beach towards town and the young folks have taken over. They don't seem to mind the temperature, hot or cool, they have their bikini's on or the guys are shirtless. We have never seen so many tattoos! I guess that makes us officially old.

Lots of music, volley ball games, corn bag toss games, frisbees, footballs, jet skis, para-sails -- the beach is hopping. Even the beach in front of the campground is covered with umbrellas and beach chairs. And the traffic is horrendous. Almost everyday the cars are backed up the mile and half from the bridge to our RV park starting around 9 AM and on until dusk.

Last evening we invited our friends from Sedalia to join us at the RV for cocktails and then we walked next door for dinner. It was a great evening. This morning we slept in and then rode our bikes to the Farmers Market where I got some nice looking vegetables. We unloaded those and then rode the bikes over the bridge and got some fresh shrimp. The rest of the day will be spent on the beach. Some life we lead!

Lazy Days

Tuesday we spent lazing around the RV, walking on the beach and then riding our bikes to the south end of the island. We crossed the bridge to Lover's Key State Park then turned around. At this point we had ridden about 10 miles. We were just a couple of miles from Bonita Springs (I think). On the ride back we stopped at a couple of marinas so John could look at boats and NO we are not buying one. One marina was next to a bar so we rested there while enjoying a frozen Margarita. We also checked out a golf course but decided not to play.

Last night we had dinner at a restaurant next door to the RV park. It was really good food, good service and a great view of the sun setting over the gulf. Today we had lunch with a girlfriend of mine from my childhood years in Fulton. She lived next door to me for a few years and I graduated from high school with her. We have not seen each other since a class reunion over 10 years ago. We connected on Face Book and it worked out that we could meet on Sanibel where Susan and Dave are spending the winter.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, was a lazy day for us. We did fight the traffic to go to the grocery store and I attended church. We rode our bikes on the beach on soft sand and against the wind. With the tide coming in and tons of people, we had a very small area of hard pack sand on which to ride.

We then drove over to Sanibel Island to have corned beef and cabbage with our friends from Sedalia. We left an hour and 15 minutes before we were to be there. It took almost an hour to drive from our campground to the bridge off of this island which is only two miles. It was one long, very slow moving string of cars!

Today we, again drove off this island and at 11 am it still took us 20 minutes to drive two miles. We have decided to put the Jeep away and only ride our bikes.

Right after lunch it started raining and it rained ALL afternoon. This is the most rain we have seen while in FL. I hope it moves on tonight. I want my sunshine back!

Red Coconut

Today we hitched up the car and drove across Florida again, back tracking to Fort Myers Beach for a weeks stay at the Red Coconut RV Park. We are one row off the Gulf with a view of the water and beach between RV's. This park is similar to Boyd's in Key West as we are parked really close to our neighbors. But the location is so great. We can watch the sun set every evening, ride our bikes on the beach or down the road and we are close to all the services we might need, including good dining and bars! A bonus is that the weather is supposed to be great this week!

Sunday is St. Pat's Day and we are in the midst of Spring Break so there are tons of people all over the place! We'll find out tomorrow if it is just the weekend or if it will continue into the next week. We are also looking forward to visiting some friends and my aunt and uncle who have a place on Captiva.

Miami Beach and Liam

Wednesday, March 13 - Friday, March 15 found us staying in a cheap motel in Miami Beach while the RV is stored at the RV park. Our son, daughter-in-law and their son were attending a convention in Miami Beach of an association RJ's business belongs to. This is a convention that John and I have attended and enjoyed for many years. So even though we were not registered, we looked forward to seeing many of our friends while helping Lisa and RJ. We spent a lot of time keeping Liam busy and happy while his parents were attending convention events. But we also got a great deal of enjoyment showing him off to our friends. He is so darn cute! And its not just grandparents bragging. Everyone else tells us that too!

Each evening there was a cocktail party or reception that RJ and Lisa attended so we fed Liam and put him to bed. One morning everyone was enjoying a keynote speaker so Liam and I hung out in the huge lobby walking around, and around the lobby and up and down stairs. When it warmed up we went to the playground next door. I logged almost 3 miles on my pedometer while following him around.

Most afternoons, after naps, we spent on the beach playing in the sand. Liam wasn't too fond of the ocean but he loved the sand. He also likes to flirt with the ladies on the beach. We took several walks with Liam in the stroller, played around a pool although he didn't want to get in and in general enjoyed his antics. It was a bit of a vacation for our kids having us available to watch our grandson.

Moving More Northward

Monday we packed up and moved the RV to the Larry & Penny Thompson RV Park which is part of a county park just south of Miami, almost in Homestead. We have stayed here before and really like this location. The campground is set up so that 12-15 RVs are in a circle called a Pod. There are 12 pods all together. The people here are really nice. We attended an ice cream social on Monday afternoon and then our Pod had a contributive breakfast so we got to meet several people. And even though we will be leaving Wednesday morning, its nice to chat with folks.

Since this campground is part of a county park, we enjoyed riding our bikes and walking on their exercise paths that circle a small lake and skirt the Miami Zoo. A nice change of pace for us. We also caught up on laundry and grocery shopping.

Flat Tire

After attending church and fixing lunch we decided to go for an extended bike ride this afternoon. It was nothing exciting, just riding along the coastal highway and stopping periodically to take a rest or explore a neighborhood. We put a little over 18 miles on our bikes. The bad part was that for about 6 miles we rode on a Florida shoulder which was all gravel, grass and tree roots. Somewhere along that route John got a small hole in his front bike tire. He was able to ride all the way back, walking the last block. Since it was the front tire it was easy to get it off, locate and patch the hole in the tube and put it all back together. The bad part is that it was not a very relaxing afternoon for him.

Two More Days on the Water

Friday morning we packed a picnic lunch and spent most of the day in the kayaks. We fished and explored our way up to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. We encountered lots of other kayakers from the park who thought we looked like we knew what we were doing as they always asked us directions. They have a good sized marina and take snorkelers, scuba divers and glass bottom boat tours out to the Reef just off shore. We found a place to have lunch and watched the boats coming and going. We then walked around the concession area before heading back toward our campground. The wind had picked up some so we had to stay in the mangroves on the way back but I enjoyed that part. John fished some more, but since the cuda destroyed his lure yesterday, he hasn't been very successful attracting fish.

We caught the sunset while having cocktails at Gus's then had dinner at Mrs. Macs. We were both worn out from the sun and wind so it was an early evening.

I have enjoyed kayaking so much that I added another day to my rental. Today John fished and I kayaked in the area he was in so in case he caught another fish I would be ready with the camera. No luck. The day was as warm as yesterday but there were more clouds and wind so it felt cooler. Not an exciting kayak adventure but a very peaceful way to be on the water. We split the day in two by having lunch at Sharkey's who serves good fish tacos. We also enjoyed people watching and checking out the boats as they floated by. The neatest boat was "The African Queen" chugging along the canal. In May there will be a Humphrey Bogart Festival in Key Largo.

Barracuda!

The day started off cool but warmed up quickly. Mid morning we got the kayaks out and went for a short float. We have a system in the way we load and unload the boats. The beach where we have the boats on shore is a fair distance to be carrying kayak supplies like seat, paddles and fishing gear so John rides his bike and I drive the Jeep to the beach. We unload the gear onto a picnic table and I take the Jeep back to the campsite (no parking at the beach) and ride my bike back to the beach. We then reverse the process when unloading the boats.

This afternoon we found a nice deep, quiet place to fish. Well, John fishes and I just cruise around him. This time it was a good thing I was close by because John caught a 24" barracuda! Did you know they have lots of sharp teeth!?! John let him jump and swim so as to wear him down and then took a fish towel and grabbed him behind his gills while pulling the hook out with a pair of long nose pliers. It's a good thing the fish was tired as I could just envision it taking a bite out of Johns hand! I didn't actually help out in any way, but I supplied a lot of shouts, giggles and excitement. In all the excitement, we forgot to get the camera out!

So I got the camera out when we got back and took a picture of our campsite.

Kayaking

The campground folks recommended that we use Florida Bay Outfitters to rent a kayak as they deliver and have a multi-day discount. I now have an orange kayak for three days and the weather should be pretty good for kayaking during that time.

We took a short kayak trip across the way this morning so I could get used to the boat and figure out the best way to use the paddle. Then after lunch we went out again for a little longer cruise. It's lots of fun to wind your way down the alley's and pathways among the mangroves. The water is pretty shallow in most places with deeper pools at the end of the alley's. We spotted several small fish, snowy egrets, herons and jelly fish. The jelly fish is fascinating because it looks like a cluster of white moss sitting on the bottom but when gently nudges it swims off like a flying saucer. We even spotted one swimming at the top of the water. John got a couple of bites while fishing and we met up with several kayakers and canoeists from the state park.

The bad part was we had let the tide and wind carry us away from the campground so it was a long haul for me to paddle back. John, on the other hand, just leisurely peddled has kayak behind me, shouting words of encouragement like, "Straighten it out, slow down, you're going to hit that . .. . Tree!" (Not really, I did pretty well and he didn't have to say much at all.)

Time to Move, Again

Monday morning saw us packed up and moving up the Keys to Key Largo where we will camp in the Key Largo Kampground for a week. It's one of these owner/camper places where most of the sites are privately owned and then rented out to people like us. Its a nice place right next to Pennycamp State Park. Just off their dock are protected mangrove islands with lots of waterways winding through them. We have every intention of doing some major kayaking in there.

Monday afternoon was spent exploring, riding our bikes and relaxing. Tuesday was spent doing laundry and grocery shopping while John went out in his kayak to fish and explore the waters. I also went to the pool and took in the local "color". Most of the people at the pool seem to know everyone and one man liked to give a shout out over the fence to passers-by. I also picked out a nice place for dinner called "Buzzard's Roost". Good food.

Key Colony Beach and Turtles

After I got home from Church today we rode our bikes 8 miles up the road to Key Colony Beach to take in their annual festival. When we were here three years ago we attended it and had a good time. It hasn't changed in three years! They still have a bake sale and silent auction, barracuda races, live music, food booths, and lots of vendors selling art, jewelry, clothes and junk. Just as we got in line for a hamburger it started raining. It only lasted about 20 minutes but it sure cooled the day down and brought up the wind again. It was a long ride back facing into a 20 mph breeze.   

Everyday we go past The Turtle Hospital so today I decided I should check it out. John wasn't interested. The hospital used to be a motel with a salt water swimming pool fed by the ocean. Now that pool holds some of the turtles and the motel rooms are offices and a surgical center. They also have individual tanks for the sicker turtles.

One of the hospital's caretaker described the different turtle found in Florida. Most are loggerheads but you will find some green backs and leather backs and a couple other smaller ones. Their mission is to take care of the sick and damaged turtles as well as to educate us on how pollution, building, boats and trash is harming the turtle populations. Sea turtles eat jelly fish, shrimp, octopus and squid. If anything is floating in the water and resembles any of these animals, the turtle will eat it. They have sick turtles who have eaten so much trash that they get stopped up. When brought into the hospital, they determine they are compacted so they give them Metamucil, oil, bean-o and anything else that will get them moving. Some turtles have been so severely damaged by boat propellers, fishing line and fish hooks that they cannot be released into the wild. They have 13 permanent residents. One is blind, several have paralyzed flippers, one has lost all but one flipper, and several have shells damaged so badly that they cannot dive which is important to get food. But they also have about 15 right now that will be released back at some point.

So, if you ever snag a turtle on a fish line - do not cut the line but bring the turtle to shore and call the hospital. If you see a turtle floating on the surface and not diving, call them. Do not disturb turtle nests because, as it is only 1 out of every 1000 eggs develops into an adult. And never, ever throw anything into the ocean water because a turtle WILL eat it.

It's Cold Out There

All the bad weather that the mid-west has had this past week has now moved down into Florida, specifically, the Keys! Its not as cold but, to us, it does seem cold and it has been very, very windy. We have had to roll up the awning several times, and it has rolled up on its own twice. And then there is the threat of rain. One never knows when, how much and for how long it will rain. Even the weather forecasters can't tell us!

Friday was our 'day apart'. I went shopping and got my hair cut and styled. I bough some new shoes, shorts, and a cool top. My bike ride home was in rain. I had to throw out some shoes but, so far, I've kept all my other clothes. (FYI - John has a 'rule' that if you buy new things, you have to throw out an equal amount of old things. Except, we both break that 'rule'.) John rode his bike about 17 miles, got some snaps to repair a pair of shorts and browsed Home Depot. He got home before the rain started.

Saturday morning I discovered that my driver's license was missing. Sometime last evening at the restaurant it fell out of my purse. After searching and calling the restaurant, I reported it to the police and on Monday I'll have to call the license bureau in Sedalia to see if I can get a new one mailed to me.

We spent most of today trying to find and fix the leak in the Jeep roof. We thought we had it fixed the other day but this morning the floor was sopping wet again. The park had a Luau dinner and dance this evening. The food was good and so was the band. Lots of dancers and dancing.