Poison Ivy!

We took a three mile hike this morning on a trail that circles the campground, follows a creek, traverses several ridges, crosses the Old Trace and is completely forested.  Beautiful! Unless you look down and discover you are walking in POISON IVY!  It is everywhere!  There is no avoiding it.  We wore boots and long sock but should have put on long pants.  We are hoping that a good scrubbing with Lava soap (its as close to lye soap as I can get) and hot water will erase all evidence of the poison oil.

We drove into Hohenwald for dinner. Not exactly a food paradise but we had a decent inexpensive meal at the Junkyard Dog Steakhouse.

Natchez Trace

We left Memphis Tuesday morning and drove until Hwy 64 intersected the Natchez Trace Parkway then drove on the Trace to the Meriwether Lewis Campground.   We are dry-camping for free in a very nice park that is the sight of Lewis’ death and gravesite. The campground is underused at this time.  There must be 30 some sites and only about 8 of them are occupied.  It is very quiet and peaceful, cool in the mid-day heat, and cool enough for a great nights sleep.

The Trace was once just a small trail used by Indians and buffalo until the settlers started moving into the region. They found this was a recognizable route and expanded it. In 1801 Thomas Jefferson designated the Trace as a national post road for mail delivery between Nashville and Natchez. River men would float cash crops, livestock etc. down the Mississippi to New Orleans, sell their goods and their boats for lumber, then walk or ride horseback back up to Nashville and start over again. The Trace also played important rolls in the War of 1812 and the Civil War. It became a part of the National Park System in 1938 and was officially completed in 2005.

Meriwether Lewis was traveling from New Orleans to Washington, DC to file his final report of his exploration of the Louisiana Purchase when he became unexpectedly ill and died in 1809 while on the Trace. The site has a model of the log home he died in and the monument that was erected over his burial site in 1814.

Today we rode our bikes all over the Meriwether Lewis Site and then onto the Trace. This is a designated bike route so the traffic has to yield to us bikers, the speed limit is only 50 mph, no commercial vehicles are allowed on the trace and there are frequent historical sites along the road. All this and a shaded road made for a pleasant, though strenuous (as in hills) 18 mile ride.

Rock and Soul and Piggly Wiggly

You don’t get much more southern than soul music and a Piggly Wiggly.  

We were one of the first through the door at the Memphis Rock and Soul Museum this morning.  We could have visited various other museums that feature this style of music from Gibson guitars to radio stations to recording studios but this one museum seemed to cover them all. From the beginning of blues in the cotton fields, B. B. King and Isaac Hayes to Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash, we learned the history of the beginnings of country, soul and rock and roll.  Sun, Stax and Hi Records had some of the biggest names in the industry on their labels.

Our second outstanding BBQ lunch in Memphis was at Germantown Commissary.  It was a 20 minute drive to get there but well worth the wait!  We have to say their ribs are some of the best we have every eaten and the pulled pork was very tender and juicy.  Too bad we can’t go back there over and over!

The 1920’s estate built of pink marble (hence the name ‘Pink Palace') was to be the home of Clarence Saunders, founder of Piggly Wiggly grocery stores. He never lived in it. Today it has been added to and expanded to house a two story museum of the history of Memphis from the dinosaurs to the days of the Piggly Wiggly and the Viet Nam Wall; a planetarium and a 3D IMAX theatre. Very interesting. The museum has a Clyde Park Miniature Circus (being renovated so no moving parts), a live-sized replica of the first Piggly Wiggly store, and many displays of pioneers days, the Civil War, early medical practices, and much more.

Memphis - Home of Barbecue, Blues, and Civil Rights Movement

Our number one item on today’s agenda was to eat BBQ at one of the best places in downtown Memphis - check.  Number two was to go out to Mud Island - check. And number three was to walk along Beale Street - check!  But not in that order!

We visited Mud Island years ago, shortly after it was opened and when the kids were little and it hasn’t changed much since then.  We toured the Mississippi River Museum and walked the length of the River from St. Louis all the way to the gulf.  One half mile long, it covers all the twists and turns, city and lakes along the Mighty Mississippi.  Instead of driving we chose to walk to Central BBQ (a 2 mile hike) where we had a very nice lunch of dry-rub ribs and brisket with several sides and nice cold ice tea!

On our way to Beale Street we stopped for a view of the Lorraine Hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot.  Several buses had unloaded there so we did not fight the crowds in the National Civil Rights Museum but it was still a sobering moment for us.  Sunday afternoon on Beale was a hopping place to be.  Every bar had a live band playing,or a DJ blaring his tunes, the streets were blocked off from cars so people were walking and dancing everywhere. We shopped in several stores that claim to be long standing traditions on Beale such as A. Schwab Dry Goods, Tater Red’s, Strange Cargo, and Lansky Brothers.  We would stop at times to listen to the music and one group caught our attention so we sat down, had a libation and listened to a phenomenal harmonica player and singer! 

We left Beale just in time to see the Ducks at the Peabody Hotel swim in the water of the central fountain and then waddle along the red carpet to the elevator for their ride back to their roost on the roof.  The hotel itself is a beautiful building and worthy of a stop without the ducks.

A modern site in downtown Memphis is the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid!  It rather dominates the skyline and draws people in but it is not much different inside than any other Bass Pro except that it has an elevator to the observation tower at the peak of the pyramid.  Since we walked over 17,000 steps were too tired to stand in line or to pay $14 to ride the elevator.

Trail of Tears

This is Saturday and the park is less than half full - where are all the vacationers?  I guess its still too early in the season.

Since rain is predicted mostly for the afternoon and we don’t have to check out of Village Creek until 3 pm, we decided to stay around until after lunch so that John could rent a boat with an electric motor and go fishing all morning.  I elected to go on a long hike.

From our campsite to the trailhead for the Trail of Tears Military Road it was 1.7 miles.  The Trail of Tears, as most of us remember, is when the US government moved thousands of Indians from the southeastern United States to Oklahoma Indian Territory so that settlers would have an easier time of taking over the land and claiming it for their own.  In 1824, the government decided to build a road from Memphis to Little Rock with the Indian removal in mind.  The road was completed in 1830 but was washed out by floods and storms several times, and repaired, in the years between 1831 and 1840 when the removal was completed.  Five Southeastern Tribes - Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Cherokee, and Seminole, were gathered near Chattanooga, over 50,000 Indians. There were 3 majors routes across the south.  The northern route went through TN, KY and southern MO.  The central route went across TN, to KY and then across the central parts of Arkansas.  The southern route used the TN River, Mississippi River and the Arkansa River mostly but also used the land route to Little Rock.  Mostly women and children used the rivers.  They traveled in the winter to avoid diseases like yellow fever, cholera, etc. But the winters were very cruel too, as was the swamps and bogs they had to cross. Of the 21,000 Cherokee that were removed, 7000 died along the trail.  It was a very sad and bad time for the United States.

I walked only 2 miles of the trail and cannot even begin to imagine the trials these men, women and children had to endure.  By the time I got home, I had logged almost 7 miles on my Fitbit.  John came in from fishing having caught 3 nice bass which he tossed back.

Following lunch we packed up and drove the 50 miles to West Memphis where we spent the night in a park along the Muddy Mississippi. And it rained on us most of the drive!

From Woolly Hollow to Village Creek

We spent an extra day at Woolly Hollow so we could drive into Conway and get groceries and eat a lunch out. Our next stop was on Thursday about three hours across the state to Wynne, Arkansas where Village Creek State Park is located.  The initial appeal of this park was the 27 hole golf course called The Ridges.  It reminds us of some of the courses at the Lake of the Ozarks as it is very hilly and very rugged around the edges.  We played 9 holes and it was brutal!  I may be exaggerating a bit but neither one of us played very well. A big part of the trouble was the heat and humidity and the wet course.

Village Creek State Park is a multi-use park with 25 miles of trails for biking, hiking or horseback riding.  They have campgrounds and cabins, and an equestrian section with stalls for the horses near the campsites. There are two lakes for fishing, boating and swimming; tennis courts, basketball courts and numerous picnic areas. We are only 40 or so miles from Memphis but with absolutely NO cell service we may as well be in the middle of nowhere!

Today we rode our bikes for about 10 miles on the park roads.  We tried a short section of the off-road bike trail but it is way too wet and muddy for our style of riding.  Tomorrow they are predicting rain but if it holds off I will hike while John fishes.  

Another Adventure Begins

When I last posted on the blog we were expecting a new grandchild.  Nora Karen was born on April 15, 5 days late but a healthy 7.5 pounds.  Now, at 6 weeks she is smiling at her Granny and is starting to show her personality.  According to Mom and Dad, she is much easier to care for than the first two!

This past Memorial Weekend we joined our families together for the annual Lindstrom camping trip at Hickory Creek on Beaver Lake near Rogers, Arkansas. The weather was nearly perfect even though rain was forecast every day.  We toured the War Eagle Mill then hiked the trails at Hobbs Conservation Area stopping for a Picnic at the Visitors Center.  Pam had several “experiments” planned for the kids to enjoy like exploding the top off film canisters, trying the Mentos and Coke fountains, and popping a ballon full of water over a candle.  The kids loved it all!  On Sunday we rented a pontoon boat and drove all over the lake, fishing, swimming and tubing.  RJ caught a bass while Grandpa’s fish would have been good bait for the bass.  We saw two adult Bald Eagles and a water snake.  Just as everyone pulled out of the campground Monday morning the rain finally poured down.  We couldn’t have asked for better timing.

After the two families left, John and I drove the Jeep over to Grand Lakes in Oklahoma.  We have decided that it’s time to try a new location.  We scouted out four different RV parks and hope to nab a place in one of them for next year.

This trip has been less than trouble free so far.  When we stopped for lunch the first day the A/C quit working (along with everything else in the cockpit) and the generator would not run more than a few minutes!  We were forced to drive about 2 hours with the windows open and not far from the campground a truck threw a rock into the windshield leaving a nice quarter sized chip!  Given enough time, lots of cussing and calling the factory, John was able to figure out why the A/C stopped and fixed it. He never did figure out why the generator quit but when testing it in the campground it ran fine. On the way out of town today a glass repair shop fixed the chip at no charge!

We traveled to Woolly Hollow State Park about 12 miles north of Conway, AR.  Once we were settled we walked 3.5 miles around the lake on a very nice trail. It’s been awhile since we have had that much exercise! Its a very nice park and we are camped right on a small lake with a very vocal bull frog outside our site!

Recreation Plantation

In preparation for our journey home, we drove north to The Villages/ Lady Lake to spend a couple of days with our Colorado friends, Ray and Judy.  The RV park and resort, Recreation Plantation, holds over 800 units, mostly permanent homes but with about 100 temporary residences (RVs). They have a pool, tennis and pickleball courts, shuffle board and bocci ball plus tons of extracurricular activities.  

And what did we do?  We played golf both days!  I really enjoyed getting out on the courses, in the sunshine with good friends.  They gave us tours of the area, specifically The Villages which is a retirement community of about 120,000 people!  Its an amazing place.

We will head towards home beginning at 8 am Thursday morning.  We will drive to St. Charles to spend Easter with my mother then on to Sedalia.  It’s been an interesting, warm and relaxing winter.  We hate to head back this early but there is a new grand baby due shortly after we get home. The beginning of another adventure!

Madeira Beach - Potter Paradise

Even though we were camped at the St. Petersburg KOA, about 4 miles from my brother’s house, we spent most of our time with Denny and Marci.  They certainly kept us busy and the weather cooperated (most of the time).

When we arrived on Monday afternoon we got to spend time with Kelley, Joel and baby Maddie, Denny’s daughter’s family.  Since they live in NY, this was a special time for us and for them.  They left for home on Tues. and then Courtney, their middle daughter, needed to move out of the house she was renting right down the street from Denny.  So after a nice ride in the pontoon boat, we hurriedly started packing and moving, trying to get it all in Denny’s garage before it got too dark.

The rest of the week was like living in paradise with jet ski rides, kayaking, more boat rides, visits to John’s Pass, and long walks on the gulf beach.  We had dinner one night with Missouri friends, one night with Florida friends, and a St. Pat’s party with Denny & Marci's neighbors.  Saturday was a rain day so we took in an afternoon movie.  Sunday was a perfect day to ride the boat up towards Clearwater and a lunch on the waterway.  Everyday we delighted in watching the dolphins playing in the water near their dock. John and Denny even caught some fish. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable time with my brother!

Edward Medard County Park

We are staying in this beautiful county park on a large lake.  It has a very large day use area and a nice, secluded campground.  One of its walking paths takes you out to an island.  As we walked along it edge a frightened alligator startled us by splashing into the lily pads!  The park is very popular on the weekends for little girl and boy birthday parties.  John got his kayak out and tried fishing but the wind was too much and the fish were not biting.  While he fished I tried out their disk-golf course.  The lady at the entrance booth had a disk (frisbee) in her lost-and-found box that she let me use. I did pretty well until the 10th hole.  I couldn’t find the 10th hole!  So I skipped it then I skipped my disk right into the scummy water on the 12th hole and that was the end of my disk golf experience. It did provide me with a nice walk though.

Strawberry Fields Forever!

We drove about an hour down the road from Lake Wales to Plant City, FL - home of the Strawberry Festival and in the heart of strawberry growing country. Everywhere we drive are acres and acres of ripe, red strawberries hanging on their vines over elevated and irrigated rows of plastic covered dirt.  

We got here in time for the last weekend of the Strawberry Festival!  John just could not wait to take me to the festival grounds and to eat strawberry shortcake!  (if you believe that, then you don’t know John very well - wink, wink!)  It was a lot like going to the Missouri State Fair except that there were fewer cows and lots more food concessions with about every other one selling something with strawberries.  There were strawberry shortcakes, pies & shakes, strawberry hamburgers, chocolate dipped strawberries, strawberry sodas, jams and candy.  There were strawberry themed displays, strawberry shoe-box floats and a strawberry King and Queen. Of course, we walked down the carnival midway and perused the many booths selling ‘stuff’ just like any fair.  The music venues featured country western music and tribute bands.  We spent a whopping 3 hours and then said “This is enough!"

Plant City has a nice train museum right on two active tracks that cross at a 90º angle on two sides of the building.  A specially built viewing platform draws a lot of visitors. This is the only place in the state where train tracks cross in five different directions. We tried a Florida winery which didn’t have any grape-based wines only blueberry, strawberry or key lime wines as well as their own brewery.  The beers weren’t too bad except for one that was jalapeño and blueberry flavored -  I almost spit it out onto the floor!  OMG - it was horrible!  According to Trip Advisor one of the cannot miss places to visit in Plant City was an outdoor market where you could buy fresh fruits (yes strawberries), vegetables and strawberry shortcake.

Just thinking about all those strawberries is making me hungry for shortcake!!

Lake Rosalie

We only stayed two nights in Fort Pierce since there was not a lot to do in the area and John was getting the fishing bug. We drove and hour and half inland to the Kissimmee lakes region.  The state park was full but when we circled the lake we found a county park on Lake Rosalie that had only two other campers parked there.  It has great access to the lake and is very quiet and peaceful.  John got his kayak out and fished three times.  He lost 6 bass, caught 1 perch and was seriously started by one alligator he’d didn’t see until it belly flopped off the bank!  All in all, not very successful fishing.

I did some bird watching and walking while John was fishing.  I spotted an adult and a juvenile bald eagle soaring overhead and this morning I tailed two sandhill cranes around the campground.  We also laughed at a flock of turkeys as they scurried across the neighbor’s campsite.

The weather has been wonderful with cool nights and warm days with just a touch of a breeze to cool us down.  This campground is protected by some tall trees so we don’t get the full force of the wind which makes for very pleasant afternoons.

Moving Day

Today was moving day, we have spent a whole month in one spot which is a record for us!

This past week was not much different than the last two weeks - biking, kayaking and pickleball.  We found a new spot to kayak where there were several manatees swimming with us.  They look like such slow moving, gentle creatures but people have warned us they can knock you around or flip you over if you get too close. On our last day of pickleball we invited the group to join us for lunch.  Its too bad it took this long for us to connect and consider ourselves friends.  Darrell and Penny are from MI and Fred and Dianne are from Georgia.  We really enjoyed our time with them.

We left Key Largo this morning and drove up the coast to Fort St. Lucie/Fort Pierce area which is north of Miami and Palm Beach.  We found a county park next to a golf course on one side and a small lake on the other.  The lake and bass called to John but the wind pushed us away.  We did spot sandhill cranes and alligators near the campground.

Weekly Update

If you read last Saturday’s post, this one will seem the same.  We played Pickleball, rode our bikes, walked, ate good food and enjoyed the laid back lifestyle of Key Largo.  The wind has been bad this week so we have not tried to get the kayak out in the water.

Here, Fishy Fishy

Following church this morning, we geared up, ate lunch and headed to Keys Divers for a snorkeling adventure about five miles off-shore on the reefs of a protected national marine park.  It was still a bit breezy but warm and the water was a cold 70°.  We were glad we had our full wet suits and our own gear.  The rental stuff was okay but their wet suits were the shorty kind and some of the folks chose not to wear anything. Brrrrr! 

The reefs are protected so there is no touching the choral or standing on the bottoms, even if it is just sand.  We saw lots of barracuda, parrot fish, little tiny Nemo fish and some bright neon fish with no name that we know.  The coral is not as colorful as in more southern waters but it was pretty.  One large brain coral hid a 300 year-old cannon dropped from a beached ship. We snorkeled for an hour, moved to a new spot and swam for about 40 minutes.  It was an hours ride both going and coming back.  Great Day!

Typical Week

As I said in the last blog we tried to play pickleball on Monday but got rained out.  Tuesday and Thursday we got the kayak out. We paddled down the coast about a mile and a half one day but there was not much to see other than abandoned sailboats and barges full of sponges or anhinga (a cormorant like bird). The other day we paddled into the wind and out to the mangrove islands.  It was fun going up and down streams and exploring the various paths through the trees.  We saw a few small fish and some other kinds of sea creatures but not much else in the way of wildlife.  The wind pushed us back so we didn’t have to paddle much.

Wednesday and Friday we played pickleball.  We really like this game!  I walked the two miles to the court then John drove so we could run errands or dine out for lunch.  Both days we rode our bikes short distance in the afternoon.  It makes for a very active time.  Our next door neighbor hosts a BYOB on his front porch on Friday nights so we met Sammy, Clark and Martha, David, Diane and her friend from MI, and a couple of other guys whose names we didn’t catch.

Saturday we tackled a longer bike ride - over 26 miles!  We rode down the highway to Islamorada where the Rotary had sponsored a Giant Marine Flea Market.  The traffic headed toward Key West was backed up about 2-3 miles when we went into the market around 11 but extended another 2 miles when we left an hour later.  It was your typical huge market of marine, fishing and boat gear with crafts, jewelry, clothing and other stuff sprinkled throughout.  And lots, and lots of people!  The hard part of the ride was the wind in our faces on the way home.

We anticipate next week being much the same.

Blowing in the Wind

Saturday afternoon, the wind quieted down a bit and the sun warmed us up a bit so we blew up the new kayak and went for a paddle.  Before we left Fort Meyers Beach, John ordered us a new inflatable kayak, one that will seat two or three people.  It is just like one we used in Costa Rica.  Despite it being the first time to use the boat, it did not take long to inflate and assemble all the parts.  We launched it here at the marina and headed up wind along the shoreline, exploring the made-made canals and a couple of mangrove islands.  We were on the water for about an hour, maybe longer but that was enough for our weak arms!  Then the wind picked back up Sunday and Monday so we haven’t been able to get back out yet.

After church we rode our bikes to the Pilot House for lunch.  When we got back I realized I had left my glasses on the table so I rode back to get them,  That gave me 10 miles on the bike!

Today we had hoped to play pickleball again but the weather did not cooperate and it rained us out after one game.  With 20-mph wind gusts, it was not much fun being outside so we got in the Jeep and drove about 20 miles down the keys just to check things out.  We got as far as Islamorada but it took almost a hour to drive because of all the traffic. We shopped a few junk/t-shirt shops, checked out a couple of parks, looked at venues for a few restaurants and drove home.  The drive back was much quicker.  For some reason there were a lot of people heading toward Key West.

Miami International Boat Show

John was so excited today as we drove up to Miami to attend the Boat Show. He got special parking passes and VIP tickets so we could get in on the very first day, hoping to beat the crowds. Unfortunately, this is a new venue for them and they had some kinks to work out. We had a long line to get into the parking lot and a long wait to get a shuttle bus so we walked to the entrance.

You would not believe how many boats were in and out of the water, motors, gear, radar, sonar, radios, ropes and lots more stuff. We boarded some $500,000 yachts, looked over pontoons and fishing boats, ogled racing boats and beautiful wood boats. The sister boat to Earnest Hemingway's boat in Cuba was on display. The Miami Vice car and cigarette boat were there.  The paint jobs on the go-fast offshore racing boats were awesome.  

By around 3:30 we were ready to head home. We got on the shuttle bus for our parking lot which should have been a 10 minute ride and didn't get to the car for an hour and  fifteen minutes!  The police would not let the bus make a u-turn so he had to go all the way into Miami across the causeway in rush hour traffic and then back!!  That put us smack dab in the middle of rush hour so a 90 minute drive home took three hours!  Not a very good end to an otherwise nice day. 

Bike Riding and Pickleball

Thanks to a cable box we were able to watch the Super Bowl Sunday night while dining on shrimp and sipping Gin and tonics.

The weather has cleared up somewhat and is warming into the mid-60's by the afternoons so we have been walking or riding our bikes almost every day. Monday we rode towards the town of Key Largo, exploring some of the neighborhoods along the way.  As we cruised around the city park we followed the sound of Pickleball being played on an almost hidden unused tennis court. A warm greeting drew us in and before we knew it, we had committed to joining this group of 8-12 people to play the game on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's for as long as we are here. One couple has painted the stripes and provided the net.  There is a donation box to help them with the costs.

Tuesday we rode our bikes the other direction (towards Key Wesr) for about a 14 mile round trip. After a vigorous 2-hours of Pickleball on Wednesday we rode again just a short distance to run a few errands. I have also been trying to get in some long walks. 

Blue Fin Marina

We are now ensconced at the Blue Fin Marina and RV Park in Key Largo for the next month. You may (or may not) be curious about what we have been doing for the last week so lets flashback to Feb. 1.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were unseasonably warm for south Florida, or so we were told, but we enjoyed the warm weather by taking long walks on the beach or riding our bikes.  We had originally planned to be camped somewhere near Marco Island this week but decided to stay at the Red Coconut in Ft. Myers Beach.  We only moved a short block away but the site is squeezed in-between two park model homes on a corner with a tree and lots of ferns. Then John insisted that he HAD to go shopping for a new hat or some such item.  Each evening found us on the beach celebrating the sun setting into the gulf but when that sun is gone, it gets cold!

Tuesday we drove down to Naples to visit our friends, Mickey and Dave.  We drove into downtown Naples, shopped, ate ice cream and drooled over the monstrous mansions.  Later, friends Jim and Lisa came down from Sanibel and joined us for dinner . We watched the sun set from Mickey & David's balcony but the elevation did not help us in seeing the green flash as the sun disappeared.  Dinner was a lively affair at the Claw Bar.

Thursday and Friday were not very good beach days as it was windy and cool so we rode our bikes across the bridge and explored that area, and on Thursday we had breakfast with my high school classmate Susan and husband Dave, who live on Sanibel Island. One day we shopped a landscaping center to get ideas on surfaces for our new patio.  We think we want something besides stained and stamped concrete like paver stones or brick, or rock. Friday was spent catching up on chores and balancing the checkbook (I hate that!).  Friday afternoon we went back to Mickey and David’s in Naples so we could eat an early dinner at a very fine restaurant and then shop and bar hop.

Yesterday was moving day.  Key Largo is at the top of the Keys, about 100 miles from Key West and about an hour from Miami.  Our RV site is butted up against the back of a building and if we crane our necks just so, we can see the ocean and the boats in the marina. We are about 10 miles from the Pennekamp State Park and there is not much to see or do within walking distance of the RV park, at least that we can tell after a short exploration. We are next door to a Tiki Bar so hopefully we will be able to meet some people there as time goes by.  It looks like it will be a cold and windy day here for the Super Bow that we cannot watch since we have no TV reception and our cable hookup is not working. The Tiki bar may be the best place to watch the game.