Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Lakeland, FL
Tuesday, Oct 31 ... Happy Halloween! Laundry in the am, pool in the pm! It's 87 degrees here today.
Monday, Oct 30 ... A serviceman came out to replace the interior light in the oven (it's next to impossible to get at).
Sunday, Oct 29 … Spent the morning reading the newspaper as well as watching a church service on the tv. That afternoon we took a drive into Lakeland to check out our route of travel on Wednesday. Saturday, Oct 28 … Rain early in the day… Went to a Walmart in the afternoon. Geez, why do we do that on a weekend day - very crowded.
Friday, Oct 27 … Hung around the rv park doing rv “stuff”. Went to the pool in the afternoon.
Thursday, Oct 26 … The technicians had more to do on our Tropical so we spent most of the morning in the waiting room. Two of our three rubber slide seals had to be replaced because of a “rodent or squirrel” chewed holes in them. How weird!! After all that we drove about 6 miles to the Lakeland RV park. Wednesday, Oct 25 … Left our Tropical with the National RV folks for some minor warranty work. A beautiful day … the morning was sunny and crisp w/temps in the low 50’s. Around 10:00 a.m. we drove downtown to a park on a small lake. Spent the night in the National RV Service Center lot.
Monday, Oct 30 ... A serviceman came out to replace the interior light in the oven (it's next to impossible to get at).
Sunday, Oct 29 … Spent the morning reading the newspaper as well as watching a church service on the tv. That afternoon we took a drive into Lakeland to check out our route of travel on Wednesday. Saturday, Oct 28 … Rain early in the day… Went to a Walmart in the afternoon. Geez, why do we do that on a weekend day - very crowded.
Friday, Oct 27 … Hung around the rv park doing rv “stuff”. Went to the pool in the afternoon.
Thursday, Oct 26 … The technicians had more to do on our Tropical so we spent most of the morning in the waiting room. Two of our three rubber slide seals had to be replaced because of a “rodent or squirrel” chewed holes in them. How weird!! After all that we drove about 6 miles to the Lakeland RV park. Wednesday, Oct 25 … Left our Tropical with the National RV folks for some minor warranty work. A beautiful day … the morning was sunny and crisp w/temps in the low 50’s. Around 10:00 a.m. we drove downtown to a park on a small lake. Spent the night in the National RV Service Center lot.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
More from St. Augustine
Tuesday, Oct 24 ... Drove 160 miles to the National RV Service Center in Lakeland. We are staying in their parking lot for the next 2 nights. They will be doing some warrenty work on the motorhome on Wed. and Thur.
Monday, Oct 23 … Drove to the Jacksonville airport to pick up Dixie returning from EWR. Came home and started putting away things around the mh in preparation for blast off tomorrow to Lakeland, Fl.
Sunday, Oct 22 … Mike took a long bike ride along the costal road and over to the international waterway to the west. Worked around the mh today & watched some of the NFL game in which the Houston Texans defeated the Jacksonville team 27 - 7.
Saturday, Oct 21 … Dixie is going to EWR for a wedding of a friend she used to work with. The flights out of JAX or DAB to EWR were booked heavily so she flew to IAH and did an overnighter with a friend. They then took a flight to EWR from IAH on Sunday morning. Mike stayed home & watched the Cardinals win the first game of the 2006 World Series over the Detroit Tigers.
Friday, Oct 20 … Not much doing today. Stayed close to home and did laundry and some things around the mh. We did walk/jog along the costal highway for about 30 minutes. The weather was sunny.
Thursday, Oct 19 … Today we decided to take in the so called “Fountain of Youth”. In 1513 Ponce de Leon came ashore to mark and record for all time the first chapter of our colonial history - the discovery of America. The spring was thought to be a “fountain of youth” because the Indians who lived there were very tall (average height of 6’ 6” ) and lived to be 85-90 years of age whereas people from Spain only lived to 35-40 years. The water was available so we had a small cup of it. (Of course, you could buy more of it in the gift shop)
Next in the park was the Navigator’s celestial Planetarium. This astounding exhibit revealed the ancient mysteries of navigation, the star instrument that brought together the viewer and Ponce de Leon under the night sky of North America’s discovery.
The next exhibit was the Explorer’s Discovery Globe. In eight minutes you see the first 100 Spanish years of new world exploration and conquest. It was a huge globe that stood 2 stories and rotated with the story.
We had brought lunch with us in the cooler so we found a picnic table at the Lighthouse State Park. We then walked to the beach and spread out the towel and took a nap.
Monday, Oct 23 … Drove to the Jacksonville airport to pick up Dixie returning from EWR. Came home and started putting away things around the mh in preparation for blast off tomorrow to Lakeland, Fl.
Sunday, Oct 22 … Mike took a long bike ride along the costal road and over to the international waterway to the west. Worked around the mh today & watched some of the NFL game in which the Houston Texans defeated the Jacksonville team 27 - 7.
Saturday, Oct 21 … Dixie is going to EWR for a wedding of a friend she used to work with. The flights out of JAX or DAB to EWR were booked heavily so she flew to IAH and did an overnighter with a friend. They then took a flight to EWR from IAH on Sunday morning. Mike stayed home & watched the Cardinals win the first game of the 2006 World Series over the Detroit Tigers.
Friday, Oct 20 … Not much doing today. Stayed close to home and did laundry and some things around the mh. We did walk/jog along the costal highway for about 30 minutes. The weather was sunny.
Thursday, Oct 19 … Today we decided to take in the so called “Fountain of Youth”. In 1513 Ponce de Leon came ashore to mark and record for all time the first chapter of our colonial history - the discovery of America. The spring was thought to be a “fountain of youth” because the Indians who lived there were very tall (average height of 6’ 6” ) and lived to be 85-90 years of age whereas people from Spain only lived to 35-40 years. The water was available so we had a small cup of it. (Of course, you could buy more of it in the gift shop)
Next in the park was the Navigator’s celestial Planetarium. This astounding exhibit revealed the ancient mysteries of navigation, the star instrument that brought together the viewer and Ponce de Leon under the night sky of North America’s discovery.
The next exhibit was the Explorer’s Discovery Globe. In eight minutes you see the first 100 Spanish years of new world exploration and conquest. It was a huge globe that stood 2 stories and rotated with the story.
We had brought lunch with us in the cooler so we found a picnic table at the Lighthouse State Park. We then walked to the beach and spread out the towel and took a nap.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Florida, here we come!
Wednesday, Oct 18 … Got up at the regular time today and went to the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, FL. It was formally located in Pinehurst, NC but was relocated here 8 years ago. Without a doubt this is a display of golf memorabilia that is unmatched anyway where in the world. The Class of 2006 - Larry Nelson, Vijay Singh, Marilynn Smith, the late Henry Picard and Mark McCormack - will officially be welcomed into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Monday October 30th. Also included with our ticket was the movie "Open Season" in the Imax Theather! Cute movie.
Tuesday, Oct 17 … We rode our bikes approx. 6 miles roundtrip on the coastal hwy. We stopped along the way to walk yet again on the beach. It was much different here than the shell beach near our park. Later in the day we drove south and found a beach that we could drive onto with the car. We watched a guy parasail and many more waiting for the perfect wave to surf.
Monday, Oct 16 …. Got up earlier than usual this morning (0645) and walked across the street to the beach to watch the sunrise. Needless to say it was awesome. There were a few clouds which made for a spectacular view of the effects of the sun rising over the pounding surf. We took several photos. We drove into the town of Old St. Augustine and did the walking tour of the village. St. Augustine is considered the oldest settlement in America being settled by the Spanish in 1513. The quiet coastal city came to life in the 1880’s when railroad magnet Henry Flagler began to develop the area as a winter resort and playground. We visited the Spanish fortress of Castillo de San Marcos, now a national monument, built in 1672-95. In the old village, we saw the oldest one room wooden school house in the U.S. It was built in 1750-60 of cypress and cedar and still looks surprising sturdy. We then went to the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine which is the oldest Catholic parish in the nation. Built in the 1790’s it was reconstructed after a fire in 1887. Next to the Washington Cathedral, it was one of the most spectacular churches we’ve ever seen. We then walked into the courtyard of the Flagler College. This was, of course, built by Henry Flagler in 1888 as the former Ponce de Leon Hotel. Maybe we’ll go back and take the tour of the interior because the outside is absolutely stunning. We then went to the village and had a delicious Brooklyn style pizza for lunch.
Sunday, Oct 15 … We drove into St. Augustine and decided to go to the large flea market held on weekends. Bought a few items … mostly some produce. On the way back discovered the Rver supply house… a Walmart super center and had to purchase a few supplies. After getting home, we took chairs and a book and walked across the street to the beach for about an hour.
Saturday, Oct 14 …. Today we are driving about 140 miles to our next stop of St. Augustine, FL. Very nice weather day with morning temps in the mid-40’s. Drove about 50 miles to Brunswick where we stopped at a Flying J for propane and diesel. Paid $1.79 a gal for propane and $2.36 for diesel. The drive to St. Augustine was uneventful (the way we like it). The city of Jacksonville was beautiful on this bright sunny day. The RV park in St. Augustine (Beachcomer) had roof damage to one of the buildings from one of the ’05 hurricanes that hasn’t been fixed. The park roads are not paved, dusty and filled with pot holes. Other than that it’s not bad. The Atlantic is just across the street to the east and the Intercoastal waterway is at the back of the park to the west. After we got the motor home set up we took a short walk on the beach. The beach seems to be composed of ground up sea shells mixed with sand. There were shells everywhere. The surf was awesome.
Tuesday, Oct 17 … We rode our bikes approx. 6 miles roundtrip on the coastal hwy. We stopped along the way to walk yet again on the beach. It was much different here than the shell beach near our park. Later in the day we drove south and found a beach that we could drive onto with the car. We watched a guy parasail and many more waiting for the perfect wave to surf.
Monday, Oct 16 …. Got up earlier than usual this morning (0645) and walked across the street to the beach to watch the sunrise. Needless to say it was awesome. There were a few clouds which made for a spectacular view of the effects of the sun rising over the pounding surf. We took several photos. We drove into the town of Old St. Augustine and did the walking tour of the village. St. Augustine is considered the oldest settlement in America being settled by the Spanish in 1513. The quiet coastal city came to life in the 1880’s when railroad magnet Henry Flagler began to develop the area as a winter resort and playground. We visited the Spanish fortress of Castillo de San Marcos, now a national monument, built in 1672-95. In the old village, we saw the oldest one room wooden school house in the U.S. It was built in 1750-60 of cypress and cedar and still looks surprising sturdy. We then went to the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine which is the oldest Catholic parish in the nation. Built in the 1790’s it was reconstructed after a fire in 1887. Next to the Washington Cathedral, it was one of the most spectacular churches we’ve ever seen. We then walked into the courtyard of the Flagler College. This was, of course, built by Henry Flagler in 1888 as the former Ponce de Leon Hotel. Maybe we’ll go back and take the tour of the interior because the outside is absolutely stunning. We then went to the village and had a delicious Brooklyn style pizza for lunch.
Sunday, Oct 15 … We drove into St. Augustine and decided to go to the large flea market held on weekends. Bought a few items … mostly some produce. On the way back discovered the Rver supply house… a Walmart super center and had to purchase a few supplies. After getting home, we took chairs and a book and walked across the street to the beach for about an hour.
Saturday, Oct 14 …. Today we are driving about 140 miles to our next stop of St. Augustine, FL. Very nice weather day with morning temps in the mid-40’s. Drove about 50 miles to Brunswick where we stopped at a Flying J for propane and diesel. Paid $1.79 a gal for propane and $2.36 for diesel. The drive to St. Augustine was uneventful (the way we like it). The city of Jacksonville was beautiful on this bright sunny day. The RV park in St. Augustine (Beachcomer) had roof damage to one of the buildings from one of the ’05 hurricanes that hasn’t been fixed. The park roads are not paved, dusty and filled with pot holes. Other than that it’s not bad. The Atlantic is just across the street to the east and the Intercoastal waterway is at the back of the park to the west. After we got the motor home set up we took a short walk on the beach. The beach seems to be composed of ground up sea shells mixed with sand. There were shells everywhere. The surf was awesome.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Brunswick & the Golden Isles of GA
Oct 12 - 14 …Thursday we did a self-guided driving tour of Brunswick and the Golden Isles - which included Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, and Sea Island. First stop was Jekyll Island, an island that was purchased in 1886 by prominent east coast millionaires who built a clubhouse and elaborate cottages. In 1910 the first draft of the Federal Reserve Act was drawn up at the 'clubhouse'. In 1915 the first transcontinental telephone call was made from this island. We saw several of the ‘cottages’ and a replica of the first telephone. The next island stop was St. Simons which is the largest of the Golden Isles. We went to the National Park areas of Fort Frederica built in 1736. We also visit the Frederica Christ Church where in 1736 John and Charles Wesley (founder of Methodist church) held services under the oak trees. The church was built on the site in 1883. The lighthouse on the island was restored in 1872 and is still a working lighthouse. We were only able to get to the entrance to Sea Island as there is a gate there that allows only residents and guests on the island - it’s for the elite…..several Presidents have vacationed on this island. Our last stop was in Brunswick which was founded in 1771. It is known for shrimp and crabmeat processing plants. We also saw “Lovers Oak” tree which is thought to date from the 12th century (900yrs old). It’s a big ole oak tree! We had another great day of siteseeing - we have never seen so many massive ‘live oak’ trees in any area as we have in Georgia! Friday was a day of catch up and rest - making reservations for upcoming months - what fun!!!! Today we are driving about 140 miles to our next stop of St. Augustine, FL….more history a comin’…..
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
More from SC & On to Georgia
Oct 9 - 11 … Monday we continued on down the road about 300 miles to the small town of Townsend, GA which is 45 miles south of Savannah. We explored Darien yesterday and today we spent the day in Savannah. We went on a great 90 minute Trolley Tour of Savannah. After that we explored on foot more of the Riverfront and Historic District. Savannah was the first planned city in our country. It was developed with 24 Squares in the small downtown area and there are 21 of them still remaining and one being rebuilt to it’s original look. Each square is a park with a statue or fountain. This city is beautiful with it’s oak trees covering every street and parks on every few blocks. Building and homes in the historic & waterfront districts are original, built in the 1700 & 1800‘s. Even the hotels must be built to look like the that time period. There is a Holiday Inn Express going up that will have original Savannah Brown Brick ($65-$70 a brick). We went to Madison Square where “Forrest Gump” sat on the ‘bench’ during the movie. We saw several sites where other movies were filmed as well (Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil & a Julie Roberts, Dennis Quad movie that I can’t remember the name of, even though we saw it!). We also went into the Catholic John the Baptist Cathedral (seats 1,000) and the Lutheran Evangelical Acsession Church - both were unbelievable. The original building were built in the 1700’s and added onto in the 1800’s. From Savannah we drove to Tybee Island and saw Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse and walked down to the beach. We had a great day of history & exploring! Tomorrow we are going to explore Brunswick and the Golden Isles. We leave GA on Saturday for St. Augustine, FL.
Oct 5 - 8 …. It was Fall Bike Rally in Myrtle Beach so there were motorcycles everywhere (100,000 were expected). We drove to Murrells Inlet and went to Huntington Beach State Park where we hiked some and walked the marshland. Sat. night we went for a walk to Barefoot Landing and stopped in at Dicks Last Resort where the waiters are known for ‘harassing” the customer. We listened to the live music for awhile and enjoyed the night life. On Sunday it rained most of the day so after church we stayed close to home!
Oct 5 - 8 …. It was Fall Bike Rally in Myrtle Beach so there were motorcycles everywhere (100,000 were expected). We drove to Murrells Inlet and went to Huntington Beach State Park where we hiked some and walked the marshland. Sat. night we went for a walk to Barefoot Landing and stopped in at Dicks Last Resort where the waiters are known for ‘harassing” the customer. We listened to the live music for awhile and enjoyed the night life. On Sunday it rained most of the day so after church we stayed close to home!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The end of NC and on to SC - Myrtle Beach
Sept 27 - Oct 5...We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Fayetteville (FT. Bragg), NC with Brandon, Katherine and the grandsons. The boys spent both weekends with us in the motor home. We managed to keep quite busy between our house and theirs. Brandon made it back home late Friday nights so we were able to spend 2 days with him. On Monday we headed for Myrtle Beach, SC. We are staying at Briarcliff RV Resort in North Myrtle Beach. It’s a very nice park. We did a 7 mile bike ride on the beach and the area surrounding the park and drove Ocean Blvd through Myrtle Beach. Today we went to the beach and enjoyed the sun, sand and ocean. The weather has been great - in the 80’s. Tomorrow they are predicting rain and much cooler weather, lasting through the weekend. We will continue to explore the sites! We were here once before but it’s been about 12 yrs ago so things have changed alot. We leave here on Monday and head for the GA coast.
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