Hello my fellow countrymen,

Linda and I are still on St. George's island just over the bridge from Apalachicola, Fl. ST G's is a true barrier island and is really neat. We are in the state park campground, 4 miles from the entrance gate and 8 miles from the bridge onto the island. With speed limits of 25 MPH in the park and 35Mph on the town streets, it takes a while to get around, but there is hardly any traffic so it's easy traveling. I will try and attach some pictures that show how different the roads and area are. On the Gulf of Mexico side

of the island there are small, low sand dunes and clean white sand beaches that are over 9 miles long. We have walked a lot of it and have seen very few people. The shells are a lot different here that at home. One way is that there are tons of them and they are all shapes and sizes. Linda has picked up a lot that look neat, but we decided that we will bring home just a few, as what do you do with them once you are home. There isn't much wave action as the water is quite shallow and it appears that there are a lot of sand bars out from the beach. By the way, the water isn't quite warm enough to swim, but we have stuck our feet in just to make sure. So to describe this area of the park. There is the beach, low dunes, the asphalt road(narrow) and then sand and really high dunes. Some over 40 feet tall and then there are short crooked wind blown yellow pine, and then tall skinny pines. Our site in the campground is tucked into a tall pine grove behind the dunes. Behind us a little ways is the “bay side” of the island. The trees go right into the water and not much beach. The water near shore had lots of something like seaweed but more like pine needles so we wouldn't feel like getting into that. The bay is about 4 miles wide and is shallow and fairly calm. Sort of like a big lake. There are quite a few local fishermen in funny looking flatbottomed boats. The bay is the supplier of about 10% of the USA's oysters and they must be hand raked, It looks like a miserable way to make a living!! they have double handles poles about 12 feet long with metal tines to pickup the oysters. Sort of like a oversized post hole digger. The men that do this must have huge arm and shoulder muscles. They also small net for shrimp.

We have travelled along Rt 98 thru Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and into Apalachicola, which is driving right along the water. There is the bay, sand, grass and then the road. You wouldn't want to fall asleep and go off into the beach. It's so different than any place we have been. I really like Apalachicola, it's a small town with all kinds of neat places. Old homes, that were owned by the “barons” of yesteryear and also

small underfunded workers homes. It is all laid out in a grid and easy to find your way around. The river comes right into town and there are many big shrimp boats and even some quite nice recreational yachts tied up there. Yesterday we went to see a few museums but only one was open on Sunday(I think they were closed because of the football game). We did toured the Orman house and it was really neat and well kept and run, by the state parks system. We talked to the ranger there and he is the park ranger for the area and lives within the park on St George(where we are staying) He offered us a job for next year f we are interested. 20 hours a week for each of us for a free campsite. Not a bad offer and as I like it here it might be interesting, but we didn't jump on it. It would have to be for at least a month or up to six months. One never knows, so I got his number. Right next door, and part of his responsibility is the Chapman Botanical Gardens, a newly started garden area with all kinds of plants and trees. I wonder if this was part of Curt and Betty Chapman's heritage that they never knew about. I hope so as it is beautiful.

We will be heading to Grayton beach state park tomorrow. Just about 100 miles west of here and just west of Panama City, for those who are looking at a map. It's also close to Pensacola and it's military base and museum. This should be a 6 night stay before crossing into Mobile, Al.

We are having a great time and enjoying the sun and warmer weather. Cool nights and mornings with nice sunny warm days. Don't mean to rub it in but this is why we are here.

Hope you are all well and making the best of this time of year.

Jess, Jason, Jeff and all of you that help make this trip possible a huge thank you! Smiles and Hugs, Russ and Linda

February 1, 2013

February 1, 2013

We are on the Florida Panhandle. We arrived and set up at St. Georges Island State Park, early yesterday afternoon, after a fantastic trip from Spring Hill. We travelled on no major highways, but with lots of stop lights and many small towns. It may not sound wonderful, but it really was. Our campground in Spring Hill, was a great park, and I would stay there again, as it was centrally located, but it was just off from a busy road, and you could hear the early morning traffic. Quiet is nice.

Tuesday night was our last evening there, and as we listened to the weather, it didn't sound like it was going to be a very good ride up along the coast to the Panhandle. The wind blew several times and had the camper swaying as if we were again in Port Aransas. Fortunately, did not last long. I had just looked at the directions to get where we are now, and found out that we would be travelling over a 4 mile, two laned bridge, so that made me a bit nervous. But, when we got up yesterday morning, the weather was beautiful, not quite the beach weather I want to find, but nice. So it was a great ride up routes 19, 319, and 98. The route we were on once we 'made the turn' to the Panhandle was GREAT. Picture driving along Long Sands at York Beach, with no sidewalk and the Atlantic Ocean lapping the shore at the foot of the steps. This is the road we travelled for the last twenty miles til we arrived at the bridge. It wasn't a high bridge, so I was okay. Once on the island, we took a left headed to the state park. The gate was another 5 miles or so, and then from the gate, it was another 4 miles to the camp sites. There are 60 campsites, with two bathroom/shower facilities. State parks are a little more rustic, as we have electricity and running water only. Get my drift?? What comes out doesn't go anywhere until we dump at the end of our stay, so its very nice that we have bathrooms close by. Russ has fixed it so that I can do dishes and take showers here, as that is clean water can go into a five gallon bucket which can be easily taken to the dumping station.

So, yesterday, we took a walk on the beach. We walked forever and saw one other couple. The other end of this island appears to be commercialized (we'll find that out later today), but this end is not. The water was not particularly warm-York Beach at the beginning of the summer, but the walking was great. There are shells galor and we were 'crunching' them as we were walking on the shore. This morning we are taking a left onto the beach, and that goes towards the intercoastal waterway. We are hoping to be able to find west, so that we can watch a sunset. We tried in the Spring Hill area, but the clouds got in the way.

Having a great time, wish you were here. I need company walking the the bathroom!

Hi, again. Its now Friday night. Tomorrow there is a campground breakfast get-together to discuss work on the bay. Time is 9:00AM, which is doable; coffee is provided, but I suspect we need to bring our own cups; and we have to bring a breakfast food to share. Yogurt, muesli, box of cereal, bread for toast, or what Russ wants to bring is one pop tart. It is a way to meet the neighbors. We'll let you know about that on a later post. Met Ted today. He has NAVY sweatsuit and Michigan hat and is retired Navy. He told us about camping at the National Seashore in Pensacola and stopped by later with a brochure. We haven't made plans for after Mobile, AL, so we are considering that. We'll see.

We took another walk. Took our left off the walkway to the beach and walked and walked and walked some more. Picked up a bunch of great shells, with lots of color. Even managed to find a few complete sand dollars. Yesterday we found pieces, but not the entire dollar. We found pieces that that made the dollar about 5 inches across. Today, we found littler ones but intact. Russ tells me there are dollars at York, but I have never seen them. It was a fun walk, and I think we saw a total of 8 people. It is just so beautiful here, and quiet. After our walk, we headed to the other end of the island. I thought that it was going to be more commercialized, but it wasn't really. We did find a 'grocery' store, a little larger than a corner store; a liquor store; and two restaurants. Oh, and a Subway. We ate at the Blue Parrot, which was on the beach. Russ had a cheese burger and I had a 'bay scallop po boy'. The scallops had a cornmeal batter on them, and it was funny to see them. They were round and about the size of a nickel. Ate a few, and they were good, but then took the batter off them, and they were very, very small......still good. Cole slaw was great, and so was the marquerita.

We then took a ride back onto the mainland (across the four mile bridge) onto another three mile bridge to Apalachicola, and I hope that is the correct spelling. We needed propane and the campground 'host' told us to go across the two bridges, through the town, past the Burger King, to the Ace Hardware, to find the propane. Most of this road, was along the water. It's just so beautiful. On the way back to the campground, we went through some of the neighborhoods. There are beautiful, huge, old homes that have been refurbished. The main, downtown area, was so nice. Russ said that of all the places we have been, this was one place he could move to. I don't think that will happen too soon, so the Christmas Gathering is still on!

Tomorrow another day, breakfast, walk, oh, and maybe another campfire. Oh, forgot to mention, we were having a small fire, while it was still light, and Russ saw two racoons roaming around just outside the camp sites. He missed one, there were three. They weren't interested in us, just kept on walking. Don't see that up at camp.

Hope you are all enjoying your winter... We are!

We aren't sunbathing in Florida yet, but we are getting ready to go for a swim.  We went to Weeki Wachee yesterday which is one of three parks which I consider to be 'old Florida attractions'.  Weeki Wachee, Cypress Gardens, and Silver Springs have been here since way before Disney World and all the assorted attractions that have been built out of the swamps of Florida.  And I know that because, one of my Grandmothers, my Dad's Mom, would come down here to visit with her brothers, and these are the places she would visit, send postcards from, and tell us about.  Silver Springs has, or is being taken over by the state, has glass bottom boat and a jungle cruise with real animals; Cypress Gardens had water skiing show and beautiful gardens, with ladies walking around in the big hoop skirted dresses; and Weeki Wachee had the mermaids.  Now Cypress Gardens has become Legoland, and 'WW' still has the mermaids.  Very few of them, but they still have the mermaids.  I'm glad we went, but after seeing the pictures that Russ posted......
We then went to Brooksville to get together with high school classmates for Russ's.  We were at Hooters in the next picture, as you can tell in the picture of Russ and the two young ladies.  I'm sure he's not the only Grandfather who has had his pic taken with a couple of Hooters!  It was a fun evening, with Kevin and Beth French, and Don and Darlene Marshall.  I have met Don and Darlene before, but it was the first time that we had visited them in FL.  Kevin and Beth have just moved down to FL.  We are headed back over to their home at some point today.
Looks like rain here, but the 'natives' say it looks like rain alot, and doesn't.  We are hoping for warmer, and sunnier weather once we hit the beaches on the Panhandle, but time will tell.
Having fun and enjoying each others 'undivided' (almost) attention....
Enjoy your days......love, linda
hey, it's me and now it is Wednesday evening the 30th.
 we ended up going to Tarpon Springs with Darlene B. Marshall and Beth French. What a wonderful day with friends. We were sorry that kevin didn't feel up to all the walking so didn't go with us.  Tarpon Springs is where they have been bringing in sponges for years. we actually saw them washing and unloading them onto the docks.  Lots of great shops and Greek eaterys.  we ate a Rusty Bellies which is a great place on the pier overhanging the waterway, good food and drinks. we wandered all over and checked out all the shops. Fresh sponges in every place but we didn't buy any.   tomorrow we head for St, Georges Island further up the west coast. today and this evening they are having super high winds and rain but it is expected to be better before we get there. the cold front is coming down from Canada and it predicted to be in the 60's along the gulf coast. I know for our friends at home, that sounds hot, it isn't compared to the last two days here that have been close to 80. We will have fun relaxing on the beach and just hanging out together. I hope!  haha    Love and miss ya all. me

Jan 26 Zephyrhills,Fl

 vultures hanging out in the trees

 Linda, doris,mom, dad

 dad,mom,mac,linda

our campsite

Having fun in Zephyrhills. we have spent time visiting with Mom and Dad, Aunt Edna and Uncle Elmin and yesterday we took Mom and Dad over to Pinelus Park to see his brother. I was great to see Uncle Mac and Doris. They took us out to eat at a great place that had everything on the menu. The waitress was a smart mouth but kind of funny. The food was great. on the way back we drove thru the State park where we are staying so my folks could see just how large a park it is. It is the Hillsborough State park called Fort Foster. We haven't seen any fort but the park is huge. hiking and biking trails, youth camps, rv and tent camping, conservation areas and a HUGE pool. I think it's the largest pool I have ever seen. We have a great site 1.8 miles from the entrance, very quiet. the vultures like to hang out in the big trees across the road. Maybe they will get that one little yappy ratdog a few sites from us. We had a camp fire last nite. Don't ask, it took us longer to get it going than it burned, plus we got warmer from the effort of getting and keeping it going that we did from the fire. I have Linda convinced that it's because it's to warm and we don't get that New England cold air draft to make it burn.  The mornings are cool but have warmed up quickly and have been in the 70's. It is nice!!

January 22, St. Augustine, FL

We are in Florida. Rather short ride down from Savannah yesterday.  It was also a beautiful sunny day, not quite so much this morning.  While in Savannah, we took advantage of the Old Town City tours, which also is in St. Augustine.  As we arrived here early in the afternoon, we took a ride into the downtown area and found a tour office.  Glad we did.  We were able to take the tour yesterday, found our way around somewhat, and the tickets are good again for today.  We love bargains.  Found one stop at a winery and just around the corner is a quilt shop.  Life couldn't be any better than that!  The winery is free but the quilt shop won't be.
We are staying at the first of four State parks here in Florida.  We have electricity and water, but  use the shower and bathroom facilities (except in the middle of the night).  The camp sites are are close but closed off with the palm trees and such.  It really is very nice.  The beach is about 300 yards away, with a boardwalk from the parking lot.  The beach was closer to our campsite last year in Port Aransas, but there isn't any wind.  And it's funny, I keep having to remind myself that we are in FL and not TX.   Oh, the water felt like York Beach!
Back on the bus today to find the winery and quilt shop, and time in the oldest part of the town.  Hopefully lunch outside, although no sun.  It's warmer than New England, and I have my best friend with me!!!!
Enjoy your day.......

Wednesday morning update,
 We did have a great day in St. A yesterday and did spend some time at the quilt shop. walked all over the town and road the tour trolly again.  found a shop we had wanted to get to and some good finds.  cooked burgers on the grill at our campsite last nite. getting ready to pack up and head further south today. will be at Mom and Dads after setting up at the campground this afternoon.   our cocaptain is looking forward to getting to Walmart. I have no idea why as I bought Krispy Cream donuts at WinnDixe.   smiles and hugs, the Driver

Jan 19/20 2013 Savannah, GA

 Brian Seward's ship leaving Savannah he's on the bridge wing talking to me on the cell phone. a whole group of strangers thought it was neat that we knew him. when he got along side us(we were on the "river walk" Linda, I , and a lot of strangers hollered "Brian"  he waved and grinned and had the ships captain blow the horn a couple of times.

 Linda on the beach in Tybee Island in Savannah. It was COLD!!

 Memorial on River St right on the Savannah river

Linda and I on Tybee island beach

well hello from Savannah, GA   we arrived and got setup in the park. no internet unless it's thru our "hotspot,and we get more TV on the antenna than on cable but a nice small place 15 minutes from downtown.  We drove out to Tybee island, kind of like hampton beach except houses on the beach side so you can't see the water unless you drive down these small side driveway type roads). we did and walked over the boardwalk and dunes to see the water. cool but I don't think the water at York beach, ME ever gets that warm.  yesterday and today we went into downtown and took the trolly tour and learned lots of history and got off and on any where we felt like. Last nite Brian met us intown(we just happened to find him as we were turning around at a motel)  he ran us around showing us the sites and places he frequents while here in port. we ate and then left him to get back to the ship and we came back to the RV park.  about 65 degrees today and we sat in the sun, at one of the 22 downtown "squares" as they are called. Saw Paula Deans restaurant, ate at the "wild wings" and listened to live music in "city market.   we leave for St Augustine, FL in the AM., and will be there for a couple of days. I need to take a picture before it gets dark so I will end by passing this to my best friend and let her correct and add as she feels fit.  miss you all, stay well and Jeff S. make the warrant happen, we have faith in you!!! Russ 

Friday in Savannah, Georgia

And this is the first time using the IPAD, so that will be interesting for me.  Back to using two fingers.  Well, we spent a raining night, cool nit in Fort Mill, SC.  Russ decided to bring in the slides, just in case  it snowed.  The night before he had to squeegee off th top of the slide so it wouldn't thaw into the camper.  ever noticed the difference.  Just love sleeping in our camper's bed.  But then the phone call at 5:00 was a surprise.  Russ has set up several lights in the house that will come on if the heat drops below a prescribed temperature.  Well, one of them was on when a neighbor went by rather early in the morning.   I'm glad we are on the same time zone!  Fortunately Russ was able to call Jeff  Smith, our great neighbor across the street.  Jeff will take care of it.  Thank goodness for Jeff.  Another friend who makes it all possible for us to do our winter travels.  Thanks Jeff.
Listening to the weather channels this morning, we did not leave the park until 10:00.  Good move, it was bright and sunny out by then.  Breezed across SC and into Savannah by mid afternoon.  The park is a small park, along side a main road, but we haven't heard a train yet.  Tomorrow, we are going on a Trolley tour of Savannah.  They will even pick us up here at the park.  We will return around 4:30, and if all works out all right, we will have dinner with Brian Seaward, who will be in Savannah, heading out to see.  We are looking forward to that as Brian is much more familiar with Savannah than we are.
But we did venture out this afternoon by going to the beach.  Went out to Tybee Island, parked along a side street (paid for parking although no one was around); walked the boardwalk across the dunes, and walked down moths water.  We are so familiar to our beaches, but all others are so different.  Waves broke about 300 yards out from the shore.  Just thinking, just different.  Lots of houses, about four deep from the beach, and traveling the 'beach' road, there was no way you could see the beach.  Of course they were four lanes of traffic, so the place must really be hopping during the summer.
We did go by a RV park that we had considered staying at and decided that at this time of the year,where we are is almost perfect.  No WIFI and no cable.  Guess we will survive.
Almost forgot, we went to dinner at a local establishment, Johnny Harris.  It was recommended by one of the ladies in the office.  Russ had the barbecue plate with Brunswick stew.  I had tilapia, grilled shrimp, Carolina red rice, and fresh asparagus.  We both have doggie bags, which isn't a bad thing.
Having a wonderful time,especially since the weather is so much warmer.  love y'all!!!