Yachts of Land & Sea; and The Power of Pink

 Again, thanks to the Internet, we found this wonderful little campground at a marina. Right off the bat, the owner invited us to a barbecue the next evening!
From here we headed to Lake Okeechobee, because there is a National Scenic Trail around it. Well, it seems they built a levee around the lake, and you can't see it from the road. But it appears that there is a moat around the lake! Had a nice shrimp dinner in town.
At the barbecue, we met a lot of nice folks, mostly from Canada, who dock here for the winter, and boat as far as Cuba. I tried to get a photo of the local armadillo, but he scuttled into the bushes before I could focus.

On Sat morning we saw something about the Breast Cancer Walk on the news, so we drove to West Palm to check it out. Here's where the money is on the Atlantic coast!! Some of the yachts in the harbor were almost as big as cruise ships!
But the City Park on the waterfront was booming with the Pink event! These folks sure know how to do a fund raiser!!

Time for some R&R

Sometimes Mother Nature forces us to slow down, take time to rest and relax. We've been on the road since 1/15, always going here and there, see more, do more. But Bernie picked up a bad tummy bug, so we're staying put to do just that for a couple of days.

Fortunately, thanks to the internet, we found a wonderful County Park with just a few RV spaces, ponds, recreation areas, equestrian and senior center adjacent. While Bernie slept, I took a long, leisurely walk thru the park. It's warm, about 60 degrees, not windy or humid, and a pure joy to be outdoors. Camera in hand, I watched recruits training by running up and down a hill, saw boys playing J'ai A'lai (we call it Lacrosse), observed middle-age men playing competitive frisbee rather like a golf game, with carts and such, spoke with an elderly couple who used to bring their children here to play and swim. No swimming now, even if it was warm enough, though there is a small beach area near the far end of the park.

The ponds are surrounded by tall, scruffy pines with long, thin needles in a fan-like pattern with huge pine cones, as well as the usual palms and some other unusual berry bushes. I saw ducks, an egret and woodpeckers. Blue jays and cardinals are plentiful here also. So I got some great, what I call "calendar" photos. Because some year, I'm really going to find the time to make calendars as holiday gifts!

To the Moon and beyond......

Today we visited the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral. The visitor center has grown over the year's, to include displays on the earliest rockets thru the Space station and shuttle programs. There are just 3 more shuttle flights scheduled, then the program ends and a new one has already begun.

Do you remember where you were when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon and said "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."? Or were you watching when the Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after take off 25 years ago? Well, we remembered and we got to relive those moments today, as well as some others.
And along the way, I stopped to visit an old friend :)

Driving Daytona

Viewing the Start/Finish Line from the "Sprint Tower"

Now you may be wondering, "why is Grandma Su visiting NASCAR race tracks??"

Truth is, I'm a motor-head from way back. Daddy helped build stock cars (he was the "trannie" expert) when I was a girl, but I wasn't allowed or encouraged because he wanted to keep me away from the boys....good luck!!

Got a '57 Chevy, classic turquoise and white, when I graduated from high school in '66. A simple 6 cylinder, 3 on the tree, not a race type car, but it sure looked cool!

Over 30 years, I attended and watched all kinds of drag races, idolized folks like Cha-Cha Shirley Muldowney and John Force, attended Daytona Race Day parties, drove the Camaro on a parade lap at Watkins Glenn, rode the GM test track, and ran the Corvette down the Lewiston escarpment at 100 mph! One of my dreams was to learn to drive and race the track at the Glenn. But, alas, it was not to be. I still admire a fast, sleek, good looking car, but those days are past.

But miss a chance to say I was on the track (if even only n a tour bus) at Daytona? Never!

And to add to the excitement of the day, as we settled into the Walmart lot for the night, we braced ourselves for a thunderstorm/possible tornado! Relieved to report, lots of wind and rain, but we're still here!

Romantic St Augustine

The Spanish flair of St Augustine captured our hearts! This is the oldest city in the USA, founded by Spaniards in 1565. The city cherishes it heritage and uses it to it's best advantage. Like turning the Ponce de Leon Hotel into a college,

 the other old hotel into city hall and a museum.

 The historical, narrowly-streeted portion of the city has been made into a lovely downtown "village" of shops & restaurants void of traffic, train-like trolleys provide tours, preserved castle/fort, and charming waterfront. Across the intercoastal are sandy beaches you can drive on (by permit only), a pier beside a "water-pad park" and a working lighthouse.

What could be more romantic than a carriage ride at dusk? At night, the city dazzles with millions of lights, even after the holiday displays were over.

 All in all, very charming!

So Much for Savannah

We left our Campground on Edisto Island a day early to travel to Savannah. I got my first chance to drive the rig, and it went well....meaning I didn't drift off the road or scrape anything! It's exhausting though....physically and mentally...not natural like driving the car.
But it was so damn cold this AM! Once again our toes were frozen an hour down the road, and as we pulled into our camp for the night...Walmart/Sam's Club...I even saw a few tiny white flakes!!! So we had a nice bowl of soup and took a nap.
Two hours later we drove into Savannah to get our first look. We started at the waterfront, known as Factor's Row. Here they converted old dockside storage areas into bi-level shops, hotels and condos, along River Rd and Bay St, connected by wrought iron stairwells and bridges, and surrounded by cobblestone road, with a trolley running through. Nice concept, but since we're not shoppers....well, it seemed a bit "tourist-y" to us. So we drove through the city, laid out around small square parks, lovely row houses, nice downtown shopping district. And best of all...Leopold's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor. Yummy!!
But since we weren't even inspired to take photos, nor to take another trip in tomorrow morning, tell us we didn't love Savannah as we expected to. So tonight a movie from the Red Box at Walmart, and tomorrow on southward.

Beautiful Beaufort

The sun came out after we did some chores, and we just couldn't resist checking out Beaufort, about an hour down the road. And so glad we did!

This is a beautiful, charming, and laid back Southern hospitality kind of place we could easily settle in. Just miles down the road from the USMC Air Base (yes, we did see some jets fly about), across the intercoastal from Paris Island USMC training base,  the gracious homes, charming "downtown" shopping district and the positively lovely Waterfront Park all made us delighted to linger and stroll.

Along the waterfront on Bay St, we noted a lovely home for sale. An app on B's iPhone allowed us to check it out. Four bedrooms, each with a bath, 4000 square feet, beautifully landscaped by some famous horticulturist, and previously the home of a Confederate General. Sales price............2.5 MILLION!!!

Well, seems we won't be retiring there!

Medals and Memorials

Ravenall Bridge & USS Yorktown

Yesterday we drove to Patriot's Point in East Charleston to visit the Naval Museum, set up on and around the WWII Aircraft carrier. Nicknamed "the Fighting Lady" it served in the Pacific and later retrieved an Apollo Shuttle.

On board is a wonderful exhibit about the Congressional Medal of Honor, including interactive stories of men and women who have been honored.

There was also a good outdoor exhibit simulating a Viet Nam army camp. Guys our age were there as volunteers, working as though they were reliving that event in their lives.

And then to an earlier war, as we boarded the boat to visit Fort Sumter. Here the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and our NPS guide, Brent, was an excellent source of information about this historical treasure. We also met and chatted with a couple who, in retirement, are NPS Volunteers, serving at parks and historical sites all over the country. A consideration  for us, perhaps?

Today we'll concentrate on chores around the motorhome (yes, it must be cleaned up just like the house), and if the sun comes out later, maybe a ride to the beach.

Charming Charleston

After listening to rain on the roof all night long, we wondered how the day would be, but we got up and headed for Charleston in the foggy morning. After all, the Weatherman had promised sunshine and warm temps, right?

Well, he was correct! By the time we got into town, sun was out and temperature rising, as high as 59 degrees by afternoon. Perfect for touring historic Charleston.

Our tour bus driver was smiley and knowledgeable. Since we were the only ones on the bus, he had time to chat with us beyond the "script" of information he'd normally share.

 He recommended a fine place for lunch and his favorite local special dishes. And I shall forever identify Charleston by the most delicious She-Crab Soup and Shrimp on Grits!

I'd been looking forward to the Market and buying Sweetgrass baskets, but was disappointed not only in the selection of wares but in the extraordinary prices! One small basket I thought was lovely, until I turned it over to check out the price....$449!!!!

But we loved the rest of it, the walking, the parks, the fountains, the carriages, the friendly folks and the warm sunshine!

Are we camping now?

After a morning Mall walk, exploring Magnolia Plantation Gardens, seeing peacocks and white heron, a brief visit to the American LaFrance Fire Engine Museum and Visitor's Center, we hooked up TOAD again and headed to Edisto Beach State Park, where we'll be "camping" for 5 nights.

This will be our "headquarters", a place to hook into water and electric, leave the coach safe, while we continue to explore the area between Charleston and Savannah. The Ranger is a nice fellow who recommended seafood restaurants and the local Piggly-Wiggly food store.

No mall for our morning walk so we'll have to find another place to walk. Where's the beach??

"NASCAR, everything else is just a game"

After a morning Mall Walk, we decided to tour around the Speedway. This place is Immense! Just ONE of the fan seating banks is the size of all of the Bills stadium! There are 30 gates into the place,and I'd guess it seats 3-4 times as many as the Ralph!

We did try to go see a special exhibit downtown, but because it was "free" on MLK Day, the line waiting to get in was around the block, so we moved on.

Settled in at a Lowe's parking lot, waiting out the rain  in hopes of better skies for morning sight seeing in Charleston.

9% grade to NASCAR

What a day! Starting out before dawn (not unusual for us) in freezing drizzle, ending up with jackets off in sunshine and 50 degrees! And just in the span of about 250 miles.

We left the ridges of WV to travel thru steep mountains, with road grades of up to 9%....pretty steep! But the RV climbed like a champ.While we didn't actually see a sunrise over the mountains, we could watch the sky lighten and clear. In Virginia we skirted the Appalachians looking down on Shenandoah Valley. By this time the weather was clearing nicely, giving us grand views.

And here we are camping where the NASCAR fans settle in for big race weekends, right next to Charlotte, NC Lowe's Speedway.Glad to have (hot) water and electricity tonight. Met a couple here who just came down from Cortland, NY. Sunny and warm, and we're renergized after lunch and a short nap.

After a desperately needed car wash (TOAD gets mighty dirty back there behind the RV) we took a drive thru the local area and downtown Charlotte. Nice! Obviously an active and prosperous city.

There's a large RV dealership/service center next door and B will seek advice on the cold feet issue. I may take in the big Mall while he gets the big rig serviced.

Next, Charleston, SC.

Welcome to the Ice Box Journey

Day one, and we begin by starting the rig and furnace, then driving off to Denny's for breakfast while it warms up after being out int the cold, wind and snow all night!

After hooking up our TOAD (RV lingo for towed behind vehicle, in this case my Saturn VUE) and topping of the gas tank, at Irving, NY, odometer reading 16,666. Are those ominous numbers, I wonder?

Despite the mechanic's best efforts, there is still cold air blowing in through the dash and defroster. So we've bundled up with double socks, double slacks, and wrap in our Indian Snuggie blankets.  At the early end of the road, Bernie exclaimed "we'll follow the dark lines on the white road!" Meaning we'll stay in the tracks though the snow covered highway!

 All in all, as the weather cleared, we managed nicely, with a couple of briefs stops, and one short nap, arriving in Beckly, WV, our first goal met! A brief shopping spree at Walmart for groceries, and we're hunkering down for the night.

Tomorrow's goal, Charlotte, NC.

"I can get that for you wholesale"

B, the great bargain hunter, missed this one! He searched online for the best value on new air shocks for the RV. Unfortunately, after the mechanic removed the old, non-functional one, it was discovered we had the wrong replacement parts. Oh well, we'll just manage a bit bumpier ride till we get somewhere that can  take care of that.

Meanwhile, the RV is now in another shop having it's heater/defroster attended to. Seems cold will be more abundant as we travel south than we hoped, and being comfy warm while being able to see out of the windshield is important!

So, the plan is still to leave in the AM, but if we have to wait till Sunday to leave, so be it. What's one more day, just 24 hours, or 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds? But......who's counting??

What to PacK?

We've been watching the Weather Channel and listening to friends tell us how warm it Isn't in FL in  winter! So, how to chose the clothes to pack? B suggests we pack light and buy appropriate clothes as we go. Are you kidding? Aside from the unecessary expense, we have too many articles of clothing already! I can actually hear the sigh of relief from the drawers, racks and shelves as I remove items to be packed.
So, I lay out all the stuff, sort and down size the piles a couple of times, then finally shove it all into duffle bags. (Empty suitcases take up too much space in the RV after stowing clothes in closets.)
Will I be ready in time? Of course. Will I have packed too much? Undoubtedly. But oh how I love to sort through my clothes and finds things I'd forgotten I owned!
Only 3 more dyas!

Blast off in 6 days!

My thanks to my dear friend M for starting me on this Adventure Journal! And for sharing the love and nurturing of her little one, whom B and I have gladly adopted as one of our Grandchildren. We adore the little one!

We may take a ride down to Colden today to take a few things to the RV and be sure all is well. Saturday AM is our schedule start day. First day's goal is to get to Beckley, WV....or at least, south of Philly, to be more realistic.

Some of the places we intend to visit include Charleston, Savannah, St. Augustine and Disneyworld. With 6 weeks to use, I'm sure will find many other interesting places to visit as well.