I just could not pass by Moab, UT with not one but two national parks nearby and not stop. That would definitely have been an RVer sin. Sooo I found a campground just south of downtown Moab for a week. I stayed at Moab Rim Campark. Nothing fancy. No extras. Just a site with full utilities and that is all. Great view though and decent location. Passport America discount was nice.

Moab is another active spot for river rafting and ATVing. Don’t expect a lot of trees. It’s red rocks for as far as you can see and beautiful. I took a drive over to Arches National Park first. The first thing you learn there is to bring a bottle or two of water as there is none in the park except at the Visitor’s Center. You have no business being in the park without your own water on board. The other thing is to use the bathroom before you go because again bathrooms are in short supply. I suggest wearing hiking boots too if you have them as well as a hat and a walking stick or cane is nice to have. Don’t forget to bring your camera and extra batteries too because photo opportunities abound there. Since the park is huge and you can drive through quite a bit of it, be sure to fill up on gas before going in. There is a campground or two  in the park with no utilities which were pretty full.

Most of the arches are not visible from the road. You are going to have to get out and walk if you want to see them. However, there are plenty of other great natural formations to view along the road through the park.  Once upon a time, people did try ranching there and mining.  That’s all gone now. I did get out and walk a bit. They have some great trails and there were plenty of others on the trail at the same time even though it was very hot out. At one point I had walked too far for me and dearly wished there was a tank of oxygen at the lookout point. I was not alone in that thought. It is easy to get lost in the beauty and push your limits.

Another day, I went to Canyonlands National Park. The formations are a bit different than the Arches so don’t skip either. Both drives are fairly easy with lots of turnouts and picnic spots. Again, take plenty of water. One thing I noticed about both parks was the accents of the visitors. There was a little French, a little Japanese, and a whole lot of German.

For more pics click here.

On to Kentucky to claim it on my state map. I drove through Nashville and on up to Cave City which is only 5 miles from Mammoth Cave National Park. I waited too long to book into the C2C rv park but happily found Singing Hills RV Park in the midst of bunches of tourist attractions. It is a Passport America park thus very inexpensive and the owners are wonderful and helpful. They understand that some of their sites are too short and happily let me park my large SUV in the small site next to mine. It is a very basic park with no pool or anything but none of that matters considering everything surrounding it. The wifi worked great. I would definitely stay here again when in the area.

I first drove back south to Bowling Green to see Lost River Cave by boat tour. I very much enjoyed the boat and ducking to slide the boat under the entrance. It was sooooo cool in the cave on a very hot day. Morgan’s Raiders used the cave to hide out during the Civil War and Jesse James may have also used it to hide out after a bank robbery. Locals have always used it to stay cool and party in it’s ballroom at the entrance. A walk along the paths outside past the blue holes and butterfly house is interesting. They even have some geocaches there and are kind enough to provide both information on geocaching and a Magellan Explorist 200 handheld gps device already programmed for the caches.  It was my first chance at using  a handheld since I use my car gps device for hunting normally. Maybe it’s a matter of familiarity but I still prefer my Garmin C330 car gps. I found 3 including a travel ingot/bug, a change purse, and a winner’s medal.

I ate at White Castle before heading back just to see what the big deal is with their hamburgers. The look of the bun and the small size did not appeal to me (Size matters, at least when it comes to hamburgers!) but the burger did taste very good. I still would not spend a whole night going through everything Harold and Kumar did to get one. Get a life!

Later in the week I went to Mammoth Cave National Park. Naturally, I got my park passport stamped. Good thing I am leaving this region since my passport is full for it. The park is so busy that I highly recommend getting tickets for cave tours over the internet in advance so you can get on a tour when you want. There are many tours to choose from for all different levels. I chose the shorter tours. I would love to have done the lantern and historic tours but 2 miles and more each was just too much for me. I did the Self-Discovery tour first which was very easy due to the wide paved paths. For the New Entrance tour, I had to hop their bus to the entrance. We descended down a series of scaffolds 260 feet. It was awesome! There were fewer stairs going up and not that bad since they were not all at once. We had 3 stops along the way through the cave for rest and ranger questions. We only saw a small amount of the cave when you consider it is over 367 miles long (explored that is, possibly 600 miles long), the longest cave in the world. On one of the tours you can see the remains of huts built for tuberculosis patients for a health experiment a doctor tried a long time ago and you can see candle writing on the ceiling where people including civil war soldiers signed their names and date. It was definitely worth the visit. Be advised they want to know exactly what is going in the cave to protect it so you may not bring in bags of any kind including backpacks, purses, or even camera bags.

I also geocached in the area. I found a virtual cache in the park which was the grave of Floyd Collins, famous cave explorer who died nearby in Sand Cave. I also found a nice fat ammo can along the road with great stuff. I traded out a shark’s tooth, a geocaching postcard from Wisconsin, dropped my travel ingot in, and took a new travel bug out to take back west for fun.

On the way home, I stopped at the Alpine Slide for a nice ski lift ride up the mountain and a slide down as I had done in South Dakota. It’s fast and fun. You control the speed.

Other things to do here are Dinosaur World, horseback riding, GunMountain theme park with can-can dancers and gunfights, other caves, Kentucky Down Under australian theme park, Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace, Beech Bend amusement park, and more. Fort Knox is north about 50-60 miles. Kentucky Downs is around 50 miles down by the Kentucky-Tennessse border at exit 2 off the I65.

For more pics click here.

On up the 59 through Alabama lies the next destination, Pigeon Forge, TN. One thing I can tell you, I have not been on such a lousy main road since I was on the I90 through Minnesota. Ick! It shook my nerves and rattled my soul. I couldn’t wait to get to the I75. It was a long hard drive. I should have calculated the time better and broken it up into 2 parts. The closure of I40 through Knoxville TN didn’t help any. We stopped at the rest area/welcome center just across the border for food, restroom visit, and quick snooze. The dang cat was pushing for a stop as much as I was.

Finding the Eagle’s Nest Campground on Wears Valley Rd. sure wasn’t hard. Lots of campgrounds along it. This one is Passport America with no restrictions, good level well-defined sites, great free wifi, and free cable TV. The laundry room is a bit expensive at $1.75 per wash load and taking out the trash requires a car but the rest is good and it has a trolley stop right out front. Definitely a good place to stay again.

Oh my God! I have stumbled into another Myrtle Beach with bunches of dinner shows to decide between, wonderful restaurants, a gazillion fun tourist traps, Dollywood, Smoky Mountains National Park, fascinating stores, and on and on. Oh my God! Way too many decisions to make while I’m here. I will definitely have to come back when I have more time.

I had planned to hit Dollywood first thing on my day off but of course they had to be closed that day. Switch to plan B. I took a drive through the town to get acquainted, located the trolley station at Patriot Park since I will likely go to Dollywood by trolley, then got sucked in by Lid’l Dollys gigantic quilt and little girl’s dress store. I had to get beautiful and ridiculously frilly southern belle dresses for my granddaughters, a quilt for the daughter-in-law,  and my youngest son will be glad to know I now have another blanket/quilt on board for the times he joins me for some fun.

Off for more exploring, I headed out through Gatlinburg to see what the big deal was. It rather reminded me of Lake Placid with cute little shops everywhere, some more tourist traps, narrow busy main street. With my wallet firmly tucked in my purse, I just drove through to the Smoky Mountains National Park. Stop at the Welcome Center before going in too far to check out all the choices you have. Again, too many. I opted for a short interesting hike to a waterfall close to the welcome center. If you can hike a mile or more, they have numerous other waterfalls in the park to hike to.

I decided on the Cades Cove motor route instead to see the remaining homes of the mountain folk that were built in the 1800s. It’s on an 11 mile single lane loop. The drive through the park was stunning as I followed the river most of the way through lush vegetation. I came across another waterfall and watched canoeists navigating the fast river waters. They were definitely not beginners. Eventually, the narrow walls spread and a gorgeous valley with deep meadows appeared. It was so lovely and suitable for sustaining life that I could see why people would come there to such a remote place. Many came after the Civil War, I suppose to get as far away from it as possible. This would be a good place to find one’s soul again.

They didn’t need much money since most were very self-sufficient and one could always sell excess chicken eggs, etc. This was a community of the old times with 3 churches that everyone attended and neighbor helping neighbor. I’m told the highest population was around 658 at one time. A walk through the cemeteries shows some tombstones with recent 199x to 200x dates on them which I assume are descendants who choose to be buried there with their kin. I saw members of the Sparks family buried in both the Baptist and Methodist cemeteries. I guess with so few mates to choose from, some things can be overlooked and lived with. The Baptist church closed without a word during the Civil War. It reopened after and they explained, most of the Baptists were of the northern persuasion and were far outnumbered by those that tended to lean more southern in there beliefs. They thought it best to keep a low profile until the war was over. Smart people. I also saw lots of deer and black bears including a mother and her cubs.

I got to do a major league bucket list thing while here. I went to Wahoo Ziplines here to view the Smoky Mountains while gliding through, under, and over the trees on metal cables in a harness. Wahoo! I was surprised how many older couples were doing it. It isn’t cheap or for the faint of heart or those afraid of heights. They provide the equipment, 2 guides, transportation to and from the start and end, and bottles of ice cold water half way through. They were a little trepidacious and awed about a handicapped person doing this but I assured them I could handle the very short walks up steep hills with my cane, brace,  and a head start. The start was a bit slow with no one readily volunteering to be first, but once we got past the first zip line everyone was fine. They showed us how to brake on the line by pulling our padded glove hand down on the cable. That will also keep you from spinning. I must say I did that very well. However, it is hard on the arms. After the first zip line, most of us threw caution to the wind and just leaped off the platforms and dangled holding on to the strap rather than braking. On one of the lines, the guide threw in some added fun by bouncing the line on us as we slid down it. Not a good idea to do with anyone with back problems. It hurt but I was laughing anyway. He also decided to widen my horizons by getting me to let go and lay back to fly like an angel.

For Dollywood, the best way to get there is to park in the trolley lot in Pigeon Forge by the old mill and take the trolley to it. The trolley is only 50 cents each way compared to $8 to park at Dollywood. Dollywood has lockers for $1 if you want to take extra jackets, towels, etc. I highly recommend taking the bare minimum which should include plastic baggies for your wallet, cell phone, keys, etc.  The best way to dress is in a Tshirt, shorts, and sandals. You will get wet there or should I say soaked.

I bought a one day ticket then later upped it to a season pass for only $34 more when I saw how much there is to do there and how much fun the place is. I did manage to get there twice in my time there and hope to go back again.

I found a couple buffets reasonably priced and many other food vendors with great food. There are a lot of stores and artisans there with lots of variety in their wares. Half the fun is just browsing. There are many truly excellent shows there. I loved Sha-Kon-O-Hey and would have paid the park admission price for that show alone. The music, cast, and special effects are wonderful. It’s a must see. I also enjoyed the Crossroads and Dreamland Drive-In shows as well as the street singers. The magician was very funny and it was amazing seeing his head shrink like a balloon. I got to see Dolly’s cousins and uncles Bill and Louis perform as well.

All the roller coasters there of, which there are many, go upside down at some point and are pretty fast. If that is your thing, you will love it. Everything else involves water, lots of it. I hit all of those from the flume ride, to the whitewater rafting, to the Slidewinder which is like a bobsled but on water instead of ice. The River Battle was a blast! It consists of boats with 4 positions on each side, all armed with water canons. Along the river are additional water cannons for spectators to join in. You float though the river on a track and attack adjacent boats as well as spectators who tend to attack right back. It is rip roaring family fun soaking complete strangers and loved ones. Just next to it but out of order that day is a large booth you squeeze the whole family into and for $3 it blow dries you all.

Another good ride seats everyone in a circle around a giant log. The circle spins up high on the log then the log tilts in various directions. What makes it fun is that sometimes it tilts some of the poor suckers into the fountain below it getting them very wet. LOL Don’t miss the ride where again you sit on a circle around a static log and have to pull yourselves up the log with a rope. Let go of the rope and you gently glide back to the bottom to start again.

Tour Dolly’s tour bus that she just replaced and her museum at Dollywood. They also have a replica of her childhood home/cabin which still stands today.

Dolly Parton was actually in Pigeon Forge while I was there. She appeared in the parade and at a concert. The parade was very good and long. Folks setup their chairs in good spots along the route early then went off for food or shopping until it was time. The hotel balconies were full. I took my duck bill and quacked everyone in the parade again including Dolly. They got a kick out of it and some of the folks around me started calling me AFLAC and yelling “get ‘em AFLAC, get ‘em!”. He he you just can’t take me anywhere.

Since I had 2 weeks there, I managed to get in some geocaching. I didn’t do the shows this time since I was seeing shows at Dollywood and plan to come back. I hear the Smith Family show is the best. I did hit up TGI Fridays and the Wood Grill buffet. I can highly recommend both of them.

For lots more pics click here.

The idea of camping in a theme park attracted me to Childersburg, AL and Desoto Caverns not to mention it is very close to Talladega International Speedway. I’m not a huge racing fan but do appreciate the sport. I purposely came right after a big race. I’m not inclined to pay $70 to sit in the hot sun all day watching cars go round and round but I did want to see what the track is like up close and the International Motor Sports Museum.

The RV park at Desoto Caverns is right up against the theme park. They had assigned me a spot against the fence of one of the attractions but I quickly told them that would not do as I need to sleep during the day which would be impossible with all the noise of the kids. I had already driven through the park and knew where the open spaces were. Luckily, one farthest away and in a location with access to the southern sky for my satellite dish was available. It was level, angled, and easy to slip into by myself. They do have some nice pull thrus as well. They provide full utilities and most spots are level. Being Passport America, the price was right. I enjoyed staying there and the location is excellent.

The theme park was interesting though expensive for what it is. During the week many schools go there. Weekends is for families. It is fun watching the people mice running through the maze from the tower. Walking the wall, the maze, water balloon battle, archery, and the ship to ship nerf ball cannons were popular. The cave crawl looked interesting though I would not want to be trapped in the box with others as some did. My favorite was racing potties and bathtubs. I kid you not. They have motorized battery driven toilets and bathtubs with a whole lot of pep to race around a track.

The cavern tour was pretty good and informative. Indians used to live in the caverns and buried their dead in them. When they found a passing peddler had been staying overnight in their cave and had carved his name on a sacred rock, they waited for him to return that evening, killed him, and left his body in front of the rock as a warning to others. At one time the cave was used by confederate soldiers to mine gunpowder. Of course they had to test the powder so they shot up the cavern and killed many stalagtites and stalagmites. Men! Later the cave was used for  a speak easy and still during prohibition. It only lasted about 6-8 weeks due to the fact so many drunken fights broke out and shots fired that it attracted the attention of law enforcement and was shut down. It was known as the Bloody Bucket. Today it is used for tours with a laser light show. It has a beautiful main room and a waterfall. What is really cool is groups can stay overnight in the caverns. They provide a dvd player and screen for entertainment. They provide hotdogs cooked over a campfire at the pavilion outside for them. Guests must supply the pillows and sleeping bags. It seems to be a popular activity.

I went over to Talladega Speedway to tour the Motorsports Museum and track. It was right after a big weekend race so I got to see all the makeshift campgrounds around it and more portable potties than I have ever seen in my life. A few campers were still there and one Tshirt vendor.

The museum was fascinating. I got to see lots of great winning cars and a few that hit the wall instead. I saw Shirley Muldowney’s jacket and the record setting rocket car. They have a tribute to Dale Earnhart in his own section. I learned all about early racing when they raced on beaches, the legends like Barney Oldfield, women in racing like the queen herself Louise Smith who got started out running the local cops. Snicker. They threw in some soap box derby racers where many started out. There was a salute to the wives of racing who were together so much at races that they formed an official group and raised money for charities. The world’s fastest racing boat was there.

I got to sit in a race car. They are rather barren inside since only one person needs to sit in them, well reinforced with roll bars, have switches like you might see in a jet, some have fire extinguishers by the driver’s seat, and the seat is a deep bucket on the floor with wings to hold them in and protect them. The cars come in all different shapes depending on the type of racing they are used for.

Later, I took a tour of the speedway by bus. We saw the infield where you can boondock during the race for $150 per night minimum. The drivers have their own camping section with utilities and a playground for their kids. There are numerous snack bars, bathrooms, a clubhouse, and a medical facility there. During the race, anyone can get free minor medical care there and they have a helicopter standing by as needed for emergencies. They have regular garages for each team. We got to see the finish line and stand in Victory Lane. Very cool stuff. The track turns are scary because they are sooooo steep. You need some speed there or you will slide down to the bottom.

I got in a little geocaching while there. One was planted at a Methodist church that was the beginning of two local well known colleges. Another was at a local emergency service building and was hidden under a piece of the sort of cloth rangers use to camoflauge themselves in the jungle.

Desoto Caverns pics.
Talladega pics.

With a 6 hour or more drive to my next stop, I needed to stay somewhere for one night to break the drive up. 6 hours is just too long when towing a trailer. I was planning on staying way down upon the Suwanee River but checked on it the night before and found both state parks were flooded and closed. After a little scrambling, I found a cheap Passport America park in White Springs, FL just off the I75 and I10 interchange. Lee’s Country Campground is a great place to layover. It’s quiet and peaceful with grassy open pull thru sites, a big screen TV available in the office area 24 hours, decent showers, and rocking chairs to enjoy the evening air. The sites are not level so be prepared for that.

We had a thunder and lightening storm that night with tornado warnings in other nearby counties so I was very glad to be off the road.

The weather, as predicted, got pretty bad on departure day and was even worse where I was heading so I decided to take a week out nearby to go say hey to my friends in Bushnell again and also check out Breezy Oaks which is next door to the Escapees park I usually stay at. I found it odd that it is so popular that it is always full every winter since it is right next to I75 which means lots of noise and there is more to do in the Escapees park. However, the monthly rate and daily Passport America rate do make it much cheaper to stay at. It also has pretty good Verizon aircard signal and wifi is available. The pool is heated, large and very very nice. Every night someone is playing cards in the clubhouse. I hear they have lots going on during the season which seemed to end around April 1st when all the snowbirds started winging their way home again. The great migration back north actually seems to start the last week of March but the biggest group leaves the next week and the parks suddenly become empty.

I stopped in next door at my favorite Escapees park a couple nights. I put most of a puzzle together one night. They invited me over for Easter dinner. I also got an invite from the folks at Breezy Oaks. It’s nice to be wanted.   I was tempted to go for the Breezy Oaks dinner where I knew someone was bringing KFC cole slaw but in the end chose the Escapees at Sumter Oaks and was not disappointed. They had shrimp platter and deviled egg appetizers, ham, chicken, my baked beans, green bean casserole, salads, potatoes, and lots of cheese cake. Woohoo!

I got some great tips from fellow RVers there. One in particular to pass on is http://rvdirections.com which has tons of GPS waypoints and info for RVers that can be loaded into both a Garmin GPS device and computer programs “Streets and Trips” and “Street Atlas”. It is a wonderful source of waypoints for the discount camping club parks like Passport America, Coast to Coast, Good Sam, Escapees, etc. It also has rest areas, dumps, walmarts, super walmarts, etc. The info that comes with each waypoint can be invaluable with prices, descriptions, ratings, etc.

Another good tip if you are in the area is you can fill your propane tank for $15 flat fee at a propane place just up the road from Walmart on the left side. Much cheaper than at the RV parks. They are open M-F.

Silver Springs, next to the Ocala National Forest, is the home of Silver Springs Theme Park where numerous commercials and movies have been shot due to its crystal clear 99% pure spring water. The Tarzan series of movies with Johnny Weismuller, Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges, Legend with Tom Cruise, one of the 007 James Bond movies, the commercial of a family living and eating underwater, etc. were filmed there. It is also an animal rehab and sanctuary as well as an excellent concert venue. The glass bottom boats and concerts are what  brought me to stay for 5 weeks at Wilderness RV Park nearby.

Wilderness RV Park has been very nice with all the amenities including a pool, hot tub, exercise room, laundry, propane, a lodge and meeting hall for nightly activities, lots of planned activities, river access with kayak and canoe rentals, etc. The sites are wide open so no issue with my satellite TV though they do also provide cable TV free. My site was level on grass while some sites have a concrete pad. I highly recommend using a water filter on the incoming line. The water is loaded with both sulfur and chlorine so it smells pretty bad.

I had no problem finding things to do and entertainment in camp. I got on a treadmill for the first time and found I can actually do it despite my health issues and with no pain whatsoever. It is wonderful to do at night wih a TV available to watch while working out and a chair to sit in afterward to cool down and get over the dizziness it causes. There is also a sauna and shower provided while the bathhouse is right next door. The pool is unheated at this time but some folks still refresh in it on hot days. I gave the hot tub a whirl. I managed get in on a group campfire, a spaghetti dinner, Mardi Gras parade, a Space Shuttle launch, a corned beef and cabbage dinner for St. Patrick’s Day,  several games of cards with very nice folks, wii bowling, and gator races (no kidding!). I loved game night with the bowling and races. I lost 75 cents betting  on the gators but I also won twice and I ate at least that much in free nachos with tons of cheese and piquante sauce along with lime punch.

Silver Springs Theme Park has 3 different boat rides and I just had to ride the glass bottom boats . The fishes and turtles nature danced underneath them for us and the guides were fun folks who gave us the history of the area and made a point of spotting animals for us. I enjoyed seeing the 3 greek statues left behind under the water from a movie shoot. The wild monkeys on the shore were great. We even got to see an alligator working on downing a lunch of a huge black fish.

I checked out the animal shows and displays afterward. At the small zoo, I got a huge surprise seeing a male llama working very hard on top of a female who seemed rather apathetic about his attentions. The most fun was watching the embarrased parents trying not to explain what was going on as children asked what they were doing and if the male was sick. LOL! Ah nature. I can also report that giraffes stink… bad. The jeep ride was pretty good and the bears were fascinating. One bear was playing in the pool with a plastic can. I also saw some otters playing, a white alligator, flamingos and lots of other birds, ponies, a donkey, and more.

The concerts were excellent and well worth going there. I had purchased a season pass for only $50 which included free parking, all the concerts, and admission to both the theme park and WildWaters water park there which unfortunately does not open until April darn it. The concerts are loads of fun on Saturdays. While they don’t start until 3pm, folks show up early in the day, stake out a spot on the lawn in front of the southern mansion themed pavilion with their chairs, then wander off to enjoy the rest of the park, get some food which is decent, or even play cards together. There is a pre-show band that plays around noon and draws part of the crowd back to the pavilion for a bit. The band is usually one of the locals. It’s a great day in the sunshine with plenty of shade provided by oak trees dangling spanish moss. There are no bad seats though having setup my chair in the direct sun one time, I will never do that again. It got way too hot and I only survived it by grabbing the kerchief I carry, dousing it in the water provided outside the petting zoo, then hanging out under the arbor as long as possible before showtime. I saw 4 concerts while there with Mark Chestnutt, George Jones, Kansas, and John Michael Montgomery. Every one was wonderful! Kansas was particularly exceptional with their highly complicated music that sounds like a full orchestra, the extra set they came back on stage to throw in at the end when we couldn’t stop applauding, and of course they played their signature song “Dust in the Wind”.

My only gripe was with the audience. Frisbees, beach balls, tshirts, hats, etc were thrown out into the audience at the beginning of the show. The balls were meant to be batted around over our heads for fun all during the concert but instead, people just kept them at every concert. What a waste of some real fun.

TIP1: Not only is there parking up front, there is also parking to the left front of the main lot with a separate entrance that is closer than the front entrance to the stage.

TIP2: An absolute must if you plan on going more than one day is to purchase their large $6 souvenir drink container. Refills are only $1 and you can keep bringing it back all season.

More fun to be had in the area, particularly on a hot day, is to visit one of the many parks with springs for swimming. I would like to have gone to Juniper Springs but it is currently closed for renovation. I did stop by to take a look. I went on to Silver Springs Glen. It cost a $1 to get in and I was certainly not alone. It was quite popular that day. The water was 70-72 degrees which feels cold but gets better after you are in for a minute or two. With picnics, sun bathing, and swimming with the fishes, a good time was had by all.

Another day I went to Rainbow Springs, another popular swimming hole. I just went to look at the waterfalls and gardens. The azaleas were in full bloom and beautiful. It used to be a theme park similar to Silver Springs with glass bottom boats also but closed when attendance fell until the state took it over as a state park. It looks like a great place for kayaking or canoeing with rentals available. Be sure to bring water in a thermos or canteen rather than a plastic bottle if going out on the river. As with all the local rivers and springs, no disposable packaging of any kind is allowed out on the water.

Another day I got in some geocaching. There are 2 caches on the nature trail next to the Visitor’s Center in Silver Springs and another behind a barbecue place near the campground. All nice big fat containers! My favorite was Elvenwood near the trail. You have to leave the trail and look for an opening in the woods. There you will find a little elf village. To claim the find, you have to find the log book in one of the tiny buildings and you have to add to the village. I created a runway with a control tower and added a frog to the campsite scene. What’s camping without some wild life?

On the last Saturday night before leaving, I discovered a couple I had met at the KOA in Herkimer, NY were campground hosts at a park nearby. I gave them a call and we got together for hamburgers and a campfire. We got some catching up done. Very nice couple and happy kayakers.

Now I know you are all thinking that I had way too much fun while in the area. I did take a day to clean out the rain gutters on my trailer. Surprise! Trailers have gutters too. I replaced 4 of the gutter spouts at the top of the trailer. I did a bunch of other maintenance too that day. I took my previously shredded tire to a dealer and got it replaced. After one of the concerts, I had also found another tire flat. Thank goodness I carry tire goop with me, just in case. Without a spare tire yet, I had no choice but to use it and my air compressor I also carry. I had a faulty valve stem replaced on it and the last old tire on the car while at the tire dealer. At the same time, the car had started to get noisy up front so I had them check that out and they found a bad front bearing wobbling like crazy. It was a very expensive and stressful time.

For lots more pics click here.

A little checking around quickly told me that I was about to miss a window of opportunity if I didn’t move fast. Florida is a major haven for snowbirds (people running away from Northern winters) from December through April. They know it and cater to snowbirds while also adjusting prices for RV parks according to the season. My best chance to see the Keys was now before December 1st when prices double. EEK! No way am I going to pay $60-80 a night for a piece of ground to park my trailer on. The state parks don’t change their prices but that is why they are usually booked up a year in advance for the season. I did check them and found 1-3 days available here and there in them but since the Keys are so long and have so much to do, that is not nearly enough time for a visit.

The drive out through the Keys on the Overland Parkway is lots of fun. The speed limits are low but the water and scenery are so beautiful who cares. It is very surprising to see so many well known stores, restaurants, and even schools out there in an area so well known to be hit by hurricanes and only 3 feet above sea level. All the fast food joints are there as well as the usual grocery stores and pharmacies. Even the fancier restaurants are there. Be careful of your speed. It is strictly enforced there, particularly near the deer preserve.

I got lucky once again and found a Passport America park in Marathon, FL on Grassy Key, Jolly Roger Travel Park. I got 5 days at the discount rate and paid for 2 more at the off-season rate to get a whole week to explore. The PA section is close to the road with lots of noise of course but I didn’t mind. I had no problem sleeping there despite the noise. No pool or clubhouse but it is very nice looking and has a great view. If you want to swim with dolphins, the Dolphin Research Center is very close (very expensive too).

The Florida Keys have something for everyone and so many activities that you would have to go there several times to get it all in. Everybody of all ages goes snorkeling there. There’s parasailing, windsurfing, waverunners, boating, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, shopping, tourist tours among the numerous museums and Fort Taylor, a glass bottom boat out to the reef, riding scooters, geocaching, the Key West night life, great food at local restaurants, lounging on the beach, and much more. Everyone’s favorite seems to be gathering at the local docks and seawalls at sunset to watch the sun sink into the water. It is a spectacular sight. The gathering reminds me of the angels gathering to watch in the movie, “The City of Angels”. If you get lucky, you might catch a local festival as well.

Many famous people have made Key West their home such as Jimmy Buffet, Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, President Harry S. Truman, and Oprah Winfrey.

I spent 2 days in Key West. The traffic and parking are pretty bad so many people rent scooters or electric cars to get around. There is very little handicapped parking but you can park with your handicapped tag displayed at any parking meter for free. I went to the southernmost point in the US which is actually closer to Cuba than the US mainland. I had to get my tourist photo like everyone else. LOL I also saw the southernmost beach, President Truman’s Little Whitehouse, Ernest Hemingway’s home, Fort Taylor, Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum where the gold and artifacts found in the wreck of the Atocha are on display, the Shipwreck Museum to learn about wreckers and how shipwrecks shaped life in the Keys, the Pirate Museum with a real pirate treasure chest, pirate flag, Blackbeard’s bowl and more, the World Famous Conch Train Tour, Elvis, sea sponges, and I shopped till I dropped. In other words, I had fun! I topped it off with a stumble into the Sunset Festival by accident one evening with lots of street performers and a couple of dolphins who decided to show up nearby. I only wish I had more time there so I could have gotten my passport stamped by the Conch Republic. Once upon a time for a minute or two not that long ago, the Florida Keys seceded from the union over a government blockade and became the Conch Republic which is still a valid country and issues its own passports thus gaining citizens dual citizenship.

I only scratched the surface in just one week in the Keys and look forward to getting back there someday. While there I did get a couple of new gadgets for my trailer. I bought a small battery operated tiki fountain with a candle in the top of the tiki and water flowing out of its mouth. The sound of the water is soothing. Far more practical, I found a solar powered string of LED lights which now line the patio or my trailer at campgrounds. It turns on automatically at dusk, and lasts most of the night. The next day it recharges in the sun. No electricity hookup needed which makes many parks very happy. I also bought my first fleece sweatshirt since I found myself far from my car with the temperature dropping one night in Key West. It isn’t too hot like I thought it would be and hey it only cost $5 like many of the tshirts and other clothes there.

For more pics click here.

King George RV Resort is a park that serves a particular need and should be taken that way. It is hardly a resort. The spaces are very close together, the pool is small, the “clubhouse” is closed during the evening, no campfires are allowed, and it is not the sort of place that engenders the usual RVer walk, stop, and chat. They lock the gates at 6pm so be sure you arrive before that. They provide the lock combination during check-in so you can get in and out while staying there.

What the park is, is an extremely convenient place to stop overnight on the way in and out of Florida and a good place to stay to visit both Okefenokee Swamp and Cumberland Island National Seashore. It is very easy to find this park just off the I95, there is a gas station very close, Walmart Supercenter is only about 8 miles away, the seashore is about 12 miles and the swamp about 35 miles. It accepts nearly all discount clubs including RPI, Good Sam,  and Passport America so there is no reason for anyone to pay full price.

The prospect of seeing wild horses led me to St. Marys, Georgia to grab the ferry to Cumberland Island and National Seashore. There are currently no bathroom facilities or food sellers on the island so you should use facilities at St. Marys before leaving, bring water and a sack lunch. An expensive sack lunch and water can be purchased at a store nearby to the ferry dock. Consider also bringing a plastic poncho in case of rain, sun block, a heavy coat, hat and sunglasses. It can get very cold on the ferry and island with lots of wind. To park for this all day excursion, you must park down the street near the beige building rather than in front of the park and ferry dock. They make an exception for those with a handicapped tag displayed. Tickets for the ferry can be purchased in the Cumberland Island National Seashore Visitor’s Center.

On the island, I first visited the old Carnegie ice house. Most of the island was owned by the Thomas Carnegie family (brother of Andrew Carnegie). Before the invention of ice makers, they shipped large blocks of ice in from the north during winter for the summer. I then joined the ranger walk to the ruins of Dungeness, former mansion of the Carnegie family. It was a huge lovely home in its time and idyllic setting for the 9 children to grow up in. Poor Thomas died only a year after its completion leaving his wife Lucy to raise the children alone and run the home and lands. As they married, Lucy gave each money to build their own homes nearby. 2 of the boys never married and kept apartments in the indoor pool house. At one time as many as 300 people worked for the family as servants, grooms, running the livestock operations, etc.

Today the island is a combination of enchanting forest and white sand beaches with wild horses, pigs, turkeys, etc. calling it home. The horses were brought there by Spanish explorers and some are from the Carnegie stock. They are wild and not to be petted no matter how gentle they seem grazing in the fields. Be careful if you hear the thunder of hooves. A horse came bounding past me and whinied while I was there. I also spooked a wild pig while walking through the forest. The flock of turkeys completely ignored me as they chatted. There are numerous snakes there, though I did not see any, so be very careful in the brush or around rock or concrete which they love. On the beach, you will see lots of unusual shells and crabs. I saw my first horseshoe crab. The water is warm and inviting.

The Carnegie family cemetery is on the island and still actively used. However, it is gated and locked off with high brush keeping out all peeking. There is also a small cemetery of cars formerly used by the residents. Though severely rusted away, the luxury cars and roadsters of another era are clearly identifiable.

There is tent camping on the island if you are willing to hike. To have a car on the island requires a special permit and is only for residents and other special use.

Do not miss the last ferry back. They don’t wait or come back for you. I am told the cost to get a local to take you back to the mainland by boat is $200 or more and there are no hotels.

I went back to St. Marys later that week to do some easy geocaching (scored 4), get pictures of the numerous pumpkin scarecrows around town  for the Scarecrow Festival, and to tour a typical southern antebellum home in the Greek style, Orange Hall.

For more pics click here.