St. George and St Joseph State Parks in the Florida Panhandle

       

June 1, 2015

We set out for the panhandle of Florida today.  We have reservations at St. George SP for 3 nights and 3 nights at St Joseph SP.  Both of these parks on located on the beach, St George on an island, St Joseph on a peninsula.  

This will be our longest trip since buying the travel trailer.  Towing is a whole new ballgame from driving and parking a motor home.  It has taken some practice but we are able to hook up quickly now and my backing ability has improved greatly.  Thanks so some YouTube videos, I was able to get some good tips and visual instruction.  YouTube is my first go to with anything RV related.  Many have gone ahead and shared so we can all learn.

Our car and trailer handle beautifully with our new Hensley hitch.  The ride and feel is comparable to a motor home.  Our Reese dual cam anti-sway just didn't do the job for us.  Every vehicle that passed us caused much unnerving motion.  The Hensley is expensive but the price of safety and peace of mind can never be too high.

We got off the interstate at Ocala to gas up.  I chose a gas station I could easily pull in and out of, however I had to make a tight turn to pull away from the pump.  With the Hensley very tight turns are not a problem.

Shortly after leaving the station I approached a red light at the bottom of an incline.  I applied the brakes to stop.  The car suddenly shot to the right.  It was a very scary experience.  Fortunately, I was able to maintain control and got stopped.  

I pulled off the road to check the car.  I thought a brake caliper had frozen up.  I checked all the wheels and they were cool.  I walked back to the hitch area.  All looked well.  I was puzzled.

I checked the wheels on the trailer.  They too were cool with no apparant reason for the violent stop.

When I installed the new hitch I had to add an extension to the trailer plug wire.  Upon examining this cable I discovered the plug was pulled apart just the slightest bit.  It must have pulled loose when I made that tight turn.  I pushed it back and made sure it was locked tightly in place.  Problem solved.

The trailer brakes did not engage when I applied the brakes for the light due to the loose plug.   The weight of the trailer pushed my car to the right.  I tested it a few times at slow speed.  All was well.  Lesson learned though.  I will check those things more closely from now on.

We stopped for the night at Rocky's Campground, just west of Perry, Fl, on Rt 98.

Rocky's is the complete RV stop.  He has easy to access fuel pumps, both gas and diesel, a very well stocked convenience store and a very neat, park like campground.

June 2, 2015

Our ride along Rt. 98 was very relaxing.  Traffic was light and the road is straight for miles.  Most of the trip from Perry to Carabelle was through deep thick forest.  In places it was like driving through a tree canyon with tall trees bordering each side of the highway.

The highway winds its way along the coast from Carabelle west.  This day was overcast and very still.  The Gulf of Mexico was shiney slick and glassy like a farm pond.  Off in the distance dark veils of showers were moving along the coast.  This was not the weather we had been hoping for.

As we approached the causeway and bridge that crosses Apalachacola Bay to St. George Island, the sky brightened though showers were still lingering in the area.  Apalachacola Bay is known for it seafood and oysters.  Apalachacola is one of the few old fishing communities left in Florida.  

St George SP is located at the far eastern end of the island.  It is comprised of 1900 acres of beautiful beaches, sand dunes and pine forest.  The campsites in the campground were set within a heavily wooded area.  Our site was large and private, being bordered by trees and shrubs.  A squirrel and a black bird immediately introduced themselves.  One perched on the picnic table.  The other crept close looking to see what tasty delights we may have.  Clearly, these critters know the routine.

We don't feed the animals at campsites though.  It is tempting but not a good practice.

June 3, 2015
Today we headed into Apalachacola.  We wanted to find the Hole In The Wall, a small restaurant my brother recommended for a great bowl of seafood gumbo.

After asking several locals where the Hole In The Wall was located we finally found it on a side street across from the Post Office.  It is small, so it is easy to miss.  We sat at the bar where a man was shucking oysters.  He popped one open and set it on the bar in front of me and asked, "Eatum raw?"
"Sure do", I answered as I slipped the plump juicy oyster in my mouth.  Delicious.

We each ordered a bowl of gumbo,  a basket of fried oysters and hush puppies.  The man behind the bar shucked our oysters and sent them to the kitchen.  You can't get them fresher than that.

The people here reminded me of Pine Island, Fl. where we raised our kids years ago.  It was a fishing community much like Apalachacola.  My boys and I would go out fishing in Charlotte Harbor.  When we got hungry we would pull up to an oyster bed and gather a few oysters and eat them raw out of the shell.  I wouldn't dare do that today with all the development in that area.  The water quality isn't what it used to be.

Our gumbo was made fresh with a dark roux.  It wasn't as hot as I like it but the flavor was excellent. A few dashes of Slap You Mama hot pepper sauce was all it needed to make me happy.  Darlie liked it just as it came out from the kitchen.  We enjoyed conversation with the people who run the place.  It reminded us of those days long ago chatting with the fishermen.

Apalachacola has preserved many of their historical buildings.  A guide map is available at most businesses for a self guided tour.  Though the oyster beds and oystermen have been in decline, the rich history of Apalachacola's fishing and oyster business is proudly on display.  The small town is worthy of exploration.

Muffie, our traveling companion

Back at the campground we took a nap in the heat of the day.  As the sun got lower in the sky, we went down to the beach to enjoy the sound of the waves and the cool evening breeze.  It doesn't get any better than that.

June 5, 2015
We moved from St. George over to St. Joseph Peninsula SP.  It was a 30 or 40 mile ride.  St. Joseph is more wooded than St. George.  There are deer running all over the place.  There are miles of beach to walk and trails to hike.  The campsites are very small.  I didn't see many large rigs in here.  Most sites are only 15 feet wide.  We were camped in Shady Pines Campground.  The Gulf Breeze campground had several sites that could accomodate a large motor home.  Most were small though and quite crowded.

Our neighbors are from Eufaula, Alabama.  We sat at the picnic table with coffee and great conversation.  They come here often for vacation.  Most in the park are from Alabama, Georgia and Florida.  School is out so it is family time with the kids.  The sounds of kids running and playing gave the place a cheerful happy tone.

It was a short walk from our campsite to the beach.  The sand here is very white and the consistency of talcum powder.  It was voted the best beach in the country several years ago.  Once a beach wins that honor it is taken off the eligibility list.  St. George beaches finished in 3rd place this year.

We spent the late morning on the beach enjoying the sun and all the families who shared the beach with us.  The water is warm and clear.  Many swam.  Others fished.  All were friendly.  What a wonderful place.

What kind of critter lives in here, I wonder?

We discovered that the park provides a free wifi hotspot at the Bayside Picnic Area Pavillion.  It is a Hughsnet system.  It was a bit slow but did the job, especially for the price.

June 7, 2015
Our air conditioner in the car quit.  It is very hot during the day.  Driving home without air will be very uncomfortable unless I can find a repair shop.  I drove into the small village of Port St. Joe.  There was only one repair shop in town.  They would open at 8:00am Monday morning.  We are supposed to check out Monday.

I stopped at the park gate to ask if there were any empty sites we could take for an extra day or two.  I wasn't too hopeful because this place is booked solid all the time.  The attendant said I was in luck.  A site in Gulf Breeze campground was available for 3 nights.  I took it.

We moved over to the new site and got settled.  I was up early in the morning and off to BJ's Auto Repair in Port St. Joe.  BJ's was swamped with business.  But they were very cordial and said they would work me in.  They found the compressor was shot and ordered a new one for me.  I would go back in the morning, Tuesday and have it installed.

Enjoying the cool breeze off the Gulf

We got the air fixed and prepared to leave early Wednesday morning.  Strong thunderstorms were forecast for the day so we wanted to try to get out before they struck.  We awoke at 6:00 am to loud cracks of thunder.  Rain poured down so hard on the roof we couldn't hear each other talk inside the camper.  We got around and braved the storm.  We hooked up, visited the dump station, changed into dry clothes and headed for home.  It was a great trip.  Now we look forward to heading to Canada later this summer.  We will keep you posted.

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Our first trip in our new travel trailer was over to the east coast of Florida to Sebastian Inlet State Park, http://www.floridastateparks.org/sebastianinlet/default.cfm .

It is a beautiful location on the Atlantic Ocean.  There is a large fishing pier on the ocean side of the island.  Many people where out there fishing for a wide variety of fish that is available in this area.  The park offers beautiful beaches for sunbathing, swimming, shelling and surfing.

The campground is located on the Indian River side of the island.  Our site overlooked the water to the west.  Our neighbors were fishing along the shoreline each day.  They told us it is one of their favorite places to come to fish.

The sunsets were spectacular each evening.

Our main purpose for this trip was to go visit my brother and his wife who recently bought a home in in the area.  We have wanted to see their new home and get time to catch up on things.  We sat around the camper in the evening just enjoying the time together.  They took us to some of their favorite beachside restaurants in the area also.

Traveling with a pet is much easier with an RV.  Most good hotels and motels don't allow pets.  If they do, it is not the best place for the pet as they are closed up inside most of the time.  At a campground our dog, Muffy or Ruby, depending on you ask, gets to go on walks with us and she gets to romp around the campsite on a leash.  Like any dog, she is happiest with family.

My brother says he has had all the dogs he ever wants but the look on his face in this photo says to me there might be another dog in his future.  Dogs, unlike wives, are always happy to see you no matter what time you come home or where you have been.  When a dog smells someone else's dog on you they don't get jealous.  They are just curious.  Needless to say, I spoil my little Muffy.

We will go to this park again in the spring.  There is much to explore there that we did not take time to see.  There is the McLarty Treasure Museum,  Sebastian Fishing Museum and canoeing and kayaking on the Indian River Lagoon.  This park, like most of the great state parks in Florida, fills up on weekends.  During the winter season it is booked solid.  There are a few non reservable sites available but they must fill up quickly.  If you plan a trip to any of Florida's parks, it is best to reserve well ahead of the time you wish to be there.

Switching from a motor home to a travel trailer has been an adjustment.  Backing the thing up is much more difficult than backing a motor home.  I know I will improve with practice.  Space wise things are about the same.  There is no generator so if we travel out west with it, I will need to devise a way to keep my batteries charged when we boondock.  A small portable generator or solar panels my be an option.  See you on the road. :-)

A New Adventure Begins

We sold our motor home this past spring.  We had only used it a couple in the past two years.  We were tied down with family obligations for a couple of years so we didn't get to go on a great adventure across the country.  We had visited 42 states, 3 Canandian Provinces and that included a trip to Alaska.

Since we sold the motor home we realized how much we missed it.  We decided to try a travel trailer this time.

As some of you may have read, on our trip back from Alaska a couple years ago, our fuel pump went bad.  We kept stopping to get someone to repair it for us but all the shops turned us away. They didn't work on motor homes.  We were in a rural area of Kansas and Oklahoma when it started giving us trouble.  It finally quit on us in the middle of a four lane highway in Tulsa, OK.  It was a small nightmare getting it repaired.  It was also very expensive.  Some repair shops take advantage of your situation.  Had we had a truck or SUV we could have found service at any number of shops before it quit.  Hence, our decision to go this route.

We are still learning about towing.  There is much to learn.  Finding an adequate tow vehicle can be a challenge if you are looking for a used vehicle.  Most trucks and SUVs sold today are built for higher gas mileage.  The problem with that is the rear end gear is not good for towing.  It leaves you struggling on mountains.  Unless you find one where the person ordered the heavy duty tow package you will probably end up with one with the wrong gear.

Our Ford Expedition has a 3.31 gear.  It should have a 3.73.  We will try it the way it is and see how it goes.  If it proves to be a problem we will have the gear changed.   The SUV is better for our dogs.  They have their own little suite in the back to lounge around in while we travel.

We added a sweet little Bichon Firse to the family a few months ago.  Her name is either Ruby or Muffie, depending on which of us you ask.  Buddy, who is 11 now, is not too happy with her new canine sister.

Muffie, though small. is very dominant.  She will steal Buddies food right out from under her nose.  Buddy just looks at me like, "Did you have to do this to me in my old age?"  Buddy is so sweet.  She would never retaliate.  She just walks away and comes back when Muffie is occupied with one of her toys.

We will take our new rig on a test run in a few weeks to one of Florida's beautiful state parks.  So keep watching for new posts of or new adventure.

Anastasia State Park/Saint Augustine

We are off to another RV adventure this week.  We made reservations at Anastasia State Park on the beach at St. Augustine.  The old bread truck has been in storage for three months already.  How time flies.  I don’t like to let it sit for so long as things always seem to seize up with lack of use.

After performing some routine maintenance operations, we loaded the RV with all the essentials and set off for St. Augustine.  My brother, John and his wife, Linda are to meet us there.  They drove down in their motor home from North Carolina.

The weather radar has been ablaze with red, yellow and green over the St. Augustine area.  It is going to be a wet few days by the looks.  My brother reported by email that the rain was pounding so hard on the roof of his motor home they had to use earplugs to sleep.  We hope the weather breaks by the time we get there.

Our trip up was uneventful.  That is a good thing.  Some of the new squeaks and rattles I heard when we started out have worked themselves out.  Had the motor home set much longer without use, those noises probably could have evolved into real problems.

We arrived at our campsite about 2:15 PM.  There was light rain in the area.  Things looked very soaked.  Our campsite was partially flooded and very muddy.  It will be fun keeping all that mud out of the RV.  Buddy’s paws collect large amounts of the goo.  I have not been successful in training her to wipe her feet.  

Some might not like the idea of camping in a muddy flooded campsite.  We have learned to take the good with the bad, as they say.  Good and bad doesn’t adequately describe the RV lifestyle.  You have awesome, jaw dropping, fantastic, inspirational good moments along with the bad which includes frustrating, worrisome, frightening and terrifying moments.  It is the constant variety of stimulating experiences, good or bad, that make this so much fun.  We have developed the saying, “It is all part of the experience” to refer to all these things.  If you don’t enjoy all of it, you probably won’t enjoy an RV for long.

We stopped by John and Linda’s motor home to let them know we made it.  After catching up on things we decided to ride into town to see the Christmas decorations.

We were glad they had their car with them.  It would have been a soggy ride on the motorcycle had we brought it.  

We parked downtown by a brightly lighted city park.  We strolled along the streets remembering when we came here back in the 1950s with our parents.  This city never loses its allure.  There are beautiful old churches with steeples that stretch to the sky.  Cannons, cannon balls and huge rusty anchors are placed in parks as a reminder of the great history of this city.  It is the oldest city in the United States.

The streets are lined with interesting shops selling souvenirs and gifts ranging from conquistador helmets, swords, artwork, outlandish women’s clothing and novelties of every description.  We also managed to find an ice cream shop.  I never can resist good ice cream.  

While looking at the tubs of ice cream, I noticed many of the flavors had names of places in Michigan.  I inquired of the young man behind the counter why so many of the state’s cities were incorporated into the name of the flavors.   He told me the parent company was located in Petosky, Michigan.  

We visited Petosky State Park in Michigan last summer.  We were camped right on the beach of Lake Michigan.  We collected many Petosky Stones which are unique to the area.  I suggested they might want to name a flavor Petosky Stone.  I can imagine it with nuts and hard candy mixed in.

John and Linda recognized restaurants they had eaten at on previous trips here.  We passed one pizzeria that my brother found tempting but he managed to pull himself away from the window where workers were working with pizza dough.  The smell coming out the door was difficult to resist.  

After our trip to town, we stopped back at our motor home to sit outside and gab for a few hours.  It was fun sharing stories about grandchildren and RV adventures.  We laughed and chatted until about 10:00 PM.  It has been a great day.  Both of us have missed our old bread truck.  We feel like we are home.  Buddy is enjoying it too.  I can tell she is having a very good time also. 

Tuesday morning we awoke to blustery weather.  The wind in the treetops was very strong.  We had a few drizzles of rain during the night.  You feel so cozy snuggled down in your warm bed while raindrops pitter patter on the roof.

After breakfast, Buddy and I took a walk up to the dumpster.  Exploring new sniffing territory is the whole trip to Buddy.  I wish she could put into words what she is reading in all the “pee mail” she reads along the way.   She writes a few pee mails of her own as she swats to leave her mark.

When we returned, Darlie was up and around.  We decided to take a walk to the beach.  Anastasia is a very picturesque park.  The campground is separated from the beach by high sand dunes.  A boardwalk takes you up and over the dunes to the beach.  

The ocean looked very angry this morning.  Red flags were flying at the beach access points indicating hazardous riptide conditions.  Huge waves were thundering ashore.  Each breaking wave left a large mound of foam that quickly blew away in the strong wind.

Shore birds stood facing into the wind observing us like beggars waiting for a morsel. 

Others darted around in the beds of seagrass that had washed ashore snapping up bugs.  Darlie was doing some snapping of her own.  She took some beautiful photos of bubbles on the beach that were reflecting a rainbow.  My brother had joined us.  He pointed out a cross in the sand made from little roots or branches of some kind.

We explored the camp store, the picnic area and I posed for photos by an old anchor from a gallon lost long ago on the sea floor.  As I touched it, I thought of those who had put it over the side the last time.  Who were they?  What did they look like?  Did they have families back home?  Were they peg legged pirates?  I love this history of this area.

On our return to the campground, Linda came out to join us.  We chatted for a couple of hours.  The sun was trying to break through.  It was still blowing hard and the air was cool.  We parted with plans to do something later.

After we made lunch, Darlie went in for a nap.  I sat with Buddy and read for a while.  Soon a knock came on the door.  John had looked online for a bicycle shop nearby.  When I unloaded my bike, I discovered a flat tire.  It wouldn’t hold air so a new tube was in order.  

John and I went for a new tube.  We replaced the old one and discovered it has two huge blowouts in it.  I can’t imagine what caused that.  Grandchildren jumping ramps, possibly?

Darlie was up from her nap when we finished.  She showed John the photos she took of the rainbow bubbles.  John is a very experienced photographer, so she valued his opinion of them.

For the next hour or so, John helped Darlie understand some of the settings on the new camera I had bought her.  She will be able to put some of the tips to good use during her next photo excursion.  As Buddy thinks sniffing is the whole trip, Darlie thinks taking photos is the whole trip.  I just tag along with two females trying to keep both of them happy,

When John left it was nearly dark.  Time flies by.  We were tired and I think he was too.  We just decided to stay in for the night instead of going out somewhere.  Tomorrow is another day.  Hopefully, it will be one with more sunshine.

We were greeted by bright sunshine Wednesday morning.   It finally looks like it is going to dry out.  After reading for an hour or so and downing three cups of coffee, Buddy gave me the look.  It was time for her to take her morning walk to do her duty.  This is also a good time for me to take the trash up to the dumpster.

When I returned, Darlie was up.  We decided to take a bicycle ride around the park.  We headed up the road that goes to the other end of the campground.  We climbed a long hill that was formed by old sand dunes.  The sand dunes that once stood here bare now are home to palm trees and oaks.  Squirrels were scampering about everywhere.  I almost ran over one that ran right under my bike.

Later in the morning Linda came by to borrow one of the bikes so she could ride up to the park office to see if they could get one more night here.  We decided to have her get us one more night also. 

John stopped by with some photos he had printed out.  They were photos he had taken last winter in Death Valley and along the Rio Grande River in Texas.  He was giving Darlie some more pointers on how to take better photos.

The ever present roar of the surf and the bright sunshine lured us into taking a walk to the beach.  We walked along the wet edge of the sand where the waves turn back to the sea.  Darlie found many interesting little things in the sand to photograph.  Sea birds of various kinds were strutting or scooting about looking for an afternoon snack.

We had walked quite a way down the beach when I decided I needed to find a restroom.  There is a rule of thumb when walking the beach.  Don’t wait until you have to pee before you turn around to go back.  I had to abandon Darlie and go on ahead to the beach access where there is a restroom.

We really over did.  Both of us were sore.  We stopped at John and Linda’s to visit for a while and enjoy a hot cup of tea.  We gabbed until it was dark.  Once back to the motor home, I fired up the grill and cooked a couple of steaks for dinner.  Buddy and I took one more walk under a brightly lit star filled sky.  We will all sleep well tonight.

Thursday I was up and out on the beach with my bike.  The damp hard sand was easy to ride on.  There were few people on the beach today though the weather was beautiful.  

After lunch we went into town with John and Linda.  We walked around town taking in the sights.  We stopped by Flagler College.  It was built by Flagler, the railroad magnate, and was known as the Ponce De Leon Hotel back in the day. 

Darlie took many photos around the grounds and inside the college.  It is a very beautiful peaceful place.  

We embarked on a quest to find a good restaurant for dinner.  Each establishment had their menu displayed outside.  When you are hungry, everything sounds good.  We love seafood.  We decided on Harry’s, a New Orleans style restaurant.  Dinner was very good.

After dinner we spent a time poking around in the park and looking at various displays.

By the time we got back to the motor home both of us were ready for bed.  All the walking and biking has us worn out.

We will pack up and leave in the morning.  This is a very beautiful place to spend a vacation.  Anastasia State Park of one of Florida’s finest.  The campsites are very private.  The beach is wide without development.  We will visit here again.

Santa Claus St. Augustine style