Treasures in the Most Unlikely Places - Trenton, Florida

Jan 24, 2013 Cooler about 70, Sunny - cold at night about 45
We went to the potluck in the clubhouse the other night and Billy was telling this lady we met that on a rainy day I will get out my Sewing Machine and Breadmaker and Mixmaster and just have a great time because I like to be a bit of a Suzy Homemaker.  She suggested if I like to make things I should go up to the little town of Trenton where there is a Quilting Shop in an old Coca Cola warehouse and a Needlework Store and a Machine Quilting Store.  Well she was so right!!!!  We went for the ride today and I bought Billy the best lunch as you can see (he is so easy to bribe) if he would please take me there.  They also had an old time soda fountain.

The quilts were stunning.  Absolutely beautiful pieces of art.  I just wanted to buy enough bolts of material to quilt for days..... just wish I knew how.   That is definitely going on my New Years resolution to learn how to make these heirlooms.   In the machine quilting shop - holy talk about a professional piece of equipment.  There was a large screen TV monitor setup with a computerized program and a full wall setup with a quilt on rollers and the machine head that came down to complete the design.  Amazing.

Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires

Jan 22, 2013  We had a bit of a close call the second day we were camped here in Cedar Key RV Resort.   Surrounding us are a number of acres of scrub land and wild life reserve.   There was a controlled burn going on nearby however; suddenly our campground was filled with firetruck and EMS vehicles and sirens.  Apparently there was another fire that was not a controlled burn and it was headed for the campground.  Luckily the wind was pushing it away from our location but it still came with in a few hundred yards of the last row of campers.  It is very, very dry in Florida.

Cedar Key, Florida

Jan 19, 2013  70's, cooler but sunny
Cedar Key is one of those little "off the beaten path" towns that is on the Gulf of Mexico Coast in Northern Florida.  Our friends told us to check it out and it is worth the trip.  A few words can describe it; quiet, forgotten.  We are staying at Cedar Key RV Resort which is very new and clean and wonderful big sites with nice cement pads and sites.  A great find so we will hangout out here for a week and do some exploring and riding.

The little town has about 700 permanent residents and is a cluster of little islands with half a dozen bars and restaurants.  Yesterday we noticed it seems to be a destination ride for motorcyclists.  So we fit in real well!  We spotted a great spot up on a deck to have some refreshments and a bite too eat, but before we did this there is a little story we have to share with you.
Last summer when we stayed in Sturgeon Creek RV resort in Leamington we had a quite a few laughs with our neighbours.  Carol and Charlie and ourselves would visit with Annette and Bob(who Billy dubbed 'no-show' because they were not there very often!).  As it turned out Bob had quite a large deck that he built onto their fifth wheel and would often tell us to go and enjoy his "Big Deck" whenever we felt like it.  Of course it was always taken in the wrong context and it became more about how the "women enjoyed his big deck".... what a guy!   So yesterday when we spotted this little whole in the wall bar called "The Big Deck"  we instantly thought of our summer neighbours and the good times we had.  We can certainly say our way of life has led us to meet the nicest people and some good times along the way.

The Big Deck

Moving along the waterfront street we also noticed a great t-shirt hanging in the window of one of the shops that had us laughing and thinking of our friend Jason who is a big fishing enthusiast.

Just because the reel is old, doesn't mean the pole is broken.

Seems to us that you can find the best places in the most unexpected little spots along the way.

Russell Stover Candies in Wildwood, Florida

 January 18, 2013

Well I think Billy had found his place that he could die and go to heaven!!!!  Just down the road from the Alliance Coach service center was a Russell Stover Candies Outlet.     We had to visit a couple of times and load up on armfuls of sugar!!!  It was so funny while I was looking up and down the aisles Billy was tasting samples.  Every time I tried to talk to him his mouth was full of delectable treats.  He was the happiest I have ever seen him. haha

Billy hiding amongst the candie

Rosey with a shopping cart

Wildwood, Florida - Alliance Coach

January 9 - 19, 2013  Florida warmer than normal 80 to 85; then last two days cooled down to 65.
A whole ten days spent at a service center for motorhomes....... 

Campground at Alliance

Don't fret we were not in mechanical trouble it's just we had a list of items that needed maintenance work and to get professional recreational vehicle places to do the work is not that easy.  We talked to Monaco and they suggested going to Alliance Coach in Wildwood, Florida.  This place is a 5 star service center.   They have 42 bays to work on anything you can think of on your coach, inside and out; including a body shop and paint booth.  They also have 40 campsites right on site so they come and take your rig to work on it for the day and return it at night for you to sleep in.   They understand full timers and wanting to watch and stay with your rig.  We had four items completed, and one of them took a week so we were not too surprised that it took ten days.  Here's the list of fix its that were beyond Billy's expertise: installation of a new wiper slide seal on the drivers' side slide, new sending unit for the oil pressure gauge, new heat pump unit in front roof area and the door window was removed and defogged and reinstalled.  Sorry we are not going to share the cost of the final bill however; it was below what we estimated after doing the research and yes the shop time is $120 per hour!  Our only "but" is that it is our house on wheels and when you take your house down the road your bound to make repairs.  It was definitely a good experience and we will return in the future for other things, the professionalism and convenience was better than any place we have been before.   Talking to fellow RV'ers here was interesting and enlightening..... there is always someone else with a much, much, much larger bill!!!   Approximately half of the campers here were full timers too.  That is the most we have run into since we have been on the road. 

Campground of motorhomes waiting for service

2013 Another year

It's been so long since we posted.... you most likely think we fell off the face of the earth?  No we are still rolling along.  Actually we flew home from Orlando, Florida to Detroit, Michigan for Christmas; and once again it was very heart warming to be home with Mom and Dad and see our kids and brothers and sisters and friends.  Not one day went by without us heading somewhere to visit or to catch up on personal errands and appointments.  We warehoused our rig at Auto Boat Storage in Orlando at a huge and immaculately clean, climate controlled warehouse for a very reasonable price.  They even had a driver to take us to the airport. We called about 3 or 4 places to get estimates then we sent the lowest price to this place and the manager met our quote.  The building was as big as an airplane hangar and so clean; right away Billy was very impressed.    The other advantage is that flights from Orlando to Detroit are very frequent with several airlines so the price is also quite reasonable.  

Warehouse doors to pull into

We are lucky to have the best of friends who dig what we do when it comes to living on the road; they are always so accommodating when we need a ride.  Thanks again to our friends Les and Barb for picking us up at the DTW airport and taking us back again in January.  You make our journey so much easier.

The biggest question is always where to stay when we fly in for a month; that is fully furnished and gives us our own space.  The internet is a wealth of information and we found a granny flat that was only 10 minutes from Mom and Dad's farm which was perfect for us to see them every day.  We always keep our car at the farm so we have our own wheels when we fly in too!  This year I crafted a Christmas tree for the holidays and it felt very homey and happy.  Yes it kind of looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree......  :)

Once again with the start of a new year we both are counting our blessings that we are able to live our dream on the road and on our second year of adventures.  Here's wishing you all are as happy and healthy and thankful for your life. 

Homosassa Springs, Florida

Dec 3 - 11/12  Warm and warmer everyday 80+, nights about mid 60's but very very humid.  Fog a few days in the morning.

We did a little zig zag across the north Florida.  First in Silver Springs then over to the coast to St. Augustine then back to Umatilla.   This was our last stop before we head down to Orlando to fly home for Christmas.  The park we are staying at is very big with many snowbirds; I think we are only one of three that are only staying for the week or less, it's called Olde Mill Stream in Umatilla.   They do have a big rally area where groups come in and all stay together, even have a clubhouse for them - which is really unique.  We have not seen any park cater to rally groups before, last weekend there was a Good Sam Club from Osceola, about 20 motorhomes.

Anyways while we are so close to our friends we did some more riding around all the lakes in Lake County.  Little, little lakes.  One day Don and Annie and little Buddy took us with their pontoon boat over to Homosassa Springs where it is one of the best places in Florida to see the Manatees.   We saw a few of them, a Mom and her baby too! Beautiful.  
In the river they have this island that has a bunch of monkeys on it, now that's the life!

St. Augustine, Florida

Nov 26 - Dec 3
Everyone remembers their history lessons - are you smarter than a 5th grader?   Yes the legendary Fountain of Youth is here, a spring of water that restores the youth of anyone who drinks from it.   The vicinity of St. Augustine was first explored in 1513 by Juan Ponce de Leon (who was governor of Puerto Rico).  The city was founded in 1565 by admiral Pedro Menedez de Aviles.  To fight the British the Spanish began construction in 1672 of Castillo de San Marcos which still stands today as the nation's oldest fort. Its construction took a quarter of a century.

In the 1880's Henry Flagler (who was the partner with John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil) arrived in St. Augustine and was the driving force behind turning the city into a winter resort for the wealthy northern elite.  Flagler bought a number of local railroads which were incorporated into the Florida East Coast Railway, this rail ran down the Atlantic coast to the end of the Keys.  He built two beautifully ornate hotels - The Ponce de Leon which is now Flager College and Alcazar which is the current City Hall. 

Flagler College (previously Ponce de Leon Hotel)

Beautiful dome inside the College

City Hall (previous Alcazar Hotel)

Lobby at City Hall

St. Augustine Beach

Nov 26 - Dec 3   Sunny, Breezy, Warm 70-76 all week, low about 55 to 60 

boardwalk to beach from campground

a treasure hunter on the beach - searching for coins, jewellery

Location, location, location that's what this campground has.  Bryn Mawr Ocean Resort, St. Augustine Beach.  The transient sites are all right out at the ocean, don't even look at the other ones.  Funny the sites are all cement pads with decks and the streets are all sand.  One thing is that the ocean is pounding on the beach and the surf is throwing up mist and salt..... and oh yes you will need to wash your RV and your toad after one week.   It is driving Billy crazy, you can feel the film on everything.  We kept the windows closed in the coach and used the AC to keep the humidity down.  But the location is beautiful.  You walk right out to the beach and then you can walk either way for miles.   You can drive your vehicle out there and ride your bicycles.  It definitely is a nice spot.

kite boarder

The Loop Scenic Drive & Bruce Rossmeyers' HD

Nov 30 Sunny warm about 73, low of 60
Having friends to ride with is such an added treat when you are on the road just the two of you's (Billy & Rosey) for such a long time.  We have been able to enjoy that with our friends Don and Annie close bye this area.  We are camped in St. Augustine and they came for for a couple of days.

We road down A1A which is Florida's Scenic Drive and when you get close to Ormand Shores it takes a turn inland and gets within a mile of the largest Harley shop in North America.  Its really a very pretty ride in Florida along the beach and then a curvy road through the swamp and some old weeping oaks and leaning palm trees.

Ok, back to the Harley Davidson dealership, of course we went there for a few hours.  There are two floors of bikes and merchandise, just get that credit card out!!! 

Silver Springs & Ocala, Florida

Nov 19 - 26   Sunny everyday, low 70's - every night colder 40's till last night FROST......  BRRR.

Hey Mr. Weatherman we are in Florida now?  The weather is amazing how it can be so nice and warm during the day, today was 73 not a cloud in the sky and this morning when I opened the door to see how it was there was frost on the trailer across from us!  This was Thanksgiving week in the U.S. and you know what that means - lookout Black Friday Shopping.   Not us we are not shoppers on any day; our day out was with Don & Annie and their Gang!  Went to a great little pizzeria joint near Gainsville.

Ocala is a very nice ranching area at the top of Florida - lots of horse farms.   I think I read they have raised 6 Kentucky Derby winners from this area.

If you are a gearhead you will also like the Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum.  He was "Big Daddy" of drag racing and the place is stuffed with everything on the race track.  There is also a museum with many old cars and other interesting memorabilia - you can play the Wurlitzer for .25.   Billy found many old favorite cars of his and quite enjoyed all the drag cars and engines. 

Beautiful Condition...   I bet the American Pickers would love this!

Oh and our camping site this week was not a good choice...  Don had sent us a note with the place to stay and bad Rosey didn't pay close attention and here we are in a very old run down Silver Springs Campers Garden RV Resort...... ha ha,,, there is nothing resort about this place.  Oh well you take the good with the bad and oh yes this is a bad section of town too, everyday we saw someone going through the garbage in the bin across the street and also saw the same homeless man and his dog every day walking out along hwy 40.  So make sure if you are in this area go to Wilderness RV Resort about 5 miles west of this place.

This is the only 50 amp spot which is a pull thru that we cannot get around to get out so we will have to back up to pull out ! Oh joy!

Getting Groceries on the Motorcycle

Usually we are the only ones walking around the grocery store in our Harley jackets.....   It's become second nature to us to buy exactly what fits in the saddlebags and our t-bag.  People in the parking lot always seems to get a kick out of watching us take everything from the cart and put it into those pockets!   Today was comical though, when we came back out there were 2 more bikes parked beside us.   Hey it's looking like the new trend :)

Golden Isles of Georgia Coast

Nov 12 to 19  Weather Unsettled all week - only two nice sunny days - cool and grey
When we get a nice sunny day we ride and explore when you get a week of unsettled forecast weather.  This was perhaps the longest stretch of so-so weather we have had since we have been on the road over the last year.  No complaints though we are still just happy and lucky to be doing what we love to do.

We are staying in a very new RV park just south of Brunswick - Coastal Georgia RV Park - beautiful long concrete level sites, easy in and out.  You have grass and some landscaping between neighbours and there is a small pond with a pavilion which has a big stone outdoor fireplace.  It is only about 10 mile to Jekyll Island our first excursion.  Once over the causeway you pay to enter the island.  It makes you feel like you are stepping back in time.  The homes are antiquated and many are historically preserved.  The main hotel is a National Historic Landmark 'The Jekyll Island Club Hotel'. 

 It reminds us of the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island.

At the turn of the century this was an island frequented by the rich and famous - Vanderbilts', Goodyears', Rockefellers', Pulizters'..... the list goes on.  

OK, ok and yes Commodore Frederick Bourne..... here we go again.  Last year Billy found his old cousin Daniel Bourne at the Alamo and now he thinks he has found another cousin!!!  Yes it says so on the memorial sign Jekyll Island Club Wharf.  He always sends these pictures to his sister Liz; so they both know where the family was.  (he gets quite a kick out of thinking they are related, ha ha).
The campground is a very naturalistic setting amongst big weeping oaks and the moss with many bicycle and walking trails. 

One thing we never knew before is that this spanish moss is 'NOT' to be handled.  Did you know it is full of little bugs that are nasty biters!  Chiggers or Red Bugs they call them.  Small mites that  will burrow into your skin in very delicate areas - causing much irritation and itchy rashes. 

On St. Simon Island you will find beautiful housing developments with plenty of rental properties and weekend and getaway homes, condos and cottages. 

It's the opposite of Jekyll Island.  Numerous restaurants and boutiques and the day we visited there was an art fair going on which we stopped to browse at. 

Birdhouses crafted like old buildings

3d boat dock and piers

One stop we had to make was at the Southern Soul BBQ.  It's another place that Guy Fieri has visited with Diners, Drive-in's and Dives.   Brunswick GA is famous for Brunswick Stew.  I had to have it... whatever it was.   Turns out that is is a chicken, tomato, lima bean stew.  Piquant and good.   Billy had the rack of ribs all out the big wood fired BBQ outside!

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Found it!!!

Not sure if I told you that after this book came out they actually had to move this statue "The Bird Girl" from the Bonaventure Cemetery to the Telfair Museum in downtown Savannah - there was too much traffic at the grave site.  There is also a movie based on this novel with Kevin Spacey and John Cusack.  I am a firm believer in the book is always better so I will read it before I watch the show.  
Yesterday we were on Jekyll Island and there was a very cool Bookstore in one of the Historical Houses

 - 2 floors of books and I got the last copy she had :)    I had to promise Billy I would not wander too long in the place if he would just please stop at it.... He's such a great guy.
As it turns out there is such an irony to this Jekyll Island Book store.  It makes it's home in the old Jekyll Island Club Infirmary building. This Victorian original was first built as the Furness Cottage. Later, Joseph Pulitzer owned it for a time. Then the Goodyear family bought it and donated it to the Jekyll Island Club for use as an infirmary.  And we all know who Joseph Pulitzer was ~ The Pulitzer Prize!

Rosey found her book

Now I almost hope for a couple of rain days so I can sit and read it.

Bonaventure Cemetary, Tybee Island, Hilton Head

Savannah is a great spot to visit some of the nearby islands.  On our way out to Tybee Island we stopped at a beautiful old cemetery that was originally a plantation.  The big old weeping oaks are filled with sweeping moss.  Billy said while cruising thru the cemetery " I can't believe the things you make me do woman!"..... Then we stopped and off he went with the camera.   Pretty cool place - it had an eerie beauty to it.

Then we headed out to Tybee Island which has a campground - Rivers End.  We did not look at staying here as our friends Bonnie and Jim had stayed at it and warned us that the only way to get to it is right through downtown Savannah!  Traffic Jam.  Thanks to them we stayed out at our KOA.   

The island is pretty though and has a nice beach and a pretty old lighthouse and on the way in we found this very funky eatery - the Crab Shack.   It is a bunch of shacks and decks outdoors on the water with the messiest seafood fun you can have.  They bring you lots of crab, shrimp, oysters for you to break open and then you chuck the remnants into the garbage pail hole in the middle of your table!  I think Billy was sprayed a bit with my crab legs; but it was fun and phew I was tired working for my lunch.

Colossal size oysters that you have to shuck

The next day we went over to Hilton Head Island.   It is a well manicured and elite resort island.   They did let us on with the motorcycle and we visited a few RV resorts that were lovely.   Maybe next year we will stop on our way somewhere for some R & R time.  If you are a golfer you would be in heaven here.  There are just so many places to visit!!!