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!!!