And this vacation will henceforth be known as “That fall camping trip when it rained so much”.

The trip ended as it began: camping in the rain. 

We left Fancy Gap, VA on Saturday morning, heading north on the Blue Ridge Parkway (MP199).  The day started with bright sunshine, but clouds moved in as we went around Roanoke, threatening rain.  We continued on the parkway to the south shore of the James River (MP64), exiting toward Lynchburg on route 501.  From Lynchburg, we traveled on to Appomattox, then to Holliday Lake State Park. 

The park is small, only 37 campsites, and it was full on a Saturday in October.  On our arrival, the clouds had disappeared, and in mid-afternoon as we set up, I switched to shorts and t-shirt in the upper-70 degree sunshine.  We took Ranger out for a walk to the lake and took a short hike along the Lakeshore Trail (0.8 miles).  The evening was pleasant enough to grill dinner and have a campfire.  The campers in the next site came over to share our fire; they were from Hawaii and spend several months each fall and spring traveling in their Class B motor home around various regions of the US.  The night sky was full of stars, and it was hard to believe the weather forecast called for high of 50 and rain on Sunday.

And at 1:30 am, the rain arrived.  It continued most of the day Sunday, with falling temperatures.  We talked about heading home early, but decided to just relax and hope to pack up in drier conditions on Monday morning.  So another day was spent reading in the RV.  The rain let up enough to get Ranger out for a number of short walks.  (I was cautious about getting too far from the RV after a disastrous early morning walk when we both were soaked to the skin by a downpour.)  By evening, it was heavy overcast, but the rain had stopped, and we had a quiet evening of TV and indoor dining.

The trip home from Appomattox should be easy one, perhaps two hours of driving.  

Yesterday (Friday) we had a near perfect fall day for traveling along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

After a foggy start to the day, we entered the parkway around MP393, close to our campground at Lake Powhatan.  We had a brief stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a map and then proceeded northward.  While the leaves are not yet at a peak there was plenty of gold and red along the road.  Dan did a great job driving the hills and curves while I enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

We took a break at Linville Falls, a place recommended by brother Jim.  There is a 0.5 mile trail to see the falls themselves, and Ranger benefited from a chance to stretch his legs.  The falls were spectacular!  We only wished we had more time to explore the other trails in the area.  We did take the opportunity to check out the campsites there, which I would love to return to at some later time.

The afternoon's drive took us through less dramatic, but still pleasant views of hills and farms, and we arrived at the Fancy Gap KOA at around 5:00.  (Do not try to follow Google maps to find this place----we had a frustrating 15 or 20 minutes being lost in Fancy Gap and ending up on a narrow dirt road!)

Day at the Biltmore Estate

We spent the whole day today touring at the Biltmore Estate.  A huge house, with good audio tour, and amazing gardens with thousands of mums.  We had an excellent lunch at Cedric's in Antler Hill Village where the winery is located.

Thursday morning, and we're at Lake Powhatan in Pisgah National Forest, just outside Asheville.

Tuesday afternoon the rain stopped after lunch, and while it remained cloudy and damp, we were able to hike to Stone Mountain Falls.  Ranger seemed quite happy to get out of the RV and move a bit.

Yesterday we packed up and drove approximately 150 miles to Asheville.  We parked the RV at the Visitors Center (where there was a good farmers' market at which I got apples, veggies, and muffins for breakfast).  From there, we boarded one of the "red trolleys" which provide a tour of the city with commentary.  One can hop on or off at various stops to shop, browse around, try out one of the restaurants, or visit a museum.  But we rode the whole loop, learning about the sites from a tour guide who spoke for an hour and a half, spouting all sorts of facts and figures along with corny jokes, while driving a large trolley through the narrow streets of the downtown area and dodging traffic.  Well worth the time and money for seeing the sights of Asheville!

We're camping for two nights here, and I rather wish we had planned for more time.  The National Forest has lots of hiking trails and our site is good.  Today we plan to spend the day at the Biltmore. How can one visit Asheville without touring "America's Largest House"?  We were told that one can spend two full days touring the estate, but we'll make do with just one day before heading up the Blue Ridge Parkway tomorrow.

Tuesday morning, and it is still rainy.  We spent the whole day inside yesterday as a steady rain fell.  Actually we got out a few times when the rain diminished to a drizzle, to get Ranger moving a bit, and each time the rain picked up while we were away from the RV.  The day was spent reading and relaxing, not a bad thing for a vacation, though I would like to see a bit more of this state park.

Today's forecast is for the chance of rain (now 70%) to gradually drop, so we may be able to get out for a hike or walk in the afternoon.  It is definitely warmer today, and right now it's very foggy.

Sunday we awoke to the sun....finally.  With only a 92 mile drive to our next stop, we spent the morning walking on the Little Mountain Falls trail, giving Ranger a chance to expend some of his considerable energy.  We left Fairy Stone SP in early afternoon for a drive that was mostly on winding two-lane roads.  We crossed into North Carolina and drove through Mt. Airy, NC, which is the home of the Andy Griffiths Museum.  Local businesses' names tended to reference Mayberry and its characters.

We arrived at Stone Mountain State Park around 4:30.  The park is relatively new and the camping area is in an open field, though they did leave patches of tall grasses and wildflowers as barriers between sites.  The area with electric hookups has only 8 campers, so we have plenty of privacy.  Although the forecast is for much rain over the next two days, the evening was pleasant enough to grill dinner and sit out at a fire.  We even got to see an almost full moon rising before the clouds moved in.

Sometime during the night, the rain started, and from the weather report, it will continue through the day and night, with the chance of rain dropping to only 70% tomorrow.  Fortunately we are dry and snug in our RV, and we have plenty of snacks and reading matter.  I was able to get Ranger out for a long walk early in the day, before the heavier rain set in, and the park is very nice----well-kept with many hiking trails, which will have to be left for a drier day.

Along Lakeshore Trail in Fairy Stone State Park, VA.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Our night’s sleep was interrupted by a BIG storm which soaked the outside rugs, firewood, and even the chairs which were under the awning.  Poor Ranger, afraid as he is of storms, spent time huddled in the tiny bathroom area, pressed up against the toilet.  This morning, the rain let up, but we have had a day of overcast skies and cool temperatures.

After sleeping late and having a big breakfast, we were able to get in a short hike, 2.5 or 3 miles, in between rain showers.  We headed down toward the lake and picked up a trail that led to the dam at the end of the lake.  The leaves are just starting to change color and there were lots of bright yellows, along with some red dogwood or sumac.  Ranger was full of energy and enthusiastic about finally getting out of the RV. 

We planned to meet up with a woman up the road who wanted to go to the 3:00 program at the visitor’s center; however, the rain picked up again and we have spent the past hours relaxing inside, reading.  So nice not to be tent camping when conditions are like this!  

Starting our trip

Friday, Sept. 28, 2012

Our annual fall camping trip began somewhat badly.  We left home in mid-morning for what should have been a fairly easy 4.5-5 hour drive to Fairy Stone State park.  On Route 360 in Chesterfield, all traffic stopped, and we were told that the road would be closed for about an hour.  An alternate route was suggested; that turned out to be a narrow road with overhanging limbs, one of which whacked the top of the RV hard, leaving scratches.  Back on our way, we watched the clouds gather and by Danville we were in pouring rain.  Fortunately, it did not last too long, and we arrived at the state park around 4:00.  A friendly campground host provided a hiking map and some suggestions of trails we might like. 

We had light rain showers throughout the evening, but with enough stops between that we were able to enjoy a campfire.  

Next trip:  The mountains! We'll be heading for the western parts of Virginia and North Carolina, starting on Sept. 28.  First stop is Fairy Stone State Park.

Starting to get the lists ready and packing done....and trying to get ahead on stuff at work in order to be gone for a week.

We left the Niagara Falls/Buffalo area on Friday morning and headed along Lake Erie on I-90 to Erie, PA, where we turned south toward Pittsburgh on I-79.  Crossing the West Virginia state line near Morgantown, we picked up I-68 through western Maryland.  By then we had travelled about 400 miles and were ready to stop, but there were no sites available at Rocky Gap State Park in MD or at the KOA in Hagerstown.  We ended up at Happy Hills Campground near Hancock.  It was a place primarily used by permanent residents with just a few sites for transients. Our site was basically a gravel pad, but it did have water and sewer hookups so we were able to empty tanks before heading home.  The park was noisy with golf carts and ATVs well into the evening, but it quieted down enough to allow a good night's sleep.

The last stretch of the trip was only about 5 hours of driving, so we arrived home after 2900+ miles at around 2:00.  The afternoon was spent emptying the RV and unpacking.  Much cleaning awaits tomorrow, but tonight it will be nice to sleep in our own (larger!) bed.

Our campsite at Four Mile Creek State Park, near Niagara Falls, NY was quite a change from the shores of Lake Huron.  No sand here---just lush grass!  The park has the feel of a city park: large expanses of lawn  with occasional trees for shade.  The campsites do not allow for much privacy but they are large so you are not right up against your neighbor.  And on weekdays (Wednesday and Thursday for us) there were many sites unused so we were at quite a distance from others.  One of the employees in the office told me that they had already had several weekends with every site (hundreds of them!) filled, and it's hard to imagine how different the campground would be when totally full.  It is apparently very popular with Canadians because it is so much less expensive than their provincial parks for camping, and it does get totally booked in July and August.

The lakeshore here was totally different from Lake Huron.  The beach is covered with smooth gray rocks and the trees and bushes run right up to the edge.  We hiked a short trail along the Four Mile Creek (4 miles from Fort Niagara, if I remember---the sight of a battle in the French and Indian Wars), but it was poorly marked and the vegetation made it tough to see where it went.  After lunch and a bit of relaxing, we tried another "trail" but this was even worse, just disappearing into brambles and tall grass---no blazes on trees and no clear path to follow.

From the state park, you can look across Lake Ontario to see Toronto in the distance.

Laundry done.  Two good campfires.  Lots of relaxing.  A good few days in New York State!

This is our last morning at Port Crescent State Park near Port Austin, Michigan.  We spent a quiet day yesterday, catching up on some cleaning and reading.  There's not much hiking to do here; the trails are in the other section ("day-use") of the park which one must drive to.  (Strange arrangement for a state park!)  The beach here has fine sand and it was a busy place yesterday afternoon, with kids digging and building, and of course, swimming and wading.  I took my Kindle down to the beach and enjoyed the sunshine.  I also took off my shoes and walked along the water's edge---warmer than I had expected---and it felt almost like being at an Atlantic beach, except for the lack of salt air.

The wind picked up in the evening and the temperatures dropped (43 on one indicator, 54 on another this morning, probably a difference between being along the lake or on higher ground where the wind is not so fierce).  There are good-sized waves on the lake, reinforcing that sense of being near the ocean.

Today we travel through Ontario and into New York state.

We spent from Friday afternoon until Monday morning at Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Michigan.  It is in a very remote area, so we did not have any cell phone service or internet access.  The nearest town to speak of was Newberry, which was 30 miles away.

On Saturday we did a day trip and visited the town of Paradise, MI---definitely a misnomer!  It is on Whitefish Bay, a bay off Lake Superior.  Turning north, we took the road as far as one could, about 11 miles, to Whitefish Point.  There is a lighthouse there and a wildlife sanctuary, but its claim to fame is the Shipwreck Museum.  Apparently that area of Lake Superior is known for its shipwrecks, over 300 on record, including one that is probably most familiar---the Edmund Fitzgerald.

From there we drove to the Upper Falls area of the state park, where this picture was taken. The upper falls of the Tahquamenon River is the second largest waterfall in the East (after Niagara), and it was quite impressive.

Our campground was in the Lower Falls area of the park, about 5 miles along the road from Upper Falls.  The campground was quite nice.  On Sunday we decided to hike part of the 4-mile River Trail from Lower Falls to Upper Falls, and---it being a lovely trail and good weather---we ended up doing the whole length for a total (with walk from the campground) of over 9 miles.  All three of us were exhausted at the end!

Speaking of good weather: I had expected to be in jeans and long-sleeved T on this part of the trip, but it was HOT!  We didn't run the air-conditioning, as it did cool off after dark, but we kept vents open and the fan running to draw in cooler air for sleeping.

Today, Monday, we left the Upper Peninsula, crossing the Straits of Mackinac, and drove into the "thumb" of Michigan. (Picture the state in the shape of a mitten, and there's a thumb that protrudes into Lake Huron.) We're at Port Crescent State Park, where at least I can access the internet!  It's a totally different environment: sandy beach and dunes with that huge expanse of water.

Yesterday (Friday) morning, we packed up, filled the water tank, did some grocery shopping, and headed north.  Actually we headed south, then west, then northeast, making a huge circle around Green Bay.  Crossing into Michigan, we took Route 2 along the north shore of Lake Michigan and soon saw big black clouds ahead. Dan drove through a downpour for at least an hour---awful driving conditions---and then the rain settled into a normal steady rate.  It continued for most of our trip to our next destination:  Tahquamenon Falls State Park, near Newberry, Michigan.

This is the part of the Upper Peninsula that experienced a recent wildfire (Duck Lake fire) and there were signs thanking the firefighters in many of the store windows in town.  The state park was closed for a few days at the start of the fire but obviously it is open now (since we are here!).

Having forgotten that we went from Central time to Eastern time, we lost an hour yesterday and arrived at the park after the office closed.  However, we had our site number and found our place.  A light rain continued all evening, and we were grateful for our awning which allowed us to sit outside for a while and unwind from a stressful drive.  This morning all is muddy and wet, but the sun is peaking through and we can hope for some drying as the day goes on.

This is a very remote part of the state, so again, little "oomph" to the internet and no photos to post.  The town of Newberry, the nearest place to shop, is 30 miles down the road!  

Yesterday we rented bikes and rode the Sunset Bike Trail (misnamed in yesterday's post).  Neither of us had been on a bicycle in a LONG time, but we managed to get around without mishap.  Oh, yes, there was that steep hill on the way to Eagle Tower that we both had to walk the bikes up....and ended up winded at the top anyway.  Eagle Tower allowed a view all over the area, lots of blue, blue water as far as you could see.

After the strenuous ride, we relaxed at the campsite for the rest of the afternoon, relaxing and reading.

Today we are packing up and heading for Michigan.  Peninsula State Park was a fabulous place to visit, and I highly recommend it to all!

On Wednesday we took the Hemlock Trail (1.8 miles) from near our campground toward the park entrance at the town of Fish Creek.  After an initial uphill climb, the trail went along through grassy areas with birches and hemlock trees.  There were lots of wildflowers including some Yellow Lady's Slippers---beautiful!  From the park entrance we walked into town.  It's a bit touristy---lots of shops with expensive gifts and such----with many inns, B&B's, and restaurants.  There was also a marina and quite a few sailboats at mooring.  This would be a great place to sail (or motor) though the season is undoubtedly short.

We had lunch at a nice restaurant (Summertime) with an outdoor patio.  As we were passing the entrance, the manager came out and said, "We're a pet-friendly place", so we brought Ranger in and he behaved very well. (Of course after walking about 2 1/2 miles, he probably needed a little rest, and he enjoyed the water and dog treat that the manager brought him.)

We walked back to the campground along the Sunrise bike trail, which is 9.6 miles and goes around the shoreline of the park.  Many of the people here bring bicycles (and one can rent them at the concessions area), and it does seem a perfect place for that activity.

And speaking of perfect: the weather continues to be sunny, high of 70, low of 50.

The birdwatching has been good; yesterday's list includes pileated woodpecker, Baltimore oriole, cedar waxwings, and an indigo bunting.

We slept in a bit this morning after being up with Ranger at 3:30 am----he detected animals in our site, probably raccoons, and he thought it his duty to bark and try to get out and chase them away.

Our first full day at Peninsula State Park was fairly low-key.  After breakfast we explored a bit, trying to get our bearings.  The first stop was Nicolet Beach, where the park's swimming area, concessions, camp store, and so forth are located.  From there we took an easy hiking trail across to the lighthouse which sits at the north end of Tennison Bay, then walked back to our site.  We enjoyed relaxing in the afternoon---still nice weather with sunshine and temps around 70 degrees.

This is really a beautiful spot: lots of birch trees and wildflowers.  The water is very clear and looks so blue from a distance.  The only negative is LOTS of poison ivy!

Heading northeast from Madison, then cutting straight east, we drove along the shores of Lake Michigan yesterday.  A lunch stop at Kohler-Andrae State Park allowed time to see the incredible white sand dunes along the shore and to give Ranger a walk along the marsh trail, where we spotted marsh wrens and dozens of red-winged blackbirds.  Back on the road again, we took route 42 along the shore and onto the Door peninsula.  The lakefront towns of Egg Harbor and Fish Creek are full of cute little shops that must be busy during the height of tourist season, but on a weekday in early June they were fairly quiet.

We arrived at our site in Peninsula State Park in late afternoon, allowing time to grill dinner and enjoy a campfire.  There are lots of trees and thick underbrush around the site, so it's fairly private.  Everyone here seems to be riding bikes around, and given the size of the park we may consider renting some at nearby Nicolet Beach in order to see more of the sights.  

Cell phone and internet service here are marginal, so I'm not going to try to post any photos for a few days, though I have been taking LOTS.  

Good weather continues:  low 50's this morning, going into the high 60's later, partly cloudy, no rain in the forecast.

 This is how we all felt after hiking yesterday in Devils Lake State Park.  Dan, Kak, Ranger and I left early for the drive up there.  We spent some time watching the young great blue herons in the rookery at the park, and then went to the main lake area for a hike.  Little did we know what we were getting into!

 This is Balanced Rock Trail, which climbs up the cliffs above the lake.  The rock steps were constructed by the CCC in the 1930's and they are smooth granite, very slippery in parts.

 The reward for all that huffing and puffing was a great view of the lake and surrounding area.

There were lot of dramatic rocks along the trail, and we passed many rock-climbers who were dangling out over the cliffs on their ropes. (Now there's an activity I have no desire to try!)  The middle section of the hike (East Bluff Trail) was smooth and gave many views of the lake, but then there was that harrowing trip DOWN the cliffside with Ranger in tow.  Actually he did well, listening to Dan's directions to go slowly and then WAIT for us all to catch up with him.  But he was one exhausted dog by the time we got down to the bottom, to enjoy a cold drink  and a picnic lunch.  He managed to recover enough to enjoy a swim in the cold  water.  Then I got to sit with a wet dog on my lap for the trip back to McFarland, but it was worth it to see him cavort in the lake.

Packing up this morning, Monday, to drive to Door County and four days at Peninsula State Park.

 We arrived in McFarland, Wisconsin, just south of Madison, yesterday afternoon after a relatively short drive north from Illinois.  We are staying in Babcock Park, a small county park sandwiched between Route 51 and Lake Waubesa.  It's a tiny park with only about 15 sites, but it's shady and well-kept.

Last evening Kak came over for a visit after she finished work and Dan grilled chicken.  Shortly before dark the sandhill cranes flew into the marsh just behind our site, making a racket!  In going out to watch them, we met our "next-door neighbors" who are the campground hosts for the park.   They are from Florida but spend the warmer months as hosts in a variety of parks in the northern part of the country.  They're here at Babcock for one month, then off to another local park for the next month, and so forth.  Sounds like a good life!  They have a small long-haired dachshund that got along well with Ranger; they clearly both wanted to be off-leash and playing hard!

This morning, Saturday we'll be preparing for guests, as we invited several of Dan's cousins for lunch and a visit.

No photos today---it's dark and damp and cold in Illinois!  We left eastern Kentucky early yesterday, drove through Lexington, Louisville, and Indianapolis, and then came to the rain.  The original plan was to stop for the night in Kickapoo State Park, just past the Indiana/Illinois border, but when we got to that exit, it was only midafternoon and raining steadily, so we kept on going.  We pulled in at Moraine View State Park, just east of Normal/Bloomington, where we spent a cold rainy night.  (Definitely one of those times when we are glad that we are not tent camping!)

The rain let up enough in late afternoon to get Ranger out for a walk around the campground.  It's a very nice park with huge old trees, lush grass, and lots of fox squirrels.  Ranger woke up early this morning (5:45); I think the time change has him confused.  So we went for another walk along the lake and around the campsites.  He seems happy to be outdoors, even with the cold and damp.

It looks like the weather is clearing in Madison, which is where we will be this afternoon.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012:  We left home in light rain, the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl.  Heading west on I-64, the rain stopped by Charlottesville.  We stopped for lunch at the West Virginia welcome center and stopped for the night in eastern Kentucky.  It's a KOA: fairly generic, few trees, but clean and quiet.  Ranger seems to be happy to be on the road again.  Tomorrow will be another day of driving with plans to stop next in Illinois.

Home again

The past two days were long ones on the road, heading north.  The cold front that came through Florida on Saturday really chilled the whole east coast, so we had two mornings of low 20 degree temperatures.  After our night at Gold Head Branch State Park, we traveled around Jacksonville and back onto I-95.  We got as far as Dillon, SC on Sunday night and spent the night at a privately owned RV park just off the highway.  We had hoped for one last campfire, but there were no fire rings and it was COLD, so we had a quiet evening of reading and watching TV.  Another 6 hours of driving, with a stop at lunchtime for some good North Carolina pulled pork barbecue, got us back home.  Now....lots of unpacking and laundry to do before the return to work!

Brrrrr! It's cold!

It's Sunday morning.  Friday evening I was sitting outside in shorts and t-shirt at Highlands Hammock, and we awoke this morning to 27 degrees!  It was expected: there were National Weather Service alerts on the radio about a hard freeze for the next two nights, and after a walk around the park yesterday, we returned to the RV to find a notice taped to the door, asking that we leave the water faucet dripping to prevent frozen pipes.

Fortunately we are traveling with winter jackets, and this morning the RV warmed right up, thanks to the furnace (which we had not run in about a year).

The campsite here is quite nice, not picturesque but large and private---a nice contrast to the past few nights.  This area is very dry, and we noticed driving up that the formerly lakefront homes now have docks sticking out over dry sand.  The "lake" in our Lakeview campground is just a depression in the ground.

Heading north today for the 2-day drive home!

Highlands Hammock State Park

This is day 2 at Highlands Hammock SP, near Sebring, FL.  The campground itself was quite a disappointment, one of the most crowded we've seen in a Florida park, with neighbors within a short distance out every window of the RV.  This week there was a gathering of Scamp (small towable trailers) owners, and Scamps are everywhere!

Today's time on the trails gave a somewhat more positive impression of the park, which is one of the oldest in the state, with many of the structures built by the CCC.  The area around the campground is scrubby and dry, but the trails go through cypress swamps with stretches of boardwalk. And yes, there are alligators along the trails.

There's rain in the forecast overnight and predictions of temperatures about 20 degrees cooler than we have had all week.  We'll be heading to a park between Gainesville and Jacksonville for one night, then heading home.

Enjoying Myakka River State Park

We are still at Myakka River State Park, home of alligators, wild pigs, and lots of different birds.  While our campsite isn't the best, the birding is great.  We can take a 5-minute walk to the lake (Upper Myakka Lake) and see loads of herons, egrets, pelicans, black vultures (circling overhead constantly!) and roseate spoonbills.

Yesterday we spent the day with Dan's aunt and cousins (Ruth, Mike & Mary, and Judy) who are snowbirds, spending about three months a year in Englewood, a short drive from this park.  We walked around a bit in the morning and watched the many birds on the lake.  After lunch four of us took the park's tram ride and learned about the park's history and ecology.  In late afternoon,  Mary, Mike, Judy and I visited the Canopy Walk, which allowed us to walk along a bridge high up in the treetops and see the park from that angle.  And a pleasant day ended with a great dinner (thanks, Dan!) of pork chops, potato salad, and grilled veggies.

This morning Dan, Ranger, and I walked to the birdwalk, a pier that sticks out into the lake and allows for good views.  There were LOTS of people there. (Who would guess that so many people were birders?)  Ranger behaved beautifully, stretching out in the shade under a bench right next to a French-speaking older woman who kept commenting on the "bon chien". 

Today is windier and cooler, but still wonderful weather for shorts and sandals.  There's rain in the forecast for later in the week, but so far we have lucked out.



Myakka River State Park

After about 200 miles' drive yesterday we set up at our campsite in Myakka River State Park, in Sarasota, a bit south of the Tampa area.  The campground is not one of the better ones; campsites are laid out so that RVs are parked parallel to one another, with little vegetation between.  However, there is shade from live oaks and other trees and we are close to the park gift shop and store, near the banks of the Upper Myakka Lake.

In late afternoon we walked to the lake and found it a wonderful place for birding.  We saw several new species for our list, including limpkins and ---really exciting!---roseate spoonbills.  The latter were in a large group (herd? flock?) near a huge alligator, and after awhile they all rose into the air at once and flew right over our heads.  What a perfect photo it would have been but ----Dan didn't have his camera along and I wasn't quick enough to capture it.   I did manage a few shots, but the internet here is too slow to load them this morning.  Will provide pictures in a later blog.

There really is a prairie...

After a slow start yesterday morning (grading some papers, showering, walking dog), we headed out on the trails in the park.  We took the Lake Trail to the visitors center (and yes, we can  vouch for the fact that there are alligators in the lake) where we climbed the observation tower to look out over Paynes Prairie itself.

According to the information in the visitors center, there are horses, bison, and alligators out there, but we didn't see any of those from the tower.  However, we were able to see some sandhill crane.  Other than that, birding has been a bit of a disappointment here: just several types of woodpecker, crows, and a catbird.  Weather continues warm but overcast.

Ranger is a dirty happy dog. ...and was a tired guy last night after about 5 miles of hiking.

Warm in Florida!

After 6 more hours of driving yesterday, we arrived at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park near Gainesville.  The campsites are not actually on the prairie; they are under live oaks and Spanish moss and quite private, with much vegetation between sites.  Ranger seems to be glad to have settled down in one place and enjoyed a quiet evening guarding the RV while we enjoyed our campfire.  The fire was not really needed for warmth----when we pulled in in late afternoon it was 80 degrees, and I immediately got out of the heavy socks and jeans, trading for capris and sandals.  This morning it's already warm and after a much-needed shower, I'll switch to a sleeveless shirt as well. 

The park has many trails, only a few of which we'll have a chance to explore before moving farther south. Today we'll go to the Visitor's Center and get in some walking and birdwatching. 

Friday, February 3, 2012:  We awoke to a cold clear day in Montpelier and managed a fairly early start to our trip to Florida.  We made good time through Virginia, North Carolina, and into South Carolina.  Tonight we are in Santee State Park in Santee, South Carolina.  We arrived early enough in the afternoon to take Ranger for a walk along Lake Marion.  It was nice enough to set up our chairs and read outside for awhile, but as the sun set, the temperature dropped and I retreated inside the RV.  Tomorrow we'll head for Florida, with about 325 miles to the next stop.