Almost home

Wednesday's drive took us from the coast of South Carolina, up I-95 into North Carolina, and to a campground about 20 miles southwest of Roanoke Rapids, NC.  We could have pushed it and gotten home before dark, but we decided to enjoy one last night of camping.

We are at Medoc Mountain State Park, a fairly new park with very nice facilities.  And we are the ONLY ones camping here!  We set up and a friendly ranger stopped by to get us registered; he also sold us firewood and dropped it by the site.  I have gotten a very positive impression!

It's definitely  spring in North Carolina.  The dogwoods are blossoming, and we found pink lady slippers in the woods behind our site.

It was wonderful to be able to have a campfire on this last night out.  It should be a fairly easy three hours to reach home.  

A day at Hunting Island State Park

Much of our day was spent exploring the park on foot.

We left the campsite after brunch, heading toward the day use area, about 1 1/4 miles away.  The weather was the best we have had this trip---70's and sunny.  Ranger was full of energy, having left the 90-degree days behind.  We followed a hiking trail along the lagoon, then looped back to the lighthouse.

About four hours of walking was enough, so we headed back to the campground.  We encountered a couple from Connecticut who were bird-watching in the parking lot of the lighthouse and enjoyed trying to sight some warblers in the trees above.  They spend each April in this area and were familiar with many good birding spots nearby.

Hot dogs for dinner, then one last beach walk for the day for Ranger and me.  

In South Carolina

Most of the day Monday was spent traveling, from central Florida, through Georgia, and to the South Carolina coast, just north of Hilton Head.  We are at Hunting Island State Park.  

I really wanted to like this park.  It's in a great location, with lots of trails and a beach to walk on.  However, the first impression driving in was of how crowded it was: lots of campers with little space between sites and little privacy.  That was in the sites near the beach.  Our site is in the back section, away from the water, and after the storm that went through Sunday night, the site is MUDDY.  It's a pull-through, but as soon as we starting pulling in, the RV started sinking in the mud.  The wheels spun, we sank deeper.  Dan got out boards to put under the tires, but we couldn't even get up onto the boards.  What a mess!  Fortunately, with some rocking and gunning the engine, Dan was able to get us forward, out of the gunk.  NOT a good start to our visit here.

                                                                                

One positive about the site is that it is more private than many of them.  The side door opens onto a sandy berm, covered with palmettos, and not directly onto the road which is the case in many of the sites we passed in our walk around the campground.  

It is an easy walk to the beach, so that's where Ranger and I headed for our early morning walk.  It's much cooler here (mid-60's during the night), and Ranger seems to be enjoying that.

Hiking at Wekiwa Springs State Park

We headed out in mid-morning for a hike, trying to avoid the heat of the day.  We followed the Volksmarch Trail, a little over four miles, going through several different types of environment.  Much of the trail was similar to what is around the campground: Sandhill ecosystem with longleaf pines and wiregrass.

 There were also stretches that seemed more typical of Florida: lots of palmettos, some with Spanish moss hanging near.

We still haven't encountered any armadillos this trip, but we have seen several gopher tortoises.

By the time we got back to the RV for a late lunch, the temperature was back above 90, though with a steady breeze, it's not too bad outside.  I went for a swim at the springs again; then we both had good hot showers and went back to relaxing.  Tomorrow, Monday will be another fairly long day of travel, heading north and out of Florida.

Hot day at Wekiwa Springs

We started the day by biking down to the springs area for a lecture on wildlife photography. The presenter was personable and had some amazing photographs, many taken right here at Wekiwa Springs, but his talk was rambling and disorganized.  At the start of the talk, this guy (a skink) visited, and this is the photo I got of him. (The one taken with the fancy equipment belonging to the presenter was probably a better photo!)

At the end of the talk, he brought out Jolly the Alligator for people to see and touch.

After the uphill bike trip back to the campground and a cold drink, we explored the other end of the park road by bicycle, stopping along the way to see a summer tanager and a turkey, and also to see some flowers along the way.

The road ended at Sand Lake, though that took us only a short way into the 13,000 acres of parkland, much of it accessible only by foot.  

By the time we returned to the RV (where Ranger had stayed in air-conditioned comfort), the temperature had climbed into the 90's, too hot for much more activity.  We relaxed and read.  In late afternoon, I biked back to the springs to take a swim; the water was surprisingly cold.  No alligators in there with us, but there were some turtles.  That area of the park was still full of day visitors, enjoying family gatherings and a dip on a very hot day.  

At Wekiwa Springs State Park

So we have gone from this....

 To this:

...in about three hours' drive today.  We moved from Myakka River State Park, near Sarasota and one of my favorites in the state, to Wekiwa Springs State Park, north of Orlando.  Not nearly so pretty, but this is central Florida.  Lots of tall pines with grasses beneath, an environment that before people populated the area burned regularly keeping the undergrowth down.  

What seemed strange about this park was that until we turned into the park entrance, we were in the middle of big box stores, fast food restaurants, and strip malls.  Then suddenly....a park.

The park is known for its springs, which provided a space for swimming for many day visitors on this ninety-degree day.  After setting up, I went off on my bicycle to find the springs, and there were many, many people in the water, as well as many renting canoes or kayaks to explore the river "trail".  I suspect that tomorrow, Saturday, the day-use area will be full of people.

But this evening, our little site is quiet and feels far from civilization.  If one continues on around the loop in our campground (30 sites in the loop), one comes to sites from which cars and residential areas are visible.  Lucked out on choice of site here, I think!

The park is large enough that to explore it more fully tomorrow, we'll need to head out on the bikes.  There are also quite a few hiking and equestrian trails, so if the weather holds, we'll be well occupied for the weekend.  While the weather forecast called for 80% chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, we had just black clouds and a light sprinkle.  The humidity is very high, however, so we've put on the AC to make sleeping more comfortable.  (Ranger seems very happy to be cooler.  He is still suffering from the heat.  He didn't even leave the RV this afternoon to chase away the local squirrels that were sneaking up to his food dish to steal dog food!)  

The internet at Myakka River was very weak, so  here are a few photos from our stay there.

There were not as many shore birds as in past years, but there were plenty of alligators.

Our campsite under palms and live oaks in Big Flats Campground.  

A good day at Myakka River State Park

What a good day!  Three days straight of sunny weather now, hot but not unbearably so…beautiful surroundings and lots of relaxation!

I finally had a chance to use the bike this morning, riding down along the lakeshore to the birdwalk and back.  Then we relaxed in the shade, reading while awaiting the arrival of Dan’s cousin Mike Collins, his wife Mary, and his mother Ruth (Dan’s aunt).  They all live in Richland Center, WI during the warm months, but Mike and Mary keep a trailer in Englewood, FL, not far from here, which they enjoy for four months or so each winter.  They visited with us for about three hours of lunch, conversation and laughter.  (Lots of stories about “River City” life.)

In late afternoon Dan took the spotting scope up to the lake, and we saw about a dozen types of birds.  Again, no roseate spoonbills, which were so abundant on our first camping trip here, but there were anhingas, ibises, herons, and lots of little shorebirds.

We tested out the AC for the first time this year, and yes, it works fine.  The temperatures have been dropping into the low 70’s at night, but it was really humid, so the AC made for a good night’s sleep.  

Arrival at Myakka River State Park

Yesterday’s drive took us from O’Leno State Park, just north of Gainesville, to Myakka River State Park, near Sarasota.  It was a fairly easy 215 miles, with a stop to restock the groceries.

This is our third trip to Myakka River. The facilities aren’t as new and fancy as at some parks, but the campground itself (Big Flats) is under large live oaks, hung with Spanish moss, but still managing to maintain an open feeling. It’s an easy walk from our site to the side of the upper lake, which in the past has been a great spot for bird-watching.

We took a walk up there in late afternoon, after setting up, and it appears that April is not as good a time for the birds as the usual February.  We did see a number of small shore birds which we will attempt to identify with the scope, as well as an ibis, some cormorants, and both great and snowy egrets. 

The temperature has been in the upper 80’s, with a high of 90 in early afternoon.  Our site has shade, and there was a good breeze moving across the Flats, so it was comfortable sitting outside until late into the evening.  Ranger seems much more relaxed here than at O’Leno, where he trembled much of the time and tried to stay inside the RV; he must have been sensing the presence of thunderstorms somewhere nearby, though we did not actually have any rain while camping there.  (That makes a record TWO DAYS  in a row without rain for this trip!)

O'Leno State Park: Some photos

Suspension  bridge across the Santa Fe River, built by CCC boys in the 30's

Santa Fe River

This convinced me not to jump in on this hot afternoon.

They weren't kidding with that sign:  Turtles plus an alligator.

Ranger taking break along the River Trail at O'Leno State Park

Across the Panhandle

We drove through rain and overcast skies for most of the day Monday.  Normally Ranger would have been itchy to get out of the RV and out for a walk at each stop, but with the rain and his lack of sleep (due to the big storm) the previous night, he seemed happy to spend the day in bed.

After about seven hours of travel, we arrived at O'Leno State Park, near Gainevsille  It is one of the oldest Florida parks, with CCC buildings, located along the Santa Fe River.  The campground is small and situated under heavy vegetation, almost jungle-ish. Rain persisted through the evening, but it was rather nice to just heat up soup for dinner and watch a DVD, before we lost electricity.  The campground host came around through the pitch-black darkness to let all campers know that it was  a blown transformer that had already been reported, and by 10:30 repairs were made and lights came back on.  

We awoke to sunshine---finally!  We'll probably spend part of this day, our 42nd  anniversary, exploring the hiking trails along the river.  

Wet day at Big Lagoon

We seem to having really bad luck with the weather so far.  On the positive side, after sleeping late, then having breakfast, we were able to get out on the hiking trail at Big Lagoon under overcast skies.  The first part of the trail was a boardwalk; the second part went through sand and beach-y vegetation and led to  an observation tower where one can see the lagoon and out into the Intracoastal Waterway.  Along the way we saw a few birds and one neat lizard that periodically inflated a bright pink sac on its neck. (No luck getting a photo of that, though.)

The rain began falling as we got back to the RV, and it kept up for much of the afternoon.  When the rain was lighter we sat outside under the awning; when it picked up and blew in, we scattered under cover and ended up reading and napping for much of the afternoon.

With rain persisting into the dinner hour, Michael cooked dinner inside: quinoa with beans and tomatoes and corn.  The RV feels a bit tight with four adults and two dogs in it, but thank goodness we're not camping in a small tent!

Around  2 AM, a severe thunderstorm came through and lasted for most of an hour, with wind and very heavy downpours.  We half-expected Kelly and Michael to abandon their tent and come in to sleep, but the tent held up and they stayed put.  Still raining and thundering this morning and we prepare to pack up....sigh!

Discovery Day at Dauphin Island Sea Lab

We awoke to steady rain....again....and considered skipping  the trip to Dauphin Island that we had planned.  But it let up by about 10, so we headed over to Kelly's house (in the car we borrowed from them) and picked up Michael.  Kelly had gone to the lab early to get things set up for Discovery Day.

Discovery Day is an event for the general public when they open up all the labs and have exhibits, plus lots of activities for kids.  Kelly  had said they would have thousands of people there, and that was right---LOTS of little kids.  Kelly's lab display included microscopes so people could see various marine worms, a display led by her graduate student about how and what worms eat, and a demonstration of pressure differences in her flume.    We also visited the other labs and talked to various scientists and grad students about their work.

By mid-afternoon we were on the road, heading east on I-10.  We stopped outside Pensacola, FL at Big Lagoon State Park.  Kelly and Michael came over with their camping equipment (including new tent), so we had dinner together and had more time to visit.  It rained much of the night, so their tent did get a good test!  Plans are to explore the park for a day before they have to go back to work and we continue to head east. 

Rainy day in Mobile

We awoke to lots of black clouds, and it rained on-and-off all day.  Along with the rain was some thunder, sending Ranger into his shaking, shivering mode.  So much of the day was spent inside reading and relaxing.

Nephew Clay and his fiancee Lauren came over in late afternoon,  and the rain let up enough for us to take a walk along the one trail at Meaher State Park, much of which is actually a boardwalk over the water of Mobile Bay.  Clay spotted this alligator along the way.  

 With high winds and more thunderstorms expected, Lauren drove us to Kelly and Michael's house, where we were able to grill hamburgers and hotdogs and have a good visit.  

Arriving in Mobile

Along the way from Auburn to Mobile, we pulled off at a spot that Kelly had recommended: Splinter Hill Bog, about 40 miles north of Mobile, just off I-65.  It is a Nature Conservancy reserve that is known for its pitcher plants.

And they were definitely there!  Thousands of them....Beautiful!

We arrived at Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort, AL  around 3:30 and set up in a site right along the water.  In clear weather we would have a view of the skyline of Mobile, but it is overcast with rain in the forecast for most of the weekend.  Ranger is panting in the heat and humidity but otherwise seems to be happy to be out of a moving vehicle.  

Storms and sun

Listening to the radio Tuesday evening,the music and talk kept getting interrupted by the loud buzz of a warning from the National Weather Service about a  line of severe thunderstorms in the area.  Fortunately the main part of the storm passed south of us, but we did have heavy rain and thunder.  Poor Ranger tucked himself as far back in the RV as he could and trembled for hours.

Once back on I-85 in the morning, though, the skies cleared and the temperature rose.  We passed through South Carolina, went right through Atlanta (LOTS of traffic), and entered Alabama near Auburn. We pulled in for the night at Chewacla State Park,  a CCC-era park with many beautiful 1930's era stone buildings.  The campground is small, only 36 sites, but we were able to get a nice level one.  After a shower, it was definitely time to switch from jeans to shorts and tank top.  

They're having a classic camper event in the park this week, and while only a few campers had arrived already, the campground host had decorated the area for their arrival.

Next stop:  Mobile!

On the road again!

After our return from the long trip to Alaska, after a rainy fall, after a long snowy winter, we are finally out in the RV again.  We had pretty much emptied it all out for a good cleaning after the long trip, so preparations for this vacation were a bit more complicated than usual.  We left on a drizzly morning, heading south on I-95 to I-85, traveled through North Carolina, and stopped for the night at King's Mountain State Park just south of the NC/SC border.

As we entered, the park seemed very empty and quiet, but upon arriving at the campground, we found it about one-fourth full.  It seems to be quite a few families with kids, probably out for Spring Break.  It's warmer than at home, with dogwoods and redbuds blooming and with leaves just coming out on the trees.