Saturday at Leesburg

We have been relaxing with the Goodfallows for the past two days. Yesterday I took the camper in to a dealer to get the bearings lubed before we start moving north. We should be moving on some time on Monday.

Enjoying the hot tub here and visiting, but the temperature turned quite cool yesterday and the night time temperatures are in the high thirties. It's a bit too cool to use the pool, but maybe today or tomorrow we will get out in the sun if the afternoon warms up enough. Everyone is fine here, I have gotten a bit lazy with the blogging, but part of that is because I dropped our camera and although it still takes pictures the viewfinder screen has blacked out and we can't see the pictures until I put the memory card into the computer. We can't even see the picture that we are taking. (Stuff happens!)

Hope all is well with all of you.

At the last park we stayed at (Highland Hammock State Park in Sebring), we rode the bike trail for eight miles through the woods and fields. At one point we got off the trail and wound up on a county road and couldn't get oriented to where we were. We finally got back on track and made our way back to camp. We crossed this bridge on the trail along the way.

This is little Bowlegged Creek that went through the park. This area is between Lake Okochobee and Tampa. We went through a Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), museum here that was similar to the one at North Higgins Lake State Park in Michigan. We watched a movie and read the exhibits that told the story of the CCC that was started by Franklin Roosevelt to help put young men to work after the great depression. Three million men went through the program and built bridges, roads, parks and campgrounds throughout the country. The museum was very well done and was housed in a building built by the men. Circa 1934 - 1943). Very interesting!

Changes in the Wind

Our plans have changed somewhat and we are moving to Leesburg to be with the Goodfallows for a few days. Not much else to report today but we will be moving northward soon.

The Detroit Tigers will have to fend for themselves!

Tuesday, March 8

We are at Highland Hammock State Park in Sebring Florida, northwest of Lake Okeechobee. Great weather and a nice area. Not much exciting to report, but life is good. We checked the Tigers spring training schedule to see what would be a good time to catch a game in Lakeland. We are about an hour away. It looks like we might wait until Saturday and see the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays.

All is well and we hope it is that way where you are too!!

A brown pelican at the marina at Flamingo National Park Campground (Everglades National Park).

My impersonation of a brown pelican at the marina at Flamingo National Park Campground  .

Sunday Weekend Ketchup , March 6

We are still at Everglades National Park enjoying the peace and quiet and planning to start heading slowly northward tomorrow.

Yesterday was a utility day and we did laundry in town and stopped by the post office to pick up our blueprints from our home designer. On the way back out we stopped at a fish market to pick up some fresh Florida seafood. We bought some fresh snapper, Mahi and Key West shrimp. We had snapper for dinner last night and it was delicious! We also stopped at “Robert is Here”, a fresh produce market on the side of the highway leading back to camp. (This is HUGE agricultural land down here with miles and miles of farm fields where they raise tomatoes, squash, beans, corn, papayas, mangoes and other fruits and vegetables) between Homestead and the Park. There are always irrigation trucks watering the fields and gangs of workers out in the fields picking produce.

We had a program at camp last evening and listened to a story about how the Park Service is working to restore the eastern edge of the Everglades back to its original condition. They are removing invasive species and scraping off the top layer of manmade top soil to allow the native plants to get re-established and return the ecosystem to a more natural state.  We have seen a few snakes here the past couple of days and they ain’t no garter snakes! One was a moccasin of some sort, we saw another crossing the road and it was dark and about six feet long. One of the neighbors had pictures of two Eastern Diamondback rattlesnakes that were in a mating ritual at the parking lot of the visitor’s center three days ago. He took a roll of pictures as the snakes rattled and coiled around each other with their heads up high like cobras.

Today we took a tour of a Nike Missile Base that was in operation here during the cold war. This was one of four missile bases in southern Florida that was our first line of defense against the military bases that Russia was setting up in Cuba. We had a great guide who told us about the Cuban Revolution, the Bay of Pigs and the whole story leading up to the U.S. setting up bases in this part of the country to defend the nation against attack and the Cuban Missile Crisis. We stood on the launch pad where they would send up the missiles that could have started World War Three and ended the world as we knew it in the early sixties. (Think Mad Max!)

The weather got hot again today and we are under the threat of thunderstorms. Reception on the phones and internet is poor so I am posting as I am able.

Hope everyone is well

Inside the missile barn at the downrange location. This barn housed missiles with nuclear warheads 5 times more powerful than were dropped on Nagasakee in World War II.

This bunker is where the computers were housed that would detonate the missiles. In the early sixties they still used cathode tubes and the computers were HUGE!

Our last day at Long Pine Key National Campground. Peace to all!

Thursday catchup on Friday

Well, here we are in sunny Florida on a gorgeous Friday afternoon.We took another trip into the Keys today and wound up on Long Key at the State Park day use area. We brought our bikes and rode trails. rode the bikepath along the highway and rode out on the bridge between Long Key and Conch Key. A few folks were fishing from the bridge and pulling in palm size fish of various varieties.

Yesdterday we stayed at camp at Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park and rode bikes and went to the Royal Palm Visitors Center and walked some of the nature trails. Lots of alligators and birds (again).

Here are some pictures.

I've heard rumors that some of you think I've been loafing all winter down here, but I've got news for you...this blogging business is HARD WORK!!

The beach at Long Key. This place is about as beautiful as the Florida Keys can be.

Damned tourists come down from the north country and crowd everything up!

Looking south along the Key

This is Thursday at Royal Palm Visitor Center on the boardwalk. Lots of alligators turtles and birds along the way.

A home made camping trailer at our campground. Pay attention to some of the detail!

Royal palms at Royal Palm Visitor Center.

We hope you are all enjoying yourselves as much as we are!

Wednesday the Second of March

We took a day trip to Key West today. We got up early and packed the bikes in the back of the truck. It was about 11 miles to US 1 then south and west through the keys. This is a two lane highway most of the way, but in some of the more developed areas it is two lanes in each direction. There are islands off to the northwest from the highway back into Florida Bay. The keys that the road goes through are pretty much the eastern rim of Florida Bay.

It was a leisurely drive southwest, and 120 miles from the beginning of Key Largo to Key West. This area is all about boating, fishing and resort living in the sun. We crossed many bridges and were on more than a dozen keys on the way down. When we got to Key West we parked the truck at a park and pulled out the bikes to ride into the historic district. This is the second time we’ve been here but it was still a lot of fun exploring. We went down by the Cruise ship docks and had lunch, then went walking around town and in and out of the gift shops. We wound up in Hogsbreath saloon for a cocktail, then on to Sloppy Joes for one of their draft beers.  Later after working up a thirst walking several blocks we stopped in at Margaritaville Café for two Landshark Ales and some Conch Fritters!

The weather has cooled a bit after the rain last night and we are back in the seventies. It feels much better than the heat we had the last few days.

Hope this message finds everyone in good health and well. I am sending the post from US 1 today still heading north from Key West.

Jimmy Buffet's fan club

Sorry for the blurry shot. This is the beginning of US 1 at mile marker 0

The Ernest Hemmingway house

Shopping district in Mallory Square

Hogsbreath Saloon. Believe it or not!

Sloppy Joes had great atmosphere and live music

The Conch Train, guided tours

Tuesday, March 1

Ship Ahoy, We’re Back!!

Sorry for the delay in getting these posts on-line. In our haste to get out of the traffic and congestion around Miami we didn’t stop in time to pull up the blog, and when we arrived at our camp in Flamingo National Park Campground south of Homestead Florida, we didn’t have a signal for either WIFI or our phones. In order to try for a signal we would have had to drive back north to the Homestead area which is a fifty mile trip one way, one hundred miles round trip!!

This morning we moved to Long Pine Key Campgrouind, still on the mainland but only 11 miles from the beginning of US1 at the beginning of the Florida Keys. Even in town I don't have a strong signal so I can't load all of the pictures I want to show you, but I will get caught up again when I can.

Here is a rundown, day by day, of our past week.

February 21.

I posted in the morning to let you know that we wouldn’t have service for the next few days. We boarded our cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, and left Port Everglades at 5:30 in the afternoon. This is a huge ship that was first launched in 2002 and includes a promenade which is like a city street with shops, taverns and cafes along the way. There is an ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, a three story dining room and a two story theatre on board. Nancy finally got an outside cabin with a balcony and was in seventh heaven. Needless to say she had to drag me kicking and screaming to go with her on this cruise.

A view of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale from our balcony

A room with a view. First time we had a balcony aboard ship. It was fabulous!

The sail away parade in the promenade aboaard ship.

Another look at the promenade. The Navigator was a beautiful ship.

February 22.

We spent the day at sea travelling to our first port of call. Nothing much to report except we learned our way around the ship and began stretching our stomachs so that we could enjoy the breakfasts, lunches and dinners that were to come. (We even managed to squeeze in a few snacks between meals!)

This is our dinner party. Head waiter Jose from Portugal, John and Judy from Indiana, Dick and Eleanor from Pennsylvania and Moises  our assistant waiter (yes that's spelled correctly).

February 23, Wednesday, day three.

Our first port of call was Labadie, which is Royal Caribbean’s private island off the northern coast of Haiti. Royal Caribbean used this port to bring supplies to the people of Haiti after their devastating earthquake and continue to bring food and supplies to this day. The people here were very friendly and were glad for the financial support provided by the tourists.

The island had many beautiful beach areas with shoreline on the Caribbean and on the lee side between Labadie and the main coast of Haiti. There were several sections of beach on either side with walkways along the coast and docks for jet skis, tour boats, kayaks, and parasailing boats. There was also a zip line that stretched almost half a mile from a nearby hillside to the beach near the ship (at a mere $89 dollars per zip!) The locals had a marketplace where they offered crafts and souvenirs although a lot of the merchandise looked like it was probably imported from China and sold here as locally made. We spent most of the day walking around the island and swimming in the ocean, then went back to the ship for showers and to dress for dinner.

The coast of Haitti as we sailed into Labadie

The port at Labadie, Royal Carribean's private Island  

Happy sailors on the island

The love boat from one of Labadie's gorgeous beaches

Sailing away from port

February 24

We sailed through the night and this morning we arrived at Falmouth Jamaica, which is a new port being built to accommodate the bigger cruise ships. The port is between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios which is the port we saw on one of our previous cruises. We were only the second cruise ship to come into Falmouth, and a lot of the shops and facilities are still under construction.  We were offered free shuttle service to a shopping area near Montego Bay and we learned a lot from the bus driver about the Jamaican people and culture along the way. The shopping center we were taken to was very disappointing as it was just a strip mall and isolated too far from town to see any of the Montego Bay area. We went back to Falmouth and walked the historic area of what was once a bustling port city and the center of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean. When the ship was preparing to leave port all of the Jamaican workers and tour guides that were working around the docks came out on the pier and danced and sang a farewell that lasted for about fifteen minutes. This was absolutely the most awesome send-off I have ever witnessed on a cruise ship. The people were so thankful for the opportunity that the cruise ships were bringing to them that you could feel the love in the air. I got goose bumps as the people danced and paraded around, and everyone watching from the ship started applauding as we sailed away from the docks.

We had a great dinner that evening and then went to the show to see “Mosaic”, a Las Vegas vocal group that sings music without any instruments and mimics all of the sounds that a back-up band would add. The group was phenomenal and did a lot of hits from the seventies and eighties. One part of the show featured the soundtracks from old comedy shows like Laverne and Shirley, Three’s Company, and The Brady Bunch! For the Brady Bunch a member of the group came into the audience to bring a man and woman on stage to be Mr and Mrs Brady and wouldn’t you know it, Nancy was brought up to be the Mom!! 

This is the new port of Falmouth Jamaica. This is an old port town that dates back to the 1400's

This donkey was dressed in shorts, a shirt, shoes, socks, but I didn't check for underwear.

The shopping center we visited near Montego Bay

Street entertainers at Falmouth

Nancy watching the farewell parade from our balcony.

You can tell Nancy is overwhelmed to be live on stage with "Mosaic"

And thats how they became the Brady Bunch!!

February 25, Last day at sea.

We spent Friday at sea getting back to Ft. Lauderdale. The ship was heading west with the prevailing winds and so with little breeze on the deck it was really hot at about 80 degrees. We lounged around the pool and spent more time on the upper decks in the shade.

February 26 Back on dry land!

We made it back to Port Everglades in the morning and there were about eight other cruise ships there ahead of us. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas was there and it is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world. We made our way off the ship and through customs then had to wait for about forty minutes to get a shuttle back to the parking lot where I left my truck. After that it was onto the freeway and the traffic as we navigated our way out of the city and around Miami. We headed toward Homestead and were looking for a grocery store on the way. We drove through miles and miles of farm country here and there were nurseries and fruit stand along the way. Fields of tomatoes, corn, beans and sugarcane lined the road and stretched as far as the eye could see. We had to look up a grocery store on the laptop because we were driving out of town and had not seen one. After we picked up supplies we headed toward camp and drove forty five miles through the everglades to the southern end of mainland Florida. This corner of the state is the doorway to the Keys and off the coast there are hundreds of small islands that go all the way to Key Largo and south to Key West. This whole area is a wilderness compared to most of Florida. We were both surprised at how different the Everglades are than what we had imagined. It is more reminiscent of the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota than the marshlands around Lake St. Clair. This really is a remarkable destination, but it takes at least two weeks to see it all.

Back at Port Everglades there were several cruise ships ahead of us.

This is the Oasis of the Seas.

 

Here we are at Flamingo Park on Florida Bay 

This is a crocodile, the first one we saw. These live in salt water but can also live in brackish along with the freshwater alligator.

Sunday, February 27

We explored the Flamingo area on bikes this morning. We rode along an old road along a canal that begins the 100 mile wilderness canoe trail that skirts the southern coast of the Everglades. The entire route goes through canals and between the islands that make up the coast here. We rode about five miles to Bear Lake and saw a manatee along the way. There was a canal that went through the mangroves and was quite overgrown. We saw a group of canoes that were trying to make their way through this jungle and were having a hard time. I could only imagine the mosquito bites if they weren’t prepared with enough repellant. Further up the highway we took a trail that went to a boardwalk that overlooked Snake Bight. (A bight is what they call a bay around here yes I did spell it correctly). This is a shallow bay area that attracts a lot of shore birds.

We went back to camp for lunch then got aboard the Sea Horse tour boat for a guided trip into the bay and around the islands. We saw night herons, pelicans, and several ospreys that were nesting in the area and were out fishing. The grand finale of the cruise came when we got into a pack of about eight dolphins that followed us and were swimming and proposing around the boat. Back at the dock we saw crocodiles in the canal. This is one of the few places in the world where crocodiles and alligators co-exist. These were the first crocodiles we saw. Crocs are saltwater reptiles where alligators live in fresh water.

February 28, the last day of the month!

This morning we changed campsites so that we could have electricity. We wanted to charge all of the batteries, camera, and phones since we know we won’t have electricity at our next campground. Once we made our move we went to the marina and rented a canoe for four hours. We paddled up the canal to Coot Bay which was a shallow lake about four miles from where we started. We saw shore birds and a couple of crocodiles along the way, and lots of coots. There were fish (mullet), jumping every so often and they would come four feet out of the water. This is the same canal where we saw the manatee the day before, but we didn’t see him today. We had our lunch at Coot Bay after rowing along the shoreline for a mile and then paddled back to the marina. The crocs were out big time at the marina and we counted four with one that was about twelve feet long swimming around near the bridge.