Into Michigan via Ohio the Beautiful

Early May 2015...

On our drive back to Grand Rapids, Michigan, we took a page from one of our guide books called The Most Scenic Drives in America and spent a few days in eastern Ohio.  We stopped in to Sugarcreek, Berlin, and Millersburd.

It is Amish country and contains some of the most beautiful farms I have ever seen.  Now that you realize that, you will understand why most of our pictures were taken from inside the car so as not to be intrusive to our subjects.  The days provided cool but sunny weather as farmers prepared their fields.

Some of the grocery stores that the locals would visit were more like health food and natural remedy outlets.  There were few factory packed foods, but most items looked like this...

 I did try to get a picture of groceries wheeled out to a parking lot in a shopping cart and loaded into a horse drawn cart, but Denny was not quick enough maneuvering the truck for a through the window shot.  I guess espionage gigs are out.

Berlin, Ohio can boast for serving the most wonderful pies in the nation!  The Amish Kitchen restaurant served at least a dozen varieties, featuring huge pieces for $2.99....  the best bargain in the Midwest.

We are now back in west Michigan at my parents cottage on Big Whitefish Lake spending the summer.  Hopefully we will have temps to match the season, because so far we are freezing.

Plans for next travel season are in full swing.  There was an idea of visiting Nova Scotia , Canada but we were informed the very cool weather comes in early fall, but at least we are going along southern Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence Seaway and northern NY.  November and December are slated for Florida before heading out west in January.

Look for us in the Fall where the roads are straight and the adventures are above normal.

The North Wind Doth Blow ...heading to Michigan

The remainder of our time at St. Augustine has been cooler with many storms rolling to the north and south of us.  Last weekend, we thought we would try beach biking after watching many people who made it look so easy. Actually, the most challenging "fun" activity I have ever tried!  After slugging through 8 miles in an hour, we returned to the comfort of the air conditioned RV for an hours rest and a big water bottle to wait the storm out.

                                                   Denny still has a smile on his face.

To finish our visit to St. Augustine, we choose a boat tour of the area.  It was so relaxing since the weather was a bit cooler that day.  Such wonderful views from the water!  The boat held 150 people but there were only 8 of us for that tour.

Saying Good Bye to our friends:    


  I don't know how old this tortoise is, but we found him living in the same hole last year.  He has a partner about 3 feet away in another hole.

                   
This Carolina Wren was building a nest where ever we put the tarp.  It tried to get into the truck and did manage to get into the Airstream.  Denny had to get it out with a broom.  Bold little birds!

 

NORTH WARD BOUND

We decided to take our time and leave a day early for Charlotte, NC to store the Airstream and head for the mountains of North Carolina for a week at a condo south of Ashville.  The weather was so unpredictable in Florida and it was time to escape with all the other " birds."
                       


MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA


I have not been in this part of the country for many years. The area has grown and changed so much!  The towns of Hendersonville and Brevard, NC were little sleepy mountain towns the last time we were here.  Hendersonville is now a growing city.  This area now attracts high-end vacationers with numerous condos surrounding golf courses, with boutique and coffee shops on every block. I have no idea where the local mountain residents reside.

                                                                          Brevard, NC

This is a new RV resort near us in Sapphire, NC.  Only high-end motor coaches are allowed to even be here for 1 night "camping".  Camping is not just a tent and campfire! This area of the resort is for those who want to add a cottage next to their RV.  The views are spectacular.  You can park your coach for about $3,000 a month in low season for a regular hook up site, or $75 a night if you are just passing through.

We have been enjoying the condo in Sapphire, NC and   

it was large enough to have the Charlotte family clan here for the weekend.  It is not often that we can vacation with at least some of our children and all of the grandchildren in tow.

Gorges State Park

Denny and I spent time hiking to waterfalls and enjoying the area.  A day trip naturally was made to the Biltmore House in Asheville. That is always a beautiful experience but made especially so because  of the special Downton Abbey clothing exhibit.  Nearly every room had the actual costumes from the TV show, upstairs and downstairs characters.  The television does not do these beautiful gowns justice and I am sure they all must be size 6 or 8.  None of the outfits were altered!  I wish I could have photographed them.

What a place!!

Heading to Michigan next week with the Airstream.  The EGG is for sale in Charlotte, but we will make another trip in 4 weeks to pick that up and bring it home if not sold.  Pass the word. 

Looking forward to seeing all our friends this summer!!!

ON THE BOARDER....Georgia and Florida Coast

We first saw Fort Clinch State Park at Fernandina, Florida last year for a day and decided we needed to return this year.  Most of our schedule was built around availability of a beach camp site here at the State Park.

We have been able to enjoy 4 days of visiting downtown Fernandina, touring the pre Civil War fort and soaking up the sun.
  Fort Clinch, like Fort Pulaski on Tybee Island, was built around the same time to protect the nation from coastal attacks after the War of 1812.  However, all these southern forts along the coast saw action in the Civil War and even up to WWII as observation locations.  Ft. Clinch is situated on the St. Mary's River and directly across you can see Georgia and Cumberland Island, famous for its wild horses.  Next year our plan is to go to Cumberland Island for the day.

Fort Clinch

                     Downtown Fernandina                                              

Cumberland Island and Coast                                                             Guard boats

Wild storm clouds heading out to sea from our camp site

We enjoy this area so much.  St. Marys, GA is right across the river (another beautiful small town) which houses a major US submarine station.  A park ranger told us last year that before a submarine comes into their home port, family members arrive at Fort Clinch to watch it enter.  Arrival times are never posted for security purposes but the families are notified.  Seeing a sub traveling up the river would be a great sight for sure.



                                                         ON TO ST. AUGUSTINE

We are camping at Anastasia State Park, 2 miles from downtown St. Augustine and easily accessible by bike.  The historic area is fun to tour with Fort Castillo de San Marcos being the main attraction.  This was a Spanish fort when construction started in 1672.  It then went to the British, back to Spain, and finally to the United States in 1821.  It is a National Park with dozens of well versed volunteers willing to share their knowledge.

Look out all invaders!

Fort Mantanzas protected St. Augustine from invasion from the south.  It too is a National Park, but very small.  Thirty men would rotate spending a month at a time just watching the river.  The Park Service ferries people on a large pontoon boat for their visit.

                                                                  Fort Mantanzas

  The beach and State Parks here are just wonderful.  I first questioned our decision to stay for 2 weeks, but it is so relaxing and enjoyable  There are a few visits to be made while we are here, but then we are north bound for a week in the mountains of North Carolina.

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Where the roads are straight and the adventures are above average.

We left Lafayette, LA with the Silver Egg in tow making our way back to the east coast and taking several days to do it.  There are several Plantations in the New Orleans area and we wanted to see at least one.  We choose OAK ALLEY which has such a memorable view which many will recognize. This, however, is not from Gone With the Wind.                                        

Live Oaks sheltering the walkway to the Plantation as seen from the Mississippi River.  These trees are several hundred
years old.

Oak Alley is on the banks of the River and this is the view you see today due to the necessary dikes to hold back the water.  A tug boat is passing by and these strangers were kind enough to pose for me.

After our afternoon visit, we were on the march again heading for Savannah, GA to move into our 5 day condo rental on Tybee Island.  Our location on the south end was perfect for walking since every piece of grass has a parking meter perched on it. We were able to walk to the Tybee lighthouse, Savannah River and the beach.  I was really surprised to see all the ocean traffic in and out of Savannah.  Several times a day we could view the ocean freighters.  The tide is very extreme at Tybee and these ships kick up such a wake that surfers like to catch their waves.  The average tide varies 7 feet but in this area, it is closer to 9 feet.

  And of course what area doesn't honor General Polaski, usually with  drinking celebrations.  But on Tybee, a pre Civil War fort was named in his honor, and a fine example of a fort it is.

Here you can see how close these ships are traveling up the Savannah River to unload.

Here is a rare picture of Denny just to prove that he is on this adventure with me.

ON TO SAVANNAH 

the "Disney World" of HISTORY 

and just as expensive

FORSYTH PARK 

Not only is this beautiful fountain located there, but we saw at lease 20 baby strollers lined up facing in one direction watching Mommy Boot Camp.

There are historic homes everywhere with many open to tour (for a price).

Cemeteries are historic places too which offer tours.  This is Bonaventure Cemetery with lovely plots and statues and famous people laying around.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A HISTORY MAJOR? (LIKE MINE)

One of many who portrayed people in the past at Bonaventure Cemetery.

There are many character actors who have majored in history like this man. He graduated from Georgia State and knows everything about this area and and thoroughly loves telling you about it.

I can't end without a few animal pictures, so....

Plantation cat attending an outdoor wedding at Oak Alley.

Dog friendly Savannah.

Chickens who live at an RV park, lay eggs and are supervised by a black cat with white paws named BOOTS.

What a surprise!!!!

For the past week, we have been staying in a condo in Kissimmee, Florida doing what everyone does when they go to Orlando.  Disney was a great experience, but we had to agree Animal Kingdom was our number one choice with Hollywood Studios dead last.  Maybe that is just our interest level.  We opened the parks and stayed until they closed, and after 3 days, we were "Disneyed out".  

The very exciting part of this journey was an opportunity we did not expect.  As some of you may know, our intention was to find an Airstream sometime in our future.  We have been researching for years, and searching in earnest since we sold our house in October, 2014.  We told ourselves that the EGG was so easy, which it was, but we knew our time with it was coming to a close.  With that said,

        I am please to present the larger, greater, silver EGG....the 27 foot, Signature Onyx Airstream!

I knew we would be guided to the right one eventually, but I never thought it would be so soon and 13 hours away in Lafayette, LA.  We left Orlando with the EGG in tow, heading for Charlotte, NC and put it in storage. Back in the truck the next morning at 5:00 AM for our trek across several states. Wonderful people awaited our arrival, David and Rene,the former owners, to show us our new home on wheels.  I can't describe their hospitality and generous spirit toward us, total strangers.  They showed us the area on the way to one of their favorite restaurants and introduced us to Cajun food and crawfish.  What a treat!!

                                                                            
Crawfish,which can be farm raised, is the food of choice in this area.  We have a picture of a rice field, the rice harvested, then flooded to raise the crawfish in.  Then the field is again used to grow rice and the process                                                                                                            continues.

                                  The field retains water because it has a clay base to the soil.

We stayed 2 days in the area to get acquainted with our new home, unpack our truck, learned Airstream care and how to hitch it up and move forward down the road.

We embark tomorrow for the Oak Alley Plantation, one of the most famous plantations near New Orleans before we start a road trip to Savannah to meet up with Bonnie (our daughter) and stay on Tybee Island in a small condo. When these arrangements were made, we had no idea the Silver Egg would be with us, but we will be camping for a few days in the area later in the week.