We are on the road now heading towards Tallahassee, Florida. Actually, staying to our "under four hour" traveling rule we are going to Torreya State Park in Bristol, Florida about 40 miles west of Tallahassee.
Our stay at the Gulf State Park was unlike any other park we've ever visited. Our campsite spoiled us to what we hear lies ahead of us in Florida. At the Gulf we had easy access to all of the beautiful trails, dog walk, hiking paths, shopping and restaurants. The site was level, pull thru and not a bad size. The park also had a family type atmosphere. We never felt as if we had to lock our bikes or for that matter shut or lock the RV door. This morning as we were getting ready to leave most everyone passing by bid us farewell and a safe trip. I could have stayed there all winter but Jack is right: we have so much more to see and do. I'm a nester by nature so if it weren't for Jack pushing us, we could still be in Kentucky.
And what? Miss this 75+ degree weather? Since Jack & I are both in shorts and Crocs and Gabe says that Warsaw was hit with snow again. I think we'll keep moving.
Our last day at Gulf Shores was spent washing bed clothes and sofa quilts, dining out, Jack buying and putting on a new bicycle seat for me. Last but not least riding the trails one last time...in the dark. We made our final run in to Wal Mart and goofed off too long but not to worry. Those Tijuana bike bags aren't just to give Jack something to laugh at, believe me. I could be on Let's Make a Deal and win with the things I carry in those bags. By the time I was finished putting all of the lights on my bike and body a 747 could have landed on my back. Jack had one little blinker on but with me close at hand he didn't need any.
The last week or so I do believe, for the most part, the dogs finally got the hang of avoiding the sand burrs. They'd be walking and all of the sudden they'd start high stepping like some show horse. Little Sydney was the smart one of the two; she'd walk on pavement until it was time to do her thing. Tanner still is searching for that one dog scent that was left 36 years ago by some little black and white rottweiler, regardless of the hell he has to go through finding it. We are about 50 miles from our first Florida stay. This park is small and from what we can gather is about 23 miles from Wal Mart. I will wait and see before I judge.
Here is a shout out to two women in our lives who mean so much to us: Terry, who finished her first round of chemo yesterday and was able to "ring the bell". Huge hurdle for her and my brother, Bill. God bless both of you. And to Jack's little sis, Lori, who underwent eye surgery yesterday. She is a real trooper and we hope that she is doing better today. We are sending our love and hugs.
It's 8:00 p.m. and we are settled in to our camp site at Torreya State Park at Bristol, Florida. Within the 1st. hour of being set up we were bi-otched out by our neighbor camper. 1st. time in the 40 years we've been camping that anyone has ever yelled at us for our music being "too loud". I was too shocked to come back at her when she said to us, "Can you turn that down!!!! It's too loud." she screamed at us as she came around to the side of her RV. This was at 5:00 in the afternoon and Jack was playing his Adele music and it WAS NOT TOO loud, except for "old people" as Jack pointed out. Well, listen, Jack has had ENOUGH of taking sh&* from shi-ot heads, so the longer he thought about her chewing us out the more angry he became. So what does he do???? He walks over to her RV and politely tells her that he has no intention of "being quiet" until quiet hours as dictated by the state of Florida. Although we did turn the music down we did not let her get off easy. Had she not been such a bi-otch we would have turned in much earlier. BUT since she acted as if the universe revolved around her we kept her on her toes for much longer by playing Amy Winehouse's F*&@ Me Pumps much louder than we normally would have. So, Florida, our first impression...besides being out in the middle of God's forgotten land...not so good. Everyone else we've met here (and trust me they were all out watching Jack as he had to weave between several tall trees backing in-as I noticed them watching I felt as if we had stepped in to a Twlight movie of the week-) has been extremely nice. It does, however, take one bad apple, or bi-otch, to ruin the whole bunch. For her sake I hope she doesn't stick around much longer; Jack will be on her like stink on you know what...Tomorrow is another day and by God's grace we will have the opportunity to make nice.
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| This is the narrow path Jack had to navigate to park today at Torrerya State Park. |
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| Another view of our camp site BEFORE pulling in. |
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| A view from our campground. |
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| Sydney looking a little book "wormish." P.S. 10:00 p.m. Just took our last pottie call with the dogs and remember what I said earlier about the Twilight Zone? OMG..We are smack dab in the middle of it. There wasn't one, not one, light on anywhere. It was so dark we could not see our hands in front of our faces. Everyone is in bed or plotting their revenge. I WANT TO GO BACK to the Gulf. I wonder if I could get a locksmith at this hour to install a deadbolt on this RV? |
