Greg and Tina’s Travels Across America

We got the first rain of our trip last night with it raining in to the morning so we made a quick trip to buy groceries until the rain let up and it cleared. Afterwards we headed to Key West to explore the area. Had lunch at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Cafe which was a great. I had forgotten that Buffet had graduated from college in the late sixties or early seventies from the same university (University of Southern Mississippi – USM) where my Dad had taught and where I graduated from in 1977. While at Margaritaville I sent a message to Buffet via Facebook (thinking he would answer 🙄) asking if he had had any of the courses Dad had taught while he was in college – health, marriage and family, and human sexuality. Needless to say I haven’t gotten a response yet. After lunch we headed to Ernest Hemingway’s house and museum. As you may remember Hemingway was a prolific American writer that defined America of the day writing classics such as The Torrents of Spring (1926) The Sun Also Rises (1926) A Farewell to Arms (1929) Winner Take Nothing (1933) To Have and Have Not (1937) For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) Across the River and Into the Trees (1950) The Old Man and the Sea (1952). He was bipolar which probably explains his prolific life as a writer in his manic state and his constant fighting of depression sad ending by taking his own life. Growing up my Dad would refer to Hemingway from time to time and admired his writing. Interesting enough, Tina and I learned today that one of Hemingway’s sons was named Gregory. Could I have been named after one of Hemingway’s sons? My father passed away in 2009 but my mom at almost 93 might have some insight. The Keys and water are breath-taking reminding us of the blue and green colors phase of Lake Keowee back home. A series of islands strung along together across a 90 mile stretch from Key Largo to Key West they are simply spectacular. Tomorrow through Thursday we’ll continue to explore the Keys before heading on Friday to the Everglades National Park and slowly making our way up the Gulf of Mexico coastline of Florida.

Tina got her hair done during the day, I washed the baby Jeep, and we spent one more night in “Paradise Lost” in Fort Lauderdale since we were not scheduled for our site at Key Largo until Saturday. Since our site was the worst one of the place (next to trash bins and no septic hookup) it was no surprise that it was also next to the “recreation area.” Little did we know that last night at the rec area there would be a full blown Valentine’s party with a DJ that rocked in to the early hours of the night. Our RV was reverberating with oldie classics all night. 😡 The next morning we couldn’t leave fast enough but before leaving I realized that our hitch ball had almost come off and stripped the treads for the large nut, so a quick trip to the auto parts store and I put a new one in place. The worst thing that could have happen is that the Jeep would have come off the hitch 😳 but we have safety cables. 😀 Today was a travel day to Key Largo and on a lunch stop one the the welds holding our retractable steps had broke. The housing holds the auxiliary RV batteries and retractable steps. The weld had broken before we left Clemson and our good neighbor Gregg helped weld them back in place. Once we arrived at Key Largo this afternoon I rewelded the brake with JB Weld. With it, duct tape, and WD- 40 you can fix about anything. Now we’re at Key Largo in the Keys at Blue Fin RV Resort and Marina. Tomorrow we head on down the Keys to visit the Ernest Hemingway House in Key West, eat at Jimmy Buffet’s margaritaville, and walk on the beach. Life is indeed good! 😀

Spent most of the day traveling and arrived in Fort Lauderdale later than we wanted so consequently we got the last spot which was an overflow site right next to the trash bins 😫. It had 50 amp hookup and water but no sewer. This place is called Paradise Island RV Resort but it’s more like Paradise Lost. And there is no island! RVs are packed in here like sardines with virtually no privacy. Even thought this place was listed in the Good Sam 2020 Guide Series book (RVers guide to campgrounds across the US) and they rated it fairly high, that didn’t seem to mean much. I’ve learned now to read the reviews ahead of time before reserving. The only excitement today was that the rubber seal broke under our toilet and sewage was leaking out. 😷 (Tyron flashbacks of what happened at then house several weeks ago before we left.) Managed to find a place to buy a new seal and installed this evening. In the process discovered that the black holding tank (where stuff from the toilet goes after flushing) is not completely flushing out when I drain at RV septic dump stations or sites that have sewer hookups. Something I’ll check in tomorrow while Tina gets her roots colored. No pics today, although I could have taken several of the toilet in pieces. One more evening here then we’re headed for our next stop at Key Largo in the Keys.

We spent part of Tuesday traveling and on the beach. After setting up I went on the roof of the RV to check the satellite dish and realized part of the protective hood over one of our vents had shattered and was missing. Not sure if I hit a branch or what but no big deal. Will order one from the manufacturer while on the road. Have already order and received several other parts (power window switch, step switch, and door shock spring) that I have put on as we travel down the road. We’re both getting the hang of RVing and really enjoy having a base camp to see the coast of Florida and other sites. Today we visited the Kennedy Space Center and what an amazing place that chronicles America’s space program! A must see if you have never been there. We toured where they built and launched the space vehicles series Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttles as well as the new commercial ventures. We were blown away about the engineering and technology hurtles that were over come and what it took to get these vehicles and man in to space. It made us both proud to be Americans. Tomorrow we head to Fort Lauderdale for 2 days (Tina is getting her hair done there since her roots are showing 😳) then we had for Key Largo and the Keys where we hope to spend a week. Life is good. 😀

Spent the day exploring Daytona Beach and the boardwalk. Also visited Daytona Speedway where next Sunday the Daytona 500 will be held. You could hear the roar of engines/cars practicing on the speedway today. Also spent time on the beach. Life is good. Tomorrow we head to Cocco Beach.

We started today with a long walk then after breakfast headed to Daytona Beach. GPS is great except when it’s trying to take you a shorter route through the country with a tall coach on 10 foot over pass bridge roads. Fortunately we realized what was ahead before it was too late. Stopped for lunch in a church parking lot to have lunch and couldn’t make a turn heading out so had to disconnect the Jeep Cherokee we’re towing so I could back out. I’m learning. Got to our RV site right on the beach. We can feel the sea breeze and see and hear the waves. It will be great sleeping tonight. Tomorrow we’re heading in to Daytona.

Started the day early, finally getting a little writing time in, working on a book about the behind scenes stories of wildlife conservation. We’re at Verlano Beach, a peninsula adjacent to St. Augustine with a wonderful RV site. After breakfast Tina and I walked to a pier right outside the RV, where Tina feed pelicans and gulls cut up chicken (so much for dinner tonight). It was amazing how close the birds got to Tina. Afterwards we headed in to the historic city of St. Augustine, where we viewed the entire city on a guided tour. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, it is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement within the borders of the continental United States. We visited Castillo de San Marcos which is the oldest and largest masonry fort in the US, Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, and a host of other historical sites. Tina and I drank from the fountain of youth and my hair has already grown back on my head and Tina is now a redhead 😁. Since we fed the pelicans our dinner this morning, we settled on eating dinner at Aunt Katie’s, a local restaurant within walking distance of our RV eating fried gator tails, seafood, and meatloaf for Tina. It was a day to remember! Tomorrow we head for Ormond Beach outside of Daytona.

Spent the morning exploring the rest of Jekyll Island then headed to and arrived later in the day at St. Augustine, the oldest city in the US. Most of the day was travel on an extremely windy day. Driving the motorcoach in the wind felt like steering a jet ski in the middle of an ocean with high waves. Tina and I reflected on the past times we had been this way when we were much younger with family; lots of changes since we were last here. Tomorrow we’ll explore St. Augustine. We did stop and buy 2 bikes which we’ll use on all our stops and down at the Keys.

Started off the day spending the morning at the Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Education Center on Jekyll Island. A wonderful facility started by Dr. Terry Norton, DVM, who also happens to be an adjunct faculty member at Clemson. The Center takes in sea turtles injured by boat props or have been “cold shocked” similar to hypothermia in people. Staff are wonderful and also provide work opportunities for Americorp students. We’ve had several Clemson students work here in the past. Had lunch at Sunshine Cafe, I had a shrimp poboy and Tina had a shrimp platter. Best shrimp we’ve had in a while! Then spent the afternoon hiking and exploring the historic William Horton homesite built in 1736. Horton was a trusted officer of James Oglethorpe, founder of Georgia. Weather was been prefect, however, this evening under a tornado warning as the front that has hit most of the Southeast hits here in about an hour. The RV is parked under a huge live oak draped in Spanish moss so hopefully the limbs will withstand the high winds and rain expected tonight. 😳 Tomorrow morning headed to St. Augustine, FL.

We started the day with a hike along a boardwalk through the floodplains of the Ogeechee River. Then had lunch, packed up and headed to Jekyll Island State Park on Jekyll Island which will be our home until Friday morning. Once we set up we explored the island and walked along the beach at Driftwood Beach. Many of the trees adjacent to the beach had been killed years ago by salt water intrusion and all that remains were their skeletons frozen in time. As we continued down the beach we saw an overturned cargo ship, The Golden Ray, upside down in the middle of St. Simons Sound near the Port of Brunswick. Evidently, after leaving the port September 9, 2019, the ship loaded with 4200 Hyundai cars over turned trapping 9 crewmen, until the coast guard came to the rescue. The ship still remains overturned in the Sound resembling a huge beached whale. Tomorrow we’ll explore more of the island.