East coast of Florida

Okay, we’ve been off for quite awhile. The holidays have a way of doing that to you.

We left Marathon, in the Florida Keys, on Tues. Nov 21 to drive north to Jacksonville to spent Thanksgiving with family. We decided to take the fastest route (I 95) so that we could get to Jacksonville in time to bake pies, etc. We planned our trip so that we could arrive in Boynton Beach around lunchtime to meet old college friends Sandy and Tommy C. We had a wonderful visit and got caught up on family and old friends. It was just like the years had not passed since the 60’s (well, maybe just a little). We reminisced about fun in the “good ole days” at the University of Florida. One story that was recalled was when John and Tommy went squirrel hunting and Sandy and Pris cooked up the squirrel-buckshot and all. I guess a lot has changed.

GO GATORS!

We drove to Jonathan Dickenson State Park just outside Jupiter, Florida to spend the night. It’s too long a drive from the Keys to Jacksonville in one day (at least for an RV that does not exceed 55 mph). John and Pris spent the first year of their married life in Jupiter, Florida, so it was also a trip back in time. Pris taught biology at Jupiter H.S. and John worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. Their three bedroom house on a quarter of an acre is still there, but worth more than the

$15,000 they paid for it.

The camping ground at Dickenson State Park is located near the beach and the Loxahatchee River. Our campsite was located near a wetlands swamp with many birds and signs warning to watch out for alligators. The alligators are protected and are increasing in numbers all over Florida. When we lived in Florida in the 60’s, you rarely heard about alligators. That certainly has changed. We looked carefully when we went for a walk, especially at night.

We continued up the coast and arrived at the closest private campground to our family. It was located on a river that fed into the larger St John’s River. It was nice being located next to the water so we could see all the abundant birds-egrets, herons, storks, ibis, hawks, etc. Didn’t see any alligators this time, but we were sure they were there.

We returned to the beach outside St Augustine after Thanksgiving, and parked the RV at Anastasia State Park for a second stay. The campsites are large, mostly private, and it’s a short walk to the beach or the wetlands. St Augustine is a beautiful city with wonderful restaurants, so that was also a great draw. The city is all decked out with Christmas lights and decorations. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful holiday decorated city. (Our 4 most favorite cities have been Quebec City, Bar Harbor, Savannah and St Augustine. I would highly recommend a visit to any of these.)

Surprising, Jacksonville can get quite cold in the winter. It is located on the far NE corner of Florida. We remember one Christmas where it even snowed in Jacksonville, even if just alittle. So we spent the next few days “winterizing” the RV. This is not something you have to worry about in southern California. John rented a compressor from the local Home Depot and we blew out all the water lines. The RV is now stored in Florida and we have departed for southern California to spend the holidays. We will not resume our adventure until the beginning of February.

Happy Holidays to everyone.