Our journey begins with Little CurbCrusher who will now be called PreTeen CurbCrusher (PTCC) and Lady CurbCrusher (LCC) hitting the road for Tallahassee without CurbCrusher (CC). We were going to experience 4H day at the Capitol on April 22, 2010. So as much as LCC hates to drive especially long distances she volunteered for this duty. PTCC and LCC left on Wednesday morning heading to TLH and all was good until getting off I-10 in TLH for the hotel when the GPS said to get off then make a U turn immediately. What? I just got off I-10 why does it want me to make a U turn? I kept going straight and the GPS was yelling at me to U turn! U turn!. Finally I pulled off the road and did what any sensible wife would do: I called my husband. Only to find that he was in my van coming back from lunch with all his work buddies, at 2 o’clock?? Some lunch! Since I had taken the toad (read Saturn Vue) to TLH to later hook up with our MH to begin our trip out west, this left my minivan at home with CC. Since he finally had enough room to carry everyone he volunteered to be the car camel for lunch. Well since he wasn’t in his office I had to read the little tiny map they give you on the FL state map we had in the car that was at least 10 years old, And I found out that I was going the wrong way. So I turned around just like the GPS wanted me to and got back on the correct road. Basically it was a frontage road situation which was why it looked like I was getting back on I-10. CC finally called when he got back in his office and I called out roads to him as I passed them and I finally found the hotel. It would have made it easier if TLH was flat like where we live and didn’t let trees grow up in front of signs either.
After checking in we head out again to go to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State park.(Photos here) I’m on a quest to get every stamp in my FL State park passport. So this was a big one, since I had the potential to get at least 6 stamps for other parks as well. Plus it was a natural spring and it was hot and PTCC wanted to swim. So we drove out there. It was about 14 miles from our hotel in the rolling hills outside of TLH. Upon arriving I asked about the stamps and was directed to the boathouse. So we drive back, park and find the boathouse. Once inside I ask about my stamps and now I’m told I have to go to the lodge. OK…well I know at the lodge we can get ice cream since they have a snack bar. So we head there. It’s pretty ornate the lodge is. Built in 1934 as a preservation lodge by Edward Ball for his guests to enjoy the springs and wildlife. We find the front desk and get my stamps and I even get a bonus one I didn’t know they gave! Yeah! Then we go looking for the ice cream counter and boy is it nice. I read it is the longest continuous marble countertop in the world. Well it looked it for sure. We ordered sundaes and ate them inside then PTCC went to change for swimming. She was looking forward to jumping off their 2 story dive platform. They also had 2 floating swim docks anchored out in the water and give several boat tours a day of the Wakulla River. Otherwise there is not much to do here. PTCC joined several local college kids, probably from FSU, on the platform and commenced jumping. I stayed on dry ground and took pictures. I did follow her up the tower for a couple of shots but got down quick in case anyone was thinking of sending me over the edge. The water temp was about 70 degrees. Well after jumping for awhile PTCC was finished and was starting to get cold so we headed back. We still had 2 stops to make on the way: Publix for $$ and gas for the car. I tried to hit the Publix back home before we left but it wouldn’t read the card so we still needed $$ for PTCC to have souvenir money. I also needed gas because the needle was getting very close to empty. I’m used to my van that will go 450 miles on a tank but the toad only goes about 320 so I needed to find some gas soon or I would be pushing the toad. So I tell PTCC to keep her eyes open for either. Soon we come to a Publix and that took care of that errand and then continue on the quest for gas, because now the light is flashing at me, but only when we are going downhill. It was kind of funny watching it change back and forth depending on the angle of the car. Well we find a gas station and pull in and input our card and info to find out that all the pumps are tagged and there is no gas! Bummer! But PTCC had cleaned the windshield so it was not all bad. Now we get back in the car and start looking again. Luckily we find one 3 miles down the road and fill up. Now we won’t have politicians stopping to help us tomorrow as we head for the Capitol (like that would ever happen!)
Back at the hotel we try to hook up to the free wi-fi but it’s a no go. Seems that we are on the 1st floor and the antennae is on the 3rd so we aren’t going to have any luck with this. But they do have a computer in the lobby so we head there to get visual directions to the Capitol tomorrow. The hotel is also having a little party for guests so we join them at the pool. Hot wings and sides and cold drinks. So we used it as our appetizer before dinner. One guest was handing out pistachios which I had never eaten in the shell before so we tried them and loved them. PTCC went back for another handful. Then on to dinner at Ruby Tuesday’s which is next door so we walked over there and ordered. We both got so much we saved half for the next days dinner since we have a kitchen in our room.