It’s Labor Day weekend at Salt Springs (and a mini family reunion as well)

September 18, 2011 by LadyCC.

Friday, September 2, 2011

We’re heading to Salt Springs for the Labor Day weekend. We leave around 12:30 pm and arrive there about 2:30 pm on a sunny Friday afternoon. On the trip with us this time is CC (curb crusher-husband), LCC (lady curb crusher-me), TCC (teen curb crusher-13) and friend JB (also 13).

This will also be a mini family reunion for us as well with CC’s parents GD (granddaddy) and GM (grandmother) also known as the G’s, and CC’s Uncle T and Aunt D. We were originally going to camp with the NEFCC’s (North East FL Camping Club) but that didn’t seem to work out well this trip. I did hear they had about 45 people total in the group for this weekend though.

We arrive and start to get set up. The smartest thing I’ve done since the last long trip was to write down all the things we do to set up and break down the RV and post it next to the slide out buttons. Now instead of TCC asking me continuously if everything is done she can read it and work on the list. So I left TCC and JB to set up the inside of the RV while I helped CC set up the outside. Since we were staying 4 nights we set up the EZUP in our site.

The sites at Salt Springs are all asphalt where the RV sits and grass everywhere else. They are FHU in the RV section as well. The campground offers an old basketball court, horseshoe field and a small walking trail, but the best thing is the springs which are 68 degrees year round. This is where we were headed as soon as we finished with our setup.

CC’s aunt and uncle as well as parents weren’t at their sites so we went without them. We all grabbed our snorkels and jumped in the car for the short ride to the springs. JB had come last year so she knew what to expect. The water was very refreshing and it was not crowded at all on a Friday afternoon so we had the springs to ourselves. We saw a lot of fish and the water was very clear where the boils were. The boat people were already in place for the holiday weekend. Most of them stay on their boats in the mouth of the springs all weekend. After about an hour and a half we came back to the campsite to shower and start making dinner.

We were making our usual dinner for Friday arrival, which is hamburgers. It used to include hot dogs until TCC said she doesn’t like them anymore. About this time the G’s show up and tell us their adventures since they got here. They had the power go out on their site on Thursday and since every site was taken for the holiday, the campground couldn’t move them. So they called an electrician to fix the problem and after a couple of hours the power was working again. For their trouble they gave them 10 nights of camping. I wish it had been us… then we’d come more often.

Then they told us the trouble T and D had with their tires. They all went to Palatka to get it fixed as T and D have a class B RV and don’t tow a car. It was kind of funny as the G’s said they left T and D at the gas station to fill up- but 2 hours later they still hadn’t come back. Eventually they arrived and we all had a laugh about them getting lost at Walmart.

After we ate everyone had gathered at the G’s RV and were catching up on family events until late that night. The next day I had made plans to tour 3 wineries in the area and invited everyone to go. My dad (GP-grandpa) and his girlfriend (A) were coming up for the day to go with us as well.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

We have our usual breakfast of pancakes and get ready to go. We are just waiting on GP and A to arrive. They showed up and everyone sat down to drink coffee together until I reminded them we needed to leave. TCC really wanted her aunt D to go but every time we asked she had said no . But eventually TCC wore her down and she came with us. So we had a full car with 5 of us, and my dad and A followed in his truck. (I had warned him not to bring his car as we would be traveling on some dirt roads).

Our first stop was the Royal Manor Winery in Interlachen, or so we thought. I had programmed our GPS with the address but we ended up in a field instead. So we called the winery and the owner, Joe, gave us directions to get there. They are really off oft the beaten path. Signage would be a good thing for them to invest in.

The owner was actually away on a buying trip in GA but left his sister in charge. Unfortunately she didn’t really know too much about the wines. There was no wine menu to check off and she couldn’t tell me what the wines were made of. I found out later from Joe that he uses all types of fruit but no grapes yet. That is still to come. We started off tasting the first one and before I could swirl/smell/sip- D and A were asking for a taste of the second wine and so it went. There were 10 wines to sample but I felt hurried by them. Usually the wine steward takes control of the tasting but Joe’s sis didn’t seem to be able to. I finally chose the Royal Passion which is made from passion-fruit, hence the name. Royal Manor had a small gift store and sometimes they have ice cream but not today. Unfortunately for TCC, JB, and, dad there was no juice here though. They had a really nice place with lots of land for growing their strawberries , blueberries, and, blackberries. There were horses in the fields and lots of grapevines growing for the future wines.

After purchasing we moved on to our second stop of the day; Tangled Vines in Grandin. This one was more prominently near the road and the GPS got us there OK. They had 7 wines to try and I bought Carlos, which is a white wine, and D bought Holiday Cheer , also made with Carlos grapes. Both were very good I thought. This winery had more of an atmosphere to it as well. The steward was more knowledgeable and there were wine menus to read. There was a very nice store with lots of different crafts and wine items to purchase. D bought an egg peacock for great grandmother and some chocolates for the girls (which were very good-another reason to go back). I bought my cork globe here (remember I saw one up in the Grayton?) D was collecting wine glasses for her daughter but couldn’t find them. The clerk pointed up and if they had been snakes they would have bit us because they were hanging right over our heads! (Remember we’ve now tried 17 wines…) The clerk also invited us to try the grapes growing on the vines behind the store. I was surprised when I tried them because I tend to like white wines, which is the Carlos grape, but I really liked the Noble, which is the dark red grape. Didn’t I just buy a bottle of Carlos?! Still no juice here though.

We ate lunch that we had prepared earlier and brought since it was about 12:30 and then continued to the last stop at Log Cabin winery which was in Satsuma. This time we had to pay $2 pp to try the 5 wines that they had. There is an old log cabin on the premises which is how they named their winery. We couldn’t go into it though. The owner was really proud of her harvester which we saw a picture of on the wall in the store. When D asked her how much it cost she wouldn’t tell us, which we thought weird since she was the one who mentioned how expensive it was.

My dad, TCC, and JB had their own tasting because finally there was juice. The winery sold both Scuppernong and Muscadine juices. I bought TCC some Scuppernong since she had tried Muscadine in the panhandle last month. Here I purchased the Log Cabin white made with Carlos grapes again.

Now comes the fun part of the trip at least as far as CC was concerned. We had planned our trip so we would travel in a circle so we could ride the Fort Gates ferry back. It costs $10 per car and it takes 2 cars at a time across the St Johns River. The ferry is actually something that looks like an old pontoon boat pushed by a jon boat. (I think it’s more than that but that was my impression). It saves 50 miles of driving back the other way.

When we got to the ferry there were 2 cars ahead of us so we were able to see how it worked. The cars rolled onboard and seemed liked they barely fit. The trip across took about 10 minutes and then it came back for us. We were lucky that no one got on from the other side because we would have to back up to let them off and there was really no room to move the car.

When it was our turn to load I walked on instead of riding in the car because I thought that if it went down I would at least be able to swim back to shore. The rails were really rusty and the boat looked OLD. CC had sent me an article saying that this is a 3^rd generation business. I hope they’re not using the original boat. The breeze was nice as we were crossing so that much was worth it. As we neared the dock on the other side CC showed me that my dad’s truck tailgate was hanging over the edge of the boat. I wished that he had shown me sooner so maybe TCC and JB could have ridden right over the water on the tailgate . NOT!

After we were finished docking, we drove about 3 miles (it seemed) on a dirt road that runs next to the campground to get back. We all shared what we had done all day when we got back while getting dinner ready. The G’s and Uncle T had spent their day at the flea market across the street and then had lunch at the diner there. We had decided to do a shared meal with tacos. My dad and A needed to get back by 7 so we ate a little early so they could leave. There was more than enough food and plenty of desserts and D provided us with homemade ice cream too. YUM.

It was too late to go swimming but after GP and A left, CC and I walked down to the springs to see the elusive otters. On the way we saw 3 deer: a mom and 2 fawns. We didn’t get to see any otters that night but we will try again.

The girls watched movies while the adults opened the wines we had bought and enjoyed good conversation and music.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

CC and his dad GD ran this morning keeping to their workout schedules so they will be on track to run their ½ marathon at Disney in Jan. I got a picture of CC and one of Uncle T as he was walking but none of GD. He must have been up early because I didn’t see him. CC decided to wait until it was light outside because he heard there were bears around and he didn’t want to meet another one, especially since he had to share his milk with one in GA.

We then went in and had breakfast and sat around and chatted again until it was too hot, then we headed to the springs again. We stayed a couple of hours and T and D joined us toward the end. I think they were shocked at how cold the water was. It took Uncle T awhile to finally get all in and Aunt D’s toes turned black from the cold water. It was kind of scary to look at them.

We then went back and had showers so we could head out for a late lunch at Sparky’s in Astor. It’s home of the cheese skirted hamburger. All the meals we ordered were really good. Then we were going to Barberville which has the kitchiest stuff I’ve ever seen. We even got a behind the scenes tour of them prepping and painting some of the statues.

We were so full that CC and I took a walk around the campground and ran into Omar from NEFCC. Last year he had bought a 1941 Greyhound bus and started fixing it up. CC really wanted pictures of the unusual inside so he asked if he could take some. T and D were riding their bikes and we called them over and introduced then to Omar. The bathroom inside is really amazing. It has tiny mirror tiles on every surface inside. They even have a dishwasher.(Wish I had one sometimes!). Omar said he hadn’t used the bus since last year’s event.

After leaving Omar we walked back around to our site where the girls were watching a movie and braiding each other’s hair. We sat outside and chatted until time to go to bed.

Monday, September 5, 2011

CC and I got up early to see if we could spot the otters again. This time we were lucky as we were taking pictures of the sunrise CC saw one otter pop his head up near the stairs. We followed them to the grass island area near the boats and were able to get a couple of shots of them. When walking back we saw another deer feeding near the office area.

The girls still weren’t up so we went ahead and had breakfast without them and then walked around the campground. Lots of people are up and packing their stuff. We were able to see the person who runs the NEFCC site and talk to him about why I wasn’t able to log in. Hopefully he will be able to set it right soon.

Uncle T and Aunt D are going home today but the G’s and us are staying until Tuesday. We sat and had coffee and talked until they were ready to go and then hugged goodbye. It was getting quite hot so we took off for the springs again and just enjoyed floating in the water for a couple of hours.

Didn’t do too much today except watch the campers leave. Earlier the G’s and us decided we would have leftovers from taco night and we ate them around 2 pm. Just as soon as we got everything ready to eat the skies opened up and it poured for at least an hour. We didn’t care though because we were dry and inside enjoying each other’s company.

Later after the rain had stopped we cleaned up the site to get ready to go tomorrow. After we were hot again GM brought out root beer and we added Blue Bell ice cream and had root beer floats. As it got dark the girls watched another show and the adults sat around chatting until bedtime. We leave early tomorrow to get back to our ordinary lives.

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It’s too hot! Time to go to Kelly Park and tube in Rock Springs

August 22, 2011 by LadyCC.

August 19-21, 2011

We loaded up this weekend and went down the road 30 minutes to a local county park in Apopka, called Kelly Park/Rock Springs. This is our 4^th stay at this park and we still enjoyed it. It is so hot here in Central FL so going to the springs is very refreshing.

About the campground:

There are 26 sites but seven are without power. 1 pull-through site but it has no power. Two Family sites, one with power. No pets or alcohol allowed in the park and they DO check. On duty sheriff deputy on site entire time park is open. Very family, group oriented park. No loud music, cursing or fighting going on. I even saw some loud mouthed kids at the springs get their entire family ejected for loud cursing. This is a very family friendly park where they don’t put up with rule breakers! Really appreciate that this park is so nice.

Only 15/30A at elec sites. Most sites were big enough for a 40 ft RV. The water hookups were to the back and left of the site (leftover from when it was only tenting) and the electric was at the front of the sites. Be sure to bring long enough hoses/cords.

Bathhouse was old but seemed clean. They have tried to update counter tops and stalls but showers have not been updated. You have to exit shower to get dressed- there is no dressing area, and nowhere to hang your towel or put your soap, etc. No A/C either. There is a small swing set in camping area next to bathhouse but park has two larger playgrounds in day use area that are updated and very nice.

Campground road is dirt and sites are limestone with concrete pads for the picnic tables. Site has a combo fire pit/grill. Dump station is very rustic but workable. Busy weekends you might get blocked on the road by an RV using it. Campground also has a pavilion for campers use with several tables and grills. There is a separate entrance/exit for campers once they check in because there is usually a long line at ranger station for day use persons and they let one car in as one exits especially in summer. Park closes in summer at 10 am and re opens at 3 pm for crowd control. There was enough privacy in campsites and a concrete sidewalk that led from the bathhouse to the springs swimming area.

Tubing was awesome. Get tubes outside of park on your way in- park does not rent them- or bring your own. River shallow enough to walk so it’s good for little ones. There is also a beach sand area near the swimming area. Water was between 68-72 degrees, felt great in August. Nice boardwalks to get you back to beginning or you could use hiking trails. Tubing takes about 25 minutes if its not too crowded. Plenty of lifeguards in tube run and swimming area. Concession stand had all kinds of food and was reasonable.

We saw birds, alligators, turtles, raccoons, and plenty of fish and the largest grasshoppers ever. There was a young bear going through the picnic area checking trash cans. They have added bear proof cans in the camping area since our visit last year.

No online reservations but park does take credit cards over phone.

Our site was shady as are most. It looks like they might have cut back some vegetation in some of the sites. We were able to get many stations on our digital converter box so TV viewing was ok and clear. Maybe in the winter so we can do some hiking as we haven’t had a chance to get to that yet. Park has a permanent orienteering course set up and several hiking paths to wander.

As a camper you can walk the spring trail after the park closes and see lots of wildlife come out. Our site was HUGE and next to the walkway. Lots of shade and they also sell firewood for campers now. Apopka is close by with many stores if you forget anything. Best value in Central FL in our book.

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CurbCrusher Clans Goes to Gayton Beach, FL

July 31, 2011 by LadyCC.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

We are on our way again this week to take TCC(TeenCrusherCrusher) to 4H camp up in Niceville, FL. She has chosen a Marine Science camp this year. So while she’s away doing campy things, CC (CurbCrusher) and I (Lady CC), are going to explore the panhandle area.

We arrived at around 4 pm to Grayton Beach State Park. We had toured here about 3 years ago when one of CC’s cousins was married. We stayed at Topsail Hill State Park that trip but wanted to see other parks in the area. What also helped us to chose this one was a blogger on the FortFiends.net site that said he came up here often and gave some great pointers about what to see and do.

After setting everything up in the site, we put on our swimsuits and rode our bikes down to the beach. The water was blue green, hence the name of the Emerald Coast. Unfortunately the water also had bunches of sticky green seaweed stuff floating in it. You could look like the character in the Green Lagoon if you didn’t rinse off. The water temperature was fine, no shells to cut your feet on and the sand was powdered sugar fine. After our playtime in the water we each took showers to rinse the green from ourselves and decided to go out for dinner. We wanted Mexican food, so we set out to find some. We ended up at Don Pedros on Hwy 98, since the restaurant we wanted to go to didn’t seem to exist anymore. The meal was great and if we’re in the area we will go back.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

We explored some of Seaside today as its only a mile from our park. Most of the shops seem pretty high end with items we wouldn’t buy. But I guess they do have a market for most of it. We also drove to Publix (4.5 miles) to get hamburger buns and steaks for later in the week. This will be TCC’s last night with us so she wanted the hamburgers for her meal. Then we took naps and read our books, took a bike ride to the beach, had our showers and then dinner.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Today we are on a mission to get LCC’s park signs and stamps for her FL park book. First we take TCC up to the ranger station where she turns in her Jr Ranger book for 2 pins that she has earned by finishing the book. After making sure TCC has packed everything she needs for 4H camp we leave and head for Topsail Hill State Preserve. We get a new map there and 2 stamps, one for TS and one for Rocky Bayou. We then leave and head to Henderson Beach State Park which is smack in the middle of Destin. Lots of traffic here. We get our stamps and a new map and then head over to the Walmart across the street because CC needs flip flops. We pick up a couple of other things and go to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. After we finished lunch we headed out to Rocky Bayou to get my park sign photo. We didn’t actually enter the park since Topsail had given me the stamp and Henderson has the updated park map on their park map as well. We find Camp Timpoochee and drop off TCC there. Their 4H camp seems more compact but nicer than Camp Ocala. We’ve heard the food is better there as well. Her cabin, unlike Camp Ocala has bunkbeds (so 10 kids to a cabin), and 2 sinks, toilets and showers so no waiting on others to get into the bathroom. Supposedly this is an alternative to going to Congress if kids would rather be at camp.

After dropping TCC off and saying our goodbyes until Friday morning, we head out to find Eden Gardens State Gardens. When we arrived we were just in time to get in on the last tour. The house was given to the State of Florida in the 50’s and it has the USA’s 2^nd largest collection of Louis 16^th furniture inside. Originally it was a house for a sawmill family and their workers and when it was sold it became a home and gardens. Because both times no one in the family wanted it, it was sold or given away. After our tour we continued on back to Grayton finding a tiny Publix in Watercolor that is much closer than the one on Hwy 98.

We took short naps and then read for awhile then decided we would go out to eat at one of the places we could bike to. Unfortunately in this area most places seem to be closed right after the weekend so it was hard to find a restaurant open. Finally we found one near us called The Little Italy Ristorante. We practically had the place to ourselves. Both of us ordered small pizzas and they brought us homemade bread and dipping oil to try. The food was very good. A couple of ladies that sat near us stopped at our table when they were leaving to tell us to spread the word about the place because they didn’t want to see it close from lack of patronage.

After dinner we biked back to the park and said hi to the ranger Jody. She gave us a couple of other places to eat if we were interested. We then biked down to the beach and walked around the waves for awhile.

Tuesday, July 26,2011

Today started with a short hike in the park. We biked down to the beach area where the trail starts. I thought I had a trail summary but I actually had the one from Henderson Beach instead. As we started walking through the dunes on the path it started to rain and continued to rain the whole hike. As least it wasn’t lightning, just thunder. So not too many pictures from the hike as I was trying to keep the camera from getting too wet.

We came back to the RV to load up and check out Camp Helen, another state park nearby. It started as a retreat for a textile mill owner and then was purchased by someone else to be operated as a resort. They added more small cabins and a recreation hall to the property. Today, you can picnic and swim in the bay.

After leaving Camp Helen we headed into Panama City Beach to go to the SeaBreeze Winery. Their vineyards are in north FL but they bottle everything in PCB. I was able to do a wine tasting and bought 2 bottles, 1 white and 1 red, which is surprising to me since I don’t like Muscadine grapes and I don’t normally like red wine. They have a slushie mix that you add to the wine and freeze and even CC wants to try that since he tasted it at the store.

After making my purchases we left to head to St Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach. I wanted my stamp and the park sign and we wanted to look around the park.

After arriving and finding out where to go for the stamp we toured the park. It is really big. They have 3 stores inside the park. Normally they have a boat shuttle to Shell Island but because of bad weather it was not running today. We walked the boardwalk near the fishing pier and the inlet area of the beach. Then we drove around the campgrounds. They have 2 and they must have about 174 sites total between them. It is the largest campground in Floria.

After checking everything out we left and headed back to Grayton State Park. On the way we stopped when we saw a boiled peanut seller but he only had Cajun peanuts. But a few miles down the road we saw another boiled peanut seller and were able to get regular peanuts from him. We need a few more things so we stopped at the Publix in Watercolor to get them and made our way back to the campsite.

Tonight we are marinating chicken to grill with fresh vegetables. Yum!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

This morning we decided would be our breakfast out morning. When we got up the rain was pouring down. This week has been pretty wet for a beach week. Mostly it rains early in the morning or right before sunset. The plan had been to ride our bikes to breakfast but because of the rain we ended up driving a ¼ mile away to a small cafe called, Another Broken Egg Cafe. Upon reading the menu when we got there it stated the cafe was started in Metarie on the north shore of Lake Ponchatrain near New Orleans. So in honor of that we started with beignets and then I ordered a Belgian waffle and CC had an omelet.

After finishing breakfast it was still raining so we decided to go ahead and travel to the last winery in the area, Three Oaks, in Vernon. This winery was really out in the middle of nowhere. After driving about an hour we arrived and were the only customers in the parking lot. The winery store looks like a grandma’s attic store. Very quaint and country looking. When we walked in I wasn’t sure we were in a winery then either. The store was filled with crystal and teacups. There was not much there dealing with wine or accessories for wine. The co-owner, Doug Biddle, was at the counter when we entered and he wasn’t very talkative. CC really tried to draw him out but I guess he wasn’t much of a people person today. When I asked to try the wines he didn’t talk up how they made them, what I should be tasting, etc. He just poured them into communion sized plastic cups and set them on the counter. After tasting I walked around the shop, and CC said Doug pulled out a magazine to read while he waited to see if I would buy something. I actually bought a white Muscadine because it did taste good. I usually don’t like the Muscadine wines as some have a bitter aftertaste.

Since we didn’t have anything else to occupy ourselves for the rest of the day, we stopped at a Publix to get coffee since I was running low, and then a small Walmart nearby to see what they had. I wish they could make the Walmart near our home like this one. It was about the same size as the store we had plus a small grocery with it. But it didn’t have the garden center or automotive area. Unfortunately there is a Publix in the same shopping center so it will never have the grocery inside the store.

Since we had such a big breakfast we skipped lunch and read and napped for most of the afternoon. About 2 pm we packed up and headed to the beach since the rain seemed to move out to the Gulf. We spent about 2 hours there and the green seaweed is still in the water. We saw a ranger on the way back and asked him about the vehicles on the beach and he told us that only Walton County residents that pay a special fee, and have 4 wheel drive vehicles can drive on the public beach.

We came back and took our showers and started preparing dinner. Tonight we are having steaks that we started marinating yesterday, baked potatoes, and a salad. I think this is the best we have eaten on any camping trip for awhile. After dinner we walked around the campground to mark down sites we liked if we came back. We met a family from Slidell, LA and talked for awhile with them. They seemed surprised I knew where Slidell was, but I told them I went to school at Millsaps and had a roommate from Slidell. The man said his son was going to school at Millsaps in a couple of weeks. Small world.We came back when it started getting dark and watched some episodes of Pysch, and then read for the rest of the evening.

Not sure what was wrong with CC tonight, he became very ill near bedtime. His was most unusual since he rarely is sick.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

We ate breakfast in the RV today and then rode our bikes up to the House of Klaus on the connector road. Grabbed a menu to look at later. Then we rode our bikes into Seaside for granola at Mordica’s Market. We had tried some granola there on Saturday but didn’t get it then, so we bought it today. Then we went a little further to a beach market when it started to drizzle on us. It actually felt good because the humidity is so high right now. After looking around we rode our bikes back to Grayton SP and ate lunch and then on to the beach.

Today the beach flag was red because of Tropical Storm Don that was heading to Texas. The waves were really kicking up. CC broke our boogie board trying to ride a few. Every year when we are at the beach someone cracks a board in half. We walked up and down the beach to the public areas. They are very crowded, not like in the SP area. We have plenty of room and each family has a front row seat of the Gulf. After a couple of hours we left and went back to the RV to rest, shower and get ready to go to dinner.

We rode our bikes back up to House of Klaus for dinner. CC had a large shrimp basket, the shrimp were quite big. LCC had a famous Klaus burger that was really good. We shared a peanut butter pie for dessert that was really good. We then went back to the beach for sunset photos. Lots of people come out at sunset to take family photos. You can tell who they are because they all dress in white and beige. It must be some kind of requirement. Many have a professional photographer with them.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Got up at 6 am to see the sunrise down at the beach. This was the first morning that is wasn’t raining or drizzling since we arrived. The beach was empty except for 2 people. Very serene. The tide was coming in and the waves were starting to hit the high water mark. We walked down to the public area to see the lagoon area that everyone hangs around in during the day. We got some good shots of the sunrise and some of the shore birds.

We came back and LCC made some muffins for breakfast and we starting getting ready to go pick up TCC from 4H camp. We left around 9am to get back to Timpoochee. TCC was very tired as usual but said she did like her week there. She did end up changing cabins on that first day though.

After picking her up, we headed to Walmart to replace our boogie board, and then to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. TCC talked about what she did at camp and who she met.

Then LCC wanted to check out some prints from local artists so we stopped by the Donna Burgess gallery but didn’t get anything. There is also another artist, Nina Fritz, but she doesn’t have a gallery here, hers is in Pensacola. I will probably order something from Paul Brent. He’s a panhandle watercolor artist from Panama City. We already own a number of his prints from long ago, before TCC was born, when we came to visit CC’s family in PCB for a long weekend and discovered him then.

We stopped at Publix on the way back for some milk because we all know TCC can’t live without any and we had run out. Then back to the RV so she could nap the rest of the afternoon. We find that it is best to let her sleep as much as she wants after camp since they tend to stay up later and get up earlier than she is used to at home. It helps to keep the crankies away if she catches up on her sleep. While she was catching her ZZZZZ’s, CC and LCC went to the beach to try out the new boogie board.

It was a double red flag day with one flag having a swimmer with a circle and line through it. This means No Swimming at all. Someone near us told us that a ranger had come by on a 4wheeler and told everyone to get out of the water a few minutes before we got there. About 4 or 5 people were in the water we noticed after we set our stuff down. So we headed in as well to try out the board. The waves were above our heads and the undertow was very strong. I’ve never seen that in the Gulf. It is usually very calm. Riding the big waves was a lot of fun though. No one ever came by to tell us to leave though. Since they were so rough we quit for awhile and just sat at the edge of the surf and relaxed. We saw 3 military helicopters fly by while at the beach. I had just commented the day before that we hadn’t seen any military planes which was unusual since we were so close to Eglin AFB.

We stayed until 430pm then came back to clean up and get the RV ready to leave tomorrow. CC worked on the outside while I cleaned up the inside. TCC was still sleeping. I heard my phone beeping with a message and found one from her Spanish teacher. I had forgotten that we set up a monthly call for today. She wanted to know if we could move it to 630pm. I said yes and was surprised when she called at 530pm. I had forgotten about the time difference and was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom. TCC even spoke to her but doesn’t remember it because so was so tired.

We had an easy dinner with leftovers from the week and TCC finally got up around 6 pm. After dinner we went back down to the beach for sunset again. The waves were starting to look more normal. Lots of people doing their family photos again as well. We stayed until the sun set then came back to watch Gnomeo and Juliet and then go to bed. It was a long day for all of us since we got up to see the sunrise and TCC was so tired after camp. Tomorrow we head for home.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Today we got up and went to Starbucks for coffee (a bribe for TCC to get her moving) and then into Seaside to check out their farmer’s market. They had everyone set up near the bandshell. It was quite small only about 8 tents but we bought homemade bread, the granola lady was there as well. Some were selling fruits and vegetables and one person had seedlings to sell.

After that we came back to the RV and finished packing to head home. CC wants to take Hwy 20 to get there so we will see how it works. Should take us about 7 hours with stops for food and gas to make it home.

**We did take 20 and it was much more peaceful driving than being on I10 and 331. I think we will make a note to take this way if we come back here.

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Kelly Park September 17-19,2010

September 21, 2010 by LadyCC.

This was the CurbCrusher’s and Lady CC’s first time camping in the MH w/o PreTeen CC -who got to spend her weekend at the Nick Hotel with friends. We decided to camp at Kelly Park/Rock Springs. It is close by in Apopka and since it was still hot we wanted to tube the river. We had also decided before hand that we would not cook dinner this trip since it was only the 2 of us.

So we set up and got our tubes out and filled them and preceded to head to the spring head. The water was refreshing cold and it was a hot day so it was pure joy to cool off. On our first trip down the river CC put a hole in his tube when he ran into some rocks. So he was left holding the side the entire run to keep the air from leaking out. This greatly lessened his picture taking on the run so we don’t have much in the way of pics on the first trip. When we exited the run his tube was less than 1/2 inflated so we needed to return to the RV to patch and refill.

Upon returning we found that our power was out and so we called the ranger. CC went around and determined that the 4 sites adjacent to us also had no power. In about 10 minutes the ranger on duty showed up and flipped the breaker and all was good. I think she doesn’t understand how RV’s work because she told me that if we were using all 30 amps and we plugged in a fan, for example, we would blow the breaker. In our case, we have a power management system on our MH and it would shut something down if we added more appliances instead of throwing the breaker. In our 5th W, the fuse would blow 1st before a breaker. So the power problem was really the park’s and not because we were over using.

Well after that happened and was resolved we went and got showers and decided to head out to dinner. We seemed to have to drive awhile before we found what we were looking for: a Mexican restaurant.  We had dinner then stopped to get ice cream and headed back to thr RV to watch a movie and take a nightly walk.

Saturday morning we decided to fill the tubes with more air and then take a hike which we have never had enough time for. We walked the Kelly loop trail. It is said to be 2.1 miles and rings the park and springs. It didn’t seem very long but there were parts of it that were pleasant to hike. We saw 2 deer and got to see the 3rd landing area for camping. We walked the boardwalk behind the springs and came back out in front of the ranger house. Then it was an easy walk back to the campsite. We loaded up our tubes and then headed to the springs.  We did a couple of runs and then bought lunch from the concession stand. We had hamburgers and onion rings and both were very good and were not too bad in price either.

it started to sprinkle so we loaded our stuff up and headed back to the RV where we found a neighbor setting up for a party. I guess it is cheaper to rent a campsite for $18 then the pavilion for $50 so they did. They set up, then went tubing and when we were gone for dinner they came back to have cake and ice cream and packed up and left.

We showered then had naps and read our books and then went to the Melting Pot for dinner. We bought coupons last year and this was our last one to use before they expired. We had an excellent dinner, went back to the RV and took a walk around the springs. We saw a deer drinking on the other side of the river but some tubers scared it away. Turtles were swimming around as well as some very large fish. We weren’t lucky enough to see the otters this time though.

After our walk we came back had ice cream, and watched another movie and went to bed. Sunday was restful and we got up and had breakfast and then cleaned up, dumped the tanks and made it home. It’s lovebug season but we were lucky and didn’t hit a swarm of them so clean up was pretty easy. We took the RV back to storage and went  to pickup PTCC at the Nick Hotel. She had a great weekend and so did we.

Here’s our review I posted:

We camped in site #8. Very shady with w/e, fire ring/grill combo, picnic table on a concrete slab. Sites are long enough for the longest RV’s. We did have a problem with the power going out, but it was rectified quickly with the ranger. This our 3rd time camping here and we still really like this campground. It is quiet, but close to the river where the tubing is. Park is not crowded during the week but does get full on weekends. We saw deer on the Kelly park Loop Trail hike, as well as turkeys, raccoons, and a bear was sighted in the campground during the weekend.

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Salt Springs National Rec Area Ocala, FL September 3-6, 2010

September 8, 2010 by LadyCC.

The Curbcrusher family loaded up, plus a friend of Preteen CC’s and headed up to Salt Springs for Labor Day weekend. When we got there we met up with CC’s parents the Old Insiders (or the G’s as PTCC calls them) and a new to us camping group, NorthEast FL Camping Club. Plans were made to have a hot dog cookout on Friday night, a potluck on Saturday night and a brunch on Sunday. Sounds good to us as we like to eat and meet new people.

We arrived about 3 pm in the campground and set up. Then said hi to the relatives and scoped out the NEFCC’s sites so we could find out the scoop about the goings on. We met with a couple of them and found out the sites for the festivities and then went back to the RV to load up to head to the springs. It was about 92 degrees out and the springs are always 72 degrees so we couldn’t wait to get in and cool off.

We haven’t been to this campground since August 2007 (see previous blog entries) and the park was closed for about 2 years as they renovated the springhead walls and nearby area. The campground remained open but everyone had to go 7 miles down the road to Silver Glen to swim so we elected to wait until they were finished before coming back. They new swim area looks great and the water looks clearer as well. The only downside is that they took the beach area away so no place to play in the sand  for the little kids anymore.

After cooling off in the springs we came back to get showers so we could head to the hot dog cookout. We have camped with other clubs in the past but this one is the most laid back. Usually there is a set time to start dinner and everyone gathers and a prayer is said then we eat, but this group had a window of time to eat, 6-8 pm, and everyone just helped themselves as they got there. Since we were newbies we didn’t know the protocol and didn’t know to just help ourselves until we figured out people had started to load their plates.  We met a few people that night and found out that there were a lot of people who lived near our relatives in the Leesburg area. Most of the club is from around the Jacksonville area so that was good news for them.

After eating and visiting, we went back to the RV and the girls watched movies and CC and I walked the campground for our nightly routine. Stopped and visited with his parents for awhile, then came back and had ice cream for dessert and went to bed.

Saturday started with our traditional breakfast of pancakes and then we went across the street to the small flea market that seems to be there most weekends. We started with the National Forest office and then toured the stalls. Bought some chow-chow which I hope to use soon. Then loaded up on boiled peanuts and watermelon and we were in heaven. Went back to the RV and got suited up for the springs again and spent a good portion of the day there again. Then came back to the RV and the girls took naps and CC and I read books for the rest of the afternoon until dinner.

Had dinner with the NEFCC, this time was a potluck, and afterwards CC’s dad got to play his guitar for the crowd. He played for about an hour and since we have been blessed to hear him play often, CC and I took our nightly walk again and the girls once more watched movies and made snow cones to eat. After he finished playing we once again visited until bedtime and then turned in.

Sunday we had more pancakes and then went to the springs again. The weather didn’t look as good as the other days so we got out earlier. The girls were tired of snorkeling and CC had taken all the pictures he wanted so we left. The girls went to visit and have lunch with the G’s and we went to find a store to get more milk. On the way, CC told me about his partner at work telling him about a restaurant in Astor that served a huge smothered hamburger and he wanted to see if we could find it so off we went. We found the restaurant named Sparky’s and had a delicious meal. The fries were some of the best I ever ate. Then off back to find a store and get the milk. When we returned the G’s had dinner ready for us but we were pretty stuffed but tried to eat some more. The girls couldn’t wait to get their brownies that they had smelled cooking earlier in the day.We stayed and visited some more with his parents as they were off to Pensacola the next day and we probably won’t see them for another month until they get back.

On Monday we cleaned up and said our goodbyes and traveled back  home to unload and do our laundry and restock for the next trip. It will be a first for us as our child will not be camping with us but enjoying the Nickalodean Hotel with her friends for the weekend and we will have the RV all to ourselves.

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Sebastian Inlet SP Melbourne Beach,FL August 6-8, 2010

August 8, 2010 by LadyCC.

This weekend the CurbCrusher gang headed out to the beach at Sebastian Inlet SP. It was about a 2 hour drive for us and luckily we had good weather which is not always a guarantee in August in FL.

We arrived in the park which has several entrances and set up in site #14 which was just across from the channel.  We only had the road to the boat ramp/picnic area between us and the water. The site consisted of a gravel base, shared water between sites#13 & #14, 30A power,a combo fire ring/grill and a picnic table. We had the end site so no one was on our curb side which gave us a little more privacy. The breeze off the channel was nice since it was so hot and there were few bugs at the campsite.

After setting up we loaded the bike stroller with all the goods needed for the beach and rode our bikes to the beach. We found out there are no bike racks and there is no rinse off at the beach entry from the office area. Later we found the shower but it was behind the Fishing Museum nowhere near the beach area. We wheeled our stuff out and set up on the beach. There was a lot of wind that afternoon and the waves were fierce. So were the no-see-ums. We waded out into the water and just a step beyond my waist I hit deeper water that was over my head. There seemed to be a steep drop off in that location. Also the beach had a shelf of sand that made it hard to see the water. If you had little ones I would not recommend this section of beach for them to play because the visibility of the water was hard to see from the beach since it was so much lower than the sand. We stayed about an hour an a half and then called it quits to go back and make dinner. First night is always a cookout so we made hamburgers and hot dogs that Preteen Curbcrusher likes. Later we walked around the marina area and near the office to check out the water. The ranger that checked us in said we would be able to see dolphins in the channel and we did as we walked along the water. We also saw wild bunnies in the campground near the bath houses.Then we went inside to watch one of the 2 movies that we brought with us for the weekend.

Saturday morning we are headed to the McLarty Museum down the road about 2 miles. Nowhere did it say on the website or in the paperwork I received that there was a cost to enter but there was a $2 pp charge. They have a movie about the 1715 Plate Voyage of the Spanish Crown that was lost at sea and how people have found some of the treasure including Mel Fisher. The museum is quite small and has an observation area outside of where the treasures have been found scattered on the coast.

After leaving the museum we head to the beach just up the road from it. We liked this section better since it was flatter and there was no drop off in the water. The water was cold to us, especially since we were in it the day before and it seemed warm then. We were only about a mile south of where we were yesterday. We stayed until about 1 pm then went back to the campsite for lunch and rest. CC and I spent our time reading and enjoying the breeze and PTCC napped. About 3 pm we headed over to the Fishing Museum to see what was in there. They have a movie also about cutting the channel and everything you ever wanted to know about fishing. I personally hate fishing, don’t eat fish, so this was not the highlight of my trip.

After the museum we drove over to the marina where they rent kayaks  and motorboats to see what it looked like. Then drove to the  cove area to see if we cold snorkel. It was too shallow and there were not a lot of fish to be seen there. Also a storm was coming in so we headed to the fishing pier to take a look before it got to us. It is a really nice pier but once again fishing doesn’t interest me and I was afraid someone would cast and hook me (it has happened before when I was young I got a hook in my eyelid from someone not paying attention to those around them). It also had the requisite fishy smell. The one good thing was we had a great view of the surfers at the beach north of the jetty. There seemed to be well over 100 that afternoon.We watched them surf for awhile but after the 3rd lightning flash we left to go back to our campsite.

We got dinner together and hung out at the campsite until it got dark then walked around. The night before when we walked it was steamy but since the storm blew in it was very comfortable for walking around. Then back to the RV again and to watch our 2nd movie we brought with us.

One thing I noted was this is a 24 hour park and if you get sites by the channel expect to hear road noise from fisherman coming and going at all hours. Probably not as much a problem if you book sites farther away from the road. Overall park was OK but I would give it a 5/10. Mostly because it is so spread out. There  are 5 entrances we found: a beach side parking lot, McLarty Museum, Camping area/boat launch/fishing museum, Marina rentals, and main picnic area/surfing area/pier. So if you don’t bring a car it would be harder to get around. Especially since the bike paths do not go over the bridge- they stop just before it and it doesn’t seem safe to me to try it even though we saw bicyclists riding on the bridge. We would probably come back just not right away.

Photos are on Flickr.

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June 14, 2010 Day 54 Mammoth Cave and More Lincoln

June 15, 2010 by LadyCC.

If you are reading this blog please add a comment at the end. Let us know how we are doing with it and if there’s something you would like to see us change or add. My writing is usually several weeks ahead of CC’s ability to add the links and pictures. So check back later as well.

CC and I wanted to go on the earliest cave tour Mammoth had so we get there early and buy tickets for the 8:45 am tour of the Frozen Niagara. It lasts 1hour 15 minutes so it’s longer than I wanted but the shortest they are offering today. We end up with Ranger Mike. Actually he turned out to be a pretty good cave tour guide. He let us know lots of info and kept the tour moving along well. It was 53 degrees in the cave so by the time we came out the outside weather was very humid and muggy feeling. Mammoth is in the process of building a new visitor’s center so they have nothing on display right now. There is no movie until the new center opens. Just cave tours and hikes. The bookstore is also very small with not much in it right now. PTCC worked on the Jr Ranger while we waited to go on the tour and then finished it when we got back. We also walked down to the original opening. It was a nice blast of cold air coming out so we stood there for a few moments and enjoyed the natural air conditioning. There is a cave tour that starts from there but it didn’t run today, only on weekends. After leaving the natural opening we walked a short trail down to the cemetery of cave guides and looked around. Since we didn’t want to hike the trails there wasn’t anything else to do so we came back to Jellystone for lunch and then we took off for Hodgenville and Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace.

At the first stop we made we saw Lincoln’s Boyhood home in KY. This was where he lived from age 2-7 years old. They are in the process of updating a tavern that was built on the property after the Lincolns left so there were no inside of buildings to see. They have built a replica cabin on the property to show how small a place his family lived in when he was young. There is a creek called Knob Creek which we walked down to and PTCC cooled her feet off. We could walk all the way across it today. There was a story that Lincoln almost drowned in the creek because he could not swim and had to be rescued by a friend. It was hard for us to believe it since it was so shallow today. We then walked around the farm and property.

After seeing his boyhood home we drove to the Birthplace and watched the movie while PTCC worked on her Jr Ranger here. This will be her last one for our GART. I think she has earned about 25 or so badges on this trip.

They have a small museum here that has the family bible, the boundary oak tree ring, and a replica cabin interior to view. Some of Thomas’ types of tools are also displayed as well. After seeing the inside we walk down to the Memorial Building, which once again is being renovated. It houses the cabin that was believed to be from Lincoln’s property here but has proven to be just another old cabin. But the parks department has kept it as a representative of a pioneer cabin. Then we walked to the spring that the Lincoln’s used when they lived here called Sinking Spring. It is in a hole in the ground much like a cave. It was so hot today that that spring water that was hitting the rocks below was creating steam, since the rocks were in the sun and very hot. That was the extent of us seeing sites today.

CC decided to drive back by 31E and not the Interstate. So we got to see a lot of farms and rural areas on the way back to Cave City. PTCC wants to have Kentucky Fried chicken in KY so we will have that for dinner tonight to make her happy. Maybe we will hit the pool and slide when we get back because it is so hot today.

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June 13, 2010 Day 53 We See Three More States IL, IN, KY

June 14, 2010 by LadyCC.

We leave early, of course so we were able to dump our tanks. We get on the road so we can go through the center of St Louis while everyone else is in bed or at church today. We make it out of Missouri before most people were up. Into Illinois we travel but we cut straight across on I-64 and there were no major cities so we got through IL in about 2 hours. Then into Indiana were we gassed up about 25 miles in and then after another 25 miles we drive to the Lincoln Boyhood Home NHS. This is where Lincoln lived from 8 years old until he was 21 years old. It is also where his mother was buried.

We pull in and the only RV parking they have is back ins. Since we can’t back in with the toad attached we pulled up to the curb. I went inside to get PTCC her Jr Ranger book so she could work on it while we ate lunch. After we ate we went inside and the movie was starting so we watched that and then toured the displays inside. On one side they have a large room with a fireplace and the other there is an auditorium much like a church set up with pews.

Back outside there is a trail to follow to see Lincoln’s mother’s grave and his father’s farm that has been reconstructed. We walked the path and it led to the area that the original log cabin was built, the CCC had reconstructed the fireplace and footings. They had an interpreter inside the cabin who told us a little about the set up of the farm. We walked inside the smokehouse and carpentry shop that Thomas Lincoln had. There was also a small chicken yard, sheep, goats and a kitchen garden. We walked down the path until we came to the well they used for water. And then we walked the other path back to the RV which had 12 stones that played roles in Lincoln’s life. Some of them were the stone from his birthplace, where he worked when he left home, Mary Todd Lincoln’s home, and the place where he stood when he delivered the Gettysburg Address.

After we finished the walk we got back in the RV and headed out. We thought we were going to stay at Singing Hills RV park tonight but I saw a Jellystone park on the same road that it was on so I asked CC if he wanted to camp there. Mostly because they had a waterslide. He said he always wanted to try a Jellystone but they were never where we camped so we decided to stay there. So about 2 hours later and finally in Kentucky we stop for the night at the Cave City Jellystone.

After dinner we changed and got to try out the huge waterslide. Unfortunately by now the sun is setting so it was not as hot as it was earlier and the bugs were out and biting while we waited to go down. CC videoed his ride and then took pictures of me and PTCC as we went down since he received his Olympus water camera back from the fix it place. This was a good opportunity for him to use it to see if it still works. After the slide ride we went to the pool but it was very crowded and no one seemed to follow the rules posted on the walls of no jumping, running, diving or horseplay. I had always seen the reviews of Jellystones so I kind of knew what to expect but it is very crowded and golf carts are whizzing by pretty quick without looking around them. Kids and adults walk in the center of roads so it is hard to maneuver large vehicles here. Most of the sites are very unlevel as well since it is built near a mountain. We are about 20 foot away from the sewer hookup and it is uphill from the RV. But we won’t be here most of the day tomorrow as will we be touring Mammoth Cave and Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace.

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June 12, 2010 Day 52 We See the Arch and Grant’s Home

June 12, 2010 by LadyCC.

We get up early and start downtown to see the Westward Expansion Arch. We hope we don’t run into too much traffic because there is a Susan Koman Run for the Cure going on today downtown at 9 am. They predict 70, 000 people at the event and have closed several exits on the interstate down there.

We make it OK and park in the garage. Our tickets we have bought are for 9:20 am but when we get there and through security we ask about going earlier and are told we can go now on the south tram. So we walk down there and have our pictures taken like on a cruise. Then we wait for the tram to come back. It runs every 10 minutes. The cars are tiny with 5 hard plastic seats in them but they let more than 5 people in them. Our car had 7 people. There was a family of 4 with kids as old as 5 that had to sit on their parents laps while we went up. It was a tight fit since the walls are curved. But it only lasted about 3 minutes to get to the viewing level. We got out and were able to look out the windows over St Louis and the Mississippi River. We took video and lots of pictures. The Old Courthouse was easy to see. After 10 minutes we caught the next car going down the north leg. This time we rode by ourselves. Then we looked around the Westward Expansion museum and PTCC worked on her Jr Ranger badge. They have several movies and a riverboat cruise as well as the tram tour. We finished up in the museum and PTCC received her badge then we walked across the street to the Old Courthouse where Dred Scott started his case about slavery here and went all the way to the Supreme Court with it. We took a ranger led tour here and then walked around the bottom and 2^nd, and 3^rd floors. You could not get to the cupola level though. PTCC worked on another Jr Ranger but received the same badge as across the street.

After finishing here we drive a few miles and go to the home of Ulysses S Grant called White Haven. This was his home after marrying Julia Dent, whose family owned the property, until they lived in the White House. We took another ranger led tour here. They let you wander around the house because nothing here is from the Grants. They had put their furniture in storage while in the White House and where they had it stored had a fire and everything was lost.

The part of the story that is interesting is that Grant was a staunch anti slavery person but he married into a very pro slavery family. He even owned at least one slave which he set free. His own father would not visit him at White Haven because of the slavery issue.

PTCC worked on another Jr Ranger and we watched the movie and toured the house as well as the museum that was set up in the horse barn that Grant built to start a horse breeding business after the Presidency. Unfortunately none of that happened and they ended up moving to New York and living there.

Next door is the Busch Wildlife area that has the house that Grant built called Hardscrabble that they only lived in for 3 months. The park is free to visit but you must pay a steep parking fee ($11 car). It looked interesting with different animals as well as the Clydesdale that Budweiser uses. We didn’t visit since it was getting late.

We drive back to Babler and check out the Visitor Center in the park. They have a great center with several displays of the animals that are native to the area. They also have a snake video but I declined to see that. When we got there a volunteer was teaching some kids about the animals in the area, I think they were working on their naturalist badge. PTCC doesn’t have enough time to work on this since we were gone so long today. We took a drive around the park and saw the area that the Olympic pool is in. The pool has been closed permanently since they could not afford to do the maintenance and upkeep on it.

We went back to the site and all of us took naps. It is very humid here and we were tired from the sun and getting up early. After we get up CC replaces our bath fan that PTCC and I bought the other day at Camping World. I am working on catching up our on blog and photos. Don’t know what PTCC is doing.

We’re trying to cookout tonight but the rain keeps coming. We have a 15 minute break before the next group of storms roll through. CC is grilling under the awning right now hopefully we will have cooked food to eat. I guess we’ll see soon.

We eat then take a walk, the rain has mostly stopped though we are still hitting pockets of it. We see a bunny on our walk near the edge of the woods. We come back and try to have a fire. The whole fire ring is wet though. We get a small flame going enough to have a couple of smores and roasted marshmellows then we quit and go inside. We need to be up early tomorrow to make it to Kentucky.

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June 11,2010 Day 51…We Visit Truman’s NHS and Babler SP

June 12, 2010 by LadyCC.

I could not sleep because of my back hurting so I got up to write yesterday’s blog. It started raining about 4:30 am and the wind was blowing hard. We haven’t seen hail yet and I hope we don’t. Bad weather is supposed to go on all day today. Hopefully it will stop soon.

We get everything ready and move out for St Louis and our next stop. On our way out we discovered that CC forgot to get the thermometer and so he probably ran over it since it was sitting on the RV tire. He says he has a plan for the next one. I don’t think we’ll really need it for the rest of the trip since it is now hot and humid mostly everyday.

We got to a toll bridge after going through Plattsmoth,That we had to cross in order to go over the Missouri River. This bridge was very low and not too wide and cost $2.25 for us to cross. We waited until the other vehicles had crossed then went down the center of the road as we thought we might scrape the mirrors if we didn’t. Then once again we end up in Iowa. Then about 30 minutes later we cross into Missouri, our 16^th state on this trip. We continue on down the road into Independence, MO where President Truman lived.

We make a wrong turn into his Presidential Library (where I wish we could have visited) and finally found his historic site in Fire Station #1. CC was starting to get testy because of the small streets and having to maneuver the RV through them so it was good when we finally came across it. We parked across the street and went inside. PTCC of course did the Jr Ranger and we watched the film. You can get tickets to see the house but we had no time to do this on this trip. The site is very small and has a few displays so it did not take too long. We went back to the RV and had lunch, reset the car and moved on down the road. The rest of Missouri went by slowly, maybe because my back was in such pain. I tried sleeping for awhile but ended back up front talking to CC. I guess that was good because he was getting sleepy and was bored as well.

We finally pull into Babler SP in Wildwood, MO at 5:30 pm. Here you don’t check in, you go right to your site and the host will be around later to check you in. They only sell firewood from 6-6:30 pm every night. Our site is very nice though. It is shady and very wide with concrete and is level. Even the picnic table is on concrete. We have a water hook up next to us but only electric at the site. We’re tired so we watch the movie The Blind Side and hit the beds since tomorrow we have to be up early to go to visit the Arch.

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