Georgia

Moving Northward in Florida State Parks ++

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Since finishing our time in the Ft Lauderdale area we’ve been slowly working our way northward and beginning to think about the final portion of this six-month journey.

We left Ft Lauderdale and traveled to the northern part of Florida over two days. Overnight we stopped at a very cool Harvest Host, Organicaworld, where they are growing hemp that is being converted to “hempcrete” to build houses. They also had a cool farm store, a mean brisket, and some very friendly donkeys.

Friends at Organicaworld
Right out the front door in the morning

Our next stop was a visit to Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, a unique property just south of Gainesville. Paynes Prairie is the only place in Florida where wild-roaming horses and bison can be found. We didn’t find them, but we enjoyed the paved 16-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, which runs through the park. 

Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail
Overlooking Paynes Prairie

Florida is so different from our home in Arizona. You can see from the photos that the Spanish Moss is prevalent and the forest is thick. Yes, we’ve run into bugs once in awhile but nothing a little bug spray won’t take care of.

From there we headed to the coast and to one of our favorite Florida cities: St Augustine. We stayed in this area for about 10 days last year and were lucky enough to score a seven day reservation this year at Anastasia State Park, which is located in the middle of the action. We were even warmly greeted by a local critter when we pulled in.

Bob’s new friend
Nice shaded site
Right outside the door

From our heavily wooded, secluded site, we could easily bike into town, kayak the nearby waterways, and walk to the Saturday Farmers Market.

Kayaking in Salt Run
The lions welcome you to St Augustine
Our neighborhood in Anastasia State Park
We got a clamshell!

We toured the famous lighthouse and took in the sweeping views. Overall though, we weren’t very touristy…just enjoyed the nice weather and beautiful area.

Atop the St Augustine Lighthouse
St Augustine from the lighthouse
St Augustine lighthouse

We continued the laid back vibe during our four days at the Jekyll Island Campground. We visited here last year as well and wanted to explore a little more. We rode our bikes around the island and visited the local museum to learn about the impact of the Rockefellers, Morgans, and Vanderbilts on the island in the early 1900s.

Jekyll Island Historic District
Jekyll Island Clubhouse
Bob biking near the campground
San Souci
Right Whale
Right Whale display at the Tidelands Nature Center

One day we took in the local art festival. I even had a chance to learn to weave.

Jekyll Island Arts Festival
Learning to weave

Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate during our final days there but we kept busy in the trailer with reading, taking in a night of Bingo, and news-watching. The inclement weather also made for some spectacular sunsets.

Bingo at the campground

We’re now in Savannah for a few days to take in the country’s second largest St Patrick’s Day festivities. We will actually be on our way west on the big day, but the fountains are dyed green and the party has started. 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve kind of shifted into traveler mode, rather than tourist mode. It just means we aren’t trying to see everything and do everything possible. Traveling in the RV gives us the option to slow down, soak in the places, and go at our own pace. That’s the mode we’ve been in recently…and it’s kind of nice! 

Georgia’s Golden Isles

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Here on the southeast Georgia coast there’s a way of life that was new to us and utterly enchanting. We spent the week based at Blythe Island Regional Park in Brunswick, which is the gateway to the fabled Golden Isles. Consisting of barrier islands, pristine marshland, miles of beaches, and historic landmarks, the Golden Isles provided us plenty to explore.

The campground was conveniently located and had everything we needed to explore the area. Not only can you access the intercostal waterway from the park, but you can play with bunnies which are everywhere! Apparently the park is also a refuge for domestic-looking rabbits of all colors. 

We met our RV-ing friends Bill and Sandy on Jekyll Island and hit the over 20 miles of bike trails to explore the historic isle on two wheels. Bill and Sandy just happened to be staying nearby so it was a perfect opportunity to reunite after meeting at the Tampa RV Show in January. And they like to bike too!

Jekyll Island’s history goes back over 3500 years.  Most notably the Jekyll Island Club, built in the late 1890s, had membership which included the Rockefellers, Morgans, Pulitzers, Goodyears, and Vanderbilts. Jekyll Island was purchased by the State of Georgia in 1947 and is now a popular area for vacationers.

Of course we visited a number of other historic sites on the island, including the historic Jekyll Island Club. We just pedaled past but it was fun to see the “other half” playing croquet in their traditional whites. 

Driftwood Beach, on the north side of Jekyll, is a highlight for many. We marveled at the gnarled and weathered trees that have been sculpted by the sea. Not surprisingly, it’s a popular place for photo shoots.

    We also checked out the 1740s Horton House, one of the original structures built by the British out of tabby. Amazingly it’s still standing. 

    We loved Jekyll so much that we’ve booked a week at the Jekyll Island Campground for next spring. One day was just not enough time to soak this place in.

    We also visited St. Simon Island while in the Brunswick area. The largest of the barrier islands, St. Simon features beautiful live oak lanes, Spanish moss, plenty of shopping, dining, and more history. When you visit you have to search for the 20 tree spirits, carved trees located around the island.

    After a stroll along the waterfront, we drove out to Fort Frederica National Monument. Here lies the ruins of the 1733 town built to defend the Georiga, a fledgling colony, against Spanish attack from Florida.  They are still excavating the site, finding artifacts beneath the soil that tell the story of the fort’s history. 

    Georgia’s Golden Isles hold a fascination for many, us included. We can’t wait to return. In the meantime, we are finally heading west, after five months on the road. We’ve got some fun stops ahead of us before we land back in Arizona in late April. 

    Savannah – The Hostess City

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    Everyone said Savannah was great, but we needed to see it for ourselves. Now we can say from first-hand experience that Savannah is indeed one of America’s great cities, welcoming visitors like the hostess she is.  Our week in the area was filled with history, architecture, and natural beauty that surprised us at every turn.

    We based ourselves at the relatively new CreekFire Motor Ranch, which put us about 20 minutes from historic downtown Savannah. Creekfire is truly a resort with a heated pool, kids pool, lazy river, gym, lake, on-site bar and restaurant and more.

    We even enjoyed a live band one night while sitting out by the lake. It was so nice that we’ve already booked a return visit next year!

    In Savannah, we decided to get oriented with a tour. This time we chose a bike tour, which took us from one side of the city to the other in about two hours. Our guide was well versed in the history of the city, its 22 squares, historic homes, and churches. Many of the places we visited were featured in the popular book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by Berendt, and my book club friends will likely recognize a few of these pictures.

    The bike tour gave us a good foundation for exploring the city on other days too. The American Prohibition Museum opened our eyes to the social, economic, and political impacts of restricting people’s choice to imbibe. Of course, Savannah was a mecca for moonshine and bootleggers. 

    A stunning place to stroll is the Savannah Riverfront. Originally a bustling port for the cotton industry, now the old port buildings, roads, and ramps are now a focal point for shops, restaurants, and hotels. Even Bob and Mia enjoyed our riverfront walk.

    Another must-see stop in Savannah is the hauntingly beautiful Bonaventure Cemetery, where Savannah’s history is buried. We joined noted guide and historian Shannon Scott on a two hour exploration of the cemetery which was first established in 1846.

    Originally designed as a Victorian cemetery with winding pathways, lots of trees and grass areas, Bonaventure has been a gathering place for family picnics as well as a place of comfort for the bereaved. Probably the most famous residents are songwriter Johnny Mercer and writer Conrad Aiken.

    A trip to Savannah is not complete without a visit to Wormsloe Historic Site, the colonial-era estate of Noble Jones, one of the area’s first settlers. The former plantation is the site of the oldest standing structure in Savannah. The ruins of Jones’ 1745 tabby house still overlook the Savannah River and the property was held by his descendants until the state acquired the land in 1973. Most striking is the mile-long archway of live oaks that usher you into the plantation. It’s what you picture a southern plantation should be. 

    One reason we put Savannah on our itinerary was so that Steve could run his first live marathon since the start of the pandemic. On Saturday morning he rose early, drove out to nearby Skidaway Island and ran 26.2 miles in about four hours. He was rewarded with a medal, new sunglasses, a t-shirt, and claim to running a marathon in Georgia. He’s now marathoned in 19 states and counting…

    Our time in the Savannah area coincided with the annual St. Patricks Day festivities. While the annual parade was cancelled due to COVID-19, there was still plenty of Irish spirit, especially out on Tybee Island.

    On Tybee we learned about the island’s early military history, including the American Revolution, War of 1812, Spanish American War, WWI, and WWII. The Tybee Island Light Station, originally built in 1773, provided guidance to mariners in the past and now gives tourists sweeping views of the Atlantic and Savannah River. We enjoyed the 178 step climb to the top, as well as our tour of the Keeper’s Cottage. 

    On our way out of Tybee we also stopped in to take a peak at Fort Pulaski. One of a series of forts along the Georgia coastline, the fort was built after the War of 1812 and was, for a time, under Confederate control. Once taken by the Union army, the fort eventually became a prison for Confederate officers. So much history…

    Full exploration of Savannah and the surrounding area takes much more time than we allotted. Next time, we’ll spend more time sitting in the peaceful squares, enjoying the world-famous restaurants, and learning more about this fascinating part of America.