Georgia and Tennessee

The North Georgia and East Central Tennessee regions are lush and green with many lakes and rivers. The one-hour cloudbursts drop a tremendous amount of rain but oh so refreshing.  

Georgia on my mind

In the mid 1980s we lived in the little town of Powder Springs, Georgia. Sister Judy, her husband Kent and their son Luke moved to Kennesaw when Kent's employer, Toys R Us, transferred them to Georgia.  Our families were far too close to remain apart, and we followed within a couple months.  Kent's twin brother Kerry moved there too, and every Friday night for a year and a half was spent at the Denny's home.  Judy always had a great dinner, and the kids spent every minute in the pool. Toys then called them back to Washington, but we remained. 

Our daughters Kelley and Tracey were active in T-ball, softball, cheerleading and Brownies. Kelley's classmate Therasa also played ball, and her mom (also a Cindy) and her family became good friends. Over the years, we lost contact, but once the two Cindys saw each other again touched did that time apart disappear. It seemed as though easy conversation picked up where we left off.  Our kids have grown but of course we haven't aged a bit. 

Powder Springs now has an "historical" downtown that we checked out earlier this week. Quilt murals are painted on the sides of buildings with background information. 

Can't seem to get enough of Florida

We arrived in Florida on March 31 and will be here until mid-May.  There's so much to see and do, and even after more than 6 weeks, some things will have to wait until our next visit.  We are having a great time here.

3/31-4/7/16 Angler's RV Campground, Cedar Key
This is a rustic campground with few amenities, but just to our liking. In the evenings we were rewarded with campers playing guitars, although one night it lasted until 2 am. Since we have no work wake-up call, it's not a problem at all. 

This RV park is close to the quaint, laid back town, easily toured with bicycles. In fact, we rented electric bikes, which were a blast.

4/7-4/14/16 Chassahowitzka River Campground, Homosassa
A short 63 mile drive away was a great place to stay and enjoy the springs. Initially we rented a double seater but soon realized "someone" relaxed, allowing the other to do the paddling. Not so for the next time, where we each had our own kayak, and which also allowed more freedom to explore. 

Despite being well into the warmer spring season when most manatees swim to cooler waters, we were fortunate to see a mama and her baby up close.  

We enjoyed this weeklong stay, and our camper neighbors live only 45 minutes away, allowing them quick getaways to many of the close-by campgrounds.  How lucky!

4/14-4/21/16 Sumter Oaks RV Park, Bushnell
Next at only 30 miles away was one of the Escapee (SKP) Parks that offers RV sites for short-term stays and also the opportunity to lease a designated RV lot. 

We were right next to the swamp, complete with scary bellows, growls, squealing and screeches at night. During the day, hundreds of caterpillars fell from the trees in search of places to build cocoons. Many chose the nice grooves in the tire treads, only to be squished when we departed.

4/21-4/28/16 Ortona South Corps of Engineers Park, Moore Haven
A couple hundred miles south led us to a COE park on the Ortona Locks. It's half price for America the Beautiful passholders. The best deal for those age 62+ is to purchase a lifetime Senior Pass for only $10.  

We drove around Lake Okeechobee, but unfortunately due to the high levies surrounding it, we were unable to see just how vast it is. This is cattle, citrus and sugar cane country, and towns are small and appear impoverished. Due to the nature of the soil, it's commonly referred to as Muck City, inspiring a book of the same name.

4/28-5/9/16 Florida SKP Co-op, Wauchula
So far, we've been zigzagging through Central Florida, and here we are, 80 miles back up north. This is another SKP park, but it's a co-op, meaning members contribute to its upkeep and maintenance.  

Since many snowbirds had left before we arrived, we didn't get the real feel of the activities of the park that occur during winter. But, we fell in love with this park. We were welcomed and made to feel at home right from the start. Bob enjoyed the pool more than anything else. 

Very soon after arriving, we added our names to the waiting list for a RV site of our own. The wait is about 6-8 years, which may be perfect timing to coordinate with our full-time travels.

We met up with Denny and Diane, our pals from Amazon, again enjoying our favorite past time, eating!  We did, however, take a break from indulging by touring the Bok Gardens. The bell tower and grounds were impressive. 

5/9-5/14/16 Wilderness RV Campground, Silver Springs
Three hours north leads us to our current location. We enjoyed the glass bottom boat tour, and we made a stop at the Ocala National Forest for a National Park Passport stamp.  

Bob has a head cold that seems to have depleted his energy this week, so he's been laying low and just enjoying the pool. 

Tomorrow we leave for the Jacksonville area.