FORT LAUDERDALE, and going to MARATHON, FLORIDA (NOV. 28 & 29, 2009)

We spent our last day in Fort Lauderdale sitting around the pool in the morning, and enjoying dinner and live music in “Lauderdale by the Sea.”
The pool was cool (to my way of thinking), but both Lu and I managed to spend fourteen seconds in the water before dashing out to the welcoming warmth of the sun…
We’ve been at the pool just about every day, and every day the French Canadians have been there yakking up a storm…
You can’t convince me that they know how to speak quietly…
Full blast all the time…
Maybe they’re all deaf…
Thanksgiving Day they cranked up a music box so people in Paris (that would be in France) could hear… It went on all day and most of the night, with hardly a solitary minute of quiet…
Needless to say, I’m not fond of French Canadians…
So be it…
As I said, we took off for the beach (Lauderdale by the Sea) in the afternoon, and went on a long, leisurely walk along miles of uninhabited sand…
After that we went to “101 Ocean” restaurant, where we had spare ribs (me) and buffalo wings (Lu)…
Very good, and very filling…
As we enjoyed our meals, we heard Elvis sing very old and dear ballads from the 50s and 60s…
He (well, his impersonator) was on a stage, set up in the middle of the street, right in front of our restaurant…
We finished dining, then joined a sing-along and dancing crowd for an hour or more…
Tons of fun for our last night here, that’s for sure…
This morning (Nov. 29) we got ourselves ready fairly early, and spent the next
3½ hours going down I-95 and Hwy 1, to Marathon (one of the Florida Keys, about 60 miles North of Key West)…
Not much to report on, except for the colors of the ocean, since it’s all flat terrain…
But, I tell you, we never tire of the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico (and the Atlantic Ocean here, as well)…
Simply gorgeous!
Well, look at the pictures and see for yourself: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/FORT%20LAUDERDALE%5EJ%20and%20going%20to%20MARATHON%5EJ%20FLORIDA%20%5E5NOV.%2028%20%5E0%2029%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=84&isFromRichUpload=1
We were welcomed with warm smiles and open arms…
The location is superb, but the Park doesn’t have a pool, and we found the water in the Gulf a lot colder than we had anticipated, so, probably no swimming here…
We’ll try the Atlantic side later to see if that’s any better…
Went exploring a little bit after a short nap and a bike ride…
Found some pelicans resting down by the dock, which made Luanne’s day, and we had spare ribs for dinner at the “Hurricane Grill” (down the road a bit)…
I think the plan is to head down to Key West tomorrow, but not sure…
Guess you’ll have to wait and find out along with me…
Take care and keep an eye on our Blog…

MIAMI, MIAMI BEACH, FT. LAUDERDALE, FL (NOV. 27, 2009)

Took a road trip yesterday…
I-95 South to Miami, then I-195 over to Miami Beach, and A1A back home...
We were here in 2000, and expected to see those funky Art Deco buildings again, but, either we missed them entirely, or they’ve been torn down, renovated, or rebuilt… Maybe even repainted… Don’t know, but was kind of disappointed in not finding them along A1A…
I’m thinking… Maybe we didn’t drive by the right “district” and missed them somehow, ‘cause they wouldn’t tear something so unique down, would they?
Anyway, our excursion yesterday was (basically) to check out the beaches between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, and that we did…
Stopped in several places, parked, and strolled along the surf line…
It’s so amazing to be able to wade in the ocean, and feel the warm water slosh up your legs…
When we first strolled onto the beach (yesterday morning), the water temp was warmer than the air temp, and we were barefoot and in shorts…
How “cool” is that at the end of November?
We spotted a “Bubba Gump” restaurant, somewhere, and, of course, we had to stop and have lunch:
Cajun shrimp sautéed in butter and garlic, accompanied with French bread…
Oh, yeah, Babe… Spicy, but oh, so delicious!
Farted “firecrackers” for hours afterward…
We had another hiatus at some other beach, and were strolling along picking up shells and enjoying the sun, sand and water, when we came upon a rickety fence a hundred feet away…
It wasn’t very high… Maybe 2 feet, and it hadn’t been built for privacy, ‘cause you could see right through it…
What it was was a demarcation between “our” beach, and one used by nudists…
Oh, yeah, Babe!
Waaaaaaay too much information for this couple…
We made a 180 and headed back…
After that encounter, we found it prudent to head home…
Had a nap and some quality time around the pool, then headed out for the nightlife…
Went to “101 Ocean” and “Aruba” restaurants…
At the Aruba, with the purchase of any kind of drink, they offered free food (barbequed pork with gravy and vegetables; hot dogs, salads, and fruits), so we had a fabulous dinner there…
Didn’t feel like writing after we got home last night, so that task was left for today…
We just came back from a shopping spree at Walmart (have to stock up for our trip down to Marathon tomorrow, since we don‘t know what kinds of stores they have down there)…
Luanne just walked over to the pool, and as soon as I get done here, I’m joining her…
There’s the clue to the end of another Blog…
Take care, and keep an eye out for us…
Here are the pix: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/MIAMI%5EJ%20MIAMI%20BEACH%5EJ%20FT.%20LAUDERDALE%5EJ%20FL%20%5E5NOV.%2027%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=67&isFromRichUpload=1

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (NOV. 26, 2009 - THANKSGIVING)

It’s late (here), but probably about time to serve the “BIRD” at home, so we figured we’d take the opportunity to wish everyone a happy Turkey Day…
This has been, by far, the most unusual Thanksgiving Luanne and I have ever had…
Not counting the weather, there’s the occasional call from daughter, asking how to manipulate things in the oven, but that wonderful aroma (which envelopes you when you’re cooking at home) is all but a memory…
Not that we mind, mind you…
We’re having an excellent Thanksgiving…
Yesterday was in the “what-the-hell-is-going-on” category (when we didn’t know if we needed to hire Noah for another Arc), but - thankfully - the downpour ended, and we survived to celebrate another Pilgrim thing…
Today dawned with sunshine galore, and we headed out to the beach as soon as our “peepers” were able to focus…
Wanted to drive down to Miami (on A1A), but only made it about half way… Things looked very “commercial” “down that way,” so we made a U-ie…
Found a parking area that charged $1.75 an hour, and went strolling on the beach…
Gosh… That water is unreal… Warmer than our pool… Oh, did I tell you that already?
Unfortunately, we didn’t plan ahead, so we didn’t have our swim wear with us, but we walked a few miles in the surf, and swore we’d bring them tomorrow!
After being properly browned on both sides for a couple of hours, we headed home for a siesta at the pool, and then got ourselves ready for a new experience: Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant!
Lu went on-line to researched the eateries on the beach, and found all kinds of accolades for THE ARUBA BEACH CAFÉ, so that’s where we headed, around 4:30…
Had a couple of drinks, and then had a feast of (hold your breath) seafood!
Yep… Since this was our first outing away for Thanksgiving, we opted for “Surf Food,” and, I’m pretty sure, the turkey we saved was very thankful!
That’s it…
We made it home, and we’re stuffed to the gills (oh, no… I didn’t say that, did I?)…
I’m ready for bed (it’s almost 10pm)…
Lu is already snoring, and I’m giving up on a perfectly wonderful day…
All that’s left to say is,
Thanks y’all for following our Blog…
For all your valuable comments…
For your friendship, and your good wishes…
We appreciate every one of you, and wish you the best holiday season ever!
Take care…
Lots of love,
Kjell and Luanne
Oh… Here are some pix: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/FORT%20LAUDERDALE%5EJ%20FL%20%5E5NOV.%2026%5EJ%202009%20-%20THANKSGIVING%5E6?nl=1&uc=57&isFromRichUpload=1

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL (NOV. 23 and 24, 2009)

Just so you don’t think I’ve forgotten how to write, I will make the supreme effort to put a few words together, in order to dispel rumors of me having had a sunstroke, or whatever…
Sometimes it’s tough to muster up the energy needed for this task, especially in this heat and humidity…
One would think we should’ve gotten used to this climate by now, but, no…
No such luck…
Don’t know if any of you out there have encountered 90 degree weather, and 98 percent humidity…
If you have, then you know what I’m talking about…
You go from air-conditioned room to air-conditioned car, and on the way from one to the other, you become soaked… Literally… From your own sweat…
Not much enjoyment in that, let me tell you…
But enough whining…
As I’ve already stated, we’re in Fort Lauderdale, at the "Sunshine Holiday RV Park"...
This place is overrun by French Canadians (Quebec), who have shown themselves to be loud and boisterous…
Some are very arrogant, and some are unfriendly (there are, of course, exceptions), but you’d be hard pressed to hear an English word all day long.
They get away from the frigid North, and come to Florida to spend their Winters…
Can‘t say I blame them for that, but some of them could sure use some lessons in manners… Just my humble opinion…
When we arrived here, we took (to Jack’s consternation) a wrong turn on the freeway, but happened to drive by an IKEA, which we found was only a few miles up the road, so the detour was well worth Jack’s unrelenting recalculations…
Lots of good Scandinavian grub to be had at IKEA, so we spent yesterday going for breakfast there, and stocking up on a bunch of stuff (who knows when we’ll see another IKEA?).
From there we programmed Jack to take us to COSTCO, which is also just a couple of miles from us… Of course, he took us to the one that was about 20 miles away to begin with (some glitch in the programming, I think), but, anyway, we finally found the right one, and did our thing there…
Then off to WALMART…
Can you believe it? All three within spending distance! How lucky can one be?
We also took a quick trip over to the beach (six miles away) to check and see if the Atlantic was still there…
I had some stomach problems, so we had to cut the stay short, but we got a few pictures, and Lu got some shells, so everything wasn’t a total waste…
Today was spent on walks, bike rides, and the swimming pool…
Safe to stick close to home when you’re a walking puddle and not fully up to par…
Tomorrow… Who knows?
We’ll see what the Boss feels up to…
Until further notice, I will plug along as best I can, and keep you up to speed whenever “Hunt and Peck” (my two typing fingers) feel they need practice…
Here are the pictures: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/FORT%20LAUDERDALE%5EJ%20FL%20%5E5NOV.%2023%20and%2024%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=24&isFromRichUpload=1

CLEARMONT to FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA (NOV. 22, 2009)

I know I’ve been lax in my writing lately, but, there really hasn’t been anything worth writing about…
The last three days have been virtually excitement free…
We went on a boardwalk-like walk (asphalt path) along the lake where Clermont sits (don’t know the name, and I’m too lazy to look it up)…
Went shopping at Walmart a couple of times…
Filled up the truck there (cheapest diesel around: $2.72/gal)…
Drove around a couple of neighborhoods, just to get the feel for the place…
Took the bikes and rode around our RV Park quite a few times…
Lu walked around the perimeter three times every day…
A guy came and asked if he could wash my trailer and truck, and I couldn’t turn him down, since he only charged $50...
And we had a wonderful seafood dinner at Cody Jack’s Restaurant Saturday night…
That’s about it…
Didn’t take any pictures, because you’ve already seen most of the places we’ve visited here…
So… Really boring from that standpoint…
But it was nice to catch our breath from five straight days at DisneyWorld…
We debated whether to go back for a 6th and 7th day, but reason and sanity prevailed, and, instead, enjoyed some “quiet” time close to home…
We got out of Clermont around 8:30 this morning (Nov. 22), and took Hwy 27 South for most of our ride to Fort Lauderdale…
It seems to me that the trip today has the flattest (and most boring) terrain we’ve encountered so far…
Remember when I grumbled about acres and acres of corn fields in the Mid-West?
You should see this place!
Actually, you are… If you peek at my pictures…
The Mid-West has rolling hills…
Florida has them, too, but the country we drove through today is just FLAT…
Hence… Very few pictures to share… I’m sure you understand…
Maybe tomorrow, when we explore some of the beaches around Fort Lauderdale, I can get some shots of other things besides sugar cane and highway signs…
Until then, take care and keep an eye on the Blog… You just don’t know when I’ll surprise you with another installment…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/CLEARMONT%20to%20FORT%20LAUDERDALE%5EJ%20FLORIDA%20%5E5NOV.%2022%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=32&isFromRichUpload=1

BACK TO EPCOT (NOV. 18, 2009)

Wed. Nov. 18...
We’ve been talking about what to do with our 5th day (five day pass for four Theme Parks), and thought we’d better go back and watch the firework show at EPCOT…
So, yesterday, we took it easy…
Went to a small joint (we’ve been driving by for over a week now), and had a great breakfast…
Took off on a couple of bike rides…
Spent some time trying to fix my front bike break… Couldn’t…
Read…
Lounged in the sun, until it got too hot, then took a nap…
Pointed the truck down Hwy 27 (it knows the route now), and walked into EPCOT a bit after 4:00...
We missed a few attractions the last time we were here, so we went straight to “THE LAND,” which turned out to be very interesting.
Went to the “CIRCLE OF LIFE” movie, starring The Lion King, then took a boat ride through LIVING WITH THE LAND‘s amazing greenhouses and fish farms…
Had a half hour to wait to go on “SOARIN, so we got a couple of “FastPasses” and went over to THE SEAS WITH NEMO AND FRIENDS, where we climbed aboard a “clamobile” for a ride to search for Nemo…
Back to THE LAND, where we climbed aboard a “people-holding” contraption, and went on a “free-flying hang gliding” adventure from sea to shining sea…
I found out I’m still not over my fear of heights, but after the initial shock (and telling myself that I was only a few feet above the ground), I relaxed somewhat, and actually began to enjoy the ride, but then it was over…
It was dark when we got out from that venture, and, let me tell you, EPCOT is very pretty in the dark…
The Christmas Trees are all aglitter…
Fountains are aglow with a rainbow of colors, and there’s a wonderful feeling of tranquility that settles over you as you stroll along the shoreline of the lagoon…
Music is everywhere…
Live bands, and piped-in…
We went looking for a place to eat…
Found you had to have reservations to most of the finer dining establishments, but we lucked out and got in at the NINE DRAGONS RESTAURANT, where we enjoyed a very good Chinese dinner…
That took us almost up to the Fireworks Showtime (9pm start)…
Walked over to where we got a couple of good viewing spots, and, as you’d expect from a Disney Production, enjoyed an excellent show…
There you have it…
Take care, and remember to check back from time to time…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/BACK%20TO%20EPCOT%20%5E5NOV.%2018%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=73&isFromRichUpload=1

DISNEY WORLD - HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS (NOV. 17, 2009)

First, let me let you in on what we did yesterday (Nov. 16)…
Nothing much…
Did some minor things that had to do with the trailer…
Did some bike riding, reading, napping, and we stopped (on our way back from shopping), by Lakewood Winery, which is just down the road from where we’re staying, and is the biggest winery in Florida…
Thought it’d be nice to see what Washington State’s competition was up to, you see…
We’ve been on Winery Tours in Spain, Portugal, Italy, and all over the States, but this one gets the “Oscar“ for overall best performance…
The guide made the almost two hours we spent with him seem like minutes…
The tour was exceptionally informative (even a square-head like me could understand what he said), and executed superbly with comic relief where needed…
Of course, the tasting wasn’t bad either…
Ended up buying two bottles, which we’ll save for something special…
Maybe a Thursday or Friday? Who knows?
That brings us to:
We left moderately early this morning, expecting HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS not to keep us as busy as the other Theme Parks…
Gossip had this Park on a lower scale than the other three, and, studying some of the literature (we‘ve picked up over the past week), we pretty much thought we’d be leaving fairly early…
Luanne picked up a guide map as soon as we walked through the Entry Portals, and set course for the Wizard’s Hat, over there by the Main Square…
I had no idea she was on a mission, but, evidently, she’d been thinking overnight (that’s scary, now that I put it on paper ¬ figuratively speaking)…
Without knowing it, I was secretly being steered down Hollywood Boulevard, around the corner to Sunset Boulevard, all the while taking shot after shot of storefronts and buildings I actually saw in Hollywood some forty years ago…
Boy! That dates me, huh?
Oh, well… You’re only as old as you think you are…
As we turned onto Sunset, the upper stories of the HOLLYWOOD TOWER loomed above the treetops…
We could hear intermittent screaming, but I didn’t pay too much attention to it, since I was busy eyeballing attractions on either side of me…
Besides…
We talked it over last night, and we agreed that the sensible act here was not to even contemplate going on THE TWILIGHT ZONE TOWER OF TERROR…
The brochure says: You go up in an elevator (about a hundred thousand feet), which (without notice, mind you!) drops 13 stories, then does all kinds of weird, unkind things to ordinary people (like me)…
It’s just not natural to hang around like that, and besides it frightens the peewee out of you… Well, me…
13 stories!
Even our friends, Billy and Donna, who have been here several times, have not gone on this stupid ride… They are sane and rational folks!
So why was the mother of my three children steering me into the Tower?
She’d thought it over, she said…
She would like to see what was inside the Hotel…
Don’t have to take the ride, she said…
Just look…
OK… Just look…
We climbed some stairs…
Got into a very dark room…
Spooky stuff…
Lasers and lights blinking and scanning the surfaces, and things blowing in your face…
Gosh, I hate that!
Doors open to the elevator…
She says, “Best to do these things first thing in the morning… Get it over with!”
“Are you out of your mind, woman!”
A little kid snickers…
Ah, shoot….
The doors close…
We’re told to buckle in… Tug on the strap to make sure you’re fastened!
Oh, God!
Swoosh…
Were going to the stars!
Sudden Stop…
Oh, God!
We drop so fast my heart said hello to my brain as they pass each other!
Oh, God!
Have no idea of how long this torture lasted…
All I know is that I’m hoarse, and my head is now completely gray…
But hold on…
There’s a gilded hem to this yarn…
As we descended to our final resting place, I heard Luanne apologize to the man sitting to her right…
Evidently, my brave woman forgot which side of her I was sitting, because, when we dropped the first time, she had locked on to the man’s leg…
He appeased her by saying everything was OK, but I saw him later, and he was limping!
I never lie!
So… If that wasn’t enough for my Stunt Woman, she immediately hauled me over to the ROCK ‘N ROLLER COASTER, which turned out to be a “road trip” to Hell!
I honestly don’t know why I let her talk me into these things…
I must be stupid!
Anyway, this rollercoaster twists, turns, and loops (yes! I said loops… that means upside down, folks!), and it does that at the speed of sound, and in almost total darkness…
You get tossed and turned in so many ways that you’re totally incapable of following a straight line for an hour after they let you out of the cage…
I’m not even going to mention they have to use crowbars to pry your fingers from the handholds!
I hate things like this, so, why then, do I go on them?
Have no idea… Must be stupidity!
Since I’ve been going on for way too long about rides tonight, I better shorten the rest of my tirade…
All in all, Hollywood Studios is pretty cool…
There are not as many rides as there are in the other Theme Parks, but they make up for that in restaurants, delis, cafes, and other roadside eateries…
It must be hundreds of them!
The attractions and shows are more for the “Little Ones,” but they are flawlessly shown and performed, and, of course, they have the Walt Disney Flair: Elegant Costumes, and faultless talents!
We enjoyed our visit to HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS very much, but our vote goes to EPCOT and MAGIC KINGDOM…
OK… That’s it for now…
I will probably take a break again tomorrow, so no Blog or pictures for a few days… Can you handle it?
Take care and keep an eye out for us when you serf the Internet…
Here are the pictures: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/DISNEY%20WORLD%20-%20HOLLYWOOD%20STUDIOS%20%5E5NOV.%2017%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=121&isFromRichUpload=1

DISNEY WORLD - ANIMAL KINGDOM (NOV. 15, 2009)

Here's a Blog (and pictures) for Reese, Hunter, Hailey, Morgan, Hannah, and Holly (from the oldest to the youngest)... The greatest grandchildren in the world!
All day yesterday, we contemplated whether to take in the “night” show at EPCOT, or skip it and see it another night…
As I’ve stated in prior Blogs, we have five days to take in four of the Theme Parks… We can only visit one park a day (in a fourteen day span), so we’ll spend the “extra” day at whatever Park tickles our fancy… So far, I think we’re leaning toward EPCOT…
Anyway, skip it won…
Must’ve been in a gambling mode, ‘cause we also flipped over what to see today…
ANIMAL KINGDOM got the nod…
Since we’d heard that AK was more for the younger set, we got a little later start than normal, which turned out OK…
Guess what I’m saying is that, yes, AK is geared more for the youngsters, but us old-timers had a great time anyway…
We put in our five hundred miles of walking again, but, for some unfathomable reason, it seemed like a stroll through a park…
I’ll let you know, though, in a day or two, if that’s a true statement, since my legs aren’t particularly in a conversational state of mind right at the moment…
Most of the paths in AK is shaded, and therefore much cooler than if you’re out in the sunshine… And sunshine we had!
Don’t know for sure what the temp was, but it had to be in the high 80s - low 90s… And not a cloud in the sky!
I hear Washington had some snow this weekend?
Ohhhhhhh….
As usual, I have a million pictures (don’t fret, I’ve whittled them down to a manageable size), but, again, I’m sorry I can’t show you more from the Musical Productions we went to, because the camera just will not cooperate…
I’ve tried all kinds of settings… Flash… No flash… Out of all I take, I end up with just a few…
I suppose I should be happy, ‘cause the fewer pictures I have to edit and comment on, the easier it is for me, but…
Today’s shows, “FESTIVAL OF THE LION KING” and “FINDING NEMO - THE MUSICAL” were magnificent!
We saw the “FESTIVAL OF THE LION KING” this morning, and, by the way, the sets, costumes, and music were beyond description, and we enjoyed both shows just as thoroughly as the little ones assembled all around us…
We did go on all the rides but one, and, oh yes, as advertised, we did get soaked on our “KALI RIVER RAPIDS” white-water rafting trip…
That’s one heck of a drop over those falls, folks!
Thought I left my drawers behind when that happened, but when we sloshed off the raft, I felt them… Albeit a bit soggy…
Whether from… Well… No need to go there…
There are all kinds of trails, which we must’ve walked every mile of, and, of course, we saw all kinds of animals from… Well, you name them, and we must‘ve seen them…
We visited almost every attraction before lunch, and went back to where we left off after…
By the way, everything (food wise, and otherwise) is outrageously expensive at DisneyWorld, so come with lots of cash, or bring your own food…
Unfortunately (Yeah, right…), we missed taking the rollercoaster ride “EXPEDITION EVEREST“ since we took in the “FINDING NEMO” show right after lunch… Which made us late for the ride…
Truth be told, we whimped out…
Yep…
Had second thoughts when we heard all those screams from people dropping off the mountain, and were never seen again…
Maybe it was the full tummy speaking?
Would hate to spoil the fun for all those in front of me, if you get my drift…
Anyway, we were kind of relieved when we found out we were late for the ride…
And that was that…
We did manage to see the tail end of THE ANIMAL KINGDOM PARADE, which basically brought our day to an end…
Take care, and check in on us again, when you have time…
Oh, by the way, we’re taking another day off tomorrow, so no Blog, no pictures…
Unless something happens…
Here are the pictures:
http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/DISNEY%20WORLD%20-%20ANIMAL%20KINGDOM%20%5E5NOV.%2015%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=177&isFromRichUpload=1

DISNEYWORLD - EPCOT (NOV. 13, 2009)

It’s so nice to have “Jack” on our side…
Of course, I finally figured out how to get him to do what I want him to do…
By putting in “intermediate points,” he has no choice but to follow orders!
That said, we got to EPCOT just as they opened at 9:00am (it’s a 45 minute drive, from our RV Park, by the way), and we walked right into SPACESHIP EARTH…
Had no idea of what that big ball was about, but found out that it’s actually a ride… Here’s what Disney says: “ See yourself in the future (literally) as you ride, play, create, compete and explore inside the Park’s amazing icon.”
It was amazing, all right!
Took all kinds of pictures, but hardly any came out…
I’m thinking, since you’re not allowed to use flash at most of the attractions, that it must be the interior lighting that screws up the camera???
Anyhoo… The ride was fantastic (what else can you expect from Disney, right?), and the added enjoyment of looking at ourselves (up on the big wall) in cartoon form was certainly a surprise…
You have to look at the pictures to get more out of it, ‘cause I don’t have time to write about it…
Gotta get this puppy out on the internet, ‘cause people are a bit disappointed in my less than stellar performance lately…
From SPACESHIP EARTH we sauntered over to MISSION: SPACE…
Was asked if we wanted to join the Orange Team (INTENSE JOURNEY) or the Green Team (a “tame,” “milder mission“)…
Before I could utter a word, Lovely Lu nailed down the Orange Team…
Asked if she’d read up on it, the answer was “maybe”…
I dropped it at that… No use arguing about small things…
Personally, I loved the ride…
It’s amazing to me how they can make you feel like you’re about to drop your stomach one minute; then, within seconds, you vacillate between weightlessness and a G-Force that threatens to shrink you by four feet (and all done while you move maybe a couple of inches)…
Lovely Lu, on the other hand… Not so much…
She came out green (Editor’s note: Probably should’ve been the team she opted for)…
I didn’t notice, because, in my exhilaration, as I was dragging her out of there, I was going on and on about how cool I thought that ride was…
When she suddenly stopped and yanked my hand, I finally noticed a not-so-healthy complexion…
Ahhh… Honey!
My little Daredevil… Maybe we should read about these rides before tackling them from now on?
Yep… Good idea!
We got some fresh air…
Matter of fact, we got a lot of fresh air as we meandered around the lagoon, stopping at every Country Pavilion along the way…
Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, The American Adventure, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada… Did I miss any?
We went on a bunch of rides, and stopped at almost all the exhibits, and still didn’t get to experience it all…
By the time the Sun was setting, we were pretty tired, and decided we’d come back another day to “finish” up EPCOT…
Again, look at the pictures, and fill in the blanks here in our Blog… That should give you something to do for a while… After all, why should I be the only one to waste my time… I’ve been working on this for almost four hours now, and that’s enough…
Take care, and keep hoping for another installment…
Phone calls and emails don’t count, I’m afraid… The Blogger does things on his own time…
PICTURES:
It’s so nice to have “Jack” on our side…
Of course, I finally figured out how to get him to do what I want him to do…
By putting in “intermediate points,” he has no choice but to follow orders!
That said, we got to EPCOT just as they opened at 9:00am (it’s a 45 minute drive, from our RV Park, by the way), and we walked right into SPACESHIP EARTH…
Had no idea of what that big ball was about, but found out that it’s actually a ride… Here’s what Disney says: “ See yourself in the future (literally) as you ride, play, create, compete and explore inside the Park’s amazing icon.”
It was amazing, all right!
Took all kinds of pictures, but hardly any came out…
I’m thinking, since you’re not allowed to use flash at most of the attractions, that it must be the interior lighting that screws up the camera???
Anyhoo… The ride was fantastic (what else can you expect from Disney, right?), and the added enjoyment of looking at ourselves (up on the big wall) in cartoon form was certainly a surprise…
You have to look at the pictures to get more out of it, ‘cause I don’t have time to write about it…
Gotta get this puppy out on the internet, ‘cause people are a bit disappointed in my less than stellar performance lately…
From SPACESHIP EARTH we sauntered over to MISSION: SPACE…
Was asked if we wanted to join the Orange Team (INTENSE JOURNEY) or the Green Team (a “tame,” “milder mission“)…
Before I could utter a word, Lovely Lu nailed down the Orange Team…
Asked if she’d read up on it, the answer was “maybe”…
I dropped it at that… No use arguing about small things…
Personally, I loved the ride…
It’s amazing to me how they can make you feel like you’re about to drop your stomach one minute; then, within seconds, you vacillate between weightlessness and a G-Force that threatens to shrink you by four feet (and all done while you move maybe a couple of inches)…
Lovely Lu, on the other hand… Not so much…
She came out green (Editor’s note: Probably should’ve been the team she opted for)…
I didn’t notice, because, in my exhilaration, as I was dragging her out of there, I was going on and on about how cool I thought that ride was…
When she suddenly stopped and yanked my hand, I finally noticed a not-so-healthy complexion…
Ahhh… Honey!
My little Daredevil… Maybe we should read about these rides before tackling them from now on?
Yep… Good idea!
We got some fresh air…
Matter of fact, we got a lot of fresh air as we meandered around the lagoon, stopping at every Country Pavilion along the way…
Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, The American Adventure, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada… Did I miss any?
We went on a bunch of rides, and stopped at almost all the exhibits, and still didn’t get to experience it all…
By the time the Sun was setting, we were pretty tired, and decided we’d come back another day to “finish” up EPCOT…
Again, look at the pictures, and fill in the blanks here in our Blog… That should give you something to do for a while… After all, why should I be the only one to waste my time… I’ve been working on this for almost four hours now, and that’s enough…
Take care, and keep hoping for another installment…
Phone calls and emails don’t count, I’m afraid… The Blogger does things on his own time…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/DISNEYWORLD%20-%20%20EPCOT%20%5E5NOV.%2013%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=150&isFromRichUpload=1

DISNEY WORLD - MAGIC KINGDOM (NOV. 12, 2009)

In spite of a nasty and cold drizzle, we were as giddy as little kids at Christmas as we walked through the portals of the Magic Kingdom this morning…
Haven’t felt that way since I don’t know when, and I know my Better Half felt the same way by the way she squeezed my hand (she does that when she’s excited)...
Too bad the weather wasn’t cooperating, but we were committed to five days of Disney Magic, so…
Got a bit wet as we walked from the parking lot to the Main Entrance, but I held my sweater over my head, and Lu had a coat on… We survived…
Coming through the Main Gate, we saw Main Street bedecked in Holiday dress…
Garlands and wreaths…
Candy cane gardens…
Happy Christmas music…
WOW!
Christmas comes early to Florida!
We got a map, and decided to discover the Magic Kingdom counter clockwise…
Please note…
I took a lot of pictures today…
Unfortunately, I had to throw out almost half of them…
Main cause: I (or something I was in) was moving too fast to get a focus (blurry), or the subject lighting screwed the camera up somehow (washout)…
I have no idea what causes what, so I take a bunch of shots, and hope for the best…
Anyway, I commented on most of the pictures, so I’m not going into any kind of detail about things in tonight’s Blog… Just gonna do a kind of recap, if you will…
After meandering through Main Street, U.S.A., we found ourselves in Adventureland, and climbing the Swiss Family Treehouse.
That was followed by a Jungle Cruise, and the long-awaited “sail” with The Pirates of the Caribbean…
We were just like kids in a candy store… Holding hands…
Ohhing and ahhing…
Nudging each other in order to focus attention to amazing things…
Bloody great, Mate, to be a kid in a grownup body…
Twists and turns took us to Frontierland, where we thought it’d be nice to take a ride on SPLASH Mountain (the name alone should’ve been a clue)…
I suppose we’ve heard about these things before, but, for some reason, we didn’t pay much attention to signs, until we were seated in a holed out log, and the darn thing began to climb, and there was a sign staring us in the face, proclaiming hazards ahead!…
My goodness…
It was exhilarating, to say the least…
We got wet (whether from the water splashing over us, as we plunged 4,325 feet to our deaths, or from natural bodily reactions, is hard to say)…
We staggered off the log…
Breath: Shallow and quick…
Body: Limp…
Mind: Mush!
And that’s probably why we meandered right over to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad…
Figured we would take a slow and easy train ride for a while, just to slow our heartbeats, and give us a breather…
Should’ve seen the problem when we boarded some kind of railroad car with “LOCK-DOWN” equipment
(that’s padded steel bars which lowers automatically over your body - when you least expect it - and locks you down in such a way that the only thing moving are your eyeballs)…
Of course, we should’ve known something was up when the “car” took off into water at a pretty good clip (almost got a whiplash, but why bother with bagatelles?)
Oh… If we didn’t have any idea of what we were in for by this time, we sure should’ve when the “railroad car” hauled ass up a steep incline, and then proceeded to hurl our old bodies every which way…
If only our eyeballs could scream!
But, at least, we finally figured it out:
A ROLLERCOASTER, for crying out loud!
Haven’t been in one of those since I was frightened to within an inch of oblivion (At a Seaside, Oregon, “coaster”) the first year we were married…
That one only had five turns and dropped four an a half feet!
After the miracle (I must call it that, since we found ourselves alive after “Monster Arms” let go of us),
Lu told me she couldn’t remember much of the episode…
Probably had her eyes closed and passed out…
Lucky girl!
But I have the proof that she was with me…
I’m now the proud owner of a nice tattoo showing five very frightened fingers on my right arm…
How she got away from “Monster Arm” is anybody’s guess…
Thank goodness, things slowed down for the rest of our stay…
We visited Fantasyland and Tomorrowland…
Had hot dogs at four bucks apiece, and took in the “Presidents Show” at Liberty Square (that was awe inspiring, by the way).
Finally, we took the ferry back to the parking area…
Programmed “Jack,” who was a very good boy and got us home.
Now it’s time for bed…
Gotta get some shut-eye before tomorrow’s Disney adventure…
Here are the pictures that survived: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/DISNEY%20WORLD%20-%20MAGIC%20KINGDOME%20%5E5NOV.%2012%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=118&isFromRichUpload=1

BEE’S RV RESORT, CLERMONT, FL and a prelude to DISNEY WORLD (NOV. 9, 10 & 11, 2009)

Haven’t felt like writing for a few days…
Some have called to see if I’m alive, some have checked my Facebook (where I manage to scribble a few lines every day), and - as far as I can tell - I’m still kicking…
There are a couple of reasons for this lack of enthusiasm, of course, and the main one is the weather…
The humidity bombarded us from the moment we entered Florida…
I’m not used to it, and my old “bod” has been repelling water faster than I’ve been drinking it…
Consequence: Dehydration…
Got a little worried…
Called my doctor…
Inhaled a bunch of liquids, and am almost back to normal…
Back to the weather…
The forecast called for rain and strong winds (from hurricane IDA) on Monday, Tuesday and today, so, since we’re here for 14 nights, we decided to stay put until things lightened up…
Here in Florida, evidently, they are as good to predict weather as at home…
We did get some wind, but the rain decided to wait until last night to make its appearance...
All this gave me a couple of days off, and a couple of days to get back to my fun-loving self…
There you have it… Two good reasons, don’t you think?
Of course, we didn’t just sit and wait this out on our tiny little tushes (or is that tushii for plural?)…
We’ve been busy little beavers, doing this and that…
Oops… “This and that” doesn’t come to mind right at the moment…
Give me a few moments…
I cheated…
Conferred with the Boss, and “we” did laundry, “we” did repair work on the awning, “we” got our bikes down from their perch (at the back of the trailer) and ready for long rides, “we” went shopping, and even took some walks…
What more is there to life, you might add…
This morning (Wed. Nov. 11) we thought we’d take a dry run to Disney World, just to check things out…
Am I glad we did!
Had absolutely no idea of how huge this place is…
First, I figured DisneyWorld had about the same layout as Disneyland, in California…
Not so… The whole Disneyland complex could be placed inside the parking lot of the Magic Kingdom!
That should give you an idea…
We programmed “Jack,” and he didn’t disappoint!
The trip should’ve taken 40-45 minutes…
Took us an hour and a half!
However, that took us everywhere but New York, and it got us right to the BACK “door” (the service area) of the “Magic Kingdom”…
Love that guy!
After some asking, we found a parking lot (at the FRONT of the complex), and took a trolley about a half mile to the ticket booths…
We’re now ready for a five day “tour” of DisneyWorld, starting tomorrow morning…
I will try to keep text and pictures coming every day, but no promise!
I’m up to date, and so are you…
Take care, and keep an eye out for us on my Blog.
PICTURES (Sorry… Not many today): http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/BEE%e2%80%99S%20RV%20RESORT%5EJ%20CLERMONT%5EJ%20FL%20and%20a%20prelude%20to%20DISNEY%20WORLD%20%5E5NOV.%209%5EJ%2010%20%5E0%2011%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=10&isFromRichUpload=1

WOODBINE, GA to CLERMONT, FL via DAYTONA BEACH (NOV. 8, 2009)

Left Woodbine at 8:45 this morning, heading down I-95...
Tried to program “Jack” to get us to our next RV Resort, but he wouldn’t have any of it… I mean, I gave him the address, and everything, but that didn’t impress him in the least…
After many attempts last night and a few this morning, I gave up and put Daytona Beach in, since that was on the way…
This he liked…
And I liked it, too, since I’m a NASCAR fan from way back when…
Hmmm… My better half wondered if this might’ve been a ruse to go to the Speedway… Good question, I suppose, but I can tell you that by the excitement in her face; as we drove into the Speedway, and we heard the incredible noise of race cars on the track, that she didn’t mind at all…
That’s my gal! We do have things in comment after all… Nice to know in a pinch!
The parking lot (in front of the complex) is empty, so I place the Awesome Duo (Big Boy and Big Daddy) in the perfect place for a Photo Op…
Walked over to two guys at the entrance to Tunnel 4, and find out that the owner of the Race track, and the President of NASCAR is sitting in the car right in front of us… Didn’t have the camera, of course, so one Photo Op missed…
We did get BB and BD, so not all was lost…
Spent some time inside the “Welcome Center” (where I had to buy a T-shirt), and then walked up into the Grandstand in Turn Four…
(They didn’t let us do anything free in Indianapolis… What’s with that?).
Found out that there was going to be a VINTAGE car race this afternoon, and that’s the noise we’d heard earlier…
Lucked out (while we were in the Grandstand), and watched three cars practice…
Shot a bunch of pictures, but none were clear enough to catch the action…
Hard to focus when the cars zoom by at close to 200 MPH…
We finally had to tear ourselves away from all the merriment…
Had a RV Park to find, you see…
Wouldn’t you know it… Jack still didn’t recognize the address, so we improvised… Told him about a female GARMIN GPS in the closest town to where we were going, and that did the trick… It got us on the “North Florida’s Turnpike” (just North of Orlando), and from there we had directions from the RV Park’s brochure…
After signing in, we had to jockey around a bit to get the satellite TV focused (there’s always a tree in the way, it seems), and to make Lulubelle happy…
Have to make that happen, of course…
We took a little trip into Clermont (late this afternoon), to check it out, but found it deserted (Sunday), so we came home, where we’ve now watched a couple of shows, and are about ready to hit the sack…
That’s it for another Blog…
Take care and keep an eye open for us on the Net…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/WOODBINE%5EJ%20GA%20to%20CLERMONT%5EJ%20FL%20via%20DAYTONA%20BEACH%20%5E5NOV.%208%5EJ%202009%5E6?uc=30&isFromRichUpload=1

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP, GA and AMELIA ISLAND, FL (NOV. 7, 2009)

Didn’t know what to do this morning until we started the truck (at 9:00)…
Flipped a coin and drove to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Swamp), where we stayed until about 2:30...
The Entrance Road is about 2½ miles long, which winds it’s way through a very “open” forest of longleaf pine trees… The forest floor is covered in a carpet of palms, and Lu took picture after picture, of which some survived my editing…
The park measures almost 402,000 acres (about 163,000 hectares), and we “covered” maybe a fraction of a fraction of that…
They were just opening up when we arrived, so we spent some time in the Visitor’s Center, getting as much info as we could… Even took in a 20-minute movie, which was well worth the cost…
Oh, that’s right… No cost… And no cost for entering the park either, since I’m a “Golden Member”
(One who gets in free at all National Parks)…
Picked the brain of the young Ranger who greeted us… Got some brochures, and moseyed over to the “Okefenokee Adventures” concession building, where we inquired about a boat tour…
One had just left, and we had an hour to do things on our own…
Jumped in the truck and took a nine mile trip into the heart of the beast on Swamp Island Drive…
Parked at the Chesser Island Homestead, and, after having chatted with the Ranger Guide (who was comfortably settled into a rocker on the front porch), we took a self guided tour of the place…
It’s a big house, unlike the one and two room shacks you usually find in the Swamp…
Evidently, Mr. Chesser did quite well for himself, his wife and seven children, and made a living making and selling sugar and turpentine…
You can probably find out more about them on the internet…
We left the truck, and hiked out to “The Owls Roost” observation tower, on a wooden boardwalk…
Spotted a gator basking in the sun, just feet away from the path…
Lu went gaga…
Took lots of pictures… Some survived the editing process…
Got a beautiful view from the top of the tower, and spotted a couple of alligators through the telescope (fastened to a stand at one corner of the top platform), but, unfortunately, they were too far away for my camera to pick up, so we had to settle for the one along the boardwalk, and the BIG one we encountered when we got back to the Visitor’s center…
By that time, we were pretty well pooped form all the walking, and decided not to take the boat ride, but to get in the truck and head out to Emelia Island for a last “quality” time with the Beach…
We’re heading to Clermont (a few miles away from Orlando) tomorrow morning, where we’ll be staying for two weeks… I don’t think the Beach is in the picture when Disney World is beckoning, do you?
Anyway, we were starving when we got to the beach, so we parked in front of the “Sandy Bottoms Beach Bar and Grill,” walked in and had an early dinner…
Then hiked the beach for an hour…
My poor “sticks” is getting a workout, I tell you…
Don’t think I’ll have any trouble sleeping tonight…
And that’s your clue that this conversation is over…
Night all…
Take care and keep an eye on us, will you…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/OKEFENOKEE%20SWAMP%5EJ%20GA%20and%20EMELIA%20ISLAND%5EJ%20FL%20%5E5NOV.%207%5EJ%202009%5E6

WOODBINE and KINGSLAND, GA (NOV. 5, 2009) and AMELIA ISLAND and FERNANDINA BEACH. FL (NOV. 6, 2009)

Yesterday, Nov. 5, 2009...
House cleaning in the morning, then off to check what the City of Woodbine had to offer…
Heard it was a “historic” town, and looked forward to a long stroll on the “River Walk” (which was highly touted by the Welcome Center when we first arrived)…
We found the “River Walk” right off, but it was not what we’d expected…
The raised deck starts at Satilla River Waterfront Park, hugs the shoreline for maybe an eight of a mile,
and then peters out at a path heading inland…
That’s it…
There’s nothing to look at, along the short span, except for “The River” and marsh grass… Oh, and a tall bridge…
Took a couple of pictures, then searched high and low for something “historic.”
Found City Hall (which is fairly old), and hailed a police officer, who told us, “There’s nothing in Woodbine. You can drive around the city three times in three minutes“…
We left for Kingsland, another small town, a few miles down the freeway, to see if there was anything there to write home about…
Sorry… Same story (except no “River Walk” here)…
Gave up…
Stopped at Applebee’s…
Went home to plan for more fun tomorrow…
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009...
Left “Home, sweet Trailer” about 9:00...
Lu had read up on the area’s attractions, and decided that a trip into Florida was in order…
She was hungry for a beach, after yesterday’s failure, and I was totally in tune with that…
Don’t remember if I mentioned it before, but our RV Park is located 3 miles North of the Border…
Taking I-95, Hwy 17, and SR 200/A1A, we crossed the bridge over to Amelia Island in just over half an hour…
Found a parking spot at the waterfront, in the town of Fernandina Beach (by the way, all parking is free here), and because we were a little early for places to be open, we proceeded to walk “the neighborhood.”
We’d probably “covered” a half dozen blocks, when the smell of bacon beckoned us to this little “dive” named, BRIGHT MORNINGS.”
Had a choice of dining in or out, and, being that the temp was 72 degrees F., we opted for the “terrace” treatment.
Met a couple of friendly Geckos, who kept us company while we stuffed ourselves…
Wonderful place, and great food! Highly recommended!
Finished eating, we wobbled around a few more blocks… Looking, and poking our noses into this and that…
Ended up at a gift store (located at the waterfront, by our truck) where we purchased a wind chime Lu couldn’t live without…
Took Centre Street (A1A) East, to the beach…
Parked a few feet from the sand…
Shed sandals and shirt…
Spent the next three hours splashing the surf…
(Using Google Earth, I figure we walked about 2½ miles one way, so that was a good stroll today)…
Luanne got herself another bagful of shells, so I don’t know how this is going to end…
We still have a couple of months on (or near) a beach, so this is not boding well from a transportation standpoint, if you know what I mean…
Had a wonderful steak and chicken stir-fry this evening, which brings me to this moment…
I’m stuffed, tired, and wonderfully worn out… Time to bid you adieu, and hit the sack…
Take care and keep us in mind…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/WOODBINE%20and%20KINGSLAND%5EJ%20GA%20%5E5NOV.%205%5EJ%202009%5E6%20and%20AMELIA%20ISLAND%20and%20FERNANDINA%20BEACH.%20FL%20%5E5NOV.%206%5EJ%202009%5E6

BRUNSWICK, JEKYLL and ST.SIMON ISLANDS, GA (NOV. 4, 2009)

Didn’t really know what to see and do first today, but then read the comments from Terry (on last night’s Blog), and decided to take a trip out to Jekyll Island…
From our RV Park, it’s about a 30 mile drive North on I-95, and East on Hwy 520, which is nothing when you’re not hauling a big “thing” behind you…
Just like the scenery… Not much to take pictures of…
Nothing but flatness wherever you look, with the exception of the occasional bridge, and a few squat trees here and there…
But we took pictures anyway… Lots of them today… I’ve spent the last couple of hours editing and commenting, so I’m not all that ready for a lengthy Blog, if you know what I mean…
Thanks, Terry, for steering us to Jekyll Island… It’s a jewel!
We were forewarned about an entrance fee of $5.00 to get on the island, but that’s it… No other parking fees anywhere, which turned out to be a good deal, I feel…
Luanne read somewhere that by law, 65 percent of the island must remain undeveloped, so that leaves a lot of terrain for all kinds of creatures, including golfers, who gather on their annual migration route here (on a fantastic 36-hole course) to participate in the Georgia-Florida Golf Classic…
I don’t know enough to comment on the origin of these so-called island “cottages” that were built a long, long time ago, only that “big shots,” of yesteryear, tried to surpass the splendor of their neighbor’s home when they built, and, by all accounts (look at the pictures), they succeeded…
(Suggestion: Read the comments from Terry, or go on-line to find out more)
We drove around the whole island to begin with, just to get a perspective of what else it had to offer…
Stopped at the North end, where there’s a wonderful park and fishing pier… It’s also the termini for paved asphalt paths, which wrap around shoreline and marsh… Very walk and bicycle friendly…
Luanne went “gaga” over Spanish Moss hanging from every branch of bush and tree…
Picturesque, for sure, but there are limits…
Sorry, Honey… Hate to break this to you, but there is now a forest of deleted Spanish Moss in Cyberspace…
So… On our way around the island, we stop here and there to check on things, and, of course, to take pictures…
Shedding our shoes, we go for a couple of miles hike, up and down an almost deserted beach…
I mean… There’s not a soul around!
We stopped at Blackbeard’s for shrimp Po’Boys and clam chowder, and then back out to the beach for another stroll…
Tough life!
Anyway, time was running away from us, like it usually does…
We had other destinations to conquer today, and, besides, it was a bit cool on the beach (caused by a fairly strong wind), so it was time to move on…
Stopped in Brunswick, where we just drove around the Old Town for a while, then over to St. Simons Island to get some shots of the St. Simon Lighthouse…
While there we observed fishing boats drag netting only feet away from where we stood on shore… Very interesting stuff, especially when I was sure one of them was going to run aground (I could almost have jumped over to the boat), but those guys knew what they were doing, and I kept my feet dry.
That’s all I’m going to tell you about today’s activities, because I’m tired, and I’m going to bed.
Take care, and always keep an eye or an ear open for life signs from the Vagabonds…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/BRUNSWICK%5EJ%20JEKYLL%20and%20ST.SIMON%20ISLANDS%5EJ%20GA%20%5E5NOV.%204%5EJ%202009%5E6

HARDEEVILLE, SC to WOODBINE, GA, and a visit to ST. MARYS (NOV. 3, 2009)

We took our sweet time again this morning…
It’s nice to be able to get up and not have to worry about having a long haul ahead of you…
Figured we’d take a trip out to Walmart (in Hardeeville) to get gas, before we left, but “Jack” had other plans (even though we programmed in the actual address)…
Can’t figure out why he‘s having such a hard time, but it‘s frustrating!
We drove around in circles for a while, but had to give up and get gas at a high-priced station instead…
[We’ve been able to pay between $2.54 and $2.65 for diesel, but have encountered $2.99... Around Hardeeville it’s about $2.79, on and average…]
Anyway, it was time to head back before we overstayed our check out time…
Took only minutes to hook up the trailer, and we were on our way…
If you look at today’s pictures, there’s not much here in Northeastern Georgia to focus a camera on…
Just flat, flat, flat, and swamp, swamp, swamp…
Of course, with all this flatness, the drive is easy, and since we only had about a hundred and some miles to drive to get to Woodbine, it was also a short trip…
Stopped a couple of places to kill time… Once at a “Burgerking”…
Can you believe it?
Lu actually allowed me to have two double cheeseburgers (a buck a piece!), which I haven’t had in ages, and which I cherished to the very last bite…
Probably be another ten years before she allows me near such a place again?
So… We get here to “King George RV Resort,” in Woodbine, GA, and check in…
There aren’t all that many spaces available here (small park), but they’re all “pull-throughs,” which is fantastic, because I don’t have to back into any of them…
Most of the time (in other words: not only when I have to back into a space), Luanne goes into what I call “Irrational Phobia.”
Usually, she gets into a frenzy about a mile or two before we approach a new RV Park…
I admit, she tries to help me, but she has not yet realized that if she CANNOT see me in my rear view mirrors, I CANNOT see her!
The result is that I have to get out of the truck to check on things (time and time, and time again)…
At which time I tell her (in so many words) that she’s no help at all…
Of course, I’m always tactful in these situations, so I don’t understand why she starts sulking, and why we don’t talk for a couple of hours…
Conundrum!
Anyway… Today we had a “drive through,” so I thought things would be a lot better than usual…
Not so…
The RV Park is very nice, but the allotted parking spaces are quite narrow, resulting in RVs being “uncomfortably” close together… Especially after the “slide-outs” are extended…
After setting up once (that means unhooking from the truck, and getting the umbilicals hooked up), we found we were so close to our neighbor that we couldn’t put our awning out…
The second try ended in the same result, but slightly better, but I’d had enough…
You see, this hour of my life took place in 94 degree heat… My nerves were a bit on edge, you might say…
Well, heck… Let’s cut to the chase… When she acted like this was not good enough (after I had lost 15 pounds in sweat), I was ready to put her on a plane to Seattle…
Instead we took about an hour’s nap, and then drove down to a little town called St. Marys, where we spent an hour, or so, being tourists…
And that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! (Heard that line in a song, I think)…
Don’t know what we’ll do tomorrow, but I think we’ll be OK if I get her away from the trailer… So… That’s the plan…
Take care and keep us in mind…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/HARDEEVILLE%5EJ%20SC%20to%20WOODBINE%5EJ%20GA%5EJ%20and%20a%20visit%20to%20ST.%20MARYS%20%5E5NOV.%203%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=35&isFromRichUpload=1

HARDEEVILLE, SC, and SAVANNAH, GA (NOV. 1 & 2, 2009)

Took a day off yesterday…
Sometimes you have to do that in order to gather your wits about you…
Actually, I just took a day off from the Blog…
Now………… That‘s not quite true…
Let me explain…
If you follow my Blog (as you obviously do if you read this), you can appreciate all the gigabytes I’m using - both for the Blog and the pictures…
Well… Here’s the chain of events, in order to get “things” “published.”
First… Download pictures from camera to computer…
In the process of doing that, I make comments (on the pictures) where I think it’s necessary for clarification of where we are, or what you‘re seeing (a very long process if there are a lot of pictures)…
When that’s done, I save the picture file to my “WD Passport,” a 50 GB External Hard drive (bought at Costco before we left)…
Next, I write my Blog using “Microsoft Word Processor“…
If it’s an “eventful” day, it may take hours… Words (at times) do not come easy for this “transplant,” you see)…
The Blog then gets uploaded to “BLOGGER.COM,” where I have unlimited space (almost) for whatever I want to post…
I’ve been saving a copy of my Blog on my computer, but woke up the other night thinking: What’ll happen if my computer and “Blogger.com” crashes at the same time? Will I loose everything?
Yeah… No doubt… And what a nightmare that would be!
So… Yesterday, I began the tedious task of saving all my Blogs to the Albums (on “WD Passport Hard Drive”) where they’ll match up with my pictures…
Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Not so…
You wouldn’t believe the intricacies you have to go through to get this simple task accomplished, but… That’s for me to battle, so we don’t need to go there…
Anyway, is that’s a reasons for taking a day “off?“
By the way, I’ve only accomplished the transfer to 20 Albums so far, and I just saw that this album is my 90th…
Got a ways to go…
Hmmm… Might have to take some more time “off” here…
Let’s get on with today’s stuff…
Went (without Lu) for a ride around Hardeeville this morning, just for a break…
Drove a bunch of back roads, but, unfortunately, a lot of traffic prevented me from taking pictures of some of the homes I would’ve liked to show you…
Oh, oh… Feels like my conscience is going to take over for a bit:
So far, most of the pictures we’ve taken of homes and buildings have been in the “WOW“ and “INCREDIBLE” variety…
The abandoned, neglected, and derelict places we’ve seen, have not been addressed, I’m afraid…
There are shabby homes (or should I call them shacks?) in every State, of course, but we’ve just not focused on them at all…
Unconscious decision?
Rather concentrate on “pretty” than “ugly“?
Pride?
Ashamed of showing how “bad” some neighborhoods are in America?
Don’t know…
Lots of questions, though…
I guess my trepidation comes from seeing - for lack of a better word - “squalor” here on the back roads in South Carolina…
Sorry if it sounds like I’m focusing exclusively on South Carolina… I’m not… It’s just that what I saw today
made me realize how one sided we’ve been…
We’ll try to see things without rose colored glasses from now on… How’s that?
After my solo adventure out this morning, we went into Savannah to check out some of the places we haven’t had a chance to see yet…
That took us to the “Well-to-do” section…
(Gasp! This may’ve been the trigger for the previous paragraphs?).
Look at the pictures… Not a shack in sight!
I rest my case against myself!
Happened to walk by the set of “The Conspirators” (or whatever the movie title is), and happened to catch Robert Redford, and a few “extras” in action…
Luanne was actually swooning!
Went home for a rest, then back to town for a “Last Supper” (in Savannah), and a final walk on the Waterfront…
A very nice ending to our visit here, don’t you think?
Tomorrow, it’s on the road again… To Southern Georgia…
Catch us there…
Take care, and keep us in mind…
PICTURES: http://cid-44d18849bf3983e9.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/HARDEEVILLE%5EJ%20SC%5EJ%20and%20SAVANNAH%5EJ%20GA%20%5E5NOV.%201%20%5E0%202%5EJ%202009%5E6?nl=1&uc=67&isFromRichUpload=1