Into the Wild - Feb 14 - 15, 2015

Cumberland Island, southernmost of the Georgia coastal islands, is a nature preserve. There are no bridges to the island. There are no shops on the island, not even for food. The U.S. Park Service runs two ferries a day, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon. They also run just one tour per day. It lasts six hours, has a ranger as the guide, and takes a maximum of twelve people; there were nine of us the day that I took it. Here’s what I found.

In a Clinch - Feb 12 - 13, 2015

Before this, all I knew about Amelia Island is that it’s where reporters like to flock when a hurricane is coming ashore. For me, the weather was great, I had a view of the ocean from my campsite, and there was an interesting but nearly deserted attraction nearby.

Flaglerville - Feb 9 -12, 2015

Henry Flagler made his fortune as one of the founders of Standard Oil, then turned his attention to other interests. One of the best known is the railroad he built south through Florida as far as Key West, but it was really only to serve the cities he’d heavily invested in along the eastern Florida coast: Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona, Palm Beach, etc. Of all these, St. Augustine bears his mark more than any other because of the large number of buildings he built or financed or bought. I found it to be a charming city with much more to see and do than I ever expected.

To Infinity, and Beyond! - Feb 5 - 8, 2015

It was a short drive from Disney World to Titusville, my basestation for visiting the Kennedy Space Center. I’d toured Johnson Space Center outside of Houston many years ago, but, really, the action was at KSC. I was wowed by what I saw.

It's a Small World, After All - Feb 4, 2015

Epcot. I’d been there with my wife and infant daughter about twenty-five years ago, but not since. I figured it was time to see it again. As for the Magic Kingdom, I’d been to Disneyland in California several times and that was a close enough substitute. Animal Adventure I wouldn’t mind seeing - mainly for the animatronic dinosaurs people rave about - but that could wait. With a cousin and uncle in the area, I’d be returning before long. Epcot was more than enough to absorb for one visit.

Myakka - Jan 30, 2014

As I reported in the previous post, I was in Sarasota with the family when my aunt passed away. There was still grieving to do, but we’d done quite a bit during the week she was unconscious in hospice. My cousins, Mike and Stephanie, Stephanie’s husband, Richard, along with my Uncle Bob, were quite capable of making the necessary arrangements. It was time for me to think about getting my touring underway again. Bob had suggested several times while I was in town that I should see Myakka River State Park, just south of Sarasota, before I left. I had the time, since my next goal was Epcot, and I didn’t want to go there on a weekend. After eleven stationary days in Sarasota, Myakka was a nice transition back into the touring lifestyle.

Rain Must Fall - Jan 19-28, 2015

Traveling full time as I do, it’s easy to feel that you’re on one endless vacation. But life goes on, with its joys and its sorrows, independent of your plans.

Walled City - Cruise Days 7 & 8 - Jan 17-18, 2015

I’d had such a good time touring the first set of Mayan ruins, I was really looking forward to seeing more, even though I had no idea how different they’d be. I also found a touring companion with whom I had more in common than I ever expected.

Riding the Banana Boat - Cruise Day 5 - Jan 15, 2015

After two fantastic, but busy days of sightseeing, I was ready for a laid-back day on the beach in Costa Maya, Mexico. I had pre-booked a beach and snorkeling tour through the ship, but things didn’t quite work out that way. They worked out a lot better.

I Belize - Cruise Day 4 - Jan 14, 2015

Our next port was Belize City, in the country of Belize. There is a set of Mayan ruins about 45 minutes outside the city, and, before I ever boarded, I had signed up for a ship-arranged tour. I was glad to hear that my new friends had signed up for the same tour. The ruins were amazing, but we had quite a bit of fun when we returned to the city, too.