Southern Charm - Feb 21, 2015

After a couple days in Savannah too cold to enjoy touring, I was worried that I was trying to push north too early in the season. But the weather turned nice when I arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, and I was able to fully enjoy the many sights the city has to offer.

Cold Savannah - Feb 18, 2015

I went to graduate school in Atlanta, but unfortunately did little touring around. I’d heard that Savannah was a charming, historic city, but never made it over there. Now, I had a chance to correct that. As things turned out, though, Savannah remains on my “to do” list.

Jekyll to Cumberland's Hyde - Feb 16 - 17, 2015

Cumberland Island is a wild and wooly place, intentionally. Jekyll Island, next up the Georgia coast, is much more refined, but not without its wild places. I spent two days touring Jekyll Island and enjoyed an amazing variety of sights.

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.

Barrel of Monkeys - Cruise Day 3 - Jan 13, 2015

After two nights and one full day onboard ship, we docked at Roatan, an island off the Honduran Coast. I had only vague plans made for the shore excursion, but when my new shipboard friends mentioned they were going to an animal sanctuary called Little French Key, that sounded pretty good. Tagging along with them gave me perhaps the best day of the entire cruise.

Now We're Cruisin' - Days 1 & 2: Jan 11-12, 2015

Taking a Caribbean Cruise while I was in Florida seemed like a good idea because a) the only part of the Caribbean I'd seen before was Bermuda, b) I was close to all the embarkation ports, and c) I was just biding my time until the weather warmed up enough for me to head north. Since I wasn’t picky, I chose whatever was available at the last minute and got a great deal. I had a fantastic time, saw incredible sights, and made new friends. As part of my ongoing effort to catch up posts close to real time, this entry will be heavy on photos and sparse on words.

Keys to the New Year - Dec 28, 2014 - Jan 6, 2015

Nearly two years before I hit the road, a friend of mine from graduate school that I hadn’t seen in twenty years called to say he was visiting San Diego. We got together for dinner, and, when I mentioned my RVing plans, he invited me to visit him in Marathon, Florida sometime, halfway along the Florida Keys. As the timing worked out, New Years for 2014/2015 was when I was in the area. I was thrilled when my friend said he’d be glad to have me visit then. ( In an ongoing effort to bring posts closer to real time, this entry consists primarily of photos with a few captions thrown in.)

Santa Time in Sarasota - Dec 21-27, 2014

I recognized from the beginning of my planning that being on the road by myself for the holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas - would be a very lonely experience. So, I built into my schedule that I’d be with my sister’s family in Omaha for Thanksgiving, and with my cousin, her husband, my aunt and my uncle in Sarasota Florida for Christmas. On both occasions, the plan worked out. This post recounts my stay in Sarasota during Christmas week. In an effort to bring posts closer to real time, this entry consists primarily of photos with a few captions thrown in.

Coasting along the Gulf - Dec. 16 to 20, 2014

This post covers my travel along the panhandle of Florida: Panama City, St. George Island, and Cedar Key. In an ongoing effort to bring posts closer to real time, this entry consists primarily of photos with a few captions thrown in. I temporarily break that rule, though, to describe meeting some new friends.

Naval Gazing - December 15, 2014

For quite a while now, I’ve been doing the same thing and expecting a different result. I’m referring to my sisyphean efforts to catch up on blog entries. So, it’s time to try something different. Until I get reasonably close to real time, upcoming posts will be predominantly photo essays, with a caption thrown in here and there to set the context. I know readers will miss my mellifluous prose ;-) but something has to be done. Perhaps one day I’ll have the time to come back and fill in more complete descriptions.

The first entry representing this new approach documents my visit to the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. I went on the recommendation of my friend, David, a retired Navy pilot (Thanks!). A very complete, but very crowded (with exhibits) museum.

Alabama State of Mind - Dec. 11-14, 2014

After an extended stay in Memphis, my next goals were to visit some friends in Montgomery, Alabama and then head for the Gulf Coast. There were some sights along the way, and some great camping spots.