Late March 2021 We wrapped up our visit to Austin with a stay at McKinney Falls State Park. This site is just a stone’s throw from downtown Austin and is a perfect base for area day trips. The park is a gem, with lots of greenery, hiking trails leading to the river and little waterfalls, and well-spaced campsites in the woods. The first day, we explored the park. On the next, we ferried our bikes to the edge of town…
March 2021 With a thank you for sheltering us during the big Texas freeze, we departed Goose Island State Park and headed north to Goliad. While in Goliad, we had a great stroke of luck. For weeks, we’d been trying to schedule Covid 19 vaccinations, with no luck. Then, on one random morning, the CVS website was loaded with open appointments. We both started working our phones and nabbed appointments. We realized that we’d have to stick around the area…
Mid-February 2021 We had doubled back to Florida, thinking we might be able to schedule Covid vaccinations, but hopes fell apart when Florida’s governor issued a residency requirement for vaccine registration. Well, so much for that. We stayed a while and had a good week at Fort Pickens. We were fortunate to be joined by our friends from Homosassa, Joann and Bob. The cool, sometimes rainy weather, didn’t dampen our spirits. We cooked great meals, walked the beach, and enjoyed…
Mid-January 2021 In Ocean Springs, MS, we stayed at Davis Bayou, which is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. So, what’s the difference between a swamp and a bayou? A swamp is a forested wetland. A bayou is a slow moving body of water in a flat, low-lying area, commonly found in the Gulf Coast region of the southern United States. The current in these waters changes daily, with the tides, creating a brackish environment. These areas are prone…
Late December 2020 to mid-January 2021 Before we jumped back on the Parkway, we paid a return visit to Elvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo, MS. His rags to riches story took place in the span of a few short years, and his impact on music was profound. Fans still come by the thousands to tour the museum and see the small, one-room house where he was born. We spent New Year’s Eve in Trace State Park, just outside of Tupelo….
December 2020 During our early December stay on Santa Rosa Island, we were fortunate to reconnect with the Campbells, a couple we met last year. During our first trip to Fort Pickens, Judy and I bumped into each other in the laundry room. We chatted and discovered that we were on similar paths. They’d sold their house, too, and were also traveling full time in a conversion van. (In camping speak – a Class B) With some people, you just…
December 2020 We wish everyone Happy Holidays and a bright, sparkling New Year! We aren’t exactly sure where our travels will take us in 2021, but we’re looking forward to the journey! Hoping that happiness is a big part of your 2021! Cheers! John and Sally (View this post under Travels, if you don’t see photos here…)
December 2020 After several months of repairs following hurricane season, Fort Pickens campground reopened. We were surprised that the campground was only partially filled. After so much hullabaloo about reopening, we thought it would be packed. I guess the word about reopening was slow to be believed. This was one of the first places we camped last year, and it remains a top pick. The campsites are kind of close together, but the location is stellar. The beach is a…
November 2020 Making our way south, we spent a night near the Florida border at Walkabout Campground in Woodbine, Georgia. I’m pretty sure that Walkabout is the only Aussie-themed campground east of the Mississippi. Turns out that the owners actually moved from Australia in 2011, so the theme is genuine. Their friendly attitude and sparkling clean facilities were welcome indeed after a long day of driving. After our one night stopover, we drove on and entered the Sunshine State. Staying…
Early November 2020 Much of this area on South Carolina’s coast was land owned by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. Archer Huntington was the son of railroad magnate and industrialist Collis P. Huntington. The family’s vast wealth provided Archer with opportunities for education, travel, and philanthropy. When Anna and Archer met and married (he was in his fifties and she in her late forties), both were very accomplished. Anna was already a groundbreaking sculptor of significant means; this at a…