2022 Travel Log
Saturday, January 1, 2022
Happy New Year and greetings from Columbus, Indiana.
Beginning a new year, we plan to get out and about and do some things that we
have put-off. We’re excited about new adventures and hope that all our friends
and family will be somewhere in this picture.
Monday, January 3, 2022 A cold front changed our plans.
Today, we begin a winter, snow-bird trip down to Florida for
some fun and sun. From Columbus, Indiana, we plan to travel to St. Augustine,
Florida, on the Atlantic Ocean.
Itinerary:
1-3-22
Travel US 421 via Madison, Indiana, from Columbus 128 miles,
to the Kentucky Horse Park, at Lexington, Kentucky.
THE KENTUCKY HORSE PARK 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington,
Kentucky 40511 Tel. 859-233-4303
Their web: “A treasure to Kentucky and a facility unlike any
other in the world, since 1978 the Kentucky Horse Park’s mission has been to
celebrate our relationship with the horse through education, exhibition,
engagement and competition. Owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
each year we welcome over 500,000 visitors from around the world.”
We plan to spend a few days at their RV Park and explore the
park and experience the programs, facilities, and attractions.
Lexington, KY City Tour, UK Tour
State Botanical Garden
Kentucky horse farm tour
UK 409 South Limestone Lexington, KY
Next stop 171 miles to Knoxville, TN City Tour, UT Tour
Next stop 113 miles to Chattanooga, TN River cruise
Next stop 118 miles to Atlanta, GA Trolley Tour and Bus Tour
Next stop 456 miles to Tampa FL
Lake City, FL
Fall Creek Falls
St. Augustine, FL
St. Augustine Alligator Farm
A cold front changed our plans, so the above outline was
scrapped in order to get south as fast as possible.
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
We got packed and departed Columbus, heading south on I-65.
It’s cold, grey, and windy, but the bleak, wet agricultural fields and bare
trees are hosting lots of wildlife to observe. Our goal is to progress south avoiding
the ice and snow of the approaching storm, from the west, that’s coming soon.
We see warming temperatures as we go south, just what us migrating-snowbirds
are seeking. We got a Cracker Barrel lunch and fueled-up at Franklin, Kentucky.
On the road again!
We’ve had a cold, grey travel morning, but had some sun
after lunch. This was a nice improvement and we enjoyed some wildlife sightings
in the agricultural fields and hardwood forest along the way. The constant
thought that we had was the approaching winter storm and how far south we need
to travel in avoiding it.
Continuing south on I-65, we took our first night at
Nashville KOA Journey. This RV Park, just off I-65, is actually in
Goodlettsville, a north suburb of Nashville, on US 31. Nashville, Tennessee is
cold and windy but not freezing, however we are running our furnace and the
ceramic heater. We stayed-in and made a nice diner, followed by television and
phone-surfing. I cheated and ordered Florida oranges shipped to Glen and Rick,
in appreciation for their help in getting us going on this trip. My rig was
stored in a wet area and we had to tow it out. They said “send oranges” from
Florida but I had the on-line, Florida Orange Farm ship a case to each of them,
while we were in Tennessee. (Nice to use the cell phone to order stuff, while
we drive.) Didn’t want to wait on that one!
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
A continued cold and windy morning but thankfully, no ice
and snow. Following our breakfast, the day was sunny and warming. We departed our
Nashville RV site and continued south on I-65. The I-65 route has some rough
spots but generally we maximized our travel-time on the interstate highway. We
know a big winter storm is approaching from the west, and we want to get south
of it, along the Gulf Coast. The current prediction is that the storm will
extend over Birmingham, so we want to be south of that.
We stopped for fuel and lunch at Decatur, Alabama on a cool,
clear sunny mid-day but still hearing of rapidly changing weather conditions.
The reports were still indicating that Birmingham would be the southern edge of
the approaching winter storm.
At the end of our travel day, we took a site at the
Birmingham South RV Park, actually at Pelham, on US 31, just off I-65. The
current weather prediction was revised and Birmingham would not get the storm
until mid-afternoon tomorrow. We felt sure that we would be well south of the
storm by then.
This was a quiet, restful overnight stop, with a good dinner
and a restful night, including pattering rain on our roof. It was cold, so our
furnace kept us cozy!
Thursday, January 6, 2022
After a good night’s sleep, we got ready, and made
breakfast, just as the rain started. With a cold, rainy travel day, we’re just
glad the temperatures are above freezing. The weather improved as we traveled
south on I-65. and it was warm and sunny, south of Montgomery. We stopped for a
picnic-lunch near Evergreen, Alabama, took a nice walk, then continued south. Now,
we are feeling comfortable that we are well south and clear of the storm-path.
Another welcome condition is the near 70 temperature and sun that we are now
driving in. At Stockton, we fueled-up, leaving I-65 and took AL 287 for a
shortcut route to AL 59 and Gulf Shores, Alabama.
We arrived in mid-afternoon, and were happy with the Gulf
Shores State Park and our site. We were excited to have arrived to wonderful
weather, with clear skies, warm sun, a gentle Gulf breeze, green grass, great
beach and surf, and a nice campsite. This is an old park, with evidence of past
hurricanes, but the Alabama State Park Commission is continuously improving and
upgrading the resources, as the budget permits.
We got settled-in, walked a trail, made dinner and relaxed
for the evening. Now we know that our winter sanctuary has been reached! We
made it just in time to miss the temperatures in the teens at home. We haven't
been here in years but it is an area where we have spent several wonderful
vacations with friends and family.
Friday, January 7, 2022
Today, we awoke to a beautiful Gulf-Coast day. We made a
nice breakfast, walked some trails, met some snowbirds, and walked around the
campground observing the neighbors. We saw RV rigs of every make/model and
type, plus an amazing variety of camp equipment, paraphernalia, and general “outdoor-stuff”.
We noticed snowbird vehicles numerous State’s, and Canadian Province, where
icy, snowy winters prevail.
We are so excited to be on the Gulf Coast as winter weather invades
the north. It’s amazing how much difference the climate changed in three days, from
the 40th parallel down to the 30th parallel. Love it!
We headed to lunch at Tacky Jack’s, on the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway. We enjoyed delicious fresh-fish tacos, followed by real key-line pie.
Yummy! Next, we shopped Walmart to re-supply our larder, then headed back to
camp. We walked another trail, sunned, watched football, then made dinner.
After dark, we drove over to the Gulf State Park Pier and
walked to the end, talking to night-fishermen, taking pictures, and enjoying
the stars and night air, gentle Gulf breeze, and surf sounds. I took a
spectacular, Friday night picture at Gulf Shores, from the end of the Gulf
State Park pier, of a Great Blue Herron, patiently fishing!
Later, we made a reoccurrence trip to Wal Mart to return an
item and get more items that we thought of. There’s always a list for Walmart!
Saturday, January 8, 2022
Another gorgeous Gulf-Coast Day for a good breakfast and
some trail-walking. We saw some song birds and made some pictures along the
trail. The Gulf State Park has loads of amenities to offer their guests.
At mid-morning, we drove up to Fairhope, Alabama for lunch
and a visit with cousin Gayle. Gayle has lived on this eastern shoreline of
Mobile Bay for many years and has a lot to share about the quaint, 1894 town.
Later, we walked along the pier-park, under old Live Oaks and a enjoyed a
distant view of Mobile. At the Pier Park, we got to meet Gayle’s fur-baby, “Levi”,
her cute little rescue doggie.
Mardi Gras is in the air here, and along the Gulf Coast. Later
I researched the topic and discovered that the first Mardi Gras in America was actually
held, by the French explorers, at Mobile, in 1703. I had always thought it was
New Orleans! Annual Mardi Gras preparations are being made all along the Gulf
Coast.
We had a wonderful visit, walked, and looked at family
pictures, reminisced, and shared life experiences. A terrific day!
Sunday, January 9, 2022
A warm, sunny Sunday morning walk among the Live Oaks, Pines
and Palmettos, at Gulf Shores State Park. Rain later but NO ice and snow! Rain
is predicted for today but the morning is sunny and warm, with high humidity. At
check-out time, we headed east into the Florida panhandle, to Navarre Beach,
and a new campsite at Emerald Beach RV Park, situated at Navarre, on the
beautiful Santa Rosa Sound.
We hooked-up and cruised along the Gulf Coast, stopping at
Gulf Breeze for a picnic-lunch and shopping at Lowes. We reminisced as we
passed the Naval Oaks Nature Preserve. We previously visited the old 1828
federal tree farm, a valuable resource for early shipbuilders. It’s now part of
the Gulf Islands National Seashore and a must-see park.
Afterwards, we headed on east to Navarre and our next
campsite at Emerald Beach RV Park. We got set-up and headed to the beach and
pier for a walk, sun, pictures, and sights. We met some of our neighbors and
discovered that this park is predominately snowbirds, here for the winter. We
talked to them about traveling around vs staying in one place. We prefer to hop
and skip around but if you’re just after a winter escape, this place is ideal.
It’s a small community with lots of local businesses that provide your every
need. Nothing like sun, surf, shorts-n-tee shirt on the Gulf Coast, at Navarre
Beach. A fine beach RV Park!
We enjoyed the remainder of the day at our campground. We
ran our air conditioner all day. Love it!
Monday, January 10, 2022
In a turnabout situation, the day began cool, foggy, cloudy,
and damp. The weather prediction is for a cool, cloudy day with a high of 60
degrees, but that’s a good winter day for us. We had a seafood lunch at Dewey
Destin’s, followed by key lime pie.
After lunch, we drove across the bridge to Santa Rosa Island
to take a walk out on the pier. The north wind was too cold and we decided to drive
to the Santa Rosa Mall for an inside-walk. Returning to our campsite, we
shopped and fueled-up at Walmart.
In the evening, we had dinner in and watched the NCAA Football
National Championship game. An amazing and exciting game!
Tuesday, January11, 2022
The morning began clear and cool, with a beautiful sunrise,
and a north wind. We had a leisurely morning, with a good breakfast, followed
by some inside chores. At mid-morning, we did laundry at the RV Park and then
headed over to the Shrimp Basket for a seafood lunch. The Shrimp Basket is a Gulf
Coast chain but excellent seafood! We had a scrumptious seafood lunch, followed
by key lime pie. The fried shrimp reminded me of the old Carona’s Seafood Cafe
in McComb.
Back at the RV Resort, we had a leisurely afternoon, taking
walks, sunning on the beach, talking to neighbors, watching the military STOL
practice, and taking sunset pictures. This place has marvelous sunsets from the
pier. The north wind persists but the sun is great and a welcome reprieve from
the ice and snow currently up-north.
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Today is a travel-day, as we have three nights reserved at
Panama City. We drove from Navarre to Panama City, stopping for a seafood lunch
at Fort Walton. At Panama City we took our reserved campsite at the Panama City
Campers Inn RV Park, a large, convenient, but congested park. It’s in a good
location and suitable for our stay here.
We texted Pat and Kristy at their hotel and invited them
over for dinner, at our rig. Their rig is parked at the hotel, where they took
a few nights of luxury accommodation.
We had a nice dinner,
followed by a pleasant evening together, at the campsite. We made plans to
visit St. Andrews State Park tomorrow and then lunch together.
Thursday, January 13, 2022
After a home-cooked breakfast, we got organized and received
Pat and Kristy, for a tour of St. Andrews State Park. They camp-hosted this
park last summer and enjoyed showing us around the large beachfront park. The
toured the Visitor Center, with nice displays of the Park’s flora and fauna,
then hiked the
With the Gulf of Mexico on one side and St. Andrews Bay on
the other, visitors who crave swimming, snorkeling, surfing, boating, fishing, and
hiking will be more than satisfied. Pristine, sugar-white beaches for fishing
and swimming, great trails for visitors to stroll through pines and along dunes
and coastal plant communities, all equal a pleasant day-use or vacation
experience.
From the park, we enjoyed lunch together at the Shrimp
Basket, a chain-restaurant but excellent seafood offerings. Next, we drove
around Panama City, took some pictures and made plans to meet-up on Saturday,
at Suwannee River State Park, in Live Oak, Florida, for a week of camping and
fellowship time together.
Saturday, January 15, 2022
After our three nights at Campers Inn RV Park at Panama City
Beach, Florida, it’s travel day. On a change of plans, we’ll head east to Port
St. Joe for a week of camping at Presnell’s Bayside Marina and RV Resort, on Saint
Joseph Bay. Our plans with Patrick and Kristy changed because we could not get
a reservation on the Suwannee River, so we all decided to come here for a week,
instead.
Saturday, January 15 through Friday January 21, 2022
Our week at Port St. Joe had been loads of fun with Patrick
and Kristy. We’re visiting for a week, as they’re traveling to their winter
camp-host assignment at Inverness, Florida.
We shared meals at the RV sites, and has some delicious
entrees. I made a scrumptious shrimp gumbo from fresh shrimp that I purchased
at Simmons Bayou. (Found no connect to my family) I cut up the huge shrimp (14
in a pound) for the gumbo and it was yummy.
Also, I made a sausage jambalaya for lunch one day. It was
loaded with all the jambalaya stuff and having made it the night before, it was
delicious, delectable and scrumptious!
The recent mid-west, winter storm brought rain and wind on
Saturday and Sunday, with clearing and sunny on Monday. We did a day trip to
Port St. Joe, toured the Florida Constitutional Museum State Park, did laundry,
had lunch, shopped, had treats, saw the Staten Island Ferry, and explored the
town.
On Tuesday, we drove to Apalachicola for a day tour of the
old historic town. We strolled around the parks, town and waterfront, took
pictures and admired the architecture and historic homes and buildings. For
dinner, Kristy made “beef pasties” and capricci salad, a delightful meal,
followed by a movie, at their rig. Our days are clear, sunny and warm, with
cool evenings.
Wednesday was another great Florida day, so we toured the
Cape San Blas Peninsula, beachcombed, walked some trails, and talked to other
snowbirds. The peninsula was very interesting because the Gulf on the south and
St Joseph Bay on the north, support a variety of sea life and shells. The
narrow peninsula has a very diverse mix of trees, shrubs, and wildlife, with
great hiking trails. We hiked the loop trail and had a nice leisurely
experience together. The longleaf pine was predominated here during the pioneer
days and were harvested very aggressively, processed by numerous sawmills and
shipped to markets. Now, thankfully, there is an effort to restore them in the
State and Federal properties.
Port St. Joe was not on our original plan, but a week here
has been very interesting and informative. The historic area has an interesting
story and historic sites. Ponce de Leon led a Spanish expedition here in 1512.
The area was controlled by the Spanish, French, then British, prior to the 1821
US purchase. It was the site of the Florida constitution and establishment of
the State. One of the first US railroads was built here, serving the major cotton-shipping
port. Huge stands of Long Leaf pine facilitated an early turpentine industry,
and later sawmills produced a half-million board feet of lumber daily. With its
deep bay, shipping and fishing became a significant economic factor.
Unfortunately, the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1841 and economic decline ended the
old town. The new town has developed into a good mix of tourism, industry, and
shipping, thanks to the white beaches, and the Intracoastal Waterway. We have
really enjoyed our week here. We saw lots of historical sights! We could spend
a winter here!
Friday, January 21, 2022
Today, a grey, rainy day, we sadly said goodbye to Patrick
and Kristy, as they departed for their camp-hosting assignment at Inverness. We
had a great time of touring, hiking, dining, cooking, and sharing experiences.
We sure will miss them!
Saturday, January 22, 2022
On departing Port St. Joe, we have reserved a site at
Tallahassee, Macon, Georgia, and Atlanta. We made breakfast, hooked-up,
packed-up and headed east on US 98. We cruised the US 98 beach route, around
the “Big Bend”, along the “Forgotten Coast”, to US 319, then north to Tram Road
and FL 259. We lunched, shopped, and explored along the way to our Saturday
night, camp site at Tallahassee East Campground. The campground is an old “KOA”,
now a “Good Sam” park which is showing its age, but a quiet, convenient,
accommodating park, just south of I-10.
This coastal area was alive with European Spanish between
1513 and 1763, all part of Spanish Florida. Later came the French then the British,
followed by the US purchase from the returning Spanish. We enjoyed spending
time exploring, and researching the history. The place names, family names, and
some structures remain from the Spanish, French, and British periods. Also, the
Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is a navigable inland waterway between Brownsville,
Texas and Carrabelle, Florida. It’s part of the infamous “Great Loop” a
familiar channel that we always look for along our routes. Check it out!
Our experience:
Apalachicola, on the Apalachicola River, is so attractive to
us. It’s the “Oyster Capital of the world” and you can get all you want,
including other seafood. We learned that the river hosts the Florida torreya,
large stands of Longleaf Pine, flatwoods, tidal marshes, sawgrass meadows, and
Tupelo trees which produce tupelo honey, and it runs through Tate’s Hell State
Forest.
Eastpoint is another seafood hub on the “Forgotten Coast”
and a “step back in time”. We discovered some great seafood shops, fishing
guides, and an interesting working water-front, along with splendid wildlife
sightings.
Tate’s Hell State Forest supports numerous habitats. The
baygall is just one 12 major habitats. I recall hearing Don Simmons referring
to a baygall on the Bala Chitto Creek, when I was a teenager.
The “Tate” name refers to a local homesteader who became
lost in the forest and after seven days he came out at Carrabelle, living just
long enough to say, “my name is Cebe Tate and I just came from Hell”!
Lanark Village is home to the old Camp Gordon, WW II
amphibious training center for the D-Day attack. We also admired some historic
structures and some new mansions too!
Summer Camp Beach is a secluded, beach-lovers retreat, just
off the beaten path. We saw some very exclusive resort mansions and some
run-of-the-mill, million-dollar properties. Something for everybody rich or
acting rich!
Sopchoppy is an 1894 town with a Muskogee Indian name. It
was named by the railroad company which hauled-out all sorts of products until
1946. My most interesting product was Sturgeon caviar.
Medart, Florida’s claim-to-fame is the “10 best things you
can do around Medart”!
Crawfordville is an attractive town but unincorporated. We
just rubber-necked as we drove around the streets.
As you may notice, we cannot see a place name, family name,
or historic sign, without; “there’s a story there”! We gonna research it and
get the skinny! Our phones facilitate an instant research portal and I keep
Terry busy making notes on what I want to research further. (Sometime to her aggravation
point!) Love it!
At Tallahassee, we SE bypassed the State Capitol, home of
Florida State University, and a historic center. Been there, done that!
Arriving at the Tallahassee East RV Park, we took our
campsite and had a relaxing evening and peaceful night. We have learned that RV
Park names can be deceptive, for example, this one is actually 20 miles east of
Tallahassee, contrary to what the name suggest. Fortunately, along our planned
route. This campground is an old KOA, now a Good Sam, showing wear, with a
majority of permanent residents. It was clean and fairly well managed, so it
was fine for our overnight stop. We have no way of knowing how many hundreds of
campgrounds and parks we have camped in, where it’s always uncertain what
conditions you will find on arriving. Sometimes, the most expensive will be objectionable
and the moderate priced will be excellent. Several years ago, I started
documenting the campsites in my Travel Journal, and that has proved to be
helpful. It’s all about the management!
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Following a frosty, cold morning start from Tallahassee East
RV Park, we took the US 319, a Blue Star Memorial Highway, cross-country route
up to Macon, Georgia. This was a scenic, tranquil drive, with overhanging,
sprawling, moss-covered Live Oaks, through the rolling hills, past the pecan
orchards, cotton fields, pine plantations, cattle farms, and country estates.
Macon, Georgia is close to the geographic center of the
State, so it’s the “heart of Georgia”. It’s also the beginning of the “old “Federal
Road”, which my pioneer ancestors took to the Mississippi Territory, where they
settled in 1809.
Around mid-afternoon, we arrived at Safe Haven RV Park, an
old but convenient site, our Macon, Georgia, headquarters, for two nights. Our
plan to visit my old friend, Miles and family, was cancelled, due to Covid in
their family. We took advantage of our stay, by doing laundry, lunch, touring,
and some maintenance items.
Macon is the beginning point of the 1805 Federal Road, which
my pioneer ancestors took from old Jones County, Georgia to the Mississippi
Territory, where they settled. I got a picture of the historical marker for the
road.
After lunch, we toured around the Mercer University, walked
the Ocmulgee River Trail, and explored the downtown. Macon is a common example
of southern economic and racial separation. The old downtown has the “old
money” on the hills, low-rent, almost derelict, subdivided houses downhill, and
the homeless, along the river, with a new-rich and upper-class section in north
Macon.
Mercer University is a, 1833, private research university
with a stately old campus, situated in the scenic and exclusive hills of Macon.
Our lunch at the Bears Den, adjacent to campus was a country-cooking, treat, midst
the university crowd.
On the Ocmulgee River Trail, we learned that the ancient
Creek Nation, called “Muscogee”, got their name form this great river. (Not
sure how that worked!) The massive mounds are evidence of the 15-thousand-year
occupation by the Mississippian and Creek Native Americans, as documented in
Hernando de Soto’s, 1540 exploration papers. The trees, landscaping, benches,
picnic tables, overlooks, playgrounds, and paved trail are very nice
improvements that Hernando de Soto would have admired!
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
On a rainy morning, we made and enjoyed our breakfast, watched
the news, packed and made plans to depart for Atlanta. We were glad that we
decided to hook-up yesterday afternoon! Our route to Atlanta was I-75. We have
noticed on all Interstate highways, around the US, that concrete is rougher, while
the asphalt surfaces are smooth, quiet, and safe to drive. Concrete is prone to
misaligning and moving, especially on inconsistent foundations, resulting in
breaking and cracking. I know, “it’s all about the money”!
At Atlanta, we maneuvered around the highway system to
arrive at the Atlanta Marietta RV Resort. Resort is
a “stretch” but it’s convenient and had everything that we need. We made plans
to explore around on Wednesday and take the “City Bus Tour” on Thursday. With
cold nights and cool days, we decided the bus tour would be comfortable and a
good price for a ½ -day guided tour. We considered using the MARTA light-rail
system but were decided it would be too much walking to get to the selected
destinations.
Atlanta has grown so much since we were last here. It’s a
great tourist destination, with lots of events, attractions, and cultural
venues. Traffic is always a criticism but the roadways, public rapid
transportation, and transportation infrastructure, make getting-around fairly
efficient.
Friday, January 28, 2022
Last night, in anticipation of a cold front and freezing
weather, we winterized the rig before dark. Sure enough, the morning was cold
and windy. We departed the Atlanta Marietta RV Resort and took I-77, I-24, I-65
to the Nashville North KOA RV Park. We got an early-morning start and the sky
was cloudy, with a cool wind.
We drove to Chattanooga (676-ft elevation) and began to get
snow flurries. Continuing our drive, we followed the Tennessee River, observed
Lookout Mountain of the Appalachians (2,389-ft with visible snow), and large imaginative
ice-flows on the sandstone walls of the road cuts. The steep grades in the
Monteagle, Cumberland Plateau crossing area, were especially hazardous, due to
wet surfaces and congested traffic. There were huge ice flows on the sandstone
walls along here.
We dropped-by the Spring Hill, Tennessee Cracker Barrel to eat
lunch, then continued to Nashville. Most of the remainder of the Nashville
drive was sunny and in the forties.
At Nashville, we fueled-up, shopped, walked and then set-up
at the campground with a cold, north-wind, and snow flurries. We got inside and
cozied up with our furnace, TV, dinner, and relaxation. The forecast calls for
snow and north wind, diminishing overnight with a clear, cold, sunny day
tomorrow.
After breakfast, it was freezing, pipe-busting cold and I
was glad we has winterized the rig and to be heading out. We’re hoping we can
continue on to Seymour, Indiana today.
It was a cold sunny day and never got above freezing but we
made it to Seymour, unpacked, closed-up and headed to Columbus and home. We had
a real fine trip and now it’s time to re-embrace winter in Indiana!
