Grayton Beach State Park

Grayton Beach State Park – Third Location

Tuesday, March 12

After breaking down camp, we headed out to the Gulf Coast and Grayton Beach. We drove the coastal highway 98, which most of the road is directly on the Gulf shore. It was a lovely drive and the weather was sunny and beautiful. We stopped along the way at a Walmart in the Panama City area for provisions. Tyndall Air Force base is in this area and we were able to see how this military facility was part of the community.

After a drive of about two hours, we arrived at Grayton Beach State Park. We checked in and found our site, then setup the rig. We have a great site with a view of a lake behind us. The boys love the site, since there is no one on our patio side and they were able to roam around the area. The campground is very nice, recently upgraded with full hook-ups. The bath house is updated and has a washer and dryer. We rode our bikes over to the beach to check it out. The beach is awesome, with white sugar sand and unusual dunes. The water was very choppy and the waves were high due to the brisk winds. Dogs are not allowed on this beach, so the boys had to stay in the trailer for awhile. We continued to ride around the park and explore the area.  We went back to the trailer and continued organizing stuff inside. We prepared dinner and decided it was too cold and windy to have a campfire. We relaxed inside and watched some TV. Also, we looked at the area maps to find out where there hiking and biking trails. The highway near the park has a great bike trail off the south side of the road.  We were planning the activities for the next day.

Wednesday, March 13

We woke up to another chilly, windy morning. We decided to ride our bikes on the trails nearby. There are several miles of hiking/biking trails in the nearby state forest, Washington Point. The trails are very pretty and we rode about 5 miles before heading home. We then rode through the little village of Grayton Beach. It’s a small town of beachside residences; many of them are vacation rentals. We went down a beach entry to watch the fishing boats that launch from the beach. They have special tires for their trucks and boat trailers. It was amazing that they can launch in the powdery sand. The village has many shops and restaurants, very quaint and lovely.

After returning to the RV and having lunch, we had planned on going back east to Panama City Beach to watch a free country music concert. On our way back to camp, we had realized that it is currently spring break for students. The traffic was gridlock, even on the main highway. Wow, we just didn’t think about this time of year on the Gulf! Anyway, Kurt was determined to go to the concert, so we headed off in the truck. At about 3pm we drove to about 1.5 miles within the concert location and found a place to park in a shopping center. We then walked the remaining distance until we reached the venue. The sidewalks were packed with kids in the bathing suits and mostly drunk. It was amazing to watch the craziness going on, I guess we’re just getting old. And by the way, we were completely out of place, us old folks! Many of the kids just looked us up and down and I’m sure they were wondering what the hell WE were doing there. They were young enough to be our grandchildren.

We made it home after a long walk back to the truck. We drove back to our RV on a beach highway where we saw amazing little villages and communities that appeared to be VERY upscale. There were homes and condos as far as you could see, and they were like nothing we have ever seen before. Palm Beach or Jupiter Island has nothing on this area. The area is called South Walton Beaches and has little town after little town. It was quite obvious that this area is for those of a social status that I’ve never seen.

After arriving back at the camp, we rode our bikes over to the beach to watch sunset. Again, the pictures were amazing and the evening was beautiful. Went back to the RV and prepared dinner. Then we had another big campfire to keep us warm.  Another evening going to bed very tired.

Thursday, March 14

Today was sunny but with chilly wind. I decided it was time to work on my blog and do some housekeeping, including laundry. The campground had a washer and dryers, so it was very convenient. Kurt went bike riding on some really nice trails in Point Washington State Forest. When he returned, we had lunch then took the boys for a hike to get rid of some of their energy. As some of our food items were running low, we went to a local Walmart and Publix to get the items we needed. On the way home, Kurt took a forest road where he had found some wooded areas that had been cleared. There was an enormous amount of dead wood sitting on the ground, so we will have another big campfire tonight.

Our RV neighbors, Paul & LoAnn, are from Michigan. We have chatted with them several times and it seems we have a lot in common. They are staying down here in the Gulf area until April. They have two dogs, Kimber (golden retriever) and Oliver (king charles spaniel). Like so many others we’ve met, they are down here escaping the frigid winters up north. We enjoy chatting with them and sharing good times and stories.

Friday, March 15

We woke up to a very chilly morning, the temperature was 38 when we got up at 8:30. Chilly….but sunny. I made a nice breakfast of French toast and coffee. We then took our kayaks over to the launch inside the park, on Western Lake. We paddled around the lake, Kurt fished some and we enjoyed the sun. There was a creek we paddled up and looked at the enormous houses in one of the elite communities. Then we paddled to the west side of the lake and up a small creek, which ended at another small lake along the shores of Grayton Beach. It was a nice paddle and the day was beautiful.

We had lunch, then Kurt went biking.  I decided to go the the beach and lay on my stomach to get some tan on the back of my legs and my back. That part of my anatomy rarely gets sun, when sitting in a kayak! Paul & LoAnn were there and we chatted some more about our background and what we enjoyed about RVing. It’s a wonderful lifestyle that many in our age group our taking advantage of the freedom it offers.

Kurt returned from his bike ride soon after I returned to the RV. He made some yummy guacamole and we started Happy Hour! We then went to the beach to watch sunset, it’s always so amazing! Happy Hour at the beach at sunset, Life is Good!

We began organizing some of our stuff for our departure tomorrow. We sat around the campfire with our RV neighbors, Paul & LoAnn. It was a fun evening! I wish we had another day here, I love the beach here, would love to come back again.

Saturday, March 16

As I finish this blog post, we are preparing the rig to leave Grayton Beach. We really loved it here, it had everything; beach, biking, hiking and kayaking. We would love to come back here some day.

Off to Blackwater River State Park. This one will be a little more rural.

Ochlockonee River State Park

Ochlockonee River State Park – Second Location

https://picasaweb.google.com/107097369989809012646/TourDeNorthFlorida?authkey=Gv1sRgCKCSmcCkv_iEpAE#

Friday, March 8

We packed and got everything ready to move to our next location, Ochlockonee River State Park, (pronounced Oak-lock-nee). We drove an easy 2.5 hours along highway 98 through rural, coastal Florida. We stopped at a Walmart in Perry to purchase food and gas.

We arrived at the park around 2pm. We found our campsite and were able to squeeze the trailer into a site that was not really an easy parking angle. We setup the site and it ended up being a very nice, private location. Our site backed up to the river, with a short path back to the river trail. The park is very nice; with a small campground, boat ramp, floating dock and kayak launch on the Ochlockonee River. We walked around most of the river front with the dogs to get our bearings. There were very nice trails for hiking or biking. The park is right at the confluence of the Ochlockonee and Sopchoppy Rivers. There are “white squirrels” resident in the park. They are not albinos, but a mutation of some early semi-white squirrels that were brought here by Spanish explorers. I took some nice pictures of some, they seemed very tame as they are protected and people are always taking pictures of them.

We met some camping neighbors, a group of kayakers that were there to do three days of kayak trails. They had planned the weekend outing with several people. They were able to give us some information on kayaking options around the area. We also met another couple in an Airstream trailer that had just left Manatee Springs and arrived just before us. They are Syd and Virginia from Boone, N. Carolina. It was nice chatting with them about our favorite places in the Smoky Mountains.

As we were beginning Happy Hour, we quickly discovered the presence of “no-see-ums”. They were relentless and we had to change to fully covered clothing and the use of powerful bug spray. After dinner, we sat around another great campfire. We spent another chilly night in the RV, with the space heaters running to keep us warm.

Saturday, March 9

After breakfast, we discussed our kayaking options. We decided to do a paddle right out of the park on the Ochlockonee River, through the salt marshes and around to the Sopchoppy River.  This was a loop paddle; where we paddled with the incoming tide, then back around against the wind (we usually paddle the hardest direction… haha). It was a good exercise paddle, but was not the exceptional river scenery we are used to. At least we got our kayaks in the water and got outside in the sunny weather.

After the paddle, we decided to hike around the park for awhile. We took the boys and we all had a great time. Kurt grilled out chicken thighs for dinner, and we also made a salad.  After dinner, Kurt made a great campfire and we enjoyed the warmth.

Sunday, March 10

We had already decided to kayak the Wakulla River today. There is a four mile run from a boat ramp put-in at a highway bridge, upstream to another take-out. Above this take out is the final part of the spring run. At the spring head is Wakulla Springs State Park, which was blocked for further paddling into the spring. The original owner had developed a resort lodge there for tourists.  He put a fence across the river below the spring head to keep out anyone who was not a guest of the lodge. He was able to win a lawsuit by citizens to retain the fence across the river. It just seems that this infringes upon the rights of the people of Florida to use navigable waters. Now, under the ownership of the State, no one can swim or paddle in the spring or spring run. Too bad, it would have been wonderful to paddle all the way up to the spring. Regardless, the river is beautiful and an easy paddle upstream and then a float downstream. It was a sunny day and with light winds. We really enjoyed this lovely river. There were loads of turtles and birds, osprey and herons on the river.

After returning to the RV, Kurt took Kody on a short paddle on a creek in the park. I took Kirby on a hike around some trails. We enjoyed the late afternoon and then prepared dinner. After an active day, we relaxed watching some TV and then went to bed exhausted.

Monday, March11

With the weather forecast for afternoon rains and evening thunderstorms, we decided to take a road trip with the boys. We drove down to the Gulf coast to another state park, Bald Point. This is a peninsula where the Ochlockonee River and Bay enters the Gulf. The park is a typical collection of Coastal marshes, pine flatwoods, and oak thickets. There are several bald eagle pairs in the park, but we never saw any of them. The beaches here are also major turtle nesting areas. Most of the coastal portions are not part of the park, but have private residences. We drove around most of the park area and checked out the beaches. We walked out to the inlet area and spoke with a local guy who was fishing from the pier. The weather was a little overcast and breezy, but still a nice day.

On our way back to the campground, we stopped at a local seafood restaurant and had a wonderful lunch. It was now sunny and we sat outside on the deck and munched on a dozen fresh raw oysters and shared a plate of shrimp and cheesy grits.  Yum, it was all so good. We had not eaten raw oysters in years, but this area is known for the “Apalachicola oysters”, some of the best in the Gulf of Mexico.

We headed back to the campground and on our way home, we noticed a sign for a Sopchoppy City Park that has RV camping. We drove into the park, which was right on the Sopchoppy River. There were at least 20 RV sites, with water and electric hook-ups. The rates are $15 per night. Wow, if we ever come through here again, we might just stay at this campground. We will keep this on our list.

After returning to camp, Kurt decided to go on a short kayak paddle around the Ochlockonee River. He went out just as the weather began to get rainy and chilly. He still enjoyed a short paddle on the river. We began getting some things put away for our departure tomorrow and the expected rain this evening. I took care of some housekeeping and organizing stuff in the RV. We then holed up inside the RV for the evening as the rain began. After dinner, we relaxed inside and watched some TV. We slept well with the sounds of rain drops hitting the roof.

Tour de North Florida

I finally had the chance to start posting our blog of this trip. To view the pictures for this trip, go to this Picasa link:

https://picasaweb.google.com/107097369989809012646/TourDeNorthFlorida?authkey=Gv1sRgCKCSmcCkv_iEpAE#

Manatee River State Park – First Location

Monday, March 4, 2013

Already Gone left the house around 10am this morning. We drove north toward Ocala, where we had to stop at Camping World to have them remove our built in stereo, which had quit working. The technician removed the stereo system and will return to the manufacturer for replacement. They are hoping to have the new one when we are on our return trip at the end of the month.

We arrived at our first destination, Manatee Springs State Park, near Chiefland Florida. The park is beautiful and typical north Florida vegetation; hardwood forest, sinkholes and swampy areas. We setup the RV and were ready to play. We met our neighbors across the street. They are from New Jersey and they just retired also. They sold everything and bought a fifth wheel and big Ford truck and are just winging it with no set plans and looking to do some work camping. Very nice people, we will keep in touch with them. They have a beautiful yellow lab named Otis.

By the time we got everything setup, it was getting dark, so we decided to explore the next morning. We prepared dinner of leftover lasagna that we brought. The temps got down to mid 30’s overnight.

Tuesday, March 5

We got up early and had a quick breakfast. It was very chilly, but sunny. Then we took our bikes for a ride around the park trail to see what options for activities there were. We rode down to the spring to see about 20-30 manatees in the spring and the spring run. It was a beautiful, sunny morning, but still chilly. We inquired about kayaking on the Suwannee, but were told the river was much higher than usual and there had been a contamination of the Suwannee River from upstream in Georgia. We rode various trails around the park, which were awesome off-road bike trails. Later, we loaded Kirby and Kody in the truck and drove up to a boat ramp that was upstream of the park about 2 miles. The boys were allowed to run free there, since not too many people were around. There we spoke with a local man that was also letting us know that the water was about 5 feet above normal. Another boat ramp downstream was closed due to the high water. The kayaking options at this point were very limited.

We went back to the RV and relaxed for awhile with Happy Hour and prepared dinner. Kurt had collected some firewood, so he made a nice campfire and we enjoyed that until it was bedtime.

Wednesday, March 6

Overnight, the temps got down to low 30s and was very chilly. After breakfast, we took the dogs for a hike around the Sink Trail. This was a very pretty trail that looped around several sink holes in the park. The boys really enjoyed this hike, as we let them run off leash. We then walked down to the springs with the dogs to look at the manatees. There were some college kids in the water swimming with the manatees. It was still chilly, but sunny and the kids had to have been freezing.

We had decided since it was too cold to do much of anything, we drove down to Cedar Key, which is on the Gulf Coast. It was a Keys-like island, with many vacation homes and a small town near the water. The waterfront had a large marina (fishing is the major industry there) and many touristy shops and restaurants. It was very chilly and windy, so the wind chill was terrible. I had to buy a sweatshirt in one of the tourist shops; I had forgotten to bring a jacket. We walked around town with the boys and then decided to have lunch at a local restaurant. The boys stayed in the truck and slept while we ate. We had local seafood, Kurt had a fried oyster po-boy sandwich and I had a crab cake sandwich. It was all fresh and delicious.

After arriving back at camp, we enjoyed Happy Hour and prepared dinner. Again, Kurt made a large campfire and we enjoyed that until bedtime.

Thursday, March 7

This morning Kurt decided he wanted to paddle at least a small section of the Suwannee. After lunch, we drove to the boat ramp upstream of the park. Kurt took off in his kayak from there and would paddle back to the park where we were camping. It took him about 2 hours and I met him down at the dock to pick him up. He really enjoyed the paddle, despite the cold and wind. While he was kayaking, I took the boys hiking on the Sink Trail again, and they loved it. It was sunny, but still chilly.

We went back to the RV and chatted with some of the RV neighbors. Kurt met a couple, Lynn and Loretta, who were from Baltimore. He was a retired flight engineer, so Kurt asked Lynn if he had a soldering iron, as our space heater had a burned wire from the night before. Lynn loaned him the soldering iron and Kurt was able to fix the heater (MacGyver strikes again).

We began packing some of our stuff and getting ready to leave the next morning. After dinner, we hung out in the RV and watched some TV, until it was bedtime. Another chilly night was ahead of us.