Jacksonville, FL to New Smyrna Beach, FL - Jan 10 and on

Let's see, I need to get caught up with where we have been the last handful of days.

On Monday we were able to leave South Carolina. Just after pulling out of 'The Oaks at Point South' and before jumping back onto 95, we pulled into Waffle House and treated ourselves to a tasty breakfast. We felt like we deserved it after being trapped in the RV for the past 2 days in the freezy cold/wet weather. It was funny to watch Dixie look out the window of the truck as we enjoyed breakfast. She never took her eyes off of us. The locals working there were really nice to talk with, and on leaving we found the rest of the road thru SC, Georgia and into Florida to be very smooth, quiet, flat, and easy to drive. I don't remember how many miles were travelled that day but we arrived in Jacksonville mid afternoon.

I'm not so sure Beasley would agree about the ride from SC to FL tho. He didn't speak to us for a day and a half after we got here. We decided to leave him alone in the RV as we drove it, thinking he'd appreciate it as opposed to being kept in his tiny crate in the back seat of the pickup where Dixie rides. Dixie was confused too, and didn't know what to think without her buddy in the back seat. Anyway, Beasley spent all the next night and day behind one of the lazy boys, hiding from us. Not sure why the ride would have been hard on him. I think I would have appreciated it.

We called Anne's girlfriend Sue Carter after we settled in Jacksonville. Soon there after she and her friend Glenn came and found us at the Fleetwood RV Park. We just love her and it was fun. They took us in Glenn's new car for a lengthy ride across greater Jacksonville, and out to dinner at Whitey's Fish Camp. Everyone was pleased with the fresh seafood, and we had a great visit with those guys. Sue left Buxton 9 years ago and has lived in Jacksonville ever since. At one time she lived with Anne in South Portland, and she worked with both Anne and me at Union Mutual. Those were the good ol'days, as they say.

Tuesday morning we headed down 95 to New Smyrna Beach, FL, the NSB RV Park where we are in the midst of a possible 2 week's stay. It is still cold out but much nicer now. Sunny and in the 50's during the day with palm tree's blowing and private planes flying overhead, however still in the 30's at night.

Finally with the warmer weather we were able to hook-up to the park water source, push the anti-freeze out of our on-board plumbing system, fill and turn on the water heater, and run some water. Everything worked well, no broken pipes, and the warm water felt good when it came on thru. We are now finished dry camping, hopefully for the remainder of our trip. Of course we don't know what Canada (Trans-Canada Highway) will bring in late April and May when we plan to be going thru there on our way home. I'm not planning on winterize the RV in April/May, that's for sure.

It hasn't been warm enough for me to wash the outside of the RV yet. I really need to do that with it being so filthy from the drive down the eastern seaboard. Our neighbor is from Kingston, NH and he offerred to let me use his long handled brush. I'll take him up on it if I can do it tomorrow, since he leaves here for the Orlando area on Saturday.

We will see Anne's brother Ronnie and wife Janet in the next day or two. They live in Ormond Beach just one beach north of Daytona. Here we are one beach south.

Back in the early 70's I'd travel over here to NSB from Rollins College with friends on Saturdays for keg parties. It was an hours ride thru the woods/swamps back then, and the beach was abandoned, the unknown beach just south of Daytona, with nothing but sand dunes. Now it's totally developed and populated as you can imagine. Seems I have a photo somewhere of my roomate Jack, proudly shooting-the-moon on top of Peter Becker's gold van for all to see on the beach one day.

OK...Back to reality... this Saturday a.m. there will be a park wide yard sale going on here. That's more my speed these days. The sign says to check your closet and shed, load up your table right on your own site, and let the money pour in. I'll walk around and have fun looking and talking. I don't think we have anything to get rid of at this stage of the game.

So, we'll determine whether to stay here 2 weeks, or move on to some other place here in Florida. We'll keep you posted.

Thanks friends for being there with us. We love you.