Myakka River SP - April 24

We left Friday after work for our weekend trip to Myakka River State Park.  It is about one hour south of us. Going south on a Friday evening is a cake walk compared to going north, whether it is US 19, I-275, or the Veterans - they are all a nightmare.  Even just getting across the Gandy Bridge to the Crosstown can be a stressful experience.

This was our second trip to this Park.  We were there last August and it was hot and muggy. This year the weather was beautiful!  Something went a-muck with my camera, so the shots of the site are very dark.  It is unfortunate because this was probably the best site we have ever had in a State Park. There are three campgrounds in the park. We stayed in one of the older ones last time and this time the new campground (sewers).

The new LED lights are up and really give off a lot of light. Of course, there is a remote - we have a choice of over 25 different colors and options. 

The Park offers an airboat tour and a tram ride through the property.  Last time we did the boat ride, the tram does not run during the summer due to rain and flooding.   This time the tram ride.

We got our exercise this trip. It is a 3 mile bike ride to the marina, where we boarded the tram.  Our guide did a fantastic job.  She started by picking up a few shells at the river, including an apple snail shell, digested bones from birds, and turtle eggs that the alligators had gotten a hold on.  We saw a white tailed deer, an owl, alligators (mamas and babies), turkeys, vultures and lots of birds.   

She explained prescribed burns and the effort to restore the area to the prairie it once was.  Imagine my anger we got home and I read in the paper, “those people” in Tallahassee want to put cattle back on the land.  The pollution from the cows will undo all the work that has been done.  

As we were leaving, a new experience.  We were pulling out of the campground, when a turkey was crossing the road and then he just sat down right in the middle of the road.  One of the campers tried to shoo him, but that turkey was not moving.  Finally, he got a palm frond and shook it at the turkey and finally the turkey got up and meandered off at his own pace.

We took the scenic route out of the Park– the Canopy Trail. It is a beautiful winding road, along side the river with beautiful old trees towering over it.

It was very windy on the way home. I am afraid to be on the Skyway Bridge, when the wind is blowing hard.  And as luck would have it, there were high wind warnings.  I suggested taking the long way home via I-75 but that didn’t happen.  When we got to the toll bridge, traffic was backed up a couple miles.  We figured there must be an accident ahead, and indeed we saw a trooper with lights on going up the outside of the right hand lane. I was starting to freak, thinking we would come to a stop on the top of the bridge. The traffic stayed bunched up and moved about 35 miles per hour.  Funny thing was, there were no cars behind us and the only ones in front of us was the group we were in.  Then we figured it out.  The troopers were controlling the traffic to keep everyone safe. In fact, thanks to them, we had a nice drive over, nothing like what I was expecting.  So THANK YOU again to those who keep us safe on our roads.

Homosassa - April 9

This weekend we went to Homosassa, our favorite place, and set up camp in a friend’s yard.  We hooked up to the electric, water and even the cable.

Our friend was trying to get the “band back together” (four old softball players) but it didn’t work out quite that way.  We couldn’t get out of St Pete in time to avoid the Friday night traffic, so we decided to just wait and go up on Saturday morning and join our friends. The guys had gone up the night before, but when we got there they had already headed back home for various reasons.. But no worries, the three of us had a great time!  It was Citrus County bike week and there more bikes than usual.  The Harley dealership and the High Octane Bar were bikes to the wall. 

We headed down to our favorite bars up there.  First McRaes.  Just enjoyed a couple hours sitting on the river, listening to one of the best bands I have heard in a long while.

From there to a real old time Cracker dive bar.  But what a great group of people to have fun with.  This bar sits right on the river with a deck out back that only a few locals know about.  Definitely a must every time we are there, sorry, I just can’t tell you where it is!!

Rock Crusher RV Park

Rock Crusher RV Park is located in Crystal River.  It’s a big park with almost 400 sites and an amphitheater next door that is built into the rock (this was formerly a quarry). This weekend the Citrus County Jazz festival was held there.  There are permanent residents in the park, but the sites are all kept in very good shape, not what you sometimes see with residents in an RV park.

We arrived and were given our site number.  Even with the map, it took a while to locate it, just a small slice of land. We backed in but there was jut not enough room for the slide out and space to sit outside and enjoy the great weather.  A phone call to the office, and we were assigned another site.  This one at the top of the hill, on the outer loop and backed up to the woods.  A very nice spacious site.

The Jazz Festival was going on at the amphitheater next door.  Actually that is the reason we were there.  But after we sat down outside and had a few beers, we didn’t.  We could here the music at our site and we were comfortable.

 Later we walked down that hill.  It was very steep, to the point that it was hard to walk, every step felt like I was going to topple and roll down.  At the bottom is the club house and pool.  Very nice and clean.  But then we had to go back up the steep hill.  Again, it was hard. I stopped for a second and it felt like I was going to go backwards, so I just kept trudging – one step then the next.

We have a new addition.  The CRT TV in the dash has been replaced with a flat screen.  It is on a hinge and folds up flush with the bottom of the overhead cabinet.

Next on the list, a cabinet to fill the hole the TV left in the dash.

Moss Park

We had a great Valentine’s Day at Moss Park.  It is an Orange county park and is really nice.  It has lots of hiking trails, a beach area for swimming, and lots picnic tables, as well as a separate camping area.  We had reservations, but it is first come first serve on the site selection.  When we got to the park, there were only two left, making me a little apprehensive of what we would end up with.  I shouldn’t have worried, they are all nice sites.  There were a lot of kids there that weekend, families traveling together.  We were fortunate that one of the two sites left was private with a lot of trees and brush

The park is located on Mary Jane Lake.  It was a nice day, as long as we were in the sun. There is a really nice fishing pier with boat parking space.  About a dozen people were trying their luck when we at the lake. 

 

It is definitely on the list for a second visit!
 

Manatee Springs SP

Last‘s weekend’s trip was to Manatee Springs State Park up in Chiefland.  It was a little bit of a drive, especially in Saturday’s rain, but well worth it.  I believe this to be the most beautiful “old Florida” we have seen yet.  We met up with another couple there and enjoyed a relaxing time with them.  There is a concession with a smoker down at the springs, so it was a no brainer for dinner – ribs.  We just heated up some potatoes and beans and we were all set.  They were so tender-don’t have long he cooked them but there were perfect – no sauce, just like I like them.

We had a very spacious pull thru site (the only one they have) which overlooked a pond.

There was a mama manatee with her calf just hanging out in the springs.  It was late in day and I couldn’t get a picture to show since the trees were reflected off the water.

The springs meander out to the river

A boardwalk weaves through the the spring.

It comes out at  the most beautiful spot  there – the Suwannee River and not a house in sight!  Old Florida at it’s best.  Of course, that is the moment the battery in my camera died.

Another trip is on order so I can rectify that!