Wednesday, November 8, 2023

2023 November East Coast south to Florida

 I spent time with my honey Tanya and Maria in Maryland after being gone a few months. So great to be together again! Evening meals during the week, chatting, weekends running errands and spending time together. Also time for a few honey-do's while I am there.

While Tanya is at work, I work on the upcoming Alaska travel trip. Tanya will fly out and join me for 3 weeks in June/July which coincidentally is the season where there is less bugs. It is quite a task to search out all the things to do, map the route, determine length of stays to time Tanya's arrival also. Whew, 5 days of 10 hour days and I give it a rest before reviewing it afresh. 

My friend Rod had camped at Greenbelt in DC to go see some of museums downtown while I was at Tanya's. One day I drove out and spent the day with him taking him over to see Walter Reed the famous military hospital he heard about but never seen.

A cold front is arriving and time for this boy to head farther south! Rod and I depart DC Region and decide not to follow the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway choosing instead to stay just east of the Shenandoa Mountains in the foothills. Stopping to see James Madison home in Montpelier, VA was a good tour. Rod definitely enjoyed seeing a presidential home. 










A stop at Appomattox Courthouse where the Civil War ended.












We went over to see Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello and were late in the day so did not tour. Continuing south just ahead of the cold front we visit my son Doug in South Carolina. I had one of the solar panels fail so had ordered replacements to be delivered to Doug's home. After spending some time with Doug we again run south ahead of another cold front! Whew been lucky so far at dodging these cold fronts!


Angel Tree

Walmart parking lot in Kingsland, GA

WOW!

Son Doug his wife Amanda and Rod

Jacksonville, FL Rod and I split ways for awhile. We had traveled together for 4 months in Canada and US. Just seems odd to be solo again. This will only be for a few days for I am joining up with another group of WIN's in Pensacola, FL for the Winter Circuit. I plan on being with them until time to go to Key West for the coldest months - January and February. Rod will join up with these same WIN's 2 weeks later.

A stop at my mail forwarding office and picked up the motorcycle parts I needed. Ever since they put new tires on I have been having a scraping noise is the rear axle area. This did the trick I found they had missed a part on reassembly when changing the tire. So nice to ride without his annoying noise.

Watching the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show from Fort Pickens is always a treat and the next day I join up and meet more WIN's travelers. A vey nice group this is, I will enjoy traveling with them.

Day trip in Pensacola Historical area:














Day trip to beach for some bird watching and a tour of Fort Pickens. New to me is that the National Park Service added to their app walking tours! so cool!
















Veterans Day, Panama City, FL






Of course my Honey will recognize this place
16 mile bike ride


Tuesday and time to go to the next stop on this Circuit, I am remaining behind for a conference call Wednesday morning, I know that I have good WIFI here!

Lecanto, FL staying at the Lodge we now have 13 RV's in the group. We are staying here 2 weeks because of Thanksgiving and the next stop had an issue and could not accommodate all of us. Cange is inevitable and with so many independent people in a group it is not easy to please everyone. But it always works out and I am having a good time traveling with likeminded people.

Each day we have something to do. kayaking the silver springs river where we even saw monkeys in the trees. Bicycling the Withlacoochee trail, Visiting the Ocala Equestrian Complex to see a horse show. Wow, its so fun to share these with others. Even Tanya shares with me when we talk each day, she has spent 4 years on the road with me and can visualize what we are doing, she doesn't feel jealous that she cannot be here, rather she is enjoying it right along with us!

Each day Rod and I sit and have coffee and watch the sun rise together, so cool!









Kayaking Chassacooche river and a small spring. The other WINs call it the crack!











Tanya and left to meet up in Las Vegas, NV. After searching long and hard finally found a reasonable cost for full mouth dental replacement. Wow, I'm excited that soon I will be able to eat without pain!!