Geocaching in Florida

States Cached


Went Geocaching. 94 degrees and sunny. Caches were all park and grabs, as I will not bushwack in Florida. Red ants and snakes and gators just waiting to kill you !!

Did 2 in our area, one within walking distance (GC16QPY ) and another near the 75 (GC2GCEN )

Did 2 in Crystal River, at the beach. GCMMHP GC1NHKN

APALACHICOLA - QUAINT BUT TOURISTY

SNOOZED IN TODAY, THEN DID LAUNDRY. WHILE THE DRIERS WERE GOING, WENT TO CARRABELLE AND VISITED A BEACH SIGN STORE. NICE, BUT NOTHING ORIGINAL ENOUGH.

LUNCH, THEN TIME AT THE BEACH. IN MID AFTERNOON, TOOK A SHORT 20 MILE DRIVE TO APALACHICOLA. NICE TOURISTY TOWN AND HOME TO ALL KINDS OF FESTIVALS. INTERESTING STORES AND LOTSA OYSTER BARS.




TONIGHT, SUPPER AT 2 ALS ON THE BEACH. 4 1/2 STAR REVIEWS, WALKING DISTANCE FROM HERE

CARRABELLE ON THE GULF

Rerouted to the Gulf. Charlotte has a race on this weekend and space was at a premium.
We stopped at Carabelle, Population 406.
Great beaches, super weather and very quiet. On the beach today, 83 degrees, and there were 3 other people. Water is warm. We went to 2 beaches, then the pool.
Out to supper at the Old Salty Oyster Bar. Mmmm Mmmm Good.
Tomorrow, more of the same.

To the Gulf






Carabelle Supper

Grand Ole Opry and More.

Drove from Branson, thru Arkansas and ended up in Buffalo, Tennesee. Home of Tammy Wynette.

To get there, we drove through Toad Suck and Pickles Gap, Arkansas.

Made it, no problem, to Nashville. We are 1/2 mile from the Grand Ol' Opry.

Took the tour. Backstage and all. We visited, as if we were performers, coming thru the Artist's Entrance. Went trhu security, saw the different dressing rooms, hallways, bathrooms and, just before we went on stage ( Stage Right) we were stopped by Ol' Opry radio ( 650AM WSM ) . I was asked to be interviewed, and I was interviewed. I am a Country Star !!!

Went on stage, and stood on the old floorboards from the original Opry, Rhyman Theater. Where everyone who has ever performed at the Opry has stood. WOW.

In one week, we stood where Abe Lincoln stood, stood on the Start/Finish line at the Indianapolis Raceway and now, Center Stage at the Grand Ol' Opry.

All trip pics will be up when we arrive at Bushnell.
From here, Montgomery, Alabama. And how was your week??

Branson, Mo >>>>>Go 1636 Miles, Then Double Back!

Branson campsite.
.

Made it to Branson, without a hitch. Great roads, nice scenery, especially RT 66.
RT 66 Rest Area

Missouri is a French area. The mountains used to be called Aux Arcs. Now they are called Ozarks !! There is a lake near here called Pomme de Terre !!

Branson is a disappointment. We thought it would be a Strip, with Theaters and Casinos ( a mini-Vegas ) . But it is a small town with about a couple of dozen theaters that have shows that you would have seen on the Ed Sullivan Show. Cirque du Soleil knock offs, HeeHaaw kinda shows and just some "headliners" that you have never heard off. They even have a Titanic remake.....$24 per person, no cameras !! You can touch a "real" Iceberg!

Small town with a major traffic problem.

Bible Belt mentality. Restaurants proudly advertise - NO ALCOHOL .
Campground is very nice. Neighbor drives a $1,563,000 Newell MotorCoach... and tows an Escalade. Think he sees better stuff than us??

Nashville Next.

$1,563,000

Lots of Pics to look at

St Charles, Missouri




St. Louis, Missouri



Indianapolis, Indiana



Ohio



Tomorrow, will post Gettysburg and Bingamton, NY

Purina, Dan'l and St. Charles

Started the day by going to Purina Farms. Spectacular setting. This is where the have National Competitions in Obedience, Agility and Long distance Water Jumping.

From there we went cross country to Defiance, Missouri. This is where the Daniel Boone Homestead is. Another National Registry home. It was just great. Drove thru Femme Osage. Very historic area.

Came back and did some house chores and then went to St. Charles Historic District. It was built by French people from Ste. Genevieve, Quebec. It is called FrenchTown.

What can I say ..........



Tomorrow --- Branson ...... Maybe we will see a Osmond or two.

The 47th State - The Show Me State

Made it to St. Louis, Missouri. Our 47th State.

We left early, cause the I70 was shut down in Indianapolis. They had 9000 volunteers planting trees and shrubs along the newly finished highway. They closed it from 6 am to 6 pm. But they were so organized that we did not lose a minute because of tie-ups. Imagine closing Decarie Blvd for 12 hours and no traffic mess.



Stopped in Marshall, Il to do some grocery shopping. Walmart has a place to hitch your horse. What a country, America...
Got to St. Louis and found our very upscale CG. All sites paved, etc, etc. They even have RV Service.... like room service in a hotel. They will bring you your supper, for a fee, to your rig.

They have an unbelievable highway system. The 70 goes thru the city, the 270 rings the town and the have 3 other roads intersecting the whole system. We crossed the entire city in less than 20 minutes. 5 lanes each way. WOW !!

The Arch is BreathTaking. Pictures do not do it justice. It is HUGE. Twice the size of Mt. Rushmore. The city is clean. It has a very "Montreal" look and feel. I would rate it as the Number 1 city we have visited.

TTFN

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines ----->>>>>

What a day.

Started early and went through Columbus. Not much to see. A generic drive-thru town.

Arrived at the Indy KOA for lunch and off we went to visit the Speedway and the city.

Our trusty GPS promptly brought us to the Indianapolis SpeedDrome. Largest Figure 8 Track in the USA>>>>therefore, The World !!





Reprogrammed it and it brought us downtown, at the Indianapolis Art Center. Asked the Concierge at the Marriott. He sent us directly to the Speedway.
It is NOT in Indianapolis, but in Speedway, Indiana. You take 16th Street through the most decrepit part of town. Massage Parlors, Tattoo joints, etc. Finally, after 6 miles of urban decay, there it is.


There is a golf course. 12 holes on the Eastern side of the track, 6 holes inside. They would not let us in the museum with the dogs. I wandered around and ended up in a restricted area. Took a bunch of pics that would not be available to the general public. Asked if we could take the tour with the dogs. The driver asked his boss. She ok’d it. This was the FIRST time that any dog, except service animals, have ever been on the bus.
We took a full lap around the track…………WOW !!!!!!! We stopped at the Start/Finish line.

WOW<>

On the way home, stopped at the White Castle and picked up a Bag of Burgers. 10 Sliders for 9 bucks. Including Fries. They were, by far, the worst burgers ever made by anyone. Unbelievable --- why Harold and Kumar ever wanted to go there is beyond me.

Tomorrow, St. Louis. See Ya!!

BRRRRRR !! IT was 37 degrees this morning in Gettysburg. We headed West towards Columbus, Ohio. Uneventful ride, unless you think hitting a low bridge with your antenna is uneventful. It was the HD antenna that I got at Radio Shack ( La Source). It was clamped on to the back ladder. Moho is 12’6” and this protruded by about 8 inches. The bridge was 13’2”. Jeezum. No damage to the Moho.
The drive over the mountains was not too difficult. A few long climbs. Tuscarora was at 2130 ft. 8 % grade for 5 ½ miles. Then the Allegheny Tunnel. Right thru the mountains. Unbelievable.
Made it to Buckey Lake KOA. Good facilities, but just staying the night and off to Indianapolis tomorrow. Short 3 hour drive, visit the town and bye-bye.

Leaf Peeping

WOW!!! We are so lucky to live in the NorthEast. When we left, it was a sunny day and the leaves were peaking. The colors were stunning. As impressive as anything we have seen in 46 States and 9 Provinces. As stunning as the Painted Desert.

We are jaded and see leaves as something that must be raked. The spirit of Bob Ross lives in each "Happy Tree" in the Adirondacks !!!

Day 2 - Gettysburg Battlefield

It was quite a drive. Rain, rain and then, more rain. Plus construction./ Oh well, Stimulus $$$ well spent. It delayed us for over an hour, but , then again, we do not have a schedule to follow.

Gettysburg Battlefield is impressive. Huge, sprawling and clean. Hundreds of monuments, each aspect of the Battle is explained. You can hear the ghosts of the soldiers. 59,000 dead. In 3 days. Unbelievable.

Read about it HERE

We took an Audio tour. Well worth it. We took over 100 pics. As soon as we get a free Internet HotSpot, we will upload them.

Anyways, off tomorrow to I70, west towards Columbus, Ohio. Weather is supposed to improve and be in the 70's and sunny.

TTFN !!!

The Long Short Cut

Got to the Flying J at Exit 219 on the 81. A 5 hour trip took 6 1/2 hours......... We took a short cut !!! Sheesh !!

Tomorrow, off early for Gettysburg. Stand by for pix.

TTFN !!!

THE ROAD BECKONS..........

Yeah...finally we are heading south. The geese have been leaving on a daily basis, we are all packed up and ready to go.

Going to Gettysburg, Canton, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Branson, Memphis, Nashville, Charlotte, Myrtle Beach, San Fernandina and Bushnell for the winter.

Will keep everyone posted. Will see and visit great spots and Halls of Fame along the way. Maybe do a little Geocaching too.

Sit back and enjoy our little trip.