Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL, to KOA, Tallahassee, FL:  Woke up this morning to sunshine!  Finally!  Got disconnected and hooked up early.  Left at 9:00 this morning.  I decided to drive first.  Took Florida’s Turnpike north and then I75 north to I10 west.  Shortly after getting on I10 we stopped at a rest area and Mike took over driving.  We arrived at the KOA just west of Tallahassee by 3:00 after stopping for something to eat at some tiny little town.  Not unhooking the truck, just hooked up the water and electric.  Staying at a park south of Birmingham tomorrow.  Hope the good weather holds.  71 today.

On Interstate 10 in the Florida panhandle.  Doesn't look like Florida any more.  
Very pretty and hilly with lots of pine trees.

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Really stormy today.  One severe storm after another.  We were really smart in doing our laundry yesterday instead of today.  It started early in the morning and continued ALL DAY LONG. I’m glad Florida is getting the rain they need, but did it have to happen in one day? Went to Clermont to a movie again.  Saw “Lincoln Lawyer” with Matthew McConaughey.  This was a really good movie—the best I’ve seen McConaughey in since “A Time to Kill”.  Gassed up the truck on the way back—in the pouring rain.   We leave tomorrow to continue on our way home.  Planning on staying just east of Tallahassee.  Hoping the storms will have ended by tomorrow early.

Fairchild Gardens--Miami

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, Fl:  Another day of severe weather expected today.  Since it was relatively nice in the morning we decided to do the laundry one more time before the bad weather hit.  Got that done and sat outside reading for a while.  The wind picked up and I went inside and suggested maybe we should put the awning up.  Mike agreed and we got that done just in time before it hit.  We headed over to the clubhouse and took shelter in the ladies shower room and waited for it to pass.  It was over pretty quickly and no damage in the park.  Had a pork loin roast, cucumber salad, and steamed broccoli for dinner.  80 today before the storm.

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  A cloudy, gloomy day.  But in the afternoon it cleared off.  We went out for dinner.  Mike went to the office and extended for two more days because the weather north of us is not looking too good.  Thought we’d wait it out here.  Watched movies most of the day and took care of some computer stuff. 

Weeki Wachee

Mon, 3/28/11:


Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Rained just about all day today.  That’s okay because they really need it.  In the afternoon we headed out to see a movie.  In the pouring rain.  Saw “Adjustment Bureau” with Matt Damon.  Not such a great movie—after which I got my hair cut and then we did the grocery shopping.  Still raining when we went to bed.  70s today.

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Another beautiful day.  We decided to check out Weeki Wachee SP.  This is an old venue, started around 60 years ago.  The big attraction for locals is the water park.  However, you swim in the spring, which is only 72 degrees.  We were here for the mermaid show which is performed in the spring and is viewed in an underwater theater.  These girls swim down there with all the fish and turtles.  And it’s only 72 degrees!  The mermaids go through pretty rigorous training and have to be able to hold their breath for 2 minutes.  They use no weights and control their ascent and descent through taking in air and expelling air.  After the first show we went on a boat ride down the Weeki Wachee river which was very pretty, the water crystal clear with a pristine white sand bottom.  We plan to go back and canoe this beautiful stream.  We saw a great blue heron in her nest, a family of eagles, and an immature great blue heron which are white.  Never knew that.  After the second mermaid show we drove back, stopping for dinner in Clermont.  93 today.

Being lowered on a boat anchor.  This spring is crystal clear, deep, and beautiful.

Look at all the turtles.

On the Weeki Wachee River.  Stream is more like it.

Cypress tree in the middle of the stream.

Great blue heron in her nest.

Family of eagles.  Middle one is the eaglet in the nest.

Peacock hanging around the grounds.

Sebastian Inlet SP to Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Left this morning at around 10:00.  My turn to drive.  Headed north on A1A and then west on 192 which is a four-lane, limited-access highway.  Once we got beyond Melbourne and West Melbourne it was free sailing through a landscape reminiscent of old Florida. In Kissimmee we took the Florida turnpike all the way to Clermont.  Arrived at the park and I figured since I was driving I’d try backing into the site.  Well that was a mistake.  We use walkie-talkies and I usually give directions and Mike backs into the site.  We finally made it in.  It’s an easy site to get into, but we were just all screwed up.  Felt a lot better after a guy backing a huge motor home into the loop behind us got stuck in the sand—up to his axles.  A whole crew of maintenance guys showed up and dug a trench from the back axles out, put in boards, and finally they were able to drive the thing out. We were set up by 1:30 and then we headed to the laundry facility in the park and got the laundry out of the way.  Had dinner at Ay Jalisco.  88 today. 

A lot of sandhill cranes in the park.  They're so pretty.