Gulf Pines KOA, Milton, FL, to Birmingham South RV Park, Birmingham, AL:  Instead of continuing on Interstate 10 today, we took Rt. 87 out of Milton to Rt. 31 and then we picked up I65 to Birmingham.  It’s always nice to get off the highway once in a while.  We got to see some of rural Florida and Alabama which was really pretty in places. Shortly after we got on I65, we stopped at a Flying J truck stop, fueled up and had breakfast at the Denny’s there.  Then Mike took over driving.  A lot of traffic on I65, but other than that, no problems.  Arrived at Birmingham South and were set up by 1:30.  It got really cold last night and the high today was the upper 50s.  We are not liking this at all. Sandwiches for dinner tonight.  

Dogwoods in bloom along the highway.

KOA, East Tallahassee, FL, to Gulf Pines KOA, Milton, FL:  On the road this morning at around 9:30 again this morning.  A short drive day today, but really short for me, since I just drove 45 minutes or so to the Flying J where we stopped for breakfast.  A reversal of yesterday where I drove 3 hours or so and Mike drove 45 minutes.  Anyway, we headed to the Denny’s Restaurant here and as we walked up to the entrance there was a dog sprawled out on the grass.  I thought he’s probably waiting for someone inside, but no leash.  What a well behaved dog I thought.  After our breakfast and as I was paying our check, I inquired about the dog and was told he’s a stray and has hung out at this Denny’s for over two years now.  They’ve called animal control and people have tried to encourage him to go with them, but he runs whenever anyone approaches him.  They have a food and water bowl out there for him and lots of people drop their left-over breakfast in his bowl.  He/she looks very healthy and in good condition. This is definitely his home. Maybe someone dumped him there and he’s waiting for them to come back?  Reminds me of an obscure movie with Richard Gere titled “Hachi:  A dog’s Tale”.  It’s a touching, true story of a dog who waits at the train station every day for his owner to return from work.  The setting in the movie is a small town outside of NYC.  One day this guy has a heart attack on the way home in the train, so of course he never gets off the train.  That dog sat at that station for years waiting for his owner to return.  After the dog passed away they erected a statue of the dog at the station.  What a great movie!  Anyway, a short drive today—only 3 hours.  And we gained an hour and are now on Central Time (YES!).  The drive on Interstate 10 was uneventful.  Signs of spring everywhere—trees leafing out after being dormant all winter and clusters of wild flowers here and there along the highway.  It was very windy though.  Mid-60s today.

Pictures of this sweet, homeless dog who has made Denny's his home.

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL, to KOA, East Tallahassee, FL:  Left this morning at 9:30 under cloudy skies.  Took Florida’s Turnpike north to I75 north.  The drive on I75 around Ocala is really quite pretty—what with all the elegant horse farms and vast pastures enclosed in neat white- or brown-board fencing. And there are so many signs of spring—wild flowers in profusion, flowering red bud and dogwood trees.  And azaleas—lots of beautiful azaleas.  It took 2 hours to get to I10 and we started looking for a place to fuel up and eat.  Ended up driving another hour before we finally found a Love’s truck stop.  After fueling and eating, Mike took over driving.  He only had a 45-minute drive.  We arrived and were set up by 2:30.  Only in the 60s today.  But no rain at least.

Heading out toward the Atlantic in the waters around Jupiter Island.

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Our last day here.  So we did the laundry, grocery shopping, and went out for a nice dinner.  After a couple of glasses of chardonnay, I was buzzed.  Topped off the truck.  And we’re ready to leave tomorrow morning.  Low 80s today.  Probably our last day in the 80s (sigh).  

Jupiter Island, FL

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Mostly cloudy today.  We didn’t do much.  Mike got our reservations for the rest of the way home.  We leave here on Monday and do one-nighters all the way to Memphis.  Then we’ll see what the weather is north of us.  If it’s clear, we’ll make a dash for it.  Should be home by the 28^th.  Supposed to be yet another snow storm in the northeast.  What a horrible winter for them!  Low 80s today.

Haven't seen any sandhill cranes yet this year.  They're such beautiful birds.  We've heard them, but haven't seen any.

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  After showering and dressing I drove into Clermont and got my hair cut.  Went over to Belk and browsed a little.  Back to our park just as Mike was finishing his breakfast.  Read for a little bit and then Mike suggested we go to MacDonald’s so I can get my Big Mac fix.  Sounds good to me.  So off we went.  On our way in yesterday, we noticed signs for the “Float Plane Base”.  A brown sign which means state or federal.  Drove around to check this out, but we never saw another sign.  Back to our site and read for a while.  Mike hooked up our cable to the box next to us.  So he had to go back and get the boxes we have to attach to our TVs (sigh).  I’d much rather do without.  Low 80s today.

Hard to keep my mind on my book when I keep looking up and see the pines swaying gently against that deep blue sky.  Even the pines have Spanish moss clinging to them.

Jonathan Dickinson SP, Jupiter, FL, to Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Clermont, FL:  Left Jupiter at 9:30 this morning.  We got on the Florida Turnpike just north of Stewart.  Stopped at one of the service plazas for lunch and then Mike took over driving.  We arrived at Clerbrook and were set up by 2:00.  We noticed a large police presence along the turnpike through Orlando.  We figured something must be going on.  Turns out President Obama is in town speaking at Valencia College.  Thankfully we didn’t get involved in any traffic shutdown or diversion.  Back to Clerbrook.  When we signed in at the office they told us we now need a box hooked up to our TV in order to get cable.  That wasn’t true last year, but whatever.  I didn’t want to bother for just 4 days.  We have a lot of digital channels.  But it was a moot point because when Mike went to hook up the cable, both the outlets in the box at our site were taken.  He went back to the office and told them that and returned our box.  No comment there.  Now he’s really ticked off.  Went back and told them we’d at least like to have a picnic table at our site.  Shortly after that, one was delivered.  So, we have very little shade on our living side and we can’t put the awning down because it got screwed up after we left the Everglades.  Almost couldn’t get it back up.  So we probably won’t put our chairs out.  And no cable.  And we’re here for 4 nights.  I’d just as soon move on.  But we can’t be in a big hurry to leave, since it’s still cold where we’re heading.  Low 80s today.

Some of the sites in here have these beautiful live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.