Birmingham South RV Park, Birmingham, AL, to KOA, W. Memphis, AR:  Left this morning at around 9:00.  Stopped at a Shell station just before getting back on I65 which was a really tight fit and the place was really busy.  But we fueled up and got out of there okay.  Back on I65 and was glad to get through Birmingham and onto Rt. 78 (or Interstate 22) which crosses northern Alabama and Mississippi.  A really pretty drive through forested rolling hills dotted with little lakes and some trees in bloom. Very rural and very few towns. We stopped just east of Tupelo for fuel and food and Mike took over driving. While he went in and paid the fuel bill, I practiced my backing-up skills and backed into a parking space beside a couple of trucks.  Walked to McDonald’s next door and got my Big Mac fix.  As we approached W. Memphis the sky turned pretty dark and by the time we pulled into the KOA it had started sprinkling and the wind was whipping along with thunder and lightning. Fortunately, Mike got everything hooked up outside before it started raining in earnest. We’ll have to keep an eye on the weather for tomorrow and hope there’s nothing severe in the forecast.  It actually made it up to 71 briefly.  This is our last stop.  Tomorrow we should be home.

Bridge over the Mississippi in Memphis.

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.