Back to the East Coast of Florida...again

Kathy and Ken

On Tuesday, November 1, we chugged our way eastward in our sputtering RV. Unfortunately, Joel and Tina's timely discussion of RV issues and breakdowns foretold our impending problem.

We stopped for the night near Cape Canaveral at Manatee Hammock County Park, where thousands of mosquitoes enjoyed Ken for dinner. Yet again. Poor Ken.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

On the 2nd, the chugging continued all the way to the Ford dealership. It appears that a rodent gnawed through some important wires and tubes, causing several hundred dollars of irritating expense. But, we prevailed! We had a splendid time with George and Kathy in West Melbourne, playing Texas Hold'em and Blackjack over drinks and much chatting. George and Kathy were so gracious to put up with us, Charlie and The Ed, while the RV was in for emergency surgery.

Castillo de San Marcos

Flagler College

On Thursday, with the RV restored to its previous glory, we made our way to St. Augustine, where it stalled repeatedly in the parking lot of the campground. Grr. We managed to get it started and parked in the campsite, before we dashed away to watch the sunset over the beautiful town of St. Augustine. We took in the sights of the lighthouse, the old Spanish Fort (Castillo de San Marcos), and the shops in the historic district. St. Augustine was founded in 1565, making it the oldest city in America, even though Florida didn't become a state until 1845. Neato!

Ken, Dewey and Mary

On Friday, we made our way to Jacksonville, Florida, where, when we arrived, it was sunny and beautiful, but, by the time we left on Sunday, was cold and VERY windy. We parked the RV at Little Talbot State Park, a campground designed for smaller RV's than ours, but we managed to squeeze the 'beast' into a campsite intended for tents. We walked on the park's beach on Friday afternoon, discovering a beach both completely deserted and hard as concrete (perfect for bike-riding), with some really nice shells. Yay!

Little Talbot Island

On Friday evening, we shared a wonderful time with my parents' friends, Dewey and Mary. Thanks to them for their hospitality and yummy dinner!

Little Talbot Island beach