Our time at Topsail Hill Preserve sails by

April 11-16, 2013
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida



This is our third stay in this park, a record for us. Advertised as the “crown jewel of the Florida State Park system,” it is not easy to get reservations here. We, however, lucked out all three years with at least a four night stay that we scored a month or two before our stay. This year we started out with only three days, but persistence in checking on Reserve America paid off and we were able to add two more nights on the same sight! 

What makes this park special to us is its location on one of the best white sand beaches on this stretch of the Panhandle known as the Emerald Coast. The campsites do not have views of the water but it is less than a mile bike ride (or tram ride) to a pristine beach. Topsail is also unique in having full hook-ups including cable, paved sites and patios, a swimming pool, and groomed landscaping. The park used to be a private RV resort which explains the extra amenities.



Another big plus for this area is its proximity to what locals call the 30A, a a twenty-eight mile scenic highway that is home to the charming waterfront towns of Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside (The Truman Show filming location), and Rosemary Beach. The best part of 30A, which we just discovered this year, is the Timpoochee Trail, a separate bike path that parallels eighteen miles of the highway.

Our first day here, the temperatures were in the low 80s with a gentle breeze. As soon as we set up, we headed for an afternoon at the beach. A big delight for me was discovering the water temps were warm enough for swimming (about 73 degrees). The pure white sandy bottom here and the rolling surf close to shore make this beach one of my favorites for playing in the waves.



This is also a very popular beach for surf fishing. The fishermen use sand fleas for bait and mainly seem to be fishing for pompano, but we saw one guy pull in a 30” black drum, a sizeable catch.







We ended the day with the treat of going out to dinner at nearby Stinky’s Fish Camp, a restaurant I wanted to try the last two years we came here. It did not disappoint. They must be doing well, even with a name like Stinky’s, as they built a new annex and now only use the original Fish Camp building for a gift shop and kitchen. We had something that we saw others eating that wasn’t even on the menu: an oyster log. Thirty six baked oysters of all kinds. I thought it would be too much for us, but truth be told, I think I could have eaten the whole assortment of oysters myself!

On day two, we were excited to take a bike ride along the 30A. It’s always amazing how much more you see on a bike than in a car. Of course, we took several opportunities to explore some side streets that looked interesting along the way. Our intention was to ride to a Starbucks in Grayton Beach that we had visited before, about ten miles away. To our surprise, the Starbucks is now Bad Ass Kona Coffee. I don’t think these beach towns are big supporters of chains, that may explain the switch. I prefer local coffee spots over Starbucks (shhh, don’t tell Pam and John, our Starbuck loving friends), but Vic likes the consistency of knowing his non-fat no-water Chai latte will always taste the same when he goes to a Starbucks. I, on the other hand, am always hoping for a more European style cappuccino like the ones we had overlooking Lake Como in Italy.




Back to our bike ride. I did not take my camera so you will have to use your imaginations. This is the route we took on the bike trail. The only challenge was a pretty strong head wind on the way there and a surprising number of hills, but the ride back with a tail wind was a breeze. It would be fun to plan a whole day and ride all the way into Seaside from Topsail.



With cloudy skies and much cooler temperatures the next day, we chose to drive the 30A stretch stopping to wander around the streets lined with shops in Watercolor and Seaside. There seems to be an abundance of colorful art and seashore themed gifts in the shops, eye candy for sure. I was also bedazzled by the freshwater pearls and braided leather jewelry, an unique combination with some hefty price tags. No purchases for us this time. (The bonus of living in a small space.)













By sunset that evening, a major storm was brewing. Time to batten down the hatches, retract the awnings, and get out the Bach’s Rescue Remedy to quell Jetta’s nervous reaction to thunder. The TV had severe thunderstorm warnings flashing at the bottom of the screen for our county but the radar looked like we might just get lucky and be on the edge of the red zone. Not so. By midnight, the motorhome was surrounded by flashes of lightening and big cracks of thunder. I felt claustrophobic in the back in bed, so Jetta and I waited out the worst of the storm together on the couch (while Vic literally hid under the covers with pillows over his head). Fortunately, strong wind wasn’t a part of the storm, but there sure was a downpour. By morning, many sites were surrounded by water. We were lucky to be in an area with good drainage. The storm was still rattling on a bit in the morning, so we sat tight until blue skies broke through in the afternoon.



By then I had a little cabin fever, so we took a ride to see the Destin Harbor Boardwalk. Temps had dropped into the 40s overnight and daytime temps were still only in the 50s, so the boardwalk was relatively deserted but we enjoyed a brisk walk there anyway. This area is definitely geared for tourists but we enjoyed checking it out. We were most surprised at the huge number of charter boats along the boardwalk. I am sure it would be fun here for families on a summer night with a variety of rides. fireworks, and live music.













Our last day here the skies completely cleared but the temperatures were only in the high 60s. Regardless, we needed at least one more day at the beach so we bundled up a bit and enjoyed a good long walk along the shore. I had hopes of swimming, but didn’t want to experience the chill of getting out of the water wet. Saying goodbye to the beach was a little tough as we will have to wait until June in southern California before we have beach time again.



Five days sailed by and next thing I knew it was time to pack up. We sure are getting spoiled with our endless vacation lifestyle as we have five days in New Orleans to look forward to next! The Big EZ will finally get to see its namesake. Rollin’ on. . . .

Last family stop before starting our slow trek westward

April 8-11, 2013
Southern Oaks RV Park
Summerfield, Florida



We had four intentions in choosing to stop at this Passport America park near The Villages: to see family friends who live across the street from the park, to say adios to my oldest brother who lives in Dunnellon—about 20 minutes away, to go kayaking in the Chassohowitzka River—about an hour away, and to dance on the square at Lake Sumter Landing during their daily happy hour and live music event. We accomplished all but one: it rained the two days we reserved for kayaking.

With stormy weather the first two days, we took the opportunity to finish our taxes and submit them on-line. I also got back into my knitting project which is quite ambitious, a linen-stitch scarf which requires casting on 450 stitches. (The scarf is knit lengthwise.).  This is what I am hoping the finished project will look like. Sure am missing Karen, my knitting teacher at Holiday Cove, and my friend Jean who could help me learn to "unknit" when I make mistakes.



Day three was sunny so we took advantage of the brighter weather by making a short trip to The Villages. We enjoyed a walk around Lake Sumter then settled in on the square for their nightly happy hour.  The music turned out to be just okay—good songs by a one-man band, but the dancing was great. We joined in on a few favorite songs, but especially enjoyed watching the line dancers and other enthusiastic couples on the square.





The couple in the photo above were quite a kick to watch—especially the man. Gotta love her boots too.  The only way to fully appreciate these two is with a short video.

Old timers in the Village Square at Lake Sumter Landing

 entertain the crowd with their moves

Our last day in the area was a full one. We had a great visit with my oldest brother, Bob, first visiting him in his element at the National Parachute Test Center that he runs and then going to lunch at the classic old Florida Blue Gator on the Withlacoochee River in Dunnellon. 

He told me he never had a photo of the two of us, so this is for you Robert.



That same night we had my parents’ close friends, Will and Sharon Leino, over for dinner. They are from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but spend their winters in a Dell Webb community right across from where we were staying in the motorhome. Sharon was very close to my mom; listening to her reminisce about their special times together bring me joy. Will lost his vision quite a few years ago, but thanks to Sharon and his guide dog, Lily, from the Southeastern Guide Dog school, he gets along quite well. Not the best photo, but the only one I managed to take.



That wraps up our stop near The Villages.  Our next destination has become an annual favorite: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park near Destin in the Panhandle. We are ready for our spring travel adventures to begin.

Stopping for a short interlude in Zephyrhills

April 1-7, 2013
Zephyrhills, Florida
Majestic Oaks RV Resort



Stopping in Zephyrhills, as we start our slow trek back to the West Coast, has become an annual tradition for us. The main reason for this interlude is for me to spend time with my aunt, brother, nieces, and nephews before leaving the area. There are several RV parks in Zephyrhills, but most are geared more for long term residents who mostly live in park models vs. RVs. Majestic Oaks is no exception to this but we have come to feel quite at home here and the price is right. (Passport America rates in April of $16.00 per night.)

With a drive of only about seventy miles, we pulled into the park fairly early in the afternoon. Good thing as we ended up needing to call a tow truck for our Jeep shortly after arriving.  When Vic was unhitching the Jeep near the main office, he discovered the transmission would not come out of neutral. We had this problem once before near Niagara Falls and it ended up costing us over $1000 to replace the motor on the transfer case.  Our fingers were crossed that this problem would not require more big money to fix. 



We have towing covered with our Coach-Net policy. They were great and had someone there within an hour. Fortunately, the closest Chrysler Jeep dealership was only about ten miles away. The only challenge was we didn’t want to send the car there with the kayaks, bikes, and everything else we had packed into the back end. This is where having family close by came in handy. My brother came with his truck to help us haul everything to our site. We stayed pretty unperturbed through it all, even laughing at Vic’s idea to sit on the tailgate of my brother’s truck while “towing” the kayaks.



The next day we learned from the dealer that there was a Chrysler recall for the computer code error that was showing on our dash: Service 4 wheel drive. The recall requires a software update (N-23) that should clear the code and allow the transmission to shift out of neutral. It took another day for them to complete the software update then Voila! The transmission was working fine once again. The best part was No Charge. The worst part though was learning from the dealer that their mechanic did not think the previous dealership did the work they charged us for as the transfer case is still all original. Bottom line: we now have a Case # with the Chrysler Complaint line. We were grateful this problem happened in a place where it was relatively easy to deal with and that the Jim Browne Jeep dealership in Dade City turned out to be a reputable place. 

The rest of our time in Zhills went by very quickly. I went to my aunt’s home every morning for coffee and good long visits. This aunt is my mom’s only living sister (of four girls) and she is my god-mother. I even found a photo of her and me at my baptism—many, many years ago!



While I was off visiting with my aunt, Vic shifted into major cleaning mode. He washed the entire exterior of the motorhome with a waterless solution, vacuumed all the filters in the ceiling vents, and cleaned all the window screens. What a guy. The temperatures this week have been the warmest we have experienced this winter, so after his cleaning sessions in the morning, we spent time each day cooling off and relaxing by the pool. Since we have been to this park for several short stays before, we enjoyed some friendly banter with many of the familiar faces we saw at the pool.

On the weekend, we had my brother over for one of his favorite dinners: grilled lamb chops (while watching Florida and Wisconsin lose in the Final Four games). I must be feeling nostalgic, as I also found one of my favorite photos of my brother and me from the 1950s. Now our dog Jetta is his baby on the couch!







The best news from my brother was learning that his son, who was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, has responded well to aggressive radiation and chemotherapy sessions. His overall prognosis looks very good.



On Sunday, my whole family in the area got together for a barbeque, a perfect way to say our goodbyes for the winter. These goodbyes were a little harder than usual since we are planning to spend next winter on the West Coast. I guess I have gotten used to seeing my Florida family much more often since I retired as I used to be lucky to see them every few years.



We left Zhills this morning on a short drive of about seventy miles to another Passport America park where we have stayed before near The Villages: Southern Oaks RV Resort. The word resort is a stretch, but this is a comfortable park in a location that works well for us as my oldest brother and some family friends are nearby. We are also hoping to get our kayaks wet on one of the nearby rivers, but the weather will have to get better as there is a storm a comin’.  We may have to rest up a little to be ready for our ambitious spring travel itinerary.

Adios to our favorite spot in Florida

March 26-April 1, 2014
Cortez, Florida
Holiday Cove RV Resort



All good things must come to an end. This was our first year spending three months in this area and we both agree that it ranks as our top spot to spend an extended amount of time in Florida. Sadly, however, we are seriously considering spending next winter on the West Coast to be closer to our grandkids. At least they live in Southern California and not northern Minnesota!

The last week here the weather played a big part in determining how we would spend our days. We had at least two days of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms and, when the skies cleared, the temps dipped into the 40s at night with daytime highs in the low 60s. Most days, whether rainy or clear, we had plenty of wind too. Not great for biking or kayaking—that was for sure.

On one clear but cold day, I came up with the idea of checking off one more item on my local bucket list: going to see the canopy walk at Myakka River State Park. The idea of walking above the tree line in a beautiful natural setting sounded quite appealing. I looked up the walk on the internet and it said the canopy walk was just under a mile. Our friends Mike and BJ were interested too, so off we went.

The reality of the canopy walk paled in comparison with what I envisioned it would be. The walk to the canopy and back out to the parking area is just under a mile, but the canopy bridge itself is only about 100 ft. long.  The view looks out onto a diverse array of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pinelands. Pretty, but I had expected a view of the river with alligators and all kinds of birds to be a part of the scenery as well. Not so much.





We did enjoy climbing up the 70 ft. observation tower that they built next to the canopy, but the view was still a little disappointing in terms of wildlife.




After our short walk on the canopy trail, we drove around a seven-mile loop hoping to see something else that might catch our eye.  We walked out on a boardwalk on the river and were lucky enough to spot a sandhill crane by the river bank.



As we were leaving, I requested that we stop at the restroom facilities and boy am I glad I did.  When we get out of the car, we saw several photographers with tripods and huge lenses aimed up in the pine trees. This lucky discovery made the whole day trip worthwhile—at least to me. How adorable is this little guy?




This barred owlet was so cute I had a hard time pulling myself away. There were actually two owlets in the trees, but the other one was hard to see through the foliage. The photographers told us the parents were probably not far away. Sure enough, we found this mama or papa owl only a short distance away looking over its babies. I have been anxious to get some photos of owls all winter as I am always hearing them, but rarely seeing them. Good thing I drank a lot of coffee that morning.



With departure day drawing near, we put some plans in motion for getting together with friends. Aside from wanting to say goodbye, I managed to sneak in a little birthday celebration for Vic who is an April Fool’s baby. I made him a lemon meringue pie, our friend Diane made him a pan of brownies, and on the morning of our departure—his actual birthday, friends Jean and Dave surprised him by singing happy birthday and presenting him with two cupcakes.  (Sorry, no photos of the great BBQ ribs Mike made Vic for his birthday meal.)

Birthday boy with lemon meringue pie. . .



Birthday boy with brownies. . . (thanks, Diane)



And birthday boy with cupcakes (and the new hat daughter Mindy sent). . . . 



I don’t think Vic’s seemingly endless sweet tooth went unsatisfied.

We also had a happy hour gathering at our place the night before we left, followed by a bonfire with live music at the park next door. Aside from leaving a place that we love in terms of its location and ambience, the even more difficult challenge was saying goodbye to the extraordinary friends we have had the pleasure to spend time with here. (Diane and Steve, so sad you were not feeling well enough to join us!)








We sure will miss everyone and can only hope our paths will cross again soon in the near future. To hedge that bet, the couple featured above, Mike and BJ, are going to join us for two weeks in late April at Betty’s RV Park. How do you say yippie-ki-yay in Cajun???