Part 5: The Ancient City

• Next we headed south to the oldest city in the nation, St. Augustine, which was founded by Spain in 1565. We often forget that Spaniards had a presence in the new world long before the British or French laid claim to much of North America. Today, the original Castillo de San Marcos built to protect the city in 1672 can still be toured. The fort is maintained by the national park service and is in very good condition. In many places you can still see pictures and graphitti carved into the coquina rock walls by the early soldiers. Unlike many forts left in the US that are actually replica's built on the old location, this is the real deal. Its amazing to walk through tunnels where Spanish soldiers fought the British over 300 years ago. In my opinion the $7 fee to get in with all the interpretive displays, cannons and access to roam nearly all of the fort was well worth it.

Castillo de San Marcos

Presbyterian Church in Old Town St. Augustine

Accordion Player on the street

• Another trip worth taking was the free ferry across to Fort Matanzas just south of St. Augustine on the coastal banks. While much smaller in scale than Castillo de San Marcos, the narrated tours by the park staff really give you a good idea what it must have been like to live at this garrison in 1742 when it was built. Again the entire fort is open to the public including the ladder up to the upper deck.

Fort Matanzas

• We stayed at Pellicer Creek Campground about 15 miles south of St. Augustine. This campground was re-opened just a couple of years ago and most of the facilities are pretty new. In fact some of it is still a work in progress. The campground manager is in the process of installing cable, only got wifi set up earlier this year and they do not yet have bathrooms. However, because everything is new, the facilties are in very good condition. The washer and dryers looked brand new and at $1.50 to wash and $1.00 to dry were some of the cheapest we had seen anywhere. It is inland, not on the coast and the rate reflects that, but with easy access to I95 and US1, we had no issues getting around. It is located right on Pellicer Creek which at this point in the creek is a dense jungle stream surrounded by palms reminiscent of something you might see in The African Queen. 

Pellicer Creek Campground from the water

• Just downstream from Pellicer Creek Campground is Faver-Dykes State Park. Unlike state parks in other states many of them here in Florida are barely developed dirt roads back into the woods. While Faver-Dykes is no different, you can rent canoes there and we did. The lower section of Pellicer Creek is grassy marsh, but we really wanted to see the upland portion where it goes through the jungle near our campground, so we paddled hard against the current for an hour and a half to get up to the campground, spotting herons, egrets and vultures along the way and only one alligator. The upland portion has a couple tributaries and is dense and jungley, we went up each branch until we were stopped by logs that had fallen across the creeks. It felt very remote even though two highways cross over it. On the way back we again were against the current and this time the wind was blowing against us as well. I thought for sure my arms would fall off before we got the canoe back to the dock inside the park.

Pellicer Creek Jungle Section

• We heard that there are sometimes manatees in the coastal waters near here, but not this time of year. However a quick google search turned up Blue Springs State Park just an hour south of here where they congregate in the winter due to the 72 degree spring water, so we had to check it out. Fortunately for us, the manatees had just started to arrive for the winter. However aside from the manatees it is still a pretty amazing area. The spring water comes out of a chasm in the ground well over 100 feet deep and flows down a channel to the St. John River. Cave divers go scuba-diving here. The water in the channel is so clear that you can see every fish in the channel in addition to the manatees. There are gar over 4 foot long and catfish and dozens of other fish and lots of turtles. The $6 park fee was well worth it, but we heard it can get pretty crowded at this park at times. We went mid-week in early November and there was absolutely no issue with crowds, aside from a visiting school group. 

Manatees at Blue Springs

Turtle Party!

We are now in Pellicer Creek Campground contemplating our next leg of the trip, which is to return back west. Much of the south across the gulf states does not hold much draw for us, but there are a few things in Texas we would like to see. Specifically we would like to make it down to Big Bend National Park. While there is lots we would like to see in the Southwest, due to the elevation and the weather this time of year, that may need to wait until another trip. At this point we are thinking we will work our way back to the West Coast and find someplace we like out that way to hunker down for a month or two. However, our plans are always changing.

Part 4: Down to the Low Country

• Next stop was the Outer Banks of North Carolina where we stayed for a week. I had been there nearly 20 years ago, but Rhonda was seeing it all for the first time. While campground prices in the Outer Banks can be pricey, the weekly rate at the OBX Campground in Kill Devil Hills was only $200 (http://www.obxcampground.com/). With huge lots with elbow room between your neighbors, a view of the water with a dock and well-maintained bathrooms this was one of the best campgrounds we have stayed at. I also have to plug Billy's Seafood less than half a mile away where we stopped several times to pick up some the freshest and suprisingly inexpensive locally caught fish for dinner on the grill (http://www.billysseafoodobx.com/).

• There was plenty in the Outer Banks to keep us busy for a week. Since it is on a barrier island the chain has its share of lighthouses and we went to four of them; Currituck Lighthouse, Bodie Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Ocracoke Lighthouse. We went all the way down to the south end where a ferry takes you across to Ocracoke Island and just happened to stumble across the Blackbeard Pirate Festival in Ocracoke where this mock ship battle was going on.  

Currituck Lighthouse

Bodie Lighthouse

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Ocracoke Lighthouse

Blackbeard Festival in Ocracoke

• On Roanoke Island between the Outer Banks and the mainland, we went to the quaint little town of Manteo and then up to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site where an early colony was founded and then mysteriously disappeared when the founder returned from England three years later. We spent a couple hours wandering through the Elizabethan Gardens right next to Fort Raleigh with its manicured grounds and statues.  

Garden statue in the Elizabethan Gardens

Macro photo of flowers in the Elizabethan Gardens

• Back in Kill Devil Hills we wandered all around the memorial where the Wright Brothers made their first manned flights. Now the area is covered in grass and even a few prickly pear cactuses, but back in Wright Brother's days it was only sand dunes and was selected for the consistent winds that blow through the area.
• Recreational activities have been drawing mainlanders to the Outer Banks for years. While fishing is still a very hot activity in the area, water fowl hunting used to be a major draw. The Currituck Banks National Estuarine Research Reserve has a free museum where this history is explored and then you can wander the grounds of the Whalehead Club and imagine what it must have been like to be part of the well-to-do crowd coming to the Outer Banks in the early days for recreation. 

Whalehead Club on Currituck Bank

Cactus on Currituck Banks

Turtle Stretching

• Just a little ways north of the Outer Banks in Grandy, NC is the Weeping Radish Farm Restaurant, Brewery and Butchery (http://www.weepingradish.com/index.php). As its name implies, they are a restaurant where many of the items on the menu are from their own farm or local farms, they brew their own beer and make their own sausages. This restaurant is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but it was featured in Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. Unlike most breweries in the US, their focus is German style lager beers and their seasonal Oktoberfest is probably my favorite of that variety of beer.
• Our next stop heading south was Myrtle Beach. We again saw my Aunt Jo since she spends the winters down there and my cousin Jann who lives there year round. We did not spend much time in Myrtle Beach, but I have never seen so many elaborate miniature golf courses in my life, complete with waterfalls, and dry-ice fog. We stayed at Myrtle Beach State Park Campground which was suprisingly close to everything. On a tip from Jo and Jann, we went down to Huntington Beach State Park, which was impressive. This time of year there are migratory birds passing through and I got to see a Roseate Spoonbill, which I haven't seen since I used to work in the Everglades. There were also several Wood Storks and supposed to be alligators, but we did not see any while we were there. There is also the Atalaya Castle that was built as a winter home for industrialist Archer Huntington in the 1930's. 

Roseate Spoonbill

Atalaya Castle

• We liked Charleston, SC so much that instead of just passing through on our way south, we decided to stay a few days. I hadn't expected it to feel "tropical" until we got farther south, but with saw palmettos growing everywhere and spanish moss dripping from the huge live oak trees that formed a canopy over the roadways so dense that only filtered sunlight came through, the environment felt very different than just a little farther north. Culturally, Charleston has a lot going for it as well. There is so much history in that part of the country and much of it has been preserved. We did take a carriage ride through the historic district and I am glad we did, since our tour guide was able to provide the significance of the history that we wouldn't have been able to get if walking on our own. For example, much of the spikey ironwork on some of the estates, was not merely for decoration, but was to protect the estates from a potential slave revolt which was a fear in those days. 

Charleston Cemetery

• We also got acquainted with "Low Country Food" which is making a resurgence at some of the finest restaurants in town. Really its just soul food that has been prepared for years that is now becoming avant garde; things like fried okra, collard greens, grits, fried ... anything, shrimp gumbo. Prior to coming to Charleston, our search for good seafood restaurants without breaking the bank was hitting a dry spell as we found even highly recommended places were serving previously frozen and breaded items. Just south of Charleston we found Gilligan's. They had some of the best freshly prepared yet inexpensive seafood around (www.gilligans.net).
• We also enjoyed the trip down Wadmalaw Island south of Charleston to go to the Charleston Tea Garden and take the free tour to find out how tea is grown and prepared along with some tastings (www.charlestonteaplantation.com). Then we stepped up the octane and went to the Firefly Distillery and were pleasantly suprised by their tea-infused vodka and the lemon vodka made with natural lemon (http://www.charlestonwine.com/firefly.php). Rounding out the trip we stopped at Angel Oak to see this impressive 1500 year old tree that is still alive and growing today with its 17,000 square foot canopy. We even saw one of the elusive white squirrels at Angel Oak which are very rare elsewhere. 

Angel Oak

Elusive White Squirrel

• We spent a half day hiking through the Caw Caw Interpretive Center south of Charleston as well. This park is only open Wednesday through Sunday, but is well-worth the trip. In the 1700s and 1800s before cotton became the predominant crop, rice was grown in flooded bogs that were dug by slaves. Today some of the area has returned to woodland and some has returned to marsh but throughout the park the maze of waterways remains and supports all kinds of wildlife. As you can imagine there all kinds of birds that stop here, but this is also excellent habitat for alligators. I didn't realize that alligators can occur as far north as the Alligator River in North Carolina, but as we looked for alligators on our way south, this was the first place that they seemed to be abundant. 

Part 3: Highway of Relatives

• Continuing the "Highway of Relatives" along US20 heading east through Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and then on to Maine, we first stopped to see Rhonda's grandparents Grandma and Grandpa "S" in Archibold, Ohio. Then we were off to see my Uncle David and his dog Barley in Elyria, OH, then up to Western New York state to see my Aunt Jo, Lisa, Jodi and my Uncle Paul from the other side of my family. Of course we went out to dinner to Bourbon & Burger for some of the best burgers around the area. My second cousin Michael is co-owner of B&B and recently opened another restaurant called Casa Del Taco, which is similar to a Chipotle or Baja Fresh found in other parts of the country.
• We visited my mother's grave in Wyoming, NY and planted some bulbs that will hopefully come up in the spring. After digging all around her memorial stone we may not have improved the looks much right now, but I'm sure it will fill back in again in the spring.

• Of course we had to visit my mother's side of the family, the Welch side and stop at the vegetable stand and pick up some quarts of their best maple syrup (http://www.welchsmaple.com/). The maple syrup business seems to be going really well as Chuck was loading boxes of syrup to be shipped all over the country from North Carolina to California.
• Next we were off to Boston to see my Aunt Carol and her Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog, Cal. We also went out for dinner to an old, cozy Irish pub called Doyle's for some beers and sandwiches (http://www.doylescafeboston.com/). It was my kind of place, similar to some of the places we like to frequent back in Portland.
• On the way up to Acadia in Maine, we stopped and stayed for a couple days in Portland, Maine. While on opposite coasts, we found quite a few similarities to the look and feel of Portland, Oregon. They have lots of good bars and restaurants, a few brewpubs and an active waterfront to explore. We took some time to do brewery tours of both Allagash and Shipyard brewing. The two could not be more different with Allagash focusing on high-end complex Belgian Beers (www.allagash.com/‎). They have a beer called Curieux aged in bourbon barrels that sells for a wopping $18 a bottle. Shipyard on the other hand is more of a macro-brew that produces an assortment of everyday drinking beers you can find in most supermarkets up that way (www.shipyard.com/). We also got to check out a local Irish Pub called Brian's Boru that served up one of the best steak sandwiches I have had (http://www.brianborupub.com/).
• We arrived in Acadia while the government shutdown was still underway. Suprisingly, even areas of the park that are normally open to the public without even an entrance fee were actually barricaded, so we didn't see as much of the park as we would have liked to. However people got to eat and drink, so as usual we found some other local attractions we could partake in. Atlantic Brewing on the north side of Mt. Desert Island is a small brewery but really works hard at putting together a fun interactive brewery tour, which seems to help them sell copious amounts of beer as well (www.atlanticbrewing.com/‎). They partner with Mainely Meat to provide food at the brewery, which was a good combination since their rack of ribs were some of the best I have had (http://mainelymeatbbq.homestead.com/Index.html).

 

Nemo's - a funky eatery on the west side of Mt. Desert Island

• Our return to Indiana was uneventful since we did it in two days; lots of driving and not much else. After another week or two doing daytrips and helping with some projects around Rhonda's parents house, we heard the weatherman calling for the first snow of the season since it was now late October, so we knew it was time to hook up the trailer and head south.
• We first stopped at Carter Caves in Eastern Kentucky based on some advice from fellow RVers ( Thanks to Kennen & Terri Shafer) that had stayed there. The area is full of caves and rocky canyons to hike through. The highlight of our stop was short hikes to a few of the natural arches that have formed. We only stayed two days because we knew we wanted to be getting farther south. 

Natural Arch at Carter Caves State Park

Part 2: Our Stay at Hotel Roger

• Once we got to Indiana the highlight for us was spending time with family. My nephews Justis and Logan have grown out of the infant phase and are becoming their own little people with unique personalities. We did go with them to the Niles Apple Festival to watch them ride carnival rides, but you really have to hunt to find anything with apples there anymore. 

Do you have Capital One? (Bored Viking at Apple Festival)

• Thanks to Anita, (Rhonda's mother) she was able to wrangle tickets to the Top of the Hops Beer Festival, hosted at the Silverhawks baseball stadium. They had about 50 beers from near and far and we were suprisingly impressed with a few of the local breweries. The craft-brewing scene is picking up in Indiana. The venue was impressive as well, since it was right on the field. I downed a couple beers from the great view on the pitcher's mound. Our favorites were Dragon's Milk Stout from New Holland Brewing in Michigan, Third Coast Old Ale from Bells in Kalamzoo, MI and Chucky Double Imperial IPA from the Evil Czech Brewery in Culver, IN.
• We also squeezed in a Southern Michigan pub crawl with my in-laws ... I didn't have to twist their arms too much. The tour included Bells in Kalamazoo, Founders in Grand Rapids and then, while mostly an ale house with only a beer or two of their own, we went to Hop Cat in Grand Rapids. With nearly 50 beers on tap and the classy dark old world pub feel, it was impressive. However, Bells was probably my favorite with a blend of good food, interesting beers and really nice facility that included and outside courtyard that I would love to go back to sometime.
• We also decided to do a first annual Brats and Beer Fest at the Hotel Roger. The local liquor stores have a pretty good selection of craft brews and we discovered DC Meats and their dozen or so varieties of great brats. 

• Near Elkhart, we went for a bike ride on a converted rail to trail in Middlebury, IN. Since we packed our folding bikes in the trailer, rail to trail bike paths are my new favorite thing to look for each place we visit. Normally a bike ride through Northern Indiana farm country would seem like a boring study in the crop plants of the midwest states, but this one cuts through Amish country. While yes we got to see our share of grain crops, we also got a glimpse into how the Amish culture lives today, from an Amish schoolhouse, to a farmer using an old world combine pulled by draft horses to cut down his corn fields, to a farm raising Belgian Horses and a field with some noisy Sandhill Cranes.
• We also got to see more of the amazing Sandhill Cranes, which can have a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet on a nearby hike at Boot Lake Nature Preserve. These huge birds are just passing through, but they stopped to congregate and rest and there were hundreds in this small lake. 

• Years ago, when I was probably about 6 or 7, we used to live in Northern Illinois in a little town called Harvard, IL. While we were back in Indiana we were visiting friends in Chicago and decided to see if we could find our old home. As we drove by very slowly I was suprised to see that the old gas station built in 1918 that we used as a vegetable market was still there! While we were looking a man that was trimming trees nearby came over and I explained that I used to live there. What happened next really suprised me ... he said "Do you know Duane? I bought the place from him." (Duane is my father). After 35 years, Frank Butts, the person we sold the place to still owns it! We went up to the house and took some pictures. The original house we had lived in had burnt down in 1991 and he built another with a similar configuration on the same spot. It was weird to drive around the neighborhood and recognize places from years ago. 

1918 Gas Station/Vegetable Market

Old Homestead

The cow on the town square was there when we used to live there

Our old school ... Now it is administrative offices for the school system

• Since Rhonda's parent's refrigerator was nearly bear, we decided it was time for us to move on.

Part1: Modern Day Nomads

So where have we been? After a while you just get into the groove as modern day nomads and while yes we are doing things everyday, not everything is magnificent or on the opposite end of the spectrum disastrous such that they make really interesting blog posts. However after a while, like now, when we think back to the travels over the last month or so, we realize, Wow! we have done a lot.

After Yellowstone we spent a couple days in the Black Hills of South Dakota and worked our way across to Elkhart, Indiana where Rhonda's parents live. After staying a week or two, we took the Jeep by itself and did a quick tour of New England, through New York, Boston, and up to Acadia in Maine. Then we returned to Indiana for a few more day trips from Elkhart and to pick up our trailer. From there the snow chased us south to Kentucky and onto the Outer Banks in North Carolina for a week. Continuing our East Coastal tour we stopped in Myrtle Beach and Charleston for a few days and are now in St. Augustine for a week. Mostly I want to be able to look back and remember where we had that good beer or where was that awesome campground or hole in the wall eatery that we stumbled across, so what follows is more of a bulletpoint list of some of the highlights over the last few months so I can remember them. If interested to learn more about any of these places don't hesitate to ask. The next five blog posts catch us up to our current location in St. Augustine, FL.

Where we left off last was the Black Hills of South Dakota.

• Mt. Rushmore was interesting, pretty much what you would expect as every American has seen thousands of pictures from every possible angle, but still worth a visit, since it was a reasonable $11 a car to get in.

Close-up of Lincoln's Eye - Drilling grooves are clear at this resolution

Rushmore welcome committee - a friendly mountain goat just outside Rushmore

• More impressive was the Needles Highway, a twisty highway that cuts right through some jagged rock outcrops, including one strange formation with a hole in it that give the highway its namesake.

• Custer State Park takes you back to a time when herds of buffalo and pronghorns used to roam everywhere (scratch that ... the pronghorns still do!). From the safety of our car we were able to get up close and personal... maybe a little to close with the herd of wild donkeys in the area. 

Herd of Buffalo roaming free



Young Pronghorns

Friendly wildlife in Custer State Park

Prairie Dog on the lookout in Custer State Park

• Two thumbs up for the Crooked Creek Campground in Hill City, SD. Nice park-like setting, quiet and well-maintained facilities.
• The Badlands were well worth a visit for $15. Unlike other national parks there really is no "lead-up" with the scenery change. You are driving across a grassy prairie, you come up to the edge of the valley and all of the sudden its there! 

• When you have been driving for hours it can't hurt to take a break and see Wall Drug in Wall, SD of course, and the converted high school basketball gym called the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.

Wall Drug - Tourist trap and Americana Museum

Mitchell Corn Palace