Author: Easin' Along

After a relaxing three days in St. George Island, Easin’ Along moved our snowbird camp to Jekyll Island, Georgia for two days.  At that time, we could only reserve two nights, but we had always heard that the area was a lovely place to visit so Helen (adorable wife) booked the two nights.  While there, we were able to secure three more nights at a later date and returned during some great weather. We will save both visits for a later post on Easin’ Along.

Our destination after Jekyll was Pelican Roost Campground operated by Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, Florida. Our drive down Interstate 95 took only two hours. We arrived in mid-afternoon and were assigned a great campsite near the end of the RV Park with a great view of the bay in front of us. By walking a few steps toward the street, we could see an aircraft carrier resting alongside the harbor (above). Mayport was going to be an excellent place to spend the next five days.

On this trip, we’ve learned that snowbirds are active people and active people organize activities.  The campground at Jekyll Island had plenty of events to keep campers busy, and Pelican Roost was no different. On two Saturdays each month a group of campers organizes a pancake breakfast as a way to meet and greet. Our first morning was a Saturday, and no one loves pancakes more than me so, I was all in.

The breakfast was well underway when we arrived, and the meeting room was full of chatter.  Most of the campers appeared to be in our age range. I can’t recall the charge for breakfast, but it wasn’t much. I asked the lady collecting money how she used the funds, and she told me that she used it to purchase the food so that the breakfast was self-sustaining.  All of the workers are volunteers.

Jeff and Barney, two brothers and Army retirees from near Buffalo, NY, always cook the pancakes. We met them shortly after we checked in. Both serve as campground hosts and helped us connect the cable TV provided by the campground to Gracey (our trailer).

I enjoyed meeting them. Jeff and Barney have spent several winters volunteering at Mayport while escaping the harsh winters back home. They make great pancakes too.

After the hearty breakfast of pancakes and bacon, Helen and I decided that we needed to stretch our legs. She did a little research in the AAA Guidebooks and learned that the Riverside Arts Market is held every Saturday near the center of town. Browsing is one of our favorite activities so, off we went.

The Riverside Market was more of an art and food market with two long rows of booths set up on a paved surface. The Market site is under a downtown bridge and was bustling with activity when we entered. Several of the vendors catered to pet owners, and dogs of every variety nosed up to the booths looking for the latest in pet treats. We have no pets, but I did purchase one treat for me…a loaf of fresh cheesy-bacon bread from one of the artisans near the end of the second row. It was a great addition to Gracey’s pantry and didn’t last long once there.

After a few days of lazy beach walks and a trip to St. Augustine (later post), I realized that we had not found a single shark’s tooth to add to our collection. It was time to correct that. The day began with a fairly dense fog, with the sun peeking through on occasion. The beach, a short walk from the campground, is very wide at low tide and somewhat deserted. Helen took the opportunity for a long walk, and I almost lost her in the fog. I, on the other hand, made finding a shark’s tooth my sole purpose. Luck was with me on this day, and after some heavy eye strain, I uncovered two inside of a pile of tiny shell fragments.  On her return, Helen told me (tongue in cheek) how proud she was…it’s the little things that make life fun.

As we left the beach, we came upon several folks carrying a Pelican in a laundry basket. We had to know what was going on. The Pelican had been spotted at the water’s edge splashing wildly. A beach walker noticed that it had two broken wings and had returned to the campground to get help in rescuing the bird. Two campers came to the aid of the distressed Pelican and were on their way to leave it with a veterinarian. The Pelican sat quietly in the basket and appeared grateful.  

Our time in Jacksonville ended all too soon. Pelican Roost was a great stop on our snowbird tour, but it was time to hook up Gracey and head south to Melbourne for a visit with my sister and brother-in-law. After a cold start, we were almost to the halfway point in this journey but ready to proclaim it a success. The people were friendly; the sun was warm, the pace was slow, and we’re just Easin’ Along.  Retirement is the best gig going.

Note to our Military Living readers: Pelican Roost and nearby Osprey Cove campgrounds are excellent facilities and we heartily recommend them for vacationing military personnel. The well-maintained sites have full hookups for RVs, both large and small. The showers are clean, and the laundry facilities are free. We encourage you to check them out at militaryliving.com.

At this time a year ago, Helen (adorable wife) and I drove to Panama City, Florida and, while there, made a day trip to Apalachicola to see the area and enjoy some fresh oysters. When planning our snowbird trip for this year, we both agreed that a second trip to the Oyster Republic was a must. We were able to make reservations at St. George’s Island State Park, and boy, were we glad we did.

We departed from St. Andrews State Park where we had a fabulous stay and drove along the Gulf Coast to St. George’s Island.  The drive was made easy by the scenery and the sampling of “Old Florida” homes, small towns, and motels we passed along the way.   We arrived at St. George’s in the early afternoon and backed Gracey (our travel trailer) into her new home. 

Our plan for the next day was to drive across the causeway and pay a visit to Apalachicola. Friends had recommended that we visit the Orman House, a stately antebellum home built in 1838 by Thomas Orman, a wealthy cotton merchant. We took their advice and enjoyed the tour led by a very enthusiastic young park ranger named Jeremy. Orman House was furnished with many of the original pieces as well as artwork from the period the home was occupied.

We enjoyed the tour greatly. As we were leaving, we met Ken and Patty, a couple from Michigan who came to the area each year seeking an escape from the Michigan winters. They have volunteered as campground hosts in previous years, but this year was serving as hosts at Orman House in exchange for a site for their RV. They said they were having a great time meeting people and working in the gardens outside the house.  They were scheduled to work three days a week, but usually spent more time than that because they enjoyed the work so much. Helen and I made a mental note to look into volunteer work at places we might fall in love with on future snowbird stops.

 

The tour completed, it was now oyster time. We drove to the Hole in the Wall Oyster Bar, our favorite eatery from last year only to find that it was closed on Mondays…bummer! We went to the Owl Cafe instead and were seated in the Wine Room. Both of us were eager for oysters on the half shell so we split a dozen.  They came out cold, fresh and didn’t last long on the tray. Helen also had a crab and shrimp salad and I had a fresh grouper sandwich. We waddled to the car.

Day two was spent exploring the beach and St. George’s Island. It was a windy, but otherwise beautiful sunny day and we were certain that shark’s teeth were everywhere. Beach access points are conveniently located close to the campground throughout the State Park as well as restroom and shower facilities. We chose to drive to the parking area at the north end of the beach and we had it pretty much to ourselves. Helen found a few scallop shells but no shark’s teeth. It was great to be out in the sunshine.

That afternoon, we received word that Rusha and Bert, two friends from our hometown of Knoxville, were on their way to St. George’s for a week’s vacation and was to arrive later in the day.  We arranged to meet them at the Blue Parrot for dinner. As it turned out, the Blue Parrot was alongside the beach and conveniently within walking distance of where our friends were staying. 

Bert and Rusha are very experienced travelers and Helen and I were eager to pick their brain of favored places for future trips with Gracey. In fact, Rusha is a fellow blogger and writes about her travels at ohtheplaceswesee.com. Her blog is definitely worthy of a visit to the trove of information found there.

The time we spent with Bert and Rusha was delightful–I think Helen was overjoyed at having someone else to talk to besides me. She smiled throughout the evening. I had so much fun, I have completely forgotten what I had for dinner which I don’t usually do since I like to share the menu with Easin’ Along readers.  I just remember that it was good seafood and the Craft Beer was exceptional.

All too soon a new day dawns and it’s time to leave St. George’s Island and make our way to Jekyll Island, GA, the next stop on our snowbird tour. After loading up Gracey we waved so long to the warm sunshine, white sand, and savory seafood of the Oyster Republic…it was tough saying goodbye, but it was time to be Easin’ Along.

 

 

We decided to take Gracey, our travel trailer on a road trip to Florida to escape the snow and cold weather that was due in Eastern Tennessee. We reserved a campsite at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL for the first night on the road and, guess what…three inches of snow fell before the temperatures plunged to 8 degrees.  We were unable to leave the next day due to road conditions and stayed a second night. It was not a problem as Gracey proved to be very comfortable and the facilities at Maxwell (including the showers) are excellent. Helen (adorable wife) used the downtime to get Gracey organized.

We finally were able to escape the snow and cold and Drive to the second stop on our trip, St. Andrews State Park in Panama City. We visited the park last year while staying at the Naval Support Base near here. At that time we had no idea that traveling by RV would soon become a part of our retired lifestyle, but that visit to the campground certainly piqued our interest.

We arrived late in the afternoon after a harrowing experience on a sheet of ice on an Alabama back road. Our GPS led us to that dilemma. Nevertheless, the weather we met on our arrival made the trip very worthwhile. Temperatures approached the 60’s and the wind was almost nonexistent. 

The campground at St. Andrews is large and very well laid out.  There are four large bathhouses and laundry facilities. We consider ourselves fortunate to have secured reservations since this is a very popular destination for snowbirds from colder climates.  Four days were all that was available at the time we made them. Our campsite was on the outer edge and Gracey was backed right up to the Bay.  We had a lovely view and were within 50 feet of the water’s edge.

Helen was up early the next morning and captured a picture of a brilliant sunrise as it progressed above the horizon over the bay. After breakfast, we did what we usually do when we are near a beach…we go look for shells. The wind had picked up, but we were not deterred. The beach access nearest the campground was deserted as was the beach itself except for three ladies taking a walk. The water in the Gulf was bluebird blue.

It did not take long for Helen to find a scallop shell and declare the entire search a success as a result.  I’m more into shark’s teeth but did not spot a single one. I resolved to return at another time. As we were leaving I noticed that a couple had placed chairs adjacent to the beach access. The lady was reclined in her chair and reading a book.  The gentleman was thoroughly engrossed in a crossword puzzle. I suspect that they are retired…

During most of our stay in Panama City, we ate meals in our campsite.  Prior to the trip, Helen had prepared some casseroles and that worked out very well during the early days of the trip. The exceptions were one early visit to the Waffle House when I grew tired of cereal. I love the Waffle House and have never been disappointed with either the food or the service at a single one.  I admit that I was a little leery about this visit because there were no guests when we arrived.  A very friendly waitress took our order and when she returned with the food, I asked her if the business was always this slow.  

“At this time of the year, it is,”, came the quick reply.  She then gave us a detailed summary of how she manages her finances to survive until Spring Break arrives and business improves.  I think she was just happy to have someone other than the cook to talk to, but I sort of admired her for her drive and made sure I left her a nice tip.

The other dining experience came after we made a trip through a flea market (another favorite thing to do) where I found a couple of good movie DVD’s to buy for two dollars each. After such a saving, I figured that we could afford to splurge and have dinner at one of the top spots in Trip Advisor. We drove to Bayou Joe’s.  

This popular eatery is tucked into the corner of a marina near downtown Panama City.  The evening was somewhat chilly but otherwise pleasant. We arrived at sundown.  The winds were calm and I took a picture of two boats moored in the harbor that captured the calm setting.

Bayou Joe’s was nearly empty and we were given swift service. Helen wanted to have the fried green beans as an appetizer.  We followed up with a grouper basket.  Both servings were well prepared and delicious. The restaurant filled up quickly as we ate and soon the place was full. The experience was delightful and we would consider it as a must visit for anyone coming to the area.

The remainder of our stay was just as we wanted it…slow and uneventful.  We had much to do to get our new trailer organized and managed to make great progress. Combine that effort with a few relaxing walks on the beach and we soon found ourselves fully decompressed and ready to take on the rest of our retirement road trip.  Slow and uneventful may sound boring to some but to us, it’s just another wonderful day of Easin’ Along.