Florida 2018

April 2018 - May 2024

We are looking for sunshine and warmth. We're hoping to find it in South Carolina and Florida! Read more

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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 29, 2018, 5:05pm
- 🌧 4 °C
- Altitude: 88 m
- Canada Ontario Black River 45.062637, -74.85962745°3’45” N 74°51’35” W
Day 23
Sunday, April 29
April 29, 2018 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 4 °C
We are on our way home, somewhere between Syracuse, New York, and Watertown. We had planned to do this in 2 days, but it looks like we are going to try to get home tonight.

It's pouring rain. . .not easy driving. The next 4 hours will be long ones!

7:56pm - only a few miles left to go! We are thankful for a safe journey. Tony has done an amazing job with all the driving.

We found some sun and warmth...in the places we visited and the people we met. So glad we were able to go. And now, we are happy to be home! 😎😎❤️Read more
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 29, 2018, 12:10pm
- ⛅ 10 °C
- Altitude: 47 m
- United States Maryland Prince Georges County Cherry Hill 39.019081, -76.93503639°1’9” N 76°56’6” W
Day 23
Saturday, April 28
April 29, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
We wake up to a foggy Saturday morning, but the sun breaks through and the temperatures rise. A beautiful spring day!

Thalia and Alex pick us up around 10:30. They have a birthday gift for me. . .2 books that I'm really looking forward to reading, and a lovely card. So thoughtful of them. They also have some books for Naomi! 😊

We visit 2 estate sales in the Potomac area. It's a beautiful area. Tony and I find deals on golf balls and golf umbrellas. Thalia buys a hand mixer and Alex buys a crystal decanter, a cutting board and a Weber Gas BBQ! $75.00! The deal of the day! It seems to work well. With a little clean up, it will be almost as good as new!

We head out to Falls Road Golf Course and have lunch. We play 9 holes of golf. The tees and fairways are in good shape, but the greens are a little patchy. In spite of that, I play my best game in a long time! Alex is impressed! Tony and Alex play well, as usual! And Thalia is an excellent cart driver!

We have a drink after, then drive to Friendship Heights for dinner. We take the "scenic route" and have a nice tour of this Washington suburb! The spring flowers and shrubs are all in bloom, the grass is green, and the leaves are out on the trees. So pretty.

We meet Thalia's parents, Ann and Steve, for the first time. We are planning to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. It is too busy, a 40 minute wait, so Steve finds us a table in an Italian restaurant just next door. It is a large restaurant, but much quieter. Steve proposes a beautiful toast toThalia and Alex for their upcoming marriage in June. We are all very happy for them.

The food is delicious and the conversation is interesting. We enjoy getting to know the Aokis, and making plans with them for June.

After dinner, we switch cars. Thalia and Alex and Tony and I take the van, so Alex can pick up his new BBQ, and Ann and Steve take Thalia's car home. Thalia will stop by to see them tomorrow and exchange cars before going back to Richmond.

Thalia and Alex drive us back to Cherry Hill, and then go to pick up the BBQ. By now it's 10:00, so they are working in the dark. They message us later that they almost took the wrong BBQ. The houses are similar and they went to the wrong back yard! But they figure it out in time, load the BBQ somehow by themselves, and take it home!

Tony and I pack up for our trip home tomorrow. It's midnight. It's been a wonderful day!

Now reading The Home for Unwanted Girls.Read more
Traveler I'm almost done that book. I was going to give it to you after.
4/29/18Reply
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 29, 2018, 11:38am
- ⛅ 9 °C
- Altitude: 48 m
- United States Maryland Prince Georges County Cherry Hill 39.01886, -76.93492939°1’8” N 76°56’6” W
Day 23
Friday, April 27
April 29, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
We leave Ashland, Virginia around 11:00 and arrive at Cherry Hill Park Campground around 3:00. We stop about a mile from the campground at the shopping area on Baltimore Avenue for groceries and a pizza lunch.

We are on site 19 this year which is at the back of the park and much quieter than sites we've had in the past. We hear traffic from the 495 Beltway, but still much quieter. Cherry Hill Park is privately owned, lots of campsites, clean washrooms, and lots of amenities. . .mini golf, 2 pools, organized tours into DC and surrounding area, playgrounds, dog runs, etc. Very nice, but a bit expensive due to its proximity to Washington. $74.00 per night

We unpack, bike around the park, and check out the campground store.

Alex and Thalia arrive around 6:30 to pick us up for dinner at his house on Old Georgetown Road. We use his charcoal grill and our Coleman stove to cook hamburgers, hot dogs, and buns. Alex has also made a nice salad. We eat on the deck and enjoy the beautiful evening with Alex, Thalia, and Alex's roommates, Sean and Katie. Everything tastes delicious. Later, we move inside and meet Amelia, their cat. She entertains us with all her antics!

We return to Cherry Hill Park around 11:00. So happy to see Alex and Thalia again!😊Read more
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 26, 2018, 7:35pm
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Altitude: 67 m
- United States Virginia Hanover County Brown Grove Hanover County Municipal Airport 37.710361, -77.4461937°42’37” N 77°26’46” W
Day 20
Thursday, April 26
April 26, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Thursday, April 26

We are running a bit late this morning. We leave sunshiny South Carolina at 9:30!

Our route:
We follow the GPS route:
highway 17 North to South Carolina 31, which leads onto 9 north. (17 north has many lights, traffic back-ups, etc. Next time try taking Hwy 17 north to 544 north.)
US 701 North, brings us into North Carolina
Left on joe brown Hwy South for 15 miles, a flat,smooth, fairly quiet, well kept 2 way road
Left onto Andrew Jackson Hwy northwest for 20 miles, 4 lane Hwy
Exit 213 to North Carolina 41 North. IGA in this town
Left on Hwy 41 south to Hwy 95 north

We stop at exit 31 for gas, lunch (mojo chicken sandwiches😊) and McDonald's shakes!

Everything is going smoothly, so we decide to skip Roanoke Rapids in North Carolina and continue to Ashland, Virginia. We reserve a site (#8) at Americamps RV Resort, 11322 Air Park Road. 804-798-5298. $45 gets us a back in site, and clean washrooms and showers. It is just off Hwy 95. There is propane available here.

We eat at Cracker Barrel first and arrive at the campground around 6:00, only to find out they are serving free pizza and salad tonight!

We set up, then go for a ride on our bikes around the industrial park behind the campground. Not the most scenic ride, but it's nice to stretch our legs and be outside. Just as we start our ride, I take a tumble off my bike. What I think is a sidewalk is actually a concrete water drain. I lose my balance and down I go! Nothing broken, but I will have a nice bruise on my leg! So lucky! That could have been catastrophic!

We check The Weather Network online when we return. 5-10 mm rain overnight and 10-15 mm tomorrow morning. So we batten down the hatches once again.

It always rains when we are in Virginia!

Will try to finish up The Nest tonight.Read more
Traveler Glad you were not hurt
4/28/18Reply
Traveler You were lucky...Glad you're ok.
4/29/18Reply
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 25, 2018, 9:15pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 12 m
- United States South Carolina Georgetown County Huntington Marsh 33.505978, -79.06475133°30’22” N 79°3’53” W
Day 19
Wednesday, April 25
April 25, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Sites 70 and 71 are nice, too. Sites on the inner circle have 3 services.

Another beautiful day. We have a late breakfast, then check out the gift shop and buy a few things to bring home.

After lunch, we play 9 holes of golf at Indian Wells Golf Club. Fairways are in great shape, as are the tees and greens. Very nice. I intend to take pictures, but that falls by the wayside as I struggle to stay out of the water and sand traps! I still enjoy the afternoon, though. The temperature is perfect and it's nice to be outside.

We are joined by 2 other players. . .Leon, from Wisconsin who also happens to be a retired high school Math teacher, and Ted, who works at TPC of Myrtle Beach as a greenskeeper. He also works part time at Saltwater Creek Cafe, and highly recommends the she-crab soup. Apparently, they are famous for it! We will stop in there next year! In the meantime, Ted proves to be a very good player and Leon does quite well, too. They both assure us they did NOT vote for Trump and never will!!

Tony really enjoys the course. . .likes the way the holes are designed, and says it is very fair.

We have dinner at the campsite, and then bike to the gift shop for dessert. . .strawberry shortcake ice cream for me and an ice cream sandwich for Tony! We bike to the beach, and then through all the paths in the park. This is a nice park to bike in. We end up on the long boardwalk that brings us to the center of the salt marshes. So pretty at sunset and smells so good!

We return to our site, and pack up for tomorrow's drive to Ronoake Rapids, North Carolina.

Still reading The Nest. I'm about halfway through. It's starting to come together. I'm liking it a bit more.Read more
Traveler Wow a teacher as a golf partner...what more could you ask for? Lol.
4/29/18Reply
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 24, 2018, 10:45pm
- ⛅ 18 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- United States South Carolina Georgetown County Huntington Marsh 33.505692, -79.06430133°30’20” N 79°3’51” W
Day 18
Tuesday, April 24
April 24, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Tuesday, April 24

Site 65 - we really like this site. . .nobody behind us and quite spacious. It is near clean new washrooms. No TV reception in this park, though.

The rain has stopped and the sun is out. The weather forecast is good for the next few days. Clear, dry, sunny, highs of around 75 degrees.

Today is another housekeeping day. There is a clean air-conditioned Coin Laundry 6 miles south of the Park on Pawley's Island. $2.25 for a double load wash, $3.75 for a triple load, $.25 for 5 minutes of dryer time. While I do the laundry, and clean and organize the Rialta, Tony goes to Publix next door and stocks up on groceries for the next few days.

I chat with a couple in the laundromat and they tell me about Assateague State Park in Maryland where all the wild ponies are. Their pictures show a beautiful beach and nice green flat campsites. I would like to stop there.

Still more running around to do. . .shop at Tuesday Morning, and then go to the Walmart in Georgetown. It's a little further to drive but much less traffic! On the way back I notice that there are lots of really nice little shops along Ocean Highway on Pawley's island. I'd like to visit some of them next time.

We have rotisserie mojo chicken for dinner. Tony bought it at the Publix in Pawley's island. Supposedly it has been basted or somehow cooked with citrus fruit juice. Anyway, it is juicy and tender and tangy! Very good!

After dinner, we ride our bikes through the park. We discover there is a whole new campground on the south side. Concrete slabs, picnic tables on crushed rock, new washrooms, trees all pruned! Very nice! Tony is interested in Site 156.

We ride the path along the ponds. The songbirds are chirping, the water birds are diving, and the frogs and crickets are singing. Everything is green and alive, and we think about how snowy and cold it was when we left Cornwall!

Back to the campsite to settle in for the night!

Not really enjoying The Nest so far. Usually I like Heather's Picks!?Read more
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 24, 2018, 10:09am
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- United States South Carolina Georgetown County Huntington Marsh 33.505692, -79.06430133°30’20” N 79°3’51” W
Day 18
Monday, April 23
April 24, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
It is a very rainy day in Myrtle Beach. Heavy rain is forecast for the next 24 hours. It's definitely a shopping day!

We drive 14 miles to the PGA Golf Superstore on 29th Avenue North. We walk the entire store and check everything out! This is a golfer's heaven. We try out some putters. I need a new one, I spend an hour trying on clothes, but buy only one item. I consider this research for future reference! We look at kid's clubs for Naomi. So many nice things! And the prices are reasonable, as prices for golf items go!

Next, we go to the Coastal Grand Mall on Coastal Grand Circle. There is a Sears, Belk, and Dillard's, and we check them all out. Lots of looking, not much buying!

Time for dinner. We go to Lee's Inlet Kitchen, a yearly tradition when we're in Myrtle Beach. 4460 highway 17 Business. There are restaurants and shops all along this road. This is a family restaurant where they serve seafood, chicken and steak. Salad, entree, a basket of hush puppies for $16.50 each between 4:30 and 5:30. Of all the hush puppies I've tasted these are the best! They are served hot, with whipped honey butter! Umm, so delicious!

Back to the campsite to batten down the hatches! It's still raining, and will be until tomorrow morning!Read more
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 23, 2018, 9:03am
- ⛅ 17 °C
- Altitude: 13 m
- United States South Carolina Georgetown County Huntington Marsh 33.505966, -79.06471333°30’21” N 79°3’53” W
Day 17
Sunday, April 22
April 23, 2018 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Another nice day. We are moving today from Lakewood to Huntington State Park. We take our time packing up, not realizing that check out time here is10:00. (Most places it's 11 or 12). A stern looking older man taps on our door at 10:20 to tell us this, so we have to scramble!

We drive to Tupelo Bay Golf Centre to hit practice balls. $20 for a large & a small basket! After, we shop for groceries and have lunch. We return to Tupelo Bay to play 18 holes. This centre offers a par 3 course and an executive course, all par 3's and 4's. It sounds easy but it's not! Lots of water and trees and narrow fairways! I struggle through the 18 holes, but Tony aces every one. He is on his game today! Lots of birdies!

It's late when we finish so we go to Cracker Barrel for dinner!

Time to relax now! I'm starting a new book, the Nest, one of Heather's Picks!Read more
Traveler There's a book I want to read called, the home for unwanted girls. It's based on the 1950s Quebec about orphans raised in an impoverished orphanage.
4/23/18Reply
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 21, 2018, 8:00pm
- 🌙 15 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- United States South Carolina Horry County Ocean Lakes Dick Pond 33.629147, -78.95112633°37’45” N 78°57’4” W
Day 15
Saturday, April 21
April 21, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Saturday, April 21
We leave Hunting island at 9:00. We've enjoyed this area and would like to return someday to have another look, in spite of the uneven campsite, other campers' constant campfires, and the bugs. I have several insect bites.

OUR ROUTE TO HUNTINGTON BEACH STATE PARK, MURRELL'S INLET
ROUTE 21 to IS 17 North
526 East to bypass Charleston
17 North to Murell's Inlet

A fair amount of traffic all the way, but it flows smoothly.

A scenic drive. We travel through lots of salt water marshes and low country. We cross 2 major rivers near Charleston, the Cooper and the Wamdo. The bridges are impressive. Highway 17 from Charleston to Myrtle Beach is sometimes called Sweetgrass Highway, due to all the little Sweetgrass Basket Stands set up along the side of the road.

We arrive around 1:00. There is no vacancy for tonight at Huntington State Park, so we are at Lakewood Camping Resort, where there are at least 1000 campsites! There are quite a few campers here tonight. $58.00 for the night. Lots of amenities which we probably won't use!

We unload the bikes, then drive 14 miles to Golf Shoes America where Tony buys his golf shoes. We drive through the heart of Myrtle Beach. It is quite the beach city. Shops, discount beachwear stores, restaurants. . .mile after mile. Traffic is slow. I think I prefer the quiet life in Murrell's Inlet!

We return to the campground, make dinner, and take a quick bike ride around this huge campground!

Almost finished rereading Icy Sparks!Read more
Traveler I think that's the highway that we came from Myrtle Beach when we met you guys for lunch. There were several little huts on the side of the road. If you really want to be entertained, go spend some time on the main drag of Myrtle Beach...we saw some pretty interesting stuff when we were there!! So golf tomorrow?
4/21/18Reply
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Traveler Florida 2018
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- Apr 20, 2018, 10:42pm
- 🌙 13 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- United States South Carolina Beaufort County Polk Village 32.440033, -80.6917532°26’24” N 80°41’30” W
Day 14
Friday afternoon, April 20
April 20, 2018 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 13 °C
After lunch, we drive 15 miles to the city of Beaufort. It is the second oldest city in South Carolina. It reminds us of a mini Charleston.

We wander through the historic downtown section, and then over to the point where all the grand old homes are. Beautiful architecture and gardens. Live oaks form a canopy over the streets. The salt marshes and water all around smells so fresh.

We walk back downtown and have dinner at Old Bull Tavern. The menu is impressive and the food is delicious. We'd like to come back here again, but sit inside next time. The bugs just won't leave us alone.

We return to the campground and go for another bike ride on the beach. Tonight, it is colder and the wind is strong. Red warning flags are flying on the beach. Still a good ride. Packing up tonight and heading for Myrtle Beach tomorrow.

Still rereading Icy Sparks!Read more
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