Day 12: Quality Inn, White Springs FL

Our goal was to get through Georgia and find a hotel once we crossed the line into Florida. By the end of the day we were getting tired and saw this Quality Inn, White Springs FL. - Not soLeia mais
Day 13: Catching up with family

The night before, the goal was to make it through Georgia and get a hotel once we crossed the state line into Florida. Then the next morning we would head towards Orlando.
On the way to Orlando, weLeia mais
Day 14: Low Key Day in Orlando, FL

We are about halfway through our four week adventure. We have travelled through 12 states and visited four out of the planned ten National Parks for this trip. We have landed at a Home2 Hilton Suites,Leia mais
Day 15: Catching up with friends Part 1

Back when I had to work for a living at Yale, I developed some great friendships over the years which still stick to this day. Rod & Bob are one of those couples which we will always remain friends.Leia mais
Day 15: Catching up with friends Part 2

Continuing on the theme of great friends I met while Working at Yale.
Once we left Rod & Bob’s, around noontime. We had a bit over three hour drive from Orlando, FL to our Hotel in Hollywood, FL.Leia mais
Day 16: Park #5 Biscayne National Park

Today is a busy day -
First we had to get up early to find breakfast down the boardwalk. A short walk we found “Mamacitas” right there on the boardwalk with a nice view and a decentLeia mais
Day 17: Low key day at Hollywood Beach

Good morning. Not much will be happening today. It’s 7:30 AM I am up and trying to get caught up on my FindPenguins posts. Also promised I would let Donna sleep in. We also have laundry to wash, andLeia mais
Day 17: Big Cypress National Preserve

Big Cypress National Preserve is not one of the 63 major National Parks. It is a very important piece of the ecosystem in southern Florida. It was under a 90 min car ride from our hotel. Also, from aLeia mais
Day 18: Everglades National Park (1:2)

We checked out of the Hollywood Beach Tower and did MacDonalds for breakfast then headed to the Everglades National Park.
Since the Junior Ranger booklets were combined with other parks we went toLeia mais
Day 18: Everglades National Park (2:2)

Here are some more pictures from the Everglades. It was worth the extra drive to Flamingo point to see the manatees. Also, had some fun with pictures of the trees.
Day 19: Hotel Day, Florida City, FL

Yesterday, we left the Hollywood Tower Beach Hotel, headed just 90 minutes south to Florida City, Hilton Home 2. We have a couple of days before we need to get to Key West - a little under 4 hourLeia mais
Day 20: Key West, Florida

Today’s goal was to get to Key West Florida. It was about a three hour drive, 130 miles from Florida City to Key West. It’s a pretty drive for a while then got boring. We checked into our hotelLeia mais
Day 20: Ernest Hemingway’s Home Key West

Truly Ernest Hemingway was a renaissance man.
Our tour guide did an amazing job telling us about his homes, wives, cats, and life. The house is wonderful. These are the most photographed cats in theLeia mais
Day 21: Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas 1:2

There are three ways to get to Dry Tortugas - Boat/Ferry (can’t be a private boat), Sea Plane (can’t be private plane), or swim (just to far). We opted for the plane ride. The ferry is muchLeia mais
Day 21: Fort Jefferson Dry Tortugas 2:2

More uses of Dry Totugas and our plane ride back to Key West.
Day 21: Dinner “Bobahus” Big Coppitt Key

Wanting to NOT l with parking and traffic in Key West proper, we opted to take the highway out of Key West in search of a place to eat. We found this nice little place with just the right characterLeia mais
Day 22: Mini Golf Brunswick, GA

We left Key West, Florida early in the morning. Got MacDonald’s for breakfast and headed north. It was about 600 miles to Brunswick, GA where we found an indoor Black Light Mini Golf place and DonnaLeia mais
Day 23: Congaree National Park SC

This National Park really surprised us. As we were driving towards the park, we were thinking this is just woods - no big deal. Congaree does an excellent job with a lovely easy to walk boardwalk,Leia mais
Day 23: Mini-golf at Frankie’s SC

Continuing our mission to mini-golf in every state; we found Frankie’s in Columbia, SC as we were traveling to our next park. I am not sure who won this round - need to find the scoreLeia mais
Day 24: Tail of the Dragon, NC & TN

My father-in-law use to talk about the Tail of the Dragon a bunch. This is where I first learned about the tail. Since it was an easy thing to do to add to our itinerary, we took the 2025 Mazda CX-70Leia mais
Day 24: Great Smoky Mountains & MiniGolf

After finishing our ride through the Tail of the Dragon, we headed directly to The Great Smoky Mountains. Honestly, this was our least favorite experience at a National Park. We have never had to payLeia mais
Day 25: New River Gorge National Park

Here are some pictures of our stop at a couple of places within New River Gorge National Park. Also, our swearing in ceremony as Junior Ranger’s of New River Gorge National Park. There is a separateLeia mais
Day 25: Thurmond, WV - New River Gorge

This was a thriving city back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s - twenty trains would stop here each and every day. Now Amtrak goes through Thurmond, WV three times a week.
This city with aLeia mais
Day 26: Shenandoah National Park, VI

We got up early, had breakfast at Jack’s Shop Kitchen, in Ruckersville, VI. The servings were huge - the food was a delight. This is not a Denny’s breakfast. We have all had an okay normalLeia mais
Day 26: Abstract iPhone Photography

Every once in a while we see things patterns, shapes, light, designs in just normal every day stuff. I really like seeing the abstract in every day life. These images are from the light coming throughLeia mais