Bushnell, Escapee Sumter Oaks Park

This is our first time at this Escapee park, although our site was a very large pull through FHU it was only 30a and at $31 pricey.  It was only a 35 mile tow but we wanted to check the park out.  It's a 10+ minute ride to civilization.  Bev came down from Ocala (40 miles) on Friday after we did the laundry in Bushnell.  We went out to a German restaurant for ludin (lunch/dinner), Judy and I split veal schnitzel which was pretty good.

We were very close to the Florida National Cemetery so we drove through it.  There were several funerals in progress with Veterans performing the ceremony including 21 gun salutes.  It opened in 1988 and encompasses 513 acres.    

It has been hot, high 80s and very humid.  We waited until the Saturday evening cool down and washed the truck.  Neither of us slept very well Saturday night.

Beverly & Ocala

We have never been to Ocala and my sister Bev moved there a year ago so we made the short trip there to see her.  We spent 3 nights at Ocala Sun RV Resort, which is just a nice campground, but they did have a nice pool that Judy used for her water aerobics, she really enjoys them.  We visited the evening we arrived and the next two days.  Bev took us out to eat at Swampys and that's where the picture of Bev and Judy was taken.  We got to check out her Florida home and she really likes it down here and is staying.  Her only future trips to Michigan will be short visits.

St Augustine with Clayton & Pat

On Thursday 10/1 we made the 230 mile trip to St Augustine.  We chose a Passport America campground for $24/night and it was a dump.  We selected  it as the best of some bad options.....and we were cheap!  Others were twice the price, too far away or had too many trees which give our rooftop dish problems.  We lucked out as the ground was firm so we didn't get stuck, they have had LOTS of rain lately.

Sunday we went with Clayton & Pat to Daytona and made a stop at the flea market.  It's a huge place so we did only 2 buildings as it was close to the 3pm closing time.  Clayton and I both bought new belts, exciting huh?

The beach was closed due to the wind and waves.   We also saw Kim & Tom one evening too.  Judy and Kim went out the next day in Kim's 1965 VW beetle, Judy got to drive as it's a manual transmission and Kim had hurt her arm so couldn't shift.  They also tried unsuccessfully to get onto the beach. 
PS.......HELLO JEAN!

       With Clayton driving we had to stop at an Eagles for a drink.

We drove through St Augustine as I got another picture of Castillo de San Marcos.

We had a good time with Clayton and Pat and our visit with Kim & Tom.  Tom was volunteering at a golf tournament so we didn't see much of him but Clayton & Pat kept us bust running around.  We got to play poker two or three times and had burgers one evening at Kim & Tom's new investment, a home on the St John's River that they are fixing up.

Judy was happy....she got to drive Kim's restored VW on Daytona Beach.  She remembered how to drive a stick shift, Kim looks like it might be windy!

Jefferson Davis Historic Site

Today we drove to Irwinville where Jeff Davis, his family and 20 Confederate soldiers and officials were captured by Union soldiers May 10, 1865.  He was fleeing to Texas after Richmond (the Confederate capitol fell and Lee surrendered) to continue the Lost Cause fight.  The site was marked by a wagon axle until this stone memorial was erected in 1935.

There is a small museum inside and we started by watching an 18 minute video of the events after Richmond, VA fell until Jeff was captured.

Guess what?  We saw some Confederate battle flags so not everyone is a wimp and wanting to be politically correct!  GOOD FOR THEM!

Jeff was surrounded by 2 Union patrols, one from Wisconsin and one from Michigan which had been tracking him, they both surrounded his party before dawn BUT neither Union patrol knew the other was there.  In the dark they started to fire at each other and two Michigan troopers were killed before they discovered their error.  They then focused on Jeff and his party while Jeff thought he was being defended by other Confederate troops.  Surprise!

Ashburn, GA

Well, we didn't manage to escape without getting wet towing.  We slept in and dumped our tanks and were on the road at 10:15 headed south in a drizzle.  We avoided Atlanta by skipping the expressways (for the most part) and traveling on secondary roads for the 232 mile trip to Ashburn arriving at 3pm.  It rained off and on the first 2 or 3 hours.  We lounged around inside after setting up and are now watching an old movie, Arsenic and Old Lace.  We record lots of oldies and watch them a few days later in the evenings.

Looks like a lot of cotton and peanuts are grown in this area.

Second week with the kids and kid's kids

                Friday night is pizza night so we all went out for pizza!  Here's Judy & I the first Friday night.

                                  And here's Jody and Renato and Dustin the second Friday night.

Now that I got out of my chair and backed up I have the whole group in the picture.  Added are Brianna, Judy and Renato's mom.  She returned from Brazil this week after spending a few months down there.

We made a second trip to Krystal's for breakfast, we like them and there are none up north.  We did some chores while we were out making stops at Home Depot, the grocery store and we checked out two COE campgrounds that are open year around.  We didn't like either of them, too many trees, small sites and hilly.

Well, we have been here two weeks already and have 3 more nights paid for at the campground but the weather turned bad two days ago, chilly, windy, wet and overcast.  Seems we arrived in the summer and will leave in the winter!  There is more rain forecast the rest of this week so we have decided to leave before our RV tanks are too full.  This COE park has no sewer hookups, like most COE parks, so once the tanks get full it's time to hook up and make a stop at the dump station.

Flowery Branch family

We have been spending the day at home and going to see Renato, Jody, Brianna and Dustin in the evenings for supper.  We have gone out a couple times to eat and Renato has cooked a couple times.  This morning we all went to Krystal.s for breakfast.

Judy doing the R and R thing with Jody& Renato shoving off in the background to return home and pick up Dustin & Brianna.  It's a 10 or 15 minute trip to their place from our campsite.