Solamom

This is Pepper, our 9 month old Australian Shepherd. Hopefully he is about done growing....60lbs!!

For Memorial Day weekend, we went over to Wekiwa Springs State Park, near Apopka (about 30 minutes from DW).

The park was nice. The spring was too cold for me to get in but the kids got in for a short bit.

We took our kayaks and canoe but to get to the launch was a hike! It was a hike down a hill in the sand, so getting back up was a nightmare!!! We kayaked down the river a ways and then headed up Rock Springs Run until everyone was tired, then we turned back around and headed to the launch. There were some spots outside the park you could launch and have a shuttle pick you up but the runs were about 5 hours and we knew the kids wouldn't tolerate that long of a trip.

The river was low, so we had to move around logs and other things. Didn't see any gators :) The rentals are VERY popular, so lots of people were on the river who didn't know what they were doing....it was like playing bumper cars w/ kayaks!

I have to say the funniest thing was Friday evening when a camper pulled in late in the evening. We watched our neighbor back in his TT --- with the slides and the awning open!! He must've been in a super big hurry to unhitch because the TT rolled on them, with the slides open! That wasn't funny but they got it set up finally and no one, or the TT, was hurt. I do have to say though I have never seen someone park at trailer w/ the slides and awning open!!!

Overall it was a nice weekend. Although we missed going to the GG at Stone Mtn. And as much as I would love to go next year.....the homeschool convention is the same weekend and I haven't gone for 2 years. I really really missed going this year so I know I will be going next year....which means we will most likely stay at Ft. Wilderness (the convention is at the Gaylord Palms). Or we may just splurge and stay at the Gaylord......decisions!!

Here are some pictures!

Picture of our campsite. Site 42, close to the bathhouse (which BTW is about the cleanest I have ever seen next to the Fort).

Delena snorkeling in the Spring. It had a lot of algae at the bottom so wasn't the best for snorkeling but she did see a few fish!

Caleb swimming in the spring. He didn't stay in too long, was way too cold :)

This is a view of the grassy area leading down to the spring. People had blankets, etc laid out on the lawn. There wasn't much right around the spring to sit on and keep an eye on the kids so people set up wherever they could.

Another view of the spring.

I went for $5 w/ our homeschool group back in December - so the whole family went for $25. Not sure I'd pay much more than that!!! Even though my son is asking to go back.....

Pictures are awesome Carol!! I want to go next time!

If you figure it out, I'd love to see the solution :) We now have a truck that could tow a 5th wheel but don't know what to do w/ all the kayaks, canoe and bikes---and a toy hauler isn't in the budget.

We went the first of October to stay at Tallulah Gorge State Park for my niece's wedding. We loved this campground!! A few things to note though, there is no sewer hookup and the bathrooms were just so-so. Our friend's loaned us one of those dump thingys on wheels, so we could shower in the camper!

We were site 39. It was a pull through site (good thing because the roads are a bit tight getting to). I was telling Lorna that we have a "new to us" truck to tow with....not really ours but my boss is letting us use one of his trucks for towing. It is a Ford F350 Diesel, so the wheel base is much longer than the Suburban. It tows like a dream but would've been tight backing into those sites - yeah for pull thru sites! Not sure if all sites are like this, but you share a power box with a neighbor and there is only ONE 30amp and one 50amp. So unless your neighbor happens to be a 50amper....you have to use an adapter. We had read reviews so we had purchased an adapter just in case. Sure enough, a trailer pulled in a couple hours after us and couldn't plug in, so we switched to the 50amp with an adapter.

There is a really short hike from the campground to the Gorge. The Gorge is beautiful! We hike all through it, did some Geocaching (a lot of fun!!). We also drove to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The leaves were just starting to turn, so we saw some color too. Here are a few pics.

Front of the campsite. It was breezy all weekend so we never opened our awning. The weather was just too nice anyway!

Rear of the campsite

Playground right across from our campsite. Kids loved it!!!

Picture of the gorge waterfall from one of our hikes.

Picture of the Gorge. That is the interpretive center on the other side.

Yes, we hiked this!! Lots of steps, but it goes to a Suspension Bridge that crosses the gorge. It is beautiful. Totally worth the steps, but you'll have your cardio worked for about a week!!

Don't want to get off topic too much, but this is a picture from the top of Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We were only about an hour and a half to Cherokee, NC where we hopped on the parkway. I love the mountains!!

The new truck towed in the mountains wonderful! Even w/out trailer breaks.....long story but we did get that problem fixed. This was a much less stressful trip than when we went in January - and so nice to go w/out worrying about the Suburban towing :) I love my boss! :)

I can't help you out at all, but where you been Solamom?

I've been here the whole time :) Just don't comment much :)

Wow, everyone --- thanks for the replies!

I only considered the Georgia rest areas because the Better RVing magazine that Lazydays produces said Georgia permitted it but I haven't been able to verify that.....and I wasn't sure which I felt safer at....a Wal Mart or a rest area...either way I would make sure we stayed well enough south of Atlanta :) I'll also look at Flying J's & Cracker Barrel. Didn't know about Cracker Barrel.

We do have a dog that will be with us, she barks at everything - especially since it would be really quiet w/ a/c or heat running! She is a Scottish Terrier who thinks she bigger and meaner than she is.

Thanks for the tip on not setting up camp too. I didn't plan too but I hadn't thought about the slide. We can move in our trailer w/ the slide closed - so we could just keep it closed and hitched to the truck so were ready to go!!

Now, any of you who travel through GA going to/from the fort...can you recommend a good well lit rest area/Walmart/Flying J/etc? Thanks!!!

Hi all,

I searched to see if this topic was already on here but didn't see it, so sorry if this has been discussed.

Curious if anyone has ever stayed overnight at a Wal Mart parking lot before? I hear they let RVers park overnight?

Here is our dilemma.......we have to go to NE GA for a wedding 10/1. Apparently our family was all under the assumption we could haul the camper up there - despite the high gas prices -- so they all have offered their homes to other family. That leaves us w/ getting a hotel or bringing the trailer. It appears the area they are in, we would need 2 rooms because they have a limit of 4 people. So w/ that and food - towing comes out cheaper.

Yesterday we reserved a campsite at Tallulah Gorge State Park for a few nights. Figured if we go through the hassle of taking the trailer, we might as well stay and do some sight seeing. We are trying to avoid taking Friday, the day before the wedding, off. DH is using most of his vacation days next week when we head to Ft. Wilderness for 8 nights. So we were thinking of driving from Tampa to about Tifton, GA Friday evening and staying either at a Wal Mart or a Georgia Rest Area. Has anyone done either of these?? Any thoughts? Then we would finish the trip Saturday morning - getting to Tallulah Gorge around noon. The wedding is at 3 somewhere right near the Gorge.

Thanks for any input....just didn't plan this trip and trying to be as budget friendly as possible. The Fort is getting all of our money next week and at Thanksgiving and I refuse to give up either of those trips just for this wedding!!!

So the rattlesnake was at the fort? OMGosh....where was it?

I hate snakes, especially rattlesnakes. Check my FB pics for the 6 footer Easter Diamondback we ran into during a bike ride in FishHawk (Lorna will know FishHawk...)

Thanks for the info on the toad though....didn't know about that one!

Are we still allowed to have guests? We are going 8/26 - 9/3 and "hope" to have guests at least 1 day. I would hate for them to come over from Tampa and then not be allowed to use the pool with us :)

Yeah, I wasn't really thinking Key West because it will be a family vacation :) We want to snorkel and do lots of canoeing and kayaking. Blue Water does look really nice though!!!

II would think Bahia Honda would be impossible as it's booked a year in advance. I have stayed at Knights Key right before the 7 mile bridge and I've been to Boyds on Stock Island near KW. I liked Boyds better. I've also heard Sunshine Key is good.

If you like grouper sandwiches go to the hogfish grill on Stock Island. You won't be sorry. Let me know if there's any other suggestions. I've been down 3 times in the last 6 years so I know a few spots.

Thanks Donnie!

It is for next year, so I am hoping to book to the day 11 months out..I'll even get up at midnight to try and get a good site. So is Bahia Honda worth it? I'll look up Knights Key and Sunshine Key.

Thanks for the tip too on Hogfish --- we want to try some local food while down there.

I forgot to add our summer trips!

July 4th weekend at Ft. Desoto

August 26th (my birthday) through September 3 at the Fort!!! We will be there for my birthday, my husband's birthday (the 31st) and dd's 5th birthday on (Sept. 1).

Then we will be back to the Fort for one night for Night of Joy :)

Rest of the year:

October at Ft. Desoto

Thanksgiving at the Fort

New Years at Ft. Desoto

We are currently in our "off season". AKA working hard all summer so we can play later. Come winter we will head to Florida and spend a week at Sebastian Inlet State Park, St. Lucie South COE park in Stuart Fl. for 12 days. We've never been to either of these campgrounds---Anyone have any experience with them? Christmas will find us in Fort Myers. Planning to celebrate the New Year at the Fort. Head back north sometime in March.

We stayed in that area in Feb. We stayed at Longpoint Campground, just a mile or so down the road from Sebastian Inlet. Longpoint is a county campground. Anyway, we went to the State Park to fish and let the kiddos play in the Atlantic. We drove through Sebastian Inlet's campground and were really disappointed. We have always wanted to stay there, and I have to say that Longpoint is way nicer!!! You might want to check them out - they do have waterfront sites also. I posted pictures of our site in the "pics from other campground" section.

We are looking to go to the Florida Keys next July (leaving June 30th for 7 nights)....it appears the State Parks book quickly in well in advance. Any advice on specific campgrounds? We are leaning towards Curry Hammock or Bahia Honda. Thanks!

For Presidents Day weekend, we headed over to Long Point Campground near Melbourne Beach on the Space Coast.  This campground is very close to Sebastain Inlet State Park.

It was nice, mind you it isn't Ft. Wilderness, but the kids enjoyed it.  We took our canoe but didn't have a waterfront site, so it was a bit of trouble to carry it somewhere to dock it.  We usually used empty campsites.  There are only 7 full hookup sites, which we happened to grab 1 of them.  Otherwise there was nothing special about our site, we would have preferred a waterfront site so we could use the canoe more.

We did go to the State park and the kids enjoyed the Atlantic Ocean, but it was really cold.  It was also real windy, so not the best fishing day.  We drove through the campground at the State Park and thought Long Point was much nicer.  There are bike trails that connect w/ the State Park - so lots of biking can be done!  Plenty of places to fish and a decent playground.  We will probably go again, but will want a water front site next time.

We are camping there next week.  I grew up in Z-hills but never have camped there. I don't even remember the last time I was at the park.

DH and DD did a group tent camping with church a few years ago and DD loved it.  Hopefully I chose a site large enough for the TT :dance: 

Great pictures!  Can't wait to try it out.

how about a kitchen sink at Beaches & Cream

How many people does it take to finish a kitchen sink :dance:

Just had the kitchen sink 2 weeks ago...girls night out for my friend's 40th.  4 of us couldn't finish it.  Trust me, it wasn't for lack of trying either.

TV, wii, playstation 2.

Also bring bikes and they always load the trailer up w/ a bunch of toys.  Last trip they opened a window in the bunkhouse and threw a Webkinz on top of the trailer and we forgot to get it down so its a goner.

Also bought the kids electric scooters but haven't been back to the fort yet to use them.  Took them to Ft. Desoto over New Years but it was too dusty to use them.

Loved the pictures!  We stayed here once, for 4 nights in 2002.  Loved loved loved it.  This stay is what got our family hooked on everything Disney!  We had such a great experience, the monorail to the MK was perfect since our oldest DD was 1.5 at the time.  Made it very easy to get back to the room for afternoon naps.  Good sleep = happy toddler = happy mom & dad :)

This looks really nice.  Do you know about how far from DC? 

After kid #3, I think I forgot what scrapbooking was! LOL.  I have tons of supplies that I finally gave in and used for home school. 

Maybe I should take up digital scrapbooking :partytwo:

Dana you should come over and do some with me, it would help me get going. I have all the tools (way to many) and a whole room set up for crafts. I have the cricut (which I love) a gypsy which works with it. I have a cuttlebug, lamanating machine and what ever else it needed. And supplies to do 100's of albums.

That would be fun!  I never started Taya's book.  We should work something out, that would be awesome!!!

Yes, thanks that helps a lot.  I would be stuck there because DH is saving vacation time for a Fort trip later this summer, so he would have to take the family and set us up and then come pick us up the next weekend.  Sounds like a great weekend trip though, can't wait to try it sometime.  We just bought a canoe today, so looking forward to all the places we can use it at.  :partytwo:

So your DH got his canoe? That's great. Maybe we can do a Grand Gathering up there, I have been thinking about going there for a while.

He did but we are returning it tomorrow.  Long story. 

I think a GG there sounds fun!  We are still trying to work out Crystal Springs.  Waiting for my friend to lmk what weekend she needs me to babysit. 

Yes, thanks that helps a lot.  I would be stuck there because DH is saving vacation time for a Fort trip later this summer, so he would have to take the family and set us up and then come pick us up the next weekend.  Sounds like a great weekend trip though, can't wait to try it sometime.  We just bought a canoe today, so looking forward to all the places we can use it at.