Hanging Out At Crystal River State Preserve, Florida

After spending the night in one Walmart and knowing our destination the next night was another Walmart (we’ve been having troubles finding decent places to camp lately), we decided to spend the day hanging out at Crystal River Preserve State Park. Because, let’s face it, spending the day in a Walmart parking lot isn’t a lot of fun. Unless of course you’ve got some sort of strange fascination with shopping carts.

We had scoped out Crystal River Preserve the previous day and it ticked all of our boxes – on the water, nice picnic areas, boats and no entrance fee. It was one of those days where we basically did nothing other then read, eat and go for a walk. 





We had two couples come up and ask us about our Scamp travel trailer. We seem to get that a lot. After all, they’re pretty adorable and a bit different looking than many RVs. 



I got to practice tying knots while we were there. It’s been almost a year since we sold our last sailboat and I was worried that I had forgotten everything. Of course, it’s easy enough to do when you’re taking your time, you’re on land and there are helpful diagrams. Nothing like tying a bowline knot under pressure on the water. Those dreaded bunny knots.



Not a bad life, just sitting on the pier and watching the boats go by. That is, until the sun starts to go down and the noseeums come out to play. Of course, their idea of playing means biting you until you legs run red with blood from itching them. Then you’re almost glad to get into your Scamper and head on out to Walmart. Almost.



We hung out at Crystal River Preserve State Park on 1 February 2015.

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The Road To Nowhere, Unless Walmart Is Somewhere

Scamper parked in yet another glamorous Walmart parking lot.

In general, we’re pretty laid back when it comes to traveling. Although we usually have a high-level plan about where we’re going, we prefer to take things as they come. We like to take side roads, see where they lead us and if we like the place, stay a while. For example, since picking up Scamper in mid-December in Minnesota, our plan was to head down south and then along the seaboard to Florida and up the East Coast, looking for a sailboat along the way. There isn’t a whole lot more detail to our plan. We’ve loved having the flexibility of rocking up to a new place and finding a campsite for the night - without booking anything in advance!

That’s how we ended up in Grande Isle. Neither of us had heard about it before, but Scott saw this Louisiana barrier island on the map and suggested we head down there before going to New Orleans. All we knew about Grande Isle was that it was on the Gulf of Mexico. Seriously, that was it. Does that seem strange to you? We did a quick internet search on the cell phone, saw there was a state park there, headed on down and snagged ourselves a campsite. Easy peasy.

Our laid back approach had been serving us well. Then we got to Florida. That’s when things began to go pear shaped. Turns out Florida and laid back don’t go together. Which is surprising because you see all these pictures of happy people lounging around on the beach looking completely laid back. Do you know why they’re so laid back? They planned and booked everything 17 years in advance. These snowbirds are a a completely different species from us. We’re more like dodo birds these days. Soon to be extinct if we stay in Florida much longer.

We realized something had to give the other day when we spent all day on the road to nowhere. After two nights in Walmart parking lots (one too many in a row), we decided to head down to Babcock-Webb Preserve near Punta Gorda in southwestern Florida. Along the way, we stopped in Arcadia and had lunch in the city park. After a quick drive through the town, we decided that, although it was a nice enough town, we had probably seen enough. So we continued down to the preserve. We read on their website that you can camp there seven days a week during hunting season. When you click on the link to read more about hunting, it says that all of February is raccoon and possum season. We were all set – we had finally found a place that was first come, first serve and cheap ($3 per person). Hurrah!

Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? It was. We picked up one of the pamphlets when we got there with the regulations and it said that you can’t camp there during the week. So we called to clarify. Turns out their website needs to be updated. With no place else to stay, we called around to all of the Walmarts in the area to see if we could overnight in their parking lots. Nope. Not a one. They would love for us to stay there, but local regulations prohibit it. And by “local regulations”, I think they mean that all of the big RV parks in the area have ganged up and successfully lobbied to keep people form parking for free at Walmart instead of paying big bucks to stay with them. Even though it’s still pretty hard to find a place at an RV park unless you booked 17 years ago.

So guess what we ended up having to do? Drive back up to Arcadia and spend the night at their Walmart. Turns out there was more to see in Arcadia, like the Walmart parking plot. A zillion miles and pretty much a full tank of gas just to find a place to stay for the night.

Now we spend all of our time online and on the phone trying to find places to stay. It’s pretty darn frustrating. And even when we do find a place to stay, they want a lot more money then we would like to spend. We were so hopeful that we could decrease our average per night camping cost, but it looks like that’s won’t be happening anytime soon. So frustrating to own your own tiny home on wheels but can’t actually find a place to live in it.

Will we stay in Florida or head on out? Stay tuned.

We took the road to nowhere on 3 February 2015.

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Now, I’m Too Warm {Cedar Key & Shell Mound, Florida}

Not too long ago, I was complaining about the cold. Now, I’m complaining about being too warm. 

Scott thinks I’m reptilian in nature, having a very limited temperature range where I’m comfortable and not complaining. It seems unfair that he can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. When we were in North Dakota last, he was wearing his Keen sandals in the snow, while I refused to leave his aunt and uncle’s house until the snow melted. When we were in Thailand, he was cool and comfortable, while I sweated profusely. It’s tough being cold blooded – too much warmth and you die, too much cold and you die. Okay, maybe not die. I tend to exaggerate. But I would rather be too warm in Florida then too cold in North Dakota any day. 

And here’s why – look at how pretty it is. I swear the sky is bluer here. 





After spending a few days at Manatee Springs State Park, we headed down to Shell Mound in search of the county campground. In some ways it’s much nicer than Manatee Springs. You’re right on the water, hardly anyone is there, the people are so incredibly friendly and go out of their way to chat with each other (doesn’t always happen elsewhere) and it’s cheaper ($16.35 for water and electric). While I missed seeing the manatees, there is something to be said for cheaper.



I wonder how many people might struggle with the rules about no alcohol and no profanity?



The county campground is right next to the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge. We took in some amazing views at sunset our first night there.





While we were there, we chatted to some other folks who came up from the campground for the sunset. As the sun went down, this bright light was shining in the sky while planes kept flying by. We had all sorts of theories about what was going on and what the bright light was. The boring theory was that the bright light was the International Space Station and the planes were just doing military drills. The most interesting theory was that the bright light was an alien spacecraft and the planes were out there trying to prevent an invasion. If you know anything about me, you can probably guess which theory I was a proponent of.

Turns out it was just the planet Venus. Or at least that’s what they want you to believe.

The next day we headed to Cedar Key – a colorful town not too far from Shell Mound. Big Decks is a great place to have a few beers. I haven’t had a Rolling Rock in years. They’re pretty tasty.



This cat was really disappointed we didn’t order the seafood special with our beers. It was hoping for handouts. So it ignored us and took a nap instead to punish us. 



We strolled around town, dodging people in golf carts as we went. Which seem surprisingly expensive to rent ($25 for an hour). Cedar Key has lots of cute shops and restaurants. And oodles of hotels and rental properties. I imagine this place is heaving with folks in the summer.



It was the kind of day where you wished you had a sailboat like this little beauty moored off of the beach.



I’m really loving our time in Florida – the landscape is so different from what I grew up with. Just across the road from the campground are a couple of short walks which take you through the woods and along the water. Perfect for a cup of coffee in the morning.



And, of course, if you’re going to camp near Shell Mound, then you have to walk up to the mound. It is basically a giant trash heap (or midden if you want to get all archaeological and technical), where Native Americans dumped shells and other refuse. They basically used their rubbish to infill the swampy areas. Not surprisingly, there are shells everywhere as you walk on the mound. 

These cheeky little polar bears just had to get their picture taken with the shells. Such demanding little creatures. But surprisingly, they never complain about the heat. (The polar bears are hard to spot among the shells with their white fur, but they're there.)



We had a wonderful time down in the Shell Mound and Cedar Key area, but I have to say the highlight was Scott’s spicy marinara sauce with shrimp. Delicious! Some of the best shrimp we’ve ever had. If you want some, just head up to Robinson’s Seafood. More expensive then the ones we got in Grande Isle, Louisiana, but then again everything seems more expensive in Florida. Robinson’s was a tip from Steve, the nicest camp host you’ll ever meet. So generous in sharing his local knowledge and tips. Thanks Steve!

We experienced warm weather in Cedar Key and Shell Mound, Florida on 29-31 January 2015.


Linked up at Weekend Travel Inspiration with Albom Adventures, Reflections Enroute, TheCrowdedPlanet, ContentedTraveller, BayEssence, Safari254. and Families Go!

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January In Numbers

January has been a great month for us traveling around the States in Scamper, our tiny travel trailer. We rang in the New Year in Kemah, Texas and now we’re enjoying the sunshine in Florida. Here’s a little recap of our month by the numbers.

• 5 – Number of states we traveled through – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida.
• 4 – Number of states we camped at – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. Sorry Alabama – maybe next time.
• 15 – Number of different places we camped at including RV parks in Kemah (TX) and New Orleans (LA), Shepard State Park (LA), Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL), Pine Log State Forest (FL), Ochlockonee River State Park (FL), Manatee Springs State Park (FL) and Levy County Camground (FL).
• 6 – Number of times we boondocked (aka dry camped) – 4 times at Walmart parking lots, 1 time in a city parking lot and 1 time in a wildlife refuge.
• $18.42 – Average campsite cost. Sure wish we could bring this down lower, but it seems hard to find places to boondock for free in Florida and campsite/RV park costs seem high relative to where we’ve been before.
• 2 – Number of times we ate Ethiopian food – once in Houston (fabulous!) and once in New Orleans (mediocre).
• Unknown – Number of miles we drove. I kind of got slack in keeping our log during January, but I imagine it was a lot as we traveled from Texas to Florida.
• $310 – Amount we spent on gas. It seems like a lot, but I guess it could be worse if you’re driving a bigger rig. They probably spend a zillion times more on gas/diesel then we do towing our lightweight Scamp.
• Undisclosed – Amount we spend on chocolate cake to satisfy my sweet tooth. Walmart sells these great chocolate cake slices. I’m sure it’s horrible for you, but oh so satisfying if you love chocolate. I’m too embarrassed to report how much of our monthly spend has been invested in cake. Probably too much.
• 2 – Number of new critters we’ve seen – armadillos and manatees. First time for me seeing either of these in the wild. One of the best parts about camping is seeing wildlife.
• 0 – Number of sailboats we’ve bought. But, we’re still searching. Maybe the right one is waiting for us somewhere in Florida.
• 70+ – Number of new followers of our Facebook page. It’s a bit overwhelming to think that so many new people are following us. Thank you to everyone who stops by and and shares in our travel adventures. Hopefully, you’re enjoying hanging out with us!

Hope you all have had a fabulous January and an even greater February!

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Going For A Marina Walk: Panama City, Florida

Whenever we go to a new town, we like to check out the marinas and drool over the boats. So when we were in Panama City, Florida, we decided to check out the two marinas run by the city – St Andrew’s and City (an original name, don’t you think). And rather than drive from one to the other, we decided to walk. Because the great thing about going for a long walk is that you don’t feel so guilty having chocolate cake at night.

We started off our walk from our awesome free camping site – none other than a municipal parking lot in the heart of Panama City which allows 24 hour parking. Free and right in the middle of this historic St Andrew’s district – what could be better?



Just across the street is St Andrew’s marina. 





This sailboat looked like it had been abandoned. We were tempted to spirit her away, but we barely have enough room in Scamper for the two of us, let alone a sailboat. I also think Scamper gets jealous when we talk about buying a boat. She worries that we’ll abandon her.



As you walk around the St Andrew’s marina, you come across a number of signposted landmarks. I particularly liked this one – The Pelican Tree. After the devastating impact of Hurricane Opal in 1995, effort went into rebuilding the St Andrew’s area. The Pelican Tree was once a live oak tree, but after it was destroyed by Opal, a chainsaw architect re-purposed it into The Pelican Tree – a symbol of rebuilding the community. 



We poked around the St Andrew’s neighborhood. Lots of shops, restaurants, cafes – many of which have a nautical theme. Like this shark. This is my favorite kind of shark – tied up and not in the water. Sharks scare the crap out of me. Just ask Scott about that time in Tahiti where I freaked out when I saw a shark. Better yet, don’t ask him because I just end up looking stupid when he tells the story.



If you’ve read this blog before, then you’ll know Scott loves taking pictures of old signs – like this one.



Next, we headed over to the Oaks by the Bay Park on the waterfront. I love neighborhood parks – they don’t always get mentioned in guidebooks, but they’re often great to wander about and see how the locals live. They have a four headed palm tree there – kind of like the Medusa of the plant world.






We strolled out on the boardwalk in the park to get a view of where our walk was going to take us.



The aptly named Beach Road takes you from one end of Panama City to the next. Lots of cute houses along the water. It’s the type of place where folks also own the water frontage. Some are set up with chairs and decorated. This place had a hippo hunkered down on the beach. I guess if you’re the homeowner, it’s nice to have private access to the beach across the way, but I think there is something to be said for beaches and coastlines having public access. 



As you stroll through the neighborhoods, people wave and say hello. We’ve been struck by how incredibly friendly people have been. It’s a genuine kind of friendly, not the kind of friendly that seems calculated. Walking through Panama City evokes nostalgia for America past. 

After a while you get to a more commercial part of the city. For some reason, this sign cracked me up. I’m not sure either of these doors is the right one. Scott didn’t really get my interest in this, but he took the picture anyway.



And then we got to City Marina. There was a lot of construction going on, so it probably isn’t looking its best just now. But it was still nice to check out the boats and have a little rest before heading back.



On our way back, we explored downtown Panama City. Scott got to take some more pictures of old buildings and signs, so he was happy. We also had a beer, so I think that made him even happier.





And then, it was back to St Andrews marina, just in time to enjoy the sunset. 



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We walked from marina to marina in Panama City on 21 January 2015.

Life In Florida Lately

Yep, it’s another one of those “Life Lately” posts. Bits and bobs about what we’ve been getting up to lately. Right now, we’re in Florida. We came in search of warmer weather and our next sailboat. While there has been a few days of nice weather and sunshine, we’ve also had a few days of torrential rain, cold winds and clouds. But, I guess it beats having been caught up in that horrible blizzard the East Coast has been experiencing. Brrr!

So, here’s what’s been going on for us lately in Florida. 

We’ve been absolutely loving the Emerald Coast – the area of Florida’s panhandle between Pensacola and Panama City. Who wouldn’t want to stroll along sandy, white beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. (You can read about our walk on the beaches of the Gulf Islands National Seashore here.) And the water is this amazing color – so clear and green and blue. You wouldn’t get tired of these views very easily. I wonder if this is what it is like in the Caribbean? If it is, I can’t wait until we get our next boat and go cruising down there. 

We found the most amazing boondocking spot at Hagen’s Cove in the Big Bend Wildlife Refuge (which you can read about here). We were never 100% sure if it was okay to stay there overnight, but we took our chances anyway. We loved the solitude at sunset and the watching the birds scamper around in the water the next morning. And of course, we loved the fact that it was free! We also had a mixed bag sort of a boondocking experience at Panama City – you can read about it here. 

We were hoping to do some more boondocking at the Apalachicola National Forest. Turns out it’s hunting season just now and they don’t allow any dispersed camping while folks are walking around the forest with guns trying to kill things. Everyone needs to stay in developed campgrounds, where I assume shooting at moving critters and people is frowned upon. I’m not usually a big one for following rules, but this seemed like a pretty sensible one. The whole forest was crawling with hunters and all of the developed campgrounds were full, so we headed off down the road to the Ochlocknoee River State Campground. Pretty nice place and a good spot to hide out in Scamper during the torrential rains and flash floods that Mother Nature delighted in providing us. There were a couple of hunters at the campsites next to us – guess they couldn’t find a spot at the National Forest either. 

At Manatee Springs State Park, I saw a little creature scurry across our campsite with purpose. Turns out it was an armadillo. They’re such weird little creatures – almost look like unwanted pets that alien visitors to our planet left behind. You know how some horrible people abandon puppies and kittens on the side of the road. Maybe some little green men dumped unwanted armadillos on Earth. Fortunately, they seemed to have thrived on our planet and are now happily spending their days in search of insects to eat. We also saw manatees. They come up and spend the winter months in the springs at the park. They’re pretty weird looking too. And, I’m glad to report that we haven’t seen any alligators, despite all of the signs warning us that they’re lurking about.

That’s what’s been going on with us lately. What’s been happening where you are?

The Brighter Side Of Boondocking

We had the most amazing boondocking experience the other day at Hagen’s Cove, which is part of the Big Bend Wildlife Refuge located in the panhandle region of Florida. After our previous experience parking overnight at a municipal parking lot in Panama City (click here to read about it), it was such a pleasure to discover what boondocking is like when you’re camped out in the great outdoors.

There wasn’t any cunning plan to go boondocking at Hagen’s Cove. It was one of those places we just stumbled upon. They’re often the best kind. We saw a dirt road, turned down it and ended up in a little slice of paradise. 





I imagine Hagen’s Cove is a popular place for birders and picnickers. Part of the Florida Birding Trail runs through the area. We tried walking down one of the trails, but it was pretty swampy due to the recent rains. So we turned back – I’m not a big fan of wet feet.





We were never 100% sure if it was okay to boondock at Haven’s Cove. We didn’t see any signs that said the refuge was closed after sunset or notices prohibiting overnight parking/camping. We looked online to see if we could find anything out about camping there, but drew a blank. A Sherriff's car made a circuit of Hagen’s Cove a couple of times checking to make sure there weren’t any kids getting up to mischief. Scott stopped the deputy and asked her if she knew if it was okay to stay overnight. She said she wasn’t sure if you could. She personally wouldn’t toss us out, but couldn’t vouch for whoever was on duty at night and what stance they might take. We decided to chance it. Fortunately, no one knocked on the door in the middle of the night to roust us out.

Sometimes you just have to take a chance – most of the time it pays off. Like this time. Which meant we got to enjoy our coffee on the observation tower while watching the birds scampering about in the water the next morning. The horizon and the water were the exact same color. It was hard to tell where one began and the other left off.



While a few people drove down to Hagen’s Cove, the only people that stuck around were duck hunters. Sadly, they didn’t have any luck. We were hoping for a handout of duck meat to put on the grill. But, I imagine the duck hunters were more disappointed than us, given that they had come from Georgia to hunt there.



If you aren’t familiar with the term boondocking, it is basically dry camping (i.e., no water, electric, sewage connections). Lots of folks boondock for days, if not weeks, at a time. Some have systems in place to provide power (e.g., solar or generators), while others do without anything that requires electricity. Whether you need power or not, everyone needs a water supply and a way to store their gray water (from dishwashing, showers etc) and do something with their black water (basically sewage). We have pretty small tanks in our Scamp travel trailer, so we’re pretty limited by how long we can stay out. But with our experience living on a small sailboat, we’ve learned a few tricks to make our water supply last and live with limited power. Hopefully, we’ll get some more boondocking opportunities, like our time at Hagen’s Cove, to put them to the test.

What’s been your favorite boondocking experience?


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We took our chances boondocking at Hagen's Cove on 24 January 2015.