17 January – Jacksonville to Titusville

We set off for the Atlantic coast of Florida, starting at Jacksonville Beach. As we turned onto the beach road we noticed the recent hurricane damage – many of the palm trees had supports holding them up. We followed the A1a coastal road for miles, through beach communities with a juxtaposition of mega-mansions and old beach shacks that had seen better days. There was lots of building activity going on as the hurricane recovery continues. Some of the beachfront homes had their foundations washed from under them, some had lost decks and roofs, and others were missing cladding. 

We stopped at St Augustine for lunch. St Augustine’s is the oldest permanent settlement in the US, having been founded in 1565. We drove past the Spanish fort, but the car park was chokkers and with the size of the RV we had no hope of parking. So we got a quick pic out the window as best we could without holding up the traffic. 

The town also boasts the Fountain of Youth, which attracted Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon to land in 1513. Apparently you can still take a swig from the sulphur spring – sounds appealing, NOT!

We ended up at the Lighthouse and museum, 219 steps to the top and some pretty good views. Ros got vertigo on the second landing (because the steps are grills that you can see through and she looked down), but Steve headed up and took lots of photos.

Back on the road and we passed a small community of houses on stilts, way out on the beach. They seemed to have survived the hurricane, although it was hard to see how!

We continued through to Titusville, and to the Great Outdoors RV resort. It’s a golfing / retirement style community where people buy their RV sites and rent them out when they are not using them. Nice and quiet and lots of people scooting around on golf carts.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/roIcH/28.52209N/80.86554W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.52209,-80.86554&ll=28.52209,-80.86554&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1 

16 January – Tallahassee to Jacksonville

We started the day with a visit to the local shopping centre to buy a mobile phone and get connected. We bought one last trip, but it got mislaid. Then we stopped in for a grocery shop and a visit to “Outpost” – the outdoors shop. As per our expectations, it was completely over the top by Australian standards. Guns, rifles and handguns for sale over the counter, all manner of camouflage gear and even camo furniture for your shack if your decorating tastes run that way. Fun!

Uneventful drive to Jacksonville. Florida is lovely and warm, the RV park is by a lake, so we had a nice walk to stretch our legs when we got in. The sun was going down so made for some nice pics. We have booked our tickets to the rocket launch on Thursday night and looking forward to that. RV parks in Florida are pretty full, all the RVers take off for Florida and South Texas for the winter. Can’t blame them.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/rm1Hq/30.45600N/81.70837W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.45600,-81.70837&ll=30.45600,-81.70837&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1 

15 January – Birmingham to Tallahassee

We headed out for the Florida border and some warmer weather. There was still thick ice on the top of the RV and it started coming off once we hit the interstate, so we pulled over and cleaned it off. It would have been hazardous for people driving behind.

On the highway there were signs advertising a local farmers market. One of the items highlighted was Frog Jelly. We thought “surely it must not be actual frog”, but then remembered we were in Alabama… So who knows?

We passed the showgrounds where the national peanut festival is held. They had a “big peanut” but we were doing 70 miles an hour and whipped past before Ros could grab the camera out.

The woods of Alabama were much like parts of Louisiana, trees wreathed in grey spanish moss.

We were driving behind a pickup truck with a very patriotic paint job. God. Guns. Country. Probably in that order.

Over the border into Florida, the sunshine state and the weather picked up almost straight away. The woods started to have palm trees in them. We pulled in for the night at Tallahassee, and a lovely quiet little RV park. We had a walk to the nearest shop for some nice nibbles, and celebrated our anniversary.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/rjw-q/30.48179N/84.17010W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.48179,-84.17010&ll=30.48179,-84.17010&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1 

14 January – Memphis to Birmingham

We woke up to minus 5 degrees INSIDE the RV...

We were very thankful to get a call from the RV repairman to check on us, to see if we still needed the furnace fixed. The roads were clear, so we drove to his shop, just over the border in Mississippi, at a place called Olive Grove. Barry has a huge shed, with a furnace, so it was warm! Shout out to Barry at Town and Country Mobile RV repair - he's a great bloke :)

The furnace on the RV was an easy fix – corrosion on the wiring system. We also got the fridge looked at, and just as well, as it had been subject to recall that we didn’t know about. Barry sorted that too (paid for by the manufacturer) and we were pleased to be finally on the road!

The drive took us south west, from Mississippi into Alabama. The interstate is an easy drive, through rolling hills and woods.By the time we got to Birmingham it was getting toward 5pm, so we pulled in for the night just South of the city.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/rhsU_/33.28612N/86.80637W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.28612,-86.80637&ll=33.28612,-86.80637&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1 

13 January – Memphis

Still in the freeze. Graceland was still shut. We went for a walk to buy milk and the ice was treacherous, made sense that the warnings said to only drive in an emergency.

The furnace packed it in during the morning, and the RV repair man couldn’t come out as he was snowed in. Luckily we had an electric heater, but it wasn’t keeping up with the cold. We found a spot with working water, and moved to there so we could fill up the tanks. Cold, cold night! 

12 January – Memphis

We woke to snow and ice, and temperatures around minus 6C. The water pipe was frozen solid and we realised that in our jet lagged states, we hadn’t pulled the pipes in or filled the on board water tanks (which wouldn’t have frozen). That means freezing cold walks to the public toilets / showers. NOT FUN. At least we have drinking water.

We had planned to see Graceland today, but Elvis has definitely left the building – Graceland was closed because of the weather. Nothing to do but to wait it out, with the furnace in the van blasting, hot cups of tea, and books.

It is FREEZING outside! Even the local critters are scampering along double quick so they don’t freeze to the ground. I know that this is a mild winters day for most of the US, but us Aussies are not equipped for it. The forecast tells us that it isn’t going to get above freezing until Monday. Damn you jet lagged people for not filling the tank! :)

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/rbvY1/35.04816N/90.02804W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=35.04816,-90.02804&ll=35.04816,-90.02804&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1 

11 January - Memphis

We had a late check out at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, so we had a leisurely breakfast, then took a cab out to get the RV out of storage. We arrived to find it all in good order, thanks to a visit from the RV mechanic the day before. It started first try and all we needed to do was wash the windscreen (it was very dusty) and get going.

We stocked up on groceries at the nearest Walmart, then headed to Graceland, to the RV Park. It’s winter so practically nobody there. It was warm and muggy as we set up camp and unpacked. All good.

We were both feeling pretty jet lagged, and we headed to bed. The winter storm kicked in not long after and we struggled to sleep over the sound of ice hitting the side of the van. It got really cold, and we were thankful for the doona keeping us snug.

The Peabody lobby, with their ducks: