Winter 2021 – Florida (Mostly)

Easin’ Along was off the air for a week or so. The holidays were over; there wasn’t a whole lot of activity worth writing about, and we were spending most of our time preparing for an upcoming trip, which I’m going to preview for you this week. I’m so glad we had this trip in our future because Helen and I were tired of being cold.

The weather in Eastern Tennessee has been chilly and wet for what seems like an eternity. The cold and wet we’ve experienced cuts right through a person’s body and leaves one longing for a warm fire, the recliner, and little else. Thankfully, a trip to Florida would offer a little relief.

I say Florida, but actually, we’re spreading this trip over four and maybe five states. A trip to Florida in the winter can be a tough ticket for RVers. Canadians and residents of the Northern part of the US arrive in early October and stay until April, filling up the campgrounds. Long ago, I gave up trying to reserve a spot at one of those fancy resorts in the southern part of the state. The reservation clerk would laugh when I asked for a January booking, telling me that the resort is full for months ahead.

Arriving in October would not work for us. There is no way I could get Helen to be away from our home over Christmas for fear she might miss something. She wouldn’t dare miss the church music program, family gatherings, or time with friends.

I admit I wouldn’t miss them either, so we opt for campgrounds in Northern Florida, where campsites are available but require some digging to uncover. We also have the advantage of access to campgrounds on Military Bases, which helps. On this trip, we have eight stops planned, and five of them are in Military campgrounds.

Our first stop on this trip was a one-night stand at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. We have found that Maxwell is a convenient port for southbound trips, and this was our third visit to the base. The campground is large and offers full hookups. We have the option of commissary shopping if we need to stock the pantry before moving on. We passed on the commissary this time, but we took advantage of the full hookups and warmer weather to de-winterize our trailer.

We are now in Pensacola, Florida, and camping at Blue Angel Recreation Park, operated by Pensacola Naval Air Station. We arrived on Friday afternoon and selected a campsite two rows back from the waters of Perdido Bay. We have a lovely view from our trailer, and last night’s sunset was incredible. We will spend four nights here.

From Pensacola, we will take you to St. George’s Island State Park, near Apalachicola, Florida, and spend a few days at the nearest Oyster Bar. I’m ready for that. After we’ve had our fill, Cedar Key, Florida, is the next stop. We’re both looking forward to that because it will be our first visit there. I’ll share the experience.

Last year, we spent a week with my sister and brother-in-law at Lake Kissimmee State Park and had such a good time, we’re going to do it all over again. We have our bicycles with us and are eager to do some park peddling. My sister tells me the long-term weather forecast is good for the time of our visit.

Osprey Cove Campground at Mayport Navy Base in Jacksonville, Florida, is up after Kissimmee. We visited this oceanside campground three years ago and promised to return. The beach is wide and very walkable. We will be there for five days.

Eagle Hammock RV Campground at King’s Bay (Georgia) Submarine Base comes next. We spent a few months on the waiting list for this opportunity. Eagle Hammock is a very popular campground within the military community and has received the “most favored’ recognition several times. Cumberland Island National Seashore is nearby, and I hope to give my camera a workout there.

Last on the list of stops is the campground at Parris Island Marine Base. Helen and I stayed there on our very first RV trip four years ago. We love Beaufort, South Carolina. Savannah, Georgia, is not far away and is always worthy of a visit.

We saved the best stop for last. That’s the stop where we park the trailer in our son’s driveway in Charleston, South Carolina, and spend a few days hugging our grandchildren… an excellent way to wrap up five weeks of travel.

I hope you will Ease Along with us. We will share the journey as we move down the highway, properly socially distanced. We’ll leave you for now and go in search of a dozen on the half shell.