We day-tripped from Verona by train to visit Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake. The weather was insanely gorgeous and the beaches were still full with sun-worshiping vacationers.
beach walking
Lago di Garda
Categories: beach walking, retirement travel
Tags: camping, cat whisperer, gelato, lake garda, little free libraries, love peace and joy, random art, swan, ugly duckling, urban art, vw camper van
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There’s Something About Saltwater
Joe was born and raised in Boston by the Atlantic; lived for a time in New Orleans near the Gulf of Mexico; and moved to California’s Pacific Coast in order to find Sarah. We purchased our Cape Cod home with the intention of retiring near the sea. We have visited all three ocean borders of the U.S. on this epic road trip. There is something primal and restorative about a saltwater shoreline.
A quick internet search reveals that there is some scientific evidence for why humans seek the solace of the sea. Sea air has higher levels of oxygen and negative ions which balances our serotonin levels, helping us to sleep better. Looking out at the vast water towards an endless horizon puts our worries into perspective. Listening to waves lowers our heart rate, promoting a sense of calm. It’s no surprise that sea water is rich in many minerals that are curative to humans, as we are “ugly bags of mostly water.”
It is with deep gratitude that we bid adieu to Newport Beach, after two glorious weeks of sunshine, beachwalking, and bonfires. And we are thankful for receiving our second doses of covid vaccinations.
Categories: beach house, beach walking, epic road trip, nomads, retirement travel, snowbirds
Tags: Newport, Newport Beach, Pacific Coast, salt air, sunsets
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Where in the Weather are the Gills?
We made it to California. 6000 miles in 4 months. We really hoped for more sunshine and warmer weather this trip, but unusual climate events have overtaken us at many of our scheduled stops. Our friend, Sam, has stopped watching the Weather Channel and instead looks to see where we are to know where the latest freak storm has hit the U.S.
It is 50 degrees Fahrenheit and raining here in Southern California, as we post this today. We’re really glad we packed our winter clothes.
Stay warm, friends!
Davis Bayou
We just finished a week at Davis Bayou State Campground, where we learned that shower #1 has the most hot water and the best water pressure since we left Cape Cod. Sarah actually washed her hair twice this week!
She also had her first Guinness in months (bliss!) and while temperatures were cool, we enjoyed lots of sunshine while walking in the area. This part of Mississippi was hard hit by back-to-back hurricanes a few years ago and recovery in many places is still slow. The campground is filled with snowbirds like us and the park system abuts a neighborhood with a pedestrian gate so many locals come through the park to run, fish, cycle, etc.
On Wednesday, we were glued to PBS watching the inauguration proceedings in D.C., much like the rest of the country. Molly had a bath at Tractor Supply and received her regular monthly cytopoint injection at Bienville Animal Medical Center.
Where The Highway Ends
We left Cornelia parked in the Everglades and motored with Mike all the way south on Hwy 1 to Key West. What a stunning drive! The picturesque ocean water shifts in color to pale blues, turquoises, and teals. Driving Mike through the Florida Keys has been on Sarah’s Bucket List for years and we hope to return post-pandemic to spend several days exploring this gorgeous part of the world.
We arrived in time for lunch and the driver of a beautifully restored iconic ‘57 Chevy convertible pulled up alongside us at a stoplight. He called out to compliment us on Mike and we responded in kind. Just before the light changed, we asked where was a good, safe spot for an outdoor lunch and without hesitating he recommended Garbo’s Grill @ Hanks – a food truck out back of a bar with live music. Instant success! We drove through old town, found the bar, and the server immediately filled up a bowl with fresh water for Molly. The tables were widely spaced outdoors and we feasted on Caribbean shrimp and Korean BBQ. The tropical breeze wafting over us combined with the good music made us feel transported to pre-Covid vacation times. We could have sat there drinking all afternoon!
Part of Sarah’s fascination with Key West is the literary connections of authors like Ernest Hemingway and Shel Silverstein. Hemingway’s house is preserved for tourists, but Silverstein’s house was crushed by a large banyan tree during a hurricane in 2017.
After walking downtown, we drove to the southernmost tip of the Continental U.S. but declined to wait in the block-long line for a photo at the monument. We snapped a picture of other folks as we drove past!
We discovered Dog Beach, where Molly and other canine pals could swim in the warm water. Even Sarah jumped a few waves!
Because this was a day trip, we reluctantly pointed north again but made two more stops on the way back to our covid-capsule at the campground. Kiki’s Sandbar is right on the water with terrific views and strong drinks. Leashed dogs are welcomed! And a trip to a fish market to pick up dinner and a slice of Key Lime pie completed our adventure.
GEOQUIZ: Name the southernmost beach in the United States.
Christmas in Review
We finish up our Christmas week here at John Prince RV Campground with lots of good memories and terrific weather. Thank you to our friends, Ken and Mary, in Delray Beach for including us in their Christmas festivities. Mary is an amazing chef!
We head to the Everglades today and will be boondocking without cell service or wifi access. Our kids have an emergency number to the ranger station, if anyone needs us. See you on the other side in 2021!
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” -Mahatma Ghandi
We arrived after sunset; awoke to rain; and by lunchtime we were drenched in sunshine.
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park includes 1.5 miles of undeveloped sandy beach and hundreds of acres of woodland acquired by the City of Jacksonville, Florida in the 1960s and ‘70s. According to Wikipedia, part of Hanna Park used to be known as Manhattan Beach for the first four decades of the 20th century, Florida’s first beach community for African Americans working on the Florida East Coast Railway. At its height this Manhattan Beach included amenities such as picnic pavilions, cottages, and an amusement park. See also the history of Manhattan Beach in California – interesting parallels to Bruce’s Beach can be traced.
Today, with 300 campsites for RVs and tents, there is not much space between each site, but the jungle vegetation provides a screen of privacy and the design of the campground includes twists and turns which cleverly provide a unique layout at each spot.
Exploring enchanted hiking trails through the jungle, we met a small group of children attending their outdoor school. Joe remarked that Sarah would make a great pandemic teacher for small children as she also sings her way down pathways and finds joy in the natural arrangement of leaves and twigs and sunshine! We noted that the bike trails are designated one-way by the day of the week, reducing head-on accidents in the woods, presumably. It did not take long for us to hike out to another huge, empty, beautiful beach.
GEOQUIZ: What is the term for a forest that grows as an ecological island in contrast to surrounding wetlands?
Categories: beach walking, epic road trip, fulltime RV life, geoquiz, nomads, retirement travel, RV living
Tags: empty beaches, Hanna Park, jungle camping, Manhattan Beach, outdoor school
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Where in the world are the Gills? 