Stone Mtn, GA

We're having a nice visit with Doug & Louise.  Donna seems to enjoy taking dinner over each night.  Today was to be our last day here and based on the weather forecasts, we would have moved to Pelham, AL yesterday.  Unfortunately we got a check-engine light on the truck Sunday night.  So we just extended our stay to allow the weather to pass.  Now looking at a Saturday departure to Alabama.

As seems to be most of our spring travels, we're moving with the pollen.  We've hit the jackpot here at Stone Mountain.  Having a California Duster has been nice to help keep the dust off the truck & rental car.  We need one that attaches to a painter's pole so we can do the trailer!

The trees & flowers are blooming, so it's made for some nice pictures of the park.

Since it's been cool, we've branched out from just walking the campground to walking out into the park.  Tuesday morning we started out across the dam to get pictures of the trees, bushes & flowers near the conference center.  As it was so nice, we just kept going and made it to the backside of the park to the Songbird Habitat & Trails.  There's some nice trails, and we took one loop while there before heading back to the campground.  Pictures here are from that walk.

For the inquisitive, the check engine light was an open thermostat.  They kept the truck a couple of days to ensure no leaks after the thermostat was replace and the cooling system flushed.  We've had the truck back just a day and so far everything seems to be OK. 

So that's it from us this week.  Hope everyone had a great Easter!  David

Oakland Nature Preserve & West Orange Trail

Lake Apopka from Oakland Nature Preserve

Oakland Nature Preserve boardwalk

We had a great visit for our last week in Mt Dora.  We got to visit not only with David & Mary, but with Katie, Doug, Dede & Connor. We also enjoyed Doug cooking for Katie's belated B-day, too.

For Tuesday, Donna wanted to go out & check out the West Orange Bicycle Trail.  We'd been told the south end was more visually appealing, and it had an old railway bridge.  So off we went!

What we found was a nice (but busy), paved bicycle trail.  Since our bikes were already stored on the trailer for a Wednesday departure, we walked for awhile and ran across another treat - Oakland Nature Preserve.

Oakland Nature Preserve has a nice variety of trails including a board walk out to Lake Apopka.  There's a nice log building containing a museum & classroom, plenty of parking, and is easily accessible from the West Orange

Trail.  We highly recommend a visit if you're in the area.  I know we plan too!

As noted above, we left Mt Dora Wednesday headed to Stone Mountain, GA for a visit with Doug & Louise.  After a long day of travel plus sitting through a 1.5 hr closure of I-75 for an accident, we had a layover at I75 RV Park in Tifton, GA. We made it to Stone Mountain today before a nasty front makes it way across the area Thursday afternoon.  Looking forward to the rain washing all the pollen away!

So that's our week.  Hope you have a great Easter!  Later, David

The painted fences of Seminole-Wekiva Trail

Week two of our Mt Dora visit has us riding the full length of the Seminole-Wekiva Trail, but only in sections.  One of the most noticeable features of the trail are the painted fences.  Didn't get any pictures of them on the first day of riding, but took the time to take some on our second day.  Some very nice work as you can tell from the pictures.

This week found us running errands and shopping.  We also got an opportunity to walk Abby for a couple of days while

David & Mary travel south to visit their kids & grand kid.  Personally, I've forgotten how to walk a dog. Abby, being a smart dog, took full advantage on the first outing, but I learn quickly!  Me, hoping to stay away from as many folks & cars as I could, headed for the new home construction area and vacant lots on our first walk.  Didn't realize how much Abby would "love" the dumpsters.  Didn't realize how many people leave what's left of their lunches in/around those dumpsters. 

Now when we're first out of the door, Abby heads that way, but not for long.  We turn and head the opposite direction.  Every once in a while Abby will turn back looking longingly at those dumpsters, but that's as close as she gets.  Otherwise, we're really enjoying our walks.

On a planning note, we finally got arrangements made to visit Isle Royale Natl Park.  Going early in the season and staying at the Rock Harbor Lodge.

Truck and trailer will stay in Copper Harbor, MI while we're in the park.  After that is anybody's guess.  No plans for Independence Day or Labor Day.  Gotta do some planning soon or we won't have any place to stay!

Anyway, gotta go walk Abby before David & Mary get back.  Everyone have a great weekend.  I think we get rain.  David

Mt Dora, FL

Above:  Mt Dora sunset  Below: Downtown Mt Dora

We've had a great week visiting Dave & Mary, riding bicycles, and exploring the local area.  We're staying at the Orange Blossom KOA in Apopka, FL.  It's just south of the approach end of runway 33 of the Orlando-Apopka airport. So we're enjoying watching the general aviation planes fly over as they land & take-off.    Big-rig friendly and has both sun (satellite friendly) & shady sites.  Sites are somewhat close - similar to west coast campgrounds, but ours is wide enough that we can park the truck next

to the trailer plus park a small car in front of the trailer.

First site up for a visit was Mt Dora.  Pretty little town with narrow roads, quaint shops and a gorgeous view of the lake.  They proudly sell bumper stickers touting that you've "Climbed Mt Dora - all 144 feet."  No knit shops, though.

Next was a visit to an auction.  First time at an auction for me.  I think it was wise to tell them upfront we wouldn't be bidding.  Dave & Mary got a nice curio

the night we went.

Next up was a visit to Tom & Heather's new house over at the Plantation in Leesburg (FL) subdivision.  As always, the house they got is nice, and they're making it their own.  As is Tom & Heather's tradition, they have a genuine knack for finding good restaurants.  They recommended Oakwood Smokehouse & Grill.  Great place to eat BBQ.  Maybe better than Moe's and LA BBQ. 

Next up for us was to get out and do some bike riding.  Besides riding the roads of Dave & Mary's subdivision (10 miles), we got out to the Seminole Wekiva Trail.  I got an hour in, and I believe Donna got about 17 miles or so on the trail.  Side note:  Per Donna, Wekiva apparently has a great little knit shop.

Next up was my bucket list:  Visit Downtown Disney.

Like everything else, names change.  When we first went to Disney World in Orlando, the shops were called Disney Village.  Somewhere along the line, that changed to Downtown Disney.  Now it's called Disney Springs.  No matter the name, it's still the same great shops, a new amphibian car ride is there, and plenty of construction.  I got my Earl of Sandwich fix, over indulged at the Ghirardelli Fountain, and got a big bag of spiced dark chocolate squares.  Oh, we've updated our Disney wardrobe, too.

Taking a break while shopping at Disney Springs.

As you would probably guess, Dave & Mary's new home is really nice as is the subdivision they're located in.  Like most people with new homes, they're taking their time making it theirs.  The colors they chose are great (& calming).  It's easy to relax when we're there.  And Donna loves the kitchen.  We've met some of their neighbors and visited some of the new houses on the subdivision's parade of homes.  We think Dave & Mary made a great choice!



Well, that's it for this week.  More exploring & bicycle riding is planned for sure.  Later, David

Big Shoals State Park

Rarely have we had a problem getting a RV site during late winter/early spring mid-week, but this trip is different.  Our plans to stop and spend a couple of days to visit Randy & Shirley in Tallahassee had a quick change when the campgrounds we planned to use are full (for rigs our size).  Didn't help that some of our old campground guides showed that there were more campgrounds, but we couldn't confirm they still existed on the web.  Then as we drive through Tallahassee, we see those old

campgrounds are still there plus there's a new one at Monticello that we weren't aware of at all.  So despite our best planning, we failed to get to see Randy & Shirley.

We decided to continue on to Lake City, FL and spend a day there before heading on to Orlando.  In trying to find things to do in Lake City, I downloaded the Florida State Park app and found this little gem near us in White Springs.  (When you're bored someday, to

entertain yourself try Googling the top ten things to do in Lake City, FL.  Shopping seems to be the big thing.  I joked to Donna that maybe "leaving" might be second on that list.)

Back on topic: This little gem is Big Shoals State Park, a sister park to Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, FL.  We'd visited Stephen Foster State Park back in late 2011, so we decided to go see Big Shoals.

Big Shoals has lots of hiking and mountain biking trails plus a 3.4 mile paved bicycle trail.  Sightseeing points are both Big Shoals & Little Shoals cascades.  The park is excellent for canoeing and kayaking in addition to the traditional picnicking that you have at state parks.    Well worth your time to visit if you're ever in the area.

Otherwise, we're on our way to Apopka, FL (just north of Orlando) to visit Dave & Mary.  We hear there's lots to do near them & we're looking forward to seeing & doing some of it.  Maybe I can get my "Earl of Sandwich" & Ghirardelli fixes (at Downtown Disney) while we're there, too. 

No matter what, everyone have a great weekend.  We plan to!  Later, David