Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park -

Well, just getting back to updating this diary!  Almost forgot to log our latest trip to Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs, FL.  (Almost on the Fl/Ga border.)  We were there 7/13-15/12.  What a beautiful park!  Only about 45 sites but also has cabins, canoe launch, craft square, museum, carillon tower (bells) and a nice gift shop.  Unfortunately we were there just after the area had been flooded by a tropical storm (Debbie?); not the park but surrounding towns, and the river was way up - too high for canoes.

The bells from the tower rang out the hour (and quarter/half) and also did a series of Stephen Foster songs periodically.  Lovely to just sit back and listen.

The site was very large & more private than most.  Again, lots of friendly campers & volunteers.  (First tour Saturday morning was at 7 am - I wasn't even out of bed yet and Don was outside explaining to someone how he built the teardrop!

Molly, as usual, was a star.  She's go good camping.  Almost never barks and just loves laying in the dirt - or on the picnic table like here.

The only negative to the whole visit was local restaurants - or I should say restaurant.  Usually we fall into really good local places to eat out at least one night (the others we cook at the site) but the little restaurant nearby (Fat Belly's - or something like that) was really pretty poor.

Well, guess that's it for a little while.  Too many other things happening over the next month or two to get back out here but we're already looking for out next trip!

Beech Bend Park Campground, Bowling Green, KY

Longest trip yet!  Great long weekend (Thurs.-Sun.) in Bowling Green.  Went for the "Cackle Fest" (vintage dragsters - car show & swap meet) and stayed at the campground at the track.  (Park has an amusement park, water park, circle track/drag strip, AND campground.  Great with Don going to the event every day.  Was able to walk back and forth to the camp site.)  500 campsites in all!

(Did you notice the little lights on the screen room?  For Christmas I found strings of teardrop camper lights and bought them for Don.  Fun!)

It was nice to be able to take Molly, too.  (She's sitting just outside the screen room.)  She LOVES camping!  Can't wait to get in the teardrop - usually begs outside the door long before we're ready for bed.

Long ride (13 hours each way) but makes for an inexpensive 4 days!  Teardrop towed perfectly - almost forgot it was there most of the time (except for the reaction from others on the road).  Everyone has to come over and ask questions.  Lots & lots of compliments for Don, again!  Don joked that it was nice this time that he didn't have to do the "tours" as he was at the track most of the time.  I think that's the best part!  We get to meet so many people we never would've met otherwise. 

As always, each trip I think of little things I need to pick up for "next time".  We've decided to add stabilizing jacks to replace the "screw jacks" we now use.  (Very inexpensive upgrade.)  Might eventually upgrade the screen room, too.  (The walls are on an angle.  Think it might be even nicer if the sides were straight and we could add solid panels in bad weather.)  We'll see!

Guess that's it for this trip.  Talked on the way home about where we want to go next.  Probably only locally until the Fall but that's ok.  More soon! 

Lake Griffin State Park

Home from a Memorial Day weekend at Lake Griffin State Park (over near Leesburg, FL).  Can't believe it's been 3 months since we've been out but life just seems to get in the way!

Lake Griffin is a fairly small park but what a great bunch of campers we met!  Everyone was so friendly - and curious about the Teardrop.  (One even asked if we just used it to haul our gear!)  :)  Boy, was he surprised when we gave him the tour.

Molly was a perfect camper, too!  (Here she is riding to Leesburg - in her car seat, of course.)

And we're already looking forward to our next trip - Kentucky!  More soon!

Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Hobe Sound, FL - Feb. 2012

Great weekend in south Florida.  Perfect weather - balmy - not a tree in sight!  Met some nice people - all loved the Teardrop!  Everything worked great - still love the new "kitchen" (see earlier post).  People are always amazed when we fix a full breakfast - bacon, eggs, etc. on the camp stove.  YUM!  Screen room came in handy this trip due to the sun - we don't always set it up.  Also hooked up the TV this time - for the race Saturday night.  (Molly & I went to bed early!)  Wished we could stay longer but ... maybe soon!

Little Talbot Island State Park (FL)

Well, another long weekend of camping in the Teardrop - yup! again!  Three nights this time.  First two mornings were pretty chilly but, thanks to the little ceramic heater we picked up recently, we were pretty snug.  (Great investment - small, cheap & works great in our small space.)  Another new purchase - check out our "camp kitchen" in the picture above!  How sweet is this?  Folds up like a small card table and has a sink, storage racks, lamp pole, etc. etc.  (Saw one last time we camped at another site and couldn't wait to get one!) 

Once again this trip we were besieged with "visitors" who couldn't wait to see the Teardrop.  Didn't even get out of our town (stopped for coffee at the local coffee shop) and someone pulled right over to see it.  Had to get the "tour" and ask Don a ton of questions about how he did it.  People are amazed when we tell them it only took him 5 weeks - start to finish!

The park we went to is just above Jacksonville - on an island.  We spent one full day just a little north of the park in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island.  Lots of restaurants and neat little shops.  Spent another day doing historical "stuff" - plantation tour and the like.  Had some of the best shrimp we've ever had at a little restaurant called Nicole's.  (They were "Mayport shrimp" - caught right there!)  If you ever get up that way, plan to eat at Nicole's - just south of Little Talbot - and try the shrimp.  Inexpensive, lots of food, and really yummy!

 And look what happens when I walk away for a minute ...  On the table no less!  Oh my - who's spoiled now?  (And you'll notice who is allowing it!)  Molly still loves to camp.  About 7:30 pm she'll go to the camper door and whimper.  Took us a little to realize she just wants in - ready to go to bed!

Oh - stopped at the lighthouse in St. Augustine on the way home Sunday!  (Couldn't resist a picture.)

Well - guess that's it 'til after Christmas - too much to do now!  Happy Holidays all!

O'Leno State Park, High Springs, FL

Well, another long weekend fairly close to home - about an hour and a half away.  Drove up on Friday and had great weather all weekend.  Nice park.  Friendly people.  Lots of people had to stop by to see the Teardrop!  Everyone is amazed that Don actually built it. 

Every time we take it out we think of something else we'd like (this time another site had this great "camp kitchen" - folding table with two fold out shelves, a built in sink, a shelf for your camp stove, and even a zippered pantry!)  Can't wait to get one - probably before we go out again!  (Sold by Bass Pro Shop - we asked!)

I've decided that the very best thing about the Teardrop is its simplicity.  Someone at this Park told me that "if you have to bring a vacuum, it's not camping" and I think that says it all!  You get to enjoy ALL your time - there's no cleaning up, laundry to do, etc.  You can just take walks, hang out with your new "friends", or just read & relax.  Perfect camping if you ask me! 

TH Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (FL)

What a great park!  White sandy beaches on both sides of the park (Gulf on one side & the bay on the other)!  Beautiful weather in October.  Can't wait to go back!  We saw a bunch of deer & a wolf/coyote!  Had some great seafood at a local restaurant while we were there.  Neat little towns all around for antiquing, etc.