After the wonderful days at Little Manatee River State Park, I moved a little further south to Koreshan Historical Site State Park. It was near a couple places on my “wanna do” list: Sanibel Island and Cape Coral, where my cousin, Coral Lee. lives
Koreshan State Historic Site is a relatively new state park. It was built on the land donated by the last remaining members of the Koreshan Unity in 1961. The remains of their once vibrant community is well-preserved, but more about that later.
The land is lush and the campsites are small, but I am truly proud of the masterful job I did backing in.
Back bumper
I backed right up to the tree!
Look at the foliage by the road! And, I didn’t hit the tower box or water faucet, either! You can see how close my window is to the plants when I opened it.
The plants are amazing, too. One camper was telling me that there was a grapefruit tree by her site that kept dropping fruit on her camper. I looked around, and I found some citrus near my site, too.
There was another plant that I found amazing. The day I pulled in, I found a small potato on the ground. I figured that someone had dropped one from their groceries.
The next day, I looked around and I found a bunch more!
I doubted that a person could be that clumsy. Besides, some of these were really petite.
I got curious, so I sliced one of them in half.
It had the same texture as a potato.
It even turned brown like a potato.
I stopped in to the ranger station and asked about them. I found out that they are an invasive species that was planted by the Koreshans, along with the citrus trees in the campground.
And, they are called – get this – AIR POTATOES!
They are a member of the yam family and the latin name is dioscorea bulbifera, They are native to Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. They are vines and they grow very quickly, sometimes as much as 8 inches a day and can grow over 60 feet long. It climbs to the tops of trees and chokes out the native vegetation.
Although it is a member of the yam family, the information I was able to locate indicates that the plant that grows in Florida is poisonous, or at least a bit toxic. It is also tricky. It can reproduce via the “potatoes” as well as from underground tubers. Is the plant is cut back to the ground, the tubers can survive for extended periods and send up shoots later.
Since it is so persistent, they are trying to eradicate by releasing a leaf beetle, lilloceris cheni. They started this method of control in 2012. You can see the holes the beetle has put in the leaves. I hope the beetles don’t decide that other plants start looking tasty.
Another feature of the campground that caught my eye were the stone slabs that were piled up in various places.
I asked the same helpful ranger about them. He told me that they were the limestone capstone that they had to excavate when they built the campground. I asked him about the odd pockmarks, and he told me that they were created by the same processes that form caves and sink holes. Ah! So rainwater become slightly acid as it passes through the air and forms carbonic acid and dissolves the rock. With all these holes, you can see how sink holes would form.
A Facebook friend recommended Anna Maria Island as a great place for beaches. I have to say that I agree!
What a beautiful beach!
Beauty to the right of me!
Beauty to the left of me!
Even the birds were enjoying the beach.
As the gentle waves came in, I noticed something I had never seen before. Small shells were uncovered by the surf. I looked down at them and, before my eyes, they burrowed themselves back into the sand!
I tried to take a video of this miracle, but I was a little leery of getting phone wet. If you ever get to the shore, take the time to look closely at the activity by the edge of the water.
The first beach I visited was a city beach that is located on the gulf side near the north end of the island. The entrance to the beach was lovely, too. The street side was lined with these great trees. They look like pines, but they aren’t like any pines I know.
The needles are long and seem like they are scaled.
The cones are interesting, too. They are barrel shaped, and don’t have the overlapping petal-like structures I am familiar with on pine cones.
As I was looking around, I noticed this light pole with a sign on it.
I couldn’t quite make it out, so I got closer.
This light is turned off during sea turtle nesting season.
How cool is that?
I stopped for a snack and then headed to another beach. Two in one day! I think the second one I visited was at Holmes Beach. I just had to see the sunset!
What a glorious day!
On the way back, I tried to have dinner at a restaurant recommended by another friend. I did manage to find it.
Woody’s River Roo in Ellenton.
I got settled in the parking lot and checked out the menu. It looked good enough, but I realized that I had some of my own chili back in the trailer. So, I got back on the road and had dinner there.
As I was planning my stops in Florida, I realized that I just didn’t know much about about the history of the state. When looking for things to do while I was in the Tampa Bay area, the Tampa Bay History Center looked interesting.
Tampa Bay History Center
I found my way to Tampa’s Canalside District and found parking in a lot for Amalie Arena, which is the home ice of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
As I entered the Center, I encountered some amazing memorials to America’s heroes.
They had several rows of photos printed on glass. The sun streamed through and projected an image on the bricks behind them.
Quite appropriate for “The Sunshine State”, I thought.
Now, I have a bias against paying for parking, but they included the price of parking in the admission to the History Center. If only I didn’t have a bias against paying to go into museums, I would be all set.
When I entered, I did my best to find a discount. AAA? No. AARP? No. Good Sam? No. But, the helpful woman at the admission desk helped me locate a discount coupon in one of the tourist guides that they had in the racks of information in the lobby. A $2 discount and free parking? Okay, I can live with that.
The museum did a good job of interpreting the area’s history from the Seminoles through the Spanish and on into the present day.
Seminole Pottery
Now, I am not completely certain that these pots are authentic relics from the past. But, they do seem like they might be.
Silver Ingot from the Atocha
This relatively innocuous looking lump is what caused all the trouble. Spanish ships sailed in fleets, carrying the riches of South America back to Spain. Nuestra Señora de Atocha was the most famous ship in the fleet. The treasure that was arriving by mule to the port in Panama City was so large that it took two months to record and load the treasure onto the Atocha. Between the time required for loading and then additional delays in rendezvousing in Havana, the 28-ship convoy wasn’t able to depart until September 4, 1622, six weeks behind schedule.
Two days after setting sail, a severe hurricane drove the Atocha and another ship, Santa Margarita, onto the coral reefs near the Dry Tortugas, about 68 miles west of Key West. The Atocha’s hull was badly damaged and it sank in 55 feet of water. Everyone on board the Atocha drowned, except for three sailors and two slaves. The Santa Margarita ran aground in shallower water, and about half of her cargo was salvaged. The Spanish were never able to find the Atocha.
So, how did a silver ingot from the Atocha end up in the Tampa Bay History Center? Well, American treasure hunter Mel Fisher and his team searched for the wreck for 16 and a half years. They found portions of Santa Margarita’s cargo in 1980 and finally found the Atocha in July of 1985.
The State of Florida claimed title to the wreck. According to the research I’ve done, they forced Fisher into a contract that gave 25% of the treasure he found to the state. I also found a citation that says that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Fisher’s favor. I am not quite sure of the logistics, but this ingot of Peruvian silver is in the Tampa Bay History Center, and it represents the lust for wealth that sent the Spanish into the region.
The Seminole that lived around Tampa Bay persisted, in spite of being “claimed” for the Spanish government. The trouble really seemed to start when the U.S. acquired Florida in 1819. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams negotiated a deal that got Spain to cede Florida for no money. The U.S. merely assumed some of the $5 million dollars of claims that U.S. citizens had against Spain.
The Seminole Wars ran from 1817 – 1858. There were actually three periods of intense fighting during that time span. According to the notes I took while touring the exhibitions, 200 Seminoles managed to escape death and deportation. Those 200 are the basis for the Seminole population that exists today.
Seminole dolls
These dolls remind me a great deal of the dolls I brought back from Guatemala. These were created for the tourist trade as well as for their own use. I like the patchwork details that you can see on some of the clothing.
Patchwork was an important part of their clothing.
Man’s Patchwork Shirt
There is even a collection of the different patchwork patterns they used.
By the time I finished with the first floor of the museum, I was getting a little depressed. It is just the same thing, over and over again.
People are living their lives in an area.
Someone else wants what they have.
Bloody conflict ensures.
I went upstairs to see what else I could learn.
I found out that Florida didn’t have fences to control cattle until the statewide fence law took force in 1949. Florida wasn’t just oranges!
They had these great saddle seats that rocked and bounced as kids watched a film about the ranching industry. I almost tried one out, but then I got a bit worried about the possibility – or probability – that I would fall off.
Oh, and remember the famous presidential election of 2000?
Butterfly Ballot and Hanging Chads
Who could forget “chads”? Who even knew what they were before 2000? I mean, I would have called them confetti.
When I finished touring the museum, I encountered this lovely water feature in front. It was there to play in, and they even had a shower there to clean off before – and maybe after – splashing about in it.
They also used historic bricks in the entrance to the building’s garage.
Baltimore, Augusta, Catskill, and Southern Clay Manufacturing, among other companies.
The road back to the campground was smooth, and there was a lovely sunset.
I arrived at Little Manatee River State Park. It was a nice short jaunt from Lake Griffin State park. The ranger got me checked in and I left the ranger station and started driving…and driving…and driving. It was almost two miles from the entrance to the campsites.
I found my campsite and it was right next to another Airstream – a brand, spanking new one. The lovely people there helped me get backed in. What a great welcome!
My campsite
It was a peaceful campground and a great place to use a home base to explore the Tampa Bay area.
One of my main reasons for choosing this campground was to be able to visit my Uncle Norm, who is my father’s brother.
Uncle Norm and Me
It was so great to see him! Our last visit was at Scott’s house in the fall of 2012.
Norm, Dad, Scott and Me 2012
I thought I’d include a shot with Barbara from that visit, too, as I didn’t get one during this visit.
Dad, Barb and Norm 2012
Barb took a nap, but Uncle Norm took me to lunch at the American Legion. We sat out on the patio with a view of a body of water. We chatted over our meals and looked out at the water. We had hoped to see some dolphins, but they must have been between shifts.
Bird on the patio
We weren’t without animal entertainment, however. There was a flock of these small birds that swooped in under the monofilament lines strung to keep them out. The were looking for crumbs left behind, but one of them was exceptionally bold. He flew down and snatched a french fry out of the hand of a diner at the next table!
We chatted and got caught up on what was going on with everyone. When I left, I told him that I would be back in the area in few weeks as I headed north after my visit to Key West. We agreed to try to get together again.
On my way back to Little Manatee River, I crossed the Sunshine Skyway bridge for a second time.
Sunshine Skyway Bridge
The Sunshine Skyway Bridge crosses Tampa Bay. The whole Skyway is about four miles long. The center span is a cable-stayed bridge that is a little more than a mile long. It is 430 feet high at the center. The bridge is supported by steel cables that are wrapped in steel tubes. Each pylon has 42 cables. According to the information I found, Bob Graham, who was Senator at the time, suggested this design based on the Brotonne Bridge which connects the French cities of Le Havre and Rouen. The Travel Channel ranked The Sunshine Skyway Bridge as number three in the special of “The Top 10” Bridges in the world.
This bridge opened in 1987, but it was the second span across Tampa Bay. The first collapsed in 1980 after a collision with the a cargo ship, the Summit Venture. It collided with a pier during a blinding thunderstorm, sending over 1200 feet of the bridge deck into the bay. The collision caused six cars, a truck and a Greyhound bus to fall into the bay. 35 people lost their lives in the accident.
Dismantling the old bridge was quite a feat. Part of the old bridge remains, though. The approaches on the north and south are used as fishing piers. There are also rest areas near the fishing piers, which is where I stopped to take the photo of the span.
Baby birds
I enjoyed watching these baby birds hunting for food on the rocks by the bay. At first I didn’t notice them, because their feathers provide such good camouflage. When I noticed that the “rocks” seemed to be moving, I looked more closely and saw that they were birds.
I had a lovely visit with Uncle Norm. It was time to head back to the trailer to prepare for another day.
After my time at Falling Waters State Park, I headed east and then south. The distance between the two parks was about 300 miles. Since I don’t push the speed limit while I drive, I plan on making an average of 50 miles and hour, which would mean that I was looking at a minimum of six hours on the road.
I didn’t get started as early as I would have liked, but I forgot to take into account the time zone change. Chipley was in Central and Fruitland Park is in Eastern. So, not only was the drive a long one, I would be arriving long after sunset. I called the office and explained the situation. The helpful ranger gave me the gate code and told me that the information packed would be waiting for me at the guard house.
I arrived, got my packet and figured out where my site was. Luckily, I had booked a pull-through site; otherwise, I would have had to park inside the gate and wait for sunup.
I wiggled into the site, got hooked up and settled in for the night.
I had noticed a region on the Florida map labeled “The Villages”. The next day,
I decided to explore and find out what that might be.
It turns out that The Villages are a group of gated communities. Most of the communities are restricted to people over 55, although there are a couple developments that allow children. The real estate agent I met with explained to me that they did need to provide housing for the workers. I guess everyone can’t be retired.
I didn’t get to see the gated communities. They are gated communities, after all. But, there are several town squares scattered about. I explored one of the squares. The real estate agent told me that “the public” was welcome to the squares.
Performance Art Center
Of course, “the public” doesn’t get to zip around in golf cars.
Golf Car Row
“The Public” is invited to spend money.
Hey! Kilwin’s! Founded in Petsoky, Michigan.
You have got to know that you are in a place where people go to spend money when you find a fudge shop.
The Rialto
In fact, I came to spend money. I saw a review for “The Letters”, a film about Mother Teresa, and I decided to give it a look. The theater was quite elaborate and the seats were comfy, although not as good as the reclining seats in Charlotte.
The next day, I decided to take a drive. Escapees, a group I belong to, has an RV park near Bushnell. I figured that I should check it out and see if it is a place I might like to visit.
I was surprised that I saw so much ranching taking place. There were cows all over. I never really thought of Florida a cow state.
There were very nice people in the park office, and they welcomed me to drive through and look around. They said they always save some spots for people who are just passing through, although all the regular spots are booked for the season.
Sandhill Cranes
I was amazed when this elegant group of birds walked by. I asked one of the campers what kind of birds these were, and he confirmed my temporary identification that they were sandhill cranes.
And, also, I found it!
Easy Street
Now I know where to go when I am ready for it. Easy Street!
On the way back, I stopped at a vegetable stand. Nothing better than fresh, homegrown veggies!
Back at Lake Griffin State Park, I decided that I had to check out their claim to fame, a live oak that is estimated to be over 300 years old.
300 Year Old Live Oak
And then it was time to get ready to head south.
Cora had to have one more look before we headed to our next stop, Little Manatee River State Park, near Tampa Bay.
I stopped at the border for my FREE cup of orange juice and all the tourism literature I could carry. Actually, I was quite selective, but I still ended up with two small litter bags full. I took advantage of their nice couches to pick a campground for the night. I had planned to stay at another Army Corps of Engineers campground, but the one I had in mind was back in Georgia. I couldn’t see crossing into Florida just to cross back out. I wanted to put my Florida sticker on Flo!
Falling Waters State Park was right down the road, so I called just to make sure they had a site available. The pleasant man answering the phone assured me that they had room for me so long as I was there by five o’clock, so I headed down the road.
When I got to the park, I received a friendly greeting. I told him that I wanted to stay for two nights, and I told him that I would love a pull-through site. Believe it or not, he had a pull-though site for me! Electricity, water and right down a paved path to a beautifully clean bath house. All this for less than $20 a night!
The only thing the park didn’t have was sunshine. It was overcast when I arrived and went over to a site two over from mine to chat with some fellow Airstreamers. Bob offered me a “red drink.” Alcoholic beverages are never permitted in public parks, it seems. Well, except for Milwaukee.
Bob, Joan and I chatted for a while until the mosquitoes came to feed. I had forgotten about mosquitoes! Bug repellent immediately went on the mental shopping list. Bob came put with Off Wipes for Joan and me.
After a bit, my “red drink” was gone and the rain started spattering down. Back to Flo for dinner and TV. Electricity and good television reception!
The next day, it was time to see the the water fall that this park is named for. I took a short stroll through forest with interesting plaques and labels.
At 75 feet, Falling Waters is the highest waterfall in Florida. It is an unusual water fall because the water flows over a cliff and into a sinkhole.
Sinkholes and alligators…hmmm. Florida is sounding a little sketchy.
In response to a request from a Loyal Reader, here is information about sink holes.
A sinkhole is a completely natural occurrence, formed by the same forces that form caves. Rain water absorbs carbon dioxide as it falls through the atmosphere and passes through the soil. This turns the rainwater into a weak a acid – carbonic acid – that dissolves the limestone as it percolates through cracks in the rock.
Sinkholes are usually formed when the roofs of caves become too thin to support the rock and soil above then. The roof collapses and a sink hole is born. That is how it happened at Falling Waters.
Now, there are other sorts of holes that can occur that certainly resemble sink holes.
Guatemala City, Zona 2 2010
This hole opened up in Guatemala in 2010. According to the information I read at the time, it wasn’t a true sink hole. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t be pleased to find this in my neighborhood.
The water sounded lovely as it fell. Click on the link and enjoy it for yourself.
After bidding Scott and Lesley a fond farewell, I hitched up Flo and headed south. My plan was two-fold: get the slow leak in my tire and get ready for my foray into Florida.
I found a tire repair place in Eufaula that wasn’t busy. And, as a bonus, they were easy to get into. I pulled in, told them what I wanted and inside of an hour I was on my way again.
Herndon Tire Company
There was a screw in the tread. They took out the screw and patched it from the inside and all it cost was $15. It hasn’t lost any air since! I wish all repairs were so economical.
Just a little way out of town was an Army Corps of Engineers campground. White Oak Creek Campground. I got a site right on the water, it only cost $24 and it was a PULL THROUGH!
There were two other Airstreams in the campground. I love it when I see other ‘Streamers on the road. I met up and chatted with some of them while I was out for a stroll.
If you look carefully, you can make out one of the Airstreams in the background.
It was wonderful watching the twilight deepen and the wildlife come to the shore. Good thing the wildlife didn’t include the alligators.
My next stop was Phenix City, Alabama, and the driveway camping at the house of my brother Scott and his wife, Lesley.
And another sticker on the map!
It was so wonderful to see Scott. We’re a couple of Kenmorons!
It was great to be “home” for a while. The weather was a much improved – a big change from the weeks of rain I had been experiencing.
And even though I was camping in the city, we had some wonderful sunsets. We sure do live in a beautiful world.
I had hit about every point of interest in the area in previous visits, so this time, I just kind of kicked back and enjoyed life as it came.
Lesley is quite the gardener, and always ready to try something new. This time around, she was trying her hand at growing loofahs. Did you know that they were gourds? I didn’t.
But gourds they are, and when they are dry enough, you need to peel them and take out the seeds.
This is a first attempt for her, so we weren’t sure what to expect. After we peeled them, we set them to dry.
Lesley actually used them for cleaning and they worked just fine.
I took advantage of the good weather to do a little cleaning of my own. When I was attending to the moisture inside the trailer’s windows, I noticed that leaves and pine needles had gotten behind the pebble guards. I figured out how to open them and set to cleaning. Notice the toothbrush. What attention to detail!
We spent some time working on renovating one of their houses. They’ve done a lot of work on this house, just a few things left to go. It has the most delightful screened porch!
When Lesley wasn’t scraping and painting or peeling loofahs, she was cooking.
She’s a great cook. I think this was smothered chicken and rice.
One day, we went across the river to Columbus, Georgia to a food truck event. Crowds. I don’t care for crowds very much. I ordered at the first food truck that didn’t have a line.
I had a crepe mexicaine. It was pretty good. Lesley’s smothered chicken was better, though.
Thanksgiving happened during my visit. Lesley’s son, Frank, and his wife, Lacey, hosted the event.
Frank, Gwendolyn and Scott
Another important part of their family are their dogs. One sure way to get their attention is pull out some food.
That Gwendolyn does get around! Everybody loves a baby!
One item on my “to-do” list was to finally eat at a Waffle House. As ubiquitous as they are down south, I had never been to one.
They even have their own hot sauce.
I had a good breakfast-for-dinner meal, and I had leftovers for later.
My waffle heated up nicely in the toaster.
I also got my water heater fixed. It took a while, but they finally finished the paperwork the day before I hitched up and pulled out.
Elijah helped me get the front window latched down. His help was greatly appreciated.
Ready to roll!
Did I have a good time? Was it great seeing family? Will I come back?
The road from Clemson to Cartersville was a hair-raising one. The traffic on I-85 was as heavy as the rain. I had the scariest road event I’ve had in all my travels. The traffic came to an abrupt stop. I pressed down hard on the brake pedal, kept my hands on the wheel, kept my eyes open and took a deep breath. Luckily, I managed to stop, although it was closer than I would have liked. I wonder how many miles worth of tread I took off my tires?
I always keep what Ithink is an adequate amount of space between me and the vehicle in front of me and drive at a speed that I think is reasonable. This time, my good driving habits really saved me.
I followed the signs and the voice in my phone and made my way to the park office. Now, Georgia has an interesting method of reserving camp sites. You don’t pick your site when you reserve and pay. Once you get there, they assign you a site.
After my hair-raising trip, I looked hopefully at the ranger and asked if they had any pull-through sites. They did!
It was a great camp site. Electricity, water and cable! The cable wasn’t functioning properly at all sites, according to the ranger, but the HD broadcast reception was great, so I didn’t even bother to see if it worked where I was. The restroom and showers were great, too! At $32 a night, the price wasn’t too bad.
The only thing that wasn’t great was the weather. I think it had been raining non-stop for more than two weeks.
One day I went into the nearest town, Cartersville, Georgia. Laundry was on the agenda, as well as getting some food.
I got my washing taking care of and then checked my phone for places to eat. Appalachian Grill got some excellent reviews, so I decided to head there. I put the address in the phone and followed the twists and turns. I was on an overpass when the voice in the phone told me that I had arrived. Uh, the road was a good ways up in the air, so I knew that there was something wrong.
When I got off the overpass, I turned a corner and put in the address again. It directed me to a vacant lot. I figured that this wasn’t meant to be, and thought I’d pull up a bit and pick someplace else.
I got up to the corner, looked to the right, and there it was! It even had plenty of parking. It helps if you stop by on a weekday between meal periods.
And you can see the overpass. The restaurant was right where the voice in the phone told me it was. I just couldn’t get there from where I was. The first step is a lulu!
The restaurant was located in an historic building.
I was about the only person in the restaurant, which I guess happens when you show up between meal periods on a weekday. The service was great, and the atmosphere was a very classy rustic with old-time mountain music recorded by modern musicians playing in the background. It was very relaxing.
I started off my meal with a house salad. It was outstanding. I ate every bit of it. My main course was a Monte Cristo sandwich. The way it was described in the menu made me think it would be as good as the ones I used to get at Great Gritzby’s Flying Food Circus in Chicago back in the 1970’s when I lived there.
For those of you unfamiliar with this sandwich, it is definitely not a heart healthy choice. It is a ham, turkey and swiss sandwich dipped in batter and then deep-fried. It is dusted with confectioners sugar and served with raspberry jam. Oh, my!
I couldn’t finish the sandwich and I only ate about three of the fries.
I also met up with a Facebook friend in Marietta. It took a bit of maneuvering, but we finally got a time that would work. She was in the middle of selling her house. I remember all to well the stress of that adventure.
We met at Kiosco Restaurant, an establishment featuring Columbian food. We had just barely met, chatted a bit and placed our orders when her phone rang. She had just accepted an offer on their house the day before. The phone call was to tell her that she had a plumbing problem. Something had sprung a leak!
She jumped up, and threw some money on the table. She apologized, but I assured her that I understood completely.
I summoned the waiter and explained the situation. I stayed and had my lunch, which was delicious. I didn’t take any food photos this time. Stop in and I assure you that it will be delicious.
After I finished lunch, I set out to explore a bit. I headed for the town square.
It had the requisite fountain in the center.
A statute of a local politician, Alexander Stephens Clay. He served in the Georgia legislature and then in the United States Senate. As a U.S. senator, Clay served as chair of the Committee on War Claims and as a member of the Committee on Woman Suffrage. I found out those nuggets in my research on line. He died in 1910 while in office.
There were workers in the park getting ready for the holidays. They were erecting a skating rink! It looks like they are planning to have some fun there in Marietta.
Another memorial that I found particularly touching was the tribute to the teachers of the years from Cobb County and Marietta Schools. They had handprints of the honorees because they had touch so many lives.
I strolled around the square. It was just marvelous to have a day without rain.
One point of local pride is their theater.
And then I moseyed back to my truck. I parked a few blocks away to make maneuvering in and out of the spot easy. Since it was free parking on the street, I had no complaints.
On the drive back, my HISTORY Here app pinged that I was near something. I was stopped, so I stole a glance at my phone. The General was in Kennesaw. The General was a locomotive that played a roll in a train chase in the Civil War.
The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
I was particularly interested in visiting, as Buster Keaton made a silent movie back in 1926 about the event. At the time, it had some some of the most expensive effects ever used in a film. Although it wasn’t well-received at the time, it is now considered one of the greatest films ever made. We studied the film as an integrated arts units in my class back in the day.
The museum is filled with artifacts from the war, with an emphasis on the manufacturing behind the war effort.
There were also some samples of the different kinds of rails that were in use.
This display reminded me of the iron works I had seen in Scranton, Pennsylvania a few months earlier.
They really did an outstanding job of refurbishing The General.
When I got back to the campground, I noticed that what I thought was rain on the outside of the Flo’s windows was really moisture built up on the inside. All those weeks of rain had taken their toll. I decided to do some maintenance. I cleaned all the windows and the mildewed ledges inside. When I finished, I took care of packing up for the next day’s travels.
And then I did some research on how to control moisture inside the trailer.
And, since I would be staying at my brother’s house for a couple of weeks, I could have it delivered.
