March 2020 - Last stops in Florida & off to Mississippi!

After a wonderful visit from Skip & Dakota, we left Goose Pasture Campground heading toward Sunny Hills, Florida. We planned to stop in to help Algis get his lake house ready to sell, and to check out some land Kyle's dad owns in the area. We stopped at his dad's lot first. While surveying the land, we met two sweet stray dogs, had a visit from the sheriff, and one of the nearby neighbors introduced himself. 

We left the camper parked on the lot and headed over to Algis's lake house. We got to hang out there for a few days while we helped get it ready to sell. The lake was beautiful, clear, and fed by multiple springs. There were also some cool trees growing out in the water, and the early morning fog over the lake was gorgeous. There were a few really nice beaches on the lake, and an old park which we kayaked to and explored.

We met one of the neighbors who used to rent the house. He told us the water in the lake had healing properties and swore that he had been healed by it. Apparently a lot of the neighborhood believed that and had for a long time. It was definitely interesting to hear stories of how the neighbors would go swimming together. Though we didn't believe the water had any magic powers, we sure enjoyed the lake while we were there and the dogs loved it too.

While in the area, we checked out Sunny Hills Golf Club in Chipley. It was a great course, but we had some bad experiences with rude staff. 

We also drove down to PCB, reminiscing about our previous Florida adventures with friends and family (click HERE to read about St. Andrews State Park & HERE for St. George Island!). We stopped at Bricks & Barley pizza and ordered a Thai Pie which was out of this world delicious. Our server said she loves when people order that one because it makes the whole restaurant smell so good. After dinner, we went to a nearby beach for a romantic walk under the light of the full moon.

After wrapping up at the lake house, we headed to Wilderness Landing Park in Baker, FL which was recommended to us by another camper at Goose Pasture. On our way out there we heard the dreaded "pop!" that can only be a flat tire. This time we had to pull over on the narrow shoulder of a very busy highway with huge trucks zooming by making the camper sway as they passed. Kyle got it changed within 15 minutes and we were back on the road.

WLP is another awesome free spot, with no reservation needed. Plenty of wide open space, hiking trails, great access to the clean tea-colored water of the Blackwater River, lots of wildlife, and even a bathhouse with HOT showers! It doesn't get much better for free! However, if the sound of helicopters bothers you or perhaps reminds you of a war zone, this may not be the place for you. It must have been in a helicopter training area with medical helicopters flying by every hour or more for the extent of our stay. 

There were beautiful trails near camp where we saw a wild Florida Glass Lizard! 

We also worked on a few projects during our time at WLP like removing the Rockwood labels from the camper and finishing my first embroidered pet portrait! 

While fishing at the river near camp, a family with three little kids came down to swim. The little boy was doing a "survivor man" impression jumping off of rocks and calling to the helicopters to rescue him. It always makes me happy to see kids out enjoying nature and exploring its wonders. We talked to them for a few minutes and they invited us over to their campsite later for s'mores! As it turns out, this was their very first camping trip as a family. I was so excited to get to witness the kids soaking it all in and it seemed like they all really enjoyed it. The whole family was very sweet and the dad even offered to drop us off up river so we could kayak back. We thanked him but passed on the offer. They left the next morning, but not before I was able to give them a little memento I made for their first family camping trip.

Inspired by his offer, we did end up doing a long kayak/bike trip on the Blackwater River. The next morning we left in the truck around 10am to drive downriver and find a place to hide our bikes. We locked them up, set up a bright orange marker (VS-17 Panel) so we would be able to tell where to stop kayaking/where the bikes were, and drove back to camp. We loaded our gear in the kayak and took it down to the water, putting in around 11am. 

We floated slowly down the river, stopping to fish at a few neat beaches along the way. We explored near the springs that fed into the river along the way, mixing clear almost blue water with the orange tea colored water. 

It took us over five hours to make it to the marker - or where the marker should have been. Luckily we'd marked it on the map as well, because the marker was gone! Someone had untied it from the tree and taken it down. We locked up the kayak and rode the bikes back to camp, making it there right around sunset.

About halfway through March we started hearing more about the Coronavirus and that things in the US were starting to get serious. We researched a few alternate options in case the place we were camping closed, and talked about what other precautions we should take. While driving around the nearby campsites we found big signs at each one that they were shutting down as of March 20th for at least 30 days. We just knew our campsite would be next. 

We decided to stock up at Walmart before we had to leave. Seeing the shelves bare of chicken, water, & bread was eye-opening and scary. Literally the only thing left in the chicken area was one pack of chicken "paws". No gloves, masks, hand sanitizer or toilet paper either. Most people looked scared or at least nervous. It was so weird to see the things we take for granted begin to fall apart and to watch people realize the hidden dangers behind what was going on. We checked the Dollar General nearby which did have bread, frozen chicken, & ground beef. 

Early on the morning of the 23rd, a man in a bright yellow vest gave us the news we had been dreading. He said the campground is now closed and that we'd have to leave ASAP. They'd even put up signs saying "No Camping" near the front. We had no choice but to pack up and head out. Before learning about the Coronavirus our plans had been to explore more of the panhandle, then make our way to New Orleans for some good food and fun. Both of those areas were now hot spots for the virus, so we made the decision to find a nearby National Forest instead, where we could be alone out in the woods. 

We left Florida after four amazing months, only stopping once for fuel and Kyle wore gloves at the pump. We were heading to Desoto National Forest, in southern Mississippi. Like many other National Forests, dispersed camping (no hookups) was free with a 14 day stay limit, and from what we could tell on their website that hadn't changed due to the virus. We drove around for a long time trying to find the right spot. Many roads were gated off or closed, some with big puddles that we didn't know the depth of and couldn't risk getting the camper stuck. 

Down one long road that ended at a gate, there was nowhere big enough to turn the truck and camper around. Kyle had to back the truck & camper up about 500 yards, which is no easy feat. It was starting to get dark, so when we hit another dead end at the gate of a hunting camp, we decided to call it a night. We parked in a small muddy clearing next to the gate. There was a sign close by that marked this area as part of the National Forest, so we felt confident that there shouldn't be any trouble. It was not a glamorous spot by any means, and first thing in the morning we left again to find a better spot, and boy did we ever! 

After some map recon and a short drive around, we found the perfect spot on FS35000. It was right next to Cypress Creek and under a big beautiful old tree. When we parked nearby to get out and check the spot before pulling in, a truck pulled in with a dog running alongside. The driver asked if we were camping there, and Kyle said we were planning on it and inquired if it was a good place to camp. The man confirmed that it was and said he lives nearby and has been coming to this spot for 40 years. He actually came to bathe in the creek, so we gave him his privacy and waited to pull in until he was finished. 

We didn't have service there, but we were only about 20 mins from the nearest town (tiny Beaumont) and it was such a great spot right on the clear creek. Once we parked the camper, Kyle set up two hammocks overlooking the creek and we had a great view of the water, even from bed. 

There was a nice little beach just a short walk from camp. The dogs loved playing in the sand, and the easy access to the water. We did quite a bit of fishing but didn't catch anything bigger than a bluegill there. We did see a few bigger fish while looking over the nearby bridge, and a few locals did stop by to fish the creek while we were camping there.

One afternoon while hanging out at camp, we saw a dog in the water running toward us from upstream. Following behind were two other dogs and a human in a kayak. The craziest part is that one of the dogs that had followed it's owner so far downstream and through many obstacles was a tiny chihuahua named Chichi! A local that parked near our camp to walk downstream to fish also recommended kayaking the creek. We figured if Chichi could do it, we could too. We kayaked up & down stream exploring the area, and were intrigued by the soft clay that made up the creek bed. It supported weight and looked like rock, but would easily crumble if squeezed. 

There were many areas where we had to get out of the kayak and drag it over rocks/branches to get back to the water, and even one deeper area where both of us had to get out and balance on a huge floating log while we pulled the kayak over top. It was quite the adventure but well worth the extra work.

Our time on Cypress Creek was so peaceful and quiet. We loved watching and listening to the creek, breathing in the fresh air, and we felt safe in the area. We even had a nice campfire on the beach and made s'mores, which is surprisingly rare for as much as we camp. We had a lot of downtime there and got to catch up on reading, playing guitar, crafting, organization, and tying flies! 

February 2020 - Bear encounter in Ocala National Forest

February was a month to remember! We bought a new truck, had multiple bear encounters, Kyle installed a solar system in the camper, and we had our first (and second) Harvest Hosts experience! We even got a visit from one of our best friends & his sweet dog!

After weeks of hardcore truck shopping, driving all around Florida to countless dealerships and haggling prices with too many car salesmen, we finally found the one through Carvana - a 2018 Nissan Titan XD. It came with a 7 day/400 mile no-questions asked return policy which blew other dealers out of the water, had the best warranty on the market, is perfect for our towing needs, and they would even come pick up our truck and deliver the new one! Confident in our decision, we happily made the purchase and eagerly waited for delivery.

The day finally came but a few hours before it was supposed to arrive we got a phone call. Our new truck was too big to fit on their delivery truck. They offered to drive it out to us, but they were only half an hour away so we opted to go pick it up and see what their facility looked like. The truck was exactly what we hoped for, and the convenience of working with them was amazing compared to fighting with other dealerships. There is no haggling, but we knew it was the best price around since we'd done so much research. Overall working with them was a great experience, and we'd highly recommend checking them out for your next vehicle purchase.

Hooking the Titan up to the camper for the first time!

We drove an hour north to the Ocala National Forest to test our new-to-us truck out on her first adventure! We found a beautiful campsite near Lake Mary. It was way out in the woods, and apparently the home of at least one curious black bear. 

After a short exploratory walk around camp with the dogs, we saw a small black bear (maybe Khaleesi's size - around 50-60 lbs.) wandering along the road. We admired it from a distance and took a few pictures. 

Minutes later, a barefoot woman in her late twenties walked through our camp and told us how the bear had been "pestering" them. She said it even took down her friend's tent and stole some water bottles. Another car that was planning on tent camping overheard this conversation and decided to leave. We felt safe in the camper, but were still bear-aware and made sure there was nothing sitting out to tempt the bear before going to bed. During the night the dogs started growling and Kyle checked outside with a flashlight. Sure enough, the bear was checking out our camper and left some paw prints near the windows where he was sniffing. He also left a bite mark on the plastic part of our propane tank cover! 

Muddy bear print

The bear stayed around camp most of the days we were there, either wandering along the road or sniffing trash other campers left. We kept a close eye on it to make sure we were safe and kept the girls inside most of the time just in case. It did come to our camp site once when just the screen door was closed, which Khaleesi was quick to alert us about, but we were able to close the main door before it was an issue. Then, one evening when we were sitting by the lake, it got a little too close for comfort. 

Kyle and I were relaxing by the water in our folding chair and watching the sunset. It was just starting to get dark when we saw a shadow come out of the trees about twenty yards away and go to the water's edge to drink. It was the same bear! We watched it drink cautiously, waiting for a sign that it was time to move, but the bear seemed very calm and relaxed. It raised it's nose to sniff in our direction and slowly started to wander over, possibly wondering if we had any treats. At no time did we feel endangered from the bear as it was small and staying calm but Kyle was armed just in case. We stayed quiet but ready to move and when it got about thirty feet away we both stood up. The bear seemed startled, like it didn't realize we were there, and started to back away. Then we heard a gunshot and something whizzed right past us. Apparently the other campers (barefoot lady's husband) were shooting at it with a bb gun to try to scare it away. We yelled back at them, letting them know it was not safe to be shooting in a campground when there were people around, and they yelled back that they didn't see us, like that was a good excuse.

The bear took off into the woods and we went back to our camper. A few minutes later, we watched the woman run into the woods after the bear with her dog and the bb gun. Honestly, it's the bear's home when it comes down to it, and they should have left it alone. I know bears can be dangerous, but this one was not hurting anyone, just annoying them. To risk her dog and herself being hurt was not smart, and a bb gun isn't going to do much if you're facing down an angry bear. They were pestering the bear with the bb gun or dog the entire time we were camping there, and I can't help but think that they could have camped anywhere else (not in the bear's home) if it was really that big of an issue for them. We left the next day, because of the people - not the bear.

Harvest Hosts are a group of businesses like breweries, farms, wineries, and more that allow members of the program to camp overnight on their land. Our awesome friend Charlotte got us a membership for our wedding gift in October, and we were finally able to use it this month while working our way north to the Florida panhandle. There weren't many free places to camp along our route, so it was super convenient to pull up their website and see a few that would work! It was also really simple to set up. We just called the day before we wanted to stay to make sure they were able to host us. We were able to stay at two back to back and both were fantastic experiences!

Our first HH stop was Island Grove Wine Company in Hawthorne, Florida. We stopped at their tasting room first to sample the wines and check out what they had for sale. It was really cute and modern, and every wine we tried was delicious. Most were fruity flavors. Our favorites were the Blueberry Moscato & the tropical Sunshine State White Sangria. They even had fresh local honey to sample. After the tasting, we drove to their main building where we'd be parking for the night. It also happens to be in the middle of their blueberry field with little bushes as far as you can see. 

The view was fantastic outside, and pretty neat inside too. We went in and were given a free tour of the back room where the magic happens. The employees were really friendly and helpful. We got to see the giant metal tanks and even watch the wine being bottled and packed for shipping.

After our tour, we sat outside and enjoyed one of the two bottles we bought. It was pretty cool to be surrounded by fields of blueberries while drinking the wine that was made from them. There was a flat trailer with bee boxes in the field behind the building. 

An old man drove up to it and started to check the boxes out, adding more boxes where needed. He wasn't wearing a bee suit but didn't seem to be bothered by them. Kyle and I approached him cautiously and asked if it was safe to come closer. He asked "have you been stung before?" to make sure neither of us were allergic. We told him we had, then he answered a few of our questions. We asked how often he gets stung, and he laughed and admitted "all the time". 

He pulled a panel from one of the boxes that was full of bees and honey to show us, but it slipped out of his hand and hit the ground. The bees were not happy. He stayed calm but we backed away quickly. A few bees followed us though. Kyle got stung on the leg and two bees got stuck in my hair, buzzing angrily. Kyle grabbed them out and the beekeeper warned us to keep our distance so went back to the safety of the camper. 

Even with the other RV that showed up after closing it was very quiet and peaceful, and there was plenty of space to park and turn around. Early the next morning there were big tractors and trucks working out in the fields. When the winery opened, we went in to let them know we were leaving and thank them for allowing us to stay. They said they've had so many Harvest Host campers coming that they even had to turn people away. She said the phone was always ringing with people wanting to camp there. They do get business from it, and it doesn't cost them anything to allow it, but it wasn't "no big deal" either. We bought a few cans to take with us and signed their guest book. 

Though we could have stayed in that blueberry field sipping on delicious wine forever, it's a one night deal so we had to move on. Luckily, we had another awesome stop to move to. Our second HH stop was at Golden Acres Ranch near Monticello, about 2.5 hours northwest of IGWC. 

Right after we pulled up and before Kyle was even done parking the camper, I was asked by Bobby (the sweet lady who runs the place) if I wanted to help feed the baby goats. Like anyone would say no to that! We jumped on the golf cart and headed to the nearby barn where there were goats of all sizes. I got to bottle feed one of the babies while petting it's mom.

They were all really friendly, due to being constantly handled since birth. Bobby raises them to sell for pets and takes some to local schools for educational purposes too. She explained that they are fainting goats but that they don't really faint. It's more of a temporary paralysis where their bodies lock up. We didn't want to scare them, but later I saw one of their sweet dogs playing with a goat and the goat fell over flat. What an interesting survival tactic.

After feeding the goats, she took us on a tour of her beautiful farm. We stopped by the sheep pasture where one had just given birth! I was the first to see that she'd even had twins and Bobby said she'd had as much as quadruplets born on the farm before but that was pretty rare! Throughout the rest of our tour we also saw many chickens, guinea hens, ducks, a donkey, and a mini horse. Can you spot the proud mom and tiny twins way out there?

We also stopped at their shop where they sell crafts like scarves made from wool, jams and jellies including her famous mayhaw jelly made from rare 80 year old trees on the farm, carved walking sticks, local sausage and eggs, fresh honey and more! We bought some mayhaw jelly & satsuma jelly which is a type of cold-hearty orange and both were great!

We took our spoils back to the camper and got set up for the night. Bobby let us park in one of her fenced in fields, so the dogs had plenty of room to run around safely without bothering her animals. They loved the freedom! They also liked watching her Great Pyrenees guardian dogs roaming the farm and keeping an eye on everything. 

It was a chilly and rainy night, but we stayed warm inside and fell asleep to the sounds of farm animals.

Our two quick hops got us up to the panhandle and to our next stop: Goose Pasture Campground in Aucilla WMA near the coast. I was happy that we didn't see a single goose there. This was another beautiful spot with so much to do nearby, and you can camp here up to 10 days with a free online permit. It's a large loop with a nice boat ramp, a few trees and lots of open space to camp. We picked a secluded spot near the back. There was a separate area for group camping, and most of the time we were there it was empty so we'd take the girls on walks on that side and let them play in the clear water.

One of the roads near the campground is named Sinks Road, for good reason. There were huge sink holes and caves to explore all along the road. 

The whole area was pockmarked with springs and old limestone quarries too, many of them having unbelievably bright blue and milky looking water. We saw the weird colored water on the map and had to see if it looked like that in person. It was hard to capture on camera, but it really was bright milky blue.

After getting to spend so long in Florida, it was really neat to check out the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee. Near the entrance there is a huge mastodon skeleton that was pulled from local springs/sink holes. 

They had really interesting displays of ancient tools from over 10k years ago and details of how they were used as humans learned through the ages. It also showed how much the land has changed since humans began living there, and how people have grown with it and been shaped by it and shaped it in return. 

The detailed historical timelines showed how much war and slavery changed the culture and lifestyle and a lot of beautiful history was lost when people had to conform to whoever was in charge at the time. Something I found pretty exciting were the stories and maps of sunken pirate treasure all around the coast of Florida. Maybe someday we'll get to explore some sunken pirate ships! They even had something called the Tin Can Camper - one of the very first RVs!

While nearby, we stopped in at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee and got to watch the Apollo 11 movie in an IMAX theater. The movie is made from real previously unreleased archival footage and to hear their radio communications and the actual sound of the launch was amazing. The work that went into the project was ground breaking and watching it on such a big screen was awesome! They've also got a replica of the moon lander on display and a few other neat exhibits.

During our Goose Pasture stay, Kyle installed our solar system! We are now able to charge our phones, tablet, extra portable batteries and more on sun power alone! It has made a HUGE difference already in our daily lives, and he wrote a detailed post about it HERE if you want more info.

We drove down to Econfina state park/Big Bend WMA near the coast and over a spillway between the ocean and the wetlands. 

The curvy stream heading out to the ocean was shallow and the entire bottom was plastered in sharp brittle oyster shells. That didn't stop us from putting in the kayak and heading out toward the ocean for some fishing and exploring. The shallow water was quivering with schools of tiny fish and the current was stronger than it looked. It was a bit of a struggle to make it out, but worth the view. We beached it on an island of crunchy shells and stretched our legs. 

After standing there for a few minutes, we realized the water was rising quickly. Soon we wouldn't have anywhere to stand, so we turned around and headed back in. We fished for a while from the shore, but didn't see anything bigger than a crab. Kyle technically caught a crab while fishing when it grabbed onto his crawfish lure and wouldn't let go! He pulled it up onto the shore and the crab tried to run back in the water with the lure. 

The sun was beginning to set so we loaded the kayak onto the truck, and climbed the wooden lookout tower for a gorgeous view of the sunset over the ocean.

We wrapped up February with a wonderful visit from our good friend Skip and his sweet dog Dakota. It just so happened that while we were camping at Goose Pasture, Skip was shooting a match in the area! We got to puppy-sit Dakota while he was at the match, and they both got to camp with us for the weekend! We loved to share such a beautiful place with a great friend, and Khaleesi was very excited to have her buddy Dakota to run and play with. 

The guys kayaked around camp and saw gators and a bald eagle! We took them both on a tour of sinks road and the quarry, and even drove back down to Econfina State Park together to see the ocean. 

Life on the road can get lonely. We're so far from family and anyone we know, and rarely have service to stay caught up with everyone. To have Skip (& Dakota) visiting meant a lot to all of us, and we are so excited for future visits together in other awesome places.