We enjoyed a nice, quiet week in Cedar Key on the coast with our
friends (Clarke & Elaine) from California.  We parted ways last
Saturday when we headed on to Silver Springs which is inland just
outside of Ocala.  This was a very nice park but quite different from
the one at Cedar Key.  We spent a couple of days riding the RZR on
some trails in the forests, had a couple of days with rain and spent
some time shopping in Ocala.  We were in search of a new recliner for
the coach.  The old Lazy Boy we used this fall was not going to last
much longer so when we were in this winter and emptying the house, we
switched it out with our office chair for a temporary fix.  We decided
on the recliner we wanted after measuring our "space" and a lot of
chairs and after sitting in several recliners.  Now the task is
finding the chair we want in the color that will work for us.  No luck
with the color in the three stores we visited in Ocala.  Forest
emailed and called several furniture stores along our route home in
search of the Lazy Boy we decided on.  A furniture store in Lake City,
FL has the recliner we want and maybe the color we want.  Now the
search continues.

SO...  yesterday we got everything ready for our morning departure.
This morning after coffee and breakfast we unplugged and headed out
about 9AM.  Lake City is about 1 1/2 hours from Silver Springs.  We stopped
at the last rest stop before our exit and unhooked the truck.  I drove
the truck to the store and Forest followed in the coach.  It was an
easy drive from the interstate to the store.  Forest was able to turn
the coach around in the parking lot across the street from the
furniture store and park in that parking lot, thanks to the business
being closed.

It is our lucky day!  The George Etheridge Furniture Store in Lake
City had the recliner we were looking for in a color we liked.  In no
more than 15 minutes the bill was paid and the recliner settled in to
its new home.  Wheels rolling again with our new purchase in place,
next stop ...... lunch at the first rest stop on I-10 westbound.

We will be stopping at a sheep and goat farm in Monticello, FL for the
night.  Tomorrow we will continue on to Falling Waters State Park in
Chipley, FL for the night.  This state park has the tallest water fall
in Florida, hope the water is falling.  Monday we plan to stop in
Crestview to join Julie and Harry for lunch.  Then we will continue on
to our next stop in Summerdale, Alabama for a couple of nights.  Plans
are to arrive in Thibodaux on Wednesday.

Hope all is well with everyone!

And now for some pictures from Forest:

no idea who Big Ed was but he was truly loved!

a couple more from the Cedar Key cemetary

Falling Waters State Park, the waterfall drops 100' into the sinkhole below.

then disappears only to resurface somewhere unknown.

 

Rzr'ing

We packed up and left Cedar Key on Saturday around 11am.
Really enjoyed this campground and getting together with Clarke and Elaine.  We met a few new friends and will plan to meet up with them as we travel around.  The people here were really friendly and the sunsets were incredible.
We moved a whole 75 miles, took almost 2 hours!
Pulled into Wilderness RV Resort for a week in the gated class A only section for half price thanks to our Passport America membership.  This campground is very nice with huge sites.
Yesterday we took the RZR riding in the Ocala National Forest.  Had fun running the trails in the loose sand through the woods.
Today we went to a different place in the ONF.  Even more fun, even got Cindy to drive!  She might have even enjoyed it.
No pictures didn't want to take my camera out in all the dust, but here is a track of our trail riding from today:

Ocala Trail Riding 

Spring cleaning

After enjoying a few more days here in Cedar Key we drove up the Suwannee River with Clarke & Elaine to see a few springs.  The first one was Manatee Springs and unfortunately due to the warm weather this last week there were no manatees in the spring.  But it was really pretty.  Think of Lake Verret with all of the cypress trees but sandy bottom and crystal clear water.  Manatee Spring averages 80 to over a 100 million gallons of water each day boiling up through the spring into the Suwannee River.  The water is incredibly clear and keeps the tannic brown water (which is still pretty clear) from the Suwannee from entering the spring.
After enjoying Manatee Spring we drove up to Fanning Springs which was a really neat state park right on the edge of town.  The ranger we talked to says they average 1200 people each day in the summer.  These springs all have a nice roped off swimming area and the water is 72 degrees all year.  There were a few people swimming in Fanning Spring.
We then drove a little more to Otter Springs Park, a nice campground run by the city park department.  This spring wasn't quite as nice but the campground was nicer.
In my senior year of college me and a couple friends scrounged up some camping gear, loaded up our scuba gear and spent a couple weeks camping and diving at some of these same springs.   Kind of brings back memories.  Then when we were first married we would drive up to Vortex and Morrison Springs with some friends and dive all weekend.
Then we made groceries at Winn Dixie and headed back to Cedar Key. 
Our group had a potluck dinner tonight.  We contributed gumbo which was enjoyed by all.
All in all another enjoyable day in Florida.  Even though it was very windy.  We have the cold front coming through tonight.  Still windy and there is a chill to the air.  It'll be nice to sleep with the windows open tonight, if Cindy lets me.

Cedar Key

Well we couldn't stand it anymore.  Only seeing sun for a couple days in a couple weeks, that's why we decided to move into the coach.  It's got wheels!
Monday was a fun relaxed day.  Scott and Ella and Unca Mike came visit us and we bbq'ed.  Really enjoyed their visit and even walked up on the levee.  We showed Ella the tugboats in the Mississippi River.  Then we sat on the levee and threw rocks for a while.
Tuesday morning we left Poche Plantation and headed east.  We drove to Quincy, FL and spent the night at a small campground right off I-10.  It was just a grassy field with hookups but was very quiet.  Then Wednesday morning we had a relaxing drive into Cedar Key and pulled into our campsight.  This place is really neat, kinda reminds us of Grand Isle.  Just a small town right on the Gulf with real friendly locals.  The camp sites are kinda small but the people here are friendly.  The neighbors on our left played music for a while Wed. afternoon.  Really enjoyed having the windows open getting a nice cool breeze and listening to nice music.
Later we met up with Clarke and Elaine  (http://whatsnewell.blogspot.com/).  We met them in Creede, CO then again in Santa Fe, NM.  We missed them last year in Texas but they were able to stop and stay at our (former) house for a while and see Thibodaux.
We walked into town and ate at Blue Desert Cafe.  Cindy had a caesar salad and I had a bowl of hearty bean soup with andouille, then we split an order of eggplant parmesan.  It was really good.
Yesterday we walked into town again with C&E and they showed us the town.
Today we had breakfast at Kona Joe's with C&E then Cindy and I walked into town and saw the local museum.  Very interesting history in Cedar Key.  At one time it was the major railroad/seaport for Florida on the Gulf Coast.  But as usually happened in the late 1800's and early 1900's before the communications we have today hurricanes wiped out the area a couple of times.  But the locals have persisted.  They even have an ordinance that prevents any chain stores or restaurants from opening in Cedar Key.  Apparently they don't want to lose the charm and end up like Destin.  Not a bad idea.
Today we walked over to a tiny bar next door to watch sunset which of course is really nice being on the Gulf.  We also met another couple Chris and Cherie whose blog I've been following  http://www.technomadia.com/       Cherie entertained us with fire-dancing!  Very impressive.  These are flaming chains!  Really neat. 
So far we are enjoying our first trip as fulltimers.  Getting into a daily routine of walking into town which is about 3-4 miles roundtrip.  We're also trying to eat a bit healthier.  Well that's it for today except for a few pictures.  Hope you enjoy!

Rain, rain, go away!

This weather is just crazy, we sold the house a week ago and drove home (to the coach) in the rain.  And it has rained almost continually since.  We've had a couple days when it just drizzled a bit but most days it rained hard all day and night.  The fields all around are like lakes.  Finally might see some sun tomorrow through the weekend.  But it's so wet everywhere it's just nasty.
So, Tuesday we leave for Cedar Key, FL.  We plan to meet up with Clarke & Elaine (http://whatsnewell.blogspot.com/)  and spend 10 days or so there.  They have been fulltiming for over a year so it'll be good to get some stories and advice from them.  Then we'll meander up through Florida maybe around Crystal River, Ocala Forest, then up to the Suwanee River.  Should find some nice trails to ride the RZR on.  Scared to ride it around here, might sink in the mud.
Then we'll head home in time to spend a couple days in New Orleans at the French Quarter RV Resort so we can watch Scott run his first marathon.  Go Scott!
After that we'll spend a few days in Thibodaux then head west.
So far fulltiming is working out pretty good, even not being able to get out much.  Cindy has been visiting her mom a lot helping her. 
Today we spent some money getting our eye exams and glasses done.  Then we went to Scott's to let in the a/c guy to repair his heater.  We don't use our heaters much down here but when it doesn't get over 40 during the day it's nice to have a heater.  Then Cindy picked up Ella from school.  She enjoyed a couple of the last of our oranges, a satsuma and a "knife orange" as she calls the Louisiana sweet (similar to a valencia but sweeter) since you need a knife to peel it.
I'm typing this on my new Logitech mini wireless keyboard.  Nice, what's really great is now I can put my laptop out of the way and use the wireless Keyboard and mouse and my 22" monitor.  Really gives me much more space on my "desk".  Got it for $24 + free 2 day shipping with Amazon Prime (thanks for the suggestion Clarke).  The free 2 day shipping will be great when we need something on the road, plus I was able to add our kids to my account so they can benefit from it also.
Well that's it for now.  Look for another update when we get to Cedar Key.

Snow

No not in Louisiana.  We're here in Red Lodge, Montana with Scott, Bevi, Ella, Unca Mike, and Jessica for a week.  Last year we did our first (and hopefully last) home exchange with Don and Becky.  They stayed at our home in Thibodaux for a week and now we are using our part of the exchange.  We flew up on Thursday, rented a couple cars and drove from Billings to Red Lodge.
Beautiful scenery and snow everywhere.  Friday we played in the snow at the house, Ella's first snow.
Then yesterday the kids went skiing while we played with Ella.  We met them for lunch and watched them (try to) ski.  Today we may drive into town and check out the wildlife sanctuary.
There are deer everywhere, Ella has been enjoying feeding cocoa puffs to the deer.
Monday we have a sleigh ride scheduled in town for the group.
Oh yeah, still waiting on closing.  Supposed to be the 21st, then the 26th, now won't be until late next week.  It seems the underwriter keeps coming up with another document needed from the buyers.  You'd think they would have gotten all of this done when they first scheduled closing.  Anyway we hope it'll be soon.  We are completely out of the house, what furniture and other things we are keeping are in storage.  Families and friends have taken what they wanted, Habitat Restore made 3 trips to pick up stuff.  Our plans are to travel in the coach for a few years then buy a much smaller house or condo later.

Important update

We finally have a sale on the house!!
We were in Phoenix when our agent called.  The house was off the market, we decided to relist it in the spring.  After showing our house we received an offer, went back and forth and finally got a price that would work.  So we decided to drive back in the coach.  Unfortunately Cindy got a call that her aunt Nez had passed away.  She lived a great life to 94!  We will all miss her dearly.
We drove to El Paso on Sunday and Monday morning brought Cindy to the airport so she could fly home for the funeral.  I spent the next few days driving through Texas.  Finally made it home on Wednesday just in time to see Ella in her school Thanksgiving skit.
Well we've been pretty darn busy getting ready to sell and disposing of quite a lot of stuff.  We will put just a few pieces of furniture and tools from the barn into storage while we spend a few years living and travelling in the coach.  One day we'll buy another place, probably at the Greens in Pelican Point.  But there is no reason to buy anything just now.
Got a call yesterday, the appraisal is accepted and we are just waiting for the closing date.  Supposed to be the 21st. 
So I guess that means we better move our stuff into storage this weekend.  Then we plan to stay at Poche Plantation RV in Convent until mid-February.  Scott is running his first marathon in the Mardi Gras Marathon so we'd like to be there to cheer him on.
Oh yeah, Santa came early and dropped off my present: