firsts .... a lot of firsts

For Ms Elisha (aka Flo) ...

First trip to Florida ...

First time on a motorcycle ...

I am so glad that Rick, Chester and I were the people that shared these firsts with our girl. I am even happier that her first motorcycle ride was with her Uncle Rick. I have a solo seat on my bike so that first ride couldn't be with me - although I was beside her (sort of, but I guess in all honesty I was behind her and Rick most of the ride - which isn't our usual way of riding 'cause I am traditionally in front).

First time to Georgia ~ first trip to the Okefenokee Swamp ~ aka land of the trembling earth!

First time seeing an alligator - not to mention an alligator in its natural habitat!!!!

How neat is the photo below with the tour guide "poling" the boat out of the area? By the way, that is obviously not our tour guide or the boat we were on. It was quite windy that day (well according to our guide Frank) so I'm a bit surprised this was happening - although perhaps it was for a photo op only? What say you Elisha and Chester???

Does she look like one happy vacationer - I hope?

After we did the swamp tour boat trip we went to the Chesser homestead. Apparently the Chesser family was the last family to live in the "swamp" and were (as intimated) "forced" out of the land.

What an interesting life they must have lead. When we arrived the guide for the property had just locked up and left for the day so we, unfortunately, missed a huge chapter of the swamps existence. The stories this homestead could tell I'm sure.

With all that said, it looks like snow covered land doesn't it? Trust me please this was not snow - it was beautiful white sand ... beach sand so to speak which I found a bit odd since we were miles from any ocean beach, which I would have thought would make such lovely sand - the waves and rocks etc .... but then again, what do I know!

Above is the homestead, below the corn crib - I always thought a corn crib was a small building with wire sides so the corn could dry - what the heck do I know - DAH not so much huh!

Hopefully the photo above can be enlarged - that was the "bathing" area for the family - a bathtub on the porch! good thing there weren't neighbors huh! That'd be pretty darned scary (not to mention illegal I suspect) in an upscale suburban area in 2010!!

On another day of E's vacation we went to St. Augustine which has long been a favorite of ours. We even sent Sir to "camp" for the afternoon (he stays at Pet Paradise Resort when we fly out of Jacksonville and they have a location in St. Augustine as well so he went there to play and make new friends around the pool for a few hours while we did "tourist" stuff).

St. Augustine is one of the places in Florida where you can drive your car on the beach so we did. However, it was so windy that we really didn't play too long there, but it would have been a great take for Elisha if we'd packed a picnic etc. and left early in the morning and headed down there for the day, but as it was we didn't leave for our 60 or so mile trip until after noon! POOR planning wasn't it.

I hope that the photo above indicates that Elisha is indeed having a nice time on the windy beach and isn't all that concerned by the lack of time there! hope hope hope ...

On our way back to the coach we stopped at a 3 for $10. tee shirt joint and got miniature orange trees - I sort of pushed for that souvenir to go back to NY ... I had one many years ago and loved it. I have no recollection of what happened to that tree - I'd had it for many many years and really enjoyed it - the blossoms smelled wonderful then came the oranges - teeny tiny oranges that were bitter as heck but come on how many people do you know who have an orange tree in their living room?

Silliness in closing ~ Sir decided he should take himself for a walk with his big leash! What a clown!

All the events in this post took place while we were in Macclenny, FL (Chester's town). We left there a week or more ago and spent two nights (unfortunately) in St. George, SC at a terrific, small quiet campground we'd been at before and I just love the place. We left there last Friday and headed to Fayetteville, NC to the Elks Lodge that we'd stayed at before as well. Nice friendly warm and welcoming group here and again we have their RV area to ourselves. We thought we'd be leaving Monday morning but I am thinking that will likely not happen - I'd put my money on Tuesday instead. Headed to New Bern area - where Joshua, Trisha and Connor are. We'll be in that area for a week or so then make our way slowly over to Gaffney for the chassis maintenance. In fact I think I may be repeating myself and already mentioned our "plan" (yeah like we really have one) in a previous post!

Good night all ....