Blue Spring State Park, Part 2

Day two at Blue Spring, and everyone was up early. Bob went out in search of coffee for himself and Jen. Gary went out for ice and breakfast. With their missions accomplished, Bob and Gary returned. Bob and Jen wanted to rent a kayak and do some sightseeing on the river before the crowds got heavy, and Gary was planning to take the 10AM river tour on the cruise boat. The three of them left, and me, the tent, and the Nissan Figaro held down the fort. I don't think there was a single person passing by our campsite that didn't stop and look at the Figaro. That little car is a real people magnet. In the early part of the afternoon, Bob and Jen returned and went out for awhile in the Figaro. Gary returned too, and headed out for some antique shopping in town. Later in the day, everyone returned, had some dinner, and hung out and talked. Jen spotted a turtle near the restrooms, and took a picture of Gary with it. Those turtles can live to be REALLY old, but I'll bet Gary still has a few years on him (HA-HA!!!). Everybody was tired from a long and active day, so bedtime came early. This would be our last night with Bob and Jen. On Saturday morning, they would be heading to Winter Park (near Orlando) for a car rally and to meet up with another Figaro owner. Gary would be heading to Daytona for the spring car show at the speedway. As for me, it would be an exceptionally quiet day. No Gary, no Bob, no Jen, no tent, no Figaro, and nobody stopping by to oogle over that cute little car. It would prove to be a good day to hang out and enjoy the campground. It ended up raining on Saturday afternoon, but it was over by the time Gary got back. Gary watched some videos on Saturday night, and we packed up and headed back to St.Augustine on Sunday morning. This was probably our last actual camping trip until the fall, but Gary continues to sleep in me every night in the garage. I know with the ever increasing heat and humidity, that those days will no doubt end soon as well. But no complaints from me. We have been a lot of places since the weather got cooler last October, and Gary has spent more time with me than ever. I'm a happy little Serro Scotty. I'll keep you posted if and when things happen around here, so stay tuned.

Blue Spring State Park, Part 1

There was lots of activity going on here last Wednesday that involved little old me. Gary was loading camping stuff into the van, and then I got hitched up and my lights checked. A camping trip was apparently going to happen, but to where? On Thursday morning, we left the Green Acres Garage and headed 85 miles south to Blue Spring State Park. We had never been there before. It was well worth the relatively short drive. Gary had booked campsite number 10 for us, and I knew as soon as we pulled in that we were going to like this place. The wooded campsites were pretty and roomy. Not long after getting me set up, Gary was heading to the restroom when he saw this highly unusual little car coming down the road. The car stopped at the restroom, and Gary talked with the owners (Bob and Jen from Wisconsin) about it. The car is a Nissan Figaro. It was made in 1991, one of only 20,000 built, and one of only five known to be inside the United States. This particular car was once owned by actress Rose McGowan. In talking with Bob and Jen, Gary found out they had wanted to camp in their tent at Blue Spring, but the campground was full. Since Gary is a gearhead, he had an immediate bond with Bob & Jen, and asked them if they would like to pitch their tent at our campsite if the park would allow it. They were thrilled. The park had no problem with us sharing a site, and Bob and Jen and their little Figaro moved in. The picnic table was moved to my left side, and the tent was set up right next to my door. Bob and Jen were SOOOOOOO nice. They own a fleet of cars and a van that ironically is named "Toaster". How about THAT? It was fun to have company. After setting up their tent, Bob and Jen headed out to do some shopping, and Gary went out to explore the park. Bob and Jen and Gary went down to the spring on Thursday night to watch the abundance of fireflies that are seen for a limited time in the area. Most of the fireflies hang out by the spring, but a few were in the campground area too. I had never seen them before. That was REALLY cool. We were all tired and turned in fairly early. We sure had fun on our first day at Blue Spring.

Morgan Farms, Woodbury Georgia

Once we left Lakepoint Resort State Park in Eufaula, Alabama, it was less than 100 miles to Pat and Dan's farm in Woodbury, Georgia. Our last visit there was last spring. When we were there, Jaclyn the donkey was born. She's a big girl now and we were anxious to see her again. We stopped at Ingle's grocery store for some carrots, after all, we couldn't come to the farm empty handed. Jack, Diane, and Jaclyn were going to LOVE those carrots. Pat and Dan met us at the front gate, and the donkeys weren't far behind. Usually when we get there, I get parked near my usual spot at the pump house shed, then Gary heads out to give the donkeys their treats. But this time, he promised to include me in the fun. He fed the donkeys the carrots while standing inside my door. Those donkeys would have walked right inside of me if Gary would have let them. They're so funny! After eating the two-pound bag of carrots, Gary closed my door while talking with Pat and Dan. The donkeys were all around me, smelling and rubbing against me. It was a little scary having animals that big all over me, but I knew they wouldn't hurt me. A short while later, Gary parked me near the pump house where I get my power from, and that's where I stayed for three nights. Pat and Dan and Gary did a little work, but goofed off even more. They went antique shopping in some nearby towns, had lunches at a couple of places that Gary hadn't been to before, and drove all over the area looking at property. I hung out with the donkeys, the goats, and the chickens, and rested up for my long ride home. We left on Thursday around noon, and got home to St.Augustine around 7PM. The van traveled almost 900 miles, and I was right behind him for about 800 of those miles. No wonder I'm tired! Now that I've finished posting about our trip, I'm going to hang out in the Green Acres Garage and do nothing for awhile. Doing nothing is what I do best. Another adventure is close at hand, but I don't know where we're going to yet. You'll know when I know. Bye-bye for now.

Lakepoint Resort State Park, Eufaula, AL., Part 4

Sunday morning began with everyone packing up that had to leave. By late morning, everyone was gone but Debbie and Bubbles and Gary and I. Debbie and Gary went out for lunch and to do a little antique shopping in Eufaula. Bubbles and I had some alone time together. It was VERY quiet with nearly everyone in the campground gone. When Debbie and Gary returned, they talked and listened to music for a couple of hours, then went for a walk. Debbie showed Gary where the campground beach was in another part of the park. When they returned, they hung out like they had done earlier. It seemed like it got late very quickly, and it was time for bed. Our last night at Eufaula had come. Gary got up early on Monday morning and took some pictures of the lake and our campsite. Debbie made breakfast, and after eating, the campsites were broken down. Bubbles and I said our final goodbyes as we headed out of the park. It was a fun and fast four days, and we met lots of nice people that we hope to camp with again. Bye-bye, Eufaula. Next stop: Woodbury, Georgia.

Lakepoint Resort State Park, Eufaula, AL., Part 3

Debbie and Sherry are definitely good cooks. In no time flat, they had whipped up enough breakfast for the whole gang. Even though I don't eat, I do know good smells when I'm near them, and there's nothing like the smell of good camping food. Gary must have been hungry. He was out of bed and hanging out in Debbie's camp kitchen before she had the first piece of bacon in the pan. Just like the previous evening, everybody hung out and visited for most of the day on Saturday. Friends of the families came and went as the day progressed. There was fishing going on at the lake for some, and the youngest girls rode bikes and played with the dogs. Everybody new that came by checked out Bubbles and me. All the women liked how pretty Bubbles was, and the guys enjoyed my "man-cave" qualities. Gary checked out Ron and Sherry's Hilander named "Tiger" which is in the process of a makeover. They also own a second Hilander named P.J., a '73 model that will someday be turning heads itself. The day ended with another huge meal consisting of "hobos" that are wrapped in foil and made in the fire, and lots more conversation. Saturday would be the final night for everyone but Debbie and Bubbles and Gary and I. The time was flying by, but luckily, we still had one more night of camping to go.

Lakepoint Resort State Park, Eufaula, AL., Part 2

Gary and I slept pretty well during our first night. We had tried to catch a few hours of sleep at a rest stop along the way to Eufaula, but it was just too noisy. With the new day upon us, we looked forward to the arrival of Debbie and Bubbles. They arrived early, and parked in the spot right next door to us. Debbie has camped for most of her life, so Gary wasn't much help in lending a hand while she was getting Bubbles set up. He's kind of a rookie at this camping stuff. Debbie had everything from pink flamingo lawn decorations and lights, to a vintage ovenette and an ice maker. She even has a tent she sets up as a camp kitchen. That girl comes equipped! Bubbles was cute, and I didn't have any objections to checking her out the whole weekend. After getting everything set-up, Debbie and Gary went out on a supply run to Wal-Mart. With that done, we all hung out and got to know each other while waiting for the others to arrive. Debbie's son Jed, his son Hunter, and his girlfriend Sherry arrived with their pop-up. Then Ron and Sherry Muzyka arrived in their '81 (we think) dual-axle Hilander, along with their son Ronnie, his daughter Kallan, and his girlfriend Tonya. Ronnie, Kallan, and Tonya set up a tent next to Ron and Sherry's Hilander. Everybody visited, and I got to meet everyone as they came over to check me out. So, this mini Scotty rally was under way.

Lakepoint Resort State Park, Eufaula, AL., Part 1

Gary decided to go to see his sister and her husband at their farm in Georgia. It has been nearly a year since we were there last. But first, we spent four nights at Lakepoint Resort State Park in Eufaula, Alabama. It's only about a hundred miles from the farm, so it was a convenient place to spend a few days. Arrangements had been made to meet up with Facebook friends Debbie Donaldson and Sherry Muzyka since they live fairly close to the campground. Gary and I had never met them before, and Debbie has a cute little Scotty Hilander named "Bubbles" that I was particularly interested in meeting. We arrived on Thursday, March 15th. We were there alone for the first day and night. After getting me set up, Gary wandered through the park taking pictures as he usually does. The park is big and pretty, with over two hundred campsites spread over four different loops. The Clark Loop where we stayed is the only one that is right on the lake. All of the campsites along the banks of the lake were taken, but we were right across the street and had a great view. As usual when we camp, I was the smallest and oldest trailer there, but that's alright. I like being different. It was quiet and peaceful, even though a fishing tournament was going on. There were lots of squirrels, and a couple of very friendly ducks that came by for visits. Our first day was nice, but we were rather tired after the long drive. The real fun would begin on day two when our new friends would arrive.

It's NICE Out Here!

Gary has been busy rebuilding a large shed for the last few days. All of the parts to the shed have been stored all around me in the garage for nearly a year. They take up a LOT of room and block my view, so I'll be happy when they're gone. Today, I needed to be moved from my usual spot so that Gary could access some more of the shed parts. At first, I barely got my head out the door. But Gary needed more room to work, and I got to go ALL THE WAY outside. Man, I've been missing a lot in the couple of weeks since I was outside last. The first thing I saw was this pile of dirt. It's here for a reason, but I'm not going to ask any questions. As long as I don't have to shovel it, I don't care. It's a BIG pile! Once I was all the way out, I could see the big oak tree in the back yard. It had no leaves on it, and the grass was brown the last time I saw them. Now the oak is beginning to look alive again, and the grass is greener. What happened to winter? It sure looks like spring around here to me. What a beautiful day! The wind was gusting, but the sky was blue, the sun was out, and the humidity was low. Perfect! Gary finished what he needed to do with the shed parts, and now I'm back in the garage again. I sure hope Gary takes me camping soon. If everyday is like today was, then it's just too nice to be inside.

Happy Birthday To ME!!!!!!!

Boy, I must have been sleeping pretty soundly to not notice that Gary was awake and decorating me for my 40th birthday. What a surprise! I've never had a party in my whole life. It's been a fun day. I've gotten several e-mails from friends wishing me a Happy Birthday, my Aunt Sandy got me a cool Happy Camper flag, and Gary even bought me a tiny little cake with my name on it. I am indeed a blessed little trailer to have so many friends and fans. I sincerely thank you all for thinking of me and being so kind. Ironically, Gary's birthday is the same as mine, but he's a little (well actually a LOT) older. So, Happy Birthday to the best owner a little Serro Scotty could ever have. He's been so good to me that I'm even going to give him most of my cake. After all, I need to watch my weight now that I'm 40. I am SO happy today. Many many thanks for making this the best day of my life. I LOVE you guys!

"Dramping" in St.Petersburg

By now, all of you that read my blog know how much I like to travel and camp. There's one exception to the rule, and that's having to go to Gary's house in St.Petersburg. I guess I don't like going because Gary hates going there so much. But, we all have to do things we don't like, and Gary needs me to be his home away from home when he's there. I wonder sometimes how the heck he ever survived without me? As usual before going on a journey, Gary doesn't sleep much if any at all. This was another one of those times. So, we headed out in the middle of the night, and stopped at a rest stop along the way for a few hour's sleep. That's me at the rest stop in the first photo. It was pretty nice, and they had an area for large trucks and an area for little trailers like me. Those big trucks are NOISY, and since we weren't close to them, sleeping was MUCH easier. We headed towards St.Petersburg not long after sunrise, and arrived before noon. It was an uneventful trip, and we've been there so many times now, that I know the roads very well. Once there, Gary set me up on the driveway under that HUGE triple-trunk oak tree. That thing is big-time scary, but Gary always assures me that I won't be crushed by it. I've told you before about Gary's oddball variety of camping names like yamping (yard camping) or gamping (garage camping). He came up with a new one this time: dramping (driveway camping). I gotta love the guy, even though I don't think he's rowing with both oars all the time. Anyway, we spent 5 nights and 6 days there. Gary worked hard on the house, making repairs, changing locks, and LOTS of cleaning. He welcomed a new tenant to the place on our last day there, and then it was time to go. Leaving there is always our favorite part of the trip, and coming back home to beautiful St.Augustine is the icing on the cake. We spent the night yamping in the front yard, and now I'm back in my house with my trailer brothers Scotty and Henry. As he has done all this year, Gary is still spending every night in the comforts of my comfy front bed. I have four beds in me, you know. He likes the front one because it's the biggest one and the closest one to the TV. It looks like there won't be any more trips for at least a month. Gary is still thrashing away on his projects here at home. All is well in the Green Acres Garage, and both Gary and I are thrilled to know we don't have to go back to the dreaded St.Petersburg area for awhile. Hooray for that!