St. George State Park, Fl

02/21/09 We left Mexico Beach at 1:00 (we had to wait for the office to open to get our mail and wait for someone to fill our propane tank-office closed for lunch). We crossed two very long bridges, one from Apalachicola to Eastpoint. And one from Eastpoint to St George Island. I told Joe I felt like it must feel like going to the Keys. On the island the GPS took us to a dead end street, and indicated we had arrived. There were just houses on the beach around us. Obviously the GPS was confused. The GPS has helped us tremendously and we would have made many mistakes without it. But when you get in the boonies, sometimes it gets confused. As Joe was surveying the situation, a man came out of a house. He told Joe the Park was about 2 miles down the road. We unhooked the car, so Joe could get turned around. At the end of the island you enter the State Park. After your enter the gate, you drive 4 miles of white sand dunes before you turn into the park. It is a very beautiful island. The island is 20 miles long, with the last 8 miles of the island being state owned.




As we pull into the park, I thought I saw a RV like Dawn and Jeff"s, the couple we meet at Grayton State Park. We knew they were coming here, but I thought they would be gone by the time we arrived. Our lot # was 30, and was very nice. After setting up, we walked Mallery around the park. When we came to the RV that looked like Dawn and Jeff"s, Joe went up and knocked on the door, not seeing them in their back yard. After hugs and hand shakes, we talk awhile, then headed home for dinner. They invited us over for an Oscar Award Party tomorrow night. We are in another dead zone-no phone and a weak Internet connection, and no cable. And to top that, we are in a state park, and that means no sewer! Time to conserve again, and park camp showers.

02/22/09 -( 4 months on the road)- This morning we walk on a two mile trail on the island off from the campground. As we got farther into the woods, we started to get where it was near ponds and what they call slough (waterways between the ocean and bay). Naturally Mallery wants to sniff the brush off the trail. I had to keep pulling her back. I picked up a big stick, ready to hurt any alligator who might grab my baby. After our walk, we drove across the bridges to try to find a phone connection. We ended up having to drive 40 miles back to Mexico Beach, before we got enough bars on the phone to make a call. We needed to call and find our next stop. After 30 miles back, we stopped in Apalachicola for groceries. We got home at 6pm, dashed into the RV, put the groceries away, and headed for Dawn and Jeff's RV . We brought strawberries and fruit dip, crackers, cheese, rice krispy snacks. They provided pizza with truffles, devils eggs, celery, cherry tomatoes and guacamole sauce, & pot stickers. We had a great time. They are a great couple and fun to know. The biggest plus was Dawn help me with my computer. I brought it over and was having some issues with my blog. She solved all my problems and we were home by midnight.

02/23/09 Today we did some dreaded paper work, I sent our youngest daughter a 28th birthday e-card. (in a dead zone-she thought I had forgot her birthday, because I didn't call, until I talked to her on instant messenger and explain our situation- I had already sent a regular card and had bought her b-day present when visiting her in Alabama)

Our 28 year old daughter -Happy Birthday Tiffany

We went to a beach off the State Park to take Mallery for a walk on the beach. After our walk we stopped at a fresh fish vender on the island and bought some Amber Jack and smoked Mullet. Joe grilled the Amber Jack for dinner. Yummy!

Sand Dune leaving campground

02/24/09 Mallery woke us up in the middle of the night with one of her coughing, and choking episode. It took us a while to calm her down. I gave her some Melaleuca pro-vex, in her favorite treat It seemed to do the trick. Needless to say we slept in -or should I say, we slept in longer than usual. After Joe got back from a chilly shower in the bathhouse (hot water ran out on a chilly morning and no heat in the bathhouse), we walked Mallery around the campground and stopped to talk to a couple from Washington Ia. They have been on the road since January and were headed back to Iowa. We drove to the beach and walked an hour and 45 minuets. (There was a lot of shell hunting with that walk). After lunch, we drove around looking at the houses on the bay side of the island and watched a beautiful sunset. We got home by 7pm, and Joe complained he felt he was traveling with his brother Dave!( ever -ready travel bunny)

Found this on the beach. Anyone know what it is? We don't.

Anyone know what this is? We think it is some kind of spine from some animal.

Sand Dunes on island

Bridge coming across to Island Bayside

Cutie yard ornaments we saw while driving around in someones yard. As I'm taking the pics the owner drives into the drive. I just give a big smile!
Bay Sunset
02/25/09 Drove across the 2 large bridges to the small community of Apalachicola. This town and this area produce 90% of all the oysters produced in Florida. We walked around the historic down town, which has been turned into quaint little shops. We had lunch at the Seafood Grill. Joe had the oysters and I had crab cakes, and key lime pie. ( pie was good but not as good as my friend Val's key lime pie-I hope I'll get some from Val, the next time I see her with that compliment). Back at the camp we saw 8 foot alligator in the pond next to our campground. I've been telling Joe I wanted to see an alligator in the wild. Another first!



Lots of these jelly fish on the beach

02/26/09 Today we pack a lunch to walk to the end point of the Island, to reach the bay side. We knew it would be a long walk, so we brought snacks also so we could take a few breaks besides lunch. I wanted to do the walk, because there are more shell at the point, because the only way to get there is to walk. Joe was a good sport and went with me, though on our way back it was getting hot (at least for Joe), and I could tell he wasn't having fun anymore. He did help me carry my 20 lb bag of shells off and on, besides the backpacks we had. Our trip was a 5 1/2 hour one, and Joe said we would not do that again.

Lunch on the State Park Bay

My find
Joe's Find

Oppressive/Compulsive Personality

02/27/09 Today I clean, sort, & pack all my shells. It is a warm sunny day in the 70's. Joe went to a fresh fish market on the island and bought some Amber Jack, Grouper, Reds, and 1 pint of Oysters. I had Amber Jack and I tried 2 oysters, and Joe ate the rest of the oysters for dinner. Joe founds some wood from the woods and he successfully built our first campfire since we've been on the road. We burned some sensitive papers, since we don't have our shredder with us.