We're Not in Kansas Anymore

When we first considered snowbirding, Florida was our top destination. Geoff has fond childhood memories of visiting extended family near Miami, his parents once owned a condo near Hollywood Beach, and we recently considered purchasing property in Pensacola. However, trying to book a waterfront lot in October for a January arrival proved impossible. Once we discovered (and booked) the six-week stay at Sargent Beach , however, Geoff decided he did not want to return to Kansas until April so as to avoid any late-season snowfall. So... we extended our snowbird adventure and chose to explore inland Florida options. Following our 2-2-3-4 rule , we will travel the 950 miles over the course of seven days. I will combine some genealogy research along the way, and we have one unique campground experience booked as well. This is our attempt at enjoying the journey rather than solely focusing on the final destination 😊 Itinerary: Sargent Beach, TX to Keystone Heights, FL Day1: Sargent Beach, TX ...

It's hard to believe we have "lived" at Sargent Beach RV Park for five weeks! While one of us is ready for the next adventure, the other could stay here indefinitely and enjoy the serenity of a sleepy, coastal town. However, we will say goodbye next week and embark on a 900-mile trek across Highway 10 to Florida. We are currently planning our itinerary using our revised travel guideline. In a previous post , I explained the 2-2-2 rule, which we now modified to suit our traveling personalities. We call this one the 2-2-3-4 rule . Take a break every 2 hours  Travel no more than 2 consecutive days in a row and ensure the next stop is a 2-day layover Travel no more than 300 miles a day Arrive no later than 4:00 pm My pelican friends -- Lucy and Ethel The first rule is more for Hero than it is for us. He needs to get out of the rig and walk around, otherwise, his anxiety takes over. And we are more than willing to accommodate his special needs. While we are learning to enjoy...

Chasing 70 Degrees is a popular expression full-time RVers use to describe this transient lifestyle.  They plan their itinerary with this weather consideration in mind. There are several reasons why Chasing 70 Degrees is a good travel guide: Retirees, such as ourselves, are more susceptible to the cold. We chill faster and thaw slower. Seventy degrees is near perfect: not too hot and not too cold. The chance of encountering severe weather is reduced when the temperatures remain moderate. Snow is not an issue, of course. But severe thunderstorms threaten safe driving conditions on travel days. A temperate climate reduces the need for a heater or air conditioner. Comfortable temperatures are maintained simply by opening or closing the windows. This is particularly helpful if boondocking (that is, dry camping without any hookups to electric, water, or sewer... an affordable way to travel). This past week, after experiencing winter weather conditions on the Texas Gulf, we better u...

Seashells have fascinated me for decades! When I was in elementary school, Dad took the family to Galveston Beach. While I vaguely remember building a sandcastle, I fondly recall spending my allowance on a cellophane-wrapped basket filled with seashells. Years later, I would still spend hours sorting through the shells and organizing them by size - or shape - or color - or type.  This fascination continued through middle school, when I chose Seashells as the topic for my first research paper. I used big words like cephalopods, scaphopods, and bivalves. While I wasn't terribly interested in the creatures that lived within - or the scientific jargon - I sure thought they looked pretty 😊 To this day, I much prefer a beach that encourages shelling to one that sports large rocks or white sugar sand. Fortunately, Sargent Beach, Texas is the perfect fit. I like to walk the beach at low tide. The firm sand makes the perfect pavement, and the shells provide a nice distraction from exercis...

  It's hard to believe it was only a week ago: Jan 15, 2022 -- the longest day of our RV career. And a day I hope never to repeat. The weather forecast called for spotty showers with significant wind: sustained wind speeds of 25-30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. The overly cautious one thought we should stay another night at the current camp spot and head out the next day. The more confident one thought we should get on down the road. If wind proved too difficult, we could always pull over. At 9:30am we broke down camp. The engine started right up but quit suddenly. Odd... but not concerning. We started Toto up again and headed toward I-45 and Dallas. As we accelerated onto the highway, Toto started chugging and sputtering. Perhaps we needed some gas to mix with the additive. Fortunately, there was a Love's truck stop five minutes away. We filled it up - no problem. Toto started - no problem. We drove to the access road and attempted to make a left turn. BIG PROBLEM. Toto stalled...