Moving Day

Moving Day from Shell Mound Campground, Cedar Creek, Florida

to

Ocean Pond Campground Oceola National Forest, Lake City, Florida

We had a quick breakfast, during which we were visited by the locals.   We finished the pack up-take down and set off from Shell Mound campground.

Stopped for gas in Trenton, Florida where this quick stop mart was the view out the window as we pumped. 

I can’t imagine, even in Virginia, a tobacco state, finding a market named Smoker’s Express.   And I must say, I have seen more people smoking since I’ve been in Florida for the past month or so than I have in years in my home town.

But aside from the smokers, Trenton was a cute town.  We had passed this gas station just down the block and thought it not suitable for an RV but David wanted a picture of it so while he pumped, I walked down the couple of blocks to a take few.

On the way, I passed a connection to the Coast Nature Trail at the original Trenton Train Station. 

Right across the courtyard from the Station was this sweet looking restaurant.  Perhaps we were too quick to judge the Coast trail and should have tried other sections of it.  But Trenton is too far from our spot for the night to come back and check it out. 

On the side of the building on the other side of the station was painted this mural.   The town had several murals on the sides of buildings in this section and they were all extremely well done and apparently by the same artist I thought.  Click to make it larger for the best effect.

 I passed another old vintage building with great old signs and another restaurant with a $5 offer and hand dipped ice cream.  I had a hard time passing that sign without going in but I gathered my willpower and walked on. 

Further down the street, I came to another building mural on The City Bar. 

And although it was not even noon yet, there were a couple of patrons going in. 

I finally came to the gas station, took a few pictures and  noticed the the county court house on the corner where again they had  Halloween folks similar to those at the Chiefland trail head of the Nature Coast Trail.   Seems like this may be a late October custom on “the Nature Coast” of Florida.   These were done by and for the local 4-H club apparently.

This one was my personal favorite so be sure to click the picture to make it large enough to read her signs.

After taking a couple more pictures of the Service Station and a last mural, it was back to the Brave and back on the road.

We drove through Lake City Florida and found that there was a detour on the road into the Ocean Pond campground in Osceola National Forest.  It was now a sand road rather than paved and we had to move at about 10 miles an hour.  We later learned the opinion of our campground host (who was a workamper from Texas) that the government was wasting money repaving a perfectly good entrance road.  His speculation was end of year surplus funds which he thought would be better spent in any number of ways which he was happy to detail for me.  

He also told us that until this very morning every one of the 19 sites with water and electricity had been taken.   The campground has 62 sites, 20 of them are primitive with no hook ups.  19 have water and electric and the rest have only water.   Several of the water and electric sites are taken by the contractors who seem to be working on upgrading the showers in the bath houses.  No one seems to be working on the road.

There are 4 bath houses but only one is open and 4 showers in that bath house but only one is working.  However, we are assured that the other bath houses will reopen with new plumbing tomorrow morning and at least two of the showers in the water/electric circle will be working by tomorrow afternoon and the other two by Friday.  Hope so.  We are trying to conserve on using the tanks so we can stay here longer and had hoped to use the bath house for showers.

There is also a washer and dryer for $1.75 a load.  Someone was doing a load of wash when we checked it so it apparently is/was working.  I might try that out tomorrow since it is so close.  I’ve misplaced my laundry bag so I guess I’ll use a pillow case.  How do you misplace things in less than 300 square feet??

All that said, this is a lovely campground and the price is definitely right.   $18 a night for water and electric, $12 for water only and $6 for primitive, no hook ups.  If you have a Senior Access pass to the National Parks, it will get you a $6 discount per night making water and electric $12.  A great bargain

We had our choice of 3 sites, none of them on the water, and chose the most secluded, #9.  Here is the picture out our front window and a picture of the set up.  David says he doesn't think you'll see the water in this picture but I do.

Apparently this is a very popular campground all year long and because you can stay for up to a month, many people do.   So we are happy to be able to have a site.

We biked around to see the layout of the campground, kayak launch and the “beach” on the Pond which is apparently named Ocean Pond because of its waves.  We’ll see and let you know. 

 Looks like there are several hiking trails here.  The Florida State Trail also comes right through here.  What a great idea for a state to have  “state trails”.  Here’s the map of it as they are trying to get it to run the entire length of the state.   If you click the map, you'll see the orange lines are the sections completed and the yellow are those they are working on to get into the trail.  I wish them luck with this great idea.

 I must say, I am impressed with the number of bike trails, hiking trails and kayaking trails created and maintained by the State of Florida.  Way to go guys!!

After dinner we walked down to the beach to see the sun set.  And as usual, it was GREAT!

No plans for tomorrow.  We may just take it easy and get the blog posted before midnight, the tire on the kayak cart fixed and other chores around the place done, including laundry,   Although I’m thinking at least a sunset paddle since we are so close to the put-in.   Good test for the repaired kayak cart don’t you think?  Here’s an after sunset shot of the kayak put-in just around the circle from our site.   Everything here is amazingly close and convenient.  Once again, lucky us.

Another fabulous day which just reminds me that life is a law of attraction.  

And thoughts are things.  

Make them good ones.