Lee and Elaine's RV Adventures: Less than 3 weeks left in Florida

Our time in Florida was winding down. We had less than three weeks left before we started our journey home. We were going to spend four days in St. Petersburg but with our grandkids visiting, we cut it down to two days. It turned out to be a good thing. I guess one can say we're spoiled because we prefer small towns to large cities. Too much traffic, too many people, and too much road construction just doesn't make it fun driving a motorhome and pulling a car. And with Florida getting set to become the 3rd most populous state in the U.S. (surpassing New York), the coastal areas have too many people. And St. Petersburg was no different.

While in St. Petersburg, we had decided to stay at an Encore RV Park, which is part of the Thousand Trails network of which we are members. We still have to pay to stay but we've come to expect a certain level of comfort. So, here is a picture of the brochure and then a picture of reality!

Vacation Village RV Resort, Largo, Florida

We are parked half on a concrete pad and half on dirt. Backing in a 38' motorhome was a real treat because of the tree on one side, a light post on the other side and right across the street a very large 5th wheel that was right at the edge of the narrow road. But, Lee made it! We did ask the neighbor to move their barbecue if they were going to use it so it wouldn't blister our paint! We never did see a site that looked like the one in their brochure. Maybe the picture was taken in the off-season when the park wasn't full. Oh, well. It was only two nights. Needless to say, we wouldn't come back even if we were in Florida again.

Vacation Village RV Resort, Largo, Florida

St. Petersburg, Florida

St. Petersburg

Demens Landing Park, Police Officer's Memorial, St. Petersburg

The pier in St. Petersburg was built in 1973. Called the "Inverted Pyramid", the pier was closed in 2013 because the 1/2 mile approach was deteriorating. The city council had approved a new pier but a voter referendum in August, 2013, saved the old pier. When a new mayor took office he restored access to the pier. The hope is that the "Inverted Pyramid" will soon be reopened also.

South Straub Park, St. Petersburg, FL

A massive tree, St. Petersburg

Sunken Garden, St. Petersburg

Sunken Gardens

Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg,

We arrived at Three Flags RV Park, in Wildwood, Florida, on February 10, 2014, and stayed for two weeks. It was convenient for our sightseeing ventures and would be our last "long term" park for a while.

Three Flags RV Park

Brownwood at The Villages, near Wildwood, Florida - a retirement community

Brownwood at The Villages

Highbanks Marina, St. John's River, DeBary, Florida

Swamp House Grill, where I experienced my first taste of alligator. It was delicious! And, no, it did not taste like chicken!!!

Lunch with our friends, Janet and Richard, Swamphouse Grill

Manatees at Blue Spring State Park, Orange City, Florida

Blue Spring State Park

More manatees, Blue Spring State Park

Fort Island Gulf Beach, Crystal River, Florida

Crystal River nuclear plant has been offline since 2009. In 2013 it was decided that the plant would be permanently closed. Crystal River, Florida

Fort Island Gulf Beach, Crystal River

The time had come to start heading back to California, so we followed Highway 98 to Carrabelle, Florida, in the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the beaches are beautiful white sand, the population is small and buildings are restricted to three stories or less.

Carrabelle, Florida

Carrabelle, Florida sunrise

Carrabelle, Florida

I have no idea how old these tree stumps are but they were once in a forest but are now underwater at high tide. The water has sculpted the stumps into interesting designs. Carrabelle, Florida

Carrabelle, Florida

Crooked River Lighthouse, built in 1895 to replace three other lighthouses that had been destroyed by storms. It was decommissioned in 1995. Carrabelle, Florida

World's smallest police station. In 1953, the Town's only Police Officer would park his Patrol Car by this phone booth and answer calls for service. Carrabelle, Florida