Limping Back to Florida

     Monday morning we got up and checked at the office of Travelers World in San Antonio to see if we could spend one more day at the park. But alas, it was full so we needed to move on. Bummed, we put on our best happy faces and broke down the trailer and got on our way.

Hit the road, partner

                                              

     As we made the turn at the end of the park road we became distracted, well actually, we were checking out this one site and didn't turn wide enough and we ran aground on the beautiful landscaping rocks put there specifically to keep people on the road and off the landscaping. Don't worry,  the rocks are fine!

Ouch!

Yipes

     Well, we spent the day trying to hunt down a new rim and tire. We had AAA come and change the tire. Trailers don't have jacks and our car jacks wasn't big enough. We only waited about an hour and the spare tire was on.

     Bill wanted to get the new rim so we weren't without a spare. Discount tire in San Antonio thought they had one but when we brought it back to the trailer it was not going to work. So back it went.
     We finally got hooked up with  "Treds and Wheels", an all girl garage and tire store that proved to be very efficient, came to us,  made calls, and in the morning brought us our new tire with the appropriate rim. It was a beautiful sight, and not just the tire. The shop is run by a group of girls that wanted to work on cars . They did not like the cracks from the guys at other garages, so they decided to start their own shop. It is right across the street from a Pep Boys and hands down they have had a very successful first year. They do their own repairs, balancing, mounting and can get you back on the road faster than many other shops we have dealt with, and they were easy on the eyes.

     The staff at the park let us stay in the parking lot and ran an electric cord out to us so we had lights in the evening. We used the showers,and in the morning, after we got our new tire, we were on the road by 11:00.

     We made our way to Village Creek  State Park in Texas, near the city of Beaumont. We actually stayed there last year. It is in the Big Thicket Preserve. Gosh, we have stayed in some beautiful spots.

      

     It was a little crisp this morning but after we took the dogs for a walk we headed back to New Orleans to to pick up a package that was delivered to them after we left there on our way to San Antonio. It was a part to the hitch that needed to be replaced.

One last picture of the Super Dome as we headed out of New Orleans.

     Our next stop was, Shepherd State Park in Mississippi. It is just about to Alabama. We have also stayed there in the past. It is a beautiful park along the Gulf Shores. It has recently been taken over by the city of Gautier and they hope to increase the number of sites as well as make improvements to the rest rooms and showers. 

     We were able to get a picture of the Carnival Ship Triumph that had recently been towed into the harbor near Mobile, Alabama.

This ship had a fire on board and had to be towed to the harbor.

      In Theodore, Alabama, we had a new hitch installed. We bought  it to replace the one that  we lost a part of on our way to New Orleans. Shortly after leaving with the new hitch, it broke. We had to have it reordered so we could pick it up and have it re-installed on our way back through Theodore, so we could continue the rest of our trip back to Florida to pick up Norm. Are you confused yet?   

      All in all, everything was were it was supposed to be when it was supposed to be there and our trip has gone smoothly. Thank goodness!

      After we get Norm around the 26th of February, we will continue to sight see. We are heading back to Big Cypress and then the three of us will see the Everglades. If time permits we will head down to the Florida Keys. Following that, we are off on our cruise.

  

USS Alabama in Mobile Bay.

     

Replica of Blue Angel in Alabama Rest Stop

     We called it a day after continuing our journey. We stopped at Torreya State Park in Florida. It is another Civilian Conservation Corps Camp. I can't wait to see it in the morning. It was after eight in the evening when we pulled in and too dark to see it in it's splendor. It is on the high bluffs of the Apalachicola River. The steep bluffs rise more than 150 feet above the river. The park is named after an extremely rare species of Torreya tree.

It was pouring rain in the morning

Plenty of mud

This park offers Yurts,which are a type of cabin, really cute

Each has a deck

Fire Pit

And a View

     

We stopped to see Bill's sister Beth, in Apalachicola, Florida. As always it was good to see her and she is always a gracious hostess. We were able to have lunch and catch up. We had lunch at a local restaurant.

When you see this bridge it looks like there is no other half. Like it just ends

This is where we ate. I had Alligator Balls and Bill had Conch Patties.

 

 

Do you think they will ever get here with the food?

This is the Gibson...A favorite of the locals as well as a beautiful Inn.

  Next we are moving along closer to Orlando and Lake Louise to pick up my brother,  Norm.