Walt Disney World!!!

Some delay in this posting because we didn't have easy internet access--and we still don't, so it will be a short post.

We headed south from Savannah to St. Augustine, FL. It started out as a Spanish settlement, and still has a stone fort. It is quite touristy, but there are Spanish influences everywhere. We stayed in a somewhat dated RV park just south of town, right on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Then, a drive south to Orlando and into WDW Wilderness Park--the RV resort. Nice site, full services including cable, but Internet is an extra $10/day, so we didn't. We have been texting.

Dena and Jason get here tonight. We are all well. May not post again for a week...

Savannah, Georgia

is about 2 hours down the road from Charleston. We had a lazy morning and didn't actually arrive here until 1:30. After setting up the trailer, we went downtown to the Visitor Center and picked up a hop-on-hop-off trolly tour of the historical center of Savannah. The city was founded with a geometrical pattern of 24 squares--small parks--of which 22 are left. So, the tour wove in and around the squares and the historical buildings surrounding them. In spite of the Civil War and a number of city-wide fires, there are still lots left, and they are quite impressive. And lots of stone work left near the historical port--the areas where they graded the cotton are still there, as are just about all the original stone buildings, but they have been renovated into shops and restaurants and the like. Very well done.

We hit a WalMart Supercenter on the way back to the trailer. We are parked at a KOA with alligators in the lake right beside us--although we haven't seen them yet. Maybe tomorrow morning!

Tomorrow--Florida, the St. Augustine area.

Charleston, South Carolina

Wow....This is a city of 100,000 people that gets over 5 million tourists every year. The architecture is very unique, with many houses called single houses. They are only one room wide and have outdoor porticos on every floor on the side to catch the prevaling winds. They can be as tall as 3 floors and run from simple to elaborate. We took a tour which took us to the most interesting places...we saw Fort Sumter where the Cival War started. Mike was very interested in the model of a submarine called the Hunley. It was a very ill fated thing...killed all 3 crews to ever sail in it.

Lunch was French...Croque Monsieur for Mike and Quiche for me at a really cool old place in the historical section of town. We went walking to see the sights (shops) and poked through the open air market....us and all the passengers from the Crown Princess which happened to be in port. Did a little shopping!

Off to Savannah today....

KY to Charleston, SC

Well, no Internet access means a gap in the blog, which we will fill right now!

From Bowling Green Kentucky we crossed basically straight East to the Cumberland Gap. Remember Daniel Boone and the Wilderness Road of 1775--well, that is where he passed over the Appalachian Mountains. It is where 3 states meet--we took a tunnel out of Kentucky and left the tunnel in Tennessee, then made a left turn and camped in Virginia! A very nice campground.

Tuesday, we had a short day, driving south through Tennessee to the Great Smokey Mountains. Dollywood and Gatlinberg TN were like a tourist nightmare, complete, Dena, with an Upside Down House, just like in the Dells! (We didn't stop!) However, the National Park is a great place--we camped last night beside a rushing stream, at the 2000 foot level--so it was chilly.

Today, Wednesday, we drove out of the Park and started up the Blue Ridge Parkway from its southern end. Beautiful country, lots of up (6400 feet) and down and lots of curvy roads. Most of the leaves have fallen--October would be a better month to see it--but it was still stunning. Then, we basically did a straight run for the coast at Charleston, South Carolina. Which is where we will be staying tomorrow. Abby needs a rest from driving--it is making her crazy. And, we are less than 500 miles from Disney Wilderness Park with 5 days to go before our reservation. It was 23C here when we arrived, and there are Palm Trees! Tomorrow, we are going to wander around the historic part of downtown and generally see the place.

Bowling Green, Kentucky

Actually, its very up and down country; not flat at all. VERY green, though, even on Nov 1--although the deciduous tree leaves are about 1/2 gone, the rest are colourful, there are lots of green fir trees and the grass is bright green. Good drive, except for Abby, who was having a "scared time" most of the trip. Staying at the KOA. We're about 1400 miles from home with about 800 left to go to Orlando.

Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois

Day 2 was driving, in the driving rain and gale-force winds. Lousy mileage. Ended up in a Super 8 in the Wisconsin Dells. Day 3 was driving--it started out rainy but not so windy and ended up being a great day. We are camped at Camp Lakewood in Effingham, Il. Our first camping night this trip--great. Just down the road from a WalMart SuperCenter, where we bought a bunch of groceries and a TV. The staff was all dressed up in Halloween costumes. Tomorrow, we are slowing down a bit and heading East.

On the Road to Florida

Laurel, Michael, Abby, the trailer and the truck set out this morning from Winnipeg on the way to Florida! A gray, rainy, driving day, so nothing to report--which is good news in itself! We stopped in Fergus Falls, MN at a motel because the campgrounds are closed. We had a Mexican dinner that was authentic and delicious--El Taquilaria, if you're in the area. Abby settled into driving after a while--but she sure does not like the bumpy highway 59.
Bye for now