Madison, WI – July 30th – Aug 6th

After a really busy time in the UP, we took a more leisurely pace in Wisconsin.  We had to get some maintenance done on the truck so only hit a couple of places.

The Wisconsin Dells along the Wisconsin River was a gorge formed by receding glaciers.  We took a boat ride along the upper dells and a duck boat ride along the lower dells.

As part of the boat ride along the upper we landed twice, once to explore some unique formations along a path they called ‘Witches Walk’ and then another where besides unique formations we watched a dog leap across a chasm in replication of ‘Leaping the Chasm’.  The formations both along the boat ride and the walks were really interesting to see.

The lower Dells Duck Ride took us through some wooded areas along the Wisconsin River after the Kilbourne Dam as well as through the river and some off shoots.

The city of New Glarus is a village that has maintained much of its Swiss heritage and old world architecture and traditions.  The day we visited they were celebrating their Swiss Independence Day – Volksfest.  Below are two videos of the entertainment they provided.

Next up – Rock Island, IL and St Louis, MO.

 

Upper Peninsula in Michigan – July 15th – July 30th

The Lower Peninsula in Michigan was beautiful but nothing really compares to the Upper Peninsula.  We stayed in Newberry, a town which was about middle to all the places we wanted to go.

One of the places we were able to visit multiple times was Tahquamenon Falls.  These falls are located on the Tahquamenon River.  There are multiple falls they refer to as the upper and about four miles downriver, the lower falls.  The upper falls are sometimes called the ‘Root Beer’ falls because of their brown color which comes from the tannins leached from the cedar swamps that drain into the river.  We were able to hike both by the upper falls and the lower falls.  We also took a tour which consisted of a tram ride through forest area, followed by a boat ride down the river to the falls, and then a hike to the side of the falls.  Should you consider visiting here, highly recommend bug spray in the summer – the mosquitos can be deadly!  We also dined at a restaurant in the State Park where the upper falls are located – the whitefish is awesome and highly recommended.

We took an afternoon and visited Oswalt’s Bear Ranch.  Oswalt’s houses bears, bears and more bears.  They rescue bears from all around the country.  The bears are separated in large fenced in areas by mature females, mature males, teenagers, and youngsters.  You can purchase some apple pieces and feed them to the bears as you stroll around.  Below are a few pictures of some of their antics and a video of a youngster.

The Soo Locks connect Lake Superior and Lake Huron.  They are located by on the St Mary’s River between Sault St Marie Michigan and Sault St Marie Ontario.  They bypass the rapids where the water falls 21 feet.  The locks were opened in 1855 and close for a few months during the winter when the lakes ice over for maintenance.  We were able to take a boat tour which goes through the locks on both the US side as well as the Canadian side.  The Canadian side is used mainly for small craft and pleasure boats today.

The following are from the US side.

The following are from the Canadian locks.

A couple pictures of the rapids between the locks.

We took a couple of trips to Munising to take a boat ride to look at Pictured Rocks, rode a glass bottom boat to view a few shipwrecks, hiked to Miner’s Castle and falls, and hiked to the Munising Falls.  This was an area where there was a lot to see and do.  The town is on the southern edge of Munising Bay across from Grand Island.  We did not go out to the Island but on our various boat rides we were able to see much of it from the water.  I highly recommend this area if you visit the UP.

Pictured Rocks are weather sculpted cliffs painted by streaks of mineral stains.  This occurs because ground water seeps through cracks and trickles down the rock face displaying an array of colors.  Iron (red and orange), copper (blue and green), manganese (brown and black), and limonite (white) are among the most common minerals.  Pictures do not do justice to this beautiful landscape.

There are many shipwrecks in Lake Superior and so we decided to visit a few via a glass bottom boat ride in Munising.  The boat ride takes you to a couple of wrecks.  One of them is a fully intact wooden sailing ship built before the civil war.  The boat also cruises by Grand Island and even makes a stop inside a cave.

One of the formations we saw while riding around Pictured Rocks was called Miner’s Castle.  We could see folks on platforms up above and decided one day to take a ride and see what it looked like from above.  Here are a couple from the Bay.

A few from above.

And finally a few from the falls which needed to be hiked to.

Heading back to Munising, we stopped for a short hike to the Munising Falls.  Not much to see but still a nice walk.

The Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum is located at the Whitefish Point Light Station on Lake Superior.  It helps people learn about the perils of maritime travel on the Great Lakes and is home to the famous bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald.

We did some lighthouse exploration while in the UP.  Besides Whitefish Point, we explored Crisp Point Lighthouse and Au Sable Lighthouse.  Each of these had their own unique challenges in getting to them.  Crisp Point appeared to not be too far from where we were camping.  Little did we know it would be miles down twisty turny dirt roads where we simply followed little lighthouse signs for directions.  Au Sable was a whole different story.  For that one you had to hike past a campground and then through woods until you reached the lighthouse.  The hike was not bad, but the sworms of flies, which no bug spray helped with were terrible.  At one point, the entire side leg of my pants was covered in the darn things.  Long sleeves and long pants would have been good attire along with a hat and netting for your face.

Crisp Point Lighthouse started operations in 1904.  It was decommissioned in 1993.  It sits between Grand Island and Whitefish Point along the ‘Ship Wreck Coast.’

Au Sable Lighthouse is located on Au Sable Point.  Au Sable Point is a shallow sandstone ridge which is only 6 feet deep in some places.  The lighthouse was built in 1874 and became automated in 1958.  Today it is equipped with a solar powered light.  There are a couple of ship wrecks located along the shore and so we chose that way to return.  I had mentioned the sworms of flies, on the trip back along the waters edge Jeff told me that he was not having fun – it really was challenging with the flies.

Our final stop in the UP is another must see, Mackinac Island.  The island is located on Lake Huron and does not allow motor vehicle traffic.  Horse and buggy, foot, and bike are the ways to get around.  We took a ferry from St. Ignace to the island.  Once there we caught a buggy ride around the island which highlighted many of the sites to see.  Mackinac Island was originally a Native American sacred place.  Jean Nicolet is believed to have seen the island in his 1634 explorations and Jesuit priest Claude Dablon founded a mission in 1670 for the Native Americans.  The British took control of the island in 1780 and built Fort Mackinac.  The US acquired the island in the Treaty of Paris in 1783 and it became Michigan’s first State Park in 1895.  The day we toured the island was a day after a sailboat race had occurred.

Next up Madison Wisconsin!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower Peninsula in Michigan – July 1st – July 15th

I know that I am way way way behind in blogging and Jeff has been hounding me for months to finish last season especially as this one will begin soon.

We had an awesome time in the Lower Peninsula in Michigan!  We stayed just below South Haven and not only spent time there but we were also able to visit with our friends Linda and Bob in Holland.

Michigan was one of my favorite places to visit.  There is so much to see and do and the weather is absolutely gorgeous!  Though you will need your bug spray as the mosquitos can be deadly.  Below is just a sample and what we chose to do this first time around.  We stayed in Covert, MI which is located about 15 minutes south of South Haven which is a beach and water town with lots of restaurants, wineries, and breweries nearby.

We did some time on the beach and along the waterway.  Even observed the July 4th fireworks from a perch above the water.  Though the water was pretty cold but Jeff did go in!

 

We took a sunset sail one evening in Lake Michigan.  We were not sure whether we would get to see the sun set as it had clouded up – we were pleasantly surprised.  It was a beautiful sail on a nice summer evening!

One day we took a ride to Saugatuck and rode their famous Dune Ride.  The Dune Ride dates back to 1954.  It is a really fun ride where you learn about the lost town of Singapore and get to see some interesting wildlife and vegetation.

While in Covert we were able to go to the Hartford Speedway a couple of times to see stocks as well as sprints.

One evening we took a dinner cruise on Lake Macatawa which connects with Lake Michigan.  This lake is located by Holland and is where the DeVos home is.

After leaving the Lower Peninsula where the ‘trolls’ live we header to the Upper Peninsula where the ‘Upers’ reside.

 

Indiana and Ohio – June 10 – July 1st

Apologies as I am so far behind in getting this summer’s trip info out but hopefully over the next few weeks I can get completely up to date.

In the second half of June we stopped in both Ohio and Indiana.  While in Ohio, we took a quick trip into PA, where we had the opportunity to see family, friends, and celebrate my youngest’s 30th birthday!

We took two scenic trips while in Ohio.  We visited Fort Ancient, located near Lebanon OH.  Fort Ancient is a Native Americans earthworks complex built by the Hopewell Culture.  It is the largest prehistoric hilltop enclosure in the United States.  It is 3.5 miles of walls built over an estimated 400 years in three stages.  It is interesting to see that these walls have remained for all these years.  We were able to walk around the walls and visit their museum which covered 1500 years of American Indian heritage in the Ohio Valley.

The second trip we took while in Ohio was to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson AFB.  This museum took us a couple of days to go through.  In 1954 this museum went public, though collection of artifacts started in 1923 by the Engineering Division at Dayton’s McCook Field.  This museum houses over 360 exhibits over 4 buildings.  It is a must see if you are in the area and have interest in how aviation and our Air Force has evolved.  They also have a few Presidential Air Force One planes on exhibit as well including the one that transported Kennedy from Dallas back to DC.

While in Indiana, we were able to catch up with Rusty and Don, friends we made while in Florida over the previous winter which was a great time!

We did a little sightseeing as well and took a ride to where the Battle of Tippecanoe occurred.  The Battle of Tippecanoe was fought on November 7, 1811 in Battle Ground, Indiana between American forces led by Governor William Henry Harrison of the Indiana Territory and Indian forces associated with Shawnee leader Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa, leaders of a confederacy of various tribes who opposed settlement of the American West. As tensions and violence increased, Governor Harrison marched with an army of about 1,000 men to disperse the confederacy’s headquarters at Prophetstown, near the confluence of the Tippecanoe River and the Wabash River.  The day we visited they were having a fiddle festival so we were able to catch some fiddle music.

The other trip we took was into Fort Wayne where we walked around the fort and along the St Joseph and St Mary’s rivers.

From here we traveled to Michigan where we spent almost all the month of July!

 

Louisville, Kentucky – June 3 – 10

From Tennessee we headed further north in Kentucky and stayed outside of Louisville.  We toured a few places while we were there both in Louisville and outside of Louisville.  First up was Churchill Downs.  We took a behind the scenes tour which took you through the public tour, up to Millionaires Row, and through the Jockey area.  We did not get a chance to see a race but have that on our list for the next time we are in the area.  They had a large glass display (my picture did not do it justice).

We also visited the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory where they have exhibits that showcase the story of their bats in baseball history.  They also take you through the factory floor where all their bats are made.  Point of interest for me was that many of their machines are one of a kind and over a hundred years old plus they get their wood from PA.

While in the area we took a ride to Fort Knox to explore the General George Patton Museum of Leadership.  The museum is dedicated to the memory of General George S Patton Jr from WWI to the present.

The final trip we took while in Kentucky was to go to the Jim Beam Distillery.  We learned how they make their bourbon along with being able to get a taste directly from a barrel.  Was able to bottle of our own where sterilization of the bottle was done by using bourbon – if it kills the germs on bottle – must do the same to your gut!

Next up we head into Ohio and Indiana with a quick side trip east to PA to see family!

 

Tennessee and southeast Kentucky – May 20 – June 3

Truly enjoyed this leg of our trip!  Jeff and I have always loved the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and found that Eastern Tennessee and Southeastern Kentucky were even better!  One of the drawbacks in Virginia has always been the humidity, while in Tennessee, temperatures were in the 90s but the humidity was so low that just being in the shade felt a lot cooler.  Another contributing factor were the mountains and sheer natural beauty.  I would highly recommend this area in Tennessee and Kentucky to anyone!

We stayed outside of Knoxville in Clinton TN.  One of the first places we went was the Museum of Appalachia.  This museum is a living history museum that lends voice to the people of Southern Appalachia through artifacts and stories they left behind.  There may still be some people who live this way today.

We were able to do a lot of hiking while in Tennessee.  One of the most impressive places we went was Clingmans Dome.  Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It is 6,643 feet above sea level and the dome at the top offers 360 degree views of the smokies and beyond.  You can drive close to the drop and have to climb the last half mile.  It may not sound like much but that last half mile is quite steep, though it does offer lots of places to stop and rest along the way.

We took a ride north to where Tennessee meets Kentucky and Virginia at the Cumberland Gap.  The gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains (which are part of the Appalachian Mountains).  This area is known as part of the Wilderness Road and was used by pioneers heading westward led by Daniel Boone.  It was pretty eerie to think that we were walking along the same path that Daniel Boone travelled. These first couple of pictures are from Pinnacle Overlook which is said to be Cumberlan Gaps most iconic overlook.

The following were along the Wilderness Trail to the Tri-State Monument where Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia meet.

Besides the Gap, we also took a ride to Cumberland Falls in Kentucky.  It is also known as ‘Little Niagara’ or the ‘Niagara of the South’.  It is a waterfall on the Cumberland River that is known for its moonbows.  We were there earlier in the day so did not experience this phenomenan but the falls were pretty in their own right.

Another place we hiked to while in the Smoky Mountains was Laurel Falls.  This was a popular paved trail which took you to an 80 foot high falls named for the mountain laurel, an evergreen shrub which blooms along the trail and the falls.  This was our first hike where we encountered a bear.  The bear cub was walking along the trail ahead of us as we made our way back down the trail.  People up by the falls had said that they had seen the mother and another cub in the woods near the trail.  We did not see them but this guy was interesting to watch.

Below is a video of the Bear trucking ahead of us.

While in Tennesse we met up with a former co-worker of Jeff’s – Steve and his wife Judy.  Spent a wonderful day at their house with the dogs for a barbecue and tour of the area.  Even got to meet Steve’s mom.  Steve took us for a ride to Roan Mountain on the North Carolina/Tennessee border.  This place is known for its Catawba Rhododendrons which bloom around fathers day.  We missed by a couple of weeks but it was still a gorgeous view.

On our way down from the mountain we stopped at a Grist Mill.

Took ride to Kingston TN one day and visited Fort Southwest Point.  This fort was a federal frontier outpost which served as a major point of interaction between the Governement and the Cherokee as well as a way station for migrants travelling between Knoxville and Nashville.

There was a Dam nearby where we stayed.  The Norris Dam is located on the Clinch River.

The last place we explored while in Tennessee was a place called the Lost Sea.  The Lost Sea is a cavern tour and underground lake.

When we left the caverns, before heading back, we took a drive along their Skyway which ran from Tennessee into North Carolina.

Overall Tennessee and southern Kentucky was beautiful!  From here we traveled further north into Kentucky and Indiana.

 

 

Pine Mountain and Lake Lanier Georgia April 23 – May 20

We spent a couple of weeks in Pine Mountain this year to attend an RV Boot Camp by Escapees for 3 days.  They focused on all the RV systems and providing some tips for maintenance and some of their best practices.  As full timers and having a year under our belts, we thought we were knowledgeable enough that we could get the most out of the camp and it did not disappoint.  We also got our rig weighed and good news was that we were underweight.  Had about 150 lbs available.  They did have some good suggestions to move a little weight off the hitch end and place it in the back on the passenger side to more even out the weight on each area.  A couple of other informative items:

  • propane tanks should be re-inspected every 12 years
  • detectors only have a 5 year lifespan
  • foam fire extinquishers are best and one should be placed near bedroom emergency window
  • have a go bag as you will not have time to grab stuff should something happen
  • sanitize drains with baking soda and vinegar with hot water chaser
  • watts = volts x amps
  • when parking on concrete or asphalt place protect pads under tires (table mats work great)

While there we also did a bit of hiking in Pine Mountain.

Took a ride to the National Civil War Naval Museum.  This is located in Columbus GA.  It houses the hull of the CSS Jacksonan ironclad warship that was burnt in the Chattachoochee River by the Union Army.  It also houses what was left of the CSS Chattahoochee.  It was an interesting museum.

We spent an afternoon hiking at Providence Canyon State Park.  This Canyon is known as ‘Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon’.  It is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia.  It is not actually totally natural.  The massive gullies were formed by erosion due to the poor farming practices of the 19th century.  One quirky attraction as you walk along the canyon rim is nearly a dozen rusty 1950s era cars and trucks.  Due to the environmental damage removing the vehicles could cause, they have been left where they stood.

A couple pics from our campsite.

From Pine Mountain we headed north of Atlanta to Lake Lanier Islands.  This was a brand new RV park in the Margaritaville Resort.  Below are a couple pictures of the view from our site.

On the resort property, they had a beach along with a number of water slides.  Below is a video of the area.

Jeff had a great time swimming with these friends.

Took a trip to Dahlonega for a gold mine tour and a stroll around town.  In 1828 Dahlonega was the site of the first major gold rush in the USA.  Gold mining continued to be done in the area until the 1980s when it became just too expensive to continue to operate the mines and remove the gold from the quartz.  To this day you can still see gold within the quartz.  This particular mine also had a resident bat who had no issues with people passing below it.

Below are some pictures from our stroll.

In additional to Dahlonega we also took a trip to Helen GA.  Located near Helen is Anna Ruby Falls.  Anna Ruby Falls are twin waterfalls created where two separate streams, Curtis Creek and York Creek, join at the base of the falls to form Smith Creek.  It was a half mile straight up climb to where the falls are but worth the walk!

The town of Helen is a replica of a Bavarian alpine town.  We strolled the main street and also had lunch at the Troll Tavern, under the bridge.

Our final stop was a place called Stately Oaks.  It is Greek Revival antebellum mansion located in Margaret Mitchell Memorial Park in Jonesboro.  It was built in 1839 and was believed to be the inspiration for Tara, Scarlotte O’Hara’s home in Gone with the Wind.

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We tried to find the start of the Appalachian Trail but after spending over an hour climbing up Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest along a very narrow national forest road in our very large dually, when we came to the parking lot which would lead to the start of the trail we continued past.  It was pretty hairy as even though there was a mountain going up on one side of the road, there was a very large drop going down the opposite side.  It end up taking us well over an hour and a half to make our way down to a road that was an actual road.  Thank God for GPS devices or we would still be trying to get out!

Next up, Knoxville Tennessee!  See you then!

 

 

 

 

 

Montgomery, Alabama April 16 – 23

Next stop was outside Montgomery Alabama.  We spent a week in the area.  Montgomery is the capital of Alabama and one day we walked the area.  We strolled by the capital building.

We also saw the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church where Reverend Martin Luther King Jr served as pastor from 1954-60.  This was also the church where the Montgomery Bus Boycott was organized in December of 1955.  The boycott was a political and social campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system in Montgomery.  The boycott lasted from the Monday after Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus to over a year later when the US Supreme Court ruled the Alabama and Montgomery laws that segregated buses were unconstitutional.  In reference to the Reverend’s famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech there is also a building depicting pictures of people who ‘Are the Dream’.

We strolled along the Alabama River.  This river starts about 6 mile north of Montgomery and ends about 45 miles from Mobile after passing Selma.  It is more of a meandering river that was once home to the Creek Indians.

Montgomery was the first capital of the confederacy before it moved to Richmond in the summer of 1861.  The house below is where Jefferson Davis and his family lived until that move.  It is known as the First White House of the Confederacy.  We were not able to see inside as it was closed when we came by.

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The Museum of Alabama located near the capital building.  The museum covers Alabama history from the 1700s to the 21st century.

While outside Montgomery we took a trip to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site at Moton Field.  Moton Field was the primary flight training for the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII.  They structured the site the way it looked during that time.

Fort Toulouse and Fort Jackson are located near the city of Wetumpka between the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers which join together below the area to form the Alabama River.  Fort Toulouse was a French fort founded in 1717 to counter the growing British interest.  Creek Indians lived in the same area.  During the War of 1812 and the Creek War, General Andrew Jackson spent some time at the fort and determined it was not worth salvaging and ordered the building of Fort Jackson nearby.  Reconstruction of Fort Toulouse has been completed and reconstruction of Fort Jackson is in progress.

Fort Toulouse

Fort Jackson

Creek Indian Mound

Next up a month in Georgia, stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pensacola, Florida and Mobile, Alabama – April 1 -15

Our next stop was Pensacola after leaving Perry.  I would highly recommend this location to anyone.  It had the whitest sand on a beach that I had ever seen.  There was history, lots of outdoor activities, beautiful beaches, and the home of the Blue Angels.  We kept ourselves busy in the two weeks we were there in spite of the spring storms that came our way a few times.  The storms can get pretty intense and there was one which woke me in the middle of night to wondering if something disastrous was going to happen.  Luckily it did not!

While staying in Pensacola we also took the 45 minute drive to Mobile to do a little touring there as well.  The first place we visited was the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico.  The museum is set up as a life-sized replica of a container ship with simulators, interactive exhibits, and informative displays on each deck.  It is located along the Mobile River close to the Port of Mobile.  Even for an adult, the interactive exhibits were very enjoyable.  Below are a couple of pictures from inside and outside the museum.

The other place we visited in Mobile was the USS Alabama, which is on display in Mobile Bay.  The day we visited, they were having a special demonstration with former crew members aboard.  They simulated shooting at a Japanese airplane.

The battleship was built starting in 1940 and saw use during World War II.  It started in the North Atlantic and culminated leading the American Fleet into Tokyo Bay on September 5, 1945.  The ‘Mighty A’ received nine Battle Stars for meritorious service for its tenure as the ‘Heroine of the Pacific’.  Rather than being scrapped in 1962, it was moved to Veterans Memorial Park in Mobile.  Below are a few more pictures from hours climbing the various decks of the ship.

Back in Pensacola, we were able to spend a little time walking and hanging out on their beautiful beaches!

We visited Fort Pickens, located on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola.  The fort was built in 1834 and remained in use until 1947.  It was constructed to defend Pensacola Bay and the Pensacola Navy Yard.  The fort was used during the Civil War, World War I and World War II.  It is also known for housing Geronimo as a prisoner between 1886 and 1887.

We attended a concert by Three Dog Night while in town.  There are still two members from the very early days, Danny Hutton and Michael Allsup.  Paul Kingsley joined in the 80s as a guitarist and now sings vocals.  Below is a video of one of their songs – Eli’s Coming.

The highlight of our trip was seeing the Blue Angels.  They had arrived back in Pensacola from their winter location and began their practices.  We were able to see them on two different days.  These practices are free to watch and usually one day a week the pilots sign autographs afterwards.  There is also a Naval Aviation Museum located by the practice field which is also free to tour.  What follows first are some pictures from the Museum and then pictures from the practices we saw.

The Blue Angels.

A couple of videos as well!

Next it is onto Montgomery Alabama!

 

 

 

 

Perry Florida – March 28 – April 1

Having left our winter quarters on March 28, we stopped for a few days in Perry Florida.  Perry is near the bend heading into the panhandle.  It is about a 45 minute ride to Tallahassee.

Thinking it would be a good idea to stretch ours and the dogs legs we took a ride to a nearby rails to trails hiking trail.  We found the Tallahassee-St Marks Historic Railroad State Trail.  As the name indicates it runs from Tallahassee to St Marks.  Throughout the early 1900s, the railroad along here was used to carry cotton from the plantation belt to the coast for shipment to textile mills in England and New England.  We covered around 6-7 miles (overdid a little) with the dogs and decided to drive down to St Marks afterwards.  Below are some pictures of the coast and lighthouse which resides there.

Took a ride into Tallahassee one day and visited the Mission San Luis.  This mission was  a Spanish Franciscon one built in 1633.  It was built as part of Spain’s effort to colonize the Florida peninsula and to convert the Apalachee and Timucuan Indians to christianity.  The original mission was evacuated and destroyed in 1704 to prevent it from falling into English and Creeks hands.  Reconstruction began in 1996.  Below are some pictures from the reconstruction.

An additional place we visited was the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science.  The museum provides learning experiences about North Florida’s natural environment, rich history, and diverse cultural community.  It contains living exhibits of wildlife, nature trails, and nature gardens.  It was a nice place to see some wildlife native to Florida, some cultural history, and some interesting dinosaur exhibits.

The final place we went to was the Tallahassee Auto Museum.  This museum is way more then just an Auto Museum.  They have collections of antique automobiles dating back to 1894 (the Duryea).  They also have an 1860 funeral hearse reported to have carried Abraham Lincoln.  Beyond autombiles, there is a huge collection of antique Americana.  These include case knives, outboard motors, and fishing lures as well a complete vampire killing kit.  While we were there, they had a large collection of Batman vehicles on display as well.  For my fellow RVers, if you happen to be a Harvest Host member, you can boondock on the property for free so long as you tour the museum.  See some of the many items they had on display below.

Next stop Pensacola Florida – catch up soon!