Throwback Thursday – Wandering Dawgs

Throwback Thursday #18 – January 30, 2012

January 30, 2020January 29, 2020Posted in Georgia, Nature, RVing, State ParksTagged Memories, Okefenokee Swamp, snowbirding, snowbirds, Throwback Thursday12 Comments

We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips. This January I am highlighting our January, 2012 snowbird trip to Florida.

Part 5 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida

After enjoying our stay in Alafia State Park, we spent a few days in Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest before stopping at one of our all time favorite campgrounds on our way north. On this day eight years ago, January 30, 2012, we were camped at Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia in the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. It was our last stop before going home.

We had camped there several times before but this stay at the park was quite different from our other visits. In 2011, a wildfire burned for days in the area and a lot of the woods were badly burned.

As we the drove the last few miles to the park entrance we were saddened to see the devastation caused by the 2011 wildfire.

20120130 Stephen C Foster (3) — Stephen C Foster State Park after 2011 wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp

The fire also destroyed part of the walkway through the nature trail.

20120130 Stephen C Foster (2) — Stephen C Foster State Park after 2011 wildfire in the Okefenokee Swamp

We returned to the park several times after the fire and the area is recovering nicely. There are pictures from our 2018 visit at The Land of Trembling Earth.

It was great fun wandering around Florida that year. Except for a few cold days in the early part of the trip, most of the days were warm and sunny. We even had a few days when we could wear shorts!

We were gone for 36 days and went a total of about 3000 miles and have lots of good memories.

Throwback Thursday #17 – January 23, 2012

January 23, 2020Posted in Florida, RVing, State ParksTagged Alafia River State Park, Memories, snowbirding, Throwback Thursday8 Comments

Part 4 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida

After leaving Everglades National Park we spent a couple of nights in the Big Cypress Swamp before heading north for the rest of our journey back to Georgia. On this day eight years ago, January 23, 2012, we were camped at Alafia River State Park in Lithia, Florida, east of Tampa. A quiet waterfront site on Lake Alafia (pronounced Al-a-FI) was just what we needed.

20120122Alafia-River-(2) — Alafia River State Park, Florida

20120122Alafia-River-(3) — Alafia River State Park, Florida

Would you believe there is mountain biking in the state of Florida? The state park is located on land which was once a phosphate mine. The mining company donated over 6000 acres to the state for the state park and there are several mountain bike trails on the mounds which were created by the mining. We walked along some of the trails and even saw a few mountain bikers.

20120124Alafia-River-(11) — Alafia River State Park, Florida

20120124Alafia-River-(16) — Alafia River State Park, Florida

There is also Equestrian camping in the campground and we saw several horses during our stay.

20120124Alafia-River-(4) — We met a few horseback riders in the park

Throwback Thursday #16 – January 16, 2012

January 16, 2020January 15, 2020Posted in Birds, Florida, National Parks, RVing, WildlifeTagged Everglades National Park, Flamingo Florida, Memories, Throwback Thursday13 Comments

Part 3 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida

On this day eight years ago, January 16, 2012, we were camped in Everglades National Park in Flamingo, Florida. This was the southern most location of our 2012 snowbird journey.

One of our favorite drives in Florida is Highway 41, a National Scenic Byway which goes from east and west through the Everglades. We stopped at the Oasis Visitor Center in the Big Cypress National Preserve for a look at the alligators before continuing on to the Flamingo Campground in Everglades National Park.

20120116AMAlligators-at-Oasis-(7) — We stopped at the Oasis visitor center on Highway 41 to check out the alligators

Our first time camping was three years earlier (more about that stay at Throwback Thursday #13 – December 5, 2009). The big difference between our 2009 visit and this visit was they had added electricity to some of the sites. There were only a few electric sites and they were available on a first come basis so we made sure to get there early enough to score the last one! Woo hoo!

20120116Flamingo-Campground-(23) — Hawk hanging around the campground in Flamingo

The sunrise was spectacular over Florida Bay.

20120117Flamingo-(15) — Sunrise in Flamingo, Everglades National Park, Florida

The birding was also spectacular.

Roseate Spoonbill in Everglades National Park, Florida

Heron in Everglades National Park, Florida

Spoonbill and Egret at Mrazek Pond, Everglades National Park 2012

Cormorant Everglades National Park, Florida

Osprey on nest, Everglades National Park, Florida

Green Heron, Everglades National Park, Florida

Flamingo is remote, natural, and wild. My kind of place.

Throwback Thursday #15 – January 9, 2012

January 9, 2020January 9, 2020Posted in Florida, RVingTagged Memories, snowbirds, The Glades RV Resort, Throwback Thursday5 Comments

We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips.

Part 2 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida

On this day eight years ago, on January 9, 2012 we were camped in The Glades RV Resort on the Calooshatchee River in Moore Haven, Florida. This large RV park is a popular snowbird destination with a marina, golf course, swimming pool, and many other amenities. It was fun meeting some of the snowbirds who were there for the winter. And the sunrises and sunsets were spectacular! I woke up one morning to see the brilliant fiery sky in the photo at the top of this post.

20120113The-Glades-(1) — The Glades RV Resort, Moore Haven, FL

20120110The-Glades-(23) — Marina at The Glades RV Resort, Moore Haven, FL

20120110The-Glades-(10) — Hawk at The Glades RV Resort, Moore Haven, FL

20120110The-Glades-(1) — The Glades RV Resort, Moore Haven, FL

20120110The-Glades-Sunset-(13) — Sunset at The Glades RV Resort, Moore Haven, FL

Part 1 of our January, 2012 trip around Florida can be found at last week’s throwback Thursday.

Throwback Thursday #14 – January 2, 2012

January 2, 2020January 8, 2020Posted in Florida, RVing, SunsetTagged Florida Emerald Coast, Florida Gulf Coast, Gulf Coast, Memories, snowbirds, St. Joseph Peninsula, Throwback Thursday20 Comments

We’re not traveling as much in our fifth wheel anymore so I thought it would be fun to relive some of our most memorable days from previous RV trips.

Part 1 of our January, 2012 RV trip around Florida

On this day eight years ago on January 2, 2012, we were camped on the Florida Gulf Coast in St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in Port St. Joe, Florida. It was our second stop of a month long trip wandering around Florida.

Located on the St. Joseph Peninsula on the Emerald Coast of Florida, the beautiful white sand beach was just a short walk from the campsite. The sunsets were spectacular and sometimes we had the beach all to ourselves.

20120102St-Joe-sunset-(5) — St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, FL

20120102St-Joe-sunset-(27) — St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, FL

20120102St-Joe-sunset-(29) — St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, FL

Sadly, the campground suffered a lot of damage from Hurricane Michael in October, 2018. Although the park is recovering, the campgrounds are still closed. More information about the closure can be found here.