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Gypsy Journal

The RV Travel Newspaper July-August 2016 www.gypsyjournalrv.com

Gamble Plantation State Historic Park - Dummitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tomb Canaveral National Seashore - Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Fort Matanzas National Monument - Jurassic Park South Free Campgrounds - Public RV Dump Stations - RV Recipes

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In This Issue

Gypsy Journal

Nick’s Notes - Page 2 Letters - Page 3 Our readers share comments on the RV lifestyle Free Campgrounds - Page 8 Meandering Down the Highway - Page 9 A travelogue of our adventures for this issue RV Calendar - Page 29 Gamble Plantation Historic Park - Page 30 Public RV Dump Stations - Page 31 Dummit’s Tomb - Page 32 How Did It Get There? Canaveral National Seashore - Page 34 Where Miles of Unspoiled Beaches Await You Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse - Page 36 Florida’s Tallest Lighthouse Sergeant Reckless- Page 38 Courageous Marine War Horse Fort Matanzas National Monument - Page 39 Jurassic Park South? - Page 41 Miss Terry’s Kitchen - Page 43 Visit Nick’s Blog

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On The Cover: The pier at St. Augustine Beach is pop-

ular with anglers and offers some of the best views of the ocean and beach in the area.

Nick’s Notes

July-August 2016

We had a great time exploring Florida the last few months as we waited for the colder temperatures to pass up north and traveling weather to arrive, and we’ve got a lot to share with you in this issue. We’ll start off with a visit to the last surviving antebellum plantation home in South Florida and tell you the story of a daring escape in the final days of the Civil War. Then you will learn about a young boy’s grave in the middle of a residential street and how it got there. If you are lighthouse fans like us, I know you’ll appreciate our story on Florida’s tallest lighthouse. Or maybe miles of unspoiled beaches are your thing. No problem, come along as we visit the beautiful Canaveral National Seashore. And history buffs will like our story about a visit to an old Spanish fort and the tale of not one, but two gruesome massacres that preceded it. Add in our regular columns, letter from our readers, and some of Miss Terry’s recipes and I know you’ll find a lot to enjoy!

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Gypsy Journal

Issue #103

July-August 2016

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Gypsy Journal is published bi-monthly by Nick and Terry Russell. Digital subscription rates are $20 per year and $35 for two years. All contents protected under U.S.copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers. Send correspondence to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado St. #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005-2448, e-mail Editor@GypsyJournal.net. Website address: www.GypsyJournalrv.com. Daily Blog www.gypsyjournalblog.com.

July-August 2016

Gypsy Journal

Letters to the Editor

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They come by mail, they come by e-mail, they get left on our doorstep... but boy do we get letters! Nick, I am a daily reader of your blog and truly enjoy it. One of the many reasons is that I am interested in spending more time in Florida during the winter months (I know, unheard of), and will probably be on the Gulf Coast. When you have time, could you expand a bit on your last blog, where you stated you like the Atlantic Coast better than the Gulf Coast. Obviously a very personal choice for one and all, but as I spend more and more time in Florida, I like learning all about the state. I hope this winter to take the RV to Florida for a few months, for the first time. Have to reserve something soon! Recently we traveled in our RV to Rainbow Springs State Park, then along the coast to Apalachicola. Visited Cross Creek, Cedar Key, St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, Apalachicola, etc. Over the years have visited many parts of the state, from St. Augustine to the Glades, Key West, Sanibel, St. Pete, Merrit Island etc. Always something new to see and do.

Take good care, be safe, have fun, Ann Reinhart Via E-mail Ann, It just personal choice. We love flying stunt kites, and it takes a bit of room (each kite has four lines that are 100 feet long). We found the Gulf coast beaches to be either too small or too crowded to do that comfortably. And the whole area seems more crowded to us. We’ve also found housing prices to be a little more affordable in some of the Atlantic coast communities we have checked out. Nick Nick, Thank you for the Gypsy Journal and the daily blog that I follow. It’s like we are family. Now you have also got me hooked on the Big Lake series. Tom Huntley Burlington, Connecticut

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Tom, I’m happy you enjoy all of it. Nick Nick and Miss Terry, I’m not sure if either of you know how much your wisdom, humor, and love of life and each other inspires so many of us. We have learned from you, laughed with you, cried with you, and, hopefully, have become not just better RVers but better people because of both of you. Thank you for sharing such intimate parts of your lives with us. We know you are real people and we love and respect you for it. Michael and Sharyn Patterson Via E-mail USS Alabama

Nick, I loved the latest issue! My dad and his brother both served on the USS Alabama during World War II and were aboard her on VJ Day. We took him

down to Mobile to see it the year before he passed on and it was so moving to see him reliving the good days and the bad ones. He and Uncle Ted are both gone now, two more of the Greatest Generation that have been laid to rest. Paul Setter Via E-mail Snowbird Roosts Nick, We are thinking of spending next January-March in the southwest. We have been going to Florida for several years but thinking about a change. Any suggestions? Richard Klein Via E-mal Richard, A lot of people like Yuma, Arizona, especially in the area they call the Foothills on the east side. In the Phoenix area, the East Valley (Mesa/Apache Continued on Page 4

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Letters

(From Page 3)

Junction) are popular with snowbirds. Casa Grande and Benson are smaller and both are popular. In New Mexico, Deming has a lot of affordable RV parks, but it can be quite a bit colder. Another place we like is the Port Aransas, Rockport area on the Texas Gulf coast. Nick Bamahenge Nick, You need to tell your readers that if they go see this place or anywhere else in coastal Alabama they need to douse themselves with plenty of bug spray. The gnats and skeeters about ate us alive! But it was pretty cool and worth it! Bob Beacham Via E-mail Nick, I love the blog, love the Journal, it’s the best part of the day reading your stuff. Keep up the good work. Best of luck

Gypsy Journal with the travels and technical problems with the rig. Hope to see you again soon. I was going to Escapade in Vermont but had to cancel. They tell me 2017’s Escapade will be at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson in March again, and I will do my best to attend that one. My best to your good wife. Rex Korden Via E-mail Nick, I would like you to know that I look forward to the Gypsy Journal and to reading your blog everyday! Thanks for taking the time to write it. Oh, I am up to book #6 in the Big Lake series! You are at the top of my list of best authors. Bob Stone Bozeman, Montana Bob, I am glad you are enjoying my books. I released book 9 in the Big Lake series a few weeks ago and now I’m working on the sequel to Dog’s Run. After

that I’ll start on another Big Lake book. Nick West Coast RV Trip Nick, We are heading to San Diego via Route 66 to see our son and family, then north to Seattle. Can we drive, in a Phaeton motorhome towing a car, CA 1 and US 101, or which parts? Would it worthwhile to join the Eagles and other groups? Dave Spindle Via E-mail

July-August 2016

Elks before you go. The Elks lodges in Brookings, Florence, and Tillamook, Oregon all have nice campgrounds at reasonable rates. The lodge in Newport has a few 30 amp hookups in the parking lot, but no water or sewer. Nick U.S. Highway 101

Nick I am a Canadian living in British Columbia. I do go south, and have for the last 7 winters. I have traveled Continued on Page 5

Dave, California SR 1 has some areas that are not good for a large RV, especially near Big Sur. US 101 south of San Francisco is good but very busy and I would not want to take it though Los Angeles or the San Francisco area. I usually take Interstate 5 north past San Francisco, then either SR 12 to SR 37 to US 101 near Novato, or else I-5 north to SR 20 and west to US 101. SR 20 is a two lane road and has a lot of curves, but we’ve been over it many times with no problem. Once you get to US 101 it’s a good road. One section near the redwoods is very narrow and has some sharp curves, but it’s not bad and not that long. Then it’s smooth sailing all the way. We’ve done the trip 5 or 6 times. It would definitely So do you get a ticket or do they be a good idea to join the just zap you out of existence?

July-August 2016

Letters

(From Page 4)

down on Highway 101 in a car, but can’t remember all of the highway anymore and would like to do it in my 40 foot diesel pusher. So I would come off the I-5 on the north side of Oregon, head west, go over the bridge to Highway 101 and south. So the question is, how far down the 101 can I travel? Which town will I have to get off and go back to the I-5? I would like to go down as far as possible. I am very used to winding and switchback roads. That’s a norm here in the mountains of B.C. Henk Dorst Henk, We’ve taken U.S, Highway

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Taking advantages of boondocking can really stretch your RVing budget. We’ve assembled a list of over 1,000 city and county parks, public locations, rest areas, scenic viewpoints, RV-friendly businesses and other places across the country and in Canada where you can park over-night free or for a very minimal cost. Some allow more than one nights stay, some include full or partial hookups. Many RVers who have purchased this booklet report saving hundreds of dollars with these money saving camping opportunities. To receive your copy of this money saving list of budget camping opportunities, send check or money order for $8.95 to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado Street, #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005-2448, or log onto www.PayPal.com and make a credit card payment to Editor@ GypsyJournal. net

Gypsy Journal all the way from Santa Rose, California to the top of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state in our 40 foot diesel pusher towing an SUV with no problems at all. It’s not a super fast route, but with the magnificent scenery along the way, you won’t want to rush it anyway. Nick Nick, We will be visiting Canada this summer then heading to the west coast. I was wondering if you could give me your short list of Thousand Trails campgrounds to go to and which to avoid. Thank you for all you do for RVers. Duane Wegley Via E-mail Duane, We have not been to any of the ones inland, these are all on the coast. We really like the Thousand Trails in Long Beach, Washington, but the sites are very cramped. Also really like Seaside and Newport, Oregon, though internet at Newport is very spotty at best. Pacific Beach,

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(936) 425-5041 E-mail: cryust@yahoo.com Oregon looks nice but we’ve only driven through, not stayed there. Florence, Oregon is a nice little town but the Thousand Trails leaves a lot to be desired. A few years ago they cut down a bunch of trees but left the stumps and it looks like a bombed out war zone. It can also get real muddy. I

doubt we will ever return there. Nick Nick, I just wanted to let you know I arrived safely at my workamper destination on the Big Sur Coast of California this week after having driven from Beaumont, Texas in five days. This place is gorgeous, but Highway 1 is not real friendly to 35’ fifth wheels. I did have one problem I wanted to share with you; I was driving along, well south of Monterey on Highway 1, when my truck started to make some pretty horrible sounds. I could only imagine the worst, as you can guess. Then with great relief I realized I was crossing the very high Bixby Bridge, and I could actually hear you whining and sniveling all the way from Florida! Love you Guy! Pat Dugand Via E-mail Continued on Page 6

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Letters

(From Page 5)

Nick, I finally retired at 69 and was thinking about your writing a blog every day. Have you considered Monday - Friday blog work and having the weekend to do as you please? Many of us don’t even check our emails on the weekend. Love your blog and appreciate all that you do. Just thought you might like to hear feedback

When did this become a problem?

Gypsy Journal

so you can take a break also! Carole Howell Via E-mail

July-August 2016

Carole, I don’t know, writing the blog is just part of my daily routine. If I didn’t write a daily blog I would probably feel like something was be missing and I probably wouldn’t sleep at night. Congratulations on your retirement. Nick Nick and Miss Terry, I would love to travel like you someday. It’s been my dream since I was a young girl. But unfortunately, my husband has absolutely no interest in it. We actually bought an older travel trailer a few years ago. It was a fixer upper, but it had so many problems that we quickly washed our hands of it and eventually donated it to a local Scout troop. So I guess I will never get to see the country like I’ve always wanted to. The best I can do is live vicariously through your blogs. Allison Cox Via E-mail

Nick, I really enjoyed both of the podcasts you did with John and Kathy Huggins from Living the RV Dream about about guns and about selfpublishing. I learned a lot from both. I wish everyone had your common sense approach to owning a firearm. There is way

too much misinformation and nonsense floating around out Continued on Page 7

A Guide To Favorite Restaurants

If there is one thing RVers love just as much as traveling, it’s eating. The RV lifestyle gives us the opportunity to sample local fare from ocean to ocean and border to border. In Florida we have dined on seafood so fresh it was swimming in the ocean that morning, and delicious barbecue in Texas sent our taste buds into overdrive. For years people have been asking us to create a guide to the different restaurants we enjoy discovering from coast-to-coast. So I compiled a new guide titled Favorite Restaurants RVers Will Love. It is available for $7.50 either in print or as an e-book. To order, log onto www.PayPal. com and make a payment to editor@GypsyJournal.net and specify whether you prefer the printed or e-book version.

July-August 2016

Letters

Gypsy Journal

(From Page 6)

there. Your comments were well thought out and obviously the voice of experince. Stan Vansandt Via E-mail Florida Residency Nick, I was interested in your experience switching your residency from South Dakota to Florida since it is something we have talked about it a lot. Thanks for sharing. I think you have us about convinced to make the change ourselves. We have found South Dakota becoming less and less attractive to fulltimers. Michael Rutledge Via E-mail RVing With a Goal Nick, A number of years ago we were students at Life on Wheels and loved all of the seminars you and Miss Terry put on. They were the best! One of your seminars was on RVing with a goal and you gave us lots of ideas of things we could do to make our RVing life even more fun. Based upon your suggestions we set three goals for ourselves; to see every Civil War battlefield, to catch a fish in every state in the continental United States,

and to see every presidential library. We still have some battlefields to get to and one presidential library, but this week I caught (and released) my 48th fish, a small trout in Watson Lake near Prescott, Arizona. Now I guess I need to add a new goal! Mel Turner Green Cove Springs, Florida Editor, I was disappointed to find that you no longer publish a printed paper. I got a sample last summer and meant to subscribe. It’s bad enough that we no longer communicate with real letters written by hand and have to use e-mail. Not everybody is a yuppie or Generation X and into the computer to the extent that we want to sit at one for our leisure reading. Regretfully, I am one of the latter and will

have to pass. James McFadden Via E-mail Nick, Thank you for your excellent blog, I never miss a morning of reading it. I have learned a lot, laughed a lot, and I would be lost without it. I’m still a decade away from being able to hit the road, but your blog helps keep that dream alive for me. Connie Bronbaugh Via E-mail

Because you can never be too careful.

I guess we now know what the term rock bottom means, don’t we?

Nick and Miss Terry, I love your daily update of your lives on the road! I so much want to live as you two are doing, but I’m in a wheelchair after several strokes, and my fabulous caregiver husband isn’t up to that lifestyle, so I live daily through your emails.

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And I love each and every one of your books. I own them all. Stay well dear friend and thank you for your hard work. Judy Piemme Via E-mail Nick, Please add me to your Author’s Newsletter email list. In no way am I an author, however I do have a book in my head that is trying to work its way out. I look forward to your ideas. I certainly enjoy your writings and daily musings. Life is good when you let it be and you and Miss Terry certainly let it be good! Norm Stoysich Via E-mail Continued on Page 8

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Order all eight of our best selling booklets - Gypsy Journal’s Guide To Free Campgrounds & Overnight Parking Spots, Gypsy Journal’s Guide to RV Good Guys, Gypsy Journal’s Guide to Public RV Dump Stations, RVers Guide To Fairgrounds Camping, Guide to Favorite Restaurants RVers Will Love, Guide to RV Parks With WiFi, Hitching Post, and RVers Guide To Casino Parking on one CD or e-mailed directly to you. Files are in PDF format, which can be opened by Mac users also. Over $60 value, for just $24.95, postpaid. You save over $35! To order, send check or money order to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 or log onto our website at www.gypsyjournal. net and go to our online bookstore to make payment with your credit card. This special price refers to the e-mailed or CD versions of our books only. Due to higher production and shipping costs, we cannot sell the printed books at this discounted price.

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Gypsy Journal

Letters

(From Page 7)

Miss Terry’s Kitchen Nick, I just wanted you to know that if Miss Terry ever goes missing, my husband is the likely culprit. My mother gave me her recipe book for Christmas and I have to admit that the first three things I made from it did not turn out all that great. But I also have to admit that I fudged by substituting a few ingredients I had on hand for what her recipes called for. When I complained that nothing was the same, my mother told me to stop improvising and follow the very clearly listed directions with the very clearly listed ingredients. And, of course, moms are always right. The next thing I made was delicious and everything else has been, too. My smarty mouth husband complimented me on the meals I have been cooking, and I said it was all due to Miss Terry’s Kitchen. He patted his very full belly and said if I can turn out meals like that, imagine what Terry can do! It will be a small

family service with burial to follow! Toni Lopez Via E-mail

A Year Of The Gypsy Journal On CD

Many Gypsy Journal readers keep their back issues for reference on places they plan to visit in the future. We have created CDs of all issues of the Gypsy Journal for the years 2003 through 2015 (six issues per year), in PDF format that can be opened on any computer with Adobe Reader. The CD is an exact reproduction of the Gypsy Journal in PDF format. To order, send check or money order for $15 for one year, $25 for two years, or $75 for all thirteen years to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005, or log onto our web site at www.gypsyjournal.net

and order from our online bookstore with your credit card. Please include a note that the order is for a one or two year CD, or for all thirteen years. When ordering, please specify which years you want.

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July-August 2016

Free Campgrounds And Overnight Parking Spots

As a service to our traveling readers, every issue we will list some of the many places where RVers can park overnight for free or almost free. These are not intended to be campgrounds where RVers will make extended stays, just safe places to pull off the highway and get some rest. The listings included here are from our Free Campgrounds book, and come from our own traveling experiences, input from fellow RVers, and different RVing publications. The parking areas listed were accurate as of press time to the best of our knowledge, but the Gypsy Journal cannot guarantee an area might not have been closed down or parking prohibited since its inclusion in our list. To obtain our list of over 1,000 free and low cost overnight parking places, send $8.95 to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado Street, C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005-2448. You can also order with your credit card online at www.PayPal.com by making payment to Editor@GypsyJournal.net. Please specify if you would prefer the list as a printout or sent to you by e-mail. Iowa Bristow: City park has sites for RVs to 35 feet. Clarinda: City park has spaces for RVs, one night limit. Floyd: Lions Park has two RV sites, one day limit. Jefferson: City park allows one night parking. Orange City: Veterans Park has RV sites with utilities, $8/night. Louisiana Breaux Bridge: From Interstate 10, take exit 109, go west on Mill Street to Mulate’s Restaurant. RVs allowed to park overnight on east side of restaurant. Good Cajun food. Denham Springs: Bass Pro Shop at Interstate 12 Exit 10 has RV parking area. Egan: RVs can park overnight on south side of truck stop parking lot at Interstate 10 Exit 76 Lake Charles: Isle of Capri Casino has RV pads in their parking lot with electricity only for $5/night. Oak Grove: City park has six RV sites with electric and water, $6/night. Go to city hall to have electric turned on. Located in extreme northeast corner of state. Minnesota Olivia: City park on Highway 212 has overnight parking. Royalton: County park two miles west of US-10 on County Road 26 at Mississippi River. Sacred Heart: City park has sites for RVs up to 33 feet. Sherburn: Take exit 87 off I-90 to Everett Regional Park. Donation box. 30 sites, eight day limit. Shevlin: City park seven miles west of town on US-2. 15 sites, limited to RVs under 20 feet. Sleepy Eye: Sportsmen’s Municipal Park on lake. Truman: City park on Highway 15 has RV sites. First 3 days free, then $5/day. North Dakota Barney: City park on State Route 13 has RV sites, some with electric. Water available. Free. Carrington: City Park off Routes 281/52 in town has RV sites with electric, water, dump. $10 a night. Crosby: County fairgrounds on State Route 5 east of town has free RV sites with water, electric & dump station. Elgin: City park on east side of town has five level RV sites with 30 amp electric. Enderlin: City park has RV parking for $10/night. Flasher: City park has RV sites with hookups for $8/night.

July-August 2016

Gypsy Journal

Meandering Down The Highway

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Adventures encountered as we travel down the road of life

We spent the last two weeks of March at the Orlando Thousand Trails preserve, one of our favorite places to hang out in central Florida. It’s become almost a second home to us. It’s a huge campground and there is always a lot going on. On the lawn in front of the activity center they have life-sized checker and chess games. In spite of the cold weather (for Florida), these kids were out having fun. I like to see kids doing something besides texting and playing video games. The best way to deal with cold, windy mornings is with a bowl of cereal with some fresh fruit on top, don’t you think? Look at the size of this strawberry! Who knew they grow quarter pound strawberries here in Florida? And those silly folks in Texas claim everything is bigger there. The fulltime RV community is like a small town that moves around the country, We’re always running into people we know, no matter where we are. Our friends Charles and Chris Yust and Stu and Donna McNicol were staying at a campground nearby and we got together with them several times. The last time we had seen Charles and Chris was at the Escapade at the Pima County Fairgrounds in Tucson, so it was nice to get together with them. Whenever we visit it’s a laugh a minute. Mostly it’s myself and Chris doing the laughing, because she’s just as sick and twisted as I am. Charles and Terry just kind of shrug their shoulders and wonder who the hell they married. Another fun couple who we hadn’t seen since Escapade in Tucson was Daryl and Cheri Lawrence from Tire Traker. They spent some time at the Thousand Trails and we were able to get together with them for dinner a couple of times. Gary The Gator Guy I have to tell you that Gary Greene, the manager at the Orlando Thousand Trails, is the best thing that’s happened to this campground in all the time that we’ve belonged to Thousand Continued on Page 10

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Meandering

Gypsy Journal

July-August 2016

(From Page 9)

Trails. He runs a tight ship, and I know he stepped on some toes along the way, but that’s what it takes to get the job done sometimes. And the end result has been excellent. Except for a few soreheads who are still mad because Gary had to explain that the world does not revolve around them, most regular visitors agree. We’ve been in a lot of campgrounds that have different kinds of entertainment over the years, including everything from bingo, to jam sessions, to movie nights. But my buddy goes the extra mile and provides alligator wrestling! After a day out exploring with our friends Charles and Chris Yust, as we were heading back to our motorhome I saw Gary and a crowd of people standing by a fifth wheel trailer and stopped to see what was going on. This is what was going on.

The gator was hanging out under somebody’s trailer, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Maybe he was comfortable under there, but the folks who own the rig weren’t so hot on the idea of having a reptilian roommate. He had been there the day before and wandered off, but came back. That’s not good for the My pal Gary Greene, the Thousand Trails “gator guy.” alligator, the people, or their dog. So Gary put in a call to an alligator trapper who does contract work for the State Fish and Wildlife Service to remove nuisance gators. There were actually three or four of them that showed up in the same truck, and the first order of business was for one of them to crawl under the trailer and agitate the alligator so it would crawl out the other side. I think this is the job they give to the new guy. Here is the gator once he was out from under the trailer. He let folks know that he wasn’t happy being disturbed. Using a long pole with a loop on the end, the trapper snared the alligator around the head, and then the fight was on. The critter

Looking For An RV Dump Station?

An important guide for RVers is the Gypsy Journal’s Guide to Public RV Dump Stations! A must-have for every traveling RVer and boondocker, this booklet lists nearly 1,000 RV dump stations from coast to coast and in Canada too! Order your copy today for just $7.50 postpaid. Mail your payment to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado St., #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005, or log onto www.PayPal.com and make payment with a credit card to Editor@GypsyJournal.net

Continued on Page 11

July-August 2016

Meandering (From Page 10)

Gypsy Journal

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was probably only about five feet long from the snout to the tip of its tail, but it was a scrappy little devil. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long for the trapper to get it pinned down, and then they wrapped electrical tape around its mouth to keep its jaws closed. And then it was ready to go on its way to its new home in a lake away from people, where it will hopefully have a long and happy life. Chris Yust hosted a wonderful Easter dinner for us and our pals Stu and Donna McNicol. You can bet that there was a lot of laughing coming out of their motorhome over the next several hours! Dinner was absolutely delicious, as were the desserts Miss Terry made, and I think we all ate too much. I know I did, for sure! We first met Donna back when we were teaching at Life on Wheels and she came as a student, though we had been Internet friends before that. Besides being a fascinating woman who had some wonderful experiences in life, including traveling the country solo on her motorcycle, Donna is also an author. Check out her Klondike mystery series, set in a small town in Pennsylvania. And she gives good hugs, too! Stu and Donnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Norcold refrigerator had just given up the ghost and we spent some time encouraging them to replace it with a residential unit. I think by the time we parted company we had them pretty much convinced. Last winter we swapped out our Norcold for a Samsung residential refrigerator and we love it. I know some people are going up to Indiana and having the Amish cooling units installed in their Norcolds rather than continuing to mess with the factory configuration and the risk of fires that they present. But for somewhere around $1000 for a new residential model with a lot more capacity that is also superefficient, for us it was a no-brainer. Charles and Chris and Stu and Donna all enjoy taking cruises and they have been on many of them. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an experience that Terry and I have not had but we have thought about doing sometime, so we picked their collective brains. You can get some very good last-minute deals in Florida, so we may have to do that one of these days, just to say we did. Got Wood? When you have been fulltiming as long as we have you pick up a trick or two along the way. One of them is Continued on Page 12

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Meandering (From Page 11)

Gypsy Journal

July-August 2016

to always carry a supply of wood. No, not for campfires. Fulltimers seldom have campfires. We are usually inside our homes at night, just like when we lived in a sticks and bricks house. We always carry several pieces of 2×12 lumber about 24 inches long in our motorhome’s pass-through bay. They come in handy quite often when we have an RV site that is not level. Sometimes we put them under the leveling jacks, other times under the front tires if we have to raise the coach so high to be a level that they are off the ground. Having your tires hanging in the air is never a good thing! Yes, they add some weight, but that’s why we have a diesel pusher. Although we also carried wood in our first motorhome, a gas rig, because it comes in handy all too often. So when a friend came to our door asking if we had any wood, I assumed they needed help leveling. As it turned out, it was something else. While backing into a site, they got onto the grass, where the ground was very soft from all the rain we’d had at the Orlando Thousand Trails preserve, and their Newmar Dutch Star got stuck. Real stuck. That’s where the boards came in. Putting down the rear leveling jacks raised the back end of the coach enough that we could stack several pieces of the 2x12s under and in front of the tires so the owner could pull forward enough to get his drive wheels back on the pavement. Of course, as usual when you’re in a situation like this, a lot of looky loos have to come around to watch and offer advice. Mostly what they succeed in doing is getting in the way and holding up progress. But in spite of their help, we got the coach out and then parked in the site properly. Just another day in the life of fulltime RVers. TireTraker Upgrade One of the nice perks of publishing the Gypsy Journal and my RV blog is that we get to test a lot of neat RV accessories and gadgets when something new or updated hits the market. Over the years we’ve been able to evaluate everything from cordless vacuum cleaners to inverters, GPS units, waterless cleaning products, and tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). When a company approaches us wanting us to review a product, the first thing I tell them is that if I like it, I will tell the world how good it is. But the flipside of that coin is that if I think it’s a piece of crap and doesn’t measure up in some way, I’ll say that, too. It’s surprising how many of them suddenly decide that they don’t really need a review from me after all. No problem, they know how good (or bad) their product is. We also will not accept advertising from a product that we would not use ourselves. Over the years I think we’ve tested just about every tire pressure monitoring system out there, and the one that has most impressed us, and that we continue to use on our motorhome and SUV, is the TireTracker. So I was very interested when Daryl Lawrence told me that they have come out with a new upgraded monitor, the TT-500. While we were at the Thousand Trails, Daryl and his wife Cheri came by to walk me through the installation of the new monitor, and I have to say that I’m very impressed. It features a larger, easier to read display than the previous model, continuously monitors tire pressure and temperature, and can monitor any tire from 0-232 psi. And it comes with a lifetime warranty! I found it easier to program than the previous model, even for a non-techie person like myself. And the new monitor can be charged either by a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug, a USB cord plugged into your computer, or any standard telephone charger. The new monitor uses the same sensors as the older version, so you don’t have to buy a complete new system if you want to upgrade. And unlike some of the TPMS systems on the market, which require you to purchase a new sensor when their batteries wear out (sometimes for as much as $50 each), the TireTraker sensors use a common CR1632 lithium battery and you can replace them quickly Continued on Page 13

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and easily yourself. The expected sensor battery life is 1-2 years, and when a battery is low, an icon will display on the monitor to warn you. I’m impressed. TireTracker has taken something that was already very good and made it even better! The Best Medicine They say that laughter is the best medicine. If that’s true, I’m pretty sure that I’m going to live forever. I learned a long time ago that a sense of humor will get you through just about anything, and one of the best things you can possess is the ability to laugh at yourself. I figure why not? The rest of the world is laughing at me anyway, so I might as well join the party. And you never know when an opportunity is going to arise to have a good belly laugh. Here’s an example. We were having lunch at Sarah’s Greek Cusine, a nice restaurant in Clermont, Florida with our good friends Stu and Donna McNicol. The waiter was taking our order, and after he had Donna’s and Miss Terry’s he turned to me and asked, “And for you, ma’am?” He realized his mistake and apologized and I said, “It’s okay, I have man boobs.” The poor guy started laughing and the rest of us joined right in. It took him a while, but he finally managed to compose himself, but I wasn’t letting him off the hook that easy. I asked him, “Do you want to touch them?” And it went downhill from there. WAY downhill! By the time it was

Free Camping For Veterans!

If you are a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) you have many free and low cost overnight parking opportunities awaiting you all across the United States. Many VFW Posts welcome traveling veterans who belong to other Posts to pull off the road and spend the night in their parking lots. Some even offer RV hookups! Most Posts do not charge their fellow veterans for this courtesy, and those who do ask only a token fee. We have compiled a list of VFW Posts around the nation that welcome you for a visit. Order your copy today for just $5.50 and reap one of the benefits of your service to your country and your VFW membership. To order your copy of our guide Overnight Parking With The VFW, send a check or money order to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 or log onto www.paypal.com and make a credit card payment to Editor@gypsyjournal. net.

Sharing a good laugh with our waiter at Sarah’s Greek Cuisine.

done, even people at the nearby tables were laughing. Yep, I plan to keep laughing and having fun every day of my life. How about you? Time To Move On April 1st came and it was time for new places and new faces, so we said goodbye to the Orlando Thousand Trails preserve, known simply as TTO to Thousand Trails members. We were up early and ready to hit the road. We had a short trip, less than two hours, to Horseshoe Cove RV Resort in Bradenton. This is a Carefree Resorts property, and they have a great off-season deal of $199 per month for any of their resorts you have not visited before. A couple of years ago we stayed at Carefree Pleasant Lake, just a mile or so away, and visited this place when John Huggins was checking it out for their first Living The RV Dream rally. I don’t like the layout at Horseshoe Cove as much as I do at Pleasant Lake, which is laid out in a nice Continued on Page 14

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circle around the lake. Here it looks like some drunk sketched out the design of the place while riding in the backseat of a Jeep going down a bumpy road. It’s not that it’s bad, just that there were a lot of interior streets and several turns to get to our pull-through 50 amp full hookup site. Like most Carefree properties, this is a mix of RV sites and park model manufactured homes. And like all of their properties we have visited, the staff is very friendly and accommodating. And it’s located right on the Braden River, with its own boat and fishing dock. Hmm… I was tempted to go down and catch dinner some afternoon!

Horseshoe Cove RV Resort has its own island on the Braden River.

July-August 2016

RVers Guide To Casino Parking

Casinos. They’re not just for gambling anymore. Did you know that many casinos offer RVers low cost overnight parking opportunities from coast to coast? These days more and more casinos are including RV hookups in their list of guest amenities. Still more allow RVers to dry camp in their parking lot overnight, or even for two or three nights. We have assembled a list of RV-friendly casinos from across the country where you will find a safe place to park for free or at low cost, enjoy a good meal and an evening’s entertainment as well if you need to unwind from a hard day on the road. To order our new RVers Guide To Casino Parking. Order your copy today and start saving money on your next trip! To order, send $6.95 to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado #C16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 or order online by logging onto www. paypal.com and making payment with your credit card to Editor@ gypsyjournal.net

I said we were going to see new faces, but there were some familiar ones there, too. While we were checking in, our friend John Huggins from Living the RV Dream came by to say hello. He and Kathy had checked in earlier in the morning, and not long after we arrived, our friends Charles and Chris Yust pulled in. They are also taking advantage of the off-season special rates. After we were hooked up and settled in, I was pleased to see that our rooftop satellite TV dish (which had been giving us problems) seemed to be working, though it did take a long time to lock onto the satellites. But at least we were getting all of the channels, something we had not been able to do at our last two campgrounds. Since I had not slept well the night before, I took a short nap in the afternoon. When I woke up Charles and Chris picked us up and we went to dinner at a place called Full Belly Stuffed Burgers, which had a 4 1/2 star rating out of 184 Yelp reviews. Two bites into our burgers, we all knew why. They make delicious hamburgers that are stuffed with all kinds of interesting things, some rather simple like bacon and cheese, which I had, others with things like bleu cheese or jalepeno cream cheese. Or, if you are feeling really adventurous, you might want to try the Matty Mat, which comes stuffed with sweet maple bacon and peanut butter. No, none of us tried it! After dinner we took a ride out to Anna Maria Island to see the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico. It being Continued on Page 15

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Friday, and with a lot of the spring break crowd still in town, it was really busy. Terry and I visited the beach here a couple of years ago and liked it, but it’s very hectic over there. Too much so for our personalities. Chris had told us about a local favorite of hers, Tyler’s Homemade Ice Cream, and asked if we wanted to stop on the way home. Yeah, I guess, if you’re going to insist! Yummy doesn’t begin to describe how good the ice cream is at this place. Checking Out The Gulf Coast We spent a lot of time with Charles and Chris Yust checking out some of the 55+ manufactured home communities on Florida’s Gulf coast, south of Bradenton. There sure are a lot of them! Interstate 75 is the fastest route, but what fun is that? So instead we took US Highway 41, which was slower but allowed us to see more of the area. I’m not sure which we saw more of, car dealerships or boat dealers. I didn’t pay much attention to the cars but I fell in love with at least a dozen pontoon boats as we passed by them. In Sarasota we saw the 25-foot tall Unconditional Surrender statue (right), one of a series of sculptures by Seward Johnson inspired by the famous photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt in New York’s Times Square on V-J Day at the end of World War II. The statue was first installed in Sarasota in 2005, then was moved to San Diego, California, and later to New York City before returning to Sarasota in 2009. Copies of the sculpture can also be found in Hamilton, New Jersey; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; and Normandy, France. While some of the more snooty of Sarasota citizens are not fond of it (the Chairwoman of the Public Art Committee sneered that “it doesn’t even qualify as kitsch…”), it’s very popular with other locals and tourists. I’m with them, I like it. We looked at several places around North Port and Englewood. While we saw a few nice places that would be a great place to retire to, if that’s where you wanted to be, Terry and I still like the Atlantic coast of Florida a lot better, especially around new Smyrna Beach and St. Augustine. We also drove over to Manasota Key, where they don’t have homes, they have mansions. One place had a real estate sign out front touting its 10 car garage. A price was not listed, but I guess if you have to ask the price in a place like that, you can’t afford it anyway. Back in the Bradenton area, we drove up to Cortez for dinner at a divey seafood place called Star Fish Company and Dockside Restaurant. While not fancy (you order at a window and sit outside on picnic tables), this is a place you shouldn’t miss, if for no other reason than to see this homely mermaid. Aren’t Continued on Page 16

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July-August 2016

mermaids supposed to be young and pretty? There were pelicans and other birds everywhere, and I’m not sure if this fellow was greeting us with a hug, or if he was just drying his wings. We all had the seafood combo plates, which included grouper, shrimp, scallops, and oysters, along with sides. The portions were very generous and everything was delicious. There were several fishing boats tied up at the docks, along with a sightseeing boat with a sign that promised you would see dolphins and manatee. If it wasn’t so late on a gray, rainy day, it might have been worth taking a ride. One of the employees said that this bird (below), with the broken beak, has lived at the dock for years, mooching food off the customers. Yeah, I know, the sign said “Don’t feed the birds,” but who could resist this guy? From what I saw, not many people.

Hanging Out At Horseshoe There are a lot of amenities at Horseshoe Cove RV Resort, including their own private island on the Braden River. We decided to take a walk and check it out. A short walk from our RV site, this wooden bridge (right) leads out to the island. And no, I didn’t snivel walking across it. Continued on Page 17

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The small island has a little garden area (right) with picnic tables and some interesting plants. They have some colorful foliage growing here in Florida.

The island has a large screened in pavilion, complete with tables, chairs, a sink, and refrigerator. There was a large grill outside. No wonder our friends John and Kathy Huggins chose Horseshoe Cove as the setting for their first Living the RV Dream rally last year, and will be again this year in October. If you’re going to be in Florida during that time period, put it on your calendar. It’s a laid-back affair and everybody I’ve talked to who attended the first one had a great time. The island has two fishing docks and we spent some time on one of them (right) checking out the water and enjoying some quiet time together. They tell me that manatee are quite often seen from the dock, though we didn’t luck out and spot any. There was a young man fishing who caught a small fish, making me wish I had brought my pole along. Continued on Page 18

Help Us Spread The Word! Please Tell Your RVing Friends About The Gypsy Journal!

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Sunset At Lido Beach Terry and I love being on beaches, whether they be on the wild Pacific Northwest coast, along the Texas Gulf Coast, or here in Florida. So when our friends John and Kathy Huggins asked us if we wanted to go to Lido Beach in Sarasota to watch the sunset one afternoon, it didn’t take us half a second to say yes. Lido Beach is located on Lido Key, a half mile southwest of St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota. For those not familiar with this upscale community on Florida’s Gulf Coast, St. Armand’s Circle is the shopping and dining hub where the elite of the elite like to hang out. Think Rodeo Drive with a Florida flavor. The beach is a long, wide stretch of beautiful sand that attracts visitors from all over the world. It’s one of the nicest beaches we have seen anywhere in Florida. The Art Deco Lido Beach Casino, famous for its glass block walls, concrete seahorses, and tropical-themed murals, was the center of activity here for close to 30 years, hosting beauty pageants, swimming meets, and social events. The city purchased the land where the casino sat from the John Ringling estate, and federal funds from the WPA paid for its construction. The casino’s opening in December of 1940 was a gala event attended by more than 1,000 people. People dined, danced, and partied at the casino through the 1960s, until it was torn down in 1969 in the name of progress. Today high-rise condos and hotels stand where the casino once was. There were quite a few people on the beach, but we found a good place to set out our chairs and enjoy the

RVers Guide To Casino Parking

Casinos. They’re not just for gambling anymore. Did you know that many casinos offer RVers low cost overnight parking opportunities from coast to coast? These days more and more casinos are including RV hookups in their list of guest amenities. Still more allow RVers to dry camp in their parking lot overnight, or even for two or three nights. We have assembled a list of RVfriendly casinos from across the country where you will find a safe place to park for free or at low cost, enjoy a good meal and an evening’s entertainment as well if you need to unwind from a hard day on the road. Order your copy today and start saving money on your next trip! To order, send $6.95 to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 or order online by logging onto www. paypal. com and making payment with your credit card to Editor@ gypsyjournal.net Please specify whether you prefer a printed copy or e-mail delivery.

scenery while we waited for the sun to go down. There were even more birds than there were people. These two were involved in an elaborate mating dance. I guess he must have won her heart, judging from the way things ended. Continued on Page 19

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As the sun started to drop, the sky turned from blue to yellow to orange. And finally it dipped below the horizon as everyone on the beach clapped in celebration. All that fresh air must have worked up an appetite because by the time we got back to Bradenton, we were all ready for a snack, so we stopped at Culver’s for frozen custard. Yummy! We had a great time. Thanks for inviting us John and Kathy! A Little RV Rally While we were at Horseshoe Cove with John and Kathy Huggins from Living the RV Dream and Charles and Chris Yust from C&C Insurance, Jim and Chris Guld from Geeks on Tour pulled in. It was like we were having our own little RV rally! The last time we had seen the Geeks was at the Escapade in Tucson in March of last year. We always like getting together with them because they are the RV technology experts when it comes to computing, digital photography, and smart phones. I always learn something from them, and usually have a problem or two for them to help me work out. This time around it was my Samsung Galaxy S5 smart phone. I had not been able to download any apps to it, though there was more than enough room left on the memory. Chris tried a few things from her bag of tricks, and when that didn’t work she went online and did some research. We ended up having to uninstall Google Play and then reinstall it, and after rebooting the phone everything was working like it should again. Thanks, Chris! And of course, anytime RVers get together, especially fulltimers, you can count on two things happening. A lot of food is going to be consumed and a lot of laughter is going to be shared. Lots and lots of both! One evening we all went to dinner at a place called Yacht Sea Grill in Bradenton. Charles and Chris had been there before and said it was excellent, and they were right. I had blackened grouper, which was outstanding, and Terry had Macadamia pesto herb crusted grouper and said it was excellent. I’m not sure what everybody else had, but there certainly were no complaints from anyone. Here are Chris and Jim from Geeks on Tour (right). I’m not sure what point Chris was making, but Jim seemed to agree with her. He’s been married long enough to know that that is always the best thing to do in any situation. Continued on Page 20

You Can Keep Up With All Of Our Adventures By Reading Nick’s Daily Blog At www.gypsyjournalblog.com

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If John Huggins (right) is looking startled or confused, it’s probably because he wonders how he ever landed such a catch as Kathy. Yeah, John, it’s a mystery to me, too. Chris and Charles (below) are a fun couple that we always have a great time with.

And, of course, Miss Terry and myself (below) were holding down our side of the table.

At one point, Kathy mentioned that there was so much RV experience and knowledge sitting at the table, and I was reminded of something from years ago when I was a young man publishing small town newspapers on the Pacific Northwest coast. Myself, the owner of the weekly newspaper in Elma, Washington, and the fellow who ran the daily newspaper in Aberdeen were having lunch together with a couple of other newspaper people and somebody said that if someone threw a grenade into the restaurant, they could wipe out the entire news business in Grays Harbor County. Fortunately, nobody threw a grenade that time, so we missed the bullet. Just in case, I sat next to John Huggins. I figured if I saw any grenades rolling across the room I could throw him on top of it and get the hell out of there if I had to. Is That All There Is? We had to go to the Bay Pines VA Hospital on the other side of Tampa Bay so I could have a CT scan as a follow-up to my medical issues from late last year. Which meant we had to go over the Sunshine Skyway bridge to get there. And you all know how I am about bridges! Yeah, I know. Thousands of cars drive over it every day, it’s an engineering marvel, hell, the Travel Channel even rated it No. 3 in its special on the Top 10 Bridges in the World. Tell all that to the guy, who barely escaped going over the edge back on May 9, 1980, when the freighter MV Summit Venture hit the bridge and brought down over 1200 feet of it, sending half a dozen cars, a truck, and even a Greyhound bus plunging down into the Bay, killing 35 people. Continued on Page 21

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Fortunately, Miss Terry would be driving, so all I had to do was sit in the passenger seat and snivel. Over the years a lot of people who know about my phobia of high bridges have told me about the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and I was definitely not looking forward to crossing it. But as it turns out, it reminded me of the classic song Is That All There Is? I was apprehensive as we saw the bridge from the distance, but once we were on it, it was a piece of cake. Two lanes wide in both directions with a wide shoulder and a high concrete guardrail. Compared to the Astoria Bridge crossing the Columbia River from Oregon to Washington, or the Mackinac Bridge that connects the rest of Michigan to the Upper Peninsula, this was nothing. John Huggins had told us that parking at Bay Pines could be a problem and to be sure to get there in plenty of time to find a place. My appointment was for 2:45 PM and we got there about 1 o’clock just to be sure. But we pulled into the parking lot and had plenty to choose from right up front. I figured as long as we were there so early, I’d go ahead and check in for my CT scan. I did, filled out a one-page patient information sheet, and they gave me two large glasses of water to drink. As soon as I finished that they took me back to begin the procedure. When I was in the hospital in Temecula, California they blew out the vein in my left arm where I normally have blood taken, leaving a scarred vein that the VA tech could not get through, even though he poked a couple of times. He kept apologizing, but I told him it was no problem, I’ve been stuck by worse then that. A lot worse, as a matter fact! He switched to my hand, got a needle in, and infused me with the contrast they use for the procedure. I was all done and walking out the door at 2:35, ten minutes before my originally scheduled appointment. I was really impressed with everybody at Bay Pines. They go all the way to do anything they can to be helpful, are very courteous, and if we were going to be living in this part of Florida, that’s where I would get all of my medical care. My parents used to live in St. Petersburg and my dad loved fishing at the pier there, so once we were finished at the hospital I wanted to check it out. But as it turns out, the pier that my dad loved, a landmark and tourist attraction that once included an aquarium, restaurants, and specialty shops, is being demolished. We walked down to the little beach next to it and got a picture, looked around for a few minutes, then headed back across the bay toward Bradenton. When the original Skyway Bridge was demolished, sections at both end of it were turned into fishing piers administered by the state Parks Department. For a small fee, anglers can drive out onto the pier and fish. Both ends are open 24 hours a day, and besides excellent fishing, the pier offers some amazing Continued on Page 22

The old St. Petersburg pier my father loved fishing on is being torn down.

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views of the sunrise and sunset. Back on the south side of the bay we stopped to check the pier out. We were hoping we’d get the chance to return and wet a line or two while we were in the area, but never got around to it. Maybe next time. More Friends One of the best things about the RV lifestyle is all of the nice people we get to meet. Longtime reader Darwin Soder lives in nearby Sarasota and had contacted me and said he would like to stop by for a visit while we were at Horseshoe Cove. Sometimes you meet people and feel an instant kinship with them, like you’ve known them forever. Such was the case with Darwin and his partner, Susan Tzchesnok. They are a delightful couple and we really enjoyed getting to know them. I hope we get another chance to get together one of these days. Sponge Town While we were in Bradenton I was busy working on the May-June issue of the Gypsy Journal and a new book, Return to Dog’s Run, a sequel to the original Dog’s Run I wrote back in 2013. I also launched a new author’s newsletter to keep readers updated on my writing projects, the writing process, and what my author friends are up to. You can subscribe to the newsletter for free by sending me an e-mail at editor@gypsyjournal.net. I promise not to flood you with spam or share your information with anyone. But even workaholics need a day off now and then, so when our pal Chris Yust told us that she and Charles were taking a day off to go play and that Miss Terry and I were going to do the same thing, who was I to argue? We drove up to Tarpon Springs, the Greek fishing town famous for sponge diving and baklava. Way back in the early 1900s, Greek direct diving crews came here to harvest the vast sponge beds of the Gulf Coast. They were successful beyond their wildest dreams and an entire industry was born. This mural (right) honors the early sponge divers who went underwater with primitive equipment to perform the dangerous work. Today tourism is probably as big, if not bigger, than the sponge business. We have visited Tarpon Springs many times over the years because it’s one of our favorite places. We love wandering around the waterfront, poking our heads into all the little shops, and checking out the merchandise displayed on tables out on the sidewalk.

There are a number of excellent Greek restaurants along the waterfront offering all kinds of delicious favorites. You can dine inside or on tables out on the sidewalk. It doesn’t matter where you sit, the food is going to be memorable. Trust me on this one. Not just sponges, but glass fishing floats, hats, T-shirts, souvenirs, and hand rolled cigars.

Continued on Page 23

From Small Towns To Big Cities, There Is History And Adventure Waiting To Be Discovered! Get Out And See America By RV!

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Tarpon Springs is colorful in more than one way. Check out these bicycles. Wouldn’t one of these be cool to tool around the RV park on?

And here is another tribute to the courageous sponge divers.

These days diving boats powered by diesel engines put to sea with a crew of six, including two divers. When brought to the surface, the sponges are piled on the deck and covered with a burlap bag until it is time to clean them. Back in port the sponges are sold at the Tarpon Spring Sponge Exchange. The wool sponge is the principal species harvested in Florida waters, followed by the yellow, grass, and finger sponge.

We had a good time exploring Tarpon Springs, enjoyed a late lunch, and Terry stopped at one of her favorite spice stores and stocked up on some goodies. And yes, we all bought baklava to bring home with us! Family Reunion One day during our stay in Bradenton we went to Pinellas Park for a family reunion, which required another trip over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. We had already crossed it twice going and coming back from my appointment at the Bay Pines VA hospital for a CT scan, and with Terry driving it didn’t bother me at all. The lanes are wide and there is a good sized sidewall. Then, a few days later we rode down to Tarpon Springs with Charles and Chris Yust and crossed the bridge going and coming back. So when we went to Pinellas Park for the family reunion, I decided I would do the driving. Usually Miss Terry drives us over the high bridges while I sit there and snivel, but I was proud of myself. I stayed in the inside lane and it didn’t bother me at all. Now, would I attempt it in our motorhome? Let’s not get silly. Limits are limits. My nephew Steve and his wife Denise hosted a family reunion for us. Steve, his brothers Jack, Harold, Continued on Page 24

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and Lou, and sister Cheryl are my late brother Jack’s children, all grown up now. All of my siblings and my parents have been gone for many years and we had lost contact until we reconnected through Ancestry.com a few years ago. Whenever we’re in Florida we try to get together with them. Unfortunately, Jack was on the road delivering a truck to Pennsylvania, so he could not make it to the reunion, but the rest were there along with their families, and they all went out of their way to make Terry and I feel welcome. There must have been at least 30 people there, maybe more, and I had a hard time keeping up with who was married to who, and which kids belonged to which parents and grandparents, let alone remembering everybody’s names. I told Terry it should be like at RV rallies, where everybody wears a name tag. Thanks you for having us, Steve and Denise, and thank you to everybody who took time out of your busy lives to come. It means a lot to us. We love you all. Moving To The Other Coast It was nice hanging out at Horseshoe Cove for a month with our pals John and Kathy Huggins and Charles and Chris Yust. We enjoyed visiting, having dinner together, sightseeing, and we even got some target shooting in! Then it was time to move on. So after our month in Bradenton, on May 1st we crossed the state and made an easy run to the Daytona Beach RV Resort, which is actually in Port Orange, on the south side of Daytona Beach. Traffic was busy going through Orlando, but we rolled right along with no problems, and arrived about 2:30, after making a stop along the way to top off our fuel tank. I was surprised at how busy the park was that late in the season. I thought all of the snowbirds would have left by then, but apparently not. We had a nice full hookup 50 amp site with a lot of room around us, and we were only about five miles from the beach! All this for $199 for the month, using the coupon that Carefree Resorts was giving away at the Tampa RV Show. Once we were settled in and hooked up, we decided to Continued on Page 25

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drive down and check out the waterfront. On the way, we passed a truck towing a pontoon boat on a trailer. But not just any boat, this was the Ice Cream Boat! Apparently it makes the rounds of the beaches in this area, sort of like a seagoing ice cream truck. How cool is that? I mean, it’s a pontoon boat, and it sells ice cream! Try finding something that neat in Paducah. I knew I was home! Here’s a picture of the boat that I swiped from the Internet. We stopped at Sunglow Pier, which besides having an excellent restaurant called Crabby Joe’s, is also a fishing pier

and offers great views of the beach. When we got there a fellow was in the process of trying to land a shovelhead shark. He had been fighting it for quite a while before we got there, and we stood around and watched the battle. Eventually he landed it with the help of another fisherman. It was somewhere around three and a half feet long, and apparently they’re very good eating. Being careful to keep away from its business end, I touched it to see what a live shark felt like. The skin was incredibly soft, almost like velvet if you stroked it in one direction, but when you went in the other direction it was like sandpaper. I told Miss Terry to try it, and about the time she did, it flopped and turned its head towards her. She wasted no time getting out of the way. She was saying something about wanting to keep her toes intact or some such nonsense. Girls, go figure! With the action over, we walked down the beach, where the sand is white and incredibly fine. There are a lot of high-rise condos along the waterfront but it wasn’t very busy on the beach. We drove around Daytona Beach, checking out some of the tourist areas down by the oceanfront. According to the sign, this is the most famous beach in the world. I wonder who determines those things? Life’s A Beach Terry and I are beach people, and we are never happier than when we are feeling ocean breezes on our skin and have sand under our toes. So we had several “beach days” while we were in Port Orange. We drove down to New Smyrna Beach and spent some time poking around there. It’s a nice little town, and very high on our list of “someday” possibilities. But it’s kind of a turnoff that you have to pay Continued on Page 26

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July-August 2016

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$10 per day to drive out on the beach if you’re not a Volusia County resident, in which case you can pay $25 for an annual beach driving permit. We found very few places there where you can park for free and walk out onto the beach. Then we decided to drive out to the Canaveral National Seashore. The Seashore has mile after mile of beautiful unspoiled beaches and isn’t very busy. There is a daily entry fee, but with our Senior Pass from the National Park Service, it’s free. The big empty beach at Canaveral National Seashore. We stopped at the Apollo Beach Visitor Center and watched a 17 minute video on the seashore that was very informative. There’s a lot to do there, from beachcombing to bird watching, to visiting historic sites, and fishing in Mosquito Lagoon or from the beach. We have a feature story on the Seashore in this issue of the Gypsy Journal. After walking on the beach for a while, soaking up that wonderful sea air, watching the little sand crabs scurrying around and

Over 1,000 places you can park for free, or almost free

talking about how lucky we are to live the life we do, we decided to head back home. On the way we stopped at Sunglow Fishing Pier again to see if anybody was having any luck. The winds had been really high for the last few days and one angler told us that while the fish had been biting earlier in the day, but by the time we got there the water was too sandy and they weren’t biting. That’s okay, it was worth it for the view from the pier. A Day In An Old Town One of the places we have been considering as a winter base and possible future home if and when we ever hang up the keys is St. Augustine. The oldest continuously occupied Europeanestablished settlement, Saint Augustine was founded in 1565 by the Spanish and has a long and colorful history. We visited there a couple of times before for a few days at a time and always enjoyed it. Of all the places we’ve seen in Florida, Terry and I agree that it’s the one place that has just about everything we’re looking for. Nice beaches, a fishing pier, and enough to see and do to keep us busy every day of the week. So we drove up to check it out again, We stopped at Anastasia State Park and I used my lifetime State Parks Continued on Page 27

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Pass, which they gave me on our last visit to Florida due to my veteran status, to get in free. The park has a campground, kayak rental, picnic areas, hiking trails, and what we both consider one of the best beaches in Florida. There weren’t many people around. I guess nobody likes paying the entry fee. There were even a couple of guys flying kites! Speaking of kites, we stopped at Ocean Extreme Sports in St. Augustine and I got to meet Scott Benz, an online friend I met through the Kite Life website a couple of years ago. Scott’s a nice guy and it was great to put a face with the name. We had a good time exploring St. Augustine and we are looking forward to going back again and spending some more time. We got back We think Anastasia State Park has one of the best beaches in Florida. to our motorhome at Daytona Beach RV Resort tired from our trip and long day of exploring, but we felt that we might be a step or two closer to finding the “right” place for us. After reading my blog about how much we like Saint Augustine, a friend asked me if we are ready to buy a place and hang up the keys. No, we’ve talked about what we will do when that day comes, but we both agree we’re not there yet. While we would like to have a place to hang out and relax for a couple of months at a time and then go on down the road again, we still love the RV lifestyle and have no plans to quit. The other thing we have to consider is that the two places we love the most are the stretch of Florida’s Atlantic coast from New Smyrna Beach to Saint Augustine, and Long Beach, Washington. It would be great to have an RV lot or something in each place, but they’re on opposite ends of the continent and the commute is a killer! And A Free Boat Ride! If you are history nuts like we are, what’s better than going to see a 275 year old fort? How about going to see a 275 year old fort and getting a free pontoon boat ride in the process? I love my job! One day we drove about 40 miles north to visit Fort Matanzas National Monument. The fort was built by the Spanish in 1742 to guard Matanzas Inlet, the southern mouth of the Matanzas River, which could be used by raiders to approach St. Augustine from the rear. This would have allowed them to avoid the deadly cannon at the Castillo de San Marcos, which guarded the approach to the city from the sea. The Park Service Visitor Center is located on Highway A1A, a few miles south of St. Augustine Beach, but the old fort itself is located across the inlet on Rattlesnake Island. The name alone would keep me from wanting to go there, but what the heck? Maybe I can’t outrun a rattlesnake, but given enough motivation, I can outrun Miss Terry if worse comes to worst. Just by dumb luck we timed it right, arriving about five minutes before the pontoon boat left the dock to go across to the island. We grabbed our free boarding passes and got on board. Continued on Page 28

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July-August 2016

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It only took a couple of minutes to cross to the island, and then another couple of minutes while the Ranger driving the boat tried to get to the dock and had to make a second attempt at it. He said it was a combination of the current and the fact that one of the boat’s motors was out. That’s the excuse I used when I had my cabin cruiser way back in the day. Nobody bought it then, either. Maybe because it only had one motor? There were only six or eight of us on the tour and a very nice lady Ranger showed us around and told us a little bit about the history of the old fort. I was wearing one of my Gypsy Journal T-shirts and she had a lot of questions to ask us when she realized we were RVers. As it turns out, she and her husband are planning to get an RV and do some traveling when she retires in a few years. We’re always happy to talk about the RV lifestyle and we shared some information with her, pointed her toward some resources (including our blog), and gave her my e-mail and told her not to hesitate to reach out if she had any questions. She and Terry had something in common, in that she moved here from Puerto Rico, and when Terry was a young girl she lived in Puerto Rico for tree years when her dad was stationed there with the Air Force, so it was like old home week. We have a feature story on Fort Matanzas in this issue. It’s A Damp Heat We lived in the White Mountains of northern Arizona before we hit the road as fulltime RVers but before that Terry and I both lived in the desert. Desert rats will tell you that, sure it’s 120°, but it’s a Fort Matanzas was built by the Spanish in 1742.

dry heat, due to the low humidity. My response has always been that it’s dry inside of an oven, too, but I don’t want to live there! In Florida, it’s just the opposite. It’s a damp heat. The temperature had been in the mid to upper 80s, with humidity in the 70% range. And as the summer goes on it will get both warmer and more humid. But the interesting thing to us was that so far it had really not been bad. A couple of hours during midday it’s pretty warm, but this close to the ocean (our campground is probably two or three miles from the beach) there’s always a breeze that keeps it comfortable. One day in late May we were once again down on the Sunglow Fishing Pier watching the guys wetting their lines, and according to the weather app on my Samsung smart phone, it was 85°. But the breeze kept it very nice. However, if you get very far inland, even fifteen miles or so, there is a noticeable difference. So I guess the moral to this story is, if you’re going to live in Florida, live by the beach. For the most part, the weather had been pretty good here in Florida all winter and we dodged the worst of the storms that did come through. When we were at the Orlando Thousand Trails preserve in Clermont, they were getting hit hard down in the Tampa Bay area. Then, when we spent a month in Bradenton on the south side of Tampa Bay, they got some pretty bad storms further north. We’re just now wrapping up a month in Port Orange, near Daytona Beach, and the weather patterns seem to have stayed the same. Most of the storms were either north or south of us, and we only got rain a few times. Another New Book We wrapped up our month at the Daytona Beach RV Resort with the release of my 22nd book, Return to Dog’s Run. It is the sequel to Dog’s Run, which came out two years ago, and tells the stories of the three children left behind by the tragic events in that book, now young adults and each with their own legacy to live up to, or to live down. It is available on Continued on Page 29

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Gypsy Journal

Amazon, Barnes & Noble for Nook e-book readers, and other online e-book venues. Sales and early reviews have been very positive. As soon as this issue of the Gypsy Journal is out, I will start on the tenth book in my Big Lake mystery series.

Guide To RV Parks With WiFi

Gypsy Journal’s Guide To RV Parks With WiFi is sure to be an asset to RVers who need high speed Internet access! Listing nearly 800 RV parks from coast to coast and in Canada with either free or paid WiFi access, this valuable guide will keep you connected wherever you travel! The days of waiting in line for your chance dealing with slow cellular phone connections to your laptop are over! To order this essential new guide, send check or money order for $7.50 to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado Street #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 or log onto our website at www.gypsyjournalrv.com and visit our RV Bookstore. Plese specify whether you want the printed edition or the book sent to you by e-mail.

We Love To Hear From Our Readers. Write And Tell Us About Your RV Adventures!

A Difficult Decision After a lot of talk and heartache, Terry and I made the difficult decision to cancel our trip to Essex Junction, Vermont, for the Escapade rally in July. I was scheduled to do several seminars at the rally and really hated to have to back out, but some things came up that just made it impossible to go. We’re sure going to miss it, and miss seeing so many of our Escapee extended family, but no matter how well we plan things, sometimes life gets in the way. We are still getting our feet back under us from my health issues a few months ago, scaling back for a while, and resetting our priorities. I still have some tests that have to be done and need to be near a VA hospital or clinic long enough to arrange them, so we need to sit still in one location for the summer to get it all done instead of trying to coordinate things between my primary care doctor at the VA hospital in Tucson and different VA health care facilities all over the country as we move from place to place. So we will be spending most of the summer in Elkhart, Indiana. There is a VA clinic in nearby Goshen where I should be able to get things done so we can get back to normal and back on the road. Somewhere along the way, I hope we see you in our travels.

Read Nick’s Daily Blog At www.gypsyjournalblog.com

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RV Calendar

July 10 - 15 Starcraft Camper Club International Rally, Sandwich, Illinois July 18 - 22 Jayco Jafari Travel Club International Rally, Lebanon, Tennessee July 18 - 24 Winnebago Grand National Rally, Forest City, Iowa July 24 - 29 Escapees RV Club Escapade Rally, Essex Junction, Vermont August 10 - 14 Bend Classic Vintage Trailer Rally, Bend, Oregon August 14 - 20 FROG (Forest River Owners’ Group) International Rally, Goshen, Indiana September 11 - 17 IRV2 National Rally, Elkhart Campground, Elkhart, Indiana September 14 - 18 FMCA South Central Area Rally, Shawnee, Oklahoma September 15 - 18 Georgia Fall Samboree, Perry, Georgia September 18 - 24 Carriage Travel Club Grand National Rally, Williamsburg, Virginia September 19 - 25 Discovery Owners Association National Rally, Bath, New York September 26 - 28 FMCA Rocky Mountain Area Rally, Farmington, New Mexico October 2 - 7 Thor Diesel Club International Rally, Goshen, Indiana October 5 - 9 FMCA Eastern Area Rally, Lewisburg, West Virginia October 6 - 9 Heartland Owners Rally, Las Vegas, Nevada October 9 - 15 Marathon Coach Club International Rally, Monterey, California

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Gypsy Journal

July-August 2016

Gamble Plantation Historic State Park

Just a half hour drive south from busy and modern Tampa, Gamble Plantation Historic State Park preserves historic Gamble Mansion, the last surviving antebellum plantation home in South Florida. Major Robert Gamble built his beautiful home between 1845 and 1850 as the center of operations for a large sugar plantation. Florida’s Gulf Coast from Crystal River south was an ideal area for growing sugar cane and many plantations thrived there. When work began on the plantation, the Seminole Indians were strongly resisting the loss of their traditional homelands to settlers and government efforts to move them west to Indian Territory. That, combined with the harsh climate, natural predators, and disease, made construction a challenge. By the time the fields were cleared and the beautiful mansion was finished, the bottom had dropped out of the sugar market and prices had plummeted and Major Gamble found himself deeply in debt. He was forced to sell the plantation to meet his obligations and left the area. The property went through a series of owners, and by the time the Civil War began, Captain Archibald McNeill owned the mansion. McNeill, a sea captain, became one of the most successful blockade runners using his knowledge of the backwaters and inlets along the Gulf coast to keep supplies and necessary products moving during the war. On April 2, 1865, General Robert E. Lee informed Jefferson Davis that he could no longer protect the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia and advised him to evacuate. The Confederate president and his cabinet fled south. Refusing to admit defeat, Davis hoped to flee to a sympathetic foreign nation to form a government in exile. But before he could do that, he and his entourage were captured on May 10 near Irwinville, Georgia, by a detachment of Union General James H. Wilson’s cavalry. Confederate Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin managed to escape capture and made his way to the Gamble Mansion a few days later. Using his intimate knowledge of the coast, Captain McNeill was able to set sail out of the Manatee River, which fronted the Gamble Plantation, and sneak out to sea under the guns of the Union blockade. He transported Benjamin to Nassau, in the Bahamas, safe from capture. Benjamin eventually reached England, where he went on to practice law. Some believe that a fortune in Confederate gold is still buried somewhere on the old plantation grounds or nearby, though one wonders how a man on the run, hiding out in the dense forests and swamps of Georgia and Florida while being pursued by the Union Army, could have managed to carry very much gold with him. At its peak the plantation included 3,500 acres, and more than 200 slaves worked the property and processed the sugar cane. Over the years there were other owners, and like many Southern homes of its period, the Gamble Mansion fell on hard times and was abandoned to time and vandals. But while many of the old plantation homes eventually disappeared, in 1925 the United Daughters of the Confederacy purchased the house and sixteen surrounding acres and donated On the run from the Union Army, them to the State of Florida to serve as a historic site and memorial to Judah P. Benjamin. These days the beautifully restored house is open to visitors. It is an excellent example of Confederate Secretary of State what life was like for those who owned Florida’s plantations during the antebellum era. Many Judah P. Benjamin found refuge at Gamble Plantation after the visitors are surprised to find that it was really more of a functional home than it was a glamorous capture of Jefferson Davis in showplace as usually depicted in movies like Gone with the Wind. 1865. The house is in the Doric Revivalist Vernacular architectural style. Its columns and two foot thick walls are made of tabby, a unique construction material created by mixing lime extracted by burning shells with sand and water. The carefully restored interior rooms display period furniture and items that would have been found in a home liked this during antebellum times. Continued on Page 31

July-August 2016

Gypsy Journal

Public RV Dump Stations

It doesn’t matter if you drive a small Class C or a shiny new bus conversion, we all need to pull up to a dump station on a regular basis. The dump stations listed below are from our publication Gypsy Journal’s Guide to Public RV Dump Stations, available for $7.50 from the Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado Street #C16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005. You can also order online by logging onto our website at www.gypsyjournal.net and clicking the shopping cart icon on our RV Bookstore page. Please specify if you would prefer the list as a printout or sent to you by e-mail. Colorado Lamar: Lamar Truck Plaza on Highway 50. Montrose: Blair’s Truck Stop on Highway 50. Monument: Conoco truck stop on Highway 105. New Castle: Burning Mountain Truck Stop at Exit 105 on I-70. Paonia: Public dump station on Highway 133. Salida: Public dump station at city park on Highway 50. Sterling: First Mart at Exit 125 on Interstate 76. Walden: Hansen Park on 2nd Street, three blocks east of Main Street. Iowa Avoca: Wings America Conoco Travel Center at Exit 40 on I-80. Brooklyn: Brooklyn 80 Standard Station at Exit 197 on I-80. Davenport: Flying J Travel Plaza at Exit 292 on Interstate 80. Des Moines: Pilot Travel Center at Exit 126 on Interstate 35. Farley: Truy’s Truck Stop on US Highway 20. Lamoni: Iowa Visitors Center at Exit 4 on I-35. Marion: Squaw Creek Park at junction of Highways 13 and 100. Spirit Lake: Vick’s Corner on State Route 86. Waterloo: Flying J at Exit 68 on Interstate 380 has RV dump. Williams: Boondocks USA Truck Stop at Exit 144 on I-35. Kansas Cimarron: T-Bone Travel Plaza on US Highway 50. Deerfield: Cenex Country Corner on US Highway 50. Garden City: Cenex Country Corner on Highway 50. Kansas City: Don’s Fuel Stop on Inland Drive. Medicine Lodge: Wright Truck Stop on US Highway 160. Newton: Newell Truck Stop at Exit 176 on Interstate 135. Oakley: Mitten Truck Stop at Exit 176 on Interstate 70. Salina: Flying J Travel Plaza at Exit 253 on Interstate 70. Sublette: Stockade Travel Plaza on US Highway 83. Topeka: ExpoCentre at 1800 Topeka Blvd. Wilson: The Waterin’ Hole at Exit 206 on Interstate 70.

Michigan

Algonic: Algonic State Park on State Highway 45. Allendale: Crystal Flash on State Highway 45. Bay City: Bay City Fairgrounds on Livingston Street off M-25 has RV dump station, $2 fee. Chelsea: Village Mobile on Main Street. Cheboygan: Next Door Food Store on State Highway 23. Emmett: Bisco’s Truck Stop at Exit 184 on Interstate 69. Niles: Unocal 76 on US Highway 31 Sawyer: Sawyer 76 Truck Plaza at Exit 12 on Interstate 94. Shepherd: Dump station on US 27 west of town ½ mile on north side of road next to park.

Gamble Plantation

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(From Page 30)

The Home’s parlor includes a beautiful piano and this delicate China tea set.

Displays outside focus on the operation on the sugar mill, including a 40,000 gallon cistern that provided the household with fresh water, a large cane roller that was used to crush cane stalks to squeeze the juice out of them, and the ruins of the old sugar mill. If you time your visit right, you may see volunteers in historical costume demonstrating old time skills or talking about life on the plantation during its heyday. The park also includes the restored two story Victorian style Patten House, which was built in 1872 for owner George Patten. Located at 3708 Patten Avenue in Ellenton, Florida, Gamble Plantation Historic State Park is open daily from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. The mansion itself is only open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours are given six times daily on those days. The house and visitor center are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year´s Day. The park and grounds are free to visit. Tours of the house cost $6 for adults and $4 for children. Parking could be difficult for a large RV. Visitors should leave their RV at one of the many local campgrounds and visit in their tow vehicle or dinghy. For more information about Gamble Plantation Historic State Park, call (941) 723-4536.

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Gypsy Journal

Dummit’s Tomb

July-August 2016

We came across an odd sight in New Smyrna Beach, Florida; a grave located in the middle of a quiet residential street. The story of how it came to be there is one of tragedy with a blend of prejudice and mystery. The above ground tomb is the final resting place of Charles Dummett, the son of one of the first settlers in the region, Douglas Dummett. (Nobody seems to know why the spelling of the son’s last name is different from his father’s in most historical accounts and stories about the grave.) While not much is known of Charles, who was only fifteen years old when he was killed, his father’s life is well documented. Douglas Dummett was a British subject born into a well to do family that owned a large sugar plantation in Barbados, in the West Indies. When slavery was abolished there in 1807, his parents moved to Florida, bringing their eleven children and a large number of slaves with them. They settled in St. Augustine, built another sugar plantation, and resumed their comfortable lifestyle. Douglas married the daughter of a prominent St. Augustine family but it was not a happy union and ended in divorce. Despondent over the breakup, he declined his father’s offer to manage a family sugar plantation near present-day Ormond Beach. Instead, he moved to what would become New Smyrna Beach. At that time it was still a wild and untamed land, but Douglas managed to establish a new life there. He built a home on top of one of the many Native American shell mounds in the area and became a Justice of the Peace, a sugar merchant, and planted citrus groves. During the Second Seminole War in 1835, Douglas commanded a local militia called the Mosquito Roarers. Later he was named the first Collector of Customs for the Port of New Smyrna. Defying the customs of the day, he openly took a slave named Anna as his wife. While it was not uncommon for white slave owners to take advantage of female slaves, and even to father children with them, it was a dirty little secret that was never mentioned in that time and place. Interracial marriage on the other hand, was scandalous, and Douglas was ostracized by polite society. Ignoring the whispers and dirty looks from the people around them, Charles and Anna had four children together, three daughters named Louise, Kate, and Mary, and their son Charles, born August 18, 1844. By most accounts they were a happy family and Douglas loved his wife and children very much, though at least one report says that for whatever reason, Anna and the children lived in a separate house on the property. Educational opportunities were scarce on what was then the Florida frontier, and even fewer for a half breed boy, so Charles was sent to school up north for a time. There is some debate as to how young Charles actually died. The accepted story is that while hunting on April 23, 1860, he accidently shot himself when he became entangled in the thick underbrush that carpets the area. However, there Continued on Page 33

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(From Page 32)

were whispers that after seeing how free blacks and mulattos like himself were allowed to live in the north, the boy became depressed when he returned home, where racism and slavery were still the norm. Douglas Dummet buried his son on his property not far from the beach, placing a thick marble slab over his grave that is inscribed ‘’Sacred to the Memory of Charles Dummett, Born Aug. 18, 1844 - Died April 23, 1860.’’ A sculpture of his faithful dog adorns the tomb.

After his son’s death, the same depression that had earlier descended on Douglas in the wake of his earlier divorce returned. A short time later he sold his property in New Smyrna Beach, along with his slaves, and spent the rest of his life working his orange groves near Haulover Canal on Merritt Island. It is reported that at one time, Douglas owned 1,350 trees, making his the state’s largest commercial grove. He is credited with starting the strain now known as Florida’s Indian River citrus. As time passed the entire area was developed, including the former Dummett property, which is now part of the Canova subdivision. There was some debate about what to do with the grave, but apparently when Douglas Dummett sold the land, he specified in the deed that his son’s tomb never be disturbed or moved. So Canova Drive was split, and today the tomb remains in the same place in a small island in the middle of the street. The folks who live on Canova Drive don’t seem to be disturbed by the presence of a grave in the middle of their neighborhood or the visitors and curiosity seekers who come by to see it. The gravesite seems to be well cared for, possibly evidence of acceptance and respect for a boy who would have received little of either in the society into which he had been born.

You Don’t Have To Wait For Our Next Issue. You Can Keep Up With All Of Our Adventures By Reading Nick’s Daily Blog At www.gypsyjournalblog.com

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Great Recipes For The Road!

In response to so many of your requests over the years, Terry has published over 275 of the most popular recipes from her Miss Terry’s Kitchen column in the Gypsy Journal in a new RV cookbook that is available both in print and as an e-book on Amazon! Among the most requested recipes in the cookbook are her famous cinnamon rolls, several of her breads, her pizza recipes, her marinated pork tenderloin, and her shredded beef for tacos and burritos. But that’s just a small sample. She’s been busy, and inside the pages you will find everything from quick snacks to main dishes, breads, and desserts that will make you the hit at your next campground potluck dinner or family gathering. Reviews have been full of praise and once you see it I’m sure you will agree. Order your copy today from Amazon in print or e-book format. If you would like an autographed copy, please send $19.45, which includes shipping, to Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado Street C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005.

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Gypsy Journal

Canaveral National Seashore

July-August 2016

Just a short drive from the busy restaurants and high-rise condos of Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, visitors to Florida’s Atlantic coast can find a peaceful natural wonderland at the Canaveral National Seashore. Here one can find miles of unspoiled beaches, hiking trails, history, and wildlife, without the traffic and the commercialism of the nearby developed cities. Created by an act of Congress on January 3, 1975, the park is located on a barrier island that includes 25 miles of pristine Atlantic Ocean beach, fragile dunes, and Mosquito Lagoon. It is the longest expanse of undeveloped land on Florida’s east coast. The 57,662 acre Seashore is home to more federally protected species of plants and animals than any national park except Everglades, in south Florida. More than 1,000 plant species and 310 bird species, along with numerous animals live here, including armadillos, raccoons, tortoise, deer, and alligators. Every year thousands of sea turtles come ashore at the Seashore to lay their eggs on the very same beaches where they were hatched. Dolphins and manatee can be found in Mosquito Lagoon, which separates the island from the mainland. The Lagoon and its many small islands make up two-thirds of the Seashore’s acreage. The lagoon is one of the most diverse estuaries on the entire eastern seaboard. The best place to start your visit to Canaveral National Seashore is at the Apollo visitor center. Here rangers will tell you about the Seashore and you can watch a seventeen minute video on its history and see displays that include these turtle shells.

Over 120 archeological sites have been recorded in the park, some dating as early as 2000-500 BC (known in archeology as the Orange or Transitional period). This section of Florida’s coast is part of the first North American land encountered by European explorers at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Spanish adventurers named the cape area Cañaveral, meaning canebrake. The area north of Cape Canaveral the Spanish called Los Mosquitos for the insects that still can drive visitors mad today. For many years the French, Spanish, and later the British fought for control of the region. Exposure to new diseases, cultural changes, wars, and slave raiding resulted in near-total annihilation of the original native populations here, as in much of the state. Eventually this all became part of the state of Florida, for better or worse. U. S. Life-Saving Service established a House of Refuge at Mosquito Lagoon, one of ten such houses and lifesaving stations built along Florida’s east coast below St. Augustine between 1875 and 1886. These were small buildings supplied with boats, provisions, and “restoratives” to provide shelter for shipwreck survivors. These facilities did not have a full life saving crew but were manned by a keeper, and usually his family. Each House of Refuge was stocked with fifteen bunks for shipwreck victims, six spittoons, four barrels of salt beef, four casks of navy bread, four barrels of salt pork, fifty pounds of coffee, and 150 pounds of sugar. Continued on Page 35

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Canaveral National Seashore

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(From Page 34)

Over time many came to settle in the area, though most found the remote location and landscape too difficult and soon moved on. But a few colorful characters are still remembered today. One was a man known only as Fred, who came up with a unique way to make a living. Fred would steal Route A1A road signs and post them at the entrance to a trail leading toward Mosquito Lagoon. Travelers would follow the signs down the trail and get stuck in the deep sand. Fred would give them a couple of hours to get acquainted with the local mosquitoes before he would come along with his tow truck and pull them out for the then exorbitant fee of $100. Constable F. Russell Galbreath arrested Fred several times to try to put a stop to his activities, but apparently no one ever stuck around long enough to testify against him at trial and he was allowed to go free and back to his “business.” In the latter part of the 19th century a community named Eldora was established along Mosquito Lagoon and thrived for a while, until a hard freeze destroyed the citrus crop and the residents moved away. The old town site is now part of Canaveral National Seashore and can be accessed by a short walk from a paved parking area. The handsomely restored Eldora State House is all that remains of the community, and while we were there a volunteer was on duty to tell us about the history of Eldora. After we toured the Eldora State House we walked out onto a nearby dock and watched dolphins and manatee swimming by in the Lagoon. It is a popular place with boaters, kayakers, and fishermen. While the beaches are very busy in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, not many people seem to come out to the Seashore. We saw a few people on the beaches, and this fisherman (below) was having a good time in the surf, but there was lots of elbow room for stretching out to enjoy the day.

The beautifully restored Eldora State House.

The beaches have restrooms and boardwalk access. Beach access points for visitors with disabilities are at Eddy Creek and Parking Area #8 at Playalinda Beach, and at Parking Areas #1 and #5 at Apollo Beach. I think we saw almost as many animals as we did people, including this tortoise. I guess if you count the mosquitoes we encountered at Eldora, the critters outnumbered the humans by a huge number. Whether you enjoy beachcombing, fishing, hiking, photography, bird watching, or just enjoying the sunshine while you listen to the sound of the surf crashing on the beach, there’s something for everybody at Canaveral National Seashore. It’s one of our favorite places in Florida, and after you visit for the first time, I bet it will be one of yours, too! The Canaveral National Seashore is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the winter and from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the winter. The Apollo Visitor Center, located at 7611 S. Atlantic Avenue in New Smyrna Beach, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Eldora State House, a short drive from the Apollo Beach entrance station, is currently open to the public Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. Park entrance fees are $5 for cars and motorcycles, and $1 per day for pedestrians and bicyclists. All National Park passes are accepted. The main road and parking area at the Apollo Visitor center would accommodate smaller RVs, but anything over a small Class C would have difficulty. For more information, call (386) 428-3384 or visit the Seashore’s website at https://www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm.

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Gypsy Journal

July-August 2016

Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse

We love lighthouses and have toured them from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Northwest coast, so we were excited to discover Florida’s tallest lighthouse near Daytona Beach. The 175 foot tall Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse is one of the best preserved and most authentic historic light stations in the country. The lighthouse construction project, originally called the Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse, got off to a tragic start back in 1884 when the chief engineer, Orville E. Babcock, and three workers drowned in the inlet soon after work began. The setback did not delay things long and the tower was finished three years later. On November 1, 1887, Chief Light Keeper William Rowlinski lit the first kerosene lamp in the lighthouse’s Fresnel lens. Ships twenty miles out to sea could see its signal. Rowlinski, a Russian immigrant, was the first in a succession of light keepers. Life was not easy in the early days at the light station. The inlet was home to alligators and poisonous snakes, rainwater was collected for drinking purposes, and supplies had to be brought overland. Hurricanes and tornadoes presented other dangers. But the brave light keepers and their families never shirked their duties. They were always there, and always on the ready to provide aid to ships and their crews who might run into trouble. Thomas Patrick O’Hagan succeeded Rowlinski as Chief Light Keeper. During O’Hagan’s tenure, author Stephen Crane, best known for his Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage, was shipwrecked nearby in 1897, when the steamship SS Commodore went down. Crane and three other men floated in a lifeboat for nearly thirty hours before making it to shore. He wrote about the experience in his classic short story The Open Boat. Over time improvements were made at the light station. A new well was dug to provide a more reliable water supply and a windmill and water tank tower were erected. A few years later the original kerosene lamp was replaced by a more modern incandescent oil vapor lamp. In the 1920s, the light keeper’s and assistants’ homes were improved with indoor plumbing and a generator to province electric power. In 1926, the local land speculators and business interests decided that the name Mosquito Inlet probably wasn’t helping tourism much and the

The light keepers’ houses and other outbuildings now hold museum exhibits about the Lighthouse Service.

name was changed to Ponce de Leon Inlet. Later improvements include an upgraded revolving flashing lens powered by a 500 watt electric lamp and a radio beacon to improve navigation. When the Lighthouse Service was abolished in the late 1930s, the lighthouse was transferred to the Coast Guard. During World War II, the light keepers’ families were ordered out of the light station and the buildings were converted to barracks for the Coast Guardsmen who protected the lighthouse and stood watch against Nazi submarines, which prowled the coast and took a heavy toll on commercial shipping. In late 1953, the lighthouse was completely automated, and light keepers were no longer needed. In 1970, the old light station was decommissioned and the Coast Guard Continued on Page 37

July-August 2016

Lighthouse

Gypsy Journal

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(From Page 36)

established a new light on the south side of the inlet. Over time vandals did a lot of damage to the historic lighthouse and it was in danger of being torn down. Fortunately, a group of concerned citizens saw its value and convinced the government to deed the old light station to the Town of Ponce Inlet. The non-profit Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse Preservation Association was founded in 1972 and began efforts to restore the old light The gift shop offers souveniers and books about lighthouses and local history. station and operate it as a museum. That same year the light station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of only a handful of 19th century light stations with all its original buildings still intact. Years of hard work followed for the association’s dedicated volunteers, and in 1982, the light in the lantern was restored to active service. In 1998, the light station was designated a National Historic Landmark. Today the facility is one of the most authentic and best preserved historic light stations in the country. Visitors can walk the grounds, tour the three light keepers’ dwellings that house exhibits on lighthouse history and what life was like there when this was an active light station, and climb the 203 steps to the top of the tower for magnificent views of the Daytona Beach, Ponce Inlet, and surrounding inland waterways. A gift shop has souvenirs and books on lighthouses and Florida history. Located on the north bank of Ponce Inlet where the Halifax and Indian Rivers meet the Atlantic Ocean, the Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse A Guide To and Museum is just ten miles south of Daytona Beach. Open Favorite Restaurants daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. If there is one thing RVers love in the summer, and from 10 just as much as traveling, it’s a.m. to 6 p.m. in the winter, eating. The RV lifestyle gives the lighthouse is closed on us the opportunity to sample Thanksgiving and Christmas local fare from ocean to ocean Day. Admission is $6.95 for and border to border. In Florida adults, and $1.95 for children we have dined on seafood age 3 to 11. Age 2 and under so fresh it was swimming are free. The roads and parking in the ocean that morning, area are not suitable for large and delicious barbecue in RVs. Texas sent our taste buds into The Ponce De Leon Inlet overdrive. Light-house and Museum is For years people have been not located within the adjacent asking us to create a guide to Lighthouse Point Park. Admis- the different restaurants we sion to Lighthouse Point Park enjoy discovering from coastdoes not include access to to-coast. So we have compiled the lighthouse or museum. a new guide titled Favorite For more information, call Restaurants RVers Will Love. (386) 761-1821 or visit the It is available for $7.50 either lighthouse’s website at http:// in print or as an e-book. To ponceinlet.org/ order, log onto www.PayPal. Don’t Delay com and make a payment to editor@GypsyJournal.net. Subscribe Today!

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Gypsy Journal

Sergeant Reckless

July-August 2016

The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia has many fine exhibits on the men and women who have served our country as Marines, but one monument honors a little known Marine hero known as Sergeant Reckless. Who was this brave Marine sergeant and what great deeds did he do to earn such recognition? Well, first off, Sergeant Reckless wasn’t a he, but rather a she. And she wasn’t even a human being. Sergeant Reckless was a horse! It was during the Korean

War that Marine Lieutenant Eric Pedersen purchased the horse from a young Korean boy who needed the money to buy an artificial leg for his sister, who had lost her leg stepping on a land mine. Pederson paid $250 of his own money for the animal. It would prove to be a wise investment. Pederson was an officer with the 75mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon of the 5th Marines and he put the horse to work carrying ammunition. The Marines quickly learned that this was no ordinary nag. She had a mind of her own, coupled with an incredible appetite. Reckless would eat anything and everything. She loved scrambled eggs and pancakes in the morning, along with a cup of strong coffee. She also enjoyed sweets, including cake, Hershey bars, and Coca Cola. And if she felt she wasn’t getting the attention she deserved, she wasn’t above devouring the occasional blanket, hat, or some other piece of a Marine’s uniform. Reckless proved herself as a true Marine during the brutal Battle of Outpost Vegas in March, 1953. The battle raged for five long, bloody days, and Reckless was in the middle of it, carrying load after load of ammunition the fighting men desperately needed up the steep 45-degree mountain trails to their position. And not only did she do it, when the Maries could not spare anybody to guide her after her first few trips back to the supply point and then to the battle line, the brave little horse continued on alone! In just one day she made over fifty trips carrying needed supplies uphill and wounded Marines back down, 95% of the time by herself. At one point she used her body to shield a group of trapped Marines from enemy fire. Reckless was wounded twice, but she ignored her injuries and continued to do her job. Over and over the amazing animal went back to be loaded and then took off for the front lines. By the time the battle was over she had carried over 9,000 pounds, almost five tons, of ammunition, walked over 35 miles through open rice paddies and up steep mountains, ignoring intense enemy fire falling all around her at the rate of 500 rounds per minute. Reckless was promoted to Sergeant and brought back to the United States when the war ended. As author Robin Hutton told the Washington Post, “She wasn’t a horse; she was a Marine.” Sergeant Reckless was awarded two Purple Hearts for the wounds she received in battle, along with a Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. She spent her last days at Camp Pendleton, California, where she died in May, 1968. Her memory lives on with the men and women of the Marine Corps, and her statue in Quantico reminds us that heroes come in all shapes and sizes and that they don’t all have just two legs.

You Can Keep Up With Our Latest Adventures By Reading Nick’s Daily At www.gypsyjournalblog.com

July-August 2016

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Fort Matanzas National Monument

It was inevitable that the Spanish, French, and British would fight for hundreds of years over control of the New World, and the place we now know as Florida was one of the most hotly contested. Whoever controlled Florida controlled the rich shipping lanes coming from the Spanish Caribbean, and those world powers bathed the land in blood. War is always horrible, and atrocities were committed on all three sides over the years. One happened at a small spot on the Atlantic Coast a few miles south of present day St. Augustine in 1565. The French had established a colony of settlers on land that Spain had claimed near what is now Jacksonville, and built Fort Caroline to protect it. King Philip II of Spain ordered General Pedro Menéndez de Aviles to remove the trespassers. The Spanish prepared for war by building a base south of there at St. Augustine. In response, on September 10, 1565, the French sent a force commanded by Jean Ribault to attack St. Augustine. Their plan went awry when a hurricane carried their ships too far south, where they wrecked on the Florida coast near present-day Daytona Beach. At the same time, Menéndez moved north to attack Fort Caroline. With most of the soldiers gone, the Spanish captured the French settlement, killing most of the men left there in the battle. Menéndez spared the women and children and sent them to Havana by ship. Shortly afterward, the local Timucuan Indians reported that a group of shipwrecked Frenchmen were on the beach a few miles south of St. Augustine, trying to make their way back to Fort Caroline. Menéndez hurried back south to find 127 of them at the mouth of a small river. Mostly unarmed and without provisions, the French surrendered. But when Menéndez demanded that they give up their Protestant faith and accept Catholicism, 111 Frenchmen refused and were immediately killed. The horror was repeated just two weeks later, when another group of 134 French shipwreck survivors appeared at the inlet, including their leader, Jean Ribault. Unaware of what had happened to their countrymen, they surrendered to the Spanish, and once again Menéndez ordered his prisoners to renounce their faith. When they refused, they were all massacred. From that time on the inlet and river were called Matanzas, which is Spanish for “slaughters”. Eventually the French gave up on Florida, only to be replaced by the British. They had unsuccessfully laid siege to St. Augustine twice, in 1702 and again in 1740, giving up when their cannonballs bounced off the impenetrable walls of the massive Castillo de San Marcos that protected the seaside approach to the city. Florida Governor Manuel de Montiano knew it was only a matter of time before they returned, and recognized a weak point in his defenses; the undefended inlet at Matanzas. The British could come up the river and attack from the rear, avoiding the deadly guns of the Castillo. Governor Montiano ordered a fort to be built to guard this vulnerable point. Convicts, slaves, and Spanish troops were pressed into service to build the fort, which was located on present-day Rattlesnake Island, with a strategic position commanding Matanzas Inlet. As the fort, which the Spanish named Torre de Matanzas (Matanzas Tower), was nearing completion in 1742, a British fleet of twelve ships approached, but were driven off by cannon fire. This brief skirmish was the only time the fort fired on an enemy, but it proved how wise the decision to build it had been. The fort is a masonry structure made of coquina, the same In its only engagement with an enemy, the fort’s cannons drove off a shell stone building material used at the Continued on Page 40 fleet of twelve British ships in 1742.

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Fort Matanzas

Gypsy Journal

July-August 2016

(From Page 39)

Castillo de San Marcos. It was armed with five cannon, four six-pounders and one eighteen-pounder. Duty at the fort was on a rotating basis for soldiers stationed at the Castillo, usually for three weeks at a time. Typically one officer, four infantrymen, and two gunners were stationed there. The small fort did not have much to offer in the way of creature comforts, just a few rough bunks and tables, with benches to sit on, and a fireplace for cooking and to provide heat. Rations consisted The soldiers assigned to the fort made do with limited food and water supplies and cramped quarters. mostly of beans and cornmeal, and whatever the soldiers could hunt or catch in the river. The soldiers lived in a room at the lower level, while the officer was in a room above them. Gunpowder was stored in barrels in a small chamber off his room, as was all food, so he could control dispersal of both. By the time the United States took control of Florida in 1821, the old fort had been abandoned and was not much more than a ruin. In 1916, the U.S Department of War began a major restoration of the fort, and in 1924, Fort Matanzas National Monument was established. It is operated by the National Park Service in conjunction with the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine. Today visitors can pick up a free boarding pass at the Visitor Center on the mainland and then take a short ride across the river to Rattlesnake Island on a pontoon boat to tour the fort. Rangers explain the fort’s history and relate what life was like at this small outpost that was built to protect an important part of Spain’s colonial empire. A wooden ladder leads to the top, where one can enjoy the views of the surrounding land and the sea approach to the inlet. It’s a peaceful setting now that belies the terrible events that took place near here so long ago. Fort Matanzas National Monument is located about fifteen miles south of the historic district of St. Augustine, Florida. The physical address is 8635 A1A South, St. Augustine. The fort is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day of the year except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The ferry to the fort carries 35 people on a first come, first served basis and leaves the Visitor Center dock on the half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. For more information, call (904) 471-0116 or visit the fort’s website at https://www.nps. gov/foma/index.htm

Learn About More Places To Visit In The Next Edition Of The Gypsy Journal!

Ramrods, pikes, and gunpowder, the tools of the trade for eighteenth century Spanish soldiers at Fort Matanzas

July-August 2016

Gypsy Journal

Jurassic Park South?

Page 41

You just never know what you’re going to find when you get off the interstate highway and look around a bit. We have discovered everything from historical sites to the graves of famous people, to oddball attractions we never knew existed, with just a little exploring. A good example is the Sugar Mill Botanical Park, which we found just a few blocks from the Daytona Beach RV Resort where we stayed in Port Orange, Florida. The park’s carefully tended twelve acre gardens, which occupy part of the old Donlawton sugar cane plantation, dating back to the early 1800s, are a showplace of beautiful trees and plants. Wide walking paths meander through the property and it definitely has a semitropical feel to it. But when you come around a curve and meet this fellow (below), you might think you took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in Jurassic Park! There are a number of statues of prehistoric animals like this, all remainders of a 1950s era theme park. The park failed, as did the sugar plantation that preceded it a hundred years earlier, but these guys remain. They are surrounded by iron fences to protect them from kids (and stupid adults) crawling on them. I wouldn’t Continued on Page 42

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Jurassic Park South

Gypsy Journal

July-August 2016

(From Page 41)

try it anyway, you never know when they might come to life! There were only a few other people around and we spent a couple of hours just wandering about the grounds, admiring the many plants and trees and enjoying how nice and peaceful it was. But things were not always peaceful here. The land was first settled by Patrick Dean, who arrived in the Port Orange in 1804 from the Bahamas and established a large plantation. Slave labor was used to grow cotton, rice, and sugar cane. Nobody knows for sure what happened to Dean; one report says he died from yellow fever, another claims it was malaria, and a third story says he was killed by Indians about 1818. In 1832, the Dunlawton Sugar Mill began operation on 995 acres that had been part of Patrick Dean’s plantation. Using slave labor, the mill was in operation until the Second Seminole Indian war, which began in December, 1835. Some 120 Indians and escaped slaves who had joined them raided the mill in January, 1836 and clashed with a company of Florida militia in what became known as the Battle of Dunlawton. The ill trained and poorly equipped militiamen were not prepared for the fierce fighting that followed and had to withdraw, leaving the enemy to burn the mill and carry off anything they could find. After the war ended, a planter from Louisiana named John J. Marshall purchased the property and rebuilt the mill. It operated at a loss for several years, a victim of falling sugar prices and the Civil War. Eventually Marshall closed it down and the property

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Making sugar was a long, hot, and dangerous job, especially working around the big cane crushers, which could grab a worker’s hand and pull him inside its maw before anybody could react to save him. With the abolition of slavery, few free men wanted to work under such difficult conditions for the low wages the mill could afford to pay. Several people tried to turn the old mill into a tourist attraction, with limited success. In 1948, Continued on Page 43

July-August 2016

Jurassic Park (From Page 42)

a doctor named Perry Sperber leased the property and created a theme park called Bongoland that included a replication of a Seminole Indian village and the prehistoric animals still seen today. The park was named after Bongo, a large baboon that came with the property. A miniature train carried visitors around the park. Many thought Doctor Sperber to be a quack because of his many radical theories and ideas about everything from medicine to the relationship between modern animals and prehistoric dinosaurs. Like every commercial enterprise attempted there, Bongoland soon failed, and closed in 1952. Eventually the property was donated to Volusia County, and since 1988 it has been operated as a free attraction called Sugar Mill Gardens by the nonprofit Botanical Gardens of Volusia Inc. In addition to the gardens and animals left over from Bongoland, parts of the old sugar mill ruins and machinery are on display. Five of the original dinosaurs still exist today, including a triceratops, a stegosaurus, and a tyrannosaurus rex, charming reminders of a simpler time in a beautiful place that has too often seen the worst of mankind. Sugar Mill Gardens is located at 950 Old Sugar Mill Road in Port Orange and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is a small parking area suitable for passenger car sized vehicles only.

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Gypsy Journal

Miss Terry’s Kitchen

Page 43

One advantage to staying in Florida into June was that once we headed north the fruits and vegetables that we had been enjoying already were just starting to come into the farmer’s markets there! We had strawberries and blueberries starting in late February and early March in Florida and the vegetables continued almost until the berries started coming into the markets in Indiana the middle of June! I do love fresh berries with my (non-dairy) yogurt and toasted wheat germ for breakfast! Of course Nick likes strawberries on his cereal, or even better, with other berries in a pie! I like to balance it out just a bit with oats in a crisp or a crumble and he really enjoys that. How about you? How do you make cooking in an RV work for you? Do you have any cooking or baking shortcuts, hints, or ideas? If you would like to share some of your cooking techniques and recipes, please let me know via email: travelinterry@gypsyjournal.net or snail mail them to me at Gypsy Journal, 1400 Colorado St. #C-16, Boulder City, NV. 89005. FRESH TOMATO, AVOCADO, MUSHROOM, AND CUCUMBER SALAD ½ - ¾ of an English cucumber 1 ripe beefsteak or heirloom tomato, cored 4-6 large button mushrooms, sliced 1 ripe avocado, peeled and seed removed 1 T fresh lemon juice 2 T champagne vinegar 2 T extra virgin olive oil Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste Cut tomato, cucumber (peeled if desired), and avocado into bite sized cube and gently mix with mushroom slices. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and champagne vinegar and drizzle with olive oil. Grind sea salt and pepper over all, to taste, and gently mix together. Set aside to rest, at room temperature, for 20 minutes. Serve. CHERRY-BERRY OATMEAL CRISP 2½ - 3 C sweet cherries, pitted and cut in half 3 apricots, peeled and pitted, diced 1 C blueberries 1 C blackberries 1/3 C white sugar 3 T cornstarch 2 T lime juice For topping: ½ C all purpose flour ½ C old fashioned oats (quick oats are okay) 2/3 C dark brown sugar, packed dash salt ½ tsp ground cardamom (cinnamon can be substituted) 6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes ½ C finely chopped pecans or macadamia nuts, optional In a medium bowl, combine fruits with lime juice as you get them prepared. Mix together sugar and cornstarch and gently stir into fruits and set aside for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 4250. In another bowl stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, cardamom, and salt. Dump in your butter cubes and using a fork, press and stir to a nice butter blended crumble. Stir in nuts, if used. Gently stir and then pour fruit mixture into a 9” round pan or pie plate and top with oat mixture. Bake at 4250 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 3250 and continue baking for another 25 minutes. Fruit juices will be starting to bubble up through a golden browned crispy top. When cool enough to eat, serve with vanilla ice cream or very lightly sweetened, freshly whipped cream. BAKED CRISPY CHEESE CHICKEN 1 – 1 lb. pkg. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 medium or 3 small breasts) cut in half 4 T (1/2 stick) butter 1 sleeve buttery crackers (28-30 crackers) 1 C crispy rice cereal 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp each garlic powder, dill weed, crushed thyme, crushed rosemary, and smoked paprika ½ tsp each celery salt, dried crushed basil leaves, and dried crushed oregano 1 C freshly grated Parmesan, cheddar, or Asiago cheese Preheat oven to 4000. Put butter in baking pan large enough to space chicken pieces and place in oven just long enough to melt butter. Remove pan from oven and let cool. Place crackers and crispy rice cereal into a gallon size zip top bag and seal, removing most of the air. Carefully crush crackers and cereal with a rolling pin, glass bottle, or meat hammer into a small crumb. Open bag and add herbs and grated cheese. Close bag and shake well to mix. Roll chicken pieces in the cooled melted butter and drop into the crumb mixture, one at a time, pressing crumbs onto chicken. Place chicken pieces back into buttered pan, sprinkling some of the excess crumbs over all, and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until juices run clear and crumbs are crispy and browned. Serves two or three.

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July-August 2016