We're in our winter home

We're here!!  Home for the next 6 months. If anyone needs our address, it is: 
 

14326 South CR 39

Lithia. Fl 33547

great site under the oak trees with hanging
Spanish moss.

We left New Orleans a day early figuring we had seen just about all we wanted to and were excited about getting to Florida.

While going through Mississippi, we got off the freeway and headed down to Gulf Port to see their white sand beaches and step into the Gulf of Mexico.  Gulf Port was hit the hardest by hurricane Katrina and the part we drove through showed a lot of vacant lots where it was obvious homes and businesses once stood that have not returned.

sink hole with
waterfall
not much water
this time of year

Once into Florida it took three days to get to the Tampa area.  This is one big state!  First night after leaving New Orleans,  we stopped for the night at one of Florida's state parks in the Pan Handle, Falling Waters State Park.  It boasts Florida's highest waterfall.  First of all, who knew Florida had a waterfall?  One would think you would need some sort of mountain.   Instead, there are sink holes that are over 100 ft deep.  Water flows from a creek to the top, 73ft above the sink hole.  Their literature indicates they do not know where the water flows to, once it drops into the  sink hole.

view from our front window

Arrived in the State Park around noon on Friday the 19th.  We're parked in the maintenance area under a couple of beautiful old oak trees covered with Spanish Moss.  We learned in New Orleans,  Spanish moss got its name because it reminded people of the long beards the Spanish had when they inhabited the area.

We look out onto a large meadow with oak trees, palm trees and more. To our right and behind us is the Alafia River.  We have been told we should see deer feeding in the meadow, and possibly wild pigs  and coyotes.  There are osprey nests on the poles and water moccasin snakes in the river.

flags identify the nest

An exciting event will happen right next to our RV in about 3 months.  A Golpher Tortoise has laid her eggs next to us.  The park flagged the nest area, and we should be here to see the little guys climbing out.  These tortoises are native to Florida and burrow in the ground rather than live in the rivers.  She's not a good mom tho, she just lays her eggs and leaves.  Kids are on their own when they finally dig out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Gopher_Tortoise



Alafia River State Park is over 6,300 acres and is famous for their mountain bike trails.  Again, one would think you would need a mountain to be classified this way.  But the area here is an old phosphate mine and when it was donated to the state, a bicycling group volunteered to create and maintain the bike trails.  They have three levels from easy to difficult that traverse what was the open pit mine.  Besides bicycling, there are facilities for horseback riding with over 20 miles of trails plus overnight camping facilities for riders and horses and a horse barn.  The rules here are you can walk/hike the equestrian trails, but only bikes are allowed on the bike trails.  The park also has 30 regular camping sites.

There are some 30 lakes  within the park and all have alligators, water snakes and turtles.  There is fishing in the lakes with large mouth bass, bream and catfish.  No swimming allowed in the lakes....  ya think???? 

We have good friends Irene and Joe about 15 miles away.  These are friends we met 3 years ago when we all hosted at Honeyman State Park on the Oregon coast.  They are originally from New Jersey and have been full timing for a number of years.  They wintered in Mesa, just down the street from us so we have seen them a lot the last couple of years.  They've decided it is time to come off the road so they purchased a home just down the road.  Will be nice to have friends close by while we are here.

I also have a cousin living just south of Daytona Beach.  Looking forward to reconnecting with her and her husband.

We are about 30 miles from downtown Tampa.  Took a drive into town to orient ourselves with the city.  Found a great park in downtown that was having an event, so we joined them and took a walk on the Riverwalk which follows the Hillsborough River.  Tampa is a nice city, not too big with lots of museums and events we will enjoy.  Reminds me a lot of Portland with the river running through the city and the walking paths along the river.

view of University of Tampa & Hillsborough River
from the River Walk

Wanted to get down to the water, so we headed off the freeway to Appollo Beach.  Stepping into Tampa Bay I was surprised to find how warm it was.  It was like bathwater.  On a hot day, this water would NOT be refreshing and cooling.









Osprey nest

Took a walk to the river by our site to see if we could see the alligators.  We came upon one, but we were too noisy and she dove into the water.  Will go back another day and see if we can be quiet and catch her sunning.

Alafia River

Catfish... bummer, no fishing pole!

Water moccasin
(poisonous)