Feb 15, 2019 - We're headed to Florida for some camping. We have campsites reserved at Little Talbot Island State Park (outside of Jacksonville) and Ochlockonee River State Park in Sopchoppy in the Florida Panhandle. It's a 5 hour drive to Nashville, so we'll stop there and use some Marriott points for an overnight in the city.
We made it to Nashville around lunch time and headed straight to Broadway.
In the middle of the afternoon, during the week there was lots to do on Broadway.
cowboy boots anyone?
music in every bar we passed
We got the "recession special" at Roberts Western World...fried bologna sandwich, a bag of chips, a moonpie and a PBR all for $6
neon
Feb 16, 2019 - Today we're driving 2 hours to Chattanooga where we'll stay in a Marriott. We'll spend the afternoon exploring Chattanooga and will check out the Tennessee Riverwalk on our bikes, which is a 16 mile trail in downtown Chattanooga.
We wore our raincoats in case it decided to rain on us.
A little chilly, but a nice day for a ride
nice paved trail
The trail passes through the abandoned Whelan Foundry
Feb 17-18, 2019 - It's a 7 hour drive to Little Talbot State Park, which is a small little Park (only 36 sites) outside of Jacksonville. We've got site 10 for twelve nights.
We're all set up!
breakfast is ready
Let's go check out the kayaking. There is water access (Simpson Creek, which flows into the Fort George River) from the campground
nice day for a kayak
When kayaking here you have to pay attention to the tide charts, as you could get stuck in the muck if the tide is going out.
After lunch we biked the paved trail in Little Talbot (across A1A from the campground) along the ocean
nice day!
Little Talbot beach
someone's sleepy
spaghetti for dinner
and a fire in the firepit
Feb 19-20, 2019 - Today we're going to take the Timucuan Bike Trail that runs along A1A to Big Talbot State Park. It's a 3.8 mile trail which is paved and follows next to salt marshes and access to Boneyard Beach and Spoonbill Pond with a bird watching platform.
Good Morning from the tent
a walk on the beach before our bike ride
The Timucuan Trail
It follows A1A, but isn't right next to the road
Spoonbill Pond boardwalk
be careful!
Feb 21-22, 2019 - We're headed out for a morning kayak, then we're driving to Amelia Island to explore the town of Amelia City.
nice day for a paddle
the boardwalk to Amelia Island Beach
Amelia Island Beach is a little busier than Little Talbot Beach
Fort Clinch is on Amelia Island and has a nice road into the park, that's not very busy
We had a nice ride through the park. Maybe we'll come back and camp here one day.
Sunset at Little Talbot
Looks like the tide is out
view of the tent from our "living room" (the clam)
Our kitchen (a toaster oven, tea kettle, and kitchen box)
Feb 23-25, 2019 - We're headed to Amelia Island to check out the town of Fernandina Beach.
We happened on a Farmers Market
It's a cute little downtown
burgers for lunch
I had read that the site for the filming of the 1988 Pippi Long stocking movie was on Amelia Island. We found it in the Old Town section of Fernandina Beach (212 Estrada St). I can imagine Pippi picking up her horse and putting him on the front porch of Villa Villekula.
Today we rode our bikes to Boneyard Beach on Little Talbot
after checking out the cool dead trees
we rode our bikes on the beach
in the fog
pretty cool spot for a bike ride
Today we're driving 15 minutes to Kingsley Plantation for a tour. The plantation was owned by Anna Kingsley who was a formerly enslaved African woman who became a landowner. The main house is one of the oldest surviving plantation buildings in Florida dating back to 1798. Sea Island cotton was the main cash crop of the plantation dating from the 1790s to the Civil War.
pretty views of the St George River
The remains of the slave quarters which were constructed in the 1820's using "tabby" an early form of concrete, which is made from burning oyster shells to make lime and then adding water, sand and whole shells for durability. There were originally 32 cabins that housed 60-80 slaves. Only 25 cabins remain.
Feb 26-27, 2019 - More kayaking and bike riding...
that egg looks lonely...where's the sausage or bacon?
kayaking on Simpsons Creek
More exploring on our bikes
Boneyard Beach at Big Talbot SP
This boneyard Beach has a lot more dead trees than the one on little talbot
These trees are mostly live oaks and cedars
Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2019 - Our last few days at Little Talbot Island.
Little Talbot Beach with LOTS of shells
lunch on the beach
home sweet home
last sunset
