Well, we aren’t done traveling yet but we have decided to take some down time at a favored campground in North Georgia. We will be off the road for about 7 days as we do some RV work and get caught up on laundry. Our final stop before we land at Campers Holiday on November 14th will be St. Augustine, Florida. We plan to be surprised by the Georgia destination. No advance planning. Just going to go with the flow. Ready, Flat Nathan and Travis? It’s chill out time!
Georgia on My Mind
We visited two campgrounds during our hiatus in Georgia. First was Hartwell Lake. It was our initiation into staying at Corps of Engineers campgrounds and we could not have been happier about this destination. The sites were spacious and right on the water. I had no idea that Georgia is such a beautiful state. There was not a lot of color to the leaves but the combination of some color against the red Georgia clay at times was just stunning to look at. The very best part is that we stayed here for a mere $12 per night. It was quiet and we were able to get the relaxation we needed after such a hectic schedule. Interestingly enough, we met Jane who is from Amsterdam, Holland. They RV here 3 months, store their rig in Georgia, and then return to Amsterdam for 3 months. I thought I had a gypsy soul. Ha.
Campsite at dusk
Because the COE was booked for the weekend we had to move on to another campground. We chose to continue south and stay just outside Macon, Georgia. There we were blessed to meet Miss Mary at the gatehouse. This special lady shared her story with me and she immediately touched my heart. At age 75 she is a widower and working 7 days every week. She lost her husband 26 years ago. He died from pneumonia at the age of 50. She has had her own health problems as a result of a heart cath gone bad. This lady has plenty of burdens and reason to want to give up. Yet, she was always smiling and telling us how she talks to God and that He has been good to her. People like this cause us to immediately know how blessed we are and drive us to a point of humbleness. We invited her to dinner but she was unable to go because she also cares for an adult son who is very ill. On Sunday morning I went way back to my roots as we attended the local Assembly of God church. To my surprise it was a comforting experience.
The Sunshine State
Well, Flat Nathan, after 12 states and over 7000 miles, you are back in your home state. Shortly after crossing the state line we stopped at a rest area. We saw some workers throwing something over a fence. When we went to check it out, sure enough it was a small alligator. Florida…water…yep, it’s a gator!
Home at last! 
Small but mighty…not Nathan and Travis…the gator!
Our final stop on our Grand Travel Adventure was St Augustine, the oldest city in the USA. We began our day at the beach. We just can’t resist a mountain or seashore sunrise. So we were up before dawn and on our way to check it out. Once again…no disappointment here.
After a hearty breakfast we made our way to Historic St Augustine. We chose to take the trolley tour and gain as much knowledge about the history and growth of the town as we could. In the museum we learned about the Florida Crackers and heard tales of the Pirates of old.
A cracker and his wagon 
St Augustine before cars
Flat Nathan has met his match 
Flat Nathan takes the lead
Going further into the old city we find the fort of Castillo de San Marcos. Here we watch a movie about why this fort was at a pivotal location within the city. We also find out that Ponce de Leon was only 4 feet and 11 inches tall. Accomplished a lot for such a little guy. Flat Nathan also visited the oldest schoolhouse in the USA. He really wanted to know if they had recess back then too.
Our tour director suggested a downtown café for an authentic pressed Cuban sandwich. We finished our time in St Augustine sharing a Cuban, rice and beans, a glass of Sangria, and an excellent Macaroon.
Our Last Waltz
November 14th and we are taking our last waltz of this trip. Not across Texas but across the middle of Florida on SR 40. We reflect on the places we have been, the unique people we have met, and the knowledge we have gained. We were on the road for nine and a half weeks in total. In that time we were blessed to not have any trouble with the truck or the RV. We had great travel weather. It rained at times and it was cold many nights. Yet we only drove in the rain 2 days and we were comforted by the flannel sheets that I remembered to pack. We have no complaints at all. In fact we are thrilled to have been able to do this and hope that it is in God’s will to allow us to see the Western US in the coming months/years. For now we are with family and friends at our southern location. We are home.
