2017-29 Eufaula Alabama to Florida

2017-29

Eufaula Alabama
Silver Springs/Ocala Florida

Morning Sunrise
White Oak Creek Campground

LAST REPORT OF THE SEASON

Selfie, me

Campground: White Oak Creek Campground. COE. Senior rate: $12.00. 50 amp/water. Many sites have long driveways, all are paved. Lakeside and lake views at all sites. They permit 28 day camping during the winter months and you can move between a few of the COE parks in the area. Note gates are locked up front at 10pm and not opened till 7am. If you have an emergency, one needs to go up front and blast their horn until a camp-host comes and opens the gate.

Campground: Silver Springs State Park. Florida Senior discount: $12.00 50 amp electric/water. Large modern campsites, many are pull thrus, 100 ft and longer. Always a favorite place to stop.

This will be my last blog report for the season as I'll be in Florida next week and heading for my Rv lots in St Cloud Florida.

As I wind down for the season of travels, I've once again ordered the awning from a dealer in Florida. Hoping it arrives undamaged this time with a projected time-frame to have it installed November 15. It will be a busy two month stay as I've already got a few doctors appointments set up. Just general follow-up stuff. Then I should be heading out to Arizona around the 1^st of the year.

Shorter Mansion
stunning exterior

A drive into Eufaula brought me to the Shorter Mansion, the only attraction in town. Fortunately it didn't cost anything, as there is no tour of the house. The exterior is stunning with it's 17 Corinthian columns. 6 identical columns are inside the mansion. The interiors first floor is minimally decorated and is used for local functions, weddings, etc. The second floor consists of a few rooms filled with a mismatch of local historical items, including a huge confederate flag. They tell me the house as all the mansions along the main thoroughfare were built from cotton farming. But truth be told, it was Eli Shorter's new wife Wileyna's inheritance of the SSS Tonic company's fortune that built the mansion at a cost of $100,000. In 1965, the historical society was able to purchase the house at auction for $33,000.

the mansions cotton built

love the simple classic lines

next to church, the Vicarage?

one of those odd arrangements, they don't use the front entrance,
or the grand staircase to the second floor, one has to use the
side entrance and an elevator, rooms not well organized 

a gas station on the edge of mansion row

in need of some major work

so much work needs to be done...

This is the true south, where almost every restaurant has a buffet or choice of one meat and two sides, often coming with desert (or at optional expense) for around $9.00. Good home cooking, I have yet to try collard greens. Though I did have grits with one meal and they were actually pretty good.

Happy Birthday Alabama

I even attended a one day “Indian Summer” event in Eufaula. It was held right next to the Peanut factory where shipments were coming in from the farms even as the festival was going on. Free bags of boiled peanuts were being give out. Red and white balloons were released into the air in celebration of Alabama's birthday, kids had lots of activities to enjoy and wear them out a bit, lots of food vendors and craft displays and artists displaying their latest water colors and photography.

part of a petting zoo

ideas for you craft folks

a few wood workers

horse rides

old entrance to the peanut factory

Distance traveled: 300 miles (5 hours drive time)

A huge number of miles to travel. I had planned on breaking that up into two days of 150 miles each. However, after making a reservation at Silver Springs I discovered I'd made it for a day earlier than anticipated. Giving me no choice but to drive the full 300 miles in one day.

Along the route, I'm stopping in Williston Florida for a visit with Eddy and Debby Tennant. Good friends that I worked with at the Naval Training Systems Center. So good to catch up on former co-workers/friends.

good people, my former co-workers Debbie and Eddie
so glad we had time to get together along my travel route

The Silver Springs/Ocala area is a nice stopping off place before arriving in St Cloud for a couple of months.

Silver Springs State Park, nice modern large campsites

Before I go, let me once again thank all you, my readers for hanging out with me along the back roads and discovering a few new places along the way. Your comments along the way are always so appreciated as well as learning about what is going on in your life.

Sorry I didn't get a chance to visit the many friends and family along the way this year.

Life is what we make of it and I'm so fortunate to have this time in my life where I can explore it at my own traveling pace and having you along on the journey sure adds to my enjoyment.

Have a great fall and winter season ahead.

More photos:

Eufaula Alabama