Florida in Winter: The End of the 2011 Camping Season

What a glorious end to the 2011 Camping Season:  Pine Island / Ft. Myer KOA in St. James City, FL!  This was our second visit and Johnnie and I were not disappointed.  We were blessed with very warm days and slightly cool nights for the entire five days of our visit.  It was such a treat to take the sides and top off of the Jeep and enjoy the sunshine and warm air as we drove around! 

This visit we explored Sanibel and Captiva Islands.  For Captiva, we just drove to Captiva beach at the end of the island, enjoying viewing the large homes, many of which were for sale.  Surely, a sign of our times.  We will spend more time on Captiva the next time we come to this KOA and explore the Causeway beaches which looked interesting.

On Sanibel, we explored the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.  Just a note, the Wildlife Loop Drive is closed on Fridays.  We found this out the hard way.  On Saturday, we took the four mile loop, stopping often to photograph the abundant wildlife, mainly birds.  We did see horseshoe crabs a plenty in the water.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen them in the water, I usually see them on the Jersey Shore during their mating season.  But the birds . . . beautiful!  Look at my friend, the yellow-crowned night heron in the photo to the left.  This little guy, compared to his large cousins, was in the brush on the side of the road and let me take lots of photos.  I had a similar situation with a white ibis at another location.  I took photos until my arms got tired of holding my camera with the zoom lens. (Just added more photos on my Flickr account.)

It is always sad to end a camping season.  We don’t want to stop going out in the RV even if only for an overnight.  But the temperature gets way too cold in NJ in the winter to keep the coach accessible.  In fact, we had to winterize on the road as we drove home because the temperatures dipped so drastically.  When we got back to NJ, the nighttime temperature was 12 degrees.  Oh how I am growing intolerant of this cold weather!!  Hopefully, the winter won’t be too long and we will be able to dewinterize and start camping in mid- to late-March, even if only for an overnight in Belleplain.  For January and February we will be content to plan the possible trips for the 2012 season — Assateague, Amarillo, Albuquerque, and Belleplain are definites.  Maybe we will have the chance to add someplace new.  Within a 3 – 4 hour radius will probably be the restriction.  After that, the possibilities are endless.  For anyone else who will be homebound for the next two months, happy planning.  For those who have the good fortune to be able to continue camping, enjoy!  Let me know where you are so I can enjoy the experience too, albeit vicariously!

A Belleplain Side Trip: The Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Sunday, Johnnie and I took a side trip from our stay at Belleplain State Forest to the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, only 20 minutes away.  It was a balmy, fall day and monarch butterflies were in abundance.  Click on monarch butterflies to see my Flickr photostream of them.

A monarch coming in for a landing!

Views from my bicycle: Brendan Byrne State Forest

In my last post, I mentioned Brendan Byrne State Forest as a place for a possible weekend getaway in NJ.  Yesterday, the air was crisp in the morning , fall weather.  Fall is nearly here.  Pumpkins and mums were plentiful at the road stands I passed on my way to Brendan Byrne.  Spiced wafers and apple cider were prominently displayed in the grocery store when I did some shopping earlier in the day.  The only things missing to create the total fall experience were colorful leaves and CAMPING!

I couldn’t go camping.  But, I love being outdoors in this type of weather.  Autumn is my favorite season.  So, I did the next best thing:  a ride in the woods. 

Brendan Byrne State Forest is only 40 minutes from my home,  so I put my bike in the back of our pickup and took off.  The sky had gone from nearly all blue to thickly overcast with moisture in the air and I considered not going.  I’m glad I went.  Brendan Byrne has lots of trails.  Some are paved.  Lengths vary from 1.5 miles to 10.8 miles.  I rode a 3+  mile,  undulating portion of the 10.8 mile Bike Trail for a total of nearly 7 miles through the pine and oak forest.  I went late in the day, so there were only a few riders in the park.  A few vehicles passed me on the road as they went back to the campground.  The ride was pleasant.  I can’t wait to ride once the leaves turn. 

I share this post because bike riding is something that I do when I go camping.  Johnnie and I nearly always take our bikes with us wherever we go.  We have ridden on bikes on Cannon Beach, Oregon; on the roads in Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming; Badlands National Park in South Dakota; Assateague National Park in Maryland; Pine Island and Sugarloaf Key in Florida; Brattleboro, Vermont; and Kouchiboguac National Park in New Brunswick, Canada.  The bike rides let us get intimate with the landscape, to see it at a leisurely pace, and gives lots of time to stop and get some photos as well as stop for a snack or lunch that we’ve packed. (I neglected to mention that we have ridden at Belleplain and Cape May Point State Park, but I think I take those rides for granted or as much a part of me as breathing!)

For my friends new to RVing, towing a dinghy (vehicle) is great because you can take side trips while leaving your RV parked.  But consider taking / buying bicycles for another experience in the outdoors.

Here are a few photos from the day.  I know I will take many more when I return next month.

Brendan Byrne State ForestA view of the trail, open to hiking or bikingInfo board on the Pine Barrens

Hello, New Friends!

Hello, new friends!  I know there are a few people from Johnnie’s job who are reading my blog.  Thanks!  I hope you are enjoying it just half as much as I enjoyed the actual experiences.  When you read a post and you like it or have questions, please leave me a comment.  It lets me know people are reading! 

Johnnie has shared some of your questions and comments with me.  Since you folks are here in NJ, I thought I would give you some of my favorite places for a weekend getaway.  My requirements for a weekend are that the destination must be reached during the first day, usually no more than four hours away.  This lets you get to the campground early enough that you can enjoy that day and it makes it feel like you have an extra day of stay.  Also, my requirement is that I can do something nature related, whether it’s getting in a great bike ride, taking great pics, or being close to a botanical garden, wildlife preserve or something like that.  And, of course, all of the places will comfortably fit a 40 foot Class A motorhome.

Mountain Laurel in bloom at Belleplain

My favorite place, as my multiple posts attest, is Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine, NJ (Cumberland and Cape May counties).  It is dry camping which means no hookups.  So we usually don’t visit during the summer.  But you can run your generator until 10 pm.  Belleplain is open year-round which is a novelty for campgrounds in NJ.  My favorite time is through the week during the fall when the campground is nearly empty.  You can ride the paved roads or on the trails. My favorite ride is the paved road through the group camping area then to the road outside of the park.  It is a quiet, little traveled road that is used by locals.  If you go to the right, it will connect with a road that leads out to 550 and makes a nice loop back to the park.  If you ride the trails, you might be joined by horseback riders.  That’s neat, too.  I love the nature trail and identifying all of the trees common to the area, plus walking through the swamp area and our beloved cedar water.  I usually have my camera with me.  In the fall, I take pictures of red.  Red leaves on the trees, red mushrooms, anything.  The red is synonymous to fall for me.  In the spring, it’s the mountain laurel in bloom.  Bursts of pink and white all throughout the park.  Beautiful.  Stop in the office and get to know the rangers; they are wonderful, helpful people.  Cape May is about 40 minutes away.  Cape May Point State Park and the Lighthouse are a nice day trip, as well as the city of Cape May.  Leaming’s Run Garden in North Cape May Court House is a nice trip.  The next time we visit, I’m going to Tuckerton Seaport. Tuckerton is about an hour away.  Wheaton Village and museums with all of its glass-blowing is another nice trip, only 45 minutes away.  On the other hand, sitting at the camp site, around a camp fire is nice, too.  During the summer, Lake Nummy has a life guard and is open to the public.  Boats can be rented, too.  Can you tell I’ve spent a lot of time in this park?  It is my second home in NJ.

There are other state parks and forests that I tent-camped in my youth that you might want to explore.  Johnnie and I have checked out these parks but our motorhome will not fit.  One said it had sites that would fit us, but the roads getting to the sites were either too narrow, had low-hanging trees, or not enough room to maneuver a 40-foot Class A into the site.  Those of you that have smaller units or trailers or 5th wheels might want to look at these parks.  Our rule is that we visit the park first without the RV to get the lay of the land before bringing our baby into the park.

Brendan Byre State Forest off of Rte. 70 and Rte. 72. (An article I just read in South Jersey Magazine recommends the bike trails in this park.  I am going to check them out in the next couple of weeks.)

Wharton State Forest off of Rte. 206 near Hammonton.

Bass River State Forest off of Rte. 9 in Tuckerton. (This was my favorite park in my youth.  Nice bike trails.)

Parvin State Park off of Rte. 55. (Known for its fishing.  I don’t fish.)

Worthington State Park off of I-80 at the Delaware Water Gap. (Roads are way too narrow but it’s beautiful!)

So, these are all NJ getaways.  Next time, I’ll write about weekend getaways outside of the state!

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area: 157 Steps

Top of Dingmans Falls

Johnnie and I spent a few days at Delaware Water Gap / Pocono KOA in Stroudsburg, PA.  Relaxing days with nothing at all planned, which was a good thing since it rained the first three days of our stay.  Saturday was sunny and we were well-rested, so we ventured out to Dingmans Falls in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.  I have seen the falls a number of times but thought they should be gushing with just the rainfall from the past three days. 

 

Other visitors to the area must have had the same idea because there were many people on the path to the falls but it wasn’t crowded.  I took photos along the way.  This Saturday, the new life emerging from decay caught my eye.  I took a number of photos of logs and stumps covered in lichen, moss, mushrooms, ferns, and even seedlings / saplings of trees.  (There isn’t space to share those photos here.  I’ll have to post them on Flickr.)

 

The walk isn’t strenuous but it is decidedly uphill the closer you get to the falls.  I have both degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, also known as arthritis in the lower five vertebrae of my back and arthritis in both hips and both knees.  This past year the back has really flared up and has limited my walking.  I wanted to photograph the falls but my back was sending shooting pains all over.  I stopped at a bench and waited for, or hoped, that the pain would subside and I could continue to the falls.  The pain was ebbing but not subsiding and I was sure I couldn’t reach the falls.  After standing with me for a few minutes, Johnnie walked ahead to see how much farther we had to go.

 

As I sat on the bench, an older woman with a cane walked by and an old man wearing a knee brace walked by, too.  I turned my head and stared in the water flowing down from the falls.  Was I never going to be able to hike in any sense of the word again?  Was I not going to be able to enjoy the National Parks that I still wanted to visit or the ones I wanted to revisit like Devils Tower or Grand Teton?  A tear of self-pity mingled with the sweat trickling down my cheeks.  Thank goodness I could ride my bike, but not being to walk distances would really cramp my style.

 

“157 steps,” Johnnie announced as he returned to me.  “157 steps to the falls.”  I could do 157 steps.  Counting steps was something I did when I knew I was exhausted but had farther to go.  At the Grand Canyon, Johnnie and I had missed a bus stop that would have taken us back to the parking lot where our RV was.  It was the last bus stop.  We had walked the South Rim trail and were parked in the most distant parking lot.  I told Johnnie I had 1,000 steps left in me and we walked.  I counted each step, at first talking to Johnnie as we walked and later just mumbling the count aloud.  1,000 steps turned out to be accurate.  At about step 800, Johnnie offered to go get the RV and pick me up.  But I was determined to make those 1,000 steps.  After 1,000 I might consider.  Around step 900, we entered the parking lot.  Johnnie then quickened his pace to get to the RV before me, turn on the AC, and have a bottle of cold water waiting for me.  1,000 steps took me within 10 steps of the door of the RV.  I had made it. 

 

This day, 157 was the magic number for me to see the falls.  I could do it or get very close.

 

I got up from my bench, wiped the self-pity off of my face, and walked, counting in my head.  At about step 100, I was counting aloud, holding my back, but still moving.  Step 157 did not bring me to the falls but I could hear the water flowing over the rocks.  So, I kept moving and counting.  200 steps is what it took.  I attributed the difference between the 157 steps Johnnie said and my 200 to the difference in our height and stride.  Johnnie later told me his count had been more than 157 but he thought 157 was a manageable number for me.  I thanked him for being my front man and getting me back on my feet.

 

The falls were beautiful.  The success of getting to the falls will keep me in the gym, working on my back muscles and riding the exercycle.  I may eventually have to give up walking, but it’s not right now.  Plus, I’m working on greater distance on my bike.  Comfortably riding 20 miles is my goal for this fall.  I’m planning a few gaunts to some local state parks for some Saturday rides, starting with Sandy Hook and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.  Making accommodations for my limitations is going to be something I have to do if I want to continue this lifestyle that I love!

 

Belleplain in May

If I’m not the poster child for Belleplain State Forest, I should be.  I can’t write about it enough.  Johnnie and I started our month with a weekend in our favorite site and ended our month the same way.  My computer and camera seem to be giving me problems communicating, so I can’t share  the pictures from my rear view window that I took yesterday.  The mountain laurel, my favorite,  was in bloom.  And for a holiday weekend, the park was very nice.  It was full, there were lots of families with children, and some nice people who were enjoying the weekend and sharing stories of travel.  I admit that I used to avoid camping Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, once the kids were gone.  It always seemed to me that everyone who had never taken a camping trip or gone to the Jersey Shore needed to be out those particular weekends.  I hated sitting in the traffic coming home on both weekends.  It seemed as if we were in traffic for the same amount of time that we were away.  What was the point?  But now, I’m more relaxed about it.  Perhaps it’s rving, perhaps it’s being 50+.  Whatever the reason, I have more patience.  More patience with the traffic, more patience with the people.  I just want to relax and enjoy the park.

On our May 1 and 2 visit, I went out on my bike with my camera.  Wildflowers were the subject of the day.  I found wild strawberries in bloom and violets alongside the road and trails.

Wild strawberry flowers

 Note:  This is the second post in which I have tried to put multiple photos and the photos do not come through.  I’ll have to investigate with Word Press.  I would hate to change my blog but the photos are as important to me as the writing.

Assateague Island National Seashore: Rolling Ponies and the Verrazano Bridge

First let me say that I am very proud of myself.  It is April and I am still keeping a New Year’s Resolution: Write a blog post at least once a month.  It may be the last day of April, but it is still April. 

   April has also seen me achieving a goal:  Camp in a National Park during National Parks Week.  This year National Parks Week coincided with my Spring Break and Johnnie and I were able to camp.  Also, we have always wanted to stay in Assateague Island National Seashore but either it has been full or it’s been too hot to camp without electricity to comfortable run the air when needed (Assateague Island State Park has some sites with electricity).  This year, the weather cooperated and the Park had sites available that would accommodate our motorhome.

C-47, Home for the next five daysJohnnie relaxingCampfire

What a great five days!  A few wild horses wandered through the campground daily. 

Horse outside of our doorHorses on the site across from us, C-46

And I was able to photograph a few birds from the side window — no clear views from the rear window!

brown thrasherbrown thrasheranother viewsavannah sparrowanother viewsavannah sparrow -- a third view

We were able to ride our bikes to the new Visitor Center and back, a 10-mile roundtrip ride that included the Verrazano Bridge – a personal first! 

View from the top of the Verrazano BridgeView facing the Sinepuxent BayMe at the top of the bridgeJohnnie at the top of the bridge

We drove to Chincoteague and drove the Wildlife Loop in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.  Birds were abundant; mosquitoes and other flying annoyances were at a minimum. 

Sanderlings feedingA pair of mallards, notice the male's eye is closedGlossy ibisglossy ibis -- another viewCanadian Geese with goslingsGreat Blue HeronTree Swallow on nesting boxTree swallow on nesting box

The final treat was a horse that decided to roll on the grass, presumably getting rid of insects or an itch, and stayed long enough for us to get some great shots. 

Close up of horse rolling on the groundAnother view of the rolling horse

Hopefully, we can visit later this year, perhaps in October or early November.  Last night a friend who has a home in Chincoteague suggested two things: first, we stay on Chincoteague for a different experience, and second, we come to see the  Chincoteague Pony Swim but see the return swim to the island when it is less crowded.  I’ll add these to my list.  Another goal to achieve one day.

Belleplain Weekend: Let the 2011 Camping Season Begin!

The weather is still cool to cold at night and cool to warm during the day, but the calendar says spring and that can only mean one thing:  camping.  Last weekend, Johnnie and I started our 2011 camping season with a visit to Belleplain State Forest (NJ).  We were the only ones in the CCC Camping section.  In fact, we were the only ones on our side of Lake Nummy. 

Home

Our home

Johnnie spent a lot of time outside, putzing around the coach and gathering wood for his nightly campfire.

I went looking for signs of spring.  Usually, I find the green of early leaf growth or the green of new growth of branches. But it was only the 8th day of spring and it hadn’t warmed up enough for the growing season to reach that point.  So, I had to look smaller and lower.  And I found signs.

budding trees

I usually look for red in the fall, a sign of the ending of the cycle of growth; here, the res is a sign of the beginning of the cycle of growth.

More red

 

another budding tree

islands of moss amid the leaf litter

green plant pushing through the leaf litter

I usually come to Belleplain for the flowering of the mountain laurels in late May or early June.  I found new growth on them at this time.

more mountain laurel

Then I discovered one cedar that was getting ready to flower (I’m not sure that is the right term). 

Getting ready for new branch growth? new cones?

another view

 

So, I have something to research — the cedar trees.  Again, I am reminded that the more I come to Belleplain, the more I find out about it.  I know it like an old friend or a husband and find its familiarity comforting.  But just when you think you’ve run out of things to say, or to learn about Belleplain, I find something new.  Sometimes I think I can write a book on the place; this weekend I was reminded that I could still use a book on Belleplain.  It’s what I love about it!

Great Backyard Bird Count

February 18 – 21, 2011 was the Great Backyard Bird Count. I have seen announcements for this event in the past but have not been able to participate. This year, I was determined to participate no matter where I was for the weekend. The whole USA is my backyard so I could participate from anywhere. I put the Great Backyard Bird Count on every calendar I own, even as a reminder on my cell phone.

The weather had been cold with nights in the teens, so I was home. No problem. I love my backyard for the wildlife that visits it. I have seen woodpeckers, finches, starlings, chickadees, mourning doves, mockingbirds, blue jays, cardinals, hawks, crows, kestrels, mallards, juncos, robins, Canadian geese, seagulls, and great blue herons at various times during the year. I was looking forward to adding my views to the overall count. I checked online and saw that I was the only one recording for my town. I got home from work after sunset on Friday, February 18, so I couldn’t count. But I was looking forward to Saturday’s count.

What a disappointment!

Saturday was cold. Very cold. And windy. I have observed that birds don’t stir in the yard until the temperature is usually in the high 30’s or 40’s. When it’s too windy, the birds don’t sit on the tree branches or utility wires. It was cold and windy all day. I saw one, I repeat, one bird all day, a blue jay holding on to the bare branches of a mulberry tree. I had to look twice to be sure I saw the bird. I watched for almost two hours and that was it. Disappointed, I logged in to the GBBC site and posted my observation. Tomorrow would surely be better.

It was, but still a disappointment. The temperature was still cold but not as cold as the day before and the wind was gone. It was still gray. When the temperature warmed up, I was able to count some juncos, two skeins of Canadian geese flying overhead, and a mockingbird, for a total of 31 birds. This was monumental when compared with Saturday, but not the usual variety that I usually see. At least there was still another day of the count.

But, no. Monday was rain. Rain all day long. No birds at all. My counting was done.

Looking at the positive side, I accomplished my goal of participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. And, because of my participation, some information about my part of New Jersey was recorded. I just looked at the map of the locations on the website. One of those red dots is me. However, the true variety of birds was not presented by my numbers. But neither were the numbers from any of the people counting with the same weather conditions I was experiencing. So, I shouldn’t feel bad. The count is only meant to be a snapshot of the birds on that particular weekend.

Next year, perhaps the weather conditions will be favorable to counting birds. Or, maybe next year, Johnnie and I will be on the road in a place with warm weather and favorable conditions and I can count from there. But, barring illness, I will be counting next year!

Pre-planning for 2011 Camping Season

Conversing with a friend today via Facebook about what we look for in a campground got me to thinking about the upcoming camping season.  For Johnnie and me, the season starts as soon as the nights are in the 40′s; for NJ, that’s usually March.  We’ll start earlier if we are going south, but if it’s the ability to take weekend jaunts, then it’s mid to late March.  The season usually ends in November or if going to Florida for Winter break, December or early January.  That’s 9+ months of weekends and vacation time to camp.  So where might we go?  How will we decide?

March is definitelyfor overnights because Johnnie’s weekend is Sunday and Monday and I don’t have any Mondays off from work.  Overnights = Belleplain State Forest. 

April is Spring Break.  But I teach nights at a local university so I can’t take the whole week because the university’s spring break is in March.  We should be able to get a four or five day trip.  Weather will be the greatest factor in this trip.  Then travel time will be the next consideration.  If the nights are warm enough, we can go north — Maine or New York state.  If not, we will go south.  In both cases, we will look at travel time.  Because our vacation is short in duration, we don’t want to spend more than a day getting to our destination.  Eight hours or less travel time is probably what we are looking for.  So Assateague or Cape Hatteras might be good choices.  Activity wise, I’ll be looking for bike trails and/or nature trails, near wildlife refuge or something of that type, and perhaps a historical place or two to visit.  Then again, Johnnie and I may just want to veg out for those days and as long as we can get some bike riding in, we’ll be happy.

May will be back to overnights, except for Memorial Day weekend.  In NJ,everyone who can possible do it goes camping or to the shore Memorial Day weekend, so the traffic coming home on Monday is horrendous!  If we decide to go to Belleplain that weekend, we’ll come home on Tuesday. 

June and July are months of overnights.

August is our big trip.  We usually spend about eighteen days on the road.  While traveling to Texas, we stay at three or four KOAs if we stop early enough.  We are looking for 50 amp availability and cable tv. We’ve stayed in Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  We stay at the Amarillo KOA when we visit our sons and their families.  We stay at the Albuquerque Central KOA when we visit the relatives in Albuquerque.  Both of these have 50 amp service and cable tv.  Even though we spend multiple days at these campgrounds, our purpose is to visit our families so we don’t require a lot.  I’m not saying that I don’t like these KOAs; I love them both.  But if our families weren’t in those cities, we would not stay at either because we don’t stay in cities.  After visiting the family, then our purpose dictates our requirements.  If our purpose is to visit some national parks, then we choose KOAs thatare near the national parks.  If heading to the Tucson area then we stay at Cactus Country RV Resort, which is on the eastern edge of Tucson, definitely not in the middle of the city.  Space and quiet are our requirements.

September is Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer, and overnights.  Belleplain.

October and November both have long weekends so a last chance to get a three or four day jaunt.  October has been Assateague.  November could be an extended stay at Belleplain or finding somewhere close by that is still open.  Many campgrounds in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region close for the season by November 15th.

December is Florida every third year or so.  The requirement is warm weather, but travel time is two to two and a half days.  Florida.

It’s January and there is about 6 inches of snow on my lawn.  I am dreaming of all of the places I might go when the weather warms.  A pleasant way to spend the day.