We were supposed to do our east coast road trip last year, but the covid shutdowns made that impossible. So we replanned our trip for this summer and now with covid winding down (for now) we started our trip. I do have to thank my deceased uncle Vaughn for helping to make this trip possible in a way. He passed away about 6 years ago and left some money for his nieces and nephews. At that time we put some of the money we got into a CD for this trip. The money was to be used for our and our kids expenses. We knew we would be retired around then and we had planned to do an East Coast trip as a bucket list item.
The goal was to meet our kids and their families along the way and spend time together – to try and make memories with each family as we journeyed from the Keys of Florida to Bangor, Maine. We were partially successful in that we could only meet with 2 families this year – Joe and Sam are expecting their 2nd child in July and so they took a rain check. The timing did not work for Eric and Vanessa. Both families want to do something next year – probably at the Great Lakes. So we split the fun over 2 summers, not really a bad thing all in all.
The 1st leg of this trip was difficult. It was the beginning of Memorial Day weekend and so the traffic was up a tick or two that Friday. Then it was rainy and the accidents started to happen. We had at least 5 different slowdowns for accidents and in some cases phantom events. We would slow down to crawl for a half hour or an hour and then all of a sudden speed up with no rhyme or reason.
Outside of Knoxville we ran into a heavy downpour. Hard enough that traffic slowed to about 5-10 miles an hour and we turned on our flashers. The heavy rain let up but we had precipitation of some sort all through that 1st day.
Towards the end of that day we had one of our indicators for our trailer tire pressure bark at us and then stop. Very curious. We decided to be cautious and pull over at the next exit. I spotted a big parking lot across the way, but when we turned on the street they had put concrete blocks across the entrances.
So what to do, we went a short way down the road and I spotted an odd horseshoe shaped turnaround – just big enough for the truck and trailer. In the middle there appeared to be some sort of concrete curb with weeds growing up out of it. We were able to get off of the road safely and I check the tire pressure with a gauge and it was OK, so a false alarm.
Now to get back on the road. It was still a light drizzle and at first we were going to back out. But people were starting to get off work and it was hard to find a big enough gap in traffic to back the trailer out onto the road. So Becky had the idea to just go around the rest of the horseshoe and that way we could get onto the road easier with no backing.
There was a little mud at the far apex of the horseshoe. So I gunned the engine a little to make sure we went through it OK. The horseshoe had concrete closer to the road giving way to gravel at the end furthest from the road. We felt a bump when the trailer tire caught the middle curb. The tire rode up and over... then fell with a crash! Once the tire left the curb it fell into a foot and half deep hole!
So we were in a pickle. The trailer was resting on its frame over that hole and the drivers side tires were dangling off the ground. Fortunately we had a jack and blocks of wood. So Zach and I began the process of lifting the frame off of the curb. Fortunately there was a pile of busted up concrete off to the side. We used that to put under the tires so that we had a makeshift ramp to get the trailer up and out of its predicament.
It drizzled when we began work, but as we made progress, the rain gradually went away, which helped uplift our spirits as we slowly raised the trailer to where we could back it out. After about an hour of effort we slowly gave the truck gas as we gradually backed the trailer up the ramp. It held and we were back on solid pavement. This time we were patient and waited for traffic to clear and got back on the road.
We were lucky – no major damage to the trailer. There was some sheet aluminum that filled the gap between the frame and trailer that got bent up. Nothing that an afternoon in the workshop couldn't fix once we got back home – so we were fortunate as it certainly could have been worse.
We left early for our stay in the keys in case that there were to be a breakdown. So we used a fairly new app called Hip Camp to find a cheap place to stay in our trailer for a couple of days until our reservation date was here. We selected a place in a palm grove. It was a 17 acre place in the middle of truck farms and ornamental plant growers. In each direction there were fruit growers, flower growers, palm trees, and so forth. I guess with the warm climate you can pretty much grow stuff the year around.
The owner had several peacocks, they were shy and elusive. So we could only spot them at a distance. There were some mangoes and luchins(sp) growing. The mangoes were not quite ripe, but the luchins were tasty.
Finally it was time to go to Key Largo where our campground was located. The weather was very hot and sultry. But the ocean and sky were very blue. Chelsea and Dan met us down there and set up a tent right behind the trailer.
The beaches were fair, but there had been some seaweed wash up on the shore and so on the Caribbean side beaches there was a layer of washed up seaweed that that you had to walk through in order to get to the water. Once you got there, the water was clear and pleasant. The park beaches are around a lagoon and so the waves are virtually nonexistent. Great for the kids and Becky.
One place we wanted to see was Ernest Hemingways place in Key West. We were not disappointed. Now it did take some effort to find parking. There were a few lots around, but it was a more residential area. Becky and I got lucky and found parking on a side street ½ block away. Chelsea and Dan had to park a bit farther away and had to walk several blocks.
He had a bit of coin from his books from the looks of things. Lots of carved wood, marble sinks, and so forth. The place was well furnished, I was impressed. He had a smaller second building behind the house where he did his writing. We could not enter the room, but were able to get to the entrance way and take a look around.
Found out that he could not get a permit for explosives and so they had to use picks to dig out the swimming pool in the coral rock below. At the time, it was the only swimming pool for a hundred miles. One of the reasons he moved down there was to go fishing which he did frequently.
We did see the cats with the extra paws. They were through out the house and grounds. Little Sterling went to pet one – and got scratched! To be fair she had just had an altercation with her sister and I will bet that the cat figured that it didn't want a troublesome girl to come near. I joked that we should sue the Hemingway House for damages and mental anguish and become the new owners.
Chelsea and Dan found a nice beach on the Gulf side – with no seaweed and we spent some time there. Afterwards we went to a restaurant by the ocean called Hog Heaven. It was reasonably priced and it had a great view, more importantly their food was great. Of course their specialty was Southern BBQ, but they had some seafood as well. They had a circular dock where people could tie up their small boats and grab a bit to eat. All in all a good experience.
Oh, and there was a glass bottomed boat tour to the coral reef. That was another highlight of the trip. It was true about the abundance of fish in a reef. As we slowed down we could see sand and hardly any fish. Then suddenly we were above the reef and seeing fish left and right. Even some nurse sharks and barracuda. The smaller fish were very colorful. Definitely worth experiencing.
Zach did admit to feeling a bit seasick. But he did not throw up. However on the upper deck several people were looking pretty green. The rest of us handled the ocean chop just fine.
Chelsea and Dan cut out for Miami a few days early. Even though we let them borrow a fan, it was just very hot at night. There were some little biting insects that would pester you early in the morning and late at night that were problematic for them. At the end of one day when they had played hard at the ocean and at a park, a tired and cranky Sterling protested that,“I don't want to be on vacation anymore!” We let the girls come into the AC of the trailer and lay down in our bed. to give them a respite that afternoon.
Next stop for us was Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center. Another one of those bucket list things. But let me warn you – that place is expensive. $57 per adult ticket. And when you pull into the entrance – another $10 to park! They know their audience, the geeky folks willing to pay through the nose for a peek at all this, and they put a vacuum cleaner to your wallet.
I was not sure what to expect. They had rockets there of course. But we went to the Saturn/Apollo Mission area as our first big exhibit to see. That was worth the price of admission. They have you watch a short film when you arrive. Then they have the original mission control set up – and working. They go through a 3 minute countdown and launch on the live screen with the actual voices of the NASA staff. It does put you on the edge of your seat when they get to the last 10 seconds.
At launch the doors open and there is an actual Saturn rocket. You get to touch an actual moon rock which is cool. There is a lander, a lunar rover, and many other artifacts from the Apollo program. There is also a tribute to the astronauts that died in the one rocket when they were going through a drill.
Next up was the space shuttle and again there is a film and the curtains open to reveal an actual space shuttle. Lots of stuff to see and lots of activities for kids in that area. So all in all it was a good experience, we left satisfied.
Jekyll Island is a place that we had experienced in the past and enjoyed. So we included a week there as part of the trip. In the early 19th century it was a place for rich people. Now it is a park – although there is private property inside the park. So there are motels and houses scattered amongst the marshes and trees.
Camping has been hard to find everywhere we have gone. I think that with Covid being on the wane (for the time being at least) everyone is satisfying their travel bug. So all the low priced camping places were filled up on the island and only the expensive ones are left. So we stayed at a “RV Resort” during our stay. It was not actually on the island, but an easy 15 minute drive away.
It was very nice in that the facilities were pristine and upscale. We did notice that trees were sparse and concrete was everywhere. So not like camping at Hueston woods for instance where you are on a concrete pad and surrounded by grass and trees. We noticed after the 1st day or two that we had about the oldest rig there. All the other rigs looked to be fairly new and very nice.
So a woman was walking her dog and noticed our trailer. She said that she used to own one just like it. And that it was nice to see a “vintage” trailer still in use. We had never thought of our trailer as a vintage trailer (It's a 2003, about 18 years old). As I observed to Becky - well at least our trailer is paid for, a lot of these rigs cost $60,000 or more and I bet they will be paying for them long after they get tired of them.
Later in the trip as I was fueling in upstate New York, a guy with a RV dealer logo on his shirt walked over remarked how he had not seen a Kiwi Too trailer in a long time and how ours was in good shape. I thanked him and mentioned that in all of our travels we had not seen another one. He replied that most folks did not keep up with their trailers and they end up in a scrap yard. We keep ours under roof and I guess it helps keep it from weathering.
I did observe a novel way of fishing. I saw a guy with a drone and at first it was hard to see what he was doing. But after a bit I caught on to what he was doing. He used a drone to carry his fishing line out about a ¼ mile from the beach. Then he released the rig and brought the drone back to the beach. It got the bait way out there, further than casting it manually would have done. It was an interesting use of technology. If I tried something like that the batteries of the drone would give out and I would lose it in the drink.
Poor Zach had a rough go of it early in the trip. I tried to tell him that he needed to start wearing shorts and short sleeved shirts before we left. That way his skin would start to tan at least a little before we got into full sunlight on the beach. I had already been wearing shorts and sandals before we left and did not burn at all. Zach was a different story, he did not heed my advice and despite our efforts at getting him to wear sunblock, his lower legs and feet were burned and peeling at the keys.
Then at Jekyll Island we were at St. Andrews beach and at the South end there were some dead tree's. Guess where Zach decided to get into the Ocean – by the dead trees which had roots going out into the water. He cut his shin and forearm. So he was sore and miserable for awhile. As I write this we are in the outer banks. He is tanned and his cuts have healed. He still doesn't like very big waves in the ocean (OK with low tide or a cove), but he loves the beach.
Here is an incident that happened while going to a Walmart. Becky is handicapped and so I always go inside and get an electric scooter for her. I walk to the door and in front of me is an elderly woman and her daughter walking to the same door. A Walmart employee on an electric scooter comes out of the door and heads down the front of the store to the other set of doors.
We all converge at about the same time. The daughter asks the guy if she can have the scooter for her mother. The employee responds that I have to get this over to the other door for some one who needs it. The woman says that her mother needs it now – and she wants that scooter. She starts berating him and he is firmly but politely saying that this other person asked for it first. Then she says that she does not like his attitude and that she will report him to his manager.
I am thinking to myself, wtf – this poor guy is probably making minimum wage and is simply doing what his boss told him to do. In other words just a poor schmuck trying to earn a living. This lady has to be a jerk about it and give him a hard time.
So I go around the little side show and go into the store. There I see a single scooter by the door. I go ahead and get it going and go out the door to take it to Becky. Just as the mouthy lady and her mother walk in. She looked at me with daggers but didn't say a word. It was nice to be part of karma, I have to admit a bit of smug satisfaction as I cruised out the door. I felt sorry for the mother, but if her daughter hadn't wasted time giving the dude lip they would have gotten into the store first and the scooter would have been theirs.
A side note, both the women and the employee were black. It goes to show that Karens come in all colors.
Next stop was Edisto Beach, a place that we have been to at least a dozen times over the years. We were meeting Chad, Sarah, Cash, and Serenity there. I do remember the feeling as you drive to the beach and it was nice to feel it again. You are in the South with the huge trees filled with Spanish Moss. The trees are on either side of the roadway – in some cases just feet away from the road. But the tree canopy closes overhead in several spots where it feels like driving through a tunnel. It makes you feel like you going to an enchanted land. I felt the warmth of good memories as we weaved our way around the huge shade trees to the beach. And about a mile or two away the trees give way to marsh and suddenly you are in the sunlight again. The ocean is bright blue in front of you and an ocean breeze tickles your hair. Vacation we have arrived again.
We stopped at the Pavilon as we have many times. It has changed ownership over the years and it has pretty much morphed from a restaurant into a large beach store. There is a small bar and grill on the ocean side that is still in operation, but the building is 80% retail now where it was all restaurant before. Still it was nice to see the familiar after not being here for 10 years.
The campground was booked up so we used a new app called “Hip Camp” to book a place to stay. It is like airbnb, only for campers. Someone with extra room on their property can allow tents and RV's to stay over for a fee. Hip Camp gets a cut of course. But it is a life saver on this trip. In the touristy areas, the campgrounds are full this year. I think Covid has made everyone want to get out and do stuff this summer.
So the place we stayed at was next to a marsh and was about 5 acres with lots of trees. Plenty of spanish moss hanging from the grand old trees on the property. There was a rickety pier that ran out into the salt water marsh. I did not feel like getting out my ocean tackle, and the water was only 2-3 feet deep, so I took my light pole over to the dock. I lost a couple of shrimp. Then I felt the line move and I set the hook. Zzzzz went the line as it sang off the reel. 100 feet of line peeled off as the fish raced for the deep water. Then I felt a bump and it was gone. Never saw the fish, but it must have been huge. When I inspected the hook to see what happened, it was straight. Lesson learned, I should have gotten out the big tackle this close to the ocean.
Chad and Sarah rented a house on the main street through town. They were easy walking distance from the beach, Pavilon, and the grocery store. So it made a good base of operations for us to drive there and then go to the beach access from their place. We spent plenty of time at the beach of course. Poor Cash looked red as a lobster to us. Serenity fared a little better, but still has some redness about the shoulders. Both were beach bums, it was hard to get them out of the water. Edisto is good place to body surf. Something about the angle of the beach and the way the waves break. So I was able to body surf a little. I tire easily anymore so it was body surf for a half hour, read for 2 hours, then repeat.
We did go to Fort Sumter on a tour, it was something that Zach asked to do. It was interesting to get a detailed history. I did not realize that after the confederates took it over that it was attacked several times by the North. Alas, all attempts were unsuccessful. The North did gain the Fort in 1865, but only when the South finally abandoned it. They had huge cannons there and the brick works were immense, it was a well made fort.
Afterwards we went to an eclectic place called the Tattooed Moose for lunch. It was a bit off the wall, but in a good way. They encourage people to write on the walls. So all sorts of graffiti everywhere. Many mounted animals including a huge moose head over the bar. The food was excellent and we left satisfied.
The outer banks of North Carolina was our next stop. This is another place that we have been to several times. We visited for the 1st time not long after grandma Susan bought the place in Belhaven. The North end is very busy and commercial. But the further South you go, the less congested and less commercial it gets. So a little something for everyone. The North end with putt putt golf, giant jungle gyms, and so forth for the younger crowd. Then the South end with miles of open beach and sand dunes for people who pursue life at a more leisurely pace.
The nice thing about the outer banks is that you are allowed to drive on the beach. So for us with the mobility issues and the amount of gear it takes to get set up, it is nice to be able to just park the vehicle at a quiet spot. Unload right there and no carting back and forth armloads of stuff to and from a parking lot to a distant beach.
Becky and I had a date night and after dinner at the Pangaea - we tried to watch a sunset, but mother nature did not cooperate. It was very cloudy to the West. But still it was peaceful on the beach and it was nice to have a cool beverage and watch the day bow down and the night creep in across the ocean.
I went fishing at Avon pier. Over the years the ocean waves have slowly twisted the structure this way and that. It isn't unbearably twisted, but it has several slow rolls left and right, and a few up and down slopes. It is solid enough, but I would not want to attempt to walk it drunk. On the day that I was there they were setting up fireworks for the 4th of July. So there was a fair amount of commotion and hammering. Despite the disturbance, the fish were biting.
Some youngsters caught a croaker and a sea trout. I caught a decent sized flounder. The fellow next to me caught a fair number of white and yellow fish. Another guy further down caught a small shark. I made a mistake, while drinking my water I threw my head back to take a swig. A gust of wind caught the bill of my hat and away it went. It must have sailed a good 50 feet in the air. Charlie the tuna is probably wearing it by now.
It was my favorite hat, one that I had bought in Amelia Island about 12 years ago. And like most guys, I hate to part with the familiar. A T-shirt has to be in rags before it is tossed, blue jeans need to be soiled and stained into many shades and shoes have to have holes in the soles before they are disposed of in a trash bin. So I was sorry to see an old friend go. But fortunately, I packed another hat and it will become my new favorite. At least until my next bone-headed move.
I did have a good day fishing at the beach the following day. Croakers and I think they are called whiting – small white and yellow fish were what I caught that day. Around 10 in all, so that a good day too.
They had fireworks at the pier on the 4th of July. We parked on the beach and I think that ½ the town did too. It was very crowded, but everyone got along just fine. We had a guy come by and say that at the end they were releasing vehicles in groups of 10 from one end of the beach to the other. I looked at the hundreds of vehicles up and down the beach and thought to myself, good luck with that.
The fireworks were nice – they lasted about a half hour which is about right. A local music station played music to match up with the display. At the end it was not an organized 10 car at a time exit as the officials had wanted. Rather it was a Formula One start – everyone headed to the beach exit at the same time. Which is what I expected would happen being a student of human nature. We were not in any hurry, so we had a drink of wine while we alternated looking at the stars and looking at the trucks and jeeps jockeying for position in the sand. After most of them had left we left and returned to where we were staying.
One thing that we have noticed all up and down the coast is the fine print you need to read when you get gas in touristy areas. So you will drive along and see a sign where the gas is like 10 cents a gallon less than the others. So you pull in there (hey what a bargain!) and start to pump your gas. Then you realize that the difference only applies to cash only or to using one of their brand credit cards only. In other words, you are paying more than the advertised price on the sign.
We learned to be watchful of this early on and now that we know what to look for, we have seen it every state and mostly where there is high influx of unwatchful tourists. The locals already know what is up so they avoid those stations, they are looking for the guy from out of state who isn't paying attention.
The next stop was in Massachusetts where we visited a nephew – Mike and a niece – Katie. Mike lives in Dalton, which is in the Berkshires. A ski area where folks from Boston and New York like to visit and so it has a reputation for being an upscale area. My impression of the area was trees and boulders. Both are to be seen in abundance.
Our campsite was on a rugged climb up the side of a hill. It was Mount Greylock campground afterall. So I guess we should have known it wouldn't be flat. It was rainy and muddy when we set up. Hurricane Elsa had been pursuing us up the coast and had finally caught up. It rained for the first couple of days when we got there, then it cleared out. We liked some of the architecture of the houses that we saw. We saw several churches made of stone that we liked.
The visit with Mike went well. He and his wife Christina seem to be in a good place. They are looking to buy a home in the Dalton area. It is a sellers market and so places are going at a premium. Still they have a place that they plan to make an offer on here in the next week or so.
We ate at a place called the Old Forge. The interior was like a rustic tavern. They had a multi-page menu of just beers, I was impressed. The basement of that place must be stocked full of beer to keep up with that inventory. I tried a local beer and for a 2nd round, Mike ordered a draft german beer. I followed his lead and ordered one as well, I was pleased. He has a good taste for beer.
They are known for their wings, so we had to try them and out. Of course they were awesome as well. The owner does a good job of being a field general. Moving chairs here, sending the busboy there, checking on a table on the other side. He really stays on top of things. And from the quality of the food and service, it shows.
We visited Katie next. She lives to the North of Boston. We found a campground on Winter Island which is close to Salem Massachusetts. It was only 30 minutes from Katies place, so it worked out very well. We were close to the ocean which has been a common theme this trip.
We visited Salem first – the home of the infamous witch trials. And the color black was a common theme with the womenfolk in town. We took a tour of town and found out about a notorious couple of guys. A sheriff and another fellow who collaborated on getting folks to confess to being witches so that they could take their properties. They had a “witch house” where they would torture people into confessing. This was besides the witch trials so all kinds of weird happenings in Salem back in the day.
One item of note about New England towns. A lot of these places were founded and instead of being platted out they were added to a little at a time. A road here, and a street there but always in a random way. Sort of willy nilly depending on the whims of the builders at the time. And the hilly terrain adds to the complexity as well. At times it seemed that the streets were staked out according to the ramblings of a drunken tavern customer staggering back home.
In Pittsfield there was one main road we followed that actually cut through the middle of town like a snake. And Salem was similar in that we sometimes felt like we had to turn all directions of the compass to get from point A to point B. What did people do before GPS? I could not imagine navigating without it on the East Coast.
We did enjoy our stay on Winter Island. There is a harbor there and we spent several evenings having a glass of wine while watching the boats come and go. We discovered that there were several places along the harbor where there were flowers and plaques. Other couples had enjoyed the same thing over the years and when their partner passed they would set out flowers or a plaque by their favorite bench in their memory - very touching.
We met some interesting campers on Winter Island One couple from Oregon is traveling with 4 kids! They are taking a summer to see the states. I told them that we would go for maybe a week or so with our 4, but my hat is off to them for going cross country with all of them. Another couple is from Colorado. The husband is a computer programmer and they are living on the road for year to see if they like it. He is a computer programmer and so working remote makes sense for them.
We had dinner at Katies place. It is a suburb of Boston and close to the expressway so it was easy to find. Young Jack was all boy. He was full of vim and vinegar. The young lad also has blond hair and blue eyes – I am sure the lassies will find him attractive when he is older. Katie is expecting and he will have a sibling sometime this fall.
Dinner was fine of course. And for desert Katie splurged a bit and got chocolate eclairs from a genuine french bakery. They were excellent. Sean does work where they optimize ads on the internet for clients. Right now he is working from home due to covid, but expects that will end so and he will be a commuter once again. It is only about 30 minutes to where he works, so it isn't too hateful.
The last place we visited on the East Coast was Bangor, Maine. Actually a campground between there and Bar Harbor. We wanted to visit Acadia National Park and Bangor so we found a place midways between the 2 places. Our 1st impression of Massachusetts was boulders and trees. Maines 1st impression was just trees. There may be boulders there as well but they are well hidden behind all the trees. Plenty of timber to be found here, I can't imagine the timber shortage we had earlier this year after seeing all of the pine and maple. Maybe they are hoarding it to drive up the prices.
But my 2nd impression of Maine was Lobster restaurants and firewood sales for campers. In our immediate area there was an abundance of both. We did go out to eat Lobster to celebrate the last stop on the East Coast. The place had lobsters from 1 pound all the way to 5 pounds. They had them outside in huge tanks. The cook was grabbing them out of the various tanks according to their size. We joked – how did he have all his fingers. I guess those bands don't slip off very easily. But the water is cold – 38 degrees and he said that he had to stop sometimes just to warm up his hands.
The people here are pleasant and polite. Sometimes the folks in Massachusetts struck me as a bit standoffish. At Winter Island me and Becky passed by another couple who were camping and said hi and in response – nothing. Welp we just shrugged our shoulders and went on. But here in Maine they were very nice to us both at the campground and during our travels
We made a journey to Acadia to see the coastline and mountains. One thing that I noticed on the way was that as we got closer it was more and more commercial. It reminded me of the drive to Gatlinburg only on a smaller scale. Lots of shops and restaurants on both sides of the road. Finally we reached the park and we were back in nature. The rugged coastline is the main feature of this park. There are some very high cliffs and various types of rock that made up the cliffs. It was very scenic.
So now it was time to start angling for home. Becky had never seen Niagra Falls and we added a stop there on the way back to Ohio. I had been there once before when I was around 12 or 13 with the Freedmans. But it is still impressive. The roar of the water, the mist, and just the sheer power of the falls.
We took a tour on the Maid of the Mist. So we good a good dose of all of the above on the boat trip. The water really rocks you around. It reminded me of when I went on a 10 mile offshore fishing charter and there was a storm off shore. Waves coming at you from various directions and the spray getting everything wet. They did pass out ponchos so we were able to keep mostly dry.
The guy at the campground said that we had to try the cave of winds. We commited to going there and it was another $24 per person. I was disappointed. You went on these wood steps and wood decks by the falls. I thought that an actual cave would be involved, but rather it was a vortex of wind and water from the falls. More exciting than standing under a water hose on a windy day, but the same effect.
I noticed that the decks and stairs were all made of 2x4s. I remarked to Becky that you would think that it would be made more sturdy with all the people that visited each year. So the ranger that took us up the elevator remarked that they had to rebuild this every year due to the falling ice – it destroyed that structure every year. So that made sense, make it all just sturdy enough to last about a season because it will all need to be put up fresh next year.
My favorite part was just being on the various beaches during this trip. I enjoy just reading a book or fishing from the beach. My favorite manmade thing was the space center at Cape Canaveral. When they simulated the countdown to a Saturn V rocket launch, it really got your heart pounding with anticipation. The most peaceful spot was when we watched the boats come while siting on a bench by the harbor on Winter Island. All in all it was fun and memorable trip.
