This sign is featured inside Danny's, in addition to a stencil painting over the outside door saying  Guy Fieri ate there, and the Food Network insignia.  (should have gotten a picture of that, too.)  Truly a hole in the wall, with seating only outside on picnic tables, and something I might have just driven by, had I not known, and had there not been a line up of  cars in the lot!  Not the best area in town, if you know what I mean!   Burgers were good.....that was the featured item.  Named after ball players like the Roberto Clemente and the Babe Ruth,  and came "with bases loaded", which referred to all the toppings.  Wish I had tried the roasted pork. They also have Cuban sandwiches in a tip of the hat to neighboring Ybor City, famous for hand rolled cigars made in the 1880's, where they produced 300,000 a day!    They had ice cream, too, but who had room?!?!?  It is nearly 4 in the afternoon, and I am still full!!  No dinner tonight!  

We had intended to tour today, but it rained this morning, we went out for a bit, and then it started raining again, so we decided to spend time  "at home,", after a couple of busy days, just catching up.  We should have the new coach in the morning, when we will set to the task of moving things over!  

Oh..there is the stencil, bottom left, real small!

Suffern, Florida

What is in Suffern?  Well, it is just outside of Tampa, and includes the State Fair Grounds, and the Ice arena  where the Tampa Bay Lightening practices.  Tampa/ St. Pete also has a wonderful new museum of Salvador Dali works, the building itself being reason enough to visit, and a Dale Chihuly Museum.  We visited both of those last winter, and they were wonderful.  But of interest to us this trip was Lazydays RV.   I have been "hinting" to Clem that I think we really need a diesel RV, rather than the gas operated one we purchased, which , while very nice, does drag a bit on those mountain passes.  Diesels also provide a cushioned air ride, and come with air brakes, both giving a better ride, and better stopping, and provide hours of fatigue free driving.   Well, Clem totally surprised me several days ago when he asked if we should go to Atlanta, or go down the coast of Florida and drive a diesel and see if it really made that much difference!  Wow!!  I figured MAYBE by January he would agree to at least go take a drive!  Well, we looked at them when we arrived, and drove one yesterday morning, and put the deal together yesterday afternoon!!  After a long day today of signing papers, being greeted, and moving into our delivery site, we now await our new coach!!  It means another couple days here waiting for them to go through everything to make sure it all works, and us moving things over.  It has some really nice upgrades to the interior, in addition to the bigger engine, and we are both very excited to get it.  I snapped a couple of photos this morning before they whisked it off to the repair bay, so will include them.  We will have a couple of days to do a little exploring now while we wait.

We liked this option of two chairs instead of the second couch.  And the bathroom is at the rear of the coach, behind the bedroom, with a second half bath "midship."

Our coach had three slides...the new one has four.
Tile floors and a residential refrigerator are really nice additions!

Look who Clem met today!!

One park had ice cream shop!  Clem was a happy camper!

Loki enjoys looking out the little window on the passenger side.....while we are stopped, of course!!
Hey!!  Who's out there?????

Breakfast this morning

We drove maybe three hours south, and hit the beginning of that sub tropical weather that we come to Florida for.  Last evening we walked around and it was warm and balmy, and this morning we had breakfast at the picnic table!  This park actually left us a newspaper!!  That was  a first!
We have also hit a couple of parks on this trip that  provided a continental breakfast, which was pretty neat, too.  Also affords a chance to chat with other RV ers, which I always enjoy.  Last night, the cable channel we wanted to watch was snowy, so we went into the club house to see if we could get it there, and watched our show, and chatted with a fun couple.  Going to spend another day here, maybe check out the area, do some laundry before the last leg.

Stephen Foster Cultural Center and State Park

As luck would have it, when we left the RV park, heading back to the highway, the GPS took us on a different route, and we passed the sign to the site I missed.  Ok, Clem grumbles.....if you really want to go.  We drive 10 miles out of our way, and encounter this building under these big gorgeous live oak trees , where when I stop to take a photo, I lose Clem!  Here I am, he calls, sitting on the front veranda under the big columns, with his hands behind his neck, looking for all the world like he is waiting for his mint julep!  As I start to hustle, he tells me to take my time, and enjoy....it is beautiful!  Hmmmm....maybe not such a bad idea?

Inside we are treated to a huge open area with dioramas depicting some of the 280 songs he has written, accompanied by his tunes.  280!!!  Of course, we are soon humming along to Camptown Races, Swannee River, etc.   When I asked where he had actually lived, the park ranger said Pittsburgh!  And it cannot be proved that he even visited here!  Apparently a talented author/poet, he needed a river name that rhymed, took out an Atlas, and chose Suwannee, and changed the pronunciation!  As the park ranger said, "we crackers don't know how to talk anyway!"  The song brought so much interest in Florida, they decided they should pay tribute to this man, and this place was created in the 1950's.  Each year they choose a "Jeanne".....no doubt with light brown hair!!

Clem said, well, this time you were right.....good stop!  THIS time????  :-)

Way down upon the Suwannee River..........

Ok, I goofed!  All this driving cuts into my researching, and we drove right past the Stephen Foster Cultural Center......and I was even singing as we crossed the river!!  Add it to the list!

Also to add to the list is the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, which is a bit out of our travel route for today, closer to Jacksonville.    Love the name!  It covers an area of 300,000 football fields and offers wildlife viewing in addition to boat rides on the swamp, and the experience of living as a "swamper."

This area in northern Florida, just over the Georgia border, is so different in topography, with a bit of hilliness, and deciduous treed forests.  We have never actually been in this corner of the state, which is ripe with state parks and recreation areas, and folks with a southern drawl.  We will have to explore a bit more.

During yesterday's travel, we started seeing signs for peaches, peanuts and pecans......Georgia's bounty!  I pulled off at one place that had a HUGE sign that looked like a giant peach , exclaiming Peach World, or something to that effect.  (now, why didn't I take THAT photo?)  , and maneuvered my way into what turned out to be a strip mall of outlet stores!!  I never did find the place that the billboard announced  had peach cider, but did find one with tables full of pecans, and all the fun goodies that one can make from them, like pralines!  I do love pralines!

Another stop of the day for gasoline , resulted in a visit with the proprietor, Mr. Philip Beamer, since I am sure he was afraid I would take out his pumps, or at least the protective bars around them, when I pulled out.  It has happened, he told me!  He chatted away while I cleaned the windshield.  (that , and filling the tank, take a while!)  Seems he has just purchased an Airstream...you know, the silver bullets of the RV world?.......from a gentleman who, now 91, purchased it when he was 85!!  Says he has been waiting for his wife to get better so they could go again, but figured maybe he should sell it!  Nice man, Mr. Beamer, but he stood right there while I carefully swung my way out and around the building, making sure his property was intact.

At one point he mused he was keeping me from the windshield by talking, but I assured him part of the fun of this type of travel is getting to meet and chat with nice folks like him.  Sweet, southern, low key.....he owned the BP station, attached Arby's, and at least another station somewhere else, which I gathered from our conversation.

We stayed the night in Lake City Florida, at a park called Oaks 'N Pines, and indeed, we are in them!  The woman proprietor led us to our site driving a cart, and holding a tiny dog, named "Bear."  As she entered our site, she just stepped out of the cart, and it continued along its way, while she guided me in!   Then she stood and chatted with us about how Bear got his name (her husband was on a hunting trip, and she went and got the dog without telling him), and said just holler if we needed anything.

Morning coffee with our Halloween mugs! 

We are nearing our destination.....  off to another days adventure.

still on Lookout Mountain!

We also visited Rock City on the mountain, where I was constantly torn between not liking the commercialism, and being amazed and amused by the creation of the garden and paths around the through the rock!  The views at the top, where you can  see seven states on a clear day, and the many areas where you come out to the edge of the ledge were beautiful.  One could spend a great deal of time taking the many trails and bridges  through the garden pathways, that sported names like Fat Man's Squeeze and Goblins Den.  

The next trip  INSIDE the mountain was a bit disappointing, except for the actual waterfall, which was  deep  inside.  There was a natural opening to the cave at one point in time, actually used as a hospital during the civil war, but became too dangerous to use when a railroad was built. A project was undertaken to drill another way into the cave, when the waterfall was discovered.  An elevator takes you down some 250 feet, and then you walk through to the waterfall.  We have been in several caves and caverns, and although it has a few small stalactites and stalagmites, it lacks the large colorful structures that we have seen in others.  But the waterfall was interesting, and two out of three aint bad!

We opted for another night of BBQ, and this time went to the restaurant that was recommended, hoping they might still have ribs.  Sunday more quiet night for them, and we got to the little hole in the wall with worn stair treds and cafe curtains that could have used a good washing, and were greeted by a friendly guy who told they did indeed have ribs tonight.  While we waited for our dinner, we heard him greet customers by name, and banter with his wife in the back.  Well, the ribs were the best I have ever eaten!  We enjoyed our meal, and some bantering with our host , and spent some time chatting with both of them before leaving, as we were the only ones left in the restaurant by then.  A fun evening to end a nice day.

Once atop the mountain, we walked three blocks, and visited the Chattanooga and Chickamaugua National Military Park, the scene of the Civil War Battle that was the turning point of the war.   

The visitors center had a magnificent painting that was commissioned to represent the battle, known as the Battle Above the Clouds, due to the phenomenon of a cloud layer forming and stopping halfway down the sheer slope, as it did the morning of the battle.  It was incredible to see plaques showing the staggering number of injuries and casualties.  

This monument is thought to be the only one showing a Union and Confederate soldier shaking hands.  

The Incline Railway

After a leisurely breakfast and the Sunday paper, we set out for our first adventure of the day, the Incline Railway.  First used in the 1800's, it has been rebuilt, and takes passengers on a one mile trip up over 1200 feet to the peak of Lookout Mountain.  It achieves a 72.8 % grade as it nears the top, making it the steepest passenger railway in the world.  When we boarded, the seats are angled, and yet at the top, you feel like you are facing a bit downward.  It gets a bit spooky as it hits that grade, and folks gasp, and little girls squeal, and everyone gets out their cell phone cameras!   A glass dome was created in the new train so you can appreciate the astounding view.  

This last shot gives you an idea of the pitch at the top.

Little Rock to Chattanooga

We discovered there is no direct route, and the GPS took us to the south, then back up, which took us through 5 states, crossing the borders sometimes more than once.  Fields of cotton were everywhere as we crossed Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and into Tennessee.  No photos today, but one I wish I had gotten, when we  came upon a small  horse trailer being towed by a car, which  had a huge neon orange sign attached, hand written, stating....

"  Young Driver following Old Driver.  Please don't get between us."

In front of the young lady hauling the horse trailer  was an old RV with a similar neon orange hand lettered sign......

   "  Old Driver".  Very cute.

My singing for the day ( yes, I do that often) switched from The Tennessee Waltz to Chattanooga Choo Choo.  But I was disappointed to discover that the  Chattanooga Choo Choo never existed, despite the fact that a sign on the highway announces its approach.  A Holiday Inn has added a bunch of railroad cars to the hotel, that apparently  you can  request to sleep in.  The woman at the RV park wrinkled her nose when I asked her about it, so we skipped it.

Our site on Sauturday night was on the grounds of a civil war battle, and had a monument that was erected after the war.  The Park Service provides information and a film at the park, no doubt purchased before anyone thought to preserve the land.  Thankfully the monument was preserved.

After a long day of driving, we settled in, and got take out BBQ from a spot recommended by the park manager.  They had sold out of ribs, but I had chopped....not pulled......pork, and Clem had fried cat fish, both of which were delicious.  Nothing like BBQ in the south!  

Groom, Texas

On Rt 66, the largest stainless steel cross in the western hemisphere, standing 19 stories tall, and weighing three ton!  

And very near it, a leaning water tower!  ??