Wandering Around

Our last post was from near St. Augustine, FL, where we were fast tiring of the humidity and crowding. We were ready to trade the noise, traffic, crowding, expense, and humidity of the South for the emptiness, quiet, and mountains of the West, so we drove west toward Tucson, with stops in Gulf State Park, AL; San Antonio, TX; and Davis Mountains State Park, TX.

Unfortunately, in San Antonio, on New Year's Eve, our truck was burglarized, and my computer, our binoculars, and all my camera gear were stolen--all in the 45 minutes it took to have dinner at Cracker Barrel. When the police came to take the report, they said, "You're lucky!" "How are we lucky? We just lost thousands in electronics!", we replied. "They didn't take the truck". Oh.

We quickly cancelled all our credit cards and bank cards, both of us on our phones, but realized too late that we only had about $50 US cash...and no way to get more! However, our family bailed us out, paying for things with their credit cards over the phone. Once the banks opened again, 4 days later, they were able to send us some $$ so we could continue on our way to Tucson, where we received all our new bank cards--and regained our solvency.

We're in Tucson, AZ now, and have been for a few weeks. Both of us are still recovering from colds, bronchitis (me), and administrative overload (me). It take a ridiculous amount of time and effort to have all the credit and bank cards replaced and mailed, then to re-set up online access for them all. So just photos again, this post.

Bright spot was that Gavin spent a week with us here! He's so much fun!

I've been without photo gear for a month, so the photos start in Georgia, then jump west to Tucson.

St. Simmonds Island, Georgia

Crooked River State Park, Georgia

Our armadillo neighbour at Crooked River State Park, Georgia

Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia

Pelican near Gulf Shores, AL

On the street in Tucson, AZ. Think this is a gay bar in an old warehouse??

Our campsite at Gulf State Park, AL. Ocean just beyond the lake we're camped on.

All the rest are from Tucson:

On the street in Tucson, AZ

Hope you're all well wherever you are.

Sept. 28- Dec. 13, 2016

Our plan was to drive east this year, stopping in Cape Breton and Halifax, so Leah could visit old friends there, then to mosey down the US East Coast, stopping wherever we wanted, mostly on the ocean. Haven't posted in about 10 weeks, so I'll just post some photos with captions.

Above: Night shot in Barrie just before we left for Cape Breton. Not sure why this is so blurry??

We broke down in KOA driveway, Quebec City because we lost a trailer wheel. One week later, on our way with new axle.

Interesting architecture in Quebec City. We had time to explore Quebec City, since it took a week to fix our trailer.

Interesting architecture in Quebec City

On display in Quebec City

Fall in Jacques Cartier National Park, Quebec

Tourist fun in Quebec City

Fall in Jacques Cartier National Park, Quebec

Fall in Jacques Cartier National Park, Quebec.

Halifax, NS

Fall in Cape Breton

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Fall in Cape Breton

Fall at White Point, Cape Breton

White Point, Cape Breton on a windy day

On the beach at Leah's old house on the Cabot Trail, Cape Breton

Camped for free at Piper's, an abandoned campground right on the ocean in Indian Brook on Cape Breton.

Replica of Joshua Slocum's Spray, the sailboat he used in the late 1898 to sail single-handed around the world, a feat once thought impossible. He was the first to do it. Leah's friend built it himself over 8 years.

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Inside the Spray

Our site at Oregon Inlet, a primitive campground on Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina. The beach is just over the barrier dune behind the trailer. Lovely, deserted place.

Beach girl, at our Oregon Inlet campsite, ready to walk over the dunes to the seashore, about 30 meters behind her. On Cape Hatteras National seashore, North Carolina.

Beach girl on the beach--Oregon Inlet, NC, on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Our primitive campsite is just behind Leah, over the barrier dune.

Poor photo of the Supermoon at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

Huntington Beach State Park, SC, the best birding so far.

Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Not sure what bird this is?? Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Egret at Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Egret at Hungtington Beach State Park, SC

Great Blue Heron at Huntington Beach SC

Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Turkey Buzzard at Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Festival of Lights, James Island County Park near Charleston, SC

Festival of Lights @ James Island County Park, SC. 4th largest light show in US, with over 700 light exhibits spread over 3 miles. About 50 meters from our camp site.