Happy road warriors again with our 2-hour, 76 mile trip northwest to Apopka and Wekiwa Springs State Park. With only 10 miles of the trip on I-95, the remainder on 2-lane state and county roads, one doesn’t zoom along at 65mph the entire time, but that’s our preference anyway.

Here’s a few stats- first, about our travels so far:

• Miles driven since Annie joined the clan: 3,150
• Gals diesel purchased: 383
• Highest fuel price paid: $3.79 in PA in Sept and CT in Nov
• Lowest fuel price paid: $2.76 believe it or not in the Keys on Jan 31 right as prices were about to creep up
• Amount of time driving in snow or rain: precious little and all of it prior to Dec 3

About Wekiwa Springs State Park:

• 42 million gals of clear water flow each day from the two fissures in Wekiwa Springs
• Wekiwa means “spring of water”; from the Creeks who were later called Seminoles
• The park covers 7,800 acres
• Miles of trails = 26+, for hiking, multi-use and horse
• The campground is small. Two loops, each with 30 RV/tent sites. All sites have water and 30amp hook-ups and all but 23 also have sewer. A dump station is provided.
• The park has a primitive youth camping section and youth camp cabins
• Visitors can rent canoes, visit the Nature Center, shop for trinkets and ice cream at the concession bldg.

Check-in could not have been easier: we pull up to the ranger booth; receive info packet and receipt. Done.

We usually have to ask where we can unhook Bonny and the answer is often accompanied by an odd look. No idea why; I mean we already said this was our first visit.

Unless we have a pull-through site (rare) we don headsets and I drive Bonny ahead then help direct Russ in. This time was easy; the Captain is quite the backing up pro.

We had booked nine nights here and the weather behaved in typical winter fashion: days of warm and mostly sunny, days of chilly and cloudy and some days of rain.

What makes a desirable site (for us):

• Wide enough for slide-outs and awning
• Space and/or shrubs or trees between sites
• Mostly sunny with no overhanging branches
• Level site with gravel, cement, grass or hard sand to park on
• Well marked so we can find it
• Not being directly across from the site across the road; some places stagger the sites a bit which is nice

Our site is #46 on the outside of the second loop.

The outer edge sites often seem wider and they usually don’t back up to other sites, just woods or empty space. Full hook-up and plenty deep and wide, but a lone pine kept the awning in. Enough tall trees provided dappled sun between 10am – 4pm. Sunrise at 6:46 which meant no light shone in until 7:15 and then we sprang ahead and boy the mornings were dark. Sunset moving to 7:30pm brought big smiles.

This shot is deceptive; the fifth-wheels, campers and tents outnumbered the motorhomes; at least on our loop. The weekend brought in a full house.

 

 

 

Raise your hand if you know about or have done a Volksmarch trail. Yes, I thought so. A new one on us.

 

All along the way up, we kept skirting along short mucky sections but we got to the river camp. The river had flooded its banks a bit thanks to the recent downpour before we arrived. We went on but very quickly came to this and I drew the line in the mud!  We could always come up from the southern end of the trail we’d hoped to take down to Sand Lake. In a few days.

 

Weekends mean Renninger’s Flea/Farm/Antique Market opens in Mt. Dora. Mount did I say? Yes! Hills really, but not the totally flat we have grown accustomed to while snowbirding in sunny Florida.

This weekend was Cars & Guitars Show too and how great to own a vintage auto in Florida- no snow, rust and all that crap that ruins a car before you can say, “back to the future.” A Delorean was there, but I didn’t take a photo.

The real reason we went wasn’t to buy stuff that we don’t have room for; it was donuts. Gee, how unusual. 🙂  and since we keep reading “you deserve a donut” we’ve come to believe it!

 Worth the 25 min drive, the tiny donut booth sells ‘em as fast as the machine makes ‘em.

The market itself reminded us of the market in Charleston, only more on the trashy side; no offense. Inside halls with everything, outside booths and stalls and more tables set up farther out.

Was almost too much and I was happy not to be collecting vintage plates, glassware and fabrics anymore. Vintage RVs are another thing and always fun to see.