Farewell Breakfast

Bittersweet farewell breakfast with the Fantasy RV Tour group..  Hopefully we will see many of our new friends in the future. 

We have arrived at the Thousand Trails park in Wachula, Florida, Peace River, for eleven days of R & R.  Then to Orlando where, hopefully, we can leave the RV hooked up to electric while we fly back to Oregon for Kristina and Chris's wedding ! ! !

Cape Kennedy and the Space Center

OMG for a last tour travel day, this one was another amazing one! ! !  We were taken on a bus tour over a very small part of the 140,000 acres that comprise the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Station.  Early in the space program we always watched every launch on the television.  You cannot imagine how big everything really is, the TV just doesn't do any of it justice.  This place was chosen for this site for it's proximity to the equator and how that helps in the launch.

Rocket Garden

These two gravel lanes are Alabama river rock because it doesn't crush or spark.  The two lanes equal an eight lane highway.  That is how huge the Crawler is that takes the shuttle out to the launch pad.

This is the Crawler

So cool to see all the stuff

This eagle's nest has been on the property for 48 years with only two pairs as eagles mate for life.

Lots of water around with many birds.  Also today we saw our first "wild" alligators in water like this.  Couldn't get pictures as the bus was moving too fast.

 The Atlantis can carry an awful lot of stuff up to the space station.  Watched a movie with actual footage, amazing!!

This was a most amazing day and perfect for the last day of our tour.  Went to dinner at Martini's Chophouse and had a great salmon dinner.  Tomorrow is our good bye breakfast and then off on our own.  We have made many new friends and hope to keep in touch with a lot of people.  We will be off to a Thousand Trails park in Wauchula, Florida about 132 miles southeast from here.  First time in 40 days to be able to sleep in, be on our own schedule and not be moving every few days.  A week will feel good to us!!  

To Daytona Beach, Florida

This morning we traveled the short drive to Daytona.  Beautiful, warm, blue skies....  what more could we ask for ???

We ride-shared to the Daytona International Speedway where we went on a shuttle tour.  A Porche Club was on the track racing so we didn't actually get to ride out on the track but we saw everything else, including the $800 a seat skyboxes.  No chance of ever buying a ticket for a seat in one as they are scooped up by corporations.  

 This is from the $800. seats!!

These banks are 31 degrees

They are upgrading the seats and replacing by cutting the number of new seats.  I asked why they are cutting seats and the answer was because of TV contracts.  Less people are coming to the races because TV is so good.  I was really surprised by that.

Left the speedway and went to an early dinner with about 18 others. Wonderful, bayside dinner out on the patio at the DownUnder.  Extra french fries went into the bay for the catfish ! ! !   Amazing!!  Took the gulls a few minutes to catch on to what was going on so the fish got most.

Wonderful, bittersweet evening.  Tomorrow is our Farewell Dinner with Fantasy RV Tours.  

St. Augustine, Florida

Beautiful, sunny weather here in Florida but not happy about all the signs warning about snakes.  In case you don't know, I do not like snakes......

We started the morning with a trip to the local lighthouse and museum. 

Caretakers lived in the house right next door.

Next was a ride on the Little Red Train around the historic city.  

 More Spanish Moss that is really an air plant !

 

So many churches in the south.  I think our guide showed us about ten in a few blocks, every denomination is represented...                                              

After a wonderful lunch at the Columbia Restaurant, a family owned Cuban place, we went to Ponce de Leon Fountain of Youth ! !   

This "fence" is made from mostly oyster shells.  Very strong and has lasted many, many years.

WOW, the water was terrible...  so much for making you younger LOL.

Tonight's drivers meeting was very bittersweet.  It is our last one for this tour as we are headed to Daytona Beach tomorrow and it is the last stop on this Grand East Coast Tour.  Ken is already looking at the map to get to our next stop on our own.  We will be staying in a couple of Thousand Trail Parks and having time to rest before we fly back to Oregon for our sweet granddaughter, Kristina's wedding !!  So excited for her and Chris to start married life together.