I left Knoxville on Sunday, April 21st. Sharma and Bob were sad to see me go, and I felt the same. Sharma and I did enjoy our visit and catching up on life. We both are retired city clerks and we worked for neighboring cities. She retired about a year before I did. This is a beautiful time of year, not only in Tennessee, but many states. I really enjoyed looking at the trees blooming, and seeing so many kinds of wildflowers along the roadways. In fact, on one of the roads in Knoxville, there were daffodils blooming in the right of way.
Deciding on a route back towards Florida was a toss up. I could either go by Asheville, NC, Spartanburg, SC, and then Savannah, or I could go through Chattanooga, TN, Atlanta, GA, and then to Savannah. It was about the same distance either way. On quick glance at the US map, I didn’t see any other way to Florida other than the Interstates. I decided that I wasn’t really excited about driving up and down the steep mountains of North Carolina again so I took the route through Chattanooga and Atlanta. It turns out that was a good way to go.
When I realized I was going to pass through Atlanta and south towards Interstate 16 towards Savannah, I called my friend Gary who lives about an hour or so from Macon, GA. Gary and I worked together for many years beginning in November 1969. We stayed in touch, every now and for a few years we lost touch, but then connected again. We haven’t seen each other in about 8 years. Anyway, I called Gary and told him about what time I would be passing through the Atlanta area and my route and he said he would drive and meet me about an hour south of Atlanta in Macon, it was just before where I would turn off I 75 and take 16 east towards Savannah. We had a nice lunch and spent a few hours talking and catching up on life and talking about old times. It really was fun, and also sad, we have been friends for about 43 years. Gary is the longest time friend I have. But thankfully, we had this time to see each other and say goodbye.
After I left Macon, I headed east on 16 and got as far as Dublin, GA, where I spent the night in a motel parking lot since I couldn’t drive any further. Monday morning I was driving on 16 and saw a sign for a Georgia State Park and I thought I would check it out. I got off the exit and asked at the gas station how far it was to the state park. I was told 20 miles. I said something about then having to drive 20 miles back to the interstate to go towards Savannah. The man at the gas station asked where I was headed and I told him Florida. He said the park is off of Route 57 and if I continue on 57 when I leave the park it would take me on country roads to I 95, south of Savannah, not too far from Florida. So, I thought, that’s what I love, driving back country roads. Not only was it a lovely drive, it saved me lots of time and distance driving. As I drove, I passed acres and acres of Vidalia onions growing in fields, I could even smell them with my windows closed.
The Gordonia Alatamaha State Park in Reidsville, GA, is really nice. It has a small lake, miniature golf, paddle boats, and even cabins to rent. It turns out that since it was Monday, the weekend campers left and there were only about 4 of us campers in the park. 
I chose a spot where the lake was about 150 feet from my back door. It was so peaceful. Tall trees surrounded the lake and there were two docks to walk out on. I was pleasantly surprised that by my site, the one next to me, and across the lake that there were bench swings along the shore. My stay in this state park was a life changing experience for me. I communicated with God and Nature and got a strong message about my life. Part of the story about this experience is written below. Photo Album of pictures. 
What a great surprise, I didn’t know it was there when I picked my spot. I chose my spot so I could be near the lake. 
Of course, the first thing I did after I got set up was to go sit on the swing and just relax and look at the lake, watch the birds, listen to the wind, etc. It was so peaceful and just what I needed. I was able to be still, meditate, and talk with God. I posted pictures of the lake in my photo album. It was a short driving day, only 2 hours. But lately, even driving 2 hours is painful. It’s really frustrating to me. I used to be able to drive 400-500 miles easily in a day. Now, even 200 miles, and often fewer miles of driving, is too much. I use cruise control most of the time, so that helps. But sitting is getting more painful and difficult. I’m guessing it is compressing my organs, tumor, etc. together more than when I am laying down. I’ve had friends call and ask how I’m doing. When I tell them, almost every one has offered to come meet me and drive me home. I’m still being intractable, and wanting to do it on my own. I’m taking it easy, taking breaks often, and not jeopardizing me or anyone else on the road.
When I was camped at this state park, after getting my campsite set up, I sat on a swing next to the lake. I was talking with God and asking God to help my mind be still, because I was on my way back to Florida, cutting my trip shorter than I wanted, and I was wondering what was going to happen, how much time I would have before my health gets much worse, where I was going to stay, how much more time would I have to live, etc. God took over the meditation and let me know that He/She has a plan for me and I don’t need to know what it is in advance. I received the message that it will unfold as it’s supposed to and all I have to do is stay in today, in the moment, and know that I am being provided for and taken care of. It was a cold, windy, and sunny day. God said my journey will be like this day, there will be some windy times, and there will be quiet times, warm times, etc. It’s part of my journey. I was also given the message that I am walking towards God and that God’s love is waiting for me, along with people that know and love me and will welcome me. I felt such peace come over me. I know in my heart that this is true.
On Tuesday morning, I left the state park and headed to Yulee to spend 2 days with my friend Cindy again. Since I will be back in Florida and not taking another trip in Molly, I decided to take things out of the camper that I would not be needing, such as tools, emergency items, extra clothes, propane stove, grill, etc. I took out lots of things, left them with Cindy and put the cushions to my dining room table back so it would be more comfortable for me to sit at the table, and also let me have a place for people to sit if they visit me in my camper when I am back in Florida. I want to stay in my camper for as long as possible. I found out that Hospice will come take care of me wherever I am, even in my camper. When I started living in the camper and taking long trips, I removed my dining room table cushions and replaced them with large flat plastic bins. That way, I was using space more wisely. Keep in mind my dining room table is about 24 inches square, I’m in a camper van, not a large camper. Now with the cushions, it looks less cramped and more roomy, and it’s a lot softer to sit on them then on the plastic bins.
Instead of cooking, Cindy and I went out to eat both nights I was there. We had really good fish tacos the first night, and since there was a grocery store next to the restaurant we went and bought ice cream to take back to have for dessert while we watched my 2 favorite shows, NCIS and NCIS LA. The 2nd night, my last one there, Cindy wanted to take me somewhere special. We ate at a restaurant at the pier on Amelia Island. We had a lovely window table overlooking the water and watching a sunset. We weren’t very hungry, so we shared an absolutely delicious crabmeat appetizer with toasted bread rounds. I’m not able to eat much at a time anymore, so it was just perfect. Of course, after we got back to her house, we ate more ice cream, and indulged with some chocolate mint cookies. YUMMMMM…..
Thursday morning, I left Cindy’s, and headed south again. Since one of my favorite campgrounds is a county park in Titusville named Manatee Hammock, and since it was halfway back to Deerfield Beach, I decided to spend my last 2 nights camping here. I’ve been here so many times that I know the park rangers, and even a few campers that stay here almost year round. When I was here the last 2 weeks in January, I got to see a rocket launch. If you want to see what it looks like here, you can check my January blog, and go to my photo gallery, I posted photos at that time. Thankfully, they have internet access in this park so I’m able to update my website. I told the park rangers that this is the last time I will be camping here, it was sad for all of us. I know the squirrels will miss me, I always bring pounds of peanuts to feed them. Last time I used up about 8 pounds of nuts over a 2 week period. The squirrels were really upset the last few days since I didn’t have anything to feed them. I tossed out some goldfish crackers. A few squirrels ate them, but several picked them up, sniffed, maybe took a taste, threw them down and came over looking at me like, where are the peanuts? There are LOTS of squirrels here, not just a few. I didn’t bring peanuts this time, so I’m feeding them some bread. They seem to like that just fine.
Of course, being in Titusville, I had to stop at my favorite restaurant, Dixie Crossroads. The food is exceptional, and they serve hot corn fritters with powered sugar when anyone is seated. They also give a to go box with some if anyone wants it, I almost always do. Only I get the powered sugar in a separate container so they aren’t too sticky and sugary. I had been telling my mom about this restaurant for years, so earlier this year I drove her up here. Once for lunch, and once for dinner. It’s about 200 miles one way, but well worth it. I didn’t think to take pictures of it to post. Oh well. There are handpainted murals of wildlife on the outside walls of the restaurant, on the inside above the windows are handpainted animals such as dolphins, manatees, birds, etc. In the back room the walls are painted with dolphins, fish, and manatees swimming. It’s absolutely amazing… if you are anywhere near Titusville, which is near Cape Kennedy and Cocoa Beach, stop by and eat at Dixie Crossroads. They do have a website, and their corn fritter recipe is on it. I made it once and it tasted great. The only difference is that theirs are round like donut holes, mine looked like little pancakes. I found out by asking that they have a special machine that makes them round.
Several people have asked why I named my camper van Molly. I named her in 2011 after I began my full time expeditions. Since it’s been a while since I wrote that story, and there are new people reading my website, I will tell it again. I like Debbie Reynolds, I feel she is a strong female role model. She’s been through some difficult challenges, and it seems that she has kept her head high, and handled them with dignity. I also loved her in the movie the Unsinkable Molly Brown. And, Molly Brown was on the Titanic and was a strong female role model. Since my camper and I were on some challenging roads, mountains, and had some really amazing experiences together, I thought the name Molly suited her just fine. As you might have read in earlier posts, before leaving on this trip I got new tires, brakes, hub caps, etc. Well, on one of the back roads in Georgia, Molly lost one of her new hub caps. Then today when I was backing up into a spot, I accidently backed into a post and Molly now has some small scratches on her rear wheel cover. I told her she’s getting like me, and getting a few changes to her body again.
I just got permission from my friend Albert Gray Eagle to post the photo below. In 2011 when I was visiting Albert in Oklahoma City at an event he was participating in, we got talking and he told me that actor Mark Harmon comes to OKC several times for some charitable work. I told Albert that I love watching NCIS, it’s one of the only 2 shows I watch. Since I didn’t have a TV I would wait until I had internet, or go to a library and watch the show when it was posted online. A few weeks ago when Cindy and I were at Amelia Island waiting for our horse and buggy ride, I received a text and photo from Albert. It was a photo of him and Mark Harmon at an event they were doing together, along with other people. Evidently, Albert told Mark about our friendship and my health situation and he asked Mark if he could take a picture of the both of them for me. Mark said yes, and here is the picture. I would have loved to go watch a taping of the show, but in it’s place, this picture is really cool. I wanted to share it.
Mark Harmon and Albert Gray Eagle
