Blue Springs

Well, today is our last day at Blue Springs. It seems like this week (along with many of the previous weeks) has gone by way TOO fast. For the last three years we've kind of followed a protocol of spending one week at a time in a state park and then moving on to the next. People sometimes react as though it must be a lot of hassle to move so often, but in reality it isn't at all - we can set up our site in about 15 minutes and we can be packed up and ready to move out in less than 30 minutes. However, having said that, we have decided that, on future trips, we'll probably stay a little longer - a week-and-a-half or two weeks at each location. It's not the "hassle factor" - it's that we're realizing we simply don't have enough time at each park to enjoy it sufficiently. This park is a great example. I only got out on my kayak one time. I did the very nice bike trail here twice. We never did make it over to the ocean, even though Daytona is really close. We just run out of time! So - for the next trip - longer stays!

OK, having said that, we have enjoyed the rest of our time here. I know I gushed on and on about the kayaking with the manatees thing - and it was GREAT! But the next day my sister Dolores and her husband Gary were stopping in for a visit - they are down here for one week - and I definitely wanted to spend time with them. So Dave and I went on the bike trail for a morning ride (about 8 or 9 miles, I would guess) and then I sent him out onto the lake for some fishing - and when he got back he told me he actually touched one of the manatees - apparently it came up out of the water right next to him, and he simply reached his hand out and stroked its back. How cool! Dolores and Gary came a little later in the afternoon and we took them down to see the manatees in the springs area - they both really enjoyed seeing the manatees and all the fish and were amazed at how clearly everything could be seen through the crystal clear spring water. (I'm attaching a pictures, but it doesn't really convey how clearly you can see the manatees - a camera just doesn't capture it!) Gary and Dolores were flying home on Tuesday, so didn't spend too much time but it was great to have visitors - our only ones for the whole trip, so thanks, guys, for stopping in!

Today was supposed to be rainy, so we just planned on doing little things - we wanted to check out DeLand a little more and find our way around Lake Beresford, plus we had a coupon for McDonalds (which we always want to use, of course!), so we just goofed off all day. Tomorrow we pack up and leave. We feel kind of bad about leaving in one regard - there's been a little black kitten with white paws hanging around (I named him "NIKE" because he looks like he's wearing little white sneakers). We've been putting out cat food for him every day - he looks like he's maybe two or three months old. At first I felt terrible for him - poor little stray - but I think we've seen his momma around here - plus he looks pretty good, not at all skinny, so I think campers probably feed him on a pretty regular basis! There would have been no way to try to catch him anyway - the second he hears us move he scampers. But it's been fun to watch him this week. Probably a good thing we COULDN'T catch him, because I would definitely have wanted to take him home!

Anyway, tomorrow we move up to Amelia Island, just north of Jacksonville. We're looking forward to that, because we've been there before and really love it, and we're staying for two whole weeks - yay!