Day 17, 18 Palm Bluff Conservation Area

We got an early start picking up camp and packing it all in and on the Jeep to migrate toward Daytona Beach area. We have another free camping reservation at Palm Bluff Conservation Area. This reservation is for a group site, we are able to have 4 cars on the site but we are the sole reservation for the camp site. This means we have quite alot of space to ourselves at this one. The drive was short, a little over 2 hours. When we arrived we sprang into action and created another cozy camp in the woods to call home for almost a week.

Palm Bluff campsite

Once camp was settled we cooked up some grub and called it a night fairly early to get a good start on our first full day in the area. 

We woke up after some interesting noises in these woods through the night. Well rested and early rising, we cooked some breakfast and coffee on the woodstove to begin the day. We left camp in the late morning headed to the Atlantic ocean. New Smyrna Beach was our destination.

A view down the beach
A view down the beach

Carmen dipping his feet in the water.  He chickened out on swimming after getting the feet wet. 


We were created by city chickens here in New Smyrna Beach, FL.
We passed by some serious shuffle board players down at the club, on our way to find a late lunch.
After wandering town and window shopping our way to our late lunch destination, we finally arrived. Cafe Verde, a small cozy restaurant. All restaurants found here on the oceanside are mom and pop shops. There are no commercial chains present or available as a rule.

Cafe Verde entrance
Outdoor seating area
Tasty IPA
Hibiscus tea
Adobo chicken tacos
Adobo chicken salad
After our wonderful lunch we crossed the intercoastal waterway.
We took Sunshine to the dog beach for a stroll through the water.  



On our way to the tallest lighthouse in Florida, and the second tallest masonry lighthouse in the USA. Ponce de Leon Lighthouse.


Museum and gift shop at the base of the lighthouse


Ponce de Leon Lighthouse
To conclude the day we returned back to camp and cooked up some sausage, peppers, and onions and toasted the rolls on the woodstove.
Once our bellies were full we cuddled up into bed for the night ready to get some shut eye. Thanks for tuning in.

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 16, 2021 at 5:27 PM

    Love lighthouses an Sunshine in water
    Hope for warmer bites. Thanks for all the pics an info . Enjoy it all!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Audrey/MomJanuary 17, 2021 at 5:54 AM

    So happy Sunshine is welcome everywhere, too! Did you figure out what the noises in the night were? Yikes! Beautiful ocean and lighthouse....Love Mom

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Before we head South

Image
We plan to head south in the next couple days. Leaving the colder temperatures and threat of snow and ice behind. Each year we head south to the warmer climates, sunshine gets excited to drive back into summer.  (Sunshine wearing a stuffed mushroom hat) Before heading out we are sure to spend some extra time with family and loved ones over the last couple weeks in the Central New York area.  (family at "Illumination for Conservation Binghamton, NY) Alice is ready for a new vehicle inspection before we hit the road.  We have brought her in and been advised we have a leaky wheel seal in the rear end and it needs to be fixed in order to pass her inspection. So an appointment has been made and fastly approaching to have new wheel seals, bearings and brakes done on the back end. This will get everything up to snuff and ready for many more miles to come.  (Alice parked for an overnight) Our first show planned south of NY is Snuggleween a...
Read more

Upper Peninsula, Michigan

Image
We crossed the Mackinac Bridge (pronounced Mackinaw) from the lower to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in late July 2021. This bridge is much larger than most suspension bridges beating the famous San Francisco suspension bridge in length. Making it the largest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.  (Mackinac Bridge, between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan) The U.P. is rustic backwoods living. Many of the roads being unpaved and populated with side by side off road vehicles. Alice was a bit out of place on the hours long dirt road trips north to whitefish point and the mouth of the two hearted river, but out of place or not she got many "thumbs ups" from passing drivers and made the trip without issue.  (dirt roads of the U.P.) Whitefish point is at the top of whitefish bay, about 15 miles from the Edmund Fitzgerald wreck. We found an amazing little eatery that serves the days fresh caught bounty of Pike breaded and fried to perfectio...
Read more

South into South Carolina

Image
We had a wonderful stay at our little camp in Western North Carolina. Relaxing by the fire, working hard on creating things, and a quick trip to to the local brewery. The Brewery is called Sidetracked and their beers served by the glass were great!! Only crowlers and growlers to go, but man what a great atmosphere.  (a view from outside Sidetracked brewing Morganton, NC) (Sidetracked brewing interior) (Thomas the "Dank" Engine, hazy IPA) We returned to Alice to relax at the campfire and fend off the ladybugs. The lady bugs love Alice! We made a couple fun videos on TikTok also. I'll put links to them below.  TikTok video 1 TikTok video 2 (campfire) (Michelle has been hard at work on a large granny square coat project) (tons of ladybugs at most of the windows and a swarm around Alice like nowhere else in the area. (Ladybugs are good luck!)) We retired to the sheets to get some rest for the drive south ...
Read more