The Journey Home (GA, AL, & FL) - December 29-30, 2008

We crossed from Tennessee into Georgia fairly early on the morning of December 29 and made our way to the first stop of several the Biologist had identified before our journey began. The first stop was a Georgia Historical Marker at the former site of Fort Gilmer. Fort Gilmer was one of the Cherokee Indian removal forts in Georgia and is part of the Trail of Tears! No remains of the Fort exist today, but the history is not to be forgotten.

Next we made our way south to the Red Top Mountain State Park where the Georgia Orienteering Club maintains a Permanent Orienteering Course. After purchasing a map of the course from the State Park folks, we made our way to the Course starting point and trekked to Station 1. We didn't have time to run the entire course, but it appears to be well designed and runs through a nice pine forest in a large, well maintained park.

Then we were off to Cedartown, Georgia, to visit a Cobblestone Building. After visiting the building, we found a couple of other similar Cobblestone structures in the area and are hoping at least one of them meets the category criteria. The old homes in this area are very nice and we enjoyed driving around the neighborhood to look at them.

Next we headed off to grist mill country and stopped by the Jones Mill, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a Water Wheel (although it doesn't appear to be a Working one). Then to historic Berry College in Rome, Georgia, to drive through the beautiful campus and on-site wildlife refuge to the Old Mill at the College, which has what is considered to be one of the largest Water Wheels in the world and is still operated on special occasions. It was spectacular and well worth the trip if you're in the vicinity.

Now it was time to make tracks to Alabama. I mean, who doesn't get to Florida from Georgia through Alabama? Not us, that's for sure. The Biologist had identified an unclaimed Alabama Historical Marker in Cherokee County so off we went. Unfortunately, she had gotten some misinformation and we never did find a historical marker there, but we did see a sign for the Cornwall Furnace in Cedar Bluff and decided to check it out. This 35-foot high iron ore furnace was built by the Confederate States of America in 1862 and became the first to supply iron for the construction of Confederate cannons during the Civil War. Turns out the furnace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a Wikipedia entry! Another awesome piece of history that we just stumbled across on our wonderful adventure home.

We made it to Oxford, Alabama, that night before having to stop and find a place to lay our weary bones. However, since we had an internet connection, the Biologist decided to search for another unclaimed Alabama Historical Marker that we might be able to find on our way south. Turns out there was one! And it was located right there in Oxford just 3 miles from the hotel where we were staying. So of course, that was our first stop the next morning before heading down to Florida.

After a delay on Florida's Turnpike due to an accident that had all the Southbound lanes shut down, we FINALLY made it to the Biologist's sister's home in Melbourne, Florida, on Tuesday evening to visit with family for New Year's Eve and to pick up Rascal and Scamp. Yes, their vacation is coming to an end too! They had a blast with Aunt Joanie and Uncle Mikey, but all good things must come to an end...

The Journey Home Continues (KY & TN) - December 28, 2008

This morning we wandered a bit off course on our journey home. Just west of Lexington, we had learned about the existence of Jeptha Knob. It's the result of an asteroid impact some 425 million years ago. We weren't able to get to the top of the Knob because it was gated with no trespassing signs, but we got some nice views regardless and found a dated Kentucky Historical Marker from back when they believed the Knob was a cryptovolcanic structure. It's actually the geologic remnant of the uplifted rebound structure in the center of an meteorite Impact Crater. Too cool!

On our way back toward Lexington to get back on track to Florida, we spotted another historical marker and pulled over to see what it was about. It was titled "Death of Meriwether Lewis." Well, good grief, an unexpected Lewis and Clark Trail marker! You just never know what you're going to find when you take the back roads and avoid the interstates!

We finally made it into Tennessee by early afternoon. The Biologist is a University of Tennessee alumnus and was happy to be back in this beautiful state. We passed three Tennessee Historical Markers along the way and learned about the Independent State of Scott which was formed in 1861 when what was then Scott County seceded from the state; the city of Clinton was once listed as one of three Tennessee towns known as centers of the pearling industry; and the historic community of Scarboro was dispersed by the creation of the secret Oak Ridge facility.  Then for time's sake, we hopped on the interstate and made our way to Cleveland, Tennessee, and checked into a hotel for a night's rest in preparation for the next day of our journey home.

The Journey Home (OH & KY) - December 27, 2008

We began our journey home at about noon today. We decided to again try to avoid the interstate highways and take a meandering, scenic route. We headed south and stopped for a Lustron Home in Circleville, Ohio -- the only one that was constructed there. Then onward to Chillicothe. And what do you think we saw as we were heading into town on Hwy 23 but a Fireworks Tree! We'd been keeping our eyes open for one of these for months now and there one was! After the Biologist stopped hyperventilating, we stopped to take photos. It was a bit damaged from the remnants of Hurricane Ivan that passed through Ohio earlier this year, but it was very cool just the same.

We spotted quite a few Painted Quilt Barns on our journey but only stopped at four of them, three in Ohio and one in Kentucky. They were fun to look for as we wandered along.


We made a planned stop at the Fort Hill State Memorial in Hillsboro, Ohio, to once again search for a North Country Trail sign. We knew the trail passed through this park jointly with the Buckeye Trail, but weren't sure if it would be marked as such. As luck would have it, it was! We would love to have hiked on the trail for a bit to view the 1 1/2-mile long Hopewell Indian earthwork hilltop enclosure, but all the trails were closed for the hunting season. What we did see of the park, though, was very nice and we'd love to make a return visit.

A little while later we passed through Peebles, Ohio, on the historic Zane's Trace and spotted a historical marker at the old Wickerham Inn and stopped to read about it. Not only was it used as a hiding place for runaway slaves when the Underground Railroad was in operation, it's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is reported to be Haunted by the Ghost of a stagecoach driver who was murdered and beheaded in the tavern! Yikes!!

After getting back on the road, we soon passed by what looked like a golden plow. We just had to know what it was so we turned around and went back. It was a Peace Monument! Who would have thought?! It was a monument to commemorate the World's Plowing Match held near Peebles in 1957 when Northern Ireland, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand, and many other countries came together peaceably for a common purpose. Wow! I mean, we were out in the middle of NOWHERE!

A bit later we finally made it to Kentucky and stopped at just a few of the Kentucky Historical Markers that we passed on our way to Lexington for the night. We learned that Mason County is the only major hemp-producing Kentucky county outside the Blue Grass area, the last Kentucky raid by CSA General John H. Morgan and the Raiders occurred in Mays Lick, Daniel Boone's last home in Kentucky was near Carlisle, and the historic home of Kentucky governor and United States Senator Thomas Metcalfe is in Carlisle.

We pulled into Lexington shortly after dark and grabbed a quick bite to eat before retiring for the night to re-energize for the next day's adventure.

Columbus for the Holidays - December 17-26, 2008

By the time we arrived in Columbus yesterday, the snow had stopped falling (yea!) and we joyfully reunited with the Marine's parents. On our first full day in town, the Marine went off to play poker for the day with his dad, and his mom had to go bowl with her bowling league. So that left the Biologist all alone with nothing to do... or did it? She grabbed the car keys, the GPSr, and her camera (as well as a heavy winter coat) and off she went. First stop: the Fort Hayes Shot Tower. Wow, we couldn't believe this hadn't been claimed yet! A very cool structure. Second and last stop: a visit to the Shop24 Machine at a Kroger's near the Ohio State University. Quite a selection of items for a vending machine! Then back to the Marine's parents' house to warm up. Brrr... it rarely gets this cold in Florida.

On our second full day, the Marine's folks took us to see a Lego exhibit in Groveport. Wouldn't you know it? The exhibit was in the local History Museum, which just happens to be on the National Register of Historic Places and a former Masonic Lodge and Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge. What are the odds of that?

A few days into our visit, we decided to go for a day trip and explore the area north and east of Columbus. During our drive, we spotted quite a few interesting things including a set of Unique Chimney Pots in Worthington; an Omnivorous Tree at Highbanks Metro Park; an Underground Railroad marker near Marion; a Maritime Memorial, an Obelisk memorial to Johnny Appleseed, Static Artillery, an Eagle Scout Project, and a Painted Fire Hydrant in Mansfield; and a Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, Childrens Garden, Treehouse, and a Wee Folk Fairy Door at the Inniswood Metro Gardens back in Columbus! What a fun day!!! In spite of the cold...

On Christmas Eve, the Biologist located a potential Quadrivia on Map Source in the Groveport area and drug the Marine out into the 7 degree Fahrenheit weather to search for it. It didn't pan out (darn it) but we did take the time to check out the Groveport Log Cabin the Marine's dad told us about. It was awesome and it turns out it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Marine gamely posed for a photograph in the below freezing temperature to make the Biologist happy. Isn't he wonderful?!

We had a very nice Christmas Day with the Marine's family. After having breakfast with the Marine's younger brother, his parents, a couple of their friends, and the two of us drove to Morrow (just east of Cincinnati) to spend the afternoon and have dinner with the Marine's brother-in-law, nieces, and several grandnieces and grandnephews. Hectic, but nice. And the food was yummy!

On our last day in Columbus, we all went to the Ohio Historical Society to check out the Norman Rockwell Exhibit. It was fantastic! Really nicely done. We had no idea Rockwell had painted quite so many covers (322) for the Saturday Evening Post. Afterward, we wandered around the rest of the place to check out the long-term exhibits. We particularly liked the Mastodon on display. Very cool.

Onward to Columbus, Ohio - December 14-16, 2008

After departing Jacksonville, North Carolina, we continued our leisurely drive along the back roads of the Eastern U.S. and enjoyed seeing the beautiful countrysides of North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia (again), and Ohio.

In Virginia, we passed through the small town of Lawrenceville and spotted a Celtic cross at the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church -- turns out it was a Dead Poet's Memorial to Goronwy Owen, one of the 18th century's greatest Welsh poets. What an unexpected surprise! Next we passed through the Geographical Center of Virginia. Not much to see here, but very cool just the same.

From there we made our way to the Lincoln Highway and spotted many, many Lincoln Highway Markers and points of interest along the way and stopped at a few. We would have loved to spend more time in Chambersburg and McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, but needed to make tracks to Ohio.
Once we made it into Ohio, we decided to make a short detour to the Salt Fork State Park to see if we could spot a North Country Trail marker. The trail runs through this park and overlaps with the Buckeye Trail. We spotted markers for the Buckeye Trail, but no markings specifically for the North Country Trail. I guess we'll just have to keep looking. Anyway, before leaving this state park, white things started falling from the sky. Aack! Snow! We don't have that in Florida. Oh boy.

From Jacksonville to Jacksonville - December 12-13, 2008

After dropping the boys off with family, we began the trek from Jacksonville, Florida, to Jacksonville, North Carolina, to visit the Marine's daughter Jamie - an eagerly anticipated stop on our way to the Marine's hometown of Columbus, Ohio. We decided to take a leisurely drive and stay off the interstate as much as possible. We had a nice relaxing trip until we made a quick stop at a convenience store in Jamestown, South Carolina, for a bathroom break and soda purchase. Just after we pulled back onto Highway 17, we saw flashing blue lights behind us. We were pulled over by the local Barney Fife on the pretext of not having come to a complete stop before getting onto 17. We had seen the same cop with a semi (with out-of-state plates) pulled over just south of the convenience store on our way in. After departing with a $237 ticket, we googled Jamestown and found out that this place is notorious for pulling over people with out-of-state plates for ridiculous reasons. If you ever pass through this area, BEWARE! They are not visitor-friendly.

Anyway, once the Marine's blood pressure had returned to normal levels, we were able to once again enjoy our holiday jaunt. Upon arriving in Jacksonville, NC, we stopped at the Beirut Memorial, which is being expanded to include other memorials. In fact, a memorial with a steel beam from the World Trade Center dedicated to the Marines on the Battlefields of Iraq in the Spring of 2003 was now on display. A very touching memorial and a new icon.

Next we headed to our hotel to check in and rest for a little while until the Marine's daughter got off work. Had a great time and got to meet Jamie's significant other for the first time. Yea!

Rascal and Scamp Take a Vacation - December 11, 2008

Rascal and Scamp needed a break and decided to spend the holidays with Aunt Joanie, Uncle Mikey, and cousins Scat and Bandit. So we packed up the car and headed south to Melbourne, Florida. Occasionally there were queries from the back seat... you know, the usual. "Are we there yet?" "I have to go potty!" Kids, they're so predictable.

When we arrived in Melbourne, the boys were very happy to be released from their carriers and to see their cousins. Okay, so maybe they don't really like their cousins all that much, but they love Aunt Joanie, and Uncle Mikey's starting to grow on them. We left the four boys to get reacquainted and off the adults went to The Melting Pot for a belated celebration of Cache Free Keri's (aka Aunt Joanie's) birthday. What fun!... and the Chocolate Cherries Jubilee fondue for desert was out of this world! Then back to Joan and Michael's house to get a good night's sleep in preparation for our journey to Columbus, Ohio, to spend the holidays with the Marine's family.

Spiders and Chiggers and Ticks, Oh My! - October 4, 2008

Today the Biologist had plans to head out to find a few new icons! The Marine agreed to cooperate and got up several hours earlier than usual this Saturday morning so we could head off to the Etoniah Creek State Forest (about an hour and a half drive from home) and take a hike on the Florida Trail while it was still cool. Along the way we spotted a Florida Historical Marker that no one had claimed yet! How in the world did the federation miss this one so close to Palatka?!!

Anyway, after bouncing around on a washboard dirt road leading into the State Forest, we finally arrived at around 9am and parked at the Holloway Road Trailhead for the Florida Trail. Lo and behold, there was a Trail Register there! Of course we had to sign it and take some photos and some coords (cha ching). Then off we headed with our hiking sticks in hand for our main goal this morning... the Iron Bridge Shelter, a Remote Backcountry Shelter that the Biologist estimated was only about a mile from the trailhead. Off we went all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and all but singing "Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to waymark we go" when splat, the Biologist ended up with a spider web wrapped around her face. "Oh! Poor spider," she said. "All that work to be re-done!" The Marine just gave her one of those looks. You know the look I'm talking about. He's not too fond of spiders.

About a half mile in, the Biologist said, "Oh shoot! We forgot to put on bug spray. I hope we don't get eaten up by chiggers." The Marine confidently replied, "This is a really nice trail and we can avoid the bushes. We won't get any chigger bites." The Biologist, who was taking point (remember, he is a bit squeamish about spiders... and snakes), just rolled her eyes and wondered what turnip truck he'd rolled off of. So, about 2 miles after leaving the trailhead and starting to wonder if we'd gone in the wrong direction, we spotted the Shelter's roof through the trees. Cha ching, another icon bites the dust! A very nice Shelter with another Trail Register inside! Woo hoo! After spending a little time checking out the Shelter, we got back on the trail and headed back to our vehicle. We are sadly out of shape and after a nearly 4-mile round-trip hike, we were ready to hop back in the geomobile. After all, we still had to make our way to Gainesville for yet another new icon.

After a quick bite for lunch, we drove into the domain of the Florida Gators and went directly to a Solar System Model we knew of there. It's located along about a mile-stretch of road so the Marine dropped the Biologist off at one end and she took coords and photos. We decided to take photos of every station so we could visit them once others posted them. Because we had a limited amount of time (the Marine needed to get home and start doing some school work), the Marine would drop the Biologist off at a station and she'd grab the coords and photos before he circled back to pick her up and take her to the next station. We were rushing around so quickly that we lost track of which stations we'd already been to and the Biologist ended up circling around Uranus twice. She must have looked very odd to all the motorists passing by. After visiting and photographing all the Solar System Model stations, it was time to make tracks and head home. We only made one more brief stop along the way. We absolutely had to stop to photograph some Old Agricultural Equipment on display outside Waldo's Antique Village. Yep, you got it, cha ching!Oh, we almost forgot. You may be wondering why we titled today's blog as we did. Well, once we got home, the Marine couldn't wait to take a shower. So he went first as the Biologist was looking forward to a nice, long soak in the tub with some Epsom salts to ease some sore leg muscles. While taking her soak, she noticed a little black spot on the middle finger of her left hand. She went to wash it off when it moved! Yuck, a seed tick. Well shoot. So she calls to the Marine. I found a tick! We need to do a tick check. We found about 5 more on him, none on the Biologist. She's sure he left that tick in the tub during his shower. You know, there are some things a husband really doesn't need to share with his wife! Oh, and we did get bitten by chiggers too. Many, many chiggers. All over. Everywhere. We're not exaggerating. Itch, itch, scratch scratch.

Sticking Close to Home - mid-August thru mid-September, 2008

Our wacky waymarking adventures have slowed down a bit over the past month. Not only have gas prices skyrocketed, but the Marine's two Fantasy Football leagues are now in full swing and he's the Commissioner of both of them. So, instead the Biologist has been waymarking fairly close to home. She's gone around to most of the National Register of Historic Places in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, and posted waymarks for those that had not already been taken.

She's also made day trips to the cities of Daytona Beach, Lake City, White Springs, Ocala, and Micanopy in Florida, and the city of Valdosta in Georgia and posted waymarks in all of them, as well as a few places in between.

Stay tuned for our next adventure!

Tropical Storm Fay - August 21-22, 2008

Tropical Storm Fay hit Florida this week and resulted in the Biologist's office being closed for a couple of days. This gave her the opportunity (in between power outages) to get caught up (mostly) on several weeks of posting backlogs. Sorry to all of you who ended up with numerous National Register of Historic Places, This Old Church, Wikipedia, etc. waymarks to review!

Quick Trip to Gainesville then Back Home Via Ocala - August 17, 2008

Today the Biologist was on her own. The Marine, who's the commissioner of two Jacksonville Fantasy Football leagues, had some serious studying to do. No, not for his Biology class, silly. For his upcoming Fantasy Football drafts.

So the Biologist got up bright and early and headed over to
Gainesville to the University of Florida Herbarium and then the Flying Gators Model Aircraft Field just outside Gainesville in Archer. After completing those two missions, she turned around and started heading back home to Jacksonville. A few miles into the return drive, she spotted a sign indicating it was only 36 miles to Ocala. Hmm, there's another ALDI Market in Ocala; maybe this one's been finished -- it sure would be nice to find one that was already open! So off to Ocala she went. Well, that didn't work out too well as that ALDI Market was under construction too! She took the necessary photos and coords anyway. Maybe they'll approve ones that are under construction (THEY WILL!!! YEA!!!).

Well, since she'd come all the way to Ocala to get an ALDI Market that wasn't even open yet, she had to wander around a little to make it worth her while (and the cost of the gasoline!). Fortunately she spotted a few cool Fiberglass Horses, some Florida Historical Markers, and even a Googie sign. Then it was time to head back home to get ready for the work week. Working sure does interfere with waymarking...

We're Going to Disney! - Saturday, August 16, 2008

Today we had plans to drive down to Lady Lake, Florida, to take the Marine's mom out to dinner. She was down here from Ohio for a week of golfing with friends. So... since we were going to be heading down to the Orlando area (come on, Orlando is only about an hour and a half away from Lady Lake), we decided to go to Disney's Epcot first. The Marine had never been there and always wanted to go. The Biologist had been there once several years ago and was not overly impressed, BUT there was an unclaimed Walt Disney World Benchmark in the park calling (okay screaming) out to her. We got up at 5:00am so we could get down there when the park opened. We wandered all over the park, found a couple of virtual caches while we were there, and visited a Geodesic Dome (Spaceship Earth), Thatch Cottage, and a few other waymarks. The Biologist's eyes really lit up when she spotted another Geodesic Dome in the park (the old Wonders of Life building). The Biologist enjoyed Epcot much better this time!

By 4:00pm, we'd had enough of Epcot and off we went to Lady Lake to meet up with the Marine's mom. Wasn't it lucky that there's an ALDI Market under construction in Lady Lake! It was close to being completed and will be opening in October. A few photos and a set of coords later, we made it to our destination and had a very nice dinner at the local Bonefish Grill with the Marine's mom before heading home to Jacksonville. Whew! That sure was a long day.

BruceS Comes to Jacksonville - Wednesday, August 13, 2008

No kidding! The famous... or is it infamous... BruceS was in Jacksonville on business and asked if we could meet one evening. "You bet," the Biologist said. So the Northeast Florida Geocachers Association gave him a warm welcome and we had a great time exchanging waymarking stories over dinner. When the Biologist realized BruceS is just as wacky for waymarking as she is (or maybe even wackier!), she turned to the Marine and said, "See, I'm normal!" He replied, "No honey, it's just that there are others of your kind." Harumph!

Almost Heaven, West Virginia - Saturday, August 9, 2008

Today we decided to head to historic Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. The Biologist had been there a couple of times when she used to live in the D.C. area, but this was a first for the Marine, who happens to be a history lover. We took a beautiful drive through the countryside and made a few stops along the way for West Virginia Historical Markers and an Appalachian Trail Marker before arriving in Harper's Ferry (where we found another Appalachian Trail Marker just over the pedestrian bridge across the Potomac River to Maryland). We had a great time wandering around this lovely historic town located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. We found several waymarks, but for the most part just enjoyed wandering around.

Of course, while we were wandering around we decided to check out the exhibits in the National Park Service's Information Center located in the old Master Armorer's House and what do you think we found?! A map showing the location of the historic Iron Ore Furnaces in the area. The Biologist quickly made her way to the information desk and asked a ranger about the map. He said that only one of those furnaces still exist... the Antietam Iron Furnace. Well, it just so happens we were planning to visit Antietam since we were so close. Really! No joke! Off to the furnace we went and then took a drive through the battlefield before calling it a day and making our way back to our hotel as we had a morning flight to catch.

Back to D.C. - Friday, August 8, 2008

Today we headed back to the Washington, D.C. area. Thank goodness for frequent flyer miles! We were here in May for a business trip of the Biologist's, but just didn't have quite enough time to do everything we wanted. This trip was just for fun... although the Marine may not have had quite as much fun as the Biologist.

Upon arriving at Dulles airport, we picked up our rental car and off we went. Our first stop was the Huntington Metro Station. No, we didn't go there to catch the subway, you silly people. We had an elevator to catch! You got it... a Public Funicular! Woo hoo. We were sure someone would grab this one before we could get back to the area, but we lucked out. It was ours... all ours, bwaa ha ha.


Next we headed to the Washington Navy Yard to visit the Navy Art Gallery. Doesn't everyone go to the Navy Art Gallery when they're in D.C.? They don't?! We'll they should. They have some fantastic original drawings from the Antarctic Operation Deep Freeze expeditions stored there. A great way to see a fantastic Antarctic Point of Interest without getting frostbite!

After leaving the Navy Yard, it turns out we were just down the road from the Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Stadium. Who could resist making a quick stop to view the location of a FIFA World Cup Venue? Okay, so the Marine probably could have resisted, but not with the Biologist in the car!

Next we made a short stop downtown to check out a few sites we didn't have time to fully appreciate in May, then off to find a Ghost Bike. A very sobering memorial to the loss of a beautiful young woman and a reminder of the need to stay alert to cyclists sharing the road.


Next we made a short side trip to Baltimore. Yes, it really was a side trip! We actually had to go there so the Marine could eat at the Blue Moon Cafe, a cafe featured on his favorite show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." Really. Was it the Biologist's fault that the cafe was only open for breakfast and lunch and we arrived in time for dinner? I don't think so. The Marine should have checked that out before we took our little side trip. Fortunately he didn't and we were able to find a Railroad Roundhouse that hadn't been claimed and we also took the opportunity to visit one of the very rare Shot Towers in the U.S.

By the time we finally found a place to eat and made it back to D.C. to check into our hotel, it was time to get some sleep in preparation for a busy Saturday.

Heading Home - Sunday, August 3, 2008

Today we did something VERY different. On our way home, we went geocaching! Okay so we only found one cache, but it was a good one. It was located at the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, where the Marine went through basic training in 1978. We wandered around a bit with the Marine showing the Biologist around his old stomping grounds. After leaving the base, we made a beeline for home, but we all know that bees don't actually fly in straight lines. We took the back roads for a ways to avoid some of the busy and boring highway travel and passed through Savannah where we took photos of a few Georgia Historical Markers, This Old Church that was over 100 years old, and an Atlas Statue (cha ching!). Then home we went. Poor Rascal and Scamp (the best cats in the world) were really glad to see us. They aren't all that fond of waymarking...

Historic Charleston, South Carolina - Saturday, August 2, 2008

The Biologist allowed the Marine to sleep in until 8am (isn't she nice?) then off we headed to the Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site (after a short stop at the historic Magnolia Cemetery that is). What a beautiful park, filled with history, a small Zoo, a nice new visitor center, and... wait for it... a Whispering Giant! We spent a couple of hours wandering around this great place then off we headed to historic downtown Charleston, where we made a quick stop at a cute little Children's Garden.

By the time we parked in the downtown area, it was already after 12:30pm, so we waited outside in line for the reknowed Jestine's Kitchen. If you're ever in Charleston, we highly recommend you stand in line to eat here. It's well worth the wait. Good southern style home cooking topped off with yummy Coca Cola cake.
By the time we left the restaurant, we were into the heat of the day. The heat index easily over 100 degrees. Wandered around the historic streets and took lots of photos of National Register of Historic Places properties (some day the Biologist will find the time to post/visit them all). The architecture here is absolutely awesome! As we stopped to look at the historic Hibernian Society Hall, the Marine spotted something that bore investigating. Turns out it was a section of a pillar from the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. We didn't go In Search of the Celts this weekend, but we found them just the same!

After walking around for a few hours, we were extremely hot and thirsty and spotted an Italian ice stand. Fourteen dollars later (unfortunately we didn't realize 2 large Italian ices would cost so much until after we had them in our hands), we headed back to the car and turned the AC on full blast. Whew, were we hot and a little sunburned. Headed out to find a few more unclaimed historical markers, then back to the hotel for a little Rand R and a good night's sleep.

On the Road to Charleston, South Carolina - Friday, August 1, 2008

At last the weekend had arrived and it was time for our next waymarking adventure! The Biologist had done some more research and off we went to Charleston, normally about a 4-hour drive from Jacksonville. But of course, not when you're a waymarker! We had an important mission during our drive... to visit the Hatch Nuclear Power Plant near Baxley, Georgia. Okay, so we didn't take the most direct route to Charleston, but what self-respecting waymarker would? We arrived at the power plant, unsure what we'd find, but thankfully there was a visitor center. Took the tour through the center and went outside to take some photos. Cha ching! Another icon bites the dust. Back on the road to Charleston...

Stopped at a couple of Georgia Historical Markers on the way and crossed the State border and found a South Carolina Historical Marker that hadn't been claimed by anyone yet. Another icon bites the dust! This time we kept our noses to the grindstone and trekked on into Charleston (mainly because our stomachs were growling and we had a restaurant in mind that we wanted to get to before the dinner rush). Crossed over to Mt. Pleasant and screeched to a stop at the Boulevard Diner! It's located in an old Dairy Queen restaurant and the food was great (good prices too)! With full stomachs, we headed off to our hotel for an early night (and some posting of waymarks) as we had a busy schedule planned for Saturday.

Limping Our Way Home to Jacksonville - Sunday, July 27, 2008

We were both ready to head home today. Friday and Saturday were exhausting! However... late on Saturday night, the Biologist had discovered an internet site that provided information about a former Knights of Pythias Lodge in Orlando so... she waited until the Marine had eaten a nice breakfast and we were about 30 minutes into the drive home before mentioning how nice it would be to post it. Yep, you got it, we made a detour through Orlando on the way home to Jacksonville. What a guy! He's the best husband in the world!

Still Making Our Way from Jacksonville to Miami via Tallahassee - Saturday, July 26, 2008

Today the Biologist let the Marine sleep in until 7am! He sure has it good, doesn't he? A quick breakfast and off we went. The Biologist is originally from Fort Lauderdale so we absolutely had to visit the house she grew up in and the schools she went to. Fortunately one of her former schools, Plantation High, was located near the Plantation Botanical Gardens, which just happens to have a Wind Harp on the premises! Surely you didn't think the Biologist was dragging the Marine all over the State of Florida because she was feeling nostalgic? Puhlease. There was a wind harp waiting to be claimed people! Fortunately, there was enough wind that we were actually able to hear it. Very cool. Next we headed over to the beach to visit a Whispering Giant statue and then made our way down to Miami where we visited a beautiful old Monastery that had been relocated from Spain to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Visited a few more historic places then off we went to Scully's Tavern, another place that had been featured on one of the Marine's favorite shows "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." After an interesting dining experience, we headed back to Fort Lauderdale for a good night's sleep before heading back home on Sunday.

Jacksonville to Miami via Tallahassee - Friday, July 25, 2008

This weekend we set out for Tallahassee to try to find one of the three Ghost Bikes that had been placed there. We visited all three sites, but apparently ghost bikes are invisible (or at least can't be seen in daylight) as we struck out at all three locations. (The Biologist tried to locate the ghost bike in Gainesville last week, but it was no longer there.) It's too bad that these nice memorials get vandalized or removed as they are very good reminders to all of the need to stay alert for bike riders along the road.

So... we made a left turn and headed south! Made a short stop in the cute little town of Cedar Key and found a few cool waymarks there, including a fierce School Mascot that was really chomping at the bit to get posted as a waymark.

Then off to Summerfield to find a Confluence Spot. Last time we came here, the gates to the business at this location were closed and we were left frustrated outside the gate only about 20 feet from ground zero. Today we were in luck and got there with plenty of time to spare. The Marine pulled into a parking spot and said, "How far are we from the confluence spot?" The Biologist looked at the GPSr and said, "We're here!" He said, "Uh, I know, but how far are we from ground zero?" "We're here! This is ground zero!" said the Biologist. So we moved the SUV to the next parking space and got out to take pictures of the confluence spot. Whew! That sure was a lot of driving (and gasoline) to get here... twice!

Off we went to a hotel in Clermont to get a good night's rest for tomorrow's continuation of this week's waymarking adventure...

Time to Head Home - Sunday, July 13, 2008

Sunday morning has dawned and it's time to head home. But first, we must stop for some breakfast. "How about Denny's?" the Biologist asks. "You love their French toast!" The Marine posed for the obligatory photo at the entrance to Denny's. Doesn't everyone take pictures of the restaurants where they eat?

During breakfast, the Biologist suggested another drive by the Port of Tampa, a Cruise Ship Port. Maybe a cruise ship had arrived in Port this morning and we could check it out... for future cruising reference purposes only of course! The Marine just shook his head and had another cup of coffee. So... we hopped back in the SUV and headed to the cruise terminals. Luck was with us today! The Carnival Legend was in Port... a Ship in Port!!! Woo hoo!

By now, it's really getting to be time to head out of town, but wait. This week a new category for Hindu Temples was up for approval. What if it got approved and we left Tampa without visiting the Hindu Temple of Florida? We'd have to come back, that's what! The Marine put the pedal to the metal and off we went to find the Temple. Hmmm, one might think the Marine was worried that the Biologist might drag him back to Tampa. Surely he had a good time. We did go to Keegan's restaurant for him the night before. Sheesh! Well, we soon arrived at the Hindu Temple, and a worthwhile visit it was. It was an absolutely spectacular building. But now we must head home. So until next time (that is, until the Biologist discovers a key waymarking target that she missed during this trip), hasta la vista Tampa.