Monthly Archives: December 2009

December 25, 2009 · 12:15 pm

Merry Christmas!

David, Rose and Sonya wish you Joyful Holidays. Photo credit: David Muenker

We wish you joy, love and peace in this Season of Light. While our friends in Denver, our home base, are enjoying a white Christmas, our snow here in Bradenton, Florida, comes in the form of vinyl snowmen. We’re happy to trade off snow for warm temperatures! Today is gray, with misty rain, and 72 degrees.

Our destination on this Christmas Day is Ana Maria Island, off Bradenton. David and I were married twice: June 25 at Denver City Hall and Christmas Day on the beach at Ana Maria Island. My father, a retired United Methodist minister at the time, officiated at our beach wedding, and my mom and all my sisters and their families attended.

It was a magical ceremony. As we walked through the tall pine forest to the beach, hundreds of monarch butterflies fluttered around us! The Gulf of Mexico shimmered under the brilliant sun.  It was a pleasant 81 degrees.

Twenty-two years later, we’re going to revisit the site of that memorable day. Much has changed of course. Only a small portion of the  pine forest remains, the rest being replaced with beach mansions. The shape of the beach changes year to year under the forces of nature. The day is gray and cooler. And we’re alone instead of with family.

We, too, have changed. But one thing has remained steadfast — our love for each other and for us as a couple. That’s our gift to each other this Christmas Day.

May your day be filled with love, too.

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December 23, 2009 · 9:07 pm

Sonya Romps in Sarasota, Florida, Parks

Ken Thompson Park, Sarasota, Florida

Sonya checks out a sea monster at Ken Thompson Park. Photo credit: David Muenker

Today was Sonya’s day!  We’re in Bradenton, on the Gulf Coast of  Florida, through the holidays.  Earlier this week we visited our favorite place, Ana Maria Island, and were disappointed to find out that Manatee County beaches are not dog friendly. It was beginning to look like a grim two weeks for Sonya until David searched the Internet for off-leash dog parks in the area. Several were listed for neighboring Sarasota County. And one of them was described as having access to the Intracoastal Waterway. Why not make it a special day for all three of us – a dog park for Sonya and a scenic drive for us!

Sonya was in doggy heaven in 17th Street Paw Park (4510 17th Street in Sarasota), where she ran to her heart’s content on the fenced, expansive, grassy turf.  The park is owner-friendly, too, with shaded picnic tables and benches to rest and converse while the pets romp.  It also has water stations, an agility training playground and a separate fenced area for small dogs.  The park is open sunup to sundown.

After Sonya tired herself out, we drove through Sarasota and across the Intracoastal Waterway toward Longboat Key. We strolled around chic St. Armand’s Circle to window-shop and people-watch while Sonya restored her energy with a nap. (It had been two weeks since her last full-out run.) Then we followed directions to the dog park on the Intracoastal Waterway near Mote Marine Aquarium in Ken Thompson Park.

We searched for signs of an off-leash dog area to no avail. There weren’t even any dogs around!  But there also were no signs saying “no dogs.” After checking out the grounds, we let Sonya off-leash at the water’s edge. The pelicans intrigued her.  And she got to play in the water.

When David saw a police car driving through the park, he flagged it down and inquired whether it was OK to have our dog off-leash. The officer responded, “I see dogs running around here all the time,” and that when dog owners ask where they can take their pooches, he directs them to this park. That was good enough for us.

On our way out, we noticed an area near a fishing pier with “scoop” bags and a “dogs OK” sign next to a long list of things not OK, like alcohol.  Nothing says it’s an off-leash area. But nothing says that dogs have to be on a leash either. We’ll let ourselves be guided by the police officer’s reply.

Hurray! Here’s a place where Sonya can both run free and have a Gulf Coast “beach” experience of sorts. We’ll be back.

P. S. What do you think?

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December 22, 2009 · 5:10 pm

Manatees seek refuge at Blue Spring State Park

Blue Spring manatees

Manatees winter at Blue Spring State Park, Florida

Manatees cast a spell over me,and I’m not sure why. At Blue Spring State Park’s manatee refuge, I couldn’t get enough of them.

Manatees aren’t beautiful.  These marine mammals are gray, snout-nosed, and torpedo-shaped with front flippers and a rounded flat tail.

They aren’t remarkably large or small. They can grow to 10 feet in length and weigh between 800 and 1200 pounds.

They aren’t swift and acrobatic. They glide through the waters slowly. In fact, because they don’t maneuver quickly, they are often injured by the propellers of fast-moving boats.

But manatees are downright endearing. Every few minutes they poke their noses above the water to take in a breath of air. And they’re sweet toward each other. They swim up alongside each other, resting a friendly flipper on another’s back, and glide or rest together.  Sometimes they frolic and play silly games, like which one can make the biggest splash with her tail.

When we camped at Blue Spring State Park, in Orange City, Florida, in mid-December, I hung out at the boardwalk a couple times a day t

o watch them.  As soon as the water temperature in the St. Johns River starts getting cold, Florida manatees head to Blue Spring to winter in the constant 72-degree water. The count on one of the days we were there was 147 manatees.The water’s clarity and blue-green hue makes it easier to see manatees here than in St. Johns River and other bodies of water.

I got attached to a couple of them, especially Amy. With three deep gouges on the left side of her tail, she was easy to identify.  Several young ones always tagged along. Like mothers everywhere, she rarely had a moment to herself!  Another manatee and baby, probably born a few months ago, were also priceless to watch.  The little one often ventured out on its own but was always within sight of the mother.

Another manatee, Amber, was easy to spot due to a float attached to her tail.  When she was seriously injured by a boat propeller, she was treated and rehabilitated at Marine World, and then released into her natural habitat. A float and satellite tracking belt were fitted around her tail so marine biologists can follow her whereabouts and learn more about manatee behaviors. The exciting news is that Amber is pregnant and if she gives birth while in Blue Spring Run, it will be the first birth there since the 1970s.

To learn more, I attended one of Blue Spring State Park’s daily manatee programs and found out:

  • Florida manatees, also called West Indian manatees, are marine mammals.
  • They can live in fresh, brackish and salt water habits, such as rivers, springs, harbors, bays and inlets.
  • Florida’s 2009 manatee count was 3,807.
  • When Blue Spring State Park began the manatee refuge in 1972, 13 manatees wintered there.  The number grew to 301 in 2008.
  • Manatees seek refuge in warm waters, such as the 72-degree waters of Blue Spring, because they cannot survive in waters less than 68 degrees.
  • They have no natural predators.
  • Manatees are endangered due to reduced habitat, manmade barriers to migration to warm waters, watercraft accidents, and more.
  • About a third of their deaths result from injuries caused by watercraft.
  • The park rangers use watercraft scars as the means of identifying individual manatees.
  • Manatees eat the equivalent of 10 to 15 percent of their body weight daily: 100 to 150 pounds of vegetation.
  • They come up for air every 3 to 5 minutes.
  • When they are sleeping, they can stay under water up to 20 minutes. They come up for air and submerge without waking up.
  • Manatees usually give birth before the weather gets cold.
  • Milk glands are located under the flipper where it joins the body.
  • Babies nurse for 2 months and then begin feeding on vegetation.
  • Manatees can live 60 or more years.
  • They have ‘marching’ teeth. When a tooth falls out, the others move forward to fill the void and a new one grows at the back!

Manatees are gentle, sweet and endearing.  And despite deep scars and threats to their habitats, they keep on swimming and birthing and wintering in warm, crystalline waters. No wonder I can’t take my eyes off them!

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December 17, 2009 · 7:20 pm

Dog Meets Donkeys

Dog meets donkey

Sonya warily sizes up a new critter - a donkey. Photo credit: David Muenker

Every RV site brings exciting adventures for our dog Sonya in the form of new critters.  Today, the strange creatures were donkeys.  Sonya freaked out when one of them brayed at her in full volume.  She wasn’t sure what to make of them. Were they giant dogs? Birds? She did what came naturally to her. She pointed. Then she sniffed. She even barked (not becoming behavior for a stealth bird dog!)

What we find most amusing is that her favorite toy is a little stuffed donkey that brays when she tosses it on the floor. (It’s the toy she always chose as her “reward” at Gidget’s Grooming after she got her nails trimmed.

But her favorite toy is blue. It’s tiny compared to the real thing. And it only heehaws on her command!

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December 15, 2009 · 11:36 pm

Jacksonville Zoo Babies Grab Our Hearts

Jacksonville Zoo bonobo with baby

A bonobo mother cradles her 23-day-old baby at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Florida. Photo credit: David Muenker

Three baby animals – a bonobo, giraffe and jaguar — lured us to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  It’s hard for us – especially David — to resist the cuteness of little creatures.  And after seeing an intriguing PBS program about bonobos (a species of chimpanzee), we were especially eager to go.

The zoo’s most recent arrival was a female bonobo born in early November.  She was only 23 days old when we were there. Her mother, Kuni, had her so protectively cradled in her arms that it was nearly impossible to see her. But David got the two on camera.

The other bonobos romped on the swing set, played with their blankets, and chased and wrestled with each other.  (The zoo gives each of them a blanket when the weather starts to get chilly.) Their behaviors and antics were so much like us humans that it was eerie!   Actually, they and the common chimpanzee are our closest existing non-human relatives.

Five-month-old giraffe, Twiga, strides across the pasture at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Florida. Photo credit: David Muenker

Another cutie was Twiga, a recticulated giraffe born last July.  Like all giraffes, his birth required about a six-foot drop from the birth canal to the groun! He arrived in the world already weighing 128 pounds and standing 5’6″ tall.  Now five months old, Twiga was a bit hesitant about stepping away from the far corner of the pasture.  But when he did step out, he strode across the pasture with the elegance of his elders.

The oldest of the new animals was Henry, a jaguar born on New Year’s Day, 2009.  Both of his parents were born in the wild, which makes Henry the prize of the zoo.   His wild roots make him much in demand with other zoos wanting to breed him with jaguars born in captivity. He’s got a great future ahead of him. While he matures, the cuddly-looking little guy struts his stuff in the jaguar exhibit.

Triga, Henry and the yet-to-be-naned bonobo made our visit to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens an especially fun outing.

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December 14, 2009 · 7:15 pm

Christmas In Snowless Florida

Christmas yard decorations in Orange City, Florida

Orange City house beams with Christmas cheer - Photo credit: David Muenker

The dazzling Christmas display this yard in Orange City, Florida, was so bright that we just had to turn down the street to see it. This photo only captures its essence. (The yard decorations extend far beyond the frame of this picture.)

Even after  looking at the display for 10 minutes, I’m sure I missed some of the decorations. Elves rode a teeter-totter, toys rode a carousel, and penguins sang and danced. The mailbox opened with music. Snowmen skied. And the lights on the house walls, roof and car awning blinked in time with music pouring from loud speakers.

A nativity scene added a religious element. And a palm tree made of lights served as a reminder that we were in snowless Florida. (Most any other place in the country that evening, it would have been too cold to stand outside admiring the yard!)

Just as we were getting back into our car, the owners drove into their driveway. They seemed tickled to see people enjoying the display. We were glad we stopped. It reminded us that everyone has their own way of celebrating the season of light.

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December 4, 2009 · 5:59 pm

RV Site Report: Flamingo Lake RV Resort, Jacksonville, Florida

Flamingo Lake RV Resort fountain

RV sites surround the lake at Flamingo Lake RV Resort in Jacksonville, Florida Photo credit: David Muenker

[See Personal Comments at end of this report.]

With a freshwater lake as its focal point, the Flamingo Lake RV Resort offers a restful, natural setting for both destination RVers and for those traveling through northeastern Florida. Sites range from affordable ones along the resort’s tree-lined perimeter to luxury, lakefront sites with private decks over the water.

From lake recreation to live entertainment, there’s plenty to do without leaving the resort. Anglers cast their lines into the state-certified swimming and fishing lake. Guests enjoy swimming in the lake or pool, sunning on the sand beaches and exploring the lake in canoes, inner tubes and paddleboats.

The lakeside cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and weekly dinner specials. Diners can enjoy the meals inside, on the deck or back at their RVs. The cafe even provides free delivery. On weekends, the cafe features karaoke and live entertainment.

Location: Jacksonville, Florida, off I-295, Exit 32. Easy access to downtown Jacksonville, beaches, Amelia Island, and other coastal islands of northeast Florida.

Amenities:

  • 17-acre state-certified swimming and fishing lake with sand beaches and watercraft rentals
  • Lakeside cafe with full menu (breakfast, lunch, dinner), inside and outside seating
  • Friendly, attentive staff that takes pride in maintaining the resort’s cleanliness and beautiful landscape
  • Live entertainment on weekends
  • Swimming pool (open April to October)
  • Large laundry facility
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Full hookups, including cable
  • Clean bathhouse with consistent hot water
  • Daily trash pickup at your site
  • Front office and store
  • Large pet exercise area
  • Weekly and monthly rates available

Things to consider: The resort borders Interstate 295.

Area attractions: Riverside Arts Market, special events in greater Jacksonville,  Jacksonville Zoo, EcoMotion Tours at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, beach es and coastal islands of northeast Florida.

For more information, visit Flamingo Lake RV Resort.

Flamingo Lake RV Resort sites

RVs camp under towering pines at Flamingo Lake RV Resort.Photo credit: David Muenker

PERSONAL COMMENTS:

We spent eight delightful nights at Flamingo Lake RV Resort in late November/early December, camped on a regular lot on the north edge of the resort.  On warm days, we ate our lunches at the picnic table under the shade of loblolly pines.  From our front windows, we could watch the fountains in the lake shoot sprays of water skyward.  Our dog Sonya loved taking walks with us around the lake and chasing her red ball in the ample, fenced-in pet exercise area.  The strong signal on the free WiFi was an amenity we especially appreciated.  And the large laundry facility (8 washers, 8 dryers) meant no waiting to wash our clothes.

With its onsite café, answering the question, “What’s for dinner?” is simple.  We’re partial to hearty breakfasts and give kudos to the chef and staff for making everything exactly as ordered and serving it the moment it’s ready.  The biscuits and sausage gravy were especially yummy – doubly so when enjoyed on the deck overlooking the lake.

The resort’s location (near juncture of I-95 and I-295) made exploring the sights of greater Jacksonville and the northeast coast of Florida easy. We explored downtown, the Jacksonville Zoo, Amelia Island, the historic district of Fernandina Beach, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Fort George Island and more. We also visited family scattered around the city.

The only drawback, at least for noise-sensitive people like me, is its proximity to the interstate. Our site was as far away from the road as possible, so the road noise was minimal – and compared to most private resorts I’ve stayed at, it was barely audible. David, by the way, is rarely bothered by noise.

We’ve enjoyed it here and highly recommend Flamingo Lake RV Resort, whether your stay is for a night or several weeks.

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· 4:20 pm

Light Parade Launches Holiday Season in Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville Light Parade Fireworks

Fireworks erupt from three barges over the St. Johns River after the Jacksonville Light Parade. Photo credit: David Muenker

The Jacksonville Light Parade, which kicks off the holiday season here, turned Jacksonville Landing and the entire downtown riverfront into a magical place.

I’ve always wanted to see a holiday boat parade and finally got my chance. About 40 minutes before the parade was scheduled to start, David and I got downtown, parked our car in a free space, and found a spot to stand just one row back from the riverfront railing.

During the next 90 minutes, some 50 private and commercial boats bedecked with holiday lights plied the water of the St. Johns River. The colorful floats ranged from traditional holiday scenes to whimsical creations. We joined the crowd in loudly cheering and applauding the most inventive ones. Dolphins leapt through the air on one float. An angel floated above the river on another.  My favorites were the green, winged dragon that spewed fire – and the baby dragon that playfully followed it.

Jacksonville Light Parade

A boat turns into a winged dragon in the Jacksonville Light Parade. -- Photo credit: David Muenker

The floats paraded the river circuit twice, making it possible to focus on their details and narrow down our favorites to describe later to our RV neighbors.  Music poured from speakers around the Christmas tree on the Jacksonville Landing terrace. Each song took on its own distinct beauty as the tree lights flashed and changed colors with the musical notes.

After the parade, three barges were put in place to launch fireworks above the Acosta Bridge, Main Bridge and Metropolitan Park.  And then the spectacular light show boomed and blossomed in the skies, enriched with the reflection of the multicolored fireworks in the river.  I found my eyes jumping back and forth from one bridge to another until I settled on one area to focus on.  The fireworks felt almost close enough to touch.

Toward the end of the show, Jacksonville’s signature fireworks, “the waterfalls,” cascaded from the Acosta and Main bridges. Their pearly white, brilliant light took my breath away. And then, all too soon, it seemed, the sky erupted with the awesome grand finale.

I’ve seen a lot of spectacular fireworks displays on my travels, but I have to hand it to Jacksonville. Their fireworks extravaganza was the best yet!

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December 3, 2009 · 5:57 pm

Exploring Florida Nature Trails on EcoMotion Segway Tours

EcoMotion Tours

Vacationers ride on Segways with EcoMotion Tours through northeast Florida's Timucuan Preserve

Always on the lookout for a novel way to explore, we jumped at the opportunity to “hike” through the maritime forests of northeast Florida on Segways® with EcoMotion Tours.

Segways are two-wheeled, battery powered vehicles that you ride standing up.  EcoMotion Tours, owned and operated by Maren and Greg Arnett, takes nature enthusiasts through the Timucuan Preserve in Fort George Island Cultural State Park on one-hour and two-hour tours. We were far from the first to enjoy this novel way of exploring. In the past four years, 7,000 people have done it.

Before getting on the trails, we spent 15 minutes in a training session conducted by the owners.  We learned how to step on the platform between the two wheels and let the Segway read our balance. A gentle lean forward propelled me forward. A gentle lean backward stopped the Segway. A stronger lean backward set it in reverse, but it was far easier and safer to simply rotate it around.

All I had to do to turn left was turn a control on the handle bar left. If I turned the same control right, the Segway turned right. So simple! So intuitive! That’s my kind of machine! And if anyone doubted their capability, Maren soothingly eased them into feeling comfortable. Within minutes, our group of six riders was boldly maneuvering around a series of cones.

We were trail ready. For the next two hours, we rode on sandy trails under a canopy of maritime pines, oaks and palms. Greg entertained us with stories about the area’s history, the Timucuan Indians, gopher tortoises and native plants – all easily heard through headphones. Maren rode rearguard, guiding any riders who strayed off course.  With wide off-road tires inflated to only 4 psi, the Segway gave a smooth ride, even over tree roots, with minimal impact on the environment. The battery-operated motor hummed quietly, which won over Ms. Anti-Noise Pollution here.

Midway we toured the Kingsley Plantation, a sea island cotton plantation in the 1800s. Ruins of slave cabins made of tabby (oyster shell construction) and Kingsley’s home still stand on the National Park Service site. A garden displays plants grown at that time: sea island cotton, sugar cane, indigo.

The preserve is a feast for birdwatchers. A bald eagle soared overhead, chasing an osprey with a fish in its talon. Along an inlet, we saw dozens of pelicans and ibises roosting in trees. Egrets and roseate spoonbills perched on the banks.

All too soon, the tour was over. As a finale, Greg let us cruise the training grounds at full speed – 9 mph. Everyone was reluctant to step off their Segways and turn in their helmets.  We’ll just have to come back!

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