The Trip: 1970
Florida
June 1, 1970 - June 15, 1970



June 1, 1970 - 10:30 a. m. Monday
This is the first vacation that on the departure day we had time to sit around and wait. The waiting was necessary, as Bill Sr. had to go to A&Z Rentals to get our tent trailer. The folks who rented it before us weren't due to get it back in until 8 o'clock. Bill was there and ready and the trailer was cleaned and ready, but we had a little trouble with the electrical wiring, but by 9:15 he was home with the trailer. We opened it up, stored our gear, gassed up, and off we went.

Tonight we camped in Longfellow's Evangeline State Park in Louisiana. This is just a driving day.

We read a short story and almost finished, Find the Boy by W. H. Canaway.

When we got to Lafayette, it was rainy toward Evangeline; so we stayed at Carnival Beach on U. S. 167 near I-10 at Lafayette. It was a scenic camp, but the RR facilities were barely adequate. Supped and bedded down and had a doozy of a thunder and rainstorm.

June 2, 1970 Tuesday
We didn't get just the fastest start in the world. We got up at six, but we just took too much time. We had pancakes and sausage for breakfast, washed up, fixed lunch, and took off ---- at 9:25.

The rain last night was real hard. One clap of lightning and thunder came almost simultaneously, and the light outside the campsite went out. We teased Bill about taking us away from the rain and into this alternate campsite. We were surely glad he got us away from the storm. Ha!

About 10:30 today we crossed the big old Mississippi -- right by a Kyser Aluminum chemical factory. They were loading some sort of red chemical (iron maybe?) into a big boat.

Just after, we finished Canaway's, Find the Boy. The family gave it 4 very good ratings and one good. We "skirted" Baton Rough for the next twenty minutes.

At noon we had to eat as we drive along because it was raining. We were driving along the beach where Hurricane Camille did so much damage last year -- on Ocean Drive. Oh, there were so many houses destroyed.

The rain followed us all the way today, which was a bit discouraging, but the drive was interesting -- crossing the Mississippi River, driving on the beach, and going through a tunnel under a bay a Mobile, Alabama. We read another science fiction story and started Rinehart's, Circular Staircase.

Tonight we stopped someplace in Florida, ate at a Horne's restaurant, and checked into a motel, as it was still raining. Four lovely double beds, hot and cold running water showers, TV, oh, peace!

We showered and bedded down early. By nine all was quiet on the plantation.

June 3, 1970 Wednesday
We didn't get up early as we meant to, but we got away in good time, ate at an excellent Plantation House in Mariana and drove the day away -- into Georgia. Arriving at the Laura Walker State Park after having shopped in a big all department-grocery store. It was a good, interesting place.

We drove over to the Okefenokee, but it was closed for the evening (it does not stay open until sundown, as advertised).

We read the Circular Staircase today, but we couldn't get it finished. Then we played with the Frisbees, the plastic balls, and had a good supper, hot showers, and went to bed. This is a delightful park -- very clean and cool.

June 4, 1970 Thursday
We set an alarm today because we wanted to be sure to get up and away close to the opening time of the Okefenokee Swamp. We ate a quick breakfast and closed the trailer. Had no trouble getting to the swamp by a tiny bit after eight. It was great -- a good display of flora and fauna, a fine little ranger house with a gift shop, and brochures and places to write cards. We toured, went on a nature walk, and went on a swamp boat ride. It was most interesting. However, we decided not to stay 'til ten and go on the two hour boat ride. We took off and went out toward St. Augustine.

We got to St. Augustine, picnicked in the park, and then went to see the old fort and Ripley's Believe It or Not. Bob and I saw the latter; Barb and Bill saw the former. Mother stayed at the visitor's center and Bill Jr. went and sat by the ocean.

When we finished there, we went to Marineland of the Atlantic and saw their show. Great! Then we came on down to Tomoka State Park, got space 73 with an electric hook up, and set up -- just in time for the rains to come -- pouring. The boys and I stayed here at camp while mother, Bill Sr., and Barb grocery shopped.

We ate a supper of canned fruit, soup, and chili and went to bed early.

June 5, 1970 Friday
Up around 6:15 this morning. It rained like everything last night, so things were drippy, but we breakfasted outside under the trees. This was a beautiful state park -- the state of Florida is treating us very nicely -- fresh orange juice and lots of information in their info stations. We left about eight-thirty.

Our first stop was NASA, but we took time off to drive a portion of the beautiful Daytona Beach, just to say we had.

We saw the NASA Space Center, getting there just in time to make the 10:30 tour. Because we knew we'd be a couple of hours on the tour, we had a snack in the Space Center Snack Bar. Then we took the two hour tour and saw all our missiles and space vehicles, their launching pads, and the amazing building they're assembled in and the transporter that gets them to the launch pad (it takes 19 men to run it and 45 minutes to start it. It weighs 6 tons and travels over a 7 foot thick highway to the launch pad!) The building plus equipment cost 160 million dollars, could hold 4 Empire State Buildings (cut up), and covered 8 acres of ground. Wow!

From NASA we went back inland, stopping for a bucket of fried chicken and picnicked in a lovely city park full of saucy blue jays, unafraid squirrels, and all sorts of bird beggars. We had a great time feeding and talking to them.

We planned to stop at the best shell museum in the world, located at Rawlins College. We drove up to the college, parked in a cool, tree lined park, walked to the museum, and discovered a hand written note on the door, "Museum closed today; open tomorrow as usual".

Soooo on we went to preview the Disney World that is to open in Florida in 1971.

And what a place it is going to be! Right now there is only a visitor's center with the always present souvenirs. (Bill bought his girl a Mickey Mouse watch.) There were pictures of the attractions to come and a short movie was shown telling about the attractions. There were charming young men and women in the center to engage in small talk and answer questions. 'twas really a nice preview of a wonderful attraction to come. It is to open November, 1971.

From Disney World we went to the Tupperware place and saw the gardens, new Tupperware things, text kitchens, and old museum of dishes. Barb, mother, and I were given salt and pepper shakers and a brochure on Tupperware.

Then on we went, grocery shopped, and ended about five at a KOA Campground just a few miles from Cypress Gardens. It was one of our best camps so far -- beautiful, clean, and convenient. A lake for swimming, a laundry for washing (we used it), and a grocery, playground area, and family of squirrels were included. A fine camp. We had a time to swim (Bob -- until he discovered a leech), wash, loaf, play with the Frisbee, and have a nice, restful time. We had corn on the cob, stew, and ice cream tonight. Also we had a good night's sleep.

June 6, 1970 Saturday
Today we slept late. We were until nine o'clock breakfasting, battening down our trailer, and getting away. We drove only the three or so miles to Cypress Gardens, and then we stopped and Bill and the three children went to see this attraction. Mother and I stayed in the car to read and write cards.

I should say something about our tent trailer. It is a good one, although we had a bit of trouble getting the routine of opening and closing it down. However, now, after five days of it, we are getting pretty good. We have two double beds on the ends, single beds next to them that make into tables and four seats, a sink with running water (when Bob pumps up the air pressure for us with the foot pump), lots of cupboard space, three drawers to hide things in (if they're flat), and a three burner stove. It has as much room in it, when it's opened out, as any of our trailers have had, and it's real fine to live in. The beds are quite comfortable, and when it's all opened out, it's as breezy and cool as you could ask for. It's served us well, through some quite heavy rains.

Cypress Gardens had a fine show, according to the children and Bill. Mother and I enjoyed watching the people.

From there we went to the Phosphate Valley Exhibition, billed as the greatest Pleistocene fossil collection in the U.S., but it wasn't so good. Then we went to Bok's Singing Tower for lunch. It was a beautiful place -- a bird sanctuary and a beautiful garden area with all sorts of paths to hike.

After a delightful hour here, we drove on to Highland's Hammock State Park, our destination for the night. This is a beautiful state park with plenty of alligators, armadillos, deer, and assorted crawly and flying things. We went first on their conducted tour of the park -- going in a little open air tram affair. We enjoyed seeing so many alligators and turtles.

Our campsite was one of the prettiest so far. It was cool, under huge moss-covered trees. We were 'pulling cover' before morning. We had time to hike many of the trails, walk the boardwalk over the swamp, and enjoy the lovely park. The grown ups and Barb took good hot showers. Bill Jr. went to the ranger lecture, and Bob went to sleep with his clothes on.

June 7, 1970 Sunday
The squirrels, blue jays, and other birds in this park are really beggars! They will come and eat right out of your hands. We fed them bits of doughnut and pancake this morning while we ate. It was fun. We ate a good breakfast, broke camp, and started west for Lake Okeechobee -- rather, more south toward Ft, Myers. We aren't sure whether we'll see Okeechobee this day or after we leave the Everglades.

We skipped the lake, saw Ft. Myers, and found the David Paradise. We drove right to their trailer. Dave had been to the hospital the day before, and he was feeling pretty rocky (heat trouble), but he did seem to enjoy seeing and talking to Mother.

We ate along the highway by the beach, such as it was, but there was no shelling on this beach going on -- it wasn't that kind of a beach.

We drove on to the edge of the Everglades and took an airboat ride in to see our first of the Everglades, -- the sawgrass, the mangroves, -- 'twas a most exciting, noisy ride. The three kids sat in the front seat; we were in the second, and the driver was in the back. That airboat really moved -- at times only over wet grasses, too. We all enjoyed this wild ride muchly.

From there we shopped for possibly three hours and went into the Everglades. Our first night was at Long Pine Key, the first camping area after the visitor's center and entrance. It was a fine, clean camp, only no water or electric hook ups are available anyplace in the park. The bugs and mosquitoes are pretty bad, but we sprayed and managed fairly well.

Oh, at the airboat ride place we saw our greatest collection of alligators -- a hundred or more. Also, there was a man training two porpoises in back of the restaurant in a pond. We saw them dance on their tails, jump through a hoop, and 'talk'.

We had a good night's sleep.

June 8, 1970 Monday
Up around seven, breakfasted, and went into town (Florida City) for the mail. That stinky Bill Jr. got it all - four letters from Charlotte. That was it.

We went back to the visitors' center at the Everglades and saw their movie on the glades. Then we went to the Royal Palms area and took two short nature trails. They were good. We saw alligators, fish, and birds.  There are many, many fish here in this part.

Then we drove on, stopping at Pahoyokee Trail where Bill Jr. found a big softshell turtle to photograph.

We were going to eat at Nine Mile Pond, but the lack of shade made us decide to go on to Flamingo to have lunch.

We lunched in the campground where we parked and set up the trailer. A friendly little raccoon came to see what we had to offer him. He liked his peanut butter and cracker fair and the core of Bill Jr.'s apple.

After lunch we visited the visitor's center and looked it over, and then went on a two hour boat ride through the mangrove swamps and into a couple of bays. Frankly, the boat trip was pretty boring, but we enjoyed joking and kidding and seeing what birds were to be seen.

When we got back, it was too early to eat, too late to do anything else much; so we decided to baton down the trailer (again!) and go back to our first camp ground. All hands worked hard to do it, and we got away in record time.

As we were driving along, just before West Lake Trail, Bill Jr. spotted a beautiful six foot Indigo Snake. He leaped out of the car, grabbed it, and we all helped brush mosquitoes from him while we took his picture with it. It was a beautiful snake! We put it back, a bit indignant over having been handled, but none the worse for having been photographed.

Bill and the children walked the West Lake Trail while mother read and I wrote this.

We went back to our original parking area, set up, had supper, and went to bed. Bob and Bill hunted the roads some before they went to bed, but the rest of us were content to enjoy our rest.

June 9, 1970 Tuesday
Up, cereal breakfast, and away to John Pennekamp State Park. We set up the trailer, and by eleven Bill and the boys were in the Atlantic Ocean.

We ate a quick lunch and then took a glass bottom boat out to the coral reefs to view the coral and fish and interesting sea life.

When we got back we toured the gift shop, got groceries, and came to camp to read, write, and loaf.

We went swimming (Bob, the two Bills and I) and then we ate a fine supper prepared by grandma of bar-b-qued chicken, boiled corn, macaroni and cheese, and drink.

We all bedded down early, and I read Houdini to the bunch until Morpheus claimed most of my audience.

June 10, 1970 Wednesday
An airplane woke us up this morning flying low, low over camp. We would have been more annoyed had we not noticed the plane was dusting for mosquitoes. It did, however, wake us up before we really wanted to get up.

We had blueberry pancakes for breakfast. They were great.

At eight-thirty Bill and I dropped Bill Jr. off for his scuba trip. It is to be from nine to one; so Bill and I came back, gathered the dirty clothes, and went to wash. Mother and Barb came along, too, to help.

We went back to camp, ate lunch, and fiddled around until it was time to go pick Bill Jr. up from his trip. He said the trip was terrific. He thoroughly enjoyed it and said there's nothing to compare with swimming around the coral with the fish. They went about thirty or forty feet down.

We went back to camp, fed Bill Jr., closed the trailer, and took off for Key West.

We drove the length of the keys and arrived at Key West about five. We went to the chamber of commerce, the Turtle Kraal, and Howard Johnson's for an 'all you can eat' fish dinner. It was great; they lost money on this crowd. We ate ourselves into a decline.

Then we came back up the keys to Bahia Hondo to spend the night. We had trouble with mosquitoes again tonight, but our biggest excitement tonight was a good old rainstorm and wind that really shook the trailer and poured tons of water on us.

June 11, 1970 Thursday
We battened down and took off without trying to fix breakfast - the mosquitoes were just too bad. Sooo we drove up the keys and stopped at another Howard Johnsons about ten for breakfast. Delicious.

Then we drove to the south part of Miami and dropped the two boys off at a Serpentarium. Mother, Bill Sr., Barb, and I went to Fairchild Gardens. We took a tram tour of the 85 acres of lush tropical growth, went through a rare flowers hot house (loads of beautiful orchids and other unusual types), checked the gift house, museum, and the like (between showers) and went back for the boys. They had seen Bill Haast milk a cobra and some rattle snakes, so they had a good time, too. Bill had Haast autograph his book.

We also stopped a while and looked at a spice and fruit growing place.

Then we journeyed on to Okeechobee Lake for the night. It rained on us some, and at the lake it looked as if we would have a great huge storm, but nothing really came of it. In fact, it just made camp a lovely, cool, mosquito-free place, and we loved it. The kids enjoyed beach combing. We all had showers and slept well.

June 12, 1970 Friday
Up and had a good breakfast this morning before going on toward Viro Beach where mother will see and visit with two of her cousins who have retired down here and live together. We stopped for 'all you can drink' orange juice on the outskirts of Viro and checked on the sisters' address. Then we drove to it without much trouble at all. They lived in a low, green stucco on a beautiful landscaped row of like houses. When mother went up to the door, one sister was just getting ready to give the other one, who is arthritic, a shower. They talked a while. The rest of the family sat in the car.

We drove on and ended our day at Silver Springs. While Bob and Bill went to Ross Allen Serpentarium, mother, Barb, Bill Sr., and I went on a glass bottom boat. Good.

We ate supper at a fine Morrison's Cafeteria, drove some ten miles into a national forest area, and stayed in a beautiful Safari campground. The children swam in a lovely sand-bottomed lake. Bill, mother, and I showered, and we went to bed. However, I read part of The Flight of the Phoenix before I went to sleep.

June 13, 1970 Saturday
Up about seven. We breakfasted in the trailer and fixed a picnic lunch.

Today was a driving-reading day. We finished The Flight of the Phoenix and read all of Eugenie Clark's, The Lady with a Spear. We had lunch at Panama City, Florida, right on the bay at a fine little city park.

At supper time we were on the city limits of Gulfport and had supper at the Heritage House. We had delicious seafood platters - Bill and Nona. Barb, had spaghetti, mother, a shrimp salad, and Bob a hamburger steak.  Good food. Then we drove on a bit farther.
And here the journal ends.

And this is where this one ends. I often did this. Going home was just not fun to write about. I can give you some other facts about this trip.  We voted on our favorite sights or happenings of the trip, and this is the way the vote went:

Bill Sr. - Airboat Ride, NASA, Coral Reef State Park, Highlands Hammock State Park
Nona - Airboat Ride, NASA, Silver Springs, Keys Ride
Bill Jr. - Haast Miami Serpentarium, SCUBA at Pennecamp, Airboat Ride, Highlands Hammock Ride
Barb - Airboat Ride, NASA, Okeefenoke, Cyprus Gardens
Bob - Airboat Ride, NASA, Miami Serpentarium, Okeefenoke Swamp, Ripley's Believe it or Not
Seeta B. Foster - Okefenokee Swamp, NASA, Airboat Ride, Bush Garden

Given these numbers, the airboat ride came in first, followed by NASA. The others just got a smattering.

Total Miles Driven: 5,515

Books Read:


 
1970 Florida
Preparing for the trip
Packing the tent trailer, San Antonio.
Seeta B. Foster
Gramma
Brooks Family
Picnicking 
Brooks Family
Okefenokee Swamp Entrance
Brooks Family
Okefenokee Swamp
Bob & a still
Okefenokee Swamp
Bill Sr.
In his place as our tour guide
Brooks Family
Hooking up the tent trailer
Barb on the wishing tree
Cyprus Gardens
Brooks Family
Air boat ride The Everglades
Brooks Family
Air boat ride The Everglades
Bob Brooks
Florida Keys
Bill Jr. & Eastern Indigo Snake
6:25 P.M.
8 June 1970
Kodachrome II @ 125 F2
Caught on Everglades Nat. Park Main Rd. Near West Lake Trail
Key Glass Bottom Boat
1:15 P.M.
9 June 1970
Kodachrome II @ 250 F2
Glass Bottom Boat over John Penicamp State Park, Fl.
Candle Tree
11:55 A.M.
11 June 1970
Kodachrome II @ 60 F2
Bob Brooks & Snake
Miami Surpentarium
1:10 P.M.
11 June 1970
Kodachrome II @ 60 F4.6
Bill Jr, Bob & Key Lime Pie
3:30 P.M.
11 June 1970
Kodachrome II @ 60 F5.6
Florida Keys
Eating Key Lime Pie
Florida Keys
Kodachrome II @ 60 F4.6
Bob & Tortois
Miami Surpentarium