< more recent | 15-21 December 2020 | older >
21 December 2020: Winter officially starts today and the solstice sun rose up over the horizon on Vilano Beach in a beautiful sunrise as if to mark the occasion …
20 December 2020: It was a rainy morning, but not coming down heavily, so took some time to visit the “Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park,” a touristic attraction in town that focuses on various “chapters” of the region’s history from the Spanish landing by Ponce de Leon, who was looking for the fabled fountain, to traces of the Timucuans who were the areas original inhabitants of the area, with a few other random things thrown in. And peacocks. Not sure what peacocks have to do with any of this, but they are there as part of the “attraction” …
19 December 2020: In what has become a typical “2020 curveball” the beautiful beach is now a construction site complete with bulldozers, backhoes, and a big metal pipeline running across the length of the shore. They are installing or repairing a “submerged pipleline” so the entire area is disturbed. No sense beachcombing for shells and shark teeth. The construction process has literally removed the top layer of beach sand and crushed anything in its path. Oh well, it is still nice to take a long walk alongside the waves and just ignore the construction equipment and rusted pipe laying in the middle of the landscape …
18 December 2020: Broke camp in Ochlockonee and drove east to the St. Augustine area for a few days, settling in at Vilano Beach where familiar palm trees and a beautiful sunset promised a change in the weather for the better …
17 December 2020: The weather is still un-florida-like cold and damp, but it was possible to get out and explore around the wildlife refuge and the surrounding area, including the small town of St. Marks, where there was once a Spanish fort at the confluence of the rivers, a very beautiful location …
16 December 2020: Heavy rain this morning and into the afternoon, meant less outdoor activities, but got some important admin stuff done and took some time to scope out some interesting spots in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge to explore tomorrow …
15 December 2020: Spent the day exploring the wilder side of St. George Island, a thin barrier island in the Gulf. While one half is developed with luxury beach homes, the other half is protected park lands, with wild beaches and beautiful dunes in tact …
THIS MONTH:
Holiday road trip time. Getting ready to load up the Jeep and heading south for warmer climates and fun times on- and off-road (and maybe discovering some new places on the way). This year we are taking a bit of extra time to explore the wilder side of Florida’s “Forgotten Coast” as we make our way to our Christmas Camp…
Ladies Offroad Network “12 Days of Giving,” an online extravaganza of year-end giveaways. Join in for the nightly LIVE@5pm from December 7 to December 18, as Charlene Bower reveals all the Ladies Offroad Network plans for 2021 with nightly drawings for over $10,000 in gifts and adventures. There will be three winners each night — one for a gift-bag of offroad goodies, one for a set of three t-shirts, and one big winner of a “Golden Ticket” which offers free entry to any of the 2021 LON Adventures…
COMING UP SOON:
Looking ahead to a return to Paris as soon as possible to reconnect with friends and some favorite places in the city of light. Timing is still uncertain due to the pandemic, but we hope the trip is back on the calendar for early 2021…
Planning for the next extended overland adventure in the southwest, tentatively on the calendar for some time late winter 2021. There are already several tentative events on the agenda in Arizona and southern California, and we will share more details as things get confirmed…
Advanced sand dune training with Barlow Adventures at the Imperial Sand Dunes in southern California. This three day driving and navigation program focuses on moving safely and effectively through large dunefields. Skills-building exercises are intended to improve pace, line choice and vehicle control, as well as developing precision map and compass navigation technique…
VILANO BEACH
Vilano Beach is one of St. Augustine’s best-kept secrets. Going for a stroll on the beach is a favorite activity and visitors can enjoy both sunrises and sunsets there. Located just north of downtown St. Augustine’s historic district, on the north side of the Matanzas Inlet, the town of Vilano Beach is a charming surprise. The beach has a steep drop-off, heavier surf, and a strong current due to its location near the inlet, which makes it ideal for surfing (when the tide is coming in) and skimboarding. four-wheel-drive beach access is offered via the Porpoise Point access ramp. Vehicle access in Vilano Beach is restricted to four-wheel-drive vehicles, and may be unavailable on occasion depending on the condition of the sand. A nominal access fee is charged from March 1 through Labor Day to drive on the beach. Rules for driving on the beach are clearly posted and are strictly enforced for the safety of beach goers. For more information on vehicle access to the beach see the county’s Beach Driving webpage …
ST. MARKS NWR
The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds. It is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. It encompasses over 80,000 acres spread out between Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor counties, and includes about 43 miles along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida. It is part of the North Florida Refuges Complex. The refuge includes coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers, and is home to a diverse community of plant and animal life. The refuge also has strong ties to a rich cultural past, and is home to the St. Marks Lighthouse, which was built in 1842 (current tower) and is still in use today. …
ST. GEORGE ISLAND
St. George is a barrier island 28 miles long and 1 mile wide at its widest point. Composed of mostly sand dunes with sea oats and pine trees, the island is connected to the mainland at Eastpoint, Florida by the 4-mile long St. George Island Bridge over Apalachicola Bay. St. George Island is informally divided into three regions: the Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park; a public strip of restaurants, bars, small businesses, homes and public beach; and a private, gated housing community with its own airstrip that includes some of the most expensive multimillion-dollar beach homes along the Gulf of Mexico. The island is known for being quiet and tranquil due to its small size. The State Park occupies the eastern nine miles of the island and has a series of hiking trails, boardwalks and observation platforms, as well as beach access. St. George Island was first inhabited by the Muscogee people between the 10th and 15th centuries. With the arrival of European colonists to the area in the late 18th century came an intense struggle for control. In 1803, the Creek Indians ceded a large tract of land, which included St. George Island, to trader John Forbes and Company, known as the Forbes Grant. In 1823 John Lee Williams sought refuge there. With a shortage of food supplies, his crew depended on the island’s ample store of oysters and crabs. Soon afterwards, the island experienced a surge in trading activities especially along the banks of the Apalachicola River. This led to the construction of the Cape St. George Lighthouse on the island in 1833. The lighthouse was torn down and rebuilt two miles away in 1847–48, and rebuilt after being destroyed by a hurricane in 1851. It was taken out of service during the American Civil War, but afterwards served as a navigational tool for incoming ships until it was decommissioned in 1994. Hurricanes in 1995 and 1998 undermined the tower. A new foundation was built under the tower, but it collapsed in 2005. The lighthouse has since been reconstructed…
Nesconset | Paris | Belgrade | Cape May | Asateague | Fargo | Sumatra | Sopchoppy | St. Augustine | Ocala | Ft. McCoy
MORE NOTES FROM THE ROAD:
7-14 December – Holiday Roadtrip
1-6 December – Long Island
15-30 November – Long Island
1-14 November – Long Island
28-31 October – Roadtrip East
22-27 October – Moab
15-21 October – Moab
8-14 October – Moab
1-7 October – Roadtrip West
16-30 September – Roadtrip West
1-15 September – Long Island
16-31 August – Long Island
1-15 August – Summer Roadtrip
22-31 July – Summer Roadtrip
14-21 July – Summer Roadtrip
1-13 July – Long Island
16-30 June – Long Island
1-15 June – Bald Eagle
16-31 May – Central PA
1-15 May – Re-opening Trails
April – Lockdown NY
16-31 March – Lockdown NY
9-15 March – Roadtrip Home
1-8 March – Moab
23-29 February – Vegas to Anza Borrego
15-22 February – Southwest Roadtrip
8-14 February – Southwest Roadtrip
1-7 February – Glamis to Vegas
27-31 January – Yuma to Glamis
15-26 January – Nevada to Arizona
1-14 January – Starting the New Year
24-31 December – Holidays on the Road
16-23 December – Cross-Country Drive
Archive
EVENTS
LADIES OFFROAD NETWORK NONCON 2020
Recap from the Ladies Offroad Network camping and wheeling event, dubbed the “NonCon” as in “not the convention,” that came together after the official convention was cancelled due to the pandemic… [read]
RE-OPENING
Report from the first trail run with the Off Road Consulting group at Rausch Creek Off Road Park as the post-pandemic phased re-openings begin in Pennsylvania and some of our favorite local trails re-open to the public after the two-month shutdown… [read]
REFLECTIONS
EGYPT: CAIRO REFLECTIONS
A quick overview of impressions from a stop in Cairo during our recent scouting mission in Egypt and Sudan … [read]
SPECIAL REPORT
A look into south-eastern Algeria on the border with Libya and Niger: overlanding with the Tuareg in one of the most remote corners of the Sahara … [read]
