This will be my last post about our trip to Jupiter, Florida. We feel so lucky that we were able to take this trip and appreciate how so many things worked out just right for us. Our campsite at Jonathan Dickinson State Park was really the perfect location. Not only were we close to Roger Dean, and not only did we have a whole menu of activities inside the park, but we also had lots of choices of things to do in the surrounding area.

Roger Dean was 15 minutes from our campsite. However, if we went a good 10 minutes in the other direction, we were at the town of Hobe Sound which we visited several times for both fun and practical matters. The gas in Hobe Sound is 40 cents lower per gallon than in Tequesta which is where Roger Dean lives. So, now you know where to buy your gas should you visit the area.

We also did our grocery shopping at the Publix in Hobe Sound where we found some things a bit different from home.

What we really liked best about Hobe Sound though was the Hobe Sound Beach Park. This cozy, little park overlooked the ocean where the water was a beautiful turquoise blue. People swam and sunned, a number of folks fished, and some, like us, walked along the shore and dabbled in the water until the splashes got too high.

At this park which overlooked the beach, there was a large pavilion with a number of picnic tables. We went twice, and each time the tables were filled with people enjoying a meal, a game, a book, or just talking and laughing. Some sat outside but near the pavilion and soaked up the sun for a bit. There were always lots of people (and cars) even though we went on weekdays. It seems every day is a weekend day in Jupiter, at least as far as I could tell. And yes, we did sit there and play some Scrabble. Dan was kind enough to give me the ocean view both days.

At one point, we watched an old man struggle to park between 2 trees and then carry his chair over to a spot in the sun with a nice view. Dan closed his car trunk for him as he had just left it open since it was such a difficult task for him. The man’s walk to his spot was at turtle speed. But he did it, and he sat there for about 45 minutes before making the slow trek back to his car. He was a veteran as noted by his hat, and I heard several thank him for his service. I can’t help but admire the gargantuan effort this man made to enjoy the sun and this view for just a bit. He could have just stayed home, but the beauty of the ocean and his own tenacity made for a better few minutes for him, and for me, too.

The road into Hobe Sound Beach Park is lined with Banyon Trees, and another day, we parked at the far end and took our walk on this picturesque street. We even walked over the drawbridge. Fortunately, no large boats came by. While I am a bit faster than the old man above, like him, I can only walk so fast.

Another day, we went to Dubois Park. This is another nice beach park. The day we visited was very, very windy, and so we stayed for about an hour, long enough to walk the pier and see the whitecaps on the powerful ocean.

One day, we walked the short, accessible trail at “Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area.” And yes, the adjective “Outstanding” is actually part of the official name of this place. My guess is that is was a 10 minute walk (one way) to a viewing platform. This area was free to visit.

Across the busy street was the actual Jupiter lighthouse and a museum. We passed on this as we didn’t want to pay the $10 senior fee nor did I want to climb the all the steps to the top of the lighthouse. This may very well be worth the fee, as it looked to be a very scenic site full of history with tours led by interesting docents. Perhaps another time. When we visit an area, I comb through all the free and budget friendly listings on Tripadvisor, and we usually find plenty to do to keep us busy and happy.

We also took a day to meet up family who live in Orlando. We met halfway at Vero Beach at Sonny BBQ’s. Apparently, Sonny’s is a well established chain restaurant in the south. The family feast food was delicious and plentiful, and we thank Tom and Brenda for treating us to lunch. They even gave us leftovers which we happily finished a couple nights later. We really enjoyed visiting with my brother and sister-in-law. After lunch, we all went shopping at Brenda’s and my favorite – the Dollar Tree. One final note for full disclosure: Tom gave us some sweet potato pie to try, but since it was up to Dan and me, it was not to be. We just couldn’t do it. Any fans of sweet potato pie out there?

As our Florida trip was winding down, the Coronavirus issues were heating up. We headed for home, not quite sure what all would be ahead. Most of our trip back was uneventful, and the 3 days of traveling back home seemed to go faster and easier than our way there. Mostly.

We left Jonathan Dickinson on Friday the 13th. We drove for a couple hours, and then looked for a place to eat breakfast and get gas. This is our usual routine on a travel day. We saw an exit advertising both gas and food, and so we got off the highway. The exit was for New Smyrna Beach. Big mistake. The road we were on went straight to the beach, and it was a Friday. So much traffic! The McDonalds we turned into was not meant for RVs, but we couldn’t tell that until after we had made the turn. I practically had to lay down in the parking lot to stop the cars, so we could get out of there.

We still had to get gas which was another harrowing experience. Let’s just say, I had to move some of those orange cones temporarily. No damage done, but after those experiences, I downloaded the Love’s App. We used that app for the rest of the trip home. We loved it, and we plan to use it going forward. Lesson learned: Look for Love’s and never get off an exit in Florida for a town with “beach” in its name because it will be … a beach!

Our night at the Tifton KOA was fine, uneventful, just like we like. A nice enough place, close to the highway, and with a 1 mile walking trail to boot. In the morning, Dan and I busily went about our outside unhooking routines, so we could get quickly on the road. Our neighbors were doing the same. Soon they were ready to go, but the woman took a quick second to wish us, “Safe Travels!”

I made a quick reply, “You, too!”, and they were gone. The well wish was much appreciated, maybe even more so with the coronavirus on the horizon. It was not lost on me that it only took a second, yet she made my day just a little bit better.

Our last night at our Boondocker’s site in Nashville was just as nice as when we stayed there the first night of our trip, 19 days previous. Thanks again to our Nashville Boondocker’s Welcome host.

And lastly, Thank you, God, for we did travel safely home. Now with this pandemic, we are not only home but also homebound and trying our best to stay safe. I don’t know when we will go again in our travel trailer, but God willing, we will. The important thing though, is that we all stay safe and take care of each other. Please take care, stay safe, and when the time comes again – safe travels to all!

P.P.S. Post Post Script: With the current pandemic, I am not sure when our next trip will be. So, I am going to write “micro posts” on whatever ideas travel into my mind. Not sure where this will go, but I plan to post two or three times a week. My hope is these posts will be a positive moment in your day, and as always, I love the comments. Thanks for reading!