We're Baaaack!

Just a quick update - Geezers Go South 2012 Edition is starting to shape up. Geezer Mike is recovering nicely from knee surgery and should be good to go. Plans at this point are:

Depart sometime in very late February or March 1 and drive to...
Myrtle Beach, SC for a few days of getting the kinks out of our kayak skills then on March 4, we will move on to...

Crooked River State Park in St. Mary's, GA for some paddling in the Great Oke, and taking a 4 day paddling workshop tripping around Jekyll Island and Cumberland Island. After recovering from getting beat up in the surf, on March 12, we will pack up and make the drive to...

Homosassas Springs, FL for a little hanging out with Manatees and Curmudgeons, some nice paddling in the Gulf and probably lots of food, friends and the occasional brew. On March 18, we will pack up the Geezermobile and head to...

Long Point Park near Melbourne, FL - a favorite spot with the Geezers. Waterfront campsites, where you can keep your boat right behind the camper. We will have to clean up our act (and selves and camper) because the Geezerettes will be arriving March 20 to spend a week or so, maybe even make a trip to the Land of the Mutant Mouse. On March 25, they will help us make the move to a completely new location for the Geezers...

Myakka River State Park, a little south of Sarasota. This place is reported to be one of the most beautiful parks in Florida. It is well known for it's birds and wildlife and will be, we hope, a jumping off point for many adventures. On March 30, the ladies head home to the chilly north. Mike and Al have one more night at Myakka. After that...

Well, like any current military action, the attack is well planned, but the exit strategy leaves a bit to be desired. We will gradually head home, but plan to do some additional Geezering along the way. Any suggestions, dear reader?

Geezers Beat a Retreat

After a month of good weather and temps in the 70’s and 80’s, we just could not face two days of rain and temps in the 40’s. Plans to camp at Myrtle Beach have been scraped and the day was spent on the road – Geezers Go North.

We found the good and bad of the road over the past day. Hoping to spend the night around Charleston, we could not find room at any motel. They said it's “fashion week” and a big soccer tournament is going on. Driving on to Georgetown, SC, we got a room at the Harbor Inn (sounded nice, “spacious and clean rooms guaranteed” according to their brochure). The room turned out to be cramped and ill-appointed, but at least it smelled bad.

Breakfast at a small bakery along the road this morning offered a bit of redemption. Big breakfast sandwiches, fresh  pastries and fast internet made us linger a while. When we finally made the decision to flee north, we got into serious travel mode. As I type this piece, we are crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel. We’ll find a motel on the other side, and plan to stop at Chinquteague in the morning on the way home.

ACA Success and Geezers Go North

We're reporting this morning from rainy Pawley's Island, SC. Al finished up with his Level 3 Coastal Kayak Instructor training yesterday, while Mike packed up the trailer. We headed north out of Florida after the class concluded, soaking in a last bit of Florida sun.

It was a successful run of five days (four for Mike), but we're feeling pretty beat up. On day 5, Al played "rescue bait" for the other students, his penalty for bringing a dry suit. Doing rescues in a 4 kt. current and waves was fun!

Big Mike to the Rescue

The night was spent in a cheap motel and we'll set up camp at Myrtle Beach State Park today where the temp now is 44.6 degrees, the forecast high for today, yikes! Our pants and shoes may have to come out of storage. I'm sure that all you Northerners feel our pain.

The beginning of the end

Another successful day - at the campground, toilets flushed, water poured and lights lit! It really is a nice place, in a beautiful setting, but is in serious need of good management and some basic maintenance! On the kayak front, Geezer Al continued toward his level 3 instructor certification and Mike played along with the other big kids! VERY informative and useful information and the two instructors, Tom Nickels and Rick Wiebush are top shelf! I'm going to be proud to say they were my mentor instructors.

After a long day in the sun and sea, nothing is better than a Guinness or 3, the best corned beef and cabbage I have ever had (sorry, Mom)and some live music at Culhanes again. Check them out http://cinematicarts.org/newsite/. The Food Networks Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives)calls it "The Best Irish Pub and Restaurant" and the Geezers agree!

Tomorrow morning, Mike will get Al headed off for assessment day (testing for his instructor rating) and will pack up the Geezer abode and the Geezermobile to begin the ride to the icy north. I have not had long pants and regular shoes on since the end of February - it's going to be a tough adjustment!

Enroute home, we will spend a few nights camped in Myrtle Beach for some kayaking and naturalizing before beginning the final trek to Albany. Keep following us, because who knows what will happen!

A successful day!

OK, maybe the campground hasn't been the most successful part of the trip - We returned last night to find the power still out (which, by the way puts the toilets out of commission because they are electric automatic flush!!) But, at 11:30 we heard a collective cheer from the campers, because we had lights again! Not to worry, the city of Jacksonville's prize campground still had one more trick up it's sleeve - the power was out again when we woke up this morning! So, no coffee, no shower, and a full day of demonstration, evaluation and testing in our kayak instructors course.

Robin watches Rene prepareing to get underway - destination Montreal

From that point, however, things went pretty well for the Geezers! When we arrived at the park where our course was being taught, we had a chance to say goodbye to a chap we met yesterday - an adventureous soul sailng his Hobie Kayak with outriggers from the Everglades to Montreal. Neat guy with plenty of adventures to share on his blog (http://miami2montreal.wordpress.com) We look forward to catching up with him as he comes up the Hudson in a couple of months.

The kayak training was great - a wonderful experience. Geezer Mike is now a certified and officially blessed American Canoe Association Level One Kayak instructor and with a few more things to perfect, can change his conditional level 2 certification into a permanant one! He is really psyched! Geezer Al has 2 more days of training, shooting for a level 3 certification - while Mike enjoys kayaking without the pressure to perform demanded by the course. The two instructors we have had are phenominal, professional and just fun to be around! Thanks Tom and Rick.

Instructor Trainer Tom Nickels with Mike
and Suzanne

The day was capped off as we left the final evaluation session and spotted what looked like an Irish pub! A rarity in thes parts! We hustled back to the campground to find we had electric, water and hot showers all at the same time! Unbeliveable!!!!!! We almost didn't leave the campground, wanting to enjoy the comforts of home, but the lure of Guinness was just too strong - especially on a day to celebrate. We arrived at Culhanes Irish Pub to find, not only Guinness, but Shepards Pie, Bangers and Mash, the bartender was a gregarious guy who had lived in the Saratoga area for a while AND (Get ready!) FREE WIRELESS INTERNET! Geezer heaven!

Everything goes better with a Guinness!

A good as the pint tasted, Al has two more days of body bashing coming, so we will say goodbye for now.

Strike Four and Counting

Well, the campground water main got fixed today, and they hit the electric in the process. There is water, but the johns will not flush and the water heaters don't work - and there is a boil water order. More fun.

The course is going well, though we are both whipped tonight!

Strike Three for Hanna Park Campground

Bummed-out Geezers are reporting in from Atlantic Beach, FL. Our first day of ACA Kayak Instructor training went well, but on return to the campground, we find there is no water. It's not expected to be fixed for some time - so, two port-a-johns for 300 campsites, and they are a quarter mile from our site.

This is the third strike for Hanna. On our arrival two days ago, the power was out. Then we discovered the thousand or so dead fish in the lake next to us (a low oxygen kill, we hear). Now this. A nice woman in our class invited us back to her motel room for showers - we are forever in your debt, Suzanne!

Char says bad things come in threes - let's hope it's now over.