We traveled from Alexander Springs to Lithia Springs Park today 122, miles in approximately 2 1/2 hours. Speeds up to 77 mph on the expressway, averaging 68 or so, and getting 22.2 mph. We have learned that it takes longer to get almost anywhere in Florida than the mileage would indicate, especially if you are traveling off the beaten path at all. Some of the through roads have many lights in the busy areas, and many small towns to go through in the rural areas.

Seems like a good move, 44 site park, nice sites. The bathrooms are clean and yes, hot water. Beautiful grounds, a spring for swimming (although it is a bit low right now.) My cell phone service works great, so I won’t feel cut off when Bob leaves for his trip. There is always a mix of different types of people at campgrounds, but I met the campground hosts yesterday, and they are friendly and supportive. Several of the fellow campers are large rigs, possibly also staying a while, and some workers, evidently camper living close to their jobs.

Here’s a quiet camper!

Any campsite, though, is only as good as the luck of the draw on your neighbors, as campgrounds often do little to enforce any rules. Usually our complaints are yapping dogs, screaming, bratty kids (not  the crying baby getting rocked to sleep or  the occasional meltdown of a  tired child), campfires that smolder like smoke signals with the wind blowing right at us or amplified music blaring. Oh, and hanging out lights bright enough to light up our site like daylight along with yours. I generally use my yoga-mode to tune out much of this campground hubbub and appreciate the quiet moments. Almost every campground I have been in (almost – I exclude Highland Hammock here written about a few posts back) has quieted down and the nights are for the most part peaceful.

But get this. Today our next site neighbor was running a gas-powered chainsaw in the woods right behind our campsite – a chainsaw! Next he got out his leaf blower and blew a big cloud of dirt around from his dry as a bone camping area that also engulfed ours with dust, while another of the party came back with an armload of toilet paper rolled off the rolls in the bathroom. I pretty much freaked out after the leaf blower incident and went to the rangers for the first time ever to report the dude. It was actually a bit frightening – think horror movie plot. Things settled down after the ranger came and made friends with the guy, while also telling him to quit it with the power tools.

Ahhh. Campground life.