TWO YEARS ON THE ROAD!!!

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  Flagler Beach, Florida
Thursday, November 12, 2009

Thursday, November 12th

We faked out Hurricane Ida by zipping up into Alabama for two days staying at Dothan's Flying Jay Truck Plaza where we got super rained on. We did laundry, took showers, filled up with diesel and got groceries.  All set for whatever Ida wanted to throw at us.... She changed her course from heading straight into Florida to breaking into multiple tropical storms heading into the Carolinas.  We slipped right under her and headed straight for Flagler Beach.  Arriving two days early for our reservations we stayed the first night in the Palm Coast Walmart's parking lot.  The next morning we got into a great site at Gamble Rogers State Park.  They reserve a few sites for "drive ups" (a site that one cannot reserve ahead) and we lucked out!.

Weather was still showing the results of Ida as the surf pounded the shore!!  The tides were higher than we have ever seen them here, right up to the stairs and into the dunes.  The waves were coming in multiple layers or sets so it was chaotic turbulence with huge waves for this area.  Andy tried his luck with fishing and found the easterly winds were blowing in too much sea weed to be able to fish the surf. 

November 15

The winds have let up and Andy is catching fish like crazy!  Not as much variety as at St. Joe's so far but he did catch a flounder that we had for lunch.  It was one of the best we've ever tasted.  It's Whiting and Blue Fish for dinner tonight!!  And tomorrow lunch and dinner and the next day too!!!!
He's throwing the cast net for our bait and sharing it with other campers/fishermen that are having no luck with shrimp and sandfleas.  Our freezer is getting filled with fresh fish and bait for the future.

I am learning how to fillet again.  It has been many years since I ran my little fresh fish market in Banksville, NY.  But it is sort of like riding a bike...it is taking time to really feel efficient but I am able to slice off a fillet and get it skinned without having to scale it or take the head off or guts out.  Andy is impressed and that makes me puffed up with pride.

A couple of ways we have been cooking and serving the fish Andy is bringing in like a pro:

-- oven grilled with a blackened pecan crust
-- baked then served cold with dijonaise and capers
-- broiled fillets sprinkled heavily with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese and then drizzled with olive oil
-- flounder fillet almondine
-- coconut milk curried veggies with bite size pieces of blue fish and whiting, served with brown rice, golden raisins and toasted coconut
-- microwaved whiting for 30 seconds or till half cooked....drench in lime juice add diced celery, jalapeno peppers and sweet onion to make a cerviche
-- leftover and reheated broiled blue with Parmesan and Olive oil served in a folded piece of crispy lavash bread, pesto, spinach and artichoke heart, Parmesan pizza
-- of course we make fish tacos!

We tried freezing blue fish both cooked and raw, then defrosted and used, to see if it made a difference. We discovered we liked the taste and texture best when frozen raw, defrosted slowly and cooked however one wants.  The myth that freezing bluefish yelds poor results, is busted when it comes to the blues down here.  But...maybe it has to do with the freshness and what they have been eating in Florida.  The flesh is gorgeous and firm and not fishy....maybe they are eating whiting!!


November 19th     ******* TWO YEARS ON THE ROAD *********

We had been talking and hanging out with our friend Craig who mentioned that the 19th will be his anniversary of 8 years living in Florida.  So we celebrated together by walking on down to the "Snack Jack" and having some blackened Mahi Mahi.  A good time for all.  Andy and I feel like we have just begun with still so much to experience and see and do in this Crazy Fish RV life while at the same moment we feel like it has been a long time we have lived in 130 square foot space.  We are loving this life individually and together.  I cannot imagine doing this with anyone but Andy!! and Maudie!!  He feels the same about me!

We are looking forward to our hosting gig in Fort DeSoto as that will offer us an entirely new way of living in the RV lifestyle.  We begin there December 1st and leave February 3rd.  We will be expected to work 20 hours a week each cleaning sites for campers coming in, answering questions, presenting programs, working in the office, maintaining the buildings and the grounds as well as opportunities to become tour guides at the Fort or work in the store or restaurant.  In return for our labor we get a free water front site on the Bay with full hookups and full use of the entire park all the time.  We are hoping some of you readers will consider packing your tent or camper, make a reservation and come visit us during our stay.  We will be your personal greeters!! and guides!  There are miles and miles of white sand beach both on the bay and the ocean.  Fishing pier, bile trails, exercise course, nearby towns of St.Pete's Beach, Tampa, and Pass-A-Grill.   come on down!!!

November 20th

We rode our bikes over to a County park along the Intra-Coastal water way.  It is set up for picnickers and fisher-folk and just sitting and watching nature or the amazing boats go by.  It also is a Gopher Tortoise Preserve.  We were lucky enough to get a look-see and a picture of one of the treasured turtles. 

The longer we are at Flagler Beach the more we uncover to our delight.  This week I got to bike over to the Farmer's Market and get loaded up with veggies and fruits.  There were lots of other interesting herbs and dried fruits and jewelry etc etc etc.....very far out scene!!  We both are enchanted by being able to ride our bikes to shop and go to different parks and events and friend's houses.  This style of living works for us!!!  Easy and slowed down with friendly, open folks enjoying themselves.  Everyone we meet says that where they live is the best in the world!  That is really something to be around folks who love where they live!!

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Flagler Beach	Flagler Beach	Flagler County Park boardwalk	Flagler Beach
Gopher tortoise peeking out	Flagler Beach Intracoastal	Flagler Beach County Park canopy boardwalk	Gazebo on boardwalk
Flagler Beach preservation area	Flagler Beach	Heron fishing	Boardwalk
Boardwalk at high tide

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