I suggest that you get a maps of the south 
        or open another browser window to: 
.......................................http://media.maps.com/magellan/Images/FLORSD-W1.gif 

  We left East Prairie, Missouri on New Years eave. We were trying to get south of here before a winter ice storm hit. We crossed the Mississippi River and headed south along side of Kentucky Lakes. Then into Tennessee and late in the day into Georgia on the northwest corner. After camping for the night we continued south on HWY27 to a Georgia too an Air Force base just south of Macon. The next morning headed east toward Savannah, Ga. 
      It started raining and the linkage to the windshield wipers broke, as it would go we did the rest of the trip without  windshield wipers relying on a rain runoff product purchased at Wall Mart. The night before I had replaced the engine cooling system thermostat. PS keep track of the number of repairs this trip; you may decide that there is an easier way to travel. 
    Before reaching Savannah we stayed overnight in a Georgia State Park, about 40 miles west. That was our first experience with an incoming Tornado;...on this portion of the trip. Just before reaching us the Tornado turned east and died.  Thank God. 
    We enjoyed Savannah for 3 days then headed south. Getting to northeast Florida two days later. 
     In Florida we traveled south following roads in the central part of the state. Going almost into Tampa before turning southeast we ended up at lake Okeechobee.  We spent 5 days, on the west side of the lake. Then south through sugar cane fields. Then saw-grass marsh. Then into Homestead, Florida. We spent a week in the Everglades and then headed for the Keys. 
      Key West stay was 10 days long and we really enjoyed our time there. On Duval street there is a Church that on weekdays holds hour long piano and organ concerts.The music director has a wonderful personality and the music and church are beautiful, don't miss this if you go to Key West. 
      Then we started a slow trek north ending up in Fort Myers, Florida , for a visit with Jack, my dad’s sisters husband. He was sorry to say that in his grief he had failed to notify us that my dads sister had died two years earlier. Note my dad dies a year before that. The visit was good and we plan to go by the next time we are in the area. 
     We worked our way up the Florida Gulf coast.  We loved the area and all the seafood. We did some wildlife preserves, state parks, and fresh water (spring fed) rivers, rail lines converted to bike paths and some endangered species (manatee) petting. 
     We also experienced a blowout of one of the rear duel tires, which took two days to get replaced and it also destroyed the wiring to all the lights on the rear of the motor home, and we later found a pinhole leek in the bottom of the gas tank. 
      Altogether we spent two wonderful months exploring Florida and look forward to many more winter trips to the area. 
     We headed west into Mobile, Alabama.  Then into Boloxi Mississippi. Then north to East Prairie, Missouri. The time spent in these areas were also enjoyable and full filling. 
  We will be in East Prairie, for a week or two then head south to New Orleans coming north only when the weather gets to hot,, end of May or start of June. 

    I haven't mentioned in the letter above all the wonderful travel friends we made along the way. Many of those people we hope to visit when we pass by their homes. Those of you who are among this group and who read this should know that your friendship makes the trip a real joy, thank you.  I could go on and on with details of each days activities and nights camping, but it may be better to tell the readers that you should hit the camping trail and enjoy the sights, sounds and new friends. 

  Missing you : 
         Dale Sue   and  Angie