Sebring, Highlands Hammock State Park, Kissimmee, Florida

Places Visited:

Florida: Sebring, Highlands Hammock State Park, Kissimmee, Florida.

Monday, February 17 2003

We drove 122-miles from Melbourne to Sebring. Highlands Hammock State Park near Sebring $16.31 for water & 30 amps

We have spent nearly a week on Florida's east coast in Melbourne. Our trip today will take us inland to the ridge of land that forms the backbone of the Florida peninsula. Leaving the coast and traveling mostly on county and state roads we pass through "real" Florida (Not Disney World). The pine forest of northern Florida is gone, replaced by flat open prairies operating as cattle ranches. A large limitless open prairie with scattered palm trees palmetto bushes and occasional oak hammocks dominate the landscape. On occasion an orange grove appears in the prairie. One of these groves located about 10-miles west of Sebastian on SR-512 looked to be about 10-miles long by 2-miles wide. One sign said Fellsmere Farms or Fellsmere Grove. We were awestruck at the size of this grove. Joyce said she thinks she has seen orange juice bearing that brand. In addition to cattle ranches we passed a gigantic dairy farm. Located east of Vero Beach it appeared large enough to supply South Florida. We have seen dairies before but this one wins the prize for largest we have seen. Near the center of the state the land slowly gets higher until we arrive in "Highlands" county. That is a comical name for a county in Florida. I suppose we may be at an altitude of 200 feet in this "highland". This is along the backbone of the peninsula.

As we arrive in Sebring our cell phone rings. Friends are calling to set the time and location for our "lunch-date/get together". Keeping up with each other and getting together when our paths cross is one of the great aspects of the RV-lifestyle. E-mail and cell-phones are super pieces of technology that keep us close to and in contact with a wide variety of friends. Paul and Linda were the first in a list of friends we are getting together with while in south Florida. We will see the rest of you shortly! (If you live in Atlanta you can bet we were talking about you). VBG

Highlands Hammock is an old State Park. The RV campground is rustic (hard packed sand under large oak trees). The sites are spacious but few "expensive" rigs are in the park, (the exceptions would be a 40' Wanderlodge and a 36' Country Coach). Behind us is a couple from Ontario in a class B with a big screen room. We see many snowbirds in popups, tents, small travel trailers, pickup truck slide in campers and everything in between. The common thread between them is they are enjoying themselves while escaping the miserable winter north of us. A truth we should glean from this is; no one needs to have an "expensive" RV in order to have fun. If you can afford an expensive RV that is fine but it is certainly not required. All of these individuals, most in their 70s, are having the time of their lives, and doing it on a song and dance (as in cheap).

Tuesday, February 18 2003 Highlands Hammock State park near Sebring $16.31 for water & 30 amps

Today we enjoyed Highlands Hammock walking miles of nature trails. Each trail featured something different. One featured wild orange trees. Another featured ferns, yet another a giant live oak tree over 1,000 years old and 36' in diameter. The cypress swamp trail was mostly a wooden platform/dock built through a cypress swamp. The state has done a good job with that trail. Without this raised walkway through the swamp the majority of individuals would never get to experience a true cypress swamp from the interior.

Several oaks in the park are over 1,000 years old. Think about that for a moment. These oaks are over 1,000 years old. Don't just skim over the fact that these trees are over 1,000 years old without putting it in perspective. These trees were seedlings when Europe was a feudal society. They were reaching middle age when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Americas (1500s). How do they know how old these trees are? Huge limbs have been pruned and they can count the rings on the limb. Physically these were large live oaks but not champion oaks. I suppose the genes were not right or possibly the soil conditions not right to produce a champion tree. The state champion sable palm a specimen 90' tall used to be in the park but it was felled by high winds a few years ago.

Several varieties of bromeliads festoon trees throughout the park. Brilliant green resurrection fern adorns the giant arms extending from ancient live oaks. Epiphytes (a plant that derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and usually grows on another plant) become more and more common as we travel south. Throughout the south Spanish moss and resurrection fern (both are epiphytes) is common. In central Florida ball moss (an epiphyte) is added to the mix. Below Orlando broad leaf bromeliads appear. Here in Highlands Hammock epiphytes especially the bromeliads seem to be growing from every foothold they can acquire in a host tree.

Although it is only mid-February maple trees have already turned red and now have pale green leaves. Red winged seeds of the maple are everywhere. Beech and sweet gum trees have likewise thrown off the vestiges of winter and are cloaked in pale green leaves. Warblers of every description are scouring trees in search of bugs and larvae. It will not be long before these winter visitors will be heading north again.

We partook in the park sponsored tram ride through the park. As it turned out the ranger provided very little information but did take us on a 2-hour alligator spotting adventure. We saw many 6 to 8 foot mother alligators each protecting a group of baby reptiles.

The CCC built much of what is in the park back in the 1930s. A museum in the park pays tribute to the CCC and what they built. In Florida alone the CCC constructed 2,736 bridges and 3,670 miles of road. I shudder to think what the country would have been without the CCC. It seems that every little town we visit has a courthouse built by the CCC and most of them are still being used.

Wednesday, February 19 2003 Highlands Hammock State Park near Sebring $16.31 for water & 30 amps

We just chilled out today. We took a few leisurely walks on the nature trails and took a spin around Sebring in the Saturn. Besides the ubiquitous citrus trees many people have in their yards some have mango trees with mango fruit hanging on them. Some yards have rubber trees that make handsome shade trees.

Sebring is home to an automobile race the Sebring 12 hour race. We drove past the race track several times but no races were going on so it was easy to miss. One local told us it was the only thing that happened in Sebring all year.

Thursday, February 20 2003 Beginning TREK mileage 40,517; ending TREK mileage 40,586. We drove up US highway 27 from Sebring to Kissimmee a total of 69-miles. Tropical Palms RV-Resort Kissimmee $33 full hookup with 30amps.

After our drive from Sebring up US-27 we arrived in Kissimmee and the Tropical Palms RV Resort around noon. Friends, Chuck and Mary Ann arrived an hour or so later. They have stayed in the Tropical Palms Resort before and took us for a walk to view the 800 or so RVs in the park and check out the pool and other facilities. It is a nice "Resort" if you are staying in the $45 dollar sites. We are staying in the $33 dollar sites with nothing more than a sandy site with 30 amps water and cable. The $45 dollar sites have 50 amps and cement pads. The pool is full of pre-teens and teens with adults occupying the lounge chairs trying their best to get a tan before returning home. We have been running our air conditioner since noon. The air conditioner is something that we have not used in a month or so even here in south Florida. But today the temperature got into the 80s early. No one was complaining. Actually sites in this "Resort" range from miserable to nice. The miserable sites are in mud or sand, uneven and conditions that individuals would be complaining to the Governor about if it were in a state park. The attraction for the park is LOCATION, LOCATION and LOCATION (a few miles from Disney World). We are here in a "peak" period. During the summer rates are cheaper but it is also hot as Hades!

We met our friends Chuck and Mary Ann. in Kanab, Utah in 2001 when we were both staying in the same RV-Park. We toured Zion together the next day. Last year we met them in Rock Crusher Canyon RV-Resort near Homosassa Springs, Florida. This year we are meeting in Kissimmee. No telling where we will next get together.

Chuck's brother and sister-in-law, Guy and Judy, have a motorhome and are also in the park. All three couples got together at Chuck and Mary Ann's place. We began discussing expensive parks that we have stayed in. Chuck and his brother have stayed in Key West where it was $80 per-night the most we have paid is $45 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Disney's Wilderness Park is $80 per-night this week and they are full. It seems that Disney's rates go up and down depending on the season. They say that they have stayed in Disney's Wilderness Park for $40 to $45 per-night.

There is nothing like getting together with friends and catching up on what has been going on in the past year.

Friday, February 21 2003 Tropical Palms RV-Resort Kissimmee $33 full hookup with 30amps.

We had a lazy day doing little more than taking a walk in the RV-Park then roaming around the shops in Old Town. Anyone familiar with nightlife around Disney World knows about Old Town. We thought things were slow in Old Town of course it was between noon and 2:00. I suppose everyone is having fun with Mickey! The pool here in Tropical Palms was full of kids by 9:00am. Disney World did not appear to be on their mind.

Dale and his wife Cheryl are old Navy friends of ours. Dale and I both got married to girls we met while in the Navy stationed in Brunswick, Georgia. We have stayed in touch all these years and stop in to see each other whenever one of us gets close to where the other lives. They stopped by our motorhome and took us to a great local restaurant "The Catfish Place" located east of Kissimmee in St. Cloud. When you are visiting in the Kissimmee, St. Cloud area you have an unlimited choice of chain restaurants lined up and down highway 192. The Catfish Place is solid local charm. They have been serving wild catfish from Lake Okeechobee for over 28-years. In addition to wild catfish they serve fried alligator and turtle. For some reason I went conservative tonight and just ate catfish. It was good but now I wish that I had ordered the alligator/turtle combo. When visiting in the "Disney World" area of Kissimmee/St. Cloud and want to experience a bit of the "original real-Florida" drive to St. Cloud and eat at the "Catfish Place".

Saturday, February 22 2003 Tropical Palms RV-Resort Kissimmee $33 full hookup with 30amps.

This was another laid back day of walks through the RV-Park. The weather was in the 80s and most people were enjoying the warm weather. At 5pm we met friends Fred and Nancy at Capone's a "dinner theatre" where we ate and enjoyed a stage show. Fred and Nancy are from Pensacola where both worked at the Navy base. They now live in a retirement community near the small town of Davenport just south of Disney World.

After returning home from Capone's Joyce and I spent a few hours enjoying amateur talent in a Karaoke place in Old Town. We really enjoyed the good young talent. This is something we will do again when we are around Disney.

The other day I mentioned that Old Town did not seem to have very many people roaming the streets around noon well things change when the sun goes down. Old Town rocks with large crowds especially on weekends when individuals arrive from all over the country to show off their old cars.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix

Click here for more Florida travellogs

Until next time remember how good life is.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix

More Florida Adventures

Adventures by State ** 2003 Travel Adventures

Mike & Joyce Hendrix

Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are

We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures:

Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page

Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects

We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us

Until next time remember how good life is.