"7-14 January 2005 - Condo Visit" Indian River City Travelogue by grandmaR

Ft. Pierce Municipal Marina-all the docks are gone

We left late to avoid the rush hour traffic. Our daughter gave us one of their Sun Passes before we left. She recommended that we take the turnpike because she said I95 was full of construction up around Palm Beach.

Our SIL asked me what a big bird that he had seen along the road with red feathers on the head - dark and about 3 feet tall. I think it is a sandhill crane. I saw lots of vultures circling over the dumps, cattle egrets, an anhinga, and I think I saw a wood stork.

We were doing well when the car started to vibrate. I asked about it, which annoyed Bob because he was concerned too and couldn't reassure me. I said it sounded like a tire. We've had that problem before. So we decided to stop for lunch, and got off the Turnpike at Palm City. We turned into a shopping center and looked at all the tires and they seemed to be fine. After lunch (about 1300), all seemed to be well. We crossed the St. Lucie River (which we've never seen from our boat), and went to the Fort Pierce City Marina.

WOW. When they said the outer docks were gone, they meant GONE. I figured that the transient docks which stuck way out into the river would be gone, but the docks on the other side where the long term people with bigger boats (mostly sailboats) was gone too. Everything had been taken right back to the seawall. All they've got left is the power boat docks inside of the Tiki Bar, and some of those don't look in good shape - the finger piers are all bent up like the boats got underneath. We went over to Harbourtown on the other side of the inlet, and their marina is in better shape.

We got onto I-95 to go on up to Titusville but the car started to do its vibrating again and Bob said he was afraid it was the drive shaft because it stopped when he let up on the accelerator. ACK. Or maybe a wheel bearing. So we got off I-95 early because the problem is worse at high speeds, plus we didn't want the drive shaft to fall off on the interstate.

I had two sets of directions - one the printed ones that came from the internet, and one the ones that came in the mail. The internet directions said "I-95 north to Route 50 east. Take Route 50 east till it ends at U.S. 1. Turn left on U.S. 1 to the first traffic light which is Knox McRae Drive. Turn left on Knox McRae Drive and go about 1 mile to the resort on the right."

The other directions said to get off at Exit 215 on 50 East, turn left on Barna and then RIGHT on Knox McRae Drive. I figured that US 1 must be Barna (which it was not), and so I took FL 407 to 405 to US 1, and turned left, and then tried to go right at the first light. But US 1 is right by the water there and you can't GO right - I should have been turning left. We had to call twice to get directions.

We are in unit 8C - upstairs - again 17 steps. It is a pretty quiet location, at least on the weekend. There is a middle school across the street and catty corner to us.

Bob said that we'd have to go to a Mercedes dealer to get anything fixed, so I got out the phone book and phoned the dealer in Melbourne and made an appointment for 7:30 am Tuesday morning, which was the first time I could get.

We got the stuff upstairs and I lay down - worrying about the car is very tiring. Eventually we had to decide about dinner, and we had one of those incidents where I think we've decided on one thing and Bob thinks we've decided on another. It doesn't help that he doesn't hear me half the time. Anyway, we ended up in Publix and I stood in line to get chicken and he did the rest of the shopping. We came home and he ate chicken and I ate my leftover salad from Outback and STILL couldn't finish it all. I went to bed early.

Historic sign looking over the Indian River

I got up early and looked out the window and then went back to bed and slept in.

About 9 Bob said that we should get moving, and I should see about renting a car so that we could see something. Yesterday, the lady at the MB place said the Enterprise was across the street would be $30/day. I called Enterprise in Titusville direct, and they offered $27/day. Bob saw a sign outside for a two day rental (for the weekend) for $9.99/day with 150 miles allowed per day. So we switched - we got a moss green Hyundai. They tried VERY hard to sell us the insurance, but we resisted. The girl seemed surprised - she said almost all of her customers took the insurance. Bob thinks she gets a commission on the insurance she sells. The car had some marks on it including a key mark across the gas tank flap, so I took photos. I tried to get another parking pass from the office, but she said we wouldn't need one.

We decided to visit attractions in Titusville.

After we went to the North Brevard Museum, we walked up to The Coffee Shop to have lunch, discovering after we got there that it closed at noon on Saturday and it was now 12:40. So we went across the street. I had a roast beef panani ($5.95), and Bob had a chicken salad sandwich ($4.95). He also bought some fudge - he asked for a pound and the girls said that a pound and a quarter was the same price. We didn't get a listing of how much anything was, but the total bill was $27.00

Next- Titusville Marina, and they said they were really lucky and did not have much damage at all from the hurricanes.

We followed the historic walking trail, and then we drove down to the National Police Museum which was in the AAA book - admission was $8 @ for military or AARP - police officers free - regular people $12 @ There are police cars, and motorcycles. There are interactive things for kids to do. There's a chapel and a big memorial with all the names of police officers that have lost their lives in the line of duty. Outside there's also a K-9 memorial. They have helicopter rides in a little black machine ($22 to $150) or you can go an do target practice for $18 by renting a gun and buying ammo.

It is across from the Astronaut Hall of Fame (similar admission charge) which we decided not to visit. We came back to the condo and I downloaded the photos.

We went to Steve's Family Diner for dinner. . We both succumbed and got rice pudding for dessert which was about $2 I think (the bill was a handwritten scrawl).

Bob with rainbow lorikeet

This morning Bob said that the MBs problem was probably a tire tread separation - the tires have to be hot before the problem shows up. So he went out and changed the right rear for the spare.

I was going to go to the Canaveral National Seashore today, but I decided that since it was a nice Sunday, that everyone would be out on the beach, and I wanted deserted beach photos. Instead we went to Melbourne.

We drove down US 1 through Cocoa, stopping in Rockledge to take a couple of pictures of the 'historic' Marion S. Whaley citrus packing house. It's on the historic register, but it is physically in bad shape and is for rent, lease or sale. I wanted to go down and see one of the old houses in Rockledge, but there was also a sign pointing to the zoo which I also intended to visit. And we were in the right lane and the sign to the zoo pointed right. So we turned right.

Bob complains because I can't see the signs far enough ahead (neither can he) to tell long enough before he has to turn so he can get in the correct lane. I can do it when we are on the boat and not moving so fast, plus I have binoculars on the boat.

So we turned far sooner than we would have needed to, and went through some very fancy neighborhoods and past a lot of golf courses - sterile treeless big housing estates. We got to the zoo, and I mistakenly got a combination ticket for the admission, train ride, and bird and giraffe feeding. I didn't realize that we could get the train ride separately. They also had kayak tours but I was afraid I would not be able to get out, even if I could get in.

I was primarily interested in the native Florida birds and animals - alligators, crocodiles sandhill crane, and we saw them feeding the red wolves. We saw a turtle swimming along with a duck chasing it and eating algae off the turtle's back.

Then we got on the train called the Cape to Cairo Express to ride around the African area, and then went to feed the rainbow lorikeets a fruity nectar from a little cup in the free flight cage. They sat on our hats and on Bob's shoulder and picked at his ears. I tried to get a picture of their black tongues lapping up the nectar, but it was not possible to hold the cup and take a picture at the same time. Now it was lunchtime, but I didn't want to eat in the zoo. So we left without seeing much of the African area and we completely skipped the South American section.

I had decided I wanted to eat at Conchy Joes, which is in the old Oleander's Hotel near the Eau Gallie bridge. Afterwards, we drove around to see some historic buildings, and also to look to see how the Melbourne Marina had fared. It looked OK although some of the roads up into the Melbourne historic district were blocked with construction.. Intercoastal Marina is completely gone of course.

I wanted to see what the status of Dragon Point was, so we drove over to Merritt Island. There were many road signs that were missing, so I could not find the proper street to turn on and we did not fine it. We did see a church with its steeple down next to it and blue tarps on the roof. Eventually we got to Port Canaveral, and I asked Bob to drive around in there a bit.

We got home about 4:30. Bob decided to drive the MB a bit to see whether it had improved, but he did not drive it far enough to get the tires hot, so he thought it had been cured. I was not really hungry, so I had the rest of my wrap for dinner and also had some ice cream. Bob had the leftover chicken.

Armadillo

Since Bob thought he had fixed the MB's problem, we returned the rental car to Enterprise. It cost $26.13 for the two days, which was pretty cheap. Then I went to find the Canaveral National Seashore office, which was on Julia Street in Titusville but no one was there. I took a photo of the historic courthouse and the theatre. Then we found the1886 Brady Grocery store and the 1888 bank walking tour sign that I had been unable to find before.

Bob got fuel in the car (diesel was only $2.099 there) and we started out for New Smyrna. I thought we might as well go I-95 up and come back on US 1, so as I was getting out the maps, Bob asked if 405 went to US 1, and it does so he turned on it. But it was the north end of 405 going south and took us on a long detour through the backside of Titusville including viewing the Titusville solid waste disposal area and the recycling plant.

We visited New Smyrna Beach

Then, we drove down the ocean side looking for a place to eat before we went to the Canaveral National Seashore. Finally when we passed the very LAST place (JB's Fish Camp and Seafood Restaurant which Bob didn't see because the sign was in the shade), he turned around and we had lunch there.

They said that they were on the Indian River, and Bob and I were pretty sure it was Mosquito Lagoon, as the Indian River is on the other side of the Haulover Canal. On looking it up later, I find that there seems to be a movement afoot to rename the Mosquito Lagoon as the Indian River Lagoon, just like Mosquito Inlet has become Ponce de Leon Inlet. Mosquitoes are bad PR.

We got to the entrance of the park at about 1300, and of course got in free with our Golden Age pass. We first went to the visitor's center and then drove all the way out to the end of the road. Bob sat in the car while I went out to take a picture of the beach.

We went back to Eldora, where there is a house that is all that is left of the community of Eldora. On the walk in, we saw an armadillo (we saw one cross the road earlier and also saw a snake on the road). He kept sticking his head under the leaves. They neither see nor hear very well, so he (or she) let us walk right up to him.

The house has been 'restored' and is called the Eldora State House. There's no rational reason for it to be called the state house, as it was never the capitol. And the restoration has basically completely rebuilt the house - it looks like none of it is original except the floorboards downstairs, and maybe the cistern.

We drove across to the mainland on the other bridge (the fixed bridge). We got back to the unit about 4:30.

For dinner, we went out to Dixie Crossroads.

Playalinda Beach - Canaveral National Seashore

This morning, Bob started watching an old black and white Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracey movie on TV (the one where they are both lawyers), and I got to watching it too, so we had lunch in the unit before we started out. Because there's only one phone for me to plug my computer into, and it is in the kitchen, I mostly take it into the main bedroom and Bob watches the TV he wants to watch in the living room.

We drove over to Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge After we visited the Visitor's Center, we drove out along the edge of the refuge that adjoins the space center (seeing wood storks and other birds) until we got to the southern part of the Canaveral National Seashore (got in free with our Golden Age pass) and went to Playalinda Beach. I got a stamp in my book at Merritt Island, but there's no Visitor's Center at the south side of the Seashore. They also apparently have the same kind of waterless toilets cum portapotty type facilities there that they do at Eldora.

Then we drove along the road to the Haulover Canal bridge and stopped at the Manatee Observation area. Then after we got fuel, we came back to the unit and had dinner here. We haven't spent much money today at all.

Rosette Spoonbills

I wanted to go back tosee the Black Point Drive loop that we missed yesterday. I thought that the eco-tour that goes out of the Titusville marina might do some of the edge of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, but they stay in the Indian River. So I made a reservation for the 1330 tour, and then we drove to the Refuge.

After we had done that loop, we drove to the Coffee Shoppe which we had intended to have lunch on Saturday. I had a egg salad sandwich ($2.35 - I was a little nervous about getting to the marina in time, so I didn't have the shepard's pie lunch with 2 sides which would have been $4.99) which came with chips and Bob had a hamburger ($2.39 also with chips). With iced tea, the total bill was $7.76, and we were finished in half an hour. During the week, they also serve dinner.

We got to the marina early for our eco- Indian River tour and we weren't sure how it would go because there were white caps on the river. But we had a nice tour - saw the rocket launched, saw dolphins etc.

And then we went to JC Penny and got Bob a windbreaker on sale We came home and Bob did the laundry ($5.25) and we ate dinner at Porky's BBQ.

Canaveral Light

Today we didn't do anything except watch TV (Bob), do computing and take a nap (me), and go out to dinner and look at the pool (both of us). I thought I might swim, but haven't done so. The water is quite warm - I dipped my feet in it. I did look up the address of the JC Penny in Orlando on the internet because the shoe department guy at Penny's yesterday said that if anyone had the shoes I wanted, they would be the ones.

I can't seem to make the 'find' function of my mapping software work. Don't know why, but it is very annoying.

On Thursday night, we did go to El Leoncita for dinner

Bob went to bed (he had already packed), and then got up (because of the reflux) and sat in the living room watching TV while I packed. We finally got to bed about 1:45 in the morning.

Friday January 14th. I got a shower, and finished up the chocolate chip ice cream for breakfast, and also finished up on the internet. We checked out about 9:30. It was raining like the dickens. We drove towards Orlando on Route 50 going through the wildlife preserve that there's no access to for the dusky seaside sparrow, and passing through the town of Christmas. It was raining too hard to think about going to Fort Christmas which has tours of an old fort that are free.

We got to the J.C. Pennys and they had no velcro athletic shoes at all. So we left. That section of Orlando is FULL of all kinds of Oriental business - Korean, Chinese, Thai etc.

Originally I had thought we'd go to Lake Wales, but going to Orlando had used up some time, so our next objective was Ponce lighthouse. First hurdle was to get onto I-4. The sign said to turn right to go north, but it didn't look like that road went to the on-ramp, so we didn't Then the next turn was to the ramp going south. So we wandered around a bit until we found our way onto I-4

It was still raining, but not as hard.

I didn't have an actual map of the area I wanted to go to, but I wanted to get off of I-4 and take Dunlawton Drive from Port Orange over to the beach. I figured that we could get off on 44 going to New Smyrna and then head up US 1 to Dunlawton rather than going all the way to Daytona on I-4. Wrong.

We did manage to get off on 44. But then when we got close to New Smyrna, there was a sign saying to turn left to get to US 1 in 1/4 mile. And Bob, having overshot the turn the last time, turned right away instead of waiting for the 1/4 mile to go by. Now we were on historic 4118 - Pioneer Trail. And even though 4118 was on the map, we couldn't tell what direction we were going on it. Eventually, we crossed back over I-95 and ended up back on 44.

So we had to do it over again. Oh well - we weren't in a hurry.

Photo of Canaveral Light is from the display at Ponce Light. The lighthouse is only visible from some tours of Cape Kennedy.

Next - from Ponce Inlet to Ormond Beach