Last Weeks in Keystone

The weather hasn’t been what we wished for or expected but, it is wintertime.  We left Keystone Heights five days ahead of schedule and headed to Eastpoint, Florida.  This will allow us the opportunity to visit with my big sister before heading onto Live Oak Landing in Freeport, Florida for two months.  She is making a remarkable recovery and her determination and spirit is amazing.  We’re very proud of her!  ♥

Keystone Heights RV Resort is a wonderful campground, has very much to offer, with much we liked about it but, something just didn’t seem right about it.  Neither one of us can put our finger on exactly what it is and maybe time will reveal it to us.  It could be we were distracted and didn’t give it a fair shake and maybe we’ll find ourselves back there one day?

Keystone Heights is located in North Central Florida and if we drove east to the Atlantic, St. Augustine Beach would be about an hour an fifteen minute drive.  Heading west to the gulf, say Steinhatchee, is a little over 2 hours.  Keeping the cupboard and fridge full wasn’t a huge challenge here, there was a Winn Dixie a few miles down the road.  They don’t always have everything we need which meant a drive to Starke (~15 min) or Palakta (~30 min) to visit a Publix or Walmart.

We managed a couple of hikes during the remainder of our time here.  One hike was to Magnolia Lake.  On our hike we passed this sign, which was a reminder of our country’s regrettable past; a little history on it here.  Understanding the area was a little confusing but much of it seems to be under the auspices of Camp Blanding.  A training facility for the military but it seems today they only occupy a small section.  The area we were exposed to seemed abandoned.  It was all a little creepy to us but the lake was nice and we only came across one other couple hiking the area.  We did spot several hunters and hoped we wouldn’t be mistaken for the creatures they were hunting.  Camp Blanding has quite a history dating back to WWI when is was located near Jacksonville on the St. John’s River.  The War Dept. had interest in an airbase at that location and moved what became Camp Blanding to Starke.  During it’s height, it was nicknamed, “the fourth largest city in Florida.”  It was even used to house German Prisoners of War during WWII and you can find information here from the Camp Blanding Museum.  It was an interesting but creepy place; at least the area we hiked.  

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