Back on the Road - Fort Pierce

Realizing that I had probably been camping illegally, and not wishing to push my luck, and get in trouble for trespassing, I got up early and abandon my habitat.

The days were now disappearing fast and I was beginning to fear that it would not be possible to make the entire loop, from Daytona to Key West, through the Everglades National Park and on to New Orleans, prior to the 16th of December (the date of the scheduled flight back to Michigan).

A plan was needed, but "planning" was not part of my plan. Discovering things along the way that you never expected, is what makes traveling exciting.

On the other hand, despite my above comment, I've sometimes regretted my lack of planning (or at least a failure to research ahead of time) which has caused me to miss things that should not have been missed.

In spite of the need to pick up the pace, it seemed foolish to just drive pass by the Cape Canaveral National Seashore and Merit Island without having a look. To at least get a peak, from a distance, at the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, that alone would seem to make it worth the effort.

Merit Island is mostly a bird watcher's paradise, but as much as I like wildlife, that's just not my forte.

Perhaps because there is a toll to get to the beach, Cape Canaveral, was pretty desolate. Save a few shore fisherman spread out along the way, the beach was deserted.

As expected, the launch pad was clearly visible and actually closer than anticipated. Surprisingly, with no visible signs of security save a fence across the road and no trespassing signs, it appeared as though one could quite easily sneak right up the facility. I could only hope that I was badly mistaken. At the Merit Island Welcome Center they had said that when they were launching, "it wasn't possible to get even within a few miles of the launch pad."

Nonetheless, it would seem that the security would be tighter - "at all times".

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I don't understand how camping came to be regarded as meaning a - Motor home, Fifth-Wheel, Bumper-Tow Camper or "parish the thought" a Pop-Up Camper. Whatever happened to the tent, sleeping bag, log fire and warmed over "road-kill" (just kidding on that last one - of course!).

It isn't easy to find primitive (tent) campsite facilities, and when you do - you pay nearly the same as the RV'er. That's despite the fact that you're not using any electricity and you don't require a dump station. The tent camper only requires the use of the shower and bathroom facilities. For the tent camper to pay nearly the same RV'er, "It Just Ain't Fair".

To add to that, all too often (especially in the case of state and national parks) they close the gate at sundown.

I have four little questions for the state and national campground officials. Why do the campgrounds close down so early? Why should there be a gate at all? Why, do some of the parks not even allow tent camping? After all, isn't that what "true" camping is all about? Just asking!

As case in point, with some difficulty, I finally found Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, but it was closed and according to local authorities, they don't allow primitive camping anyway.

Faced with no other alternative, I stopped at a motel where (although it was only about 7:30) they were closed. Fortunately, (you may question this), one of the renter's in this the small complex of 5-6 motel units, was desperate for money and offered to "sub-let" their couch and use of bathroom facilities. John and Tricia were renting an apartment unit by the week for $175, but their check had not come through and they needed the money. For $20, it was a bargain. Their only request - don't tell their landlord.

When on the road, you do what you have to do - I rented the couch for the night.