Our trip to Mexico fed the travel bug, and as always, it’s nice to be back home. But Spring has finally arrived in Coastal Georgia, and if there’s anything that whets a travel bug’s appetite it’s sunny, warm days, and cool nights.
So the time has arrived for the annual Gallivance Spring Fling. This year that means an extended camping trip along the US Gulf Coast and west to Louisiana (at least that’s the plan today). There’s a Strawberry Festival in Ponchatoula, LA that’s the quintessential celebration of Spring.
We’ll be posting from the road, and hope to give everybody a glimpse of Springtime in the South. It’s our favorite time of year, and one of the reasons we love the Southeast. And the trip will almost certainly turn up some juicy Roadside Americana as well. We’d love to have you follow along.
Happy Trails,
James and Terri
Photo Credit: 1. phaewilk
GALLIVANCE 
Same here and absolutely true
Hi B! Your Spring photos look lovely. We’ve lived in so many places during the springtime, and each place has its own signature plants. I love them all! So glad that you stopped by. All the best, Terri
I will very much look forward to the road trip. Do you use a tablet or a laptop do post while on your travels? I am really struggling with the latest updates on WordPress App. My iPad almost took a flying leap into the Thames recently. 🙂
Sue, when we travel in the US, we blog on laptops (Macs). Outside the US we use an iPad. But, on the trip to Mexico, we decided that we were going to buy an 11″ Macbook Air for all overseas trips. I have a 13″ Macbook air and love it. We’ve traveled with the iPad for 3 years and it has worked OK, but as you know, it has it’s problems. On future trips it will be an 11″ Macbook Air, ipad minis X2 (BTW we love these as well and the full size ipad is outta here), kindles X2. And that should cover it ~James
Thanks for that James. I will definitely be contemplating some kind of Notebook/small laptop. Because we do carry on only, weight has always been a consideration and thus the iPad. I appreciate the tips. 🙂
Go James and Terri! It’s my favorite time there too, although I love the fall as well. I’m headed to Georgia now myself to visit family. Enjoy your trips and please share the food tips!!!
Hi Laura, it’s so great to hear from you. I bet a trip to Georgia is just what you need to thaw out a bit! 🙂 What part is home for you? We’re in Tallahassee today and Spring has sprung – it’s gorgeous! Dogwoods, azaleas, and lots of pollen – all the good ol’ southern staples. And as to the food, some fishermen in our campground had a fish fry last night – gotta love the South. Hope you have a wonderful visit. All the best, Terri
Hey Terri, I’m not staying on top of my blog these days! My family is northeast of Atlanta, Gainesville area, but I was raised just east if the city. Awesome that you’re tapping into southern spring style! I was just in Savannah and it was wonderful. Cheers, and wishing y’all continued travel enjoyments!
looking forward to your posts from the road! and the bleeding heart flowers (?) – well they are beautiful. 🙂
~yvette
Thanks Yvette. The flowers along the Gulf Coast are exploding right now (as is the tree pollen). We’ve been snapping a few photos, and may pull together a post. ~James
A spring camping trip sound perfect! We haven’t quite gotten into full spring here. We’ve had a few warms days, but it is still in the mid to low 30’s at night. We don’t have our strawberry festivals until mid-June.
The camping weather is perfect here Laura. We’re outside Tallahassee, FL and it’s in the upper 70s most days, and a perfect-for-sleeping 60-65 at night. Bliss. ~James
We’ll be following! Just returned from Louisiana where we feasted at the Oyster Festival in Amite. Will write about it soon, I hope! And love the picture of the bleeding hearts — one of my favorite perennials! Safe travels!
Rusha, you’ll be interested to know that the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival was one of our regular spring trips when we lived in NOLA. We haven’t been back since we moved away (in the Pleistocene), so we’re looking forward to it. ~James
Sounds wonderful!!!! We just had a foot of snow in Minneapolis. Longest winter ever! I hope Spring decides to someday come. Have a wonderful camping trip!
NIcole, a foot of snow sounds meeeserable. I won’t give you the details of our weather (it might just make your cabin fever worse). But in the summer you can tell me how nice it is there, and I’ll tell you how meeeserable it is in the south. ~James
Well, the snow just melted like that and it will be 70 on Wednesday! Land of extremes here in MN!
Happy travels and I’ll look forward to it!
Thanks Bronwyn. We’ll keep you posted. ~James
Ooooh, camping trip, great! We just brought a new tent in preparation for our summer holidays too. 🙂
New tents are always fun Vilma, but like new wallets or purses, they usually require some new habits. And if you had the old one for a while, you do the compare and contrast. ~James
You are right, I hope we’ll get around to test this one out before a longer trip!
I’ll be along for the ride. 🙂 –Curt
Curt, you’ll love this. Today we were about 25 miles west of Tallahassee, FL and a black bear loped across the road in front of us (pretty rare for here), we saw a coyote, a dead gator floating in the pond by the road, and a bald eagle. Wild Kingdom here Dude. ~James
All great… with the possible exception of the dead gator. 🙂 And much of Florida is indeed a Wild Kingdom! If it just weren’t so flat. (grin) –Curt
Keep traveling and blogging, James and Terri. I am going with you!
So far we’re experience some great weather Denise! 70s during the day and 50s at night. Perfect camping weather! 🙂 ~Terri
Great.! Continue to enjoy!
✈️🚅🚗🎎😉
Happy traveling, James and Terri! Smile !
Denise ☺️
🙂
Love bleeding hearts as well, as they are featured prominently in my in-law’s gardens. I am very much looking forward to your road trip as Louisiana is a state we have yet to explore.
LuAnn, Bleeding Hearts and Lilies of the Valley always make me smile – I just love any flower that “dangles.” And Louisiana is a fabulous place – it’s so exotic in so many ways. From the fabulous architecture and food to the welcoming, colorful characters you meet. I think you would really enjoy it. Are you still in Savannah or have you moved on? We hate it that we missed you guys in SSI. Maybe on your next tour. 🙂 ~Terri
We are now in Huntington Beach State Park near Myrtle Beach, but quieter. Wish we could have met you two as well. Hopefully our paths will cross one day.
We love Huntington Beach State Park! We’ve spent a lot of time up there and around Surfside Beach and Myrtle Beach. We always stage our own miniature golf tournament with each other. So far James is ahead, but only by a hair! 🙂 ~T
I guessed you would probably know all about Huntington Beach SP. We love having the beach all to ourselves. Now if the weather would begin to cooperate. 😉
I can’t wait!
Thanks Marie. We’re camped just north of Lake Ponchartrain, which is just north of New Orleans. A natural part of spring in this part of the country are thunderstorms, and we’re waiting out a doozy. More later. ~James
Sounds good to me 🙂 Enjoy!
Jo, we just went through western Florida where a big black bear loped across the road in front of us. Thankfully we were in the car – because bears and camping just don’t mix. 🙂 ~Terri
Eeek! 😦
Terri & James, just the mention of a strawberry festival has me tempted to indulge in more strawberries & whipped cream. Wish you safe travels! You don’t seem to sit still for long! 🙂
Tricia, the Strawberry Festival is this weekend and we’re gearing up for the parade, music … and strawberries! We first went to this festival when we moved to New Orleans straight out of university – so it’s been a few years. 🙂 Can’t wait! Where are you and Shawn now? ~Terri
I have seen very little of the South other than a stay in New Orleans a couple of years ago. I look forward to your insights in anticipation of the day when our travels will be of the domestic type. Florence’s passport expires in 2018, and we are wondering if we will renew it or just explore our own country after so many years on the road. – Mike
MIke, as much as we love traveling and living abroad, we take equal joy in exploring and living all over the US. And Spring in the South is wonderful, particularly for camping. On average our temperatures range from the 50s to the 70s (although last night did get into the 40s – as James says, “Good snuggling weather!” 🙂 ) Our biggest challenge has been dodging the College Spring Breakers – I guess we all remember what that was like!
We have found that spending time in the US recharges our batteries. For years we’ve done a variation on your 6-Month Theme – ours is more of a 3-Month Theme of being in-country and out of the country. We’re in the process of figuring out our Summer and Fall adventures. I just love that the possibilities are endless. 🙂 ~Terri
Having relocated to the Western edge of the states, I really miss home and Southern Georgia is close enough to make me homesick. In Florida the Manatees are migrating from the warmer water of the freshwater springs back into the deeper water of the gulf and Atlantic- and taking their calves along with them.
Jordan, I’m so glad you reminded me about the manatees. We used to live in Florida and watching them with their calves was one of my favorite pastimes. We also lived in Eugene and Newport, Oregon, so we learned to see Spring from that perspective too. The great thing about the South right now is that it’s the perfect time for camping and we’re really enjoying it. So glad you stopped by. All the best, Terri
Bleeding heart flowers are lovely. I got one on my blog too.
Jean, Your bleeding hear photo is gorgeous. I love it! 🙂 Are you starting to see some signs of Spring yet? ~Terri