Lakepoint Resort State Park, Eufaula, Alabama

March 17 - 25, 2008

Here we are at Lakepoint Resort State Park in Eufaula, Alabama (pronounced "you-fall-uh" and not "you-full-uh", as in you-full-uh cr__! Eufaula is located on the Chattahoochee River and is part of the Chattahoochee Trace of Alabama and Georgia. Here at the park, along with the campground, you will find a full marina, golf course, hiking trails and plenty of boating and kayaking.

Day one here, Ken was riding his bike around the campground and came across a fellow camper who also had kayaks. He stopped to ask for any recommendations on where to go. John and Sheila had also just arrived. They are from Kincardine, Ontario and we found we had a lot in common including golfing (they are much better at the game than we are!!), kayaking and biking (more with Ken than with me!) and enjoying an evening glass of wine or beer around the campfire. They really helped to make our week here enjoyable and we hope we can join up with them again when we return from our long trip next year.

We spent a beautiful day yaking on Lake Eufaula up the Cowickee Creek, only to find out later that the area is the home to over 1,000 alligators. We know this is alligator country, but that many would have detered me from traveling on the lake. At one time during our trip on the water we noticed a very large head popping out of the water no more than 10 feet from Ken's kayak...he really did look more afraid of us than we were of him so we continued on.

I'm so glad I have Ken around to keep everything clean!!!

As I mentioned before, it was Ken who first met John and Sheila. When he's outside doing all of his "blue" jobs, a lot of the gentlemen neighbors come by to say hi. He comes back with tales from all over the country.

We spent a day touring Eufaula and some of its mansions and historical buildings. We toured Shorter Mansion and Museum which gave good insight into life in the Old South after the Revolutionary War. I've always thought my ideal life would have been as a Southern Belle, sipping mint juleps on the veranda and entertaining the upper echelon of the South. Of course, I could have never fit in their dresses made for someone with an 18 inch waist!! And, I don't think I could have gone without the "necessities" of life, like electricity, running water and heat! However, these houses were absolutely beautiful.

This is a picture of the Couric-Smith Mansion built in 1845, the home of Katie Couric's great-grandfather.

It's been a bit confusing lately with the beginning of Daylight Savings Time while we were at Georgia Veterans State Park when we continued to get up with the sun but it was an hour later than normal. Then we cross the Georgia-Alabama border and run smack into Central Standard Time. That was okay until I almost missed American Idol because it was on at 7:00 instead of 8:00. Tomorrow we leave Alabama and head back to Florida where we will again have to get used to Daylight Savings Time.

We're heading for Panama City, Florida and the beach. Sarah will be joining us on Friday for a week. Can't wait to see her!!