We decided it was time for another road trip yesterday, so we left the Daytona Beach RV Resort about 10 AM, ran a couple of errands, and then drove down to New Smyrna Beach. This is fast becoming one of our favorite towns in Florida. We spent a while browsing in some shops, drove across the North Causeway for a glance or two of the ocean, which was kind of a lead gray color, and then decided to drive another 25 miles or so south to Titusville, another town where we have spent a lot of time over the years.
There is a really cool Ace Hardware in Titusville which, besides all of the regular things hardware stores have, carries a very nice selection of fishing equipment, kayaks, and other goodies. Terry couldn’t resist stopping to check out a Big Green Egg grill. These things are for serious cooks! I couldn’t believe how heavy the lid was when I opened it! I think it would probably be a little too much for the RV lifestyle.
We also popped into a place called the Kite Stop, which is new since our last visit to Titusville. We don’t need any more kites (okay, serious kite fliers know that you always need at least one more kite), but there was no way we could just drive on past without stopping to check it out. They have a nice selection of kites, everything from single-line kiddy kites to dual line stunt kites, and even high performance quad line Revolution kites, which are what Terry and I fly.
We had never met the owner, John Lutter, but he is the current president of the American Kitefliers Association and we know many of the same people in the kite flying community. We knew that there was a kite festival scheduled for New Smyrna Beach in November but John also told us about one here the Daytona Beach area in two weeks that we were unaware of.
After visiting with John and his son for a while we drove around some more and then stopped at Dixie Crossroads for an early dinner. This is absolutely one of our favorite seafood restaurants in the entire country, and if you have never tasted their rock shrimp you don’t know what you’re missing. It was absolutely delicious!
While we were eating dinner the weather alert on my phone went off, warning of a strong thunderstorm on its way. So once we were done with our meal, we got on Interstate 95 and made a quick run north to get back home.
By the time we got back to the campground the sky had turned a very ugly yellow/gray color and just as I unlocked the door to our motorhome the rain started coming down. We had just made it! If we had stopped for one more traffic light along the way we would have gotten drenched in the time it took to go from our Explorer to the Winnebago.
Speaking of weather, we are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Matthew, which is now down in the Caribbean. Most of the model forecasts show it turning north and then curving east and going out to sea. But there is one model showing that it might come up the coast and impact the Daytona Beach area sometime around Thursday of next week. We’re not heroes and we have wheels under our house. If it looks like it’s going to come our way, we plan to hit the road and get out of its path and go somewhere safe until it’s over with. We will keep you posted.
Have you entered our latest Free Drawing yet? This week’s prize is an audiobook of Capitol Offense, the second book in my pal George Wier’s Bill Travis mystery series. To enter, all you have to do is click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening.
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Nick Russell
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Best hardware store in our area is S.F. TRAVIS hardware in Cocoa, Florida at 300 Delannoy Avenue. It has been in business since 1885. And they are in their original building in Cocoa Village. Absolutely the best.
And about hurricanes, have RV will travel.
Hi Nick and Terry. Eggcited to see you looking at the Green Eggs. We have a mini max that we purchased just for our motorhome. If you do get to that place, and ready to purchase, I can say that Wassi’s Meats in Melbourne, FL has the absolute best deals in the entire state. We have bought with them for years, and can’t find better customer service. They are worth the drive just for their meats alone. Janice and Frankie are real quality people to work with. We love setting up the Mini Max in campgrounds because it’s an instant social magnet and we have met so many people over the top of that grill…..LOL. From 12 pound turkeys at Christmas, to pizzas, to brownies, just love that little thing. Good luck and stay safe!!! Janet and Randy
We stayed at the really great Willow Lakes RV and Golf Resort just out of Titusville this past May. It was one of those places where you can have a house/RV port style thingy. If it wasn’t so far from our kiddos, Dave says he could live there.
Eeeeeeeek!! I hate it when those alarms go off. Maybe you could just keep on driving all the way to California!
I’m sure if you were to find some vacancies down in Key West about this time seeing house as you are now Floridians Stick around and enjoy the blow
Sort of an off-topic when you were up in the Pacific Northwest and you have their clam chowder up there that’s the way they like it
As you probably know New Englanders are a funny breed we don’t like it thick
So here’s the best deal going ,,the next time you go to Publix grocery store go over to the deli bakery side and look for their ready made New England clam chowder hot soups ( you fill your own container ) You can get it in three sizes they don’t have it every day but there will be a list to tell you what days it’s going to be ( you could also get it in the cooler section but I like mine hot )
as a finicky New Englander I rate there about a nine
Also I didn’t know you were fanatic on hardware stores but seeing your in NSB There’s a real good one it was called planet supply ( military and government surplus ) on 720 US1
Connie B
No Connie you should not have told Nick about SS Travis hardware are you forgetting that directly across the street is a fantastic shop called sugar shack donuts
Not as large as voodoo donuts in Portland Oregon but nonetheless just as Creative and good
I’m sure Mr. Nick could spend Miss Terry’s tool allotment for the year in there
Note to Miss Nancy
Let me see if I get this right
2 hurricane coming out from the Caribbean check
Heavy rains in the Midwest check
22 Earthquakes at 4.2 in Sultan Sea check
Mad Mexican gardener with a canna round up Check
Dead yard grass in California check
OK Nick grab kite 2 sugar shack donuts run like hell ??
Love Dixie Crossroad’s rock shrimp!!
Thanks for stopping by Kite Stop… It wasn’t until I was in Oregon for the AKA convention, that I found out about your blog from Brett Morris. What a small world!