Alafia River State Park in Lithia, Florida January 3 – 13, 2026

After dumping and flushing our tanks we left Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, Florida at 1 pm on Saturday, January 3rd and drove 71 miles southwest to Alafia River State Park in Lithia, Florida for a 10-night stay.

I thought it was pronounced Al-aff-ee-a, or A-laff-ee-a, but as we were checking in at the ranger station I asked and was told it’s pronounced Al-a-fy-a.

So Cindy won that one, lol.

Alafia River State Park

Alafia River State Park is 7,717 acres of reclaimed phosphate mine land that was donated to the state by previous and current mining companies. The mining operations were responsible for the area having some of the most radical elevation changes in the state, which makes it a popular destination for mountain bikers.

That would NOT be Cindy and I, lol.

BUT, there are also 20 miles of hilly trails through forests and prairies that can be enjoyed by hikers like us and equestrians. Scattered throughout the trails are tranquil lakes where alligators have made their homes. And along the South Prong of the Alafia River there are oppportunities for fishing and canoeing.

There are also stables and pens for horses, a full-service bike shop, picnic pavilions and a playground.

There are two campground loops; the Lonesome Lake Campground with 12 sites and the Lake Alafia Campground with 17 sites. We were in the latter in a paved pull-through site with 50-amp electric and water. Our site was large and came with a resident armadillo. We used our new stabilizer blocks for the first time instead of the multiple pieces of pressure-treated wood we’ve used for the last 4 1/2 years. Nomad seemed to be more stable and to wobble less, but we’ll see how they perform over time and in different pad types (gravel, sand, etc.) as we travel.

It was supposed to rain the night we arrived, so I didn’t put up Cindy’s new screen room. The forecast was in error. But I did put up for her the next day.

I first saw our resident armadillo crossing the road behind our site while I was setting up. He moved too fast through our site for me to get a photo or video that first afternoon as he scurried into the three-foot long plant growth at the edge of our site. However, we would see him again during our stay.

Sunday we hiked around both campground loops with Bella and saw where there were some trails in our area. Then we spent the rest of the day taking care of some errands and relaxing.

I also applied for three different hosting positions in Georgia. If they were like my applications to Oregon State Parks and Florida State Parks, I wouldn’t be hearing anything anytime soon.

You Have A Call

Monday we did another two mile hike with Bella in the morning on one of the trails we found, then drove into Valrico, which was about 30 minutes from the campground. I had some gift cards for Applebee’s, so we decided to have lunch there. During lunch, in fact just as our food arrived at the table, I received a phone call.

I use the new capability of iPhones to screen phone calls from numbers that are not in my contacts. It asks the person who is calling who they are and why and lets me know with a message on the screen so I can answer the call or let it go to voicemail. Or the caller will hang up, which is what most spam callers do.

So when the message from the caller first popped up on my screen I was surprised, then I was doubly-surprised when I recognized the name as the person in charge of hiring for the three positions I had applied for THE DAY BEFORE.

Long story short (not real short because my food was cold by the time we finished the call, lol, but that was not really a problem because she shared some exceptionally good information with me and made the decision-making process easy), we’ll begin hosting duties on April 1st through September 30th or thereabouts.

So, The Wandering Wetheringtons will be stationary for about 6 months.

I’ll write more about the position and duties in a future post.

After lunch we went grocery shopping, but poor Cindy was freaking out the whole time because now we need to cancel some reservations we had during that 6 months period and re-work some plans we had. Her nervous energy was revved up and had to go somewhere, so when we got back to the campsite she immediately began re-planning and coming up with ideas of things we could place around our campsite for several months. Things like getting some potted plants, putting out bird feeders, stringing lights, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera (as the King of Siam was fond of saying in “The King and I”).

We’ll miss our big Lake Erie Wine Trail tour that we planned for later in the year, which we were really looking forward to, but it will still be there for a trip in the future.

And my doctor’s office called to let me know the MRI showed I had a medium-tear in the meniscus of my left knee. So it’s nice to know all the pain I’ve had for the past year was NOT my imagination. Now I have to see an orthopedic doctor and not sure when or where. Thinking I’m going to try some rehab actions of my own and then if there’s no improvement then I’ll look for an orthopedic doctor when we’re sitting in Georgia for 6 months.

Dog Attack

Wednesday morning we took Bella on a two-mile hike with us on a trail we had not been on before. As we were hiking along several folks from a mountain bike club were approaching us from the direction we were heading and as they slowed down going past us they all said, “Be careful there’s a big dog up ahead.”

We thanked them, but they were past us before we could ask if the dog was loose or with its owner. Unspoken in their words of warning, but not their tone, was that the dog was aggressive. So, in the interest of safety for us and Bella, we turned around and started back the way we had come.

But it wasn’t long before I heard sounds behind us and turned to see a big Norwegian Elkhound pulling a man who was probably 5 years younger/older than me and he obviously could not control the dog. I mean, they were nowhere in sight on the trail and suddenly they were right behind us so they (or rather the dog) was making great speed as they approached us. I moved Bella and Cindy off to the side of the trail so he and his dog would go past us, and told the man to go around us, but the dog pulled its owner off to the side toward us.

Now, this guy, though in my age range, had a stocky build and looked to be strong enough in his upper body to rein in his dog. He wasn’t a frail old man. But the dog pulled him effortlessly as it continued to make its way toward me while I shielded Cindy and she shielded Bella. Cindy tried to calm Bella with words and soft touches as she kept her turned away from the trail, but Bella no doubt sensed that this behemoth was making its way toward her. She, gentle warrior that she is, was prepared to engage with a creature that would have chewed her up and spat her out. We weren’t having that.

I raised my voice and sternly told the approaching dog “No!” And then, to its owner I said, just as sternly, “Get your dog under control!”

“I’m trying!”, he cried, as the dog relentlessly made its way forward. Finally, it reached my legs and not wanting to but having no other choice in trying to keep the dog back, I kicked it in the nose.

That stopped it, but only momentarily as it started forward again trying to get past me to Cindy and to Bella.

“Get your goddamn dog back!” I shouted and prepared to kick the dog even harder to keep it away. The owner finally heaved and pulled and got the beast pulled back a bit and tried to go around us. I kept moving sideways to keep myself between the dog and Cindy. The dog gave a mighty pull and almost caused its owner to fall as it continued trying to get to Cindy and Bella.

I raised my foot and slammed it down hard into the dog’s head, stopping its forward motion while I shouted “NO!” It yelped, backed up, and the owner finally wrestled it away as I stood ready to kick the dog again if necessary, while yelling once more to the owner to get his dog back. That last kick/stomp seemed to have made the dog reconsider whether this whole episode was worth its effort. We waited until the owner had pulled the dog out of sight down the trail before continuing on our way back. I stayed in the lead in case the dog made its way back, dragging its useless owner with it.

And, to be clear, it’s not the dog I blame; it’s the owner. If you cant control your dog, don’t take it out in public. I mean, what the hell are you thinking?

Unsurprisingly, later in the week, we saw that same dog running loose in the campground. I don’t know if his owner was staying in the campground and the dog got loose from him or if the crazy canine ate him and now had no home. I called the ranger’s office but the call went to voicemail (these budget cuts are insane) so I left a message. Never heard back or saw a ranger. Maybe they were afraid of the dog too.

You Say It’s Your Birthday

Thursday I drove into town to do some laundry and to drop a birthday card off at the post office for our youngest granddaughter Jade’s 16th birthday that would be coming in a little over a week.

Friday we did a walking bird tour with one of the rangers and a group of about 8-10 campers. It was not one of the better tours we’ve been on, though the ranger gave it her best I think. We enjoyed the hike through the woods more than anything.

And I want to hope the ranger was kidding with dry humor when she pointed out the sound of a mockingbird and then said, “So if you hear a dog barking but don’t see any dogs around, it’s probably a mockingbird just sounding like a dog.” What was even scarier was that none of the other tour members laughed, which made me worry they thought she was speaking a fact.

Plus, it was our youngest grandson Maxwell’s 13th birthday. Happy Birthday Maxwell!

You Say It’s Your Birthday 2

We try to get together with my brother Mark and his wife Pia each year when we’re in this part of the state, like we did this time and this time. Sunday the 11th he and his lovely (and saintly) wife treated Cindy and I, as well as Pia’s daughter Diana and Diana’s boyfriend Rey, to drinks and lunch at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant.

The festivities started with drinks in the bar at 1 pm where we got caught up with each other and exchanged gifts for our missed birthdays the past year. Cindy and I gave Mark and Pia a bottle of Maker’s Mark (get it?) 101 Proof bourbon whiskey.

But Mark and Pia went WAY overboard on their gifts to us. They gave us a fifth of Oban Scotch (our favorite), a cool air freshener for the truck with a photo of Mark and I on it, a gift card with Cindy and mine’s photo embossed on it, and an absolutely awesome book about us with my photo on the cover. The opening lines had me in tears with laughter.

I wrote more about THAT gift on my writing blog.

Then we moved to the dining room for a fabulous meal and more time to talk and visit. I was hungrier than I thought (plus it was SO tasty) and finished my meal before everyone else. Then Cindy and I shared a dessert. We spent about 3 1/2 hours between the bar and the dining room eating, catching up and enjoying each other’s stories about the past year. Way too soon we all had to go our separate ways, but I will always be grateful for their time and their love.

On the way back to the campground Cindy and I stopped at Michaels Arts and Crafts for Cindy, but it was not well-stocked and did not have what she needed. While she did that I walked across the parking lot to a Barnes & Noble which was smaller than I’ve previously seen, well-designed and laid out, but also not well-stocked. Both victims, I suppose of online shopping.

Monday we started packing up things to get ready to leave the next day for our next stop.

Oh, and it was the 60th anniversary of the Batman TV series. I loved that show when I was a kid and wrote more about that on my personal blog.

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