Roadside Chronicles: Life On The Road: Jonathan Dickenson State Park, Jupiter, FL

February 16, 2014

Cycling path in Jonathan Dickenson

This is one of our favorite parks...because we can bike within the park and get as many miles in as we wish/generally quiet paths/roadways. The sites are spacious although it pretty much an open field. There is sewer hookup at our site which we only use when we leave. David can kayak here if he wants to. It is close to civilization and services/grocery.

from the path

There are actually two campgrounds here but we've only stayed in the Pine Grove Campground...named so because it used to be a pine grove before the fire. It was revamped after that fire to a new modern campground with ample shower houses. The River campground has smaller sites but lots of shade trees and an older bath house. We haven't seen many larger units in that one.

David on the path

While here we visited the Stuart Green Market and found lots of fresh veggies from various booths.
Pricing...they weren't giving them away but at least they were very fresh.

We decided to make a stop at B&A Flea market on Sunday (it is open both Saturday and Sunday)

kayak and boat launch area

We pulled into the paid parking area not realizing that you could park for free next door (duh). Paid our $1.00 parking fee only to discover that the lot was full (with other cars paying behind us). This didn't sit real well with David so we pulled up by one of the entrances and asked to get our $1.00 back. He said, he couldn't do that; David said that well there are no spots and I have no intention of moving until I get my $1.00 back. (It was the principle not really the money here.) Meanwhile, there is a rather long line forming behind us. An overseer in a golf came rolling up, he did not want to give the $1.00 back either (despite no parking spaces). David told him that he would just wait then until he got it back. The golf cart man reconsidered and we got our $1.00 back. Then we just left and it was then we realized that there was free parking right next door.....

mixed herd of birds

Whole Foods Market is down in Palm Beach Gardens...maybe 1/2 hour away so one afternoon we took a ride down there to stock up on some pantry items. (We needed to stock up on some rice and quinoa among other hard-to-find things for my gluten free diet). Since I am kind of new at this, shopping in Whole Foods is like shopping on Mars...lots of things I've never seen before. I filled up the larders with things like brown rice, quinoa, craisins, and some gluten free items.

On a side note: my first attempt at gluten free pancakes (actually buckwheat that I freshly ground) was a thumbs down from David and he only had one bight! I thought it was okay enough especially after adding our maple syrup/strawberries...remembering that at this point almost anything excites my taste buds.... I will probably make them again but I wouldn't dream of serving them to anyone but me!

off road biking area

Animal sightings: Otters crossing the road in park, feral CUTE piggies on the side of route A1A/1...and lots of birds.

Cons: no laundry at this campground.