Daytona Speedway RV Park

#6 Daytona Speedway RV Park

When I left Georgia, the temperature was a mild 67º with overcast skies. When I arrived in Daytona Beach the temperature was 83º with sunny skies and billowy, cotton puffs of clouds. Needed heat on when going to bed one night and the AC on the next. That was only the first night; the rest of the week...heat needed.

Are you familiar with the idiom, "third time's a charm?" Worked for me today. On my third attempt to pull into a gas station to fill up, I was finally rewarded for the hassles; The first station's pumps would not take credit or debit cards at $4.79. The second had all pumps busy at $4.99. And finally, at my favorite, a BP station with my BP card the price went from $4.77 to $4.62. Something as simple as that makes for a pleasant trip.

Well, pleasant until I encountered the "Nightmare of I-95." As you know, I-95 begins in Houlton, Maine and terminates in Miami, Florida but continues as the Dixie Highway or US 1 which eventually reaches Key West. If there's an accident anywhere along its stretch and you're not near an exit, well, that's it, you're parked for the duration; and everyone who drives the route is sure to encounter one at some point. Today, a car on fire with injuries blocked all lanes and all traffic was forced to exit. That alone took about a half hour. When I passed back over the bridge and looked south, it was a nightmare. As far as the eye could see traffic was at a standstill.  Following back roads that ran parallel to I-95 for miles and miles, I finally reentered the Interstate to complete my trip losing an hour.

Site 133 toward the rear
of the campground.

Aerial View

 

The campground is crowded. RVs are cramped together with only the "premium" sites having a picnic table and a fire ring. Mine had neither which worked out fine because although the weather was conducive for a fire it was not for sitting out. This weekend is the "Rolex 24." If you're a NASCAR enthusiast, check out the link. "From sunrise to sunset and all through the night, witness as both man and machine are pushed to the limit in this twice-around-the-clock marathon, which has welcomed racing legends from across the motorsports universe since 1962. Celebrate the start of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with the ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA ON JANUARY 28 AND 29!" Now that should be interesting. " As close as I am to the Racetrack, I was not bothered by the noise.

There are 45 Cessna 127 Skyhawks housed
at Emery Riddle's Flight Department

The Daytona International Airport is but two miles east and site of the Emery Riddle Aeronautical University.. On weekday mornings, students take off in one-minute intervals on training flights and head west right over the campground.

Mya & Mark - February 2018

As mentioned in earlier blog posts, this is my sixth stop before settling down in Clermont, FL, for my two month stay. I'll be there for the entire months of February and March. Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores and Port Orange have wonderful memories for me going back almost fifteen years. Primary among them is visiting my long time friend, Mya, who lives in Port Orange. Formerly of Yorktown, she and her children, Zane and Zhani have been here for thirteen years. It's been over a year since I last saw her and Mark, so this week is just as special as all the rest. As none of us had lunch, the first order of business after setting up was to be picked and running over to Ford's Garage for a mid-afternoon bite to eat. And so it begins. Jack (neighbor), hang on to your knife and fork because most of this blog will be about dining with friends. The number of restaurants in this area and Florida in general is mind-boggling. As usual, I urge you to click on any of the links in RED to see themes, menus and what I've enjoyed (while I can). In most cases you're looking at the main meal of my two-meal day.

Yes, the theme is the classic Ford and memorabilia is everywhere.

"Ford's Signature Burger": Tillamook® Sharp Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Chopped Romaine, Tomato, and Red Onion on a Brioche Bun.

I thought it a nice touch to "brand" the bun with their name.

For Friday night's dinner it was a trip to nearby Stonewood Grill and Tavern. Memories of enjoying Stonewood's petite filet mignon in Boca Raton and Port Orange returned.  

Petite 7-oz. Filet Mignon and Baked Potato with
an Argentinean Malbec, Padrillos.

Florida Orange Cake:
Decadent four layer cake with orange Bavarian
cream, shaved white chocolate and whipped cream
and a fresh orange twist garnish.

Terrific dinner made better with friends

Thanks to M&M, Saturday morning's breakfast was another treat...visiting one of my old go-to diners in Port Orange, Rossi's Diner. 

Five years ago they opened another in Port Orange, Rossi's Side Street Cafe. Here, the
Rossi's Diner sign met its demise with the recent hurricane and is no longer.
I was hoping to say hi to Bernadette Rossi but was told she took her first day off since the beginning of the year.

My go-to breakfast all done to perfection. My veggie for day?
I chose to have onions in the home fries. I know, wise choice.

And before I knew it, it was Pizza Night. On the shores of the Halifax River is Corleoni's Famous New York Pizza and Gyros Having had terrific pizza in my lifetime, I was eager to see how this compared.

Let it not be said that I don't eat salads.

Passed the test: Thin crust, not soggy; checked bottom, done to
perfection. Grande mozzarella cheese used, not too oily. Excellent.

Sunday's lunch was a new experience for me at Stoked Poke on Daytona Speedway Blvd.. Hawaiian inspired fresh food choices you choose to make up your bowl. This cuisine has been influenced by Japanese and other Asian cuisines. Originally it consisted of seasoned raw fish Hawaiian fisherman sliced (poke)  crosswise and eaten as snacks after completing the day's fishing. Check out the site to see what ingredients you can add to make your bowl. The menu includes a base, a protein, fresh toppings, crunchy toppings and a drizzle. 

My choices included: The base: white sticky rice; the protein: Polynesian grilled chicken; the toppings: sushi ginger and edamame, the crunch toppings: shaved almonds; the drizzle: mango teriyaki.

Mya's daughter, Zahni, traveled down from Jacksonville to visit and joined us for lunch. Another dining experience made more special by the company.

One day, a peek out my window surprised me with this visitor. The next day...

...its friends joined the party.

An impressive entrance
 summoned an angel to
 her wings and so I
 captured the moment.

Monday night was sushi night at Wild Ginger. I'm always ready for some sushi. Having long enjoyed the artistic and delicious presentations of Sakura Garden in Hastings, my all-time favorite sushi restaurant, the expectation bar was set quite high. My last sushi was lunch on January 3rd at Sakura just before my travels began. 

I enjoyed the Peacock Roll:
Shrimp tempura roll topped with crawfish salad, mango, and avocado,
eel sauce, mango sauce and fish egg. Fresh and delicious, it did not disappoint.

The 4-year old restaurant offers a wide selection of authentic Japanese, Chinese & Thai dishes such as Hibachi Steak, Chicken Katsu, Veggie Tofu Ramen, California Roll, Volcano Roll, Kung Pao Chicken, Pad Thai.

Then, in the blink of an eye, my week's visit comes to an end. My "Last Supper" (in Daytona) was at Carrabba's. Another first for me as I've never dined in a Carrabba's. At home, the nearest one is an hour and a half away in Smithtown. My go-to Italian is Cosimo's in Poughkeepsie, NY. Check out the website. My meal tonight was delicious.

A side Caesar salad

A new offering for Carrabba's: Grilled Vegetable Ravioli:
Filled with roasted red and yellow peppers, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, ricotta and parmesan cheese and tossed in a tomato cream-goat cheese sauce.

A perfect meal to end a perfect week. We had a lot of catching up to talk about and be it at the dinner table or back at my campsite, there was never a dull moment. So it is with a great big thank you to Mark and Mya that I share for giving up the time to be with me as well as the driving that brought us to terrific restaurants. As Mya says, "it's only once a year" and so we made the best of it and they provided me with lasting memories. Thank you.

Tomorrow, I pack it all up and head to Clermont, Florida, about 80 miles southwest that should take me 1¼ hours. There, I'll enjoy two months of Florida's warm sunshine, (maybe), and the company of thirteen friends...yes, thirteen. Hope to see you there. Take care, stay warm and stay safe.