INTJohn’s Winter ‘24-‘25 Van Livn

[INTJohn]

29 Dec ‘24
Somewhere near Riviera Beach, Fla


Finally found an acceptable looking tennis ball washed up on the beach to put over the end of the seat slide support so I’ll qwit gashing my lower leg/ankle on the metal end. A few times it’s drawn blood

Now to find one for the other side (below red swivel release lever). Till then a sock & duct tape worx.

Tennis, anyone?
bch bum jonny

 

[INTJohn]

4 Jan, ‘25
Somewhere in the Florida ’z

Left the mainland New Years Eve shortly after my ichigan Wolverines upset Alabama in some obscure college football bowl game. Watched the game at Duffy’s in Boynton Beach.

(Duffy’s is but one of a myriad number of places across Murahka (and the world) that are a designated ichigan Alumni Assc. gathering spot for ichigan Alums & fans to stop in and enjoy watching televised ichigan Athletic events.)

After the game, drove to Key Largo where I spent the evening; awoke in the year 2025 - man! What a time warp travel!

Here I am doing what I do stuck in the year 2025. Will be beach hop boppin around the ’z till around the end of yan-u-r-e.

livin the dream
ciao
bch bum jonny

 

[INTJohn]

13 Jan ‘25
Somewhere in the Florida ’z

walkin the beach;
lissun to the wind;
lissun to the waves.

wade in the water;
explore reefs, rox & seagrass;
embrace the temperature.

finding some shells;
collecting dingle balls;
prolly have too many!



A friend back in Michigan put in an order for some crab trap marker bouys. These things wash up from the various storms. The ones shown being a byproduct of Hurricanes Helene & Milton.
Sometimes they break totally loose from the trap and wash ashore or what’s left of the broken up trap become entangled in the reef or buried in the bottom shallows.

My friend likes to string them around the roof edge of their Lake Michigan tiki bar. So I said yeah, I’ll look for some and try to get a few that are in weathered but decent shape.

Now I gotta store them someplace out of my way in the van.


Found a place. I sent them this pik and said; damn! They look good up there!; maybe I’ll keep them!

bch dingle balls
bch bum jonny livin the dream

 

[bullfrog !]

I always liked the little ones around the low rider’s rear window! Lol!!!

 

[INTJohn]

Above:
Hurricanes Helene/Milton casualties. Foreground is a broken Crab/lobster trap. Background is a shipwreck tossed on the reef. The tree to the left is likely a casualty of Hurricane Irma - 2017.


Above: closeup of the 45ish foot boat wrecked on the reef.
Below: what’s left of the fly bridge decking broken away from the main hull and tossed ashore. Boat is in background to left of radar mast.


Edit: Location is SE reef at Sunshine (Ohio) Key.
bch bum jonny

 

[INTJohn]

…….and when you wake up in the middle of january at 5:50 am and its 74 degrees with 94% humidity, yes ur n the ’z and ur glad u have a fan n da van to sleep with.

jonny boi got tropixt

 

[INTJohn]

Sunday AM; 26 Jan ‘25
Somewhere near Riviera Beach, Fla

Back 2 The Mainland!
Left the Florida Keys couple days ago and been wandering around the West Palm/Riviera Beach area.
The major cold that found its way even to the ’z has retreated back north and last night I slept with temps down only to 60 and daily highs back in the 70’z. YES! Cloudy again 2day but then nuthin but Sun is in the 10 day forecast.

The tentative itinerary:
Will beach hop north till I reach Ormand, north of Daytona then head west to visit with an old war buddy of mine at Dunnellon for a few days.

From there I’m planning on heading around Big Bend to Eastpoint & St George’s Island for abit and then back East to Fernandina Beach; NE of J-ville. (If a major Feb cold snap hits I’ll need to retreat bak south probably to Titusville area.)

That will cover about 5 weeks & take me up to March when I’ll leave Fla & head to South Carolina.


In the meantime this Tuesday looks like logistics day.
Groceries/Refill the Fridge
Laundry
Top off with water
empty porta-potti

Ta-Daah!
intjonny

 

[INTJohn]

Whatsa bch bum van without sum surf swag?

The ole bch bum found this washed up in the beach mangroves.
Now I gotta figure out a spot for it.

bch bum jonny gittin narly wit it

 

[INTJohn]

Whatsa bch bum van without sum surf swag?

The ole bch bum found this washed up in the beach mangroves.
Now I gotta figure out a spot for it.

bch bum jonny gittin narly wit it

 

[INTJohn]

29 Dec ‘24
Somewhere near Riviera Beach, Fla

View attachment 36985
Finally found an acceptable looking tennis ball washed up on the beach to put over the end of the seat slide support so I’ll qwit gashing my lower leg/ankle on the metal end. A few times it’s drawn blood

Now to find one for the other side (below red swivel release lever). Till then a sock & duct tape worx.

Tennis, anyone?
bch bum jonny

…….and today I found a 2nd tennis ball. Not quite as nice as the first one but passable.

Now I have them both covered……
jonny boi.

 

[INTJohn]

6 Feb ‘25 Somewhere near Melbourne Beach

The beach bum is slowly continuing his northward hop & stop bouncing from beach to beach.
After leaving West Palm/Riviera Beach area, spent a day at Dickinson State Park chillin in the wilderness. This park is one of the few places on my trail that does not front on the ocean or the gulf. But it’s not out of the way and it’s huge and nothing but scenic woodsy wilderness.

Next stop was a couple days at Jensen Beach Park at, u guessed it Jensen Beach. This is a city or county park, don’t know which - not a state park like I usually frequent but has the feel & size of a state park.

From there farther north where I spent 6 days at Fort Pierce/Vero Beach area. There are many places to hang out all day at beautiful beaches- State, County & City and with numerous places for easy night park sleeping. I recognize many vehicle dwellers at the various parks who have been hanging out winters for years at Fort Pierce.

After spending a couple days hanging out at Sebastian State Park I’ve moved on where I’ll be in the south Space Coast area for 2 maybe 3 days.

then it’ll be time for vagabon jon to be movin on
ciao!

 

[Morgana]

R U going to Merritt Island at all?

or to Sunrise Bakery or Dixie Crossroads in Titusville?

 

[INTJohn]

I hang out some on Merritt but mostly I’m on the barriers or Canaveral National Seashore.

No to the bakery & Dixie Crossroads but I’ve driven by DC enuff times and ive always thought it looks like a really interesting place. If it was where I could see water & sky meeting to make a horizon I would stop.


bch bum jonny

 

[Morgana]

They have a moat with alligators in it and the best fish tacos in the world. Instead of fries or salad before your main meal they bring you these donut-hole things drenched in powdered sugar. Eat desert first!

Dummett Cove, off Courtenay Parkway just south of the Haulover Canal, was the site of almost the only plantation house in the area to survive the opening attacks of the Second Seminole War. The reason it survived is that a "faithful servant" of Dummett hid in the house during the attack and put out the fires that the attackers started. This story does not show up in the tourist brochures or popular histories, but I could point you to a source. That was not the only "faithful servant" (ie slave) left behind and told to protect the property when the owners ran away -- and not the only one who agreed to do it.

Not too much later they managed to burn the plantation down after all. I don't think there's anything left of it, it seems to be mostly fishermen that go there now.

I always wanted to get a permit and go backcountry camping out past the nekkid-people beach on Canaveral but I never got around to it. A lovely area. I <3 the roseate spoonbills (aka Cajun flamingos)...

 

[INTJohn]

One of my hang spots is on that Cove south of Haulover; another 1 just north of it.

Last I knew everything past Lot 7 is closed on Canaveral south (playalinda beach) and all the nudy peeps hang out there now that they can’t get to 13.

I’ve hiked into the permit area few years back b4 the hurricane wreckage. Didn’t get a permit (didn’t get caught) just went it’s really nice - great remoteness, solitude & ocean front scenic. If they ever open it back up to 13 I would do a hike in camp there.

I gotta check their website & find out what’s been reopened (if anything) since I was there in Nov

EDIT: the lots past 7; 8 thru 13 are still closed.

 

[INTJohn]

More Boat Rex!!





u no u want them…….
bch bum jonny

 

[bullfrog !]

More Boat Rex!!

View attachment 37203

View attachment 37204

u no u want them…….
bch bum jonny

lol!!! I couldn’t afford to maintain them when they were brand new!

 

[INTJohn]

15 Feb ‘25 Somewhere near Ocala, Fla

Melbourne Beach; Viera; Patrick AFB; Titusville; Merritt Island; New Smyrna Beach; Apollo Beach-Canaveral Seashore where I’ve been since the post dated 6 Feb.

Usual spots I frequent doing usual things.

Spent 1 night in Daytona Beach next to the speedway (see pik from few yrs bak but samo)

the big race is Sunday and jonny boi always makes sure he leaves Daytona area long b4 and goes along way away.
Cupl days in the Ormand Beach area and then turned West yesterday towards present location, Ocala. 2day & 2maro here then onto Dunnellon for a few days.

bch bum jonny

 

[INTJohn]

The road to nowhere……..

 

[INTJohn]

23 Feb ‘25 Somewhere near Bonita Springs, Fla

Spent a Saturday at Silver Springs St Prk just east of Ocala and night at the Ocala Cracker Barrel……..

Sunday am awoke and headed to Dunnellon to visit with an old war buddy & wife. Spent the morning at Rainbow Springs just to the north and then drove to their place just a few miles away after buying enuff food for us all for the visit.

Monday got caught up on a bunch of routine van stuff oil & filter change, etc. Tuesday him & me went on a pontoon boat ride while wifey was at their horse ranch.

Wednesday i planned on leaving but with rain & an approaching cold front they talked me into staying till Friday AM. Left Friday morn and decided to head the 250 miles south to where I currently am because WARM!

Lows mid 50’s; Highs mid 70’s. Puurrfekt.

While at my buddys we spent alot pf time talkin bout our time together in the war SE Asia. A third Buddy of ours had committed suicide cupl months back - no family no kids, solitary lived in a class c. Left all of his stuff & money to my buddy…..

……was alot of our old warrior conversation.

When we’re together; it always is.
bch bum jon; movin on