Howdy Partner!
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (118435)
Gainesville, Florida
January 16, 2021 10:00am CST
It's a beautiful, crisp, clear morning here in the Sunshine State. And although the sun is shining, I doubt there are very many people visiting Florida's pristine beaches right now, as the temperature is pretty cold. Low temps will be hovering just below the freezing mark for the next couple of days.
The boy and I are going camping today and tomorrow. Unfortunately, we picked a very cold weekend to go, but that's okay, it just gives us an excuse to build an even bigger bonfire at night. We'll be camping on a friend's property, who owns 2000 acres that backs up to an even larger state park. I will be teaching my son how to properly and accurately sight his hunting rifle.
I hope everyone else out there is having a fun and safe weekend, and staying warm in locations where it's cold. What do you all have planned this weekend?
Make good memories and bring smiles to people's faces today. After all, 2021 is the year we are supposed to make everything right again after a disastrous 2020.
33 people like this
33 responses
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Jan 21
We're going to have a great time, although I don't look forward to such cold overnight temperatures. Thankfully, I have some pretty good cold weather gear from my adventures in the mountains of Colorado and northern California.
2 people like this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
16 Jan 21
@moffittjc Glad to hear it. Hopefully you can stay warm overnight.
2 people like this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
16 Jan 21
@moffittjc With the right equipment, it'll be a great experience!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
My son and I camped on the beach about this time last year, right on the Florida/Georgia border, just across from Cumberland Island. The beach was completely secluded, but it was also freezing cold and windy at the time. But it was still a great trip for us.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Jan 21
@CarolDM Such great memories. I really want to go back there soon...but when the weather is a little warmer.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc Sounds wonderful. And great memories.
1 person likes this
@much2say (53959)
• Los Angeles, California
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc You are myLotting while camping 
! That is some serious cold (to me) but you are prepared 
. The steaks were great 
!
! That is some serious cold (to me) but you are prepared . The steaks were great !1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
The low temp bottomed out at 31 degrees last night, so just below freezing. It's still very cold this morning, but I'm all warm snuggled in my sleeping bag. A nice hot campfire also helps!
Hope you stay cool, and enjoy the steaks!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Jan 21
@much2say I only myLotted for a little bit. A lot of times when I am camping, or traveling, or on vacation, I'll pop onto myLot briefly.
1 person likes this
@ShyBear88 (59282)
• Sterling, Virginia
16 Jan 21
Well then have fun camping then! I wish I was kind of at the beach but on a warm or hot day.
2 people like this
@ShyBear88 (59282)
• Sterling, Virginia
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc we might go to the beach for the kids Spring break. We are going in August because my husbands dad and step mom booked a supper big places.
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
When spring rolls around in another few months, I am going to plan a couple of beach trips. Springtime at the beach is my favorite time to enjoy the salt life.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Jan 21
@ShyBear88 Spring break will be a fun time to be at the beach. I hope you get the chance to go. I also hope the weather cooperates if you do get to go.
@FourWalls (62120)
• United States
16 Jan 21
I remember the night it got down to 16 degrees in Jacksonville....same night my heater decided to quit working.
Have fun on your camping trip!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62120)
• United States
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc — I’ve become such a wimp in my old age. A couple of weeks ago there was a car wreck that hit a pole and knocked the electricity out to a couple of blocks (including mine). It was already down to 64 in the house, and the electric company’s web site said power wouldn’t be restored before 4 AM. So I gathered up my free points and spent the night in a nice warm hotel. 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Jan 21
@FourWalls Wow! Okay, don't get offended when I say this, but you have become a wimp in your old age! haha
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed your night at the hotel.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
About 10 years ago, I went on a weeklong trip to Disney World, and the temps plunged down into the 20s. It was so cold we were actually looking forward to getting home to the nice warm house. Only problem was that when we got home at about midnight, it was as cold in the house as it was outside. Prior to leaving, I had all the windows in the house open because the weather was nice at the time. I thought I had shut all the windows before we left, but it turns out I left a couple of them open. Thank goodness for central heating, although it took a while for it to finally warm up in the house.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
I love getting back out into nature as often as I can. I do hope you'll get the chance to go camping again in the near future.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc Same here. At least we can enjoy some nice walks from home here.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Jan 21
@Fleura I love a nice stroll in a local park or just throughout the neighborhood I live in.
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@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
17 Jan 21
Well I hope you enjoy camping with your son & that it's not 2 cold out there for you. I had a quiet relaxing weekend at home this weekend still recouping from covid. I get to leave the house today though so I'm looking forward to getting out and fresh air!
1 person likes this
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
28 Jan 21
@moffittjc me too. Every now n then when it was really warm out I would open my window for fresh air until I could go outside.
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jan 21
@Blondie2222 I would cheat and go stand outside my house (always making sure no neighbors were around to contaminate). Just needed to get some fresh air and a change of scenery so I would go stir-crazy.
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Jan 21
When I was quarantined with Covid, the thing I most looked forward to was getting to go outside again.
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Jan 21
Hey there! So good to see you. I hope you have an amazing time camping!! 
I will be taking photos this weekend, a pregnancy announcement and family Valentine's photos! 
We are also celebrating my youngest daughters birthday! It's today but we are having a party tomorrow.
I will be taking photos this weekend, a pregnancy announcement and family Valentine's photos!
We are also celebrating my youngest daughters birthday! It's today but we are having a party tomorrow.2 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
I saw on FB that it was your daughter's birthday. Happy Birthday to her. I hope she enjoys the party and all the joys of being a 12 year old. Can't believe she's almost a teenager!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
24 Jan 21
I am trying to smile, it is very cold here was 112 degrees overnight. I hope you had a great camping trip.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
25 Jan 21
@moffittjc oops 12 degrees, more like the surface of the moon lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Jan 21
@BelleStarr On the dark side of the moon I assume! haha
How have you been? It's been really cold here this winter. Nice change from the heat and humidity we normally have.
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jan 21
112 degrees overnight? Where do you live, on the surface of the sun? LOL
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
Unless I want to camp in miserably hot and humid conditions--and with a million mosquitoes biting me--my camping time is limited to late fall and winter. So it's kind of hit or miss here too. But I love camping when it's cold outside.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jan 21
@just4him Well, unfortunately, it didn't work out in your favor. I was actually hoping for a Packers win, although I am a fan of Tampa Bay (and not because of Tom Brady, I've been a fan of the Bucs since they became a team back in 1976). But because I don't really like Tom Brady, I was secretly hoping that the Packers would pull out the win.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
22 Jan 21
That was a nice win by the Packers. Now it will be interesting to see how they do against Tom Brady and the Bucs.
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@just4him (306113)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
24 Jan 21
@moffittjc I'm hoping for a win today. We'll have snow, so it should be a good game.
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
Warm I am not. Having fun I am. I'm myLotting from the comfort of my warm sleeping bag, although I must get up soon and make a campfire. The boy and I stayed up most of the night, so he's still sleeping. I'll try to get the fire going before he wakes up.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
It's still very cold here too. It's almost 11:00 AM, and I'm still bundled up in my sleeping bag in my hammock. The temperature is just now climbing above the freezing mark.
1 person likes this
@JimBo452020 (42629)
• United Kingdom
16 Jan 21
Good luck with the camping.
We do it every year, and go camping too.p
2 people like this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Jan 21
@JimBo452020 That's what she said.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
You only do it every year? I try to do it daily if I can, or maybe every other day. Oh, and I like to go camping pretty frequently as well.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Jan 21
It actually got hot the past two days, but now it's going to get cold again .
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jan 21
@rebelann Below freezing overnight, but in the 50s during the day. Not too bad at all. Well, at least for me. Most Floridians are probably dying from these cold temps.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
17 Jan 21
I hope you both enjoy the camping trip, Jeff... Do please be careful.
Pretty and I spent the day yesterday watching snow fall. I took a photo of it last night so I could show a couple of friends (one in the Philippines and one in Indonesia) what snow looks like. I'll add it here for you, too.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (137145)
• United States
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc Well, with you living in the future ocean, I didn't think you'd ever played in the actual snow before. 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Jan 21
@DaddyEvil Hey buddy, not only have I played in actual snow before, I have also peed in the snow before!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
Is that what that white stuff is? I thought maybe you put too much soap in your washing machine and the suds overflowed outside on the ground!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jan 21
@DianneN I definitely think Mother Nature had a chance to do a reboot this year. I almost don't want things to return to normal for the sake of the healing of our planet. We really need to figure out a better way to take care of this planet.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Jan 21
That's interesting. We've had an unusually cold winter here in north Florida. My daughter says it's because Mother Nature had a chance to do a reset due to all the lockdowns with Covid. It's been many years since we've had a long, cold winter here in north Florida.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246720)
• United States
31 Jan 21
@moffittjc I think your daughter is right!
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
I've never been snow shoeing before.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Jan 21
@paigea It's like you are speaking a foreign language to me! lol
1 person likes this
@paigea (35678)
• Canada
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc We are kind of short if snow, so really it is "packed ice shoeing' But those metal claws help on the icy, hilly trails.
But those metal claws help on the icy, hilly trails.1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (156056)
• United States
17 Jan 21
Good to see you here. Hope you have fun, albeit a cold one, on your camping trip. No real plans here. Will watch the Cleveland Browns play today.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
17 Jan 21
I'm laying in my hammock right now freezing my buns off! haha. Just charging my cellphone with a portable power cell for a little bit before I slowly make my way over to start the campfire back up.
Who are the Browns playing today?
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (156056)
• United States
17 Jan 21
@moffittjc The Kansas City Chiefs. It will be a tough game to win. Stay warm!
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Jan 21
@LindaOHio I read about the final outcome. It's interesting, I really haven't been following the NFL much this year. But I'm excited that hockey is back. The NHL is my favorite professional sports league.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
17 Jan 21
camping when it is cold is a lot of fun. Firepits are life lifesavers! have fun!!!
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
22 Jan 21
The coldest days of winter are my favorite days of the year to be out in the woods camping. I love the cold, and I love being around warm campfires.
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@moffittjc (118435)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Jan 21
@DocAndersen I think just about all foods cooked over a campfire taste better.
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@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
22 Jan 21
@moffittjc i do as well - there is something about eggs cooked over an open fire!
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