Castle3

FL 2-20-15 After checking the web for attractions on the island we loaded up and headed for a few. The historical downtown was first. Once we found it we parked and went for a stroll. Although most of the building have serviced since the early 1900's most have been repurposed. Tee shirt shops, soda fountains, candy shops, and souvenir emporiums abound. If you find the right spot some of these building are quite interesting to photograph. Even though we had very little interest in their wares, we poked our heads into quite a few. That was worth the effort as the furnishings and general woodwork seem period correct for circa 1900. One housed a soda fountain that sported marble countertops and ornate carved wood. Others used 9 foot tall display cabinets that once held department store merchandise. Next we went in search of the shrimp boats, aka the mosquito fleet. For whatever reason most were in the harbor making it prime for viewing and a few pics. In spite of its interesting architecture, the Morgan house failed to motivate us into stopping for a tour. While some of you may want to tour one of the two submarines on the island, I did that when I was younger and in San Diego. That concluded a leisure day of Sightseeing. Next time we venture into Houston and all it has to offer.

FL 2-19-15 Our March to Corpus Christi continued today. We both slept in and we're ready to leave Beaumont by 10 AM. I punched in the address of Galveston State park and at the second turn I knew we were not heading towards I-10. However, I felt adventurous so I let George (the GPS) have his way. Well, in no time we were cruising down a state road at 60 MPH with very little traffic. About 50 miles into our 125 mile trip we spotted a digital sign stating "Ferry traffic on schedule". With no water in site we just looked at each other and shrugged. Soon we were following the Gulf coast and getting marvelous views. George said 20 miles before our next turn so we continued to drive along enjoying the scenery. When I next glanced at George's screen, while traveling through Crystal Beach, water was on three sides of us. We had ventured onto Bolivar peninsula. That now sounded like Ferry ahead. Sure enough, 10 miles later, get in line for the ferry. The attendant at the entrance informed me I needed to shut off the propane tank before proceeding. No problem, I jumped out and took care of it and then was directed to lane 2. As I sat in line having cold sweats as I recalled our ferry ride in New Brunswick, the ferry arrived at the landing and began to discharge its load. When I realized over 30 cars had disembarked I regained control of my sphincter. The parade continued and then 2 trailer trucks left the landing. Now the shakes and cold sweats subsided. Ruth was still speechless but I was now ready to board. I was signaled to move forward I could finally see the boat. Very big! Six lanes wide and quite stable looking. I did notice the steep ramp on the approach just in time to hit my custom installed driveway switch that lifts the entire motorhome 6 inches. No dragging the hitch like we did in Canada. Into the middle of three lanes again, but nothing was on my left side this time. As we waited to depart I spotted oil tankers and cargo ships lined up waiting their turn to enter the harbor. Wow, those tankers are big. Once we were underway, I got out of Gracie and walked the deck so I could snap a few pictures. The ferry moved along pretty fast. I'd guess 15 knots in very calm waters. Just as I left the bow, a rouge wave hit and drenched anybody within 10 feet of the rail. Hee Ha. Unloading was a piece of cake. Once again I hit the driveway switch and off we went onto Galveston island. Imagine, I just got to the island without even seeing the freeways with all their traffic around Houston. Bonus! After another 17 miles driving along with the beach on our left and all the shops, restaurants, and other beach related vendors, we arrived at Galveston state park. Ruth checked us in and gathered info for our stay on the island. For a mere $25 per night we are parked facing the Gulf about 500 feet from the water. Gracie is parked on a slab and green grass surrounds us. The picnic table is shaded by a two sided structure complete with roof. Just beside it is a fire pit complete with cooking grate. As I write this from my recliner the sun is beginning to set right in front of me. Oh yea it is also 65 degrees. This is going to be a great weekend!

2-18-15 Our day began in Baton Rouge and ended in my daughters birth state, Texas. We crossed the bridge over the Mississippi at 10 AM. For all the stories we had heard about accidents and traffic jams, our crossing took less than 10 minutes. As we continued west on I 10, we soon were on another bridge. This one was much different though. It was level, about 30 feet above the bayou, and was every bit of 20 miles long. Another observation was the amount of trucks using this road. I estimate 4 or 5 for each car. Next we entered Lake Charles LA via a very steep and high bridge. Ruth got her fill of crossing bridges today. But Gracie purred like a kitten. The filter change made a huge difference. Guess it was worth the grief and so glad I didn't wait any longer. By 1 PM we crossed the Texas boarder and stopped at the welcome center to take a few pictures. With only 30 more miles to our CG for tonight, Golf Coast RV in Beaumont TX, we were parked at our spot by 2:15. In no time at all we were settled in. By now we have a good system and don't get in each other's way. Being aware it was Ash Wednesday we sat down to look for a Catholic Church in Beaumont. Turns out there is a Basilica, St. Anthony Cathedral. Ruth and I routinely look for large churches when we travel. They always have interesting architecture and the Mass is usually top drawer. Today was no exception. The church was packed for the 6:10 service. Ruth and I were dumbfounded as we realized how many young people and children were there. When we exited the church it was already dark. I took a wrong turn a began driving down a one way street the wrong way. Fortunately not traffic and better yet no witnesses. A quick u turn corrected that error and I was on my way to the CG. Oscar has been so good on the trip, he is getting used to the routine and is much more relaxed traveling. Tomorrow we are headed for the state park in Galveston. At this point everything is on schedule.A

2-17-15 Today began by waking up to 60 degrees inside Gracie. Our space heater didn't keep up with the 30 degree temp and strong wind. At 6AM I turned on the furnace and by 7 it was a toasty 74. My morning chore was to change fuel filters before we left. The last hundred miles Gracie was bucking a bit and the ATC light flashed anytime the engine was pulling hard. Mostly on on ramps and passing. The last time that happened was in Canada and fuel filters was the fix. The instant I put my brand new never used filter wrench on the first filter, the wrench broke. Cheap Chinese welding. So much for the benefit of hauling that for the last 2000 miles. After a web search for an auto parts store I took off to buy another wrench. An hour later I was back and the first filter was off. After the second one was removed I dug into my storage bins for the replacement filters I had also purchased in Canada. First one was a perfect fit. Next it took both Ruth and I to remove the water separator from the primary filter. Job done without breaking it. However, when I pulled out the replacement filter it was painfully obvious it was the wrong one. Another set back and $32 into the garbage. Again a web search and several phone calls before I found the right one. Into the Burb for a 45 mile round trip. Now that I had the right part filter number two was installed. Now the last time Winston and I replaced filters (in Canada) it took about 10 try's to start the engine. Not so this time. The filters refused to prime! That resulted in another trip to AutoZone for a 5 gallon can and then go fill it up. I removed both filters and refilled them with fresh fuel. After crossing my fingers and saying a few words, I cranked the engine. On the second try, SUCCESS!! Just saved another $500 service call and maybe more if a dishonest mechanic showed up. Anyway by this time it was too late to leave for Texas and get there before dark, so Ruth went to the office to pay for another night. Opps, office closed for Fat Tuesday. Guess we'll settle up in the AM. Time for a shower to purge the diesel fuel smell an a drink to settle the nerves. I considered going to a Casino tonight, but in light of my luck today, thought better of it.

2-15-15 We woke up to a dreary day today. On and off drizzle and gray skies. It was a good day to sleep in a bit and have a mid morning breakfast. Cabin fever set in about 1 PM so we decided to take a drive south. We followed the levy for more than 30 miles and never saw the river. We did spot a couple places one could scale the levy on a bike and rid the top. We finally walked up one of those only to find out we were still quite a distance from the river. Our view was blocked be trees and dense brush, so we returned to the Burb. Opposite to levy was mostly grassy cattle ranches. After a few miles they all looked the same. We were determined to see the Mississippi, we returned to Baton Rouge and followed river road until the river seamed close by a we didn't see any trees. Sure enough, once we topped the levy we found a brick walkway that appeared to stretch the entire downtown shoreline. Just below was an unobstructed view of the river. A few barges appeared to be anchored out and as we stood there one appeared from the north, quietly floating south steered by its following tug. When you see these on TV or photos of them the length is deceptive. They are very long! Perhaps the length of 5 or 6 football fields. I took a few photos, but they were not impressive. The gray sky washed out the color and contrast. It wasn't the best day to see the Mississippi. Maybe Ruth and I will return another time when the weather is better. 2-16-15 Even when you are traveling the country taking in all the wonderful sites and attractions and have a comfortable motorhome to sleep and eat in, occasionally you need a time out to take care of yourselves. Today was that day. Ruth and I both wanted haircuts and the laundry was piling up. Into the Burb and we programed Garmin for shopping Mall. As we traveled along I spotted a Super Cuts style business and in we went. Both Ruth and I got wonderful cuts and had the friendliest stylists you could ask for. Each of our conversations were interesting and informative. Note to self: When you need to know all the ins and outs of a town or city, go get your hair cut. Had we done this a couple days ago, we could have gone to the best Restaurant in town and seen a few more attractions. Not all was lost though. We did get directions to a Cajan Restaurant that is on our way to Houston. When I ask why she would travel 80 miles for Cajan food, she responded it's on the way to her sisters and it's the best she can find. Good enough for me. By the way I did follow Garmin 8 miles further to the Mall. Turns out it was a strip mall with a pizza shop, neighborhood grocery store and Judo lessons. You can't always trust Garmin to think the same as you. I wanted Macy's, Sears, and Best Buy. After two tries at laundry mat, I punched in coin laundry and found one. With that task complete, we returned to Gracie.

2-14-15 We decided to celebrate Valentine's Day by going to the Mardi Gras parade in Baton Rouge LA. Following good advice we got going early and left for downtown by 9AM for the 12PM start time. Our directions were good, taking us right by the LSU Tigers stadium, then straight to the action. Dumb luck landed us in a parking lot adjacent to the parade route. As we pulled in we passed many spots already in party mode. Tailgates were down, tents were raised and drinks were flowing! After parking we just sat in the Burb and tried to take it all in. With chairs, water and Melvin in hand we took a short walk to the street. With no effort we found an empty spot right on the curb. Guess we landed a front row seat for the action. As we looked around, Ruth and I kept poking each other and saying "Did you see that?" People were in all sorts of get ups. Pink was the prominent color of shirts, hats, leg covers, shoes etc. Others sported the purple and gold of LSU. After a half hour or so, I grabbed the camera and took a walk down the street. Folks happily posed for photos. Very few costumes were duplicates. The originality was inspiring. Street vendors rolled carts displaying beads, masks, hats, Sponge Bob balloons, a fair share of more adult themed apparel. For the next two hours it was a constant stream of people passing in front of our ring side seats. Ruth and I did manage to find a food stand just before the parade began. Now I not only know what jambalaya is, I have eaten it. (Browned and seasoned rice with sausage and pork bits mixed in) Then out of nowhere the city police force blue lights flashing cleared the streets for the soon to follow parade. Just as the first float appeared about two blocks to our right, a sea of people moved in front of us, standing in the street 10 deep. Our fellow sidewalk chair companions from Minnesota were quick to inform us, this was a standing room only event, if you wanted to catch some beads. Without hesitation, we both got out of our chairs and pushed our way up about 5 rows. Now we could see the approaching floats and a sky full of beads in flight as those riding on the floats l them at the crowd. Each float was uniquely decorated (painted mostly) this isn't the Rose parade! They were all named, and hauled between 20 and 40 bead throwers dressed in their party theme attire. As I raised my arm in self defense, I caught my first string of beads. Game on! The crowd was crazy but controlled and certainly friendly! Baton Rouge (at least the downtown area) is very nice and very clean. It is True what they say about southern hospitality, we were invited to spend all day Sunday sightseeing with people we met. For nearly 2 hours the frenzy continued. Many of the floats Were risqué but none were outrageous. I have never attended a parade with so much crowd participation. By the end Ruth and I were weighted down with who knows how many strings of beads. Even Melvin caught a set while posing for a picture. Knowing the traffic would be a nightmare, we returned to our curbside seats and talked with our neighbors as the crowd began to dissipate. As we were discussing the need for Advil and a nap, I realized the crowd was comprised of the those 40 and younger. The only old farts there were those that had not seen a parade like this when they were 40 or younger. Time to head back to the CG. It took 20 minutes to get downtown and nearly 2 hours to get back. Upon our return, Oscar was very happy to see us. We really hadn't intended to leave him alone for almost 7 hour. Although he managed to not relieve himself in Grace, he did his best to wreck the place. Oh well, not his fault. I took him for a walk (poop bag in hand) and returned to help Ruth finish cleaning up. In spite of all that, it was better than taking him with us. He would have been trampled by the crowd.

2-13-15 Today was a travel day and it was a good one, even though it was Friday the 13th. We were up and on the road by 9:30 with blue sky ahead of us. The traffic was light most of the way and the roads were good. Our day began in Florida, but 20 miles later we entered Alabama (Roll Tide). In no time at all we spotted the sign for Mississippi. A few miles later we pulled into a rest area for a break. Have I mentioned how lovely they are in the south? Large buildings with sparkling rest rooms, friendly and helpful staff members, generous parking for all, and spacious well maintained grounds. They are all a pleasure to stop at. The opening photo is of one in Mississippi. That one was decorated inside with Mardi Gras costumes. Next we entered Louisiana. Since New Orleans is a bit too crazy for us this week, we decided to pass it by and stop in Baton Rouge for the weekend. Ruth choose Farr Park Equestrian Center and RV Campground just south of the city and walking distance to the Mississippi River. Write that name down! And stop if you are passing through. At only $20/night it's a real bargain. The spots are spacious, mostly grass, and perfectly level. Just a few hundred feet away are both and indoor and outdoor horse arena and training center. With horses everywhere. We walked around a bit before supper and met a few folks. They gave us directions to tomorrow's Mardi Gras parade in downtown Baton Rouge, and as it turns out, three of them will be on one of the floats. On the way to the parade we will be going right past LSU stadium. Who would have guessed? Could be a lot of photo opportunities! Hope the weather is nice.

2-11-15 OK it's time for the rest of you to laugh. It's getting down to 30 here in Pensacola tonight. It still beats minus something and waste deep snow, but Ruth and I did come down here for the warm weather. Tonight we gave a highly recommended restaurant "Peg Leg Pete's" located on Pensacola Beach a try. Many people told us they are the best in the area for crab. That's of little importance to me since I can't eat shellfish but Ruth wanted to try it since she has never eaten fresh crab legs. Now that she has tried them, she says it's a lot like lobster. Just less meat. I had a very tasty 8 oz. filet. Without sounding like food critics, we both give this place a 7. The wait was only 20 minutes and the table service was top notch. However, the bar tender could use a bit more practice. We left well fed and would certainly go back should we visit Pensacola again. 2-12-15 Today Ruth had her morning coffee while talking to neighbors and watching up to 6 Pelicans fishing in the shallow river next to our CG. By the time I finished breakfast and joined her, a helicopter had landed nearby and everyone was talking about the controlled burn of some Everglades planned for today. Seems everyday is a new adventure! Too bad we are leaving tomorrow as we are getting to know several very interesting people. We are learning at lot from them. Newbies like us share their hometown and work experience then lead into how they decided on the RV life. Old timers share their favorite places, recipes, and travel tips. Number one is get the "lifetime senior pass" for national parks. we have ours already. All this makes working 50 years worth it. None of us know how long it will last, so we make the best of each day. In the morning we pack up and head for Baton Rouge. It got too cold hear. 65 today and 30 tonight. LOL

2-10-2015 Today was a great day for Melvin. He finally got his leather flight jacket and goggles. In celebration we took several photos at the National Naval Aviation Museum. While there we reviewed a wonderful display of vintage aircraft dating back to 1909. Not only is this a must see if you are in the Pensacola area, it's FREE! We spent about 5 hours there, but could have stayed for a couple days if we wanted to study every display in detail and take the guided tour. They also have an IMAX theater. We decided to see a 45 minute film on the construction of the western portion of the Canadian railroad. What a way to experience the beauty of the rugged peaks in the Canadian Rockies. From I-10 exit 7 it's less than 20 minutes to the parking lot. Just past the museum is the Pensacola light house. If you up to climbing over 150 steps, the view should be worth it. As we left the Naval base we noticed a sign for another attraction. Fort Barrancas. Maybe tomorrow. So much to do here .

2-8-15 Today we decided to drive to Dustin FL. It's about 50 miles from our CG in Milton. This city is also on the "Emerald Coast" highway. Compared to Navarre it is much more developed. Many McMansions and hotels/condos the size of Las Vegas casinos. Public Beaches are either private or smaller and hard to find with even harder to find parking. If you need things to keep the kids happy, or like bar life then this may be a good choice. We were interested when we saw many party boats for rent. How cool would it be to take the family out for the day? From what I read you may even see dolphins After seeing Dustin, we drove along RT 98 back to Navarre. This stretch was mainly stores of all kinds, gas stations, and amusements like water slides and miniature golf. Our choice is either Navarre or Pensacola Beach. 2-9-15 Stayed at the CG today. Just needed a day off.

FL 2-7-15 Today it was a mere 67 degrees with lovely blue skies. The morning was spent doing a few errands. Once it warmed up we headed for the beach in Navarre. It only took about 40 minutes. Here's a travel tip. If you want to visit the greater Pensacola area, Milton is a great place for home base. Now back to the beach. Navarre is another white sand beach on the Gulf. This one goes on for about 30 miles. When we arrived today we were told we had missed the Mardi Gras parade. We would have arrived earlier had we known. At least the crowds were mostly gone. About half those left were sporting lots of beads. For the nominal fee of one dollar each, we both strolled out on the longest pier in the FLORDIA pan handle. My body really likes walking on those flat surfaces. Several folks were fishing,but none were catching. Signs posted on the pier mentioned Dauphins, turtles, and several species of fish. Perhaps on another day we'll see more. We stayed for sunset and then returned to our CG.

FL 2-5-15 We woke up to a rainy day. After raining hard most of the night it stopped by 9 ans we began getting ready for our move to Tallahassee. The site was muddy and by the time I completed the outside work so was I. We were parked in a difficult site with trees everywhere and a narrow street in front of us. But with Ruth's guidance I was able to pull out in one attempt and didn't hit anything. In a few minutes we had the Burb hooked up and were on our way. I-75 is an easy drive and the new shocks made it even better. In no time we were heading west on I-10. 18 miles from our destination, I took an exit for fuel and an Oscar break. Oscar did fine but me, not so much! I pulled into a BP station because it had great access and the price was $2.28/gal. I parked at the pump with the GREEN nozzle (usually denotes diesel fuel) and pumped 46 gallons of gas before I realized all the nozzles were green and I was putting gas in my tank. I guess I'm the only one who had not seen a gas nozzle that was green. At least I was smart enough not to try to move Gracie or even turn the key. I called Good Sams (our RV service provider) told them what happened and they dispatched a service truck to pump the tank. After a 2 hour wait they arrived. While they pumped I was told I'm not the first and it always seems it's a BP station where this happens. 76 gallons later it was empty. Then accross the street to get 5 gallons so I could drive over for a fill up. 102 gallons! By that time it was nearly 8:30 so we made the decision to call it a day and sleep in the parking lot for the night. 2-6-15 I woke up at 5 shivering. It was 55 degrees inside and 37 outside. That's cold for FL. I quickly started the generator and turned on the heat. By 6 it was 65 and we were both awake, so off we went to Pensacola. I-10 across the panhandle is an easy drive. Mostly straight and the landscape is either trees or huge cattle ranches. We changed time zones along the way which got us to Milton (about 15 miles from center Pensacola) by 11 AM. We settled in at Avalon RV, relaxed a bit after setting up, then took off for the beach. Surprise, another sugar sand beach with very clear emerald green water. After sunset we headed back to the CG and called it a day. From what we have seen so far, I think we'll stay 5 or so days before moving on.

FL 2-4-15 The only thing I have to report is yesterday's news. When we went out for breakfast yesterday we went to IHOP. They have several items on their menu for Seniors over 55. Ruth picked one of those and when our table servicer took the order, she asked Ruth for ID. They didn't ask for mine. Maybe they thought I was her father. When Ruth was old enough to drink they carded her and now that she's old enough for SSI she still gets carded. Made her day! Tomorrow is a travel day so I probably won't write until Friday.

You are in for a great time. Add Bar Habor ME to your places to see. Arcadia national park is gorgeous. The view from Cadilac mountain is one of the best in the northeast. We stayed in Moncton NB for a week. Lots to do there. Take the toad to Drive out to Alma and on your way check out Hopewell Rock (pay attention to tide schedule you want to be here at low tide) on the Bay of Fundy the find a place to watch the tidal bore. The views at Cape Enrage are also note worthy. If you go you go to Cape Breton, find a CG in the lakes region and take your toad around the cape. You won't make it in a rig your size. Plenty of ports to take you whale watching. The Puffin tour out of St Ann harbor can be great at the right time of the year. Guaranteed you wil see bald eagles on you way. Great photo opp. If you want to go to Newfoundland catch the ferry from Sidney Nova Scotia. Expensive, but saves many hours of driving. Lots to do in Halifax. We didn't make it to Prince Edward Island aka PEI. Check to make sure you can take the bridge. Sometimes restrictions for high winds. But many have told us it's worth the trip. We had no trouble finding diesel. Make sure you carry replacement fuel filters. We did get a bad tank full. The roads can be narrow with narrow or no shoulders. Hone your driving skills before getting of the expressways. As for crossing the boarder, going in is easy. Comming out NO fresh vegetables. We just froze any we still had. Stock up on food before you cross to Canada. Otherwise you'll get sticker shock! Check out Melvin's blog from last year for more travel info.

Well said Italo. I'm recently retired. For thirty years I owned and ran a small company. That meant many sacrifices, especially vacations. So for now I'm on a 4 month vacation that will take me along most of the Gulf coast. My lifestyle has been put on hold while I do things I have waited 30 years to do. Perhaps this will become my lifestyle.

FL 2-2-15 Today was moving day. 224 mile north to Alliance RV in Wildwood. We have service scheduled tomorrow. New Koni shocks. That should improve our ride a bit. The place is Huge and Mega busy. Glad I scheduled 10 days ahead. They have their own CG with about 50 slots and let you stay for free while service work is being done. Nice spacious sites, water and elec only. I'm sure they have a dump station somewhere on property. As we were in leaving Pine Island this morning and George, the GPS, was spouting directions, Ruth said "why don't we change George to Spanish?" "that way we will will know conversational Spanish by Spring" such a good idea I almost did it. LOL Mostly I75 to Wildwood and no trouble with exception of a 45 minute delay due to an accident. It was bad. Medivac usually means severe injuries. Don't know how that happens on a three lane interstate. Probably texting. After checking in at Alliance we took a tour of the countryside and scouted out our GC for tomorrow night. Back at Gracie by 8:30 and lights out at 10. 2-3-15 Up at 7AM to check in with service department. I needed to add one task and was afraid that would result in two extra days here based on all the stories I've herd from hundreds on the blogs. Took the chance and went off for breakfast and COFFEE. With little to do or see in the area we decided to return to their waiting room and try out one of the many leather couches. By the time we got settled, at 10AM, my cell range. "Mr. Marden your coach in ready for pick up. I couldn't believe it, so I had to ask if the door was fixed also. Yep, ready to go. We were only 45 minutes from our next CG and couldn't check in until 3PM. So I asked if we could stay a bit longer. They said yes without hesitation. Bonus! That meant we could take a nap. At about 2 we buttoned up and took off. Buy the time we had reached the first stop light both of us were amazed with the difference in the ride. No more 3 bounce on every bump and sway nearly disappeared. When we got to the interstate it was even better. Passing trucks didn't push us around and much less steering correction required. If others who read this have similar issues, buy shocks before you get into steering stablizers and such. Fix the problem don't mask it. Once we took our exit the fun started. I had to drive through Ocala. Mega stop lights and numerous driving idiots. Like the one that pulled out of a parking lot and gave me about 30 feet to stop. First time I locked up the brakes on both Gracie and the Burb. I was sure I was going to hit her and in that split second I decided if I did I was going to push her 50 feet just for the fun of it. Somehow she made it through with no daylight between us. Everything that could move was now tight up against the back of the passenger seat......chairs, lamp, dog food, bananas....just sayin! It seems like every time we move we are a target for morons! In about an hour we arrived at Lake Waldena CG. Check out the photo. As I backed into our spot, trees were everywhere. Good thing I had 2 spotters. Thought we were going to need a chain saw. Hope I can find those guys when we are ready to leave.

FL 1-31-15 Today was fairly simple. I spent some time replacing the connector for the Burb lights when towing. I crunched it the last time I folded up the hitch for storage. About 2 PM we took off for Yoders restaurant in Sarasota. We called some more Bradford friends, Jarna any Gary Perkins and Joyce and Perry Tiel, to meet us there. We thought we we meeting half way for both of us. But as it turned out they stay in Venice and it was out of the way for all. Who cares? The food was plentiful and delicious, the company was terrific, and the drive up and back was easy. FL 2-1-15 Due to a scheduling foul up, 75 campers inbound today, we had to move over one spot for one night. Oh well it gave us back up practice. The only thing planned for today is watching the Super Bowl commercials.

FL 1-30-15 Today was a beach day. Well at least afternoon. Although it was only 75 here, it felt plenty warm for us. This time we decided to check out Sanibel Island, specifically Shell Harbor. It took us just about an hour to get there. No direct routes when you are island hopping. First make note: this and all beaches we could find on Sanibel have only paid parking lots. Three dollars per hour. That can add up quickly. The good news is they were all dog friendly. As we got to the end of the path from the parking lot and the beach opened up in front of us, we were both amazed by the amount of shells just lying in the sand. I mean you could have filled a dump truck without getting 10 fee from it. So many shells and so many varieties! This type of discovery really makes us appreciate how much there is to see and learn. Anyway, there is still plenty of sandy beach to set down the chairs, relax, and suck up the sun. So we did for a couple hours. Then we took a random driving tour from one end of the island to the other. We have lots of fun doing this and discover many places not on the "must see" list. Naturally lots of Condos and Hotels. But you would not believe the vacation homes. The landscaping bill is probably more than my mortgage. Many varieties of trees, bushes, and flowers. Great eye candy. On the way off the island we stopped a few minutes at the state park, halfway across the causeway, to watch the sun set. So ends another great day as our journey to see our great country continues. PS Oscar was like a dancing circus flea when I picked him up yeaterday. The staff said he had a good day and behaved himself. So I guess his response two days in a row is about seeing us again. In Tuesdays photos the house with the red roof was Edison's.

FL 1-29-15ia We were up early today to start our day. Well 7 AM is early for a retired couple. By 8 the Burb was headed for doggie day care. Oscar got another day in Pamperville while the rest of us went SW on route 41. That took us trough Naples. Ruth and I still can't believe we traveled 30 miles and never ran out of stores. Everything from furniture to Wendy's. Who buys at this many stores? Once we passed Tin City, In Bonita Springs, several restored warehouse type buildings that were once processing plants for clams and fish that have been repurposed for retail shops, the buildings started to get space and then nothing but Everglades. For those that have never seen them, it's a mixture of tall grass, palm and cypress trees, and mangroves. The vegetation is dependent on the water level that is mostly brackish. A mixture of fresh and salt water. 40 miles into the Everglades we stopped for our airboat ride. That was another first for both of us. It was fantastic! Exelerating and fun without being roller coaster wild. Average speed was 40 mph and water depth varied from mud to 3 feet. We wizzed through narrow channels in the mangrove that had people on both side tucking their arms in. Once we got into the grasses our driver did several fast 360's and a couple wide slides that went over 100 yards. The boat is propelled by a Chevy 454 engine turning a 6 foot blade and I don't think he used all of it. When we weren't being thrilled by the ride itself, the many varieties of wildlife kept us interested and busy with our cameras. Birds a bunch, snakes and yes alligators. One was sunning himself on the waters edge and we were told it was over 12 feet long. Once the ride ended we walked through a small zoo. Did you know Panther's live in the Everglades? They are Beautiful! That was followed by very entertaining alligator handling show. Before leaving Melvin posed for a couple photo opps. By the time we rescued Oscar, Ruth and I were both ready for a nap. So, we picked up a pizza on the way back and called it a day.

FL 1-27-15 Today Oscar went to Doggy Day Care for the first time. Since Ruth and I wished to see some sites that were not dog friendly, we webulated for dog care. One popped up between us and the place we wanted to go so we decided to try it. Turns out it was quite the place. The Pet Corral Resort, located in Cape Coral, had two large outdoor fenced exercise areas (one for large and one for small dogs). It also had grooming and veterinarian services! With Oscar settled in Pamperville, we took off for Edison's Winter home in Ft. Myers. It was a beautiful 70 degree day with that FLORDIA blue sky. Just right for a tour of the place narrated by our very knowledgeable guide. We learned many new facts about both Thomas Edison and his friend and FL neighbor, Henry Ford. I took many photos, including some of Melvin. But, this is a place you need to see for yourself. Having seen the Newport RI mansions of the Vanderbuilt's and others, I was shocked at how ordinary and functional these two homes were. After all, Henry was one of the wealthiest men in the world when he bought this home. Obviously they were built for relaxation not just to impress. And at the time, early 1900's, they were very remote! On our why back to retrieve Oscar, we stopped for lunch at Perkins. Oh ya, I also let a full pecan pie follow me back to Gracie. When we picked up Oscar, he was WIRED !! It took several minutes to settle him down once we got in the Burb. Not sure if he was that glad to see us, or if he had met a girl friend. Guess we'll solve that when we pick him up tomorrow. He got lots of attention and was very well cared for. Yep, back to the resort for him while we go for an Air boat ride. When we returned to the CG, Oscar ate and crashed.

1-26-15 Yesterday was a down day. Saturday afternoon we walked to the function hall and enjoyed an hour of Gospel singing quartet. What else when the State is half southern Baptist. That was followed by a very tasty meatloaf dinner at a mere $6 a plate. Before going to bed last night I had "Black tank" duty. That went fine, I'm getting use to it. However, I left the door to Gracie open. As the last light went out we realized Oscar was nowhere to be found. As I hurried to get dressed and comence my search, Ruth opened the door and found Oscar patiently waiting for us to let him in. Not sure how far he roamed, but we heard no complaints. Today was a moving day. We left Moore Haven and ended up on Pine Island just off the shore from Fort Myers. The trip was only 60 miles, but the 40 mph cross winds kept it exciting. After setting up we noticed our neighbors were from MA, so we introduced ourselves. As usual they asked where we were from. When we said Bradford, their reply was "we have a niece that lives there. Turn out its Joe Messer's wife. I guess I better be on my good behavior while away. Too many people could rat on me. This afternoon we took a 1 hour drive on the island and saw most of it. 16 by 2 miles and a lot of it is rough shoreline you can't get to because the mangroves are so thick. Most of our ventures this week will be on the mainland. We plan on a second attempt at getting an airboat ride through the Everglades, seeing the Henry Ford and Edison winter estates, going to the Shell Factory, and a parasail ride if Ruth can talk me into it. Isn't she the adventurous one?

2-23-15 Today we took off in search of Billy's swamp tours. That didn't work out so well. Garmin could not find him and after 120 miles and 3 stops for directions I gave up. Perhaps I'll try again when we head for alligator alley next week. We did manage to see quite a bit of the country side. At one point we even stopped to watch sugar cane being harvested. Interesting machine for that task. As we left the fields we spotted the processing plant in the distance. Lake Okeechobee is easy to find but hard to see. The southern end is completely surrounded by flood control levies. We found many boat launches but they were all in canals with no direct view of the lake. It claims to have the biggest bass it the World!! Guess I'll take their word for it since I'm not a fisherman. On our way back we stopped for a few groceries and some bottled water. Might be just us, but we have found that very few CG's have good tasting water. Tonight's menu was hamburgers with fresh tomatoes and a slice of Burmuda onion, baked beans. Oh happy day. However, later in the evening we were all but driven out of the motorhome by the smell of the ends and skins (Bermuda onion) in the garbage! Since we were both not dressed to go out I came up with the idea of putting it in the freezer until morning....yes, the whole Bag of trash! Instant relief from that odor. As we headed for bed, rain had arrived along with quite a bit of wind. Good I had seen the forecast and pulled in the awning. As morning came it was still raining. A good day for some inside chores. First I put up a small shelf to hold the indoor/outdoor thermometer(Christmas present) and my iPhone while it's charging. Next was replacement of the shower head. Using the old one was more like being occasionally sneezed on while you had soap on your body, than a shower that should be designed to actually cleanse you. I also made sure the replacement had a stainless steel hose. The plastic ones kink and refuse to lay flat against the wall. An essential feature when you are big and the shower is small. Ruth was the first to use it and was quite pleased with the improvement. At 5:30 today we head over to the clubhouse for a meatloaf dinner. Hopefully we'll have some talkey folks at our table. Regardless, no cooking, no dishes, and no garbage to freeze!! Oh, By the way, does anybody know how to get onion smell out of the freezer without defrosting it?--()$&$)--:;.,??!

Koconnell, Thanks for your ideas and kind words. This is one first winter trip and we can use the tips.

1-22-15 Today we took a 60 mile drive to Fort Meyers. Nothing to talk about along the way, but plenty when we got there. First we just meandered through downtown and then headed South along the shoreline. Well, as close as we could get. We admired all the lovely homes a a string of McMansions. Including Henry Ford's and his friend Thomas Edison's. While searching for a dog friendly public beach, we stumbled upon a Perkins and stopped in for lunch. In just a few more miles we found the beach for us. Lovely soft powdery, white sand. Oscar enjoyed a long walk on the beach with Ruth and I. During our walk we happened to see Melvin sitting on top of his sand Castle. After a 15 minute talk with some fellow snow birds from Minnesota we left the beach and went in search of Pine Island. Our Bradford neighbor has a seldom used winter home there. We didn't have her address with us so we just drove around until Ruth spotted a RVCampground. OK I say we'll stop in for a quick look. By the time we left, we had reserved a spot for next week! Guess we'll be seeing more of the Fort Meyer's area and putting in some beach time. It was 86 and all blue sky today. It was dark by the time we headed back to our CG. In the tiny town of La Bell I got the blue light special. I had just made a "U turn" and thought I missed a sign. No, he had spotted one of my head lights out. Blah,blah, blah, and drive safely sir. If all goes well tomorrow we're headed out for a airboat ride in the Everglades.

1-2-15 Yesterday was a busy day and by the time we returned and watched the State of the Union address I was in no mood to write the blog. The day started as usual by taking Oscar for a walk. As I approached the large pond in the CG, I saw the sign you see at the top of this article. I don't think it was there as a joke, so I promptly steered Oscar away. Buy 11 we we're on our why to Sebring, 60 miles north, to visit Dave and Jan Pickman from Bradford. GPS found them without difficulty. After an hour of catching up and finding out their daughters house had burned the night before, we climbed in a four passenger golf cart and took a ride to the lunch cafe. We had very tasty hamburgers and then Dave took us on a tour of the park. About 2/3 is park models and the rest is for RV's. Some permanent and others short term. It's a very large park with all the amenities. The name of this park is "Buttonwood Bay". We might consider this in a few years when we have tired of traveling. It is also likely we will stop in Lake Placid on our way north. Jan says its a nice day just to drive around and look at the many murals painted on buildings. Maybe a photo op for Melvin. He's been keeping a low profile. After leaving the Pickman's we searched out a Mexican restaurant and found Don Jose's. Fabulous food and excellent drinks and out the door under $30. Wow! Then a quick stop at Wally World. I usually don't make daily trips, but the propane lantern I bought yesterday was missing the mantle a rather important part. As we left the parking lot I spotted a soft serve stand. Boy it's hot here. I really needed that refreshment to calm down the Mexican food. Just a hour later we were back at Gracie in time to watch Obama. Maybe I'm stupid but I have watched the last 35. Anyway after that was over it was bedtime. 1-21-15 Today is a beautiful day. 85 degrees by 11 AM. I decided to check the water level in the batteries. Good I did as 2 cells were very low. Then I got out the ladder so I could replace the clearance lens I noticed missing 2 days ago. Just my luck, I bought the wrong one. 50/50 chance and I lost. We decided to extend our stay here (Moore Haven FL) until next Monday. Still haven't been on an air boat ride. And for $6 each we can get a family style meatloaf dinner Saturday evening. Got to love Amazon. Ordered a new shower head Monday, here today! And delivered to the camp site  Stir fry veggies & chicken for supper. Love the new cooking mat. Tomorrow it's off to Fort Meyers. Should have photos to share tomorrow night.