Visit With Friends In Beautiful Tampa

Seffner, FL (62 degrees, blue skies, windy)

 

I love palm trees!  It just made my heart sing as we started seeing more and more of them.  The weather has been windy & chilly due to the hurricane weather changes, but the sky is blue.  Life is good and we are far away from Sandy’s destruction.

 

We stayed at Lazy Days Campground in Seffner for three nights.  It’s expensive but the location worked well for us.  We wanted to see Karen and Al.  They are blogging friends (be sure to check out their blog especially if you like to kayak) that we met up with two years ago just after they sold their “sticks and bricks” in Georgia.  We got together  twice and it was fun to catch up with each others adventures.  Our friendship quickly took off again.  It was just like we’d seen them yesterday.  Al had just had sinus surgery and we were grateful he still felt like getting together. 

 

We did some shopping at the Camping World at Lazy Days and found a few cool items on sale.  I especially liked the light weight micro flannel blankets.  It will replace our down comforter.  We tried it last night and it works perfectly. 

 

We also met up with our friends Jean and Dick.  Jean and I used to work together at a hospital in Indianapolis.  She recently retired and has moved to Tampa to be with Dick.  Jean cooked us  a delicious brunch at their lovely home.  We had not met Dick before but instantly liked him.  We are so happy for them and glad they are so happy together.

 

 

 

We checked out the MacDill Air Force base.  It’s one of our favorite military campgrounds.  It looked great and is starting to fill up for the winter.  The beach side restaurant had a live band and it was fun to sit out and enjoy the sunset. 

 

We are now on our way to Port Charlotte for two months.  We’ll be working as my brother calls as  “one of those annoying kiosk people”.

 

It’s with the company Slippermania and we’ll be selling sport memorabilia at the shopping mall.  The items are great for stocking stuffer  This is a new type of “gig” for us.  Check back soon for more details. 

Getting Out Of Harms Way–Sandy Is One Wacky Hurricane

Lake City, FL (86 degrees, humid, grey skies)

 

 

We stayed in Charleston, S.C. for just a short time.  The hurricane Sandy quickly changed our plans. Having a home on wheels sure comes in handy and driving along the east coast did not seem like a very good idea.  John always says our plans are in jello – there is lots of wiggle room. 

 

 

Foster Creek RV Park (near Charleston, SC)

 

A couple of days ago we stayed at a military navy campground near Charleston called Foster Creek RV Park.  It is well maintained and quiet.  However, there are only ten  sites and reservations are highly recommended.  There are other sites but these are used for folks staying for extended stays. 

 

This has caused a lot of controversy  with  the military campground community since the original intent was for the campgrounds to used for recreation not for what is called homesteading.  It is up to the commander of each base to make this decision. 

 

We also checked out the Air Force FAM camp.  Two years ago it was under construction and we were amazed at how nice it looks now. 

 

Charleston Air Force FAM camp

The sites were all very level and nicely paved.  It is very shady and satellite would most likely be impossible.  We will probably stay there next time.  This campground is located on the base. 

We have satellite TV again.  :) During our stay at Watkins Glen the trees blocked our ability to get a signal.  We really missed being able to watch programs at our leisure and especially liked being able to zip through all the commercials.  Right now avoiding all the political commercials is a real plus. 

 

As soon as we left New York we called Dish to set it up again. Shortly later we found out our DVR had a hard drive failure.  Sheesh.  They sent a new one  to a UPS Store in Charleston for pick up. After we arrived John spent a few hours getting it set up again. We are happy TV watchers again. 

We had a nice reunion with someone we met at Buckhall National Forest two years ago.  This is a lovely campground near Charleston that we highly recommend.  During our last visit Cheryl and her sister and brother in law (Bliss and Eddie) took us on a wonderful tour of the island (Isle of Palms) where they grew up, Sullivan Island,  and Mt. Pleasant.  We laugh and say they kidnapped us for the day  but it was a really memorable day.  We've kept in touch and met today for breakfast with Cheryl.  Unfortunately, Bliss and Eddie were out of town.  These special moments are priceless.  Here is a link to our original visit. 

 

We listened to the news this morning and decided to change our plans and route to Port Charlotte, Florida.  Moving inland seemed to be a good idea.  It was a long travel day for us but we are now safe and sound in Lake City, Florida at a Passport America campground called Oaks and Pines RV Park.  It’s a convenient campground and very crowded tonight.  I guess a few other folks had the same idea. 

 

Oaks & Pines RV Park (Lake City, FL)

 

Tomorrow we will watch the hurricanes progress and decide whether to hunker down another day or go towards Tampa.  Stay safe.  Our prayers and thoughts go out to all that may be affected by this hurricane. 

Beautiful Ferry Ride From Ocracoke Island and Visit With Blogging Friends

Ocracoke National Park, NC (76 degrees, clear blue skies)

Loading onto ferry

 

We got up way too early in the morning (5:30am) in order to take the ferry from Ocracoke Island to Cedar Island. However, after some initial grumbling on my part it turned out to be a fantastic trip all from the comfort of our motorcoach. 

 

 

The ferry ride lasts about  2 1/2 hours (cost $45 for rig and toad) and being able to enjoy it looking through the window of our home was amazing.  The ferry quickly filled and we were on the way.  With the love of my life, a cup of coffee, and a pretty sunrise life doesn’t get much better than this. 

 

View out our front window

Most folks stayed in their cars, however, there was a deck up at the top with  vending machines and chairs for enjoying the view. 
















The map below shows the route from Ocracoke Island to Cedar Island.  Click on map to enlarge. 



View Ocracoke to CedarIsland in a larger map

 

Cedas Island in the distance





Ferry waiting on other side to go back to Ocracoke

 

 

The drive through the low lands was very scenic after we got off the ferry.  Along the road someone was selling shrimp for $2.50 a pound. Stopping for some was imperative. The shrimp had been caught the night before. Now that’s fresh!!! Later on I realized the heads were still on them.  It's rare I get to do something for the first time now, but this was such an occasion.    Remember I'm from Indiana and our shrimp come out of the freezer.  Hopefully the squeamish feeling will be worth it. 

 

We were thrilled to meet up with a blogging couple who noticed our paths were crossing.  Dee and Jim write a great blog – click link - (Tumbleweed) we have followed their blog even  before we  started full timing. They inspired us as we were preparing to leave and we have learned a lot from them. Check it out.

 

We had a nice lunch together in Beaufort and shared stories, favorite campgrounds, and experiences.  Jim is retired Air Force too. 

 

We hope to meet up again in Florida.  They are organizing a get together of bloggers who hang out in sunny Florida. They hope to plan it  around the Tampa RV show. If you are in the area let us know. 
 

We then continued on our way to Wilmington, NC to spend the night at an Elks Lodge. It’s a handy place to overnight or spend a few days.  I forgot to take a picture but there are ten sites at the back of the lodge with 30amp service, water, and a dump on site.  There is a big picnic area and large grassy backyard.  The beach is very close by.  Cost is  $15/night and the bar also offers reasonable meals. Our only complaint is smoking is allowed in the bar. The members were very welcoming to us and we love staying at Elk Lodges especially for short stays.  It’s much better than a Wal-Mart and very reasonable. 

We are on our way to a military campground in Charleston, S.C.  Thanks for stopping by. 

The Only Towel For Miles–Ocracoke Island

Ocracoke National Park, NC (82 degrees,clear blue skies)

 

Want to get away from the crowds, hear the roar of the ocean, and enjoy the warm sunshine.  Ocracoke Island would definitely be the place to visit. It’s located on the barrier islands of North Carolina and is accessible only by ferry. 


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View Larger Map

 

 

Our motorcoach took its first ferry ride after traveling past Kitty Hawk and Cape Hatteras. It is one of the prettiest drives we have experienced. The ferry leaves often and takes about 40 minutes.   It's free to all.  There were three ferries running back and forth all day.

Spectacular homes on Cape Hatteras

 

 

 

First peak at the dunes

 

Waiting to board the ferry

 



Tight fit

 

We did hold our breath as they squeezed us on the ferry. A few motorcycles moved around to give us a little more room  and we enjoyed to talking to them during most of the ride over the island.  They warned us it was a really quiet place.  Sounded perfect to us.

 

We stayed at the Ocracoke National Park for two nights ($11.50/night with an Access Pass). There are no hookups but there are bathrooms and showers available. Four loops are available to choose from and some back up to the dunes. We could hear the ocean waves crashing from our site.   

 

Our site (#10, Ocracoke NP)

 

There is a grill and picnic table at each site.  Our rig and jeep just fit and we were the largest rig here. Reservations can be made in advance with Recreation.gov. This would probably be a good idea in the summer. 

 

Pelicans in flight

 

We spent most of time walking the beach.  Jimmy loved it too.  We laughed when a few waves caught him by surprise. 

 

 

 

 

 

The sleepy town is about ten minutes away.  Most folks get around on bicycle.  We had a great dinner at Howard’s Pub which has an amazing beer list, reasonable prices, and delicious fresh seafood. 

 

The island is known for the wild ponies roaming the island at one time (only 20-30 decedents remain)  They are rumored to be decedents of pirates or merchants which frequented this island in the 1700's.  The most famous pirate was Blackbeard.

 

"Wild" Ponies

 

There is a pretty working lighthouse (second oldest working lighthouse in the country) and cute cottages and homes near the downtown.  The island for the most part is owned and protected by the National Park. 

 

Sure wish we could stay longer.  This is our kind of place. Our next stop is Charleston, S.C.  A much longer ferry ride (2 1/2 hours) will take us over to the mainland.

 

There’s A Lot To Love About Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach, VA (cloudy skies, 76 degrees, low 56 degrees)

John driving on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Tunnel

 

Chesapeake Bay Bridge

 

 

 

The pictures above are the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  It is a beautiful 28 mile bridge with two under water tunnels.   We experienced these spectacular views on our way to Virginia Beach. It’s rather pricey ($28 for a motorcoach + toad) but it saves you having to drive through Baltimore, Washington D.C., & Richmond.

 

 

 

View Larger Map

We spent three fun filled days at Virginia Beach. The weather was warm and delightful and our first view of the ocean was exhilarating. Walking along the beach is so enjoyable.

 

  

 

We stayed at the Ocean Pine RV Park near the Naval Air Station Oceana. It’s a peaceful military FAM campground, except when the planes are flying over (the sound of Freedom). It has full hookups and the staff are very friendly.  Cost per night is $25 which is a great price for the area. 

 

 

The only compliant are the sewer hookups.  The location is right in the middle of the site and not very user friendly.  First time we have seen a set up like this one.  Sheesh!

 

We spent most of our time at the beach. This is the off season and the boardwalk was not crowded.  Trip  Advisor recommended Sandbridge Beach.  It is off the beaten path and a very nice beach about 30 minutes from Virginia Beach. 

 

 

 

 

Our favorite beach was at Ft. Story  It’s a military base, however, civilians can go out lighthouse (Cape Henry). It's  one of the first lighthouse commissioned by George Washington. 

Jimmy liked it  too.  Virginia Beach is very dog friendly. 

 

Jimmy Doodle enjoying the boardwalk

 

 

John took this cool picture of a kayak and sail boat.  Look closely and you can see a dolphin playing in the ocean too.

 

 



 



Edgar Casey Health Center & Spa

We also treated ourselves to a massage at the Edgar Casey A.R.E. Health Center & Spa.  Be sure to check out this spa if you are in the area.  They also have a massage school offering reduced rates if booked far in advance 



 

The grocery store (commissary) was amazing.  It’s one of the largest  we have seen.and the prices were fantastic especially compared to New York. 

 

 

 

We will definitely return here again.  We think the  best time to visit is in the spring or fall. 

New "Shoes" For The Motorcoach

New Castle, DE (68 degrees, cloudy skies)

We are on the road again and heading down to Florida for the winter. Our motorcoach needs new tires and after a lot of research decided to have them replaced in Delaware.  Some of our Facebook friends have asked for information and we thought some of our blog friends might find our experience helpful too.  We have attended seminars at rallies in the past about tires and it's recommended to have them replaced at 5-6 years of age regardless of wear or mileage.  Did you know there is actually a birth date on your tire (click link -how to tell how old a tire is)?

 

We wanted to replace them as a planned event and not as an emergency going down the road due to a blow out.  Along the side of the highway you can be at the mercy of a tire shop and a blow out can cause a lot of damage to the rig.

FMCA (Family Motorcoach Association) has a great benefit to its members.  They have a special program though Michelin Advantage Program (click link for program details).  We saved $92 per tires by utilizing the program. We also researched the state tax of the ones on our route to Florida.  Delaware has no state tax. In New York we would have paid 9%.  These new "shoes" are expensive ($3546 for a set of six).

FMCA is a motorcoach organization that offers rallies, seminars, forums, and much more for motorcoach owners.  We've attended several of their rallies and found them very informative and well organized.  If you are a new motorhome owner we would highly recommend joining.  There is a big learning curve to a motorhome and their seminars have been very helpful.  Right now membership is open only to motorhome owners, however, this may be changing in the future.

From the website on FMCA we found Service Tire and Truck Center  in New Castle Delaware (suburb of Wilmington).  Brian was very responsive to all our questions by phone and looked for tires with a recent birth date.  Our tires were quickly replace and we were back on the road in about two hours.   We were very pleased with this tire center. 

 

 

They did say we could boondock in their parking lot.  However, we decided to stay at a nearby Elks Lodge about one mile from the center.  It is tucked in the middle of a neighborhood and there are two sites with 120 electric only.  We were welcomed warmly and enjoyed our stay there for the night. 

Elk Lodge New Castle Delaware

 

 Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks are next on our itinerary.  Check back soon for all the details.