On The Road Again!

Tampa, Florida (79 degrees, blue skies)

Screech Owl - J.N. Ding Darling NWR

It sure is great to be back on the road again.  Our first stop is Tampa Florida to spend a few days with John's daughter (Jen) and to meet up with the Caloosa Bird Club at Ft. De Soto. This beautiful county park and campground is located in St. Petersburg and if you haven't been there we'd recommend  adding it to your "to do" list.  It does require advance planning to reserve a campsite due to it's popularity. The beaches are spectacular and it's a birding "hot spot"

It was great to spend some time with Jen.  She has such a nice apartment and it's cool to see some of our things interspersed in her place.  When we started full timing let's just say she inherited early.  She moved to St. Petersburg almost a year ago and she is  very happy with her decision.  

Fort De Soto is near her apartment and we decided to take the ferry over to Egmont Key for a day of shelling and sightseeing.  It's a pretty island managed as a State Park and by Fish and Wildlife.  Half of the island is a protected bird sanctuary (off limits) where thousands of birds nest and hang out this time of year. Over 300 hundred loggerhead turtles also nested here last year and the ranger told us they are hoping for more this season since  a large area area of the beach was reclaimed. 

Gopher Tortoise

Jen and I spent most of the time enjoying the beach and shelling.  She really enjoys this hobby and is quite lucky at finding some really cool ones.  John explored the fort area which was built in 1898 during the Spanish American War.  The island was also a camp for captured Seminole Indians during the Third Seminole War. 

Lighthouse (est. 1858)

Remnants  of Fort Dade (built 1898)

MacDill Fam Camp

We are staying out at the MacDill Air Force Base campground. The sites are very good size, well spaced, and nicely maintained.  It's only $20/night which is a great bargain in Florida and it's available to active duty and retired military folks.  There is an excellent beach and really is a city within a city. It takes almost a half an hour to get from the gate to the campground.

Right now it is only partially full but during peak season there is a rotation schedule which involves changing your site every two weeks.  During peak times the office told us you might be in a boondocking site. Last season the longest time in this area was eight days before rotating to a hook up site. There are some full hook up sites where you do not have to rotate at all, however, these sites must be reserved a year in advance and there is a long waiting list.  

Caloosa Bird Club

On Monday we met up with the Caloosa Bird Club for the last trip of the season.  Fort De Soto is a large park and our leader Vince took us to many areas. There were a few warblers and lots of shorebirds looking really fine in their breeding  plumage. There has been a Grooved  Billed Ani hanging out in the area for awhile.  It's unusual to see this bird in Florida and we had tried without success to find it in February while in the area for the Tampa RV show. Today with the help of our guide we were successful!  Thanks so much Vince. Our photo is not the best but we were thrilled to finally see it.

Laughing Gulls

A huge flock of Marbled Godwits

Grooved-billed Ani hiding in the brush

Two Royal Terns and a Common Tern

We also saw a Great Horned Owl and later it's nest with two baby owlets.  Life is good!

Great Horned Owl

Two Great Horned Owlets

Last night we drove over to Anna Marie Island to visit some friends we workamped with in Watkins Glen New York.  In the winter they live in a cute community of "vintage" trailers.  They purchased it last year and have fixed it up so nicely.  In this friendly community you own the home but rent the property. It's in a great location near the beach and quaint downtown.  We had a nice dinner together and caught up with each others travels.  They will be workamping this summer at a KOA in Bar Harbor Maine. We hope to visit them there on our way out of Canada this fall.

John, me, Thomas, and Fidencia

Cute property nearby

Thomas and Fidencia's home

Today we are stocking up on groceries at the commissary and getting ready to head to northern Florida for a little kayaking.  Stop back soon! We are going to visit some mermaids.  Do you know where we are going?

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. 

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. 

There Is No Place Like Home

Indianapolis, IN (68 degrees, clear skies)

With a few click of her heals, Dorothy was transported back to Kansas.  It took Big Bear (our motorhome) a little longer to accomplish but we have arrived back in Indianapolis, our  home town, safe and sound.  There really is no place like home. 

We will be here for three weeks visiting friends and family.  In addition, we also will be seeing all our doctors for annual check ups. 

Some renovations have been planned for our motorhome.  We have an appointment next week at Master Tech RV in Elkart Indiana.  Our fiberglass roof needs to be replaced due to some leaking.  We also are planning on having a ceiling fan installed in the bedroom and a new sofa. Master Tech replaced our carpeting with a type of tile two years ago.  They are specialists in renovations and we have been very pleased with their workmanship and service in the past. 

 

Our route from Sante Fe to Indianapolis included a stop in Amarillo Texas.  We stayed at a Passport America campground called AOK.  Amarillo is not very scenic and this campground was a basic, no frills sort of place.  The rate was $11 for full hooks and was reasonable for a quick over night stay.  This part of Texas is very bleak and flat.  I thought at times we were in the middle of the Grapes of Wrath movie.

 

  

AOK Campground (Passport America)

The next morning we left early and had only traveled a few miles when our tire monitoring system alarmed.  John pulled over and found out that our right front tire on the jeep was shredded.  We had no indication that anything was wrong.  None of the passing traffic had noticed it either due to the tire being on the inside.  Our tire monitoring system was our only indication.  It could have easily caught on fire or bent the rim in no time.  We have monitors on all our tires including a toad. We'd highly recommend some type of system for all RVers.  There are many types on the market.  They are a bit of a hassle to set up and maintain but we would not travel without them.   

 

John was able to quickly change the tire and we were on our way.  A State Trooper stopped and he also was impressed with the monitoring system.  He said that he's seen some terrible damage to motorhomes due to the driver not being aware of a flat tire. 

Our stop for the night was Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. It is a popular famcamp and many of the sites look over a fishing pond. It was $19 a night for a full hook up site. The laundry on site was spotless and only 50 cents a load for the washer or dryer. It is very well maintained, but not very peaceful. One morning we woke up to three riding lawnmowers and four other folks weed eating this small campground. It was nuts! 

Speaking of grass...Jimmy was so happy to see the green stuff again.  He rolled and rolled in the grass.  The desert was rough on him with all the sticky "goat heads" and cactus.  He is a happy dude!



Tinker AFB Famcamp (fishing pond)



Tinker AFB (our site)

Our next stop was at another Passport America campground called Laura Inglis Wilder RV Park in Mansfield Missouri.  We stayed for three nights ($36 total, 30 amp) and they honored the rate for the entire stay.  The park is not very well maintained and the grass was high.  It is currently for sale and would need a lot of work to get it back in shape. 

We stayed here so that we could visit John's Air Force buddy.  They were stationed in Alabama when they were 18 years old and have remained friends.  Tim's wife had recently died and we wanted to spend some time with him and his daughter. It was a nice visit and we enjoyed being out at their home in the country.  Sara and I had fun shopping at a local mall.  She loves escalators!

Tim and Sara

Laura Inglis Wilder Campground

Our last stop before arriving in Indianapolis was in St. Louis Missouri.  We stayed at Elks Lodge in O'Fallon.  They have two sites with electric only and it was near our friends Chet and Chris.  They ask for a donation to the lodge instead of a nightly rate.   Chris and I worked together at St. Vincent Carmel Hospital.  They have lived in St. Louis for several years now and love the city.  We decided to visit the St. Louis Zoo for the day.  What a great zoo and the admission was free.  It was fun to wander around and see all the animals.  Spring had sprung and all the blooming flowers and trees were so beautiful. 

 

 

We saw the new baby elephant name Kenzi that weighted 300 pounds at birth. She is a cutie.  

New baby elephant-Kenzi

There is an Insectarium exhibit full of bugs.  We especially liked the butterfly wing. 

 

 

Baby giraffe

There is lots to see at this zoo.  Be sure to have good walking shoes.  The weather was perfect.  Afterwards to went the Jewel Box, a beautiful green house in Forest Park.  Unfortunately we were not able to go in due to a wedding.  Oh, well, I guess we'll just have to come back for another visit. 

Jewel Box

Chris and Chet

We are now in Indianapolis staying the KOA in Greenfield (suburb of Indy).  This is where we first workamped two years ago.  As we drove up we were so happy to find Gay and Danny had arrived. They are working here again this year and have been our workamping mentors. We also met Wayne, a new workamper this season.  He has been doing a great job getting the place ready.  The owner greeted us warmly and we all got together for dinner and campfire the next night.  It sure is great to be home. 

Our