We have done it. We are in Florida. Our first night here we took a chance and tried to get into Payne Prairie Preserve in Micanopy (see posting from January 2005 for details and pronunciation). Upon arrival we were informed that all the sites were reserved and there was no room for us. The ranger suggested that we consider Sportsmens Cove Resort, just a few miles south in McIntosh, FL. We called and then drove there to a welcoming reception. The place looked a bit like a dump at the end of F Ave right on Orange Lake, but it was pleasant enough sitting on a berm with water on three sides. We wandered down to the shore, drawn by noisy bird calls. They turned out to be many Sandhill Cranes just off the beach. They are a resident population here, unlike the migratory Sandhills we finally caught up with in Bosque Del Apache NWR several years ago. In the morning we awoke to their cries and a walk down the water’s edge yielded a Wood Stork to add to my birding list. It was a great start to our Florida visit.
We breakfasted and set out for Ft Desoto County Park campground where we had paid for four nights back in late November when we were just planing this trip. Other than starting out in a slashing thunder storm with buckets of water falling on us, the drive was uneventful. We arrived before 1 PM and began to set up camp. As I walked to bedroom, after opening the slide I noticed that a trim board had fallen off the closet. This is turning out to be the trip of minor and not so minor mishaps. So far none has been terribly serious, just annoying. With a bit of persuasion the trim board has been restored to it position and ought to stay there. For good measure I played with the window shade over the bed. The guide string has jumped the track a couple of days ago and I had not gotten around to looking at it. It too 30 seconds to put it right. What Next????
Writing a week later: We had very nice visit with Art and Natalie (Carol’s brother and sister-in-law) in St Petersburg. Their daughter Erica came in for the day on Monday and brought along Yonatan, their grandson, who was visiting them and his girl friend for the week. Our time was spent mostly visiting and just a bit shopping for some needed replacement parts for the bike rack – another casualty. Oh yes on Wednesday morning, the 16th, as I walked around the car I noticed that the wear bars on one of the tires was showing, groan, another replacement required. Although the car has only been driven 21,000 miles those tires have been dragged another 30,000 or more behind the coach. Time to find a tire store and get them replaced before something bad happens.
On Thursday we pulled out to head even further south. It is past time to see my Aunt Evelyn in Boynton Beach. The best arrangement we could make for camping was in Clewiston, FL at the Okeechobee Landings RV Park. This is 1 ¼ hours drive from my aunt each way. The campsite was nice, right on a small lake with plenty of birds, mostly White Ibis and one Anhinga. Our visit with Aunt Evelyn was very good and she took us to tour the assisted living facility she plans to move into in the coming weeks. Newport House appears to be a very nice place where she already has many friends. I hope she has an easy transition. It being Friday we had dinner and went to Temple with her. It is clear she is well known and liked there and many people were already congratulating her on her move, although she says she had told no one and the move has not even happened yet.
We left for Okeechobee Landings RV at a bit before 10 PM and arrived quite tired at 11:15. We fell into bed and left the departure mode until the morning. We rolled out about 10:15 and made 13 miles before stopping for fuel and grocery shopping. We finally started moving at noon. The only problem was where to go. I had set our destination as Alabama, but had no intent or desire to get there in one day. As we scanned the map while committing to drive up the center of the state on US 27 we realized we would be passing directly by Deer Creek which the Topfs and other people we know call their winter home. We called ahead to find that they had no plans and the site directly across the street from them was temporarily available. They made arrangements for us to stay and we made our stop at about 3 PM with the Topfs and many other CHAI members. While we were at dinner it began to pour. Once again we were in the midst of torrential rains. This time we had traveled in golf carts from the campsites to the restaurant and there was no way to get four of us under cover in the golf cart. We waited while Norm and Shelley went back and got a car to pick us up. We spent a pleasant couple of hours in their coach and them came back to Gee2 to write and rest.
No idea what we will do tomorrow, Sunday the 20th.