Back in the Keys

After a short ride, 100 miles we crossed the bridge and arrived back in Key Largo after almost 6 months.  Our first time here was in 2001 and this Jan 14th Lynda and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary back where we got married, Key Largo.

Each year when we arrive we have sorted feelings pulling into the Elks property.  So many members do so many things during the summer to the back camp area.  We always find the place changed from how we left it.  This year was no different.  Picnic tables moved, frames from canopies left up, broken down outside bar in the middle of the tiki, and worst someone took our grill base apart and made a fire pit out of the cinder blocks.  So we moved, pushed, pulled and got things back in order.  Tomorrow I will have to try and find the campsite markers as even though we left directions to spray round up and keep them painted they let them get covered by grass again.  It hurts us the disrespect they show our work.  Vote me Elk of the year then just ignore all we ask.  But we are back on the water and it's warm.  Will get over it as I always do.

After we got our mail we headed for one of our favorite eat places Chads and had some great food.  Got a call from Joyce Kup the house chairman that I will be DJing a private party for money in the lodge and also the New Years Party.  That will be good.

So ends our travel blog for now.  Hope things go well and in a few months we can be blessed to take the long trip out west and let you know how that goes.  Take care and lots of love.  David and Lynda

Down the Florida East Coast to Fort Lauderdale

Got some propane this morning then we jumped on route 95 again and headed south.  Had one more show before we left with the Eagles flying just above us which was nice.  We have this App we use called Gas Buddy and use it to try and find the cheapest, easiest place to fill up.  Well I didn't use it and just pulled off an exit to find the price was $4.19/gallon for diesel.  Got right up to the pump as they didn't post that price and left.  Finally paid $3.83 down the interstate a bit.  I can't understand why diesel is taxed like it is.  That tax goes right after all of us as the truckers pass it on to the cost of all goods.  Makes no sense to me.  But I love my Bus engine and the fact that it gets better gas mileage helps things out.  Plus with an 80 gallon tank you can drive far enough to look for deals.  I remember pulling the fifth wheel with the pick up truck.  It only had a 30 gallon tank and we stopped often for fuel in spots that were both expensive and hard to pull into.

Getting back to the trip today I want to mention how tense it is to drive in Florida on the south east coast.  As you get closer to Miami the people get nuttier.  Small loud cars with tinted black windows zoom in and out of lanes at high speed with no signals.  Scary stuff.  Six lanes of 65mph+ equals white knuckles.  We often come down the west coast but didn't this time and are paying for it.  Tomorrow we have about a 100 miles to do and will be glad to into the Keys.

This campground is another passport america so it's just $17 for the night.  Not bad for full hook ups but tight.  It is filled with wall to wall Canadians.  They love it down here and come by the box load.  French is spoken in many campsites.  Not far away in Miami Spanish is the main language.  Am I in the USA, I wonder.

So on our last night on the road I have mixed feelings.  In my heart I would like to head west and keep traveling but we need to "Do our job" for now.  That involves running the Elks campground and thus getting paid with a place to stay, water, electric, and sewer.  Lynda holds down most of that work and I will make some bucks with the guiding, DJing and then both of us doing the photo work.  After a few months we will head west.  In the meantime there are old friends to see, warm weather to enjoy, familiar places and sights to see and for that we are blessed.

 This site is in Fort Lauderdale 5 miles from the beaches on the ocean.  Its called Paradise Island which it is anything but.  I can't believe some pay over $4000 for a 6 month stay.  The Quebecees are happy to pay.

Sir Charles and me with my new doo, see Just.  Ha

A lot of people live here in Daytona

This morning first thing I shuffled over to one of my favorite eating spots, iHop!  Why you say, well I'm on this crazy no fat, no sugar, no white flour, no white anything and there are few places I can find food out.  Starts with coffee with low fat milk and sweet n low.  Then egg beaters veggie omelet with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions etc.  Three whole wheat multigrain pancakes with walnuts and no sugar syrup. And I'm in heaven.  All for only $11.  Ha, Lynda stayed home and had her own fare as she isn't into my American breakfast thing.  Hey to each his or her own.

After that I got my ears lowered at the camp site of Joe and Flo from Rhode Island.  We had a good chat and for $10 plus tip my head is lighter.  I then worked a bit on getting the tar and rocks off the Honda that was deposited on our cross country trip through South Carolina.  Not fun.  Later we headed to the local Walmart to stock up for the Keys.  No Walmarts in the Keys by the way.  Imagine a place in America where you can drive over 125 miles on a populated highway and not have a Walmart?  After unpacking we, although getting dark, took a walk around the lake and went to try and get some shots of our friends the Eagles.  Not much light so not that great but they give you the idea at least.  There must be a dozen or more living around us here.  Tomorrow off to Fort Lauderdale after filling up on Propane that we hope will last the winter.  One bad thing about a Motorhome compared to a trailer is that the Propane tank is built in and you have to drive the Bus to somewhere that will fill it.  A trailers tanks can be taken off and filled.

Hey Kiley I see you are reading this, hope you are well and enjoying New York.  At least you can wear your Sox hat there and they won't kill you like they want to kill me in my Yankee hat in New England.  David

This is one of the lakes in the campground surrounded by pine woods, pretty yes?

Looking back towards the campsite, the Magic Bus is in the middle.

Lynda walking our Red Son towards the Red Sun.

This Eagle was huge, different ones kept landing in this tree then talking off.

An immature Eagle in full flight over me.

Two Eagles soaring over our coach having it out with each other.

My Lovely Lady Lynda posing with young Chuck at our site.

I hear the NASCAR rigs over at the Daytona track

Well I just finished my dinner, went out and got Chinese again. What a smooth trip here today, about 240 miles of route 95 interstate without a light or stop, 60 mph with the cruise on, sweet.

Lynda was at first a bit taken back by how this campground has expanded and worried the Eagles might be gone. That fear was quickly dispelled when we took a walk into the surrounding country side and came upon several beautiful Eagles both flying and in the trees. There is a large pond/lake in there that no doubt has many fish to feed the birds so even with the campers they will be fine. It's not like anyone is shooting them.

Tomorrow I will get my haircut from a woman that sets up shop here out of her motorhome. She cut mine last year on our way down. We will stay till Sunday then head to Fort Lauderdale for a night then into the Keys and Elks Monday. We both are enjoying seeing the sights and Our mobile home.

Just got off the phone with Anita Allen who is running the Bogey and Bacall canoe and kayak race in Key Largo this February. We used to do the photos for that race when Frank Woll of Florida Bay Outfitters where I guide ran it. Anyway Frank gave us her number to call and it turns out she has bought several photos from us of her in the United States Canoe Association championships. We know Her, small world. It will be nice doing that race again. I enjoy guiding tours, doing our photography and DJing. All are labors of love.  If you add that to my having such a beautiful wife and family I'm a lucky guy.
David

 This is Hardeeville campground in South Carolina.  10 min from Hilton Head and Savannah GA.  Nice Stop.

 Welcome to Florida Willy Family.  Back again.

 Lynda taking a picture of the Great Blue Heron sitting by the lake in Daytona FL in the International RV park.

If you look right between the 2nd and 3rd tree from the left you will see an Eagle flying.  Sorry didn't have my telephoto but will take some before I leave.  They are beautiful birds.

On the coast again

As we got the Magic Bus ready to leave today after 6 days in Greenwood Lake SC I thought about how nice it is to be able to do that, leave.  It's not that I wasn't getting comfortable there but the main reason people have homes on wheels is to roll.  That is the Adventure of it all.  Yes owning a site like the one we were in would be right for some, but why sit in your expensive coach and not move.  I guess if you could come for awhile and rent out the site the rest of the time to pay for it that might work.  But me, I noticed the good feeling closing the Bus up for the unknown trip ahead.  I really look forward to heading out west after the Keys season and seeing things we haven't seen.  That off course includes my Son, his lovely wife and best of all our new Granddaughter.

We had to cut right through the heart of South Carolina today on a two lane road that left large trucks coming pretty close at you in the other direction.  That didn't happen much though as the road was deserted most of the way.  We saw a lot of Cotton fields and I thought about how hard it must have been for slaves to work picking the stuff just for a meal and roof over their head.  Crazy system that was so inhuman.  That is one thing I hold against the South and those that still are fighting the Civil War and waving a confederate flag.  Just can't stomach all that.

Along with the Cotton we observed many run down shacks and closed businesses.  Poverty was everywhere.  I never saw that in South Carolina before from route 95 or along Myrtle Beach.  Sad thing.

We made it to the campsite, set up and headed out to a place called Squat and Gobble of all things.  It was a Greek Dinner in disguise.  Lynda had a Greek pizza and I had a stuffed pork chop filled with spinach and feta cheese, strange but good.  After that we headed for Hilton Head Island. We had never been there and wanted to see what it looked like.  Lots of nice shops and parks.  It started to get dark so we didn't make the ocean beaches.   Would like to see them another time. Tomorrow we will head out to one of our favorite places International Campground in Daytona Beach with it's many beautiful bald Eagles.  David

In those old Cotton Fields back home.  Notice the skinny two lane road with no shoulder.

Last night in Lake Greenwood SC RV park

We will be leaving early tomorrow instead of staying till Friday.  Duty calls at the Elks as we have campers coming in Tuesday.  I must say it has been a nice stay.  I have changed my tune from the first days and we both have enjoyed the area and weather.  Today we did some more cleaning on the Bus and then went in to buy a new relief valve for the hot water heater and check out the town a bit better.  Nothing to speak of in town but we had a nice meal at Red Lobster.  Coming back by the turn to our place was a large motorhome from Maine.  The folks were lost and we stopped to tell them about Lake Greenwood.  Asked them is they were members of Family Motor Coach and they said yes so Lynda said to follow us and we were sure they could stay for free for the night, which they did.  Nice folks from Bath Maine.  Doug our contact guy here had no problem with them taking a site for the night.  He is really a nice fellow and Lynda and I have come to enjoy his company.  So we are heading for Savannah GA tomorrow for a night and hope to make it into the city to look around as we love it there.  I think its about 175 miles from here.  Lynda took some photos of the sunset with my iPhone tonight standing in the campground looking out at the lake.  I put one up below.  That camera on it takes beautiful shots and this view tonight was nice.  David

Southern slowing down

It's I guess human nature to settle in and get comfortable wherever you may be. Such is what has happened here at Lake Greenwood RV park. No we aren't, in fact can't, buy a lot, but it is nice. We went to lunch yesterday at a great local Japanese place and then to visit a seed company that has some interesting gardens Lynda loved. We walk every morning out on the country roads and Charlie can run free. We have met some real nice people, gone for a pontoon boat ride and I got some repairs done on the bus in the warm sunny weather. The people that run the place are so nice and we will recommend a week stay to our campers at the Elks.

Lynda at the Seed companies garden explaining what this plant is.