South 2012 - Jan and Feb

We began our trek south on January 2.  When we left home a little after 7AM there was just a dusting of snow but the roads were clear and dry.  It was near Charleston, WV when we first ran into real snow.  As we came around the river it was like a white out….the snow was falling and blowing, but luckily it was not sticking to the roads.  As we progressed south through the mountains we hit several bands of snow showers and blowing snow, but it was not sticking and the road was good.  We stopped at the Tamarack rest area near Beckley for a break and as we left, the sky opened and we had snow all the way through the last tunnel in Virginia.  The final leg was clear and dry, but cold.  We pulled into the campground at Lowe’s Speedway at about 4:30.  As the forecast is for temps in the mid teens over the next several nights, the kitchen faucet will run.

Tuesday we settled in, did a little shopping and looked for a car wash.  Both vehicles as well as the RV are dirty and need good baths.  We will look to get the car and truck washed up this week but the RV will have to wait until we get to Tampa. We did scrub the RV windows with some water and brush and then used some with Windex and paper towels so at least the windows are fairly clean.

This is home for Lilly and Lydia until Tuesday the 10^th when we will move on to South Georgia.

                        

Wednesday morning we drove to Davidson.  There certainly is a lot of traffic!  It moved pretty well but it was nearly bumper to bumper until we got into Davidson.  As Mark and Kyra finished packing we walked Niko to the bus.  We were just about ready to load Lex in the Santa Fe to drive him to school, when Kyra received a call from the school – frozen pipes so no school for Aleksei.  After Mark and Kyra left for the airport we set about taking down the Christmas tree.  Lex was a big help finding the decoration to match the appropriate box.  By lunch time the tree was down, the decorations packed away and the remains of the tree at the curb for recycling.  When Niko came home from school he didn’t even notice it was gone.

We soon fell into a routine of sorts and the weather warmed through the week so the boys could spend some time out doors.  The rest of the week flew by and we had no real weather problems like last year.  This year Niko can really ride his bike and Lex can really push the wooden play bike around. 

On two evenings we watched “The Bee Movie” after dinner and baths.  We ‘serialized’ it in two parts so it took two nights to see the entire show.  It was a good movie and the boys seemed to really enjoy it, as did the adults watching. 

Mark and Kyra arrived home in time to see the boys off to school on Monday morning after an all night flight from Seattle.

We got under way early on Tuesday morning to avoid the dread traffic in downtown Charlotte.  We pulled out of the Lowe’s Speedway campground at 5:45AM and had a nice drive to Grassy Pond, the Air Force FamCamp near Valdosta, GA.  We had called the campground for a reservation and it was a good thing we did.  We were able to pull right into site 36….the only vacant site.  Wednesday and Thursday Judy spent lots of time with Nancy Juster, an old AF friend.  Thursday afternoon a couple pulled on to the site next to us from Tennessee.  They had departed home at 1:30AM to avoid traffic in Atlanta.  Turns out they are headed to MacDill too and knew a few folks we had met there last year.  They have reservations for a full hookup site for the winter and are hoping to get on to one when they arrive.

Friday morning we had a leisurely time getting ready and pulled out about 8:30 for the under five hour drive to MacDill AFB at Tampa.  Two weeks before, we had called and managed to get a reservation for a full hookup site, otherwise we would have gone into overflow dry camping until a partial hookup site became available.  By late Friday we had setup on site 18 for the next 14 days and learned of many things to do.  Judy will have quilting, crafting and exercise and Jon will have a computer users group and lots of bike riding and some work on the RV.  In addition to these activities the campground has things for us to do including line dancing, pot lucks, and activities on base.  We went to the base fitness center and signed up for the “Walk Your Buns Off” program.  They gave us each a pedometer and the goal is to log 10,000 steps each day 0ver the next six weeks.

We also signed up for a mail box so we can get mail here.  They have a small block building near the middle of the campground that is used as the mailroom.  Volunteers pickup the mail daily, put it in boxes and man the office to pass out larger parcels and packages from noon to 2.

Our weather has been nearly perfect these past two weeks at Tampa.  We had a good rain late one afternoon and evening but other than that nothing to complain about.  Seems like we are busy each day with one activity or another.  Sunday the 22^nd we decided to ride our bikes to the BX complex area to do a little shopping and have lunch in the food court. We are on the south side of the airstrip and the shopping complex is on the north side near the main gate.  Fortunately, there are lots of folks (including active duty) who ride bikes and traffic does not move fast – maximum speed limit on base is 35 and in most areas 25.  Anyway we made the 4 mile ride with no problems and enjoyed a leisurely lunch.  One strange thing about the ride – seems like going both ways we were ridding into the wind.

Last Friday night we went to the potluck as it was “States” night.  There were 13 of us from Ohio in attendance.  Michigan had 14 but Kentucky took the prize with 16 in attendance.  The furthest away was a couple from Utah!  We’ve met several other couples from Ohio who were not at the dinner.

This is our site – number 18. Forgot to take a photo until moving day, hence the puddle in the street.

Our ‘neighbor’ next door is a retired officer currently working as a civilian for Central Command Headquarters.  He has an exemption and is allowed to stay on one site for up to six months.  He and his family reside in a Vectra motor home.  His family consists of his young Thia wife, Ning, and a five month old daughter named Abigail.  We have been spending some time talking with her.  She has a small garden in several containers trying to grow some Thai spices for her cooking.

This Friday, the 27^th we will have to move to dry camp.  Not sure how long we will have to stay there before we can get into an even partial hookup site.  As of yesterday when I rode the campground there were 50 units in dry camp and three more in the parking lot next to the office.  The way they are parked in three lanes, it may be difficult to find a nice spot on Friday.

Wednesday we decided to head to Dunedin to the largest quilt shop in Florida.  It was quite a shop – over 1800 bolts of material.  It was almost too much!  After the shop we drove to the center of town and walked around a bit.  It was quite evident that the railroad used to run right through the center of town.  The old railroad bed is now a wide bike and pedestrian trail.

Friday the 27^th came pretty fast.  It started raining about 2AM and rained hard several times.  By the time Jon went to the office it was just a mist.  He was first in line but still it looks like it may be a week before we can move into a partial hookup site.  By eleven we were situated in the dry camp field and had fired up the generator to make sure it works.  The sky is still pretty cloudy but the rain has stopped…for now.

Friday evening we joined Floyd and Mary Woolridge plus anther couple for a round of cards – Hand and Foot. The other couple is from Amarillo, TX and come here rather than the Texas coast as it is warmer and much less wind.  They have been married 61 years!

Our first night in dry camp went well.  We did run the generator for a bit when we got back from cards and again early on Saturday morning for some coffee.  About 7:45 we headed to the Sea Scapes, a little restaurant on the bay here, for breakfast.  Each Saturday they have a ‘free’ continental breakfast and on the last Saturday of the month it is a full blown meal – eggs, sausage and bacon, French toast, sausage gravy – the works.

This is where Lilly spends much of her time during the day.  She can look out the windows at activities, hear and see what is going on and of course get in lots of sleep.

Sunday the 29^th we took our weekly ride to the BX and back.  On the way home we opted to take Bayshore Drive rather than cut through the base.  It added almost a mile but was a pleasant ride.  In checking the rotation list it appears that we may get offered a partial hook up site Thursday or Friday. As of late Sunday night there are 42 of us in dry camp.

We certainly have been staying in bed longer these last few days.  Quiet hours are 11PM to 7AM so we can’t start the generator to make coffee until 7.  We’ve looked for a stove top pot in the past but just haven’t found a decent peculator.  Besides we don’t need it very often.  After Judy’s exercise and a long walk with Lilly we headed out to some shopping and sight seeing.  After a late lunch at the Crab Shack at the western end of the Gandy bridge we drove on over to Madeira Beach and then back up through St Pete.  You can see old modern Florida and new modern too.  We were both surprised at how few vehicles and people we saw.  There were some interesting old motels towered over by new five or six story buildings and they all looked as if there were plenty of vacancies.

This is where we have been since January 27^th and it looks like we may be here for 4 or 5 more days.

People have been coming and going but we still sit where we are.  Folks on either side of us are from the New England area and have accents you could cut with a knife.  Both are retired Coast Guard. 

Noticed that it was awfully quiet in the sky the past few days.  No KC135 tankers taking off and landing and no C130’s cruising over the base and the Coast Guard planes were not flying.  After a little investigation we found that the base runways were closed for repairs.  There will be no flights to or from MacDill for the next three months.  Most mornings start at 0600 with reveille and fall out played over the base speaker system.  At noon we have the siren and at 1700 (5PM) we have retreat with the national anthem.  Taps is played at 2200 (10PM) and it is something to hear as it echoes off the water.  And yes there is the gun fire.  The base firing range is located about 1/8 mile from the campground.

After Judy’s exercise on Wednesday we dropped by Don and Jane Coget’s to see some quilts.  Jane is really into it and had some real unusual ones including “cathedral window” and a ‘brown stone house” quilts.  We also got a tour of there 39.8 foot Open Range fifth wheel with full size double door residential refrigerator. After lunch we stopped by the pharmacy to get one of Judy’s prescriptions filled, but have to go to the Clinic and update her records first.  Then we made a run to Home Depot for some “Goop” as the blueboy has a small leak in the top and stopped by a nice thrift shop.

Thursday after lunch we started the generator so Judy could do some sewing.  We were just ready to shut it down when the office called and offered us a partial hook-up site (water and electric).  After a rapid pack move and unpack we are situated on site 329 backed up to a canal.  We should be here for at least 14 days but could get bumped to a full hook-up site after 10 to 12 days.  Looking out our back window we can see that the tide is going out as the water is flowing toward the bay.

We are on the list to get a full hook-up site but are hoping we don’t move until two weeks before we head for “The Prairie” and our volunteer time. We are right across the road from the dry camp area. The field is full again and there are two campers in the marina parking lot. 

Sunday we made our usual bike trip.  We rode the four miles to the BX shopping complex and did plenty of looking but no shopping. It is interesting to sit in the food court and watch the families and individuals as they pause to eat or walk through.  This Sunday the excitement was a little boy getting what may have been his first haircut.  He was certainly putting up quite a fuss.  His mother was trying to hold him still while the barber worked on him.

Monday was grocery and pharmacy day.  After lunch we headed to the base clinic to get registered so we could use the pharmacy.  Judy had a prescription we were gong to mail in but thought we would try the base pharmacy.  It was quite a procedure to get registered at the clinic and then prescription turned in at the pharmacy.  We were given a pickup time about two hours later so went off to do some shopping.  Why do pharmacies put so few pills in such a big bottle? 

In the evening we went to a big hanger to see the “Tops in Blue” a forty member group of very talented musicians and singers from the Air force.  They go through a tryout and are selected to tour with the group for one year.  Then they return to their regular assignment.  They were very good.

Wednesday we decided to head to the Tampa Electric Company plant to view the manatee.  Because of the warmer water discharged (and yes it is clean) by the plant the manatee migrate to the cove by the plant in winter.  They can generally be found near the plant from October through the end of April.  The viewing area and parking are free and we saw a number of these large creatures in the water.  We tried several ways to get a picture or two but they would not cooperate.

We did see a stingray and some very large fish – they also like the warmer water. After seeing the manatee and plants along a portion of the Florida Bird Trail, we drove on south to Apollo beach for lunch at a small family restaurant.

On the way back we spotted an Ikea store.  As we had never been in one, we pulled in and walked a large portion of the store.  They certainly have some neat things and we did end up picking up several unique and different items.

Saturday at breakfast one of the fellows told Judy about a ‘real’ flea market, not one of those multi-barn markets all over the state.  We found the place on Hillsborough Avenue in what is still a 4 screen drive-in movie theater. As we walked around it was almost as if you were in a foreign country.  There were several large stalls with vegetable and after walking around the rest of the place decided to buy a few things.  By now it was after noon and the seller was anxious to move the merchandise.  For $3 we purchased about 3 pounds of seedless grapes (and yes they are really good), 3 peppers (two green and one yellow), a sweet onion, two cucumbers and an avocado.  On the way home we stopped at a Cuban restaurant and had empanadas and a Cuban sandwich.

What a difference a couple of days can make!  Temperatures began to fall on Friday the 10^th and continued to drop through the weekend.  With the drop came the cold winds out of the North.  Saturday night it got into the low 30’s and with the 18 mile per hour winds gusting to 30 on Sunday, the trek to the BX via bike was not in the picture.  We did manage to get in a fairly long walk with Lilly and in the bright sun it was pleasant.  Sunday night there is a freeze warning and growers are advised to cover ‘tender’ plants.

It was a rather chilly and windy weekend so the Sunday bike ride to the BX plaza turned into a drive in the Ram. We played jokers with two other couples at 4 on Sunday and then had soup together at the Woolridges. 

The overflow/dry camp area continues to be pretty full.  This is just one row.

Friday we had asked the office not to move us (even though our 14 days would not be ups) until at least the 14^th.  That will give us two weeks in a full hookup site before we head to KPPSP.  By the number that have moved it is a good bet we would have moved over the weekend (maybe even Friday) and that would have meant hitting dry camp before heading south.

Tuesday for Valentines Day we went into Tampa to the Ybor city area for lunch at the Columbia restaurant.  It has been in business since 1905 serving a mix of Spanish dishes and Spanish dishes modified by the early Floridians.  After lunch we walked around the Ybor city area, the scene of the early cigar factories using tobacco from Cuba. This is one of the “crafts” Judy did.

About an hour after we got back to the camper, we had a call from the office wanting to know if we still wanted to go from partial to a full hook up site.  What a silly question!  So a little after 4 we packed up and moved.  We will be on site 31 until the 28^th when we will head further south.  Our new neighbor to the east is a retired AF Colonel in a beautifully kept American Tradition 40’ motor home.  He and his wife are originally from Nebraska but now living in Virginia.  They have been married 56 years and travel about four or five months a year.  The MH has 120,000 miles on it.

On Thursday we met the Bitners and Bloss's at the Crab Shack for lunch and then brought them back to the base.  We drove around the base and pointed out the newer buildings including the CentCom headquarters; the building from where the wars in all parts of the world are fought. This is also the headquarters of US Special Forces.

Another weather front moved in overnight Thursday and Friday was a cloudy drizzly day.  Had plans to begin doing some waxing on the Greystone, but it was just to wet and rainy.  We did take advantage of the early bird special at SeaScapes and had a nice piece of parmesan encrusted fish and then walked to building 2017 to hear a group of ladies sing.

With the wind fairly strong on Sunday we decided to drive over to St Pete to see the pier.  St Pete is an interesting city with its newer modern high-rises and the older motels.  The pier is nearly fifty years old and there is a move afoot to tear it all down and build a new more contemporary building.  It houses a small museum and an aquarium

Next to the pier is a big Salvador Dali museum.  There is a huge park near the pier with all sorts of trees.  This one had kids and adults passing through the roots/trunk.

A bit further we came upon this strange tree.  It was full of pods that opened into big red flowers.  There were very few leaves on the tree

Monday the 20^th being a big day, we went to Plant City with Floyd and Marry Woolridge to dine at “Fred’s Southern Cooking” buffet.  On the way there we passed a number of strawberry fields.  Fred’s is in an older smaller building and the food on the buffet was no your typical buffet.  Every dish was good, freshly made and in large kettles or pots, not your usual buffet tray.  Everything from collard greens and cornbread to fried chicken and ribs, plus grits, gravy and the best bread pudding were on the table.

Wednesday afternoon we decided to take a bike ride along Bayshore Boulevard, the road that actually runs along the bay on base and then on into downtown Tampa.  It was a little cloudy so we thought it would be a good day and as it was after noon, most of the morning joggers and cyclist would be in.  Below are several pictures from the ride.  If you look at a close-up map of Tampa you can see the roadway.  There are some beautiful homes along the way.

This sculpture is in the median of the boulevard.  It appears to be a mother, father and the colt lying in the high grass.

The ride toward town was not too bad but when we turned around to head back to where we had parked the truck, the wind was mighty strong.  There were times when we were barely making 5MPH into that stiff headwind.  We have to ride south to about a 1/4 past the last tall building in this picture.

We are down to our last days here.  Friday we picked up a few things at the Commissary as we are having Floyd and Mary for dinner on Saturday after church.  They are leaving for Tyndall AFB early  Sunday.  We played cards (Hand and Foot) Friday after dinner at Sea Scapes with a couple from Greensburg…Indiana. 

Sunday we drove to Bradenton to visit with the “Fretcher” clan for a bit.  After dinner we sat and laughed about old stories when we were kids living on "the farm."

Monday we will make our last run to the Base Exchange and Commissary and say good our goodbyes to the many folks we have met.  One couple from New Hampshire had a rough time leaving but that is a story for another time.  Tuesday we will depart Raccoon Creek (the name of this FamCamp) for our the four hour drive to Kissimme Prairie Preserve SP for a month of volunteering. That will be another chapter.

TREK NORTH

Saturday morning we were pulling out of the KPPSP campground at 8:45AM and the fire teams were arriving. It would have been interesting to have stayed to watch the burn the 700 acres just across the road from the campground, but it was time to get moving. The drive to Patrick AFB was an easy one and we arrived about 11:30 and were able to enter the Commercial/Truck Gate with out having to call Security Police to open it for us. Most bases have barricades in-place at the main gate making it hard to maneuver a large vehicle. After entering the base we had to drive clear around the north end of the runway and then back south to the FamCamp.

After getting setup on our site for the next three nights, we headed back around the base to the BX and Commissary, but first a little late lunch. Before we shopped, Judy dropped into the beauty shop and set up an appointment for a trim on Monday.

The aircraft noise here is something else. No, not the low flying fighters like we had at Tyndall or the C-5’s and C-17’s at MacDill. This is a constant sound and it turns out it is not aircraft engines causing the noise. We had noticed a converted 747 parked near the Base Operations hanger when we arrived. It looks much like the presidential aircraft – Air Force One. Making all that noise are the APU’s (Auxiliary Power Unit’s) connected to the plane. Apparently it takes a number APU’s to keep all of the electronic gear on board up and running as the plane is one of four – Airborne Command Post the United State has. Here is a picture of one of them. You can see the strange ‘bump’ on top near the front – that is the in air refueling dock.

Sunday evening we took a long walk south out of the campground along the Banana River. We had gone maybe a quarter of a mile when we spotted several dolphins playing in the water. They continued to swim and jump for a long while.

Monday we drove around the islands and topped off the Ram before having a quiet and peaceful night. The E-4B departed sometime during the time we were off base and it was so nice to not have to listen to those APU’s all night.

Tuesday morning we headed off north to Georgia on the drive to Kings Bay Sub base near St Marys. The drive was uneventful and on arrival at the base checked into Pass and ID and ended up getting a government decal for the RAM. The Air Force no longer is using vehicle decals, but the Navy and the Army are still using them. It was either get a 48 hour pass and then renew it as we are to stay for five days, or permanently register the Ram at Kings Bay.

This is our site along the lake. It is a real nice park with probably 50 sites. Right now there lots of snowbirds passing through on their way north. The small (220 acre) lake across from our site is home to several small gators and a number of birds.

Our peaceful night’s sleep was jarred by a distance voice over a loud speaker. Not quite sure of the exact words but it sounds something like: “Warning! You have entered a restricted area. It is unlawful to enter without proper authority.” Near as we can figure there are sensors around either the sub pens or the Lockheed-Martin assembly area. No you can’t see the subs or sub pens. They are within a restricted area deep inside the base.

On Wednesday afternoon we drove to St Simon Island to visit sister Judy. For dinner we had to make the obligatory trip to Crab Daddies. We all agreed it was well worth it. On the way we stopped at an old ‘tabby’ house - it was the largest tabby ruin we have ever seen. Actually it was built as a sugar mill and there are three large rooms standing. Notice the thickness of the walls.

On Thursday we took a five mile bike ride (the base has excellent bike trails) and then drove to “Historic St Marys” to check it out. It was a quaint little spot and we picked up some information on Cumberland Island. Maybe next trip we may take the ferry for a day trip to the island. On our evening walk, we found a tortoise or turtle near our site. It appeared to be looking to lay eggs

.
Friday morning we took another long bike ride and then headed to see “Historic Kingsland” to the west of the base. There really wasn’t much to see, although it looks like they are trying to get some tourist traffic. Several of the buildings had nice murals hand painted on the sides. After lunch it was off to the exchange and commissary to pick up some needed items. Certainly is nice not to worry about rationing milk.

There are a couple of small alligators in the lake in front of our unit.

Saturday we began to put things together for the drive on Sunday. We made one final BX/Commissary run and then to church.

The drive on Sunday was fairly easy, however when we arrived at the raceway RV park, the drag races were still on. It took us a while to get in but we did manage to get parked and set up just in time. As we were finishing, the traffic lanes behind us filled with autos and people heading towards their cars. A few campers also pulled out but some stayed. Apparently campers paid for a ‘weekend’ that includes three nights (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) so some are not pulling out until Monday morning. Oh, it cost $400 for the weekend!

watch. Mark left to do some work and we had the boys. They played outside and Jon did a couple of maintenance things on the house. After Kyra got home we had dinner and we headed back to the raceway for the night.


Her are some pictures of the boys and “Grandma” up in the tree house.

Sleep is not good where we are parked. We are in one of the ‘front’ areas very near the boulevard and there is continual traffic and street lights every couple of hundred feet, plus the lights in the campground. We would have much preferred to be in one of the areas nearer the drag strip or dirt track, but there were plenty of campers in there when we arrived.


We picked the boys up a little before noon on Tuesday and headed back to the Greystone for the night. On the way we stopped by a new park being developed by Davidson on an old farm. We hiked into a meadow for a light picnic lunch and then finished the hike. All in all we probably walked a mile. When we got back to the Greystone and got settled we tried to work with Niko on his bike. There are no others near us and we have a wide asphalt road in front of us.


After a Tuesday night movie and some Wednesday morning cartoons we took a short walk in the campground and found a mini geocache. Had to lift the boys up in a tree to retrieve it and then put it back. They were disappointed that it contained only a log….nothing to trade although Lex insisted on leaving a little soft yellow cotton ball.


When we arrived in Davidson, the boys got busy playing with neighborhood kids for a while, but soon they wanted ‘Grandma’ to read to them. So while she read several books and stories, contact was made with all the providers back home to resume services (cable, mail, etc.). In the afternoon, the boys played with Thomas from next door and his sitters. Grandma cooked a roast with potatoes and carrots for dinner and after dinner and coffee cake desert we headed back to the Greystone.


Thursday was a much cooler day and it was near eleven when we got into Davidson. As a change of pace, we took the boys to IHOP for lunch and both of them ordered the “Rooty Junior” – scrambled egg, pancake a sausage link and a strip of bacon. They were both pretty hungry and in fact Niko ate an extra pancake. Back on Lynbrook the boys played, Judy worked on some laundry and Jon replaced a light/fan control switch.


We are both looking forward to getting back ‘home’ as we’ve been gone the longest ever. We left home on the fourth of January and will not be home until the 23rd of April. Both Lydia and Lilly will be glad to have the room to roam too.


A damp and dreary day greeted us on Friday so we spent the day indoors with the boys. Niko has taken to Monopoly and really knows the rules. We played one long continuous game. At one point the adults (we took turns playing the same board) were down to only $5 and Niko had nearly $2000.

While the game was going on, Lex busied himself playing with his toys.

When we decided to end the game, it was no contest. Niko had amassed nearly $3000 and had hotels and houses all over.


After the game we had an indoor egg hunt with the boys.


The drive home on Saturday was uneventful. We pulled out of the speedway at 7:15 and were backing in the drive at 4. We were all glad to be home and were greeted by Matt and the girls. They helped us unload and Matt brought us dinner. Robert had picked up the sticks and twigs from the yard and he had even mowed.


It was another good winter, but being gone nearly four months is too much.

THE PARIRIE – LAST CHAPTER 2011

Monday was a semi lost day for us. We awoke about 5:30 to gentle raindrops on the Greystone roof and by 7 it was coming down pretty hard and there were occasional rumbles of thunder and some lightening. Checking the radar at Weather dot com, it showed a large band of rain all across the mid section of the state. About 9:30 it let up some so we decided to walk to the office to see if there was anything there for us to do. Natalie put us both to work with some little projects and it was good to keep busy when we could not paint. We were able to complete putting numbers on all the site electrical boxes.

It rained off and on all day, which is good for the draught index, but not for painting. Hopefully the sky will clear some on Tuesday so we can complete the main gate sign and move on to repainting the front kiosk.

Tuesday was a bit better and the rainfall total amounted to a little less than 2 inches. It did make the ride to the shop a bit hard though. All that rain on the shell/sand road made it difficult to pedal in some area. We did make the five miles and set about to touch up the front gate sign. This is what we painted.

The touch up did not take long so we pulled out the paint for the front kiosk and started that job. Another volunteer had coated the back side and posts with Kilz (a Charlie favorite) so we needed to restore the original colors. We managed to get the green done and were back home about 1. The camp ground is pretty empty as other than the volunteers, only three other sites are occupied by campers.

On Wednesday we took one of the rangers (Polaris 6X6) to the shop rather than riding our bikes. We needed to take our six foot ladder and the four footer from the chase and you can’t carry ladders on a bike. It was a good choice as the winds were out of the south/southeast and the flags at the main gate were standing straight out. There is a lot more water in the ditches along the road and we expect the mom and baby alligators will be back.

While Jon was digging out and stirring the paint, Judy talked to Charlie about our next project as we will need something to do next week when we are the only volunteers here. Not so sure what he wants will work as he likes things nice and square and that will be difficult to do when camping spots are at an angle to the road. Ah well that is a problem for next week.

It did not take long to finish the trim color and paint the 6X6 posts. After we cleaned up all the paint gear, we started to dig out old lengths of conduit for next week’s project. We found eight pieces and used the chop saw to cut off the rusted ends so we now have lengths to attach blue flag tape to. Charlie is trying to find a way to delineate the camp sites as the shell/sand pads for parking are long gone.

Our excitement for the evening was a lack of water. About 6 we turned on our water and it was just a trickle. After checking other sites it was apparent that the entire campground was impacted. After chasing down the lone duty employee he found that a spider had managed to crawl into the space between the contacts on the pump sensor. Well, the sensor sensed and the contacts moved and the spider was caught, but his/her body was just enough to not allow the contacts to contact.

Thursday was sort of a play day as there was a potluck luncheon for the volunteers and staff. It was a beautiful sunrise and you could hear the gobble of turkeys, along with the cawing of crows mingled with the meadowlarks, an occasional bob white and the pecking of a woodpecker.










These are some random shots of the folks gathered for the lunch.

After lunch Judy went back to the office to complete a couple of tasks and when she was done we decided to walk the short nature trail. We came upon a deer lying down and then spotted several other small groups in the prairie grass.

By the time we got back to the Greystone, it started to rain again. It rained fairly steady most of the afternoon and then eased up in time to walk over for game night. But while we were playing the lightening and thunder passed over and it really poured. We did manage to walk home with out getting too wet as we had taken an umbrella. It rained much of the night. It will be interesting to see how much more rain fell.

They are scheduled to burn two sections of the prairie on Saturday and we will probably be needed for traffic control as one burn is right along the roadway to the campground. Friday we are not sure what we will be doing. Oh, and we had nearly 3 more inches of rain fall.

Friday we went to the shop area to do some clean up of the paint/oil storage area, gather materials for our next project and maybe pick-up a Polaris ranger for transport. We did manage to throw out some old paint containers and brush cleaner containers and hang the brushes and roller frames. Judy helped Ruthann cleanup the shop area while Jon checked out the fire markers for Charlie. They will use the markers on posts around the burn to check the progress.

When we got back to the Greystone we had lunch and in the afternoon went to the equestrian area to see just what Charlie is seeking from our next project. He gave us site measurements of 20X60 but doing some preliminary measurements, found that no site is 60 feet deep. We will discuss it with him on Monday. In the evening we joined Ruthann and Cliff for dinner. We grilled red potatoes, made a salad and they cooked Tilapia over the fire.

Due to wind and humidity changes the two burns scheduled for today (Saturday) were postponed. The winds had shifted from out of the NW to out of the NE and that would blow the smoke directly into the “astronomy pad” which, as you can see from the picture was full. This was to be a very dark weekend and nearly every site in both campgrounds is booked by astronomers. As we had planned on the burn for work on Saturday, we instead just took it easy. With all the rain that fell within the last week, the Okeechobee County Fire Chief finally lifted the ban on open fires. In the evening we all (the volunteers) gathered at the camp host site for a campfire, conversation and desert. We have all missed having campfires and it was a nice way to bid farewell to two volunteer couples that are leaving early Sunday morning.

This is some of the astronomy gear set up on what they call the "Astronomy Pad" in an area away from all ambient light.

Sunday was are usual church and shopping. The church we go to in Okeechobee did have plans for a large new church when we were here two years ago. Things have changed and now they are looking only at doing some remodeling. The church does not seem nearly as crowded as in past years, but the priest is still the same Irish Fr Duffy.

After lunch we made our last trek to Wal-Mart and headed back to the prairie. We took the long way home, going up 441 out of Okeechobee before heading west on highway 724. Now that volunteers are departing we will have a Polaris ranger 6X6 to use. We will need it to haul posts for the last project we have for this year.

Monday we had a session with Charlie to see exactly what he wants us to mark and what measurements to use to mark the first two sites in the equestrian area. After lunch we worked on marking out our first site location and soon discovered that we needed a measuring rod rather than the tape measure to mark our 3X4X5 triangle for right angles. So we went back to the shop and made ourselves a measuring stick and then went back to square-up our first site boundaries. We managed to get the second one marked and now need to talk to Charlie to see if this is what he had in mind. This is one of the markers and Judy pointing to another in the ground.

Tuesday morning we meet with Charlie and went over what we had marked and made some adjustments. He agreed that some of the site markers (posts with site number on them) need to me relocated. After another trip to the shop to cut 12 inch posts and pickup the other tools and items needed we were ready to put the reflectors in the ground. Judy put in several hours helping in the office, so we are getting both inside and outside jobs.

Bob and Janice, the camp hosts are leaving tomorrow so that leaves us as the only volunteers. In the evening we decided to make one more trip into Okeechobee for dinner. We went to a sports bar called Lunkers (no idea where the name came from) and had a nice dinner. Judy ordered ‘Garbage Nachos’ and she ended up bringing about half home for lunch on Wednesday.

Threat of rain on Wednesday but we made it out to the equestrian and managed to get four of the posts planted before the sky darkened. We made it back to the Greystone just in time as the sky opened and it poured. It was still wet after lunch so Judy headed to the office and Jon took a short nap. We did manage to get both sites marked with posts and reflectors and have new site measurements – we made the sites a bit smaller than before to avoid getting too close to trees and palmettos.

Thursday Judy went to the office for a few hours and Jon headed to the shop to cut a piece of 2X4 to replace a railing section on the ram to the bath house. It took a bit longer than expected as the park staff and rangers from several other parks were getting a pre-fire briefing. They plan to burn about 1600 acres today if the weather holds. They got started on the burn about 10. After the rail was replaced we made a pass though the both campgrounds to check the bath house and Clivus as we are the only volunteers here. Okay, this is the Clivus – or as park staff calls it “the house on the hill.”

Once we had checked the equestrian area, we headed out on the Prairie Loop Trail, the five plus mile trail we had marked three years ago. It was something to see all the vegetation and growth. There were some areas where the broom grass and palmettos are really encroaching on the path. We did a little trimming but did not see much wildlife as the vegetation is so dense and high. In the evening we walked to the office to rock in the rockers on the porch and watch nature. Lilly alerts on the turkeys walking by, (Lilly alerting)

The ‘tom’ turkey strutting his stuff for the hens in the area.

Pack up day has arrived. We slept in a bit and did our last load of laundry here. About 10 we loaded up all the tools in the 4X4 Ranger and headed to the shop to return things and fill the gas tank. We were just about to leave when Paul called on the radio about getting additional fire markers. Yes they were burning again. This is the burn from about 3 miles away.

This time it is about 1200 acres adjacent to what was burned on Thursday. He was going to send one of the burn team back to the shop when we responded that we were at the shop and could bring them out. So off we went on a 4 mile ride across the scrub. We got to within 20 yards of where the fire was when we met Paul. It was a sight and no we did not have a camera. We both got pretty black from the soot in the air. Judy really got covered as she had put suntan lotion on before we headed out in the morning. Not too long after an area is burned, wild flowers and grass pop out of the blackened soil.

After lunch we began the packing process. Thursday afternoon we had tried as best we could to give the truck a bath and remove as much sand and shell as we could so that job was done. But it certainly was hot folding up the mat and loading the bikes. About 3 Charlie stopped to day farewell. We told him that we planned on retuning next year for 6 weeks and what we would like to do. About 8:30 Jen, a Ranger, stopped by to say goodbye. She had been on the burn today and was burn boss on the one yesterday. She’s from Paw Paw West Virginia and may weigh 90 pounds soaking wet. It was good to see her, even if she did smell a bit smokey.

Well as the trailer is pretty much loaded and we will be heading to Patrick AFB in the morning this seems like a good place to end the installment. Our plans are three nights at Patrick (it is about a two and a half hour drive) and then five at Kings Bay at St Mary’s, Georgia. That should put us into Charlotte by the time the races are over on Sunday afternoon the 17th.

THE PRAIRIE - PART THREE

Monday we had a late start waiting to get a ranger (a Polaris ATV) to haul our stuff to the equestrian area so we worked a bit later than usual.  Having to work around occupied camp sites can be a chore at times.  We did manager to get five tables sanded and coated.  These tables seem to older and more well used – and dryer so they are soaking up the Thompson’s.

Here are some pictures of the alligator clutch along the main road (Peavine).  A clutch is what you call a group of young gators, much like a flock or heard.  Momma is keeping a close eye on her little ones.  They young ones appear to be about 12 to 14 inches long.  You really have to look close to see them on that mud island.  This is the mom and babies.

This is a close up of just the babies – how many do you see?

After doing what we could do on Tuesday we stopped by the office to let Charlie know we will need more Thompson’s.  He next wants us to repaint the sign at the front entrance. 

Wednesday morning we loaded up one of the Ranger’s and took our sanding gear to the equestrian area to continue table prep and brought the Ranger back.  We then rode our bikes to do the work as we only had four tables to sand, but two of them were in pretty bad shape and took a lot of work. 

After lunch Judy looked at her sock and thought maybe her toe was bleeding and then she looked in her shoe.  She found the remains of a tree frog smashed in the shoe.  We then did the bolt count in the family campground and then loaded up the sanding gear to return it to the shop.  While at the shop we gave Bruce the list of bolts and the need for another five gallons of Thompson’s.  Think we may take all or part of Thursday off – all of it if we don’t have any material to work with.

Well as it turned out we had no more Thompson’s and no bolts so about 10:30 we took off for Port St Lucie on the east coast.  Not a hard drive but a long one along fields and fields of pasture and cows and dairy farms and then acres of vegetables – corn, cabbage, green onions and potatoes.  In some you could see the migrant workers picking cabbage.  Had a nice lunch at a place called The Captain’s Galley just of US1 and then made a couple of shopping stops and headed back home.  On the way out of town pulled into a Raceway gas station and topped the tank of as diesel was only..yes only $3.81.  We had just enough time upon our return to relax for an hour before heading to the office for game night.  As other volunteers had gone into Okeechobee for corned beef and cabbage, it was just us and the Anderson's so we taught them the game “Five Crowns.” 

Our supplies had arrived on Thursday afternoon so Friday we headed to the equestrian to finish up the tables.  But we were short stopped by the heavy dew and fog from over night.  The tables had standing water on them – and not from rain.  We did the legs of the remaining ones and then after lunch and the sun and wind had dried them, finished the tops and benches.  We are glad that task is complete.  Now to go back and put in bolts and screws on the ones which are not tight.

Can’t believe it but we slept in some on our lazy Saturday.  After breakfast we took Lilly for her morning stroll and on the way back she chased a squirrel up a tree.  Then she moved to the next tree and we thought at first she was following the squirrel through the branches and suddenly hair on her back stood up and she growled.  When we looked up we saw a raccoon.  They were just starring at each other. 

In our area, in fact right behind us, four families came in after dark and set up tents.  They have three or four little ones under 6 and they are having a good time.  They made little noise setting up camp and getting the kids into bed.

We decided to go out for lunch with Janice and Bob.  What used to be Cissy’s is now called The Prairie Cafe and under new owners.  The reports are accurate as the food is good and they have done some little things to improve the atmosphere.  The rest of the day was just taking it easy.  Saturday night’s moon rise was spectacular.  The moon was at a point closest to the Earth and rose so red and full.  Tried to capture a picture but it just would not work, but did mange to get a shot of sunrise Sunday morning though.

We made a day of it on Sunday, church, flea market and grocery shopping.  The flea market is nothing special but we can say we made it this year.  For a change we hit the Publix instead of the Wal-Mart and picked up the few items we needed.

Monday it was back to the projects.  Jon had to finish working on the tables (adding bolts and tightening others) and Judy was off to the office.  Judy was busy reconciling billings filing, she just loves office work – not – and Jon completed the main campground and rounded up what will be needed to power wash the ramp entrance to the Clivus.  The “Clivus” is like a large porta-potting but it composts waste and does not need to be emptied.  The wooden ramp and railing are dirty and in some areas green with mold.

The campground is full of lubber nymphs.  They are baby Lubber grasshoppers (Romalea microptera (Beauvois)), an interesting species very common down here.  They are flightless and really don’t hop very well either. 

Tuesday saw the conclusion of power washing and the end of office work for a spell.  By the time everything was done and all the equipment put away it was after 3.  We may take Wednesday off and go looking for long needle pine trees so we can collect more needles for Judy’s next crafting idea.  Saturday morning there will be a ‘sparrow roundup’ in the prairie area east of the campground.  They will flush the birds into a net and check and band the ones they catch.  This prairie is home to the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow – an endangered species.

     

Well Wednesday turned out to be a full day on the prairie.  About 9 we received a radio call from Mike and Carol (also volunteers) about going out in the park manager’s truck to check out the primitive camp sites.  We had originally suggested sites in 2008 and then added two in 2009 and last fall they done more work on the locations.  So off we went, spending all morning to the west locating and inspecting three locations/sites.  A little after noon we came back to the campground for lunch and discovered Lilly still outside – tied of course.  We thought that she may have started winning after we left and Bob let her out.  She has started that business when we are visiting Bob and Janice two camp sites away.  Well she looked pretty guilty and we thought for sure that is what happened, but it was not.  When Judy had returned with Lilly from her morning walk, Lilly’s paws were very sandy, so she tied her out to let her feet clean up some.  Well, between the radio call and then a phone call and getting ready to go out to the prairie, we forgot that Lilly was tied out.  She often goes under the trailer to nap and we just did not see her.

On our way back from locating the sites to the north, we pulled into an old citrus grove and picked some grapefruit.  This area also has several orange trees, but they are very bitter.  These wild citrus are nothing like the orange trees one sees in the many groves here in Florida.  These trees are big, thirty to forty feet high and because of this, many of the best fruit are too high to get to.

As we were making the four mile trek along a dirt road that serves as a fire break, we spotted three swallow tailed Kite drifting in the air currents.  These are rare to see in this area.  They are mainly found along the northern countries of South America.  They don’t use their wings to navigate – they use their “V” shaped tail as a rudder and sometimes as a pusher.

As we did not get to ‘play’ on Wednesday as planned we decided on Thursday to go out for lunch and search for long pine needles for Judy’s new craft.  We did do some work in the morning, putting site numbers on the electrical boxes in the campground.  After lunch at the Prairie Cafe, we headed for a trail head north/west off 98 passed the river.  We did not have to walk in too far and came upon lots of long pine needles.  We gathered a good bunch and will probably go back for more.

Friday morning was very foggy, but we got on our bikes a little before 9 for the five mile ride to the shop area where Charlie had set out the paint for our next project.  The big sign at the main entrance required painting.  As we were painting the background and back of the sign, Judy stepped on a red ant hill and she knew it right away.  Luckily she came away with only one bite.  We finished the base color and had a nice lunch overlooking the prairie and about 12:30 checked the paint.  Because it was old, old oil based paint and was applied over a sign made of compressed foam and other man-made materials, the paint was slow to dry.  We decided to take a break rather than sit and watch the paint dry so we drove back to the Greystone and took a two hour rest.  About 2:30 we went back but in some areas the paint was still tacky.  We did mange to get one coat of yellow on the letters so the sign looked good for the weekend.  However, Monday we will have to do some touch up and make it look better.

Saturday Jo, Amy and Missy drove up from Jupiter/West Palm Beach for a visit.  Some how they managed to miss the two foot by three foot sign for the park and drove 15 miles into the little town of Lorida, but finally did make it.  We had a nice visit and enjoyed a good meal of Jambalaya and corn bread.

 

Sunday will be our day in town and means we only have two more weeks here.  We plan on beginning our trek north on Sunday the 10^th.  Most of the other volunteers depart next weekend so it will be a lonely last week.
Slow getting this blog 'published' as we had a busy Sunday and Sunday evening.  It is now Monday morning and it is raining so no work for a while today.