A slow trek north!

 Sunday 28 March 2021

 A nice day here in Florida, a little cool but still in the low 70's.  That really nice oak tree we parked under turned out not to be such a prize.  Tree dirt and descending caterpillars are terrible. We gave up trying to sit outside and just stayed in the camper.   Diane  worked on finding us campgrounds for the

Cute restaurant.

trip home. She has been having trouble finding us camp sites everything along the coast is booked due to spring break so we are now heading through the middle of Georgia and SC, we had to skip one town we wanted to see.  She has made 17 phone calls and we are only booked to Easter.   We did get to have diner with Gabe at the Yearling Restaurant it was built in the 1930's after a famous writer (Marjorie Rawlings) moved there. The place was really nice, restored to the 1930 era.   Diane and Gabe had the ground steak special and it was very good and I had shrimp with greens also very good.  When Gabe walked in he was limping hard and had a big bruise on his face.  Seems his flip flops made him fall while he was at a frat party in St. Augustine, well that's what he told us😉😉.  Back to the Moho and started packing up.

Monday 29 March 2021

     Another warm day, sun was shinning bright by the time we were packing up.  I walked out side and the Moho was covered with caterpillars to the point we couldn't bring the slides in without smushing them.  I did spray a bunch of the other day and they die quickly but then turn into a glob of black goo.  Just gross!!  Once Diane had the inside packed up I got the leaf blower, climbed the ladder a blew off the slide out,  top of the topper, under the topper, then around and under the slide out, then Diane would put the slide in.  Move the ladder for each slide out.  When I turned on the blower the bugs, tree dirt and sand flew some sand and dirt coming back over me and like that is not enough the ants bit me as I was moving the ladder.  I was sweating with a light dusting of sand on me and bites from the ants, I just love camping!  We finally get on the road heading to Tifton Ga around noon.  Stopped for a quick lunch at a rest area we weren't back on the road for 5 minutes and the service engine oil light keeps coming.  We parked at 4pm and made arrangements to go to Gaffney Freightliner service center but when I called again to verify they said we didn't need one right now so cancelled and back on schedule to head to PA.  We stayed at the I75 campground in Ga.  Don't ever go there, small, very tight turns and rough roads.

Tuesday 30 March 2021

   Up and ready to go by 10am.  We had a pull through and didn't hook up sewer so we were on the road by 10 am heading to the Pointes West Army RV resort.  Another great southern day for traveling with temp's neat 80.  We stopped at the new Buc-ee's they are just so cool and diesel was cheap. Shortly after

Nice Sites!

that Diane had us traveling up two land roads through little towns on a few "short cuts" roads but we made it and the scenery was much nicer on the side roads.   We pulled in to the gate house around 3:30 another 200 plus mile day for us. What a nice place that is right on Clark Hill lake. We got all set up and decided to have steaks tonight as the weather is turn cold soon. 

Wednesday 31 March 2021

    We had breakfast on the grill probably the last for awhile with the weather changing.  We headed into the small town of McCormick, SC another quaint old town and sadly most of the big businesses have

It's sad to see the
small towns die!!

moved out and nothing left to support it. We went to two restaurants both closed and finally having lunch at a tiny little place The McCormick Chicken drive thru, no longer a drive thru and seating for about six skinny people but the chicken was great.  We did stop at the USCOE volunteer camp and talked to a guy about the lake and volunteering there.  We told him it didn't look like the visitors center was open,  he said that was because they had a fire and have gotten no funding to fix it.  With all of the government money flying around now days you would think they could fix one visitor center building.   Shortly after getting back the rain started turned into thunderstorms and lasted most of the night.  Diane made a new Mexican dish for diner it was ok not real spicy.  After diner we noticed water was leaking in along the bedroom slide.  We put down towels trying to minimize the damage until the rain stops.

Thursday 1 April 2021

   Oh my how the weather has changed.  Got up this morning temp's in 40's oh burrrrr, burrrr cold! And windy, I almost forgot that part.  Breakfast inside.  But we didn't hibernate and drove up to Washington

Beautiful old buildings
in Washington, GA.

Ga a very historic town.  But first was lunch surprise surprise.  The sun was out and we thought we had enough jackets with us but we were wrong.  We stopped at the first open restaurant we found the C'est La Vie  lunch was good and we would go back.  After lunch we were going to walk around the town square reading up on Civil War history.  We read two plaques about Jefferson Davis's and last days of the war.  By then we realized it was way to cold and windy to walk around so we hit  two antique shops(right by were we parked) before heading home.  We would really like to come back here so much history.  We started packing for a short drive to Greenville SC tomorrow.

Friday 2 April 2021

   We took our time packing up only a little over a 100 miles to go today and it was cold this morning so

Rudy trying to get warm,
he misses Florida.

I waited until the sun was up and shining on our site.  Hit the road about 11:30.  Another day of mostly two lane roads narrow and without out rest areas.  About a hour into the trip I had to go. We drove by a shopping plaza I realized we would fit so slam on the brakes and turn.  Diane didn't even get what the heck you doing out and we were parked.  A nice lunch break and we are back on the road.  We pulled in at 3:30 4 hour to go 125 mile but it was all back roads.  This place the 290 RV Park is another to never visit.  Narrow uneven sites.  We didn't get  level the back end would have been off the ground quite a bit.  

Time for the trip home!!

 Tuesday 23 March 2021

   A beautiful spring day here in Florida.  Morning temps around 60 degrees and high 85.  We decided to head over to the winery that provided wine for Morgan's wedding.  First though we stopped for lunch at The Oak Wood restaurant.  Being a warm day it picked a shady parking spot under a large Live Oak tree.  I noticed no one else was as smart as I am they all parked in the sun.  We went in ordered the special a whole rack of ribs with two sides.  We split that of course and it was great.  We were done in less than 45 minutes and headed out.  As we approached the truck we quickly discovered why no one was under the oak trees.  The truck was covered with hundreds of caterpillars  we should have taken pictures but we didn't.  Diane has to brush them off of her door handle just to get in and I had one on my shoulder before I could shut the door. Oh how GROSS.  Luckily the winery was 12 mile down the road, 60mph to the winery.  We still had 20 or so to brush off of the mirrors and other hiding places.

    The winery was great we tasted all of the wine except the desert wines.  They were all good and we ended up with a case to bring home.  And you know I didn't even look for a shady spot to park!  Back to the Moho and a nice walk for Rudy.

The winery was beautiful and we had a very nice time.

Wednesday 24 March 2021

    Cooked breakfast and our exercise routine in the morning.  It has been getting very warm in the afternoon so we switch up to the mornings.  Diane just got her walk in and had to hurry to get to her haircut appointment on time.  We had home made meatloaf for dinner and sat outside until the mosquitoes chased us in.

 Thursday 25 March 20201

   Just plan hot today it was 70 degrees when I got up.  We started getting ready to leave Sumterville tomorrow.  Diane was off to grocery shop and I started cleaning up around the camper.  We have been here 2 weeks and a lot of 'stuff' needs put away.  I sweat terrible outside working so I took a lot of breaks.  Diane had a pedi in the afternoon as I continued working in the heat.  She did text "soaking my feet feels good"  then "hey, now I'm having a  rum punch" then "I can have more"  after that I didn't hear anything until pulled in smiling "my toes feel good".  I was still working in the heat of day.

    We sat outside sipping some wine.  Several friends (with dogs) stopped buy to say goodbye and they all said they will miss Rudy.  One couple even said they hope to see 'us' next year.

Friday 26 March 2021

   We were up packed and ready to roll by lunch time.  Actually we are only traveling 50 mile to Citra so no hurry to leave this morning.  Went over to say goodbye to Len and get some more pork out of his freezer.  He buys a couple of the champion animals from the county fairs and then gives most of the meat away.  His way of helping out the young 4H kids.  Back to the Moho continue packing and talking to people walking by.  We rolled out at noon stopped for lunch about ten mile out and arrived in Citra at 3pm.  That's right we had lunch drove 50 miles in just under 3 hours. 

   We pulled in parked Diane went to office and I checked out our site #14 a nice level pull through site.  As we walked back to the Moho a camper pulled in, went around us and pulled into our site.  I DON'T think so.  It was the only pull thru site.  They were actually nice enough and finally moved to another site.  Lucky for them they moved I was just getting ready to release the always fierce Rudy. 😂😂 We got settled in and turned on the A/C very warm today (90 degrees).  Burgers for dinner.  Tomorrow we visit friends and Sunday we are having dinner with Gabe.

A short walk out to the waters edge and you have a pretty nice view.

Saturday 27 March 2021

   I took Rudy out it was already 72, very foggy with just a light drizzle no wonder the A/C ran all night.  I cooked breakfast outside, the drizzle ended and the sun came out, WOW it got hot.  Diane started making muffins with a new recipe using almond flour. The muffins were a hit and we put the recipe on the keep list.  We headed over to visit our friends Jack and Sandi just a few miles down the road.  We had a nice visit, first time we have seen them since  COVID hit.  We had some snacks then ordered pizza from a local shop.  And believe it or not they had cauliflower crust and it was very good.  We talked until almost 7pm.  We had Rudy with us and he and Joey played until they both were just lying by the water dish.  Old people coming out of COVID lockdown is a dangerous situation.  No one has talked much in a year.  Let me tell you a lot of gum flapping was going on.   Back to the camper and we called it a night.

Final week in Lake Pan

Sunday 14 to Sunday 21 March 2021

We are just hanging out here in Lake Pan enjoying some great weather until

Spring time in Florida.

Friday when it got cool. High's in the 60's low in the low 50's. Here are the highlights:

Places we had lunch:

Artman's BBQ great food brought some home

Ramschackle a unique dinner style place

Flippers a pizza joint leftover breakfast for me 2 days

Odd Couple's small in town dinner

Things we did:

Flea market of Marion found several items we needed and some veggies

We went to look for new truck top and then back to have it installed

We stopped at a roadside seafood place for "fresh seafood" The place had everything we ended up getting some shrimp and two dozen clams. We got home and the shrimp are the farmed raised crap you get at the grocery store. Who the heck sells shrimp from Indonesia when you are 40 miles from the ocean, but the clams were good.

Only one good story:

    We were setting outside one night enjoying some wine when I noticed the start of a birds nest's above the storage bin, in the slide out track. We didn't see any birds going in and out, so I just pulled it out and put it on the ground. The next evening we are sitting outside having some wine when we look over and the nest is back in place. So I remove the nest threw it away, vacuumed the area and hung some bags from the bottom of the slide out. We didn't have happy hour the third day so I need to look and see if they came back.

I lied another story is the satellite antenna:

     When we arrived the first week of January the satellite was not working. I took it over to Len's to see if we could order a new one. On and off for the past two and half months we had tried several different things. We changed receiver cards, receivers old and new with different configurations and different remotes and even changed batteries nothing worked. We called the antenna company several times thinking we broke the antenna. and still nothing worked. In the mean time Diane was not happy with our over the air reception so we bought a hang on the ladder antenna, a booster for that antenna readjusted it a hundred time and still poor reception. She would be watching a show and it would simple go away. Finally I went over to Len's on Wednesday he called Direct after 30 some minutes on the phone they agreed to send a new receiver. Saturday it arrived and he came over for dinner and we installed it. Short version: he was on the phone with Direct for most of a hour and couldn't get it to work. Oh my what a bummer. They hung up we change one thing and poof we were in. You should have seen the biggest smile on Diane's face we have satellite!! After 6 weeks and just a week before we leave it is fixed.

Side note to this story while Len was here Shane called to thank him for helping with Gracie's recent health crisis. We learned more listening to them talk to each other than from when they talk to us.

I should get back on track with the blog. We will be heading north some time next week hopefully going to some different places.

 This is the start of the bird's nest and the next picture is after it was removed and what we used to keep them from going in there again!!

Back to Lake Panasoffkee

 Sunday 7 March 7 2021

   Headed out this morning(it was before noon) over to Sebring to a flea market and gun show.  The flea market was a bust.  Not many vendors and the ones that were there were closing up just as we walked in.  Walked next door to a gun show but that was $10 each just to get in so we skipped that.  Lunch time by now Diane found The Sunset Grill right on the lake so we headed over.  We parked and walked up to the door there was a line of folks waiting so we waited, and we waited,  people pulled into the parking lot and left but we waited.  After a while we waited some more and were about to leave when poof they seated everyone.  The food was very good I had the seafood platter and Diane picked the seafood linguini.  She definitely had the better of the two.  Pasta with tons of seafood, shrimp, scallops, fish and crab.  That pretty much shot the whole day.  Back to the Moho salad for dinner and walks for Rudy.  

Monday 8 March 2021

    Mostly a hangout at the Moho day.  We had a nice breakfast hit the grocery store and walked the river trail and around the campground.

Tuesday 9 March 2021

   Today we were off the Highland Hammock State Park with our friends for a day of bike riding and hiking.  It was another beautiful day.  We biked, we hiked and talked until the mosquitoes drove us back to vehicles at 4:30.  Always so much to learn as you walk around the swamps, highlands and fields.  There were several old cypress trees there over 1000 years old, oh what Florida must have looked like to the first settlers.  A nice long walk for Rudy before having tacos for dinner.  A lot of exercise today and we faded fast after dinner.

      We made sure Brad went first and tested the cat walks over the swamps before the rest of us headed out.  

Below is Brad with Will and Ella on one of our walking tours

Wednesday 10 March 2021

   Today was a travel day going back to Countryside RV park. We packed up and did a very slow 150 mile drive and it took us all day to get there.  Today the campground did away with the lottery system for spots and left people check in "all day long".  Now I never realized what a disaster that would become when RV's start pulling in a 9 am. before people leaving could get out.  We had to wait while the guy pulled into the spot beside us.  To make the long story short people were trying to use the dump station,  people trying to pull out, people trying to park, people saving spots and people driving up and down the rows looking for a spot.  The whole ordeal was crazy!  Oh and I forgot kids running back and forth the whole time. Anyway, we pulled out at 10:45 drove up the back way, stopped for lunch, fuel, propane and still made here by 3:45.  And thank you president O'Biden gas is now $3 a gallon and diesel $3.45 that is almost a penny day since he took office.  Burgers for dinner.

Thursday 11 March 2021

    We did a bunch of stuff around the camper then over to The Fisherman's Cove Restaurant for lunch, it seems to becoming one of our favorites.  Back to the Moho Diane got ready and took our prescriptions over to Walgreen's.  She didn't notice the tailgate was down and the bed cover was open and not latched.  As she headed up I 75 going between 60 and 70 mph the loudest bang she has ever heard made her slam on the brakes and pull over.  The bang was the bed cover blowing shut.  It hit so hard it bent the cover and broke off the bars that keep it locked.  She continued on her journey but rest assured I will never forget to close that cover again. Wraps for dinner with a side of nerve pills for Diane.

  Brad is not all that sad, he has been wanting a different bed cover, I just gave he a reason to get one!!  😏

Friday 12 March 2021

    The weather has stayed exceptionally nice lows in the mid 50's highs around 80.  We had to run back to the drug store and over to see about a new bed cover for the truck.  I was on the phone a bit to long and it was lunch time before we even left.  We got stuck in traffic in Wildwood right beside one of favorite restaurants Oh Shuck's.  Darn our luck!  So we pulled in 1lb shrimp for me and wings for Diane.  To top that off they gave me the wrong beer so that was free, can anything else go wrong.  After picking up prescriptions we hit an antique mall and found a few pieces of Pfaltzgraff  we needed.  One unique piece we found was a trivet about 6 inch square.  Loaded up the truck and headed back to the Moho never made it to look for bed cover.  

Saturday 13 March 2021

   We were supposed to go to Len's today but couldn't get ahold of him so we suffered with a grilled breakfast.  The sun has been warm so we had to put the sun shade on the awning this morning.  Diane and I were working on it up and down the ladder a little at a time when the neighbor came over (he is about 6'2" or more) and just pulled it right across.  Thank you neighbor man.  Diane did several loads of laundry including a trip to the in-town laundromat to do the quilt and covers.  

I swear it keeps that side of the Moho 10 degrees cooler.  

Back at Peace River!!

 Monday 1 March 2021

    We were on the road at 9:30 went 9 miles to Love's truck stop to hook up after Diane made a quick stop at the store.  Hooked up and on the road again at 10:30.  uneventful ride down to Torrey Pine camp ground in Bowling Green about 85 miles.  A very nice CG a bit pricey $59 a night.  Very warm this afternoon but still managed a few walks. The few people we meet were very welcoming especially Santa Clause, he went to Santa training in Indiana and now is assigned to Jacksonville Fl. We now know more about being a Santa than you ever wanted to.  We did mix it up a bit today we had steak and mushrooms for dinner instead of the usual burgers.

 Tuesday 2 march 2021

   Another very warm day the air conditioner ran all day and night. Spent the day at campground walking around just checking the place out.  We did manage to do all the banking that needed done, bill paying and all that other stuff that shows up at the beginning of the month  

Wednesday 3 march 2021

    A very short travel day.  We pulled out about 9:30 after a couple of hard downpours.  We traveled the

Just a pretty cactus
growing at the CG.

whole 10 miles without stopping.  Back at Peace River we went and parked in the holding area by 10am and had to wait until 2 pm to get a spot.  But we did get our first choice so all was well.  Back to burgers for travel day even though it was a short one.

Thursday 4 March

    Had plans to meet some friends in the afternoon so decided to make breakfast.  Quite cool today especially after the few days in the high 80's.  Had to wear sweatshirts most all day.  Meet with our friends who are actually the couple that were selling their Moho from Virginia.  We sat by the river and chatted until almost 4:30.  Back home and then we walked Rudy around the park for awhile. 

Friday 5 March 2021

   The temp's were back up a bit today.  We had a quick breakfast and went down to Zolfo Springs to Pioneer Days, a tractor show and flea market etc.  We walked around for 5 hours taking a couple breaks for food.  First let me back up, we rode our bicycles down thinking we wouldn't find much. It is good to get out doing something again.  I'd guess less than 40% of the people were  wearing masks but most kept their distance.  Back to walking around a "large" flea market in no time at all we had three bays full of stuff.  Tired and ready to go home.  More stuff than we could carry I had to ride my bike back get the truck and drive down to get Diane, her bike and the bags of "important items" we purchased.  We made it back wore out sausages for dinner and big walk for Rudy.

     The rows of vendors were long, but we did manage to go up and down every aisle.  

                The next pic is part of the tractor parade.  The actually had quite a few in the parade. 

There was a Pioneer Village and the Blacksmith was there working and then

Diane just had to get this jam and try it.  The lady had given it a very unique name and it got Diane's attention  (it is very good).

Saturday 6 March 2021

  Rain steady all afternoon.  I've was a bit "belly challenged" today so I stayed home while Diane got to have fun going to Bealls Outlet, Tractor Supply and the grocery store.  In between running she even managed to do a couple loads of  laundry and made a nice dinner. 

Time back in Lake Pannasoffkee

 Friday 26 February 2021

     A bit of a return to our old camping life(pre Covid).  We left the house heading to Homosassa to a The Freezer for lunch.  We have been there several times and love the steamed shrimp.  We pulled in just after lunch and there was no where to park.  So we drove up the street to try a new restaurant "The Shed".  A little apprehensive at first, 15 or so motorcycles parked by the door.  But the place was nice.  You have to order at the bar but the beer was cold and the shrimp were good.  Diane had a blackened fish sandwich  with fries all very good.  We drove around Homosassa stopped at two campgrounds to check them out, first one had very small sites and the second had narrow road for our rig.  We like the area, lots of things to do and lots of nice restaurants.  We also found a antique place.  It was an old farm house and barn all full of stuff.  We spent a hour or so there found some really unique stuff but left empty handed.   

The view from our restaurant.

Saturday 27 February 2021

Down right hot.   We cooked breakfast outside, did things around the Moho and that was about it.  It did keep us busy for the day.

Sunday 28 February 2021

   Very warm again today.  We left at 9:00 drove over to Hernando Beach to meet Len for a day on the boat.  We had a really nice pontoon boat stored at the marina.  We packed some waters, snacks and a few beers.  We boated out to the edge of the gulf anchored and floated on the tubes for a while.  What a nice time in the water and talking with Len.  We went back in had a late lunch at the Zigzag Scallop restaurant just up from the Marina.  Len and I had grilled shrimp and believe or not Diane had the Zigzag scallop special.  Everything was very good and the beer was cold.  We didn't get back to the Moho until 5pm and poor Rudy was locked up for almost eight hours.  We took him for a nice long walk but I don't think he forgave us until he had his dinner.  Leaving tomorrow for Bowling Green staying at a new camp ground.

These guys were swimming around all afternoon.

Brad and Len on the boat while I floated in the water.  At least they didn't cut me loose.  😊

   

Anddddddd so the story goes!!!!

 Tuesday 23 February 2021

   Woke up with half a headache after a terrible night's sleep.  Our heads just a spinning.  We hit the floor running with so much to do.  I called Len to see if we can use his garage for storage.  By 8:15 I was at the DMV office in Bushnell to see where we can get the title work done.  The first thing we needed was to find out where the buyer will title the Moho.  Diane texted the guy around 10am while she was looking at a camper for us to rent.  The buyer texted back title will be in Florida.  By lunch time we had it all planned.  Diane had rented us a camper(that allows pets).  I had the storage unit on hold.  So we were ready.  Just before noon I call the guy to tell it is a deal.  He tells us it is just to much stress and they have changed their mind.  WHAT THE *&$%#@.  At ten he still was buying and by noon he changed his mind.  And just like that it is over.  Diane calls and cancels the camper.  And we commence a little day Drinking. What a waste of two days and most of our brain cells!

Wednesday 24 February 2021 

   Life goes on.  We had breakfast on the grill and tried to regroup.  A nice warm day and still a bit wound up.  We had a good exercise day bike ride and walks.  Diane also made a trip to the store.  We had pork chops in the crock pot so as not to stress our brains on "what do you want for dinner"

Thursday 25 February 2021

   We are almost back to normal.  Each day has been getting a warmer so we have been exercising before noon trying to beat the heat.  I took my ride and was back before 10:30.  Diane did some laundry took her walk all before noon. Did a few chores around the camper and then went over to the Jumper

Creek Wildlife area.  We figured there would be some hiking/biking trails along the creek.  We were wrong.  We drove down the access road passing a Wild life Officer on his way out he looked at us a little funny.  It wasn't long before we found out why.  The first road ended in a rutty swampy area but enough room to turn around.  We didn't learn our lesson we tried road number two.  As we traveled along it got smaller and smaller until the brush was rubbing both sides of truck with marsh on both sides.  Soooooo I had to back the whole way out, then we went home.  We got back and it took two glasses of wine before my neck was back to normal.

Brad has been in Florida tooooo long,  74⁰ and he has a sweatshirt on already.  What is he going to do when we get back to Pennsylvania?