Month: February 2019

DAY #106

Great way to start the day. Had some rain last night and elated to report, no leaking around the fan in the bathroom. I think it still needs to be looked at, but it’s good to know it’s not an emergency.

Yesterday, I enjoyed doing nothing, I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do it again today. Slept in late (gee, when was the last time that happened? Uh, how about yesterday), and then after poking around for awhile, took a drive to Moore Haven, FL. which is located 17 miles down the road.

The two most exciting things about Moore Haven, was the State Prison, and the bridge over the Caloosahatchee canal. I drove along the canal (it looks just like a river) for about 5 miles, it was a nice drive. Moore Haven, is a small, quiet town that the world of 55+ deed restricted communities has yet to discover.

Came back in time to watch the Super Bowl. The TV reception here isn’t the best and I could not get CBS which was airing the game. I was able to go online and through Amazon Fire Stick, stream the game. Still, not a good connection with lots of stopping and buffering (?) but hey, better than nothing.

The weather continues to be fantastic, slight breeze and temps in the mid 70s. It’s so nice, even doing nothing is a day in itself.

DAY #105

Another lazy day in store. It’s really nice to just hang out and watch the world go bye, especially with temps in the upper 70s.

The one thing I accomplished today, was to fill and rinse the fresh water tank. Now I just need to check the water pump and if it’s a go, I’m ready to head back into the woods (OK, I’m a little reluctant) and do some primitive camping.

As I thought, the RVs, trailers, and tents arrived last night and filled the campsite up. I have to say that even with a full house, the noise from the other campers were almost absent. The only real noise you hear, is from the cars and trucks on the highway that runs just outside the campground, that and the occasional train that runs parallel to the road, that runs parallel to the campground.

It’s a decent campground. It’s well laid out and has full hookups, including sewer. The bathrooms and showers are within walking distance and are clean. I’ve become spoiled, it is so nice to have these aminities.

At one time the campground was privately owned and operated by a family that looks to still hold a lot of property in the area. At some point, the area was bought by the state of Florida. They kept the campground open and turned the rest of the land into a wildlife management area.

It’s a nice site in a nice area, I’m glad (and fortunate) to have the opportunity to spend some time here.

DAY #104

Wow, it’s already February, the time is going by so fast. Last week the temperatures were cool down here (Florida), but this week looks nice, highs in the upper 70s, oh yea, I like that.

Noticed this morning that a lot of the other campers had left, sure gave the campground a different look, its almost spacious. I’ll enjoy it while I can, I’m sure all these sites will be filled by evening.

Today was get acquainted to the area day. I drove up to Lake Placid and back, taking in the views along the way. Lake Placid is 28 miles north of the site and you can get there by four lane highway (its an easy drive). It was neat seeing the orange groves that dotted both sides of the road. One thing I’ve noticed is the campsite is somewhat isolated, you’re 15-20 miles from the closet town.

Lake Placid is a small city located in a area dotted with lakes. The lakes run the gamut in size, from ponds all the way up to the 27,000 acre, lake Istokpoga. It’s a nice oasis.

One thing that stood out as I gave the town the ‘once over’ was a 240 ft tower rising from the ground. Evidently, it had been built back in the 60s as an attraction and included a couple of observation points. Interesting, but apparently it never took off. Today it’s only function is to serve as a cell phone tower.

It’s an interesting area worthy of further exploration.

DAY #103

Got up early to get ready to head out to the next stop on the journey. Actually, I was awakened by a Ranger knocking on the door wanting to know how I liked the site and I think, to remind me that I was scheduled to leave today. Since I was awake, I dragged my lazy butt up and got underway.

The trip to the next site was a short one (I like it that way). It was only 71 miles, or about 1 1/2 hour of drive time to Fisheating Creek Campground, located just south of Palmdale, FL.

I took the long way to the campground. Instead of getting on I-75, I stayed on U.S. 41, also known as Tamiami Trail. At one time, it was the main route between Tampa and Miami. Today, it’s one never ending commercial corridor. Lots of stop and go, and the stoplights, don’t get me started. In hindsight, Maybe I should have taken the freeway, but I do like to see the sights of the area, be they what they are.

There were a couple of things that stood out for me along the drive. The first was crossing the water in Port Charlotte. Being able to see the harbor from above really heightened the view, giving it a panoramic effect. I was surprised at the number of boats on the water, seems like one really popular area. The next thing that caught my attention was the solitude experienced on the road once out of Punta Gorda. Gone were the strip malls and deed restricted communities. Gone were the stoplights and for the most part, the traffic (except the semis). What remained, was miles and miles of pastures, fields, and scrub land. Not a gas station, restaurant, and few houses along the way.

Made it to Fisheating Creek Campground. I checked in with no hassles, and off to the site I went.

I think I got one of the better sites, while they’re all pretty level and seem easy to get into, they are close together.

The site I have has more room than most, and was easy to back into. I hooked up the electric and water along with the water heater (everything working), and sat back thinking, this is nice. One thing I did after getting set up, was to take a shower. It had been too long and yea, it felt good!

Settle on down partner, were home for the next ten days.