Author: osakisboy

DAY #109

Another in a string of gorgeous days, we’re talking sunny sky’s, 75-80 degree temperatures, and mild breezes. It never gets old, that’s for sure.

I’m still dealing with staying up until the wee hours of the morning and then sleeping until twelve or even one in the afternoon. I keep telling myself that I’m not going to get much done doing that, why don’t I listen? It is so frustrating. I’ll lay down and try and sleep around midnight, but I just don’t fall asleep. Blimey, its a real bugger!

So today was another late start. I decided to check out Lake Okeechobee. The lake is huge, covering 720 square miles. Interestingly, while it is so big, it averages a depth of only nine feet. It reminded me of a really big lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota.

First, I would check out the west and southern part of the lake and then move onto the east and northern part, at least that was the plan.

Just as I crossed the bridge in Moore Haven, there was a semi-tanker that had overturned not long before my getting there. The police were on the scene, you could see and smell the diesel fuel. I hadn’t seen anything like this so close up before, defiantly an experience. Tried to take a picture of it, but going down the road 40 miles an hour and having to watch traffic ahead of me, I had one shot, and oh how I whiffed.

l was surprised how much of the lake is inaccessible. Most of the western and south-western part is devoid of any roads getting anywhere close to the lake.

There’s also a dike that runs around the circumference of the lake. The Hebert Hoover Dike is designed to control flooding and stands 30 feet tall. I’ve got to say, it messes up any thoughts of a Sunday drive in the country.

I was able to find a spot and walk to the top of the dike and get a view of the south end of the lake.

The land changes east of Moore Haven. It becomes more agricultural with each passing mile, and sugar cane takes center stage. In Cleweston, the U.S. Sugar Corporation has a huge mill.

Continued around the southern end of the lake which took me up to Pahokee, FL. Here I was able to get a much better view of the lake.

I still had some daylight left and thought I’d continue driving around the lake. I set up a route in google and that’s when things went haywire.

I hate it when google map doesn’t instruct you (via voice) until after you start moving. You’re basically guessing which way to go and if you guess wrong, it will send you on a ’round-about’ to get you back on its route (and be even more confused).

As bad as that is, worse for me, and what happened today; I thought google had mapped the route the way I wanted, but it had changed the route, so I go along listening and following the instructions. After driving for a few minutes, something didn’t seem right, and of course, there’s no damn place to pull off the road to check on things. One thing about a lot of these rural roads, they don’t have much room as far as shoulders. I’m finally able to get off the road and check and sure enough, google changed the route. Try as I did I couldn’t get it to route the way I wanted to go. It got me so frustrated.

Because things didn’t go the way I wanted it to, it was time to have a melt down. The anger welling up, and exploding out of me, temper tantrum style. I wanted to smash the tablet, that would show it, that would show it what happens when it doesn’t do as I want (rational thinking? I think not), And it went downhill from there. Why don’t I get it? Why don’t I let this anger go? Ya know when it comes over me, there is a moment when I have a choice, I can feel it. Do I let it go, or act the fool. Why do I continue to make the wrong choice?

I’ve been feeling good for awhile, and this bummed me out big time. I think because it showed that again, I failed. Sure, its easy to be laid back when not being tested. But when I am (like today), I’m reminded that the anger is still there, ready to explode like a geyser in all its gory (rather than glory).

It would be nice if there were a pill, or an answer for this to go away, and maybe there is and I’m just not seeing it yet. No more quitting for this boy, I’ll get up, dust myself off, and keep looking.

I guess today ended up a ‘two step back’ day.

DAY #108

I headed out today, intent on exploring in more detail, the Lake Placid area. Did my homework online, and was able to map out a route using back roads to take me most of the way up there. To me, there’s just no better way to see the land, people, and the culture of the region than by taking those roads, especially when getting there is what the journey is all about, something I struggle to (at times) remember.
Along the drive, I was entertained by a panorama of trees, pastures (cattle), and more and more as I headed north, orange groves.

I must have simple tastes, I got a kick (so to speak) as I went by the groves, and it’s especially cool, because the fruit is now in season, ready to be picked. In fact, I saw buses carrying people to (I can only imagine) the fields to pick the oranges.

Taking the back roads psyched me out to see the lakes in the area and I wasn’t disappointed. While not ‘mind blowing,’ the lakes were a new and exciting experience. It’s a part of the Florida tapestry I hadn’t seen before.

Lake Placid is one of the larger lakes amongst the many to be found in the area. The bottom was a fine, tan colored sand, and pretty clear visibility.

Another large lake was Lake June in Winter. Very similar in makeup to the other lakes.

There’s a large state park on the western side of the lake and that’s great to see. In the decades to come, having left these lands undeveloped will benefit us many time over.

Walking around the park I noticed a trail, and decided to hike it a short ways. Nice, but nothing spectacular (other than nature in general).

The last lake checked out was also the largest of the lakes.

As I was heading back to the campground, the thought flashed across my mind on how today was fun. I’m finding that the time is going by much too fast, I think I could stay here awhile longer.

DAY #107

Took some time to check out the wildlife area outside of the campground. Went down to the river and wow, what a view.

As I was walking around, I met a couple of new friends.

Next on the ‘to do’ list was going to La Belle, FL. La Belle is 16 miles from the campground, and is another quiet (albeit bigger) town, La Belle, like Moore Haven, are nice little communities that really don’t leave much of a lasting impression. That’s not to say they’re bad places, they’re not. Rather, it says that nothing really jumps out and grabs you. They’re what I would describe as ‘working towns.’

While these two towns may not have wowed me, I’m finding the area around the campground (which includes Moore Haven and La Belle) to be a very interesting area, and I’m finding the more I see, the more I like.

I did find a place to eat that turned out to be a real satisfying experience. It was BBQ, and it was good.

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.

DAY #102

Busy day today, which is why I was up and raring to go by 12:30 pm. First on the agenda was laundry, including sheets and mattress pad. Headed out to Grove City Laundry, in what turned out to be an uneventful, but necessary chore. While at the laundry, I walked across the road, and mailed the $2.00 I owed for having taken a toll road while coming to the State Forest campground and not paying. I didn’t have the correct change at the time. I don’t want a $2.00 charge mushrooming into $100.00 fine because I didn’t pay it, kind of like a parking ticket.

Coming back to the campsite, I stopped and filled up the containers with water. With the water from this stop, the fresh water tank should be full and I can add the bleach to sanitize. The plan is to let the bleached water sit until morning, then I’ll drain the tank and put another two containers worth of water in the tank to rinse out. Hopefully (fingers crossed) I’ll be able to have water at the next primitive campsite.

Last full day here. Looking at leaving around noon tomorrow for the next stop. I’ve enjoyed the time here. Spending time with Margaret & Ed was a highlight, and it was fun to go and see Mark & Diane’s lot. To just have had the opportunity to explore the area made it worthwhile. The area is more developed than I like, but Rural and “Old Florida” can still be found if you look, and that’s what made this stop memorable.

DAY #101

Today I set off to revisit a couple places first seen last week. It was off to Myakka State Park to do the “canopy walk,” and then into Sarasota, to take a closer look at the Amish community there.

After the steady rain of a couple days ago, the campground was still very wet. It was so wet, they had closed about half the camp sites, thankfully, my site remained dry and accessible.

Along the way, I stopped at a Chase Bank branch to use the ATM for some cash. Put the card in, answered all the questions, and waited for the transaction to be completed. Surprise…Transaction declined. Great, that’s just great, now what am I going to do without any cash? It sure is easy to be cool & calm, especially when everything goes right, not so easy when it goes wrong. As I’m sitting in the truck trying to decide my next move, the phone rings, its Chase fraud checking to see if I had tried to use my card, long story short, I was able to get it resolved and go back in and get some cash. I really remain, a work in progress.

Made it to the Park and the “canopy walk.” It was a short, and because of the recent rains, wet walk to the canopy. The main drawing point is the view at the top.

Quite the thrill standing above the trees and looking to the horizon. It was worth coming up here. After soaking the scenery in for awhile, it was time to get back down to earth, and on my way to check out the Amish.

I set Pinecraft into google and off I went. After a series of twists and turns, Google informed me I was there, Pinecraft, the center for Amish/Mennonites winter residence in Florida. Except I wasn’t there, I found myself in the middle of a 55+ trailer park. It was a nice place but no Amish, just old retired Christians.

Fortunately, I had my tablet with me, I went online and did some search and research finding the right location. It is so amazing the internet, today we have the world at our fingertips, literally.

I was able to find where I wanted to be (sans google ), and after a few more wrong turns, I finally found myself in the heart of Pinecraft, and I wasn’t disappointed. The streets were crowded with mostly women but also a few men walking, all wearing traditional garb. Three wheel bikes were common, and I even saw one guy driving a gulf cart. While most were elderly, I did see a few younger folks sprinkled here and there. The homes were small, almost cottage like, and close together. the streets are narrow, less than two car widths wide. Something out of the ordinary are these houses have electricity and telephones, two things not found in Amish homes up north.

I didn’t take any photos. There were plenty of opportunity’s, I just felt taking their picture and pictures of their homes could make them feel like some kind of freaks. Oh look, those people are different, get their picture. I didn’t want to disrespect them, it was something this time, I would have to enjoy alone.

Took the long way back after another in an endless string of enjoyable days (even the bad ones).

DAY #100

Expected the sky’s to be clear this morning but no, it remained as cloudy as yesterday, Oh well, at least it had stopped raining. I was nice and comfy under the covers so I thought, what the heck, I’ll snooze for a couple more hours, man this is a tough life I’m living isn’t it?

Waking up a second time, I could see the sun coming out, and the clouds breaking up, I could also see it was time to get up and get underway. Today was bring the truck in for a oil/filter change, and tire rotation day. Did a little research and found a Ford dealership not far away in Englewood. I went through their “Quick Lane” and $53.00 later, out the door I went, ready for the next few thousand miles. I can’t believe I’ve put nearly 8000 miles on the truck so far in the journey.

Next on the itinerary was to take a drive twenty miles south to Gasparilla Island, the State Park, and the town of Boca Grande. Crossing over the causeway to the island will set you back $6.00, at least they don’t charge you to get off the island (at least not yet). It’s a nice place. The vibes I got were similar to other coastal enclaves visited. In place of high-rise condo’s and resorts, it consisted mainly of single family homes, really nice homes. The island is definitely Section 8 free (don’t take that wrong). Looking at some ads later, you could easily start at a million dollars for a house with water views.

Cruising along the island proved to be a relaxing drive. Most of the homes were back from the road, giving a much more open, almost spacious feel driving along.

I made it to the State Park, and did a quick walk around. The recent rain had left large sections of the park under water. While a nice place, it wasn’t the highlight of my visit.

The highlight of the island was Boca Grande. It’s a small town with an “Old Florida” look and feel. The history of the area includes phosphorus being shipped by rail to be loaded onto ships just south of town. This lucrative business lasted up until the early 1970s, and you can still see remnants of the rail line as it crosses the water. It was so cool to see something historic in a area, where yesterday is considered old.

The island was enjoyable, and charm of Boca Grande irresistible. This was a fun place to come and spend some time, I’m glad I came.

From the ocean back to the forest, another solid day in Florida.