Stuck in Arcadia - Yr 1, Day 246

Arcadia, FL

First, I have to say Thank God for Bill & Bev.  If not for them, we had the potential of another major catastrophe.

Recall that they were here for the rally and were supposed to leave when everyone else did.  Unfortunately, there was a death in the family and they had to fly back home, leaving their rig here so we could keep an eye on it while they were gone.  They returned near midnight last night.

After we finished the last of our packing up, we all met for breakfast around 9:00 (we went to a local diner which claimed to be 50s style, but was more a country / Texas style -- they explained they never changed the sign).  We returned after breakfast and we proceeded to hitch up the truck to the trailer.  We got hitched successfully but something just seemed a bit off kilter to me, like the hitch wasn't really sliding in very smoothly, even though it was perfectly locked into place.  Thankfully, Bill was standing outside and heard me telling Mitch that I thought something didn't seem quite right.  Bill took a look and right away noticed that it wasn't sitting level.  Upon further investigation, on the triglide part of the hitch, the welds were broken and cracked in 2 places, which could cause the hitch to become unhitched, though not in the same way as it did before when it wasn't locked well.
Bill wasn't 100% sure whether it was safe to tow or not, so we called the manufacturer (sending photos) and they told us absolutely NOT to tow with it.

The rest of the day was spent (for Mitch -- for me, all 3 clients had work for me today so I was busy with that) on the phone between the local RV repair shop (where we bought the water pump from, who is also a dealer for the hitch manufacturer), the warranty company and the manufacturer - to try to find the part.  It doesn't help that this part was discontinued and probably not in stock anywhere.  We also need to have an RV tech come to our site since it's not safe to tow (although I have no idea how long it has been this way and we could probably make it a few miles -- but why chance it?)  No one was available to come today and probably not tomorrow morning either.  He finally had to give up when they closed at 4:30 -- not having had any success in finding the part.  They open again at 8:00, so hopefully he'll have better luck then.

So, anyway, have to cancel our plans to meet my new client (and friend) in Clearwater, and possibly the trip to Ocala.  That's a definite PIBE (play it by ear) situation -- it all depends on how long we have to stay here.  I can't complain, though.  At least it's a nice remote campground, just about a mile from civilization and has full hookups.  Lots of worse places to get stuck in.

My new expression about plans is that plans are made in bubbles.

No odor, dancing in the rain, rainbow - Yr 1, Day 244

Arcadia, FL

Last post was Thursday, but I have nothing to report for Friday or Saturday.  They were very quiet days and we didn't do much.  Work was slow, so mostly I puttered around inside while Mitch continued to putter outside.  The weather continued to be beautiful and we hung around outside as much as we could - soaking in the rays and Vitamin D.

Mitch did manage to finally fix the problem of the gray tank odor which started when we arrived at the rally.  He opened some kind of valve under the bathroom sink, added water and closed it, and that seemed to do the trick.

On Saturday, after praying outside and our daily naps, there was a woodcarver's show at the Civic Center so we decided to walk over and check it out (there was no admission fee and we left our wallets behind so as not to be tempted to buy anything on Shabbat -- it was look only).  There were many very talented artists who carved a wide spectrum of items -- from pipes to elaborate canes, to awesome furniture out of trees.  Being there brought back nostalgic memories from the days when we were candle makers and traveled these types of juried craft shows.  Not something I want to do again -- too old and tired for that now.

Today the temps were in the 80s.  We ran out to Walmart and a hardware store as Mitch needed a few things.  I found a runner and some pillows I thought would work, but when I put them up, I didn't like them.  So back to Walmart tomorrow to return them. 

We had a really special treat late in the afternoon.  From out of nowhere, a huge black cloud hovered over and then it started downpouring.  After about 5 minutes, the sun came back out while it continued to pour.  Not sure what got into me, but rather than running inside, I decided to dance in the rain!  Well, not actually dance, but moved around in a circle with my arms in the air, getting soaked and having fun doing it.  A few minutes later, an amazing, full then double rainbow appeared in the sky.  It seemed to be so close -- just at the end of the field, and you could literally SEE both ends where it met the ground.  It was tempting to run over there and find the pots of gold!  (but reality is we knew it was only the way the light was refracting and it would disappear as we approached it).  As always, my camera isn't good enough so I wasn't able to get the entire rainbow in the picture.  In the 2nd photo, you have to look really, really hard to see the double rainbow (several feet above the first one -- you may find it by starting on the right side, halfway between the top of the photo and the brighter rainbow) 

A little while later, I went back outside to watch the sun set and was overwhelmed (in a wonderful way) by the aroma of freshly rained on grass.  You'd think I was trying to get high the way I was inhaling so strongly.

So Mother Nature really gave us some very sweet gifts today.  I am feeling very grateful.

Windy, downtown Arcadia, cows - Yr 1, Day 241

Arcadia, FL

Today felt like we were in a hurricane with very high, non-stop winds.  The rig was shaking like crazy.  It was very scary, but we made it through ok, thank God.

The cows on the other side of the road were out grazing this morning:

My workload was pretty light today, so we decided to check out the downtown area - all 3 blocks of it.  It's a historic district, but mostly the history is old Victorian homes on the outskirts, as well as a train depot from the early 1900s.  The streets themselves reminded me of the style of the Old West (there was even a restaurant resembling a western saloon).  There's a lot of construction going on, and a lot of stores for rent.

A view of a downtown street

 

Not sure what this building was - looks like 2 buildings with a floor and ceiling to attach them added later.  Saloon is thru the doors.

Mural inside the Italian restaurant

The main attraction about this town is the ANTIQUING.  Just about every single shop is an antique store!  There is even an old Opera House that was turned into an antique store.

(I love looking at antiques, but only from the perspective of being in a museum: I have no intention of buying anything as I have nowhere to put stuff.  Therefore I didn't go into any stores because it would be wrong to raise the store owner's hopes for a potential sale).

Other than the saloon which is attached to a fancy Italian restaurant, the only other place to eat in the downtown area is a small coffee shop.  I wanted to experience the small town flavor of eating in one, but Mitch's knees were bothering him, it was very windy and a bit chilly, and too early to eat lunch.  Oh well - there are many other small towns in the US that I'm sure we'll visit.  Besides, there usually aren't very many vegetarian or kosher choices anyway.

We left the area and found a roadside produce stand nearby.  Mitch stayed in the truck while I loaded up on much needed fruits & veggies (at really cheap prices).  This lovely creature was on the other side of the fence.  She was looking right at me, but turned her head away when I took her photo.

Quiet, work done - Yr 1, Day 240

Arcadia, FL

Yesterday and today were very quiet with almost everyone gone.  Bev/Bill and Judy/Bill actually pulled out early this morning, but they were busy preparing for their travels so we didn't spend any time together yesterday - just said our "so long's".   Both days I had a bit of client work to do, and Mitch was very productive in getting things done around the rig, such as wiring up the wifi ranger antenna cable, caulking around the fantastic fan where the leak was (success -- it rained last night and no leak!!!), finishing organizing the basement, trying to troubleshoot the odor problem (not successful yet), and a lot of other puttering and computer stuff.

The winds have been really horrendous here; last night was particularly windy.  I wonder if it has to do with the fact that we're in a big wide open field?  We couldn't do a campfire either night because it was just too darn windy for it.

Remember the really packed campgrounds from a few weeks ago? (see Days 219 and 220).  Here are some photos from where we are now.  Notice the wide empty space.

That's our rig at the other end of the field

In many areas here in FL, and especially here at the civic center, they use shells for gravel.  They get a bit more crushed on the roads and paths, but here's an example of some gravel around a post.  If you look at any of the photos above, all of the gravel paths are like this.  You can actually find some good, unbroken shells!

Lastly, I think we decided on where to go after Ocala -- to St. Mary's, GA.  Just waiting to see if the campground or state park has availability (it should, as it's not peak season).

Work, dinner - Yr 1, Day 238

Arcadia, FL

Today was mostly a work day for me.  I spent most of the day working on plans for our next destinations.  I got 1/4 of the way done.  When we leave here, we will spend 2 days in New Port Richey which is about 25 miles from my friend in Clearwater.  Then we'll start heading northeast, stopping in Ocala for the weekend at a campground which is near a large Chabad center.  After that will be somewhere in GA, but I haven't worked that out yet.

Meanwhile, Mitch spent the morning helping DawnRaye with some technical stuff in her rig, and then the rest of the afternoon organizing and cleaning up all his stuff in the basement.  It was sad to say so long to another friend, but I wish her well on her journey and hope our paths cross again.

After my client conference call at 3:00, I hiked over to the other end of the campground to visit with Bev & Bill.  Unfortunately, there was a death in the family so they will be flying home for the funeral.  They will try to leave their rig here so we can keep an eye on it (they return the night before we leave).  Then the 6 of us (Bev & Bill, Judy & Bill and me & Mitch) went out to dinner at Chili's:

All of us

Bill, Bill, Mitch

Me, Bev, Judy

We wanted to have a campfire when we returned, but it was still way too windy.  All in all, a very lovely evening.

Last days of the rally - Yr 1, Day 237

Arcadia, FL

First, I have to give a big shout out to Mitch - he replaced the water pump all by himself!!!  That's the 3rd huge project he's undertaken so far (replacing the toilet seal, and restringing the blinds being the others).  He finished just as it was time to light Shabbat candles, which was followed by hors-d'oeuvres and happy hour (Mitch brought another batch of Bloody Marys; I brought some sangria).

It was also decided that we are going to stay here for another 10 days - leaving Tues. 2/24 while we plan out where we're going next.  We want to be in Raleigh the week of March 23rd, so we may head back up the way we came (maybe visiting Cape Canaveral, Savannah and Myrtle Beach again.  I will work on the planning more this week.

Saturday morning was nice and relaxing.  After prayers outside, we took our magazines and read for a while.  Then, from 1:00 until about 4 there was an open house where everyone could have a tour of each other's rigs.  It's really nice to see what other folks have done with their rigs.  I even got a few ideas.  For example, I really don't like the fabric on our couch but replacing it or getting slipcovers isn't really an option right now.  Someone pointed out that if I just changed out the pillows to bring out more color, it would change the focus to the color and not the print.  What a great and SIMPLE solution!  Also, a nice runner or area rug could also liven up the place.  We also found some good material to use to add a backsplash behind the stove, and I learned about a great organization system for my tea collection.

Saturday night was a chili cookout - I brought the vegetarian version of course.

Mitch also bought a journey map the other day when he was at Camping World buying the transfer switch.  I can't wait to fill it up more (we are only counting those states where we've camped in.  So far, NC, SC, FL):

Which leads us to today--Sunday and the last day of the rally.  It was kind of bittersweet saying goodbye to almost everyone, but hopefully many of us will meet up again down the road.  Fortunately, a few folks are also staying for another day or 2 (more below). 

After goodbyes, we went out shopping to Winn Dixie and Walmart.  I was hoping to find the runner and pillows but, alas, they did not have what I was looking for.  Unfortunately, there is no Target or Bed, Bath & Beyond closer than 30 miles, so we'll need to either take the trip or put this off for a little while.  There was a Winn Dixie closing down and whatever was left in the store was 40% off.  We hit a goldmine - found about 10 bags of kosher marshmallows!!! (normal ones are made with gelatin which is not kosher) as well as gefilte fish which was under $10.

When we returned from shopping, I put away the groceries while  Mitch cleaned up the mess outside the rig (with all the work he's been doing in the basement, everything had to be taken out of it).  We grilled some veggie dogs and enjoyed them with a salad outside while the sun was setting.  Mitch captured a lovely photo of a sand crane in the pond with its reflection in the pond during this beautiful sunset:

We decided to continue the tradition of the campfire and lit one around 6:30.  We had some awesome company with our friends who stayed:  Bev & Bill, Judy & Bill, Teri & David, and DawnRaye.

Nice day, another problem- Yr 1, Day 235

Arcadia, FL

Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day.  I finished my work around 1:30 but had a client conference call at 2, so I decided to take a little walk to see if anyone was around who didn't go on the paddling trip.  I found Maria who had to stay behind with the pups.  She invited us in and showed off her rig.  To say she makes a lot of crafts is by far an understatement... it's just amazing all the incredible stuff she does and her level of talent is professional artist, although she does not do this for a living.  Due to her talent, it's incredible how she modified and organized the rig, especially inside the closets and drawers.  I can't even begin to describe how impressed I am.

I returned back from the call, which only lasted about 1/2 hr.  It was a nice day and the rest of my work was done, so I decided to sit outside with a book and soak in some sun, while Mitch was outside organizing all the stuff that he had taken out of the basement and truck.  Folks started to return from the trip, including DawnRaye, who invited me next door.  We hung around there for a while, and Bev came and joined us as well.  In the meantime, Greg also returned and installed the new transfer switch.  That problem is now resolved!  Greg, Bill, Craig, Paul, Ron and Jerry have all  been so generously helpful.

At 5:30 we headed over to the meeting area for some schmoozing.  Mitch brought a jug of homemade SPICY Bloody Marys (I couldn't drink it -- too spicy for my liking), but I brought a glass of wine.  We had a wonderful campfire going and we hung around until about 8:30 before turning in for the night.

TODAY'S PROBLEM DU JOUR....  discovered that we didn't have any water.  The fresh tank says we're still 1/3 full, and it appears that our water pump has died.  Mitch mentioned this to Jerry and before we knew it, Craig was over here trying to help trouble shoot.  We're all pretty sure the water pump is no good so we'll have to figure out what to do from here (maybe find an RV tech who can come out to replace it, unless someone here knows how to do it, and it'll be another trip down to Ft. Myers to buy a new one).

Plans for the rest of the day:  community breakFEAST at 10, followed by a seminar on how to find good boondocking places, then a water bladder demo.  We need to go to Walmart for a few things, deal with the water pump issue.  Not sure how we're going to handle Shabbat - most likely we'll be breaking a bunch of rules (such as putting on the generator, cooking early so I can make the vegetarian chili for tomorrow's cookout).  I will grill up the tuna steaks early.  We'll see... I don't know why I'm trying to plan all this right now.  I suspect it's going to be a "go with the flow" kind of day.

Not a lot - Yr 1, Day 234

Arcadia, FL

Yesterday was a stay at home & work day.  Mitch ran out to Ft. Myers (50 miles away) to pick up the part he needed to fix the transfer switch.  Greg promised to help install it this afternoon.   The daily activity was golfing, so many folks were gone.  Otherwise, Kelly & Jo came by to see the rig (which was in a total state of disarray, not vacuumed or washed down, or bedspread on).  Tracy also came by for a quick visit but I didn't really get to spend much time with her.

Towards the evening, I went to retrieve our fire pit from Howard & Linda.  I had forgotten they were having a campfire meeting so it was in use.  On the way back to the rig, I ran into Maria (with Ron who helped with the electric stuff) walking her dogs, so we took a long walk together.  The sky was so awesome.  Again, the photo doesn't do it any justice:

Today is a big paddling trip down the Peace River nearby.  Unfortunately, due to my hip limitations, I can't go as the boat is too low to get into or out of easily.  Greg is supposed to come by later anyway, and I really need to find a place to stay after the rally!  We're actually toying with the idea of staying alone here -- waiting for a response from the civic center as to whether they'll let us (yes, if there are no other events).  They do have full hookups which are disabled during the rally (otherwise, what's the point of learning to boondock?)  I'm still having a lot of trouble finding a place in or near Clearwater, so I need to revisit my thinking of where we want to be for the rest of Feb to middle of March when we go to Raleigh.  I really don't want to head back up north as it gets colder and I'm kind of liking the 70 degree days, but it all depends on where we can stay.  Note to self:  make plans and reservations way in advance if coming to FL (also TX and AZ) during the winter.

Seminars, electric problem - Yr 1, Day 232

Arcadia, FL

Another day, another problem.  Actually, let me start off on a positive  note: we started the day with a community breakfast.  Another feast (we brought oranges and our veggie sausages), which was followed by 2 seminars -- continuation of the tanks, and then all about electrical systems (involving 120 volt AC vs. 12 volt DC and the various options regarding using them both).  We learned that the batteries are the heart & soul of the system and they must be well maintained and charged.  When boondocking (no hookups), you can get AC power by using the generator, which also charges the batteries.  We had been doing this just fine since we got here.

And then.... we came back from the seminars, turned the generator on, and discovered that we did not have any AC power.  Not good.  We are so blessed that this happened in a place where there are lots of folks who are able and more than happy to help (thank you Ron, Bill, Mark, Bob, Craig and Greg).  It took about 5 hours and taking everything apart to find and finally figure out what the problem was - which is a bad transfer switch (the purpose of which is to transfer between AC and DC).  The part is relatively easy to find but we need a professional to help install it.  We called a recommended tech, but he can't come out until next week some time (rally is over on Sunday).  Greg Young is the professional electrician who is installing solar systems here at the rally (the one who was able to diagnose the problem) and suggested that if we order the part, he will take time out of his busy schedule and install it for us.  Meanwhile, while they had all the walls taken apart in the basement with everything exposed, some wet wood, a little puddle and a bad odor was also discovered - most likely a small leak in the gray tank (while I'm writing this, I just learned that Mitch is also adding his own post to my blog.  I'm sure his details will be a lot more accurate).  The end result is that Greg did some bypassing of the system and was able to get us AC power while using the generator.  However, we will not be able to use AC power if plugged into shore power, so this really does need to get fixed quickly.  Not sure what we're going to do about the tank leak yet (anyone here want to help??)

In the evening, there was another huge feast - pot luck dinner.  So many great cooks here! (I made a vegetable pasta dish, but I don't think anyone could beat Kelly's mac & cheese.  Kelly: don't forget to give me the recipe!)  As it turned dusk then dark, we had 3 nice campfires going and more camaraderie.

"Guest" Blogger Post (ATS switch)

BOY, what a day!
Mitch here...

Sorry to interrupt your daily notes.

Today after our seminars, went back to rig, put on generator to charge battery.  Time? 11:30 AM
Oh me, Oh My!
Generator went on.
30 seconds later, kitchen lights(120V AC)  went on.. (as expected).
one minute later.  AC goes off.

Leading to the next 6 hours of panic(ed) wife...


Oh me oh my.
Mind you, not all (or even many) of these were done by me!
What better place to break down an electrical system, then a boondocking rally, where
several Solar Panel installations are taking place,... and there are about 39 other RV owners, some with a GREAT deal of experience to boot!


AC Circuit breakers?  All Working OK.
12V Circuit breakers?  All Working OK.
120 V coming out of generator?  Check.
120 V coming from shore power?  No.
120 V coming in at power breaker box?  NO!!

---->  This tells us that between the generator, and the AC panel, there is a break of some sort.
Search High.  Search Low, search every single place where there is a electrical box to try and find the
Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS.)


Well lo, and behold, I decided to call the manufacturer of our RV (DRV), and spoke to the very nice man there. (Ed Fry) [if you own a DRV, and don't have his number contact us, he's VERY important to have on speed dial WHEN you need it]

Ed finally told us that the ATS was behind the electrical panel about 2 feet to the right of it.
He didn't mention it was behind the TWO HVAC (heating Ventilation A/C) ducts (flexible 3 inch hoses) and screwed down in place.

EHH.   Most RV manufacturers would sell their mother it it would save $0.25 in installation or parts costs.
Thus, the ATS box was extremely hidden, and to get it unwedged from the back of the area to test the voltage, took about another hour.

Finally, we had it opened, and the conductors from the generator were fine at 120V.
The input from shore power were good (since there was no power) at 0 V.
We then connected someone's generator to mimic shore power and it also tested at 0 V.

---> That tells us that shore power input at the ATS in NOT getting voltage.

The final step was the output to the electrical panel, which (as there was no voltage at the 50AMP breaker inside,) was ALSO 0 Volts

THUS, the conclusion that the ATS was bad/dead/ or more accurately committed sucide.

Of course if you search the web for the Iota Engineering ATS-50 model, you find nothing but reports of them

• Overheating
• Catching fire
• melting
• And being recalled by several RV manufacturers because of these defects
• Also being MD'd (Manufacturer Discontinued!)

So, first idea of replacing part via amazon prime with same part down the drain.


BUT!  because we had SO MANY great people (including a few Solar panel installers too)
We were finally able to bypass the ATS at 5:30 (only 1/2 hr past our 5pm Pot luck dinner!)

So... the journey (and the plans) ALWAYS change, and always gives us a learning opportunity

This learning opportunity was sponsored by Iota Enginering, DRV, as well as the lovely leak we discovered while the 5-6 of us were working in our "basement" or garage in the tightest area you've ever seen!

The leak seems to be from our grey water system  More another day!

Cheers to all!
Guest blogger (and hubby)  Mitch B

Rainy day - Yr 1, Day 231

Arcadia, FL

I forgot to note that our drive yesterday took us for about 35 miles through prime farmland - a few farms with lots of cows grazing in the fields, and then miles and miles of orange groves!  I've never seen that before - only passed through miles of corn or wheat fields.  Very pretty (did you know that orange trees are not very tall?  They look more like bushes).

Today was the 2nd day of the rally.  We were going to have a few seminars, which we started at 10:00.  But then it started to rain, and it continued to do so allllll day (sometimes light, sometimes really heavy).  Since all activities are outside, we had to call it quits so everyone went their own way.  I took advantage of the time and did some client work which needed to be done today anyway, so at least I wasn't feeling pressured and guilty about taking the time off.

Before heading off to work, I stopped by to visit with Kelly and Bill (and Cocoa and the kitties).  I took another break aroun 4:00 and visited my next door neighbor, Aurora Borealis (DawnRaye).  We had a lovely visit until my client texted me.

We did have another sewer smell problem again - another night I had to cover my nose and keep the air freshener on my face.  At least we're in a place where we're learning all about tanks, and there are some veterans that could help us troubleshoot.  I sent an email to Howard & Linda (the organizers and our mentors) hoping they could shed some light.  Rather than emailing us back, they came over in the pouring rain to help us figure it out!!!  If that isn't awesome, I don't know what is.  They suggested that the smell was coming from the p-trap of the washing machine drain - something to do with not enough water being in there (the water keeps the odors out).  We added water and stuffed a rag in the opening, so we'll see if it gets any better.

We also noticed another problem -- the corner of the bed under the fantastic fan was wet - clearly we have a little leak.  Hopefully it's something that can be fixed either by caulking or it may be a worn or misaligned gasket.

The weather is supposed to be fantastic for the rest of the week.  Tomorrow morning is a community breakfast and then some seminars. 

Rally! Day 230

Arcadia, FL

What an awesome day this turned out to be! The weather was really nice (70s) and it was an easy one hour drive.  Actually-- it was a little challenging getting hitched and out of the site.  We needed help from the staff to guide us.  I hope to never have to stay in a place that's so tight on space!

Arriving here at the Turner Agri Civic Center was a real wonderful change of pace from the crowded campgrounds we've been in.  Here are some photos of the wide open space (even a little pond out our back window):

All set up:

Mitch was a happy camper not having to set up the sewer and water.  We'll see how happy he is when our tanks get full!  He spent a few hours after we arrived replacing the cable to the wifi ranger (up on the roof).  I had some client work to do.

I was excited to meet Kelly & Bill and it was great to see Bill & Bev, and Howard & Linda again.  We chatted for a little while.  At 5:00, there was a hot dog dinner (we brought our own veggie dogs), where we all sat in a huge circle, followed by a planning discussion.  For example, it was decided that tomorrow morning we'll have 2 seminars: on tanks and batteries.  Tuesday night is a pot luck dinner and Saturday night is chili (we'll bring the veggie chili).  Thursday a lot of people are going paddling in canoes & kayaks, but since I have difficulty lowering my body (can't go below a 90 degree angle), I can't really get into the boat without risk.  I guess that can be a good work or rest day.  We'll see.

I'm having a great time so far and really happy to be here!  Everyone is so friendly and it's great to be able to just go up to folks, introduce yourself and start a conversation.  I'm very hesitant to do that at a campground.

Shabbat, Sharon - Yr 1, Day 229

Ft. Myers, FL

Friday we only got to Camping World - no time for the AT&T store or the museum.  Perhaps next time.  There is much to do in the area, so we'll plan to spend more time.  But next time we'll find a better campground and reserve it way in advance!

Here is a palm tree lined street that Mitch really enjoyed driving on in Ft. Myers (personally, I prefer the live oak trees with spanish moss in SC)

We went to shul on Saturday and what a magnificent place!  Large, beautiful building and a very welcoming congregation.  We arrived a little early and they had a study session going on before the services (on Kabbalah) which was very interesting (the topic was the need to get to know yourself).  After most services, there's usually a luncheon held at the synagogue, but this was different: quite a few folks live within walking distance, so the congregation was divided up and went to different people's homes for lunch (some people went to more than 1 place).  This made for a very intimate gathering and was a truly wonderful experience (kind of like meeting and hanging out with new friends at a campground!)

Afterwards, we went to Sharon's house and hung there for a few hours until it was time to head home and start the packing up process.  Onto Arcadia, FL and the boondocking rally tomorrow!  Can't wait to finally meet up with Howard & Linda (who were our original inspiration and who run RV-Dreams), Bill & Bev again (who we met in Hardeesville), and finally meet Kelly & Bill, and "Aurora Borealis" (Dawn) in person and make lots of new Dreamers friends!

New location, Sharon, Leo & Deb - Yr 1, Day 228

Ft. Myers, FL

We left the campground in Naples at around 10:30.  It was a miserable, rainy day.  Fortunately we knew the forecast and decided to do the hitching up the day before so it was only packing up to do in the morning.  The mileage between here and Naples was about 45, but it took us nearly 1 1/2 hrs to get here.  Then again, we took a state road with lots of stores and traffic lights.

This is the second campground that I cannot believe how much they milk the property to get the most $ per square inch.  Again, we can reach into our neighbor's rvs - packed like sardines.  The roads around the campground are also very narrow and windy.  We needed to have a staff member  not only help us get into the very tight spot, but maneuver around the corners.  What an experience!  There were a lot of folks who came out to watch; two guys even came over to offer consolation, told us they were the previous day's entertainment, and even offered us some beer!

As for the park itself, again, not much to look at except rows and rows of RVs.  There's a pool and rec area but I doubt we'll get a chance to get there.  Lots of people walking around, but I didn't see to many bikers - maybe because there's nowhere to ride.

Very helpful staff guiding us around the narrow road

The space we had to back into -- the grass to the right of the concrete pad. See above photo on how much space there is (not) to maneuver here -- we're about 60' total

After we were settled in, we did some cleaning and I did a little bit of work.  We then got to see my cousin Sharon and her SO David.  It's been probably about 2 years since we've seen them (she refused to let me take her picture).  They came to see the rig, and then we went to this really AWESOME seafood restaurant right over the bridge to Ft. Myers Beach called Nervous Nellies which looks out over the water and has incredible food and service.

I also met another couple from RVillage who are staying in the same park - Leo and Deb.  We have a few things in common: he owns a few businesses in the UK (I have a client and former employer there), they also have a Mobile Suites.  They were leaving today (Friday) but invited us over for a quick meet & greet.  Very delightful folks.

So today's plans... it's almost noon so I doubt we'll get to do everything since I have to prepare for Shabbat.  We need to go to Camping World to exchange the GPS which doesn't work, and we need to go to an AT&T store to replace Mitch's dying phone, which is urgent since we need to use it to create a hotspot (plus maybe replace mine with one that has a keyboard).  We need to run into Publix for some fish for dinner.  I would really, really like to visit the Edison & Ford House & Museum, but at the rate we're going, it's unlikely we'll have the time for that.  Maybe next time we come down here.  Seems like a "happening" place so we'll plan to spend more than 2 days.

Weather is sunny and in the mid 70s.

Tomorrow's plans is to go to shul and then hang out at Sharon's place the rest of the day.  Sunday we pack up and leave and head over to the RV boondocking rally!

Sister Mindy - Yr 1, Day 226

Naples, FL

I'm not going to go into a lot of detail here, but I met up with my sister Mindy whom I haven't seen for about 10 years.  In our earlier adult lives and through our child raising days, we had been in and out of touch - mostly out.  We've been communicating a lot more lately via Facebook and it was really wonderful to be able to see her in person again.  It was like all the years melted away.

I have to say that Mindy suffers from such a wide range of debilitating medical conditions (some of which have put her near death a few times), and I really admire her strength, spirit and courage.  Spending time with her, you'd never guess how sick she really is.  I'm not sure I could ever endure what she has and not sit on the pity pot all day and night.  I didn't realize how much I missed her and it was great spending time.  I just wish I could spend even more.

New place, easy day - Yr 1, Day 225

Naples, FL

We left the farm at 8:30, saying another fond goodbye to Marie, our host.  It was a very lovely overnight stay, especially waking up to the smell of the earth.  It was also a lovely day - sunny and in the high 70s.

Since we were already still hitched, it was very easy to pack up the things we took out and leave.  It was a 180 mile drive, and with 1 stop at a rest area, we arrived at the new campground at 12:30.  I don't know how we managed, but we landed up getting another pull-thru site, which is great because the place here is also very busy.  At least there is a little more elbow room between the sites.

This place appears to be predominantly permanent mobile homes, with a few RV sites in between them.  It's a full resort so they have a heated pool, clubhouse and a lot of planned activities.  Again, lots of folks out and about on bikes and a lot of French speaking Canadians.  Other than that, nothing special to see:

View from the front - a development complex across the street

What most of the roads within the campground look like.

I understand there is a lot of stuff to do around here, especially at Marco Island which is very close (beach), but the purpose of this destination is to visit family, not pleasure.  I will meet up with my sister Mindy tomorrow.  Plans are just to hang out at her place since she has a lot of medical conditions which preclude her from traveling.  Then we leave again on Thursday to go about 40 miles north to Ft. Myers to visit my cousin Sharon.

Bedners Farm - Yr 1, Day 224

Boynton Beach, FL

We finished packing and hitched up this morning and pulled out of the campground at about 11:15.  Our next door neighbor (who spoke a little bit of English) helped guide us in, although he didn't go a very good job and we had to readjust by a few inches.  He was very nice in that he closed his slide so we could get out more easily.

The campground we were in (Breezy Hill in Pompano Beach) could only accommodate us until today (2/2) and the next place we'll be staying in Naples didn't have availability until tomorrow (2/3), which meant finding another place to stay overnight.  We belong to this great group called Harvest Hosts.  It's members are various wineries, breweries and farms which allow RVs to park for free overnight (although, after you visit their stores you land up paying more than the fee for a campground!!).  It's a whole lot nicer than a Walmart or Home Depot or Cracker Barrel or truck stop parking lot though.  I did a little research and found a very nice farm about 25 miles away.  It's a little north of our route, but hopefully well worth it.  Their website is www.bedners.com.

So we are sitting behind the farmstand which rests on 80 acres.  After we pulled in, we were personally greeted by the owner, Marie Bedner.  After settling in, we went into the store and stocked up on some home grown fresh veggies and strawberries from the farm (we didn't feel like picking them ourselves but we know someone on the staff did that for us).  They do sell a lot of other things as well.  They also provide a wide range of family activities such as gem mining, pony and hay rides, a train that runs around the property and a petting zoo (they didn't have any of these today) and of course, you can go onto the farm area and pick anything you want.

We parked behind the store, in the overflow parking area.  It was a perfect amount of space and angle for practicing backing in.  It took 45 minutes to get into the runway!!  It would have been great to pull in and out 5-10 times, but I had a lot of work to do so we couldn't afford the time.  Sad because it really is a good spot to practice with.

Here are the photos:

Marie, the really sweet owner

Veggies as far as the eye can see

A corny shot

Inside the store

Tomorrow morning - onto Naples to visit with my sister Mindy.

Bebe, Lisa, packing -Yr 1, Day 223

Pompano Beach, FL

It was sort of a melancholy day today.  We leave this campground tomorrow morning, so we started the outdoor checklist (checking the tire pressure, battery level, making sure antenna on roof is tight) plus some indoor stuff like packing away the chatchkes and ceramic dishes.  We'll do the rest tomorrow, as we don't have to leave until 11 and we're only going about 20 miles away (more about that in tomorrow's post).

I also decided to visit my Aunt Bebe (mother's sister) who is in a nursing home in Sunrise, FL, about 20 miles from where we are.  She is in the advanced stages of Alzheimers.  The last time I saw her, about 10 years ago, although she still had all her physical faculties, she didn't remember me and couldn't remember things for more than a minute or 2.  This time around, she looked almost catatonic, although a few times it seemed like she was looking right through me.  I'd like to think that somewhere deep in her soul she knew I was there.  She is 89 (looks like 109) and I'm pretty certain I will not have the chance to see her again, so this was kind of my last goodbye and to thank her for all the sacrifices she made in her life for my family when my mother was dying of cancer.

We also got to see Lisa one last time before we hit the road.  She lives about 2 blocks from the beach so we took a walk down to the ocean (it was 75 degrees and sunny.  Have I mentioned how grateful I am not to be in snow country?!  Yes, I know I did about 1000 times).  Here we are with the ocean wind blowing our hair, and reminiscing about growing up in Far Rockaway, near the beach.

Me and Lisa Morgan Rico (friend from HS)