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)