A "Grande" Entrance

Oct 28 - Nov 11/15  Weather is constant everyday in the extended forecast - 85 to 90, lows in the high 60's.   You can count on humidity as well.   It's Florida, basically a spit of sand surrounded by water. 

Pretty "grande" clubhouse as you enter the park

We decided to spend a couple of weeks at a nearby motor coach resort called Florida Grande Motorcoach Resort.   Yes, that means only motor homes, usually no older than 10 to 15 years, class A only and no fifth wheels or trailers.   The 2 good things are; it will be lovely and we are first time visitors on a special package of paying for 1 week and staying an extra week for free.   This is a ownership park where you can purchase the lot and have a suite built on your lot.   The suite will typically have a bathroom, washer dryer, living area with sofa bed, small galley kitchen.  

RV concrete double lot and the suite

We often wonder "how does a motor coach resort end up out here, in the boonies?"  It is in Webster and there is not much around the town for 15 miles except for cows and a weekly huge flea market.   Not even a grocery store.   The bad thing is that motor coach resorts never let us keep our trailer on the site.  Apparently the lot owners feel it is not attractive.  Once we were in a MC resort and they let us on our site with the trailer but a couple days later (after a few owners complained) they came and moved it to the storage area. 

Bluebird Wanderlodge next to us

There is a Rally of Bluebird Wanderlodges in the resort and the coaches are a luxurious unit, built by the Bluebird Corporation which is the 4th largest bus company in North America.  Yes you see the yellow school buses everyday..... majority are Bluebirds.  The motorhome makes use of the school bus chassis and an all-steel body, which was intended for daily stop-and-go driving.  Most are pre 2009, not very many slides, 40 to 43 feet long.   They ride so smooth and look so good going down the road.

another pretty Wanderlodge across from us

another nice bus

Yearly Mtce Stop = To Do List

Oct 25 - 27/15. Weather is stuck in the 80's. 1 day of showers coming, but temp is not going to drop.

We say it's our yearly mtce stop but come to think of it we didn't come in for service last year!   

When you take your house down the road there is always something that needs attention...... Your going to tell us that you don't take your house down the road and there are always things to repair on it too, absolutely.   Alliance Coach RV service still seems to be the best shop we have found so far.  We pulled in before lunch on Sunday set up on a campsite and took the rest of the day easy since we have a 7:30 a.m. appointment Monday with our service advisor who will schedule our to-do list with the technicians.

That means for a couple of days setting the alarm clock for early mornings.  The coach has to be ready to move in the shop each day for 7ish.   A couple of years ago we had our front roof AC/heat pump replaced and it's time to have the rear one replaced.  With the heat wave in Florida we will be glad we did.   

Alliance in Wildwood, Florida has the following, so all you need to do is bring your Credit card!!!!!

Seriously it's great that you can stay in your coach, get work done every day on it and you get it back at 6 pm on your campsite.   This time we only need to stay a couple days. 

• 42 Service Bay
• 16 Outdoor Bays
• 2 x 65 ft Paint Booths
• In House Cabinet Shop
• In House Metal Fabrication Shop
• In House Upholstery Shop
• 40 Site Campground W/50 Amp, Water, Wi/Fi, & Laundry 

Baseball Birdie

October 26/15  

Spotted this bird ..... Guess our baseball season is over???

A Perfect Bench Day

Oct 24/15   It's a shirt sleeve day for a ride, sunny and 85.

Lake Dora - along Lakeshore drive

Bougainvillea blooming

Today we are going for a ride in Lake County Florida.  We are going to stop and have lunch in one of the prettiest towns in Florida, Mount Dora.   It is a very popular town with the tourists and locals.  

Lake County area

This area in north central Florida is aptly named as there are over a 1,000 lakes.   But we have to chuckle a bit cause the lakes are so small compared to what we are familiar with;  growing up in Great Lakes area we think on a very grand scale when we think of lakes.  When traveling around this area you have to use a GPS or know your way as many of the roads will dead end at a lake or it simply takes much longer to get from here to there because you have to drive around the lake.  We like the motorcycle riding in this area as you are almost always within view of a lake or a bit of rolling hills and citrus groves and many horse farms.

walking downtown in Mount Dora

the Perfect Bench

The towns are small in size and have lots of character.   Mount Dora is such a pretty town.  Cobblestone streets, beautiful lakefront drives, old Floridian homes, restaurants and artsy shops to interest you.   And the "Perfect Bench".  

lacey plates

Bon Bon's,,,,, lets buy the whole plate

Sunshine State

October 20 - 25/15   Weather is Hot.  Days 82, 84, 85, 86, 86.   Nights 65 - 70.  Actually it is a bit uncomfortable.   Yikes... does that sound like whining.   Sorry.   It is the humidity that is at 90%.  

When we get up in the morning and look out it appears to have rained.   No it didn't its just the dew.   Well better than snow that's for sure.   Once we get into Florida we have a hard time not visiting the Grand Oaks RV Resort in Lady Lake.   We just think it is one of the prettiest spots. 

Where can you go and have a beautiful campsite on a million dollar horse farm?  Right here.    Oddly this RV park is not busy.

And there is nothing better in the morning; sitting outside; with a New England Coffee.  Florida always has it in their grocery stores.   I have not been able to find it in Canada; but then we are Timaholics (Tim Hortons)..... guess someday we should try New England!  Sounds like a motorhome destination.

A Civil War Cemetery & a Peanut Farmer who became President

Oct19/15 Weather sunny but cool high 65 low 45.  Within 65 miles of our Twin Oaks RV Park in Elko, Georgia are two National Historic Sites run by the NPS.  It will be an easy ride with our leathers on today; our first stop is about 30 miles to  Andersonville then on to Plains for our second stop.

150 years ago the Civil War claimed 750,000 lives in America when it ended in 1865.  We are at the Camp Sumter Military prison site, also known as Andersonville.  A mere 26 1/2 acres that was intended to hold a maximum of 10,000 prisoners. Hastily built it started taking prisoners in February, 1864 and by August over 32,000 soldiers struggled to survive in what men called 'hell on earth'.  The museum highlights the difficulties a POW endured.   Death was rampant averaging 130 men per day from disease, starvation or exposure.   

Next to the prison is the hallowed ground of the Andersonville National Cemetery.  Mass grave rows were dug where bodies were laid beside each other then buried.  Monument markers are inches of each other.   Rows and rows and rows.  Over 13,000 prisoners buried.  Monuments from the Union States representing the soldiers are scattered throughout the cemetery.  The footprint of the prison and cemetery is small, but Andersonville left a large mark on American history.  Lest we never forget this very sad time. 

We left with a shadow hanging over us.  Riding on another half hour we were both deep in thought and reverence for the soldiers.  

We pulled into a little crossroads of a town called Plains, Georgia where the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site showcases the 39th President of the United States. 

Few Presidents have kept such close ties with where they were born and raised, and come full circle back to live out their lives.  You can tour the Plains depot which was Jimmy's headquarters, the Carter Boyhood farm, the Plains high school and drive by where Jimmy and Rosalind still live today.   In the nearby Marantha baptist church Jimmy still teaches Sunday school.  In 2002 he won the Nobel Peace prize for his work for peace and humanity.  

The simplicity of what Jimmy Carter did was pretty incredible.  Running for President now seems light years away from 1977.  

Surprises in Perry, Georgia & stripes make your butt look big

Oct 17 to 19/2015 Weather is sunny low 70's, nights low 45.  Really nice. 
Driving thru Atlanta was ok, then we hit a 1 hour delay for 9 miles. Construction brings I75 to its knees.  And we thought we were so smart taking the bypass thinking it was a breeze!
 Once we got moving again we decided that stopping around Perry Georgia would be a good enough day.  This time we called ahead to Twin Oaks RV Park to reserve a site.  The fellow said he had a site since the National Fair was ending soon..... Oh oh what fair?  Well it runs for 11 days and there will be about 500,000 visitors, 1800 rabbits, 75 lamas, and every year since 1999 Alabama plays to a sold out crowd!!!  They even had a Scarecrow competition.

 Couple miles away from our exit at Perry the traffic came to a grinding jam again today.  About 45 minutes later we pulled into the park.

  The Fair sounded interesting, so maybe we should stay a couple of days and check it out.  The owner was so great when he was telling us about things to do around here; and he gave me his last day pass to get in free!  Also nearby is Andersonville National Historic Site & Civil War Cemetary and in Plains is Jimmy Carter National Historic Site.  

The Perry Fairgrounds are huge and the facilities for livestock and exhibitions was very impressive.  Much like our Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Only much warmer climate!!  

They had rides and fair food (more BBQ pork than we've ever seen on a grill) and big name entertainment and livestock and arts and crafts and flower competitions.  

It kept us walking around all day, till our feet said to go home.   Such a great surprise to us.  Now we know all about The Georgia National Fair! 

Love this quilt that won the people's choice award.  The quilter has a great sense of humour.  She called it ...............hahahaha.  "Actually yes I think they do make your butt look big"

Migration of the Snowbirds

Oct 16/15  Weather Sunny and 75 this afternoon, tonight 45.   It was a really nice driving day.   No construction on I75 today in this area.  I forgot to mention yesterday that Ohio was mile after mile of construction.  It does stay two lanes mostly but it is not pleasant driving, that's for sure.  The leaves are turning colour and really pretty. 

along I75 in Tennessee

We stopped at Holiday Travel Park of Chattanooga about 3 pm.   We did not have a reservation but had stayed here before and it is quite a large park.   As we pulled in we saw a trailer pull out.   Odd time to pull out.   Hmmm.   Oh yes, they are completely full all weekend long.  Huh!  Well Rosey how do you like going by the seat of your pants now???  Oh oh.  What's going on?  Two days in a row the campgrounds have been really full.  The camphost said "it's all the Snowbirds".  

Snowbird Migration

Back on I75 we go.  About 5 miles south in Ringgold, Georgia there is another campground called Battlefield RV Park.  They had a site for us to pull thru for the night.   Then I guess we are back on the road south again tomorrow.
Watch out for that Snowbird Migration.....   Did everyone hear about the frost warning up north???  

Offensive Onion?

October 15/2015  Weather in Ontario - frost warnings coming in the next two days, 50's during the day.   With the cold front coming we decided to leave and head south.  We crossed at Ambassador Bridge into Detroit and had 20 questions with the Customs Officer.   You could tell by the lineup it was going to be interesting. 

Damn Onion

C.O. "Where are you going?"
Bill "Florida"
C.O. "When are you coming back?"
Bill "December 17"
C.O. "What do you have with you?"
Bill "Just our everyday belongings"
C.O. "Heroine? Ecstasy? Crystal Meth?"
Bill "No, nothing like that"
C.O. "How do I know that isn't your everyday stuff?
Bill "We have our clothes, some food"
C.O. "What kind of food?  Do you have tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, limes, lemons?"
Rosey "No I removed anything with seeds and our eggs.  All our meat is frozen"
C.O.  "I'm coming on to look inside.  I need to look in the fridge.  Can you open your door?"
Bill  "I don't know, I can check if it will hit the booth"
C.O. "That should be a yes or a no".
By now we are looking at each other shrugging our shoulders!!!!  What the heck.
On he came and walked the coach, knocked on the bathroom door then opened it.   Is that weird????  knocking on the bathroom,,,,, Do Not Laugh!  We felt like it.
He looked in the sink, then opened the fridge went through the keepers.  And found the Offensive Spanish Onion.  "What do you call this?  Looks like an Onion!"
Rosey "Oh shit!  Yes that is an onion.  You can have it".
C.O. Put the onion back in the fridge and walked up front,  didn't say a thing.   As he was leaving the motorhome, he said "What's in the trailer?  I want to see in the trailer."
Bill "ok, can I get the key and unlock it?"
Bill and the C.O. walked back to the trailer.  Unlocked it and looked inside at the Harley.  Bill came back and got inside.  We got our passports back from him and he said "Have a good trip".  Bizarro.......  
That border crossing was the 2nd craziest we have ever had.   Billy is going to have to do something about that face of his. 

Pulled in our spot at Whispering Hills

Away we went.  Phew!!!
We did get to Georgetown, Kentucky and stayed the night at Whispering Hills RV Park.   It has been a few years since we stopped here and they have expanded, they added a nice big row of pull thrus.  We did get one of the last sites, it was quite busy.   We asked to stay another night but they were full the weekend.  She said October is their busiest month.  Big college football game in town - Auburn vs Kentucky.   So we will move on south tomorrow morning. 

Three Months in One Place ???

Summer  2015

Billy??    Don't you need your co-pilot???

When we left Erieau I followed Billy and our Rig with the car we leave at my mum's.    It felt so strange to not be in the co-pilots seat.

Golf holes as you come into the RV park.  Nice view.

This summer we actually stayed in one spot for three months.  In the spring we had to get away from the lake and the fish flies so we moved inland to McGregor near Windsor, Ontario to Wildwood RV and Golf Resort. The park is well kept - paved streets, gravel with cement patio sites, back ins or pull thrus, rec center, 2 pools, many activities, golf course around the whole park, laundry & bath house, restaurant and plenty of super people.    This park is run like the many RV parks that Snowbirds flock to in the south.   There is a large contingency of campers here that winter in the south for 6 months and come back here for the balance of the year.  Good park to walk around and stop to talk and share camping stories.

It's been fun to explore new to us ..... roads and stores and restaurants.  It's only an hour west from where we grew up but neither of us had spent any time in this area.   We carry a back roads atlas of Ontario map book every time we leave the campground!!!  Yes,  I know it seems silly but we have gotten lost a few times.

RV Humour.... We can relate to most of this.

Top 25 signs that you live in your RV full-time!
You might live in an RV if
1) Your GPS is your best friend!
2) You NEVER know where items are in the grocery store.
3) You dump your own sewage and it is no big deal.
4) Your family has to ask you where you are when they
call.
5) You keep both winter and summer wardrobes because
you don’t know where you will end up.
6) You know what snowbirds are and have seen them in
their natural habitat.
7) Your HOME has wheels.
8) You blog so that YOU will remember where you have
been!
9) You look in your pantry and see that you have cereal
from New Jersey, pasta from Texas, canned goods
from Alabama and crackers from California.
10) You are always the new guy in town
11) You know where to find the best, most reliable internet.
12) You own very little and are proud of that!
13) You follow the warm weather.
14) You hang pictures and decoration on the wall with velcro.
15) You don’t own any figurines or other cutesy stuff that sits on countertops.
16) You have slept in a Wal-Mart parking lot.
17) You meet up with a family in Virginia that you met in California!
18) Your kids remember friends by what state they met them in!
19) You grocery shop every three days because your refrigerator is so small.
20) You have been to more museums, aquariums, national parks, monuments and zoos than you
can remember.
21) You have ever “pulled chocks”.
22) You look confused when someone asks you “where are you from?”
23) You get your mail 2-3 months late regularly from your mail forwarding service.
24) You have witnessed your toilet “burping” at you.
25) You crave adventure and can not wait to see what is around the next corner! 

Chased Out by little bitty fish flies?

After 8 weeks and crazy spring weather and lots and lots and lots of rain.....   We have made a move to an RV park in land and 1 hour away from Erieau, Ontario.  Where there are no bugs (please God).

South Western Ontario's Lake Erie shoreline can be a beautiful destination but in the spring you need to have tolerance and patience for the wind and cool temps plus the spring fish flies.  Oh you think you know about the fish flies?  Hah, hah, ha .  That is an evil laugh!  We were both born and raised on Lake Erie so it isn't a surprise to us.   But this spring was like a swarm we have never seen before.  Little ones about the size of fruit flies.  So thick we could not see the side of our coach.  And every day they die off and a new batch is born in the lake.  They don't bite, they don't sting, they don't do anything but make you crazy trying to put up with them.  Oh and in the food chain they great source of lunch for the fresh water fish.    Well I say the perch should be pretty plump this year. 

We are out of here!!!!  Yes they win, we throw up the white flag and surrender.   This is looking out our window and look closely at the coach!

Back in Erieau, Ontario, Canada

April 16 17 18 19 20  Weather  on 16 to 18 was great spring warmth.  Sunny and shirt sleeve season. Then the storms came in from the west and south and converge onto the Great Lakes area, Sunday and Monday.
We stopped in Van Buren, Ohio to see our great Buckeye friends.  There is a campground called Pleasant View that was not quite open but let us hook up for the night at a winter rate.  That was fine with us - we had power and water.   And we just wanted to "hang with our friends Bill & Beth".   We say that laughingly since Beth's granddaughter asked her to text her after grandma was done hanging with her friends.  Hilarious!
Our trip from Ohio to Michigan was uneventful on I75 but just a tip if you are headed to the border ..... When we hit Toledo we always go straight up hwy 23 to Ann Arbor then take I94 to the Ambassador Bridge.  Why???  Well interstate 75 in Michigan is so rough your back teeth will be loose let alone every thing in the coach takes a pounding.  It's worth the extra few miles.
No issues crossing back into Canada.
We are camped in Erieau which is right on Lake Erie.  Not the warmest place in the spring since the lake was completely froze over this winter.  It is thawed but will need some warm sunny days to heat the temperature up.  And it will have wind.  Southside Landing RV Park has good big rig sites, only a dozen of them.  At this time of the year we will be all by ourselves.  On a good note it is only 10 minutes from my Mom and close to our friends.   We both need to get our medical appointments caught up before we can head out on the RV trail again.  Yes and see our kids, all 6 of them and 2 grandkids.  

It is Green

April 14 & 15/2015  Weather should be above freezing at night from now on????  Safe to head north.  It is spring right:)   Our journey east and north has begun in earnest now, we have medical insurance till April 20 but we don't want to wait till the last day.   Tuesday we traveled from Branson, Missouri to St. Louis, Missouri via I44.  We stopped short of the city at the KOA St. Louis West .   It was a good location to stop before everyone gets off work for the day - in the morning we will take the bypass south of the city.    The temperature was about 67 today a bit overcast and low of  54.   We can handle that.  

Crossing the Mississippi

Barges are busy on the river

The Arch in St. Louis as seen from the bypass I255 east side

From St. Louis we took I70 to Indianapolis.   Changing states as we go across -  Missouri, Illinois, Indiana.   I70 in Illinois has a lot of construction zones.  Many down to 1 lane but no stopped traffic, it kept moving at 45 mph. 
What time is it?  What zone are we in?  And the last time change back!   When we cross into Indiana we will gain an hour.  Arrival at 2:30 will be 3:30.   Once again time to stop before all that work traffic is on the highway.   Tonight we are on the east side of town, at another KOA.... Indianapolis East.    It can be a bit unimaginative to pull into the KOA's on our way across but we feel it is a lot like McDonalds.  You know what your going to get.  The park is always close to the freeway.  The site will be easy in and out.  50 amp - long pull thru.  No trees to contend with.  Back on the road the next day.   Every KOA stay gives you points and we used $25.00 worth against our one night.    Tomorrow we head to Ohio.  It sure is "green" here.   We laugh at that since it is such a change from being in the desert for the last 3 months!

Hard Work U

April 11/2015  Weather beautiful sunny spring day, high of 72, low of 48. 

Hard Work U - what a great motto

There is a unique center of higher learning here The College of the Ozarks.   The campus has a beautiful lodge called the Keeter Center which was designed to recreate the Dobyns Hall which was displayed at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.   There are fifteen beautiful suites with fireplaces and balconies that overlook the campus grounds. 

entering the campus

The Lodge also has a dining room, conference room, coffee bar, gift shop and ice creamery. 

The Keeter Center

Beautiful fireplace inside the Keeter Center Lodge

Many of the ingredients in the restaurant are grown or raised on the campus farm.  C of O students may graduate debt free by working off their tuition.  Each student works 15 hours per week plus one 40 hour week per semester at one of the 80 different work stations.   This has been an integral part of the College since the beginning and is based on the belief in the dignity and work of work.  Thus their motto proudly displayed as the "Hard Work U".    Our luncheon was 5 star.

Salmon Salad with Ginger Dressing

   

Strawberry Shortcake/ Macaroon