Mt Dora

Sun set at Trimble Park

Find the woodpecker

Kelly Park, where we stayed after Christmas is an Orange County Campground as is Moss Park in southern Orlando and so is Trimble Park just south of Mt Dora.  This winter we’ve managed to secure time in each of these parks!  Trimble Park has 15 sites (SPFB!) and is a peninsula between two lakes. Previously, site #8 was our favorite but we have now fallen in love with #7!  Our back and side yard was canopied with pine, palm and one huge gnarly live oak – all draped with delicate silver green Spanish moss that glowed when the sunlight danced thru it.  Right by the corner of our bricked patio was a good-sized Magnolia that will be spectacular when it blooms.  There was always a breeze coming off of Lake Carlson that sifted thru our big open windows.  It also brought dropping oak leaves each day that collected on the picnic table or in our shoes that had been left out on the patio!  Sunset was right off the back corner and the water rippled and distorted the pink glow.  One day while H was comfy with his book in his lawn chair and I was sewing at the picnic table I heard the loud call of a woodpecker up above us in the oak tree.  I quipped “ Wouldn’t it be awesome if it were a Pileated?”   H looked up and said it is and there are 2 of them!  It’s a good thing that digital pictures don’t cost much to take or develop as H took a million, trying to get a few good pictures of the large red-capped bird pecking away at the big gnarly tree.

  This year we even managed to ride our little fold up bikes to Mt Dora and back - 8 miles up hill and down, into the wind both ways!  In the 80-degree weather, both of us ached by the time we got back!

 

Last year when we stayed in Trimble, I wrote about the old restored De Haviland seaplane that we saw while exploring downtown Mt Dora.  We were once again down on the docks below the 1883 hotel when H heard the low throaty rumble of the airplane way before he saw it come over the trees on the other side of the lake!  As we stood on the dock, we watched it circle and then drop softly onto the lake and then motor back to the dock.  H talked to the owner/pilot when the returning flight guests had left the plane and we signed up for the next flight!  We learned that the “Beaver” was retired from the Army in 1977 and that it used 25 gallons of aviation fuel per hour of flight and that our flight would be about 25 minutes from take off to landing. On our flight was also a couple from Minnesota.  The rather hefty sized man was directed to sit in the front seat opposite the pilot and his wife was delegated to the rear seat by herself.  H and I shared a bench seat in the middle and had excellent views from both sides below the big wings.  Each of us had large earmuff headphones so we could talk with each other and with John the pilot and could hear him speak with other pilots in the same area.  John talked to us the entire flight and told us about the scenes that were unfolding below us.

Downtown Mt Dora

  We learned that there were 3 types of lakes in this area:  spring fed clear lakes, lakes formed by sinkholes and the 9 Harris Chain of Lakes that are all connected by dug canals and are green due to the run off of all the fertilizers from the neighboring Orange groves in the county.  We flew over Eustis, Tavares, Leesburg and Mt Dora.  John pointed out Ocala National Forest to the north and the Orlando skyline to the south!  He asked if there was anything that we especially wanted to see and in unison, H and I said “Trimble Park”.  As we flew low along the coast line of the peninsula we could see the wide boat dock that spread its fingers out in front of the neighboring campsite and a brief glimpse of the top of our long tan train thru the canopy of silver grays and green.  We saw the short water run behind our site and the channel that led from Lake Carleson to Lake Beauclare.  He flew over the giant mansion that sits on the hill on the opposite side of the lake and found out it is a private home and is on the market for a mere 7 million dollars!  As the previous flight had done, we also circled Lake Dora and gently floated down.  The only way we knew we had “landed” was the spray that flew up and away from the plane’s pontoons as we set down into the small waves.  Returning to base John deftly pointed the nose of the plane into the large “V” in the dock with perfect precision and used the dangling blue ropes to secure the aircraft back just like it was before we left on our exciting venture.  Our flight was over way too soon but we were still on a high from it for the rest of the day!

Spring has arrived in Central Florida.  The roadside grasses are now green and dotted with small pale colored wild flowers. The Cypress trees are covered with the light green haze of new growth.  The pine trees are a brighter shade of dark green instead of winter’s dull dark gray green.  Azaleas, Redbud and Dogwood are now in full bloom! Songbirds wake us (Okay – me!) each morning with their songs.   We know that the northern states are still covered with a thick layer of snow but it is time for us to move a little ways closer to home.  It’s time to move to “back to the forest”.    Salt Springs is next!    

Moss Park --South Orlando Fl.

EG Simmons has Osprey; WP Franklin has Eagles; Moss Park has Sand Hill Cranes.  As soon as we were parked and unhooked, the welcoming committee strutted up our driveway and greeted us with a Jurassic Park loud raucous squawk.  Next a bright red male 

Moss Park

Cardinal perched in the leafy green bush next to our dining room window to say Hello.  Most of the sites in Moss Park are placed well apart and each is thick with tall swaying pine trees, live oaks draped with Spanish moss and stubby palmetto shrubs.  Site #31 was ours for the week and we could even see Lake Mary Jane thru the trees and over the swamp grasses behind them.  While searching for the sand hill crane nest area out in that swamp grass area, I am POSITIVE I even heard 2 alligators calling to each other!  If not gators they were really big frogs!  

One day our venture took us south to St Cloud to meet George, our dear friend and former naturalist/camp host at Moss Park, for lunch at our favorite seafood restaurant, the Catfish Place.  The day was gray and cool as we parked the truck at the lakeside park that we visit on each trip to St Cloud.  As we walked out on the pedestrian dike lined with small Cypress Trees there were several white ducks doing the “butts up” act to look for a tasty morsel under the water.  Further out we cited 2 dusty brown ducks that were obviously uneasy with us interfering with their lunch hour.  Just out past these ducks were 2 dark colored ducks with wide white bands under their dark wings. They kept disappearing under the water when we got too close.  It’s a good thing we took pictures and then had an Audubon Bird book to look them up so we can now tell everyone that we saw both female and male Lesser Scaup Ducks! 

Orlando Eye

Another daytrip took us around the north side of the airport to International Drive in the tourist area of Orlando.  The newest attraction is the Orlando Eye, which is to open early this summer. This 400 ft tall ferris wheel is surrounded by more fancy dining establishments, fancy waterfalls, palm trees and floral gardens.  It is said that on a clear day you can see the coast from up on the top of the wheel.  The “cages” that carry passengers to the very top are stand up cages!  It is said that the ferris wheel will not stop to take on or let off riders.

Monument in Kissimmee

On still another gray day of exploration, we ended up in the historic portion of Kissimmee – west of St Cloud and south of Orlando. We strolled thru the waterfront park and stopped to investigate an unusual stone and rock stacked tower called the Monument of States. There were large granite boulders from the state of Michigan and other articles from various states imbedded in this tall structure.  We’ve also been curious about the new Sun Rail train, a new mode of transportation that is to run thru Orlando.  Almost as soon as we crossed the road from the monument and approached the small quaint train station to ask about it, a fast moving Amtrak train screamed to a halt in front of the busy little station.

We’ve also met Gerry and Marian from Ontario. They are wanderers like us!  She and I are crafters and we happily swapped patterns and ideas!  Gerry and H swapped stories about planes, trailers and boats amongst’ all the rest!

Saturday was dominated by rain, more rain and even MORE rain!  The campground has been turned into one big swamp with narrow ribbons of gravel where the campers were parked.  All those weekend tenters who came expecting a weekend of family fun ended up packing up early and heading for home or at least higher drier ground!  Our exciting part of the day was finally spotting a Sherman Squirrel!  These unusual dark headed creatures are way larger than any regular fox or gray squirrel and are rather imposing for a little rodent!

On Sunday morning while enjoying our morning coffee from the couch and recliner, H glanced thru the back window and hollered “ Babies!”  Outside was the resident pair of Sand Hill Cranes that nest behind our site - out in all that swamp grass.  Darting around and between their tall skinny black legs were their pair of day old babies! Yes – I fed them wheat bread crusts while H kept the camera clicking!  When the crusts were gone, Mom and Dad Crane scratched the damp dark dirt with their sharp beaks and dug up grubs to feed the chicks.  Later on, I caught the little tan bundles napping beside the path that led to the bathhouse!  Sadly a raccoon, a snake or even an alligator will probably end their short sweet life. 

 

Everything is now packed away and Monday is moving day again. Trimble Park has a spot with our name on it!  The weatherman says sunshine and temps in the low 80’s is scheduled for the upcoming week!  Maybe my toes will dry out and not look like big wrinkled white prunes!!

Cocoa Beach

Long Point Campground was a Brevard County Park in the very southern end of the county.  Manatee Hammock is another Brevard County Park – in the very northern part of the county and (SPFB) is right across the Indian River from the Kennedy Space Center.  The campground is older, fairly crowded and is well stocked with folks from Michigan – Jackson, Chelsea and Cheboygan!   Across the way, behind us was a couple from Manistee who even brought their flock of plastic flamingos!  At Christmas time, the pink creatures even “pulled” a sleigh with Santa in it.  What a vision that must have been?

We revisited old “historic” Cocoa Village and a must stop was the Travis Hardware Store that has been in business since 1885.  We think some of the items stacked and stored on the high dusty shelves have been there ever since then!  A true “hardware” store!    In and out of the eclectic boutiques and antique malls proved an adventure in itself. 

Between the mainland of Cocoa and the barrier island, which hosts Cocoa Beach and Port Canaveral is Merritt Island.  All 3 are connected by high arching bridges and beach lined causeways, which are dotted with fishermen, sunbathers and on some days even adventurous kite boarders.  H spotted the bright colored kites sailing up over the mangroves and pulled into one of the parking areas so we could watch.   The fella with the bright red one was zipping back and forth along the edge and putting on quite a good show with his spraying wake and high flipping jumps!  The guys with the blue and green kites must have been beginners since their kites were in the water more than in the sky.

 

Our stay in this area MUST always include a walk on the popular Cocoa Beach.  We usually get to stop and visit with dear friends from home – Lois and Dave who winter in a condo –RIGHT on the beach but they were unexpectedly called back home so that fun part was missing.    Instead we parked down the road at the Lori Wilson Park and walked 2 1/2 miles, past their cluster of condos to the very populated fishing pier in the busiest part of this beach town.  Since it was a warm sunny Sunday afternoon – the beach and water were full of families with throngs of kids.   The multitude of children were either happily digging in the sand or gaily dancing in and out of the foamy waves.   H even had to dodge the waves like one of those tiny darting shore birds as the wet froth advanced and then receded!

At the northern tip of Cocoa Beach is the busy Port Canaveral with cruise ship terminals, pleasure vessel harbors and commercial docks. Up and over the drawbridge that crosses the channel that leads thru a set of locks you can see east towards the ocean and view the busy water highway.  Look on the right of the water and you can see one of the 7 story cruise ships that is secured and waiting for her passengers to board.  Compare her size to the black ocean freighter that is moored on the left of the channel!  Just over the low white building is the top of the Exploration Tower that we “explored” last year!   This time there were 4 mammoth cruise ships in port – including the very popular Disney ship, complete with an oversized Pluto suspended aft.  He was painting the Disney logo on the back of the vessel and was doing a splendid job of it, it seemed. 

Our week in port has come to an end and it’s time to say good-bye to the ocean and move inland.  This time we are heading west to Moss Park – between St Cloud and Orlando.   It’ll be a long drive – 50 miles!

Fort Pierce to Sebastian

Savannas is hidden in an almost remote rural area between Port St Lucie and Fort Pierce just west of the Indian River and just across the railroad tracks that must run the entire length of Florida!  The lonesome whine of the long melodious horn bid us good night each evening and signaled time to get up each morning at sunrise!  The tracks were just out of sight across the thick swamp grass.  The 

Kayak adventure

kayaks slid into the dark water one more time during our stay at the park and we were determined to find the “path” that led to the “lake” on the other side of that swamp.  The way was narrow and wiggled thru the cattails and grasses. Just under the surface of the calm water was a sinister looking mass of roots and jungle that if you extended the tip of the paddle too far into it’s shallow depths – they reached out and tried to snatch the paddle to make a prisoner of your small craft!  We did survive tho, and made it to the picturesque lake with dancing ripples on its surface. 

Fort Pierce is about 40 miles east of Lake Okeechobee and the

Okee-tantie boat basin

touristy fishing town by the same name that sits on the north side of the shoreline.  Between the two towns is cattle and dairy country!  Pasture after pasture of a variety of colorful cattle – with and without horns! We met B&C in Okeechobee at the same Cowboy Restaurant where H and I ate last year. The food was still good!  To walk off that good meal we all drove to the same levee that surrounds the lake on the north side as the south side where we rode our bikes in SB.  All the seagulls and the skimmers with their black and orange bills were huddled in a huge puddle in the parking lot and flew up in a panic as we approached!  The scenic fishing pier beckoned and we shared the pretty view from it with B&C.  H and I then drove farther around the lake to yet another spot where H used to camp – Okee-tantie County Park which also became run down and was closed for camping 3 years ago.  Today there is still a marina and a large empty campground that looked more like a cemetery with it’s old electrical posts looking very much like abandoned memorial markers.  From one of the small boat launch coves, the view of the flat shallow lake was calming and peaceful.

The weather has been fluctuating from comfortable to windy (still) and cold.  Rain was forecast so we packed everything away the evening before we were to pull out.  Our Pennsylvania neighbors, Dale and Connie came over and visited one more time with an invite to come visit next summer at their favorite Pa State Park where they volunteer!  

Farther north we headed – back out onto the long narrow barrier island that started up again just north of Hutchinson Island.  Sebastian Inlet State Park was full so our next home for a few nights was Long Point County Park just north of the high arched bridge and the 2 long fishing jetties at H’s favorite inlet and camping spots. Yep, it’s time for a SPFB!   The first time H brought me to Long Point, I was not even retired yet.  He had driven the 1992 Ford truck with the pop-up camper on it.  I had attempted to take a picture of a pelican that was resting in a small mangrove tree at the edge of the water and not knowing – I was standing on a fire ant nest!!  BURN BABY BURN!!   We think this campsite was the very same site but the mangrove growth was way thicker now.

warning flags at Sebastain

Out for an afternoon of exploring, we headed south past the inlet and stopped at the very small village of Orchid for ice cream.  Strolling out and around some orange construction tape, we carried our cones and stood on the boardwalk to watch some big yellow 

Beach work at Orchid

monster trucks that were hauling sand from one end of the beach to the other.  These oversized ”Tonka Toy” dump trucks with bulbous tires roared and wallowed thru the soft sand, carrying load after load to a growing pile that was in front of a fancy Disney Resort!   They were rebuilding their beach – again!  While standing there, holding my frozen cone and not paying any attention to anything but those trucks – a thump hit my hand and emptied it of my future snack.  A greedy vulture of a seagull snatched my cone and flew down to the beach to devour it.  Soon there was a gaggle of squawking gulls fighting over my stolen melting treat.  I was SO angry!   H offered to buy me another but I chose not.  I was too humiliated.

Our main objective on our only full day at the park was to ride our trusty little bikes down to the state park area on the northern side of the inlet. As usual on this year’s trip, the wind was powerful but we prevailed and arrived at the gate.  Out on the long narrow cement path that protruded into the ocean, fishermen were casting and hoping for a sign that their luck was going to improve.  As we strolled back along the walkway we paused to watch the half dozen surfers who were rising and falling with each and every rolling breaking wave.  The sun was at the just right angle and the wind 

Rainbows on the waves

from the west, caught the peak of the sparkling white wave and sprayed its froth back out towards the open sea.  As each wave broke, the sun caused a beautiful rainbow to dance on its top and perch on it all the way up the shoreline.  This picture does not do the vision any justice but you can see some of the colors of the prism.

More rain is forecast again – so it must be time to move!

South Bay To Fort Pierce

    

Burning the sugar cane before harvest

 Yes, we are now heading north.  This year it was not raining in the Glades as we crossed over and turned the corner at the casino and drove into the sugar cane area of southern Florida.  The sky was heavy in spots but as we got closer, the view became obvious – it was not storm clouds – it was time to burn off the sugarcane for harvest. Huge billowing mounds of ever rising clouds of smoke covered the landscape.  Several fields were already blackened and had soot covered tractors and open basket trailers waiting for the stacks of cut cane to be loaded and hauled off to the sugar mill.   South Bay is the little town at the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee that is in the midst of all the alternating burning fields of tall feathery cane and the bright green fields of fast growing new cane.

Bike path on the dike around lake Okeechobee

The other occupation in SB is fishing in the famous lake on the other side of the tall Herbert Hoover Dike that hides the view while protecting from storms and (in the past) flooding.  The county campground at SB has green grass, blacktop parking pads and a small lake right in the middle of the 2 camping loops – perfect for sailing H’s little boat!   Our bikes got their turn as we climbed the steep entrance to the top of the dike and rode 5 miles towards Belle Glade and the Torry Island Campground where H used to camp before it became so run down and then almost destroyed by a hurricane several years ago.  Zoom in on the picture and you can see the campground in the distance! On one side of the dike is the canal that skirted around the grass filled edge of the lake and on the other was ever more fields of various stages of bright green young sugar cane.  

We met Wayne and Mary from Chattanooga Tennessee with their brand new V-Lite trailer. Fellow travelers – we shared lots of stories.  We can’t seem to get away from rain in SB and the rumbling storm hit and woke us up at 6am on the morning we were to pull out. The weather forecast had been saying that it was a big storm with heavy rains and strong winds and the outlook for pulling that big bulletin board in that was not comforting. When it had let up by 9am – we pulled up the jacks and hit the road without even getting to say goodbye to our new friends.

Heading northeast, we crossed and then followed the same cross-Florida channel that we had camped next to in WP Franklin and last year at St Lucie Lock & Dam Campground on the Atlantic side of the state.  Thru Stuart and Port St Lucie we did the “stop and go” heavy traffic dance on Rt 1 till we reached Fort Pierce and the county park Savannas Recreation Area which also has a state park by the same name, one mile over.  Last year when we checked out this park it was half under water.  This year the place is drier and we’ve parked in the long row of fifth wheels, motorhomes and trailers – most with northern states license plates on them.  We’re between Maine and Pennsylvania!  The park is surrounded by swamps and canals and a small lake on the other side of a vast swamp grass area where long legged white Egrets and big gray sandhill cranes nest.  There are plenty of signs that warn not to feed the alligators but we’ve not seen any of them – yet.

We have seen the beaches out on beautiful Hutchinson Island again!  On each of our trips, the winds were strong and the white waves were raging and crashing over the jettys that protected the inlet.   At the Refuge, the jagged red rocks were dotted with tan shorebirds and fishermen in spite of the wind and waves.  On the gray gritty sandy area, the shore was lined with piles of small light blue jellybean looking things – jellyfish that had been washed ashore.  You won’t catch us in that water!  Overhead we heard the noise of Para gliders and then the distinct sound of whirling blades above the roar of the ocean!  As we turned to see – two brightly colored oblong parachutes with pilots precariously hanging by a harness glided by and then came the 4 big black military 

Beach at Hutchinson Island

helicopters!  The low flying craft buzzed along the shoreline and waved to all of us who were gazing up with our mouths open in amazement!   On our 2 nd venture out to the long narrow barrier island that separates the mainland, the wide Indian River and the vast aqua colored Atlantic Ocean, the winds were much calmer and the gritty gray sand beach next to the jetty was speckled with sun worshipers.

our campground at the Savannas

The kayaks have been in the water and the bikes have been round and round the campground.  Another storm has roared thru and brought more wind and colder weather so now we’ve done PLENTY of shopping!

South Florida

Moving day has come and gone.  We said our goodbyes to the eagles and the new folks we’ve met in the park.  Out onto I75 and pointed our lengthy tan train and it’s mighty blue engine, south, past Ft Myers and even farther south, past Naples and the exit for Marco Island.  Collier Seminole State Park is at the western edge of the Great Cypress National Park and the Everglades National Park; right where Rt 41 turns and heads east across the swamps and Cypress forests.  

Collier Seminole is one of the older state parks and is in need of updating which are thankfully planned for this summer.  Maybe next winter the campsites won’t be snuggled so closely and MAYBE we won’t have a group of too many tenters perched 4ft from our back window and making joyous noises at 7am!  While the kayaks did not make it out of the truck, we did take the time to go explore the park again and hiked the trail out thru the Royal Palm Hammock where majestic trees grow naturally.  Thru the openings to the swamp we could see (and hear) the groups of storks, herons, spoonbills and egrets squawking at us for disturbing their peace!    Out near the entrance to the park, the dark black hulk of the Walking Dredge that was built in Battle Creek Michigan in the early 1920’s still stands guard.  It made it possible for the Tamiami Trail to be dug/built across the bug-infested swamps of the Glades.  Barron Collier bought the land for the county that bares his name and for the state park that still honors him.

Marco Island is how the “other folks” live but as we drove around the “well bred”, wealthy mansion neighborhoods we found some of the original smaller stucco ranch style homes still!   Real estate prices on the island range from the high 20 million, down to a measly 500 thousand.   Behind most of the homes were channels lined with boat docks and lifts with large white boats resting in them.  Each channel led to another and then led out to the gulf.  Public beaches are placed on the ends of the island with parking starting at $8.

Marco Island Cottage

Birds on the beach

On the upscale boulevard that runs past the elegant condos, hotels and mansions we pulled into one of the “resort” hotels and parked at their restaurant/beachside bar called Stilts.  It was Happy Hour and drinks were fairly reasonable!   $6 for two drinks and parking there!  It was way better than $8 at a public parking lot.  And – we were free to walk the white sandy beach!  Shells were to be found and I brought back a pocketful of pretty ones to share with the grandkids!   The soft white sand was dotted with the usual colorful beach umbrellas - each different color designated which resort they belonged to.  Flocks of resting black and white terns and various gulls were not afraid of all the curious folks walking by.

Last year when we stayed at Collier Seminole, we planned on staying at Midway Campground – half way across the Glades, between Naples and Miami.  SPFB – it rained for 3 days from the time we left Collier Seminole to when we left South Bay Campground near Belle Glade. This year, H made reservations at Midway – the only National Park in the Glades with electricity!  We were going to ride our bikes at Shark Valley!    7 1/2 miles – up hill (felt like it!) and into the wind!!  But we did it!   The long, fairly level, one lane black top road led thru open grasslands, swamps and clusters of palms and jungle growth with a narrow grass lined creek that followed right along.   On the way out to the tower and in the waterways that surrounded it, we counted 86 gators!  Some were in the water, some sleeping in the grass on the OTHER side of the creek and SOME right next to the roadway!   

The tall imposing observation tower had a circular approach that wrapped around the entire structure and gave a 360-degree view of the Glades and the narrow ribbon of road that we had to ride back on.  Thankfully the return 7 1/2 miles were a breeze, with the wind being at our backs and helping us along.   According to H’s GPS – we averaged 8mph on the way out and 11mph on the way back!

Speed bumps

When we parked at Midway in the morning, we met our neighbors who were just moving out.  The gentleman was from Waterville Ohio and he said he was the former mayor!!   When we got back from our ride, there was a huge black and gray motorhome from Delaware.  We could hear a strange noise emitting from within – not a bark, not a whine and not quite a howl.  Was it a beagle?  Or maybe a Bloodhound?   The owner arrived shortly and we got to meet Harry, the retired Judge and his Black Russian Terrier!  Now, when one thinks of a “terrier” one thinks of a Jack Russell maybe or Chihuahua.  This HUGE, extremely shaggy, black dog was bigger than an English Sheepdog and as hairy as a Komondor, without the dreadlocks!  Jowls like a Mastiff and as friendly as a Golden!  Strong willed and powerful but as gentle as could be!   I wanted to learn more but it was time for the Super Bowl and we needed to pull out early in the morning. 

Our winter trip is now half over and we’ll be heading north once more.   Two months to get here  - - Two months more to get back home!

Fort Myers part 2

It’s Saturday morning.  I’ve been up early because a “cold” front, complete with wind and rain, has come thru during the night.  The flag has been whipping around, the tarp covered bikes have blown over, the vent over the kitchen stove has been rattling, and the palmetto bushes right outside the window have been thrashing against each other, trying to get out of the way of the strong winds.  But at least there was not as much banging of rain pellets on the roof as loud as in our last 2 trailers. This “condo” has a well-insulated, rounded roof and the rain does not sound like so many miniature explosions when they crash!

 

They have been letting more and more water out of Lake Okeechobee because the depths are getting too deep and the spring rains are not here yet. We’ve noticed in the last day or so that when the tide comes in from the west, the water in our little cove is higher and higher on the grassy banks.  Last evening and more so this morning – the water is even higher over the green edges on the other side of our little area. The roots and lower branches of the nearby bushes are now standing knee deep in the water!  I’ll admit - In the gray before dawn - it looked a bit eerie!

Before this morning, our weather has been wonderful – cool during the night and warming up to a very sunny low to mid 80’s during the day!  And we took full advantage of each day!  Last weekend was a 4-day holiday for the folks that still have to work or go to school and they also were taking advantage of the beautiful weather.  H found the trolley stop from our last stay in Ft Myers and we rode the bright blue trolley out to Ft Myers Beach.  The .35 ride bounced along, up and over all the bridges on the boat lined causeway and out along the condo lined Estero Beach Blvd to the north end of the island at Bowditch Park and the beginning of the snow-white sand beaches that the island is famous for!  The shoreline was speckled with tiny white shells that had washed up.  Covering the wide, soft sand between the gulf and the palmetto-lined condos were side-by-side batches of bodies and wildly colorful beach umbrellas!  From the long fishing pier, all you could see was a vibrant rainbow of every hue imaginable!

 On our 2^nd trip out to the beach we rode the trolley out to Bowditch Park again and walked the much quieter but still very populated beach.  While waiting for the sunset, we played tourist and shopped all the shops with all their “Made in China” items. We strolled from the busy “Times Square” park to the mainland side of that long skinny stretch of land.  With the sun starting to slip low, the last of the bright glow hit the side of the shops and lit them up brightly.  The 3 bubbling fountains in that restaurant’s little park area sparkled.  Back out on the pier, H discovered how to take “selfies” with his camera and now everyone can see our new hats!  Once the sun had set, we climbed aboard the returning trolley and headed back over the long string of bridges to the patiently waiting blue truck.

We’ve been to Ft Myer’s Fleamaster Flea Market and came home with a bag of the most deliciously sweet Indian River Oranges. Strawberries came along, too!  One day trip ended up in the sister campground at Ortona Lock and Dam on the other side of LaBelle.   On another day we headed towards Cape Coral with several “stop to shop” pauses!   On the opposite side of the Caloosahatchee River, right across from the tall condo skyline of busy Ft Myers, was Redfish Point Marina and the municipal beach and fishing pier.  The wind was strong already and the river and canals had quite a hefty chop. In the adjoining canal that branched and divided neighborhoods were boats bouncing and straining against their strong securing ropes. One pontoon boat had TWO brand new 200 horsepower Evinrude outboard motors bolted down on it’s stern!   We’ve had the kayaks in the water and since H brought the right controller – his little sailboat also got to slide across the waves more than once! 

We’ve settled into our routine – drain the coffee pot and watch the morning news.  Take out the trash and walk the campground loop before heading off to do some shopping or exploring with maybe some lunch out – which messes up our supper in – but - Oh Well!   If we’re home in time - H reads a bit and takes his nap.  After the evening news is BIG BANG THEORY and then H gets another nap.  Later, it’s off to bed, hopefully to stay awake long enough to catch the 11 o’clock news!  Old People have to watch the news!

Then it all begins again – until this Thursday - - Moving Day!