Here's two minutes of sunset bliss over the Gulf of Mexico......
Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Armadillo Attack!
This morning our dog Tina and I were meandering behind our campsite, just barely into the flora and fauna of the wild. As I stood at the edge of the landscape, I heard a rustling in the tall, dry grass. Deaf as she is, Tina probably smelled what I heard because we both stood very still, watching, listening and (her) sniffing.
At first I thought it was s snake but then I saw a shiny round back and exclaimed aloud, "Oh, it's a sea turtle"! But then it lifted its head toward us, stood up on its hind legs, and I saw immediately that it had a protruded snout and little arms with tiny hands that clasped together as we carefully checked each other out. It looked just like a baby kangaroo, but remembering that I was in Florida, not Australia, I knew it couldn't have been a kangaroo, so I spared myself the embarassment of yelling out, "Keith, it's a kangaroo! Come quick!" But I did manage to yell for him to grab the camera, which didn't seem to phase our little friend in the least.
By the time Keith got there, I had figured out that it was an armadillo, a smallish one at that, although it has prehistoric ancestors that were as big as elephants! I've wondered before how armadillos ever evolved, and this experience is very telling of this unique creature's audacious survival instincts!
It seems that as soon as Keith and the armadillo saw each other, she rushed at Keith with such fiestiness that I think Keith was a little scared for a moment there. Meanwhile, it was hilarious to me, and you can hear me laughing like a hyena--or a crazy lady--on the sidelines. This really tickled my funny bone, and I can't recall the last time I've seen such a comical site in nature! May it tickle yours too!
~Mary
At first I thought it was s snake but then I saw a shiny round back and exclaimed aloud, "Oh, it's a sea turtle"! But then it lifted its head toward us, stood up on its hind legs, and I saw immediately that it had a protruded snout and little arms with tiny hands that clasped together as we carefully checked each other out. It looked just like a baby kangaroo, but remembering that I was in Florida, not Australia, I knew it couldn't have been a kangaroo, so I spared myself the embarassment of yelling out, "Keith, it's a kangaroo! Come quick!" But I did manage to yell for him to grab the camera, which didn't seem to phase our little friend in the least.
By the time Keith got there, I had figured out that it was an armadillo, a smallish one at that, although it has prehistoric ancestors that were as big as elephants! I've wondered before how armadillos ever evolved, and this experience is very telling of this unique creature's audacious survival instincts!
It seems that as soon as Keith and the armadillo saw each other, she rushed at Keith with such fiestiness that I think Keith was a little scared for a moment there. Meanwhile, it was hilarious to me, and you can hear me laughing like a hyena--or a crazy lady--on the sidelines. This really tickled my funny bone, and I can't recall the last time I've seen such a comical site in nature! May it tickle yours too!
~Mary
Images From Fort Pickens State Park
Trees at Fort Pickens totally denuded and killed by hurricanes and storms
A found object beach sculpture by Mary
The swamps of Fort Pickens
Nature coming back to life
Patterns by the sea
Looking inside a cannon hole at the old fort
Driftwood buried in sand that looks like snow
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Propane Follow-Up: A Comedy of Errors, or "Not-So-Great Minds Think Alike"
Well, we made it through the night, our new portable heater keeping us sufficiently warm. Luckily, the temperature only dropped to 38 last night, avoiding the risk of a freeze. The wind also died down, so we slept fairly well over all, even little Miss Tina.
This morning, after making calls to RV mechanics and a propane service center (all of whom were exceedingly courteous and helpful, I may add), I had the bright idea of lighting a match and just checking to see if, perhaps, the propane valve had been locked in the "open" position rather than in the "closed" position. With Mary watching, I lit a match, et voila, the stove lit! Further testing my hypothesis, we went outside with a wrench and forced the propane valve in the opposite direction we had tried last night, et double voila, I was able to close it! Who'd have thunk it, Watson? We called three RV techs last night who all puzzled over our dilemma, and not one suggested that perhaps the man who filled our propane tank yesterday had erroneously turned the propane tank to the open position, tightening it so much that I couldn't "reverse" the turn even with a wrench. It turns out that we were assuming that the propane was stuck in the closed position, not having the presence of mind to consider that it was the opposite. Go figure.
So, our fatigue, brain fog, and the inability of five intelligent adults to think this problem through in the first place cost us: a) a trip to Wal-Mart, b) excessive fatigue and stress, and c) a bent ladder caused by aforementioned fatigue when we arrived to the campground a second time, thoroughly exhausted and spent and not thinking clearly, and d) Mary's MCS reaction to the chemicals released into the rig by the brand new heater (I'll spare you the details). We will be blogging more about life on the road with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in subsequent posts.
All things considered, we have made it through the vicissitudes of the last few days relatively unscathed, and we now have three days of sun and 50-degree weather forecast for our stay at Fort Pickens. With any luck, we'll post some videos and photos, and regale you with a few stories of a peaceful time here on this peninsula in northwest Florida. Although we're close to an Air Force base and there's the sound of a few jets and helicopters here and there, we have the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Pensacola Bay on the other, and there is truly nothing about which we need to worry in this present sunny moment.
This morning, after making calls to RV mechanics and a propane service center (all of whom were exceedingly courteous and helpful, I may add), I had the bright idea of lighting a match and just checking to see if, perhaps, the propane valve had been locked in the "open" position rather than in the "closed" position. With Mary watching, I lit a match, et voila, the stove lit! Further testing my hypothesis, we went outside with a wrench and forced the propane valve in the opposite direction we had tried last night, et double voila, I was able to close it! Who'd have thunk it, Watson? We called three RV techs last night who all puzzled over our dilemma, and not one suggested that perhaps the man who filled our propane tank yesterday had erroneously turned the propane tank to the open position, tightening it so much that I couldn't "reverse" the turn even with a wrench. It turns out that we were assuming that the propane was stuck in the closed position, not having the presence of mind to consider that it was the opposite. Go figure.
So, our fatigue, brain fog, and the inability of five intelligent adults to think this problem through in the first place cost us: a) a trip to Wal-Mart, b) excessive fatigue and stress, and c) a bent ladder caused by aforementioned fatigue when we arrived to the campground a second time, thoroughly exhausted and spent and not thinking clearly, and d) Mary's MCS reaction to the chemicals released into the rig by the brand new heater (I'll spare you the details). We will be blogging more about life on the road with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in subsequent posts.
All things considered, we have made it through the vicissitudes of the last few days relatively unscathed, and we now have three days of sun and 50-degree weather forecast for our stay at Fort Pickens. With any luck, we'll post some videos and photos, and regale you with a few stories of a peaceful time here on this peninsula in northwest Florida. Although we're close to an Air Force base and there's the sound of a few jets and helicopters here and there, we have the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Pensacola Bay on the other, and there is truly nothing about which we need to worry in this present sunny moment.
Monday, January 11, 2010
A Long Day and a Long Story
The day began with us pulling out of the Rainbow Plantation RV Park (so aptly described in Mary's last post), heading for an early morning appointment with a mechanic who came strongly recommended by several people at the park.
We arrived to the mechanic's garage in Robertsdale, Alabama at 8:30 and reviewed our "punch list" of items to be addressed. With Tina in tow, we tried to decide how to pass the next few hours. It was relatively cold (37 degrees F) but sunny, and the temperature was forecast to slowly rise all morning to the low 50's. We chose to spend the morning exploring the town.
Our morning was like something out of a movie by Jim Jarmusch. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Jarmusch, he makes quirky and interesting independent films which are often graced with atmospheric music by musicians such as Tom Waits. Jarmusch's early films, like Mystery Train, feature bleak urban and rural American landscapes filmed in grainy black and white, and the characters move within those landscapes like aliens dropped from a parallel universe.
For several hours, we wandered the somewhat bleak landscape of Robertsdale, walking with Tina in the cool morning air, seeing simple homes with countless barking, unhappy dogs tied on short chains in cluttered back yards. It was simply too cold to leave Tina sitting on her own outside a restaurant, and the "waiting room" at the garage was simply too foul with auto exhaust and other unidentifiable toxins to be comfortable for waiting. So, we wandered and wandered, eventually passing time in a very nice playground where Tina took a nap, I played on the swings, and Mary did yoga and meditated.
After three hours of passing the time in this way, the word came that it would be several more hours until our rig was ready. We had brought it in for routine maintenance, but a few pressing mechanical issues has presented themselves, and we chose to have them dealt with swiftly and decisively.
As the morning warmed, we made our way to a "down home" local restaurant offering a buffet-style lunch for $8. While Mary had no appetite, I was absolutely famished, and the friendly waitresses and owner guided us to the buffet where I piled a plate with mashed potatoes, navy beans, cole slaw, turnip greens, broccoli, and peach cobbler. It was good old-fashioned American fare chased down with strong decaf coffee, and they even let us bring two hamburgers and a dish of water to poor old Tina who was yelping wretchedly every few minutes from the front porch. Meanwhile, Mary's hunger awoke at the smell of food and I fed her surreptitiously from my plate, returning to the buffet for more beans, greens and potatoes with which to please her.
During the course of our meal, Mary struck up a cordial conversation with two elderly brothers at the next table, and after a fairly lengthy conversation about our lives and travels, the more talkative of the two said called us over to their table.
"Y'know, I'd like to offer you to stay for free for two days on my property on the Gulf of Mexico near Biloxi, Mississippi." He leaned forward, looked me in the eye, and said, "Just two days, mind you." I readily agreed.
"You see," he continued, "my house on the Gulf was destroyed in the big hurricane, but there's still electricity, and I'd like you to feel welcome to park there. In fact, let me write down the directions and my phone number. And if anyone asks you why you're there, just tell them Bill sent you."
I thanked him profusely since Mary had excused herself to tend to Tina, and he wrote down the directions in Mary's journal. He added that "the best barbecue in the United States" was right down the street and we just had to eat there while visiting his property.
Finally, when lunch was done, we received the call that our rig was indeed ready, five hours after we had started. The friendly mechanic presented us with a substantial bill, some good advice, some peace of mind, and news that other work would be needed down the road, hopefully sooner than later.
We returned to the RV park to discuss some other needed repairs with a local RV technician, made an appointment with him for Friday, and headed down the road to the Alabama Gulf Coast in search of a place to stay for the sunny week which was forecast to continue until Friday. Stopping to get diesel and propane, we arrived at a recommended campground on the coast just before sundown, but the park was very unimpressive and depressing, with views of an over-developed coastline filled with big hotel resorts and coastal sprawl.
Knowing that the beautiful and more remote Fort Pickens National Park was only 40 miles further east over the Florida border, we chose to drive into the darkening evening with Mary at the helm. A blood-red sunset washed through the sky behind us, and I spent a few minutes (illegally) laying on the bed and watching the sky through the rear window.
We arrived to Fort Pickens by 8:30pm, tired but happy, having driven through the touristy sprawl surrounding Pensacola. Our elation at finally arriving turned to upset when I discovered that our propane tank's knob was not turning, being for all intents and purposes frozen, making us immediately realize that we were facing the reality of a night without heat. With temperatures still forecast to be below freezing overnight, being without heat is non-negotiable for us, the danger of frozen and burst pipes a very clear reality. With our propane furnace as our only heat source, this was a dire situation in need of a timely remedy.
Anxiously calling our RV technician contacts (and even the kind National Park rangers who responded with a visit!), we were not able to glean any advice that would remedy the situation, so we were faced with the lamentable choice of driving 16 miles round-trip to the nearest Wal-Mart (a store which I have stalwartly boycotted for my entire life) to purchase a portable electric heater, taking into consideration that our campsite was equipped with reliable electrical power that would give us the energy to run it.
Arriving to the local Wal-Mart, I was informed (as I had expected) that there had been a rush on portable heaters for the last two weeks, and every store in Florida was sold out, including this one. Bare shelves confirmed the story, and the very kind salesperson listened to my tale of woe very closely.
"Well, sir" he said thoughtfully, "let me run to the back. Someone returned a heater the other day, and maybe it's still back there. I don't know if it works or not, but let's find out."
He rushed to the stock room and returned with a smile several minutes later. We plugged in the heater, which was working perfectly, and I gratefully paid for it with a gift card that the gracious Latino elders at Mary's old workplace had given to her several years ago for Mother's Day. We returned to Fort Pickens by 11pm, exhausted and spent.
Unfortunately, to top off our day, I backed the rig into a low-lying branch and bent the ladder at the top of the rig, but no permanent damage seems to have been done and it can assuredly be easily fixed. Oy vey.
When I returned to the rig after plugging in our electric cord and checking on the ladder, Mary was on the phone and in tears, having received the news that her close friend's sister had died of a sudden heart attack just hours ago, leaving two young children and a husband who had all witnessed her death despite the husband's efforts to revive her.
This life on the road is filled with unexpected twists and turns. As I write, the portable electric heater is warming our space adequately, and our pipes are no longer in danger of freezing. In terms of cooking, we have a small one-burner camp stove that we can use outdoors tomorrow, so we are assured of a warm cup of tea and a hot meal. In terms of the stuck propane knob, we hope that this situation will be easily remedied, and we'll make calls tomorrow in search of someone who can offer us a solution. The propane powers our furnace, hot water heater and kitchen stove, so it is essential to our comfort and self-sufficiency.
For now, we go to bed grateful and tired, and the news of our dear friend's sister's death certainly puts our problems into proper perspective. We will be ready to face the day tomorrow, take in some sun, and determine the fate of our propane tank and our future ability to heat our home, take hot showers and cook. Still, we have a cozy home in which to slumber, we're safe and sound, and this vexing problem too shall pass.
Not having heat or hot water is one thing, but losing a loved (an experience with which we are all too familiar) is an incomparable challenge that truly tests an individual's ability to cope and carry on in the face of tragedy and grief. We give thanks for our relative health and well-being, and we pray for our friend and her family as they cope with a sudden and tragic loss.
---Keith
We arrived to the mechanic's garage in Robertsdale, Alabama at 8:30 and reviewed our "punch list" of items to be addressed. With Tina in tow, we tried to decide how to pass the next few hours. It was relatively cold (37 degrees F) but sunny, and the temperature was forecast to slowly rise all morning to the low 50's. We chose to spend the morning exploring the town.
Our morning was like something out of a movie by Jim Jarmusch. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Jarmusch, he makes quirky and interesting independent films which are often graced with atmospheric music by musicians such as Tom Waits. Jarmusch's early films, like Mystery Train, feature bleak urban and rural American landscapes filmed in grainy black and white, and the characters move within those landscapes like aliens dropped from a parallel universe.
For several hours, we wandered the somewhat bleak landscape of Robertsdale, walking with Tina in the cool morning air, seeing simple homes with countless barking, unhappy dogs tied on short chains in cluttered back yards. It was simply too cold to leave Tina sitting on her own outside a restaurant, and the "waiting room" at the garage was simply too foul with auto exhaust and other unidentifiable toxins to be comfortable for waiting. So, we wandered and wandered, eventually passing time in a very nice playground where Tina took a nap, I played on the swings, and Mary did yoga and meditated.
After three hours of passing the time in this way, the word came that it would be several more hours until our rig was ready. We had brought it in for routine maintenance, but a few pressing mechanical issues has presented themselves, and we chose to have them dealt with swiftly and decisively.
As the morning warmed, we made our way to a "down home" local restaurant offering a buffet-style lunch for $8. While Mary had no appetite, I was absolutely famished, and the friendly waitresses and owner guided us to the buffet where I piled a plate with mashed potatoes, navy beans, cole slaw, turnip greens, broccoli, and peach cobbler. It was good old-fashioned American fare chased down with strong decaf coffee, and they even let us bring two hamburgers and a dish of water to poor old Tina who was yelping wretchedly every few minutes from the front porch. Meanwhile, Mary's hunger awoke at the smell of food and I fed her surreptitiously from my plate, returning to the buffet for more beans, greens and potatoes with which to please her.
During the course of our meal, Mary struck up a cordial conversation with two elderly brothers at the next table, and after a fairly lengthy conversation about our lives and travels, the more talkative of the two said called us over to their table.
"Y'know, I'd like to offer you to stay for free for two days on my property on the Gulf of Mexico near Biloxi, Mississippi." He leaned forward, looked me in the eye, and said, "Just two days, mind you." I readily agreed.
"You see," he continued, "my house on the Gulf was destroyed in the big hurricane, but there's still electricity, and I'd like you to feel welcome to park there. In fact, let me write down the directions and my phone number. And if anyone asks you why you're there, just tell them Bill sent you."
I thanked him profusely since Mary had excused herself to tend to Tina, and he wrote down the directions in Mary's journal. He added that "the best barbecue in the United States" was right down the street and we just had to eat there while visiting his property.
Finally, when lunch was done, we received the call that our rig was indeed ready, five hours after we had started. The friendly mechanic presented us with a substantial bill, some good advice, some peace of mind, and news that other work would be needed down the road, hopefully sooner than later.
We returned to the RV park to discuss some other needed repairs with a local RV technician, made an appointment with him for Friday, and headed down the road to the Alabama Gulf Coast in search of a place to stay for the sunny week which was forecast to continue until Friday. Stopping to get diesel and propane, we arrived at a recommended campground on the coast just before sundown, but the park was very unimpressive and depressing, with views of an over-developed coastline filled with big hotel resorts and coastal sprawl.
Knowing that the beautiful and more remote Fort Pickens National Park was only 40 miles further east over the Florida border, we chose to drive into the darkening evening with Mary at the helm. A blood-red sunset washed through the sky behind us, and I spent a few minutes (illegally) laying on the bed and watching the sky through the rear window.
We arrived to Fort Pickens by 8:30pm, tired but happy, having driven through the touristy sprawl surrounding Pensacola. Our elation at finally arriving turned to upset when I discovered that our propane tank's knob was not turning, being for all intents and purposes frozen, making us immediately realize that we were facing the reality of a night without heat. With temperatures still forecast to be below freezing overnight, being without heat is non-negotiable for us, the danger of frozen and burst pipes a very clear reality. With our propane furnace as our only heat source, this was a dire situation in need of a timely remedy.
Anxiously calling our RV technician contacts (and even the kind National Park rangers who responded with a visit!), we were not able to glean any advice that would remedy the situation, so we were faced with the lamentable choice of driving 16 miles round-trip to the nearest Wal-Mart (a store which I have stalwartly boycotted for my entire life) to purchase a portable electric heater, taking into consideration that our campsite was equipped with reliable electrical power that would give us the energy to run it.
Arriving to the local Wal-Mart, I was informed (as I had expected) that there had been a rush on portable heaters for the last two weeks, and every store in Florida was sold out, including this one. Bare shelves confirmed the story, and the very kind salesperson listened to my tale of woe very closely.
"Well, sir" he said thoughtfully, "let me run to the back. Someone returned a heater the other day, and maybe it's still back there. I don't know if it works or not, but let's find out."
He rushed to the stock room and returned with a smile several minutes later. We plugged in the heater, which was working perfectly, and I gratefully paid for it with a gift card that the gracious Latino elders at Mary's old workplace had given to her several years ago for Mother's Day. We returned to Fort Pickens by 11pm, exhausted and spent.
Unfortunately, to top off our day, I backed the rig into a low-lying branch and bent the ladder at the top of the rig, but no permanent damage seems to have been done and it can assuredly be easily fixed. Oy vey.
When I returned to the rig after plugging in our electric cord and checking on the ladder, Mary was on the phone and in tears, having received the news that her close friend's sister had died of a sudden heart attack just hours ago, leaving two young children and a husband who had all witnessed her death despite the husband's efforts to revive her.
This life on the road is filled with unexpected twists and turns. As I write, the portable electric heater is warming our space adequately, and our pipes are no longer in danger of freezing. In terms of cooking, we have a small one-burner camp stove that we can use outdoors tomorrow, so we are assured of a warm cup of tea and a hot meal. In terms of the stuck propane knob, we hope that this situation will be easily remedied, and we'll make calls tomorrow in search of someone who can offer us a solution. The propane powers our furnace, hot water heater and kitchen stove, so it is essential to our comfort and self-sufficiency.
For now, we go to bed grateful and tired, and the news of our dear friend's sister's death certainly puts our problems into proper perspective. We will be ready to face the day tomorrow, take in some sun, and determine the fate of our propane tank and our future ability to heat our home, take hot showers and cook. Still, we have a cozy home in which to slumber, we're safe and sound, and this vexing problem too shall pass.
Not having heat or hot water is one thing, but losing a loved (an experience with which we are all too familiar) is an incomparable challenge that truly tests an individual's ability to cope and carry on in the face of tragedy and grief. We give thanks for our relative health and well-being, and we pray for our friend and her family as they cope with a sudden and tragic loss.
---Keith
15th Community?
We are at an intentional community of a sort, holin' up for the cold snap which is supposed to let up tomorrow. It is a campground called Rainbow Plantation in Summerdale, Alabama. This community within the RV community is one of a dozen or so campgrounds in the US under the umbrella of a special RV club called Escapees.
Not being club types, we belong to this one for more than the great name, Escapees.com. It's mostly because of their excellent mail forwarding service, campground discounts, and for being able to establish our new domicile, a legal address in Livingston, Texas on Rainbow Drive. :- ) We'll be heading to Rainbow Drive a month or so, as a matter of fact, to check out the rigs and digs there, and maybe even swim in this largest lake in Texas. I know it may be too cold and we are not that bold, but we can entertain the eventuality of swimming in the great outdoors again, right?
Back to Rainbow Plantation. This has been a needed respite from the road and the cold that tends to keep us inside these small quarters that is our only home. What has been a unique treat about this place is the community center where Keith and I have been able to stretch out, take some space from each other, and have some different fun together like shooting some pool, playing ping pong and watching a movie while sitting in cushy arm chairs! It felt like a teen center for elders. I got to chat with friendly full timers here, sit in on a community meeting, offer Laughter Yoga, and bike around the neighborhood, cold be damned! The old folks here thought we were either crazy or from the north, or both!
In the morning, we'll batten down the hatches and bring the rig to a trusted mechanic for an oil and fuel filter change, then go to a trusted RV mechanic for a few important things. The SKPs ("Skips") here referred us to the mechanics, who are themselves reliable Escapee members---a huge relief for us.
After the rig care, we decided that we'll head back to Florida (very close by) to our first national park called Ft. Pickens, which is on the tip of an isolated peninsula. We intend to enjoy some surf, sun, biking and hiking before we drive to New Orleans on Friday. After NOLA we may be pretty landlocked for a while and no telling what the weather will be by then, but it sure looks like 50-60's all week in NW Florida, where you might be able to find us!
Coming a little out of our way to stay at our first SKP campground was an important and timely choice. Although we are of a different generation than the overwhelming majority of retirees here, it has been really interesting for me to check out---and even participate in---albeit briefly, this social experiment of people living in community here. You won't find them listed in the F.I.C. (Federation of Intentional Communities) and they may not have ever heard of IC's, but they are living their dream of community life and I say, more power to 'em!
May you realize how you are living even just one dream of your life and may 2010 be the year that more of your dreams come true!
Love,
Mary
Not being club types, we belong to this one for more than the great name, Escapees.com. It's mostly because of their excellent mail forwarding service, campground discounts, and for being able to establish our new domicile, a legal address in Livingston, Texas on Rainbow Drive. :- ) We'll be heading to Rainbow Drive a month or so, as a matter of fact, to check out the rigs and digs there, and maybe even swim in this largest lake in Texas. I know it may be too cold and we are not that bold, but we can entertain the eventuality of swimming in the great outdoors again, right?
Back to Rainbow Plantation. This has been a needed respite from the road and the cold that tends to keep us inside these small quarters that is our only home. What has been a unique treat about this place is the community center where Keith and I have been able to stretch out, take some space from each other, and have some different fun together like shooting some pool, playing ping pong and watching a movie while sitting in cushy arm chairs! It felt like a teen center for elders. I got to chat with friendly full timers here, sit in on a community meeting, offer Laughter Yoga, and bike around the neighborhood, cold be damned! The old folks here thought we were either crazy or from the north, or both!
In the morning, we'll batten down the hatches and bring the rig to a trusted mechanic for an oil and fuel filter change, then go to a trusted RV mechanic for a few important things. The SKPs ("Skips") here referred us to the mechanics, who are themselves reliable Escapee members---a huge relief for us.
After the rig care, we decided that we'll head back to Florida (very close by) to our first national park called Ft. Pickens, which is on the tip of an isolated peninsula. We intend to enjoy some surf, sun, biking and hiking before we drive to New Orleans on Friday. After NOLA we may be pretty landlocked for a while and no telling what the weather will be by then, but it sure looks like 50-60's all week in NW Florida, where you might be able to find us!
Coming a little out of our way to stay at our first SKP campground was an important and timely choice. Although we are of a different generation than the overwhelming majority of retirees here, it has been really interesting for me to check out---and even participate in---albeit briefly, this social experiment of people living in community here. You won't find them listed in the F.I.C. (Federation of Intentional Communities) and they may not have ever heard of IC's, but they are living their dream of community life and I say, more power to 'em!
May you realize how you are living even just one dream of your life and may 2010 be the year that more of your dreams come true!
Love,
Mary
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Some Images From The Florida Panhandle
With our patience and luck continuing, we were able to upload some photos from our recent time in the Florida Panhandle. Enjoy!
Pomegranate, a stray cat living like a Queen in the Apalachicola Tourist Information Office
Pomegranate's throne
The shifting sands.......
The wind-swept piney dunes of St. George Island
The sun reflecting off of a saltwater inlet
Bird hieroglyophics
The curve of the sandy shore
The endless sea
Friday, January 8, 2010
A Respite in Alabama
Just yesterday, we were basking in a brief window of relative Floridian winter warmth, enjoying temperatures of 58 degrees during the afternoon and a good dose of sun and sand. As the sun set, the temperature plummeted to 26 degrees overnight, and a strong wind of almost 25 mph---accompanied by freezing rain---shook our rig as we slept (or tried to).
With colder temperatures and strong winds forecast for the coast all weekend, we decided to retreat inland, heading to an RV park in Summerdale, Alabama, just 40 miles from Pensacola, Florida. As full-timers living in our RV, we're members of Escapees.com, an RV'ers co-op that provides discount RV parks, mail forwarding, and other services to full-timers. (Our legal address is actually at an Escapees park in Livingston, Texas, and that's where all of our mail now goes, so please email us for our address if you don't have it, and keep those cards and letters coming!)
So, we are now encamped at our first Escapees park, taking advantage of having a clubhouse where we can play pool and ping pong, watch movies, talk with other Escapees, and enjoy having an alternative place to hang out during this cold snap.
Staying at a campground in really cold weather can feel somewhat claustrophobic when there's nowhere else to go and the cold winds are howling, so being here relieves that concern, allowing us some breathing room and the ability to spend some healthy hours apart in a warm and comfortable space! (Tina is not allowed in the clubhouse, so we'll take turns and sometimes leave her alone in the rig, poor old girl.)
For now, our plan is to remain here at "Rainbow Plantation" for the weekend, catching up on emails, writing and phone calls, meditating, reading, playing pool and ping pong, and planning for the next leg of our adventure. On Monday, we'll have an oil change and lube for the ol' "Rigatina" (formerly known as "Scottie La Blanca"), and then head to the Alabama coast or northwest Florida coast for what promises to be a week of plentiful sun and temperatures in the 50s and perhaps 60s. Imagine that! Following our week on the coast, we'll then begin heading west through Alabama and Mississippi towards Louisiana, where we hope to visit some of Mary's extended family in New Orleans before our entry into Texas (which will become our legal state of residence forthwith).
In terms of our search for intentional community, our outreach to communities in Florida has not been terribly fruitful, perhaps due to the recent holiday season. Three communities have indeed responded to our inquiries, but two of them are still in the forming stage and are not yet up and running, and the other---the Kashi Ashram in Sebastian----was, alas, too far south for us to make the trek. We are now focusing our sights on intentional communities in Texas, and will soon begin reaching out to the ones that have piqued our interest (of which there are many).
We would love to post more videos for your enjoyment over the next few days, and it remains to be seen if we have the bandwidth to do so. Please know it's our clear intention to fully entertain you with our audiovisual antics, but sometimes technology does not cooperate with our intentions! (If you're just tuning in to our adventure, welcome, and know that there are some recently posted videos available for your viewing pleasure!)
Until next time, be well, be happy, and please do keep in touch!
With colder temperatures and strong winds forecast for the coast all weekend, we decided to retreat inland, heading to an RV park in Summerdale, Alabama, just 40 miles from Pensacola, Florida. As full-timers living in our RV, we're members of Escapees.com, an RV'ers co-op that provides discount RV parks, mail forwarding, and other services to full-timers. (Our legal address is actually at an Escapees park in Livingston, Texas, and that's where all of our mail now goes, so please email us for our address if you don't have it, and keep those cards and letters coming!)
So, we are now encamped at our first Escapees park, taking advantage of having a clubhouse where we can play pool and ping pong, watch movies, talk with other Escapees, and enjoy having an alternative place to hang out during this cold snap.
Staying at a campground in really cold weather can feel somewhat claustrophobic when there's nowhere else to go and the cold winds are howling, so being here relieves that concern, allowing us some breathing room and the ability to spend some healthy hours apart in a warm and comfortable space! (Tina is not allowed in the clubhouse, so we'll take turns and sometimes leave her alone in the rig, poor old girl.)
For now, our plan is to remain here at "Rainbow Plantation" for the weekend, catching up on emails, writing and phone calls, meditating, reading, playing pool and ping pong, and planning for the next leg of our adventure. On Monday, we'll have an oil change and lube for the ol' "Rigatina" (formerly known as "Scottie La Blanca"), and then head to the Alabama coast or northwest Florida coast for what promises to be a week of plentiful sun and temperatures in the 50s and perhaps 60s. Imagine that! Following our week on the coast, we'll then begin heading west through Alabama and Mississippi towards Louisiana, where we hope to visit some of Mary's extended family in New Orleans before our entry into Texas (which will become our legal state of residence forthwith).
In terms of our search for intentional community, our outreach to communities in Florida has not been terribly fruitful, perhaps due to the recent holiday season. Three communities have indeed responded to our inquiries, but two of them are still in the forming stage and are not yet up and running, and the other---the Kashi Ashram in Sebastian----was, alas, too far south for us to make the trek. We are now focusing our sights on intentional communities in Texas, and will soon begin reaching out to the ones that have piqued our interest (of which there are many).
We would love to post more videos for your enjoyment over the next few days, and it remains to be seen if we have the bandwidth to do so. Please know it's our clear intention to fully entertain you with our audiovisual antics, but sometimes technology does not cooperate with our intentions! (If you're just tuning in to our adventure, welcome, and know that there are some recently posted videos available for your viewing pleasure!)
Until next time, be well, be happy, and please do keep in touch!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Mary chimes in...
This morning, I wanted to set up a little picnic in the sand next to the dunes on the ocean lake but since learning that alligators are alive and well in that there lake, we'll have to play it safe and pass on that idea. I'm trying not to imagine a hungry gator coming ashore and taking our little Tina away from us by surprise. These creatures can run up to 30 mph and she would be a good bite-sized snack, I'm afraid!
Instead of taking stupid risks like eating on the shore of gators' homes, I am content to bundle up, put Tina in my bike basket and cycle about this beautiful coast. The jury is still out as to whether we'll pack up and check out the next lovely state park a few miles from here, or hunker down for a gently unfolding day in nature, free of the hassle of changing campsites. I presume the latter will prevail because of yesterday's transition, the worst of which for me was the miles of smog that made a sickly orange haze from many oceanside factories. Such a juxtaposition to the conservation lands that sandwich them. Regardless, this "Forgotten Coast" will not be forgotten to us, but may it be forgotten by excessive development. Knowing my optimism, I will remember the best parts, all this time in the splendor of nature with my beloved Keith and Tina and loved ones in my heart.
Here is a meditative moment to share some of this beauty with you. May it be a peaceful oasis within that you can return to whenever you need it.
Here is a meditative moment to share some of this beauty with you. May it be a peaceful oasis within that you can return to whenever you need it.
Peace and love,
Mary
Mary
Biking to the Gulf
Since uploading videos takes a lot of bandwith and fast internet connectivity, we may need to post some videos out of chronological order from time to time. My brother Ken encouraged us to post them whenever we can, chronology be damned, so here's one that's only a few days old.....
Cheers!
Cheers!
Happily Crawling Along the Gulf
Well folks, we are making slow and happy progress along "The Forgotten Coast" of Florida.
Yesterday, we set out from our sweet spot on St. George Island in search of new adventures and sights, stopping in the quaint town of Apalachicola for lunch. Northerners that we are, we chose to sit at a sunny table on the sidewalk outside. Meanwhile, all of the locals ate indoors, making Mary feel a little self-conscious as they stared at us as if we were crazy or from another planet (perhaps we're a little of both!). It couldn't have been more than 45 degrees but the sun was good and warm, and the added benefit was that Tina got to join us for lunch. I indulged in fresh fried oysters and a cup of shrimp Gumbo, whereas Mary went with the good ol' standard fried fish sandwich. A dessert of homemade Key Lime Pie made with real Key Limes was on the house (and eaten in honor of Mary's father, "The Colonel", because it's his favorite dessert). Even the owner came out to say hello and wish us well, and various passersby stopped to chat. Although she said "brrrrr" when she first came out to take our order, the waitress (who called Mary "baby doll") was friendly and seemed to enjoy the fresh air herself.
People in Apalachicola were exceedingly friendly, encouraging us to move to a town hungry for new residents. Apalachicola is relatively thriving in comparison to some of the smaller towns on this stretch of coast prone to storms and hurricanes, and it was heartening to not see any boarded up shops. Tourism is obviously the industry of choice, but fishing also seems to add to the local economy.
Still without cell phone service after almost four days, we cursed T-Mobile for its poor coverage and began looking for payphones from which to make calls and check in with family. Luckily, coverage manifested out of the blue when we reached Port St. Joe and we were thrilled to park by the water, check messages and return calls from friends who had wanted to wish us a Happy New Year.
Moving along the coast, we held our breath (well, Mary actually wore her mask) as we drove through Panama City, Tyndall Air Force Base, and miles and miles of strip malls and stores. It was visually overwhelming after the pristine beauty of St. George Island, and we quietly began to lament leaving our island sanctuary as the sun began to go down and a place to camp for the night seemed further and further afield.
Stopping in one small private campground by the highway (which shall remain nameless), we considered parking for the night but were both spooked by the general shabbiness and untidiness of the place. Remembering what our mobile RV technician had told us a few months ago about poorly maintained RV parks (in terms of rats, mice and other problems), we turned tail and got back on the highway.
One phone call revealed what we already knew about RV resorts in Florida---they charge $60 to $100 a night for sites on the water! But knowing the high quality of state parks here in Florida, we followed the signs to Grayton Beach State Park and were rewarded with a private site on the lake (alligators included), and proceeded to watch a sensational sunset as the temperature plummeted to 29 degrees.
So, here is a video postcard from us to you, uploaded laboriously via our weak MiFi signal. The upload took so long, there was smoke issuing from our laptop's hard drive!
Cheers from Keith
Yesterday, we set out from our sweet spot on St. George Island in search of new adventures and sights, stopping in the quaint town of Apalachicola for lunch. Northerners that we are, we chose to sit at a sunny table on the sidewalk outside. Meanwhile, all of the locals ate indoors, making Mary feel a little self-conscious as they stared at us as if we were crazy or from another planet (perhaps we're a little of both!). It couldn't have been more than 45 degrees but the sun was good and warm, and the added benefit was that Tina got to join us for lunch. I indulged in fresh fried oysters and a cup of shrimp Gumbo, whereas Mary went with the good ol' standard fried fish sandwich. A dessert of homemade Key Lime Pie made with real Key Limes was on the house (and eaten in honor of Mary's father, "The Colonel", because it's his favorite dessert). Even the owner came out to say hello and wish us well, and various passersby stopped to chat. Although she said "brrrrr" when she first came out to take our order, the waitress (who called Mary "baby doll") was friendly and seemed to enjoy the fresh air herself.
People in Apalachicola were exceedingly friendly, encouraging us to move to a town hungry for new residents. Apalachicola is relatively thriving in comparison to some of the smaller towns on this stretch of coast prone to storms and hurricanes, and it was heartening to not see any boarded up shops. Tourism is obviously the industry of choice, but fishing also seems to add to the local economy.
Still without cell phone service after almost four days, we cursed T-Mobile for its poor coverage and began looking for payphones from which to make calls and check in with family. Luckily, coverage manifested out of the blue when we reached Port St. Joe and we were thrilled to park by the water, check messages and return calls from friends who had wanted to wish us a Happy New Year.
Moving along the coast, we held our breath (well, Mary actually wore her mask) as we drove through Panama City, Tyndall Air Force Base, and miles and miles of strip malls and stores. It was visually overwhelming after the pristine beauty of St. George Island, and we quietly began to lament leaving our island sanctuary as the sun began to go down and a place to camp for the night seemed further and further afield.
Stopping in one small private campground by the highway (which shall remain nameless), we considered parking for the night but were both spooked by the general shabbiness and untidiness of the place. Remembering what our mobile RV technician had told us a few months ago about poorly maintained RV parks (in terms of rats, mice and other problems), we turned tail and got back on the highway.
One phone call revealed what we already knew about RV resorts in Florida---they charge $60 to $100 a night for sites on the water! But knowing the high quality of state parks here in Florida, we followed the signs to Grayton Beach State Park and were rewarded with a private site on the lake (alligators included), and proceeded to watch a sensational sunset as the temperature plummeted to 29 degrees.
So, here is a video postcard from us to you, uploaded laboriously via our weak MiFi signal. The upload took so long, there was smoke issuing from our laptop's hard drive!
Cheers from Keith
Sunrise
I woke up this morning to catch the sunrise over the lake and share it with you! Happy day to all!
Love, Keith
Love, Keith
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Days Are Just Packed
Some of you who are fans of Calvin and Hobbes may recall a book entitled "The Days Are Just Packed". Well, it's kind of like that for us these days. Not to make you jealous or anything, but our days are generally packed with being in nature, making simple meals, getting exercise, maintaining the rig, meditating, writing, blogging, emailing, doing yoga, and playing on Facebook. It's a wonderful life most of the time.
While we're well aware that the majority of the rest of the population is hard at work, we experience little guilt that we have this window of opportunity in our lives to simply eschew the world of employment---for a while, anyway. We spent most of the last 20 years slogging away in Human Services (mostly in the inner city), and sometimes you just have to walk away. As Michelle Shocked once said, "the secret to a long life is knowing when it's time to go", and that mantra has been operational since we decided to pack up and hit the road.
So now we're here in Northern Florida, where the temperatures are dipping into the upper 20's at night and just reaching 45 during the height of the afternoon. Even so, we found ourselves sitting on a blanket in a sunny spot near the campground around 3 this afternoon, playing a game of Sequence (I won 4 out of 5 games---sorry, Mary!), drinking hot organic cocoa and eating natural animal crackers.
Prior to our repose in the sun, we dragged poor Tina on a two-hour hike, meandering on a sandy path through a diverse landscape of pine trees, wild rosemary, tall grasses, sub-tropical flora and fauna, and dozens of birds, including brown pelicans and many migrating songbirds. The wind was blowing off of the bay, making the 45-degree air feel much chillier, but the Florida sun is indeed strong, and when we could escape the wind for a moment, we were able to warm our bones.
The breadth of openness and expansiveness that we are currently experiencing in our lives is not something to be taken for granted, and we are well aware that we will need to earn some money eventually. However, we've set aside some of the proceeds from the sale of our house in order to finance this sojourn, and perhaps some opportunities to earn money along the way will serve to stretch our resources even further. No matter, though, because even if we have to stop and find temporary employment for a while, the journey continues of its own accord. In fact, sometimes it feels as if this journey actually began 20 years ago when we were married, and it has only now manifested in its current itinerant iteration. (To wit, prior to our departure from Western Massachusetts, it seemed to me as if Mary and I were simply travelers who have more or less been in one place for 20 years.)
This life on the road is interesting beyond my wildest imagining, and every day reveals something new to learn or discover---about myself, about my country, about nature, about our relationship, or about the journey itself.
Back when I was hitchhiking around Europe in the mid-80's, it was the call of the road that propelled me forward. I read Jack Kerouac's Lonesome Traveler, thumbing my way hither and thither, wide-eyed as I breathed in the rarefied air of the European cities and museums that I had only seen in films and books. Now, at 45, I travel the highways and back roads of America with my beloved and exuberant wife, and we breathe in the air of the American South and the fumes of our diesel rig as we press on towards the horizon.
This is, as a British friend characterized it, a "walkabout", albeit a mechanized one with frequent rest stops and cups of tea. Well, this diesel-powered walkabout is now hitting its stride, and having you along for the ride, dear Readers, is one of the greatest pleasures we know.
---Keith
Monday, January 4, 2010
Florida Magic.....
Despite the novelty of camping right on the shores of the Gulf at the "Ho Hum RV Park" in Carabelle, we both felt compelled to make a move this morning after waking up early, watching the sunrise, and taking turns having a morning walk on the beach while the other hung out with poor tired Tina in the rig.
So, we meandered down Route 98 West along the coast, stopping in the town of Carabelle proper to tank up on diesel and decaf lattes. We don't spend much money on coffee at cafes and such, but about once a week we allow ourselves a cup o' joe.
When it comes to meals out, we have only eaten at restaurants about 7 times in 10 weeks, and the majority of those meals were with family. Needless to say, we never resort to junk food or fast food, and our main addiction is shopping in food co-ops and health food stores. Just like when we lived in Massachusetts, health food is one place where we never compromise, buying organic produce as much as we can, and enjoying almond milk, whey protein, raw local honey and other delectables we find along the way. Mary is my favorite cook ever (sorry, Mom!), and eating in our rig is one delight after another. Tonight's meal was quinoa, steamed organic kale, and organic chick peas in Mary's homemade coconut curry sauce. Wow. Who said you couldn't eat well on the road?
Still, one must partake of the local food culture when one is traveling, so we will make sure not to miss out when there are local specialties to try (like the aforementioned boiled peanuts we bought the other day at a roadside stand, the cheese grits at a health food store in Tallahassee, and the "hush puppies" and catfish we inhaled in Alabama). And now that we're on the Gulf Coast, you can rest assured that we will have some fresh fish sometime soon, and once we get to New Orleans, all bets are off! (Mary's cousin owns a restaurant in New Orleans, and I can just taste the gumbo now!)
So where was I? Oh yes, we left Carabelle and have now landed ourselves at the St. George Island State Park, a fairly secluded park on a barrier island that's reached via a long bridge over the blue-green waters of the Apalachicola Bay. The water, dunes, beaches, flora and fauna here are breathtaking, but due to our very slow internet connection, we may not be able to share photos (and videos) from this visit until we return to the mainland and a faster WiFi connection. Suffice it to say that the island teems with birds (including bald eagles, hawks and other raptors), and we're told there are dolphins and alligators, as well!
As I write this post, Mary is on Facebook remarking about the astounding level of happiness that she is currently experiencing, and I must echo that I am pretty darn happy myself these days.
Even as northern Florida (and the entire American South) is enveloped in a cold front that's delivering temperatures in the upper 20's at night and 40's during the day, we are soaking up the generous Floridian sunlight and using layers to keep warm as we explore the trails and dunes of this resplendent island. Tomorrow we will take turns on the beach (since Tina is not allowed on the pristine beaches and cannot be left alone at our campsite), bicycle in the cold sun, read, write, and otherwise while away yet another day of our peripatetic lives.
We send you all our very best, and also send wishes for a New Year filled with hope, healing and happiness.
---Keith
So, we meandered down Route 98 West along the coast, stopping in the town of Carabelle proper to tank up on diesel and decaf lattes. We don't spend much money on coffee at cafes and such, but about once a week we allow ourselves a cup o' joe.
When it comes to meals out, we have only eaten at restaurants about 7 times in 10 weeks, and the majority of those meals were with family. Needless to say, we never resort to junk food or fast food, and our main addiction is shopping in food co-ops and health food stores. Just like when we lived in Massachusetts, health food is one place where we never compromise, buying organic produce as much as we can, and enjoying almond milk, whey protein, raw local honey and other delectables we find along the way. Mary is my favorite cook ever (sorry, Mom!), and eating in our rig is one delight after another. Tonight's meal was quinoa, steamed organic kale, and organic chick peas in Mary's homemade coconut curry sauce. Wow. Who said you couldn't eat well on the road?
Still, one must partake of the local food culture when one is traveling, so we will make sure not to miss out when there are local specialties to try (like the aforementioned boiled peanuts we bought the other day at a roadside stand, the cheese grits at a health food store in Tallahassee, and the "hush puppies" and catfish we inhaled in Alabama). And now that we're on the Gulf Coast, you can rest assured that we will have some fresh fish sometime soon, and once we get to New Orleans, all bets are off! (Mary's cousin owns a restaurant in New Orleans, and I can just taste the gumbo now!)
So where was I? Oh yes, we left Carabelle and have now landed ourselves at the St. George Island State Park, a fairly secluded park on a barrier island that's reached via a long bridge over the blue-green waters of the Apalachicola Bay. The water, dunes, beaches, flora and fauna here are breathtaking, but due to our very slow internet connection, we may not be able to share photos (and videos) from this visit until we return to the mainland and a faster WiFi connection. Suffice it to say that the island teems with birds (including bald eagles, hawks and other raptors), and we're told there are dolphins and alligators, as well!
As I write this post, Mary is on Facebook remarking about the astounding level of happiness that she is currently experiencing, and I must echo that I am pretty darn happy myself these days.
Even as northern Florida (and the entire American South) is enveloped in a cold front that's delivering temperatures in the upper 20's at night and 40's during the day, we are soaking up the generous Floridian sunlight and using layers to keep warm as we explore the trails and dunes of this resplendent island. Tomorrow we will take turns on the beach (since Tina is not allowed on the pristine beaches and cannot be left alone at our campsite), bicycle in the cold sun, read, write, and otherwise while away yet another day of our peripatetic lives.
We send you all our very best, and also send wishes for a New Year filled with hope, healing and happiness.
---Keith
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Gulf of Mexico!
After a painlessly short drive from Tallahassee to Carabelle (and the Ho Hum RV Park), we arrived to the Gulf of Mexico just in time for a lovely walk on the beach and a resplendent sunset on the pier.
Here's a video of our jubilant first sighting of the Gulf from our rig as it barreled down Route 98 West:
To give you an idea of our whereabouts, this is where we're parked for the night:
And we can't resist sharing the sunset view with you! (Don't be too jealous---it's a cold day in northern Florida. The temperature at 6pm is 40 degrees Fahrenheit!)
Tallahassee!
We are very grateful to our friends Joe and Claudia (and young Jacob) for their kindness, generosity and friendship during our brief stay in Tallahassee. We all felt so nurtured and cared for (including Tina who was fussed over like the charming old lady that she is), and an old friendship that originated in Western Massachusetts was rekindled.
Before leaving Tallahassee, we had to get a photo of Mary at Optimist Park, a place that must have been named with her in mind.
And on the way to the Gulf of Mexico, we stopped at an entertaining and delicious roadside stand where we stocked up on boiled peanuts, grapefruit and oranges.
Florida!
After bidding a fond adieu to the good people at Koinonia, we traversed the easy 135 miles from Americus, Georgia to Tallahassee, Florida.
Due to the magic of Facebook, we were invited to visit old friends from Western Massachusetts who live here in Tallahassee, but we were warned that there may not be an amenable place to park for the night in their neighborhood. So, wanting to avoid campground fees, we entered Tallahassee with the goal of finding a free place to park.
Driving down a busy city street, we both spied an Elks Lodge where a group of people appeared to be having a barbecue. We also noticed that there were a few RVs parked in a small lot adjacent to the lodge. Feeling gutsy, we made a u-turn and pulled into their parking lot, dragging Tina with us as we walked up and interrupted their party.
There were actually seven older people sitting around an outdoor portable fireplace drinking wine and beer and smoking cigarettes. They were members of the local Elks Lodge, and we explained that we were looking for a place to park for the night. They were interested in our plight---and very taken with Tina---but they informed us that we would only be allowed to "boondock" in their parking lot if we were Elks. And when Mary mentioned that her father was a member of the Kiwanis, several of them frowned and apologetically turned us away (and held us responsible for the cold weather that we had apparently imported from New England).
Remembering that many Wal-Marts allow RV'ers to park for free overnight, we called five Tallahassee Wal-Mart stores, and four informed us that overnight parking in their lots was allowed. Although we boycott Wal-Mart, this is an option that we keep in our back pocket for emergencies.
Making our way to our friends' neighborhood, we left the rig adjacent to the lovely "Optimist Park" near their home, and we spent several hours meditating, soaking up the sun, watching a group of men practice Tai Chi, and chatting with a young father and his toddler who wandered by. Tina is a great conversation catalyst---especially with people who have young children.
We left our rig on the street adjacent to the park, and spent a wonderful evening with our friends and their adorable 3-year-old son, reminiscing about Western Massachusetts and mutual friends and acquaintances.
Returning to our rig, we began to prepare for sleep, naively assuming that since there were no signs to the contrary, we could park overnight and be on our way in the morning. Not ten minutes after turning on our lights, a police cruiser pulled up behind us and a knock at the door was heard. A very friendly officer listened as we explained our situation, took down our names and the names of our friends, and suggested that we move our rig to the parking lot of "Optimist Park" where he felt we would be safer.
We thanked the cordial officer, moved the rig forthwith, and settled down for a peaceful night's sleep here in the Indian Head neighborhood of Tallahassee. Our arrival to Florida has been graced with generous friends, a "balmy" night with temperatures above freezing, and a local police who are supportive of our attempt to save $36 in unnecessary camping fees or a trip to the dreaded last-resort Wal-Mart parking lot.
Welcome to the Sunshine State!
Remembering that many Wal-Marts allow RV'ers to park for free overnight, we called five Tallahassee Wal-Mart stores, and four informed us that overnight parking in their lots was allowed. Although we boycott Wal-Mart, this is an option that we keep in our back pocket for emergencies.
Making our way to our friends' neighborhood, we left the rig adjacent to the lovely "Optimist Park" near their home, and we spent several hours meditating, soaking up the sun, watching a group of men practice Tai Chi, and chatting with a young father and his toddler who wandered by. Tina is a great conversation catalyst---especially with people who have young children.
We left our rig on the street adjacent to the park, and spent a wonderful evening with our friends and their adorable 3-year-old son, reminiscing about Western Massachusetts and mutual friends and acquaintances.
Returning to our rig, we began to prepare for sleep, naively assuming that since there were no signs to the contrary, we could park overnight and be on our way in the morning. Not ten minutes after turning on our lights, a police cruiser pulled up behind us and a knock at the door was heard. A very friendly officer listened as we explained our situation, took down our names and the names of our friends, and suggested that we move our rig to the parking lot of "Optimist Park" where he felt we would be safer.
We thanked the cordial officer, moved the rig forthwith, and settled down for a peaceful night's sleep here in the Indian Head neighborhood of Tallahassee. Our arrival to Florida has been graced with generous friends, a "balmy" night with temperatures above freezing, and a local police who are supportive of our attempt to save $36 in unnecessary camping fees or a trip to the dreaded last-resort Wal-Mart parking lot.
Welcome to the Sunshine State!
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