Paradise To Us

What a view! There are only 60 campsites at Long Key State Park and all overlook the Atlantic Ocean!! At left is the view out the front window of our rig…nice, huh? And each morning as the sun rises, the light reflects iridescently off the water creating a peaceful and beautiful scene.

Long Key is located 35 miles south of where we stayed last week and is halfway between Miami and Key West. The sites are fairly private with rows of hedges, bushes, trees, and native plants between, and a wood rail in front with a small walkway leading to the beach. The water is so clear and warm, and we can walk over about a quarter mile out into it and still not have it over our heads. At right is a picture from a short distance out into the ocean looking back (didn’t want to take the camera out any further and chance dropping it!)

The first couple days Russ and I walked quite a ways out into the ocean in the morning and mid-afternoon, enjoying the sun and sea while searching for critters. We saw fish, a stingray, lots of little crabs, plants, and some unidentified sea creature. It looked like a small stingray but with back frog-like legs! The third day I ventured out by myself taking along my snorkeling mask and saw a few fish but no sign of the “sea creature”. There are quite a number and variety of birds in the area, many walking right along the beach searching for food. Several people bring their kayaks while others bring their fishing gear. In fact, one guy had a large net that he would throw out into the water, catching mullet to use as bait when he went fishing for tarpon later off the pier. This must be paradise…if it just weren’t for the nasty, biting no-see-ums.

As I mentioned in our last post, Dick and Beth are staying here for a couple of weeks, and as it turned out, Alex and Susie decided to stay for a couple nights before heading home to central Florida. We invited everyone over Wed. night to watch the 5th game of the World Series since Alex and Susie are big Yankees fans and still couldn’t get their satellite dish working. Yankees lost but we enjoyed the time together.

Thurs. Beth needed to do some shopping and asked if I’d like to tag along. The nearest full size grocery store is 14 miles north in Islamorada, and there are several other “girlie” shops, as she put it, that she likes to visit when in the area. You know, they’re little retail stores that the guys generally get bored at and would just as soon not have to go to. But the first stop struck me as kind of odd initially…it was Worldwide Sportsman, one of the smallest stores in the Bass Pro chain. As it turns out, the store has a couple areas of jewelry and women’s clothing on the second floor and a little space with lots of trinkets and knick-knacks. On display in the middle of the store is “Pilar”, the famous sister ship to Ernest Hemingway’s boat. Customers are welcome to walk aboard the ship, where the cabin has been recreated as it was when Hemingway used it. The store also has a huge aquarium but unfortunately it was being worked on so no fishies to see.

Out back is a full service marina where they sell live bait. The view out back is beautiful so I ventured outside while Beth paid for her purchases. I noticed some birds inside the bait shop, and as I got closer, a lady was taking pictures and told me that the egrets were stealing bait right out of the bins! Sure enough, as I watched, they did just that! I couldn’t believe the staff kept the lids open but maybe they need to for circulation and to keep the bait alive. Beth joined me and we watched one stick his head in and pull out a live shrimp, then flip it around with its beak several times, until finally swallowing it. But there was one little shrimp that nobody seemed to like. The bird that grabbed it brought it over to a table near where we were standing, flipped it around a couple times, dropped it on the table, picked it back up, flipped a couple more times, dropped it again, and then another bird chased the first one away. Then he picked it up, flipped it a few times, and then he dropped it. Each time it was dropped, the poor little shrimp would flop around, seeming to gasp for “air”. Kind of sad but overall the entire scene was kind of funny. We finally left so not sure if anyone ever ate that shrimp. (If you click on the last two photos, you'll be able to see the shrimp better.)

Manatee mailboxes seem to be a big hit in the Keys, and we saw several as we drove around that day. Most are just gray concrete but we saw one dressed in island garb and a couple wearing Santa hats. We even saw one with its baby by its side. Of course, a couple folks just have to be different and have big mouthed fish mailboxes…tee hee.

The weather was sunny and gorgeous the first three days, but then we could see the storm clouds roll in across the ocean. Though we really didn’t get any rain at the campground, the wind picked up and the skies remained overcast the next few days. The air was still warm without the sun beating down, and the breeze kept the no-see-ums away. Evidently the wind was just right for parasailing as several guys seemed to enjoy themselves out on the water.

Tomorrow we leave here to head further south to Bahia Honda State Park. Originally we were to spend 9 nights there and then come back to Long Key for 4 nights before heading north to Orlando. Russ checked online to see if we could possibly stay one more night and discovered that someone must have canceled their reservation and an entire week had opened up. We made quick plans to change our itinerary, and will only stay at Bahia Honda for 3 nights, then return here to paradise for 9 nights.

Heading to the Keys

We left Orlando on Mon., Oct. 26, heading south towards the Florida Keys. We had decided to make it a two day trip, spending the night at Monument Lake Campground in Big Cypress National Preserve (www.nps.gov/bicy), which is located just north of Everglades National Park. This campground has no hookups (no electricity, water, or sewer), and through Dec. 14, no camping fees are charged. Sites are first come, first serve, and only a couple other people were in the campground so we were able to find a pull-through spot located adjacent to the lake (close to the alligator warning sign!) We had feared it would be extremely hot and humid in this swamp area, but to our surprise it was cooler than Orlando with a slight breeze…absolutely beautiful and peaceful. Only down side was that when Russ went outside after dark, he said the mosquitoes were as big as condors! OK, I think that might be a slight exaggeration, but they were big and numerous.

As in most campgrounds, dogs are required to be on leashes when outside your rig, and shortly before sunset we took them for a walk. Abby has so much energy and gets little chance for exercise so occasionally we’ll let her run when no one is around. With the leash attached to her collar, she loves to take the other end in her mouth and keeps herself amused running back and forth under our close supervision of course. Hey, technically she is still on her leash! But like any kid who doesn’t know when to stop, you have to make her, otherwise we think she’d run till she literally dropped. What a funny girl.

The next morning we awoke to a beautiful sunrise and out on the lake Russ saw what he initially thought were possibly alligator eyes! However we’ve seen enough National Geographic documentaries to know that alligators generally don’t blink like that and skim the water. We grabbed the binoculars and eventually determined that they were actually some type of fish, mouths exposed to the surface, opening and closing them rapidly, seeming to gasp for air, as they skimmed the surface. Quite an unusual sight.
About 5 miles down the road is the Oasis Visitor Center, and on our way out of the Preserve we decided to make a stop there mainly to get our National Park book stamped but we also were able to obtain our 9th Junior Ranger badge. The Tamiami Canal runs right alongside the highway, and we saw a variety of birds along the edge waiting to swoop down on the unsuspecting fish. Just inside the Center was a stuffed panther that had been killed by an auto several years ago. Panthers are one of North America’s most endangered species with less than 30 living in Big Cypress, and panther crossing signs can be seen dotting the highway. As we exited the Center, a racer snake slithered across our path but the park volunteer assured us that it was harmless. We walked across to the boardwalk overlooking the canal, and there we finally saw an alligator…several of them in fact.

It was time to get back in the RV and continue south, deciding to make a stop at one of the Everglades National Park Visitor Centers on the way. The road we were taking was not going through Everglades NP (http://www.nps.gov/ever), but we had decided to make this slight detour so we could at least get our book stamped. It was hot and muggy, and the loop road through the park was not going to be very easy to navigate with the motorhome, so after getting our book stamped and walking through the Center, we sat parked in the lot with the generator running (for the A/C) and had lunch before heading back to the highway.

Our destination was John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (http://www.pennekamppark.com/) in Key Largo. Pennekamp SP was the first underwater park in the U.S. and is the site of the only living coral barrier reef in the continental U.S. In fact Key Largo, known as the “Diving Capital of the World” as evidenced by all the dive shops along the road, is the fossilized remains of a coral reef formed during the ice age. There are no natural sand beaches on the island but instead the shoreline consists of gray, limestone-based clay. Water shoes definitely come in handy when walking on it! There are actually very few beaches in the Keys but those that are there give way to spectacular views of the water with its beautiful variations of blue and green coloring…the Atlantic Ocean to the east and depending on the location, the Florida Bay or the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Our site at Pennekamp SP wasn’t anywhere near the ocean (technically Largo Sound) but a short walk or drive would take you to one of its two beaches.

Tues. Russ struck up a conversation with Alex, the man across from us who was trying to set up his satellite dish. They struggled for two hours trying to get it to work along with Dick, another neighbor and friend of Alex’s. I went out eventually to see if I could be of any assistance and finally Alex’s wife, Susie, said “enough!...let’s go to the beach!” LOL We all met at Cannon Beach, including Dick’s wife Beth, and spent a couple hours relaxing, enjoying the water, and getting to know each a little better. We discovered that Dick and Beth would be staying at the same place we would be the next week so looked forward to more time together. The next night Russ and I spent a couple hours with Alex and Susie at their place getting even better acquainted.

I went back to the beach by myself on Thurs. and took along my snorkeling mask. About 100 feet offshore is a marker noting the remnants of a 1715 Spanish shipwreck with cannon replicas deep below the surface. After reading and catching some rays on the beach for about half an hour, I made my way out to the marker and saw some incredibly beautiful orange and green striped fish which I believe were a variety of parrot fish. Wish I’d had an underwater camera with me!

There was nothing great or special about our campsite though there was a swamp/pond right behind and plenty of bugs around dusk. Those no-see-ums sure can bite! We saw lots of birds, and had visits from a snail on our windowsill and an iguana walking by. Halloween night we even had one trick or treater and fortunately we had some candy to give the little princess! Tomorrow we head further south to Long Key State Park, where all the campsites are on the beach…can’t wait!

Celebrate Good Times!

This past week at Epcot’s Eat to the Beat concert series we enjoyed the funky, energetic disco sounds of Kool & the Gang and the laid back, mellow sounds of Spyro Gyra…quite a contrast.

Tues. we arrived for the 6:30 performance of Kool & the Gang, and what a show it was! They started the set with 3 songs in a row with no break and had nearly everyone dancing in their seats. Being a self-proclaimed former disco queen, I was in heaven! After they slowed the tempo a bit, they launched into Ladies Night and invited all the ladies to stand up and dance. Oh, you don’t have to ask me twice! Shawn came down and even danced with one of the ladies while singing! The last song was Celebration!, and though it was hot and humid, nearly the entire audience was on their feet clapping, singing, and dancing! We’ve seen several great acts over the last few years at Epcot, but we both agreed this was the first group we’d seen that had the entire audience so involved. Of course, we stayed for the 7:45 show and were able to get seats in the 4th row. Almost from the moment they stepped onstage this time, they invited everyone to stand up and dance…oh, yeah, I was up immediately. This time when they started Ladies Night all the ladies were invited to come down to the stage. A lady seated in a wheelchair was at the end of our row, which was right at the end of the stage’s catwalk, so none of us were able to get through, but we were close enough to boogie anyway. The party continued on during Too Hot, Get Down On It, Jungle Boogie, and of course, Celebration! At one point several of the members came down the catwalk to jam with sax player, Dennis Thomas, amidst the partying crowd. They crammed a lot of songs into their half hour, and what a blast!












Now contrast this with Fri. night when we attended the 5:15 performance of Spyro Gyra, a jazz fusion band with such hits as Morning Dance and Shaker Song. There was no singing or dancing, and they only played 3 songs but each one lasted about 10 min. It was all just mellow and laid back on a day that wasn’t quite as hot and humid. Though I thoroughly enjoy their music, and we can now say that we've seen them in person, we could have just as easily popped in a CD at home and enjoyed them just as much.

There was a little excitement at the campground last weekend when a hot air balloon full of tourists landed right here at Lake Magic RV Resort only a few hundred feet from where we’re parked. Several companies offer balloon rides in the area so we regularly see them especially on Sun. mornings, sometimes seeing as many as 10 in the sky at a time. We don’t know exactly what happened to cause its descent, but it brought several folks out of their rigs, most with cameras in hand. The chase car showed up a few minutes later, maneuvering their way through the park to get to where the balloon had landed. All the passengers were told to stay in the basket until they could secure, anchor, and deflate the balloon, and help them out. Now there’s an unexpected twist to your ride!

Other than that it was doctor appointments and pretty much hangin’ out in the coach. Due to a follow-up appointment, the trip to the Everglades has been scratched but still plan to head to the Keys the following week.

Another Birthday at Disney!

With Russ’ birthday being Sept. 27, he definitely wanted to be back in Orlando so we could go to Disney World. The main reason being that had we gone with our original plan of not leaving St. Louis until the 29th, he would have missed the opportunity to receive his free Disney gift card because you have to pick it up on your birthday! We didn’t want to miss that by just a couple days! Since we have an annual pass and don’t need the free admission, the gift card equals the price of one day’s admission (currently $79) and can be used for merchandise in any of the parks. You may recall that I picked mine up on my birthday in March (for further information see Happy Birthday To Me!) and we’re saving both to use towards the end of the year when WDW will put its 2009 merchandise on sale. More bang for the buck!

We spent most of the day hanging out at the RV because 1) we were so tired from the long drive over the previous couple days, and 2) it was so blasted hot and humid! About 5:30pm we finally headed over to Epcot, where Russ got his gift card and Happy Birthday button to wear the rest of the day (this is always fun because as you walk around the park cast members (employees) and even other guests wish you Happy Birthday!) A couple days earlier the 13th annual International Food & Wine Festival had begun at Epcot, and for those of you who don't know, this festival is held for about 6 weeks each year offering food and beverage samples at nominal fees from more than 25 different countries. However, included during this event at no additional charge is the Eat to the Beat concert series held at the American Pavilion, featuring an incredible line-up of top name entertainment. The artists change every few nights, with three 40 minute shows nightly, and on the 27th it was Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (http://www.bbvd.com/), a modern swing band. Not really knowing anything about their music, we weren’t sure what to expect, but wow, were we pleasantly surprised! This 9-piece group was awesome! Their latest album is a tribute to Cab Calloway, and several numbers were performed from it as well as some original songs. In spite of the heat (felt like a sauna), we watched not only the 6:30 performance but also stayed around for the 7:45 show. If you ever get the chance to see this fun, high energy group perform, don’t miss it. Of course we finished the evening by watching the fireworks spectacular, Illuminations.

The next group we saw perform a few days later was Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas (http://www.mickeythomas.com/), and it was another awesome performance! He definitely hasn’t lost his voice, and the gal doing lead vocals with him (Stephanie Calvert) is amazing…man, can this gal sing! They sang such Starship hits as Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now, Sara, Somebody to Love, and had the place rockin’ with We Built This City. Again we stayed for two shows, enjoying every minute especially since

they were not exactly the same lineup of songs.

Instead of staying for the third show, we decided to walk around, seeing the sights, and checking out some of our other favorite things at Epcot. When we had arrived at 5pm, amazingly there were still Fast Passes left for Soarin’ and the timing worked out perfectly allowing us to board after 7:15, which was after the second show was over. From there we walked over to ride “Finding Nemo”, and then had time to see Turtle Talk with Crush and ride Spaceship Earth before Illuminations began. In case you’re new to our blog, you may wonder why we love going to Walt Disney World so much. To fully answer that question, click on the link and check out our blog post from 2007, So Why Disney World?

As I noted in our last post, we’re staying at Lake Magic RV Resort in Clermont, FL, just outside of Orlando and no more than 15 min. from Disney World. This is where we spent 4 months last winter, but since we are only here for a couple of weeks this time, we’re staying on the Coast to Coast plan and paying only $18/night. We’re located on the opposite side of the campground under the shade of a big, beautiful tree, one of only a few in the entire park. Even so, we’ve had to run both air conditioners 24/7 most of the time because it’s been so hot, even setting new record highs in the area.

Before arriving here, we learned that our friends from New York, Susan and Chris, had purchased a vacation rental home in the area. As it turns out, the place is only 5 minutes away, and they happen to be in town this week. So Fri. night we dropped by their place with pizza and beer in hand to welcome them to the area. They’ve been busy redecorating the place and already have quite a number of rentals lined up, but saving a few weeks here and there for themselves. No pictures this time, but we’re looking forward to more visits this winter.

The rest of our time here so far has been spent mainly going to doctor appointments and getting lab work done. As I mentioned in April, surgery has been recommended to remove the scarred and narrowed section of my colon, and one of the appointments was with a surgeon. To our dismay, he is not recommending it be done laparoscopically because of the scarring but rather conventionally, meaning longer recovery time. Though I could have had the surgery in a couple of weeks, we’ve decided to wait till after the first of the year when we’ll be settled in one place for several months. We’ve got another week here before heading even further south towards the Everglades and the Keys for a few weeks. Later gator!