Thursday, October 29, 2020

'20/#23 Settling In, Once Again

 Well here we are in our home for the winter, Ocala Florida. We have been through Ocala many times but have never really stayed here so we will get to know this part of Florida a little bit better. This park is very nice and well maintained. It is sure to be a good place to winter. The Snowbirds are not here yet but starting the first of November they will be flocking into the park as well as the rest of Florida. With Covid19 we are not sure about the migration of the Canadian Snowbird population. Only time and the Canadian government will tell.

The RV is just about all set up and we have spent the past two days getting our bearings. Grocery stores, drug stores, Walmart, and the ever popular "dollar" stores are always on our list to find. Even though the park has it's own laundry we will find a local laundromat because the park facility is not that large and can easily become overwhelmed. There are many restaurants we want to try in the area and some of our favorites are not far away.

We start our workcamping this weekend and will be working for our site and electric. I am sure we will get involved in whatever activities they can safely provide while maintaining safe practices during this Corona pandemic. We will see how things unfold as time goes on.

Onto another topic. Tuesday is election day, November 3rd. It is always important to vote but this year there are too many things going on for apathy to be any part of the election process.If you haven't already voted make sure you do by Tuesday. This government is of the people, by the people, and for the people but only if the people do their part and VOTE! Only if the people vote will the country be run as the majority of the people want. No matter how you vote remember that voting is the American way to be heard.

I am signing off now and will be watching the election results from our home in Ocala, Florida of the USA because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

Monday, October 12, 2020

'20/#22 Home Is Where?

 What is home? Some say it is where you live. Some say It is where you are from. Some say it is a house and some say it is more about where your heart is. As RVers we always say home is where we park it. But when people want an answer that is a more permanent location we say home is where our heart is and that is where our children, grandchildren, and friends from our past are. That would make home Pinellas County Florida. Why all the "home" talk? Well here we are back in Florida. We are still in the panhandle but will be back in the Bay Area soon.

This winter we will be staying in Florida, not in the Bay Area, but within a short drive. We are looking forward to seeing family and friends that we haven't seen in several years. Our time out west was enjoyable but we are planning to stay on the east coast for a few years. That means winters in Florida for those years. 

Well, we have one more day of driving before we are "home". We have a few appointments and some business to take care of and then we we will head to our winter location in Ocala FL. That will make Ocala our home for the winter. 

So I will be heading to bed soon so that we can get an early start tomorrow from our home in Cottondale FL because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

Thursday, October 8, 2020

'20/#21 Got Those Wheels Rolling

 South Dakota is finally in our rear view mirror. We are on our way to our winter destination in Florida with a few stops along the way. This winter will be the first time we have been in Florida for an extended stay in four years. It will give us time with friends and family whom we have missed during that time.

The day we left Hermosa was sunny and in the mid 70's with little wind. In other words a perfect day to travel. Our first day was a straight shot accross I-90. Once the cruise control was set all I had to do is make sure we didn't run out of fuel. It was an uneventful first day on the road which is a good thing in the RVing community. Our first stop was Sioux Falls just 360 miles down the road. It doesn't sound like much but that is a good day when towing a big RV. The fatigue factor when towing will shorten your day substantially from just driving a car. Also we lost an hour going from MST to CST.

Day two we planned on 400 miles which is about what we call our maximum travel day. On the road by 6:30am and a comfortable drive put us at our destination with time to set up before dinner time.  This is the stretch of road that takes us through Iowa. In our travels we have driven through Iowa a number of times and have never been disappointed in the poor quality of the roads as well as the nothingness we have seen. I am sure there is some redeeming quality to Iowa, but for us the only reason to drive through Iowa is to avoid the miles it takes to drive around Iowa. 

We are at a very nice RV park just off the interstate in Peculiar, MO. Yes, the town is called Peculiar! Don't know why and at this moment it is not important because we are just staying for the one night. Today we will start our day a little bit later. We can sleep in and relax before our next drive of just 200 miles to our next destination. We will stay a couple of days and see some friends before continuing our trek south.

I will sign off now and enjoy my lazy morning and a couple of cups of coffee before we take our odd ball life down the road from our home in Peculiar, MO because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary