March 23-28

Monday morning we left Cypress Woods by 8 am for a 4-5 hour drive to Islamorada in the Florida Keys. The temperatures continued in the high 80’s and where quite humid but the A/C in the RV kept us comfortable as we drove along Alligator Alley and eventually on Hwy 1.

We arrived at our site at San Pedro RV park and where set up by 1 pm. It was a tight spot to get the RV into and nothing special, but it was basically across the street from my brother’s condo, so very convenient. Shortly after, Stephen and Sue arrived at our site by bike for a reunion and some cold beer. After some catching up, we got our bikes out and the 4 of us went for a tour of the area and their condo. We came back to the RV later to freshen up as we would get picked up at 5 to head out with them as they had been invited to a friend’s BBQ in Key Largo in an RV park. The host Tony (and wife – can’t remember her name) were having about 16 people over for the evening. They have a great spot right on the water and we enjoyed the BBQ and meeting my brother’s friends that evening. Another camper in the park, a retired Boston Fire Chief came by later to play the bagpipes for us. He wasn’t too bad for only starting to learn 4 years ago.

Tuesday’s plan was to head off to the sandbar after lunch at Dillon’s. It would prove to be another HOT day, so what better spot to be than in the cool ocean waters at the Sandbar! Water temp was about 84 degree and it felt great. After a few hours out there we headed back to freshen up for another night out. We must say, Jazz was a real trooper with very little outside time. I’m sure with the heat she enjoyed the cool RV A/C. After freshening up, we were off to the Marina for happy hour with some more of Stephen and Sue’s friends they made when they lived in a boat there. We met a fun bunch of people and I partook in a few games of corn hole.

As the sun was setting, a few of the men grabbed their conch shells and in island tradition, they blew their “horns” to celebrate the sunset and praise the transition of the day into the night.  Off to the Ocean View restaurant for dinner.

Wednesday morning I was up early for a short bike ride with Stephen before we headed down to Key West (KW) for a couple of nights.

We arrived in KW after some shopping in Marathon around noon. As we were going into KW for the evening, we decided to have a “lupper” (lunch and supper) at 3 so we could catch the 4 o’clock bus to town. We had BBQ’d salmon with rice and salad. The bus took about 45 minutes with many stops for the 5 mile ride into town. For those that don’t know, we have been to KW a few times before, so we are pretty familiar with the streets, the sights, restaurants and the bars! If you haven’t been here before, KW is quite unique and very eclectic with beautiful old homes and interesting people. It also has a lot of history. (put it on your must visit list)

At 5 o’clock it was still quite hot, so after a short stay at Louie’s Backyard, it was off the our favourite dive bar, the Green Parrot – go figure! This place is a KW tradition dating back to 1890 and in some respects it looks like it, filled with locals and tourists. We left here at about 6:30 and headed to Mallory Sq. to join the hundreds of people to watch the sunset. This is a nightly KW tradition filled with buskers, magicians and musicians entertaining as the sun is setting. After sunset, we headed over to the Schooner Wharf Grill for some appetizers and listen to some great live music. The last bus leaving town was at 9:30, so we were on it heading home. The outside temp was still over 80 back at camp.

Thursday’s plan was to bike into town for the morning for breakfast and some shopping. At 8:30 we headed in for a 5 mile ride along the west side (marina) of KW. The temp was good and sun wasn’t too high so it was a nice ride in. We parked our bikes outside Two Friends restaurant and had breakfast as it was one of the top rated places on Trip advisor.  And it was. We then headed out to do some shopping, loading up on lots of souvenirs and stuff! We packed a small duffle bag and managed to buy enough things to stuff it full. At 12:20, we headed out along the east side of the island by all the beaches which turned out to be the longer way home… in the heat of the day! We arrived back at the site at 1:30 quite exhausted due to the heat. We spent a cool afternoon at the site and by the pool.

Thursday night we took the bus in later planning to bring a cab home. The bus was able to drop us at our first stop – the Green Parrot as we knew they had a 5 member band starting at 5:30. We stayed and watched them for about an hour then headed towards the  Schooner Wharf again to watch the sunset from their 2nd floor deck and listen to their live music – 2 guys with their steel drums and guitars. They were called the Island Time Band and as you can imagine they played lots of our favourites with an island theme. They even had there own song called Minnesotaville played to the music of Margaritaville. Fun! After a little more carousing around Olde Town KW, we grabbed a cab at about 10:15 and headed back to camp.

Friday morning we were relocating about 35 miles north, so we had a sleep in and a later start. After some gas and groceries in Marathon, we landed at Jolly Roger Campgrounds on Grassy Key shortly after noon. A change in the weather was about to occur, but yesterday was still a hot day. We spent some time at the pool then played some scrabble and managed to get our dinner/BBQ completed just before the winds and rain started. The awning went in and outside stuff went under the RV for a rainy and blustery night ahead. It’s hard to believe we are saying this, but today is 72 deg at time of writing and we are enjoying the cooler temps.

Tomorrow we head north for a longer drive to Cape Canaveral for 3 nights.

That’s this weeks scoop (or poop) from the perch!

 

Mar 22

As mentioned in our last post, we were invited to a Wii bowling tournament yesterday afternoon (for happy hour), just down the street from us.

It was serious business with about 14 teams of two and three “lanes” (systems set up). Neither Kathy or I have used a Wii system or stick before. Lets just say that Kathy picked up on it better than I did and she made it to the semi finals with her new friend Bob as her partner. (see Pic) She even was able to play a game against her brother Wayne and another game against Lynn.

 

 

March 13-23, 2015

Our drive to Ft Myers was smooth and quick compared to our morning drive on Friday. We took Hwy I 75 the entire way and fortunately there were no slowdowns heading south. We arrived at Cypress Woods RV Resort at 5:30 pm and were immediately warmly greeted by my Brother Wayne and Sister-in-Law Lynn and welcomed to our new home for the next 10 days. We were very fortunate to be able to set up on a  empty site owned by good friends of Wayne and Lynn’s who were not able to go south this winter and it is just a few doors down from Wayne and Lynn’s site. Thank you so much Jean and George!! Your site is  absolutely beautiful (as  is the entire Cypress Woods Resort) and we have really enjoyed our stay here. We refer to our site as staying at The Taj Mahal in comparison to any other RV site we have stayed at during our entire trip! (See pics)

Once we were set up, we joined Wayne and Lynn at their site for a few cold drinks during which time my Sister Donna and Brother-in-law Wayne arrived to greet us and also welcome us to Ft Myers. Donna and Wayne are staying in a lovely Condo at The Verandah Resort just a 10 minute drive from Cypress Woods. They have been there for the months of February and March. We had a great visit getting caught up with one another. It was so nice to finally be with Family again after so many months on the road.

As it had been a long hot day and lots of driving, we made it an early to bed night after an easy dinner of left overs.

On Saturday we awoke to beautiful sunshine and the day promised temperatures in the high 80’s which is what we have had every day we have been here. We have been waiting for this beautiful HOT weather all winter long and we finally have it!! First thing in the morning, Rob washed the RV and I gave Jazz her weekly combing. I then spent a couple hours at the pool and we then had a lazy afternoon until Happy Hour at 4 pm at which time we joined Donna and Wayne at Wayne and Lynn’s site for drinks and then a delicious “Welcome to Cypress Woods” steak dinner followed by wonderful Key Lime pie. Thank you Wayne and Lynn for making us feel so welcome and for touring us around the area all this week. (See pics)

On Sunday, Lynn and I were picked up by Donna at 11:30 am and off we went for a bit of shopping. I was searching for new bedding but I wasn’t able to find what I was looking for. But we had a great day anyway and I did pick up a few other things. While we were out, the guys went out shopping as well and Rob was able to find new walking sandals which he had been looking for for quite some time. So everyone had a good shopping spree. We then all returned to Wayne and Lynn’s and watched the Nascar race on their patio for a while. We returned back to our RV to watch the end of the race and then had Pork Tenderloin on the BBQ for dinner.

Monday was a quiet day spent lazing around the pool and reading at the RV site.  We had Wayne and Lynn over to our place for dinner that night and BBQ’d some chicken and sausages to go with with my Italian scalloped potatoes and Caesar salad.

Tuesday was St Patrick’s Day so Wayne and Lynn and Rob and I met Donna and Wayne and 2 of Donna’s friends who had arrived from London, Ont  on Sunday night in downtown Ft Myers at 4 pm. Ft Myers had closed down the main streets downtown and were holding a St Patrick’s Day street party from 4 pm til 10 pm with lots of food, drinks and live music. We thought to beat the crowds we should have an early dinner before joining in on the street party so the 8 of us had a nice dinner at Ford’s Garage (named after Henry Ford) See pics. It is quite a unique restaurant with a  Model T replica suspended over the Bar area which blew out fake exhaust (dry ice) from it’s tailpipe every half hour or so. In the washrooms, the sinks were car tires and the faucets were gas pump nozzles. It was a neat place! I had a really good Lamb Burger and even the bun it was on had the Ford logo on it. (See pic)

After dinner we roamed the streets listening to music and enjoying a few libations. We particularly enjoyed listening to a local band from Matlacha named The Hypnauticals.  Rob and I didn’t have any green clothing to wear for St Paddy’s day so we dug out the green beads from our Mardi Gras collection and all 8 of us wore the beads as we enjoyed the festivities.

Wednesday morning came early as the guys had a golf game arranged for 8:45 am and we girls had planned to go to Donna’s condo resort to go kayaking from 8:30 am til 10:30 am. It was a beautiful morning for kayaking and we were happy that we had planned our ride before the real heat of the day hit. Lynn and I rode in one double kayak and Donna and her friend Michelle rode in another double kayak. I must say that Lynn and I were very synchronized kayakers and we had a fun ride down the Orange River and back. We didn’t see any alligators thank goodness but we did see  birds and turtles on our ride. We then went back to Donna’s condo for a delicious brunch. Thanks Donna!

We then  returned to Cypress Woods where Jazz was patiently waiting for us in the comfort of the cool A/C in the RV. The guys had a good time golfing and after lunch they returned home at around 1:30 pm. The rest of the day and evening was quiet time.

Thursday was another early morning as we had rented a Pontoon boat at Ft Myers Beach and had to be there for 9:30 am to get all the paper work done. Wayne, Lynn, Rob, Jazz and I met Donna and Wayne and Donnas 2 friends Michelle and Susie at the Fish Tales Marina and by 10 am we were on board the boat and ready to go. We were also joined by another group of 8 people from Cypress Woods who had a Pontoon Boat rented as well. As their Captain had been on these waterways a few times before, we followed them for the day. Our Captains, Wayne Peck and Rob did a fine job of navigating the vessel. We had a wonderful day out on the water. It was another really hot day but there was no better place to be but on the water enjoying the beautiful scenery and the breeze. Even Jazz enjoyed her first pontoon boat ride. (see pics)

We had lunch and snacks out on the water and returned to the Marina around 4 pm. With all that sun and heat, we were all very tired so after returning back to Cypress Woods, to drop Jazz off at the RV, Wayne, Lynn, Rob and I went to the Texas Roadhouse nearby for dinner and then early to bed soon after.

On Friday, Wayne and Lynn took us on a tour to Pine Island which we really enjoyed. We first stopped off to see Ozzie and Harriot’s  nest and were able to see their new baby E6 sitting on a branch just outside of the nest. Ozzie and Harriot are bald eagles and are well known in the Ft Myers area and have many faithful followers watching them daily. Sadly, Ozzie was injured just a few days ago and is presently being cared for in a rehab facility as he has a broken clavicle. So. Harriot is all on her own for several weeks now taking care of her baby. (See pics)

After a nice drive, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant right on the water on the Island. We were able to see 2 Manatees while we were there which was fun . (See pics) After lunch we headed back home but stopped on the way to go grocery shopping as our frig and freezer were looking quite empty.

Today, Saturday, we have been invited to some of Wayne and Lynn’s neighbours for a Happy Hour party at 4 pm where we will participate in a Wii Bowling tournament. This should be very interesting as Rob and I have never used a Wii before so we will have no idea how to do it. Apparently there is suppose to be 30 or more people at the party.  Rob combed Jazz first thing this morning and we will spend the day by the pool until it is time to get ready for Happy Hour later.  Tonight for dinner we will BBQ some fresh Salmon we picked up yesterday.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Ft Myers. Donna and Wayne have invited the 4 of us over to their condo tomorrow afternoon to watch the Nascar race and for dinner so that will be a nice way to spend our final day here.

On Monday morning, we will head out early to drive to the Florida Keys where we will spend the next 6 nights. Stay tuned for our adventures in the Keys. Key West here I come!! Yahoo!!!

We will squawk again at the end of next week.

 

 

 

March 10-13

We arrived in Cedar Key and out RV park  (Sunset Isles) to friendly waves from fellow campers.  Shortly after, as we were setting up and sweating, we met Mary our neighbor who was coming back from the Schwan’s food truck (they sell frozen desserts, entrée’s, etc) with a box of ice cream bars offering us a couple! How nice and it actually cooled me down a bit. We read many good reviews about Cedar Key and especially this park and we received that same “vibe” very quickly.

First let’s talk about Cedar Key (CK). If you were to look at a Florida map, you will soon realize this place is remote with only one road in and out – 28 miles from Hwy 19.  It’s a great road that’s quiet and definitely worth the drive. Our first impression once in town was that of a “maritime” village. CK began as a fishing and clamming community back in 1859 and continues that tradition today. Today, 95 % of “farm-raised” clams in the U.S. come from here. Biking around the town’s streets offers up lots of history with older homes and evidence of fishermen and clammers all around with boats, traps, etc.. This is one destination we would like to revisit for a longer stay. The downtown area is small and quaint and biking around it was fun.

On Tuesday after setting up, we walked around the small park to check out the facilities and meet some of the other campers. In the friendlier parks, other campers are very anxious to tell “newbies” about the park and the area you arrived at. It was getting late in the afternoon and the first thing we learned was there was a Tiki Bar about 500 feet down the road, so we wandered down there and talked to more tourists picking up more information about the area, the local restaurants, etc. We enjoyed a nice sunset and back to camp for dinner.

Wednesday, we woke to warm temps and high UV’s. We unhooked the bikes and biked an easy 1.3 miles to town where we first toured the cemetery and boardwalk/park area north of the downtown area. After a walk on the boardwalk, we headed to the “downtown area” which is comprised of a short main street and a gulf front area where the fishermen and tourists hangout. It’s comprised of a a couple of large fishing piers and 4-5 restaurants with the same number of “tourist” stores. (no I didn’t by another T-shirt!) We where there for lunch time an managed to find a nice spot right on the water on the second floor with great views of the many surrounding keys. By the time we had arrived back to camp after it struck us that we had gotten quite a bit of sun as it took a couple of hours to cool down in the shade and played some Scrabble. A steak BBQ was on the schedule for dinner. No complaints.

Thursday we awoke to another warm and humid day – not complaining!! After breakfast, we decided to walk to town for some more exercise and took our furry friend with us. We basically walked into town, but some of “Tony’s” world famous clam chowder in a condensed can and a couple of grocery items. Tony, a local won the world championship in New England 2009,10 and 11 and they retired his recipe into the Chowder Hall of Fame. No one has ever done that before and he doesn’t need to compete anymore. We’ll try it someday soon. After arriving back to the camp, we had a light lunch and then it was beauty salon time! Thank goodness the A/C works well in the RV. Later in the afternoon we played some Rummikub. We had a quiet evening visiting the Tiki Bar for only one cold one. The sunset was too great, so we were back home early.

Friday we were up early, packed and on the road by 8:30am heading to St. Petersburg Beach area (Indian Shores) to visit with my sister Cheryl and brother-in-law Doug.  Parking was an issue in the area, as was finding an RV park, so what started as an overnighter in a Walmart lot for the night ended up with a short visit at their condo and lunch out. With the rising temps, dry camping as well as Jazz spending time in the RV wasn’t going to work. After lunch, we parted ways around 2:30 and continued down the road another 130 miles to Ft. Myers. We arrived at Cypress Woods around 5:30 to a greeting from Kathy’s brother Wayne and sister in law Lynn.  Our new and beautiful home for the next 9 nights! See pics.

We’ll squawk in a week or so!!!

 

 

March 10 – 7

Today (Tuesday) we arrived in Cedar Key as we left the Florida Panhandle and headed to south Florida. We had a longer driving day compared to the last few weeks with about 240 miles. Keep in mind, 240 miles (almost 400 km’s) is longer in an RV and especially when you are taking the “scenic route” along the coast through small towns like Port St. Joe, Apalachicola, Carrabelle and Sopchoppy. We left Mexico Beach after spending three relaxing days in a much slower paced beach town vs. the commercialism of Panama Beach, Destin and Pensacola Beach. Today was a sunny drive with temps in the 80’s. As we left Apalachicola (apa-lachi-cola) –easy right!….and spotted several schools of dolphins alongside the causeway.

Yesterday (Monday) was a quieter day with overcast skies and temps in the mid 70’s. Not hard to take. We did some household chores, went for bike ride around the town and did some reading – outdoors. During the bike ride, we just happened to stumble across a custom painted golf cart – was Jimmy in town? Likely not, but we had to take some pic’s of this beauty. (see below)

Sunday was a “funday”, as the weather was excellent up to 80+ with  bright sunshine. We started out the morning by going out for an early walk with Jazz walking a good 4-5 miles and came back to the RV for a late morning brunch – omelet, sausage, bacon and raisin bread toast. After this amazing meal cooked by yours truly, we donned our bathing suites, beach chairs, towels and books and headed to the beach for the afternoon. (yes we had a couple of cool ones in the cooler as well). What a great afternoon on the beach! Later in the afternoon we needed to check out the beach bar and grill (Toucan’s) right behind us to get a status update on the NASCAR race. A Gulf side seat, a pitcher of beer and the race is on – no complaints! We arrived back at the RV to see the final few laps of the race and it was time to BBQ some ribs. Yep they were meaty and delicious………..hmm, hmmm, hmmm.

Saturday, we arrived at Mexico Beach in the early afternoon to a “campground” called Rustic Sands. It was a bit rustic, but wait it gets better…….First of all, with our Passport America membership, 3 nights with tax cost $73 total including full hookup, cable and lighting quick wi-fi! Accountants like that sort of value!!!

The owner of the park informed us as we checked in that on Saturday nights they have live entertainment, food and happy hour in the clubhouse (see pics), so we decided to scratch our meal plans for the night and check it out. First of all, let’s get rid of the bad – the food – the wings (M&M style where not thoroughly heated through and were cold. The homemade pizza – OK, would be a stretch but it was edible).  On a positive note, happy hour for $2 gave you a beer or as Kathy had, a glass of their finest Cabernet – about 10 oz served in a styrofoam cup.  Not a big deal, as it actually tasted OK. Now the best for the night was the entertainment. (see pic) Randy and Art (the postman-yes really). Randy played the guitar and sang and Art looked like he was from ZZ Top with a long grey beard and cowboy hat playing the saxophone. What a sound combination that worked. The two of them were amazing…. really! We watched a couple of sets and really enjoyed their music and ability to relate to the crowd. They are regulars every Saturday. What a fun night.

One last fact for the Mexico Beach area. Saturday night/Sunday was time to change the clocks for day light savings. That was OK, however Mexico Beach lies right on the central and eastern time zone line so whenever an event was posted they had to list CST. We thought at first we would be losing 2 hours that night, but the “line” was 1 mile east so Tuesday we would lose the other hour.

Have a great week.