So, I am no longer in maintanance. Last weekend the volunteer supervisor called me and asked if i would change positions, after talking it over i said, what ever the park needs, i am fine with. With that, i am now an Open Ranger, this positon is sometimes given to a volunteer, but the volunteer is always with a park ranger during the shift. I will not have a park ranger with me and will be on my own during my shift. This is normally never done, the simple reason is that a number of park rangers have retired, and a few have just left. So the park is extremely short handed right now.

So what is an open ranger, well they open the park for the day basically. There are about 30 specified tasks that need to be done in order to do that, from opening gates, putting the 5 flags up, opening bathhouses, cleaning beaches, blowing leaves out of walk ways and parking areas,getting weather data from the other park, etc , etc,. The park opens at 7:45, so guess what , i now get up at 6:00 A.M. and start my shift at 6:45 A.M., for me that’s too damn early, but i have agreed to it. I have completed my three days of training and they feel i am ready to start on my own. My first day will be Nov 2nd. I am sure i can do it, i just am not used to getting up that early.

For now that’s about it, the weather is still mid 80’s every day ,and more sunshine of late. Today both of us went in the ocean for a little swim ,and snorkeling.

Yep, feel like a duck ,it has rained here everyday we have been here, except yesterday, which was a beauty of a day. It has been in the mid 80’s also which brings in the humidity. The far out Atlantic, is very warm and bringing in storms, normally they are over by now, but not this year. Forecast maybe ten more days of rainy weather.

Meanwhile our first week of work camping is over, we both put in our three days, 20 hour work week, (Funny, work week, ha). I am in maintanance and Melissa is at the aquarium. Other than that, not much else, till next week.

So, we are pretty settled here now at our spot for our work camping job. We both start tomorrow. We also both seem to be way more at ease than last year, as we had no idea what to expect. The weather here has been some sun, pop up thunderstorms and windy, at times. Temps are in the mid 80’s. Normally the storms are over but not yet for this year. This is now our 3rd year coming to this park in the winter, and second time work camping. Below is some points of interest of our travels down here.

• We have now been full timing for 2 years plus, where does the time go.
• I now have 12,000 total miles towing the 5er, still can’t back up.
• Towed the 5er this trip, 1,973 miles from our home base to here.
• Took us 13 days to get here, drove 10 of those days.
• Ran the truck on medium grade high test gas this time, it ran very well.
• Spent $800.00 or so on gas to get here.
• Spent $510 on camp fees to get here.
• When we left i was wearing long pants, when we got here, i was wearing shorts.
• All my long pants are put away for at least 9 months.
• Our first night out we had the heat on, the last night out before we got here the air conditioner was on.
• Elevation above sea level, at home base is 580 feet, elevation above sea level here at our spot is less than 12 inchs.
• Lastly, WE will not miss the winters up north.

Bike Path in Pendleton

The 2 places I worked this summer, Brown Electric and Pendleton Star Pharmay. I had the opportunity to work with incredible people. Thanks once again!

Having one of Dave’s good grilled dinners!

Two of our favorite places we visited a few times this summer

Popcorn at Bye’s and ice cream at Reid’s, who can resist?

We celebrated 4th of July with Doug & Jennifer at their house. The pics are of all the neighbors showing off their works.

Still had a few things left from selling our house, have just a tiny bit now!

Hangin out with great folks

My parents took me and my sister here when we were little. We went here again and it was even more delicious then I remember. O.K. I’m going to be like Dave and give a little history about the place. I wish I had some Now!

Hibbard’s Original Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard opened in April of 1939 in a small 25’ X 25’ building which is where it still is. Recently, after doing some extensive research, it was discovered that Hibbard’s Original Frozen Custard is the sixth oldest family-owned, continuously operated frozen custard stand in the United States which still operates from its original location.

Why Hibbard’s custard is so good…. the main reason for Hibbard’s deliciousness (besides the fact that it’s made fresh throughout the day) is that in the design of the custard machine, less air gets pumped into custard. Leaving you with a creamier and much richer treat than ice cream. Hibbard’s custard will put your ordinary soft serve ice cream to shame.

Stayed at Sleepy Hollow and met with some old friends!😊

Our time has come to say farewell to the cabin in Holland.  We have been going there for about 27 years. When Doug & Jennifer first took us there we were just sleeping in our trucks. Then started building a new cabin, taking down the old cabin and rebuilding a shed in its place.   Lots of good memories.

The pictures below are of Dave’s and mine last two times at the cabin in Holland.

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Putting up a plaque in memory of our Dad. He really liked it here.

Leaving the cabin and property in Holland was like saying good-bye to a dear old friend.

The saddest thing about burning a bridge is realizing that you can never get back to the beautiful place it used to take you. Unknown

We didn’t realize we were making memories we just knew we were having fun. Unknown

We are now in Key Largo at John Pennekamp State park. We will be work camping here until Jan 1st 2021. I am glad we are now here. Drove 190 miles today from La Belle. It was an OK drive, but getting into our volunteer site here was tight, I mean real tight, took me 45 minutes to get in. Had the help of a few volunteers, while backing in. We are sort of in the middle of the site, so in a few days I may jocky around a little to one side for more room on the door side. It was way over 90 today, hot and humid, will have some rain tonight. We do not have to start work until Tuesday, after we get re-orianated on Monday. For now that’s it. Picture below is of our site.

We are now near Fort Myers, staying one night at Ortano Corps of Engineer park. We have been here before, its nice but not near anything. Today we drove 173 miles . Last night we thought it might be best if we just stayed right off interstate 75 in Fort Myers at the Cracker Barrel. This way we would not have to travel east about 35 miles to get here. So that’s what we planned. We got to the Cracker Barrel before 2 pm, and unhitched, then i went and got gas. When i got back i thought what are we going to do all day, plus with no power to the Rv (as it was 90 today) i mention to Melissa lets just go to Ortano. So, while we were already at Cracker Barrel we decide to have a early dinner. We sat outside, which was nice as we could have Cooper with us, (did not want to leave him in the hot truck.) It was nice i had ice tea ,and the trout dinner with fries and green beans, Melissa had water and the chicken pot pie. After that we drove here and set up, glad we did, even though it is a little out of the way. Tomorrow we head to Key Largo. Pictures below of our site.

We are near Tampa now at the state park, we have been here before. The park is right along the Hillsborough river. Pretty large sites and in the woods, marsh areas. Today drove 193 miles , nice drive and nice weather. Here for one night then on to Fort Myers area tomorrow.

Picture of our site.

We are now in Florida, all be it at the top, but Florida, land of the live oak trees covered in moss, palm trees, and sunshine. We have been here before and like it. Today we drove 234 miles, it was a good day driving, the four hours seemed to just go by, still traffic, but the roads by far were very good. Here for one night, it’s 84 here and now sunny. We are all doing good, and not much else for now. Picture below is of our spot

We are now near Macon Georgia, at High Falls State Park, we have been here before. We left earlier this morning than we usually do, mostly because we were awake early, it rained all night and hard at times, remints of Delta. However when we got up it stopped and we were able to hitch up and leave. The site we had has a tight bend when you leave and downhill, boy did the 5er moan as i made the turn. It rained on and off all day as we made our way down here. Plus traffic again was bad ,and we hit a traffic jam, right before Atlanta, lasted about an hour ,stop and go. I was frustrated today, people just think they can dart in front of you or tail gate behind. We drove 234 miles today, the most of the trip so far. Tonight i think i will just sit in the recliner and rest, no tv music, nothing. Picture of our spot here below.

Today was not the wash out we thought it would be. So we did a few things and found out more about the park. So my first history lesson in a very long time.

Yesterday when we went to Walmart to shop a little, I spotted a Waffle House, yep this morning we went there for breakfast. It was so so service, but the food is always good, could of been a little hotter, Coffee is great. Now i am happy.

After that we went into the park and visited another family cemetery. Up until 1939 there were about 250 families living in the park boundries. Six family cemeteries are here. My post last year on the park had a bit on one of them. This one was the Lee family

After that we went back to the Rv and started to clean it a little inside, has been a while, about noon, we decided to take a hike on the nature trail, about 1.5 miles, after a while i told Melissa i think we are on the wrong trail, sure enough we were on the Fairforest creek trail, 3.5 miles long. OOPS , then it started to rain, harder and harder, we backtracked a little to a side trail that led along the road, for the last mile or so. In total we hiked 4 miles, and got pretty wet.

After we got back i went and took a nice hot shower, AAAH it waas nice. Melissa of course wore a rain jacket, not me ????.

Now for some history on the park which was first named Camp Croft. Built on 9000 acres back in 1939, it was a army training camp. In all 250,000 men were trained here during the war. 16,000 came in at a time and They trained in everything you could think of, in there 16 weeks of training. Then shipped off to the war, mostly Europe or the pacific. After the war, 7000 acres were sold to the state to make the park, and 2000 remain as camp Croft recreation area. All over the place and on all the trails you see signs, not beware of bears, but beware of live explosives. As a training site everything from hand grenades, bazooka rounds, anti tank rounds, artillery rounds were used here, lots did not go off. They are all over and they tell you that. Be neat to find a grenade!!!!. WHY didn’t we notice this last time we were here, HUH

So there you have it, tomorrow we leave(most likely in the rain) for Georgia