On the road again

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Once more our time on public land came to an end (and all our holding tanks were getting pretty full) so we moved back to Orlando which was our first stop in Florida. Now that we know the ropes we are so much more comfortable finding a site and backing into it. Our routine for setting up and packing up is very efficient and takes us less and less time to the point that we often feel we forgot to do something. So far we haven't forgotten to bring down the antenna (I hear lots of people do that) or worse, retracting the awning (now how in hell does someone drive off with a big awning still deployed and not notice?). We have found a better configuration for the inside of the trailer giving us more room at the door to take out our large patio chairs and table and the bicycles. We find that it's not much of a bother to bring the bikes in for moving and it protects them from the elements. While stationary we keep them alongside the trailer, under the awning which keeps them nice and dry and out of the sun. Both bikes are locked to the stairs of our home but I don't think it's really necessary to lock them as people seem to leave a lot of things outside their RVs with no worries. I haven't heard of anyone getting something stolen but why take the chance.

We decided to go visit a heritage village in Clermont which was very small with just a few houses from the 1900s but a lovely site right by a beautiful lake with a huge fishing pier. We then strolled through town but didn't find anything really interesting except perhaps a few antique stores. The big draw to Clermont is the lakeside bike/walking trail. I forgot that there was a restaurant right by the lake that seemed interesting and surely delivered a nice view.

Pa Glen rocking away on the porch

The beautiful bike and walk trail in Clermont.

Before reaching the Heritage Village we passed a cute pond with a fountain where different species of shore birds were enjoying the sun and the water.

A cormorant drying his wings

A juvenile Ibis

A wood stork

A Little Blue Heron

A Great Egret or a White Heron (just like the Great Blue Heron but white - in Florida only)

Our days here seem to consist of reading in the morning and then taking Cheeka for her daily walk through the trails in the afternoon. We did go to the lovely pool which greets us with sunshine and tepid water that is just refreshing enough without feeling cold. There are plenty of loungers around the pool to let everyone have a spot to sunbathe. There is another pool called the activity pool. It has an even depth of 4' to make it easy to use for water volleyball or aqua fitness which I keep missing.

We also visited the dog shelter in Orlando which is the nicest such facility I have ever seen. Each dog has a huge indoor/outdoor run, the building is air-conditioned and they have large play areas/meeting areas outside that are covered in fake grass and kept immaculately clean. One of those outside paddocks contains some agility obstacles and they do use them to test a dog's braveness. One dog we looked at went right through a long tunnel all by himself. The volunteer who was handling the dog said it was the first time a dog went through that tunnel. I really liked that dog but she was a pit bull mix and Glen thought we might have trouble explaining why we have such a dog when we go back to Ontario. There are so many pit bulls at the shelter it breaks my heart. Where do they all come from? They are all friendly and playful. Unfortunately, many dogs have heartworm disease which requires a long time to heal and while in treatment the dog must be cage bound. There are no guarantees that the dog will recover and it's also impossible to know from the blood test how advanced the disease is. It's really sad to see a healthy looking sweet dog that hopes to be adopted but has a disease that will keep most prospective takers away. Heartworm is very prevalent in Florida. Thank God we kept Cheeka on her heartworm medicine!

Going to the shelter is in the same direction as going to Disney World, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. As you near these parks the street starts to sprout a lot of souvenir shops, all painted differently and wildly to attract attention. It's kind of fun to see. That street (I believe it's the 192) also has a number of elaborate mini-golf parks with huge waterfalls and fake mountains. It sure would be fun to play on those courses!

Just before leaving the campground we discovered another trail that started beside the dog park. There were wild oranges growing alongside the trail. I picked one and brought it back to the trailer. I was excited to eat it but it was extremely sour, more like a grapefruit and had tons of seeds. I threw it out after the first bite.

Our front yard.

The beautiful calm lake.

Boats and kayaks available for the campers use.

This little bird would dart in and out of a bush on our campsite and forage through the leaves for bugs.

Now we are off to a new free site called Kicco (pronounced Kisso). It will be fun to explore a new location!

Leaving you with these beautiful dawn pictures taken by Glen while I was still sleeping.

Hickory Hammock one more time!

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How we love going to Hickory Hammock Equestrian Campground! We get a free site, lots of privacy, hosts that leave their own dogs loose so we feel comfortable letting Cheeka go free and lots of trails and wildlife. What more could you ask for? Spending one's birthday there!

My birthday was the best ever! Being born in January is no picnic - literally you never get a picnic on your birthday - it's always cold and miserable and it's right after Christmas so nobody knows what to give you as a gift because you already got what you wanted for Christmas. But spending my birthday in Florida was very different. First, I was with the man I love who is very sweet and takes care of me very well. He gave me a very nice card that expressed how he feels in much better words than he'll ever come up with, then he gave me gifts of chocolate (the most decadent), a book (a dog story of course) and a T-shirt. Then the weather was fabulous (28 C) so I sat outside in the sun with an icy drink. We had to go to town so we decided to have lunch there - something we haven't done in a very long time due to our strict budget. We lunched at Chili's, a nice pub-like restaurant with great food. I was treated to a very large Margarita which I love but haven't had for a long time. What a treat! On our way home we stopped to photograph different Osprey nests that were all along that road and got to see babies and I actually was taking photos of one particular Osprey that was flying around then landing on the nest and taking off again - I thought he was a young one practicing his flying skill - to see him land on another Osprey and yes, once more I got to witness mating of birds and photograph it! It sure is a wild world out there!

We then continued our way home until I saw a donkey on top of another one! Well hell! What's going on here? It turned out to be a young one mounting his mother. The males will do that sometimes. They were very cute with their long ears. The cows and their babies are also quite nice to see in those huge fields with long grasses. They are much wilder than the ones we see on farms that normally come to the fence to see us. These run away if we get out of the car. In the evening we watched pre-recorded programs on the laptop while sipping wine to finish off a perfect day.

By the way, our solar panel is performing flawlessly giving us a fully charged battery by nightfall so we can actually use lights, especially since I changed them all to LED and use the water pump and water heater whenever we need to. No more evenings lit only by a lantern and using flashlights to use the bathroom. We even use the furnace if needed in the morning to get the chill out of the trailer as the temperatures can drop as much as 20 degrees at night which is a huge difference from the warmth of the daytime. Being here, away from the road and far from cities, the nights are very dark and the stars very bright but I have yet to see a sky full of stars like I have seen on the farm in Luskville many years ago.

We are seriously considering using only the free sites next winter. We would have to find a better data provider that can give us good internet for a reasonable price. Otherwise, our present Thousand Trails membership is the cheapest option.

Before leaving we got to see a tortoise - the first one we see at that location. But the highlight of our stay there was actually seeing an armadillo! I was talking with my brother on the phone when I kept hearing some rustling in the bush nearby. I kept glancing over but not seeing anything until I saw him. Right there, close to our trailer, digging with his snout in the ground, looking for bugs. Oh my God! I quickly ended the conversation with my brother and grabbed my camera. What a weird looking animal! It sports polka-dots on part of its body, then little triangles on its body and its tail is striped.  It is covered in scales forming an armor. It looks like it can't move very well but they are actually quite fast and can jump little obstacles when fleeing.

Another extraordinary sighting was of a Caracara which we were fortunate to see while in the Kissimmee prairies but seeing one right there on top of a tree at Hickory Hammock sure was a treat!
Sitting out by our trailer listening to all the different bird sounds is so relaxing and humbling. Makes us realize how much is out there that we don't even know exists. And I got the special visit of a cardinal on a tree right close to us. He hanged around until I saw him and then stayed for a while. The only cardinal we have seen in Florida! If you know me you will know that when my cousin passed away, a cardinal landed on a bench by lake Ontario where we had stopped and hung around making sure we saw him. At that moment I told Glen that my cousin had passed away. I just knew it was a sign. Now, when I see a cardinal, I say hi to my cousin and take it as a special visit. On that particular day, I told her that I was very happy and enjoying this lifestyle very much but wished I could have shared this adventure with her. Sandra, you are always on my mind and in my heart.

Glen took these spider web pictures early in the morning with the dew still hanging on.

A lone Turkey Vulture on a dead tree. Eerie looking.

Peace River Preserve - Second Time Around

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As we approach our half year mark as full-timers, we see how much we have learned and how much we have grown as human beings. Being in the presence of people all the time, either surrounding us as neighbors (and here at Peace River campground, the neighbors are close) or meeting them on walks, at the office or at the pool, you have to acknowledge them. No matter what you do you will meet people. Being courteous and friendly does put a smile on your face which in turn makes you happier. Strange but true. Where we lived before, I often wouldn't see anyone else but Glen for days and Glen is not always the perkiest or happiest. So I would end up not smiling for days which in turn made me sad or just in a bad mood. I do find myself smiling a lot and even Glen is showing his beautiful smile often.

This time at Peace River it was very busy and we didn't get a site with sewer hookup. The sites without hookup are located in the flood plains as when it rains a lot those areas tend to flood and get very wet. Our particular site is just on the line of what is considered flood prone. We could put our name on a list and participate in a lottery of some kind to get a full hookup site. But after setting up we decided that we liked where we were and didn't feel like going through a move. So we stayed and luckily it hasn't rained. It is presently quite dry in Florida as it has hardly rained at all in the 2 months we've been here. We did get a good rain one day but the ground just soaked it up. We are entitled to one holding tank pump out per stay but we got another one by promising to keep our fridge and our hot water heater on propane. We will also be able to dump on our way out. So it's really not a bother to be without a sewer line at this time.

Our site is across the road from a trail entrance which is very nice. So far, we haven't seen anything of interest on those trails although we hear some birds but never see them. The best place to see wildlife is along the river. The alligator that was almost always out on the bank the last time we were here has not surfaced at all this time. There has been a lot of activity in the river with people looking for fossils and shark teeth or with kayakers and canoeists so our shy alligator has been hiding. I haven't seen any Kingfishers either as I hoped to get a picture. It might have been a one-time opportunity and I missed it. We have been seeing a lot of Ibises.

Looking for fossils and shark teeth.

He was doing his best to help.

Fishing on the Peace River

Flying away as canoeists are coming.

A young Ibis.

We took advantage of the pool on hot days. So refreshing! On one of those occasions, there was a small group of men playing very good music on the porch of the community center nearby. Free entertainment! They apparently play almost every night at the meeting hall where jamming sessions take place.

On the trail, there is this big tree that has a large opening at its base. It would make a cute hideout for a child or a great dog house. Cheeka was not impressed.

As I write this, I hear a crackling fire nearby. That is one thing that I love about camping: campfires! I love the smell and the sounds. Unfortunately, we seem to often end up with a site that doesn't have a fire ring. I hope (and am asking) for a campfire on my birthday. We will be back at Hickory Hammock which was the first free place we stayed at. We are really looking forward to revisiting that park as it had a lot of nice trails and this time maybe we will see an armadillo.

Take care and follow your dreams. We only get one shot at this life so go ahead and make memories!

Back to Dupuis but with solar power!

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After our 2 weeks at Peace River we once again had to be out of the Thousand Trails system for 7 days so we decided to go back to Dupuis Equestrian Center Campground as it is close to the beach and we wanted to go back. We got a great spot where we could just drive right in without any backing up. Got to love those sites! We are getting so good at setting up! Goes like a charm!

If you remember Dupuis doesn't have electricity but does have potable water and a dump station. We vowed we would not have to dump for the whole week as dumping the tanks means hooking up and moving the trailer which entails securing or putting away anything that can fall or break. It's not such an ordeal but we're getting lazy.

At first we didn't see anyone we knew. It didn't matter as everyone is really nice here. We explored the area a little more and found that the road that leads to the small lake is full of wildlife. We saw alligators, baby alligators, herons, egrets, hawks, falcons, a large lizard, snakes and more.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Fire Lizard

Fairly large alligator by the edge of a pond.

Cute baby alligator - Look how fat he is!

Ibises and egrets together.

Glen showing me something interesting.

Female Anhinga

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Southern Black Racer

This was the approach of a male wanting to copulate with the female.

And this is it! It was very quick.

Was it good for you?

Sandhill Cranes - they look like ostriches from a distance.

Little Blue Heron

Common Gallinule

Green Heron

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Glen saw some raccoons on one of his bike rides and I saw a bald eagle when Glen was "busy" inside the trailer. But I think the greatest find was that a Great Horned Owl was sitting on a nest in a large pine just on the other side of the road from our site. We could hear a couple hooting at dusk and dawn every day. Then one day I just happened to look up and I saw an adult (most probably the male) in the adjacent tree. I snapped some pictures even though it was quite dark but they turned out pretty good despite the bad light. I also took pictures of the female in the nest but could only see the top of her head and her "ears" which are not ears as such but feathers. When they turn their face away from you they look like cats. It was fun to keep checking on the nest and even though I looked often, I never saw the male again.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl female in nest

We decided to take Cheeka to Juno Beach which I had read was a dog beach. It turns out that quite a long strip of beach between Jupiter Beach and Juno Beach has no restrictions for dogs. It was so great! It's truly like we see in movies with owners arriving at the beach and just letting their dog off leash for him/her to go play with the others. Some dogs were really having fun jumping right into the waves and then running around the beach in crazy circles. Others were little princesses walking along their owner and not even looking at the other dogs. Cheeka was a bit shy at first but gradually attempted to run with other dogs. It was really cute to see her run suddenly towards playing dogs, then stop and watch for a while only to turn and come back to us where she would sit like a little soldier ready to defend her masters. One time she really got interested in the crazy dogs running in circles but watched from between the chairs of a couple just sitting on the beach. I told them that she probably felt safer watching the action from that location to which the lady responded: "Well she's sitting beside the biggest man on the beach!" I then realized that her husband was quite chunky. At least he could have taken on any of those dogs if needed!

Cheeka: Look Mom, good-looking guys.

Happy girl.

The beach is endless.

Trying to make a friend.

Friends and dogs meet.

Those two were running like the wind.

Finally Cheeka makes a friend!

A few days later one of the men we had met on our first visit to Dupuis parked his van across from our trailer. Marc was really happy to see us and I was glad to get to talk with him since he is also a French Canadian. Then another man, Jean-Paul, who is 79 years old and travels alone in an old motorhome, also made his appearance. It's fun to meet people you know. We also got to see Becky whom we had first met at Hickory Hammock. She also travels alone in a small pickup truck - no tent, no trailer. She lives in her car with her dog. She's a real sweetheart but very private so we rarely get to talk to her. On the night before last, it was getting quite cold so I invited her to join us in the trailer during the evening. She didn't come.

This time we had a solar panel to provide us with power. We had bought it from Amazon and had it delivered to the Peace River campground just before we left there. We were really anxious to get it up and running but soon realized that even though it was being sold as a complete kit, it was missing some parts to get it hooked up. So the next morning we went to Stuart to get the parts we needed. It was fairly easy to make all the connections and we had it set up in no time. What a difference from the last time we were there! Our battery remained charged the whole time. We were even able to use some lights and to fire the furnace in the morning if it was too chilly (the last two days were quite cold). We also did really well with our tanks not having to dump until we were leaving. We are getting really good at this!

Our 100 W solar panel

The controller showing the energy flowing from the panel to the battery. Yeah!

There were quite a few horses when we first arrived and it's always a pleasure to watch the riders ride out of the campground to the many trails that this park offers. The equestrian camping offers stabling and large paddocks completely free of charge. Some just come for the day and ride the trails but others camp for several days. I still can't believe that these facilities exist and are totally free to use. Why don't we have anything like this in Canada?

Tacking up!

One of the smaller barns - open air style.

The big barn

Did they forget me here in the paddock?
The paddocks are large and beautiful and all have shade.

Leaving for a ride.

The paddocks and the large barn in the distance.

Now we are going back to Peace River for two weeks of full hook-ups and civilization (TV and good internet). What will the river have to offer us this time? Some images of what we see on our hikes.

This tree was HUGE! The picture really doesn't do it justice.

A lot of trees have vines growing on their exterior creating these intricate patterns.