Travels with Snowbirds Sunday January 20 FRVTA Rally Tampa, to thousand Trails Preserve Peace River, Wauchula, FL

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Travels with Snowbirds Sunday January 20, Tampa to Thousand Trails Peace River, Wauchula, FL



I own a new RV. Well, almost own. I have a $500 deposit on a new RV. I thought perhaps it would keep me up last night thinking/worrying about it, but I slept reasonably well until 5:15. I seem to have fallen into an ugly pattern, awake early, then passing out around 4:00 pm for 30-45 minutes. That is not good. I will work on that this week.

An easy unhook, as the only land line I had out was electric. We were parked on reasonably nice grass and my mat wasn't dirty. Ginnie went back to the Camping World store at the Rally. I stayed home and vacuumed and straightened cupboards. We were on the road at noon, heading for Thousand Trails Peace River Preserve in Wauchula, about 70 miles south.

Over the river and thru the woods, first stop Publix. The parking lot was a nightmare for Ginnie to maneuver her rig and towed car; we left without going in. Heading East in FL SR 60 we passed miles of strawberry fields with Latino workers busy picking. All of a sudden I saw a hill big enough to ski down. This part of FL does not have hills. As I drove closer, I realized it was a capped off landfill. Then I saw another, and another, and another. I now know what FL does with its trash-sends it to this unknown town near Bartow. It truly was amazingly large. Finally we found a Publix with a big empty parking lot and I stocked up. I was out of everything. I used half and half cups I stole from the pavilion to use in my coffee. Winston walked the whole trip today. Up and back, up and back, whimpering. Annoying.

We arrived at Peace River around 2:30. This place is like no other I have ever been to. They have a sewer lottery. If there is no availability for a sewer site on your arrival, they put your name on a waiting list. Then you go to 'the back 40' and select your non sewer site. It is a dilemma. The sewer sites re under the trees, short, narrow, and close together. The lower 40 has wide, long, grassy sites out in the open. When we arrived, there were 2 highly undesirable sites available, both had waste dumps in front of them. We used that facility, and I found 2 sites next to each other, and backed in one. I realized it was only one site, very very large, and I left it for Ginnie. I opted to go across the road. My new neighbor volunteered to help me, but he wanted to drive it himself. He introduced himself as Moe with an E. moe is a bilateral below the knee amputee. My guess is Vietnam. A very good looking man. He said he was just unloading himself, but he would love to help. He got into the drivers seat before he realized I had a dog. He asked if he bit, I told him only in the lower leg. It kind of slipped out, and, fortunately, he roared.

Back to the sewer lottery. At noon tomorrow morning, the Preserve will post a list of available campsites for that day. Those on the waiting list can walk/bike/drive around and see what's available and which site suits their needs. At 1:00 the first name on the list is called. If present, they say which site they want. If not, the next waitee gets asked, and so on until all waitees have selected or there are no more sites. I think we are 7 and 8 on the list. If you don't like any of the sites available, you stay where you are in the lower 40 another day, until the same process happens the next day. Each RV has a sign which must be posted in their front window showing the date they must check out. Ginnie and I walked the dogs and saw 4 great sites open tomorrow. We are hoping down some of the other nicer rows there are a few more sites so we can get a decent location near each other. Kathy E will arrive tomorrow, and she will have to start this process. At any point, you can opt out of the lottery and stay in the lower 40. IMHO it is nicer here the large sites are nice, but I haven't had a sewer hookup in so long, and I so want a long shower. I will check availability at noon and 1, and hopefully get a good one. If not, I will wait one more day. I need a great site to put my new rig in on Friday.

First thing I did was throw stuff in the crockpot. Beef cubes, onion, green pepper, fresh tomato, carrots, water, and 1/3 pat of some brand of crockpot flavoring. I have learned that using too much of these seasonings in my smallish crockpot makes it too strong. Cook on high for 3 hours, add noodles at the last 20 minutes, and a hearty meal was enjoyed by me and Ginnie. Red wine, fresh squeezed OJ, the few remaining strawberries for instant sangria, and I am a happy woman.

Ginnie called me as soon as she got back to her RV. Elliot was a bad boy. He chewed a hole in one of her sofa cushions. This was after he chewed a hole in the skirt of her driver seat yesterday. She is not a happy camper, and I am sure Elliot got an ass whooping. Time to watch Revenge, and I want to crochet tonight. See you all tomorrow.

Kat out

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