OR to Florida Hee Haw

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

. . .
. . . hoping to see a sunrise and sunset in the same town.

Photos please . . . glad you are back on the ocean . . . thanks for the photos . . . looking forward to more.

Is the Tiki bar open at 5 AM for sunrise? ["It's 5 o'clock somewhere . . . " ]

Enjoy swimming in the Atlantic!

Peter

[CruizinDux]

Arrived at Boyd's...the navy's finest making approaches and landings. Great site...backed up to the wharf and a ton of pelicans.

Glad the kindle is working as the laptop again would not boot this a.m.
I'll try again tomorrow morning. Photo posts may have to wait until we get home.

82 and basically CAVU
B

[North woods]

Bob, we are in a situation similar to yours, one old dog, one spunky young one. Ours are Labs. You do so much sight seeing during the day, are you just leaving them in the camper?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Arrived at Boyd's...the navy's finest making approaches and landings. Great site...backed up to the wharf and a ton of pelicans.
. . .

Very cool! Checked Boyd's site . . . looks great. Margaritas downtown at sunset looking west over the Gulf?



Have fun,

Peter

[CruizinDux]

NW...case basis. Last year 6 wk to Nashville was a learning curve. This time we're leaving them alone with the tv on for acoupla2-3 hours. Today we flipped on the ac at 72 and all was good. This is on SP obviously.

Tomorrow, we'll do the trolley to key west historic so have gone the $$$ 9-4 day care route. We have a parsons terrier and the labmix (avitar photo) and are used to being boarded together. It all about the temp imo as we don't hesitate to leave them in the tt when we're stopped for lunch or a tour...bondocking with both vents open and fans on...maybe a window cracked on the shade side.

I also rigged up the swapped out refer fan and place it in the sunroof connected to the 12vdc battery via a battery tender connection for when we're just in the car. Crack the windows a few inches and the heat goes up and out at the sunroof.

Peter, thinking of the lyrics...something happening here...what it is ain't exactly clear. Laptop booted this am...go figure....maybe pics to follow? Trying to be smart re use as we really need it for bill paying etc....pics are secondary.

Ps...rita fixings are on the counter ))

Originally Posted by North woods

Bob, we are in a situation similar to yours, one old dog, one spunky young one. Ours are Labs. You do so much sight seeing during the day, are you just leaving them in the camper?

[CruizinDux]

Absolutely lucked out with the site. A !otta big rigs here but our section transitions to smaller TT's and tents on the point. We back up the the marina, specifically with a few view of the launch ramp...small island packed with pelicans due the proximity of the fish cleaning station. Quite the scene watching the pelicans swoop around as scraps etc are tossed to them. I remember when making the reservation...are you sure backing up to the marina/launch is ok...$$$ But worth it.

I'll try to get some pics posted tomorrow...pending laptop cooperation. This from the kindle.

Met a lot of folks here and everywhere. Talked today to a canadian that just retired from military service after 31 years. Next door neighbor from Ohio (near jc) in a Winnebago (like an interstate). he and wife are traveling with 2 sheep dogs (turns on the tv & ac and they sleep thru it). Good to get out of OR and talk to folks...lot of different perspectives from many areas.

Love the south. Two words to describe. Friendly and respectful.

Bob

[Burnside Bob]

Bob, you really know when to be gone. Check out Eugene's forecast:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...5#.XFyBvVxKiM8

It's been a few years since we visited Key West, but the highlight of our trip was Fort Jefferson, an 8 hour excursion by boat out of Key West. If you are a photography buff, Fort Jefferson is a fantastic venue.

https://www.nps.gov/drto/learn/histo...-jefferson.htm

Have a great time and keep posting photos.

[CruizinDux]

Hey Bob, thanks for the weather. I have been peeking now and then.....burrrrrutos for sure. Stay warm...

Thanks too for the park info. We used our dog day care day to checkout old town...our first time there. We did the usual...trolly tour to get there and toured the Hemingway house and the Tuman little white house. The history of those and the town was very interesting but a bit overload on the turista shops. The fort looks like a great ride and tour, but need to save that for another trip. I have to say that the next trip hopefully include the fort and maybe some fishing...tho we really liked fiesta key and the Islamorada area much more the key west. Much less crowded and a slower pace.

i hope to get some pics posted soon, laptop health pending. Tomorrow hanging around here and relaxing and research the next leg to Atlanta

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the updates. Do you have cable TV? Grammy's on Sunday and John Prine is up for a few . . . see OTRA II music thread.

Glad you are having a few relaxing days there!

Peter

[CruizinDux]

Cable, yes..Dish sat for backup. I 'll take a listen as I'm not very familiar w / work. Coincidentally, he was in Eug, just before our departure.
B

[CruizinDux]

Getting to break camp and head N towards Atlanta and have 6 days to get there. One day at a time...up early tomorrow to get thru Miami...maybe Port St. Lucie if it's a good day. Traffic up the keys flow well but at a leisurely flow.


Thought I would add some pics


Caught a nice sunrise a few days ago
Boyd's...a parking lot, tho we love out spot out on the point by the marina

Loved the cats at the Hemingway house
"pelican island is directly rear of our site. Small about 20 yards by 60 yards. In the a.m. as things warm, you can usually find upwards of a dozen pelicans sunning themselves. Today we spotted to Iguanas hanging in the branches...a fisherman said they were about 5' long head to toe. You can see one to the left in the trees of the Tony the Tiger Boat. Michigan plate...tiger motive on the entire interior and Tony's head etc painted on the side. I guess battle creek heads south for the winter...just like the rest of Michigan.


happy trails

b

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the photos. Tight site packing indeed, but your spot on the waterfront looks great!

You are heading into colder weather for sure near Atlanta, but no freeze by the end of next week IMO:
https://digital.weather.gov/?zoom=5&...t=0&mxmz=false
["Minimum temperature" in box at top left -- slide forward at top right]

The 6-10 day forecast looks very good for above-average temps:
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/produc...10temp.new.gif
Ditto for 8-14 days: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/produc...14temp.new.gif
NWS CPC suite: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/forecasts/

Safe travels,

Peter

[CruizinDux]

Well sat we departed KW..stupid me so concentrated on getting the rig out of the space...still had to move 3 cars...forgot to pull in the steps and caught them at a narrow spot. It now lives in the dumpster. Truly dodged a bullet...TT and adjacent car were not damaged...just the steps. Attachment points look fine...unbolted the steps and they dropped right down.

Made it to port prince that night !ucked out with an overflow spot at the koa. Called around for resies and with no results deciddd to head back to grand lakev via cocoa beach after a stop at ron jons.I

Rained like @#$% in orlando...wipers at "8 to the bar" (double speed) barely keeping up. Boy that towns hwy system w/ all the construction is in chaos.

Landed in grand lake for 3 days...shoping for a new step znd touring some 55+ projects. Sun is out.

[OTRA15]

Oops!

Steps trashed . . . been there done that . . . haste/waste . . . no worries . . .



Please post your finds on 55+ communities. This one was mentioned another thread:

http://www.paradisepark.us/
https://www.google.com/search?ei=J7x...iz.ER7QzbjYXlU

Enjoy the 3 days of rest and sun . . .

Peter

[OTRA15]

PS Bob, here is a quote from that other thread FYI -- click on orange arrow to go there.

Originally Posted by EricLee

Paradise park is an Airstream/class A 55+ retirement community. It also has a 26 lot campground with full hookups. It is quiet and affordable. All campers have access to all the amenities. We have a private 9 hole golf course, large pool, community center, wood/metal shop, large fishing pond, etc.
Its where I retired to. About 25 miles north of Ft. Myers and a little over 20 miles east of Punta Gorda.
941-639-2680

You may be north of this park by now I think.

Peter

[CruizinDux]

Yup, tho we loved punta gorda. Heading S to Naples, we pulled off and drove through it...a great small town feel & fishing village on the water. Maybe a bit spendy depending on location.


However I'll checkout out the park make note.. { looks like AS's plus shed's etc \and a pad. Couldn't make it work with the 20. Wish I would have bought the triple axel estrella that we/the developers bought for on site housing at Timber Hill during redevelopment. I think it was a 95'...bought it in 2000 for 24K and sold it 2002 for 25K. All I remember was the blue stripe, 3 axels and how huge it was. Slipped 30' of salvage deck along side...great housing. Yes it made the Sonoma coast hwy 1 trip from santa rosa }



{edit: we're looking at a Del Webb, Shea and another builder tomorrow...likely zero lot but possibly a SFD. Like Sea Ranch which was a 1450 SF 2/2....less is more. We're maxing out at about 1800 SF}

{ p.s. I will post thr 55+ links tomorrow}

Originally Posted by OTRA15

PS Bob, here is a quote from that other thread FYI -- click on orange arrow to go there.


You may be north of this park by now I think.

Peter

[CruizinDux]

BTW as of Key West 4952 miles and 38 days so far



: )))

[subfan1]

Great pictures and by the looks of your pictures you guys have had beautiful spots!
I took our steps out in Mt Rainer NP a couple of years ago, not a big deal. Find a Airstream dealership and buy another set, you’ll be fine. Been there done that! Great trip BTW

[CruizinDux]

Subfan1, yup for the most part. KW and Navaree obviously were home runs...most nice to ok and a couple pretty rough. No complaints!

Prob the steps is that jc changed vendors 2 years ago so nobody in fl/ga has any oem stock of the stromberg carlson line with the slots. JC did not say who the new vendor is but the new style don't have the heavy edge.

The dealer in Norcross told me that SC bought Lippert so basically it's downto one mainstream vendor. Imo, i thik lippert was absorbed as their website no longer exists and SC is up to date.
New are smoother with anti skid tape at the tread edge. I almost went direct to SC, but my bolt layout dimensions didn't exactly lineup. There is likely some play with the existing hols and nut clips but i don't have any tools to tweek that dimension. Soooo, i went with the jc version thinking it should have closer bolt layout dimensions. Ordered from Eug dealer...jc drop shipped to Suwanee our stop over presidents day holiday. Not the replacement i wanted but being otr and trying to figure out where to ship...no altering tools i took a jc product and will hopefully receive a bolt right in product.

More project tours tomorrow and will post links. Learned one thing today...leasehold land is alive and well. Not that that is bad as it saves a huge amount of land cost but have a mo lease pmt in the hoa. Big tradeoff at eventual sale as i suspect appreciation of the structure is limited...maybe non existent as opposed to fee simple title inland and improvements which generally appreciates...the land portion mainly. Something to explore.

B

[CruizinDux]

Here is what JC emailed me...their new OEM step


Here is the older OEM Stromberg Carlson
https://www.strombergcarlson.com/pro...s-steel-steps/





Hey Darrell, I just realized these come from TC (Traverse City)


time to get back on vacation stuff and put the step away....so to speak