Okeechobee KOA Week 3

Chic doggie for a bike ride

Bailey has many admirers here.  Sunny, who rides in a doggy front pack with his owner on her bike, may be her true love!  He wears "dogoggles" when he is out riding and is clearly irresistible!

Bailey's new friend

The "adults at play" sign about sums it up around here.  We went to Cowboys for "all you can eat ribs" with some KOA friends and it was so good!  Going back there before we leave!

We went to the Navy Seal Museum at Fort Pierce on the east coast about one hour from Okeechobee.

Seal obstacle course

It was terrific!  The obstacle training course outside was impressive along with the various boats used on missions.  There was a two hour movie about the Seals that was great--our favorite part of the Museum.  Very inspiring!

Seal obstacle course

     Fun things to know about the Okeechobee KOA----Bailey's latest friends are two dogs from the same litter born at the KOA.  One is named Okee and the other is Chobee!  The KOA has a concert series!  We couldn't believe it.  The latest one was "Phil Dirt and the Dozers" from Ohio and they were fantastic.  The seniors were up dancing to the sold out concert at the KOA convention center.
The best dancer in the line dancing class I go to is 83 years young and is  frequently consulted for difficult steps!  Sing a longs are alive and well at the bar here.  One of our friends Norm led it with his guitar and song sheets.  It was great fun!

Phil Dirt and the Dozers at the KOA

     Full moons down here are celebrated by a night-walk on the golf course with a bonfire with smores!  Perfect evening at 70 degrees.

     Our newest acquisition from Amazon Prime is the Fasta Pasta!  It was delivered right to the KOA.  Since the microwave is my primary cooking appliance, this was a great discovery!  It cooks pasta in the microwave perfectly and has greatly increased our culinary options. 

    

Okeechobee Week 2

Week Two starts off with a bang!  We went on a caravan adventure with our new Korean friends Sunny and Yun Choi to the DuPuis Wilderness area.  It is a Florida forest--nice drive on 7 mile road ending in pond--no animal spottings.

On the drive we heard a thump and saw the Chois pull off the road behind us.  Thinking they needed some help, we turned around to "save them" only to find that one of our solar panels had blown off our roof and they stopped to pick it off the road.  It was done for but Sunny boosted Pete up to the roof to get a look.  The guaranteed glue job didn't hold but no real damage to the RV and other panel looked fine. 

Inspecting the damage

The next day the OTHER panel falls off as we were driving and is hanging off the roof by the wires.   Tomorrow they will both be re-placed and bolted and glued on for good when we visit the Thomas' in Marco Island.  So fortunate that the original installer Lew, was close by in Naples.  Timing is everything!

We went to the Taylor River Water Reclamation area 7.5 miles north of the KOA on 441 and walked on a gravel road to ponds where 15 alligators saw us.  They were about 18 feet from us lying by the pond sunning their gorgeous 6 foot bodies.  The two mile walk around the pond was beautiful!  As we were driving by we saw some cabins for rent called "Journey's End".  Given the average age of the tourists, I don't think this is a good advertising ploy!

Ahhh, that sun feels sooo good

That gator is pretty close

Mardi Gras was a big party at the KOA starting with a parade of decorated golf carts throwing candy and necklaces.  The dance was great fun and I got to try out some moves from my line dancing classes.  Janel had us all laughing with her crazy stories.

Sunny, Janel, Yun, Carol

Wednesday we were off to Marco Island to visit Bob and Fran Thomas.  They have the most beautiful condo overlooking the ocean that you could imagine.  Gorgeous sunsets!  They fixed a great lunch and gave us an island tour followed by a lobster dinner at one of their favorite places.  We visited the Naples historic pier which was beautiful.  Amazing parking meters that texted us when our meter time was up and we could add minutes right through the phone!

Carol, Bob, Frannie

Naples pier

Could almost touch him on pier

We were looking forward to having my sister Linda come to visit her friend Janel for the "KOA Okeechobee RV Experience".  Her plane was delayed so long that it didn't make sense for her to come for two days.  Hopefully she can come next year to zoom around in a golf cart and learn pickle ball!

Okeechobee KOA--Summer camp for the age advantaged!

First let me say that we have never stayed at a KAO campground--and we doubt there are many like this one!  This KOA is on a 9 hole golf course and many sites have trees.  Yes the RV's are right next to each other but the people are SO nice and welcoming that you really don't notice.  We've never seen so many seniors so involved in activities non-stop all day.  Site 394 is perfect!

Lake and golf course across from our campsite

Enjoying our campsite

Janel and Dennis Behm (sister Linda's good friends who encouraged us to come here) got us right into activities--9:30am and 7pm everyday is Petanque (the French version of Bocce ball).  Pete is doing this along with the other 40 people that show up!  Janel taught us how to play Pickle Ball (cross between ping-pong and tennis).

Willing that Petanque ball to the "pig"

Pickle ball

Pete's Pickle ball instructor Janel

I'm doing Yoga classes and Line Dancing classes.  We play water volleyball at 10:45am--only three rules--no critical comments, you can hit the ball as many times as you want and the men have to keep their bathing suits on.  (Apparently some aggressive leaping has lead to wardrobe malfunctions in the past!)  We don't even keep score just a lot of laughing and yelling!

Water volley ball at the KOA

There was great live music by the pool with seniors line dancing IN the pool.  There was a brat lunch, beer for a donation and the KOA staff selling jello shots for a dollar!  It was so much fun!  At one point today, the activities director jumped in the pool with her clothes on!  I can't say how welcoming people are here.  There are lessons and groups for every card game.  A group of  12 seniors went off this morning on their three-wheeling motorcycles for an adventure.  Everyone has bicycles.  The golfers have attachments on their bikes to pull their golf bags on wheels behind them!  There is bean-bag baseball with 12 teams of 12 that play twice a week--must see to appreciate!

Last night was Bingo--great fun and electronically updated since I've played.  Lake Okeechobee is in walking distance.  The sunset at the fishing pier was gorgeous.  Lots of fishing--one guy had 25 poles and had been there for two days!  An alligator was swimming around as thousands of birds came back to roost in the marshes at sunset.

End of day at Okeechobee

South Florida Pompano Beach

Wyndham Palm Aire--On our the drive up here the red engine light and Pete's diagnostic monitors started lighting up.   That can't be good.   Pete was able to get on Angie's List and the RV was repaired our first day here--spark plugs and wires all fixed up!  This is a great place and we are happy to have made it before the RV really broke down.  We stopped by at Miccosukee Casino near Miami for the bargain buffet--always fun.

Sunset from our balcony

Carol learning the Hula

We are up every morning for our stretch class at ten am which reflects the time table of many seniors down here.  There are SO many people from Ohio and we learn all kinds of info while we prune up in the hot tub together.  Tonight the resort had a Polynesian dance show around the pool.  I represented Ohio in the "Hula lesson".  Great fun!

Carol teaching the Hula instructor "OH-IO"

Today's excitement was a tornado about 20 miles north of us that lifted a few cars on top of each other!  Where do you hide out in a high rise with no basement?  Pete and I were in an exercise class while all this was going on so we had no worries.  As we were leaving, I recognized one of my favorite patients from Westerville!  She is staying at the same condos we are!  We had a great time catching up. 

Our RV camper started leaking so we have been thinking of ways to keep the rain from getting in the air conditioner vent and the taillight.  Home Depot fixed us up with some plastic sheets and along with our duct tape--this is what we came up with.  Things are better but the problem is not solved.  We're hoping the rain will stop until we can get a more permanent fix.  Just so you know...we do plan to "upgrade" the gray duct tape to white to add a little more class!

What CAN'T duct tape fix?

Karaoke night here was very energetic.  We followed that up with Star Wars today which we both loved.   The last two days we drove 4 miles to Windham Royal Vista which is on a beautiful beach with a crazy parrot!   Live music on Saturday and Sunday made even better by nice beach walks down to the pier.  We spotted manatees near the pier!  No problem parking at Royal Vista. 

Parrot at Royal Vista

Beach at Royal Vista

Another plus to this area is Sawgrass Mills Mall  It is 1/2 mile long and had a great Columbia store.  I'm stocked up on bargains for awhile.

We walked around the lake behind the hotel--lovely mile or so walk to train for the buffet!
Last day at Palm Aire started with stretch class and ended with the lunch buffet at the Isle Casino for $13--fantastic!  Definitely want to come back to Palm Aire--maybe for 2 or 3 weeks.  Off to Okeechobee KOA for a month!  This is a first for us--usually in National Parks for a few days!

NEXT TIME WE'RE HERE--do the Water Taxi that you can access from the hotel across from the Galleria shopping area or better at the far north stop Pirate Republic Bar Seafood restaurant.  Check on access points.  Can get on and off.  Be sure to go to Fort Lauderdale boardwalk  (City Walk?) maybe eat there.  Good movie theater on Lyons Rd with shops.  Eat at Gallipis (sp) which is at the Pompano Beach City public golf course.  Goodyear Airship Operations (Blimp tour) is near there also--call and find out about this.