Everglades National Park--Alligators, Birds and us!

A five-hour drive and we are in Flamingo campground and Visitor Center.  Reservations are a good idea for electrical sites but this time of year we could do fine on a non electric site.  It is unusually rainy and cold here for the “dry season” at the Everglades.  Mosquitoes aren’t too bad, except early morning and late evening.  We are armed with Deep Woods Off .  The problem is when they get in the camper!  Lots of smashing going on in there!  

Osprey nest at visitor center near campground

 Today was a 2 hour cruise through the Everglades from the Flamingo Visitor Center.  Saw an alligator, manatees, lots of birds and poison trees--$35 a person with great commentary—well worth it.  Attended a ranger talk and able to see manatees right at the dock!

The rangers say the alligators here aren’t big enough to chow down on humans—we are wondering about that!  Hmmm!  We’re keeping Bailey on a short leash!

The next day was a Ranger led caravan of cars from one pond to another with Christy’s great commentary.  We learned so much.  

Egrets feeding and congregating

We decided to proceed onto the George Coe Visitor center and watch the movie there and sat on their back porch in rocking chairs and watched the rain.  Very peaceful.  The rain stopped so onto Royal Palm area to the  Anhinga Trail.  This is hard to believe but there are vultures there that attack  rubber window seals and wind shield wipers.  You can imagine this destruction would not be good for the RV and its occupants!   They have tarps and bungee cords to cover your vehicle so we spent 20 minutes securing two large tarps to the RV and went confidently on our way down the raised boardwalk trail.  Half way around the ½ mile walk it started pouring rain and got very windy.  We were soaked down to our skins by the time we got back to the RV.  The tarps had blown off and all was exposed for vulture abuse.  Luckily the vultures didn’t like the  storm either so we were saved.

Vultures eyeing the rubber on that white van

After the storm

Seventeen years ago we brought Carrie down here in our first 34 foot RV.  One of the memorable things we did was go canoeing through 9 mile pond into the mangrove tunnels.  Our "video girl" took some unusual video that trip that we still laugh about.  It was such a nice memory we wanted to repeat it again. This ranger led trip was free.  It was 3 hours and the trail markers were hard to see so we were glad to be with an expert.  It was perfect weather which was a pleasure after all the rain.  

We hiked the Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo trails again--this time without the rain storm!  A great day in the Everglades!

Gumbo Limbo Trail

Sunday was our last day and Pete's favorite!  During the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis a Nike Missile Battery was placed in or adjacent to the Everglades and the Park Service has a historic presentation of this time in our history. Our presenter was retired Coast Guard and gave a riveting description of the goings on in southern Florida regarding events in this region.

Nike Missile

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Camping in Orange grove and Melbourne

Goodbye to Orlando and on to Mims to stay with Richard and Glenda  on their beautiful orange grove property, “The Grove.”  

Richard and Glenda taking us orange picking

Carol is getting the "hang of it"

Washing grapefruit

We’ve stayed with them before through  “Boondockers Welcome”.  They are terrific and make all feel welcome.  The day included a late afternoon mandolin session by Murray and his wife Joan as we shared life’s adventures.  The next morning we went out in the gator with Richard and Glenda to pick lots of oranges and grape fruit.  These are gourmet citrus trees and so good. 

Richard cut up oranges for us to eat between picking.  They were SO good that Pete didn't realize he was standing on top of a large fire ant hill.  By the time he felt the bites, they were crawling up his thigh and THOUSANDS of them were on his shoes.  They got him good!  I'm sure he felt like tearing his jeans off and yelling but he just fought them off bravely!  The crazy thing is that we had discussed the fire ants with Richard the night before.  Those oranges and grapefruit were REALLY good!

We headed off to Melbourne for more memories!  Olivia and Donna, the heart and soul of our Family Practice for many years, opened their cozy home to us for the night.  We ate and talked and relived old times as only old friends can do.  They sent us off with homemade “Christmas Crack” (delicious chocolate candy made with crackers), soup, and salad after a wonderful breakfast!  What a wonderful visit!  Hope we can visit them often!

Orlando

We arrived at Bonnet Creek after a days drive, checked in, had pizza on site, and enjoyed the hot tub outside our Tower 4. Monday learned about changes in Wyndham over the past year, enjoyed our balcony in the sun and the hot tub again, got groceries and in the evening went to Downtown Disney at Lake Buena Vista which has changed its name to Disney Spring. Lots of changes since last year as there is essentially no surface parking any more except in front of Cirque du Soleil which is quite a distance away. They have an enormous new parking garage which is large enough for oversize vehicles and the Roadtrek will fit, at least on the first floor. They also have other parking for oversize vehicles. Lots of change inside too including a walkway across the lake as a short cut to the Rainforest Cafe.

We like our room, 1565 in tower 4 as it has a great view of the fireworks nightly at Hollywood Studios. Can also see the Epcot fireworks by looking out the windows at the elevators looking out the back of the building. Only downside is crowded parking in the surface lot and we can't fit the RT in the parking garage. Sometimes have to park some distance away.

Spent all day Tuesday at Epcot. Took Bailey with us, gave her a nice walk in the parking lot mid afternoon and we napped in the RT and had lunch. Then finished the rest of the park with fireworks at 9pm. Wednesday was a rest day at Bonnet Creek enjoying the balcony and the pools along with ice cream sundaes in the afternoon.  Hot tub in evening and enjoyed listening to dueling keyboards by the pool and meeting new Canadian friends.

Thursday was Sea World.  It was not crowded, easy to get around.  The dolphin show was shortened and some of the exhibits closed.  Common in January their slowest time.  Cost is same as Disney but much smaller and not as good for young children.  Did the $33 all you can eat pass for Carol--wouldn't do again.  Queue pass also not necessary--no lines!

Disney World very crowded--Disney Hollywood Studies closed by 10 am (new Star Wars area) and Magic Kingdom VERY crowded unless you go on a poor weather day and then tolerable so remember that for next time.

Our last memory of Disney on Saturday night was the Hoop de Doo Review .... always a fun time.

Shortcake after chicken and ribs

A rousing finale

  

Panama City Beach

We stopped overnight at a Pilot Travel Center after about 350 miles on the first day, Dec. 27.  Next day we arrived at the Wyndham in Panama City Beach around 5 pm. Checked in to our newly refurbished room on the 17th floor with a balcony looking out onto the Gulf. Very rainy on the way down and supposed to rain off and on all week. A fitting on the RT water heater was leaking as I de-winterized so made an appointment down here to have it repaired our first morning here. We are now dry in the RT with hot water and ready again for the road.

From our 17th floor
balcony looking toward City
Pier

Activities included walking the shops at Pier Park, the movie Concussion, dinner and music at Hofbrauhaus, walking the beach (notice we have it to ourselves), water aerobics, dinner at Moe's Original Barbecue and watching the Beach Ball drop at Pier Park with fireworks seen off our balcony, and dinner at Red Robin.

Then the Football Bowl game marathons began for the last two days--almost all day!  It was cool and rainy so happy to stay in.  The Buckeyes beat Notre Dame!

Brat at Hofbrauhaus

Hofbrauhaus

Walking the beach

Our last day we went on a scenic drive to the west on 30A which went through a beautiful area with gorgeous homes and quaint busineses. The village of Seaside had a Saturday morning farmers market, beautiful new brick streets and wonderful narrow tree shaded trails through the city blocks which gave a sense of wilderness right in town. There are several state parks along the way with trails in the woods and to the dunes and shore. After spending the day exploring we prepared for the trip on to Bonnet Creek.

Intrablock trail in village of Seaside