2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 132

Day 132, Friday, February 28, 2025, Three Rivers State Park, Sneads, FL, Day 2 - 0 Miles, 3,955 Miles for the Trip

It did eventually cool off, hitting 44°F by morning. I made two loops of the campground to get a little over a half mile for my morning walk. After breakfast I sat outside much like yesterday, moving in & out of the shade. A bit cooler hitting a high of 73°F. 

I finished Jeffrey Archer's Next in Line, and started Warfield #6, Traitor's Gate. I took a photo of some signs of Spring:

Flowering Tree

Around 4:00 I trimmed my beard & headed to the showers. I made a report the last time I was here: "3 showers, one disabled. I used the center one which has a soap dish, medium volume low pressure shower head (the same one I carry with me) and a 2" lip between the shower & drying area. A shower curtain between and the shower head 180° to the curtain.

10 hooks in the drying area as well as a large bench. A little water gets around the stiff shower curtain, but most of the drying area floor stays dry. Plenty of adjustable hot water. Overall, a B+ (an A if the room was warmer)." 

This time I used the right most shower which is a mirror image of the center one. Same pluses, and the complaint last time was the lack of heat - no problem today. I give it an A.

After my shower I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting outside reading. The campground still looks full. I did watch a record dump at the dump station. The guy was there for over an hour (although there was no one behind him). They even dusted the floor mats and swept out the truck. 

As the sun set I moved inside & made dinner, which was a Lean Cuisine Sesame Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 131

Day 131, Thursday, February 27, 2025, Three Rivers State Park, Sneads, FL - 28.2 Miles, 3,955 Miles for the Trip

I hung around Florida Caverns as long as possible. Dumped the tanks, packed up the trailer, sat & read for a bit, then pulled out of the park at 12:05. I arrived at Three Rivers State Park around 12:45, and while normal arrival time is 2:00, my site was empty so I pulled in. Site 26 is a back in water & electric site on gravel & dirt that is deep enough for both the truck & trailer. I found a section level side to side, and unhooked. The site has both a fire pit & charcoal grill, as well as a picnic table. The bathrooms are across the street. $26.83 per night including tax. I'm here for 7 nights. I was here in site 2 towards the end of January. I'm pretty sure I left out the utilities fee of $7.00 per night in the January posts because I had only listed $18.70 per night. There is a sign at the entrance station stating the park is full.

Site 26

After setting up, including the Starlink Mini (both AT&T & Verizon are slow to non existent) I sat outside and read. The high for the day was 76°F, and still 75°F at 5:00. Currently reading Jeffrey Archer's Next in Line, the fifth of the William Warwick series. There are a total of 8 in the series & fast reads.

Dinner was a grilled pork chop & spinach.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 130

Day 130, Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL, Day 7 - 0 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

Cooler last night at 45°F, but it warmed up quickly, hitting 78°F by late afternoon. After my walk & breakfast I sat outside moving between the sun & shade. It got warm enough that I ran the AC in the trailer to keep my medications under 80°F. 

Around 11:00 I headed to Winn-Dixie for some things I forgot on Monday, then sat outside for the rest of the day. I'm reading Jeffrey Archer's  Over My Dead Body, the fourth of the William Warwick series.

I didn't do any early packing since I only have 24 miles to go tomorrow so I want to leave as late as possible. No worries about a frozen water hose!

I picked up some fried chicken at Winn-Dixie, and had that for both lunch & dinner.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 129

Day 129, Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL, Day 6 - 0 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

A warm night, only going down to 55°F. The campground only had 4 empty sites during my morning walk. There is an Oliver down the way, and the largest tent I've ever seen across from me. I also discovered that there are three other RVs from NY here in the campground, including the couple that went on the cavern tour with me yesterday. 

An Oliver

The Big Tent

After my walk & breakfast I sat outside, first in the sun, then as it hit 74°F, into the shade reading. I'm reading Jeffrey Archer's  Turn a Blind Eye, the third of the William Warwick series. 

Around 4:00 I decided the bathroom was warm enough for a shower. It really wasn't, but probably as warm as it was going to get. Three showers, one disabled. The standard showers are large with a good sized drying area. A bench & 2 hooks in the drying area & a shower curtain between it & the shower. The shower aims at the shower curtain, wets about 1/3 of the floor, and the control is a good 10' of plumbing away from the shower head located on the wall in the drying area. Adjusting the temperature is difficult since the long plumbing run takes a long time to make a change plus you have to reach around the shower curtain to get to it, putting more water on the floor. The temperature also goes up & down with other bathroom loads, but there is plenty of hot water. A 2" fine spray low volume shower head. At least with the control in the drying area you can leave the shower running while you towel dry to try to keep the area warm and not get your arm soaked when you finally shut it off. Overall, a C+.

After my shower I sat outside until 5:30, then grilled a turkey burger along with a salad for dinner.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 128

Day 128, Monday, February 24, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL, Day 5 - 0 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

Last night a light rain started around 6:45 and continued until around midnight. 

50°F around 8:00 this morning. The campground is about half empty when I went for my morning walk. After breakfast I read forums & journals, then read the Kindle until lunch. 

I had a busy day after lunch. The first stop was a visit to Florida Caverns. There were 3 of us on the 1:30 tour, and quite a coincidence; the couple on the tour were from Rochester, NY, about 69 miles from my home in Oswego. Lots of duck walking to clear 4' ceilings during the 1 hour / three quarter mile tour.

I put together a page with a bunch of photos. Here are a few:

After the cavern tour I headed into Marianna, first to the Post Office to mail Anne's birthday card, then a stop at Allstate to get new insurance cards for the next 6 months, and finally a stop at Winn Dixie to pick up a few items I didn't find the other day at Walmart. One of the things I found was Innovasian's Orange Chicken bowls. I haven't seen them in over a year at any of the stores I've shopped at and they are my favorite frozen orange chicken.

Back at the trailer a read for a few minutes, put together the cavern page and today's journal post.

Dinner was an Innovasian Orange Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 127

Day 127, Sunday, February 23, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL, Day 4 - 0 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

A bit warmer, only going down to 44°F overnight. I listened to the Sunday morning puzzle on NPR this morning & I got most of the individual answers the current contestant solved, as well as what I hope is the correct answer to next week's puzzle. I'm not going to send it in since I really don't want to do the "on air" contest, but it is one of the few times I got the weekly puzzle, not that I am all that serious about solving it. Then again, Will Shortz said it was an easy one.

I changed the sheets on the bed, then started a load of laundry before I went for my morning walk. $2.00 to wash, and the same to dry. 

After lunch I made my usual Sunday phone calls. All is well in Oswego, and for once it isn't snowing. The Guidos are recovering from a grandkids visit. 

More reading inside the trailer. 55°F outside, which would be OK for sitting out if there was sun, but with heavy clouds, too cool. It also looks like rain is going to start any second. 

I just finished Jeffrey Archer's Nothing Ventured, and started the second of the William Warwick series (there are 8) Hidden in Plain Sight. 

I used Trip Wizard to make a possible route for a trip from the Spring Fling to Bacus, MN to get the Guido's trailer repaired.  8 230 mile days. 

Dinner was a Saffron Road Chicken Biryani bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 126

Day 126, Saturday, February 22, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL, Day 3 - 0 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

It got close, but no freezing last night. 34°F at 7:00AM. There were a few empty sites when I did my morning walk, and a few left during the morning. Only a couple of arrivals, but it is early yet. I stopped by the bathroom during my walk and with an inside temperature around 35°F, someone was taking a shower. Better then than me!

Around 11:00 I headed to the visitor center to get a ticket for a cave tour on Monday. They only sell tickets for the next tour at the visitor center and told me to go on line for a Monday tour. So, I now have a ticket for the 1:30 tour. I thought about a Florida Caverns "T" shirt, but at $45.00, and while I like to support state parks by buying "T" shirts, that is a lot of support!

I continued on to Walmart, about 9.5 miles away, and picked up some supplies. 

A very nice day with lots of sun. Still a bit cool at 59°F, but little wind and sitting in the sun is comfortable. I ate lunch at the picnic table, dug out a folding chair and sat outside & read for most of the afternoon. By 4:30 it made it up to 61°F.

Dinner was a Lean Cuisine Chicken Teriyaki Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 125

Day 125, Friday, February 21, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL, Day 2 - 0 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

While it only went down to 29°F rather than the predicted 28°F, it is taking its time warming up. At 11:45 it is still only 39°F. After my morning walk (twice around the campground loop works out to 3/4 of a mile) and breakfast I hooked up the water hose since no more freezing mornings are predicted for the rest of my stay. I also hooked up the sewer hose and dumped the black tank. 

During my walk I noticed that the campground only had a couple of empty sites, but by noon it was less than half filled. 

I checked out the bathroom showers. There are 3 including one disabled. Another bathroom with the shower temperature control on a wall well away from the shower head. I didn't try it because the big problem is there is no heat in the bathrooms (a big fan and ceiling registers, but if there is heat I can't feel it) and the room is good at remembering the morning temperature all day. 

Lots of sun, but still too cold to sit outside. I spent the morning reading.

I gave up on any chance of the bathrooms warming up, cranked up the heat in the trailer and used the wet bath shower. I hate to use it because the clean up afterwards means wiping down the entire bathroom (although I have to admit by the time I get around to using the shower the bathroom could well use a wipe down). In any case, I'd give it a C at best - small shower room with a toilet in the way, no shelf or hooks, but a very large drying room - the trailer. Nice shower head and adjustable hot water. While I've never run out, with a 6 gallon hot water tank taking a long shower is probably not a good idea. 

After wiping down the bathroom I did more reading. I'm now on the third & final book of M. K. Wren's The Phoenix Legacy series, House of the Wolf. Still only 48°F at 2:30. My weather app still tells me it is going to hit 52°F today and up to 60°F both tomorrow & the next day with 75°F by Wednesday.

I noticed that the friction hinges on the trailer door are wearing out, ie they don't hold the door in place even with a light wind. I guess that with 1,329 nights in the trailer I have open & closed the door more than most, but I'm glad I had Escape add a door hook when I picked up the trailer. It is possible to purchase a friction hinge kit, but with the already existing friction hinges I'm not sure there is enough room for them & the current hinges are riveted (not pop riveted) in place.

Dinner was a Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 124

Day 124, Thursday, February 20, 2025, Florida Caverns State Park, Marianna, FL - 182.4 Miles, 3,926.8 Miles for the Trip

Definitely cooler at 30°F at 8:00AM. I wore a regular hat for my morning walk, and while the brim was nice for keeping the sun out of my eyes, my ears froze. Along the way I saw a 45' Prevost Class A motorhome equipped for Florida. 5 air conditioners on the roof. While a $1,000,000.00 plus bus based Class A , running all five would be impossible with a 30 amp pedestal. Even a 50 amp connection (which is actually 100 amps at 120V) would be well loaded. It is not unusual for them to have a 20KW generator since many campgrounds only have 30 amp services. They are towing a Toyota minivan. 

After breakfast & coffee I packed in the Starlink Mini, rolled up the power cord, closed all the hatches, etc and headed out around 10:00. I stopped for gas at a Loves & with the $.10 per gallon discount using their app I paid $2.54 per gallon. Almost all the drive was on I 10 and I arrived at Florida Caverns around 1:30.

My site is next to the bathrooms and while labled on the park map as a disabled site, it wasn't listed that way when I reserved it on line or on my receipt. I hope I can stay. A bit tight to get into because the road is narrow & there are posts at the entrance. 

The site is a full hook up site on a concrete pad with a picnic table & charcoal grill. Level enough that I didn't need to use the Anderson levelers. Since the predicted low for the morning is 27°F, I didn't hook up the water & will run on the fresh water tank. It might be a good thing - there is a sign at the bathroom bulletin board saying boil water is in effect for Feb 14-16. Although it is the 20th, it does make you wonder. 

Glad I did a load of laundry at Meaher State Park yesterday. Two of the three washers are out of order, two dryers, and both the washers & dryers are outside (under a roof). $219.33 for the week or $31.33 per night with tax & reservation fee. 

Site 7

I checked the internet speeds for both AT&T & Verizon. AT&T shows 45.61Mbps down & 1.67Mbps up while Verizon clocks in at 7.83Mbps down & 1.87Mbps up. A fairly clear view of the north sky so I suspect the Starlink Mini would do well, but since AT&T looks good I'll use it.

Still cool. At 3:50 it is 48°F here in the campground, so other than a walk around the camping loop, I spent the rest of the afternoon reading in the trailer.

Dinner was a Barber asparagus & chicken, baked potato, and peas.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 123

Day 123, Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 7 - 0 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

A little warmer overnight hitting 50°F at 8:00AM. I watched the Escape 5.0TA pull out during my morning walk. While RVs are leaving, just as many are coming in. There are a couple of empty sites, but the park is near full.

I finished up making the reservations for the trip to Arizona in the fall that I could make. Texas has a 6 month window, and two of my sites are first come. I also made a tentative plan for the trip back home in February.

After lunch I headed to the laundry. 3 washing machines at $1.50 per load & 3 dryers at $1.00 per load. I met a couple from North Dakota in the laundry room that has camped at many of the New Mexico campgrounds I've stayed at. They also suggested some new places to try. and pointed out that the middle dryer runs hotter and longer than the 45 minutes posted. No folding tables so I used the lids of the dryers. 

After putting my clothes away I did my "day before" packing of the trailer. The site is level enough that I could hook up, and since it is suppose to be 32°F in the morning, disconnected the water & put the hose away and put the grill & 1 gallon propane tank in the truck. All I need to do in the morning is unhook the power and roll up the cord. At 32°F, rolling the cord will be a challenge. I believe the new Escapes use a cold weather electric cord; the older ones use a SO cable that is very still in cold weather.

Back at the trailer I sat inside and read. A bit too cool at 52°F outside for sitting.

Dinner was an Amy's Enchilada with Spanish Rice & Beans Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 122

Day 122, Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 6 - 0 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

A little warmer ar 45°F at 7:00AM. While the sun came out a couple of times throughout the day, for the most part it was cloudy with enough wind to keep it cool even at the high temperature of 62°F. After catching up on forums & journals, I continued reading M. K. Wren's Phoenix Legacy series. I finished book 1 & started book 2, Shadow of the Swan.

I spent the rest of the day planning my trip to Arizona using RV Life's Trip Wizard. I don't use the routing function, but I like the web based version for planning a trip. The ability to enter actual preferred driving distances makes it easy to keep the daily driving distances within reason. I even started making reservations. I have accounts at some of the states (I use as many state parks, COE, and non commercial campgrounds as possible). Like 2 years ago, I plan to spend December & January at La Paz County Park near Parker, AZ. I already made a reservation for the two months for the same site (E Overflow) I had in 2023.

I managed to get as far as Texas, but they don't open a reservation window until 6 months before your date. 

Dinner was a P. F. Chang's Orange Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 121

Day 121, Monday, February 17, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 5 - 0 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

Back to cold nights. 36°F at 7:00AM, 38°F when I went for my morning walk; knit hat, new jacket & gloves. I'll go back to the quilted jacket for cold weather. Even with a lined hood, the new one is a bit light for 38°F.

Had an interesting thing happen last night. While in bed I heard a "chirp" like a smoke alarm with a dead battery, but is was just milliseconds long - far to short for the normal battery warning. It was intermittent, so every time I got up to listen for where it was coming from, it stopped. Finally, after the 5 or 6 tries it kept going & I discovered it was the CO alarm on the wall near the foot of the bed. As I looked at it a bug crawled out of the vent & the chirp went away. I squashed the bug and the chirp never came back. I suspect when it was crawling around in the CO detector it was tripping some circuit just enough to create the chirp. 

Lots of RVs on the way out this morning. Fox News still has a couple of cars here, and there are a few sheriff vehicles, but not the crowd that was here yesterday. Lots of sun, but still cold at 46°F at noon. According to the local weather we are in for another week of below normal temperatures. Better than home where they are expecting another 2' of snow by Wednesday. They have had more snow this winter than the last 5 years combined, so while I complain about the cold, it would have been worse if I stayed home.

After lunch I headed to Publix for some supplies. It is a short 4 mile drive to get there, but 9.5 miles back to the campground. Evidently, there is no connection between US 90 & US 98 when heading back from Daphne, the location of the Publix so you need to get on I 10 west and take exit 30 3 miles from the campground. Still too cool to sit outside. Although the wind had died down it is only 52°F so I'm reading in the trailer.

I pretty much made the commitment to go to Arizona for next winter by reserving a space at the SARA Rodeo Grounds for the Western Winter Blast, a $275.00 non refundable week long stay for nightly fireworks demonstrations. 

Dinner was a Lean Cuisine Chicken Fettuccine Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 120

Day 120, Sunday, February 16, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 4 - 0 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

All kinds of excitement last night. We were under a tornado watch until 4:00AM. I took down the Starlink Mini and moved it into the trailer for the night. Since many of the tornado watches turned into tornado warnings as the front moved through, I stayed up reading until the front moved through around 3:00AM. Lots of thunder & lightning, gusty winds and heavy rain. No tornado. 

During my morning walk I saw three different news trucks/cars and a host of every kind of water rescue team vehicles, both local & state. I checked the news and a boat capsized in the bay last night. Two people rescued & one missing. The campground has a boat ramp that was used to access the bay. The rescue vehicles are still moving & out of the campground throughout the day. 

The other Escape 21 along with many other RVs left this morning. The site (16) he was in is a lake, one of the few flooded sites in the park. While one left, an Escape 5.0TA moved in at the other end of the campground, so there are still two of us. This morning is sunny but windy & cool at 66°F. They finally finished painting the bathrooms, although they are currently closed for cleaning (11:00 - 2:00). 

Around 2:00 I headed for the showers. Three stalls, one is disabled. The non disabled showers are medium sized with a small drying area. No shelves or hooks in the shower, a bench, 2 hooks & a towel bar in the drying area. A shower curtain between the shower and drying area and a 3" lip on the floor, but the shower head aims at the curtain so some water gets on the drying area floor. Push button (30 seconds) non adjustable water hot enough to be comfortable. Medium flow 2" shower head. The room does not appear to have heat, or, it it does, it isn't working with an outside temperature of 63°F. Overall, a C+. Improvements would be a bit warmer room, a shelf or soap dish in the shower, and a more dry dressing area floor.

If the wind went away, sitting outside would be comfortable but the combination of off & on clouds & wind chased me inside the trailer. 

Dinner was a Chef Ramsey Chicken Marsala Pasta Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 119

Day 119, Saturday, February 15, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 3 - 0 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

I went out after dinner last night with the Nikon Z8 and took a couple of sunset photos. Not the greatest I've seen, but the best so far while here at Meaher, maybe the best of the trip. For some reason, sunsets always look better over water.

A 10 Frame Panorama From the Fishing Pier (Large 6.4 MB Version)

Towards The End

Back to warm nights, at least for a day. 65°F was the low for last night, 71°F by 10:00AM, and complete cloud cover. I stopped by the main bathrooms on my morning walk. The woman's side is open but they are still painting the men's side. 

After breakfast I sat outside reading. I started The Phoenix Legacy by M. K. Wren. At an estimated 45 hour reading time I will probably be reading this one for awhile. By the way, I lied about being able to hear the traffic on I 10. I don't know if it was the wind direction, atmospheric conditions or the construction noise across the street, but while I didn't hear the traffic on Thursday, I can hear it today. I moved my chair so the trailer blocked most of the wind. While warm outside, the wind is constant and cools things down.

After lunch it was back outside & more reading. 

After a large lunch dinner was cheese & crackers.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 118

Day 118, Friday, February 14, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL, Day 2 - 0 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

Happy Valentine's Day!

We finally got back to the cool nights I prefer. 43°F at 7:00AM. While I'll miss the mid 70 degree days, the cooler nights are more comfortable for sleeping. I did run the electric heater to keep the head of the bed at 62°F.

I walked around the outside loop of the campground this morning - about seven tenths of a mile. The bathrooms with showers are still closed but the attached laundry is still open. Cool at 11:00AM ( 55°F), but at least there is plenty of sun.

After lunch I moved outside. It warmed up to the mid 60's, and hit 71°F by 3:00. I'm reading Estleman's Witchfinder, after which I'll take a break from the Walker series. I finished listening to Mike Lawson's Alligator Alley, the DeMarco 16 audio book and started another audio book - A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke.

The campground is close to full. While a few left this morning, just as many pulled in during the afternoon. I suspect they will be able to fill the additional 45 sites the new addition will provide.

Since it is nice out, I dug out the grill and made a Butterball turkey burger along with a salad for dinner.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 117

Day 117, Thursday, February 13, 2025, Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL - 71.6 Miles, 3,744.4 Miles for the Trip

Another warm night, although it started cooling down to 69°F by 7:00AM, and got cooler throughout the morning. 

After my walk & breakfast I took my time packing up since I only had around 70 miles to Meaher State Park. I still did not get a bill from Wandering Oaks and will give them a call to see what is up. I asked & received a bill for Wandering Oaks - $42.85 per night.

I left Wandering Oaks around 11:00 and arrived at Meaher State Park around 12:30, an hour and a half before check in time. Luckily, no one was in site 60 so I didn't need to wait until 2:00. Site 60 is a full hook up pull through site on asphalt with a picnic table and charcoal grill. A long walk to the showers, and there is an active construction site across the street. I assume they shut down at night. $55.75 with taxes & fees per night although the price per night is different depending on the day. I checked with the check in office & I'm eligible for a 15% senior discount, so the new price is $47.51 per night. I'm here for 7 nights. 

Site 60

In the background you can see one of the new buildings, hopefully containing a bathroom with showers. While the expansion will add 45 new sites as well as 4 cabins, it has a completion date of January 2025; they didn't make it.

I walked around the campground & found a bathroom not too far away, but without showers. There is a larger bathroom with showers however it is closed since it is getting new paint. I hope is is only for a day or two. I found Escape 21 from MA in another row but didn't meet the owner.

I ran the usual speed tests for the internet. AT&T came out at 16Mbps down & .92Mbps up, Verizon 7.69Mbps down & 1.15Mbps up. The Starlink Mini showed 134Mbps down & 4.85Mbps up. I'm sticking with the Mini since, while AT&T looks good on a test, it is very slow when viewing websites.

After that I headed to Walmart. They had 1 case of Lemon-Lime Gatorade Zero so I bought it. It is the end of the season, so they had flannel shirts on sale for $3.00 as well as a medium weight jacket for $3.00. Tough to find either in a large - stacks of small & 4X, but I found & bought one of each for a whole $6.00. 

Back at the trailer the construction folks have already left for the day by 4:00. There is traffic noise from US 90, but while you can see I 10 across the bay, it is far enough away that I don't hear anything from it. It made it up to 66°F today, and is expected to go down to 45°F tonight. Rain is predicted over the weekend.

Dinner was a Healthy Choice Sweet & Sour Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 116

Day 116, Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL, Day 7 - 0 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

A warm night - 73°F was the low inside the trailer & 69°F outside. No rain, but lots of humidity. After my morning walk & breakfast I read forums & journals for awhile, then put together the start of the 2026 Rally Map. This will be the 3rd year I've maintained the Google Fiberglass Trailer Rally Map and since the dates for the February Quartzsite rally were announced on the Casita Forum, it was time to start the new map. 

After lunch a fellow Escape owner stopped by to say hello. Mike lives a couple of miles from Milton and we had a nice chat. 

I sat outside for a bit reading. Current book is Loren D. Estleman's Walker #12 Never Street. Depending on which list you go by, the next in the series The Witchfinder is also #12, but the one after that, The Hours of the Virgin is listed as #14. In any case I'll be taking a break from detective Walker after The Witchfinder.

Dinner was a salad.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 115

Day 115, Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL, Day 6 - 0 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

A little cooler at 59°F this morning. About the same when I went for my morning walk - I wore a long sleeved shirt. 

After breakfast I checked on when we could make reservations for the trip to Michigan & the Algonac Rally. The Canadian one day stops can be reserved on March 1 & 4, while reservations for Algonac State Park start on March 3rd, so it is a bit early. 

I spent most of the day sitting inside. While it isn't raining, it is about as close as it can get. Very gloomy & 67°F outside with enough wind to make it unpleasant. A light rain started around 12:45. I finished Walker #10 Silent Thunder, and started #11 Sweet Women Lie.

After the rain stopped, and with a forecast of all day rain tomorrow, I hooked up the truck and dumped the tanks. While a brief flash of sunlight appeared, it quickly went back to gloom. At least it isn't raining. Well, it is now. A light rain started around 2:24. It got more serious around 4:15, but no thunder or lightning.

Dinner was a Boston Market Chicken Pot Pie. I tried cooking it in the toaster oven to see how well it worked. Better in the real oven - the temperature variation in the toaster oven cooks the pie unevenly.

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 114

Day 114, Monday, February 10, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL, Day 5 - 0 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

Down to 63°F this morning, and it didn't make it to the 70's by 1:00. Around 11:00 I changed the sheets and headed to the park laundry. Three top load washers at $1.75 each and 4 dryers, of which only 2 were working at $1.50 per load. The dryers run either 30 minutes or 40 minutes; there are signs on the wall stating both. In any case, the dryer with my bedding needed a second run.

Around 1:00 I headed to Great Clips for a haircut. $19.00 plus tip for my usual #3 buzz. I thought I had used one of them before, but there are so many "....Clips/Cuts" barber shops in malls that I probably used a competitor. I usually try for a old time barber, but it seems most of them are now appointment only so there is an advantage to the malls. Another advantage was the Publix next door - I did a bit of shopping. For some reason, the lemon-lime Gatorade Zero isn't stocked in the area. I've tried to find it in 3 grocery stores plus Walmart, and no luck. The sugar version is available, but I can't deal with that much sugar. I'll keep looking. 

Back at the trailer I headed for a shower to get rid of the itching caused by the short hairs left over after a haircut. The AC was in the heat mode (70°F outside) so it was nicer than the last visit.

After that it was back to reading. I finished Loren D. Estleman's Walker #7 Lady Yesterday and since I read #8, General Murders and #9 Downriver in 2011, I started Walker #10 Silent Thunder. They are short books, 3-4 hours reading time.

Dinner was a P. F. Chang's Orange Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 113

Day 113, Sunday, February 9, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL, Day 4 - 0 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

A bit cooler overnight, hitting a low of 64°F at 6:00AM. I slept in a bit longer than usual so I could listen to the puzzle on Weekend Edition on NPR. As usual, I didn't get the weekly puzzle (although I never try all that hard) but did do OK on the answers to the ones they did with today's winner. 

After my morning walk & breakfast I sat in the trailer & read forums & journals. I got a call from a neighbor in Oswego that this morning the snowplow took out both our mailboxes. He is trying to get mine put back together enough that the mailman will still drop mail off at the house. I suspect I'll need a new one when I get back in the Spring.

I made my usual Sunday phone calls - as expected, Brian (my daughter's husband) was furloughed. He didn't work directly for USAID, but his company managed many of their projects. The folks working overseas for his company are still being paid until they can come home, but the company is not getting any money. Most of the staff lost their jobs. 

Dinner was a Boston Market Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 112

 Day 112, Saturday, February 8, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL, Day 3 - 0 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

Yesterday I met Brandon, one of the caretakers here at the park. I forgot to tell him that the 30 amp connector was reverse polarized, but he did mention that they cleared the area behind the park, so I walked to the end this morning. Now the morning walk is almost a mile. During my walk I listened to Mike Lawson's DeMarco #16 Alligator Alley. I decided that I'd listen to one rather than reading. It goes much slower, but I am getting towards the end of the series. Not so for Lauren D. Estleman's Walker series - I'm reading Every Brilliant Eye, #6 out of 33. While I like the author, I'm not sure I can do 27 more in a row.

A gloomy but warm morning at 70°F by 11:00AM. After finishing my coffee I headed outside. Up to 73°F by 3:00. 

Around 4:00 a guy pulled in, stopped & asked if I was the host or manager. I explained that there wasn't one & he should have received a text with his site number. He looked, couldn't find anything & got on the phone. He discovered that his reservation was at the KOA, and his phone sent him here. He left saying that it was a 45 minute drive to the KOA. I hope he put the right KOA in his phone; there is a KOA 7 miles from here as well as one 31 miles away.

That was the excitement for the day. 

Dinner was an El Monterey Chicken Fajita Enchilada Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 111

Day 111, Friday, February 7, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL, Day 2 - 0 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

Another warm night in the high 60's. I ran the MAXX fan all night with the front & back windows open. 

A walk around the perimeter of the park is a little under 1/2 mile. There is a laundry & a bathroom building with a single family room bathroom for each sex. 

Around 10:00 I received a notice from Amazon that my package arrived at the UPS store so I headed out. Walgreens couldn't find my prescriptions until I showed them the text stating they were ready. After that they found they made a typo on the computer & eventually found them. The pick up at the UPS store went fine, and Walmart had most of the stuff I was looking for.

Back at the RV Park I headed for the bathroom / shower. Even though it was 74°F outside the AC was running and it was a bit cool for showering, but overall it was nice. A couple of demerits - the water control is on the opposite wall from the shower so it takes a long time to adjust it. No shelf or soap dish in the shower. The drying area is the entire bathroom & a lip on the shower keeps the floor dry. There is even a bath mat, a bench & 6 hooks. Slightly soft water requiring a longer rinse than usual, but overall a B+.

I had some frozen Buffalo Chicken Wings from TDI Fridays for lunch. A bit hotter than the usual Buffalo wings I've had at home (200 miles from Buffalo).

Around 4:30 I received a text that my prescription was ready at Walgreens. Since I already picked it up I called & hopefully, they canceled the order. While a 24 hour pharmacy, not the most together I've stopped at.

Back at the trailer I sat outside and did some reading. I finished Loren D. Estleman's Sugartown, and started House Standoff, Mike Lawson's DeMarco #15.

Dinner was a Banquet Country Fried Chicken Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 110

Day 110, Thursday, February 6, 2025, Wandering Oaks RV Park, Milton, FL - 102.1 Miles, 3,672.8 Miles for the Trip

The campground was still full when I did my morning walk, although there were a couple of other RVs packing up & heading out today. After breakfast I spent some time on the internet reading forums & journals, then finished packing up the trailer to head west.

No one in line at the dump station, although as soon as I stopped someone pulled up behind me. I hate to have someone waiting behind me, although I tend to dump much faster than most since I have relatively small tanks (29 gallons) and they are rarely full. In any case, I dumped & headed out of the campground around 11:00.

I stopped at Love's # 561 about 1/2 way to Milton, used my membership app and paid 2.69 per gallon for regular. Much better than the $3.00 at both ends of the drive. 

I arrived at Wandering Oaks around 12:45, found site 3 and set up. Lots of traffic noise, something I haven't had for months of staying at state parks, although inside the trailer is isn't bad, and with the windows closed even better. Fairly level site (1" correction side to side & none needed for the tongue. Since I'm staying for a week, I unhooked the truck. 

The site has a small concrete slab, a small concrete picnic table, and is on fine gravel with full hookups. Since I dumped on the way out of Falling Waters, I didn't hook up to the sewers, but may dump on my way out. I started with the 30 amp receptacle, but my Progressive Industries power monitor wouldn't connect the trailer, showing a P1 error or reverse polarity. I used my adapter to connect to the 50 amp receptacle & everything worked.

Site 3

Lots of shade from the oaks, most of which have lots of leaves. Good thing AT&T is fast at 43.66Mbps down & 18.21Mbps up since it would be impossible to find a clear view of the northern sky for the Starlink Mini. $50.00 per night although there might be a discount for a full week stay. They bill at the end of the stay, and I only paid a deposit.

I thought about going to Walgreens since they let me know the usual 3 ways (text, email & a phone call) that my prescriptions are ready, and according to my Garmin they are about 5 miles away, but since the stuff from Amazon isn't due until tomorrow, I can make 3 stops, Walgreens, the UPS store, and Walmart and in that order they line up to a 9.3 mile trip. By the way, I just watched an Amazon Prime truck make a stop here in the campground, so I guess I could have saved at least one stop tomorrow.

It hit 77°F outside & 80°F in the trailer so I fired up the AC. Now, at 2:30 most of the sun is behind clouds and the outside temperature is down to 75°F so I went back to the MAXX fan & open windows.

Dinner was a Scott & Jon's Shrimp Scampi Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 109

Day 109, Wednesday, February 5, 2025, Falling Waters State Park, Chipley, FL, Day 8 - 0 Miles, 3,570.7 Miles for the Trip

A warm night at 61°F. Cloudy this morning & 65°F for my morning walk. Still 4 sites open although I watched a few packing up. 

After breakfast I called a couple of prescriptions into my eye doctor. They have a new prescription system that I hope works for refills to a temporary pharmacy. I do miss the good old days when you actually talked to someone. Well, it worked - I received a text at 12:30 that the order was "in process" at the correct pharmacy.

I'm suppose to get a call this week from Wandering Oaks RV Park telling me what site I'll be in tomorrow. So far, no call - I'll call them later today if I don't hear from them. Since they mentioned that the manager is not on site, it would be useful to know where I'm going! After calling them I got a text letting my know I'm heading for site 3.

I made a 5:00 loop around the campground. Not only are all the RV sites filled, but there is someone set up in an unmarked area next to one of the host sites. The two tent only sites are still open. There are three of us from New York.

I finished Mike Lawson's Joe DeMarco #14, House Privilege, and started Loren D. Estleman's Sugartown

After my walk I sat outside for a bit, then moved inside for dinner. It was 73°F and cloudy outside.

Dinner was a turkey burger & salad.

After dinner I packed up the grill and entry way rug. While I usually unhook the water to avoid freezing my fingers in the morning, no need with the current weather. I am only driving 110 miles and the next park has a 1:00 check in time so I'm in no hurry to get out of here.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 108

Day 108, Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Falling Waters State Park, Chipley, FL, Day 7 - 0 Miles, 3,570.7 Miles for the Trip

A foggy morning but warm at 56°F. I counted 3 empty sites during my morning walk. This campground seems to run the opposite of typical - only half full on the weekends, but near full during the week with many one night stays.

After breakfast I called Escape to get a price on a replacement kitchen window. As expected, not inexpensive. With shipping, a crating fee & the price of the window, around $500.00. Still, I really need the window and with it currently zip tied closed, I can't open my most used window. They will shoot for the date I'm back in Oswego for an arrival.

After that I sat outside & read, #13 in the Joe DeMarco series, House Arrest. 64°F by 11:00AM, and the fog has burned off. A high of 75°F for the day

After lunch I pretty much did the same as before - sat outside ducking between sun & shade reading. I finished House Arrest and started #14 House Privilege. I did do a late afternoon walk around the campground and there still only 3 empty sites, but different ones from this morning.

Dinner was an Amy's Tortilla Casserole & Black Beans Bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 107

Day 107, Monday, February 3, 2025, Falling Waters State Park, Chipley, FL, Day 6 - 0 Miles, 3,570.7 Miles for the Trip

A little cooler overnight at 48°F, but it warmed up to 54°F by the time I did my morning walk. Only 4 empty sites during the morning walk.

After breakfast I sat outside starting in the sun and moving to the shade around 11:00 when it got too hot. The high for the day was 77°F.

After lunch I made a run to the Brickyard Market to pick up some Gatorade. Heavy traffic on FL 77. 

Back at the trailer I placed an order with Amazon and had it delivered to an Amazon Locker. More sitting around reading. Current book is Mike Lawson's Joe DeMarco #12, House Witness. There are 18 books in the series, and they are fast reads. With only 6 more, I will probably try to get through all of them in order.

I headed to the showers around 3:30, then read a bit more. 

Dinner was a P. F. Chang's Chicken Lo Mein bowl.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 106

Day 106, Sunday, February 2, 2025, Falling Waters State Park, Chipley, FL, Day 5 - 0 Miles, 3,570.7 Miles for the Trip

A low of 50°F last night & 52°F for my morning walk. The campground is still only half full. 

Around 11:00 I moved out of the trailer to sit in the sun. Started reading the 11th book in the Joe DeMarco series by Mike Lawson, House Revenge.

A few new arrivals, although most of them are replacing someone who left, we are still less than half full. My "new" neighbor in the 32' trailer left this morning, and was replaced by another 32' trailer this afternoon. I discovered another nice thing about my small trailer. It takes far less time to set up. I can set the trailer up in 10 minutes, less if I'm in a hurry. Both of my neighbors spent more than a half hour setting up. I'm not sure why it takes longer for a larger trailer since the same stuff is done for both; maybe it is just more walking to get around the larger trailer. 

A nice day with clear skies & 72°F for most of the afternoon. It even reached the point where I was looking for shade rather than sitting in the sun. 

Dinner was a pork chop and salad.

Until Next Time -

2024-25 Trip to the Southeast, Day 105

Day 105, Saturday, February 1, 2025, Falling Waters State Park, Chipley, FL, Day 4 - 0 Miles, 3,570.7 Miles for the Trip

While one blanket was fine overnight, it did go down to 47°F outside & 62°F in the trailer. I still wore shorts for my morning walk; it was 52°F by then. While this may be a favorite stop for overnighters, it isn't a weekend hotspot. During my walk there were only 4 RVs other than the host sites, and not many came in during the day. The campground has 3 host sites, quite a few for a campground with 24 sites. By 4:00 the campground was only half filled.

By 10:00 it was warm enough to sit outside (as long as you were in the sun). The high for the day was 68°F. I spent most of it sitting outside reading. Currently on Joe DeMarco #10, House Rivals by Mike Lawson. Around 1:00 I threw a pork chop on the grill and warmed up part of a can of Bush beans for a late lunch/early dinner. I did get a new neighbor in a large tow behind. I thought I had a lot of trailer for one person; he has a 32' travel trailer & is solo (well he does have a dog).

More sitting outside & reading, but once the sun went behind the trees it quickly cooled enough to chase me inside. 

Dinner was lunch.

Until Next Time -