January 2018..... who will be there?

[Eyeeore]

We're coming in hopefully on Jan 8th (weather permitting) and will depart Feb 28th for South Carolina.

I requested the 1100 loop (where we've been for the last 2 winters) so we'll see what happens.

 

[garneska]

I am not ready to be heading to disney on Monday. We check in tuesday but i am not ready in the slightest. I guess that is not true, the snacks not eaten during yesterday's drive home will be used for driving to Disney. We did leave a few clothing items in the rig from november, however this trip is marathon trip. i am stalking the weather like tiggerdad stalks his squirrels. i need to go into storage to pull out throw away clothes. the good thing is weather does not look bad, good for running, not good for waiting around for 2 hours outside before the start. I need to pack nice clothes for our fancy dinner. A lot of stuff has been going on so i just have to remember the things i can't go buy at walmart like my medications, my glasses, my contacts and my running shoes with my custom inserts. I can buy the rest. Panic is not gone but hopefully can get something done today.

 

[bama_ed]

I'm loading up today too, garneska, for a departure to Florida tomorrow.

We are going to drive to Orlando and spend the night at Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake (the RV campground) which has non-sewer hookup sites for my popup for $17 a night. Then we will drive about 5 hours to Key Largo on Friday morning (with the SunPass on the Turnpike). Next week we will hit the Fort.

I am packing my cowbell for the Saturday morning Half start. Still debating where to stand and ring it ... I am leaning toward near the Contemporary area for an easy boat return to the Fort.

We have to head home that Saturday morning so I'll have to read about your finish.

Close to freezing here tonight. Forecast for arrival in Key Largo on Friday per Accuweather is high 79, low 66 "Partly Sunny and Pleasant".



Bama Ed

 

[garneska]

I was going to say i will be running on Friday but that is over on the Boardwalk, not sure how easy it will be to cheer there. Bert is even considering just staying back at the fort to take care of the dogs rather than seeing me. Though i am sure it has more to do with that 3:30 am bus ride.

 

[bama_ed]

Friday huh? We plan on closing the Magic Kingdom on Thursday night which is open till midnight. That doesn't leave much time for sleep. Guess the cowbell might stay home then.

We are ready to hitch up and GO tomorrow morning.

Bama Ed

 

[beagles7278]

We are going to drive to Orlando and spend the night at Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake (the RV campground) which has non-sewer hookup sites for my popup for $17 a night. Then we will drive about 5 hours to Key Largo on Friday morning (with the SunPass on the Turnpike). Next week we will hit the Fort.

I am packing my cowbell for the Saturday morning Half start. Still debating where to stand and ring it ... I am leaning toward near the Contemporary area for an easy boat return to the Fort.

Close to freezing here tonight. Forecast for arrival in Key Largo on Friday per Accuweather is high 79, low 66 "Partly Sunny and Pleasant"

Bama Ed

Hey Bama, We are in the Keys now at Blue Water Key RV resort and the weather is amazing. Sitting outside at 11pm and temp is in the low 70’s. Just checked temp back home in Michigan and it says -7. Heading to Fort after we leave here.

 

[bama_ed]

Hey Bama, We are in the Keys now at Blue Water Key RV resort and the weather is amazing. Sitting outside at 11pm and temp is in the low 70’s. Just checked temp back home in Michigan and it says -7. Heading to Fort after we leave here.

Blue Water Key RV is too high falutin', beagles7278, to let my lowly little popup stay there. They have standards, I was told.

I'll be in the upper keys and the weather tomorrow should be really nice when i check in.

Thanks for the advance notice.

Bama Ed

PS - I'll stop at the Fort on my way north too.

 

[bama_ed]

Long drive today starting at 7am 31F at home. Took 10 hours to get to Orlando at Turkey Lake. I75 was hosed at Ocala so I got off immediately (needed gas anyway) and took the back roads down to the Wildwood exit on the Turnpike (the one immediately after the exit off I75). Temps were 63F at 6pm when we got in. We could hear fireworks at 715pm or so because Universal is across the Turnpike which is across Turkey Lake that the campground is next to.

Going to sleep early tonight. No alarm clock needed tomorrow. We can sleep in a little bit before we push off. It's about 5 hours more/less to Key Largo but I might stop at the Everglades National Park Welcome Center a little off the track and see my tax dollars at work.

Bama Ed

PS - I will put up a few pix of Turkey Lake when the sun comes up tomorrow to give folks an idea of what it's like. It's cheap (city of Orlando park with a 36 site RV campground) and convenient to the Toll Roads.

 

[Boomer1]

Loop request in for 1700. We are completing the packing for our drive down and praying for good weather. It has been bitterly cold here so a little Florida sun would be welcome to warm our old bones.
For those of you there now please leave a light on for us....see you all real soon!

 

[bama_ed]

I was not aware it's still dark in Orlando at 7am (Caused some pix to be blurry due to low light). We had plans to leave by 8am but it was cloudy and a little cool (in the 50s).

Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake is good for what it is - a city rv park. It's just north of the Turnpike north of Universal Studios so it would be really convenient for that. I was there so little I really don't have much more to say other than the sites are paved but narrow.









Here is the link to the park which has an rv map link and park link. Rates shown here too.

http://www.cityoforlando.net/parks/bill-frederick-park-turkey-lake/

It was cloudy all the way south on the Turnpike. But about Boca Raton the skies cleared and it started to get hot.

You're gonna hate me for what I'm going to do next.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

So swinging around Miami on the Turnpike it was a beautiful day. I admit I had to turn the AC on. As I said last night, I did stop at the Everglades National Park Visitors Center. It's only about 10 minutes off Hwy 1 - it's not much to see but I can check that off my bucket list.



Then to get to the Keys you have to drive the tunnel of nothingness that is US 1 for about 20 miles.





Now you can hate me ...



Then we arrived.



It was 230pm. And hot.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

So with Florida State Parks who use ReserveAmerica.com, you reserve a specific site. My site is a little narrow but it was the only one I could grab for these dates (45 sites or so but some are for hosts). I'll share pix of my campsite tomorrow after I straighten up some.

There are big boats here that do snorkel, scuba, and glass bottom rides to view the corral (we'll do the last) plus kayaks to rent and paddle among the mangrove trees. I'll get more pix in the coming days. But on the way to the grocery store after setting up we stopped to see the two beaches here in the park.

The first was Far Beach. A little trucked in sand, some palm trees, and shallow waters into Key Largo Sound. And yes the water was warm.





The other beach is Canon Beach which allows snorkeling within the roped swim area. It is so named for the 4 English cannon recovered from a shipwreck from 165x and used to decorate the beach.





The satellite dish is up and running tonight so I'm going to try to stay up and watch SoCal and Ohio State. Neither is a favorite of mine.

No clue what we'll do tomorrow. But we'll think of something.

Bama Ed

 

[Teamubr]

Looking good, Ed!

That 83 degrees was cruel though.

I've thought about making that haul to camp in the keys, but it's hard to get the math to work out. Between the fuel and the sky high camping for a place I fit (or can get a reservation into), it is as cheap to fly into Miami and drive down.

j

 

[garneska]

Enjoy that warm weather when you get back to Orlando it is going to be cold. Yes I am in weather stalker mode. Marathin looks ok temp wise a bit cold for waiting around but decent to run in though I would like it 10 degrees warmer. The 10k is shaping up to be frigid, like two layers of tights frigid. Hoping the weather changes a bit again 10 degrees would make me happy.

 

[Cotillard]

I'm really enjoying your photos. And I'm amazed by how great things look, considering Irma.

 

[bama_ed]

I'm really enjoying your photos. And I'm amazed by how great things look, considering Irma.

Cotillard,

Key Largo survived Irma pretty well. The eye of the hurricane crossed the Keys around Big Pine which is mile marker 37 on Hwy 1 and I am at mm102. There is some storm damage in the park (trees down) and some building damaged and still closed (Visitors Center) and a restaurant or two in town still closed but by and large KL is okay. We're going to head down to Marathon tomorrow to see some things which is closer to the damaged zone so I expect it to be worse down that way. There is some tree damage behind our camper.



Oh yeah, obligatory 77F and clear blue sky this afternoon. Not a cloud in the sky since about 10am.

Bama Ed

PS - oh I have switched over to my Bud Light Lime while I am here. It's my summer time adult beverage of choice at the beach (like Gulf Shores). So it fits here with some low fat Cheez Its.

 

[bama_ed]

This morning was a fun one.

We walked down to the boat area and bought tickets for the first glass bottom boat tour of the day ($5 off coupon per person).







It was only 69F when we started so with the wind chill I was glad I had a jacket on over my tshirt and shorts.

It was a short ride out to Molasses Reef then we spent time over the reef. Pix don't come out well of the sea life but we were up close. Here is a turtle.



The ride out was sunny and beautiful.



Of course, tourists will be tourists.



A good use of this morning's old glazed doughnuts on the ride back in.

After lunch the traffic to get into John Pennekamp was lined up for people paying admission to use the beaches, going to their snorkel or glass bottom boat tours, or checking in. Took 15 minutes to get off US 1 to the Ranger Check-in building.



But hey, it's relaxing here.



Headed to the beach late this afternoon (after some of the crowd leaves).

Bama Ed

PS - spending time laughing at the wait times at the Magic Kingdom yesterday and today. Those are unREAL.

 

[Teamubr]

Ed,

I have a racing friend that has a house in Big Pine Key. His place only had minimal damage, but he has been posting pics regularly and it is still pretty bad down there.

j

 

[FtW Mike]

Ed was your Captain Axel Nordstrom and more important was his daughter Jennifer performing as one of his Mermaids

 

[Cotillard]

So beautiful, Bama Ed - I love to see sea turtles! And thank you for explaining the storm impact there.
I can imagine how much tourists/visitors are appreciated.
Enjoy your trip to Marathon tomorrow!

P.S. haha re "spending time laughing at the wait times..." Last night I was trying to modify a FP through the app and checked out Wait Times at AK. FoP was 240 minutes