2009 Branson, Missouri

 There's an old folk saying about the Ozark Mountains: "It's not that the mountains are so high, it's just that the valleys are so deep."

It's true. The Ozark Mountains in Arkansas are a heavily eroded plateau, pushed up eons ago and carved out by hundreds of streams over thousands of years. Nature worked wonders, and today the diversity of these highlands is endless.
Ray's Comments:  We had heard about the Branson area from many people, so we decided to include this area in our trip this summer. We arrived in Branson after delaying our departure from the previous park. There were severe storm warnings with tornados in the Branson area. We try to avoid rain-slick roads, not to mention the mess it causes on the RV, Truck & Bike. Branson was spared the tornados, but had 70-MPH straight-line winds and several people died to the west from tornados. Our first three days were hampered with weather warnings. Little did we know that Missouri is part of tornado alley, next door to Kansas. However, we escaped most of the bad weather with mostly rain. During our stay in an RV park behind the IMAX theater, we enjoyed three shows: The Twelve Irish Tenors, Shoji, and Yakov—At the IMAX: The Ozarks, Safari, and Angels & Demons.
I rode the bike a total of 300+ miles and Marsha and I had several road trips including Sheppard of the Hills Tower that overlooks the area's highest point. We were warned that summer is very busy in Branson, so we took the Sheppard of the Hills Blvd or BLUE route from the interstate to our park.  We never got caught in a traffic nightmare that we had heard about.
Branson is built on a very hilly area with gorges, elevation 400 to 800ft. Our introduction to Branson in the RV was a downhill run with a 300-ft drop and a fairly sharp left-hand turn at the bottom with an outwardly sloping 4-lane road. Well, here we come, all 40,000+ lbs, on the inside lane expecting a nice inwardly banking turn at the bottom -- RV wheels did not leave the ground, but close, when I noticed a car in my mirror on my right side. And I was under the speed limit. Forget about tornados, that was enough excitement for one day. Thank heaven for air brakes and white knuckles. Marsha did not say a word, until later.
Several people and Marsha’s searching the net directed us toward the shows we selected.  Most of the show prices range from $30 to $50. Our opinion, for what it is worth, is that The Twelve Tenors and Yakov were the best. The Tenors were very good looking and sing they did, for almost two hours, and they have a very entertaining program. The Russian comedian, Yakov, was very good. The Japanese violinist, Shoji, had a fair program, but came in third. All of them were good and they all have been in Branson for many years and have their own buildings, and are not guests at someone else’s venue. There are many other shows available that we heard were very good as well. Only so much time and $$$$..There are a lot of huge billboards along the major roads making driving and locating things very taxing. Recommend picking up AAA city map, a big help. The roads are very good in and out of town. In town mostly four lane with a center turn lane and new roads are being built. There are a number of camp grounds in and around the city.Motorcycling in the Ozarks on a beautiful day is something to remember, although the elevations cannot be compared to other parts of our country. Nice rolling hills with friendly curves and great scenery all along picturesque Table Rock Lake. Traffic was light and the roads were good. The area has had much rain resulting in everything blooming and so lush and green. Some small farms dot the countryside.
On the weekend there was a motorcycle rally on the south central area of town, a lot of bikes from all over were in town. I did not ride there - usually I avoid rallies.We enjoyed our 12-day stay, the park was very large, spacious, and close to all activities, and the daily visit from a local skunk added to the ambiance.  

Some of the most scenic rivers and majestic lakes in America are here to enjoy in the Arkansas Ozarks. Trout floats on the White, Little Red and Spring Rivers, plus bass and pan-fish outings on the lakes and smaller streams, make for world-class fishing action. Recreational boating, canoeing and swimming are also on the agenda of many visitors.

Upon arrival at Treasure Lake Resort in Branson, we drove the Phase 4 area reserved for non-members. We tried two sites that looked satellite friendly, but neither could accommodate our rig and have room to park the truck and motorcycle. A park ranger saw our dilemma and suggested we look in Phase 2, although for members only, we were allowed to stay.

Monday, May 11 - It was off and on clouds with small showers here and there. We went to visit the Inspiration Tower that is Branson's "landmark on the horizon" --We both felt it was not worth the $10 per person ticket to go to the top. It is a massive 230' tall structure located on Inspiration Point in The Shepherd of the Hills Homestead. Constructed and erected in 1989, the Tower's opening celebrated the 100th anniversary of Harold Bell Wright's first visit to the area. It weighs 3 million pounds, cost approximately $1.5 million to build, contains over 92,000 pounds of structural steel, and can withstand a constant wind of 172 mph or gusts of up to 224 mph! A convoy of 43 concrete trucks filled the Tower foundation, which contains five miles' worth of rebar weighing 34.5 tons. The Tower also contains over 4,400 square feet of glass - enough to cover a third of a football field!

In the afternoon we went to see the 12 Irish Tenors and their show was well worth the $33 ticket. We were able to sit on the front row center because of a cancelation, so we were able to really see the singers. We have our favorites, but they all had great voices and blended so well together. This hugely talented group of Ireland's finest singers are taking the concert world by storm as they perform their award-winning show in concert halls everywhere. Sold out tours in Europe and America have made this show one of the "hottest" production in years.! From Opera to Pop, from Jazz to Classical, this show is a fabulous smash hit! Songs include "Danny Boy", "That’s Life", "You Raise Me Up", "Hey Jude", "Twist and Shout", "Yesterday", "Cockles and Mussels", "Nessun Dorma", "Music of the Night", and more!
Tuesday, May 12 - It was 58 degrees this morning. Ray took the Honda for a ride. The sky is overcast, but weather radar does not show showers.
Table Rock Dam is located in the SW corner of Branson. It is massive and holding back Table Rock Lake running into Lake Taneycomo (White River). Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery is at the base of Table Rock Dam. In 1882, Rueben Branson opened a general store and post office in the area. Branson was formally incorporated in 1912 and construction of the Powersite Dam nearby on the White River, which would form Lake Taneycomo, was completed. 1958 saw the completion of Table Rock Dam on the White River, which created Table Rock Lake.

Branson Landing is new shopping along Lake Taneycomo waterfront and adjacent to old Branson which slopes from US 65 to the lake. At the north end of the Landing is Belk’s and the south end has Bass Pro Shop with many retail stores in between. In the NE corner of Branson just off of US 65 is a new shopping complex with Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and many more stores.

The months of April, May and June are noted for northern fronts that spawn many tornados and large wind storms forming in Oklahoma and Kansas and sweeping east and south of Branson. The surrounding roads are good motorcycle riding especially around Table Rock Lake.
At 3pm we saw our next show, Shoji Tabuchi, the violinist. An exciting musical and variety entertainment in a palatial setting. All is showcased in a theatre that is a phenomenon in itself...often called the "Showplace of Branson." Its decor is reminiscent of the grand theatre palaces of the 1930's. Even the restrooms have awed visitors. The ladies' powder room is complete with wainscoting and ceiling reproduced from the 1890's Empire Period. To the ladies amazement, there are live cut orchids at every granite and onyx pedestal sink. Add to all that stained and jeweled glass and magnificent chandeliers!  Although I did not see it, the men's lounge is no less imposing, with black lion head sinks imported from Italy, black leather chairs and a marble fireplace. The billiard room contains a hand carved mahogany billiard table, a viewing gallery, and a burled walnut mirror that was built in 1868.
Thursday, May 14 - We had purchased tickets to see Yakov Smirnoff at 3pm. We enjoyed every minute of this show.

He is a two-time Comedian of the Year and has quite a reputation as the famous Russian Comedian. He delivers explosive laughter in a show filled with brilliant special effects, dazzling dancing, heartfelt moments, and just plain fun. Yakov’s entire show is packed with comedic tall tales and witty perceptions, funny facts and huge laughs. Yakov's comedy focuses on the dynamics between men and women, the happiness that can be found inside oneself, and a celebration of the spirit of life. He shares a vision of the world where laughter truly is the best medicine. Yakov's prescription for healthy living includes explosive laughter backed up with the best of human compassion. During this inspiring show filled with patriotism and love of family, Yakov delivers humor for the heart over and over again! As Yakov says, "What A Country", you'll be cheering for the red, white, and blue !
Friday, May 15 - We drove through the downtown area of “old” Branson. Their main street is very busy and the shops looked interesting, but we didn’t have time to browse.   We had a very nice lunch at the Fish House Restaurant.
It is sitting on a dock in the middle of the lake. Located at the Branson Landing, owned by the Bass Pro Shop and behind it on the dock.
White River Fish House has moderate prices. If you are a fish lover, they have a variety of fish to choose from, such as Flounder, Walleye, Mahi, and Salmon.

Saturday, May 16 - We had rain off and on last night, but today finally cleared up and we had sunshine at times. Cooler weather with a high in mid-60s, going down to 40 tonight. We went to see Safari at the IMAX theater and loved the beauty of Africa and the five major animals sought after for pictures. Bought beef filets on sale at the Country Store. First time we have used the grill since leaving Florida.

Monday, May 18 - Beautiful day with a high of 74 degrees. We went to the IMEX theater complex and saw the new release of Angels & Demons, an adaptation of the book by Dan Brown. Since I read the book two years ago, I had forgotten the ending so it was very entertaining to me. Ray also liked it. We both enjoyed seeing all the views of Rome above the ground and of course the “replica” of the interior of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel that we visited on our vacation in Italy years ago.b:if cond='data:blog.pageType !="item"> >

Florida/Georgia/Alabama/Tennessee/Arkansas

Monday, May 04 - We took our time and left Spirit of the Suwannee in Live Oak around 8:30 am. Our drive on I-75 was pleasant, especially since we feared that thunderstorms would be upon us. Atlanta South RV Resort outside Atlanta at McDonough, Georgia. One night cost of $32.40 with discount, but we have 50-amp service.  Therefore, we can do a few loads of laundry. The park entrance is very nice looking, with the newly constructed clubhouse.

The park is very lacking in physical beauty, but the web site says they are “working” on the sites. A lot of trailers and what looks like long-term sites. The manager told Ray that two years ago two tornadoes crossed paths right on top of the park and yet no one was injured. A few big rigs that did not heed the signs of high winds and take their slides in found the slide sucked out by the tornado. Quite a story. Many signs of the huge trees that were put on their sides and have been cut out of the way. The pines here are so tall, you don’t expect to receive satellite tv, but the tornadoes have taken out the limbs at least sixty feet up the bark, so we are enjoying satellite after six nights on cable at our last stop.

Tuesday, May 05 - It rained last night, but the skies are clear this morning. We delayed our departure due to notice that there was a major traffic jam on the interstate.  We didn’t run into any delays, except the normal flow, at times on seven lanes. Once we went through Rome, Georgia, we were in the Appalachian foothills with winding curves with hills and everything is so green due to all the rain. We saw a lot of standing water in the ditches beside the road. We were soon crossing over Little River Falls located off scenic Highway 35, next to the bridge in Gaylesville, Alabama. The formation of Little River Canyon begins here with a rushing 45-foot waterfall. Moving in the RV meant no photos were taken.  The drive today was highly stressful, so Pepcid was in order - my leg was banged up on the shinbone when I opened the door and forgot the steps were going to automatically come out because the motor was not off yet. My mistake.
This is a very nice park on a huge lake, problem is they have had so much rain, a lot of sites are either under water, or look good (grassy) and when you drive on them, you are bogged down, which is what happened to us. Needless to say, Ray was not a happy camper... but he drove the RV out (made a horrible mess of the grass/mud site).

Mountain Lakes Resort is located on the Tennessee River's 68,000-acre Guntersville Lake, Langston Alabama. The lake is noted for its speedboat races, fishing tournaments and other water sports. Only seven miles away is the Guntersville State Park Lodge and Convention Center and 18 hole golf course. When we pulled into the park, we found that most sites were very soggy from the rains.

However, we have a bigger problem with Canada Geese everywhere and oodles of babies. The goose poo is everywhere so when I walked Mitzy, I had a hard time keeping her out of it and my shoes were full of it.

We could only find a 30-amp site that we hope we won’t have trouble pulling out of in the morning, and we can get satellite here out in the open. It is mid-70s so quite pleasant outside and so far no bugs. They become a nuisance. Oh, well it is only one night stay, so anything can be endured.

Wednesday, May 06 - Still at Mountain Lakes Resort. The storms started around 3:30 am and kept us awake. Very large rain mass and lots of thunder. We have survived our first “tornado warning” and we are so glad we purchased our new Emergency weather radio before leaving Florida. With Mitzy in tow, we got in our truck, parked next to the rec building in the park, and listened to NOAA. Wasn’t sure we could take Mitzy into the rec building, but would have if the warning was imminent. Not only was Guntersville, Alabama in the tornado warning area, but also there are flash floods on roads in this area. We didn’t have to go in the rec center and we are now safe and sound in our RV debating leaving and heading towards our next one-night stop @ Cherokee Landing, Saulsbury TN. We figure the flash floods are on side roads and will not affect SR 72. We left around noon CDT with light rain most of the way.
We arrived at Thousand Trails Cherokee Landing in Saulsbury around 5:30 pm and had to call the park ranger to open the gate. The ranger guided us up hill to a rather large site, but not quite level. Very pleasant woman and most accommodating. This park has no site for satellite, but we were too tired to care after our ordeal with the long wait before departure. Did not hook up anything but electric for the a/c. We heard from a neighbor that there are no more than ten RVs in the park at a given time because the sites are not usable and the roads are washed out and have potholes. Too bad, as the setting is beautiful and the hardwood trees are magnificent.

The location is also out of the way, so that may be another reason no one stays at this park.
Thursday, May 7 - We left Cherokee Landing around 8:30 am to drive 230 miles to Golden Pond RV Resort in Shirley Arkansas. As we traveled, we saw many flooded rivers that have made marshland out of farms. Sometimes we saw a foot of standing water covering the land. After five hours and bypassing Memphis and driving Rt. 16 through the Ozark Mountains, we arrived. The drive was beautiful with twisty turns through treed forests around 1,200 ft. Cattle farms everywhere. Golden Pond is a very small park located near Greer’s Ferry Lake. The owner was very nice and led us on foot to a pull-through site. He allowed Ray to wash the entire coach of the mud acquired during our last two stops. The nearby stream was overflowing into a pond,  the landscape is quite rough and steep walking is required.

Friday, May 08 - We are stuck in the park waiting for a huge mass of thunderstorms to go through the St. Louis area that includes Branson. Ray hopes that the path of the storm will be northeast of us once we hit the road again.  We left Golden Pond around 11:30 am with wet roads. Fortunately the park owner gave us different road directions to take out of the park or we would have run into flooded areas. It was a great 2-lane road, but very narrow. The Ozark forest is beautiful and Route 65 to Branson at 50 mph sometimes rose to 1,500 elevation and is a biker’s dream.b:if cond='data:blog.pageType !="item"> >

Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak FL

Tuesday, April 28 - 8:30 am we left Mt. Olive Shores, Polk City, FL to travel north to the ROD Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL We made good time traveling US 33 we, I-4 W, US 98 N, 301 N, 50 W, I-75 N, I-10 and Rt. 29. The park is very wooded with Live Oaks everywhere, of course. Thankfully there is cable. Mitzy gets totally filthy whenever we walk her due to t he dirt and leaves and no grass. At least there are paved interior roads to help keep the dirt down. We went touring the park and saw Rees Lake and the grand Suwannee River.













Rees Lake is 200 years old, spring fed, and they catch and release fish here. There are horse stables, golf court, and a lot of planned activities.
There is much to do here, but the park is very empty as they had a huge musical 3-day event last weekend. The bugs are really bad here, especially the mosquitoes. Live Oak is a city in Suwannee Count in the heart of “The Original Florida”. The community was named for the large shade tree, which was a community meeting place.  Like many “old down towns”, Live Oak is barely hanging on. The token sundry store, attorney, doctor and real estate office is about all there is until you drive through to see some fast-food restaurants near the interstate connection.













Thursday, April 30 - We took the truck and left the park around 9:15 am on a beautiful clear day. Not too warm either. Drove to the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. We have never taken the time to stop, but found it very informative and the park is beautiful and very shaded with all the old oaks and Spanish moss hanging on. The Carillon Tower is not as pretty as the Bok Tower in Lake Wales, but still impressive. The 97-bell carillon at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park plays Foster's tunes daily. The carillon's electronic roller not only plays songs composed by Foster, but marks the hour and quarter hour with chimes that can be heard throughout the park. The interior base of the carillon tower is open to the public and features beautiful marble floors and walls. It serves as an extension of the museum, housing additional memorabilia and more dioramas depicting Foster's songs.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Very unusual piano.

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2009 HOME BASE - Polk City Florida

Lakeland was first settled in the 1870s and began to develop as the rail lines reached the area in 1884.

Friday, January 02, 2009 - We closed on our property in Mt. Olive Shores Polk City, Florida at 10:30 am. We are homeowners once again, but without the maintenance of owning a house.

Now the true work begins. We wanted to fix up the shed and make it more like a “cottage” for company to have a good place to rest and or spend the night. There is room enough to put out a queen bed and all the conveniences minus a shower. People can shower in the RV.
Friday, January 9 - It was 43 degrees this morning. Beautiful day. We received delivery on our washer/dryer from Home Depot to be placed in the closet area of the "cottage". . Ray is still painting the walls of the cottage (white) to cover numerous flaws and/or leak spots. Saturday, January 17 - The coldest day yet, with 34 degrees this morning. There was frost on the truck and some of the grass. Are we still in Florida? Coldest winter I remember and I’ve lived in Florida for over 40 years. 
Saturday, January 24 - We drove to St. Petersburg to see  my sister, Doreen, marry John Burdett.  It was a beautiful wedding held at The Church by the Sea Madeira Beach, FL.  Everything was done to perfection.  Doreen's daughter-in-law and Lisa (sister) were her bridesmaids.  My hand was still very painful from surgery on Monday and I wasn't sure I'd make the ceremony.  The reception was also fantastic with a ton of food, drinks and dancing.

Friday, February 20 - Lisa and Chuck rode their BMW to visit and spend the night. It is the first time we have had company and we tried to make the “cottage” as comfortable as possible. We feel the Aero bed is great and holds the rock-hard mattress firm.
Saturday, February 21 - It turned very cold at 34 degrees last night. Lisa and Chuck said the bed was great except they are used to a King and this is a Queen. In addition, because they like to sleep cold around 65 degrees, the cold air from under the carpet seeped up through the mattress and their joints ached and they couldn’t get comfortable.

March 5 - Ray took the Gold Wing to see the annual Bike Week in Daytona FL.











March 5 - Ray took a ride around the area on the Gold Wing. Beautiful weather.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, March 13 - We had a person in the community working on our RV engine at our location and changed out the oil. Ray feels he is did a great job. Ray also asked many questions to gain knowledge for the future. It is a beautiful day and I watered the grass heavily since we had a yardman fertilize and spray for insects last Saturday. He will be out twice before our return in October/November. We will add this service to our annual expense for owning property again.

Wednesday, April 1 - We took Mitzy to a doggie eye specialist and learned that she has lost about 50% of her vision in the left eye due to a cataract. Only surgery can fix the problem, but there can be other problems arising later and the expenses are exorbitant. They prescribed eye drops for inflammation in both eyes that will have to be a daily event. Once Mitzy’s eyes were checked, we had her regular vet take blood and the workup came back with an elevated liver enzyme off the charts. A significant sign that she has Cushing’s. This is an older dog’s illness, so we are going to get more blood work done in six months after giving her the medication every day and keeping her on a holistic diet for dogs with Cushing’s and see how the enzyme level looks.
Thursday, April 16 - Recommendation: We had Window Film Installed by Economy Glass Tinting @ 863.422.3408. Belinda did the work, daughter of the owners. It was almost 11 am before she arrived, and completed the job at 6pm.  Looks like it will be a great asset to have the extra film on all our windows without awnings.
Saturday, April 25 - We took a drive to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport  at 5:30 am to see the hot-air balloons rise in the sky.

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Return to USA - Destination - Florida for Winter

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - We left Vacationland RV Park - Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island Canada to Camper City RV Resort in Moncton, New Brunswick - Canada. We had rain again this morning which made things wet and uncomfortable to prepare the coach to travel. We did not have far to go, but it was raining most of the way. We left at 8 am and paid a $55 toll for taking the Confederation Bridge.

We arrived at Camper City RV Resort in Moncton, New Brunswick in two hours. We have a pull-through site so we can leave again in the morning to get to Calais, ME after we pass US Customs.

Thursday, August 14 - Around 8 am with sunny skies, we departed Camper City RV Resort in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, for Calais, Maine USA.  Nothing like being back in the great United States. Customs was easy on our return to the states. Situated as it is, Calais is one of the busiest border crossings with Canada. A former shipping community, Calais has many historic sites, including historic districts and museum. We passed a cultivated cranberry bog on our drive to the park.

Friday, August 15 - We left Keenes Lake Campground, Calais Maine to drive to Pumpkin Patch RV Resort near Bangor Maine. We took a drive to Bangor and found their downtown architecture quite beautiful.

                                                         

Monday, August 18 - We arrived at Outdoor World Moody Beach, Maine (south of Kennebunkport) and set up. The park is very dusty (dirt/gravel) and we had a hard time finding a site large enough for our rig. Last two roads are saved for long-term stays with 50 amps. Lots of trees and more a family park. No satellite but Verizon and ATT work. A lot of small campers using the extended stay program.

Wednesday, August 20 - This is our third day in Moody Beach area and a cold front passed through and we woke up to 53 degrees outside in August? Our little portable heater in the living room is adequate to take the chill off. The sun shinning through the oaks and pines that surround us make dancing shadows through our windows.

Moody Beach




Friday, August 22 - Leaving Moody Beach Outdoor World park in Wells, Maine to Catskill Adventure Resort Wurtsboro, NY.

Wurtsboro is located in Sullivan County, New York. It is known as the foothills to the Catskills. It is very scenic and there is much to do from the best trout fishing to awesome motorcycle rides. The Wurtsboro area is very accessible as there are major roadways leading in and out.

Moody Beach

Wednesday, August 27 - Pocono Vacation Park, Stroudsburg PA in the Pocono Mountains. Although this park advertises level, pull-thru sites, they told us our rig was too large to fit in the area they had set aside for us. Fortunately, we saw one empty site up front on a corner lot with plenty of room and level. Usually saved for workers, they let us have it.  The Poconos are nestled in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania is a little slice of heaven, featuring roaring waterfalls, gurgling streams and flowing rivers, tree-studded mountains and quaint towns with old-world names. While here we visited the town of Jim Thorpe, founded in1816 as Mauch Chunk, the Native American word for “sleeping bear”.

Monday, September 01 - We planned to arrive early at Hershey Thousand Trails Park in Lebanon, PA because this is such a popular membership park and the good sites are usually taken by early morning. We stayed 16 nights. The park ranger told us about 190 departures today, and we were very fortunate to find a great site with 50-amp service overlooking the lake. The Amish landscape is beautiful and serene, no matter what time of year. 

Friday, September 12 - Just looked outside and the ducks in the lake are doing synchronized swimming and it so funny to see all their white tails up in the air - it is hilarious.

Monday, September 15 - We left Hershey Thousand Trails Park in Lebanon, PA at 7:30 am for a seven-hour drive to Lynchburg Thousand Trails Preserve near Lynchburg, Virginia. We stayed 21 nights.  We found a satellite-friendly site up on hill.  So late in the season, we were almost by ourselves most of the time.  Enjoyed the luxury of walks around the lake everyday.

 Ray took the Gold Wing for rides over to the Blue Ridge Parkway during our stay.

Friday, September 19 - We decided to go and see the Natural Bridge and the Monacan Village (CIR. 1700)..

Tuesday, October 7 - We left our site at the Thousand Trails Lynchburg Preserve around 7:30 and drove 156 miles to the Thousand Trails Forest Lake Preserve in Advance, North Caroliina (near Lexington, NC).  We stayed 21 nights. October 8 - We have clouds and chilly 58 degrees.

We thoroughly enjoyed downtown Lexington.  The walk up the steps to the museum were daunting, but the stops along the way made the trip more enjoyable. The museum has much worth seeing as well. 

Tuesday, October 28 - We left Thousand Trails Forest Lake Preserve in Advance, North Carolina around 8:30 AM to drive to a Passport America park in Asheville, NC called Wilson’s Riverfront RV Park. Very small park, nicely maintained and located on a river. The sites all have 30/50 amps and concrete slabs, so leveling was easy. We also have satellite and cell service.

We met our son Steven and Gennifer (wife) in Asheville and went to a nearby State Park to let the dogs run around. It was a beautiful day and a fun time together.

Thursday, October 30 - We took our time leaving Wilson’s Riverfront RVPark in Asheville, NC to drive two hours to Thousand Trails Carolina Landing in Fair Play SC. We have been to this park before and we selected one of the more level sites about mid-way up a steep hill. We have 50-amp service, cell and internet. With tiered sites, you don’t feel as close to your neighbor.

Thursday, November 06 - It is another beautiful day here Carolina Landings. Ray took the Gold Wing over to Highlands/Cashiers. He took some really outstanding photos.

 

Tuesday, November 11 -Left Carolina Landing Preserve in Fair Play, SC. We drove I-85 and the day was awesome. Sun and blue sky. The fall colors are still around, but the winds have certainly removed many leaves.  We arrived at Big Water Resort, an ROD membership park in Summerton, South Carolina for six nights.

This park is located on a large portion of Lake Marion with 5 full hook-up big-rig sites. All have 50-amp service. The 40-acre resort has eight cabins with a lake view. They have a huge fishing pier and launch ramp. There is a beautiful pool section, but due to the time of year there is not anyone using it. In fact the park may have ten RVs and we are at the very front of the park near the lake, and no one has moved in around our area. The walk to the lake and pier area every day is beautiful, although chilly.  We took a drive into Summerton to see what the town is like. Very depressed town with houses mostly run down. The only grocery store is a Piggly - Wiggly. We headed toward the other side of the interstate to Santee. It is a resort town primarily for its proximity to Lake Marion. The population was 740 at the 2000 census. The town is currently experiencing economic growth. Every fast food eatery is along the strip and many motel/hotels are available due to the proximity to I-95. Interstate 95 bridge crosses over Lake Marion and the old bridge is now a fishing pier.

Monday, November 17 - It was 8:30 am by the time we left Big Water Resort in Summerton, SC. It was in the low 30s last night and it won’t get above mid-50s today. Cold front covered the whole eastern seaboard even into Florida. The sky is cobalt blue. We drove I-95 into Florida to spend one night at Ocala Sun RV Resort in Ocala. We were checking out parks with deeded lots for sale. found one large lot that has the highest elevation throughout the park, costs $59,900 - includes 500 sf of concrete or pavers.

Tuesday, November 18 - We are back in Florida and drove to the Thousand Trails Orlando Preserve in Clermont where we stayed 21 nights. We were assigned one site and we did not like the location at all, so we looked around in the truck, selected another site and went to the main office to give them the new site number. This park needs a lot of help with leveling out some big-rig sites. The sites are very close together too. After 21 nights, membership rules that we have to move to another TT park (like Peace River) for 21 nights. Then we can't stay at either of these "high use" parks for the remainder of the season.

We decided there were so many reasons why we did not want to continue using the TT system in Florida for the "snow bird" season.  

We started our quest to purchase a permanent site in Florida to be our residence.  

First and foremost at the time was Rolling Ridge RV Resort in Clermont.  The only site we found desirable required a lot of intensive research on our part.  Once we found out there were more costs to make the necessary moves of electrical and water to accommodate our motorhome, plus add the additional paver/concrete costs, we canceled the contract.  After the fact, the salesman wanted to  know what he could offer to entice us to go through with the deal.  (He should have done that up front - big mistake).  We are so thankful this did  not work out for us. 

Sunday, December 07 - Ray drove to a community he remembered seeing on the road while traveling. It is called Mount Olive Shores RV Resort, Polk City (Lakeland). When we drove over together we looked at all the lots (some finished, some not) for sale and made our notes. We drove into a cul-de-sac and there was a For Sale by Owner sign out front and an RV parked. One thing led to another and after some negotiations with the owners, we made a contract with them for the site. The site has more square footage than any other park site we investigated. The park (community) has minimal annual fee to keep up with mowing and edging our property and taking care of the common areas in the park. There are no amenities to pay for, i.e. pool, spa, tennis courts, activity building, etc. The rules are the same in general as owning a condo.

Sunday, December 07 - Ray drove to a community he remembered seeing on the road while traveling. It is called Mount Olive Shores RV Resort, Polk City (Lakeland). When we drove over together we looked at all the lots (some finished, some not) for sale and made our notes. We drove into a cul-de-sac and there was a For Sale by Owner sign out front and an RV parked. One thing led to another and after some negotiations with the owners, we made a contract with them for the site. The site has more square footage than any other park site we investigated. The park (community) has minimal annual fee to keep up with mowing and edging our property and taking care of the common areas in the park. There are no amenities to pay for, i.e. pool, spa, tennis courts, activity building, etc. The rules are the same in general as owning a condo.

Tuesday, December 30 - We moved from Lakeland RV Park, Old Combee Rd, Lakeland to our new site at Mt. Olive Shores, Polk City, Florida.

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