We did first-of-the month paperwork this morning and early afternoon today.
After lunch and resting awhile, we went over to Dunedin on the coast. It is our favorite area town and we always enjoy visiting.
We arrived just before sunset and had a drink and dinner at Bon Appetit, a great waterfront restaurant and bar by the town pier. It was another superb meal and sunset over the water. After dinner, it was a short walk down the street for an ice cream cone for dessert. We were back in the RV by 8:30 pm and early to bed again.
More baseball tomorrow - the Yankees again. We are also moving the RV to a different site in the park tomorrow for our monthly reservation.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 23
The Phillies played the Detroit Tigers. It was a blowout for the Tigers. They scored 7 runs by the third inning and won the game 11-6. So far, the Phillies are failing to impress although it is still early and they have been playing a lot of rookies, minor leaguers and free agents trying to make the team. We'll see how things develop.
After returning to the RV and resting for awhile, we out to eat at Cody's Roadhouse, a family, sports bar, peanuts-on-floor type of restaurant just down the road. After an excellent meal, it was back to the RV and another early retirement.
No baseball tomorrow - Other activities TBD.
After returning to the RV and resting for awhile, we out to eat at Cody's Roadhouse, a family, sports bar, peanuts-on-floor type of restaurant just down the road. After an excellent meal, it was back to the RV and another early retirement.
No baseball tomorrow - Other activities TBD.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 22
No baseball today. The Phillies are playing a night game with the Yankees at their stadium in Tampa.
It was a "clean the RV, hang around the RV day" today. We didn't go anywhere and tried to get caught-up with things that needed to be done here.
The weather remains the same - low 80's sunny and a little humid. There is also not much change on the horizon. We'll deal with it.
It was a "clean the RV, hang around the RV day" today. We didn't go anywhere and tried to get caught-up with things that needed to be done here.
The weather remains the same - low 80's sunny and a little humid. There is also not much change on the horizon. We'll deal with it.
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 21
Baseball again today. Our first game with the NY Yankees, a perennial good team that always seems to be able to win. They were also the better team today, winning 9-3.
At this stage of spring training, the "regular" players only play about 4-5 innings then non-roster players trying to make the team, rookies the team wants to take a look at before sending them to minor league training camp, and long-time minor league players who will be playing in the minor leagues this year, usually finish out the game. The quality of play is not always at the major league level and it showed today. It was a relatively sloppy game - base running gaffs, poor pitching, dropped pop-ups, and a general lack of timely hitting. The Yankee "scrubs" were better than the Phillies "scrubs" however, and they won easily.
We drove back to the RV after the game and ate a quiet dinner before going to bed. No baseball tomorrow - we will be staying "home", trying to get caught-up on paperwork and things that don't go away when we do.
At this stage of spring training, the "regular" players only play about 4-5 innings then non-roster players trying to make the team, rookies the team wants to take a look at before sending them to minor league training camp, and long-time minor league players who will be playing in the minor leagues this year, usually finish out the game. The quality of play is not always at the major league level and it showed today. It was a relatively sloppy game - base running gaffs, poor pitching, dropped pop-ups, and a general lack of timely hitting. The Yankee "scrubs" were better than the Phillies "scrubs" however, and they won easily.
We drove back to the RV after the game and ate a quiet dinner before going to bed. No baseball tomorrow - we will be staying "home", trying to get caught-up on paperwork and things that don't go away when we do.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 20
Baseball today. The Phillies beat the Baltimore Orioles 9-6. We went to Frenchy's at Clearwater Beach after the game for dinner and a sunset - both excellent.
It was opening day for the Phillies and they were welcomed by the mayor, the city council and assorted other politicians and staff from the City of Clearwater for the 71st consecutive year of spring training in Clearwater for the Phillies and the 15th year in the present stadium. And again, the Phillies Phanatic, the best mascot in baseball, and possibly all sports, was present to entertain the crowd and harass the visiting team.
There was also a moment of silence for Roy Halladay, former Phillies pitcher, whom died in an airplane accident last year
The traffic over the causeway into Clearwater Beach was heavy and the town was packed. But it was Saturday night and the weather was beach-friendly. And, spring break isn't really here yet. It looks like it is going to be a busy time here this year. Despite the traffic, our meal at Frenchy's was again outstanding and the sunset was beautiful.
It was opening day for the Phillies and they were welcomed by the mayor, the city council and assorted other politicians and staff from the City of Clearwater for the 71st consecutive year of spring training in Clearwater for the Phillies and the 15th year in the present stadium. And again, the Phillies Phanatic, the best mascot in baseball, and possibly all sports, was present to entertain the crowd and harass the visiting team.
There was also a moment of silence for Roy Halladay, former Phillies pitcher, whom died in an airplane accident last year
The traffic over the causeway into Clearwater Beach was heavy and the town was packed. But it was Saturday night and the weather was beach-friendly. And, spring break isn't really here yet. It looks like it is going to be a busy time here this year. Despite the traffic, our meal at Frenchy's was again outstanding and the sunset was beautiful.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 19
Not much to report today. It was a day off from baseball so we slept in, had a late breakfast and did the laundry, which took some time.
After cooking bacon outside, Pat went to the grocery store, then cooked sausage, peppers and onions outside for dinner.
It was then early to bed , life in the vacation fast lane.
More baseball tomorrow.
After cooking bacon outside, Pat went to the grocery store, then cooked sausage, peppers and onions outside for dinner.
It was then early to bed , life in the vacation fast lane.
More baseball tomorrow.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 18
Today was the first baseball game of spring training, an exhibition game with the University of Tampa (UT) team. The Phillies traditionally play them in the first game each year.
The UT team is a strong Division II college team. They actually beat the Phillies two years ago but not this year. The Phillies only played a few starters for 4 innings and minor leaguers and non-roster players trying to make the team played the rest of the time. It wasn't close however, as the Phillies won 9-0.
We returned to the RV and relaxed before dinner in the RV.
There is no home game tomorrow so we will be doing laundry and trying to get caught-up with paperwork and other things that don't go away even on vacation.
The weather remains warm, temperature in the 80s and sunny.
The UT team is a strong Division II college team. They actually beat the Phillies two years ago but not this year. The Phillies only played a few starters for 4 innings and minor leaguers and non-roster players trying to make the team played the rest of the time. It wasn't close however, as the Phillies won 9-0.
We returned to the RV and relaxed before dinner in the RV.
There is no home game tomorrow so we will be doing laundry and trying to get caught-up with paperwork and other things that don't go away even on vacation.
The weather remains warm, temperature in the 80s and sunny.
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 17
We are here. After a short 70 mile drive from Crystal River we arrived at Bay Bayou RV Resort where we will be staying until the end of March. We checked in, hooked everything up then went to lunch and the grocery store. We had a late lunch that sufficed for dinner, except for a snack and a glass of wine before retiring for the evening.
We are staying at the site where we are now until the end of the month then switching to another site where we will be for the month of March.
Baseball starts tomorrow with and exhibition game against the University of Tampa, a good Division II college baseball team.
We are staying at the site where we are now until the end of the month then switching to another site where we will be for the month of March.
Baseball starts tomorrow with and exhibition game against the University of Tampa, a good Division II college baseball team.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 16
It was a busy day today - sightseeing and too much good food.
We slept in, ran a few errands and had lunch at a waterfront sea food restaurant nearby. We had eaten there a couple of trips ago and had another great lunch on the patio under sunny skies and warm temperatures.
"A wondrous bird is the pelican - his beak can hold more than his belly can" - Ogden Nash
Crystal River is a nice snowbird and retirement community and not a spring break destination. So the atmosphere is more subdued and relaxing than some other locations we have visited.
After lunch, we decided to visit the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park just down the road. We have wanted to visit the park every time we come through here but it has never worked out until now. It was well worth the trip.
The park is a rehabilitation center for orphaned and injured West Indian manatees, which reside in the freshwater spring while re-acclimating to a natural environment.
The centerpiece of the park is a first-magnitude freshwater spring which produces millions of gallons of fresh, crystal clear water every hour. The spring outflow creates the Homosassa River that flows into the Gulf of Mexico, about 9 miles away. There all also a large number of saltwater and freshwater fish of different varieties that are attracted to this large natural spring with its year-round temperature of 72 degrees.
There are numerous birds and animals in the park in natural settings. Most would not survive in the wild due to injuries and other issues. The park provides these animals with habitat and diet that is as natural as possible. There are manatees, black bears, Florida panthers, cougars, red wolves, bobcats, deer, alligators, red and grey foxes and otters that can be viewed from close range. There are also many varieties of birds, including wood ducks, roseate spoonbills, birds of prey, herons, egrets, flamingos, and cranes. Oh, and there is also a hippopotamus. It is a long story how the hippo ended up here, but is has been here a long time and is now very old.
When you arrive at the park, you have the option of taking a boat or tram ride to the park entrance. We opted for the 20-minute boat ride along Pepper Creek. It was a good choice. We traveled through native Florida habitat and saw an alligator, wood ducks, turtles and heron along the way.
We only had a glimpse of the manatees who were recovering in a large tank and recovery area. The manatee is a large docile mammal who lives in warm water and eats mainly sea grasses and plants. The area around Crystal River and Homosassa Springs with its mostly year-round warm water makes the area a natural place for them to live and thrive.
After entering the park, we walked along elevated boardwalks in a one-mile loop seeing a wide variety of the park birds and animals.
After a great visit, we took the tram back to the parking lot.
The plan was then to take dinner over to Linda, my sister Eileen's friend, who is mostly homebound. Eileen is New Jersey right now, so it was an opportunity to visit Linda and say hello. Unfortunately, we had a call from Eileen who said Linda's younger sister in New Jersey unexpectedly just passed away so Linda had to cancel our visit.
We then decided to have dinner at a seafood restaurant out on the coast. We ate there last year with Eileen and Linda. After another excellent meal it was back to the RV to bed.
We have a short 70 mile drive to our destination in Oldsmar tomorrow. Baseball on Thursday.
We slept in, ran a few errands and had lunch at a waterfront sea food restaurant nearby. We had eaten there a couple of trips ago and had another great lunch on the patio under sunny skies and warm temperatures.
"A wondrous bird is the pelican - his beak can hold more than his belly can" - Ogden Nash
After lunch, we decided to visit the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park just down the road. We have wanted to visit the park every time we come through here but it has never worked out until now. It was well worth the trip.
The park is a rehabilitation center for orphaned and injured West Indian manatees, which reside in the freshwater spring while re-acclimating to a natural environment.
The centerpiece of the park is a first-magnitude freshwater spring which produces millions of gallons of fresh, crystal clear water every hour. The spring outflow creates the Homosassa River that flows into the Gulf of Mexico, about 9 miles away. There all also a large number of saltwater and freshwater fish of different varieties that are attracted to this large natural spring with its year-round temperature of 72 degrees.
There are numerous birds and animals in the park in natural settings. Most would not survive in the wild due to injuries and other issues. The park provides these animals with habitat and diet that is as natural as possible. There are manatees, black bears, Florida panthers, cougars, red wolves, bobcats, deer, alligators, red and grey foxes and otters that can be viewed from close range. There are also many varieties of birds, including wood ducks, roseate spoonbills, birds of prey, herons, egrets, flamingos, and cranes. Oh, and there is also a hippopotamus. It is a long story how the hippo ended up here, but is has been here a long time and is now very old.
When you arrive at the park, you have the option of taking a boat or tram ride to the park entrance. We opted for the 20-minute boat ride along Pepper Creek. It was a good choice. We traveled through native Florida habitat and saw an alligator, wood ducks, turtles and heron along the way.
We only had a glimpse of the manatees who were recovering in a large tank and recovery area. The manatee is a large docile mammal who lives in warm water and eats mainly sea grasses and plants. The area around Crystal River and Homosassa Springs with its mostly year-round warm water makes the area a natural place for them to live and thrive.
After entering the park, we walked along elevated boardwalks in a one-mile loop seeing a wide variety of the park birds and animals.
After a great visit, we took the tram back to the parking lot.
The plan was then to take dinner over to Linda, my sister Eileen's friend, who is mostly homebound. Eileen is New Jersey right now, so it was an opportunity to visit Linda and say hello. Unfortunately, we had a call from Eileen who said Linda's younger sister in New Jersey unexpectedly just passed away so Linda had to cancel our visit.
We then decided to have dinner at a seafood restaurant out on the coast. We ate there last year with Eileen and Linda. After another excellent meal it was back to the RV to bed.
We have a short 70 mile drive to our destination in Oldsmar tomorrow. Baseball on Thursday.
Monday, February 19, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 15
We left the RV park in Pensacola around 9:00 am after a beautiful sunrise and after getting gas. We headed east on I-10 towards Tallahassee then south along the west coast of Florida to Crystal River, FL.
My sister Eileen and her friend Linda have a winter home in Crystal River where they have been living each winter for the last several years. This year they decided to sell their other home in NJ and move full time to FL. Eileen right now, is in NJ, handling the sale closure and making arrangements for the move of their things to FL.
We are planning to do some sightseeing in the area tomorrow then take dinner over to Eileen/Linda's house to visit with Linda tomorrow evening.
The RV park where we are staying is essentially is a snowbird park. We stayed here last year and it is fine for either an extended stay or a short overnight visit.
It will be a short 70 mile drive to Oldsmar on Wednesday, our destination for Spring Training.
The weather remains great - low 80's here today and expected to continue for at least the next week.
We are planning to do some sightseeing in the area tomorrow then take dinner over to Eileen/Linda's house to visit with Linda tomorrow evening.
The RV park where we are staying is essentially is a snowbird park. We stayed here last year and it is fine for either an extended stay or a short overnight visit.
It will be a short 70 mile drive to Oldsmar on Wednesday, our destination for Spring Training.
The weather remains great - low 80's here today and expected to continue for at least the next week.
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 14
We woke up this morning to a little fog in the RV park. The plan today is head for the beach.
Pictures - RV Park
After breakfast, the fog began to lift and we headed toward Pensacola Beach, just south of downtown Pensacola and Pensacola Naval Air Station. a major league naval aviation training base and home base for the Blue Angels, the Navy's aerial demonstration team. There is a lot to do around here but we decided to focus on the beach.
Pensacola Beach is actually on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island along the gulf coast. Part of the island is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and other parts have been developed into a typical Gulf Coast barrier island complex of high rise condos, vacation homes, restaurants and associated beach activity businesses.
Our first stop was Fort Pickens at the west end of the island in the national seashore section of the island. The fort is one of several civil war forts guarding the entrance to Pensacola Bay. It was briefly occupied by the Confederates when the war started but was abandoned in 1862 then occupied by Union forces until the end of the war. Like most barrier forts down here they were shut down in the early 1900's. The fort has been partially restored and it appears further restorations are ongoing. Also in the national seashore section of the island are excellent beaches all along both sides of the island, hiking/biking trails and a fairly large RV campground (electric and water hook ups).
After a tour of the fort, we had lunch at a busy beach bar/restaurant called Peg Leg Pete's.
After a great lunch we headed east on the island to another section of the national seashore to a nice beach for a short beach walk and getting our feet wet.
We then drove back to the RV for dinner. We will head east to Tallahassee, FL tomorrow then south along the coast to Crystal River, FL for two nights, before the final leg to Oldsmar, FL, our spring training destination.
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 13
We headed out of Vicksburg, MS about 9:00 am. The weather was overcast with a little wind. We traveled east to Jackson, MS about 50 miles east, then headed SE across MS to Mobile AL.
We got to see a large part of Mississippi we had never seen before. It wasn't exactly depressed, and it certainly wasn't upscale. The term "muddled" comes to mind. The roads were pretty bad for the most part, maybe even worse than California's right now. Every little town we traveled through had sort of a standard look - buildings either unoccupied, under construction or being partially used/lived in. We would pass a house with 3-4 junked cars in the yard and an old sofa/refrigerator on the front porch and other stuff here-and-there while a few houses just down the road the houses had fences, were set back from the road on property and were well maintained.
Each little town we went through had multiple churches, At least one Dollar General store, a Waffle House Restaurant, other fast food restaurants and a couple of quick stop gas stations. We also saw a number of pay-day advance check cashing stores in the larger towns along the way. it was not obvious how the local residents in this area outside of the larger cities (Jackson, Hattiesburg) make a living but it appeared that it might be a tough go for a lot of them.
Anywa3y, the weather cooperated and we arrived in Mobile, AL and picked up our old friend I-10 and headed east to Pensacola, FL. After a quick stop at the Florida Visitor's Center rest stop just over the FL line, we arrived at our RV park, just east of Pensacola. It is a great RV park and we have a nice site right on the water (Escambia Bay). We have stayed here before and it was worth a return visit.
After arriving, it seemed appropriate to relax a little and enjoy the area and sunset with a tequila and some popcorn (perhaps a strange combo but it was good). We will be here two nights and the plan tomorrow is to visit the Gulf Islands National Seashore just south of the RV park. Depending on our energy levels, we may also do some sightseeing in the Pensacola area.
It was another long ride, but it look like we are out of any weather to speak of and headed for pretty good FL weather.
We got to see a large part of Mississippi we had never seen before. It wasn't exactly depressed, and it certainly wasn't upscale. The term "muddled" comes to mind. The roads were pretty bad for the most part, maybe even worse than California's right now. Every little town we traveled through had sort of a standard look - buildings either unoccupied, under construction or being partially used/lived in. We would pass a house with 3-4 junked cars in the yard and an old sofa/refrigerator on the front porch and other stuff here-and-there while a few houses just down the road the houses had fences, were set back from the road on property and were well maintained.
Each little town we went through had multiple churches, At least one Dollar General store, a Waffle House Restaurant, other fast food restaurants and a couple of quick stop gas stations. We also saw a number of pay-day advance check cashing stores in the larger towns along the way. it was not obvious how the local residents in this area outside of the larger cities (Jackson, Hattiesburg) make a living but it appeared that it might be a tough go for a lot of them.
Anywa3y, the weather cooperated and we arrived in Mobile, AL and picked up our old friend I-10 and headed east to Pensacola, FL. After a quick stop at the Florida Visitor's Center rest stop just over the FL line, we arrived at our RV park, just east of Pensacola. It is a great RV park and we have a nice site right on the water (Escambia Bay). We have stayed here before and it was worth a return visit.
After arriving, it seemed appropriate to relax a little and enjoy the area and sunset with a tequila and some popcorn (perhaps a strange combo but it was good). We will be here two nights and the plan tomorrow is to visit the Gulf Islands National Seashore just south of the RV park. Depending on our energy levels, we may also do some sightseeing in the Pensacola area.
It was another long ride, but it look like we are out of any weather to speak of and headed for pretty good FL weather.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 12
We left the RV park near Shreveport where we were staying around 9:30 am. It was overcast but not too windy.
As it turned out, it was an easy 3 1/2 hour drive to Vicksburg East along I-20. We arrived about 12:30 pm, just ahead of the cold front behind us.
After hooking-up, we had a late lunch at the nearby Cracker Barrel, picked-up a few things at Walmart and returned to the RV. We are staying at a casino RV park, right on the Mississippi River. We stayed here several years ago. It is an O.K. park for an overnight stop, primarily designed for casino patrons with a casino shuttle making regular rounds through the park.
The weather definitely changed with the frontal passage. The winds picked-up, it rained a little and it got much colder. It is only 50 degrees but with some wind and humidity it seems colder.
It is on to Pensacola, FL tomorrow for a two night stay. The weather doesn't look too bad and it appears warmer weather is on the way.
As it turned out, it was an easy 3 1/2 hour drive to Vicksburg East along I-20. We arrived about 12:30 pm, just ahead of the cold front behind us.
After hooking-up, we had a late lunch at the nearby Cracker Barrel, picked-up a few things at Walmart and returned to the RV. We are staying at a casino RV park, right on the Mississippi River. We stayed here several years ago. It is an O.K. park for an overnight stop, primarily designed for casino patrons with a casino shuttle making regular rounds through the park.
The weather definitely changed with the frontal passage. The winds picked-up, it rained a little and it got much colder. It is only 50 degrees but with some wind and humidity it seems colder.
It is on to Pensacola, FL tomorrow for a two night stay. The weather doesn't look too bad and it appears warmer weather is on the way.
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 11
There is a cold front coming in here later this evening with high winds, much lower temperatures and some rain. So, we have decided to try and stay ahead of it and continue east today to Shreveport, LA today.
Shreveport is about half way to Vicksburg, MS, our previously planned stop on Friday, so we will avoid the worst of the weather, cut tomorrows trip distance in half and avoid Dallas rush hour traffic tomorrow morning in gusty and possibly rainy conditions. The downside is we will not be able to do any sightseeing in this area today. It is a nice park and there are lots of things to do around town. Perhaps we will try and stay here on the way back if it works out.
We will update the blog when we arrive in Shreveport.
We are here after a fairly stressful 3 1/2 hour drive from Arlington, TX. We got through Dallas traffic O.K. and the roads were clear but we battled pretty much a 10 mph plus cross wind most of the way.
We are staying in Greenwood, LA about 5 miles over the LA border and about 10 miles west of Shreveport, LA. It is a nice park, fairly basic but with long pull-through sites and it is more than adequate for an overnight stay. Along the way, we stopped at a truck stop with an adjoining BBQ restaurant. We had a great lunch/early dinner of excellent Texas BBQ.
After arriving at the RV park, we had cocktails on the patio, and early to bed. Tomorrow is a 185 mile drive to Vicksburg, MS with showers and more wind forecast.
We are here after a fairly stressful 3 1/2 hour drive from Arlington, TX. We got through Dallas traffic O.K. and the roads were clear but we battled pretty much a 10 mph plus cross wind most of the way.
We are staying in Greenwood, LA about 5 miles over the LA border and about 10 miles west of Shreveport, LA. It is a nice park, fairly basic but with long pull-through sites and it is more than adequate for an overnight stay. Along the way, we stopped at a truck stop with an adjoining BBQ restaurant. We had a great lunch/early dinner of excellent Texas BBQ.
After arriving at the RV park, we had cocktails on the patio, and early to bed. Tomorrow is a 185 mile drive to Vicksburg, MS with showers and more wind forecast.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 10
We woke up early this morning and were on the road by 8:30 am. The forecast was again for a 10-20 mph crosswind from the south and we wanted to get as many miles as possible before the wind kicked-in later in the day.
The road was clear and not much traffic as we headed east through Big Springs, Sweetwater and Abilene on the way to Fort Worth, TX. The wind finally got going just past Abilene but it was manageable - about a 10 mph crosswind from the south.
One thing we had to deal with that we noticed after leaving was that the RV air conditioner was not cooling. We were trying to decide how to fix the problem without disrupting our trip itinerary. We decided to check Camping World locations along the way as we will need AC in Florida. The Fort Worth Camping World could fit us in today so we arrived there about 2:30 pm. Alas, they discovered the AC compressor failed. It one respect it was fortunate they had another they could install. The bad news was we had to pay for the new one even though the old one is still under its two-year warranty. I'll have to deal with the warranty issue when be get back home, but for now we have cold air in the RV.
As it turns out, we are actually staying in Arlington, TX near the hated Dallas Cowboys stadium and the Texas Ranger's baseball park. Arlington is about halfway between Fort Worth and Dallas and along I-20. We will be here two nights with activities tomorrow TBD.
The park here we are staying is very nice, lots of trees and very quiet.
It was a long day, but we got the AC fixed and we can sleep in in the morning.
Pictures to follow tomorrow.
The road was clear and not much traffic as we headed east through Big Springs, Sweetwater and Abilene on the way to Fort Worth, TX. The wind finally got going just past Abilene but it was manageable - about a 10 mph crosswind from the south.
One thing we had to deal with that we noticed after leaving was that the RV air conditioner was not cooling. We were trying to decide how to fix the problem without disrupting our trip itinerary. We decided to check Camping World locations along the way as we will need AC in Florida. The Fort Worth Camping World could fit us in today so we arrived there about 2:30 pm. Alas, they discovered the AC compressor failed. It one respect it was fortunate they had another they could install. The bad news was we had to pay for the new one even though the old one is still under its two-year warranty. I'll have to deal with the warranty issue when be get back home, but for now we have cold air in the RV.
As it turns out, we are actually staying in Arlington, TX near the hated Dallas Cowboys stadium and the Texas Ranger's baseball park. Arlington is about halfway between Fort Worth and Dallas and along I-20. We will be here two nights with activities tomorrow TBD.
The park here we are staying is very nice, lots of trees and very quiet.
It was a long day, but we got the AC fixed and we can sleep in in the morning.
Pictures to follow tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 9
After what seemed like a short night, we got going this morning around 9:00 am, stopped for gas and a mocha and got through El Paso morning traffic without any problems. It seems like every time we came through here the last 4 years, the road was under construction. Well, it still is. The urban border wall with Mexico is very visible downtown and frankly, it doesn't look like much of a deterrent.
We were expecting relatively high crosswinds today but they never materialized. It turned out to be an easy drive, but long. After a few stops for a border patrol checkpoint, gas, lunch, construction delays and a time zone change, we arrived in Midland, TX about 5:30 pm local.
The Midland /Odessa area (they are about 10 miles apart) is in the mist of an "Oil Boom". The market is apparently good and heavy drilling (fracking and direct drilling) and distribution is going on in the area. The area is located in the middle of what is called the Permian Basin.
It is so named because it has one of the world's thickest deposits of rocks from the Permian geologic period. The Permian Basin gives its name to a large oil and natural gas producing area, part of the Mid-Continent Oil Producing Area. Over the past century, the Permian has yielded 39 billion barrels of oil and is presently producing around 3.5 million barrels a day. It could also pump another 70 billion barrels in the future if oil prices remain financially feasible.
It looks like there a lot of jobs available (hard outside physical work) and local housing is scarce. The person checking us in at the park said they keep several sites for overnight travelers but are full for extended stays. She said they had 19 calls today for monthly/6 month stays which is typical each day. The RV park we are staying in nice, not a destination resort, but adequate for an overnight stop.
We didn't unhook, had a light dinner and are retiring early tonight for another long drive tomorrow to Fort Worth, TX. We will spend two nights there and try and do some "Texas Things" while there.
Monday, February 12, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 8
We slept in today. After breakfast, we decided we should probably do laundry so we did. This took us into the early afternoon and then it was time to rest a bit.
Later in the afternoon we went to the local Walmart to pick up a few things then on to a great Mexican restaurant, La Posta de Mesilla, just down the road in Old Mesilla, the original town in the area and stagecoach stop on the Butterfield Trail from St. Louis/Memphis to San Francisco. When the railroad came through, Mesilla was bypassed, Las Cruces grew and became the major transportation hub in the area.
Old Mesilla is now a tourist area and a gathering place for many locals around the church and town plaza. There are lots of shoppes and restaurants around the plaza and the adjoining parts of the town. We have been there before and enjoyed a great Mexican dinner at La Posta de Mesilla.
It was another excellent dinner and the Margaritas were outstanding. It is off to Midland , TX tomorrow, another overnight stop on our trip east.
Later in the afternoon we went to the local Walmart to pick up a few things then on to a great Mexican restaurant, La Posta de Mesilla, just down the road in Old Mesilla, the original town in the area and stagecoach stop on the Butterfield Trail from St. Louis/Memphis to San Francisco. When the railroad came through, Mesilla was bypassed, Las Cruces grew and became the major transportation hub in the area.
Old Mesilla is now a tourist area and a gathering place for many locals around the church and town plaza. There are lots of shoppes and restaurants around the plaza and the adjoining parts of the town. We have been there before and enjoyed a great Mexican dinner at La Posta de Mesilla.
It was another excellent dinner and the Margaritas were outstanding. It is off to Midland , TX tomorrow, another overnight stop on our trip east.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 7
We left the RV
park about 9:00 am, stopped for gas and a truck stop mocha then headed east on
1-10. The weather remained good – clear and
virtually no wind. Not much traffic either,
just the trucks a few RVs and the usual fast-moving travelers in cars and
pick-up trucks.
The road
between Phoenix and Las Cruces, NM has a lot of spots subject to high winds and
blowing dust. Road signs tell you to pull over, turn off the vehicle, stay buckled-in
and wait for clear weather. This is good
advice but not a pleasant experience and best avoided. Fortunately, the wind was almost calm and there was no
dust in sight.
After lunch at
a rest stop, we arrived at the RV park in Las Cruces about 3:30 pm. We stay at this park, Hacienda RV Resort,
every time we come this way. It is a great park and very comfortable. We will be here two nights with activities
tomorrow TBD.
After dinner at
the local Cracker Barrel, it was early to bed after a long travel day.
Pictures
tomorrow
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 6
It was a
relatively easy 300 mile drive to Phoenix today. We left Indio at 9:00 am and headed east on
I-10 to just west of Phoenix, AZ. From
there, we took the Phoenix bypass, heading south to I-8 then east to I-10 south
of Phoenix.
We are staying
at an RV park in Elroy, AZ right near the intersection of I-8 and I-10. We stayed here last year and it is fine for
an overnight stop. It is another
snowbird park and one of the few in the area who will take overnight
travelers. Most RV parks down here want
6 month or monthly rentals or at least three-night stays.
We are
continuing on to Las Cruces, NM tomorrow for a two night stay at the park we
always visit on our way east and west.
The weather forecast continues to look good ahead and we are doing well.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 5
We got on the road a little after 9:00 am and headed south on US 101 through Oxnard and Ventura then east on US 101/I-210 to San Bernadino and 1-10 to Indio, CA, just east of Palm Springs.
As expected, the traffic was heavy but we stayed out of everyone's way and avoided the high speed weavers who apparently believe using turn signals is a sign of weakness or perhaps too bothersome while driving. The traffic mostly kept moving however, and we arrived at Indio around 2:30 pm. Going through the LA Basin reminded us, once again, why we would never live there or understand why anyone else would do so if they had a choice.
The park where we are staying tonight is a first class Snowbird park with all the "fixins". The guy next door was having his rig washed as we arrived so we decided to have ours done also. We still had the early season Nevada City sap on the RV and truck and I didn't have time to do it myself before we left. This is probably going to ensure it will rain on us before we get to Florida.
We had dinner in the RV tonight, watching the Olympics opening ceremony. We continue east tomorrow to Casa Grande, AZ, just SE of Phoenix , AZ.
As expected, the traffic was heavy but we stayed out of everyone's way and avoided the high speed weavers who apparently believe using turn signals is a sign of weakness or perhaps too bothersome while driving. The traffic mostly kept moving however, and we arrived at Indio around 2:30 pm. Going through the LA Basin reminded us, once again, why we would never live there or understand why anyone else would do so if they had a choice.
The park where we are staying tonight is a first class Snowbird park with all the "fixins". The guy next door was having his rig washed as we arrived so we decided to have ours done also. We still had the early season Nevada City sap on the RV and truck and I didn't have time to do it myself before we left. This is probably going to ensure it will rain on us before we get to Florida.
We had dinner in the RV tonight, watching the Olympics opening ceremony. We continue east tomorrow to Casa Grande, AZ, just SE of Phoenix , AZ.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 4
We met our grandson Phinneus at his apartment this morning and after a tour of his "digs", we traveled down to the beach for breakfast at a great beach-side restaurant called The Boathouse. Hendry's Beach, a small beach a little north of town, is primarily used by locals and is dog-friendly. We had a fantastic breakfast/brunch, the views were great and the weather was perfect.
After breakfast, we did a little grocery shopping with Phinneus, then after a few more errands, we headed back to the RV park and Phinneus went to work.
We traveled back into town and met Phinneus for dinner after he got off from work at 7:30 pm. It was another great meal at a highly rated Italian restaurant near Phinneus's Starbucks on State street.
After a long but enjoyable day we went to bed. We finally head east tomorrow - down the coast to Ventura on US 101, then east across the LA basin to Indio, CA our next stop.
After breakfast, we did a little grocery shopping with Phinneus, then after a few more errands, we headed back to the RV park and Phinneus went to work.
We traveled back into town and met Phinneus for dinner after he got off from work at 7:30 pm. It was another great meal at a highly rated Italian restaurant near Phinneus's Starbucks on State street.
After a long but enjoyable day we went to bed. We finally head east tomorrow - down the coast to Ventura on US 101, then east across the LA basin to Indio, CA our next stop.
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 3
We slept in this morning then got on the road about 10:30 am for an easy 112 mile drive down US 101 to Goleta, about 18 miles west of Santa Barbara.
The weather so far has been fantastic, sunny and mild with the same forecast for tomorrow.
We are staying at the Ocean Mesa at El Capitan RV Resort across the highway from El Capitan State Beach. We will be here two nights and will visit with our grandson Phinneus who lives works and goes to school in Santa Barbara.
After getting set-up at the RV park we drove into Santa Barbara to meet our grandson Phinneus who was working that afternoon at his job as an assistant manager at a Starbucks on State Street near the center of town.
After a nice visit in between his job activities, we returned to the RV for dinner and early to bed.
We are meeting Phinneus for breakfast in the morning and activities TBD before he goes to work again at 3:00 pm
3The weather so far has been fantastic, sunny and mild with the same forecast for tomorrow.
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 2
Despite having everything loaded and packed the night before it was almost 10:00 am before we got on the road.
The trip to Paso Robles was uneventful with the usual travel experiences. We had a pretty good cross wind on I-80 until we turned south through the bay area on I-580/680 then on US 101 down to Paso Robles with the San Jose heavy traffic, high speed weavers and the always present semi-trucks. After a couple of stops along the way and a stop for $3.43 a gallon gas, we arrived at Paso Robles around 5:00 pm.
The RV park were we stayed, the Wine County RV Resort located near the intersection of US 101 and CA 46, is a nice park in the center of the Paso Robles wine country. It is too bad we didn't have the extra day originally planned to explore the area but it looks like it would be fun to do so on another trip.
The RV park were we stayed, the Wine County RV Resort located near the intersection of US 101 and CA 46, is a nice park in the center of the Paso Robles wine country. It is too bad we didn't have the extra day originally planned to explore the area but it looks like it would be fun to do so on another trip.
Wine Country RV Resort
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Florida Spring Training 2018 - Day 0-1
Day - 0 Sunday -Today was Super Bowl Sunday with a party at a friends house. It was also the day after a very busy Rotary fundraiser for our club (Casino Night) and the Friends of the Library book sale on Saturday where I worked until mid morning. And, Judy's sciatica was slowing her down quite a bit.
Sunday was also our trip preparation day to get the RV ready and loaded, pack, and button-up things before leaving. Well, that didn't work very well as we still had a lot to do before the end of the day.
Day - 1 Monday - We got up at 5:00 am and gave it our best shot on getting ready. However, when 4:00 pm came around and after we had worked hard to get everything ready and still weren't quite done, old person caution kicked in and we decided a 6:00 drive to Paso Robles at that point would not be a good idea. So, we went to bed and planned for an early departure on Tuesday morning.
Sunday was also our trip preparation day to get the RV ready and loaded, pack, and button-up things before leaving. Well, that didn't work very well as we still had a lot to do before the end of the day.
Day - 1 Monday - We got up at 5:00 am and gave it our best shot on getting ready. However, when 4:00 pm came around and after we had worked hard to get everything ready and still weren't quite done, old person caution kicked in and we decided a 6:00 drive to Paso Robles at that point would not be a good idea. So, we went to bed and planned for an early departure on Tuesday morning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
