Out and About in Naples & Tina's Birthday

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Our big activity on Friday was a bike ride into town and lunch at Altins Cafe and Grill on 5th Avenue.

On Saturday we took advantage of the cooler weather and went for a ten mile bike ride in East Naples.

Sunday was Tina's 55th birthday. We had a lazy morning, then aAround 10:30 AM I got Tina her present and card, a small tabletop mirror with dragonflys all around it. I think she was surprised.

After lunch we went for a drive into Old Naples which is south of town along the bay leading to the gulf. We walked around a lot of very nicely designed older buildings, mixed use residential abouve retail and professional spaces, window shopping as we went.

There were a lot of older cars in the area, apparently bicycle and car clubs stop here for lunch on Sunday.

Leaving town we returned home for a quiet afternoon of reading and relaxing.

To see all our photos, click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday the 26th – Thanksgiving

A little cooler today, but still very nice. We spent most of the morning reading and playing with the dogs. Around noon Tina went and checked when we would have to be at the clubhouse to help with serving Thanksgiving Dinner. Then she came back and fixed a green bean casserole and a strawberry pudding to take with us.

Around 1:30 PM we headed out with our goodies and checked in at the kitchen where we were told it was a serve yourself dinner so we could just hang out and mingle, which we did. We marked our seats at one of the twelve tables and by 2:00 PM all the food was set out, the turkeys carved and grace was said.

Then it was time to dig in. The turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy were on the kitchen serving counter while all the side dishes were arranged on several long tables through the center of the room. All the desert dishes were arranged on a table at the opposite end of the hall.

With plates in hand everybody loaded up and dug in. There was plenty of conversation at our table of eight. Tina was on my left with Carol and Frank next to her, another couple to Franks left, then Big Jim and Richard were next to me. We have played Eucher with Carol and Frank. Lots of talk about bike riding, billiards, golf, family and friends so it was a very enjoyable afternoon.

As people finished their deserts, everyone pitched in to help clean up. Later, another group came back to make turkey soup with the leftovers, bringing carrots and celery to add in. We got home about 4:30 PM, stuffed to the gills. Sometime around 6:00 PM Tina went back to the club house and brought back a tupper full of soup, but we were both too full to eat so we saved it for tomorrows lunch.

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching TV.

To see all our photos click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

In Search Of A Beach

Tuesday the 24th

The dogs went to the groomers this morning. We finally had to get them hair cuts. There is a type of grass down here that breaks off in very small pieces along with very small seeds that get embedded in their coats and especially their muzzles. Keeping them clean and happy was turning into a half hour chore every time they came back in from a walk.

Later in the day Tina and I took a drive down to Marco Island to check out the area and stop at Tiger Tail Beach. After about a twenty five minute drive we were on Marco Island. Much like Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, Marco Island is dedicated to high end residential homes and resorts with very little public beach access.

We got to the parking lot at Tiger Tail County Park, paid our entrance fee, then strolled to the beach. Crossing the dunes on a boardwalk we arrived at the beach only to find that we were really on an inner beach and the only way to get to the gulf shore was to walk across a four foot deep tidal estuary and cross the dunes lining the gulf.

Disappointed and not prepared for a watery hike we decided to see if there wasn’t a better access somewhere else. Fortunately my sob story to the gate guy got us a refund and we drove back to the main drag. Driving south along the island all we saw were Condo and Resort towers, no public beach access, so we turned around and drove down some side roads to explore. Very pretty but still no beach access.

We returned home and had a quiet afternoon. After dinner I drove to Sharks Den Billiards and shot pool for a couple of hours. Nice place.

To see all our photos click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Big Bike Ride and RV Repairs

Monday the 23rd

Up at 5:00AM this morning, I’m going up to Bonita Bay for a bike ride. Yesterday I talked to the Bonita Bay Bicycle Club about joining them for a ride and was told to be at the Tennis Center by 7:45 AM. Since our regular alarm clock was on the fritz and the “Punky” Alarm was set for 6:50 AM I had to rely on my internal clock to wake me up. Well, it sorta worked, heheheh!

I had made some arrangements last night to have my riding clothes ready so I was out of the house in plenty of time. Heading north on Airport-Pulling Road I got about three miles away before noticing my sunglasses were still back at the coach. Not good. Since there was plenty of time I turned around and went back, picking up my sunglasses and a banana.

Since it was still early, but after 6:00 AM, I swung over to Joes Diner and had breakfast, a 2-2-2. Two eggs, two pancakes and two pieces of bacon - couldn’t eat it all, even washing everything down with coffee. Finishing my breakfast I got back on Airport-Pulling Rd and headed north.

Its about a twenty mile drive so I had allowed about 45 minutes. But with limited traffic the trip only took half an hour. I got to the Tennis Center about a quarter after seven and waited for twenty minutes until the club president, Claude, arrived. He had me sign a release and then introduced me to the other club members as they arrived. Most were in their late fifties or early sixties so I fit right in.

Just before heading out we split into two groups, the “A” level riders who average about 24 mph and the “B” level group which rides about 20 mph. I joined the second group since I hadn’t been out on a serious ride since we left Denise’s house (Antioch, Wisconsin) last June. Good thing I did. Turns out my group had planned to go out for about 45 miles.

It was a nice day for a ride, about 75 with a light overcast and a slight breeze coming in from the gulf. The ride from Bonita Bay went south to Naples following many of the side streets which are lined with resorts and very expensive homes. Most major roads have a dedicated bike lane, the side roads have limited traffic but it’s not like riding in the NW, everything is flat. Good for me as we were moving at a pretty good clip in a pace line most of the way.

Arriving in Naples we came into the heart of town and stopped at “Tony’s Off Third” for coffee and a scone. Thirty minutes later we were back on the road following a different return route north. We finally made it back to the Tennis Center at Bonita Bay averaging over 16 mph for the ride including our stops for lights and stop signs. I think our average pace was around 21 mph while riding.

I got back home around noon and had a bite to eat with Tina then made a call to “Toms Mobile RV” to have someone come out and check out the Generator which had refused to start. The service technician, Dean, showed up about an hour an a half later. He listened to the clicking when the starter button was pushed, got out his creeper, went under the coach and a minute later came out and started the generator. Turns out it was a loose ground wire.

As he was writing up the invoice, I mentioned that Tina had been experiencing difficulties with the washer/dryer during the drying cycle. Since he had to bill us for an hour of shop time, Dean offered to look at the unit. I mentioned that I saw water in one of the storage compartments where the dryer hose was located thinking it might be part of the problem.

Turns out there is a water leak. With all the access panels removed, Dean finally found a problem with the hot water hose fitting to the shower and was able to replace the fitting and fix that problem. Then it was ck to trying to diagnose the dryer problem. After tracing the wiring, checking the breaker panel for voltage and eliminating several potential ideas, Tina said that it seemed to happen when the A/C was running. Dean ran a couple of tests and finally figured out that the voltage was dropping at the dryer with the A/C on.

This eventually lead us to the outside power pole where we had plugged in our 50 amp power cord. After testing the power outlet, it seems we had a bad connection. So Dean went down to the office to let them know they had a faulty power outlet and we decided we’d do laundry early in the morning with the A/C off.

Ten minutes later, a camp maintenance man and Dean returned. Seems the problem was known to the Park and they had pulled new wires and set up a new power pole about five feet behind the one I was plugged into but it hadn’t been identified for our site. We turned off the power at both boxes, pulled my power cord out of one and plugged it into the “correct” box then flipped the breaker switches back on.

Problem solved. Dean was there for about three hours but only billed us for an additional hour of labor which was a good deal as we actually didn’t know about the water leak, so we got three problems resolved.

Dinner was steak and roasted green beans with pine nuts. Deeeelicious!!

Naples Botanical Gardens

Sunday the 22nd

The weather changed this morning. It’s partly sunny with slightly higher humidity but shorts and tee shirt weather none the less - heh, heh!! To all our family, friends and neighbors back in the Seattle area - we’re thinking of you and enjoying the sun on your behalf.

This morning being Sunday we decided to go out for breakfast. So after walking the kids we jumped in the car and headed for Joe’s Diner where we had a great breakfast and relaxed with the paper over coffee.

After our morning repast we headed south towards the Naples Botanical Gardens (http://www.naplesgarden.org/). This is a very beautifully designed series of gardens highlighting plants found between latitudes 26 degrees north and 26 degrees south. With over 160 acres of lakes and lands, representing seven distinct natural habitats and ecosystems, the gardens feature over 600 species.

Currently the Naples Botanical Garden is the second largest biologically designed garden in Florida. Divided into distinct garden types with incredible designs -- the Caribbean, Asian, and Brazilian Gardens all include plants and cultural flavor of those regions. There's also a Florida Garden with native species and an interactive and educational Children's Garden and a beautiful Butterfly garden as well.

Still under development, the master plan for future development calls for a center for natural science, plant collections, art, science, history exhibitions, and education. When the newest additions to the gardens are completed next year it is expected to be the largest garden of its type in Florida.

We really enjoyed our time at the gardens and were also able to incorporate a mile long walk through the preserve around the lakes and out to the viewing tower. Incredibly well designed there are really beautiful artworks accentuating the entrances to the different sections. Well worth our time.

Leaving the gardens we made a quick stop at Home Depot for a small screw and piece of wood then headed over to the Fruit Stand we found the other day to pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables. Then it was back home to download and organize our photos, have lunch and spend the rest of the day relaxing after out morning adventure.

To see all our photos click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Return of the Snowbirds

Saturday the 21st

The good weather continues. Up at 7:00 AM to walk and feed the dogs, Tina got up while I was out and started the coffee. Later after breakfast we decided to do nothing today. So we spent the day relaxing, reading and walking the kids.

After lunch Tina and I spent some time researching places to go in the area so we could put together a calendar for the next two months. We located a dog park and a dog beach, several Preserves and Botanical Gardens, a couple of special beaches we want to go to, a place to visit in the Everglades and a bout ride down to Key West from Marco Island.

Later in the afternoon we joined about 75 other residents at the pool and clubhouse for a special “Welcome Back Snowbirds” dinner. This consisted of several teams competing in a small putt-putt golf tournament around the pool cheered on by all the bystanders. Great fun for all!

After the contests ended everyone moved into the clubhouse to our dinner tables while the event organizers awarded prizes for the best golf scores, the most outrageous golf outfit and the best guess for the number of golf tees in a big gallon jar. We started off the meal with a fruit plate then took our plates and went to the kitchen for mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, fried chicken and a roll. For desert there was a large piece of pineapple pudding cake with coffee.

Dinner was followed by live music and dancing. We stayed for about an hour then walked home.

To see all our photos, click on :

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Bicycling Naples Town

Friday the 20th

We are continuing to have perfect weather which makes it nice for getting out and about or just lazing around the pool. Today we ventured out on the bikes for downtown Naples. After stopping at the office for advice we pulled out of the RV Park and headed south on Airport Rd making aright on Estey Avenue. Before getting to the end we turned south on Brookside Dr toward Davis Avenue. At the corner Tina pulled into a small fruit stand and I followed. This was a real find!!

Parking the bikes we went inside. What a surprise! A huge selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, wines, a butcher shop and deli all under one roof. Exactly the kind of grocer you expect to find in a retail/residential area. After sampling several varieties of fresh home made salsa we headed back out to the bikes to continue our ride.

We rode along the wide sidewalk next to Davis Avenue until it intersected the Tamiami Trail (Hwy 41), a major north-south route along Florida’s West coast. Crossing the two arms of the Cocohatchee River we turned off the sidewalk to go under the highway towards the coast. Exiting the underpass we were in an area called “Tin City” and the famed “Riverwalk Shops”.

Not wanting to spend too much time on our outing in shops, we made a note to come back when we had more time. Continuing on our route we came to the City Dock and marina on the Cocohatchee. Seems we couldn’t quite find the right street to take us out to the beaches.

So we rode through the residential areas looking at nice older buildings and wandered back towards camp eventually retracing our route past the Fruit Stand and ending back at the coach. We were out for about two hours and got back just in time to have lunch and spend the rest of the day doing nothing.

Well, almost nothing -we took the kids for several walks, read and Tina went out and found a small table for the coach.

To see all our photos click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Starting our stay in Naples

Thursday the 19th

The weather here has been simply marvelous. Cool at night (high 50's) and warm (low 80's) during the day.

Yesterday afternoon we went for a long bike ride, out and around the municipal airport. Then in the evening we went down to the Club House and played Euchre for a couple of hours with fourteen other residents. It was a fun evening.



Today we loaded the bikes on the car and drove through town to a small park along the Gulf shore. From here we rode along a route I found on the internet up to Vanderbuilt Beach and on to Delnor-Wiggens Pass State Park.

Turning around we made the return trip but included a stretch along a bicycle path in front of many beach condo towers. The path is actually a large dike that acts as a barrier in case of storm surge. Lots of birds, fish jumping and even aligators basking in the sun along the side of the berm. Each of the condo towersconnect to the dike with boardwalks and there is a tram service that pickspeople up at various stations and takes them to the various beaches in the area.

We got back to the car, loaded the bikes and took a different route home. Returning to the coach we took the kids for a walk, then it was time to head for the pool to cool off. After a couple of refreshing dips and time to read we returned to the coach and the kids.

Tina is fixing a pork roast for dinner - with saurkraut. Yippeeee!!

Juno Beach to Naples

Tuesday the 17th

This is a travel day but since we had to pick up our new hide-a-bed mattress around noon there wasn’t any rush to get started. Once the dogs were walked and fed Tina and I had our breakfast then started putting things away for travel.

At 10:30 AM La-Z-Boy called and said the mattress was in so we fired up the coach, loaded the bikes and hooked up the trailer. I pulled out and went around to park on a slight downhill slope to help the loading of the car on the tow dolly.

With safety chains ready and the tire tie downs out Tina drove up onto the car dolly and it swung up into position just the way it was supposed to work. I positioned the locking pins and attached the safety chains while Tina secured the tire tie down strap on one front wheel. We put the other wheel tie down on and we cinched up the straps, checked that we were road ready then went in and washed our hands. By 11:00 AM we were headed south on US-1.

We planned to follow the same route as the other day so we got to La-Z-Boy store in Wellington Shopping Mall by noon. Tina had already removed the old mattress so we went in and got the new one, rolled it to the coach on a small dolly, took it out of the box, stuffed the old one in the box and rolled it up to the disposal area. Elapsed time, fifteen minutes.

While we were sitting there, Tina made us a couple of sandwiches so we ate lunch in the parking lot before continuing our journey. After lunch we pulled out of the parking lot onto SR 441 for the 30 mile drive to the Sawgrass Expressway. This is a toll road so before getting on we had to go through a toll booth. Unfortunately this one was unmanned and required exact change to continue.

While Tina searched for our laundry quarters I tried to read the amount due. Two problems cropped up, 1) I was too high up to read the LED reader and too far away to just drop a couple of quarters in the grill. Tina found some quarters and I tried to toss them in one at a time. It felt like I was on the midway at the Island County Fair trying to win a stuffed animal. I probably threw six quartes at the grill before two quarters fell in and the light turned green. Fortunately there was no one waiting behind us while my quarters were flying everywhere but into the machine. Tina was laughing so hard she almost fell out of her chair – heheheheh!!

Once on the Expressway, also known as Alligator Alley, we made good time over to I-75 passing several alligators, some Armadillos and lots and lots of birds. There were a couple more toll booths but they had staff to take our money. So we didn’t have any more coin tosses. I-75 took us through the Everglades across the southern part of Florida. Very flat, lots of water and covered with sawgrass.

Leaving I-75 at exit 101 we headed for Naples. Six miles later we pulled into Rock Creek RV Resort. With help from a staff person we dropped of the car, got the tow dolly disconnected and backed into our new site. This is our new home for the next two months.

Once we were set up and connected to power, water, cable and sewer it was time to take the kids for a walkabout. We stopped and talked to lots of other pet owners on our walk, people seemed very friendly. I think we’ll enjoy our time here.

Returning to the coach we installed the new mattress in the Hide-A-Bed then I grabbed the car keys and we drove into Naples. Tina was too tired to cook so we went looking for a small café where we could get some dinner. We found an Olive Garden and had a very good dinner, bringing enough home for another meal.

After dinner we got a few things out and decided to just kick back and veg out.

No photos today.

Distance for today, 160 miles. Distance for the trip so far, 4,014 miles.

Juno Beach - Day 9

Monday the 16th

Today is dedicated to chores – cleaning, laundry and shopping as we get ready to head to the Gulf Coast on Tuesday. After cleaning the inside of the coach while Tina did a big load (sheets, big towels, blankets, etc.) we finished the shopping list then headed for WalMart, which was just the other side of Jupiter.

Well, we passed through Jupiter, Tequesta and no sign of WalMart. By now we are about fifteen miles north and getting frustrated. We agreed that we had gone too far, so we turned around and headed back south. Stopping for gas, Tina went in and asked for directions. Turns out the store was only a mile past where we turned around, about five miles back.

So we turned around and headed back, found WalMart, parked and went inside to do our shopping. With the groceries loaded in the trunk I looked over my shoulder for oncoming cars and slowly started backing out. CRUNCH!! Dang, looking over my other shoulder I saw we had backed into a brand new Caddy who was doing the same thing. Seems we both tried to back out of our parking spots at the same time and met in the middle. Moving back into our respective parking stalls, we got out, inspected the damage and exchanged insurance info. The damage to our car was slight, but the Caddy was badly bruised. Well, these things happen.

We left WalMart and headed south to home. After packing the groceries into the coach I went out and used a little buffing compound to remove the scratches before calling the insurance people. Tina did a little more pick-up around the coach, put the laundry away then we made the bed. Later that evening we went to “The Fish house Restaurant” for dinner. Tina had the Whole Lobster dinner while I had a Seafood Stew. Both were very good.

By now it was about 7:30 PM so we decided to quit work for the day and finish in the morning.

No photos today.

Juno Beach - Day 8

Sunday the 15th

Whoooa!! Well!! It seems I’m not moving fast enough for Punky this morning. Wickety on the other hand seems perfectly content to just lay here with Tina. Heh, heh, I guess I don’t need to wash my face this morning. Ahhhh, I see now, the sky is a beautiful cerulean blue with nary a cloud to be seen and there are people out with their dogs headed for the dog walk area. Time to get going.

After a lazy morning the temperature was about 74 degrees by 10:30 AM so we decided to go for a bike ride. Mapping out a route we headed off to explore some more of the area. Our route took us through several beautiful residential neighborhoods along the Coastal Inland Waterway. Really nicely maintained with green lawns and palm trees everywhere. A special note, the Intracoastal Waterway is about 3,000 miles long, parallel to the Atlantic coast from Boston, Massachusetts to Key West Florida. It is a combination of natural rivers and manmade canals and provides sheltered passage for commercial and leisure boats.

By noon we were headed towards Jupiter on US 1 when we stopped at a small group of commercial buildings looking for a place to eat lunch. Bingo! There were three places to eat, an Italian Bistro, a Danish Café and a B&R. We decided to eat at the “Café Copenhagen” (http://www.cafecopenhagen.com/). Parking the bikes we were led to an outdoor courtyard where we were seated under a large umbrella next to a small pool with plants everywhere. A young lady was playing a small Yamaha electric piano and singing. She had a clear sweet voice.

We ordered a couple of salads, Tina chose the “Stuffed Avocado with grilled shrimp, fruit, cucumber salad and a fresh baguette while I had the Danish Country Cobb with chicken, bacon, egg salad, cucumber salad with blue cheese crumbles. We both had iced green tea with honey garnished with an orange slice. Absolutely scrumptious!!! While we were eating the owner and chef, Christian Cotton, stopped by for a chat. What a wonderful lunch.

Leaving the Café, we continued north on US 1 then cut through another residential area towards the Atlantic and A1A. While on A1A we watched the kite surfers and regular surfers enjoying the waves. Continuing south we eventually returned to the coach and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing.

To see all our photos click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Juno Beach - Day 7

Saturday the 14th

It’s 6:30 AM, the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the surf is up and it’s another beautiful day in Juno Beach. Last night Tina suggested going to the VNA Air Show (http://vnaairshow.com/) up in Stuart. So I went online and printed out a couple of General Admission tickets. We figured to head out around 10:30 AM so we could get a good place to sit.

We took the dogs for a long walk then put the lawn chairs, cameras and binoculars in the car. Witham Airport in Stuart is about 23 miles north on US 1. Traffic was light and we reached our destination in about forty minutes. Then it took another twenty minutes to wind our way to a parking spot.

Once parked, we grabbed our gear and started walking back to the flight line. Along the way we passed a dozen planes parked as static displays – from a giant C-130 Starlifter to an old Stearman Bi-Plane. A pair of A-10 Tornadoes were flanked by several WWII fighters, small bombers, trainers, stunt planes and a dozen helicopters, from small Robinsons to fully rigged Blackhawks.

Before leaving the static display areas Tina spotted an old Mohawk aerial surveillance plane. It kinda looked like a mosquito with a big front end and small long body. So we walked over to visit with the owner/pilot. Turns out this is the plane Tina used to fly in when she was in the Army at Fort Huachuca, NM in the early seventies. They swapped stories for a while then we headed for the viewing area next to the announcers stand.

After setting up our chairs we walked back to the food concessions and got a large Iced Tea and a couple of big Giros for lunch. Behind the concessions a small fair with rides was set up. Looking around there were thousands of people at the event but surprisingly it didn’t feel crowded. With lunch in hand we sat down in our chairs to watch the show.

Turns out our timing was pretty good. Before we finished our giros the show opening was getting under way. Another C-130 was taking off followed by two small chase planes. As the planes reached an altitude of 5,000 feet three streamers were dropped to gauge the wind speed and direction. On the next pass, a lone parachutist exited the rear of the C-130 with the American Flag and trailing smoke streamers.

As the jumper was floating down under his parafoil the two chase planes executed circles around him with smoke trails. At the same time as the flag was descending, the national anthem was sung by a local high school student. As the guy with the flag touched down, a mass jump was made from the C-130 which had gone up to 10,000 feet. What a marvelous and stunning opening for the show.

Before long one of the A-10s took to the air and performed various mission maneuvers. These are the same type of planes stationed at NAS Whidbey. Several strafing runs were made along with flash-bang pyrotechnics on the ground to simulate ordinance impacts, then another pass, which simulated dropping a 500 pound bomb, done with TNT and gasoline. Very impressive and verrrry loud!!

For the next several hours we watched numerous aerial acrobatic displays as teams of small monoplanes decorated the sky, a fly through by a powered hang glider with multi-colored smoke streamers, a flying demonstration by the bi-plane and precision team flying by four old WWII P3 Mustangs.

The show was really well done and the weather was perfect with high lacy clouds, temps in the high 70’s and a light breeze to keep things cool. Around 3:30 we decided to make our way back to the car to head home getting back to the coach around 4:30 PM just in time to take the kids for a walk and start dinner. After a great dinner of pork chops and broccoli with strips of prosciutto and sprinkled with fresh grated parmesan cheese – delicious!!

After cleaning up the dinner dishes I went up and shot a little pool, spending an hour giving one of the residents a lesson. What a nice day!!

To see all of todays photos click on the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Juno Beach - Day 6

Friday the 13th

We were up early and it was chilly in the coach, probably around 56 degrees so I put the furnace on for fifteen minutes, just enough to warm things up for Tina when she got up. I turned the coffee on while the kids and I went for their morning constitutional, leaving Tina to snooze a little longer.

We had a pretty good plan for today – find a small table, replace the Hide-A-Bed mattress and tour the Morikami Gardens. Being a planner and really well organized (heh, heh), I mapped out a route to get us to all the places we wanted to go then had breakfast.

Leaving Juno Beach we headed south towards West Palm Beach then cut inland to go to Marshalls to look for a small table for the coach. We need something to set the printer on when needed and a small lightweight table is easy to store for traveling but nice to have for setting drinks or books on when lying on the couch.

Arriving at our first stop we toured the store and were really disappointed. There wasn’t anything available to meet our needs. Oh well, there are plenty of opportunities to shop. We’ll find something. So off we went to our next stop, La-Z-Boy Furniture in Wellington.

We made the fifteen mile drive and got to the location identified by google. Nothing. There was a huge shopping center but we couldn’t locate the place even though we had the address. Finally, we stopped at Dillards and asked for help. The clerk said it was here in the mall somewhere. We drove around some more. Then we pulled into Walgreens for help. Yes, it’s in the mall.

So we parked and went into the mall where we found an information kiosk. Nope. It’s not in the mall. Turns out it is on the backside of the mall. So it was back to the car and drive around the back and there it was, yahoo!!

We went in, purchased a replacement mattress for delivery next week, then headed out to find the Morikami Gardens, another twenty miles south in the Del Ray Beach area. Even with directions, we never found the cross street so we finally gave up, had lunch in Del Ray and drove home.

We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sun, taking a couple of walks and relaxing with our books and the dogs. Later that evening after dinner I went up to the club house and shot pool for a couple of hours.

No photos today.

Juno Beach - Day 5

Thursday the 12th

Well, it looked pretty iffy when we got up. It wasn’t raining but it was still wet from the rain last night. The dogs and I made the initial run up to the doggy walk area then came back for breakfast. With the TV on it looked more promising for today with lower temperatures expected (low 70’s), partly sunny and light winds.

With a better weather forecast we decided to try to go for our bike ride again, only this time we would visit the Loggerhead Marine Life Sciences Center about a quarter mile away (http://www.marinelife.org/). Riding out of the RV Park we crossed US 1 and through the Juno Pier Park to Florida A1A which had bicycle lanes along both sides of the road.

We got to the Loggerhead Marine Center and parked the bikes outside the entrance. Signing in as visiting guests we went through the display area where we marveled at the size of some of the local turtles – from the smaller Green Sea Turtle to the huge Leatherback Turtle.

Also in the exhibit area, they had a skeleton of a prehistoric turtle the lived during the age of dinosaurs, 65 to 70 million years ago. Known as the Archelon, this massive creature measured about thirteen feet from nose to tail and fifteen feet from flipper to flipper.

From the exhibit s and education area we went out to the rehabilitation holding tanks where the staff of volunteers was getting ready to remove one of the loggerheads from its tank. It was going to the hospital area to have some stitches taken out. It had recently been recovered from the Florida Power and Light cooling discharge area with a damaged flipper. Taken to the Center it underwent surgery to remove the flipper at the shoulder. Once the stitches come out the turtle will return to its holding tank for observation then in another two weeks it will be released back to the sea.

We watched the staff as they drained the holding tank, entered the tank and lifted the turtle up to the edge of the tank then transferred it to a gurney and strapped it in for the trip to the hospital twenty feet away. The photos in today’s album show the sequence of events http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski .

Leaving the Turtles we returned to our bikes and rode another mile to the bike shop so Tina could get a new pair of gloves. While Tina was selecting her choice of glove I asked the mechanic to suggest a place to eat. He recommended Connie’s Beach Connection, just a couple of buildings away. So off we went for lunch.

We got an outside table to enjoy the early afternoon sun. Ordering a couple of wraps we had a really enjoyable and relaxing lunch before starting our ride back to the coach. Riding along A1A we saw a flock of Ibises on a lawn searching out their lunch so we stopped for a couple of photos. Then it was back on the bikesto complete our ride. Much better than yesterday!!

After changing clothes and walking the dogs we headed off for West Palm Beach to check out the Norton Museum of Art (http://www.norton.org/) and their “Art After Dark” program. The only photos we could take were outside in one of the courtyards. We toured all of the Permanent Collections of American, Chinese, European and Contemporary Art as well as the current special exhibits. We especially enjoyed the Chinese and European works.

Leaving the Norton around 6:00 PM we headed off to dinner at Souvlaki’s Grill, a noted Greek Restaurant. When we got there, Tina was not impressed as it looked like a converted hamburger stand so we headed back into West Palm Beach where we parked and went to Rocco’s Taco and Tequila Bar on Clematis street, just a block away from Centennial Square. We both had a really great meal then headed down to the concert in Centennial Square, “Clematis By Night”, (http://www.clematisbynight.net/), a free weekly fountain-side concert on the shore of the Coastal Waterway.

The Ruby Baker Band was on stage and playing some pretty good music. We walked around to see all the venders and listen to the band then decided to head home after an hour. It was a very nice day.

Arriving back home, we gave the kids their dinner, took them for a couple of walks and settled in for the night.

To see all our photos click on the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Juno Beach - Day 4

Wednesday the 11th

The day started off quietly. It rained last night and the weather report said we could expect showers off and on all day. We spent the morning keeping an eye on the weather, checking the online radar for Juno Beach and watching TV. It rained periodically, sometimes coming down in a torrent sometimes in a light mist as the bands of rain clouds passed overhead. It was like that most of the day.

Finally, just after lunch, the weather maps showed a clearing with no rain in the picture. So we decided to go for a quick bike ride. I took the kids for a walk then got the bikes ready to go. We decided to just ride up to the corner and check out the pet store for doggy poop bags. If the weather was still holding up we could extend our ride.

As we rode down the lane from the coach and headed for the shopping center the clouds started to look pretty menacing. We got up to the pet store and Tina went inside while I stayed with the bikes. When she came back out we decided to wait on the bags and go check out the coffee shop at the end of the shopping center.

Pulling out from under the eve by the pet store we had a few rain drops come down. Approaching the end of the parking lot we found the coffee shop/ice cream parlor but decided not to stop. Instead we’d head back to the coach before it really started to come down.

WOW!! What a surprise. As soon as we left the protection of the overhanging eves of the shopping center and got into the parking lot, the sky opened up as if it had been waiting for us. With Tina in the lead, it was a mad dash back to the coach. As soon as we got there Tina grabbed her camera to record our saturated condition. We were soaked.

Thus ended our efforts to get out for a ride. The rest of the day was spent reading and planning for tomorrow.

Juno Beach - Day 3

Tuesday the 10th

I woke with a start. What was I hearing? Oh yeah, rain. At 4:34 AM we experienced ten minutes of very heavy rain. Apparently I was the only one to hear it. I went back to sleep waiting for the “Punky” alarm to get me up. Sure enough, 6:30 AM on the dot, a wet nose was nudging up under my hand for her ear scratch.

It was quite nice when we got up, partly sunny and about 75 degrees. With breakfast out of the way Tina and I decided what we wanted to do for the day. Since the wind was down we took several walks with the kids, did a few chores then headed out to “Blowing Rocks Preserve” on Jupiter Island. (http://sofia.usgs.gov/virtual_tour/blowingrocks/index.html)

Getting to the preserve, we parked, paid our entrance fee and started up the trail through the White Mangroves and Myrtle Oaks. As we got closer to the beach the dune rose up in a crest parallel to the shoreline. A dune trail led off to the left and a wooden stairway and viewing stand went up over the dune with stairs leading down to the beach.

We went up and over the dune and down to the beach. The wind was blowing in from the Atlantic pushing huge waves before it. Between the mountains of white foam the sea was a deep emerald green – really beautiful.

We got there at a good time. The waves were crashing into the face of the Anastasia limestone rocks sending geysers of water twenty feet in the air. Anastasia limestone is found along the coast from St. Augustine south to near Boca Raton, but most of it is either underground or underwater. We spent a couple of hours taking photos, looking for shells and watching the waves roll in.

When we got a ways down the beach we went up over the dune at another set of stairs and followed the dune trail back to where we started. One of the information signs noted that the quarter-mile of the beach that isn't rocky is known for turtle nests. An average of 500 nests are dug here each year by loggerheads, greens and leatherbacks. We’re planning to go to the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in a couple of days.

We drove the short distance back to the RV Park for lunch and to take the kids out for a walk. Later in the afternoon, Tina suggested we go for a bike ride so we got the bikes out, pumped up the tires and headed for A1A, the coast road which parallels the beach. E made a couple of stops to watch the surfers and also a “Kite” surfer setting up to go out. Unfortunately we forgot to bring the small camera. Oh well, better luck next time.

Since this was the first bike ride for both of us on our new bikes we turned around just before the Jupiter Lighthouse, crossed the road and returned back to the coach – total ride length about eight miles. When we got back we took a couple of documentary photos then went in to prepare for dinner. A nice first ride of our trip!

After dinner we watched the news, played some more cribbage (I’m still four games down), and relaxed until bed time. It’s a rough life, but somebody’s got to do it – heheheh!!

To see all our photos, click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Juno Beach - Day 2

Monday the 9th

We got up at 6:15 AM to the sound of the wind howling about the coach. While I took a quick shower, Tina made coffee so I could take the kids for their morning walk. When I got back Tina was dressed and ready to go so we went for a quick turn around the facility for our morning walk.

Today is a day for getting a few things done. We made a trip to the hardware store so I could get an ‘allen’ wrench to adjust the passenger side mirror; the bike shop to get a trunk mounted bike rack and the local Thai Restaurant for lunch. We had planned to go for a ride but the wind was way too strong so we’ll wait for it to calm down before venturing out. We did get some suggestions for a couple of good rides from the bike shop.

After setting up the bike rack and adjusting the mirror we went up to the clubhouse and shot pool for an hour. When we got back I found the cable connection and hooked that up. The rest of the afternoon we spent reading and listening to the wind as it rocked the coach from side to side. Oh yeah, we also went for several short walks to get the dogs some exercise.

For dinner we had a really great salad and the rest of our Shrimp Phad Tai from lunch followed by several games of cribbage. Then it was time to slowwwww down for the day in preparation for bed – heh, heh!

Other than the wind, it was another very nice day with temperatures in the low 80’s and partly cloudy.

No photos today.

Juno Beach - Day 1

Sunday the 8th

Lots of wind last night with no letup until next weekend thanks to Hurricane Ida http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200911_5day.html#a_topad .
Otherwise it’s a beautiful day here with the temperature in the low 80’s.

We got up at 6:30 AM, fed the kids, then took them for a long walk along the beach path. Dogs aren’t allowed on the breach so we stayed on the sidewalk for a half hour before returning to the coach. Since it’s our first full day here at Juno Beach RV Resort we spent the rest of the morning relaxing and planning some activities. http://junobeachrvresort.com/outside_home.asp

Around noon we went up to Publix and did some grocery shopping. After putting everything away we had a bite to eat then Tina did a small load of laundry while I spent a couple of hours organizing the outside storage areas. At 4:30 PM Tina started a movie while I read my book. Very relaxing day.

To see all our photos click on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski

Day Four, Five and Six in Kissimmee

This is the story of a man who thought he did all the right research, knew all the answers and had made the best plans only to find out that hubris is a dangerous thing.

Thursday the 5th

As usual the “Punky” alarm went off at 6:15 AM with several wet kisses so I knew it was time to get up - heh, heh. Once I got my glasses on I managed to fumble around and get dressed while still half asleep, then it was out the door with the kids and around the campground so they could get their morning exercise before breakfast.

By the time we got back Tina was up and had the coffee started. Since we had to be at Camping world by 8:00 AM we decided to have breakfast after getting the work started. With me in the coach and Tina in the car we drove to Camping World which was only about three miles away.
Once there we turned the car over to the mechanic, put the generator and A/C on in the coach, waved to the kids and walked across the seven lane highway to Perkins for breakfast. After breakfast we spent most of the morning reading, walking the dogs and watching the TV in the customer lounge. Around 1:00 PM Tina and I trooped back across the street to Perkins for lunch.

After lunch I asked the mechanic how long it would take to finish getting the tow package hooked up. He thought it would be done around 4:30 PM so I got the Owners Manual out of the glove box to read up on the towing requirements. That’s when the learning experience began.
I spent half an hour trying to find the information on towing the car. The only thing I found is that a 2009 Sonata cant’ be towed “four wheels down” like we did with the Chevy Malibu. Just to make sure I got the laptop out and after connecting to the internet, I went to the 2009 Dinghy Towing Guide. Sure enough, a 2006 automatic could be towed four down but not a 2009.

Imagine what was going through my mind. We were getting a $3,200 tow and brake package installed on a car that can’t be towed. The horror of it all as my world came crashing down around my ears - oh crap! Well I immediately marched up to the service counter and said, “Ooops, I made a mistake. Please, please stop the work.” After I explained the situation all work came to a halt while we tried to figure out how to recover. Next I told Tina the problem and begged for mercy throwing myself at her feet.

Well, everyone at Camping World felt really bad for us and agreed to help come up with a recovery plan. Turns out they had a Roadmaster towing dolly in the back and agreed to remove all the hardware for towing from the Sonata, take back the auxiliary braking system and only charge me for labor. With heartfelt thanks, I nearly wept for joy. In fact, they went so far as to discount the labor charges 50 percent. What great people. Unfortunately, not much more could be done today and the next day, Friday was fully scheduled. So the sent us back to the KOA and said they’d call us when we needed to come back.

FYI… here’s what caused the problem. Originally I was going to buy a 2006 Hyundai Sonata GLS since it could be towed four down. When I originally talked to Camping World to schedule the work and order the base plate, the service tech told me that the base plate was the same for years 2006 to 2009. Since Tina thought we should get a newer car we opted for a 2009 since I new it was the same base plate. BUT, I didn’t re-check the Dinghy Guide to make sure the 2009 was also towable four down. Mea culpa, mea culpa.

Fortunately when we got back to the KOA we had our pick of spots. Once we got all hooked up and settled again, we fed the dogs and took them for a walk. Then we walked over to Applebee’s for a rib dinner and big salad. After dinner we played a couple of games of cribbage then basically crashed for the night. At this point all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and pull it over me - I settled for pulling the covers over my head vowing to learn from my mistake.


Friday the 6th

Up once again at the crack of dawn, I felt chagrinned but ready to face facts, learn from my mistake and move on with life. The morning dragged on as we waited for a call from Camping World. We read, walked the dogs, dumped the holding tanks, had lunch and waited some more. Eventually, around 2:30 PM, we got a call. The car was back to it’s starting point with all the towing gear off. The towing dolly was waiting to be assembled but it looked like we’d have to wait until Saturday to finish getting everything ready to go.

Since we were still in a holding mode, we thought a bike ride would be nice. So we looked up some near by bike path routes and settled on one. I went and got the bikes down and grabbed the pump to pump up the tires. Unfortunately the pump had a malfunction and instead of pumping the tires up I deflated them. Dang! Things were not looking good.

So we canceled the bike ride and decided to wait until we got down to our next stop at Juno Beach to fix that problem. With the bike ride out we went back to relaxing in the sun, reading, eating, playing some more cribbage, walking the kids and waiting for tomorrow.

Saturday the 7th

We woke to a cloudless sky and the threat of a potential hurricane. Fortunately the weather service is expecting the worst for us to be high winds and big surf along the east coast of Florida. So we decided to stop worrying about it and concentrate on having fun.

Our last call from Camping World yesterday said be at their facility by 8:15 AM so after doing our morning thing we closed up and disconnected then drove to Camping World. After giving the keys to the coach to the service manager we walked across the street to Perkins for breakfast. After breakfast we went to the customer waiting area and watched TV, read and visited. Around noon I went to see how things were going. The towing dolly was all set up and connected to the coach - it was time to drive the car onto the dolly and settle up the bill.

Tina got in the car and drove up onto the dolly. Unfortunately, the dolly is supposed to pivot up into the towing position with the car on it - it didn’t. After several re-try’s and much head scratching, Tina and I went back to the lounge while the dolly was given some fine tuning with a bigger hammer. But first it was time to take a break and get some lunch.

Tina and I made the trek back across the highway to Perkins and had a nice lunch. As we were getting ready to leave I got a call. Seems our two attack dogs wouldn’t let the service tech into the rig to move it into the service bay so the trailer break could be installed. I hurried back while Tina paid the bill. With the keys in hand I backed the coach into the service bay and went back to the lounge to wait.

Finally, we tried to get the car on the dolly one more time. Tina drove it up but again, the dolly wouldn’t pivot into it’s proper position for towing. Well at that point I suggested getting a scissors jack and lifting the dolly into position for lockdown. It worked. Next we put the safety chains on the car, set the big nylon tie down straps over the front wheels and secured everything.

Looks like we were almost ready to go. But Wait, there’s more! With a final check of the lights and signals, the technician determined that there was a bad fuse. So he quickly set about finding the source of the trouble. At last he announced we were ready to go. So he spent ten minutes with me explaining the electric brake system then sent us in to settle up while he took the paperwork over to the service manager.

Twenty minutes later at 2:45 PM we rolled out of Camping World and onto US 192 East. YEAAAAA!! Fifty four miles later we merged onto I-95 south for the 100 mile drive to Juno beach. Arriving at our exit we found our way to the Juno Beach RV Resort. We made the turn into the park with inches to spare as we squeeked our way past a huge pickup truck parked in the street.

After getting directions to the office we got the and found our registration packet and sitemap. Unfortunately by now it was dark and we needed to turn around. So we exited the RV Park, went a couple of blocks to a grocery store, cut through the parking lot and onto the main drag. Turning once more into the RV Park (the truck was gone) we got up to our site.
Several neighbors came out to help us get the car off the towing dolly, disconnect the dolly and park the coach. While this is going on Tina finds out about a local Pizza place that delivers and ordered a pizza - great thinking Tina!!! We finally got hooked up to power and water, fed the kids and took them for a walk. We got settled in just as the pizza was delivered. Yipppeee, Dniner!!!

By now we were so bushed it was all we could do to write up the blog and get ready for bed. But at least we think the worst is over. Of course, as I write this, the winds are picking up, so we’ll see what tomorrow brings. We're staying here until the 16th when we head across to the west coast and Naples.

Distance traveled today, 159 miles. Total for the trip so far, 3,841 miles.

No photos today.

Day Two and Three in Kissimmee

Tuesday the 3rd and Wednesday the 4th

The weather is still holding in the high seventy’s and slightly cloudy. Very nice.

We spent yesterday getting the new coach set up the way we want with some shopping at Target in the morning and getting a new mattress delivered in the afternoon.

Today was dedicated to swapping the truck for a 2009 Hyundai Sonata GLS. We had five to look at so we started around 9:30 AM and headed for our first stop. Following a test drive and some number crunching we thanked the sales people and headed to the next stop about ten miles NE of Orlando.

We got there around 11:30 AM and found a very nice car with 14,200 miles on it (these are all fleet cars bought at auction), with a clean interior, sun roof and several other goodies. After taking it for a test drive we asked the salesman to put together their best offer while we went to lunch.

After arriving back at the dealership we haggled over price and value (for our truck) for half an hour before reaching a satisfactory deal. But it took another two hours for them to get all the paperwork done. It was just about 4:30 PM before we got out of there with our new car and headed back to the KOA.

We had left the kids in the motor home with the AC set but didn’t really expect to be gone that long. Fortunately they had managed to hold out until we got home and could take them for a walk. They were very good kids!!

Tomorrow we get the new car set up for towing at Camping World then it’s off to Juno Beach and a chance to start really relaxing!! Bike rides, beach walks and other touristy things!!

Stay tuned...

No photos today.

Kissimmee KOA

Monday the 2nd

We woke up after a long night under the arc lights. About 7:00 AM we took the kids for their morning stroll then fed them breakfast. After our morning chores we jumped in the truck and drove down the street to Linda's Cafe for breakfast. Very Good.

About 8:00 AM, another Brian that works for Duane came to clean up the used oil and parts. Matt and Karen arrived a little later and we did a final walk through. Found one small light that needed a bulb, checked the tire pressure and with a final thank you we were off.

A final word of thanks, Matt, Duane and Karen are really special people. If something wasn't right, they took care of it immediately. Not only did we enjoy our time with them, I'd recommend them to anyone looking for an RV. With luck, we'll get together with Matt and Karen in another ten days for a visit at their beach property near Vero Beach.

The drive from Winter Park to Kissimmee was exciting. Tina was leading in the truck with the directions. As she dissappeared onto I-4 South, I knew she'd be waiting for me somewhere down the road. And I was right, fiinally catching up with her about fifteen miles later, just before our first exit. We made a couple of turns finally ending up on US-192, which was the street we needed to be on. Unfortunately, about three miles down the road I realized we were headed west instead of east.

I got Tina's attention and we pulled off to confer. Fortunately it was lunchtime and we were parked next to a Perkins Restaurant, so it must have been a planned stop - heheheh! Grabbing the NetBook, we headed over for a bite to eat. While there we checked our directions on Mapquest and found out we only needed to backtrack for a few miles to get to our destination.

Pulling out of Perkins we drove a couple of blocks to where we could execute a "U" turn and got turned around. We arrived at the KOA and even though it is only a few miles from Disney World, Universal and Sea World it was practically empty. We signed in at registration, pulled into our site and got set up. With all the connections made it was off off to WallMart to get a few items for the trip - cabinet and drawer organizers, waste baskets, tank chemicals, and grocerys.

Returning to our campsite we took the dogs for a walk, put stuff away, started a small load of laundry in the coach (as a test) and took the rest over to the KOA laundramat. While Tina got that started I put all my tools in my new tool box then went over to sit with Tina by the pool - with my pop and a book - in the 75 degree partly sunny weather - and relaxed, for the first time in eight days. Aaahhhhh, much better.

With the laundry done, Tina fixed a great dinner of Ceasar Salad and Spinach filled Pasta with Mushroon sauce - delicious!! After dinner I did the dishes while Tina continued putting things away trying to get organized, but by 8:30 PM she quit to watch a little TV in the bedroom while I finished up the blog. As it is now about 9:45 PM I'm going to quit and read for a bit.

Distance traveled today, about 32 miles. Total for the trip so far, 3,692 miles.

No photos today.

Tallahassee to Orlando

Sunday the 1st

We woke up early - I thought it was 7:15 AM, Tina reminded me of the time change - it was 6:15 AM. Oh well, we got up and decided to make an early start so we went to breakfast at Shony's and were on the road by 7:30 AM. Since it was a short day, we made it to Orlando by noon and parked at MFT Enterprises where we were to pick up the motorhome.

We walked onto the lot and met the owner, Matt, his wife Karen and their business partner Duane. They were prepping another RV that was being delivered and since we were early we spent some time visiting while our rig was prepped. Since we had time, everybody went to lunch at the local Chipolte which was real good.

After lunch there were several items that still needed to be done before we could take the rig. While we waited for a couple of parts to arrive, Matt, Tina and I took a test drive to get propane and deisel. After we got back we started to unload the truck and put things away for travel. Around 3:00 PM Tina decided to drive to Costco and pick up a few items. Since the oil filter, air filter and fuel filter still needed to be changed, Brian who works for Matt part time agreed to stay late and get those things done. Since it was late, Tina and I agreed to stay over night and do a final check in the morning before heading out.

We spent the evening trying to organize a few things but eventually we pooped out, so I took the dogs for one last walk and we called it a night, camping out in the MFT Enterprises lot!!

Distance traveled today, 265 miles. Total for the trip so far, 3,657 miles.

To see all our photos, click on the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mjdolanski