Two More Weeks Til We Head North

Thought I'd write another stirring blog post while I sit and watch the Spartans attempt to make it into the Final Four. Two weeks from tomorrow will mark the end of our extended stays here in Florida. We plan to stop near Tampa at Lazydays RV campground for a couple nights (April 14th and 15th) to meet up with cousin John Dau who will be in the area for business. After that, the only firm plans are to be in Gaffney, SC on April 28th for our one year coach service and then arrive at Camp Dearborn in Milford, MI on May 6th. 

The last week of our time at Deer Creek was mostly relaxing although I did manage to wax the front and passenger side of the coach. Lisa spent more time at the pool and I did likewise one day. On Saturday, March 8th we went to nearby Citrus Ridge RV Resort for their garage sale and craft bazaar. I bought another red Jeep from some fellow Michiganders. You can see a picture of it below. We went back down to Downtown Disney for more shopping and dinner at the House of Blues that Saturday afternoon and evening. On Sunday, March 9th, we took a ride to Bay Lake RV Resort to check it out as friends, Eddy and Jill, who we met at Newmar, recommended it highly. It was indeed a very nice all class A ownership resort with a beautiful clubhouse and pool, and casitas on some of the sites. It's still under development, but what they have so far is very upscale. The pleasant surprise during this little excursion was unexpectedly running into friends, Joe and Sue, who we originally met in Sevierville and then spent a week with in Williston, FL last November. They were visiting Eddy and Jill (above), and checking out Bay Lake. After Bay Lake we went and checked out Mt. Olive North. Mt. Olive North is a larger and more varied community with everything from simple pads to million dollar homes with million dollar coaches in pull through garages.

Dale's new Jeep

Downtown Disney

Tall people in Downtown Disney for St. Patrick's festivities

On March 13th we pulled out of Deer Creek and drove up to Independence RV in Winter Garden, FL to have them look at one of our hydraulic jacks. It's been leaking of late and, in fact, I pulled the jacks up the last two weeks at Deer Creek as the leak started to get excessive requiring me to sop up the hydraulic fluid daily. Unfortunately, the leak could not be simply repaired, but required that the whole jack assembly be replaced. Independence offered to order a new jack, but it would take 7 to 10 days to get it. We left without  any work being done on the jack. We had three options to pick from: 1) Have North Trail in Fort Myers order the jack and drive the coach nearly 200 miles round trip down to them, 2) Find a reputable local mobile repair facility willing to do the job, or 3) Have Independence order the jack and go back to them on our way north. Decisions, decisions. We spent the night of March 13 in a Walmart in Sun City Center, FL. 

On Friday, March 14th, we pulled into Frog Creek RV Park just north of Palmetto, FL. This is a very friendly park with an active combination of transients and snowbirds. Lisa went to bingo the first night, but came home empty-handed. The park had a community garage sale on Saturday so we walked around. Then we went to the Red Barn Flea Market (large and partially air conditioned) and later to the Ellenton Outlet Mall. The outlet mall has 130 stores and must be very popular as it was packed. That evening we went to the community bonfire where I became all too acquainted with no-see-ums or some other sneaky Florida biters. I was slightly aware of a few bugs around my legs, but nothing that bothersome. For nearly a week afterward I scratched and whined to Lisa who seemed not to be affected. Does this mean I'm sweeter? Lisa doesn't necessarily see it that way. On Thursday, March 20th, we participated in Frog Creek's weekly Scramble Golf outing. They had 11 four person teams. I was lucky enough to be teamed up with very good partners and we managed to take first place at 10 under. We even used several of my drives and shots, so I was a happy camper/golfer that day. Lisa had fun, too, even  though her team finished in the middle of the pack. I played darts that evening and my year+ away from the game showed as I lost both of my games in the double elimination tournament. On Friday, March 21st, we enjoyed a very nice day. We drove out to Anna Maria Island and found a nice place to relax on the beach. After some time on the beach we then drove south through Longboat Key onto Lido Key to Lido Beach. Lisa wanted to relive some memories. See, Lisa was not allowed to go on a 'Spring Break' trip during her senior year. So she and a high school friend had flown down to 'visit the friend's grandma'. Well, we all know how that went. We finished the day off with dinner at a fantastic hidden gem on Longboat Key. The place was called the Dry Dock Waterfront Grill. It was a little hard to find behind a BP gas station, but once you found it, it was obviously very popular. We had to wait a little over an hour to get seated, but it was well worth it for the food and the setting overlooking the Sarasota Bay. We will definitely be back if in the area. Saturday afternoon we walked the Bradenton Riverwalk. Nice public area. Saturday evening found us at the annual 'end of the season' Frog Creek Variety Show. It was actually a lot of fun and the 2-plus hours flew by. 

Our site at Frog Creek between a permanent 'park model' and a new park model

Stopped on the way to Anna Maria Island waiting for the drawbridge to let boats through

On Anna Maria Island

Beach homes on Anna Maria Island

The beach on Anna Maria Island

Traffic lineup getting off Longboat Key near the end of a great beach day

Lisa on Lido Beach

Hidden gem on Longboat Key

Dry dock area attached to the Dry Dock Waterfront Grill

Dry Dock Waterfront Grill

Dale & new 'friends' at the Dry Dock

Easy to miss sign for the Dry Dock located behind a BP gas station

Bradenton Riverwalk

Bradenton Riverwalk going under US 41

The only sink hole (?) we've encountered so far in Florida in a bank parking lot in Bradenton

Anxious crowd waiting for the start of the Frog Creek Variety Show

Re-enactment of Art Linkletter's 'Kids Say the Darndest Things'

On Wednesday, March 26th, we drove up to The Villages for a birthday party for, Cheryl Wheeler and Joe Knoblauch, two of our gang up there, held at Joe and Judy Knoblauch's beautiful new home. Another rousing three table marble tournament ensued after some preparatory conversation and gourmet snacking. We spent the night at Ralph and Lois' home in the Del Webb community just a few miles north of The Villages. The next morning we visited our Canadian friends, Claude and Linda, at Recreation Plantation. We had been notified that they expanded their family since we left. They adopted two little puppies: a Yorkshire Terrier and a Chihuahua. They were indeed very cute and very puppy, and have been keeping Claude and Linda VERY busy. Later that day we golfed with Ralph, Lois, Bob, Cheryl, Joe and Judy at Ralph and Lois' Del Webb Eagle Ridge Golf Course. It was Lisa's first ever shotgun start golf event and my second. Although I was happy with my score, the memorable statistics were once again put down by Lisa. She had not one, but TWO birdies! If you'll remember, this is her second two birdie day in less than a month. She accomplished the same feat on March 1st up in Kissimmee. Lisa, my golf monster! Of course, this meant that Cheryl had to break out her Birdie Juice (aka Cinnamon Schnapps) which she always has on her cart complete with throw away shot cups. Everyone in the group is obligated to partake. That evening the same golf crew went to Ralph and Lois' for a nice dinner and a new-to-us game of 'Pay Me'. Joe was the big winner. On Friday we stopped at our new Florida CPA's office, finalized our taxes and got them shipped off. That's a load off my mind. Glad to get this transition year out of the way. Next year should be a piece of cake. That evening we met Don and Kathy Ilkka for dinner in Mt. Dora for likely the last time before we head north.

The birthday kids: Cheryl and Joe

Serious marble game on Joe & Judy's back porch with its beautiful view

Lisa, Lois, Cheryl & Judy

Joe, Ralph, Dale & Bob

The cart lineup awaiting the shotgun start at Eagle Ridge 

Birdie Juice to celebrate Lisa's first birdie

Birdie Juice left for the guys at the tee after the gals celebration

Relatively rare white pelicans on Eagle Ridge

Well, I started this post out with the hopes of seeing three Big Ten teams in the Final Four, but alas, only Wisconsin will carry the Big Ten torch down to Texas. Go Wisconsin!