Back to Tampa then off to Myakka State Park FL

September 7 - 14, 2016 - Lazy Days, Tampa FLSeptember 14 - 22, 2016 - Myakka State Park, FL

This time, we are in the bays for about a week to change out the braking system and at the same time, decided to have our yearly maintenance done.  Once we had the correct braking system installed, we've been trouble-free.  

It was pretty uneventful.  We walked the dogs...

Then we set off to Myakka State Park for a week..

Watch our for snakes and alligators!

and Buzzards who will peck your tires

Canopy Walk

I went on the Canopy Walk which is a bit scary as I'm not a fan of heights. I walked the bridge holding on to both sides but obviously did not climb to the top of the tower.  This walkway, completed in 2000, is the first treetop walkway in North America.  It is suspended 25 feet above the ground and extends 100 feet and the tower soars 74 feet tall.

  

The tower.

Bird Walk

Another day I went to look at water birds...

Sarasota Beaches

Some scenes around the park...

I visited my friend Jill in Nokomis FL one afternoon and it was so good to see an old friend after  so many years.  We connected as if we'd never been apart and she and her husband Gus had dinner with us at the campsite before we left.  He is an artist and now tattoos to express his creativity.  We also connected with him right away - such an interesting person!  They have the most awesome trailer that has everything you need.  It's smaller but  I never felt claustrophobic in the least and I hope they can use it real soon and meet up with us on the road! We also invited our neighbors over for home-made crab cakes and I think everyone had a great time.  I really fell down on the job and wish I had taken some pictures but for some reason, I didn't.  My only regret, sadly.  

So long Myakka, it's been real.

Next stop - Ocala Park again 

then on to Pensacola RV Park..

We're On The Move!

It’s hard to know even where to begin.  As you know from previous entries, we’ve been living in the coach since mid October.  There were all kinds of repairs, delays, appointments with Cummins and Freightliner, all in order to get the coach ready for us to drive away. We got our Exit Pass on Monday November 9 so we could drive the coach off the lot, finally.

       The next morning a tech came to show us how to hitch up the car

and we were on our way!  Our delivery specialist Marroe made it all happen by annotating and scheduling all the repairs, appointments with Cummins and Freightliner, coordinating all aspects of the coach to get it ready for us to take it off the lot.

We finally took off around 10:30 am on November 10, 2015 while the tech watched us go.

 I nearly cried as we drove off the lot and out into the world to meet our future. We waited more than a year for this moment to arrive.  So much preparation, so much work, selling, storing, giving away, all with this goal in mind.  

                            

On our way out of the park, we just handed our ExitPass to the gate.

                                 And we are out and on our way.  We're finally freebirds!

So long Lazydays.  You treated us well.

We can even watch our car.  If we don't see it, we're in BIG trouble!

                                                 Our first rest stop to water the dogs.

We decided to take 2 days to the campground at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park so we stopped at Loves Truck Stop in Lee FL. 

Since there are no hookups, we used our generator to keep the lights and air conditioners on.  Not a big deal, but taking the dogs out at night was a challenge, dodging 18 wheelers, going in between them hoping not to be crushed, and watching out for snakes and alligators in the field.  Can’t be too careful! Boondocking our first night out, priceless. Parking without putting out the slides, double priceless.  End of Day 1!

We finally arrived at Topsail Hill State Park around 2pm. We didn’t realize we crossed a time zone, so we arrived an hour early.  

Getting closer and closer...











The campground didn’t seem to mind we were an hour early, so check-in was a breeze.  We managed to unhook our car without looking like fools and proceeded to our campsite after I, driving the car, got us lost for a bit.  But we made it and while I was parking the car, Shelly didn’t even bother to wait for me and proceeded to back the rig into the site.  Piece of cake.

And once again, we didn’t look like idiots.  We auto leveled the coach, put out the slides, hooked up the electric and water.  When it’s time to dump the gray and black tanks, we’ll get out the new sewer hose and figure out how that works!  We were too tired too tired to cook by then so we ordered the worst pizza ever.  End of Day 2 accomplished.

Yesterday (Thursday) we pretty much got settled, opened the awnings, got out the chairs, went shopping for food and other necessities and hung around outside in the evening.  I bought a lantern and tablecloth for the picnic table, so it looks quite homey already! 

Santa Rosa Beach is about 7/10^th of a mile from here and I started to walk down, but it was almost 4pm so I stopped at a bench to send a text and lo and behold, a ranger went by and picked me up.  I met another couple who aren’t sure where they’ll go next.  They are full timers and we’re just starting out but I think we’re going to like this lifestyle...Til next time...