Thursday, April 5, 2018

OFF TO FLORIDA

Wednesday, April 4 – We awoke in Frog City RV Park in Duson, Louisiana, after a night of heavy rain and severe winds predicted. Thank goodness the heavy winds never arrived, but we sure got the rain. Luckily, it had stopped around 6 a.m. The roads were drying up before we headed out. We stopped to fill the fuel tank at the gas station out front of the RV park and jumped on I-10 heading through Lafayette and then on to Baton Rouge, LA. We passed through Mississippi and into Alabama where we stopped at Wilderness RV Park in Robertsdale, AL.

We haven’t seen the water this high ever.
Mississippi

Even between the divide highway.
Mississippi

Crossing the mighty Mississippi River.
Mississippi

Wilderness RV Park is okay for a quick overnight stop. We really wouldn't want to spend much time here. Most of the residents are here for work or to spend their retirement in the back woods of Alabama. There are numerous trees which might make it difficult to get satellite reception. We asked for a site in the open area, so we had no trouble getting the satellite to connect. The streets here are gravel, and the sites are grass with a little gravel. We have a FHU site with 50 amp electric (30 amp is $2 less per night) for $19 with the Passport America 50% discount. The sites are fairly close together, but we are only here for one night.

Site #14
Wilderness RV Park

Wilderness RV Park

Looking right.
Wilderness RV Park

Looking left.
Wilderness RV Park

Tomorrow we head into Florida and plan on stopping around Tallahassee. We are slowly inching toward our final destination of Amelia Island which is off the coast near Jacksonville, FL.

Thursday, April 5 – We left Robertsdale, Alabama, early this morning heading to our next destination, Beaver Lake Campground in Quincy, Florida. We knew we would be there earlier than the official check-in time, but that has never been an issue in the nine years we've been on the road.

Guess there is always a first time! The lady at the gas station where we were to check in told us we would have to wait about three hours to check in. No option to pay an early check in fee and no room for discussion. Paul was a little upset and told her it was time to reevaluate her business plan. We told her we would stay elsewhere. Interestingly, there were only two RV's in the campground, and two additional RV's pulled into the station as we were leaving. Guess they don't want or need the business!

We checked the Tallahassee Elks Lodge, but they were full and other area campgrounds were above our price range. So what started out as a short drive day turned into a long-drive day as we decided to simply push on to our final stop in Yulee, Florida. The drive was uneventful. We have to say that I-10 through Florida is wonderful to drive. What a difference a day makes.

Florida

We are at the Bow & Arrow Campground in Yulee, Florida, which is about 20 minutes from John’s house, Paul’s brother, on Amelia Island, FL. The rate is $185/week and this is no Florida resort! The campground is a typical “dated” campground that has seen better days! The roads are paved but narrow, and the sites are all pull-thru and gravel with FHU 50 amp electric. There is the Florida mandatory swimming pool, WiFi, laundry facilities and a little grass between close-together sites. Luckily we are in Site #1 which is an end site giving us a little more room. There are large shade trees so, if you want satellite TV ask for a site in one of the first two rows. We are here for six nights. Stop back and see what fun the Weaver brothers have.

Bow and Arrow Campground

Bow and Arrow Campground

Looking right.
Bow and Arrow Campground

Looking left.
Bow and Arrow Campground

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

GOODBYE HOUSTON

Tuesday, April 3 – We pulled out of the Houston Elks Lodge about 9:00 am, having waited until we thought rush hour was over. We jumped on the Sam Houston Tollway (Hwy-8) which circles around the city avoiding traffic heading into town. This is a first for us. We usually drive straight through town but have recently purchased an EZ Pass and wanted to give it a try. Although it was nice to avoid the stress of driving through town, we're not sure it was worth the cost. Since we were towing we had to pay for a four-axle vehicle. The cost amounted to $17, which includes a $5 bridge toll over the Houston Ship Channel. Ouch!

Goodbye Texas.
Texas

Ship channel…bye.
Texas

The road condition from Beaumont, TX, east to the Louisiana state line is AWFUL. They've been working on this section of road since we've been coming to Texas ten years ago, and it’s a mess. This has to be the worst section of highway in the entire state of Texas. Certainly not the welcome mat the state should be putting out for people entering the state from the East!  It was nice to get off those darn concrete highways…hate’em!

Hello Louisiana.
Louisiana

Marsha hates to go over bridges of any kind. This one really made her nervous going over the St. Charles River. One lane was closed. Lots of traffic. One of the nation’s most unsafe bridges.

Louisiana

We arrived at Frog City RV Park in Duson, Louisiana, about 1:00. A pretty easy drive if you ignore the poor road condition near the Texas state line. This is a very nice park. They gave us a 50% discount as Escapee Club members providing us a reasonable $20/night rate. All sites are pull thru and very long. We’re are in Site #11, which is on the end of a row giving us some yard and privacy on our door side. The streets and sites are gravel with some nice grassy areas and shade trees. The restrooms and laundry are in a park model type trailer near the office which also has a small RV parts store. WiFi is free, and the swimming pool is open.

Frog City RV Park v

Frog City RV Park

Looking right…that is the Motel 8 next to the campground.
Frog City RV Park

Looking left.
Frog City RV Park

We are only here overnight. We will be heading East on I-10 tomorrow so stop back and see where we end our day tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!

Monday, April 2, 2018

HUGE SURPRISE!!!

Sunday, April 1 – This weekend was moving day! Not for us but for our daughter, Carrie. She was surprised by her landlord three weeks ago when he told her he sold her loft, and she would have to move ASAP. Luckily, she found another nice place in downtown Houston. She got busy, packed her belongings, hired a mover, and relocated this weekend. Due to the holiday, it actually ended up being a good time to move because downtown Houston was deserted the entire time. Everyone must have taken off for Easter/Passover.

We started early Friday morning and by shortly after noon, the movers were paid and on their way to their next job. Now to get things unboxed and put away. We worked till about four o'clock when Carrie had to take some things down to the rental office. When she returned there was another SURPRISE!!!

She had two additional “helpers” with her. Our daughter, Kelly, and husband, Dave, had flown in to surprise us for the Easter weekend. WOW! What a great surprise! They were a great help in getting Carrie settled in to her new place and a wonderful addition to our holiday weekend. Carrie is not settled in but she's uncluttered and comfy in her new home.

L-R: Marsha, Paul, Carrie, Kelly, Dave.
Easter in Houston

We spent a wonderful time at a local restaurant watching the Cleveland Indians (win) and the Houston Astros (win). The weather was beautiful. We had a bite to eat, some beverages and a lot of fun playing Jenga.

Easter in Houston

Easter in Houston

Easter in Houston

Easter in Houston

Easter in Houston

The entire family is here for Marsha's Easter dinner, so she is in heaven! And of course, we ran out this morning to buy eggs. Paul thought this was going to be the first Easter we didn't color eggs. Duh! What was he thinking. The family will be arriving shortly, and we'll be making memories for another Happy Easter. 

Decorating eggs.
Decorating eggs

Decorating eggs

We went for a walk on the Edible Arbor Trail. This trail features several groves of hardy trees and shrubs that produce edible fruits and nuts along Missouri City's Oyster Creek Trail. The trail is a little over two miles and includes 213 trees within 19 groves. Residents and walkers are invited  to pick any of the fruits or nuts for free. Nothing is ripe right now.

Edible Arbor Trail

Edible Arbor Trail

Golden Fig trees.
Edible Arbor Trail

Mexican plum trees.
Edible Arbor Trail

Edible Arbor Trail

Edible Arbor Trail

Edible Arbor Trail

We really enjoy playing games when we get together. Today was no exception. Farkle was in order.

playing games

Dave really gets excited when we play.
playing games

Lastly, we take some photos to save for years to come. Thank you so much Kelly and Dave for flying to Houston to surprise us. Thanks, Carrie, for keeping the surprise. What an awesome and blessed weekend we had. We will be leaving Houston tomorrow heading towards Florida for a super visit with Paul’s brother, John.

Family photos

Family photos

Family photos

Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!