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Maryland to Florida Panhandle (via North Carolina) - April 2019

Gemma Caeli Berard Baptism - Holy Redeemer Church, MD

A family celebration of Gemma's Baptism concluded our time in Maryland at the end of March. 

Family Breakfast - Megan's BD

We also celebrated Megan's 11th birthday while Dan, Christie, Anna & Megan were in MD for the baptism. 

Megan's birthday

Time to head south to the Florida panhandle for warmer weather - too early to head north.

Duke Gardens, Durham NC

It wasn’t easy to leave MD (a few tears were shed), but with a  stop in North Carolina to see Cheryl, Darren and Ellie made it a little easier. 

Duke Gardens, Durham NC

While in NC, we enjoyed a visit to Duke Gardens in Durham - in full Spring bloom!

We arrived in Destin, FL on April 6^th, after a two-day drive from NC.  We stopped overnight near Jacksonville traveling on I-95 South to I-10 West.  That stretch across the Florida panhandle is always longer than you think it is – about 327 miles from Jacksonville to Destin.

West of Tallahassee along I-10 there is a long stretch where damage from Hurricane Michael is very evident.  Miles of downed and snapped trees, and mangled highway signs and fences are still being cleaned up.  Thankfully not a very populated area from what we could see from the highway, but this area is directly north of the portion of the gulf coast that was hit hard, including the town of Mexico Beach that we visited last year.

Destin RV Resort

Destin RV Resort

Arriving in Destin, we settled in for a week stay at Destin RV Resort.  A small private park that we stayed in last year located across the street from the Gulf of Mexico with direct access to the beach and The Surf Hut beachside grill/bar.  The weather was pleasant, but a little cool at times which I think is typical for this time of year.  I was able to continue my remote tax work and wrapped that up before April 15^th.

Beach from Surf Hut Grill - Destin

Santa Rosa RV Resort, Navarre, FL - pool area

We moved about 30 miles west to the Navarre area and Santa Rosa RV Resort for a 10 day stay.  Another private park with full hook ups and very nice amenities.  This park rates pretty high on the list of nice parks we have stayed at.  Located on the water, it has a large pool and patio area, other outdoor seating, and paddle board/kayak rentals. 

Santa Rosa RV Resort

The park has wide spaces with concrete slabs and lots of very nice landscaping. Also, a convenient laundry facility that I took advantage of to wash bulky rugs. 

Only drawback is the location right off Highway 98 that makes it a little noisy at times, but we would definitely return.  A bonus is its location near my sister, Linda, who we were able to visit!

Blue Angels Air Show - PNAB

With our location just east of Pensacola, there is lots to do in this area.  We made a return trip to the Pensacola Naval Air Base; this time we were able to catch a practice session of the Blue Angels. 

Blue Angels Air Show - PNAB

Based at the PNAB this time of year, the Blue Angels post their practice schedule on their website.  Easy parking and nice viewing area right on the flight line located behind the museum. 

Blue Angles - PNAB

They have bleacher seating and a person narrating what is going on during the practice show.  It was nice to enjoy a smaller crowd, easy access and FREE admission!

St. Sebastian Church, Navarre

Easter Sunday we visited St. Sebastian Church located a few miles from the park.  Appears to be a newer building with a large seating capacity.  We estimated at least 1,000 people attending the 9am Mass.  A beautiful setting to celebrate Easter!

Pensacola Blue Wahoos game

Also located in Pensacola is a Double A baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.  We took in a game on Easter Sunday between the Blue Wahoos and the Mobile Bay-Bears (LAA affiliate), including a special Easter buffet dinner on the Winn Dixie Party Deck in right field.  

Pensacola Blue Wahoos Stadium

 A  newer stadium overlooking Pensacola Bay, the game was lots of fun with very reasonable ticket prices.  

 The Wahoos are part of the Southern Baseball League with 10 regional Double A teams, including the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) and Montgomery Biscuits (TB).  Got to love the team names.

Navarre Beach

Last, but not least, I must mention Navarre Beach.  A very large public beach area is located across the Santa Rosa Sound from our park; a short 4-5 mile drive across the bridge to the beach.  Once again, I have to applaud the obvious effort to make this area open to the pubic with no fees and plenty of parking, pavilions, restrooms, and open beach. Lifeguards are also on duty during the day.

Navarre Beach pier

 There are large dunes leading out to a wide and long white sand beach.  A very nice, less congested beach area that we really enjoyed.

Navarre Beach - toes in the sand 

Our three weeks in Florida went by quickly and we left to retrace our steps for a stop in NC and MD before heading to Michigan by mid-May.  A little extra time with the granddaughters (and their parents) is precious.

 RV Update:  Here are a few RV notes to share:

Mechanically everything has been running fine.  A small issue with the steering dampener installed last year.  No doubt due to rough I-95 roadway in GA, we lost some bolts holding one end in place.  A quick trip to the hardware store, Jim was able to fix it while we were stopped for the night.

Verizon Wireless:  Let’s just say that we are happy with the service availability, especially the internet for my remote work access, but a few issues kept popping up. Trying to understand their plans and making sure we are on the best plan to fit our needs is another story.  We did some research and tried to educate ourselves more on “unlimited data”, "streaming quality", and “hot spot usage”  (all effected by the plan choice and may be slowed down after pre-determined limits - still unlimited - but SLOW).  We like to stream shows to our TV occasionally and with heavy internet use, we had to make another small tweak to our plan that includes 2 cell phones, 1 jetpack, and 1 I-pad.  We can rotate between devises to give us plenty of internet at the higher speed as well as HD quality streaming, but they sure don’t make it easy while trying to remain within a reasonable price.

One discovery we made was the purchase of a “Lightning Digital AV Adapter”.  This small cord allows for streaming from an Apple phone or I-Pad directly to the TV without having to turn on a “hot spot”, thus not using up the faster hot spot allotment used for internet.  It works from apps (i.e. abc.go) and it helps to have a plan that includes HD quality streaming.

RV Tank Sensors:  We are having a problem with our gray and black waste tank sensors.  They are showing full way before they are actually full (guess that's better than the other way).  This is a pretty common problem with RVs, especially when you are sitting still for a period of time.  We are trying a couple different cleaning solutions recommended by other RVers, so we will see what works best.  

Still working on the new blog format.  It's taken me longer to convert than I thought; a little over my head on the tech side, but getting there with help from Cheryl. Hope to have it ready for the next post.

 

As we close in on our two-year anniversary (as full time RVers) later this summer, we don’t see any end in sight.  Enjoying the travel and flexibility and still have a long list of places to see.

A Little Catching Up and Oh, Baby!

Jordan Lake S.P., NC Feb. 1, 2019

Jordan Lake State Park, NC  (February 2019)

Time flies and before you know it it's the middle of March!  We've been busy after making our way from southwest Florida to Maryland the first week in February.  After stopping at Jordan Lake in North Carolina for several nights, and a visit with Cheryl, Darren & Ellie, we arrived in Maryland February 7th.  We caught some nice weather in NC and enjoyed a very quiet Jordan Lake State Park since there were not many campers there this time of year.

Gemma Caeli 2-22-19

Nursery all ready!

Arriving in Maryland we started Baby Watch 2019!  The weather has been up and down here and we have had a little snow a couple of times that didn't last long.  Who cares though, our new granddaughter, Gemma Caeli, arrived on February 22nd (which happens to be my Dad's birthday).  We couldn't be happier for Beth & Kevin!

 It wasn't an easy delivery for Beth, but all is well and Gemma weighed in at a healthy 10 lbs 4oz.  We are enjoying seeing Beth, Kevin and Gemma every day and helping out where we can.  We are planning on staying here until  the end of the month before going to the Florida panhandle for most of April, but will be back at the beginning of May for another visit before heading back to Michigan.

Beth, Ellie, Cheryl, Gemma

Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Darren and cousin Ellie came for a weekend visit and it was fun to see our two daughters with their own daughters!  Lots of fun times ahead for sure.  Looking forward to seeing the other two Michigan granddaughters (and parents) coming for a visit later this month.

After being here for a while we are able to find our way around better, find stores we like, restaurants, and alternate routes to our destinations.  The traffic here can be a challenge, but you just have to allow a little extra time and patience.  Luckily the park we are staying in is only about 5 miles from Beth and Kevin.

Cherry Hill Park, MD Feb 2019

We have been pleasantly surprised that staying in the RV in this colder weather has been fine.  When the temperature is below 40 degrees, we rely on the propane gas furnace and electric blanket at night and we have been very comfortable.

Cherry Hill Park, MD March 2019

Cherry Hill Park camping area

 We are staying at Cherry Hill Park, a large family owned park near College Park that offers several accommodation options.  They have full hook up RV sites, tent camping, cabin rentals, as well as a couple of larger vacation home rentals.  With the park located only 17 miles from the Washington DC National Mall, it's a nice option for visiting DC.  The park holds informational meetings for guest to help them plan their visit to area attractions, including how to maneuver the Metro Transportation System. 

For RVer's like us, the Park has their own propane truck that comes to the RV to fill the tank when needed.  This is a huge benefit not having to close everything up and drive somewhere to fill the propane tank.  This park is very well suited for longer stays and we are fortunate that it's located so close to Beth & Kevin. We will likely being staying here often when we visit.

Outing for frozen yogurt

Ready for March Madness!

With tax season in full swing, I have been able to continue my remote tax and accounting work.  I usually work in the mornings and then am free the rest of the day to spend with Beth, Kevin and Gemma. As the weather has turned nicer in the last couple of weeks, we have been out for short walks with Beth and Gemma and have enjoyed seeing signs of Spring.

Life is certainly good in the RV Lane! 

Return to Siesta Bay, Ft. Myers - January 2019

Lake in Siesta Bay RV Resort at Sunset

Annual Cooking Baking

Happy 2019!  Turns out we were fortunate to get a spot in Siesta Bay RV Resort for January due to a cancellation.

We really like this location, so we cancelled the reservation we had for January in Bonita, just south of here, and will stay here for the month instead.  We returned to Ft. Myers on January 4th, after 3 weeks in Michigan for the holidays.

Three Granddaughters!

We appreciated the mild winter weather while we were in Michigan this year.  Hardly no snow and lots of good times with family and friends, including family Christmas celebrations, annual New Years Eve with friends, and a big baby shower for Beth and Kevin.

Kevin & Beth - Baby Shower

Returning to the FL sunshine and warmth was very nice though, and we will make the best of the time here before we gladly leave for Maryland at the end of the month for baby time.  We have already made a reservation to stay at Siesta Bay for three months next winter.

Historic information - Bunche Beach

While here we have made a point of visiting some nearby areas we haven't been to previously.  This includes "Historic Bunche Beach" which is just down the road from us and an easy bike ride.  This beach is on the mainland looking across the bay to Estero Island and Sanibel Island.  A small county park with a visitor's building, kayak rentals, etc.  (Interesting history - you can click on picture to make it bigger to read).

Jim & Sylvan - Siesta Key near Sarasota

We also traveled north of here about 90 miles to visit Siesta Key near Sarasota (not to be confused with Siesta Bay RV Resort - similar name but different locations).

Friends Sylvan and Sharon are visiting Siesta Key from North Carolina for several weeks and we enjoyed a nice visit with them as well as Sharon's sister Tiby and husband David who winter here from Chicago.

Siesta Key is consistently named one of the top beaches in the United States and it's easy to see why.  There is a very wide beach area with white powder sand.  Siesta Key has a small downtown area with restaurants and shops.  We did not venture into nearby Sarasota, but am told this has even more to offer for the seasonal snowbirds.

We also checked out Pine Island; Florida's largest island, located north of Sanibel Island and west from the City of Cape Coral.  There is no vehicle access to Pine Island from Sanibel Island, however, it's a pretty easy 45 minute drive from our location.  Pine Island is pretty remote and natural and appears to be a great location to get away from it all especially if you own a boat. We saw a few small restaurants/bars and shops, but did not see amenities like you would find on Sanibel Island

Nauti Parrot Dock Bar - Ft. Myers

Back in the Fort Myers Beach area, we discovered a couple more local restaurants we like, include the Nauti Parrot Dock Bar,  Citrola's Italian Restaurant, and Schnitzel House (nice variety, huh?). 

Jim has used this time to do some RV maintenance, including changing the anit-freeze and oil, battery maintenance, and roof caulking; all preventative.  We had no issues with the RV being "stored" for the 3 weeks we were gone.  We placed a large container of "damp-rid" in the RV to help with any humidity, but it did not seem to be a problem this time of year.

I am all set up and working remotely at my tax and accounting job.  Very happy with the internet connection through the Verizon Jetpack hotspot.  Pretty sure the cell booster is working to provide a stronger signal.  It seems strange to be able to log in and do my old job from different locations, but love it!

Always looking ahead and making plans for the rest of the year, knowing it is subject to change.  We plan on staying in Maryland February and March; then returning to the Florida panhandle for April.  We will then start our way north stopping in North Carolina and Maryland before arriving in Michigan sometime in May.  We hope to make a trip to Colorado the month of June and then spend much of the summer back in Michigan.  Our elusive Maine and northeast trip is back on the calendar for late September/early October.  Followed by another stop in Maryland and North Carolina; we expect to be back in Florida around mid November for the winter.

Darren, Cheryl, Ellie

Dan, Jim, Megan, Anna, Deb, Christie

Ellie & Beth

Kevin & Beth - Baby Shower

I wanted to share a few more family pictures from the holidays and baby shower.  It was so nice having our family all together; can't wait for the new addition to the family.






 We appreciated all the family and friends who attended the baby shower during the hectic holiday week, especially sister-in-law Linda who traveled from northern Michigan and Beth's friend Sara from TN.


Many thanks to everyone for your love and support.

Florida Siesta

November Morning leaving MI

Time to slow down and relax here in southwest Florida after a couple of busy months.

Siesta Bay RV Resort

We escaped the cold just in time as it was snowing in Michigan the day we left.   We are now near Ft. Myers Beach at Siesta Bay RV Resort.

Birthday girl

After our late October-early November visit to Michigan and time in North Carolina to enjoy Ellie's 1st birthday, we headed south from NC and arrived in Ft. Myers after an overnight stay near Jacksonville.  We noticed we must have beat the big "snowbird" push as the traffic has been good and the park is not full yet.  I'm sure that will be changing soon.

Siesta Bay RV Resort is located near one of our favorite Florida destinations, Estero Island, Ft. Myers Beach.  The RV park is located about 4 miles from the bridge to Estero Island and about 3 miles from the causeway to Sanibel Island. 

Siesta Bay Resort

As November and December are not yet "peak" season, we got a very reasonable rate for the month we will be here.  The majority of the park is permanently placed modular and mobile homes, with maybe 20% RV spots.

Siesta Bay RV Resort

Great amenities with full hookups, club house with swimming pools, tennis, shuffleboard and pickle ball courts, exercise facility, etc.

There is a walking/biking path out on the main road and good shopping and restaurant options nearby  This may be a location we will come back to next winter for a longer stay.

Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grill, FMB

Doc's Beach House, Bonita Springs

It took me a few days to switch gears from our busy travel time to this slower pace here in Florida.  We are enjoying visiting some our favorite beach spots and restaurants.

Our time here is also providing some additional reduced activity time for Jim's injury.  His ankle and leg have continued to heal nicely and he got a good report from the doctor he saw in Michigan.  Still wearing either the boot or ankle support for a several more weeks, but can put full weight on it and more importantly, he can drive!  One more recheck in December when we are in Michigan and a couple more months of careful walking, he can expect a full recovery.

1st Place winner - tribute to California firefighters

Ft. Myers Beach is host to the Annual American Sandsculpting Championship every November.

Dancer sculpture

We went to the 32nd Annual installment and were very impressed.  This is a 10 day event with both professional and amateur competitions.

Sculpture under construction

We were so impressed with the amount of work and level of detail that goes into these sculptures.  The California firefighters tribute was definitely the favorite.

They block off a section of the beach (toward the southern end of Estero Island near Wyndham Garden hotel) for this event and bring in vendors, live music, and hold sand sculpting demonstrations.  Very nicely done, but with limited parking, they offer free shuttle bus service from Lover's Key State Park located south of the venue.

Beach erosion at FMB Pier & Pier Side Grill

Pier Side Grill

We couldn't help but notice the effect Hurricane Michael had on certain areas of the beach, including the area near the pier at Time Square on Estero Island.  Several years ago while we were here on vacation, we saw a beach restoration effort that greatly expanded the beach area.  Now it appears it is needed again as the beach is eroded up to the sea wall at Pier Side Grill.  However, we did NOT notice any of the "red tide" effects that have been in the news recently.

Embrace Change

Florida residency update:  Upon arrival in Florida, we needed to take care of a little business.  We got our Florida drivers licenses in what turned out to be a very quick and easy process.  Armed with the required documents, including our vehicle registrations that we had previously switched to Florida, it was a simple process to surrender our Michigan drivers license and obtain the Florida version.  After paying the approximately $50 fee each, we left with the new licenses in hand good for 8 years.  We were also able to take care of our Florida voters registration while we were there.  So we will be voting (likely absentee) in the wacky State of Florida in future elections.

Planning ahead:  Siesta Bay RV Resort has also provided a storage spot for the RV when we fly to Michigan for Christmas. The most economical storage yet, as they are only charging us $42 total to store the RV for three weeks.  When we return to southwest Florida, we have a reservation for the month of January at a park in Bonita Springs, just south of Ft. Myers.  The 1st of February we will travel to Maryland with the RV for a stay near Beth and Kevin for the arrival of their baby (very exciting!). Sometime in March we are planning on returning to Florida, perhaps Lakeland and the panhandle for the rest of March and April.

Looking forward to having our whole family together in Michigan for Christmas.  Happy Holidays!