Stealth camping in our Roadtrek…

May 25, 2014

Spokesman David Camping, Canada, Family, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, Roadtrek, Romantic, RV travel, salt water fishing, Social Aero Press, boondocking, Brittaney Spaniel, Canada, Kelly Kettle, Roadtrek, Sanibel Causeway 5 Comments

We spent the entire day at “Sanibel Island Causeway Park” and since we knew there would soon be a gorgeous sunset, followed by a stunning full-moon rise we decided not to leave. “We” was Lucy and me and our friend from Canada, Ross Fish. Ross was in his self-contained Class-B “Pleasureway” accompanied by his beautiful Brittany Spaniel “Barney”…

Barney was one of the most awesome companions I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with.

Sanibel Island, Fort Myers, Florida has long been one of our favorite; bicycling, fishing, kayaking, beach combing, kite flying destinations.. We have spent many, many, days parked under the beautiful long-leaf pine trees that shade the waterfront. We have never attempted to “stay all night”, due to the signs posted all over the park “No Overnight Camping”. We decided that we weren’t going to be camping we were going to be “Fishing“. We set up a couple of rod-holders on the beach and settled in for the night…

When we arrived, we parked on the west side to take advantage of the shade and sunset…

We arrived early to some very low temperatures… We were the only ones on the beach.

The west side of the causeway is the best side to see the sunset and a nice view of the Gulf of Mexico. We brewed a pot of coffee and relaxed. Barney loved walking the beach and chasing the wading birds…

Lee County provides some very nice picnic tables and spotlessly clean rest rooms…

We all enjoy each others company and we took advantage of Ross’s visit to catch up on all the news that he had to share since his last Florida visit. Ross travels for a month in the winter and then another month in the spring. The stories he tells keep us laughing. We brought simple foods to keep meal prep to a minimum. Lots of healthy snack-food, and no heavy dinners.

Lucy wore her hoodie to ward of the chill of the strong sea-breeze…

We stayed on the west side of the span until the sunset was over. Packed up and drove to the east side to enjoy the full-moon rising over the water…

As the sunset ended we loaded up and headed to the east side of the causeway to watch the full-moon rise.

When we arrived on the other side Sanibel Lighthouse was flashing its cheery light through the gathering darkness… There is a museum and gift shop located at its base…

Sanibel Lighthouse welcomed us with its warm cheery glow.

We had a marvelous night. We sat up visiting and sipping adult beverages until the wee hours and fell asleep with the balmy breeze rustling the curtains that covered our windows. It was truly magical waking up on the island. No traffic going by and no other people…

It was a perfect place to camp. No. I meant “fish”.

It just a few minutes the Kelly Kettle was boiling and we were enjoying steaming mugs of coffee brewed in our aero-Press. It was a glorious time to be alive. Total cost: ZERO

Just a few twigs picked up from under the gorgeous Long-Leaf Pines and the water was on-the-boil…

Maybe it is being with people you love. Maybe it is being on the beach with the smell of the salt water and the soothing sounds of the surf. All I know is our fresh ground, Aero-Press brewed coffee, always tastes better in the great outdoors…

I was up early and had the coffee makins on standby. As soon as I heard Lucy stirring I fired up the Kelly Kettle. Nothing beats coffee brewed in an Aero-Press…

I spent an enjoyable hour wade fishing, but had no luck. I did meet a few other long-time causeway fishermen who were putting a few Speckled Trout in their ice-chest. It just wasn’t my turn…

The fish just were not hungry for what I offered. That’s why they call it “fishing” and not “catching”…

… If we were camping it was wonderful. Fishing, not so much. I tried live-shrimp, assorted plugs and spinners and finally some Greenbacks that I caught in my cast-net. I never got bit, but I had a marvelous time…

Two men and a dog… Good times (Oh yes. Lucy was still fast asleep)

Our overnight on Sanibel was another fantastic outing. I think the fact that we might have been awakened by a deputy and asked to leave, made it even more exciting. No one bothered us and we bothered no one else. Just a fabulous “Fishing Trip”…

The other woman… 1976 Fleetwood “Prowler” 19E

June 5, 2013

Spokesman David Camping, Family, Kayaking, Land Rover, Outdoor Activities, RV travel, Social, Spiritual 11 Comments

Hello readers…

Lucy and I have been talking about…

…acquiring a travel trailer that would be small (light) enough to be safely towed by either of our Land Rover’s and yet still provide the type of accommodations we enjoy.

In the past, whenever we camped with the Florida Land Rover Club , our only option was a tent. There is nothing wrong with a tent and we still enjoy sleeping under canvas (or rip-stop nylon) very much. We have camped for so many years, we have learned what we need to be very comfortable “sleeping on the ground”. The primary reasons we wanted a towable RV were: Ease of set up and break down. No worries about enduring rainy weather and putting away wet muddy gear when we break camp. Much better control over internal temperatures. Staying warm has not been a problem in the winter, but staying cool during the balmy summer nights is…

A single phone call and our desires were met…

My good friend Belinda Smith called me and said she and her husband Bryan had purchased a new camper. She said she had to get rid of the old one “NOW”. Apparently, her shiny new one was on the way. Lucy and I didn’t know a thing about her “old camper”. We didn’t know; brand, size, condition, age, color, sleeping accommodations, or even if she was sound enough to tow back to O.O.C. So what? I just said “Heck yes we want it. I will come and get it right now.” We loaded up my 12 volt air-compressor, a can of WD40, two different sizes of hitch balls and headed for Cape Coral. Turns out… little “Missy”, as Lucy named her, is exactly what we would have ordered if we had bought her brand new. We had successfully organized our first ever “menage a trois”…

Our trip home came off without a hitch…

No. Wait a minute. We did use a hitch…

It only took us a little while to air up her rotting tires and hit the road for home. I drove very slowly and definitely felt the absence of proper trailer towing mirrors. Wider mirrors would have allowed me to keep track of following traffic. Oh yes… we also had no lights. No running lights and NO brake lights, or turn signals. Traffic was light and we just stayed in the right lane and took our ime. It was only twenty-four miles back to home base and we made it just fine. “Missy” seemed to really blossom under all of the new love and attention… We still had no idea what worked and what didn’t. We still had no idea if the roof leaked or the air-conditioner ran at all.

What sexy lady doesn’t love a nice bubble bath…

Soon as we got her home, Lucy insisted on washing her from stem to stern… She seemed to purr under Lucy’s rubbing. (I know I do) Soon as Lucy had her outsides looking as good as possible, she grabbed our shop-vac, bucket of soapy water and headed inside. Good news – the window air-conditioner – worked just fine. Lucy spent most of the day looking into every cupboard and drawer and did a real “Snow White” clean up. Once she was satisfied with her work, she allowed me back inside. The two of us sat with a blank pad of paper and started making a “To Do” list. Of course, we prioritized every item based on: Safety – weather tightness – convenience – appearance – comfort. The list is long, but it will be a labor of love…

Missy’s interior is open and airy. The rather vintage colors of the “Seventies”, take me back to my younger years. The rear bath is quite spacious with a separate stall shower. There is lots of storage room in the galley, and a stainless-steel, double sink, that is large enough to actually hold a dish. A four-burner, gas, range with oven will handle the cooking chores. Those of you that know Lucy and me, know we love to cook… The dinette seats four, on very comfy benches that actually fold down to create a three-quarter width bed.

Missy’s re-tirement…

First on the safety list was a new set of tires. It was off to Pat’s Tire and Auto Service where we purchased a full set of Powerking, Towmaster, STR, E-rated, 10 ply tires. Pat’s crew mounted them just right with brand new high-pressure valve stems and then ran them up on the computer balancer until they were spot on. The trip home was marvelous. She seemed to have much less rolling resistance and definitely less sway. i will be re-packing the wheel bearings and checking the brakes…

Over the coming months we will attack the tasks on our “To-Do” list, in the order we believe will be the most efficent. I know there will be surprises, unavoidable delays and unexpected challenges. That won’t bother us a bit. we always have “Voyageur” to hit the road in, if the wanderlust becomes to overpowering… Look for a new installment soon.

Safe travels,

“Spokesman” Dave

Up the Creek!

January 30, 2013

Spokesman David Boating, Fitness, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, Physical, Social Calamondin tea cake, green market 2 Comments

Another great adventure with the Brits…

Kayak fleet loaded, Camo-Tow on the sidelines

Terry and I slid Camo-Tow off her trailer and onto “Wheel-ber”, our aluminum, all-purpose, cart. She was allowed to rest up from her busy life as a charter fishing boat to have a sit in the sun. We stacked a couple of kayaks on the Gheenoe trailer and cradled my Tarpon T160i on the Yakima “Hully Rollers”. All gear was loaded and the beer and sandwiches were on ice… Just a short drive to nearby Franklin Lock Corp of Engineers south park and the convenient boat ramp. The weather was perfect again.

Lucy and Terry preparing to get underway

It only took a few minutes to off-load the boats and have all the gear stowed and ready. Even though in many places the creek is only three feet deep, I always insist that our paddlers wear their PFD’s. It is much deeper in some areas. Better safe than sorry. Lucy and I of course have the finest, REED ‘Chillcheater” shorty style paddling jackets. We gave our British friends the “dorky” ones. So what?” say I. They will all keep you afloat. Proper looking and stylish fashion, is only important to Lucy and me. ;O)

Pam and Terry in the comfy and fast Wilderness Systems “NORTHSTAR” tandem

Pam and Terry were off and away while Lucy and I finished packing the expedition food and beverage supply. Of course, they made us cary everything and serve them as well. Living with Lucy, I am used to that… There was a stiff following wind that made the downriver portion a “breeze”. It is only about a half mile to the mouth of Telegraph Creek, so we made it there in jig time. We were all anxious to complete the more boring river portion and really get “up the creek. Lots of wading birds and a few power and sail powered pleasure yachts, gave us a courteous low-speed pass as they traveled up and down the picturesque Inter-coastal waterway…

Only the beginning

Looks as if Walt Disney designed it…

None of the many visitors we have brought on this journey have ever indicated they were disappointed by the beautiful old Florida creek. There are a few houses in the first section of the trip, but we were soon alone in the wilderness. Lots of turtles splashed noisily into the water, when we passed close by. We also aw a couple of majestic Ospreys and several other more common species of wading birds. My favorite bird sighting, was the high diving Kingfisher who provided an awesome aerial display as he dove, over and over, for a tasty catch…

As always, Lucy’s Indian heritage showed through as she effortlessly paddled her “Venus 11” through the twisting creek

“Venus if you will” (Must be sung)

Lucy left her “Easy Rider” Dolphin behind and chose instead to paddle her “Venus 11”. She handles it like an Olympic champion. It is the perfect size for the narrow creek. She also picked our new Lendall, carbon fiber, four piece paddle as her weapon for the adventure… Lucy commented that she loved the feel and performance of the rather high-ticket power-stroker… We wanted Pam and Terry to lead the way, because they would have the greatest opportunity for wildlife sightings, if they were the first, round-the-bend…

“Oh my gosh!” The happy couple were quite pleased and surprised when they spotted; Zebra, Llamas, Camels and Big Horn Sheep on the bank

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my (Must be sung)

First time paddling visitors are always surprised by the exotic animal spotted along the creek. A very nice couple raises exotic animals and birds and maintains a very nice animal farm right, along the creek. I often wonder why some of them don’t just wade out into the creek and just swim away. They must be well fed and nicely treated. Why would they want to leave? ;O)

Even in its “Winter Mode” the scenery along the creek never disappoints

Lunchtime…

We made a stop at one of our favorite lunch and swimming spots. Everybody else ate lunch, I enjoyed the cool water, then I ate. ;O) Even with the lack of rain, there was plenty of water in the creek to afford easy passage over the numerous stumps and downed trees. There were wildflowers and flowering trees all along the banks…

It was easy-out and easy-in for the slender, physically fit couple

The majority of the shoreline is heavily wooded so when a rather clear area is discovered it quickly becomes a “favorite spot”. The water was a little cloudy due to the absence of the normal cleansing rain. It only takes a little bit of rain to flush and clean the narrow watershed. Still easy to see the bottom, just not as free of silt as usual. We had brought along delicious submarine sandwiches, homemade dill pickles, purchased from one of the vendors at the local Green Market and plenty of healthy, tasty fresh fruit. A second cooler held a plentiful supply of ice-cold Bud. We were well fed and hydrated – as usual. ;O)

Relaxing and stretching our sea-legs, following our yummy shore lunch

The paddle back to the launch was uneventful. Only problem was the wind. Behind us on the way downriver and in our face on the way back. No matter. we all made it back just fine and agreed the trip provided just the right amount of exercise…

“Yummy to my tummy” Lucy’s delicious homemade spaghetti

Once back at O.O.C. with kayaks back in storage mode, gear washed and put away, Lucy treated us all to a delicious dinner. She prepared her famous homemade spaghetti with meat sauce, spicy cole-slaw and hot, buttery, garlic bread. We bought Terry and Pam a “Calamondin Tea Cake” on our earlier visit to the Alliance for The Arts, “Green Market”. She shared a small piece with each of us and it made the perfect dessert. We topped off the evening with a spirited game of “Chicken Foot” and then all adjourned to our sleeping spaces and enjoyed happy dreams of our next day together…

Cheers to you all, “Spokesman Dave”

Eterna® Full Size (11X45): Brunton – Binoculars

January 23, 2013

Spokesman David Boating, Camping, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, RV travel 1 Comment

I just want to do a shout out for some excellent customer service. I enjoyed my original BRUNTON “Eterna” binoculars for many years. I contacted them about repairing an issue that developed in the fine BRUNTON optics…

They sell their products with a “Lifetime Guarantee”. When they finished their inspection they informed me my original binocs were not repairable. They went a step further and told me they were mailing me a BRAND NEW pair at no cost.

Fantastic! I love it when a gear provider makes good and I want to recommend BRUNTON highly.

Brunton 11x45 Eterna Full Size Binoculars - Black Binoculars

Eterna® Full Size (11X45): Brunton – Lanterns, Solar Power, Headlamps, Binoculars, Scopes, Compasses.

Spokesman Dave

How to benefit from inflation…

January 23, 2013

Spokesman David Bicycling, Boating, Canada, Family, Fitness, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, Roadtrek, RV travel, Sea Eagle inflatable kayak, Social 2 Comments

Not everyone is negatively affected by “Inflation…

Marianne assembles the paddles – last items out of the van – and heads to the put-in

Marianne and Randy “Boondockerswelcome.com” asked if there were any paddling destinations near O.O.C. We told them “Yes indeed, Telegraph Creek is a wonderful place to visit by kayak.” Seeing no kayak on top of, or behind their Roadtrek, we offered them the use of two of ours. We also offered to transport the kayaks to the launch. “No worries” replied Marianne “We have our own.” “HUH? Where is it?” Marianne explained that after a good bit of research they had purchased a 380X Sea Eagle inflatable kayak. “Well I’ll be darned.” I responded…

Lucy on her Salsa MUKLUK, heading to the launch

Lucy and I were very intrigued by the ability of carrying a kayak inside our little RV. We just had to see this Sea Eagle in action. We jumped on our trusty pedal powered steeds and headed to nearby Franklin Lock to watch them assemble, inflate and launch the inflatable boat. (I was somewhat skeptical)…

Three small bags contain the entire Sea Eagle 380X

… In only a few minutes the busy couple had carried the various parts to the waters edge. Randy made short work of inflating the 12’6″ kayak. The seats were installed after the hulls were fully inflated. They explained that the cushy inflatable seats – complete with backrests – could be removed from the boat and used as camp or beach chairs. Marianne also explained that she often reverses her seat – while on the water – when they stop and enjoy their floating picnic linch. Very cool…

“You need to Pump-it-up.” Instructs Lucy

“Looky Lucy” sat on one of the wooden benches and made sure they did it right…

With a 650 pound carrying capacity, we barely made her settle on her lines.

It was a pleasant surprise when Randy turned to us and said “Why don’t you guys take it for a ride and see how you like it. It handled much better than I expected. Lucy fell in love with the cushy seats and decided we need to add one of the Sea Eagles to our O.O.C. Navy fleet…

Always wear your PFD. Off they went…

In a matter of minutes the happy couple had paddled out of sight on their way to Telegraph Creek. When they returned ot O.O.C. that evening they both agreed it was one of the nicest water-based trips they had ever done…

You will find a link to purchase your own Sea Eagle on Marianne’s award winning website: http://www.frugal-rv-travel.com/Inflatable-boat.html

We thoroughly enjoyed having Randy and Marianne as our guests and our test ride in the Sea Eagle…

Paddle strong, Spokesman Dave

Land Rover “Lovers”

January 18, 2013

Spokesman David Bicycling, Camping, Cooking, Family, Kayaking, Land Rover, Outdoor Activities, Physical, Romantic, Social, Spiritual Birthday fun, camping, cars, four wheeling, happy marriage, Holder Mine, land rover club, land rover series, Leave No Trace. Anti Litter, loving spirit, nature, Nature Lover, outdoors, road adventure, The Wild Rovers, Wellness, wild rovers 2 Comments

1960 Land Rover Series and 1976 Boler travel trailer

Meeting “Tinkerbell”…

When I was a young boy, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell were two of my heroes. (I had a crush on Tink) Of course, at the time, I believed they were quite real. Having met Danielle and Drew my belief was confirmed. They are in fact – very real…

Last weekend…

Lucy and I were planning a ten day, tent based trip. We decided to leave “Voyageur” our Roadtrek at O.O.C. and do the trip in one of our Land Rover Discoveries. First thing we did was to call our good friend, Aldous Cosmo Gitles and ask him to join us. Fact of the matter is, we asked him to pick the location for our rendezvous. “Cosmo”, as his friends call him, was ready willing and able to meet us for another four wheeling off-road adventure. He offered a couple of alternative locations in central Florida and we chose “Holder Mine Campground” in the Withlacoochee Forest…

CitrusHdqtrsTract2007

We began planing, organizing and loading our gear for an exciting adventure with some great old friends. From there, it just got better and better. Cosmo called us back a couple of times and said the group was getting larger. In fact he said we would love the new people that were meeting us and that a couple other members of the Florida Land Rover Club would also be joining us for some trail riding. Fantastic! The more the merrier. For this BLOG I am going to speak about one couple, Drew and Danielle. Lucy and I chose to call this couple “Tinkerbell and Peter Pan”. Their fun BLOG is “The Wild Rovers”…

Their kind, loving, spirit was evident from the first moment we met them…

Drew and Danielle were set-up on their campsite when Lucy and I arrived. Everything looked as “neat as a pin”. We were looking forward to meeting them, because we had viewed their blog and immediately felt a kinship with this amazing young couple. So many memories flooded my mind. I immediately thought of my Lucy as a young spouse, complete with honey-sweet voice and gently strumming guitar. Even their smiles radiated the same joyful, unassuming innocence. We as couples were alike in so many ways. I am not going to do a lot of “Splaining” (Ricky Ricardo’s voice) because they have all the details on their blog. What I want to talk about is how impressed I was by their attitude about life. Best part was, it didn’t come from books, seminars, or self-help tapes. They just “Get it”. Having graduated from college with degrees in Journalism (Danielle) and Mechanical Engineering (Drew) they were tired of the day to day constraints of excessive order, disciplined study and schedule driven academic lives. They are not running away from something they are moving closer to something. They both love and miss their homes and family in Nova Scotia. Each of them spoke of the wonderful people, scenery and energy that they left behind in their homeland. Both Drew and Danielle maintain close contact with family and friends while they are on the road. I believe they just want to make sure that what they think – Nova Scotia is the best place to live – is accurate. For the entire time we were sharing the woods with this marvelous couple, I never heard a “discouraging word”. even as they spoke of little setbacks and challenges they had encountered, they were grinning from ear-to-ear as they explained their inventive and sometimes comical solutions. The only sad part for me was the realization that none of our – now all grown up daughters – ever got to enjoy such a freeing adventure…

Saturday, January 12th. Happy Birthday Danielle

As luck would have it, we got to celebrate Danielle’s 23rd birthday with her. She and Drew participated in our first off-road trail ride in their very own “Ole Yeller”. The venerable old Land Rover was shod with standard tread street tires, but managed to handle every obstacle in it’s path with a pronounced British “Stiff upper lip”. Many of the other trucks had oversize, heavily lugged, trail tires and extensive modifications. They put nothing over on the rugged, leaf sprung, Rover. Drew proved he had “Bad Ass” driving skills and Danielle maintained her stately place in the procession, regardless of the severity of the trail. If the happy occupants would have been enjoying ice-cold “GnT’s”, they wouldn’t have sloshed a drop… In celebration her special day, “Kaz”, a member of the Florida Land Rover Club, offered her the pilot-seat in his extreme, off-road monster, a huge Discovery powered by a beefed up V8, rolling on huge, nobby tires. Never you mind it was her first time running an off-road trail truck. Seeing the tiny blonde lass piloting the massive rig was a joy to behold. They say you “Never forget your first time.” How bout that Danielle?

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with these traveling troubadours…

Danielle and Drew share a love for music. They are a wonderfully talented duet carrying a full arsenal of stringed instruments with them, writing new songs en-route. We were gifted a copy of their first album “Honey Hill” by The Harts. D n D co-wrote the excellent songs commemorating their travels and often perform at various open-mikes and other venues along the way. Drew serenaded Daniele with a fine rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” on his newly acquired fiddle. They voices – like their lives – are in perfect harmony…

“We’ve got all we need for where we’re going.”

The young couple do a wonderful job of living a GIANT life in a diminutive space. Their tiny rolling home, includes everything they need for housekeeping and living comfortably, with nothing added to compromise their enjoyment of whatever space they are in. The skill they exhibit in keeping it all together extends way beyond their time in years. We could all learn a lesson about the joys of living simply. “All we need is love” the Beatles…

Well and truly missed…

You can teach old dogs new tricks. The time Lucy and I spent with Drew and Danielle renewed our faith in the younger generation. They taught us a lot about; humility, love, contentment and the joy of appreciating every moment of life. We will never forget them. So often in the past we have been fortunate to spend time with really incredible people. These two folks will certainly occupy a niche very near the top of the list. If I got to live my life over again, I would hope I to be a lot more like Drew… Happy trails to “The Harts”.

Love to you all,

Spokesman Dave

$12.50 a can!

June 19, 2012

Spokesman David Bicycling, Camping, Canoeing, Cooking, Family, Fitness, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, Physical, Romantic, Social 3 Comments

One little tip I would offer about camping anywhere – don’t shop at the concession

Even though we packed very, very, carefully we did overlook two critical items; marshmallows and MOZZIE SPRAY. “No worries” I thought “I’ll just cycle over to the little campground store and buy some.” Well… they had no marshmallows, but the did have repellent. Twelve fifty a can seemed quite pricey, but I think the park had made a deal with the mozzies. “You keep biting the campers and we will split the profit on the spray.”… I bet I won’t forget that item on future trips…

We had a great nights sleep – no mosquito bites – and we arose early, for coffee, breakfast and a bike ride to the springs. The temperature was unusually cool, but her “Majesty” still enjoyed our thrift store fan….

During our four decades of camping, we have tried many, many, different ways of producing our morning brew. We tried all of the “tips” for making simple “Cowboy Coffee” and it sucked. We went from fancy – Coleman stove top drip coffee maker to a paper cone sitting on top of our mug. Nothing we have previously tried makes better coffee or is easier to store and clean-up than our Aerobie, “Aero Press” coffee maker. This light weight little brewer just never fails to please… I might nickname it “Lucy”.

Since I unfortunately suffer from the “Big 3”; Type II Diabetes, chronic kidney disease and ultra high Triglycerides we eat very healthy meals. I enjoy the “new vs old” combination of cooking gear. On the one hand our Primus “EtaPower” stove is the latest and best in fuel saving efficiency, but we choose to cook our vittles in our, 50 year old, “Wagner”, cast-iron skillet… Everything seems to taste better when prepared and consumed outdoors…

We enjoyed our coffee and breakfast of turkey bacon and O.O.C. eggs and then we loaded up the bikes for a leisurely ride to the cooling Wekiwa Spring. Of course, we cleaned up and organized our campsite, before we departed. The ride is basically a two mile nature trail. Tons of birds, squirrels and even a couple of browsing deer. We arrived early and had no problem scoring a ringside seat on one of the many comfortable benches, located around the perimeter of the crystal clear spring. The entire park was spotless and free of any type of litter. As many of the novel writers say.. “The water was gin clear”…

Lucy was anxious to get in the water, but she found it a little colder than she anticipated. “I can’t feel my body.” she yelled “I am numb all over.” Bad news for me. The springs is large enough to accommodate a large number of people and never felt crowded. People of all ages and many nationalities were enjoying Mother Nature’s swimming pool…

My Pentax “Optio WG2” underwater camera, had no problem capturing Lucy’s floating image. We can’t wait to return to this pristine place with our grandchildren…

The “Swimmin Hole” is huge. Definitely room for everyone. Shady parts for people like us and lots of sun exposure for the “thong clad” sun worshipers.

Do not leave your bikes at home. Two-wheel travel is the best way to get around on the smooth pavement of the park roads. Traffic is light and motorists were careful. There are nine miles of off-road trails for those wishing to explore the natural world – off the beaten path…

To be continued on day three.

All the best from,

Spokesman Dave

Kayak Delivery and tenting at Wekiwa Springs

June 18, 2012

Spokesman David Bicycling, Boating, Camping, Canoeing, Cooking, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, Physical, Romantic Leave a comment

When we recently sold “Stillwater” our twenty foot long, three cockpit kayak the owner said “Will you deliver it to my grandfather’s house, if I pay for your gas?”… Thought for a minute and replied “Heck yes.” I just figured Lucy and I would make it a fun road-trip with a couple of stops along the way…

Packing complete the night before… we were up with the morning sun…

Set the Garmin GPS on “Back Roads” and with full cups of coffee we were on our way.

Road conditions were perfect and traffic was nonexistent. We drove for a while on the “Florida Cracker Trail”. The recent rains had everything looking like the “Emerald City”. We love the low and slow byways that take us through quaint towns and offer constantly changing points of interest. I find the Interstate Highway a path of last resort. Lower speeds equate to less fuel consumed and less stress on our brains…

I thought Sierra – our cute little American Eskimo Dog – was growling in the backseat. I listened carefully and heard it again several times and then realized it was not Sierra. Turned out it was Lucy’s stomach. “Are you hungry?” I inquired… Receiving a positive response we started looking for an appropriate lunch spot. Just over the next hill the perfect spot appeared. A shady parking spot for the Land Rover and a cool, shady, outside deck that was dog friendly…

Food was delicious and our waitress made me feel right at home…

The Butcher Shop – right across the street made us think about our daughter Aimee. She and her Fiance’ have opened “Heaps Meat Processing” in Hartsell, Alabama. They are already very busy providing meat cutting services to the local populace…

Bellies full we resumed our trip to drop off the boat as Sierra snored in her crate. The scenery just kept getting better and better. We both love central Florida…

In only a little longer we safely delivered our cargo. The Land Rover seemed happy to be free of the one hundred pound load on it’s roof rack. I know the new Owners will have many wonderful waterborne adventures in their new craft… Mission One accomplished we resumed our travels toward our reserved campsite at Wekiwa Springs State Park. We were really looking forward to setting up our brand new tent and heading for a swim in the seventy two degree, crystal clear spring…

Oops. One more stop on the way…

Lucy was hungry AGAIN sooooooo… another pit stop. This time for a large, chocolate malt milkshake. She made me get one too…

Finally…

New Kelty Green River Four all set up and gear stowed. Time for a bike ride to the spring. I was very happy to be finished driving. Seven hours behind the windshield…

“Mee Mee” Lucy spotted the wheelchair assist, for getting into the cool water and immediately thought of our incredible granddaughter, Alexis Jade Spencer. Alexis is wheelchair mobile due to cerebral palsy. She loves to swim and this convenient lift will be fun for her to try… Once in the water she swims like a Mermaid…

Even though the waters of the spring were beckoning, we were both so tired we decided to return to camp to prepare a healthy supper and enjoy our polar plunge first thing in the morning… We were lulled to sleep by a gentle rain falling on the roof of our tent and enjoyed the best nights sleep we had had in months… To be continued.

Part Seven: Voyageur’s foreplay…

June 12, 2012

Spokesman David Bicycling, Camping, Canoeing, Family, Kayaking, Outdoor Activities, Social, Spiritual 2 Comments

This morning I loaded up the reconditioned frame for the Roadtrek and delivered it to “Cobra Shop”

It is only a short drive from O.O.C. (Olga Outdoor Center) to the Cobra Shop. Full glass of ice-cold Sweetea (Truvia of course), climate control on 72 degrees, NPR on the stereo and my “Gypsy” (Garmin 276c – GPS) giving me directions in her soft, sexy, voice… As soon as I drove up, Mike and Tim greeted me with instructions to back my trailer right in the door “Be careful of that custom truck next to the door. We just painted her and that is a six thousand dollar job.” <gulp> I inched my way carefully through the tight passageway. Success. No scratches and I was safely inside the shop…

It took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the relatively dark shop after coming in from the full Florida sun. At first I didn’t see ~~Rusty~~ Voyageur. Aha. There he is, way back in the corner. He was a little embarrassed at having me see him as his butt was sticking up in the air at a rather unnatural angle. Voyageur is kind of shy.

I felt as if I was visiting a beloved family member in pre-op. It sure is a wonderful thing, knowing Voyageur will soon be carrying Lucy and me safely down the winding back roads of the U.S.A. (Makes me think of Dinah Shore). I had a short visit with the crew and discussed some last minute details. I asked Tim how long it would be before I could pick Voyageur up. He replied “Less than two weeks.” Fantastic. Now I can head home and finish preparations for our Land Rover based – tent camping trip to Wekiwa Springs State Park. First project was to install Lucy’s anniversary gift.. a leather BROOKS – “B17 S” – saddle…

The “B17 S” is specially designed for a lady rider. I know it will provide a comfortable ride for Lucy for many, many miles…

Three day prep for a four day trip…

Tent camping anytime takes a lot of planning, purchasing and packing. Summertime tent camping takes even more preparation because of the fan and five-gallon water cooler that we carry. We freeze two large Tupperware bowls, full of filtered water, a couple of days before our departure. Just before we leave we put the ice from the two bowls into our five gallon Igloo water – barrel and then fill it with more R.O. filtered water. We usually have ice as long as three days after we leave. It is important to set the cask in the shade…

In the background you can see Lucy’s Land Rover. Hers is pouting because – again – she has to stay home. These vehicles are not large and their gear space is quite limited. Careful packing and utilization of space is crucial…

Lucy has chosen to ride “Grocery Getter” her Giant 870, a gift from JRA Cycles in Punta Gorda, Florida

First thing in the morning I will install our “Hollywood” bike rack and our two bikes. The loaded bikes make it difficult to open the rear door. We are really looking forward to our trip and getting to spend some time unwinding in the cool, clear spring water… It always takes me a full day just to “come-down” from all the get ready work. In this case, knowing our Roadtrek is well on the way to recovery will make relaxing even easier. We will post photos from our adventure…

Best wishes from,

“Spokes-model” Lucy and “Spokesman” Dave

Five Spoke Wheel

Eterna® Full Size (11X45): Brunton – Binoculars

Kayak Delivery and tenting at Wekiwa Springs

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This morning I loaded up the reconditioned frame for the Roadtrek and delivered it to “Cobra Shop”

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