Gearing Up!

     Hello to all our followers! It has been over eight months since my last post and I have no excuse except Life kept me away.  We are beginning to prepare for another adventure this winter but it is a little less structured than the last two trips were. As soon as I have a better idea of our plan I will pass along our itinerary.
     I was thinking about filling you all in on the Wright Family  Events that have taken place first, to catch you  all up. I had camera breakage on our way home last year but I hope to get some pictures posted from that Part of our trip, Everglades to home. I'll  see how that goes.
     So here we go. Not now, but soon! WELCOME  BACK.

Carnaval Dream

     We are off today on the long awaited cruise. Our ship sets sail at Four o'clock. We have signed up for the one o'clock shuttle to take us to the embarking area. Our luggage is packed, the dogs are boarded , the trailer is locked up and all we have to do is sail.
     We will not have access to the Internet so I will sign off for now and fill in the blanks when we get back. I have some awesome pictures to add and a few funny stories
     Until then, Love to all and talk to you all later.

For The Birds

We finally made our trek to the airport. I always love to go there, no matter where.or when. The hustle and bustle, to me it is exciting.

Others worry that the plane may not be on time.

They may even be forced to imbibe!

He's here. I see him!

Welcome to Florida, Norm

Let's eat!

Girls like Pizza, too!

This place always comes recommended by the Clarkston Luggers. It has a wide range of pizzas with salads, drinks, but no coffee and a dessert buffet that is very tasty.

     After we eat we get back to camp at Lake Louise then we move on to Highland Hemlock State Park near Sebring.  Then off to the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve in southern Florida.

    


     We are driving in the car on our way to the Nike  Missile Site within the Everglades National Park. This historic spot was where the United States took a defensive position in 1962 against the Russians. They were placing nuclear missiles within 90 miles of the United States. President Kennedy and the Russian Premier Khrushchev were on the hot line daily to defuse the crisis.
     The Russians eventually dismantled them and a peaceful resolution took place. God  Bless America! After our tour I will update this info if I have misspoken.  I am not sure if  I can take photos or not.
     We have had a lot of cool weather on this leg of our journey, but the sun is shining. How can you complain about that! As a matter of fact, the sun is coming in the window of the car and I have on a light sweater but  I am sweating like a pig.  My glasses are sliding down my nose and I feel like there are pools of perspiration caught in the area under my eyes. Probably not though.
    We have gone on a lot of interesting hikes in the Big Cypress National Preserve and have taken plenty of awesome photos of  birds within the park.   Norm and I  come home and immediately dig out the  bird books to identify what we saw. It has been fun.  He has a good  eye and takes some great shots.
     The bike ride at Shark Valley was cut short by the clock but I would like to get back before we leave so we can get all the way to the tower where he can see the panoramic view all the way to Miami.
     On one of the next cool days we jumped into the car and drove to the beaches of Miami. We took off our shoes and walked sandy shores of the Atlantic and collected some pieces of coral. They are drying on the picnic table as we speak. I just love to walk in the sand and feel the waves on my feet. I could spend the whole day doing that. Maybe one of our beach days on our cruise we can do that.
     The one thing that could have made it better, would have been a Red Solo Cup with a cold beer. Awwww,  maybe next time.
     South Beach is a great place to people watch. Cyclists, bladers, segwayers, and volleyball games on the sand courts lend to plenty of photo opportunities. There was a guy with a shopping cart full of coconuts that had fallen out of the trees who was cutting them open and selling them to the tourists, three for five dollars. He said he was a professional, having been doing this for 18 months. But he only wanted money if  they liked what they tasted. We didn't get any but plenty of other people did.
     I was hoping to find the place the movie Bird Cage was filmed. We walked down the street and decided to have dinner there in the area and checked out the menus from the Carlysle Hotel and believe it or not this was it!  It didn't look anything like the bar in the movie. Poop!  I still love the movie. It cracked me up. If you haven't seen it, you should. Hilarious.
     We are driving through Homestead, Florida  right now. It is the community that was devastated in hurricane Andrew, I believe. I came this way with Grandma Gracie years ago and I see plenty of regrowth. It is a great produce area in Florida and plenty of  nursery activity here. They have a bus route where only buses can go on the road. It is a road that travels like the crow,  straight and direct.

Back in Orlando

     Well, we made it back to Lake Louisa, in the Orlando  area. I think we are west of Disney if that gives you some idea of where we are. We are having a devil of a time finding parks that are not full.  Don't people have jobs?  Don't kids have school?  How the heck is a senior supposed to enjoy lolly-gagging around? How are we supposed to participate in our golden year follies?
   

     We did spent the night in a Walmart parking lot. It was a Super 24 hour store in the lovely town of the Villages.  The lot was spacious with plenty of wildlife to see. We saw two feral cats scavenging leftovers from the Sonic on one end. There were plenty of Florida's finest gulls also looking to score a buffet of anything shoppers cast off as they made their way back to their vehicles.
   

      We chose to park on the other end of the lot because our slide outs would face the landscaping and offer us some degree of privacy as well as cut down on the lighting in the lot. We felt very comfortable. The temperature outside was mild.
     Before it got too dark, we went inside the store and bought a battery operated table lantern to give us some light in the trailer when the sun would go down. The trailer can run on its own battery, but we used the small light which was all we needed. We also spent some time outside walking the dogs. They are such troopers!
 

       We had grilled cheese sandwiches and alphabet spaghetti for dinner. The gas stove was still working and the light from our new lantern made the evening kind of fun.
     In the morning Bill went to the McDonald's across the street, bought two fabulous tasting large coffees, and boy did they ever smell great. We had a light breakfast and off we went to Lake Louisa.
     We got checked in for one night and were able to extend for three more nights which would take us to Tuesday when we will pick up Norm at the airport. I plan to use these last days catching up on bills, laundry, and I hope to finish my book.
   

 This white spot on the water is actually a reflection of the moon

The sunset was spectacular 

This little guy sat on our suet feeder and enjoyed the treat

What a view to see when you wake up

Orange Orchards lined the road back to the campsites...Yummmm

The sweet smell of our citrus grove didn't last long since they were off limits due to Canker which spoils the fruit.  Drat!!!!

      Bill has also made an appointment to have the dogs hair cut. They are in desperate need of some freshening up. Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas have been very generous with dust,dirt,ants,ticks and the abundance of miniature burs. The burs love their tails, ears and are particularly annoying when they become lodged in between their toes. They will stop dead in their tracks and lift their paws, we obediently come to their rescue. Then they growl and nip at us for relieving them of said bur. What were we thinking!
     I am still working on finding a spot for them while we are on our cruise. I am going to tackle that task and the last minute details of the rest of our trip, before, and after our "Carnival Dream" cruise. I can't wait! Tomorrow is the day to tie up all loose ends.
     I hope you are all well.  You are all in my prayers everyday. Good luck to Beth Lugger who is having knee surgery on Monday. I wish you have a speedy recovery.
   

Limping Back to Florida

     Monday morning we got up and checked at the office of Travelers World in San Antonio to see if we could spend one more day at the park. But alas, it was full so we needed to move on. Bummed, we put on our best happy faces and broke down the trailer and got on our way.

Hit the road, partner

                                              

     As we made the turn at the end of the park road we became distracted, well actually, we were checking out this one site and didn't turn wide enough and we ran aground on the beautiful landscaping rocks put there specifically to keep people on the road and off the landscaping. Don't worry,  the rocks are fine!

Ouch!

Yipes

     Well, we spent the day trying to hunt down a new rim and tire. We had AAA come and change the tire. Trailers don't have jacks and our car jacks wasn't big enough. We only waited about an hour and the spare tire was on.

     Bill wanted to get the new rim so we weren't without a spare. Discount tire in San Antonio thought they had one but when we brought it back to the trailer it was not going to work. So back it went.
     We finally got hooked up with  "Treds and Wheels", an all girl garage and tire store that proved to be very efficient, came to us,  made calls, and in the morning brought us our new tire with the appropriate rim. It was a beautiful sight, and not just the tire. The shop is run by a group of girls that wanted to work on cars . They did not like the cracks from the guys at other garages, so they decided to start their own shop. It is right across the street from a Pep Boys and hands down they have had a very successful first year. They do their own repairs, balancing, mounting and can get you back on the road faster than many other shops we have dealt with, and they were easy on the eyes.

     The staff at the park let us stay in the parking lot and ran an electric cord out to us so we had lights in the evening. We used the showers,and in the morning, after we got our new tire, we were on the road by 11:00.

     We made our way to Village Creek  State Park in Texas, near the city of Beaumont. We actually stayed there last year. It is in the Big Thicket Preserve. Gosh, we have stayed in some beautiful spots.

      

     It was a little crisp this morning but after we took the dogs for a walk we headed back to New Orleans to to pick up a package that was delivered to them after we left there on our way to San Antonio. It was a part to the hitch that needed to be replaced.

One last picture of the Super Dome as we headed out of New Orleans.

     Our next stop was, Shepherd State Park in Mississippi. It is just about to Alabama. We have also stayed there in the past. It is a beautiful park along the Gulf Shores. It has recently been taken over by the city of Gautier and they hope to increase the number of sites as well as make improvements to the rest rooms and showers. 

     We were able to get a picture of the Carnival Ship Triumph that had recently been towed into the harbor near Mobile, Alabama.

This ship had a fire on board and had to be towed to the harbor.

      In Theodore, Alabama, we had a new hitch installed. We bought  it to replace the one that  we lost a part of on our way to New Orleans. Shortly after leaving with the new hitch, it broke. We had to have it reordered so we could pick it up and have it re-installed on our way back through Theodore, so we could continue the rest of our trip back to Florida to pick up Norm. Are you confused yet?   

      All in all, everything was were it was supposed to be when it was supposed to be there and our trip has gone smoothly. Thank goodness!

      After we get Norm around the 26th of February, we will continue to sight see. We are heading back to Big Cypress and then the three of us will see the Everglades. If time permits we will head down to the Florida Keys. Following that, we are off on our cruise.

  

USS Alabama in Mobile Bay.

     

Replica of Blue Angel in Alabama Rest Stop

     We called it a day after continuing our journey. We stopped at Torreya State Park in Florida. It is another Civilian Conservation Corps Camp. I can't wait to see it in the morning. It was after eight in the evening when we pulled in and too dark to see it in it's splendor. It is on the high bluffs of the Apalachicola River. The steep bluffs rise more than 150 feet above the river. The park is named after an extremely rare species of Torreya tree.

It was pouring rain in the morning

Plenty of mud

This park offers Yurts,which are a type of cabin, really cute

Each has a deck

Fire Pit

And a View

     

We stopped to see Bill's sister Beth, in Apalachicola, Florida. As always it was good to see her and she is always a gracious hostess. We were able to have lunch and catch up. We had lunch at a local restaurant.

When you see this bridge it looks like there is no other half. Like it just ends

This is where we ate. I had Alligator Balls and Bill had Conch Patties.

 

 

Do you think they will ever get here with the food?

This is the Gibson...A favorite of the locals as well as a beautiful Inn.

  Next we are moving along closer to Orlando and Lake Louise to pick up my brother,  Norm.

Just Chilling In San Antonio (Not)

 The entrance to our Park, Travelers World.

This is the entrance to the River Walk Bike Path right outside the park

Toby and Belle enjoy the water bowls along the path for our four legged friends.

                                                                                                                                                                                We have spent the past few days in San Antonio's Travelers World. The move brought us closer to town and all the bike riding on the River Walk we would want. The sun has been beautiful although the temperatures have been cool, 60's to 70's...delightful. We visited the city and took in the Alamo, Market Square and had lunch at a restaurant on the river called Casa Mia's.

Friends

This city bus bends in the middle to go around corners. Hum!

The signs are great for tourists and make San Antonio sightseeing a breeze.

     

     The River Walk just keeps getting better and is connecting the city from one end to the other. The landscaping and flowers are coming into season and the trees are decorated with twinkle lights that make it like a glittery fairyland when evening falls on the water.

The Water Taxis get people from one end to another and provide a narrative along the way.

Market Square is the Mexican part of downtown and is filled with shops and churches, and every Sunday the street has vendors, music and grills sizzling tasty Gorditos. Can you smell them yet?

This man was just sitting quietly feeding the birds.

Fred and Nancy struck a pose

Nancy and I ran into this cathedral to receive ashes to get Lent off to a start.

     The Alamo, built in 1718, is the largest historical attraction that brings thousands into town. It is solemn to enter the Mission that is one of five in the area, is maintained by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. They have cared for the site since 1905. The grounds are beautiful and docents are available to fill in the history for us.

This side wall is where soldiers lived and fought.

 The well inside the grounds of the Alamo.

     Next we jumped on our bikes and hit the trail. First we visited the Mission San Jose's Visitor Center to watch a movie about the missions. We started peddling  for one of the farthest missions, the Mission San Juan. It is under restoration and was actually going to hold mass for the first time in years on Sunday.

Next time the Mission will probably be covered with stone to look more like the outer buildings.

Another view of the tower and bell.

      We left on our bikes for the next destination, Mission Concepcion.

Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion

The Altar

Worth the ride.

       From here we jumped back on the bike path and headed back to the final mission, Mission San Jose.

 Waiting for us to catch up!

              Some of the path is not entirely ready for riders but we forged ahead anyway.

       These were some of the wildlife we saw.

    

Any one?

Turtles and Cormorants sunning themselves on a dam wall.

The Mission  San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo

Rose Window shows the craftsmanship of the  Spanish artisans

Heavy Gold Accents

The back of the church and the balcony.

Art work discovered during restorations

      Our journey left us whipped and we enjoyed the evening with a light dinner and a game of Bananas. We planned on laying low the next day. There was laundry to do and sitting in the hot tub between loads.  That evening we drove into town to go for dinner at Rosario's. Bill and I have been there and thought the Perzanowski's would enjoy the Tex Mex Restaurant Bill's brother, John recommended to us on our first visit to San Antonio. The food was delicious. Fred had Tongue. (Yuck) I gave in and tried a bite. It was like biting into a bite of air. Not tough like I thought it would be. Rest assured, there will be no pressure from me to have anyone else try it in the future!(You know who I mean,  you Maternowski girls).

     After dinner we came home, and played a quick game of Racko. Let's just say Fred was not a fan of the game but he toughed it out. 

Breakfast with Fred and Nancy

A few unexpected guests

       Fred and Nancy headed out toward Big Bend, Texas today. We had a great time with them and wish them well on the next part of their journey. It will take them to California, up toward Colorado and then work their way home to Michigan in late April or May.   Good Traveling you two! We had fun.

     We are going to hang here until Tuesday to catch up with those at home. We have a few housekeeping things to do, and calls to make before we head back to Florida to meet Norm. Then, we are off to Big Cypress, the Everglades, the Keys and then up to Port Canaveral for our cruise. Phew, I can't wait.

    Hope all is well with each and everyone of you. I miss you guys. Take care for now.