Dang RV

Had one of those magic days. They are so rare indeed even for a traveler like myself but when they come they are cherished and the feeling when it is over is that you may never see another one like it. Hopefully you have all had some of those yourselves. It was a day like the one day I spent in Wisconsin Dells, WI where I squeezed in a ton of adventure and tourist spots in only 24 hours. When done, these days leave you blissfully tired and satisfied.

I started off with a visit to Camping World off I4 since it was on the way. I haven’t been near one in quite a while and I like to browse the latest innovations, etc. Picked up the latest Trailer Life Atlas and a plastic mixing bowl which collapses to easily store out of the way. Very cool to have in my small trailer. Already used it.

Next was actually an accident. As I hopped back on the I4 going east in Dover FL, off to the right I spotted an attraction/art which I had read about at RoadsideAmerica.com . There on the right next to the freeway were several old silver Airstream trailers buried diagonally like a fence with their butts way up in the air. I laughed like crazy when I realized what it was.

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I waited 40 years to see Cypress Gardens. I saw their world famous ski show on TV as a kid. It may not seem as big a deal as Disney parks but it has it’s own charm and fun not to mention it is cheaper. It had closed down in 2003 but reopened after much petitioning of the state for help by neighbors, employees, and tourists.

The ski show is still wonderful as are the gardens and the Butterfly House. They have an ice show and top entertainers in concert as well. They have added some great rides like a double-decker carousel, water tube slides, a roller coaster where you hang from the track rather than ride in a car, and a water park with loads of fun. They have ferries for tours around the lake. One of only four in the world and the only one in America, is the observation deck which rises on an arm 150 feet in the air and spins for one heck of a view.

I spent an entire day there and would go again. More pics here.

Had to be done. I can now say I have been to both of the Disney USA Magic Kingdoms. My son and I left very early in the morning with the plan to be among the first there before the park opened. Apparently, a lot of others think the same way. LOL. The early morning drive through the countryside was charming and a stop for McDonald’s breakfast which I am rarely up for made it even better. Finding Disney certainly is not hard and we arrived with lots of other people.

The parking lot is huge as expected and the trams were waiting to whisk us away. I was not expecting them to whisk us to a place to purchase park tickets and then we would have to board the monorail or a ferry to get to the Magic Kingdom a mile away. By all means, take everything you need with you like your coats and rent a locker at the park. Don’t expect to go back to your car.

DisneyWorld’s Magic Kingdom is very similar to Disneyland though smaller. Many of the rides had been updated since I was last at Disneyland. Pirates of the Caribbean now incorporates Captain Jack Sparrow from the newer Disney movies. The Tiki Room is very different though still good. David dared Space Mountain. We both had a ball on Thunder Mountain. Their version of the People Mover really rocks with a little speed injection here and there. Of course, we had to ride the carousel and rockets. The Haunted Mansion was fun as always. The Hall of Presidents is an absolute must. They actually have the Carousel of Progress there which was removed from Disneyland a very long time ago. I loved being able to share it with my son. We took care of the varmints at the Frontierland shooting gallery (sorry RAT) and raced remote-controlled jungle boats.

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My youngest son flew in from the snow in Idaho to spend the weekend with me and see Florida for the first time. We didn’t have a lot of time but we made the most of it. If one is going to see Florida, alligators and airboats are certainly on the list.

We called for an appointment because they do get busy. The airboats have stadium seats and they provide ear defenders as the boats are quite noisy.

Gliding down the river in as little as 8 inches of water over grass, water plants, tree limbs, etc. was very nice. Turning was a bit odd since they don’t turn all that well but rather slide in the right direction. The captain stopped here and there to point out osprey nests, ibyss, and an alligator in front of the boat. He provided the local info and waterline history as shown on the tree trunks. He showed us the local swimming hole which is fed by a clear spring and was quite occupied by a couple of boys having fun on a lovely afternoon. Along the shore, were parked several of the Florida equivalents to the family car. The river was pretty busy that day with both humans and animal life. For pictures, click here.

Had to head farther south to get warm so I went to Bushnell, Florida off I75 to the Sumter Oaks RV Park which is an Escapees owned rv park. Escapees is a camping group I belong to out of Texas for those who don’t know. They own some of their own parks where they offer inexpensive camping and they are partnered with numerous other RV parks to save 15% on their regular nightly camping fees.

First thing you notice here is there are no reservations accepted. You have to go for it and hope there is an open spot when you get here. Smart Escapees call before they head out to see if they have any chance at all of getting in as they are always pretty close to capacity. If they don’t have an opening, not to worry as they do have very cheap overnight dry-camping available and there are bunches of campgrounds in the area including one just down the road.

After signing in, you don’t pay up front like other parks. You pay when you leave or the end of the month, whichever comes first. There is an extra charge for electricity which keeps everyone conservation conscious. Before you leave the office, they may offer a hug. Hugging is an old tradition among Escapees.

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