Saturday, November 8, 2014

Lazy Days Crown Club, Seffner, FL


Date of Stay:  Wednesday November 5 – Saturday November 8, 2014 (3 nights)

Rate:  Included with purchase of Tawanda

Website:  Lazy Days
   6130 Lazy Days Blvd
   Seffner, FL 33584
   800-350-6728 (service)

Description:  Initially reviewed here.

Activities:  We were just having our yearly service done and this was our last chance to stay at the Crown Club since our membership expires this winter.  This was the quickest service we have ever received here.  They must have realized that we don’t plan to buy a new MH any time soon so they got us away from the candy store.  We met up with a couple that we had met here previously, Wray and Emily.  They have a black poodle, Fergie, that looks exactly like Smudge but Fergie is so sweet.  They own an RV lot in Yuma but have worked at a COE gate on Kerr Lake the past two summers and had brought in their MH for service.  They ended up trading it in for a new fifth wheel and truck.  Their toad had been a pickup truck with a golf cart in the back.  Of course the trade included the MH and toad but they didn’t want to just give the golf cart to Lazy Days so we bought it from them for a good price.  It sure will come in handy at CKRV since our lot is the farthest from the clubhouse.  Gin really enjoys it and so do I.  Dan was kind enough to borrow Gail’s utility trailer and drive down one day to pick it up.

Parking pad for golf cart only  Ready to go!
On our lot at CKRV
Keeps the pavement hot  On the road!
Gin keeps the road hot here

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Cedar Key RV Resort, Cedar Key, FL


Date of Stay:  Sunday October 5 – Wednesday November 5, 2014 (1 month)

Rate:  Our Lot 75

Website:  Cedar Key RV Resort
   11980 SW Shiloh Road
   Cedar Key, FL 32625
   352-543-5097

Description:  Initially reviewed here.  Lot 75 is our winter homebase right next to our great friends Tricia and Dan.  The park is FHU (50A) with cable.  There is a heated pool at the nice clubhouse which has a full kitchen for entertaining.  The roads are paved and the sites are concrete.  They are adding a few new sites and a small bathhouse near us this year.  When Florentine Holding bought the park last year, the deal included the adjacent property which had a demolished convenience store on it.  They are building a new CK General Store.  Most sites are about 40’x80’, but our site is quite longer.  We added a nice patio in the back (Pelican Place) last year to enjoy campfires and such.

Activities:  We were pleasantly surprised how nice our lot looked and the way our bushes had grown.  I spent a couple of days tidying up the place a bit and really enjoyed floating in the pool.  Gin needed to establish this as her physical address so that she could get her knee fixed.  Her insurance dictates which local doctors she can go to.  It has still taken longer than it should to jump through hoops.
     I joined Tricia one morning for the CK Seafood Festival.  It was good to beat the crowds to visit this darling little fishing village.  It’s been interesting seeing the park and area transition from the Summer people to the Winter people.  The weather has been so nice that we bought a little motor boat to enjoy the area rivers and maybe get into the Gulf a bit.  We sold our Sea Eagle to Rod and Tammy.  It was just getting to be too much for us to handle.  We bought our Gheenoe Super 16 from a couple in Titusville.  Our maiden voyage was on the Waccasassa River near Inglis just a little south of us close to where it empties into the Gulf.  Dan and Tricia had also bought a smaller Gheenoe.  He put a motor on it so we tooled around together.

Trash and Recycle:  Set your bag out in the morning and it will be picked up or drop it in the dumpster on your way out of the park.  The county recycle trailer that was a couple of miles away was removed because of abuse.  CKRV has a recycle bin now near their dumpsters just for the park. 

CKRV site 75  CKRV site 75
CKRV Site 75
Pelican Place  Bottlebrush in bloom
Pelican Place                                       Bottlebrush in bloom

Working on the new bathhouse at CKRV  Working on new sites at CKRV
New bathhouse construction                            New campsites
Working on new sites at CKRV  Sunrise from our site at CKRV
Working on the new campsites                   Sunrise from our site in CKRV

Seafood Festival in Cedar Key  Displays at the Seafood Festival
Seafood Festival in CK
Royal Tern and seagull  Pier full of seagulls
Royal Tern and gull                                   Pier full of gulls
Sign in Cedar Key Mural in Cedar Key Sign at Tiki Bar
Near downtown Cedar Key  Near downtown Cedar Key
Sights in Cedar Key

Sunset from the Tiki Bar at Low Key Hideaway  Sunset from the Tiki Bar at Low Key Hideaway
Sunset from the Tiki Bar at Low Key Hideaway
Gheenoe Super 16  Ready to launch at Waccasassa
Gheenoe Super 16
Dan launching at Waccasassa  Dan enjoys his new motor
Dan launching and enjoying the new motor
Relaxing on the Waccasassa River  Cruising the Waccasassa River
Relaxing and Cruising the Waccasassa River

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Skidaway Island State Park, Savannah, GA


Date of Stay:  Wednesday October 1 - Sunday October 5, 2014 (4 nights)

Rate:  $24/ night (Friends of GA State Parks discount)

Website:  Skidaway Island State Park (GA)
   52 Diamond Causeway
   Savannah,  GA 31411
   912-598-2300

Description:  Located near historic Savannah, this park has paved roadways with gravel/dirt sites amongst Spanish moss draped live oaks.  No sat tv reception but local channels were good enough.  We met up with Tricia and Dan who were on site 35 (FHU).  We chose site 37 (W/E 50amp).  Some sites are 30A instead.  Good park to ride the bike, jog or hike the trails by the salt marsh.  The Interpretive Center has several exhibits and features a giant ground sloth replica along with a nice birding station outside the back door.

Activities:  We joined up with Tricia and Dan on our way to Cedar Key for the winter.  We actually shortened our Fall travels due to Gin’s knee and they shortened their travels since Dan broke his glasses.  This is a nice park to ride bicycles and the neighboring development, The Landings, has an extra wide sidewalk to bike.  Historic Savannah was preparing for a Fall Festival of some sort along the riverfront.  The old section of town is beautiful with its many town squares and old live oaks covered with flowing Spanish moss.  River Street is cobblestone and has several blocks of old refurbished buildings.  We all enjoyed visiting the Interpretive Center in the campground and sat out back at the birding station for quite some time.

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpster near the dump station in the center of the cg.  Recycle bins at that location also.

On site 37 Skidaway Island SP  D&T on site 35 (FHU 50A)
Site 37                                                  D&T on site 35
Biking in the park  The Landings neighborhood
Biking in the park and The Landings neighborhood

One of the many Town Squares  Emmet Park in Savannah near the riverfront
One of Savannah’s Town Squares               Emmet Park near the riverfront
Street in downtown Savannah  Street in downtown Savannah
Nice streets in downtown Savannah
Cobblestone alley leading to River Street  Another nice street in downtown
Cobblestone alley near River Street                 Another pretty side street
River Street in Savannah  River Street
River Street in Savannah
Historic buildings on River Street  Couple of Tour boats on the Savannah River
Old buildings on River Street                     Tour boats on the Savannah River
Savannah Convention Center across the River from the Historic District  Active port beyond the Talmadge Memorial Bridge
Savannah Convention Center across the river   Active port beyond the Talmadge Memorial Bridge

Display inside the Interpretive Center  Giant Ground Sloth display
Mural exhibit and giant ground sloth replica at the Interpretive Center
Male Painted Bunting at the birding station  Female Painted Bunting
Male painted bunting and Female painted bunting at the birding station

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Swamp Fox Campground, Florence, SC


Date of Stay:  Tuesday September 30, 2014 (1 night)

Rate:  $24/night (with PPA discount)

Website:  Swamp Fox Campground
   1600 Gateway Road
   Florence, SC 29501
   843-665-9430

Description:  Dirt/gravel roadways and sites.  No picnic tables but all pull-thru sites with FHU (50A).  We stayed in site 406.  The campground is right beside I-95 (exit 157) behind a vacant hotel.  Several long term residents.  They don’t accept PPA during the winter (November-March) because they are pretty full with snow birds.

Activities:  We just stayed here for a one night stopover along I-95.  We washed several loads of clothes since we had FHU.  We don't plan on staying here again however.

On site 406 Swamp Fox  On site 406 Swamp Fox
On site 406
Swamp Fox CG office/laundry/bath house  SIte 406 is just long enough
Office/laundry/bathhouse                         Our site is just barely long enough