Naples, FL - 01/09/22
We will spend January through early April in Naples, Florida to care for my sister and her invalid husband while she recovers from major surgery.
01/09/22 - Sunday
Depart From: Zolfo Springs, FL
Depart: 10:50 AM
Odometer: 142,610
Arrive: 12:40 PM
Odometer: 142,700
Trip Mileage: 90
Trip Time: 1 hr 50 min
Google Map: 102 miles - 1 hr 45 min
Destination: Quail Creek Estates
City: Naples
State: FL
Zolfo Springs, FL - 12/27/21
We arrive at Pioneer Park. This is one of our preferred campgrounds in central Florida. We will spend about two weeks here.
12/27/21 - Monday
Depart From: Fort McCoy, FL
Depart: 10:30 AM
Odometer: 142,310
Arrive: 1:30 PM
Odometer: 142,464
Trip Mileage: 154
Trip Time: 3 hr 0 min
Google Map: 157 miles - 2 hr 55 min
Destination: Pioneer Park
Address: US-17 & FL-64
City: Zolfo Springs
State: Florida
Website: https://www.hardeecountyfl.gov/departments/pioneer-park
Campsite: 19
Cost/Night: $20.00 + tax
Comments:
Pioneer Park is one of two campgrounds located within Hardy County, Florida.
We have camped at the Pioneer Park campground over the past years, Visit the following links for information about our past visits to this campground.
Pioneer visit on 01/25/2014.
Pioneer visit on 01/03/2017 with drone video.
Pioneer visit on 03/23/2017.
Fort McCoy, FL - 12/27/21
Heading to central Florida seeking warmer weather.
12/27/21 - Monday
Depart From: Gainesville, FL
Depart: 2:20 AM
Odometer: 142,254
Arrive: 4:00 AM
Odometer: 142,310
Trip Mileage: 56
Trip Time: 1 hr 40 min
Google Map: 54 miles - 1 hr 2 min
Destination:
Salt Springs Recreation Area
13851 FL-19
Fort McCoy, FL 32134
Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/florida/recarea/?recid=83647
Comments:
On 12/26 we had a late-afternoon conversation with a Salt
Springs staff member. She informed us they would have 5 or 6
first-come-first-serve, full hookup, campsites available. We were told to arrive
between 5 and 6 am to secure a site.
We wanted to ensure we arrived early in the morning at Salt Springs to secure a
campsite, so we departed Ganiesville, FL at 2:30 am. Horrible decision!
Visibility was terrible the entire trip due to a dense fog covering the region.
During the 56 mile trip we probably averaged a speed of 40 mph.
We arrived at 4:00 am and parked in the entrance road. We were the first RV to
arrive. The access gate to the campground was locked. A woman, driving a white
pickup truck, arrived behind us at 4:15 am. She had an access code to the gate
and let us in. We parked in one of the check-in lanes to wait for the office to
open at 8:00 am. I sat in my camping chair by the office entrance to make sure I
would be first in line. At about 5:00 am a 5th wheel arrived at the entrance
behind the locked gate.
At 8:00 am the office opened. By this time 6 campers were waiting to register
for a campsite. We were told to put our name and telephone number on their wait
list. Our name was the first one on the list. The office staff informed all
campers on the wait list they would have to vacate the property and await a call
from a staff member when a campsite became available. Checkout time is 11:00 am,
so we departed the property to await their call.
Camping has become quite expensive here compared to our last visit in April
2017. At that time our camping fee was $19.50 with our senior pass. Camping is
now $50 per night without a senior pass and $30.50 with a senior pass. We
decided Salt Springs RA has priced themselves out of the market for this senior
couple. A Salt Springs staff member called us at 10:45 am. We told them we had
changed our mind and to give the site to the next person on the list.
Fortunately, during our travels we generally always have a Plan B when traveling
from one destination to another. This trip was no different, so off we go!
Gainesville, FL - 12/26/21
Another travel day. Heading to central Florida seeking warmer weather.
12/26/21 - Sunday
Depart From: Bainbridge, GA
Depart: 12:50 PM
Odometer: 142,047
Arrive: 5:00 PM
Odometer: 142,254
Trip Mileage: 207
Trip Time: 4 hr 10 min
Google Map: 191 miles - 2 hr 48 min
Destination:
Bass Pro Shops
2650 Bass Pro Blvd
Gainesville, FL
Website: https://tinyurl.com/2476ynm9
Campsite: Parking Lot
Cost/Night: Free
Comments:
We were looking for a place to spend the night, other than a
Walmart, near Gainesville, FL. We discovered, on freecampsites.net, that the
Bass Pro Shop in Gainesville allows RVs to park for free in their parking lot.
We called them and they confirmed they allowed free overnight parking for RVs.
There is a very nice dog park located adjacent to the parking lot along with a
scenic forrested area and a pond. We saw numerous deer grazing during the
evening and morning hours. Nice place to walk your dog or let your dog run loose
in the dog park.
Bainbridge, GA - 12/21/21
Finally getting to an area with warmer weather. We will spend two nights here.
12/21/21 - Tuesday
Depart From: Montgomery, AL
Depart: 9:15 AM
Odometer: 141,819
Arrive: 1:30 PM
Odometer: 141,998
Trip Mileage: 179
Trip Time: 4 hr 15 min
Google Map: 171 miles - 3 hr 21 min
Destination: Eastbank Campground
Address: 153 E Bank Rd
City: Bainbridge
State: GA
Website: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232580
Campsite: C35
Cost/Night:
Comments:
Eastbank Campground is a COE campground, located on Lake Seminole on the
Georgia-Florida state line. The lake has a surface area of 37,500 acres of water
and 376 miles of shoreline.
The campground has 65 campsites with electric and water hookups and many with 50
amp service. Most campsites have views of the lake. All the roads are paved and
the campsites are either crushed gravel or paved concrete.There’s two nice
restroom facilities with private, individual showers and a laundry facility. A
dump station is located on the way out of the campground. There is a boat ramp
and several picnic sites.
Montgomery, AL - 12/19/21
We have arrived at one of our favorite campgrounds in Alabama. This is a well maintained COE campground. We will spend two nights here.
12/19/21 - Sunday
Depart From: Lewisburg, TN
Depart: 8:20 AM
Odometer: 141,572
Arrive: 1:00 PM
Odometer: 141,819
Trip Mileage: 247
Trip Time: 4 hr 40 min
Google Map: 241 miles - 3 hr 46 min
Destination:
Gunterhill Hill Park
561 Booth Rd
Montgomery, AL
Website: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232593
Campsite:
Cost/Night:
Comments:
Lewisburg, TN - 12/18/21
After a full day of travel, we will spend the night at Walmat.
12/18/21 - Saturday
Depart From: Watson, IL
Depart: 9:00 AM
Odometer: 141,221
Arrive: 5:00 PM
Odometer: 141,572
Trip Mileage: 351
Trip Time: 8 hr 0 min
Google Map: 348 miles - 5 hr 12 min
Destination:
Walmart Store #737
1334 N Ellington Pkwy
Lewisburg, TN
Website: https://www.walmart.com/store/737-lewisburg-tn?cn=Tracking_local_pack_1
Campsite: Parking Lot
Cost/Night: Free
Comments:
