We spent a delightful five days at the Flamingo campground in the Everglades
National Park. During our stay the days were sunny, warm and humid, but brisk
winds from the Atlantic Ocean made for comfortable accommodations outdoors in
the shade.
Mosquitoes were still very prevalent this time of the year. Mosquito spray
was required during the day. However, at sunset mosquito spray was ineffective
against the swarms of mosquitoes that invaded the Everglades during the night.
No campers dared to venture outside after sunset.
We leave the mosquito infestation behind as we depart the Everglades National
Park and travel to Naples, Florida. We will spend the Thanksgiving Holiday with
my sister and brother-in-law.
Tomorrow another adventure begins.
Travel Details:
Departed: Everglades National Park – Homestead, Florida
Departure Time: 11:00 A.M.
Thursday – November 19, 2015
New Friends
Everglades National Park
Homestead, Florida
We met some new friends today, Vincent and Debbie, traveling in their 2014
Casita, Liberty Deluxe, fiberglass travel trailer. Vincent hailed from Louisiana
and Debbie from Santa Fe, New Mexico. They decided they would spend the next two
years living full time in their Casita to determine if this was something they
would like to do over a longer period of time.
During our conversations we discovered, like us, they too enjoyed the western
regions of the United States. The mountain vistas, desert regions and less
populated areas are major attractions to those of us who enjoy a nomad type
lifestyle.
Like ourselves, Vincent and Debbie’s travels brought them to Florida to visit
friends and family during the Thanksgiving holiday. Since outdoor activity is
limited due to the abundance of mosquitoes, they decided to shorten their stay
at Everglades National Park.
We look forward to seeing them somewhere in Arizona or New Mexico this
winter.
Monday – November 16, 2015
Everglades National Park
Homestead, Florida
We spent a delightful weekend with two of my cousins (brother and sister)
that live in the Kissimmee and St. Cloud, Florida area. It’s been about 20 years
that we had seen one another. It was so nice to reunite after all those years.
One of my cousins shared pictures of our families dating back to the early
1900’s. She also had a handwritten notebook of a chronological log that one of
our relative’s had recorded of our family history dating back to the early
1900’s.
On Sunday our families met for dinner at The Catfish Place in St. Cloud for
dinner. This restaurant definitely lives up to its reputation for serving up the
very best catfish in the area. Great food, great company, great way to end our
visit until the next time we get together.
We departed Kissimmee, Florida via the southbound Florida Turnpike. After
traveling for about thirty minutes, we were shocked when an idiot driver passed
us on the shoulder at a high rate of speed.
Our destination today is one of our favorite Florida locations: Everglades
National Park. There are two campgrounds there: Long Pine Key and Flamingo. Long
Pine Key is dry camping only and is located six miles from the entrance.
Flamingo has dry camping and electric campsites and is located forty miles from
the entrance. We prefer Long Pine Key. Its campsites offer more privacy and it
is closer to shopping in Homestead, Florida.
Flamingo is open all year (restroom facilities are closed April through
October) and Long Pine Key is open November through April. Long Pine Key was
closed when we arrived. It was scheduled to open on Tuesday, 11/17/15. We
proceeded to Flamingo and secured a campsite with an electric hookup. The
Flamingo campground is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Gulf
of Mexico on the west.
There are five camping areas within the Flamingo campground:
Walk-In Section:
65 campsites. Tent camping only allowed. Located in an expansive, treeless
area adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean shoreline. No hookups. Water spigot at
restroom facility with flush toilets.
Loop A:
55 campsites. Campsites for tents and small recreational vehicles. Some
shaded campsites. No hookups. Water spigots available at two restroom facilities
with flush toilets and solar heated showers. One dump station.
Loop B:
58 campsites. Campsites for tents and small recreational vehicles. Some shaded
campsites. No hookups. Water spigots available at two restroom facilities with
flush toilets. One restroom facility has solar heated showers.
Loop C:
56 campsites. Campsites for tents and small recreational vehicles. Some
shaded campsites. No hookups. Water spigot available at restroom facility with
flush toilets.
Loop T:
65 campsites. Camping restricted to recreational vehicles only. Campsites 1
through 41 have electric hookups. Campsites 42 through 65, no hookups. Water
spigots available at two restroom facilities with flush toilets. One restroom
facility has solar heated showers. One dump station.
This was our first time visiting Everglades National Park in November and we
were surprised to see how few campers were visiting the area at this time of the
year. In our previous
visits in February 2012 and 2013 camping at Flamingo
campsites with electric hookups were by reservation only, AND there were no
mosquitoes! During this visit no
reservations were required.
During our stay here through Saturday, 11/21/15, the weather forecast shows
sunny, warm and humid days will prevail, with temperatures in the mid-eighties
and matching humidity.
Arrived: Everglades National Park - Homestead, Florida
Arrival Time: 4:30 P.M.
Campground: Flamingo
Type: National Park
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: N25.13783 Longitude: W080.94160
Camping Fee: $15.00 (with Golden Age Pass)
Campsite: 27
Campsite Hookups: Electric
Campground Amenities: Water Spigots, Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Stations
Cellular Service: Verizon – No Service
Internet Service: No Service
Total miles traveled today: 294
Route Traveled:
South on Florida Turnpike
South on U.S. Highway 1
West on Florida Highway 9336 to Everglades National Park
Friday – November 13, 2015
Mill Creek RV Resort
Kissimmee, Florida
We enjoyed a restful night at the Florida rest area on Interstate 75,
mile-marker 346, near Ocala, Florida. Now we will head to Kissimmee, Florida to
spend the weekend while we visit with two of my cousins that I haven’t seen for
about 20 years.
But first, we have to find a place to stay! Staying true to our traveling
lifestyle, we do not reserve campsites in advance. We prefer not to be
constrained to be at a certain place by a certain time. In our 25 years of
enjoying the RV lifestyle, we have always been successful in securing a campsite
without a reservation.
While in route to Kissimmee, Florida, "Navigator Sharon" consulted our
Allstays Camp and RV app on my Android LG G4 smartphone. The app provided
numerous private campgrounds within the Kissimmee area. Further research showed
the Mill Creek RV Resort offered a special daily rate of $19.00 through December
21st. Their regular rate is $36.00 per day. Upon our arrival at the Mill Creek RV Resort, they honored the $19.00 daily
rate. This will be our home for the weekend.
Mill Creek RV Resort offers accommodations for all ages. It is a mix of
permanent trailer structures, travel trailers and motorhomes for permanent
residents. The remaining campsites are available for Snow Birds. The resort is
typical of private campgrounds; closely spaced campsites that offer minimal
privacy. As much as we dislike private campgrounds, the price is right while we
use this as our base camp while we visit my cousins in the area.
Cellular Service: Verizon - 4G, 4 Bars
Internet Service: Free WiFi throughout campground
Total miles traveled today: 79
Route Traveled:
South on I-75 toward Tampa.
Then 23.67 miles
Keep left to take FL-91 S/Florida's Tpke S via EXIT 328 toward Orlando
(Portions toll).
Then 59.54 miles
Take the Osceola Parkway exit, EXIT 249.
Then 0.32 miles
Keep right to take the ramp toward Kissimmee/Disney World.
Then 0.05 miles
Merge onto E Osceola Pkwy.
Then 0.38 miles
Turn left onto Michigan Ave.
Michigan Ave is 0.2 miles past Bill Beck Blvd
VALERO is on the corner
If you reach Old Dixie Hwy you've gone about 0.3 miles too far
Then 0.86 miles
2775 MICHIGAN AVE is on the left.
We enjoyed a restful night at the Gunter Hill campground near Montgomery,
Alabama. The weather here is overcast, cool and damp with the temperature in the
fifties. We are looking forward to reaching warmer weather. Our next stop will
be an area close to Kissimmee, Florida.
About fifty miles north of Interstate10 we were rewarded with clear, sunny
skies. A welcome relief from the dreary, cool weather we left behind in
Montgomery, Alabama.
During our travel east on Interstate 10 we decided we would spend the night
in one of the Florida rest areas on Interstate 75, south of Interstate 10.
Florida rest areas have nighttime security and in our experience offer a safe
place to spend the night. Some of the rest areas offer separate parking for
RV’s. After consulting our Rest Area Guide, we settled on one near Ocala,
Florida. We will spend the night at that rest area.
Wednesday – November 11, 2015
Gunter Hill COE Campground
Montgomery, Alabama
We enjoyed a restful night at the Fort Massac State Park campground in
Metropolis, Illinois.
We are anxious to depart Illinois and get as far south as we can today to
avoid the severe weather that is expected to cover Illinois and mid-south region
of the U.S. later today.
We enjoyed favorable, sunny weather for the major portion of our travel to
Montgomery, Alabama. A few miles north of Montgomery, we encountered overcast
skies. Upon our arrival at the Gunter Hill campground, standing water throughout
the campground suggested the area had experienced a considerable amount of rain
recently.
We will spend one night at the Gunter Hill campground.
Campground: Gunter Hill – 561 Booth Rd. – Montgomery, AL
Type: Army Corp of Engineering
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: N32.36667 Longitude: W086.46667
Camping Fee: $12.00 (with Golden Age Passport)
Campsite: 51
Campsite Hookups: Electric, Water
Campground Amenities: Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Station
Cellular Service: Verizon - 4G, 1 Bar
Internet Service: Verizon Jetpack
Total miles traveled today: 432
Route Traveled:
East on Interstate 24
South on Interstate 65
Take the US-31 exit, EXIT 186, toward Prattville/Pine Level.
Then 0.23 miles
Keep right to take the ramp toward Prattville.
Then 0.03 miles
Turn slight right onto Highway 31 N/US-31 S/AL-3. Continue to follow US-31
S/AL-3.
Then 13.89 miles
Turn right onto US-31 S/AL-3/AL-15/West Blvd.
US-31 S is 0.5 miles past Capital Plaza Dr
Then 1.40 miles
Turn right onto Old Selma Rd.
Old Selma Rd is just past Well Rd
If you reach Mace St you've gone about 0.1 miles too far
Then 4.78 miles
Turn right onto Booth Rd.
Booth Rd is 0.3 miles past Wedgewood Ave
We embark upon our winter adventure under a sunny sky and cool temperatures
in the low fifties. Sharon and I are excited to be back on the road again, after
spending the past five months at our home base in Illinois.
Our exit from the Chicago area is timely. Severe weather is expected to
arrive in the area on Wednesday, bringing heavy rain downpours and wind gusts up
to 70 mph.
This winter adventure will take us to Florida to visit family during November
and early December. Following our visit to Florida, we will head west to ride
out the winter months in Yuma, Arizona. We spent our first winter in Arizona
during 2014 / 2015 and really enjoyed the southwest desert region.
We will spend one night at the Fort Massac State Park.
Tomorrow another adventure begins.
Travel Details:
Departed: Chicago Area
Departure Time: 10:05 A.M.
