Decisions ... decisions

We all knew what we wanted to do but ... we just couldn't decide where to do it.  We could do it in this place or ... maybe that place ... or maybe that place over there.  Sometimes important things in life take figuring out.  We looked ... we smelled ... we touched (all important things to do upon entering any place to eat I think).  But before the day was done and chowed down,  we had to check out the area and this is how it all started ...

The little day trip to St. Joseph Michigan (http://www.sjtoday.org), took Bill, June and Sharon and I on a drive to visit the twin cities south of us (Benton Harbor/St. Joseph).  The drive down consisted of poking around the back roads to see what we'd not see before ... just enjoying the great weather and new sites.  We even stopped a Covert Park where, as a young lad of about 10 or so, I was taken on a rare father/son camping trip with a bunch of other kids and their dads.  Though some 55 years had passed, the hills and valleys were still recognizable and memories came flooding back.  Shooting a bow and arrow, a BB gun, sleeping in a dark and scary tent that smelled of mold and mildew, and eating cold food alongside a fire on a dank and rainy weekend.  Not the greatest of locations but one of the few things I did alone with just my Dad.

Anyway ... we finally made it to St. Joe and toured around the downtown and beach area.  The city has made an excellent effort keeping the downtown interesting for tourist.  A number in neat shops and several choices of restaurants occupied the area.  Surprisingly most of the buildings were being used; unlike many cities of this size with store vacant fronts.  The beach looks typically nice, as do most of the beaches along Lake Michigan; and on a warm sunny day like this day was, was well occupied by a wide variety of sun worshipers.

So as we puttered along, the thought of a bite to eat surfaced and the search began.  All of us sort of agreeing that anything would do, we came to the first place downtown.  A small deli-like place that warranted a look-around so we went in and looked, smelled and decided collectively it wouldn't due.

Walking across the street we checked out an Oriental place, asked the waitress about their specialties ... looked, smelled and left.  Not exactly what we were looking for either.

Window shopping for lunch

Onward, up the street, around the corner and down the block to another Oriental place.  We checked out the menu, went inside, looked, smelled, noticed that there were no other customers or workers for that matter, and walked out.  Not what we had in mind.

Number 6 or 35?

Along the way we came across one of the many statues (?) of farm animals placed all around the downtown area.  Pigs, chickens, donkeys, and several lovable cows of which this mildly (?) decorated one caught our attention.  Not exactly sure why the town was full of these whimsical creatures but they were fun to look at.

Bessie ... is that you?

Checked out local restaurants in my smartphone Google app and got the address of another potential eatery and headed down the street in the opposite direction.  Got there, looked inside and, maybe because we were all more than hungry by then, asked for a table and settled in.  The menu had a nice variety and our waiter was very helpful.  First item ordered was an order of calamari.  I hate to break anyone's bubble but calamari is really octopus legs sliced up and deep fried.  If you're lucky you'll even get a whole baby octopus which is an extra crispy treat ... really.  Regardless of how it sounds, it's a great dish when fresh and deep fried properly;  this was and we really enjoyed it.

Scrumptious calamari

Each of us ordered different things of which they were all very good, well prepared, and served promptly so I think I can safely recommend The Pump House Grill (http://www.pumphousegrille.com) as one of St. Joe's better stops.

So in the end we finally had made up our minds and it all turned into another interesting and 'fulfilling' adventure.

Now before I get any email complaining that we didn't give any of those other places a try, I'm pretty sure that  if they didn't serve good food they wouldn't have stayed in business as long as they have so the next time we're in town we may still give them a try.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Tour de Kal Haven

One of the nice things about the RV life is being around other families and learning how they live their lives.  Friends, children, grand children all providing the ingredients to life's stew.  I suppose sometimes the ingredients don't always mix well together but mostly this stew turns out pretty good.

As I look around our summer camp I learned that our neighbors (Charlie and Judie) son (Jason) was coming to visit after graduating from college out west.  When he arrived it was apparent that the family ties were strong and caring and they shared a common admiration for sports and doing things that involved physical exercise.  I learned that Charlie and Jason were going to ride the local Kal Haven trail.  Beginning some 34 miles away on the outskirts of Kalamazoo, the woodland path meanders westward across southwestern Michigan and ends near downtown South Haven.  An all seasons trail for walkers, cyclist, horses, and snowmobiles this well maintained route is in constant use and is a relatively easy trail to take.  So I thought it might be fun to sneak out on the trail and photograph some of their ride and enjoy the trail myself a little.

Sharon and I got in the old TrailBlazer and headed out to try and locate them.  With a little help from mom/wife Judie, we got an idea when they started and after looking at a map, worked out an intercept point along the path to take some pictures.  We got to the spot some ten miles from where they started and I, like a stalking mountain lion (okay maybe a little exaggeration here) found the perfect place to ambush them with my camera.  Annoying little mosquitoes were tasting me as waited in the deep bush along the trail.  Then came the horse flies; they too hunger for some of me but I hung in there and waited. And waited.  As I began to swell from the bug bites and this sweltering hot and humid afternoon I continued to look at my watch then down the trail again looking for the two riders ... but still no one in sight.

Finally I'd had enough.  The bugs were winning.  What had I figured wrong?  Had they had mechanical trouble or ... had I just figured wrong and they had already passed this spot?  I gave them the benefit of the doubt and guessed that they were faster than I had calculated so we quickly left and leap-frogged ahead about five miles to another intercept point.

I arrived at the new location and as luck would have it the mosquitoes and horse flies either had followed me there or there was a whole new batch of them waiting to get acquainted with me.  Undaunted, I again waited in the brush for bikers to appear.  Aha!  I could see them approaching in the distance and readied for the shot.  'Ker chunk'. 'Ker chunk'. 'Ker chunk'. 'Ker chunk'.  My Canon 5D rapidly fired off a series of shots at the passing cyclists. But my cover was now blown as they were on to my picture taking.   But now it was a race for me to the next point to grab some more shots.  But before leaving I grabbed a few more images as they disappeared down the trail away from me.  Looking at them as they pedaled down the trail it dawned on me how the two of them were making such good time in their journey.  It was those damn flies and mosquitoes!  In ordered not get eaten alive they had no choice but to keep a fast pace.

Keeping the pace

Horse flies in hot pursuit

I decided to head to a picturesque location near the end of the trail and waited once again.  Poised on a bridge overlooking the trail I waited.  The sun had already set and it was getting darker by the minute so I was anxious to get these final images.  Again I waited.  5 minutes.  Another 5 minutes then finally I could see two riders emerging from the dark woods into the fading light.  I framed the shot and 'ker chunk', 'ker chunk', 'ker' chunk the camera fired.  I think I got the shot I wanted...  but wait a minute ... what's going on here!  "Who are these people?" I asked.  As they got closer I quickly discovered that it wasn't who I thought it was but some other cyclists who were ahead of the guys I was following.  Nice shots ... but wrong people.

So back to my vigil of waiting   Another 5 minutes went by and I could finally see in the dim light two cyclist coming toward me.  Increasingly hard to see,  I had to rely on the cameras ability to remain focused on moving objects ... another round of 'ker chunking' and I had the images.  Thankfully just before I needed a blood transfusion.

End of the trail is near

Returning to camp I edited the images.  As I looked at the results I could see the tangible evidence of the bond between dad and son.  Both enjoying each others company, enjoying spending time together, and sharing a common respect for one another.   Special stuff, I'd say.

Team Ratering

So another fun day in South Haven and still livin' the dream.

Phil

The Berry Patch

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there was this berry patch with this Wylie wabbit who lived in a hutch all covered with straw.  Oops!  I must be dreaming again or maybe it was too much sun but I think I got the berry patch at least right in this little story.  Okay I got it now.  We were at a berry patch and it's not too far from camp.  And talk about berries.  Almost as far as the eye could see (well maybe 20 acres or so) there were rows upon rows of delicious raspberries.

We stopped at Riverbend Farms (www.greatberries.net), just a little ways from downtown South Haven Michigan (just east of the Blue Star Highway and North Shore Drive) to see what that had to offer.

Riverbend Farms South Haven Michigan

We've seen this berry farm from its beginnings back in about 2009 as we passed it on the way to places where we shop.  Neat rows stoutly supported with wire supports, cleanly mulched and watered with an underground watering and fertilization system.  Pretty much a state of the art berry patch if you'd ever want to see one.  Over the past year or so I have talked with the owner and his son and have learned of the research and work they have put into this place and now us berry pickers and eaters can finally enjoy the results of all that effort.

As we walked up to the bright red shed/office/storage building we passed several customers who had already been out picking.  Oh my, I thought.  We're going to have some great berry eating before too long.  We got our picking trays that held about 8 pints and were asked if we wanted to pick red or black.
Now I usually think in terms of playing roulette when someone says that,  but in this case it was red or black raspberries.  I'm not sure many folks know of black raspberries but sort of being a Michigan boy I knew all about black raspberries.  Usually a little bigger than the red ones, and we soon found out this old idea had not changed, many were the size of the end of your thumb.

We started down our assigned row and could not believe how many ripe berries there were.  We soon filled 6 pints not moving more than15 feet down the row.  And that didn't include the ones I popped into my mouth when I was sure no one was watching.  I'm probably the only one who has ever snitched an extra berry every now and then so I thought I'd better confess.  We decided we'd picked enough black ones and headed back to the shed where they refrigerated them for us until we were ready to leave.  We picked up some fresh empty pint baskets for picking the red raspberries and headed to our assigned row.

Reds

Much like the black berries, the reds were just as plentiful, but a little smaller so it took another couple of minutes to fill each pint.  I was now getting into a rhythm ... pick 5 ... eat one ... pick 5 ... eat one.  I think they know there might be of few of us berry samplers out there and actually hope we eat some as there were far more berries than will ever be picked.  So I figure I'm really doing them a great service by harvesting a few extra and taste-testing as I go.  Or at least that's the story I'm sticking to.

So the more I picked that great malady all pro-pickers get finally got me.  I got a bad case of 'berry fingers' and finally had to call it a day.  Probably permanently stained but who cares.  It was certainly worth the effort on a bright beautiful day here in South Haven.  We harvested about 10 pints of the delicious little orbs and headed back to camp.  So now they sit in the frig waiting to be placed in a pie ... or on vanilla ice cream ... or my morning cereal,  or just popped into my mouth when Sharon isn't looking.  Life is good!

Blacks

They say they will be picking black raspberries for another week or so and the reds a little longer  ... then the reds will go sort of dormant for a couple of weeks or so and then start producing again almost into September.

So if you have a hankering for some really fine raspberries, get in the old pickup, grab the wife, and any kid hanging around and get a picking.

Just a few minutes of picking

Just in case anybody wants to know ... this and the last few blog entry images were shot with my Canon S95.  Canon's high-end pocketable powerhouse that really performs.  It's with me now almost constantly and is so much lighter than my Canon 5D system.  It will never replace the full frame 5D but makes a great carry everywhere, point and shoot camera.

Still livin' and pickin' the dream.

Phil

Happy Birthday America

We've have it all this weekend ... Flags a flying.  Parades.  Pig a roasting.  Great weather.  Great friends.  Great food.  Say what you want about the state of the economy or the state of your bank account ... this 4th of July weekend was something to cheer about.  Forget your troubles and let your hair down.  Relax a bit.  Enjoy the goodness of the moment.  Let the kids run loose, light some sparklers, pop open a cold beer, grab a handful of Fritos and find a spot on the beach to flop.  All this is something we're all born to be good at ...  so let's get at it.

Mr. Grand Marshall and mystery celeb

Mrs. Grand Marshall and her court

Worth the wait

Us folks on the RV circuit don't need much prodding to have a party and certainly this grand weekend was no exception.  A very beautiful 190 pound pig lay in state on the portable spit.  Slow cooked for most of the day under the watchful eyes of  'porkmasters' Corky and Jerry,  she was the center of attention with a constant stream of onlookers venturing down to see what the main course looked like throughout the day.

'Porkmasters' at work

While 'miss piggy' was the center attraction, the families at the park stirred up their specialty dishes and before long the serving tables had more food on them than one could imagine.  And desserts ... did I mention desserts?  OMG this was obscene.  Some almost too pretty to eat.  Others so good you almost forgot about eating roast pig.  This is South Haven's answer to the 'horn of plenty'.  About 140 participants were very well fed.  Even had leftovers today.  But I'm probably going to pay dearly at my upcoming Weight Watcher meeting.  This will not be pretty.

I told you so

This whole shindig was orchestrated by Hal and Mary Cousins, owners of Cousins RV Park http://www.cousinssouthhaven.com here in South Haven Michigan.  Located on the 'sunshine coast' of the state this small, but very comfortable park has been our summer home for the past few summers and we really feel at home here.

So America this is where we spent the kickoff to a great summer.  We're certainly grateful to live in this country and thankful to have so many friends and experience so many of life's little pleasures.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

ps ... The is sort of a milestone for me as well ... my 201st  blog entry.

Not really a secret

We decided dinner out would be a nice change so Sharon and I began the painful process of elimination.  I say painful because we never agree on where to go.  We got it down to two choices and surprisingly we both wanted to go the the Phoenix Street Cafe (http://www.phoenixstreetcafe.com) in downtown South Haven.  Well-known for it's great breakfast and lunch menus, we thought what a better time than to try them for dinner.

The dinner hour begins at 5:00pm and we arrived shortly thereafter.  We choose a window seat and was quickly greeted by a very gracious hostess who explained the evenings specials and took our drink order.  A few minutes later she came back with a small hors d'oeuvres consisting of a thinly sliced soft baguette-like bread with a salmon spread and a balsamic vinegar reduction.  All served on a decorative ceramic tile.  I could have made my entire meal on several more of these tasty little morsels.  Looked good and tasted even better.

Our hostess returned shortly and Sharon ordered the salmon dish with quinoa, mushrooms and a red pepper-tomato sauce and I picked the whitefish with pearl pasta and a citrus, mustard, and dill sauce.  Within 15 minutes our orders arrived and the presentations were flawless.

Salmon

Whitefish

Superbly fresh and a more than adequate quantity, these fish entrees were first cabin.  Delicate and unique in flavor ... this chef knows what he's doing.

So we'd finally discovered what many locals probably already knew.  The Phoenix Street Cafe is a great place to eat.  A cut above most local places but not so pretentious that you wouldn't feel comfortable in casual clothes.  We'll be back.

Yup ... we're still livin' the dream.

Phil

 

More Great News

I must be getting older (oh really?) ... I now have a granddaughter who has a drivers license and ... her own car.  OMG.  Father time marches on.  Even though her mother's anxiety level may have reached new highs, she's working her way towards adulthood and this is just another milestone along that path.  I vaguely remember when I got my first car (my grandfather's 1951 Chevy) and what an exciting (and liberating) moment it was.  My world just grew exponentially larger.  No longer was a bike ride downtown a big deal ... Just think ...I could now go anywhere. (well maybe anywhere my folks would let me). New places to go and see without Mom and Dad ... this is exciting stuff.  Anyway it's often said that a picture is worth a thousand words so here is what pure joy looks like.  My granddaughter and her Jeep.  Pretty cool, I'd say.

So fellow travelers ... keep an eye out for her on the highway.  She's a good driver but still is learning (as most of us are).

On another note (a musical one at that) ... I gathered up several of my fellow campers and headed for the "What-Not-Inn" (http://www.whatnotinn.com/) for a late Father's Day evening of food and jazz.

Headlining was singer Tony Reynolds (www.ynotsing.com), the consummate big-time professional who makes you glad you drug your butt off the couch and found out where he was performing.  Handling song requests from the last three or four decades (plus his standard show), there are few he can't do.  With the fantastic keyboard work of Michigan's own Wally Michaels, the two make for a unforgettable evening.  By the looks of Tony's schedule (he performs in California almost every weekend) you can better understand his chosen profession is more than a paycheck but a true labor or love.  He and Wally will be back at the WNI July 17th. But in the meantime, they will be performing at various venues in the Grand Rapids area so check out the link.

The next major event at Cousins RV Park (http://www.cousinssouthhaven.com) is the upcoming Fourth of July Pig Roast.  Most of us are already drooling profusely so it's difficult to talk, but let me say this ... this is a major eating fest.  Dishes to pass from some of the best cooks/campers on the planet, this is summer at its finest.  Jerry and Corky will be cooking up the 180+ pound porker and by about noon on the 3rd, we'll all be lined up like kids at the candy counter anticipating that heavenly pork.  Oh what decadence.  We'll have a parade in the park complete with flags, decorations and pretty girls plus South Haven will be having its annual fireworks show later that night. Summer in Southwestern Michigan at its finest.

Hal and Mary (camp owners) make such a fuss over the campers here it's no wonder so many come back each year and this premier event seals the deal for most of us.  A big 'Thanks' to both of them.

And so it goes ... still livin' the dream.

Phil

Catching up ... again

Kickin' back must come naturally as that's just about all we've been doing of late.  Getting reacquainted with friends and family after our winter trip has taking most of our time.  But as you might suspect ... we have had a few interesting moments.

For instance ...

We returned to our house to find that nothing had leaked nor had we been invaded by any critters.  Nothing was out of place.  Nothing.  Oh what a relief.

Sharon's family decided to have a reunion after a 20 year hiatus, so it made for a gathering with many new little faces, sadly several missing faces, but the family has remained intact and thriving.  From as far away as Texas and as old as 85, lots of hugs and kisses all around.  It was a good day.

One big happy family

Here's a picture of the whole clan.  (however getting this group together for this photo was sort of like herding cats)

Our friends Bill and June have joined us at our summer camp with the coach they purchased in Florida earlier this year.  They've already made themselves at home and make a great addition to the existing group.

Our friends Ron and Tammy have upgraded their inflatable boat to a 13 footer with a 40hp motor. Oh my ... Should go like a rocket.

Friends Don and his wife Nancy hosted a gathering of some 25 Chevrolet Corvettes here at the park.  These almost civil hotrods just ooze testosterone and their presence makes any red blooded male a little weak in the knees.  Though not all piloted by gentlemen, these speedsters are still what driving is all about ... whomever is behind the wheel.  I was however a little disappointed in that not one tire was squeelled or squawked.  No smoking tire exits ... no high revving 600hp engines ... just a calm, orderly departure. Come on people ... how about next time giving us station wagon owners a little thrill?

The whole gang

Sure like to see this beauty on the streets of Aruba

Four members of the Model "A" Ford Club of America (and their cars) (www.mafca.com) made a lunch stop at Cousins restaurant and we coaxed them to pull out in front of the restaurant for a few pictures.  More than gracious and eager to please, they lined up for the shots before leaving.  They had started in Colorado and their next stop was Mackinaw City, Michigan.  These old beauties must be pretty tough as when they were new it was the late 1920's and early 1930's.  Try that with the iron your currently driving in another 80 years! I don't know where these folks are eventually headed but they're certainly a hardy lot ... no air conditioning, no soft cushy seats, top speed maybe 45mph, and no cruise control.  Truly life in the slow lane.

So where's Bonnie and Clyde?

As you might of guessed ... I aged the image above so it looked like an old postcard.  Unfortunately the Nike tennis shoes gives its true age away.

Two good looking ladies

And finally we enjoyed an afternoon of silliness and frivolity with the annual 'White Elephant Meet and Greet' at the park.  Owners Hal and Mary provide the hamburgs, hot dogs and chicken while everyone brought dishes to pass.  The 'white elephant' involves each of us bringing a gift (sometimes goofy) to trade off to one of the other camp members.  Lots of laughs and a great way to kick off the summer season.

So there you go ... I'm caught up and ready for the next adventure.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice

It seems like we just left but returning to our summer camp felt good.  Owner Hal met us as we pulled up and before the engine had stopped spinning, he was already into his first joke ... it's good to be back, I thought.

Hal got us parked into our usual spot, Jerry stopped by to say hello as did Mary.  Even though there were other rigs in camp, none of the owners stayed on but just dropped them off earlier and went back home. Maybe had something to do with the wet and cold.  So here we are ... we have the whole place to ourselves.  Just like last year when we were the last to leave in the Fall.

We got the rig  hooked up then went down to the restaurant for a late lunch.  We're in our comfort zone now.  A quick bite to eat, a trip through downtown South Haven to see what changed (nothing) and headed back to camp. All is good except ... it's still a little cold up in Michigan.  We've been use to 80's and 90's for several months ... but now the 40's!  Egads!  At least the tulips and daffodils I planted last Fall are in bloom.  Soon we might even have leaves on the trees. But what we really need are some people!

So fellow campers ... we've broken the frozen mold so you can all get those rigs out of storage, pack em' up and come on over.  Happy hour is still at 4:00pm.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

ps.. if your Latin is still a little rusty ... "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look around"
       State of Michigan's official motto.

Ends and beginnings

We dodged a few storms but Mother Nature finally caught up with us in Elkhart Indiana.  We are stopping here anyway for some coach service so the weather is just an inconvenience.  Rain and more rain for the next few days.

We're currently at Master Tech RV repair center in Elkhart (http://mastertechrv.com).  We met them at the Perry FMCA rally and were impressed so will give them a try.  We won't take the time to get all the items fixed but at least we'll get the Aqua Hot system repaired before heading to South Haven.

This winters trip has taken us some 3000 miles through eleven states.  Averaged about 8 miles/gal of diesel fuel, have consumed nine '5 Guys' hamburgers, ate about 10 dozen shrimp, visited eleven casinos, dined in more restuarants than I care to recall, stayed in fourteen different RV parks, met a countless number of great people, and visited many neat places.  This has been another great experience.

A bright sun has made an appearance this morning, the temperatures are warming and the final work has just been completed on the coach.  And for those who got up really early this morning, the royal wedding of Kate and William was going on.  Not exactly like our wedding almost 45 years ago, but hopefully they'll enjoy the same outcome as we've had.

We had lost a lot of water pressure to the faucets and the service techs discovered that we had a broken bladder in the water systems accumulator tank.  We had the tank replaced and water pressure is better than ever.  We have very pleased with the service here at Master Tech and would certainly recommend them.  Everyone we dealt with treated us with respect and a high degree of professionalism.  So, before long, we'll get on the road and head to South Haven.

Still livin' the dream and getting ready for a great summer.

Phil

The old fishing hole

Mother Nature has been razing havoc with the Midwest for the past few days with tornadoes, rain, and flooding.  As our route takes us right through the expected path of this storm, we decided to stop at the KOA in Manchester TN for the night.  A very nice park just off  I24 with big, long sites and all the amenities.  Even a fishin' hole.

I got the coach set up for the evening and came inside to cool off a bit.  I noticed a guy with a fishing rod head out to the pond in front of us and start casting.  It wasn't two minutes and he had one on.  His rod was bent almost to the breaking point, bobbing up and down as the fish continued diving and rising.  Before long he hoisted it to the bank and it was a dandy 4 pound catfish.  He unhooked it and tossed it back in.  About 5 minutes later he landed another, though a little smaller.  A couple of minutes passed and yet another. ' Enough' ..  I said to myself and told Sharon I was going fishing.  I've been carrying fishing gear along for the past three years and have yet to wet a line ... so here's my chance.

I gathered my stuff and quickly noticed that I had plenty of lures for trout, walleye and bass but nothing for catfish.  But what the heck.  They're almost most jumping out of the water and this guy was making it look so easy I could surely catch some myself.  The park had placed nice benches around the pond to make our fishing experience as comfortable as possible so I plunked down on one and began casting.  Casting and watching out of one eye the other guy continue to land fish after fish.  I changed lures more often than they change Depends at the senior center but to no avail.  Finally the other fisherman had tired and gathered his stuff.  He stopped over to my bench and I congratulated him on his fishing prowess.  He said the secret was hot dogs.  Hot dogs?.  He reached out his hand and handed me a chunk of hot dog about an inch long.  "My last piece ... looks like you could use it".

I took the piece of hot dog, thanked him and he turned to go back to his camper.  I looked at this slimy chunk of meat and wonder how am I going to fish with this?.  I looked in my little tackle box for a hook of some kind but no luck. Jigs, spoons, Rapala's, Little Cleo's but no single hooks.  My last resort was a small sinking Rapala with a small treble hook at the end.  I weaved on the piece of hot dog and tossed out the package into the murky brown water.  Bam! Bam! a hit right off the bat.  I waited ... and waited ... but nothing.  I pulled up my lure only to find it empty of that precious hunk of hot dog.

But now I know the secret.  I packed up my gear and headed back to the coach.  Maybe tomorrow.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Freddie and Angie's place

The last time we were in Forsyth Georgia was last year at this time ... heading home after a long winter's nap in the south. Just another stop for the old stage coach; one of several over the next few days.  Usually we never unhook the car but we goofed off at the last place we stayed and neglected to do any grocery shopping so we decided to head into town to stock up.

Since we're firm believers in eating before food shopping (and sometimes after) we thought we'd drive around Forsyth and see what was available.  By chance,  we actually found the downtown and it was exactly what a classic old town should look like.  The court house square with the town built around it.  Like so many small towns in America, many businesses were boarded up and it looked a little forlorn. The court house in the square was just the opposite.  The spectacular centerpiece of the town.  Well maintained and in pristine condition it's tall white peak and broad red shoulders said this place is the center of this universe.

Making the turn around the last corner of the square, I could see people seated at tables with white tablecloths behind  large windows in a building across the street from the old court house.  There was no sign on the building but it definitely looked like a restaurant, so we decided to see if it really was.  We parked the car and ventured inside.  I found the yet-to-be mounted sign sitting in the front window ...  "The Prime Palate" it read.

With high, stamped tin ceilings, large windows, bright white tablecloths, and no , repeat no, wide screen TV's or blaring music, this was my kind of restaurant.  The sign said 'seat yourself' so we headed off to the larger of the two dining rooms.  Within about 2 seconds our waitress was asking for our drink order followed by an additional waiter and waitress asking the same thing.  No doubt this place wants to please its patrons.  Looking around at the other patrons I could see they were getting the same treatment.  Nice touch I thought.
Now we've crossed the threshold of many eating establishments and the ones that have lots of customers usually have a few things in common.  Good food ... good service ... and good prices. Fail any of these and the doors don't stay open long.

Tonight's menu was either the buffet or a choice of steaks.  We checked out the buffet table and it was a no-brainer.  Homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, hamburger steak, pulled pork, baked chicken, sausage,salads, and vegetables of all types ... and desserts and cobblers.  Sign me up ... I wanted the buffet.  And what a great choice it was.  However, as we were stuffing our little faces, two gentleman next to us, who had ordered steaks were served and I may have been a little hasty in ordering the buffet.  The steaks looked fantastic.  None-the-less we were more than pleased with our dinner.

Freddy and Angie Butts own 'The Prime Palate' and to my amazement, it has only been open about 3 weeks. Enough time for the word to get out that this is one fine place to eat.  Freddie, whose been in the food catering business for over twenty five years,  finally decided to open a store-front restaurant and I think he's got a winner.  He and wife Angie both stopped at our table for a visit and we greatly enjoyed meeting them and hearing their story.  Maybe I'm old fashioned but when the man who cooks your food comes to your table and looks you in the eye and wants to know how everything was ... it tells me this guy wants to make your eating experience as good as he can.  You did Freddie.

Before we left, we thanked him for the great dining experience and wished him luck in his new business.  In parting he said he was in good shape because 'God takes care of fools, drunks and idiots'.  I think he forgot one ...and good cooks.

So if you're ever in the Forsyth area, maybe staying at the local KOA at exits 185 or 186 on northbound I75, head west about a mile to the downtown court house square area on Main street and have some really good cooking at 'The Prime Palate'

Headed north early in the morning and still livin' the dream.

Phil

Low Country visit

After a couple of days in the Jacksonville Florida area, we continued up the east coast  to our next destination of St. Helena South Carolina.  But before we arrived, our travelling companions and good friends, Bill and June, turned north on I-16 in Georgia and headed to their next stop just outside of Atlanta.  Their newly acquired coach, brimming with at least four baskets of stuff from WalMart, two baskets of goodies from Sams Club, and three baskets of whatever from Camping World, they've already stressed the poor coaches load limits.  Not without a hiccup or two before getting too far down the road (one bad battery and a step that wouldn't retract), their journey north hopefully will be safe and as interesting as the first few legs with us.

Sharon usually takes care of booking where we will stop on trips, but this last stop was just a little different.  She looked around for a place to stay around Beaufort SC where my sister lives.  She'd heard that there was a park call Hunting nearby so she searched the web, got a phone number and made a reservation..  This state park sounded like a good spot with full hook-ups and was near where we wanted to be.  As we got ready to leave Jacksonville, she called the number back to verify and found that she had booked us into Huntington Beach SC, some 150 north of where we wanted to be; and not Hunting Island State Park where she thought she booked us.  As this is Easter week, getting a spot at any location is tough so she cancelled the reservation in Huntington Beach. When she called Hunting Island, they told her they were "full" so she asked for suggestions as to where we might find a spot for a few days.  The gal at Hunting Beach said you might try a small place near Beaufort (that we had never heard of) and see if they have room.  She called and as luck would have it they did.  Full-hook-ups, pull-thru and cable.  Nirvana!

So after waving to Bill & June as they pulled off on I-16, we headed north on I-95, and plugged in our new destination ...Tuc-in-De-Wood RV park on St Helena Island SC (http://www.tuckinthewood.com).  Now if you just read the written driving instructions to this place you might become a little put-off .  It appears that you need to take a lot of turns and road changes to get to the place.  Well it's all true ... you do, but ... it's not as bad as it sounds. The GPS did its job and got us to the front gate.

 It's located in the heart of South Carolina's Low Country.  A special coastal place for South Carolinians, as St. Helena Island is Gullah country.  The Gullah are African Americans who have maintained their linguistic and cultural heritage more than any other African American community in North America, according to Wikipedia.  If you're a history buff this is a place to visit. Antique shops, art shops, unique restaurants, old ruins ... lots of interesting people and things to see.  And, but 10 miles from equally historic Beaufort (http://www.beaufort.com) with its spectacular antebellum homes, beautiful marina, even more art galleries, and eateries; you just have to stop and look around. Check out Wikipedia for more information:  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gullah)

Anyway we arrived at Tuc-in-De-Woods about noon after motoring through a tunnel of live oaks and winding roads.  Maybe a little tight for some but our rig and tow car made it through without a hitch.  Once in the park it's all gravel roads and heavily wooded, but it was neat and well maintained.  We were guided to our large pull-thru site and got set up in about 15 minutes.  A big picnic table and fire pit were included on the site.  The woods make for lots of shade, which helps when the temperature nears 90, but the humidity was rising so we cranked on the A/C and cooled off inside.

We showered and headed over to my sister's place in Beaufort; about a 10 mile trip.  My sister's Grandson Ben (my great Nephew) and his girlfriend Vanessa were visiting from Germany so it was great seeing Ben and meeting Vanessa.

It seemed like only yesterday that he was a youngster and I was teaching to fish and now he's almost 21, has obviously lost his heart to the lovely Vanessa, and has his sights on a career.  The two of them are headed off via train today for a tour of New York city and will be back in a few days before heading back to Germany the first week of May.

Brother-in-law Bob has turned his sloth-like former self into a modern day Andrew Agassi and Tiger Woods all wrapped into one.  Either golfing or tennis almost everyday, he is fit and sharp and almost as handsome as me. Even though quite a bit older than me (480 hrs),  he keeps a torrid pace and can still cook a mean steak. He remains my role model.  My sister has too adopted a more athletic regimen and is more trim and more agile; and looks far younger than me. Somebody in the family had to get all the looks and by the time they got around to me ... well that's a story for another day.  Bob and Judy are still the most gracious of hosts and we had a great dinner and spent the rest of the evening catching up on old times.

And so it goes ... another day livin' the dream and another day a little closer to heading back to Michigan.

Phil

Movin' on

It was time to leave Florida Grande and start our trek north.  Our friends Bill and June had picked up their coach in Ft Meyers the day before and we met up with them for a little 'just like old times' trip.  Long before the RV bug got us we use to set out for long weekend. vacations around the Midwest.  So it felt good to travel with them again.  It's been long overdo.

We head to the Jacksonville area and pulled into the Flamingo Lake RV Park (www.flamingolake.com) for a few nights stay.  Sharon and I had stayed here last year and enjoyed it so here we are again.  Located on a beautifully clear spring fed lake, on-site restaurant, pool and small store ..., this is a perfect stop for all ages.  Though not as fancy as some places we've stayed, it is still a comfortable and safe place to stay.  Considering most of the spots are taken; and I've heard taken for months to come, says volumes of its attractiveness.

We'll probably stumble down to the lake side cafe in the morning for breakfast then try to figure out where we're going next.  This life style isn't for everyone.  These kind of big decisions take their toll on us.  We'll probably have to stop for cocktails around 3:00pm tomorrow for the next round of decisions.  Wish you all were here in the fantastic weather to help us along.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil

Strange noises

As our time here is winding down I took a few moments late the other evening to sit out on the patio and stare up at the crystal clear starlit sky.  The air has still but 'what in the world was all that strange noise?', I asked myself.  Out in the country side there are lots of strange little noises that occasionally quickens ones pulse but this noise was far different.  Loud cackles, burps, blugs (new word), and chirps filled the air night like some diabolical colony of mutant baritones.  I got up from my easy chair and walked slowly towards the noise.  I was about 100 feet to the waters edge.  It was dark ... but I was armed.  I had grabbed a small empty propane bottle by the grill and moved out ... almost fearless.  As I neared the pond, the noise became increasingly louder ... Much louder.  As a looked cautiously about, my eyes caught movement ... lots of movement in the dark evening.  Alligators maybe? No. But everywhere I looked ... there they were ... frogs.  More frogs that I have ever seen in one place. And this leaping mass of green was excited.  The earlier rain was the catalyst that awoke frog nation and tonight was 'date' night.  This Calliope of sweet nothings echoed around the pond.  I suspect the old phrase 'choose me' ... 'choose me' was in the air because these little hopping mating machines were paying no mind to me ... they had something and somebody else in mind tonight.

I returned to my chair, now calmed by the knowledge of what these creatures were and  not, as I imagined, some creature from the black lagoon.  My how the mind wanders.

Last night we were invited to a shrimp cook-out at the activities directors site.  Tables were set out on the patio overlooking the lake and a fantastic, and unusual (for me), combination of foods were served. OMG ... and what great food!  Park manager Amy expertly cooked the many skewers of succulent shrimp on the' barbie', as well as the supurb grilled broccoli (write me and I tell you Sandy's secret recipe), spinach salad, sort of a cajun rice, good wine and lots of good conversation.  With the park emptying out for the summer, it was a nice finishing example of good old southern hospitality.  Thanks to Sandy and Peter and the many greats folks we've met here.  This is a good place.

We saw our new friends JD and Cheri off this morning as they were beginning their trip home to southern Michigan.  The were the first of the residents to greet us when we arrived and have treated us as if we were long-lost family. Thank you both.

So there you have it ... another great stop on the RV retirement trail.  We're soon headed north as well and looking for new adventure.  And ... still livin' the dream.

Phil

Time flies

One would think I'd have all the time in the world to scribble down a few thoughts here and keep you updated on our travels ... but oh no ... not the case.  I have been busy wrapping up this photo assignment I've been working on for the past few weeks.  Still a few more things to do then we'll be heading north for more adventure.

So, if you're interested ... we're both doing okay.  The recent tornadoes passed us to the north and south, the wild black panther that apparently escaped from a nearby home zoo is still roaming the area, when it rains here the animals really do pair up, and they've got towns down here with names like Okahumpka.

So life is still interesting and we're still livin' the dream.

Phil

Shoppers Delight

We've been in Florida now for almost a week without WIFI ... Ugh!  For me it's sort of like a morning without coffee or a movie without popcorn.  We're currently at the beautiful Florida Grande Luxury RV Resort (www.floridagrande.com) near Webster.  The resort, located in the quiet farmland of central Florida, is just the right place for those seeking a first class, class 'A' resort that oozes tranquility and friendliness.  The pace is easy here so if you're looking for high impact aerobics at 6:00am forget it.  If you're looking for bus trips to the mall ... forget it.  A place designed by rv'ers for rv'ers.  Oversized sites, extra-wide paved roads and did I say quiet? Maybe a cow mooing in the background or birds chirping ...  but no trucks, trains or plane noises.  But no site-wide WIFI (yet) or cable TV (yet).  All forthcoming, but not yet.

One of our first outings was to make a visit to the nearby Webster Flea Market.  Held every Monday, this mega-gathering of sellers of all things quirky, unusual, useful and eatable.  The sleepy little town of 750 souls bulges to some 30,000 as trucks, buses, cars, and bikes crammed with folks seeking that perfect bargain arrive bright and early Monday mornings.  Now I've been to some pretty big flea markets in Texas, Indiana and Ohio but this takes the prize.  It will take all day to get through it, assuming you don't stopped and gawk too long.  I think the entire population of Social Security recipients are there.  More grey here than a winter's month in London.  So the pace here is a little slow too ... and civilized, it's still a blast to visit.  I managed to escape with a new hat, a used ham radio, and a surprise artist signed lithograph of a fairly famous painter.  This may be a candidate for the Antiques Road Show.  More about this some other day.  As you might imagine, I took my camera along and here are a few of the things that caught my eye.

Wall to Wall

Shake it baby

Hats for Vets

Grab Bag

A good stiff belt

Sugar momma

Sweet

Some things never die

Not for the faint hearted

Cord frenzy

Tree Lover

So there you have it ...our first Florida Flea Market.  Pretty exciting eh?  It still beats shoveling snow no matter what you think.

Still livin' the dream in the sunshine state.

Phil

Mercy !

These old dogs of mine are a little tired tonight.  Two days of hoofing it around the FMCA rally in Perry Georgia has taken its toll.  I'm tired but a good night rest should rejuvenate me enough for the drive south in the morning.  We're headed for central Florida for a few weeks and are looking forward to some new sights and maybe a little rest.

The rally experience turned out to be much like the ham radio conventions or the old Comdex computer shows I used to attend.  We want to see it all but sometimes there is just too much to see and do.  Maybe it's what keeps us coming back to these things.  Always something new to excite your mind and expand your horizons.  Yes ... the places get crowded and the temperatures warm .. the line to the men's rooms might be almost too long and the food not so good but the chance to hob-nob with fellow enthusiast is, as they say ...priceless.  And the chance to talk to the technicians and experts who design, build and service our coaches are there and are usually so helpful and attentive.

Though this is our first experience with a big rally, we really recommend attending one.  And one important side-light.  We would not have even thought of attending this rally if it had not been for our friends Bob and Joan from Maine.  We met them but a year or so ago and have kept in touch this past year.  They are well traveled and know where to go and what to see and said 'you've got to go to Perry'.  But the best part is when you see them in person again.  They instantly make you feel like you are their best friends and treated us so very well.  So thanks again Bob and Joan ... We appreciate your friendship, kindness and great recommendations.

We took time to drive through a number of the areas where the rally goers rigs were parked.  It's kind of fun to see what others are driving and if your lucky, peek through the windshields while passing by to see how they are decorated.  My guess is that there were maybe 1500+ of class 'A' coaches parked around the complex plus another 500 or so new ones brought in for folks to tour and dream over.

Here's a view of maybe 10% of the coaches parked at the complex.

Just a little hint of some of the activities that were apart of the rally.  Here's a volunteer band and singing group entertaining in the center court area of the rally.  There are also many chances to learn new things as a wide variety of seminars are offered throughout the nearly week-long event.  From caring for your RV batteries and electrical systems to RVing in South Africa and Europe ... almost something interesting for all.

Poking around some of the nearby RV parks we stumbled across this restored double-decker.
Probably not many of these around but this one was sporting new paint and was quite a rig.  I can't imagine driving this as the driver is sitting in the lower, almost ground level, position but what a view for the passengers   up top.  Such a panoramic vista they'd have.  Sitting perched on the second floor with all that unobstructed view ahead.  Wow!

But not all is polished chrome and five color paint schemes. No convection oven here ... no HD satellite receivers ... no 650hp diesel monster pushing this rig.  No ... just a humble traveler ... maybe a little down on his luck and trying to make ends meet.  Probably doesn't even consider himself an RVer but just happened to be parked in a nearby town today. A true contrast to what we have been seeing.

Taking to the road can take many forms and occurs for many reasons ... but the important thing is that it gives a person a chance to see this great country up close and personal.  It's really is one of life's great treasures.

Still livin' the dream.

Phil