January 29, 2016. One Last Walk On The Bench.

January 29, 2016.  One Last Walk On The Bench.  Annie is convinced that a winter blizzard will be rolling into the Midwest next week.  She wants to get home so we can endure more cold weather and several feet of snow. 

"Why don't we just stay here," I asked? 

"Because the same storm pattern will spin off thunderstorms, lightening and tornadoes in the south.  We can't stay here.  We'll be blown away."

So, we can't stay here and I don't want to go home.  What do I do?  I say, "Yes, dear, we will go home."

We will leave here sometime tomorrow.  We will go home at a slower pace than the one which got us here in two days earlier in the month.   The plan is to get home Monday evening.  That will enable us to unload and take T-Harvey back to the caves.  We'll then hunker down for the storm of the century. 

We took a last walk on the beach today.  The temperature was a toasty 61 degrees.  The sky was cloudless and bright blue.  We met a lady from Birmingham whose hobby is shelling.  She said she has been shelling here for 50 years.  She doesn't just walk along the beach picking up shells.  She digs for them.  She says she knows where to dig based on her experience.  She had a five gallon bucket with many perfect, beautiful shells in it.  She was very happy to talk about her hobby.  As we started to pull away, she gave Annie a half-dozen "olive shells".  I don't know what they are or what type of critter resides therein, but the shells are pretty.

There were several fishermen, each using several poles.  I spoke with "Mac" from a small town in Central Michigan.  He and his wife came to the Gulf at the same time we did.  They are staying through March.  He loves to fish.  He said he had caught so many that he was giving them away because he didn't have room to store them.  The fish in the bucket are pompano.  Mac said they are the best eating fish in the Gulf. 

We biked to the beach and we biked back to the campground.  As we rode back, we passed another couple of fishermen who were cleaning their day's catch of sheepshead.  Sheepshead are also called "convict fish" because of the striped pattern on their sides.  Sheepshead have teeth.  The teeth are small nubbins used to gnaw barnacles.  It doesn't sound to me like they would be very good eating.

We sat in our fluffy chairs this afternoon soaking in the sun.  A friendly bunny dropped by to nibble on the green grass.  He had to know we were there, but he showed no fear.  He stayed with us until we arose to go inside.  He then casually hopped off into the weeds. 

That's our last day on the Gulf this year.  I don't know when we will be back.  Despite the disagreeable weather, we have found ways to entertain ourselves.  We did not find Lefty, the three-legged gator this trip.  Alligators enjoy long lives, so maybe we'll find him the next time we're here.  After all, we found the same feral cat we first met three years earlier. 

See you on the road. 

January 28, 2016. Our Time Winds Down.

 

January 28, 2016.  Our Time Winds Down.  We arrived here at Gulf State Park on January 4.  We have now been here 24 days.  We will be here three more days, then we start for home. 

We have settled into a routine, an unexciting routine, but a routine all the same.  Our mornings are slow.  I read the newspaper on line, we have breakfast and one of us will ask. "What do you want to do today?"  By noon we haven't answered the question, so we have lunch.  By default, we walk the trash and recycling to the bins located a quarter of a mile from our campsite.  If the weather is nice (warm sunshine, little wind and temperatures above 55) we will sit outside in our fluffy chairs.  Some time in between, I do a little work and respond to emails.  Each day, we get a couple hours of exercise, walking or biking or both, then we settle back in Harvey for dinner.  I begin to work on the blog and the TV is on as background noise.  By 10:00, we are in bed.  So it goes.

Now, our time is winding down.  We've discussed whether we'll return here next January.  We haven't decided, but I am inclined to explore another winter destination.  It has been too cold here.  If we are going to leave the cold at home, we should go to some place with predictably warm weather.  It doesn't have to be 75 every day.  But something in the 60s would be nice.  We'll see.

The first picture above was taken on January 25, 2013 and it appeared in the blog that same day.  I explained it by saying, we have feral cats living in the brush behind our campsite.  I tried to approach one this afternoon.  He fixed his eyes on me to be sure I didn't get too close.  An instant after this picture was taken, he scampered back into the brush.

The second picture was taken today.  It is the same feral cat.  She was within 100 yards of the place I photographed her three years ago.  The same thing happened.  A moment after I took the picture, she scampered away.  She appears to be pregnant again, or she is eating exceedingly well.  I am guessing she has a feral boyfriend.  It is nice to know she survived in the wild for the past three years.  In the words of Mr. Spock of the 1970's sci-fi TV show, Star Trek, "May she live long and prosper."  She has done a good job so far.

There are a lot of dog walkers here.  Some take their dogs on bike rides.  Some will walk two dogs at once.  Most dog walkers are responsible.  They take along a sandwich bag or poop scoop, such as the man displayed above.  The raccoons probably leave behind more scat in the park than the dogs.  There aren't many cats here and I don't know why.  I never see anyone out walking their cat. 

See you soon.

January 27, 2016. A Day With Pictures.

January 27, 2016.  A Day With Pictures.  I got my first single lens reflex camera in 1976.  It was a Minolta, 35 mm.  I recall taking pictures with it when Angie was about six months old.  I still have those pictures somewhere. 

But film photography was expensive back then.  Film had to be purchased.  Then, it had to be developed and printed.  A by-problem was that everything got printed.  Good shots, average shots and bad shots were printed.  The result was that photographers paid for pictures they really didn't want.  And, once you have a picture of a loved one, it is very hard to discard it.  It just seems so harsh to throw away a picture of a child.  It is like telling the child you don't love her. 

I graduated to shooting slides.  With slides, you can view the picture in transparency, then print the pictures you really want.  Still, the film, the processing and the prints were expensive.

In 1995, I got my first digital SLR camera.  It freed me of the bondage of buying film.  I think Kodak's stock plummeted when I stopped buying film. 

So, over the last forty years I have taken tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of pictures.  Poor Annie was simply overwhelmed with the process of labeling and putting them in albums.  Understandably, she got behind, about thirty years behind. 

Each time we take a trip, she lugs along twenty pounds of pictures and empty albums.  We get busy doing what we do and forget about the pictures.  We have taken  pictures from the east coast to the west coast.  The have been transported from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.  The pictures have more miles on them than a three-year-old Airbus A380.

Today, we started.  We spent hours putting pictures in albums.  Many of the pictures were taken by our daughters when they were in grade school.  There are pictures of stuffed animals, fingers and a dark closet.  But, we kept them.  The batch I worked on were dated from 1983.

Eventually, we ran out of albums.  We were stymied until we got more.  So, to Walmart we went.  While out, we got diesel, propane, ate at the Fish River Grill and bought ice cream and cookies.  Earlier in the day, Stacy told me that today is National Chocolate Cake Day, so we got some of that, too. 

When we returned to the campground, we sampled the ice cream and cake.  As often happens after binging, we lost track of why we went to Walmart to begin with.  Now, the pictures are back in the closet waiting for our next random burst of energy.

It may be a while. 

January 26, 2016. A Bicycle Wreck For Two.

 

January 26, 2016.  A Bicycle Wreck For Two.  The first and last pictures are for those of you who haven't seen the inside of T-Harvey, and those who like to predict the weather.  The two recliners face a TV which has an unlimited number of lawyer commercials.  It seems as though there are 4-5 for every hour of programing.  I long for the old days when lawyer advertising was unethical. 

The weather people among you will look at the trash bags over the bicycle seats and know, instantly, that rain is predicted for tonight.  There are few things more uncomfortable than sitting on a wet foam seat.  Annie came up with the trash bag idea.  She is as smart as she is pretty. 

The title of today's blog is a throwback to the early 20th century song, "A Bicycle Built for Two".  You remember that tune, don't you.  As we prepared for our bike ride today, Annie strapped her helmet on her head.  She offered me my helmet.  I had on a ball cap and spurned her offer.  And, off we went. 

Several miles into the ride, my front wheel wandered off the asphalt trail.  The trail was about two inches above the sand and my front tire was at the wrong angle to simply roll back onto the pavement.  As I tried to steer back onto the trail my weight shifted to the left and I went sprawling on the asphalt. 

Annie was behind me and witnessed my embarrassment.  She quickly stopped her bike and rushed back to help me up.  By the time she got to me, I was already up.  "Did you hit your head?  Are you okay?  Did you land on your hip?"

"Oh, I am okay.  I was only going about two miles per hour.  I've hurt myself worse falling into bed."

"You big galoot!  Don't do that!  I thought you hit your head.  Why don't you have your helmet on?  If you aren't going to wear your helmet, I am not going to ride with you anymore.  That makes me so nervous.  That's it.  We're selling Harvey and staying at Holiday Inns.  You blockhead!"

I thought it was a bit of an over-reaction, but I had better sense than to say so.  So, I got back on my bike and pushed off.  As I passed her, I could see a tear shinning on her cheek.  Gee, that girl really loves me. 

I am such a lucky guy. 

January 25, 2016. A Better Day.

January 25, 2016.  A Better Day.  We have been critical of the cold here on the Gulf.  The truth is that it isn't the Gulf's fault.  It is ours for selecting the wrong month to come here.  March would be a much better time.  The average daily high temperature in March is in the upper 60s.  In January, the average daily high is in the mid to upper 60s.  You would think that I would have researched that before committing to spend January here.

Today was a better day.  The high today was 63.  Tomorrow, the high will be 65.  That isn't swimsuit weather, but it is better than what we've had. This weekend, the temperatures will be in the upper 60s and forecasters are predicting a high of 70 on Monday of next week.  However, Monday, the only day since we arrived with a temperature of 70 is the day we start home. 

To make matters worse, the low temperature when we get home will be in the upper teens and lower 20s.  Good planning, huh?

We biked again today.  We were out for over two hours.  As we were leaving, Carl, from Baron, WI, came out to visit with us.  You can see Carl's dog, Bella, looking longingly at us from the passenger seat of their RV.  It actually looks as though she is sitting on the dash, but, Bella is a pretty big dog to do the dash sit.

Today's highlights were a perfectly formed mushroom and a dead snake.  The snake was on the bike trail, so I assume someone killed it with premeditation and aforethought.  I can't imagine that a bicycle tire would have done him in.  I suspect a mean-spirited walker heeled him to death.  It probably says something about the lack of excitement in our lives that we get thrilled by a mushroom and a dead snake. 

Tomorrow will be a better day.  I am just sure it will be.  It won't take much.

January 24, 2016. Another Cold Day On The Gulf.

January 24, 2016.  Another Cold Day On The Gulf.  The high temperature today was 45.  However, the sky was clear and the sun, warming.  Still, it was too cold for extended stays outside.  We walked for half an hour and biked for 45 minutes.  The rest of the day was spent warming in Harvey and watching the AFC Championship game between Denver and New England.  If you were interested in the game, you know who won.  If you were uninterested, I won't waste your time telling you about it. 

It has been unexpectedly cold here on the Gulf.  I was anticipating daily temperatures in the mid to upper 60s.  Instead, we've had only a handful of days that warm.  Others have been in the 40s and 50s.  If there is no wind and the sun is shining, the 50s are tolerable.  However, that hasn't been the case.  We've had days like today and other days where the wind made 50 degrees feel like 40 degrees.  At least one camper was unfazed by the cold.  He chose today to wash his car in a short-sleeved shirt. 

So, we are thinking about other places to spend our winters.  There are several options.  One would be to go further south in Florida, to the Tampa or Ft. Meyers areas.  A second option would be the Western Gulf in Texas.  There is another option, Arizona.  However, Annie doesn't like the creepy, crawly things in the desert.  We will be thinking about those options in the months ahead. 

We have another week here if we want it.  We have talked about driving 700 miles to Padre Island, just to have a comparison between the weather there and the weather here.  A look at the map suggests that Padre is further south and the average January temperatures are 5-7 degrees warmer.  We aren't sure whether we'll do that.

Stay tuned. 

January 23, 2016. Three Hundred Blogs.

January 23, 2016.  Three Hundred Blogs.  This blog began May 13, 2011.  Annie and I were on the first day of our long-awaited drive to Alaska.  The blog has continued with each subsequent trip, to the Great Lakes, to New England, to Vancouver Island, along the Atlantic Coast and the Pacific Coast, to the Gulf of Mexico and places in between.  We have traveled about 50,000 miles over the last five years to places we enjoy.  Many, we have visited more than once.  Through it all, we've blogged.  Tonight's blog is number 300. 

During the early trips, we didn't blog daily.  More recently, we try to record something each day of our travels.  Annie sometimes accuses me of making up stuff, but of course, I don't.  I may add a little color here and there, but there are factual underpinnings to every story told here.  Some of the things reported here can't be made up. 

So, here's hoping there will be another 300 blogs before we park Harvey the last time.  One of the things I enjoy most is when you comment on what you read here.  Otherwise, it is as though I am shouting into the darkness.  So, thank you for reading the blog and thank you for your comments.

Our bikes are about ten years old.  They require tune-ups periodically.  I could tune them, you know, but that would involve the use of tools.  Annie doesn't let me use tools.  She is afraid I'll hurt myself or make matters worse.  Thursday, we took them to a local bike shop for a tune-up and repairs.  We picked them up this morning.  On the way back to camp, we passed Moe's Original Barbeque.  After three weeks of seafood, barbeque sounded good. 

This afternoon, we braved the cold (42 degrees with a wind chill of 36) and went out on the bikes.  We rode for about an hour and a half along the trails within the park.  The bikes hummed like sewing machines. 

It has been a good day.  I hope your day was good, too.  

January 22, 2016. Quiz Winners!!!

 

 

 

 

January 22, 2016.  Quiz Winners!!!   The final picture above shows how uncomfortable it was today on the Gulf.  The temperature was in the low 40s and the wind was blowing at 25-30 mph.  The wind chill was in the mid 20s.  Annie had to hold her hat on her head.  The only time we were outside Harvey was when we walked the recycling to the collection center.  Brrrrrrr.  Why are we here? 

The grandchildren have submitted their responses to the quiz.  Here they are:

Cobbles

1.  Rain gauge - Correct

2.  Electricity box - Incorrect

3.  solar panel - Incorrect

4.  spain coins - Incorrect

5.  water faucet shadow - Correct

6.  tree stump -Correct

7.  hornet hive - Correct

8.  fire hydrant - Correct

9.  waxing gibbous moon in daylight (Levi's answer :))) - Correct

10.  john deer gator - Correct

 

Tourtillotts

 

1. Rain Guage  - Correct

2. Electricity box - Incorrect

3. Street light - Incorrect

4.  Sewer drain - Correct

5.  Water faucet shadow - Correct

6.  Tree trunk - Partial credit

7.  Wasp nest - Partial credit

8.  Fire hydrant - Correct

9.  Half moon - Correct

10. Gator - Correct

Thurmonds

1. Rain Gauge - Correct
2. Satellite Antenna - Correct
3. RV TV Antenna - Correct
4. Water meter or manhole cover - Correct
5. Shadow of a water faucet - Correct
6. A tree stump that a little woodpecker has visited - Correct
7. Hornet Nest on display - Correct
8. Fire Hydrant - Correct
9. Moon in the daylight - Correct
10. You finally found an Alabama Gator!  (Although its just the John Deere kind)

In summary, the Thurmonds are the winners with a perfect score.  They even picked up the funny about "finally" finding an Alabama Gator.  I didn't think anyone would get the manhole cover, but they did.  They win the first place prize of $25.

 

The Cobbles and Tourtillotts tied for second place with scores of 7 correct answers.  Each family will receive $15.  I was tempted to give extra credit for Levi's answer to the moon photo.  I had to Google "gibbous" because I didn't know what it was.  For others who don't know what it is, it is the moon "having the observable illuminated part greater than a semicircle and less than a circle".  Smart boy. 

Now, wasn't that fun?  Congratulations to all. 

January 21, 2016. Oopsey Daisy.

January 21, 2016.  Oopsey Daisy.  It has been an odd day, weather-wise.  It has been relatively warm, in the mid-sixties.  But, it has rained, on and off, most of the day.  Tonight, forecasters are warning of severe storms and the possibility of tornadoes.  We managed a short walk between rain bands this morning and a run to Walmart this afternoon.  There are several lakes within the park.  The air was so still that the lake served as a mirror, reflecting objects on the other side of the lake.  It made a good picture, don't you think?

The rear brakes went out on my bike earlier this week.  I continued to ride, relying on the front brakes to slow and stop.  This morning, I noticed the rear tire of the bike was flat.  On top of that, Annie told me that my rear wheel was lopsided and wobbled when I rode.  We took both bikes into the shop this afternoon.  They are supposed to be ready to pick up tomorrow.

Annie is always asking me if I unhooked everything on the outside when we leave the campsite.  It has become a bit of a game.  "Did you unhook everything on the outside?"

"Yes, dear," I respond unthinkingly. 

I don't recall whether she asked me Saturday when we went to the movie.  I am pretty sure she did and, if she did, that I answered rotely without looking or thinking about her question.
As we left the theater, I noticed the cap covering the electric receptacle on Harvey was not closed.  I often forget to cover the receptacle, so I thought nothing more about it. 

When we got back to the campground, I noticed the electric cord was stretched out, much as is shown in the picture, above.  I thought that was odd.  I never leave it stretched out.  I always coil it near the electric and water hook-ups.  There was a five year-old boy in the campsite next to ours, so I guessed he had straightened the cord.  That wasn't a very wise thing to do, but I had no other theories. 

When I tried to plug the electrical cord into the receptacle on Harvey, the prongs in the receptacle were bent.  I bent them back straight, then plugged in the cord.  I thought, maybe, some kids had bent the prongs while we were in the theater.  The threaded plastic around the receptacle was broken.  The cord has a threaded collar which screws onto the plastic on the receptacle holding the cord in place.  

I was telling Annie about the incident today.  She incisively asked, "Do you suppose you drove off while we were still plugged in?"   

Busted. 

We went outside to look for the plastic which broke off the receptacle.  I stretched the electrical cord to the same area where I found it Saturday.  Sure enough, I found two pieces of plastic where the end of the cord was. 

I have driven off in RVs with the TV antennae up.  I once drove off when Mikki was on top of the RV after watching fireworks in Anchorage.  And, I drove off leaving Casey at Wendy's in Loveland, Colorado.  Now, I have driven off without unplugging the electrical cord from the RV. 

Oopsie Daisy.  Annie's new pet name for me is "Doofus".