BWK to Everglades Isle to Ft Desoto

   

 It's been a week or so since our last post, but we've been a little busy with our travels.  Looking back, Debbie pointed out that we've been a little sedentary in our traveling lifestyle since we arrived in Florida.  We did a week in BWK in December/January with MAE.  Then we sat for 5 WEEKS at IBE!  We've never stayed anywhere that long before, and I think it was just a little too long.  From there we returned to BKW for another 2 week stay.  So in the past 59 days, we've been "on the road" only 5 days.  We have definitely enjoyed out time at each location, soaking up the sunshine while our friends up north continue to fight frigid temperatures and relentless blizzards.  Debbie and I both remember those days, and the great times we had in that Winter Wonderland.  But we are also so very thankful to be able to enjoy these times traveling around America, griping to each other about our frigid temperatures in the mid 50's.  We are so pathetic that we describe it as being "30 degrees below 80!"

I don't think were getting much sympathy from our readers.  But now we're on the move....slowly working our way north up Florida's west coast as temperatures in the 30's wait patiently for us to arrive.

But we can take it.  Knowing that we get to turn left at the top of the state, and nice weather again awaits us to the west.
     From BWK we moved up to another familiar RV Resort, Eveglades Isle RV Resort , in Everglades City, Fl.  We stayed there for a few days last year, and it's really a nice place to visit. The park includes lot owners, and renters like us.  All are very friendly, and we were welcomed to join in each evening's Happy Hour at the clubhouse.  On Valentines Day, they had nice hors d'oeuvres and a champagne toast which everyone seemed to enjoy.  We seem to be doing a lot more casual wandering this year as compared to last.  Perhaps because we're retracing our journey a little too closely and are more comfortable in our surroundings.  But these wanderings down the side roads oftentime reveals a unique feature to the landscape.  The flowers growing abundantly over a collapsing wood fence was found as we wandered into a neighborhood near Everglades City.  Debbie first noticed them as we drove down the street, and insisted I stop and grab some photos.  It's these little, almost unnoticeable images, that make this trip worth taking.  It's unfortunate that we sit and wait for the sunsets, and then almost pass by nature's other show.
   
UPDATE!!!
     We finished our days in Everglade City enjoying the warm weather.  We traveled over to Marco Island, or as Debbie likes to call it, moseyed over to Marco, to see what we could see.  We stumbled onto an antique car show sponsored by the Kiwanis club, and for $5, we were able to enjoy some wonderful old vehicles.  They ran the gamut from Model T's to shiney new Mustangs.

I brought along my new GoPro camera and took lots of video of the show, but when I went to take a few snap shots, I discovered that I had left my battery in the charger back in the RV.  I grabbed a few pics with the GoPro, but they're not as nice as my Canon takes.
      We continued north and set up camp in Ft Desoto County Park near St Petersburg, Fl.  You can see the photo above....Debbie enjoying the warm sun by cooling her feet in the bay's waters.

Here's a photo of Debbie at the same location 2 days later.   We have nothing to complain about when our friends up north are dealing with bitter cold weather every day.  But we're in Florida....this shouldn't be happening.  We worked the weather channel for a day or so, and decided it was time to get the bus wheels moving and see if we could find some warm weather again.  Before leaving, we made a trip over to the Manatee Viewing Center near Apollo Beach.

There we found numerous manatees enjoying the warm discharge water from the local electric company.  They really seemed to be enjoying themselves, and seemed very happy that the water was above 68 degrees.

We decided to continue our journey up the Florida coast, but we knew it was time to start heading in a westerly direction.  We figured there was a pretty good chance that we could hit warmer weather.........over in Arizona!  There would be spring training baseball, and lovely vistas near Mesa. Az.  So we started west driving over 500 miles yesterday, stopping in La.  Debbie found a nice Passport America park and for $20, we were safe and secure for the night.  We put in about 360 miles today, and found another Passport America site in Luling, Tx.  Temperatures have been down in the 30's for 2 days, but ice and snow seems to be staying north of I-10, so it looks like we're going to be just fine.   We'll be going a little north tomorrow and visit Retha and Randy in San Angelo, Tx, but this cold snap should be moving east and we will be back in nicer weather in a day or so.

  I was able to find this weather map which gives everyone an idea of the weather the entire country is experiencing.  That -15 up home just gives me the shivers!  Gotta be warmer in AZ!!!

     So we're about 2 weeks ahead of our scheduled arrival in San Diego.  Jean and Mike are out visiting Ben and Joanne, which I'm sure everyone is enjoying.  Looks like its a little chilly in Chambersburg also!.  Sorry that we disappeared and have now reappeared in Texas, but 8-10 hours behind the wheel is a little tiring.  Driving a 33 foot RV is not quite like driving your sedan.  And a 15 mph wind blowing sideways against the RV really makes interstate driving interesting.  But so far....so good.  Debbie hasn't bailed out on me yet.  She's put together 2 great crock pot meals as we're driving, so when we stop, they're just about ready.
     We'll be resting a few days in San Angelo before pushing into Az.  We're not absolutely sure where we're going, but that's half the fun of being out here.  Not matter where we end up, we're bound to find something new.