Changing Spaces & A Dog Wedding

 

It's hard to believe that so much time has past since my last post. Although a stretch of cold, damp weather keep everyone indoors for most of January, there has been plenty of activity here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. Deb and I have stayed busy with our work/camp duties and spending time around the campfire almost every evening. With the increase of people around the park during the winter months, there's always an activity or event taking place.

One of our undertakings a few weeks ago was moving our trusty RV Howie (House On Wheels Is Excellent) to another lot. The new lot is only two spaces away from our old one, but provides a better setting. The patio is 2 feet wider and there is no one parked on the South side, which provides us with a nice view of trees and grass. The other advantage to the location is that there will more more shade from the trees as the sun gets higher and hotter during the coming months.

A lesson learned during the move is that a motor home needs to have the batteries charged and the motor run on a regular basis if it sits in one place for an extended period of time. I already knew that, but became complacent about completing those tasks for too many months. Howie ran and sounded good once the engine was started, but needed a battery charge and a jump to gets things going. Note to self, charge the batteries and run the engine on a regular basis from now on.

One of the most unique events to take place here over the past few weeks was the marriage of our dog Quincy to Daisy Mae, the dog of our neighbors Judy and Al. Since Daisy Mae arrived here from Canada for a winter stay, Quincy and her have been madly in love. Every time they are together, they roll around and constantly kiss like two lovesick teenagers. 

The ceremony took place on a beautiful Valentine's Day afternoon. As you can see from the above pictures, the bride and groom were all decked out for the event and were showered by gifts of numerous dog treats. About 15 people and 6 dogs were present to witness and celebrate the blessed union and all in attendance had a great time. Although the event was unique to say the least, it provided a great afternoon of entertainment. With over 50 dogs residing in the park right now, any event that includes dogs is always a big hit with their human owners.

The warmer temperatures over the past two weeks has also brought a flurry of repairs and improvements to many of the RV around the park. One of the great benefits of living in an RV park is the number of people who have the time, tools and expertise to undertake almost any repair task. So far, the local crew has stayed busy rebuilding a complete set of brakes, replacing and/or repairing over four awnings and patching a broken holding tank. It's a blessing to be surrounded with so many people who so freely give of their time and talents. The amount of money saved on these projects is thousands of dollars when compared to the same repairs being completed at an RV repair shop.

Until next time, we hope everyone is enjoying warmer weather.

Copyright 2009-2011 Lane A Geyer

A Big Campfire & Plumbing Problems

 

It's been a time of big campfires and plumbing problems lately here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. We've enjoyed some nice days with temps. in the high 60's and more nights of temps. below freezing. The two space heaters we use to keep our old RV warm have worked wonderfully for keeping us toasty at night. I've been warned several times by relatives who live in colder climates to stop whining about the weather here, so I won't say I'm cold. I'll just say that I'm looking forward to warmer weather.

The pictures above were taken on New Year's Eve when we enjoyed a wonderful party around the campfire. A few of the neighbors decided it would be a good idea to burn a very large log in celebration of the new year, so they placed it into the fire ring about three in the afternoon. Shortly after that people convinced Al, one of our long-term residents, to have his picture taken while sitting on top of it. As you can see from his expression, the log was already getting very warm. But, as the picture also shows, everyone else got a good laugh out of the experience.

Since my last post I have also spent a great deal of time dealing with plumbing problems in our RV Howie (House On Wheels Is Excellent). Within the past few weeks both the water pump and toilet sprang leaks, leading to wet carpets and the joys of replacing both parts. Although I have done a good deal of plumbing in my life, it is not a job I enjoy. It's something that requires working in tight spaces, dealing with connections that must be very precise and, in the case of an RV, tracking down parts that are not easily found in most hardware stores. Let's just say that a good time was not had by all.

Actually, replacing the water pump was a relatively easy task. In our unit it is located directly below the bathroom sink and easily accessed. The job only took about an hour and, so far, the water pressure has been great.

Replacing the toilet, however, turned out to be one huge pain in the you-know-what! First of all, the only way to remove most old RV toilets is by reaching around the back to remove the water line connections and rear mounting bolt. There is no way to see what you are doing because there's not enough space to get your head down far enough to see anything. Everything must be done by feel, which is frustrating at best.

Once the old toilet was removed, the real fun began with trying to hook-up the water line to the new toilet. The new one we put in is higher than the old one, so an additional flex-hose was needed to connect the incoming water connection to the toilet.  Unfortunately, the standard toilet hoses found in hardware stores are designed for home plumbing specifications, which do not match the specifications for RVs. To make a long story short, after several trips to Home Depot and a full day of work the new toilet is now connected and working well.

If you ever need to find any parts for an RV, I would highly recommend AdventureRV.net. We ordered both the new water pump and toilet through them and had nothing but excellent results. Their prices are very reasonable, they immediately confirmed the orders complete with Fedex tracking numbers and both parts are covered with solid warranties. If needed, they will definitely be getting more of our business.

Until next time, Happy Trails Everyone.

Copyright 2009-2011 Lane A Geyer

Photos by Karen

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Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

It's hard to believe how the time has passed so quickly since my last post. I hate going so long without providing even small updates, but it's been a very busy month here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. Between working, taking a short trip back to Greenville, SC for the family Christmas gathering and doing the usual holiday things, we have had little time to do anything else.

The park is looking very festive these days. Along with our old, trusty RV Howie (House on Wheels is Excellent), most of the other RV's here are adorned with lights, wreaths and other decorations. It's been nice to see the lights around the park while spending time around the campfire ring. The other decorations we are seeing is holiday sweaters on dogs, including Quincy. We now have 51 dogs in the park and most of them are usually wearing sweaters. I'll admit, it's been cold here for several weeks with temps. below freezing many nights. But I still have to wonder about the need for a dog to wear a sweater; especially in Florida. I've mentioned this to Deb several times and the usual response is that it's "because he looks so adorable". Ok, I'll accept that, but I still say there's something wrong about a male dog wearing a sweater in Florida. So much for owning a masculine, protective animal. I guess he can just scare away all threats with his cuteness.

Last Thursday through Sunday, we returned to Greenville for a very nice gathering with the family. Quincy went with us, was very good the whole time, and ended up being very spoiled by my father who snuck him pieces of cheese. Because gas is currently $3 per gallon in this area, we decided to give Howie a rest and rented a car for the journey. While we were there we indulged in another great meal from Bucky's Bar-B-Que and, once again, bask in the pleasure of cooking the meal for the gathering in a full-size kitchen. We love Howie, but cooking in an RV kitchen can prove to be limiting at best.

One of the strange things about the trip is that we both felt as if we had never left the area last May. It was like returning home in many ways. One year ago we were parked at the Flower Mill RV Park in Taylors, SC for a 5 month stay. It's hard to believe that our lives have changed so much since we were there. Where did the time go? We both feel very blessed that since leaving Taylors we have found a place that has brought us so much joy and so many true friends. It's the best Christmas present we could have hoped for this year!

For the rest of the week we plan to continue enjoying the holiday spirit around the park and enjoying the nightly campfires while sharing time with friends. There is a cookie exchange today that Deb is attending and, on Christmas Day, we will be taking part in a huge meal in the clubhouse. We hope that everyone has an equally enjoyable week and is blessed with the joys of the season.

“The best Christmas of all is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up with one another.”

Copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer
Photos by Deb

Cold Nights, Warm Days

It's been a few weeks of cold nights and warm days here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. Temperatures have dipped down into the mid-20s several nights, which has caused everyone to begin preparing their units for winter and commenting on how cold it is for Florida. After living in this state for over ten years, I have to admit that the cold temps. are harder to deal with each passing year. Thankfully, most days the temps. warm into the 70s, so I guess I'll stop complaining and give thanks that I no longer have to deal with extended sub-zero wind chills and knee deep snows.

There was a nice potluck dinner in the clubhouse on Thanksgiving with about 60 people in attendance. The park owners, Richard & Mary, supplied three, 20 pound turkeys and everyone else brought a vast array of side dishes and deserts. It proved to be a great meal and a nice way to celebrate the day. There's something very special about a large group of basically very different people coming together and giving thanks for the blessings we have as a family of RV travelers.

It's hard to believe that we have been here in White Springs for over six months. Last year at this time we were leaving Heiskell, TN for a stay in Greenville, SC. As I've written several times before, we never expected to be here this long, but Kelly's is the kind of place that is hard to leave. Every day, more people who have stayed here for many years are arriving for the season. Everyone knows each other and comments on how happy they are to be back among friends. It's rare to find that kind of feeling of community in an RV park and we are glad to have become part of the experience.

Tonight there is a Christmas parade in White Springs and the opening of the Festival of Lights at Stephen Foster State Park. We are looking forward to attending these events for several reasons. One is the chance to see the more than 3 million lights that will adorn the park. The other is to experience a parade in a town that has a population of less than 850 people. It ought to be interesting.

Until next time, Happy Trails everyone.

Copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer

Photos by Deb

RV News

It's been another busy and beautiful week here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. There have been a few nights where the temperatures dropped down to 32, but the days have been in the high 70s with clear blue skies. Glorious weather that has contributed to almost constant gatherings around the campfire ring. Some days the fire is burning from 7 in the morning until midnight. It's a great place to relax and share good times and good food. The picture above shows Richard, the owner of the park, preparing a breakfast of bacon and eggs over the fire. It's a nice perk here to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee around the fire on cold, crisp mornings.

Other than work and enjoying the fire, there's not much new going on around here except the arrivals of a few more long-term residents. But in between completing other tasks, I came across these recent news items that may be of interest to anyone in the RV lifestyle.

• Overnight Parking Bans at Walmarts: In a posting back in August, I wrote about a couple who is suing Walmart after the husband shot and killed a man who was attempting to break into their RV while they were parked in a Walmart lot in Utah. The family was not harmed, but they decided to sue Walmart claiming that the company did not protect them properly during their free stay and that they are now suffering from mental and emotional stress due to the ordeal. As I and other RV full-timers predicted, one of the outcomes of this lawsuit is that many Walmarts are now prohibiting overnight parking in their lots. Included is the Walmart we shop at in nearby Lake City.
 

• Runaway Bull Shot in Campground: A one-ton bull took refuge in an RV park in Cedaredge, CO and was ultimately and killed after other attempts to control the animal failed. It was feared that the animal would access the grounds of a nearby elementary school. I hope the park residents enjoyed a really big barbecue after the unfortunate incident.

• State Parks Closures:In an effort to address growing budget deficits, many states have already closed, or are planning to close, their parks. A large number of these parks include RV campsites. Colorado is currently looking at closing four state parks, opening others up to oil and gas drilling, plus allowing of corporate sponsorships of parks as ways of saving money and generating money for a park system that is expected to receive no funding next year. A similar situation is facing California after voters defeated a proposition that sought to raise vehicle license fess by $18 per car for state park finances. As a result, the closure of many California parks is certain in the near future.

• Free Alaska Travel Guide: There are very few people we meet who haven't already been to, or are planning a trip through Alaska. There is now a free North to Alaska travel guide that can be viewed online or mailed to you. You can find it at www.northtoalaska.com.

• Permanent RV Discounts for Veterans: On Nov. 10th of this year,  Carefree RV Resorts announced that it will offer permanent, 50 percent nightly discounts to active and veteran military servicemen and women and their families in its 35 parks in Florida, Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina and California.

Until next time, Happy Trails everyone.


Copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer
Photos by Deb

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Fall & Witches Stew

 

 Fall has finally arrived here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL. Most days the temps. are in the high 70s with nights dipping into the high 40s. Good campfire and sleeping weather. The strange thing about Fall here is that most of the leaves drop without changing color. There are a some oaks and maples that have a few colorful leaves at the top, but the majority of leaves coming down are green. That's a big contrast when compared to our stay about a year ago in Heiskell, TN when the leaves were exploding with vibrant colors. I miss that atmosphere. It's nice to be in warmer climes going into the Winter months, but there's something magical about a colorful Fall atmosphere.

The pictures above were taken on Halloween when everyone gathered at the clubhouse for a meal of witches stew. The preparation and enjoyment of the stew has become an annual tradition that dates back about five years. Marilyn, shown in the bottom picture, places a large pot over an open fire and adds a base broth. From there, anyone is allowed to add whatever ingredients they wish except for fish and macaroni. The thing people like is that the concoction is never the same from year to year. We've been told that some years it's been really beanie, while other years it's been loaded with meats. Everyone is in agreement though that no matter what's gone into it, the stews have always been excellent.

This year the mixture included smoked turkey legs, ham, sausages, hot dogs, stew beef, celery, cabbage, peas, carrots, okra, acorn squash, rice plus other ingredients that I did not hear about. After simmering over the fire for about five hours, it turned out to be surprisingly good. It was hot, tasty and very filling. Spending time with people while the stew was cooking and during the meal was a nice way to spend the day.

We hope everyone had as good of a Halloween as we did. Until next time, Happy Trails.

Copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer
Photos by Deb

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RV Park Living

Activities here at Kelly's RV Park in White Springs, FL are increasing quickly. Over the past week more people have arrived to spend the winter months. By the first of next month all but two spaces will be occupied by long-term residents. After the relatively quiet summer months, it is good to see so many new people and enjoy the lively evening conversations around the campfire ring. It is a credit to the owners of Kelly's that the majority of people who spent the winter months in the park have been returning for years.

The increase in people has also brought an increase of activities. This past week we enjoyed both a pot-luck meal on Wednesday and a breakfast in the clubhouse on Saturday morning. By next month there will be pot-luck meals every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning breakfasts three weeks of every month. In addition, there will be weekly crafts and beading classes, bingo games, card games, shopping trips and almost nightly gatherings around the campfire ring. The is absolutely no reason for anyone to be bored around this place.

One of the reasons Deb & I decided to make 2010 our Year Of Doing Nothing was to gain a better understanding of full-time RV Park living. We enjoyed our extensive travels in 2009 and gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about full-time RV living when you are constantly on the move. For some people, being on the move constantly is what they prefer. Otherwise they get what is known as the "hitch-itch" if they are in one place for more than two weeks. That's understandable because the full-time RV life is no different than any other lifestyle. Some prefer to be constantly on the move while others are content to spend years in one place. Either way, it's a good life filled with some of the friendliest, laid-back and helpful people you will meet anywhere.

The biggest difference we have found between being on the move constantly and staying in one place for an extended period of months is the chance to really get to know people more deeply and to obtain a better feeling for the areas in which we stay. Over the past five months we have become a of very real part of this small community in ways we never expected. As I've noted in past postings, Kelly's is that kind of place and one of the reasons we feel in love with this RV park and the White Springs area. It's good to be a part of a genuine community and learn so much about an extended stay in an RV park. We don't plan to be here forever, but for now it's providing us with many blessings.

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