Franklin Lock Corps of Engineers CG - Back in Paradise!

Hi all - Dianne here. Well, Roger and I traveled less than an hour to our next stop, one of our FAVORITE places to camp in all of the U.S.!

Last winter we lucked into a terrific camp site at W.P. Franklin Lock Corps of Engineers Campground outside Fort Myers, Florida and spent two glorious weeks. At the time we vowed to come back, but didn't know when that would be, since at the time we had no plans to return to Florida any time soon.

All that changed last August when our daughter and granddaughter moved from Indiana to Fort Myers. There was NO DOUBT where we would try to stay while visiting them!

Like many state parks, the Corps of Engineers campground has a two-week limit.

This particular Corps of Engineers campground is pretty small, and VERY hard to get reservations in the winter unless you get lucky on your computer the instant one becomes available. It is unusual in that in addition to RV sites, there are a few boat sites as well, where folks can stop on their way east or west on the Caloosahatchee River and tether their boats for an overnight stop.

We wrote extensively about this place last winter (Feb. of '09) and took many, many photographs. (Some of you might remember getting tired of all our sunset shots last year!) Anyway, if you want to learn more about this place, you can click on "Franklin Locks" in the sidebar and it will bring up last year's blogs.

It is so easy to just while away the hours here, watching boats go through the lock, fish jumping, and the many and various birds, or just watching the water. The sites are large, private, and have covered picnic tables and concrete and gravel patios.

No full hookups, but with a little water conservation we can make it about a week before having to unhook to go "dump."

Amanda and Kaia are continuing to visit us most evenings after work and school. This Wednesday we had a special treat when our friends, Jay and Nancy, drove up from their Naples condo to spend the day and evening.

We hadn't seen them since we were in Indiana last summer and it was SO good to see them. They are only in Florida for a week this trip, so we were thrilled that they made time to come visit. They had recently purchased an inflatable kayak to keep at their summer lake home,

so Roger gave them a demonstration of inflating and then took each of them out to get a taste of kayaking. Nancy

especially enjoyed it and agreed with me that it is SO much easier than canoeing.

We broke out some bottles of our Texas Hill Country wines that we'd saved for this day, and spent a relaxing afternoon wining and cheesing it on the patio, watching the water and boats and getting caught up on each others' lives and kids. (The four of us have been friends for more than 40 years, were in each others' weddings, so we are technically more like family than friends.) Those blog readers with good memories will remember a prior blog when I explained that it was Jay and Nancy who set Roger and I up on a blind date; the rest is history!

Amanda and Kaia joined us for a delicious steak dinner. I can brag on it, because Roger did all the grilling. We used some of our Cooper's Texas BBQ rub and sauce that we'd purchased on our "authentic Texas BBQ excursion" in Llano, TX last December. Costco came through again with some high-quality beef, and the result of mixing the two was exceptional! I just had to get a photo of the steaks grilling

and of Roger, the grill master, acting silly with Kaia.

More silliness ensued as the evening wore on, with Kaia jumping in the air

for the camera and even talking her mom

into joining her antics. Nancy used my camera to get some good shots of Mandy and Kaia together.

Today Roger and I are resting up for Friday night, when Kaia and her little friend, Cheyenne, will have a sleepover here in the RV with us. Once we have recovered from that, we'll blog again!

Disturbing the Peace and Other Tales From Ortona Locks

Dianne here -- We are down to our last day here at Ortona Locks.  Tomorrow we pack up and move this gypsy caravan to Collier-Seminole State Park for a short, three-day stay.  There is a chance we may not have internet access while at Collier-Seminole, depending upon the tree situation at our designated camp site.  So far, since the installation of our Datastorm Motosat in January, we've had clear views of the southern sky.  Here at Ortona there is a tree which comes really close to blocking us, but it doesn't.  If we are blocked at Collier-Seminole, you won't hear from us until after we get set up at the Groves in Fort Myers on Saturday.

Roger and I walked the dogs across the dam and locks to the other side of the river.   We had to carry the dogs across the catwalk because it was metal grate and their feet might have fallen through.  I'm including several shots of our camp site (#32) here at Ortona Locks taken from across the river.  It gives a better feel for how we are situated with the river, the foot bridge, and the fishing pier.  This is a very popular campground in the winter, and we made our reservations the minute they became available 180 days prior, last August.  It's lovely now, but would be even prettier if it weren't so dry.  Two things that surprise me about Florida weather in the winter:  1) how DRY it is, with low humidity, and   2) how WINDY it can be.  We've hardly been able to use our awning at all. 

  But I sure am not complaining about the sunshine, the temperature, and the beautiful skies!!  

  Charlie the cat and I have a new morning routine, now that it's nice and warm early in the morning.   He joins me outside for a little bird watching from our patio.  He has gotten used to his little harness to the point that now he stands still and purrs when I put it on him, because he knows it means he's about to go outside.   People sometimes ask me how our dogs get along with Charlie the cat.  

Just to prove that they get along just fine, here's a photo I snapped today while vacuuming the motor home.  Jasper and Charlie retreated to Charlie's favorite vantage point so that they could guard the motor home while I got my chores done!   Chaplin preferred to lay outside in the grass, his favorite pastime.

Roger will add his literary talents now to go along with the photos he took:

Roger here...  Now for the disturbing the peace part....  This may be the calmest and most peaceful place where I have ever spent an extended period of time.  Since it was my birthday, I wanted to take full advantage of the short remaining time that we had here.  In other words, I wanted to read and vegetate in the warm Florida sun while looking at the palm trees and the river.  It was not to be so until later in the evening due to three disturbances.

Dianne and I were reading and comfortably ensconced in our outdoor lounge chairs when there was a yelp (Ewwwww!) from Dianne followed by a lunge for the binoculars and a run around the motor home. 

 After I rubbed out the kink in my neck caused by my startled reaction, I inquired from Dianne, "What is going on?"  She claims that she responded, but from past experiences, I know that she did not.  I eventually followed her around the motor home to find her glued to her binoculars while exclaiming, "That was the orangest bird I have ever seen!" After calming down a bit and consulting her bird book she determined that it was a vermillion flycatcher.  (Our friend, Brad, would be so proud!)

After a few minutes of relative calm,

 Dianne retreated to the motor home while I returned to my chair.  Dianne has already told you about our cat, Charlie, and how he likes to be outside in his harness even though he cannot get to the birds that he wants to catch/eat.  The second disturbance took place when a toddler raced across the bridge squealing, "KITTY!"  Little Danny promptly picked up Charlie and squeezed the poop out of him before his mom came to the rescue.  When Danny put Charlie down, he burrowed under the patio mat for protection (see photo). 

 He now does that any time anyone walks by, unless it is a bird.  He doesn't like the outside quite so much, now.

The third disturbance was by far the most alarming - at least at the beginning.  Dianne and I had returned to our outdoor reading while the dogs rested on their mats.  The dogs are tethered when they are outside on fairly long cords that are attached to the picnic table.  Normally, they are extremely calm (almost looking dead) even when people and most dogs walk by.  BUT, at this moment, Jasper

 barked and lunged toward the motor home - practically breaking his neck by the time he ran out of cord.  In the process, the cord knocked down a chair and tipped over Dianne's precious Meyer Lemon Tree

 that we drag along with us.  (Dianne says that she knew it when it was a seed - just like the pets, the tree goes with us wherever we go.)  Back to the story...  Jasper had spotted an armadillo

 under the motor home.  Dianne was able to get a picture before it hopped away.  Jasper stayed on high alert for quite some time after the departure.  

The peace of Ortona eventually did return at dusk.  We were able to get several sunset (what else) shots at the end of the day, and one of a nearly full moon over a palmetto tree. 

 It was another spectacular sunset. 

 My favorite shot is of the sailboat that was tethered in the river for the night.   This third shot was actually shooting toward the reflection in the water; Dianne thought it was sky, and told me to be sure to note that it was just the sky reflection on the water of the Caloosahatchee River.

As Dianne said, tomorrow we leave this peaceful place and travel to Collier Seminole State Park - back in the everglades.  There should be lots to do there, but I doubt that it can match the serenity here. 

A River Runs Through It!

Hi all -- Roger here...  We are now located at the Ortona Locks Army Corps of Engineers Campground between Labelle, Florida and Lake Okeechobee - still on the Caloosahatchee River.    At our previous campsites we were always pretty close to civilization.  I must say that this place is the perfect place to get away from the world.  The nearest population center is still Ft. Myers, but now we are about forty to fifty miles away.  The campground is a couple of miles from highway 80.  When you turn off the highway, there is nothing to see, other than grassland and cattle.  This is a great place to chill, read, watch the river traffic, watch the wildlife, and even watch Dianne relax (though it is hard for her to do).

I am quickly becoming a fan of Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds.  We have a great view from all of our windows (but not the view we had at Franklin).  The site is huge and has the same amenities as Franklin (concrete pad, LARGE loose rock patio area, permanent picnic table with a roof, grill stand, and fire ring.  (Unfortunately, there will be no campfires here due to a fire ban.  South Florida has received virtually no rainfall for more than two months.  As dry as it is, a single spark could cause a major problem).  The campsite next to us

 was empty for a couple of hours yesterday, so we took a picture from our motor home to give you an idea of the size and privacy.

The views from our site vary, depending on which window you look through. From the front, the view is pastoral - endless acres of grass land, cattle, and (oh, yes) palm trees.  The first morning the fields were covered with fog. 

 From the driver's (dining area) side, we look out onto the excellent landscaping that the Corps of Engineers have constructed (and maintained). 

 From the passenger (door) side, we see the Caloosahatchee River that is actually about thirty feet below us.  Right now I am sitting on a lounge chair in the HUGE "patio" area.  I can see three kildeer hopping around four large palm trees (surrounded with red mulch), in front of a thirty-foot footbridge that spans a rock-covered creek that flows into the river. 

 My dad would have loved the babbling brook sounds that we can hear from the stream.  The Ortona Dam and Locks are in the background. 

A lot of the interesting wildlife live right next to our site - easily viewed from the footbridge.  We included photos of a Louisiana Heron 

and a few of the daily conglomerate of turtles.  The turtles are called sliders,

 because they quickly "slide" into the water whenever you get too close.  

A family of otters also lives under the bridge.  The first day we were here,  I watched one playing in the water, then sunning itself.  By the time I got the camera, the otter was scampering into the den.  The next morning, I went down to the fishing bridge (also next to our site) and watched him swimming and playing in the water.  He actually stopped to look at me.  I ran back to get the camera just in time to see him and his mate jump into the river and leave for the day.  I still do not have a picture of them.  I think I will walk over right now to see if he is there.....  Nope, still not there.  I will try again later.

One day I walked over to the dam and across the lock.  I included a couple of shots of the river and the turbulent water below the dam. 

 The water level in the upper river is 7 and 1/2 feet higher than the lower river here.  Just like at Franklin, we have a full view of all the river traffic going through the locks.

Before we left the Ft. Myers area, we stopped by Camping World to get a ladder that folds up into next to nothing.  I need the ladder to reach the upper part of the windshield that I have not been able to clean well since we left Indiana.  Yesterday, Dianne got up and announced that she intended to use the ladder to clean the outside windows and screens.  I was a little disappointed to not be the first person to use the ladder, but trooper that I am, I got the ladder out and set it up.  I then sat down for a while to read.  Within thirty minutes I gained the reputation of the campground slacker from our neighbors and even the campground staff as they sympathetically talked to Dianne about her ambition and her lazy husband.  I got up to offer to help move the ladder, but Dianne told me that I was pressuring her (sheesh).  I did redeem myself later by doing a thorough job cleaning the windshield (never looked better).  Unfortunately, none of the other campers or staff seemed to be around while I was doing this.  As edification I am including a photo of Dianne reading at the campsite as documentation that I am not the only slacker.

Not a lot to do here, but relax, and catch up on chores (thanks to Dianne).  BUT, what a scenic and interesting place to do so.   

Manatees + Old and New Friends

Hi all - Dianne here.  We are down to our last day here at W.P. Franklin Locks.  Tomorrow we pack up and move to our next site, and let someone new enjoy this wonderful place that we hate to leave behind.

After we saw that glorious sunrise (see prior blog) we went to Manatee

 park, since it was a cool morning.  Manatees gather in the warm runoff water of a Florida Power and Light plant.  They have developed a nice viewing area and park to take advantage of it, and it's a great place to see congregations of manatees.   They are elusive creatures, and it's very hard to photograph them.  Usually all that you can see are their nose, back, or tail when they come up for air.

  We took a lot of photos of black water until we actually were quick enough to get some shots.  Of course, after these shots we had some VERY good views, but unfortunately I got the dreaded message "change battery pack" on my camera, so there's no proof of our really close views.

When I was a girl scout "Brownie," we sang a round "Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold."  That is our theme for the upcoming days and weeks.   While parked at WP Franklin, there was a tan and fit couple camping next to us.  For several days, I saw them enjoying the same type of activities we were, and I even said out loud to Roger, "See, THAT'S what I aspire to."    When I saw the wife waving a bubble wand on a windy day, I knew she was my kind of gal!   Harry and Bobbi are from Michigan.  They have been all over the country, canoeing, camping, fishing, motorcycling, you name it.   We finally did get acquainted, and had some fun times.  We took our little boats out paddling across the river together and visited the Franklin Lock visitor center.  Back home, we sat around a campfire, watched sunsets and birds, and just had random conversations whenever the mood struck and we were both out.

They enjoy nature and the same types of camp sites we do.  (Note all the patches sewn on Bobbi's jacket; these are all state parks and places they have been).  They spent last winter in Texas, and gave us some very good ideas for our possible Winter Texan adventure next year.   Before they left for their next site, Harry even taught us how to download and get on Google Earth to check out our future camp sites, look at our house back home, etc.  The possibilities are endless!!  What fun!!   I am 58 years old and have never been bored, but if I ever am, I know how to spend some fun hours now.   Thanks, Harry and Bobbi!   "Happy Trails To You...."

Now from new friends to old:  Roger's graduating class keeps in touch via internet.  Lo and behold, come to find out that one of his classmates lives on the Caloosahatchee River, just up the road!   We met for dinner one evening and spent a very fun afternoon with them on their boat.  I'll let Roger elaborate on that. 

Roger here....  One of my high school classmates from Pendleton High School's class of '68, Judy, has managed to pull together the email addresses of many of our classmates.  It was a small class of 160 students, so most of us know or at least remember each other.  During one of the mass emails, Judy asked us to answer questions about what we remembered from our high school days and what we were up to now.  Since I now have the time, I was one of the responders and indicated what Dianne and I were up to.  The next day I got an email from an old friend, Mary, asking where we were traveling and suggesting that we give them a call if we were ever in Florida.  When I told her that we would be at the Franklin Locks near Ft. Myers, she wrote back saying that they live five minutes from there.  What an amazing coincidence that Judy's email allowed us to find out that we would be in the same spot at the same time!

We had dinner with Mary and her husband, Gregg, on Sunday night at the local "Alva Diner" - good and tasty comfort food.  Dianne and I went off our healthy food kick for the evening and had country fried steak.  Yummy.  We enjoyed lots of good conversations about old-times in the idyllic little town of Pendleton, Indiana, where Mary and I grew up.  

The next afternoon they invited us to join them on their boat 

on the Caloosahatchee River.  This very large river is part of the intracoastal waterway system.  It connects the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Myers to Lake Okeechobee.  Another river connects the lake with the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a busy river with all kinds of water craft, including wave runners, fishing boats, paddle wheelers, barges, tug boats, sail boats, ski boats, the S.S. Minnow inflatable kayak, and some pretty fancy yachts like the white beauty shown in this photo: 

 We met them at their house on the river, walked through their beautiful river-front garden, then boarded their boat and relaxed while Gregg steered us along the river. 

 We first went west about ten miles toward the Franklin Locks, where we were able to see our motor home parked in the distance.  We then went all the way to our next motor home stop at the Ortona Locks several miles (30?) to the east.  It was a great trip.  Gregg alternated speed and "amusement park-like maneuvers" with slow trips around the many jungle-like islands where the water was covered with water-lilies 

and filled with all sorts of wild life (turtles, fish, birds).   At one point a tiny tree frog hopped on Dianne, who immediately unleashed her obligatory scream.  I thought that a snake or gator must be attacking the boat.  We all had a good laugh when we saw the cute little frog that you can see on Mary's thumb. 

 Mary and Dianne insisted that the frog be released onto a tree - he hopped in the river before reaching the branch, but we all watched as he frog-kicked (had to describe it this way as a former swim coach) to the shore.   

Gregg also took us down a back water to see an abandoned tug boat 

that looked like something out of Disney's Jungle cruise.

We cruised by retirement communities, three-bedroom houses, and multimillion dollar mansions along the way.   At one point, when we passed Port LaBelle, we were able to see the condo complex where my parents owned a unit and spent several of their winters.  It brought back many sentimental memories of the visits that Dianne and I made there with our daughters, often with one of their friends tagging along.  

When we returned to Gregg and Mary's house at sunset, Gregg fed the wildlife from his dock - lots of long and skinny gar, turtles, etc.  It was a memorable day that we won't forget.  Thanks again to Mary and Gregg!

Dianne again.  Continuing the "old friends" theme, in another week or two we will be seeing our oldest and dearest friends from home as they come down to Florida.  They are not campers, so we will board our dogs and spend two nights with them in their beautiful condo on the beach in Naples.  Stay tuned.  I think that blog title will probably be "How the Other Half Lives"!   Then later in March we'll be meeting our camping buddies Chuck & Cindy from home to spend two weeks together in Fort Myers at the Grove campground.  

Some exciting news for us: we actually had a house showing the other day!   We still hope the right person comes along to fall in love with our house in Pendleton so that we can be truly free and start planning another winter adventure.   You can't fault me for trying, so I'm pasting in info from an older blog entry of ours :  The  MLS listing number is 2900560 and can be viewed at the F.C. Tucker real estate web site.  (I don't know how to link it).   I sure hope it sells while we're down South, but I realize that is a pipe dream.   There is an extensive album of outdoor shots taken in all seasons at our house that can be viewed at:  http://photobucket.com/125_S_Main_Pendleton   Please pass this info to anyone you know who might be looking for a great house in a small town that is very near to Indianapolis and only ten minutes to Indiana's newest mall!