Sharon and Boyd Ciphers
The Ciphers have not been able to camp with us due to their son's weekend work schedule; however, they were on the road this winter. They drove their 37' Country Coach to Orlando, FL and spent time at Tropical Palms RV Resort. This yearly travel event usually takes place in November and December. They have friends in that area. The biggest attraction is the spring training camp for the Atlanta Braves. That's son Chris' favorite team. They watch the Braves work out every day. They report that the Tropical Palms RV Resort is a safe, clean resort with a lot of repeat campers. The resort offers a lot of activities: swimming pool, resort cafe, pancake breakfasts - all the usual Florida activities. They continued their winter travels to Tampa. They visited the Wallace's who have a campground on Interstate-4. The Wallaces are originally from Kingsport and are Sharon's childhood friends.
They have not been RVing much lately. In February Sharon underwent surgery for knee replacement. She contracted RDS. Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy is a painful and progressive neurological condition that affects the skin, muscles, joints and bones. The syndrome develops in an injured limb such as a broken leg or following surgery. Sharon was unable to drive and suffered greatly with this disease. She is in therapy three times a week and is beginning to see some improvement. Let's send her our best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery. Sharon was kind enough to share this information with us during a recent phone call.
Sonia and Ed McKinney
When we reached Ed by phone, we learned that he, too, is recovering from some health problems. Ed has undergone Bypass surgery and Valve Replacement. He is involved in rehabilitation at this time and has not been RVing. He has managed some automobile trips to visit family. He says he keeps up with the OMS club through our website and e-mail notices. And he sends "thanks" for our concern and interest. Good wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery go out to Ed, also.
Anne and Norman Hensley
The Hensleys wintered in Arcadia, FL at Riverside RV Resort and Campground for a four-month stay. Arcadia is located near Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda and Fort Myers. The leisurely three-day-trip allowed them to stop a campground in St. George, SC and at the KOA campground on Route 301 in Starke, FL. (Anne comments: "Starke has a Popeye's....yummy fried chicken, red beans and rice and awesome biscuits.")
Riverside has over 360 sites. This winter, 12 states were represented. Most campers were from Northern states. Anne and Norman met several Canadian campers from Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
Anne and Norman did not take any camping trips away from Riverside. There were too many activities going on there. Located on the Peace River, Riverside offered kayaking and canoeing. There were three docks for fishing with an area for boat storage. For those interested classes were available for instruction in photography, computers, quilting, knitting and rod and guns. The Hensley's enjoyed movies, ice cream socials, Mardi Gras parades, pot luck dinners and dances with really great music. Many campers participated in the card and game clubs, singing groups, exercise classes, cycling trips, theater trips, casino trips and cruises. Golfing and horseshoes are two more activities that were available. For more information, check out the Riverside calendar on their website: www.riversidervresort.com.
Anne and Norman were impressed by the return rate of campers at Riverside: 90 percent of the campers have camped there before. The campground exudes a family atmosphere. There are many trees; many RV resorts do not have an abundance of trees. Anne says, "The staff at Riverside are awesome! They provide anything we needed. If we needed a water vac - they delivered and retrieved a water vac. Riverside had a group of campers who volunteered to help other campers with things such as washing RV's, electrical problems, day/night shade problems, etc.." When the Hensleys had to hook up their Direct TV, a group of local men spent three hours helping find the best spot.
Anne especially liked the Pot Luck Dinners. "They were wonderful. Riverside would provide the entree; a group host would tell each camper what to bring or contribute. Usually 500 to 600 people would attend the dinners and would be eating within 15 minutes."
The annual campers at Riverside also enjoy the services of: a hair stylist; certified RV Tech; dog groomer and pet sitter/walker. A vegetable/fruit vendor came to the Park on Thursdays; a fresh seafood vendor came on Saturdays. When campers prepared to depart for home, neighbors dropped by to offer assistance.
Anne and Norman made many wonderful friends with whom they maintain daily or weekly contact. They have one thing in common with the other campers: getting back to Riverside so they can enjoy their winter together. All the campers appear to have the same feelings about the Riverside family.
Shirley and Jack Thomas
Shirley and Jack enjoyed the Samboree in Marion, NC last week. They have a lot going on during the day and entertainment each night. They are big on "door prizes" and running Chinese auctions at the Samboree. It keeps things interesting because you just might win something. Shirley won a set of Queen-size sheets that usually sell for around $100 in Belks. Jack won a 2009 Travel Director priced at $24.95; so, we were lucky. It was fun. We talked to the owner of Deer Creek RV Park near Galax, VA. We will probably go there in August when they have the Fiddling Convention.
The nightly entertainment was the big draw. Some years are better than others. Those attending are almost all "older" people so the music comes from the 40's and 50's, from groups that have been around a while. One funny comment came from one of the younger performers. The audience was really responding to their gospel music and he said something like, "I think you are a great audience. I just love old people." The audience erupted in laughter and he realized he could have been taken as insulting us. It was funny.
The Ferraro’s Winter in Florida
We spend 6 months (November – May) at The Great Outdoors RV and Golf Resort in Titusville, Florida. The Great Outdoors (TGO) is the 3000 acre former hunting compound of Jack Eckerd, founder of Eckerd Drugs. Started in 1989, today it is a resort built around the RV lifestyle with an 18 hole championship golf course. Approximately 3000 owner/residents live on more than 1700 sites, which range from basic RV lots to custom-built homes designed with RVers in mind. There are many rental sites available.
We began “camping” at TGO in 1992 spending the weeks between Christmas and New Years, but always planned to make TGO our retirement home. We bought our lot in 2002 and built our Florida room in 2006. Our Florida room has approx. 800 square feet and includes a kitchen with dining area, sitting area, full bath and laundry room, a sewing/computer room, and a screened porch. We park our motorhome adjacent to the Florida room and that becomes our bedroom.
Titusville, located on the Space Coast of East Central Florida, is 650 miles from our home in Blountville. It’s a two day drive in the motorhome and on the way down we usually dry camp at the Flying J in Brunswick, Georgia, then it’s just a 4 hour drive the next day to reach Titusville.
We stay very active while we’re in Florida. Deborah, who is a certified horseback riding instructor for handicapped children and adults, teaches two days a week at Harmony Farms in Rock Ledge, Florida. She has 25 students ranging in age from 3 years old to 86 years old. She also is an active member of several quilt and sewing guilds both within TGO and in the Titusville community. Joe is active in TGO’s Sawdust Club, a group which has a complete woodworking shop. We are both members of the Titusville Space Coast Navy League, an organization that supports the maritime services. As members of the Navy League we also help as volunteers at the Kennedy Space Center on a shuttle launch day.
Together, we volunteer at Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. The 160,000 acre refuge encompasses the Kennedy Space Center and is owned by NASA and managed for them by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. We have helped manage the information desk at the visitor’s center, conducted the eagle watch during the eagle nesting season, participated in fire management training, and assisted the rangers with educational programs and hikes. A number of endangered species make the refuge their home, including gopher tortoises, scrub jays, and manatees. And there are always plenty of alligators around, including those in the lake at the visitor’s center.
Our Saturday afternoons are reserved for the Fox Lake Bluegrass group. We have been jamming with this local group for 2 seasons. There is a core group of pickers, but visitors are always welcome to pick and sing along or just to pull up their folding chairs in the shade of the live oaks to listen. Milton Paul got to play fiddle with the group when he and Judy visited us in April.
Most weekday mornings, weather permitting, aquacise classes are held at the large Manor House pool and Deborah is usually there and I go to the fitness center to walk on the treadmill and lift a few weights; after which we both sink in the hot tub for a few minutes for a gabfest.
On Tuesday evenings there is Bingo with $50 and $250 pots and on Thursdays there is a first run movie shown. Both activities are held in the TGO Plantation House auditorium.
We are members of the TGO Nature Club and they have weekly nature presentations held in the new Nature Center. The group leads weekly nature walks not only in the St. Johns River wetlands management area, which surrounds TGO but also in Orlando, Enchanted Forest, and Coco.
Titusville is about 45 minutes from Disney World, a fact not lost on our grandchildren and our adult friends who visit and we’ve made that experience a frequent part of our time in Florida. Just a few miles away is the Kennedy Space Visitor Center and that also is a great place to spend a day. From just a few miles away, we have seen five shuttle launches; the most spectacular being the one that went off at 2:00 am in the morning.
We are members of the TGO Ambassadors, an FMCA chapter, which holds several rallies each year and hosts social activities and dinners. We’ve been on recent rallies to Tampa, St. Augustine, and Daytona.
Above all, we enjoy spending time with the many friends we’ve made since we’ve been wintering on the Space Coast of Florida, both within TGO and the Titusville Community. It has truly become our second home. (Patches really enjoys Florida, too.)
Judy and Milton Paul
Judy and Milton did some winter traveling, also. They were on-the-go for a week on their journey to Titusville, FL to visit Deborah and Joe Ferraro at The Great Outdoors. They had to make a stop in Marion to get some work done. The Paul's overnighted at Flying J's along the way. Judy commented: "This may no longer be possible in the near future."
During their two-week stay at TGO, they enjoyed bingo, bluegrass in the park, going to quilt shops and joining craft groups. Being golfers, they took advantage of the driving range. Judy and Milton enjoyed visiting the space center and the game preserve.
