2016-13 Crescent City Florida

2016-13

Moss Park
Crescent City Florida

Memorial Day Weekend

Campground:  Sned-Acres Family Campground.  $35 one night, and two nights $17.50  Passport America Rate.  Swimming pool (water looks kind of green), Laundromat, lots of trees, narrow winding roads.  Older park with concrete pads on some sites. Ok, but not great.

from St Cloud to Crescent City Florida

Well, if you know me at all, you know I hated to leave Moss Park.  But it was time.  I spent a little more time with Dorothy in St Cloud and also attended a retirement ceremony at the Naval Training Center where I had also retired from over 12 years ago before heading out.

Lovie, on the right

Rob Mathews doing the presentations

Lovie sitting with friends as the ceremonies begin

the mirrored building is where I previously worked

Lovie Tompkins was the retiree.  She was our division secretary a wonderful woman of color if I’m using the proper term they use these days.  Her name is so appropriate, as all the speakers could not say two words without sharing stories of her warm heart and loving attitude during 42 years of service to the navy.  Although the building is in the middle of Central Florida Universities research park, you can’t mistake it being a military installation.  With security fences and the largest gate and sentry post I’ve seen in a long time.  None of that was there when I worked there.  Once I’d been approved to enter the property, I was directed to the main entrance of the S shaped main building, where I and a few other retirees were escorted through the building and back outside where an elaborate outdoor shaded pavilion has been constructed just for presentations such as this.  Rob Mathews was a superb MC.  I got a chance to briefly say hi to a few former employees but of course, even though I had worked there for 32 years, did not have the opportunity to tour the facility.  A funny thing did occur as a friend Linda and I entered the reception room.  A father and son who I will not name, also worked at the center were right in front of me.  The son still works there and was gushing to his dad about my retirement adventures on the road.  I was introduced to the dad who is now a rather rotund individual.  White thinning hair and almost a scowl on his face.  We looked into each others eyes, did not shake hands as his son continued on saying, “you remember Doug, he’s having such a great time exploring the country in his RV”.  We continued to look at each other, both not saying a word to each other, he knowing, that he was one of the few road blocks in my efforts to move ahead and become a Publication Specialist.  Even though I’d scored the highest rating for the job, he still would not hire me for the position.  I eventually did get more promotions, but his efforts delayed my advancement for a couple of years.  I gave a somewhat smirky smile as I looked one last time at the guy before turning around and telling Linda I was ready to leave.  We were both relieved to get out of there.  As with any situation, looking back can have some great memories as well as a few unpleasant reminders of the struggles along the way.

sand piles are magnets to kids and are
more fun than some play ground equipment

Back at my favorite campground, Moss Park, I enjoyed my last day there as many campers started to fill in all the campsites for the Memorial Day weekend.  A large pile of sand is near my campsite with a temporary barrier surrounding it to keep kids off of it.  Well, don’t you know, any pile of dirt is a magnet to kids.  It was only minutes after a couple of families with children arrived that the kids were screaming and yelling with glee as they scampered to the top of the sand pile.  King of the Mountain!  And the Memorial Day holiday has begun with excited and happy kids, just as it should be.

a few more Moss Park pictures

the mile long road back to campsites

the birds have the beach till this weekend

Distance Traveled:  98 miles

views around the small town of Crescent City Florida

a hotel and restaurant near the lake 

mural of a steam boat that used to ply the lakes around here

Crescent City.  Such a short drive barely two hours of driving and half of it on toll roads and I-4 a major highway running through Florida.  The other half was along a county road hwy 17.  All through small rural towns like Deland, De Leon Springs, Pierson, Seville and into Crescent City which sits between two lakes.  I arrived at the Sned-Acres Family campground to take advantage of my Passport America discount.  Though it’s under new ownership, it remains an older somewhat rundown campground with narrow one lane streets along a hilly site.  The guy who checked me in took over 20 minutes to figure out how to change the reservation as I told him I was only staying three nights, not the four nights listed on the computer.  He tried to charge me for more nights at full price and you know I like my Passport bargains, so that wouldn’t do.  After finally getting the billing corrected, I was directed to my campsite.  As I looped around to get to the site and back-in, I cautiously followed my orange cones that I put out, stopping and getting out of the truck to check all sides.  Fortunately, I looked up as well and I saw I was hung up on two overhead electrical wires.  I as able to ease back out without doing damage to anything on top of my camper, but couldn’t say whether the power lines had any damage done to them.  I was directed to a better site, with no low hanging power cables.  But of course my camper was now facing the exit to the park and with those narrow roads, I had to exit the park, drive down the road a half mile, before I was able to turn around in a Winn-Dixie parking lot and return to the campground.

Well some days are like that aren’t they?  I’m all set in a campsite and at least have a spot for the holiday weekend.  One of the few disadvantages of being a full-time Rv-er is trying to find a campsite over crowded holiday weekends.

a few quick shots of Dorothy's beautiful home

often where she sits for morning coffee

Dorothy's Florida Room

and all new living room

views around the lake front where Dorothy often does
her morning walks

a Madagascar Palm tree

the children s water park play area

St Cloud has a lovely beach area along the lake

two of the three ducks Dorothy visits

great walking paths around the lake

Update on Shelter Cove Property:  Back in St Cloud, Rusty (my niece Kelly’s husband) was able to have a friend in the business look over the financials for the Shelter Cove property and it all looks fairly good.  I’ve informed the owners of the property that I am interested in purchasing the lot at the previously agreed upon price and await a message agreeing to the sale of the lot.  If approved, I plan on purchasing it in late October or early November when I once again arrive back in Florida for the winter.  Barring any last minute issues, I will become a land owner.  And me, still not ready to settle down anywhere.  But I do consider it more of an investment with the added benefit of being close to my sisters house when ever I visit the area.  Thanks Rusty, I really appreciate the research and advice.

Love being back on the road and exploring new places along the way.

Moss park and Dorothy’s home, pictures

Crescent City Florida, pictures