A Final Push to Make it Home

After dreading our drive through Kansas City we made it quite easily. We spent two nights at Watkins Mill State Park and tried to contact friends in Missouri but were only able to leave a message. Not knowing if we would be able to connect with them we planned to attend their church Sunday morning on a chance that we would meet them. However Sunday at breakfast we received a call with an invitation to meet at the Holt United Methodist Church. Google maps said it was a 20 minute drive, so Jim made a few notes and set off in time to be 15 minutes early. Well these small back roads that seem to follow cow paths from long ago and don't all have proper sign posts. Soon we were lost and we put on the GPS to find our way. Well that did not work out well since the GPS thought it needed roads to take me around the block to get back in the right direction. So after about an extra 10 km we got going on the right route. It would have been so much quicker to hear the GPS say "turn around you are heading in the wrong direction."

This intersection had good signage - many did not!

We went out for lunch with them and their church friends. Thanks Walt and Ruby for your hospitality and visit. It was good to recall our past connection through MDS and see how you are keeping active in your community.

We needed to change our normal route along I-29 due to the flooding at St. Joseph MO till Sioux City IA. The best option for us was to use I-35 through Des Moine IA and Minneapolis MN and then I-94 to Fargo and then north toward home.

Monday morning we headed for Minneapolis for our night stop. As campgrounds are mostly closed we chose another casino RV campground.

Knowing our Tuesday drive to be a long one, we started our drive just after 6 am to try and beat the morning rush hour. It was already very busy at that time of day.

Still lots of snow in Grand Forks ND.

Driving was good and we arrived at the Emerson border  crossing at 4:30 but had a 30 minute wait due to spring break travellers. We arrived home by 5:30 and did a quick unpacking of freezables and left the rest for Wednesday as well as the winterization of the RV.

RV storage will have to wait till the snow melts.

The winter months have been good. We are looking forward to catching up with family and friends.

Thanks for being our faithful blog readers. We are now done posting till our next service adventure. We have no plans in the works.

Many Different Campground Experiences

We enjoyed Manatee Springs State Park with its spring and many sink holes. We took a walk along the boardwalk before we headed to our next location on Monday.

The spring gushes clear 72 degrees fahrenheit water fed by three underwater streams. Divers enter either through the main spring or the one in a sink hole nearby. Five miles of these underground caves have been explored and mapped by divers over the years.

Continuing our journey through the forested panhandle on Hwy. 20 where we saw hurricane damaged communities and some significant tree destruction.

For our final night stop in Florida we had hoped to stay at Blackwater River State Park, which was full because of the spring break guests. The gal at the office said we could camp at the local boat ramp for free. So we boon-docked without any services for the one night and enjoyed a very peaceful time.

Lunch at our boon-docking spot.

Relaxing afternoon in the sun at the riverside, reading and watching kayakers going downstream.

New and interesting bridge design.

We needed to choose our route home with flood waters in mind. Some flooding as we crossed the Mississippi River.

Thursday we arrived at Toad Suck Park, which is a Corp of Engineers park near Conway AR. The Corp of Engineers have built a series of 5 dams along the Arkansas River for water control and shipping. We thought of staying 2 nights but then Jim did some planning and decided it would be better to move on because we have a 2 night booking at Watkins Mill State Park, which would be easier to do in a two day drive.

A scenic view out of our back RV window of the Arkansas River at Toad Suck Park.

We arrived at Watkins Mill State Park Saturday early afternoon where we hope to meet up with friends Walt and Ruby who live nearby. We met them in Hackberry LA in 2005 with MDS.

Some other non photo worthy night stops were at a casino, county park and fair grounds. The further north we travel the more difficult it is to find a night stop with electric power which we require.

Visiting Parks in Florida

We have been at three Florida parks this week. We started last Friday with four nights at Withlacoochee River Park, then three nights at Chassahowitzka River campground and then one night at Manatee Springs State Park. We asked for more nights but were told to come back in the morning, which we did and we got two more nights, but we had to move to another camp-site.

Each park has been quite different. Withlacoochee River Park had lots of hiking trails of which we walked quite a few. We checked out this tall observation tower.

Annette standing under one of the many massive live oak trees in this park.

Reflections in the black but very clear Withlacoochee River.

Chassahowitzka River Campground was a kayaking/canoeing type of place, which we did not do because the rates per day were crazy expensive. I guess you need to bring your own like many people did.

A tour company offering air boat rides. Certainly not as peaceful as a canoe.

We discovered the loquat tree with a fruit similar to the kumquat but more yellow in color. It is not a citrus but related to the apricot fruit with a fuzzy peel and a pit inside.

Part day outing to Pine Island which was about 30 minutes away from the campground. This place had certainly changed since we were here 5 years ago. Lots of people beaching and the parking lot full to max.

Manatee Springs State Park is a natural spring with a cave where scuba divers like to explore. We first visited here in 2001 - 17 years ago.

Each place was very unique.

Celebrated Jim's birthday this past week. Will continue our trek homeward tomorrow.

Work Ends and Play Begins

Sunday was our last time attending the Brooksville Wesleyan Church. We have attended here every Sunday since we arrived here in early January. They have great preaching and contemporary music during the 2nd service which we have enjoyed.

This has been a very busy week at Lakewood. With being short-staffed and numerous volunteers leaving and a short turn around time between campers leaving and campers coming in, we landed up helping in the house-keeping department.

Carol and I cleaned cabins, cabin bath-house and changed bedding in the motel rooms and in the Hillside House. In between cleaning times I helped with  the painting in the office hallway which Sue and Kay had started the previous week. I also did a few painting touch-ups in Cardinal #2 apartment.

Jim's work partner for the last 6 weeks headed home but now Del our newest volunteer stepped in. His many years of construction and wiring knowledge was welcomed. He tackled repairing and installing an old bi-fold door while Jim continued the final fitting and fastening the kitchen counter top. Tuesday the final piece of plumbing arrived so he could connect the sink drain and test it.

It was good news that Del said it would not be a problem getting the underground wire trenched in from the panel to the bathhouse. When he started digging by hand he soon asked if the excavator was in working order.  So the majority of the trench was dug by noon and the conduit pipe put in the ground by quitting time.
Thursday the wire got put in and connected and all is working. Finished off the last day by unloading the laminate flooring which Del will install next week.  At the end of the day Jim and Del installed a few lengths of siding on the tiny house.

Our stash of citrus for our travels homeward.

On Wednesday Dave and Karen  from PA joined us for the day of volunteering, meals and reminiscing. They have volunteered at Lakewood in the past.

After work Jim and I took a golf cart and a ladder and went to pick citrus in the woods. We picked 2 - 5 gallon pails of juicing oranges, tangerines and grapefruits. And Dave and Karen also gave us some they had picked nearby at a friends house.

The noisy Red Shouldered Hawk is a resident at Lakewood Retreat.

Friday we said our good-bye's to fellow volunteers and the Lakewood office staff as we handed in our gate pass. We then did our grocery run to Brooksville for the week and one more picking of strawberries.

We were now headed to Withlacoochee River Park for a four night stay and hope to have lots of rest and relaxation. The park has lots of hiking trails and we are enjoying the dappled shade of the live oak trees.

Hiked the 1.75 mile multipurpose trail.

To read the plaque click on the picture to enlarge and then Esc to return to blog.

The black water of Withlacoochee River and the river bank with cypress knees.

We Love Visitors

 The road leading into Lakewood Retreat.

 The bottle brush bush is in bloom.

 Jim and Dennis back at the kitchen renovation at Cardinal.  While Carol and I worked at painting the ceiling and the walls the guys built a new porch and steps to make the entry easier and safer. They also installed the old screen door which helps give extra light and ventilation to the kitchen.

The cabinets required a bit of adjusting to get them level when the floor is not. After that came the counter top and the sink cutout. So with getting some light fixtures, plugs and switches done in between, it filled their four day work week nicely. It was good to work with Dennis on this project. His departure for home on Friday leaves room for our newest volunteers which arrived who will start on Monday.

 With having a shortage of housekeeping staff the volunteer ladies were asked to help in the cleaning of cabins and meeting rooms on Wednesday. We swept floors and wiped beds and mattresses with disinfectant.

 It seems there is always some gardening to be done in a big place like Lakewood Retreat. I helped Carol with cleaning some existing flower beds by raking, planting and watering. We planted some Hawaiian Ti's.

 One of the perks of our stay at Lakewood is the free access to an assortment of citrus growing wild in the woods. As the season progresses it is becoming more challenging to reach the fruit which is high up in the trees. In a citrus grove the growers trim the trees but here that does not happen. Dennis and Sue left their pole picker for us all to use.

With a golf cart, step ladder and a 16' pole picker they are still available. They are great for breakfast, break time and evening snack. Lots of Vitamin C for us.

 The week started by a Sunday visit from friends Elmer and Laureen from Manitoba. Sorry no picture.

The week ended by having lunch company with Kansas MDS friends who we volunteered with in fall in Homosassa FL

This coming week is our last week here. We will be camping in nearby places but may not have internet access. Will post when internet is available to us.