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The RV adventures of Sparky and (the late) Jett |
Charlie Brown tree
I like the minimalist decorations. And the minimalist effort to put them up. I will probably be able to take them down and store them away in under an hour.
I am not a big Christmas fan anyway, but I am more likely to be Bob Cratchit than Ebeneezer Scrooge if it doesn’t take much effort to decorate for the holiday.
Please take note of the miniature RV beneath the tree, with a light inside. Jett is very proud of that detail.
Double spiral trees
Dan Brown is best known for The Da Vinci Code and its sequel, Angels and Demons, both of which were made into movies starring Tom Hanks. Deception Point was published between those two blockbusters, but the story is unrelated, has a different cast of characters and, as yet, has not been made into a Hollywood movie.
But it will.
The plot has plenty of action, suspense, dramatic settings and pyrotechnics. How could Hollywood resist?
The book has more than the average number of twists and turns that populate suspense/action novels. The story centers on the discovery of a meteorite, buried for thousands of years under polar ice. This meteorite turns out to be rather special in that it contains fossils which prove, beyond doubt, that not only does life exist elsewhere in the universe, but strongly suggests that life on earth was seeded by just such meteorites. Needless to say, this is huge news and just happens to occur in the middle of a contentious campaign for the U.S. Presidency. The current President, who is in trouble in the polls, latches upon this discovery to boost both his popularity and NASA’s, the agency that discovered the meteorite. To certify the validity of the discovery, the President assembles a team of 5 civilians to review the data. One just happens to be the estranged daughter of his opponent, who holds a senior position as an analyst with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an agency with the mission statement “enabling U.S. global information superiority, during peace and through war.” Part of her job is to interpret classified data and to brief the President and other White House staff. In this role, the President sends her to the arctic to get her take on whether the discovery is, indeed, real.
It is, she tells the White House.
But no sooner had she briefed the staff at the White House than doubt about the discovery starts to creep in. Before she can take back her certification, she is running for her life, pursued by Delta Force soldiers. Something is very, very wrong here.
Well, it won’t spoil the plot to tell you it is all a huge fraud, but the fun is in who concocted the plot, how it managed to fool the best scientists on the planet and what the motive was.
The first 100 pages are a bit slow and it isn’t clear where the story is headed for a while, but once the fraud starts to unravel the action picks up and never lets up. The final 450 pages are can’t-put-it-down fun.
9 out of 10.
St Martin’s Press, 2010
This is one of a series featuring Bennie Rosato, head of an all-female law firm in Philadelphia. Most books in this series are mysteries, with a strong cast of characters and a lot of time spent on romantic and family relationships, sometimes at the expense of the mystery. But, overall, I find the books enjoyable because the characters are robust and the romantic and family dramas are interesting. This one, Think Twice, is a bit unusual in that there really isn’t a mystery. It probably should be classified as suspense.
The plot, basically, is that Bennie’s identical twin – an evil doppelganger named Alice Connelly – tries to kill Bennie, assume her identity for a few days and steal all her assets – over 3 million dollars. She, of course, almost gets away with it, but not quite.
I enjoyed the book, but I enjoy good mysteries more, so it being suspense rather than mystery did not elevate it in my esteem. I also didn’t buy the way Bennie escaped being buried alive. In a situation which should have killed her in a matter of a few hours, Bennie seems to have survived for over a day, then she had to battle a coyote to get out of her grave. Meanwhile Alice was assuming her identity so well that no one at her office, or any of her clients, detected the substitution. Even more unbelievable was that Bennie’s ex-boyfriend returns unexpectedly and resumes the interrupted romance, thinking that Alice is Bennie.
Finally one of the lawyers at the office begins to suspect something is amiss, but not because Alice was a dolt at law, but because a crazy woman from Italy who claimed superhuman powers identified Alice as an “evil woman.”
Lisa Scottoline is a skilled author who knows how to relate a tale. But this tale was too much of a stretch for me.
5 out of 10
Thanksgiving buffet
This year we wanted to do something different. We debated going to Perkins or the local restaurant, Sunshine Cafe. But we opted to stay in the RV park and participate in the Thanksgiving buffet. The park provided turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy and coffee/tea. The residents brought hot dishes, salads and desserts.
Jett and I aren’t huge fans of buffets and we weren’t very optimistic that it would be any better than the church social buffets that dotted my childhood and adolescence. But I was pleasantly surprised. The turkey was just about the best I have ever had (sorry, Mom!) and the ham, while dry, was tasty. Even the resident-supplied dishes were quite good. So, for the cost of some salad fixin’s we had a Thanksgiving dinner that was better than Cracker Barrel’s.
The other benefit of a local buffet is the opportunity to introduce ourselves to the community. We sat at a table of 8, so we met 3 other couples. All were friendly and the conversation was interesting. Time will tell whether we made any lifelong friends, but it is not out of the question.
Grand Central Publishing, 2012
This was my first Preston and Child book featuring Gideon Crew, a nuclear physicist on loan to the FBI. I may have read another Preston and Child book from their Pendergast series (Jett tells me I have), but if so I can’t recall it. Preston and Child are one of Jett’s favorite authors, so I borrowed this one after she finished it.
You can read the synopsis yourself.
The plot reminded me a bit of the kind of plot you would find in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child (no relation?): an over-the-top, the-nation-at-risk threat, thwarted by the actions of a single man. But the Reacher plots are, somehow, believable. I had a hard time believing this one – a man on the run from 22 federal agencies, involving tens of thousand of people, yet he is able to move freely around New Mexico, drive cross-country to Maryland and pass easily through security at both Los Alamos and Fort Derrick. Yeah. Either he was really lucky or our security agencies are totally incompetent.
I was also surprised at the Indiana Jones flavor of the action. Crew goes from one life-threatening predicament to the next with barely time to catch his breath. The surprise was the Jett enjoyed this as it just doesn’t seem like a plot she would enjoy. She told me afterward that she prefers the Pendergast series, but that the Crew series was “ok”. Well, in my view “ok” is a compliment.
4 on a 10 scale.
Pleasant walk on a beautiful day
We are glad we did.
This is a beautiful state park/zoo. It offers wonderfully landscaped walkways, interesting animals and opportunities for photos at every turn. We were there just over 2 hours and I snapped over 50 photos. And the weather cooperated – low 70’s, sunny, light breeze. A great day to enjoy the wildlife.
The park had a long history as a private tourist attraction and was home to a number of animals that appeared in Hollywood films. The only one remaining – and the only resident animal not native to Florida – is “Lu”, a 60-year-old hippo that was made an “honorary resident of Florida” and is being allowed to live out her life in this beautiful park. Lu spends most of her time in the water and enjoys drinking fresh water from a hose.
Lu getting hosed down
Most of the animals in the park are ones that were injured, rescued and treated, but were, due to their injuries, unable to survive in the wild. The bald eagle – minus a right wing – is one such animal.
Rescued bald eagle
The injured birds, because they can’t fly, were in open enclosures. There were also many other birds – including lots of vultures and herons – that were also free to come and go as they pleased, but they obviously chose the park as there were hundreds of them. Free food, I imagine. But it was a memorable up-close-and-personal encounter with some very large vultures.
Bird sanctuary
Free-range vultures
The highlight, though, was the manatee feeding and the below-water-line observation deck. This was a wonderful opportunity to see manatees as they were feeding. There are 3 manatees – the “ladies” that are permanent residents of the park, but during the winter months the gates are opened and other manatees enter the park to bask in the 70-degree spring water. These are huge (2,000 pounds), lumbering beasts. A sight to see.
Feeding manatees
214 miles via US 98 (with a truck route detour around Brooksville), I-75 and county roads to the destination. Cumulative tow miles: 2,263.
TTS Hop 10
We have done this route several times before, so there were no surprises. US 98 is always a pleasure. I-75 is always busy. But they are both relatively smooth and flat, so it was a cruise control trip most of the way. We made a lunch stop at a rest area near Tampa and arrived at our destination before 3pm.
Thus ends the TTS. The TTS will be designated “the trip without dings”. No accidents, no blowouts, no truck engine failures… nothing that required a deviation from the original plan. The only real deviations were in our hop destinations. This was a trip in which I, for the first time, did not book all of the destinations in advance. We started out booked only for the first 3 hops, to MD. In Maryland I booked the next 3, to Charleston. In Charleston I booked the final 3. I think this was a good strategy as it allowed for the possibility that circumstances or interests would change (they didn’t). And it gave me time to consider some options for the final 3 hops. The original plan was to do a “space coast” (Cape Canaveral) route, but Jett was not interested in Cape Canaveral and I don’t like I-95 and I-4. So we opted for a trip across Georgia, to the Florida panhandle, and then down US 98 and I-75. That gave us an opportunity to spend a few days in the Florida panhandle and Homosassa, both of which held more appeal for Jett.
The final mileage: 3,070 which includes just over 1,000 non-tow (i.e., driving the truck around) miles. Half of those were in Massachusetts during our 6-day stay there. The rest were visiting points of interest and doing chores (eating, refueling, shopping). The truck, with its repaired engine, performed admirably.
The highlights of the trip? Biltmore, Ellie Schiller Wildlife State Park (more on this in the next post), the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherry Hill Park, General Coffee State Park. The lowlights? Jett’s health (she is still coughing) and the 2016 election. I try to not be political here, but the fact is that when I think of this trip I will think of the sleepless night in General Coffee when the scope of the election disaster became apparent.
Our home for the two nights was the Homosassa River Sun RV Resort in Homosassa, FL. This park’s main advantage was proximity to Crystal River and our site’s proximity to the laundromat. We had a large cache of dirty laundry that needed washing, so getting a site next door to the spanking-new laundromat was a boon. I also got to watch the first half of the Patriots/Seahawks game (they lost!) at the Suncoast Bar and Grill in Homosassa. I went there specifically to watch the game, but also decided to eat there, to stretch out my stay. I was expecting the place to be busy but in fact I was the only patron. So I got a chance to meet and chat with the owner and his barmaid wife. Nice folks. He also makes a very fine blackened chicken breast sandwich. It was better than fair – one of the better sandwiches I have had lately. It was a fun experience, tempered only by the fact that they shut down at 10pm, during halftime at the game. I didn’t get to see the disappointing (for the Patriots) finish. Probably not a bad thing.
The RV park was a mixed bag. Yes, the site was large and, for our purposes, the location adjacent to the laundromat was perfect. But the office had misplaced my reservation, the office was hard to find (no signage – probably due to their recent name change – but “Office” would have been simple and effective), the roads were narrow and the cable didn’t work. We had two quiet, TV-free nights to end the trip (ironically, the cable was out when we got to our destination, so the cable-free nights stretched to 3). Most annoying was the fact that they neglected to inform us that they would be repaving the driveway Monday morning, so we were delayed getting on the road. And no one told us what to do – wait or go to the emergency exit (one resident told us to do that but another resident immediately disagreed and said that the back exit was locked. We had to call the office to find out what to do (wait a few minutes for the paving equipment to clear the driveway). The whole experience left me feeling that they just didn’t have their act together. Not recommended.
I seem to have either gotten no pictures of Homosassa River or have lost them. No great loss.
200 miles via US 98 and US 319. Cumulative tow miles: 2,049.
TTS Hop 9
This hop was more difficult than it should have been. Yes, the navigation was a breeze: just turn right out of the RV park and keep going until we were within 3 miles of our destination. But is was complicated by the fact that there were no gas stations with diesel near Carrabelle (or at least none that showed up on GasBuddy), so I had to use the 4 gallons of reserve fuel to get us the 40 miles to a refueling stop (we did pass 2 other gas stations along the way that offered diesel, so don’t always believe GasBuddy). When we got there a tanker truck, delivering gasoline, was blocking the diesel pump, so we had to wait about 20 minutes for it to finish and depart. Then Grace decided that today was the time for her to have a very smelly “accident” in the back seat. Another 20 minutes to clean that up and dispose of the carpet that covered the seat, just in case of incidents like this. Next, when we arrived at our destination we discovered that the cable hookup was not functioning. And no over-the-air reception either. So 2 nights off the TV grid.
But the route itself was wonderful. I love US 98! Four lanes, very flat, very smooth, almost no traffic. Just cruise along. If only all roads could be like 98…
Ho Hum RV Park
Our home for the 3 nights in Carrabelle was the Ho Hum RV Park, right on the water. A strange name for an RV park, but the staff embraces it; they greet you with “Good morning, I hope you have another Ho Hum day!” The upside of being right on the water is the spectacular Gulf of Mexico scenery. The downside is all of the sand that inevitably gets tracked into the RV. We put down our outdoor carpet, but that only reduced the mess.
This is a small park – maybe 50 sites – with few amenities. But who needs amenities when you have the Gulf at your doorstep?
When we arrived they couldn’t find my reservation. Probably my fault (shhhh… don’t tell Jett); I think I gave them the wrong dates. Fortunately they had a place for us. Jett was annoyed that I didn’t spend the extra $7 per night to get a back-in spot right on the water (which they may not have had, but I didn’t ask as I was just so relieved that that had a spot). Usually she prefers the pull-through sites because they are more convenient, but in this case she would have preferred the back-in. Note to self: get a spot on the water if possible.
The dogs enjoyed the walks on the beach and I loved taking photos. I hope you enjoy them.
Dog walking on the beach
Beach stumps
Fishing pier
Gulf view
Back-in sites on the beach
Sunset in Carrabelle
Sunset in Carrabelle
I don’t usually blog about small towns that I visit just once, but our trip into and through Carrabelle, FL (pop. 2,778) was interesting enough to warrant its own post.
First, we, quite by accident and more due to laziness than an actual plan, headed west into Carrabelle just in time to catch the sunset. The spectacular, breathtaking sunset. I simply admired it for a few miles, then realized that I should be taking a few photos. I caught the tail end of the sunset, so some of the colors had faded, but it was still stunningly beautiful.
Interior of Fathoms
Second, because it was late and we were hungry, we decided to dine out. Carrabelle doesn’t offer a wide variety of dining options, particularly if you exclude Subway and pizza joints. But we passed the Fathoms Steam Room and Raw Bar on our way through town and Jett thought it looked sufficiently interesting to give it a try. We almost missed it on our return trip, because it had gotten quite dark, and when we stopped we almost moved on as there were some very sketchy guys hanging out, with a few Harleys outside. But our hunger got the better of us and we decided to take on chance on what we thought was a biker bar.
We are glad we did. Jett ordered the crab leg dinner which was, in her view, quite good, with a steamed vegetable medley (well, more a duo than a medley – broccoli and potatoes) that was arguably tastier than the crab. I opeted for the seared tuna sandwich. I like seared tuna, but have never had it in sandwich form. It was spectacular. Perfectly seared and seasoned, in Texas toast. I think it was one of the best sandwiches ever. Outstanding!
Fathoms is rated only #4 of 11 among restaurants in Carrabelle (where are the other 10?), but I would give it 5 stars. If you are ever in Carrabelle (and why would you be?), give it a try.
Sunset in Carrabelle
Crab leg dinner
Seared tuna sandwich
Data plan
I have read some chronicles of full-time RVers from long ago – like way back in the 1980’s – and life for them was indisputably more difficult than it is for us. The RVs were less robust, the leveling systems were primitive, diesel fuel less available. Almost all bills had to be paid by mail and banking, too, had to be done remotely unless you could find a local branch of your bank. But the biggest difference was telephone. Before cell phones, an RVer would have to stop at a truck stop to make a call. If you had a computer with an acoustic modem, you had to find a telephone that you could use long enough to do anything of value. And the internet, still in its infancy, was more of a curiosity than a real tool for getting anything done.
Today we can call anyone we want anytime we want from almost anywhere. Yes, there are still “dead zones” where there is no signal, but they are rare. I have more often been surprised by the high quality of the signal in places where I expected none than finding a poor signal when I expected a good one. Banking is done electronically using a cell phone app. Almost all bills are paid electronically via debit or credit. News, sports and information of all kinds is available via the internet. Social media make it a snap to keep up with friends.
But all of this modern electronic convenience upon which we now depend as full-time RVers requires a cell phone data plan. Bandwidth is money to the cell phone companies and they don’t just give it away. Jett and I have a shared data plan with Verizon that, with equipment charges and taxes, runs about $200 per month. We have to share 24GB of data. That means that we cannot stream anything of any size. Netflix? Forget it – a single movie is several gigabytes. We even have to be careful with social media. There are so many video clips of children, cute cats and dogs and people doing stupid stuff embedded in Facebook postings that, if we aren’t careful, we can use a gigabyte in a day.
A year ago we were averaging about 12GB per month. We are now nearly double that. Are we using the internet more? Possibly, but I don’t think our usage has changed dramatically. What I have seen develop over the past year is an insidious hidden usage of my data bandwidth by websites running in the background of my browser. For example, unless you specifically block it, Windows tries to back stuff up to the “cloud”. That is real data, in big chunks at times. Facebook, if left running in the background, seems to continue to use data (for what I don’t know – maybe those cute cats continue to roll around when I am not looking). There have been times when I have checked my usage in the morning and find that 4GB of data have passed through my router while I was sleeping! I have had to buy “extra data” several times to avoid ridiculous Verizon surcharges.
We tried to train ourselves to shut down our laptops at night. I even tried to routinely shut off the router before bedtime, though wasn’t very successful at that – too tired to remember, I guess. But still the puzzling data drain continued. I finally got sufficiently frustrated that I called Verizon to get some insight into what was using the data. They couldn’t really tell me that; they are, after all, just an internet provider. It would be like asking the city where my water was going; they can only tell me how much water flowed through my meter. But Verizon did offer me a plan with more data for less money. Why didn’t they notify me sooner that such a plan was available? Because they aren’t stupid, I guess. But it was a bit annoying that I had to complain before they ‘fessed up that, yes, there was a better way.
Even with our kinder, gentler data plan we still need to be careful about what we leave running in our browser windows. I believe Facebook and other social media sites suck up data like a black hole. And even portal sites like msn.com consume data at a rate much higher than I would expect. Our current strategy is to close such sites when we are done with them – we try to NEVER leave them running in the background. This strategy has stabilized our data usage, though still at a higher rate than I can explain – about 600MB per day. But that is ok. Because that level of usage fits into our data plan and our data plan makes our RV lifestyle feasible.