Friday, November 13, 2009

A Thru F

So if A is for Alaska and F is for Florida- Game, Set, Match,.... to Gundyville. Another round trip in the books!

93 degrees in the sun. 75 in the shade. Spanish Moss hanging from the Live Oaks. Bug guts on my windshield. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Florida!

Last several times we returned here from adventures out and about it felt OK but not like a homecoming. A vacation in Vacationland. This feels different in some way yet undefined. We are excited (not necessarily to deal with docs and dentists and the like) to be back and see good friends much missed, but hanging in there with us all the way and all the time. The sun drenched landscape is welcoming. Feels good. Water is clear. Sky is blue. Storm is gone. Air is warm. Body is relaxed. Music good on the surround sound- Reggae! Prepare for Florida, the (left) West Coast, the Keys, the Friends, the Surf, the Fish, the Gators.


I once found gold in the parking slips in Orlando Thousand Trails Park models gravel while giving Cosmic Bob a panning lesson- not expected, against all odds. Real gold is the friends who stayed put when we went off seeking gold and adventure as best we could find it. What joy comes to heart being back to share some time with them all ...again. The miles roll on, the states come and fade in the rear view mirror, but the faces of friends stay in the mind's eye...and are always up ahead somewhere.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I really enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for all the time and effort it takes to keep us informed. I have a couple of questions about camping in Chicken.

After staying in Chicken for two summers what are the 'must have' items (not the typical stuff everyone carries) needed to make life more comfortable there?

I noticed that you hauled water, is water is a problem, if so do I need to bring a tank or bladder with me?

What was the most inconvenient or problematic aspect of your Chicken stay?https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5335881212416303337&postID=694612023835297383&pli=1


Thanks again for all your help. I hope that you enjoy the sunny Southland.

Chick in Texas

Greg said...

After staying in Chicken for two summers what are the 'must have' items (not the typical stuff everyone carries) needed to make life more comfortable there?
You'll actually answer this one for yourself better than I could. If you THINK you need it...and you can't get it or replace it in Chicken, then take it with you. For us, it's not an issue because we are full time in the coach, so we already have it if we need it, or we are prepared to do without it, whatever IT is. (Sounds like a Bill Clinton line doesn't it?) I will say that the MOST important things you can have there are good rain gear (maybe two sets one heavy warm and one lighter) and good warm, dry footwear. Knee high Muckboots available at Cabelas are my favorite and seem to be THE choice of all Alaskans who spend time in the wetlands.

I noticed that you hauled water, is water is a problem, if so do I need to bring a tank or bladder with me?
Water is not a problem, but there is only one faucet through which it is all provided to campers, so you will haul water from there to your rig as you need it. I carry collapsible 5 gal jugs (a couple bucks each at Walmart) and a 45 gallon bladder (under a hundred bucks at Camping World or online) and a small in line pump with which to transfer the water to the coach. Time consuming, yes; problem, no.

What was the most inconvenient or problematic aspect of your Chicken stay?
Love all aspects of camping with exception of dumping the black water tank. There is currently no sewer hookups in Chicken, so everyone dumps into a holding tank which is then hauled off as needed by the honey wagon. The outhouses there are not bad at all, so we use them whenever possible to put off the dumping deed.If you like, you can send your questions through the blog, that way others can benefit from our back and forth. Answers get posted by me as another comment, so check for your answers in the comment section for that particular post a day or two after you send them in. Happy planning. One more piece of info, a grocery store ( Three bears in TOK) is more or less a 160 mile round trip from camp. The have groceries, some hardware, store items and more- kind of a general store with an emphasis on groceries. No need to take tons of food up there with you. They have pretty much everything that is a must have (small pharmacy department as well.