Two and a half months of FANTASTIC weather in Florida...4 weeks along the Caloosahatchee...6 weeks in the Middle and lower Keys...and winding down in Gamble-Rogers S P in the daytona/ Flagler Beach area with two days of severe thunderstorms and tornado watches! Well, we cant complain- had lots of heat and sun so far. Lost our screened tent in Curry Hammock S P to a sudden but powerful T-storm...we were cycling back from Marathon (having broken the Key's commandment of not rolling up the
awning before leaving the trailer )...saw a black wall of clouds over the Gulf, and pedalled back to camp in the rain but in time to roll up the
awning. Couldn't do the same for the screen tent, and watched as the carbon-fiber roof poles bent double and snapped. Oh well, it was an old tent anyway.
Up here along the Atlantic we have our NOAA radio chirping away with tornado warnings, and our computer on its Virgin Mobile air card bringing us the radar maps. Ain't technology marvellous?
Last night we enjoyed a seafood dinner at the restaurant adjacent to the campgrounds, then the thunderstorm struck with a vengeance!!! We baild from the covered porch into the main room just as a lightning strike blew out the electricity! Luckily our food had been served- latecomers were out of luck.
On the plus side, we are dry and high in the Road Toad while tenters have called it quits and bailed out for home.
The next week and a half look good on the long range forecast, and we will be kayaking on the Halifax River tomorrow. Today..."retail therapy" at the malls and outlet centers.
Manatee Springs S P for three days, and Stephen Foster SP for an overnighter before heading north on I 75 for Easter in Windsor at our daughter's place.
Got my next year's sites all booked thru Reserve America and we'll be ready to do it all again in '12.
This year we have stayed at : W P Franklin, Ortona Locks, one night at John Pennekamp S P, Long Key S P,Curry Hammock S P, Bahia Honda S P, and Koreshan S H A in Estero, and of course "tornado alley" / aka Gamble Rogers S P. If you want feedback on any of them, I'll try to help with answer to FAQ's
Cheers from Alistair & Inge in The Road Toad