We’ve had a very nice week here at Trail Lakes. It’s been warm here while the rest of the country was doing some sort of Polar Vortex thingie; it’s also the second southernmost campground on the mainland. If you want to go farther south you’ll go to the Keys ($$$$) or take a boat.

Trail Lakes was obviously a mighty spiffy campground before Alligator Alley took all the traffic to the north, leaving Tamiami Trail a backwater. There’s evidence everywhere from the large coquina gateposts to the unused fountain to the assorted white concrete railings and site posts. It’s rustic with a capital R but things are changing.

Now there’s all sorts of paving with permeable materials, brand-new electrical hookups and lots of dirt. Dividers are plowed up between campsites and native shrubs planted. It’s going to be mighty spiffy again. Our neighbors across the pond spent the whole day yesterday planting stuff out in front of their site.

We are well and truly out in the boonies but it’s different this time. The aircard works and campground wifi works when people aren’t hogging it. But the news is that there _is_ campground wifi. And the phone works, for what that counts. Sprint and Verizon if you’re keeping track.

Water/electric is $25/night at this time; there’s dump station around the corner. Also there’s a showerhouse and a laundry.

We didn’t go down to Everglades City; Google shows a Quick Rip there plus another one at the turnoff from SR 29. We believe the closest supplies are in east Naples, which is a ways away. Trail Lakes and Midway are the only w/e campgrounds between Collier-Seminole SP and Krome Avenue; Trail Lakes is the only one you could stay at monthly.

Now, this Skunk Ape thing. Dave Shealy saw and photographed the Skunk Ape out back of the campground; he christened a business as the Skunk Ape Research Center. The Skunk Ape is Florida’s Bigfoot but he’s short, affects a Monty Python Silly Walk and stinks. While that would describe many of my friends and relatives, the Skunk Ape is a real critter and has been seen in Big Cypress, Corkscrew, the Myakka River and up into the Kissimmee Valley and Reedy Creek. The Discovery Channel did a series on the Skunk Ape that brought down the utmost attention of the National Park Service.

Also offered are assorted poleboat, canoe and kayak tours.

Trail Lakes Campground
40904 Tamiami Trail US 41
Ochopee, FL 34141
(800) 504-6554

Sunset for skunk apes.

Old Pavilion RV Park in Keaton Beach, Florida, is on the backside of BFE about 25 miles southwest of US 19 in the eastern Big Bend. It’s so far out you can walk in the middle of the highway at Keaton Beach and rarely have to move for traffic.

Keaton Beach is pretty much the standard old-Florida Big Bend beachfront community in that there’s not a whole lot of beach, there’s one grill/restaurant, the marina sells lots of bait and beer and the nearest grocery store is 25 miles away. It’s changed a lot since the No Name Storm of March 1993 which wiped out this area of the coast. Literally wiped out with a huge surge. Bodies were found in the trees days later.  Now most of the houses are up on pilings 20 to 30 feet off the ground and they probably still can’t get flood or hurricane insurance; they simply don’t know that beach houses in Florida should be shacks and expendable.

Back to our regularly-scheduled story.

Old Pavilion’s claim to fame  is the row of oceanside campsites. They’re truly oceanside in that if you don’t brake you can literally park in the Gulf of Mexico. There’s about 10 transient sites; the other 20 or so are occupied by permanent or at least seasonal campers. Here’s the barge. The pilings are what’s left of the actual pavilion.

And another.

The electric works, the water’s ok, the sewer works and the wifi worked throughout our stay. One thing really good is that Old Pavilion is a member of Passport America and it was half-price for an entire week; that paid the PA membership fee plus put $100 back in our pockets!

I told you there were houses, a beach and a grill; here they come.

And next, what it’s all about.

Old Pavilion RV Park
20771 Keaton Beach Drive
Perry, FL.
850-578-2484
http://www.oldpavilionrvpark.com/
laibejeris@gtcom.net

http://chassahowitzkaflorida.com/

My story and I am sticken to it!!!

Sunday 15, Can’t get out of my camper for the muddy lot, so I jump out our the camper door and land in the dry earth just a few feet away, or so I though! Later… a few folks found some pallets so we could step on to that. Office closed. So, tomorrow is another day! They said, you can go to the office tomorrow to check in… NP, I can do that!

Monday… I already said see if I check us in again! Found a bloody man lying in the street while onlookers waited for an ambulance! Bummed out for sure. Didn’t even know that one of them was the manager until after I gave up window shopping in the store and left. Saw her later walking  toward the office and had to ask! She gave me a better lot, so moving time! Glad I didn’t get to settled in!

Tuesday… walked around and around and around the park to get my miles in! You know I like to walk!  Hmmm, maybe, just maybe I can settle in here! I got my chance to walk almost 5 miles! All around the park, down to the dock, then out to Jakes Bar and Grill! Man O Man, they really do have COLD draft beer! No booze allowed in the Park, wonder if they know about my liquor cabinet? Ooops, did I say that!

Wednesday… I’m tired. Did nothing… Okay, I’ll be honest, I surfed the Internet, streamed tv, etc. etc. etc.

Thursday… Laundry day, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth! Walked the park after dark and thought, wow! These folks really do have an evening cocktail by the fire! When no one can see them of course!

Friday… Interesting, had a camper come in!  Tried every which way but loose to get in that damn spot! Some old man whom I think is Grandma’s boyfriend directed him in the weirdest way how to get his TT in there and it worked, who would have thunk it! Overall, this place is so quiet that when you finely do hear a loud sound, you kinda jump out of your skin!

Saturday… It’s 7:05 am and suddenly… we are awaken with thundering sounds! Oh S@*t! I for one was not aware there was going to be this huge thunderstorm! John being the one who was a former captain of his own 31 footer, always watches the weather even today. He may no longer sail the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico, but he’s still very much aware of the weather. We both jump straight out of bed in a mad rush to look out some damn window! What is going on? Oh, just your local garbage man picking up the weekly trash! Geez…

Sunday… to be continued…