Wow, what a difference 24 hours make. Today was the almost final leg of our Florida trip. A better, earlier start and only a couple of traffic hiccups led to an enjoyable day on the road.
Like yesterday, it looks like all of Michigan is headed south, many with cars decorated with green and white paint with "Go State!" writings on them.
It's funny what you think of during a long day of driving, but at one point today a Toyota passed us (heck, everything passes us) and I said to Joan: "Better to have a Toyota in front of you then behind you." Just my odd sense of humor playing on the news of the day.
We have learned some valuable lessons already this trip. Never, ever, ever pull the trailer into a place until you have a sure way out. Almost got myself trapped in a gas station in Ocala, Florida. I realized, too late after pulling up to the pump, that I did not have enough turning radius to pull both the Tahoe and trailer across the front of the travel center store.
So I put Joan out behind the trailer so I could carefully back out of my spot and turn around. That was complicated by heavy traffic flowing into the station and poor Joan had to keep giving me the "Stop" sign so I wouldn't back into an impatient motorist.
Suddenly an entire pump lane opened up two lanes down from mine and I calculated, correctly as it turned out, that I had just enough room to swing wide, pass in front of the travel center and out through the open gas lane. So I whipped the truck and trailer around and left poor Joan standing in the driveway looking perplexed as I drove off.
But being the good sport she is, she knew I wasn't leaving her, but had seen an opening and she sprinted across the parking lot and jumped into the truck shaking her head. "I didn't know what you were doing, but I figured you did."
I got some practice judging the left to right clearance of the rig when we had to go through 300 Florida toll booths around Orlando. I'm only slightly exaggerating. I could have purchased another tank of gas for what we spent in tolls.
Pulled into the Sunshine Travel RV Resort in Vero Beach (that's the sign at left, but you have to use your imagination for the Sunshine Travel RV Resort lighted sign part) and found a beautiful, landscaped park with a lot of many time visitors. Everyone has been very friendly and helpful to us newbies. Joan slaved over our second night of hot dogs and baked beans for dinner and we're settled in for a quiet night of television watching.
Tomorrow we head for Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound and a couple days visiting with my aunt and uncle in Stuart, Florida. Should be beautiful. Enjoy the photos.
Starting mileage and time: 31224 - 8:35 a.m.
Ending mileage and time: 31663 - 4:33 p.m.
More tomorrow or Sunday.
Like yesterday, it looks like all of Michigan is headed south, many with cars decorated with green and white paint with "Go State!" writings on them.
It's funny what you think of during a long day of driving, but at one point today a Toyota passed us (heck, everything passes us) and I said to Joan: "Better to have a Toyota in front of you then behind you." Just my odd sense of humor playing on the news of the day.
We have learned some valuable lessons already this trip. Never, ever, ever pull the trailer into a place until you have a sure way out. Almost got myself trapped in a gas station in Ocala, Florida. I realized, too late after pulling up to the pump, that I did not have enough turning radius to pull both the Tahoe and trailer across the front of the travel center store.
So I put Joan out behind the trailer so I could carefully back out of my spot and turn around. That was complicated by heavy traffic flowing into the station and poor Joan had to keep giving me the "Stop" sign so I wouldn't back into an impatient motorist.
Suddenly an entire pump lane opened up two lanes down from mine and I calculated, correctly as it turned out, that I had just enough room to swing wide, pass in front of the travel center and out through the open gas lane. So I whipped the truck and trailer around and left poor Joan standing in the driveway looking perplexed as I drove off.
But being the good sport she is, she knew I wasn't leaving her, but had seen an opening and she sprinted across the parking lot and jumped into the truck shaking her head. "I didn't know what you were doing, but I figured you did."
I got some practice judging the left to right clearance of the rig when we had to go through 300 Florida toll booths around Orlando. I'm only slightly exaggerating. I could have purchased another tank of gas for what we spent in tolls.
Pulled into the Sunshine Travel RV Resort in Vero Beach (that's the sign at left, but you have to use your imagination for the Sunshine Travel RV Resort lighted sign part) and found a beautiful, landscaped park with a lot of many time visitors. Everyone has been very friendly and helpful to us newbies. Joan slaved over our second night of hot dogs and baked beans for dinner and we're settled in for a quiet night of television watching.
Tomorrow we head for Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound and a couple days visiting with my aunt and uncle in Stuart, Florida. Should be beautiful. Enjoy the photos.
Starting mileage and time: 31224 - 8:35 a.m.
Ending mileage and time: 31663 - 4:33 p.m.
More tomorrow or Sunday.
Sounds like a great vacation and I'm glad to see your ability at backing up a trailer have improved over the years! It's a guy thing? Seems like there was a broken wheelcover in that history. Enjoy, drive safe!
ReplyDeletepractice makes perfect....
ReplyDelete