The rest of September was pretty normal. We did get a lot of rain the last 2 weeks and had about 4". Tinker went to the groomer's last week and got a bath. We went to the IHOP in Vero this last Monday and met our friends for a late breakfast. Mike had a dentist appointment this week. All just normal stuff.
On my birthday we went down to Vero to see the Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle movie. Then we went to Outback for dinner. Mike ordered the 13 oz. Ribeye with a house salad and broccoli & cheese and a piece of Cheesecake with caramel sauce. I ordered the 10 oz. Ribeye with a Caesar salad and loaded mashed potatoes and the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under pecan brownie. We each had a glass of merlot.
Since our trip to Curry Hammock State Park has been cancelled, our next trip won't be until November when we go down to Jonathan Dickinson State Park for 4 days.
The pile of tree debris from Hurricane Irma was picked up on the 23rd of this month. When I went out later that afternoon to check the mail, this is what the street looked like. Our block was the only one on our street that looked like this.
We're slowly getting back to normal after evacuating for Irma. It was really great that the power came back on just as we got home.
Yesterday we leveled the trailer and then unhitched it from the car. We were just too tired to deal with it when we got home at 7:00 Thursday night. We've unloaded everything out of the trailer and I'm catching up on the laundry.
This morning I went around the yard checking to see how our plants fared and took some photos. Most of the leaves were stripped from our Tibouchina tree, but it was amazing that a lot of the flowers were still there.
Our oak trees took the brunt of the storm and the upper branches are mostly gone on the tree in the front yard. Hurricane Matthew took a large number of the upper branches last year and Irma finished the job this year.
We had reservations to go to Fort Clinch on Amelia Island next week for 5 days and Mike cancelled the reservation. They did have some damage and may not have the campground open by next week. Besides, we aren't ready to take another trip right after getting home from this one.
We had reservations at Curry Hammock State Park for next month for 5 days and we got an email that our reservation was being cancelled because of damage to the campground due to Hurricane Irma. Curry Hammock is right on the Atlantic Ocean and only 36 miles north of Cudjoe Key where Irma crossed the Keys. We had been looking forward to going to Curry Hammock - maybe sometime next year after they've made the repairs.
We slept in this morning and took our time having breakfast. I put stuff away in the trailer while Mike emptied our tanks and disconnected from the hookups. I did remember to take a few pictures of our campsite and of the campground before we left.
This photo is looking down one of the road in the campground.
We left about 10:30 and headed south on I-95 and stopped at the Flying J on the first exit south to get gas and paid $3.199 for premium. We stopped a little after 1:00 for lunch at the 5 Guys on I-95 at Melbourne. We both ordered a little bacon cheeseburger and a regular fry and onion rings.
Then it was just 38 more miles to the house. We got home about 2:00. Just as we pulled up in front of the
We were up early this morning because we wanted to get an earlier start than usual. Several RVs left this morning while we were breaking camp. I put stuff away inside the trailer while Mike emptied the black and gray water tanks, disconnected from the water and sewer connections. Then we hitched the trailer up to the Pilot. It must have been about 8:00 when we left the campground and got on to I-10 East.
There was a lot of traffic on I-10, but it was moving fairly well. There were reports of gas stations in Florida having problems getting gas deliveries or were completely out. So we decided to stop only at truck stops for gas and I would check on Gas Buddy to check the gas situation on the truck stops ahead on our route.
We stopped at Love's at Cottondale, FL at 11:00 and got gas for $3.199 a gallon. We decided to eat lunch there and we both had the chicken tenders. Tinker stayed in the car with the A/C running and the doors locked and we brought him a few pieces of chicken from our lunch.
Traffic started slowing down the closer we got to Tallahassee and I took a photo around 1:30 near Quincy, FL.
I took a photo an hour later when we were just west of Lloyd, FL. We had driven 36 miles in that hour.
Traffic seemed to improve some when we passed the exit for I-75. I remember on our way west I looked at I-75 and it looked more like a parking lot. Today it was a little better, the traffic seemed to be moving albeit
We just lazed around the trailer this morning. It was still windy and overcast for most of the day. Then later this afternoon the sun came out and no more gusts of wind.
Mike called Compass RV Park at St. Augustine and made a reservation for us to stay there tomorrow night. It's 419 miles from here and will make for a long travel day. That doesn't account for the traffic on the highways of people going back home after evacuating for Irma.
Mike also called our tree trimmer Andre and arranged for him to come to the house and clean up the tree debris from the storm. Since we have 5 oak trees there is bound to be a lot of branches and such down on the ground.
Mike called our next door neighbor Bruce and there was no damage to our house or any of our neighbors'. The electricity is off for everyone, but Bruce and Tom across the street have generators so they are OK. However, Bruce can't get his car out of our garage until the electricity comes back on. At least he has his truck to use. Mike told him we would be home on Thursday.
I did take pictures this afternoon of our campsite - better late than never.
Styx River RV is a membership campground, but they waived the membership requirements for people
We've been keeping track of Hurricane Irma's progress and she passed between Tampa and Orlando today as a Category 1. Then by the time she was near Gainesville, she was downgraded to a tropical storm and headed towards southern Georgia.
The weather this morning was pretty good, but as the day went on it became cloudier and windier. We have had quite a number of wind gusts today probably around 30 mph or so.
I did walk over to the Laundry here at the campground to take a look in case I should need to use it. They have 4 washers and 4 dryers and a large shelf for folding. Instead of having to rely on my memory, I took a couple of photos.
Now that I'm writing about it, I realize that we haven't taken any photos of our campsite or the
We just stayed at the campground today and kept track of the updates on Hurricane Irma.
This morning she made landfall on Cudjoe Key as a Category 4 with 130 mph winds. There was a report that a 106 mph gust was recorded at the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine - we would see them all the time at Fletcher's house there when we went to visit. Sure hope they come out OK.
Then this afternoon Irma was down to a Cat 3 with 120 mph winds and headed towards Naples and Marco Island. By 6:00 tonight she is down to a Category 2 with winds of 110 mph. They think that Irma will weaken even more after this next landfall and as she travels up the west coast of Florida.
Because Irma's track has changed from going up the East Coast and is now going up the West Coast, we're wondering if we're going to feel any effect from the storm as it gets closer to northern Florida.
We all slept in this morning including Tinker. After breakfast Mike went out and hooked up the sewer connection. Then we took Tinker and drove down to Robertsdale to do some shopping.
We stopped at Camping World and bought a tripod, security alarm and a carrying bag for the Dish Satellite. Then we went to Zaxby's for lunch and we both had the Chicken Finger Plate and tea. We don't have a Zaxby's in Sebastian or Vero and the closest are in Melbourne and Port St. Lucie. So we always enjoy a chance to eat there. Since Tinker was with us, we left the car engine running and the A/C and locked the car. Tinker just lays down and naps until we get back - with a little something for him from our meal for a treat.
Then we went to WalMart to do a little shopping and stopped at a Chevron station for gas and paid $3.099 a gallon for premium. Then we went back to the campground.
Mike set up the Dish satellite on the new tripod and I called Dish to activate our service - $55.02. We are on their Pay-As-You-Go plan but you have to do it for a full month. Which when we get home, we just set the TV up in my office and I watch Dish until our month is up.
Yesterday we kept track of Hurricane Irma and she was still a Cat 5 late last night with winds of 160 mph.
We got up about 7:30 this morning. We were able to get a news station last night on TV and Hurricane Irma is still a Category 5 and still heading for Florida. According to the news this evacuation may be the largest one ever. I know there were a LOT of cars on the road yesterday and probably just as many today.
After walking Tinker and having our morning coffee, I took pictures of our campsite and some of the campground. The number on our campsite sign is faded and hard to make out, so I'm guessing we are in campsite F-11.
We kind of took our time breaking camp this morning. Mike didn't hook our sewer hose up last night and he did that this morning and emptied our black and gray water tanks. I talked to a woman this morning who was also evacuating and they hadn't quite decided what direction to go in - north or farther west. I told her we were going to a campground at Robertsdale, AL. I think most of the campers here are also evacuating, since most were getting ready to leave this morning.
We left Madison Campground this morning a little before the check-out time of 11:00 and headed west on I-10. We stopped at a Shell station at Lloyd, FL to get gas and paid $3.559 a gallon for premium. We gained an hour when we crossed into the Central Time Zone.
We weren't on I-10 West very long before we encountered traffic that was backed up.
We stopped at noon for gas at a Shell station near Lloyd, FL where we bought gas (premium) for $3.559 a gallon. We decided to stop for lunch when we got to Tallahassee and pulled into a Publix parking lot on US-319 and I fixed sandwiches and we had pasta salad. Then we got back on I-10 and then we saw this
We left the house this morning at 9:11 and got on I-95 north. It wasn't too long after getting on to I-95 that we had to slow down because of traffic. We were now part of the evacuation from Hurricane Irma.
Fletcher called us to see how we were doing and I told him about the heavy traffic. He suggested that I download the Florida 511 app to find out about traffic on the highways. So I started using FL 511 to check the traffic on I-95 north of us. I also checked the northbound traffic on the Florida Turnpike and I-75. Even with the traffic delays on I-95 it looked to be better than the traffic on the Turnpike and I-75.
We stopped at 12:00 at the Rest Area north of Titusville at mile marker 225 to have lunch and walk Tinker. We were back on I-95 by 12:30. We had driven 69 miles from home.
The closer we got to New Smyrna, the heavier the traffic got until we came to a crawl. One time we actually got up to 20 mph!
We stopped at 3:30 at the Flying J at St. Augustine for gas and paid $3.199 a gallon for premium. While Mike was pumping gas, I went inside and bought some Cinnabon BonBites and 2 cups of coffee for us to have on the road. So now we have driven a total of 80 miles since our last stop at the Rest Area and we're only 149 miles from home. Oh my, that's 80 miles in 3 hours!
We continued on north on I-95 to Jacksonville and then on I-295 to I-10 West. The traffic heading west on I-10 seemed to be somewhat better until we crossed over I-75 and then we ran into the west bound traffic that was backed up. However, just the short glimpse I got of I-75 - it looked like a parking lot - almost no movement!
We arrived at Madison Campground at 7:15 tonight. We had driven 157 miles since our stop for gas at
This morning Mike drove up to the Raceway here to top off the gas tank in the Pilot. They were out of premium which was priced at $4.445 a gallon (WOW), so Mike got regular grade at $2.699 a gallon. Mike also filled a couple of gas cans to take with us just in case we have a problem finding gas on the road.
I spent today doing laundry so that is all caught up just in case when we get home we don't have any electricity. I also made a broccoli and pasta salad to take with us.
I went to WalMart Supercenter this morning and bought a new Keurig coffee maker for the trailer. We had a small Keurig Mini K15 that only held enough water for 1 cup of coffee and this new one has a 36 oz. reservoir for water.
We've loaded everything we'll need for the trip in the trailer except for stuff we'll need for tonight and in the morning. We've hitched up the trailer to the car, so it's ready to go in the
The last few days have been pretty hectic. According to the weather and news forecasts, it looks like Hurricane Irma is on her way to Florida. Mike and I have decided to leave and take our travel trailer and not sit out Irma here.
So Mike has made reservations at Styx River Resort at Robertsdale, AL for Sept. 7 for a week. Styx River is a Coast to Coast campground and we can use our points to stay there and it won't cost us anything - yeah, FREE camping!
I've cancelled our newspaper delivery and put our mail on hold for that week. A lot of the stores are running out of bottled water and fortunately Sam's got a delivery in today. I went online at Sam's last night and ordered a couple of cases of water to pick up this morning. When I went to pick up the water, the clerk had even hidden the cases of water in the pick-up area so no one could see them. I even had the clerk at the exit door at Sam's ask me how I was able to get the bottled water and I told him I had ordered it on line last night. I even had people in the parking lot ask me how I managed to get bottled water since Sam's had already sold out of the truck load that came in that morning.
We don't have any shutters on our house windows, so I've spent a good part of today moving lamps and other things away from the windows. I've taken the breakable stuff off of dressers and shelves and put in dresser drawers, pictures that we have around I have put in drawers or on shelves in closets. I've gone through the house and taken photos of everything - furniture, photos, curio cabinets, anything I can think of, in case the windows get broken or the roof is torn off.
A few days ago Mike had tried calling several indoor RV storage places within about 50 miles of us to see if they had any openings and no luck.
Mike has connected the electric to the trailer and we are running the A/C and the frig in preparation for leaving. We've also started taking stuff out to the trailer. I always make it a point after we get back from a camping trip, to wash the bed sheets and then make the bed in trailer just in case we need to pack up in a hurry - at least that is done.
