The long overdue update is finally here from our last few weeks in the Sunshine State. We have a completely different agenda in Florida than at our home in Virginia. In Florida, we have many things to do either inside the RV park or outside in the surrounding towns. We seem to be out and about exploring new destinations and usually finding a great eating establishment. Whereas back home in the mountains, we enjoy the large home and yard and venture out only once a week or so. So, here is the final winter wrap up of some of those Florida activities!
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My long overdue blog post has finally been written and posted! In this update, I will try to capture the highlights of the last couple of months. There have been many highs and a few lows over this period as we have enjoyed the many activities and friends at our RV park in New Port Richey (NPR) Florida. I’m sure a few things will be left out as I try to cover this time.
Arrived in Florida
We survived a rushed loading session back in Virginia due to a delay in getting the rig. The low stress five-day loading process turned into a hurried 1.5 day controlled chaos. I only missed packing a couple of things, and I believe Pat got everything needed for the kitchen. Pretty amazing since the weather turned cold at 22 degrees on the morning that we left. That was just a nice reminder of what we will be missing!
The Snowbird Trip That Almost Wasn’t
We are officially, finally, off on our annual snowbird pilgrimage to the warm south. I’m writing this post from our RV park from Savannah, Georgia, an overnight stop on the way. I did have a few unexpected snags with the RV this year. Just to make things interesting, I guess.
Tampa RV Show
We attended this massive show on the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa this year after hearing about it and seeing their ads. It is supposed to be the second largest in the US, next to the one in Hershey, Pa. The purpose was just to look around at the new RVs and see what has changed from when we bought ours in April 2017. What functionality and cosmetic changes have crept in over the last six years?
Sunset Cruise – New Port Richey
There is always a plethora of activities here at Orchid Lake RV and in the vicinity of New Port Richey (NPR). One of the occasional activities is a small cruise out of NPR on a 31 person boat. It is run by Captain Anthony Aristides Andrianos, a resident here at our RV park. This cruise was a two hour sunset cruise out into the Gulf and along the coast.
Family Get Together & Dunedin, Florida
The small town of Dunedin is one of our favorite local places to visit and have lunch. Many sites, many restaurants, and eight breweries in a 36,000 people population city. It is also known for its beaches, pine forests, and ospreys of Honeymoon Island. We also drove south to Parrish, FL to spend a couple of days with Pat’s brothers and wives.
Happy New Year! – Arrived at Winter Home
We are now at our RV park for the winter (since 12/7) in the city of New Port Richey, Florida. It is located a few miles north of Tampa along the gulf coast. Our plans are to stay here for about four months before returning back to Virginia. The time will go by quickly so Pat and I sat down and came up with a decent list of 22 quick road trips/excursions to keep us busy. Happy New Year!
Winter Route Plan
We have determined our route south this winter to Florida. No big loop to Louisiana like we planned last year. Just almost a straight south shot with a few stops along the way. Speaking of winter, the first day of fall has just passed by and the leaves have already started to drop. Our leave by date of December 1st is usually the end of the leaf raking. Today’s photos are unrelated to today’s post, but from last month’s festivals in the area.
Beyond Van Gogh
I had seen advertisements on the Tampa TV stations and on Facebook regarding an immersion experience of Van Gogh’s art work. It sounded like an interesting concept. And was being presented at several cities across the country. The local presentation was in Sarasota, Florida and we only had a few days to go before leaving to go back Up North. So, off we go and were able to work this in after a family visit in the area.