The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[bama_ed]

Just made my spring 2024 camping reservations. Going with a new twist again.

In the past I've gone to one destination and stayed there only. Beginning with this fall, I've got a couple days at a Florida SP in the Panhandle (walk to the beach) and a following Gulf SP reservation (walk to the beach). So two destinations, shorter time in each than during a single destination, but it adds a little variety to the trip and the two are less than a half day's drive apart.

So for next year I used the 2-destination method again and reserved a stay at Gulf SP and one at Meaher SP (both in the Alabama SP system). There is some overlap in the dates. Both in waterfront sites in spring and both 2-week reservations that I will trim down later to what I will use. No preference which is first. They are about 60-90 minutes apart.

Meaher is up close to Mobile on an island in Mobile Bay. It's small but nice and simple. Nice view of I-10 out across the water to the south which is pretty at night (stayed there once). Lots of great seafood restaurants just outside the gate on the Causeway (Hwy 98) and the USS Alabama (it's time to revisit it).

Alabama SP can reserve sites a year to the day in advance for the arrival day and for a maximum length of stay of 14 nights. You can either pay in full now (HA) or pay one night deposit now and the balance upon arrival.

Like I say about reservations, "Better to have one and not need one than to need one and can't get one".

Bama Ed

 

[Teamubr]

Winter must be over!

Time to wake up the baby and get ready for some fun.



j

 

[4077]

I like the visit USS Alabama part… my son loves going to the USS Massachusetts (BB-59) up here in Fall River, MA… last year we stayed at a RI SP and visited… I think it would be cool to make a trip (where possible) of staying at CG’s that offer the ability to visit various naval vessel museums… I know we have the USS Enterprise (although I think i’d prefer a train ride/shuttle to NYC) and the USS New Jersey up here in Philadelphia to check out… I think there is actually a KOA that offers shuttle service (or works with a shuttle bus service) into NYC. Anyway, I like this idea…

 

[bama_ed]

I like the visit USS Alabama part… my son loves going to the USS Massachusetts (BB-59) up here in Fall River, MA… last year we stayed at a RI SP and visited… I think it would be cool to make a trip (where possible) of staying at CG’s that offer the ability to visit various naval vessel museums… I know we have the USS Enterprise (although I think i’d prefer a train ride/shuttle to NYC) and the USS New Jersey up here in Philadelphia to check out… I think there is actually a KOA that offers shuttle service (or works with a shuttle bus service) into NYC. Anyway, I like this idea…

Pair a visit to Meaher SP and USS Alabama with Gulf SP on the beach and then slip over to Pensacola NAS area for a day. Civilians are no longer allowed on base to watch the Blue Angels practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and people (I hear) set up folding chairs of the nearby Wal-Mart on Blue Angel Parkway (and the Target on the other side of BAP) which is very near the base. They do also fly out past Gulf Shores and come back maybe twice daily just off shore during practice.

Oh and you could climb the lighthouse at Pensacola NAS.

There are also some campsites across the P-Bay at Fort Pickens (few have full hookups as fyi) but it is an affordable recreation.gov campground and books up (especially sites with any tree shade). It's a little out of the way and takes a drive to get to but its beaches are on the Gulf with the snow white sands of the Gulf.

Ed

PS - I am a veteran of the USS Alabama (visiting it that is). Slept over night with Cub Scouts on the ship once (bunk rooms, 4 bunks top-to-bottom, rows of them, hard metal walls, ceilings, floors, and snoring dads. Got NO sleep that night. ) And maybe half a dozen day visits in my life. Beware that summer get be sticky because below decks it can get hot and stuffy as the air doesn't circulate well on a stationary ship in those temps. They have fans around but still ....

PPS - you can also day visit the USS Alabama from Gulf SP but it's 75-90 minutes each way during tourist season.

PPPS - the USS Alabama location also has a WWII submarine called the USS Drum to slither through. It's tight and quite the learning tool about life under water in WW2.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

I admit I didn’t really know either, Unfortunately we don’t stay long in places to really explore… and that stop in Greece was literally a rest stop for us after the long flight… so was lucky to have that view to get a picture… as the flight crew on this kind of trip, we mostly we spend our time trying to get rested for the next flight while struggling with sleeping as the body gets flipped around by 12 hours over a few days before reversing just as we start to acclimate…

I can't imagine the toll on the body for all the hopping around you're doing. I'd need horse tranqs to level out each 24 hours.

 

[bama_ed]

I can't imagine the toll on the body for all the hopping around you're doing. I'd need horse tranqs to level out each 24 hours.

Phineas Fogg went Around the World in 80 Days (Jules Verne) in the same direction as @4077 is and ended up back home a day earlier than he thought. While it takes a toll on the body for sure, @4077 needs to check the calendar at every airport they set down in to make sure he knows what day it is.

Not sure but the internet supposedly has a picture of @4077 with his air crew in their flying machine ....

Get home safe, @4077.

Ed

 

[4077]

I can't imagine the toll on the body for all the hopping around you're doing. I'd need horse tranqs to level out each 24 hours.

What is really crazy is when we cross the international date line…. we are leaving China at 3 pm on Friday afternoon and landing in Anchorage, Alaska (we have to stop here for fuel as Chicago is too far for our airplane in one shot) at 8 am on Friday morning….

 

[4077]

Phineas Fogg went Around the World in 80 Days (Jules Verne) in the same direction as @4077 is and ended up back home a day earlier than he thought. While it takes a toll on the body for sure, @4077 needs to check the calendar at every airport they set down in to make sure he knows what day it is.

Not sure but the internet supposedly has a picture of @4077 with his air crew in their flying machine ....

Get home safe, @4077.

Ed

Ahhh yes, here you can see as I was consulting the charts to make sure we stayed well clear of any hostile airspace… these spy cameras are really getting out of hand… as Uncle Orville would say, “No privacy at’all ‘round here!”

..oh, and thank you for the well wishes on our journey

 

[FtW Mike]

What happened to the attractive flight attendant?

 

[bama_ed]

It's NOT a real holiday weekend in my family unless somebody sets off the smoke alarm while prep cooking.

It was me this time. I did it.

Who knew kielbasa could get so hot?

At least I'll treat myself to a new frying pan so there is something good to come out of it.

Ed

 

[Teamubr]

Around here, it's the rolls. Can't have a holiday without burnt rolls.

j

 

[4077]

What happened to the attractive flight attendant?

She is much to modest to appear for such a grandstanding picture

 

[Teamubr]

Productive day on the motorhome. Got the tires aired back up and replaced the batteries in the TPMS sensors. One went dead at the end of last season, so they all got changed. Flushed all the pink stuff and checked for leaks. None found. The pump still works and I'm still making pink ice without any drama, so I'll consider that all good.

I pulled four of the six 6-volt house batteries and took them in to get tested. The coach was plugged in all night, so they should have been charged. All four had date codes of Feb "4", so I'm going to assume that means they are 9 years old. The coach is 11. None of the four would even test, they were so bad. The two I left in are definitely newer, but didn't have the date codes punched on them. O'Reilly said they would give me a discount if I buy them all at once. I'll probably do that, but will wait until next month. I have the last payment on my Europe/DLP trip and taxes to pay this month.



j

 

[tigger92662]

Well, we're not camping, but campfire in backyard without a jacket works just as well

 

[jbrostek]

@4077 Awesom pictures, I know some pilots and they said trips like that are worse then a busy Disney vacation with noisy neighbors. By the time you get home you could sleep for more then a day to recover.

@bama_ed Great start to the 24 season. We have not started our '24 RV plans, I am just starting on your June/July 2024 Cali road trip plans. Flying San Jose or San Fran, and driving the coastal to the other and flying out. DL will of course be a 2-3 day stop, and many other state and national parks to visits. No RV, jsut a minivan and hotels will be the plan.

@Teamubr that is a pretty good lifespan for batteries. At least now youll have known batteries and with the wattering system be good to go for some time. I have not made the move to lithium yet, we originally planned to build a custom battery for the golf cart. However, a freshly wound high torque motor is running so well and my converter being non lithium capable, I have chosen to hold off till I decide what I want to do.

 

[jbrostek]

Back from our spring break trip to San Juan, PR. We had a great time! The early Tuesday flight was a bit draining, though a nap on the plan and in the hotel room later that day made it possible. We took off at 0600 to JFK, then connecting flight at 0810 to SJU.

The nice part is that 0600 takeoff afforded us a gorgeous sunrise photo.



The flight was not bad at all, like the people mover. The landing at SJU due to winds and storms, was closer to a ride at Cedar Park.

Since we arrived around noon we had lunch by our resport pool while waiting for our room. The view was EXACTLY what we hoped for. This was so nice to wake up and see every morning.




Once in our room it was a short nap then officially down to swim in the pool and unwind from the flight. Even cought a rainbow, which we took as a good sign for our vacation.



That evening we had dinner at a nearby low key resteraunt called Wiakiki. It was the first time DW and I had Monfongo which is a plantain based bread bowl of sorts stuffed with various stuff. M had shrimp, I had lobster/shrimp and the girls tried chicken. We all enjoyed it a lot.

Wednesday we had a walking tour of Old San Juan booked, our guide was fun and full of information about the city and the sights. We picked hers because it wasnt just the major attractions of the city, rather more intimate of the history of the city. We really enjoyed the tour and spent the afternoon touring the city. The intersting part of Old San Juan is they have a program called "Save A Gato" in which they actually protect and feed the local cat population. The cats are mostly ferral, however are caught given vaccinations, and most of them sterilized to control population. This is done because the recognize that with the mostly ferral cats wandering around Old San Juan they have neven had much of a rodent problem. After our tour we worked our way up to El Morro following a geocache adventure lab. We also hit several geocaches through the city, and explored the grounds of Casa Blanca. After our day was done we had dinner at a local favorite Ropa Vieja which was really good.

Hiding from the rain, or a managers meeting....you decide....

Thursday we were off to an area near El Yunque rainforest. Due to the limit on the visitors at the NP since the hurricane, we where treated to the tour of a private property on the edge of the NP. Got to see some of the rainforrest, slide down some natural water slides, and swim in the basin pools. Afterwards was lunch at Liquillo beach on the atlantic but behind a breakwater reef. The water was calm, soft sand and sun. The non main resport prices where great, 4 people fed a full lunch for under $25. M and I got some 'large' mojitos. I thought large was the 32oz cup in front for me....who knew it would be a giant Quart container. So 8 drinks in hand for under $30 was still a deal......and a heck of a buz. The guide gave us lots of useful information for a return trip and some great places to try for meals! That eveing we chose a place called Birra House, kinda steak and pizza joint. DD and DW got a pizza to split, oldest DD got a burger and I ordered a calzone based on the waiter saying it was enough for one person. What showed up was a 12" pizza stuffed and folded in half....it was a 2 person meal. We had good fun, but man was I stuffed.



Friday was spent mostly around the hotel beach and pool. We stared with breakfast at the hotel Cafe which was tasty and filling, enough to take us past lunch when we ordered a small snack by the pool and snapped some finale pictures.

For our final dinner we ate at a place called Social, higher end dinning and a chance to dress up a little.



The next day we had a late flight out of San Juan. It started out pretty rainy, yet we stil went back to Old San Juan to explore and have lunch. We picked up a few small things we wanted and I got some locally roasted coffee. We had an early lunch and then back to the hotel to collect our bags and change. We knew it would be significantly colder when we got home. Due to weather quite a bit of turbulance at take off and on decent DC. Enough so I was thankful we did not try to eat anything before the flight after being filled up from lunch. However, between both sets of turbulance we where afforeded a comfortable flight and a unique sunset.



We got home shortly after 9pm. Had a few light snacks before crashing hard. Easter was slow start, pancake breakfast and later in the afternoon I had to go food shopping. Thankfull I was able to pull togeter a nice Easter dinner. Today it is back to the grind and starting to finalize our Disney plans in just over 90 days.

 

[garneska]

Nice trip report @jbrostek sounds like you all had a great time, including some relaxing.

For those wondering the RV is still in the shop. Apparently they have the last of the parts so i might have it back by the end of the month. I really wanted to get it out and make sure everything is working good before our RV trip in June. However we have a fun trip planned at the end of May, we are going to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, not in the RV. Not quite sure how it is all going to fit in, but will figure something out.

Whisky likes to chew and ate a bunch of her rope toy. Saturday she was sick. Thankfully later in the evening she threw up all the rope. Sunday she was doing better but still a little slow. She was well rested by this morning and ready to go for her walk once i got home from running. Looks like she is ready for the dog park tonight.

Hope everyone had a good Easter.

 

[jbrostek]

@garneska Thanks! It was a nice trip, we balenced doing and not doing well this time.

Penny has done that with even fabric toys. She has learned some.

 

[Teamubr]

James- Great TR. It looks gorgeous. My boss was there last week too. I'm sure you probably saw him.

I'm always looking for new places for a long weekend. PR looks like it should be on the list.

j

 

[jbrostek]

I think long weekend makes it worth it for sure!