Flagler FL

Odometer:17350

Gas: 2.39

This pics for Eric:

We needed a rest stop overnight on our way to Orlando (sleep, gas, propane, groceries) - Zoe was being great driving, so we made it all the way here from Hilton Head - we should have just kept driving. I wasn't even going to make an entry for this place, but our 14 hours here were so so amazing I just had too. This was definitely not a KOA.

After finding the place to check in - it was the house down the road from the now locked up building that still says registration on it, I asked to fill the propane. This was not a problem by the woman at registration, it was a problem by the man she contacted on the walkie talkie who whined he was off at 4 and it was now 4:10. She knew how to run her business though and told him to come help me and hung up. I took the empty tank to the fill station and waited a few minutes - finally an older guy drives up in his golf cart, beer in hand, doesn't say a word, but does take my tank and fill it up. OK, fine.

I hook the tank back up to the trailer and then we head down to our site - long story short, the water and electric are completely opposite ends from sewer - for those of you who don't know, this is chaos in RV land. That, and there was a tree where the lady put us to park on the map. We just continued down the road a ways until I could make a little sense out of another spot - it wasn't exactly busy at this place.

As I was looking for a new site, Zoe, Missy, and Kes walked 25 yards back to the canal behind the sites - and found the resident gator - about 4 feet long, just swimming around. Unfortunately we never did get a pick of him. I was more worried about snakes, but never did see one - I guess the grass was just too tall!?

As I was unhooking from the truck and plugging everything in, I hear:

"You're not from around here, arrrrre ya"?

To which I said, to another man in a golf cart holding a cheap can of beer. "hmm, what gave it a way, maybe my license plate"?

He then said: "We don't got the rock here that ya got in Wisconsin, you're gonna sink in the mud with that jack, you need wood under there"

"Under where?" I asked.

"all of your stabalizers and jacks; got any? I'll go find some"

"I'm only dropping the tongue jack tonight, but, OK, thanks"

I continue doing my thing after placing some wood under the tongue jack when he returns, with wood, - and the propane guy!

I guess I'm the afternoon entertainment in Flagler?????

"Here, use these, but they got bugs, so wipe them off before putting them in your trailer. We'll teach you how to camp here in Florida"

Smiling "thanks"

They then ask - "where ya heading"

"I'm going to Orlando, Disney world"

Chuckling "you're in Florida, you gotta go to the Keys"

Me, still smiling "well, I have two small kids, I think they would like Disney better, and I don't want to get stuck in Keys if a hurricane crops up"

"Hurricane, there's no hurricane, you'll be fine"

"Sure, but what if one forms while we are down there"

they smile, "no problem, they aren't that bad"

at this point, I turn them off as they continue talking - I think to me, but also to each other.

Then the propane guy pipes - "You're gonna drive that to Orlando, you're crazy, I'm gonna watch the news for you in a wreck, lots a traffic there".

This got me to stop and ask "I've towed this thing almost 7000 miles so far, in traffic and hills, what's so magical about the last hundred miles in between here and Orlando that I won't be able to make it"?

I get back " traffic, lots of people, just stay in the middle lane"

"OK, thanks for the tip . . ." I started to explain where we had been over the last two months in regards to driving, but then realized who I was talking to, so I just stopped and kept working.

The silence was broken by:

"Whatchya do for work", to which I replied I had just finished school and was road tripping with the family.

They then asked, "how old are you, how much school did ya do".

At this point, I could think of nothing better to say than "all of it" which was actually quite acceptable by them, but they wanted more, so I finally said "face doctor", which seemed to register or at least flicker something inside, and they both were happy with that one.

I thanked them profusely for all of their helpful tips and watched them both weave back to their respective trailers. I was wondering if there has ever been a drunk driver crash into a parked trailer here before - I hope not tonight!!

OK, trailer unhooked, Zoe has been great in the car for 5 hours, lets go to the pool to let her burn some energy!! As soon as we went through the gate, I had flashbacks to the fraternity house - in smell only. The aroma of cheap spilled beer was radiating from the pool deck. But, the pool was clean and there were a few other kids there, so we ventured in. Once established, we started observing the others. Not only were their sentences incomplete, but so was there dentition, but why judge, they were all very nice, if just a little tipsy. Zoe had fun, it seemed clean, we stayed safe. Lets go home and get Mom and Kes and head to the grocery. The most uneventful part of our stay, but the locals all needed extensive dental work - obviously not a priority in Flagler.

Anyway, off to Disney!!