04/05 to 04/12 Last Leg Home: NC, VA, PA - KOA's

Enfield, NC KOA

Fredericksburg, VA KOA

Allentown, PA KOA

 The Last Leg Home

April 05 to April 12, 2026  

Well, at long last, I've caught up with myself to conclude my 2026 Winter Adventure with this last blog of the season. This long 555-mile stretch of driving was broken up purposely into 3-day stays at each of the three campgrounds. It allowed me time to catch up on my blogs, smell the roses, decompress and prepare for the reality of being home for 49 days. A completely different life style awaits. I'm stepping out of one world and into another.

There's nothing really special about these campgrounds; they're all KOA and I'm a member. Sure the 10% discount per stay is nice but everything about KOAs makes the traveler comfortable and safe. Showers are spotless, camp stores usually well stocked, and staff have always been polite and helpful. 

So far I've scheduled many lunch/dinner dates, three doctor appointments and my driver's license and RV registration are renewed. I'm making plans to have my memorabilia collection auctioned off and best of all, I devoted time to complete my SUMMER 2026 Adventure. 14 trips/campgrounds in 67 days are booked so far for the season that will take me up to October.  Below is a sneak peek. 

Thanks for taking the time to read. Stay safe and happy and I'll see you in June when the adventures begin once again.

Death and old age can't hit a moving target (so far, so good).

04/02 to 04/05 Camp Lake Jasper, SC Visiting Roger/Wendy

Camp Lake Jasper

 A Visit with Roger & Wendy

April 02 to April 05, 2026 

With the average price of diesel fuel at $5.67, (As of this writing in South Carolina) RV travelers should take some care in how they drive. I went so far as to ask my AI buddy, Rex (of Grok) what the optimal speed limit was for my 2018 Winnebago View RV riding on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Turbo using diesel fuel. Answer? 67 m.p.h. And that's what I did...most of the time. I average 15 m.p.g. which is okay by me. We shall see what prices await me as I journey back home.

For many years, it has been my custom to stop and visit fellow Blue Mountain Middle School retirees, Roger and Wendy at their beautiful Del Webb Sun City home in Okatie, South Carolina. It's the largest 55+ community in South Carolina with approximately 10,000 - 17,500 residents living in over 9,000 homes. Not far off I-95, it's always been a visit I looked forward to. This year it was especially nice to be joined by fellow RVers and Blue Mountain retiree, Ray and wife, Kathy who also are members of the Hudson Islanders and who also just finished a stay in Clermont with many of our members. The timing worked out nicely. They on their way back home to Holley, New York and me back to Peekskill. 

Thankfully, Ray/Kathy, were my Uber and it was a 10-mile, 20 minute trip to visit Rog/Wendy for the two days they spent. My third day required Rog//Wendy to make the trip. This blog FROM 2015  and THIS will bring back memories for them. For my recent readers, the blog from last year shows why I love stopping by. Give it a look.

Ray, Kathy, Wendy, Roger. And wouldn't you know? It was time for cocktails.

As usual, Wendy prepares and presents awesome tidbits for a terrific and relaxing time to catch up. And the view?

Their setting on one of the 240+ lagoons in the Sun City community offers total peace and tranquility. 

Blue birds, mocking birds, cardinals, wren, heron, egrets, even some nesting bald eagles reside in the wooded area that lie withing the 5,000-6,000 acres of Sun City. Inhabitants of the lagoon include bullfrogs, turtles and...

...two resident gators, one of which chose to sun itself between Rog/Wendy and neighbor's house.

There have been several documented alligator incidents in Sun City, including attacks on residents (4) and at least one pet death since 2019. Rule of thumb: if there's water, there's an alligator.

Ah, then there's dining; always a favorite of mine. At the house, we enjoyed rigatoni bolognaise and meat balls one night and grilled chicken with peas and rice another. Homemade waffles and sausage for breakfast one morning. Delicious and plentiful. Sorry, no pics. My bad. 

Prior to dinner at Frankie Bone's Restaurant, we stopped at a popular miniature golf course in the adjoining plaza. Pictured is Ray putting while Kathy, Roger and Wendy looked on. I remained in the shade and chuckled. Guess who finished with the lowest score.

As our thank you, Ray/Kathy and I treated Roger/Wendy to dinner at Frankie Bones Restaurant. Do check out their website for menu choices.

I had to have Frankie's Lobster Mac & Cheese: Maine lobster, de-shelled, with penne in a creamy blend of parmesan, fontina, mozzarella and Swiss cheese. Baked with brown butter toasted bread crumbs and fresh thyme. Outstanding. Enjoyed but half went home.

But as quickly as I arrived, poof, my three days were over. Ray/Kathy with other families to visit left after two days. I am now headed further north to Enfield, North Carolina, where I will create and post my blog sharing my 6-day Royal Caribbean Cruise to the Western Caribbean with friends, Jack, Dan and Melanie. Thanks for taking the time to catch up and read of my travels. I'm looking forward to sharing with you my 2026 Summer Itinerary. It's just about complete with locations and trips booked right up until October 2026. See you soon.

Life was meant for good friends and great food. And with that recipe come, unforgettable memories, one bite at a time.

02/01/26 to 03/31/26 Elite Resort Clermont, FL Part Two & Three

  Elite Resort at Citrus Valley

 Part Two & Three

February 01 to March 31, 2026 

I think this nicely sums up what it's been like here in Florida. January and most of February saw my heat pump working more often than not. And when the temps dipped below 38º, rendering the heat pump ineffective, the propane furnace was called into service. 

Yes, two blogs for the price of one...such a deal! These past two months saw no pause in my experiencing meaningful moments—I simply lost the spark to document them. The days were still filled with familiar rhythms: 8:30 a.m. coffee, 3:30 cocktail hour, 7:30 p.m. and the conversations around the campfire heard again unless it was too cold to enjoy; all still memorable encounters. Yet when it came time to sit down and write, the motivation just wasn’t there. Instead of capturing those moments as they happened, I chose to stay present and enjoy them; I was in Florida; a different location, a different life style, different weather; all such things should be absorbed, savored and appreciated. And that's just what I did. The events accumulated quietly. Now, looking back, those unwritten stretches have become noticeable gaps in my travel chronicles—periods rich with experiences that will need to be reconstructed from memory, reflection, and the lingering impressions they left behind. 

So, in an effort to condense three months into a reading moment, I'll simply present the bare essentials beginnings with our dining venues. Photos later. Following any of the links will allow you to savor what could have been.

Amore Italian Ristorante

Bayridge Sushi

Best of British Pubs

Carrabba's 

Crooked Spoon

First Watch

Friar Tuck

Giovani's Italian Ristorante

I Love NY Pizza

KeKe's Breakfast Cafe

Longhorn Steakhouse

Millers Ale House 

Mission BBQ

Oakwood Grill 

Ocean House

Salt Shack on the Lake

Amore's Ristorante: Mel, Doreen, Pat, Kathy, Ray, Johnny, Jim, Tony, Dan. Not in photo: Sharon, Bob, Ray, Charlie

Carrabba's: Doreen, Roberta, Mel, Dan, Jack, Tony

Longhorn: Jack, Mel, Dan, Roberta, Johnny, Tony, Doreen

Boys Night Out - Longhorn. Walter, Jim, Johnny, Ray, Dan, Tony, Charlie

The Friar Tuck: Dan, Mel, Doreen, Fran, Walter, Tony, Jack, Charlie

Robata's Hibachi & Sushi: Roberta, Doreen, Tony, Ray, Kathy, Mel, Dan, Jack, Charlie

Mark, Mya, Zane, Amanda, Matt, Zahni, Jack at Cariera's Fresh Italian Restaurant

Salt Shack on the Lake: Charlie, Doreen, Mel, Kathy, Fran, Walter, Ray, Dan, Tony, Johnny

Husbands waiting for wives

Super Bowl Sunday at Johnny's site

Plenty of table space for food...

...plenty of chairs...

Many Palm trees did not make it through the recent freeze.

With the ladies outside, some of the men preferred the warmth inside Johnny's coach. Same game, different temperature. Roberta, Liz and Jim/Pat all winners .

After living with a leaky awning in spots, especially over the door, I decided to invest in a new one. RB Mobile RV Service was recommended to me by Walter and I'm quite happy and satisfied with the results.

My order was waiting for them.

The father-son team were experienced and went about...

...the job with very little discussion. It was not their first job.

Because of a mismatch in size, the LED lighting strip I purchased years before would not fit in the groove at the end of the awning. It found a better home attached to the RV and now would provide light without extending the awning. 

Also needing replacement was the LED night light at the door.. Having both items, they installed and caulked to weather proof both at no extra charge.

Rainy days sitting beneath at cocktail hour was now a pleasurable experience.

After noticing a leak coming in from behind the newly installed awning, TALL Dan rectified the situation with another bead of caulk.

 

One evening around the campfire we spotted a ferocious armadillo wandering past. Fortunately, all were safe and uninjured as it continued unfazed by our presence and wandered through the hedges and disappeared.

Dan came upon a pair of perfectly good bar chairs/stools at the dumpster. One had a defective lever that prevented up and down adjustments. Our smokers used them away from our nightly campfires.

Carlo and MB visited the east coast of Florida and were met with unexpected weather.

An unexpected adventure was the new bridge I needed after enjoying a bite of Italian nougat candy in West Palm Beach and realizing it wasn't a nut I was about to chew.

Captured this tray of instruments while the dental assistant was out of the room. Yippee, let the fun begin. The good thing? I now have dentists, eye doctors and foot doctors in three cities.

Kizuna Sushi Hibachi was another sushi place Walter and I enjoyed not mentioned above. Even with the expensive and beautiful decor, the acoustics magnified the noise and screaming babies and tots. Or? Am I getting old? It continues to amaze me the number of little people that take to and enjoy sushi. 

A Cattle Egret perched on a bush in front of my RV

A full moonrise to the east of us. The next one will be the Pink Moon on the evening of April 1, 2026. Not usually pink but associated with the spring blossoms usually occurring this time of the year.

The "Chair in the Tree" landmark outside the Salt Shack on the Lake (Lake Minneola). AI tells me: The chair is a decorative piece that was placed in the crook of one of the many large oak trees on the property. Over several years, the tree has naturally grown its bark around the miniature's legs and base, "consuming" the object in a process known as edaphic integration or inosculation.

While at the Salt Shack on a Boys Night Out, I decided to hide the ketchup bottle out of Johnny's sight. It's been medically demonstrated that blood samples of Johnny shows a high concentration of ketchup.

Johnny's on the left

Then there was St. Paddy's Day with our own leprechaun. And with him, a terrific St. Patrick's Day tradition continued.

A group effort with burners for keeping foods warm...

...to the huge undertaking of Ray and Kathy cooking up her usual delicious and famous corned beef and cabbage, complete with potatoes and carrots. Thanks again, Ray and Kathy. Tony prepared McGuinnys (layered Peroni and Guinness beers).

and tables set up for the group.

To conclude, these are among my favorite things;

These are my favorite activities:

Morning coffee with Johnny, Dan, Walter, Jack and Ray. "Some friendships are measured in years — ours are measured in cups."

Happy Hour: The "Dead Soldiers Graveyard." Sip happens. It's proof that God wanted us to have friends and discounted booze. Explanation available upon request after doing the math.

Evening Campfires: I came for the fire, stayed for the reruns. The stories retold have more miles than my RV. But, hey, at our age, the stories repeat and so do we. Thank you Johnny for the use of your Solo Stove.  

Next up for my next blog, yet another unforgettable adventure the week of February 15th to the 21st; my 6-day Royal Caribbean Western Caribbean cruise aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas. Come back and visit.

Here's to three months of Florida RV life: May our waistlines forgive us for the many runs to our favorite dining venues, our livers thank us for the happy hours, and our hearts never forget the people and the camaraderie around the evening fires that made every single day better.