Riding the Trails and Hiking the Forest

Yesterday Billy and left here before daylight to drive the motor home 90 miles to see about some repairs. YES, the mushrooms are still growing through the wall.  Oh my!  We are having a difficult time with the manufacturer for a problem that surfaced long before the warranty was up on the motor home.  The company who worked on the problem while we were still under warranty has gone out of business, and naturally they did not correct the leak.  Certainly more to follow as we continue to encourage the manufacturer to "do the right thing!"

We went to the Wandering Wiregrass ATV Trails with JC and Kathy on Monday. (http://www.ehow.com/list_5981225_atv-trails-ocala-forest.html).  It was about 14 miles of hills and curves winding through a beautiful long leaf pine forest.  No bears seen this outing; however, we are going out again tomorrow.  Billy and I have been enjoying the Monday-Thursday night "Beat The Clock" Specials at the only restaurant in Salt Springs - Bass Champions (http://saltspringsfl.com/bass-champions).  You can order shrimp (cooked any way), oysters, flounder, country fried steak, chicken fingers, and about five other items and pay the special Beat The Clock prices.  If you arrive at 4:00, you pay $4.00 for your dinner, 5:00, $5.00......until 6:00.  What a hoot!  Salt Springs has a population of 7,950 and the line to get in the restaurant at 3:50 pm yesterday was out the door.  The food is expertly prepared and tastes great, especially at these prices!

While Billy was setting the motor home up after our return yesterday we had a gentleman stop by and ask for directions to the "path that leads to The Great Florida Birding Trail" from our campground. http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/about/access_the_trail/  The Great Florida Birding Trail is a 2,000 mile trail through the state of Florida that Billy and I have been wanting to visit.  This gentleman is a volunteer for the trail and performs trail maintenance.  He is not the first person who has come through looking for the path.  I donned bear whistle, hiking boots/socks, orange vest, and bear spray and off I went to see if we could find the "path" to the Trail.  As you can tell, I am very proud of myself because I found the "path;" however, I didn't go all the way to the Great Florida Birding Trail.  Billy and I will hike our way back to it after Christmas and after I purchase a new water bottle for Maggie!  Did see LOTS of bear tracks out there.  So many that it looked like the "teddy bears had a picnic" out there last night.  Can't wait to return.

So, Life Is Good Today here in the forest.  We plan to crawl out from underneath our collard leaf and drive to Tampa on Friday to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Marianne and her family.  Thanks for stopping in.

Maggie warming up on the hot sand!

A break from our ATV ride!