Dem Gators

My blog is not always a detailed day by day happening.  Many of you who have read me for years, know that I often write out of sequence. This was written  in March when I was visiting Savannas Recreation Area, Fort Pierce, Florida but I am just now getting around to posting it. My brain still works funny.  I discovered I have over 200 unpublished posts in progress, so I may eventually get them all finished. 

Welcome to Savannas Recreation Area, Fort Pierce, Florida

I should have known when you enter a beautiful campground and the first thing you see is "Do Not Feed Alligators"  that this visit was bound to be an adventure. 


The office assigned my spot, even though I noticed others were allowed to drive through and pick their own spots. I let it slide. I decided long ago to be happy with my camping lot.  Sometimes you end up with a fantastic place, other times, a not so great spot. But if you can't make yourself happy where you end up parked, or you've become ultra picky, then maybe traveling like a gypsy isn't for you. So I tell myself to love the spot and have a great time. 


This was worked wonderfully well so far. 




Long ago, I read on somebody's blog that they took a picture of their RV in  every place they spent the night. So I am doing that too. It's a terrific idea.  


As I write this now, I am up before dawn, waiting for the sun to rise. It's something I often do. Get up to watch the sun come up!  I don't know why that daily miracle fascinates me so much, but it does. I think it's a reminder than I've been handed a wonderful gift.  Another day on this wild planet, another day I've been spared.  

I only got lost a few times. Not in finding the park, but in finding the Publix grocery store. I passed three grocery stores, but each time I was in the wrong lane in thick traffic, unable to change lanes to make the turn in time. Since I had directions to a grocery store a few miles before the park, I figured, I still had a chance of finding it. 

I added that cargo carrier to my RV hitch, so instead of 27 feet long, I am now almost 30 feet long. I am trying to remember this when I change lanes, so that I don't twack another vehicle with my cargo carrier, which I can not see in my mirrors, I just have to remember it's back there. 

When I got to where the grocery store should be, I couldn't find it. I ended up on some side streets, dodging low hanging trees and a basketball hoop that was parked in the street. Not by the street, but IN the street. Then I realized what the problem was, why I couldn't see the store. 

Can't see the forest for the trees...

Years back the parking lot of the shopping mall area had been carefully landscaped and manicured with perfect little  trees precisely planted. Now those trees had all grown to the identical height. They cleverly blocked not only all the signs for the mall, but every sign on the facade above the stores. So when I looked for the grocery store, all I saw was trees. 

Can't see the mall for the trees...  Never thought I would say that in America!

I will give Florida an A+ in my book for beautiful parking lots. Many are exquisitely  landscaped, which makes my four legged co-pilot very happy who is often treated to a brief tour of the parking lot landscaping. He likes to water the bushes and trees. If he leaves a deposit, I am a pretty good pet parent, I clean up his poop.  I can't say that all dog walkers do this...  but I try to be decent about it all. 

Of course some of those gorgeous landscaped parking lots with lots of trees, can be a real nightmare for my wheel estate, as I slowly drive very erratically trying to dodge low hanging branches. I fear I resemble a drunk, very uncertain at the wheel, but in reality, I am trying not to bang into anything.  Sometimes the trees are too short for me to give Harley the dog,  some shade while I am shopping. 

On this day, I feared the heat was too much, so to give me peace of mind while I shopped, I treated Harley to the generator and air conditioning in his rolling dog house. 

This alligator kept a constant vigil in the wetlands a few feet behind my  wheel estate.

The next morning, I was waiting at the office when they unlocked the doors.

I asked to move to a different lot, one I had picked out, that was much further from the gators.

Yes, I am a wimp and I was just too worried about my tiny dog, to be happy where I was.  

I felt like I couldn't enjoy my outdoor "patio" because this alligator was intently staring at me and my dog, watching our every move. I felt like he was waiting to leap out of the water and snatch up my puppy dog, making a mere hors d'oeuvre out of him. 

Nothing is set up outside other than my awning, because
just a few feet in back is that alligator watching us.
I took this picture then put away the awning and
moved clear across the park, leaving our alligator friend behind. 

PS...A big thank you to all the angels that shop Amazon through any of my links. I earn a small commission any time you enter Amazon through my links. Those little checks that eventually turn up, are a huge help with my "efficient" budget. 


For  RV-ers, you might be pleasantly surprised that Amazon is hugely competitive on RV and camping supplies. Also by joining Amazon Prime, not only do you get a host of benefits, but you also get 2 day shipping on most of their items. This means having items shipped to your RV park is a breeze.