OFFICIAL OCTOBER 2017 pretrip and trip report!

[FtW Mike]

My DW says you must be part of the Fort alumni. When we check in we never know what site we are getting. They just tell me the loop number and that they will text me when the site is ready.

Ed is royalty. I bet they waxed his designated GC yesterday.

They'll probably set it on display after he turns it in with a sign "Ed rode here".

Snowmedic Tiggerdad has hit the nail on the head All Riff Raff must be unceremoniously be removed from areas in and around where he will be

 

[FtW Mike]

Looks like I'm having Orville Redenbacher's for breakfast. I was up at your arrival time Ed, but I was putting potatoes in the oven . Youth have fund raiser at church today. Chili and baked potato. It's 31 here this morning so your temps sound much better.

Tell your dad I said "hello".

Tiggerdad while I haven't winterized the coach yet could you send some of that cold this way. I was in our local woods searching for some free range Frijoles Negro and Habilchuelas for my chili at the Pot Luck meet and greet in Jan and it was in mid 60's by 8am Keeps them little rascals bedded down and hard to see when the trees look they did in mid Sept not like Halloween is in a few days

 

[4077]

AARGH! When ye be campin’ in da loop...make sure to stake ‘em down well lest ye return to a tent in the trees!

 

[tiggerdad]

Tiggerdad while I haven't winterized the coach yet could you send some of that cold this way. I was in our local woods searching for some free range Frijoles Negro and Habilchuelas for my chili at the Pot Luck meet and greet in Jan and it was in mid 60's by 8am Keeps them little rascals bedded down and hard to see when the trees look they did in mid Sept not like Halloween is in a few days

Too late, it's already gone. Back in shorts now.

 

[tiggerdad]

View attachment 280217 AARGH! When ye be campin’ in da loop...make sure to stake ‘em down well lest ye return to a tent in the trees!

Must of been one wild party. Hope the disco ball wasn't broken.

 

[PrincessCooper's Mom]

Okay we are safe and settled in for the night at the Ocala rest area. Drove in rain a lot but no real issues. Saw on a Facebook page that one family overturned their camper and truck after someone cut them off. Very sad and hope they are all okay. Hope to roll into the Fort between 7 and 8. I have a reward for whoever can get site 712 cleared for me. Thanks and see everyone soon.

Looking for stop around Ocala. Tell me more about the rest area in Ocala.

 

[bama_ed]

Looking for stop around Ocala. Tell me more about the rest area in Ocala.

It's at mile marker 381. Big, etc. with rest areas on both sides of interstate. flametamr knows more maybe. Tell the security guard that's on duty which unit is yours.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Whew! I am all set up in 125 although, as you campers know, there's always SOMETHING more that can be done. But it is clear blue sky, breezy, and mid-60s as fog and humidty cleared out this morning and behind it came a beautiful day with lower humidity. I heard one of the CM's refer to it as the first fall season weather-wise at WDW this year.

The overflow lots here are overflowing. This is the grass overflow near the back gate.



Looks like somebody brought a compliant portable fire pit and had to store it.



This afternoon they were overflowing to the hitch-unhitch area on the RIGHT side driving in (sign says NO PARKING in the big field on the left).

Dad and I hopped in the golf cart and hit the Meadow Trading Post which was decorated in Fall (not Halloween) colors:







There are pumpkins and a hay bales setting outside for picture posing I think (which I saw people doing).



Then we headed over to 2300 loop and said hello to our poster Jimsig/Jim. Seems like a nice guy, he has a story to tell about today, and yes, hearing him talk you know he's from Boston. Come see us in 125 Jim if you can.

After seeing him, we had an ADR at Trails End for brunch. It would be terrible to show you folks food pictures, wouldn't it? Well that's what I'm going to do.

In the next post.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Trails End was pretty active this morning. The weekend brunch was being served up with breakfast and lunch foods. Of course I sampled both in full pursuit of the research this boards demands.

Lunch section (L-R): gravy, mashed spuds, fried chicken, mac/cheese, pasta salad, grilled vegetables.





Here (R-L) is the bread pudding, sticky buns, praline sauce, mickey waffles, and out of sight the maple syrup, blueberry syrup, and banana fosters topping.



Here is my first attempt:



I can see shrimp with cocktail sauce, chicken, mac/cheese, scrambled eggs, off the carving station freshly sliced bacon and smoked turkey, breakfast potatoes, bread pudding with praline sauce, grapes, grilled brocolli (fresh fruits and vegetables). Plus chocolate milk and diet Coke to drink. Yum.

Because I am a thorough researcher who leaves no stone unturned, naturally I did further research with visit #2 to the buffet.



This time I see Mickey waffles with blueberry sauce, waffles with bananas fosters sauce, smoked salmon, smoked turkey, a chicken drumstick, and sausage. I literally licked my plate clean.

It was all good but having made the official Trails End bread pudding, this batch this morning was missing raisins. But other than that it was super.

As we were paying the bill, I got word that another DIS'ser was wandering around the Fort so we were off on our next adventure (site 125 was still occupied).

Bama Ed

 

[4077]

Well, I think I had the most fun I could have at Fort Wilderness without camping....

Got there about 9:30 or so this morning and parked in overflow...walked back to the loops from Outpost and over the next several hours was able to meet tltay2005 (congrats on being my first in person DIS member meet), bama_ed (thank you so much for the golf cart ride/tour...awesome to meet your dad too!), mich1073 (loved the kids having fun with the decorating!), and Flametamr (great meeting you and your daughter...didn't want to say anything, but I think you missed a spot ).

Along with meeting fellow DIS'ers for the first time ever, I took and sent many Halloween decoration pictures to my wife back home in CT, ate a Mickey Premium bar, and looked (unsuccessfully) for ED in concrete (will have to concentrate more on that another time....admittedly I was busy looking around and enjoying the day and decorations as I looped on foot).

At any rate, what a great bunch of folks to have the pleasure and privilege of meeting in person after the last 3-4 years of following along and posting on here! I am very jealous of all of you getting to camp there for Halloween!! Hope I get a chance to swing by for a few more minutes once I return for TE dinner (don't eat all the fried chicken, Ed...I know where you "live" now...and same to you Flametamr!), but whether or not I see you again today, have a great stay and remember the candy is for the trick o treaters!!

 

[bama_ed]

After breakfast I met up with 4077/Jimmy and another DIS'ser. Jimmy was getting around the Fort on foot and has a couple days off down here. Then he hopped on the cart and we cruised around loops 100/200 to check on our site (progress - awnings and slides were pulled in). Then we hopped across the road and visited DIS'ser mich1073/Michelle and her family who were setting out their decorations around the site.

After dropping Jimmy at the Meadow TP, we rode up to the Fort office to check on our site (no word yet) but read that Flametamr/Joe had arrived so we rode over and said hello to him, me and dad. We will be seeing him later in the week.

After that our site was ready so we have been setting up this afternoon. It is almost all the way around loop 100 and nearly parallel to the main road. It is long and deep and the back of it looks out at the golf cart and walking cart trails that go down through the woods to the Settlement Trading Post.

Here is 125.





And most of the setup done.



I will get some better pictures tomorrow when the sun is in a different position.

Nice to hear the train whistles, boat whistles, clip clop of the first carriage ride of the evening, and the brakes squeaking on the bus behind me. Time to freshen up.

Bama Ed

 

[Flametamr]

Looking for stop around Ocala. Tell me more about the rest area in Ocala.

The rest area is a couple of miles past Ocala. It is large and has an RV section at the rear (right side). I checked in with the guard and told him my intentions and he said no problem. I was the third one in at 930 and it was about half full by daylight. Really safe and well lit with a good guard. I highly recommend it for a cheap stopping place. I even ran my generator for 2 hours.

 

[tiggerdad]

Looking for stop around Ocala. Tell me more about the rest area in Ocala.

I use same one. Ed mentioned the marker.

It has three separate parking areas with the one in back being for RV and trucks pulling trailers. Big rigs get the front parking lot closest to the interstate. 24 hour security and EXACTLY one hour from FW if you come in on the Western Way.

 

[Flametamr]

Thanks to Steve (Jets70) my Mickey Light looks great. Picture soon. Set up is going slow. I rewashed the camper front and my truck. The wind just started to die down some so I will put up a few of my blow up decorations.

 

[Flametamr]

Hey 4077 Jimmy what time are you eating. I hate to see you eat alone. Maybe I can join you. Send me a pm.

 

[Teamubr]

We arrived at 830 and we're in 1402. And a bonus we are right next to Mack.

You would have been my next door neighbor. We were in 1404.

And who is Mack?

View attachment 280217 AARGH! When ye be campin’ in da loop...make sure to stake ‘em down well lest ye return to a tent in the trees!

Uh Oh. That doesn't look good.

Glad you had a chance to check in to TE and meet up with a few fellow DISers.

Here is 125. Nice to hear the train whistles, boat whistles, clip clop of the first carriage ride of the evening, and the brakes squeaking on the bus behind me.

Looks good. You are making me home sick. That site looks plenty big enough for my 5er.

j

 

[tltay2005]

Here's a few pictures from MK last night. Love the fall decorations.

 

[Flametamr]

Mack is the semi truck from Cars. If my phone would load pictures it would help.

 

[tltay2005]

Had a great visit with Jimmy/4077 this morning. So nice to finally meet you. Sorry you had to see me with my extremely wild morning hair, that is what happens when you go to bed with wet hair, lol.

After breakfast we took the pup to the dog park then headed over to AK. The weather was perfect today! We ate in Pandora, can't remember the name of the place, but it was good. My sister and niece met us there and we rode Everst, the safari and Dinosaur. Had to have a ice cream sandwich before we headed back. Our old dog who is always very good decided not to be today. He has stayed in the trailer before, so nothing new to him, but today he decided to eat DH wallet and distroy a few credit cards. He was moving on to the second course, my eyeglass case when we returned. Ugh, oh well, nothing that can't be replaced. Cooking up some dinner now and then off to do some looping.

 

[tltay2005]

After breakfast I met up with 4077/Jimmy and another DIS'ser. Jimmy was getting around the Fort on foot and has a couple days off down here. Then he hopped on the cart and we cruised around loops 100/200 to check on our site (progress - awnings and slides were pulled in). Then we hopped across the road and visited DIS'ser mich1073/Michelle and her family who were setting out their decorations around the site.

After dropping Jimmy at the Meadow TP, we rode up to the Fort office to check on our site (no word yet) but read that Flametamr/Joe had arrived so we rode over and said hello to him, me and dad. We will be seeing him later in the week.

After that our site was ready so we have been setting up this afternoon. It is almost all the way around loop 100 and nearly parallel to the main road. It is long and deep and the back of it looks out at the golf cart and walking cart trails that go down through the woods to the Settlement Trading Post.

Here is 125.

View attachment 280254

View attachment 280255

And most of the setup done.

View attachment 280256

I will get some better pictures tomorrow when the sun is in a different position.

Nice to hear the train whistles, boat whistles, clip clop of the first carriage ride of the evening, and the brakes squeaking on the bus behind me. Time to freshen up.

Bama Ed

Looks good , hope to get by to say hello.