Long Live TCD's 2010-2011 NEW YEARS EVE TRIP REPORT (Maybe the last of the best)

[campingdawgs]

Wow, sorry you had such a rotten thing happen to you! I hope you can get the punks put away and your stuff replaced. I'm glad no one was hurt.

It was great to meet you - I hope my kids weren't too annoying! They liked your dog. DH was impressed you could set up camp so quickly on your own.

I'm looking forward to the rest of your report. Any more rumors on the decorations?
~Kim

 

[LONE-STAR]

Wow, thanks Michael/LONE-STAR.

I have been meaning to get my latest trip report started, and now you have taken care of that part for me. The first step of any journey is always the hardest.

I am organizing my photos and thoughts at this very moment, and the report should begin soon. Since you already started this thread, I reckon that I'll just add to it.

Be forewarned that this report will be a tad shorter than some, for reasons which will be explained. It will also be short on solved mysteries. In fact, I'm not sure that there will be any. I can promise at least one unsolved mystery.

And, there will be plenty of photos. And some levity. And the story of a pretty amazing animal encounter.

Oh, and lots of cute puppy pictures.

Everybody likes cute puppies, right?

So please stand by.

TCD

Well glad I could help you kick off another great report. But so sorry about your house, but at least they have the guys behind bars so you can sleep.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

WOW, TCD I'm so sorry that happened to you and your family!!!

I am a firm believer in "what goes around, comes around." Hopefully those punks are locked up with a big, hairy, burly man named Bubba!!

More than your "stuff" it's such an invasion of privacy. I hope your trip to the Fort helped, especially the poor girls. It looks like DD got a nice new camera though!

Enjoying your TR as always! Thanks for taking the time, even after all that!

I am headed to NY tomorrow to visit my Italian family, want me to send a couple down to your street?

Thanks for the kind words, S70.

And for the offer of the use of the services of some of your NY Italian relatives. For now, we will let the "justice" system work on these guys. Hopefully justice will be served that way. If it isn't, it will be served another way. These punks better hope that they are locked up safely in prison for a long time.

1. So sorry to hear about the robbery.

2. TCD twin has her Daddy's talent with the camera. Those were great shots.

3. Where are the shots of the puppy? Rocky has gotten so big!

4. We were in 1506! If we had just refused to leave and not frozen to death in our tent, we could have been next door neighbors to the great TCD! The downside would have been missing reading some of the great threads on here in the interrim.

5. Looking forward to more!

1. Thanks.

2. True. Although I claim to have no talent with a camera. Other than to take large quantities of photos.

3. Yes, Rocky doesn't look very puppy-ish anymore. But, he is just 10 months old, and still is very much just a puppy.

4. Yes, 1506 is right next to 1504. We would have been neighbors. Maybe another time?

5. Not to worry, there will be a lot more!

Oh wow! That is one heck of a way to start the Christmas season. I'm glad that they got the guys. It looks like the TCD detective skills did the trick just like they do here on the Dis. May 2011 bring much better things to the TCD family.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to confess that it really didn't take a whole lot of skill to figure out that these knuckleheads were the culprits. They are very stupid.

How it went was that we had three laptops stolen. The day after, someone was using one of my daughters' Facebook accounts. Her computer was set up so it would automatically log on to Facebook. This scumbag added friends to my daughter's account. My oldest DD and her college friends took it from there. By "creeping" on the new friends' Facebook pages, we quickly figured out who was using my daughter's computer. I turned this all over to the detective, and he contacted Facebook for records. Then my daughters' Facebook page disappeared.

I had hoped that the cops would go and kick in these idiots' door and get our stuff back. But, I guess that only happens on TV. It took three weeks after this before they arrested the creeps. By then the computers and everything else of value was gone. Almost. The geniuses still had one computer-of course it was the oldest and crappiest one. And, all of their email, Craigslist accounts, photos of the stolen property they were selling online, etc. were still on that computer. I suggested that the cops ought to keep it as evidence, but they gave it to me. There is a lot of useful information on there. If the cops won't use it, I may.

Yes sir, I have had a very busy season and I am just now getting around to posting the photos online so I will have a small report shortly.

I was glad to see you as well, wish we could have visited more. Maybe next time.

I can't wait for next season, I am really impressed with Jimbo and the energy he has brought to the program. I think we have a legitimate shot to crack top ten next year, but we'll see. EJ reminds me of Cam Newton a little bit. Hopefully he will develop like him.

Lastly, so sorry for your break in. That is a terrible way to spend the holiday season, but I am glad they (errr... you) found the punks.

I can't wait for more!

Wow, Tom, you have some Garnet and Gold colored glasses on there, don't you?

But, that's OK. It's what being a fan is all about!

EJ=Cam? I don't see it.

But, I do agree that things are on the upswing for FSU, and you Nolies have a lot to look forward to next year. My DD is looking forward to witnessing a win in the Swamp. I, of course, do not want to see that.

Wow, who would have thought that you would ever need to use your detective skills outside of the Fort. It's so sad that such lowlife feel they have the right to invade and take your property, but like you said, thankfully no one was hurt. Was Rocky home at the time of the break-in? I am glad for you and your family that you were able to not let it completely ruin your holiday. Looking forward to the rest of your report!

Yes, Rocky was home. We keep him in a crate when we are not home. He likes it. He was still there, safe and sound, after the break-in. We are all thankful for that. I sure wish he could talk. The punks opened up our computer tower and stole a hardrive right in front of his cage. I wonder what he was thinking when that was going on?

I think this picture says everything will be ok.

True. Everything is OK. We have insurance for our stuff (although I am starting to get a bad feeling about that), and the guys have been caught and are still in jail. A few things can't be replaced. But, they're just things. No big deal.

Wow, sorry you had such a rotten thing happen to you! I hope you can get the punks put away and your stuff replaced. I'm glad no one was hurt.

It was great to meet you - I hope my kids weren't too annoying! They liked your dog. DH was impressed you could set up camp so quickly on your own.

I'm looking forward to the rest of your report. Any more rumors on the decorations?
~Kim

I don't think I ever heard your kids! You guys were great neighbors. I am not sure that I can say the same about us. I know Rocky did let out a bark or two over the course of the weekend. But luckily he is a good sleeper, so I know he was quiet after dark.

I know you had to here some whoops and hollers from our site during the FSU and UF games.

I did here more about the decoration rumors, and will report on that a bit later.

I have to say that I envied you all when I was packing up on Sunday, and y'all had just hopped in the car and drove off.

Well glad I could help you kick off another great report. But so sorry about your house, but at least they have the guys behind bars so you can sleep.

Thanks, Michael.

And, in case anyone is interested, here are my two new friends:

It really creeps me out to think that these two scumbags were in my house, ransacking it, and then having a grand old time selling our valuables and family heirlooms for drug money.

Sorry, now let's get back to the trip report, and other good things.

TCD

 

[kampfirekim]

What a couple of losers!

Amen to that! Punks are far worse than hippies!

When I read about the robbery I felt like the prospector in Toy Story 2...

"MY BISCUITS ARE BURNING!!!!!" That really had me chapped!

But you were right TCD. At least no one was hurt and it was just "stuff" that was taken.

Nice TCD twin pics w/ the new camera. Love the Rocky photos as well. Looking forward to the rest...

 

[lklasing]

"A couple of losers" is too kind of a way to describe those two. So glad y'all were not hurt and that they left Rocky alone. Sorry you lost so much stuff, though.

I wonder if those guys will be able to continue to use the same hairdresser in the pen? It would be a shame for them to lose that great look.

Looking forward to more report, but I wanted to say how sorry I am y'all got robbed like that.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

What a couple of losers!

True that!

Amen to that! Punks are far worse than hippies!

When I read about the robbery I felt like the prospector in Toy Story 2...

"MY BISCUITS ARE BURNING!!!!!" That really had me chapped!

But you were right TCD. At least no one was hurt and it was just "stuff" that was taken.

Nice TCD twin pics w/ the new camera. Love the Rocky photos as well. Looking forward to the rest...

Thanks.

I do want to move past the crime, and just focus on the trip report from here.

"A couple of losers" is too kind of a way to describe those two. So glad y'all were not hurt and that they left Rocky alone. Sorry you lost so much stuff, though.

I wonder if those guys will be able to continue to use the same hairdresser in the pen? It would be a shame for them to lose that great look.

Looking forward to more report, but I wanted to say how sorry I am y'all got robbed like that.

LOL about the hair!

I mean, really?

If I wasn't so mad about these creeps, I would feel sorry for them. They are total losers, and given their sorry excuses for parents, they never had a chance.

Hopefully, these guys will have a lot of special friends in prison.

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Thomas Jefferson is famous for claiming that for over fifty years of his life, the sun had never once caught him in bed.

I can’t make such a claim, but I can say that it is a rare thing for the sun to catch TCD in bed at the Fort.

And so, the last day of 2010 began with Rocky and I taking a nice quiet walk on the pet walk along the canal adjacent to the 1500, 1600 and 1800 loops.

December, 2010 was one of the coldest ever on record in Central Florida.

As you can see, the cold weather has turned a lot of the beautiful Flora in the Fort brown:

Even though things are no longer bright and green, there is still a natural beauty to this remote area of the Fort. I know that I don’t get out to this corner of the Fort very often, and I would venture to guess that most campers never do. But please do me a favor-the next time you are at the Fort, spend some time exploring some of the out of the way places. You will be glad that you did.

The great thing for us was that there was a break in the cold weather for New Year's Eve weekend. We had lows in the upper 50's and highs in the mid 70's over the three nights we were at the Fort. Perfect camping weather!

Here is a photo of the last sunrise of 2010:

By stepping just a bit to the right, here is another photo taken from the same area:

Here we are at the same location, this time looking back toward the 1800 loop:

If you walk all the way to the end of the pet walk, you will come to this gate. Sometimes it is unlocked. Today it was locked:

Locked or not, this was the end of the line for Rocky anyway:

This is what you see when you look back from here:

Look just to the left of the top of that little pine tree in the photo above.

Do you see that speck in the sky?

How about now?:

Let’s zoom in on that speck:

It’s a hot air balloon!

Think about that for a moment.

There are people way up there early in the morning on New Year’s Eve.

How cool must that be?

Rocky and I headed back to the 1500 loop by entering the 1800 loop, then walking around the 1600 loop. These decorations were on the 1800 loop. They don’t look like much in the daylight, but at night, the big tree made out of lights was pretty cool:

When Rocky and I got back to our site, everyone was still sound asleep.

So, we hopped on the golf cart and went exploring.


Here’s a photo of Clementine’s Beach. If the rumors are true, this area will see some changes in 2011:

I figured I ought to get a last photo of the Settlement Christmas tree. It won’t be here much longer after January arrives:

And another shot of the tree with Pioneer Hall in the background:

Here we are looking toward the marina. Notice how brown the Cypress trees are from the cold:

In this photo, you can see my friend Feisty’s well decorated site in the 100 loop. You can also see the green slime canal and entrance to the pedestrian path behind the Settlement Trading Post:

Here’s yet another look at Pioneer Hall from a new angle:

These decorations were behind a site on the 500 loop:

Here are some decorations at the entrance to the 800 loop. I love these decorations. I can safely say that the same family has camped on this site for the last three years at Christmas time. I especially love the screen room with Santa sitting in it:

By the way, the family who put up these great decorations is none other than Disboard member TiggerInBama. I didn’t know this was her set-up the first time that I saw it in 2008, but now I do. It’s possible that they have been on this site for longer than the past three years, but we used to spend NYE somewhere else before that, so I can’t say.

Coming up, more photos from NYE morning.

TCD

 

[DaveInTN]

Are you back from Russia?

I hate to ask, but how did it go?

Yes! We traveled the week before Christmas. It went great. Thanks for asking. We now wait for a court date to go back, and hopefully will be bringing her home shortly afterward.

Now, get those scumbags locked up...and move on with the report.

 

[anolefan]

Great early morning photos!

I especially like the sunrise and the shot directly below it.

 

[bama_ed]

TCD,

Sorry to hear about your encounter with the crooks.

On our last trip to the Fort we stayed in site 1513 which backs up to the bigger canal there where you took some of the pictures. You're right the view is very beautiful back there.

All In for more pix!

Bama ED

 

[fugarwe]

Sorry for your loss at home TCD. I live and work in a rural area, but my first stop after a burglary report is craigslist. Those two guys are just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of ones like it operating in your area, sadly. While we have more time to spend on property crimes in my area, in busy areas those events are put on the back burner.


And you have inspired me to check out "rural" areas of the fort. We are bringing our bikes when we come down (provided the person that borrowed my enclosed 20 ft trailer brings it back in time) so I plan on doing some exploring. Not Yuri exploring, just exploring.

I was noticing the sign by Clementine beach you posted. So, if I bring a gas powered cart, I can go on the beach?

 

[3gr8kids]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing
One question.......in the close-up shot of the screentent/Santa, any idea what the MM head on the ground in front of the fireplace is made out of?

 

[retired and happy]

TCD, That's the back of our site you show in the 500 loop...518 to be exact. A couple of less-decorative neighbors encouraged us to expand behind their sites. We had trouble keeping some of the inflatables upright with all the winds we had during our stay. And with a DW with a broken arm, it was sometimes more trouble than it was worth. Sorry we missed meeting you. Maybe next year.

 

[caveat lector]

Alright Big Fella....nice tease on the "Dole Whip" pictures. I'm looking forward to that.

Side Note: Hope the future felons manage to keep their hair that way. Their future cell mates will find that pink hair enticing.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Yes! We traveled the week before Christmas. It went great. Thanks for asking. We now wait for a court date to go back, and hopefully will be bringing her home shortly afterward.

Now, get those scumbags locked up...and move on with the report.

Well, duh on me!

I forgot that you have a Blog linked there in your signature.

I just read up on Anna.

She's adorable!

I love the video of Anna and not-Cindy!

It looks like things are going well.

I don't think I ever mentioned that I have friends who adopted a Russian boy a few years ago. They have quite a story to tell, but it has a very happy ending. Just like yours will!

Great early morning photos!

I especially like the sunrise and the shot directly below it.

Thanks Tom.

I was just looking at your trip report, and I see that we were both out taking pictures on the morning of the 31st. I'm surprised we didn't run into each other!

TCD,

Sorry to hear about your encounter with the crooks.

On our last trip to the Fort we stayed in site 1513 which backs up to the bigger canal there where you took some of the pictures. You're right the view is very beautiful back there.

All In for more pix!

Bama ED

Agreed. But, everybody knows the 2000 loop is way better than the 1500 loop, right! Nobody should ever request the 1500 loop.

Especially at any time when I plan on visiting the Fort.

Sorry for your loss at home TCD. I live and work in a rural area, but my first stop after a burglary report is craigslist. Those two guys are just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of ones like it operating in your area, sadly. While we have more time to spend on property crimes in my area, in busy areas those events are put on the back burner.


And you have inspired me to check out "rural" areas of the fort. We are bringing our bikes when we come down (provided the person that borrowed my enclosed 20 ft trailer brings it back in time) so I plan on doing some exploring. Not Yuri exploring, just exploring.

I was noticing the sign by Clementine beach you posted. So, if I bring a gas powered cart, I can go on the beach?

1. Yep, I have found out that "property crimes" are not too much of a priority with the po-po. I understand that. I sure wish it was like on TV. And, I really had no idea about how much stolen property is moved on Craig's list. Something should be done about it.

2. I hope that you explore to your heart's content at the Fort. There are so many areas open to guests that are off the beaten path. In fact, we will be looking at some more of those areas in just a bit.

3. I see you read signs the same way I do. It does say no electric carts. Can one be blamed for being literal?

Great pics! Thanks for sharing
One question.......in the close-up shot of the screentent/Santa, any idea what the MM head on the ground in front of the fireplace is made out of?

Maybe Kelley/TiggerInBama is reading along and can answer your question, but I believe that is a throw rug. Like a bathroom rug. I'll bet it came from the Disney Store.

And while we are talking about the screen room, I should mention that I have had this half-baked plan in the back of my mind to one of these days roll out a sleeping bag and sleep in that screen room with Santa. It would save me the cost of a site. I get up early, so maybe TiggerInBama would never even know!

TCD, That's the back of our site you show in the 500 loop...518 to be exact. A couple of less-decorative neighbors encouraged us to expand behind their sites. We had trouble keeping some of the inflatables upright with all the winds we had during our stay. And with a DW with a broken arm, it was sometimes more trouble than it was worth. Sorry we missed meeting you. Maybe next year.

Dang it!

I knew you guys were going to be there for Christmas, but I figured you had cleared out by New Year's.

I really would have like to meet you!

I liked your decorations!

That's why I took the photo.

Next year for sure!

Alright Big Fella....nice tease on the "Dole Whip" pictures. I'm looking forward to that.

Side Note: Hope the future felons manage to keep their hair that way. Their future cell mates will find that pink hair enticing.

1. Yep, the Dole Whip pics are impressive. But, they are from Jan. 2, so it will be just a bit.

2. Just so we are clear, my two friends are already convicted felons. And, they should have both still been in prison the day they crawled through my laundry room window. Clearly, they need a longer stay next time so they can be properly rehabilitated. I agree about their hair. Maybe I could send them some makeup so they will look nice for their new boyfriends?

TCD

 

[devores]

Maybe Kelley/TiggerInBama is reading along and can answer your question, but I believe that is a throw rug. Like a bathroom rug. I'll bet it came from the Disney Store.

And while we are talking about the screen room, I should mention that I have had this half-baked plan in the back of my mind to one of these days roll out a sleeping bag and sleep in that screen room with Santa. It would save me the cost of a site. I get up early, so maybe TiggerInBama would never even know!

I find that funny because everytime I see the screen room, I have a thought that it would be a good prank to stash the santa somewhere and have someone dress up as santa and sit there. They could creep in at night before anyone wakes, and replace the fake santa with a real person. Can you imagine the folks who come by to see it and suddenly santa starts moving???

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I find that funny because everytime I see the screen room, I have a thought that it would be a good prank to stash the santa somewhere and have someone dress up as santa and sit there. They could creep in at night before anyone wakes, and replace the fake santa with a real person. Can you imagine the folks who come by to see it and suddenly santa starts moving???

I love this idea!

I'm going to get me a Santa suit this year.

Why don't you get yourself an elf suit?

TCD

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Continuing on with our report . . .

It is still morning on the 31st.

We were just looking at site 802.

You know what’s right across the street from there, right?

Right?

Who said the best site in Fort Wilderness?

You are right!!!

It’s site 617!

I wonder what lucky camper got to stay in 617 for New Year’s Eve?

This guy:

Some people have all the luck.

Boy, I sure hope that I get to stay in that site sometime.

While we were in the 600 loop, I figured that I might as well snap a couple photos of the new part. So here you go:

It looks pretty bare, doesn’t it?

That’s because it is.

It still bothers me that Disney management wrecked a nice spot in the Fort just to shove in a few more campsites.

Here is a shot of the canal from the 600 loop foot bridge. That is the 600 loop on the left, and the 1400 loop on the right:

This shot is from the same bridge, but turned to look at the lake in front of the Bike Barn. The Bike Barn is on the left in the photo, and the Meadow Trading Post on the right:

Here we are back at site 1504. Here’s the TCD hammock:

Unfortunately, I don't think I was in that hammock more than a couple of minutes on this trip.

I came across a very scary sight in the 300 loop.

Check it out:

Yep.

That VW camper with the flower power decals can only mean one thing.

Hippies!

But, on closer examination, I figured that these were not real hippies. I mean, look how clean and neat that site is.

And there was absolutely no smoke coming out of the van.

I think these were just pretend hippies.

False alarm.

Here we are back at Pioneer Hall:

Not very long ago, there was a thread with some discussion about the old trailer display area in the Settlement. It seems like a lot of folks don’t remember this. Well, there used to be a display trailer at the Settlement. The most recent one was a Coachmen Futura. It was set up right here. As you can see the utility connections are still there:

If I can figure out how to do it, I'd like to camp in this spot some time. I wonder if anyone would notice?

If you have ever read a TCD trip report before, you know that I am always on the lookout for something new to report on. As far as I can recall, there is always something new at the Fort. Sometimes it’s something big. Sometimes it’s something small. Well, I am happy to not have to disappoint anyone looking for a scoop. Because I have one. I guess it’s just a small one. But, it is a scoop. Remember, you heard it hear first! Here it is-I was surprised on this visit to find that the old coffee machine at Trail’s End has been replaced by one of the ubiquitous Nescafe’ machines:

The coffee machine that used to be here was a real coffee machine. Not this chemical stuff that comes out of a box. But, don’t mourn this change for long. The truth is that old coffee machine made some pretty nasty stuff. Still, I used to like to have a cup of each, just so I could decide which was worse. Now, all we can have is Nescrape’.

Oh well. Like we learn on the Carousel of Progress- change is inevitable.

Here we are back at 1504.

Florida State was set to play South Carolina in the Chic-Fil-A bowl this evening.

We had to show our support:

The Gators would play Penn State on Saturday, so I had to show the Gators love too:

It made us look schizophrenic, but we had to support both teams, as the TCD gang is a family divided.

But, everybody was happy come Saturday!

Next up, I run into an old friend.

Kind of.

TCD

 

[LONE-STAR]

TCD with all the pictures you have of 617 just once your camper should be in the shot at 617.

 

[clkelley]

3. I see you read signs the same way I do. It does say no electric carts. Can one be blamed for being literal?

TCD

In my profession one MUST be literal when reading the directions or we can lose billions of dollars of business because we are noncompliant.