Wauchula, Florida

February 16 - March 2, 2011

 

 

Thousand Trails - Peace River

Wauchula, Florida

 

 

We've arrived at Thousand Trails - Peace River...located in the quiet central Florida town of Wauchula.  No malls; no theaters; just a few family-owned restaurants, a supermarket, Walmart and Bealls Outlet (Florida's version of TJMaxx).

 

Thousand Trails have now opened their campgrounds to the public and I just can't figure out how any "paying guest" would put up with what goes on here.  Only half the sites are "full service" (water, electric AND sewer).  You arrive and immediately go to a non-sewer site.  Every day there is the ritual of the Peace River Dance, also known as the Sewer Site Shuffle.  Empty sewer site numbers are posted; campers go around checking out the available sites and then attend the "drawing" where you call out your site when (and if) your name is called.  This can go on two to three days before you get a sewer site and until then your day is split in two as this all happens between noon and 1:00.  However, when you finally do get a site, you can relax in a spacious, quiet area.

 

Our next door neighbors are Charlie and Marcia Atkinson, past President and First Lady of FMCA (Family Motor Coach Association...another membership of "motorhomers").  It's so exciting...like living next door to George W. and Laura.  They have a 17 year old Country Coach Intrigue with 231,000 miles.  Our heroes!!!

 

We managed to play 9 holes at the local golf "field" called Little Cypress Golf Course.  We had played here on a previous trip and the only thing going for it is the price.  But, for two people who haven't played for awhile, it was a good place to get some of the rust off.  Later on that week we played 18 at Torrey Oaks.  We actually made it through all 18 but our scores still remain kind of high.

Ken spent some days on the walking trails around the park and met "Stumpy", the park's live-in alligator.  We've seen a lot of alligators in our travels, but they still intrigue...they're so ferocious looking; you can just see those jaws opening and closing!!

We took the suggestion of a fellow-camper and traveled 20 miles to Avon Park to the Jacaranda Hotel for their Sunday Grand Buffet!  Walking through the doors, you entered a different era.  They boast the Hotel being hostess to the likes of Babe Ruth and Clark Gable, George Burns and Gracie Allen...I have a hard time wondering what would bring the likes of Babe Ruth, Clark Gable and George Burns and Gracie Allen to Avon Park!!!  Our mouths were watering at 11:00 a.m., expecting eggs benedict and omelets, only to find the Grand Buffet was Sunday dinner.  Everything was homemade and delicious, but it was hard eating roast beef and fish at 11 in the morning.

Next stop is Vacation Village in Largo, near Clearwater Beach...looking forward to having Sarah visit us for some much needed beach time for her!!