Invitational Trip 2016: Orlando

Orlando, FL (Tuesday December 13 – Tuesday Dec 21)

Tuesday
We decided to leave Myrtle Beach a day early due to the rainy weather.  I was hoping the rain would take a different course and give us one more day, but rain was on its way.  Fortunately, we left early, and pulled out of the campground just as the drizzle began.  One thing I have come to appreciate about the RV life is the flexibility.  When we want to leave, we leave.  Yes, we were out a night’s pay for a campground site, but we were heading to the Thousand Trails in Orlando where we stay for free so really nothing lost.

What we didn’t think through well was the distance from Myrtle Beach to Orlando.  It was an 11 hour trip after our 3 stops, and just too much to do in one day.  We were exhausted when we rolled in.  My parents met us at the office and we got a site as close to them as we could.  We were in B 23, a newly renovated site.

The only thing we did on our first evening was walk the dogs around the campground and have a quick dinner.  The next day we started to see what a challenge the campground would be with the dogs. 

Wednesday
Squirrels are everywhere, and so when we left for our morning walk on Wed morning, we discovered what a chore it is to walk all the dogs at once.  I had Logan in the stroller, and Russ walked the others on leash.  Cadia brings a frenetic energy, which gets Frye into her Greyhound theatrics and Braddock pulling and whining. 

We like to walk the back loop by the cabins and permanent RV sites as it is nice and quiet in that section.  So at least some of the walk was peaceful.  What was a pain, but nice to see, was Logan jumping out of the stroller to go and chase a squirrel. But then the other dogs went crazy, dragging Russ to the tree.

I then took a bike ride while Russ went to the store.  Then he had some work to do so I took a swim and got in the hot tub briefly.  I committed to spending as much time outdoors as I could.  Then in the late afternoon, as we took the dogs out of the RV for a walk, we came across a tortoise outside the RV, which drove the dogs crazy.  The tortoise was huge and just hung around digging in the dirt. Cadia was getting everyone excited so we had to put her back in the RV.  Then when we finished the walk, we gave Cadia and Frye a bike-ride to tire them out a bit more.  Cadia doesn’t allow Frye to get in front so she ran like a lunatic and we had to start biking them separately as well.

Due to all the wildlife, we had to close the blinds in the RV as Frye continued the greyhound theatrics when inside.  She ran from window to window getting everyone excited.  At one point, Cadia was squealing in the bedroom and Frye was squealing in the den, and that was the last straw.  From then on, we’d exist without ambient light.

Thursday
We wanted to avoid the campground fiascos and decided to walk at Lake Louisa State Park.  Years ago, in 2012, we had gone to that park when we were staying at Lake Magic.  There is a nature trail near Lake Louisa and then tons of paved roads to walk, equestrian trials, and other hiking trails.  Many other lakes too, and an RV campground and cabins.  What I forgot was that the park doesn’t open until 8am, so we had to wait at the gate until the clock struck 8 and the gates magically opened.

We walked the nature trail and did both the orange and blue trail.  It took us about 1hr and 45 minutes, but we were moving slowly with Logan.  That said, we still probably walked 4 miles.  At the end Logan was spent and I had worn a blister on my heel in my new tennis shoes.  So I had to take my shoes off and hobble along the last half mile while Logan walked beside me panting heavily.  I was actually very concerned about him.

Our plan was to drop the dogs off and then Russ would head to the bank and FedEx to take care of a couple things while I biked at Lake Louisa.  But because Logan was breathing so rapidly and very shallowly, we decided to sit with him for an hour before we left.  We have to remember to take precaution to keep him from overexerting himself.

Once he calmed down and was breathing normally, we headed out.  I biked for an hour at the Louisa State Park and also enjoyed the lake view for a moment.  It would be great to take the grill and dogs up there and have a picnic by the lake, sit out and enjoy the view for a while.

When we came back, we biked the dogs around the campground.  Cadia is a maniac when biking.  Russ has to hold on for dear life.  Frye is much better not wanting to be yanked by the bike tow so she complies more with my pace and direction.

Afterwards, I had hopes of getting in the hot tub, but it was closed.