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Old 10-04-2019, 01:12 PM   #21
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I was in software development for years. A buddy of mine always kept a can of Raid on his desk for those pesky software bugs. [emoji6]

We used some old textbooks to slam 'em. Best use of some of those texts, ever! (Plus the satisfaction of seeing them in mid-air amid frustration-venting.)
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Old 10-04-2019, 01:41 PM   #22
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FWIW, many of the northern GA COE campgrounds are closed till sometime in March.
COE Petersburg north of Augusta is open. Watsadler up on Lake Hartwell is the only other COE open. Petersburg has some very nice lake side spots. Also fairly convenient to Augusta, 20 minutes or so. I think the lake is the third largest man made lake east of the Mississippi.

I talked with the hosts at another one of the campgrounds in that area and they had volunteered to keep that campground open until Thanksgiving (US) and the COE said no.
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Old 10-04-2019, 02:46 PM   #23
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are there gaters in those lakes?
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Old 10-04-2019, 03:41 PM   #24
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are there gaters in those lakes?
Aint seen no gaiters round cheer Them gaiters all down south
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Old 10-04-2019, 05:28 PM   #25
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Evidently there are a lot of lakes and springs in the forest.
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Old 10-04-2019, 05:34 PM   #26
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Hi! I stayed at a few places back in 2017 with short-notice reservations of a couple months.

Now, I did have to travel and stay at a couple of different RV parks as a “fill-in” between reservations already in place. I wouldn’t go without calling first, however, and setting up a plan.

We do have the smaller trailer size in our favor, so, you’ll find that options with the Escape is better than trailers over 21’; there are more open spots for smaller rigs than larger ones.

I stayed at a Key Largo park for a month:

https://www.keylargokampground.com/?page_id=655

Then moved on to Woodsmoke RV camp in Bonita Springs for an additional 2 months.

Keep in mind that the Hurricane wiped out much of the Keys, so I’m not sure which sites are still operational.
Good luck!
I was wondering about the bugs. The conference in Orlando is inspiring us to go south for the first time. We probably will head west toward California but we can’t decide. We kind of long for the days when you could just meander around and not have to be locked into a timetable. I figure that this will be a kind of reconnoiter trip — we’ll go to places we’ve never been and worst case scenario park in a motel if we can’t find a campground. I’m kind of intrigued by the idea of lakes in Florida — I know that we won’t be able to find campgrounds on the beach without reservations made a year in advance.
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Old 10-04-2019, 05:47 PM   #27
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If you draw a line across FL just below Tampa, we refer to that as the DMZ. In Snowbird season which loosely runs from Oct into April you will have a very difficult time if you go South below the DMZ with no reservations. North of the DMZ one can wander around without reservations fairly easily. This division of the state in the winter months is mostly due to the temperature difference between the regions.
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Old 10-04-2019, 05:56 PM   #28
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Evidently there are a lot of lakes and springs in the forest.
If lakes and rivers interest you, here are a couple of good choices.

Jupiter Springs

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocal...a/?recid=37187


Alexander Springs.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocal...a/?recid=37197

Kelly Park
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocal...a/?recid=37197

Fisheating Creek

http://fisheatingcreekoutpost.com

Enjoy

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Old 10-05-2019, 12:27 AM   #29
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GA State Park Reservation System Changing...

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<SNIPED>Georgia had a curious res. system though. They kept a spot for you but you only find out which one it is when you arrive. We got an early look around and pick one!!! <SNIPED>The seafood is just fine there, but res. recommended too!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

SLOWLY the GA State Park system is being converted to reserving a specific site, this has been ongoing for the last 2 years. I would suggest calling the park and confirming their reservation system being used.
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Old 10-05-2019, 01:54 AM   #30
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I would love camp Florida

On the Bucket List, camp in Florida

I really want to camp at Fort Wilderness at Disney, $200 a night though. Head to the Keys, can't wait, Bahia Honda Park or Boyds at Key West.

There are many RV Youtube channels, but this guy is on his own level. Watch his videos, he's out of Miami. Karl give him a 19!!!
He flies a drone, has great videography, and he does his own music theme too.

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Old 10-05-2019, 12:02 PM   #31
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If you draw a line across FL just below Tampa, we refer to that as the DMZ. In Snowbird season which loosely runs from Oct into April you will have a very difficult time if you go South below the DMZ with no reservations. North of the DMZ one can wander around without reservations fairly easily. This division of the state in the winter months is mostly due to the temperature difference between the regions.
That is very funny. I’m assuming though that everything along the Gulf of Mexico, whether below or above, is booked way ahead. So I’m thinking that after we do our obligatory thing in Orlando (where we’ll stay in a hotel for a couple of nights) we look for the lakes and rivers.

I am wondering about mosquitoes and no-see-umm in the cooler months. I would guess that right along the ocean it’s fine, but I don’t know about inland. In NJ we sometimes see them in February on a warm day. Terry is a magnet for them which is why I’m thinking that Florida should perhaps be a short stop on a trip toward the dry states, but some of those lakes and rivers sound great.

The other thing is the algae — the first place I looked at in the National Forest said there is no swimming just now because of algae. This seems to be a problem all across the country.
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Old 10-05-2019, 01:47 PM   #32
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Smile

And if you camp at one of the many beautiful springs, you can swim and avoid four issues because of the cold water; alligators ,snakes, snapping turtles and blue/green algae.

Plus in the winter most visitors are looking for the ocean or gulf so reservations may not be required. Salt water swimmers just have to deal with the sharks.

https://www.floridafamilynature.com/...v-camping.html

Enjoy

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Old 10-05-2019, 03:03 PM   #33
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That is very funny. I’m assuming though that everything along the Gulf of Mexico, whether below or above, is booked way ahead. So I’m thinking that after we do our obligatory thing in Orlando (where we’ll stay in a hotel for a couple of nights) we look for the lakes and rivers.

I am wondering about mosquitoes and no-see-umm in the cooler months. I would guess that right along the ocean it’s fine, but I don’t know about inland. In NJ we sometimes see them in February on a warm day. Terry is a magnet for them which is why I’m thinking that Florida should perhaps be a short stop on a trip toward the dry states, but some of those lakes and rivers sound great.

The other thing is the algae — the first place I looked at in the National Forest said there is no swimming just now because of algae. This seems to be a problem all across the country.
Hi: Ruthe... The only problem we had with algae was in the water hose. After laying out in the sun it clogged the filter and the hose needed flushing. This was a few years ago in a dated RV park in Ft. Myers Beach though. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 10-05-2019, 03:38 PM   #34
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Juniper Springs is one of the places I was looking at. Are there places to rent kayaks for just a couple of hours — I saw one 7 mile kayak route. But that would not interest me.
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Old 10-05-2019, 07:05 PM   #35
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Juniper Springs is one of the places I was looking at. Are there places to rent kayaks for just a couple of hours — I saw one 7 mile kayak route. But that would not interest me.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ocal...a/?recid=34064

There is an on-site concessionaire that rents canoes. The fee includes bringing you back to the campground.
From the spring, you will be going with the current all the way. If you try real hard, you will rarely have to get the paddle wet.


Another fun option. Tubing.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/pa...ngs-state-park

Enjoy your trip

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Old 10-05-2019, 07:25 PM   #36
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Tubing? Perhaps not:
Attached Thumbnails
myakka_river.jpg  
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Old 10-06-2019, 05:10 AM   #37
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Tubing? Perhaps not:
No tubing in the rivers.
Just in the run from the springs.
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Old 10-06-2019, 08:38 AM   #38
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Tubing? Perhaps not:
Hi: Mike Lewis... "Gator ate'er Eh? The filling was fine but the donut was flat!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 10-06-2019, 09:51 AM   #39
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Tubing? Perhaps not:
Ever manage to get a photograph of a Florida crocodile?

We saw some in the Everglades while kayaking many years ago but could never get a decent picture.

Like you're photography.

Ed
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Old 10-06-2019, 10:53 AM   #40
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Living in Northern Wisconsin many of our neighbors go south in the winter.
Years back florida was the preferred destination but now more and more people are choosing Arizona . The reasons for the shift seem to be better climate / less humidity , less crowded , less bugs and lower cost .
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