2 RV's to Seffner FL (delivered)

... spending the night at Ocala FL

When we got to our room last night, BB had noticed that a sign on the door one door down said 'Coach.' And we had followed a large group of young people in. They seemed to be loud for a while and then quiet down. We guessed they would quiet down at 9, 10 ... 11 maybe? They likely have a game tomorrow? We shut down at 11 instead of 8 or9 because we knew we wouldn't get to sleep anyways. I went to sleep. BB finally called the front desk at 12:30 to complain ... and it is not often SHE is the one to call.

We slept in later this AM. No breakfast for us.

We leave the hotel about 9 AM. They don't ask about our stay and I don't say.

1st stop is the FL Strawberry Festival. We read there was $2 parking so we kept driving past the private lots until we got to where the street was blocked. Then we turned and parked in the first open lot for $10.

Another $10 each gets us in. I have now looked at info and this festival is larger than the FL State Fair. Food vendors seemed to out number all vendors combined. Everything seemed to be squished into a county fair sized setting. Auto and farm dealers were limited to a lot that would hold a half dozen units.

Food vendors are side by side almost anywhere there isn't a ride.

Our first food is the 'Make Your Own Strawberry Short-Cake.' BB makes one, we split it. Very good. Real food.

We then walk over to the stadium. We planned on seeing Jimmy Sturr (Polka,) that was part of the reason we got here this early. The stadium was empty. We asked someone sitting at the sound equipment what happened. What happened was that was that I/we read it wrong. There is only an AM show on Thursdays. Today is Friday.

Our next food is the 'Mac Stack.' Pulled pork, with a corn bread, baked beans, mac and cheese, coleslaw, BBQ sauce. We looked at a lot of food before deciding on that.

We asked at the Mac Stack place if they knew where we could find a malt. They had to ask a 'northerner' who also worked there ... they did know where we could find a 'milk shake.' We found it.

Next food was the milk shake. They served one kind. Strawberry. It was good, but not MN Fair good. BB could taste the red die in it I guess. Which is why she really liked the short cake, all real food.

From there we walked down to see the animals on the other end of the fair. Three buildings, right next to each other. We try to go in but no food. That includes no water bottles. We'd have to throw the water in our back pack. We pass.

By now it is 90+ and BB is ready to go. She no longer wants any more food. But I still want to try some.

So the next, and last, food is the strawberry corn dog. Turns out is is <> a corn dog with jelly poured over it. Not bad, but not what I expected.

After that we found shade and sat on our way back. Then we were looking for lemonade.

Last food, drink. We walked around looking for lemonade with real lemons. It was worth it. It was good, but we should have bought a gallon of it.

I had hoped we would at least stay until we heard Willie say 'How ya all doin?' We knew Willie's was the only show the whole festival that is sold out, but I was guessing we could hear the music from anywhere close.

But it is hot and we are old and already tired of walking. At 70 degrees we likely would have lasted the day and been able to sample more food. This festival looks like all the food vendors in the US winter in FL and show up here.

We really didn't know where we were going next, after looking at hotels and what still had rooms we headed north.

2nd stop was the FL National Cemetery to take pictures of grave markers of three graves.

3rd and final stop was the Comfort Inn in Ocala. We've stayed here a few times and that is why we are back. Food is next door at Murphy's Oyster Bar. BB had the Po Boy and I had the Philly, to go.

We did watch the load board all day but nothing worth calling on. This morning, the NC to WI trip was gone almost right away. Now tonight there is another one. We might call on it if it is still there Monday AM. Problem is that it 1+ days to get to it, so a two day rental to pick up and then a 2nd rental car at the drop. We'd be better off to get something that doesn't drop as close to home. Logistics.

Load board

US - 217

IA - 88/87

Not sure what we are doing tomorrow or Sunday, we kind of plan on the fly. We've looked at options. The better known something is, the less likely we are to go there.