For curiosity’s sake, I did a search on public picnic and campgrounds in Florida. As figured, the free places, if they exist, don’t advertise, but usually somebody will post something. Nope, and my five or so trips around Lake Okee in the past ten years show that every square inch of the shore is owned by somebody. I know there are a couple vantage points on the east side.
This satellite image shows a couple pine tree icons, the usual symbol of camping facilities, but these direct your search to a monstrous state “recreation” site that focuses on RVs and $68 annual passes.The state campgrounds charge a fee, and you must make a reservation. Others charge as well, ranging from $3.00 for “primitive” tent camps to $30.00 for tent camps with pool, bathhouse and tuck shop. Most have cabins for up to $150 per night. I don’t like mixed campgrounds, you know, RV and tents together. And yes, if you have an RV, you really can park overnight at all Wal*Mart parking lots except in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The state reservations are not just a name and payment, they want your life history, and I’ve noticed the newer sites don’t respond to the older workarounds. (The jsmith@aol.com used to get information anonymously. Hey, it was you who called them for information, not the other way.) I can understand them wanting to know your first name and how long you’ll be staying, but take a look at the form. Happy Trails prisoner number 9248731.
The new scooter is a sweet ride. It lacks the power of the old unit but top ends 5 mph faster. There is a 500 mile break-in period, hence my interest in the Okee tour. The weather is perfect for such an outing, dawn to dusk. I saw a video of this dude who rode a 125cc around Scotland. He had a compact rack on the passenger seat of all the camp gear he needed.
I was at the library twice. I totally enjoyed the read about kerosene (coal oil) lamps last day. I measured the output of one of my standard models. The blurb says a quart of oil lasts 28 hours. I say it is more like 24 and I burn mine at a predictable rate. I’m not so certain it amounts to a bargain, but it is a better arrangement than the electric company. Why oh why did I throw out that propane stove? On January 14, I told you what propane fridges cost.I examined my kerosene lamps, and noticed there are several important factors the manufacturers don’t tell the new owner. For instance, there are two ways to hang the lamp. One is by the tiny loop at the top of the “chimney”, the other is by the long fold-over handle. Here’s the difference. The tiny loop is the correct way to suspend the lamp. The larger handle is meant to be draped over the side of the lantern. If you don’t fold it over, it gets too hot to carry. I toasted my fingertips a few times before clueing in.
This painfully important fact is not mentioned in any of the instruction manuals or safety precautions. It must be one of those uncountable bass-akward tidbits from down on the farm that you are “supposed to know”. It may explain those many old photos showing some hick missing finger or an eye. Duh-yup.
Trivia says that 44% of Americans think the Theory of Evolution is bunk. They also think the theory says man descended from apes, which it does not say. If you need a yardstick to measure the ignorance rate in the USA, that’s probably a good start.
I found the perfect mobile home. Very similar to this place and only $4,750. Why not? Because it is out on 441, suburbia. Where there are no women between 18 and 42. Enrique is coming around regularly dropping his price, sorry he didn’t take my offer of $3,100. He dropped to $3,000 but I’m not biting. Yet.
My robotics research, even at my beginner’s level, is paying off with the greater understanding gained. The new scooter has an alarm that triggers at the slightest touch. I now know it uses three transistors that produce a six million X gain. I’ve not worked with any transistors yet I grasp the operation. I also learned about “air soldering”. This is where you have salvaged parts with leads too short for a breadboard. You use a third hand device and solder them together directly.
[Author’s note: One of the 44% has already emailed me. Darwin did not say that man descended from apes or that apes will evolve into man. Apes will evolve into different apes through natural selection, but they will still be apes. For some reason, people with low IQs cannot grasp this.
Darwin says we share a common ancestor, which we do with all mammals, not just apes. No matter how they twist things, it is not coincidence that most mammals have ten toes. And incidentally, even the Vatican, with an eye to the future, has wisely stated that there is nothing in the Theory of Evolution that contradicts their doctrines, providing you admit God caused evolution. In his own image. Look left and cough.]
