Happy Fall Y'all! TCD's September 2013 Not So Scary TR

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to the rest of the report.

 

You're welcome.  Have a great time at the Fort.  The weather looks like it's going to be great.

 

There are still accents because there are still morons.  If there weren't still morons, everyone would talk like I do.

 

Ah, BFF!

 

Good to see a post from you!

 

I am waiting for some big revelation.  This report has been quite low-key so far.  Pine needles.  Coffee.  Bobbers.  We need something shocking.  Like a visit from OCSO.  Or a bulldozer at River Country.  Or maybe a closed off dam. 

 

What do you mean?

 

Did you miss the part about there being a new square of concrete at the hop scotch court?

 

If you are looking for shocking, then maybe you need to read Fort Wilderness Guy's report.

 

I'll bet it will have all of the things you're looking for.  Plus twerking.

 

This report has no visits from the cops.  Or any bulldozers.  I do have some dam photos.  And there will be a big revelation about the dam area.  Maybe that will tickle your fancy?

 

 

she likes Lorna

 

Who doesn't?

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Alright, we're on page four and moving forward at a decent pace.

It looks like I can squeeze in another update.

We left of on Friday morning as I made my rounds around the Fort.

Somewhere around 9, I went back to the site and cooked up a big breakfast. The girls all remarked how good it was to eat real food as they scarfed down Tater Tots, Jimmy Dean heat and serve sausages, and the scrambled eggs I whipped up. That's real food to them? I wonder what they serve in college?

After breakfast, there was time for some more looping, and of course we discussed our lunch and dinner plans. Seems like that's what we do when we're on vacation.

Here's that sad photo I mentioned in the last update:

 

In the past few years, site 114 would be occupied and well decorated by now.

Seeing it empty like that made me very sad.

We stopped by Pioneer Hall so I could get a soft drink in my refillable mug.

I love Pioneer Hall:

I noticed something new there up on the roof:



Do you see something that looks like a camera and some cable there in the corner?

Is that what I'm seeing?

Take a closer look:

Now it looks like a sprinkler head.

But, I don't see a water line.

What is that?

Has anyone noticed it before?

Also, I want to go up there on the roof and see the view from there. So far, I haven't been able to figure out how to do that. If anyone knows, please let me know. I'll take you with me.

 

While we were in the area of the Settlement, I decided to check on the status of the barn roof.  It was reported in mid-August that the horse barn was closed, and that they were installing a new roof.  I thought I would take a look at the finished product.

 

The product was not finished:

 

 

 

Wow.  Half the roof is still unfinished.

 

If you look there along the edges, you can see shiny metal.  That's copper.  That's how they build the roofs around the Fort.  Must be expensive.

 

Where else do we need to take a look?

 

I know- the pool and campfire area.

 

Word is that they are going to fence the pool.

 

I saw no signs of any fence work having started.

 

But I did notice a new sign with the movie schedule at the campfire area:

 

 

The old sign, on the projection building, is gone.  Now if you want to know what night they're playing Lemonade Mouth, you have to look here.

 

As we drove around the Bike Barn, I looked across the Fishing Hole and saw a woman who had brought her own chair down to sit on Bob's Dock:

 

 

I immediately parked the cart and walked over there and asked her if Bob had given her permission to sit there.

 

She said "Who's Bob?"

 

I asked her to stand for a minute.

 

And when she did, I grabbed her chair, folded it, and threw it in the lake.

 

She was shocked.

 

I told her I had better not see her here again.

 

She called the OCSO, but I hid behind the closed dam behind the 300 loop.  I saw them drive by looking for me.  When they passed, I moved my hiding spot down to River Country and drove the bulldozer around like I was a worker there.  While I was there, I knocked down the sad decaying double slide.  OK, not really,  I made that all up so Dave wouldn't fall asleep while reading about pine needles, coffee and early Christmas decorations.  Like it's my fault the Fort was filled with boring people this weekend.

 

How boring?

 

How about these folks, who were actually playing shuffleboard.  Have you ever seen that? :

 

 

I swear those people arrived at the Fort via a time machine from the 70's.  Look, that kid on the right is wearing a bucket hat!  When is the last time you've seen a bucket hat?

 

I think there is something different about the fence around the four way stop. I need to go and find some old photos to compare.  Or maybe I won't.  That would bore Dave, right?:

 

 

OK, now I have a real revelation.

 

Bear with me here.

 

Look at how there are a bunch of identical tents all set up in the group camping area:

 

 

 

Now, check this out . . .

 

There were three of these tents set up on three different sites on the 2000 loop.

 

One:

 

 

Two:

 

 

Three:

 

 

What do you make of that?

 

I say the Fort has new rental tents.  That is what I make of it.

 

That's a revelation.

 

On the way back to our site, I found this trip's TCD Real Man of Genius Award winner.

 

I'm not sure what exactly is going on here, but it was obviously designed and built by a genius:

 

 

We spent the afternoon chilling at the site.

 

Here's a look at how things were set up out back, including the official TCD hammock:

 

 

I've camped on this stretch of the 900 loop before.  Never before have I seen water in the ditch behind these sites, but it had some nice green water in it for us:

 

 

 

Another side view of our site:

 

 

I went back to the trading post to get something, and since it wasn't busy, decided to get some photos of the new coffee machines and refillable mugs. 

 

First, this is where they keep the decaf:

 

 

 And here's the coffee and hot cocoa machines:

 

 

This sign tells you the prices and shows you the three current mug colors:

 

 

I did some more looping.

 

I knew FWG was planning to be away for lunch, but I wanted to check the 1800 loop to be sure.

 

First, I looped around 1900.  It was swampy.  This site was basically a peninsula:

 

 

 

This pop-up was on the 1800 loop.  It has no bunk ends- just solid walls.  Interesting.  Small, but interesting:

 

 

Every year around this time, there's a family camped on the 600 loop with all kinds of Green Bay Packers decorations.  They're back.  And this year, they even have an armadillo with a cheese head:

 

 

Can't say I've ever seen one of those before.

 

We headed down past the 400 loop, toward the 300/500 loop entrances, and saw this:

 

 

Do you see it? How about now?:

 

 

Man, I hate that crane!

 

We are at the photo limit again, so time to stop.

 

Next up, the return of Lou, and we head out to the MK.

 

TCD

[campingdawgs 4]

We actually played shuffleboard once, not at the Fort, though. At Topsail Hill campground- the kids were sunburned and didn't want to swim, so we played shuffleboard! The kids liked it, but not enough to play again.

[michele j 9]

That  armadillo is cute with his little hat on

[michele j 9]

oops

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Shuffleboard and armadillos with cheeseheads. 

 

Plus, a kid wearing a hat like Jimmy Walker wore in Good Times.  Dy-No-MITE! 

 

This is more like it.  Exciting stuff. 

[BigTom 76]

Not many of us native Floridians in this state, but we do say y'all. What other word is there to use that works better?

[fowlandfishmommy 10]

#1 I'd like to say I am devastated that I didn't see you on Thursday, and thus didn't make it into this trip report!!

#2 I saw a man feeding one of those white birds at Casey's at the MK.  It was DISGUSTING.  I gagged.  He was holding a hotdog in his hand and letting the bird pull at it.  GROSS!!!

#3 I felt like there were many people that came to the World via time warp.  I saw 4 kids with serious rat tails.  I mean for real long rat tails.  Weird!

[ftwildernessguy 778]

#1 I'd like to say I am devastated that I didn't see you on Thursday, and thus didn't make it into this trip report!!

#2 I saw a man feeding one of those white birds at Casey's at the MK.  It was DISGUSTING.  I gagged.  He was holding a hotdog in his hand and letting the bird pull at it.  GROSS!!!

#3 I felt like there were many people that came to the World via time warp.  I saw 4 kids with serious rat tails.  I mean for real long rat tails.  Weird!

As a proud mullet wearer, I am offended. Business in the front, party in the back, baby! Unless you are speaking of actual rat tails, not a hairstyle, in which case that is freaky.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Great pix.

What is up with the roof at the ranch. Come on! They started in mid-August. Are they making the shingles by hand or something?

My roofers crew stripped, and reroofed a 4200 sq ft. house I manage in three days.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

I like the armadillo with a cheese hat.  I think I want one.

[TnBob 311]

 

 

 

 

As we drove around the Bike Barn, I looked across the Fishing Hole and saw a woman who had brought her own chair down to sit on Bob's Dock:

 

 

I immediately parked the cart and walked over there and asked her if Bob had given her permission to sit there.

 

She said "Who's Bob?"

 

I asked her to stand for a minute.

 

And when she did, I grabbed her chair, folded it, and threw it in the lake.

 

She was shocked.

 

I told her I had better not see her here again.

 

 

 

you da man! Keep up the good work

[Starbuc71 162]

I like how you take pics of old pink mugs...lol

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Caught up.

Do you have a picture of Lou in a Cheesehead?

Or of FWG twerking?

If so, please give fair warning.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Re. that popup in the 1800 loop with hardsides. In 1995 Coleman made a hardside popup called the Hatteras. It had canvas bunk ends, but this guy has gotten rid of them and put in some hard ends.

[fortpartyof4 108]

We saw a homemade hard sided pop up during our Aug. '12 Fort trip…….except I'm pretty sure it no longer "popped", and they kept one bed end.  

 

 

Our family gets a kick out of some people's handiwork on older RV's.  Some of it is quite genius!  (a lot of it is ridiculous)  We particularly like old school busses that have been transformed.  Too much Partridge family as a kid I guess.

 

And, it never fails that one of us will blurt out "Uncle Eddie!" when we see a dirty old class A rolling down the road or parked at a campsite.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

We actually played shuffleboard once, not at the Fort, though. At Topsail Hill campground- the kids were sunburned and didn't want to swim, so we played shuffleboard! The kids liked it, but not enough to play again.

 

Mrs. TCD and her family used to play shuffleboard all the time.  They know the rules and everything.  We've played it a few times when we've had the opportunity, including on the Disney Cruise ships.  It's actually a fun game.  From what I've observed, there aren't many people who have the slightest idea how the game is supposed to be played.  We've never played it at the Fort.

 

That  armadillo is cute with his little hat on

 

I thought so too.  Weird, but cute.

 

Shuffleboard and armadillos with cheeseheads. 

 

Plus, a kid wearing a hat like Jimmy Walker wore in Good Times.  Dy-No-MITE! 

 

This is more like it.  Exciting stuff. 

 

Jimmy JJ Walker!

 

Good stuff!

 

Whatever happened to him?

 

 

Not many of us native Floridians in this state, but we do say y'all. What other word is there to use that works better?

 

Point taken.

 

The Yankee version is "Youse Guys."

 

I have nothing against the contraction, Y'all, but it can be overused.  I just saw an example of that today in the local paper.  I'll see if I can find the quote and post it.

 

#1 I'd like to say I am devastated that I didn't see you on Thursday, and thus didn't make it into this trip report!!

#2 I saw a man feeding one of those white birds at Casey's at the MK.  It was DISGUSTING.  I gagged.  He was holding a hotdog in his hand and letting the bird pull at it.  GROSS!!!

#3 I felt like there were many people that came to the World via time warp.  I saw 4 kids with serious rat tails.  I mean for real long rat tails.  Weird!

 

It is an Epic Fail on your part that you didn't get to meet me.

 

These scenes that you are describing- are there photos?  I'd love to see photos of some ding-dong feeding a bird a hot dog.  And, one serious rat tail is photo worthy, but four?  Oh man.

 

I'm not sure if you could be convinced to write a little trip report, but you really ought to.  If that's too much for you, how about at least sharing what you liked or didn't like at the Food and Wine Festival?  I think we've all found out about things that we might have overlooked from each other's reports. 

 

As a proud mullet wearer, I am offended. Business in the front, party in the back, baby! Unless you are speaking of actual rat tails, not a hairstyle, in which case that is freaky.

 

Now, don't be offended.  You have to admit that there aren't many men who can pull off the mullet in this day and age.  You are a rare breed. 

 

I have to admit that your mullet is magnificent.  Like an animal pelt.  Very nice.

 

Great pix.

What is up with the roof at the ranch. Come on! They started in mid-August. Are they making the shingles by hand or something?

My roofers crew stripped, and reroofed a 4200 sq ft. house I manage in three days.

 

Yeah, I don't have any idea what is taking so long with that roof.

 

I've noticed before that when they re-roof a building at the Fort, they spare no expense.  But even so, almost two months for one roof?  There was some speculation that the roofline was being changed, but it doesn't look any different to me.

 

 

I like the armadillo with a cheese hat.  I think I want one.

 

Wow.  A lot of folks like that armadillo.

 

Maybe I should get some to sell?

 

you da man! Keep up the good work

 

Thanks.

 

I think I have some more photos of your dock.  But they won't be coming up for a while.

 

 

I like how you take pics of old pink mugs...lol

 

I'm glad you appreciate my work.

 

You might want to stay tuned.  I have more drink thief/illegal mug use photos.  It's rampant.  Even with the RFID chips.

 

TCD

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

still here reading... just having a hard time concentrating enough to remember the comments i want to make... perhaps i need to take notes

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Caught up.

Do you have a picture of Lou in a Cheesehead?

Or of FWG twerking?

If so, please give fair warning.

 

Sorry, but negative on both of those.

 

Re. that popup in the 1800 loop with hardsides. In 1995 Coleman made a hardside popup called the Hatteras. It had canvas bunk ends, but this guy has gotten rid of them and put in some hard ends.

 

I thought that looked like a Coleman, and it did say Hatteras on it.  The thing looked stock to me.  I remember that Coleman at one time did have a pop-up camper model that looked a lot like this one- four hard walls that folded in, and no bunk ends.  I thought that's what this guy had.  I googled to try to find a photo- but all the Hatteras photos I found had bunk ends.  If this guy did this on his own, he did a good job.

 

We saw a homemade hard sided pop up during our Aug. '12 Fort trip…….except I'm pretty sure it no longer "popped", and they kept one bed end.  

 

 

Our family gets a kick out of some people's handiwork on older RV's.  Some of it is quite genius!  (a lot of it is ridiculous)  We particularly like old school busses that have been transformed.  Too much Partridge family as a kid I guess.

 

And, it never fails that one of us will blurt out "Uncle Eddie!" when we see a dirty old class A rolling down the road or parked at a campsite.

 

Excellent photo!

 

I love to see the things people come up with too.  This one is really good.  A lot of thought and work went into this one.

 

still here reading... just having a hard time concentrating enough to remember the comments i want to make... perhaps i need to take notes

 

LOL!  I think I need to start taking notes too.

 

I am about to report on my Friday afternoon, and there is a big gap in time.  I know that we were doing something, but darned if I can remember what.  If I didn't have photos, I probably wouldn't remember anything.

 

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Dont be sorry.

I wanted fair warning so i could change the channel if needed.

Now I know.

And Knowing is half the battle.

G.I. Joeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

 

LOL!  I think I need to start taking notes too.

 

I am about to report on my Friday afternoon, and there is a big gap in time.  I know that we were doing something, but darned if I can remember what.  If I didn't have photos, I probably wouldn't remember anything.

 

 

TCD

 

at least i am not the only one

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Before moving on with the next installment, I would like to take a moment to address the use of the word "Y'all."

 

Seems like the majority of you think it's a fine thing to say.

 

Not so fast.

 

I present, as Exhibit "A" this quote from today's Tampa Bay Times from one Donald Penn, a player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  This is a statement Donald made during a national radio interview on Tuesday night:

 

"Y'all. The media," Penn said. "Y'all are trying to find every way to try to (tarnish) his character and try to make him seem like he's not a good guy, like he's not a good person, like this is all his fault. That's y'all reporting the stuff. Don't try to switch it up like it's not y'all."

 

The complete article is here:  http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/bucs-penn-upset-by-medias-treatment-of-freeman/2145125

 

Y'all that's a lot of y'all's.  Too many if y'all ask me.  And if any of y'all can tell me what Donald was trying to say, I'd be much obliged, y'all.

 

TCD

[Memphis 105]

Before moving on with the next installment, I would like to take a moment to address the use of the word "Y'all."

 

Seems like the majority of you think it's a fine thing to say.

 

Not so fast.

 

I present, as Exhibit "A" this quote from today's Tampa Bay Times from one Donald Penn, a player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  This is a statement Donald made during a national radio interview on Tuesday night:

 

"Y'all. The media," Penn said. "Y'all are trying to find every way to try to (tarnish) his character and try to make him seem like he's not a good guy, like he's not a good person, like this is all his fault. That's y'all reporting the stuff. Don't try to switch it up like it's not y'all."

 

The complete article is here:  http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bucs/bucs-penn-upset-by-medias-treatment-of-freeman/2145125

 

Y'all that's a lot of y'all's.  Too many if y'all ask me.  And if any of y'all can tell me what Donald was trying to say, I'd be much obliged, y'all.

 

TCD

Please,

You use an offensive tackle as an example of good speech. I often wonder if some of them are even speaking English. It is always a clue to me how well spoken someone is when the media has to have explanations in parentheses.

However, I do agree, like there was like way to many like y'alls in like what was is like 3 or 4 like sentence type thingies.

[Gonzo 0]

Re. that popup in the 1800 loop with hardsides. In 1995 Coleman made a hardside popup called the Hatteras. It had canvas bunk ends, but this guy has gotten rid of them and put in some hard ends.

 

I have a 1993 Coleman Cape Cod that is the same body style with the hard side walls. Makes me wonder what happened that he removed the bunk ends.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Please,

You use an offensive tackle as an example of good speech. I often wonder if some of them are even speaking English. It is always a clue to me how well spoken someone is when the media has to have explanations in parentheses.

However, I do agree, like there was like way to many like y'alls in like what was is like 3 or 4 like sentence type thingies.

 

You're right.

 

It wasn't really a fair example.  But, my point is a little y'all goes a long way.

 

I have a 1993 Coleman Cape Cod that is the same body style with the hard side walls. Makes me wonder what happened that he removed the bunk ends.

 

Hey Gonzo!

 

Good to see a post from you.

 

I've seen your camper, and didn't realize you had the hard sides like that.  The camper from the 1800 loop appeared to be in very good shape.  I'm still not convinced it wasn't stock.  I am certain that Coleman manufactured something like that.  I just haven't been able to find a photo yet.

 

TCD