Another Auld Lang Syne: The TCD Gang Rings in 2014 @ The Fort!

[kampfirekim 260]

And you get a visit from my ghost.  Congratulations. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Statistically, around 10% of daughters that have not yet gone off on their own in the world are under the age of 3.  They don't really care about cash.  Yet. 

 

Ah.

 

I see.

 

You are right.  I had forgotten about the young ones.  You're right about the "Yet."

 

I am starting the think the Friday Fizzle is actually a segue in disguise to usher in the truckload of Bonus Material!  

 

Great update but I only have one comment.....

 

There is no place I'd rather be in the rain than at The Fort.  

 

The Friday fizzle was no intentional segue.  I really thought that was all I had.  Then came that phone call.

 

But you are right about being at the Fort in the rain.  I'll take that over not being at the Fort in the rain.  Every time.

 

And you get a visit from my ghost.  Congratulations. 

 

Nice of your ghost to pay a visit.

 

Although, your ghosts posts more than you do.

 

Kidding.

 

I'm kidding.

 

TCD

[kampfirekim 260]

 

 

 

The Friday fizzle was no intentional segue.  I really thought that was all I had.  Then came that phone call.

 

But you are right about being at the Fort in the rain.  I'll take that over not being at the Fort in the rain.  Every time.

 

 

Nice of your ghost to pay a visit.

 

Although, your ghosts posts more than you do.

 

Kidding.

 

I'm kidding.

 

TCD

 

:raspberry2:  My ghost can't post without me.. So if the ghosts posts... then I am posting too.  

 

How many posts can Kimmie's ghost post if Kimmie's not on to post?  Say that three times really really fast.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

:raspberry2:  My ghost can't post without me.. So if the ghosts posts... then I am posting too.  

 

How many posts can Kimmie's ghost post if Kimmie's not on to post?  Say that three times really really fast.

 

I couldn't even say that once.

 

Nor can I answer that question.  Too philosophical for me, man.

 

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Love me some ghost of KFK.  Fo Sho! 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Love me some ghost of KFK.  Fo Sho! 

 

Not me.

 

Between you and I, that ghost is annoying.

 

Always repeating what someone just said.

 

Why is that necessary?

 

KFK, I like.

 

The ghost,

 

Meh.

 

TCD

 

Of course, now I'm probably going to be haunted.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

When I tried to step up to the take out counter to pick up my sandwich, another clueless group was debating what to order for breakfast.  What is it with people?  There are like three things on the whole blasted menu.  What's so complicated about that.  This group was also distressed about the fact that they would have to eat their food outside.  On a picnic table. OMG.  The indignity.  Never mind that they were free to fork over $14 a piece and have a nice sit down meal.  I think they though that they were going to have to sit at the tables out in the rain.  They didn't know about the tables on the porch.  You know, the ones by the Chowds?  The CM told them that they were free to sit on the first level of Crockett's Tavern, by the bar.  Really?  I didn't know that was OK.

 

As that group continued with their great debate, the CM picked up the bag that held my sandwich and handed it to me.  Thank goodness.  I started to head back to my picnic table. Then I stopped.  Maybe I would give the indoor bar seating a try.  I'd never done that before.

 

So, I walked through the restaurant, and down the stairs, and found that they did have some of the tables near the bar set up for take out customers to use.  Wow.  I learned something new.

 

There was one other couple there.  They looked like pros.  They had refillable mugs, and each had a lap top open.  Free Wi-Fi, you know.  I wonder if they ever visit ff.net?  How could anyone visit the Fort and not visit ff.net?

 

So, this was nice.

 

And, as an added bonus, that loud party that was ahead of me ordering came waddling through and went outside to the picnic tables.  Very nice.

 

There was a thread on here last week where someone asked about a good spot near the Fort to watch the Superbowl.  Some helpful Fiends suggested Crockett's Tavern.  Well, they do have two TV's at the bar, which you can see in these photos:

 

 

 

But, the problem here is this- there are a total of 7 barstools.  That's it:

 

 

 

There was once a time, in fact not very long ago, that they also had some high-top tables near the bar where guests could sit and just drink and order off of an appetizer menu.  But no more.  All the tables in the bar area, including those I was sitting at now, are used at night as seating for the dinner buffet.  So, if you are one of the first seven to claim a bar stool, Crockett's would be a great place to watch a game.  Once those seats are full, though, then what?

 

I have done very well in the past few months not worrying about the girls, but as I sat hear eating my breakfast sandwich, I started to get a bit concerned.  Why hadn't I heard from them?  I texted again.

 

A couple of minutes later, my phone rang.  The caller ID said is was Twin #2.  I took a deep breath and answered.  She began right away saying she was sorry, but they had just woken up!  They had intended to get up and be on the road by 9:30.  Now, it was 10:15 and they were just waking up.  It was a classic twin mix-up.  One thought the other one had set an alarm.  Not really a big deal, I told them.  It was rainy here anyway.  Them coming a bit later might give things a chance to dry out.  We agreed they would get ready as quick as they could and get on the road.

 

I had planned to leave here and hop the bus to the Lodge and meet the twins there around 11.  Now, I had all kinds of time.  Time to reformulate my plan again. It wasn't raining out.  Maybe I'd walk over to the 400 loop and look for Grumpy/Dave.

 

So, I finished my sandwich.  I thought about taking a photo of it.  But it was half gone by that point.  Plus, DIT had gone missing, although he's back now.  So no picture.  Imagine a bagel with egg, bacon and cheese on it.  Plenty of each. Sorry for the oversight, Dave.

 

So, here I was, expecting to zip out of the Fort, and now I had some more time.

 

I headed out toward the Settlement Trading Post:

 

 

Look- some genius trimmed the rose bushes under the sign.  Trimmed 'em good too. Got rid of all those annoying flowers.  Nice job.

 

You can't see it in that photo, but something behind the Trading Post caught my eye.  It looked like that orange mesh fencing they put up to keep people out of construction areas.  I am drawn to that kind of thing.  I just had to take a quick peek.

 

So here's the orange fence.  I thought at first that they had closed off the pedestrian path.  But, as you can see, this fencing was just on either side of the path:

 

 

Hey look- someone left the gate behind the Trading Post open.  I had to take a peek in there too. You never know what you might see:

 

 

Nothing new.  Just the old wagon with the ripped roof that has been sitting back here for months now:

 

 

They are right on schedule with that wagon.

 

One day soon I will take a peek, and it will be gone.  And we will never see it again.

 

Oh, and look how they put some kind of strap around that old metal shed there on the left- crushed the roof in.  Whoops.

 

Now, about that orange fence.

 

What was it doing there?

 

They obviously have it up to protect the trees and fence posts from trucks and equipment that is driving back there for some reason.  Look, they removed the rails from the fence and have them laying there on the ground:

 

 

Which raises the question- what are they doing back there with trucks and equipment?

 

We need to know, right?

 

The rain had let up.

 

And I had time.

 

So, I decided to take a walk.

 

It's a free country.

 

There weren't any keep out signs or anything.  It's a pedestrian path.  And, today, I was a pedestrian.

 

So let's go.

 

In an odd twist, the canal that runs behind the 100 and 200 loops was not green:

 

 

What is up with that?  That canal is usually coated with slime. Today it's clean.  But the Fishin' hole and the canals feeding it are green.  Odd.

 

Here we go down the path.  But first, let's look at this craftsmanship:

 

 

 

Who the heck put up that fence?

 

And did he get paid for that?

 

Interesting.

 

The dirt road was more like a mud road:

 

 

Check out how someone completely drove off the road here.  By a lot:

 

 

I don't claim to be an orange fence builder or a big truck driver, but I have to say that if Disney hired me to do those tasks, I would be a bit more careful with my work than what I am seeing going on here.  This only intrigued me more, so I continued on.  I had to see what this was all about.

 

This is the clearing that one day might be cleared even more to become the site of a new BADP (Big A** Dining Pavilion).  There was a permit application for such a project years ago, and every time I am by this way, I look for signs that work may have begun on that project.  Aside from the big tire tracks all over the place, it doesn't look like any work is going on in this clearing:

 

 

I'll bet that kid on the leash would love to be turned loose in these puddles:

 

 

Look, there's a sign up ahead.  Maybe that will shed some light on what is going on here:

 

 

Hmmm.

 

Not what I expected.

 

At all.

 

That's a snow shovel, right?:

 

 

Is the path closed because of snow?

 

When did it snow?

 

I am confused.

 

Well, whatever the reason, I guess they didn't want anyone going down that path.

 

OK.

 

I went to the left.

 

Whoa- what the heck is all of this?:

 

 

What are these muddy things stacked up here?:

 

 

They have handgrips on them. And they sure are dirty:

 

 

There are some cleaner ones stacked up here:

 

 

Look- they have imprints on them that look like maybe they would be laid down for trucks to drive on to get out of muddy areas:

 

 

This one has something printed on it.  Although they messed up and printed it upside down, I can read it- it says Dura Base.  And there's a phone number 1-877-MAT-ROAD :

 

 

So, these things must be used to put down to give trucks a place to drive.  Got it.

 

One more look:

 

 

Aside from the Dura Base, there was a bunch of other stuff back here too:

 

 

There were tire tracks all over the place:

 

 

Just ahead, there was a big pile of dirt- and some kind of big metal cylinder next to it:

 

 

More stuff was piled up over to the side:

 

 

That metal cylinder was a fuel tank- and it's for off road diesel fuel:

 

 

So, basically, there was some kind of huge work project going on back here. 

 

When I was last here at the beginning of January, as you may have read earlier in this trip report, there were fences up for some work that was being done around the dam.  And a lot of material stacked up across the bridge for what apparently was gong to be a BABH (Big A** Bat House).  But, I wouldn't have guessed that they were going to be doing anything that would have required so much equipment.  What The Fort was going on?

 

There was only one way to find out- keep walking.

 

Which is what I did.

 

I saw quite a bit more as I walked on.

 

I'll share that with you in my next update.

 

Because we're at the photo limit again.

 

Not bad for just a little bonus content, huh?

 

TCD

[kampfirekim 260]

I couldn't even say that once.

 

Nor can I answer that question.  Too philosophical for me, man.

 

TCD

 

Wow.  I don't think I've been philosophical before.  Just confusing.  Or is that the same thing?

Love me some ghost of KFK.  Fo Sho! 

 

:heart: ya right back!

 

Fo shizzle.

 

Not me.

 

Between you and I, that ghost is annoying.

 

Always repeating what someone just said.

 

Why is that necessary?

 

KFK, I like.

 

The ghost,

 

Meh.

 

TCD

 

Of course, now I'm probably going to be haunted.

The ghost doesn't repeat other people.  Just me.  That's why it's my ghost.  Duh.

 

The ghost is a little miffed at the above dissing... and though the update was great she was hoping you'd slip in the mud on the pedestrian path.   :raspberry2:

[DaveInTN 3,247]

 

So, I finished my sandwich.  I thought about taking a photo of it.  But it was half gone by that point.  Plus, DIT had gone missing, although he's back now.  So no picture.  Imagine a bagel with egg, bacon and cheese on it.  Plenty of each. Sorry for the oversight, Dave.

 

 

 

:popo:

 

Just remember.  Even if I go missing, I'm still watching.  Always, watching. 

[lklasing 16]

So what's the word on your oldest?  Is she going to be going away to school, or staying close to home?

 

She's got it narrowed down to two - Auburn and Wyoming.  You know, they're so similar it's tough to choose between the two.  Apparently she doesn't have to decide for sure till April or May so I think we'll be in suspense for a while longer.

 

But, the problem here is this- there are a total of 7 barstools.  That's it:

 

Call me crazy, but I count 8.  Not that that really makes a difference, but I'm a numbers person so I couldn't help but go there.

 

:popo:

 

Just remember.  Even if I go missing, I'm still watching.  Always, watching. 

 

Roz!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

The ghost doesn't repeat other people.  Just me.  That's why it's my ghost.  Duh.

 

The ghost is a little miffed at the above dissing... and though the update was great she was hoping you'd slip in the mud on the pedestrian path.   :raspberry2:

 

OK, I take back what I said about the ghost.

 

I love the ghost too.

 

I don't need a ghost miffed at me.

 

I would hate to slip in the mud.

 

:popo:

 

Just remember.  Even if I go missing, I'm still watching.  Always, watching.

 

OK, well in that case, I'll share a photo from the TCD archives.  My sandwich looked exactly like this one (minus the potatoes) :

 

 

Remember- if you want one- it's not on the menu.

 

It's on the secret menu!

 

She's got it narrowed down to two - Auburn and Wyoming.  You know, they're so similar it's tough to choose between the two.  Apparently she doesn't have to decide for sure till April or May so I think we'll be in suspense for a while longer.

 

Auburn/Wyoming- same thing. LOL.

I vote for Auburn. Wyoming is too far away. Plus she'll probably end up with a cowboy for a husband. Which might not be all bad. But still.

 

Call me crazy, but I count 8.  Not that that really makes a difference, but I'm a numbers person so I couldn't help but go there.

 

 I don't know- count again:

I only see 7.

But, I've been making a lot of mistakes lately.

TCD

[kampfirekim 260]

 

OK, I take back what I said about the ghost.

 

I love the ghost too.

 

I don't need a ghost miffed at me.

 

I would hate to slip in the mud.

 

 

She says you are forgiven and she loves you too.

[GOBA Mom Lynn 18]

Great report as always.

A few remarks:

 

The guy pulling the bike trailer.  He doesn't even have the rain cover on.  We pulled both of our kids in trailers like that for years.  We always used either the screen or rain cover.  Bikes kick up stones, etc off of the road, even when it's not raining.  (Just a personal pet peeve of mine when I see parents pulling kids unprotected in trailers.)  

 

Your photo of the "future parking lot"...  It's not just the acreage of concrete, but take that picture and add a what, 10 story building, just beyond it.  And I guess that means that nice, big old tree that I see there will be gone, too.  

 

You know, I count 8 chairs, too.  If you look at the legs of the chairs, the one furthest away from the camera would seem to have 3 legs....hence it must be 2 chairs.

[lklasing 16]

 

 I don't know- count again:

I only see 7.

But, I've been making a lot of mistakes lately.

TCD

 

 

You know, I count 8 chairs, too.  If you look at the legs of the chairs, the one furthest away from the camera would seem to have 3 legs....hence it must be 2 chairs.

 

What she said!  That's where I see the extra one. 

 

And you're right about the possibility of a cowboy husband.  I can't imagine such a thing for my southern girl, but I guess stranger things have happened!

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Love the fence comments! What the Fort was the builder thinking? Z could do a better job. (And for the record, he's never been on a leash.)

[michele j 9]

Nice bonus material. 

 

Maybe those older folks were talking about Cape Cod potato chips?  Do you have those chips in Florida? 

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

Good for you for making the most out of a rainy morning at the fort!

 

Hope the weather improves and the girls arrive soon!

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

Nice bonus material. 

 

Maybe those older folks were talking about Cape Cod potato chips?  Do you have those chips in Florida? 

 

We LOVE Cape Cod chips and even went on the factory tour a few years back while spending a long weekend on the Cape!

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

If you would like to invent some new curse words just spend a few hours dragging those mud mats around in a field of ankle deep mud while maneuvering equipment.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

They sell Cape Cod chips at Publix here in TN, so I assume they do in Florida as well.  

[caveat lector 181]

Twins got some extra rest - excellent

TCD got some extra Fort time - excellent

We get extra TR material - excellent

TCD discovers some unusual activity - bonus excellent

Crappy fence builder get honorary mention for TCDRMoG?

[dvccamper 32]

Cape Cod potato chips are delicious!  Oh, and we're not all Massholes  You know, we have dominated with seven championships with our four sports teams in the last decade.  So we're allowed to boast about our potato chips too :laugh:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Great report as always.

A few remarks:

 

The guy pulling the bike trailer.  He doesn't even have the rain cover on.  We pulled both of our kids in trailers like that for years.  We always used either the screen or rain cover.  Bikes kick up stones, etc off of the road, even when it's not raining.  (Just a personal pet peeve of mine when I see parents pulling kids unprotected in trailers.)  

 

Your photo of the "future parking lot"...  It's not just the acreage of concrete, but take that picture and add a what, 10 story building, just beyond it.  And I guess that means that nice, big old tree that I see there will be gone, too.  

 

You know, I count 8 chairs, too.  If you look at the legs of the chairs, the one furthest away from the camera would seem to have 3 legs....hence it must be 2 chairs.

 

Good point about that bike trailer.  I used to have one.  Pulled the twins around in it at the Fort as a matter of fact.  Mine just had a screen. I always had that secured too. 

 

I'm sure that tree is a goner.  Everything you see in that photo would be leveled and paved if they ever go forward with the plans we've seen.  But don't worry, they are going to make a berm.  And probably plant some bushes on it.

 

OK, I see those extra legs now:

 

 

There are two stools pushed together there at the end of the bar.  I was just looking at the backs of the stools and cushions.  Not the legs.  My bad.

 

What she said!  That's where I see the extra one. 

 

And you're right about the possibility of a cowboy husband.  I can't imagine such a thing for my southern girl, but I guess stranger things have happened!

 

Good job on the bar stool counting!  You are a bar stool expert.  What does that tell us?

 

A cowboy son-in-law wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.  Better than a kid from Massachusetts, for example.

 

Love the fence comments! What the Fort was the builder thinking? Z could do a better job. (And for the record, he's never been on a leash.)

 

I am not completely anti-leash.  Some kids need to be on a leash.  I may have hooked the twins to a leash if Mrs. TCD hadn't forbidden it.  But, the leash doesn't mean that you can ignore your kid or that he gets a pass to do whatever he wants.

 

Nice bonus material. 

 

Maybe those older folks were talking about Cape Cod potato chips?  Do you have those chips in Florida?

 

Actually, I think that is what kind of chips they were talking about.  One of them went on about the ones seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning.  Little did he know that they do sell them in Florida.  All over the place.  I've eaten the Old Bay ones myself.  I didn't think they were anything special.

 

It was a big deal around here a couple of years ago when Wa Wa's showed up and sold Herr's potato chips.  People from Filth-a-delphia went ape.  I remember them from when I lived in New Jersey.  They're just potato chips.

 

Good for you for making the most out of a rainy morning at the fort!

 

Hope the weather improves and the girls arrive soon!

 

The rain wasn't bad.  And at least it wasn't cold.

 

The girls will be arriving soon.

 

We LOVE Cape Cod chips and even went on the factory tour a few years back while spending a long weekend on the Cape!

 

I think Cape Cod potato chips are good too.  But, to me they're nothing special.  No offense.

 

If you would like to invent some new curse words just spend a few hours dragging those mud mats around in a field of ankle deep mud while maneuvering equipment.

 

So, that's what the handholds are for.  I thought they were there just to let guys get a grip to stack them and move them.  I never thought about the fact that they would have to be moved around and put in place by hand.  That makes sense. They have to be put down before a truck can drive on them.  So that means some poor guy has to lay them out.  Doesn't sound like fun to me.  Which is why those guys must have been drunk.  Which explains the fence and the driving off the road.

 

They sell Cape Cod chips at Publix here in TN, so I assume they do in Florida as well.

 

You are correct.

 

Twins got some extra rest - excellent

TCD got some extra Fort time - excellent

We get extra TR material - excellent

TCD discovers some unusual activity - bonus excellent

Crappy fence builder get honorary mention for TCDRMoG?

I don't know about the crappy fence builder getting a TCDRMOG award.  I don't see much genius when I look a that fence.

 

But, you raise a good point.

 

I don't think there was an award conferred on this trip.  How can that be?

 

I am losing it.

 

Not only can I not count bar stools.  I forgot the TCDRMOG.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Cape Cod potato chips are delicious!  Oh, and we're not all Massholes  You know, we have dominated with seven championships with our four sports teams in the last decade.  So we're allowed to boast about our potato chips too :laugh:

 

Really, New England teams have won seven championships in the last decade?

 

I thought it was more, based on the amount of Chowd gear I see people wearing around down here every day of the year.

 

I apologize for the Masshole comment.  But, you have to admit that's a great nickname.

 

I also apologize to the old guys in the rocking chairs.  Here I am making fun of them for bitching about potato chips, but there have been lengthy diatribes on this very site about the unavailability of certain food items.  (Main Street Cinnamon Rolls and Steak Fries are the two that come to mind).  I should have told those guys about ff.net.  They would fit right in here.  We could have a whole thread about potato chips. 

 

I just remembered one other food item one of the old Chowds was complaining he couldn't get in Florida:  Utz Extra Dock Pretzels.  One of the other old codgers told him they had them here, but the complaining one said not the extra dock.  I think the old guy was right.  I've never heard of dock pretzels, let alone extra dock.

 

Those guys were great.

 

TCD

[devores 382]

Really, New England teams have won seven championships in the last decade?

 

I thought it was more, based on the amount of Chowd gear I see people wearing around down here every day of the year.

 

I apologize for the Masshole comment.  But, you have to admit that's a great nickname.

 

I also apologize to the old guys in the rocking chairs.  Here I am making fun of them for bitching about potato chips, but there have been lengthy diatribes on this very site about the unavailability of certain food items.  (Main Street Cinnamon Rolls and Steak Fries are the two that come to mind).  I should have told those guys about ff.net.  They would fit right in here.  We could have a whole thread about potato chips. 

 

I just remembered one other food item one of the old Chowds was complaining he couldn't get in Florida:  Utz Extra Dock Pretzels.  One of the other old codgers told him they had them here, but the complaining one said not the extra dock.  I think the old guy was right.  I've never heard of dock pretzels, let alone extra dock.

 

Those guys were great.

 

TCD

They do have the extra dark utz pretzels here in Florida. Target sells them. Too bad the Massholes didn't know that.