We Biked, Got Spiked, Celebrated and Swam Around the World!

[fotofx....Steve 34]

Anyone concerned with the EXIF photo info. Just resize or open and "save as" the image and in most cases the EXIF is gone. Keep in mind that only cameras with a GPS can embed a location. Common cameras do not have GPS ability and a WiFi only iPad or iPod also does not have the GPS.

The best part of the trip reports are the pictures.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Do not see anything. It actually looks like it was a "save as" that no longer has the original info.

Anyone concerned with the EXIF photo info. Just resize or open and "save as" the image and in most cases the EXIF is gone. Keep in mind that only cameras with a GPS can embed a location. Common cameras do not have GPS ability and a WiFi only iPad or iPod also does not have the GPS.

The best part of the trip reports are the pictures.

Thanks.

Good to know.

I just use a simple digital camera for most of my photos- so no GPS or other identifying information.

But, on occasion, I do post a photo taken by one of my daughters. I would hate, for example, to post one that has the GPS information on our home or my daughter's apartment at college.

TCD

[fortpartyof4 108]

Time for an update. This will finish up day 3. There are no pictures – not because of what we’ve been discussing, there just don’t happen to be any for the rest of this day. I could swipe some off of the internet and pretend they’re mine, but with our resident photo sleuth Steve, my cover would probably get blown so I won’t try to fool y’all. Plus I just don’t have it in me to lie or be fake (more peeves!).

After spying on the street cleaner CM, we went back to the cabin pool to cool off. Then more looping, during which our rental cart, which had previously been pretty quick (as in way past the 20 mph quick), began to go reeeeaaaallly slow. All week we had been having to slow down when we came up on a Fort cart, which is how I knew it was faster. I started to panic, because I knew we weren’t going to make it back to our site, it was steadily going slower and slower and nearly died. So I made the boys get off right before the bridge that crosses the canal by the Meadow pool – it has a slight incline and I didn’t think it would make it up that little hill – and told them to cut through the 1500 bus stop/CS and go back to our site in 1600. The cart died as I crested that bridge. Fortunately, I was able to coast down the hill by the pool to the cart parking by the movie area. I thought there were places to charge there, but there weren’t. At least it wasn’t sitting on the side of the road.

I called Kenny as I was walking back to the site and left a message. It started raining, so we had some dinner. We really shook things up tonight. The boys had chicken nuggets, tots, and fruit; I had cheese and crackers. I know you’re drooling. Sorry I didn’t take pictures of all that gourmet food.

Called Kenny again. I was starting to get annoyed, because I had charged the cart every night. Couldn’t understand why it died.

We needed a few things so made a Walmart run. Kenny called right as we were parking. He said he’d get someone to go and check the cart out and call me back. He called before I was finished in the store and told me that the charger had been swapped out and the cart was back at my site. That was fast! Good ole Kenny. (well, I think it was actually one of his elves) He said he thought it was the outlet I was using on the light pole at the site, so from then on I used an extension cord and the outlet at the back of the site.

Once we got back from the store, we headed over to the Meadow pool. I brought the laptop and set myself up at one of the tables near the bathrooms on the pool deck to take advantage of the wifi. After while, it started to rain. A group of people who had been partying nearby ducked under one of the tables next to me. They didn’t close the pool and the laptop stayed dry, so I stuck around. One of the women was chain smoking and after a while I couldn’t stand it anymore so we split. They were getting ready to close the slide anyway. I can take someone having a smoke or 2 around me (most of my friends and family who do it are pretty considerate about it), but Smoky Jane was just puffing away steadily 3 feet away from me and I didn’t feel like sitting in it.

We hopped back on our newly-charged cart and decided to go looping for a bit before heading back to the site. As we approached the settlement area, the headlight began to dim and the cart once again started to slow down. It had charged for about 4 hours, but I figured maybe that wasn’t enough. So I pulled into the lot by the marina where I knew there were outlets and plugged it in for a bit. Didn’t want to get stranded in the dark and have to leave it along the road all night. Then I would end up in one of TCD’s reports as one of those geniuses!

We played some tetherball while we waited for it to juice up enough to get us back. It did get us back, but barely! The boys were cracking up because by the time we got to our loop, they got out and walked faster than I was driving the cart.

We never got to loop, but caught some Olympics on the tube and turned in.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Hmmmm.

Didn't know you were having cart trouble.

I have had to Fred Flintstone it a couple of times. Not fun.

I hope you got the charging thing figured out.

TCD

[fortpartyof4 108]

Hmmmm.

Didn't know you were having cart trouble.

I have had to Fred Flintstone it a couple of times. Not fun.

I hope you got the charging thing figured out.

TCD

That's funny! Yep, that's what I did!

This isn't the last of our cart troubles, unfortunately.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Nice hijack!

No, there are no dishwashing stations at the Fort.

But there is a big utility sink in each laundry room. That's a good place to dump grey water. But, there are no instructions given by the Idiot Managers on this topic, so you kind of have to figure it out on your own.

I have a cassette toilet in my pop-up. The story on those is that you are supposed to call the front desk and they will tell you where there is an empty site that you can use the sewer connection to dump the contents. I never bother calling the front desk- that would probably take at least a half hour-I just look for an empty site and take care of it. You obviously could dump your grey water there too.

Or, we can all do like All Star guy and just dump it next to our sites.

TCD

When I stay in the partials, I usually dump my portapotty and my grey water container in one of the toilets in the comfort station.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

When I stay in the partials, I usually dump my portapotty and my grey water container in one of the toilets in the comfort station.

That works.

For small amounts.

It would be good if the idiot managers told people how to dispose of grey water properly, instead of relying on those little signs that just say to dispose of it properly. How are people supposed to know what that means?

TCD

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

I'm late to the party as usual but... just like cousin Eddie... as soon as you think you're in the clear, there I am.

Love the snooty woman pic and the assorted butts... :rofl2:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I dug through the TCD archives, and found a photo of the little sign on the stumps in the 2000 loop giving instructions on how to dispose of waste water:

That's it.

That's all they tell anyone.

And, there aren't even signs on the 1500 loop.

Maybe I could save myself a lot of trouble and just use the canal over there?

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Y'all have given me yet another of my brilliant ideas. If a few of us would dump our black water down near the MBYBBQ pavilion, they might have to designate the area a toxic Superfund site, making it off limits to development. No more DVC.

[charitycase20....Charity 10]

I dug through the TCD archives, and found a photo of the little sign on the stumps in the 2000 loop giving instructions on how to dispose of waste water:

That's it.

That's all they tell anyone.

And, there aren't even signs on the 1500 loop.

Maybe I could save myself a lot of trouble and just use the canal over there?

TCD

Thanks for the pic and the info Andrew. It's about as clear as mud isn't it? :rofl3:

I guess we'll just do what we normally do, we'll wash dishes at the site in my tubs and then dump the water in the "big" sink.

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

I am just beginning page four, but had to stop and tell you how much I am enjoying your trip report!!

[fortpartyof4 108]

I am just beginning page four, but had to stop and tell you how much I am enjoying your trip report!!

Thank you!

I am taking a little break. One of my kids is sick and I have a trip to get ready for.

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

Sorry you have a young one sick. Here's hoping he feels better very soon and you have a terrific trip!

[fortpartyof4 108]

Sorry you have a young one sick. Here's hoping he feels better very soon and you have a terrific trip!

Thanks. It's just a case of the back-to-school, new germs kicking in. At least I hope that's all it is, because last Labor Day weekend the other one was sick and I remember having to hang in the camper with him. Thinking maybe we need to stay home Labor Day wknd from now on!

I am also busy trying to book a group camping trip to the Fort for our Cub Scout pack. What a nightmare. You have to go through their group team when you want more than 10 rooms/sites, and they are very difficult to work with. I thought of Fiesty, but understand she's a little busy with Isaac right now.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Back to school germs seem almost inevitable. I can't recall a time when we've been in public schools and didn't encounter them. Never dealt with those during homeschooling years. But we have kids in public school this year, so germy we be. And I've ended up with all of them.

Looking forward to the resumption of your TR when you can.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

FP4-

Have a great camping trip this weekend.

And good luck with the scout group thing. You would think that the idiots who run the Fort might want to work with people who want to spend money there. That's how most businesses work, right? Not the Fort!

TCD

[fortpartyof4 108]

Back to school germs seem almost inevitable. I can't recall a time when we've been in public schools and didn't encounter them. Never dealt with those during homeschooling years. But we have kids in public school this year, so germy we be. And I've ended up with all of them.

Looking forward to the resumption of your TR when you can.

FP4-

Have a great camping trip this weekend.

And good luck with the scout group thing. You would think that the idiots who run the Fort might want to work with people who want to spend money there. That's how most businesses work, right? Not the Fort!

TCD

Thanks!

OTC meds are helping a lot. I am really hoping he feels better by the weekend. But don't tell him I said that camping is more important than school!

TCD - I know, right? Everyone knows how much I love the Fort, so I got assigned that trip. At the time, I thought it wouldn't be a big deal since I always book our stays myself.

Not so much!! That was 2 weeks ago, and I am still playing phone tag and getting mixed information. grrrr

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Have a great weekend, FP4. We'll be here to pick where you left off when you get back! :heartsmiley:

[Brent... Just Brent 83]

I am also busy trying to book a group camping trip to the Fort for our Cub Scout pack. What a nightmare. You have to go through their group team when you want more than 10 rooms/sites, and they are very difficult to work with. I thought of Fiesty, but understand she's a little busy with Isaac right now.

Been there, done that. It's probably the same team I work with. It all depends on who you get as to what your level of service will be. It's all pretty straight forward, to be honest, once they tell you what you need to know. If you aren't happy, complain. Sales takes their level of service VERY seriously. I didn't realize how much so until I semi-complained about the same thing the first time I booked group travel. I got a handwritten letter in the mail (Fedex overnight, actually) 2 days later from the VP apologizing. I got a new CM and everything went great after that.

Hang in there and just think about how much you'll enjoy that trip!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Been there, done that. It's probably the same team I work with. It all depends on who you get as to what your level of service will be. It's all pretty straight forward, to be honest, once they tell you what you need to know. If you aren't happy, complain. Sales takes their level of service VERY seriously. I didn't realize how much so until I semi-complained about the same thing the first time I booked group travel. I got a handwritten letter in the mail (Fedex overnight, actually) 2 days later from the VP apologizing. I got a new CM and everything went great after that.

Hang in there and just think about how much you'll enjoy that trip!

You see, this illustrates how stupid they are.

Several years back, my daughters were in girl scouts, and the leader took it upon herself to plan a camping trip to the Fort. She jumped through all kinds of hoops trying to get everything set, and she thought she had it all worked out before check-in. It wasn't complicated. The group needed four campsites. My family was going to have one for our camper, and the rest of the girls and the leaders would be in tents on the other three. The leader planned this all out months in advance, collected the money, and planned out a really nice weekend.

She went over early to check in and get the sites and KTTW cards for everyone. When she got there, she found that they had assigned the group four sites as requested, but they were scattered around the 2000 loop, and not together. Not even close, actually. Remember, she had planned this all out months in advance with the people in charge of groups. The response from the front desk was- sorry- we can't guarantee that groups will be together. This poor woman lost it. She went up the chain and spent hours there in the office trying to resolve things. In the meantime, the rest of us arrived, and did not have our campsites to go to yet.

Long story short, we ended up camping in the sites they assigned us. Once the leader got the ear of the manager, he offered all kinds of things to placate her including park passes for the entire group and a free private hayride for the group.

The bottom line was that they screwed up. The manager tried to make things right. But, it shouldn't have come to that. The stupid people in charge should have assigned the sites as requested. The leader was done with Disney, and there was never another trip there.

Hopefully, things have improved since then. But, based on other idiotic things I see happening, I doubt it.

TCD

[fortpartyof4 108]

Nope, they haven't. My friends who handled this trip last year cautioned me about the nightmare ahead. My husband took care of this trip 5 years ago and spent a few hours in the office himself. He was so infuriated, it was a total cluster.

We do go every year. I tried to talk them into going somewhere else closer to Jacksonville, but no dice. Yes, I love any chance to get to the Fort, but not at the expense of my sanity in dealing with reserving 20 sites.

They're booked, but I don't hold out hope that we'll be together. I cannot tell you how much time I have spent on the phone. I positively despise their automated system, thankfully I finally got the direct line of someone. She's actually pretty good so maybe this will be our lucky year and it will go off as planned.

Our pack goes every year because in the end, we always end up having a great time. Even last year when it rained, non-stop and we were in the 1900 swamp loop, we still had fun. We're a tight-knit group from our church and know how to have a good time.

FP4

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I guess where y'all are going wrong is by trying to follow the proper channels.

You should just rent one or two sites and just pile everyone on those.

You saw that first hand on this trip right there on your loop.

That is how it's done.

Don't forget the piñata

TCD

[fortpartyof4 108]

I guess where y'all are going wrong is by trying to follow the proper channels.

You should just rent one or two sites and just pile everyone on those.

You saw that first hand on this trip right there on your loop.

That is how it's done.

Don't forget the piñata

TCD

Hilarious!

Believe me, I thought about it!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

If you let me camp with you for free, I'll be your pinata. Just please don't whack me too hard.