November 2017 pre trip and trip reports

Update number 5. Took 301 to the turnpike. Missed our favorite pilot at 341, so we are stopped at okahumpka getting gas and standing.

Oak

garneska said:

Update number 5. Took 301 to the turnpike. Missed our favorite pilot at 341, so we are stopped at okahumpka getting gas and standing.

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Aoaka Humpa what!?

Final travel update. We made it. Got to check in at 4:07. I was assigned 630. I am not a fan of 600 loop, so she let me see what else was available. I ended up in a new to me loop. In 424. Will get pics soon. First order was level the coach, no problem. We got power, water, sewer, and cable up. Even managed some lights then to TE. Boy did we eat. Now to finish up stuff feed dogs and walk them. Then sleep, we have 12 miles to run tomorrow.

garneska said:

Final travel update. We made it. Got to check in at 4:07.

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They certainly made you earn it this time.

I was hoping for 400 Loop (or 700) when I was down in September, but Irma had different plans. I think you'll like that loop. It's the Premium version of Ed and my favorites (Preferred).

I'm sure TE was great, as usual. Looks like good running weather too.

j

Kris, glad you, Bert, and the dogs finally made it.

Cosmic, I think today was your "going home" day. Hope you get there safe and sound.

Let us know how the latter half of your trip went.

Bama Ed

What's the old saying A BAD start makes for a good dinner at Trails End. Happy to hear you made it safe at last. Might want to check water levels in all your Batteries and top any that have gotten too low with Distilled Water Now get out there and have FUN

We had 420 on our first visit and really liked it. Close to Marina and the restaurants. Horse and carriage would come through regularly.

Have a great trip.

The good about 400 it is small so yeti can make a lap without the wagon, he would not manage that in 800. Yes the horses Mallory loves them, loves to bark at them. Yes the horses come by all the time.

Managed our 12 miles this morning. Thought you might enjoy the running map.



Yes we did all the loops but 1500. It was kind of fun. Can’t wait to only do 4 miles tomorrow.

Will get some pics of the site up soon. I am working today plus we did not finish everything yesterday. We have plenty to do. I had breakfast at TE after the 12 miles. Funny both meals no pics. I was so hungry as soon as I sat down I dug in.

That's pretty impressive. I never would have guessed all the loops totaled more than 12 miles.

j

Teamubr said:

That's pretty impressive. I never would have guessed all the loops totaled more than 12 miles.

j

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there was a little bit of back tracking but not much. We started from 400 and headed towards 1400. However we did not decide to loop till we got to the 1600 - 1900 cluster. At that point we hit every loop plus looped the parking lot. We did a slight back track on big pine. We went to the top of 700 the exit went in and did 700 and 600 then back up big pine to pick up 100 -300. Then repeated a little to do 500 and the 2 1400 loops at that point back to 400 and it was 12. I wished we had thought about it at least at 1400 and got 1500. tomorrow will probably just head the wilderness lodge trail. depending on what time it is we may pull a Bama Ed and go to WL then contempory and around and then take the boat back.

garneska said:

tomorrow will probably just head the wilderness lodge trail. depending on what time it is we may pull a Bama Ed and go to WL then contempory and around and then take the boat back.

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That route via the TTC is now only about 3 miles since they moved the Security Screening so far down the walkway toward the Contemp. I would suggest building in a loop from the WL around the Poly property then back out via the TTC and Contemp.

That's almost 4 miles.

TE after a long run sounds like a great idea - might as well fuel the machine while the motor is still running, so to speak.

Bama Ed

PS - be careful crossing World Drive. Those CM's rushing in late for work give that stretch an adrenaline rush!

PPS - I had 418 the one time I was in 400 loop (got bumped out of Preferred). My poor little popup looked pitifully small in that site. But I like 400 well enough though.

tiggerdad said:

Oak

Aoaka Humpa what!?

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Michael you know where it is. Just North of Toccendahookahoganja

FtW Mike said:

Michael you know where it is. Just North of Toccendahookahoganja

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Oh, yeah. I gotcha. Thanks Bud.

Today went as scheduled for a change and I am glad. Well almost supposed to run at 6:30 and we started at 6:45 so not too bad. Finished 12 miles by looping. Then took dogs for a bathroom break and we hit the showers then on to Bf. It was amazing and again I was starving. Got back and found yeti in Mallory's bed.



Next time to take the dogs to the office.



While it looks like Mallory slept all day not a chance she barked at everything. Horses came by a ton and she loved it.



I got her an afternoon walk and she found plenty of people to give her the attention she deserves, but no golf cart petting parade yet.

We went to DHS for the Jingle bell jingle ba, dessert party. Yes I was paying for the premium viewing area. I thought the party was good and so was the view. Will go into more details tomorrow, sorry my updates are not well thought out. It was packed. I expected it but wow lots of people.

Good Girl Mallory Protect Mommy Daddy and Brother Yeti from those stampeding horses saving all your lives

@bama_ed thanks for thinking of me. I've been AWOL from the thread for a while, but I plan on throwing in some more updates once my head stops spinning from the trip. I actually called the front desk on Saturday night while waiting to be called at Trail's End to see if I could add Sunday night. It took two transfers to get someone who was really-for-real at the Fort front desk, but it worked! Didn't have to move sites or anything! The extra $80 or whatever I spent to pack up on Monday instead of Sunday was the best money I ever spent. We left the Fort at around 11:30 Monday morning and I'm currently writing this from my cousin's house in Maryland. We're going to attempt the final leg back to Buffalo on Thanksgiving Day.

We were first-timers at the Fort, and the short version was that it was awesome. Wife and I both agreed that it would be tough to switch back to a regular hotel, even if tent camping was not as glamorous at times. It's amazing, though, that you can spend 15 nights and still not do all the stuff you want to do. Some stuff we never got to; some stuff we wish we had done more often. I guess we have to go back! 2018 is (over)booked for us, but Halloween 2019 at the Fort looks tempting...

This will be a recap of the Jingle Bell Jingle Bam dessert party. I do have two pictures but they are terrible. This is the third dessert party we attended and surprisingly all have been at DHS. The first was back when Frozen was all the rage. We did the Frozen Dessert Party for the fireworks. I did love it because i am a Frozen fan. However It is interested how the party has evolved. For Frozen it was all standing high top tables. No assigned seats. I don't think they had alcoholic beverages but maybe they did. If so it would have been the two drinks that are basically fruit juice with Rum or Vodka added to it. Of course Coke products and bottles of Dasani. The desserts were good but pretty normal. Mini cupcakes is what i remember as they were my favorite. I love a chocolate cupcake with butter cream frosting. This party was in Sep 2014.

The next party we did was for the end of The Osbourn Spectacle of Dancing lights. This was in Dec 2015. Here we moved to having tables you could sit at first come first serve. More desserts i thought than at Frozen, but still all desserts. They were good but i don't remember having anything extremely awesome but it was 2 years ago. They did have alcoholic drinks, it was again maybe 4 different drinks things like hot apple cider spiked with something, baily's and something else, also had coke products and dasani. The sweet drinks, that are really not my favorite. I did enjoy this because you could sit there until the park closed. they did take the buffet of desserts away at some point but i don't remember when. Then with no crowds because we hung for a while we were able to walk through the lights. It was a great way to end it.

Last night was different but i think better. This time it was in front of the Chinese Theater where the hand prints are. The buffet is only open till 7:30, you only have an hour to gorge yourself. They did have good desserts. In fact i liked everything i tried but they had some standouts. The red velvet cake was excellent, for a change the cake was not dry and also a brownie mint thing with ice cream. We even had flash frozen in nitrogen chocolate mousse. it was good. The best thing though was it had savory food. Soft pretzels, pita bread, a cheese fondue, spinach dip and kettle chips. We had dessert first but i went back for seconds on the savory. It may have something to do with a 12 mile run and craving salt but who cares. From a drinks perspective still coke products but no Dasani only bulk water (only thing was i wanted to take water to the show). the better part was the bar. It was not just sickly sweet drinks. They had wine just pinot grigio and cabernet and beer, as well as the sweet drinks. It was nice to get wine. The only problem to me was the table seating. They now assign table numbers which is great so you dont fight for a good table. They all had seats as well, but the tables are small more for 2 people and had 4 there. Also very close together. We were in the middle and it was tough to get out and around to get food. We ended up hanging at the high top tables standing, which again was good for me.

Overall we liked it. I liked having savory food and wine. The view for the show was excellent so over all i would recommend it.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was not super exciting. We went for an easy recovery run and then worked in the morning outside. Unfortunately the afternoon had some rain so at lunch moved inside. After work we went to Publix. We needed stuff for the Thanksgiving feast. I was expecting it to be a mad house. It was, but I am sure it will be worse today. Once home, took the dogs out and sat outside all evening while bert grilled up salmon. We finally got the last of the lights up outside.

This was the afternoon when we came in from rain. Not sure how he got out but I think he did it on his own. Not sure why we don't take the crate down.



And at dinner, barking at horses. Dang those horses come by a lot.



Today we work and then spend the evening at AK. The plan is to checkout Pandora at night. Have FP for ROL and Na'vi river journey.

Thanks for leading us through the desert parties! We haven't done fireworks in the parks for a few years, with the exception of a slow walk out as they are going off. Might look into a party.

Go ahead, bark at em Rock Stars! You have to defend the space!

Could someone there let us know which cabin loops are pet loops. Maybe they have poop bag dispensers in these loops? That way we can add it to the Fort info page. Thanks Campers.