Corps Values

January 1-15, 2021

Army Corps of Engineers Campgrounds (COE) are amazing and affordable!  The past three weeks we hung out at two different COEs located around Lake Okeechobee.

The first one was Ortona South Campground.  It was near the town of Moore Haven, FL.  While eating breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the campsite picnic table, we would have to remind ourselves it is actually JANUARY!!!  We enjoyed watching the birds, sunsets, taking walks and playing with Frankie.  Frankie even got an outdoor bath and haircut!  

We spent considerable time enjoying the fresh air while we dreamed about where we want 2021 to take us.  We looked at maps, attractions, and campgrounds and came up with a plan!  We are a bit relieved to have things mapped out, as campsites can be difficult to get if you don't have them booked in advance.  We've made note of the various campgrounds' reservation windows and have them marked on the calendar as to when we can make our reservations.  The calendar is a bit crazy as each state varies on when the window to make your reservations begins.  Some have a 30-day window while others have a 12-month window!  Most are somewhere in between.  

The afternoon before we were leaving Ortona, Dick checked the tire pressure in the truck and 5th wheel.  Good thing he did!  We had a slow leak in one of the 5th wheel's tires and needed a repair!  Being Saturday afternoon, everything was closed.  We were thankful once again for having CoachNet to help us out!  It didn't get it fixed until 8:30 that evening, but we were able to pull out Sunday morning and had a safe trip to our next site.

Ortona was great; however, St. Lucie was AMAZING!  We were camped right along the St. Lucie River!  This was a very small campground that included nine RV sites, five tent sites and a handful of marine sites!  We met a fun couple who are spending the winter on their boat.  They live in Delaware, but for the winter months, travel to Florida and visit the area via the waterways!  It was fun to get a peak at marine life!

Once again, sunsets, hikes, sandhill cranes, outdoor meals, bike rides and watching boats on the river filled our days.  We have been staying pretty isolated with COVID numbers being so high following the holidays.  It has been pretty easy to stay busy and healthy all at the same time!

Brandon and Anne recently announced the news of a new member of the family!  Little Baby Peterson will be joining our family in July!  We feel very blessed and couldn't be happier!  Naturally, I pulled out the crochet hook and yarn to begin making this newest Peterson's Christmas stocking.

Our big trip out of the campground was to celebrate Dick's 65th birthday.  Yep, I'm officially married to an old man!  We followed the recommendation of a neighbor in the campground and ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant that offered outdoor dining.  They even had a birthday treat for the birthday boy!

For now, we are saying good bye to the Lake Okeechobee area; however, we will be back to stay on the lake in a week!  Our next stay takes us back to the Atlantic!!

Next stop:  Fort Pierce, FL