Exploring Fort Desoto – A Tour of the Fort!

Posted by on Feb 25 2015

After having toured the Fort DeSoto Pier (which was cold and windy, primarily) we’re now going to tour the Fort itself, which was established in the 1800’s to provide coastal defense of the Tampa area against a potential threat from Cuba. Never fired a shot in anger.

I’ll give you all fair warning – I didn’t cut very much from the video, since the fort itself is fairly small, but I did go exploring in just about every room. Sadly, since it’s an unattended public exhibit, it’s been mostly “sanitized” against vandalism, so there’s not a lot left beyond the bunker walls to give you a good feel for what the fort would have been like when it was active – what rooms were used for what purposes, etc.

–==2015 Cost of RV Life==–
37 Days on the Road
24 Free nights
26 Paid nights
50 Total nights

2015 Total Spent: $3995.03
2015 Average Daily Cost: $79.9/day
2014 Average Daily Cost: $43.49/day

–==2015 Itinerary==–
February 24 – Green Cove Springs, FL – Picking up FL License plates!
February 24-26 – Fort Augustine Beach KOA, Fort Augustine, FL

March 16-25, 2015 – McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
South by Southwest – http://sxsw.com/
Now with 100% more Phil Campbell!
https://www.youtube.com/user/r3wind/videos

April 19-24, 2015 – Las Vegas, NV
ServiceNow Knowledge15 – http://knowledge.servicenow.com/

May 1-?? – Mom’s House, Sacramento, CA

Summer 2015 – Up the West Coast!

–==CONTACT==–
https://www.facebook.com/YarrVee
http://www.YarrVee.com
http://amzn.com/w/3KYCQFHECT0OR

–==WE LOVE SNAIL MAIL!==–
YarrVee.com
411 Walnut Street #9806
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-3443

2015-02-19.2 Fort Desoto – Tour of the Fort

Posted by on Feb 25 2015


After having toured the Fort DeSoto Pier (which was cold and windy, primarily) we’re now going to tour the Fort itself, which was established in the 1800’s to provide coastal defense of the Tampa area against a potential threat from Cuba. Never fired a shot in anger.

I’ll give you all fair warning – I didn’t cut very much from the video, since the fort itself is fairly small, but I did go exploring in just about every room. Sadly, since it’s an unattended public exhibit, it’s been mostly “sanitized” against vandalism, so there’s not a lot left beyond the bunker walls to give you a good feel for what the fort would have been like when it was active – what rooms were used for what purposes, etc.

–==2015 Cost of RV Life==–
37 Days on the Road
24 Free nights
26 Paid nights
50 Total nights

2015 Total Spent: $3995.03
2015 Average Daily Cost: $79.9/day
2014 Average Daily Cost: $43.49/day

–==2015 Itinerary==–
February 24 – Green Cove Springs, FL – Picking up FL License plates!
February 24-26 – Fort Augustine Beach KOA, Fort Augustine, FL

March 16-25, 2015 – McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
South by Southwest – http://sxsw.com/
Now with 100% more Phil Campbell!
http://ift.tt/1LI9NBL

April 19-24, 2015 – Las Vegas, NV
ServiceNow Knowledge15 – http://ift.tt/1lRzxkC

May 1-?? – Mom’s House, Sacramento, CA

Summer 2015 – Up the West Coast!

–==CONTACT==–
http://ift.tt/1tq1ikc
http://www.YarrVee.com
http://ift.tt/1zSV188

–==WE LOVE SNAIL MAIL!==–
YarrVee.com
411 Walnut Street #9806
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-3443
http://ift.tt/1BVkfEc

Exploring Fort Desoto – The Pier

Posted by on Feb 22 2015

Fort Desoto was large enough that it needs to be broken in to 3 pieces. This is the first piece, where I go for a walk, 800′ out into the Gulf of Mexico on a day when it’s 48*, and the wind is howling.

It wasn’t that the temperature was bad – 48 is t-shirts and jeans weather for Denver Me – it’s that the wind was stripping away any body heat it could get – my fingers were so cold and stiff that I had to keep switching hands and stuffing the other one in my pocket to unfreeze!

Also, today I’ve included the Average Daily Cost (less upgrades, but counting repairs) for a straight comparison of JUST living costs, without any “setup” costs.

–==2015 Cost of RV Life==–
37 Days on the Road
24 Free nights
26 Paid nights
50 Total nights

2015 Total Spent: $3995.03
2015 Average Daily Cost: $79.9/day
2014 Average Daily Cost: $43.49/day
2015 Average Daily Cost – LESS UPGRADES: $45.51/day

–==2015 Itinerary==–
February 20-23 – LazyDays Campground, Seffner, Florida
February 23 – Deltona, FL
February 24 – Green Cove Springs, FL – Picking up FL License plates!
February 24-25 – Paynes Prairie State Park, Gainesville, FL

March 16-25, 2015 – McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
South by Southwest – http://sxsw.com/
Now with 100% more Phil Campbell!

April 19-24, 2015 – Las Vegas, NV
ServiceNow Knowledge15 – http://knowledge.servicenow.com/

May 1-?? – Mom’s House, Sacramento, CA

Summer 2015 – Up the West Coast!

–==CONTACT==–
http://www.YarrVee.com

https://www.facebook.com/YarrVee
http://amzn.com/w/3KYCQFHECT0OR

–==WE LOVE SNAIL MAIL!==–
YarrVee.com
411 Walnut Street #9806
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-3443

2015-02-19 Fort Desoto Part 1 – The Pier

Posted by on Feb 22 2015


Fort Desoto was large enough that it needs to be broken in to 3 pieces. This is the first piece, where I go for a walk, 800′ out into the Gulf of Mexico on a day when it’s 48*, and the wind is howling.

It wasn’t that the temperature was bad – 48 is t-shirts and jeans weather for Denver Me – it’s that the wind was stripping away any body heat it could get – my fingers were so cold and stiff that I had to keep switching hands and stuffing the other one in my pocket to unfreeze!

Also, today I’ve included the Average Daily Cost (less upgrades, but counting repairs) for a straight comparison of JUST living costs, without any “setup” costs.

–==2015 Cost of RV Life==–
37 Days on the Road
24 Free nights
26 Paid nights
50 Total nights

2015 Total Spent: $3995.03
2015 Average Daily Cost: $79.9/day
2014 Average Daily Cost: $43.49/day
2015 Average Daily Cost – LESS UPGRADES: $45.51/day

–==2015 Itinerary==–
February 20-23 – LazyDays Campground, Seffner, Florida
February 23 – Deltona, FL
February 24 – Green Cove Springs, FL – Picking up FL License plates!
February 24-25 – Paynes Prairie State Park, Gainesville, FL

March 16-25, 2015 – McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
South by Southwest – http://sxsw.com/
Now with 100% more Phil Campbell!

April 19-24, 2015 – Las Vegas, NV
ServiceNow Knowledge15 – http://ift.tt/1lRzxkC

May 1-?? – Mom’s House, Sacramento, CA

Summer 2015 – Up the West Coast!

–==CONTACT==–
http://www.YarrVee.com
http://ift.tt/1tq1gcm
http://ift.tt/1tq1ikc
http://ift.tt/1zSV188

–==WE LOVE SNAIL MAIL!==–
YarrVee.com
411 Walnut Street #9806
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-3443
http://ift.tt/1AjAp8i

2015-02-16 Sunshine Skyway Bridge Redux!

Posted by on Feb 22 2015


Having met my friend Keely and given her the hug that I’ve owed her for over three years (http://ift.tt/1FfmWOC), I’m on my way back to St. Petersburg, and I’m late, I’m late! (but not by much…)

YELLOW!
THE BRIDGE IS YELLOW!
It always looked white from a distance to me.

–==2015 Cost of RV Life==–
34 Days on the Road
24 Free nights
23 Paid nights
47 Total nights

2015 Total Spent: $3840.4
2015 Average Daily Cost: $81.71/day
2014 Average Daily Cost: $43.49/day

–==2015 Itinerary==–
February 16-20 – Site 91, Fort DeSoto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida
February 20-23 – LazyDays Campground, Seffner, Florida
February 23 – Deltona, FL
February 24 – Green Cove Springs, FL – Picking up FL License plates!
February 24-25 – Paynes Prairie State Park, Gainesville, FL

March 16-25, 2015 – McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
South by Southwest – http://sxsw.com/
Now with 100% more Phil Campbell!

April 19-24, 2015 – Las Vegas, NV
ServiceNow Knowledge15 – http://ift.tt/1lRzxkC

May 1-?? – Mom’s House, Sacramento, CA

Summer 2015 – Up the West Coast!

–==CONTACT==–
http://www.YarrVee.com
http://ift.tt/1tq1gcm
http://ift.tt/1tq1ikc
http://ift.tt/1zSV188

–==WE LOVE SNAIL MAIL!==–
YarrVee.com
411 Walnut Street #9806
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-3443
http://ift.tt/1B73h5T

Crossing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Redux!

Posted by on Feb 22 2015

Having met my friend Keely and given her the hug that I’ve owed her for over three years (http://yarrvee.com/port-charlotte/), I’m on my way back to St. Petersburg, and I’m late, I’m late! (but not by much…)

YELLOW!
THE BRIDGE IS YELLOW!
It always looked white from a distance to me.

–==2015 Cost of RV Life==–
34 Days on the Road
24 Free nights
23 Paid nights
47 Total nights

2015 Total Spent: $3840.4
2015 Average Daily Cost: $81.71/day
2014 Average Daily Cost: $43.49/day

–==2015 Itinerary==–
February 16-20 – Site 91, Fort DeSoto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida
February 20-23 – LazyDays Campground, Seffner, Florida
February 23 – Deltona, FL
February 24 – Green Cove Springs, FL – Picking up FL License plates!
February 24-25 – Paynes Prairie State Park, Gainesville, FL

March 16-25, 2015 – McKinney Falls State Park, Austin, TX
South by Southwest – http://sxsw.com/
Now with 100% more Phil Campbell!

April 19-24, 2015 – Las Vegas, NV
ServiceNow Knowledge15 – http://knowledge.servicenow.com/

May 1-?? – Mom’s House, Sacramento, CA

Summer 2015 – Up the West Coast!

–==CONTACT==–
http://www.YarrVee.com

https://www.facebook.com/YarrVee
http://amzn.com/w/3KYCQFHECT0OR

–==WE LOVE SNAIL MAIL!==–
YarrVee.com
411 Walnut Street #9806
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043-3443