MetalDad

When we had the PUP that now belongs to Jason, we usually stayed partial. We had the city water hook up for the sink, but just used it to rinse hands, or kids brush their teeth late at night. It just drained out the bottom into the coquina, and we're talking about merely cupfulls of grey water. Size-wise, we always had plenty of room, and that PUP has 2 king size bunks.
 
As far as any unit with a black or grey water tank, I would definitely go to a full hookup site. I don't remember the Fort having a dump station, and that's not souvenirs I want to take home.
 
As for the original post, not sure how the Fort management would react. I've seen weird things with them fellers.
 
However, I can understand not wanting to deal with the toilet. But, I can tell you that since we went to the TT, not a trip has occurred that we haven't stopped for someone to duck into the camper to use the head. And, I sure am grateful for it at 2am and you hear the rain on the skylight! I would imagine that resale would be difficult without one.
 
Whatever it takes to get your family out there! Enjoy it! I personally could be happy in a refrigerator box, provided I had a fire and a cooler!

Most excellent! A world class TR. It had all the hallmarks of a classic report... American history, classic Americana architecture, chocolate, beer, my friend Jason, and a dog named after Star Wars. The only thing that tops that is a wealth of Maria pictures. The PUP looks well-loved. Nice work, sir. hope to see you in July. Use the Fourth, Luke!

Oh, and musical instruments. I could look at those all day... and have!

I used Oxy Clean Max on the outside canvas. The black in Fl is often a bit of not only dust and dirt, but pollen. I'm not a big fan of pressure washing for fear it would mess with water-resistance.
 
Also, if you can see pinholes of sunlight from inside the bunk, you can patch with opaque or white candles. You need two. One person inside the bunk presses the base of the candle against the hole, another person outside rubs the base a little against the inside candle and it patches the pinhole with wax!

And they lived happily ever after.
Nice work.
I'm thinking of hosting a watch party this year for Daytona. I've been getting more and more into it each, but apparently my driver can't get past 8th.
And it just seems that much warmer, when you come in from the cold. 'Cause things ain't always better up the road.

First of all, yes TCD found the key! MH9 will get me everytime.
The kids in camo works too!
The Gator shot...only #15.
Wow, Wide Right...really? That's cruel.
I'm working on the latest updates. Trying to get photos from BM, his wife, and daughter.
He's roughly the equivalent of trying to get something from the DMV.

Day One
Sounds: Yes, The Band, Badfinger, BBS
Smells: Fresh baked Subway rolls, Canvas, and cool crisp air!
Tastes: Tuna, Habanero Margarita.
As I sat around the fire with the old BassMaster during one of our regular Friday Night Fire sessions, we were discussing our upcoming trip to the Fortress of Wilderness.
We were planning on ringing in the Year of Our Lord, 2013 at the Fort.
We were scheduled to arrive 12/30, leaving on 1/3.
Partial.
The 30th was a Sunday, and the rates dropped substantially.
But, why waste a whole Saturday NOT being at the Fort.
So, we called Mickey, right there from the fire to add a day to the front of the trip…he was all ears!
It all comes with consequences to be sure.
Now, there’s a slight change in the cast of characters.
Ya’ see Timmy, BM’s Mrs, and daughter for that fact, will not camp in the popup.
Something about plumbing, and other people.
So, Mr. smarty-engineer-britches hatches a plan.
Rent a condo off property.
His intentions were to sleep and eat there, and keep a cart at our site for fishing and looping.
For our purposes, that opened up the North Bunk, so we allowed Gracie to invite her two best friends to join us for her birthday.
So now, we’ve added days and people to the trip.
Saturday morning starts with the friends showing up, and packing.
We decided we’re dropping Josie off at the kennel, as we have no room in the truck or camper.
Plus, I’m a big enough jerk, who needs partial hookup neighbors giving me grief because of my dog!
After I was all packed up, I came across one more item that I had to bring, but couldn’t squeeze in, so it rode to the Fort like this…

Wheel’s up!
East bound and down.
Because of the extra goils, John II gets to ride up front.
Which he loves because he gets to sit next to me, man the music, and gets a cup holder!

He toured all over the flash drive that stores the music.
He loves him some Black Sabbath
But, he made stops at Yes, Badfinger, Kansas, The Band,The Whippoorwill by BBS, and he has a new love for the Trammps – Only Takes A Minute.
Wacky 8yo.
I ended up with The Band stuck in my head.
You know how there’s that one song that stays with you, and you’re looping and end up singing it over and over.
King Harvest has surely come…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxzQChNxQQ8
The Goils!

And the Mrs.!

He insisted on a solo photo.
We told him we have limited film.
He said “What’s film?”
Nevermind, it’s a phonecam.

About halfway between Tampa and the Fort, we stopped at Subway.

We had a ton of coupons, plus they had that $2 sub deal during December.
7 people ate for about $15, good start.
We had it to-go so we could eat at the site before we set-up.
Heading to the Fort, smell of fresh sandwiches, Disney signs let us know we’re approaching nirvana.

Alas, we’re here.

I never get tired of that shot!
MetalWife and I were chatting about past TR’s that have had our photos with weird colors by accident.
I have a new phone, and it has sepia tone as an effect, so she grabbed a few sepia shots, came out pretty cool!

I really dig the way this looks!

Need this shot every time too!

He couldn’t find MetalDad, so I gave him my real-life name, couldn’t find that either, so I gave him Ben’s
Got the thumb’s up!

Waiting in line for check-in, we took some pics!


It was our turn. Set me up!
1500!
Sent a request on Christmas Day!
Yes, but you added a day, we can’t get you in 1500 until Sunday.
I’m not re-setting camp, so I’ll take my lumps.
I know someone that did get a 1500 spot on Sunday, you’ll see him later!
So, we’re on the 2000 loop.
2015 to be exact.
Now, I know the layout down there, the key is to be closest to the CS closest to the entrance/exit.
Plus, if you’re close to the end, you don’t have to navigate the whole loop to get to your site.
Could we move towards the end by the second CS?
Yes, 2065.
Hold on, we need new card keys.
Hold on the machine’s broken.

Go to your site, we’ll bring them to you.
I was totally OK with 2000, we had a lot of kids, and no one can “out-menace” me!
So, I was at home back there!
Plus, I was at the Fort, what’s wrong with that?
I unhitched, kids started to eat, my son and I headed up to the Meadow for ice!
Saw this theming sign, seems so unlike Disney, but funny.
I liked it!

Token mouse shot!

2000 attracts a lot of rangers, so I figured I better get a shot before I was scolded.

Never happened!
See the moisture on the ground?
That’s not from a site cleaning, that’s from a pretty heavy blast of rain we got on the day before.
The whole front of the site was underwater.
I flagged down a CM driving picnic tables around on a loader.
When he got a chance, could he ask someone to bring a big broom by so I could whisk away the standing water?
About 2 minutes later he came back with a broom and a blower and dried it all up, better than I expected.
The site hadn’t been cleaned, as we were supposed to be in 2015, and were now in 2065.
No biggie, wasn’t a mess, a little soggy ash pile in a grill I wouldn’t use.
I don’t fret over things like that, if dirt bothered me, I wouldn’t camp!
Next item of priority…
DISNEY ON ICE!

This is where I started driving my fiend pal Genia crazy with beer texts (or bexting, as we now call it!).
They would be in next week after us for her birthday.
We also brought in some pumpkin ale, as total Wine was blowing it out at $3 per 6-pack after Halloween.
Wife loves it, I love her, sold.

My daughter and her two best friends.

Now, timing is everything.
My wife made a call on my phone, then snapped a photo of the goils exploring, then returned my phone to me.

I was setting up the kitchen, and washing up station (bed of the truck), and ready to hook up the hose to the camper.
Problem was, the second hose was already occupied.
See the black hose?

What the heck kind of campsite has two hoses, with one going straight into the ground?
Of course.
I had to try it.
I turned it on… you see where this is going right?
As per the photo above, the girls were inspecting something sticking out of the ground.
I apparently just fired up sprinklers at full blast, and got all four of them in the face!
As darkness approached, Genia sends me a text that FamilyOfBears wanted to know if we were going to Port Orleans to see Piano Bob?
Absolutely! That was a day one plan since we started.
We wouldn’t get carts until Sunday, so they stopped by to visit!

They told us how they had that same exact site before, and there was a terribly bright flood light that shone through the tenting, two lights actually.
In the middle of the night, Mr. ofBears, whom prefers to be called Papa Bear, stacked a table and a few coolers so he could stand on high and extinguish the offending light source.
They’re still out, so thanks Papa Bear.
I still think Mr. ofBears is funnier, but he’s bigger than me, so Papa Bear it is!
You may also recall our urban tagging expedition from my 4th of July TR.
Mrs. ofBears is still rocking the Slyce koozie.
WooHoo!

We all decided to freshen up and head out to POR to see Bob.
Annie went with the Bears since she and Bella are thick as thieves.
I said “Honey, seem funny to you that we just sent our child off with strangers that we know from the internet?”

Are they really building a bouncy house castle over there?

Are they really building a bouncy house castle over there?

I totally see nothing wrong with that outfit.
I'm not a fan of the flip flops with socks look that's happening these days.
Who would have thought that the trend would be plumber's crack saggy pants and "old ethnic grandfather gettin' the mail" chic footwear?
What's next? Those sunglass goggles that go over your regular glasses?

Every time I see Lone-Star post, or now, seeing the cart, I hear Rick Moranis' voice as Dark Helmet in Spaceballs.
"Loooone Star, I see your Schwartz is as big as mine."
or my favorite...
"So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb!"

Day One:
Music: Heart, Aerosmith, Mott The Hoople, T. Rex
Drink: Diet Dr. Pepper and Kool-Aid...Ok, I packed some beer too!
Smell: Low Tide and Canvas
Yes indeed dear reader…you’ve tuned into a TR from a KOA.
I’ll wait a minute til’ you get that chuckle out of your system. And you in the back that’s just getting ready to check out…that’s cool…but you’ll miss a nice one, plus it’s short!
You’ll see some regular MetalDad stuff… Beer, Fire, Food, and the Hat! Well both hats…camo and Magic…
Some things you won’t see… the moustache. Ben’s not in this one. You also won’t see the daughter with all the fish, or the kid with the mohawk. This was a Father-Daughter trip, just me and my little Annie!
You’ll also meet some of the fam…
Ya’ see Timmy, there’s this ongoing thing with my kids. There’s three of them. So often, the oldest gets to experience everything because she was first, my son gets some leftovers, but gets to do just “boy” things, since he’s the only one.
And Annie...she gets all the hand-me-downs from both of them, has to grow up a bit quicker, because she hangs out with the other two, and has up until now, has had the least amount of time with us (duh, she’s the youngest).
For me, that translates into camping. I’ve taken the other two on two solo trips each.
One each to the KOA on consecutive weekends, and one each a trip to the Fort to meet up with Ben and Will.
Annie has put it to me that she hasn’t had a solo trip yet, so we’ve been trying to put it together for awhile…actually almost a year. She's old enough now!
We have a local KOA, it sits in an industrial park, but actually is surrounded on two sides by the bay. It’s at a spot where a large lake spills over into the bay, and provides for a very unique sight every once and awhile, an alligator swimming in salt water.
The KOA is the site of our very first camping trip, and our very first trip with our camper. For us, it’s ideal because it’s 15 mins. Away, and it’s free.
So, after months of scrutinizing every weekend, plans, forecast, work… I said the hell with it, Annie and I are going, we’ll work everything else out around it!
We were at my folks celebrating their 60th anniversary, I checked with big brother, and he hooked us up with a site.
BTW, here’s a shot from the party. I set up and played, had ‘em dancing all day!

We’re going for the weekend, set-up Friday, come home Sunday.
That means Friday is… ‘Take Your Camper To Work Day’!
Work is a sweet torture when you have your rig parked outside of your office window.
MetalWife drops off Annie at the office as I’m closing up, and wheels up.
A quick stop at Publix for some ice and Magic Hat and we’re on the road… 10 minutes later, we’re at the KOA.
Big brother hooked us up with a great site, right on the water, neighbors only to the back of the PUP.
Ever have one of those moments where a real non-descript decision ends up saving you hours or even days of trouble and years of embarrassment? For me, that could be daily.
But in this instance, it was a matter of inches. I backed in, got the PUP pretty much where I wanted, but was going to adjust by a nudge and push, once unhitched.
I set the chocks about 4-6 inches behind the wheels, to leave room for adjustment.
As I cranked the tongue wheel, the camper starts to raise up off the hitch.
Just as it clears the ball, the camper starts to move backwards under its own weight, towards the bay.
It rocks up the chocks and back down, and settles in hard and tight…cool…I’ll set it up here!

Meanwhile, I’m carrying on a conversation with a six-year old while trying to beat the light.
“Look Daddy! Everything!”

By the way, that’s “Piggy Joe” she’s holding. More on Joe later.
The good Lord sent in the cavalry.
My brother decided to camp the weekend too. He had a cabin 100 feet away, and pulls up in the KOA cart. He took Annie for a ride whilst I set up the camper.
Our mantra for the weekend, Less Is More. I was set up in no time.
Know what this is?

Nope.
That’s Pixie Dust.
That’s coquina and site droppings from the 1500 loop of the Fort from the Fourth.
See here:
http://www.fortfiends.net/forum/topic/7002-blood-sweat-and-fiends-a-fort-fourth/
Now, normally, I’m not a big fan of garbage burning, but I sometimes use my beer boxes to start the fire. Plus I had to send a photo to Ben to rub it in that I had Hat and a fire ring.

I fired up Paul Jr. and rocked the Bubba Burgers, with Cole Slaw, Pickles, and Lay’s Stax (a Pringle’s rip-off!)

Annie took one of me!

A wolf in sheep’s clothing.

We were planning on staying up late, hanging out by the fire, visiting with my brother.
Then the skies opened up.
And the Lord spoke “Thou shalt go to bed early”, so we set up for the night.
Dear fiends, my favorite photo from the trip!

We snapped one of the vacant ‘North Bunk’ to goof on Ben.

And Annie wanted one more to send to MetalWife before she fell asleep.
The caption read “Mommy, I’m in your spot!”

Tomorrow… a full Father-Daughter Saturday!

My first trip to the Fort was in the cabins for a weekend in 2007.
We invited another family, one of my best friends, to join us. His wife was pregnant and our third wasn't quite a year yet. The two of us sat on the cabin porch until 4am listening to old Neil Young records.
All I remember of the next day is being exhausted, hungover, and being "that family" with the gaggle of kids and strollers. Walking to the bus and pool... rookies!
Now we go up often, with the PUP. Kenny carts, and Ben!
But somehow someway, I still remember that first trip, as I, like a dumbass, put the whole thing on a credit card, which by now I've paid for several times over.
Fortunately, we got rid of all our credit cards before we got the camper. Keeps us camping smartly instead of spending money we don't have! Much more relaxing.
Plus now I have that sign. You guys are stuck with me!

How cool Stef! You're exactly the type of person that makes this site so awesome!
God bless you and your family, blood or otherwise!

I've never actually seen one of those, except in old pictures, but then again, I've never seen a dragon or unicorn either, but I hear they're pretty scarce too!

Yes, Ben's giant moustache will be along shortly!
But, c'mon Stef. Granted, there's a ton of cheddar music. BUT....Some of the world's greatest music came out in the 80's.
See! Dave finding his way into my corner with the metal! If it weren't for the 80's...
You wouldn't have this guy...

Morphing into this guy...

Hence...Metal Dad!

Who was that? I know it's not Lou, he doesn't read these things!
I'm hoping around Halloween, unfortunately, it falls on a wednesday this year.
That would be cool, a small bluegrass group playing on the TE porch. I should be doing a fire in the pit this weekend, just look for the smoke!
Thanks! Sorry I missed you. One of these days. Not gonna make SM, I know that for sure. I'm sure it'll be amazing and looking forward to the report!
I spoke to him at lunch and imparted that thought, he said "Eveyone enjoys a good BM, so should my posts!"

My brother's a biker, I told him I'm in an outlaw group too, we have colors and patches (getting one this weekend from Meadow) just like his crew, when he asked what I was riding, I told him....a rented golf cart...he shuttered in fear. Thank you all for the warm welcome! Just finished my rope light Mickey. Came out pretty cool, multi-color rope from Walgreens! We hit the road tomorrow, should be in the gates by 2:30. I had to make my own sign, if your looping look for the homemade color printer version.

We're good for a weekend at the Fort every other month or so. Unfortunately, we hadn't been during Christmas season before, but enjoyed a good looping run to see the Halloween decorations in October. We're heading up tomorrow, but wanted to show my wife some photos of Christmas lights at The Fort to sort of whet the appetite. My search led me here. Then, I saw that this site was set up for folks that had a falling out, as it were, with another board. That appealed immensely to my renegade nature. So, I told my wife that I joined an outlaw Disney camping group. Then, I went to Michael's for some purple paint.
We'll be there friday through sunday somehwhere in the 1600-1900 range in a green and purple pop-up. See you on the loops!

We're good for a weekend at the Fort every other month or so. Unfortunately, we hadn't been during Christmas season before, but enjoyed a good looping run to see the Halloween decorations in October. We're heading up tomorrow, but wanted to show my wife some photos of Christmas lights at The Fort to sort of whet the appetite. My search led me here. Then, I saw that this site was set up for folks that had a falling out, as it were, with another board. That appealed immensely to my renegade nature. So, I told my wife that I joined an outlaw Disney camping group. Then, I went to Michael's for some purple paint.
We'll be there friday through sunday somehwhere in the 1600-1900 range in a green and purple pop-up. See you on the loops!

We're good for a weekend at the Fort every other month or so. Unfortunately, we hadn't been during Christmas season before, but enjoyed a good looping run to see the Halloween decorations in October. We're heading up tomorrow, but wanted to show my wife some photos of Christmas lights at The Fort to sort of whet the appetite. My search led me here. Then, I saw that this site was set up for folks that had a falling out, as it were, with another board. That appealed immensely to my renegade nature. So, I told my wife that I joined an outlaw Disney camping group. Then, I went to Michael's for some purple paint.
We'll be there friday through sunday somehwhere in the 1600-1900 range in a green and purple pop-up. See you on the loops!