That's How We Roll! A Day in the Life of TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Hmmm.

Maybe that wasn't a hijack after all.

That's OK.

Because it is time to finish this little trip report already.

This was, after all, just a day trip.

And, I have another report to get going on.

So, we will wrap up the photos with this post.

We are still at the Fort.

Waiting for our chicken.

I am taking a quick look around the Settlement Trading Post.

As of the date of this visit, there had been no news for a long time about the plans to build a new pavilion in this area. On previous trips there were lots of survey markers spotted around here, and even a test well was dug, but then everything seemed to come to a grinding halt. I was beginning to suspect that this project had been put on the back burner, if not abandoned all together. So, I had to do a little snooping.

I liked the totem poles that used to be outside of the Settlement Trading Post better, but I still do like this little covered wagon:

Believe it or not, the River Country Wagon is still hidden behind the Trading Post:

I took a stroll down the pedestrian path just a bit. Those of you who read the Spring Break TCD trip report will remember that they had a bunch of supplies for the Settlement Trading Post re-roof project stashed back here in late March.

There was still some stuff back here on April 29th. These is a stack of something right over there:

This looks like it is a stack of shingles left over from the re-roof. And, what looks like the pieces of a broken crate there to the left in the photo:

Hang on here a second . . .

Are these wooden shingles actually plastic?:

Well, it turns out that what I thought was a broken crate was actually the back side of some of these shingles:

I almost came running out of the woods shouting: "The roof is plastic!" ala Chuck Heston in the end of Soylent Green, but I decided that most of the people hanging around the Trading Post probably didn't care if the roof was plastic.

The pipe that had been in the ground from the test well was pulled up and just lying there:

I thought that this was evidence that the new pavilion project was kaput.

But I was wrong.

I just didn't know it at the time.

On the way back to fetch my chicken, I noticed that the sun was hitting the covered wagon at a different angle, so I snapped another photo:

Here's that plastic roof. It sure doesn't look like plastic to me. But it is:

At this point, we enjoyed our feast on the Trail's End porch.

It was great, as usual.

And we had a lot left over.

Not a problem.

I had planned for this.

I had a cooler stashed in my car to bring the leftovers home.

I'm always thinking.

But, the car was in the Epcot parking lot.

That is where we planned on ending our evening.

So, we needed to get there.

We headed to the Settlement Bus Stop.

Hey look, it's a DCL bus!

What is that doing there?:

I thought briefly about hopping on that bus, and then stowing away on a DCL cruise.

But, it turns out that bus was just being used as a Charter for an Indian Princesses group. There was a sign on the bus that said so. I guess maybe they went to the Hoop Dee Doo as a group? Or maybe the Backyard BBQ?

It didn't look like there were a lot of Indian Princesses waiting to enter the HDDR:

We didn't hop the DCL bus.

We hopped an Orange Outpost bus.

It's the first one that came.

It would not have been my first choice.

But we got a free tour of the campground.

I even got a photo of site 617 from the bus:

Look, it's even a pop-up camper.

Lucky!

We had to wait a bit at the Outpost for our bus to Epcot.

Which gave me a chance to take a few last Fort photos.

Here's the little cabin that most folks have no idea is a throwback to the Fort Wilderness Railroad:

These blue flowering plants are all over the Fort. They are in bloom all spring, and well into the Summer:

Here's a sign from the Trail Rides which still operate daily from right here:

The bull weather vane up on top of the horse barn always catches my eye:

This is a shot taken just a bit back from where you line up for the trail rides. You walk right up those steps there to get on your horse. I always thought that was very clever:

Here's the old kennel building. If I understand the plans correctly, the new Blacksmith Shop will be build in the area shown in the foreground of this photo:

Here's the bus stop from that point:

Our bus was still not there, so you get one more photo of the barn:

And the little railroad shack:

The Epcot bus came right about here.

We headed to Epcot.

After stashing our leftover chicken in the cooler, we headed in.

The sun was setting, and the light was reflecting off of Spaceship Earth. This photo doesn't really show the array of colors on the panels, but it is an amazing thing to watch the light reflect off of the sphere. The colors are constantly changing. I am sure most folks don't even bother to look, but if you ever are in Epcot around sunset, take some time to watch this. This big golf ball has been here almost thirty years now. This is just another amazing architectural and engineering marvel that folks take for granted, but shouldn't:

From here, we used our Fastpasses from earlier to hit Test Track and Soarin' before the park closed. We got some ice cream from the shop there by the fountains, and got ready to head for home.

We didn't make it to AK on this visit, but it wouldn't have been hard to. But, we decided to save that for another time.

So, a little after 9, we loaded up and headed for home.

We were back home by 11.

We had a great day.

That's how we roll.

So, that is it for this one.

Thanks for reading.

Look for the TCD kickin' off summer report to launch soon.

Like within the next 24 hours.

TCD

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Plastic shingles, I don't know how to feel about that. I suppose it saves a tree but is it considered "green"

Thanks for another great report, looking forward to the Summer Kick-off :banana:

[blm2003 2]

Another great report, Can't wait for the next one to launch! Thanks for sharing

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Irish Car Bombs? I never heard of those.

TCD are you kidding?? Well if not an Irish Car Bomb is when you take half a pint of Guinness and drop a shot of irish cream (that also has irish whiskey on it) into the pint and chug the whole thing.

Uh not that I ever tried something like that, haha.

On the night of my 18th birthday (when the legal drinking age was 18), I was working as a bus boy at a restaurant/bar. The manager was giving me a drink he called Snakebites all night long. They were made with Peppermint Schnapps and some kind of whiskey. Long story short, I needed a ride home that night, and I was praying at the porcelain altar all day the next day. I have not touched Peppermint Schnapps since.

Haha I don't blame you for avoiding peppermint Schnapps!

I never heard of a Snakebite like that but I often get a Snakebite from an English Pub, its half beer and half cider, usually Strongbow, very good!

Does this post make me sound like I drink a lot?

Very good quick trip report by the way!

WBI

[Just Whipperwhirl 24]

You accomplished more in one day than we did in two weeks.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Coolest dad ever award!

My mom would let me skip school and go to Busch Gardens if I got good grades and if I were under the days you can miss and still exempt exams rule. Therefore, I went to school sick as a dog so I could use my 4 days a semester at Busch Gardens

This was before we have our RV and Disney season passes... going to Disney would have been awesome! I do not know if BG still does this but when I was in high school you could go during the month of March, pay a 1 day admission, and come pack the rest of the year free :banana: for a 16 year-old that's pretty sweet!

Hey Ashley!

Great to see you here!

Yeah, I consider myself to be pretty cool.

My girls, on the other hand, don't always think so.

And Mrs. TCD definitely does not think so.

And, she is right!

(like always)

They still have something like you are describing at Busch Gardens. It is a great deal. I believe they call it the Funpass now. We are probably going to get those for the Summer- we need to try out that new Cheetah Chase, or whatever it's called. They have a few very good coasters there. Last summer, we would sometimes go over just an hour before closing, park in our secret (free) parking space, and ride one of the coasters for that hour before the park closed. Now, that is a quick trip.

Plastic shingles, I don't know how to feel about that. I suppose it saves a tree but is it considered "green"

Thanks for another great report, looking forward to the Summer Kick-off :banana:

Plastic may not be green, but I'll bet it will last a long time.

Another great report, Can't wait for the next one to launch! Thanks for sharing

Thanks for reading!

And posting!

TCD are you kidding?? Well if not an Irish Car Bomb is when you take half a pint of Guinness and drop a shot of irish cream (that also has irish whiskey on it) into the pint and chug the whole thing.

Uh not that I ever tried something like that, haha.

Haha I don't blame you for avoiding peppermint Schnapps!

I never heard of a Snakebite like that but I often get a Snakebite from an English Pub, its half beer and half cider, usually Strongbow, very good!

Does this post make me sound like I drink a lot?

Very good quick trip report by the way!

WBI

Maybe these Irish Car Bombs are a new development?

Or, the problem could be that the kind of bars I used to hang out in didn't have fancy beer on tap. My haunt in Gainesville was the ABC Liquors Bar. I believe their specialty was watered down bottom shelf drinks. No premium beer in there.

My drinking career ended pretty early. I got most of it out of my system by the time I was 25. And that was quite a while ago.

You accomplished more in one day than we did in two weeks.

Yes.

I know.

That's how we roll!

TCD

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

Great day trip!!!!

I made it to Animal Kingdom on my day trip, why didn't you??!!!

(However, I didn't make it to the Fort, so I guess that makes up for it).

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

Or, the problem could be that the kind of bars I used to hang out in didn't have fancy beer on tap. My haunt in Gainesville was the ABC Liquors Bar. I believe their specialty was watered down bottom shelf drinks. No premium beer in there.

Haha that could be it, because now that I think about it I never heard of an Irish carbomb or Snakebite when I lived in Louisiana, I frequented places that sound more like Gainesville places. I discovered the fancy beers when I moved to Naples, when I was 23. If you've ever been to Naples you know there is plenty of fancy (read overpriced) places to get drinks.

WBI

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Great day trip!!!!

I made it to Animal Kingdom on my day trip, why didn't you??!!!

(However, I didn't make it to the Fort, so I guess that makes up for it).

Well, even with the Fort, we could have made it to AK.

But, we went to Epcot twice instead.

We had Fastpasses for Epcot, and that's where we left the car.

If not for that, then AK it would have been.

Haha that could be it, because now that I think about it I never heard of an Irish carbomb or Snakebite when I lived in Louisiana, I frequented places that sound more like Gainesville places. I discovered the fancy beers when I moved to Naples, when I was 23. If you've ever been to Naples you know there is plenty of fancy (read overpriced) places to get drinks.

WBI

Yep. I've been to Naples. My sister and her husband lived there for a while.

Very nice place.

My younger brother and sister are real beer connoisseurs. Not me. The Troll tried to shame me once by announcing that I drink cheap beer. But, it's the truth, so it doesn't bother me. I like cheap beer.

TCD

[stefa70 205]

Maybe these Irish Car Bombs are a new development?

Or, the problem could be that the kind of bars I used to hang out in didn't have fancy beer on tap. My haunt in Gainesville was the ABC Liquors Bar. I believe their specialty was watered down bottom shelf drinks. No premium beer in there.

My drinking career ended pretty early. I got most of it out of my system by the time I was 25. And that was quite a while ago.

TCD

:rofl2: We had an ABC lounge here too, and yes, I dropped in a couple of times. The problem I had was that damn rotating bar! Many a time, I would come out of the bathroom and lose my drink and or date. To top it off, try acting all casual, not letting anyone know how confused you are, all while toting a huge BUZZ! Glad they took that lounge out! :rofl2:

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

:rofl2: We had an ABC lounge here too, and yes, I dropped in a couple of times. The problem I had was that damn rotating bar! Many a time, I would come out of the bathroom and lose my drink and or date. To top it off, try acting all casual, not letting anyone know how confused you are, all while toting a huge BUZZ! Glad they took that lounge out! :rofl2:

The ABC Liquors Bar in Inverness was called a lounge?

And it had a rotating bar?

You are playin' with us, right?

I've been to Inverness, and I am not believing this at all.

Maybe that cheap booze just had you thinking that the bar was spinning?

Did you ever go drinking at the bowling alley by the blinking light in Holder?

It is kind of like the bar scene in Star Wars.

Except substitute fellers (and gals) in overalls for the aliens.

TCD

[anolefan 8]

Over to the left of the dock, I noticed something unusual.

In fact, it made me say, WTF!

(That's What The Fort?).

This gentleman decided that he would do a little fishing over here:

TCD

LOL! Wade fishing for bass! I have seen it all. I know that they sell little tubes to fish in freshwater, but wading?

That is just hilarious!

Well done Andrew, if anyone would catch this during a trip it would be you.

And great report as usual.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

LOL! Wade fishing for bass! I have seen it all. I know that they sell little tubes to fish in freshwater, but wading?

That is just hilarious!

Well done Andrew, if anyone would catch this during a trip it would be you.

And great report as usual.

The way I see it, this guy's a genius.

He must have seen the sign that says "No Fishing from the Beach," and he just figured he would wade out just a bit.

He's not fishing from the beach now, is he?

I wish we weren't pressed for time, or I would have watched him for a while.

BTW, in my next TR, I will be posting a photo which shows why wading out near those weeds isn't a very smart thing to do.

TCD

[anolefan 8]

BTW, in my next TR, I will be posting a photo which shows why wading out near those weeds isn't a very smart thing to do.

TCD

I've seen enough 6-8ft reasons in my visits to the Fort to know exactly what you are saying.

[stefa70 205]

The ABC Liquors Bar in Inverness was called a lounge?

And it had a rotating bar?

You are playin' with us, right?

I've been to Inverness, and I am not believing this at all.

Maybe that cheap booze just had you thinking that the bar was spinning?

Did you ever go drinking at the bowling alley by the blinking light in Holder?

It is kind of like the bar scene in Star Wars.

Except substitute fellers (and gals) in overalls for the aliens.

TCD

:rofl2: I swear I would not lie to you! ABC was split in half. Half of it was the store, the other half was ABC Liquor Lounge. THE BAR ROTATED!! It was the craziest thing ever and quite difficult to navigate after a few cheap drinks!

You must be talking about Park View Lanes, fine establishment! It is still there, and probably filled with the same people. If you ever get up this way, I'll meet ya there for a cocktail. :cheers:

[wdwbound 0]

AHA!! Was wondering when you were going to get to the shingles...I was very confused when you didn't explain in the last trip report but confusion is now gone! Thanks for your insight on all the doings around the "World".

[TheLug 10]

This was a good fun trip report!!!

I approve this TR!!

[LONE-STAR 370]

Well done

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I've seen enough 6-8ft reasons in my visits to the Fort to know exactly what you are saying.

Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying.

I'll have a photo (or two) (or three) (you know how I roll) along those lines in my soon-to-be-launched Kickin' off Summer TR.

:rofl2: I swear I would not lie to you! ABC was split in half. Half of it was the store, the other half was ABC Liquor Lounge. THE BAR ROTATED!! It was the craziest thing ever and quite difficult to navigate after a few cheap drinks!

You must be talking about Park View Lanes, fine establishment! It is still there, and probably filled with the same people. If you ever get up this way, I'll meet ya there for a cocktail. :cheers:

I still am not believing that there was a lounge with a rotating bar in Inverness Florida.

Park View Lanes? I didn't know it had such a fancy name, and I'm fairly certain that there is no Park within view of that place (nor did the building have any windows from which to view the Park even if there was one), but that probably is the place.

I sometimes (and always unsuccessfully) try to find shortcuts through that neck of the woods when I am heading home from Gainesville on football Saturdays. Should I ever have the urge to stop at the bowling alley for a drink (which will probably be never), I'll give you a call (but I don't have your number). Now, if that rotating bar was still open, that would be a different story. I would make it a point to stop there!

AHA!! Was wondering when you were going to get to the shingles...I was very confused when you didn't explain in the last trip report but confusion is now gone! Thanks for your insight on all the doings around the "World".

Good memory!

Glad that we got that loose end tied up for you!

This was a good fun trip report!!!

I approve this TR!!

Oh Wow!

I got the Lug seal of approval.

Hey Lug- how many times have you been That Guy?

I think this was number six for me.

Which statistically is not that impressive, as I have been in there a lot.

But, I'll bet I have you beat.

Well done

Thanks!

TCD

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I suspect "That Guy" nepotism, but I can prove nothing.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I suspect "That Guy" nepotism, but I can prove nothing.

Nope.

Not for TCD anyway.

You are barking up the wrong tree there.

But I will confess that I kind of have the Monsters figured out.

I have a few tricks that have worked in increasing my chances of being That Guy.

But, those are trade secrets that I am not at liberty to divulge.

Lug could be another story.

He does look a bit like Buddy Boyle.

TCD

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I'm sorely behind on TRs these days, but glad I caught this one. You got a ton of great pics in such a short time, TCD - well done!

As for playing hooky to go to WDW....

I'm 22+ hours away and there are days when I'm tempted.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I'm sorely behind on TRs these days, but glad I caught this one. You got a ton of great pics in such a short time, TCD - well done!

As for playing hooky to go to WDW....

I'm 22+ hours away and there are days when I'm tempted.

Thanks, Monique.

I'm sorry that you are 22+ hours away.

But that ghost in your countdown display is steadily moving along, isn't he?

TCD

[Roller ... aka Ed 351]

6 hours away has me even more tempted. It's even harder for me to resist if I have OldeKoot along. Anytime she gets more than 5 miles from the house, she says, "Why don't we just keep going and stay at Disney?". Got to love The Momma! :rofl2:

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

I know what you mean about one bad experience with a food item.

I have had a few such occurrences in my life, too.

For example, I cannot eat French Silk pie. I got really sick after eating a big piece of it once. The thing is, I'm sure my illness had nothing to do with the pie, but I have never wanted to eat another piece.

It's weird how that works, isn't it?

TCD

Yeah, I have a pretty firm policy about never again drinking any beverage I've puked through my nose... did I just say that out loud?