TCD is Thankful for Thanksgiving at the Fort Trip Report

[kampfirekim 260]

We have disagreed on some things recently, but I am right on with you here. That area looks like a creepy, cluttered mess to me. Like some memorial on the National Mall after an earthquake.

Phew! . I was starting to worry. Now my world is harmonious again. ;D

and... AMEN! well said. Good description!

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

OK- we must save yours too.

Do you have a photo of yours? I have some of ours somewhere, I just need to find out which computer they are on I guess I have never posted them. But I'm gonna.

I found it!!!!

We are the 4th from the left on the top row.

(You can thank Donnie for me finding this. He was asking if I had a picture of someone in chat, and I knew which album that picture might be in, and found this one!!! (I didn't have the picture Donnie wanted))

[kampfirekim 260]

Cool Carol! We can save yours too and I will put flowers around it when i visit WDW. ;D

[LONE-STAR 370]

Great update

[Discamper 394]

Sorry TCD it has been hard to follow this trip report because I want to be there so bad it is now over a year since my last stay

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Sorry TCD it has been hard to follow this trip report because I want to be there so bad it is now over a year since my last stay

I had the same problem when everyone was posting their July 4th TRs.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

OK- I an update is in the works and will be posted as soon as I catch up with these comments . . .

A damn fine update, indeed. I rode my mountain bike down that trail one day, but I encountered some very fresh horse tinkle, so I turned around before the good stuff. Good find, TCD.

I was surprised by how few road apples I saw, and the trail really didn't smell too bad.

Maybe the rain a couple of days before helped.

I know if the wind is blowing the wrong way, you can get quite a noseful from the trail ride staging area at the Outpost bus stop.

Next time, you need to keep on going!

Bald Eagles are rare but not that uncommon in this area and in Florida as a whole. Florida had or has the largest Bald Eagle population in US except for Alsaka.

I see them from time to time where I live.

I don't know if it still exists but there was a sanctuary in the Tallahassee area where injured or sick birds were treated and released if possible.

There are quite a few eagle's nests over this way, too.

But, it is still a pretty rare thing to spot an eagle soaring.

I used to work at Big Bend Wildlife Sanctuary - we handled Bats To Bears, Hummingbirds to Eagles, literally!

Ed- That is really cool!

I recall seeing an old photo somewhere of the fort from back in the early seventies and there were three totem's in a meadow. Could these totem's be those and that used to be a meadow some 40 years ago? The tree growth is about right for that time frame.

My guess is that those totem poles were moved out to the trail from somewhere else on the property.

So far, I haven't found an old photo that seems to match up with thes poles.

Great updates! I feel the need to get one of those shirts so I also have the official license to get lost. I mean, if the shirt says so, no one can say anything to you!

I agree.

If the new Fort slogan is "A Great Place To Get Lost," then I'm going to have to wander in order to get lost.

So, if I am ever caught wandering, I have my story all ready to go!

Once again.... I'm tired of saying it but I'm going to say it again anyway.... GREAT UPDATE!!! I am going to have to explore the horse trail now. Looks like a great place for a walk to me!

Explore away!

But, I would caution anyone thinking of exploring the horse trail to make sure to do so early in the morning or late in the afternoon so that you are not out there when a trail ride comes through. You do not want to spook the horses.

How cool is it that you found the totem poles! One thing I have learned from reading your reports is that I am not very observant! I guess we all need to take time to stop and smell the roses er look for neat things around the Fort!

Well, I'm glad that you learned that Rita!

You absolutely need to take time to wander around the Fort.

It is a treasure!

Very cool updates...I love the totem poles. In fact, you've given me an idea for my next trip. I am going to climb one of those suckers and get my picture taken up there.

What is it with you and pole climbing?

The Fort's moto is not "A Great Place to Climb a pole (that's pole with a small 'p')".

Wow great find!! The sad thing is we rode right past those things on horseback the day before and I didn't see those or the wagon. I guess my DH was right I'm not very observant.

We have eagles up here too. Two winters ago we had about 30 eagles along our little river that runs through town. They drew a lot of attention from all over the state.

Great pic of the older TCD DD at the fort! How old were the twins on their first trip? Have any pics??

It's possible that the totem poles were out there when I last took a trail ride, and I never noticed them. When you are on the trail ride, your attention is probably more focused on keeping an eye on your horse so as to not run into the horse in front of you.

The TCD twins were probably about 2 the first time they visited the Fort. Of course I have pics. But they are not digital, and I will have to dig for them. I will get them posted some time.

I have not seen the tombstones at Epcot, other than the pictures from above that TCD shared. Could someone please post more pictures of them soo i can see what y'all are talking about?

Great report, as always, TCD. :popcorn:

The "tombstones" are big granite blocks that they put up in the Epcot entrance area around 1999. They sold something called Leave a Legacy to go along with them. Basically, for a not so small fee, you could get your face etched into a metal plaque. Each photo is a little bigger than a postage stamp. Carol posted a photo of hers in post #302 above. The TCD gang's photos are on there too, but I have not yet found my photos of our etchings.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I found it!!!!

We are the 4th from the left on the top row.

(You can thank Donnie for me finding this. He was asking if I had a picture of someone in chat, and I knew which album that picture might be in, and found this one!!! (I didn't have the picture Donnie wanted))

Thanks for posting that, Carol.

That is actually a very good photo of you and Rick.

Ours are not nearly as clear.

Sorry TCD it has been hard to follow this trip report because I want to be there so bad it is now over a year since my last stay

Thanks for posting that photo, Todd.

Those look like the same totem poles from my photo of my DD in front of the Settlement Trading Post.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I would say that we are long overdue for an update.

So here we go.

We are picking up on Wednesday morning.

The girls slept in again.

We didn't make one rope drop on this trip!

When the girls got up, we did some looping.

When we checked on the tee pees, I noticed a new pile of dirt near the entrance to the group camping area:

I knew what this meant, but maybe you don't, so let's take a look:

That's the pit they dig to cook their turkeys on Thanksgiving.

It isn't that deep:

See the roll of metal in this next photo?:

They cover the pit with that after they put the turkeys on the coals. Also in the photo above, you can see the frame of a tee pee that is being constructed.

Here's another look a the pit and the roll of metal:

Now we are on the 1700 loop. These folks totally copied some other campers we know by setting up a pop-up camper behing their motorhome all on one site. Also note the golf cart fleet:

Here's the other side of that set-up:

Supposedly all of the rangers were hired to enforce rules.

Earlier this year, they were harassing guests if their tow vehicles were not on the paved area of the site.

But at the same time, things like this are allowed.

I really don't get it.

I guess the rules don't apply to certain people.

I can't swear to it, but I think I saw Keith Stone dropping off some of the golf carts that you see on this site.

As we headed out of the full hook up loops, we spotted someting trying to hide behind this picnic table on the 1600 loop:

Remember, this was the day before Thanksgiving, and the tee-pee folks had just dug their turkey cooking pit.

This was one nervous bird!:

He kind of just disappeared into the woods.

We didn't see him again.

Or any other turkeys come to think of it.

The "WHOA" sign that is just past the four-way stop was practically right behind our site, so after we got done looping, I walked over to get a few photos of it. It looks like it could use a little touch-up:

I already posted a photo of these yellow flowers, but here's another from the entrance to the 1200/1300 loops:

This pole was sitting behind the 1200/1300 comfort station, and I wondered why:

Because this pole looked perfectly fine:

I don't know what was going on there.

Here we are on the 700 loop. These folks had some pretty big inflatables:

And, here's the last photo for this post. It's the Meadow on the day before Thanksgiving. Look at all the recreation going on here- canoes, bikes, volleyball. There aren't too many other places in the world where folks were having this much fun in late November:

From here, we headed back to the site and hopped in the truck.

We are heading to Disney's Animal Kingdom next.

TCD

[PureTcrazy...rita 380]

I hope the pictures of the pit means that you'll have some pics of the finished turkeys! I don't blame that poor turkey, I'd have gone into hiding too!

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

Nice update!!

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

I finally get used to the squirrels distracting me and you go and throw in turkeys! :rofl2: Great update Andrew, I really need to get back to the Fort for Thanksgiving.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I finally get used to the squirrels distracting me and you go and throw in turkeys! :rofl2: Great update Andrew, I really need to get back to the Fort for Thanksgiving.

Doodle does it really take much to distract you?

don't like those big birds....

[stefa70 205]

Between writing my own report and checking for updates on yours and Carols, I feel like I will be here all day. Good thing I had that buttock workout on my way to the Fort, or I would have one sore :moon:

All I could think of when you posted that hiding photo was: "RUN turkey, RUN!!!"

We also saw tons of vehicles off the slab, so we moved Trevors truck off too, all while I sang "Breaking the law, breaking the law" Judas Priest style.

Of course, no one said a word. So much for the rules.

Can't wait to hear about your Thanksgiving! I would love to be at the Fort for TG, but since I cook for family and friends, I have to stay at home.

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Between writing my own report and checking for updates on yours and Carols, I feel like I will be here all day. Good thing I had that buttock workout on my way to the Fort, or I would have one sore :moon:

All I could think of when you posted that hiding photo was: "RUN turkey, RUN!!!"

We also saw tons of vehicles off the slab, so we moved Trevors truck off too, all while I sang "Breaking the law, breaking the law" Judas Priest style.

Of course, no one said a word. So much for the rules.

Can't wait to hear about your Thanksgiving! I would love to be at the Fort for TG, but since I cook for family and friends, I have to stay at home.

\

maybe you should have the name rebel....

[DaveInTN 3,247]

That turkey was probably scared of Jen's dog. He got a piece of one of them.

[Starbuc71 162]

Talk about the rangers doing thier jobs, I met a few during our trip including Doug who I thought was trying to do a good job. I met an older fella (ranger) one night during the EWP and he was kindly asking people in carts to stay off the beach. He walked over to us parked on the cement at Clementines beach and I said "it must be tough trying to enforce all the rules" He stated, " Yes it is, but I know people are here to have fun" Then he proceeded with his Thanksgiving story. he said the night before he caught 2 people in the treeline between the settlement playground and the beach doing the hibity dibity. He said he told the people they had to leave (while his flashlight was on them) then said, "aw heck, I remember drive-ins when I was young" and he said he let them go about thier business. I guess that's kinda funny but also kinda "not Disney" with all the family things at the fort. Way to keep up doing a good job being a ranger....lol

[CKCK 45]

We counted at least 5 turkeys on the 1800 loop while we were there.

Hibity dibity.

There, I just wanted to say that for myself. Thats a new one, and I'm definitely using it.

[Hotmamac aka Misty 11]

Those totem pole pictures gave me goose bumps!! Awesome updates!

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Where is TCD? It's almost 11am Florida time and no update.....

[stefa70 205]

TCD? YooHoooo!

Maybe he is doing the hibity dibity.

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

TCD? YooHoooo!

Maybe he is doing the hibity dibity.

You just wanted to say hibity dibity. :rofl2:

[DaveInTN 3,247]

You just wanted to say hibity dibity. :rofl2:

Do you have to do the hibity dibity in the bushes?

[doodlebug....Cherie 461]

Do you have to do the hibity dibity in the bushes?

I had a comment to make but..... :rofl2:

[stefa70 205]

You just wanted to say hibity dibity. :rofl2:

I don't want to just say it, I want to do it!!!