Your Snowbird experience?

The great
The keys weather can't be beat. At its coldest it was 10 degree warmer than Miami.
Loved the kayaking and fishing.

The bad.
The manager was new and abusive. Came up with a bunch of new rules that only existed in her head.

Left up North near the end of November, and still currently on the road. Hoping for a 4/15 - 5/1 end date. Winter seems to be hanging on North of I90 though.

In our winter park in the RGV from 12/10 - 3/10.

What was great:
1. The trip south. Did the Bourbon trail in Kentucky, then did vacation mode all the way down to the RGV;
2. Being with good friends and neighbors once again in our winter park;
3. Meeting new friends and people on our way (currently) north. RV'ing Snowbirds and FT'ers all seem to take the same route this time of year so you have lot's in common, and new places to learn about for the future;
4. Good cheap food and drink in the RGV. Went out just about every day; and,
5. Sold our old rig that we leave in the Valley. No longer tied to the area.

What was not so great:
1. Spotty weather at best in the RGV;
2. Sold our old rig down in the Valley, and moved everything into our traveling 5'ver. Lot's of work, but we did it;
3. Dental issues. I lost one crown, and DW broke a tooth and snapped off a cap (while currently on the road heading north.) All issues fixed this side of the boarder except for cap. Temp is in place, and the fix will occur when we get back. Crown cost $125 to put back on, and broken tooth was $85 to repair (both in the Valley);
4. Blew a tire on the rig coming south, and waited 3 hours for AAA. Thinking they might lose a customer after that one.
5. Park I'm currently in had a F1 90mph tornado which was close enough for us to hear the low train noise. Makes for a good story, but was a tad nerve racking when your phone goes off at 3:30am with "Immeninet tornado alert, seek shelter in a secure low area." Never got that one before.

After 10 years of RV Snowbirding this could be our last run. Guessing I'll be leaving this forum shortly and going onto the next chapter in our retirement, whatever that may be.

pawatt wrote:
Where, what was great and what could have been better and whatever else you wish to share.

What could have been better? I could have saved enough retirement money to be able to afford South Florida instead of the RGV (Rio Grande Valley of Texas).

What is great? The low cost and friendly people of South Texas.

Our first time in the RGV. Thanks to much advice garnered here we tried it from January 20 to March 20. People complained about how cold it had been but we only had about 5 days where the high was about 60. By the last three weeks we were at the pool everyday and I even got in.

Found it easy to get around. Lots of restaurants and stores within a mile or two. A great Gonzalez burger and a couple of day trips to Mexico and Arturo’s. Took our time heading home but not enough time. Supposed to be 19 here Friday night. Next year another couple of weeks.

P.S. wife even had emergency appendectomy at Edinburgh regional hospital. Operation a success and care very high quality.

pawatt wrote:
Where, what was great and what could have been better and whatever else you wish to share.

We snowbird in the Florida Keys. If your are a paddler, a fisherman or a drinker it is a fabulous place.

We are just paddlers and the upper Keys for us gives us the best opportunity since we can Paddle in Florida Bay. the Atlantic or the southern Everglades national Park which is only a half hour from Key Largo.
I haven't done yesterdays trip report, but as soon as I get it done I'll post it here.

Yesterdays trip report:
Wednesday - April 4.
Today was probably the most fun we have had all winter paddling our paddle boards in the South Largo Sound mangrove gardens. We waded with and played with Nurse Sharks. We headed for a place that we nick named "Shark Flats" since every time we paddle there whether we are in our kayaks or on the paddleboards, there are too many Lemon, Nurse and Bonnet Head sharks to count. It is located between two small mangrove keys and has a beautiful sand bottom , and evidently the way the tide sweeps through it provides good feeding grounds for the sharks. After circling around with all of them for a bit instead of going between the two little Keys we decided to go behind one and as we rounded the corner of it we came to a another tiny water way passage, just a few feet wide between it and the next mangrove Key and were absolutely amazed to see six Nurse Sharks lying on the bottom all in a row with the head of one touching the tail of the next in line. Then there was a smaller one by itself just beside the last one. I checked the bottom with my paddle to make sure I wouldn't sink, and it was nice firm sand, so I got off the board about five feet behind it in chest deep water with the intent to try and catch it by the tail, (I usually get one each year this way). It sensed me and turned around and swam slowly right passed me. Since I was already in the crystal clear water I decided to wade up to the line up and see if they would move. When I was right behind the last one and it didn't even sense me I reached out with my foot and touched it's tail with my shoe. Then it slowly turned and came right on by. I didn't realize it but Nanci got off her board and came wading up also so she could watch. There were two big ones, about five feet long, two four footers and two three footers. One by one I did the same thing, and each one would turn and swim right by our legs. I didn't realize it, but Nanci stirred up the sand and there was a cloud of it around her legs, (and bare feet) and the last one which was a five footer swam right into the cloud, and as it passed her it's body rubbed against her leg .
When the fun was over and all was said and done, we headed for our little hidden salt water jacuzzi with it's beautiful sand bottom where the water flows in through a small mangrove tunnel and out the other end through another one and just sat in the water watching the salt water aquarium fish swimming around us.
Naturally, my underwater camera was back in the trailer, so we'll have to go back tomorrow and see if we can have a repeat of the day .

Miles paddled = 6.0 (on the paddleboards)
Total miles paddled for the winter = 303.5




Jack L

Harlingen, TX
Paid $875 for 6 months although we only stayed 4, first time in the Valley.
Winter was colder than last but it was a lot warmer than Rockport where I usually stay.
Had at least 10 days when it hit 90 or more, that compares to the current 36 here at home. It's obvious we came home too early.
I do have 2 tomato plants with one already producing at least 8 ripe cherry tomatoes.
We were only 20 miles or so from Mexico, went down there 5 or 6 times where I bought a pair of glasses and paid $190 compared to my wife's $325 which she purchased here in the States shortly before we went down there.