Frost In Florida

 Remembering back to when I was just a wee lass, I can remember the refrigerator freezer at my parents’ house, building up frost in the freezer compartment. This ice rivaled the advance of glaciers in the last ice age, and I can remember my mum boiling kettles of water and placing them in the freezer, several times until the sheet of ice was melted.

Frosty Build Up

The van’s refrigerator freezer also builds up frost and being in country where the humidly is sometimes 99% it has built up fast.

I’m not doing kettles of boiling water. I’m shutting everything down, and not returning until November 12. Its just interesting that as sophisticated a rig as the van with no name is, that the refrigerator freezer builds up frost. Probably in the RV world frost free is several $$$$ more.

It’s been a challenge to find RV storage in Fort Lauderdale. Months ago, when I was trying to set up storage most of the places I called, never returned my call. The place that did Kozy Kampers when I checked it out before the hurricane, the office wasn’t open, and as I drove through it was just an old mostly resident camper park. The storage was way in back, unsecured, not monitored, and on grass.   It wasn’t for me...

I had no choice but to look again for storage, and even though this never happens I found lower cost, secure inside storage, at something called cube world. Its only a $20.00 or so Uber ride to FLL airport, and probably about the same from the Puerto. So, I’m feeling good about leaving the van with no name there for 43 days.

If I was going to give out awards for the best and worst KOA’s I have stayed in this run. I would give the first one I stayed in at Glacier, the award for the best. It had a pool for adults, and one for kids. A ice cream store. A patio bar, and hamburger restaurant. Good Wi-Fi, and spotless showers.

Honorable mention go to the one in Hot Springs, South Dakota, for the fellow that brought me blocks, and helping me get the van level. And another honorable mention to the one in Saint Augustine for having level concrete pads, and spotless laundry and rest/shower rooms. Oh, and let’s not forget Titusville for being convenient to rocket launches.

The worst one is the  and the one I have spent the most time at, is  this KOA in Davie Florida. Now the staff is super nice, very accommodating, friendly. But the place???? Wi-Fi is one bar. The site I am in if I was to connect my sewer I would need another section of hose, as the drain is way in the back of the site, and the central drain, is uphill.  The pool is closed. There is no cable. There are local channels and PBS, Create, and local tv news stations, that carried nonstop coverage of the hurricane. The laundry facilities are worn, and several washers and dryers are inoperable. I didn’t try the change machine, as I had quarters.

My plans were right on schedule. Except for the 88% humidity this morning. I got the air conditioner going.  I had my breakfast, and koffee. Finished packing and cleaned the van out of any perishables left on board. I waited for daylight disconnected and stowed the hose and power cord.  Drove over and got closer to the drain so it wasn’t so much of a uphill, but it still was up hill

Tanks drained I set my navigation to the storage place. I even checked and double checked that no toll roads or highways were to be allowed on this trip but google had other ideas and led me right up to some 6-lane highway for about 14 miles. Maybe there is no other way to go? At least traffic was light, and it wasn’t pouring rain like the last time I tried to find the storage.

Tied Down Inside But Will It Start?

My UBER driver was only 4 minutes away, and I got to ride in a Tesla. He even put it in self drove mode. I wasn’t too happy about that but the technology running this vehicle in something to see. On the big screen not only is your route displayed but the vehicles radar shows all the other traffic and paints a electronic picture of everything that is around you.

Never having been to FLL Delta terminal I didn’t know what to expect, except for large crowds. I didn’t see the high-class check in line and was treated like a commoner by a line guard who told me I couldn’t check in until 3 hours before my flight. The only thing I dislike more than waiting is waiting with luggage and not waiting in the Sky Lounge.

I waited with the masses for about a hour before proceeding to the high-class check in line. The agent was more than happy to check me in and take my bag.

A confusing array awaited me at the TSA, where the pre check was not clearly marked. I was almost X rayed without my shoes, and my information sent off to desantas, where my name would be placed  on a list so I could be burned on a stake for being a liberal. Fortunately, I found the right lane, had my carry on scanned and a never before extra scan on my phone. The fellow probably just wanted to see if he could figure out how to use phone navigation, so he could find his way home? Or?

Once past security I found the Sky Lounge but was turned away by the three-hour rule. Sure, glad I am flying delta….

Returning to the lounge I discovered that the delta lounge was members only. First class passengers can just sit with the masses. Well give me Alaska Air any day then.

The flight took off just a little late, but a tailwind would get us to JFK early the driver said. We flew across the Atlantic to the Carolina coast.

Near Morehead City

And then into JFK. Since we were early there no gate available, so the drivers taxied around in what seemed almost back to Florida. They finally found a place to park in New Jersey I think, and we waited for a gate for around 15 minutes.  Oh, what a joy.

Finally, off the sky carriage, and down to baggage where the monitors said our luggage would be at carousel F, but in reality, it was at carousel E1.

The sky train  was under construction out to the Delta terminal but a shuttle bus was provided to terminal 8 where after going up and down multiple lifts I arrived at the train for the ride to the TWA Hotel.

I Found It

The path to the hotel is well marked, and only a short walk from the train. I knew my traveling compadre would be late, as she texted me this morning saying her plane was delayed.

No worries I got checked in and started off exploring the place.

Lockheed Constellation 

The food wasn’t all that good, and along with the beverages was overpriced, but the terminal is fun, and contains everything TWA that you could imagine. It’s a shame delta didn’t preserve the Pan-Am terminal.