Bushnell to Kissimmee Florida

Bushnell Fla to Kissimmee- we spent one day at the Bushnell Escapee park just hanging out and letting my legs regroup a little. The highlight of the day was discovering what sandhill cranes are. They are four foot tall gray birds with red and white markings on their head, with the loudest mouths I have ever heard.

Sandhill cranes - they are huge!!!

  On Nov 20, a tuesday, it was time to arrive at our first scheduled stop of the trip.
I rode 62 miles in about 4 hours on the west side of Orlando, to the KOA where. we were reserved to spend the Thanksgiving holiday .  I rode on great roads (US 301, FLA 50, and US 27) with great shoulders, warm sun, and a cooperative wind.  FLA 50 ran east to west through the  Acoochie wildlife refuge, then towards the end it got downright hilly, which I wasnt expecting. I met US 27 in Clermont and the hills got bigger, and it was nice to run some hilly terrain. The hills were big enough that I hit 40 mph going down one of them without really pushing too hard. Along with the hills came orange groves on both sides of the road, which I have never seen before, so that made it seem as though we were really in Florida.
     The next five days were spent doing the Orlando/Thanksgiving thing, and for the first time since I retired, I was off the bike for five days straight. Wednesday, the 22, was spent at Epcot Center.  I think I have been there, but I didnt remember a thing. Once we figured out the schedule of events in all the 'countries,' it was interesting enough for me, but Pam really enjoyed it.
Pam - Epcot is divided into sections such as the future and inventions, but the sections around the lake are different countries.

No caption needed!!!

Entering Epcot...

Drummers in "Japan"

 Dancer in Morocco

 Good luck statue in China.

Acrobats in China

 

Candlelight procession is the most fantastic Christmas program.  Hundred plus choir with candles, 50 piece symphony and Geena Davis narrating the Christmas story with matching carols.  KUDOS to DISNEY for producing a beautiful Christian Christmas program!

"Illuminations"

The closing program was about world peace.  The fire in the middle was actually on the lake!  It was huge and you could feel the heat on your face.  Note the fireworks too!!

Disney is always over the top!

 Thanksgiving day and Friday were spent at the Old Spice Basketball tournament at ESPNs Wide World of Sports facility, which has venues for baseball, soccer, basketball, and many other sports. It is the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves, and there were youth soccer and baseball tournaments going on, which meant that the place was packed. WVU pretty much stunk up the place, but they had all the other schools outnumbered fanwise, even if you added all the other fans together. The other teams were Gonzaga, Oklahoma, Clemson, Marist, Texas/El Paso, Vanderbuilt and Davidson.

Mountaineer fans waiting in line.  Let's go!

      On Thanksgiving, Pam cooked a Turkey breast and we had a great away from home feast.

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner in a motorhome is challenging!!

 On Friday, we ate at the grill at ESPN, watched the WVU football game, and ran into John Travanti, my college roommate at my fraternity. We were supposed to hook up in December, but it was a huge coincidence that I sat down at the table right next to him, and that I even recognized him.
     Saturday was Universal Studio day and a wonderful time was had by all standing in all the lines and riding all the rides, and trying to eat enough food to make the meal plan we bought into a value.  Sunday was the final game of the basketball tournament and we watched two games, WV and Oklahoma, and the championship game between Gonzaga and Davidson.

For all you Harry Potter fans, yes, we did that part of Universal - no I did not ride my broom!

Yes, we did this ride.  You get shot straight up and then you hang up there!  Sometimes we forget that we are 57!

Night time at Universal Studios

Mike poses with Bob Marley.