Escapees Sumter Oaks RV Park

Our next destination after leaving Sopchoppy is about a couple hundred miles further south to the Escapees Sumter Oaks RV Park in Bushnell, Florida.  We have a reservation for a month stay! 

We took the back roads rather than the interstate and it was a very nice ride through the Florida country side.  This is where you can see some of the ‘old Florida’ – nice little country towns, sprawling farmland, Spanish moss trailing from the trees, swampland and rivers.

Sumter Oaks RV Park is part of the Escapees club.  They own a number of parks across the country and members can stay for a discounted rate.  We joined Escapees a couple of years ago and this is the second member park at which we have stayed.  The Escapees parks favor retirees, therefore are very quiet and peaceful. 

And this park is a winner!  We are surrounded by huge live oak trees hanging full of Spanish moss and resurrection fern.

Home for a month

When we found our site, we were greeted by four Sand Hill Cranes.

Sandhill Crane

They seem to be locals and show little fear.

Sandhill Crane

The back of the campground looks like a natural wildlife area, swampy with Cypress trees and Cypress knees protruding from the ground and white ibis feeding in this area.
 

White Ibis feeding under Cypress

Cypress Knees

This is an established park and has been here for years.  It has dirt roads with cute names like Sandhill Crane Lane, Cow Patty Road, and Gator Alley.  There is an activity center, where daily activities are held. 

Road in Sumter Oaks RV Park

We pulled around to our site before unhooking the HHR (our toad) and evaluated the site.  We were told at the office that it was a back in site, but that would have put our hook ups on the wrong site.  We went back to the office, where a different gentleman told us that it was a pull in site.  We are a little closer than we would like to be to our neighbor, but all is good.

It didn’t take long to get set up.  Henry hooks up the water, power and sewer while I open the slides and get the inside situated.  I verify the fridge has switched from propane to electric. It is easier to get set up when you are ‘living’ in the RV instead of just taking weekend trips.  Everything can basically just stay in place instead of loading and boxing everything up.  Simple.

We took a walk around the campground and on the way back we meet our neighbors.  They are from Montana. We strike up a conversation and find that we have a lot in common.  They have been fulltiming for four years and love it.  They tell about the winters in Montana and how their eyes even hurt with the below zero wind whipping about their face.  No, thank you.

Grapefruit - you won't see these growing in Montana!

Another great day – nice ride, great campground, new friends.  We like it!