Our Personal Paradise...FOUND




Sites have HUGE pads for ANY RV or Tent (see table 4 scale)

Not a problem at all at Silver River SP

I researched all of the state parks in the central area of Florida and felt Silver River SP was perfect for us.  I sent in an application (the best I could write) to http://volunteer.gov/gov/  (which is a super place to apply for work all across America)...and have been waiting for several weeks.  No word, so we took our own advice and called (no help needed) and then drove straight there to see the park for ourselves.  It was BETTER than we imagined.  As soon as we were parked in our huge space, I took off on my bike and soon met Don, one of the hosts.  I spooked him, walking up on him as he was enjoying going through his fishing rods.  He told me one host couple would have to be leaving early (for the unhappy job of having a hip replaced).  Don told me to head for the Ranger Station to talk with the Volunteer Coordinator...but she had just left for several days.  



Well then, it's time to explore the surprises that await in this incredibly fascinating park.  We soon found 15 miles (24.1 km) of pine needle-strewn trails...all shaded and wonderfully twisted through the live oaks and palmettos.   The Swamp Trail led to a sacred spot along the river...known for the great peace it can bring to a soul in turmoil.

 

Recreated Cracker Homestead



Straight down the road from the campground we found a village of restored or "newly-built" 19th century farm buildings (houses, meeting house, sheds, blacksmith, etc.) and a museum that has more bang-for-the-buck than any its size in the world!  The next weekend was Ocali County Days, an action-packed festival re-creating Florida a century ago. This is a living history event with displays, tours, and performances incorporating living historians: real buckskins, rifles, hides, Seminole Indians, Spanish Andalusians (horses) cows, all of the farm animals...and my favorite--bunnies!  It has become a popular annual attraction in the area, so Bob invited our nephew and his wife.  They insisted our son, who is a resident at Florida Hospital, take time off and come with his family.  This was all very exciting, except the campground had been sold out for the event since last year!  A quick check confirmed what I feared:  no other park took tents, and they had no openings for the weekend anyway.  Bob took a fistful of money and his faith in his own convincing ways, and said he'd find a tenting spot.

Unusual trailers started pulling into the park.  This vendor had his goods and a generator on the back of this trailer.  The beards on the men were grown to stare at, and the costuming was extraordinary. 

  

This is the first time in a LONG time where I felt like I could really relax.   Ahhhhh......

Job Offers Galore!



Ocala National Forest called us again after we turned down Shanty Lake and offered us a very nice position at Doe Lake Group Site.  We'd just have to watch over one site that was mostly used by equestrian clubs.  I was in heaven!  I love horses so much that I thought I was one growing up.  Pictures are at Doe Lake Description   But then it got confusing.  We got offers to camp host at Gold Head Branch State Park, Juniper Springs with Recreation Resource Management of America (a great company to work for; apply at RRMofA Employment Application or http://rrmofa.com/ ) then four offers in one day from the Forest Service.  Next Jolene called from Manatee Springs State Park with an offer to run the Ranger Station a few days a week in return for a spot with hookups.  We spent a few day at this remarkable state park in January 2010, so that was completely exciting.  And church was an easy bike ride into Chiefland, which was an important feature.  Then on September 23, 2011, we got an email from a ranger in the Everglades offering us the job at the Nike Missile site.  But the job didn't start until December.  (We should have asked, because we thought it started October 1st, like all of the other offers we'd received.)  We also got an offer from Bahia Honda State Park on this same day.  I told Bob to turn it down:  too hot and too buggy!  Besides, I'd miss the family reunion that was planned for October 8th.  He seemed devastated...saying that would be his dream job of all time.


Manatee Springs, complete with Manatees....of course

Here's a sample email we received:  The Ocala National Forest has immediate openings for volunteer campground hosts at the following campgrounds:   Delancy West - available now - April!, Hopkins Prairie - available October 15 - April 15



Applying to American Land and Leisure

Silver Glen Springs, Florida

Our dream job for the winter was to continue with our present company, American Land & Leisure.  We loved the management and how well we'd been treated.  We called the Area Managers, Ken and Judy, in the only spot AL&L manages in Florida:  Ocala National Forest.  We learned we could probably work at a day-use area to cover the existing host when she needed time off.  We were excited!  Silver Glen is not just a beautiful spring, but a lovely boating and recreation area.  But the number of visitors from up north (snowbirds) had dwindled to the point that the company actually cut back on employees this season...and we were on our own to find a job in Florida.  Here we go...off into the unknown.  If you want to check AL&L's current openings in the U.S. just click here:  Current Job Openings  The application is simple to fill out.  When we turned ours in, I added a letter of recommendation from our former employers...which was not requested, but I think it helped.  Click here to see the Application for Employment  This company does supply everything you need to do your job, including some type of vehicle, nice shirts, caps, jackets, and work gloves.  You are even paid minimum wage for your hours.