Horses R-WELCOME at Silver River State Park

Water Pump & Kiosk at Trailhead

Lottie gets a drink from the hand pump.  A careful check of the trail map on the kiosk in the Silver River parking lot sets you up for the best of adventures. Trails are marked orange, green, pink and red; there is also a river trail...and the river is simply gorgeous...preserved from human harm and lined with mounds of flowers, monkeys swinging on branches, and alligators of all sizes ignoring you.  If you do all the trails and wiggles, the trail is 10 miles. 



Even people who don't own a horse can experience the trail on horseback. Silver River State Park has contracted with Cactus Jack's Trail Rides for guided trail rides seven days a week.   You have to make a reservation because the horses don't live in the park...they have to ride in their trailer to meet up with you.  The cost is $55 plus tax for 2 hours.   It is a wonderfully interesting and pretty ride.  The sounds and sights are all wild:  deer, hogs, hawks, owls.  Of the 151 state parks in Florida, only 32 have horse trails...and this trail system is new. 

I've decided my initial exuberant reaction to Silver River SP was well justified.  It has it all...!

The park not only preserves 5,000 acres of natural Florida but its natural history.  We were told that camp hosts love being in their park, but rangers don't.  We've seen enough at the 20 or so state parks we've stayed at to say that this is mostly true.  Rangers very often start out as volunteers.  But once they switch to the strict schedule and requirements of a ranger, they make the "sad change"...from pure enjoyment of their surroundings to "just another day at work".  Even the most enthusiastic volunteers will succumb once their freedoms are restricted and the pressure of constant evaluation and added requirements sets in.  We are happy to stay in the volunteer category.  You really do have to PAY for a pay check.

Need to save money on the best horse ride in the East?  Check out http://www.groupon.com/  Search for current coupons to this or any other great attraction.  Have fun!

ALERT - Critical Camp Worker Information to avoid BIG Mistakes

Waterfront Camp Host sites next to The Shop

Today, 11/7/2011, we were enlightened! We thought the big advantage of work camping is the free site. When you do the math, your site is often double or even triple what you would normally pay for a camp site. And your site is often sub-standard…next to the camp shop, or crowded together with the other hosts next to a busy road, or in a less-desirable area...like next to the dump station!   

Front Gate Elite Resort at Salt Springs

We found an RV resort across the street from Salt Springs Campground with a lot renting for $250 a month, including cable and all utilities except electric, and activity fees already paid.  (See resort here.)  The lot is landscaped and huge, with concrete pad and patio.  Even the lawn furniture is included.  So if we get a job…maybe checking people in at the front gate…you have a little income that works out to be more than you’d ever get with the “free” site.  The light goes on!  Negotiating the lot rental separately from the job is a much more profitable setup…at least in this instance.  And you’ve avoided losing your freedom to roam, as many host positions actually require you to be "on duty" most, if not all days in smaller campgrounds.

List of Jobs Currently Available

Ready to go to work?  Here's a list of jobs put out by "Work for RVers and Campers".
We responded to the following ad from this list....with enthusiasm....but received no reply whatsoever.  We couldn't get even an acknowledgement that our application was received:
FL: Winter Position on Citrus Ranch Near Disney World
Work campers needed. Work on a 2500-acre ranch close to Disney World. Job runs November through April. We have a U-pick citrus grove, old time country store, eco tours, and a camp ground. Please see our website showcaseofcitrus.com for more info about us.  Call Julie at 352-267-9903, if you are interested.

I like this list because it gives a posting date...so you have an idea if the job might already be filled...or so undesirable that no one has responded and the listing is still active. 

There's a free list by Cool Works of jobs you may have never considered...but could have a riot with.

There ARE many, many camp hosting positions that are paid (in real money).  One of the must varied lists of camp host jobs is found at http://www.simplyhired.com/ .  You can get your free spot without even being in a campground.  Another surprising site is jobsonline.net  with an easy search gadget.  You could be involved with anything from camp counseling to RV sales.

Then we checked the list of jobs posted by Happy Vagabonds.  Why not?  You have nothing to lose by applying.  We sent emails and made phone calls (no answers) and we left messages (with no replies).  We'll let you know if these are valuable lists or not....shortly.   [They are...but apply early and expect quite a bit of competition for the job.]

Here's a sample of a job posting that is supposedly available right now:
Workamper Needed at Fishermans Cove Resort
Needed immediately workamper 20 hrs a week in exchange for site and utilities. Duties are cleaning/general maintenance, friendly, relaxed atmosphere, ideal for retired couple, Come and experience our little fishing / resort. Contact Brenda at (941) 729-3685.

Bob called and left messages several times, and I wrote excited emails, because we used to live close to this resort and know (and love) a lot of people in the area.  After two weeks we gave up, as there was no acknowledgment whatsoever of the communications, resume and pictures we'd sent.  The "paradise" the owner of Fisherman's Cove described went up in vapors for us.  [Note:  We did follow up personally on this job lead, and it had been filled as we had supposed.]

Paradise? The majority of camp hosts say "YES"...

 There are 3 camping areas.  We've only been trained in this section so far (with the RVs in Buttonwood Campground)... as of Oct 8, 2011.   In the very center of this picture is the camper marina where Bob has been doing his fishing.  It's wildly alive with fish.  Don't try to count them.  Hundreds of hosts apply for Bahia Honda SP...and keep trying for years.  You are supposed to have a minimum of 500 volunteer hours to even apply.  We came with zero.  We just happened to submit an online application at the exact time another set of hosts had to decline their "place in the sun".  We work 3 days on and 4 days off.  We've explored the other keys this week and are well satisfied we landed in the best one!

Take your shoes off and relax a while....