Boston, NY, Dayton, Cincinatti, Orlando, Naples

[cornishfrogboy]

Day 21. Horse riding at Lazy H, Hagrid Coaster & the Hardrock... ‘Crazy horses’!

Well, today started badly. Mandie’s sunburned legs and thighs were bad and we (other than myself) were due to go Horse riding. All agreed that we would attend and see how it went.

The Lazy H was 45 minutes away and we were there at 0945 prompt The ranch was close to the shore of Lake Tohopekaliga (where both boggy creek and Spirit of the Swamp airboats operate). The ranch has just 9 horses and the instructor/owner is a rodeo rider, called Abbey and very nice indeed. The Ranch was exactly as you would imagine and it was reassuring to see the conditions in which the Horses were kept.
Mandie has ridden a fair bit, whilst Dan and Matt have never sat on a Horse. When booking, Lazy H had taken plenty of information about experience, heights, weights etc and a Horse suitable for each was saddled up, ready to go. , (Western saddle, my wife reliably informs me). The opted for 1.5 hr trek we selected came to $210 and the Horses just go out once a day. Abbey informed that she was not Commercially motivated and that her Horses came first. A cynic by nature, I totally believe her.

Matt

Whilst the group (of 4) confidently trekked out of the ranch, along a track and into the Twin Oaks Conservation Area, I then followed on foot in order to while away time.

The reserve was clearly large and I was at Lake side within half a mile, watching some ‘fishin’ and photographing anything that moved.. or did not.

A ‘Fishin’ platform.

An as yet unidentified bird.

I was back at the ranch for their return and ‘dismount’ (note the equestrian knowledge) and return of the Horses. All 3 reported as soon as we were in the car that Rainbow River had been surpassed as no1 day. It turns out that the riding was safe, the Horses excellent and that Abbey was very much a local historian, filling them with information about the area.

We returned to the Villa and packed ready to leave before a drive to the Cheesecake Factory in Millenia Mall. (Takeaway Cheesecake only) that we ate by the fountain. I had hoped for PF Chang’s before the Cheesecake, but the rest were adamant that there was a better option.

Mandie demolishes her ‘diet portion’ from Cheesecake Factory.

1802 arrived as we drove in to the now free parking at Universal and we headed straight (at Mandie’s sunburned best speed) into ‘Islands’. The Universal app reported a 120 min wait for the Hagrid Coaster and when we reached it, the sign said ‘120’. Mandie and Matt refused to wait this long for a ride and said they would meet us in Universal. Dan and I were sat on our bikes and away in 44 minutes.. an absolutely awesome ride, only clouded by the number of adolescent line cheats pushing past on the pretext that they were joining their family/friends groups. I hate this and it should be rigorously stopped by staff. Our family has never done it, honestly or otherwise in our long experience of theme park queuing. Rant over.

The ride.. Simply the best all round coaster experience to date. Well worth the 45 minute wait. ( our family max is generally 1 hour).

We rejoined forces in Universal via the Hogwarts express and it was then straight to the Hardrock for Nachos, cocktail for Mandie and .. Burgers for entree, great stuff and rather surreally served by a Waiter who was in little old Falmouth Cornwall just a couple of years back! His knowledge verified the assertion and a generous tip to a nice guy was forthcoming.

Mandie & Matt demolishing Nachos.

And now.. the family are having a lie in after a late (for us) finish, whilst I compile this (later than normal ), update.

[Pez01]

Just binge read your whole report and wow... what a super trip you’ve had... I like the idea of seeing a few places before Orlando it’s one to bear in mind for the future...Boston looks great and I love the photos of the kayaking and horse riding.

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Pez01

Just binge read your whole report and wow... what a super trip you’ve had... I like the idea of seeing a few places before Orlando it’s one to bear in mind for the future...Boston looks great and I love the photos of the kayaking and horse riding.

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I am glad you like it. We have got more adventurous as our experience of the USA has grown (and our children too).
We would never return to a straight, in and out theme park vacation.

[cornishfrogboy]

Day22 . ‘The long and winding road’, south, Naples and Delnor Wiggins State Park.

Well, the time has absolutely flown by and Planes Trains & Automobiles (For any Steve Martin fans out there), is very nearly.. but not quite over. It has been a blast!

Today it was up and out of our Villa. We were on the road at 0945 and heading for Naples as a preposition for our forthcoming flight home. The drive was long, pleasant, pretty (in a rural way) and enjoyable.. other than a petrol station half way where Mandie was mimicking ‘Duelling Banjoes ‘ before I even got out the car. The garage was hideous and the rest rooms.. not much better than the image I shared of CBGB. A few miles further and it was one of my boys adsolute favourites ... Wendy’s for a swift Baconator meal. Lovely as always and a steal at $39 for the four of us...

The drive continued and after four hours driving (plus the pit stops), we were ensconced in the Inn of Naples, a very decent 3 star, (£80.33 inc breakfast) and right on the Tamiami.

Mandie’s sunburn was sore and itching. Dan was feeling idle, so Matt and I drove the 6 miles or so to Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park ($6 inc parking). A guide suggested we stop in car park 1 (of 5) and we start walking North until we reach an inlet that we cannot cross and this is exactly what we did. In the next 3 hours, we swam with Pelicans, saw Tortoises, Snakes, a Manatee, a Rabbit, Turtle nests (covered by cages to stop people treading on them), hatched Turtle nests with empty eggs all around.. and wonderful views. At the North end, people were fishing and a very kind guy lent Matt one of his rods for 1/2 an hour (no fish caught).

A protected Turtle nest.

A hatched Turtle nest.. and Matt

A hatched Turtle egg.. and Matt.

Matt and his new friend.. A Gopher Tortoise.

Matt stalks a Pelican.

A very kind man allows Matt the loan of a fishing rod.

Back to the Hotel, a brief dip and then we were all ready to go out and eat. The receptionist suggested ‘Yardhouse’ and I must say that the menu was huge and the food, excellent. A highlight was the Cider. My wife had a pint of Pineapple and myself, a pint of Blood Orange. Dan could only look on in blind envy. This meal was a real highlight of the vacation... if food is important.

The Yardhouse, Naples.

Now it is to bed and another day in prospect.

[scottishnellie]

Loved the look of the horse riding yesterday so that’s added to my list. And the day in Naples was fab too. The area you went swimming would appeal to my lot and I’m definitely up for a blood orange cider.

If I make it there next year I will pretty much be copying your holiday from this year I think!

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by scottishnellie

Loved the look of the horse riding yesterday so that’s added to my list. And the day in Naples was fab too. The area you went swimming would appeal to my lot and I’m definitely up for a blood orange cider.

If I make it there next year I will pretty much be copying your holiday from this year I think!

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If you do, and if you need it, I have my spreadsheet that you are more than welcome to have a copy of as a reference/planning tool.
This vacation has worked out really great for us, some standards and some ‘off the normal route’ stuff.

[cornishfrogboy]

Day 23 .. Of Airboats on the Tamiami, flights and home... nearly... ‘Leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when i’ll Be back again’.

Well, our last day in Florida.. for a while. It was up early and out of the ‘Inn of Naples after a decent breakfast, marred only by a German National shoving my son Matt (aged 13) away from the waffle machine in order that he could use it himself. It seems that the German arrogance and bullying of those weaker has prevailed through history.
The Hotel has been clean, otherwise pleasant and certainly a bargain in terms of Naples prices. I would use it again.
The drive down the Tamiami Causeway for over 100miles was pleasant, uncrowded once out of Naples and a pleasure, with endless swamp on both sides as far as the eye could see. It was interspersed with Native American Indian settlements, identified by the Rush constructed roofs.
Eventually we arrived at our Airboat ride, ‘Buffalo Tigers Airboat Rides’, a company that I had found on tripadvisor and that has pretty good reviews. Initially we were wary as this operation was nowhere near as slick and polished as either Spirit of the Swamp or Boggy Creek. The Airboats looked tired and the staff were heavily tattooed Native American Indians. An enquiry at the desk offered us a half hour ride in 15-20 minutes time with ‘Ernie’ for $30 each. I took a punt!
Ernie’s Airboat had 3 rows of 5 seats. There were 10 of us on board and away we went, just earplugs, no intercom, no fancy stuff. He found Alligators.. plenty of Alligators. (He later explained that he had a few stone cold certainties’ including a guarded nest and the others he found as he went along).
Ernie’s methods were rather different to those in Orlando. The Alligators would approach his boat and he would feed them ‘cheesits’ whilst they approached to within a foot of the boat at times. He gave a running commentary, explaining their habits, life, breeding etc. He would touch them, pointing out their sight blind spots, and other anatomy. The commentary, whilst not of the academic standard around Orlando was fascinating as this man had spent his life around Alligators.. his whole life.

After a while, he took us to an Island in the swamp that had Indian rush and wood huts on it. It had a jetty to which he tied up. Ernie explained that this was the former home of ‘Buffalo Tiger’ who , like many other Indians on around 50 similar settlements had lived there until 1960 when the area had become very heavily polluted, forcing them all out and to make new settlements actually on the Tamiami trail (the ones we had seen earlier). Ernie explained that Buffalo Tiger had ensured this one was maintained and that the family would go out there to learn about culture and tradition. Mr Tiger had died 3 years ago aged 93 and that since then, the rest of them had kept things going as a tribute. Ernie gave a run down of the camp, it’s construction and the purpose of the various buildings, fascinating stuff.
There was a large male and smaller female Alligator plus about a dozen young, very close to the Landing where he had moored. The adults were very tame and came right up to Ernie, who fed them and spoke more about Alligators. When asked what would happen if he tried to handle the young, he replied that the Adults would most certainly attack him.

Ernie feeds Alligators at the old settlement.

Ernie shows off... and survives.

A huge grasshopper thing that is apparently seasonal and common in the Swamp.

The former home of Mr Buffalo Tiger (R.I.P).

The 1/2 hour trip lasted around an hour and of 6 Airboat rides to date, we agreed that this one was streets ahead of the others.

We drove on and arrival at Miami plus dropping the car went without a hitch. We had booked in flight meals and hold baggage for this flight, unlike all our previous. We were at our gate on time and boarded on time onto our lovely, nearly new Norwegian Airlines B787 Dreamliner.
And there we sat... A storm came through and we were 1.5 hrs delayed. Eventually we were out and off, eventually regaining half an hour during the course of the flight.
It can fairly be said that the in flight food was terrible, quite as bad as anything that I have ever eaten in flight or on exercise with the Army. The caterers should hang their heads in shame.
We are now at LGW waiting for a non rush hour train that is compliant with our rail tickets. Outside it is gray, wet and miserable.. just as one might expect!

[scottishnellie]

Another fab day 😃 that boat ride sounded a lot more interesting than the others I’ve read!

[Cutiepie]

The airboat ride sounds really good I have really enjoyed reading along everyday and I also like it being on one thread! Thanks for sharing

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Cutiepie

The airboat ride sounds really good I have really enjoyed reading along everyday and I also like it being on one thread! Thanks for sharing

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You are very welcome, Cutiepie. One of the reasons that I do it this way is so that I can print it off and keep it in our keepsake box. It is easy to forget what you did in the months and years following a vacation. It is in effect, a live diary of my thoughts at the time of ‘doing’.