Yesterday (Black Friday) I went on my first real shakedown trip. I went to the Tibet-Butler Preserve. Upon entry and one trip around the small parking lot, I did not see any spots for larger vehicles. Then I remembered...a Ford 250 dual cab pickup truck is just a few inches shorter than my RV so I pulled into one of the standard parking spots without any trouble! The Coach ran flawlessly on the trip. Driving currently is a bit exhausting, as my ears and eyes are so intently tuned to every sight and sound. The purpose of shakedown trips is to find out what is wrong, and I want to find everything before my long trip across the USA. Every sound I hear I analyze to see if it should be there or not. It was nice to finally get to the Preserve.
TThe preserve was purchased in 1989 by the South Florida Water District to protect the watershed along the Lake Tibet-Butler chain of lakes. The Preserve is 440 acres and showcases several of Florida's ecological zones including wetlands, flatbeds, and scrub communities. There are 6 trails that meander through the preserve , the most beautiful being the Osprey Overlook. Sited at the edge of the lake, there are cypress at the edge of the lake, and water lilies covering much of the surface. The clouds came and went, with an occasional light dusting of rain.
It was a wonderful day, and can't wait to do some more exploring.
It was a wonderful day, and can't wait to do some more exploring.