Greetings from Okeechobee

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Tractor Tom

Contributor
Messages
901
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0
Location
Okeechobee, FL
# of dives
100 - 199
Greetings from Okeechobee!

Well, it was two long days in the truck, but we made it!

Friday I packed every tool that I owned into my new 20’ lowboy gooseneck that I had put four foot sideboards on the previous weekend, and covered it with a tarp, that was well secured with battens and deck screws.

Saturday, we were up early for coffee and were on the road by 6 am and on the way south. Traffic was very light down I-75 to I-69 and around past Lansing. The roads were in good shape and we were on our way south, so feeling good.

Spent about 15 hours on the road that first day, as pulling the trailer I normally only run about 65mph or so. The route was I-75 to I-69 through Indy, to I-65 to I-24, back, to I-75 right at the Georgia line. The truck with the new K&N cold air system and Flowmaster muffler worked very well. I was getting around 10-11mpg on the trip, so we would stop for fuel every 200 miles or so. Saturday evening found us coming down off the mountain into Chattanooga as the sun set. We finally stopped for the evening in Dalton, Georgia and found a place to sleep.

Sunday was much the same. We passed through Atlanta first thing in the morning at just above the legal limit, and were the slowest ones on the road. (it seems like speed limits are kind of a ‘suggestion’ around Atlanta) and had no problems on I-75 into Florida. We kept at it all day, taking I-75 to the Florida Turnpike and the Turnpike as far as Yehaw Junction, and the US-441 south into Okeechobee.

The day was a bit shorter, and we arrived at Okeechobee in full daylight. Found a room at the Holiday Inn Express (read EXPENSIVE for what we got) and went and found some dinner.

Today, Monday, we will take delivery of our 5th wheel trailer and place it in the Zachery Taylor RV park for a while while we do other business related things. We are supposed to have our lease on the building today, and will be able to drop the trailer full of tools and stuff in the new building by the end of the day.

The rest of the week will be spent getting the place habitable and fixing fences and things at the new property. The fence needs major repairs and the building needs a good cleaning and such. My work is cut out for me, but we are HERE and are starting our new life with a smile and a prayer.


The diver formerly known as Frankenmuth Tom...
 
I caught you in your other post. Welcome to the Florida Conch Divers. You are a Conch now. Sounds like we could use this whole thing as an excuse for another Conch Party.

Where's the Tub??????
 
Yeah, Tom!!! Glad to hear you made it. I smell a party coming soon!!!!
 
I was wondering what was going on with you. Welcome to Florida and good luck with the new wonderful world of Okeechobee.

Joe
 
Welcome to FL, Tom! Sounds like you had a good trip down (I agree about Atlanta... you'll see Ft Lauderdale area is the same way)!! Hope we get to meet soon. :)
 
Wooohoooo!!!! Yay! You finally made it!..... Shin diggin at your place soon!
 
Followed your dive in the Thumb last year, and as a former Michiganer I can tell you, you got it right. My move was on April 1st, 1991 after another 1" of snow on the front porch. Haven't seen snow since and don't want to. Welcome to Florida. We probably passed on the turnpike at YeeHaw Sunday, as I was coming back from OceanFest in Ft. Lauderdale. Now you need a new picture in your profile. Get rid of that coat!
 
Welcome to Paradise! Glad to hear you made it safe and sound. Agree with Metaldector, get a good pic of you without a coat! Sunburned maybe with a cool drink in hand. Oh and a palm tree in the background!
When is the party?? Er.. I mean, when can we help you move in?
 
Well, we need to make one more trip to Michigan for the car and all of our office furnature and computers and stuff, as well as most of our clothes and stuff.

I'll post a new photo with tractors and stuff in it for my Avatar as soon as we get back from "up north" in a week or so.

I won't be diving for another little while, with all the things that need to be done around the dealership and getting settled here, I need to put business first and start to make a little money to pay for my expensive hobbies!

Where's the nearest dive shop to Okeechobee? Ft. Pierce somewhere? I'll bring my tanks and gear down next week and need AIR before I get into the water next time. I also will need a place to keep my gear (maybe at the dealership) while we get things settled in the trailer here on Taylor Creek.

Well, must go! Electrical and telephone work to do at the shop today, and a load to the dump with a bunch of old furnature found there. Why is it, everthing looks like it has been sitting in a foot of water????? Maybe I should look at the roof of my new building!!!!!

Later kids!
 
Tom just let us know when you are available to dive and meet the Conchs! I do not know of any SCUBA shops in Okke. However come due east to US 1. Then North to Seaway drive. Then East again on the right is Dive Oddessy. Not a great shop but they got the basics. The better equip'd shop in the area is Blue Planet. The are on St Lucie West Blvd.

In the very near future I reccomend soem drift diving in West Palm beach and whenever you are free hit Pepper Park in Fort Pierce. I am off every other weekend.

The foot of water in the building. We FLorida is the land ov paradise but we have a rainy season and every so often it gets a little radical. We had two fairly serious storms last "season." It wasn't too bad though I think only 110 mile hour winds and three days of rain. The coastal areas seemed to only get under about 10' of seawater and most of the sand is pushed off the streets with 15' high piles lining the sides.

Oh and at least 75% of the roofs have been repaired a year later. Only several hundred per neighboor hood left to due, although I am starting to dig the blue tarps.

BTW do you have a dealership for 4" pumps and Generators? Just curious... my good good buddy Tom...

Hope to see you in the water soon..

Eric
 
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