The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
with family at Fisheating Creek in Palmdale, Florida
May 14 - 15, 2011
Fisheating Creek is the only free flowing tributary that runs into Lake Okeechobee. The two RV Gypsies and some of their family members enjoyed hiking and canoeing among real alligators in the wild. Photos below.
May 14, 2011 the two RV Gypsies drove their RV to Palmdale, Florida, to begin their 6-month (or more) RV trip. They are retired, do not own a house, condo, townhouse, apartment nor any other abode in Florida to worry about. So they can stay gone as long as they wish. When they reached Clewiston, Florida the dreaded Love Bugs attacked their RV.
Love Bugs on the window of the two RV Gypsies' RV
Love Bugs on the window of the two RV Gypsies' RV
Love Bugs on the window of the two RV Gypsies' RV
Below: And then to make matters worse, it began to rain
love bugs
Love Bugs on the window of the two RV Gypsies' RV
Love Bugs on the window of the two RV Gypsies' RV
unhappy faceWhen the two RV Gypsies arrived at Fisheating Creek, they unhooked their toad, and entered their RV. But so did lots and lots of Love Bugs. It took Karen Duquette almost an hour to kill all the Love Bugs that followed them into the motorhome. Not fun!
The Two RV Gypsies built a campfire to help keep the Love Bugs away. It cost them about $20 in firewood.unhappy face
the RV of the two RV Gypsies, known as AWO
Below: By the time family members arrived, most of the Love Bugs had gone to bed for the evening so everyone had time to enjoy the outdoors. Thank goodness!
the three kids playing on the swing
Brittny and Josh
Below: Then everyone jumped into John Smythers' truck and went to the hiking area within the campground. The kids rode in the back of the pickup truck. (Even Lee Duquette - the big kid.)
Lee and the kids in the back of the pickup truck
Lee, Renee and John
Within minutes of starting the hike, it began to rain again. Nobody cared.
Below: There was a baby alligator and it's mother in this portion of the creek. The photos did not turn out good enough to post.
The grandson of the two RV Gypsies
Alex Jones, the grandson of the two RV Gypsies
Below: Then it began to rain a little bit harder.
rain
rain
laughing clipart dudeNature's umbrellas
Nature's umbrellas
Brittny, John and Alex

Everyone got very wet from the rain, but still had fun.

Brittny Smythers
Josh Smythers
Below: Lee Duquette does not know how to behave!
Below: Karen Duquette told Josh to JUMP!
the two RV Gypsies and family
the two RV Gypsies and family climb on a tree branch
Below: Josh jumped from the tree limb down onto Brittny's shoulders
Josh jumps onto Brittny's shoulders
the river
hiking by the river
Below: The next morning the two RV Gypsies and their family prepared to canoe the creek. Before they even got into the canoes, the rain began again.
The two RV Gypsies prepare their canoes
The grandchildren of the two RV Gypsies
John said "CHARGE FULL SPEED AHEAD
- RAIN BE DARNED
"
Renee said "I am glad my parents are so prepared and brought ponchos"
(Well Renee, you know that they are RV Gypsies and full-time professional travelers)
he grandson and son-in-law of the two RV Gypsies
the daughter of the two RV Gypsies
Renee and Alex
John and his kids
Below: Karen Duquette got in the front seat of the canoe, and twisted her body around to photograph Lee Duquette. Then she held the camera up to try to capture herself on film. She used a camera, not a cell phone, so could not see what she was actually taking. Good job, Karen.
Karen Duquette twists her body to photograph Lee
Karen Duquette
Below: Approaching the railroad trestle. The kids decided to climb up to the tracks.
the family of the two RV Gypsies in their canoe
Approaching the railroad trestle
the kids on the tracks
climbing
back in the canoes
canoe fun
Below: Once again Karen Duquette twisted her body around to photograph Lee Duquette, Then she held the camera up to try to capture herself in the canoe. Good job, Karen.
Lee Duquette, an RV Gypsy
Karne Duquette, an RV Gypsy
mist on the river
2 and 1/2 canoes
John photographing the two RV Gypsies in their canoe
the river dries up
Below; The rain from these two days was not enough to help ease the drought that caused the creek to dry up so they could not canoe any further down the river. It was just one month ago that Renee and John were able to canoe about another mile past this same point. So everyone got out of their canoe and took a short walk and checked the water conditions ahead. It had finally stopped raining for awhile at least.
Lee Duquette and Alex
Renee, John, and Josh
The two RV Gypsies and their family
The two RV Gypsies and their family
Below: Lee Duquette walked the area where there should be a creek and saw that there was no creek around the bend either.
the view - no water
Below: Then it was time to canoe back to the campground.
Below: One of many fish burrows
the river trip back
fish burrow
Below: John Smythers tried to walk on water - luckily the creek was very shallow here so he did not drown when he discovered that he could not walk on water!
what is John doing?
shallow water
Below: The two RV Gypsies, grandson, Alex Jones climbed up onto the railroad trestle again. John and Josh tried to take a short cut to the other side of the railroad trestle and managed to ground their canoe once again. You can see Alex in the background on the railroad trestle in the photo below.
Alex Jones
alex on the railroad tracks
Below: Karen Duquette propped up her feet and relaxed
while Lee Duquette did the work of paddling.
John and Josh thought they could raise their paddles into the air and turn the canoe into a sailboat. LOL!
Karen Duquette, bandaged toes
is this a canoe or a sailboat?
Below: An Alligator at Fisheating Creek
alligator
continue on to the next adventure of the two RV GypsiesThe two RV Gypsies continued on to The west coast of Florida
Fort Myers, Englewood, Sarasota, Venice - lots more alligators and more fun stuff

OR

Continue Navigation in the order of your choice
via the alphabetical or category buttons below

search for items on this webpage beginning with the letter A search for things on this website beginning with the letter B search for things/places on this website starting with the letter C search for things/places on this website starting with the letter D search for things/places on this website starting with the letter E search for things/places on this website starting with the letter F search for things/places on this website starting with the letter G search for things/places on this website starting with the letter H search for things/places on this website starting with the letter I search for things/places on this website starting with the letter J search for things/places on this website starting with the letter K search for things/places on this website starting with the letter L search for things/places on this website starting with the letter M search for things/places on this website starting with the letter N search for things/places on this website starting with the letter O visit places the two RV Gypsies have been that start with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter R search for things/places on this website starting with the letter S search for things/places on this website starting with the letter T search for things/places on this website starting with the letter U search for things/places on this website starting with the letter V search for things/places on this website starting with the letter W search for things/places on this website starting with the letter Y search this website for things/places starting with the letter Z such as ziplines find anything starting with the letter Q on this website
Menu for The two RV Gypsies in Alaska
The two RV Gypsies in Canada
Countries the two RV Gypsies visited cruises Lee and Karen Duquette enjoyed USA Destinations About Lee and Karen Duquette
Brian Duquette's life and tradgedy
e-mail The Two RV Gypsies
Karen Duquette's Flashbacks Please sign the Two RV Gypsies guestbook helpful information for RVers helpful hints for RVers and campers
Art seen by the two RV Gypsies Campgrounds in the USA and Canada Gardens the two RV Gypsies visited Lighthouses the two RV Gypsies visited Museums the two RV Gypsies visited National Parks the two RV Gypsies visited
Oddities and unusal things and places Restaurants the two RV Gypsies visited State Parks the two RV Gypsies visited Videos by Karen Duquette Waterfalls the two RV Gypsies visited wildlife seen by the two RV Gypsies