Van Camping: For Us the Only Way to Go

Sunrise at a campsite right next to the beach

 Every type of camping brings out ardent supporters, from the Type A bus-like motor homes usually driven by an older couple to a tent or two for a family to the individual hikers with just a hammock and backpack. The closest we came to camping in our adult life was living on our sailboat on weekends and vacations, with a bathroom, stove, icebox, beds, and even a microwave in one of them. Much to our dismay, we sold our last sailboat 10 years ago after 25 plus years of sailing together as Karl’s back stopped cooperating. We missed it. Road trips staying in hotels or cottages, while fun, provide a different kind of experience.

So, seven years ago with a burst of enthusiasm and no camping experience, we bought a very used 10-year-old RoadTrek 190. Though old and requiring maintenance fairly frequently, we loved the travel experience. After almost five years we found out that replacements rather than repairs lurked in the very near future. After 15 years no one made parts anymore for the original equipment in the camper. We allowed ourselves to be convinced we needed to go bigger. A Type C, 24’ long, 100” wide with plenty of room and only one year old came to our attention, and we bought it. It lasted a year.

We loved the room, but discovered that a lot of the small town Main Streets, local restaurants with tiny parking lots, back roads, and even the state and county parks we frequented simply could not handle a vehicle that size comfortably or easily, or in some cases at all. We realized we needed to start towing a car for our destination jaunts, but still ended up passing by many interesting places while traveling. Karl tells people we explore more than camp and relish the journey along with the destination, an excellent way to describe our travel style. 

Realizing from experience that mobility and fitting in the off the beaten path locations we prefer matter more to us than a lot of space, back we went to a van. Many people complain about what a pain it is to unhook and use the RV as main transportation once they settle into camp.  As former sailors, getting everything unhooked and stowed before getting underway comes as second nature to us. The Travato 59K just arrived at the dealer when we did. Our first and decisive walkthrough occurred in the detailing area, with me helping the staff pull plastic off the seats so I could test the driver and passenger captain’s chairs. The open layout makes it seem much bigger than its 21’, it contains an enclosed full bathroom which our RoadTrek lacked, and the front wheel drive means it handles well and our mileage is great. Best of all, we fit comfortably in a standard sized parking space. Once again we pulled over and parked on the small Main Streets to walk around the town, fit comfortably into the small parking lots of family owned restaurants along the way, and stopping wondering where we would pull over when we encountered an oncoming vehicle as we navigated the often narrow and curvy roads into various parks and preserves.

Over a year into the purchase, we know we made the right decision. We go everywhere in our van, from day trips to short hops to longer excursions, and our accommodations go with us. Vans do not fit most people’s idea of a RV, but for those like us it is perfect.

Learning to Bird

Portrait of a Red Shouldered Hawk

Since my initial entrance into the world of professional free-lance photography (i.e. our work started selling) came as a result of my wild bird portraits, the questions most people ask is “How did you get started birding?” Karl and I always did some birding, but not too seriously. We drifted into it, noticing more when we hiked, starting to take more interest in migrations, and referring to the guidebook more frequently. When Karl decided it was time for me to plunge head first into the digital SLR world, a telephoto lens was part of the package. I started shooting wild bird portraits, and my nature and photography interests joined. At that time Karl volunteered as a docent and naturalist at a local nature preserve, and worked closely with the ornithologist on staff. We both started attending bird hikes and programs, and birding more on our own.

This led to an invitation to join a local birding team. The team followed a protocol set up by the research director with the goal of long term population sampling along specific routes. Each person had identification strengths in different and similar areas: some experts at bird calls, some at bird behavior or movement, and some at visual ID. As I learned more about birds, my photography of them improved. “Know thy subject” applies to all areas of photography.

Things change. The team is no more, a combination of politics by the local organized birding group leaders who wanted to be in charge and who shall remain nameless, and the fact that most of the researchers were laid off for economic reasons and the data we collected languished. People dropped out of the team for various reasons until the last three of us hung up our binoculars two years ago.

Bird photography changed during this time. The proliferation of decent, inexpensive zoom lens made most bird photography available to any photographer, and the stabilization technology even made the classic "bird catching fish in talons as they fly over water" shot within anyone's reach. The photographs in National Geographic and other higher end magazines switched from the portrait to action shots of birds in their natural habitat, and engaged in various behaviors. That sort of photography requires more knowledge, patience, and skill. Thinking back, the photograph that started us on the professional road was a behavior shot, nesting Great Blue Herons exchanging nest building materials. It was popular, but the portraits more so and I concentrated in that area.

 

Photographs like this from 8 years ago are within anyone's reach with a good image stabilized zoom and a little patience

After a nearly two year break from active birding, I am re-learning to bird, exploring many of the advanced techniques of identification I only touched on before, and striving for the high impact shots. I’ll be writing about this journey as it progresses.

Remember, when you walk in nature with a camera you may not get any photographs worth keeping, but you’ve had a wonderful walk, great exercise, and have memories worth keeping. How many endeavors can make that claim?

Look Up Into the Trees

My naturalist leanings started with birds and butterflies, and over the years of learning grew from there. We lead photography hikes open to the public, and also by request from specific groups. As the master gardener groups started requesting hikes, I became far more tuned to plant life. My good fortune extended to volunteering for several months with a botanist who worked for the Preserve doing field work,  until budget cuts eliminated all those science positions.

Winter and Spring merged this year here in central Florida. We had no temperatures anywhere near freezing. In fact, I don’t believe we ever sunk below the mid-40s at night, and jumped right back at least into the 60s and more likely 70s during the day. For the most part, we enjoyed higher or even record breaking pleasant temperatures since the start of winter, and hope they continue into March. Perhaps this is why we noticed more air plants in bloom this year. We commented on this to the local botanist, and he told us several people had made the same observation.

Air plants, in the Bromeliad family, grow on other plants, most commonly trees. I identified this one as Tillandsia x floridana. We saw a lot on a recent hike, and nearly all had beautiful red blooms. The trick to photographing what we saw was getting a fairly clean background, a clean plant (they tend to catch falling leaves and pine needles) and find one close enough.

The trunk of this tree against the clear blue sky caught my eye. In addition to the very noticeable holes from a local woodpecker, Spanish moss and other air plants cover the trunk, and some resurrection fern waiting for water stand out, though wilted, on the branch.  

When walking in nature, remember to look up, and not just for birds and wildlife. The plethora of plant life either adds to the composition, or becomes the focus of your photograph or sketch.

Owls at Honeymoon Island State Park

We love to walk at Honeymoon Island State Park this time of year. The eagles sit on their nest, or perch in nearby trees. The Great Horned Owls nested again this year, but the nest seems a bit more hidden than in years past. We joined some family members and went for the familiar walk, missing the owls on the way toward the eagle nest. Another reason I love Honeymoon Island State Park: the people. Visitors help other visitors find the nest, and share the nature news. A local photographer described to us where to find it, and once we did we helped a family with kids find it.

Karl's shot of the owl

The male owl sat up in a tree not too far from the nest, a feathery brown lump once you knew where to look. Karl shot some good photographs of him with his 70 – 200mm, a recent acquisition that he uses often now to get used to how it works. I scouted out other angles, and happened to be directly below the tree when a Northern Mockingbird took exception to the owl sitting there and started attacking him from the back. The owl ignored the first two strikes, but jumped and extended his wings on the third. He moved over one branch, which apparently satisfied the mockingbird, who flew away.

Getting away from the Mockingbird

Visit to Pioneer Florida Museum and Village

I can’t explain why it took so long for us to visit this museum in Dade City, FL. We saw it from the road many times while driving to another destination. We attend many other events celebrating the rural way of life of Florida, but somehow missed this one. During a recent conversation, a friend mentioned visiting Dade City, and we decided to take advantage of the continuing beautiful winter weather here to take a day trip. While researching what we might do, I found the Pioneer Florida Museum and we decided to make that our first stop.

The grounds open at 10 a.m., and we were the first in the door. The building we entered contains many exhibits of early Florida life such as a music room, where the family would gather to entertain each other before television or the Internet, kitchen utensils from the days when most of the food production occurred in the home and not in a factory or restaurant, and hundreds of old tools.

We left that building and admired the recreated train station, and of course pulled the cord to sound the train whistle. The Lacoochee School House build in 1926 and moved to the museum grounds shows the one room school house with the small wooden desks that have holes for the ink well. We moved on to the church, then one of the oldest wood houses still standing in Pasco, the barn with all kinds of old carriages, farm implements and tractors.

We enjoyed the visit so much we returned a week later with family who were in town, and they enjoyed it too. Admission is a reasonable $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $4 for students.