Anthony Galluscio

Bringing It All Together (Anthony Galluscio)
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September 15, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #5: Pine Mountain RV Resort

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #5: Pine Mountain RV Resort

Anthony Galluscio Pine Mountain RV Resort Camping Review

We were forced to evacuate the barrier islands where we live in Florida for hurricane Irma.  We took my parents to a cottage in Callaway Gardens and we stayed in the camper for two nights at Pine Mountain RV Resort until Tropical Storm Irma arrived.

  • Campground: Pine Mountain RV Resort

  • Nights Camping: 2 (September 8 to 9, 2017)

  • Nearest City:  Pine Mountain, GA

  • Space Number:  58

  • Hookups:  Water/Electric/Sewer

  • Cost per Night:  $47

  • Likes:  Clean, quiet, well maintained. Very friendly people.

  • Dislikes: Sewer hookup on neighboring spot is very close to the front of our camper. Also, I am concerned about the potential for sap from the pine trees.

  • Notes: Ask for a spot in the open area in the back when we stay there again.

  • Rating:  Good

  • Link: http://www.rvcoutdoors.com/pine-mountain/

August 20, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #4: Crooked River State Park

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #4: Crooked River State Park

Anthony Galluscio Crooked River State Park Camping Review

This review covers our camping trip to Crooked River State Park for our 25th wedding anniversary. Bobby and Kathleen were able be drive over from Gainesville and have dinner with us.  Being August, it was very hot but we made the most of it and had fun. The kids made us this wonderful campsite marker for our anniversary:
Galluscio Campsite Marker Crooked River State Park
Galluscio Campsite Marker

  • Campground: Crooked River State Park

  • Nights Camping: 3 (August 16 to 19, 2017)

  • Nearest City:  St. Marys, GA

  • Space Number:  45

  • Hookups:  Water/Electric/No Sewer

  • Cost per Night:  $32

  • Likes:  Well maintained state park. Nicely laid out with very private spots, wide roads, and easy access. Very clean and quiet. Beautiful sunsets over the river. Staff is very friendly.

  • Dislikes: There are a lot of pine trees with tree sap so be careful.

  • Notes: This is right across the border from Florida. We went in August and it was HOT, but it was hot everywhere at that time.

  • Rating:  Good

  • Link: http://gastateparks.org/CrookedRiver

July 23, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #3: Vogel State Park

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #3: Vogel State Park

Anthony Galluscio Vogel State Park Camping Review

This review covers our most recent camping trip to Vogel State Park.

  • Campground: Vogel State Park

  • Nights Camping: 5 (July 8 to 13, 2017)

  • Nearest City:  Blairsville, GA

  • Space Number:  34

  • Hookups:  Water/Electric/No Sewer

  • Cost per Night:  $32

  • Likes:  Our spot was very private and next to a babbling creek. There were very few bugs and infrequent rain. The temperatures were in the 70s and 80s during the day and down in the 60s at night. Very clean with campsites well maintained. Absolutely stunning scenery!

    Vogel Camp Site
    Vogel Camp Site

  • Dislikes:  First-come-first-serve check in process is not really fair to out-of-state campers with no local knowledge. The dump stations are not very sanitary because there are constant puddles around the drains and the hoses are not elevated off the ground.

  • Notes:  There is a big lake for canoeing and fishing. The hike around the lake is about one mile. There are many wonderful excursions accessible directly from Vogel State Park including the Byron Herbert Reece Nature Trail, The Bear Hair Gap Trail, and the hike to the top of Blood Mountain on the Appalachian Trail. Within a short drive there is Helton Creek Falls. Blairsville, GA is a nice little town with places to eat. Bobby and Kathleen, Katie and Miguel, and Charlie all joined us for this vacation (Stevie was working). Kourtney, Tyler, and Ansleigh (our neice, nephew, and great neice) came to see us from Clemson one afternoon. We had a blast!

  • Rating:  Excellent

  • Link: http://gastateparks.org/Vogel

May 23, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Annual Camper Maintenance 2017

Anthony Galluscio Annual Camper Maintenance 2017

Anthony Galluscio Camper Maintenance

My son, Bobby, and I decided that we would take it upon ourselves to perform all the required maintenance on our 2015 Jayco Jay Flight 23RB Travel Trailer. We had difficulty finding a high-quality list of items to check so we surveyed the systems on the camper and developed our own list. It is my hope that we can help other camper owners finding themselves in a similar situation, and even add to this list next year based on comments and feedback received. Here are some stats on our camper:
  • Years Owned: 2 years
  • Total Mileage: 4876 miles
  • Total Nights Camping: 79 Nights Camping
For the record, here is a list of all of the systems on which we performed preventative maintenance:
System Tasks Notes

Hitch

 Configured backup assist The backup assist on the F150 is useless. However, I really like the configurable blind spot detection
Removed Gear Rust Used wire brush and Rustoleum rust reformer
Lubricated ball and sway connectors Used standard grease.

Propane

  Inspect  Hoses, connectors, and tanks in good repair
 Clean  Wiped down tanks, hoses, and fittings
 Refill  Took tanks to ACE Hardware and had them "topped off" for $14.

Undercarriage

  Inspect  Noticed some rust starting. That will need to be removed and painted next year.

Roof

  Inspect Seams  Notices small holes and cracks starting in the seals. Will need to repair with Eternabond tape in the near future and definitely by next year.
 Repair issues  Sealed all issues with DAP Clear. Also sealed down seam in front of camper. Used a full 10" tube of DAP.

Stabilizers

  Inspect  Some rust developing on stabilizers that will need to be dealt with in the future. Stabilizers will be difficult to disassemble.  Considering replacing when these become unserviceable.
 Lubricate  Sprayed liberally with silicone lubricant.

Steps

 Paint  Painted rusted areas with Rustoleum Rust Reformer.
 Lubricate hinges  Sprayed hinges with silicone lubricant.

Fresh Water

  Sanitize  Followed recommended procedure to drain, sanitized, flush, and refill the fresh water system. I may write a separate blog detailing that process.

Septic system

 Clean tank Poured iced in tank before pulling camper to campground. Used internal sprinker system until tank ran completely clear.  Sanitized tank using standard process.
Sanitize gear Wiped down all gear (hoses, fittings, storage box) with Clorox wipes

Hot Water (Gas)

 Test striker Lit and ran hot water heater on gas
Clean Cleaned using vacuum and compressed air

Refrigerator (Gas)

 Test striker Lit and ran refrigerator on gas
Clean Cleaned using vacuum and compressed air

Stove (Gas)

 Test striker Lit and ran stove on gas

Air Conditioner

 Clean filter Cleaned filter. Bobby disassembled the unit on the roof and we could find no other filters. Unit running well.

Awning

 Clean Sprayed with Simple Green to kill mildew
Inspect Some rust on screw heads, etc.
Lubricate Sprayed liberally all joints and moving parts with silicone lubricant.

Wheels

 Inspect Inspected rubber, hubs, and suspension. No issues.
Grease hubs Dexter EZ-Lube hubs were easy to re-grease by following instructions on YouTube.
April 21, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #2: Paynes Praire

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #2: Paynes Praire

Anthony Galluscio Paynes Prairie Camping Review

This review covers our most recent camping trip to Paynes Prairie.

  • Campground: Paynes Prairie

  • Nights Camping: 5

  • Nearest City:  Gainesville, FL

  • Space Number:  46

  • Hookups:  Water/Electric/No Sewer

  • Cost per Night:  $23

  • Likes:  Our spot was very secluded. We experienced virtually no bugs. Weather and temperature could not have been better. Lots of dogs for Sophie to meet.  Very clean with campsites well maintained. Courteous campers. Weather was beautiful. Clear and cool.

  • Dislikes:  Space 46 is difficult to back into. The water hose at the pump out station was not working so I could not run the internal black tank sprinkler. Also, the camp ground needs to arrange to have the recycling picked up more often.

  • Notes:  Becca and I camped here in our Jayco Jay Flight 23RB  travel trailer. We brought our Cairn Terrier, Sophie with us.  Even though the spot was difficult to back into, I would choose it again due to the seclusion. The "kids" came down from Gainesville and we had a great time.

  • Rating:  Excellent

  • Link: https://goo.gl/xmDdpm

April 10, 2017

Anthony Galluscio La Chua Trail Hike

Anthony Galluscio La Chua Trail Hike

La Chua Trail at Paynes Prairie

Quick Facts

  • Distance: 3 miles
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Difficulty:  Very Easy
  • Terrain: Flat boardwalks, grass, and sand paths
  • Human Impact: Heavy impact due to proximity to Gainesville, FL
  • Location: Paynes Prairie, FL
  • Start: La Chua Trail parking lot
  • End: La Chua Trail parking lot
  • Dates: April 9, 2017

Getting Started

Becca (my wife), Bobby (my eldest son), Katie (my daugher), Miguel (Katie's boyfriend), Stevie (my 2nd son), and I hiked this very easy, but very interesting trail. The interesting part is that you can  get VERY CLOSE to nature.  The hike is an out-and-back that goes from the self-pay parking lot, out to an observation tower, and back. Parking costs $4.00 per vehicle on an honor system.   Full disclosure on this hike is that you can get way closer to alligators than some people would feel comfortable. However, the wildlife on this hike is amazing. Here are some of the highlights:

Wild Horses

Wild horses roam free and even walk on the trail with you. We saw several colts.
La Chua Trail Wild Horses #1
La Chua Trail Wild Horses #1
La Chua Trail Wild Horses #2
La Chua Trail Wild Horses #2

Alligators

There were many many large alligators. One of the park rangers told us that there has been a recent rash of cannibalism. In fact, right before we arrived there one alligator had just killed another and was eating it as we watched. Note this is NOT like Bass Pro because there is no fence between you and the gators.
La Chua Trail Alligator
La Chua Trail Alligator
Here is a picture of Wild Horses and an alligator in the same picture!! If you increase the size of the picture you can see the alligator in the middle.
La Chua Trail Wild Horses and Alligator
La Chua Trail Wild Horses and Alligator
In the picture below you can see a lot of alligators basking in the sun on the bank.
La Chua Trail Alligators Basking
La Chua Trail Alligators Basking
Bison We could see Bison off in the distance from the observation tower. We took this picture from our monocular.
La Chua Trail Bison #1
La Chua Trail Bison #1
La Chua Trail Bison #2
La Chua Trail Bison #2

Armadillos

On the hike out there was an armadillo on the trail. It did not seem at all afraid of us.
La Chua Trail Armadillo
La Chua Trail Armadillo
March 23, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #1: Long Point

Anthony Galluscio Camping Review #1: Long Point

Anthony Galluscio Long Point Camping Review

  • Campground: Long Point
  • Nights Camping: 2
  • Nearest City: Sebastian, FL
  • Space Number: L110
  • Hookups: Water/Electric/No Sewer
  • Cost per Night: $31
  • Likes: Nice and helpful staff. Clean. Courteous campers. Weather was beautiful. Clear and cool. No bugs.
  • Dislikes: Utility pedestal was on the wrong side so we had to use extensions. Also, this particular space was very narrow.
  • Notes:  Becca and I camped here in our Jayco Jay Flight 23RB  travel trailer. We brought our Cairn Terrier, Sophie with us. We hiked Scout Island and had a great time. I purchased a 50 ft 30 amp extension and a 50 ft hose extension from the Long Point store for $70. That was better than making the 1.5 hr round trip to Walmart on the mainland. Funny thing that my GPS showed Walmart as only three miles away, but you would have to swim to get there!
  • Rating:  Excellent
  • Link: https://goo.gl/urbNoM
March 14, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Hiking Gear Review #10: Headlamp

Anthony Galluscio Hiking Gear Review #10: Headlamp

Anthony Galluscio Headlamp Review

  • Item: Headlamp
  • Quantity: 1
  • Make: Energizer
  • Model: Vision LED Headlamp, Red, Three lamp
  • Cost: $16.00
  • Weight: 3 oz
  • Notes:  I embarked on my Foothills Trail adventure in early September. It was still quite warm in the Carolinas during the day so to avoid some of the heat my routine was to get up as early as 0430 and start hiking by 0500. Normally, I would start out hiking in the bottom of a valley I had camped in the night before. With all of the tree cover and no sun, the visibility in the early morning hours was horrible with real potential to lose track of the blazes and get lost. This head lamp was my first line of defense against getting lost. My second line of defense was my Garmin Fenix 3 HR GPS watch, but I will save that for another post. My third line of defense was my satellite messaging device (http://anthonygalluscio.com/anthony-galluscio-satellite-communicator/).
As my first line of defense against getting lost, this headlamp worked really well. Between the spot light, flood light, and dimmer controls I was able to have the brightness I needed when I needed it to find those hard to see blazes.  I used this light for a couple of hours every morning and replaced the batteries only once towards the end of the hike.
  • Pros:  Lightweight, comfortable to wear, configurable, water resistant, and very bright.
  • Cons: Requires 3 AAA batteries.
  • Rating: Excellent
  • Link: https://goo.gl/6Uaemj
March 4, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Hiking Gear Review #9: Sleeping Bag

Anthony Galluscio Hiking Gear Review #9: Sleeping Bag

Anthony Galluscio Sleeping Bag Review

  • Item: Sleeping Bag
  • Quantity: 1
  • Make: Marmot
  • Model: Quark 30F Down Sleeping Bag, Long Size, Cinder/Citronelle
  • Cost: $385.90
  • Weight: 27.875 oz
  • Notes:  I embarked on my Foothills Trail adventure in early September. It was still quite warm with the potential to get cool at night. This was the perfect bag for that trip because it is comfortable to sleep in or on depending on your needs. On my thru-hike, it turned out to be rather warm and I found sleeping on this bag to be very comfortable. The bag packs up very small and does not add too much pack weight.
Since returning from the foothills trail I have had the opportunity to use this sleeping bag on a winter trip in the Florida Panhandle.  You can see my blog from that trip at: http://anthonygalluscio.com/florida-trail-aucilla-river-hike/. On that hike it was rather cool at night (in the 40s F) and I was very comfortable.
  • Pros:  Comfortable in warm or cool weather, light weight, very well constructed, packs up small.
  • Cons: May not really keep you warm under 40 degrees F.
  • Rating: Excellent
  • Link: https://goo.gl/eePb2S
February 16, 2017

Anthony Galluscio Hiking Gear Review #8: Satellite Communicator

Anthony Galluscio Hiking Gear Review #8: Satellite Communicator

Anthony Galluscio Satellite Communicator Review

  • Item: Satellite Communicator
  • Quantity: 1
  • Make: Garmin (DeLorme)
  • Model: AG-009871-201 inReach SE
  • Cost: $264.00
  • Weight: 7.75 oz
  • Rating: Good
  • Notes: Before I left on my Foothills Trail thru-hike, a friend of mine who is an outdoor recreation lover from the great state of Wisconsin, convinced me that I should bring a satellite communicator. She said that if not for my peace of mind, then I should do it for the peace of mind of my friends and family.  I really can't argue with that.
When you set up the device you can invite people to follow you on the map. So, I invited members of my family and close friends to track my progress. I set the device to send a ping every 10 minutes. It seemed to work well as long as I had a clear view of the sky. If I was on a trail in dense forest there would be a longer time between pings. However, my friends and family were able to track my general progress. Another feature of the device, and the associated paid plan, is that you can send an unlimited number of up to three different static text messages. Those are messages that you design in advance.   My three messages were, "Getting started," Doing okay," and "Stopping for the day." I also had a max of 50 free form text messages that I could send. I went way over that limit communicating with my wife, Becca, and ended up paying fees.  You can get all of the information on plans and pricing on the Garmin website. The device is text only with no voice capability. One very important feature of the device is what I call the "come get me" feature. If you unlock the safety and press the button, the nearest emergency rescue team will be alerted that you are in trouble. Luckily, I did not need that! I really did not want to take this unit along, but I am glad I did if it gave others peace of mind. The pros are that it is light, has good battery life, and allows you to stay in touch with friends and family. The cons are that if you don't have a clear sky, not sending pings may alarm folks back home. Overall, I would rate the device as "good."  
  • Link: https://goo.gl/M0gpju