Let the Good Times Roll!

BACK TO FLORIDA 2009

2010-03-17T19:29:00.006-04:00

Monday, October 26 - Left Summerton SC around 7:30 am to travel over 400 miles to Lakeland, FL. Overcast skies but no rain during our long drive. We arrived at “home” at 3:00 pm very happy that everything looks like when we left six months ago.
Tuesday, October 27 - Rained all night and overcast with clouds looking like rain all day. Got started on the laundry we saved up to wash in our larger washer/dryer located in the “cottage.” Loving life. Groomed and sheared Mitzy with Ray’s help. She was so hot and exhausted from our long travel time yesterday, she moves from bed to bed sleeping. Worked on garden ideas to make our site more attractive.

Wednesday, October 28 - Now in Polk City Florida with another sunny/overcast day and higher humidity and heat about 90°. What a contrast from Boone NC.
Monday, November 02 - Sunny and cooler temps in mid-80s makes it ok to work outside. Ray bought a pressure washer for the concrete patio and also to clean off the “cottage” when it needs it. It is an investment we preferred to make instead of a one day rental. The picture shows how bad the concrete was before washed.

Tuesday, November 03 - Woke up to 65° with slight wind blowing. Chilly. We had to fast and go to Watson Clinic to get blood drawn. Then we headed for Home Depot to figure out the costs for items needed for planting the Thuja Evergreen trees I ordered (8) yesterday to be shipped UPS. Ray is learning how to use the pressure washer for the 3,000 sq.ft. concrete pad we have. It did a fantastic job. We opened the windows to feel the cool breezes.
Wednesday, November 04 - Another awesome day in sunny Florida. Slight breeze blowing with high mid-80s. At 8:30 am took Mitzy to the Vet to take her blood after a fast to check her liver enzymes. If the count is higher, test for Cushing’s may be necessary. Mitzy has lost all vision in her left eye from a cataract.
We went to dinner with two couples. Our neighbors Roy and Judy, and their guests, Dutch and Marilyn. We drove 25 minutes to Haines City and Manny’s Original Chop House. www.mannyschophouse.com We drove over to be there by 4:00 pm when they open. Good thing as there were hardly any seats available at 4:05. They were running a Wednesday special chicken fajitas for $9.99 for a double order.
Haines city www.ci.haines-city.fl.us/ was platted in 1885, shortly after the South Florida Railroad reached the area. The city was first known as Clay Cut, but there was no railroad station. It is said that the inhabitants persuaded the railroad company to build a station by agreeing to rename their city Haines City, to honor a senior railroad official, Colonel Henry Haines. The early settlers planted citrus groves, and citrus growing and processing became the main industry of the city. In 2004, unusually in a city so far inland, parts of Haines City experienced three hurricanes. Hurricane Charley passed through the city in August. Hurricane Frances came right on the heels of Charley but mostly just dumped a lot of rain. Hurricane Jeanne soon followed packing a punch not quite as strong as Charley but longer lasting. The city has since recovered.
Thursday, November 05 - Sunny blue sky and 10 mph winds with cool front heading our way. In mid 70s today. Ray is now going to work on the cottage cleaning off mildew, leaves, etc. then tackle the large project of pressure washing our 3000 s.f. driveway.
Vet called about Mitzy’s blood work. She has improved with 150 points less on Liver Enzyme count. She was 681 and now is 505. She will have to stay on the same regimen and Denamarin. Normal range for a dog’s liver enzymes is 12 - 118.
Friday, November 6 - Ray completed pressure spraying about 1/3^rd of the concrete slab yesterday and still working on it today.
UPS delivered the Thuja Green Giant Hybrids. www.thujagardens.com/GreenGiants.
Thuja Green Giant Hybrid has become the most desired privacy tree almost overnight, and for many good reasons. This uniformly conical tree performs well in most any soil. Virtually disease-free and strong-rooted, it responds well to shearing. Durable accent or specimen tree.
We proceeded to buy the good dirt and bark for mulch and planted the trees three feet apart to allow for steady and fast growth. We want to have a barrier eventually from the back road/fence.
Saturday, November 7 - Very windy (15 mph steady) due to fronts. Hurricane Ida off the lower southwest coast and unpredictable at 90 mph. Steven says no threat to the Keys.
Computer Issues: I had a program appear on my computer that said it was Internet Explorer Security Publisher and there had been a threat to my computer and needed to download Cyber Security. Thinking it was “safe” coming from Internet Explorer, I let the download run. It found 5 threats and 258 infections and in order to eliminate the virus, bugs, whatever, I had to pay $59.95 and offered 30-day guarantee and lifetime membership. Well I immediately went into Control Panel and asked Windows to remove the file (yes it had attached itself to my hard drive). Windows was not able to remove the file. I went online and found out that this is a “bogus” software program. I have used McAfee for three years and I have been satisfied with them. I ran a complete Windows system check that ran about 1 hour and there were no malware or virus. Everything is functioning normal.
Thursday, November 12 - Overcast sky and 55°. A fine mist and 15-mph wind makes it much colder outside.
Saturday, November 14 - Beautiful sunny day and Ray decided to ride the Gold Wing. He took some beautiful pictures.
Our neighbors, Judy and Roy, told us about the FMCA Chili cook-off over at the Section 5 Gazebo. We went over on our bikes around 4:30 and met some really nice people. The cook-off was a lot of fun, and the all the chili I taste-tested was great. Two chili cooks included spaghetti noodles in their recipe – new twist?
Monday, November 16 - Another beautiful sunny day. Ray is running errands and I’m working on our blog. Ray attended the MOS Board Meeting.
Tuesday, November 17 - Worked in the yard off and on and Ray helped Roy Anderson next door. They went to Home Depot to pick up an auger to tear up the grass and dirt in Roy’s yard to prepare the land for his Thuja evergreen trees. Ray worked on the air plants that are killing our two pine trees in back. I tried to help him, but the long pole with the sharp edge to it is more than I can handle. I would rather climb up the tree, but that won’t happen. Roy invited us to go to dinner with them to Catfish Country in Bartow. The food was good and prices were right and we shall be back.
Wednesday, November 18 - Ray is really feeling pain in his shoulders from all the work using the pole to pull down the air plants as well as the Spanish moss because it houses mites and chiggers. It gracefully hangs from the branches of the large Live Oaks and pine trees in the back yard, but too much of it will kill a tree.
Spanish moss is neither a moss nor a parasite; rather, it is a tropical, epiphytic herb which grows on another plant upon which it depends for mechanical support but not for nutrients. An epiphyte, or air plant, has no roots. Having through evolution broken all connection from the earth, it is self-sustaining in its manufacture of food and absorption of nutrients from aerial roots. It just uses trees as its substratum on which to grow.

Ray found a leak under the truck, so before our trip to the Keys it has to be fixed. Saturday, November 21 – We heard a loud noise outside and then a very loud crash and a scream. A young woman crashed through our fence and hit the large oak tree in the back yard. Lucky for her she had air bags. But she was very shook up and our neighbor, Judy, a former nurse, knew what to do to keep her calm until the paramedics arrived.

Sunday, November 22 - Very windy day and huge falling leaves from the two 52’ Sycamore trees in back are all over the place. Major cleanup job tomorrow. Readily identifiable with broad, maple-like leaves and a trunk and limb complexion of mixed green, tan and cream.
Monday, November 23 - Plenty of fog outside around 7am. Fertilized the 8 trees in the yard.
Tuesday, November 24 - Packing up to drive down to the Keys in the morning to visit with our son and his wife. About five hours of the same drive we have taken for countless years - boring.
Wednesday, November 25 - We drove in rain most of the way to the Keys. On Hwy. 60 we smelled the heavy odor of the wetlands. There are some farming communities and a numerous acres of flat land with very few trees. Stopped at the rest stop before getting on the Florida State Turnpike. Bought us some donuts and danish as a special treat. Saw a woman walking her Havanese dog outside (looks like a large Maltese). Stopped at Homestead for Wendy burger and fries. Once we got to Steven and Gennifer’s, we had torrential rain off and on most of the evening. We went into Key West to eat at Outback. www.outback.com
Thursday, November 26 – Thanksgiving Day Gennifer worked in the kitchen all day cooking and the food was excellent. The turkey came out very moist and she gave me the recipe for the cranberry dressing. Amy, Gennifer’s sister, helped Gennifer in the kitchen. Amy brought her dog Milo and he and Indie played all day together. Their close friends, Pat and Harvey from Ft. Myers were also included for dinner. It was a lot of fun. Steven turned on the DVD of the new Transformers movie and it was a bit too much for me.
The Island of Key West is located on the southernmost tip of America. Steven’s 32’ Yellowfin – awesome!!!

Mitzy decided she didn’t get enough Thanksgiving dinner and raided the garbage in the kitchen. She chewed the turkey carcass and we only found a few remaining slivers of bone. Not a good thing.

Saturday, November 28 - We had such a rough night with Mitzy having diarrhea all night and having to take her outside to poo four times, we didn’t get much sleep. Without sleep, I felt so bad we decided to leave as soon as we showered and packed up. We left around 9:30 am and it took us over seven hours to get back home. Very long drive even for Ray, and so boring for him. I slept off an on all day long and still went to bed around 9pm after unloading the truck totally exhausted.

Tuesday, December 01- It was 58° in the early morning but it warmed up to 76°. I have been corresponding by email with my friend Penny from California about their visit to Lakeland on Thursday, 12/3.
Thursday, December 03 – We had to postpone the visit from Penny and Larry from California. Ray was not feeling well with flu-like symptoms and we felt it might be contagious. We planned to reschedule before they return to California.
Friday, December 04 - It was 57° and very overcast skies. Ray started feeling much better. At noon we had torrential rains and wind.
Saturday, December 05 - It was 55° at noon. We watched the Florida Gators http://www.ufl.edu/ and Atlanta football game for the SEC Championship. The Gators lost dismally and Tim Tebow cried. He is such a special person inside and out, I pray that he will do well in whatever life decisions he may make.
Sunday, December 06 - It went down to 38 degrees overnight. No frost.
Our TV Replacement: Ray and I (helped when asked) worked on getting the old television (Sony old and heavy flat screen TV) out of the front of the RV. After almost two hours, we finally got it out. Very scary getting it out the door. Ray took all the weight of the TV on himself and staggered down the three steps. He had to wait until I was able to get out of the door to help him. Everything ended well, except we need to get rid of this bulky “anchor” soon.
Monday, December 14 - Penny and Larry drove to Lakeland from Holmes Beach to visit with us. Once they registered at the La Quinta, we went to pick them up and go to the Cobb Theater at the Mall to see Sandra Bullock’s new movie, The Blind Side. It is a true story about a typical stay-at-home mother who takes it upon herself to help a homeless African-American boy, and the impact of her giving him a steady home is that he eventually rises to be the star of the football team, then goes on to win a college scholarship. Based upon the true story of Michael Oher, this movie is particularly timely as in real life he was selected recently as a first round draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, by the Baltimore Ravens.
We all enjoyed the movie and had a great dinner at the local Red Lobster. The next day, Penny and Larry returned to Tampa to stay at the Airport hotel and be ready to catch a plane back to California Thursday morning.
Tuesday, December 15 - Foggy and damp outside with 70 degrees at 8am. Ray is digging the hole for the pipe/post to hold the new Satellite Dish (Slimline). Hope the installer is savvy about motorhome installations.
Wednesday, December 16 – Ray and I drove over to St. Petersburg Tyrone Gardens Shopping Center to visit with some friends from the company I worked at for 23 years. We all had lunch and caught up on what was going on in our lives.
Steven and Gennifer arrived at Disney at a rental house. We packed up to spend a night with them and took Mitzy. Mitzy can keep Indie company while we go to Epcot.
Thursday, December 17 - We drove a half hour to stay the night with Steven and Gennifer at their 3/2 rental house in a nice subdivision very near Kissimmee. We spent the night so we could get a good start on our day Friday. Gennifer had baked cookies and brought us a tin filled with them.
First stop once we arrived at the main entrance to Epcot was to get our picture taken with Daisy Duck. Gennifer and I loved it.

Rain drops were felt off and on during our trek through the Disney Epcot park.
We took a boat tour Living the Land. This engaging 14-minute boat ride travels through the American plains, the rain forest and the African desert to explore how innovative technologies permit food growth while preserving the environment. It was very enjoyable. Another ride is called Soarin' and is an exciting, multisensory attraction that simulates a peaceful hang-gliding flight over California. Experience the feeling of free flight from 40 feet in the air while surrounded by scenic panoramas including the Golden Gate Bridge, Malibu and LA. I was in a wheelchair most of the time, but still was worn out around 2:30pm.

We returned to the rental home in time for a short nap. Later that day, Steven drove us all back to the entrance to Epcot. It was a very long walk to get from the front gates, so Steven insisted on getting me another wheelchair and quickly pushed me around the park to the restaurant.

Gennifer had purchased four of The Candlelight Processional dining packages. This allowed us to enjoy our meal while guaranteeing us a seat for the show. New for 2009, a special viewing area for IllumiNations. It's important to note that at times this is THE only way to get a seat. Those with Dinner Packages are the first to be seated - those waiting in line (a.k.a. those who didn't buy the package) will be given the very few seats that remain.
We ate at Tutto Italia Ristorante at the Italy Pavilion at Epcot. http://www.epinions.com/. It is a fine-dining restaurant serving handmade, sumptuous Italian dishes for lunch and dinner. After a fabulous dinner, we waited in line for about a half hour to be seated up front to see the Disney Candlelight Processional at Epcot’s America Gardens Theater. I was thrilled. Such a great restaurant with deserts to die for. Gennifer purchased a meal plan ticket for everyone so we were treated like royalty. We waited in line for about half hour to be seated up front to see the Disney Candlelight Processional at Epcot’s America Gardens Theater.

After the amazing concert, we waited to see the light show on the lake called IllumiNations. Gennifer also bought pastries at the French Village inside Epcot. Napoleon is awesome.
Friday, December 18 - We went to Bob Evans for breakfast. Had yummy vanilla yogurt filled crepes with fresh blueberries. Went to Disney AMC theater to see Avatar in 3D at 12:30. It was an excellent movie and plan to rent the DVD to watch it again at home whenever it becomes available.
Saturday, December 19 - It was 55° and windy. Only up to 64 for the day. Heard high 29 mph winds since 2:30 am. We are so much better off than those living in Virginia and Carolina where they expected 10 - 15” snow. Huge snow storm all the way to Long Island. We drove from Kissimmee back to MOS by 5:30 pm and unpacked. Although we had a blast with the “kids”, we were exhausted.
Sunday, December 20 - Cold 42° at 6:30 am. Ray went to Home Depot and got what he needed for the post to put up the satellite tomorrow whenever DTV shows up.
Thursday, December 24 - All week Ray has been working in the coach getting the large gaping hole where the old TV was ready for the 46” television we got for Christmas. Everyone was sick in St. Petersburg, so we all opted to plan our Christmas together when everyone got better.
Friday, December 25 - It is Christmas Day. Warm night and only 71° in the house. Watching Faith Hill singing Christmas songs on PBS. Strange not planning anything with the family today. We have a large rain front heading our way and it has started to rain heavily.
Saturday, December 26 - Ray got our new Sony 46” LCD TV from Best Buy http://www.bestbuy.com/ lifted and on the mount he had installed. This TV is overkill in my opinion as for the size of it, but it is really great to look at and I can now see it from my desk without my glasses on.

Sunday, December 27 - Drizzling rain and 59 degrees. Clouds and 10 mph wind makes it very cold outside. We ate soup I made from scratch. The TV is awesome and we are loving it, so it is staying! Now I need to purchase the Blu-Ray DVD player to make it a complete package.
Monday, December 28 - We are now expecting a freeze warning tonight and high of 64 today and 60 degrees tomorrow. But the sun is out and sky is very blue.
Tuesday, December 29 - Woke up to 39° temps. At least we were still able to use the electric heat instead of the furnace/floor heat.
Wednesday, December 30 - It was 41 degrees. The sky was a cerulean blue and the sun was bright.
Thursday, December 31 – We worked around the house. Ray worked outside but took the time to ride the Gold Wing since it was such a beautiful day. It saves us about $6 a trip to the grocery store. so he does use the bike more often.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! May 2011 be a great year for everyone!

Honey Bear Campground - Boone NC

2010-02-26T16:08:00.027-05:00

Thursday, October 01 - Moving today from Forest Lake Preserve (Thousand Trails) to Honey Bear Campground in Boone NC. Beautiful sunny skies and a chilly day with 43 degrees. It is 37° in Boone right now with a high of 66. Got my winter coat out and the RV heat running from the dash. Glad I’m not Ray having to deal with all the outside things that must be done before we pull out. Once we were on Rt. 421, the scenery started to change and saw mountains rise in the distance. We started to climb and elevation was around 2,970 ft. Close to Boone, the hills are filled with Christmas Tree farms. Quite a sight. We arrived at Honey Bear Campground at Boone NC around 11 am. The site we had been assigned was not big enough for our vehicle and the Honda Gold Wing, so we negotiated on getting onto another site that has 50-amp service as well as satellite. The owner juggled a few other campers that will be here for the Wooly Worm Festival on the 17^th so that we could stay at this site the entire 30 days. Overall we have more room, the view out the driver’s side is of the woods and has a steep grade below. Ray spoke to a couple that have been camping in a small trailer since May and they said they never used the a/c and had to use a heating blanket every night, even in July. We are at over 3,000 ft. elevation.

The mountains of western North Carolina are among the oldest on Earth, and contain the highest mountain (Mount Mitchell), deepest gorge (Linville Gorge), and several of highest waterfalls (Whitewater Falls, Glassmine Falls, etc.) in the eastern United States, and is also home to the oldest river in North America (the New River) and the two most visited National Parks in the country (the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park). The region also has a stunning diversity of plant and animal life, more, in fact, than the whole of Europe.

We tried to rest after setting up – it was a long day. Ray went down the hill near the entrance to take the bike off. The new site has plenty of parking for the truck behind the coach. We are very near a steep drop-off on the driver’s side. The problem is that this site is costing $100 more due to having 50-amp service instead of 30-amp. But when you figure that we pay $3 per day extra for 50-amp electric at TT parks, it is not an issue. I was happy because this site also gets our satellite signal.

Yeah!

The sun was almost gone over the mountain so it is very dark. The weather was fantastic! Windows were open and 66 degrees outside.

In Boone, Fall (Autumn) turns the mountains into a blaze of glory as the fall leaf season begins. The last half of October the dazzling colors against the sky of Carolina Blue are world-famous. A kaleidoscope of color provides a backdrop to enjoy intriguing craft shows, concerts on the lawn, and festivals too numerous to list. September high is around 71 and low 52. October is high of 63 and low in the 40s. Boone is a four-season mountain destination at the highest part of the Appalachian mountains. Named after Daniel Boone, the explorer. Heart of the High Country - where the Parkway began and ended. One of the most photographed, most celebrated sections of the Parkway, the High Country is also home to many attractions and points of interest. Boone is home to Appalachian State University, creating dynamic student population, exciting events, state-of-the-art performances and overall youthful energy. Quaint downtown area has art galleries, restaurants, antique shops, modern hotels, chains and shopping. So much to offer, with quaint towns like Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, Valle Cruces (Vale of the Cross) , Linville, and of course, Boone. There are five major rivers, the Watauga, Linville, Toe, Elk and the historic New River. Three great ski mountains: Beech, Sugar and Appalachian. Also fun cultural events, theatre and festivals. Great mix of people with Appalachian State University and Lees McRae College. Feels like the High Country is the “Jackson Hole of the East Coast!”.

Ray’s Comments: This is our first time in Boone with the RV. We were really looking forward to the cool weather and especially the fall colors. And I naturally was anticipating riding the hilly, twisty-roads of the Smoky Mountains. We wanted to be close to town and selected an RV park on the southern edge with an elevation of 3,600 ft. This park is very small and designed for smaller campers, pop-ups and tents. There are only a few sites for larger rigs. The owner was very accommodating, maybe due to our month-long reservation. The MAIN road leading up to Honey Bear Camp Ground presented several very sharp curves for the RV and tow. At times, I had to occupy some of the on coming lane. I think we were more nervous on our departure than the arrival, too much time to think about the road, but we had no problem. The first four or five days the weather was great, lows in low-40s highs around mid-60s nice and sunny. We toured the local area to get a feel for the location. I rode several days on the Blue Ridge Pkwy around Grandfather Mountain and some back roads. The leaves were in full color at higher elevations and a lot of turkeys and several deer were out and about. The air was very cool and mountain-crisp, which made riding very comfortable. With elevations around 4,000 ft., the early mornings and early evenings were engulfed by the low-lying clouds, mist, or fog. We found most days it burned off by mid-morning. Some of the better bike roads were along the Blue Ridge Pkwy, but the Viaduct at Grandfather Mountain offers unforgettable vistas. Route 221 Southwest out of Blowing Rock parallels the Pkwy around Grandfather and offers an interesting ride. Northeast of Boone, on RT. 421 several miles ride North on route 221/88/194 and Highlands Pkwy, the adjacent creek and surrounding farm land with farm houses dating 1800-1900 added to the delight of this ride. Another surprise ride was between Banner Elk and Route 421 on route 194, which offers a challenge with the outward sloping road in need of repair. After our 5^th day, a front came through with misting rain, just enough to make you not want to go out side and this lasted for almost two wks. Steven, our son, and his wife Gennifer rented a 4-bedroom log house in a beautiful subdivision of Blowing Rock. They brought up their Gold Wing and it was great being with them, but the weather hampered the riding. However, we did get out several days together. We also made it to Sugar Mountain’s Octoberfest and took the ski lift one and one quarter mile up to the top for a great view.

Saturday, October 03 - The outside temperature was 50° and it is supposed to be a sunny day in the mid-60s. Our site has a view of the drop off on our driver side and the trees here have already lost a lot of leaves since our elevation is over 3,000 ft. Ray took the Honda out for a ride. We went to the local Boone Apple Festival and bought a 5-lb bag of Jona Gold apples for $5. Enjoyed our visit to Hickory Ridge Homestead, located on the grounds at "Horn in the West," at Boone. An eighteenth-century living history museum highlighting the daily lives of mountain ancestors.

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The museum has interpreters in period clothing explaining pioneer life and culture. Regular demonstrations in weaving and hearthside cooking as well as crafts are presented. We had homemade bread with fresh hot apple butter spread. It was delicious. Woman weaving on a 180-year-old loom, spinning wool or any number of hands-on activities can be seen daily. "Horn in the West,” is also famous for the nation's oldest Revolutionary War drama of the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone and the hearty mountain settlers in their struggle to preserve their freedom during the turbulent years of the War for Independence. Sunday, October 04 - Beautiful sunny day and the fall leaves are already falling and made a crunchy carpet as I walked the trails. The trees here are so tall you have to crane your neck to see the sky. Ray is riding the Blue Ridge Parkway on the Honda Gold Wing today.

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Some notable facts regarding the Blue Ridge Parkway - 469 miles running north and south. There are 33 hiking trails, four major lakes and ponds, three gorgeous waterfalls and more than 40 scenic overlooks that climb as high as 5,640 ft. above sea level. Mileposts are marked for easy travel. It is an unforgettable journey. Linn Cove Viaduct - MP 304.4: As the final piece of the parkway, the Viaduct was put in place in 1987. “the world’s only bridge built from the top down”, meaning it was airlifted into place using specialized construction helicopters and cranes to avoid defacing the mountain with heavy equipment. It is an engineering feat and a must stop along the parkway.

Wednesday, October 07 - We had a forecast of 70% rain in the am and upper 60s. In the afternoon we were under a Wind Advisory until 4pm for 25-30 mph with 50-mph gusts. We were very protected in this park with such large trees surrounding us so we did not encounter any problem.

Thursday, October 08 - It was 40° this morning with sunny skies and mid-70s. Steven and Gennifer left St. Augustine for Boone early. Once checked into their hotel, we all went to the local Italian restaurant in a strip center called The Bistro. Prices for entree' averaged $23-32 and ala-carte menu. Little high for our budget, but the food was certainly very good. I had spinach stuffed ravioli with a luscious sauce. Ray had chicken with pasta without the sauce and he liked it.

Friday, October 09 - Ray and Steven had a fantastic ride on the parkway with fabulous weather, although a little warm, in upper 70s. The roads are fantastic for bikers and photographers. The fall colors are starting to show. Everyone came to the coach to eat chili for lunch. We went to dinner with Steven and Gennifer at Canyons Restaurant. Established in the summer of 2001 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Canyons is the result of many years in the making. Bart Conway, who opened the very popular Tumbleweed Restaurant in Boone and which later became Cottonwood Brewery, acquired The Emporium Restaurant in Blowing Rock to continue what has become a High Country tradition, casual fine dining in a unique atmosphere with a seemingly endless selection of cuisine. Before its eight-year span as The Emporium, the building was home to Holly's Tavern, a well-established gathering place for friends to meet and enjoy a sandwich, a few beers, and an unparalleled view of the gorge and Grandfather Mountain. Canyons is the culmination of all these previous efforts. The Legend: For nearly a century, this old building has been a haven for travelers and locals alike serving up food and spirits, entertainment and folklore, and one of the finest views of the Blue Ridge anywhere. Throughout ownership by several families and now home to Canyons, it has long been one of the High Country’s favorite hot spots. "Officially" established circa 1936 as The Bark, it has existed as a speakeasy, a brothel, a dancehall, a casino, a grill, a grocery, a tavern, and a restaurant and bar. An early sign out front simply read "Chicken, Dumplings and Fish Bait.

The restaurant would not take reservations for four people, so we had a long wait outside in the cold and when we were seated, the table was right next to the restrooms and the noise was deafening from the crowds, and the cigarette smoke (although contained in another room) was horrible.

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We opted to take an outside table and then we waited for another 45 minutes. By that time the fog/clouds had covered the mountain view and the chill had set in. We had jackets, but ordered hot beverages to keep warm until our meal was delivered. I had quesadias and the food was good, except I could not see in the dark where I was cutting. Let’s say I’d give this restaurant another try for lunch, but not dinner, and on a sunny day, not cloudy.
Saturday, October 10 - Rainy overcast day. Steve and Gen had to wait at our place for a few hours before they could move into their rental. The drive to this location is 20 minutes of curves and switchbacks. We stayed home - yeah! Sunday, October 11 - It was not a biking day, so Ray and I decided to visit the surrounding small towns and go to the Oktoberfest at Sugar Mountain. Steven and Gennifer decided to join us. The drive from Steven’s rental home near Blowing Rock to Beech Mountain took us 45 minutes. It was very pretty to see the small towns and fall foliage at its peak. Elevations were up and down between 4,300 to 5,500 ft. Beech Mountain (5,506 ft) is one of the higher peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountain range. Our intent was to get to the Alpen Restaurant and eat lunch and enjoy the view. Unfortunately, they were closed and we were very very hungry! What a disappointment. We drove back to Banner Elk and ate lunch there. Sandwiches were ok, but the coleslaw and potato salad was disgusting. Sugar Mountain was our last stop. The Oom-Pah-Pah band (mostly seniors) was great and we saw several men wearing lederhosen. Although advertised as having over 40 artisan's and craftspeople, there was about half that amount. Booths had canning, homemade bakery items, wooden toys, oil paintings, stain glass, handmade furniture, dolls, copper art, ceramics, honey, beeswax candles, bird houses, and much more. The best booth we visited had delicious cookies and apple pie.

We enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage and a panoramic view of the surrounding area from the mile and a half-long chairlift ride to Sugar's 5,300 ft. peak. Everyone, even mountain bikers are welcome to ride the lift and we saw a bunch.

Monday, October 12 - A front was coming through the Carolinas and the day has been terrible. First drizzle, then more rain, little wind, but the leaves are falling and laying a golden carpet on the roads. Ray went to the movies with Gen and Steven. Doggie-sitting Indie and Mitzy. Wednesday, October 14 - 47 degrees and constant rain. Ray left around 8:45 am to drive to Steven’s rental, about 20 minutes away. Steven wanted to drive to Hickory to shop for jeans, and also see their property. Such a dismal, wet rainy day. Windows are fogged up in the coach and at 11am it is 44 degrees in the park. Ray finally got home around 5:30 pm. Thursday, October 15 - Rainy weather again with high 45 degrees. Steven and Gen came over and we had impromptu lunch and a movie The Invention of Lying. A man named Mark (Ricky Gervais ) lives in an alternate reality in which lying doesn’t exist. Everyone tells the truth and only the truth. In a world where everyone is blunt and truthfully honest, Mark discovers the concept of lying.

Saturday, October 17 - Balmy 34 degrees this morning with a high of 40. No sunshine until Monday. Saw movie: Law Abiding Citizen. Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Great movie. Saw it with Gen’s dad Kim, Gen and Steven.

Sunday, October 18 - I stayed home and Ray shopped for a few groceries and I made chicken soup. Ray and Steven took the Gold Wings on the parkway to take pictures. Lisa and Chuck drove over from Franklin to spend the night with Gennifer and Steven. Gen made dinner for all of us. Baked pork chops and white rice. Apple pie and ice cream for dessert. Everything was delicious. Their “cabin” was well-insulated and loved the fireplace. Gennifer’s dad was visiting from New Jersey too.

Indiana Bones (aka Indie)

Met up with Steven, Gennifer, Lisa and Chuck for breakfast in Blowing Rock. After breakfast and our goodbyes to my sister Lisa, Ray and I drove to the grocery store Healthy Harvest Natural Foods & Herbal Pharmacy and I shopped. Fantastic store if you like “healthy”.

Wednesday, October 21 Ray and Steve went on a bike ride for about six hours. Lisa called and they are enjoying the rides over in the Franklin, Cashiers and Highlands areas.

Thursday, October 22 - Ray went for a bike ride with Steven. Then Ray drove Mitzy and I on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Moses Cone Manor and Museum in Blowing Rock.

Beautiful sunny day. Great pictures. Flat Top Manor, as it is known to the locals, is also referred to as Moses Cone Manor, Moses Cone Estate, the Moses H. Cone Mansion, or just Flat Top. On the Blue Ridge Parkway, it is located at Milepost 294 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Built by Moses H. Cone and his wife Bertha at the turn of the twentieth century. Its construction was started in 1899 and finished in 1901. It has twenty-three rooms and 13,000 square feet of living space. He emulated George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The Cones also purchased Flat Top Mountain, and the view of Bass Lake is beautiful. Flat Top Manor was a filming location for the movie "The Green Mile".

Grandfather Mountain with snow.

Friday,October 23 - Rainy day today. Ray and I discussed our options to leave NC early and now we will pull out of here on Sunday morning early. Steve, Gen and Indie stopped by and we offered what we had for their lunch before they all left for a movie in Boone. We drove in the rain and fog over to Blowing Rock’s Best Cellar restaurant to meet Steve and Gen and celebrate Ray’s 69^th Birthday. We had fabulous food. The restaurant is part of the Ragged Gardens Inn and B&B. Surrounded by an acre of formal and "Ragged Gardens", this early 1900's manor offers an enchanting hideaway in the heart of the historic village of Blowing Rock.

Saturday, October 24 - Ray’s 69th birthday. He is handling the outside chores to prepare for our early departure tomorrow morning. Steve and Gen are also leaving tomorrow to return to the Keys. The rains were torrential last night, but the sun is out and the sky is very blue with high clouds. The hills are full of running streams created by the rain and we are very glad we are high up so things will start drying out. It is so beautiful, although 90% of the leaves are off the trees now.

Sunday, October 25 - Moving out of Honey Bear Campground, Boone NC to Big Water ROD Park in Summerton SC. Making it a one-night stay and returning to Florida. Beautiful day to drive down the mountain. We did not encounter one on-coming vehicle on the three switchback curves. The mountains are still quite scenic with gold, yellow, and red mixed among the evergreens. It was cool and comfortable in Summerton SC. It will be a real shock to be back in Florida with high 80s in Lakeland.

Technorati Tags: Honey Bear CG,Boone NC

Technorati Tags: Big Water ROD Park in Summerton SC.

Technorati Tags: Ragged Gardens Inn and B&B

Technorati Tags: Moses Cone Manor and Museum in Blowing Rock,Linn Cove Viaduct,Sugar Mountain,Forest Lake Preserve (Thousand Trails),Cashiers,Highlands

Gaston, VA

2009-11-23T18:35:00.003-05:00

Friday, August 21 - We left North River Camp Ground in Shawboro NC at 8AM. We drove 3+ hours to our destination, The Club Resort at Lake Gaston, Virginia, an ROD membership park. We saw a lot of blooming cotton fields, soybean, and corn fields that have dried out and look ready to be plowed under. The yellow corn fields will likely be ground to make feed for livestock and poultry. Some of it will be used for seed for future crops. The Crepe Myrtle trees and shrubs are everywhere in full bloom. The weather was very sunny and extremely hot and the coach heated up to 89 degrees by the time we arrived at our destination, even running the generator and front air conditioner. We were set up by noon as much as Ray could with the heat. The rest of the outside chores had to wait until the sun goes down. The good news we are expecting rain and lower temperatures in the 80s by tomorrow. Club Resort at Lake Gaston is noted for its 20,000-acre Lake Gaston with full service marina. Clubhouse is huge and has an exercise room, sauna, Jacuzzi, movie room, dining area and lounge. Family Fun Center has indoor heated swimming pool, shuffleboard, racquetball, tanning beds, 10-lane bowling alley, arcade room, exercise /weight room and snack bar. There is a fee for the use of these amenities. This park does not cater to big rigs. Once you get beyond the clubhouse and Family Fun Center, the park shows its age, with narrow roads and a lot of permanent trailers, some very unsightly. We are in an open area so we can get satellite. We can get Verizon air card to work (4-bars), but no AT&T phone service. Sunday, August 23 - Beautiful sunny morning in 70s, so Ray decided to take a ride around Lake Gaston. He did 110 miles, lots of farms and he saw the large Kerr Dam, which contains much of the lake. The US Army Corps of Engineers operates this 50,000 acre reservoir and an additional 50,000 acres of surrounding land. In the 1950's, Kerr Reservoir, also called Buggs Island Lake, was constructed primarily to provide for flood control and hydropower generation. Monday, August 24 - We drove into Lake Gaston to grocery shop and see the local area. Not much near the park. Temps are back to mid 90s. Too hot for Ray to do much outside even though the humidity is 79%, but not bad if you compare this to Florida. Tuesday, August 25 - It is 67° outside and looks like another beautiful day in the high 80s, mid-90s. Ray is riding the Gold Wing today. Some of his pictures: Wednesday, August 26 - Thermometer says it is 95 degrees outside our coach. I rode my bike all the way down the asphalt road to the lake/pool area. It was fun as the hills are not too steep for me to handle. We can’t use our BBQ stand because the ground is too unlevel for me to cook. The park's tables are very old and not usable. Oh well, maybe the next stop will work out better for steaks on the grill. Thursday, August 27 - Woke up to beautiful sunshine off the lake. A huge bright globe of golden yellow. It is 68° and no breeze. We changed our reservations to leave on 8/1 instead of 8/4 since we have no cell phone service.

Technorati Tags: Kerr Reservoir,Buggs Island Lake,Club Resort at Lake Gaston

Advance NC (Forest Lake Preserve-Thousand Trails)

2009-11-17T11:41:00.004-05:00

Monday, September 14 - As the mist rises off the lake we left Lynchburg Thousand Trails Preserve Virginia, around 8 am to drive to Forest Lake Thousand Trails Preserve in Advance, North Carolina. Beautiful sunny day. Arrived around 11 am. We had a terrible time with our setup yesterday. It was 92 degrees, humidity 24 – but Ray still had difficulty with the heat. We started putting our lounge slide out (the widest) and found that we were 2” over the electric box. Not good. So we had to pull in the slides, and reposition the RV so it was well away from the electric box. I didn’t realize that we have two moving parts that extend six inches further than the slide.
We love the spot we got before all good sites were taken. This is the part of RVing that I don’t care for. We had not even repositioned ourselves when a couple came to the door (Mitzy was loose and she tried to “eat” them) Ray had the engine running so they thought we were moving and they wanted this site in the worst way. They took one across from us and down a ways. Looks like they have a Bischon.

Tuesday, September 15 - It started out at 65 degrees and now it is overcast and signs of rain coming. In mid 80s. Friday - Rainy all day until late afternoon.
Sunday, September 20 - Off and on overcast sky. Ray took the Gold Wing into town to run errands. Watched football, although we couldn’t get the Bucs game using our satellite.
Monday, September 21 - Overcast sky again today, with 66 degrees. Vacuumed coach.
Tuesday, September 22 - It is 65 degrees at 7am and the park is shrouded in fog. Fall has come to the Carolinas.
Wednesday, September 23 - Started raining heavy around 5am and has not let up with the rainy weather. Ray left in the truck to visit Boone NC and see our site location at the next park called Honey Bear. Also he wants to see Steven’s property.
Friday, September 25 - We drove into Mocksville to grocery shop at a Super Wal-Mart. Sun was shining for a change. This afternoon we started to feel a change in temperatures as a cold front moves our way. Highs in the 60s tomorrow.
While in Advance, Ray drove over to Lenoir to check out Steven and Gennifer’s land they purchased. This is a view from where their house would be if built.

Saturday, September 26 -It started raining last night and drizzle most of the day. Very gloomy and a high of 64°. With all this rain, we should see a beautiful leaf-changing season in October.
Monday, September 28 - Beautiful sunny skies and cooler temperatures and expecting 40 mph wind gusts this afternoon as a cold front is moving in. Ray took the Wing out for a short ride around 10 am.
Tuesday, September 29 - It is 47° this morning at 7:30 am. Looks like another beautiful day, with high in the 70s. Love the fall weather in North Carolina.

Gladys VA (Lynchburg)

2009-11-17T10:41:00.003-05:00

Sunday, August 30 - Beautiful sunny day as we depart from Club @ Lake Gaston in Gasburg VA to travel to Thousand Trails Lynchburg Preserve in Gladys VA. Actually Gladys is near Rustburg and a more popular location at Lynchburg. We took time last year to visit Lynchburg and it has a lot of history and a great museum.

Puffy clouds adorn the sunny skies and looks like cooler weather. We passed through small historical looking towns, passed through some hilly and low valley areas on Rt. 40. Good two-lane road turned onto Red Hill (Patrick Henry) Road. Nearby Red Hill is the Patrick Henry National Memorial in Charlotte County, Virginia near the Town of Brookneal. It honors Patrick Henry, the fiery legislator and orator of the American Revolution. Henry's law office and grave are preserved at his small Red Hill plantation, along with a reconstruction of his last home. The Red Hill Road turned into a very narrow and hilly road and not made for the RV. Good thing no one was coming in the opposite direction. We saw a lot of farms or mobile homes on five acre lots, some in disrepair and some with nice landscaping. A lot of homes were built in the colonial revival architecture with strong columns on porches.

We arrived by 10:15 am (short trip) and started looking for a satellite-friendly site. The site we had last year was taken and the fellow said he was paid seasonally and leaving in October. It is becoming a real hassle for full-timers with big rigs to find sat-friendly sites that are not taken by six-month members. Ray convinced me to try getting satellite at a beautiful location close to the large lake below. We are surrounded by trees, but there is a clearing in the southwest direction. We backed into the site, plugged into electric and started the satellite location process. Within 20 minutes we were locked into satellite and started our housekeeping chores to set up. The weather here is 10 degrees cooler and tomorrow we are expecting 60 degree weather during the day. What a remarkable change from the heat and humidity at Lake Gaston.

Our site has many types of trees; some I recognize like the maple and oaks. Plenty of shrubs too. Looking forward to using the grill here as the site has a nice picnic table. Not sure how long the low temperatures will hang around.

Ray fixed up a fire in the pit to roast hot dogs. It was too funny! We left our long stainless steel grilling prongs back home, so he improvised. This is our first ever fire and roasting. The soot and black hot dog didn’t look too appetizing to me, so I took my time cooking the next batch, until the end looked like it was going to drop the dog into the fire. We will come up with something better for next time.

The coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina through the month of August turned out to be much warmer than we expected. Most days were in the mid 90s and high humidity, just too hot to do much during mid-day. Even riding the Gold Wing was not fun after 10 AM. Our objective is to be in the Smoky Mountains during the month of October connecting up with family and friends to enjoy the fall foliage. So we have scheduled two stops before the mountains. One in Lynchburg, VA and one in Winston-Salem, NC area, both in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Lynchburg was a good move with an elevation of 700 to 900 feet which helped lower temps 10-15 degrees. I took advantage of the early morning temps being in the mid 50s and rode the Wing a number of days enjoying the local farm roads and taking photos. There are a lot of old barns and old farm houses in this area.

Things got rather interesting when I stop on the road still sitting on the bike and trying to line up a photo shot when I hear coming usually from behind me or from the side the growl from a very large dog, maybe a Sheppard, Pit bull, or pincher running at full bore toward me. Not wanting to find out what happens when these fanged creatures reach their target (Me), I vacate promptly. Hence I have learned to leave the bike running. Talk about protecting your territory, OUCH.

My one trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway was great, cool day beautiful clear blue skies. Just a taste of what is to come in Oct. and the Smokies. The parkway’s elevation near Lynchburg maxed out around 2500 ft. I missed the photo of the day, just as I exited a short tunnel a deer was standing on a nice grassy area only 10 ft. away looking straight at me. I was expecting it to bolt hopefully not in front of me, but it just stood there and watched me go by. I watched my mirrors and it was still there. I turned around ASAP and as I expected it was gone. Oh well that photo is in my mind.

Marsha, Mitzy and I drove to Smith Mt. Lake, 50+ miles SW. This lake is very large with mill$$$ homes on the shore line, really a pretty area. Great drive and great scenery at the lake. We enjoyed the outing. The roads were made for cycles, next time I’ll include a ride to Smith Mt Lake.

Tuesday, September 01 - Beautiful morning and 61 degrees. Should be mid-70s today. Plan to ride out bikes and Ray took the Gold Wing out for a nice ride.

Wednesday, September 02 - It was 57 degrees this am. Coach was at 68°. Almost time to use the small portable heater to take the chill off.

Friday, September 04 - A cool 56° and the lake is shrouded in mist rolling across it. Beautiful sight. We went into Lynchburg to shop at Health Nut’s Health food shop (really nice owner who explained I could give Mitzy raw egg in her diet without a problem. He also suggested to give her organ meat cooked to help with Cushing's.)

Saturday, September 05 - We stayed home today working on projects. Warmer than it has been but people are swarming down the hill to the rec center with kids (grandkids) in tow to enjoy the pool. Park is almost filled up here on our Section C ridge. We met a neighbor that is from New Jersey and new to the motor home they purchased. Thinking of going full-time but he is still working. Sandy is retired from teaching school. She is a Sweet Adeline and travels by air quite a bit to be in productions or competition. Herb is an engineer.

Labor Day! Overcast and prediction of rain here in Lynchburg. Enjoying the cooler temps and tomorrow should be high in mid-70s. Ray took the Honda out for a short two-hour ride. These pictures are of a picnic at the pavilion across the lake for a corporation.

Tuesday, September 8 - It rained a slow drizzle last night and the day was cloudy and cool all day long. Drove into Lynchburg to shop at Target and also stopped by Best Buy.

Thursday, September 10 - It is 63° this morning here in Lynchburg. Looking forward to moving to Advance NC and then to Boone NC for October before heading to Florida for the Winter.

Friday, September 11 - Around 9:30 am, we drove to see the Smith Mountain Lake State Park Huddleston, VA. It is about 40 miles from the park and the day was exceptional, with blue skies and lots of sun. Drove through Gladys on Gladys Road (Rt. 699). Gladys is in Campbell County, in the Lynchburg metro area. Once a relay station for mail brought on horseback. The elevation is 781 feet. As we meandered the very narrow road (at times) we saw plenty of soy bean fields about a foot high. The road was so twisted and s-curved. I was not a happy camper as I terribly car-sick. We took South 29 through Alta Vista. The new Town of AltaVista was created in 1905 during the construction of the east-west Tidewater Railway between Giles County (on the border with West Virginia) and Sewell's Point in what was at the time Norfolk County. Leesville Lake, seen as we drove through Alta Vista, is a reservoir in Virginia the United States used for Hydro-Electric power generation in conjunction with Smith Mountain Lake as a pump storage project.

We arrived at Smith Mountain Lake State Park and found a beautiful scenic view from all directions once you reach the visitor’s office on the Lake.

We saw the RV camp sites during our visit and they are very nicely kept. Large level graveled sites with water and electric, and dump station.

There's nothing better than living along a lake. The water draws us in with its promise of peaceful times and recreational family fun. Precautions have been taken to keep the land in its pristine state. Smith Mountain Lake is known as "the jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains". The most popular lake in Virginia, it has over 500 foot of shoreline.

Smith Mountain Lake was created to generate electricity, and to help manage water flows downstream and nearby. The damming of the Blackwater and Roanoke Rivers formed Smith Mountain Lake in a filling process that began on September 24, 1963 -- and ended almost 2.5 years later on March 7, 1966. Surrounded by mountains, SML's deepest point is about 250 feet, near the dam itself.

Historical Tobacco Barn still standing within the park.

Some other time we would like to visit the surrounding lake communities. Bedford is 20 miles north of the park and Roanoke is 35 miles west.

Technorati Tags: Smith Mountain Lake,Lynchburg,Virginia,Brookneal,Patrick Henry,Target,BestBuy,Health Nut’s Health food,Tidewater Railway,Advance NC,Boone NC

Shawboro NC

2009-11-02T18:53:00.003-05:00

Monday, August 17 - 8:30 am we left OW Williamsburg Campground, Williamsburg Virginia and drove to Shawboro, North Carolina to the North River Campground.

Beautiful sunny skies. We passed through the town of Newport News, VA. Newport News is part of Warwick County, one of the eight original shires of Virginia formed by the House of Burgesses in the British Colony of Virginia by order of King Charles I in 1634. Referred to as "Newportes Newes" as early as 1621. The county was largely composed of farms and undeveloped land until almost 250 years later. A major feature of Newport News, the Mariners' Museum, has grown to become one of the largest and finest maritime museums in the world. Drove across the James River, a new four-lane lift bridge that was completed in stages from 1975 to 1982 at a cost of $75 million. The 415.0 ft lift span over the shipping channel, with a clearance of 145 ft when raised and 59.7 ft. when lowered, is about 1/4 of the way along the 4.39 mile bridge. This allows ocean-going ships to pass en route to civilian port facilities in Hopewell and at the Port of Richmond. The mouth of Chesapeake Bay is one of the world’s great natural harbors at Norfolk/Hampton Roads. We saw huge derricks for boat repairs and even an aircraft carrier was in the harbor.

We arrived at North River Campground in Shawboro around 11:20 am. At check in, the owner complained about our early arrival. The road coming into the park is so narrow, two RVs would not be able to pass. She charged us $5 for the early check-in even though we were never told about it. Regardless, I don’t think we would have waited until 1:00 pm.

Shawboro is an unincorporated community located in Currituck County, North Carolina. Elizabeth City is the closest town about 30- minute drive time. Elizabeth City was founded as the town of Redding in 1793 on land acquired from Adam and Elizabeth Tooley. In 1794, the town was renamed Elizabeth, and in 1801 Elizabeth City. The name change has been variously attributed to honor either Queen Elizabeth I of England, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Carolina and Virginia coasts, or Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley. The city is located alongside the Pasquotank River, which connects to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. There is plenty to do in this area for nature lovers.

We rode our bikes around the park on asphalt drive that encircles the pond. It is all flat so it is very easy to navigate. Two circles is ½ mile. The 15” of rain the past two weeks has soaked the ground so the smell is quite musty or moldy. Ugh! Mitzy sneezed as we rode our bikes - she was sitting in her basket with dad.

Weather shows that the hurricane season is certainly heating up. They have Ana and Bill right now. It is certainly hotter here because there are no trees around the RVs. The a/c struggles all day to keep us comfortable.

Tuesday, August 18 - We took a drive to the Outer Banks today on Rt. 158 to see the Atlantic and also visit the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. There are acres and acres of farmland with either corn or soybean.

Crossed over Wright Memorial Bridge to Kitty Hawk in Currituck County. Wright Memorial Bridge crosses the Pamlico Sound and is an amazing view. We passed through the towns of Duck and Corolla. Duck is a favorite vacation spot because of its unspoiled beaches, small-town atmosphere with plenty of dining and shopping opportunities. Duck has classy places such as the Sanderling Resort & Spa.

The Currituck Beach Light is a lighthouse located on the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina. On December 1, 1875, the Currituck Beach Light, after two years, was completed. It is located between Cape Henry Light and Bodie Island. It has the largest of seven Fresnel lens sizes. An example of Gothic Revival architecture, the Currituck Beach Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1973. Now open to the public, The Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc. continue to maintain and restore the structures on the lighthouse property.

We took a driving tour of some of the Atlantic shoreline neighborhoods and saw there were about half of the homes with small “for sale” signs on them.

We crossed over the Dismal Swamp Canal. It is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina. In May 1763, George Washington made his first visit to the Great Dismal Swamp and suggested draining it and digging a north-south canal through it to connect the waters of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and Albemarle Sound in North Carolina. It is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States, opened in 1805. It is part of an intracoastal waterway, an inland route, which parallels the east coast and offers boaters shelter from the Atlantic Ocean from Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey to Brownsville, Texas. The route runs through bays, lakes, rivers, streams, and canals, and includes the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway running from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Florida Keys.

Thursday, August 20 - We drove to Elizabeth City over the Pasquotank River. Plenty of road work showing that the stimulus dollars for American Recovery Act are being used in North Carolina. Massive project to four-lane miles of road.

We stopped at the Museum of Albemarle on Water Street downtown. This museum was three stories and very interesting with very diversified information.

Through regional collections, historical interpretation and professional assistance, the museum encourages visitors to explore and understand the past, to reflect on their place in history, and to preserve regional history for future generations.

The Ancient Albemarle has a history as old as America's. From the first English colony in the New World to the discovery of powered flight, every American epoch is represented in this museum.

Downtown also notes the 1927 Virginia Dare Hotel that is still standing and has a two-story sky light arcade.

We also stopped by the historical Christ Episcopal Church (Cir.1856). Elizabeth City is home to one of the United States' few airship factories. Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship station evolved from what was previously a US Navy air station.

Historic homes along tree-lined streets, a picturesque downtown with a scenic waterfront, friendly people and few traffic jams, Elizabeth City offers the best of small-town Southern living within an hour of both southeastern Virginia's bustling Hampton Roads area and North Carolina's famous Outer Banks. Saw a building marked 1703 - First known School in North Carolina.

Technorati Tags: Shawboro,Newport News,Mariners' Museum,James River,Port of Richmond,Elizabeth City,Pasquotank River,Currituck Beach Lighthouse,Wright Memorial Bridge,Kitty Hawk,Pamlico Sound,Duck,Corolla,Museum of Albemarle,Virginia Dare Hotel,Hampton Roads,Outer Banks

Williamsburg VA

2009-10-23T15:29:00.003-04:00

Monday, July 27 - We got up at 5:30 am to get a jump on traffic leaving Outdoor World Sea Pines in Swainton New Jersey to our new park in Williamsburg. It was a long seven-hour drive to Outdoor World Williamsburg in Williamsburg Virginia. We had some very rough roads to contend with, but other than that, the drive was uneventful.
We crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge and had to pay $16 toll. The Delaware Memorial Bridge links Delaware and New Jersey in graceful twin-suspension spans that soar high above the Delaware River, just north of the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The twin spans touch down in New Castle, Delaware, and in Pennsville, New Jersey. The bridge is a lasting memorial to those soldiers who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Each year on Veterans Day, a special ceremony is held at the Bridge War Memorial, which overlooks the Twin Span.
Around 11 am, we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where we had to pay $14 toll. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and at the time, with a length of 4.3 miles, was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. A parallel span was added in 1973, giving rise to the bridge's current dual-span nature. Glad we could help with the upkeep of the bridges and the road repairs paying our toll.
"The name DELAWARE was given to the people who lived along the Delaware River, and the river in turn was named after Lord de la Warr, the governor of the Jamestown colony. The name Delaware later came to be applied to almost all Lenape people. Their ancestors were among the first Indians to come in contact with the Europeans (Dutch, English, & Swedish) in the early 1600s. The Delaware were called the "Grandfather" tribe because they were respected by other tribes as peace-makers. They were also known for their fierceness and tenacity as warriors.
We arrived at Outdoor World Williamsburg in Virginia around 2:30 pm. This park is not large and does not seem to be filled up, even though it is high season. There are a lot of trailers/ campers that look to be permanent vacation homes for the locals to come and relax on the weekends. One site looked good to get satellite and after a lot of on and off and resets, Marsha finally got it to work around 8:30 pm. Our site is C-3, not too far from the entrance. Roads are asphalt and sites are gravel, so not a lot of dust- yeah!
Ray’s Remarks: In the past we have visited historical Williamsburg from a distance, allowing only a few hours to tour the area. This time we stayed within a few miles of the city.
Williamsburg, outside of the historical district, is very modern with scattered shopping centers in every direction. A large outlet center is located on Rt. 60 just north of town. Another large center is located in New Town, just west of downtown.
Marsha and I drove into Hampton, Va to see Fort Monroe on the Chesapeake Bay. We had no idea the Fort was located on an Army base. License, insurance, and registration were required to get on base, which I truly appreciated. The museum at the fort was well worth the trip, the entire museum was displayed within the fort’s great walls where the soldier’s quarters and the cannon placements were located. I can’t imagine being in that confined area with one of these cannons blasting a 12 lb ball of steel across the bay several miles and recoiling the entire cannon backwards 6 to 8 feet. The red brick walls and interior archways were 3 to 5 feet thick in places. The museum took well over an hour to read about its history and see all of the artifacts from that era. We did not have enough time to visit but a small part of the top of the fort with its surrounding mote. It was very impressive and highly recommend, if you are into old forts. Fort Monroe reminded us of Dry Tortugas 60 miles +/-off the Florida Keys. We still marvel at the construction of these forts during that era. On another day we took Mitzy to The York River State Park. Beautiful day with the wildlife running free, turkeys, rabbits, deer, humming birds, etc. There was a group of teen canoeist with chaperons preparing to invade the York River.
I rode the motorcycle throughout the entire area and most adjacent roads including the Colonial Parkway from Jamestown through Williamsburg to York Town. This road is made of concrete with sea shells in it, making it a little rough but OK. I missed a turn and found myself at the entrance of the US Naval Supply Center on the York River. The security guards have very little sense of humor. Actually they were helpful and gave me directions back to the Parkway. They allowed me to make a U-turn past their gate with a escort after I submitted my drivers license which was returned upon my exit. A few miles down the Parkway along the river I noticed a very long pier jutting into the river. At the end of the pier sat two Navy ships. One appeared to be a destroyer and the other a much larger vessel, the USS NEW YORK, with two very large steel towers at mid-ship. This ship was built with some scrap steel from the twin towers in New York City. This was a neat surprise, kind of gives you goose bumps. I took a couple of photos.

The cities of Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk and Suffolk surround the harbor where the James River, York River and the Chesapeake Bay converge into the Atlantic Ocean. This waterway’s shoreline is dotted with shipyards with huge loading and repair derricks. Very impressive seaport. Next time in this area we would like to see this up close.
Wednesday, July 29 - It looks like a beautiful day, although 60% showers later. Ray is taking the Gold Wing out for a drive through and around Williamsburg. We drove to Williamsburg and found shopping to be very close. Stopped at Prime Outlets and Columbia Outdoor Clothing store was having a fantastic sale.
Jamestown began in 1607, when a group of 104 English men and boys et foot on the bank of the James River in search of profits and resources ripe for commerce. In the 13 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, they would endure hardships, Indian encounters and the struggles of daily life, but would triumph as America’s first permanent English settlement. The Jamestown Visitor Center features museum exhibits and a multimedia theater presentation about Jamestown’s 92 years as the capital of Virginia. It is quite impressive.
Yorktown is just a tiny village in comparison to Jamestown, but is important in American history because in 1781, the decisive battle of the American Revolution was won there by George Washington.
Monday, August 3 - We drove 27 miles to visit Hampton Virginia. Hampton is a coastal town and is an independent city in Virginia, and therefore not part of any Virginia county. One of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads, it is on the southeast end of the Virginia Peninsula, bordering on Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay, one of the oldest cities in the United States. It has a clean, glistening waterfront and many things to doo and see while visiting.
Our first stop was Sandy Bottom Nature Center - Hampton's premier park is a 456 acre environmental education and wildlife management facility. Born from borrow pits and garbage dumps, the park is truly a success story of reclamation of our natural resources. From the 10,000 square foot nature center overlooking Sandy Bottom Lake to the elusive creatures that inhabit the wetland marshes, there is something for everyone at the Sandy Bottom Nature Park.
Little England Chapel - Virginia's only-known African American missionary chapel, The sanctuary of this chapel holds a permanent exhibit that helps visitors understand the religious lives of post-Civil War African Americans in Virginia. The display includes handwritten Sunday school lessons, photographs, a 12 minute video, and 19th century religious books. The Little England Chapel was built in the late 17th Century and was also known as the Ocean Cottage Sunday School. Emancipation Oak is a historic tree located on the campus of Hampton University. On September 17, 1861, Mrs. Mary Smith Peake taught the first classes to African American children on the grounds of what is now Hampton University at Hampton Roads in Virginia under the shade of the Emancipation Oak.
Hampton National Cemetery - Through Fiscal Year 2008: 28,003 interments. Located in the vicinity of where the historic Civil War naval battle between the Confederate Merrimac/Virginia and the Union Monitor iron-clad ships occurred in 1862.
The cemetery’s first burials took place in 1862 and the cemetery is among numerous national cemeteries with origins that date to the Civil War. Hampton National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1996.

8/3/09 Historic Fort Monroe - We were not aware that Fort Monroe was founded in 1609 and active since 1803. It is an Army facility. We went to eat lunch at the base café, Old Point Comfort Marina, before taking a tour of the grounds and museum.

Fort Monroe guarded the approach by sea of the navigational shipping channel between the Chesapeake Bay and the entrance to the harbor of Hampton Roads.

Beginning by 1609, fortifications had been established at Old Point Comfort during Virginia's first two centuries. However, the much more substantial facility of stone to become known as Fort Monroe (and adjacent Fort Wool on a man-made island across the channel) were completed in 1834. Completely surrounded by a moat, the six-sided stone fort is the only one of its kind left in the United States that is still an active Army post. Fort Monroe played an important role in the American Civil War. The Casemate Museum, opened in 1951, depicts the history of Fort Monroe and Old Point Comfort, with special emphasis on the Civil War period. http://www.monroe.army.mil/Monroe/sites/installation/museum/Casemate_Museum.aspx

Fort Wool is located adjacent to one of the man-made islands of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and is accessible only by water. The availability of public tours of both Fort Wool and Fort Monroe are subject to Homeland Security Alert conditions.
Friday, August 7 - We drove to see the York River State Park. The Virginia State Parks mission is to conserve natural, scenic, historic and cultural resources of the commonwealth and to provide recreational and educational opportunities consistent with good stewardship of these lands, water and facilities that leaves them unimpaired for future generations.Eleven miles west of Williamsburg, York River State Park offers visitors an opportunity to experience the environment of a coastal estuary. This park is known for its rare and delicate environment, where freshwater and saltwater meet to create a habitat rich in marine and plant life. The main focus of the park is to preserve a portion of York River frontage and its related marshes while providing an area for passive day-use recreation for visitors. The drive to the park is tree-lined and very pretty. Their focus is on the history, use and preservation of the York River and its marshes.
Monday, August 10 - Grocery store called Ukrops. From gourmet recipes to simple snacks, you'll find something fresh every week. Prices are great and the produce is the freshest ever. It was so hot walking across the tarmac and forecasted to reach 102 degrees here in Williamsburg.

Technorati Tags: Outdoor World Sea Pines in Swainton New Jersey,Delaware Memorial Bridge,Chesapeake Bay Bridge,Newport News,Hampton,Ukrops,Norfolk and Suffolk,Williamsburg,York,Jamestown

Atlantic City-Cape May,NJ

2009-10-22T11:32:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - Still at Sea Pines Swainton NJ We had read and heard about the Atlantic City region as one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.
Ray's Remarks: We spent three weeks (Outdoor World Sea Pines) in this area and toured from Cape May to north of Atlantic City, mostly the coast line. Marsha and I toured most of Cape May and Atlantic City by truck. I rode the bike a little. The small beach towns and barrier islands were crowded from bay to beach with mostly expensive beach houses. Can’t see the beach for the sand dunes and houses. There are public beaches (no dogs). And public access walks, parking is a problem. We did not go to the beach, just a quick look and left. The south end of New Jersey from east to west was mostly farm land. It seems like the entire population of eastern states head to the beaches on the weekend —do not try to travel east or west on weekends.
World-famous beach and boardwalk, luxurious casinos, nonstop gaming action, the hottest entertainers, the best in dining, and quality sporting events. “America’s Favorite Playground” is renowned for all this and more. The boardwalk is six miles long. First built in 1870 and voted one of the best boardwalks in America. Atlantic City is a resort community located on Absecon Island on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic City was incorporated on May 1, 1854. Atlantic City has had its major ups and downs over the years and in an effort at revitalizing the city, New Jersey voters in 1976 approved casino gambling for Atlantic City. On July 3, 2003, Atlantic City's newest casino, The Borgata, opened with much success. Another major attraction is the oldest remaining Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in the world.
The famous boardwalk was one destination I didn’t want to miss seeing. It was a very overcast and fog banked day. The sun tried to peek through dense clouds off and on. We drove down to the end of the streets to see the Atlantic Ocean. Took pictures of the Absecon Lighthouse. It is noted for being New Jersey’s tallest Lighthouse; the country’s third tallest Lighthouse; 150 years old, 1857-2007. For $7 you can climb to the top.
I wanted to see the Trump Taj Mahal. We had a very hard time finding a parking space within easy walking distance to the Trump Taj Mahal. We were shocked to find that their self-parking garage has a maximum height of 6’4”. Our truck would never make it. Finally, Ray saw an Emergency / Fire Department parking lot. The EMT was very nice and said we could stay in their parking lot for a few hours. Therefore, we didn’t have to pay for parking nor have to worry whether our truck would be in the same condition once we returned. You notice a lot of very old homes and row homes, a lot of them boarded up or falling into disrepair. Also a lot of empty lots everywhere. The community looks plagued with poverty. Scores of homeless addict types scattered everywhere. However, you can see that as a major player comes into town, they are buying up the land and building new high-rise casinos and hotels.

It was close to lunchtime, so we decided to try the “food court” inside Trump Taj Mahal. It is located on the second floor and we were awestruck by the three huge hanging chandeliers that lit up the otherwise dark atmosphere. At a fast-food restaurant called Burger, we ordered $10 cheeseburgers and $3 sweet potato fries. Figured we wouldn’t find anything any less expensive at the white tablecloth dining rooms around the perimeter. I will have to say the burgers were great - nothing like McDonald’s or Wendy’s. After the long wait for the food, we ate and hurriedly headed out of the hotel to the boardwalk. Smoking is only allowed in the casino area and I read that they are only allowed 25% smoking in the casino area. As we walked by the casino, we could catch the smell of smoke, even though it was contained.
The boardwalk - it was not busy at all yet it was noisy with loud music and/or advertisement announcements over the loud speakers. We saw the “famous” Steel Pier and I’m sure it is fun for the kids that come here on the weekends. It is an amusement park. We walked out to where we could see the beach and there were a lot of people out enjoying the sand and water. The sad discovery I made was under the pier.
There was a “homeless?” man feeding about 15 feral cats under the boardwalk. There are many containers under the boardwalk that house the cats. We were surprised to see that nothing has been done to “clear out” such activity, as it does nothing to attract people to return to the boardwalk.
We saw many of the man-driven carts lined up in a row waiting all in a row waiting for customers.
There was not much activity as most of the people walking around were probably not there as tourists, but locals. The tourists probably come out at night. I would not call it glamorous.
As we drove away from the strip, we saw many of the familiar upscale stores and the scene changes from neglect and poverty to the rich and not so rich that wants to shop or catch a latte at Starbucks. Total transformation one block away.
Friday, July 24 - We passed through Wildwood again and traffic wasn’t too bad. We stopped for lunch at the Lobster House at Fisherman’s Wharf. A Seafood Restaurant, Raw Bar and Take Out, Fish Market and Gift Shop. The interior has a wonderful, nautical atmosphere that we always tend to look for. Since 1922, the Lobster House is known for the freshest seafood available as they have their own supply of ships and go out and return to unload their catch daily.
Today would be out last opportunity to travel to the Cape May area due to weekend warriors that drive the gauntlet to the beaches. It is more than an hour wait from what we hear. Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Being the Southern-most point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the town a popular place to escape the heat.
Cape May began hosting vacationers from Philadelphia in the mid 1700s and is recognized by the United States government as the country's oldest seaside resort. It is noted for its large number of well-maintained Victorian houses — the second largest collection of Victorian-era homes in the nation after San Francisco. In 1976, the entire city of Cape May was officially designated a National Historic Landmark. It is the only city in the United States wholly designated as such. That designation is intended to ensure the architectural preservation of these buildings.

The Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May's only Victorian house museum. We did not take the tour but thought the architecture was worth noting. http://www.capemaytimes.com/history/physick.htmThe Stick Style design is attributed to renowned Victorian architect Frank Furness and features jerkin-head dormers, "stick"-like grids overlaying clapboard walls, "stick"-like brackets on the porch, and corbelled or "upside down" chimneys. The mansion has 18 rooms with several out-buildings. . Back in its heyday, the Physick Estate housed a rather unusual household: Dr. Emlen Physick, who never married; his widowed mother, Mrs. Ralston; and his Maiden Aunt Emilie. Dr. Physick's grandfather, Dr. Philip Syng Physick (1768-1837) was known as the Father of American Surgery. Emlen Physick followed family tradition by completing medical training, but he never practiced. He lived the life of a country gentleman and animal breeder. He is remembered for having the first automobile in Cape May. In the 1970's, after decades of decline, the Physick Estate and the nine outbuildings on the four-acre Cape May estate on Washington Ave. were saved and restored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC).

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We cruised the Cape May Beach area as well. We were amazed at how the homes, bed & Breakfast Inns, hotels, and restaurants all look like they just got a new coat of paint. I love anything Victorian, so Cape May is a beautiful spot to hang out.

Technorati Tags: Atlantic City,Taj Mahal,Victorian,Cape May

Stone Harbor, Oceanville, NJ

2009-10-21T17:02:00.002-04:00

Friday, July 17, 2009 - We decided to visit the Wetlands Institute for Education, Research, and Conservation at Stone Harbor NJ.
It is geared towards children as they are out of school. But we were still able to learn a few things during the presentation on facts about Horseshoe Crabs. The Terrapin Station is the first exhibit in the world that is dedicated to the life history of the diamondback terrapin (turtle). I was not familiar with the Terrapin. I was looking forward to walking the boardwalk into the marsh where unparalleled views of migratory birds, fiddler crabs and other creatures are up close and personal. We also wanted to take a walk up the spiral stairs of their Observation Tower. The most recognizable feature of The Wetlands Institute, the tower stretches forty feet above the building to provide a view of the surrounding wetlands area, and, on a good day, the Jersey Shore from Sea Isle City to Wildwood. The Osprey differs in several respects from other diurnal birds of prey. Its toes are of equal length, its tarsi are reticulate, and its talons are rounded, rather than grooved. The Osprey is the only raptor whose outer toe is reversible, allowing it to grasp its prey with two toes in front and two behind. The Osprey is unusual insofar as it is a single species that occurs nearly worldwide.
Walter Cronkite died at 92. What an amazing career and family man. "the most trusted man in America" because of his professional experience and kindly demeanor. He also liked to have a good time, according to Tom Brokaw.
Saturday, July 18 - Ray took the Wing for a ride 140 miles roundtrip. He ran into traffic from all the New Jersey folks going out to the beaches. We have 38% humidity and it is 81 degrees. So beautiful here with the trees dappled with sunlight peaking through the leaves. Everywhere we drive you can see beautiful daylilies in lavender, peach, gold, burgundy, apricot, rose, pink, purple, red, yellow, orange, and near-white.
Sunday, July 19 – We wanted to visit the natural wildlife preserve, Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at Oceanville and protects more than 40,000 acres of southern New Jersey Coastal Habitats and tidal wetlands. We enjoyed the Wildlife Drive. It is a one way, unpaved, eight mile drive. The flies were out in major numbers and wanted to get inside the truck whenever we wanted to take pictures. We were constantly killing or driving them back out of the truck.

There are hiking trails for the more able-minded. We saw cars and trucks stopped along the way taking pictures with very expensive cameras.
We continued to drive along Rt. 9 to visit Historic Smithville. Nothing but shops and closed on Sunday morning. Then on to see Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village. It was disappointing. You have to pay a fee and then browse the shops.

Swainton and Wildwood, NJ

2009-10-21T11:38:00.004-04:00

Monday, July 12 - Left Artillery Ridge Campground around 7:30 am to drive to Outdoor World Sea Pines, Swainton NJ. Our drive through Pennsylvania was mostly Rural Routes and in very bad need of repair. As we neared the New Jersey border, we saw pastoral landscapes with a lot of horse farms. On Route 322, the roads just got worse. We were on Baltimore Pike for a while and passed through Concordville around 10:30.
It is located 20 miles west-southwest of Philadelphia. Modern Concordville occupies the junction of two of the earliest public roads in the English colonies: Baltimore Pike or US Route One, and Concord Road, laid out by William Penn's surveyors. The old homes along the main drag do not show any signs they are under a Historical Society but I have read they are trying to get recognized. We crossed over the Delaware River on the impressive Commodore Barry Bridge . We saw tugboats and a lot of industry on both sides of the bridge, as well as the Philadelphia cityscape in the distance. The bridge is named after the American Revolutionary War hero and Philadelphia resident John Barry. making the bridge the fourth longest cantilever bridge in the world, and the longest in the United States.
We arrived at the Outdoor World Sea Pines Resort in Swainton NJ.

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There was no way we could get satellite because of the trees so we took their cable for $3 per day. Our site is at least spacious, however everything in this park is dirt and dead leaves, but lots of shade. The closest beach is Avalon Beach, which is very popular. In 1949, Avalon, NJ was a sleepy sea-side town without much more than a bar, a hotel and a real estate office. A lot of the sites are filled with annual/seasonal residents that leave their trailers/RVs here and then come out on the weekends to enjoy.
Tuesday, July 14 - Beautiful day here at Swainton New Jersey. Sun is filtering through the surrounding hardwood trees.
Ray took the Gold Wing out for a quick ride before the heat got too bad. He visited both Avalon and Stone Harbor. Cape May Courthouse is a name of a town with shops, etc. I went to the park office and collected a lot of literature on what to do while we are here.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 - We drove south of our park in Swainton NJ to visit the town of Wildwood. Wildwood is a resort city that is very popular with vacationers and tourists mostly from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and even nearby parts of Canada during the summer months. Its most notable features are its beach and 1.8-mile boardwalk, home to Morey's Pier amusement complex and Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis water parks owned by Morey's Pier. The boardwalk features a trolley called the "Tramcar", which runs from end-to-end. It is also home to Splash Zone Water Park. Built in 1999, Splash Zone features the world's highest dumping bucket and the biggest family raft ride on the east coast, The Beast of the East.

In June 2006, Wildwood’s Doo-Wop-style motels were placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual Eleven Most Endangered List, described as "irreplaceable icons of popular culture." It was ranked the best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. Rock Around the Clock, often credited as the first rock and roll record, was first performed on Memorial Day weekend in 1954 at the HofBrau Hotel in Wildwood by Bill Haley & His Comets. The song's status as one of the first rock and roll hits has given rise to the city's claim as "the birthplace of rock and roll".
We had lunch at the local restaurant, Boathouse Restaurant and Marina Deck. It was such a beautiful day with a slight breeze and very low humidity. Their marina is huge and filled with many large boats. The deck is quite large, but at noon was not busy at all. Open since 1989 they specialize in fresh seafood, steaks and sunsets. I had a crab cake sandwich roll and it was delicious. Ray ordered his usual, very well done hamburger.
Next, we visited the Victorian Hereford Inlet Lighthouse built in 1874 in North Wildwood. Located near the entrance to Hereford Inlet, which leads from the Atlantic Ocean to the Intra-Coastal Waterway linking Maine to Florida. The fixed white Light is 57 feet above sea level and visible at a distance of 13 nautical miles. http://www.blogger.com/www.herefordlighthouse.org.
I was thoroughly impressed with their gardens with over 200 plant varieties of flowers, shrubs, and trees. Some flowered shrubs are certainly not seen down in Florida. The Victorian cottage-style gardens have won many awards and is such a beautiful place to visit.

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Gettysburg, PA

2009-10-20T15:42:00.004-04:00

Monday, July 06, 2009 - Beautiful day to travel the two hours to Gettysburg and Artillery Ridge Camping Resort next to Gettysburg Battlefield. We left Thousand Trails Hershey Preserve around 9am. We will really miss this park with paved roads, beautiful tall trees, rolling hills that surround us, and very large sites. The geese that bothered us last year with all their poop were not a problem as we were located up the hill and our neighbor was up early each morning with a broom to shoo them gently back to the lake below. We are not “allowed” to harass the geese, but this gentle reminder is acceptable.

We arrived at Artillery Ridge Camping Resort around 11 am. We are all the way in the rear of a very large park. They cater to people with horses as well and have plenty of stables available.

We saw the rental horses leave several times on their one- hour guided ride. This is one park in our opinion not up to par, especially for what they ask in park rents, $42 for Saturday/Sunday. Thankfully we used Good Sam and RPI discounts to get the average day to $18. The dirt/gravel roads really caused a lot of dirt on all three vehicles. We found out that this is Gettysburg’s Annual Bike Week. Everywhere we looked there were bikers.

The Gettysburg Battlefield is much larger than most people expect--more than 10,000 acres--and it is crisscrossed by more than 40 miles of battlefield avenues. Most of these avenues are one-way, posing something of a challenge to first-time visitors driving themselves over the field as they often wish to backtrack as the sequence of battle events becomes better understood.

If you love history of the Civil War, Gettysburg National Military Park is the place to be. The state-of-art facility has 30 min. film and Cyclorama Painting, and great collection of artifacts and interactive exhibits.

Rays Comments: A New Birth of Freedom 1860. One out of every three whites owned slaves. There were four million slaves at the start of the Civil War. Main Battle July 1 - 16,000 either died wounded or captured on both sides. 3rd Day - Union Army was winning -- Cannons in action 150 Conf. 100 Union Union Army held the HIGH ridges - the Confederates retreated 1863 Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address - the Civil War lasted two more years. 7,000 died and 44,000 wounded. The Emancipation Proclamation consists of two executive orders issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. The first one, issued September 22, 1862, declared the freedom of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863. The second order, issued January 1, 1863, named ten specific states where it would apply. Lincoln issued the Executive Order by his authority as "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy" under Article II, section 2 of the United States Constitution. Some slavery continued to be legal, and to exist, until the institution was ended by the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment on December 18, 1865. The Gettysburg Address is a speech by Abraham Lincoln and one of the most quoted speeches in United States history. regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American history. In just over two minutes, Lincoln invoked the principles of human equality espoused by the Declaration of Independence and redefined the Civil War as a struggle not merely for the Union, but as "a new birth of freedom" that would bring true equality to all of its citizens, and that would also create a unified nation in which states' rights were no longer dominant. Rays Comments: A New Birth of Freedom 1860. One out of every three whites owned slaves. There were four million slaves at the start of the Civil War. Main Battle July 1 - 16,000 either died wounded or captured on both sides. 3rd Day - Union Army was winning -- Cannons in action 150 Confederate 100 Union Union Army held the HIGH ridges - the Confederates retreated 1863 Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address - the Civil War lasted two more years. 7,000 died and 44,000 wounded. Tuesday, July 07, 2009 - If you love history of the Civil War, Gettysburg National Military Park is the place to be. The state-of-art facility has 30 min. film and Cyclorama Painting, and great collection of artifacts and interactive exhibits.

Thursday, July 9 - We decided to get some errands done and go to lunch at Historic Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg.

Built in 1810 with over 100 bullet holes (white spots) in the house left from the Battle of Gettysburg. Very friendly staff and the interior is filled with photos and a case of artifacts from the Civil War era. It is one of the most recognized Inns in America.

Some of the pictures taken around the town.

Schaefferstown, PA

2009-10-20T14:49:00.003-04:00

July 2, 09 - we drove to see Schaefferstown, PA, founded in 1763. Along the road towards our destination, there were plenty of dairy farms, sheep, cattle, and rolling hills filled with corn crops. Sometimes we saw potato crops as well, and a myriad of flowers everywhere. We stopped to see the noted Fountain Park on South Market Street, the oldest documented public works system and oldest Chartered Waterworks in the United States. It is spring fed fountain. Not much to look at but the water is still used by the townspeople for portable household water. We saw an historic tavern The Franklin House Tavern and Inn on Market Street and after taking pictures of the town square, we decided to eat lunch there. The food was excellent and much too much to eat so took some home. Loved the sweet potato fries.

It was a real treat to speak to the owner who took us upstairs to an outside patio he had built for patrons to enjoy the outdoors. I asked the owner if the tavern was noted for being haunted and found out it is. Several paranormal groups have visited and found odd things, especially in Room #3 where there is a lot of energy felt. The owner two years ago purchased the run-down dilapidated building and proceeded to make it look like it did in its hay-day. When he had changed out all the light bulbs the bulbs blew all at one time, although they were on separate circuits. When he had started to paint a room, leaving late one night with three cans of yellow paint, lids on tight, he arrived in the morning to find the lids off and the paint had been tossed up onto the ceiling and walls. Once the three new stoves were installed, they all stopped working every Friday for a month. Each Saturday, they would start working again.

The tavern was established in 1746 and was a stopping place for travelers where they could rest in the rooms upstairs and also stable their horses. The owner told us there are underground tunnels to this day and were used to hide from the Indians. There were two known Indian raids in Schaefferstown. Schaefferstown is one of the only surviving Baroque-planned Germanic towns in America, and is a rare example of the culturally-distinct German building typology.

We took another route to return home and passed through small communities like Newsmanstown.

HERSHEY & LANCASTER PA (Bird In The Hand)

2009-10-20T14:30:00.000-04:00

Monday, June 15 - Beautiful day to travel from ROD park Roaring Run in Champion PA to Hershey Thousand Trails Preserve, Lebanon PA. Took turnpike to Hershey. A lot of road construction. We drove through several tunnels. As we bypass Harrisburg we could see the city skyline in the distance. As we near Hershey, we see corn fields right in the heart of town.

We drove through Campbell Town where we will pick up our mail unless it is shipped Fed X or UPS. We arrived around 11 AM and one site was still available up on the hill that would be satellite friendly. Another site became available and a friendly neighbor told us about it so we moved.

We had quite the crowd waiting for Ray to offload the Gold Wing from our truck.

The weather has been fluctuating from highs at 64 degrees to 87. Rainy at times. The breezes are constant and with humidity at 53% it feels quite cool in the low 80s.

Ray rode his bike this morning as well and took some pictures of the surrounding landscape. Even a shot of 3-Mile Island Nuclear Power Plant.

Palmyra is located in the Lebanon Valley between Annville and Hershey and has plenty of shopping. Known as the Sinkhole Capital of Pennsylvania. The land on which Palmyra rests was originally home to the Lenape and Susquehannock tribes. The first European explorers and traders came to the region around 1650. Settlers were drawn to the area because of its rich land and abundance of fish and game. From October 1991 to October 1993 the Borough of Palmyra spent an estimated $900,000 in repair costs for eight sinkholes. Despite their efforts, sinkholes continue to create headaches for the people of Palmyra.
Thursday, June 25 - Decided to drive to Bird In The Hand and visit an Amish community. Our drive took about an hour due to road repairs here and there and also rough roads through small townships. We passed through Mount Gretna.

Created in 1889 as a summer colony by Robert Habersham Coleman, an iron processing and railroad industrialist whose Cornwall Iron Furnace still stands nearby and is open to the public, the community was a pleasure stop on what was then Coleman's Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad.

Beautiful United Methodist Church in Cornwall PA

Between 1889 and 1916, when it was shut down, Mount Gretna was the terminus of the C&L RR line known as the Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway, a tourist railway to the top of Governor Dick Mountain nearby. We also passed through other small towns, as well as East Petersburg, a more modern town with your usual shopping districts and wide streets.

We saw petunias still thriving as well as many, many day lilies.
Pennsylvania Dutch Country. We arrived at Plain & Fancy Amish Country Homestead (celebrating their 50th anniversary) for their 45-minute tour of an original Amish home. The Amish Country Homestead is a reflection of their commitment to accurately and sensitively portray the Amish as they live and work in today's world. Walked through the nine room, two floored home and from the pantry stocked full of freshly canned vegetables to family's plain clothes ... from propane-powered lamps to air-compressor driven appliances...the Amish Country Homestead truly provides an insight into the complex riddles of a culture so very different from our own.

The community of Bird-in-Hand was founded in 1734. The legend of the naming of Bird-in-Hand concerns the time when the Old Philadelphia Pike was surveyed between Lancaster and Philadelphia. According to legend, two road surveyors discussed whether they should stay at their present location or go on to the town of Lancaster. One of them supposedly said, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," and so they stayed.
Some Pennsylvania Dutch Proverbs: “Kissin’ wears out, cookin’ don’t.” “No woman can be happy with less than 7 to cook for.” Weather Sayings: “The chill is on, near and far, in all the months that have an “r.” “No weather is ill, if the wind is still.” “Clear moon, Frost soon.” “When stars begin to huddle, the earth will soon begin to puddle.”
The average farm size in PA is 133 acres. One in seven jobs are related to agriculture.

Wilmington, OH / Roaring Run RV Park, Champion PA

2009-10-09T11:17:00.001-04:00

Thursday, June 4 - We left the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington KY around 9:30 after going to the “dump” station (park has no sewer). We took our time due to the mass of rain about to hit the area we were heading to. Temperature around 65 degrees, and miserable weather to drive in to Wilmington, Ohio. We arrived at the Wilmington Thousand Trails preserve at 11:45. The park was filled so we went to the highest point where there was one site that we felt we could live with. We had Verizon (internet slow) and AT&T worked.

Friday, June 5 - Beautiful day here in Wilmington Ohio. Lows are 55 at night and mid-70s during the day. Sun shining brightly. We walked down to the lake and saw they also have Canada geese and poo is everywhere. Had to really watch out for Mitzy. It was an enjoyable walk.

We then went out to eat for my birthday (6/7) to beat the weekend crowds.

The restaurant is Der Dutchman, an Amish Kitchen Cooking up crowd-pleasing foods at a very reasonable price. I ordered their chicken because it is without any type of drugs and are free-range. It was also broasted, not fried. It was awesome along with “real” mashed potatoes and chicken gravy. The Amish cooking is bland so we were able to eat without the salt effect that most restaurants have. They also serve family-style dinners for four to twenty-four. I’d give this place a five-star for food and service. We bought an apple pie to take home and it was excellent.
Monday, June 8 - We left Wilmington Thousand Trails Park, Ohio to travel to an ROD park - Roaring Run, Champion PA. Wilmington was a very nice stay and we had good weather. During our five hour drive we saw plenty of corn fields with 8” high crops looking very healthy. Also a lot of wheat fields.

Once we started to see mountainous terrain we crossed the Ohio River going into West Virginia. There was plenty of industry along the river and Wheeling. We went a short distance on the USS West Virginia Memorial Highway. The USS West Virginia battleship was among 19 U.S. ships that were sunk or damaged at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. The attack killed more than 2,000 U.S. servicemen. We passed by old neighborhoods off in the distance with steep pitched rooflines. Portions of the roads we started to climb have steep grades at 1,400’. Around noon we crossed the Pennsylvania state line. Roads were very bad with pot holes, uneven cracks in the seams, and very narrow. Due to the rough, roads, we lost our passenger side front hub cap. Ray won’t get a replacement until we are back in Florida.
We arrived at Roaring Run RV Resort around 2pm. Roaring Run sits within a lushly shaded area of every tree imaginable. They have an Olympic-size swimming pool and plenty of activities for children and adults during the weekends during the summer. We also found the staff to be quite friendly. We selected site 89 to be in the clearing of trees and receive satellite instead of using the park’s free cable access. All electronics work fine at this park. The park has no sewer and causes us to order a “dump” of the tanks by the park for $12. The roads are rutted and very steep in places.

People in the park burn wood fires day and night so there is always a smell of wood smoke whenever you go outside. We keep our windows closed and the a/c running due to the humidity and smoke. Resorts of Distinction (ROD) writes this park up as a 5-star.
The area of Laurel Highlands in the Allegheny Mountains is filled with parks, forests, trails, water and golf. Nearby is Ohiopyle State Park home to Youghiogheny River with its dramatic rafting routes and gorgeous waterfalls.

Tuesday, June 09 - Morning was overcast skies with threat of rain during the day. Walked with Mitzy up the hill toward a ravine where you could hear the Roaring Run River and it is “roaring” all the time. Drove the truck over to Summerset to get a few groceries and check out the area. Somerset was a central stage for the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. Also on the map due to September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93, bound from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco and one of the four planes hijacked that day by al-Qaeda operatives, crashed near Somerset in Shanksville, killing all 45 persons on board. It is believed that hijackers intended to fly this plane into the White House or the U.S. Capitol.
Fort Ligonier is a full-scale, on-sight reconstruction of the original fort that Great Britain used from 1758-1766 while fighting the French. We took a drive north to visit Fort Ligonier at Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Ray took a side road to drive through a beautiful valley and reached a height of 1,700 ft. on Rt. 381. In the middle of the 18th century, Great Britain and France went to war over the ownership of the inner basin of North America. It is now known as the Seven Years’ War as it became a struggle world-wide; the conflict in America was known as the French and Indian War. The post was constructed in September 1758 and was to serve as a critical supply depot. During the eight year existence as a garrison, Fort Ligonier was never taken by an enemy.

The fort was decommissioned from active service March 1766. The spacious modern museum features five indoor exhibition galleries and provides a portal to the eighteenth century fort. After over two centuries in private hands, Fort Ligonier acquired Washington’s “saddle” pistols. Also locked away for over two hundred years, the original manuscript of George Washington is displayed. Washington vividly recollects his military experience on the Pennsylvania frontier some thirty years earlier. It was well worth seeing.

After seeing the fort we drove about 20 minutes to Mount Pleasant, located at the foothills of the Laurel Highlands, very close to vacation and ski areas.
Railroad Station Restaurant and Inn

Mount Pleasant is one of the oldest towns in Southwestern Pennsylvania, formed 1771. I read about the local Railroad Station Restaurant and Inn. It is a 122 year old hotel and Train Gift Shoppe. It has 17 Victorian rooms featuring famous train décor. The restaurant shows its age, but the food was very reasonable and decent. The station was built in 1883 as well as Kessler Boarding House. In 1945 it became a restaurant and hotel. Fourteen ghosts reportedly inhabit the 123-year-old inn.
Saturday, June 13 - We drove the countryside and visit Fort Necessity National Battlefield near Farmington. The drive through our RV park was very rutted from the rains and uncomfortable to drive. There were a lot more families in trailers and/or tents arriving for the weekend. Wood-burning fires were the norm, filling the air and nostrils with the sometimes unpleasant smell. We drove on the Laurel Highlands Scenic Highway on our way to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwaters. It is considered by many as the supreme example of Wright’s concept of organic architecture. A tour of the house and grounds requires 1 to 2.5 hours and the fees were more than anticipated. There is a guard gate to be sure we could not take any pictures. Kentucky Knob is another Frank Lloyd Wright design constructed of native sandstone, tidewater cypress, and copper that blends with the surround nature. We decided not to take a tour.
Fort Necessity National Battlefield is located about 11 miles from Uniontown along the historic National Road (Route 40) in Farmington. It is a state-of-the-art interpretive and Education Center and we enjoyed their displays very much. We were not able to walk the 300 yards downhill to view the original fort and battlefield. This is actually a reconstruction of the fort that Washington built in 1854. The Battle of Fort Necessity marked the beginning of the French and Indian War in 1754. It is an odd fact of history that George Washington came to own the land on which he fought his first battle. He bought it in 1769, 15 years after surrendering his Fort Necessity.

We drove up the hill behind the museum to see Mount Washington Tavern and found it amazing how well this original structure has survived all these years. Travelers stopping at the Mt. Washington Tavern were pleased to find a commodious brick and stone tavern of eleven rooms in two stories, with an attic and basement. Built around 1827 by Judge Nathaniel Ewing of Uniontown, the Tavern was operated by James and Rebecca Sampey and did a lively business from the time it opened. Here you will find memorabilia of the era where the National Road (Route 40) helped build a new nation.

We had an excellent lunch at this historic restaurant in Farmington PA.

One of the original inns along the National Road (present day U.S. Route 40), the Stone House has a 175+ year history of providing rest for the weary traveler. Since 1822, the Stone House has hosted both dignitaries and common folk alike, providing comfort and the finest food to be found in our area of the Laurel Highlands. Today, the Stone House Victorian Bed and Breakfast Suites provide guests with comfortable quarters that are decorated charmingly with period furnishings and linens, but also include modern amenities. The Stone Room is the gathering room. It has a television, telephone, books, games, and puzzles for inn guests to use. The New Zeigler wing features modern rooms that include televisions and private baths. All inn guests receive a continental breakfast of homemade breads and muffins at no extra charge.

We drove further north to see the Nemacolin Castle that has gazed upon the Monongahela River since the late 1700s. It is a landmark and focal point of Brownsville, one of the most historically important towns in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Nemacolin Castle property was one of the mounded sites within early Brownsville.

It is also referred to as the residence occupied by Nemacolin shortly before Col. Burd arrived. Nemacolin was the Native American who helped white settlers set the course of what is now Route 40 past the Castle. Most likely, the site of the Castle was a fortified village, though there were at least two or three other mounded sites within view of it, some of which were probably much older and may have included burials. Nemacolin Castle's unique site is intrinsically linked to certain circumstances that molded what is Brownsville today. Redstone (now called Brownsville) was a frequent point of embarkation for travelers who were heading west via the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. The major attraction of these early settlers to Brownsville was two fold. One, Brownsville was positioned at the western end of the National Pike, U.S. Route 40.

The other was the easy access to the Monongahela River where a vast flatboat building industry that later evolved into the largest steamboat industry developed during the 19th century. This access to the river provide a "jumping off" point for settlers headed into the western frontier. The Monongahela converges with the Ohio River at Pittsburgh and allowed for quick traveling to the western frontier.

Kentucky Horse Park and Campground, Lexington KY

2009-10-06T16:06:00.003-04:00

June 1, 2009 Ray's Reflections: We had planned to make our next stop N.E. of Cincinnati, Ohio, until Marsha discovered we were passing Lexington, Ky. (HORSES). We rescheduled and had a 3-night stop at the KENTUCKY HORSE PARK. WOW! What a treat that was. I could talk pages about this place. Everything and anything you want to know about horses is here. From huge 2000+lbs Clydesdale to Shetland ponies, mares, stallions, colts, many show horses including Arabians. And let’s not forget about the racers, past and present. Memorials to the great ones like Man O' War, Secretariat and others. Trivia: Man O' War had the longest stride in a race at 28 ft. Near the stables, we saw numerous huge horse trailers that look like livable dwellings.
At 8am we drove from Diamond Caverns Mammoth Cave to the Kentucky Horse Park and Campground, Lexington Kentucky. We traveled I-65 to Bluegrass Parkway. The road takes you through beautiful country The road has cut deeply into the sides of mountains and the rocks are still without vegetation because they are sheared off so steep.

The RV park is massive, beautiful, and well worth the stop. I thought we had beautiful horse ranches around Ocala, Florida, and we do. Now, after seeing the ranches around this area, I know where they got their origin.

Most of the homes you see are constructed of red brick. Farms with silos are everywhere. We passed the Lincoln Homestead State Park. As soon as we drew near Lexington, the horse ranches were everywhere with either black/brown fences or white.

The green “blue” grass of Kentucky is so beautiful and the landscapes look like they were just mowed. We arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park RV site at 10:30 am. Very nice drive.

Giant Schnauzer

The campground is beautiful. Sites have plenty of room and fields of grass are in abundance. We saw many families with several dogs and found out there was a dog show on the premises that weekend. We met our neighbors, Ron and Peggy Vaughn who do not fulltime yet. They have a camper. Their huge dog is a Giant Schnauzer, an intelligent, versatile working dog. Bold and spirited. Calm, loyal, loving and responsible, their dog was a rescue dog as his previous owner couldn’t manage such a large dog. We had a great time talking about a variety of subjects.
The park cost us $26 a night and we stayed three nights. With campers we received a $3 per person discount on the tickets to see the Kentucky Horse Park the next day. At $12 per person, we thoroughly enjoyed the tours and feel the fee was certainly worth the trip.

We took a drive to see the historic town of Paris, chartered in 1790. Paris is home to Xalapa and Claiborne Farms, prominent thoroughbred race horse breeding operations. Triple Crown winner Secretariat retired to Claiborne Farm and is buried there, as is the immortal Buck Passer.

This log building lined with adz-hewn cherry was built as a tavern. In 1795 it became first post office in Paris. Thomas Eades then served as tavern owner and postmaster. Robert Trimble had home and law office here before becoming U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1826. It became site of Lizzie Walker's private school. Listed on National Register of Historic Places, 1973.

Mammoth Cave, KY

2009-10-06T14:37:00.005-04:00

Ray's Reflections: At age 5 or 6, I visited The Mammoth Cave, but do not remember much. Marsha was never here. Our planned schedule included visits to the caves and tours of the surrounding area. The first excursion was to Bowling Green, 25mi south, to tour The Lost River Cave underground boat ride. We thought our legs would be better off riding than walking with Mammoth Cave coming up in a couple of days.

History of the cave goes back to Indian days, civil war, and making the claim as the first air-conditioned nightclub in the US. Constant cave temps around 54. The gift shop had many pictures of couples in the 20s & 30s with men in suits and ties and the women in flapper skirts dancing in the cave’s nightclub at the entrance. The boat ride was less than historical, if you can call a 400-foot ride a boat ride (200 ft into and 200 ft out). Who said everything one does has to be worth it?
At the Mammoth Cave, we elected to take a short tour (2 hr) which included the Niagara Falls room. Some of the tours lasted almost all day The tour started at the bottom of a small dry sinkhole through a steel door in the side of the hill with a concrete hallway 7-foot high, 4-feet wide and about 100-ft. long.

It is designed to separate intrusion from the outside world, animals birds, bats etc. This was not a natural entrance into the cave but man made. The property owners searched for years to locate a new entrance into the cave. Thus the name New Entrance to this section. At the other end of this hallway through another door was an almost vertical drop of 250-ft. which we descended twisting and turning on a stairway made of sturdy aluminum and stainless with hand rails all very wet from water seeping into the cave. There were many low overhangs causing us to duck down almost to our waist. Before we entered the cave, our guide made a comment about being claustrophobic, if we made it through the hallway, we could make it the rest of the way. However, he did not mention waist sizes, maybe he should have because some of the areas on the stairs were tight for others on the tour. Our guide was very well versed on the cave history and geological aspects. He made the tour very enjoyable. We had three anticipated rest stops, with no restrooms untill we reached the surface.

The Niagara was more than we expected. I only took 260 photos total, thank heaven for the delete button. What a great tour. Well worth it! A many bats naturally, and crickets. And of course the famous turn the lights off tests, that was true darkness-----nothing------We were thinking about another cave tour but after consideration we decided against it, besides the legs and joints aren’t what they use to be. Highly recommend.
Bike riding around the Mammoth Cave area was very enjoyable. Many good back roads passing small farms with tractors working the fields. You have to stay alert on the roads as you never know what is around the next turn or over the next blind hill, from farm machinery to horse-drawn trailers on the road doing a blazing 5-15 MPH, after all it is their roadway, not mine.

The smell of spring is in the air; tilled ground with a hint of clay, cow-horse-sheep-goat-pastures, and chicken farms. I was impressed with the farms, ranches, and private residents maintaining their yards, always looking just mowed, whether the yard is 50-ft or 500-ft deep. Umm, the smell of fresh cut grass that looks like fine angle hair. This area is dotted with Amish farms and their carriages, very friendly with a wave as I pass, but I take no personal photos out of courtesy.

I did take a ride on the back roads to Lincoln’s birthplace. A lot of history there, north of our park, 40 miles as the crow flies, but that day I put on 160 miles. Nice weather - nice day.

2009 Branson, Missouri

2009-09-28T19:31:00.003-04:00

There's an old folk saying about the Ozark Mountains: "It's not that the mountains are so high, it's just that the valleys are so deep."

It's true. The Ozark Mountains in Arkansas are a heavily eroded plateau, pushed up eons ago and carved out by hundreds of streams over thousands of years. Nature worked wonders, and today the diversity of these highlands is endless.
Ray's Comments: We had heard about the Branson area from many people, so we decided to include this area in our trip this summer. We arrived in Branson after delaying our departure from the previous park. There were severe storm warnings with tornados in the Branson area. We try to avoid rain-slick roads, not to mention the mess it causes on the RV, Truck & Bike. Branson was spared the tornados, but had 70-MPH straight-line winds and several people died to the west from tornados. Our first three days were hampered with weather warnings. Little did we know that Missouri is part of tornado alley, next door to Kansas. However, we escaped most of the bad weather with mostly rain. During our stay in an RV park behind the IMAX theater, we enjoyed three shows: The Twelve Irish Tenors, Shoji, and Yakov—At the IMAX: The Ozarks, Safari, and Angels & Demons.
I rode the bike a total of 300+ miles and Marsha and I had several road trips including Sheppard of the Hills Tower that overlooks the area's highest point. We were warned that summer is very busy in Branson, so we took the Sheppard of the Hills Blvd or BLUE route from the interstate to our park. We never got caught in a traffic nightmare that we had heard about.
Branson is built on a very hilly area with gorges, elevation 400 to 800ft. Our introduction to Branson in the RV was a downhill run with a 300-ft drop and a fairly sharp left-hand turn at the bottom with an outwardly sloping 4-lane road. Well, here we come, all 40,000+ lbs, on the inside lane expecting a nice inwardly banking turn at the bottom -- RV wheels did not leave the ground, but close, when I noticed a car in my mirror on my right side. And I was under the speed limit. Forget about tornados, that was enough excitement for one day. Thank heaven for air brakes and white knuckles. Marsha did not say a word, until later.
Several people and Marsha’s searching the net directed us toward the shows we selected. Most of the show prices range from $30 to $50. Our opinion, for what it is worth, is that The Twelve Tenors and Yakov were the best. The Tenors were very good looking and sing they did, for almost two hours, and they have a very entertaining program. The Russian comedian, Yakov, was very good. The Japanese violinist, Shoji, had a fair program, but came in third. All of them were good and they all have been in Branson for many years and have their own buildings, and are not guests at someone else’s venue. There are many other shows available that we heard were very good as well. Only so much time and $$$$..There are a lot of huge billboards along the major roads making driving and locating things very taxing. Recommend picking up AAA city map, a big help. The roads are very good in and out of town. In town mostly four lane with a center turn lane and new roads are being built. There are a number of camp grounds in and around the city.Motorcycling in the Ozarks on a beautiful day is something to remember, although the elevations cannot be compared to other parts of our country. Nice rolling hills with friendly curves and great scenery all along picturesque Table Rock Lake. Traffic was light and the roads were good. The area has had much rain resulting in everything blooming and so lush and green. Some small farms dot the countryside.
On the weekend there was a motorcycle rally on the south central area of town, a lot of bikes from all over were in town. I did not ride there - usually I avoid rallies.We enjoyed our 12-day stay, the park was very large, spacious, and close to all activities, and the daily visit from a local skunk added to the ambiance.

Some of the most scenic rivers and majestic lakes in America are here to enjoy in the Arkansas Ozarks. Trout floats on the White, Little Red and Spring Rivers, plus bass and pan-fish outings on the lakes and smaller streams, make for world-class fishing action. Recreational boating, canoeing and swimming are also on the agenda of many visitors.

Upon arrival at Treasure Lake Resort in Branson, we drove the Phase 4 area reserved for non-members. We tried two sites that looked satellite friendly, but neither could accommodate our rig and have room to park the truck and motorcycle. A park ranger saw our dilemma and suggested we look in Phase 2, although for members only, we were allowed to stay.

Monday, May 11 - It was off and on clouds with small showers here and there. We went to visit the Inspiration Tower that is Branson's "landmark on the horizon" --We both felt it was not worth the $10 per person ticket to go to the top. It is a massive 230' tall structure located on Inspiration Point in The Shepherd of the Hills Homestead. Constructed and erected in 1989, the Tower's opening celebrated the 100th anniversary of Harold Bell Wright's first visit to the area. It weighs 3 million pounds, cost approximately $1.5 million to build, contains over 92,000 pounds of structural steel, and can withstand a constant wind of 172 mph or gusts of up to 224 mph! A convoy of 43 concrete trucks filled the Tower foundation, which contains five miles' worth of rebar weighing 34.5 tons. The Tower also contains over 4,400 square feet of glass - enough to cover a third of a football field!

In the afternoon we went to see the 12 Irish Tenors and their show was well worth the $33 ticket. We were able to sit on the front row center because of a cancelation, so we were able to really see the singers. We have our favorites, but they all had great voices and blended so well together. This hugely talented group of Ireland's finest singers are taking the concert world by storm as they perform their award-winning show in concert halls everywhere. Sold out tours in Europe and America have made this show one of the "hottest" production in years.! From Opera to Pop, from Jazz to Classical, this show is a fabulous smash hit! Songs include "Danny Boy", "That’s Life", "You Raise Me Up", "Hey Jude", "Twist and Shout", "Yesterday", "Cockles and Mussels", "Nessun Dorma", "Music of the Night", and more!
Tuesday, May 12 - It was 58 degrees this morning. Ray took the Honda for a ride. The sky is overcast, but weather radar does not show showers.
Table Rock Dam is located in the SW corner of Branson. It is massive and holding back Table Rock Lake running into Lake Taneycomo (White River). Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery is at the base of Table Rock Dam. In 1882, Rueben Branson opened a general store and post office in the area. Branson was formally incorporated in 1912 and construction of the Powersite Dam nearby on the White River, which would form Lake Taneycomo, was completed. 1958 saw the completion of Table Rock Dam on the White River, which created Table Rock Lake.

Branson Landing is new shopping along Lake Taneycomo waterfront and adjacent to old Branson which slopes from US 65 to the lake. At the north end of the Landing is Belk’s and the south end has Bass Pro Shop with many retail stores in between. In the NE corner of Branson just off of US 65 is a new shopping complex with Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target and many more stores.

The months of April, May and June are noted for northern fronts that spawn many tornados and large wind storms forming in Oklahoma and Kansas and sweeping east and south of Branson. The surrounding roads are good motorcycle riding especially around Table Rock Lake.
At 3pm we saw our next show, Shoji Tabuchi, the violinist. An exciting musical and variety entertainment in a palatial setting. All is showcased in a theatre that is a phenomenon in itself...often called the "Showplace of Branson." Its decor is reminiscent of the grand theatre palaces of the 1930's. Even the restrooms have awed visitors. The ladies' powder room is complete with wainscoting and ceiling reproduced from the 1890's Empire Period. To the ladies amazement, there are live cut orchids at every granite and onyx pedestal sink. Add to all that stained and jeweled glass and magnificent chandeliers! Although I did not see it, the men's lounge is no less imposing, with black lion head sinks imported from Italy, black leather chairs and a marble fireplace. The billiard room contains a hand carved mahogany billiard table, a viewing gallery, and a burled walnut mirror that was built in 1868.
Thursday, May 14 - We had purchased tickets to see Yakov Smirnoff at 3pm. We enjoyed every minute of this show.

He is a two-time Comedian of the Year and has quite a reputation as the famous Russian Comedian. He delivers explosive laughter in a show filled with brilliant special effects, dazzling dancing, heartfelt moments, and just plain fun. Yakov’s entire show is packed with comedic tall tales and witty perceptions, funny facts and huge laughs. Yakov's comedy focuses on the dynamics between men and women, the happiness that can be found inside oneself, and a celebration of the spirit of life. He shares a vision of the world where laughter truly is the best medicine. Yakov's prescription for healthy living includes explosive laughter backed up with the best of human compassion. During this inspiring show filled with patriotism and love of family, Yakov delivers humor for the heart over and over again! As Yakov says, "What A Country", you'll be cheering for the red, white, and blue !
Friday, May 15 - We drove through the downtown area of “old” Branson. Their main street is very busy and the shops looked interesting, but we didn’t have time to browse. We had a very nice lunch at the Fish House Restaurant.
It is sitting on a dock in the middle of the lake. Located at the Branson Landing, owned by the Bass Pro Shop and behind it on the dock.
White River Fish House has moderate prices. If you are a fish lover, they have a variety of fish to choose from, such as Flounder, Walleye, Mahi, and Salmon.

Saturday, May 16 - We had rain off and on last night, but today finally cleared up and we had sunshine at times. Cooler weather with a high in mid-60s, going down to 40 tonight. We went to see Safari at the IMAX theater and loved the beauty of Africa and the five major animals sought after for pictures. Bought beef filets on sale at the Country Store. First time we have used the grill since leaving Florida.

Monday, May 18 - Beautiful day with a high of 74 degrees. We went to the IMEX theater complex and saw the new release of Angels & Demons, an adaptation of the book by Dan Brown. Since I read the book two years ago, I had forgotten the ending so it was very entertaining to me. Ray also liked it. We both enjoyed seeing all the views of Rome above the ground and of course the “replica” of the interior of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel that we visited on our vacation in Italy years ago.

Florida/Georgia/Alabama/Tennessee/Arkansas

2009-09-27T14:41:00.014-04:00

Monday, May 04 - We took our time and left Spirit of the Suwannee in Live Oak around 8:30 am. Our drive on I-75 was pleasant, especially since we feared that thunderstorms would be upon us. Atlanta South RV Resort outside Atlanta at McDonough, Georgia. One night cost of $32.40 with discount, but we have 50-amp service. Therefore, we can do a few loads of laundry. The park entrance is very nice looking, with the newly constructed clubhouse.

The park is very lacking in physical beauty, but the web site says they are “working” on the sites. A lot of trailers and what looks like long-term sites. The manager told Ray that two years ago two tornadoes crossed paths right on top of the park and yet no one was injured. A few big rigs that did not heed the signs of high winds and take their slides in found the slide sucked out by the tornado. Quite a story. Many signs of the huge trees that were put on their sides and have been cut out of the way. The pines here are so tall, you don’t expect to receive satellite tv, but the tornadoes have taken out the limbs at least sixty feet up the bark, so we are enjoying satellite after six nights on cable at our last stop.

Tuesday, May 05 - It rained last night, but the skies are clear this morning. We delayed our departure due to notice that there was a major traffic jam on the interstate. We didn’t run into any delays, except the normal flow, at times on seven lanes. Once we went through Rome, Georgia, we were in the Appalachian foothills with winding curves with hills and everything is so green due to all the rain. We saw a lot of standing water in the ditches beside the road. We were soon crossing over Little River Falls located off scenic Highway 35, next to the bridge in Gaylesville, Alabama. The formation of Little River Canyon begins here with a rushing 45-foot waterfall. Moving in the RV meant no photos were taken. The drive today was highly stressful, so Pepcid was in order - my leg was banged up on the shinbone when I opened the door and forgot the steps were going to automatically come out because the motor was not off yet. My mistake.
This is a very nice park on a huge lake, problem is they have had so much rain, a lot of sites are either under water, or look good (grassy) and when you drive on them, you are bogged down, which is what happened to us. Needless to say, Ray was not a happy camper... but he drove the RV out (made a horrible mess of the grass/mud site).

Mountain Lakes Resort is located on the Tennessee River's 68,000-acre Guntersville Lake, Langston Alabama. The lake is noted for its speedboat races, fishing tournaments and other water sports. Only seven miles away is the Guntersville State Park Lodge and Convention Center and 18 hole golf course. When we pulled into the park, we found that most sites were very soggy from the rains.

However, we have a bigger problem with Canada Geese everywhere and oodles of babies. The goose poo is everywhere so when I walked Mitzy, I had a hard time keeping her out of it and my shoes were full of it.

We could only find a 30-amp site that we hope we won’t have trouble pulling out of in the morning, and we can get satellite here out in the open. It is mid-70s so quite pleasant outside and so far no bugs. They become a nuisance. Oh, well it is only one night stay, so anything can be endured.

Wednesday, May 06 - Still at Mountain Lakes Resort. The storms started around 3:30 am and kept us awake. Very large rain mass and lots of thunder. We have survived our first “tornado warning” and we are so glad we purchased our new Emergency weather radio before leaving Florida. With Mitzy in tow, we got in our truck, parked next to the rec building in the park, and listened to NOAA. Wasn’t sure we could take Mitzy into the rec building, but would have if the warning was imminent. Not only was Guntersville, Alabama in the tornado warning area, but also there are flash floods on roads in this area. We didn’t have to go in the rec center and we are now safe and sound in our RV debating leaving and heading towards our next one-night stop @ Cherokee Landing, Saulsbury TN. We figure the flash floods are on side roads and will not affect SR 72. We left around noon CDT with light rain most of the way.
We arrived at Thousand Trails Cherokee Landing in Saulsbury around 5:30 pm and had to call the park ranger to open the gate. The ranger guided us up hill to a rather large site, but not quite level. Very pleasant woman and most accommodating. This park has no site for satellite, but we were too tired to care after our ordeal with the long wait before departure. Did not hook up anything but electric for the a/c. We heard from a neighbor that there are no more than ten RVs in the park at a given time because the sites are not usable and the roads are washed out and have potholes. Too bad, as the setting is beautiful and the hardwood trees are magnificent.

The location is also out of the way, so that may be another reason no one stays at this park.
Thursday, May 7 - We left Cherokee Landing around 8:30 am to drive 230 miles to Golden Pond RV Resort in Shirley Arkansas. As we traveled, we saw many flooded rivers that have made marshland out of farms. Sometimes we saw a foot of standing water covering the land. After five hours and bypassing Memphis and driving Rt. 16 through the Ozark Mountains, we arrived. The drive was beautiful with twisty turns through treed forests around 1,200 ft. Cattle farms everywhere. Golden Pond is a very small park located near Greer’s Ferry Lake. The owner was very nice and led us on foot to a pull-through site. He allowed Ray to wash the entire coach of the mud acquired during our last two stops. The nearby stream was overflowing into a pond, the landscape is quite rough and steep walking is required.

Friday, May 08 - We are stuck in the park waiting for a huge mass of thunderstorms to go through the St. Louis area that includes Branson. Ray hopes that the path of the storm will be northeast of us once we hit the road again. We left Golden Pond around 11:30 am with wet roads. Fortunately the park owner gave us different road directions to take out of the park or we would have run into flooded areas. It was a great 2-lane road, but very narrow. The Ozark forest is beautiful and Route 65 to Branson at 50 mph sometimes rose to 1,500 elevation and is a biker’s dream.

Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak FL

2009-09-21T15:47:00.007-04:00

Tuesday, April 28 - 8:30 am we left Mt. Olive Shores, Polk City, FL to travel north to the ROD Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL We made good time traveling US 33 we, I-4 W, US 98 N, 301 N, 50 W, I-75 N, I-10 and Rt. 29. The park is very wooded with Live Oaks everywhere, of course. Thankfully there is cable. Mitzy gets totally filthy whenever we walk her due to t he dirt and leaves and no grass. At least there are paved interior roads to help keep the dirt down. We went touring the park and saw Rees Lake and the grand Suwannee River.

Rees Lake is 200 years old, spring fed, and they catch and release fish here. There are horse stables, golf court, and a lot of planned activities.
There is much to do here, but the park is very empty as they had a huge musical 3-day event last weekend. The bugs are really bad here, especially the mosquitoes. Live Oak is a city in Suwannee Count in the heart of “The Original Florida”. The community was named for the large shade tree, which was a community meeting place. Like many “old down towns”, Live Oak is barely hanging on. The token sundry store, attorney, doctor and real estate office is about all there is until you drive through to see some fast-food restaurants near the interstate connection.

Thursday, April 30 - We took the truck and left the park around 9:15 am on a beautiful clear day. Not too warm either. Drove to the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. We have never taken the time to stop, but found it very informative and the park is beautiful and very shaded with all the old oaks and Spanish moss hanging on. The Carillon Tower is not as pretty as the Bok Tower in Lake Wales, but still impressive. The 97-bell carillon at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park plays Foster's tunes daily. The carillon's electronic roller not only plays songs composed by Foster, but marks the hour and quarter hour with chimes that can be heard throughout the park. The interior base of the carillon tower is open to the public and features beautiful marble floors and walls. It serves as an extension of the museum, housing additional memorabilia and more dioramas depicting Foster's songs.

Very unusual piano.

2009 HOME BASE - Polk City Florida

2009-09-21T15:03:00.034-04:00

Lakeland was first settled in the 1870s and began to develop as the rail lines reached the area in 1884.

Friday, January 02, 2009 - We closed on our property in Mt. Olive Shores Polk City, Florida at 10:30 am. We are homeowners once again, but without the maintenance of owning a house.

Now the true work begins. We wanted to fix up the shed and make it more like a “cottage” for company to have a good place to rest and or spend the night. There is room enough to put out a queen bed and all the conveniences minus a shower. People can shower in the RV.
Friday, January 9 - It was 43 degrees this morning. Beautiful day. We received delivery on our washer/dryer from Home Depot to be placed in the closet area of the "cottage". . Ray is still painting the walls of the cottage (white) to cover numerous flaws and/or leak spots. Saturday, January 17 - The coldest day yet, with 34 degrees this morning. There was frost on the truck and some of the grass. Are we still in Florida? Coldest winter I remember and I’ve lived in Florida for over 40 years.
Saturday, January 24 - We drove to St. Petersburg to see my sister, Doreen, marry John Burdett. It was a beautiful wedding held at The Church by the Sea Madeira Beach, FL. Everything was done to perfection. Doreen's daughter-in-law and Lisa (sister) were her bridesmaids. My hand was still very painful from surgery on Monday and I wasn't sure I'd make the ceremony. The reception was also fantastic with a ton of food, drinks and dancing.

Friday, February 20 - Lisa and Chuck rode their BMW to visit and spend the night. It is the first time we have had company and we tried to make the “cottage” as comfortable as possible. We feel the Aero bed is great and holds the rock-hard mattress firm.
Saturday, February 21 - It turned very cold at 34 degrees last night. Lisa and Chuck said the bed was great except they are used to a King and this is a Queen. In addition, because they like to sleep cold around 65 degrees, the cold air from under the carpet seeped up through the mattress and their joints ached and they couldn’t get comfortable.

March 5 - Ray took the Gold Wing to see the annual Bike Week in Daytona FL.

March 5 - Ray took a ride around the area on the Gold Wing. Beautiful weather.

Friday, March 13 - We had a person in the community working on our RV engine at our location and changed out the oil. Ray feels he is did a great job. Ray also asked many questions to gain knowledge for the future. It is a beautiful day and I watered the grass heavily since we had a yardman fertilize and spray for insects last Saturday. He will be out twice before our return in October/November. We will add this service to our annual expense for owning property again.

Wednesday, April 1 - We took Mitzy to a doggie eye specialist and learned that she has lost about 50% of her vision in the left eye due to a cataract. Only surgery can fix the problem, but there can be other problems arising later and the expenses are exorbitant. They prescribed eye drops for inflammation in both eyes that will have to be a daily event. Once Mitzy’s eyes were checked, we had her regular vet take blood and the workup came back with an elevated liver enzyme off the charts. A significant sign that she has Cushing’s. This is an older dog’s illness, so we are going to get more blood work done in six months after giving her the medication every day and keeping her on a holistic diet for dogs with Cushing’s and see how the enzyme level looks.
Thursday, April 16 - Recommendation: We had Window Film Installed by Economy Glass Tinting @ 863.422.3408. Belinda did the work, daughter of the owners. It was almost 11 am before she arrived, and completed the job at 6pm. Looks like it will be a great asset to have the extra film on all our windows without awnings.
Saturday, April 25 - We took a drive to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport at 5:30 am to see the hot-air balloons rise in the sky.

Return to USA - Destination - Florida for Winter

2009-09-05T15:52:00.028-04:00

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - We left Vacationland RV Park - Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island Canada to Camper City RV Resort in Moncton, New Brunswick - Canada. We had rain again this morni ng which made thin gs wet and uncomfortable to prepare the coach to travel. We did not have far to go, but it was raining most of the way. We left at 8 am a nd paid a $55 toll for takin g the Confederation Bridge.

We arrived at Camper City RV Resort in Moncton, New Brunswick in two hours. We have a pull-through site so we can leave again in the morning to get to Calais, ME after we pass US Customs.

Thursday, August 14 - Around 8 am with sunny skies, we departed Camper City RV Resort in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, for Calais, Maine USA. Nothing like being back in the great United States. Customs was easy on our return to the states. Situated as it is, Calais is one of the busiest border crossings with Canada. A former shipping community, Calais has many historic sites, including historic districts and museum. We passed a cultivated cranberry bog on our drive to the park.

Friday, August 15 - We left Keenes Lake Campground, Calais Maine to drive to Pumpkin Patch RV Resort near Bangor Maine. We took a drive to Bangor and found their downtown architecture quite beautiful.

Monday, August 18 - We arrived at Outdoor World Moody Beach, Maine (south of Kennebunkport) and set up. The park is very dusty (dirt/gravel) and we had a hard time finding a site large enough for our rig. Last two roads are saved for long-term stays with 50 amps. Lots of trees and more a family park. No satellite but Verizon and ATT work. A lot of small campers using the extended stay program.

Wednesday, August 20 - This is our third day in Moody Beach area and a cold front passed through and we woke up to 53 degrees outside in August? Our little portable heater in the living room is adequate to take the chill off. The sun shinning through the oaks and pines that surround us make dancing shadows through our windows.

Moody Beach

Friday, August 22 - Leaving Moody Beach Outdoor World park in Wells, Maine to Catskill Adventure Resort Wurtsboro, NY.

Wurtsboro is located in Sullivan County, New York. It is known as the foothills to the Catskills. It is very scenic and there is much to do from the best trout fishing to awesome motorcycle rides. The Wurtsboro area is very accessible as there are major roadways leading in and out.

Moody Beach

Wednesday, August 27 - Pocono Vacation Park, Stroudsburg PA in the Pocono Mountains. Although this park advertises level, pull-thru sites, they told us our rig was too large to fit in the area they had set aside for us. Fortunately, we saw one empty site up front on a corner lot with plenty of room and level. Usually saved for workers, they let us have it. The Poconos are nestled in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania is a little slice of heaven, featuring roaring waterfalls, gurgling streams and flowing rivers, tree-studded mountains and quaint towns with old-world names. While here we visited the town of Jim Thorpe, founded in1816 as Mauch Chunk, the Native American word for “sleeping bear”.

Monday, September 01 - We planned to arrive early at Hershey Thousand Trails Park in Lebanon, PA because this is such a popular membership park and the good sites are usually taken by early morning. We stayed 16 nights. The park ranger told us about 190 departures today, and we were very fortunate to find a great site with 50-amp service overlooking the lake. The Amish landscape is beautiful and serene, no matter what time of year.

Friday, September 12 - Just looked outside and the ducks in the lake are doing synchronized swimming and it so funny to see all their white tails up in the air - it is hilarious.

Monday, September 15 - We left Hershey Thousand Trails Park in Lebanon, PA at 7:30 am for a seven-hour drive to Lynchburg Thousand Trails Preserve near Lynchburg, Virginia. We stayed 21 nights. We found a satellite-friendly site up on hill. So late in the season, we were almost by ourselves most of the time. Enjoyed the luxury of walks around the lake everyday.

Ray took the Gold Wing for rides over to the Blue Ridge Parkway during our stay.

Friday, September 19 - We decided to go and see the Natural Bridge and the Monacan Village (CIR. 1700)..

Tuesday, October 7 - We left our site at the Thousand Trails Lynchburg Preserve around 7:30 and drove 156 miles to the Thousand Trails Forest Lake Preserve in Advance, North Caroliina (near Lexington, NC). We stayed 21 nights. October 8 - We have clouds and chilly 58 degrees.

We thoroughly enjoyed downtown Lexington. The walk up the steps to the museum were daunting, but the stops along the way made the trip more enjoyable. The museum has much worth seeing as well.

Tuesday, October 28 - We left Thousand Trails Forest Lake Preserve in Advance, North Carolina around 8:30 AM to drive to a Passport America park in Asheville, NC called Wilson’s Riverfront RV Park. Very small park, nicely maintained and located on a river. The sites all have 30/50 amps and concrete slabs, so leveling was easy. We also have satellite and cell service.

We met our son Steven and Gennifer (wife) in Asheville and went to a nearby State Park to let the dogs run around. It was a beautiful day and a fun time together.

Thursday, October 30 - We took our time leaving Wilson’s Riverfront RVPark in Asheville, NC to drive two hours to Thousand Trails Carolina Landing in Fair Play SC. We have been to this park before and we selected one of the more level sites about mid-way up a steep hill. We have 50-amp service, cell and internet. With tiered sites, you don’t feel as close to your neighbor.

Thursday, November 06 - It is another beautiful day here Carolina Landings. Ray took the Gold Wing over to Highlands/Cashiers. He took some really outstanding photos.

Tuesday, November 11 -Left Carolina Landing Preserve in Fair Play, SC. We drove I-85 and the day was awesome. Sun and blue sky. The fall colors are still around, but the winds have certainly removed many leaves. We arrived at Big Water Resort, an ROD membership park in Summerton, South Carolina for six nights.

This park is located on a large portion of Lake Marion with 5 full hook-up big-rig sites. All have 50-amp service. The 40-acre resort has eight cabins with a lake view. They have a huge fishing pier and launch ramp. There is a beautiful pool section, but due to the time of year there is not anyone using it. In fact the park may have ten RVs and we are at the very front of the park near the lake, and no one has moved in around our area. The walk to the lake and pier area every day is beautiful, although chilly. We took a drive into Summerton to see what the town is like. Very depressed town with houses mostly run down. The only grocery store is a Piggly - Wiggly. We headed toward the other side of the interstate to Santee. It is a resort town primarily for its proximity to Lake Marion. The population was 740 at the 2000 census. The town is currently experiencing economic growth. Every fast food eatery is along the strip and many motel/hotels are available due to the proximity to I-95. Interstate 95 bridge crosses over Lake Marion and the old bridge is now a fishing pier.

Monday, November 17 - It was 8:30 am by the time we left Big Water Resort in Summerton, SC. It was in the low 30s last night and it won’t get above mid-50s today. Cold front covered the whole eastern seaboard even into Florida. The sky is cobalt blue. We drove I-95 into Florida to spend one night at Ocala Sun RV Resort in Ocala. We were checking out parks with deeded lots for sale. found one large lot that has the highest elevation throughout the park, costs $59,900 - includes 500 sf of concrete or pavers.

Tuesday, November 18 - We are back in Florida and drove to the Thousand Trails Orlando Preserve in Clermont where we stayed 21 nights. We were assigned one site and we did not like the location at all, so we looked around in the truck, selected another site and went to the main office to give them the new site number. This park needs a lot of help with leveling out some big-rig sites. The sites are very close together too. After 21 nights, membership rules that we have to move to another TT park (like Peace River) for 21 nights. Then we can't stay at either of these "high use" parks for the remainder of the season.

We decided there were so many reasons why we did not want to continue using the TT system in Florida for the "snow bird" season.

We started our quest to purchase a permanent site in Florida to be our residence.

First and foremost at the time was Rolling Ridge RV Resort in Clermont. The only site we found desirable required a lot of intensive research on our part. Once we found out there were more costs to make the necessary moves of electrical and water to accommodate our motorhome, plus add the additional paver/concrete costs, we canceled the contract. After the fact, the salesman wanted to know what he could offer to entice us to go through with the deal. (He should have done that up front - big mistake). We are so thankful this did not work out for us.

Sunday, December 07 - Ray drove to a community he remembered seeing on the road while traveling. It is called Mount Olive Shores RV Resort, Polk City (Lakeland). When we drove over together we looked at all the lots (some finished, some not) for sale and made our notes. We drove into a cul-de-sac and there was a For Sale by Owner sign out front and an RV parked. One thing led to another and after some negotiations with the owners, we made a contract with them for the site. The site has more square footage than any other park site we investigated. The park (community) has minimal annual fee to keep up with mowing and edging our property and taking care of the common areas in the park. There are no amenities to pay for, i.e. pool, spa, tennis courts, activity building, etc. The rules are the same in general as owning a condo.

Tuesday, December 30 - We moved from Lakeland RV Park, Old Combee Rd, Lakeland to our new site at Mt. Olive Shores, Polk City, Florida.