MURRELLS INLET: Another Fine Day!

The perfect fall weather added to the enjoyment of the day.  We had another leisurely start to the day with sausage/egg English muffins for breakfast.  Mid-day brought a short nap.  Selene went walking with two others on the nature center boardwalk over some of the salt marsh at low tide, spending about 45 minutes watching the remaining water and surrounding area for birds and fish.  After returning to the campground, the ladies rested in the shade enjoying the quiet and nice breeze.

Several couples went  kayaking this afternoon.  After they returned, we had a pizza supper around the campfire and enjoyed the leftover desserts from last night.  That was followed by more conversation around an even larger campfire which lasted until late evening.




Today, the work at the house continued.  The removal of the broken patch of drive way concrete was completed and the area was smoothed over.  The carpet was cleaned in all of the carpeted rooms, except the bonus room, which will be done tomorrow after Mike moves his things back into his bedroom.  The man from the fairgrounds flea market returned to haul another load of "stuff" away with one more trip to come soon.  Only a couple of more jobs to be done and the house will be on the market. 

MURRELLS INLET, SC: Another Beautiful Day!

Today started under clear skies with a soft breeze and pleasant temperatures.  The morning passed doing chores and Selene made Dump Cake for this evening's dinner.  Hank again sorted through items and reorganized.  This afternoon, Selene spent two hours sitting on the beach with a few friends, watching the ocean, birds, other people and a fisherman. Only a few hardy soles were in the water as a cool breeze blew. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon.  However, winter is definitely on the way as we saw group after group of geese flying south.

Our friends gathered at 4:30 P.M. for a swap fest of items that people no longer needed.  Then we enjoyed a hot dog cookout over the campfire and many delicious desserts.  The evening brought another campfire as we shared stories and laughter.  It was a cool walk back to the RV under a star-filled sky with the sound of the surf in the background.

MURRELLS INLET, SC: A Busy Monday

Monday dawned cloudy, and there were a few raindrops during the day, but nothing heavy enough to drive people inside.

Our day started slowly, but then that's how most of our days will  start since neither of us likes to jump right into a day's activities.  Hank started going through a couple of boxes and drawers in the RV.  Eventually we headed out to get the car washed, and go to the post office and Food Lion. After returning, Hank continued to reorganize some of the outside bays.  Selene started chili in the crockpot, worked on laundry and  reorganized a few of the kitchen storage cabinets. 

Three more couples arrived mid-afternoon, which brought most of the us out to welcome them, then to make a quick plan for the evening.  Two of the guys left to get a load of firewood for our campfires, and eventually the rest of us returned to our RVs for dinner.  Last night we enjoyed campfire conversation under a star-filled sky where evening meals were planned and laughter prevailed until the cool evening air drove us inside about 11 P.M.

Murrells Inlet, SC: Carolina Clan Rally

After a very leisurely start to the day and a fond farewell to the owner and manager of the Dickens RV Park in Moncure, NC, we drove for 4 hours to Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC. and set up on site 95, one of the few full hook-up sites in the park.  (See last year's post for more details)

 We are here for a week with the RV-Dreams Carolina Clan gathering - all participants have been to at least one RV-Dreams Educational Rally, and many are full-time RVers. This year there will be 11 rigs and 22 people present with most arriving today.  The main activity will be enjoying each other's company, although I'm sure some plans for semi-organized activities may develop.  We plan to just enjoy the beautiful surroundings, with the sounds of the ocean surf in the background as well as getting to know the others a little better.   This year, Howard and Linda Payne, who founded RV-Dreams, have surprised us all by attending. 

MONCURE, NC: The End of a Good Day

The past week has been a busy one as we continued to empty the house of its contents and determine the destination of those left.  Now all of that is done!!  Mike has generously agreed to be our project manager for the next couple of weeks, before he moves on to new quarters.  We had a setback when the carpet cleaner's truck was damaged in an accident, so the cleaning has been delayed to this week.  The driveway repair has been started with the job to be finished on Wednesday.  The plan is to have the "For Sale" sign out by next weekend if the last few jobs get done. 

We are off to SC tomorrow for a long-reserved week at Huntington Beach State Park.  Whether we return to the Raleigh area on Nov. 3 will be determined as the week, and the work progresses.  The realtor is ready to move forward as soon as the property is ready for visitors.

It's been 2 1/2 years since we made the decision to become full-time RVers. We've lived in the motor home for the past 16 months which has cemented our belief that this is the lifestyle we want.  This week,  we realized that we were shed of the the weight of all that "stuff" we no longer needed or wanted.  Oh, what a relief that is! (and it is without any plop plop fizz fizz)

MONCURE, NC; Back Again!

The 2 hour drive from Rural Hall, NC to Moncure, NC was a pleasant one under Carolina blue skies and  with temperatures we in the 60's.  After getting set up, we headed to the house to see what needed to be donel..  Mike had all of the carpeted rooms, except the bonus room, ready for the carpet cleaner.   We went to old Fuquay for dinner at El Dorado's, then back to the house to finish a few chores.

Tomorrow the landscaper will finish trimming the yard, the carpet cleaner will start his work, some more furniture will be picked up, and we'll take care of some other items.  We'll be in this area until next Sunday.

RURAL HALL, NC: Final Night

It was a dreary day with occasional rain, but by suppertime, the sun was breaking through.

There were a couple of activities we opted out of today - the dog show, for example. (Most RVers travel with one or more dogs).  We had another free lunch of hot dogs, chips, slaw and chili topping, and drinks.  We bought a couple of needed items in the dealer's store at a discount, and returned there for prize drawings. Our luck continued today......we won two camping chairs with a price of $50 each, and received a couple of sample items as well.

 Dinner was "chicken stew" although in reality it was more like chicken soup (shredded chicken in a flavorful white broth) with crackers and drinks.  This dinner was free for the CampIn attendees, and open to the public at $5 per head - all you could eat - with various cakes for dessert.  The repair bay building had been emptied and cleaned, and there was seating for about 400 people with a stage set up on one end.  Apparently, chicken stew events are big news around here, and this particular event goes back many years. They cooked over 400 gallons of stew and just about all of it was consumed or taken home.  The events' proceeds went to charity.  After dinner, there was a concert of mostly gospel music performed by about 25 different people, including the dealership owner.

All in all, it was well worth our time to attend the Chicken Stew Campin.  Yes, we drove a few miles out of our way to get here, but the prizes we won were worth about $170 and we had free camping Thursday to Sunday, one free lunch, three free dinners, and entertainment. Tomorrow morning there is a very early free pancake breakfast. We also met some interesting people.

On Sunday, we'll return to Moncure one more time.

RURAL HALL, NC: Busy Day

The CampIn schedule was full of activities today and the weather was sunny and cool. We didn't participate in the golf tournament and lunch, nor the pumpkin crafts.  We did walk around the premises looking at RV's and talking with others. Selene made Toll House bars and sandwiches for tonight's pot luck dinner.  There was a large variety of food and plenty for everyone.  There was a welcoming ceremony from the dealership owner.   After dinner, there was bingo with many RV-related prizes.  Hank won a large patio mat, and Selene won a first aid kit.

There will be more enjoyable times tomorrow.

RURAL HALL, NC: Second Night

Last night, we both went to sleep earlier than usual, so we were both up before 7 A.M. this morning.  We finally got ourselves moving around 9:30 and headed down the road to WalMart for some items, including groceries.  After returning to the RV and eating lunch, it was time for the first CampIn event - games in the rally room.  After some discussion, the 12 of us present decided on Bean Bag Baseball and the fun began.  We followed this exciting game by learning to play Corn Hole.  Meanwhile, doubles Ping Pong was going on.  After all of this activity, we walked back to the RV to rest up for dinner.

Tonight was Cruise-In night.  There was a DJ from a rock station, 8 or 9 antique restored cars, and dinner - free to the CampIn attendees and $5 for the public.  The menu included grilled hamburgers with trimmings, slaw, f bagged chips, Moon Pies, soft drinks and water.  We walked around the grounds after dinner looking at the cars, talking with other attendees, and looking at a couple of RV's ( after all, our site for this event is an RV dealership).  Then it was back to the RV for our evening relaxation.

Today was a cloudy day with occasional showers, but the weather should be much better tonorrow. About 50 RV's are expected for the CampIn.

STAUNTON, VA to RURAL HALL, NC: TIME TO MOVE ON

Yesterday (Tuesday) morning brought more dense fog to the mountains, but the rain was over.  Mid-morning, Selene was alerted to a potential serious computer problem and that occupied Hank for the next two hours as he investigated the source, and corrected the problem.  After lunch, we set out for the eastern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway under partly cloudy skies, and drove about 40 miles into the mountains, stopping at many overlooks.  We were able to help a fellow traveler who needed a battery jump.  The full fall colors are probably a week away, but there were many shades of yellow and tan, with a red or maroon burst of color here and there......all in all, it was a beautiful day for a ride in the hills. We returned to the RV for supper and relaxation.

Today (Wednesday) dawned sunny and cool......perfect fall weather!  It was time to head out for our next destination.  When we arrived at the Walnut Hills KOA, we were greeted by falling black walnuts.  As we left, the falling leaves were waving good-bye.  Tonight, after enjoying a trip via the curves and hills of southern Virginia and northern North Carolina, we're settled in at Bill Plemmons RV World in Rural Hall, NC for a Customer Appreciation CampIn.  We purchased our 23 foot travel trailer from this dealership in 2008.  There is free camping for this event starting tomorrow and ending on Sunday, free food and many activities.  We're in a gravel parking lot with 50 amp hookups, but no sewer or water (not a problem since we arrived with a full fresh water tank and an empty black and grey tank).

Tonight, we ate dinner at Chili's, courtesy of a gift card.

STAUNTON,VA; Ordinary Day

Yesterday (Monday) was a day to do just what each of us wanted to do in the RV.  It was still raining in the morning, but the sun actually made it's presence known by late afternoon.  Selene spent the day using her computer and doing laundry.  Hank worked on webmaster duties.  Before dinner, we ventured down to the campground office to see what tourist information they had and what was for sale (many campgrounds have a small store which sells anything from food and RV supplies to souvenirs, crafts and household needs).  Entertainment is always just outside the window courtesy of arriving/departing RV's, or watching the daily activities of our neighbors.  It was another good day.

STAUNTON, VA: We Decide to Stay Put

This day started just as yesterday did - foggy with drizzle, and conditions didn't change much all day.  We met up with Jan,  Rick, Vince and Lois (Jan's friend) for lunch at Plaza Azteca, a Mexican restaurant chain with many locations.  (Rick and Jan, thanks for the delicious meal!)  After a stop at Food Lion, we went back to the RV for computer use, naps, and now we're watching the Tiger/Red Sox game.

People often ask us what we do to fill our time as full-tme RVers.  We spend the time in our home on wheels doing the same sort of things people do in stationary houses - watch tv, read, use our computers, eat and sleep.  We have the added option of sight-seeing, socializing or attending events, depending on where we are.  We've decided to stay at this location (Walnut Hills KOA)  until Wednesday morning, when we'll move on to our next destination.  Hopefully, the weather will clear by Tuesday so we can get check out part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in this area.  The Skyline Drive is currently closed due to the government shutdown. 

STAUNTON, VA: A Wonderful Wedding

Yesterday (Saturday) the drizzly weather continued.  In the morning, we drove to Waynesboro, VA for a couple of errands, then returned the RV for lunch and to get ready to go to Libby's wedding.

The wedding and reception were held at the Hermitage Hills Farm, a beautiful location near the mountains.  The wedding was held in the barn area of the building, with the reception following in the adjoining banquet facility where we enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner which included salad, roast beef and turkey buns, chicken cordon bleu, jambalaya, and a variety of vegetables, followed by dancing and merriment in honor of the bride and groom. A good time was had by all!

Staunton: VA: Wedding Weekend

The past 2 weeks have seen a flurry of activity in and outside of the house - wallpaper removal, painting, gutter cleaning, power washing, ceiling repairs, and pickup of many household items. A couple of more chores will be completed over the next week. We were ready for another break.

Today we left Moncure, NC under overcast skies for the 5 hour drive to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and our camp site at the Walnut Hills KOA near Staunton, VA. This large campground has many different types of sites and we are in the upper section on site 74.  With fall colors starting to appear,  we have a nice view of the surrounding area.

We are in this area to attend Libby Montgomery's wedding  tomorrow.  Tonight, we celebrated our recent wedding anniversary by dining at the Edelweiss German Restaurant nearby.  We enjoyed German songs by 3 musicians - 2 accordians, 1 mouth organ - as well as our delicious dinners. 

MONCURE, NC: Back Once Again

Today started with heavy fog in Selma, NC, but by 11 A.M., conditions were brighter, so after a few more hugs and handshakes, we left RVacation RV Park for the one hour drive back to Moncure and Dickens RV Park.  We met up with Dee and Jim Walter (ham radio friends from our early days in NC who have been fulltiming for over 4 years), as we filled up with diesel,  and we led the way to Dickens where we're parked next to the Walters.  After getting set up, we spent some time getting caught up on each other's past adventures and future plans.

Tomorrow we'll go back to the house and see what still needs to be done before we can turn it over to the realtor.  We'll be in this area until the morning of Friday, Oct. 11 when we head out once again. 

SELMA, NC; Time to Move On

Today was another in a long string of beautiful days, although much warmer than October should be. This morning, some of our friends headed off to downtown Selma for a local festival,  or  for shopping at the outlet mall nearby, but we just relaxed with our computers.  The afternoon found Selene baking cookies, Hank taking a nap, and another smaller conversation circle formed in the afternoon.  The group ate dinner at the Robins Nest in Selma where we enjoyed a buffet featuring down home cooking.  After dinner, we drove a short distance to downtown Selma for the American Music Jubilee performance at the Rudy Theatre.

Tomorrow, we'll say "see you later" and make our way back to Moncure to prepare for another week of getting the house ready to sell.

SELMA, NC: A Beautiful Day

Today started with some fog which  quickly burned off with the rising sun.  This was the official first day of the chapter campout.  We started with an early morning gab session with the 2 other couples already here.  The day brought the arrival of 3 more couples in their RV's and an additional 7 people who drove in for the rest of the day. This afternoon everyone enjoyed an ever-growing circle under a large tree as we shared laughter and conversation.

Tonight we had dinner at the Parkside Cafe in Pine Level, about 3 miles from the campground.  We enjoyed a private dining room, good service and homestyle food at reasonable prices.  After dinner, we had our chapter meeting, then returned to the campground. Simply put, it was a day of relaxation and friendship.

SELMA, NC: Time to Relax and Kick Back

Since my last post on September 23, we've made great progress on the house project.  The garage is 99 percent empty, many of the in-house items are gone or will be soon, workman have been hired and are currently working on wallpaper removal, painting, yard-trimming, power washing, etc, and a realtor is preparing to list the house in the near future. 

While things continue to happen at the house, we are spending the next 3 days in Selma, NC at the RVacation RV Park with the local Good Sam chapter.  It will be a time to regroup, relax and recharge for the final push ahead.......a time we definitely need.  If we're needed at the house, we're only about 45 minutes away. The campground is next to I-95, but there's not much road noise inside the RV.  The sites are level, hookups are good, we have local tv reception and there's fast wi-fi.

Two other chapter couples arrived today. We went to dinner with one other person to Sami's Pizza in Selma.  After dinner, we visited with another couple.

The chapter gathering officially begins tomorrow when at least 3 other couples will join us.