HELENA, AL: Short Move

The last week has gone by quickly as we've spent time withour family in central AL with lots of  gatherings, good food and plenty of laughter.  And there's more to come. We've also enjoyed lunch with friends, and were entertained by grandson Steven as he played and sang at a local restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

Today we left the Hoover RV Park and settled in on the property of John and Peggy - ham radio friends - who happen to live just a short distance from Kathy.  They have 2 acres on a flat hilltop lot and invited us  to park on their "estate"  for a few days, as they did last Christmas.

Tonight's New Year's Eve gathering will be at Debbie's house in Montevallo.  Carolyn (our niece) and her daughter Sophie arrived yesterday from Louisville to add to our numbers. 

HOOVER, AL: Twas Two Days Before Christmas

After a wonderful visit with our Kentucky family and friends, this morning we left Shepherdsville for the drive to central Alabama.  The trip began about 9:40 A.M. EST under very cloudy skies. The rain started around Columbia, TN, and quickly became a downpour, just like the forecasters had  promised.  After a fuel stop and a quick lunch at a parking area, and driving through more heavy rainfall,  we arrived in at the Hoover RV Park  about 3:45 CST.  The rain stopped long enough for us to get hooked up to the utilities, and then we settled in for a relaxing evening.

We'll be in this area for almost two weeks and  we'll either remain at the Hoover RV Park or move to a friend's property in a few days.. 

SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY: Christmas Has Begun

Since our last post on December 13, we spent 4 nights at the Singing Hills RV Park in Cave City, KY.  The last few weeks have been filled with activities, both social and personal, and we felt the need to just kick back and get some other chores done before the holiday gatherings began.  Singing Hills RV  Park is out in the country just down the road from Mammoth Cave, and while it's not a fancy place, it was the perfect spot for us to catch our breath and prepare for the days ahead.  We were on site 37 in the back of the property, with good connections and free WI-fi.

Thursday, we were ready to move on to Shepherdsville.  We had a nice lunch stop on the way with Leon and Nadine (ham radio friends) in Radcliff, Ky at the Colton's Steak House & Grill before making the short drive to Grandma's RV Park in Shepherdsville.

We've stayed at Grandma's several times.  It's a compact campground with long, level sites and decent wi-fi in sight of I-65. Some people complain about the owners, but we just follow their rules and we've had no problems.

Last night, we spent a great evening at Joel & Jan's (Selene's brother & sister-in-law).  Their neighbors, Skeeter & Maggie, and Selene's sister Mary Kay, were also there and it was great to be back with this branch of the family once again. Today, Debbie (daughter) and Robert will arrive from AL, and on Monday, our son, Mike,  will arrive from Raleigh  by plane to join the group.   The next few days will be filled with family, food and festivities as we celebrate together.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!

CALHOUN, GA; Another Travel Day Ends with Friends

This morning, via ham radio, we found out that Gary & Nancy (friends from Huntington, WV)  were heading south on I-75 from Kentucky on their way to Florida, and would be stopping at the Calhoun, GA KOA.  We were going to be traveling north on I-75 and were planning on staying near the same area.  A couple of phone calls brought a plan together and the four of us headed for Calhoun, GA from different directions.

We left George and Anita's home in Macon, GA about 12:45 P.M. after hugs and many thanks for their hospitality.  Our trip through Atlanta via I-75 had several slowdowns due to holiday shoppers and normal Atlanta traffic. but we made it through the metro area safely in about an hour.  It was an easy drive from Atlanta to the Calhoun KOA .   We arrived about 2:30 to find Gary and Nancy already set up, and site 96  next to them reserved for Little House.  We enjoyed Happy Hour together before going to Shoney's for a leisurely supper and good conversation.  Meeting friends on the road is always a special treat.

The Calhoun KOA has very friendly workers and long sites with free cable and free WI-fi, although the cable hookup didn't work for us.  Some sites are more level than others, but with the help of wood under the front tires and our leveling jacks,  we were able to settle into place.  This evening, a worker brought us two freshly made cookies - a nice touch.

We continue to enjoy beautiful sunny days, although the nighttime temperatures are pretty chilly (around 32 degrees). Tomorrow, we continue our journey northwest.  We need to be in Shepherdsville, KY by next Friday afternoon. 

MACON, GA: Visit with Friends

Yesterday, we had a nice drive on US highways from Brunswick to Macon, GA.  We followed George and Janice most of the way and had a nice lunch at Subway in Timber City before parting company.  Last night, we enjoyed the hospitality of George & Anita, ham radio friends,  where  Little House is parked on the driveway in front of their RV barn.  Don & Beth, more ham radio friends, live across the street, and we had a great time catching up on everyone's news.

A little later today, we'll be moving further northwest through Atlanta on I-75, and will probably stop somewhere before we reach Chattanooga. 

BRUNSWICK TO MACON: Travel Day

The Metter Roadrunner December camping trip has come to an end.  The days were full of conversation as we gathered around the huge fireplace in the meeting room, lots of good food, and beautiful although chilly weather all week. Last night we had our final dinner which was a "low country boil" with shrimp, sausages, corn and potatoes, and a baked ham along with side dishes and desserts.  We finished the evening with a Chinese gift exchange.

This morning the temperature got down to  33. Later this morning, we'll move from Brunswick to Macon, GA.  Our plan is to follow another member who lives in that direction and knows a shorter route instead of traveling the  interstate route, which is rather boring.  We're going to George and Anita's house (ham radio friends) who have invited us to "moochdock" in their driveway.  It should be about a 3 or 4 hour drive with a stop for lunch on the way.

BRUNSWICK, GA: Same City, Different RV Park

Over the last 5 days, our activities have been routine  We had a couple of WalMart trips, a CVS visit, grocery runs, and other shopping chores, as well as two lunches out..  The Golden Isle RV Park did not have  a resort atmosphere, but it was an inexpensive stay that met our needs.

Today we moved 5 minutes away to the Coastal Georgia RV Resort, also in Brunswick, GA, to site 306.. We're here with the Metter Roadrunners, a Georgia RV Club that also has several other hams in it.  The group is having their December campout at this park.  In contrast to Coastal Isles, this park does have a resort atmosphere with beautiful surroundings, long concrete pads, free cable and very good free WiFi, a nice fishing lake, swimming pool, and a large clubhouse with kitchen on the side of the lake. Of course, the rates are higher here, but we saved a little with the group rate.  So far, 4 couples have arrived.  Since the weather is very cool, our Happy Hour took place in the clubhouse in front of the large fireplace and a roaring fire.  We went to dinner at Steak and Shake with Katie and Mike to cap off another enjoyable day.

The weather forecast is for colder temperatures for the next 5 days, but we'll be sharing lots of warm hugs and laughter as we visit with our friends.  There will be 6 more couples arriving in RV's tomorrow, and 3 visiting on Thursday for a meeting and dinner.  We'll be here until Friday morning when we'll head northeast to Macon, GA.

Brunswick, GA: Completed Visit In Mayport and On To Brunswick

Monday was an interesting day.  Important decisions had to be made regarding next years medical and prescription insurance.  In the past, AT&T offered 3 or 4 plans for medical and dental coverage,  another plan each for vision coverage and cancer treatment and choices were easy to make with most of the cost paid by AT&T.  The medical plan also included prescription coverage.  Starting next year, AT&T will fund an HRA (Health Reimbursement Account) for retirees and their spouses to be used for any medical costs including  premiums and deductibles. We must choose our own medical, drug, vision and dental coverage and they provide a shopping cart that includes details for a large number of "recommended" companies, each with multiple plans, and each plan with options. The possible combinations seem endless.  To help with these choices, we had two appointments for somewhat lengthy phone consultation with advisers from Aon Hewitt.  In July, the conversation centered around Medicare, what it covers and the benefits supplemental insurance can offer.  Monday's call was to get more questions answered,  choose our medical and drug coverage,  and enroll in the selected plans for each of us.  The call took almost 3 hours.  We still have to initiate the call for the dental and vision coverage.  The new coverage will take some getting used to, but we're grateful to have decent  insurance that will provide coverage wherever we are in the USA at a cost that we can afford.

Late Monday afternoon, we rode around the very large Hanna Park Campground, looking at all of the sites and deciding which ones were the best for us. We wanted one that was long, level, and offered some privacy from  close neighbors  Since this park fills up for Thanksgiving weekend, it makes sense to reserve our site before we leave. We found 12 that would be suitable.

The rest of the evening was spent relaxing after a somewhat tedious day.

Tuesday morning we reserved our campsite for next November and got our first choice!  Selene got the laundry caught up and Hank was busy all day with email responses.  Tuesday evening, we joined Karen and Samantha for a delicious taco dinner.  Sean was on a business trip and Montgomery had returned to school.  With hugs and saying "see you in 3 1/2 weeks", we headed back to the RV.

This morning (Wednesday), we went through the departure routine and left Hanna Park around 10:15 A.M.  Our first stop was in the southern area of Jacksonville at General RV Center to get a new electrical cable which provides 12 volts to operate the turn signals and brake lights on the car when it's hooked to Little House.  The dealership had to assemble the proper connector on the car end of the cable and we enjoyed a delicious pizza at Rosina's Pizza across the road while we waited for the job to be completed..

By 1:30 we were back on the road, heading north on I-295 around the west side of Jacksonville, then traveling on I-95 north to the Golden Isles RV Park in Brunswick, GA.  This park offers low rates for Coast to Coast and Passport America members.  The sites are on grass, but most are pull-thru sites with good length and good hookups.  The free WiFi works pretty well - at times.  We have cable hookup through a cable box that presented some installation problems. We're in site 43 at the rear of the park so it should be quiet around us.

We'll be here until Monday, when we'll move a short distance to camp with the Metter Road Runners - a small camping club that is mostly ham radio operators from the Metter,  GA area.

MAYPORT, FL: Enjoying Thaksgiving Week

No we haven't moved since the last post. Our location is really in Mayport, not Jacksonville, although Hanna Park is owned by the city of Jacksonville.

Rain continued for the rest of Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.  About 10 A.M., the sun took over the skies and the weather has been wonderful since then, although very cool for  northern Florida this time of year.  Forgot to mention that when we arrived at Hanna Park, a bicyclist welcomed us to the area with two tangerines.

The campground still had plenty of empty spaces until Friday.  By Saturday afternoon RVs and lots of tent campers had occupied almost every site.  Hope the tenters had a heat source with them!

We've enjoyed our visits with Karen and her family.  We celebrated Thanksgiving at Jim Steele's home with Jim, Laura, Tim, Ava, Mark, as well as Karen's family.  A bountiful meal was enjoyed by all - Roast turkey, oyster dressing, macaroni & cheese, green beans, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, mashed parsnips, rice casserole, vegan casserole, gravy, cranberry sauce and  baked sweet potatoes.  Later we enjoyed dessert - pumpkin, apple, and pecan pie, along with cherry tarts and carrot cake.

Friday,  we went to lunch at Singleton's Seafood Shack - a highly recommended restaurant in nearby Mayport on the inter coastal waterway.  Inside the tumble-down looking restaurant, you'll be served large potions of fresh seafood and may even see the boat that delivered it.  This may have been our fist visit to an eatery that's been featured on the Drive-ins,  Diners,  and Dives TV show, and it was definitely worth the visit.  Lots of campers came into the campground today, including the spots around us.

Saturday, we did some chores around the RV.  The electrical tow cable between Little house and the HHR was damaged on our last move.  It operates the car's turn signals and brake lights from Little House when towing the HHR so we want it repaired before we tow again.  Despite Hank's best efforts, he couldn't get it to work, so he made an appointment at General RV Center in Jacksonville on Wednesday to have this problem addressed.  The rest of the day was spent enjoying Karen and Sean's hospitality.

Yesterday morning (Sunday) Karen and Samantha came to visit our Little House, then we went to the Steele residence for more visiting.

We'll be at Hanna Park until Wednesday morning.

JACKSONVILLE, FL: Moving Further South

The weather forecast predicted heavy rain overnight and this morning, but luckily our area received very few showers.  Departure chores were finished under overcast but dry skies and we departed Walkabout RV Park about 9:30 A.M. for the drive south to the Eulee FL Tax Collector office that also handles DMV registrations.  Little House and the HHR are now officially registered in Florida, so our Florida move is complete....no realtors or moving truck involved!

Our next destination was  Kathryn Hanna Park, near Jacksonville, FL.  We've stayed here many times because it is located about 15 minutes from Karen's house.  We're in site 241 in the middle of a tropical forest, yet the ocean is only about a quarter of a mile away.  When we made our reservations here two weeks ago, there were only about 18 sites available, but so far there doesn't appear to be many people here.  No WiFi is available so we'll use our Verizon JetPack with our new trucker antenna (improved reception). Since we're so close to Jacksonville, we have lots of choices from over-the-air tv signals.

The rain held off until we were completely settled into our campsite.  The forecast is a wet one over the next two days, with cool temperatures as well, but at least there's no snow or ice in our immediate future!

We'll spend the next week here, and look forward to family time and a Thanksgiving celebration.  We certainly have a lot to be thankful for!

WOODBINE, GA: Last Night

Like most weeks, the last one has gone by quickly.  We've experienced below freezing temperatures and daytime highs near 80.  Fall color has reached southern Georgia and some leaves are falling.  We've had a lot of time to relax with our computers, catch up on laundry, eat at some good restaurants, do a little sight-seeing, and basically enjoy life in Little House. Plans for the upcoming holiday season are starting to take shape, and we started our Christmas shopping.

We've been notified that the Florida DMV has received the necessary documents to license our vehicles in Florida.
Tomorrow we'll leave Woodbine, GA, stop in Eulee, FL to take care of the car and RV registration, then move on to the Jacksonville, FL area where we'll spend the next week.

WOODBINE, GA: Florida Residency

This is a very busy time period for campgrounds along major highways with all of the holiday travelers, and the snow birds heading to warmer climates. We  called for reservations too late to be in the same site for our 11-day stay. The best the owners could do was to put us in one site on Friday night, have us move on Saturday to another site for 9 days, then move to another site for our last night. This arrangement is a little inconvenient, but nothing we can't handle. 

Friday night, we did a minimum setup and we moved on Saturday morning as soon as the second site was empty and got settled in for the long stay. Saturday and Sunday were just for relaxing and doing everyday activities (computer time, laundry, phone calls, etc.).

We're only 7 miles from Florida, so today we started the process of establishing Florida as our domicile by going to the nearest Florida tax office (also the DMV office) to get our driver's licenses.  The whole process took about 1 1/2 hours counting the wait  for our turn, and the process of applying for and receiving a Florida driver's license, and registering to vote.  We had to show our certified birth certificates, certain mail items with our Florida address on them, Social Security cards, and a certified marriage license for Selene since her name has changed.  We had to take an eye test, but no written or driving test.  Unlike North Carolina, Florida doesn't require a special license to drive Little House .

We've started the required paperwork needed to register the HHR and RV in Florida, and hope that process will be completed within a week or so.

After we left the Tax Office, we met up with Fred and Patti who live nearby and went to Junior's Seafood Restaurant in Yulee, FL for a delicious lunch. As we left the Yulee area, the predicted storms arrived, and the storms became severe as they headed for the entire Jacksonville area with wind gusts over 60 MPH.  Luckily, the campground was only hit with heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunder.  The rest of the afternoon was taken up by phone calls, paperwork and computer time.

It may take some time to get used to saying that our home state is Florida, but we're happy to have made the move.

WOODBINE, GA: Holding Pattern

The 4 days with the Metter Roadrunners were very enjoyable.  There were 8 of us present and we enjoyed our time and meals together.  We had time to do some visiting at the local DMV office to learn exactly what we needed to do begin the process of becoming Florida residents.  The weather has continued to be dry, with cool nights and sunny days, but cooler temperatures are on the way.

We changed locations today and headed a few miles north on I-95 to Woodbine, GA and the Walkabout RV Park.  We spent some time here last November ( Nov 2013 ) and we returned today to stay here until time to visit with Karen and family over the Thanksgiving weekend.  This is a Passport America park so our rate is very low. 

Today we signed up for our Florida motor home and auto insurance.  Next week, we'll take the appropriate documents to a Florida DMV office and hope to complete the vehicle registrations, get our Florida driver licenses, and complete the process of making Florida our domicile.

We'll be here until November 25 when we'll move back south to Jacksonville, FL.

JACKSONVILLE, FL: Florida Fun Ahead!

Today we finished our journey from Raleigh to Jacksonville.  We left the WalMart in Walterboro, SC at 8 A.M for the 160 mile drive to Pecan Park RV Resort.  We are here with the Metter Roadrunners, a camping group from Georgia.  We met these folks through amatuer radio, have been to two of their previous campouts, and we're also members of their club.  The campground gave us a group discount on our rate.  Only 4 couples were able to attend.

Tonight, Fred and Patti hosted a gathering in their RV since it was rather cool outside.  They provided roasted chicken, salad and watermelon, and others brought beans and pumpkin bars.

Plans are being made for the rest of the week.  We'll be here until Friday.

WALTERBORO, SC: Just An Overnight Stop

Today was another beautiful autumn day.  We've said that many times over the last several weeks as we've been blessed with mostly sunny days along with several chilly mornings, but very little rain.

Our drive east on I-40 and then south on I-95 was uneventful, although the right lane on I-95 in some areas of South Carolina was very rough.  Our 267 mile trek included one leisurely stop for lunch at a rest area before arriving at the WalMart in Waterboro, SC around 4:15 P.M.  This WalMart is well- known as one that welcomes RVers for overnight stays.  There were several RV's here when we arrived and by sunset there were at least 12 parked nearby along with two tractor-trailer rigs.  We made a visit to the customer service desk to ask permission to stay and to make sure we were parked in the appropriate area.

An added bonus tonight is the free WI-Fi  signal that we're picking up from a nearby motel, and our TV antenna is providing reception from a couple of TV stations.  We're parked along a grassy area with only the bedroom slide extended, so Little House is not quite as roomy as usual, but that's okay. This is just an overnight stay and our next stop will be at a campground on the northern edge of Jacksonville, FL. for 4 nights, but more on that later.

RALEIGH, NC: Time to Head Further South

The past week has flown by.  We've spent time with lots of friends and shared many meals. We had several outings with Mike and he spent last night (Friday) with us.  We both had family doctor check-ups, and Hank had an eye exam.  We got the HHR ignition switch recall taken care of, the wheels balanced, and dash a/c vent replacement. Some more items were put in the storage unit that we don't need to carry around with us.  The taxes and registration renewal for the car was taken care of. There were a couple of trips to the post office, along with shopping that needed to be done.  We also visited with a friend who's in a local hospital.

The campground has been busy as there's been a large horse show going on all week. Yesterday there was an NC State football game across the road so there were lots of campers pulling in for that event as well. And the fairgrounds flea market is back up and running as well as several other events on the main fairgrounds property.

But all good times have to end, so today we'll be pulling up the Jacks and starting up the diesel engine to hit the road on our journey south.  We plan to stop overnight in Walterboro, SC.  From there, we'll be going to Florida where more enjoyable events are on our calendar.

RALEIGH, NC: A Welcome End to the Week

The past week was one of beauty, waiting, repairs and moving on.

The beauty was all around us on Monday, as we drove around the mountains for 5 hours, north on US 221 and then back south on part of the Blue Ridge Parkway before making the final winding descent from Little Switzerland to Marion.  Some of the trees had already lost their leaves, some were not at peak color, but there was enough variation in elevation for beautiful vistas around every curve.   We also learned that our warranty claim for a new TV antenna had been approved, and the new antenna was being sent from Fleetwood (the manufacturer of Little House).  The wait began.

The last few years, we've been working with Eric Gray as our Tom Johnson service writer.  Eric was currently on medical leave due to serious back problems and awaiting surgery, but on Tuesday he visited the service center to meet up with his wife Susie, who also works there, before going to Asheville for his pre-op workup.  We had a chance to speak with him for awhile and wish him well.  Our relationship may have started out as all business, but over the years we've come to know Eric and Susie and also consider them to be our friends.  We also had a nice visit with Linda and Pat - Linda is a fellow Escapees Chapter 29 member and a fairly new RVer.  She was at TJ's to get her rig winterized and we enjoyed our time with her before she headed back home.

Wednesday was another quiet day as we waited for the antenna to arrive.  The weather continued to be beautiful and the fall colors continued to deepen day by day.

Thursday, when no antenna was delivered, they traced the shipment and found it would definitely arrive on Friday, so we pushed back our departure plans one more time.

Friday morning, UPS delivered our antenna.  Our urge to get moving was intensifying.  We wanted to get to Raleigh to enjoy some time with Mike,  visit with friends, and take care of doctors' appointments, car maintenance, etc., but also to leave the foothills before possible wintry precipitation and high winds arrived overnight on Friday.  With a little gentle pressure from us, the service center started working on our antenna installation about 3 P.M. and finished about 4:45 P.M.  We don't usually travel after dark, but with a threat of snow nearby, and high wind conditions forecast for Saturday, we knew Saturday would not be good for Little House to travel, so we left Tom Johnson's RV Center about 5:15 P.M.  There was a little rain for the first hour or so as darkness fell, a 15 minute delay due to a construction area, but we moved steadily eastward as the evening wore on.  After a fuel stop, we arrived at the NC State Horse Complex Campground about 9:45 P.M.

This morning we went to Golden Corral for the weekly gathering of ham friends and others.  We plan to stay in this area until Sunday, November 9 when we'll head south for the winter.

MARION, NC: Repairs, Relaxation and a Reunion

The last week has flown by, even though we've been stationary and we haven't been doing anything very exciting to write about.

Monday, after leaving Mocksville, we came to Tom Johnson's Camping Center for repairs to our rear air conditioner / heat pump, our rooftop TV antenna, and to get a replacement for the electrical connection on the tow hitch on the front of our car. 

Tuesday, Little House was in the shop for the A/C problem diagnosis. We spent most of the day in the comfortable lounge area. We got Little House back that afternoon and Mike (service writer) said the problem appeared to be a bad freezestat (a temperature sensor that detects when the unit is starting to freeze up).  While this is an inexpensive part, they don't have one in stock for this A/C unit (remember it is no longer in production) and have not found a source for a replacement, so they temporarily swapped the freezestat from our front A/C into the rear unit to make sure it solved the problem.  He told us to use the rear unit in both Heat Pump and A/C modes to make sure this had resolved the problem.

Wednesday morning, we met with Mike to further discuss the problems and a possible fix.  WE reported that the unit had performed perfectly since Tuesday afternoon in both A/C and heat pump modes.  This confirmed the problem was the freezestat so the problem now was to find another freezestat. After luncth we took the car to the hitch shop to have the electrical connection replaced.  While we were there, we found that our front tires needed to be replaced and we were referred to a nearby tire center.  Instead of having the hitch wiring repaired we went directly to the tire center where we were taken care of right away. When we returned Hank replaced the wiper blades on Little House's windshield wipers.

Thursday morning at breakfast, Mike sat with us and discussed the air conditioner situation.  He said that if they couldn't locate a new freezestat then they would "borrow" one from one of the used RV's in the dealership RV inventory.  Mike was determned that we would NOT spend another 3 months at TJ's finding a solution as we did during the summer but would get us on the road in less than a month.  After breakfast we went back to the hitch shop and the hitch electric connector was replaced and ran some errands.  About noon, we got the call that they had a freezstat in hand so we shouldl bring Little House up to the service center for the freezestat installation and testing.  While getting Little House ready to move from our site, we noticed that the Lancasters, whom we had become friends with during our summer stay, were once again parked next to us.  What a nice surprise that was!  After Little House was delivered to the shop, we spent time with JF & Carolyn catching up on news.  By late afternoon, we were back in Little House with both A/C units running to see if the new part was doing the job. Everything seemed to be working as it should. Then we enjoyed a nice dinner (all you can eat ribs) with the Lancasters at Fatz Cafe.

Friday morning  we said farewell to the Lancasters and continued testing the A/C. The TV antenna repair estimate was submitted to the warranty company.

The A/C-Heat Pump problem continues to be operating as it should. Now, we're just waiting for the warranty approval to replace the TV antenna.  Once approval is received the new antenna can be ordered, then we wait for it to be shipped (usually 2 day delivery) and finally it can be installed (a 2 hour flat rate job).  So it looks like we'll probably be here until at least next Tuesday or Wednesday. The weather has been cool and sunny all week, and the fall colors continue to develop on the hills around us. While we're enjoying our surroundings here in western NC, we're anxious to get to Raleigh and visit with Mike and many friends before we head further south. 

MARION, NC: It's Almost Like Coming Home!

We spent a quiet night in the parking lot of Hunckler Fabriation, Mocksville, NC.  The office opened at 8 AM and we were told the windshield had to warm in the sun before the Magnashade could be installed.  Our shade was also hung in the sun so that any folds or wrinkles would flatten.  A while later a tech came out and cleaned the inside of the windshield where the magnets would be installed, then just before lunch the owner and the tech came out and positioned the magnets on the inside of the windshield, and the shade (with its own magnets sewn in) on the outside of the windshield, so that they held each other firmly in place.  This was to let the shade warm in the sun to perfectly spread and match the windshield. These are some very, very strong magnets and a firm grip is required when installing them to keep from letting them smack together cracking the windshield - which is the main reason for having a professional installation rather than a do-it-yourself job.

After lunch the magnets were precisely positioned and adhesive was applied so they would remain in place when the shade was stored for travel.  We then waited several hours while the magnets on the inside of the windshield, and the magnets outside in the shade, pulled together pressing the adhesive firmly in place.  During all this time we were able to stay in Little House and spend some time on phone calls and computers.  Finally, at about 3:00 the owner came out and gave a quick lesson on placing and removing the shade, and how to care for it, and at about 3:30 we had Little House buttoned up and ready to hit the road.  We highly recommend Hunckler Farbrication in Mocksville, NC  and their various products to our fellow RVers.  Their latest products are tire covers that are designed differently than any we've seen.  They are attractive, easy to put on when parked, and easy to remove for travel, and they store in less space than the types you typically see.

It didn't take long for us to hit the road for the 82 mile drive to Tom Johnson's Camping Center in Marion, NC.  It's where we purchased the latest Little House back in April and where we spent 3 months this past summer while difficult problems were solved.   As happens in the RV world, a couple of problems have appeared over the last couple of months that need attention, and we were sort of in TJ's neighborhood already, so we're back in one of our favorite sites (#57), and will start the process of diagnosis and repair tomorrow.  Items to be repaired include the rear A/C unit (again!), replacing the TV antenna, and replacing an electrical connection for the tow hitch on the front of our car, so we look forward to seeing our friendly RV doctors once again as well as many of the staff who've become our friends. We hope we're only here a couple of days, but as experience has shown, repairs often don't go as quickly as we hope. That's why plans are usually written in pencil!

MOCKSVILLE, NC: Just Down the Road

We enjoyed our time at the Bill Plemmons RV dealership in Rural Hall, where we've been since Wednesday.  We enjoyed  free camping, (even if it was in close quarters), lots of free food, played Bingo for great RV prizes (didn't win), met some interesting people and had some enjoyable entertainment last night in a spoof of the tv show "Hee-Haw".  Last night was also Chicken Stew night, when the surrounding residents pile in to the service bay building for a $5 All You Can Eat Chicken Stew" (similar to oyster stew but with shredded chicken instead of oysters) and dessert.  All proceeds go to charity.  We didn't do a lot of walking around this year due to Hank's bruised knee (from kneeling on hard tile floor) and Selene's injured foot, both of which are slowly getting better.

Today we took our time getting things ready for travel, added some water to the fresh water tank and drove about 35 miles southwest to Hunckler Fabrication in Mocksville, NC.  Recently, friends gave us a MagnaShade for the front windshield that they could no longer use since they purchased a different RV.  Tomorrow, Hunckler's will install the needed magnets on the front windshield of Little House so we can use the shade when parked.  When parked, this shade will keep out much of the sun's heat while allowing us to still see what's happening outside.  Hunckler's invited us to park overnight in their lot and even furnished a 20 amp electric hookup for our use.

If everything goes well with tomorrow's installation, we'll head a little further west to Tom Johnson's in Marion to have them look at our roof-top TV antenna and rear air conditioner.

RURAL HALL, NC: Move Day

Since Sunday, we've had a couple of days of occasional heavy rain and high winds, and late Tuesday night was the big finale.  Luckily, there was no lightning or hail to be concerned about, and being on high ground we didn't have any concerns about flooding,  but we did experience more heavy rain and wind gusts approaching 50 MPH (estimated).  Little House shook a few times from the wind's power.  One of the sections on our 30 ft. ham radio antenna telescoped down (no damage) and everything else appeared okay in the morning light.  Tuesday, the campground and surrounding area lost power for about 7 hours, but for situations when we don't have commercial power available Little House has a 2KW inverter that provides 110V AC power from 4 big batteries.  And if the batteries are depleted, an on-board generator will provide 7.5 KW of power to run our systems and recharge the batteries, so we hardly knew there was an outage - life went on as usual for us. 

Since last week, Hank has been suffering from a badly bruised knee and  Tuesday night Selene jammed her foot in the middle of the night, so yesterday's departure routine was slow-moving to say the least.   We left Cool Breeze RV Park at 12:45 P.M. Surrounded by beautiful fall scenery, we  headed down the mountain on Hwy. 89 to start our 50 mile trip to Bill Plemmons RV World in Rural Hall, NC just north of Winston-Salem.  This weekend is the dealer's annual camp-in with free camping, free food, prizes, and entertainment.  We enjoyed this event last year and since we were already close by, it seemed like a good idea to take advantage of this gathering once again.

We're parked on gravel in one corner of the sales lot with a dozen or so other early-birds.  Nothing fancy here - RV's are right next to each other and the only hookup is 30 AMP electric. It's very easy to get to know your neighbors whether you want to or not!  We were advised to arrive with full fresh water tanks and empty black and grey tanks. There will be a dump station available for use as we leave.  TV reception gives us a few stations, and with strong cell signals, the JetPack is working well.  The event officially gets under way this evening (Thursday).

We'll be in staying at this location until Sunday.

GALAX, VA: Another Great Week!

Sunset Thursday

Until the last couple of days, the weather has been fairly pleasant although very breezy at times. Rain returned to the area on Friday.

 

Wednesday, Oct. 8, was our 48th wedding anniversary.  We went to a Chinese buffet for lunch (Hank's choice), and drove around the mountains north and west of Galax, ending up in Floyd about 35 miles from the campground.  There's a general store in the old downtown area that's famous because on the weekends they roll all of the merchandise out of the way and have mountain music concerts and jam sessions.  The store wasn't as large as we expected, but interesting nonetheless.


 We treated ourselves to some homemade ice cream treats just down the street.  It was a beautiful fall day to be out and about, and we finished the day with a great dinner at Bogey's (Selene's choice) which overlooks the Galax Municipal Golf Course. When we returned to the campground, we found that Dave and Kay from the camping club had arrived.


Thursday we decided we needed a new American flag as the old one had deteriorated too much to be saved.  Once again, we we made our way to WalMart for a new, and better quality,  3 ft. x 5ft. flag which should hold up better to wind, rain and sun.   Three more of the couples in our group arrived, and we all went to dinner at the Mountain Surf Seafood  Restaurant just down the road from the campground in Ennis, NC.





Friday, we drove north on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 40 miles to Mabry's Mill near Meadows of  Dan, VA.


Once again we had a beautiful drive surrounded by  developing fall colors.  We joined our friends in the  restaurant for lunch and conversation.  Another couple joined us at the campground in the afternoon.  Friday evening, we shared a pot luck dinner with more great food and small talk.  Dinner was followed by our Good Sam chapter's meeting and a short devotional service.

Saturday morning brought some partly cloudy skies but rain returned by afternoon.  The group drove to downtown Galax and had dinner at the Galax Smokehouse .  After dinner,  we all thought we needed some more nourishment, so we made an after-dinner stop  at The Dairy Bar for ice cream treats.

This morning (Sunday), it was time for good-byes as everyone else in our group left the campground, with rain falling again. By afternoon, we were one of only a few RVs left on the premises.  We'll be here until Wednesday, when we'll drive down the mountain to the Winston-Salem area.

GALAX, VA: Country Life

We're enjoying our stay at the Cool Breeze RV Park south of Galax, VA.  We've made a couple of trips to town for banking, gasoline, phone shopping, and have enjoyed some back road scenery.  We ate lunch at a small local diner that had great reviews on Thursday and while the service was friendly and the food was good, there was nothing spectacular to warrant the 5 star reviews.  We got the impression they had cut back the menu and the hours since the reviews.

At the rally in Goshen last month we won a small charcoal grill.  We opened it up Thursday evening and (after some assembly) Hank grilled some brats.  Then overnight Hank had a bad time with a stomach and intestinal problems, but since we both ate the same food on Thursday we don't know what caused it.  In any case, he recovered quickly on Friday.

Saturday, Hank upgraded his phone to an LG G3 model.  His two-year old Samsung Stratosphere was rapidly dying.  Important factors were a large 5.5" display, and a better battery - the Samsung was requiring multiple recharges in a single day and requires a proprietary Verizon battery that is not available.  So far the new phone looks like a keeper!

Yesterday (Sunday), Little House got a bath which it needed badly but we did not want to tackle that big job on our own.  We met Carlos Ramirez last week when he visited the Escapees Rally in Mt. Airy.  He has a mobile wash service based in the Galax area so we got in touch with him when we arrived here.  It took 3 hours for Carlos and his wife to get the job done, which required being on a wet RV roof, lots of ladder climbing, and having the right equipment to get the job done efficiently, so it was well worth the price.

The weather has been on the chilly and windy side with lows of 38 yesterday and today.  Other than rain on Friday, its' been sunny during most of the days, and crystal clear at night.  We're away from any city lights, so the night sky is awesome!

GALAX, VA: Relaxing in the Mountains

On Wednesday,  we left the Mayberry Campground in Mt. Airy, NC and made our way up the mountain road 20 miles to 7 miles south of Galax, VA. and settled in at the Cool Breeze RV Park.  We've been to this campground several times, although this is the first time we've stayed in the rear part of the park (site 34).   We'll be here until October 15.   Around October 9th, we'll be joined by fellow Good Sam chapter members for the monthly campout.  Until then, we'll just enjoy the quiet country environment and watch the fall colors intensify all around us.

MT. AIRY, NC: Another Rally is Over

We've had a very enjoyable week at the Mayberry Campground in Mt. Airy, NC.  The 2014 Fall Rally of Escapees Chapter 29 (Carolina Rovers) was a huge success.  There were 23 RVs and 43 people in attendance.  The days and nights were filled with happy hours, campfires, 2 breakfast gatherings, a catered dinner provided by the Colfax Camping World store, a pot luck dinner, a couple of off-site dinners , and lots of conversation and laughter. Camping World also brought in several different RVs for campers to explore.   The annual  Mayberry Days  festival was going on this weekend and many in the group attended some of those activities.  We decided to skip the crowds and just enjoy life in the campground.  Hank did take time for a dentist appointment in nearby Cana, VA to address a couple of problems, and we made a WalMart visit to stock up on groceries. 

Today ( Sunday) was the last day for the rally.  After a continental breakfast, there were plenty of  hugs and handshakes as most of the members departed for home or other adventures.  We'll be staying put until Wednesday, when we'll travel just up the road to Galax, VA.

MT. AIRY, NC: Another Rally, Another Location

Sunday, it was time to leave Goshen, IN.  At noon, we had Little House weighed.  Although we are a little overweight on the rear axle, we're under the GVWR  (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)  by about 500 pounds.  Many of our heavy options are in the rear of the coach, such as the batteries, washer/dryer unit,  and the Aqua-Hot unit so we can't move those items.  Hank will move some heavier personal items, such as tool boxes, to other bays, and move lighter items to the rear to help distribute the weight a little better.  Our tire pressures are within the recommended limits according to the tire company's chart.  Overall, we were pleased with the results.

We left Goshen about 12:15 P.M. to start our journey to Mt. Airy, NC with two stops on the way.  We decided to spend Sunday night  in the Columbus, OH area in a Walmart parking lot or Cracker Barrel lot.  We checked the satellite views of both and talked to the manager at the Cracker Barrel, so we felt we had plan A & B.  However, the best laid plans sometimes have to change.  The Walmart would not allow us to stay overnight as they do not own the property.  The possible areas in the Cracker Barrel lot were not large enough to maneuver Little House and the attached car into an acceptable position.  We called two other WalMarts and found one where we were welcome to stay overnight, and managed to arrive there just as it got dark.

Monday, we drove from Columbus, OH to the  Huntington, WV area.   Our friends, Gary and Nancy, invited us to visit their home and go out to dinner.  Gary provided transportation for a riding tour of the Huntington area, and then we visited the Museum of Radio and Technology . We spent an enjoyable couple of hours looking at the many displays which brought back memories of previous times.  We enjoyed cocktails and conversation in their beautiful home before heading to to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner and then returning to Little House for the night.

The two nights of  'boondocking' went well.  By being conservative in our electricity usage, we made it through the cold nights just fine, and then fired up the generator in the mornings to provide more comforts.  The journey through the farmlands of Indiana and Ohio, and the mountains in West Virginia and Virginia was very enjoyable.  The fall colors are beginning to appear.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we finished our trip to Mt. Airy, NC, arriving at the Mayberry Campground about 2:15 P.M.  We are here for a rally with the Escapees NC/SC Chapter.  The rally officially starts on Thursday, but there's already been happy hours, campfires, and lots of hugs and laughter.  Last night, a few of us went to dinner at the Hungry Farmer's Restaurant in nearby Cana, VA for a buffet of home-cooking type foods.

GOSHEN, IN: 2014 RV-Dreams Fall Rally

The RV-Dreams Rally started on Tuesday afternoon with registration and continued all week with seminars during the day and fun activities at night. This was the second RV-Dreams rally we have attended, the first being in 2011.  If you want to see what went on, go to  http://www.rv-dreams.com/rally2.html.  There were a couple of schedule changes, but you will get an idea of how busy we were.  There were 160 attendees, including two from Hawaii and several from California, 50 people stayed in hotels and the rest had RVs on the grounds with various ages, occupations, and different types of rigs represented. About 15 couples were already full-timers and the rest are working toward that end or just gathering information in order to make a decision later.  One or both of us went to most of the seminars, and  we had several delicious dinners.  The weather was beautiful, except for tonight when a severe thunderstorm rolled through about 5:30 P.M.  There doesn't appear to be any damage from that storm and there may be more storms later tonight.

Yesterday we had free time from noon on.  We went to the post office and WalMart, and then took a long drive around the countryside looking at the many neat Amish farms, sharing the roads with horse-drawn buggies and bicycles, and watching the fall harvest in full swing.  Last night we enjoyed having dinner with Dee and Jim, ham radio full-timers who we knew back in the Raleigh area, who also happened to be in the area. 

At WalMart we purchased a GE HDTV portable antenna, so we now have TV reception again.  Another problem showed up today when the large awning wouldn't retract all the way.  Hank was able to determine that there is a loose connection in the wiring inside the awning arm and was able to move the wiring around a little and we succeeded in getting it fully retracted.  Hank will investigate further when we are in good weather.  We will be in central NC toward the end of October and we'll go back to Tom Johnson's to have the TV antenna repaired or replaced.  (See the previous post for details on the antenna problem.)

Saturday afternoon, we participated in one of the most popular rally features - RV Open House.  Attendees with RVs can volunteer to have their units available for others to visit during a two-hour period.  This provides an opportunity (especially for those who are inexeperienced) to see a "lived-in" RV and to ask questions of the owners.  We enjoyed showing Little House to the many who stopped by, and it was another chance to meet new friends as we answered their questions and shared information. 

Tomorrow, the rally will officially come to an end with a catered breakfast, and farewells.  We will leave the fairgrounds after we have Little House weighed at noon  to make sure we're not overloaded for the rig's capacity as well as tire and axle capacities. We'll then start heading southeast as we make our way to Mt. Airy, NC by Tuesday or Wednesday.

GOSHEN, IN: RECAP OF GORDON RALLY

Last week, we were at the RV Radio Network's Fall Rally in Gordon, WI.  This is a national club for those interested in ham radio and RVing.  Throughout the year, we keep in touch with a daily  radio "net" where members and others check in on the radio and talk about their location, weather and what's going on in their lives.  The rally provides an opportunity to meet the hams we talk to on the net.  There were 16 people attending this rally.....some were old friends, and some became new friends.

The rally officially began on Thursday with breakfast in the bar's dining room, which included Blueberry French Toast Casserole with fresh blueberry sauce  (the berries were grown by one couple), sausage patties, juice and coffee.  After a short meeting, we went to Superior, WI to pick up prescriptions and to do some sight-seeing.  One destination was Wisconsin Point.   The peninsula ends at the western edge of Lake Superior and entrance to the Superior/Duluth ports.   Offshore is the Superior Entry Lighthouse.

 Since we were so close to Minnesota, we drove over the Blatnik Bridge to explore the Duluth waterfront, Canal Park,  and downtown area.  We met the rest of our group at Eddie's Supper Club back in Superior for a delicious meal and good conversation. A different menu item was called Retreads - deep-fried potato skins with a special dipping sauce...very good.

Friday was started with breakfast of  the leftover casserole from Thursday and sausage links, juice and coffee.  There was a short meeting, then a little free time before the women and men met separately for lunch.  The ladies gathered in the bar dining room for a lunch of  homemade chicken dumpling soup and chicken salad on croissants, with Eclair Cake for dessert.  The men gathered in our RV for a chili lunch and banana creme pie for dessert.  It was still pretty chilly outside, so we had our happy hour in the bar, then enjoyed a catered dinner of Ceasar Salad, Beef Pot Pie, Turkey Pot Pie, rolls and dessert of apple cake or carrot cake.

Saturday morning was a little brisk, but we warmed up with breakfast in the pavilion  - biscuits with sausage gravy, assorted pastries, juice and coffee.  A nice fire was built in the adjacent fire pit, and people visited most of the day around the fire.

 The campground sponsored Farm Day with hayrides and other activities, as well as a chicken dinner.  Happy Hour was also held around the campfire, and extended until dark, by which time it was pretty nippy outside.

Sunday morning, a combo breakfast and lunch was prepared in the pavilion - muffins, grilled hot dogs and brats, baked beans, various condiments and cookies along with coffee and juice.  It was soon time for hugs and handshakes as most people prepared to leave.

Our departure was delayed because our super duper deluxe automatic motor driven tv antenna would not retract.  Hank removed the cover plates on the control panel and checked the wiring but could not identify a problem.  He wound up on the roof where he wiggled and jostled the antenna and mounts but nothing helped.  He ended up removing the antenna from the roof mount with the help of Marshall and Dave.  We'll get it repaired somewhere down the road.  We left Happy Ours RV Park and headed south back to Baraboo, WI,  5 hours away, where we spent the night in a Cracker Barrel parking lot with the management's permission.  Cracker Barrel is one of several national chains which allows overnight RV parking if local ordinances don't prohibit it.  We thanked them by eating Sunday dinner and Monday breakfast at the restaurant.  Little House once again passed the test for boondocking (camping without hookups) and we slept just fine.

Today (Monday) we left Baraboo at 8:15 A.M.  and after many toll roads and lots of construction areas on bumpy roads, we arrived at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen, IN about 6 hours later.  We're here for an RV-Dreams Educational Rally to learn more about the RV lifestyle.  We attended the same rally in 2011 when we were just beginning to explore the possibility of becoming full-time RVers.   Tonight, there was a campfire gathering for those who had arrived early.  The Rally officially starts tomorrow evening.

GOSHEN, IN: No Time to Post Now

We have a lot of catching up to do on the blog but we are fine....we've just been busy.  We arrived in Goshen, IN today.  News of the past week will follow soon.

GORDON, WI: Summer is Over!!

Yesterday, 3 more attendees arrived and we shared "happy hour" time under the pavilion in pleasant weather.  Last night the wind picked up and storms with heavy rain and high winds battered the area overnight.  It's continued to be very windy all day long with occasional misty rain.  We lost power for several hours last night but because of our automatic battery backup system it took some time before we even knew that commercial power was off.

The rest of the rally attendees arrived today.  After getting some groceries at the nearest large store 19 miles away, we enjoyed a fish dinner cooked by some of our friends.  The menu included grilled lake salmon, trout and walleye, clam chowder, tartar sauce, wild rice casserole, slaw, rolls and butter, and  fruity dessert bars....all prepared by rally people.  There's a restaurant/bar at the front of the campground grounds, and we used their extra room for our dinner gathering.  With temperatures in the 40's, wind and misty rain, it's not a pleasant night to be outside, so we were glad to have the option of being indoors for our meal.

Tomorrow should be a more pleasant day,  but nights will be nippy with lows in the 30's for the next couple of nights.  We've had to pull out some of our winter clothes and jackets, but it's nice and warm inside Little House.

GORDON, WI: Deep in the Woods

Today we drove from Tomah, WI to Gordon, WI, but more on that down the page.

Saturday evening and yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, Marshall and Annie gave us enjoyable sightseeing tours of some of the areas near their home.  We saw our first cranberry bogs (or marshes) and learned how the berries are grown and harvested.  Wisconsin produces 80 % of the nation's cranberries.  When the crop is ripe, the sandy growing areas will be flooded, the plants will be thrashed and the berries will float to the top for harvesting. This area is mostly farmland planted with lots of  corn, soybeans and of course, cranberries.  After yesterday's tour, Marshall and Annie served us a delicious pork and sauerkraut dinner.

The four-hour drive today was uneventful with some occasional light rain, but traffic was very light as we made our way north on I-94 and US 53.  Some fall colors are starting to appear in the trees. We're camped at Happy Ours RV Park deep in the Wisconsin woods outside of Gordon.  We're here for the RV Radio Network Fall Rally and we're the first attendees to arrive.  This is a basic campground with good hookups and free WiFi at a reasonable cost.  Tonight there's only a few other residents here, although there are many RV's in the campground.  We'll be here until September 15.

TOMAH, WI: Weekend Visit with Friends

We left the Wisconsin Dells area at noon on Friday, heading north on I-94 for 50 minutes to Tomah, WI.  Our friends, Marshall and Annie, live in the country 3 miles from Tomah, and invited us to stay at their house for the weekend.  We've been wanting to check out our boondocking capabilities, so moochdocking in their yard was a good opportunity to do just that.  Marshall provided an electrical connection for backup if needed.  We all went to dinner at a nearby Perkins Restaurant for supper.

This morning, Saturday,  fall was in the air with temperatures in the high 40's.  Today will be a beautiful day with highs in the 70's.  Maybe we've finally left summer weather behind us.  We're enjoying our time with Marshall and Annie and look forward to more before we leave on Monday.

LAKE DELTON, WI: Our Last Two Days

Thursday, we visited the Ho-Chunk Casino in nearby Baraboo.  This huge facility includes not only the casino, but a hotel, convention center, amusement park and RV park.

 

 (Interior atrium complete with a two-story waterfall)

We signed up for their player card and headed to the lunch buffet (10 % card discount) which was very good.  We're not big gamblers so it took awhile to search out the penny slots and get reacquainted with the ins and outs of these addictive machines. The first ones  we tried didn't give us much excitement, but the last ones we played kept us entertained with enough wins to pass the time quickly.  Our 4 hours of fun cost us the buffet price plus $6 in losses.... not bad for an afternoon of fun.. However, we won't be on the "big spenders" invitation list anytime soon!




Today (Friday),  we woke to overcast skies leftover from a couple of thunderstorms that rolled through the area overnight. We went to Buffalo Phil's Pizza & Grill, located next to the Tanger Outlets, for lunch. 

 



Buffalo Phil's is a very large facility, with several dining areas, a large bar, as well as individual children's rides, and is decorated with a hunting lodge theme.  One room, where we ate, includes a large gauge model railroad that is used to deliver the food to some of the tables in the room.  We chose to eat from the buffet, so only our drinks were delivered by rail.  The buffet included a salad bar, pizza, pasta dishes, roasted chicken, vegetables, soup, and dessert breads. 

After lunch, we went to the Tanger Outlets next door in search of athletic shoes for Hank.  We had no luck in our search for size 16 shoes, but we were able to walk off some of the lunch calories.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to leave the area and head for Tomah, WI, our next stop.  With only about an hour's drive, we'll be able to do our departure chores in a leisurely manner.

LAKE DELTON, WI: Enjoying Our Stay

As expected, the holiday weekend brought many visitors to theWisconsin Dells area as families enjoyed the many attractions one last time before autumn sets in.  Country Roads RV Park caters to older adults and doesn't have features such as a pool that would draw families, so it's been very quiet in the campground.

Saturday, we braved the rain and the traffic to go to Walmart and have some lunch.  We ate at Culver's - our first experience with that chain - and tried their signature burger - the Butter Burger.  We explored the area a little and then went to Walmart, which was packed with shoppers.  Glad we weren't in a hurry!  The rain ended in the early afternoon and the rest of the day was beautiful.

If you've seen our RV in a campground setting, you've seen the signs in our window identifying who we are and our amateur radio call signs, along with the 30 foot ham antenna that's on the back of the coach.  These items are noticed by many of our fellow campers and often lead to introductions and conversation.  Saturday afternoon, Tom (also a ham) and Lynn knocked on the door to find out more about us.  We had a nice visit with them later in the day and enjoyed meeting them and their large Golden Retriever, Tanner.
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Sunday, we made the trip to North Freedom, WI about 20 minutes away, to visit the Mid-Continent Railway Museum and take a 55 minute 7 mile round trip train ride in century old passenger cars on what was originally a Chicago & North Western RR Spur serving an iron mine and a quartzite rock quarry.


The conductor pointed out highlights through the surrounding farmland and wooded areas.  As an interesting aside - the conductor turned out to be a ham radio operator, Steven Brist, AB9RR.  Steven said he picked that call and the RR is for RailRoad.

At the end of the spur, the engine was disconnected and moved to the other end of the train to pull it back to the station.  We all disembarked to observe the operation complete with commentary from the conductor.

After the ride we toured the museum which housed several very interesting cars including a snow plow to clear very deep snow from the tracks, and a fish car with 15 steel fish tanks, crew quarters, and a galley.  The fish car was used to haul fry from state hatcheries to remote streams and rivers, stopping on bridges to empty the tanks into the water below.  Before leaving, we enjoyed a lunch of grilled brat, chips, and a "pop" in the picnic pavilion.

After leaving the train station we stopped at the New Freedom town square to look at the Antiques and Artisan Sale and took the "scenic" route back toward the campground.  The farmland in this area is not exactly flat, and higher hills are off to the west so it's very pretty. We spent some time in Baraboo, WI.  Baraboo is home to the Circus World Museum, the former headquarters and winter home of the Ringling Brothers circus, but there wasn't a tiger or elephant to be seen anywhere.  Before returning to the camp ground, we stopped at Los Nopales for an early dinner.

Labor Day started out with rain, but the sunshine gradually made it through the clouds.  As expected, many of our fellow campers, including Tom and Lynn, pulled up their jacks and left for other destinations. We chose to stay off the busy roads.

Today (Tuesday) was a beautiful day with cool morning temperatures and a high near 80.  For dinner, we drove to the nearby Pizza Ranch for a great buffet and returned to the campground via the long route going around Lake Delton on County Road A between the lake and the Wisconsin River.  By this time, it was dusk and the deer were starting to appear on the side of the roads. The difference in the local traffic between Sunday and today was quite dramatic as "the season" has come to an end.  Many attractions are either closed or are open only on the weekends until late October, when  most things get buttoned up for the winter, including Country Roads RV Park. 

LAKE DELTON< WI: Moving Further Northwest

Wednesday, we went  to Captain's Cove Bar and Grill and enjoyed a leisurely lunch on their screened porch while watching the traffic on the Illinois River.  The food and service was good, and the river activity was entertaining.

Yesterday (Thursday), we drove to Starved Rock State Park.  Unlike most states, Illinois does not charge an admission fee, boat or swimming fee in their state parks.  The park suffered major storm damage in July, and some areas are still closed as the massive tree damage is removed.  We started at the Visitor Center and learned about the history of the park and surrounding area. We took a 45-minute ride on the Belle of the Rock, an authentic paddle-wheel boat, on the Illinois River to near the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Starved Rock Dam and Locks and back to the park

We were lucky enough to see one of the Bald Eagles that live in the area.   All in all, it was a beautiful day to be out and about.  Wednesday evening, another thunderstorm blew threw the area but it was much calmer storm than some of the previous ones this week.

Today (Friday), we started moving early, and pulled out of  the Hickory Hollow Campground about 10 A.M.  After 159 miles of interstate travel, and a rest area lunch stop where we got some maps and tourist information, we arrived at the Country Roads Motorhome and RV Park in Lake Delton, WI, near Wisconsin Dells around 1:30 P.M.   We're in a site close to the "store" and so far the free WIFI is decent.  We'll be here for a week and look forward to exploring the area with it's many attractions, including a casino.  Unfortunately, it looks like the holiday weekend may be a rainy one here.

UTICA, IL: Just Normal Living

There's nothing very exciting to write about....we're just enjoying life in the RV and going out to do errands such as shopping at Home Depot and Walmart as we leisurely work our way north to Gordon, Wisconsin.  The weather has mostly been either too hot or too wet for outdoor activity.

 On Saturday and again Monday, thunderstorms blew through the area with torrential rain and high winds.  More storms are in the forecast for the rest of our stay, but at least the temperatures are much cooler.  

Last night we walked to the Deer Ridge and Green Acres areas of the campground and were greeted by clearing skies and a beautiful sunset.  This part of the campground is surrounded by cornfields, which are about ready to be harvested.


Yesterday, we had a long phone call with an adviser from Aon Retiree Health Exchange (Aon Hewitt), the company that will be running AT&T's Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) that is replacing their traditional Health Benefit program beginning in 2015.  These calls are being made to each retiree to explain Medicare programs and how to use their site to shop from from over 90 plans and options.  This was basically an orientation to get us started looking at the mound of paperwork that is involved.  We will have another call for assistance with the actual enrollment in November or December.  Time will tell whether the plans will continue to be "benefits" or headaches.

This morning we had a phone consultation with our financial adviser.  We then took a tour of the area swinging through the outskirts of Ottawa on the way to Captains Cove Bar and Grill for waterfront dining at the Starved Rock Marina on the Illinois River, but we found they are closed on Tuesday's!  So we went to Delaney's Family Restaurant in Oglesby for a great buffet and met a soon-to-be fellow RVer from Marion, NC seated at an adjacent table.  After lunch we fueled up the car and went to a CVS in Peru before returning to the campground - all without a passport!

UTICA, IL: Moving North

Thursday evening, we went to dinner with Jim & Linda and Mike & Terri at the Blue Star Family Restaurant in nearby Fisher, IL.  The food was delicious, the prices were reasonable, but the best part of the meal was the company.

Yesterday (Friday) dawned wet and stormy.  By noon, we had said our goodbyes to our friends, pulled up the jacks and were heading across the Illinois prairie as we made our way north toward Wisconsin.  After about 120 miles and a 20 minute fuel stop, we settled in at the Hickory Hollow Campground in Utica, IL near I-80 on site D-5, a nice pull-thru with good hookups and a level concrete pad.  The free Wi-fi worked well until the campground started filling up - not unusual for campgrounds.  Our Verizon Jetpack helps us out most of the time.

 Since we hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch, we treated ourselves to an early dinner at Ron's Cajun Connection where we enjoyed a great dinner.  Hank had Crawfish Etouffee, Oysters, Gumbo and salad, and Selene had a Maque Choux Salad (pronounced moc shoe) topped with blackened chicken.  The owner sat with us for short time telling us about his history and the menu - quite a character!

We will be here for a week.  Our plans include some sight-seeing, shopping and two lengthy business calls, so the week  is sure to pass quickly.  The weather will be hot over the weekend with cooler temperatures forecast for later next week.

RANTOUL, IL: Enjoying Life and Friends

Our time in Rantoul will come to an end on Friday and we will continue our travels toward northern Wisconsin.  It's been a very enjoyable time at the Prairie Pines Campground, visiting with Jim & Linda and Mike & Terri, exploring a little of the surrounding countryside which is dominated by corn and soybean fields, and soaking up the relative quiet atmosphere here as compared to the very busy daytime environment we were in at Tom Johnson's. 


Monday, we went to Champagne, about 15 miles away, and visited a Meijer's store for the first time - very impressive. 

Monday evening, we all got together for grilled hot dogs and brats, and several side items, and finished the evening around a campfire.

The weather for the last 5 days has been gradually warming up with a few periods of rain, and there's usually a nice breeze blowing.  We're hoping for cooler weather once we get to Wisconsin.