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!
Our life on the highways and byways of America.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
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.
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.
Friday, November 14, 2014
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.
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.
Monday, November 10, 2014
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.
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.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
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.
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.
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