CINCINNATI, OHIO: FMCA Campground

Wednesday, we left Shepherdsville about 10 A.M. for the easy drive to Cincinnati, Ohio and the FMCA Campground.  We're making our way toward Dayton, Ohio, and this was a perfect stopover.
 

The Family Motor Coach Association offers its members two night of free camping at the FMCA campground, located behind the former mail service building (now a storage facility).  The roomy sites are on concrete pads with full hookups and good, free WiFi.  The cost for up to 5 additional days is $20 per night.  They ask that you call ahead to check availability, since rallies and directors" usage take priority.  An overflow area on blacktop is available with only electric hookups.  The facility is on the western side of Cincinnati, and fairly quiet. There's no bathhouse, pool or other usual campground amenities, but it's a nice place to hang out for while, and the tourist attractions are not far away.

Today, we visited the FMCA headquarters, about 5 miles away, to visit their store and ask a couple of questions.  We purchased the new FMCA Road Atlas, and a plaque frame for the RV ladder to hold our FMCA membership plaque.

We'll be leaving here tomorrow.

DEPARTURE NOTES; South Louisville KOA, Shepherdsville, Ky

The South Louisville KOA has most of the amenities you expect from the KOA campground chain- pool, play area, miniture golf course, cabins, stocked store, laundry/bathouse and different types of campsites.  Free cable TV (pretty good) and free WiFi (not dependable or strong signal strength) is also included.  The hosts were friendly and seemed to be busy most of the time.  However, the grounds left much to be desired.  The grass had obviously not had its first springtime cut, and that overgrown look did nothing to add to the campground's visual appeal.  However, the day we left, mowing and trimming were under way, probably to spruce things up for the sold-out status over the upcoming Kentucky Derby weekend.  Our site #315 was very long, fairly level, and was at the very front of the property, and that area was quiet most of the time. 

Campground Map

SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY. South Louisville KOA

We arrived at the South Louisville KOA on April 21. It a nice stopover on our journey north and gives as ample opportunity to visit with family and friends in the Louisville area, which is exactly what we've been doing.  We chose this campground over Grandma's RV Park since we got a weekly rate, free cable TV and somewhat better free WiFi as well as a very long site.  The 2015 Derby Festival is ongoing and it's interesting to see how that event has grown since we left the area in 1983.   We'll be here until Wednesday, April 29.

DEPARTURE NOTES: River Plantation RV Resort, Sevierville, TN

This large campground has the usual assets - pool, game room, laundry/bathhouses, permanent and transient sites, and different sized cabins. There is also a very nice convention center with catering that can  host large groups and a large pavilion with fireplace and small stage. Sites are mostly level and  close together with free cable and free Wi-fi (not always dependable).  There are river view sites on two sides of the campground.  There are plenty of things to do in the area as well as many restuarants and shopping venues.

SEVIERVILLE, TN: SKP ACRE 2015 Is Almost Over

Since last Wednesday, SKP ACRE has been filled with scheduled activities as well as free time for enjoying the many tourist attractions nearby.  There have been Happy Hours, 2 catered breakfasts, a continental breakfast, an eggs-in-a-bag breakfast,  1 catered dinner, optional BBQ dinner and live theater performance, several seminars, door prize giveaways and lots of time for catching up with old friends as well as meeting new acquaintances. The weather has been pretty good with some occasional rain.

The only negative is the WIFI.  Although the campground's website claims "Free and reliable WiFi throughout the property", it is actually only reliable from about midnight till 6AM!  At most other times it rates poor to unusable.  And since we are near the end of our Verizon month, our MiFi is near our limit so our email and web browsing have been severely hampered.

Tonight is the final gathering - a pot luck dinner.  There were 103 rigs registered for the rally.  We've had a great time.

Tomorrow, we'll get Little House's wheels rolling once again as we head toward Kentucky where we're looking forward to visiting  with  family members.

SEVIERVILLE, TN: One Rally Down, One to Go

Since our last post on Saturday, the time has flown by.  Our days were filled with Escapees Chapter 29 activities like dinner out at the Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge, breakfasts in the pavilion, campfires, our chapter meeting, a pot luck dinner, and lots of conversation.  In between all of those events, Selene got the taxes done, Hank did lots of computer chores, we made trips to the drug store, Walmart,  and post office, and there were a couple of naps thrown in to keep our energy level up.  The Chapter 29 rally's final activity was yesterday morning.

Today is the first event for the 2015 SKPACRE. Many of our chapter members are staying over for SKPACRE, and many other attendees have been arriving.  Last night, we had a nice visit with Herb & Lois, ham radio friends, who we saw in February at Orlando.  We'll renew some more acquaintances tonight at Happy Hour.  In the days ahead there will be shared meals, seminars, and other activities along with free time so attendees can enjoy the many venues in this tourist area.

Since we arrived last Friday, the weather has been beautiful with lots of sunshine. Now we're in a rainy period for the next several days, but most of the SKPACRE activities will be held in the campground's convention center, so wet weather is not a big concern.

SEVIERVILLE, TN: ESCAPEES Time

It was great to be at Tom Johnson's just for the camping instead of being there for service.  We had good visits with Bob & Sue and other friends.

Yesterday (Friday), we left about 11:45 A.M. for the 2 1/2 hour drive through the mountains to River Plantation RV Resort in Sevierville, TN.  Our journey was mostly rain-free and the views were picturesque with the bright green of new leaf growth and the redbuds and dogwoods in full bloom.

River Plantation RV Resort is a large campground (see photo #3) with many amenities, including a large  conference center and catering service as well as free cable TV. After parking in our site,  we got everything set up and then gave Little House a good cleaning inside.

We are attending the Escapees Chapter 29 Fall Rally that starts tomorrow, and that will be followed by the Escapees SKPACRE event, and we'll be here until April 21 in site 199.  We'll have more information on these events as the days unfold.

Last night we went to dinner at  the Apple Valley Farmhouse Grill, which serves down-home meals starting with complementary apple fritters with apple butter.  Their special dinners include, soup, salad, entree, mashed potatoes and gravy served family style, an additional side, and desert. Needless to say, no one in our group of 20 walked out hungry!  The service was top-notch and prices were reasonable considering all that was included.

At 1:00 AM Monday Hank received an email notice that the results of his tests at NC Heart and Vascular Center were available, but he was unable to get anyone to give him the results until Thursday afternoon.  The PA had initially listened to his arteries using a stethoscope and had heard evidence of some arterial blockage.  The tests showed normal blood flow and blood pressure in both legs, feet and all 10 toes, and found some blockage in his left leg but not enough to require invasive treatment. (The right leg is where he had swelling, redness, and scaly patches.) The PA has prescribed Plavix to improve the blood flow in his left leg and suggested a medicated cream for the skin condition on his right leg.  She also implied that his symptoms are not what she would expect to have been referred to them, but more likely to a dermatologist.  He never saw the doctor, only the PA that assists the doctor, the PA's assistant, and the lab technician. When we get back to Raleigh this fall the PA wants him to come in for another consultation to "keep an eye" on the blockage in his left leg.


 Complimentary Single Serving Of Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Applewoods Apple Fritters, Homemade Apple Butter and Applewood Julep
Served with Mashed Potatoes, Choice of Homemade Soup And Choice of Vegetable