GOSHEN, IN: Cooling Our Heels

This past Tuesday, we drove from Huntington, WV to Cruising America RV Services in Celina, OH. Our front rooftop A/C hasn't been working right since we had it repaired at the REV facility in Decatur back in the fall. Dependable fix-it shops are hard to come by and Cruising America RV Services -owned by Kevin Mallory, a former design engineer at American Coach - is now our favorite place to go for problems.  He knows motor homes inside and out, does quality work, and his labor rate is less than most places charge. He doesn't do motor work..

Wednesday morning, Kevin determined a sensor in the A/C unit had been put in the wrong place and soon had the A/C moving cool air.  He also replaced a  fluorescent LED bulb that we purchased from him last year, changed another fluorescent fixture over to LED bulbs, and checked out the Sirius radio in the dash that had been giving us some issues. 

With the work being done so quickly, it was time to move on. We decided to drive to Goshen, IN and the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, where we're registered for a Maintenance Session gathering beginning on May 4.  This facility with its many buildings and large camping facility is used for large and small RV rallies. We were able to reserve a spot in their 50 amp/full hookup 'overflow' area until the MS  begins.  The sites are gravel and close together, but adequate for our needs and except for the many trains that pass by, it's peaceful.

At some point during our recent travels, an object left it's mark on our windshield.  Since none of the auto glass repair services work on motor home windshields, we'll probably have to have it replaced at REV in Decatur in mid-may or early June.  Luckily, our Florida insurance will cover the cost with no deductible....just have to work it into our schedule. The spot is not in Hank's line of vision, so it's not a problem as of now. We already have a claim open with the insurance company for this repair whenever we can get it done.

The weather was comfortably cool when we arrived here, but after some rainy days, we had temperatures in the 30's for two nights.  Sunny skies are back today, with no more rain until mid-week and it may cool down again after that. The next 10 days will provide plenty of time for relaxation, hobbies and maybe a little exploring in the surrounding area.

HUNTINGTON, WV: Moving On Down the Road

The last 5 weeks in Raleigh, NC have gone by quickly.  We lived in the area for 14 years and left many friends behind when we went full-time in our RV.  We were able to reconnect with many of these people during our stay as well as taking part in ham radio gatherings.  Hank is still on the steering committee for RARSFEST, and he spent a lot of time keeping the website updated, attending meetings, and then working during the event setup and the hamfest itself, which was held this past Saturday.  We're still members of the local Good Sam chapter and we enjoyed several outings with other chapter members during our stay.

There were several medical appointments for each of us.  Hank's kidney stone problem is no longer causing any issues, so no further action is needed as of now.

We also took care of car maintenance items as well as getting two rear tires.  Little House also got a bath.

All good things must end, so it was time to get the wheels moving once again.  Today we drove from Raleigh to Huntington, WV and received permission to park overnight in a KMart parking lot.  We also enjoyed dinner with Nancy and Gary - ham radio/RV friends.

Tomorrow 's travel will be to Celina, OH for some A/C repairs.

RALEIGH, NC: A Time for Friends and Doctors

The last two weeks have been busy.  We're enjoying visiting with many friends at meetings and dinners.  Between ham radio friends and camping club friends, our social calendar has been full.  We've also had medical checkups with good results, and Hank had a good report from his eye doctor.  He has had no more kidney stone pain or systems since we've been in Raleigh. Today he had another CT Scan and the urologist decided that the stones must have moved into the bladder and are no longer causing any problems, so no action was recommended at this time. That was great news!

We'll be here until April 17 as we continue to meet up with friends and attend ham radio meetings.  The Raleigh hamfest will be on April 15 here at the NC State Fairgrounds, and Hank is staying busy working with the hamfest staff in preparation for that event.

Spring weather has settled in after a cold start to our visit and it's a pleasure to be outside, except we're both having to cope with the increased pollen in the air.

CONCORD, NC TO RALEIGH, NC: Hamfest Weekend Then Moving On

We arrived at the Cabarrus Arena in Concord, NC early Thursday afternoon to get ready for the Charlotte Hamfest.  There are RV hookups at the rear of the building where we parked and settled in for our stay. Friday and Saturday,  Hank sold tickets and vendor tables for the Raleigh Hamfest coming up in April.  This event is another chance for us to reconnect with many of our ham radio friends.

Hank's kidney stone problem hasn't gone away, but the discomfort is intermittent so he's coping with over-the-counter medication as needed.  Luckily, he has a lot of pain-free time as well.

We had planned on staying behind the arena until Sunday, but winter decided to make a comeback in North Carolina by Sunday morning in the form of possible snowfall.  We decided to pull up the jacks and leave after the hamfest on Saturday while the weather was still sunny and dry, arriving in Raleigh about 7:30 P.M.  Our decision to leave early was a good one as there was a light dusting of snow in Raleigh on Sunday morning but about an inch in Concord. Roads stayed clear for the most part and all the white stuff was gone by 1 P.M.

Our present location is in the NC State Fairgrounds campground behind the Hunt Horse Complex where we've stayed many times.  It's a basic campground with full hookups, gravel roads and parking pads, and free wi-fi, but no bathhouse or other amenities. It works out well for us getting to  the places we have to go to while we're here.  Yesterday, friends from our local Good Sam Chapter - Linda and Philip-  parked next to us for an overnight stay. We enjoyed catching up on their activities over the last couple of years. We'll be staying in Raleigh for 5 weeks, meeting up with old friends, and helping out with the Raleigh Hamfest on April 15.

Today we both had checkups with our family doctors.  Tomorrow, Hank will meet with his urologist regarding the kidney stone problem.

TRAVELERS REST: More Good Times, Change in Plans and Moving On

We're a little behind in updating the blog with our last post written on February 20 after we returned to Travelers Rest RV Resort on February 13.  During our stay, we continued to enjoy being with old and new friends, visiting the Snack Shack,  and taking part in the Sunday Ice Cream Socials and the free entertainment.  We were scheduled to leave on Feb. 27 and head to the Birmingham, AL area for a hamfest and family visit.  That didn't happen.

Hank had a kidney stone attack on February 24 which resulted in a stay in the  Dade City hospital from February 26 to March 1.  Obviously, we had to extend our stay at TR to allow time for him to recover from the medication and IV fluids he received in the hospital.  Dealing with a medical issue on the road is not always easy, but having friends close by helps to ease the anxiety, and we certainly had that benefit from the TR family.  We decided to stay at TR until today, March 8.   This stay also allowed time for an  RV Mobile Tech to install a new toilet, and to test our dash A/C for leaks, then recharge the system. We're looking forward to returning to TR next year.

Today, we traveled from Dade City, FL to the Walterboro, SC Walmart where we're spending the night along with at least 15 other RVs and several semi-trucks.  This Walmart is well-known among the RV population for allowing RVs to park overnight. Tomorrow we'll drive to Concord, NC where the Charlotte Hamfest will be held on Friday and Saturday.

TRAVELERS REST: Glad To Be Back!

Last Monday, we left the Florida Central Fairgrounds in Orlando, FL and drove about 90 minutes to return to Travelers Rest near Dade City.  Our friends from Cary, NC -- Ken and Sally - were still parked across from us, so we spent a lot of time together before they left on Wednesday.

During the last couple of weeks, both of us have spent time recuperating from a severe cold and cough - Selene before and during Hamcation - and Hank after we got back, but both of  us are feeling much better now.  We've been doing a lot of resting and just enjoying the warm and sunny Florida weather, and taking part in park activities when we've felt up to it.

Tonight, we went to the weekly ice cream social and then enjoyed the great entertainment  provided by the Take the Hay Train Band.

Members: RANDY MORRIS - piano, accordion, tenor banjo, banjo uke, mandolin, mandola, ukelele, trumpet. CHARLIE MORRIS - vocals, piano. PAUL SCAVARDA - guitar, plectrum and tenor banjos, banjo uke, mandolin. BO FRAZER - fiddle, mandolin, 5-string banjo, guitar, bass. RICK RICHOLSON - upright bass and downright bass.

Genre: Jazz, Country, Western Swing

Travelers Rest has free professional entertainment every Sunday night (at least in snowbird season), and Wednesday night entertainment  for a reasonable fee.  There is also an orchestra, men's and women's chorus, cloggers, and other groups who occasionally perform - all made up of TR residents.

We'll be here until Monday, February 27.

ORLANDO, FL: Hamcation Wrap-up

Our time at the Orlando Hamcation was very enjoyable as we met up with friends we don't see very often, and some that we see a few times a year.  The weather was perfect for an outdoor event, but a little too warm in the afternoon for staying inside Little House.  We were limited to 30 amps so using one A/C tripped the breaker.  Other than that, it was another great event with a large crowd in attendance.

Sunday was a time to meet other friends.  We had lunch with Randy & Kim who we met last year through our daughter, Debbie, as they prepared to become full-time RVers.  It was a great reunion and we're happy to find that they are enjoying the freedom of their new lifestyle.  Our dinner engagement was with Gary, a Raleigh friend, and Dee & Jim,  friends we knew from Raleigh,who spent 5 years full-time in their 5th wheel and now live in their house in Auburndale, FL  We met in Kissimmee, FL and had a great time catching up with everyone's news.