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Sunday, October 16, 2011

The Way North.....to Maine

It's been a while since I've written a new post....the trip north has been all encompassing, but wonderful at the same time. To keep things a little more brief...II will provide an overview of my travels north. After leaving D.C. I traveled to Lynchburg to visit my older brother and sister-in-law. I stayed at Smith Mountain Lake - a gorgeous state park that is the nicest state park I've visited to date. While in Virginia, we took a day to Chateau Morrissette - a charming vineyard that looks like it is transplanted from France. Located in Floyd, VA., it is a well established winery that boasts some excellent wines. Next I passed through Hagerstown,MD where I stayed at a KOA campground right along a rural country stream. While there I took some time to visit the Antietam Battlefield before I left the next day for Hickory Run State Park, just south of Wilkes-Barr, PA. Pennsylvannia has so many wonderful state parks...Due to the incessant rain, I wasn't able to do as much hiking and exploring in Hickory Run as i would have liked, but it is definitely a place to revisit. It wasn't until I passed over the mountains north of Harrisburg, PA that I saw the beginnings of some real fall foliage colors. Apparently all the rain from Hurricane Irene and afterwards has delayed the changing of colors. In any case, after PA, the next big display of colors didn't appear until Cape Cod. However after PA, I headed for the Hudson River Valley - a place I've always wanted to see. I wasn't disappointed...I stayed at Round Pond Recreation Center - a picturesque, military facility just south of the Military Academy at West Point. When I arrived there it was pouring rain. So, as a result.....I had to back the travel trailer into a hilly, forested spot...getting it leveled in the downpour. Not the worst event to happen, but certainly not an event I wish to repeat anytime soon. Beiing in the Hudson River Valley made up for any difficulty I may have had...it is indeed breathtaking! Visited a couple of the many famous estates that dot the Hudson River including Kykuit, the Rockefeller mansion in Tarrytown and FDR's home in Hyde Park. A person could spend months seeing all the "homes" along the Hudson River Valley.....suffice it to say that it is a magnet for the very wealthy. Before departing this fabulously beautiful area, I drove into NYC to have dinner with a close friend of mine. My friend has recently become the president of SUNY Maritime located at Fort Schulyer and passing this close to NYC allowed me to visit her at her new abode. Although I love the energy and diversity of NYC, I don't care for the congestion and how dirty the city looks especially in the winter time. Next stop after NY was a transient "overnight" at a campsite outside New Haven, Conn. nothing really remarkable about this area except that Conn seems very neat and very quaint. Since I have been in such a rush to get to Maine before things close down...I have been rushing through many areas I would have normally taken more time to enjoy and explore. So on to Newport, RI. Actually I stayed at Fisherman's Memorial Park in Narragansett. This campsite was probably one of the best I've stayed at. Plus it was only a short drive up to Newport....where one can enjoy amazing seafood...I certainly did. Went to the Red Parrot and devoured a seared tuna with wasabe and soy reduction....yumm! On to Cape Cod. I was shocked to see how rural Cape Cod is. I found Cape Cod to be intoxicating....the town, the people, the scenery. Took the opportunity to ride the ferry over to Martha's Vineyard. The weather was unusually warm for Columbus Day...about 80. Wow, this was definitely not what I was expecting...what a delightful surprise. Alas, finally I make it into a campsite on 10 Oct near Kennebunk, Maine and before the snow!!! It is clear that I am arriving at the far end of the season. Up this way, things close down beginning Columbus Day. Generally there is little open after 31 October. That fact alone has determined my travel plans. So after spending too much money at the shops in Freeport (home of L.L. Bean) I made my way up to Bar Harbor. Oh, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park......simply and totally spectacular. I love Maine......it is a sportsman's paradise. The outdoors here is ruggedly beautiful and striking. I would easily stay here for an extended period of time if it were not for the closing of things (I.e., no place to stay in a RV). unfortunately all things close up...water is turned off on or about 23 Oct so, guess I'll be headed back south for a while. By the way, it is no easy task to chart a path back south and find places to stay. After talking with seasoned RVers that make their way south from Maine.....many just stop at Walmart parking lots until they get far enough south to find RV campsites that are open. From what I can tell, once you get south of PA, you can pretty well find open campsites. Acadia National Park is a national treasure. The range of scenery in this park is uncanny...from mountains to rugged, rocky coastlines to hemlock forests - all spectacular. It is an ideal place to hike, bike, kayak or just sit and soak up the beauty. This part of Maine is also a place for those who love lobster, mussels, clam chowder and wild blueberries - epicurean delights I have taken full advantage of while here. Enough for now...photos to follow. The grand adventure continues.......

Thursday, September 15, 2011

A Hidden Gem Just Outside D.C. - Pohick Bay Regional Park - 14 Sept

Coming up to D.C. was not the driving nightmare I thought it would be. In fact, it proved to be one of the easier transits I've experienced thus far. What was difficult was backing into my assigned campsite at Pohick Bay Regional Park. This park is a hidden jewel to be sure. I was only able to get a camp spot with electrical power as opposed to having sewer and water hookups. This really did not pose a problem because my travel trailer has sewer holding tanks and of course a water tank. I have about 5 to 7 days before I need to get to a dumping station and refill the water tank...that all works out with my planned stay of about a week.
O.k., so back to the backing in process. Did I fail to mention that my site was lined with big trees in close proximity to the drive? Well, when you have to make something happen/work, you just figure it out. In this case, I think it took about 90 minutes.....there was no one to help or guide me as I backed up...which is ok because I have got to get better. I suppose practice makes perfect, right? Once I was successful in getting the trailer into place and got it unhooked from the truck, I discovered the power hook up did not reach......so back to square one. In the end, I got everything set, but my learning curve continues to be steep and I look forward to the day when it doesn't take me 2-3 hours for this evolution!
This park is located south of the Springfield-Franconia metro station (about 10 minutes away) and next to George Mason's home, Guston Hall. It is a drop dead gorgeous area and I can take the trails down to the water...where eventually I will kayak from. There are kayak rentals available for those who don't carry their own.
As I've mentioned in previous entries.....you meet the most amazing people in these campgrounds. Yesterday as I was walking my pups, a man called out and asked, "is that a Rhodesian Ridgeback?". That is how I met a very lovely couple from South Africa; apparently they used to raise Ridgeback dogs and now live in San Diego when they are not off galavanting across the US in their motor coach.
Also met up with yet another friend from 30+ years ago.....who just retired from the USMC a few years ago. We had lunch together and I was amazed to hear about what had happened in his life these past years. Can't believe this is the third person in less than 2 weeks that I've caught up with from over 30 years ago!!! It's incredible how Facebook and traveling in a RV connects you with people.

Taking a Break on the Eastern Shore -10 Sept

There are so many advantages to traveling around in a travel trailer; however, to step up and and pack up a rig on a daily basis can wear you out...or so in my case. Add to that the strain of maneuvering this monster through traffic and toll booths and tunnels and believe me, it drains you. Consequently, I decided to find a place where I can just chill for a couple of days while allowing the dogs to get out and run. I came to one of my favorite places: the Eastern Shore, specifically Kiptopeke State Park. This is a beautiful haven just on the southern tip of the Cheasapeake Bay Bridge.
Originally I had planned to head back across the bay into Norfolk and visit with some friends, but unfortunately things came up. So I used this time to recharge and bike along the eastern shore roads. The gorgeous grass marshes and lush farmland are really so beautiful. I have always liked the special quality of the eastern shore. In so many ways it is truly another world from Tidewater.
The downside to this campsite was the mosquitos. Despite using "deep woods" OFF, I got bitten all along my legs, feet and back. So I wouldn't claw myself to death, I finally got some caladryl lotion. And used it liberally and frequently. Thankfully after 5 days of this routine, the itchiness is beginning to subside.
Before packing up and driving north, I made a jaunt down to Wilmington to retrieve my kitty, Darius. The campground folks, true to their word, found Darius for me, and kept him until I could get down there to pick him up. When I arrived to the KOA office, there was Darius sprawled out on the cool tile floor, looking like he owned the place. I am not totally sure if he was glad to see me get him....I think perhaps he was living the good life down in Wilmington. Well, one thing is for sure, that was his "one". Should he run off again, I am not driving 11 hours in one day to get him.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Northward Bound - 6 Sept

Tried something a little different...traveled up the coast on Hwy 17 through Charleston and Myrtle Beach to Wilington, N.C. Lots of travel and much slower, but all in all, worth the experience. I had never been this route before and it was a surprisingly nice drive...despite the fact that I was pulling a 29 ft traveler and everyone wanted to pull out in front of me at the last moment.
So, in the interest of finding a place to stay for just a night, I elected to stay at the Wilmington KOA campsite. The good news is the location is ideal. The bad news is once I got to the campground, it was at closing time and the person assigning campsites, assigned me a site with no power.
It is no easy or quick thing to unhook and set up a travel trailer...even for the most experienced traveler. So when I arrived to my camp site and had no power after hooking everything in, my next thought was "it must be a problem with my RV". Of course, no one else in the RV park had issues with power, so I checked all the breakers and fuses. Nothing has popped. Perplexed, I pulled all the electrical, water, sewage and cable lines off and relocated to another site...hoping to get power. Simultaneously, I called the campsite office at the after hours number and left a message requesting help.
Because I had been traveling for hours, I put all three animals: both dogs and my cat, out on their leashes during the campsite shuffle. To my great dismay, my kitty, Darius, was able to break free and ran off into the woods. I think he had had enough.
So, after I had relocated several times, two men walked by and offered help. I think they saw my frustration and dismay. At this point I was seriously questioning my decision to live in a RV for a year. These wonderful men that offered assistance were in Wilmington as insurance adjusters for Hurricane Irene. They both were from East Texas, which is experiencing some very bad fires. As it was now dark, we noticed the electric posts that had operating lights and those that did not....as a result, I moved to an electrical post with an operating light. This
worked, thanks to the help of these two fine men.
Now the search to recover my cat....no joy then or in the morning. Had to depart without Darius inboard, but left my cell number at the campsite office just in case he was found. Today, the day after I departed Wilmington, I received a call from a nurse who is living in the RV park and said she saw Darius today. She promised to call me back if he shows up. Keep your fingers crossed......
Oh, as a by the way.....the campsite refunded my money for the problems experienced. Guess the master electrical switch for several sites had been turned off. Lesson learned......

Moving up the Coast

After leaving St Mary's, I headed for a little town outside Savannah to visit with another sorority sister from FSU, Stacy. Drove to Stacy's home and met her wonderful husband, daughters and pets. Again what a delightful afternoon reacquainting with a old friend.
I continued up the coast to Beaufort. Unfortunately, I spent more time visiting with old friends then I had intended. One lesson about RVing I've learned thus far, get into your site well before dark. Well, this was one instance where I was definitely fighting the onset of dust and I was tired, so the likelihood of making a mistake was higher. Sure enough, enroute to Hunting Island State Park, my destination, I took a wrong turn. I ended up on a dirt road somewhere out in the boonies. I finally faced the reality of having to back up the travel trailer...ugggggh! I did it, I backed this monster up and was eventually successful, but it was ugly.
Well, now it is about 1830 and I am definitely sweating the load about getting to Hunting Island State Park before they close the gate. Once again, God is watching out for me and I get to my intended location before nightfall. Once there, a wonderful couple help me navigate between the pines onto my site.
Hunting Island State Park is a gem situated about 30 some miles from Beaufort. It is somewhat isolated, but that's part of the charm. Wow, what a gorgeous place this is! Not only is it located right on the Atlantic Ocean, but it has incredible trails and waterways to navigate. As I understand it, it is the most popular state park in South Carolina...no wonder! While there, I was able to hike along the trails and kayak along the Atlantic - all good
stuff! Furthermore, I got to stroll the beach in the early morning and watch the spectacular sunrise. These are the things worth seeing, worth experiencing, worth writing about.

Reconnecting with Old Friends from FSU

After setting up camp in St Mary's, GA, I quickly set up some times to get together with friends from my college days. Specifically I got together with my Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority big sister, Claudia. It was wonderful. The first day we just went to a seafood restaurant in St Mary's and talked. The following day, we packed a lunch and rode the ferry over to Cumberland Island - where wild horses still roam. What an enchanting place Cumberland Island is...its history is both intriguing and fascinating. And of course, it is a true gift to reconnect with old friends. Claudia is an extraordinary woman...always has been and will always be.
Many people may associate Cumberland Island with JFK Jr's wedding, but it really is so much more. Today part of the island is still privately owned. The remainder of the island is accessible only by water/ferry/boat. There is a bed and breakfast on the island as well as camping and ruins of the old home once occupied by members of the Carnegie family. Strongly recommend anyone to visit this place...it is special.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

The Maiden Voyage -1 Sept

I finally got all my trip preps complete and left Pensacola right before Labor Day weekend. My intention was to leave early in the morning, but that was impossible due to the rain. There is a fair amount of outdoor preps that have to be done before you can drive away in a travel trailer and of course, as a novice.....I take things very slowly. Finally got everything done about 1000 and drove away headed for the gas station. A couple of notes.....it takes a bit to figure out your turn radius with such a rig. For me at the gas station, I cut a corner too tight....this required backing up - an action I have avoided to date. Well before you can back up, you have to take the sway bar off or it will snap. So there I am at the Raceway, pulling out tools and trying to get the sway bar off. A very nice gentleman in a tool truck was getting gas at the pump next to me and commented " you may want to back up". I responded thank you but in order to back up I need to get the sway bar off. He graciously helped me ....as it was particularly tight. This wonderful man, I am convinced, was God sent.
O.k., so I finally get on the road and whoa.....I experience the sway effect of pulling a 29 ft trailer. When semi trucks pass you at pretty good speeds, the resulting effect is fairly significant and very disconcerting. I liken this phenomena to ice skating on a greased surface...you basically have no control. I readily admit that I have over the years sneered at RVs and their slow speeds. That is a thing of the past! I get it! Slower speeds, in my case 55 or 60 mph max, is the only way to maintain any sense of control on the road. Besides, when you're in a RV, you are supposed to be relaxing and not in some hurry.
Got into St Mary's, Ga well after dark....not an optimum choice particularly for a neophyte RV person. The goods news is...people at RV sites all seem to be really nice and willing to help out ....thank goodness! I already recognize that there is a distinct RV culture. Believe it or not, it' not just retired people. There is a broad range of people from all different walks of life....more on this topic later.