Dec 22nd to 24th - Naples FL

Dec 22nd - Mon - Naples
We got going earlier today and went to pick up Billy, Lori and their bicycles for a ride today. We drove to the Shark ? visitor center in the Everglades National Park, a couple of hours from Billy & Lori’s park. Along Hwy 41 where it runs east/west on the northern edge of the Everglades, there are waterways with clear water, alligators and birds. Very pretty.
Our ride was a 15 mile loop on a paved road that is also used for tourist tram tours. Bicyclists ride the opposite direction from the trams so you have plenty of time to pull over and stop when the tram comes by.
We saw LOTS of alligators on the sides of the road. Some even slept with their tails on the road. Also saw one coiled snake and many birds. In the middle of the loop there is an observation tower accessed by a large curved ramp. We ate our lunch there, took some pictures and headed back - into the wind! Billy & Lori have single speed bikes so Lori struggled a bit but we were in no hurry and finished the ride with no problems. We stopped at an interesting (rustic décor!) establishment for a nice cold beer and took Hwy 75 back to shorten the drive time a bit.
We had a quick drink with Billy & Lori while I helped them with a couple of computer questions and finally headed home to rescue our Dolly from a long day in the rig.

Dec 23rd - Tues - Naples
Puttered around checking more things off my list this morning and discussed having some friends over for drinks and appies tomorrow with the usual vague response from Terry. When we went for a walk to take out the garbage we stopped to talk to a couple down the street (Colin & Linda) who are from Alberta. Really enjoyed chatting with them so I impulsively asked them over for tomorrow and got the ball rolling. A couple of phone calls and visits to 2 neighbors to round out our guest list.
Colin & Linda stopped to say they probably would not be able to come tomorrow after all and we ended up in our rig (with sewing machine, ironing board, etc all over) talking about air cards, satellite systems and who knows what else.
Next a trip to a grocery store to try to find the candy coating to make covered pretzels since the package I had would not melt properly - must have been sitting around too long. Of course the store we picked did not have it but by the time we finished there I just wanted to get back and have something to eat since we had skipped lunch. Made use of the great barbeque light again!

Dec 24th - Wed - Naples
Terry checked our bank info this morning and got a bit of a surprise that really got him wound up. Three CDs had disappeared from our balance screen. One CD had matured on Sunday and we had sent instructions to our personal banker so expected it might not show up right away but the other 2 should have been there. Anyone who knows Terry very well will know that he went into “pacing mode”. Of course, with the time difference we couldn’t do anything right away. We sent an email to our personal banker and got a message back that it could not be delivered! (add a bike ride to the pacing!) Meanwhile, I am baking shortbread cookies and getting other things ready for our little get-together. I even sent Terry to WalMart on a successful search for pretzel coating. Finally got through to an online banking tech and it took him about 30 seconds to make all 3 CDs show up on our screen.
Terry did some running around with our neighbor Ray while I finished up my baking & prep. About 4:30, our neighbors Paul & Lorraine (from Ontario) joined us for a drink before they had to leave for dinner. They had to leave shortly after meeting everyone else - Ray & Claire, Billy & Lori and Gary & Carie. The weather was great for staying outside, a few no-seeums and mosquitoes, and we had a great time. Colin & Linda were able to join us later. They traveled a lot of the same places that we did this summer, including Newfoundland, so we have lots to talk about. They even stayed in the same park, at the same time, as we did in Ft. Lauderdale. Such a small world!

Dec 19th to 21st - Naples FL

Dec 19th - Fri - Naples
Visited the produce market and rode to the post office this morning before going to Gary & Carie’s. We stopped at National Hardware to buy a bright light to illuminate the barbeque on the nights that it gets dark before dinner is cooked - which is almost always at this time of year. Then on to the Fleamasters flea market. We had found an awning sunscreen for them on a previous trip - turned out to be just what they wanted. Next we went to the Ortiz flea market which was mostly empty of vendors and shoppers so on to the Flamingo flea market. Started out with lunch and then wandered the market. Carie found a few items including a great buy - a pair of sandals for $10, original price $62.99. Tried to find a Linens and Things store but they couldn’t remember exactly where it was so back to pick up our truck, a stop for something to put on the barbeque (have to try out the light!) and home.
The light worked great for Terry to cook on the barbeque and then we settled dinner and cooled off by going for a bike ride. Ended up chatting with our neighbors a bit.

Dec 20th - Sat - Naples
Another beautiful, sunny day. Started with breakfast at the park and then laundry. Next a bath for Dolly. When I had her wrapped in a towel and we were sitting outside, I discovered that she has fleas. This is the first time in her 12 years that she has had fleas. So off to Super WalMart for flea stuff and a few groceries. Found a Linens and Things store just down the street from here but there isn’t much left. Checked out the shoe department in Marshalls with no luck.
Terry sat and talked with a couple of neighbors while I got to relax with a book before starting dinner.

Dec 21st - Sun - Naples
I guess Sunday is not necessarily a day of rest when you are retired and can “rest” any day you please! I had a list of things to do today - crossed off 4 and did several other things that weren’t even on the list. Got the carpet sprinkled with flea powder and vacuumed up so hopefully that, along with a treatment for Dolly, will get rid of the fleas.
I didn’t have anything good around for lunch so we took off about 1:30 and went to Subway. Then spent an hour and a half in a couple of shoe stores looking for some “dancing” shoes for me. We like to dance and get a chance occasionally but I don’t have any shoes suitable for dancing - tennies and slip-ons just don’t cut it. Finally found some and Terry got some sandals as the ones that I finally got him to wear (without socks!!) are about to give out.
Had a nice chat on Skype with Claude & Val this evening. We are unfortunately not going to be able to meet them anywhere this winter.

Dec 13th to 18th - Naples FL

Dec 13th - Sat - Naples
More chores today! I did most of my sewing, need thread for one more pair of shorts. A cord in the blind in our bedroom broke some time ago. We shopped unsuccessfully a couple of times for replacement cord and checked on the internet for repair instructions which looked very complicated. We happened to mention it to our neighbor Ray and he said he had yards of cord, had repaired 4 blinds and would be happy to help us. Unfortunately, this was a 4 cord blind and didn’t look like the ones he had done. Fortunately, Terry was able to tape new cord to old and pull it through. It took a while to get everything adjusted but it works and I can put away the lovely container of seasoning that I was using to prop up the blind for some air.
We went through forwarded mail and then after dinner made a quick trip for the thread that I need. Hemmed one leg on the shorts, cussed the tangled mess of thread, ripped it out and left it for tomorrow!

Dec 14th - Sun - Naples
Strawberry shortcake again for breakfast. I love having it for breakfast instead of being too full to really enjoy it for dessert after dinner.
We had received a phone call yesterday from our friends Billy & Lori (traveled with them in Tennesee, NC and SC) and they are in the same park north of here as our friends Gary & Carie from Victoria BC. We picked up Billy & Lori and went to the Fleamasters flea market. The weather turned out windier and cooler than forecast so it was a good day for the flea market. Basket of 5 tomatoes $1, whole medium seedless watermelon $2, huge avocado $1.
We stopped at Costco on the way back and discovered that they have a separate liquor store with good prices so we had to stock up a bit. We had a drink with Billy & Lori and Gary & Carie joined us when they drove into the park.
Christmas decorations along Hwy 41 are lovely so it is fun to drive home in the dark. Palm trees are a natural to decorate with lights spiraled around the trunk.

Dec 15th - Mon - Naples
Did a bit of housecleaning and put together a picnic lunch for a visit to a beach today. Billy & Lori and Gary & Carie came to our site and then we took 2 vehicles to Delnor-Wiggins State Park which is not very far from here. It rained last night and the weather did not look promising but it was still warm. After paying the $5 per carload state park fee, we found several parking lots with boardwalks to a very long, white sand beach. We set up chairs and relaxed!! Did some shelling, ate lunch and everyone except Terry & I went in the water. I did wade and the water is initially cool but swimmable. We built a sandman (as opposed to a snowman!) and took a bunch of pictures with it.
Some very dark clouds started moving in so we wisely packed up and headed for our rig just in time to get under the awning before the rain really came down. Billy & Lori headed out after one drink, Gary & Carie and we moved inside for another round when wind came up with another downpour.

Dec 16th - Tues - Naples
Our steps had quite a few rusty spots so, since there was very little wind, we spray painted them this morning. Then, since we had to wait for the steps to dry, we went for a bike ride along a path/sidewalk beside Hwy 41 and then checked out a small strip mall near our RV park. And wouldn’t you know it - Terry found a little casino there! We each signed up for a card with an initial $5 on it. I lost the $5 and a bit more and finally pried Terry out of there with some money still on his card.
We had invited Ray & Claire for dinner so we made a quick trip to a grocery store for a couple of items, put the baby backs on to boil and sat down for a drink with our guests. Because of the high humidity here, the steps were still not dry so we put them up and used the cooler to get into the rig - good thing for Ray & Claire that we ate outside. Had a great dinner with dessert provided by Claire.

Dec 17th - Wed - Naples
Had a late breakfast today before we realized that it was hamburger day at the community center here. We made RV park reservations for January (still in Florida) and did some cleaning. Terry thought he would have a hamburger anyway but we both ended up just having ice cream. Then we went back to the casino and spent some time and not too much money.
I spent some very frustrating time trying to figure out why our vehicle insurance premium went up by $100. Insurance company sent me to the credit bureau (rate is based on your credit rating!) which sent me back to the insurance company where someone finally found that WA state had an increase in premiums last year. I was getting pretty upset before it was all solved.

Dec 18th - Thurs - Naples
Another beach day. We stopped at a couple of stores before picking up Billy & Lori to go to Sanibel Island which is not too far north of here. There is a $6 fee to cross the causeway to the island. We found a public access and the metered parking that we had been told about. So we paid for 3 hours at $2 per hour and packed our gear out to the beach. Everyone raves about the beauty of Sanibel Island and the beaches there but we would return any time to Delnor-Wiggins rather than Sanibel.
It was a hot day except for a few welcome cooler periods when the sun went behind a cloud - great for sitting, eating & drinking!. We left just before 4 and drove north to Captiva Island. Large houses and lovely landscaping. We dropped Billy & Lori and went to check on Gary & Carie. Gary has been having some very bad back pain and had gone for some chiropractic/massage treatments. He was still feeling pretty bad but has not let it totally stop him.

Dec 9th to 12th - Naples FL

Dec 9th - Tues - Naples
Another chore & shopping day. You probably wonder how we can shop so much and where we put what we buy. The secret is - you shop a lot to find exactly the right item and then sometimes get rid of old stuff. We found some shorts for Terry which means he can finally throw out the jean shorts that he has worn to death! But it also means that the sewing machine comes out again so he is not wearing capris.
We got a little fiber optic Christmas tree (I decided my small tree was just too little) and it looks wonderful set on a bar stool in the back window where it is totally out of the way.
Our neighbors Ray & Claire joined us for a drink before we went to play Bingo. This time, I won only one game and Terry didn’t win any - our luck should change some time! Actually, our luck did change a bit - we sat beside 3 very nice ladies from Edmonton Alberta.

Dec 10th - Wed - Naples
We completed the satellite wiring into the bedroom this morning before we went to the community center to have lunch. Every Wednesday, they have hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and ice cream at very reasonable prices - I’m sure we’ll take advantage of it again.
I tried to help Claire put some movies onto DVDs but could not figure out how to do it. Their son sends them movie files on an external hard drive. Claire asked us to join them for dinner and I offered to bring potato salad so I did some internet research while I was making it. We had a very nice dinner with them and gabbed afterwards.

Dec 11th - Thurs - Naples
Rained last night and most of today. It finally cleared enough in the late afternoon that we could get laundry done without getting soaked.
I finally got our expenses caught up on the computer but did not complete my blog! The weather just made us lazy!!

Dec 12th - Fri - Naples
After buying strawberries and a few veggies at the produce sale here at the park, we took Ray & Claire to the Fleamasters flea market. First we stopped at Camping World to return an item that we didn’t need and to buy a couple of replacement window knobs.
We wandered the flea market and had a good lunch. We all bought a few items (Pat - I finally found a shrimp deveiner like yours) and headed back about 2. Made a stop at WalMart on the way home for a couple of grocery items. It was cloudy most of the day and was cool enough that we put on long pants to take a bike ride around the park before settling in for the evening.

Dec 5th to 8th - Naples FL

Dec 5th - Fri - Naples
A fruit & veggie vendor was at the park this morning so we rode our bicycles to check it out. What a busy place the park was about 9 am - bicyclists, shoppers, dog walkers and cars. Bought some lovely bell peppers, including purple & white which I have not yet tasted. Also got some strawberries so made a couple of biscuits when we returned and had a big strawberry shortcake for breakfast - YUM!
Next we went to the Flamingo flea market which is not too far away. It was very clean and organized. I guess we were just in the right mood as we bought a few items including a Santa lawn ornament with spinning wheels. Most people at the park have some Christmas decorations so we had to put something out.
Visited a bit with the neighbors and saw a shoe shelf that we will have to add to our rig. More about that when we actually do it.

Dec 6th - Sat - Naples
We attended a breakfast at the park this morning. Pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice & coffee for $3 each. We sat beside a couple from Quebec (Marcel & Louise) who spoke very good English and were a delight to chat with.
Checked email when we got back and had a message from Gary & Carie from Victoria. They are camped just north of here and wanted to get together but their email & cell phone were both intermittent. So we hunted them down in their RV park and went to the Fleamasters flea market with them. It is a huge market and we did not get there until after noon so we only got through part of it when vendors started closing up at 3:30. Made a trip to Camping World, stopped at Dairy Queen for sundaes (lunch for Terry & I!), dropped them at their park and headed home.

Dec 7th - Sun - Naples
Chore day today after finishing the strawberries on another shortcake. We decided to hook up the bedroom TV to satellite so Terry tried the wiring already in the rig but it would not support satellite. We temporarily ran a cable through the bedroom window, put a new program on our old receiver and got it working. Good thing, as the new program for our new receiver did not show up today.
We also made a trip to a couple of stores and bought supplies to make a shoe shelf outside under the steps. Our neighbor used a heavy metal grate, bent the edges over the 2 bars in the recess where the steps fold up and fastened it with a lot of cable ties. We found a black, vinyl covered metal shelf that is intended for “build your own” closet organization. It was 6 feet long but cost less than a 3 foot white shelf - go figure! With a little hacksaw application, it fit perfectly and since it is solid took fewer cable ties to secure.

Dec 8th - Mon - Naples
Gary & Carie were supposed to join us today but Carie called about 10:30 and said Gary was not feeling up to an excursion so we went on our own. We drove south to Marco Island which is laced with canals and huge houses with boats moored in the back yards. Along the gulf (west) side, there are miles of high rise hotels/condos/apartments. Next we stopped at Tin City in Naples which is a little shopping & eating area. We had planned to have lunch there but it was getting late so we decided to head for home and have an early dinner instead since I had a chicken in the crock pot to use for fajitas.
After dinner, we routed a cable for the satellite connection in the bedroom. Now we just need a fitting on the outside of the rig to complete the project. Running the cable had the added benefit of cleaning out some drawers and storage areas that had to be removed and emptied.

Dec 2nd to 4th - Naples FL

Dec 2nd - Tues - Naples
A huge gust of wind came through at 5 this morning so Terry and our neighbor Ray were out putting up the awnings and putting away chairs as there was also rain at the time. Of course, shortly after they finished, the wind & rain disappeared.
Laundry is much nicer to do when you can sit outside in the sun and read a book while waiting. There are 2 laundry rooms here but the nearer one was full so I used one by the office and stayed there rather than going back & forth as usual.
Took it easy the rest of the day - caught up on the blog & emails, relaxed in the sun and rode our bicycles around the park. Then we joined a small group playing Bingo in the park. Terry won a couple of games so it cut the cost down somewhat.

Dec 3rd - Wed - Naples
We went driving and exploring today. Stopped at a large shopping center where I got my hair cut and then checked out a Super Target store. Like a Super WalMart, Super Target has groceries in addition to the full line of clothes, kitchen stuff, sporting goods, electronics, etc. Georgia would have loved going through the 50% and 75% off racks with me! I did get a pair of jean “half pants” for $4.24.
We went north to Ft Meyers (about 30 miles) and then turned east to find a flea market which turned out to be open only on the weekend. Back through Ft Meyers and to the beaches which we followed a long way south and then back to Hwy 41. The beaches have many public access spots along the main road and most of them have parking. But the parking spots are metered and only hold a few cars. It would be tough to get our truck in a lot of them and tougher to get out if someone parked too close. There is a trolley that starts at a large parking lot and runs for a long ways so that would probably be the way to check out the area some day.

Dec 4th - Thurs - Naples
Hit the laundry with sheets & towels this morning. I bought new sheets a while ago and have fought with the top sheet being too wide so I pulled out the sewing machine and altered it. Then Terry brought out a pair of shorts to be shortened but I discovered that I did not have a close enough thread color so that ended the sewing for the day.
Next we had to check out a casino in Immokalee. It is being enlarged or remodeled and is not too impressive - but it managed to take our money anyhow! We stopped at a grocery store on the way home for fried chicken as we were both really hungry and did not want to wait for me to cook dinner. Sorry, Marion, but we will not be getting fried chicken from Publix again.
Diesel at $2.559

Nov 28th to Dec 1st - Ft Lauderdale to Naples

Nov 28th - Fri - Ft Lauderdale FL
We saw the granddaddy of all after-Thanksgiving shopping destinations today. We went to BrandsMart USA at Sawgrass Mills about 10:30. We lucked out with a close parking spot in a jammed parking lot and started walking to the store. We thought there was an auction going on at the loading dock but it turned out to be people standing around waiting for their name to be called to pick up their purchases. The names were being called continuously. As we got closer to the door we saw a huge line of people waiting to get into the store so we left. We ended up at a Home Depot where Terry got a new tool box to replace a bag that was not working and I could not resist a poinsettia in a 6 inch pot for 99 cents. We stopped at the large flea market on the way back so Vicki could get some shammies.
After my favorite lunch of turkey sandwiches, we went to the pool and then sat and enjoyed the sunshine. Vicki had a roast in the crock pot and invited us for dinner.

Nov 29th - Sat - Ft Lauderdale FL
We drove today to explore Ft Lauderdale and finally get to the beaches. First we went to the Convention Center area and walked part way across a bridge to look at all the cruise ships in the harbor. Parking along the beaches is at meters (couldn’t find a spot) or in lots that are a flat $10 for the day. Since we only wanted a short time, we kept going until we found a spot in front of some stores & restaurants at Deerfield Beach. We walked out on the pier where there were quit a few fishermen but the only fish that we saw being caught were what we figured were bait fish. Then we had lunch at a restaurant where we were parked before continuing our drive north past miles of beaches, large apartment buildings and huge, gated estates. At Boynton Beach we headed over to I75 and back to the park.
None of us were too hungry so we all went to Baskin Robbins and had banana splits or brownie sundaes for dinner.

Nov 30th - Sun - Ft Lauderdale FL
We went on the water taxi today with Paul & Vicki and a couple that they know who live in Ft Lauderdale. The taxi has 11 stops along the Intercoastal Waterway that runs parallel to the coast through several states. In Ft Lauderdale, it includes some areas with many canals, huge houses and equally huge yachts moored by the houses. Water taxi personnel commented on who owned what, how much it costs for moorage at the yacht club ($6 per foot per night, even for 80 footers!) and how much some of the yachts for sale would cost (6.5 million!).
For $13 each, you can get off & on at any stop all day and was a very fun way to spend the day. We got off at a stop near the beach where there was a shopping center and a Hooters where we had lunch. Then we carried on to Las Olas which is a shopping area with mostly higher priced stores and restaurants. We were one stop from the end but we decided to return. The weather was not perfect - some showers & wind. We ducked under some trees to hide from rain as we were waiting for the return taxi and managed to get to our vehicles before it rained again.
And rain it did. We had the door open when it started and did not realize that the rain was blowing into the rig until we had a wet mat and puddles in the shoes by the door. Paul & Vicki came over for cheesecake for dessert and had to wait until the rain let up to make a dash for home.

Dec 1st - Mon - to Naples FL
It continued to rain on & off last night but let up for us to pack up to leave. We said goodbye to Paul & Vicki and hit the road just before 10 for the 2 hour drive across Florida to the west (Gulf of Mexico) side. We are at the Lake San Marino RV park just north of Naples. When we stopped at the visitor info center as we came into Florida, we picked up a pamphlet with a special offer for 8 parks in the Sun RV resort chain so we are paying only $280, electricity included, for the month of December here. The park has quite a few permanent residents but we are in an area with several temporary sites so should meet some new friends. In fact, the couple behind us (Ray & Clare) joined us briefly for a drink before dinner.
After setting up and having a late lunch, we made a trip to WalMart for some awning tie downs to replace some that disintegrated and for some groceries. A large Publix grocery store is nearby with the small WalMart right across the street. We passed several large malls on the way in and beaches are nearby. There is a bicycle club in the park that goes on rides a couple of times a week. We just have to start getting up earlier again to be ready to go at 8:30!

Nov 25th to 27th - Ft Lauderdale FL

Nov 25th - Tues - Ft Lauderdale FL
We were going to leave here tomorrow but decided to stay and rest to try to get rid of our colds before we move to Naples on Dec 1st. We finally decided to buy an air card for internet access for our computer. We found a new Verizon store with nice owners and signed up for a couple of years. Had some trouble setting it up but a very apologetic and helpful tech support guy was able to get us going. I think we are really going to enjoy having internet access any time that we have a cell signal as that is most of the time. We won’t have to pick an RV park based on wifi availability or get a park with wifi and then not be able to receive a signal at our site.
We got some “drugs” for Terry’s drippy nose, got out the lounge chairs and enjoyed the sun.

Nov 26th - Wed - Ft Lauderdale FL
Vicki wanted to check out the harness racing track and casino - didn’t take much to get us to go. But the racing didn’t start until 7:25 so we decided to go to the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood (just south of here) first. It is more than just a casino with a large hotel and a shopping mall as well. The outside mall is beautifully done with landscaping and fountains. When Paul & Vicki signed up for a player card, they received $20 in slot play. We did not get the $20 as we had signed up for the card previously at a Hard Rock Casino on our way to the keys. I introduced Paul to a couple of machines that ate up his money while Vicki walked away with a few dollars. Terry & I continued our casino losing streak!
The traffic was very heavy on the way back. The opposite side of the freeway was crawling. We exited just before our side came to a crawl. We stopped at a grocery store to get some items for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and returned to the RV park to drop off the groceries and have something to eat.
Just after 5 we headed for the race track which is in Pompano Beach - a short distance north. We all signed up for a player card and received $25 in slot play. We swiped our cards for a drawing entry and Vicki and I received $5 & $10 respectively in additional credit. But it didn’t do me any good!! Vicki managed again to nurse hers into $25 to take home (you can tell who the gamblers are!) and I actually found a couple of machines for Paul that allowed him to take some money home. We watched the horses warming up for a race, watched the race and decided that it was too slow and unexciting to stay longer.
I spoke briefly with Marg (sister) and found out that my Dad’s second cataract surgery went very well.

Nov 27th - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
We had a lovely Thanksgiving day. I made most of a turkey dinner for us and Paul & Vicki. The weather was wonderful and we had dinner early enough that we could eat outside. Terry, Paul & Vicki put on their suits to take a swim and then we discovered that the park thanksgiving dinner was being held in the pool area and it was closed. Later we lit a buddy burner and enjoyed a fire.
Before dinner, Terry & Paul wired up a light to illuminate our outside steps. Our porch light is cleverly located behind the door so the steps are dark when you open the door to enter or exit.

Nov 21st to 24th - Ft Lauderdale FL

Nov 21st - Fri - Ft Lauderdale FL
The guys spent time today working on the satellite TV systems. We are having a problem with our receiver so they swapped cables & receivers and hooked up to each dish trying to isolate the problem. Then we all took a drive to the Sawgrass Mill shopping center. It is a monstrous site with a circle road all around it. You have to drive from one section to another unless you are ready for a long walk. We were looking for Sam’s Club which we found across the road. Then we went back to BrandsMart USA in the shopping center. It is a store crammed with every appliance and electronic device in every brand that you can imagine.
We sat out and then enjoyed a shared baby back rib dinner.

Nov 22nd - Sat - Ft Lauderdale FL
The park allows vehicle washing on Wed & Sat so Terry took advantage of it to get the salt spray off both rigs while I puttered around inside. Next on the list was laundry and even though the washers were small I was lucky enough to get 5 and get everything done.
Now Terry is getting sick - and we all know it hits him harder than it does me
The park has wifi that you have to pay for but we cannot get a good enough signal at our site to even get signed up. Vicki has an air card on her computer and is nice enough to let us check email and update the blog on her computer.

Nov 23rd - Sun - Ft Lauderdale FL
Paul & Vicki spent the day with some friends so Terry & I coughed ourselves awake and decided an outing of some kind might help us feel better. We had seen a ad on TV for a swap meet and found it without any problem. Cars were lined up to get into parking lots and we had to drive around to find a spot when someone left. The place is huge - it’s a 14 screen drive-in movie site when the vendors clear out. There were indoor spots, tented spots and “throw it on the ground” spots. The weather was nice for walking around - not too hot with a nice breeze. But we both faded and headed back without buying anything. Walked to Kentucky Fried Chicken for some lunch which neither of us finished! Spent the rest of the afternoon & evening watching TV and conserving our energy.

Nov 24th - Mon - Ft Lauderdale FL
Got a slow start again this morning and then had to take Paul & Vicki to the swap meet. It was very different today as a lot of the open area was parking rather than “throw it on the ground” vendors. We stopped at a grocery store on the way back. We have some new neighbors so the guys had to relocate the satellite dishes and I downloaded a new program to correct a “scramble” problem.
Vicki provided most of the ingredients for a shared hamburger dinner. Terry is really stuffed up and coughing so he headed back to our rig right after dinner and I followed not too long after.

Nov 17th to 20th - Florida

Nov 17th - Mon - Marathon FL
We finally got together with the neighbor that we met briefly at the office when checking email. Lori & Dave are from Saskatchewan and had been to Newfoundland this summer so we had a lot to talk about.
Next we drove to Islamadora (about 25 miles back up the keys) where we had lunch and browsed through some stores.
The wind never quit last night and all day today. Good thing we have TV channels as you sure cannot sit outside.

Nov 18th - Tues - Marathon FL
We made another trip to Key West today. First took pictures at the southernmost point in the US and then had lunch at Sloppy Joe’s which is supposedly a must-do while in Key West. Walked around Mallory Square which has a sunset party each night (we didn’t stay for it) and wandered through many streets & stores that we hadn’t seen on our first visit. A lot of restaurants have live entertainment all afternoon & evening.
Shortly after we got back to the RV park, Lori showed up to ask us over for margaritas. They had been parked on a waterfront site but moved to a site a few rows back to get away from the wind and from the spray hitting their rig. Lori was going to make us all some dinner when Dave said he had seen a sign down the road for “all you can eat shrimp” which sounded OK to all of us. So we walked to the restaurant (a little further than Dave thought) and had dinner. The waitress asked if we were ready for more shrimp (peel and eat) but we were all full. So she brought another bowl for each of us and a couple of to-go boxes. I have a cold and achy muscles so we headed home.

Nov 19th - Wed - to Ft Lauderdale FL
Another restless night with the wind blowing. We took a few minutes to say goodbye to Dave & Lori before leaving shortly after 9. The wind was really tossing us around on the highway for a while but finally let up. We let Wanda lead us on & off toll highways and were happy to have her guiding us with “keep right, keep left and exit right” in quick succession. Arrived at Paradise Island RV park just before 1, got a spot right next to Paul & Vicki and got set up before they returned from the beach. We sat & chatted with them for a couple of hours and then came back to fix dinner. Paul had figured out how to get the new program on his Coolsat receiver so we didn’t have to do any computer stuff today.
I am still feeling very much under the weather so went to bed early.

Nov 20th - Thurs - Ft Lauderdale FL
I thought I would get a good night’s sleep without the wind but I tossed & turned & coughed all night and kept Terry awake as well. We enjoyed the sun and sat chatting with Paul & Vicki for quite a while this morning. Terry explored the park on his bike and joined Paul & Vicki for a swim while I tried to nap and ended up reading. Terry & I walked a short distance to a Walgreens for some “drugs” for me.
Paul needed a pizza fix so we went to dinner with them at CiCi’s Pizza which is a buffet/all you can eat chain. I downed some Nyquil-type medication and went to be early again.

Nov 15th & 16th - Marathon FL

Nov 15th - Marathon FL
Went to the office to post the blog and check email before heading to Key West, the furthest city on the keys. On the way we had to stop at a flea market where Terry found a part to repair the satellite dish and I got a pair of shorts. The bicycle riders must have stayed the night somewhere as we had to pass a lot of them again. We detoured through Bahia Honda State Park looking for our friends Gary & Carie but we didn’t find them so we must have gotten mixed up on the dates or location.
Once we figured out where we wanted to be, it was a little tough to find a parking spot in Key West. By the time we found some spots they were all metered but most occupied meters were expired so we decided to live dangerously and not feed the meter - besides, we didn’t have change!
It was very hot - high 80’s, low 90’s - and extremely humid so we ducked into stores that we weren’t all that interested in just to cool off in the air conditioning for a while. Stopped for a beer and discovered that we could walk around town with a drink so continued on. While we were walking, a police car led the entire group of bicyclists through town. They filled a whole lane for a couple of blocks at least.
By the time we decided to look for somewhere to have lunch, we didn’t go past anywhere that looked interesting so decided to head for home and cook an early dinner. It takes over an hour to drive so dinner turned out to be not all that early.
Paul (met in Clewiston) called to say that he had purchased a Coolsat satellite receiver and was having a problem with a scrambled signal. We started setting up our satellite so we could figure out if we could help him but, with dinner in the meantime, it got too dark so we decided to continue in the morning.

Nov 16th - Marathon FL
It got very windy last night. At 12:30, Terry heard the lawn chairs blow over so he was out putting everything away as it was also raining a bit then. After going to the office for internet to get a new Coolsat program, we set up the satellite. It was a huge challenge with the wind still blowing and the ground too soft to secure the tripod. We did eventually get it set up, got the new program loaded and had more channels than we could surf through in half an hour! I decided to email the uncompressed program to Paul, so another trip to the office where we briefly met a neighbor also checking email.
I needed a few groceries so we drove the 8 miles to Marathon. Again, no lunch so I put dinner on when we got back. Paul called to say that he did not receive my email - oops, wrong address. So another walk to the office - one way to get a little much needed exercise. Even when Paul received the file, we could not figure out how to get it on the flash drive to load the receiver. Their computer has the Vista operating system which I have not used very much and they also use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer so I couldn’t figure out the problem. We are going to the park they are in when we leave here on Wed so they are going to keep messing with it while they wait for us.
It remained windy and much cooler all day. The wind has blown mounds of sea grass onto the shore. The Gulf of Mexico is very shallow in some spots near the keys so I guess that is the source.

Nov 12th to 14th - FL, Florida Keys

Nov 12th - Wed - to Clewiston FL
Didn’t get many pictures on the internet last night as the signal was just too low. Tried again this morning but not much better luck.
Said farewell to Frank & Marion and left about 10 for a short drive to Okeechobee RV Park in Clewiston which is on Lake Okeechobee. We were surprised to see what we identified as sugar cane fields as we neared Clewiston. Set up, had lunch and set out for a little exploring. Lake Okeechobee is very different. It is the second largest freshwater lake wholly in the United States, has an average depth of 10 feet, is entirely surrounded by a 104 mile long dike that averages 34 feet above the water level of the lake and is one of the best bass fishing lakes in the world. Stopped by WalMart for a couple of steaks for the barbeque and headed back to the campground. We also found some large, cheap candles to use in buddy burners.
We unloaded the bikes to ride around the park - couldn’t see any alligators in the park lake. The pool felt good and the weather was very warm (80’s) so a swim sounded like a great idea. When we got back to the pool, another couple (Paul & Vicki) was there and we had a great time talking to them. They asked if we wanted to join them for dinner at a local barbeque restaurant so we put the steaks back in the fridge and tagged along.
It was still early when we got back so they went to make a phone call and then came back to our site. Terry had a buddy burner set up which really intrigued them. Paul knew about, and had considered buying, the free-to-air satellite system that we have so we tried to give him as much information about it as we could.
We sat out until mosquitoes got too bad and the burner ran out of wax.

Nov 13th - Thurs - Clewiston FL
I had to use up some over ripe bananas in muffins this morning and decided to do a couple loads of laundry. We were just finishing the laundry when Paul & Vicki came by. They were going to WalMart for a prescription and for candles so they could make buddy burners and asked if we wanted to ride along. After WalMart, we stopped at Goodwill for some tins and scrounged some cardboard boxes from dumpsters. They also wanted to make some “business” cards and needed computer help to do so.
Back to the park and over to their place where the guys got the cardboard in the tins and Vicki & I worked on the computer. She has an air card so we had internet access but it seemed slow and would not download a program from Avery to create business cards. I could not figure out how to use MS Works Word Processing to get a picture on the card so Terry made several trips back to our rig to get our computer & CDs so I could get creative and move files from our XP computer to Vicki’s Vista machine. Kind of frustrating but got it done.
They had already thawed steaks for dinner yesterday so we got together to barbeque at our place for dinner. Again, the mosquitoes drove us inside - this time just as we started to eat dinner outside. They arrive very suddenly when it cools down just a bit.

Nov 14th - Fri - to Marathon FL
Left about 9 for a 3 ½ hour drive to the Florida keys. The keys are a string of islands (connected by causeways & bridges) stretching in a curve from the southern point of Florida.
We drove past miles & miles of huge sugar cane fields on the trip today. Then acres of swamp, part of which is Everglades National Park. A sign directed us to a different road than Wanda wanted us to take so we followed the sign which led us right past a casino. We were ready for a pit stop and something to eat so had to check it out. Signing up for a player card got us $20 each that we could only use on certain slot machines. I ended up with just under $10 in “winnings” that I could then use on any machine and Terry had somewhat less. Terry lost his and another $20 while I cashed in $40 to cover his losses and give us $20. We did not like the casino so were ready to go back to the rig where I made a sandwich and we carried on.
There was some type of organized bicycle ride going on so we had to travel many miles passing bike riders on a narrow shoulder with brave (ignorant?) riders right on the white line of a narrow road with a lot of traffic.
We are in the Jolly Roger RV park. We had booked 5 days with PA at $30 a night. There were very few campers when we got here with most of them on the water. The park had a $40 a night special for any site so we went on a tour and decided to “upgrade” from the PA site near the road (and with no neighbors) to a site closer to the water. After we decided to make the change and the paperwork was done, we discovered that if we had stayed near the road we would have received wifi at our site. Now we have to go near the office to connect.
It was after 3 by the time we were set up so we relaxed in the shade, walked around and chatted with a couple from Vermont, checked out the lobsters living by the docks and were then ready for dinner. I updated the blog but was too lazy to walk to the office to post it.

Nov 9th to 11th - Florida

Nov 9th - Sun - Davenport FL
The weather was so lovely this morning that I sat outside to read and have coffee. Terry suggested that I move the computer to the dining table to see if we could get wifi at our site and it worked since it gave us a clear line of sight to the antenna on the bath house. So we spent quite a bit of time catching up on email and researching campgrounds but were unable to reach anyone to make reservations.
After lunch, Terry & I went driving and made a big loop first south, then northeast through Kissimmee and back west & south to return to the park. Fueled up on diesel - $2.99.

Nov 10th - Mon - Davenport FL
I spent some time on the computer, made some campground reservations and prepared a bean casserole for the crock pot while Terry visited with Frank & Barry. Then Terry & I went to a few flea markets and got quite a bit of exercise to buy one Tshirt for Terry. We had a nice lunch, came back to the park and visited with neighbors for a while.
There was a pot luck dinner (hence the beans in the crock pot) in the park tonight followed by a musician who played the guitar and harmonica (sometimes at the same time) and sang very well. We chatted with a nice couple for a bit and were back before 8.

Nov 11th - Tues - Davenport FL
Did some maintenance and chores this morning and then had a late breakfast. About noon we took off with Frank & Marion for some exploring south on hwy 27. We went to a candy factory which promised viewing of the candy making process but nothing seemed to be under way. But we did take advantage of the candy tasting and we each bought some sweets. Then we stopped at a visitor center right beside a large orange juice processing plant where we watched an interesting film on orange juice and did more sampling - juice this time. We drove through nearby historic Lake Wales and checked out a couple of local stores.
On the way back we stopped at a WalMart for a few grocery items and ended up getting a pair of shorts and 2 pairs of jeans for Terry as well.
I applied myself to putting captions on pictures when we got back rather than going for a swim so I will be able to put them on the internet tonight.

Nov 6th to 8th - Florida

Nov 6th - Thurs - Orlando/Davenport FL
Got laundry washed and in the dryer before my haircut. It took a while for the haircut as the stylist did not want to get it too short and had to shorten it a couple of times. Terry was supposed to be finishing the laundry but he ended up BSing with neighbors and forgetting to check and add more quarters to the dryers.
We continued the chat fest with 2 other couples (Frank & Marion from Nfld, Barry & Cathy from PA) and all took a turn exclaiming about the wonderful weather that allowed us to sit in the shade and be comfortable with new friends. Hunger interrupted and we all went our own way to make lunches.
Marion, Terry & I went for a swim and a soak in the hot tub before Terry & I made another trip to a grocery store for some forgotten items (or menu change?). By the time I put groceries away, had dinner under way and joined Terry outside, mosquitoes had showed up and sent us back inside. After dinner we had a buddy burner out so our neighbors came over to check it out and visited again until mosquitoes and cooler weather said it was time for bed.

Nov 7th - Fri - Orlando/Davenport FL
We and Frank & Marion headed for a flea market today. Terry had picked up a brochure at the info center that advertised 1700 vendor stalls. Unfortunately, it seemed like there were less than half of them open. We were told that more are open on Sat & Sun and I think it is still early in the tourist season here. It still took us a couple of hours to wander around, buy a few things and have a sandwich for lunch.
We had passed a Big Lots store on the way and Marion had never been in one. So we had to stop there on the way back. There was a Texas Hold’em poker game in the park starting at 5 so the guys went to that and Marion, Cathy & I got together and did what women do best - talk - & had a couple of drinks with slightly more healthy snacks than the men ate.

Nov 8th - Sat - Davenport/Tampa FL
Frank took over driving duties today for a trip to Tampa (about 60 miles) to take in an RV show. It was not as large as we hoped but we went up & down enough steps for a while. Still didn’t see anything to make us say - yes! our new home!
Frank missed an exit when we were going to the RV show and we happened to turn around in the parking lot of a casino. So when we were ready for lunch we decided to check out the casino and have some lunch there. Then we each took $20 for the slot machines which quickly disappeared except for Terry who had a little run of luck which covered our $40 plus most of lunch.
Frank made a couple of detours to a garage sale, a large produce stand and a winery for some tasting so we had a full, fun day. The weather is wonderful - sunny & very warm.
After dinner, we went and had a nice visit with Gary & Carie from Victoria, BC who we met briefly in Savannah.

Nov 2nd to 5th - Florida

Nov 2nd - Sun - to St. Augustine, Florida
We had picked an RV park for today until Terry started reading some reviews and we decided not to go there. So we scrambled to find another park this morning and ended up here. We stopped at a large visitor info center as we entered Florida and stocked up on reading material. Arrived at 1:20, set up, grabbed a quick sandwich and headed for the large flea market that is right beside the RV park. This is a true flea market with mostly used goods plus the usual new T-shirts, socks and dollar items. There was also a snack bar area with beer and karaoke - BAD karaoke.
We all made a trip to a grocery store, then back to the rig for happy hour and sorting through all the brochures that we picked up earlier. Cable TV here so we have lots of channels that we don’t want to watch! It started to rain just as we were walking back from the flea market but quit about 10.

Nov 3rd - Mon - St. Augustine, FL
The name of this town is pronounced like the month. It is the town that has been continuously occupied for the longest time in the U.S. - founded in 1565.
We had a great day today with Billy & Lauri. Relaxed start which gave me time to bake some poppy seed muffins for breakfast. Then we headed for the historic town and the beaches which are about 9 miles away. We stopped in town to take pictures of the incredible Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church and then walked a block for a few shots of picturesque Flagler College which used to be a large hotel. On the way to the beach, we stopped at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. I did not have any takers to join me on the 219 steps to the top so we carried on to a long pier where we were charged 50 cents each for the privilege of walking on it. But the waves were really crashing in so Terry, Billy & I made the walk. Quite a few people were fishing from the pier.
Next a stop for lunch at the “world famous” Oasis Deck & Restaurant followed by a drive along a hard packed section of beach. Back into town, stopping first to explore the fort Castillo de San Marcos. Very interesting and beautifully restored. It took us longer than we expected and we returned to an expired parking meter. Luckily, the “meter maid” was just going down the opposite side of the row! We had noticed some shops around a big square so we paid for an hour of parking and set out. Then we saw a whole street of shops opening off the square so we got another hour of parking and continued - including a restorative stop for beer or ice cream.
A stop for diesel ($3.28) and we were back in time for a short happy hour before a light rain sent us in for dinner.

Nov 4th - Tues - St. Augustine, FL
Billy took over driving duties today as we continued to explore St. Augustine. But first we had to hit a Big Lots store (Lauri & my favorite!). We went to the Mission of Nombre de Dios - wonderfully manicured grounds with a huge cross on the edge of the river, trees planted in honor of loved ones, monuments, information plaques and huge numbers of squirrels. Checked out the Lightner Museum but decided we did not want to spend the money to view such things as china, old hotel rooms and replicas of old store window displays.
Next we crossed a bridge to Vilano Beach which is on a peninsula that starts not too far south of Jacksonville - as we found out. We stopped at a restaurant with an ocean view for a nice lunch and then continued driving north. There are huge, gated estates along the beach and also on the other side of the road which fronts on the Intercoastal Waterway. Hit I95 freeway for the trip back to the RV park.
I had tried to do a load of laundry before we left this morning but the park water was being shut off so I did it when we returned. Also helped Lauri on her computer.

Nov 5th - Wed - to Orlando, FL area
We are actually in Davenport which is a little southwest of Orlando - staying at the ThemeWorld RV park (CCUSA). The I4 highway is close by but we are a few rows back in the park so the noise is not nearly as bad as Savannah. It was only about 2 ½ hours to drive. We said goodbye to Billy & Lauri as they had decided to slow down a bit and stay for a week in St. Augustine. We hope to meet up with them later this winter.
As we were trying to get into our spot here, the guy across the road moved his truck to make room for Terry to maneuver. Then we decided that the spot would just not work as we had to back up really far for our awning to clear a tree. This put us on a hill which meant the front jacks would have been really high. So we thanked our neighbor for moving his truck, walked to the office to get a new spot and ended up parking right beside our thoughtful neighbor. Turns out they are from Newfoundland so even before we completed setting up we had met them and never quit talking! We have already made plans to do some things with them! Gotta love this lifestyle!
I am in desperate need of a haircut so we stopped at the office to get a recommendation. There is a lady in the park who cuts hair so I made an appointment for tomorrow. Then we found a grocery store - and I finally found my Yoshida sauce that I have been looking for for months.
Back at the park, Terry was heating up the barbeque when another neighbor (from Pennsylvania) came over to introduce himself. I am glad that we are staying a week since we have such nice neighbors.

Oct 29th to Nov 1st - SC to Georgia

Oct 29th - Wed - St George, SC
Lovely sunny day for doing chores. We are lucky enough to be in an RV park that allows vehicle washing so Terry washed the truck yesterday and the 5th wheel today while I did laundry and worked on the computer. After lunch we drove into town to mail a birthday card to grandson Cameron and to find some diesel. In St. George the diesel was $4.69 so we went back up the highway a bit and got it for $3.09! Then we found out that the station in St. George was closed with an old price posted!
We took advantage of the sunshine to sit out and to wander around the park and talk to people. Several of the permanent looking rigs here are tied down to anchors or trees. We finally asked someone about it and she said that in August a hurricane was heading this way so everyone took precautions. The storm went by with only ½ inch of rain and some wind. So they have left their rigs tied down. Scared us for a bit!

Oct 30th - Thurs - to Savannah, Georgia
Short 1 hr & 40 minute drive today so we didn’t have to get going early. Billy was sick yesterday but was feeling a little better this morning so he got going and washed his motor home and tow car before we left. Nice & sunny again - love it! We stopped at a large rest area/visitor information just into Georgia and there were lots of RVs in the parking lot.
We are at the Biltmore Gardens RV park (PA) and it is right on Hwy 17 so is pretty noisy. After we both got set up we decided to go exploring and get some lunch. We drove to Tybee Island and found the Crab Shack which was advertised in a brochure. It was a quirky place with a pond surrounded by lots of small alligators. Unfortunately, the food left a lot to be desired. It was OK but very small portions. We went from there to an Arby’s where we had some more lunch!
Then we found a beach access and walked out on a long fishing pier. The island has lots of condos and apartments for summer residents or vacationers. On the way back we stopped at Fort Pulaski National Monument. We only had time to watch a film on the history of the fort before it closed.
Billy was still feeling puny so we said goodnight when we got back.

Oct 31st - Fri - Savannah, GA
Lauri wanted to see Hilton Head so we headed back to South Carolina today (barely). It was about an hour drive in sunshine again. Hilton Head Island is very different from any other area we have seen. It is very clean & manicured - all of it. The stores along the main road are hidden behind trees with discreet signs on the side of the road. The McDonalds arches were the largest and only about 10 feet tall. There were wide, paved, level bike paths along all the main roads with many bicyclists. The island is only 12 miles long and from ½ to 4 miles wide. We drove to a beach access which had a wide fabric “walkway” about 50 yards out on the sand. People were riding bicycles on the hard sand. I was happy to have a light jean jacket over my T-shirt but people were enjoying the beach in shorts. We wandered through a group of touristy stores.
Lauri spotted a large alligator on the bank of a small lake so we had to make a U-turn to take pictures. There were many small lakes surrounded by lovely houses. The south end of the island is called Sea Pine Plantation and you have to pay $5 to enter. We went there and to Harbor Town for lunch where we sat outside to eat next to a marina with huge boats. Even though the island is small, there are many beautiful golf courses. We stopped at another spot with stores and strolled around some more before heading back.
We stopped for gas and asked for directions to a liquor store. Don’t want to go there after dark! We sat in the quickly setting sun when we got back and then moved to Billy & Lauri’s for a while before dinner.

Nov 1st - Sat - Savannah, GA
Today we took a sightseeing tour of old Savannah. A small trolley picked us up at the RV park at 9 and took us to the downtown visitor center where our tour started. There was a parade in town for college homecoming so our tour kind of got rerouted. The tour guide had a very southern accent and was a kick. She gave us lots of information but kept us laughing with stories that you weren’t too sure if they were true or not. Lots of lovely restored old buildings, many “squares” (small parks), monuments & statues, cobblestone streets and huge old trees with Spanish moss. We got off partway through and walked to the waterfront. A Seafood Festival was going on and there were rows of vendors - goods & food - lining a wide walkway along the water. We watched a group of young girls dancing and then a waterskiing show. Huge cargo ships were going up & down the Savannah River with tug escorts. Lots of activity and lots of fun.
After stopping for lunch, we wanted to go see the Catholic cathedral that was highly recommended. The tour trolleys take a circular route so we would have had to get on & off a couple of times with short walks in between to get there. So we decided to hop on and go around half the tour again and then start over to get to the cathedral. When we got to the “depot”, we realized that we did not have enough time to get to the cathedral and back before 4:30 when we would be taken back to the RV park. We spoke to an employee and she said to go anyhow and when we finished viewing the cathedral to call a number on the pamphlet and someone would come get us. Sure enough, we “toured” to the stop, finished at the cathedral which was awesome, made the phone call (a couple actually as Billy kept getting dropped) and a small trolley showed up in a few minutes just to take us back to the depot again.
When we got back to the RV park, we had new neighbors from Victoria, B.C. (Carie & Gary). We all sat outside and chatted until mosquitoes drove us in.

Oct 25th to 28th - TN to South Carolina

Oct 25th - Sat - Pigeon Forge, TN
Took me a while to catch up on 5 days in my blog - sorry Bob & Bonnie, my most faithful readers!
Around noon we took off with Billy & Lauri to check out “the largest flea market in the region”. I do not believe that the ad is an exaggeration! This place is big - a huge building surrounded by permanent small buildings and tent-type structures. We enjoyed perfect, partly cloudy weather as we wandered around and picked up a few items.
The traffic was still very congested so we figured we better go back to the rigs for a beer and to change clothes before going out tonight rather than misjudging how long it would take us and be late. We went to the Dixie Stampede which is a Dolly Parton dinner and show production. It is different from any other dinner & show that you may have attended as it takes place in an arena. I will start at the beginning and this entry will be long as no photography was allowed.
First was a 45 minute “pre show”. On the way into this show, photographs were taken which were for sale at the dinner. A group of 4 musicians on an elevated stage were absolutely wonderful - a very energetic, unique bass player, an award-winning yodeler (woman) who played guitar and sang, a multiple champion banjo player and another guy who played the fiddle, guitar and banjo. Then into the arena with 5 tiered rows of seating with long tables in front. Each seating section held a dozen people.
The show began before the food was served and it is impossible to describe it all here. Just let me say that it included a performer flying on a cable from the ceiling, long-horn steers, horseback riders, horse drawn wagons of several sizes, trick riders, ostrich races, fog machines, white pigeons, pig races, a chuck wagon race, a stage with “southern belles” in lighted dresses that descended from the ceiling, audience participation contests, foot and mounted “soldiers”, a couple of comedy acts and formation horseback riding. Over all the events was a North vs. South competition. The audience was divided into North and South and encouraged to cheer for their side.
Now for dinner, keeping in mind that about 800 people are being served at once. After the soup & biscuit course, the servers came by with large trays of one food and placed each item on your plate - a small, whole roasted chicken, baked potato quarter, corn on the cob and a slice of pork roast. The entire dinner was eaten without utensils which was interesting. Then warm apple turnovers & coffee for dessert which we all needed. Cheering and clapping for the sides diminished as the food was served so they came up with a way to make noise. When the master of ceremonies said “Stampede”, everyone stamped their feet on the floor. The exit was quite slow as they funneled everyone through the gift shop! There was another show right after us and the servers had the place nearly cleaned and reset by the time we got out.

Oct 26th - Sun - Pigeon Forge
Another lovely, sunny day. Got up to 74 degrees.
Terry & I went to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park today. This took us through Gatlinburg which is a fun-looking town. Parking seems to be behind the stores and in parkades which leaves the narrow, only, main road through town packed with shops & restaurants. A stream runs through the town as well which adds to its charm.
The drive in the park was beautiful. Lots of traffic but there is a divided road with 2 lanes in each direction. We drove to Clingman Dome where the road ends at a ½ mile paved, STEEP trail to an viewing platform. The elevation is about 6600 feet so we gave new meaning to the phrase “sucking air”! The platform is on a huge concrete column which is accessed by a curving ramp - more climbing! You end up above the trees for a 360 degree view which includes Pigeon Forge 15 miles away. The walk down was much more enjoyable.
Stopped for groceries on the way back, had a sandwich and headed out to another flea market. Lauri had invited us for dinner and later we all went to a show called Country Tonite. Another very enjoyable performance of singing, dancing and a little comedy. An incredible harmonica player was showcased in Amazing Grace and Orange Blossom Special where he played the part normally performed by a violin.

Oct 27th - Mon - to Cherokee, North Carolina
After Billy & Lauri got their oil changed in Nashville, their “check engine” light came on during the drive to Pigeon Forge. A Chev dealer said no to worry if it wasn’t blinking and give it a chance to go out. They decided to go to Camping World in North Carolina to get it checked out and we would follow them in case they had problems. Just after we got into NC, we got a phone call from them saying the light went out and everything was working fine. So we stopped at a visitor center to decide where to go and picked a Harrah’s casino in Cherokee, NC. This meant driving around the east end of Great Smoky Mtn National Park which was OK as we would not have wanted to drive the RVs through the windy roads in the park. The casino allows an overnight stay so we parked, grabbed a bite to eat and went in to see how much damage we could do to the casino coffers.
Shortly after 5, Terry & I decided to call it quits and went back to find Billy & Lauri already in their rig. We went to their place and grumbled about our losses over a couple of drinks before returning to our rig to heat up some leftovers for dinner. It was pretty cold but we did not want to run the batteries down by running the furnace so we went to bed early. I read a line in my book about someone returning a call to their sister which reminded me that I had not called Marg so I called her and had a nice chat.

Oct 28th - Tues - to St. George, South Carolina
Woke up to see snow on the top of the truck. We were going to leave about 9 but we were ready sooner so headed out in light snow shortly after 8 - going east & south heading for South Carolina and hopefully some nicer weather. It snowed on & off for about a hour - sometimes quite a bit with maybe 4 inches accumulation on the side of the road. Then the sun came out and the drive became much nicer.
I have been intrigued by a large vine, like a big-leaved ivy, growing all over trees, power poles and rocks. I’m not sure what is - help, Georgia or Bonnie! Some areas are totally covered for up to a couple of hundred yards. DOT in SC has planted a lot of perennial flowers in large beds along highways and they are still blooming - very nice. We are in the southeast quadrant of the state and there are now a lot of pine trees along the highways.
We are staying at the Jolly Acres RV park (CCUSA) just out of St. George. Billy & Lauri pulled in quite a bit after us. Turns out Billy is not feeling well and they had to stop several times. Then their GPS sent them on a dirt road and they had to unhook their car so they could turn around. They have a much newer Garmin than we do and ours sent us right to the RV park - darned gadgets!
It is supposed to get down to freezing tonight in most of the local area. It is funny to see the “oh my gosh” coverage on TV even though it does freeze here every winter.

Oct 20th to 24th - KY to Tennessee

Oct 20th - Mon - Cave City, KY
We stayed an additional day here so we could go on a cave tour on a boat. Decided to do laundry as well so I got everything ready and we headed south to Bowling Green about 25 miles away for the boat tour. 3 miles from our exit, the 3 lanes of traffic nearly came to a halt. Soon, 2 large tow trucks passed us on the shoulder so we figured an accident was causing the problem. After about ½ an hour, where traffic merged to one lane, we passed the accident - a truck and large travel trailer sideways and on their sides with the trailer mostly off the pavement.
We got to the cave location and found out that due to construction, there were no tours right now! I asked about a scenic bi-way return trip but the guy could not help so we took the highway back to the laundromat in Cave City. Oops, the change machine did not work and the little business next door had run out of quarters so Terry went to a car wash with a change machine. But it only took dollars which gave us enough for the washers. Another guy directed Terry to the local bank. Terry washed the truck on the way back and we dried it while we waited for the wash. Then I decided to use a laundry sink to rinse our micro fiber cloths and then throw them in a washer. We used the 45 minute super wash cycle and discovered after about 10 minutes that the washer had barely started and then stopped. Opening & closing the door several times and pushing buttons finally got it going.
Found a grocery store, some diesel at $3.31 per gallon and wandered through an “import” store with an incredible amount of “who buys this?” stuff.
We had just got a fire going after dinner when a woman came around the front of our rig. We thought it was Ruth from next door (yes, it was dark) and started asking her what she had seen in Nashville and what she recommended. FAYE didn’t bat an eye and started telling us what she knew about Nashville. How embarrassed where we?!
Faye’s husband Jim showed up looking for her after a bit so we got out a couple more chairs and talked a mile a minute until about 10 o’clock. They started full timing about 6 months ago and have lived in different areas of the US so had lots of information for us. Jim has lived in Gulf Shores, Alabama where we are heading this winter. They will be in the area in November so we are going to meet up with them somewhere.

Oct 21st - Tues - to Nashville, Tennessee
About an hour and a half to Nashville this morning so didn’t have to get an early start. We are staying at a PA park (Nashville Country RV) just north of Nashville where Billy & Lauri are staying. We didn’t decide to stay in Nashville until yesterday so they were surprised to see us. We set up, made a reservation for the Grand Ole Opry and relaxed a bit.
We drove with Billy & Lauri for dinner and the Opry. I was a little disappointed with the show - don’t know what I was expecting. I knew there were commercials during the show as it is taped live for radio broadcast but I didn’t realize how many commercials! The lineup included John Conlee, Josh Gracin, Connie Smith, Jesse McReynolds, Luke Bryan, The Whites and Tracy Lawrence. I knew some of the names and recognized a lot of their songs.

Oct 22nd - Wed - Nashville, TN
We drove today and started with a trip to Costco with Billy & Lauri. The main reason for the Costco trip was for them to buy a computer. They were delighted that we were staying at the same spot so I could help them get it set up.
On the way back from Costco, we went to downtown Nashville. The weather was wonderful and we happened to drive down a street where we found a parking meter and could walk past a lot of interesting stores to the waterfront. Nashville is an interesting mix of old and new buildings. Stopped for a late lunch on the way back to the truck and then back to the park to get the computer set up.
The wifi at the park did not work very well at our spot and was a little spotty at first when we started setting up the computer at Billy’s site. I just got their email situated after the basic setup and we called it a day.

Oct 23rd - Thurs - Nashville TN
We all went to the Lane Auto Museum today. They advertise “150 unique vehicles” so we had to check it out. It was great! Prototypes that never made it to production, cars with very few produced, an entire section of very small cars including the smallest car in the world and the smallest 2-seater car in the world, motorcycles and military vehicles. I will be posting pictures soon.
Next to a WalMart for some groceries and back to the campground to continue the computer set up and lessons. I loaded Picasa for them and got some pictures loaded from a camera card and a CD so I could show Lauri how to organize and include captions. Kind of overloaded her with information but who knows how long we will travel together and how much time we will have for more lessons.
We made RV reservations in Pigeon Forge for us and them and also made reservations for the Dixie Stampede which I will write about after we go.

Oct 24th - Fri - to Pigeon Forge, TN
It RAINED last night and continued the entire time that Terry was outside disconnecting and hooking up. His jacket & hat were soaked through. There was a tree at the front of our spot that we had to maneuver around to get out so I got out to make sure that our swing did not get the neighbors (a whole 4 inches to spare!) and then stood out while Terry backed up to get just enough room to get around the tree. When I got back in the truck, my hair was so wet that water was running down my neck.
At 9:30 we were going bumper-to-bumper through Nashville - don’t they know rush hour is supposed to end at 9? Finally onto 24 east with periods of heavy rain and fog that made it very difficult to see traffic ahead. A detour around construction in Knoxville that went better than expected. Then bumper-to-bumper traffic again from Sevierville to traffic light #3 in Pigeon Forge where we turned off for our campground - at 2:00 pm. Terry won’t like me including this in the blog, but we got unhooked and set up the front stabilizer before he discovered that the electric cord was about 4 inches short of connecting! Not a good day!
In our infinite wisdom, we decided to go exploring & shopping back towards Sevierville. Yup, crawled through the traffic again. There is only one main road through town so I expect this to last for the weekend. Good thing we had reservations as all campgrounds are full.
Our friends Billy & Lauri got an oil change in Nashville this morning so got here later. We phoned them about 5 and they were just getting to Sevierville. They thought they would be here shortly but I told them it would be a while. Then they ended up at the wrong campground and called us for instructions. Finally got set up in the dark - backed in with the help of a couple of flashlights - and came over for a much needed drink. I made fajitas for us all for a late dinner.

Oct 15th to 19th - VA to Kentucky

Oct 15th - Wed - Front Royal, VA
Our destination today was the Skyline Drive that goes south from here and follows the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 109 miles. Perfect sunny day for the trip with a picnic to enjoy somewhere along the way. Skyline Drive is within Shenandoah National Park and overlooks the Shenandoah Valley from many of the 75 lookout points along the way. Trees are not quite in their best fall colors but it was beautiful with not much traffic. We decided to drive only 65 miles rather than the whole 109 as Terry was thinking that it was all starting to look alike! So after lunch we left the drive on the west side and headed back to Front Royal.
We bought some firewood on the way back so we could enjoy the evening outside for a while. I caught up and posted the blog while Terry visited with some neighbors. After dinner, our golfing neighbor came by again and we chatted until the fire died down and it was cool enough to come in.

Oct 16th - Thurs - Front Royal, VA
Time to do some detailed cleaning inside the rig today - fridge, top of the stove, microwave & oven. Tip of the day - no matter how infrequently you use your oven, do not wait 4 years to clean it!
We went to Winchester, about 20 miles north, to Costco and got 2 new tires for the truck. It seems like we just got some but the back tires wear quickly with the weight of the 5th wheel. Back at the park, I put captions on pictures while Terry used dry wash to clean the 5th wheel. Dinner, TV and another day is done.
Oct 17th - Fri - to Milton, West Virginia
We are heading to Tennessee but it is about 10 hours so we split it into 2 days as we rarely drive that long in a day.
When we got into the Appalachian Mountains, the colors of the trees were gorgeous. There were some pretty long hills, both up & down but the highway was good. Occasionally in the median there were huge patches of purple/mauve flowers. I’m not sure what they were.
We are in Jim’s Camping in Milton which is west of Charleston & quite near Tennessee. Another “place to stay” for $20.
One thing that we have noticed for about 3 weeks is the emphasis on decorating for Halloween where we have been traveling. Some houses are just covered in decorations and most businesses have done some decorating.

Oct 18th - Sat - to Cave City, Kentucky
4 ½ hour drive in the sunshine today. We are at a PA park (Singing Hills) in Cave City which is a couple of miles from Mammoth Caves National Park. It is a small park with very friendly owners.
After setting up, we drove to Mammoth Caves and purchased a ticket for a cave tour tomorrow. Then we stopped at a gift shop with a “Mystery House” that we had to check out. For a $1 each admission, we joined 7 other people for a tour. It is an attraction where everything is built on a slant so it feels like you are working against gravity. They also have pictures that are optical illusions. It was a lot of fun for a buck!
We carried on to the most amazing collection of stuff for sale that I have seen since the bizarre place that we visited with Claude & Val in Quebec. The outside porch and 3 large rooms inside were crammed with everything imaginable. One room had a fun sign on the door - “This is not a museum, all the junk in here is for sale”.
Back to the park to relax and visit with some neighbors. We wanted to have a fire but it was too breezy & cool. We are now in Central Time but are not going to bother changing clocks as we will be heading east again soon.

Oct 19th - Sun - Cave City, KY
Our tour today was at 10:30 (Central Time) so we had lots of time to be lazy. Terry went for a walk and was amazed when someone called to him by name. It was Billy who we met outside of Buffalo when we were heading to Niagara Falls on Sept 18th. He and his wife Lauri do not have a computer so we had not kept in touch with them. Turns out they were at the same RV park as us in Front Royal but they were gone a lot so we never saw them. Unfortunately, they are leaving today so we just got to chat for a little while. Then we printed a list of new CampClubUSA campgrounds for them before we had to get going for our tour.
Made it there just in time to board the bus which takes you to an entrance. We chose the Grand Avenue Tour which is 4 ½ hours and 4 miles long. Mammoth caves are not “decorated” caves with formations which we have seen several times before. The tour guide provides a lot of history and geography at stops between walking sections. There are large caverns, slot caves where you may have to crouch to avoid overhead rocks, oblong caves where rivers dissolved limestone and places with flat roofs where limestone has fallen until a stable layer is encountered. There are also LOTS of stairs and inclines - up & down - quite a workout. There was a stop in the middle for lunch and a restroom break. At the end was a short stretch of very picturesque formations which are created by water dissolving limestone and re-depositing it. The main formation is called Frozen Niagara. Back on the buses for the ride back to the visitor center and then home.
One of the couples on the tour is parked next to us at the park so they joined us at our fire this evening. John & Ruth are from Ontario, retired recently and rented a motor home to try out the lifestyle for 6 weeks.
The temperature is pretty cool at night now but not even close to freezing.

Oct 12th to 14th - NJ, MD, Virginia

Oct 12th - Sun - Pomona, NJ
No, we didn’t move. Pomona is actually where we are staying near Atlantic City.
Catch up day so we had a nice, late breakfast and then walked around the park and chatted with the owner for a while. I needed to do laundry again but only 3 washers were functional so it took a bit longer to get it done - which was fine as the laundry room was near our site so I didn’t have to stay there all the time. Went for a drive and found a WalMart for a couple of items. I had a nice chat with Aunt Jessie before starting dinner.

Oct 13th - Mon - to Maryland
If you remember from my Friday entry, we got new springs put on the other side of the 5th wheel today. We got there about 10 and the mechanic had us back into a bay and took off the old springs. Of course, the new ones weren’t there yet (I think they waited until we were there to pick them up even though we had paid for the parts & the work) so we ended up not getting on the road until 2:30.
We just wanted to get to Maryland at a reasonable time so took some toll roads. We ended up paying 5 different tolls (3 roads, 1 bridge & 1 tunnel) for a total of $22.50. Went through Baltimore in rush hour traffic made worse by an accident that was almost cleared up as we went past it - only one smashed car on the shoulder. We decided to stay in a WalMart in Frederick as it was late (6:45) and we just wanted to stay the night. I called ahead to make sure we could stay there and the lady was so nice, saying “just don’t park too close to the store”. We “paid our dues” by picking up some ready-made dinner and hit the sack.

Oct 14th - Tues - to Front Royal, Virginia
Sunny day for a nice drive through lovely countryside this morning. Rolling hills, lots of green fields, tidy farms and trees changing into their fall colors. Set up at the Front Royal RV park, had lunch and went into town. At the information center, we purchased discount tickets to the Skyline Caverns and decided that we had time to see them today. We waited about 20 minutes for the one hour tour to start.
The tour was interesting. The caverns are a modest size but you get to see formations close up and even flash photography is allowed. There are formations called anthodites which are only found in 2 other locations in the world. They are 4 to 7 sided crystals that grew on ceilings in only one section of the caves that was a vacuum before it was discovered. Now that the vacuum no longer exists, the crystals are not growing. There are also some fish in a pond and a beautiful reflecting pond that you will see when I post my pictures.
We fueled up at $3.47 per gallon (love it!) and picked up some steaks for the barbeque since it was 86 degrees. We were sitting by a fire when our neighbor came home and he ended up chatting with us for quite a while. He stays here during the week and works at a nearby golf course. Then he goes home to West Virginia on the weekend, opposite to the other seasonal campers who are here on the weekends.

Oct 9th to 11th - Delaware & New Jersey

Oct 9th - Thurs - to New Castle, Delaware
A neighbor in the park suggested that we do not take Hwy 30 east as it was windy and went through a lot of small towns. But any other route looked quite a bit longer so we took Hwy 30 and it was lovely. Nothing wrong with driving through the countryside on a nice sunny day. We discovered another product of Pennsylvania grown in this area - mushrooms. Maybe due to the proximity of dairy farms for manure.
We checked into what initially looked like a scary place - a motel & RV park. But it was clean and there were other rigs there so it turned out OK.
We went for a drive to Historic New Castle. It is an old (as the name would suggest) town with very narrow streets - not great for the pickup. Stopped at a nice park right on Delaware Bay. A quick stop at a couple of stores and back to the park to enjoy the sun. We actually had to put on shorts to sit outside as the temperature reached 80.

Oct 10th - Fri - to Atlantic City area, New Jersey
Didn’t want to get going too early as it is another short drive and we didn’t want to hit rush hour traffic. Diesel was more expensive where we were in Delaware so we stopped just into New Jersey where it was $3.68 a gallon. The entrance to the service station had a large dip but we didn’t drag the back end.
Shortly before Pomona, where we had a reservation, Terry noticed that the 5th wheel seemed to be lower on the curb side. He found a wide spot on the shoulder and discovered a broken spring. We were just on the edge of nowhere so he continued to drive while I searched the GPS for a repair shop. Then I had the bright idea of calling the RV park to see if they could help. The guy said he would make a few phone calls and he found a tire & repair shop just before we drove past it - about 11 o’clock by now.
Turns out we had 2 broken springs! The only reason that Terry could think of was the dip at the service station that he took on an angle to avoid dragging when we left. I suppose age & miles had a lot to do with it. The shop had to send someone to pick up the parts once they found them so by the time it was back together it was nearly 4 o’clock. The tires were closer together on the repaired side but the axles were straight. They let all the jacks down and I noticed that the rig was noticeably higher on the repaired side. The springs (with the same part number) had one more leaf and of course more curve with no wear. What could we do but get them to replace the springs on the other side?! Monday is Columbus Day but they are open and the parts pick-up guy will get the springs first thing Monday morning. Shouldn’t take too long to replace the springs.
Wiggled our way into a tight spot in the RV park and finally got a bit of luck today when the big slide stopped ¼ inch short of the power post. I put a scotch in Terry’s hand even before he finished setting up!

Oct 11th - Sat - Atlantic City, NJ
Another beautiful, sunny day. After breakfast, we picked up a map from the RV office and headed into Atlantic City which is only about 9 miles away. We went first to the Trump Marina casino as they were offering $50 in slot machine credit (and free parking) when you signed up for a player card. At 2 o’clock we finally left with some money ahead.
The mechanic at the tire shop had recommended parking at the Quarter at the Tropicana but the parking garage that we tried did not have enough clearance for the truck. Narrow streets and lots of traffic before we finally found outside parking that we could actually get into. We were looking for something to eat and ended up at a Hard Rock Café - last time for that if the prices are as high at other locations. But we sat outside in the sun and watched people on the boardwalk - how bad is that?
Then we walked a long way down the boardwalk. It is a great idea - a long, wide “sidewalk” with no traffic to worry about except the human-powered “rickshaws”. We walked through The Quarter at the Tropicana which is a shopping area and ended up gambling a bit at the casino there. Then the long walk back down the boardwalk and back to the RV park.
We have cable TV here so it is nice to be able to watch my favorite HGTV and have a clear picture.

Oct 5th to 8th - WV to PA

Oct 5th - Sun - to Weston, WV
So we made it to West Virginia today, barely a 3 hour drive. We are staying at the park we were heading for yesterday (Broken Wheel CG) as it has wifi which seems to be rare in this area. Nice setting in the trees and we got a lovely long site so had lots of room for the truck in front.
I thought the park also had a laundry but it didn’t so we had some lunch and headed into town with the dirty clothes and some driving instructions. Terry dropped me off and went for diesel & propane. He had to get back on the freeway and go about 8 miles to find an open station with diesel. Propane is not available in the area on Sunday except to exchange 20 lb tanks. Luckily the laundromat was not busy as there were more “out of order” machines than working ones. Plenty for me to get the job done.
We spent quite a bit of time in the office using the wifi - updating the blog, posting pictures and searching for campgrounds. Then we got some firewood and enjoyed some more of the lovely day with a fire. We were boiling ribs for dinner and I suggested to Terry that we go for a walk and see if the only other overnighters were outside and invite them to come over. They were inside so we continued to the end of the road and then came back by their rig. I decided to just knock on the door and ask if they wanted to join us a bit later at our fire. This is not usual behavior for me but it turned out great as they (Mike & Leslie) came by about 8 and we gabbed until after 11. Very nice evening. They are full-timers from California so they spend the winter there which is different from most other full-timers that we have met.

Oct 6th - Mon - to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
We are not doing well with our planning. Thought we were going to stay in Maryland but we couldn’t find a park on our route with reasonable rates. Next decided to stay at the Keystone RV campground just across the border in PA and look through 5th wheels. Turned out to be a smaller dealership than the advertising would have you believe so we carried on to Gettysburg. We are staying at a PA park (Artillery Ridge) with wifi at our site and is close to town.
Set up, had a late lunch and headed for town to check things out. When we got in the truck we saw that there was bird poop all over it. There are some trees with berries that have branches hanging over the site - lovely! Looked for a car wash on the way back but Wanda led us astray so Terry washed the truck (against park rules!) when we returned. We can barely fit the truck behind the 5th wheel where there are no trees so that is where we are parking.

Oct 7th - Tues - Gettysburg, PA
Beautiful sunny day, just right for sightseeing. We started out by viewing a diorama that is in the RV park and is free to people staying here. There is a huge “table” with the whole Gettysburg area where the famous 3 day battle of the Civil War in 1863 took place. It includes models of houses, fields, trees, fences, roads and thousands of soldiers. There are also paintings, artifacts and mini-dioramas around the edge of the room. There are three rows of bleacher seating from which you view the narrated presentation. Lights turn on & off to highlight the area corresponding to the narrative. The 1863 fight was won by the “north” and was the start of the fall of General Lee and the “south”.
Next was a trip to the visitor center which is new - just opened last year. It is amazing. There is a museum, theatres, gift shop and an incredible display area consisting of many connected rooms branching off a curved corridor. The rooms have things such as letters from soldiers, a separate area for each of the 3 days of the battle, uniforms and living quarters (tents), the Gettysburg Address and many other items. I am not a history buff but I could enjoy this and appreciate how well it was done.
We thought about going on a bus tour or hiring a tour guide to drive with us but we decided that the information that we got from the diorama and from the visitor center was about all the history that we needed. So we drove around some of the battlefields (empty fields with statues), past the cemeteries & colleges and then hit a grocery store. Had an early dinner and then Terry cussed out the presidential candidates as they debated.

Oct 8th - Wed - Gettysburg, PA
Another nice day in the morning, getting cloudy in the afternoon. Today was for chores and relaxing. After trying to figure out the next few days’ itinerary, we went to town to find a post office and to pick up a couple of items at the ever-present WalMart. Then Terry used dry wash on the truck to remove the water spots from the quick wash on Monday. This got him going so he cleaned the bugs off the front of the 5th wheel and waxed it, swept the tree debris off the roof & slides, helped me make a new buddy burner and did other puttering around. I worked on the buddy burners and the computer and read for a while.

Oct 2nd to 4th - Indiana to Ohio

Oct 2nd - Thurs - Howe, IN
Another late start including a nice breakfast. Today we went to Goshen to tour the Keystone manufacturing plant where Challenger 5th wheels are built. We had to wait a while for a salesman to take just the 2 of us to the factory. There was no one working so we could go into several units being built to see the “latest & greatest”. A redesigned frame results in even larger storage compartments which Terry loved. I would have to say that I would not trade our rig (as long as it stays in good shape) for any of the new models that we saw - and this is in spite of a very attractive promotion package of extra “goodies”.
On the way back we managed to find a pet store that carries the brand of dog food that Dolly eats. Back at the park we found that someone had finally moved in next to us but it was a couple with 2 young kids and friends nearby in the park so we didn’t get to chat with them. Quiet evening. I posted pictures of the Auburn, etc car museum.

Oct 3rd - Fri - Howe to Huron, OH
We had planned to go to the RV Hall of Fame & Museum in Elkhart and then kind of forgot about it until Claude reminded us of it in an email. So we went early this morning and enjoyed it very much. There are a few current RVs but mostly vintage rigs. I took tons of pictures and will post them as soon as I get decent wifi.
By the time we returned, had lunch and got packed up it was after 1 (2 pm checkout at this campground). We hit the 80/90 turnpike going east to Ohio and discovered an interesting ticketing difference. On this turnpike, the toll is based on weight, not number of axles. With the 5th wheel, the system thought we were a larger truck and sent the ticket out the slot that is really high rather than the one at window level for the pickup. Terry thought the ticket was not issued until he got out and happened to look up. It seemed to take no time at all until we were getting a campsite at the Huron River RV Resort (PA). We didn’t sleep well last night so I thought we better not push too far and risk Terry getting sleepy.
Pot-hole filled windy road into the campground through lovely park-like trees. Disappointing place but adequate. We walked around and ended up chatting with a guy who lives here during the summer even though he & his wife have a house 15 miles away. The campground is on the Huron River which enters Lake Erie about 4 miles from here so there are lots of seasonal people with boats.
We drove through a section of Ohio that apparently is representative of a lot of the state - flat! But as we neared Lake Erie, it became hilly and lightly wooded again.

Oct 4th - Sat - Sugarcreek, OH
We set the GPS for West Virginia this morning but didn’t make it there. We stopped at a rest area with some visitor information and the lady told us about a nearby area with a flea market and small towns with lots of interesting shops. Another lady in the rest area said there was lots of parking for large rigs at the flea market so we drove there and right past as we could not see the parking area. By then I had found a PA park in Sugarcreek that we had just passed so we turned around and got a site. Pretty basic but what can we expect for $9? It is just a parking area with water & electric (and some grass!) behind a grocery store in town.
Before we got to go shopping, Terry had to fix another broken bolt in the small slide as it started to go out crooked. Didn’t take him much time to fix it. Then we took off and drove to the flea market (quite large and all inside), had lunch there while we listened to live music and then drove to several other shopping areas. The countryside is very pretty here - rolling hills & farms. Lots of Amish families here so there are lots of buggies on the roads and tied to their special hitching rails. There are quite a few open buggies rather than the closed ones that we saw in Indiana - maybe because it was mostly sunny today. We called them the sporty models.
Did some odd jobs when we returned.

Sept 29th to Oct 1st - Howe, IN

Sept 29th - Mon - to Howe, Indiana
Quiet night in the WalMart parking lot. It is a 24 hour store but the parking lot is huge and we parked at a far corner. So other than the light from the lamp posts that made us feel like we were in Alaska, it was a good night.
We backtracked a bit to head for a main state route to Indiana and listened to Wanda telling us to turn on all sorts of “lesser” roads. Still lots of construction with a final detour that took us about 12 miles out of the way because of a 5 mile stretch that was closed. We left the flat corn fields for more rolling land and still lots of farms. Arrived at the campground about 2:30.
We are staying at Twin Mills CG (CCUSA), a large place with about 300 permanent sites and 300 “overnight” sites. Again, only a few temporaries - 5 in our pull-through row that holds about 20. We are near Elkhart & Goshen where a lot of RVs are manufactured. We are also in Amish country and there are lots of horse drawn buggies on the roads. Amish houses can be identified by clothes hanging on lines and no power lines running to the house.
I think we should charge people for our rain-producing abilities! This area has not had rain for 13 days and this evening it had to start raining. Not too much but we certainly were not sitting outside.

Sept 30th - Tues - Howe, IN
Apparently there is another state in this part of the US. Newscasters and weather reporters refer to this area as “Michiana”. The parts of Michigan and Indiana wrapped around the lower south-west portion of Lake Michigan are so connected with businesses, towns & roads that they are referred to as one area.
Lots of things to see here so we started today by checking out an RV parts/salvage/everything store. It is actually several building and gets a lot of the inventory from the RV factories around this area. It also has such things as appliances, furniture & tables that people trade in or just change out while new or near new. I keep thinking that I would like different recliners but it probably won’t happen. Next we went to the large flea market in nearby Shipshewana which is open on Tuesday & Wed. Clouds threatened and there were puddles to show a downpour before we got there but we experienced only a few drops of rain. The flea market is open until the end of October but quite a few vendor spots are already vacant. Still lots of things to look at.
We didn’t have lunch while we were out so we came back to the rig where I decided to make an early dinner instead of ruining our appetites with a snack and then not wanting dinner until very late.
Posted some pictures this evening - check them out.

Oct 1st - Wed - Howe, IN
It is not getting light in the morning until nearly 8 so it is easy to be lazy like we were this morning. When we got going we headed to Auburn, about 40 miles away, to see the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. It is an amazing collection of cars, design plans, films and misc other related stories & items. The building used to be the manufacturing site for the cars but is beautifully redone for the museum. I have a lot of pictures that do more justice to the cars than anything I say here.
We stopped at a fast food place in Auburn on the way back for some great chicken strips. Then I found a salon for a haircut in a small town. We had our mail forwarded and it was here when we returned. There were a couple of rebate checks that were issued 7/3 and were not good after 90 days so we immediately made a trip to the Bank of America in Elkhart to deposit them - by my calculation tomorrow would have been 31 days. I guess we will have to get our mail forwarded more often.
Some phone calls based on received mail, dinner, some TV and the day is done.