Myrtle Beach, SC to Walterboro, SC and Hurricane Matthew Storm Damage.

Walterboro, SC

68 deg. clear, no wind.

Forecast tomorrow - Abundant sunshine. Record high temperatures expected. High 86F. Winds light and variable.

As promised, here's a few more photos that Jim took at Apache Family CG in Myrtle Beach, SC

 Jim took this photo, standing in Nora's doorway.

View of beach from the top of the small dune

Looking back towards our site from dune.

Road between our site and dune.

The Apache CG is nice and the view is great if you can get a water-front site, but they do pack the RVs in here and you don't have much room on either side.

Because we had a 2:00 pm check in time at our next stop, we didn't leave the Apache CG until about 10:35 this morning. We returned to US 17, following it South down to Charleston where we took I-526 around the North side of the City, connecting with 17 again on the West side of the city. We then followed 17 to Jacksonboro, SC where we turned NE on SC 64, 64 took us up to Walterboro and to the New Green Acres RV Park. It was 2:20 when we pulled into the park, so it took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes to travel the 167 miles down here and stop to fill Big RED's fuel tank in Walterboro.

Not too bad when you consider the very heavy traffic in Myrtle Beach and Charleston.

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, we haven't seen much damage from hurricane Matthew, all the way down the coast from Virginia Beach to the Apache CG which is on the Northern edge of Myrtle Beach. Today, however was another story. We saw many, many trees down along side of US 17 in the center part of Myrtle Beach, down to Murrells Inlet and a lot of trees down all the way to Charleston. We also saw some areas that were evidently flooded as the people had moved furniture and other belongings to the curb for pick-up. There were also a few homes that had tarps over their roofs, so I'm surmising that they have roof damage.

I feel so sorry for some of those people. They have lost everything.

We're only staying here at New Green Acres for one night. Tomorrow, we'll be heading further South.


Did you know that Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States?

Woof!!!

A Day Trip, Getting Ready To Travel and Rantou, IL To Utica, IL

Utica, IL.

79 deg. partly cloudy, no wind.

Forecast tonight = Some passing clouds. Low 63F. Winds light and variable.

Forecast tomorrow =  Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing during the afternoon. High 84F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.


This past week has been spent pretty much getting ready to leave Rantoul and head up to Wisconsin to Linda's family's reunion. On Wednesday, they took Big RED and headed up to Wilmington, IL to talk to their financial advisor in the morning, and then went to Manteno, IL to see Jim's cousin, Adeline.   Other than that, they've done some grocery shopping and went out to eat a couple nights.

Of course, Jim checked out Big RED and Nora to make sure both of them were ready for the trip. :-)

Then, this morning, about 10:45, we pulled out of our site at the Prairie Pines CG and started our journey West and North. We took US 136, west out of Rantoul for about 11 miles to IL. 47 where we turned North and followed 47 up to the little town of Forest, IL. There, we turned West again on US 24 and followed it all the way over to I-39. 39 then brought us up to I-80 where we turned East for a few miles and to the Hickoory Hollow Campground  near Utica, IL.

It was 1:20 when we pulled up to the office, so it took us right at 2 hours and 35 minutes to stop for fuel for Big RED and travel the  130 miles up here.

Hickory Hollow is a Passport America Park, so we can stay here for 1/2 price, as long as it's not on a Friday or Saturday night. If it wasn't a PPA park, I don't think we'd stay here cause they've raised their rates to $38 or $40 per night, depending on hook-ups. In fact, Jim has already been looking at other parks for our return trip because we'd be getting here on Saturday evening.

Tomorrow morning, we'll be leaving here and head up into Wisconsin. There'll be no need to hurry though cause check in time at the CG where Jim has made reservations up there, isn't until 2:00, and, we only have about 180 miles to go.

So far, it's been a good trip and both Jim and  Linda seem to be enjoying being on the road again. ;-) They're both, (especially Linda), looking forward to seeing family again and catching up on what's been happening.

Did you know that on this date in  1971 - Men rode in a vehicle on the moon for the first time in a lunar rover vehicle (LRV)?

Woof!!!

NC To GA On A Nearly Perfect Travel Day

Statesboro, GA.

51 deg. clear, no wind.

Forecast = Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 79F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.


By 9:00 AM, the fog had lifted yesterday, and the day turned out to be just about perfect for travel with temperatures in the low 70's, no wind and beautiful clear blue skies. It was right at 10:00 when we pulled out of the Columbia / Camden RV Park and it was just a short drive to US 601 where we turned South and followed it all the way down to Orangeburg, SC. where we picked up US 301.

On the East side of Orangeburg, we stopped at Henry's Travel Plaza where Jim filled Big RED's tank up with that good old #2 diesel fuel. Following 301 then brought us down into Georgia and to Statesboro. We took the by-pass around to the East and then turned South on 301 again for about a mile, where we turned into the Parkwood RV Park.

If you remember, we stayed at Parkwood on our way North this spring. It's a little on the expensive side, but it's a nice clean and well maintained park with level, fairly large, full hook-up sites and the folks in the office are always friendly and helpful.

It was 1:25 when we pulled into the park so, including the fuel stop, we traveled 164 miles in 3 hours and 25 minutes yesterday.

US 601 and US 301 were both very good roads. There were a few rough sections on both highways, but they were very short sections and didn't cause any problems at all. Most of both routes were 2 lane with a  few 4 lane sections. There was a lot of traffic in Orangeburg, but it moved along nicely and really didn't cause much of a delay.

Today, the plan is to head down into Florida  where we'll stop North of Jacksonville so Jim and Linda can meet Ashley, Anna, (Granddaughters, who live in Jacksonville), and possibly Ashley's friend Chris, for dinner.


Did you know that November is "National Georgia Pecan Month"?

Woof!!!

Visiting With Joe And Nancy and Getting Ready To Move On South

Virginia Beach, VA.

66 deg. overcast, wind ESE at 7 mph.

Forecast = Variable clouds and becoming windy with thunderstorms, especially this morning. High 77F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80%.


Not a whole lot to report. Jim and Linda have been visiting with Joe and Nancy almost every evening and enjoying the great meals that Nancy has prepared. Monday, Jim took one of Nora's propane tanks and had it filled at the local U-Haul. On the way, he stopped at a Pep Boy's Automotive Store and picked up some fuses for the thermostat, and on the way back, stopped at a gas station and filled Big RED's tank with that good old #2 diesel fuel.

We've really enjoyed our stay here in Virginia Beach, visiting with Joe and Nancy, but it's time to move on South. So, tomorrow morning, we'll head down into North Carolina where the plan is to stop for the night at Pierce Mobile Estates and Travel Trailer Park in Williamston to dump Nora's tanks and then continue on to  Goodwin's RV Campground in Moncure, NC on Friday, where we'll stay for about a week so that Jim and Linda can visit with Mike and Gina and see grand-kids, Brenna, Savanna and Dillon.

 The last few days have been overcast with rain off and on, thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Patricia, and the weather guessers are forecasting more rain for most of today and tonight. However, they're guessing that tomorrow, (Thursday), should be a nice day and should be dry and sunny, with light winds, which will be good for hooking up and traveling. :-)


Did you know that Virginia Beach  is the largest city in Virginia by total area?

Woof!!!

West Virginia To Virginia And On To Virginia Beach and More Problems

Virginia Beach, VA.

55 deg. partly cloudy, no wind.

Forecast = Sunny, High 68F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.


We left the Summer Wind CG at 9:50 Tuesday morning and continued East on I-64 until we came to Exit 169 (US 219) at Lewisburg. Following 219 South for about 2 1/2 miles brought us to Loudermilk Trailer & RV Sales, where Chris is the general manager. It was about 10:15 when we arrived.

Chris was waiting for us and directed us around to the rear of the business and into a spot where there was an electric hook-up to plug Nora in so that he could check the A/C as well as the furnace operation with the new Thermostat. Everything went well and everything worked with the new thermostat so by about 10:55 we were heading North on US 219.

Once back to I-64 we again turned East and followed it into Virginia and to US 220 at Cliftondale  Park, where we turned South. US 220 brought us down to Roanoke, VA. where we again turned East on US 460. Following 460 brought us to Appomattox, VA and the Parkview RV Park.

It was right at 2:00 when we arrived, so it took us 4 hours and 10 minutes to get Nora's thermostat installed, stop at a station in Virginia to get Big RED a drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel and travel 178 miles.

We've been to the Parkview RV Park before and I don't remember all the noisy traffic on US 460 as well as Rt. 24 at all times of the day and night. I also don't think that the park was as well maintained as it used to be, but still is OK for an overnight stay. Kind of expensive though at $35.10, (after the Good Sam discount), for a full hook-up site with absolutely no other amenities.

It got pretty chilly Tuesday evening, so Jim turned the furnace on. Everything went well for about an hour and a half or so, with the furnace cycling on and off like it should, but then, it quit!!!!!!  Yep, blew a fuse in the new thermostat!!!!!

Wednesday morning before we left Appomattox, Jim called Chris and told him that the new thermostat had also blown the fuse and to ask him if he had any other ideas of what might be causing it to happen. Chris said that he would call the manufacturer and see if they had any ideas and call Jim back. Jim said that we'd be on the road, traveling, so that he would call him back when we got to our destination instead.

So, we left the Parkview RV Park at 9:55 and continued East on US 460. 460 took us over to Suffolk and then to the Norfolk / Chesapeake area where we turned off on I-64 which took us around to Virginia Beach where we turned East on I-264. At exit #20, we turned off of 264 and then took local roads for about 2 miles to Joe and Nancy's house, arriving about 1:40 after traveling a total of 195 miles in 3 hours and 45 minutes.

The plan is to stay here in VB for about a week before heading to North Carolina to see Mike and Gina, in the Raleigh area. However, a lot will depend on the weather and the furnace as to when we'll need to head further South to stay warm.

Oh, speaking of the furnace, Jim called Chris back and he said that the only thing that he and the tech,  that he spoke to, could come up with was a possible short in the wire that goes, first up to the Air Conditioner, and then down to the furnace. :-(

Did you know that on this date in 1930 - J.K. Scott won the first miniature golf tournament? The event was held in Chattanooga, TN.

Woof!!!

A Shopping Day and CG Photos

Baraboo, WI.

54 deg. clear, N. wind @ 4 mph.

Forecast = Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High around 80F. Winds light and variable.


Yesterday, Jim and Linda took Big RED and headed towards Baraboo. Just before they came to the town, they stopped at Mark's Produce, which is a little roadside stand that has been there for years. Mark and his wife raise almost all the produce locally and every time Jim and Linda have been in this area, they've stopped and purchased some of the very fresh produce that he and his wife sell.

After leaving Mark's, they headed back this way and stopped at the Baraboo Candy Company where Linda stocked up on Sugar-free candy. This is another stop that they always make when in the area.

By this time, it was getting close to lunch time, so they returned back here to grab a bite to eat and to relax for awhile. (actually, Jim took a nap), ;-)

About 3:30, they left again and this time, went into Wisconsin Dells and to the "Trading Post", where Linda bought a new pair of moccasins. After leaving there, they drove through the downtown Dells Area to see if all the old stores were still there and if not, what had taken their places.

On the way back here, Jim and Linda stopped stopped at a Culver's  Restaurant and bought some chicken for dinner and then stopped again and bought Big RED a drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel.

Now, he's ready to head up to Warrens this morning for the reunion.

Oh!! Jim took a few photos of the Campground yesterday morning that I thought you might like to see.

The office/ store/ residence at Fox Hill Campground

Our site A-7 viewed from the office area

Not large sites, but sufficient. 

The bath house and rest of the park. The pull-through, full hook-up sites are in a large section behind the bath house.

A Point to Ponder : Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Woof!!!

A New Tire For Nora and Rantoul IL To Utica, IL

Utica, IL.

53 deg. partly cloudy, no wind.

Forecast = Partly cloudy this morning, then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.



We left Rantoul, right at 9:30 as planned and headed North on I-57. The traffic moved right along and the only construction we had was about a 5 mile section just before we turned off on the Ashkum exit. Meier Brothers Tire Supply is just off of I-57 on the East side, so it was just a quick drive to get to their shop.

It was right at 10:30 when we arrived and we had traveled 49 miles.

Meier Bros. Tire has been in business for many years and Jim and Linda have dealt with them in the past and found them to be honest and sell good products at a fair price. They may not be the cheapest in the area, but you can count on them to do the work right and be fair.

By 11:15 the tire had been changed and we were pulling out of Meier's lot and heading West on Rt. 116. 116 took us over to the little town of Saunemin, where we turned North on Rt. 47. 47 then took us up through Dwight and up to Morris where we turned West in I-80. 80 then brought us over here to exit 81 near Utica and to the Hickory Hollow CG.

Hickory Hollow is Passport America Park and we've stayed here many times before, on our way through the area. It's a nice park, very clean, well laid out and with the PPA discount, very reasonable.

It was 1:20 when we pulled up in front of the office, so with the little detour to get Nora's tire changed we were on the road or at the tire shop for 3 hours and 50 minutes and had traveled a total of 143 miles.

Oh, and we also stopped at the Love's Truck Stop here at exit 81 and got Big RED a drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel before coming to the CG. :-)

Today, we'll be heading up into Wisconsin. The plan is to go to a CG that we've stayed at before, which is near Baraboo, WI. Jim's not looking forward to the drive because once we get onto I-90 near Rockford, the traffic will probably be very heavy and stay that way at least to Madison and maybe even farther.

Did you know that on this date in 1916 - The National Park Service was established as part of the U.S. Department of the Interior?

Woof!!!

Ohio To Indiana and A Visit With Mike And Sandy

Indianapolis, IN.

72 deg. overcast, no wind.

Forecast = Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then the chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.


It rained some more Friday night, so in the morning there was still water standing everywhere. So, by carefully dodging the deepest puddles, Jim was able to get the electric unhooked and the stabilizer jacks raised. Then, because there was a puddle about 2 inches deep right by the passenger door of Big RED, Jim pulled him and Nora out of the site so that Linda wouldn't have to wade through the water.

By 9:30 we were pulling out of the Huggy Bear CG and heading into Van Wert to get Big RED a drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel. Then it was back on US 30 to the West side of town where we turned first South and then West in US 224. 224 then took us into Indiana and to I-69. Following 69 in a Southwesterly direction brought us down to I-465, which is the belt route around Indianapolis. 465 then brought us down to the south side of Indy, where we turned off on Rt. 37, heading South. Then is was only about a mile or so to the Lake Haven Retreat Campground which is just off of 37 on Edgewood Ave.

It was 12:50 when we pulled up to the office, so even with stopping for Big RED's drink and a "pit stop" at a rest area along I-69 it still only took us 3 hours and 20 minutes to travel the 166 miles down here.

US 224 was a good 2 lane road, but I-69 and I 465 left something to be desired. Both Interstates were quite rough at times and the bridge approaches were for the most part, very rough.

We've been to the Lake Haven Retreat Campground quite a few times before. It's the most convenient to Mike and Sandy's house, the CG is well maintained, but the sites are close together and except for a small section, there's no shade of any kind. A good place for an overnight stay though.

About 4:00 Big RED took Jim and Linda over to Mike and Sandy's. Mike, (Linda's cousin), seems to be doing pretty well right now and she and Mike had a very nice visit.  For dinner, they had pizza and then talked some more until about 9:00. Then it was H and H, (Hugs and Handshakes) before coming back here to the CG.

Today, we'll be heading to Rantoul, IL. where we'll be staying for most of the rest of this summer. I'm looking forward to gong back there and just kicking back for awhile. Of course Linda will have doctor''s appointments and they'll need to take care of some other business in the area, but there'll be a lot of time when we can all relax and enjoy the summer.

Did you know that the first long-distance auto race in the U. S. was held May 30, 1911, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? The winner averaged 75 miles an hour and won a 1st place prize of $14,000.

Woof!!!

From KY, Through VA, A Little Of WV And Into Ohio

Piketon, OH.

60 deg., Fog, no wind.

Forecast = Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds light and variable.

We really enjoyed our stay that the Woodsmoke CG, but Tuesday morning, about 9:45, we left and continued heading North on US 23
.
Now, again, let me remind you that parts of US 23 has been upgraded to an Interstate highway (I-26), but for most of our trip, we’ll be on US 23, so that’s the road designation that I’ll use.

23 took us up through Johnson City, across I-81 and up into Virginia. The road in VA was not the Interstate type, but remained 4 lane all the way through the state. There were also some pretty steep grades with the steepest ones being 8% while most were in the 5 or 6% range.

Once through Virginia and into Kentucky, the road leveled out somewhat and from the VA state line up to Prestonburg. The road was, however very twisty with smaller hills all the way.

A little past Prestonburg, we turned off of 23 onto KY 3 and took it East to KY 3051 which brought us to the Jenny Wiley State Resort Park.   Jenny Wiley S.P. is a nice park. They have an area with full hook-ups, another area with pull-through sites with water and electric, back-ins with water and electric and even some primitive sites for tents and everything seems to be quite well maintained.
What this CG is missing is any AT&T cell service, any wireless Internet, or any over-the-air TV signals!!  Now, I don’t know about Verizon or any of the other providers, but there is absolutely NO AT&T!!!

So, if you’re wanting to call someone or get in the Internet, you’d better do it before turning off of US 23.

Here's a few photos of the "A" section that we were in.

It was just 1:00 when we pulled up to the registration building, so it took us about 3 hours and 15 minutes to travel the 166 mile up there.

Yesterday morning, (Wednesday), we left the Jenny Wiley SP about 10:10 and took Rts. 3051 and 3 back to US 23 where we again turned North. Following 23 brought us up to Louisa, where we pulled into a gas station and bought Big RED a nice drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel. Then, it was back on 23 and up to I-64 where we turned East into West Virginia for about 7 miles. Once to Exit 6, we turned North on US 52, and crossed the Ohio River and into Ohio. Then, it was just a matter of following 52 up to Portsmouth where we again turned North on US-23.

52 up along the Ohio River was a very good road and the traffic moved quickly along the mostly 4 lane divided road. The only slow spot was just before we got to 23 in Portsmouth where there were many stop lights and lots of traffic.

Once back on 23 it was a short drive up to Piketon, OH and the Rockwater Campground.

Now, if you look at their web site, it appears that they have quite a few spaces to rent. NOT SO!!!! They have completely filled the CG with permanent RVs and when we first found someone to talk to, they said that the CG was completely full and they had no sites for overnighters!! :-(

But, after talking to the man for a little, he said that one of the permanent RVs had just left the day before, and he could rent the site to us, being that we only wanted to stay for 2 nights. He said that he'd have to clean the lot off though because there were some wooden steps sitting on it and the site  needed to be leveled out a little, both of which he could do with his Bob-Cat.

He hauled the steps away and in a short time he had the site leveled and looking nice, so Jim backed Nora and Big RED into site #37. :-)

It was again, right at 1:00 when we pulled up to the office, (About 1:45 by the time we were into the site), so it took us right at 2 hours and 50 minutes to travel the 136 miles up here and buy Big RED his drink.

If you're traveling up this way I don't recommend that you plan on stopping at the Rockwater Campground. It's now all permanent sites and it was just pure luck that one of the sites was open for us.

Did you know that Ohio is the leading producer of greenhouse and nursery plants?

Woof!!!

Final Visit With Mike And His Family and Moncure To Forest City

Forest City, NC.

65 deg. fog, no wind.
Forecast = Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.

After heading up to Pittsboro to get groceries in the afternoon, Jim and Linda had a nice visit with Mike and his family Friday evening. Saturday nothing much happened except that Jim and Linda did start getting some things put away in preparation for out departure Monday morning. Sunday, a little before 11:00 they headed over to Mike and Gina's house for their last visit with them.

After eating a light lunch, Jim got out his camera and was able to get everyone together to get this shot of Mike and his family.

From left to right, there's Savanna, Mike, Dillon, Gina and Brenna.

About 2:30, after lots of h and k, (hugs and kisses), Jim and Linda left Mike and Gina's and headed back to the CG. On the way, they stopped and bought Big RED a nice drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel. Once back at the CG they continued getting ready for our Monday morning departure,

Yesterday morning, (Monday), we left Goodwin's CG about 5 minutes before 10:00 and headed for Forest City. We took the Moncure - Pittsboro Road up to Pittsboro where we turned West on US 64. 64 took us through Asheboro and then up to the little town of Holly Grove where we turned SW on I-85. 85 then brought us down through Charlotte and Gastonia and to Kings Mountain, where we turned off of I-85 and onto westbound US 74, 74 Then brought us through Shelby and finally to Forest City and Roland and Louise's house which is just a little NW of the city.

It was about 20 minutes before 2:00 when we arrived, so it took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes to travel the 210 miles over here. Not too shabby considering that part of the roads over here were 2 lane and we had to go through quite a few small towns and cities.

For the most part, all the roads were good. There was a short section of I-85 through Charlotte that was kind of rough, but not too bad. There were a couple of construction zones, but none that delayed us for any length of time.

After getting Nora positioned, set up and plugged in so that the A/C could be turned on, Jim and Linda spent most of the afternoon inside of the house visiting with Roland and Louise.

For dinner, Louise made some great "Southern Style" BBQ pulled pork for sandwiches  and then there was more visiting until around 9:30 when Jim and Linda came out here for the night.

Don't really know what the plans are for today. I do know that Roland has a dentist appointment this afternoon to have a tooth looked at that is giving him a lot of grief. :-(  We're all hoping that the dentist can get it fixed without too much trouble or discomfort for Roland.

Did you know that Forest City was originally incorporated in 1877 as Burnt Chimney? The name changed to Forest City in 1887.

Woof!!!

Happy Mother's Day and Virginia Beach, VA To Williamston, NC To Moncure, NC

Moncure, NC.

68 deg. Overcast, light rain at times, no wind.
Forecast = Showers and thunderstorms. High 79F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.

Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there, I sure wish I could call my mom and wish her a great day. :-(

I miss you, Mom!!!!

After lots of hugs, we left Virginia Beach Thursday morning at about 10:10 and retraced our route back to Pierce's RV Park in Williamston, It was 12:40 when we pulled into the park, but we did stop in town to buy Big RED a nice drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel before we arrived there. We traveled 121 miles.

The trip was un-eventful, the weather was good and we made fairly good time.

As soon as we pulled into our site and had the electric hooked up, the stabilizer jacks down and the slide out, Jim dumped the tanks that were very, very full. After putting away the sewer hose and connections, Jim came in, got cleaned up and took a nap. ;-)

For dinner, Jim cooked a couple burgers on the grill while Linda put together some salads. After eating the rest of the evening was spent watching TV.

Friday morning, the weather was still nice, (even though the weather guessers had been forecasting rain), so we got an early start on our travel day. It was only 9:15 when we pulled out of the CG in Williamston and started heading West on US 64. We crossed I-95 at Rocky Mount and then continued over to the Raleigh area where we took I-440 around the South side of the city and then turned SW in US 1. Following US 1 brought us down past Apex, (where Mike and Gina live) and to Moncure, NC where Goodwin's RV Campground is located.

It was just 11:35 when we pulled into the park so it took us about 2 hours and 20 minutes to travel the 136 miles over here. Not too bad considering the Raleigh traffic and construction on I-440.

Oh, and it never did rain on Friday as foretasted!!!!

We really like Goodwin's RV Campground. It's a small park and I'm not saying that you couldn't get a 40 foot MH or a large trailer in here, but It'd be pretty tight and you'd have to be a pretty good driver. Once you get into a site, they're quite large, but the trick would be getting to and into the site.

Marc Goodwin is a really friendly guy and usually helps everyone get into the sites, but when we arrived, Jim called him and he was busy elsewhere, so he asked Jim if he thought he could get into the site that we were in last time? Jim told him that he could, so he backed Nora into the site and after a little while Marc came by, welcomed us back to the park, talked with Jim for awhile and collected the rent for the 10 days that we'll be here.

Jim has already taken some photos of the park. Here's a couple of them. This first one is of the road coming into the park.

Our site viewed from out near the road

Looking across the road from the front of Big RED

Looking out from under the awning towards the front of the site.

As you can see by the photos, it's very hilly in this park. The first time you come into the park down the road shown in the 1st photo, (the photo only shows about 1/2 of the hill), you think, "What am I getting into here?", but there is some room to maneuver once you get a little farther in. Although it's very hilly, the sites are quite level and Jim only had to put one board under Nora's left side tires.

Oh, and you see those woods behind our site in the 2nd photo? We've already seen a fox back there and I know from the last time we were here, there's deer back there too!!!

Wildlife!!!!!  I like Wildlife!!!!! ;-)

Woof!!! Woof!!! Woof!!!!

Did you know that Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia who started Mother's Day celebrations also filed a lawsuit in an effort to stop the over- commercialisation of Mother's Day? She lost her fight.

Woof!!!

Pierce's RV Park and North Carolina to Virginia

Virginia Beach, VA.

48 deg. clear, NW wind @ 4 mph.
Forecast = Sunny. High 69F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.

I finally quit raining Sunday afternoon, so Jim went out and took a few photos of the Pierce's RV Park in Williamston. As you can see, the park is very well maintained, but if you're looking for any kind of activities, or even a bath house, you'd be out of luck at this park.

But, for just $22.00 a night for a pull-through site with full hook-ups, it's not too bad of a deal. :-)

Yesterday morning, we left Pierce's a little before 10:00 and headed back to US 17. There was a gas station right at 17 that had a lot of room, so Jim pulled Big RED in and bought him a drink of that Good old #2 diesel fuel.

Then, it was NNE on 17 all the way up here to the Virginia Beach area, where we turned off on I-64. Then we took it around to I-264 and then we followed 264 East into Virginia Beach. Once in VB, we took local roads here to Joe and Nancy's house, where Jim backed Nora into the driveway.

It was 12:30 when we arrived, so it took us about 2 hours and 35 minutes to buy Big RED his drink and travel the 121 miles over here.

We'll be here for about 10 days before heading to Apex, NC to see Mike and his family.

Did you know that Virginia Beach  is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world?

Woof!!!

Callahan FL to Statesboro GA

Statesboro, GA.

69 deg. light rain, S. wind @ 6 mph.
Forecast = Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High around 80F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.


Friday evening, a little after 6:00, Ashley called and said that she and Anna were on their way and they thought it would take them about 45 minutes to get to the Cedar River Seafood Restaurant in Callahan. So, about 20 minutes later, Jim and Linda hopped into Big RED and headed into town.

They knew that they had plenty time, so the headed to the BP station and bought Big RED a nice drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel. :-) From there, they headed to the restaurant where they got a booth and waited for Ashley and Anna to arrive.

In a little while, they arrived and everyone enjoyed a nice meal and really great conversation.

It was almost 8:00 by the time Big RED brought them back to the CG. The rest of the evening was spent watching TV and reading.

Yesterday morning, we left Kelly's Countryside RV Park about 10 minutes after 10:00 and turned North on US 301. In just a few miles, we crossed the state line into Georgia. We stayed on US 301 the whole way, passing through Folkston, Nahunta, Jesup, Glenville, and a few other small town before arriving here at the Parkwood RV Park & Cottages on the South edge of Statesboro, GA.

It was 12:50 when we pulled int the park, so it took us about 2 hours and 40 minutes to travel the 141 miles up here.

301 is a good road with very little traffic  and we made excellent time. This section is mostly 2 lane with probably 25% of it being 4 lane. We had some light rain on the way, but nothing serious. By the time we arrived in Statesboro, the sun was shining though, so Jim didn't get wet setting the trailer up when we got here. ;-)   We'll be staying here for 2 nights, and it's probably for the best since it's supposed to rain most of today.

This is a very well maintained park with fairly wide, long, pull-through sites. The last time we were here was way back in 2006, but it hasn't changed much. The people in the office are friendly and there's free cable and wi-fi, both which seem to work quite well. I wish Jim would have taken some photos yesterday so I could have posted them here, but if you're interested, there are some photos on the parks web site that are quite accurate.

I don't expect much to happen today, with the forecasted weather. This afternoon, Jim will probably watch the NASCAR race on TV. Hopefully by tomorrow, this weather will have passed and we'll have good conditions to continue on.

Did you know that Statesboro is best known as the home of Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral-Research University?

Woof!!!

Big RED's Recall

DeBary Fl.

39 deg. clear, N wind @ 12 mph.

Forecast =  Sunny, High 62F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.

Bright and early yesterday morning Jim took Big RED up to the Dodge Ram dealer in DeLand. It was about 7:25 when they left here so that they'd be in plenty of time for Big RED's 8:00 AM appointment. By about 8:10 the mechanic was taking him back to a stall in the shop to do the Air Bag recall procedure of replacing the inflator housings.

Well, come to find out, the only inflator housing that needed to be replaced was the one on the driver's side. I guess it depends on serial numbers or something to determine what actually needs to be done. So, instead of it taking 3 hours, it took just over an hour and by about 9:30, Jim was backing Big RED back into the carport. :-)

During the recall procedure, the dealership disconnected the batteries, (Big RED has 2 batteries for his diesel engine), to change the air bag parts and while they were disconnected, they did a load test on them. The service writer told Jim that one of the batteries was getting weak and that he should probably replace the batteries pretty soon. He asked Jim if he wanted a price on new batteries, but Jim told him that he's take care of it.

So, if the batteries are getting weak, (and who knows how long they've been in there or if they've been properly taken care of), that will mean that at least before our summer travels, Jim will need to purchase a couple batteries. He did a quick look-up on-line and it looks like batteries with enough CCA, (Cold Cranking Amps), for the diesel will be right around $125 to $150 each. :-(

Nothing much else to report. Jim hasn't felt very good the past few days, but seems to be feeling better now. The weather has been pretty chilly and windy, (by Florida standards), so not much has been done outside. Linda did do 3 loads of laundry the other day. That's the first time in over a year that she's been able to go out to the shed, where the washer and drier are, that many times one day to do that.

She still has days when she's "light headed", but those days are getting to be less and less all the time. :-)

Did you know that it was on this date in 1986, that the U.S. space shuttle Challenger exploded just after takeoff? All seven of its crewmembers were killed.

Woof!!!

Happy New Year!!!

DeBary,, FL.

61 deg. overcast, N. wind @ 14 mph.
Forecast = Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 69F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.

I hope all of you have a Happy New Year. Please be careful if you're out and about. I don't want to hear of any of my followers having an accident or something.

Really don't have much to post about but wanted to touch bases with all my followers.

The weather around  here has been pretty good. We've had some rain and yesterday, it rained off and on all day. Never heavy, just light rain.

Jim went to Publix the other day. He and Linda usually don't shop at Publix because they think it's more expensive, but they do carry some items that they like, that are not available at Winn Dixie. Linda didn't go this time because the list was pretty long and since neither of them are real well acquainted with the store, they thought it may be too much for her.

On the way to the store, Jim bought Big RED a nice big drink of good old #2 diesel fuel. The prices continue to drop and even though diesel is still higher than gas, it still has made quite a difference on the cost of filling him up. :-)

Today, Jim wants to go over to Paradise Lakes and check on Nora. He wants to make sure those new batteries are charging properly and just check things to make sure everything is OK

There are no plans for tonight. In fact, they'll probably struggle to stay awake until midnight. If they can stay awake, they'll probably just watch the ball drop in NYC and then head for bed.

This last year has been a hard year, especially for Linda, but it's been a good year just the same. I really think that Linda's "ordeal" has brought Jim and Linda even closer together. Sometimes you forget just how great you have it and you don't realize how much you would miss someone if they weren't there with you or something life threatening happens.

It makes you stop and think!!

I hope all of you have a great 2015. I know I'm looking forward to it. :-)

Take Care!!!!

Did you know that New Year is the oldest of all holidays, as it was first observed in ancient Babylon as many as 4000 years ago?

Woof!!!

SC To FL and Dinner With Anna

Callahan, FL.

38 deg. partly cloudy, NW wind @ 10 mph.
Forecast = Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 51F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.

We left "The Oaks" in Yemassee, SC about 10:05 and headed back to US 17. Right across the highway was a gas station that sold diesel, so Jim pulled Big RED and Nora up to the pumps and filled Big RED's tank. Once that little chore was done, we took 17 for just a little way and then turned South on I-95.

95 took us down to Georgia, where we turned off on US 17 again, just South of Savannah. We took 17 to GA 196 and then took 196 to Macintosh where we turned NW on US 84. Following 84 brought us to Jesup, GA. where we turned South on US 301. 301 brought us down into Florida and to Kelly's Countryside RV Park, which is about 6 miles North of Callahan.

It was 1:50 when we pulled up in front of the office. We had traveled 180 miles, stopped for diesel and then stopped to pick up a few groceries at the Winn Dixie Grocery Store in Hilliard FL. (about 4 miles North of the Park), in 3 hours and 45 minutes.

 Not too shabby! ;-)

There was no one in the office when we arrived, but a very nice young lady, who I found out was the owner's grand daughter, told Jim about some pull-through sites that were available towards the rear of the park. She said that we could pay for the site later. :-)

Following her instructions, we headed down the road.

Soon Jim had Big RED and Nora parked in a nice level site.

The sites back here aren't very wide, but they're plenty long for even the longest trailer.

Kelly's is a family owned and operated RV Park and they're supper nice people. We've been coming here for years and always feel welcome every time we come. The park is very well maintained and I can't ever remember being here when the grass needed mowing or the bushes needed trimming.

Once Nora was set up and Jim and Linda had relaxed a little, Linda called their grand daughter, Anna, who lives in Jacksonville to ask her if she'd like to come to Callahan and go out to eat? She said that she would and arrangements were made to meet her at the Cedar River Seafood Restaurant.

Jim and Linda met Anna at the restaurant at about 5:30 and it sounds like everyone had a good time visiting and eating some delicious seafood and chicken. (Anna doesn't like seafood).

Both Linda and Jim said that it was really good to see Anna again and they're looking forward to seeing her again Thanksgiving Day in DeBary. :-)

Yesterday morning, Jim dumped Nora's tanks and then took Big RED up to Hilliard and bought him another drink of good old #2 diesel fuel. Then, in the afternoon, we had some serious storms go through the area. There were reports of tornadoes SW of here and there was quite a bit of damage in Jacksonville, which is about 15 or 20 miles South of here. We had some wind and lots of heavy rain, but no damage in this area that I know of.

Yesterday, the temperatures were in the upper 70's but today, they're saying that it'll only be getting up to about 50.  That's OK though because today we'll be heading down to DeBary where it'll be a little warmer with forecasts in the mid to upper 50's.

I've got real mixed feelings about getting back to DeBary. I've kind of missed the house and all the room I have to roam around. I've missed Laura and Lindsey and it'll be kind of nice not having to get ready to move almost every day. But, I'll really miss being out on the road, seeing new sites, experiencing new places and meeting new people. And I never get bored when we're traveling, because there's always something happening.

Oh well, maybe a little R and R will do me good. And then, there is that cute little white dog with the pink collar that comes past the house just about every day. ;-)  

Did you know that on this date in 1956 - Fats Domino appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and performed his hit "Blueberry Hill?"

Woof!!!

A Couple Little Trips and We're Proud Of Linda's Accomplishment

North Topsail Beach, NC.

61 deg. overcast, NW wind @ 5 mph.
Forecast = Rain showers early becoming more intermittent for the afternoon. High 73F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

Sunday, Jim and Linda took Big RED and headed up to the North end of Topsail Beach Island. The first thing they did was to buy Big RED a drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel and then went to a grocery store where Jim went in and bought milk and a few other things. After that, they rode around on the North end of the island and looked at all the huge homes and condos that are built right up to the large sand dune that protects the shoreline.

Yesterday morning, Linda decided that she wanted to try to make it up the steps going over the dune here at the park so that she could see and enjoy the ocean.  Well, as you can see by the photos below and on yesterday's post, it's quite a climb and it's a ways from our site over to the steps.

This next photo was taken from the top of the dune. Can you find Big RED and Nora in the photo below? They're in the second site on the left side of the photo. (You can click on the photo's to enlarge them if you'd like.)

Once Linda made it up to the top and sat on the bench to rest, Jim took this photo of her to prove that she made it. ;-)

Later, (after they returned back here to the trailer) , I found out that Jim had told Linda that he was very proud of her for making the decision to walk over there and climb the steps to get up there.

This was the farthest that Linda has walked without the aid of her walker, for at least a year!!  Quite the accomplishment and I'm proud of her too!!! ;-)

This view was part of her reward for going up there.

While Linda was resting, Jim walked down onto the beach and took this photo.

By the time Linda and Jim returned here to the trailer, Linda was pretty well tuckered out, but very pleased with herself. She's come a long way in the recovery process, but still has quite a way to go. :-)

After lunch, Jim and Linda decided to take a "tour" of the South end of the island, so they took Big RED and headed down there. Not a real lot to see except the houses and condo's that are built up on the coastline. It was a nice drive though and they both seemed to enjoy the little trip.

Today, we'll be heading down to Myrtle Beach, SC. Jim has made a reservation there and we should be getting a site that's right next to the beach. We'll still be on the land side of a sand dune, but the dunes aren't so big down there, and from many places, you can see over the dunes from your RV. The site that he has reserved is a "premium" site, so we'll see what that's like. :-)

Did you know that Orville Wright numbered the eggs that his chickens produced so he could eat them in the order they were laid?

Woof!!!

Dinner With Mike, Gina And Family and Heading Out Today

Moncure, NC.

37 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Sunshine. High near 75F. Winds light and variable.

Hasn't been much to write about. Every day Jim and Linda have taken Big RED and headed over to Mike and Gina's house. Then, yesterday, Mike and Dillon came out here to the park to see Nora and to visit for awhile.

It was a good visit and part of the time they were inside and the rest of the time they sat outside enjoying the great weather we've been having. Then, about 4:30 Jim and Linda took Big RED and headed to the Carrabba's Restaurant in Apex, where they met Mike, Gina, Brenna, Savanna and Dillon for dinner.

Jim and Linda said that the food was very good, but the best part was being there with Mike and his family. ;-)

But, everything must come to an end and after H and K, Jim and Linda headed back here, stopping at a gas station on the way, to get Big RED a nice big drink of that good old #2 diesel fuel, so he would be ready to go to work this morning.

Yep!! This morning, we'll be leaving and heading further East. The plan is to go as far as Williamston, NC today, and then go on to Virginia Beach tomorrow. Both days will be short travel days, but if we went the whole way in one day, (and we've done it before), it would be a fairly long day.

Both Linda and Jim are looking forward to seeing Joe and his family again. The plan is to stay in Virginia Beach about 10 days and then start heading down to Florida, getting there around the 18th or 20th of November.

Did you know that the first miniature golf course was built in Fayetteville, NC.?

Woof!!!

Alabama To Tennessee and Plans

Clarksville, TN. (Clarksville RV Park and Campground)

64 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Partly cloudy. Highs around 91°F. Heat index around 101°F. Light wind.


Again, we got an early start and were leaving the Cullman Campground by 10 minutes after 9:00. It was just a couple miles to I-65, where we turned North and headed up to Nashville, TN. Traffic was fairly light until we were close to Nashville, and then, for a Sunday morning, I thought it was pretty heavy.

We zipped right through the city though and soon we were North of Nashville and looking for the I-24 turnoff. Just before we came to I-24 we ran into a construction area and traffic slowed down somewhat, but the traffic kept moving and soon we were on 24 heading NW towards Clarksville.

24 was good all the way and even though the traffic was quite heavy at times, we kept right on moving at our desired speed of about 62 to 64 MPH.

When we got off of the Interstate at Exit 1, Jim pulled Big RED into another Shell station and filled him up with #2 Diesel. From there it was only about a mile to the Clarksville RV Park and Campground.

It was 12:45 when we pulled up to the office so it took us about 3 hours and 35 minutes to travel 197 miles and stop for fuel.

The Clarksville RV Park and Campground is more expensive than the parks that we usually stay at, ($35 per night), but there really isn't much choice in this area. (We've stayed here before).  Oh, it's a nice park with a swimming pool and lots of other stuff, but I think $35 is really too much for a site with only water and electric.

Site #7

We'll only be staying here one night.

Jim and Linda couldn't decide what to have for dinner, so they started looking through the CG brochure that they received at check-in. In it was an advertisement for Michael's Pizza and it said that they'd deliver to the site. So, Linda gave them a call, ordered a pizza and in about 20 minutes they had a quite good pizza sitting on the table. :-) After eating about 1/2 of it, they put the rest in the freezer and then kicked back and watched TV for the rest of the evening.  :-)

While they watched TV, they were talking and I overheard them discussing travel plans for the next few days. Linda said that she though that if they didn't travel too far tomorrow, she'd like to try to get to Rantoul on Tuesday. Jim said that that wouldn't be a problem as he was already thinking of staying at the CG in Southern Illinois that we stayed at on our way to FL. last August.

That would mean that we'd travel about 135 miles tomorrow and a little over 200 miles on Tuesday.

We can do that!!! :-)

Did you know that the name "Tennessee" originated from the old Yuchi Indian word, "Tana-see," meaning "The Meeting Place?"

Woof!!!

Jim Goes Shopping And Brigns Home A New Toy

DeBary, FL.

73 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Thunderstorms likely. High 88F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Jim took Big RED and headed out to do some shopping yesterday. One of the items he went looking for was one of those little benches that you put in the tub or shower to sit on. He found one at Walgreen's.

From Walgreen's, he headed over to Lowe's, (with a stop at the gas station to get Big RED a drink of #2 diesel. There, he picked up a flex downspout extension to go on a downspout at the rear of the house so the water will be directed away from the house. As he was walking towards the register to check out, he noticed that 2 Lowe's employees were putting some merchandise out on a clearance table. One of those items was a "Dremel" type rotary took kit. Being that Jim's Dremel had died a year or so ago, he decided to buy this one.

It's kind of neat. Of course it has the rotary tool with accessories, but it also has 4 different small pliers, 6 small screwdrivers and 2 "Exacto" type knives with extra blades.

From Lowe's, Jim headed over to Bed Bath & Beyond to check out a "music center" that he had seen when he was there the last time. He and Linda had been considering buying one of these for a long time, but just hadn't done it.

For those of you that may be interested, it's called a Wooden Music Center, is made by Innovative Technology and it's model# ITVS-750.

It has an AM-FM radio, a 3 speed phonograph player, a cassette player and a CD player/recorder, all in a nice wooden case.

You can use the CD recorder to record from either the phonograph or the cassette player. This allows you to transfer all those old vinyl records and cassettes to  CDs. (Jim and Linda don't have any records anymore, but they do have a whole bunch of cassettes).

Jim hasn't tried recording anything yet, but he and Linda were listening to the radio and some of those old cassettes and a few CD's yesterday afternoon.  ;-) It's pretty large, so they won't be taking it along in the RV, but it should work out well when we're here at the house.

Linda still has her rash but it doesn't seem to itching her so much. I think the dizzy spells have gotten a little better, but she is very fatigued. Tomorrow she has an appointment with the chemo doctor, so we'll see what she has to say then.

Did you know that in fall of 1877 Thomas A. Eddison invented the record player?

Woof!!!