All Good Things Must Come to an End...for now

I'm home at last.  Got home Wednesday, 3/11/15, and what a beautiful day it was.  Mail, laundry, shopping, paper work, taxes, and getting back into a routine make up my agenda. Looking forward, I see a return to reality which includes an airport trip now and then (13 trips scheduled so far)....I will try to ease my way out of this hobby and pass the reins to friends, Ed and Tom, if they care to carry on; Look forward to times spent with family and friends; to the task of finding Petey a good home.  If any of my blog readers know of a good home, please let me know.  I would like my future to have more trips with Winnie and less worry that I need a 'bird-sitter.'

Looking back on a 34 day adventure that turned into a 56 days hiatus, I can sit back, smile, and take pride in my planning and timing.  Every campsite, every trip in between, every stop went without a hitch....even the day chosen for my return (in time for my mother's 96th birthday Friday, the 13th) saw temperatures in the high 60's, sunny and an absolutely gorgeous day.  Some of my reflections:

• ---Weather played a major role in all decisions.  Even upon my return I was not convinced that I would encounter a difficult time getting Winnie winterized once again for the remainder of the winter season.  And, indeed, it was a mess.  The steady rain the night before at Timberlane Campground in Jersey made the winterizing procedure a muddy mess.  Lots of laundry to do....4 loads to be exact.

• ---Since my departure 1/19/15, there have been 6 consecutive weekend storms; quite a mess for those in the northeast, Boston in particular and why, wherever I was, had no reason for complaint.

• ---Along with those storms had been the arctic blast of frigid cold continuously funneled down into the northeastern states and reached far south to affect temperatures right into Florida.  My furthest point south was Key Largo, FL and I needed heat to feel comfy.  My last days in Virginia Beach had seen temps in the low 20's and I had to take measures to prevent my water line from freezing. 

• ---I had heat on in the coach every day/night.  Only once, in Clermont, FL did I need to turn the AC on.  The rest of the time, I relied on MB's little space heater to keep the coach nice and warm.  Many nights, when temps were below 38°, I relied on propane and the furnace for the warmth.

• ---My 3,340 miles of travel were planned such that I was able to include stops for shopping and the replenishment of supplies as needed.  I learned what to do when the hot water stops running or when a never before seen idiot light on my dash indicated I needed DEF (diesel emission fluid); apparently, every 3,000 miles or so.  So now, an extra 2.5 L container is on-board as is an extra anode rod for the hot water heater.

• ---I have enjoyed driving Winnie, observing Mother Nature's weather, flora, and fauna. I've enjoyed the feeling of total independence and almost total relaxation.  The pitter-patter of rain on the roof was most pleasing.  In addition, while at Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach, my proximity to the ocean afforded me the pleasing sound of waves crashing (well, washing, they weren't that big) on shore; an added bonus. 

• ---My time alone and my enjoyment of writing has afforded me the opportunity to document the experience with a journal/log/diary in the form of a blog.  Much to my surprise and gratification, there have been over 3,000 page views from friends and relatives who took the time out of their busy day to share my experiences. The 3,000th view occurred on Thursday, March 5, 2015.  Thank you all.  

• ---For my RVing friends (all 6 of them--3 couples), 
  and any one else I don't know about, I have provided links to all 14 campgrounds I stayed at. Each title at the beginning of a blog post (highlighted in green) will give the details they need if they decide to visit.

Craig's maroon shirt was
in the wash

      

• ---The planning and resulting success of this trip has given me a renewed desire to plan "My Summer Adventure."   I have already reserved five locations and will try to coordinate time blocks that will allow me to visit friends and family near the campsites.  So far Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and, of course, Croton's RV sites are in the works.  That itinerary will appear some day in the future when everyone can see green lawns and leaves on trees.

• ---Here's an interesting thought:  You would think as a part of one's "reflections," there would be a list of dislikes, bad experiences, poor judgments, unpleasant encounters with people or things to avoid next time?  Ready?  I have no list. Sure, the visit to Camping World to replace a water line check valve was inconvenient; paying $4.999/gal for a  "convenient" propane delivery caused a cringe, but things balanced out:  high cost for propane vs. no cost for parts/labor of check valve.  And yes, other drivers on the road continue to baffle me to the point of cursing but what goes around comes around and it can be said with certainty, "I am a happy camper."

• As my "Winter Adventure" came to an end, I looked back at the many photographs I took to remind me of people, places, and things.  I decided to copy my favorites into a folder unto themselves: "My favorite Photographs."  These photos have appeared in my blogs from the past.  I hope my readers enjoy them as much as I did being in the moment to capture the experience.  Once I figure out how to post all of them without taking a day and a night to download, I'll post a comment.        

• ---And best of all were the many folks who stopped by, visited, and had their photos taken in front of Winnie.  Lots' of 'em and hopefully many more to come.  Those 60+ photos have been printed (with duplicates) and placed on the "Wall of Fame" inside Winnie.  If you are one of them, come by and pick up your copy.  If not, come by and visit so you can join the crowd.

• So that concludes my "Winter Adventure".  Thanks for stopping by.  See you in May, if not sooner with Winnie's "Summer Adventure."

Thank you,  MLS

Day 48-54 - Virginia Beach - Last Day

Holiday Trav-L-Park  3/4/2015 - 3/10/2015
1075 General Booth Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Yesterday, Sunday, was the best day I've experienced on this trip.  Yes, there was a day or two in Clermont, FL, but that's to be expected.  Yesterday, the temp hit 70°, sunny with a slight breeze, and I enjoyed sitting outside for a couple of hours.  How nice it felt.  My camera was ready for the "fly boys."  I could just sit in the comfort of my lounge chair and point and shoot as these magnificent machines made their way to the landing strip.  Oops, it was Sunday.  Not a plane in the sky.  Wherever they were, they returned home about 9:00 pm and it didn't get quiet until a little after 11:00 p.m. 

These two photos of mine
are the best I could do.

This is an example of the type of shot I wanted.  They were
not flying as low on their approach as I have experienced.
Yet, this is my best shot.

One thing is certain.  I have a greater respect and admiration for our military after witnessing their daily routines and training flights (219,000 each year).  Not that it wasn't previously great but "living" near the base of operations simply brought it home nicely.  The other certainty was the realization that these beauties must be re-fueled and maintained 24/7.  And there's 300 of them.  Although they are not all here in a given moment, their care and maintenance must be astronomical.  The base accommodates about 22,700 personnel.  This includes 10,000 military, 11,000 family members and 1,700 civilian employees.  Be they on board an aircraft carrier or flying these training missions, it's impressive.

Knowing my stay in Clarkesboro, NJ at Timberlane Campground is just overnight, the task of winterizing Winnie will take place before I leave that campground. Today, I've cleaned, washed, mopped, polished, and otherwise readied things for off loading into the Caddy when I get home.  I'm pleased to say I've "eaten myself out of house and home."  All I may have to pickup on my drive home will be milk.  There's little else to bring home but expecting more freezing nights, I will take it all home.  My list of needs is already prepared for my first season trip, Tuesday, May 26th.  If possible, I'll try to get some more time at Croton Point Park during the month of April.

Ah, April.  A great month.

• Easter falls early and it will be the first time in seven years I'll have Easter Sunday dinner with my mother and sister.  In years past I was in Daytona Beach Shores for the entire month of April and celebrated Easter with relatives in Boca Raton, FL.

• Granddaughter, Beca, will not be coming home for her Easter break due to her Equestrian schedule.  I will make some trips to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT and spend some time with her--and, no doubt, enjoy some good food.  Alas, sushi is a foreign word to my cutie.

First time in SHU's history, they're
Regional Champions for Hunt Seat
and Western and she's proud to be
a part of it.

For some reason, says Beca, Tank has to have
his face next to Beca whenever she's near.

• Granddaughter, Sara, presently studying Marine Sciences at Griffith University in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, will turn 21 April 16th.  An unthinkable milestone a grandparent must endure.

Orientation Week diving the Great Barrier Week

• Daughter, Marybeth, fulfilling a bucket list item, took the course and test, scored 90, and is now an official soccer referee.  I'll now watch soccer with my mouth shut knowing there's a great ref in charge.

Click here  to see her in action on the field.

Unfortunately, she won't be able to officiate any of Beca's soccer games now that she's in college.  :-( 

• Son, Chuck, will be celebrating his birthday in April as well.  We cannot go into depth on this topic because it hurts me more than it hurts him.  Suffice it to say he'll soon be approaching the average age of the African Grey Parrot, Camel, and Macaw. Thank goodness he'll never look it (the age, not the animals).  

Some photos not yet shared:

Very clean laundry facility at
Holiday Trav-L-Park

...Today, I had to sit and
watch how they frolic and make babies.  Geeze.

A tree rat came to visit me while
I sat out and enjoyed the warm
temperatures.....

Good bye, Virginia Beach.  I'll see y'all at the Timberlane Campground in Clarkesboro, NJ.  (Yeah, I've never heard of it either.)

WINNIE'S 2015 SUMMER ADVENTURES....

...SO FAR.

As the saying goes, "you've got too much time on your hands".  With below freezing temperatures and no desire to commune with nature, I couldn't think of a better way to spend my time.  In addition, based on my ramblings in 90+ blog postings so far, it should be apparent to all that I am totally enjoying this RV stuff as well as writing about it.  My frequency and duration of trips are limited.  My bucket list of destinations grows as does my love for this life style; That is, driving my awesome RV along different highways and back roads, planning and calculating itineraries, making reservations, planning and purchasing supplies, canned/boxed foods, and perishables to see me through to the next stop; then writing all about it.  I have found winter camping is not the time for meeting and greeting people in hopes of making new friends. Next winter season will see me having to make those overnight stops just to rest but once arriving at a destination, I will remain there longer. But....looking forward to this new season...I have the following set in stone.  "Set in stone" because payments and/or deposits have been made.  Whether or not I recover any monies lost due to cancellations will be at the discretion of the individual campground and their rules and regulations.  This past trip, with all its changes in schedule, went smoothly without the loss of or additional charges...unless it was to add more days to my stay.  I have been very pleased with all the campgrounds I've had the pleasure of staying at.  This is what I have planned so far and look forward to joining friends at Croton Point Park's RV site and having friends and relatives visit me:

DATE	DAY	CAMPGROUND & ADDRESS
5/25/15 5/26/15 5/27/15 5/28/15 Leave 5/29	Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri	Hampton Beach State Park New Hampshire 1A Hampton, NH
4 nights
6/22/15 TO 7/05/15 Leave 7/6	Mon 2 wks Mon	Croton Point RV Park 1A Croton Point Road Croton-on-Hudson
14 nights
8/4/15 Leave 8/5 Overnight	Tue Wed	Appalachian Campground 60 Motel Drive Shartlesville, PA 19554
1 night
8/5 Leave 8/6 Overnight	Wed Thu	Shenandoah Valley Campground 168 Industrial Park Road Mt. Jackson, VA 22842
1 night
8/6 8/7 8/8 8/9 8/10 Leave 8/11	Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue	Visit Ken & Jane Edwards 101 Edwards Store Road Lyman, SC
5 nights
8/11 8/12 8/13 Leave 8/14	Tue Wed Thu Fri	Shenandoah Valley Campground 296 Riner Lane Verona, VA 24482
3 nights
8/14/15 TO 8/28/15	Fri 2 wks Fri	Croton Point RV Park 1A Croton Point Road Croton-on-Hudson
14 nights	42 nights total	Total mileage = 2,250 miles traveled

This blog will be updated frequently. This post 3/7/2015

Day 48-54 - Virginia Beach - Friday

Holiday Trav-L-Park  3/4/2015 - 3/10/2015
1075 General Booth Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

As predicted the steady rain continues today, Thursday, March 5th, with the temp hovering at 40°. Hen Hud district is closed back home and my hope of returning to a clear landing in Cross River dwindles.  But....we shall see. In 7 days, 2 hours and 9 minutes (LOL), we shall see.

F/A-18 Hornet

F/A-18 Super Hornet

The jets from NAS (Naval Air Station) Oceana continue their daily training flights and, at the end of the day, fly right overhead toward the airstrip. I researched my neighbor and read that "NAS Oceana is the east coast home of the U.S. Navy's fighter-attack jet fleet housing almost 300 F/A 18 Hornet and Super Hornet strike fighter jets and has grown to become one of the largest and most advanced air stations in the world, comprising 6,820 acres (including Dam Neck Annex). Obstruction clearances and flight easements total an additional 3,680 acres (14.9 km2). The base is the sole East Coast Master Jet Base and home to all the east coast strike-fighter units.  Its four runways, three measuring 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in length and one measuring 12,000 feet, are designed for high-performance aircraft. NAS Oceana's primary mission is to train and deploy the Navy's Atlantic Fleet strike fighter squadrons of F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets. Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers stationed at NAS Oceana fly approximately 219,000 training operations each year."  The Blue Angels perform here as well.  Reference

Well, today, Friday, I was ready for them.  The sun was bright, the temp at 27° and I froze waiting and waiting.  They knew, so they used a different flight pattern....or took the day off.  Nothing. It was a quiet, cold, day.  LOL. I attempted to ward off 'cabin fever' by taking a walk around the deserted campground.  Stupid.  It was just plain ol' C-O-L-D.  Meanwhile, I'm noticing my grey water tank is filling due to the little trickle I maintain to prevent the fresh water line from freezing.  When I pull on the valve to begin pumping out, I found the valve was frozen shut.  Uh oh, says I, a new strategy for washing dishes, etc.  Luckily I remembered I had a clamp-on lamp stowed away in one of my compartments below.  I hooked it up, turned on the 60-watt (wish I had 100 watts) light and, in a couple of hours, the valve pulled free and I was able to empty the tank.  Whew!  While working underneath in that section of the water compartment, I noticed a drip from the fresh water tank which was 1/3 full....for the emergency that has yet to occur.  I immediately emptied that tank into the black water tank and hope the little bit of water left will not cause any more damage.  I will check that leak when the grass is green and the temperatures are closer to my own body temp.  For the next "winter adventure" I will look into insulating the lines and the tanks.  There's so much available to solve the water line freezing problem.
My other major accomplishment today was to finalize reservations for my "Summer Adventures". Details will follow in tomorrow's blog.  Well, that's it for now.  I'll bid you good night.  Stay warm. (I will get photos of those awesome fighter jets sooner or later).

Day 48-54 - Virginia Beach, VA

Holiday Trav-L-Park  3/4/2015 - 3/10/2015
1075 General Booth Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23451

The 4+ hour drive yesterday from Newport, NC, was very interesting.  I did stop in Elizabeth City when a sushi restaurant, Volcano, caught my eye.  It was a good time to take a break from driving as well. 

Spanish Volcano Roll:
Shrimp Tempura, Avocado, Cream Cheese
topped with Crab Salad and Tobiko

 I woke up Tuesday morning at 2:45 a.m.  I made the mistake of going to bed around 9:30-10:00. p.m.  The ride from Myrtle Beach most likely contributed to the drooping eyelids.  So, without a fight, I arose, had coffee, and a scrambled egg and cheese on an English muffin. Eyes got droopy again about 5:30, so I returned to bed and slept till 8 a.m.  I packed up, made a cup of coffee for the road and off I went by 9:45 a.m.

The fog was quite dense with visibility no more that .1 mile.  About 15 miles into the 216 mile trip the sun came out and the temperature rose from the low 60's to 73°. What a treat to drive with the windows open.  The noise in the coach as well as the progressing overcast that hid the sun resulted in my partially closing the  windows. Temperature dropped a noticeable 10°.

Most of the trip took me along Highway 17 and while I admired the landscape, it struck me just how extensive the poverty along this highway was....something I've written about in previous blogs.  Mile after mile after mile, a passenger next to me with a camera could take a photo every 20-30 seconds of a property that made you take a double take.  What I saw would fill a coffee table book....a series of books... whose theme would bring awareness of the extensive poverty displayed almost the entire length of SR-17. Most were trailers set upon some type of foundation. They were abandoned, I think; doors, if present, off hinges or wide open; windows, if present, broken; ripped or torn screens still in their frames. Metals roofs, were rusted or dangling over the side.  Some were covered with blue tarpaulins probably to be fixed "in the near future."  Fallen branches and limbs rested on many.  It was difficult to ascertain whether anyone lived in these homes.  I could not imagine anyone could but maybe they did. Then there was the junk and debris scattered around the property. Vintage car buffs would be amazed at what rusted in the yard near these homes.  In a few years, vegetation will completely obliterate them.  If that weren't enough, the second in the series of table top photo journals would be about the associated crumbling sheds and barns that were on the same property.  I have seen such books.  Beautiful photos that gave the reader a hint of what magnificent structures barns were back in the day even as you viewed them in person seemingly ready to collapse; hauntingly artistic.  Adjectives like abandoned, run down, dilapidated, shuttered, boarded or condemned do not do justice to my observations; and this, mile after mile on a single road.  You can only imagine what you would see on the back roads "off the beaten track." The same could be said as I drove through the other coastal eastern states. Very depressing.  I wish I was the passenger with the camera rather then the driver who had to keep his eyes on the road. A picture would have been worth a thousand words.

When I arrived at the Virginia Beach campground, it had turned out to be a gorgeous, spring like day.  Birds were singing, temperature about 73° with sunny skies.  I had to change out of damp clothing once I finished setting up.  Shorts were the order of the remainder of the day....that is, till the sunset.  It's 50° now as I write this blog.  The big surprise was that on the other side of SR-651, Oceana Blvd, was the Oceana Naval Air Station. The rest of the daylight hours was given to the tremendous, thunderous roar of Navy jet fighters taking off and landing a mere 2 miles away.  Fortunately, the jet noise subsided around 6 p.m. but persisted intermittently until around 8:00 p.m.  I've got to catch some of those fighters as they pass overhead.  Their landing flight path is right over the campground.  

The first snow I've seen this winter season.
Remember, I left Jan. 19th, a week before the
"blizzard" and missed the next 6 consecutive
weekend storms.

The spring like weather that seemed to enliven those in the registration office doesn't look like it will last.  My check of the local weather reads:

Thursday Rain before 3pm, then rain or freezing rain. High near 38. Breezy, with a north wind 17 to 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Little or no ice accumulation expected.

Thursday Night Snow and sleet likely, mainly before 9pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Blustery, with a north wind around 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Meanwhile, this very same night weather at home reads:

Thursday Snow likely...mainly in the morning. Total snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches. Colder with highs in the mid 20s. Northwest winds around 10 mph. Gusts up to 20 mph in the afternoon. Chance of snow 70 percent.

Just to give you an idea of
the size of the campground.

Very few winter campers....

It's Thursday and the low flying jets are passing overhead now following their landing procedure but the low cloud cover and rain prohibits photos at this time.  If this is how they'll proceed in the next few days, landing at the rate of a jet per minute or two, I'll surely capture great photos of these low flying, awesome, powerful machines and be able to see their powerful armament as well.  Stay tuned.

...practically an empty campground.  This is
not exactly camping season so getting out and
about to "meet and greet" has not been an
objective or priority during any part of this trip.

Days 46-47 - Newport, NC-Overnight

Whispering Pines Campground & RV Park 3/3/15 - 3/4/15

2791 NC-24

Newport, NC 28570

It was Monday, 3/3rd when I sat down to plan my route to my next site, Holiday Trav-L-Park in Virginia Beach, VA.  Close to a six hour drive.  I decided I didn't want to drive that long.  I've found 3½-4 hrs on the road is just about enough.  So, with a click of the mouse along the route I would have taken, I focused on a shore point along the way.  So many to choose from.  The winner? Whispering Pines Campground: 166 miles and about 3 hours 15 minutes from Myrtle Beach.  The next day?  207 miles and 3½ hours.  Perfect.  Spoke to Denise who, on a Monday, struggled through the new data system they've implemented as a result of the recent acquisition and booked site #21.  You'll notice on the map only those in yellow are for over-nighters or weekenders (renters) in this campground.    I've circled 21B that you'll need a magnifying glass to see.  Most are long term or seasonal.  An uneventful stay with few humans seen at any given time.  The main attraction for me was seeing robins all over the place doing their thing.  I left this campground at 9:45 a.m. in fog.  No, not in mind or spirit, rather, as in weather.

A most welcomed sight...

...something I'd like to bring home to those who
are tired of seeing things monochromatic white.