Frost

We had frost this morning here at Down By The River.

Labor Day 2008

I have found where all the old people go that leave Z-Hills and surrounding areas in the summer time, we are staying at a campground called Down by the River in Pinola, NC, we will stay here thru October and will probable come back here next year. (kinda like the other old people).

We are under 2 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and some good hiking trails, the Linville River borders one side of the campground and the Pisgah National Forest is on the other side of the Parkway. Grandfather Mountain is less than 10 miles North and Linville Falls less than 7 miles South.

It is a lot cooler here than other places.

The remnants of Fay rain on us for 3 days, the first night it rained 8+ inches and the Linville Rivers originates around Grandfather Mountain, got pretty high and came close to running over into the campground.

Today there is a covered dish dinner at the club house for Labor Day that we will attend.

Guess there won't be much more to add to the Meanderings Blog, looks like we have stopped wandering very far.

Down By The River, Pineola, NC

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Arrived Monday around noon the campground in flat, well manicured, and nice, if you notice in the pictures the nice cement interior roads and pads, some family member owns a cement plant.

Went up the Blue Ridge Parkway as far as milepost 294 we are about 2 miles from the Parkway in Pineola at milepost 310.

Tuesday we went to Linville Falls and walked the trails, about milepost 320.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 a week has gone bye. The Linville River runs along the edge of the campground so you can put your toy boats in and go 20 miles down stream and watch them go over the falls. I think it acquires more water somewhere between here and there, because if you look at the picture of the falls it is hard to spot the boat going over..

Monday, August 11,2008 We will be here until the end of October.

Breaks Interstate Park, Breaks, VA

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Monday arrived a little before noon, it took us a while to get settled into a site after trying out a few, I had to disconnect and reconnect the truck to get out of one of them, another first, but no dents or scratches. If I had had my chainsaw.....it would have been easier.

Tuesday the trails, overlooks and interior roads are superb. The waitress at the lodge was from Haysi, VA about 8 miles down the crooked road, we asked if they had a shopping center, she replied "we ain't got a shopping center, but we got a Dollar General". My kind of place.

Thursday today we went to lunch at the Road Kill Kafa down the road from Breaks,VA and of course I had to have the Road Kill Burger ------ the owner assured me that it wasn't coon or possum...whatever it was it was good.

Littcarr Campground, Littcarr, KY

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We arrived here on Monday the 14th and this is a very very nice Core park a 9 ½ out of 10 on Carr Creek Lake, KY.
Tuesday we went to check out Kingdom Come State Park as a potential place to go next, we went down some of the best country roads in Eastern Kentucky going the back way 160 and Little Shepherd Trail We decided not to go there next, as of now we decided on Breaks Interstate Park close to Breaks Va.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 we rode to Hazard, Ky this morning didn’t see any of the Dukes
Friday, July 18, 2008 for a more descriptive detail of things see Buddy & Patsy's blog www.gopherstrails.blogspot.com

Warriors Path State Park, Kingsport, TN

Warriors Path SP, Kingsport, TN Click picture for more photos

There were few sites to choose from when we (the A's & the B's) arrived Monday morning, but we managed to fit in a couple that were left. We toured downtown Kingsport by foot and truck and ate a good restaurant called 12 Bones.

Wednesday we went to Natural Tunnel SP in TN, rode the ski lift up and down and it made for an easy trip, the park was very nice & extra neat but decided the sites were to small for our rigs.

Thursday it rained.

Vanderpool's Campground, Boone, NC

Vanderpool's Campground, Boone, NC

Monday arrived here at our usual time after a leisurely drive over the mountains and thru the center of town, very little traffic.

This is a very nice private park, well kept and pleasant owners.

All of us the A's, B's, C's and R's rode the Virginia Creeper Trail from Whitetop Mountain, VA to Damacus it was a nice trail 20 miles down hill .

Things old people do to make their kids proud

Bandits Roost COE, Wilkesboro, NC

Bandits Roost COE, Wilkesboro, NC

Arrived Monday morning early after a 30 mile ride from Stone Mountain and there were very few empty sites that were available for a week. We had reserved site A43 from the Internet and did a fabulous job of picking a good site again. In the afternoon we went to the laundromat, the air conditioned one with the wanted poster on the door. While waiting for the clothes we walked next door to the hot rod shop an was very impressed.

Wednesday morning we moved from A43 a 30 amp site to B71 a 50 amp site because of low voltage.

Thursday we went for a couple hour walk from the dam, then rode to Vanderpool's in Boone to visit Jim & Joanne, John & Lu went to the Mellow Mushroom for lunch. Rained on the way home.

Sunday it has been raining the last few days late in the afternoon so we haven't been walking the nice trail between the campground and the dam, but around and around the park interior roads. Today we went in town and walked on the Yadkin Greenway and other parts of it that are complete.

Stone Mountain State Park, Traphill, NC

Stone Mountain State Park, Traphill, NC

Monday 16 June 2008 We arrived early after about a 20 something ride from Warriors Creek in Wilkesboro up routes 268, SR1099 to SR1002 to Trarphill the best and direct route. There were a lot more people coming and going in the campground than I would have thought for the first if the week. The deer are thick here saw a heard of 16 plus more in the field down the road
Tuesday 17 June 2008 Cooled off nicely last night. Buddy & Patsy arrived at noon from Charlotte, NC, caught up on there travels, visited the Visitor Center, and had hand dipped ice cream at the Country Mountain Store down the road.
Wednesday 18 June 2008 Nice and cool this morning when we started our hike over and around Stone Mountain at 8:00 and we were back at 12:30 4.5 hours and enough steps to last for awhile.
Thursday 19 June 2008 Went for a nice walk we drove to the homestead parking area and walked Wolf Rock & Cedar Rock trail the views were as good or better than over the top of Stone Mt..
We went to Wal-Mart in Elkin the back way nice road and also found
Carol’s Restaurant on the way back to the campground.
Friday 20 June Jim & Joanne came by in the morning and we all went to lunch at Carol's in Austin, NC and it met all my expectations.

Warrior Creek COE, Wilksboro, NC

Warrior Creek COE, Wilkesboro, NC

Arrived Monday morning after a short 30 something mile ride, we first stopped at Ft Hamby a new COE park on the opposite side of the lake and decided we would rather stay at Warrior Creek or Bandits Roost.
It has been extremely hot, hope it changes shortly, a thundershower last night helped.
Lots of trails here, but to hot for mid day.
The Overmountain Victory Trail passes about 300 feet from our campsite and follows the route the the American Patriot army (900) took on their way to defeat the American Loyalist army (1000) at the battle of Kings Mountain, South Carolina, in the fall of 1780. We walked some of the trail which has seen a few more footsteps since 1780 but we haven't made it to South Carolina yet.

Thursday June 12 We rode over to Boone and visited Jim & Joanne at Vanderpool's Campground. We at lunch at the Mellow Mushroom, http://www.mellowmushroom.com/ and highly recommend this place, the pizza was very good. There calzone would have been a challenge for even Troy to finish.

New River State Park, Jefferson, NC

New River State Park, Jefferson, NC

We arrived here about 8:30 this morning only 30 something miles from Grindstone. The facilities are about 1 year old and are great.
There is a nice loop trail that leaves about 50 feet from our site and goes to the river access & tent campground which is super nice also.
It is Saturday and we are having to share our campground with 2 other campers, there are 20 sites in the RV section.

The wild roses are in full bloom and abundant enough along the trails to be really fragrant.

Met Bill & Sandra Roust who live in Sparta, NC, the only other couple in the campground last night.

Friday we went to West Jefferson, had the oil changed at the Ford dealer (best price ever), did some laundry, produce stand and lunch at Brick Stone Pizza & Pasta.

Saturday New River Festival was held at the park today, live entrainment, Jim & Joanne came over and we at lunch at Motley's Barbque.

Grindstone, Troutdale,VA

Grindstone NFS Troutsdale, VA

Thursday, May 22 Arrived at Grindstone early, it was only around 60 miles from Stoney Fork. I did a good job picking Site 45 (elevation 3915) of the Internet, you never know what it is going to be like until you get there, and this being Memorial Day weekend it wouldn’t be a good weekend to screw up.

Well when we got here the throw rugs by the door and kitchen area were wet, another leak but where, I had a good idea that it came from the flush line for the black water tank (big water pressure) after removing the side of the basement to get to all the good stuff, I could see where it was leaking but could’t get to it from there. After removing a few more things trying to get to it, I removed the recessed fire extinguisher holder and got to the anti siphon valve (plastic) that hat exploded. I have epoxied it back together and will put the pressure to it tomorrow. Tried pressure and seemed to hold.

I think this is a very nice park (remote) no cell phone service, there fore no Internet, we did manage to luck out with a spot where you could aim the dish down the road opening thru the trees, so we are set.

Great shower, second only to Gambrill

Friday, May 23 We went of a hike this morning on the Mt. Rogers trail that leaves from the campground, it is seven miles to the top, we made it three and turned around, maybe next time. This is one of the nicer trails that we have walked on good surface and not to steep.
The rhododendron buds are just developing here and as you walk up the Mt. the leaves get newer and newer any earlier and they would still be buds.

Saturday, May 24 It rained last night and is pretty wet this morning, went for a nice walk this afternoon,
Finally someone has a real dog a Black & Tan.

Sunday, May 25 This morning 50 degrees, walked 8 miles and 5 hours on Mt Rogers Trail, we were both tired this afternoon did nothing.

Monday, May 26 Did nothing this morning, the high is 69, rode down the road 603 towards White Top Mt looking for a place that the cell phone would work ended up parked at White Top Mt Baptist Church and had a couple of bars. A person could get lost here, don’t leave without the laptop again.

Tuesday, May 27 We went to Marion this morning and did laundry and grocery store, ate lunch at Smokey Joe's. At the Laundromat we met Pete & Janet from Bushnell FL who are also staying in this campground.
I also saw a strangely marked deer on the way back to the campground it had a lot of white blotches on it where it should be brown, must of cross bred with a cow.

Wednesday, May 28 It’s rainy this morning, we visited with Pete & Janet, and later this afternoon Sue and I drove over to Grayson Highlands State Park to take some pictures and check it out and I can’t wait to lead my trailer towing friends from Volney on 16 down US 58 to the park entrance. The fog was so thick up high, that is was a good thing the road had lines on it, when we got to the visitor center we had to hunt for it because you couldn't see it until you were about 20 feet away, just follow the cement walkway and it will lead you somewhere.

Stoney Fork NFS, Wytheville, VA

Stoney Fork Campground NFS, Wytheville, VA

Monday May 19 We arrived here around 11:00 am and I am impressed by this NFS campground, has everything except TV. The shower will blow you away the water pressure is so strong. My air card signal is as strong as it gets, it has a stronger signal than at home.
The trails that we have walked on were rather nice.

Wednesday May 21 There are 2 nice trails that leave from the campground a 1 mile and a 5 mile. The 5 mile, 7 Sisters trail runs along Little Walker Mt. an easy way to see the terrain is to click the picture which takes you to the album, then click view map.

This afternoon we did the laundry in Wytheville, when we returned Jack Wellington our neighbor invited me over to share his fire, Jack worked at Martin years ago. Later on when I was cooking the chicken David the camp host stopped by to chat, David a local boy from the next county over, he was telling me how dry it was here last year, he said he had gone fishing in the river and caught a nice channel cat, about 30" long and it had 4 ticks on it.

Lake Robertson, Lexington, VA

Lake Robertson, Lexington, VA

Monday, May 12 We arrived at Lake Robertson which is about 10 miles Southwest of Lexington VA. The road from Lexington (251) then (770) was a great road, kept your attention, not a road that Sue liked. It stopped raining before we got here but has been cloudy. There are some trails here and looks like some good photo opportunities when the sun comes out.

Tuesday, May 13 Today was a beautiful day temperatures around 70 and sunshine , moved to a better site where we could get satellite reception and that I can exit easily. Had to clean pine pitch off the truck hot water worked the best . We went for a nice walk this afternoon on Hawk Creek, Deer Lick, and Squirrel Run trails. Met a nice couple Levi & Zoe Norman traveling in Shelby’s class C

Wednesday, May 14 There were about 5 deer outside this morning grazing through the campground. It is rather cool this morning in the 50’s

Thursday, May 15 After our walk this morning we went to Lowes, Wal Mart and back to the campground.

Friday May 16 Rained some last night , today has been intermittent sunshine, went for walk around the lake. I know that it is Friday because there have been a few more campers appear.

Sunday May 18 Cloudy today, Sue did the laundry this morning, the weekend campers have returned home and we are almost alone again.

This has been a very nice campground, Barbara in the office and Ken & Bonnie the campground host made this a pleasant and memorable visit.

There were a group of Boy Scouts camped next to us, Saturday they all went for a canoe trip and that evening they were all either super tired or as well behaved as you could ask for.

Gambrill State Park, Fredrick, MD

Gambrill State Park, Fredrick, MD

We arrived at Grambrill this morning and squeezed into a site. This campground is about as convenient as you could get, it's only a couple of miles to Eddie's house.

I would rate this park high, the campground is small, 20 something sites & only a few that this 5th wheel will fit into, restrooms are modern and always clean, hot showers, miles of good trails, you could walk to Camp David and Catoctin mts. about 12 or so miles North of here..

Monday, May 5 We are the only people in the campground besides the Host, guess people must be working.

Thursday, May 8 It is raining here today, not a Florida type rain and it is over, it's an light all day rain.

Monday, May 12 Has rained all night and is still raining this morning, will be leaving here and heading to the Lexington, VA area this morning.

Kosmo Village, Richmond, VA

Kosmo Village, Richmond, VA

Today we left Florence, SC and ended up North of Richmond, Va. We were going to stop at Catail Creek Campground but after driving 4 miles down a nice paved narrow road, the campground was closed. We ended up at Kosmo and were lucky to get a site because NASCAR races were here in Richmond.

Only 148 miles to Gambrill tomorrow.

Swamp Fox, Florence, SC

Swamp Fox Florence, SC

Convenient to I-95, hot showers, laundry, rate it 5 or 5 1/2, there are quite a few oozers here, park is well kept, grass mowed, etc.. Best sites are 121 thru 125.

Only had three things to fix today

1. Leak behind enclosure for the black water flush.
2. Lost sewer cap, that I remember putting on in the morning.
3. A screw was lost or missing on the front corner of the underbelly, so the air was catching it and it was hanging down.

We are going to visit Danny Spencer this morning, who lives in the brown house after you cross the Lynches River, east side on 378, take first left go to the end, turn right at corner with the hound dog (looked like Walker's to me). We had a good visit, it was really nice seeing Danny again.

Blythe Island, Brunswick, GA

Blythe Island Regional Park Campground

Shortly after we arrived at the campground and got set up it started raining. The campground gets a 7, it gets a lot of use, and to pricey $27.00.

Will be gone in the morning

The house is closed up and spending the night in the RV.

The plan is to stop at Blythe Island Regional Park (county) in Brunswick, Ga.

Hard Hat

I am in favor of a new law being passed that requires old people to wear hard hats when within 15 feet of an RV

It used to be unblemished and now.....

Departure Date

We have a tentative Summer departure date of April 28 2008, which is getting close.

And will be heading to Maryland first.

I just discovered something, depending on how old you are, if you change the zoom level in the lower right corner of your screen it makes it easier to read things and they still fit on the screen.

New F450

Another well kept secret, John and Lu ordered the truck in November and kept it a secret until yesterday when they picked it up.

As you can tell from the picture they are as excited as new grandparents, and they should be.

Stuck

Monday the 7th I drove to Tampa to get stuck.

Took the trailer back to Long View RV Superstore on McIntosh Road to get a few things fixed, I missed the side entrance so went down the road to turnaround. I made a error in judgement in the field that I chose to turn around in, got stuck in the sand. Walked back to the RV dealer and they came to the rescue with a real tractor and pulled the Ford and trailer out, at least it wasn't a lawnmower.

There were a few things to get fixed.

1. leak in the lower corners of the bedroom slide
2. also around a locker door
3. hydraulic valve used to eliminate a slide from coming out.
4. the fresh water tank would only hold 15 gallons instead of 75 gallons
5. the window by the dining room table was binding.

They had to order the valve, so should get it back this week.

The part should be here in another week, next Wednesday or Thursday....

The part should be

Update April 20, 2008 finally got the above items resolved, took a couple of times before they got the correct part from Hartland.

1. In the meantime I discovered another leak (turned out to be the range hood vent sealant had shrank) that had damaged some kitchen cabinet molding this also has taken a number of times ordering and getting either damaged or wrong piece of molding.

It has taken right at 5 months to get 2 correct parts ordered and reordered, can not imagine if they were major item.

Janurary 7 until March 5 to get the control valve and March 5 until April 24 to get the correct peice of molding, do the math.

Just thought I would update this while I remembered because in time I will have forgotten about it.

Home in Brooksville, FL

Last night we had at least 6 hours of temperatures in the 20's, it has been a few years since this has happened.