This was a short trip to visit family members in Northern Virginia area. Going north many cars passed us on I-95 with Canadian tags, then a car hauler passed with all the cars having Canadian tags! Were all the snowbirds going north for the year?
We met my cousins and their spouses at the Meltin' Pot Pizza to have lunch and catch up on family news. Two of my friends from the early days of my life met us there and joined in the noisy reunion. It's a wonder the restaurant doesn't throw us out when we meet every six months!
After two short weeks, we were returning home going south on I-77 and we stopped at the first rest area near the North Carolina border with Virginia. When the traffic stopped then crawled from about 30 miles north of Charlotte (took over three plus hours to traverse the state!!!). The only "problems" we saw were a couple of vehicles in the breakdown lane and one small brush fire on the northbound lanes down in a gully with one fire truck & three firemen working to put it out! Traffic was heavy all 835 miles home, mostly trucks and cars, few RVs.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, October 18, 2010
The Rest of the Trip
This is why we love to travel by RV:
You won't see this from a motel or hotel room unless you're in Denali.
Traveling through the rest of Kentucky and then West Virginia, we stopped for the night in Kanawha State Forest campground. Using the GPS, we managed to find it on the first try. The last time we tried to find it, we missed a sign or two (they are small!) and had to back track. Some of the sites are up on top rises and just a little too steep for our 30-foot RV. The host said the federal government had given them a grant to widen the road all the way from the main highway and had even purchased 37 houses so far to tear down in order to straighten out the road some. The campsites are unique as some are pull-throughs, one to a hill; most are like back-in parking spaces beside the creek which is just about dried up due to the drought.
Leaving the next morning, using the GPS again just to see how it would take us to Mt. Crawford, VA, we were told to exit the interstate, go down the road a while, connect to US 33 east, even though the map showed the fastest way to be by I-64 to Lexington, VA, then north on I-81. After we got past Charleston onto I-64, I turned it back on then she said to get off I-64, go down some other route, then re-enter the same interstate! Needless to say, I turned her off!
The trees are changing colors looking beautiful. Because this area has had a very dry summer, the leaves will probably not last long. Quite a few trees have lost all their leaves already so I guess we're lucky to see some color at all.
I had planned to call some friends who live in Alderson, WV, to check on when they would be returning to FL but my cell phone was dead!! No screen at all; wouldn't take a charge, either. After we got to Luray, I remembered the other phone "reset" itself when I removed the battery, cleaned the contacts, and replaced it then punched a couple keys. Bingo! It now works - but too late to call our friends.
You won't see this from a motel or hotel room unless you're in Denali.
Traveling through the rest of Kentucky and then West Virginia, we stopped for the night in Kanawha State Forest campground. Using the GPS, we managed to find it on the first try. The last time we tried to find it, we missed a sign or two (they are small!) and had to back track. Some of the sites are up on top rises and just a little too steep for our 30-foot RV. The host said the federal government had given them a grant to widen the road all the way from the main highway and had even purchased 37 houses so far to tear down in order to straighten out the road some. The campsites are unique as some are pull-throughs, one to a hill; most are like back-in parking spaces beside the creek which is just about dried up due to the drought.
Leaving the next morning, using the GPS again just to see how it would take us to Mt. Crawford, VA, we were told to exit the interstate, go down the road a while, connect to US 33 east, even though the map showed the fastest way to be by I-64 to Lexington, VA, then north on I-81. After we got past Charleston onto I-64, I turned it back on then she said to get off I-64, go down some other route, then re-enter the same interstate! Needless to say, I turned her off!
The trees are changing colors looking beautiful. Because this area has had a very dry summer, the leaves will probably not last long. Quite a few trees have lost all their leaves already so I guess we're lucky to see some color at all.
I had planned to call some friends who live in Alderson, WV, to check on when they would be returning to FL but my cell phone was dead!! No screen at all; wouldn't take a charge, either. After we got to Luray, I remembered the other phone "reset" itself when I removed the battery, cleaned the contacts, and replaced it then punched a couple keys. Bingo! It now works - but too late to call our friends.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Mammoth Cave National Park Caves
Arriving in Mammoth Cave National Park on a Wednesday, we had no trouble getting a camp site. The next morning we went south to Bowling Green to take the Lost River tour on a flat-bottomed boat. Because of the drought, they had to dam the river to made it deep enough for the boats. We had to kiss our knees so we could go under the ceiling while on the boat to get to the actual cavern.
Just outside the boat loading area was a very large 'shelf' that was used as a night club even though the local politicians outlawed the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages below street level (they had business interests in the other local night spots). The party goers simply climbed up the stairs to the bar then came back down to dance and socialize.
This cavern site also had a business as a cabin motel during the 20's and 30's and was billed as a honeymoon place. Only one of these cabins is still on the site but cannot be entered for safety issues.
Before returning to Mammoth Park, we stopped at Diamond Cave to take that tour. So many of the formations are white and glittery that's how it got its name.
After looking over the Park information sheets that night, I decided that I would take only two of the ten tours available in the fall; the Gothic Avenue Tour is only available once every Saturday from November 1 – March 18 every year.
The Park was busy with school groups because the area schools were on Fall Break. I did get my two tours, Frozen Niagara and Great Onyx Lantern, when I wanted only because I was first in line when the Visitor Center opened at 8 a.m. Both tours were labeled “easy”.
The Great Onyx Lantern Tour was owned by a Miss Lucy until she sold it to the Park in 1960. She ran a hotel and made some of her guides spend the night so that any visitors arriving during the night could have a tour when they wanted. The original generator-powered lighting system was pulled out by the Park so all tours are now given the way Miss Lucy's guides took her guests through. We rode a bus to the entrance. Again, there are steep stairs twisting around formations and slippery slopes throughout the cavern. One woman had to return to the surface after we got down the first series of steps because she was dizzy. The brochures said not to be pressured by friends and family members to attempt a tour if the idea made you uncomfortable!
This tour required eight lanterns be carried scattered throughout the group in order to see the cave formations. One man insisted on holding his lantern at head height several times even when told by the guide and a visitor not to do so as it blinds others. Others were taking flash photos even though the brochure and the guide said this was not allowed! I had spots in front of my eyes for some time.
The Frozen Niagara Tour information said that it had 12 stairs, including an optional 98 to see the Drapery Room under the Frozen Niagara formation. These stairs were made of steel and went straight down so were easy to navigate. Even though some of the other tours said they were “moderate”, they had an average of 300 to 500 stairs so I don't think I could have gone on them. The Park offers other tours for spelunkers that are “strenuous” and “very strenuous” that I know for sure I wouldn't be able to take!
Because of the White-Nose Syndrome threatening the bats, be prepared to give a list of all caverns entered in the past five years and decontaminating your shoes to help prevent the spread of this disease.
From Thursday through Sunday, we listened as Austin, who was probably 10 or 12 years old, was being berated by his mother for every little infraction. She probably wonders why he's sullen! Unfortunately, they were in a tent, so they were all outside until time to go to bed. Of the five children, he was the only one in trouble for something except for his little sister who didn't hurry enough bringing her mother a damp washcloth.
Before leaving the area, we went to Guntown Mountain Theme Park in Cave City. This was billed as a 'wild west adventure'. We rode the chair lift up the mountain to arrive at the 'town' at the top of the mountain. Several different 'gun fights' were staged during the day. The medicine show as very entertaining as was the dance hall girls presentation. During this show the sound system blew the circuit breaker but they carried on anyway. It also knocked out the snack bar electricity. The country music show was more rock 'n roll than country. The sound system should have been adjusted so that the singers could be heard better; the instrumentals were way too loud and overrode the vocals. This was the last day that Guntown would be open until next spring.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Another Caverns Tour
Although we arrived at Florida Caverns outside Marianna, FL, in plenty of time to take the last cave tour of the day, it was too late to get a camp site for the night. Because Florida is mostly flat land, my thinking was that this cavern would be mostly almost flat, too. I was mistaken! We first walked down a rather steep trail to the entrance, then down some steep steps that twisted around some formations. The rest of the tour was very nice until we had to climb back up those steps in order to get out! When we came out of the cavern, it was by a different path that was very steep! The really great part was that there were only three people on the tour with the ranger.
This park was built by CCC workers in the 1930's.
That night we ended up going about fifteen miles further west on I-10 to get a camp site at Falling Waters State Park. The next day we toured this park looking at sink holes created hundreds of years ago. The waterfall that ended up in one of these sink holes and exiting though a cave was dry because of the drought.
What you're not seeing in the above photo is the waterfall! And this is the sinkhole it would disappear into if it were flowing.
This park was built by CCC workers in the 1930's.
That night we ended up going about fifteen miles further west on I-10 to get a camp site at Falling Waters State Park. The next day we toured this park looking at sink holes created hundreds of years ago. The waterfall that ended up in one of these sink holes and exiting though a cave was dry because of the drought.
What you're not seeing in the above photo is the waterfall! And this is the sinkhole it would disappear into if it were flowing.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
The Step With a Mind of Its Own
Every time we opened the cabin door the step is suppose to come out when the switch is pushed up and retract when the door is closed. It is suppose to stay down when the switch is pushed up even when the door is closed. Frank had done some work on the step changing out some parts. It had been damaged last year when our son borrowed it for a long weekend (it failed to retract when the ignition was turned on). After Frank got it straightened out, more or less, it seemed to work just fine but then it is 15 years old and sits out in the weather.
We would open the door, the step wouldn't come out. I'd jump up and down a few times, Frank would jump out and give it a couple kicks, then it would come out. Some times we would just wait several minutes and it would come out. We decided it was being this way if we didn't retract it before turning on the ignition. Then one time after my jumping and his kicking didn't solve the problem, I gave the sensor a light tap with my foot and out came the step! The next few times it failed to deploy when the door was opened, one of us would tap the sensor, and the step would come out....must be the sensor, afterall!
We would open the door, the step wouldn't come out. I'd jump up and down a few times, Frank would jump out and give it a couple kicks, then it would come out. Some times we would just wait several minutes and it would come out. We decided it was being this way if we didn't retract it before turning on the ignition. Then one time after my jumping and his kicking didn't solve the problem, I gave the sensor a light tap with my foot and out came the step! The next few times it failed to deploy when the door was opened, one of us would tap the sensor, and the step would come out....must be the sensor, afterall!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Oddities
Stuff is expensive in Canada!
Milk is $7.47 gal; butter $4.17 a lb; gas $1 litre (multiply that by 3.8!); canned milk$1.79 ($.75 at Aldi every day); a small head of lettuce is $2.47 (usually $.88 - $1.29 at Aldi); couldn't find radishes;
People are super nice, a little too chatty at times.
Love:
Dollarama stores!
Maple crème cookies!
If you buy stamps at the post office, you will pay 5% tax on them; if you buy them anywhere else, you pay face value with no tax
Frenchy's or Guy's Frenchy's Used Clothing stores – mostly clothes sorted by size and are in large bins, jackets & dresses on hangers
thrift stores are very rare
a package of three 1-litre bags of milk
Mail boxes hanging by a chain or chains from a pole mounted on a 4x4
no-entry-possible front doors - some 3 or 4 feet above ground, one house had 2 stacked doors, even if at ground level they are without a stoop, steps, porch, no overhang or awning.
houses painted middle-of-the-road solid-line yellow or violent violet or royal blue, several houses painted dark purple with bright green trim; one new house had a bright yellow metal roof
On PEI, very few houses older than 1960 – or they are Victorian
In Quebec province, all the fire hydrants have two poles beside them and a tall pole with a yellow sign & hydrant in black shadow (so the snow plows can avoid them?)
Slaw is green: Dixie style is chopped very fine; vinegar I don't want to think about; regular is lime green colored and has pineapple & red pepper in it (it tasted ok but lacked enough celery seeds)
People back out of their driveways right out onto the major highway (think U.S. 1) even though the parking area and/or driveway is large enough to turn around in before getting onto the road.
Quite a few houses and some garages/barns wrapped in Tyvec with lathe nailed over it, some has been on so long that it is in shreds, most has been on more than a couple of years.
Milk is $7.47 gal; butter $4.17 a lb; gas $1 litre (multiply that by 3.8!); canned milk$1.79 ($.75 at Aldi every day); a small head of lettuce is $2.47 (usually $.88 - $1.29 at Aldi); couldn't find radishes;
People are super nice, a little too chatty at times.
Love:
Dollarama stores!
Maple crème cookies!
If you buy stamps at the post office, you will pay 5% tax on them; if you buy them anywhere else, you pay face value with no tax
Frenchy's or Guy's Frenchy's Used Clothing stores – mostly clothes sorted by size and are in large bins, jackets & dresses on hangers
thrift stores are very rare
a package of three 1-litre bags of milk
Mail boxes hanging by a chain or chains from a pole mounted on a 4x4
no-entry-possible front doors - some 3 or 4 feet above ground, one house had 2 stacked doors, even if at ground level they are without a stoop, steps, porch, no overhang or awning.
houses painted middle-of-the-road solid-line yellow or violent violet or royal blue, several houses painted dark purple with bright green trim; one new house had a bright yellow metal roof
On PEI, very few houses older than 1960 – or they are Victorian
In Quebec province, all the fire hydrants have two poles beside them and a tall pole with a yellow sign & hydrant in black shadow (so the snow plows can avoid them?)
Slaw is green: Dixie style is chopped very fine; vinegar I don't want to think about; regular is lime green colored and has pineapple & red pepper in it (it tasted ok but lacked enough celery seeds)
People back out of their driveways right out onto the major highway (think U.S. 1) even though the parking area and/or driveway is large enough to turn around in before getting onto the road.
Quite a few houses and some garages/barns wrapped in Tyvec with lathe nailed over it, some has been on so long that it is in shreds, most has been on more than a couple of years.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Back through Maine, Into VT, NH, NY Because It's Almost Over
June 15, 2010
Our parking space last night turned out to be behind a small shopping mall along the seawall next to the marina. During the night, the wind got up really high and several times it seemed as if it would knock us over. The windows on the sea side were covered with salt spray and this morning the wind is still up with the incoming tide.
After leaving this morning as we were headed toward Riviere-du-loup, we passed several places where crews were repairing the seawall along the highway. We also passed by a new house with a dandelion yellow metal roof.
We again had a time finding the correct route though a town; we saw the sign directing us toward Edmundston, NB, but without a route number, then we saw route directional signs without a clue where they would take us. We finally found it and got on our way. The GPS battery died and I had to shut it down.
June 16, 2010
We headed down the road to Woodstock, NB, to cross the border and get on I-95 without incident (getting off on the wrong road!!). We left I-95 at Newport taking US 2 west traveling through Skowheagan, didn't find the 62-foot wooden Indian said to be on the north side of the road behind a gas station. We ended up getting a campsite outside Stowe, VT, as I wanted to take a tour of Ben & Jerry's and we had gotten there too late.
June 19,2010
Lost a day or two somewhere again!
We took the 15-minute tour of the original Ben & Jerry's ice cream plant outside Waterbury, VT, down the road from the campground, which was a hoot! The tour guide assured us that he was going to milk the history of the company. We mooooved through the small plant after watching a short mooovie about the founders and how the company has grown, there's even a plant in Israel. The ice cream is only sold to retailers in packs of eight of one flavor; only one flavor is made a day, it's only made in half and pint sizes, employees get three pints of their choice every day they work, and the flavor graveyard was at the top of a steep hill.
My favorite 'tombstone'
When we stopped at a Walmart Superstore in Plattsburg, NY, I was surprised at how crowded the parking lot and store were. Turned out that many Canadians shop at that store and the surrounding shopping center about twice a month and that was one of the days. We spent the night at the store in Ticonderoga to get away from the interstate noise only to have a couple long-distance truck drivers ride around the parking lot several times in the middle of the night.
We decided to just take our time getting to Front Royal enjoying the scenery expecting to arrive there Monday around noon.
Our parking space last night turned out to be behind a small shopping mall along the seawall next to the marina. During the night, the wind got up really high and several times it seemed as if it would knock us over. The windows on the sea side were covered with salt spray and this morning the wind is still up with the incoming tide.
After leaving this morning as we were headed toward Riviere-du-loup, we passed several places where crews were repairing the seawall along the highway. We also passed by a new house with a dandelion yellow metal roof.
We again had a time finding the correct route though a town; we saw the sign directing us toward Edmundston, NB, but without a route number, then we saw route directional signs without a clue where they would take us. We finally found it and got on our way. The GPS battery died and I had to shut it down.
June 16, 2010
We headed down the road to Woodstock, NB, to cross the border and get on I-95 without incident (getting off on the wrong road!!). We left I-95 at Newport taking US 2 west traveling through Skowheagan, didn't find the 62-foot wooden Indian said to be on the north side of the road behind a gas station. We ended up getting a campsite outside Stowe, VT, as I wanted to take a tour of Ben & Jerry's and we had gotten there too late.
June 19,2010
Lost a day or two somewhere again!
We took the 15-minute tour of the original Ben & Jerry's ice cream plant outside Waterbury, VT, down the road from the campground, which was a hoot! The tour guide assured us that he was going to milk the history of the company. We mooooved through the small plant after watching a short mooovie about the founders and how the company has grown, there's even a plant in Israel. The ice cream is only sold to retailers in packs of eight of one flavor; only one flavor is made a day, it's only made in half and pint sizes, employees get three pints of their choice every day they work, and the flavor graveyard was at the top of a steep hill.
My favorite 'tombstone'
When we stopped at a Walmart Superstore in Plattsburg, NY, I was surprised at how crowded the parking lot and store were. Turned out that many Canadians shop at that store and the surrounding shopping center about twice a month and that was one of the days. We spent the night at the store in Ticonderoga to get away from the interstate noise only to have a couple long-distance truck drivers ride around the parking lot several times in the middle of the night.
We decided to just take our time getting to Front Royal enjoying the scenery expecting to arrive there Monday around noon.
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