Get Ready! We’re 'Movin’

No, We haven’t sold the house, but it’s real temptin’.

RV Anytimers.com is movin’ to a new site. I been workin’ on a blog page that’s new & improved. Improved? That’s yet to be determined. Just a new look fer’ the site. It’ll still be hung on this here fence, just spread out a mite more, so’s we can cover some o’ the graffiti that someone's been scribblin’ on it when I’m not lookin’. Don’t want to reveal to much cause that would take away from the ‘Sur..prize’. Ya’ll will see one day real soon.

Our friends from Ontario zipped down Sunday, and I do mean zipped. Nineteen hours from Buffalo,NY where they attended a friends wedding on Saturday. I couldn’t believe it when they called Monday morning, Yikes, ya’ll must have broke the sound barrier at least once. I remember my Dad driving from NYC to FL in 21 hours and that was movin’!

Well we are enjoyin’ the time we get to spend with them over the next week, then it’s back to ‘The North Country’, Oh Canada, my home & Native Land. Theirs not mine! Oh Baby it cold up there, not just yet, but it’s comin’ soon.

Well I’d better get back to tweakin’ that new page so’s I can show it to ya’ll. As always, travel safe, we hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

How ‘bout some ‘Wish You Were Here’ Pics?

I don’t have much to rant about today. We’re havin’ a Birthday Party fer’ our granddaughter Ashley, she’s gonna be 15, so we’re preparin’ fer’ a passel o’ teenagers, YIKES! Just some barbequed chicken, pop, salads and my fill o’ screamin’ & gigglin’ girls, sounds like fun huh?
Since there’s nothin’ new in our ‘RV Traveling World, I thought I’d post some pics from a past trip we’ve taken, just to make ya’ drool a might. Lets see if’n I can roll ‘em all into a nice sli…de presentation.

If you wish to view this slide show with the full screen option click on the link below. You will be taken to a new window Check the bottom right of the video for size controls.

Full Screen

Was the trip worth it? You betcha! It was everything I had imagined and more. Would I go back? “Durned Skippy I would”. The Mrs. might take some convincin’, but me I’d go in a New york minute! Was it expensive? Was milk $10 a gallon and eggs a dollar a piece? Absolutely not, everything was close to the price we pay at home includin’ fuel. Now there are some things that aren’t so readily available, like fresh produce. Plenty grown by Alaskans but for their own consumption. Oh yeah things in BC, Canada & the Yukon are a little pricey, but no more than they are in Ontario, Canada across the border from Niagara Falls.
If ya’ ever have the desire to go up to the ‘North Country’ it’s an experience ya’ wont soon forget. The trip through that part of Canada is as just fascinating as the Alaskan experience. Me I’m a bit of an old western romantic, so pullin’ into town to find only a Tradin’ Post with fuel pumps out front is my kind of adventure. I kept watchin’ fer’ Sgt. Preston & his wonder dog “Yukon King’.

We were lucky enough to camp with a couple from Fort Nelson, BC. She said they always see signs around town makin’ folks aware of bears frequenting the parkin’ lot of the market or community center and such. It’s probably the last & only true ‘Wilderness’ you will ever have the pleasure of seein’ in your lifetime. Oh yea this is ‘Boondockin’ Heaven’, as you can camp anywhere. We even camped at the Marina on the harbor, in Valdez. Backed right in a parkin’ space with our truck camper, bought fresh fish, watched the boats goin’ in & out fer’ two days. Nobody bothered us. We even stopped at visitor centers to ask what the cities policy was on campin’ on the street, only to get confused looks and the response, “As far as I know we don’t have one, you can camp anywhere.
Oh yeah I mentioned truck camper. This is the ideal rig to see Alaska in cause it’s so maneuverable & small. Big rigs are roomy & comfortable, but the road in the upper half of the Yukon is pretty rough early in the season, till the crews get to pullin’ up last years frost heaved surface and get her graded.
There is a book I recommend if yer’ plannin’ on takin’ the trip, it’s called the Milepost and it’s updated every year. It’s like the Bible of the North Country and it lists every little thing that you will find along any highway, mile by mile, in BC, Yukon & Alaska. See if you can go to your library and get an older version, it excited me just readin’ it. But do get a current issue to take with ya’, as you’ll need it. It’s invaluable.
So what are ya’ waitin’ on? Get plannin’! It’s a trip of a lifetime.
Well gotta go. Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Some overdue Postin’

Since we’re settin’ home fer’ a spell I thought I’d tell ya’ a little about somewhere we visited in October. The Mrs. was supposed to write this entry but I can’t seem to motivate her in that direction so I’ll have to do the tellin’.

When we were on our way south we strayed a bit from our intended trail to swing over to ‘Mayberry’. Passport America has a park there, $15 a night, full hookup including cable and WiFi, pretty sweet deal. Anywho, when we checked in we found out this was the ancestral home and farm of the famous Siamese twins Chang & Eng Bunker made famous by P.T. Barnum. The farm was a tobacco plantation of some 2000 acres and the campground lies on most of it today. The campground has 83 full hookups and is a work in progress since they’re addin’ more sites all the time. As I mentioned in our September 30th post tours of their ancestral home were given on the weekend and since this was Thursday, Linda was disappointed she was not going to get to see it. We discussed staying, but we had to be in the Raleigh area cause friends were expectin’ us. When we stopped in the office the next mornin’ to compliment them on their campground, Linda told them she was sad that we weren’t here on the weekend to get a tour of the house. Well it turned out Ms Ruby Bunker, great grand daughter of one of the twins, I can’t recall which, was pullin’ up outside. She was glad to give Linda a private tour of the house and I tagged along, cause I was told to.

Here’s a picture of the house.

A portion of the campground from the yard.

No one lives in the house now but Ms. Ruby grew up here as a girl and her mother lived here till she died. They still maintain the home and it is immaculate, Ms. Ruby cleans regularly. Here’s Ms. Ruby and yours truly just inside the kitchen door.

Eng & Chang donated a portion of their land for this local church and are buried in the cemetery on the church grounds.

I put together a little slide show of some more pics of the house and some from ‘Downtown Mayberry’ that we visited the following day.

A Trip Back in Time

I hope Ya’ll enjoyed our little trip back in time, cause we did. It’s so great to travel this wonderful country, explorin’ the ordinary and the not so ordinary sites & places off the beaten path.

Since we seem to be home fer’ a spell, I hope to be postin’ at least once a week. I try not to make the content here to mundane and keep it on track with travelin’.

On another note I’d like to thank all the new ‘Follower’s for signin’ on, I’ll try to keep it interestin’.

Linda, Amy, Dan, Bonnie, Judy & John, Wayne & Maureen, Ashley, Danny & Shula, Andrea & the Cruzin2some.

Your readership has helped to popularize this here pet project of mine & I am grateful. You may notice in the sidebar we now have a link where you can subscribe to the blog. I’ve also posted a ‘States Visited’ map and Linda & I both have ‘Facebook’ pages. So if ya’ want to stop by to say ‘Hey’ or post somethin’ on our ‘Wall’, feel free. I think I may incorporate both pages into an RV Anytimers group page after I figure this ‘Facebook’ stuff out a little better.

Well that’s all fer’ this post, my brains havin’ a senior moment so I’ll sign off. As always, and I mean this more than ever, Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Oh The Life of Stix & Brix, Grrr…..

We are safe? at home. Seems one of the Murphy family has taken up residence while we were gone. Everything we touch, seems to be jinxed.

During the first days home Linda went to do some laundry, the washin’ machine doesn’t seem to be fillin’ up all the way even though she has it set to the highest level. So she aint’ happy about haulin’ water in a bucket to fill it full, we could have done that along a river somewhere’s out in the ‘Shinin’ Mountains’, with a lot less stress. Same time I hear, “There’s somethin’ wrong with my stove too, cause it just clicked off”! Great, now I know why I enjoy homeownership. The stove is one o’ them flat top ‘computerized’ deals, that has brain farts, only there’s different kind o’ electrons involved. Last time we had a problem, the oven came on by it’s lonesome and wouldn’t shut off, I had to keep shutin’ the circuit breaker off & on every time we wanted to use the stovetop, which weren’t to safe. Tech support lady said, “It’s probably something wrong with the brain, but don’t worry when it get to 860 degrees it’ll shut itself off”. OK, ‘Oh highly trained technician person’, “What’s going to shut it down if the brain’s not workin”? Just give me a number to call when my new house is on fire, cause I’m callin’ that # before I call the Fire Department!!! We got the stove fixed, no charge.

Today I ‘m gonna go around the property and clean-up branches, palm fronds, dig up some large weeds and such so I get my lawn tractor and go to get the utility trailer that I haul behind her. I check the oil in the tractor and it’s low, so I’ll go get some. But first as long as I’m puttin’ new oil in I might as well change the oil. So while I run down the road to the Ace store fer’ oil, I’ll let the oil drain out, right. Not happenin’! The plug is in tight, so as I put some pressure on the wrench, instead of the pipe plug comin’ out, the short pipe nipple from the drain twists and tears and starts to leak. Grrr….. Not what I had in mind, but that dang Murphy, Grr… I’d strangle ‘em if I could find ‘em. So now it’s a matter o’ takin’ the mower deck off, then pullin’ the motor off so I can get to the drain and get the broken piece of pipe out to replace it, Grr…. Why can’t anything be easy!

Well my blood pressure has come down a little and I’m just lettin’ the tractor sit fer’ the moment. The stove has not acted up again, so I’m prayin’ that it was a ‘Brain Fart’ in the computer. Can’t get a straight answer on weather the washer is fillin’ like it’s supposed to or not.

But I’ve got lot’s more stuff to do around here. I have to pull wire and hookup two new RV spots I created as well as get the water connected. Have to go to Lowe’s and exchange the #8 wire I bought fer’ some #6 fer’ that job. Got lots o’ work to do on the 5v’er that’s been sittin’. Lots o’ little things around the house that I been neglectin’ so I can stay busy from now till I drop tryin’ to catch up.

On another note, this ‘Blog is growin’ everyday and I appreciate all of you who stop by to read a little. Anytime you need to know more or want to comment on anything, feel free. If you’d like to become a ‘Follower’, that would be fine. If’n you’d rather correspond private like, there’s a email link right under the ‘Followers’ Section Labeled ‘Contact Us’. Yesterday I had 25 views, today we surpassed that with 30 views. People from all over! I find it excitin’ and I hope I can keep it entertainin’ fer’ all who read.

Again “Thanks So Much” fer’ all who take the time to check us out.

Well I think I’ll go fer’ now and see if’n I can break somethin’ else. Hope it aint on me, I don’t seem ta’ heal as fast as I use too. As always we hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Last Travel Day Home

Sorry it has taken so long to write my final post of our trip but we’re still unpackin’ & washin’. It’s amazing how much one can cram into a truck camper.

The park were in, Manatee Hammock, is packed pru..tty tight right now. Those that were here fer’ the Space Shuttle launch, most are still here. I guess they decided to extend their stay so’s they could see it go up on Wednesday, if it goes. There were lots of kids in the park and they were ‘Trick or Treatin’ around the camp. This bein’ Sunday night and all I wonder why they haven’t all gone home? Maybe they didn’t have school on Monday.

We ate a quick dinner then went fer’ a walk round the camp. We were near the fishin’ pier when we met two ladies, Terry & her close friend, sorry her name escapes me. I asked if they were here fer’ the launch, they said they were. Terry said they were from the ‘West’ coast and being a ‘flatland floridian’ I assumed Tampa or nearby. I right away give her a card and tell them if they come over next time they are welcome to stay at our house, that we have 30 & 20 amp hookups and water as well. Then Terry told us she was from WASHINGTON, Oh that ‘West Coast’! We…ll that mite make a difference when you drop by on your next visit here. But your still welcome anytime your in the neighborhood, just call to make sure we’re home at the time, you have our card. If’n we get up to your neck o’ the woods next summer we’ll be sure to give ya a shout.

The last leg of the trip was just about an hour and a half. Y’all know this fella’s lookin’ forward to returnin’ to the ‘Stix & Brix’ life, Not. I’d be much happier on the road, but gotta do this fer’ now.

Well that’s all fer’ today, I’ll try and post again soon. Until then we hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

A Big Wheel RV Park, St Marys

As the morning light illuminated the park we were pleasantly surprised at the choice we made to stay here. It’s great!!! The park sites are mostly concrete, on nice wide paved roads, average size 20’ x 70’, lots of pull thrus, all full hookups. They have a clubhouse with TV, Dish Network, DVD player & a Wii game. The clubhouse also contains several lending libraries, DVD, CD music, VCR & books of all sorts. As well as games, puzzles & tables for cards or what-ever. There are also three large private restrooms and a laundry contained in the building. Even though the website states modem at the office they have upgraded to WiFi throughout the park. There’s a catch and release fishing lake and tent sites as well.

Here’s a look at a typical site.

Here’s a shot of our site down the road.

Every Sunday evening they hold a pot luck dinner, they supply the main dish. We pondered staying for the Pot luck but home is just across the river, a couple hundred miles and calling to us.

Owners, Karen & Ron started the park in 2006 with 5 sites, they have added more every year and now boast 35. The park is a mixture of sun & shade with wide accesses. 

Here’s the hard workin’ couple Karen & Ron

The park lies 3/10 of a mile from the boat ramp on the Crooked River and Crooked River State Park is about 100 yards down the road from the entrance to A Big Wheel RV. St. Marys, a quaint little town chocked with history, is a mere 10 minutes down the road on the St. Marys river.

A Big Wheel RV Park is definitely a great stop for a night, a week or the winter season and the rates are great.

We sadly left Ron & Karen and headed down the road. Tonight’s destination is Manatee Hammock Park near Titusville, FL. Strange we leave one Titusville in Pennsylvania and wind up in another 1270 miles and 5 weeks later. Manatee Hammock is a Brevard county park located on the shore of the Indian River. Thanks to the cancelation of the Space Shuttle launch we were able to get a site fer’ the night.

Well that’s all I got fer’ today. Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

St Marys, Georgia

Well that park we decided to take a chance turned out to be just the right move. when I first heard the Name, ‘Big Wheel RV’, I was envisioning two road weary travelers pulling in and being told it was a ‘Motor Coach Resort’ and they wouldn’t except us ‘Truck Camper People’. Boy was I wrong, when we pulled in Karen came hustling from her home to meet us at the office. I told her my preconceptions regarding their name and she said “No, we even have tent sites”. She was a gracious hostess, even though we interrupted her dinner and she gave us all kinds of info. She gave us our choice of sites, we paid her and got parked.

As soon as I got the water & electric hooked up and went in the camper door, Linda had all our shower stuff laid out, couldn’t tell she was anxious or nothin’. Of course it was about 9 by now so we had had a late drivin’ day. So we were off to the shower and then some TV and then…. Beddy Bye! We’re almost home now, Florida’s just across the St. Marys river.

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Providence Canyon State Park

We woke this morning to the sun risin’ behind the trees, while the steam from the warm water rose in front of us. I just had to go out and snap some pics and watch the progression as the scenery changed.

This is how things started out.

Progressed to this.

This was my final shot, had to go breakfast was ready.

After breakfast we broke camp and headed to Providence Canyon State Park. The park was really busy when we arrived today and we chose a parkin’ space at the first area we came to. We spoke with a couple who had just emerged from the woods where the 3.5 mile trail that circles the canyon to get some pointers. Then we were off to explore the canyon. The canyon is a little overgrown with trees and many of the viewing points were blocked by them. After hikin’ about half way around we decided it wasn’t worth our time so we back tracked to the point we’d started. These are so of the shots we got on that leg o’ the trip.

Then we decided to hike in the other direction for a bit before we gave it up fer’ good. Glad we did cause these were the better views from the canyon rim.

Hard to believe that this was all caused by poor farming practices years ago that is still affecting the land today. The canyons are 150 feet deep and still growing. We decided we had seen enough and the sites we’ve seen in the west far outweigh anything like this.  So we ate lunch and headed east to visit a Piggly Wiggly where we bought some sausage yesterday they make in the store. It was wonderful and hardly any fat at all. Lucky us we got two more packages to freeze and take home.

From there we headed ESE on US 82 all the way across Georgia to Waycross where we turned south for Folkston. We wanted to stay at a Passport park there but after arrivin’ we found it closed so we headed to Kingsland,GA. There is a park on Georgia 40 there, so we figured we’d try it. KiKi RV Park is along side both the Highway and a Motel that manages it. It had some drawbacks for us, highway noise, not such a big deal, but no showers killed the deal fer’ us. We stayed at a camp with no hookups last night and were lookin’ forward to a nice shower tonight. Also the $22.90 price was a little steep fer’ half price campin’.

Back to the drawin’ board, we found a park within seven miles that had showers, $14 & change fer’ the night so that’s where we’re headed tonight. Hope this one works out, the lady sounded real nice.

That’s all fer today. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Travel Day to Rood Creek COE Camp

We enjoyed our overnight visit to Amity Campground and did some walkin’ to explore a little in what was left of the day here. We walked along the lake shore pickin’ up rocks & driftwood, in the end they all were returned to the beaches they came from, cause we got bags and boxes of rocks from all over the US that we thought were really neat at the time, but are still sitting in those bags & boxes. Linda thought some of the rock formations along the shore was unique such as this.

When we finished walkin’ around the peninsula we were camping on, we started to collect some wood for a fire.

Linda made a dinner of Filet Mignon, baked potato, garlic bread in honor of my birthday, it was delicious. We ate to much and had to go for a brisk walk around the campground to counter the ‘Full Feelin’. I prepared the fire after finishin’ yesterdays blog entry. Then I enjoyed the fire cause Linda watched Grey’s Anatomy on TV, Thursday is her TV night when we have reception. So I had to take my own picture enjoyin’ my fire. 

Friday morning we had breakfast then broke camp, dumped the tanks and washed off the mud from the Chattahoochee Forest at the dump station, then moved on down the highway. Today we were headed to Providence Canyon State Park, still travelin’ south on US 27. After arrivin’ at the park and goin’ to the Visitors Center, which has been closed due to budget cuts, we decided to just go on down the road to the campground and relax fer’ the rest of the day. We’ll return to the canyon tomorrow.

Our camp today was another US Army Corp of Engineers park, bur FREE this time. Rood Creek was only 11 miles from the canyon and is located on a creek of Walter George Lake. They have 34 sites all on the creek, Pit toilets and a boat ramp. We got one of the last remainin’ sites. I was worried that huntin’ season might have started and the ‘Hunters’ might have taken over the camp, but they were mostly fishin’ folks in the camp. Here’s our site on the water.

Oh yeah I was gonna’ relax right. Well our generator kept dyin’ every time I started it. Never did find out what was wrong with it but it straightened out after tinkering with it for about an hour. It worked fine when we were in the forest day before yesterday, go figure. We did go for a stroll through the camp and met Wally & Judy, fulltimers for the last six years together and lovin’ it. Wally says he wouldn’t live life any other way and as most fulltimers say, they wish they had done it years earlier. They have a motor home and tow a fullsize pickup that carries his scooter. Judy has been a fulltimer since 1987 and she and Wally married after both their spouses passed away. Their rig is solar powered and he says they never run out of power. I spoke with both of them extensively, found them fascinating and could have spent the whole day talkin’ to them. For they have lived the life and made all the mistakes and gained the ‘knowledge’.

Oh yeah. Somethin’ else happened after we arrived, parked and opened the back door.

A Chinese Laundry attacked the camper as we were drivin’ down the road! Musta’ been that Chinese food we ate yesterday.

Well that’s all fer’ this episode, so I’ll see ya’ again next time. In the meantime we hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind. 

Amity COE Campground, Alabama

Had a quiet restful night in the forest camp we chose. Only had one ‘drive thru’ shortly after we went to bed, kept a close eye on ‘em. Today someone in our party turned 60 so we had a breakfast of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, bacon & toast with lots o’ coffee, and of course some of Gloria’s homemade grape jam. Durin’ ‘toast time in the mornin’ I was able to get online and upload yesterdays post. Go figur’ we have two phones, different carriers, NO SIGNAL, but we have cellular internet, and a pretty good signal at that ,deep in the Chattahoochee National Forest mountains.

After breakfast we broke camp and headed for next our destination, James H. ‘Sloppy’ Floyd State Park to check it out for a future camp hosting gig. Along the way we stopped fer’ fuel, $2.87/gal diesel then headed into the park.

We went to the Visitors Center and asked about future volunteering positions. The woman at the desk asked, “What time of year are you considering”? We told her sometime in the spring of the year. She told us she has someone steady from April-October, been there the last five years, but she’ll take someone for November-March. I asked why there is always a vacancy indicated on the state website. She said that the website was too difficult to update so she doesn’t. DUH! What the heck ya’ think it’s there for? She completely turned me off to the point that I could have cared less about lookin’ at the campground, stupid hick. Well we did do a drive thru, and the park & camp is very nice. That’s one thing Georgia does right, their parks are well designed and maintained. Even though they’re working with mountainous terrain they terrace and get the sites level. We were told at a West Virginia State park that the sites weren't level cause “We’re in the mountains here”. Ya got to bulldoze the sites to make ‘em, do it right! Anyway I don’t think we’ll be volunteerin’ at this park until the clerical staff changes.

We left Sloppy and headed south along US 27, follerin’ the west border of Georgia. Stopped fer’ lunch at a China One fer’ some General Tso and a quick trip to ‘Wally World’ fer some provisions. We planned on stoppin’ at a US Army Corps of Engineers Park on West Point Lake. Shafer Heard Campground is on the Georgia side of West Point Lake, but when we arrived the sign said it was closed fer’ the winter. “Closed fer’ the Winter”? It aint’ but October! so we moved further south crossed the Chattahoochee River into Alabama and backtracked north to another COE park, Amity Campground. West Point Lake is 37 miles long and has 535 miles of shoreline. Our site like all 96 sites is on the lake, no need to ask for a waterfront site. Here’s what it looks like out the back door.

Across the street this is the view.

We picked out our site then had to return to the gate to check in. When we returned to the campground these critters were startin’ to come out of the woods everywhere.

This young fella I mistakenly called a girl. He’s a little button buck.

This camp isn’t as cheap as last nights but at $22 electric & water with this scenery it’s worth it. Besides I’m gonna’ languish in the hot shower tonite.

Well gotta’ go for now. Tomorrow we hope to go to Georgia’s ‘Little Grand Canyon’ in Lumpkin. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Travel Day to Calhoun, GA

We pulled out this mornin’ round 9, stopped fer’ some grub at Mickey ‘D’s, then it was down the road to Georgia. We were headed fer’ Fort Mountain State Park, west of Elijay to check it out. I wanted to see what the park was like for future reference, especially the campground. Georgia has in my humble opinion the best website regarding volunteering in their parks. The have maintenance hosts, golf hosts, campground hosts & spots on scenic trains as well as lots of other volunteer positions.  We made it to Elijay around 12 and turned down 52 towards Ft. Mountain. The Rand McNally showed 52 as a gentle bow shape, not. It was up & down back & to, like a etch-a-sketch line in a toddlers hands. When we finally made it to the park after drivin’ in & out of the clouds, at one point we drove out and were on top the cloud, we made our way to the Visitors Center. Once there we talked to the girls at the desk but they weren’t too knowledgeable, so we went off to explore the park.

Fort Mountain is a large park with lots of hiking trails, a small lake with swimming beach, picnic areas (2), playgrounds, rental cottages and a 70 space campground, as well as the ‘Wall’ that is 800’ with it’s many legends of how the wall came to be. I won’t get into that but you can look it up for yourself here.

First place we headed was the campground, comprised of two loops. All sites have electric, water & cable TV as well as table, fire ring/grill & lantern hanger. There was one ‘Host’ site in each loop, they were supplied a full hookup with cable. The sites are quite nice and the campground has a well maintained ‘feel’ to it. The restrooms do not appear to be very old and seem to be in very good shape. There are two restrooms in loop 2 and one in loop one. I can only guess the host on duty cleans all three restrooms, but that’s just my take.

Next stop, the lake with swimming beach. You’ll have to forgive the pics cause it’s been rainin’ on & off here fer’ three days.

Despite the weather the ‘Fall Colors’ are still nice here.

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We drove around the other end of the lake to the ‘Wall’ and it started to pour again so we said we’d have to see it another day. The park is very nice and we think we would like it here. It’s up high enough so it probably stays pretty cool in the summer.

By now it was about 2 and we wanted to get a little further west, cause tomorrow we’re stoppin’ at another one. This one called ‘Sloppy Floyd’ St. Park. So back out into the clouds and down the other side o’ the mountain.

We were plannin’ to stay at a ‘Wally World’ tonight but we stumbled across a Wildlife Management Area as we were lookin’ fer’ a Natl. Forest camp along our way. Found out after runnin’ into a ranger out in the woods the NF camp was closed 5 years ago, way to go Rand McNally! So were stayin’ in a closed NF camp for FREE, swe…et. No one here but us and the bear that seems to be pushin’ down rotten trees in the dark! Spooky. You know the saying, “If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there, does it still make a sound”? We’ll we’re here and one fell, then another, ten minutes later one more, then one more, the last one was preceded by somethin’ stompin’ around out there, then ka-frump, another. That was enough, we’re in the camper fer’ the night.

Here’s our spot fer’ tonight.

Well that’s all fer’ tonight, hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

The Truck’s Come Home!

Yes we finally got our ride back today. They had to replace the yoke on the end of the driveshaft as well as the entire transfer case, more money. Then today, when it’s supposed to be done once again, they don’t have enough gear oil for the transfer case, don’t ever go to Smoky Mountain Chevrolet! When we finally get to the dealer and pick it up, all is good, I pay the bill and now we have a brand new transfer case for our 4 wheel drive that’s guaranteed for 100,000 miles or three years, I wish I had that kind o’ coverage on the engine and tranny.

We we’re going to leave today but the weather has been really crappy and this evening it got much worse. We were under Tornado watches from 5:30PM – 3:30 in the morning. Severe weather seems to like us. So we loaded the truck then loaded the camper and we’ll leave in the morning. We think we’re headed south into the mountains to a Georgia State Park.

Well that’s all fer’ now. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Still Waitin’ on GM

Well we’re still ‘storm stayed’ in NC waitin’ fer’ our truck to be repaired. The last time I called on Friday at 4PM I was told the part just came in, seeein’ as they quit workin’ at 5, I knew I'd be lookin’ at Monday. To bad they don’t work Saturday or we’d have left this place in the dust by Sunday. Now it’s not that I don’t like it here, but we’ve been here way to long when we should be out explorin’ elsewhere. Stuck like we are we can’t do no explorin’ period! Our time is windin’ down, Grandma’s missin’ the kids & grand youngin’s and the weather at home has moderated to the point that it’s safe to venture that a way.

The other day Linda & I did go fer’ a hike, actually it started as a walk but we went a lot farther than we anticipated and durn’, I didn’t have my camera. We ventured up the road towards where it comes to an end, then cut off an old roadbed goin’ up the mountainside. We went up, & up and soon came to a spot looked like someone made a house site years back the view wasn’t too shabby lookin’ over the next valley and the mountains in the distance. But before long we we’re headin’ up another old road goin’ further up the mountain. At the end of that road we come out on a gravel road, much newer or better maintained than the last few. We continued up and came to a Realtors sign listin’ the home site. The view here was much nicer as we were up much higher and you could see over lots o’ those trees that were blockin’ the view at the last stop. But the road continued up and we did as well, lookin’ fer ‘that perfect view. Soon we came to another sign and a spectacular view overlookin’ the Deep Creek valley and the mountain range beyond, just magnificent. I wanted to call and talk money right then, but alas that ‘NO SERVICE’ in the cell phone window saved me from myself. At this point I noticed we were traversing the ridge line on this road. To either side of the road the mountain dropped off and to have a lot here would mean goin’ lower on the mountainside and bulldozin’ out a flat spot. The views would definitely suffer then, so we walked on. We came to a few more lots before we reached the end of the road, but the views were not as captivating as the first two. That first one even had a place I could sneak in our fifth wheel, if I could pull it up the mountain. After standin’ & soakin’ up all the scenery our souls could hold & takin’ all the mental pictures we dared, we retraced our trail and went down the mountain. Even as I write about it I’d still like to wake up one mornin’ lookin’ out my dinin’ room winder’ at that gorgeous view. Oh well it’ll have to be another mountain, another day.

Gary, (our house guest) and I did rake some leaves and all the chestnut hulls we could get and burn them the other day. That’s the second time I done that since we arrived. Our neighbor Linda across the road said she rakes and burns about four or five times before the trees are done droppin’ ‘em.

Here’s her leaves burin’ in the ditch, with our little burned out fire in the foreground.

We’re sure hopin’ them fellers’ get our ride together tomorrow so we can move on. Well that’s all I got fer’ now maybe the next post will be from some new exotic location. OK just some new scenery would be nice.

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re:

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Just waitin’ & waitin’

Well we’re still a sittin’ here in the mountains of North Carolina. We returned the little car that we had swapped out fer that big ole’ Tahoe. Now don’t get me wrong I liked the Yukon, as a matter of fact we had a Suburban before we bought the Silverado & a full size Blazer before that. But back then I wasn’t payin’ $53 a day fer’ the privilege o’ pushin’ my butt around town. Also the vehicles that we owned had power, that Chevy Cobalt had a lot more _alls than that Big, Bad Tahoe.

One other thing I couldn’t cotton to.

I couldn’t get used to folks lookin’ at me like I was from a different planet or somethin’.

So now we sit at the house, in the camper cause our friends are rentin’ the house fer’ a spell, good thing we got bathroom privileges or it might get pretty unbearable in this little box without nightly showers. Waitin’ to find out if the parts have come in for the truck. Their comin’ from up Canada way, go figure. The estimate they gave me, $2041. Yikes!!! I said it could’a been worse, we could be somewhere other than here, payin’ $35 a day in a campground or we could have had the camper on the truck when the breakdown occurred, in that case we’d be livin’ at Smoky Mountain Chevrolet. Yup we’re better off here.

The other day when we took our ride along the Blue Ridge Pkwy., we kept seein’ turkeys. Everywhere we saw turkeys, 2 here, 5 there, then another 4 or 5. I bet they’ll be buried in the forest come closer to Thanksgiving.

At least the neighbor ‘Girls’ will be safe at home.

Also while we were on our drive we came to an area and it looked like the ‘Boss’ didn't care for the intrusion of man in his landscape and so he was paintin’ over what man had put there.

Completely covered the double yellow line.

Well that’s all fer’ this episode of RV-Anytimers. But I’ll leave ya’ll with an image of a typical ’Smoky Mountain’ mornin’.

Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Mountain Colors

Boy oh boy. Ole’ Mother Nature  has really been turnin’ up the color in the trees in the last week. Linda & I traded in our Yukon rental for a smaller, more economical Chevy Cobalt & took a short drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway the other day. The mountain scenery is really grttin’ Bea…utiful! Some area in the upper elevations are already leaf-less, I think those areas are exposed to more wind. I was lookin’ through the pictures we took durin’ the drive and had a hard time choosin’ which to post here. Here’s a sample.


The afternoon was another one of those really clear days and the views were spectacular. This one is from the overlook at Yellow Face, elevation 5588’.

We took the turn-off for Balsam Mountain Campground but on the way up we noticed signs indicating it was closed. We had spoke with a ranger just last week that told us it was still open. This close to the end of season in the high country here, things can change fast. We had not been up here in several years and we came across a campground that we never knew was here.

The place is rustic, no hookups, but we will definitely be back here to camp. The sites are $18 a night but the views are worth that and more.
 

How’s this for a view from your site?

And this would be hard to look at from your window at breakfast!

Unfortunately the camp was closin’ on Sunday till next year so we’ll have to wait till then.

On another note I’d like to thank the new followers to the blog that we’ve acquired since we left on this latest trip, Scheslock, Anne Peterson, Ioan Magda & Cruzin2some. Thank you for joining RV-Anytimers. Any other readers are encouraged to become followers by followin’ this link to sign up. Don’t cost nothin’, you won’t get no email (other than a thank you maybe), just helps me to know how the readership is growin. Cause if it don’t keep growin’ ,then I need to do some changing. As always all comments are appreciated.

Well that’s all fer’ now. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Imprisoned in the Mountains

Mercy sakes, We’re bein’ held captive in the Smoky Mountains. That’s right we are stuck right here with now way to escape. Let me tell ya’ how this whole thing came to pass.

We we’re on our way to Franklin on Wednesday to get Linda signed up fer’ some ‘Social Insecurity’. It was a beautiful day, the leaves were just startin’ there fall show of colors. As we’re driving down the road the brake warning light comes on, follerd’ by the ABS warning light and the drivers information center says; ‘Service Brake System’. What’s that mean to me? Nothin’! We seemed to still have full brake power so we continue on down the highway, cause there’s a dealer in Franklin. Of course it’s a 7% grade down the mountain fer’ about 4 miles, so this fella’s prayin’ all the way. We made it safe and pulled into Smoky Mountain Chevrolet so’s I can parle’ with someone in Service. We speak to a young fella’ name of Eddie. He gives us the ‘GM Prospectus’. “It’s probably somethin’ ailin’ in yer’ ABS System, but your regular brakes are probably OK, do ya’ still have brake pedal”? Yeah, they seem to be fine, but I got all these lights. Well earliest we can get ya’ in is Friday mornin’. “So You think it’s alright to drive it till then”? Yeah you shouldn’t have any trouble. So we make an appointment.

We get to the ‘Social Insecurity’ office and see a fella’ who says we’re one month too early, but I can make ya’ an appointment. “No, but thanks, we’re only here till Saturday”. So we’re gonna’ get her signed up online instead, hopefully. So we left Franklin to head back up the mountain and down the other side. About 8 miles from the dealer we visited we had a grindin’, gear mashin’, bad, bad experience. After pullin’ off the road I looked underneath, no fluids runnin’ out, all the smoke is still in the electric parts. So I’ll see if we can get back to the dealer, Nah, Not, NO. The truck don‘t seem like it wants to shift out of second gear. So now it’s time to call our ‘Good Sam’ Road Service’ to get a tow back to Franklin. Now "’Good Sam’ wants to tow us to a dealer in Sylva which has been closed for a year or so, not happenin’. After waitin’ an hour the tow shows up with a flatbed and he loads the truck, we all load up and we’re off to the dealer in Franklin.

Two days later they call. Our transfer case on the 4 wheel drive has self destructed. Back in January 2009 We had an emergency repair done at a GM dealer outside Nashville, TN on the transfer case. Seems there is a bushing or somethin’ that wears through the case causin’ fluid loss and failure. They put a patch on the case to prevent this from happenin’. Seems that patch held fine and Mr. Murphy caused somethin’ else to fail.

Had to rent a car to get the 39 miles back to the house and of course the only car available was a Chevrolet Yukon. Oh great what’s that gonna’ cost. Got a cut rate from $98 a day to $48.

So here we are goin’ broke in the Smokies. Gotta go fer’ now see ya’ soon.

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Just Restin’

Well the company has gone home, they roamed around by their lonesome their last day. Went off to Maggie Valley while Linda & I took care of some shoppin’ and such.

When they returned, they had ate dinner, and we had eaten as well. Then it was time fer’ them to pack fer’ their return to PA. Sandy gave me the pictures she took and I’ve made a little slide show out of a collection of her pics.



They had the car packed and were ready to roll at 6AM Monday. We visited till bedtime and told them to wake us before they left. Never did hear Craig showerin’ in the next room. We were up around 5:20 and had a cup o’ joe with them before we said our goodbyes. At 6AM they were off for a long drive to Tionesta, PA.

Bye Sandy & Craig. We had a good time with ya’ and hope ya’ enjoyed yourselves'!

Well that’s all fer the episode of RV Anytimers! Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ On The Wind.

Oh Yeah! Almost forgot Sandy got Linda somethin’. She said “I know you won’t take anything, so I got ya’ this. WOW! Thats the BIGGEST apple I've ever seen!

More Mountain Siteseein’

On a count of we were entertainin’ for days I didn’t have a chance to post so I’ve dated this to correspond to the days activities.
Saturday, 10-9-2010
Today's I was gonna’ make it a short day as we were tired from yesterday and we got a late start on the day. We headed for the Nantahala Gorge to watch the rafters & kayakers on the Nantahala River. It being Saturday I figured the river would be pretty busy with folks enjoyin’ the water.
But before venturin’ to the ‘Gorge’, we decided to grab some lunch out in town. We decided on the Everett Street Diner, down the street from the Smoky Mountain Railroad station. We had never eaten here before so it was a first for all of us.
We all ordered different sandwiches, the food was quite good. I told Sandy & Craig that the diner had probably been here 3 or maybe 4 years and I was ashamed to say we’d had never tried it. When the waitress brought our food I casually asked her how long the diner had been open, to confirm my ‘guestimate’. When she said 8 years, I felt even worse, in that in all that time we’d seen this establishment in this tiny hamlet, we had never taken the time to stop and sample their wares. It made me think about how busy our lives are even in retirement, even though I preach about slowin’ down to see the sites & smell the roses. Oh well just have to try harder!
After lunch we ventured off to the ‘Gorge’. I was right in the respect that there were still lots of folks enjoyin’ the frigid waters of the river on both raft & kayak. We watched some kayakers playin’ in the rapids, shootin’ downstream then paddlin’ like mad men to get back upstream. Sometimes the later didn’t work out fer’ them and they were doomed to be down one rapid further. We did get a lot of good shots of the folks enjoyin’ that 50 degree water, Brr…..




After watchin’ all those crazy folks in that frigid water we decided to take a ride up to show Craig & Sandy the dam at Fontana. Sandy has for years worked at the campground at Tionesta Reservoir and I thought she might like to see the dam here that created Fontana Lake. Fontana is the highest dam east of the Rockies at 480 feet with a length of 2365 feet. The lake it forms is 28-36 miles in length depending on water level and which source you use. We have fished it many times over the years and is a series of coves & mountain ridges, where a flatlander like me finds it easy to get lost, cause every turn looks like the last. Both the dam and the lake are a beautiful sight to behold.



Well the day was done and it was time to head home for some dinner and rest, after all tomorrow’s another day. So we hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Country Cousins Visitin’ Continues

On a count of we were entertainin’ for days I didn’t have a chance to post so I’ve dated this to correspond to the days activities.

Friday, 10-8-2010

Today we’re venturin’ deeper into the Park and maybe even crossin over to Gatlinburg, TN. Our company should be over their ‘White Line Fever’, so we’re in full siteseein’ mode.

Today's first stop is Clingmans Dome, To show them Pennsylvania folks what a mountain is all about. When we got to the parkin’ area it looked like we weren’t gonna get a spot to park and as we slowly perused the lot I grabbed the first available. Before we ascended the trail to the top we decided some lunch was in order. We sat on the stone wall dividin’ the upper parkin’ lot from the lower lot, eatin’ our sandwiches and soakin’ up the view.

It was an exceptional day as the visibility was around 80 miles today, a 5% day. These aren’t called the Smokies fer’ nothin’ as 95% of the time the visibility is pretty poor. But today we were lucky and we couldn’t wait to see it from the top. The signs say the trail to the top is 1/2 mile, but after walkin’ it, it feels more like 3 miles at a 20% grade. Of course it’s only a 1/2 mile back down.

Goin’ Up!

And UP!

We huffed & we puffed, but with many stops along the way we made it, Whew!

Our goal is in sight!

The day was beautiful and the views were spectacular. We could see Pigeon Forge, TN and the roofs of the Outlet Mall. I’ll bet you could darn near see Alcoa, TN.

All we got to do know is get back down.

Our next stop was Newfound Gap for another look at the mountains.

And another required Tourista’ Picture

Then it was down the other side of the mountains. It was quite busy in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge so we sailed through to Sevierville, TN, the home of ‘Dolly Pontoons’.

Here’s the girls with Dolly’s statue at the Sevierville County Courthouse. At this point we decided we had seen enough and it was time to head fer’ home.

It took us a while to get back to the park cause it must a been ‘rush hour’. When we finally made it back across the mountains, we were all bushed. After dinner and some TV it was time to call an end to another day.

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.