Monthly Archives: February 2016

Mustang Island, Port Aransas, Texas

February 16 – 20, 2016
DAY 5

In our RVing travels we have not yet  gone 2098 miles in 5 days and hope to never do it again.  It’s not that it was bad,  it was tiring,  more so for David than me.  I don’t want to drive when we are towing,  but I contemplated offering once on I 65.  Other than that the combination of horrible bumpy roads, high speed limits, crazy drivers, add high winds and sometimes rain, not my forte.

The ride here was loooooong!  We took I 10 straight through downtown Houston.  Presidents Day,  Monday at 10:30 a.m. could not have worked out better.  The only other really big city that we traveled through was Atlanta , Georgia.  That was horrible,  Houston was a piece of cake, in comparison.

My first impression, Mustang Island is very different than any other Island I’ve been to yet.    I am an “Island Girl”.  Some of my favorites are the Florida Keys; St. George Island, Fl; Jekyll Island, Georgia and Block Island, RI.

There are NO trees here in the park.  The campground is, in my opinion, one step up from a parking lot.  Each site does have a cute little canopy covered picnic table.  In order to have the picnic table on the same side as our house door,  we had to pull in instead of back in.  For RV-ers you know all your hook ups are towards the back of the RV.  David packed extra hosing for water and an extension cord for the electric.  Using the electric extension we only have 30 amp service instead of the preferred 50 amp.  We’re hoping to not have to use air conditioning while we’re here.  We thought the $20 per night (water and 30/50 amp electric) fee was reasonable.  There’s a catch … there is a $5 per person daily park entrance fee.  Which calculated to an additional $80 for the 8 days we’ll be here.  We were able to purchase a Texas Annual State Park Pass for $70.  I’m not sure if that is for one or two. David may have to pretend to be a totem pole and carry me into the parks on his shoulders 🙂

Plus #1  This is the first State Park that we have visited,  where Pets are allowed anywhere on the beach.  They must be on a leash.  E T LOVES the beach!  They also allow vehicles on the beach , which I’m not really sure I like.  It’s going to be another adventure!

Here’s another slideshow.  David is having difficulty viewing them through his yahoo  account.  If anyone else is please comment and I’ll ask my Blog Guru, Tom, to check it out.

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Greenville, Alabama – Beaumont, Texas!

February 14, 2016
DAY 4  … Happy Valentines Day!

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My romantic husband surprised me and E T with treats.  How sweet,  BUT I say to him “Isn’t that the box of chocolates that my friend, Sylvia, gave me before we left?”  All I got in response was a sheepish grin.  Thank you, Sylvia!   The other half of the bone was my Valentine gift to E T,  she’d already ate it before the photo op!

Early morning start 7:3O a.m.  This is going to be our last “push day” of over 500 miles.   Thank goodness the scenery finally changes.

Our only gas stop of the day is off I 10 in Beaux Bridge, LA  (6O.5 gal $1.36 $82.95).    My story of the day is from the Texas Visitor Center.  Walking up to the entrance there is a HUGE sign,  WATCH OUT FOR SNAKES.   So, I ask the Information Clerk, “What kind of snakes should I be watching for?”  He says,  “Well Mam,  we have over 8,000 acres of swamp out back there.  I guess you should be watching for any kind of snake that lives in a swamp.”    I’m still thinking about that answer.

Today was a photo day and free wifi at the campground where we are spending the night, hence the slide show.

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We stopped in Beaumont, Texas for the night at the Gulf Coast RV Resort (Exit 845 off I 10) only 3 miles off the highway.  This is the deal of the trip so far $25.50 for full hook up and breakfast in the morning.  We are less than 300 miles form our first “destination”.

Next Stop … Mustang Island, Texas

Greenville South Carolina to Greenville, Alabama

February 13, 2016
DAY 3
8:20 a.m.  On the road AGAIN.  We were up early,  but we were enjoying our first stopover of the year, in our “home away from home”  we didn’t rush.  We enjoyed a nice home cooked blueberry pancake breakfast before hitting the road 🙂

Springwood RV Resort Greenville, S.C.
Springwood RV Resort Greenville, S.C.

It’s a beautiful day for traveling, blues sky, not much wind, but still cool, 30 degrees.   I 85 through N.C., S.C. And GA is not “the cats meow” as far as scenery goes.  This is not just a couple of miles, it’s hundreds of miles.

Sunday Morning Traffic
Sunday Morning Traffic

Today was most definitely all about the miles.  The most eventful site we saw was an SUV towing TWO cars. 

Why would anyone do this?
Why would anyone do this?

 We stop at the Alabama Welcome Center in hopes of finding someplace nice to stop for the night.  The Welcome Center “Greeter” was awesome.  She highly recommended the Sherling Lake Park Campground in Greenville, AL (I 65 Exit 130).  She said “You’ll want to stay there, it’s so pretty!”  Full hook-up for $28 a night, cash or check only, no credit card, 4 miles off the highway.  So, Greenville here we come again.
We changed Time Zones on the Alabama border.  It’s now 1:30 p.m. And  52 degrees,  It’s  getting warmer.  We stop at the I 65 Exit 158 Flying J  $1.44 gal  57.8 gal  $88.75.  David was a little disappointed, he was hoping the price would go down enough that the gas stations were paying him to fill up.
Here’s the story of the day.  We are checking IN at Sherling Lake Park Campground.  The host, speaking with a serious southern drawl says,  “I should tell ya, we got a fir.”  Oh Boy, I think “fair, I like fairs”.  He says  “It’s those gat dern gophers!” I think, what the heck is a  Gopher Fair!”  He says “They smoke them see-garettes an don stomp-um out good.  Happens ah the time.”  We call-um BUTTHeads!”  Meanwhile, as he’s talking, a fire truck, a police car and a bulldozer with sand drive by.  “Don  worry”, he says “It ain’t the campground on fir, it’s the goph course in the park.”  The campground and golf course are in the park.  So we just checked in to a Park that was on fire.  The adventures continue!

Sherling Campground
Sherling Campground
Sherling Lake ... It is beautiful!
Sherling Lake … It is beautiful!

 

Hagerstown, Maryland – Greenville, South Carolina – It’s All About The Miles

February 12, 2016
Day 1
David’s alarm clock goes off at 5:00 a.m.  He wakes me at 5:30 a.m. No Snow!  We’re  leaving at 6:00 a.m.  I’ m just getting out of the shower and I hear him coming up the stairs, his feet do not sound happy.  I look out the window and it’s snowing.
If we’re going to go,  it has to be today.  The weather forecast for the week ahead doesn’t look good.  We wait the snow out and get on the road at  9:30 a.m.  The roads are fine,  but the wind is blowing 20 – 25 knots.  It wasn’t the best of drives,  but it wasn’t the worst.  Coming back from our 2011 cross country trip, in Old Bessie,  we drove through Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle during a wind storm.  I was changing my name to Dorothy.  Seriously, other than the Ruby Red Slippers I have no interest in being Dorothy.

     Our first treats of the day.  I 78 Exit 7,  Bloomsbury, NJ  Gas $1.59 a gallon  (62.5 gal $100) and Burger King for lunch.  Sorry McDonald’s,  I like BK fries better.
Here is my story of the day.  I’m in line at BK.  There is a lady in front of me and a big, gruff, tough, trucker guy behind me.  A young cashier takes the lady in front of me’s order and asks for her name.  At BK your not a number, your a person.  The lady says “Barbara” and steps to the side.  I give our order and she asks my name. I say Barbara, her face shows panic, she says  “If you’re both Barbara how will you know which order is yours?”  So I say “Why don’t you just put David on my order.”  Then I turn to the trucker and say “Unless your name is David.”  He answers “No, my name is Sue!”  That was funny. We all laughed.
The skies were threatening all day.   Going through Carlisle, PA  I learned about virga … when precipitation hangs below clouds, but doesn’t touch the ground.

virga
virga


At 5:05 p.m. We pulled into the Hagerstown, MD Motel 6 $47.99 plus tax $54.63, not bad.  No frills, clean, WARM and E T is Welcome!  We’ve traveled almost 400 miles (5 States CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD)

Motel 6
Motel 6


DAY 2
We don’t get on the road until 8:20 a.m.  It’s COLD 11 degrees. 

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Even though WE are not sleeping in the RV we’re keeping the heat on and using propane.  We stop at one of our favorite Gas/Propane Stops in Winchester, VA (I 81 Exit 323). Top off Gas $159 gal (39.25 gal $62.77). Propane $3.00 gal we took 13 gal $41.00.  It’s now. 17 degrees.  Getting Warmer!

     The scenery is becoming pretty.   The rolling hills of Virginia are beautiful. 

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We get our first glimpse of the Shenandoah Mountains. I’m trying to talk David into coming back in the fall and driving the entire 100 miles of Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.  Wish me luck!

Shenandoah Skyline
Shenandoah Skyline

There isn’t as much snow here as I expected, but it’s snowing in the mountains.

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     Last Gas Stop for today.  Filler-up!  I 85 Exit 102 Flying J Blacksburg, S.C.  $1.39 per gallon!!  (63 gallons $1.36 3 cent per gal discount with Flying J card, $88.00). Words I NEVER thought I’d hear David say “I’m almost looking forward to getting gas!”
We are spending the night at the Springwood RV Park (aka Trailer Park) in Greenville, S.C.  ($31.50 full hook up).  Nothing special here except it’s only three miles off the highway.  E T is enjoying herself, there are lots of “stray kitty cats”.  I don’t think she’ll sleep all night

     We covered 498 miles today (4 states WV, VA, NC, SC).

Next stop Alabama.

 

 

Connecticut – Hagerstown, Maryland – All Packed and Ready to Roll!

February 10, 2016
The Connecticut Hillbillies are packed and ready to roll.

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We have the kitchen sink, car, bike, kayaks … The cupboards and compartments are filled and overflowing.   David refused to strap my rocking chair to the roof of the RV.  That was only after I refused to sit in it.

Travel Mode - All slide outs closed
Travel Mode – All slide outs closed

E T was routing for the rocking chair.  Her and I are going to have some territorial issues regarding the passenger seat.

You want ME to move?
You want ME to move?

We are late headed south this year.   We are contending with the El Nino effect.  Had we left as planned on Feb 2, our planned route would have taken us through wind, rain and tornado riddled Tennessee and Alabama to Gulf Shores.  Not the sunny south that most imagine.  So our home away from home is weathering her share of snow and like us, waiting patiently to get rolling.   It’s all part of the adventure!

Storm Kayla
Storm Kayla
Storm Lexi
Storm Lexi
E T heading south, one way or another!
E T heading south, one way or another!

It’s not the first time weather has altered our plans.  In 2011 we left on our first cross country trip only a few days after Hurricane / Tropical Storm Irene.  Our biggest obstacle was finding a gas station open that had gas.  Another  challenge was traveling coast to coast in twenty year old,  “Old Bessie”.  We should have had more faith, she did great!

The Badlands - South Dakota
The Badlands – South Dakota
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Big Horn Mountains National Forest

Like most of our trips we don’t have a lot of places that we have to be on a certain date.    Last weekend,  we had hoped to be in Mobile, Alabama for the kick off of their Mardi Gras, but wind and rain forced the organizers to cancel, good thing we weren’t there.   So, we put Alabama Mardi Gras on our list of  “next times”.

Our first reservations were/are at the Gulf Shores (Alabama) State Park Campground.  The folks there were great to work with readjusting our dates, so we didn’t even lose our deposit ($40).  Instead of 8 days there, hopefully, we’ll have 2.

It looks like we’re finally getting the two day break we need between storms to leave, hurray!

Next Stop … 380 miles south … Pet Friendly,  Motel 6 … Hagerstown, Maryland …  Too Cold for camping til we get much further south.