Let's Talk Turkey!

First of all - Happy Thanksgiving! America is the first country to make a National holiday for giving thanks.  The tradition began because one woman, Sarah Josapha Hale, persistently wrote (for 15 years) to numerous presidents, circa 1850 onward, in order that it be established.  Abraham Lincoln instituted it as an American custom.  This custom is in remembrance of the first harvest feast between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims.  They blessed their feast with a grace that went something like this: "We thank God for our homes, food, and safety in a new land.  We thank God for the opportunity to create a new world of freedom and justice. Amen."  What do I have to be thankful for?

The campground we're currently staying at, holds an annual Thanksgiving dinner. It's pot-luck style where whomever signs up to attend, brings a holiday dish of some sort. Brian was in charge of getting the turkey, hams, rolls & pies. On Tuesday, the count of people coming was around 40.  By Thursday afternoon, it was over 80.  The hall only holds 60 people. The people who checked in on Wednesday and Thursday were told about the dinner, but not told to bring something.  Three factors saved this meal from being ruined; One, someone had the wherewithal to ration the turkey and ham portions; Two, the first tables to be served didn't hoard food; Three, the ones who did bring casseroles and other dishes brought enough to feed an army.  Initially, there was some concern that there wouldn't be enough food, but enough was left not only for seconds, but also take home plates.  Cooperation, on everyone's part, made what could've been a very chaotic situation become orderly.

The week prior to Thanksgiving was full of turkey talk--how many ways have you tried to cook a turkey? There's deep frying it, smoked, baked, and new to us - "trashcan turkey"

How to make a trashcan turkey:
 - First, wrap your turkey in aluminum foil, then make a fire in a safe place on the ground. 
 - Second, when the fire is just hot coals, place a stake with the turkey on it in the center and cover it with a new trashcan. 
 - Third, heap more hot coals on top as well as around the bottom of the trashcan.  We were told that within an hour and a half, a 15 pound turkey is done, is succulent and juicy as it peels easily off the bone.  Bon appetite!

Talk around the campground also centered on Christmas and the doing away with Black Friday. Most everyone agreed that in the corporate world and their quest for more money, the big box stores have shot themselves in the foot.  By putting out much of the Christmas paraphernalia just after Halloween, and having "pre-Black Friday" sales, the stores are starting to take the rush out of shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  Consumers don't have the urgency like they used to for Black Friday sales.

Haven't we lost the true meaning of Christmas?  Christ came to heal our relationship with God.  He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. God is pure love and couldn't mingle with sin.  Christ is love incarnate in order that we may learn love. The Christmas of our hearts would become an everyday sacred practice. Wouldn't it mean more to our family and friends if we were "present" in our daily rounds for one another? Gifts wouldn't be necessary and stuff wouldn't pollute our world. We would all have what we need and even poverty might be alleviated if people would share their wealth instead of hoarding it.

I am thankful for my family and friends. I'm thankful for our Nomad which has kept us warm and dry.  I'm grateful for the Southern fare that accompanied our turkey and I'm grateful for watching Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving where I was reminded that it's not what is being served, but the company you are with.

We called our children and talked with them for about an half an hour each. The two youngest grandchildren were with their daddy for the day.  The two older ones had quite a take on Thanksgiving.  Tristan talked to us at length about the families day- watching the Macy's parade and going out with his dad in the morning.  Apparently, Alyssa couldn't come to the phone because, "I'm cooking!" she told her mother.  For our granddaughter, Thanksgiving is all about the feast.  We imagined her with an apron on in the kitchen with her daddy making deviled eggs, crab tarts, and many other types of goodies.

We wanted to bring lobster rolls or lobster salad to the campgrounds' feast, but couldn't find a lobster here. 

We managed to bring New England cranberry sauce though.  We read that the original feast had foul- not limited to turkey, also duck and goose.  The cranberries and blueberries were in their natural form. Squash and pumkin (sorry, no pies yet ).  Fish and shellfish were plentiful.  Walnuts and spices flavored the turkey. (No potatoes, or gravy or stuffing.)  Onions, beans, spinach, cabbage, and carrots were on the table. Corn was actually made into mushy cornmeal and possibly flavored with molasses.  Fruits- plums and grapes were abundant. Lastly, there was venison cooked on a spit. According to legend, the Native Americans brought five deer to the feast.

The first feast would have been like a big campfire with basic but not boring fare.  Dave met a man today who just received his RV from an aunt.  It was a fairly old model like ours, but had lots of work done to it. He only had it for 2 days - he was a nervous wreck, but excited to have it.  When David told me about him, I remembered the man from Turkey (the country) who sold us the Nomad and his father who told me, "Don't worry, it will get you where you have to go."

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave

Escapades

An escapade is defined as an act having daring, excitement or adventure.  We are parked now, so what kind of excitement, daring or adventure can you find at a sleepy campground that's batting down the hatches for what the locals call "winter"?

The job hunt is in full swing.  We were originally headed for St. Marys Georgia for a camp worker job, but those positions were filled by another couple by a campground owner who lacked any patience and just couldn't wait for us. We then had a lead that was out on Cape Hatteras, but that manager changed his mind at the last minute. After being told there were no camp jobs available at this moment, Dave applied to more than thirty places online and about ten jobs he can walk to.  Jill applied to only one- Living Waters Daycare Center for children.  This center is about two blocks from the campground and in walking distance.  Lashawna, the office assistant, told me her story and how she stepped out in faith to get her job as well as in starting the center.  She kept repeating that with my Bachelor's Degree the center could receive a five star rating and attract more clients. Needless to say, she wants to hire me.  She knows a five-year-old boy who needs more help with his letters and numbers.  He's currently in another program and you'd be good working with him.  She then handed me the job application to fill out and return.

I went back the following day and met the Assistant Director, Martianna. "You came back!"  she said excitedly as she snatched the paper from me.  At that point, I was unsure what to think - how many potential employment opportunities do you run across where that sentence is the first thing out of someones' mouth? She told me she'd have Lashawna call me later with the other forms and certificates I'd need to bring in.  The phone call never came. I walked there the next day with my birth certificate, social security card , driver's license and references only to find out their copy machine didn't work.  The rest of the office was disorganized chaos. I decided to wait for their phone call now.  I stepped out in faith, but I also need a job I can physically do.

In the meantime, Pat, the campground manager, left for a convention in Texas and then on to spend Thanksgiving with her grandchildren in Virginia.  The very next day, we were invited to dinner and a rousing game of cards to be held in the community center only a campsite away from us. I guess when the manager is away, the workers will play! Brian Wescott organized the whole event.  He came over with Jenny (who is a long term camper here) who said we'd be her guinea pigs with this new Mexican Stuffed Shells she was planning to make.  It would be her and her husband, Fred, Brian and his girlfriend, Lisa, another work camper Betsy and her husband Rick along with Dave and I.

Jenny is quite a crock-pot cook.  She scours recipes and loves to cook.  She also made an apple crisp for dessert.  She decided the stuffed shells were too much work, but was pleased with her effort.  They were tasty and everyone participated in the daring of trying something new.

After dessert, Rick cracked out a deck of Five Crowns. Only Betsy & Rick had played before and Rick tried to explain the rules to us all.  They were simple enough.  The game begins with three cards.  The threes and jokers were wild in the first hand. The object of the game is to get a run in the same suit or three of the same number and to end up being the person with the least amount of points when that hand (and game) is over. I bombed the first hand accumulating thirty-one points, Dave got zero.

The next round increased to four cards and fours were wild with the jokers.  The first person to go out had to use up all of their cards and then the rest of the players had to scramble to see what they could lay down to eliminate some of the points in their hand. On a couple of rounds where the players had seven or eight cards in their hand, if they couldn't make a run or have more than three of the same number, the points added up fast costing them anywhere from seventy to ninety points per hand.

For being a rookie, I was dealt good hands with a lot of wild cards and jokers.  I was the winner with forty points at the end of the game.  Everyone else was well above one hundred.  Regardless, we all agreed that we needed to keep coming out and socializing all winter.  I guess cabin fever takes on a new seriousness when you're living in a four room tin can.

Escapades don't have to be big or grand. They can be smaller experiences that include adventure or excitement, or bring the chance to be daring in some way. In any form, they can add terrific memories, increase the number of friends we meet, and be part of the greatness that is our journey today as well as through life.

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave

Water Everywhere Or A Tale Of Multiple Rivers

Now that we've been in New Bern, North Carolina for almost 2 weeks, we can honestly say we are starting to feel a little more settled. We're not saying it hasn't been a bed of roses all the time - looking back, some of the events are downright hilarious, and some details are still being mapped out. We can say, unequivocally, it is one day at a time.

We're also going to be honest with you - in this next part, there wasn't water everywhere, but things did get a little wet. We finally got around to hooking up the water supply for the RV. We hadn't done so to date because of the chilly weather at night on our journey south. It didn't matter what state we traveled through - one night or another, the thermometer dipped below the freezing mark. Even during our first week here in North Carolina, one night bottomed out at 25 degrees - a record low for that date. The weather took a turn in the right direction and warmed up to 75 degrees by the weekend of the 16th.

We acquired a heated outdoor water hose, so the worry of freezing wouldn't be an issue. We connected everything and turned on the campgrounds' water supply. No leaks on the outside - cool! Then why are we hearing water running? Rushing inside the RV, we noticed the kitchen sink was on full blast. While the Nomad was winterized when we purchased it, and we hadn't touched the faucets, we forgot the grandkids did when we brought it home. Never mind the dual sink was covered and the faucet was facing away from the sink. Oops!

We quickly shut the faucet off and wiped up the water that was flowing slowly in almost every direction.
Hardly anything got wet, and what did would dry. After that clean-up, we turned on the kitchen as well as the bathroom sinks. All was good. Ditto with the toilet and shower. Everything was flowing... for a good three hours - then more leaks. We were sitting outside when we heard water piddling on the ground towards the front of the RV. We shut the water off again, did some investigating, and realized that a check valve may be stuck or defective near the hot water tank. There may also be a small connection leak as well. After all, Nomad is 36 years old & these systems haven't been used all that much in several years. Finally, there is the possibility that a drain valve might still be open somewhere because the Nomad was winterized when we purchased it back in September. We're still all good - we can still use the toilet, and the campground showers are literally less than a stones throw away.

We have to admit - numerous friends we have made here at the campground have been more than willing to help out. One thing many people can't seem to comprehend, however, is that we're fine with our RV. They're amazed that we not going to tear apart the interior and fix this "problem" NOW! They don't feel that we're idiots, but they've stated they simply cannot live without an arms length list of creature comforts. Jill asked a kind-of hypothetical question one evening, "Do you feel we're out of our league?" I replied, "No - we're not out of our league, just in a different one."

While our Nomad may seem (actually is) small compared to many of the motor-homes and 5th wheels here, we are perfectly happy with what we have. Think about it - we have a warm dry roof over our heads, a fridge, appliances to cook with, heat, a coffee maker, water, lights, a solid Internet connection, and an RV that runs and drives at the drop of a hat. We also have a crankin' ice cold A/C system - we found that out a few days ago when it was 83 degrees and humid.

We share numerous things with many of the people who stay (and live) here at the campground - we are good neighbors, we look out for each other, we even have similar interests. However, we all are traveling down  different and multiple rivers of life. It shouldn't (and in most cases doesn't) matter that we have different RV's - some of them are fairly new, there are older models like ours, others are like condos on wheels, a handful are small and basic, a few cost over a half a million dollars, while some rang in at an amount with much fewer zeros. The bottom line is, any path we cross has a special contribution to make in regards to our own journey. We can be grateful for all intersecting paths, no matter how adverse they may seem at the time. We can offer our fellow travelers a gift that is truly us - be it an invite to a campfire, some advice on our RV, or just a friendly random conversation. Our own trip will benefit many fold.  

By the way, we just finished our 4th photo slide show and it's up on You Tube! Click here to check it out!
Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave

A First For Everything

From the moment of our birth, we open wide to the world and take our first breath. We are alive. Our bodies have sensors all over and we begin to feel, hear, taste, hear and see more clearly. Our bodies are an incredible set of interacting systems. Amazing still, we interact with other bodies. A baby learns right off how to nurse from its mother, to cry as a means of communication when something is uncomfortable, as well as grasp its finger. It has learned basic survival skills within a matter of days or even hours. What does any of this have to do with camping? Or being a Nomadic American?

First off, let's a trip down memory lane, shall we? Camping for me (Jill) was way different than what we are doing now. My first camping excursions were as a baby in the late 1960's. My folks had a Nimrod pop-up camper. We would go to the beach at the ocean every summer. I became used to snoozing in a sleeping bag to stay warm. As I got older, I remember the fires being used for cooking our hot dogs and marsh-mellows. It was later on in Girl Scouts where I learned basic survival skills - how to wash and clean a Katine, start a campfire and mark a trail for when you hiking so you can find your way back. Tents and pop-up campers were the majority in campgrounds back then. Larger RV's were like an exotic animal - rare and usually set off to a section by itself.

Pretty much like Jill, my first camping experience (Dave) was also in a pop-up camper. It was in the late 60's as well. I can't remember the brand name, but I do remember it being white and orange; like a cream-cicle. I think it was considered more "high end" than most, because it had an indoor and outdoor Coleman propane cooking units, along with a sink, fridge, and lights.

I can also remember seeing photos and home movies of us when we lived in northern New Jersey. The camper was pulled by a VW Bus. We weren't hippies by any stretch of the imagination. Camping in the pop-up was one story in itself. If my memory serves me correctly, my sister and I had to share one side of the camper when we slept. Thank God for sleeping bags - otherwise we probably would have killed each other. The camper was a gamut of experiences for a few summers; it would hotter than blazes during the day, but if there was a night breeze, it was about as close to sleeping outside, where it was cooler, as one could get. When it rained, we had to zip up the sides like a tent in an effort to stay dry - which happened for the most part. There were times when it would leak. And speaking of rain, things went from damp to downright lousy if we had to "take down" in it.

The VW Bus was the other side of the story. While it was big enough for our family, it was hardly adequate to tow an 800 pound camper. Speeds of 0 to 60 took an average of 3 minutes and 41 seconds. The bus (like the camper, which is why I feel they were meant for each other) got just as hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and got damp when it rained - although it lacked the ventilation.

But it was the late 60's / early 70's. Did anyone really care? When it came to campers, A/C, microwave ovens, cable TV, and the Internet were non-existent. My brain is having some difficulty remembering exactly where we traveled to on the campers maiden voyage, but I do remember meandering through Pennsylvania, Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, Ohio, the Great Lakes, Illinois, Wisconsin, and other destinations in the mid-west as well as the Northeast.

My parents did an admirable job finding campgrounds that were on lakes, places and things to keep kids entertained (and hopefully make some friends) and not killing us through the many miles we journeyed. Like Jills' experiences, most campers hit the road with either tents, pop-ups, or campers that fit inside the bed of a truck. Full size enclosed motorhomes were scarce, and when I say full size, I mean about 27 feet max - not the 40 to 50 foot behemoths like today, and 5th wheels just didn't exist. Perhaps that's one reason why we chose the Nomad as our first RV; it brings us back to a time when camping was truly camping - not the concept of bringing everything including the satellite dish with us as if living in a small condo...

Our first "settlement" - New Bern, North Carolina - we are here definitely until the first half of December. We've been here for almost a week and have had quite the variety of experiences to date.

Our first friend was a fine individual named Brian. We're unsure what his exact position is here, but we think he's one of the managers. If not, he should be - he's that good at what he does. He helped us decide which plot to park on as we cruised around in his electric golf cart. He pointed out pros and cons of some spots including some things we would have never thought of. Our current plot is #18. We have a gorgeous view of the man-made pond, complete with fountain and lighted foot bridge, a short walk to the pier, and we can generally see everyone else from our position while still having shade trees. Brian not only works here, but helps everyone else out on his time off. We have swapped experiences including the one that brought him here. His bottom line was, "Don't worry; things will work out. You'll like it here."

Survival tip #1 - Listen & learn from people who've already been where you are going and glean as much information as you can from their experiences.

We've mentioned before about the train that runs through New Bern. The first one usually comes through at 4am. On other days, it's come through at midnight, and again at 6am. While we're getting used to it, it looks like we may be purchasing some earplugs in order to camp in 100% comfort!


Our first campfire proved to be a challenge to Jill as she tried to remember what she learned in Girl Scouts in how to set up the wood. She placed some dry, dead leaves as a base, then added small twigs, then larger ones, and topped off the whole thing with a tee-pee of about 4 or 5 small logs. She then added newspaper, wadded it into balls, tucked one or two under the logs and a few along the edges along with some broken up cardboard. With a match or two, she set it ablaze!

We then broke out the Summer sausage and roasted it over the open flames. Yum! Our neighbors came out from their campsites, whether out for a walk or walking their dogs, and stopped by to chat and to warm their souls for a spell. No TV, no being on-line, no cell phones... just friendly people sharing a fire and some laughs. True camping.

Campfires are a good ending to a blessed day and for this blog!
Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave

Pastimes

Why do we need something to help us pass the time?  Or what is it about time that scares some people so much?  And why do others consider sitting around doing nothing wasteful?  In our opinion, meditating and contemplating life is not though... however, they both seem to some outsiders a waste of valuable time.  There's the classic saying, "time is money", which may be true to many people.  Being in this moment just as it is with no distractions is a rarity in these modern times. Finding the time to do this is imperative.  The excuses are varied and comical why one cannot sit still in peace and quiet.

For one, where do you find peace and quiet?  At times surely not at a campground with neighbors less than ten feet away.  Today we witnessed two pastimes that clashed.  One camper wanted to hear the NASCAR race and cranked up his truck radio in order to hear it better.  Unfortunately, his neighbor wanted to hear the baseball game and blared his radio in retaliation in order to hear the announcer better. Needless to say, if you don't like sports this type of competition added to one's disdain. For those of you who are wondering who won the battle of the volume - unsure. We think it was the NASCAR camper, because his event lasted longer. Do we care?

What is there to do at a campground?  That depends on the location. We have seen a large checker board set up and chess too, but no takers lately.  There was a baseball game over the weekend when the children
were here and the parents cheered them on.  There is dog walking, book reading, boating, fishing, biking, swinging on the swings, pot holder making on a loom, watching TV, surfing the Internet, going to a golf tournament and doing laundry - although the last item doesn't sound very appealing on a sunny day.

Dave and I like to take walks and photographs.  We like hot rods from the 30's through the early 70's and happen to see a 1967 Pontiac Tempest on site.  It's from the era when two vertical headlights on both sides were the rage along with a wide track grill.  This car is in very good condition and the guy drives it daily. No salt from the beach or winter northern roads to concern himself with.

One way to get to know a person better is to get in tune with what they listen to on the radio or on their computer.  What do these bands have in common  (besides strange names)? The B-52's, the Plain White T's, Archie Bell and the Drells, 311, The Gin Blossoms, The Black Crows, The Fray, Harry Connick, Jr., Blind Melon, The Flaming Groovies, The Funloving Criminals, Afghan Whigs, Dido, Bare Naked Ladies, Hootie and the Blow Fish , Bon Jovi and The English Beat.

Most of the songs I've heard before and can appreciate the various beats, tempos and linguistic combinations.  Most of David's favorite bands are considered to be Alternative Rock. I, being the psychologist major, like to examine why people like what they like.  How does one choose the music they like?  What does the beat have to do with our own heart rhythms?  Dave read that the more driving the beat, the more it can put you tired.  I suppose it would get exhausting to listen to loud sounds after a while because it would fire up one's ingrain fight or flight mechanism and insight a burn out effect.

 Within Dave's repertoire is quite a variety.  He likes change?  Definitely. He likes all sorts of cultures? Most definitely. His heart's not made of stone.  He turns to you to get to know where you are coming from.  Dave has "...a lot to do with the first time he meets a person. He puts his arms around me.  He just wants to fly." He wants to "...live a life extraordinary", one that is less "ordinary". "...If you had just one question, what would you ask Him?"  "What if God was one of us?"  Dave loves conscious raising questions like I do.  When songs do the same then what's not to like?  "...I don't like being a stranger in my own life.  Every day is a winding road. My life's insane.  Watching the faded signs go past, trying to make his way home. Some of these lyrics have been played over again in the past twenty-four hours. My favorite- "If I had a million dollars".   It invokes the imagination.  What would you do with a million dollars?

 There are love songs like "Hey There Delilah" by The Plain White T's and Harry Connick, Jr.'s "We Go Together Like A Wink And A Smile". Dave is a romantic.  He says that modern music has evolved from the 50's, but not all of it is considered Alternative. In a real nutshell, in Dave's Alternative music blog, alternative rock began in 1963 with the Kingsmen's huge hit "Louie Louie".  It ushered in the music of garage rock.  It is simple, basic and distorted, sounding almost sub-standard (horrible in some critics opinion). The garage band persona along with the rhythm and blues sound triggered another whole movement out of the mainstream... an alternative to the mainstream at that time -- The Beatles, The Beach Boys and other pop music.  Everything became unhitched by the mid-60's and rock music was no exception. In some cases, it was blown right out of the water by the late 60's. (Similar to the art movement with Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock with his abstracts).   Why do we do what we do?  Why did they do what they did?

Why do people live on the road? Is it only for the thrill of the adventure?  Is it to meet someone new? Or to learn more about the one you're with?  Is it the danger? Or the fun of it? Possibly to have no responsibilities? Maybe to have a personal challenge? Or to better myself in some way?

Did I mention the pastime of camp decorating?  I forgot it because as I'm writing this some rain showers are brewing and I had to take mine inside to keep them safe.  One camper had a "doggie addition" to their camper to keep their two rescue dogs from barking at other dogs and people.  He said it still didn't work that great. We can agree with him - the dogs couldn't see what was making a noise, but they could still hear it. Oh well - the owners tried. They ended up leaving yesterday.

On our daily constitutional, we observed a train coming over the mile-and-a-half river bridge.  It carried 20 cars with molten sulfur inside. We researched what it was and what it's used for:  primarily in sulfuric acid and then turned into a fertilizer.  Also used in a variety of chemical processes to make detergent, glass, animal feed, car batteries, as well as in paper mills and the mining industries.

We also observed more Jumping Mullets.  Why do they jump? One child said, "It jumps so that it can see where it's going."  Sounds pretty logical to me!  There are a couple of theories - first, a single one is trying to knock a parasite off itself, and two, if there's a school of them jumping, it's to avoid a predator. An older gentleman replied, "Fires burn, the sky is blue and mullets jump."   The truth is that no one really knows why the mullets jump.  It's just one of the mysteries of life. (Some fishermen have even seen the mullets do back-flips).  I guess this is right up there with why does the Humpback Whale jump out of the water in Maine.

So why does Dave like music? Why does Jill like art?  We guess it's just this - it is what it is. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Until next time,
The Happy "Pastime" Campers,
Jill & Dave

Hitting the Pause Button

Not all  campgrounds are created equal.  We stayed at a KOA on Thursday, and went to an RV "resort" on Friday. The resort was more like a ghost town in our opinion.  There were campers there, but no campers to be seen...the people had gone without their recreational vehicles.  Snow birds exist everywhere.  So, needless to say, while we had a gorgeous view of the Bouge Sound and Atlantic Ocean, we had a boring time. 

Pardon the pun, but the squirrels at this resort were absolutely "nutty".  At times it got down right dangerous sitting at our own picnic table with one squirrel protecting "his territory" by bombarding us with the nuts from the nearby tree. I think they were chestnuts.  He'd eat his nut and literally toss the shells at us. It was the "battle of the hood". Humans; hoodies up!  Squirrel; come down here if you dare!  When he was finished about an half an hour later, he came down and scampered away--"YOU COWARD!" we yelled after it. (Yes, we had a long day... and we couldn't even use the free wi-fi that was offered unless we sat on the porch of the office running on battery power in the dark or 39 degrees in the morning... no thanks!  Not high on our priority list.)  So, the RV resort was a bust.

                                                      Back to campground #1.  We had a decision to make; to press on and possibly make it to Georgia, or stay put.  We chose the latter.  We are at Bridgeton, NC KOA.  New Bern is literally a stones throw from here, yet the Neuse River separates the two.  So, we have to go down the road, over this two mile long bridge, figure out a maze of ins and outs of highways (three of them come together at this river) and how to get into the business part of town if we need anything.  It's a beautiful campground with an excellent staff and is rated one of the best in the entire country--we were fools to leave last Thursday.   Sometimes what you're looking for is right in front of you.  The amazing thing about life is that you are always given second chances to make it turn out right.  We are here now for a month--rent paid and we can breathe again.  Dave and I had a massive rush in making this decision and it took a lot out of us at the same time.

Saturday was spent meeting our new neighbors from Virginian, Texas, and Canada... Bernie and Belle; Allie and Rick; Gunner and his dog, Ziggy; Pete, Sue and their dog, Tre - He was from England, she from New

Orleans, Louisiana and Tray we don't know where he was from.  We also met a lifelong local, who was out fishing near the campgrounds' wharf, named Paul.  He told us all about the Jumping Mullets that eat the Striper which he was fishing for.  He said to catch a Mullet, you need a net.  So, I figure they just jump in if you hold the net just right above the water.  ( Haven't tried my theory yet...will get back to you on that one.)

New Bern is the second oldest town in North Carolina.  It has a deep history besides what occurred in the Civil War. (Dave got this info out of the Triple A books - thanks Mom) For example, the town had the colonies first printing press was established here.  It had the states first newspaper and was the state capitol until 1794.  New Bern is also the birthplace of Pepsi Cola.  Anyone want a drink of "pop"? If we say 'soda' around here, they'll look at us as if we had two heads.

"Encouragement equals a force for good"; a sign seen on the back of a truck as we went to Walmart in search for helmets to protect us from squirrel attacks as the KOA also has the same trees...so far the squirrels have let us be and only the tree drops its nuts on a tin roof to the community room one site over from us.   
"Beyond all expectations"; was a caption I noticed in a magazine in the laundry room.  Dave noticed that all the magazines in there were female orientated.  He remarked that management thinks guys don't do laundry.  This trip to date has far superseded any ideas I had held for our journey.  Not only have we traversed the American soil, but we have ventured deep within ourselves and pulled out courage and bravery that we didn't know existed there.

As always, it is comforting to do what is familiar.  We are in the habit of worshiping among others on Sunday mornings. We found a Catholic church in New Bern and should have had our suspicions aroused when we noticed the road sign - Country Club Road...seriously? Yes.  The entrance was four lanes wide, past the park benches, gazebos, and water fountain in the man-made pond.  Then onward to view the three story school and the cathedral where Mass was to be held.  We stopped and stared...yes, we are tourists!  How many people do you know drive their RV to church?  We enjoyed the lively service and listening to the vocal variety within the choir and shaking warmly others hands in greetings.  We were comforted here.

On that note, I will sign off as one very happy camper. Dave will too after he puts in the pics.
Jill and Dave.

The Bucket List & Traveling Below The Mason / Dixon LIne

Alright; where did we leave off? We were getting ready to leave Ruckersburg,Virginia after spending the night at a safe & quiet Wal-Mart. During our visit, we met a woman who worked there named Bajinder (pronounced Buh-gin-da), who was an absolute sweetheart. She was quite taken with us because we actually took the time to ask her how her name was pronounced. We saw her more than once in our 18 hour stop-over and she remembered our names as well. "Dave is a common name, like Tom", she said. She had a harder time with Jill. First it was "Jo", then "Gill". She finally ended with "J-ill". Close enough - it's all good! We gave her an A for effort as she was originally from India.

Once again, our Nomad attracted a great deal of attention. Numerous 18 wheelers spend the night there, but apparently not many RV's. Just as we were about to leave, a couple named Sue & Lee chatted with us for a bit about our Nomadic lifestyle and ended up giving us coupons to eat at Hardee's, since they are popular here in the South. They thought if we could save some money during our travels, all the better.

We meandered through Charlottesville, which is also the home of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, then headed southeast around Richmond, and saying goodbye to the Shenandoah Mountain range. We then went south on I-95 to the Rocky Mount KOA campground. Just before exiting Virginia, we captured a glance at our first of many cotton fields. Ditto with our first tobacco field when we ventured a short distance through North Carolina. We reached our destination mid-afternoon and then the irony hit us - this campground is actually in Enfield, North Carolina - and was nowhere near Rocky Mount.

Enfield is a tiny farm town that can be described in two concepts - flat & nothing but huge tobacco fields. If you wanted anything to eat, see any attraction, or mingle with any civilization; you had to drive the 18 miles south to Rocky Mount. The only things we saw were 18-wheelers, large farm tractors & equipment.

The campground was nestled in a sea of pine trees. Even though it was fairly warm, most of the bugs had gone into hibernation. We couldn't imagine what it would be like from Spring into early Autumn. We pulled into our site, but had a little problem with our electrical hook-up. With a little help from the manager Jim, we were good to go in no time. However, we wished the wi-fi worked out as well as the electrical snafu did. We had some writing & blogging to do, but the signal was so poor, we had to go outside on our picnic table to connect... and we were only about 75 feet from the office.

We managed to finish some of our work before sunset, eat a nice hot dinner and called it a night. We were thrilled that we didn't need several layers of blankets for a change. Our sleep, however, was interrupted by an ever increasing rain that set in by 3am. The drops off the pine trees added to the symphony and at times sounded like hail. We drifted in and out of sleep, depending on how hard it was raining. By 7am, we were not only ready for some breakfast, but also a nice shower.

After those tasks were accomplished, we went into the main office, which had a small table off to one side, and Jim was gracious to let us use it to complete our work. We had to change our next nights' reservation, due to the fact the campground we were going to stay at in Beaufort, NC, had a "slight flooding problem" due to 2-3 days of rain. We grabbed a sight at the New Bern KOA. On the two hour trip down, we passed more farms, towns named Short Pump, Scotland's Neck (who comes up with these names?) as well as the town of Farmville. Was this the inspiration for the Facebook game? We also got another realization that we were no longer in New England, when we saw a license plate that said "GOT-HOG?"

We are currently in New Bern (pronounced NYOO-burn depending on who you talk to) which is part of the Crystal Coast of central North Carolina and also includes the Outer Banks.

While writing this, we came up with the first part of the title - Bucket List. The first item on the list is exploring new ways to live. For example, camping. According to Websters, it means, "Live for a time in a camp, tent, or camper". The people we've surrounded ourselves with are our age and slightly older, friendly, and are enjoying themselves. We can see why - we are composing this on the edge of the Nuese River (pronounced ny-oose - again depending on whom you meet), where apparently Blackbeard the pirate sailed into spending time here as well as in Beaufort. Rumor also has it, while he and his crew were on some brief R&R, they buried some of their treasure in these parts as well. It is currently 75 degrees with passing clouds and a gentle breeze. We have missed the ocean tremendously - so glad to be back near it!

We're going to check out this area for a bit and see what else is here. We are also in the process of making our 3rd You Tube slide show so we can show more photos we've taken. Stay tuned!

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave

To Squeal or Not to Squeal

In our last blog, we briefly mentioned that the Nomad was going in for repair for a squeal that became more frequent and obnoxious. Jill had two panic attacks that day on the road as it seemed that the noise was frying her brain. By the time we arrived at the Shenendoah Hills campground, the sound was unbearable. It was at a constant squeal and sometimes had a train whistle sonorous. Dave thought it might be the AC compressor unit and possibly not a belt, but it was hard to tell. All we knew was, after this day of driving, we are both at our wits end! At this campground, the manager, Sandi, gave us the name and number of a reputable garage only a mile down the road back from which we came. We called and made the appointment for tomorrow (Nov. 5th at 10:00a.m.). Good thing it wasn't any earlier...

We slept well considering how overtired and stressed we were. obviously, we weren't sure what was up
with the RV and if it was going to be expensive or not. We had basically made it passed the halfway point on our journey - do we still forge ahead or go back home? The next morning we got ourselves as well as our gear together and started up the Nomad by 9:30 a.m. I was sitting in the co-pilots' chair and waited while it warmed up. The squeal was obnoxious in a matter of minutes. (I even saw the blinds go up on a neighbors' RV--sorry folks...). Dave went to the bath house to clean up before hitting the road and said that you could hear it all over the campground. We checked out at 9:45 and pulled into Madison Auto and Tire shortly thereafter.

We were greeted by Linda and she got the information she needed off the Nomad. Then, Tim, the mechanic on duty tried to find the squeal. He tried gunning the motor, shutting it off and starting it a number of times and still he couldn't hear a thing. The Nomad had decided to play it cool and be quiet for this hour apparently. When Linda came in and said there would be no charge because Tim couldn't find anything, we became pissed. We were NOT leaving there until SOMETHING was done to the Nomad.  (Yes, we were sick puppies by this point...) For the first time in two days, we actually wanted the Nomad to make a noise and it had stopped the squealing as we pulled into the garage parking lot.

Dave suggested that he take Tim for a ride to see if he could recreate the noise. "The Nomad was as quiet as a mouse," Dave said when they returned. "We went about 5 miles up the road and then I turned around.  The Nomad still wasn't making any noise & I wasn't going to waste anymore of Tims' time. I just didn't know what was wrong with this thing."  Finally, the noise made its little squeak as they were about to pull in. Now that Tim heard it, he wanted to drive it again with the "dog house" off. (The dog house covers the motor on the inside of the cab).  Then he and another guy drove the Nomad down the road again.


One thing we realized as we saw the two technicians drive off in the RV - they were driving not only our sole set of wheels, but also our house. It can be an unsettling feeling that's very difficult to describe! They came back with the Nomad in less than 5 minutes & it was squealing loudly. Tim told us it was the AC compressor making the noise. "Fine. Just cut it off and we'll fix the AC at another time." Good, Dave and I aren't losing our minds.

Inside during both test drives, Jill spoke to the two people in the waiting room. A gentleman named Scott who was finishing up an oil change and a woman named Peggy, who happened to be Tim's grandmother.  We were both visibly stressing and not from Virginia. So, as most of our conversations begin,
"Where are you from?"
"Maine" , Jill replied.
"You're a long way from home."
"Yes, we are. I'm Jill and this is Dave."
"Hi. I'm Scott.  I live in Orange County." He reached out his hand and we shook it.

"I'm Peggy. I'm Tim's grandmother. Don't worry. He's real good at what he does. He'll find the problem. I know what it's like when your car is acting up and then it doesn't do it when you bring it to the shop. Some people think you're crazy." (Even after the half hour drive about--she said," He'll find that problem or else I'll give him a swift kick in the butt.")

Peggy was about 70 years old and had a deep southern accent. She was slender and had a passion for rescuing sick dogs from the shelter. She also worked at a respite care facility and hurt herself lifting a gentleman who had fallen on her shift about a month or so ago.

Scott was a short, pudgy middle-aged man who was trying to purchase a house of his own and was RVing too. He departed and wished us well as he went to pay his bill. Peggy had left soon thereafter also saying that she'll come back when Tim's not quite as busy. Linda came into the room carrying an envelope and said, "That gentleman had left this for you."

It wasn't long before we paid our bill, chatted with Linda for another 15 minutes, and Dave was able to finish his cup of coffee. All in all, the Nomad was a cheap fix and we were on our way down the road 20 miles to the nearest Walmart in Ruckersville, Virginia for the night as it was already afternoon and we were starving for lunch. We just didn't have the energy to drive 4 more hours into North Carolina. We'll tackle that tomorrow on the 6th... and we'll do it QUIETLY!!

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Squealing...

We were camped out in Elizabethville, PA when we last spent time together in the blog. We ended up spending two nights there, mostly due to due to rain and wind. The Nomad, which is just over 10 feet tall, does not like really gusty winds. It can be like driving a barn on a skateboard. However, we are thrilled to

report that our first storm with the Nomad was a sailing success. We awoke Friday morning to moderate rain. About 10 minutes later, the wind sounded like a small train coming through - then came an incredible downpour. Luckily for us, we parked near the super Wal-mart building and it blocked most of the wind and a bit of the moisture. We were rocked hard enough twice to make our sailboat wind chimes twinkle somewhat loudly. Being the now-tourists that we are, we peered out our drapes to check out our weather event. Jill exclaimed, "...looks like the ocean out there!" The water was bouncing off the pavement and blowing much of it sideways. Note to selves - keep an eye on the weather as we go.

We departed from Elizabethville Saturday morning. Jill has been itching to take the drivers seat and got her first taste of driving the RV in the very large parking lot. First, starting up the Nomad - give it 3 good pumps of the accelerator. Cool - it starts. Let the engine rev at a somewhat high idle for about a minute or two, then hit the accelerator again twice and bring it down to a lower idle. Yes - this is "old school retro camping".

Second, release the emergency brake, press on the foot brake, then we can put it into drive. Jill struggled a little with the maneuver, as it requires some muscle and must be be gone through slowly. It didn't happen for Jill as easily as she thought it would after watching Dave do it. It looked like a piece of cake.

Third, putting the Nomad into motion requires a heavier foot than a regular passenger vehicle - something like standing on a block of wood. Remember: the Nomad is 36 years old. This is how they did in the "old days" as our grand-kids tell us. The RV began rolling. Jill smiled and turned her first corner - in more ways than one. She maneuvered the turns in the parking lot as if they were street corners - careful not to tip over, going slowly; until the last corner. She was well away from any other vehicles and was gaining confidence by the foot... until a few things went flying in the camper went flying behind us. At that point, it was time to park near a BK for some morning coffee and Dave returned to the Captains chair.

As we were leaving the parking lot, we couldn't help but observe row upon row of corn and soy fields, dotted by farms. There was even parking for the Amish & Mennonite for their traditional horse and buggy. Hey - you have to remember - this is new to us!

Having received directions from Sandy, Dave's sister, we motored on a much flatter route than we had experienced over the past three days. We were unsure who enjoyed it more - us or the Nomad! Speaking of our Nomad, Jill wondered where the RV had traveled before with its previous owners. The odometer had a tick under 71,000 miles when we purchased it. So Nomad - where have you been? Most ships have a log for their travels. The GPS coordinates as we write this are 38.352628 / -78.280591 for anyone who wants to pinpoint exactly where we are. As of this writing, we have logged over 1,200 miles with the Nomad and are past the halfway point to southern Georgia.

It didn't take us long to arrive at Sandy's house. The Nomad was definitely out of it's element - in a thickly settled suburban neighborhood! Sandy's husband Jerry & her oldest daughter Emilie were out picking up the families younger daughter Ellie from a local college for the weekend. Sandy was in the basement and didn't hear us pull up - which we feel was a good thing. After some maneuvering around street-parked cars, avoiding small trees, and a 5-point turn, we backed into their driveway "picture perfect" according to Dave.

After hellos and hugs with Sandy, she offered us both a chance to shower & freshen up before the rest of the troops arrived. What a blessing! By the time we both finished, we greeted Jerry and our nieces that we hadn't seen in over 18 years. We shared our adventures to date as they prepared a tasty salad for lunch. Afterwards, we stretched our legs as we walked their neighborhood and nearby park. We even saw one couple putting up outdoor Christmas decorations including multiple inflatable snowmen! Sandy says that it's a common phenomenon - and we thought our son-in-law Matt was into early Christmas decorating!

After our walk, Sandy mentioned that she had some errands to do, so we went with her as we had to pick up a few necessities. We also got our first guided tour of the small city of Carlisle. We saw the historical downtown, the Fairgrounds, and numerous different neighborhoods. We also saw the historical court house complete with its old pillars where canon balls had left Civil War battle scars as well as a church where George Washington had attended services. We headed home for dinner, conversation, laughter, and more catching up before retiring for the night in the Nomad.

Sunday dawned sunny and clear as we viewed it through a Japanese maple tree. Very striking to gaze upon as it is a fairly rare tree in the United States. We joined our humble hosts for breakfast and we attended a Methodist worship service where Emilie is the music director (she does an incredible job!). We were a little surprised to find that the service was quite similar to the services we attended back in Maine.

The topic of the service was inspired by the movie "Ghost" from the 90's, as the pastor is a true movie buff. He related his experience of the movie to All Souls Day. He had three questions for us:
 1). Can those whom have passed away help the living?
 2). Can they communicate with us?
 3). How does all this work?

Not to get too heavy, but we have both experienced times when a persons' spirit has helped us out. Jill can tell you of times when her father and grandmother have been felt nearby during major decision making times and Dave has quite a tale he can tell in regards to a wonderful woman named Mary, a former boss, who passed away very unexpectedly.

After the service, we had another tasty lunch and more visiting before we journeyed with Sandy to bring Ellie back to her college. The campus was not the largest we've seen, but was awesome. Even her dorm room was spacious (as far as those go - talk to our youngest daughter Cat about that one). Ellie showed us the buildings where she spends most of her time as well as the impressive greenhouse. We took some pictures and said our goodbyes. On the way back to Carlisle, Sandy was most hospitable with stopping in many places so we could take pictures - God bless her!

Although the years passed way to quickly, all the time apart seemed to melt as we reconnected. Even though the girls really didn't "know us", they accepted us, Nomads and all, with open arms, minds, and hearts. Life lesson - try not to let 20 years go by before reconnecting with loved ones. Tell them you love them, write and send letters and cards, as much as possible. Try to go the extra mile. Distance may be an issue at times, but all we we can do is love one another to the best of our abilities and forgiving ourselves for when we have failed to love. We must admit, saying goodbye, once again, was hard.

We journeyed through town, past Dickenson College, and gassing up before hitting Interstate 81 south out of Pennsylvania, through Maryland and West Virginia, and into Virginia via the Byway. We witnessed the beautiful Shenandoah Mountain range off in the distance, as well as large rivers, fall foliage, and more farms. We made good time and reached the Shenandoah Hills campground by mid-afternoon. We also made an appointment for tomorrow (Nov 5th) to have the Nomad checked and repaired. After that, depending on how the day progresses, we'll either spend another night in the area, or head to our next stop in Enfield, North Carolina.

P.S. As we write this, the mechanic, Tim, diagnosed the problem as a wearing out A/C clutch in the compressor. We will just cut the belt (it will be cheaper to purchase a new belt than to pay for the labor to take it off). We'll keep an eye on things, but according to our automotive experts, we should be fine. More details to come about the garage, the staff, Scott & Peggy. Stay tuned! We're very blessed as the fix was very affordable. And we're mobile... and QUIET!!

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill and Dave

Halloween 2013

October 31st - All Hallows Eve - a night celebrated when the Spirit World is said to be the closest to our mortal world. Now how many would beg to differ about the local of the Spirit World? Many say the spirits of their loved ones are still close by and have made themselves known in unmistakable ways.

Picking up where we left off in our last post, we left Kingston New York and made our way towards Pennsylvania. We followed US Route 209 the entire way to East Stroudsburg PA. We traversed through numerous small towns, over several hills, past picturesque farms, and even the Delaware Water Gap National Preserve. After about 4 to 5 hours of traveling, we saw a sign for a KOA campground. We pulled a u-turn in a decent sized gravelparking lot and ended up talking to a fine local businessman named Ron who had a combination hot dog stand / tourist information booth. We ended up ordering one of his famous hot dogs and chatted with him for almost an hour.

It was getting to mid afternoon, so we said our goodbyes to Ron and went to register at the campground. Turns out that KOA was on Sleepy Hollow Lane - what better place to spend a night just before Halloween?  Our plan was to camp for free at a Wal-Mart. However, we felt led that night as well as the next morning to stay at this particular site, which was the Delaware Water Gap / Poconos Mountain campground. Donna and J (that's his real name) were the managing couple there. They checked us in, answered our questions, and supplied even more information about a new way of life for us. What started as a simple conversation about what type of journey we were on, led to all kinds of open doors that we hadn't seen or even considered going through.

The conversation was helped along by some of the looks we got upon arrival. It was 37 degrees when we departed Kingston NY - by the time we arrived at the campground, the sun started coming out and was warming things up nicely. Dave was still in his warm leather coat. Jill was dressed in her winter coat, hat, gloves and boots! Donna and J probably thought we were from Florida and horribly lost!

We settled into our campsite and hooked up our electric. We were psyched that everything still worked - from the lights, to the fridge, and all the outlets. The last time all this was checked was when we purchased the Nomad almost two months earlier. We enjoyed a hot meal on our picnic table and even played a round of mini-golf in our t-shirts! By now, the temperature had risen 10 degrees in 30 minutes and was now 62 degrees! By the way, the golf game was a tie: 27 to 27.

We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast the next morning along with a hot shower. It also gave us a chance to do some laundry and get caught up on several other things. For the first time since we left Maine, the day woke up on the wrong side of the weather map - it was cloudy, fog, and some occasional light showers. We left the campground by 11:30am, said goodbye to the staff at the campground (thanks guys, you were great!) and headed southwest once again down Route 209. Our Nomad RV showed a great deal of spirit today

(the 31st) as it navigated the hills and valleys of the Poconos. What Google Maps estimated for a two-hour jaunt turned out to be four hours due to construction, puttering through small former coal mining towns that were settled after the civil war, and crawling up steep hills. At times, the Nomad couldn't go over 35 mph without us over-exerting the engine & transmission.

We finally stopped at a Dunkin' Doughnuts in Pottsville PA to stretch and to refuel on some much needed coffee. Jill experienced her first French Vanilla coffee. While it was too hot to drink at first, it was enjoyable for another half hour through the rugged terrain.

We finally landed in Elizabethville, PA at another Super Wal-Mart. Amazingly, this town only has a population of 1500, LOTS of corn fields with enormous farms surrounding this shopping complex. Just before entering the parking lot, we crested a hill and there it was - like an oasis in a desert. All these stores were quite literally in the middle of nowhere! We had vistas of hills in peak foliage, barn silos, corn fields, and vegetable stands. We'll be here until Saturday morning as it is supposed to rain quite heavily tonight as well as for at least half the day tomorrow (Friday, Nov 1st). We'll be heading to Dave's sisters (Sandy) place Saturday morning for a weekend visit.

Then it's onward - south and east - and no more hills!!

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave 

Chasing The Sun And Other Things

When we left our last blog post, we mentioned that we completed the first leg of our journey driving from mid-coast Maine to north central Massachusetts - specifically Jills' Moms' (Ida) house in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. While staying there, we figured out what we were still missing for supplies. It's amazing what you need when it comes down to living on the road. For example, we found we needed disposable bowls - we had the cereal, the milk, the spoons - but no bowls! So, we spent Monday morning (October 28th) picking up Styrofoam bowls, plus nail clippers, stamps, another battery for our main flashlight, and aspirin. We then drove from one big box store after another trying to find one last item in particular - a small, indoor propane heater. At the last store we visited, the knowledgeable associate told us what we were looking for was illegal to sell & purchase in Massachusetts.

Back at Mom's, we enjoyed homemade turkey soup and grilled tuna sandwiches. Then Jill & her Mom had a project to make - a hanging herb garden for the Nomad:
   1). Begin with a 3-tiered hanging basket
   2). Clean plastic to line the baskets with
   3). Get a small bag of Sphagnum peat moss
   4). Small cuttings of herbs you like - preferably already rooted.

Hang the planters over a suitable work space and line the baskets with the plastic. Next, fill them with the peat moss - not all the way to the top as you'll need room for the plant(s), its roots, and then to cover them with a little more moss.In my herb garden I have basil & onions in the top basket, marjoram & thyme in the middle basket, and parsley as well as mint in the bottom tier.

After that project was done, Mom attended to some other things on her daily to-do list, we went for our daily afternoon walk. We got picked up by a friend of Jill's who lived in the neighborhood that we were hoping to see before we left town on Tuesday. We ended up gallivanting around town - seeing what was new, what was still around, and what was gone. After catching up for over an hour, we were dropped off at another friends house for dinner. She made a tasty apple, chicken, and raisin salads. Her twin 8 year old children reminded us of our two oldest grand-kids, Tristan & Alyssa. My friends twins are great kids (and they're a riot), but we felt a pang of missing throughout the visit. Later on, we were back at Jills' Mom's house & chatted with her until we retired for the evening.

On Tuesday morning we were up by 6:30am. We are both getting used to sleeping in our RV and had a restful nights sleep. Dave organized things we had taken out and used during our visit, getting the Nomad back into ship-shape condition for traveling. Jill had breakfast with her Mom, showered, and got dressed into traveling clothes. Dave had a chance to eat, took some more pictures, and we shuffled our house plants back into the RV. Ida had to leave by 10am, so by 9:30am, we had the Nomad all warmed up, took some final family snapshots, and said our goodbyes.

We traversed over the rest of Ida's hill and down the other side into Ashburnham - getting used to the

Nomads every squeak, rumble and general rattling of our own stuff! We then landed onto smoother roads heading west on Route 2, out the Mohawk Trail, down Route 112 through the Berkshires, then into Great Barrington. We stopped at a still open state park by the Housatonic River. We had a great lunch, enjoyed some great late autumn scenery, and a stretch break.

We continued through the northwest corner of Connecticut through Canaan, which had numerous 200-500 acre horse farms - one right after the other. It was incredible. Shortly thereafter, we trekked into New York over the Hudson River. The sun was hanging low in the sky - add the view of the river as well as the Catskill mountains in the distance, it was a fantastic way to stop for the day. We found a 24 hour Wal-Mart and Campers World & parked for the night.

We awoke Wednesday morning to the resounding echos of locomotives rumbling past in the distance. It turns out that Kingston NY is still quite an active train town. From what we've been told by the locals, the noise & rumblings are much worse in town! Yikes! Back when we lived in Thomaston, Maine, a train engineer told us that it's the law where they have to use (blare) the train horns - two solid blasts at each intersection - so there were a succession of 10 blasts as the 5:58am engine came through! Good morning New York!!!

As we type this, we are having our morning coffee. We are thinking back as to why there was no Red Sox / Patriots paraphernalia - it was all New York Yankees / Giants stuff. Then we realized, "Hey - we're in New York now... oops!" As they say, "I guess we're not in Kansas anymore Toto..."

We got our morning walk in (had to do 2 laps around the parameter of a Super Wal-Mart due to morning rains), returned the indoor propane heater we had purchased (turned out the heater still needed ventilation, which meant we would have to open a window - kind of defeats the purpose of a heater), then to Starbucks for said coffee and free wi-fi. Getting from Wal-Mart to Starbucks was insane - much like man's lack of planning when it comes to suburban sprawl & big box expansion. Over, under, around, and through - behind mall buildings, around parking lots, and through numerous sets of lights - just to get to the other side of the mall we stayed at. What we do for coffee & free Internet!!

Time to finish up. Onward Nomads!
Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave