The GPS said we traveled a total of 8,962 miles.
The camper was set up a total of 26 times. This includes the set up prior to depart and when we got home. That's a lot of pop-up cranking! We reduced the set-up time down to about 8-10 minutes.
We were in a total of 19 RV type parks and 1 campground (Unicoi State Park in the north Georgia).
Our trip lasted a total of 5 weeks and 5 days (40 days). 29 nights were spent in the camper and 11 nights at my sister Barb's house in New York.
Hottest Temperature: 107 degrees in Rapid City, South Dakota
Coolest Temperature: 36 degrees in West Yellowstone, Montana. I was amazed by the 40-50 degree temperature change here overnight. We were in T-Shirts during the day (in the 80's) and running the space heaters and in sweatshirts overnight!
We used a bag of ice and a gallon of water almost every day.
We visited or drove through 22 amazing states (including Florida). The beauty of this country is overwhelming. I only wish I could have walked through them all instead of speeding by so much.
We were all amazed at how big our house seemed when when we got home. So much space!!!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Our week at Unicoi
We had a wonderful five days at Unicoi State Park and nearby Helen, GA. During this stay on our journey we were joined by our great friend Mike. Mike stayed in the town of Helen at the Helendorf Inn. He even got us a parking pass for the van which we greatly appreciated.
We arrived on Sunday the 15th right before noon. After setting up the camper we headed right down for some tubing adventure on the Chattahoochee River. The river was nice and high which made the rocks easier to navigate around. After tubing we all enjoyed a light dinner at a restaurant called Margarita's. They have an outside deck area that overlooks the river. We had great time being together and watching the tubers on the river.
Claire and I enjoying the deck at Margarita's...
After that Mike said "Mini Golf!" So, we walked across the street and past Mike's hotel and played a round of golf at Pirate Golf. Claire did the best, scoring only ONE over par for the entire course - amazing!
On Monday morning we set up the rest of our outdoor stuff at the campsite. Then we drove down and met Mike at the hotel. We had a great time walking around the town of Helen and visiting the stores there.
Here is a picture that we have taken every year with the kids...too funny!
Note Claire's long hair over the shoulder of the painted picture!
We also stopped at another restaurant overlooking the river and the tubers and we had our favorite snack there - French fries! We really like their fries. The name of the restaurant is "The Troll." Then we all went to the only grocery store in Helen called Betty's. We love Betty's - they have everything we need including beer, wine, firewood and ice! Mike returned to his hotel and joined us later for a fun time around our campfire and steaks on the grill. After dinner we had family game time with Mike. We played Catchphrase. It was a great time.
It was time to get on the river again on Tuesday. After the river tubing we all enjoyed a nice picnic lunch that Jen and I prepared. After lunch Mike, Claire and Eric enjoyed a water park together. While they were slipping and sliding down the slides, Jen and I stopped by Betty's again and headed to the campsite. We headed back down to pick up the kids. Mike didn't join us for dinner. He had another restaurant that he wanted to visit. For dinner we had pork chops that Jen marinated and I grilled. Yum!
We always have a day that we just stay around beautiful state park and enjoy relaxing there. Wednesday was the day for this. Eric and I went fishing at Unicoi Lake first. Eric only caught two fish but the most enjoyable part was the father and son time we had. It was a beautiful day on the lake - sunny but not too warm.
On our way there we saw this interesting little guy. I was surprised that he stayed still long enough for me to get a picture....
Also, at our first fishing spot this big old turtle was waiting for a treat to fall from the dock!
Note our reflections in the water too. Me on the left with the phone and Eric with his fishing pole on the right. Cool.
Here is a short video of our favorite fishing spot. The road and bridge that you see in the distance is the location of the dam that creates the lake...
Mike hiked up the lake trail and found us there at the fishing spot. He walked back with us to the camper. Jen and Claire were at the Unicoi lodge for some "WiFi" time. Mike and I dropped Eric off at the lodge. Then it was time for some hiking!
Mike and I hiked the Smith Creek trail that leads up to some beautiful water falls called Anna Ruby Falls. We did this hike last year in the opposite direction. While hiking Mike saw a baby bear. He said "There is a baby bear!" I never saw the bear because I was too busy looking around for mama bear!
Here is a video of Mike on the trail in front of me....
The video is a little jumpy because I was trying to make sure of my own footing on the trail while taking it.
Another video of what we saw at the top of our hike...
It was so beautiful there.
Thursday was tubing all day. Eric and I completed three long runs! Mike joined us after the first run or he would have done three also. Claire and Jenny did two runs and then also enjoyed some town time together. We also enjoyed a nice picnic lunch after the first run. In the evening Mike joined us for our last Unicoi dinner. Jen had marinated some chicken that I grilled. We had a nice fire going and Mike stayed again for some family game time. Then it was time to say so long to Mike. We knew we probably wouldn't see him before departing in the morning, and we didn't. It was so nice to have a good friend with us to experience one of our favorite vacation destinations.
We got up early on Friday and departed the campground. We had a tradition of stopping at the lodge for a breakfast or lunch. This year is was the buffet breakfast. We all headed down the road with full tummies!
I am writing this on Friday evening the 20th of July. Tonight we are in our last camping spot at a KOA in Tifton, GA. Tomorrow we return to Tampa. What an amazing journey this has been! Thanks for reading along.
Jenny will be having some post trip blogs to enter after we return to Tampa so stay tuned for those!
We arrived on Sunday the 15th right before noon. After setting up the camper we headed right down for some tubing adventure on the Chattahoochee River. The river was nice and high which made the rocks easier to navigate around. After tubing we all enjoyed a light dinner at a restaurant called Margarita's. They have an outside deck area that overlooks the river. We had great time being together and watching the tubers on the river.
Claire and I enjoying the deck at Margarita's...
After that Mike said "Mini Golf!" So, we walked across the street and past Mike's hotel and played a round of golf at Pirate Golf. Claire did the best, scoring only ONE over par for the entire course - amazing!
On Monday morning we set up the rest of our outdoor stuff at the campsite. Then we drove down and met Mike at the hotel. We had a great time walking around the town of Helen and visiting the stores there.
Here is a picture that we have taken every year with the kids...too funny!
We also stopped at another restaurant overlooking the river and the tubers and we had our favorite snack there - French fries! We really like their fries. The name of the restaurant is "The Troll." Then we all went to the only grocery store in Helen called Betty's. We love Betty's - they have everything we need including beer, wine, firewood and ice! Mike returned to his hotel and joined us later for a fun time around our campfire and steaks on the grill. After dinner we had family game time with Mike. We played Catchphrase. It was a great time.
It was time to get on the river again on Tuesday. After the river tubing we all enjoyed a nice picnic lunch that Jen and I prepared. After lunch Mike, Claire and Eric enjoyed a water park together. While they were slipping and sliding down the slides, Jen and I stopped by Betty's again and headed to the campsite. We headed back down to pick up the kids. Mike didn't join us for dinner. He had another restaurant that he wanted to visit. For dinner we had pork chops that Jen marinated and I grilled. Yum!
After dinner the kids relaxed inside the camper. Jen and I sat outside (no mosquitoes!) and talked while
the evening approached and the night sounds began.
We always have a day that we just stay around beautiful state park and enjoy relaxing there. Wednesday was the day for this. Eric and I went fishing at Unicoi Lake first. Eric only caught two fish but the most enjoyable part was the father and son time we had. It was a beautiful day on the lake - sunny but not too warm.
On our way there we saw this interesting little guy. I was surprised that he stayed still long enough for me to get a picture....
Also, at our first fishing spot this big old turtle was waiting for a treat to fall from the dock!
Here is a short video of our favorite fishing spot. The road and bridge that you see in the distance is the location of the dam that creates the lake...
Mike hiked up the lake trail and found us there at the fishing spot. He walked back with us to the camper. Jen and Claire were at the Unicoi lodge for some "WiFi" time. Mike and I dropped Eric off at the lodge. Then it was time for some hiking!
Mike and I hiked the Smith Creek trail that leads up to some beautiful water falls called Anna Ruby Falls. We did this hike last year in the opposite direction. While hiking Mike saw a baby bear. He said "There is a baby bear!" I never saw the bear because I was too busy looking around for mama bear!
Here is a video of Mike on the trail in front of me....
Another video of what we saw at the top of our hike...
Thursday was tubing all day. Eric and I completed three long runs! Mike joined us after the first run or he would have done three also. Claire and Jenny did two runs and then also enjoyed some town time together. We also enjoyed a nice picnic lunch after the first run. In the evening Mike joined us for our last Unicoi dinner. Jen had marinated some chicken that I grilled. We had a nice fire going and Mike stayed again for some family game time. Then it was time to say so long to Mike. We knew we probably wouldn't see him before departing in the morning, and we didn't. It was so nice to have a good friend with us to experience one of our favorite vacation destinations.
We got up early on Friday and departed the campground. We had a tradition of stopping at the lodge for a breakfast or lunch. This year is was the buffet breakfast. We all headed down the road with full tummies!
I am writing this on Friday evening the 20th of July. Tonight we are in our last camping spot at a KOA in Tifton, GA. Tomorrow we return to Tampa. What an amazing journey this has been! Thanks for reading along.
Jenny will be having some post trip blogs to enter after we return to Tampa so stay tuned for those!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Unicoi State Park and Helen, GA
(Note: we don't have WiFi unless we go to the Lodge, so blogging will be limited. We're planning on leaving here Friday, staying somewhere near Tifton Friday night, and getting back home on Saturday. We will be posting additional entries even after we get back home, so watch for those, too.)
We arrived at Unicoi on Sunday, and managed to get our favorite campsite: Little Brook loop, # 15. This site backs up to the mountain, so we have "Eric's personal mountain" right here with us.
Mike met us here, and started timing our set-up. Ray was shouting orders (even though we all knew what to do), since the clock was ticking. "Ready for water! Electric! Canopy!" Eight minutes, and all done.
Mike had stopped at Fred's Famous Peanuts on the way up the mountain, and we all enjoyed some yummy boiled peanuts after our set-up. Then, we got into our swimsuits and water shoes, and headed into town for some tubing down the Chatahoochee River. Two and a half hours of fun.
This was probably the most fun trip down the river I've ever had. The water was high, which makes navigating the rocks and rapids much easier. We're pros when it comes to tubing here, since we all know just about every rock and shoot, which spots to avoid, and which routes to take. "To the right, along the bank, then immediately to the left and around those rocks!" Combine our experience with the high water, and we barley needed our push sticks.
Mike, of course, had to add some comical detail. He wore his green Army helmet, which made it easy to spot him as he bobbed down the river. It was probably the 1st time someone ever wore an Army helmet while tubing down this river, and it actually came in handy. He got stuck on a rock, facing backward, and while trying to get unstuck, he flipped backward, with the tube flying up and over him. He felt the helmet hit a rock as he tipped, then the helmet went down river toward Ray, while the tube floated away and got stuck on another rock. Mike had a hard time going down river for a while without his tube until he caught up with it, but at least he was unscathed, and his helmet was saved.
Later, I was telling Mike that he needed to get over to the left side to avoid some rocks, and that this was the only way to get through that part of the river. Just as I was giving my expert advice, I flipped completely over, head over heels. I was laughing so hard, as the water was rushing over me, knocking me down again, I thought I would drown if I couldn't stop laughing. I somehow managed to grab my tube and my push stick (amazing that I didn't lose either one), and sat back down in the shallow river, just holding on and laughing. The rest of the group saw the whole thing, and later told me that they were glad to see me laughing because they knew they didn't have to worry, and they continued on down the river, turning back and watching me until I was too far back.
The way that I was situated in the river would have made it easy for me to stand up and jump back up onto the tube, except for one thing: the force of the water, rushing against my back as I sat there, had pushed my swimsuit bottoms a little too low. I could not stand up without mooning the tubers behind me. Giggling at my predicament, I scooted along the big rocks until I got to a spot that was a little deeper, transferred the push stick to the hand holding the tube, and with my other hand, pulled up my bottoms. I stood up and jumped in, still laughing at myself. That was better than a ride at any water park!
All was good until I realized I had lost my hat. My Cool River Tubing hat! I bought that 10 years ago, the 1st time we went tubing. It's the yellow hat that I'm wearing in the picture that Cool River Tubing Company put on their website a few years ago, and is still their banner picture.
The idea of losing that hat got me so bummed, I intentionally got myself stuck on a rock, and sat there hoping to see the hat popping up from where I had flipped, and start to float toward me. I finally resigned myself to the fact that I would never see that old hat again, and pushed off. Ray had been waiting for me, and I told him the sad story of my hat. He said, "Eric has your hat! I thought you knew he grabbed it!" To which I replied, "How would I know Eric had it? I was under water!"
We arrived at Unicoi on Sunday, and managed to get our favorite campsite: Little Brook loop, # 15. This site backs up to the mountain, so we have "Eric's personal mountain" right here with us.
Mike met us here, and started timing our set-up. Ray was shouting orders (even though we all knew what to do), since the clock was ticking. "Ready for water! Electric! Canopy!" Eight minutes, and all done.
Mike had stopped at Fred's Famous Peanuts on the way up the mountain, and we all enjoyed some yummy boiled peanuts after our set-up. Then, we got into our swimsuits and water shoes, and headed into town for some tubing down the Chatahoochee River. Two and a half hours of fun.
This was probably the most fun trip down the river I've ever had. The water was high, which makes navigating the rocks and rapids much easier. We're pros when it comes to tubing here, since we all know just about every rock and shoot, which spots to avoid, and which routes to take. "To the right, along the bank, then immediately to the left and around those rocks!" Combine our experience with the high water, and we barley needed our push sticks.
Mike, of course, had to add some comical detail. He wore his green Army helmet, which made it easy to spot him as he bobbed down the river. It was probably the 1st time someone ever wore an Army helmet while tubing down this river, and it actually came in handy. He got stuck on a rock, facing backward, and while trying to get unstuck, he flipped backward, with the tube flying up and over him. He felt the helmet hit a rock as he tipped, then the helmet went down river toward Ray, while the tube floated away and got stuck on another rock. Mike had a hard time going down river for a while without his tube until he caught up with it, but at least he was unscathed, and his helmet was saved.
Later, I was telling Mike that he needed to get over to the left side to avoid some rocks, and that this was the only way to get through that part of the river. Just as I was giving my expert advice, I flipped completely over, head over heels. I was laughing so hard, as the water was rushing over me, knocking me down again, I thought I would drown if I couldn't stop laughing. I somehow managed to grab my tube and my push stick (amazing that I didn't lose either one), and sat back down in the shallow river, just holding on and laughing. The rest of the group saw the whole thing, and later told me that they were glad to see me laughing because they knew they didn't have to worry, and they continued on down the river, turning back and watching me until I was too far back.
The way that I was situated in the river would have made it easy for me to stand up and jump back up onto the tube, except for one thing: the force of the water, rushing against my back as I sat there, had pushed my swimsuit bottoms a little too low. I could not stand up without mooning the tubers behind me. Giggling at my predicament, I scooted along the big rocks until I got to a spot that was a little deeper, transferred the push stick to the hand holding the tube, and with my other hand, pulled up my bottoms. I stood up and jumped in, still laughing at myself. That was better than a ride at any water park!
All was good until I realized I had lost my hat. My Cool River Tubing hat! I bought that 10 years ago, the 1st time we went tubing. It's the yellow hat that I'm wearing in the picture that Cool River Tubing Company put on their website a few years ago, and is still their banner picture.
The idea of losing that hat got me so bummed, I intentionally got myself stuck on a rock, and sat there hoping to see the hat popping up from where I had flipped, and start to float toward me. I finally resigned myself to the fact that I would never see that old hat again, and pushed off. Ray had been waiting for me, and I told him the sad story of my hat. He said, "Eric has your hat! I thought you knew he grabbed it!" To which I replied, "How would I know Eric had it? I was under water!"
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Winchester, VA to Asheville, NC
Another nice trip today. We did have some rain on the way down but it didn't last long. That was great because it is very challenging while driving through mountain interstate roads in the rain.
Sometimes I change things up and get a little silly while driving. Jen snapped a shot...
I told Jen I think I look pretty cool with my hat on backwards :-) This picture was actually taken the day before but I forgot to include it. But, I get a little silly every day so it doesn't matter.
We drove through some very pretty mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina.
At the end of the day when the camper is all set up, it was always nice to relax for a bit....
Loving my Tervis. It holds coffee in the morning, sometimes soda, then beer :-)
Sometimes I change things up and get a little silly while driving. Jen snapped a shot...
We drove through some very pretty mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina.
At the end of the day when the camper is all set up, it was always nice to relax for a bit....
New York to Winchester, VA
July 13, 2012 Friday
We had a nice smooth depart from Barb's this morning at 8:43am. We had such a great time there. It felt like being home to me. Very relaxing. Hopefully we weren't too much of a bother.
As I write this (Sunday morning July 15th) I am looking out the camper window. Jenny and the kids are still asleep. There is a beautiful sunrise coming up through the trees. Very nice.
Our journey to Winchester was nice. Not too much traffic even though it was a Friday.
The campground was one of the best yet. The weather was overcast but cool.
Here is a view of our site. We had a really nice front yard. Eric and I and Jenny played catch there with a football, scoopers and Frisbee.
We even had a nice birdhouse in our yard. It was filled with sparrows. Very happy as they went about their business of caring for their young and singing their cheerful songs....
I must give a shout out to my nephew Travis. Thanks to him we have use of our table again. The one that attaches to the door of the camper when we are in the campsite. It was coming apart and he fixed it up for us. Travis also fixed the table inside the camper too. Thanks Travis!!!
Jenny played a couple games of pool with Eric. She sent me this picture showing her current status. She had solids and was in a tough spot...
Oh, yes. I also had time for a short swim - LOL!
I got out of there very quickly :-)
We had a nice smooth depart from Barb's this morning at 8:43am. We had such a great time there. It felt like being home to me. Very relaxing. Hopefully we weren't too much of a bother.
As I write this (Sunday morning July 15th) I am looking out the camper window. Jenny and the kids are still asleep. There is a beautiful sunrise coming up through the trees. Very nice.
Our journey to Winchester was nice. Not too much traffic even though it was a Friday.
The campground was one of the best yet. The weather was overcast but cool.
Here is a view of our site. We had a really nice front yard. Eric and I and Jenny played catch there with a football, scoopers and Frisbee.
We even had a nice birdhouse in our yard. It was filled with sparrows. Very happy as they went about their business of caring for their young and singing their cheerful songs....
I must give a shout out to my nephew Travis. Thanks to him we have use of our table again. The one that attaches to the door of the camper when we are in the campsite. It was coming apart and he fixed it up for us. Travis also fixed the table inside the camper too. Thanks Travis!!!
Jenny played a couple games of pool with Eric. She sent me this picture showing her current status. She had solids and was in a tough spot...
Oh, yes. I also had time for a short swim - LOL!
Friday, July 13, 2012
Trip Prep, Apples to Apples & Chinese
July 12, 2012 Thursday
Today we prepared for the next leg of our journey. We depart tomorrow for a two night / three day trip to the north Georgia mountains. Each year for the past 10 years we have stayed at Unicoi State Park and enjoyed the nearby amenities and fun stuff in Helen, GA.
So, most of the day was spent preparing the camper, doing last minute laundry and packing the back of the van. We did enjoy a card game for a bit.
Barb arrived home from work at about 4:15. Jen made her a gin & tonic and I met her at the door with it. That was fun! She liked that :-)
For dinner we had take out Chinese. We haven't had that in quite a while (since before this trip) so that was a big treat.
After dinner we played Apples to Apples together. That is always a fun time.
Today we prepared for the next leg of our journey. We depart tomorrow for a two night / three day trip to the north Georgia mountains. Each year for the past 10 years we have stayed at Unicoi State Park and enjoyed the nearby amenities and fun stuff in Helen, GA.
So, most of the day was spent preparing the camper, doing last minute laundry and packing the back of the van. We did enjoy a card game for a bit.
Barb arrived home from work at about 4:15. Jen made her a gin & tonic and I met her at the door with it. That was fun! She liked that :-)
For dinner we had take out Chinese. We haven't had that in quite a while (since before this trip) so that was a big treat.
After dinner we played Apples to Apples together. That is always a fun time.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Hamburgers on the grill
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
Barb had to return to work today. So, we wanted to do something fun and easy when she returned in the afternoon. We made plans to head down to the lake and swim, relax and grill some burgers. We also loaded the kayaks and took them along too. Jen and I had all the picnic stuff ready to go when Barb returned home. She mentioned more than once how enjoyable it was to have the food all packed and ready!
Barb's son Travis and his two boys also joined us. It's always a fun and active time when little Tucker and his big brother Logan are visiting.
Here is Tucker with his sand castle that he and Barb built....
Note that those are real rocks on that beach. Something you do not see in Florida.
Of course Logan and Eric got right down to the serious activity of fishing. If they got paid for fishing I think they could have funded our trip out west! An added adventure that they both enjoyed was fishing from the kayaks. Here is a short video clip when they launched the kayaks and headed on a fishing adventure together...
I grilled the burgers after the boys got back from their kayaking. We had watermelon, chips and pickles to go with the burgers.
Barb and I also took the opportunity to have a sunset kayak ride together. The lake was very calm and a beautiful evening was settling in....
Back at the house we sat and talked for a bit and Barb & Jen worked on their puzzle for a little while. Then we turned on the TV and watched a couple episodes of Family Feud. The channel was having a Family Feud marathon. I made it through two of the episodes. When I headed in to go to bed I could still hear the TV. I drifted off to sleep still trying to come up with answers!
Barb had to return to work today. So, we wanted to do something fun and easy when she returned in the afternoon. We made plans to head down to the lake and swim, relax and grill some burgers. We also loaded the kayaks and took them along too. Jen and I had all the picnic stuff ready to go when Barb returned home. She mentioned more than once how enjoyable it was to have the food all packed and ready!
Barb's son Travis and his two boys also joined us. It's always a fun and active time when little Tucker and his big brother Logan are visiting.
Here is Tucker with his sand castle that he and Barb built....
Of course Logan and Eric got right down to the serious activity of fishing. If they got paid for fishing I think they could have funded our trip out west! An added adventure that they both enjoyed was fishing from the kayaks. Here is a short video clip when they launched the kayaks and headed on a fishing adventure together...
I grilled the burgers after the boys got back from their kayaking. We had watermelon, chips and pickles to go with the burgers.
Barb and I also took the opportunity to have a sunset kayak ride together. The lake was very calm and a beautiful evening was settling in....
Back at the house we sat and talked for a bit and Barb & Jen worked on their puzzle for a little while. Then we turned on the TV and watched a couple episodes of Family Feud. The channel was having a Family Feud marathon. I made it through two of the episodes. When I headed in to go to bed I could still hear the TV. I drifted off to sleep still trying to come up with answers!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Navigation
I'm sitting out on Barb's back balcony, enjoying the beautiful breeze and scenery.
Today, we're doing our grocery shopping to begin the next leg of the trip. Tomorrow, Thursday, we start the packing. Early Friday morning, we'll be on the road again, but not for long. We'll stay somewhere near Winchester, VA, Friday night, then somewhere near Asheville, NC, Saturday night. We never know exactly where we'll land until we're on the road. During our first 21 days on the road, we perfected our navigation methods. While Ray is driving (that's right: Ray never gave up the wheel), I have all my books laid out on my lap and on the dash in the car.
Before we started the trip, Ray created a really good Excel spreadsheet, showing all our stops and points of interest, with dates, mileage, hours, cities, etc. Below is a screenshot of the file for the 1st part of the trip. (Sorry it came out blurry, but you get the drift.)
So, as we depart each morning, we know approximately how many miles and hours we want to be on the road that day, and which city to use to start my search for a suitable campground. Using Ray's spreadsheet, my nifty Road Atlas ($1 on a whim at a thrift-store book rack), the Woodall's guide to campgrounds across the country (purchased specifically for this trip), The Next Exit internet guide (an invaluable book when traveling the interstates), and the KOA guide, I find the right spot for each night. Then the phone calls begin, to check for availability and prices. As I've said before, these aren't the kind of campgrounds that we usually visit, but for one-night stands, they've been pretty good.
When we're at our campsite, or as shown above, at Barb's, we pull out the laptop, too, so we can verify the driving route on Google maps. Sometimes the GPS wants to take us strange ways, so we like to confirm the route before we take off. (That was a lesson learned not once, but twice.)
The Next Exit is a guide to services such as, food, gas, motels, auto repair, rest stops, grocery stores, etc., at every exit along every interstate in the country. We highly recommend this guide to anyone who plans to drive along the interstates while traveling. The times that we're on non-interstate roads, we really miss this book.
I like not having to drive, and Ray likes not having to make any phone calls. (We each think we got the better end of the deal.) The over-the-road planning gives us a nice distraction while we're trekking along those many miles every day.
Today, we're doing our grocery shopping to begin the next leg of the trip. Tomorrow, Thursday, we start the packing. Early Friday morning, we'll be on the road again, but not for long. We'll stay somewhere near Winchester, VA, Friday night, then somewhere near Asheville, NC, Saturday night. We never know exactly where we'll land until we're on the road. During our first 21 days on the road, we perfected our navigation methods. While Ray is driving (that's right: Ray never gave up the wheel), I have all my books laid out on my lap and on the dash in the car.
Before we started the trip, Ray created a really good Excel spreadsheet, showing all our stops and points of interest, with dates, mileage, hours, cities, etc. Below is a screenshot of the file for the 1st part of the trip. (Sorry it came out blurry, but you get the drift.)
So, as we depart each morning, we know approximately how many miles and hours we want to be on the road that day, and which city to use to start my search for a suitable campground. Using Ray's spreadsheet, my nifty Road Atlas ($1 on a whim at a thrift-store book rack), the Woodall's guide to campgrounds across the country (purchased specifically for this trip), The Next Exit internet guide (an invaluable book when traveling the interstates), and the KOA guide, I find the right spot for each night. Then the phone calls begin, to check for availability and prices. As I've said before, these aren't the kind of campgrounds that we usually visit, but for one-night stands, they've been pretty good.
When we're at our campsite, or as shown above, at Barb's, we pull out the laptop, too, so we can verify the driving route on Google maps. Sometimes the GPS wants to take us strange ways, so we like to confirm the route before we take off. (That was a lesson learned not once, but twice.)
The Next Exit is a guide to services such as, food, gas, motels, auto repair, rest stops, grocery stores, etc., at every exit along every interstate in the country. We highly recommend this guide to anyone who plans to drive along the interstates while traveling. The times that we're on non-interstate roads, we really miss this book.
I like not having to drive, and Ray likes not having to make any phone calls. (We each think we got the better end of the deal.) The over-the-road planning gives us a nice distraction while we're trekking along those many miles every day.
Another grand hike & lunch at Sue's house
July 10, 2012 Tuesday
I went to bed WAY to late last night. It was almost midnight. Barb was up before me this morning for our second hike. I got up at about 5:15am. It was very early but we had another exciting hike planned for this morning.
The hike this morning wasn't as strenuous as the previous one. There wasn't a constant uphill climb. We were still out for about five and a half hours but only covered 7 1/2 miles. We walked slower and really enjoyed the views more.
We found this hike online and there were coordinates and pictures and trail maps. Barb had the maps and pictures downloaded onto her notebook. I had the coordinates entered into my phone GPS program. We even had a steep uphill bushwhack to complete too. Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal except that the GPS program that I have on my phone is not the best for navigating to a way-point. We were doing a lot of guessing and the GPS was jumping around a lot due to the tree cover, etc. If we try this again I want to have a real GPS.
Here is our first view from the Palenville Overlook...
The view was nice but the neat part was where we sat to see it. Someone had taken flat stones from a nearby foundation and built a three seat rock formation!
We also got a neat picture of a rock formation called Indian Head. We hiked over there next....
There was an old fire pit here. We have seen a lot of these fire pits in various locations but this one came with utensils! Someone had left behind a hamburger turner and tongs too....
Here is a picture of me in need of a little help. I reached out to Barb but she said she had to get a picture first....
I just had to get a picture of this neat looking mushroom growing on the side of a tree. It was so vibrant and colorful...
Here is a picture of Barb on trail...
We stopped at a spot called Boulder Rock next. We both tried our hardest but it wouldn't budge...
I went to bed WAY to late last night. It was almost midnight. Barb was up before me this morning for our second hike. I got up at about 5:15am. It was very early but we had another exciting hike planned for this morning.
The hike this morning wasn't as strenuous as the previous one. There wasn't a constant uphill climb. We were still out for about five and a half hours but only covered 7 1/2 miles. We walked slower and really enjoyed the views more.
We found this hike online and there were coordinates and pictures and trail maps. Barb had the maps and pictures downloaded onto her notebook. I had the coordinates entered into my phone GPS program. We even had a steep uphill bushwhack to complete too. Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal except that the GPS program that I have on my phone is not the best for navigating to a way-point. We were doing a lot of guessing and the GPS was jumping around a lot due to the tree cover, etc. If we try this again I want to have a real GPS.
Here is our first view from the Palenville Overlook...
The view was nice but the neat part was where we sat to see it. Someone had taken flat stones from a nearby foundation and built a three seat rock formation!
We also got a neat picture of a rock formation called Indian Head. We hiked over there next....
There was an old fire pit here. We have seen a lot of these fire pits in various locations but this one came with utensils! Someone had left behind a hamburger turner and tongs too....
Here is a picture of me in need of a little help. I reached out to Barb but she said she had to get a picture first....
I just had to get a picture of this neat looking mushroom growing on the side of a tree. It was so vibrant and colorful...
Here is a picture of Barb on trail...
We stopped at a spot called Boulder Rock next. We both tried our hardest but it wouldn't budge...
After our return home from our hike we headed down to Sue's house in Rhinebeck for a nice lunch and swim time. Here is Eric enjoying the pool area. A pool or swimming spot is always a favorite place to be for Eric...
In the evening back at Barb's we ordered pizza for dinner. Barb also made hot wings to go with it. I headed off to bed early - very tired - it was a fun day for sure!
Picnic at the lake
July 9th, 2012 Monday
Today we had a beautiful day spent at a lake in the Catskill mountains.
Here is the view from our picnic area. Eric is fishing off to the right.
Here is a short panoramic video of the our picnic spot....
After lunch we took a nice hike and visited a beautiful expansive area overlooking the Hudson River in a distance. This spot was the location of the Catskill Mountain House.
Here is everyone poised on a flat rock area at the overlook...
Note Barb's right foot and Jenny's left foot still pointed toward safer ground :-)
On our hike we also visited Alligator Rock (also known as Whale Rock). Note the rocks placed inside the open mouth area for teeth. The kids climbed inside for a photo....
While we were on our hike we stopped at another spot along the lake. Eric and I waded into the water and we skipped stones too. Briar fetched sticks thrown into the water. We stayed there quite a long time.
Here is a little video of Briar enjoying a stick tossed into the water....
When we returned to the beach area, Eric took a short swim. I had an opportunity to take a stealth photo of Jen looking at the lake area while Eric was swimming. So many times on this trip we found each other gazing at beautiful areas like this...
In the evening we had a nice dinner of lasagna and then watched a movie called Fried Green Tomatoes. It was a very good movie.
Today we had a beautiful day spent at a lake in the Catskill mountains.
Here is the view from our picnic area. Eric is fishing off to the right.
Here is a short panoramic video of the our picnic spot....
After lunch we took a nice hike and visited a beautiful expansive area overlooking the Hudson River in a distance. This spot was the location of the Catskill Mountain House.
Here is everyone poised on a flat rock area at the overlook...
On our hike we also visited Alligator Rock (also known as Whale Rock). Note the rocks placed inside the open mouth area for teeth. The kids climbed inside for a photo....
While we were on our hike we stopped at another spot along the lake. Eric and I waded into the water and we skipped stones too. Briar fetched sticks thrown into the water. We stayed there quite a long time.
Here is a little video of Briar enjoying a stick tossed into the water....
When we returned to the beach area, Eric took a short swim. I had an opportunity to take a stealth photo of Jen looking at the lake area while Eric was swimming. So many times on this trip we found each other gazing at beautiful areas like this...
In the evening we had a nice dinner of lasagna and then watched a movie called Fried Green Tomatoes. It was a very good movie.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Change of plans, a change for the better!
On our original plan, we were going to make a few stops on the way from New York State to Unicoi State Park in Helen, Georgia. We were planning on going to the Walton Museum and stopping to see Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway, both in Virginia. With that plan, we would leave New York on Tuesday, July 10 and arrive at Unicoi on the afternoon of Sunday, July 12. For the last 10 years, we have always arrived at Unicoi on Sunday, so we get there when the weekend visitors are leaving and we get our choice of campsites.
Somewhere along our trip, we started talking about changing the stops between New York and Unicoi. Because we wanted to keep this measure of flexibility, we didn't make reservations in advance. We thought about maybe going to DC for a day (2 nights), but decided that a DC visit deserves more time than one day. We looked into arriving at Unicoi a couple of days early, and getting home early. This would have worked great for Claire, because there are some Band events she's missed and this plan would have allowed her to attend one of them.
But alas, there is absolutely no availability at Unicoi for Friday and Saturday nights. So, after all of this discussion and planning, we are back to our original dates for Unicoi, July 15 through July 20, getting home late Saturday, July 21.
What this does give us, though, is extra time here in New York, visiting family and not feeling rushed. We got to see almost everyone at Sue and Jim's Independence Day party, but these additional visits are more intimate and relaxed. I am so glad that over the years, we have come to New York at least once per year. We've been able to watch cousins, nieces, and nephews grow up, graduate, get married, have kids of their own. Even though we live so far away, we've remained close. These extra few days are so nice. Especially since we have such a gracious hostess, who hasn't kicked us out yet. ;-)
Somewhere along our trip, we started talking about changing the stops between New York and Unicoi. Because we wanted to keep this measure of flexibility, we didn't make reservations in advance. We thought about maybe going to DC for a day (2 nights), but decided that a DC visit deserves more time than one day. We looked into arriving at Unicoi a couple of days early, and getting home early. This would have worked great for Claire, because there are some Band events she's missed and this plan would have allowed her to attend one of them.
But alas, there is absolutely no availability at Unicoi for Friday and Saturday nights. So, after all of this discussion and planning, we are back to our original dates for Unicoi, July 15 through July 20, getting home late Saturday, July 21.
What this does give us, though, is extra time here in New York, visiting family and not feeling rushed. We got to see almost everyone at Sue and Jim's Independence Day party, but these additional visits are more intimate and relaxed. I am so glad that over the years, we have come to New York at least once per year. We've been able to watch cousins, nieces, and nephews grow up, graduate, get married, have kids of their own. Even though we live so far away, we've remained close. These extra few days are so nice. Especially since we have such a gracious hostess, who hasn't kicked us out yet. ;-)
Monday, July 9, 2012
A relaxing day and family game times
July 8, 2012 Sunday
It was a relaxing day at Barb's house with no particular plans. These are nice days to have.
Barb and I took Logan and Eric down to the lake for some fishing time again. The boys caught 38 fish between them. Besides the usual sunfish, Logan caught two perch and a 10.5 inch bass too. They both have a great time together and are very compatible.
Jenny drove to the grocery store to pick up a few items. Claire slept in late.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a nice game of Rummikube together. Barb made some Mexican dip and we enjoyed that with some tortilla chips.
After a while Barb's son Travis came over to visit and pick up Logan. He and the boys stayed for dinner. We had Tacos.
After dinner we had more family game time and played Catchphrase together.
It was a relaxing day at Barb's house with no particular plans. These are nice days to have.
Barb and I took Logan and Eric down to the lake for some fishing time again. The boys caught 38 fish between them. Besides the usual sunfish, Logan caught two perch and a 10.5 inch bass too. They both have a great time together and are very compatible.
Jenny drove to the grocery store to pick up a few items. Claire slept in late.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a nice game of Rummikube together. Barb made some Mexican dip and we enjoyed that with some tortilla chips.
After a while Barb's son Travis came over to visit and pick up Logan. He and the boys stayed for dinner. We had Tacos.
After dinner we had more family game time and played Catchphrase together.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Pension check and a one-eyed chicken
July 7th, 2012 Saturday
I got my first pension check from FedEx this morning! Deposited right into my account. Cool!
Barb and I enjoyed an nice morning out on her back deck. Coffee for me and tea for Barb. The birds were singing cheerfully as I type this.
After breakfast we headed down to the lake with the boys (Eric & his cousin Logan) and Claire went too. The boys had a great time fishing. This time they put their fish on stringers and kept count of how many fish. Here is a picture of the end result. Note: the fish were all released (all 19 of them) and all but one of them swam away happily. The other one was struggling but looked like he would be okay.
In the afternoon we went for a ride and visited Barb's son Travis & his wife Becky at their new home. Becky & Travis have two boys, Logan and Tucker (Logan has been pictured with Eric many times now). The house is situated on a nice piece of property with a back porch view of a beautiful horse farm with Catskill mountains in the background.
We had snacks and a couple drinks while we visited with the rest of their family....
They have some beautiful labs there at their home and breed them too.
Spiderman also showed up for a visit too (he was smaller than usual - I think it was Tucker)
But, one of the highlights of the afternoon for me was meeting a very healthy but small one-eyed chicken! He is being kept separate from the other chickens because of his size. Once he grows bigger he will be released into the chicken coop to live a normal healthy life. How cool is that.
After we left their home we drove to Hudson NY to a restaurant called American Glory BBQ. The food was good but the entertainment was grand. Our niece Erin Hobson and her band "The Compact" were on the stage. What a treat! There were 12 family members there to enjoy the show.
And....guess who got to take the stage for a chance to sing with Erin? Why, Claire of course! Here is a short clip taken toward the end of the song. Sorry for the quality of the video but it was very dark in the restaurant. It was such a treat to see the two cousins on stage together. Oh, and the excited little toddler during the song and cheering at the end of the song is Claire's little cousin Zoe.
I got my first pension check from FedEx this morning! Deposited right into my account. Cool!
Barb and I enjoyed an nice morning out on her back deck. Coffee for me and tea for Barb. The birds were singing cheerfully as I type this.
After breakfast we headed down to the lake with the boys (Eric & his cousin Logan) and Claire went too. The boys had a great time fishing. This time they put their fish on stringers and kept count of how many fish. Here is a picture of the end result. Note: the fish were all released (all 19 of them) and all but one of them swam away happily. The other one was struggling but looked like he would be okay.
In the afternoon we went for a ride and visited Barb's son Travis & his wife Becky at their new home. Becky & Travis have two boys, Logan and Tucker (Logan has been pictured with Eric many times now). The house is situated on a nice piece of property with a back porch view of a beautiful horse farm with Catskill mountains in the background.
We had snacks and a couple drinks while we visited with the rest of their family....
Spiderman also showed up for a visit too (he was smaller than usual - I think it was Tucker)
But, one of the highlights of the afternoon for me was meeting a very healthy but small one-eyed chicken! He is being kept separate from the other chickens because of his size. Once he grows bigger he will be released into the chicken coop to live a normal healthy life. How cool is that.
After we left their home we drove to Hudson NY to a restaurant called American Glory BBQ. The food was good but the entertainment was grand. Our niece Erin Hobson and her band "The Compact" were on the stage. What a treat! There were 12 family members there to enjoy the show.
And....guess who got to take the stage for a chance to sing with Erin? Why, Claire of course! Here is a short clip taken toward the end of the song. Sorry for the quality of the video but it was very dark in the restaurant. It was such a treat to see the two cousins on stage together. Oh, and the excited little toddler during the song and cheering at the end of the song is Claire's little cousin Zoe.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Hiking, swimming & a pizza finish
July 6th, 2012 Friday
This morning Barb & I had fun doing something that we both enjoy so much. We took a 5.5 hour hike in the Catskill mountains near her house. We were up at 5am and returned home at about noon!
Barb enjoying an overlook...
And, of course I had to get one of my signature pictures enjoying this as well....
Here is a short video of our view during our traditional hiking snack of trail mix and an apple each...
After a quick shower and sharing our hiking stories at Barb's house we loaded up the van and headed for my sister Sue's house.
Here is Sue, enjoying something she loves doing - smiling!
Eric had a fun time giving his cousin Tucker a piggy back ride in the pool...
And here I am with Claire doing what I like to do....relaxing!
We were also joined by my sister Kathy and her husband Jim. Sue ordered in some fantastic pizza for us all to enjoy. We talked late into the evening sharing stories, memories and having a fun time.
This morning Barb & I had fun doing something that we both enjoy so much. We took a 5.5 hour hike in the Catskill mountains near her house. We were up at 5am and returned home at about noon!
Barb enjoying an overlook...
And, of course I had to get one of my signature pictures enjoying this as well....
Here is a short video of our view during our traditional hiking snack of trail mix and an apple each...
After a quick shower and sharing our hiking stories at Barb's house we loaded up the van and headed for my sister Sue's house.
Here is Sue, enjoying something she loves doing - smiling!
Eric had a fun time giving his cousin Tucker a piggy back ride in the pool...
And here I am with Claire doing what I like to do....relaxing!
We were also joined by my sister Kathy and her husband Jim. Sue ordered in some fantastic pizza for us all to enjoy. We talked late into the evening sharing stories, memories and having a fun time.
Swimming, Fishing, & Family
Thursday, July 5
It has been a busy couple of days for sure. There have been lots of fun activities and relaxing family times. I was so busy yesterday from dusk to dawn that I had no time to update the blog!
In the morning Jen & I went to the store together to pick up some items. Jen wants to fix a nice dinner for everyone so she had fun planning that and picking out some yummy stuff!
In the early afternoon Barb and I took Claire and Eric down to the beach. Jen relaxed at the house by herself.
Barb relaxing in one of the many Adirondack chairs that they have by the lake...
Claire found a nice shady spot too....
Claire and Eric shared some brother-sister time on the dock....
Claire even helped Eric remove a couple of hooks from the fish!
Time for a swim!
After re-grouping at the house for a bit, having lunch and letting the weather cool a bit, Barb and I loaded up her kayaks on our van and headed out for a really nice time on the lake together....
In the evening we were all treated to shrimp scampi prepared by Jen. I don't have a picture because I was too busy eating. This topped off a another great day at Barb's house.
It has been a busy couple of days for sure. There have been lots of fun activities and relaxing family times. I was so busy yesterday from dusk to dawn that I had no time to update the blog!
In the morning Jen & I went to the store together to pick up some items. Jen wants to fix a nice dinner for everyone so she had fun planning that and picking out some yummy stuff!
In the early afternoon Barb and I took Claire and Eric down to the beach. Jen relaxed at the house by herself.
Barb relaxing in one of the many Adirondack chairs that they have by the lake...
Claire found a nice shady spot too....
Claire and Eric shared some brother-sister time on the dock....
Claire even helped Eric remove a couple of hooks from the fish!
Time for a swim!
After re-grouping at the house for a bit, having lunch and letting the weather cool a bit, Barb and I loaded up her kayaks on our van and headed out for a really nice time on the lake together....
In the evening we were all treated to shrimp scampi prepared by Jen. I don't have a picture because I was too busy eating. This topped off a another great day at Barb's house.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Independence Day
July 4th, 2012 Independence Day
I was up at 4:30am to take the boys fishing. It had rained overnight and the weather was nice and cool. Logan and Eric had a great time fishing together again. After running out of worms and trying their luck with lures they put the poles away for a bit and skipped stones and threw other rocks into the lake for a while. The sun came up and looked really nice on the houses across the lake. It was a nice time.
Barb walked down to the lake with Briar (her lab). I had a blast throwing a stick into the lake for Briar to retrieve. I asked Barb how long Briar could keep this up. She said all day!
Each year for many years we have traveled north to visit my Mom and attend the big family picnic at my sister Sue's house. This year because of our intense travel plans we didn't know it we would make it or not. Many people at the party said "We didn't know if you would be here!"
Jen and Barb relaxing with a puzzle before departing for the party while Briar (Barb's Lab) relaxed at their feet....
Claire has her own private room at Barb's house....
On the way to the party at Sue's house we stopped at the cemetery to see Mom's grave. It was a somber time. There were pretty flowers and other plants around the headstone. It looked really nice. A lot birds were singing in the nearby woods. The cemetery is located in a beautiful area. Rest well sweet Mom. You are missed.
Here is a picture of my sister Sue (on the left) with my sister Barb. Sue had a magnificent party. Tons of food and drink and a nice pool to go swimming. It was a beautiful day too. We only had a bit of rain toward the very end...
One of the highlights of the party was a visit from my Mom's sisters Aunt Millie (left) and Aunt Doris. It was so enjoyable to have them there....
It was late at night when we arrived back at Barb's house. It didn't take us long to head off to bed. It was a great day for sure.
I was up at 4:30am to take the boys fishing. It had rained overnight and the weather was nice and cool. Logan and Eric had a great time fishing together again. After running out of worms and trying their luck with lures they put the poles away for a bit and skipped stones and threw other rocks into the lake for a while. The sun came up and looked really nice on the houses across the lake. It was a nice time.
Barb walked down to the lake with Briar (her lab). I had a blast throwing a stick into the lake for Briar to retrieve. I asked Barb how long Briar could keep this up. She said all day!
Each year for many years we have traveled north to visit my Mom and attend the big family picnic at my sister Sue's house. This year because of our intense travel plans we didn't know it we would make it or not. Many people at the party said "We didn't know if you would be here!"
Jen and Barb relaxing with a puzzle before departing for the party while Briar (Barb's Lab) relaxed at their feet....
Claire has her own private room at Barb's house....
On the way to the party at Sue's house we stopped at the cemetery to see Mom's grave. It was a somber time. There were pretty flowers and other plants around the headstone. It looked really nice. A lot birds were singing in the nearby woods. The cemetery is located in a beautiful area. Rest well sweet Mom. You are missed.
Here is a picture of my sister Sue (on the left) with my sister Barb. Sue had a magnificent party. Tons of food and drink and a nice pool to go swimming. It was a beautiful day too. We only had a bit of rain toward the very end...
One of the highlights of the party was a visit from my Mom's sisters Aunt Millie (left) and Aunt Doris. It was so enjoyable to have them there....
It was late at night when we arrived back at Barb's house. It didn't take us long to head off to bed. It was a great day for sure.
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