Florida December - January 2017

Wednesday, December 28, 2016:  Snowbirds to Florida

At 6PM, Mike and I leave home in Runaway, our SuperStealth demo model, with a goal of Sarasota, Florida by noon New Years’ Eve. The Christmas tree is down, the holiday things put away and the RV packed.  We are tired from getting ready and this is a late start, but we want to make it to Chattanooga for lunch tomorrow with family.  We stop for the night at a Flying J between Columbus, Ohio and Cincinnati.

 

Thursday, December 29, 2016:  Running on DC only

Up at 5:30AM and on the road in 12 minutes to beat the morning traffic in Cincinnati.  We do, but then crawl for about an hour when a semi is overturned on I-75.  Traffic is heavy through Kentucky and Tennessee.  In Chattanooga, we meet my nephew’s wife and two girls for a late lunch. It’s always fun to see them on this drive south after Christmas. Traffic continues heavy.  We stop at a Flying J south of Atlanta among trucks, trailers and RVs.  These truck stops are crowded at night!  We watch two episodes of The Crown, which Mike had downloaded on our iPad Plus, which we use for the entertainment system.

 

Glitch today:  When we were slowed for the accident this morning, we noticed our inverter had failed. Runaway has a lot of new technology that we are testing.  We have a new inverter model, with new software, which the guys seriously stress tested.  This evening, Frank helps us trouble shoot, but it continues to fail.  Instead of his shipping us a new inverter, we decide to go without.   No microwave, hair dryer or air conditioning, but everything else is DC.  We’ll do a post-mortem when we get back.

 

Friday, December 30, 2016:  Renaissance Vinoy, St. Petersburg, FL

This morning, Mike turns on the heat, gets coffee, and we both shower and have breakfast.  Traffic is stop-and-go from Georgia to Tampa through messy rain and sleet.  We stop at a truck wash to get Runaway cleaned up. Back on the road, using Open Table, we make a dinner reservation in St. Petersburg at the Marchand, Renaissance Vinoy, a historic hotel on the harbor. Mike tells the valet that we are “staying the night,” without saying we are staying in the RV.  After a delicious dinner, Mike tips the valet well, tells them to keep the key since, again, we are “staying the night.”  We locate the RV at the loading dock, use the keyless entry and sleep the night there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, December 31, 2016:  New Years’ Eve in Sarasota

About midnight at our Vinoy loading dock campsite, Mike hears banging and clattering of a party tent either going up or coming down, but I sleep through it.  We have coffee on the hotel veranda and the valet brings the RV up.  Mike gives them a tour of Runaway.  We decide to stay at the hotel for breakfast.  In an elegant, sunny breakfast room, I am grateful for Mike’s adventuresome spirit and my learning to trust it. 

About 10AM on New Year’s Eve, we arrive in Sarasota at our friends’ house on Lido Key.  At sunset on the beach we have a champagne toast, with lots of other happy people of all ages.  We leave half the bottle with a large, multi-generation family celebrating in front of their motel.  For dinner we go to Selva Grill and then wander around downtown where a carnival is set up.  Families are playing games and enjoying the rides.  A lighted pineapple is high on a pole, ready to drop at midnight.  Home by 11PM, we hear fireworks as we drift off to sleep. 

 

 

Sunday, January 1, 2017:  New Years’ Day and abandoning plans

I wake up with a sore throat, cough and aches.  This flu/cold has gone through our whole family and tends to last three weeks.  We don’t want to give it to our friends here or at our next stop in Fort Myers, so we set off back to Cleveland.

 

We take I-75 to I-95 to Savannah and then Rt. 21 to I-26 past Columbia, SC.  We stop at Panera for chicken noodle soup and then stay the night at another truck stop.  It rains all night, a peaceful sound.

 

Monday, January 2, 2017:  Back home to recover

It rains all day as we drive, listening to Pandora and trying to guess the artist before we read the name on the iPhone.  At 7:30PM, I am grateful to be home. 

 

Tuesday, January 10, 2017:  Back to Florida

I’m feeling better, so at 4PM we set out again for Florida, with our goal the Tampa SuperShow the next week.  We have a new inverter and the failed one is being autopsied.  In Cleveland, it is 35 degrees, with about 4 inches of snow.  We drive I-77 to about 60 miles north of Charleston, West Virginia where we stay at a rest stop.  We eat dinner from home and listen to President Obama’s farewell address.

 

Wednesday, January 11, 2017:  Escape to the movies

At 6AM, it is 35 degrees and raining.  We have breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  In Virginia, between Bluefield and Wytheville, we stop at a Visitor Information Center where we pick up flyers on things to do in the area:  the New River Trail State Park; Crystal Springs Recreation Area; and Abington, VA, as well as schedules for bluegrass music in Galax and along the Blue Ridge Parkway Heritage Music Trail.  On our last trip through this area, we hiked the New River Trail and vowed never to come through here again, without doing this beautiful trail along the New River.  The other sites sound good, too, but it is cold and raining, so we keep driving.  Late in the afternoon, in Columbia, South Carolina, to escape both the dreary weather and too much politics on SiriusXM radio, we stop at a movie theater and see Hidden Figures.  This is uplifting.  In Orangeburg, South Carolina, we sleep-stop at a Pilot Truck Stop.  Mike and I both work on our computers.  I love my adjustable footrest, which makes the turned-around passenger seat into a comfortable chaise lounge. 

 

Thursday, January 12, 2017:  Savannah and St. Augustine

The sun comes up through the fog and we continue south.  At Savannah, we get off for the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, where we drive the 4-mile observation loop through what was a rice plantation starting back in the 1700s.  We get out and walk when a park service man waves us over to see a 14-foot alligator, sunning itself on a bank.  We take a short walk through the former slave living compound and start to hike the Plantation Island Trial, but the mosquitoes make us retreat.  From the RV, we see hawks, ducks, and a pileated woodpecker.  We now push to Crescent Beach, south of St. Augustine to meet our friend John, who has been a steady supporter of Advanced RV from the beginning, and his wife. From the second story of South Beach Grill. we overlook the ocean and enjoy a delightful dinner of southern fried fish with cheese grits.  We spend the night close by at a Flying J. 

 

 

On this beautiful clear night, with a nearly full moon, I realize something I miss about campgrounds:  enjoying an evening walk in a natural setting, sometimes with a “water feature,” and saying hello to other campers.  Here at this huge truck stop, we nod to the one trucker who is out doing laps, but the massive trucks, most parked with their engines running, and some careening in and out of the parking area, are intimidating.  We do two laps, but soon retreat to the camper to shut it all out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, January 13, 2017:  Stopping to see friends and family

We drive down to Palm Beach Gardens and enjoy a late lunch with a friend at the PGA National Resort and Spa.  This place is amazing:  spread out, with five golf courses, gorgeous landscaping, and views from the hotel patio of multiple pools and fountains.  Our friend takes us on his golf cart around the course where they are setting up for the Honda Classic in a few weeks.  From here we drive back north a bit to Jupiter, where we get a 2-mile walk around Riverbend Park and see lots of birds, including a wild peacock. Then, we meet a cousin in Jupiter for a lovely dinner, overlooking an intracoastal waterway.  We drive south again to Fort Lauderdale and sleep-stop behind the Original Pancake House, where we are to meet a friend for breakfast the next morning.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, January 14, 2017:  Alligator Alley and Fort Myers

We get an early walk on the streets of Fort Lauderdale, enjoy breakfast with our friend, and then park near Fort Lauderdale Beach.  We walk the beach, enjoying the lively Saturday crowd, playing volleyball, sunning and people watching like us. 

We have a picnic lunch out of the camper and drive across Alligator Alley, stopping at Recreation Areas to see many birds and three alligators. 

 

About 5PM, we arrive at the mobile home park where our friends Dave and Carol reside when they are not traveling. They are models for traveling in a Class B motor home and connecting with friends and family along the way.  As they say, the Class B off-the-grid features make visiting easy since we bring our own bedroom and bath. We park between their home and their Advanced RV SuperStealth.  For dinner, we go to Pinchers, in downtown Fort Myers, where the view of the lights across the river is lovely, the service is fun, and all our dinners are good – ahi tuna, mahi mahi tacos, and blackened grouper.  We stay the night in our camper at their place.

 

Sunday, January 15, 2017:  Venice Beach and Sarasota

After breakfast with Dave and Carol, we head north to Venice Beach.  Mike uses their YMCA for a workout and shower, while I walk the parking lot, putter in the RV and get some rare alone time.  We have a good lunch of southern cooking at Darrells and then walk Venice Beach.  We drive up Casey Key Road, admiring the beautiful homes overlooking the Gulf.  In Sarasota, we get groceries at Whole Foods and drive out to Lido Key, where we park on the city street next to the beach.  We get another long beach walk, enjoy the sunset and have dinner in the RV.  We settle for the night right there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    

Monday, January 16, 2017:  To the Florida RV SuperShow

Lovely morning, in the low 60’s.  We walk to Lido Beach Hotel for coffee and the newspapers.  Back in the RV, I get out our new NutriBullet Max and follow the directions to make a healthy and delicious smoothie for breakfast.  Easy.  The essential parts fit on the bottom shelf of the entry cabinet.  We take a long walk to St. Armand’s Circle and back down the beach. We clean up and have lunch in the camper.  Several people walking by stop to see the RV.

We drive to Tampa and park at a Flying J on Rt. 4 just minutes from the show.  We walk across the street to LazyDays  “RV resort” to see if they might have a spot for us tonight.  They are completely booked, with a waiting list of 300!  We walk their RV Resort, which has a huge, luxurious indoor swimming pool, a workout building, and rows upon rows of gorgeous Class A’s, most towing a car.  We talk to the couple in the one Class B we see, a bright red Winnebago Travado.  They are camping out, waiting at LazyDays for a part to come in.   For dinner, we meet friends from Cleveland, and their friends from Switzerland, who are all going to the SuperShow.  We “camp” at Walmart close to the fairgrounds.

 

Tuesday, January 17, 2017:  Industry Day at the Florida RV SuperShow

When we registered for the SuperShow, campsites with services were full, so we reserved “dry camping. ” This turns out to be a tight parking lot next to the registration office, but that is OK.   At the show, we meet our friends and explore the Class B’s and the assorted RV items for sale in the huge expo hall.  We meet several suppliers and other RV manufacturers.  We have dinner with our friends at the Hard Rock Café in the Seminole Casino across the street from the show. 

 

Wednesday, January 18, 2017:  More SuperShow, Orlando and Jacksonville

Early in the morning, we drive to Flying J, dump and fuel.  In the parking lot of the SuperShow, we show Runaway to potential clients.  We tour the rest of the Class B’s and meet an Advanced RV client for lunch.  Next, we head to Orlando and show the RV to another interested couple.  We then intend to make it to Savannah for dinner at Elizabeth’s on 37^th, but traffic through Jacksonville is slow, so we stop for dinner at a new Thai restaurant there, Pat Thai, recommended on Yelp.  It is good and fresh and we enjoy the young, recently immigrated Thai woman who attentively waits on us.  We sleep-stop at a Pilot truck stop, near St. Mary’s, Georgia. 

 

Thursday, January 19, 2017:  Savannah and Kiawah Island

After sleeping 9 ½ hours, we catch up on emails and phone calls.  At 11:30AM we arrive at the Savannah Visitors Center and get recommendations for a walking route and a place for lunch.  We walk north on Bull St. to the Savannah River, enjoy a Cajun lunch at Huey’s, walk Emmet Park, and return on Abercorn, stopping in the Colonial Park Cemetery.  All along the way, we read the plaques and study the monuments in the lovely squares, shaded by live oaks, to get a bit of the history of Savannah.

At 4:30PM, arriving on Kiawah Island, we park in the parking lot at our friends’ condo, surrounded by lush vegetation.  They give us a quick driving tour of the island, where we see the elegant homes, golf courses and clubs.  We have dinner at their home, marvel at the density of the stars in the dark sky over the ocean and sleep well for the first in nine nights out of the RV. 

 

Friday, January 20, 2017:  New River Trail State Park, Virginia

At sunrise, we walk the beach at Kiawah, then have breakfast with our friends, and set off again, grateful for this luxurious break in our RV travels.  On SiriusXM, we listen to the Inauguration ceremonies. Late in the afternoon, just into Virginia on I-77, we stop at the New River Trail State Park and walk the beautiful path along the New River.  This walk, plus our morning beach walk, makes this an 8-mile day.  We sleep-stop at Cracker Barrel near Princeton, West Virginia. 

 

Saturday, January 21, 2017:  Back home

We eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel and set off, arriving home mid-afternoon.  We’ve had another good RV adventure, seeing lots of friends, family and interesting places, new and old.

 

Adirondacks, Quebec City, and East Coast: October 2 – 16, 2016

Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016:  Running away in Runaway

We depart from Mike’s Mom’s 95^th birthday party about 3PM, glad to be on the road for a long-awaited “runaway” in Runaway.  We are heading to a conference in Quebec City starting October 5, but have built in extra time to hike in the Adirondacks and enjoy the fall colors along back roads. We stop for the night at a rest stop near Rochester, New York 

 

Monday, Oct. 3, 2016:  Discovering the Adirondacks in the fall

We drive east past Utica, New York and head north on scenic Rt. 30. We wind along country roads where the fields are golden, after the cutting of hay and corn, and pass many lakes, large and small. On this sunny day, the colors are spectacular.  Pass Malone, New York, we camp at Fish Creek Public Campgrounds on South Pond, southwest of Saranac Lake.  Being able to be off the grid, we don’t use any services, but we enjoy the lake view. Our neighbor is Mike from Watertown, a retired teacher, who has been coming. here to fish for 30 years. 

 

Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016:  St. Regis Mountain
 

 
It is a gorgeous sunny morning.  At 9AM, we arrive at the trailhead for St. Regis Mountain, elevation 2,874 ft. According to the Adirondack Mountain Club guidebook, at the top we will have “the best view in the Adirondacks.”  We start out the 6.6-mile roundtrip in dense forest, marked by massive boulders.   After alternating steep rises and easy flat land, we rock scramble the final ascent, 1000 ft. in one mile.  About 2PM, we reach the granite dome summit. We eat the last of our energy bars and fruit, and then climb the fire tower.  The 360-degree view is spectacular:  lakes and ponds; trees in brilliant reds and yellows; hills and mountains, near and far. At the top of the fire tower we meet a guy from Saranac Lake, who pond-hopped here in a 16 lb. Hornbeck canoe, built not far from here.  He points out the landmarks. 

 

O
n the way down, we meet Randy and Michelle from Philadelphia.  His interior flooring company was just bought by a company in Medina, OH, not far from us in Willoughby.  They had seen our camper in the parking lot.  We make a slow descent, with Mike taking many pictures of mushrooms.  Back at the RV, Randy and Michelle soon show up.  She has a cross-shaped gash in her forehead where she was wacked by a branch on a steep descent.  She refuses any first aid while they take a quick tour of the RV.  They head to an emergency room, but promise to visit Advanced RV.   

 

We camp at High Falls Park Campground in Chateaugay, NY, east of Malone, on Rt. 11. Again, we have no need to plug in, but we the campground.  We walk to the falls, which has very little water after this dry summer.  We read David Brooks’ new book, The Road to Character, by a campfire and listen to the Vice Presidential debate on Mike’s Ipad.

 

 

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016 – Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016:  Quebec City

We head east on Rt. 11 into Vermont, and cross into Canada, east of the first finger of Lake Champlain, at the Alburg/Noyan Border Crossing, very quiet and easy.     We take back roads through lovely farmlands and well-maintained small towns to Quebec City.  At the Chateau Frontenac, the valet parks our RV in the front courtyard.  We have a great conference.  With the group, we tour the Ile D’Orleans, a beautiful agricultural island on the St. Lawrence River; the Citadelle, a fortress along the first line of Quebec’s fortifications; and walk the surrounding historic park and Old Town.  At noon Sunday we depart.  Because the hotel courtyard was shaded, there was no solar charging, but after four days of  running the refrigerator, freezer, and occasional lights unplugged, we had 37% remaining in our batteries.  

 

Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016:  Burlington, Vermont

From the Quebec City conference, we make it to Burlington, Vermont for the evening.  We walk this college town and eat a delicious farm-to-table dinner at the Farmhouse Tap and Grill.  We “sleep stop” off the grid at the boat launch parking lot on Lake Champlain.

 

Monday, Oct. 10, 2016:  Ben and Jerry’s and the White Mountains of New Hampshire

After breakfast at the Healthy Living Market and Café, less than a block from our “campsite”, we take Scenic Rt. 302 east on another sunny day, with lots of yellow birch and hills dotted with red.  We’ve hit the peak of the fall colors on this trip.  We arrive in Waterbury, Vermont, at opening time for tours of Ben and Jerry’s factory.  We join a group of about 40 people for a 30-minute guided tour, including a movie about the history of the company, a walk through production, and samples of the day’s experimental flavor (green apple and cinnamon – OK).  We enjoyed the playful atmosphere and the commitment to family farms, no GMOs, and sustainability. 

We take Rt. 112 east into the White Mountain area of New Hampshire, where near Franconia Notch we hike the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves. We stop in Glen, NH on Rt. 302 at the Red Parker Pub for dinner and to watch the Indians play the Red Sox for the American League Division Championship. We sit next to an Irish immigrant from Boston, his wife and twin 6-year old boys.  They are Red Sox fans, of course, but know our team well, too.  Everyone is kind to us Clevelanders, even after we win in a Division sweep.  We “camp” that night in the parking lot of the pub.

 

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016:  Mt. Washington Cog Railway and Demo glitch

 

We are up early to head northwest on Rt. 302 to the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  We arrive at the 8:30AM opening, but we cannot get seats until 12:30.  I had assumed that since school was back in session we would not need reservations, but then three busloads of  “leaf peepers” arrive and I understand.  This gives us a chance to hike some of Mt. Washington, the highest point of the Northeast at 6,288 ft.  We set out on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail right behind the train station.  It is gorgeous, with waterfalls and pools along the river, but tough rock scrambling.  We hike 2 ½ hours and cover only 2 ½ miles. 

We have a perfect, clear day for our ride on the Cog Railway to the top of Mt. Washington, where we have one hour to explore the Visitor Center and summit.  We learn why this mountain has the reputation as the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather,” with hurricane-force winds and blowing snow.  We enjoy the views of some of the other Presidential mountains, scramble the rocks of the summit, and chat with other visitors from all over the world. 

 

Back at the camper, we decide, after about 5 days of using the RV, it is time to empty our tanks.  This RV is a demo model, right?  Because of a power failure in the utility closet, the macerator valve actuator is without power, so the macerator does not work.  Mike, looking on the bright side, decides it is good to test out the manual back up.  We go to Walmart, and in their RV section, find a 3” sewer hose.  Behind a hotel, we locate a dump station (for the tour buses) and, with me holding a flashlight because it is now dark, Mike is able to gravity drain the tanks in 20 minutes, start to finish. 

We go south on Rt. 16 to Jonathan’s Seafood in Conway, New Hampshire.  After dinner, Mike asks the foreign-born hostess if we can spend the night there.  She looks alarmed at the couch in their lobby, and says, “Here?”  After we explain about the RV in the parking lot, her manager gives the OK, saying, “You can guard our restaurant.”


 

Wednesday, October 12, 2016:  Squam Lake, New Hampshire

We hit the road early and stop at our new favorite place, Dunkin’ Donuts.  It is clean and friendly, the coffee is good, and they have great WiFi.  We have a scenic drive down Rt. 16, past White Lake, to Rt. 25W and 3 to Holderness, New Hampshire.  We hike around Squam Lake “the most beautiful lake in New Hampshire.”  We make a novice hiker’s mistake:  planning on a 2-mile hike, we take no food or water.  The trail, although challenging, is enticing, and we end up hiking over 5 miles.  We are glad to get back to our camper. 

 

Late in the afternoon, we arrive in Pawtucket, Rhode Island at my cousin’s house, where we park the camper on a narrow city street and move into their house for two days.

 

Thursday, October 13 – Friday, October 14, 2016:  Pawtucket and Newport, Rhode Island.

We relax with my cousin and her husband, as we always do, and visit my 105-year old aunt. We enjoy exploring the harbor at Newport, including visiting the IYRS School of Technology and Trades, where they are restoring the Coronet, a 131-ft historic Schooner Yacht, launched in 1885.  We hike in the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge nearby. 

 

Friday, Oct. 14, 2016:  Train to New York City

Today we head to New York City to see our son, his fiancée, and her parents, all in from Hong Kong.  Our plan is to park the RV at the Stamford train station and take the train in.  We call the station about needing 10ft. clearance and are told that an attendant will show us where to park.  After many round and rounds, we finally find the attendant and the garage she directs us to, but the attendant there tells us that no garage can accommodate our height.  We drive around the neighboring area and find a Hilton where we leave the RV with a kind valet who promises to take care of us.  Their driver takes us to the train station.  It’s an easy train ride to the city. 

 

Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016:  Low bridges on Sawmill River Parkway

We have a great stay in the city and take the train back Saturday afternoon.  At the Hilton, the valet brings out our RV and does not want to charge us!  Grateful, Mike leaves a generous tip. 

We head towards the George Washington Bridge and GPS guides us to the Sawmill River Parkway.  As we enter the parkway, we see a sign saying “No Commercial Vehicles, Trucks or Tractor Trailers”.  Why? Does that apply to us?  Don’t think so.  Soon, we see why.  Ahead, above us is an arched stone bridge, with clearance of 9’4”.  Mike slows down, moves across three lanes of heavy, honking traffic, and gets in the lane going under the highest point of the arch.  We make it.  But, we have about 10 miles and 6 more bridges to go.  Clearances range from 9’6” to 10’6”, but using the same center lane technique, we clear them all.  When we cross the George Washington Bridge, Mike has a headache.  We drive to just east of State College, Pennsylvania, wash the RV at a Flying J and stay the night in the truck stop. 

 

Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016:  Back home

Back home safely, we are grateful that we had such good weather, saw the colors of the Northeastern foliage at their peak, stayed healthy and had fun. We did not hurt Runaway and she was a champ of a demo.  

 

 

Marcia’s RV Travels August 1 – 7, 2015 To Mattapoisett

Saturday, August 1, 2015: Off to Massachusetts in Zack
We set out from home about 10AM, heading to Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, near Cape Cod, to visit family, friends and Jose Moniz of Rollin’ On TV. We are driving Zack, a nearly new Advanced RV that we were able to recently purchase back. We wanted to get to know Zack and its systems before we put it up for sale. It is a perfect summer day since last night’s storm drove down the humidity and brought in a comfortable 80 degrees. Just before Buffalo, we drop down from I-90 East to Alt-20 to stop in East Aurora, New York, one of our favorite small towns. We eat lunch out of the camper on a picnic table behind an authentic train caboose converted to an ice cream store. We treat ourselves to root beer floats and walk the small, charming historic downtown. On a sugar high, we continue on Alt-20 through lush, green upstate New York farmlands and back up to I-90 East. We brought a bag of CD’s and enjoy the incredible sound quality of Zack’s Level 3 audio system. It is the best we’ve heard in an Advanced RV. We eat dinner out of our refrigerator at a rest stop.
About 8:30PM we arrive in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a classic New England small town. We park around the corner from the site of Alice’s Restaurant from Arlo Guthrie’s song and hope that if we don’t litter we won’t end up in jail or have any 8 X 10 glossies taken of the camper.

Parked in Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Marcia in front of Alice’s Restaurant

At the pub in the basement of The Red Lion Inn we have a couple of beers while enjoying a live, three-piece country rock band playing Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash. We sleep well on Zack’s twin beds, boondocking on the street.

The Red Lion Inn

Sunday, August 2, 2015: Parking on the street in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
We get coffee at a café down the street and take it to the rocking chairs on the porch of the Red Lion Inn. At 8AM, after a quick camper breakfast, we are on the road. At 10AM, we arrive at my cousin’s house in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and move in for 24 hours, leaving the RV parked on the street. It is hot and humid, but Mike is checking the systems twice a day, and all stays well, including the refrigerator.

Monday, August 3: Parking on the street in Mattapoisett
At 10:30AM, we leave Pawtucket for the last, short leg to Mattapoisett. At 12:30 we arrive at our friends’ cottage and park the RV in their side yard for three days. Again, even with the outside temperature in the 90’s, all systems stay good.

Thursday, August 6: Lunch with Jose from Rollin’ on TV and camping at Target
Late morning, Mike and I drive the RV down to the Ned Point Lighthouse for pictures.

Mattapoisett

Ned Point Lighthouse

We then meet Jose and his wife Sandy for lunch on the porch of The Inn on Shipyard Park, an historic inn, with a great view of Buzzard’s Bay. We have a good lunch, including delicious clam chowder. Jose sends us off with a box of Natas, Portugese vanilla cream tarts, made that morning at a bakery in New Bedford. On the road about 4PM, we sample these and they are truly one of the best things we ever ate.
We eat packed sandwiches for dinner and stop about 9PM in Batavia, New York to watch the Republican primary debate at the bar of a Clarion hotel. We camp for the night down the street in the Target parking lot.

Friday, August 7, 2015: Beating Buffalo Rush Hour
We are up and rolling at 5:45AM, eating breakfast out of the camper, and beating the Buffalo morning rush hour. We are home at 10AM. We learned a lot about summer boondocking, which Mike has summarized in the Advanced RV newsletter for September, 2015

B Rally in NC and wedding in Napa May 2015

Thursday, May 14, 2015: Heading for “B” Rally in NC and Wedding in CA
We are heading to North Carolina for the B12 Blue Ridge Rally, southeast of Asheville, and from there to a wedding next weekend in Napa, CA. It’s a lot of miles to cover but we are looking forward to a road trip. We pack up Candy, an Advanced RV rental we have used several times. Candy quickly feels like home, and even with clothes for the wedding weekend, we have plenty of storage space.


We leave home near Cleveland, OH about 11AM and eat our packed lunch on the road. Taking I-77 south, we arrive at 6:30PM at the KOA at Fancy Gap, Virginia, off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our friends, Fred and Michelle, recommended this campground and we quickly learn why. The host is welcoming and the park is built on gently rolling hills, with each site tucked into its own private green space. For dinner, we microwave asparagus soup, made from our home garden, and add a salad. We get a good walk in on the ups and downs of the campground roads. We turn in early and don’t plug the RV into the power or other utilities.

Asparagus Soup Dinner at Fancy Gap

Friday, May 15, 2015: Blue Ridge Parkway
At departure in the morning, we are happy to see how little power we drew. We did not need heat or AC, but with lights, microwave, hot water for dishes, computer and phone charging, plus coffee making, we have 70% of the 400 Amp Hr Li battery left.

Hiking at Blue Ridge

We head southwest on the two-lane Blue Ridge Parkway with little traffic, and enjoy vistas of green hills and valleys, and rhododendron in bloom. Near Galax, Virginia we stop at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Although it is not open when we arrive at 8:30AM, we hike their well-marked trails through meadows and woods, enjoying rhododendrons blooming in the sunny spots. By 10AM, opening time, we arrive by trail at the Music Center, several grey, wooden buildings tastefully set on the crest of a hill, dedicated to North Carolina and Virginia country music. There is a large modern amphitheater for performances and an interactive museum with history of the area’s country music and a listening area. We buy two CDs, Carolina Chocolate Drops and The Lonesome River Bend. We learn from the National Park naturalist that the rhododendrons we were seeing were pink Catawba and orange Fire, two early types, and other types bloom later. Apparently, like the word snow for Alaskan Inuits, “rhodies” for Virginians is only a general term for many different types. A volunteer at the Music Center estimates that it will take us six hours on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with detours for construction, to reach the B Rally site. We head out at 12:30PM, snack in the camper and skip the cute restaurants along the way. Mid afternoon we stop at the Cascades Trail overlook for a sandwich. Two bikers from the trail join us at the lone picnic table and tell us about biking around here and that Lake Lure near where we are heading was the filming site for Dirty Dancing. We push on quickly.

"Rhodies"

At 5:30PM we arrive at the B12 Rally at Four Paws Kingdom Campground west of Rutherfordton, Virginia. It is 80 degrees and cocktail time is well under way. Dinner at the pavilion is a 50’s diner theme: hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and fixings; black and white checked picnic table covers; and, the movie Grease playing on the big screen. Our campground hosts, Birgit and Meik from Germany, switch from cooking and serving dinner to performing early rock and roll songs, with a Karaoke machine. We dance and then collapse early.


Saturday, May 16, 2015: Lake Lure and B12 Rally
On an early morning hike around the Four Paws campground we feel that we should have brought our dog. The whole park is geared for dogs: dog walks, dog swimming pond, dog agility course and cutesy dog signage everywhere, even in the bathrooms. After a continental breakfast with the group of about 60 people attending the B Rally, Mike and I drive west on Rt. 64 for a hike at Chimney Rock State Park. The narrow, windy road with Saturday morning traffic makes the drive longer than we expect. Finally, we come to Lake Lure with Chimney Rock Mountain behind it. This could be Bavaria: a pristine lake, set in the mountains, with charming cottages dotting the shore. In Chimney Rock Village there is a parade so we cannot get through to Chimney Rock State Park. Instead, we go back and park along Lake Lure, across from the large resort hotel that was the filming site for Dirty Dancing.   In front of the hotel, two white Percherons are being harnessed to pull a wedding carriage. With the growing crowd of tourists, we walk the boardwalk along Lake Lure, cross the Flowering Bridge, and wind through the harbor. The sun is getting high and hot.


We head back to the campground for the afternoon B12 Camper Crawl, or “kicking the tires”, where the participants get to view and talk about each other’s campers.   By 4:30PM, inside the camper it is 86 degrees. We turn on the air conditioning for one hour and still have 91% battery left. After another early and long cocktail time, we head to the dining pavilion, which Birgit and Meik have transformed into a Bavarian Haufbrau House. Each person gets two paper plates loaded with knockwurst, bratwurst, purple cabbage sauerkraut, German potato salad and spaetzle. More singing, jokes, games and dancing. Jackie and Harold Delk did a great job with this Rally. Harold had burned two CDs of Virginia country music for us to listen to on the road.


Sunday, May 17, 2015: Blowing through Tennessee and Arkansas
We leave Four Paws Campground by 7:30AM and take a windy, slow but beautiful Rt. 9 up to Rt. 40 West. Between Nashville and Jackson, TN we meet my sister and brother-in-law for coffee. Just west of Memphis, in Wynne, AK, we camp at Village Creek State Park, a lush green spot. We set out for a hike up the steep hillside to Dunn Lake, but half way there, a downpour sends us jogging quickly back down to our camper. The rain then stops, so we loop to Lake Dunn along the windy park roads.


In order to get to Napa in six days in time for the Friday night party, we calculated that we needed to drive an average of 450 miles per day. Today, we felt ahead of schedule by logging 625. Also, we are testing how many days we can go without “plugging in.” Tonight will be the fourth night without shore power and we are finding that we easily recharge with a couple hours of driving.


Monday, May 18, 2015: Oklahoma and Texas
Continuing on I-40 W, we stop in Oklahoma City to visit the National Memorial dedicated to the victims of the bombing, now 20 years ago. The Gates of Time, the reflecting pool and the field of 168 empty chairs are simple and moving. We meet Mike and Charlotte for a late lunch a few blocks from the Memorial at Kitchen 324, an excellent café and bakery. Late in the afternoon, we take a break at the Rt. 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma, and enjoy learning the history of Rt. 66 and seeing the posters and artifacts. We drive until 7:30PM, stopping about 50 miles into the Texas panhandle at McClellan Center National Grassland. We walk the road around the large lake, spotting several Redheaded Woodpeckers. We see only two other campers, single tenters.

Today, we log 630 miles; night 5 of no plugging in.

Oklahoma City Memorial

Tuesday, May 19, 2015: Texas Panhandle and New Mexico
We wake to heavy rain and 50 degree temperatures. We hope the tenters stayed dry and warm. We drive across the Texas panhandle into New Mexico and stop on the east side of Albuquerque at Perea’s New Mexican Restaurant, which Yelp yielded on my search for Albuquerque “best Mexican restaurant.” The chili rellenos were delicious and we were delighted by the unexpected sopapillas with honey for dessert. Northwest of Albuquerque we drive up to the Petroglyph National Monument and hike the Rinconada Canyon trail. Along this 2.2 mile sand dune trail at the base of an ancient volcano, we see about a hundred petroglyphs, carved 4 – 7 hundred years ago into basalt boulders by the Ancestral Puebloans (formerly called Anasasi).

Petroglyphs

In Holbrook, about 75 miles into Arizona, we stop at the Holbrook Petrified Forest KOA. We walk the short distance up to the Historic Route 66 All-American Rd and do a quick stroll of this section of Rt. 66 that is being restored with classic one-story motels, drive-in restaurants and memorabilia shops.

Historic Route 66

Today, we log 570 miles; night 6 of no plugging in.


Wednesday, May 20, 2015: Arizona and into California
Today is sunny but cool. On the recommendation of last night’s KOA host, we drive to Walnut Creek National Monument, east of Flagstaff, arriving at 8:15AM. We park at the Arizona Trailhead, eat breakfast in the camper, and do a 3 mile hike, enjoying blue lupine and red Indian paintbrush. We chat with two local men out walking their golden retrievers. At Walnut Creek National Monument, we hike down one mile into the canyon and see the many cliff dwellings formerly housing Ancestral Puebloans. We have lunch in Flagstaff, guided by Urbanspoon to Jitters Lunchbox on Rt. 66. Although it was farther off I-40 than we wanted to go, it is worth it. The homemade soups and sandwiches are so good that we buy more soup to take with us, along with homemade cookies. The owners, near our age, are friendly, and the wife is from Cleveland Heights, OH where we lived for 20 years. By evening, we cross into California and stay at the KOA in Barstow, CA, in the Mojave Desert.
Miles today: 446; night 7 of no plugging in.


Thursday, May 21, 2015: Up Rt. 1, CA
Out of Barstow, we take Rt. 58 west to Bakersfield, up Rt. 5 to Rt. 46 to Paso Robles. We buy fresh strawberries and cherries at a roadside stand. An Asian woman waits on us and a Hispanic man brings in the produce. The fruit, fresh from the field, is amazing. We continue on Rt. 46 over to Cambria and start up Rt. 1. We see elephant seals at San Simeon Point and stop at an overview for lunch. South of Gorda, we hike up into the Los Padres Forest on the Cruikshank Trail, two miles up with switchbacks. Back on Rt. 1, at Willow Creek, we drive down to the ocean and walk a bit. After talking to Belgian bicyclists, British newlyweds, and nodding to the picture snapping Japanese families, we begin to wonder if we are the only Americans on this route. We continue the beautiful drive through Big Sur and Carmel and camp at the KOA at Moss Landing between Monterey and Santa Cruz. We walk down to the harbor and eat at Phil’s Fish Market. The halibut tacos are good, but the live band is so loud, we leave quickly.
Today, we only drove 375 miles, but traveling Rt. 1 was worth it. We are proud of how well the Sprinter did on the narrow, curving roads and hills.

Travelling on Highway One

Friday, May 22, 2015: Napa arrival
We do laundry at this pleasant, friendly KOA and set out at 10:30AM up Rt. 1 for the 90 miles to San Francisco. South of Pacifica, we hike Grey Whale Cove State Beach, overlooking the ocean. We lunch out of the camper finishing up our fresh strawberries. In San Francisco, we choose to go over the Golden Gate Bridge, but Friday afternoon traffic before a holiday is at a crawl, all the way up to Napa. We arrive at the Silverado Resort, the wedding site, at 4:30PM, just in time to get ready for the evening party.

Ocean View from Highway One

Monday, May 25, 2015: High desert, NV
Over the weekend, we stayed two nights out of the camper, but last night we could not get a room, so we stayed in the camper in the parking lot of the Silverado Resort. No issue. After getting resort free coffee at 6:30AM, we take off towards home. First stop is in Davis, CA, where Mike’s cousin lives. We call them at 7:30AM on Memorial Day and they quickly return our call and invite us over. After about an hour visit, we load up at Whole Foods and head east on I-80 through Truckee, Reno and then at Fernley, NV, picked up Rt. 50 “The Loneliest Road in the World.” We headed across the high desert through Eureka to Ely and then decided to camp at the Great Basin National Park. At dusk as we are pulling in, an elk crosses the road. We camp at Upper Lehman Campground (about 10,000 ft) and see two black-tailed jackrabbits and what we thought was a large fox, but later learn might have been a coyote.

Great Basin National Park

Tuesday, May 26, 2015: Great Basin National Park, NV
At 6:30AM, at 44 degrees we are driving up Wheeler Peak Scenic Dr. planning to hike part of Wheeler Peak (13, 063 ft), but we soon find the road is closed. A maintenance man comes up who is going to check the road for rocks and snow. We pull off at Mather Creek Overlook. Soon, a researcher on his way to a nature inventory assignment at Gunnison pulls in. He lets us use his binoculars to see a pine grosbeak and a flock of turkeys with a fanning male. In a flash he has a tripod with high-powered binoculars set up and he is calling in birds. He helps us identify chipping sparrows, a pair of red crossbills, a Western tanager, mountain chickadees, a sharpshin hawk and a brown-capped rosy finch. What a good birding day! The road is now open so we drive up to Bristlecone Pine Trail. We follow tracks in the snow, hoping to get to the field of ancient Bristlecone Pines, but we start sinking thigh deep in snow and after about one mile the tracks stop and we have to turn back.

Hiking at Great Basin

We continue on Rt. 50 east to I-70 East to the Grand Junction, CO KOA. We tried to hike the Old Spanish Trail behind the campground but ended up mostly wandering through a housing development.
Today we covered 400 miles.


Wednesday, May 27, 2015: Colorado National Monument and Boulder, CO
At 6:30AM, we stop at Octopus Coffee, a funky shack drive through, and head a short distance back west to Colorado National Monument. We enter at the Grand Junction entrance and hike the Serpent Trail, 1.75 miles, 770 ft elevation and 20 switchbacks. This trail was formerly a road, called the “crookedest road in the world” until it was closed in 1950. After this rigorous, but beautiful hike, we continue on I-70 East, stopping at Rifle, CO for fuel and DEF, 2.5 gal from a pump at $6.80/gal. It had been about 4,000 miles since we replenished DEF. We stop at a pull off along the Colorado River, finish our soup and salad from Whole Foods in Davis, and watch rubber duckies paddle the swift current. From the book, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett, I read Mike the story, My Road to Hell Was Paved, about her first RV trip. After several hilarious adventures, she ended up enjoying it.
At 4PM, we arrive at our friends’ Steve and Paulette’s home near Boulder and bask in their spacious home for the night.
Today: 310 miles


Thursday, May 28, 2015: Hard driving across Kansas
After a morning walk, we set out about 8:00AM on I-70 East and end up at the Topeka, KS KOA. We walk the campground and meet our neighbors who are preparing an amazing stirfry on their picnic table. She has a Japanese single propane burner and a wok and she is chopping bok choy, mushrooms, and chicken for a chicken curry. In their tiny VW camper she has a rice cooker going with rice and sweet potatoes. Later, she brings a dish over for us and we return with cookies for dessert. They are traveling from LA to Martha’s Vineyard where she runs an art shop, specializing in calligraphy and Asian art.
Today 578 miles


Friday, May 29, 2015: Kansas, Missouri and Mark Twain
We leave at 6:15AM to get to our friends’ house in Kearney, MO for an 8AM breakfast. After a hearty meal in a friendly place in Kearney, we head N on 35, then 36 W to Hannibal, MO. We visit the Mark Twain Interpretive Museum, the Huck Finn House, Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home, Beck Thatcher’s House, and the Mark Twain Museum Gallery, where we see 16 original Norman Rockwell paintings, used for his illustrations for Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Above the Tom and Huck statue, we climb the stairs to the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse. We thoroughly enjoy all we learn about Mark Twain, a favorite of mine, since he lived summers in my hometown of Elmira, NY and is buried there.


We take I-72 across Illinois, and since it was past 5PM as we pass through Springfield, IL., we miss the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. In Indiana, we leave I-74 and head north on Rt. 25, stopping at dusk in Lafayette, IN at the AOK Campground found on All Stays. It is packed late on this Friday night and the only two spots left are on a steep hill. We park on the grass in the tenting area, no hook-up required, and go to sleep amid a lot of chatter from the surrounding campfires. In the night, Mike is awakened by two women screaming profanities at each other. I sleep through it.


Saturday, May 30, 2015: Green does NOT mean deisel
The AOK Campground looks worse in the morning. To find the dump station, we drive all around and see the old, permanent campers sinking into the ground, surrounded by junk. We shower – not bad – leave our fee and head out at 7:45AM. We have a hard time finding Rt. 25 out of town. It seems we keep crossing the Wabash River. Finally, we are heading northeast on a smooth state road, with no traffic, going through Indiana farmlands. The heavy rain is good for the green shoots and washing the bugs off our camper.


In Peru, Indiana we pull off for fuel. At a BP station advertising diesel, Mike fills up in the pouring rain while talking on the phone. As we pull out looking for a breakfast place, the Sprinter is sputtering. We go a few miles and park on the street across from Gabriel’s. Before we order, Mike goes back to the Sprinter to retrieve the gas receipt. He comes back and says he put gasoline into our diesel engine. He calls Mercedes roadside service and they say they are sending a tow truck. After a few more calls to confirm the size of our Sprinter and our location, they promise a tow in 50 minutes. We walk back to the BP station. There we see the green handle on the regular gasoline and the black handle on the diesel pump next to it. Mike complains to the manager that a green handle usually indicates diesel but she simply says they are about to get new pumps.


We walk back to the camper in the rain. Mercedes calls us back to say the first tow truck won’t be big enough, and it will be 2 ½ hours before another tow truck arrives. Mike says this is not acceptable. Mercedes calls back again to say that another tow truck is on its way. About an hour later, a tilt bed tow truck shows up but it is too small. This driver goes back and gets a bigger tow truck, but he has to go back again to get tools to disconnect the drive shaft under the Sprinter. After working on the drive shaft about 15 minutes, he says he can’t do the tow. We call Mercedes again and they promise to send another tow.


While we are waiting for a tow, we explore Peru in the rain. We see circus wagons, murals of circus animals and performers, and finally, a large white building patterned after a circus big top. Mike remembered a reference to Peru, IN on our visit to the Ringling Brothers Circus Museum in Sarasota Springs, FL. We learn from a few locals that Peru was the winter home of several circuses in the 1920’s and that, in the late 20’s John Ringling bought them all. Then, to avoid competition, he burned them all down. We visited the Miami County Museum and saw more circus memorabilia and learned that Cole Porter was from Peru.


Finally, about four hours after our first call, ProTow shows up with a tilt bed tow truck the same size as the first one. This guy works around, lays 2 X 6’s and wenches the Sprinter onto his tilt bed. We hop into his cab and are off down a bumpy but straight two-lane road, with the Sprinter extending off the back of the truck. The driver veers into the opposite lane to avoid low hanging trees. We finally reach the state road and he slows down to go under bridges, while Mike stands on the running board to make sure we have enough clearance. The driver keeps laughing and thanking us for giving him the challenge of the day. With a few questions Mike gets him talking about his days as a repo man. He quit after a guy stabbed him with a knife and he had to “shoot him dead.” Fifty miles later, we arrive at the Mercedes Benz dealership in Fort Wayne, IN. Using his 2 X 6’s, chocks and his hydraulics, he gets our camper off the bed with only a bent hitch step and one blown hydraulic hose. He chuckles again and says this took “hillbilly ingenuity.” It is now 4:30PM Saturday and Mercedes service is closed until Monday morning.

Towing the Sprinter

We “camp” on the dealership lot and walk in the pouring rain about two miles east on the four-lane W. Jefferson Blvd. to Scotty’s Brewhouse for a beer. On the other side of W. Jefferson we have delicious sushi at Asakusa Japanese restaurant. We walk back, still in the rain, turning into the strip malls as often as possible to avoid walking along the highway.


Sunday, May 31, 2015: Hanging Out in Fort Wayne, Indiana
This morning we decide to walk in the opposite direction towards the I-65 interchange, hoping for a better selection of restaurants. It is raining harder and colder than yesterday. We are almost there when we realize the highway interchange is too crazy for walking and we don’t see any restaurants. We head back, now into a stiff, cold, wet head wind. We pass Mercedes and go on to I-Hop where we have a good breakfast and enjoy the friendly service. We both work on our computers for a few hours and then walk back east on W. Jefferson to Covington Plaza and Woodhouse Day Spa. There we warm up in the steam room, enjoy showers and massages. A few blocks farther we go to Cebolla’s Mexican restaurant for a good meal and walk back again. By the time we get back to the motor home, we've walked eight miles today.
We are comfortable in our camper although we are low on fresh water. The toughest part of this lay over day is walking on the highways. There are no sidewalks and people seem so unused to walkers that they don’t slow down or move over. It is scary. Despite the 50-degree temperatures, wind and unceasing rain, however, we are warm enough and grateful that we are healthy enough to walk. I remember my Mormon friend telling me about her grandmother pulling a handcart across the plains and mountains. I am grateful not to be one of those women. I’m sure none of them had a good rain jacket like mine.


Monday, June 1, 2015: Finally, to home
At 7:30AM Mercedes service is figuring out what to do with our Sprinter full of gas. After draining the fuel tank, changing the fuel filter, checking to make sure the fuel pump is not damaged, and taking it for a two-mile test drive, we are assured that everything is good. We are on our way at 12:30PM. Shall we publically confess to our big mistake of putting gas in the diesel engine? We decide to be humble and confess and not let that mistake spoil a great trip.

Sheboygan, WI Dec. 14-17, 2014

Sheboygan, WI Dec. 14 – 17, 2014

 

Monday, Dec. 14, 2014:  RVing in Wisconsin in December

 

Mike and I leave home about 10AM in our friend, Candy, one of the first Advanced RVs, now updated with lithium ion batteries, VB Air Suspension and a luxurious bed.  Why go in an RV to Sheboygan, WI in December?  To visit Richardson Yacht Interiors, where they build furniture for high-end boats, to discuss their building selected interior components for Advanced RV.  Leading the design of these components are our friends from Cleveland, Michelle and Fred, whom we meet at a rest stop just west of Toledo. They are in their car on their way to visit family in Minnesota for holiday skiing so a stop in Sheboygan is on their way. 

It’s in the 50’s with no snow, so the first leg of driving, which I do, is easy.   Late in the afternoon, we rendezvous with Fred and Michelle at Indiana Dunes St. Park and walk the beach in a light drizzle, which becomes a cold, pelting rain. 

Mike and I are staying off the grid in this nearly deserted park. Michelle and Fred are staying in a hotel in Chesterton, IN, where we meet them for dinner.  At first, Octave Grill, which I find on Yelp, looks iffy.  It is a tiny place, with one narrow aisle front to back, and wooden tables and benches, but the people at the front desk are friendly and the diners look happy.  In a few minutes we have a table.  Across the aisle from us is a family with three small kids playing cards while they wait for their food.  We enjoy Chocolate Milk Stout from a local brewery, Cakebread Cellars Shiraz and the best burgers we’ve ever had.  For dessert we share one huge chocolate brownie dripping with locally made caramel ice cream. 
Check out footage of Marcia using the back-up camera while parking at Indiana Dunes St. Park. 

 

Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2014:  Enjoying December in Sheboygan, WI 

At an outside temperature of 44 degrees, Mike and I sleep warm and well but not long.  We depart at 4:45AM to avoid the Chicago morning rush.  When we call Michelle and Fred about 7:30AM they are still in bed.  Mike and I arrive in Sheboygan about 9:30AM, walk the River Boardwalk in a brisk wind and then share a breakfast burrito in a tiny river café.  We had reserved a spot at a state campground south of town, but we find there is no electricity, water or WiFi and the bathrooms are locked up.  The only activity is crews of guys trimming trees.  Despite the chainsaw noise, we pull into a camping spot and take a nap. We decide there is no point in staying so far from town with no cell or WiFi, so when Michelle and Fred arrive we head into Sheboygan for lunch.    Yelp helps again, guiding us to the Black Pig, where we enjoy their chili and their quinoa salad.  We discuss Advanced RV motor home design and share travel experiences. Mid afternoon, Mike and I go across the street to the large, quiet and accommodating public library, where I write Christmas cards and he catches up on emails.  In the late PM, we drive a few blocks to the YMCA for a light workout and hot showers.  We then park the RV at Fred and Michelle’s hotel, where the manager says it is fine for us to stay in their parking lot overnight.  Yelp lets us down tonight.  There is no restaurant at the address it

recommended, so in a windy, biting cold we all walk up to 8^th Ave. to Stefano Trattoria, an Italian restaurant Mike saw earlier in the day.  It is warm and welcoming, and the food is delicious. 

Getting Ready for a Good Night's Sleep

 

Back at the RV, with a temperature in the low 20’s and a howling wind, it takes about an hour to get the temperature inside the RV comfortable.  Note that in the newer Advanced RV’s we have upgraded the heating system design.  Winter tip:  Don’t wait until bedtime to start the furnace. 

 

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2014:  Visit to Richardson Yacht Interiors 

It snows about 3 inches overnight and the temperature stays in the low 20’s, but in the morning the state of charge on the two lithium iron batteries reads 87% and 83%. Each night we used less than 20% of our battery power to heat and light Candy and brew coffee.  We slept warm and undisturbed.
 

 

We drive back to the Y where Mike works out, while I doze some more, and then make coffee and fix cereal and fruit.  At 8:30AM we meet Fred and Michelle at the hotel and caravan to Sheboygan Falls and Richardson Yacht Interiors.  We have a good discussion with Jim, Greg and Justin, and then a tour of this fifth generation company.  At noon, Fred and Michelle head to Minnesota and Mike and I drive back to Sheboygan and the Black Pig to pick up chili and quinoa salad for the road and a T-shirt for a friend that says, “So good you’ll squeal.”
 

I drive through Chicago in heavy traffic and then in the fading light past Gary, IN.  I wonder about the families in the densely packed little houses off the highway where the lights are coming on.  Are the kids home from school? Is dinner cooking? Are they excited about Christmas?   We stay overnight, warm and comfortably, at a truck stop about three hours west of Cleveland.  It was a good December trip to Wisconsin.