May 7
As they say, “journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” This journey has taken us almost four thousand miles, and we have come to the last step. As I write this, it is Saturday morning, and we are near Hamberg, PA. Lorraine wants to be home tomorrow with Paul for Mother’s Day. We stopped here last night, and celebrated the end of the trip by going for a steak dinner at “Logan’s Roadhouse.” No kidding, that really was the name of the place, and we couldn’t resist. Lorraine’s steak came almost uncooked (she ordered it medium rare) and my vegetables were cold (somehow on the same plate with shrimp that was hot – I can’t explain it) but no matter. They corrected the problems, and we enjoyed the meal and toasted…Logan, who was enjoying his own sumptuous meal of kibble and bits outside in the RV. The vehicle ran great, and we were blessed to have been able to enjoy another adventure seeing still more of our beautiful country. Until next time, God bless.
David+Lorraine 5/ 7/11
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
May 5
This morning finds us in Virginia, near Roanoke. Again last night we were glad to have the heat on in the vehicle overnight. Disappointed that we had to, but glad that we had it. It was down into the 40’s, and the TV was talking about frost warnings in this area! After a day or two of some rain, this morning seems sunny again, and I suspect the temperature could get to 60 in the afternoon. The weather has been so inclement that there seems to be no reason to camp in a state park since we wouldn’t want to get out of the vehicle. So we have spent the last couple of nights in the lots of “Cracker Barrels.” They permit you to stay overnight here, and we always go in and have either dinner or breakfast the next morning. They have fabulous corn muffins, and I have actually developed a taste for cheese grits. (Sho nuff?) There are many of these restaurants on the east coast (it’s a franchise) and the lots are always well kept and pretty quiet, since the places are not open 24 hours. We often see other RV’s in the lot doing the same thing. I don’t think it is quite as well known that you can stay here as it is at Wal-Mart, but we usually choose Cracker Barrel when there is a choice. We’ve never felt unsafe, and never had any incidents. Last night, we did get a knock on the door about 9 PM. It was a guy from a company that had been hired to re-paint the lines on the ground that delineate the parking spaces. He was asking us if we would mind moving to a different spot, one that had no lines, so that he could complete his job. He could not have been nicer, (we find the vast majority of Southern people to be extraordinarily polite) and we of course complied, in a surly northeastern kind of way.
The plan today is to get back on the road early (10-ish) and get through the rest of Virginia and into Pennsylvania before nightfall. We called and left a message for Paul to let him know that we would be home soon, and he hasn’t called back. I’m hoping that means he is too busy because he is cleaning furiously.
This morning finds us in Virginia, near Roanoke. Again last night we were glad to have the heat on in the vehicle overnight. Disappointed that we had to, but glad that we had it. It was down into the 40’s, and the TV was talking about frost warnings in this area! After a day or two of some rain, this morning seems sunny again, and I suspect the temperature could get to 60 in the afternoon. The weather has been so inclement that there seems to be no reason to camp in a state park since we wouldn’t want to get out of the vehicle. So we have spent the last couple of nights in the lots of “Cracker Barrels.” They permit you to stay overnight here, and we always go in and have either dinner or breakfast the next morning. They have fabulous corn muffins, and I have actually developed a taste for cheese grits. (Sho nuff?) There are many of these restaurants on the east coast (it’s a franchise) and the lots are always well kept and pretty quiet, since the places are not open 24 hours. We often see other RV’s in the lot doing the same thing. I don’t think it is quite as well known that you can stay here as it is at Wal-Mart, but we usually choose Cracker Barrel when there is a choice. We’ve never felt unsafe, and never had any incidents. Last night, we did get a knock on the door about 9 PM. It was a guy from a company that had been hired to re-paint the lines on the ground that delineate the parking spaces. He was asking us if we would mind moving to a different spot, one that had no lines, so that he could complete his job. He could not have been nicer, (we find the vast majority of Southern people to be extraordinarily polite) and we of course complied, in a surly northeastern kind of way.
The plan today is to get back on the road early (10-ish) and get through the rest of Virginia and into Pennsylvania before nightfall. We called and left a message for Paul to let him know that we would be home soon, and he hasn’t called back. I’m hoping that means he is too busy because he is cleaning furiously.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Apr. 30
Today is Lorraine’s birthday, and it finds us in the “Big Lagoon” state park
near Pensacola. This is the last one along the coast before you go into Alabama, and I think it will probably be our turn-around point. We have been here for the last 3 days. We ventured out of the park today to see the Perdido Island National Park that has a beautiful Gulf beach on one side and a bay beach on the other. My senior park pass got us in free, since it is a national park. As of today, Lorraine is eligible to get one of those passes herself, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason to do so as long as we are traveling together; which, after 30 years, still seems to be the plan. There is no camping here, but we still have our site back at Big Lagoon to go back to tonight.
May 3
After we left Big Lagoon, we decided that it was time to head north and east. Yesterday, we drove through Alabama with a few stops to accomplish some vehicle maintenance. First we got a propane fill-up – cheaper than gas - $3.25 a gallon. The propane runs our refrigerator and hot water tank. The next problem was that the deep cell batteries were wearing down, to the point where we didn’t have sufficient power for the TV and the DVD. We needed two new ones that we were able to get installed at an “Interstate” dealership that Lorraine located with her “Droid.” Last night found us at a Wal-Mart again, where we were able to get an oil change done on the vehicle. (And yes Bill, I remembered it needed to be synthetic oil.) We also rented a movie from the Wal-Mart Redbox called “Like Dandelion Dust” (highly recommended – about adoption); and we were able to watch it all the way through without the power going out!
The part of Alabama that we drove through was not near the really bad tornado devastation; but as we were driving, we caught just a glimpse from the highway of a neighborhood that was hit by something smaller. We talked to someone who said that where we are, the swath of the tornado was narrow, but in some places, it was a whole mile across!
We woke this morning to a little rain for just the third time on this trip, which has been remarkably sunny. We are near Chatanooga, TN; and the temperature went down dramatically overnight. Yesterday as we drove, it was in the eighties, but this morning, it is 59, and dropping. We’ve had a month of summer, but I think we are back to spring. I shudder to think what it is in NJ.
Today is Lorraine’s birthday, and it finds us in the “Big Lagoon” state park
near Pensacola. This is the last one along the coast before you go into Alabama, and I think it will probably be our turn-around point. We have been here for the last 3 days. We ventured out of the park today to see the Perdido Island National Park that has a beautiful Gulf beach on one side and a bay beach on the other. My senior park pass got us in free, since it is a national park. As of today, Lorraine is eligible to get one of those passes herself, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason to do so as long as we are traveling together; which, after 30 years, still seems to be the plan. There is no camping here, but we still have our site back at Big Lagoon to go back to tonight.
May 3
After we left Big Lagoon, we decided that it was time to head north and east. Yesterday, we drove through Alabama with a few stops to accomplish some vehicle maintenance. First we got a propane fill-up – cheaper than gas - $3.25 a gallon. The propane runs our refrigerator and hot water tank. The next problem was that the deep cell batteries were wearing down, to the point where we didn’t have sufficient power for the TV and the DVD. We needed two new ones that we were able to get installed at an “Interstate” dealership that Lorraine located with her “Droid.” Last night found us at a Wal-Mart again, where we were able to get an oil change done on the vehicle. (And yes Bill, I remembered it needed to be synthetic oil.) We also rented a movie from the Wal-Mart Redbox called “Like Dandelion Dust” (highly recommended – about adoption); and we were able to watch it all the way through without the power going out!
The part of Alabama that we drove through was not near the really bad tornado devastation; but as we were driving, we caught just a glimpse from the highway of a neighborhood that was hit by something smaller. We talked to someone who said that where we are, the swath of the tornado was narrow, but in some places, it was a whole mile across!
We woke this morning to a little rain for just the third time on this trip, which has been remarkably sunny. We are near Chatanooga, TN; and the temperature went down dramatically overnight. Yesterday as we drove, it was in the eighties, but this morning, it is 59, and dropping. We’ve had a month of summer, but I think we are back to spring. I shudder to think what it is in NJ.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Apr. 27
Side note: Lorraine never manages to get around to reading these blogs before I post them. She always says she wants to, but never seems to do it. So I’m trying to think of just the right thing to say about her that will be amusingly embarrassing, but not so embarrassing that she will give me a smack when she finally reads it sometime in July. It should be something that would make her want to smack me, but not so bad that she will actually do it. It’s a very fine line and will take considerable expertise to pull it off. I don’t have to make any decision right away, so I’ll be accepting suggestions from the readers while I continue to think about it.
Today we tried, unsuccessfully, to get into Henderson State Park, which is also in the town of Destin. They were full up, unusual for a weekday. In fact this is the first time we have not been able to get into a state park on this trip, despite never having a reservation. They suggested trying a private place nearby called “Camping on the Gulf.” Gorgeous, with a pool and all the amenities, but $108 a night – just to park your RV! By the way, the spots that were actually on the Gulf beach were an additional $40, and did not permit pets. Logan volunteered to go and stay at the Wal-Mart on his own for a couple of nights if we really wanted the beach camping, but changed his mind when he realized that this would mean that he wouldn’t have air conditioning and dog biscuits on demand. So it is the Wal-Mart for all of us tonight, and then on to the next state park that we want to try tomorrow, near Pensacola.
Side note: Lorraine never manages to get around to reading these blogs before I post them. She always says she wants to, but never seems to do it. So I’m trying to think of just the right thing to say about her that will be amusingly embarrassing, but not so embarrassing that she will give me a smack when she finally reads it sometime in July. It should be something that would make her want to smack me, but not so bad that she will actually do it. It’s a very fine line and will take considerable expertise to pull it off. I don’t have to make any decision right away, so I’ll be accepting suggestions from the readers while I continue to think about it.
Today we tried, unsuccessfully, to get into Henderson State Park, which is also in the town of Destin. They were full up, unusual for a weekday. In fact this is the first time we have not been able to get into a state park on this trip, despite never having a reservation. They suggested trying a private place nearby called “Camping on the Gulf.” Gorgeous, with a pool and all the amenities, but $108 a night – just to park your RV! By the way, the spots that were actually on the Gulf beach were an additional $40, and did not permit pets. Logan volunteered to go and stay at the Wal-Mart on his own for a couple of nights if we really wanted the beach camping, but changed his mind when he realized that this would mean that he wouldn’t have air conditioning and dog biscuits on demand. So it is the Wal-Mart for all of us tonight, and then on to the next state park that we want to try tomorrow, near Pensacola.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Apr. 24
Easter Sunday finds us in Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Destin, Fla. We had been told about this place last week by some people that we met in a park where we stayed. It used to be a private RV park, but it went out of business, and the state bought it. Private parks tend to have more amenities, and cost more to stay in. So this one, now run by the state of Fla., has a pool, a golf course, and cable TV hookup at each campsite. Unfortunately, no wi-fi. It was built before that existed. They say they are in the process of getting it, but I don’t think it will be by tomorrow. We came in after church today, and spent the afternoon at the pool. Tomorrow we are headed for the beach within the park. The folks at the pool said there were some jellyfish in this part of the Gulf that you have be careful of. If they are bad, I guess we’ll just come back to the pool.
The Easter service we attended turned out to be great. We were in a Cracker Barrel for dinner last night, and asked the waitress if she could recommend a good local church. She said, “Go to the Destiny Worship Center.” (We are in Destin, get it?) The music was wonderful -great band- and the pastor gave a terrific sermon. His main point was “Do you want to get what you deserve when you stand before God; or do you want to get mercy? It’s a no-brainer!”
Easter Sunday finds us in Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Destin, Fla. We had been told about this place last week by some people that we met in a park where we stayed. It used to be a private RV park, but it went out of business, and the state bought it. Private parks tend to have more amenities, and cost more to stay in. So this one, now run by the state of Fla., has a pool, a golf course, and cable TV hookup at each campsite. Unfortunately, no wi-fi. It was built before that existed. They say they are in the process of getting it, but I don’t think it will be by tomorrow. We came in after church today, and spent the afternoon at the pool. Tomorrow we are headed for the beach within the park. The folks at the pool said there were some jellyfish in this part of the Gulf that you have be careful of. If they are bad, I guess we’ll just come back to the pool.
The Easter service we attended turned out to be great. We were in a Cracker Barrel for dinner last night, and asked the waitress if she could recommend a good local church. She said, “Go to the Destiny Worship Center.” (We are in Destin, get it?) The music was wonderful -great band- and the pastor gave a terrific sermon. His main point was “Do you want to get what you deserve when you stand before God; or do you want to get mercy? It’s a no-brainer!”
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Apr. 22
The last couple of days were spent in the St. Andrew State Park near Panama City. It had probably the best beach we have found so far. Just perfect. We planned on staying in the park for a third day, but fate intervened. I opened the refrigerator door this morning, and it started to come off in my hand! The screw in the metal bracket that pivots the door open has somehow gotten stripped, and needs repair before we can go any farther. (It doesn’t just need a new screw; it’s more that, but shockingly I don’t have the mechanical vocabulary to really describe precisely what the problem is.) We checked the manual, and found that there was an RV dealership that services our brand of refrigerator right in Panama City! So we left the park, and that’s where we are now, while the work gets done. They are also able to do a few other repairs that the vehicle needs, so we expect to be here for a few hours. The waiting area is right next to their showroom of brand new RV’s, which Lorraine is exploring as I write this. Hopefully, that won’t end badly. This waiting area has coffee, soda, TV, and air conditioning (needed today as it must be close to 90.) Everything, in fact, except wi-fi. Maybe when we leave here, we can find a Starbucks or someplace else where we can get access. I do miss not being able to check in on line each day; but on the plus side, the media deprivation allows me to remain blissfully ignorant of any and all details of the royal wedding that I think must be choking the rest of you just about now.
The last couple of days were spent in the St. Andrew State Park near Panama City. It had probably the best beach we have found so far. Just perfect. We planned on staying in the park for a third day, but fate intervened. I opened the refrigerator door this morning, and it started to come off in my hand! The screw in the metal bracket that pivots the door open has somehow gotten stripped, and needs repair before we can go any farther. (It doesn’t just need a new screw; it’s more that, but shockingly I don’t have the mechanical vocabulary to really describe precisely what the problem is.) We checked the manual, and found that there was an RV dealership that services our brand of refrigerator right in Panama City! So we left the park, and that’s where we are now, while the work gets done. They are also able to do a few other repairs that the vehicle needs, so we expect to be here for a few hours. The waiting area is right next to their showroom of brand new RV’s, which Lorraine is exploring as I write this. Hopefully, that won’t end badly. This waiting area has coffee, soda, TV, and air conditioning (needed today as it must be close to 90.) Everything, in fact, except wi-fi. Maybe when we leave here, we can find a Starbucks or someplace else where we can get access. I do miss not being able to check in on line each day; but on the plus side, the media deprivation allows me to remain blissfully ignorant of any and all details of the royal wedding that I think must be choking the rest of you just about now.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Apr. 19
Today (Tue.) we are pulling out of St. Joseph State Park, which is near a town called Port St. Joe. Within the park, we were able to swim in the Gulf. The water was a beautiful aqua color with virtually no seaweed, and a fine sandy white beach that went on for about 9 miles, great for walking. We left Logan in the van, with the AC on, (we were plugged into electric) and he slept quietly, so we got to go to the beach together. Our next destination is a place that is called Mexico Beach. No state park there. It appears on the map to be a town. We can’t resist the name, and feel we have to go have a look to see what is there. Afterwards, we’ll be proceeding to St. Andrews State Park, near Panama City.
In the last campground we were at, Logan was looking at the “help wanted” signs on the bulletin board, and saw one for “Camp Dog.” The position would allow him to stay there permanently, and provide canine services for anyone who left their own dog at home while they went camping. Apparently, what attracted him was the idea of not having to travel so much. He says it’s fun when you’re young, but having to mark your territory in a new place every time you stop gets old fast. I was able to convince him that “canine services” is a pretty vague term, and he wouldn’t know exactly what he was signing up for. Then I gave him a biscuit and he forgot the whole thing.
Today (Tue.) we are pulling out of St. Joseph State Park, which is near a town called Port St. Joe. Within the park, we were able to swim in the Gulf. The water was a beautiful aqua color with virtually no seaweed, and a fine sandy white beach that went on for about 9 miles, great for walking. We left Logan in the van, with the AC on, (we were plugged into electric) and he slept quietly, so we got to go to the beach together. Our next destination is a place that is called Mexico Beach. No state park there. It appears on the map to be a town. We can’t resist the name, and feel we have to go have a look to see what is there. Afterwards, we’ll be proceeding to St. Andrews State Park, near Panama City.
In the last campground we were at, Logan was looking at the “help wanted” signs on the bulletin board, and saw one for “Camp Dog.” The position would allow him to stay there permanently, and provide canine services for anyone who left their own dog at home while they went camping. Apparently, what attracted him was the idea of not having to travel so much. He says it’s fun when you’re young, but having to mark your territory in a new place every time you stop gets old fast. I was able to convince him that “canine services” is a pretty vague term, and he wouldn’t know exactly what he was signing up for. Then I gave him a biscuit and he forgot the whole thing.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Apr. 17
Today we are in Apalachacola, proceeding west along the Gulf Coast of the Florida panhandle. No sign yet of the free oil that I’m sure BP must be giving out to tourists in order to get it out of here and clean up the Gulf; but I’m sure we will find it eventually. I sure hope it is soon. We have been paying about $3.80 or so per gallon throughout Florida. We spent the last couple of nights in St. George Island state park just east of Apalachacola. Today (Sunday), we attended a Baptist church right outside the park that had an 11 AM service. Our other choice was a Methodist church, but they started at 9 AM, which, to me, is the equivalent of a sunrise service. The Baptists had good preaching, but not very good music. Nobody in the congregation sang much. It seemed like they didn’t know the songs. Maybe they did, but they just didn’t like them. And the style of worship music was, to put it kindly, “traditional.” The people were very nice however, and told us about several other state parks nearby that we should not miss. After church, we drove to one of them, which is where we are now. It is called the “St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.” The fees in these places are very reasonable, usually about $25 per night for non-residents like Lorraine and myself. You have to be both a geezer and a Florida resident to get a senior discount, so I only qualify on the one count. For that you get to hook up your vehicle to electric and water; and you can use the bath houses to shower, and the dump site for your RV on the way out. Any facilities within the park are of course available for use, and most of the ones we are staying in along the coast have beaches with access to the Gulf. All have hiking trails, and we usually try to take Logan on a nice long hike each time we touch down, to make up for all the time he has to spend in the van while we are traveling. He doesn’t say much (his English is limited), but I am pretty sure it makes him happy. Very few of these parks have any wi-fi access, so I have to look for someplace to get online when we come out, and before we go into the next one. Which is why the date on the blog entry is generally much earlier than the date that I get to post it. Such is life on the road.
Today we are in Apalachacola, proceeding west along the Gulf Coast of the Florida panhandle. No sign yet of the free oil that I’m sure BP must be giving out to tourists in order to get it out of here and clean up the Gulf; but I’m sure we will find it eventually. I sure hope it is soon. We have been paying about $3.80 or so per gallon throughout Florida. We spent the last couple of nights in St. George Island state park just east of Apalachacola. Today (Sunday), we attended a Baptist church right outside the park that had an 11 AM service. Our other choice was a Methodist church, but they started at 9 AM, which, to me, is the equivalent of a sunrise service. The Baptists had good preaching, but not very good music. Nobody in the congregation sang much. It seemed like they didn’t know the songs. Maybe they did, but they just didn’t like them. And the style of worship music was, to put it kindly, “traditional.” The people were very nice however, and told us about several other state parks nearby that we should not miss. After church, we drove to one of them, which is where we are now. It is called the “St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.” The fees in these places are very reasonable, usually about $25 per night for non-residents like Lorraine and myself. You have to be both a geezer and a Florida resident to get a senior discount, so I only qualify on the one count. For that you get to hook up your vehicle to electric and water; and you can use the bath houses to shower, and the dump site for your RV on the way out. Any facilities within the park are of course available for use, and most of the ones we are staying in along the coast have beaches with access to the Gulf. All have hiking trails, and we usually try to take Logan on a nice long hike each time we touch down, to make up for all the time he has to spend in the van while we are traveling. He doesn’t say much (his English is limited), but I am pretty sure it makes him happy. Very few of these parks have any wi-fi access, so I have to look for someplace to get online when we come out, and before we go into the next one. Which is why the date on the blog entry is generally much earlier than the date that I get to post it. Such is life on the road.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Apr. 15
We are stopped in Tallahassee at the moment, and I just found internet access, so I was able to post the last blog entry that I wrote. While on the net, I checked in on my Mets, and found that they not only lost again yesterday, they lost twice. (In this case, it was because they played a doubleheader, but I think they may actually be capable of doing it even when they are not.)
We have reached the Florida panhandle and are planning on proceeding along the Gulf coast going from state park to state park. Last night we were in Manatee Island state park, where there was a lake fed by underground hot springs that keeps it about 72 degrees all year long. People swim in it, and the middle looked inviting, but the edges had a lot of slimy algae, and there were fish in there, who looked like “nippers” to me (are you listening Brian+Marta?) so we passed. Surprisingly, the temperature went down to 52 overnight in the park, but was back up into the seventies when we left around noon. It has mostly been sunny and beautiful, and we have found beach access along the way several times. One day it was very hot, and we didn’t want to leave Logan alone in the rig, so we took turns going to the beach alone. Not optimum, but we don’t want to take a chance of getting in trouble with the law by leaving him. We are hoping that some of the beaches along the coast in the state parks will be dog friendly. (He did go in the lake at the Manatee Island state park by the way, and he liked that.)
Record review: We were in a dollar store the other day, and I picked up an album called “All The Lost Souls” by James Blunt. You may remember that he had some pretty big success several years ago with his first album, and especially a song called “You’re Beautiful”. I believe what I have is his second album, which obviously did not do well, as it was in the dollar bin. The first song on it is called “1973”, which I recall hearing as the single, but I think it died a quick death. Anyway, there is a song on the album that just blows me away, and would certainly be worth googling if this sort of thing floats your boat. It is called “Same Mistake.” I know art is very subjective, but for me, this really does it.
We are stopped in Tallahassee at the moment, and I just found internet access, so I was able to post the last blog entry that I wrote. While on the net, I checked in on my Mets, and found that they not only lost again yesterday, they lost twice. (In this case, it was because they played a doubleheader, but I think they may actually be capable of doing it even when they are not.)
We have reached the Florida panhandle and are planning on proceeding along the Gulf coast going from state park to state park. Last night we were in Manatee Island state park, where there was a lake fed by underground hot springs that keeps it about 72 degrees all year long. People swim in it, and the middle looked inviting, but the edges had a lot of slimy algae, and there were fish in there, who looked like “nippers” to me (are you listening Brian+Marta?) so we passed. Surprisingly, the temperature went down to 52 overnight in the park, but was back up into the seventies when we left around noon. It has mostly been sunny and beautiful, and we have found beach access along the way several times. One day it was very hot, and we didn’t want to leave Logan alone in the rig, so we took turns going to the beach alone. Not optimum, but we don’t want to take a chance of getting in trouble with the law by leaving him. We are hoping that some of the beaches along the coast in the state parks will be dog friendly. (He did go in the lake at the Manatee Island state park by the way, and he liked that.)
Record review: We were in a dollar store the other day, and I picked up an album called “All The Lost Souls” by James Blunt. You may remember that he had some pretty big success several years ago with his first album, and especially a song called “You’re Beautiful”. I believe what I have is his second album, which obviously did not do well, as it was in the dollar bin. The first song on it is called “1973”, which I recall hearing as the single, but I think it died a quick death. Anyway, there is a song on the album that just blows me away, and would certainly be worth googling if this sort of thing floats your boat. It is called “Same Mistake.” I know art is very subjective, but for me, this really does it.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Apr. 11
Friday found us in Fort Pierce where we have stopped for a weekend-long visit with our friend Vince, who we know from our church in NJ. He has vacationed here for several winters, and last year he purchased a place that was in foreclosure, and got a REALLY good deal. It is an over-55 community, and when the owner dies, the units often pass into the hand of their under-55 children, who legally can’t live there. Since there are fairly substantial maintenance fees for the new owner to pay each month, they are sometimes very motivated to sell. That’s where a senior with a checkbook can do very well, and Vince did. He’s got a beautiful place, right on a golf course, with two bedrooms, a porch, a carport, and everything he needs. He invited us to stay with him, but the community does not allow pets, and Logan wouldn’t be too happy to be left alone overnight. So we parked in a grassy lot that is part of the complex, slept there, and then showed up on Vince’s doorstep each morning for breakfast. His wife Marie resides in a nursing home about 20 minutes away. (He bought this place so that he could be close enough to visit frequently.) One day we took her out for a long walk on a pier that juts out into a beautiful aqua-colored harbor in Fort Pierce. Another day, we took our guitars and entertained the residents a bit at Marie’s home. (Vin and I both play with the church group in NJ that goes around to nursing homes, prisons, etc.) Vince is also involved down here with a drug and alcohol rehab place called “Faith Farm Ministries” which operates a 1600 acre facility where men can stay, at no charge, and go through a 10 month program. While there, the residents earn their keep by tending the beef cattle, or repairing vehicles, or working in various other enterprises that the place operates to pay the bills. It is a really impressive operation. Lorraine and I attended their Sunday morning service, and Logan got to spend the time with a couple of the farm dogs who welcomed him warmly.
Vinnie was quite the host, and seemed determined that we should see everything that the area has to offer in the 3 days that we were there. This clashed somewhat with my stated desire to do absolutely nothing, ever; but we managed to work it out. On Friday night we went to the Mets spring training facility that is now used by one of their minor league teams. Appropriately, the Mets farm club lost to a Cardinals farm team. We sat in the berm area behind right field, which I saw many times on TV back in Jersey when the spring training games were being televised. By great good fortune, it happened to be “bring your dog to the park night,” which is why we sat in the berm. Logan enjoyed everything except the fireworks at the end, which spooked him badly.
On Sat. night, we went to Vero Beach to see a production of “Buddy”, (the Buddy Holly story) which previously had had a run on Broadway. It was very good, except that the actor who played Buddy couldn’t play lead guitar, so they invented an additional “Cricket” (member of his backup band) to be there to play the iconic solos. The “Buddy” actor sang the songs well however, and even made it look fairly convincing when he was romancing the female actor who became Buddy’s wife. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more.)
Friday found us in Fort Pierce where we have stopped for a weekend-long visit with our friend Vince, who we know from our church in NJ. He has vacationed here for several winters, and last year he purchased a place that was in foreclosure, and got a REALLY good deal. It is an over-55 community, and when the owner dies, the units often pass into the hand of their under-55 children, who legally can’t live there. Since there are fairly substantial maintenance fees for the new owner to pay each month, they are sometimes very motivated to sell. That’s where a senior with a checkbook can do very well, and Vince did. He’s got a beautiful place, right on a golf course, with two bedrooms, a porch, a carport, and everything he needs. He invited us to stay with him, but the community does not allow pets, and Logan wouldn’t be too happy to be left alone overnight. So we parked in a grassy lot that is part of the complex, slept there, and then showed up on Vince’s doorstep each morning for breakfast. His wife Marie resides in a nursing home about 20 minutes away. (He bought this place so that he could be close enough to visit frequently.) One day we took her out for a long walk on a pier that juts out into a beautiful aqua-colored harbor in Fort Pierce. Another day, we took our guitars and entertained the residents a bit at Marie’s home. (Vin and I both play with the church group in NJ that goes around to nursing homes, prisons, etc.) Vince is also involved down here with a drug and alcohol rehab place called “Faith Farm Ministries” which operates a 1600 acre facility where men can stay, at no charge, and go through a 10 month program. While there, the residents earn their keep by tending the beef cattle, or repairing vehicles, or working in various other enterprises that the place operates to pay the bills. It is a really impressive operation. Lorraine and I attended their Sunday morning service, and Logan got to spend the time with a couple of the farm dogs who welcomed him warmly.
Vinnie was quite the host, and seemed determined that we should see everything that the area has to offer in the 3 days that we were there. This clashed somewhat with my stated desire to do absolutely nothing, ever; but we managed to work it out. On Friday night we went to the Mets spring training facility that is now used by one of their minor league teams. Appropriately, the Mets farm club lost to a Cardinals farm team. We sat in the berm area behind right field, which I saw many times on TV back in Jersey when the spring training games were being televised. By great good fortune, it happened to be “bring your dog to the park night,” which is why we sat in the berm. Logan enjoyed everything except the fireworks at the end, which spooked him badly.
On Sat. night, we went to Vero Beach to see a production of “Buddy”, (the Buddy Holly story) which previously had had a run on Broadway. It was very good, except that the actor who played Buddy couldn’t play lead guitar, so they invented an additional “Cricket” (member of his backup band) to be there to play the iconic solos. The “Buddy” actor sang the songs well however, and even made it look fairly convincing when he was romancing the female actor who became Buddy’s wife. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more.)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Apr. 7
You might be wondering how we are dealing with gas on this trip. Answer: I’ve cut way back on the chile, and Lorraine is very grateful. More to the point however, we paid $3.70 per gallon today, near St. Augustine, FL, which is the highest we’ve paid yet. Prices in the rest of the country make NJ’s prices look good by comparison. We get a little better than 10 mpg by keeping the cruise control at 55, so the days of the $100 fill-up are long gone. In fact, a lot of pump-your-own stations have a $75 or $100 credit card limit, which means that I have to complete the transaction, and then put in my credit card again to finish filling up the tank. It is certainly a big hit each time, but we need to remember that we are hauling a refrigerator, a bathroom, two beds, and, quite literally, the kitchen sink. This RV is really very comfortable, and we have most everything we need right here. Last night we stopped at a Cracker Barrel restaurant for dinner, and then stayed right there in the parking lot overnight. There were several other RV’s doing the same thing. One rig had a generator set up outside the vehicle, and another actually had their lawn chairs out, enjoying the sunset! (I resisted the urge to use our outside shower.) We woke to the smell of bacon frying in the restaurant. It wasn’t waffles, so I wasn’t really tempted. We opted instead for some whole grain cereal, and hit the road.
You might be wondering how we are dealing with gas on this trip. Answer: I’ve cut way back on the chile, and Lorraine is very grateful. More to the point however, we paid $3.70 per gallon today, near St. Augustine, FL, which is the highest we’ve paid yet. Prices in the rest of the country make NJ’s prices look good by comparison. We get a little better than 10 mpg by keeping the cruise control at 55, so the days of the $100 fill-up are long gone. In fact, a lot of pump-your-own stations have a $75 or $100 credit card limit, which means that I have to complete the transaction, and then put in my credit card again to finish filling up the tank. It is certainly a big hit each time, but we need to remember that we are hauling a refrigerator, a bathroom, two beds, and, quite literally, the kitchen sink. This RV is really very comfortable, and we have most everything we need right here. Last night we stopped at a Cracker Barrel restaurant for dinner, and then stayed right there in the parking lot overnight. There were several other RV’s doing the same thing. One rig had a generator set up outside the vehicle, and another actually had their lawn chairs out, enjoying the sunset! (I resisted the urge to use our outside shower.) We woke to the smell of bacon frying in the restaurant. It wasn’t waffles, so I wasn’t really tempted. We opted instead for some whole grain cereal, and hit the road.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Apr. 6
This afternoon, we crossed the border into Florida. Lorraine is inside the welcome center now enjoying a free orange juice as I write this, staying with Logan in the RV. We have been told that there is a state law in Florida that makes it illegal to leave a pet in a closed vehicle. (And yet no such law prohibiting leaving a husband alone!) I don’t know how strictly they enforce the ordinance for an RV that has adequate ventilation and access to his water dish as ours does, but it has left us a little paranoid to leave him alone. The temperature is 74, beautiful, but certainly not too hot to leave him in the vehicle. Several blog readers have commented that there has been precious little about Logan so far, and that more should be forthcoming since it is his name on the masthead. Mainly that’s a contractual thing. He was represented by Scott Boras in his last negotiations, and managed to get a clause inserted in his contract that mandates that he gets a biscuit every time his name in mentioned in the blog. He also is no longer required to bark at left-handers. (Notice that I’m trying to refer to him as “he” and not “L____”.
The old boy has slowed down quite a bit (he is 9 and a half now) and has a little trouble getting up and down the stairs in and out of the RV. He is still very happy to be traveling with us though; and I am astonished to report that his bladder is still in excellent condition. One of us takes him out for the last time usually around 11 PM, and then he is good until around 9 or 10 the following morning. Mentioning no names, not everyone in the vehicle has that kind of control.
This afternoon, we crossed the border into Florida. Lorraine is inside the welcome center now enjoying a free orange juice as I write this, staying with Logan in the RV. We have been told that there is a state law in Florida that makes it illegal to leave a pet in a closed vehicle. (And yet no such law prohibiting leaving a husband alone!) I don’t know how strictly they enforce the ordinance for an RV that has adequate ventilation and access to his water dish as ours does, but it has left us a little paranoid to leave him alone. The temperature is 74, beautiful, but certainly not too hot to leave him in the vehicle. Several blog readers have commented that there has been precious little about Logan so far, and that more should be forthcoming since it is his name on the masthead. Mainly that’s a contractual thing. He was represented by Scott Boras in his last negotiations, and managed to get a clause inserted in his contract that mandates that he gets a biscuit every time his name in mentioned in the blog. He also is no longer required to bark at left-handers. (Notice that I’m trying to refer to him as “he” and not “L____”.
The old boy has slowed down quite a bit (he is 9 and a half now) and has a little trouble getting up and down the stairs in and out of the RV. He is still very happy to be traveling with us though; and I am astonished to report that his bladder is still in excellent condition. One of us takes him out for the last time usually around 11 PM, and then he is good until around 9 or 10 the following morning. Mentioning no names, not everyone in the vehicle has that kind of control.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Apr. 4
We reached Myrtle Beach, South Carolina yesterday, and stayed over here last night. The temperature was in the 70’s, and after church we found the beach, and a place to park the RV nearby. This morning, it is warm and beautiful again. There is a state park on the outskirts of town called, appropriately enough, “Myrtle Beach State Park.” Within it, there is access to the ocean beach. The plan is to spend the day there, hopefully at the beach, and then stay overnight in the campground where we can perform the necessary ablutions. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, so we’ll probably get back on the road and head south again.
We are making (as usual) slow progress, but the goal was not really to find Florida (in truth, it isn’t lost) but rather to find hot weather, and we seem to have made a start.
Mini movie review: rented “The Switch” last night, starring Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston. We both liked it a lot. From “Redbox”, for a buck!
Apr. 5
I heard back from the person I described in an earlier post as “my old friend.” He asked that I clarify and refer to him hereafter as “my long-time friend.” I shall gladly do so; but for the record, we graduated college together, so you do the math.
Have I mentioned how much I love “Waffle House”? I’ve always been fond of pancakes, but I found this chain here in the South which makes just the best waffles ever. We’ve only been on the road 6 days, and I’ve been there for breakfast 3 times already. You can expect to see “more” of me upon my return.
Back at home I was reading and enjoying a book called, I think, “Living Faith” by former president Jimmy Carter. A couple of days ago at a flea market I found another of his books, on CD, for $1.99. It is called “A Remarkable Mother” and consists of his reminiscences of “Miss Lillian.” Some of you may remember that she gained some notoriety during the time Jimmy was President. I remember her as quite a character – the kind of older person who has decided that she is going to do and say exactly what she wants to, and let the chips fall where they may. She did led a “remarkable” life, and not just as an eccentric. She spent a lot of her time and money in service to the less fortunate. In fact you may recall that she joined the Peace Corps, and went to work in India for two years when she was 70! We have been listening to the CD’s as we travel, and it really makes the miles roll by more quickly.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Mar. 31
We left N.J. on Thur. March 31st, hoping to avoid a snowfall that was scheduled for tonight into Friday. Got as far as Maryland, near Annapolis tonight and we seem to have stayed ahead of it. The news said it should be 60 degrees here this time of year, but it only got up to 50 today, with a cold rain. Apparently, there is no one I can sue. (I looked into it.)
We are headed for Florida, specifically the Gulf Coast panhandle. The original plan for this winter’s trip had been to go to the Southwest, and ultimately California, but unforeseen circumstances kept us in New Jersey much longer than we had anticipated. We could, of course, still go west anyway; but that would likely bring us back much later than the end of May, which is when we would like to get back to Long Island. If we go out there much later than that, Lorraine cannot get the garden started on time. (I know, I know; boo-hoo for David. He can’t be in California and the Hamptons at the same time.)
When we left Jersey, we started out on the Garden State Parkway. After a few miles, it occurred to us that trucks and busses weren’t allowed on the Parkway, and maybe RV’s weren’t either. Lorraine counseled that I should feign ignorance if stopped by a trooper. I replied that I have honed that skill to the point where I don’t have to feign it anymore. Sadly, she didn’t disagree.
Apr. 2
We’ve made it as far as North Carolina and settled down for the night. A fellow shopper in Wal-Mart helpfully suggested a meal of teriyaki noodles with shrimp over the top. We bought the ingredients and cooked it up in the van and then enjoyed “Blue Bloods” (a favorite TV show) since we happened to be in a location where we could get good over-the-air reception. Our old friend Barry Pavesi installed a new, larger flat screen monitor in the RV last spring when we went to Michigan to visit him, and we are really enjoying it.
Lorraine asked me the other day why I get such a kick out of writing these things. I think Bob Newhart has the best answer. For those too young to know who he is, Newhart was a comedian whose greatest popularity was in the late 70’s and early 80’s. (Yeah, like anyone young is still reading this.) I saw an interview with him the other day, and he was asked why, at age 80, he still goes on the road after all these years. His answer was: “What am I supposed to do when I think of something funny? Tell the dog???” He then went on to say that the only part he doesn’t enjoy is all the traveling. I guess that’s because he doesn’t travel in a 21-foot RV and stay overnight in the Wal-Mart lot. There’s so much I could teach him.
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