Florida (November 1, 2011 through December 4, 2011)

This will be the longest amount of time we have spent in the RV.

photos from NS Mayport

We headed out on Tuesday, November 1st and drove straight through to NS Mayport.  With both of us driving, we made it with relative ease and less fatigue on Cass when she has to do all the driving.  We love Mayport and always love our stay there.  We never cease to be amazed at not only the boat traffic, but the size of the boats/ships that pass us. 

photos from Camp Universe

We headed out Friday, November 4 to the Ocala area to visit with friends.  We stayed at an awesome spot - Southern Oaks RV Resort.  While we were driving through The Villages, we found Camp Universe where Cass went to summer camp for seven years as a kid.

photos from North Fort Myers area

photos from Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

photos from Sanibel Island Lighthouse

And we left on Monday, November 7 for North Fort Myers for a 3 week visit with friends at the Resort on Carefree Boulevard. We spent Thanksgiving there and accepted the wonderful hospitality of our new friends. 

 

We really loved the area.  We got to see the Red Sox stadiums, old and new.  Now we have to get back for a Spring Training game some day!  Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island didn't disappoint and gave us hundred of birds to enjoy and photograph.

 

We also went to see Sanibel Island and saw the lighthouse there.  It was an interesting structure, not what we normally expect of a lighthouse.

From the placque at the foot of the lighthouse:

Sanibel Island Lighthouse

The first permanent English-speaking settliers on Sanibel Island arrived from New York in 1833 as part of a colony planned by land investors. Although that settlement was short-lived, the inistial colonists petitioned the U.S. government for the construction of a lighthouse on the island. No action was taken on that proposal at the time. By the late 1870's, sea-going commerce in the area had increased in volume. The U.S. Lighthouse Bureau took the initiative in requesting funds for a lighthouse for Sanibel Island, and in 1884, construction of the tower began. The station was lighted for the first time in August, 1884. The significance of the Sanibel Lighthouse lies in the regular and reliable service it has provided for travellers along Florida's West Coast. Since 1950, the U.S. Coast Guard property at the lighthouse has been a wildlife refuge.

 

 









We headed to Disney on Tuesday, November 29th to stay at Fort Wilderness!  It was part of an RVW Rally.  We were there until December 4th.  Neither of us had been to Disney in years and we had never been together.  We were there for Christmas and it was amazing to see how not only Disney decorates for Christmas, but how the campers at Fort Wilderness decorated their sites.

We rented a golf cart for our visit so that we could about skip about 30 minutes and one part of the bus service that Fort Wilderness and Disney provides to their guests.

 

photos from Downtown Disney

We went to Downtown Disney the first night there and walked the whole park and took a boat ride across the lake back.  It's a really fun area with no shortage of entertainment, food and shopping. 

 

photos from Disney's Hollywood Studios

The next day, November 30th, we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios.  We walked the whold park, did the Hollywood and Vine shopping, went on The Great Movie Ride, saw the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! and had lunch at the 50s Prime Time Cafe.

photos from the Boat ride and Monorail Ride

That evening, we took the boat ride from Fort Wilderness to The Contemporary.  We walked around The Contemporary and went through all the shops.  Then we rode the Monorail ALL around Disney!  Of course, Cass is thrilled with another boat ride.

 

photos from Disney's Magic Kingdom

photos from The Haunted Mansion

photos from Tom Sawyer's Island

photos from the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse

photos from Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade

December 1st and we are off to the Magic Kingdom!  I seperated the above photo albums because if you know Beth, then you know she takes a lot of pictures! 

We walked down Main Street USA to see Cinderella's Castle.  We went to Liberty Square where we went to lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern.  We saw The Hall of Presidents, The Haunted Mansion, through FrontierLand to see Tom Sawyer Island and The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and The Enchanted Tiki Room.  Off through FantasyLand where we quickly walked by It's a Small World with its 75 minute wait so the song would not get stuck in our heads.  On our way out, we stopped for ice cream and were able to watch the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade.

 

photos from Disney's Animal Kingdom

December 3rd and we went to Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Neither of us had been here and it most certainly did not disappoint.  We walked around and saw SO many different animals.  We saw Discovery Island Trails, "It's Tough to be a Bug" inside the Tree of Life, Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, Flights of Wonder and Habitat! Habitat!.  The "It's Tough to be a Bug" is a 3D show and was hysterical, check out the movie posters outside the show.

photos from Kilimanjaro Safari Expedition

The Kilimanjaro Safari Expedition was absolutely incredible.  Disney is so very clever in ensuring that the animals are near the "trail" that we are driving on.  At one point or another, animals were close enough to the vehicle, that I just know we could have touched them!  We saw animals in a natural-type habitat that I honestly believe I never would have seen. 

photos from The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Our video of the Christmas lights

And that night, we went back to Disney's Hollywood Studio for The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  It's really something to see... a city block full of lights all choreographed to Christmas songs.  And yes, it does snow!    



Charleston, SC (September 16, 17, 18, 2011)

We spent the weekend in Charleston, SC.  It was a nice ride down Route 17 to get there.  We stayed on base about 20 minutes from everything to see and do.  It was a chilly weekend for September and overcast most of it.  We are definitely planning a return visit and hopefully spend more time and see more. 

Friday, September 16

photos from the USS Yorktown

We went to see the USS Yorktown today because it was late in the day and it is a little removed from most everything else we wanted to see.  Cass and I have been on battleships and other navy ships but this is the first air craft carrier I've been on and it is impressive and HUGE. 

photos from the USS Clagamore

Moored next to the USS Yorktown, is a sub named the USS Clagamore.  It is amazing to see how these sailors lived, really my pictures don't do it justice.  And you can see from the outside pictures that it actually lists to one side... I used the iPhone to show how off bubble it is.  And you really get the feeling while you're walking around of being off-center.  By the end of the walk through, it was really quite disorienting.  Imagine being in there for months on end?

Saturday, September 17

 photos from the Hunley

We went to see the the Hunley this morning.  The museum was incredible with replicas of the submarine.  There was even a cutaway one that where you could sit in it and turn the hand crank to turn the propeller that was in a tank of water so you really got the "feel" of what these men did.  The facial reconstruction of the crews faces was really beautiful.  Seeing the Hunley in the preservation tank was a bit disappointing.  I suppose I was expecting more or a better view of the sub.  And there was no photography allowed.
In the afternoon we went to the Charleston Marketplace.  We learned the history of sea grass baskets.  This beautiful black woman shared the history of it coming over with the slaves and how it has passed down through the generations.  They are even on display in the Smithsonian.  If we could have afforded one, we would have bought one.  We had lunch at AW Shucks Seafood Restaurant... YUM!
And at night, we took a Ghost Boat Tour.  It went all around the harbor, along the USS Yorktown and under the suspension bridge.  It was filled with great stories and sights.  The kid that was "narrating" was very funny. 

Sunday, September 18

photos from Fort Sumter

We took the boat ride out to see Fort Sumter.  Wow!  Cass and I have been to Fort Clinch in Fernandina Beach, FL and both forts were built during the same time and were very similar.  Fort Clinch is very well preserved having seen virtually no war time activity.  Fort Sumter was incredible.  I found myself taking photo after photo of the brickwork because it was as if the bricks and mortar were telling the Fort's story.  You can see shrapnel marks, bullet marks and cannon ball holes.  You are limited to an hour touring the Fort, to the point that Cass and I skipped the Museum to be able to see the entire fort.  It was great to see and most of the time I was there, I was thinking how much my Dad would have loved to have seen it.

Day 23 (June 15)

photos from the University of Virginia

We took a ride into the city of Charlottesville and walked around the University of Virginia to The Rotunda and The Lawn.  We particularly wanted to see this because Thomas Jefferson had founded it.

After checking the weather, we going to make our way home tomorrow.  We have had absolutely gorgeous weather since Luray with temperatures in the upper 80s and no humidity. But they are calling for thunderstorms so we will postpone our visit to Natural Bridge, VA.

Day 22 (June 14)

photos from Ash-Lawn Highland

We went to Ash-Lawn Highland.  Highland, as James Monroe had named it, was a beautiful farm home.  There was some original furniture but for the most part, it was not as original as Monticello and it was not as interesting as Montpelier.  Monroe actually spent very little time here and subsequent owners had built a whole entire house attached.  They lands and gardens were beautiful though.

We stopped at the Jefferson Vineyards.  I did the wine tasting for $10 and got to keep the glass.  We did like the wines and bought three bottles.  My only suggestion is to never do a wine tasting on an empty stomach!  :)

Day 21 (June 13)

photos from Monticello

photos from Michie Tavern

We were up and out the door by 9:20am with plenty of time to spare for our 10:10am scheduled tour of Monticello.  And it was just as beautiful as the first time we were there in 2002.  They had built a new gift shop that Cass really enjoyed.  She bought several packages of flower seeds that she'll plant when we get home.  I think we enjoyed the tour even more this time because we were able to look around more and listen less.  We walked all around the grounds took alot of pictures.  The flower gardens were absolutely gorgeous and exquisitely maintained.

We went to Michie's Tavern for lunch.  We had fried chicken, green beans, black eyed peas, and cole slaw.  The fried chicken was incredible.  Cass had peach cobbler for dessert and I had vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce.  Then we did the tour next door.  It was a great historical tour with historical furniture and maps.  Then we walked around outside and saw all the out buildings. 

Day 20 (June 12)

photos from Montpelier

We went over to Monticello to get tickets for tomorrow.  Then we were debating between a Civil War museum and Montpelier, James Madison's home. 

We chose Montpelier and we were so glad we did!  They are in the process of renovating the home and grounds still and trying to reclaim the family's possessions.  And it is still an active archeological site!  The employees were excited and thrilled to be part of this process and this really echoed back to us tourists.  Our group was small, only 10 in the group which allowed for almost a more personal tour.  It is a beautiful home and gardens.  And we are looking forward to returning in 10 years and seeing how far they have come along.

This was my favorite of the 3 Presidential homes we saw as it is still in the discovery mode. It has only recently been re-opened.
"The Montpelier estate was formed in 1723 when Ambrose Madison, President James Madison's grandfather, and his brother-in-law, Thomas Chew, were deeded 4,675 acres in the newly opened Piedmont of Virginia. To receive final title, he had three years to clear the land and build a house.
For more than 120 years – from 1723 until 1844 when Dolley Madison sold the property – the Madisons owned Montpelier. Montpelier was the lifelong home of James Madison, Father of the Constitution, architect of the Bill of Rights, and fourth president of the United States. It was here that he read, researched, and thought more deeply about our republican form of government than any other Founding Father."

Day 18,19 (June 10,11)

Day 18 - Friday, June 10
We drove from Luray to Charlottesville.  It was a nice, slow, 2 hour ride all the way down US 340, Stonewall Jackson Memorial Highway.  We're staying at a KOA in Keene, VA which is about 12 miles outside of Charlottesville.  It is a very nice KOA, run by a nice young couple... but it is very rural with no cell service and WiFi is through HughesNet and there is nothing nice to say about satellite internet. 

photos from the Walton's Mountain Museum

Day 19 - Saturday, June 11
We went to the Walton's Mountain Museum where they had replicas of John-Boy's room, the kitchen, the living room, Ike Godsey's General Store, and the Baldwin Sisters "Recipe Room".  The General Store was also the gift shop.  It was a very corny stop but as a fan of the show, it was well worth the $7 entry.

Then Cass had a great idea to the Historic Hatton Ferry... what a ride!  We were on back roads, dirt roads again with no cell reception.  And the ferry was not really what we were expecting.  I think I was expecting more of a historical area based on a historical marker sign that stated:

James A. Brown began operating a store and ferry at this site on rented property in the late 1870s.  In 1881 he bought the land from S.P. Gantt at which time the store became a stop on the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad.  Two years later, Brown was authorized to open a post office in his store, which was named Hatton for the young federal postal officer who signed the authorizing documents.  The ferry is one of the only two poled ferries still functioning in the continental United States.

Instead we found an area full of tubers, canoes and beer drinkers.

Days 15,16,17 (June 7,8,9)

photos from Luray Caverns 

photos from the Luray Car Museum

photos from Skyline Drive

Cass and Patrick relaxing.

Day 15 - Tuesday, June 7

We took a down day today and stayed here at "home".  Patrick is exhausted and we sat with him.  We sat outside and enjoyed this beautiful campground.  It's pretty empty.  Our "neighbors" are from South Carolina and Massachusetts... such a small world.

Day 16 - Wednesday, June 8
We went to the Luray Caverns today and all the museums there.  The Caverns was way more than I thought it was going to be.  I guess I don't really know what I was expecting but it definitely far exceeded my expectations.  It was a clammy 54 degrees.  In fact by the time we got to the end of the tour, my glasses were fogging over, fortunately my camera was fine.

There were close to 50 people in our group and unfortunately it was hard to hear everything that the guide talked about because Cass and I would end up near the end of the tour because I would be taking so many pictures.  I took 258 pictures of stalactites, stalagmites and all sorts of formations!  Somehow I managed to cull that down to the approximately 100 that I put in the photo blog.

Day 17 - Thursday, June 9
We drove the Skyline Drive today and took Patrick with us.

Days 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 (May 31, June 1,2,3,4,5,6)

photos from Lancaster, PA

Day 8 -  Tuesday, May 31
We hooked up and were on the road by 10:15am.  We are caravaning with Lea and Arlene in their Bounder and tow vehicle.  All the other rigs are already gone.  We had to stop and gas up and ran into 2 other rigs gassing up.  And we met up with them again and had a 4 rig caravan all the way to Lancaster.

What should have taken 4 hours to drive from Chincoteague, VA to Lancaster, PA ended up taking nearly 6.5 hours!  It was a beautiful ride all on back roads and through towns.

We got to the campground and checked in and set up.  We were in a spot that was pretty close and pretty much under the roller coaster.  Granted it doesn't start up until 8am and stops sometime around 8pm and with the AC on most of the time, we got used to the noise.  And there is a stream that Cass can fish in.  There are ducks along the stream and it abuts a farm that we can watch the farmer working his fields.

Day 9 - Wednesday, June 1
Cass and I took a ride.  We stopped at Costco and bought some new chairs with side tables (and a side cooler).  Then we just road around the back roads and through the farms and saw the Amish driving the horses and carriages.  It was pretty cool to see the horses tied up outside various businesses.

Day 10 - Thursday, June 2
Cass and I took a ride with Lea and Arlene to find the Amish Department Store.  We eventually did find it but it was closed because it was Ascension Day.  So I did laundry and Cass did some cleaning.

Day 11 - Friday, June 3
Cass went shopping with Bev for a new computer and while she was out, she was going to stop at the AT&T store and get me a new, sturdier case for my iPhone.  I went back to the Amish Department Store with Lea and Arlene.  It was really a cool store and had pretty much anything you were looking for.  I did buy a new ice cream scoop, pretty indestructible even for Cass.  I also got us 2 new tablecloths made of vinyl that should last us and a new knife set for the RV.  We stopped and had ice cream for lunch.

Cass had gotten back about the same time I did.  She was putting the new case on my phone and turned around and handed me my phone with the Patriots case on it.  Well I knew it wasn't my phone and she said "Nope, it's mine."  She finally got rid of that piece of crap LG phone she had!  AND she was able to keep it a surprise and not tell me during any of the phone calls between us.

Day 12 - Saturday, June 4
We just hung out and watched bocci.  There was a potluck for dinner and all the food was excellent.  Cass made her pulled pork and it was a huge hit.  We played bingo after dinner.

Day 13 - Sunday, June 5
Last day of the Rally and most of the rigs are heading out.  We are doing laundry and packing up the car.

Day 14 - Monday, June 6
Cass and I have to pause here and mention Patrick.  He has made an amazing transition into an "only child" and is maturing into a wonderful dog.  We are able to leave him and not stress over it because when we come back, he is none the worse.   He is developing more of his own personality and we could not be happier and more proud we are of him.

We were up and having coffee by 7am and ready for the next leg of our trip.  We said our good-byes to our new found friends and are already looking forward to our next meet up with them.

The PA turnpike is a lousy road fully of bumps and potholes.  I guess we quickly forget about the winter's effect on roads.

We got to Country Waye Campground at around 4:30pm.  The ride through Luray was nice but once we got through the town itself and started up the mountain and I mean UP the mountain, it was a slow and windy road with hairpin turns and speeds of no more than 25mph.  Cass, as always, did a phenomenal job of driving!

Days 4,5,6,7 (May 27,28,29,30)

photos from Assateague Island National Seashore

photos from Pine Grove Campground

Day 4 - Friday, May 27th
It is mosquito central!  It is so bad that the county comes through the campground in the evenings and sprays and at 6:30am a plane flies over and sprays, and it is flying so low that the motor home shook.  But at least it helps with the mosquitoes.

We rode our bikes out behind the campground and found that the owners have ponies, horses, geese, chickens, goats, donkeys, an ostrich, a llama, peacocks and swans.  In the afternoon, we took a ride around Chincoteague and drove through some of the other campgrounds.  While they all have the pluses and minuses, we are very happy with where we are staying.  We saw some cool souvenir shops that we'll go back and check out.

We took a sunset ride out to Assateague and drove "The Loop".  Unfortunately, we couldn't even get out of the car because of the mosquitoes.  While they spray on Chincoteague, they do not spray on Assateague.  I'll assume it is because it is a preserve.  I'm not even sure if we will go back over because it was so buggy.  I can't really even take pictures because I have to shoot through the windows.  We even drove to the beach and even there with all the wind, there were still too many mosquitoes to get out of the car.

Day 5 - Saturday, May 28th
Didn't do much today.  Cass and I went souvenir shopping and bought t-shirts and our magnet for the RV fridge!

Day 6 - Sunday, May 29th
The weather was absolutely gorgeous today.  We didn't go back over to Assateauge because the mosquitoes are still so brutal.  Cass washed the windows in the truck so we can try and get some pictures through the windows at least.

Day 7 - Monday, May 30th
Happy Memorial Day!  Cass and I went for a ride over to Assateague this morning but honestly, the mosquitoes are so bad that not being able to get out of the car to try and take pictures is just frustrating the ever living crap out of me.  The mosquitoes dive bomb and slam up against the windows.  It's like they're crazy!

We got back to the campground in time for breakfast and the singing of "God Bless America" by Kate Smith and the RVW group!

And Looks like we are heading to Lancaster, PA for more RVW!

On the road - Days 1,2,3 (May 24,25,26)

Day 1 - Tuesday, May 24

Day 1 and we were on the road at 10:05am. We drove mostly Route 17 north to our first stop in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Route 17 is mostly farmland and tractors own the road. There were also so many condemned or abandoned buildings.

We saw inmates on the side of the road, under the watchful eyes of Correction Officers and their shotguns. And passed through Herford, North Carolina... home of Jim "Catfish" Hunter.

We arrived at 4:00pm and are staying at the Elizabeth City Coast Guard Station on the Pasquotank River. Cass even managed to fish off the dock.

Day 2 - Wednesday, May 25

Campsite with view of the river

We had rain, 40mph winds, thunder and lightening last night. The motorhome is not the most comforting place to be in such weather. Cass tried to play an episode of "Modern Family" on her iPad to keep me from worrying so much and when that didn't work, she played music from "Glee". There was more lightening during the night. Patrick and I kept our eye on it while Cass slept. She can sleep through pretty much anything! :)

It was a beautiful morning though.

Day 3 - Thursday, May 26

Cass' new ride?

Looking ahead from the bridge to the tunnel

We were up, packing and securing the RV and heading to Chincoteague, Virginia. And weather wise, it looks like it will be a fantastic week while we are there. We gassed up on base, hooked up the car and were on the road at 10:50am. It was a nice campground with all the amenities but there was really nothing to do. Cass did manage to fish some but we are so spoiled by NS Mayport and all that there is to do there.

As we were driving off the base, Cass spotted this Dodge...



We crossed the Virginia border at about 11:30am. We crossed the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge with relative ease. Cass did fantastic. It is a two lane road while it is a bridge then goes down to one lane while you are in the tunnels.

Entering the tunnel

It costs us $15 for the motorhome towing the MKX to cross.  It really is a beautiful bridge/tunnel.  You can see the spot where we are on the bridge and you can look ahead to where the tunnel is and realizing that you are under water with huge ships going over you.

We are staying at the Pine Grove Campground here on Chincoteague. We ordered out from a restaurant close enough that I rode my bike to go and pick it up... especially since we put baskets on the bikes! We had our first crabcakes. And then after dinner we rode our bikes around and ended up by the water.

 

Huntington Beach State Park (Tuesday - May 17, 2011)

We left for a weekend away at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrell's Inlet, SC.  It was the first trip of 2011 for us.  It was also for Cass' birthday.  It was a beautiful state park with nice sites.  There are only a handful of sites with full hook-ups but since we were only going to be there for 4 days, we felt it would be a good "test" for us to see how we could do without sewer hook-ups.

We brought our bikes with us and we both really enjoyed having them with us.  This was our first trip with Patrick being on his own and he did great!

We visited "Atalaya", the home of the original owners of this state park and Brookgreen Gardens across the street.

We're already planning a return trip for next year.

Losing one of our travel companions...

After a lifelong battle with a birth defect that involved his liver, Cosmo lost this battle on March 21, 2011.  After the trip to Virginia Tech in August, he had a wonderful 7 extra months.  Cass and I both feel that it was some of his best and we were truly blessed to have that extra time with him.  We had promised Cosmo and each other that we would take care of him and we both agreed in a quality of life, not quantity.  Neither Cass nor I could stand to see him suffer. It is a tremendous feeling to know that Cosmo waits for us at The Rainbow Bridge where he is running amok, chasing kitties and is happy and healthy. 

He was a brave little dog, courageous in many ways and always adventurous.  He enjoyed travelling in the motor home as much as Cass did and was always ready for a R-I-D-E.  We'll miss our little travel-mate and all the laughter he brought with him.

Here is a picture of our boys, Cosmo and Patrick.  It was taken in Key West, our first trip in the RV.

April 1, 2011

If we were gone for 2 minutes or 2 hours, when we would walk in through the door, we would be greeted by Cosmo and Patrick.  Cosmo would twist himself in to a "C" shape.  I would pick him up and he would be frantic to cuddle me.  Soon he would give a huff and completely relax against me.  A few nights after we lost our Cosmo, I had a dream just like this.  It was so comforting.

Cosmo running to me.



Heading home (Tuesday - November 8, 2010)

With the launch of the Shuttle Discovery cancelled until November 30th, we are heading home tomorrow... but we'll be back! The November 30th launch is currently scheduled for 4:05am and I'm thinking how lucky are we that we have already seen 2 successful launches and we might, just might get to see a night launch! Very exciting...

Waiting for a Shuttle Launch (November 3, 2010 - Wednesday)

The Shuttle Discovery was scheduled for a Monday, November 1st launch. It was rescheduled for Tuesday, then today, and now tomorrow. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will be able to see it.

And while we were nervous and worried about how Cosmo would do on this trip, it seems that it is Patrick who had to be taken to a local Vet down here. He has been vomitting for the past 3 nights. What made us the most worried was his refusal to eat this morning. Patrick never refuses to eat!

Cass found a vet down here and Patrick swallowed a nose off one of his hedgies and irritated his stomach. He's on puppy amoxicillin for 5 days.

Manatee Hammock (October 28, 2010 - Thursday)

We left out of Pelican Roost at around 11:00am to head to Manatee Hammock. Cass did the driving. We got here safely and had our site set up with plenty of daylight to spare.

We chose a spot when we were down here in May, site #2 which is on the back road, a dirt road because we had hopes of getting our DirecTV to come in but alas, no such luck. In the future, we will stay on the main road because we both enjoy watching the rigs pull in and out! And of course there will be less dust because that road is paved.

The Shuttle Launch is scheduled for tomorrow.