A New Year - 2013

A new year - a cold January - a cold beginning to February that even a Super Bowl win will not warm up - a need for warmth, warmth - a desire to go where no man has gone before... Well, at least to Florida, with apologies to Trekkies out there (among the legions of those who do not read my blog too).

We have had very tentative plans to go south this winter and the time has come to fish or cut bait.  For a number of reasons, we have put off making the decision until now - and it looks like a go.  Got things to do with taking care of business - taxes, paper stoppage, cable, etc. - before heading out.  Oh, and to get the rv ready, a small and important detail.

The rv should have the oil changed and the air conditioning fluids checked.  Have to find a place to do that.  Our rv resource works on the rv parts of the unit only.  The motor and chassis stuff needs to be done elsewhere.

The rv needs to be dewinterized also.  I'll have to read up on that on the internet.  As usual, there will be a lot of articles, blogs, and tips on how to do that.  Even though most are good, there is always that nagging doubt about whether it can be done right or not.  The pesky heater bypass valve is already calling my name and saying, "I'm one of the seventeen valves near the hot water heater and you have forgotten which one I am."  Never mind that turning the wrong one will unleash nuclear tipped missiles from North Korea or reveal the true cause of "global warming" - no pressure here.

In going to the rv to assess what we need to do for the trip, Gin alertly noticed parts of a yellow light cover in front of the rv.  Turns out that the main tactic for holding the parts of the rv together, spit and bubble gum, failed and caused a lens cover to pop off in some high wind and break when hitting the ground.  Of course, finding a one-of-a-kind lens cover specific only to this manufacturer in stock anywhere is nearly impossible, so a call to the manufacturer of the rv, to a recommended dealer, and the dealer back to the manufacturer was in order.  With expedited shipping, it may delay our trip by a day.  Weather may do the same thing, so ..... oh, well.

Then there was the $125 oil change.... but they don't work on air conditioning.

Gin is already planning the stops and has put every rv campground into a itinerary on the AAA website, the best we have found in planning for mice and men.  Three days of driving look to be in store, with a full six hours of playing chicken with the speedsters from New York and Quebec on I95 each day.  We hope to avoid any freezing weather because we will have dewinterized.  I just hope that the rv knows that it has been done.  Water damage to an rv is like a tusami to an earthquake or some such analogy that is unlikely to ever appear on the SAT.

We are watching the weather.  We will try to avoid the rain down the east coast, but it is a balancing act between delay by the rain and traveling on the first day of the long weekend.  Patience patience, weather reports that are conflicting - changing by the minute, more patience, nature is a mother...

A major obstacle or variable in the planning is the Daytona race week.  Apparently, nearly a million race fans descend upon and around the environs of the Daytona Raceway that they affectionately call Race Week, which last eight days.  They must use the metric system or something.  Car race fans, bikers, and the such are in abundance and apparently rvers love it too.  Not my cup of tea. After all, we are mice and men according to the above.

On a sad note, one of our dogs is gone.  Age caught up with her, as it will with all of us eventually.  Although we have only one dog now, the title will remain the same as she will always be with us in our hearts and adventures. 

Final RV Thoughts for the Year

It is now November and the RV is safely nestled in for the winter.  We will go down about once a month to start it and move it a foot or so, but it is largely done and over until we think about a possible southern trip in February or March.  The truth is that it is never over (for instance, why is that yellow light on the dashboard showing up and should it be taken seriously when the manual - what a laugh it is - says to ignore it until you shouldn't) with this hulk of machinery, but it is a lull of sorts.

Some final thoughts, at least regarding the RV

1. The final analysis of success depends on where the base line is.  If the base line is our expectations after we bought the rv, but before we actually started using the rv, then it has been a positive and worthwhile experience.  We began with reasonable hopes for fun and adventure with higher levels of anxiety than we should have.  We traveled more than we ever would have, got to see some nice country, and were able to manage small crises in the beginning.  The last trip to New England was really good with only a few rv glitches and we have learned to not be overly anxious or fatalistic about things that happen.  The seemingly major crises, which were really only inexperience, have largely been ameliorated and previous problems have been worked out to become routinized without anguish.  I would give it a grade of B from this baseline.
2. If the baseline is the romantic dreams of traveling often, far, and with great adventure - those when deciding to actually pursue the purchase of an rv - it did not meet my expectations when speaking for myself (Roger).  In particular, learning to comfortably drive without the anxiety of hauling eighteen thousand pounds, top heavy pounds buffeted by the flapping of butterfly wings, down the road safely was a real learning experience.  There are also a lot of routine procedures of setting up at campgrounds, maintenance, care/feeding of the rv, and planning headaches that are not dreamlike, unless you count the ones that cause you to sit bolt upright in the middle of the night.  This probably has more to do with me than  most people.  Gin works really hard in taking care of the rv and the dogs, more than I ever could or would want to do.  From this baseline, it gets a C- .
3. If the baseline is considered to be after the first harrowing experiences with the rv - a real down period, it has gone well.  We are reasonably comfortable with dealing with most of what caused sleeplessness at first.  These issues largely were related to many of the things above, but they have been mostly resolved.  Grade A

Overall, it has been fun, but anxiety producing at times.  Making decisions and agonizing over small problems have detracted from the overall experience, but we are satisfied.  As reported early on, we don't have to put the dogs in the kennel, we get to sleep in our own beds, use our own bathroom/shower, and have flexibility to do the things we want.  It is not a money saver in the short or long run.  We understood that to begin with.  It is a terrible investment from a strict accounting perspective, but we knew that too.  

We will begin thinking about the southern trip, if any, after a few weeks.  Right now, we are rv'ed out and will enjoy the respite with Thanksgiving three weeks away...

Braking, Winter, and Hurricane Sandy

The Stay-in-Play, the toad supplementary braking system was high on my priority list.  It was a major investment and important to any long trip or mountainous driving to be done.  I really put in some time trying to figure out what was wrong with the system and learning how it operated.  If nothing else, I wanted to be somewhat knowledgeable about it when calling.  That was a major question, do I call the installer or the manufacturer.

I called the company finally.  Without a doubt, it may have been the best overall experience with a company over a defective product that I have ever had.  To avoid me having to go 2 hours for a fix at the installer's dealership, they sent me a new unit that I thought could be replaced by me  without much anguish.  Long story short, I did replace the unit and it is now working - miracle of miracles.

After talking to an rv repair place to a man who I had made a connection with at an rv show, a time has been set up for winterization of the rv.  Never mind that the appointment is set up on the back edge of Hurricane Sandy...

We put a $100 worth of gas in the rv 2 days ago (brought it up from a quarter of a tank to about three quarters of a tank) with the intention of using it and the generator if Sandy lasts more than three or four days.  We will see...

It is now after Hurricane Sandy.  We had very little damage to the house, none to the rv, and did not lose electricity.  In this area, we were very lucky when considering the tv coverage of the folks in NJ and NY.  I can't imagine...

We delayed the winterization of the rv for a day, but took it in yesterday.  The owner, a man who we had bought a car from long ago in a Buick dealership, was wonderful.  He answered a thousand (well, maybe 999) questions we had, did the work with his rv tech, and charged us less than what we had anticipated.  It was a very positive experience with his service work.  I have to tell you that that only happens occasionally.  Most of the time we are the hydrant and the service people are the dog.

The rv is now put to bed until sometime in the winter.  It is a big relief.

I will try to wrap up some final thoughts for the year in the next episode...

Homeward Bound

On the way home from Quechee Gorge, we discussed about seeing the other areas and sights that Gin had marked on her primary planning tool, a road map.  It didn't take long to figure out that we were pretty much seeing the same thing, but in different locales.  It made the decision to head for home a fairly easy one.  I had been using the phrase, "the end of the internet," and that was the case with New England - for the moment.  At that time and at the time of this writing, about 2 weeks later, we were and are happy with our trip.  The fall foliage was terrific in Maine and the general sightseeing was interesting and fun.  However, there was a point of diminishing returns...

We decided to make the trip home in three days, two medium drives and one very short one.  It was mostly interstate.  If I haven't mentioned it recently, my driving is much more comfortable than at the start.  Though, the longer drives still gave me anticipation of fatigue.

The first day began poorly.  The supplementary braking system that was installed on the toad would not function.  That was not a major problem because of spending little time on the way home in severe mountains, but to have a big purchase for a current and future need was a bummer of sorts.  The second downer was a road map being incorrect.  No, it was not our incorrect reading of the map.  The map was wrong, dead wrong.  It took us about thirteen miles in the wrong direction, which is not disastrous  but inconvenient and a negative addition to an already long drive.  The good result was that it forced us back onto the interstate, which was easier and probably faster driving.  Before getting to the interstate, we pulled over for lunch in a semi-scenic spot.  The rv is really nice in this aspect as it allows me to eat lunch standing up - a pleasant feeling after sitting in one position for a while.  I have often wondered why fast food restaurants along traveling venues don't offer standing up tables for people to stretch their legs after sitting and driving for long periods of time.

Gin had been really good at locating campgrounds that were possible stopping for overnight points.  One was almost perfect except that it did not have 50 amp service and we were not able to locate our converter for the 30 amp plug.  The owner of the campground offered to loan us a converter if we stayed there.  This was a smart business move in his part as we ended up there for the night.  In fact, he stayed a few minutes late to make sure we got there and settled in.  Before we got to the campground, the scenery in upstate New Your was really good.  It was a somewhat cloudy day,  but we think that the fall foliage there was at its peak.

That night, I studied the map and talked with Gin about trying to make it home the next day instead of the medium and short drives over two days.  We decided to give it a go.

I drove faster than previously over the two day trip.  Our speed was between 60 and 65.  On the first day, Columbus Day, the traffic was heavy, but moving well for the most part.  We had a 30 minute backup going through Lake George, NY, a resort area.  The second day was much lighter traffic and we have to remember that in the future - long drives during the week and not on holidays.

We made it home by four or so the second day.  It turned out to be a good decision.  I was tired, though prepared to wrestle with the unhooking of the toad in the storage lot for the rv, but lo and behold, it was not bound up as it usually is.  It literally came apart with a gentle tug or two.  A good ending to a long day...

The next day we unloaded and cleaned the rv in front of our home.  It was a lengthy and tiring job.  Washing the rv is a major undertaking when especially trying to get the stains off from water dripping down the sides, etc.  It took me a couple of days to recoup.  Another thing to remember, Gin and I both agree that that job should be done over two days.

Next decisions - how to deal with the bum supplementary braking system and getting winterization for the rv.

Warren, Woodstock, and Quechee Gorge

We are off to see Warren, Vermont.  Mostly, we wanted to see the general store there.  I know, one more general store.  We followed the map to go by the shortest route.  The way following the red lines on the map was much longer and presumably, would take significantly longer.

We started out over roads that we had traveled before.  Then, we turned onto one of the black line roads.  Up hill is an understatement.  It felt like one of those roller coaster rides where you are practically on your back.  Not really, but some embellishment here makes for a better story.  Soon, we left the paved road.  There is photo evidence of this non-embellishment segment of the story.

Driving on the unpaved road was a real hoot (we are in the toad, not the rv.)  It reminded me of bygone days in West Virginia - except these road were relatively smooth and not like what they called the hard road back home, that is, a dry creek bed.  It seemed like we were going up forever, but the fun part of going down was soon to come.

It was mostly paved road as shown.  There was a good bit of traffic going over the mountain for a Sunday morning.

We took a wrong turn, of course, but as frequently happens, it was an interesting one.  We stopped at a small, roadside community that basically had one store.  They sold unique things as we had seen in many other places in Vermont.  The one I was most interested in - not to purchase, but to marvel at how it was done - was a ceramic birdhouse.  My interest attracted the proprietor of the store who happened to be the creator of the artistic birdhouse in question.  She explained a lot about it and probably more than I wanted to know.

Off we went in the correct direction for the Warren General Store.  Got there and found a place to park right in front of the store.  Park is a general term here with the front of the car nearly touching the porch of the store and the bumper nearly on the road.  There was a crowd there and it did not look like there were many places to park.  It was an authentic general store that was old, really old.  The floor creaked, was worn and nowhere was there a level square foot in the whole store.  Once again, there were many unusual things for sale.  Women on the second floor were paying big bucks for clothing that was nice and probably homemade for the most part.  Gin may correct this when she reads this, but that was my impression.

I think I learned something else here.  My enthusiasm for general stores was waning...

On our way to Woodstock, there was a scenic place to view.  An enterprising, older gentlemen who certainly had a business that Obama's government made possible, was selling maple products.  You could taste the various types and grades of maple syrup and there were maple candies to sample too.  We bought some syrup and asked for a recommendation for lunch.  He said there was three places up the road apiece that he could recommend.  Two were normal and looking right squarely at Gin, said that the third one had "natural/healthy foods.  He spit on the ground after saying that.  Not really, but I was getting kind of bored with this and wanted to express my opinion of health foods.  At any rate, he said that at one of the places they should be told that Uncle Bill of Mom and Pops Maple Products had sent us.

We ate at one of the places and had a fairly good lunch.  The interesting part of the lunch was the original soda fountain in the restaurant.  There was a mix of tourists and locals, but mostly, it was tourists.  Judge for yourself.

Woodstock had been recommended by the campground office person.  We got there and traffic was bumper to bumper.  Found a parking place and walked back into town via the town square.  There was the ubiquitous fund raising campaign in a small area for a local soccer team.  We had been on a pie kick and decided to split a piece of apple crumb pie.  It was so good, we got another piece.  Yum!

The stores in Woodstock were actually more commercial and much more numerous than in Stowe.  However, they had many items that were unusual.  As an aside, when does the unusual become usual?  Gin bought a bottle of chocolate red wine - go figure, and a toy for a future gift for Tommy.  It was a future gift because it was so - here we go again - unusual and we determined through a scientific process, that it was something so good and unique that it would never be found again anywhere.  Or, maybe it was the sugar from the maple samples or apple pie that affected us...

Next was the Quechee Gorge.  It was a gorge.  It was a gorge.  Although I was impressed, it was a gorge. 

 We were beginning to come to an understanding that we had reached the end of internet as a commercial once portrayed.  Everything was beginning to look the same, even the unusual stuff.  In the touristy shopping area associated with the gorge, there was a sampling area of different Cabot cheeses.  Some people were treating it more like dinner.  We did end up buying some cheddar seasoning to put on popcorn.  Got it home and it was not the same.  Concluded that they must have put a lot more on the sampling popcorn then we could manage at home.

It was a long day and we headed back to the campground.

A Day of Rest, Odds and Ins

Saturday was forecast to be a day of rain, all day, in every way.  It was an easy choice to sit back, do some planning, and take care of some chores.  The planning was not that difficult in the end.  Easy for me to say as Gin is the ultimate detail person and has a wider range of sightseeing interests that she feels are important.  We decided to take a circular route that included the Warren General Store, mountain scenery, and the Quechee Gorge.

On that Saturday, we went to the grocery store for some replenishment of things.  One issue throughout the trip has been water.  We have been skittish about drinking the water at campgrounds and this is compounded by the fact that the water lines in the rv have probably been winterized with antifreeze.  Mix that with the fresh water tank having water in it for a long time and not being that happy with the source, bottled water was being used exclusively for cooking, drinking, brushing teeth, etc.  We were using about a gallon of water per person per day.  That was one of the major items on our shopping lists.

Gin went into the trip with ideas for doing some regular cooking.  I did not.  I saw it as a hassle and unnecessary - so many restaurants and so little time.  Her health concerns for both of us and self discipline are quite stringent.  In the end, we did mainly lunches out when sightseeing away from the rv and then light dinner, if any.  We do that when eating out for our day trips near home.  Lunches were sandwiches when at the rv and then some prepared food that was nuked.  Gin also had several frozen leftover dinners that we started with.  All of the above seemed to work as a strategy.  We got to sample the local fare, eat convenient/quick lunches when traveling without the hassle of trying to find a place to park an rv with a toad, not cook when tired from sightseeing, and maintain somewhat of a balanced diet with the mostly healthy foods we ate on the rv.  We returned home and were pleased to see our weights the same or slightly less, in fact.  As to the cholesterol intake, etc., it was mild compared to eating out all the time.

During a break of the seemingly perpetual rain,

 we decided to unroll the awning.  Letting it dry from time to time may prevent mold and deterioration of the fabric.  Alas, one side caught as it was starting and it ended up being cockeyed and possibly stuck - not a good thing.  Luckily, after much thought and moaning, and with trepidation, we decided to give it a shot by hitting the rewind button without trying to do anything else.  It worked.  Another calamity avoided.

Off to Warren and Woodstock, Vermont tomorrow, with a stop at the Quechee Gorge...

New Campground and Stowe, Vermont

We were headed for Randolph, Vermont the next day.  It was tentatively scheduled to be our base of operations for the next few days, including over the Columbus holiday weekend that concerned us about being able to get reservations at an rv park.

We arrived at the Abel Mountain Family Campground and got set up.  We are getting better at the whole process, although overconfidence is the friend of disaster.  It will rear its ugly head at some point and bite us.

The last places have had cable tv.  That is a real plus.  We got to watch the Orioles continue their winning ways.  Amazingly, Gin is becoming a baseball fan.  Cats barking and all of that...

The Green mountains are nearby as well as the ubiquitous train that is seemingly a must feature of every campground.  However, it did not bother us at all.

Our first excursion was about fifty minutes away, Stowe, Vermont.  It is a lovely, little town that is quite touristy.  The main attraction for us was the two, not one but two, general stores that were side by side.  In each were some unique items that were not seen anywhere else in our travels around the Mid-Atlantic area.  Gin commented, quite correctly in my humble opinion, that the unique items had a "hippie" quality" as well as many of the clothing styles.  It was not sunny, but not that cloudy either.  Needless to say, it had rained or was going to rain.  In our experience, that is always the case...

There were all kinds of jams, jellies, tangy and hot sauces, pretzels, nuts, and candies to sample and/or to buy.  We did.

Wildlife that was stuffed (life, stuffed?) was around.  The bear in the picture with me is about sixty percent of the size of the one that we encountered in Glacier National Park a couple of years ago.  This one was much friendlier or at least less obnoxious.

The traditional white church with a tall steeple, a staple in Vermont towns, was there to see.

Instead of a lunch in a restaurant, we found a roadside market quite by accident that had wonderful roast beef sandwiches on their homemade bread.  It was the cheapest and one of the best lunches we had.  Sitting outside was relatively bug free (but not wasp free), but of course, the wooden picnic tables were damp.  I do not like eating outside - never have and never will.

After lunch, we visited the Von Trappe Family Lodge - you know, the Sound of Music family.  Missed the only tour of the day, which no guide or info had warned us about.  We walked the grounds within the limits of what not buying an expensive ticket would allow.  The tickets really only permitted nature trail walks and the like.  There was nothing that would add to our interest in the Von Trappe family, so adios.

But it has great scenery from the altitude on the high point.

From the Von Trappe Lodge, we attended the Stowe Craft Fair.  We are amazed at the creativity and beauty of some of the displays.  There were all kinds of tasting of various jams and so on just like the general stores.  There was also practically a whole tent devoted to wines and other spirits.  I tasted what was the best rye whiskey ever.  Often, companies advertise as "sippin whiskey."   I've never found that to be the case as the alcohol is too strong when taken neat.  In this case, it was strong, but very tasty and very smooth.  Would have been tempted to buy a bottle, but at $67 dollars, no dice - especially when it would take me until 105 to finish the bottle at the rate I drink.  Gin gagged when she took her mini sip, so in the eyes of the beholder....

Back to the campground for planning the next days.....