Southern slowing down

It's I guess human nature to settle in and get comfortable wherever you may be. Such is what has happened here at Lake Greenwood RV park. No we aren't, in fact can't, buy a lot, but it is nice. We went to lunch yesterday at a great local Japanese place and then to visit a seed company that has some interesting gardens Lynda loved. We walk every morning out on the country roads and Charlie can run free. We have met some real nice people, gone for a pontoon boat ride and I got some repairs done on the bus in the warm sunny weather. The people that run the place are so nice and we will recommend a week stay to our campers at the Elks.

Lynda at the Seed companies garden explaining what this plant is.

Getting Better here

Like camp granada mudda and fadda it has gotten better, much better for us here.  The day is just beautiful and Lynda, Charlie and I walked over two miles into the country and it is beautiful.  Heading out for a boat ride now and the Jets are winning so life is good.  More later.  David

Back had the boat ride and it was real nice.  Lynda loves those pontoon boats.  Jets won good day. 

Truman Show

Not much going on today in the Truman Show RV park. We met some more of the campers here and took a walk around the area with Charlie. After that we unloaded my sea kayak and went off to get some groceries and find a place to eat. Found this really great Mexican place and had a nice meal. Other than that pretty dull around here. Supposed to be a gathering for football watching in the clubhouse, I brought some snacks but only two others showed. And that's that for tonight. Lots of peace and quiet here that's for sure. Don't think we will make a week. To dead for Us. But again it's FREE. And so far no sales pitch at all. Oh saw a water snake by the boat ramp, orange with diamonds on back. The company guy here Doug says its a harmless local water snake. Then again what would you say it was if you were trying to sell the place. Too cold for swimming anyway. May take a kayak out for some exercise tomorrow. David

To Lake Greenwood SC

After pouring rain this morning we got the recall brake switch installed and a new air cleaner and left for our next stop.  We had taken an offer from our Family Motor Coach Association to stay at a posh RV resort for a week for free.  They are trying to sell lots and even though we are in no way going to buy one will bite for the free bee.  It was only a short 75 mile ride and after the Garmin again took us down a dead end street into tobacco road, where we had to unhook to turn around, we made it.  The resort is right on a lake that was dammed up in the thirties as part of the many hydro/electric facilities being built through out the south.  In talking to the developer and owner he said the whole place was just a run down trailer park when he bought it.  It is now perfect, full hook ups large concrete padded lots with landscaping everywhere.  A huge club house on the lake with pool, hot tub, boat dock etc.  We are impressed but as Lynda says she would rather be in a rustic State Park.  Hey but it's free, the key word, with full hookups.

A shot of our perfect campsite if you want to call it that.  More like a driveway.

Clubhouse with Lake behind.

 We just now came from a Wine and Cheese party they held at the club house for the guests.  We met some real nice people that were taking advantage of the FMCA offer like us.  It's alway good to chat with other RV people to share tips, places to go, etc.  Tomorrow the owner offered to take us on a motor boat ride on the lake.  I'll be there.

On the road coming in we were reminded of just where in the South we are by the large Confederate war monument in a little park.  Yes this is still South Carolina and I'm still a Yank to the locals.  Should be interesting checking out the area in the next few days during the day trips we plan.  David

Bus recall at Freightliner

Short 200 miles today going through three states, VIrginia, North Carolina, and now in South Carolina at the Freightliner service and training center. We need to get a recall done on some light switch they found to be a problem. Freightliner is the chassis the Bus is built on. They are owned by Damiler so many of our components are German. We are parked tonight in their parking lot that has electric hookups for RVs getting service. It has been raining hard for the past few hours but was beautiful for our ride today. During that ride I thought about just how fast everyone goes these days. The speed limit is 70 miles per hour, but that means they will do 75+. That is crazy. I set the cruise at 60 and feel that is plenty of speed. Years ago during the oil shortage and gas pump lines President Carter put the limit to 55 to save fuel. Today with wars being fought over oil we should bring that back. The amount of oil saved would be unreal. Just makes sense.

Well have to get up early to get the bus in the shop so goodnight. David

South on interstate 81

A shaky start with some false stops for fuel at stations that showed on the phone app to have diesel but in fact didn't. Tough when your driving a bus with a Honda hooked on back.
Things went fine after getting fuel and we sailed south for hours until, traffic! Yup for an hour and a half we creeped along due to a huge crash ahead of us. We got off and took side routes only to run into several accidents on those roads. But we did make it to our site on the river in Virginia.

We really like this place not because it's only $15 but it's right off the interstate, or right under it if you look at the one photo.  The river is beautiful and the College town of Radford is a great place to visit and get food which I did.  They have a small cafe in this campground that makes breakfast also.  Below some pictures from here and others from before.  Off to Gaffney SC tomorrow to get the Bus serviced as we have a recall with some light switch.  David

The one picture below is of us on the Empire State elevator.  Lynda likes that one but I don't think the others in the elevator were thrilled.  She took the one of me with the Statue of Liberty in the Bus window leaving Jersey City for points south.

More to follow.

Charlie going for a swim to get the many ticks off we found on us after our walk through tall weeds.

Lynda in the Empire state building elevator.  Looks like the cat that ate the bird.

From before us leaving Jersey City just getting on the NJ turnpike.

She has that how dare you take a photo of me look.  Lady Lynda I presume.

Off into PA

Yesterday we had a real nice Halloween in the city, enjoying the many costumes the children and adults wore.  After the Village Lynda forgot to mention we found a great British Pub right near the "Bitter End" where I saw Donovan once.  In we went and She was thrilled to get "Real Cider" the brand She drinks in the UK.  We had some nice onion soup with bread and headed over to the Path train station which we got a train that went within a few blocks of our campground/marina as it were.  When we got off the train there was a market going on with music, food etc.  I bought some tasty barreled pickles and garlic stuffed olives.  We had bought two loaves of hard crusted bread in the village and back to the Bus we went to have some with cheese. A wonderful day overall.  I love the City and wish I was rich enough to live there comfortably.

The next morning the sun was out and we took Charlie for his walk along the water looking out at New York harbor and the statue of liberty.  We then hooked up, drove the short distance to the NJ turnpike and headed west.  The trip was smooth and in no time we did 230 miles arriving at a RV park called Keystone RV.  It is right on the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland.  Easy on and off to the interstate and as most of the places we camp part of Passport America.  We set up under some trees and were home.  Actually everywhere is home in the Magic Bus.
I found a local restaurant that looked good on the iPhone and we walked the half mile into town.  It was really good and they had both Italian and Mexican food.

Met a fellow next to us in the RV park here that I met here once before two years ago.  Small world.  He is from Conn. and remembered me as the guy that ran the Lions club RV park in Florida.  Ha.

Lynda and I want to go back to NYC in the near future and spend a week, it was one of the best places we have visited and we need to delve more into things there.  Felt a bit sad about leaving.

Going to put some more pictures up now, tomorrow we head to the southern end of Virginia.  David