North Carolina to Florida with lots of rain...and more rain...and more rain.

For those of you old enough to remember the Andy Griffith show, you will remember that Mayberry was near Raleigh.  Because I am a silly goose and pretty crappy at geography, I didn't bother checking how close the town of Mayberry (Mt. Airy) was, in actuality, to Raleigh.  As a result, we ended up in Selma, North Carolina. Thanks to our good friends Jon and Megan Sellers, we were able to find a great, novel local place to visit.  A couple nights before we left, they gave us a book "Off the Beaten Path".  The pictures below are from Vollis Simpson's Whirligigs.  I can't wait to check out more of the places from the book.

Vollis Simpson is 93 years old and built whirligigs in his yard, some over 30 feet tall.  Many are currently being refurbished to be presented in a park opening in November, but we caught sight of the ones remaining at Mr. Simpson's farm.  They are dilapidated currently, but still a marvel of engineering.  Very, very cool.

Jeff got both a quick road ride and a mountain bike ride, so it was still a fun stop.

We also went to Atkinson's Grist Mill. which has been in operation since 1757.  They still grind using the 48 inch millstones.  The grandson of the current owner, Andrew, gave us a tour.  Fun and informative and I came away with breading mix and hush puppy flour.  Yum, yum.

We stopped one night in Walterboro, South Carolina.  It rained most of the way there, all night long and started raining again almost immediately after we left.  The downpours were torrential!  Looking out the big from window from the RV was a little scary.  Glad I didn't have to drive.

The rain ended about halfway through Georgia and we could feel the temperature rise.  It was in the upper 30's when we left South Carolina.  When we crossed the state line into Florida, it was 78!  Yippee!

We are spending tonight in Jacksonville, Florida and heading to the Tampa area tomorrow.  We will stay there for a week.  Jeff will be riding the Alathia River IMBA mountain bike ride and we will find some sights to see.

And by the way, even though today was gorgeous, we did have torrential downpours again tonight!  Jeff managed to get in a 64 mile road ride (way too flat for him) and I got a good amount of work done.  I even walked a full mile around the lake here!

The storm that we drove through is the same system providing punishment to our beloved friends in NJ.  All I can say is I'm sorry, I hope winter ends soon and I wish you were all with us.

Chore Day

One of my friends posted that his significant other was away for a week. What did he do with his time? He cleaned house, did laundry and caught up on a work project. I had to laugh because that's normally how I spend Jeff's ride days.

Today is a lot of the same but with an odd little twist. The campground is having a cribbage tournament, so I will go meet some new people.

We are at an "adult" campground. Pretty funny because we sure don't feel like adults! However, it saves us a bit of money and it's pretty quiet, very packed with campers though. A lot of the residents drive golf carts or ride cruisers to get around the campground. Many of them have small dogs or multiples thereof. I had to text Kim Fury yesterday because a couple walked by with their dogs in a baby carriage!

Oh well, my laundry is dry and it is time to get back to being a "Domestic Goddess". A very sticky 80 degrees here today, storms are expected tomorrow which will bring back winter temps with highs in the low 70s. Oh my...

How much are airline tickets?

What you expect with a 120 plus gallon tank? With all the idling and generator running early on our first tank, I did not calculate mileage. Who says you can't take it with you, though. Not on a jet!

Farewell to Fredericksburg

We left Fredericksburg yesterday to move on to Selma, North Carolina.  We really enjoyed the town and the people are extremely friendly, but we wouldn't want to live there.  The traffic was too much like home, lots and lots and at all hours of the day.

Jeff met some great guys to ride with through FAMBE (Fredericksburg Area Mountain Bike Enthusiasts).  They were great hosts for him.  I always relax a bit more if I know he is riding with someone that knows the area.  I know it's hard to get lost with all the GPS technology, but it just seems that I am a worrier, lol.  I'm working on that.

Our sightseeing was a little bit curtailed in quantity, but more than adequate in quality.  We ended up spending a lot more time at the Museum of the US Marines.  It is such a cool museum.  I had no idea of the breadth and scope of the Marines during Colonial and Civil War times.  There is a majesty in being surrounded by so much selflessness and courage.

We also toured the Rising Sun Tavern, which was once the home of George Washington's brother.  It is one of those places in which the docents stay in character, in this case as tavern wenches.  It's a cute way to learn a bit about life in the Colonial period and have a bit of fun.  Do you know where the terms "mind your Ps and Qs", "bottoms up" and "kingpin" came from?

On Monday, we had lunch at an old-fashioned soda fountain.  Goolrick's Pharmacy is of a dying breed.  Jeff had a "real" cherry coke, with real cherry syrup and I had an actual chocolate malt.  Very sweet and nostalgic.  When I was a little girl, my Grandma would take me to the soda fountain in the Woolworth's.

So, now we have arrived in Selma, North Carolina, a miscalculation on my part.  I really wanted to see Mount Airy, the town Mayberry is based on (from the old Andy Griffith show).  I thought it was much closer to Raleigh than it is, so we will save that for another trip.  However, I do enjoy kicking back with my feet up while Jeff does the driving.  I can't believe the passenger seat in the coach is a recliner!

Missing all our friends, but having a great time.  Keep the comments coming, makes me feel like y'all are here with us.  See, I'm already getting a Southern accent!

Verizon store

I really should have posted this last week, but things were happening so fast, it just escaped me.

I have been in customer service almost all of my adult (?) life in one form or another and I can be either very understanding of someone in a tough situation or extremely appreciative of someone who goes above and beyond.  I have always detested going into the Verizon store, as I know many of my friends also do.  Jeff actually would make 3 trips so I would minimize my time there.  He would scope out whatever tech I needed, take me there to see it, take me home and then make a trip to buy it.  No wonder I adore him!

Last week, we decided I should have an Ipad.  I am both very new to Apple technology and resistant to change.

I had the most phenomenal experience at the Verizon store in Succasunna, NJ.  Our sales associate was Ashley Fields and she deserves to be their customer service manager!  Anyone needing to visit a Verizon store should see her!

She set  me up with everything I needed with no pressure; accepted it when we didn't want something she offered.  She did not run down the Apple products as I have heard many associates do.  She was patient with me not feeling so well after being there a while and offered me a chair.  She was interested in what we were using the new "toys" for and helped us find solutions to some issues we were concerned about.

Find her, buy from her!

Thank you, Ashley!

Post Sightseeing

After a great visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Rising Sun Tavern, we are enjoying beer and dinner at the Capital Ale House. Cheers!

Museum of the Marine Corps

A Bunch of "Firsts"

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity.  I'm really excited because I have new tech (Ipad) to play with but have been too screaming busy to get at it.

Jeff spent most of Thursday "de-winterizing" the RV, which meant flushing the antifreeze out of the water system...and refilling and reflushing...and refilling and reflushing.  It literally took most of the day and well into the night.  While he did that, I went back and forth to the house with loads of stuff to set up housekeeping.  Thanks to Lou and Abbie for the assist.  I had to finish and get the car home by dark so I didn't turn into a pumpkin, so I prepared one last big car load for Jeff to drive down once he finished his chores.

We worked on setting up until after 2am and slept our first night, parked in Long Valley.  I found out that not only is the bed nice and comfy, but my front passenger reclining seat eases my back pain as well as the power recliner I have at home.  Even though I had enormous pain at 2am, by morning it was pretty well mitigated.

After a few minor glitches Friday morning (how do we start the hot water heater?) we got on the road a little after noon.  We thought we would get to Fredericksburg, Virginia around 5:30, a little later than we planned.  After 3 hours of crawling along I-95 we pulled into KOA Fredericksburg around 8.  The campground host very graciously escorted us to our campsite and made sure we knew where everything was.

A list of some of our firsts:

• first night in the RV
• first long drive
• first quickie pullover to pee (ask Jeff about his in-traffic event)
• first meal on the road (just a sandwich, but nice not to stop)
• first hooking up of utilities and setting up camp
• first home cooked meal in the new home

I can't believe how relaxing this is.  I am not a nature girl, but it is so quiet and peaceful at the campground.  It is so dark at night that you wouldn't even know there are other people here.

I feel younger.  Jeff was gone all day riding with a local guy.  I "played house" and cleaned.  White couches and Jeff do not go together well.  At least they are leather, so I could just wipe the chocolate off, haha.  I also learned how to flush the black and grey tanks; quite an accomplishment for me.  We had an OK internet connection so I got caught up on work and what was going on with the outside world.  Made some barbecued short ribs for dinner and now I am toast.

If any of you have seen the movie RV, there is a lot of truth in that.  We watched it last night after dinner and were totally ROFL.  Fortunately, none of that stuff has happened to us.

Tomorrow, we are going sightseeing in Fredericksburg!  I can't wait.  We saw the National Museum of the Marine Corps from 95 yesterday, and I absolutely have to go see it.  Besides honoring our veterans, the building itself looks amazing.  I think we will also see the Rising Sun Tavern and Mary Washington's house.  Oooooh, I love history.

First dinner

Tammy reluctantly poses at the completion of cooking. She was cooking with gas. Ha. We have had electric stoves since moving to New Jersey.

Closing Time

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." (Semisonic)

Yesterday was my last day to have a physical presence at Cycle Craft.  I will continue as the virtual bookkeeper, at least for a while, but it won't be the same.

No more coffee with Brendan and Nick.  No more hugs from my "pretend" son, Eric.  No more nonsensical banter with the whole crazy bunch of them.

I have worked for Cycle Craft off and on for almost 20 years.  Walking away today was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I know that I am walking into a great new adventure but I am hoping I left some part of me behind.  Some of the best memories of my life occurred with the people of Cycle Craft.  I met most of my best friends through Cycle Craft.  If they didn't work there, they were customers that are now my family.

It's never the same once you leave.  I know we will keep in touch but I will miss that day-to-day contact.

Crafters, please don't forget your "Cycle Craft Mom", she still loves you.

Pardon my Dolly

We were going to flat tow and skip the auxiliary braking mechanism. With such a little car and such a big tow vehicle we figured we could put that $600 to better use (like fuel :-)).

Well it turns out that the automatic transmission equipped PT Cruiser (called a toad or dingy when pulled behind a motor home) requires a pump, that with parts and labor would be nearly a grand!

So we decided to go with a dolly instead. At just under $1400 we could get a dolly with electric brakes. This would have been about what flat towing would have cost sans brakes and the tranny pump. I had Neal at Performance Trailers, just outside Budd Lake in Ledgewood (technically, more like Flanders) check for a electronic brake controller. While the bus has the 7 prong plug, it did not have a controller installed. Add $175 and the time, then the $1550 dolly with hydraulic surge brakes became much more appealing. Electric brakes require more driver input, adding even more switches to this space shuttle like vehicle ( ground control to Major Tom). Hydraulic surge brakes come on in direct response to pressure that the dingy puts on the ball and tongue (no extra switches). There are more moving parts and hydraulics, which mean more maintenance though.

Inside pics

I finally added some pictures of the inside!

And there is Kevin half way back in the coach. You can just make him out in this photo.

Check out the Photo page for more.

Trials and Tribulations

This is our new home.
We started off early, 6:45 time to leave donations at the curb.
Have breakfast.
Get to bank shortly after 8AM open.
Drive two hours to Camping World.(Jon was Great! by the way).
Hit traffic.
10AM eta becomes 10:30.
Get extensive, all be it mind boggling, walk through of the motor coach.
Signed lots of papers.
Put more money in for road hazard on those $800+ tires and rims.
Have lunch to fuel trip home.(about 2pm).
Got lowdown on towing package and put more money down.
Pick up motor home and drive off the lot. Immediately hit construction traffic.
20 minutes and 2 miles later we are at gas station.
Fuel tank was 1/4 full and still took $380 at $3.97 a gallon.
George was on the job even while following us in traffic. He found out that we would need to add another grand to the PT Cruiser to flat tow it. We had to go back to cancel our deposit. Luckily we were only a couple miles away due to the construction traffic.
Moral; check first. But George is quick and found a dolly for the same price as the tow package less auxiliary brakes and transmission pump, near home in Flanders, eliminating one more 2 hour trip with a caravan of cars.
Tammy had some stressful phone calls in the mean time. But we finally got under way!
The best laid plans of mice and men....
We had planned to miss traffic and be home before dark. I got rush hour traffic and nighttime practice instead. (more than I bargained for, that's for sure).
Get to the Long Valley Cycle Craft parking lot after 7.  But at least we have a place to park thanks to our benevolent boss.
Make sure every thing is buttoned up (this actually took a while).
Got home about 8PM.
Tammy was nearly in a low blood sugar coma.
George and I got her in the house and I got her fed and to bed.
Now that damn snow!

How the Adventure Began

And so it goes...

I have always had a desire to see all 50 states; not just to drive through them, but to really see them; get a sense of their history.

Jeff has wanted to ride all of the IMBA Epic Mountain bike rides as long as he knew IMBA existed.

In recent years, my health struggles began to take over my life.  I was waking up every day, but not living.  It seemed that my entire life revolved around whether the pain was too much to bear or whether what I was currently doing would expose me to too many germs and I would get pneumonia again.  Jeff's life had become an endless cycle of work, riding and coming home to take care of me.  It sucked for both of us.  I felt dead and he looked like he wished he was dead.

TIME TO END THAT NONSENSE!!!

We have been offered a unique opportunity in our life.  We decided to take a couple years, throw caution to the wind, buy an RV and fulfill our dreams.  I  know there will be lots of challenges and a whole world of different stresses, but we will be LIVING!

The RV that we bought is in many ways nicer than our house, so we will be traveling in comfort.  We need to learn a lot about where to park, how to set up and break down our rig.

Most people who know me know that I am not an "outdoor" person, hence the title of the blog.  In this coach, "THIS IS NOT CAMPING!!!"

Many thanks to George Schaberg, our consultant from Grounded Consulting, LLC, Jon Beresford from Camping World of Lakewood, NJ and Brendan Poh, owner of Cycle Craft (our benevolent boss) for assisting us with this.  George, particularly, has been in on this from the very beginning.  BTW, he is also a realtor and will be getting our house on the market this spring, if anyone has needs.

Join us on our adventure.