Sun May 6-9 2012 - Adventure begins - Pennsylvania

 Sun May 6-9 - Adventure begins - Pennsylvania

Sunday May 6, 2012 - DAY 1

Saying goodbye for our first trip in our new rig!

Since the last blog we have purchased a truck and have started our travels.

A 2011 Chevy Silverado 2500hd Diesel. White, beige leather interior. Beautiful

We started our travels on May 6^th Some notes we remember:

·      Hitched on first attempt and left at 10:10pm waving to Braden and Grant

     Headed directly to Washington PA, just south west of Pittsburgh. 
    Arrived at border and crossed in 7 minutes

      Stopped at Hamburg to try and get blackberry organized. Got credit card and groceries at Walmart, but found out we need an actual t-mobile store to set it up..Will sort out tomorrow.

·      Campsite at 6:20pm Site #29 Washington /Pittsburgh SW KOA

·      Sign of the day “Correctional Facility Area. Do not pick up hitchhikers”

·      Norm and Holly were waiting for us and happy we arrived.

·      Set-up was okay… but we did have a water overflow so we shut the water off for the night. Settled in with our special champagne and celebrated the first day of retirement. Amazed to get lots of digital TV channels. But watched “On the Buses” from a DVD.

Monday May 7, 2012

·      Solved water problem… actually not a problem… just learning how the trailer works.

·      Went into Pittsburgh and got Blackberry organized with T-mobile.  $50/month unlimited everything and $10 extra for unlimited international!!! Excellent help in the store. Over to Lowes… Walmart visa is a pain in the ars!!

·      Back to campsite… Norm and Holly invited us over for campfire after dinner.

·      Hooked up new BBQ for first time… sausages…

·      Janny needed a nap!!!!

·      Had a great time with Norm and Holly (and Leo) at their campfire. They are full time Rv’ers from Connecticut (since 2002). Told Derek about wintering in Mercedes, Texas.. lots of Canadians and good pricing.

·      Lightening 'pre-show' was fabulous… but we ran for shelter at the first sign of  rain.

·      Stormed all night…

·      Sign of the day: "HOME DEPOT" on Pylon …. We searched and we searched… NO HOME DEPOT!!! Went to Lowes a few blocks away!!!!

Tuesday May 8^th 2012

·      Hitched up and packed in rain

·      Left site at 10:25am… Thought we had checked everything

·      We showed the way out of campsite for a motorhome behind us. He honked his VERY loud  air horn at us when we got to main road. Our storage door was flapping and we had no lights working. So much for checking everything. Lesson learned!!!!

·      Drove all day in the rain. Used the new phone to call Derek and Lin in England from the highway in the mountains of West Virginia…. We love the new phone.

·      Drove through tunnels through mountains before getting into Virginia.

·      Arrived at Fancy Gap KOA at about 5:30pm

·      STILL raining… so set up and got wet…

·      Sign of the day “Entering Fog Advisory Area” … glad it wasn’t too foggy to see the sign!!!

·      Walked around the campsite… great facility… site #22.

·      Had rest of Shepherds pie from the first night for supper… YUM!!

·      Surfed the Web and had a reasonably early night.

Wednesday May 9^th 2012

·      YEY… Bacon and eggs .. cooked inside ‘cos still raining.

·      Spent morning sorting out accounts and re-planned route to miss out Knoxville and stay here one extra night… going to Charleston South Carolina on Friday for 5 glorious nights. Booked at James Island campground.

·      Found leak somewhere on slide-out by the stove… carpet very wet.

·      Trying to get over the need to hurry and do something!!!

·      Called Gillie in UK from phone and on skype… good to talk to her.

·      Soup for lunch then out for a drive on Blue Ridge Parkway. A bit cloudy/rainy/misty… Lush and green all around. Not much of a view, so headed in to Galax. We went to visitor’s center and woke them from their nap!!! Signed guest book at 4:30pm (first visitors today)

·      Grocery shopping at Krogers… cashier gave us member discount… nice guy.  Back to campsite. Weather cleared and saw some wonderful views from parkway. Did a detour through back-roads and saw unique farms and homes etc. Why so many donkeys???

THREE BOTTLES FOR $10!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!

·      One detour had us climbing out of valley on a minor road track… Thank goodness for 4x4. Derek had problem wiping smile from his           face… WHAT A TRUCK.

Couple of Handsome dudes at the grocery store!!

Our Beast next to a a baby truck!!

·     
    Back at camp, broke out BBQ and new Colemen stove for steak, fried onions and potatoes with salad… (and a glass or two)

·   Sign of the day: “Blue Ridge Parkway, Construction Began September 11^th 1935” … and I can tell you it's still not finished!!! Got detoured and lost from road closures!!!