Instead of Blogging

"In the winter it's too cold to do much blog-worthy stuff. In the summer I'm too busy doing blog-worthy stuff to write about it." Excuses, excuses - the truth is I just haven't been blogging. I hadn't realized it had been so long. Anyway it's spring, so neither excuse applies.

Here are some pictures of what I've been doing instead of blogging.



At the beginning of October I went with my daughters and their families to catch Kathy Mattea in concert in Clover SC. It was, of course, wonderful. Work had me in Florida and Georgia at the time, and I am forever grateful to Dolly & Avery for the ride to and from SC.



When I returned north, I stayed at Ebenezer Park, in Rock Hill SC. This is one of my favorite parks - beautiful, quiet, inexpensive, large lake.





As usual, I attended the fall OVPR Rendezvous. Not as usual, we were visited by a group on horseback.





This year the Southeastern Primitive Rendezvous was held in November, in North Carolina - so I went to that one too. I got to see friends I hadn't seen in years. The site was really nice; I'm glad it will be there again this fall.



Then work sent me up to Pennsylvania. I got to see friends I hadn't seen in even longer. I also stopped by the Daniel Boone Homestead. This is where Daniel Boone was a tiny tot, where his family set off from, before they went to Yadkinville where the Southeastern was held, before he went off further west seeking elbow room...





While I was in Pennsylvania, winter arrived. And stayed. I celebrated the holidays with my kids, fought with ice in and out of my plumbing, camped in snow at the beach - but you saw THOSE pictures...

Work took me to Fayetteville, where I got to visit friends who will be soon moving to Florida. We went to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, where I took only lousy pictures.



During one of those visits, I salvaged some floating flooring Jon had removed from his office room and improved my motor home floor. It had been down to chipboard underfloor in the living area due to the interior rain before the new roof (thoroughly blogged), and in the bedroom due to the leak in the hot water heater this winter (thoroughly un-blogworthy). While I didn't have the resources available for a truly proper installation, it looks a lot better now.

Finally Spring came and with it the Spring OVPR. Had a wonderful time, checked the weather report, packed the van on Saturday, stayed for more Rendezvousing and left before the snow came. It wasn't much, but it made packing up less than pleasant for those who were packing on Sunday.



Which brings me up to date, back in Raleigh working, and enjoying my somewhat improved kitchen area.

RV Kitchen Improvement

The reason I bought the Holiday Rambler - which I'm STILL not moved into - is the Escaper is too small on the inside. There is no counter space at all, so I use the back of the stove and have long since exceeded its capacity. Yesterday I went to The Container Store in Raleigh NC and bought a bit of sanity.



Four wire shelves, on casters. Everything on the top shelf used to be on the stovetop along with everything that is still there. My spices used to be waaaay up over top of the microwave. Now they're on the lower shelves of the wire rack, where I can get at them. They are securely corralled in Clementine boxes, which fit perfectly. Their spot will be taken by the grilling stuff, which makes more sense.

The rack fits perfectly in the tiny space in the kitchen, and rolls out of the way when I want to be where it is. A couple of bungee cords keep it secure for traveling.

Today's Yard, January 22 2011

This is my yard today. It's been blowing snow - and I do mean BLOWING snow - horizontally - since noon. I really do have this whole campground to myself, but no, I'm not going to go walk around it, or go walk on the beach...

I'm sitting inside my rig, parked on the leeward side of the bath house, as out of the wind as it's possible to get, and enjoying being warm. I made the most delicious soup I have ever made the other day and will be heating it up soon.
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny. If it makes this white stuff go away, I'll get to walk up to the dunes you can't really see in the picture.

FYI, RVing readers - the visitor's center on Roanoke Island (along Route 64 on the way here from the mainland) has a free dump station.

Today's Yard, January 16, 2011

State Fair grounds at Raleigh NC.

This is the first time I've camped at a fairgrounds. It will NOT be the last. I was just hunting a hookup and hot showers and was not sure they'd even be open this time of year until I called to confirm - turned out it was one busy place. Don't let the picture mislead you - that was all covered by vehicles yesterday.
Every weekend except when the State Fair is happening, there's a flea market. This weekend there was also a horse event, a racing sale, a cheerleading event, and a gun and knife show. I probably missed something in that list, too.

Campsites are mostly along the perimeter of the fairgrounds. You find a spot or if you're as confused as I was when I arrived, you call the fairgrounds' public safety office and someone will come help you. I'm glad: I didn't want to go blindly exploring in that crowd with a motorhome. I found out it's best to arrive very early or after the days events are over. When I arrived at 2 pm, a lot of event-goers had parked their cars in campsites, limiting the choices. There is water, sewer and electric. The water is underneath metal plates marked "water meter". Lift with a screwdriver and you find the spigots. The shower that is open in the winter is a good hike from most of the campsites. There are no picnic tables. But there are events!

I did the flea market yesterday, which made this one of the most expensive campgrounds I've ever stayed at! But I found some things at amazing prices that I've wanted for a long time.

Today I will do the gun show.

And I will find out where all the fairgrounds that have camping are and check them for interesting events as I travel. If you know of fairgrounds that have camping, please post a comment and let me know.

Today's Yard 1/11/11

Yesterday was snow. THIS is ice. Lot of ice. This is North Carolina. Why am I not in Mexico?? Paycheck addiction, that's why.

I had an Out-Of-Century Experience in Lakeland GA.

I had an out of century experience this week. I took the motorhome for gas in Lakeland, Georgia. There was no card reader on the pump, which isn't SO unusual. Then the guy from the gas station came out, put gas in my tank, checked my oil, other fluids, put air in my tires! I started to wonder if I'd slipped back to 1970 or something. He ran the sliding embosser gadget over my debit card and gave me my copy... Haven't seen one of those in a while either. Hmmmm - customer service - what a neat idea. Think it'll catch on?



Lakeland is called The Mural City. It's called that because it's got murals of people, places and scenes from the past painted on the buildings in the historical part of town. Complete with placards explaining who they were.





It's earned its name Lakeland too. I headed out on the scooter after work and found 4 lakes without trying. 3 were small lakes in parks in town. That's a lot of lakes, and a lot of parks, considering the size of the town.



The largest of these was adjacent to a nature trail through the woods where the stream went beyond the dam.







While I was there, I got a good look at the little red antique car belonging to the lady whom I'm told is responsible for arranging the murals.




If you've been reading this blog, you know I like lakes, walks through the woods, antique cars, and interesting oddities. It was a good town.

Then I went just out of town, to the Banks Lake Wildlife Preserve. There, of course, I found my fourth lake. Much bigger, cypress trees growing in it... I took a bunch of pictures and vowed to return when the Outpost was open to rent a boat.



There are a few houses / cabins / dock houses right on the edge of the lake. I'd love to have one - it'd make a great home base.








I did come back, and rented a kayak. I've always canoed, but now I'm hooked on kayaks. It was way fun, and easier on my bod. And I got more pictures.













I'm at Ebenezer Park in Rock Hill SC tonight, with a whole bunch of new pictures to add to the files full of old pictures - because I have been to neat places in the last year - I've just been working too hard to post about most of them. This week the work let up some and I have a few brain cells available for writing a blog post or two. Maybe I should start with this week and work back through the files.

Ebenezer Park's on Lake Wylie. There's quite a lot of Lake Wylie. I want a kayak. Now. Today.

First I have to figure out (a) how to carry one on my motorhome, (b)what kind of kayak I want, and (c) how to pay for the darn thing.