Back in Florida...2008 Adventure

Mike and I have returned to Florida, after a wonderful 134 days ( Mike has to be accurate!!!) on the road. The dogs and cat can't figure out why we are stationary and in some ways neither can we!!!!!
During our travels we were in 10 States.
Traveled 4,940 miles.
Stayed in 30 campgrounds.
Met some wonderful people, saw great sites and ate wonderful food.
Misty,Sydney and Dusty, were great travelers and the pups thrived amazingly, Misty is now 13lbs 3 ozs, and Sydney is 5lbs 4 ozs.
We spent time with our friends Theresa and Charlie in Tennessee and met our friends Gary and Sheila in Alabama.
All in all it was a wonderful trip and look forward to repeating our adventure next year, when we plan to travel the Mississippi and West.
I will post pictures ....from our last stop in Gulf Shores, AL ,Mobile and Pensacola, FL.
Off the road,
Jan and Mike

Chattanooga and Alabama

Mike and I got a little sidetracked on our way back to Florida..:) We met up with our friends Charlie and Theresa..in Cleveland TN. That is right outside Chattanooga, and spent 4 days seeing some of the sites and just basically hanging out. The weather wasn't too cooperative, but we did get to the Incline Railway,which takes you to the top of Lookout Mountain. From there (if the skies are clear) you can see The Great Smoky Mountains, which are over a 100 miles away. We all would have liked to explore more but the rain, wasn't going to allow us much walking time, so we ate and drank and basically had a great time!!!!! Okay so now it was time to continue back to Florida....NAH!!!!!!!!!..Alabama was calling our names..We landed in Pelham AL, yesterday..Pelham is right outside Birmingham. Tonight, we will meet Gary and Sheila Whitfield for dinner and laughs. Gary and Mike worked together at Bonsal before Mike retired. The pups are growing like weeds, and they and Dusty Cat have formed "the how to drive Mom and Dad crazy club".. Since we are in Alabama, we will move on down the road to our next stop, Gulf Shores. From there Mike and I are looking forward to revisiting Mobile and Pensacola..And then perhaps we will all be on our way home..OR NOT!!!
From the road,
Jan and Mike

Farm Day...Before and after

When last we spoke,Mike and I were working our way South to the farm. We spent a few days back at Kinzers, PA there were some stops we had missed our first time there. Now, I don't want to offend anyone, but I for one have always wondered, where Christ might live if He were alive today..see the pictures for the answer!!! We also attended a rally in Hershey, PA. The rally was a great stop and we met some new fellow travelers and one that I had known many, many years ago. Steve who was the wagon master, grew up across the street from my parents, and we had some great laughs. It really is a very small world!!!! Mike and I went to Hershey World and enjoyed the tour of the "factory", they now have set up for "Tourista's" like us..LOL
Of course one cannot leave Hershey, without candy...need I say more..:). We arrived at Robin and Mark's on Saturday, and cannot thank them enough, Mark had arranged to have 50 Amp electric installed so we were able to park the Motorhome on the farm. The dogs thought this was great, and met many of their furry counterparts..:).. Sunday was Farm Day, this was the 8th year, it was being held. The day started out gray, but improved as the morning progressed. Unfortunately, we had a storm about half way through, and many who attended were forced under tents that had been set up for various events. Mike along with Betty ( Robin's cousin) were assigned Ice Cream duty, and had help from two of the girls from Samantha's school. West Nottingham Academy had a group of schoolmates,who came to help and received credit for community service. I as usual did my Dinner's at the Farm, and this year Robin has started cooking classes. She will have several guest chef's and has generated quite abit of interest so far. On Tuesday we moved on and spent the night in Milford, VA. We are now in High Point, NC for a few days. Yesterday, Mike and I went to see "The Largest Chest of Drawers" what a hoot!!!!! Needless to say, we are having a grand time, not certain where we will head from here, but the adventure will continue!!!!!!
From the road,
Jan and Mike

Bainbridge,NY

Mike and I were in Bainbridge NY for several days...nice campground..absolutely nothing else but farms!!!
However, we did take a ride to Cooperstown, and the Baseball Hall of Fame. Note to Jim..I need your address I have a few things I want to send you..Now, not being a Baseball officianado..in other words haven't the foggiest notion of who, what or where..LOL..I did enjoy roaming the museum and was fascinated by the history. Of course we also went to see the Hall, where all the inductees have their plaques and busts. Mike's brother Steve, is married to Whitey Ford's daughter, so of course we visited with him for a bit..lol..oh, Whitey is well and living between New York and Florida..The best part for me, was stopping at the local bakery for some sticky buns and coffee..:)..The area is lovely, and the leaves are already starting to change..only means one thing, can winter be far behind!!!!!..We have moved on to Milton, PA..to regroup,do laundry and clean the coach..and on Sunday will be heading back to Kinzers, for a brief stop, then to Hershey for a Rally with some fellow rver's and finally on our way to Robin's for Farm Day the last Sunday in September.
From the road,

Jan and Mike

On the Go - RV Water Softener

For our fellow RV travellers, here are a few things about our On The Go portable water softener.

We have been using the unit steadily for about 6 weeks now, and really enjoy it. The primary benefits are evident when you shower and do the dishes, but the overall effect it has on all aspects of water in the systems in the coach are great. It is easily recharged every 7 to 10 day with just the addition of a box of common table salt. After the first 2 weeks of use we noticed that there was a change back to hard water, this due to our lack of experience with the unit and not really knowing how long it would work on the charge. I followed the instructions I had for the unit to do the recharge but was disappointed with the results. A call to the manufacturer straightened me out and I would like to share what I found out:

1. Turn off the water supply to the unit.

2. Disconnect the outflow side and unscrew the top.

3. Slowly pour the salt in to the unit. The salt will dissolve and settle into the unit, if it bulks up pour a little water in it and let it settle.

4. AFTER THE SALT IS IN LET THE UNIT SIT, WITH THE COVER IN PLACE, FOR 20 TO 30 MINUTES, IT MUST SIT UNDISTURBED. This allows the salt to cleanse the softening media and is something not in the original instructions.

5. With the discharge hose still off turn the water on to the unit. The water pressure to the unit must be low and just enough to form a pencil thin flow that just clears the edge of the tank. Let it run in this configuration for 15 to 30 minutes, until there is no salt taste in the discharge water. When you do this make sure the unit is on dirt or gravel, the salt will kill any grass. TOO MUCH PRESSURE WILL NEGATE THE EFFECT OF THE SALT AND YOU WILL HAVE TO START OVER.

6. Hook up the discharge hose and enjoy the benefits of softened water in the RV.

I have the unit set up in the large bay nearest to the fresh water inlet to the coach. I cut a whole in the rear of the slide wall and installed a covered exterior electrical cover. The 2 short hoses, with brass quick disconnects stay in place all the time and is an easy setup and breakdown. I can't claim the setup, I saw it on irv2.com a while ago but can't remember whose idea it was.

Verona NY

We camped at the Village of Turning Stone, part of the Turning Stone Casino. The Casino, campground and various gas and convenience stores are owned and operated by the Oneida Indian Nation. What an operation they have, beautifully done and a great stop along the road. Unfortunately the casino Gods did not shine upon us..but I broke even ( Mike doesn't gamble, for those unaware). Mike, I and the pups went to The Herkimer Diamond Mines, obviously located in Herkimer!!!!! Now Herkimer Diamonds are not REALLY diamonds, they are Double Terminated Crystals. There are several ways to find them, digging and chipping rocks, walking and picking them up off the ground or sluicing for them. We chose the latter (Mike had put his back out and digging didn't seem a great idea). We did find a few nice "Diamonds" and a few other great stones. Mike and I spent a lovely evening with a couple that Mike had emailed with on irv2, a web site for rver's etc. Linda and Mike live in the area and stopped by to say hello. This morning we moved on to Bainbridge NY where the rain has finally found us!!!!! We thought we had outsmarted it, but NOOOOOO, the weather has no sense of humor!!!!! Nice campground, they even have pizza delivery directly to your coach..not bad for a stop along the road :)
From the road,
Jan and Mike

Niagara Falls

We finally got to Niagara Falls...I had never been there, and Mike hadn't since he was a kid...what a spectacular site !!!!! The falls are absolutely awesome, and our short ride on the Maid of the Mist, was incredible. It is difficult to imagine the force of the water from pictures, but being out there, makes one wonder how or even why someone would go over them in a barrel!!!!! Mike and I were soaked from the experience, but lucked out on a very warm day,so everything dried quickly :).. We camped in Byron NY, which is about 20 miles from Rochester. We had planned to take a tour of the Erie Canal, but due to lack of tourists this time of year, the boat was not sailing. We did visit Lockport and Fairport, both small towns along the Canal. Lockport getting its name for the Locks along the Canal and Fairport because it was a stop for travelers along the Canal and deemed a "Fairport". The history of the Canal is interesting, the most amazing fact being that it was initially dug by hand. I for one cannot even picture that task. ( nails, people nails!!!) Our weather held, with only one damp and rainy day. The three monsters of the road ( as I have named the furry crew), were ready to move on...so we are now in Verona NY at the Village of Turning Stone. Unfortunately, yesterday Mike bent down to untangle the pups, and put his back out....so we are nursing that along and hopefully after a few days of rest, he will be better. Meanwhile, there is a Casino here..so I'm going to try my luck!!!!...It takes so little to make me happy :)

From the road,

Jan and Mike

Alexandria Bay, NY in the 1000 Islands

Mike and I are winding down our stay in Alexandria Bay, it has been a great stop. I had never been in this part of NY State and Mike hadn't been here since he was a kid. The area is along the St Lawrence Seaway and is dotted by, you guessed it, a 1000 Islands!!!!! Actually 1865 Islands, some inhabited and privately owned and some just sitting there. To qualify as an Island all it needs to have is two trees..:). We took a drive to Cape Vincent, where the Seaway meets Lake Ontario, They run a small ferry which crosses the Seaway to Wolfe Island, and then another ferry that takes you to Kingston, Canada. We were even able to take the pups, so now they are boasting to the cat that they are world travelers..LOL..We decided to roam the countryside and ended our drive in Brockville, a small town in Ontario that was delightful. We drove back to the States crossing the 1000 Island Bridge, which gave us an amazing view of the seaway and the Islands. Alexandria Bay or Abay as it is called, is a town of bars,restaurants and shops..6 miles in the other direction is Clayton..also a small town but abit more upscale for this area. Mike and I took a 3 hour tour ( we decided if the captains name was Gilligan we would run for our lives..lol) to see the Islands and learn about the history of the area.Many of the Islands are privately owned, with beautiful homes (one might even say mansions!!!) that are perhaps used at most 10 weeks out of any given year. The names of the owners and their families reads like a who's who and just boggles the mind. We also made a stop at Boldt Castle, an amazing place on Heart Island. George Boldt, who owned and ran with his wife, the Bellevue in Philly and the Waldorf in New York, bought the Island in the early 1890's and in the mid 1890's started to build the castle as a gift to his wife. In 1904 after having put almost 2.5 million dollars into the construction, Louisa Boldt died and all building came to a halt, George never returned to the Island. In the late 1970's the property was given to the 1000 Island Bridge Authority and rehabilitation was started. It is an incredible place and one that should not be missed...Obviously, we made it back to shore and Clayton without mishap!!!!! This part of NY State is beautiful and if anyone gets the opportunity it is a great stop along the road.
Next stop is Byron, NY and a visit to Niagra Falls, which I have never seen, and the top of the Finger Lakes..
From the road,
Jan and Mike

For Patrick...Glenn Curtiss Museum

Hi Patrick, Hope you enjoy!!!!

Mike and I went to the Glenn Curtiss Museum of Early Aviation. Curtiss was a pioneer in Motorcycle design as early as 1901, the first official public flight in America in 1908 and in 1911 the first successful seaplane. He also developed Hiahleah,FL in 1921, Miami Springs in 1923,Opa Locka in 1926 and in 1929 streamlined the travel trailer. As we wandered the museum, it was interesting to see many of his original motorbikes, which led to the motorcycle. Replica's of his "Jenny", in which both Earhardt and Lindbergh learned to fly. He associated with Alexander Graham Bell and later with the Wrights, to form the Curtiss-Wright Company. He success relates back to his ability to design lightweight engines, for Motorcycles and later for various aircraft. The aircraft flown by the "Flying Tigers" in WWII was designed by Curtiss and produced by Curtiss-Wright.

From the road,

Jan and Mike