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Well, as usual, I put off my last post of the trip.  I arrived in Oswego around 3:30 after a 265 mile drive from the campground.  Since I was parking the trailer for the winter (boo) I spent a bit more time getting it in place.  I'm going to have to add some blacktop to the left side of the parking space - right now the trailer door opens on the lawn which turned to mud as I unloaded the trailer.

All in all, a good trip.  I do wish I started earlier, but I did get some good color in most places.  I drove around 1800 miles, almost all towing with an average of 14.9MPG.  I did discover that I can travel a little more than 57mph without a MPG drop, at least on interstates.  Since I avoid them most of the time, I found 57mph was good for secondary roads. For the trip home I stuck to I 81, and 60mph without a drop in MPG.

I have to admit winter is here.  I winterized the trailer yesterday since the prediction was for well below freezing temperatures overnight.  Even here next to Lake Ontario it was 30°F this morning. So, travel is probably out until the spring. I'm currently planning on another trip to the West.  I have already made a reservation for a fiberglass trailer gathering in Oregon in July, and I want to hit some of the areas I missed last summer as well as revisit some of the places I've been.

Until the next post!

Lickdake Campground, Jonestown, PA

Site 52, Lickdale Campground, Jonestown, PA

Not much interesting today (or probably tomorrow) - it is just a travel day. 200 miles north on I 81 heading back to Oswego with about 200 miles left to home.

Stopped for the night (actually, afternoon) at site 52, Lickdale Campground. A full service site for $33.25 including tax. I even have cable TV, although I don't use it. I'll warm up the left over Chinese from last night for tonight's dinner. All I have for photos is the campground picture.

Until Tomorrow!

Luray Caverns, VA

Luray Caverns, Luray, VA

I got an early start (well, early for me - out of the campground by 8:30) and headed up I81. Actually, it was an interesting drive to get to I 81. The road(s) between the Blue Ridge Parkway & I81 kept getting narrower & narrower. I was waiting for them to turn to dirt, but they didn't. Still, very narrow, lots of curves, hills, and no guard rail edges with long drops below!

It kept getting warmer & warmer as I drove north. By the time I hit Luray, it was 76F. I looked up a couple of area campgrounds and the Riverside seems to fit my style far better than Jellystone or the Luray Resort. It is right along the Shenandoah River and, as you can see from the campground photo, I'm parked on the edge. Only 20 amps, but I switched the water heater to gas & set the electric heater to low, and everything works.

After setting up the trailer I headed for Luray Caverns. Carol & I were here with the Guidos in 1996, but about all I remembered from that visit was the reflections on the underground lake, and the organ that played stalactites. So, I paid my $21.00 (a $2.00 discount for being over 62) and headed into the cavern.
The cave has many beautiful formations, but also has a "worn" look, probably because up until the 70's visitors were allowed to break off & take home stalactites & stalagmites. It doesn't have the "raw" look that Wind & Crystal caves in South Dakota, but is very much worth a visit on its own right.

By the way, if you are handicapped, it is possible to go on the cave tour in a power scooter. They have an elevator somewhere (I never saw it) to get you past the entryway stairs, and the entire tour is paved. We did have to help push the scooter up some of the steeper sections, but all in all, it worked.

I added a couple more photos of the cavern & campground on my Lakeshore Images page for today  - more photos at a page I put together just for the cave: Luray Caverns, VA.


I got out of the cavern around 4:30, & decided I didn't want to cook. Since it has been awhile since I have had Chinese, I punched food/Chinese into the GPS & picked up my favorite (Orange Chicken) at the China Wok in Luray. It was excellent, better that my favorite Chinese restaurant in Oswego. I'm glad I made that decision since it started to rain just as I got back to the campground.

So, I'm putting the page together. I'm not sure it will post - the Verizon data connection is very slow here although I have a good AT&T signal.

Until tomorrow!

Mabry Mill, Meadow of Dan, VA

Mabry Mill, Meadow of Dan, VA (Blue Ridge Parkway)

Since I was not able to post yesterday, you get two today!

Another sunny day! I left Babcock State Park & headed southeast, planning to stay in the Meadows of Dan Campground near the Mabry Mill. It was only a 3 hour drive & I got here by 2:00. I'm set up in Site 3, a full hookup site for $28.00 plus tax. They have a heated bathroom - I'll be able to take a shower without waiting until the warmest part of the day!

I made the short drive to the mill (about 2 miles from the campground) and it was even more crowded than the last time I was here. Of course it is a Sunday, and in the middle of the afternoon, so I guess that is to be expected. I took a couple of photographs, but plan to go back around sunset. Hopefully there will be better light and fewer people. I couldn't even get a parking spot during the afternoon visit - had to park in the bus & overfill parking.

I do wish I had a time machine to go back a week or two. The leaves at the mill are well past peak. Oh well, like Babcock State Park in WV, being late gives me an excuse to come back earlier next year.

When I took the indoor/outdoor thermometer out of the overhead storage cabinet the inside temperature looks OK, but the outdoor just showed the temperature when I left Babcock. Since I knew it was around 60°F, I went to get the outside transmitter out of the propane tanks housing to change the batteries. Only problem is the transmitter wasn't there! Somehow the drive to VA managed to bounce it off the top of one of the tanks & out the bottom. I managed to drive close to 20,000 miles without losing it but it was a bumpy ride in sections of the drive. I'll have to see if it is possible to purchase just the outside sensor since I like the model - an Acurite Model 1031.

I had a frozen pizza for dinner (well, actually it wasn't frozen when I ate it; the toaster oven took care of that. I did cook it outside the trailer - I try to avoid cooking anything that leaves a smell inside. I guess it looked a bit strange with a toaster oven going outside the trailer, but it worked.

I don't have AT&T cell coverage here at the campground or in the park, but there does seem to be a decent Verizon data connection available at 1.28Mbps. My mail downloaded and I can view my web page. Don't know about uploading today's page - I won't try that until after taking this evenings photos, and Verizon's data connections (like everyone else's) slows down in the evening.

I'll post this now and add the photos tonight (if I can).

Well, I went back & it was just as crowded and the leaves didn't jump back on the trees but I did take a few photos. There must have been a concert - I saw a number of musicians leaving with their instruments as I walked in from the overfill parking. There were also a bunck of antique cars. I got a photo of one as they were leaving, and added a photo of the campsite. To see them, check my Lakeshore Images page for today.

Not my best photos of the mill (please ignore the blurry car in the background as well as the "Your Speed is ___ MPH" sign on the side of the road) - I like last year's better, but I do have to get here a little earlier in the season.

Until tomorrow!

Babcock State Park, WV - Day 2

The Glade Creek Grist Mill, Babcock State Park, West Virginia

It's a beautiful day. Although it went down to 34°F last night, a unfamiliar orange yellow glob appeared in the eastern sky. Yes, the sun and for the first day of the trip! Since it was still pretty cold I decided to put off a shower until this afternoon. 

I drove out to the mill to try for some sun lit images. Since it was a Saturday, they opened the mill. They also started to run water through the mill race. The creek level is too low for actually milling cornmeal, but they let enough through to turn the wheel.

Because it was a weekend and, because the mill was open, it was difficult to get shots without the crowd, but I tried. So, if you want to see some sun lit photos of the Grist Mill, check today's Lakeshore Images page.

After spending the morning shooting the mill I drove through some of the park roads. Found a pretty lake that was still showing some fall color. After that it was back to the campground for a shave & shower. Although it had warmed up to a little over 50°F, it was still a very "brisk" exit from the hot water. Still, it is nice to be clean!

I drove to Rainelle to pick up some of the groceries I managed to forget to pack (such as mustard) and some fresh fruit, then back to the campground. I almost forgot what US 60 was like. Beautiful hills & valleys, but not the road to haul the trailer. Just the 11 miles to Rainelle included 2 miles of 8% grades.

A quick dinner of hot dogs & Grandma Browns Sauce Pan Beans (hey, it isn't always steak!) and I worked on posting today's pages.

Since I did get some nice sun lit photos of the mill, I'll probably leave tomorrow & head back to Oswego. I might try for the Mabry Mill on the way (Yes, I know it isn't really on the way!)

Until tomorrow.