First day on the road to Connecticut

May 23

Bill took the first driving shift

We were up at 6:30 in hopes of being at the warehouse by 8

Second shift driver

so we could load while Kurt and Mark installed a gas line from our propane on the driver’s side to the passenger side for using with our grill.  Well as normal, we were a little late and they were busy but they got it done and we got loaded, hitched and on the road about 10:15.  It wasn’t so bad as this was to be our short day of about 345 miles to Yemasee, SC.  Bill drove first as Molly and I adjusted to riding in the “bus” as opposed to the truck.  It’s very different and now you know everything that falls or flies around.  We never had to hear it before, just pick it up!  Bill drove until lunch and I said I’d give it a try from the rest area onto the Interstate and then back into a rest area.  Well, it really wasn’t bad, it’s just so wide!  We decided to stop at Camping World in Savannah since it’s right off the Interstate.  I had some things to return and wanted to look for an over the door rack for under the sink.  There didn’t appear to be any more Camping Worlds along our route to CT.  Oh, by the way, Eastford, CT is our final destination this summer.  We are volunteering at a private campground, Charlie Brown’s Campground.  We will work 5 hours, 4 days a week and off 3.  With the rotation of other couples, we are supposed to have 6 days off every 3-4 weeks. Then we plan to take off on some short trips in the new coach which should be much easier to pack up and go.

Front Driver

Back at Camping World I found what I wanted and while I shopped

Front Passenger

Bill had to do his thing on the tow car.  Every 6 hours of driving you have to run the engine at least 5 minutes, then put it in park, drive, reverse and neutral and leave the key in the “B” position.  There was a diesel station at the corner, a block away and we thought it was a good time to fill up.  Bill was driving and as we turned into the station he could see the car in the mirror and the tires were flat in front.   We moved to fast as we were blocking the driveway.  We unhooked the car and I drove on into the station and filled up.  He had left the car in Park and was dragging it for a block and destroyed the front tires.  He walked down to Camping World to see who they recommended he call for tires.  Well, now it’s almost 5 on Friday before a holiday and we were lucky to have some good Southern folks understand our plight and we got our tires and were back on the road at about 6:40.  That was an expensive lesson but we have to view it as a learning experience of what NOT to do.

Our first night

In NC and SC we encountered an abundance of armadillo roadkill being feasted on by buzzards.  We stayed at the Oakes at Point South in Yemasee.  We thought we had stayed there before and we had.  For a Thousand Trails place, it’s not very nice.  Rutty road and dirt sites and just plain run down looking.  We decided this would be our last time there.   I made a quick dinner and we read a bit and tried to get some rest from a long day.  It was certainly not the best day, but we made it safely to our destination.