Crossing the Chesapeake Bay

September 14 – We agreed last night to leave at 9:30 this morning.  Today’s plan was to drive under the Chesapeake Bay in the tunnel.  Paul was very interested in going so we attempted to include seeing 2 lighthouses and have lunch.

We left on time and traffic was heavy but Paul was driving and all went well in that respect!  It feels like a tight squeeze when you go into those under water tunnels.  The height max is 13’6” and we passed semis that look super close to the roof.

First was to see the lighthouse at Cape Henry.  Turns out it’s on the shore of a navel base and the entrance guard (with his vest of clips to use in his automatic rifle) sadly told us we could not go on the base due to Covid.  He was very nice and walked with us as we turned and was ready for action should we not follow instructions!  We tried getting to the beach area in hopes of seeing the lighthouse but there was no direct access.  We saw a walkway but there was no parking lot so we asked a young guy who was watering plants next to the walkway about parking in their lot and he

2 of the many dolphins

said no just park where you are.  So Bill and Paul stayed in the car while Jean and I hiked out to the beach.  No luck seeing anything from the boardwalk so we went on out on the beach in the direction of the base but no lighthouse in site!  We did get so see lots of dolphins playing in the water pretty close to the shore.  They are hard to catch on film and we both kept trying!  We think there were 10 or more out there.

Entrance to tunnel

So sadly we moved on and could see another lighthouse in the distance but I couldn’t get the photo while we were moving.  We agreed to try to pull over on our way back.  We did see a water access road a bit further up and followed it to a dock area to put boats in but no lighthouse in sight!  Drats!

We were headed into a bay to a seafood place, Shanty, that had great ratings and as we crested on the road there was a lighthouse off to the right.  I quickly got out my camera and snapped a shot.  Then Paul was able to follow the roads to get closer and we ended up right at it.  I got out to take some REAL close ups and decided it was

Inside tunnel

not a lighthouse but a water tower made to look like a lighthouse.  We all got a chuckle out of it!   Lunch was delicious!  Bill and I shared an appetizer of calamari with an orange sauce and an order of clam strips with sides of slaw and fries.  He took the fries and I took the slaw and it was spicy!  Jean had it also and we

Lunch at the Shanty

don’t like heat in our slaw!!  The rest of the meal was great and they enjoyed a lobster roll and fried shrimp!

In front of the restaurant was a miniature lighthouse so I stopped to get a photo of it with the “fake” lighthouse in the background!  There were some nice boats in the marina where the restaurant was and it was a nice day out with just enough sun!

On the ride back as soon as we saw the lighthouse that I missed from

Cape Charles LH

the bridge, Paul was able to pull off and I got out and it tooks some tries, but I got what I hope is a good photo.  There were semis flying by me and my camera would move so I took quite a lot that I haven’t checked yet.  As soon as we got back on the road there was a sign “NO STOPPING”, oops!

The only other stop was at Wal-mart as they wanted a few items and I had a short list as well.  Once we got back we were all pooped and retreated to our respective RV’s.  I didn’t cook any dinner and later Bill had a piece of my leftover brisket and then later I cut up the last of a block of cheese and got our some tiny crackers and we shared that and each has a small Senor Rio rice pudding.

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood with our good friends!!

Travel and Traffic

September 13 – We were up early and left at 9:15, after having breakfast, dumping the tanks and getting on the road.  I was afraid there would be a line at the dump station but we were the only ones there so we could also hook up without hindering someone else.

Today we drove on almost all Interstate Highways.  Traffic was heavy as we skirted DC and we were on everything from 2 lanes to 6 lanes and I hate changing lanes in heavy traffic.  My goal was to arrive by lunch time.  We made it at 1:15 and Jean and Paul were just a few minutes behind us. They had a glitch in the directions the lady gave them and passed the entrance and had to find a place to turn around.  We managed to get a nice rate with full hook ups at a Christian Retreat about 20 miles north of Williamsburg that is beautiful.  The campground is small but she had 2 spaces that we could squeak into.  We are across from each other, so that worked out well. The campground is one loop with a pavilion and bathhouse and very wooded.  The sites are not the most level but with PPA and Good Sam they came out to be $25 a night!  Anything closer to Williamsburg was over $50 if they had a space, which I couldn’t find!

Once we all set up we visited the afternoon away.  Bill had located a highly rated BBQ place a few miles away that had brisket!  Yeaaaa!  It’s been months since I’ve had brisket!  We all had a delicious meal although the seats were hard to get close to the table.  I had leftover and so did Jean.  So our first night with our friends went well and most importantly, we all made here safely!

More of Gettysburg

Lee's Headquarters just outside Gettysburg

September 12 – It was raining a bit on and off this morning.  Never in a hurry when it’s raining.  Also Bill injured a groin muscle on the horseback trip yesterday and it wasn’t much better this morning.  We tried an ACE bandage that seemed to work better.  So by the time we had breakfast and showered we didn’t get a very early start.  I thought I was going to be in bad shape today with my back, but it felt the best in months.  I think the gentle back and forth movement must have done me good!!!

We drove part of the battleground this morning.  From horseback we didn’t get to take the photos of various monuments.  A majority of the roads in the battleground are one way but have a lane for stopping.  I got to

Robert E Lee Memorial

stop at Virginia Monument with Robert E Lee on Traveler on of the huge stone.  I true Virginian always pays respect to such a great man who did not want a Civil War, but felt a duty to his state to serve at the Confederacy’s request.  This was the farthermost north the South got during the long brutal war.  We stopped at many places today, including Lee’s Headquarters while in Gettysburg. 

We stopped at one of the fire towers that is in the park grounds as

One of the towers

well.  When it is open you can climb to the top. Bill had read about a Covered Bridge in the area and we managed to find it.  Sachs Bridge was built in 1852 and basically was washed away in 1996.  Government and locals worked together to find the beams and cross bars used in the original along the river and it was rebuilt with 80 per cent of the original wood.  Today there was a wedding going on there and it is blocked at both ends from being driven on permanently.  They were putting out flowers and the photographer was there as well.

Sachs Bridge

It was lunch time so we headed to a spot Bill thought would be interesting, Gettysburg Eddies.  Apparently Eddie Plank was a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher from 1901-1917.  Bill had never heard of the guy but read up on him then and after lunch we went to the Evergreen Cemetery and found his grave. 

We have not done much “shopping” so we went into a shop in town and got some postcards and a few odds and ends.  Then we went to Walmart to get a better Ace wrap for Bill and a few groceries that we were out of.  They didn’t have every thing we were looking for so we stopped at a Giant Supermarket and finished off there.

Then we got back on the cemetery road and finished our drive around Devil’s Den and the

Show off Pennsylvanians!

high part of the battlefield where the largest monument stands.  It just happens to be the Pennsylvania Monument and it is huge.  Traffic and people were more today than our first 2 days but we figure it’s because it’s the weekend.

Time to head back to the RV, chill with some wine and eventually I stewed some leftover chicken and added some Amish Pot Pie Noodles and it was chicken noodle soup. 

The WIFI gets really low in the evenings so I can’t get my photos to upload and won’t get to post my blog for the last few days!

Jean and Paul left Florida EARLY this morning and had trouble already today.  We spoke several times and they are struggling along with an alternator issue but got to their stop for the night so maybe they can get the part and we will see them in Williamsburg tomorrow!!!

Great day in Gettysburg

September 11 – Flags were flown at half staff today.  It’s a sad day in the history of the US!

After a breakfast of Cinnamon Bun pancakes and fresh fruit we got our showers and got ready to head out.  First stop was to return a pair of jeans to Wal-mart.  Bill actually bought 2 pair as they wouldn’t allow you to try them on there but you can try them on at home and take them back!  I just waited in the truck.

When Bill ordered the tickets for our horseback tour of Gettysburg for today, he included tickets to the Gettysburg Heritage Center.  He started our tourist day there.  They had a very well done movie about the war and a huge diorama between the seats and the stage.  We were the only ones there and as we got up to go I found a $10 bill on the floor!!

The rest of the museum was very well done also.  They provide 3D glasses to use to see certain poster size photos that were taken during the Civil War times.  There were numerous exhibits about the battle and about specific citizens during that time.

We had lunch at Dunlap’s.  It was very nice but the service was slow.  It wasn’t busy at all and was pretty highly rated.  While we waited we could see across the road to a rental place.  They had electric bikes, gas powered gold carts and little 2 person gas cars like little toys.  The rates were very pricey!

When we left we stopped at The Toy Soldier shop.  I remembered it from when we brought Kam and Jared and they sold toy soldiers of all kinds and bullets and Jared wanted a bullet.  The family that owns is now had every kind of warrior you can imagine.  They’re from all of our wars, including ones like The Alamo and wars in other countries that had nothing really to do with us.  You could get miniatures of everything from camels to dogs and all the weapons as well.  It was very interesting but they didn’t have bullets to get for Jude!

Ready to ride!

They said to be at least 35 minutes early for the 3:00 ride so they

Bill getting his stirrups adjusted

could assign a horse and you could take photos.  We thought we’d be early but we were next to last to arrive and that was 2:30.  Once everyone was there they assigned you a horse and it’s name and that’s how they would address you if need be.  My horse was Tanka and Bill’s was Patriot.  Bill was behind me and we were closer to the rear than the front.  There was a regular guide who dispersed receivers with an ear piece who did the commentary and there were 5 people who kept the horses in line and stopped traffic for us to cross the roads.  It was a slow paced ride through the woods, then across battlefields and farm lands.  We passed a group heading

Heading out of the campground

On our way

back as we left.   We came back the way we went which was a little disappointing.  There were no mishaps but the guy in front of me was told to nudge the horse with his feet it if started falling behind and he wouldn’t do it, then lied that it didn’t help.  They try to keep a tight grouping and most of the horses are so well trained that they have the noses almost touching the horse in front.  We were also told the horses are very well fed and not to let them eat along the trail.  The guy in front of me, his wife was in front of him and she had no control over the horse eating all the time.  Several stopped to do their business along the trail and my horse was so talented that he could poop and walk at the same time.  I didn’t know it was happening until Bill said my horse was making a mess!

All in all it was fun and we enjoyed it but will see how we both feel in the morning!

After crawling out of the truck we just sat for a while then heated up Mexican leftovers for dinner with salad.  Time to blog and see if I get internet tonight!

Rainy ride

September 10 – It rained during the night and was still drizzling when we got up.  We were lazy getting going but managed to leave by 9:45 as it was a very light drizzle starting back up.  We drove through rain almost the entire trip today.  It was heavy, light and everything in between!  I was so tired of on and off with the wipers and slowing down below the speed limit.

We stopped in Leola, PA at Sharp Shopper.  It’s a grocery store with most stuff stacked in the cases it comes in but I wanted to go because we used to go to one in Waynesboro, VA and they have awesome cheese by the round or by the pound.  They have Ring bologna and other lunch meats and sausages that you can’t get where we live.  So I’m stocked up with meat and cheese for a while!

Since it was after noon, we went ahead and had lunch in the parking lot then drove across the side road to a truck stop and topped off our fuel.  Then it was back on the road to Gettysburg.

More rain and today we were on mostly 2 lane roads.  The scenery was great and so many nice little towns along the way.  Many had 2 story rock or brick homes dating back probably close to 200 years old.  We cruised into Gettysburg Battlefield Resort around 3:15.  A workkamper took my picture driving the RV so he could show it to his wife!  He lead us to our site and it was a bit disappointing.  Very narrow and uneven.  Our site is long and narrow and our picnic table and firepit are behind the RV.  We’re really far in the back and passed a lot of empty spaces much nicer than this one! 

Once we settled in Bill called about a dinner reservation at Dobbins Tavern which is rather famous, but is was full for tonight and tomorrow night.  We decided then to have Mexican tonight.  It was good and we both had some leftovers for another lunch or dinner!

Bill realized he didn’t want to wear shorts for our horseback tour of Gettysburg National Park so we stopped at Wal-mart and Bill got a pair of jeans and 2 pair of shorts on clearance!

Dessert tonight was the last of the vanilla ice cream from last night and 2 little cookies.  Perfect ending to a long wet day!!

On the road again......

September 9 – We didn’t rush to get up and leave as we only had 220 miles to drive today to Stroudsburg, PA.  In addition, we had a lot of good byes to say!  Pretty much everyone was out and came to tell us good bye and some we know we will see this winter in Florida and one couple we plan to catch up with in Utah next summer.  Saying good-bye to great people is hard.  I got hugs from all the guys, so that was a plus!  Being the baby that I am, it was hard.  I came into the world a Crier, and I’m pretty sure I will go out the same. 

We stopped on Hwy 44 to hook the truck up as I was not willing to do it at the campground and try to pull out on the 2 lane road on the curve where people do not understand what a speed limit sign is for!  We knew we could pull in the Ashford Grill and it was on the way.  That was a good choice as we could easily see the traffic in both directions.

I-84 is just up the road and we got on and all was well until I took an exit that I shouldn’t

Downtown Hartsford

You can see our RV reflecting off this truck

have.  Luckily I was able to U-turn the motorhome towing the truck as my exit lane and the entrance lane were both pretty wide.  I was very slow in doing it but all's well that ends well!  Once we hit mid-town Hartsford it was a mess!  Traffic stopped and eventually we could see a 2 car crash and before that a bumper in the road and another car stopped with it’s hood up.  I-84 was dedicated to the left 2 lanes but people were using whatever lane they felt like to get around the mess.  I could see a police car weaving up behind me so I stopped so he could get to the problem area and as soon as he got around me a jerk took the liberty to pull in front of me!  It was a bit nervy and once we got on the I-84 that was 2 lanes it went fine.  The other side was backed up a couple of miles so there must have been another glitch on that side of the road!

Hudson River as we crossed over

Around 1:00 we needed a potty break and pulled into a rest area and had lunch and took a break.  From there it was getting to our final destination.  We pulled in to the campground about 3:30.  The space is a big pull thru which is what we wanted but it was no where near level!  Bill put 2 boards under the passenger side wheels and it’s equal side to side but still low in the front.  As ticky as our levelers are we didn’t want to take a chance on an issue getting them up in the morning so we’re a bit slanting back to front!

Bill did some reading in the front seat and I finished a book and got out fresh corn, the leftover rotisserie chicken to prepare dinner later.  I kinda felt like a nap but I’m not much of a napper unless I’m ill.  We looked at the map and there’s a grocery store I want to stop at that carries lots of cheeses and there is one on the way to Gettysburg.  So Bill called so see if our RV could park there to come in and they said there should be plenty of room.  Bill did a satellite look and it should be fine.

I got out the salad fixings at 6 and made those while the corn was in the microwave.  We both prefer the chicken cold so that works!  It was nice to have a simple meal ready to go!  Later we warmed up the last of the peach blueberry cobbler and put some vanilla ice cream that Bill got for us yesterday.  It was so much tastier with the ice cream!!

Time to get into a new book and once we get WIFI I will get things posted, I hope at our next stop!

The party is almost over😥

September 8 - Our 2 months in Connecticut went fast.  It seemed we had so much time to come and go to whatever was open and boom, time is up! 

Bill walked his last walk with Pam (until we meet again), and after breakfast he started cleaning the front of the RV and putting our chairs away and the rest of our outdoor lights.  I cleaned the picnic table cover and boy has it faded in the CT sun.  The sides look great!

While he was outside I vacuumed and washed the floors, put as much away as I could and cleaned the kitchen counters.  I bagged up most of my crafting materials and did 3 loads of laundry.  Things I know I won’t need went in storage under the bed.  There shouldn’t be much to do in the morning.

Bill loaded bags of books and other things there isn’t room for under the RV into his truck.  He had made a last minute haircut appointment for 4:30 so I sent him with a VERY short list while he was in town. 

They had a going away pot luck for us tonight.  I was told not to bring a thing.  I considered making one last dessert but didn’t want to step on any toes if someone else made one.  Bill got back just in time for our 6 o’clock gathering.  Well, we walked over and Laurie was just setting the table.  Apparently there was a miscommunication and the gathering was for 7.  We just went home and read until time to start over.

The foods were awesome!  There were 2 kinds of wings and Bill about died from the heat of the Buffalo ones.  I had the Garlic and Parmesan!  There were a couple of pasta dishes and antipasto and one couple brought chicken chili and rice to serve it over.  That was my favorite thing.  I seriously considered asking if I could take some home!  There was still a large amount of ice cream left from the social July 4 so they got out a gallon and 6 – 8 topping choices for everyone.

One of the highlights of the evening was Pam, our neighbor, was a teacher and she always wrote limericks for her students.  So she wrote one and there was something about everyone in the long limerick.  She included the storm and power outage as well.  She made copies for everyone and it was so nice of her!

We got home about 9 and got ready for bed and just read to relax and get ready for bed.  It was a nice ending to our 2 months at Charlie Brown Campground!