It’s Always an Adventure

Tuesday, June 3^rd, the RV adventure begins again in earnest. This was the day I had my last chemo treatment which I concluded at noon of the day. We finally got off from the house shortly after one and pointed our coach in a northerly direction. The plan was to drive three to four hours and camp so as to shorten the drive on Wednesday to our first destination at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, GA. Our stop for the night was Eagle’s Roost RV Resort just south of Valdosta. Our site was an attractive pad under a lush canopy of Oaks, replete with beards of Spanish moss dangling over our heads. Everything went smoothly so our stay was pleasant and uneventful. 

Not arising overly early our day began with breakfast at the Farm Restaurant close by. Up I-75 we went until needing a rest stop. Again, we learned a lesson about the consequences of forgotten items (we always forget something). This time the omission was the harnesses for Mitzi and Fiona. We had leashes but no harness. We found a Petco at one exit to obtain replacements. Mitzi’s fir fine but Fiona’s was a little loose (a potential disaster in the making). Kathy was walking the dogs when Fiona backed out of her harness and proceeded to run down the shoulder of the interstate. She refused to respond to command and then raced around the parking area and the busy off ramp with Kathy in pursuit. I exited the coach as soon as I noticed what was going on and we both chased her to no avail. A truck driver, seeing the drama unfolding, also gave chase. Fortunately he scared Fiona into my arms or the outcome would have most assuredly ruined our summer. It gave us quite a scare; Kathy, not to be indelicate, wet her pants.

The remainder of the day was anticlimactic in comparison. We drove into the mountains to Amicalola Falls and settled into our campsite for the next six days. The campground driveway was somewhat challenging with a 25% grade. The previous day had a unit blow its transmission making the ascent. We had no problem, even towing the Jeep, and we were pleased to have the horsepower to ascend without incident.

While here we will visit my cousin Tug for a few days and explore the area. It will be fun.

Lipstick on a Pig

Our RV experience has been challenging over the past year and for several reasons I will share several of the reasons. Some of you followed our journey out West summer before last so you will know that we had a 42’ diesel pusher. We really liked the “Big Rig” but we experienced some serious drawbacks. One – when in remote areas it was nearly impossible at times to get close to a pump to get fuel; especially with the added length of a tow vehicle. Two – we encountered situations where we could find a site long enough to accommodate our rig. For instance, when visiting the Grand Canyon we camped eighty miles away for lack of a suitable site. This all being said, we sold that coach when we returned to Florida.

That began the process of looking for something that would give us the balance of utility and comfort that we desire. Kathy wanted a Class C because of the sleeper over the cab for grandkids. I refused because I absolutely wanted the conveniences (self-leveling, ride, interior height, Etc.) of a Class A coach. Well, what do you do in such circumstances? You compromise. Our compromise came in the form of a 28’ Thor ACE. The ACE stands for A & C Evolution. The design is to combine features of both A & C coaches in one unit. Very good in theory but poor in execution. Most of the little bells and whistles were useless and many of the features included on our previous Class A coaches were missing. One example; the drivers se3at had no electric adjustment so my feet barely reached the floor. After a day of driving I was exhausted and painfully cramping. The modification for the seat was about $2000. 

This began a succession of modifications to make our “entry level” coach more functional and comfortable. A year later found us with serious issues, both functional and quality in nature. In the year we owned the ACE it spent 80% of that time in the shop. Our very first trip was without any a/c (defective from the factory). Upon leaving last summer for New York with our new coach we were driving from Camping World to Camping World addressing malfunctions and quality issues. This spring upon checking to see if our year old coach was ready for our journey we discovered even more problems and things we concluded we couldn’t live with. Kathy’s comment was; “it’s like putting lipstick on a pig.” My conclusion was, “enough.” Bye-bye ACE. The lessons learned are multiple. We downsized too much. The ACE was 28’ and didn’t have the room for comfort we sought. It was an entry level coach that was missing many conveniences.

The biggest thing I discovered is that my ideal coach is a diesel pusher between 34’ and 38’. We purchased a used Tuscany that falls right in the middle of that range. So far it appears to be the perfect coach for us.

A New Season - 2014

This year, again, we are late leaving Florida. Already it is the nineties and I have had sufficiently enough heat for the season. Normally we would have departed by this time but my chemo treatments for bladder cancer have put us behind schedule.

Secondly, we are still waiting for the completion of warranty repairs on the RV as well as certain modifications to be completed. I learned a lesson on this coach which we purchased in an attempt to downsize. It is a little smaller than we would like and it is an entry level Class A Coach with many comfort and utility items missing. We have been addressing the deficiencies as best we can by upgrades to seats as well as mechanical and electronic improvements. Having purchased this unit a little over a year ago it has spent most of its existence in the shop. It is a Thor A.C.E. which is neat in design but sorely lacking in quality. Eventually we will get all of the bugs worked out but are resolved to never purchase Thor again.

My last treatment is June 3^rd and we hope to leave as soon as possible after this date. Thus far our plans are incomplete but we have penciled in several stops. Initially, we will head for Jasper, GA where it is our intent to visit my cousin, Tug Tuggle, for several days. From there we will proceed to Lyman, SC where son Lee and family reside. They have a concrete pad and electric for the coach so it is always a convenient stop. With this setup it doesn’t feel like we are imposing as we have our own accommodations, and with the dogs along it keeps them out of the house.

Of course, our ultimate destination is our summer home in Penfield, NY. Whether we will go directly after Lyman or meander for a while is yet to be determined. SOP for us is to freeform our trips along the way. Seldom do we have a set agenda – just general destinations that we tick of as we get to them, or not. One option is Branson, MO. Neither of us has been there and it looks interesting, especially since there is a RV Park right in the heart of all the action.  At any rate we will follow our noses with a spirit of adventure and will just see where it takes us.

Here We Go Again

Finally, we have departed the Sunshine State. This is the latest date for our summer exodus and I was beginning to wonder if we would ever get off. The reasons are multiple and include visiting family, (we enjoyed the two weeks with Beth, Aaron, Leon and Silas), doctor appointments, wrapping up a kitchen remodel and, oh yeah, finally getting our motor home back from the dealer.

I have to confess our start has been rocky. Kathy’s back has been out and I have been suffering extreme fatigue which has greatly hindered our packing routine and getting the house closed up. In addition, there have been numerous issues with our new land yacht. Originally we were going to leave on June 3^rd but that didn’t work out. Our next selected date was the tenth but it was the twelfth before we eventually got on the road. Fortunately I made reservations the first night for St. Augustine for that was as far as we could get the first day. It was late morning before we pulled out the driveway, but we couldn’t leave town without stopping at Camping World to iron out several issues, the main being the refrigerator didn’t cool while going down the road.

Checking in at the St. Augustine at about 5:30 we were quite worn out. Our trip there was plagued by horrific noises coming from the slide which we erroneously attributed to the awning. Also, the next morning when I dumped the tanks I discovered that the grey water valve was pouring water into the affected compartment. Thank goodness it was the grey water valve and not the black water – what a nasty mess that would have been.

This resulted in our visit to the St. Augustine Camping World for more repairs. We got everything pretty well settled (thanks to the great crew @ St. Augustine CW) and left there around 2:00 p.m.

Neither of us has ever been to Hilton Head Island so we planned a two night layover here. We arrived late Thursday afternoon where we checked in to the Hilton Harbor RV Resort & Marina. Backing in to our waterfront site about six we were very happy to be off the road. Watching the sunset from an air-conditioned window table in the Sunset Grille at the marina helped to ease some of the rumples of our trip thus far.

I am so over the South right now as the temperature reading on the coach display has steadily read between 100 and 107 degrees. These extremes really whip me down; taxing my energy levels and leaving me without much motivation to do anything. I will be much happier when we reach a cooler climate.

Today we visited Harbor Town and enjoyed the harbor front restaurants, shops and sights as we walked around. It is really the first opportunity we have had to do any sightseeing and touristy stuff. We also rode around this beautiful RV resort on our bikes (one of the nicest we have visited).

In the morning we are again heading north. We have no idea yet as to our route or destination for the day. Will we hit the interstate and beat a rapid retreat from South Carolina or will we continue up the coast toward the Outer Banks and leisurely enjoy the slow route along the ocean? I have no idea; yet. We’ll figure it out in the morning.

Remember the Alamo

We are in San Antonio Texas. Again, this is a place that I have always heard about but never thought I would visit. San Antonio is the 3^rd largest city in Texas and has a rich culture and history. The three days we have been here is not nearly enough to experience much of what this city offers.

Wednesday afternoon after setting up camp we climbed aboard a city bus ($1.10) and rode downtown. Walking along Riverwalk was very pleasant with plenty of shade from the towering cypress trees and high rise buildings. There is shopping galore and multiple restaurants. We dined at the Del Rio and enjoyed another fine meal of Southwestern fare.

Thursday morning a local tour company picked us up at the KOA for an all-day Grande Tour. Our day included the Alamo and several other Spanish Missions in the city, the Buckhorn Saloon and Texas Ranger Museum, a riverboat tour, and the Japanese Tea Garden. It was a long day but we really enjoyed getting a real taste of San Antonio. 

I hope the following photos will give you feel of the things we have seen.

Riverwalk

City Scene

The Alamo

Alamo Memorial

Crockett is a common name here

Buckhorn Saloon

Bonnie and Clyde's auto

Alamo Scene

Riverboat Tour @ Riverwalk

Tower above Riverwalk