Cold in the UP

We left Birch Run (Frankenmuth) by 10am this morning and had an easy ride straight up I75 across the Mackinac Bridge to St. Ignace (just north of the bridge). And it's cold! Right now it's 57 out and should get down to the 40's tonight. Good thing we brought heavier clothes. We got quickly back into the routine of living in an RV and of course - making some costly mistakes of doing routine things and possibly breaking some things - we should know better by now. Hopefully when we hook back up on Friday morning all systems will check out okay, with the exception of the annoying jack problem from day one.
Something cool - just south of Cheboygan near Gaylord we passed a sign that said we were at the 45th parallel and that the North Pole and the Equator were exactly the same distance from that point. No wonder it is colder. Dave said that we needed to start looking for Santa's toy shop.
Tomorrow we will drive about an hour north to Whitefish Point on the most northern point of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. If we drive any further we will be wet from driving into Lake Superior. There is a Shipwreck Museum of the Great Lakes that we want to go to and a bird sanctuary. From there we will drive to go to Tahquamenon Falls which are the highest falls north of the Mississippi. Hit the sand dunes about 20 miles from here, see Father Marguette National Monument on the way back.

Onward to Michigan

We left Ohio this morning about 10am, felt bad we left the cats at home but none the less - we did. A cat sitter is coming by daily so they should be fine. We drove 4 hours up route 23/Interstate 75 to Frankenmuth. This town is a large German/Bavarian settlement. We have been here before so we opted to eat at the Bavarian Inn where it's a family style dinner. Of course - ate too much. Weird observances by both of us - most of the people we saw were quite unhealthy - very overweight, very disabled (wheelchairs/struggling to walk) and just a very sad looking group of people. Depressing.

We had gotten the RV back from the dealer on Saturday the 12th and decided to pack up and get out of town. We are heading to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to Picture Rocks National Park, and on to Houghton where copper mines are. From there we go to Marquette and take a ferry over to Isle Royale National Park (island) where we have to spend the night since we can't get there and back in one day. Then we leave to head to Duluth Minnesota, on to Wisconsin and then down to Illinois and Indiana. Quick trip - have to be home by the 3rd of July - got commitments.

Have some trouble with the RV already. We can't get the front jacks down using electric hookup or the battery. Have to be hooked to the truck to do this. Has worked fine in the past and now why is this doing it? An annoyance, but able to function anyhow. At least everything else (so far) is working. Tomorrow we head to Mackinac City where we'll stay for about 3 or 4 days. We want to go over the Mackinac Island and then go to Tahquenema Falls which is located about 1 hour north of there. These falls are the largest north of the Mississippi.

O-HI-O

Good to be back in Ohio - but not home yet. We have made it to Wapakoneta just north of Dayton, will stay here tonight, then home by mid-afternoon tomorrow. Why not come all the way home if we are this close? We have made it a point that the day before we come back home, we need to make sure all the tanks are cleaned out, that stuff is put away, etc. We only have electricity where we store the RV, so using water to clean and then to dump out the holding tanks a couple of times and then treat with chemicals - is a must if we don't want a smelly RV next time we use it.

Dave also wanted to get off the road - the wind gusts right now are over 35 and it's very difficult to drive with that kind of wind. We did make it from Kentucky last night without a problem. Let me get you caught up with the latest on the cats. We were ready and had the truck set up to let them out of their cages if they went bazzerk like they did on Wednesday. Well - Chip and Grace both slept most of the day yesterday, didn't make alot of noises, and we drove through some pretty nasty areas. Interstate 40 is closed just west of Asheville so we had to detour about 1 1/2 hours north, then south to get back to I40. Was those roads unbelievable! Up and down in and out of the Smokey Mountains. And, on top of that, we are having problems with the electrical hookup which gives us the extra safety brakes - they are not working at all. We had to depend on the truck's engine (jake brakes) to slow us down, speed us up. Very very nerve wracking - and I was so scared! Dave is a terrific driver, but knowing we were pulling 15000 pounds behind us and didn't have the added safety brakes and doing huge steep grades, wow.

And then! We left Asheville Thursday morning and drove all day - 6 hours and stayed the night in Corbin Kentucky - at a KOA (Kampground of America) which is pricey from what we were doing - but it is typically very stable, very clean, etc. The campground we left was in a "haller' (gap) and we managed to go off the road a couple of times because of the hairpin turns of the road in and out of the campground. It was a beautiful setting, but holy cow! Just as we got on I75 north - that's when the warning buzzer sounded that the trailer's brakes weren't working. Nerve wracking. Once we settled down and understood we couldn't do anything about it, we just kept on coming north. As we got closer to Corbin KY to get to the next overnight campground - we got lost once we left Interstate 75. The GPS steered us wrong - in a huge way. Added an additional hour onto our already long trip. But, made it. Dave literally collapsed at 7pm last night. Had no problems getting back to I75, once we found out how to get there, and was on the road by 9am. Again, today Chip and Grace didn't say a word all day. Can't believe it after that horrendous day 2 days ago. Chip still isn't right, just glad we will be home tomorrow afternoon.

This is the last post of this trip. We are planning to take off again - this time to Michigan/Minnesota/Wisconsin sometime 3rd week in May for about 5 weeks. Have to be home and fly to Phoenix by the 15th of July.

North Carolina

We left Charleston SC about 9:30am this morning - was very glad to leave, the gnats eat you alive. Seems most of the people we met at this campground all complained of the same thing. You pray for a windy day, otherwise, you scratch, itch, get bitten, get the heebee jeebees. Dave is chewed up bigtime being outside the most with hooking up the RV. Anyhow, the trip was very nerve wracking. Chip - with 2 tranquilizers in him - I said 2, remember!, was the fiercest we have seen him. He tried biting thru the carrier even tho he could barely see straight. He cried constantly from the time we got in the truck to go. Grace would just feed off of Chip and when Chip got loud, she got loud. Chip got quiet, she got quiet. We will try a different tactic tomorrow when we hit the road again. It's been 7 hours since I gave him the sedative and he still can't stand. Poor guy. We have to watch him all the time - afraid he'll fall down the steps.

We are in Saluda North Carolina, just south of Asheville, NC. We need to get to Interstate 75 north, and typically you pick up I 40 out of Asheville heading west, then through the Smoky Mountains and then pick up I75 about 35 miles once you past Asheville. Last fall there was a huge rock slide on I40 and it has been shut down in both directions since then. Which means detours. We will have to continue going north on I26 and then pick up Interstae 81 south to get back to I75. This will add an additional hour onto our trip. Can't help it - just go with the flow.

Dave suggested that once we get the cats in the car, and we are on our way, to let them out. He blocked and gaps between back cab where they are and our front seats, and there is no room under the seats for them to go. He set up a small litter box on the floor in the back where they are, and if they need to do something, it's there. Let's see if this helps them. They will be able to roam around in the back, sleep on top of their carry boxes or inside or on the seats. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

Boone Hall Plantation

Have you seen the movie, North and South staring Patrick Swayzie, or Queenie staring Halle Berry, or The Notebook staring James Garner? If so, you have seen the plantation that we went to today. Those 3 movies were filmed here. Gone With the Wind? Well, that movie was shot entirely in Hollywood using sketches from many plantations around the south. They say that they used the avenue of oaks (100 were planted, only 96 are still surviving after 300 years) which is oak trees that lines the drive into the home as the inspiration of Gone With The Wind. But, I was not disappointed as to how this looked from the outside - couldn't see much of the inside. Today we went over to Boone Hall Plantation which has been an active plantation since 1670. The home you see here is the 4th home built that housed a family, the first 2 made of wood and those disintegrated with age, the 3rd burnt down and the fourth (here) was made out of bricks that were made at this plantation. Boone Hall has the only surviving slave street in America where 9 slave buildings dating from the 1740's are still standing. Again, those buildings were made out of brick that was produced there. The main crop was cotton, then indigo (blue dye), then into brick making, pecan trees, and now farming. At one time there was over 4000 acres, today only 740 remain. We could tour the home, only going into 4 rooms on the first floor, the brother and sister of the family still own and run the plantation, he stays in Charleston and she lives in LA, visiting about 2 to 3 times a year. Sad part - neither are/were married and there is no offspring. So who takes care of this plantation say in 20 years (they are both in their 60's)?

Toured the grounds in a open trolley like - they showed us the pecan trees (was over 1000 - now only 300 remain, and they let the squirrels eat the bounty), the horse stables, the fields where the cotton and indigo were (now overgrown as a forest), the slave quarters, the strawberry fields (one of their main crops), the dock where the boats had come in to get the crops and send on to Charleston, the gardens, etc. Pretty impressive as to the vastness of this place. This plantation is one of the most photographed plantations in the south.


We were going to head up to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, then head home from there - but I can't find a campsite at all going up along I95 north. So, tomorrow we camp near Asheville NC, not even unhooking for the night, then have to take a detour which will add over 100 miles to our trip just to get to I75 north near Knoxville. Last fall I40 was wiped out with a rock landslide and it is still closed. From there just head quickly home. Chip is doing better, not 100%, but we now feel that we need to get home to get things done. RV has to go in again for some maintenance, truck needs to be tuned up, I need to clean the house - it has been empty over 7 weeks and will be 8 by the time we get home. Won't be on again for a couple of days - we hope to be home by Sunday.

Charleston SC

Been a couple of days - better get you up to date. First, we are still not sure about Chip. He's on day 3 of antibiotics - seems to bleem him out big time, glassy eyes, sleeps, just very quiet. At night he cuddles up to me and doesn't budge, which is not like him. He's restless most nights, but last night he didn't move (actually Grace pinned me in at my waist and Chip pinned my legs down - his normal way of snuggling, and with Dave in bed also - I just couldn't move). Will do the last 3 days of his medicine then hopefully all will return to normal. Hopefully. Second, we are kinda heading home, kinda. We decided to go on to Charleston South Carolina - drove there on Sunday - was a very pleasant ride - coming up along the coast on Route 17. Called the Old Savannah Highway. Got settled in here at Lake Aire (yeah - they pronounce it as Erie!) Campground about 7 miles south of Charleston in a town called Hollywood. We have cut our visit here short - was going to spend about 5 days here and instead will leave Wednesday morning for North Carolina and then to Virginia, W Virginia and home. Maybe 2 more weeks on the road.

Since only 2 real sightseeing days here, we opted for Fort Sumter National Park and for a cotton plantation that has the 8th generation of the same family still working the place. Decided this morning to go to Fort Sumter. Have to take a ferry over to the park which is an island in the middle of Charleston Bay. And you and the passengers that came on this ferry are the only ones at the park. The ferry stays there for 1 hour and 45 minutes while you visit, then hauls you back. Here's the really bizarre thing - I was undecided - plantation or Sumter this morning and then at last minute we did Sumter. When we got there and was looking over the displays it dawned on us - today, April 12th, but 149 years ago - was the first cannon fired that started the Civil War - on Fort Sumter! Wow. Once we toured the park and got back to the mainland which is called Patriot Point, the USS Yorktown - a naval air craft carrier - was scuttled and set up as a museum and memorial to all that have served in all the wars since the start of the US. There was a dynamic inside museum that was called the Medal of Honor which describes how someone is designated and honored with this medal. Pretty impressive. We toured the aircraft carrier on all levels, from the bowels in the engine room to the top flight deck to the bridge where the admiral commands. Huge.

Tomorrow we head to Boone Plantation about 20 miles from here and will tour that. Then Wednesday we will head to North Carolina, only spending the night and not unhook, but go on then into Virginia. Dave wants to go back and see the Shenadoah Valley - so we'll find a campground around that national park and stay for a couple of days - if Chip is doing okay. Otherwise, we'll keep the pace - drive, stop, don't unhook, sleep, drive more, etc. until we get home. We are really enjoying this life and are looking forward to the day the house sells and we are full-timers.

Sapelo Island and Jekyll Island

As with most plans, things happen. We were able to get to Sapelo Island Ferry but. It only runs on Wednesday and Saturday. Sapelo Island can only be reached by ferry, was the winter home of RJ Reynolds, and also home to Hog Hammon, a community of 3rd generation slaves and that to live on the island you have to prove you are a descendent of a slave. So, walked the trails along the marsh, looked at their displays and then headed over to Jekyll Island where, again, lots of millionaires lived at the turn of the century. The main reason for going over there - they have the Georgia Sea Turtle Center which rehabs sea turtles and releases them back to the wild. What a disappointment. New Smyrna Beach's turtle center does a much better job. And the Island was mobbed. Wasn't fun to be around a gazillion kids and vacationers. Aren't we putzes?

However, as things go - I was impressed with how the Georgia State folks have preserved those mansions. And was there money there! Porsche's, BMWs, Mg's, Rolls Royce's, you name it. We did have our bikes with us and I suggested after we looked at the sea turtle center to go for a ride. That part was fun. The weather was perfect - about 74 and low humidity for once. Dave had a real interest in the bridge that spans the entrance over to the Island, and he hung out the window taking it all in. Will send separate emails with pictures. Again, now we have seen enough of the 'low country' and of this part of Georgia and need to move on which will be tomorrow, Sunday.

Today, Saturday, started out pretty rough. About 5am Chip had gotten up and was very uncomfortable when he had to do his business. He's not been any better since last mention, just stabilized. But, now he was in misery. So, we lay in bed discussing what to do - pack up and head home to get to our vet and as best - be home by Tuesday, or, stay and try to find a local vet, what to do? I needed to do laundry regardless because we had run out of clothes - so while I was doing that Dave got hold of the people who own this camping area and they got him connected to a vet hospital who agreed to see Chip this morning. As it turns out, he's highly stressed out, we have antibiotics for his diarrhea and have tranquilizers for his travel days. We are heading back - will be in Charleston South Carolina for a couple of days, then swing on home.