Home Sweet Home

(Lynda) After almost four weeks and almost 2000 miles we finally arrived home.  As usual we were a little nervous about looking inside the house as in the past we have been invaded by mice, chipmunks and squirrels in our absence.  This time everything looked as though we'd just been away for a couple of days.  I had left everything clean and tidy so there wasn't even any dust anywhere. It looked great and we felt good to be back, although David is already planning the next trip!

(David)  Coming home was a mixed bag for me until we got there.  Lynda backed me into the campers parking spot next to the garage with experienced signals from so many past such movements.  We had become a "Traveling Team" and could effortlessly set up our rolling home in a heartbeat.  She even took driving lessons on this trip in Florida and will practice more in the future.  Our new coach that we researched and had built to our specs was a success.  We both had some anxious thoughts about coming back to a house that was empty through a snowy New Hampshire winter.  One that had the heat shut off and was closed up tight since November.  To our great satisfaction, on this sunny warm day, our 200 year old New England farm house was just as we left it and we both felt so glad to be in it again.  By the end of the day we had the water on, unloaded food and other needs and were sitting back watching TV.  It had been a wonderful trip and we are now tossing around future travel this summer with happy expectations.  Life is Good!

Running Bear Campground, Ascutney, Vermont

(Lynda) Our journey was coming to an end - final port of call was close to David and Melony's place in Claremont, New Hampshire.  As luck would have it we arrived on a Saturday, so that they we able to come and visit us along with the two grandchildren, little Davey and six month old Delilah.  It was a lovely sunny day and they all looked well.  Delilah had changed the most as she was a new born baby when we last saw her.  Little Davey is a a guitar fanatic just like his Daddy and Grandpa.  Wherever he goes a guitar goes along too! It was so cute seeing him playing with the two older Davids. He has all the moves and shows great promise!  We enjoyed Chinese food together and it was a great visit.

(David)  Yes it was great to see my Son and my grandchildren.  The hard part with taking off for the winter is leaving them.  But Little Davey took to me right away and it was great.  The campground is only 10 mins from their home so it worked out really nice.  We left early the next morning and only had 90 miles to get to our house.  Not a heck of a lot considering the miles we put on so far.  I'm kind of glad to get home for a bit, but would like to take off soon.

Brookside Campground, Catskill, NY

We arrived at the campground in pouring rain and our whole drive had been that way. We were so happy to be able to set up easily in our motor home, so much better than the fifth wheel, and so fast.  With a flick of a couple of switches, plug in electric, connect to the water and we were ready.  Home is always the same place, just the back yard changes!  Sometimes we wake up in the morning and look out the window wondering, "Where are we now?" The campground itself was a bit run-down and untidy and we thought to ourselves how nice it would be if we could own it!  There was a view of one of the Catskill Mountains and it really had great potential. 

Dennis and Martha's home in South Amboy NJ

(David)  We traveled from my niece Jill and Sister Jackie's homes to a dear friend of mine who I worked with at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  Dennis and I have know each other for many years and it's always great to get together.  He and his wife Martha welcomed us to their home, although we ended up greeting them with a bottle of wine in the Magic Bus parked in front of their house. We chatted for several hours catching up on things that happened to us in the gap between the last visit.  We later went out for an enjoyable dinner at a Japanese steak house rounding off a pleasant stay.  Too bad we had little time as both of them had to work the next day and we left early.  They promised to come up and visit us this summer and we will look forward to that.

South New Jersey

(Lynda) It was great seeing family again.  David's sister, Jackie, lives here and also his nieces, Jill and Jackie. It was a special treat seeing Dodi, who lives in DC and who we hadn't seen for several years.  She was with daughter Tiffany, and fiance, Larry.  They're getting married in the Fall and we wish them every happiness.  We spent four days here with lots of good food, drink and hospitality as well as much reminiscing.  Michael took us to the Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, just a few miles from their house.  It was a treat seeing all the different birds in such a pristine setting.   In the distance we could see the high rise buildings and casinos as well as the wind turbines of Atlantic City.  Jill and Michael, whose driveway we take over, are the best hosts!

(David) My Sister Jackie lives in a town called Port Republic.  It is a small historic comunity that is just lovely.  She has restored a 200 year old house and made it into a beautiful home surrounded by a wonderful garden.  Behind her house she has many bird feeders and gets a multitude of different birds including wild turkeys.  Much credit must be given her for doing all this almost single handed.

Cape Henlopen, Delaware

After leaving Onancock we headed north towards Lewes, where we were to take a ferry across to Cape May, New Jersey the following day.  We had decided to stay a night in a campground so that we could dump our waste tanks.  We stayed at a state Campground at Cape Henlopen, which turned out to be another natural area preserved for the common people.  It was in a large state park with miles of shoreline, all undeveloped apart from an old fort which had been built during World War II.  Barracks and guns and also observation towers still remained and are in the process of being restored.  At the end of the war the land was given to the state.  We enjoyed walking the trails, but were not that impressed with the campground which cost $32 per night with only water and little privacy plus a dog barking half the night!  We also discovered the historical area of Lewes which was delightful with beautiful houses, some large, and some that almost looked like dolls' houses.  The weather had become decidedly cooler here and we wore long trousers for the first time in months.

May 11th

We took the ferry across to Cape May.  What a difference to the first ferry crossing in North Carolina.  We did not take out our chairs to sit on the deck, but at least the sea was calm and in 1 1/4 hours we were in New Jersey.  An hour later we arrived at David's niece's house.  We have stayed at Jill and Michael's house at least once a year for the last eight years and were always made very welcome.  

Onancock, Virginia

(Lynda) We arrived at Bill & Mary's house to a scurry of activity.  Sarah, Mary's niece, who lives with them when she isn't at college, was preparing a big feast, along with Mary, for her Grandpa's birthday.  We had no idea so felt a bit embarrassed arriving in the middle of a family event.  As usual this thought was dismissed by them, and we were welcomed as family members and later had a wonderful birthday dinner together.  We were very impressed by Sarah's culinary talents.  Our evening ended with a chat around the fire circle in the back yard, the first of the year for Bill and Mary.

During the night the skies opened and there was thunder, lightening, and lots of rain for most of the night.  Mary and I had been invited the next day by her mother, Fran, to a tea party held by the woman's club to benefit the local library.  Talk about genteel!  There wasn't a tea-bag in sight and an assortment of delicacies, including a cream tea, served on pretty plates and china cups. Most of the ladies were dressed in their Sunday best and smart hats, whereas I turned up looking like a Key flea (No-name pub shirt and shabby sandals).  In spite of this I was made very welcome and really enjoyed the experience.  Oh, I mustn't forget the gorgeous floral arrangements in the church.

While we were tea-partying, the boys had gone kayaking. I had noticed the sky getting darker and darker so called David who assured me that all was wonderful....

(David)  Well at the moment I was on the cell to Lynda it was wonderful, BUT, we paddled on and started hitting an extreme wind.  The water was turning into a washing machine.  What we had were opposing forces with a strong wind hitting the tide.  Bill and I paddled hard to get across one area and got a good work out.  The area is just beautiful though.  The town, the water, everything.  Aside from the rain we enjoyed the visit and are on our way to a state park near the Cape May NJ ferry from here.

Oregon Inlet near Nag's Head

(Lynda's Post)We didn't have far to travel to our next port of call,  less than 20 miles northwards.  We stayed at a second Federal Campsite, Oregon Inlet. Not sure where the name came from.  It was another unspoilt area of natural beauty - dunes and a gorgeous beach.  However this was marred by the tyre tracks of large trucks which are allowed to drive along there. This wasn't just a couple of cars but a width of at least 50 feet looking like a construction site.  David brought this up with rangers who all assured us that any nesting turtles, birds etc would be protected, but one wonders how they can ever build their nests in these areas with so much traffic.  Oh well, you can hardly expect the fishermen to WALK to catch their fish!

We spent two days here and had planned to do some sight-seeing. Unfortunately my already ailing back took a turn (or twist) for the worst and we spent a couple of hours waiting to see a doctor in the local emergency room. Within twenty four hours I was pain free.  (David Post) Unfortunately during the night her medicine wore off and she was once more in pain.

Much political hashing is going on about the driving on the beach.  It seems now the Park service is restricting it very tightly and causing an uproar from the locals who depend on tourists coming down to drive and fish on the beach.  Check this link http:hamptonroads.com/2008/05/shore-bird-shore-bird-buffers-close-3-popular-outer-banks-beaches

We left the Outer Banks and North Carolina and headed to what is called the Eastern Shore of Virginia to see our dear friends, Bill and Mary Burnham.  To reach them we had to go across the Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel, an 18 mile stretch of road consisting of bridges and tunnels across the Bay.

Ocracoke Island

(Posted by Lynda) We took the ferry from Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island.  It was a perfect day - warm, sunny, and not too much wind.  Since no one could park next to us (being too wide) we took out our chairs and sat at the side of the motor home as if we were in a campground. Lots of people stopped to chat and EVERYONE loved our Charlie.  We even arranged a marriage for him. One couple, whose daughter breeds goldens asked if we would be interested in having him mated!  She took a picture of him and our address.  Who knows?  I would love to have a baby from him.  He is the sweetest dog, even if he is a little wild.  Just wonder if he would know what to do!!

After arriving at Ocracoke we headed to a federal campground there.  We had booked two nights.  However, it was so mosquito-ridden that after one day there, being more or less confined to quarters, and waking up to pouring rain the next day, we decided to leave and head to Hatteras.  We had a short ferry crossing over to Hatteras, also nice and calm and just 40 minutes. We stayed at Ocean Waves campground, a place we had stayed before.  It was great having internet again - we are indeed internet junkies!  Wanted to stay another night, but unfortunately our site was booked and we would have had to move, so we decided to go to another federal campground.  Since David is now 62 he can get the Golden Age pass which means that we can stay in federal campgrounds for half price.  Hopefully we will have many opportunities to take advantage of this.

Ferry terminal at Cedar Island, NC

This little campground at Cedar Island is great.  We are right next to the ferry terminal that will take us tomorrow to Oakracoke Island NC.  That is the start of the Outerbanks of North Carolina.  Lynda and I have been there many times before and love it.  Where we are now has a nice little campground with full hook ups for only $20.  Plus and best is the huge shore line where Charlie can run and swim.    Last night they had a large wedding in  a tent across the way so we got to see the Bride and listen to the music into the night.  We met some locals camping in a small trailer next to us and he had never seen a motorhome like ours and said they guessed the price at $600,000.  Ha.  Wish I could get that for it.

Wilmington NC Home of the battleship North Carolina

We are now in Wilmington NC.  This is another shore location now in North Carolina.  Our host campsite is the Wilmington Elks.  They have a great site with electric and water behind the lodge.  Today we plan to visit the WWII battleship North Carolina.  I'm excited as I love history.  Lynda is along for the ride and hopes to get to the historic section of town. She is not as thrilled with the tour of the ship as I am but understands my feelings.  I'm grateful for her tolerance.  Beautiful sunny warm weather today.  We filled up with propane yesterday knowing it will get cooler as we head north.  Charlie loves the huge back yard the Elks have here but a skunk almost got him this morning.  We could smell a bit on him.  Glad it wasn't a full shot.

Did the tour of the battleship and the historic part of the city and it was great.  Lynda informed me after reading what I wrote above that she did want to see the ship and liked things like that.  Sorry love.  It was amazing to me how large the ship was and how it was living in it for the sailors.  It was a reunion day and we met many of the original crew.  Check out our pictures at the photo link and you will see one and lots of photos of the ship.  After we left the North Carolina we headed for the historic district of Wilmington and walked along the old buildings and gardens that were nice.  Tomorrow we head to the town Cedar Island where we will stay one night at a campground then take the ferry over to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Look forward to that.  We most likely won't have internet there as we are staying in a Federal campsite with no hook ups.  Here we are getting a neighborhood wireless set up with our Hawkins antenna.  Good ole Awkins.