Wednesday September 30, 2009 South Hero, VT

From the Apple Island Resort, South Hero, Vermont. Rain in the morning but not in the afternoon. The cloud cover never lifted. I went out and picked up some caches. I did three easy ones along the road south of the RV park. The next two were in a state park. I walked about two miles, found two caches and didn’t find one.
We decided no matter what the weather is we are driving over to Stowe tomorrow to take a look at higher elevations.
The photos with this blog were taken on successive days from outside out door looking SE. Can you see a difference? Altough I posted them in order the bottom one was taken first. Look at them from bottom to top.

Sept. 29, 2009

From the Apple Island Resort, South Hero, Vermont.
Another rainy day in Vermont. I caught up with some paper work and correspondence. Gerri worked on her scavenger hunt and Glenna read, watched TV and did crossword puzzles.
By the time the rain got heavy I needed to go to the grocery store for a few items. There are no chain type stores in South Hero, those are probably in Burlington to the south of us. I found the Keeler’s Bay Variety Store. It looked like a convience market from the outside but had a full variety of grocery items, including a deli and carried a lot of hardware items to boot. The aisles were small and the had small shopping carts to match. They not only had the main item I came for, corn tortillas, they had the same brands one we buy at home.
On the way home I was near a cache and went for it. I pulled up within 50’, jumped out and was quicly wet all over from the rain. I retrieved the container and went back to the Jeep to open it and sign the log. By the time I examined the contents and signed the log, the rain stopped. If I had waited a few minutes only my feet would have been wet. What’s a little wet in exchange for a smiley face and a travel bug?
Back home and Gerri fixed her world famous layered enchiladas with coleslaw on the side. One of the best meals of the trip.
By bedtime the rain had pretty much stopped, at least to a point I didn’t hear it on the roof. I did hear the wind gusting during the night and rattling the flag pole.
I have my eye on a couple of trees I can see from where we are parked. They are slowing changing color. It’s flat here and only about 600’ ASL. I think we need to drive around to higher elevations and find a more panoramic view. Stowe is only about 50 miles away and the mountains near there range from 2500-3000’ and as I recall there are vistas available. I have been trying to think of the name of the Inn in New Hampshire that we visited a few years ago and got great pictures. It’ the place where they hold the first presidential primary. Opening the polls at midnight and closing them after all 12 or so votes are cast. I’ve searched my maps and haven’t located it yet.

Sept. 28, 2009

From the Apple Island Resort South Hero VT. Day 104. It was windy during the morning hours and never really let up during the day. It rained intermittently all day. It wasn’t as cold out as it looked, I had to go out and tend to sewer duty.
Toward early evening I got a little stir crazy and had Gerri drive me down to the causeway that connects to the mainland south of us to find a cache. The cache coordinates were in a section with no parking. Gerri dropped me off and went to the parking area. After a short hunt, I found the cache. When there was a break in the traffic Gerri picked me up. I thought she was going to do it on the run, but she did come to a stop to let me in the Jeep.
After supper, Salmon cakes (yum), we lounged around reading, etc. until bedtime.
When the weather clears we may have to head for higher elevations to see leaves changing.

Sept. 27, 2009

From the Apple Island Resort, South Hero, VT.
This was REALY a lazy day. Last night was windy, The flags were flapping like gunshots and there rain beat suddenly and often on the roof. It was still blowing and raining intermittently all morning.
We tuned in to the net cast from Oakey this morning. It’s good to see our Church family and worship with them even with so much distance between us. Torrey delivered a great message and we enjoyed the entire service without losing the connection once.
We weren’t all lazy. Gerri caught her blog up to date through our Pennsylvania stay and arrival in Vermont.
We were blessed with more rain this afternoon and this evening it started raining so seriously that we lost the TV signal. It was right in the middle of a John Wayne movie, Angel and the Bad Man. Oh well, the Encore Western channel repeats often.
Without TV reception we had to relearn how to use the DVD player. It’s real easy if you press the right buttons.
On the up side maybe the colder weather will hurry up those doggone leaves.

Sept. 26, 2009

From the Apple Island Resort, South Hero, VT.
A cold blustery day. The wind got higher as the day waned. I did get out for some caches I found three. I’m trying to learn how to use the DeLorme GPS I bought about two years ago. I still consider it apiece of garbage, even compared to my old Garmin GPS V.
Not much in way of color in the leaves around here. We may have to go to higher altitudes.

Sept. 25, 2009

From the Apple Island Resort, South Hero, Vermont. N44º38.018’ W073°16.250’
We left Clifton Park, NY this morning at about 10:30 AM after getting our flu shots at Walgreen’s. I decided to go over to Vermont via roads that didn’t require a ferry ride. This meant state routes to US-4 and then north. We saw a lot of small town America in both states. Interestingly the roads improved once we got to Vermont. Since we weren’t on an Interstate highway for more than a few miles around Burlington, it took longer to get to our destination than another route. We arrived at the Apple Island Resort at about 3:00 PM. We we assigned a nice pull through site with full hookups including 50 amp service.
It was cold and windy when we got here. When I grilled the corn and chicken for supper, the wind had stopped so it didn’t seem as cold.
We will be here until the 9th of October, so we will see what the days bring. Hopefully we will see the leaves peak. Or is that peeking as the leaves peak.

Thursday Sept. 24, 2009 Clifton Park, NY

On the road, from a Wal-Mart in Clifton Park, NY. N43º50.883’ W073°44.949’.
We got under way at about 10:30 AM. It’s about 500 miles to our next destination, South Hero, Vermont. I have allowed for a night spent somewhere in between. I looking at possible route, I considered fastest v. shortest and toll roads v. non-toll roads. Looking at the difference in miles v. tolls, I reluctantly choose toll roads. I had SWAGed that fuel for non toll roads would cost about $30.00. The toll we paid was $25.40. I hate to pay tolls but this time it worked out. The drive was uneventful, well ok I did almost miss a turn and cut off a semi. Fortunatly he was on his toes and we didn’t meet.
Once north of Albany we opted to look for a Wal-Mart near the highway, both for some needed groceries and a place to park for the night. We found a Super Wal-Mart in Cliffton Park, NY and pulled in about 5:30 PM. The manager graciously consented to my request to park in a far corner of the lot. Later a fiver came in and parked behind us. We were far enough from the traffic pattern and loading docks that they were just low occasional sounds.
On to South Hero in the AM.

Todays Photo is one taken on the way back to Hershey from the QVC Studios. This is Amish country, the guy in the picture is riding some sort of sledge behind the team. I don't understand a lot I see farmers do, but it looked like he was just mashing down whatever had grown in the field.

Wednesday Sept. 23, 2009 Hershey, PA

From the Hershey Thousand Trails Preserve, Lebanon, PA.
This was our last day here. We drove to the QVC studios in West Chester, PA. It wasn’t a bad visit, less than $250.00. Tomorrow we leave for Vermont for a couple of weeks.

As I write this I am sitting only about 90 miles from the city where the documents that founded this once great country were signed. As the news of the day unfolded I discovered that a little less than twice that far away is the city where the man who currently occupies the president’s chair took an axe to the remnants of this once proud republic.
On May 18, 1964 I swore an oath, one of few I have sworn on my scared honor. Adhering to that oath has consumed my adult life and I have never been and never will be released from it. My devotion to that oath consumed my youth, contributed the destruction of a marriage, robbed me of time I could have been with my children and to a large extent ruined my health. That oath was: I, Frank Barker, do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution and government of the United States, and the Constitution and government of the State of Nevada, against all enemies, whether domestic or foreign, and that I will bear true faith, allegiance and loyalty to the same, any ordinance, resolution or law of any state notwithstanding, and that I will well and faithfully perform all the duties of the office of Deputy Sheriff, on which I am about to enter; so help me God. The President swears or affirms to a similar oath or affirmation when he assumes the office.
Under the astronomic odds of ovarian roulette I was born in the United States of America. That is a certainty we cannot attribute to our current president. As a child after WWII we were proud of this country. Although it would be publically incorrect we played games (please excuse what is now considered racist but at the time were words in everyday use) cowboys and indians, Americans and japs and Americans and krauts. You probably realize which were the bad guys who always lost. We had to take turns or no one would have played the bad guy roles.
Like many people of my generation honesty, truth and patriotism were drummed into us as was love of God, family and country. I have studied a great deal of history and realize not all of our history reflects these ideals. But, we have always held to high ideals , not necessarily realized. For instance we celebrate the Fourth of July 1776, when independence from England was declared, not the Third of September 1783 when it was actually won. This country was won and preserved by men and women of great faith, pride, great vision, audacity and love of country. I grieve for all the patriots who’s blood was shed and who's lives were sacrificed to win and preserve the freedoms I have enjoyed for 67 years. To now see that those lives and that blood were in vain, cuts me to the soul. I never thought I would live to see the leader of this country grovel and apologize to a general assembly of the United Nations for our accomplishments, our way of life and influence in this world. Michelle Obama told us she was never proud of the United States until her husband was nominated as the Democrat’s presidential candidate. If what Barrack Obama said today was the true belief and position of this country, today would be the first time I would be truly be ashamed of our country. I don’t believe he expressed this countries true sentiments, so I’m not ashamed to be an American. I am deeply embarrassed that this political hack, who won’t even show proof of citizenship, stood before a useless body made up mostly of representatives of despotic governments who prove enmity to this country daily and apologize on our behalf. The United Nations, mostly financed by us, is a pit of vipers striking daily at the principals for which the United States of America stands and now this “leader” apologizes. It is obvious that he places no value on the oath taken earlier this year and never intends to abide by it.
We can only hope that the person who will presently be elected President, 2012, will have the will and ability to pull us back from the brink to which the current one and the congress have brought us.
I make no apologies for what I have written. If you don’t like it, get over it. Continue supporting the blind march to socialism and destruction of the United States of America.

Tuesday Sept. 22, 2009 Hershey, PA

From the Hershey Thousand Trails Preserve, Lebanon, PA.
Now it’s my back! I feel good while sitting, but it hurts after a few steps. It was overcast and we made it a lazy day. We did head out to mail cards to the Gs and a quick visit to Chocolate World. Surprise, surprise, Chocolate World changed hours (fall I guess) and closed at 5 PM. Last week they were open until 8 PM. Oh, well there is always tomorrow before we visit QVC.

Monday Sept. 21, 2009 Hershey, PA

From the Hershey Thousand Trails Preserve.
Today I got around to replacing the arms on the lounge chair. I had ordered them from Flexsteel in July and had them sent to my cousin’s house in West Virginia. They came in one day after we got there. Of course they were the wrong color. I decided that it would be easier to change the covers than ship them back. The problem with the original arms was the foam slipping off the boards that make the arms. Changing the two arms took a couple of hours, a pint of sweat, a few drops of blood and a lot of sharp criticism of the chair designers and their parents. Using the original fabric turned out to be a blessing, the bolt holes were already there. This whole exercise reminded me why I choose the profession I did. I’m sure the problem with the foam will occur again the new arms are built just like the old. We will be looking at better chairs. I have the parts to replace the Number Bed controls. I think I’ll wait until the memory of today’s chore fade. I may even hire someone for that job.
Today we went to check out the Hershey Outlet Mall. We drove though without stopping. No Hershey store, just the standard outlet shops; Coach, Osh’Gosh, etc.
We dove to Hummelstown to check out what was billed as a unique toy store. They did have a lot of stuff but my back was bothering me too much to walk around. I guess it was sympathy pain with Gerri. We have both had problems with our backs since mid July. We did have lunch at an interesting place in Hummelstown, the Soda Jerk Diner. A lot of chrome and very fiftiesish. Great cheeseburgers and fries.
After lunch we looked for a dollar store to buy birthday cards. That took us to Harrisburg. On the way home we looked out at the rolling hills and fields. The corn crop is mostly done and the stalks all are turning brown. We wondered after some small use as fall or Halloween decorations, what they do with tat stuff? Whatever it is I hope the demand is high because just the states we have been in on this trip have a lot to contribute. I mean from Washington to Pennsylvania it’s corn, soy bean, corn, soy bean and more corn. Paul Conner would love it. I think I will grill some corn to go with supper tomorrow.
The park isn’t as full of RVs as it was this last weekend. But, there as many geese as ever. There must be a thousand here. I went outside the motorhome for something and heard them. I don’t know what stirred the geese up but I think all of them were squawking and honking for about ten minutes. Actually they are beautiful creatures and except for occasional landmines and honking they add a lot to the ambiance of the park.
What with the late lunch in Hummelstown and stopping in Campbelltown for a soft serve ice cream, no one was hungry so we didn’t bother with supper. For me it was WoW, Gerri was on Facebook and Glenna reading and crossword puzzles.
As you can see the Barkers and Wisnewski are living the high exciting life.

Sunday Sept. 20, 2009 Hershey, PA

After sleeping in we attended the net cast services from Oakey Blvd. Since Gerri was feeling better we went to Chocolate World. Parking was free for the first two hours, so that’s all we stayed. Hey don’t say cheap, say frugal. A lot of us shopping in the Hershey store didn’t need anymore chocolate.
I think we are going to QVC this week. Their studios and sales department are not too far away.

Saturday Sept. 19, 2009 Hershey, PA

From Hershey 1000 Trails. Not much to report. Gerri’s back is a little better. I went geocaching today. I walked a long way on state game land trails and a rail trail. I only found three of the seven caches I sought. I did meet a couple of caches who were riding bikes on the rail trail. All three of us looked for one of the caches I didn’t find.
I grilled corn, pork chops and shrimp on the new Weber Q, that and some fresh tomatoes made for a great meal.
We did miss the big activity at the park today, we forgot about the craft show and swap meet. Gerri wanted some new crunchies and we don’t need any junk to haul around. Oh well, maybe some other year.

Friday Sept. 18, 2009 Hershey, PA

From the Hershey Thousand Trails preserve. Not too much happening today. I finally got around to putting the carpet back on the stair risers. I cut down the old pieces to fit over just the rubber pads so as much stainless as possible shows.
Gerri’s back is bothering her again, so my Mom and I drove in to Hershey to look around. I did stop and find three geocaches, but we didn’t do much other than get the lay of the land.
Glenna and I went and played Bingo at the Family Center at 7 PM. She won nine dollars, but we spent most of that on root beer floats.
The days are getting noticeably shorter and the nights cooler as the last week end of summer comes on us.

Thursday Sept. 17, 2009 Hershey, PA

From the Thousand Trails Preserve, Lebanon, Pa near Hershey. N40º15.946 W076°31.629.
We woke up this morning to a dense fog. The fog was so heavy that I got wet walking in it. We got under way at about 10 AM after fueling up. It was rain and fog all the way to Hershey. Until yesterday I had forgotten how much bigger the hills in northern West Virginia and Maryland were. Lots of steep ups and downs, get boxed in and next thing you know it’s 40 mph the rest of the way to the top of the hill. In the 398 miles from Rippling Waters to Hershey we went from 680’ above sea level up to about 2800’ and back down to 680.’
The Thousand Trails park surprised me, it is pretty full. The best sites on the hill were taken. There were several to be had in the area with no sewer hookups. We found a nice site in an open area with good satellite reception.
We had a little rain after we got parked, but it was nice enough out to grill chicken on out new Weber Q.
We will be here a week, long enough to see most of the sights. Then we are off to Vermont to try to see the leaves peak. It was a little scary in the high parts of West Virginia and Maryland, the leaves were already starting to change. I hope we don’t see bare trees in Vermont.

Wednasday Sept. 16, 2009 Near Cumberland, MD

From N 39º 41.624 W 079° 14.789, elevation 2861. Near the intersection of I-68 and US-219, west of Cumberland, MD. Also near the eastern continental divide.
After discovering we were due to leave Rippling Waters today at 2:00 PM, we had Ed and Lottie over earlier. They brought my mom who had stayed with them this last week. We were ready and left at 2 sharp. Our destination was and is Hershey, PA, where we plan to spend a week. My goal for today was to make it about halfway. Looking for a spot to stop for the night we stopped at a Maryland Rest Area and Information Center at mm 4. A beautiful spot with RV parking high above the highway overlooking the Youghiogheny River Valley. Flowing north the river meets the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh . The Monongahela River and the Allegheny Rivers meet at Pittsburgh and form the Ohio. So much for the geography lesson of unpronounceable names. A quick check of my Rest Stop book revealed that Maryland doesn’t allow overnight parking in it’s rest stops. We moved on to exit 14 where a McDonalds had a large truck parking area. A quick check got us permission to park overnight. We will pay the rent by having breakfast in the morning. Leftovers tonight, from Cracker Barrel and La Caretta.

Tuesday Sept. 15, 2009 Romance, WV

From Romance, WV. Today was a busy day. I had an appointment for an eye exam to check up on my Macular Degeneration. I’m doing well, no injection today, I haven’t had an injection since February. Later I had an appointment at Quest Diagnostics for a blood draw to check my Coumadin level.
We did some shopping to stock up for the next leg of the trip. I tried a geocaches near cousin Ed’s house with no luck. I’m going to try to get out for awhile in the morning.
Tonight I realized that our schedule calls for us to leave in the morning instead of Thursday morning. I have to get over to the office in the morning. There shouldn’t be a problem with space, I just hope we can stay in the same site. Then I have to call the RV park in Hershey to change our arrival date. I had allowed two days to drive that 398 miles but now only have a day. I don’t know if I do a 7hr+ driving day.

Monday Sept. 14, 2009 Romance, WV

From Romance, WV. I got rid of some things from the basement today, an old printer, a toaster and propane grill. These are things we replaced with better and newer ones on this trip. Gerri went through the cupboards and packed up some cookware and other things we haven’t used for several trips. These things along with some clothing went to my cousins for future yard sales.
The only thing on our schedule today was a visit to the Barker Cemetery at Ashford, WV.

We did find the time to stop at the Univercity of Charleston and take pictures of the WV capitol Building across the river. This building was completed in 1932.

As you will see in the photo the cemetery was established in 1858. The land was a gift from my great-great grandmother. It is operated now by a board of volunteer trustees who do a great job maintain the grounds. Three generations, or more, of Barker’s are buried here along with other relatives and neighbors.

After getting back to Charleston we met cousin Eddie and Lottie for super at La Caretta in Kanawha City. I don’t know if there is a connection with the restaurant of the same name in Celina, OH. The food sure is on a par, great chow.

The trek back to Rippling Waters gets longer every night.

Sunday Sept. 13, 2009 Romance, WV

From Romance, WV. Today was the last event of my fiftieth high school class reunion. This was memorial service for deceased members of the class of ’59. The memorial was held at the University of Charleston, Morris Harvey College when I lived here, across the river from the state capitol building. A beautiful day and beautiful view across the river at the gleaming gold dome of the capitol building. The ceremony was a touching memorial to the 90 members of our class that we know to have passed on to their rewards. The 90 names were read, one name was read and we were informed she was still alive. Her name was removed from the list. Between the deceased and the 105 that responded to the questionnaires there are 265 members of our class unaccounted for.
The memorial was followed by brunch, more mingling and final farewells. It will be five years before we have another reunion. Some of us will be back for the annual ‘50’s picnic which includes all of the graduates from Charleston High School during the 50’s.
Most of the rest of the day was spent visiting. We drove to Poca, WV and visited cousins I had never met. Having fully recovered from brunch we had supper at the Cracker Barrel. Gerri had stayed at the campground so I brought her a meal back.
One other member of the class, Fred Dudding, had arrived in a motorhome and was staying at the convention center where most of the activities were held. He had spoken to several others, besides me, that have coaches. We are going to try tohave a mini rally next time at Rippling Waters.

Saturday Sept. 12, 2009 Romance, WV

From Romance, WV. Woke up this morning and saw the mist rising of White Swan Lake. I had to go out and try the picture.
Tonight was the main event for the reunion. Great company, great food. Man, some of my classmates are old.

Friday Sept. 11, 2009 Romance, WV

From Rippling Waters. Today I unpacked the boxes and mail that had been sent to my cousin’s house. The replacement chair for the one that got crushed in the slide room, and the arms for the Flexsteel lounger came but are the wrong color. It hink I can change the covers since they are the same except for color. What with those things and QVC orders the Jeep was pretty full coming back to Rippling Waters.
The reception for my fiftieth class reunion was tonight. There were about a hundred people there, not bad for a class of 460. Good food good company, it doesn’t get much better.

Thursday Sept. 10, 2009 Romance, WV

Not much happening today at Rippling Waters. Slept late and then went in to Charleston for visiting. I stopped befor entering he Interstate and made a few phone calls. My cell doesn't work at the campground or in Chappel Hollow at my cousin's house.More rain today on the way back to the campground from Charleston. My class reunion starts tomorrow evening. There should be a lot of older people there.

Wednesday Sept. 9, 2009 Romance, WV

From the Rippling Waters Church of God Campground, Romance, West Virginia. N 38° 34.455’ W081° 36.551’
We left Wilmington, OH at about 9:30 AM, a real early start for us. It was foggy when we left and for about an hour and a half while we were traveling. Visibility was about two miles so it didn’t really bother us. I had looked at the route to Charleston and we decided instead of going east to I-77 we would go more south and pick up I-64 and avoid the narrow WV SR-2. Wrong choice OH SR-93 is just as bad. We stopped for shopping and lunch at Chez Sam’s in South Point, OH. Fine dining at it’s best. Pizza slices for Glenna and I and a polish dog with sauerkraut for Gerri. It started to rain as we left the parking lot. The rain was spotty on the way to Huntington and Charleston. We called cousin Ed and had him meet us at the mouth of the hollow where he lives. Glenna will stay at there house instead of with us at the campground, thus avoiding the 20 mile each way trip daily.
We got to RWCOGC at about 4 PM. Really heavy rain most of the way. Man, the memory of how narrow CR-42 is had faded. It may have a yellow line down the middle but I would swear the lanes are no more than 8’ wide. The campground has added two pull through spaces next to the larger lake. We have a beautiful view of the lake and the chapel on the other side. I’ll take pictures and post them later. I got the coach all set up before the rain caught up with us. It never got as hard as it was on the way here from Charleston.
7 PM and the rain has stopped and the mist is rising out of the trees on the hills around us. Quite a bucolic sight with the trees, the rising mist and the lake like a mirror reflecting the chapel.
Well I had nothing to do yesterday and didn’t finish, so I had better get started or I’ll never finish.

Tuesday Sept. 8, 2009 Wilmington, OH

Last post from Wilmington, OH. Tomorrow we head for Charleston, WV via Huntington to avoid the narrow state road through northern WV. It’s about 230 miles going that way but narrow roads make Gerri nervous and make me worse than nervous.
This was another lazy day. We did go to Waynesville for an early supper at an Amish style restaurant, Der Dutchman. Waynesville isn’t your typical turn of the century small Midwest town, it’s older than that. Later we drove into Wilmington for a chocolate dipped cone at the DQ, but it was closed. The DQ, not Wilmington. We passed another closed restaurant with a sign out front, “Waiting For The Bailout.”

Monday Sept. 7, 2009 Wilmington, OH

From the Wilmington TTN again. Another uneventful day. Slept in until the sounds of the holiday weekend people leaving. At least the dust was down because of the rain during the night. By early afternoon there were only 8 or 9 units in the 43 site B loop, at least 5 of those were long term renters. When we got here Friday all the sites with sewer were taken and we parked in the B loop, water and electric only. By Friday evening there were only a couple of sites left. Wilmington is close to both Dayton and Cincinnati. At least two of our neighbors had found sites in the A loop with sewer on Sunday and moved. On both the A and C loops there is a row of sites with open view of the sky, we call them the Gucci rows because of the demand. I looked around and two spots on C loop were open, but we decided it wasn’t worth the move for a day and ½.
I went geocaching in the late afternoon and had better luck than yesterday. I found all three that I had downloaded.

Sunday Sept. 6, 2009 Wilmington, OH

From the Wilmington, OH thousand Trails Preserve. Another lazy day for the Barkers. Gerri was on the computer busy with her scavenger hunt at 7:15 AM and I slept till almost 9. After an exciting time checking e-mail and puttering around the coach, I BS’ed with a neighbor for awhile. Then we tuned in Church services from home.
I drove around one of the loops that have sewer connections, but the only spot available was pretty short and had a slope. It didn’t seem like it would be worth the trouble of moving just for sewer and into a not as nice a site. We only have two more full days here and I plan to dump the holding tanks when we leave Wednesday morning. I did meet a guy who was flying a Nevada flag and spoke to him for awhile. He was a native Nevadan born in Midas, these are rare individuals.
I went out looking for some more geocaches and didn’t find the one that I got close enough to hunt. The other two would have required a walk through the woods and brush, so I didn’t try them. I sure saw a lot of the countryside though.
No one else has been on World of Warcraft so I have been working on my exploration achievements.
Tomorrow holds the promise of being another great day. The Lord continues to grant his grace and life is good.

Saturday Sept. 5, 2009 Wilmington, OH

From the Wilmington Thousand Trails, N39º27.525’ W083°56.501.
We didn’t plan anything for today, so we slept late. In the afternoon I went out and found two geocaches and left one unfound.
Yesterday I cleaned the bugs off the lower part of the front of the coach. Today I cleaned the upper part of the front, all of the back and everything above the floor line on the passenger side. I may get ambitious tomorrow and finish it, at least another part. Not many people here know what 5mph is so there is a considerable amount of dust. At least it’s not bugs, streaks or water spots.

Friday Sept. 4, 2009 Wilmington, OH

Yesterday was our last day at Cruising America RV Service. Kevin and John replaced the cellular day and night blinds with new shades from MCD. They are much easier to use, a slight tug starts them up. There is a sunscreen shade and a blackout shade. Gerri and my Mom are very happy with them. They also look great and use the same valences as the old shades.
At Kamp Kevin we only had electricity and overnight parking is on concrete in the light industrial park where the shop is located, 715 Sugar Street, Celina, OH. Not very scenic and trucks drive through regularly.
Our plan for today was to leave the shop at about 10 AM and drive to the TTN (Thousand Trails Naco) park at Wilmington, OH, about 117 miles. We got away about as planned. On the way through Dayton we decided to stop for dinner at Skyline for some Cincinnati chili and Coney dogs. Gerri and I had the chili five ways and two dogs. Glenna had a Coney dog and bowl of chili.
With the food stop and a trip to Sam's and the Wal for supplies we got to Wilmington at 3 PM. We were told the park would be full, not quite. Unfortunately we got here a day o so late to get a site with sewer. This is a nice park with the choice of shady or sunny sites, but has gravel interior roads which makes for a lot of dust. The only available power is 30 amp. In our experience 30 amp and dusty roads is pretty much normal for TTN parks.
We plan to be here until Wednesday the 9th of September and then drive to Romance, WV to stay for a week at the Rippling Waters Church of God Campground. This will put us about 20 miles from Charleston and my 50th high school reunion.