Merchant Mill Pond State Park - Gatesville, NC

With the COVID thing looming around, we have not been able to travel much.  Our trip through the four corner states was just not going to happen, because of the positivity rate.  I always thought that “positivity” was a Sesame St thing.  “Ya gotta have posivitity,” but no...

We have always loved Merchants Mill Pond, and there was no one there.  Of course, dry camping when the heat index is 110 with no chance of air conditioning is a turn off for some, but not us.  We endured for one of the two nights that we reserved.   We sat quietly, and sipped our beverages (non-alcoholic, of course...NC is a “no state”), Deb drank her white grape juice, while I sipped on hoppy water.

The best part of Merchant Mill Pond is the canoe rentals with the trails through the swamp, but because of the “pandemic thing” (the ranger’s words, not mine), there were no canoe rentals, so we just walked around the swamp.  There were some lovely boardwalks (I love boardwalks).  During our walk, we determined that a second night might not be as enjoyable as the first, since the heat index was going to 116.

Well, Merchant Mill Pond does not even have a dump station.  What are we to do?  My mind races! Aha!  Chippokes Plantation State Park has a dump station, and it right next to the Jamestown Ferry (I love ferries).  I pose the idea to Deb, trying to look forlorn about the prospects of a slightly longer return trip.  I am even thinking about putting on my face mask to cover my grin, but she slowly acquiesces.

By the time we get home, the sky has darkened.  We have restarted the air conditioner in the house, and we sit quietly sipping our now legal adult beverages waiting for the storm to pass.

First Landing - Virginia Beach, VA

We were going with our plan, sell the RV and tour Europe.  We had tickets, hotel reservations, the works...and then came COVID-19, and the world closed.  After 94 days sheltering in place, we decided to pull the RV out of mothballs (nobody’s buying RV’s right now anyway) for a trip to the four corner states. Before launching a cross country trip, we decided it might be prudent and possibly even enjoyable to spend a few nights at our favorite local haunt.  Of course, we are still in Phase 1 of the “reopening” and because of Police injustice there is rioting on the streets of Virginia Beach and an all night curfew.

The RV was completely emptied and nicely cleaned last year.  So everything that was normally “just there,” just wasn’t....bath mat, citronella candles, mixing bowls, cheese board, grater...just to name a few.  Since the RV was empty, I thought it might be nice to fix a few of the storage “issues” we have had in the past.  My ideas have met with mixed success...well, really no success at all.  Well, without failure there can be no improvement.  My favorite camping accessory is “Dragon-in-a-Box” firestarter but is no longer available.  For this trip, I ripped up cardboard and soaked the pieces in melted candle wax as a substitute.  Of course, you can’t have a nice roaring fire when there is a curfew because people are lighting things on fire.  So it’s long socially distanced walks on the beach, haute cuisine...well as hautie as you can be using a sauce pan as a mixing bowl and potato peeler as a cheese grater...and quiet evening with nothing but the sounds of sirens and helicopters to break the serene sounds of waves crashing on beach.

Ohiopyle State Park - Confluence, PA

The last time we were in Ohiopyle we had some “issues!”  We hit a piece of truck tire and thought the RV had come right off the frame.  Then we couldn’t find the campground, and finally were just glad to be in our little “hidy-hole” for the night.

Yesterday, knowing more (oh, that is a dangerous thought), we took better roads to Ohiopyle, but we hit a piece of aluminum on the road and thought the RV was coming off the frame.  We knew where the campground was...up the hill and four miles down a small country road...checked in...we are on Hickory St (it’s alphabetical).  The first one is easy...Aspen, then Birch...(G?)...aah Ginko.  There is a broken down trailer in our assigned spot.  Back to the kiosk...new site...too short...back to the kiosk...new site...no power...back to the kiosk.   Finally we take the mega-deluxe site...at this point, we just wanted to settle into our little “hidy-hole!”

We did feel bad for the stuck trailer.  After waiting the whole day, a service truck arrived...after another hour or so, they got their trailer towed out.

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The next morning we were ready to leave.  Ate breakfast, tidied up the RV.  It wouldn’t START.  We got same “Service Airbag” message.  We are heading for the most remote place we have ever been...with an RV in questionable state.  So we knew the trip was off, but we had an RV on the top of a mountain...we decided to have another cup of coffee and discuss our options.  Well, one more time...it started.  We were 423 miles from home with enough fuel to get 435 miles...off we went...straight home...never shut the engine off till the RV was in its storage “hidy-hole.”
N.B. After towing it to the dealer, tightening every electrical connection, replacing the Body Control Module, etc for about $1,000, I found the real problem...a bad $6 relay.  What’s that saying for the sake of a nail, a shoe was lost...

First Landing State Park - Virginia Beach, VA

We (probably more I than we) decided not to take the quicker but longer interstate route from Smith Mountain Lake to Virginia Beach.  The only little hiccup in the plan was the commencement exercises at Liberty University in Lynchburg.  It turns out that Liberty University is the largest Christian university in the country/world.  Trump gave the commencement address in 2017 and this year, Mike Pence (the current VP, in case you are reading more than two years after I wrote it, and have no idea who Mike Pence is) gave the address which cause huge traffic snarls and the presence of  dozens of State Police cruisers.

Our site was the only site left when I booked it a few weeks ago...on the ocean, next to a boardwalk, isolated from other sites.  It must have been a cancellation since it’s the Best site we have ever had (site 190, in case I want to book it again).  One small problem is a major storm that has been predicted for the past week.  By 7:30 we had a tornado warning and we all had to congregate in the bath house for about half an hour.  Nothing happened here, although there were places where the tornado touched down in Suffolk and Portsmouth.

Tomorrow is suppose to bring more rain in the afternoon, so it will probably be breakfast, a walk, and off to home.

Smith Mountain Lake State Park - Moneta, VA

We have been here before visiting friends...this time we a just passing through.  The drive here brought us back  through Pigeon Forge, with upside down mansions, building that are entered through sharks mouths, exploding building, building held together with ten foot tall hands and, of course, Dollywood.

After a short hike, we went out to find a Friday night dinner spot.  Found a sport’s bar with Bacon Cheeseburgers and Reubens...life is good!  Back at camp, Deb took a quick look at our site and decided that it was appreciably better because they used “78” gravel instead the more common “68.”  I’m not sure exactly what made it nice, but there wasn’t even a leaf out of place.

Tomorrow we head for Mother’s Day First Landing.

Elkmont Campground - Great Smokey Mountains NP (2 nights)

Three years ago, I decided that I no longer wanted to say fly fishing is something I did.  I wanted to say fly fishing is something I DO!  But whenever I try to go fishing, something comes up.  This year, we made a concerted effort.  A day and a half of fly fishing and hiking and fly fishing.  My casting ability has gone from a D- to a B+.  I got to try out my new waders that I bought two years ago.  They kept me completely dry, except for when I fell in.  I didn’t catch anything, but that’s not really the point.

The Elkmont Campground, which is very close to exactly where I wanted to go fishing, is the largest  campground in the Smokey Mountains,  which means that it has the absolute best people watching potential on the east coast.  Our site neighbors encouraged the entire campground to gather at our site for a photo opportunity of a four high nest of hammocks.  We were anticipating a domino catastrophe but in reality nothing exciting at all happened.

Besides the fishing we did a nice little six mile hike with a substantial uphill component.  Our first real hike of the year.  Needless to say nite-nite Time was very early.

Tomorrow off to Smith Mountain Lake State Park.

Hungry Mother State Park - Marion, VA

After a very busy spring, we are out for a short trip.  In planning the trip, I realized it fell on Mother’s Day week.  There are traditions that must be observed, and one of those is First Landing State Park for Mother’s Day eve, with blue sky’s, no bugs, and comfortable temperatures.  Seems reasonable.  So it’s fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains and beach-combing on the Chesapeake.

Having been here before, we know that the sweet spot of this park is the creek.  We have a picture perfect spot right on the water.  Our camp-hosts followed us in on  their ATV...apparently it’s fun to watch RV’s back into trees...sorry to disappoint (I have an awesome spotter!).  As a reward for my backing skills, I got to buy some firewood.

After dinner, I went out and laid the fire with a “Dragon in a Box.”  As I come out of the RV with butane lighter, our site neighbor was standing by our fire pit with a large branch and an even bigger smile.  Clearly, he was going to teach me how to start a fire.  Wait a minute...someome is going to teach ME how to light a fire...calmly, I reholstered my butane lighter, and explained the finer points of RVing...  we never, ever use kindling.  I explained this to him, gave him a “Dragon in a Box” sample and sent him off.  Then lit our DIAB and within a minute had a lovely fire. We even had marshmallows...

Tomorrow, off to the Great Smokey Mountains!