May 26, 2023
International RV Park Campground Daytona Beach, Fl
257 miles
Site K4 FHU/Pull Through
$65.00
No charge to use credit card Good Wi-Fi
We started the day off with a bang…literally! While Barry was hooking up the Honda, I was repositioning the Lexus, that was being left behind, and hit the water spigot. GUSHER! It was almost immediate that maintenance appeared to deal with the repair.
We got a late start at 10:30 and what should have been a 4-1/2 hour drive turned into 7-1/2 hours; quite grueling for me. The construction and traffic on I-75 N in the Tampa area was unusually horrific. Our next leg on Route 4 was no bargain with more traffic, construction, and delays…and yes, more rerouting, more construction and more delays. Nine miles on US 27 brought us through Lake Alfred and Haines City and a main drag with lots of shopping, restaurants, and traffic lights where we managed to hit almost every red. GPS put us back on I-4 east for yet another 1-1/2 hrs, then Florida’s Turnpike where we enjoyed the express lane and much less traffic for about 25 miles. Then back on I-4 east and the masses with about another 1/2 hour till we finally got to our destination about 5:30…it was a long, long day for us.
The Campground is huge consisting of hundreds of sites, and conveniently located just minutes off the highway. There’s a smattering of live aboard, seasonal, and transient RV dwellers. They offer a pool, laundry, and bath house.
The office/convenience store is nicely stocked with a variety of wants and needs.
The weather was absolutely delightful! Mid 70’s with no humidity. The air felt so clean. For me it was a bit cool; others outside concurred wearing sweaters or sweatshirts…oh, we Floridians and our weather!!
May 27, 2023
Lake Jasper RV Village Hardeeville, SC
243 miles
$125/evening
No credit charge charge on short stay Good Sam Membership accepted Site 96 FHU/Pull Thru
Not great Wi-Fi Diesel Fuel
QT, Brunswick, GA
49 gallons; $3.39/gallon; $167.69
Good day! Today’s travels…so much better than yesterday’s arduous journey. We traveled I-95 N with a short detour, to save time, onto 295. Then back on 95 N for pretty much the remaining duration of our day. Our travel time of 3-1/2 hours was pretty much on point, with the exception of about a fifteen-minute stop for fuel. We usually dread driving through Georgia due to the absolutely inconsiderate drivers, but today…not so bad even considering it rained (and poured) much of the time. Our stop in Brunswick to fill up was very interesting in that it was only 62*, windy and cold 🥶. Even hot-
blooded Barry thought it was cold! For me, I am going to welcome the cooler temps and just throw on a sweatshirt 😁.
Exit 8 brought us to Route 278 east and several feeder back-roads to Lake Jasper RV Village.
Lake Jasper RV Village is nestled, not too far off the highway, in a very wooded area. It’s one of the newest among the Cove Communities RV Resorts. It’s very beautiful with 105 sites, both cove side and interior…as it should be at a whopping $125/night. We were given a corner site…easy in and out, and long enough that we didn’t have to drop the car. There’s a general store with a very limited selection. The only other amenities offered are a small pool, a fishing dock and kayaking. The Wi-Fi was so inferior we used our hot spot. They do offer cable. Watch out for the huge potholes at the entrance!
The weather was miserable. 58*, cold and rain. The fireplace might be put to use this evening and tomorrow morning! So unfortunate because Savannah’s Waterfront is so close by offering great seafood and fun shopping. Maybe on our return to Florida we will have better weather and a shot at another opportunity. It’s one of our favorite places to visit.
May 28, 2023
Big Rig Friendly RV Park Columbia, SC
137 miles
$60.35/night
No charge for credit card use Site 35 FHU/Pull Thru
Very nice scenic drive along both I-95 N and I-26 W. 95 could use a bit of TLC, but otherwise not bad, light traffic and no delays. Light rain and clouds followed us everywhere. All in all we were happy and arrived at the RV Park at 2:00 pm.
More country roads leading to the Park…the GPS took us a bit out of way today and on top of that the long Park entrance is not paved…thankfully it had rained keeping the dust down. Big Rig is an RV Resort in the making. Betty, the owner, greeted us in a golf cart and led us to one of the most cozy sites we have been in. So far there are 93 nestled-between- trees sites. They are very long, and the electrical posts are jagged to provide the most possible privacy. The pads are gravel, and each site has a fire pit formed with rocks, more than likely harvested from the property. Each fire pit is surrounded with artificial turf that was salvaged from a football field…so very inventive and low maintenance! There are no amenities, as of yet, offered at this Park but it’s so quaint and quiet that we would likely stay here again.
The SC Farmers’ Market is a short jaunt away, so we ventured! It’s huge! Many open-air sheds, but today only a few were occupied. The only offerings today were by 4 vendors selling vegetables and gorgeous plants and flowers. We picked up a few veggies…there’s no room at the inn right now for more plants ☹.
Downtown Columbia is a huge college town, but there was absolutely no hustle bustle this late afternoon. The streets are lined with high rise apartments buildings and any kind of food one could care for. We chose Mellow Mushroom and enjoyed the highly recommended mushroom soup…delish, along with a pizza and a Cobb salad. Very good service also. Peggy was pleasant and attentive.
May 29, 2023
Fort Chiswell RV Park Max Meadows, VA 234 Miles
$50 Good Sam discount Site 30 FHU/Pull Thru
We got a fairly early start, 9:00, and jumped on I-77 N for 4-1/2 hours of a smooth drive right into Virginia. There were several sightings of Veterans waving/holding American flags on overpasses! It was quite the pleasant sight to see!
Otherwise, the ride was scenic especially in northern NC and southern VA…breathtaking views.
The RV Park was right off the highway. Our early arrival gave Barry a chance to do some repairs and I played in the kitchen. The weather was simply beautiful enabling us to open up and get a great exchange of fresh air. The Park has a beautiful backdrop of hills, grazing cows and green fields everywhere. It has a small store, pool and a kinda bitchy receptionist. Evidently, you have to request a “satellite-friendly” site when making your reservation; apparently, she already gave me the Good Sam discount even though I never told her we were members…until I inquired about it. It was quite evident she was there NOT because she enjoyed her job. Convenient location and easy in and out…we would stay again.
Diesel fuel
Redford Travel Center Christiansburg, VA 5/30/23
57.319 gallons; $3.89/gallon; $223.48
May 30, 2023
Candy Hill Campground Winchester, VA
236 miles
E1 FHU/Pull Thru
What a debacle! We purposely got an early start today…7:45. The GPS warned there was a 1-hour delay on I-81 N, but going the suggested route of I-77 N added an hour to our already 5 hour journey today, so we took a chance. Turns out that was a very bad decision! Always listen to the GPS! There was an SUV/tractor trailer accident with 4 fatalities at 3:30 am. The SUV spun out and the tractor trailer crashed into it. None in the SUV were wearing seatbelts and they all died.
😢🤔The highway was a parking lot. People were using the breakdown lane to get to an exit not too far from where we were stopped. Now traffic getting off that exit was backed up! What a mess! ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE GPS! The remainder of our day was uneventful, thank God! The scenery in this area is magnificent…mountains and different hues of green. Beautiful estates are seen along the highway with cows grazing in huge fields and homes set up on high hills… so pretty.
We arrived at Candy Hill about 2:00, topped off the propane and were escorted to one of their newly created deluxe sites. E1 was quite nice! Concrete pad, gas grill including cooking utensils, glass top table with six chairs, two loungers and a fire pit! Impressive! The only downfall was roadway noise, but closing the door lessened that significantly. It was a relaxing afternoon, getting caught up on laundry and a great stroll around the beautifully maintained property after dinner. This is definitely one of our favorite stops.
The campground offers propane, a pool, laundry, bath houses, game room, lounge room and a very well-stocked store.
May 31, 2023
Jugtown Mountain Campsites Asbury, NJ
226 miles
$47.98 paid by check
They charge additional 3% for CC Site 31 No sewer Pull Thru
I-81 N gave us a good ride today! Two and a half hours of decent roads and traffic. I-78 E was equally kind, but hands down PA has the worst roads ever. We exited the highway for fuel just before the exit we were supposed to take…turned out to be a great choice. We don’t know why but traffic ahead was stopped and backed up. The GPS detected the back up and rerouted us through other roads that brought us quickly to the Campground.
Jugtown Mountain…ugh! I keep telling myself it’s just for a night. The young lady in the office was very pleasant, assigned a site and said, “if it doesn’t work for you pick another so you can just drive out in the morning.” It took some doing to level the RV…the sites are quite “lumpy” and we ended up kind of taking 2 sites. The front tires are off the ground by a lot!
Yikes! The Park itself is quite a bit run down, appears to have quite a few full-timers, and a not so well cared for playground. It’s really unfortunate because there are many oak trees that provide wonderful shade. There’s a pool and showers, but we did not visit. A laundry room was also not apparent. It’s just for one night!!
June 1, 2023
Holiday Acres Campground North Scituate, RI
$5,240 cash or check 3.5% added for CC use Site D-21/FHU/Grass Site C-10/W&E/grass Diesel fuel
Village Gas 3, Foster, RI
27.460 gallons; $3.75/gal $103.22 Honda fuel
Village Gas fluctuated between $3.22-$3.49
Hello Rhode Island! After topping off with fuel we checked in at the Campground office, wrote a check for our first month’s rent ($1690…outrageous!). RI campgrounds, few and far in between, have you over a barrel. You pay what they charge or go elsewhere because they absolutely don’t care about your expenses. They are always full. Last year we paid
$950/month. This is where we want/need to be, so we pay! Crooks!
The Campground is pretty primitive. Dirt roads, grassy/dirt sites. Ours was a pull thru, so easy in and out. This year our seasonal neighbor(s) visited infrequently. And surrounding transient sites had people coming and going the entire time we were there. The Campground offers very little in amenities. Bingo once a week, food trucks and a band some Saturday evenings. The seasonal campers seemed to enjoy as they flocked to the field in their golf carts for the amusement. We were so busy with outside activities we were hardly ever there.
After we set up and settled in we met Michelle, our daughter, along with our fairly new grandson, Jackson (15 months old), and Michelle’s S/O, Jason, for a delicious dinner at Frank and John from Italy nearby the Campground. Our newly acclaimed hidden gem. Seeing everyone in person was a great improvement over FaceTime. After what started out to be a relaxing vacation, unbeknownst to us would be quite different! More to come…but this was our summer…
We had a relaxing weekend spending time with family. The Honda, compliments of Jason, was brought to Rego Auto Body, Providence, for a much needed detailing on Monday. They did a magnificent job, not only washing, waxing, and cleaning the interior but mixed paint to do touch up here and there and they found a rattle on the hubcap, that was driving us crazy, and repaired it! Service was over and above what we expected. So, if you are looking for service beyond compare Rego’s is it!
I’m certainly not going to ramble on about each and every detail of our summer, but in summary here goes!
Our schedule for our time here basically consisted of spending Monday and Friday with Jackson; we joined a bowling league enjoying that activity with family members and friends on Tuesday and Thursday. Wednesday is Michelle’s day off when we shopped (Jackson loves to shop and flirt…it’s so amusing) and headed to parks and zoos. We even had an opportunity to spend a few days at our kids-owned beach house in Narragansett.
Along with all of the above we had the opportunity to spend time with friends from our boating days, Don, Francie, Bryan and Sheri. We managed to get together with Tim and Anne Marie, along with my dear friend, John…friends from days gone by. One of my best friends and cousin, Lori, was kind enough to make plans for a night out with some of our local cousins…much fun catching up. We also managed a few gatherings with most of the rest of Barry’s family.
We spent quite a bunch of Sunday afternoons (lobsters and oysters) and Friday nights at Lori and Steve’s home feasting and listening to some great Bluegrass music provided by “The Pickers” as we have admirably named them; a variety of musicians that Steve has friended along the way! So much fun! Such talent! We will miss Friday evenings at Stillwater
☹.
We stumbled upon a great farm, The Farm, just minutes from the Campground. A hidden little gem that offers a small variety of tomatoes, greens, beans and the like. They also grow shiitake mushrooms and teach a class on how to do so. One of the owners, Will, runs a sawmill. His wife, Sammi, bakes up an assortment of yummy delectables from cookies to pizza and bagels. They also source other goodies from local farmers for cheese, milk, ice cream and a variety of poultry and beef. Pricey? Yes, but we love to support the young locals 😊. We will return next summer and hope they will follow my suggestion to speak with management at the Campground in setting up a table to sell their goods at the Saturday functions. Good job Will and Sammi…we were happy to make your acquaintance!
Barry’s x-business partner and wife, Larry, and Nancy, joined us for a couple of days on Block Island…our most favorite place in Rhode Island where we frequented often during our boating days. Our Happy Place! Accessed by boat only, we booked passage for us and Larry’s car. It’s about an hour’s cruise on the traditional ferry ($20/pp) or 30 minutes on the fast ferry ($50/per adult). The car was an additional $80 and can only be accommodated on the traditional ferry. We booked a one-night stay at Rose Farm Inn…so very pleased with the Inn and our rooms. The reservation included a Continental breakfast with very accommodating and pleasant staff and exceptional farm views. The harbor was barely noticeable in the distance. It was nice to have the car so we could cruise the entire island taking in magnificent views and sights. Lunch had to be at The Oar, an iconic restaurant on “The Pond.” When we frequented Block, we always anchored in Salt Pond. Lunch and service was wonderful, especially being able to grab a table “on the rail.” It’s like getting a window seat in a restaurant. Dinner reservations were on the deck of The Harborside Inn at the Harbor Grill on Water Street overlooking the harbor and the ferries arriving and departing. Staffing for stores, restaurants, bars all are from all around the world. Young college kids seeking jobs in a foreign country to experience something new. We love Block!
A few weeks after we were on Block Island…a catastrophe! The iconic Harborside Inn had a terrific fire destroying the upper part of the building and displacing everyone staying there. It also caused the end of summer jobs for everyone who worked there. It was very sad. But, on a bit of a bright note, the lower level shops were spared and the hotel will be rebuilt. It was noted the fire started in the kitchen. We pray for a quick recovery.
Winding down our stay we had another lobster fest compliments of Larry and Nancy. Then we enjoyed an outdoor summer concert that evening at Fruitland’s in Harvard, MA featuring an Eagles’ tribute band, Hotel California.
Now, getting back to the beginning of our adventure…with our spiffy, beautifully detailed Honda we headed to Auburn, Ma. Almost a hour-long drive but it is what it is as this is mid-way to the alleys. We joined up with Larry and Nancy and Barry’s sister, Beverly, and her hubby, Mike. This was the day after it had been detailed, Tuesday the 6th. We had lots of fun, along with a minuscule amount of exercise…lol. Then we enjoyed a much-needed Herbie’s fix in Worcester, just over the Auburn line. Delicious seafood choices, among other items at extremely affordable prices. Never a complaint about the food, drinks and service.
On our way home from our very enjoyable day we crossed over into RI traveling on Rt. 44 when a HUGE buck ran into the side of the car!! It all happened in a split second…Barry kept driving and the buck kept running! Amazingly we were not hurt and miraculously the car was still drivable. We saw his giant head in the corner of the windshield. Unbelievable! We will never know whether or not he survived. Poor baby 🙁.
Back at Rego Auto Body on Wednesday it was suggested it probably would not be a great idea to continue driving the car in the condition it was in…the driver’s side from the front door all the way to the headlight and hood had severe damage. The driver’s door could not be opened. Wow! We took a rental. The Honda sat for two weeks before it could be looked at and get the insurance adjuster to look. No one could tell us whether or not it could be repaired so by mid-June we decided to stay through August giving the Auto Body an opportunity to repair the car. Barry was determined they repair rather total. As long as there was no frame damage, he preferred a repair. The same car/year in RI was $5000 more than what we paid 4 years ago…OMG 😱. It was finally determined the car could be fixed…and fix it they did. After another 4 weeks we received a stunning, completely repaired Honda…a thing of shining beauty. (Approximately $8000, paid by insurance).
From there Barry replaced the tires along with some brakes and shocks. What a wonderful ride after all those repairs. (Approximately $2400 at Mavis Tire in Johnston)
There was one glitch in staying an extra month at Holiday Acres. There were already sporadic reservations for D-21. We had to split up the month and we’re relegated to the field for the first two weeks of August. A nice enough site (C10), but minus a sewer hookup. ☹ Boy did that suck for two weeks. No laundry at the RV, limited showers and running water in excess. We were glad when we were able to move back to D-21. And, for less we paid more! Insane! Instead of a monthly fee we were charged weekly…which is more. It’s mind-boggling that our bill for August was $1910. Barry lamented to Mark…he reluctantly took $100 off the bill bringing us to $1810. Jeez!
We stuffed our last two weeks with visiting, bowling and eating…it was a most fabulous 3 summer months.
We were offered a seasonal site F-24. Quite a nice spot that we can spruce up with some pea stone, perhaps a deck and, of course, a golf cart to drive Jackson around the Campground for days of fun. $2650 for the season (April 15-October 15) is a far cry from what we paid this summer. The next day we were advised the current renter may want to continue their lease…. AUGH, what the hell! We were promised if that was the case, we would be given something comparable 😕. I guess more to come on that front. I’ll keep everyone apprised.
Goodbye Rhode Island and Holiday Acres till next year 😘.
September 1, 2023
Jugtown Mountain Campsites Asbury, NJ
$52.75
239 miles; approximately 4-1/2 hrs. Site 45/PT/30 amp
We sadly left RI this morning. We will miss family and friends, especially Jackson who entertained us and kept us laughing, smiling and on our toes. He is growing into quite the spitfire with a mind of his own expressing what he wants, not always getting…but he certainly tries!
At 10:00 we got on the road. We took Route 6 to 395 S…delightful drive on newly paved roads. Light traffic was a plus, for sure. Then onto 95 S with similar road/traffic conditions, which was surprising for a holiday weekend. We could not believe the traffic conditions considering it is a holiday weekend, upcoming. I 287 W and I 78 W also were very accommodating traffic-wise with only a short 10-minute traffic delay.
We pulled into Jugtown at 2:30, greeted by a pleasant receptionist and were advised that they had a few glitches regarding reservations due to illnesses and breakdowns. The sites were very limited. She kindly drove Barry around and let him choose his preference of the very few available. We still were able to snag a pull thru, but with only 30 amp. Not a big deal! It’s only one night! The weather is beautiful with no humidity. We opened windows for a nice exchange of air.
Barry tended to a couple of minor RV issues, and I got to writing the blog. Nice afternoon 😊.
September 2, 2023
Greenville Farm Family Campground Haymarket, VA
$45 Good Sam discount 233 miles; 4-1/2 hrs.
Site P27; W/E; Pull thru; dirt; extremely wooded Terrible internet
We hopped on 78 westbound and prepared for the crappie roads of PA…and were not disappointed. Probably the worst roads ever that we have ever encountered. Constant construction. Today we were saved! No one was working since it’s Saturday, but the condition of the roads…horrendous 😱. We traveled many different routes today. 81 S, 83 S, 283 S, 76 W, and lastly 15 S for the rest of our time on the road. Route 15, in particular, was beautifully paved, treelined and not heavily trafficked. Little to no tractor trailers, unlike Route 81. We shall keep this route in mind. Southern Maryland and northern Virginia were teaming with corn and soy fields, farmer’s markets, wineries and antique stores. I wish we were not almost forty-five minutes south of that area. We would have gladly unhooked the car and ventured. We were tired from the drive…whimpering RVers are we. Another 1-1/2 hrs of driving was not appealing. It was a really nice drive today and hoping for the same tomorrow.
Greenville Farm is supposed to be a working farm…and I guess it can be called that. The only way it could actually be called that would be because there was a small area with perhaps a dozen cows. The office/store had barren shelves. There are a couple of stocked fishing ponds, a pool, laundry and a bath house. They do not provide cable tv and the internet is awful, at best. The sites are very, very wooded…so forget satellite. This campground is good for an overnight, in our opinion, or for anyone wanting a bit of solitude.
September 3, 2023
The RV Resort at Carolina Crossroads Roanoke Rapids, NC
$58.50; FHU; Pull Thru; concrete pad 197 miles; 3 hrs.
Diesel fuel TA, Ashland, VA 56.631 gallons; $3.95/gallon; $223.70 Truckers discount $3.95/ actual price $4.19
Our beautiful drive on 15 S was short-lived today: a brief 4 miles. 234 S was also a nice 19-mile drive. 95 and 295 were equally pleasant with not much heavy traffic. The weather was warm, and we had blue skies for our entire drive.
Carolina Crossroads is a stopover for us frequently. Easy on and off the highway and it’s clean with a pool. It’s a great place for a morning or evening walk. All the roads and sites are paved.
September 4, 2023 Fayetteville RV Resort Wade, NC
$89; FHU; Pull Thru; Asphalt Pad 112 miles; 1-1/2 hrs.
We have truly been blessed with fabulous roads, no traffic and very little annoyance of tractor trailers. 95 S was an absolute pleasure, not to mention less than 2 hours travel time. North Carolina is expanding I-95 to a three lane highway. With today being a holiday there was no delays because no one was working.
Fayetteville RV Resort is truly that! What a beautiful place! Meticulously maintained and boasts a pool, spa, mini golf, basketball court, horseshoe court, and very accommodating sites. Ours was exceptional…concrete patio, fire pit, table and chairs, and a bistro table with two chairs. All of that on a large, very private corner lot made for a pleasant stay.
We arrived at 12:30 giving us ample time to explore. Lu Mil Vineyard came highly recommended, so we took the 45 minute drive. It did not disappoint. Jane, our sommelier, was knowledgeable, chatty and very pleasant. We sampled ($20 and we kept the glasses) every one of the sweet wines they produce and purchased a bottle of Sir Walter Raleigh ($13.50)the least sweet. Their patio and grounds are stunning. They also have cabin rentals and are a Harvest Host site for RVs. Maybe next year. A little off the beaten path, but still an option.
From there we ventured into historic downtown Lafayette with its cobblestone roads, and beautiful architecture, we were happy we did so. Unfortunately, Hay Street, the main drag, was pretty desolate due to the fact it was Labor Day. We did come upon Piero’s Italian Bistro so headed in. Impeccable service from our server, Gerald. And the amazing food…from freshly baked garlic knots, scrumptious calamari, to Caesar salads…so much food. Our mains were braised beef over risotto and asparagus and a beef fillet over a sauce of red roasted peppers and rigatoni. We both took home ample amounts for another meal.
A quick stop at Food Lion for a few essentials and back to the RV for a bit of relaxation and FaceTime with Michelle and Jackson. We are missing them so much 🥰.
September 5-15, 2023 Pirate Land
Myrtle Beach, SC
$738; Site 880; FHU; Pull Thru; Dirt Site Golf cart rental $675
150 miles; 2-1/2 hrs.
Ten days of fun! We joined Barry’s sister, Beverly and her husband, Mike. They had a beautiful oceanfront site with a cement pad patio. We ended up with the most horrible site just up the street from them on a corner. It was barely big enough for the RV, it was dirt, and the picnic table was on a slant. Simply one of the worst sites in the Park. In spite of the site, we had a marvelous experience.
There was a bowling alley not too far away that we frequented a few times, we enjoyed cocktails and cruising around the Park in the golf cart every night after a few games of Jokers and Pegs. We visited Murrells Inlet for dinner at Drunken Jack’s and Sara J’s. Bev and I enjoyed the lazy river. Barry and I had the opportunity to visit with great boating friends, Tony and Kristi.
We also had the driver’s side slide repaired (covered by insurance) by Bish Mobile RV Repair. The tracks and rails were not performing properly. A three-hour repair by Matt and it no longer “chatters” going in and out!
On our last day we decided to head over to Brookgreen Gardens. We should have planned for that a bit better. ($20/pp for a seven-day pass) we didn’t get there until 3:00 and it closed at 5:00 🙄. Duh 🙄. The Park is huge with 200 acres of different attractions. It offers a butterfly house, a small zoo with several of the animals being rescues and an Arboretum. Way too much to take in in just a couple of hours. We chose the zoo and got in a good walk. The surrounding gardens were quite impressive.
September 16-17, 2023 Lake Jasper RV Village Hardeeville, SC
$187.49
Site #35 FHU; PT
Fuel Circle K, Hardeeville
12.2 gal; $3.59/gal $43.79
Lake Jasper Village is a beautiful place abutting Lake Jasper. Newly renovated, it has long pull thru or back in sites. All are full hook ups, picnic tables and fire rings are also provided. No amenities other than a nicely stocked store, laundry and a pool in agreeable weather. As nice as it is, $95/night is a rip off. With not much else in the area they can and do charge what they will.
Rain was expected for Sunday, so we had Savannah on our minds for today in search of happy hour oysters. Our 20 minute drive was not so bad…parking, on the other hand, was a bear. We ended up one street up from Bay Street and took the steep walk down to where all the restaurants and shops are along the river. It was a gorgeous day and Bay Street was clamoring with patrons. It became apparent the happy hour twenty-five cent each oysters were absolutely a thing of the past. The least expensive we found was a dozen for $18 at The Shrimp Factory. The friendly staff aimed to please with very attentive service. The Chesapeake oysters were huge and very delicious. We enjoyed them along with their Caesar salad; also, very good. We moved along to Fiddlers as we wanted to sit outside on this glorious day. They were able to accommodate us on the upstairs deck where we ordered salmon BLTs. So very good and I will think to make these at home sometime soon. Scrumptious. We got a good three mile walk in today…very much needed.
On Sunday we thought we would hunt down a farmer’s market for a bit of produce. We found two. The first one, that their website said was open, led us on a half-hour, wild goose chase that ended at Publix 🤷♀️. Perhaps it was inside? Doubtful 🤨.
We were half way to Beaufort at this point so we took the ride. The historical downtown area looked the same from when we frequented while boating. The once anchorage area was pretty-much filled with mooring balls…another way for the city to make money. We took a walk along the water and decided to grab a late lunch at Plums…another of our frequent stops while in Beaufort. The rain had not yet begun, but it was coming 🙅♀️. Our server was delightful and thrilled to finally have patrons on the porch because they had a downpour just a bit earlier, so no customers for her. Our fried flounder sandwiches were really good. They were huge and sloppy to eat, but that did not deter us…they were yummy! We finished just in time. We hopped in the car and the heavens opened! Thunder, lightning and pouring rain that made it pretty difficult to drive 🫣😱. Back in Hardeeville we were spared…the rain just seemed to almost stop making it very easy to retreat into the RV. Rest and relaxation for the evening. Nighty night.
September 18, 2023
Red Roof, Port Wentworth, GA
#102; $86.00
Squashed plans for the day 😬☹️. We packed up and headed south on I-95. About a hour into our journey Barry noticed a burning 🔥 smell. I started investigating…making my way down to the bedroom I walked into a cloud of smoke. Barry pulled over and when he went outside, oh my…smoke was pouring from around the rear wheel wells. A gentleman stopped behind us (a fire fighter) who immediately called the fire station. The city and county trucks pulled up; the police and EMT. A party on the side of the road! It was deemed nothing was on fire, thankfully. After a few phone calls Barry found a tow truck company, Tim’s. And thirty miles north, where we just came from, a Freightliner service center that could accommodate us today by at least exploring the problem. Fred from Tim’s Towing was amazing. After about a half-hours-worth of preparation he towed that bad boy to the service station. It’s his belief there is an air brake line leak because he could hear hissing while he was under the RV. The service center staff was equally impressive and welcoming. They offered to store our refrigerated items in their refrigerator and also welcomed us to wait in their very comfy waiting area…even Panda would have been welcomed. But, we headed back to the RV, packed to head to a hotel, and before we knew it they were knocking on our door…the RV was taken in for inspection. Fingers crossed for a quick repair so we can be on the road again as soon as possible 🙏.
We had a delicious Mexican dinner at Agave Grill and Bar just up the road from Red Roof. Great chicken fajitas and a steak tortilla. Both huge portions could have been shared. I took half of mine home.
September 19, 2023
Red Roof, again 🙁
#102; $86.00
Fuel @ Circle K, Port Wentworth, GA
8.314 gallons; $3.20 gallon; $26.68
Beautiful day in the mid 80’s
By 10:00 Barry had a conversation with Freightliner. The motor home was in the shop and an inspection was completed. New rear shoes because they melted and a brake line air valve. They don’t have the shoes in stock. Hopefully someone (of the four people Barry emailed) will do an overnight request, with Barry paying for the extra shipping costs. The warranty company will pay approximately $1700 toward the repairs, due to some ridiculous fees from Freightliner such as $230/hr labor cost. Barry will have to cough up around $500 to make up the difference. So, now we wait.
We ventured out to Tybee Island. A forty-five minute drive and we came upon a tiny community right on the ocean…very quaint and very quiet. Fall is here! The southern end of the island is apparently the place to be. This is where you will find most choices for restaurants and a bit of shopping. Unfortunately, all the restaurants here are inside and dark caves! It’s gorgeous outside and that’s our preference today. There are house rentals, bike and golf cart rentals strewn along the island. Simply adorable! The north end is more permanent residents and one hotel with the only oceanfront restaurant, but with the tall dunes the ocean was not within view. 🤷♀️ It, also, was the only outdoor dining restaurant on the Island so The Deck it was. We weren’t too impressed by the menu, but our choices were absolutely scrumptious. I had a tuna poke’ bowl and Barry a BLT with avocado. Really, really enjoyed both choices along with the service received from our server, Angel. She was delightful. Very reasonable lunch under $40 including the tip. We had iced tea, so that kept the price down. The girls next to us had enough cocktails for everyone on the deck! 🤣🤣
We could never live in the Savannah area! The traffic is a bear; bumper to bumper with traffic lights so close to one another there’s no chance to get anywhere anytime too soon.
September 20, 2023
