On Down the Road

Our stay at Stony Fork USFS Camp was nice and we would have liked to stay a few days, sweet camp. But the rain that been chasin’ us is gonna’ be snow here on Saturday morn so we have to keep movin’. Night one, Morgantown, WV, snow forecasted. Night two, Bland, VA, snow forecasted. Didn’t know that Murphy fella’ had an in with Mother Nature.

Friday night we were just north of Columbia, SC and cause we wanted to celebrate my birthday, we were dining at Ruby Tuesday’s. So with the help of Google Earth, I found us a restaurant adjacent to a mall and Wal Mart, so I we could park this ‘Big Sucker’. Our meal was very good and we decided to move on down the road a little further. We stopped at a Wally World Resort, found a level spot and parked. Then it was into the store to get approval to stay the night and buy a couple o’ things. Forty dollars and several hours later, havin’ paid more than a campsite fee, we ventured back to our home in the parking lot. Just as we reached the door I notice a flash of somethin’ in my peripheral vision. I saw a BIG RAT head right into the storm drain five feet from our rig.

That’s it! Dump the groceries in the door, close it, lock it and drive away. Now I’m not afraid of furry little creatures like rats. I even babysat one for a neighbor for a week several years back. But I don’t want them livin’ with me. In my house, on wheels. We’ve had mice in both our campers at times, but I’m not doin’ rats! We even discovered a mouse in the middle of the night trying to steal a pack of saltines. He was under the stovetop pullin’ and each time we turned on a light he’d duck down by the burner, but continued to pull, pull, pull on the crackers. If we’d had a video I’m sure we’d have won the money on America’s Funniest Videos.

So down the road we go to the ‘Lowes’ Big Box Store and RV Park. It was deserted and quiet with no drains fer’ them furry critters to hide in.

We slept well and headed south again, stopping again at the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Pooler, GA, but that’s a story for another day when I have more time. We did outrun the rain/snow today.

So I’ll leave ya’ with a little somethin’ to think about. “Lookout fer’ them storm drains when ‘Parkin’ Lot Campin’.”

So folks, We hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

On the Road Again..Ye…Ha!

Well Tuesday around 4 in the afternoon I was on the phone with cousin Diane and got a beep, another call comin’ through. It’s the dealership that has our truck! Quick make excuse to Diane and take the other call. Our truck part came in early, they installed it and the truck is ready.

Yaaa…..Hooo……

We’ve been stranded here in the cold and rain for too long. “I’ll be right over”! As the dealer was just across the street. Three hundred samolians later we we’re out the door. Since we had made arrangement's with Diane and Denny for dinner, we had to see them one more time. We dined on ‘Weiners’ at their house and we were going to watch a movie but we decided to go home and see Bonner’ fer’ a while as we were ‘OUT-A-HERE’ tomorrow. We did spend some time with Bonnie and said our goodbyes before retirin’.

Wednesday we were up at 7:30, but after all the packin’ we didn’t leave till 2:30PM. I had taken everything, and I mean everything out of the truck. All the contents of the cab, cases of pickles, salsa, boxes of books, a box of goodies Gloria gave us, two tool bags and a rubbermaid box with carpenter tools (I brought for my short lived remodel job). Also everything that lives in the back o’ the truck when we travel, the hitch, the generator, gas can, wood boxes, and the auxiliary fuel tank. I also had removed the ‘Bully Dog’ Diesel Programmer from the truck and had to reinstall it and then teach the program how the transmission shifts again. The learning process involves accelerating in the truck through all five gears and then brakin’ to a stop at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% throttle, then doin’ it all again with the Tow/Haul mode switch turned on.

Well we finally got goin’ and we are elated. “We’re goin’ south, Oh Yeah we’re goin’ south.”

We made it as far as Morgantown, WV and stayed at the ‘Wally World Resort’. Rained and blew all through the night and we were gently rocked in our 5’ver.  Left there this mornin’ and made it into Virginia. Well Linda found some sights we needed to see so a few miles down from the Welcome Center that doles out all that tourist propaganda, we exited the big road in of all the excitin’ places, Bland, VA, on a little tiny black road on the map. Destination, Big Walker Lookout. Now this is supposed to be ‘A scenic overlook to not miss’. Well the day was foggy, rainy and the overlook was good, maybe 40 years ago, cause it was all rundown. The sky lift was gone, the original country store was gone and everything was in a sad state of disrepair. The view was…

That shot is zoomed a mite cause we were at 3405 feet at the base of the tower. The ‘Lookout’ part of the site is a 100 foot tower, similar to a fire tower, that one can climb and take in the vistas from the top. Linda said “NO WAY”, was she goin’ anywhere near that tower and since it was windy and gustin, I wasn’t dyin’ alone so we looked from ground level.

We left there with idea we were makin’ our way to the interstate when Linda spies a campground, a forest service campground. Right here, right now. Now we had been plannin’ to stop fer’ the night at Mt. Airy’s Mayberry campground, but we both much prefer the woods to an RV Park. So… here we are, $11 a night, water and electric, tucked away in the woods and it’s only 4 miles from the interstate.

This shot was taken near dusk at our site.

When we were passin’ through West Virginia, my co-pilot is givin’ me a blow-by-blow on all the scenery that I can’t ogle cause I’m too busy watchin’ them other drivers tryin’ to take their share out o’ the lane I’m already occupyin’. And I hear “There’s a deer bluff”. Huh? A what? You mean a deer blind. “I mean a deer bluff, where hunters go to try to bluff the deer”. OK whatever you say dear.

Well were makin’ our way south, tryin’ to outrun the rain, not too successfully so far, but we’re gonna’ beat it.

Well, gonna’ go fer’ now. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Many more Rainy Days

Woke up last Friday to rain, How Surprising! I told Linda “I’ve had enough of this fall weather, lets get outa’ here”. So we packed up, hooked up and said our goodbyes to Don and Jessie. Next stop was Bonnie’s fer’ the night and load up all our possible’s and wares stored in her garage and cellar. Sometimes I feel like one o’ them travelin’ salesman, with with their pots and pans hangin’ and clangin’ off their wagon.

Parked the 5’ver, dumped our black tank and found a spot for everything we had stashed there. Pickles by the case, mucho salsa, books, and more books, two wood boxes, tools, and some other stuff we purchased during our visit. Now the weather folks were forecastin’ high winds fer’ Saturday and I was not drivin’ in that. I did that one time in Texas, against my better judgment and wound up with a permanently pitted windshield.

So Saturday mornin’ when Bonnie went to the post office, I decided to move our truck over to the side, to be more out of her way. Ya’ see while we were visitin’ our good pals in Canada , Bonnie and Scott traded in both their vehicles and bought a brand new, shiny blue, Dodge pickup. I feel bad enough that we have to park the 5’ver in front of the garage that they park that shiny new truck in, so I was tryin’ to give her more room in the driveway.  I started the truck, put her in gear, and started to backup into my parkin’ space. Bluh……. the truck stalls halfway to the spot and wont start again. So there she sits, getting’ chilled and washed by Mother Nature cause all we see is rain.

Called the dealer across the street right away, they’re closed. Called Monday mornin’ first thing, the earliest appointment is Friday, What!!!!! I got to endure, enjoy this wonderful Western Pennsylvania Fall Follies?

What am I to do???????

Quick call some more dealers and diesel shops. Well the dealer in Titusville tells me “Honestly, we’re not very good with diesels!” At least she’s honest. Another dealer in Franklin can’t get us in before Friday as well and diesel shops in the area, “What diesel shops?”

So now it’s a waitin’ game. When the rain took a break one day Linda and I walk to a parts store and buy a fuel filter. Seems like we’re not getting’ fuel. Removing our fuel filter I find rust, big flakes of rust!

Now I’m worried. Is the filter plugged with rust? Where did the rust come from? We have a plastic truck tank and an aluminum auxiliary tank = no rust. Maybe we got a bad load of fuel. The last time we fueled up I filled both tanks, like normal. So now I’m thinkin’, which I should try to refrain from sometimes, I have about ten gallons in the truck and 20 gallons in the aux tank, With RUST?

Now we’re in Pennsylvania, which in my estimation, falls right next to, or maybe out in front of New York when it comes to regulations and taxes and bureaucracy. Do ya’ know that you have to buy a sticker from the state, annually, to launch yer’ boat, of any kind or size, in any waters in the state? Just another way to reap the spoils of the tax payer and keep the inflated state government chuggin’ along. Here’s another good example. Ya’ll know we come from Florida. A land once touted for sellin’ swampland to unsuspectin’ tourists and ya know what?
We still got lots and lots o’ swampland everywhere! Well here in Pennsylvania, they have,

 

 

 

Wait for it,

 

 

Drum Roll.

 

 

Daa da da Da!

 

The State has Mosquito Trappers!

Say what??? Mosquito Trappers? We come from the swamp and we don’t have Trappers!

Anyway I’m getting’ off track, with all this ‘contaminated fuel, someone mentions  that they may hit me with a $4 a gallon disposal fee, on 30 gallons? So I took the aux tank out of the truck, with Linda’s help and moved it contents intact, to the garage. Opening the inspection plate on the top and lookin’ in with a flashlight, I find nothing. Nothing but fuel. Tipped it up, sloshed it around, still nothing but fuel! Is the rust in the truck tank? Anyhow, at least now they can only get me for the disposal of ten gallons of fuel.

Well after changing the filter, the truck still won’t run. Crank, but not run! So all we can do is wait for the appointment Friday.

So here we sit, watchin’ the rain, Brrr….tryin’ to stay warm. Can ya’ tell I’m in a whiney mood.

I guess it’s not so bad. I have my home, we’re with relatives and we have each other.

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

A Rainy Day at home.

We woke up to a dreary, rainy fall day. Temps in the 50’s, clouds just above the tree line and rain, rain, rain.

So Linda did laundry and I did some vacuuming……..

and blogged a while. The forecast is not lookin’ to encouraging for any outdoor activity for the next week.

So we’re gonna’ sneak out today get some propane, make a quick grocery stop, make a quick visit, then meet Denny and Diane fer’ some dinner.

As always “Travel Safe” and hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

A Cut Above

Tuesday morning Linda and I decide to run out a grab some breakfast. The choices here in Titusville are rather limited and seein’ as neither one of us really enjoy a restaurant breakfast we decided on a quick breakfast at McDonalds. I do like their bacon, egg and cheese bagel and Linda likes the sausage biscuits so that’s what we ordered.

After breakfast Linda wanted to drive through town as the fall foliage is absolutely beautiful. About six blocks north she said, "Do you remember where that knife company was?” DUH… Well we turned right and after some guessin’, we were parked out front of the Queen Cutlery Company. We went inside to see if and when they conduct factory tours. No luck, they give tours only one day a year in July. But a nice young lady did show us the showroom and gave us a brief history of the company.

Queen Cutlery's roots go back to the Schatt and Morgan Cutlery Company, which was founded in Gowanda, NY in 1890 and moved to Titusville in 1895. Queen Cutlery is still housed in the original Schatt and Morgan factory and many of the delicate hand processes and operations employed by Schatt and Morgan are still being used by Queen. From the company website.

Queen Knives are noted worldwide as some of the finest pocket knives manufactured today. Their warranty is ‘No Nonsense’ in that if any product ever fails due to workmanship or material, they will repair or replace it free for as long as you own it.

While visiting Queen we learned of another cutlery company in town.

Great Eastern Cutlery was started by former employees from Queen Cutlery. The company produces knives in their own trademarked brand as well as the Tidioute brand by the former Union Razor Company (1897-1916) of Tidioute, PA and Northfield un-x-ld by the former Northfield Knife Company (1858-1919) of Walden, NY. The company has adopted a ‘Made in the USA’ policy that extends to all the raw material they purchase for the production of their cutlery, except some of the exotic woods. Great Eastern Cutlery has a facility that allows for viewing of the total manufacturing process from start to finish. The factory floor is in a lower level while there is a viewing platform on the second level that affords a panoramic view of the factory floor. They will be glad to give you a guided tour and we are thankful to Christine giving up her time walk us through the factory. The tours are available Monday –Friday, 8AM – 1:30PM.

After our factory visits it was home to the trailer. I had a few small fix-it jobs and Linda prepared to make chili, then I let her ‘Put a Whuppin’ on me at cards.

We had Don and Jessie for supper, watched some TV, did some web surfin’, then hit the sack. Tomorrow we’re supposed to get that weather that Jason was getting’ last week. I’ll wait to see if we get catfish swimmin’ in the street!

As a famous ‘Wabbit’ said, “That’s all Folks”. Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

It’s Summall or Fammer!

Here in PA it was 82 yesterday and 86 today. It’s Summer in Fall. Would ya’ call it Summall or Fammer? I don’t know but it sure is nice. We’re setup at the ‘Big red barn’ fer’ a few days, visitin’ with Aunt Jessie and Uncle Don before we start headin’ south.

The little stone buildin’ to the left is the old milk house from when this was a workin’ dairy farm, back in the day. If ya’ click on the picture to enlarge it you’ll see the Mack Dairy sign Est. 1925. That is where we get our electric and water for our stay. I installed a 30 amp RV outlet in there last year.

While we enjoy beautiful weather, our family at home is getting’ pounded by a sub tropical/tropical system. The weather channel can’t seem to make up their mind and don’t know when or where it is goin’. Those meteorologists really know there stuff. Our son said it’s been pourin’ and blowin’ since he went to work on Thursday. Here’s a little example;

Catfish in the streets!

Meanwhile we are enjoyin’ the beautiful weather, as long as it lasts, and the fabulous fall foliage. The colors seem to be hitting their peak here in just the last few days. I guess the cold nights we had about three days ago brought it on. So I’ll leave you with some fall foliage shots.

Hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

Back in the USA

Well we’ve been back in the US for two days now and it’s time for some more catch-up. Our second week with Wayne and Colleen was a little more relaxed. We dined out and in, played cards, got Wayne's new TV and amplifier hooked up(whew), and pretty much just hung out at home. We did go to Duane and Thyra’s for a lovely dinner twice during our visit. Thanks for the hospitality and the delicious food ‘eh.

Saturday, Wayne had to go in to the shop for a while so Colleen had breakfast with us.

Sunday, Wayne & I did a little fishing from his property, while it was warmer during the day. I caught a largemouth bass, then he caught a largemouth bass, maybe the same fish. Both were returned, unharmed to the river to fight  another day.

Sunday evening we went over to Wayne’s daughter, MJ’s house to see the remodel that she has done, very nice girl.

Monday Wayne took us for a ride through the ‘Reserve’. It’s what we call an Indian Reservation and it was typical, cigarettes, cigarettes and more cigarettes. Everybody and their brother was selling them, some out of utility sheds. For dinner Wayne took us to a local steakhouse, ‘The Keg’, exceptional dinner, the filet mignon was melt in yer’ mouth.

I mentioned the problem with our trailer brakes and during our stay we were tryin’ to figure out what it was. Someone insisted that the controller was bad. After some trouble shootin’ and some calls to the manufacturer and various shops, everyone else was of the same opinion, bad controller. I didn’t agree, it didn’t feel right. We applied 12 volts to the brake wire and had brakes but I still didn’t believe that the controller was the culprit. Everything seems to have gone south since I replaced the brakes themselves. All weekend all I heard was, “Did you order that controller yet? You need to order it”. Well I finally folded and ordered a new Tekonsha Prodigy brake controller from etrailer. I order the original Prodigy cause the P2 model that succeeded it had features that we didn’t need and the original was a little cheaper, like me. Got to watch the ‘dinero’ if we want to, keep on keepin’ on, down the road.

I’ll tell ya’, I can’t say enough about this company, they’re fantastic. When I ordered the brakes they were delivered two and a half days later, Half way across the country. Well I called Monday morning and the controller was delivered Tuesday morning. I wish everyone was ‘Johnny on the spot’ like these folks, their fantastic. By the way the controller I received was the upgraded Prodigy P2 for the same price. Did I mention, I like these folks!

After getting’ the new controller wired up and mounted, had to do a little re-engineerin’ on the brackets, We were ready to hook up to the trailer and try our new brakes. The new self diagnosing controller says we have a short and when I pushed the manual slide switch it showed ‘Overload’. So there’s a problem elsewhere, just as I suspected.

Next step, try to isolate where. I opened the junction box where the trailer harness comes into the trailer and found the black brake wire, in the brake harness was the culprit. So I start disconnecting one black wire on each wheel, then I’m going to hook them up one at a time till I encounter the problem again. I’m thinkin’ maybe I have a bad magnet and it’s shorted out. At the third wheel It seems there isn’t as much slack to disconnect the splice and I see something suspicious, I think. I asked Linda to bring me a flashlight so I wouldn’t have to crawl out from under the rig and then back under. With the light to see, low a behold, what do I find but a pinched wire. OH BOY, OH BOY, OH BOY, I hope this is it. Well it seems when I installed the brakes with the baking plate to the axle flange, the wire slipped between the backing plate and the axle flange and pinched the wire when I tightened it all up.

Maybe I don’t have a shorted magnet. The brakes are made across the pond and I don’t have a lot of confidence in a lot of stuff that comes from there. If I want things from China, I’ll go to Wally World, they have quite the assortment.

Well after pullin’ the brake assembly, repairin’ the wire and reassemblin’ everything it was time to test again. Eureka! We have brakes again!

Well, I bought a new brake controller fer’ nothin, although it did tell me I was in the right ballpark. And I must say I do like this one much better than the Voyager it replaces, it’s self leveling, self diagnosing, big LED display and it has brake boost as well. It does seem to work much better too. I can set it up so the trailer brakes just before the truck slowin’ everything down better.

So with brakes operatin’ 100%, we said our goodbyes to Wayne and Colleen. Thanks for your wonderful and generous hospitality.

We are now sittin’ at our Niece Gloria’s in NY for a few days then back to the barn in PA for a few days. We need to start movin’ south cause yesterday morning our roof was covered with ice. It’s getting a little chilly fer’ us ‘Sunshine Folks’ here.

By the way anyone want to buy a nice used brake controller? It works fine, just like I said.

Well I’m out o’ wind and got to go fer’ now. Got a small leak to attend to in our skylight after the frost melts and the roof dries. It’s just like a house but smaller!

Hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.

A Canadian Visit

NOTE: I never did get this posted while in Canada, so I posted the first chance after we crossed back to the states.

We have been in Ontario since the 18th of September visiting with our friends Wayne & Coleen. My modem doesn’t have internet service so I haven’t been posting. This post will be a catch-up / condensed version, just like Readers Digest.

We arrived in the early afternoon and I backed the 5’ver down their driveway only 1/4 mile, up and down, back and forth. Only had to pull forward a little bit once to straighten out. We then proceeded to get setup a little, just leveled and unhitched, we can go without water or electric for now. Then it was hugs all around, we haven’t seen Wayne and Coleen since last winter.

Here we are setup in their drive, electric’s hooked up now.

Monday Coleen was off to work and Wayne took us for a visit to Long Point Provincial Park. Linda used to go there in the summer with her family. They would take their boat from Erie, PA and land it on the beach there. There was not much to see in the park, a day use area and a overpriced campground. The entrance fee was a mere $10.75, Linda had a fit over that. Considerin’ what there was to do, it is overpriced. I don’t think it cost us much more to visit Banff and Jasper National Parks.

This is the beach at Long Point before we hit the park.

The next few days were leisure days, just what we needed. I been havin’ brake trouble since we left PA and after doin’ some testin’ I discovered we had no trailer brakes at all. We drove all this way with no trailer brakes. Someone onboard kept insisting the brake controller was bad. I didn’t think so since it only happened after the brake change. We shall see.

Thursday Coleen was off so we all took a drive to visit Webster’s Falls. The falls lie along Spencer Creek and the creek powered a gristmill built in 1830 and later one of the first hydro electric power plants in Ontario was located at the base of the falls.

We hiked over the falls, to the bottom of the falls, then back over the falls. But first, some had to stop for a break.

The falls from the top.

From the bottom.

Getting’ folks to stand still fer’ a picture, Seesh!

We had some more to see as there was another waterfall to hike to. Tews Falls was a hike, and we forgot to bring any water, oh well. It seemed like we walked…, and walked…, and walked. We were all getting’ tired, thirsty, irritable and we hadn’t reached the falls yet.

We finally made it.

Tews Falls is almost as tall as Niagara Falls at 134.5 feet. There was more to see, a rock lookout point, named Dundas Peak, that overlooked the city of Hamilton, but we decided we had seen enough so we made our way back to the car and called it a day.

That’s the peak on the right and Hamilton in the distance after a bit of zooming in.

Saturday we were up at 6:25 cause Coleen and Wayne were dancin’ a show at the Wellesley Apple Butter Festival. Seems Wellesley is an hour and a half away and we had to be onsite by 9AM for their first show, then another at noon . Whew! I don’t get up this early for many folks.

Amongst all these days was a lot of visitin’, card playin’ and dining in and out.

Well that’s our first week in Ontario in a nutshell. I’ll see if I can figure out how to get this posted. There must be somethin’ going on with these Canadian IP addresses cause I can’t seem log on some sites. Until the next time, hope to see ya down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.