North Carolina – Outer Banks, Sep 2013

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

Cape Hatteras MapWhenever we go to North Carolina, we consider a trip to the Outer Banks, or as the locals refer to it, “OBX.”  There is so much to see there; Kitty Hawk & Kill Devil Hill – site of the Wright Brothers’ first flight; the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island; Jockey’s Ridge State Park – some of the best kite flying anywhere; Cape Hatteras Lighthouse; Ocracoke Island; and, of course, the Atlantic Ocean!

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches north to south across three islands, Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke.  NC Hwy 12, a narrow paved road and the Hatteras ferry link the islands.  The highway runs through eight villages that reflect the nearly 300 years history of the Outer Banks.  The Outer Banks serve as a chain of barrier islands, protecting Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds.

IMG_6065There are four National Park Service campgrounds, only the one on Ocracoke Island takes reservation, the rest are first come, first served.  We stayed at the Oregon Inlet Campground on Bodie Island.  Oregon IMG_6058Inlet does not offer any utility hookups, but fresh water and a dump station are right across the road at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center at no charge.  At Oregon Inlet you are only a short walk over the sand dunes to the ocean.  When the surf is up it is great fun to play in the large waves and body surf back to the beach.  Our daughter, Elisabeth and I had a great time and a trip to the beach was a regular event on our schedule.

The Cape Hatteras area was and remains a hazardous passage for shipping, which is why the area is known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic.”  Over the years Congress authorized the construction of a series of lighthouses and lightships to warn mariners of shoals, reefs and other navigational hazards.

IMG_5998Our first outing was to visit the Cape Hatteras Light.  The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse protects one of the most hazardous sections of the Atlantic Coast. Offshore of Cape Hatteras, the Gulf Stream collides with the Virginia Drift, a branch of the Labrador Current from Canada. This current forces southbound ships into a dangerous twelve-mile long sandbar called Diamond Shoals. Hundreds and possibly thousands of shipwrecks in this area have given it its dangerous reputation.  The current lighthouse was lit on December 1, 1870.  From the 1960s to the 1980s, efforts were made to stabilize the beach in front of the lighthouse, which had started to erode again. In March of 1980, a winter storm swept away the remains of the 1803 lighthouse and caused significant dune erosion.  In 1999, after years of study and debate, the Cape Hatteras Light Station was moved to its present location. The lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet in 23 days and now lies 1,500 feet from the seashore, its original distance from the sea. The Double Keepers’ Quarters, the Principal Keeper’s Quarters, the dwelling cisterns, and the oil house were all relocated with the lighthouse.

IMG_6002From there we drove to Ocracoke Island at the south end of the National Seashore.  Ocracoke is a small island and jam-packed with visitors.  IMG_6010We took the free ferry from Hatteras Island, parked near the National Park Service Visitor Center, and walked around town.  It is said that the pirate, Blackbeard, roamed the nearby waters and established a base on Ocracoke Island.  His ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, is sunk offshore.  The Ocracoke Light is the second oldest operating lighthouse in the nation.  IMG_6004In 1822, for a charge of $50, the federal government purchased two acres at the south end of Ocracoke Island as the site for the new lighthouse. Constructed by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter and finished in 1823, the tower still stands today. Total cost, including the one story, one bedroom keeper’s house, was $11,359, far below the $20,000 budgeted. Wouldn’t it be nice if all government contracts were like this one?

Ocracoke has a small local museum that was full of local history and the staff added more details to the exhibits.  It’s surprising what a small community can do if it puts in the effort.

Elisabeth and I went kayaking in the Pea Island National IMG_6045Wildlife Refuge.  The Pamlico Sound is a great kayaking location, it is calm, protected by Hatteras Island, and there is abundant wildlife above and below the surface of the water.  The amount of pelicans, cranes, ibis, and seagulls is amazing and they are everywhere.  We had fun paddling down the small canals in the area, although we ended up in dead end channels more than once.

IMG_6076The Bodie Island Light was closest to our campground.  This light was closed to the public for many years due to the amount of deterioration.  After years of raising funds and postponement, work to restore the cast iron and other parts in need of work began on the lighthouse in August 2009. As of March 2010, the outside scaffolding was 100% complete while interior scaffolding was 50% completed. The restoration was stopped in spring 2011 after significant new structural integrity issues were found in many of the main support beams under the balcony. The additional repairs needed were too costly to finish in the original restoration project. Additional funding was obtained to continue the restoration, which was restarted in 2012 and completed in March 2013. There was a re-lighting ceremony on April 18, 2013, and the lighthouse was opened for the general public to climb the following day.

IMG_6086After Elisabeth headed back to Raleigh, Pat and I went kayaking in the Oregon Inlet.  This is a great local fishing spot and there are many channels to kayak through.  The Roanoke Sound is a pleasant kayaking experience in the shadow of the Bodie Island Light.

The National Seashore is a unique mixture of science, history, and nature.  There is more than one reason we continue to return to the Outer Banks.  However, all good things come to an end and we headed to Raleigh on September 26th.

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Taking a trip back into history (Boonesborough, Jamestown, & Yorktown)

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

VA MapAfter our long summer in Michigan, we headed towards Raleigh, NC where we would again serve as Camp Hosts in the Falls Lake State Recreation Area for the month of October.  Our route was not the most direct, but allowed us to travel to some sites we had not visited in the past.

I have a friend from the National Guard who lives near Lexington, KY and discovered that Daniel Boones’ Boonesborough was nearby. We met Bill and his wife, Phyllis, for lunch enroute to the campground. Phyllis and Pat had a good conversation while Bill and I swapped war stories and jump lies.  Fort Boonesborough State Park is right next to the site of the original Boonesborough settlement and the reconstructed Fort Boonesborough.  IMG_5873The reconstructed fort has staff in period clothing that actually perform the tasks done by the original settlers, such as blacksmithing, soap making, leather and metal working.  They made the history come alive as they talked and demonstrated their skills.  IMG_5886Nearby is the Number Ten Lock and Dam on the Kentucky River.  I have always been interested in river and lake navigation, and even more so since I have led the Leadership Development Program for the Corps of Engineers.  This facility has been transferred from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the State of Kentucky, and the state has restored one building and turned it into the Kentucky River Museum.

From here we traveled to the Chickahominy Riverfront Park near Williamsburg.  Unfortunately the trip was not without its problems.  When we stopped for lunch on our first day of the trip I discovered we had a flat tire on the trailer.  We called Good Sam’s Club for road assistance and soon a truck was out to jack up the trailer and replace the flat tire with the spare.  I’m so glad we have the Good Sam’s Insurance on the trailer.  One of the first things we did when to we got to the campground was to find a tire center and order a replacement.IMG_5994Chickahominy Riverfront Park is in what is referred to as the Historical Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.  Both Yorktown and Jamestown have two sites, one operated by the National Park Service and the other operated by the Yorktown-Jamestown Foundation, an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our first visit was to the Yorktown Victory Center which has recreations of a Continental Army encampment and an 1780’s farm.  There are historical interpreters in period attire that perform tasks that were done during the period and answer your questions. We watched as visitors assisted the interpreters in firing a Revolutionary War cannon.  IMG_5926The Yorktown Battlefield is operated by the National Park Service and is the actual site of the Yorktown siege. Park Service Rangers give tours of the British positions, describing what General Cornwallis was trying to accomplish and how the battle progressed.  We purchased a CD at the Visitors’ Center for a narrated auto tour of the battlefield.  The CD is narrated by a British and an American officer and is a good way to understand how the battle was fought.  You get a true sense of history when you stand on the actual fighting positions of the battles fought to win our freedom.IMG_5935As a side note, when we were getting our admission to the Yorktown Victory Center, I discovered that I didn’t have my driver license.  I realized that I had left it at a gas station in Ohio.  Fortunately I was able to contact them and they were willing to mail it to me at our daughter’s house in Raleigh, NC.  Until then Pat had to do the driving.

Yorktown is where we won our independence, but Jamestown is where our country began with the first permanent settlement, thirteen years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth.

The Jamestown Settlement is operated by the Yorktown-Jamestown Foundation.  Located near the historic Jamestown site, it has full-size replicas of the 1608 fort, an Indian village, and the three ships led by Captain John Smith to establish Jamestown.  As we toured the ships, we were struck by how small the ships were and how uncomfortable the voyage must have been for those early settlers.  In the village and the fort historical interpreters demonstrated firearms, glass-blowing, fire building with flint and steel, and other period activities.  It was interesting that the colonists were required to build a church as a part of the settlement and it was one of the largest structures within the fort.  You could almost picture the wedding of Pocahontas and John Rolfe in 1614.IMAG0241IMAG0247The Jamestown Colonial National Historical Park is operated by the National Park Service and by Preservation Virginia, a private non-profit organization. In 1893 Preservation Virginia acquired 22.5 acres on Jamestown Island which included the site of the original 1608 fort and the Old Church Tower.  In 1934 the National Park Service acquired the remainder of the 1,500 acre island.  Archeology is the main focus on the island to carefully expose and preserve the historic structures.  There are active archeological sites in and around the site of the 1608 fort and replicas of the original foundations throughout what is called New Towne.  A Ranger-led talk brought the history to life as we walked among the remains of New Towne.  Standing within the walls of the fort I could picture the settlers as they tried to grow crops in the middle of a drought and tried to protect themselves from unfriendly Indians.IMG_5990IMG_5974One of the last places we visited was the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News.  I am a big fan of maritime museums and this is one of the best.  The permanent exhibits include the Defending the Seas that tells the story of the navy’s important role in our nation’s past, present, and future, and the Great Hall of Steam that relates the story of the oceangoing commercial steamship through ship models and murals.

The best exhibit is the newest addition to the museum and that is the Monitor Center.  This exhibit describes the famous Battle of Hampton Roads where the CSS Virginia (aka the Merrimack) fought the USS Monitor.  While the battle was a draw, the Confederate Navy was unable to break the Union blockade.  The exhibit is very interactive and gives an in depth picture of both the Union and Confederate forces and their actions.  You can walk on a full-size replica of the deck of the Monitor and see the steel turret of the Monitor, and how the turret was recovered from the site of the sinking of the Monitor off the shore of Cape Hatteras, NC.IMG_5955IMG_5960We spent our last day replacing the tire that had gone flat on our drive here, packing up and generally taking it easy.  The next morning (September 19th), we got an early start and headed for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the North Carolina Outer Banks.

Posted in Fulltime RV, Kentucky, Michigan Traveler, National Parks, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Virginia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Back to Michigan, 2013 – Part III

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

Part III MapThis has been the longest period of time we have spent back in Michigan since we went on the road in June 2011 and we have not been complaining.  It has been fun to have time to see old friends and experience some things in the Lansing area that we never did when we were living here.

The Cottonwood Campground in the south IMG_5859end of Lansing was a new experience for us.  We were not sure it would be a campground that we would enjoy.  We drove through to check it out and found it to be a nice campground that was more convenient to Lansing than Sleepy Hollow State Park, and the monthly rate was quite affordable.  One of the nice things about the location is that we were only a quarter mile from the south end of the Lansing River Trail.  This gave us an excellent location for fitness running/walking/cycling, as well as another way to travel to parts of the area.  The River Trail runs all the way to Michigan State University (MSU) and IMG_5856through Downtown Lansing through Old Town in Lansing’s north end.  Hawk Island Park is one of Lansing best kept secrets.  It is a great place for families to picnic, swim, play in the splash pad and playground on summer days.  We routinely saw groups of people gathered for picnics in the pavilions around the park.

We had been having issues with the emissions control system on the truck ever since March and trying to get that fixed once and for all was at the top of our priorities.  To make a long story short, we took it into Crippen GMC where they determined that two of the sensors in the exhaust system were bad and replaced those.  Hopefully this will be a lasting fix to this problem.  I have to say that Crippen’s service department gave us the best service than we have had anywhere on this problem.  So, for all of you GMC owners, if you have problems while traveling through mid-Michigan, Crippen GMC in Lansing is the place to go!

One of the reasons we returned to the Lansing area was to complete the process of cataract surgery by getting a new prescription and glasses from my optometrist.  After spending a month of using only reading glasses, I was looking forward to getting a pair that would give me clear vision over the whole range of distances.

We were able to see our old friends at Trinity United Methodist Church, spend some more time with our son, David, who still lives and works in the area, have lunch and coffee with friends and business acquaintances.

On Saturday, August 10th, I traveled to Willow Run airport near IMAG0195Ypsilanti for the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show.  The 425th Regimental Association helps park cars as a fundraising activity and it was nice to be in town to help out.  I had a chance to see the encampment of WWII reenactors, see some amazing aerobatics, vintage aircraft flybys, and static aircraft displays.  Some people were disappointed that the Navy’s Blue Angels did not perform because of the funding cuts in the sequester, but I thought it was one of the better air shows that I had seen.  However, the best part was spending time with former comrades from my Ranger company days and reminiscing about good times together.

IMG_5854One Saturday we rode our bikes along the River Trail to MSU for a picnic lunch with ice cream for dessert from the MSU Dairy Store.  The weather was perfect, school had not started yet so the campus was not crowded and it was relaxing to eat on the banks of the Red Cedar River.  MSU was originally the Michigan Agricultural College and still has a very strong agricultural program.  The MSU Dairy is a student run dairy operation that takes ice cream “from the cow to the consumer.”  It is some of the best ice cream around and the portions are generous.

The next week I flew to Ruth, NV to do some IMAG0200project management training for the Robinson Mining Operation.  Ruth, NV is literally in the middle of nowhere.  The nearest airport is Salt Lake City – a four hour drive.  The good news is that our oldest son, Scott, and his family recently moved to Salt Lake and this gave me a chance for a short visit with them.  I arrived in Salt Lake Monday afternoon, spent about an hour visiting with Scott at his IMAG0201office and drove to Ruth.  The mining operation in Ruth is an open pit mine that produces iron, silver, gold, and a few other metals.  While the training was done in their training room I had to wear full personal protective equipment while on site.  This meant orange vest, safety glasses, helmet, and “clackers,” steel covers for my shoes because I didn’t have steel-toed boots.  The group of students were great and the hospitality of the staff was wonderful, but the “clackers” were the worst part of the trip.

IMAG0209Following the training and a IMAG0212four hour drive, which included going from Pacific Time to Mountain Time, I got to Scott’s house in time to see Scott, his wife, and our three granddaughters, visit with them and tell the girls a bedtime story.  The next morning I got to go with them to their swimming lessons and to a local playground before I had to head to the airport.  It’s a good day when you can combine a business trip with seeing family!  Pat and I are looking forward to seeing them again in November.

IMG_5855This year Pat and I celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and a night at Holiday Inn Express as a special treat.  I still have a hard time believing she has put up with me for so long!  We finished up our stay in Lansing with a few more lunches, shopping, and packed up to head to the Manistee National Forest Sand Lake Campground near Irons. MI.

The Sand Lake Campground is owned by the Natural Forest Service, but is operated under a contract by American Land and Leisure Recreation.  IMG_5861Many National Forests are operated by contractors and this has led to a range of customer satisfaction.  Imagine your surprise when you thought your Inter-Agency Senior Pass would get you free admission to the National Forest, but now you have to pay a fee to American Land and Leisure.  But, hey, it’s better than having it closed as has happened to many of the Michigan State Forest Campgrounds.  Sand Lake is a lovely campground, with a boat launch and beach to a IMG_5869crystal clear inland lake.  The water is comfortable for swimming and the underwater visibility was the best I have experienced recently.  We were only a short drive or bike ride from our friends Roger and Darcy and were able to spend time with them.  One afternoon, Pat and I accompanied Darcy to the Little River Tribe Casino in Manistee.  It was a lot of fun and Pat even walked away the big winner for the day.

Our last stop in Michigan was a birthday party IMAG0239for our friend, Betsy Pash.  We arrived a few days early and camped in their backyard, next to her husband Stan’s tool shed (Thanks again, Stan, for the 30 amp RV plug!), to help out with getting ready for the party.  Betsy is a breast cancer survivor and has a high-pressure job with the Institute for Population Health in Detroit.  It was a joy to share this event with our mutual friends from the Lansing area and Bonaire.

On September 9th we were on our way to Fort Boonesborough State Park, south of Lexington, KY.

Please leave a comment as they are always appreciated.

Posted in Fulltime RV, Michigan, Michigan Traveler, Nevada, Working on the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Living Life

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

I saw this on a plaque in a store and thought it was some of the best advice I had ever seen –

“Life is not a race – but indeed a journey.  Work hard.  Be choosey. Say, “Thank you,” and “great job” to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer.

The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Love your life and what you’ve been given, it is not accidental – search for your purpose and do it as best you can.  Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you aspire to be.

Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them. Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming. Forgive, it frees the soul.

Take time for yourself – plan for longevity. Recognize the special people you’ve been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment.”

Bonner L. Mohr

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Back to Michigan, 2013 – Part II

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

My first cataract surgery on Wednesday, June 26th was successful and we headed back up to the cottage near Rose City on Thursday.  Pat’s sister (Mary Lee) and her husband (Welton) from Milwaukee arrived later that afternoon with their fifth wheel trailer, so then we had a fifth wheel trailer in the front yard and another in front of the garage.  Mary Lee and Welton were hosting the kids of our niece, Robin from Florida, for the summer.  Destiny (12) and Jeremiah (6) were a welcome addition to the gathering and were just great fun to have around.  Destiny had visited last summer, but this was Jeremiah’s first time and he was really excited.  Friday we had a BIG rainstorm that lasted a LONG time, quite a way to start a holiday week!  Fortunately we had beautiful weather for the rest of the week.  Friday night, the rest of the family started arriving. By Tuesday we were in full force with four families plus children.

IMG_5769The week at the cottage was our big annual get together and everyone pitched in to have a lot of fun.  We took turns cooking and spent a IMG_5775lot of time at the beach, kayaking/canoeing on Rifle Lake, and boating on Wayne’s pontoon boat.  Geri’s homemade french fries and Welton’s ribs were hits with everyone.  It’s a sure thing that no one goes hungry this week as there is more food than anyone should eat, but we enjoyed every bite.

Wednesday, I drove back to Bad Axe for a follow up visit from my surgery – everything was good, one more eye to go!  It was really strange walking around with good distance vision in one eye and good near vision in the other.  I popped one lens out of my glasses and that helped, but I was looking forward to having the whole thing done.

Many of the family went to Rose City for the July 4th fireworks show.  Rose City may be a small community, but they put on a fireworks show that would rival any large city in the state.  Last year Michigan passed a law allowing larger and aerial fireworks, and it was apparent that several families around Rifle Lake had taken advantage of it to produce their own fireworks shows, the booming lasted well into the night.

IMG_5808Sunday we left the cottage to return IMG_5809to Geri’s place in Bad Axe.  In Bad Axe it had rained through the night and into the morning with approximately four inches of rain. Geri’s three acre back yard had a one acre lake in the middle.  Welton and Mary Lee joined us there, camping in the backyard.  Jeremiah thought it was great to see Geri’s horse, Copper, and the other animals.  IMG_5811Geri works the family farm in addition to his fulltime job and the kids got a chance to ride the farm equipment, see the barn and pick raspberries in the garden.  It’s a great experience for two kids that live in an urban setting in Florida.  Monday brought another two-three inches of rain and the lake got bigger.  Geri jokingly told us that lakefront campsites cost more than the normal ones.

Wednesday was my appointment for the second surgery, so we said our goodbyes to Welton, Mary Lee and the kids, as they were gone by the time we returned from the hospital.  The second surgery went fine and I was relieved to have them both done.  Now my old glasses were worthless, I could see fine at long distance, but not well at all up close.  I bought a pair of reading glasses, but they are a hassle too.

The last weekend we were in Bad Axe was a busy one.  IMG_5824One of Marcia’s nieces was getting married and they opened their house to IMG_5826several of the other families attending from out of town.  Pat and Marcia were busy serving breakfast to so many guests.  I drove down to St. Clair Shores for the annual 425th Regiment Association picnic.  This was IMG_5830in conjunction with the 82nd Airborne Association and was a good time for catching up with old comrades in arms and seeing who could exaggerate their old stories the most.

Tuesday I saw my ophthalmologist for the last time and received a clean bill of health and we packed up the next morning to head down to Lansing.

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Back to Michigan, 2013 – Part I

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

We typically return to Michigan in early summer to take care of doctor appointments and other “housekeeping” matters.  In March, I discovered I had developed cataracts and they were starting to affect my vision.  While cataract surgery has developed into an outpatient procedure, we wanted to prepare for the worst case scenario and not have to leave a campsite before my eyes had recovered.  Pat’s brother lives and farms in Bad Axe, we camp in his backyard and we have an open-ended invitation.  So, Bad Axe, MI appeared to be the best option.

IMG_5730We were able to get an appointment in late May for the initial consultation, but couldn’t schedule the surgery until after the May appointment, so I had to wait until the end of June for the first eye and July 10th for the second.  Life on the road does present some unique challenges!IMAG0139

Memorial Day weekend was spent at the cottage near Rose City.  It is always nice to see Pat’s family again.  Of course the family member that steals the spotlight is our newest niece, Addy.  She is our favorite center of attention.

Back at Geri and Marcia’s, we enjoyed some IMG_5736unstructured relaxing time.  We tried to make ourselves useful by taking care of some of the tasks that needed to be done at the house and the farm.  Pat helped out in the kitchen and garden IMG_5742and I took care of  some painting and my new favorite chore – mowing their huge lawn.  I never had the need for a riding mower before and it was a fun job.  Geri and I are both amateur wine makers and we had purchased some kits he had asked us to pick up while we were in North Carolina.  By the end of the first week we had 95 bottles of wine in various stages of fermentation.  IMG_5745We wondered if that volume would mean we would have to get a liqueur license!

In North Carolina we had identified a problem with our refrigerator and stopped at Marlette RV in the small town of Marlette, MI on our way to the farm.  They made an interim fix and ordered the parts we needed.  We set it up to take the trailer back to them the day before we left the farm and pick it up on our way south the following day.  Their IMG_5749service was professional and they kept us informed of everything they were doing along the way.  When we picked up the trailer, they walked us through everything they had done, why and how they did it so we would have to clear understanding of the entire situation.  If you are in the “Thumb” of Michigan and need some work on your rig, I recommend Marlette RV.

On June 11th, we pulled into Sleepy Hollow State Park, north of Lansing.  We had appointments set up for doctors and dentists, financial advisers, etc.  We needed new tires for the truck and had a “check engine” light on the truck that had to be addressed.  This trip to Lansing is a time to take care of all of these things and to see friends from back home.

IMAG0011Sleepy Hollow is a nice state park.  There are plenty of trees between most of the sites that give you a sense of privacy.  Some of them are open enough so if you have two or three families that want to camp together they can get on adjoining sites and can have a common area between.  We had a chance to share IMAG0157some of our RV/camping expertise with fellow campers, one who had some problems with his electrical hookup and a couple of moms who needed some help in fire building.  It gives you a nice feeling to know that you have been able to help others enjoy their outdoor experience.

We pulled out on Monday, June 24th to drop off the trailer at the cottage and head back to Bad Axe for my first surgery.

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West Virginia, May 2013 – Part II

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

Stonewall MapAs we planned our route through West Virginia it appeared that we would IMAG0134have an opportunity to visit the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, WV.  The Stonewall Resort is the result of a public-private partnership between the Corps of Engineers, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, and Benchmark Management.  Most people are aware of the Stonewall Resort, a five-star facility, IMG_5684but don’t realize there is a campground too.  The campground is five-star as well with full hookups, daily trash pickups, and a newspaper delivered to your site every day.  Through my company, Implement Improvement, I facilitate the Leadership Development Program for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Pittsburgh District.  In the past we have conducted the initial retreat at the Stonewall Resort and Stonewall Jackson Lake and Dam.  I have always wanted to return here when I wasn’t working so I could enjoy the facilities and the area. IMG_5698

IMG_5686One of my past students, Kit Kessler, is in charge of the maintenance for the Stonewall Jackson Dam and he gave us a personal tour of the facility.  As opposed to the earthen dam at Summersville Lake, Stonewall Jackson is a dam constructed from fourteen concrete monoliths embedded into the bedrock.  Stonewall Jackson is a flood damage reduction project to reduce flooding in the town of Weston and the surrounding area.

There are galleries inside the dam because of the IMG_5687concrete construction.  Kit led us through the galleries, describing the equipment and its use in the dam.  In the equipment gallery we saw the valves that control the release of water below the dam.  At this level we were 45 feet below the surface of the lake.  In the inspection gallery we saw how they monitor the water pressure at the base of the dam.  At this level we were 42 feet underground.  It was a very interesting tour that not everyone has the opportunity to experience.

Saturday night we treated ourselves to dinner at the resort’s Stillwater Restaurant.  It was a great place to eat and offered a view of the lake.

IMG_5703The day before we left, we hiked IMG_5701one of the trails in the park that provided us with views of the lake, a mix of new and old forests, and one of the old apple orchards.  It was wonderful weather for a hike and a great way to conclude our visit.

We pulled out early on Tuesday and drove up US-23 through Columbus and Findley, OH.  We spent the night at Van Buren State Park, just north of Findley.  Pulling into small campgrounds in midweek is nice as we had the whole campground to ourselves.  While at Stonewall Resort we determined that we had a problem with our refrigerator that I couldn’t fix, so we contacted Marlette RV that was on our route in Michigan to see if they could squeeze us into their schedule as we drove up north.  They were able to help us out(although they had to order some parts and we will have to take it back to them at a later date) and we arrived at Pat’s brother’s farm in Bad Axe shortly before 5:00 that afternoon.

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West Virginia, May 2013 – Part I

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

Summersville Lake MapSummersville Lake in West Virginia has an interesting history.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the dam in the Kanawha River Basin to reduce downstream flood damage, maintain dependable stream flow, provide recreational opportunities, and enhance the fish and wildlife environment.  The Corps broke a long-standing tradition in naming Summersville Lake.  The Corps usually names a lake IMG_5602after the town closest to the construction site.  The closest town was Gad, West Virginia, IMG_5597located underwater, near the current location of the Long Point Marina.  After briefly considering naming it the “GAD DAM,”  it was decided to name it after the nearby town of Summersville.  Summersville Lake has the distinction of having the only lighthouse in West Virginia.  In 2001, a hydropower plant was added to the dam to provide enough power to light 5,000 homes in the area.

IMG_5646The Corps of Engineers campground on the IMG_5486lake is the Battle Run Campground, referring to the Civil War Battle of Carnifex Ferry which took place nearby.  What a great campground!  Almost every site is lakefront and there are mooring posts along the shoreline to tie up your boat.  We arrived in the rain and it continued to rain for the next couple of days.  Consequently we spend a lot of time reading and taking it easy.  When the weather started to moderate, we got serious about checking out the area.

IMAG0129We enjoy visiting wineries on our travels, and we drove up to Summersville to visit the Kirkwood Winery.  This is a small, family-owned winery and distillery.  We were given a brief tour and our guide told us that they were the smallest licensed distillery in the United States.  The emphasis was on the word, “licensed,” possibly a reference to “unlicensed” stills in the hills.  It is a nice operation with free tastings and a good selection to choose from.  It is also the home of the annual Grape Stomp Wine Festival, held the third weekend in September.

Summersville Lake is near the New River and the Gauley River, some of the best whitewater in the eastern United States.  Olympic kayakers train on the Gauley River.  The New River Gorge National River and the Gauley River National Recreation Area are operated by the National Park Service.  In addition to the whitewater rafting and kayaking, there are miles of hiking trails that allowed us to see much of the area up close and personal.  Some trails will take you to the remains of old mines and mining towns that populated the area between 1875 and 1950.

IMG_5489For years crossing the New River gorge meant long trips, or carefully winding your way down narrow mountain roads. It was not until the completion of the New River Gorge Bridge that this travel problem was solved. The bridge reduced a 40-minute drive down narrow mountain roads and across one of America’s oldest rivers to less than one minute. The New River Gorge Bridge was completed after four years of construction on October 22, 1977, and is the longest arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere.  On the third Saturday of October, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce hosts “Bridge Day,” the only day that visitors may walk across the bridge. The event lures hundreds of BASE jumping parachutists, cheered on by thousands of spectators, to parachute the 876-foot drop to the river below.

IMG_5529One of the nice things to do IMG_5550in the area is to take a guided walk on the catwalk that goes under the Gorge Bridge.  You are hooked on to an overhead cable as you travel under the roadway.  The bridge is shaking from side to side from the wind and traffic and the views are terrific.  Our guide told us about the history of the construction and the events of Bridge Day.  We were able to see where rappellers hook onto the bridge for their IMG_5549descent to the river 850 feet below.  Pigeon droppings cause deterioration of the steel on the bridge so the bridge authorities brought in a pair of Peregrine falcons to nest in the bridge.  The falcons are natural predators of the pigeons and have “taken care” of that problem and we watched them fly around the area of the bridge.

The National Park Service Visitor Center has a short film that describes the history of the area and the bridge that we found to be very informative.  IMG_5507You can also get a list of hiking trails in the area with maps and directions to the trailheads.

IMG_5504We took one day to hike to Long Point on the south side of the new River.  This rock ledge is a great place for a trail lunch and what is probably the best view of the New River Gorge Bridge.  While we were having lunch IMG_5510a man rode in on his trail bike.  He had grown up in the area and was able to give us more insight into the challenges faced in the construction of the bridge.  The New River Gorge has some great rock climbing sites and one site was on a spur trail from the one we were on.  I went down it to the cliff and watched two climbers doing their thing – it was something to watch them go up like spiders on the rock face.

One day we took one the New River Gorge Scenic Drives, the Fayette Station Road Tour.  This drive takes you along the route local residents had to take to cross the New River before the Gorge Bridge as built.  We got a good feel for the challenges they faced on the narrow road with multiple switchbacks as we descended into the gorge and back up the other side.  Along the IMG_5574route are opportunities to stop and read interpretive signs that described what the area was like between the 1870’s and 1950, when coal was the king in the area and everything revolved around the coal mining operations.  There is a free CD you can pick up at the National Park Service Visitor Center that will give you a stop by stop narration of the route.  This was a great way to explore and experience the history of the area.  The high water conditions were obvious at one of the stops!

IMG_5613Another day we hiked down the IMG_5622Headhouse Trail to the site of the Nuttallburg Mine.  While the mine is closed off for safety reasons, many of the old buildings are still standing.  Interpretive signs and Ranger-led tours describe the mine’s operation.  The conveyor that hauled the coal from the mine down to the rail loading site at the river was designed by Henry Ford and can be viewed today.

IMG_5637After that we drove a short way to hike the Endless Wall Trail.  This trail offers scenic views of the gorge, as well as access to some of the best rock climbing in the eastern United States.  The overlook at Diamond Point is a great place to stop for lunch and enjoy a truly spectacular view of the New River.

No trip to the New River Gorge would be complete without a rafting trip down the New River or Gauley River.  We took a full day trip down the Lower New River with ACE Adventures.  We had been monitoring the weather forecasts, as the weather had been rainy and cold during our stay, and we decided to book the trip for Wednesday, May 15th.  We picked the absolute perfect day for a trip down the river, the sun was out and temperatures in the high 70’s.  We were told to dress to be wet and we were not disappointed.  The first rapids we hit was a Class IV rapids called Surprise.  IMG_5667We crested the top of the run and ran right into a ten foot wave that soaked everyone on board!  Due to heavy rains in North Carolina the river level was high and the river was running very fast.  We hit a series of Class III, IV, and V rapids, mostly IV and V.  Our river guide and trip leader Eileen did  a great job of guiding us downstream.  I think Pat got nervous when Eileen would tell us at the beginning of each rapid which direction to swim if you fell out of the boat!  We stopped for a lunch of burgers and chicken with all the “fixin’s” before we headed further down river.  The afternoon portion of the trip was a bit wilder than the morning with water hazards such as the “Meat Grinder” and “Whale” to get past.  All in all it was a great rafting experience that we both enjoyed and one we will remember for a long time.

Thursday, we decided that we would take it easy and get packed up.  That turned out to be good planning as we got hit with one heck of a storm in the afternoon.  On Friday, May 17th, we made the short drive to our next stop, Stonewall Jackson Lake and Dam, near Weston, WV.

Posted in Civil War, Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, National Parks, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, West Virginia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Raleigh, NC – April 2013

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

Falls lake MapOur stay in Raleigh, NC was our first experience with “Work Kamping.”  North Carolina has a policy that you can stay in a state park for only 14 days and then you have to be out of the parks for 14 days before you can return.  We wanted to spend more than two weeks in the area so we could spend more time with our daughter, Elisabeth, so we applied to be a Camp Host in the Holly Point Campground of the Falls Lake State Recreation Area.  After exchanging a few emails with the Park Ranger we were accepted.  The Recreation Area was created by an Army Corps of Engineers flood damage reduction project.  The Corps constructed an earthen dam on the Falls River to hold back water during times of high water, reducing the probability of flooding.  This created a reservoir around which they developed boat launch ramps and campgrounds for public recreation.  The State of North Carolina operates the campground under a long-term lease from the Corps of Engineers.  Falls Lake has lots of fingers providing good fishing sites and nice places to explore from canoes and kayaks.

We arrived in the campground on March 30th.  The loop IMG_5459we would be responsible for would not open until April 1st, so we had the place to ourselves for a couple of days.  Holly Point is a wonderful campground.  The sites are spread out with plenty of trees and brush between each site, so you have lots of privacy.  When we arrived in early spring, the forest was very bare, but by the time we left, the forest was lush with fully leaved trees.  It was just a beautiful setting.

IMG_5482Our position as Camp Hosts called for us to provide assistance to other campers, be role models for campers in our loops, and clean the bathrooms and showers.  The last job was not the most fun, but not an unpleasant duty. IMG_5483 We were required to be in the campground most evenings, especially on the weekends, and we had Wednesday and Thursday off every week.  It was interesting to be part of the staff of the campground.  It certainly gave us a greater sense of community than I had experienced in other campgrounds.

IMG_5450Our fulltime RV lifestyle allows us to visit our kids for extended periods without being a burden.  I always tell Elisabeth to have a list of things she wants done to her house when we are in town and she normally takes me up on the offer.  This trip I helped her by installing a new range and microwave.  Her old microwave was a lot smaller then the new one so I had to replace her old cabinet with a new shelf.  Having done little work with cabinets, it was a learning experience and took longer than expected, but with a good result and it was  a lot of fun.

Our stories of SCUBA diving in Bonaire encouraged Elisabeth to take a SCUBA diving class and I was able to accompany her on her open water check out dives at a local quarry called Fantasy Lake.  This is an abandoned rock quarry that has been developed into a favorite site of SCUBA divers.  Intova Digital CameraIn 1950 the 52-acre quarry was abandoned when a massive spring began to fill the 90-foot depth. The flooding was so rapid that the owners were unable to remove the large rock-crushing machine located in the quarry today.  In 1980, Doye Sherrill purchased the quarry and the Intova Digital Camerasurrounding 100 acres. Over the years he converted the abandoned quarry into a unique scuba diving recreational and training park. The water is generally clear and there are plenty of underwater attractions, such as an old VW bug, a twin engine plane, and a bus.  It is a great place to dive and only a short drive from Raleigh.  However, in early spring the water is quite cold (500!) and we had to wear full wetsuits with hood and gloves.  By the time you have all of your gear on, you feel like a stuffed sausage and look like a black Pillsbury Doughboy!Intova Digital Camera

Our last few days were spent cleaning and packing.  Elisabeth took us out to an Irish pub named The Hiberian for my birthday and we took her to Fridays to celebrate her SCUBA certification.

On May 6th we left Falls Lake.  We originally planned to stop at a National Forest campground near Wytheville, VA to do some hiking on the Appalachian Trail, but it was raining so hard that we decided to bypass that opportunity and headed to the Summersville Lake Army Corps of Engineer campground.

Posted in Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, North Carolina, Working on the Road | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Advice from a Deer

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Michigan Traveler

Sayings Found on T-Shirts and Coffee Mugs –

Advice from a Deer

IMG_3301Look both ways before you cross the road – Be a good listener – Know when to lay low – Tread lightly on the earth – Take time to browse – Don’t pass the buck.

And, always remember – Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass  . . . it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

Posted in Fulltime RV, Michigan Traveler, Sayings Found on T-Shirts and Coffee Mugs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment