Sunday 10/8/2023: Oregon Inlet Outer Banks NC

We departed today after spending nearly 6 weeks on Assateague Island. Although we love the beach there it was definitely time to move on. In 2021 we left around the same time of the year and spent only 2 nights in the Outer Banks and always said we wanted to come back and spend more time there so that was our plan this year.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel is always a challenge in the RV…

Welcome to North Carolina…

Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Outer Banks…

The drive down to Oregon Inlet on the Outer banks not far from the famous “Kittyhawk” area is not difficult though when you tack on time to dump, get propane at Tractor Supply, hitch up the car, stop for gas and groceries along the way, we were still looking at almost an 8 hours driving day!  Fortunately Deb & Tony had taken the same path several days earlier and were already at Oregon Inlet and offered to have dinner ready for us when we arrived (Shrimp Fried Rice)- Yum!  We did same for them when they arrived at Assateague this year so it made set up and enjoying arrival day so much easier!  Once settled we began a routine of morning tea in the “backyard” in the sun after breakfast, a drive to do something in the area mid-day, then home for Happy Hour, dinner and a game for the evening. Unfortunately several of our first few days were too windy and cold to sit outside. In fact, the first morning we had to turn the heat on!

Oregon Inlet Campground…

Our campsite in Oregon Inlet, Outer Banks…

Day one we did a drive down to check out Frisco Campground south of our Oregon Inlet. When we arrived and drove through we were disappointed and tried to stop for lunch on the way home. Again disappointed!  So we just drove home and made lunch on the grill back at Oregon Inlet (a great choice!). Then a walk on the beach before chicken dinner and a game of 7’s.  Sometime along the way Deb see’s that the campground we drove through was not the one we thought was the National Park!  Nonetheless when we did get to look at it we still decided Oregon Inlet was a much better option. We stayed here in 2021 and are very happy we opted to stay here again!  Tonight’s dinner was Clam Chowder and toast.

Esteves’s & Nunan’s at Oregon Inlet…

Second morning Deb and Tony are sad about having to leave the next day so look and find another electric site available, so they can stay an additional night. Once she reserves the site we take off for a drive to DUCK– a small town Steve had told us about. It’s about 40 minute drive to get there but we put the tops down and head out. Duck is in fact a very cute town and Deb was able to find a fish windsock that she didn’t already have at Kitty Hawk Kites.  After that we walk the boardwalk, along the water, and find a deli to get sandwiches and a convenient picnic table to eat at.  We get some pics then head home for Happy Hour, some Cajun chicken on the grill, and Cole Slaw.  The drive home is along the beach front houses and is a great break from the highway.  Where did so many people get so much money from????

Visiting Duck, NC…

Sisters in Duck. NC…

This morning we did the same routine of tea in the backyard, and then a drive to Nags Head Wood or the hike the girls saw. The drive isn’t far and the walk through the woods is a great 3 miles of exercise.  Next up we drive over the bridge to Manteo; another cute little town along the water. It doesn’t take long to walk the town but not being shoppers we don’t spend a lot of time there.  There is a cute little tavern if you want to get a meal or drink there but we are all content to come back to camp and have a drink by the propane fire pit and get dinner here.  Salmon, foil potatoes and broccoli are on tap for dinner and not much to clean up since most was cooked in foil!  And (of course) another game of 7’s!! 

Walking on the beach from our campsite…

Love the beach here!

And just like that Deb & Tony are gone and we have a few extra days to relax before we head over to Steve and Debbie’s in Raleigh and then on to our son Sean’s home in Charlotte, NC.

Sunday  10/15/23

Raleigh (Steve and Debbie’s)

The drive from Outer Banks to Raleigh should take about 4 hours but with stopping to dump, and then to get gas we depart the CG around 8:30 but don’t get to Steve’s until around 2:30.  Almost immediately Debbie mixes up some margarita’s while Steve makes some homemade guacamole and we sit outside by the chiminea to catch up!  We’ll be here three nights and should be a fun time.  Trey came by for dinner (Emma had a migraine and stayed home). Steve had smoked some pork ribs (delicious) and we had an amazing dinner with lots of laughs and conversation.  Apple pie for dessert.

Their home is very comfortable and quiet and they are very gracious hosts.

Dinner with the Olson’s in Raleigh…

Tuesday:

We make a plan to take a walk at The North Carolina Museum of Art (nice walking trails) then we head back to the house to drop Callie off and head over to the State Farmer’s Market (amazing).  Steve makes some Cod for dinner along with some boiled new potatoes and salad and of course dessert of pumpkin bread with cinnamon chips!.

Walking The North Carolina Museum of Art…

Visiting the North Carolina State Farmers Market…

Wednesday 10/18/23:

We head to Charlotte, NC to see our son Sean.  The drive should be an easy one and we will be staying at Yates Family Campground in Concord; about 5 miles from Sean’s house.  We are able to get “easy in/ easy out” gas along the way and pull into the campground around 2:30. At first Joanne is very skeptical about the campground but in the long run it turns out to be perfect!  Mike talks to the owner and we dump and get parked. Here we will have (water & electric) so we dump just to be sure we have enough tank space for our stay. We are thinking we will stay here for two nights and will be able to check out Sean’s driveway situation within that time. If we need to extend our stay at the campground the owner assures us we can do that.  He is very accommodating… Once set up it is nice enough to sit outside for a bit before we get dinner ready.  It’s quiet and we have a view of an open field; though on the other side of us there are campers here full time with much of their belongings outside around their campers😫.  Sean has plans today so we will connect with him tomorrow.

Thursday: 10/19/23:

We get a good night sleep though it is chilly enough to turn the heat pumps on this morning!  Once we hear from Sean we head over to his house and get the tour. It’s in a nice neighborhood and he is the end of the cul de sac. It’s quiet and the backyard is perfect for Otis.  After we catch up for a bit we head out to find a walk at a park in downtown Charlotte. A pretty park with fountain and pond. Next Sean takes us to Rosie’s Wine and Coffee Garden. From the outside it doesn’t look like much but once inside we see it is very cute. People are there sipping coffee working on their laptops. The boys get beers while Joanne gets a glass of wine and we head outside. We walk through the amazing maze of gardens and Sean takes us to the caboose area he and his girlfriend have visited  where they can sit,sip, and chat. It feels so good just to be near Sean as we haven’t had a visit for over two years!  Once his friend finishes up work and we head back to the house where she joins us and we head out to a BBQ place for dinner. She seems easy to talk to, confident, and comfortable with herself. It is a very pleasant visit. One thing we notice is that neither one of them drink much.  Neither had a drink with dinner and Sean only had a beer in the afternoon at the gardens.  Once we finish dinner and head back to the house we go our separate way back to the campground to leave them some quiet time.

Great to see Sean!

Visiting a brewery in downtown Charlotte…

A beautiful park in downtown Charlotte, NC…

Saturday 10/21/23:

Sean went to Nashville for the weekend as we dog sit and look for things to do in the area.  We had reached out to some college friends that used to live in the Charlotte area on Lake Norman but have since moved across the border into South Carolina. We made plans to drive about 30 minutes South across the border into South Carolina to see Anne and Pat Ryan; friends from Plattsburgh.  Anne is part of Joanne’s college girls weekends every year so they see each other once a year but we never see Pat and they don’t usually see Mike so a lot of catching up to do!  We stop at Sean’s to let Otis out as (it’s right on the way) and then head down for a 2:00pm arrival time. Pat & Anne have a beautiful home and are very gracious hosts. We have such a good time catching up and sharing many of of respective life’s and family stories…

Dinner at the Ryan’s in South Carolina…

10/25/23:  Mistletoe State Park

We begin to get an early start for the drive day but once all is hitched up and ready to go we have no lights!  Ugh. This hasn’t happened in such a long time. Mike works on it for awhile then calls to see if Camping World can take a look at it; they can so that is our plan. Then Mike decides to call RoadMaster and get a tech on the phone. Luckily they had just opened and after about 30-40 minutes they get it figured out and we are off!

The drive is fairly easy and we find a Costco near Augusta that is easy on / easy off to get gas ($2.65/ gal) and it is the cheapest gas we have seen in a very long time!!  We head inside to get some eggs and see if there is anything else we might want.  Mike checks with the pharmacy and we can get both Flu and Covid shots here so we sign up and get them!  We also pick up a $4.99 rotisserie chicken for dinner! 

From Costco, Mistletoe is about 40 minutes. As we pull in to our site we see this is a beautiful site and campground!  Our site (#13) is right on the lake.  It seems very quiet and the park is not full (of course it is midweek).  While Mike is setting up the outside Joanne takes a quick walk up to check on the bath house;  beautifully clean!!  Water for the showers gets hot and there is good pressure.  There looks to be some good hiking right within the park as well.  We get all set up and then relax with a gorgeous view and a cocktail!

Mistletoe State Park In Georgia…

Our campsite on the Lake at Mistletoe SP…

A picture we bought in the camp store at Mistletoe State Park…

Friday 10/27/23 Jimmy Carter Presidential Library

One of the reasons we wanted to stay in GA was to get to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta. We thought we would be a little closer to it but when we mapped it we realized it would take over 2 hrs each way. Nonetheless we decide to make the drive over though we know it’s going to be a long day.  Both of us would rather be in the country though today we had to venture into Atlanta for the Library. The drive was typical city driving with traffic, road construction, impatient drivers, and the typical people- watching the city brings;  nonetheless we did enjoy the museum!  Jimmy & Rosalind Carter are remarkable patriots and volunteers. Their respective actions have positively influenced the lives of millions. Their legacy to help others can only be shadowed by their lifelong devotion to each other.  Not bad for a couple of  peanut farmers…

The Carter Library…

Wednesday 11/1/23

Travel Day

As we head out in the morning we dump but Mike had already filled the fresh water tank with water at our site (he wanted to disconnect the night before because it was supposed to get cold overnight).  We dump and hitch up with no problems and the drive is pretty easy. We find a Walmart Supercenter right on the way (easy in / easy out) and pick up a few things.  Though it’s not a stressful drive, it takes the bulk of the day and we find ourselves pulling in to Crooked River State Park in southeast Georgia around 4:00pm.  Both Deb & Tony and Steve & Debbie have stayed at this park and really enjoyed it. In addition many people we talked to at Mistletoe have stayed here and really liked it as well so we are looking forward to our stay here.  Although we don’t have a river view right from our site the campground looks nice and we look forward to exploring it over the next few days.  Our site is large, level and right in front of the bath house.   We set our chairs out and start the propane fire pit but it’s been a cold day and as soon as the sun goes down we end up inside for the night.  Joanne puts some salmon in the oven, mixes a salad together and we are good for the night.

Our campsite at Crooked River State Park – Georgia…

Crooked River State Park…

Friday 11/3/23

This morning we decide to have a leisurely morning and this afternoon take a short drive into Mt Marion, a small town very close to the park. Steve and Debbie highly recommended it.  As we drive into the town we see that it is not especially impressive but we park and walk along the waterfront. There is a free museum of Cumberland Head Island and the War of 1812 and a battle in the area. The museum is free to anyone but it is run by the NPS so we get to use our pass. If it had been a nicer day we may have found an outside patio to have a drink  but it is just too windy and cold.  We find nothing else there that interests us so we head back to the campground.  

Cumberland Island National Seashore Visitors Center…

Mt Marion on the water…

Sunday 11/5/23

Bradenton FL

Welcome to Florida…

As we begin our drive down toward Bradenton to 1) wish Joanne’s mom a happy birthday and 2) get some work done on the RV, Mike suggests calling sister Deb to see if we may be able to park the RV for one night at their neighbors yard. The plan is OK’d and that becomes the new plan. We are happy because although today is not her actual birthday, it is the day she will celebrate at Deb & Tony’s along with their son Jeremy and wife Tara.  We will be able to surprise her!  As we arrive Tony and Jeremy help guide us into the area where we can park and we go in to surprise mom! She is so surprised!!  We are so happy we did this, although it is surprising how much decline has occurred since the last time Joanne saw her in June.

We actually are planning to spend a few weeks here to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family. Deb & Tony are hosting and Steve & Debbie will be camping next to us at Horseshoe Cove in Bradenton. A fun couple of weeks to catch up with everyone. Joanne is always excited to get to spend quality time with her Mom and Sister!

Happy Birthday & Happy Thanksgiving MomMom & Family!

Christmas gifts from MomMom…

Enjoying the campsite at Horseshoe Cove RV Resort in Bradenton, FL with our family…

Sunday November 27, 2023:

We say our goodbyes and thank you to family in Bradenton, Florida as we start our trek West for the “Snowbird” season in California. We’ve got 3,000 miles to go though plan on stopping in the Florida panhandle at Topsail State Park neat Destin, Florida. For years we have  heard great things about this state park and had made reservations to camp here over 6 months ago.

Topsail State Park…

Our campsite at Topsail SP…

Tuesday November 8, 2023:

Topsail State Park is right on the beach and has some super hiking trails. In Florida hikes are often considered “walking trails” as there is very little elevation. Between the beach, marshlands, and wildlife these trails were a pleasant surprise while staying in the park.

Topsail boardwalks and bridges thru the Marsh lands…

Topsail wildlife warning signs… (It’s still Florida with gators)…

Thursday November 30, 2023:

Originally we had considered driving North to Newmar in Indiana again for some service (Long Story) but with the weather turning colder and our interest in getting back to SoCal and trying to avoid the cold weather we departed Topsail with the intention of limiting our sightseeing side-trips and just drive a few long days heading West.

Passing Thru Alabama…

Passing Thru Louisiana …

Crossing the mighty Mississippi…

The rain really picked up thru Texas…

Almost there…

We decide to just boondock for several nights as we put in some long mile days. Not our normal practice but we had traveled so much this year we were just ready to settle in for the holidays at DSRV. The drive was uneventful, and though we usually enjoy driving days just not this long. Mike was interested in getting to the desert in time for the annual DSRV Holiday Golf Cart Parade. It’s a tradition in the park and always fun. Many of our snowbird friends had been reaching out for weeks asking us when we were getting back. It’s always nice being missed…

We made it back to California in time …

The Annual DSRV Golf Cart Parade…

What a year 2023 has been …

Cruising again: April 1-May 1 Panama Canal & Transatlantic

So many countries including: UK, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, US, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Mexico…

Quality time visiting with so many friends & family while traveling, including: …. Stoller’s, Bissonette’s, Grindley’s, Thomas’s, Russells’s, Georget’s, Patrick’s, Baker’s,  Dorais’s, Grinnell’s, Sturby’s, Sneider’s, Mansfield’s, Dew’s, Elliot’s, Paradis’s, Shiely’s, Lee’s, Iaquessa’s, Terrell’s, Esteves’s, Olson’s, Fischer’s, Our Son Sean, Ryan’s, Finnegan’s, Cousin Carol, and so many others that unfortunately I am ashamed to probably have missed…

Quality time with our granddaughter “Mac”…

A new Tow car/MINI Cooper Convertible…

So Many National Parks/Monuments/Recreation Areas including: Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Lassen, Crater Lake, Olympic…

So many National Seashores: Including  Assateague National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Cumberland Island National Seashore…

So many State Parks or Provincial Parks…

Completing our North America Map with Saskatchewan & Manitoba- Having now camped in every state, province, and territory in North America.

Wow!!! The only thing I can say is where will this “Revolutionary Journey” take us in 2024???