Mitch Says: Road.Date4.35 (Year 4,Day 1135) Louisville KY

Well. (Mitch here..Cheryl busy putting out fires for her clients...

We made it here to Louisville Kentucky.  We are at the KEC (Kentucky Fairgrounds and Expo Center).

First problem:  getting past the $20 gate fee for parking.  We only booked Tuesday, and didn't have a confirmation paper.  So I called the RV department, and they told the parking attendant we were good.
So...,  First problem solved.
Next:  Where to park, where was the RV office.
Laurel and Hardy had nothing on me and Cheryl.  They told us Gate 2, Lot L.  Pulled in, they didn't say right or left.  So we called again, and they said "straight ahead".   OK.  2nd problem solved.

Next:   Laurel and Hardy # 2.

The attendant pointed out that the power and water were 20 feet apart, and the sewer was kind of between them.

bad angle, shot 1

note the angle.. will be a bitch to re-connect!

Our Power cord (50 Amp/240 volts) is only about 15 feet.
our water hoses are about 40 feet
our (new) sewer hoses are about 20 feet
our older sewer hose was about 6 feet

So we  wound up on an angle (see photos)
and we will need to carefully re-hitch since the trailer and the truck weren't even.. (even...)

Notice the long haul from water (top next to garbage can) to power

.

Sigh.
It could be worse.

The big Hot rod show (allegedly with 12,000 cars) starts next wednesday, and the  entire RV lot we're staying in gets closed.  We are being moved to the  "dry-camping" (aka boon-docking) lot, where EVERYONE from the hot rod show will also be staying.  No power, no water, no sewers.

Problems there:
1) no water:  no problem, have a 75 gal freshwater tank
2) No sewer:  no problem, have a 100Gal  waste water tank (we've done 7-9 days before with this).
3)No power:  semi-problem.

• We have a 5,000 watt generator built into the rig.  It is powered  by propane.  We have two 40lb propane tanks.
• When we had problems with our power in Lexington NC, we used a tank of propane in about 3 days.
• We spent the 2nd day at the campground office, which actually had a better wifi signal, and AC.
• We can get the tanks refilled locally at any hardware store.
• If the weather is hot and sulky, running AC all day is painfully expensive and wasteful.
•  In Lex, NC, Cheryl worked until her laptop battery died, then put on generator, rinse repeat 3-4 times per day.
• We don't know what will happen yet.

That's MY Quick update.
Remember to comment on MY date format.  I say homage to Star-Trek is in order (road.date.yr.ddd).  cheryl says it's a pain in the arse.  I disagree with that statement!!!

Cheers to all

Our travels: NC to KY: Day 1128 (Year 4, Day 33)

Wytheville, VA

Thank G-d all is going well so far.  We left Washington, NC around 1:30 pm on Tuesday and arrived at our first destination - Mebane, NC, 150 miles away.  This morning we left Mebane and arrived in this area, another 150 miles (left at 8:00 am and arrived at 10:30).

Both campgrounds have been real gems and we both truly wish we had the ability to live serendipitously -- that if we really like a place, to stay a while.  But such is life.

I have lots more details and hope to make a post about the adventures after we're settled in.

Let's just say the biggest challenge, other than fitting in 8 hours of work into 4 (we need to get up very early, so working late at night isn't an option) was finding a place to stay in or near Louisville.  There's a huge hot rod rally - national championship finals - that takes place the first week of August, plus it's a huge tourist area especially during Labor Day weekend, so we couldn't find anywhere that had long term availability without having to evacuate us at some point because they were sold out on those dates.  After hours and hours on the phone and online, we found a place to stay for the weekend (at the KY Expo Center where the event is), then they will move us to their boondocking lot where we won't have any connections for an entire week.  But it was the ONLY place in town to stay.  After that, we found a place in Clarksville, IN which is only about 5 miles away (I didn't realize Louisville was that close to the border).  It'll involve tolls, but Mitch's company will pay.

The best news is that we'll be joining another active Jewish community again.  In fact, we have been invited for Shabbat dinner this Friday with the rabbi which is great because we'll be traveling  most of the day (we have 400 miles to go, so we need to do 200 tomorrow and 200 Friday) and won't have any time to prepare for Shabbat.  This takes a lot of stress off the plate.

Rug pulled up from under us - Day 1127 (Year 4, Day 32)

Washington, NC

This is the last post I'll be making from this location.  Yesterday, at about 4:00 pm, Mitch got a call from his national boss, telling him that the utility company in Louisville, KY needs people there immediately, and Mitch is one of the few people who has certification in a specific skill they need.  It's about 700 miles, he needs to start on Monday, and since we don't travel on Shabbat, we need to push ourselves to get there by early Friday.  This is doable if we travel 150-200 miles each day.

I was in a total state of panic yesterday (still kind of anxious right now) because I haven't had any time whatsoever to prepare for this, and of course it falls in the middle of a huge rush project I've been working on.  Not only is it the packing and hitching, but I need to find a campground to stay at (not having huge success yet as there aren't that many and the ones that are there have terrible reviews).  Louisville is literally on the border of Indiana, so we may need to look into campgrounds there.  Also need to plan out a route, and being that we still don't have a GPS and I hate to rely on Google Maps (it's not very truck friendly), that's just another reason for anxiety.

Anyway, will keep you updated.

Interesting, and not so interesting weekend - Day 1125 (Year 4, Day 30)

Washington, NC

This doesn't fit in either category, but this is how our temps have been all week, especially this weekend:

Didn't get to Monday yet, but I can attest that it's a real steam bath out there.  Feeling very blessed and grateful that our air conditioning is working.

On Friday night, we had Kenny join us for Shabbat dinner.  We had a very enjoyable time.

Saturday we just stayed indoors and read and napped.  On Saturday night we drove downtown to the Turnage Theater (which is actually the local art center with a small room for performances and films).  They had an improv troupe there, so we had a blast.  Here's a photo of the audience (can you find us?) and 3 of the 4 performers.  In at least 3 sketches, they had audience volunteers.  Mitch had to act in one scene and I wish I had a phone or camera to take a photo or video, as it was really hysterical!!!  (he had to play 2 "characters" with one of the comedians: a seal being chased by a shark, and a policeman trying to catch a thief).

  

Today is far less interesting.  Mitch's project du jour is taking the toilet apart again.  This time a spring broke, causing the foot pedal not to respond properly.  He also replaced the ball valve.  Only took about 3 hours.  He did run into a little snag and called Paul over.  Paul admitted he never took a toilet apart that far before, but was able to give some moral support which led to it working!)

It's now only a bit after noon and no other plans for the rest of the day. Still too sweltering to be out and about, but I may decide to go swimming (aka take a dip in the hot tub, as the water temp is about 90).

Update on truck - Day 1122 (Year 4, Day 27)

Washington, NC

I brought the truck in to the mechanic on Wednesday-yesterday (the day of the appointment).  Mitch has been fortunate to carpool with Kenny and share his maps so he's been able to work this week.  They had it ready today, at about 2:30pm (they originally said Friday, so it was ready earlier than expected 👍).  Interestingly, Kenny (who has the same type of engine and truck) was experiencing the same problem so they had to call it quits early so he could get it to the mechanic (btw, it's a known problem with this engine -- Ford 6.0L -- and there was a class action law suit filed and won.  Unfortunately, this was a few years prior to our purchasing the vehicle so it's too late to cash in.  We were aware of the potential problems when we bought it and decided to take the chance.  Despite the cost of repairs, it's still much cheaper than having bought a newer model and installing a new hitch).  Anyway, this was the last component of the engine that needed replacement so hopefully we'll be good for a long while now.  And now that Kenny's truck is out of commission, they'll reverse roles and Mitch will share his map and lead the carpool!  It's really awesome that we're next door neighbors.

What we did this weekend - Day 1118 (Year 4, Day 23)

Washington, NC

I wish I could write posts like a few of my previous ones, or like those of some of my RV peers - with nothing but fun and excitement and beautiful photos.  But alas, this is not a full time vacation and often we have nothing much to report on.

The truck is still mostly out of commission.  It can be driven locally, but the mechanic (who can't get to it until later in the week) advised strongly against driving it beyond about 10 miles, which means local trips only**.  At least we're not totally stuck and can get to the supermarket which is about 3 miles away.

** Mitch continues to carpool with Kenny into Greenville, 25 miles away.  Unfortunately, Kenny had to return home to PA this weekend and won't be back until Tuesday.  We did the math and renting a car for 2 days will cost more than Mitch will earn, so it's cheaper for him to take the time off without pay).

Saturday actually did have a few interesting hours.  Paul (RV tech, who owns a large pontoon boat: recall he was going to take us out on the river to watch the July 4th fireworks but cancelled at the last minute due to the forecasted storms) came by at 12:30 (I was reading, Mitch was napping) and said that he was taking the boat out at 1:00 and invited us to join him.  We excitedly agreed, and we met him at the boat dock at the appointed time with drinks and snacks in the cooler.  We had a very lovely time with him and his wife Linda.  I can't say I was super impressed by the scenery, although it was extremely serene and relaxing; just nothing spectacular or picture-worthy.  Mostly a lot of trees with a few nice homes along the bank (and a few ratty ones as well). Still, it was very nice to be on the river and spending time with new-found friends.  We appreciate every opportunity we have to go out on a river or lake with friends (or being able to rent a boat on our own; owning one is out of the question).  We did get to see a few trees where beavers made their marks, and lots of large fish jumping.

Today (Sunday) was far less relaxing or exciting.  We went shopping for groceries in the morning (we were going to stop first for breakfast, but the only place that had choices on the menu I could have, we couldn't find a place to park so we had to abort).  Afterwards, I spend the day doing a deep-dive cleaning - getting to all the nooks and crannies that had been neglected and scrubbing, dusting and vacuuming everything.  I would still love to get to all the woodwork, but most of that is beyond my reach.  At least the place has a nice sparkle once again.  Anyone want to come visit?!!! 😊

More truck problems - Day 1115 (Year 4, Day 20)

Washington, NC

Not sure if you've been following the saga of our EGR truck problems (a well known problem with the 6.0L engines of the Ford trucks).  We've had several fixes already and were warned that at some point, we would need an "EGR delete" done.  About 2 weeks ago we had a problem and we thought this was it, but it turned out to be only a valve.   But still waiting for the shoe to drop, so to speak.  Well, the shoe has dropped.  Over the last 2 days, Mitch (who has been driving at least 40 miles a day) noticed that the temp gauge gave a warning.  He had to add antifreeze several times; a clear warning of the symptom of this problem.  There is no leak in the hoses -- the antifreeze is going thru the engine and exhaust system.  There are 5 components to the EGR system and this is the last one that would need to be replaced.

He was able to limp the truck into the mechanic yesterday but they can't work on it until next week.  In the meantime, he is going to carpool (and work the same maps) as his colleague (Kenny, who I've talked about before and is staying 2 sites down from us) until we can get it back.  We have doctor's appointments tomorrow (Friday) and someone in the campground offered us to borrow their car if we needed a local ride.  I'm telling you, if I didn't know we had to move down the road, I'd love to stay here just for the service and people!!!

This week/weekend - Day 1112 (Year 4, Day 17)

Washington, NC

Nothing really exciting or new to report for this past week.  The heat wave continues, although I wonder if it's really a heat wave as much as it's the south during the summer!  In the upper 90s with heat index over 100.  Just too hot to even go swimming.  We've been pretty lucky in missing most of the severe storms that pop up late in the day.

Unfortunately, the make-shift lean-to Mitch devised to keep out the rain just wasn't working out.  There was no way to really attach it without the high winds knocking it down.  He tried ropes, bungie cords and heavy duty clamps, all to no avail.  He discovered there was a small separation on top of one of the vents so he closed it up with caulk.  After it dried, he tested it with a hose, but lo and behold, the water still came pouring in.  He said he had another thought in mind, but I may ask the RV tech to come back over and help troubleshoot or figure out another solution since it really only happens when it's a very heavy, wind-driven (sideways) rain.

The highlight of the weekend was spending the day with Kenny.  He came over to ask a question but before you knew it, he spent from about 10am until 10pm hanging out with us.  In addition to lunch & dinner, we went thru several bottles of wine.  Despite the headaches the next morning, we had a lovely time just talking and getting to know each other (sadly, his wife and daughter had to go back home (PA) for a few weeks, but will return again in 2 weeks).

Once again on Sunday, we wanted to do something different.  We had a few ideas, including riding the 3 mile greenway by the river in Greenville.  But it was just too darn hot to be outside, even just riding an electric scooter.

July 4th weekend - Day 1107 (Year 4, Day 12)

Washington, NC

I'm so glad I keep this blog!  The first and foremost reason is for me to remember what I've done and where I've been (as the memory is the 2nd thing to go.  What is the first thing?  I don't remember!!!).  Second major reason for the blog is for friends and family to keep track of me, as it (sadly) becomes difficult to let everyone know, on an individual basis, of our whereabouts and goings-on.  Interestingly, I've noticed that I have somewhat of a following.  Blessings to you: I hope I'm providing you adequate material to fall asleep by! 😁

I wish I could say that this past July 4th weekend was as interesting as last year's (http://mitcheryl-rv-journey.blogspot.com/2016/07/july-4th-weekend-day-744-yr-3-day-11.html) but it has not been, although there were a few highlights.

Saturday, July 1st (my mind is still in January - when did we get here???)    It should be noted that the weather has been horrible - steamy doesn't quite cut it.  Extremely hot and humid with heat indexes around 100 degrees.  I don't handle heat very well, and even going to the pool is too much.  I'm so very grateful for our a/c and pray that we don't have another breakdown.  Given the chance, I'd rather just "veg" inside in the a/c.

So, for the most part, Shabbat was spent indoors reading (they had a Bingo game on Friday night which we obviously didn't attend).  The campground, however, did have an event planned - a 4th of July parade run by the Washington Volunteer Fire & Rescue Dept, kicking off at the basketball courts.

Our only frame of reference was a real parade, so we were expecting fire trucks and perhaps a marching band.  What we didn't expect was a parade made up of patriotically decked-out golf carts!!!  It seems that just about everyone in this campground owns one and apparently one of the annual summer events is a contest of who has the best decorated 4th of July themed cart.  They all met near the clubhouse and were led by one fire truck (which let all the kids ride on it).  They then rode all around the campground, up and down every aisle.  It was truly a sight to behold and a lot of fun!

On Saturday night, there was a concert in the pavilion (looks like they'll have one every Saturday night during the summer).  This week the band was "Classic Collections," which like it's name, played a lot of hits from the 50's to 70's.  It was interactive, as a lot of folks got up to dance (from slow dancing to lindy to disco and rock & roll).

We didn't do a whole lot on Sunday as it was still too hot.  Mostly just hung out and relaxed indoors.

Monday was pretty much the same as Sunday.  Although not out in the field, Monday was still a work day and Mitch was required to do some online training.  I had a little bit of client work as well.  There was a storm on Monday evening with some very heavy rain, and once again there was a flood coming in from under the refrigerator.  On Tuesday morning (4th of July), Mitch went up to the roof to check the endcap, and it was still in position.  The only possible place the rain could be coming in from was the refrigerator vents:



Mitch spent a bit of time creating a make-shift lean-to with a tarp and stakes to cover them.  It hasn't rained hard enough again to test it, but the way it looks (not really covering the vents well enough), I don't think it's going to work.  Hopefully he can find a little bit of time before it pours again to fix or remove it.

As for Fourth of July celebrations, Washington has a huge fireworks display in the downtown area (which, you may recall, is mostly on the waterfront).  We were invited to spend the day with a friend on his boat and watch the fireworks on the water, but because of the threat of rain (and perhaps severe storms), he didn't want to take the boat out (he also thought there was a good chance the fireworks would be cancelled due to the forecast).  We didn't want to drive to the downtown area (only about 3-4 miles away) because we figured everyone who lives in Washington, NC would be there and there was no way we'd find a place to park our huge truck (let alone a car) unless we went very early in the day, which we didn't want to do because there really wasn't much to do for an entire day to kill time in the excruciating heat.  We were thinking of maybe taking a taxi, but Mitch said he was really only interested in seeing the fireworks from the boat, not standing amidst a huge crowd (I kind of agreed).  Plus, the next day was a work day and he had to get up at 5:30 am. (Note: around 9:15pm, I heard the fireworks going off, so it wasn't cancelled.  And although we did get a few showers, there was nothing major and it was gone by evening).

On a different note, below is a video I took this morning of a swarm of dragonflies!  It really doesn't capture how many there were -- literally hundreds of them!  I've never seen anything like that before. I used to be terrified of them, but now I see they're very harmless and beautiful.

And lastly, as I was wrapping up this post, we had a sun shower (no clue where the rain was coming from as I didn't see any rain clouds).  I did, however, see this beautiful rainbow: