Well, here we are in Maine. We wanted to stay in this area and get a good look at the fall leaves. I now realize that I should have put the pictures of Maine and New Hampshire in the previous section, but I didn't, so you'll find them here.

October 3, 2005
Bethel, ME to Apple Hills CG in Bethlehem, NH.
US 2 West to NH 115 South. 115 to US 3 South to US 302 West to Bethlehem. 57 miles. 2 hrs

Pictures of the Trip

Apple Hills CG is another Passport America CG, and the rate was good at only$12.50 per night and the people who ran the park were great. The park was so full of trees there was not a chance of getting a satellite signal, so I asked if there were alternatives. They put us up in what was called the "Rally Area", and even though we were under a big apple tree, there was enough clear sky to the SW for satellite reception. 30 amp service, extremely low water pressure and no sewer, but it was quiet and clean, so we dropped the jacks, filled the water tanks and lived off the water pump. The water pressure was so low that the first time we filled the tank, I forgot that I had the water running. It had been on for close to 4 hours, and the tank was not over flowing. We used this location to visit Mt. Washington and drive the Auto Road, Franconia Notch, Crawford Notch and several drives through the White Mountain National Forest. Lots of truly beautiful country in the area.

October 9, 2005
Bethlehem, NH to Hilltop CG in Chichester, NH
US 302 West to I-93 North to exit 42, then US 302 South to I-91 South. I-91 to the junction of I-89, and South on I-89 to the junction of I-93 North to the I-393 junction at Concord, NH. East to the CG. 144 miles. 3 hrs 15 mins.

That route was a real, roundabout way to get where we were going, but, we needed to have the MH visit Vermont, so, that's the way we went. We stayed at the CG for one night. Another, at best average CG with a per night charge of $33.00. We had good satellite signals, 50 amp service, sewer hookups and water. Only one night here and off to MA. We did try to visit the Museum of Family Camping at Bearbrook State Park. It was closed for the season.

October 10, 2005
Chichester, NH to Shady Oak CG in Carver, MA
I-393 West to I-93, then South to US 3 to I-495 around Boston to SR 58, then to the CG. 153 miles. 3 hrs 15 mins.

I wanted to avoid getting too close to Boston, so I took the above route that kept me several miles away from the center of the city. First, the CG. Good 50 amp service, water and sewer. $33.00 per night and way, way over priced for the park. I was told that I would have clear view of the SW sky. I had a clear view of the sky if I looked straight up. I did go out and buy an additional 25 foot of cable and was able to set up the Dustyfoot by moving the dish 75 feet out from the MH. This location worked well for us because of the places we wanted to visit. Boston, of course was on the list, then Plymouth to see Plymouth Rock, (should be named Plymouth Pebble), and the area around Barnstable, and Falmouth. The Falmouth area was of particular interest to me because that's where my ancestors arrived in the new world around 1630 or so. The first was Thomas Hatch, his wife Grace Lewis, son Jonathan and daughter Lydia. I was not able to find the grave of Thomas, but did find the property that Jonathan had owned for most of his life, his grave, and the graves of several relatives in the Ancient Burial Ground in Flameout. This was the last stop of one of my goals. I've followed my family back from Idaho, to Kansas, then Batavia, NY and finally to Falmouth. This was a fun stop for us.

October 14, 2005
Carver, MA to Panther Lake Camping Resort in Andover, NJ.
Back out SR 58 to I-495 East to I-195 South, to RI 114 to RI 138, to RI 4. RI 4 to I-95 South along the Coast to I-287 around the New York area to I-80 West. I-80 West to US 206 to the CG. 277 miles. 6 hrs 35 minutes.

Just in case you don't remember what was happening at this time of year in the Northeast, it was raining. It had been raining since about the 5th or so of Oct., and it was raining hard at times. There was flooding in NH, and parts of NY and NJ. The campground we pulled into had us parked in an area that had pretty good access to the SW sky, but the ground was so soft that the tires sunk into the mud as I started backing into the site. I would never have been able to put the jacks down, and might have ended up stuck, so I went back to the office, and told them I had to move. They put me in an area that had a more firm ground area and that was where we stayed for the 2 nights here. We seem to be stuck on $33.00 per night. :-( We took a day to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Didn't have time to get into NYC, but we've been there before, so we were mostly happy with what we saw, and the places we visited.

Pictures of the Trip

October 16, 2005
Andover, NH to Duncans Family Camping in Lothian, MD.
Back out US 206 to I-80 East to I-287 South, to I-95 South to US 13 in Delaware, South to US 50/301 to US 301 South to Pennsylvania Ave. out to the CG. 269 miles. 5 hrs 30 mins.

This was a stop that I had to be at by this date. I had an airline reservation to fly out to Phoenix on the 17th for a meeting on the 18th, then return on the 19th. My flight was a Delta, out of Reagan International, so we figured Mary could drop me off at the airport and pick me up when I got back, so we took a trial run to the Airport when we got into the CG. We got hopelessly lost on the way back. Ended up down in the area by the Washington Monument and out in one of the housing areas East of the Capitol. We found our way back to Pennsylvania Ave., and on the way back to the park, I saw a sign for a Metro Station. That was the answer to the problem. Next day Mary dropped me off at the Suitland Station for the Green line. I rode that to the L'Enfant Plaza Station and transfer to the Blue line, to the airport. It cost about $1.25, I think and took less time than it would to drive to the airport. I had a good time in Arizona, but missed Mary, the Puppies and the MH, so was glad to get back. While here we visited only 3 key things, because we had been to DC before. The Holocaust Museum, Mount Vernon and the Washington Masonic Lodge in Arlington, VA. The park here had lots of trees, limited view for satellite, but I managed to find 2 holes in the trees and had both Internet and TV. The park fee here was not $33.00 per night, it was $35.00. The park was also packed full for the weekend because they were holding one of their Halloween camping weekends. I never realized that Halloween on the East Coast is celebrated the way it is. Most CG's were full on the weekend because of Halloween, and we were told that it was the second most decorated holiday of the year, Christmas being the first.

October 25, 2005
Lothian, MD to Artillery Ridge CG in Gettysburg, PA
Pennsylvania Ave. West to I-495, then North around the DC area to I-270 to I-81 South to Falling Waters, WV. Turn the rig around and take I-81 North to PA 64 East. PA 64 to PA 77 to US 15 North to PA 134 to the CG. 146 miles 3 hrs 45 min.

OK, another weird route, but we managed to get West Virginia on our map. The stay at Gettysburg was an interesting stop. The Battlefield and the history is, well, quieting. The tens of thousands that died and were injured there shock the senses. There was one area of the Battlefield that seemed to stop me. I don't know what it was, I just stood there feeling heavy. The campground is right in the middle of the Battlefield, and is clean and well kept. Full service, good electric, but low water pressure. We filled the water tank and ran off the pump. This is a Passport America park that caters to folks with horses. The have corrals, and stables on site. If you want to ride the Battleground, plan to stop here. $19.25 per night, with wide open view of the SW sky.

October 28, 2005
Gettysburg, PA to Timberlane Campground in Clarksboro, NJ
Back out to US 15 North to US 30 East to Pottstown Pike, then South to US 202 to US 322 across the Commodore John Barry Bridge to I-295 East to Exit 8, then South to the CG. 130 miles 3 1/2 hours.

A nice CG, but again, in my opinion, way over prices at $35.00 per night. We had full hookups, but were in what they called the overflow area. Fine with us, it was cheaper than the regular park. This was a 2 night stop, and got us into Philadelphia for a day. Man, this was where it all began for the US as a Nation. Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and all the names we've heard all our lives walked the streets of this city. We gawked at the Liberty Bell, took the tour of Independence Hall, looked at all the old buildings in the area, walked down to where Ben Franklin had his home and mailed ourselves a postcard with the Ben Franklin Postmark on it. A good stay and worth the money. We were right behind a big tree, but had a hole in the branches at the front of the rig for the TV and managed to set up the Dustyfoot out at the edge of the tree in back of the rig.

October 30, 2005
Clarksboro, NJ to Kiptopeke State Park in Kiptopeke, VA
I-295 South to US 13 South to the CG.

A one night stop. This is probably the nicest State Park I've stayed in. Huge sites, 50 amp service, full water and sewer service. Super quite and super clean. Expensive at $31.00 per night, but for a night or 2, highly recommended. It was about 40 miles North of here that my laptop computer died. I can't travel without my laptop! OK, I can, but I don't want to. We rely on Streets and Trips with GPS to guide keep track of our routes, and we use the GPS trail as a record of our travels. I also had some real problems with the DirecWay modem here and want to thank Scott, at Dustyfoot for his support in getting me up and running again. I know that I've got to get a new laptop, and I've found a Costco in Norfolk, VA.

Pictures of the Trip

October 31, 2005
Kiptopeke, VA to Sands of Time RV Park in Avon, NC
US 13 South across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to Norfolk, VA and South on US 158 to Avon, SC. 160 miles. 6.5 hours.

We left the State Park at 9:30 am and drove the few miles to the Toll Booth for the Bridge-Tunnel. I wasn't carrying a lot of cash, about $30.00 to be exact, and felt that would be enough to get across the bridge. The toll was $38.00, so I had to turn around and go back to a cash machine and get more money. $38.00. WOW. So, across the bridge we go, and then down into the first tunnel. They are narrow and not for the faint of heart. If you don't have a really good handle on the width of your rig and how close you are to the right edge and center line, don't take this route. We drove into Norfolk and stopped at the Costco where I bought a new HP computer, installed Streets and Trips then discovered the darn thing didn't have a serial port, so I had to go to CompUSA and buy a USB to Serial Port adapter. Finally got all up and running, routed the trip and finished the day driving about 1/2 way down the Outer Banks to Avon, SC. This is an outstandingly beautiful area, full of history, sea shore, great old houses and shops, good restaurants and great people. We visited Kitty Hawk, and the Lost Colony, and spent time walking the beach with the puppies. This is an area we really enjoyed and would like to spend more time at.

November 4, 2005
Avon, NC to Cedar Creed RV Park in Sea Level, NC
US 158 has changed to NC 12, so, South on NC 12 to Hatteras where we boarded the Ocracoke Island Ferry to Ocracoke Island. Continue on NC 12 to Ocracoke where we board the Ocracoke-Cedar Island Ferry for a 2 hour ferry passage to Cedar Island. From there, NC 12 to the RV Park. 47 driving miles, but about 120 miles traveled. 8 hrs.

This was a fun trip, and we did enjoy the drive/ride/drive/ride. The first ferry ride is free, the second one cost $45.00 for the car and MH. A lot less expensive than going all the way back around, and a lot more fun. The RV park was a clean little park with a pretty nice view of a huge wetlands. Full service and $22.50 per night.

November 5, 2005
Sea Level, NC to Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach SC.
US 17 to Myrtle Beach State Park. 204 miles. 6 hrs. 40 mins.

Driving US 17 is a slow process. Lots of little towns, stop lights and traffic. It's a drive worth taking and I'm glad we did it. Myrtle Beach State Park is, well, an old State Park. Very narrow roads, low limbs hanging over the roads, limbs close the the edge of the road. Not comfortable to drive in if you are concerned about your rig. Trees everywhere, but I managed to find a place with enough sky to get TV and DirecWay. One night here at $29.00 per night for water and electric. Not a place I'd go back to. I did like Myrtle Beach, both the town, and the beach.

November 6, 2005
Myrtle Beach, SC to Lake Aire RV Park in Hollywood, SC
US 17 South to Hollywood then one short drive on a local road to the RV Park. 103 miles. 3 hours.

An uneventful trip with a lot of things to look at along the road. When we drove through Charleston we drove across a new bridge that crossed the Cooper River right in Charleston. There was an old, rusted steel structure that used to be the main bridge. A few days after we crossed the new bridge, the blew the old one up, and collapsed it into the river. As we drove through town we noticed signs directing our attention the the USS Yorktown Museum, so we put it on our plans to drive back from the RV park. Lake Aire RV Park is a nice quiet little park, with good water, electric and sewer hookups. The sites were large, and flat. Overall a nice park at $20.16 per night. We did drive back to Charleston and visit the Yorktown. What an experience. This carrier fought in WWII, and the history told on the ship is worth every step, on every deck. I'm proud and thankful for what those guys did for our country.

November 8, 2005
Hollywood, SC to Bill's place in Eastman, GA
US 17 South to I-95 South to I-16 West, then GA 46 to Eastman. From there South on 117 to Bills. 229 miles. 6 hours.

Bill is a guy I met online at rec.outdoors.rv-travel. We had a couple of good days visiting with him and his wife. Bill and I took a bit of time out to dump bullets from our Glocks into his dirt pile. He let me shoot his 357 Max Contender, we had coffee, ate 2 excellent meals prepared by Irma, and all in all had a great time. Bill can outshoot one of me, but not the other one. :-) OK, that doesn't make a lot of sense, until you see the groupings on the target. Every other shot in a tight group, in different areas of the target. One group tight to the center, the second group a bit low and left. Arrrrggggg.

November 10, 2005
Eastman GA to King George RV Park in Woodbine, GA
GA 117 South to US 319 South to US 441 to Douglas then South on GA 158 to US 82 to Waycross, and pick up US 1 to Folkston, then East on GA 48 to the RV park. 141 miles. 3 1/2 hours.

This was a rest stop. We were here for 4 nights. Got some cleaning done in the rig, wiped the dust off the outside, and did the laundry. The only reason to stop here was to stop here. A Passport America park with clear view to the SW sky, good electric, water and sewer.

November 13, 2005
Woodbine, GA to Cooksey's RV Park in St Augustine, FL
I-95 South to I-295 around Jacksonville, FL, back to I-95 South to FL 16 East to the RV Park. 84 miles. 2 hours 10 mins.

Here for 2 nights. It was a place to stop and visit some very dear friends in St. Augustine. We had ribs with our friends at Sonny's, and ate out one night at a very small Mexican Restaurant that served excellent food.

November 15, 2005
St. Augustine, FL to Clerbrook RV Resort in Clermont, FL.
I-95 South to I-4 South, then FL 46 West to Mount Dora then US 19 South to US 27 South to the RV Park

Well here we are. Clerbrook Golf and RV Resort. It's a large resort with an 18 hole executive course, over 1200 spaces, swimming pools, hot tubs, rec centers and lots of really good folks. We're here until March 15, 2006. Huge and Vi, from New York are here in the park, and we've had time with Lon and Carolyn, all folks we consider good friends. We also got some time with another online friend, Hunter, up in Ocala. We've been resting, doing some fixing and minor repairs on the rig, and sight seeing.

Pictures of the Trip

Total Miles for this segment = 2683.64
Total Gas used for this segment = 412.02 gallons
Total Cost of Gas for this segment = $958.54
Average MPG, after generator use of 19 hours is subtracted = 6.966