Monroe North Carolina to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

There was a heavy frost in Monroe, North Carolina this morning. Unfortunately, I turned the furnace off before we went to bed and it was pretty cold in the motorhome.

By 7:50, we were rolling towards Myrtle Beach under a sunny blue sky. The highways were 55 and 60 MPH divided with virtually no traffic. We had to slow to 45 and 35 for some towns but it was good going.

Heading into the rising sun in North Carolina

Just before we crossed the South Carolina border, we passed a huge WalMart distribution center out in the middle of nowhere. The size and scope of this operation boggles the mind.  As we drove along, we could see mist rising from the grass as the frost burned off in the morning sun. Just before Darlington, we saw our first cotton fields.

Wish I was in the land of cotton.....

We stopped for a break in front of the Darlington Raceway offices. The famous Lady in Black. We were too early for the museum, which opened at 10:00 AM so, after a brief stop, we rolled on.

Darlington Raceway

Me at Darlington

Leaving Darlington, we almost witnessed a bad accident. A car was speeding down the center turning lane and didn't see a bicycle coming the other direction until the last minute. He swerved sharply to miss the bike but neither of them should have been there in the first place.

I am really getting to enjoy driving the motorhome. Good thing, since we have committed ourselves to traveling quite a ways in it over the next year. The leaves are changing colour down here and we saw many End of Roadwork signs, but never did see any road work being done.

We arrived at the huge KOA in Myrtle Beach about 11:30 and got situated in a long pull-through site. Leo and I unhooked the trailer and then the ladies went for a shower while I set up the WiFi and shaved for the first time since leaving home.

KOA - Myrtle Beach South Carolina

We took the motorhome sans trailer and went for a drive around Myrtle Beach. The first stop was Sticky Fingers Ribhouse where Sarah, a pretty young lady with extensive body art, took care of us. I had a combo with a couple of Memphis Dry ribs, a pulled pork sandwich, two BBQ sausages, coleslaw, mac and cheese and cornbread muffins. Leo had a full rack of ribs.  So much for eating lighter.....

Sticky Fingers - Myrtle Beach NC

Leo's rack of ribs

Full and then some, we headed across town and too the Farrow Parkway down to Ocean Boulevard and the beaches. There were almost no cars and I parked along the street so we could walk down to the beach.

Leo on the beach

Then we moved on down the road a ways and parked in front of the Gay Dolphin, a local landmark. It was named when 'gay' had a whole other meaning. We walked up and down the boardwalk by the 14th Street Pier. there was a sign on the street that said No Cruising. Between March 1st and October 1st, it is unlawful to pass a given spot twice within two hours. Yikes.

The Gay Dolphin

Leo on the Boardwalk

Even the dogs have drinking fountains

14th Street Pier

Truth in advertising? - hot beer, lousy food, bad service

From the waterfront, we stopped by a WalMart to get some food and then swung by a Kangaroo gas station where the pump cut me off at $75 but then allowed me a second charge. Unfortunately, the printer was broken so I had to go inside anyway.  The slower pace seems to be working.  With all the local Myrtle Beach driving plus a stint last night at 65 because of the Charlotte rush hour traffic, we have improved to 9.1 MPUSG (11.0 Cdn).  If we ever get a straight level haul, I wonder what I can get that up to?

The sun set at 5:00 PM and, back at the campground in the dark, Leo and I hooked up the power through the new surge protector and connected the water through the new water pressure regulator. The fitting on the RV is leaking a bit so I will have to check washers.

Tomorrow, we will set up the tires for the monitor system and empty the holding tanks for the first time. Pray for us.

Finally, Diane called home via Skype with limited success while I worked on blogs and Email. It is warmer tonight so we should sleep better. Tomorrow, I thing we'll head down towards Savannah.

Today's Route (149 miles):

View Larger Map

Princeton West Virginia to Monroe North Carolina

It was a cool morning in Princeton. Some of the trucks in the lot had left their motors idling all night. This is illegal in Pennsylvania and, in the interests of the environment and sleeping RV'ers, they should expand that to everywhere.

The house battery was still weak but the generator ran better this morning. Adjusting it for the altitude must have helped. But it still surges a bit ever five or ten minutes so I guess a service will be in order at the start of the next trip.

Subway in the WalMart was supposed to open at 7:30 AM but no one showed up so I went back to the RV and had our own instant coffee. I found a problem with the fridge, too. In Auto mode, it is supposed to look for AC power and, if there is none, use LP gas. Unfortunately, in the real world it switches to LP and then shuts down. If I manually select LP gas, it is fine so I guess it is a manual fridge until I can get it looked at. Better, of course, than not working at all.

We headed out about 8:30, following I-77 south through the East River Mountain Tunnel and into Virginia. The tunnels are interesting but not a real problem. I am starting to get quite comfortable driving this outfit. In Wytheville, we stayed on I-77 South, which runs in tandem with I-81 North for a while, and passed two Flying J Truck Stops within a couple of miles. Then it was down the seven mile grade into North Carolina.

Looking out the window on the seven mile downgrade

We stopped at the McDonald's in Hillsville, NC to use the WiFi. I got the last couple of days blogs posted and checked my Email and Facebook. Then we fueled at a BP that did not cut me off at $75. We got 7.8 miles per USG (9.4 Canadian) which isn't bad when you consider what the mountains through West Virginia are like. I'm curious to see what 55 MPH will give us in the flat lands. I hope its a lot because it takes a great deal of patience to drive the double-nickel while semis are blowing by us at 70 MPH plus.

We found the Camping World in Statesville, NC. They have a huge inventory of units for sale with many high end diesel pushers. I wandered in with my shopping list and dropped about $1,200 in the blink of an eye. The only downside was waiting for someone to install the new house battery. That took over three hours. If I had known how easy it was, I would have done the job myself. Anyway, we have better juice now.  The tech was tied up trying to sort out a wiring problem on a diesel pusher from Ohio headed to the final NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season in Homestead, Florida.

It was getting late when we left Statesville, just in time to hit Charlotte at rush hour. Going in wasn't bad because everybody else was trying to get out, but leaving on US 74 (we are heading to Myrtle Beach) was a pain for a while as people jammed up trying to get home after busy workdays.

We finally got clear and made it into Monroe, NC after dark, parking at a WalMart Supercenter with a McDonald's. This is probably the only McDonald's in the US without WiFi, so we were offline for another night. There were only a few trucks parked there, luckily. One bobtail parked right in front of us but then moved before he decided to let it run.

We walked about 50 feet to a restaurant called O'Charley's where a server named Mohammad took good care of use. I just had a club sandwich which, to my surprise, was only made with two slices of bread. On the plus side, it had ham, turkey AND bacon in it and was quite tasty. After supper, the other three wandered over to a store while I talked to a grizzled 68 year old gentleman who rode a Yamaha and was raised in the Maggie Valley area. We exchanged opinions on some of our favourite roads in that area.

Returning to the RV, I debugged a glitch in the Tire Minder tire pressure monitoring system that was part of the swag from Camping World. BTW, I bought the Tire Minder because Camping World sells it, the batteries in the sending units are replaceable and the price is significantly less than the PressurePro. The downside seems to be that the operation is a little arcane (which I will get used to) and that the sensors don't seem to agree too well with my two tire gauges. But there is a workaround for that which I will implement and report on later.

I checked the V10 oil and the gen/set oil as well as adjusting the altitude setting back to 600 feet. When the others came back, we talked for a bit and then bundled up warmly (it was getting cool) turned in about 10:00 PM.

Today's Route (196 miles):


View Larger Map

Erie Pennsylvania to Princeton West Virginia

We woke up in the WalMart parking lot and found a few new neighbors. A large Class A pusher with a toad (car towed behind) and a huge fifth wheel had moved in overnight. I found the house battery worn way down below what I would have expected. It might need replacing. The generator also ran rough, surging. It could be gunked up as well. Camping World will have the solution.

The fuel mileage yesterday to Buffalo was only 7.8 miles per US gallon (9.4 Cdn). We''ll play with the speeds today and see what we can manage. Leo and I checked the tire pressures and found them spot on. Then we went into WalMart looking for some 20 Amp mini-fuses. Believe it or not, they were out. We made breakfast and coffee in the RV.

Rolling by 8:00, I almost took the I-79 North exit by mistake but caught myself just in time. Don't know why since I have only taken this exit a hundred times or so. Then we were southbound as we should be. At a rest area 60 miles south of Erie, Sandy tripped on a curb and fell. She's all right but will have a few bruises and has been sentenced to a course in remedial walking. We stopped again south of Cannonsburg, Pa after going around Pittsburgh.

Parking with the big trucks

The Blue Star Memorial Highway

South of Cannonsburg, it started to rain pretty heavily. I cut the speed back from 62 to 55 to see what it would do to the fuel economy. I tried to stop at the Mickey D's in Waynesburg to post the blogs and get the mail but there was no room to park. Then I missed the Wendy's entrance and we found ourselves going south again on I-79. In Morgantown, we got fuel at a Sheetz (8.1 MPUSG, 9.7 Canadian) showing an improvement despite all the hills and mountains. Then we climbed a massive hill to WalMart where we bought some deli wings and chicken tenders to eat on the road. I stopped to talk to the gentleman ringing the bell for the Sally Ann. They start early down here.

We continued on through West Virginia in the rain, driving 55 MPH in a 70 zone and trying to stay out of everyone's way.  Driving in the mountains is a lot more work than setting the cruise and sitting back on the flats.  You need to pick up speed on the downhills and not overrev while trying to maintain that speed going back up.  About 25 miles north of the US 19, we stopped again a a rest area and I spoke to a truck driver about the RV. He said he and his wife were considering buying a used one and had a few questions. The sky was blue ahead of us and black behind, giving us a fine rainbow.

Driving in the rain

Rainbow in West Virginia

I had called Wrong Turn as we left Erie to see if he was home in Fayetteville W(BG)V. He was and we agreed to meet at the Visitor's Centre at the New River Gorge Bridge. We got there after climbing Powell Mountain on the Mountaineer Expressway at 45 MPH and descending the other side at 50 due to gusting winds. Diane had never seen the bridge so she and Leo watched the movie and looked at the exhibits while Wrong Turn, Sandy and I caught up. We had just missed seeing his fiancee, Katie, by a few hours but we'll catch them in Yuma, Arizona in March.  After finishing in the Center, we walked down and looked to the bridge itself.

Motorhome at the New River Gorge Visitor Center

Diane, Wrong Turn, Sandy, Leo and The Bridge

Visiting in the RV

It was getting dark when we crossed the bridge and continued on south. Immediately, it started to rain heavily, the kind that eats all the light and makes it hard to see. We drove to Beckley at about 45 MPH, paid out toll and got on I-77 South. From there to the next toll, the portion we were paying for, was still very rough. The worst road we have seen this trip. I was surprised that the RV rode as well as it did.

We rolled into Princeton and found the WalMart. Unlike Erie, trucks also park in this lot. The rain let up a little and we walked to the adjacent Ryan's Steakhouse for supper. We've never been in a Ryan's before. For a buffet, the steak was remarkably good. After having eaten too much, we walked past the shops and I did find 20 Amp fuses in this WalMart. I checked the generator oil and adjusted it for the 2,500 foot altitude the GPS told me. There is a Camping World in Statesville NC, about an hour south of here so we have some shopping to do tomorrow. Then we buttoned down for the night.

Today's Route (392 miles):


View Larger Map

Sudbury Ontario to Erie Pennsylvania

I only got about three hours of sleep last night. Probably nerves and anticipation. I did get three music CD's burned (the motorhome stereo will play MP3's) and figured out how to get my speech at the STOP meeting transferred to the computer as a .wav file.

Leo and Diane arrived at 7:00 sharp as planned. We moved the last few items to the RV and headed out to Tim's to get coffee and breakfast before hitting on the road. As soon as we were rolling, I found the GPS didn't want to acquire any satellites and the upper 12V power plug didn't work. Probably a second fuse I blew playing with the compressor cords. At Tim's, I found the GPS SD card wasn't seated right and, after I fixed that, it was OK. Took the Ford manual, found the bad fuse and replaced it.

Leo and Diane followed us in their car as we headed south. We made our first stop at the French River. The bathrooms there were closed so we christened the on board facilities. The unit was driving well. Near Parry Sound we encountered rain and crosswinds started to affect me, but it wasn't too bad. We stopped again at Tim's Timmies south of the Sound. In the restaurant, I found a large replica of the Algonquin Regiment cap badge with a real moose in it. I was an Army Cadet with the Algonquins when I was in Timmins and Normie's dad served with them in WWII.

Algonquin Regiment Cap Badge (3D)

Group photo at Tim Horton's - Parry Sound

I think the Tow/Haul mode may be costing me mileage. I turned it off and found it drove a bit smoother. So it now gets used in traffic or when needing the downshifts to slow down. We'll get it figured out. I did find that one gets used to the little rattles pretty quickly.

Me in the driver's seat

We couldn't take the ETR407 because any vehicle over 5,000 kilograms GVWR requires a transponder by law. Luckily, it wasn't busy when we hit Toronto and made the ramp onto the 401. This meant taking the 403/QEW to our crossing at Lewiston. I haven't been this way in at least five years and was disappointed to see that the stretch of the QEW in Oakville is still being worked on. St. Catherines is also still under construction.

So we got to the border. You know me and borders. After waiting in line while the agent gave the guy ahead of the us the third degree (no lines at the other lines but I couldn't back up) we pulled in for the first time with a rolling house. I got out and unlocked the trailer so he could look in and then he got inside the RV and checked under the rear bed and looked in the bathroom. Then he checked my name. After saying he knew I wasn't the NCIC James Robinson, he said he had no choice and sent me inside. I guess this is the new policy and I better get used to it. He did agree the system should be able to clear me. Inside, they just asked a few questions about where and how long, stamped my slip of paper and set me free.

We stopped soon after crossing and got gas. The pump cut off at $75 and I had to on and get an overage authorized. I realized that when I filled in Sudbury on the 22nd, the pump had cut off at $100. I had thought it was a coincidence but I short-filled and the mileage I calculated wasn't as good as I had thought. By how much, we'll see.

Leading, I missed the turn onto I-90 East heading for the Clarion Hotel near the airport where Leo and Diane will leave the car. I got there the back way and, once in the lot, I realized it was long and narrow. After we got there final gear loaded, I went down to the end and got some experience backing up with the trailer on. I also found a sharp right turn will cause water to shoot out of the tank overflow.

It was too late to head for the Camping Worlds near Rochester, so we drew a bead on the WalMart at Peach Street in Erie, Pa. Leaving Buffalo as the sun set, we saw herds of deer grazing on people's yards. Yikes. After driving the Thruway in the dark, we pulled off at Peach Street and, to my great surprise, found a brand new WalMart Supercenter next to the Steak & Lube restaurant. We went inside for the first time, as WalMart camping virgins, and asked the greeter who to ask about staying in the lot overnight. She said don't worry about it, anyone can stay here.

Set up in WalMart - Erie Pennsylvania

Cracker Barrel was across the street and down a bit. We set out for there but only made it to Applebee's since there was a chilly wind blowing. Then it was back to WalMart to buy some groceries and stuff. Back at the RV, we got things configured for sleeping for the first time. I'm sure we'll have it down to a rhythm before too long. Then it was off to bed.

Today's Route (458 miles):


View Larger Map

Ready to Roll

It's been a busy week. We've been provisioning the motorhome and getting it outfitted with all the gear, tools, etc. that we will need. Thursday we loaded the bike, hooked up the trailer, all piled in and took it to a local truck scale and weighed it. The scale not only gives a gross weight but weights by axle. Using my Michelin tables, I was then able to calculate proper tire pressures. It worked out to 70 PSI across the board.

Adjusting the pressures proved to be a trick. I bought a heavy duty 12V compressor but the cord wouldn't reach the rear tires. Then I got a 12V extension cord but the 15A draw melted the plug. Finally, I got a 12V plug with alligator clips on the other end, ran my booster cables back from the battery and hooked the alligator clips to it and it worked perfectly.

Today, because it will be above freezing tonight, I filled the fresh water tank, set all the valves,conditioned the holding tanks and got the water system going. Now we will have working facilities right from the start.

The purpose of this trip is to make friends with the unit while we ferry it to Blondy's in Alabama where it will wait, out of the snow and ice, for us to come and get it in late February for a tour of the south. Leo and Diane are coming with us and will drive their car to Buffalo. They will leave it there and climb in with us for a break in tour of the south. Then, on the 23rd, we will fly from Birmingham back to Buffalo and drive back to Sudbury in their car.

Stay tuned to this channel for the tale of our great adventure.

Cambridge Ontario to Sudbury Ontario

Mike went in to work early this morning to get caught up on a few things before we left. Jolene, who has been sleeping until 7:30 most mornings, decided she would rise early as well and was moving around shortly after 6:00. We played with her and got our gear from the last week packed and loaded in the van. I had to work the van doors because, with the moisture and below freezing temperatures, they had frozen shut. A harbinger of the winter circumstances to come.

I had hoped for another Oscar's breakfast with Heather and Tom before leaving, but they were headed out of town as well. They stopped by to say hello as they headed out to Massachusetts for the weekend to see a concert.

I posted a couple of pictures from the past week but Mike has a lot more. You can check them out here.

We got on the road about 9:30 under bright, clear ( and still cold) skies. I took county roads to Guelph and then followed 24 and Airport Road. For a change of pace, we swung up to Alliston on Tottenham Road and then took 80 to the 400. It's nice to vary the route a little bit each time.

North of Barrie, there was a little but of snow on the upper part of one of the ski hills at Moonstone. I can hear those people who like to strap boards to their feet and challenge gravity salivating already. North of Moon River, we encountered two separate radar trap operations. None to one are the typical numbers but they are becoming more frequent. Again, I suspect Commissioner Lewis is making his presence felt. At the Tim's south of Parry Sound, almost everyone looked like they were dressed for hunting. We ran into Freedom Rider friends Ken and Helen there, headed southbound.

The new four lane past Parry Sound was down too one lane northbound with the ubiquitous orange barrels protecting the left lane where there is still some cleanup work being done. That said, I can see the light at the end of this particular tunnel.  North of Parry Sound, the road was heavily covered in salt. We arrived in Sudbury about 4:00.

With respect to those golden fir trees, my friend Doug (font of much useless knowledge) informed me they were tamarack trees. They turn golden in the fall and then lose their needles. Funny how, after almost 60 years living in the north, I never knew this. And I lived on Tamarack Street in Timmins for nine years. Oh well, live and learn.

Today's Route (284 miles):


View Larger Map

Eight Days in Cambridge

It has been a good visit.  We spent the days helping out with Jolene, who is almost two and a going concern.  She is a happy child who laughs and smiles way more than I would have expected.  Her language skills are progressing well and she is very creative in her play.

The first night in the basement, we had a beeping smoke detector.  Mike changed the battery but, later, we heard more beeping.  Unfortunately, it was intermittent.  Three beeps about a minute apart and then nothing for fifteen minutes.  Then three more.  This gave me a small window every quarter hour to try and find it.  I was going nuts trying to figure out where it was coming from.  Word to the wise.  If you have an excess smoke detector and decide to store it in a bag under a stack of other things, TAKE THE BATTERY OUT!!!!

During the week while Mike was at work, we would find Jolene up in her room quietly waiting for someone to come for her or, if we were a bit later, trying to help Mommy change and feed Robyn.  The morning would consist of strapping her in her booster chair and feeding her breakfast.  Then we would play in the living room until lunch time.  She does love all things Elmo and likes to watch him on Sesame Street recordings.  She also discovered she could sit with Grandpa and watch more Elmo on Youtube.  At lunch time, it was back in the booster seat and then off to bed for a nap.  Sometimes she went to bed peacefully, more often she protested.  After nap time, we played some more until Daddy came home.  The two of them have a real bond.  Then it was supper time and, after hugs and kisses, off to bed.

Robyn is a sweetheart.  Kim and Mike looked after her but we marveled at how good she is.  No real fussing except at bath time.  While Jolene loves the bath, Robyn has no use for it so far.

One of the  high points was Halloween.  I went with Mike as he took Jolene in her unicorn costume to a few of the neighbor houses.  We had her primed to say "Trick or Treat" and she kept  repeating it all the way up the driveway.  But when the door opened, she just looked at them, although she did say "thank you" when she received the treats.  Back at the house, she helped me give out candy.  When kids came to the door, I would give her the candy and she would put it in their bags.  They would say "Thank you" and she would say "Welcome".  Then she would say "Bye" and close the door.  I know she won't remember any of this but I won't ever forget it.

Mike has been keeping us well fed at night while breakfast and lunch are our usual fare.  I did have a chance to get the blogs caught up and also managed to get a year of financial data into my investment spreadsheet.  I even wrote a macro to streamline the process, and it is right up to date again.  I need this because I have been out of the markets since before the crash and need to start making some opportunities.  We haven't been losing, but we aren't gaining either.

Of course, i have been doing more RV research, studying things and finding on line manuals that I've been downloading.  There will be a lot of work next week to get ready to leave on the 15th, and my shopping list for Camping World is growing.  Latest thing, after the whole outfit is loaded next week, I plan to take it to a scale and weigh it all to be sure I am within the GVWR and also establish what my tire pressures should be.  I know I will feel a lot better when I can actually get the unit on the road and try out some of the things I have been reading about.

Anyway, it's off for home tomorrow.

Photos From The  Week

Jolene, Kim & Robin

The Unicorn

Jolene & Dad hit the streets

Knock, knock

Trick or Treat

Robyn's pumpkin sleepers

Sudbury Ontario to Cambridge Ontario

So the motorhome and trailer are at the shop and we are off to Cambridge for ten days to meet new granddaughter Robyn and help Kim while Jolene is at home next week.  Her day care person is off to the Dominican Republic for a vacation and, with the brand new baby at home and Mike back at work, some assistance is required.

The temperatures have been warm the last week but they are back to seasonal this morning.  I don't know why everyone is getting so upset about global warming.  I sure could use some more of it.  I paid the bills and took care of my bookkeeping before getting away about 10:15.  I stopped by the bank to get some cash and use my new chipped bank card because the bank website chastised me for not having given it a try yet.  Nag, nag, nag......

On the drive south, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the extension to the four lane from south of Parry Sound  past Nobel and the Killbear Provincial Park entrance was open.  All four divided lanes.  Hallelujah.  It's about time.

For several years now, I have been noticing fir trees where the needles turn a striking golden/yellow.  Then, sometime later, all the needles fall off.  In one yard a couple of seasons back, I saw six identical trees, one of which had changed colour.  There seem to be a lot more of these along the 69/400 corridor this season.  I have been looking on the Web but can't find anything that matches this description.  If anybody does know what it is, drop me a line.

We stopped at Tecumseth Pines along Highway 9 to visit out friends Eric and Sherry.  I would have called ahead but only had their old phone number, which I found had been reassigned to a landscaping company.  Luckily,they were home when we dropped in unannounced and we had a good visit.  We missed them at Combermere because they went on a trip out west and decided to extend it.  They were gone 62 days and got trapped in Lusk, Wyoming (the place where we found the really good bacon several years ago) for a week due to snow. This was only a couple of weeks before we wandered through there in June.  There were lots of interesting tales to tell.

We reached Guelph just in time for rush hour traffic.  With that and the interminable street construction, I took a few back streets with only moderate success and we arrived at Kim and Mike's at 6:30, about a half hour late.  It was great to see our new week old granddaughter Robyn and also to see how much Jolene had grown.  She is talking lots now and we can even make out some of what she is saying.

We'll be here for nine days and should be able to get really well acquainted with the grandkids.  Looking forward to it.

Today's Route (285 miles):


View Larger Map

An RV Storage Plan

I had planned to keep the RV and trailer in the driveway until our first planned trip the end of February. Unfortunately, the things take up more space than I figured. The roof is even with the neighbor's eaves, which often accumulate four or more feet of snow when the north wind blows. We usually rake it once or twice a winter and the motorhome would be in the way. Plus we could end up with the same four plus feet of snow on the rubber RV roof. With the winter rains of recent years, I couldn't imagine the weight of snow and ice sitting on top of the motorhome and endangering my A/C and other appliances, not to mention the structure itself.

While pondering this, VROC friend Blondy near Birmingham, Alabama offered a place to park the RV at her place. She sold the 5th wheel that her parents owned and she has a covered structure that sounds about perfect. I called and she said to bring it on down.

I have commitments through the middle of November for helping out with the grandkids, working on the Santa Claus Parade on the 13th and attending a regional STOP meeting on the 14th. So the eagle will fly again on the 15th of November.

I'm taking the unit and trailer to Don's RV tomorrow. Although the enclosed trailer has Dexter Easy-Lube hubs that are greased regularly, I've had it for over five years and would like to get the bearings completely serviced. In addition, I'll get them to mount the spare tire on a bracket on the tongue and add a wheel to the front jack to make it easier to move around. They will add the wiring plug to the RV and get a suitable height drawbar so the trailer will tow level. Also, Andrew will install two Max-Air vent covers and clean and UV treat the roof. I will wait for Camping World to get the ladder and TV antenna installed (and maybe a back-up camera).

I may also see if Costco has the Pressure Pro tire monitoring system they advertise on their website. It is expensive but is the only one for which I find no negative comments on line. A blown tire on the rear can do a lot of damage to the plumbing, not to mention causing a possible wreck.

Still lots to learn but I am working on it.

Motorhome Open House

Today, we held an open house for the new RV.

First, in-laws Jan and Harry came over to have a look at it and get a tour.

Harry & Jan Climb On Board

Then Leo and Diane came over with their dog Bo and we all got in to take a tour. Diane brought munchies. We headed out Radar Road to Hanmer where we showed it off to Doug and Carol. Then it was over to Terry and Patsy's. Last, we stopped by Gord and Shirley's. Gord has a lot of motorhome experience and gave me a lot of good tips.

On the way home, we stopped at XS Cargo and Sandy picked up a cart load of stuff to equip the kitchen. Then we headed on home.

I am getting better at driving it. Haven't even come close to hitting anything yet.

Sudbury Ontario to Bolton Ontario and Back - Pick up motorhome

Today was the big day. Time to go and pick up the motorhome in Bolton and bring it home. Kevin at Globetrotter got called out of town this week so the ladder, antenna and plug didn't get done. I will have the plug done at Don's RV in Sudbury and may have them add the ladder and antenna. I may also wait and have those done at a Camping World in the USA, since they have a wide range of items for sale and facilities to install them.

Leo and Diane volunteered to drive us down and their Toyota Camry was in the driveway at 7:00 AM sharp. The drive south was uneventful except for the band of freshly fallen snow in the Barrie area. There was several inches of the white stuff on the ground.

Snow Near Barrie

We stopped at Tim Horton's in Bolton for lunch before heading to Cruise Canada. Our unit, decked out in its new Majestic decals, was inside. TJ took us on a tour of all the appliances and equipment. It was a whirlwind. Then it was hauled outside and we went through the steps to winterize it. More whirlwind. I did get the Cruise America book on how to run everything, but TJ didn't have any of the original manuals. He said that they are not provided by head office when he gets the units.

After all was done and the papers had changed hands, it was our motorhome. I climbed into it thinking that the last time I drove something this long was never. With Leo and Diane following, I pulled slowly out onto 50 Road northbound. As the V10 pulled the unit along, I realized this was heavy. The steering was sensitive until I got the hang of how not to over correct. Then it got easier.

We returned to Sudbury via 50 Road, Highway 9, Highway 400 and Highway 69 with stops at Waubaushene and the French river Trading Post. Diane got in at Waubaushene and kept Sandy company in the back for the rest of the ride.

Our Majestic Motorhome at the French River Trading Post

By the time we got home, I was getting quite comfortable in the driver's seat.  When we got there, I backed it into the driveway. It took a couple of tries to get lined up but I'll get the hang of it. Combined with the enclosed trailer I picked up earlier in the week, this thing takes up almost the whole driveway.

But it's home safely.

Today's Route (467 miles):


View Larger Map

Welcome Robyn Michelle Koolen

Mike called this morning to say that we had a new granddaughter. Robyn Michelle Koolen was born at 2:55 AM by C-Section and weighed 10 lbs 5.6 ozs. Mother and daughter were doing well.  The grandparents are thrilled.

Robyn Michelle Koolen

Thanksgiving Monday Ride

It was cold this morning but Leo, Doug and I decided that a Thanksgiving Monday ride was in order.  They showed up in my driveway a little after 10:00 AM, bundled up warmly.

We rode out old Highway 17, aka Municipal Road 55, and followed 17 to Nairn Centre  where we stopped for soup and a sandwich at Jeremy's Restaurant.  Despite Leo's protests that it wasn't really that cold, we decided to head back to town and swung around to Doug's place where we stopped in to visit a bit.  Then we headed for home via Radar Road.

It wasn't a long ride and it was cold and damp, but it was good to get out for a while.

Today's Route (103 miles):


View Larger Map

Cambridge Ontario to Sudbury Ontario

It was time to be homeward bound on this fine Thanksgiving Sunday morning. October 10th, 2010. That makes it 10/10/10. We had a fine Thanksgiving dinner at Kim and Mike's yesterday and spent much of the day playing with granddaughter Jolene.

We first set out today to share breakfast with Tom and Heather at Oscar's Restaurant on Victoria Street in Kitchener. The building Oscar's is in was a fast food restaurant at  one time but has been reworked into a family diner. They have a great breakfast menu and Sandy and I split an order of eggs, meat and pancakes. Good thing because there was a lot to share and, despite having only half an order, I still ate too much.

There were a lot of police on Highway 24 and again on the 400. We even saw a chilly Rocky and his police Harley giving a ticket on Highway 69. It looks like the new OPP Commissioner decided on a full blitz for the long weekend. Travelling at my usual 18 KPH over didn't seem to attract any attention.

It was a clear day, good for driving. There were still many trees in glorious fall colours. We did see that the northbound service centre in Barrie was going to be shut down in another ten days to be rebuilt as are so many across the province.

We arrived home by mid-afternoon with no unusual incidents.

Today's Route (295 miles):


View Larger Map

Cambridge Ontario to Bolton Ontario and Back Plus Woodstock

Yesterday was pretty quiet.  Sandy and Kim  sorted some stuff around the house and I did some of my overdue paperwork.  This morning, they went shopping and I made a trip back to Bolton to see Globetrotter RV about the additions to the motorhome.

Since it was after rush hour, I took the quickest cheap way to Bolton.  To stay cheap, you need to avoid the 407 because I think it has the highest toll rates in North America.  That's what you get when the province sells a major toll road to a foreign business.  But I digress.

After highballing into Bolton on the 401/427 and 50 Road, I stopped at Cruise Canada to talk to TJ about the  roof on the unit.  He confirmed it was a rubber membrane roof, the same as about 90% of the RV's produced these days.  That means I will need to learn to provide some TLC with regard to cleaning and UV treatments as well as avoiding any overhanging branches.  More specialized knowledge.

I then went up the road to Globetrotter where I spoke with Kevin, the owner, about adding a ladder (necessary for the roof maintenance), an amplified TV antenna and replacing the Mickey Mouse tow wiring with a proper seven pin wiring plug for the trailer.  He came back to Cruise Canada to look at the unit and we decided where the antenna wiring would go.  He and TJ worked out the details with the CC work being done next week and Kevin taking it the week after so it would be  ready for pickup on the 22nd.

I decided to return to Cambridge via the back roads.  I left Bolton on Mayfield Road where I was very surprised to see the roads covered with a layer of white salt.  Then I passed a brine truck going the other way laying down a wet saline solution.  It seems like very early in the season to be attacking this.  I followed many side roads (GPS set to avoid highways and Interstates) through Georgetown and made a short detour into Acton to grab lunch at McDonald's.  For a short ways, I followed a gentleman driving a Ford Model T, an unusual vehicle to see out on the road.  Many of the roads I followed would be excellent on a motorcycle.

Sandy and Kim were still out when I got back, but returned soon after.  Then we made plans to meet Heather at her office in Ayr about 5:00 PM.  Tom arrived soon after on his bike, which he had taken to work this morning.

Waiting for Heather in Ayr

As soon as Heather got off, we piled into the van and drove down the 401 to Woodstock to see how their new house was coming along. The progress has been good and we walked through checking out all the work that has been completed.

Heather & Tom's new home

Their house is near an exit on the 401 and, at that interchange, is a fairly new Truckstops of America facility. It even has a large truck wash that seemed to be in high demand and is one of the few places I have seen CB radios on sale. The menu had a first. I have never before in Canada seen chicken fried steak on a menu and our server said it was quite popular. No doubt. I skipped that in the interest of my waistline, however, and had a hot sandwich instead.

From Woodstock, we returned to Ayr where Heather and Tom departed for Breslau (where they are currently staying with Tom's parents), she in the car and he on his bike. Sandy and I returned to Cambridge for the evening.

Today's Route (118 miles):


View Larger Map

Sudbury Ontario to Cambridge Ontario and Motorhome Purchase

We're off to Cambridge. We told Kim we would come down for a few days to help her get things squared away because the new baby is due on October 16th.

In the course of further searching for motor homes, I found that Cruise Canada has some of their fleet up for sale. Their units are specially made for them by Four Winds in Elkhart, Indiana and, while resembling the retail versions of the Majestic series, have a few differences to help them withstand the demanding rental market. Their motorhomes go from the small at 19' to the large at 30'. All are Class C built on the Ford E chassis, with the smaller ones using the E350 with the 5.4L V8 and the largest using the 6.8L V10. I checked the RV forums and found some people dead set against buying rental units, but none of them had actually done it. Those who had generally reported being very satisfied with their purchases. At least you know with these units that they have been used and maintained. Cruise America (which includes Cruise Canada) has a program to refurbish the units prior to sale. I called TJ, the manager of the facility in Bolton, Ontario and arranged to stop by today on our way to Cambridge and check his inventory out.

It was cool and clear when we set out in the van today. After waiting for the road construction on the Southeast Bypass and getting by three flag persons, we headed south. The only notable thing was at the Key River where there were several flag persons. In the northbound lane, someone stopped and a truck towing a hunting camper didn't seem to notice in time. Moderate damage to the car, little to the truck and no apparent injuries.

The four lane past Parry Sound still wasn't open. I'm not sure if they will ever get done. When the Liberals took power in Ontario in 2003, they promised the four-laning between Parry Sound and Sudbury would be completed in twelve years. It sure doesn't look like they are going to make it. I did notice that the pavement was sparkling like diamonds in the lower sun. I imagine there must be a fair quartz content in the aggregate they used. Whatever the reason, it was sure pretty.

We left the 400 at King Road and headed west towards Bolton. I've never taken this road before and found it very scenic. Rolling hills, fall-coloured trees and some very large homes. We rolled into the Cruise Canada lot on 50 Road in Bolton at 1:00 PM.

TJ, the manager, brought up his list of 28A models for sale. One that caught my eye was a 2005 (chassis year, the RV is a 2006) model 28A with 99,000 kilometers on the clock. This is lowest mileage of any of this vintage in his stock. We went out and looked at it and another one of the lower mileage units. The 28A is just under 30' long and laid out much like the Winnie we looked at in Kitchener. It is powered by the V10 and has a dinette, jackknife couch/bed, kitchen, bathroom, shower and island queen in the back bedroom. It will sleep seven in a pinch if two of them are short. It includes a 40 gallon fresh water tank, Onan 4KW generator, furnace and roof A/C. One thing I like better than the Winnie was that it had a longer wheelbase, which resulted in less overhang at the back and a low stance so it didn't need an external step. Things it lacked were a ladder (to keep renters off the roof) and an external TV antenna. These things can be added quite easily later on. It also had no awning, but the CC gang can add one for a price.

There were a few things that needed repairing. We looked it over and made a list and TJ said they would also go over it as well. Cruise Canada provides a 12 month/18,000 kilometer power train warranty on every unit they sell. Sandy and I discussed it and she was much happier with this than the Winnie, so we signed the papers after getting $1,000 off the asking price and $500 off the awning. They will replace the Cruise Canada decals with conventional Majestic ones.  I gave TJ a $500 deposit and we talked about having the RV shop down the road install the ladder and TV antenna. We agreed that we would pick it up on October 22nd.

Motorhome left side

Front

Right

Inside looking ahead

Inside looking back

TJ marking us on the board

After leaving Cruise Canada, we stopped at Globetrotter RV to talk about the ladder and TV antenna. Then we headed south on 50 Road but, before we got to the 427, I got a cell phone call from TJ. It seems I had left with the RV keys in my pocket. Back we went and dropped them off.

The rest of the trip on the 427/407/401 was uneventful except for the truck that tipped over on the Highway 6 South ramp on the other side of the 401. Of course our side backed way up due to people slowing down to rubberneck. I didn't do that but I did get a picture.

Overturned truck - 401 @ Highway 6 S on ramp

We got to Kim's about 5:30, just in time to play a bit with Jolene and help her have supper. She went to bed soon after and we visited and watched TV until it was time to turn in as well.

Jolene and Grandma

Today's Route (289 miles):


View Larger Map

Freedom Riders Colour Run

Every fall in recent years, the Freedom Riders have planned a fall colour run. We don't usually get a large turnout because we leave it late enough in the season that it is pretty cold. Or raining. Or both. But that's OK because those of us who go always remember it.

President Rob decided that today would be the day. There was no rain in the forecast so Leo and I decided we'd go for it. It was +3C at 8:30 when he swung by my place to get me on his pretty red 2002 BMW 1150 RT. Sandy decided to skip this ride and stayed home. As we rode over to the meeting point at the Tim Horton's adjacent to the Canadian Tire on the south side of the city, it started to mist down on us. Have I ever mentioned that the weather man is a disreputable SOB? But we were already rolling and nothing as simple as getting wet in a wind in near freezing temperatures was going to stop us.

Under clouds that almost made it look like it was going to snow, we rolled into Timmy's and found Rob, his daughter Sam and VP Dan waiting (inside) for us. Lest we think ourselves too macho, there were four sport bikes there (two of them Hyabusas) piloted by ladies on their way 180 miles south to Barrie. They were well on their way to debugging a malfunctioning set of electric gloves when we pulled out.

Our first leg took us forty miles south to the French River Trading Post, where a stop for hot coffee seemed like a good idea. I had expected the ladies to blow by us somewhere along the way but we didn't see them at all. The Trading Post mascot is the famous Hungry Bear and he just happened to be around so we took advantage and got a group photo.

Sam, Dan, Rob & Leo with the Hungry Bear

After warm drinks, we decided we would short cut our Parry Sound destination and head across Highway 522 which started only 10 miles south of where we were. Dan said the road had been recently resurfaced and was in good shape. Rob said Sam wasn't comfortable on his V-Star due to the cold wind and asked if she could ride on the empty back seat on the Wing. No problem.

Sam and Rob get geared up at the French River

We headed on south to the turn-off to 522, which is right at the entrance to Grundy Provincial Park. I'm not sure what the current definition of resurfaced is, but the first few miles of light gravel over hard pack didn't seem to fit the description. We motored on, hoping for an improvement and soon we got it. From there to the village of Loring, we rode on old pavement but we made the most of it on the winding road. Then the resurfacing showed its face and we had good pavement through Arnstein to Golden Valley. Unfortunately, we were catching an eastbound rain cloud and so everything was wet. This necessitated a little more care in the corners, not to mention getting our boots wet. The last way to Highway 11, we crossed numerous short gravel patches where they were in the process of replacing culverts.

We arrived in the hamlet of Trout Creek, the eastern terminus of 522, cold and wet. The first place we encountered was TJ's Restaurant and Motel and Rob didn't hesitate in pulling in and shutting down.  I settled for a chicken, peameal (aka Canadian or back) bacon and onion sandwich, which perked me up considerably.

TJ's - Trout Creek Ontario

Coffee'd and fed, we headed north on Highway 11, stopping in North Bay for fuel. Then it was west on Highway 17 to the Tim Horton's in Sturgeon Falls for our final coffee break while a short shower spit down on us again. There were a few classic cars in the packed lot and we admired them while waiting for the liquid sunshine to go somewhere else.

Classic cars in Sturgeon Falls

The rest of the ride was uneventful and we were home by 3:00 PM. Not a bad day, all things considered. Too bad more people didn't get out for it.

Today's Route (276 miles):

View Larger Map