Nine Days and Counting...

It's April 27, and things are hopping. We are supposed to get HaRVey the RV back from the shop tomorrow. Except for one week it has been in the shop since the end of January. (Don't ask!) We believe that the gauge panel in the dashboard will actually be installed and working.

We still won't have had our windowshades repaired, and who knows what else, but HaRVey will be back and we will get to work packing up to leave.

All of our friends seem to want to make sure we are really leaving, so they are setting up dates for dinner and such before we go. Jan and Ray Mintz are actually throwing a party they are so excited we are leaving!

This will be a completely different experience from the past three summers. During those adventures we were traveling almost every day. This year we will be set up in one place for four months. This means a major difference in the way we pack and the way we will live. For instance, we are getting a screen room that attaches to HaRVey's awning and gives us mosquito-free (hopefully) living in the great outdoors. We will probably bring a small TV to set up outside as well as a couple of lounge chairs. (Hey - we're working here. We are entitled to some down time.) We are even bringing plants, a hammock chair, and maybe a bird feeder.

We will have cable TV, and we should (make that damn well will) have an Internet connection of one sort or another. Just in case I have my digital TV adapter hooked up to get the new signals from the antenna. All in all it should be a great summer.

I would rather not be away for four months. There is a lot of stuff we will miss in Sun City. But that is the commitment they needed, so we made it. Having said that, four months in the summer in Lake George is not exactly cruel and unusual punishment.

Here is the really exciting part for those of you who follow such things -- we will NOT BE POSTING on either Twitter or Facebook.

More to come....

We'll All Be Gone for the Summer...

Summer in Lake George, NY. We have accepted a job at Lake George Escape RV Resort.

There are many RV parks that use the term "resort" in their name, but this place really means it. They have about 600 sites on the Schroon River and just about every activity that you can imagine.

We will be working in the Activities Department of the "Fun and Games" section. That means we will be glorified camp counsellors doing things like leading tubing trips, driving the shuttle into town, driving the tractor for hayrides, and running sing-alongs and such. I don't want to say that this is a perfect fit, but it's pretty close.

After two summers of trekking through Alaska we decided to look in another direction this year. Financially it works out about the same, but there will be MUCH less wear-and-tear on HaRVey the RV and we won't have to be driving almost every day. It's a long commitment - May 11 through Labor Day, but 4 months in Lake George in the summer is not exactly cruel and unusual punishment.

Here is the link if you are interested in more info: www.lakegeorgeescape.com

The really ironic thing is that we stayed at this park about 20 years ago when Brian was at camp in the Berkshires and we have very fond memories of the park.

Satisfaction

Wake up and drive is our mantra today and we breeze through Atlanta and south through Macon to Interstate 95 heading north from Savannah to Bluffton. We finally reached Exit 8 and turned east to Sun City. It feels so good to be back at our house.

Everything looks so green and beautiful here with flowers blooming and the very hot sun shining. Our street was paved while we were gone and it looks great. We pulled up and were greeted by a few neighbors and began to unpack. Getting everything out of HaRVey took all afternoon, but it was finally done and we collapsed. Later we ate, started the laundry and got back to the normal routine. It felt so good to take a real shower and sleep in our king size bed.

What a wonderful adventure we had. I need some time to reflect on all the incredible things we saw and experienced. We are so lucky to have had this opportunity to drive to some of the most beautiful places on earth and to meet so many interesting people.

Thanks for reading this blog and I hope to continue when we plan our next trip.

The Two of Us

We're Going Home. Left Branson and drove a two lane road through the hills of Missouri and finally reached Arkansas. Breezed through that state and crossed the Mississippi River to Memphis, Tennessee. Headed south through the tips of Missippi and Alabama and spent the night in a rest area just west of Atlanta, Georgia.

No photos and no real traffic and we are anxious to get to our house.

Bumper Sticker of the Week

I like God.

It's his fan club I'm not so crazy about.

Little Boxes

Branson is "Little Boxes Made of Ticky Tack" and lots of traffic. Everything is so spread out that you are dependent on your car or a shuttle service to get most places. In the morning we drove in bumper to bumper traffic to the shopping area called Branson Landing and took the Duck Tour. If you've never done one of these - you should. Most cities with water (lake or river) offer these and it is not your regular city tour. They use WWII amphibious vehicles and each guest gets a duck quacker to hang around their neck. The guide is always funny and encourages the tourists to dance in their seats with loud music and to quack at people you pass.

Jeff and I love the Ducks and quacked along with the kids and driver. The highlight is floating the vehicle in the water and we had a 30 minute ride after we saw the old town of Branson. We had lunch near the water and then headed back to the RV to do a final load of laundry. It wasn't so bad since the swimming pool was right next to the laundry room and we swam and sunbathed while waiting for the washers and dryers to get our clothes clean.

We had dinner a a rib joint and then went to see a show called "SIX" which featured six real brothers singing a cappella. We were skeptical since we had been warned that some of the shows weren't great. Imagine Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, a cowboy version of Medieval Times. Anyway this show rocked us and we even bought a CD to enjoy at home.

Tack, Tack, Tacky at Heaven's Door

Branson, Missouri - a town that grew geometrically because of a minister's love of the area - is like a cross (no pun intended) between Las Vegas without the charm and a carnival midway with a soupcon of red necks and national chain stores thrown in. We were warned by Cousin Arnie, but you sort of have to see it to believe it. There must be more than 50 shows in town. All feature either has-beens (The Comets [sans Bill Haley], The Coasters, The Drifters, Andy Williams, and Paul Revere and the Raiders [in full pirate costumes!!!]) or never-weres of whom we have never-heard.

Other than that Branson is pretty nice. We are in a lovely campground 100 yards off the main strip. It's easy to find the campground. We are right behind the half-size replica of The Titanic. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains surrounded by some beautiful lakes. To take advantage of all the area has to offer we are taking the Duck Tour this afternoon. (If you know what the Duck Tour is, you understand. If not, you should try one some time. They are available in most tourist areas where there is water.)

The best thing Branson has to offer is that we are less than 1000 miles from home. Yes, it's that time. All good things must come to an end. We should be home by the end of the week.

It's been a terrific summer. Lots of ups and downs, but many, many more ups. Don't ask us what we did all summer. Until we go back and read the blog and edit the pictures (5000+!!!) I am not sure we could tell you.

RVing is a wonderful lifestyle. Like any other choice it has its pros and cons, but we wouldn't hesitate to spend another summer in HaRVey the RV. Having said that, there's no place like home.