A thunderstorm awakened me about 6 AM on Wednesday, August 13, 2014. Typically, the monsoon rains erupt in the afternoon, last a few hours and subside by early evening. There was nothing typical about this storm. I arose, got my morning routine started and checked the weather radar to plan my departure from the Countryside RV Resort in Apache Junction AZ. Seeing that the storm was merely a squall line that should clear the area in an hour or two, I sipped a couple of mugs of steamy joe as I leisurely started preparing the interior for travel. After all, the office didn’t open until 8 AM, and I had to pay my electric bill. Monthly rental rates typically do not include electricity whereas daily and weekly rates do. My journey from Apache Junction to Las ... read more

According to MapQuest, the drive from Heritage Mobile Home & RV Park in Augusta GA to Town and Country RV Resort in Sanford FL via I-16 and I-95 would be 379.09 miles and would take 5 hours and 56 minutes. Of course, that allows no time for “truck fuel” stops, potty breaks or “people fuel” stops and does not account for my “slower-than-the- speed-limit” pace. Generally, I find myself padding the calculated “trailer-in-tow” travel time by about fifty percent which seems to work quite well. I got a 9AM start which should have me in Sanford about 6PM. That’s a long day behind the wheel for this lightweight! My post-5PM arrival on Thursday, December 19, 2013 found my customary site (AND the spot I had called to reserve a few weeks beforehand) occupied. I encountered one ... read more

The Charlotte NC area is the heart of NASCAR and definitely was in my crosshairs for sometime during The Great Adventure. I had been told the best time to visit the NASCAR team shops was during the off season (the last Cup race is the Sunday before Thanksgiving) when the travelling portion of the team and all the equipment has returned. I decided that this would be a good year to linger in the more northern climate long after the leaf-peeping season had passed and planned accordingly. I also had been told the team souvenir trucks convene at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for a clearance sale of the season’s left-over merchandise on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day. This fit in perfectly with my Wednesday travel day. I would go to a homeless shelter in Charlotte for ... read more

The drive from Asheville NC to the Oak Hollow Family Campground in High Point NC, a suburb southeast of Winston-Salem, was just over 160 miles and slightly less than three hours. The weather was great. Just before reaching metro Winston-Salem, the driver spotted a billboard touting Granny's Country Kitchen in Icard NC and pulled off the freeway for some people-fuel. Proverbially looking for something new and unusual, whether as a tourist attraction or as a menu item, I spotted a livermush breakfast combo and blurted, “What, for Pete’s sake, is livermush?” After a brief explanation (actually a total waste of words because my decision already had been made), I ordered, “Livermush with eggs over medium, home fries and a biscuit will work just fine!” The livermush came as a deep-fried, rectangular patty and tastes like it ... read more

Since inclement weather was in the forecast for Thursday, October 24, 2013, I picked up the water and sewer hoses, retracted the stabilizer jacks and connected the Pilgrim to my truck on Wednesday afternoon during a break in the weather. I have done this in the past when I am on a level camping site to expedite the tear-down process on departure day whether because of the weather or because of a long driving day. The forecast was on the mark with Thursday morning revealing a steady, heavy drizzle. About the only remaining task was to pick up the electric cord. The drive east on US 36 from Rockville IN began in a light drizzle but quickly changed to snow and sleet and then back again. Just west of Indianapolis IN, I headed south on the ... read more