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Published: January 6th 2018
Up and at ‘em. Time to keep moving. We have places to go and things to do. Grab your stuff and let’s go. NOPE....not going anywhere fast. A car has blocked us in at the Microtel in Statesville, N.C. where we spent the night. Oh, dear. I put a post on Facebook last night announcing our arrival here. I included a photo of Lulu drooling over our delivered pizza and wings. What were we thinking? I guess we ordered so much because we knew you all would be starving. It was tasty but way too much for even you so Cory took a pizza and a half down to the desk staff. They were appreciative. We struggled a little here at this Microtel. The heat was not on in our room upon our arrival AND you know how chilly it’s been: frigid cold! The thermostat read 50 degrees! We cranked it up to 80 degrees but it took hours just to get to 72. Cory even resorted to holding the hairdryer from the bathroom and aiming it in my direction. Bless his heart! It didn’t do much but his effort was to be admired.
Whoa. We do have to back
Hair Dryer Help
Blowing hot air my wayup a little bit here. Prior to checking into this Microtel, we originally stopped in Jonesville, NC at “America’s Best Value Inn.” We like to look for places that advertise themselves as RV/Truck Friendly so we know there is a large parking area. Our guide stated this Value Inn was one of them. Once winding down a narrow, bumpy pathway we came up this place. Uh-Oh. Pretty worn looking....even from the outside. But we had made a trying effort to get here. Maybe it will be okay. Wrong! Parking area stunk and the place stunk more. Got inside the cold room and moaned! Yew! No good! Shabby looking. Almost like a room one might rent by the hour...if you know what I mean. The old air conditioner/heater combo that was caulked into the window blew tepid air. No hot water. Stains on the bedspread which is always immediately toss on the floor anyway. It’s a no-go. We heard your complaints. Cory got our money back. We loaded back up and headed down the road.....to Statesville and the Microtel. We’ve done this routine before (fortunately not often)....it’s always such a let down after maneuvering the RV around getting there....finding ourselves faced
Eat Up, Lulu
Too good but too much with an old flea-bitten dump. No more Best Values for us! Live and learn - eh.
Back at the Microtel, upon departure, Cory was all set to unhook the car in order to jockey the RV around the blocking car when the owner came out. After he puttered around, scraping his windshield and who knows what, he moved!! And so did we!
It’s still bitter cold....Tundra level temps. We are getting weak just wearing so many layers of clothes. Like wearing an old fashioned diving suit....weights us down! The roads are good so we can’t complain about that. Cruising along in a merry way, we feel content - cold - but content. No major problems to contend with. WRONG! I spoke way too soon. Wouldn’t you just know it! We heard a thump. Usually it’s just something that has fallen on the floor. We are poorly packed this trip. Just piled stuff all over the place. We are supposed to have everything put away and secure, just in case, there was a mishap, so we would have no flying objects which would become death causing missiles. Forget it...we would all be dead with everything that would in-pail us.
Inside our RV
A clutter hole Anyway, I took the walk-of-dread to the back of the RV. Confused and puzzled, I found nothing...no problems. Strange. Cory stopped the RV along the road so we can check outside. No taking anymore changes thinking it’s nothing and will just go away....been there, done that! We hear your clapping. Nope....neither of us see anything different or wrong. Okay......We carry on and mosey down the highway. Cory pulls into a Pilot truck stop for gas. We check everything again...nope - nothing. Pulling out of the truck stop, we now hear a loud flapping sound! What?? Where?? I locate it in the area of above our shower, somewhere on the roof. Cory pulls onto the edge of the ramp area so we can look again. Can’t see a thing from ground level. I walked up a slight knoll behind us but still can’t visualize anything. Poor Cory had no choice. It’s he or me....HE climbs the ladder attached to the back of our RV (still in freezing weather, mind you). Carefully, and ever so gingerly, he slides himself along the roof of our RV like a snake in the grass. He pushes on every “item”up there.....finding nothing that looks amiss. Cautiously,
Riding Our Roof
Cory perched high in the sky he lowers himself back down the ladder. What to do? Just get back in the RV and go again. We chat back and forth wondering what it could have been as we don’t hear anymore flapping. Can you hear anything? Oh, well.....time will tell if something flew off or whatever. We will have it checked again at a later date.
Once Cory heads us east on I-26, we now see the remnants of the winter storm that just went up the east coast. Snow in South Carolina and Georgia! Sounds and looks foreign. The roadsides still had a covering of white snow because the cold temperatures prevented any chance of melting.
Even though we can see the snow on the ground, we start talking about the need to get dewinterized in the near future. Surely, we can & have to find above freezing temps somewhere....soon. I make several calls to various Camping World’s along our route. Rats...none of them can get us in! One even said not until February......are you kidding? Dream on. I contact an RV service and sales place in Brunswick, Georgia. The lady is very nice and said if we could get there now, they
Checking our roof
Descending the RV ladder could do us! We were about 20 minutes away so off we sped. Her directions and WAZE were good. It’s not a big place but they got the job done and were very friendly and helpful. They even replaced a broken heater anode rod that was discovered in the process. The name of this service place is Newcastle RV Sales & Service. We would recommend it to anyone in need of RV work. We need to fill our propane tank before we get to Tropical Palms. Debbie, their service manager, was so helpful. She checked on a few places and then gave us directions where we could go for the propane. Lulu truly enjoyed herself here during our brief wait. She met their “adopted”neighbor dog who relished in the warmth of his own chair. Lulu jumped at the chance to pose with all of them for our blog photo. She doesn’t miss a trick.
The plan was that I would drive our car (Cory had unhooked it from the RV) three miles down this highway to a Cash & Gas place where we would get the propane. Cory would follow behind me in the RV. Now, know.....I’m getting older
At a Rest Stop
Our car is fllthy. Looks like a mud hut and driving in unfamiliar territory is not my forte. Especially if there’s a lot of traffic. I never drive in Florida. I’m like Miss Daisy.....Cory drives me everywhere. But...this seem fairly easy.....not going far and it wasn’t an interstate highway. Cory backs the RV around at the service place and I move into position for him to let me by........NOPE! What the....? He pulls right out ahead of me. Oh, well....I follow quickly. No big deal. But wait....what now? He’s got his blinker lights on and is now turning left......and we aren’t even close to the propane place. I’m still following. OMG!! Where’s he going. Noooooooooo. He’s getting back onto I-95. The BIG TIME highway with ALL the traffic. Nooooooo. I have to follow. Has he forgotten I’m behind him? Did he think the car is still attached? Does he not realize I’m not in the RV co-pilot seat? What is he thinking....what is he doing.....where is he going? What the hell! I’m scared and nervous as I sail along directly behind him....fearful to look anywhere but straight ahead at the back of the RV. We are flying down this speedway! I’m white knuckling it all the way. I can’t
see anything. The windshield is filthy. It’s like I’m trying see through a burlap bag. The wiper fluid doesn’t work. HELP! I’m flashing my lights....working the blinkers....sending my SOS to this speedster ahead of me. Nothing! Why, God, Why? What is happening? Will he ever stop? The trucks and cars are wizzing past us. I’m nauseous and weak. I keep telling myself “Buck Up! You can do this! You have to!” Where is the next exit? Will we have to go all the way to Miami? It seems that way to me. Finally, the blinker goes on the RV. Oh, thank God, he’s getting off this rush hour raceway....yes, he’s pulling over.....so am I. My leg is shaking so bad I can hardly get the brake on but I do....I have to! I’m numb. I’m shaken to the core. AND there is a Cor I would like the shake! Yes, he’s walking back to the car: my torture chamber. I spoke first as he opened the passenger door. These words will remain encrypted.....my remarks were not sweet and pretty. All he could say was he thought I was going to go first!! Don’t even try to figure out our conversation.
You don’t want to go there. Enough talk...let’s get this mess cleared up. We proceed once again as a caravan....me following behind in the car....to a truck stop just ahead where Cory hooks up the car so I can resume my place back in the RV. I wanted to sit in the back of the bus and Cory agreed but there’s no room there....rats! Forget the propane.....that’s for another day. Right now we need to find a place to stay and settle down. Remember how in the beginning of these current blogs, I mentioned my blood pressure was acting up? Well.....let me tell you....after this unpleasant episode.....it’s a wonder I’m not drooling out of one side of my mouth all over this blog!
We are back in another Microtel. We are in Kingsland, Georgia. It’s very nice here but Cory had to unhook the car again to get the RV parked in their skimpy lot. Our hitch will be worn out before this trip is over. Cory’s fingers will be down to nubs. We walked to a nice Italian restaurant: Angelo’s. Not a big place and crowded. Had to wait awhile for a seat but well worth it. The
New Castle RV
They dewinterized our RV food was delicious.
So....nothing left to do now except relax and get some rest. Easier said than done after this taxing trial I was put through. We are excited knowing we will get to Florida and to Tropical Palms tomorrow.....hopefully.....barring any unforeseen events. We will stop somewhere for the propane but that shouldn’t take long....I’m almost afraid to say that.
So, fellow travelers, we shall now be only forward looking and begin to make our “2018 bucket list”of places you want to go and things you want to see. Oh, we are going to have such a good time. Having all of you to share it with makes everything so exciting. We’ll get up early so we can get a good start ...... just in case we hit a little snag along the way. Naaa......that won’t happen....please!!
P.S. - keep the page scrolling way down...more photos await you.
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Janice
non-member comment
Love your blog! Hopefully you make it to your Florida home today! Maybe an airplane would be a great plan for next winter??