HEADING SOUTH FALL 2009

HEADING SOUTH – Fall 2009

Part One

The truck engine light went on three hours after leaving Aurora. Momentary panic, a curse then a pause; this happened three months ago.
The result of the previous event was a $700 bill for replacing spark plugs. “It could be your plugs or it could be your computer breaking down,” they said. Seven hundred dollars later, I know the answer.

“Put a piece of tape over the light if it bothers you,” said a car dealer in Kingston, “ and keep on driving.”

The drive to East Coast Resort in Parish, NY was wet and cold. Pulling the trailer out of storage on that damp field, made me sing the praises of 4-wheel drive. This 2-night stay was planned to allow us to enjoy the wonderful food at the resort café and to provide us with time to wander around Oswego.




We watched the Lake Ontario waves reach over the break wall that protects Oswego harbor. The day was sunny but cold as we strolled along the canal walk.

“ A light lunch? I have just the most wonderful place for you! The Port Bakery and Café has soups, paninibreadsandwiches,hot drinks,salads and desserts. Itisthemostwonderfulplaceand togetthereyou havetowalkbytheMoonCandyShop whichhasthemostdeliciousdarkchocolate. Evenbetteristheirsponge toffee!” This rapid-fire speech was delivered by Millie, the NYC transplant, who was in the River's End Bookstore. I felt like I was listening to MLK delivering his “I have a dream” oration.

People always make the place. We will return to Oswego - in warmer weather.
On the drive back to Parish the engine light went off. Smile.

Part Two

Our day travels are planned to be about 250 miles which works out to be about a five hour drive. There are occasions when that drive can seem like twenty-four hours long. Our drive to Gettysburg was going to be one of those extended journeys. We now are thinking about re-calculating our mileage and time. Seems I goofed someplace.
Anyway, we pulled into the Gettysburg Battlefield RV Resort – think about that name for a bit. We've been here before.

On Saturday, we drove, rather, meandered, through apple orchards to the National Apple Harvest Festival in Arendtville. A florescent vest directed us into a huge field for parking. “Ahh.. this reminds me of Florida,” remarked Cathy. She had remembered the occasion we attended a Civil War re-enactment. It was an overcast day as the troops were mustering for battle. (Once again we were parked in a damp field.) There the Blues facing the Grays. Muskets were firing and smoke rising as the mounted soldiers charged with swords raised. I was watching the sky; it was turning black. I suggested we head for the truck before the skies opened and everything would swallowed in a sea of mud. Good decision. Many didn't make it. It is hard to sing praises to Jesus when you are up to your axles in mud.


But, it was a nice day for the festival. The yellow school buses ran steadily all day bringing the field-parked to the fairgrounds. Crafts upon crafts; hay bales and pumpkins; apples and cattle; steam engines and bluegrass crooning; native dancing and a Gospel puppet show.


Part Three
We patronized the resort café early Sunday morning. Over looking the pool while eating eggs and bacon. The pool is massive: three thirty-foot long basins of water joined in the shape of a “Y”. Time to move on.

The day's drive was a tedious one. It meant driving the full breadth of Virginia. Have to fix my calculations.
Arrived at Fort Chiswell / Max Meadows mid-afternoon. We are attached to Fort Chiswell. It was here we rolled and totaled both truck and trailer two years ago. I feel like I left part of myself here. The residents treated us well. Some still remember the “Blessed Ones” - as they called us.
I dropped Cathy at the laundromat and went to fuel the truck. When I came back I found her in the Casa Mexicana having a coffee with Senora Owner. What about the laundry!

This is the second day for the Casa. Business is good. We came back for supper – quesadilla Mexican – tortillas grilled and stuffed with shrimp, peppers, onions and tomatoes, served with rice sour cream, and lettuce.
This the fourth in a chain operated by the Senora and her relatives. “We're Mexican. We have big families!”

We have now worked out the bugs in our trip planning system. We have added a day to our journey to Yonah Mountain. Monday we will only drive as far as Greenville, South Carolina. We will arrive at Yonah on our wedding anniversary!