Last Installment

A Rough Day

This Trip Coming to a Close

We drove down to Woodbine again for for the Friday night Bluegrass Opry.

Halfway through the concert, Dana and Michelle, South Dakota winter-break students, sat down beside us. They are staying with Dana's brother in Kingsville ( a one-horse town where the horse has died BUT they do have a Huddle House out by the I-95 Interstate).

They can't believe what they are witnessing. They've never seen 15 musicians rotating their way by the mike, singing bluegrass and gospel. I tell Michelle that this 'unplugged' night. Tomorrow night they play CW music with electronic back-up.

M and D sit in amazement as the ticket draw for the thirteen cakes and two bottles of Georgia Cane Sugar takes place. I didn't win any tonight; neither did I win the 50/50 draw.

There is some unique talent in the Woodbine Opry shows. The music relies heavily on the twangy gospel spectrum. Occasionally that can grate on the nerves but there are many laughs to ease the pain.

http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org/

While Cathy changed our bedding for a different color, at Belk's, I visited the glass repair shop and made an appointment for 8 AM on Monday. To be there at 8 will be a challenge. Once again, I need a chip in the windshield fixed. I collect chips like some people collect stamps!

They did a great job. As soon as they were finished we had a delicious breakfast at the Subway stand in Wal Mart. How good can it get!

Sitting in a Rocking Chair on St. Simon's Island

Is there a better way to spend a day?

Today, Saturday, March 14, is the day of the great Georgia road side sale. It starts here on the Island and ranges along a highway well up into mid-Georgia. We have some things to sell.

Follow-up: The Island part had three tables – Blah! This was as disappointing as last year over in Brunswick. I hope it is better up state. We'll sell our stuff when we get home or at the campground.

Another follow-up: We didn't sell our stuff; instead we took it into the Brunswick UU for their garage sale (proceeds to the Salvation Army and Habitat).

Our Next Purchase?

Actually, taking a cruise is free.

Once again, I declare that we are not birders, however, they do supply some enjoyment.

Back, earlier in the trip, in the Savannah wildlife refuge, we spotted the Glossy Ibis. Beautiful iridescent feathers standing on a tree branch rather the marsh. This was good. The ground was covered with sun bathing gators.

Foam Puppies

Nature made Laughing Gulls to provide some humor in the long walks on the ocean's edge.

Those black headed Laughing Gulls were definitely in fine form the other day; I really think it is breeding season. This pair were singing and talking to each other and that included their cackling laugh. Along comes a regular gull; the Laughing Gull puffs up his feathers and heads right for the intruding bird before it lands.

The cute birds on the beach, and the smallest, are the Sanderlings. They scoot along so fast, in groups of ten or twenty, that you can't see their legs. They look like miniature hovercraft as they look for food by turning over pebbles. Cathy thinks they look like tiny Fred Flintstones making his car run with his feet.

I am finishing this entry while tucked away from the wind behind a sand dune on the beach. The wind is pushing the waves on to the sand at a good speed. An older couple are tossing food to the seagulls and watching the birds hang in the air to catch it.

Occasionally, I blow the sand from my keyboard then I check to make sure that the university student beside me isn't getting too much sun. It slipped my mind to tell her and her friends about the warmer beach at he south end. Maybe next time.

Our time here is drawing to an end. I am seafood-ed out! I don't want to see any fish or shrimp for at least a week!

We have met a lot of Ontario residents this year. This is different for us. Usually there are no Canadians in the spots we camp.

We have gone ahead and booked a spot here on Jekyll Island up until 2012. It is great.

Tonight we attended a concert. Friday will be the Bluegrass concert in Woodbine. Sunday will be the Blessing of the Fleet in Darien and then, a week from this Friday will be the Bluegrass night at the Rex Theater in Galax, VA. There is a book sale at the hospital in there some place. That will pretty well finish this trip.

Thank you for being with us. The blog entries are getting thinner, I know, but, I am just having such a darn good time in the sun!

Driftwood Beach

Hugs to you all,

Greg and Cathy

March 25, 2009

P.S. If you remember the university student, Kat, who befriended us last fall in Tennessee, keep her in your thoughts. Last week she did battle with an SUV and lost. Two broken ankles were the result. She will not be finishing this term at Auburn. For being a pretty active person, life has come to a grinding halt. Hugs to Kat!

University Students

Waiting for the Inevitable

The island is hosting a lot of university students for all of March. They are here to play in the Frisbee championships.
The young men and women, in their off times, can be found building sandcastles on edge of the surf and daring the waves to melt the walls of the fortresses; they can be found peddling around the island on the rental bikes and they can be found practicing their Frisbee throws and blocks along the beach. They are enjoyable to talk to.
One macho male, on a very cold day at the beginning of the month, said that his group wasn't chilly because they were from Wisconsin.
Before I left the beach, I went back to them and told them that there was a warmer beach. The bluish-tinged barefooted women, with their hoods pulled up and their arms folded over their chest, stuttered, ''Warmer? Where?''
I drew a map in the sand and they immediately told the men, ''That's where we're going tomorrow!''

The Colors of the Marsh

Windward

Receding Tide Reveals the Sandbar

Miles and Miles and Miles

Birds Have Cleaned Their Plate

Looking Toward Brunswick

Addicted to Spanish Moss

Spring Journey: Aurora to Georgia Part One

We have been quite tardy in getting out this mail,
But this can be explained – I can, I shall, I will.
It has to do with busy-ness, and bicycles, and trails,
Not to mention seafood, friends, and bookstores -
With tons of stuff for sale!

(I should never have purchased that Ogden Nash poetry book.)

Waiting for Inspiration

Leaving Aurora
Four minutes from the house we pass a runner. He is struggling with his breathing as he lumbers along the sidewalk pushing his 250 pound body to the limit. It is 23 degrees F (-5 C). He is wearing blue track pants and shoes - that is all that he is wearing.

We left the house at 10.30 wanting to get to Niagara Falls before a predicted storm arrived.
It took slightly longer to leave the house this time; we had some extra clean up because our neighbors are taking over our house while theirs is under renovation.

The last task for Cathy was to toss a carrot into the back yard for our winter tenant: Bugsy Wabbit.

Haven't seen a rabbit yet!

Our first major stop was at the Foster's Food and Fashion Shoppe in Fonthill, ON. For six hours we dined, conversed and viewed fashion. Katrina displayed her dance costumes, David shared winter plowing adventures while Clay and Melodie cooked pasta and veal parmigiana. A great evening with friends acquired on a camping adventure in North Bay, many, many years ago!

There were snow showers from Niagara Falls to Clarksburg, WV, however, there was no snow on the road and the visibility was great. At Erie, PA, they were under a winter warning so we gave up that planned stop.

Crossing the border was fun.
''What is your destination?''
''Brunswick, Georgia, and I know that you are familiar with it.''
Immediate double-take followed by all the normal questions then a big smile. ''How do you know that I am familiar with Brunswick?''
''Because that is where you received your security training.''
He laughed and wished us a great vacation.

Bridgeport, WV
We often meet itinerant workers: men who travel from state to state, working on gas pipe lines and power plant projects.
On the way out of the motel we met a worker coming in. His comment: “If I had to live here, I'd put a bullet in my head.” It was a cold, blustery day in Bridgeport, West Virginia. The wind was .... across the parking lot has we headed into the El Rincon Mexican Restaurant; this is our hangout in Bridgeport. We have feasted there a number of times. I went in to visit my friend Margarita.


A Commercial – Sort of - Pocketmail

Most of you know that we used a mini-pocket email gadget for many years of our travel. This device made it possible for us to type up our newsletters and send them over regular phone lines. As Wi-Fi became the standard for campgrounds and phone accessibility became limited, we switched to using the computer.

Pocketmail offered to buy back my unit but, on thinking this over, I decided that I could use it as a PDA; write my thoughts while stretched out on the couch or bed, then transfer the writing to the computer. Originally, there was a program to facilitate the transfer.
Computers have changed and there seemed to be a glitch in the program. I contacted Pocketmail and they told me they would be unable to help; they said I would have to contact the original makers of the software.
I hunted down Compulink; they replied that they were unfamiliar with the program and denied ownership. Excuse me! Their story changed when I sent them an image of the software disk and the software listing of the staff who had created the program. Their new story: “ We made it for Pocketmail; you will have to contact them for support.”
I suggested that both companies should find a third company to blame.
With some thinking and experimentation I discovered the solution. I let them know but I also refused to share it with them.

Third Night
We planned our third night on the road to be Mayberry, RFD. (Mt. Airy, NC). The truck was filthy but we hunted down a car wash and I was careful not to wash out the snow. I wanted to see how far I could carry the white Canadian Blessing.
At last we found downtown Mt. Airy. We had never been successful before. Tim and Jer remember Mt. Airy for Goober's restaurant.

We stayed a couple of days at River Bottom Farms before heading to Savannah, but, that is another story.

Summary of the First Part of the Trip

SPRING 2009
Summary: February 21 - February 26
Just a quick update: After 3 overnight stays - Niagara Falls, ON; Clarksburg, WV; Mt Airy, NC - we arrived in Swansea, SC with snow still in the back of the truck.
Two nights in the trailer and now we are in Hardeeville, SC (Savannah, GA).
The stories we have collected so far will be posted in the next couple of days.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

You all have a wonderful time during this season.
With the passing of another year and with another Winter Solstice under our belt, that can only mean that our winter/spring trip is not too far ahead!
Check back here in late February.
Hugs to you all, Greg and Cathy.

PS. The greatest grandchildren in the world!

End of the Fall 2008 Travelogue

We pack away our things and make lists of what we have to do to return in the spring.
The two of us are really organized and it doesn't take long. The trailer rests at River Bottom Farms in South Carolina. Jim, Susan, Dana, and sometimes Hannah watch over it until mid-Feb. Website: www.riverbottomfarms.com





Our trip usually closes with a visit to the small U.U.C. congregation in Aiken, SC. It feels like home there even though we only show up two or three times a year. We wish them well in their expansion program.


On our way back we completed another section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have only two sections left to do. There was some mist as we started up: mist means low hanging cloud. The highest peak in Virginia still remains a mystery to us even though we passed over it traveling at 5 miles per hour. Very thick cloud!
Website: www.blueridgeparkway.org



As with every trip we met wonderful people. There were cool nights around campfires with families and church lunches with vibrant university students like Katherine N. in Tennessee - never seen anyone take so long eating a bagel!
It was trip for renewing some friendships: a college room mate and his family in Pennsylvania; Doyle and Francis in Boone Mills, VA - a retired Methodist minister.

And who can forget the trip to see the elk. Cathy never will!

As we crossed back into Canada the temperature was 73 degrees. One mile into Ontario and the temperature dropped to 50 and fog settled in. Amazing!

And that is it. There was a time, just a little over a year ago, when we thought we would not be traveling again. We are so thankful that did not happen!
You all have a good winter. Stay safe. Stay warm. And should the Fates be kind, we will see you all again in late February. Love and hugs to you all, Greg and Cathy.

Maggie Valley, North Carolina 2008

October 27, 2008
Canadians on the Road
Maggie Valley, NC

WITCHES PARKING ONLY!
All others will be toad.

(All pictures are at the end. Don't forget to click on each one to see a larger image.)


I am a good person. I gave up my parking spot to someone who was going to the Sarah Palin Rally in Asheville.

It was a lovely day for shopping and walking around. We went downtown for lunch after church. (Cathy was happy because she had just finished singing "Gonna Wash That Man Right Out-A My Hair!" The theme on Sunday was "Carefully Taught: Reflections on Oscar Hammerstein". All songs and readings were from Hammerstein.)
Website: www.uuasheville.com

We were happy to see that Olga Dorenko still had her fine art gallery in Battle Square. Unfortunately, for everyone, she is closing the gallery this week. This will give her an opportunity to build up her collection of wonderful paintings. Olga loves to talk and is a delight to converse with. Her first language is Russian but she does extremely well with the English.
Website: www.olgadorenko.com

The leaf colors were so rich yesterday. There is a definite chill in the air with possible snowflakes in the forecast. The couple, Bernice and Bob, in the pop-up camper, go back to Maryland today. They are fanatic Canadian Football League fans. They go to every Grey Cup game. They will be glad for the warmth of their house.

Bill, down the road, also in a Wildcat RV, introduced me to the secrets of re-wiring my hot water heater. That will be a spring project. - Along with replacing that vent on the roof - I have the new part but not the will to go climbing on the roof!
Bill stopped Cathy to thank us for sending them up the side roads that run off of the main valley. There is so much hidden up these back , twisting roads. Hidden 'coves' are what they call them here. You get to see hidden valleys that are like little Edens. They all have small streams running down between the cottonwoods, oaks, and maples. A lot of nice homes with curious driveways. "Curious" is my way of saying: not a nice place to be on an icy day.

I have no idea where Turtle and Elizabeth go everyday. Turtle and his wife are in the trailer across from us. They are never around. What kind of relationship could you have had with your parents when you became old enough to realize they had named you after a swamp creature? Even with normal names familial relationships can go awry - this I well-know - of course that is time when you start giving each other swamp creature names. Turtle's parents got the order of things mixed up.

We have driven along the Blue Ridge Parkway and picnicked. We have done winding and twisting roads. To travel in a valley with all the trees on the mountain sides in full color, is to be totally immersed in awesomeness. We never get tired of it.

We have a few more days before we leave here. We have started to straighten things around. We won't be in SC too long, so are starting to clean up the trailer before storing it. We have ant traps, antifreeze and Damp-Rid.

On the way back we have a stop-over in Moosic, PA. and then should be home at week this coming Friday.

I am sure we will be back here again. Our thoughts are already planning next fall's journey; it could be the mountains of northern Georgia.

You all keep warm and thanks for traveling with us,
Greg and Cathy.