Trip to the Farm

Tree at the CG,
Beautiful!!

Wednesday Oct 15    We took a break from everything today, had breakfast on the grill and just relaxed the morning away.  About noon we headed over to visit Kate and Tony and check out the new house.  The place is really nice and the master bath is huge with a whirlpool  tub.  It looks much bigger than the old but it is just 4 feet longer.  Tony was working on the last deck railing and Kate is trying to get the inside organized.  We had a nice chat, burgers and headed home around 9pm.

Thursday 16 Oct.  We spent most of the day getting ready to move over to the farm.  French toast and sausage for breakfast a little clean up and we were ready for town.  We left at noon to go to the grocery store.  Instead we stopped at the elec. co., the gas co., the pizza house, tractor supply, a car show, Lowes, a mini-mart for creamer and last was Dunkin' Donut's. It was almost 5pm when we returned and we didn't have any groceries.  I think worrying about what we will find and have to do at the farm is over whelming us.  Chicken on the grill and then off to bed as the big move looms in our heads.

Beautiful Foliage on
the hill top!!

Friday 17 Oct.   The day to move is upon us.  A little light rain last night but the sky cleared as we packed up the camper.  Diane took the car and headed to the bank, Rite Aid, grocery store and wine shop while I took the Moho to the farm via propane and diesel stops.  The day was kind of ominous sunny when I left then changing to drizzle, clouds, cold windy periods with some sunny and calm  times mixed in .  It took me a hour and a half for the 30 mile drive.  Diane arrived shortly afterwards.  We set up the camper and started looking/checking out the house.  Overall the place is in decent shape just dirty. The out side is still trashy and Corey is to be here this weekend to clean it up.  Diane cleaned the washer and dryer so we can do laundry tomorrow ( a big washer, yea) and the shower as we will have to shower and use the toilets in the house.  As we walked around our little brains were spinning out of control wandering what to do first, second, third, etc.  Finally we went back to the camper set up the satellite dish, put up the Wi-Fi booster antenna, and arranged the grill and chairs now it looks like home.  So much to do tomorrow I don't  know if either one of us will sleep. Almost forgot the fall foliage here on the farm is spectacular.

 

Brad, Diane and Rudy

Not another move!!!



Site 33, full of Squirrels and
Chipmunks!

Sun 11 Oct.   Another move day for us, we are moving to site 33 a full hock up site.  We started around  1pm and everything went according to plan until I tried to get a satellite signal (no luck).  I moved the dish at least 6 times but finally had to quit before I lost it.  We went up to the office and after 30 minutes of discussion they decided we could move to site 3.  So now we have gone from site 3 to site 110 to 33 back to site 3 where we will be until Friday when we move back to the house.  We settled for dinner on the grill and a camp fire.

Mon 12 Oct    Another just beautiful fall day sunny with temps. in the 70's.  We moved again.  Back to site 3 where we started a week ago.  Needless to say we are tired of it.  It takes just as long

Tree Right outside
our door at site 3

to pack for a drive down the street as it does for a 200 mile trip.  After we were settled in including satellite hook up we went to Lowes, liquor store, drug store, grocery store, antique store and Wendy's(bathroom break).  We drove slow and did a lot of leaf looking.  By the time we were back to the camper it was time for steaks on the grill and a campfire(no s'mores).

Tuesday 13 Oct    Today we did not move!  It was raining this morning so we had a lazy morning.  It started to clear up around 11 and Rudy took me for a long walk.  Next was a drive around the area looking for a place to get propane for the Moho when we leave.  As we searched we found a farmers market,  a mini mart and of course a little restaurant(Dana's) all calling our name.  We came home walked Rudy made a few phone calls and then off to meet the renters......  The placed looked fairly well.  It needs nail holes patched where they had pictures hanging. and the whole place painted, cleaned, some minor repairs on doors and

Still some color on the
hill at the house!!

windows and some boards replaced on the deck.  It was strange... the place is empty...cold... and needs some attention.   We both have mixed feelings about what to do with the place.  I'm sure the weeks ahead will be quite stressful and nerve racking.


Brad, Diane and Rudy

Fall with the Folk's

Sunday 4 Oct  We did some laundry in the am and then had an early diner with all Diane's sisters at John's dinner.  It was good to see everyone and lots of conversation while eating.  Just as we pulled into the dinner the clouds started to break up and sun finally came out.  We went home and continued to pack for the trip up north.

Monday 5 Oct  We planned on being on the road by 10 for our drive up to Tioga county but as fate would have it we didn't get rolling until 11:15 and after stopping at Giant to hook up the car, it was 11:45 .  It was a nice day and an uneventful ride to northern PA.  The leaves are just starting to change but still nice. We pulled into Ives run campground just a few minutes ahead of Jen, Greg, and Aunt Ada.  After a brief hello we arranged our campsites, had a nice dinner of chicken and salad then settled in for the week of camping and visiting.

Tuesday 6 Oct     Woke up to a dark cloudy day but dry, After breakfast and rearranging things in the campers we headed out for a drive.  The leaves are just starting to turn and with the cloudy sky leaf looking was a little disappointing, but we did manage to find an ice cream stand along the way.  Ham and corn on the cob for diner

Wednesday 7 Oct   We each kind of did our own thing today after Greg cooked a very nice breakfast of everything (pancakes, scrapple, eggs, fruit, real maple syrup, etc.)  Diane and I went to check out the farm and the Boonies campground looking for a place to camp this weekend.  We all gathered for a short happy hour and a tour of the Folk's new TT before enjoying some home made chili and fresh baked rolls.  The new camper was very nice, having a fire place and lots of room for Jen, Greg, Aunt Ada and the 2 dogs....

Thursday 8 Oct   Woke up to another cloudy morning but by the time we had breakfast and cleaned up the sky's cleared and the sun came out.   We took another drive today trying to find Aunt Ada some nice fall foliage.   Heading back toward the farm we finally found a couple of hill sides that were very nice.  As soon as we returned Diane found a site that

Hill behind CG just
starting to change!!

opened up here at Ives Run so we won't be moving to the Boonies.

Friday 9 Oct  Well it is the end of our week together.  A good time was had by one and all.  Jen, Greg and Aunt Ada are heading back to Dillsburg while Diane and I are moving to another campsite here at Ives Run.  But you know it is almost as much work to move a half mile as it is to move a hundred miles.  We packed up in between rain showers, said our goodbyes and left site 3 for the long drive to site 110.  We headed into town for supplies and I bought wipers for the car.  We headed back home carried our purchases in and tried to install the new wipers.  Only one fit so tomorrow we will have to go back to town to return it.   The rain slowly subsided and we did cook on the grill for diner.

Saturday 10 Oct   What a difference a week has made in foliage color.  We headed into Wellsboro to

CG Trees!!

do laundry and return the wiper blade and the scenery was beautiful.  A very nice sunny fall day with the temps in low 60's.  Just as we are pulling into the camp ground I realized I left my phone lay in the laundromat.  So.... Back into Wellsboro for my phone then to Tioga for fire wood and poof another hour has passed.  Anyway, back to the camper burgers on the grill and we sat by the fire. Just a great fall day.

Brad, Diane and Rudy

Back in Dillsburg!!

Tuesday 29 Sept.  We know better but,  we decided to pack up and travel in the rain.  I went to fill up with fuel and Diane went to the bakery and brought us fresh breakfast sandwich and a Danish for Shane.  We meet him at Wal-mart so he could return Diane's flour we left at his apartment.  By now it was almost 11am and we were still in Morgantown.  The trip was uneventful except for the all day rain.  You keep thinking it will end but it never did.  We arrived in Dillsburg around 5pm and were set up and settled in by 6.  The rain did let up enough for us to cook on the grill.

Wednesday 30 Sept. Another day of drizzle and rain we finally went to the VFW for lunch and then

Can you say 'COLD'!!

to the grocery store for all things we missed, bologna sweet and regular, good Middleswarth chips, and of course Wege pretzels for me.  After a few more stops we return home and had bologna sandwiches and chips for diner.

Thursday 1 Oct.  Rain and drizzle continues.  We stayed inside most of the day.  Diane and Lynne went to see Taylor's volleyball game, and as it turned out Thom, Chris and the kids came over as well.  Lynne and Diane then out for diner to Noonan's.

Rain, rain, go away!!

Friday  2 Oct Yet more rain and drizzle.  I don't know how much more of this we can take.  The camper gets small when you sit inside all day.  You can only clean and pick up for so long.  We did get over to Capital City Mall where Diane got a haircut, then we went to Sears and ended up with a new vacuum. We went out to diner with Lynne and Rick had a good time catching up and sharing stores.

Sat 3 Oct  Woke up to more rain I swear Rudy is starting to get webbed toes.  We went to the storage unit swapped out a few

A brave or stupid Hunter??
You Decide....tent camping!!

things.  Back home cleaned up and over to Middletown High School to watch another of Taylor's volleyball games.  Then back picked up Beverly and into the Mechanicsburg VFW for diner.  The food was great, the cook was a friend of ours from the softball days.  We ate and talked for quite awhile and finally returned around 9:30.

Brad, Diane and Rudy

Visit with Shane!!

Friday Sept 25    We spent our second day at the Huntington KOA just catching up on laundry, shopping and just generally taking it easy.  It was mostly gray and overcast all day.  We did find a nice Italian restaurant to eat at.  Food was really good and the price was quite reasonable.  We returned to the camper with enough leftovers for lunch the next day.

Saturday  26 Sept.  Woke up to the sound of rain!  There is nothing worse than packing up in the rain, walking the dog in the rain, hooking the car up in the rain, YUK.  But we did it and were on the road by 9:45.  We traveled to the first exit (10 Mile), filled up with fuel in the rain and I found the slowest diesel pump I have ever used.  By the time I pumped 60 gallons I was soaked.  Back into the camper I now have 2 sweat shirts drying all the fans running to keep the windshield from fogging up.  We

Mt. Morris CG,
Bare bones, but to visit Shane
we can do this again!!

drove 25 miles the rain was over and the rest of the drive was dry and uneventful.  We pulled into Mt. Morris at 4:15 set things up had burgers on the grill.  Shane was at the West Virginia vs Maryland tail gate parties so we won't see him until tomorrow.

Sunday 27 Sept.  We spent the afternoon with Shane and Allison and they took us to a little bar/grill, Mario's, in downtown Morgantown for world famous Wings with Cowboy hot sauce.  The food was great and once again we brought enough home for another meal.  We were kidding Shane about the "world famous" wings and he quickly showed us the list (from internet) of  "22 wings you must eat before you die" and there were the cowboy wings number 17.  We had a nice visit and returned about 3pm, they were headed to Allison's new place to paint (ha, ha)

Monday 28 Sept.  Woke up to rain.  Rudy just does not like rainy walks or getting his feet wiped off so he had a long morning.  We headed back into Shane's because after a hundred subtle hints his mom just had to make him macaroni and cheese.  We visited for awhile his work has been very slow and no assignment on the horizon.   We had a nice visit and dinner with him then returned around seven.

 

Brad, Diane and Rudy

What a couple of days!!

Tuesday 22 Sept.  We had a bit of scare last night.  Rudy ate something and was gagging for awhile then started eating grass like a cow just moved to a fresh pasture.  We turned off the chicken twice to walk him around the campground. We walked up to the office for a vet's phone but they were closed.    Slowly he came around and never did throw up he just slowly got better and finally ate his dinner.

Nice CG

And Brad Signed the
Floor!!

  After a restless night sleep we were up, packed,  had breakfast and were on the road by 10:00.   We traveled route 66 for 50 miles then onto route 60 for the  rest of the trip.  The first stop was for fuel on route 66 were we found the Crapduster (a bi-plane with a manure spreader backend), second stop was Uncle Rooster's dinner(a very interesting place where you sign the floor and they had great food) and the last was a rest area along route 60 for a break and geo-cache.  At about 3:00 we pulled into the Big Spring campground in Van Buren Missouri.  The first thing Rudy found was Miss Kitty, the unofficial greater of the place and she does not run from dogs.  Poor Rudy he put forth his best effort and meanest growl and Miss Kitty just would not run.   Eventually he gave up and moved on the squirrels they ran and he was happy.  We settled in had left overs for diner and just relaxed a little.  Tomorrow we will hit the road for another long day 225 plus miles.

Wednesday 23 Sept.    Up and moving at a descent time(9:45) this morning on our way to Bryan's Lake  in Graham Ky.  We have at least half way on route 60 before getting on the interstates for the rest of trip.  The only problem with the smaller roads it is hard to find rest areas.  And as fate would have it I needed a rest area and couldn't find one.  Used the next best thing Wal-Mart  and just as I turned into the entrance there it is.  A big sign "low clearance" 11'0", my first thought was to try it anyway we only need 11' 9" or so.  But after a few seconds we decided it wasn't worth it and put it in

It was peaceful anyway!!

park, unhooked the car, Diane backed the car unto road and blocked traffic until I got the motorhome backed up and turned around.  In the meantime people tried to go around us and in the exit.  We finally made it into Wal-mart hooked the car back up and on the road again after a little break.  Back on route 60 another hour stopped for fuel, back on the highway, looking for the interstate connection when Diane sees a sign bridge closed on route 60.  She finds an alternate which was also marked by detour signs and off we go.  Things were just fine until we got to the Kentucky river bridge it was old, low railing, heavy truck traffic, very narrow and to top it off a 90 degree turn at the far side.  Nobody talked and nobody breathed until we were on the other side.  Back on route 60, over to the interstate and up the road  to Graham we went.  Following the GPS(you know what is going to happen) we turned onto a side road to the campground, it is 15 feet wide and here comes a pickup he was nice and pulled off  to the side.  I ask about the campground and we are on the wrong road.  We followed his directions turning twice

Rudy has a visitor, Cosmo!!

 and each road got narrower,  people are pointing, staring, we are in rural KY  after all,  but we finally made it to the campground and we are ready for a drink.  Not so fast, we stopped to talk to a campground person, we turned around in a hayfield, followed this guy another half a mile into woods.... I get out and into the golf cart and he takes down a step but short hill to pick out our site.  Who would have guessed,  the sites consist of a bunch of outlets fastened to trees along a edge of another field  and a water hookup up the side of the hill.   We didn't much care, told him we would take it, I ask him how much he though and guessed 20 bucks. I gave him a 20 and off he went no receipt no paper work and I was just hoping he really works here.  We settled in went for a long walk found the lake which was actually very nice.  Now Rudy just loved it here where he could run lose and he made two friends "Cosmo" and "Campground Dog" their real names.  We don't have sewer hook up so we will leave in the morning.

Thursday 24 Sept.    Up and out of the campground by 9:15 almost a record for us.  Onto the interstate and rolling right along.  Stopped at a Wal-mart for a break when we notice a Cracker Barrel right beside it, off for a nice lunch.  Back on the road and a there is a construction sign warning of very long delays on our route.  Diane maps us around this one and a few miles up the road traffic is stopped she says take this exit and off we go into Lexington Ky.  We made a few turns (I was a little nervous) but not to long we were back on the interstate.  She saved us a bunch of time being stuck in traffic.  We pulled into the Ashland KOA at 5:15, after traveling almost 300 miles and loosing an hour crossing another time zone.  It is so nice for a flat site with all the hook ups with cable and wifi. What a difference a day makes.   After settling in and taking Rudy for a walk we had bison burgers for diner and just relaxed.

Brad, Diane and Rudy!!

We made it through Kansas!!

Friday 18 Sept  We spent most of the morning and half the afternoon sitting in the camper being glad we were not on the road.  We watched all the other coaches pull out and get on the interstate while the wind blew so hard it took both of us to hold the door to get Rudy out.  At one point he was at the end of his leash and it was vibrating so hard his little head was just  a wobbling in step with it.  We finally took a drive into WaKeeney  visited the Museum, two veteran parks and found three Geo-caches before stopping for diner at Jake & Chet's dinner.  The Museum once again impressed us for a town of less than 2000 people and most items came with a note of who had and/or wore them.  The dinner was almost very good, we had the special(prime rib) not the best we ever had but for $17.00 it was good and we brought more than half of it home with us (Rudy was happy).  We wanted to stop at the antique store beside the campground but it was closed by the time we returned.  The wind died down somewhere after 7pm we took Rudy for several walks around the park and settled in about 8pm.

Saturday 19 Sept.  We hit the road at 9:30 stopped for fuel right beside the campground and were rolling again by 9:45.  We are traveling two lanes roads again, they are much more relaxing.  However, today we traveled about 208 and arrived at 3pm.   That is 5 1/2 hours  an average of less than 40 mph,  but in Diane's defense we stopped for fuel,  in Alexander for bathroom break,  two rest areas because they were on our way and had geo-caches, and Wal-Mart to have left-overs for lunch .   Now Alexander like WaKeeney has original brick streets through the old parts of town, very well maintained towns but like most have given way to Wal-Mart and other chain stores with downtown suffering.  We are now at Spring Lake campground in Halstead KS.  A nice CG with a lot of permanent/seasonal sites but they were nice and we are happy with our 14 dollar night site.  We are planning to leave tomorrow breaking the two night rule but we need to speed things up a little.  Tomorrow trip is planned for 225 mile plus a fuel stop, it will be long day for us.

Sunday 20 Sept.  We didn't get on the road until 10:00, but we finally got moving.  We are beginning to remember why Kansas is such a hated state to travel through.  We did manage to do the two lane roads again,  but it is just as flat and boring as the interstate.  We stopped for gas in Eldorado, KS at the Triple S Ranch Supply store that was rather interesting to walk through, mostly selling cowboy boots and jeans.....not what you normally see.  There were no pay at the pump machines and you can pump first then go pay.  We started out in the dry plains of Kansas, then all of a sudden, things started to turn green and lush.  We are now in the south east portion of Kansas and they have had a lot of rain here, so everything is green and the grass is still being mowed.  Our last stop on the way was a rest area at the site infamous mass murders of Kansas (The Bender's) and of course a geo-cachce.  We cross the Missouri border and head to our CG, The Big Red Barn RV Park, in Carthage, MO.  It is on Old 66, so hopefully tomorrow we'll get to do some touring.   

Monday 21 Sept.  We didn't get moving this morning.  Rudy and Brad had a really long walk, while I sat in bed for that first cup of coffee, and it still took me about another 30 min. until I made it to the kitchen.  I put dishes away and cleaned up a little, then sat out side with Brad for a while.  We

Nice CG, and they park
you every other site....Nice!!

decided to have breakfast in, then Brad decided it was the day to shave, so it was a relaxing morning at  home.  We finally got on the road about noon heading into Carthage, stopping at Iggy's dinner for lunch, nice place and the food was pretty good.  After that we headed into the town square where we find a very impressive Court House, it was huge and beautiful.  We parked took some pictures then decided to hit a couple of the antique shops and some of the other stores on the town square.  It really amazes us the different items you find in the different areas.  We then found the local butcher shop to stock up on supplies, and off to the grocery store.  I am pretty sure we are now set for the rest of the trip.....but as usual, we'll run out of something and have to go shopping again.  We got home about 5:00, put everything away and Brad is making dinner (chicken), while I finish the blog.  We plan on hitting the road again tomorrow, for a couple of 1 night stops until we get to Shane's and then on to Dillsburg for a couple of days.  After that we will be off to Tioga County to check out the house and talk with the renters. 

The old Court House

 Brad, Diane and
Rudy


Just some neat old buildings!!