MAY-DAY? "MAY DAY"! MAY 1st, 2014

Where's the bloody May Day Pole??? We're ready for good weather!  LOL. The birds are chirping this morning; perhaps better weather in store?

The "May Tree" ... full and lush!

Mark and Robs watching K's rig ...

By 9:15 we were enroute to the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel. It's an engineering miracle ... 50 years young!

$22 toll saved us 95 miles! 

Aerial view shows one of the tunnels! It was awesome!

The drive along 13 North was nice ... good road and gorgeous Wisteria climbing the roadside trees. 

Wild Wisteria. 

After a fuel stop in Felton, Mark took us onto #1, Toll toward Wilmington (I-95).  

Bridge over Chesapeake / Delaware canal. 

Old bridge on 13. 

Our 4th State today. Lots of hairy navigating today! GPS wasn't any help!

So, it's not pleasant Pennsylvania. Ha ha Wayne failed to take the ticket at the tollbooth, so when we went to pay, he thought they would just follow us and pay what we paid.  Well, we tried BUT ... The tollbooth attendant wanted to charge Wayne $142 for failing to take the ticket!!! We could hear the explosion from 50 feet away. Wayne paid $14.60. LOL.  

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014

Good morning! We're off to Virginia Beach KOA ... arrived 10:45 and setup. It's sunny at this time ... storms forecast for afternoon. KOA continues to screwup! Mark and I reserved (and paid for) a 50 amp site but were assigned a 30 amp! Nevertheless, we are away from "The Dismal Swamp". Chesapeake would be okay during a long dry spell. It would have been nice to visit up close with the horses. :-(

Sue and Wayne arrived at our RV with their atlas and iPad. We made a few changes to the itinerary and have some phone calls to make tomorrow. They met some RVers in Charleston who recommended other campgrounds around Cape Breton Island. 

Today, we're going to drive with Sue and Wayne to the Fort Story lighthouses and along Virginia beach. It's a little nicer day, so we may be able to get some better photos. 

King Neptune was braced for tornadoes!

A stiff Easterly breeze kept tornadoes away from VB (this far)!

Dunes by Cape Henry Lighthouse. 

Tonight, dinner is at our RV. Plans were for seafood on the beach ... BUT, it's chicken and rice due to nasty weather. The wine began at 4 o'clock with happy hour ... right after Julie "did a Randy" and caught the cabinet door edge on her scalp. Ye-ouch! 

Ice pack on my head; broken reading glasses ... "Where's my #*€£%^¥ wine?"

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

Rainy days and dogs ...

Mark and Robbie having their morning cuddle (and coffee!). 

A newborn follows mom ... small ponies!

So this afternoon, we drove to Virginia Beach. It was a very blustery day, but enjoyed seeing the beautiful area. The visitor center suggested we might want to visit the lighthouses, and suggested a look at the pier. The pier restaurant sounded perfect for lunch. However, once we got there, we discovered it was closed due to bad weather. 

Mark and I drove to the KOA campground on Virginia Beach, and discovered it was quite nice. We're booked at Chesapeake for tonight, but will move over there tomorrow! It appears we will be in this area an extra day due to bad weather further north. When we arrived back to Chesapeake, Wayne had their rig started and moved to Virginia Beach KOA. We're paid up through tomorrow so will move then!

Our idea of seafood for lunch, didn't work out. Most restaurants open were pizza and pancake places.  Mark and i decided to drive to the lighthouses; the first built in America. It was a beautiful drive, and then we came to Fort Hood. We had no idea our truck had to be inspected before we could proceed.

Driver License, Registration and Insurance ... Open all compartments and pull down the visors ... and step away from the vehicle. 

We were granted a 4 hour pass. 

Tonight, Mark and I will have pasta at the RV and regroup with Sue and Wayne tomorrow. 

Sue and Wayne are going to Lucky ? For dinner. 

MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2014

Today, we're off to Chesapeake, Virginia ... a 400+ mile drive. Sue and Wayne are meeting us there!

We left Swannanoa KOA at 6:30 in light rain. I-40 was light traffic ... and a 6% grade with "truck runaway" ramps. Mark noted that the highway was not banked at all ... 25 MPH on some curves! (Impossible!)

Sue and Wayne were on I-95 ... a couple of hours behind our ETA. (We were on the road 2 hours before them). US 58 was a nice 4 lane country drive with rolling farmland and a few tiny towns. It looked like the year 1955. LOL

We arrived at Chesapeake Campground and Farm about 2:30 in the pouring rain. One "Deep Stable" horse was kicking up his heels in the rain; 5 were standing dejectedly in their rain sheets and six were under the pole barn roof. Pecking order firmly established. 

Fortunately, our campsite is paved ... we were surprised to find it quite full ! There must be a large long-term RV community here. Who knew? 

Pam sent me a picture of Savannah's and Marshall's wedding cake topper ...

Hilarious!  

Sue and Wayne arrived about 5 o'clock, but had trouble pulling into their space ... It's now 535, and I watched them pull out the exit, possibly to get turned around?! Mark is out in the rain somewhere, trying to help. 

Ha ha Ha, it's now 10 to 6, and Mark is still out trying to help Sue and Wayne find a spot that they can back into. Everything is soaked here with the rain, and if he were to drive off the pavement, the Prevost would be well stuck. Sue called to say, "don't worry, Wayne will drive Mark back. " LOL "No he won't", I said, "because your Escalade is parked behind our rig!!!" 

Meanwhile, there have now been four confirmed tornadoes in North Carolina today. It definitely is a severe storm outbreak. 

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014

A  B I G  storm is brewing ... we have to make a decision ! 

When the going gets tough, the tough go sightseeing. Tomorrow we'll head to the east coast, but today we'll visit America's version of Downton Abbey. 

Meanwhile, Randy enjoyed a few days with friends Scott and Greg in town for the Leesburg Bikefest. He began a garden a few weeks ago and, voila

a perfect green pepper! Perhaps fajitas are on the menu tonight. LOL

Randy was very lucky that Scott was in town. He figured out Randy's phone has had Internet all this while! Who knew? Not Randy! LOL. So, thanks to Scott, Randy can now follow on the Blog. 

Sue and Wayne are in Charleston South Carolina on a tour this morning. We will meet up with them in Chesapeake Maryland tomorrow night ... Weather permitting!!! 

So, it's now 1230 and we're off to Biltmore. I'll update and have photos later.  

Pam, Paula & Mark at the tulips. It was a very hot afternoon. 

Our friend Lynne loves tulips ... Mark took this picture with her in mind ... tulips all the way to the conservatory. 

This evening, we went to the town of Black Mountain and found a family owned Italian restaurant. It was very good! We said our goodbyes about 8 o'clock and were home by 815. We got a bit packed up this evening, hoping for an early start tomorrow!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014

It's sunny and 54 at Black Mountain this morning. What to wear for Marshall's & Savannah's country wedding? After seeing Lake Eden venue's setting, dress shoes are a no-no ... so, I now understand why the bride is wearing cowboy boots with her gown! (Men have it so easy ... shall I wear pants? Or pants?). Haha. 

We watched the weather channel this morning and may head to the coast tomorrow instead of Monday; we'll see what develops later. There's a dry line right through Oklahoma City and we know that means SEVERE weather imminent. Our 1 1/2 years in OKC was great; we learned a lot. 

The wedding was great fun ... a beautiful country setting!

Selfie ... Pre-wedding cocktails!

Savannah and Marshall, married. 

Jon, Paula and Jeremy

Julie with nephew, Jackson

At "The Barn" ... Jeremy and Maria

Maria and Jeremy "the dancing machine"!

Paula, having a blast!

Blowing bubbles LOL

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014

It's raining, it's pouring ... I wish we were still snoring. Haha. KOA wanted us to change our site today! (Basically a penalty for arriving two days earlier. I don't know what business school "they" went to but it seems to me getting $44.50 x 2 is better than not. And this KOA is 60% empty!). Anyhow, Mark went to the office ... lucky, lucky ... got a different woman and sorted things out. We're staying in this spot. 

I saw this on Facebook and thought it a good idea. 

Yesterday was a little busy, so this morning we had to ourselves and picked up a few things at Ingles. The cost of living in Asheville is higher than Florida! Just sayin'

Mark's sister, Pam, arrives from Minneapolis later today. 

Mark is annoyed that Randy wasn't on hand to clean the love bugs! LOL. Nice face, Mark. 

At the Swannanoa River with Robbie and Maggie. 

Jon and Maggie ... besties!

Pam arrived about 6 o'clock. We gave her a chance to get organized then went to pick her up at "the cabin". 

Lake Eden cabin. Pam's digs for 2 nights!

The fireplace mantel decor. 

Paula and Pam discovering "the kitchen" ... Rustic with a "Capital" R. LOL. Mark loved it ... very cozy. The bed is in the loft. 

Mark at the staircase. 

Finally home at midnight after supper at Cheddars. 

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

ASHEVILLE !!!  Good morning, it's bright and sunny but boy did it get cold last night!!! We had a really good sleep. :-) Maggie was sick this morning ... too many pizza bones and treats yesterday. Travel days are sandwiches and snacks ... oh we'll eat healthier today. (Maybe!)

Today, we're going to Mount Pisgah for lunch. Paula and Jeremy are joining us. 

Jeremy drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and up the mountain. 

Lunch was excellent ... and we had THE best table in the restaurant. The view was perfect today!

Julie, Mark, Jeremy and Paula atop Pisgah. 

After an afternoon of cocktails at the campsite, we went to the Mellow Mushroom for dinner. Savannah and Marshall, Olivia, Jon,, Jeremy, Paula, Mark and I had pizza. 

Brothers ... Jon & Jeremy

Attempting grumpy faces ... LOL

It was a fun day. Tomorrow, we're going to Biltmore House for lunch and to see the flowers in bloom. 

Olivia, Savannah and Marshall. 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2014

After sleeping in the RV on our driveway we arose early and were on the road by 3:58 AM. We drove County Road 44 through Deland to International  Speedway and onto I-95. About halfway along this route, Mark remembered writing down a better route when we came home from Asheville last September. Duh, we should have checked our notes before leaving. It would have saved 20 minutes. 

In Florida, The Sunshine State, population 19 million ... we saw a rabbit, an owl, a deer and a meteorite. Cool. 

In Georgia, The Peach State, population 9.7 million, we spotted a deer. It was quite foggy though. 

In South Carolina, The Palmetto State, population 4.6 million ... we encountered huge potholes ;-(

We saw the Ron Jon Surf Shop camper

A nice "Woody"!  

Haha. Poor Robbie! The sun screen blind  on his window suddenly rolled up and fell. He scrambled right up front and onto his mom's lap. LOL. 

Maggie, aka "Co-pilot". 

At exit 5 in South Carolina on I 26 we stopped at a Kangaroo Travel Center for fuel. I took our first picture of the Smokies ... so named for their color, I think???

Taken from the plaza lot ...

In North Carolina, The Tar Heel State, 9.5 million ... and Savannah & Marshall are gettin' hitched on Saturday. 

The first green of spring is on the trees!

We finally arrived at Asheville KOA after a roundabout GPS route through Fletcher! (No, Sue, the campground ad didn't specify a route, only a street address. LOL). Anyway, the KOA office was flustered because we wanted to stay two more nights ... half the park, at least, was  vacant. It's just a case of management being unwilling to roll with changes! We have to move to a different site on Friday. Whatever. No biggie. We're here!

Our "crik".  Forecast for 38F tonight. Capital BRRR. A quick snack and bedtime; we're tired tonight.