WanderingFoxFarm

It all started on Thursday 24Th February, it started to snow and snow…… and snow. By Friday morning we woke up to 18inches of snow and no electricity. Which in our house means no water, no heat, no flush in the bathroom, no phone, no Internet etc. We thought it was an adventure, well for the first 6 hours, it started to get boring after that.
Rob lit the fire and we were able to burn logs to keep warm and we had the generator from the RV to keep at least one light running and the freezer so that we did not lose all the food. We contacted the electric company and they had no idea when the power would come back on. To cut a long story short – it kept snowing till Sunday ( up to 4feet in some areas) the power came back on late Saturday night then the cable company service fell over on Sunday so even with power still no TV Internet or phone – oh the joys of country living.
The following weekend we had mild weather and 3 days of rain – floods everywhere except in our area. Thank goodness for a high plot. Then last week we had beautiful sunshine and blue skies for the whole week and the temperature went up to the low 70’s. As I said in the heading all 3 seasons already — all we are missing is Autumn. For those of you that don’t know already, I resigned from my job in February. I was really fed up with the politics and all that comes with a company that is running in cliques. At the moment I am considering freelancing – I have already worked a few days up in the city which was a lot of fun. I just need to see how it goes and consider my options. The upside of this is, I have at last finished a number of my sewing and quilting projects as you can see from the pictures. I have also been busy making cushion covers and other quick craft projects.

A week after the snow we drove up to the Bellayre ski resort, it only took us just over the hour and we were met with the most fabulous conditions perfect snow, very little wind and not too cold. We were able to ski every black diamond run they had. It was a great day that was only made better by the fact that the lift ticket was only 20$

19th March we went to see the Awosting falls – it was funny to be hiking in snow while wearing short sleeved t-shirts. The Falls were great — with all the snow and the rain the river was at full tilt and the falls were fast and furious. We carried on around the trails with a few missed turns ( hard to see the trails in the snow). We did about 4.5 miles and decided to go a bit further afield next time.

It was such a beautiful day over New York State. As you can see, the lake is only just begining to loose its crust of ice. In a few weeks all the white stuff will have dissapeared and the park will start to fill with people travelling out from the city to see it – if the govenor doesn’t close it as he has threatened.

On the Sunday we hiked Mount Taurus – It is over the other side of the Hudson from us, between Beacon (where the train comes in) and Cold Spring. It was a hard steep hike to the top with some great views up and down the river. We had a picnic at the top again and we also realised the dogs must be part mountain goat because they just bounded up and over all the rocks. By the time we got back to the car we had done about 6 miles

25th March over to Spring Farm at last the snow has melted although that did mean that the fields were quite soggy. We walked over to table rock mountains and then up to Bonticou Crag, our pet mountain goats did a great job although we all balked at the almost vertical drop from the top of the crag and elected for the longer path back down. Another 5.5 miles, the dogs really slept well after all that exercise and so did we. This was a good walk for spotting raptors. We surprised a gaggle of 6 or 7 Golden Eagles sunning themselves on the rocks. It surprised us as well and Rob didn’t have time to get the canera out before they were all gone. We did get to see a couple of Turkey Buzzards though – just not as pretty.

So where did January go? Well it started by catching our breath from the Christmas trip. Work was a little busy but nothing major for the first week. The most important appointment was for Cagney and Lacey with the groomer. They spend most of the day there and come back looking like new. That’s not quite how the old boy describes it – but I’m sure the girls like it.
Rob’s sister Ruth and husband Charlie became our first visitors of the new year. At least she managed to get in at a reasonable hour this time even if it was just as cold. Still, the weather did stay clear and dry so we were able to show them a bit of the area. Mountain house is always a good place to see, although the path up to the skytop lookout was closed because of snow and ice. We were able to get a different view of the house beside the frozen lake. There was even somebody fishing through an ice hole. This was also the first time that we had been able to see the skating rink in action. It’s in a big open sided barn like structure with a giant fire at one end. It made a pleasant trip along with a lunch in our favorite bar in New Paltz.
We only had a short weekend as I had to Travel up to NYC for a conference on the Sunday. We did get to see the big HQ show room of Orange County Choppers. I think Charlie was impressed. My trip to the city did come in handy though. It meant that R&C could take a day in the city and stop over at my hotel for the night before continuing their trip to Jamaica. They both snore!! So while they were sunning themselves, I was flying around trying to sort a few things out. ten days later Rob picked them up from JFK, to stay a few more days with us before returning to the UK.
This year had already got off to a very interesting start and while R&C went east, I flew west to Oregon and California and then back home. Busy, busy, busy. All work and no fun.
To make up for it, I decided that we should take a trip back down to Atlanta to see our friends Robyn & Paul & the family. This time we left the girls with their friend Elizabeth so we knew they would be in good hands. We caught the same flight down as Paul (he’d been in Connecticut visiting family) so it was a straight forward trip at the Atlanta end. It’s always a warm and culinary welcome at the Pinto household. I swear it has the biggest and best stock fridge in the whole of America. There’s no chance of starving there! This was the first time we had visited outside a holiday time so it was interesting to see how the school routine affects the day. Basically its a very early start and a not very late bed time. The girls took us to see a great acrobatic basketball demonstration. Young men running around, bouncing in trampolines, shooting hoops, all athletic. Meanwhile the girls did their cheer leading stuff. Very cute.
P&R kindly loaned us a car for our visit and we got to travel out and see a little more of Georgia. We travelled north for a couple of hours, up to an area called Lookout Mountain. There had been freezing wet conditions the night before which left the trees all covered in ice. It looked spectacular against the bright blue sky of a new day. Not so much fun for some trees though as they collapsed under the weight.
It’s always lovely to see the Pinto family and we hope to go down again in the summer. Meanwhile it’s back to the frozen north and wait for the next big snow.

There was lots to do before flying back to the UK for Christmas. Presents to buy, cards to create and quilts to finish. I delegated the cards to Rob. That kept him quiet for hours on the computer and it left me to get on with the knitting, sewing and quilting. Nothing like a deadline to get things done!

Of course Cagney and Lacey did what they do best. They didn’t know that they were about to have an adventure of their own with their auntie Elizabeth who helped us with their training. She picked them up the night before we left. Rob was much more upset that they were.

It was a very early morning start for Newark with snow on the ground and very cold. All went well and we were soon through security and looking forward to our Virgin Atlantic flight. We had always been told how good they are. Oh boy, were we disappointed. OK, we were flying “cattle class” but there was so little leg room. My knees touched the seat in front and I’m a little person! The food was sub Micky D and to top it all we had the kids from hell sitting right behind us. Rob also complained that the Trolley Dollies must have been the original crew or even their mothers. I thought that was a little harsh.
By the time we had landed in a snow covered London, collected baggage and picked up the rental car, it was late in the evening. The roads had earlier been impassable and as we drove further into the countryside we passed lots of abandoned vehicles. We inched along the icy lanes and finally pulled into Sarah’s driveway a little before mid-night. She was waiting up for us but Alana was, of course, sound asleep. I had to wait all night for a cuddle.
Not that I had a lot of time for cuddles in the hectic time between getting up and getting the two of them down to Reading station to catch a train to Wales and the Celtic clan. I nearly got stuck on the train as I helped load all the “little person” paraphernalia. I finally waved goodbye from the platform. We would meet them again, in Wales, the next day.

Next Stop Basingstoke where we spent a restful afternoon catching up with Claire, Lee, Georgia and Indya. Goodness, how fast the girls are growing up. Michael had battled through the snow out from London to save us a drive. I’m sure he’s put on a little healthy weight and looking a little less like a starving student. Anyway, the usually Grumpy Grandad was very pleased to see them all. All too soon we had to load up and hit the road again and set off for South Wales.

There was lots of snow around and it was well below freezing but we had good clear roads all the way and arrived to a hot cup of tea and supper. That’s the great thing about going home to Wales ….. you know that you’ll never go hungry, no matter what time you arrive. There’s something special about catching up with your Mum over a cup of tea. She understands and appreciates my talk of Sarah and Alana in a way that no one else can. That’s being a Mum I suppose.

I slept in for a while the following morning but Rob was up early and was treated to a cooked breakfast with all the trimmings. I don’t know where he puts it all. I had a lovely day with Mum and other family members popping in. Later in the day, Bill dropped of Sarah and Alana and the whole place was transformed in a way that only a 2yr old can. She is such a happy little thing. Sarah is doing a good job and my heart fills with pride again. All to soon we have to hit the road again and head for Sarah’s place in the southern tip of Oxfordshire.

Another all too short a sleep before setting off for Southampton via my old hair dresser. She knows just how I like it. We arrived with Rob’s Mum & Dad just after lunch. They have both been ill in recent weeks so it was great to see them on the mend. It’s always relaxed in that house and there is a constant revolving door of brothers, sister, grand-kids and great grand kids. The teapot never empties and the pantry is always full. Rob had his usual in-dept discussion on some political scandal or other with his Mum while Me and Dad just prodded the fire if things were dimming. We sent Rob out to fetch Dads favorite fish and chips for supper before nipping out to the pub. Rob had arranged to meet up with friends Garry and Kim. We spent a pleasant evening rummaging through old stories of motorbikes, bands and the fact that it is nearly 25 years since Rob was the best man at their wedding. We were joined by Rob’s brother Dave and his wife (another Lynne). Also Charlie and daughter Jess.

We stayed with Dave and Lynne that night as Dave and Rob were off to the hospital the next day. Dave has been diagnosed with a pre-leukemia condition and the search has started for a bone marrow match. Lets hope things work out well. While they were away it gave me a chance to relax with another cup of tea (or two).

Next stop on the frenetic journey was, just on the other side of Southampton Water, Hythe and sister Sue, Malc and the dogs. There is a new puppy on the scene to keep the old boy active (Dap, not Malc). Things were pretty chilled and clearly ready for the Christmas festivities. Rob was acting as a mule on this trip and handed over the goods. He didn’t even have to hide them about his person (not a nice thought). Paracetamol are so much cheaper in the USA! After even more tea (can never have too much) we set of again for the snowy Oxforshire countryside.

There was more snow on the roads and yet more forecast. We made the decision to collect Sarah and Alana and set off for Scotland that evening or we might not be able to get there for Christmas. It’s around 350 miles from Sarah’s to sister Kat’s place in Edinburgh. We set off at around 5.30 in the evening with the hope arriving soon after mid-night. Once on the major roads, we had no weather problems and the general forecast had frightened everyone away. We made very good progress until the snow started coming down heavily in Scotland. With about 70 miles to go everything came to a grinding halt. There were trucks pulled over to the shoulder and others struggling to climb slippery junctions. We had been wondering if we were going to be stuck for the night but after about three quarters of an hour, at a stand still, the column slowly crawled away behind two snow ploughs. Fortunately, once over the high ground, the road was relatively clear again and we slid and slipped into Kat’s place at around 2.30 in the morning. Thanks to Kat and Iain for waiting up with a warm welcome.

For the first time we were able to relax and do nothing. No travel for three whole days. We were very well fed and watered. Amongst many delights, the bird inside a bird inside a bird …… was scrummy and Rob said that he really enjoyed the fruit. Christmas morning started early and we enjoyed our first Christmas Day with children for many years. There was Catlin, Calum, Abigail Sarah (still my little girl) and Alana. So much fun. With dogs to walk and books to read, even grumpy grandad enjoyed it. To top it off, the snow was falling outside. I think it’s the first really white Christmas I can remember.

With an eye on the weather and knowing that there would be more airport security, we decided to set off South on Boxing Day. As we drove away from Edinburgh, the sun was shining on the beautiful Pentland hills. The snow covered hills were dotted with cold sheep and crazy walkers. The long journey south was without incident and I’m glad to say that the temperatures were a lot milder at Sarah’s house that when we left. Having the extra day allowed me help Sarah get sorted and Rob to spend a few more hours with Mum and Dad.

That evening we (I) said an emotional goodbye to Sarah and Alana and headed off to the airport hotel in readiness for the unknown security adventure. It turned out that we all had to be searched at the gate. We eventually got away. I have to say that the Continental flight back was much better that the Virgin one on the way out. And so, back home to rural New York State.

After 2 days at home relaxing from my round the world trip we set off for our 950mile trip to Atlanta. With the dogs in the back we left Monday at about 10.30 and drove across Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and part of the way across Virginia. We spent the night at a hotel in Lexington before and early start the next day. Tuesday we drove the rest of Virginia into North Carolina, South Carolina and finally Georgia. The girls were as good as gold the traffic was fairly light and the scenery was very nice.

Paul, Robyn Allie, Missy Blake, and the dogs Sarah and Parker were all in good spirits and pleased to see us – all of the dogs quickly settled in to their own little group and Cagney and Lacey had a great time tearing around the garden and especially playing in the sand pit. Robyn and I had an early start going to collect the Turkey and then we spent most of Wednesday preparing food for the Thursday. Got to speak to Sarah and Alana by skype it was really great to see them both. Alana was a sweetie of course.Wednesday evening we went out to the local BBQ place that also had live music, it was very down to earth but the food was great and we had a really good time.

On Sunday 8th of November the adventure began – NY to LA then LA to Melbourne arriving Tuesday morning…… Who stole my Monday ! Wednesday, Torquay surfers paradise. Thursday, Sydney. Friday, hurray no more work I flew to New Zealand. Arrived in Dunedin at 5 pm and was met by Toni. It was so good to see her again. Friday evening we had a quiet night in with her parents and sat up talking to way past midnight.Waihola ( the small town where they live) is a pretty farming community close to the sea. Toni currently lives in a cottage in the grounds of her parents house but will be starting on the build of her own home very soon.

We then drove out to the headland – a very long walk down the the beach to see some sea lions sunning themselves followed by a much more strenuous walk back up to the car. Further along the road we came to the Albatross colony, fantastic to see them floating on the wind. On the drive home we stopped to pick up fish and chips for tea, yummy.

Sunday we went for a walk along another part of the coast after stopping off for a local speciality, chocolate dipped ice cream ! Sunday evening we had a great dinner over at her parents followed by a couple of hours playing dominoes – perfect. Left Monday morning with just a few tears.

I was just reflecting on my original move over on November 1 2007. Toni was good enough to come over with me and help me settle in. We had so much to do and even the very basic things were a real challenge. Like finding a grocery store….. after much driving around we thought we had cracked it only to find that we were in the Latin American store wall to wall Goya products and Pinyatas!

It’s been a busy month for visitors. We were so pleased that Robyn managed to drag Paul away from his laptop to relax for a long weekend.
We knew it would be fun when the advance consignment of wine arrived! We spent the whole weekend walking, eating and drinking. I wanted to show them the Mohonk Mountain House and Paul decided that he wanted to to do the “Lemon Squeeze” with Rob while Robyn and I took the “easy” route to the Skytop look out. The boys enjoyed the climb while Robyn and I had chance to chat. At the top is a look out tower that gives a great photo point. The area looks so good at this time of year with views out over the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. The skies could have been a little clearer but at least it wasn’t raining. Still, it was a good chance for Robyn to get arty with the camera.

Meanwhile the girls were a little disappointed that they had to stay at home. They went crazy (as usual) when we arrived home but soon got back to napping …. it’s a dogs life!

Pine Bush is blessed with quite a few good eateries but we discovered another one! Culinary Creations is mostly a cafe and cake shop but opens up as a restaurant at the weekends. The owners were trained at the Culinary Institute and we are so lucky to have them in this small town. That was the only posh nosh of the weekend although we did take in bar food in New Paltz, Panera Bread in Newburgh and Friendly’s for ice cream in Poughkeepsie (Robyn’s special request).

Of course, no visitors could go away without a trip to Orange County Choppers. Their big shiny new “World HQ” is packed with examples of their handy work and also new Harleys and Ducatis. Mainly one for the boys!

We couldn’t leave the dogs out so we did spend a fair bit of time walking them but that also gave us a chance to show off the mountain in our back garden. We walked up to “Sam’s Point” (photos in earlier blogs) and also took a wander up to the hang gliding take off. There was no flying on the day but Paul was impressed by the “facilities”. The time just flew by and we can’t wait to take our (now annual) Thanks Giving trip to Atlanta. We are taking Cagney and Lacey this time so there will be lots of excitement when they meet Blake, Missy, Allie and the two mutts Parker and Sarah.

With barely time to draw our breath, Sister Kat and Niece Catlin arrived at JFK. Rob collected them and after a middle of the night hello they were able to catch up on some sleep. I still had work to do on the Friday so Rob looked after the girls (all four of them) with a long walk around the mountain. The weather was very kind and Cagney a Lacey had a special test when they met horses for the fist time. They did themselves proud.
The big adventure started on Saturday. Elizabeth came over to collect a very excited Cagney and Lacey. Rob went off to the RV storage to load and hitch up the fifth wheel. We met up in the car park at work and then set off on the 350 mile trip to Niagara Falls. This was my first big trip out with the trailer and was a bit of a nervous passenger for a while. All went well. The roads were not crowded and the views were gorgeous up through tree lined hills. The Fall colours and the sunshine gave us lots to look at …. but not Rob as I made sure he was looking at the road. Towing a 40ft trailer means that fuel and food stops have to be thought out. You have to think like a trucker. Luckily …… there’s an Ap for that. (much to Robs disgust – he doesn’t like Apple) I was able to see the truck stops along our route.
We arrived after dark but the camp ground had left us site instructions and it was an easy “pull through” so no problem getting set up. That gave us plenty of time to go see the American Falls lit up at night and then a treat for Catlin at the Hard Rock Cafe. By the time we got back to the RV the oil filled radiators had done their job and we settled down for a toasty night.
The next morning brought a bright blue autumn sky. It was chilly but a perfect day to sightsee. First breakfast at Catlins favourite dinner – Dennys.
After few more pancakes than is strictly needed, we headed off to park at Goat Island and then to explore the falls.
From the overlook at the US side of the Horseshoe Falls, we walked along to The American Falls and then over the rapids to Rainbow Bridge Where you cross into Canada. Catlin thought that it was funny that her Mum had made her walk all the way from America to Canada.
I had always been told that the Canadian side of the falls was “Tacky”. Whilst the seaside style amusements were more evident, the parkland around the falls was clean and very well presented. The views are certainly the best. We were all glad that we made the effort. After a very long day we collapsed back in the RV with a carry out pizza and sore feet.
Next morning we were all up early and off to Letchworth State Park with breakfast on the way. It was an hour and a bit away through more lovely countryside. Once again the weather gods were on our side with beautiful blue skies.

The park is centred on a gorge and a number of waterfalls. There are a bunch of paths set out through the woods with great views of the water. This must be the best time of the year. We spent the day at a gentle stroll while Rob ran around taking a million photos (of the same thing 🙂 There was even an ice cream stop deep in the woods. It is also possible to lodge in the park. We came across the old place serving up afternoon tea on the veranda. Inside was quite ornate with stained glass set in the windows. It was lots of fun to travel with Kat and Catlin. Catlin even had time to carve up a Pumpkin. I can’t believe how quickly she is growing up.
Looking out of the window today couldn’t be more different. The rain has been falling all night and there is a very autumnal smell in the air. The old boy has been blowing leaves around this week although they seem to be blowing back just as quickly. He asked me to include pictures of a couple of the wild creatures that he has found in the garden.

We started with a bang, Sarah’s 22nd birthday a move into a new home and Alana starting a new nursery. Add to that all the training courses she is doing and life is definitely changing.

On the Saturday we had a lady come to the house to help train the dogs, we very quickly realised it was not the dogs that needed training but us and after about 3 hours she had us working the right way and sure enough the dogs were doing just what we wanted them to. She also taught Rob how to clip their nails without inflicting injury and left us with a pile of homework to make sure we did not go back to our bad habits. Sunday we met Gil and Sarah at the dog park and proudly displayed our new found skills they were not as impressed as we would have liked!

Sunday night was great, we went to our very first “drive in” movie. Gil and Sarah came with us and helped us not to stand out too much by guiding us on where to park and what to do. We watched 500 days of Summer which was a lot of fun. We will definitely do this again in the future.

The following weekend we finally got the chance to try out the Fifth Wheel – we booked a space at a site about 10miles away just to make sure we could get back home if we had any teething problems. We arrived on the site at about 6.30 on Friday evening and thank goodness everything worked in the trailer and we were able to settle in very quickly complete with the dogs. We were also really surprised to see that Brian from the office was on the site opposite. We had a really nice weekend, very relaxing and we had some fun looking at the early halloween stuff that Brian had added to his site.

We packed up on the Sunday and took the trailer back to the storage location only to find that the electronic lock was not working. We spent a very interesting 45 minutes trying to manoeuvre the 40ft trailer into a parking spot – I think at the last count, it was probably a 32 point turn but we did it and then went back the next morning after they fixed the lock to store it properly.

This weekend we have had beautiful weather – but Autumn is arriving very fast. We walked the dogs up to Sam’s point and then went to buy some plants, pumpkins etc. to create a nice little Fall tableau on the front door steps ( when in Rome do as the Romans …… 🙂

For some time now, we have had a plan to travel this country and to see all the wonders it has to offer. There is so much to see that a lifetime of “normal” vacations could not do it justice. Well these vacations will have to do right now but we are gearing up for that really big adventure. We have been looking for something we could call “home” no matter where we found ourselves, summer or winter. Our search for a 5th wheel travel trailer has reached a conclusion and so I sent the Old Boy on a mission, halfway across the country to drag back our very own “big rig”. He was gone a lot longer than we had planned for and to mark the occasion for this blog only, I’ll let him tell the story ………….

We had been looking at a very specific make of 5th wheel travel trailer for some time. The “Americana” brand specialises in 5th wheels for “full timers”. If you are going to live in it all year around, it has to have a more robust build specification to cope with four seasons and the greater mileage that would be expected. After lots of useful email conversations with the factory, it was clear that, although we were on the right track, we would have to wait a couple more years to save enough to get the one we wanted. Just as we had resigned ourselves to a couple more seasons in the “pop-up” trailer, Lynne spotted a second hand Americana on the web. These are as rare as rocking horse manure and so we decided to investigate. Lots of emails and phone calls later, Lynne packed me a small bag and told me not to come back without our very own Americana”.
Well, it wasn’t quite as simple as that because, although we had just taken delivery of the new Dodge 3500 truck, I still had to order and fit the hitch. For those who are now lost, the 5th wheel hitch fits in the bed of the truck and allows the trailer to connect just like an articulated lorry does. Instead of the trailer weight being right at the back, the 5th wheel arrangement positions the load right over the back axle. This gives a much smoother and safer ride. To complicate matters, our truck has a short bed requiring a special “slider hitch“. I ordered one online and it arrived a few days later on the back of a 40 foot lorry. I had to meet it at the bottom of the drive as there was no way he was getting up to us. The three packages weighed a ton (not literally) and I was beginning to wonder how I would manage the install on my own. It was leap of faith to drill holes in the new truck but it all worked out with the timely assistance of our friend Gil who supplied the extra muscle. Just a Monday wait for the UPS man to bring the brake controller and I was ready to leave. I waited for Lynne to come home from work so we could eat together and then I was off. I didn’t know it at the time but I would not be back home for nearly two weeks.
The “Americana” was 1250 miles away near the small town of Winona in southern Missouri. My very first all American “road trip”. All 2400 miles of it. Just to put it into perspective, that’s over a third of the way to the west coast and back! Google maps gave me two different routes to choose from so I decided to that the hillier route down and save the flatter one for the haul back. The first evening took me around 230 miles out of NY state and well into Pennsylvania. The Super 8 motel had all I needed and I was up and on the road at 6 the next morning. It would be 15 hours, 750 miles, Maryland, West Virginia and most of Kentucky before I would pull in to the next Super 8 in the middle of a thunderstorm and power failure. I really enjoyed that days drive. The hills and valleys of Pennsylvania looks like South Wales on steroids. This gives way to the rolling farmland of Maryland and then the wooded greenery of West Virginia and Kentucky. As the day and the miles rolled on the skies darkened and it was clear that I was travelling into bad weather. I didn’t know, until I saw the night time news, quite how bad it was. I had been watching the developing storm cloud for well over an hour and could see that it was dragging air in from all directions. As I approached Lexington, the sky began to light up and heavy rain and hail started to pound down. The busy four lane highway was at a crawl and the wind had now become fierce. Leaves and small branches were now littering the road. Low hanging cloud tendrils were moving fast across the sky and I began to wonder if I was close to a tornado. People were stopping at the side of the road with hazard lights flashing and the space under Bridges seemed to be a favourite spot. I was in two minds but figured that the locals might know something and pulled over with thunder and lightning directly overhead. In any case I could hardly see. After ten minutes, or so, the wind and rain moved on and traffic started to flow again. Wow! I have never been in such extreme weather. For the next 10 miles, or so, I saw broken trees and passed numerous emergency vehicles on the way to help some poor individual. I arrived that evening, at the next Super 8 on the edge of Kentucky, with more thunder and lightning and a power blackout.
It didn’t matter to me, that there was no power. I just went out like the lights. I was up early and on the road again for the final leg. The GPS had me doing a big loop and I figured, from the old fashioned map, that I could cut straight across and save miles. I worked out just fine and was another reminder that the GPS cannot be followed slavishly. The short cut had me going a very interesting route that took me over two very narrow bridges and through three states in less than ten minutes. Out of Kentucky, over the Ohio River into Illinois, over the Mississippi into Missouri. The last 100 miles to my destination seemed to fly by.
Lee and Linda had given me great directions and I found their place in the forest with no problems. The RV was just as described and, having agreed the sale, I set to work making the few mods needed to match my tow hitch. The original plan was that I would take a couple of days to rest, make the mods, familiarise myself with the unit and then head off back to New York. Well the mods took a little longer than expected and then we found a more serious hitch related problem that needed spare parts and the use of a hack saw! With the weekend disrupting the parts delivery, the Branums found themselves with an unexpected house guest. I was fed and watered very well, made two new doggy friends in Shoben(?) and Oscar and had a chance to look around the area.
The area grew rapidly with Americas rail road and the need for lumber. Thousands worked long hours cutting, chopping and sawing timber into rail road ties and roofing shingles. The lumber industry is still important today but it is a shadow of the boom days. L & L volunteer at a local conservation centre. It helps to educate the young people of southern Missouri to the history of the exploitation of the forest and the importance of environmental management. The Twin Pines Centre is an excellent facility for school field trips. Amongst the exhibits are a typical Missouri cabin, a single room school house and many reminders of the machinery associated with the lumber trade. The centre is a fine facility and a lot of hard work goes into it.
The decline of the timber industry has meant that whole communities, that once thrived, have now disappeared. One example is Alley Springs. The only thing left of this once busy village is the restored mill at the edge of the spring which surfaces at this location. It’s hard to imaging the volume of water that just bubbles up from the ground. This part of the USA is a long way from the sea and so people take advantage of the the rivers for recreation. At Rocky falls the river cascades down a natural water flume and into a large bathing pool. Families were out enjoying the sunshine just like being at the beach.
As part of their love of the natural world, Lee and Linda help to rescue animals that have been abandoned or lost their mother. One of the highlights of my stay was the arrival of some possums. They were so tiny that they hadn’t yet learned how to pee (I didn’t realise you had to learn to do that ….. but then I am male!).
So after being well looked after for over a week, learning all about bargain tractor on Ebay and Ham Radio, the truck parts came and I was ready roll. Lee had bravely offered to give me a trailer hauling lesson so it was off to the local truck stop to gas up and practice reversing the 40ft monster. I certainly knew it was hanging off the back but, with the 5th wheel arrangement, everything was smooth and predictable. And so, with Lee’s wise words rattling around my head, I hit the road for the long journey back. I knew that my first major challenge were those two narrow river bridges. I had around 100 miles to think about them but by the time I got there I figured that if semis (artics) could pass then I was fine. With that hurdle out of the way, the rest of the trip back was pretty uneventful barring a couple of tyre and suspension concerns. Rest stops and refuelling (lots) have to be well considered with a 40ft trailer and low bridges must be avoided. The most troublesome part came right at the end of the journey when I over confidently thought I would reverse into our driveway …….. no way! Having held traffic in both directions for way too long I had to give up and drive in. Turning around in the garden ……… well perhaps I will leave that for another blog.