Friday, September 18, 2015

Heffalumps and Woozles.....

Happy Friday everyone!  Sorry about today's blog post, but we just couldn't resist.  Today's posting is a shameless plug for Cousin Sharon's Postcard's Blog.  Look to the right, click on it, and you can read all about Cousin Becky's and Cousin Sharon's Excellent Adventure. 

And wouldn't you just know it?  One of their first stops was Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium.   Sounds like a grand day!

We'll leave you with a couple of pictures we snatched from the internet.  Have a great weekend everyone!!




Check back by Cousin Sharon's blog each day to read about their adventures.  As always.....

Until next time, stay safe out there.....-R,T,&J.


Sunday, September 6, 2015

A Little Camping Magic.....

Happy Sunday afternoon everyone.  No matter where you are, we hope you're having a great day and a great weekend.  We're camping at Honey Bear Campground in Boone, NC.  This has been a great weekend camping.  

Our take on this campground is it is nice, but does have a few issues.  



All the staffers here have been very nice to us.  That campground has been filled with mostly young families, in tents, pop-ups, and smaller trailers, with the occasional motor home.  The sites are for the most part nice, shaded, and the lay-out of the campground is good considering the hilly terrain for these parts.  In short, it is what you would expect.  

There's lots to do here for the kids which is good, because this weekend, there are a lot of kids here, which is a good thing too!!




On the down side, we've experienced power issues. Our surge guard has tripped out numerous times over the weekend, this morning being especially bad.  Rob did post about this over on Facebook, someone from the campground posted back asking our site number (guess they couldn't look it up), and they'd like to check "your breakers, etc to see if we can determine the issues at your site causing your trouble."  We waited about an hour, then left to do some site seeing for a couple of hours.  As of this posting, we've seen no one.   But we will say the problem seemed to lessen shortly after Rob's posting of the issue.  

   Additionally we noticed the dump station is oriented for trailers entering the campground, not leaving.  This is no biggie, as Rob will simply use the tote tank in the morning to drop the grey water tank.  

Otherwise, we've enjoyed our time here so far.  Yesterday evening for supper, we rode to the local BBQ restaurant.  Rob had the pulled pork, and Trisha had the BBQ chicken.  Both were good.





After supper, we came back to the campground, took a long walk, relaxed, watched a movie, and were off to bed a little early. 

This morning Rob fixed a breakfast casserole in the 10" CDO so he could earn his September CDO Challenge patch.





Later we did take a little ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but with this being a holiday weekend and all, the traffic was just too heavy to take it slow, and so we didn't even stop to take a picture (like we needed just one more picture of the BRP.)

Then it was back to the camper to make phone calls and texts to catch up with family after being gone for two nights.  

So where exactly does the camping magic come into all of this fun you ask??  Well just keep reading to find out.

One of the things that struck Rob as he has walked around the campground is all of the magical little spots.  He said you can almost imaging little families of mystical beings (elves, trolls, gnomes, etc.) living in the campground and only coming out after everyone leaves and all is quiet.















Well that's about it for this post.  Thanks to all for checking by once again.  Tomorrow it's home, and due to family issues, we're keeping our camping calendar clear for the next month or so.  

Until next time, stay safe out there.....-R,T,&J.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Welcoming Levi.....

Happy Saturday afternoon and Happy Labor Day weekend to everyone.  It is Pod here today doing the blogging.  I've got big news for everyone, so pull up your chair and sit a spell as they say in our part of the country.

We're all camping at Honey Bear Campground in Boone, NC., home of Appalachian State University.  Today along with the normal weekend crowds, happens to be a home football game for ASU, so the whole town is hopping. 

We all arrived here about 6:30 last evening, and by 7:30, Jackson and I were hanging out while R&T were off to the Mellow Mushroom to eat dinner.  

But the big news for today is I want to officially welcome our newest member of the Team, Levi, our Truck.  If you will go back one blog post, you can read all about R&T trading Truck in on a new TRUCK.  After the drive up here yesterday, Levi told me he'd like a "real" name.  He said in honor of Truck, he didn't want to go by the Truck name, or some version of it.  So after a team meeting this morning, Levi was officially named.  



Levi gets his name from his color, "Blue Jeans Metallic."  Plus, where Truck worked very quietly, Levi hums a deep bass rumble note when he's pulling us all down the highway.  It really makes me feel good to know Levi is happy to be with our Team.  

And true to form, the mods on Levi have already started.  They include or will include soon; a Ford bed liner, an in-bed tool box, a flush fitting folding metal bed cover, custom fit rubber floor mats, and vent shades for Levi's four doors.  

I think Rob is even researching custom seat covers for Levi too, while Trisha is already eyeing Levi's large backseat for napping on long trips.  





For all of the gear heads out there (you know who you are), Levi is equipped with the 5.0 liter V-8, six speed automatic, XLT package, 36 gallon fuel tank, way cool touch screen interface, integrated brake controller, 4-wheel drive, towing package, power everything, and bunches of other stuff.  Levi also has a 3:31 rear end gear ratio, giving him a 9,000 pounds tow rating.  

Rob says Levi is already on a first name basis with his iPhone.  In fact, Rob even had a phone call on the drive up Friday, and it was just like he was having a conversation with Levi.

So to fill you in on today.  After sleeping in a bit cause they were all tired, R&T had a butter and jelly biscuit breakfast.  Then they made a quick trip to Wal-Mart.  Next was a trip over to Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, NC where Trisha scored several nice stickers.  Then back to the campground, where they stopped by the campground's coffee shop.  The rest of the afternoon was spent being lazy.  

R&T plan on grilling burgers later and just continuing their lazy afternoon with an equally lazy evening.  The day did dawn grey and overcast, but it has become a beautifully clear, sunny afternoon.  

Here are a few more pictures of their day......










Thanks for checking by today and helping me to welcome Levi to the team.  As always, drop back by tomorrow to see what fun we all got into.  

Until next time, stay safe out there.....-Pod