Georgia's still on my mind a month later (I'm a slow blogger, sorry)...

Georgia, come back to meeeee

WOW, so sorry about the lack of posts! When Steve starts getting on my case about my apparent blog neglect, you know there's a problem. I guess it's just hard to get into that whole vacation-mindset when you've been back in the land of the real world/work for so long. Plus, the days have been gray and rainy for a century, so it's really hard to conjure up thoughts of palm trees and sticky-sweet humidity when you're stuck in this drab mess.

Summer is over, of course (*sob*) but we're still trying to plan one last trip of the season. It would be a short one, an overnighter just so we could dump our tanks. We'd like to get it done before it gets too cold, and also a lot of campgrounds around here close after October anyway. It's just a matter of picking the right weekend so hopefully we can squeeze one in before the end of this month.

That being said, I still have some ground left to cover from our Savannah trip, so to avoid another Steve-freakout ("You're NEVER gonna update the blog again!"), I'll get right to it.

Yay! Visitors!
We had, as I've mentioned before, the absolute nicest campsite ever. So we were thrilled when one of Steve's friends from Savannah, Joey, came over to join us for a barbecue. He lives about 15 minutes away from Skidaway and had no idea the place even existed. And because he's awesome, he brought his own charcoal grill, not to mention some crazy-huge Georgia sausages, a couple bottles of wine and some fancy lights to brighten up the place.

The whole mess of BBQ stuff

We couldn't be real fancy with the light-rigging

Joey and Steve tending to the fire

 It's always so fun to get visitors because I don't think people really grasp what it's like to travel in a trailer if they've never done it before. Even people who don't like camping, I think, would be surprised how enjoyable it is. Heck, I spent a large portion of my teenage years hating the great outdoors (well, mostly bugs, and I still hate those) and now I'm writing a blog about RVing. I'm a changed woman!

Nature walks
At home when I take Lola for walks, I might worry about her freaking out over the occasional dog or squirrel. Here, the danger was a bit more ominous. What would she do if she was faced with a gator? We were (sort of) hoping to find out, because how often can you say you've encountered a real gator in the wild? Skidaway's teeming with trails and marshy areas, so it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility.

Nice view, eh?

Awkward shot of me #2,938

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), no gators crossed our path during any of our walks. We did, however, spot some neat stuff near the marshes:

Swampy swamp

He blends in, but he's the little brownish-green fiddler crab on the right

Cool looking bird in the distance (can you tell I'm a real avian expert?)

And this thing wasn't so cool 

Our trip was pretty much wrapped up at this point, so we just had a lovely 13 hours of driving to look forward to. And per Steve's promise, a stop at South of the Border along the way. Woohoo! I can taste the quesadillas right now (you'd be surprised how good they were...). I swear I'll get to that part tomorrow, you can hold me to it!

Why Water Conservation is Important...

One of the most exciting parts about setting up camp is pulling out the awning. I don't know why, but it instantly lends a homey touch to the campsite. We do need to invest in some cute lights, though. I was thinking it would be too much trouble to have to string them up and then take them down for every trip, but I think it'll be worth it. Especially if we're staying for a few days somewhere.

All settled in for the night...gotta love our patriotic chairs (so comfy!)

Tybee time!
Going to Tybee Island was one of our first priorities upon arrival. Unfortunately, we couldn't bring Lola, but she had a date with the couch and the AC anyway. Tybee was about 45 minutes away and well worth the trip. For one thing, there are no open-container laws on the beach (or in Savannah either), so you can basically drink alcohol while you're swimming, tanning, playing beach volleyball or whatever you want. We opted to stay sober and alert for the most part but still, it was nice to have that option (considering you can't get away with it in either Jersey or PA!).On the second day we went, we packed our own lunches and refreshments, as we're slowly but surely learning to be frugal.

Long view of the pier in the distance

This bar was a popular spot (apparently not when I took this picture)

There was a lot of seaweed and grass on the beach...guess that beats rocks and broken bottles!

H2Oops
By Friday, we were facing a serious problem with our water tanks. See, at every other campground we either didn't stay long enough to require the dump station facilities or we could unload the sewer pipe right on the site itself. This time we didn't have that luxury, so those tanks filled up FAST. And how did I discover this? Well, I dropped my toothbrush in the bathtub only to have to retrieve it from two feet of water. Lovely! I was seriously afraid this was a major plumbing issue, which meant either Steve was going to have to work some magic or we'd have to call a plumber out (since he didn't bring his tools). Luckily Steve said all we'd have to do was make a visit to the dump station. Good thing it was around the corner and we're getting pretty good at hitching up quickly!

Even the dump station is pretty!

Doncha just love how Steve is dressed for this? This kind of thing really doesn't faze him

Overall, it only set us back about 25 minutes or so, and most of that time was spent putting things away so they wouldn't fall/scatter everywhere during the short ride to the dump station and back. It was annoying, though, because only about a day later, the tanks were full again. Yeesh! I guess I really need to watch my water usage. It's so hard to remember that. I think when you have a motorhome, it must be much easier to dump tanks because you can just get in the front seat and drive. When you have to worry about towing, it becomes more of a pain. Yet another reason we're considering a motorhome next time we upgrade...but that's another story for a different day!

Palm Trees + State Parks = Heaven

A long day of driving makes us slightly nutty, which is why we planned to make a couple of stops along the way. The first was JR's in Selma, NC, a large discount warehouse-style place with pretty much everything you could possibly want, all in a true southern atmosphere.

Outside JR's

Mixed in with all the kitchen supplies, bedding essentials and food items, you've got Nascar souvenirs, hunting and camping gear and an expansive selection of religious literature. Yep, we're in the South now. After getting Lola set up in her crate, we headed in for a very brief shopping spree. I had been hoping for more RV-related appliances, but we did manage to pick up at least one exclusively-RV item, a nice stainless steel pot. I also bought some nice-smelling soaps, which officially makes our trailer bathroom more well-stocked than our home bathroom.

Steve was anxious to get back on the road, so we departed after a quick lunch of soft pretzels. Our next stop was about an hour and a half away, my childhood happy place where my parents were able to get a brief respite from my brother and my constant backseat squabbling. I'm talking, of course, about South of the Border. Times have changed, and even though I know it's not quite as magical as it seemed from my five-year-old perspective, I still love to stop there for nostalgia's (and picture-taking) sake.

By the time we got close enough to start seeing the ubiquitous signs dotting the landscape, Steve's energy reserves were a bit depleted. I decided to be magnanimous and offered to take a pass on SOB this time, since we'd be stopping there on the way home anyway. I'm such a good wife. Well, really I was just worried he would get too tired to drive and I'd be forced to take over. SOB would still be there in a few days in all of its neon-lighted kitschy glory.

Tough life...

Destination Skidaway
Five Red Bulls (Steve) and a nap (me) later, we finally crossed the bridge into Georgia. Since neither of us had ever been to Skidaway, we had no idea what to expect. It was about 25 minutes from downtown Savannah, so we certainly didn't think it was going to be the swampy, palm tree-swathed paradise it turned out to be.








At the camp office, a friendly staffer handed us maps and parking passes and told us we had our pick of the land. In other words, we could choose whichever campsite we wanted. What!! So we drove through all four sections of the campground, taking in the damn near-palatial sites and discussing advantages/disadvantages. The sites closest to the wooded areas looked promising, as heavy greenery separated them from neighboring sites. Even better: we could pull right in and our trailer door would face the woods. Our own private slice of this paradise? Don't mind if I do! It didn't take too long for us to find our perfect match:

Not a soul around to bother us...yay!

Boondock Saints

When we first started looking into visiting Savannah, we thought about what it would cost to drive there versus flying. Of course we wanted to drive, but with gas prices being the jerks they are, you just never know if that’s going to be the most economical choice. When we found out the cheapest flight would be around $600 per person – and that’s not even accounting for accommodations – we knew we were doing the right thing.

However, you’re never going to appreciate the value of a gas-efficient car until you’ve driven an SUV towing a trailer. There’s just no comparison to that, because if we were able to get seven miles to the gallon we were lucky. It seemed like every time we turned around (pretty much every hour and a half or so), we were either filling up or looking for a place to fill up. 

Still, all things considered, it WAS cheaper to drive. It also helped that we found such a reasonably priced state park to stay at. Of course, I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ll start at the beginning!

Free parking's where it's at

Originally, we planned to leave Tuesday after work, drive a few hours and then spend the night at a Wal-Mart along the way. We were making fairly good time and around 10:30 that night, Steve asked me to start calling Wal-Marts in the Richmond area. Apparently, though, either nobody who works there knows about overnight RV parking or it’s not a question that gets asked often, because I couldn’t get a straight yes-or-no answer from three stores I called. 

I did, however, luck out when I researched online and found out most travel centers have dedicated overnight parking for RVs and trucks. When I called the Flying J in Carmel Church, VA, I was greeted with a warm southern accent saying, “We sure do offer overnight parking.” Which was as good as a reservation as far as we were concerned!

Boondocking in style

I'm a big fan of you Flying J

I was a little worried about sleeping soundly after we pulled up next to a truck that apparently was going to leave its engine running all night. But I managed to convince myself the sound was like a white-noise machine designed to lull me into a deep sleep. Wouldn’t you know it? That mind game worked. And I actually appreciated the hustle and bustle of the travel center. It made me feel safe -- much better than the time we were the lone RVers in an empty Wal-Mart parking lot.

A little close for comfort, but we made it work

The next morning my alarm went off at 6 a.m. and we were out the door about 15 minutes later. There was a long day of driving ahead, but thankfully we were past all the congested metropolitan areas of the East Coast.

'Let's get this show on the road!'

Gratitude

We did it! Our first long distance trip is officially in the books. I gotta say, we haven't been doing this for long, but it feels like we're old pros already. Switching lanes on the highway, getting in and out of gas stations, braking, merging and all that fun stuff...most of these things used to at least give me pause, if not completely terrify me. I guess hauling a trailer up and down I-95 for around 26 hours total is kind of like a crash course in everything you'd need to know.

Trip details
Mileage: 1500 total
States: PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, NC, SC, GA
Destination: Skidaway Island State Park
Boondocking spots: Flying J, Carmel Church, VA (on way there) and Pilot Travel Center, Colonial Heights, VA (on way back)
 

One seriously long trip

There is so much to say, but first I have to thank my hubby, the true MVP of this vacation. From the minute he hitched up last Tuesday evening to the very last reverse into the storage spot, he stayed cool, collected and in control. He expertly maneuvered the car/trailer out of numerous situations that could have easily shaken another driver. During the 1500 miles we were on the road, we faced traffic jams, narrow and under-construction highways, brazen drivers weaving in and out of lanes, confusing signage, iffy bridges, constant gas station searches and that monstrosity known as the Beltway. That last one may be the only spot where I saw his nerves starting to fray. It was by far the most stressful part of the trip. They certainly don't make that area very friendly to trailers of any kind.

My hero!

My job during this whole excursion involved keeping an eye out for low overhead signs, speed limits and gas stations and keeping a constant supply of cash for tolls (still cannot believe just ONE of our tolls was $23). I also tried my best to be non-annoying, awake and on alert for Lola misbehavior in the backseat. But there's still no comparison to what Steve did. Maybe someday soon you'll see me in the driver's seat with a trailer tagging along behind, but it'll probably be in a deserted parking lot and not one of the most well-traveled highways in the U.S. For now, I'm happy with my copilot seat.

Now that it's all said and done, I'm still in awe that we managed to pull this off. It takes a special kind of person to even attempt this drive in a car, let alone with a trailer in tow. About a dozen times we must have said along the way, "I can't believe we can actually bring our home anywhere we go." Just having our trailer along with us makes us feel like we are already at home, even when we're not (kinda stole that from an RV dealership sign en route: 'You're always at home in an RV').

OK, I think I'm done being corny for now. Just wanted Steve to get a turn in the limelight. The trailer may have made this trip possible, but his many talents are the reason we made it out alive.

Joking about the being alive part. Well kinda.

More to come!

Domesticity

On the eve of our first wedding anniversary, we had plans to head off for a Lola-free night at a nearby campground. Steve's parents had graciously offered to take her for the night. Unfortunately, we decided to postpone that mini trip because of the intermittent storms. The fact that our Mountaineer is also showing an ABS light on the dashboard didn't exactly help matters. Steve is nervous enough about pulling the trailer in rainstorms, and a glitch in the anti-lock brake system wouldn't make that any easier.

Either way, we need to get this checked out before we head down to Savannah. I'm hoping it's nothing major -- after all, it just passed inspection (a really cheap one, in fact) two short months ago. But as it happens, we're in the middle of a streak of bad luck as it relates to our vehicles. Our other car, a 1998 Buick Riviera (Steve's baby), just came out of the shop after a four-figure inspection/repair job. Before that happened, we were thinking of taking the Mountaineer in for its absolutely abysmal air conditioning, but that had to take a backseat. I would blame all of these problems on buying used vehicles, but as we can see from our issues earlier in the summer, even new vehicles aren't perfect.

We did take the opportunity to do some decorating in the RV, though. We've had these little accoutrements for a while now, but we finally got some special sticky-hooks to hang them up. They may be made especially for RVs, but I love those little hooks. I'm thinking of ordering some from Camping World and sticking them all over my house!

We ended up having a lovely anniversary even though we weren't able to go ahead with our original plans. On Saturday night, we cashed in on our wedding venue's gift to us -- dinner for two (including appetizers, entrees, desserts and nonalcoholic beverages). And the next day, we continued the food extravaganza at my parents' and in-laws' house. Because it was our anniversary, the main thing we ate, of course, was our delicious (still) one-year-old cake!

I'm happy to say that to Steve's chagrin, I *finally* got to shove cake in his face (he refused to let me on our wedding day for reasons I still don't understand...I was all for it, and who was the one wearing the white dress?!). Anyway:

Open wide!

Heh heh heh

 Then came revenge.

The trick is to keep your head up so the crumbs don't fall on your lap

Yum! Good look for me

Georgia on my mind...

Ugh! This summer is going by way too fast. The past two weekends have been dominated by social commitments, so even though we had to travel, the trailer wasn't along for the ride. The good part is we've been able to spend time with friends we don't see very often, which means a lot of bragging about our new part-time RVing lifestyle. Suffice it to say, we have quite a few people requesting to join us on future vacations!

Awesome news: As of two days ago, we made reservations for our end-of-summer voyage. This will be our longest trip in terms of duration, but shorter than our stay at Holly Shores in Wildwood. We'll set out on Tuesday, August 30 and plan to drive 5-6 hours until we reach a Walmart suitable for boondocking. We'll wake up bright and early the next morning to finish the rest of the drive to...Savannah, GA!

Originally, we had planned to stay at a campground in Myrtle Beach, since that seemed like a reasonably long distance away, but something we could still manage in the span of a week. Then Steve's allotted vacation time was cruelly shortened, so we thought we might try looking for a place a bit closer, like in North Carolina. We spent a lot of time researching campgrounds in both NC and SC but couldn't find anything we liked. If the place was ah-mazing, like the one I mentioned before with the lazy river, it either cost beaucoup bucks or didn't allow dogs (or restricted the breeds it did allow). I did find a couple spots that looked promising, like on the Outer Banks. While that area seemed quieter and more serene than we're used to (certainly moreso than the Jersey Shore!), I was about to take the plunge and call in a reservation. Then Steve admitted, "You know where I really want to go? Savannah." Yes, that was approximately 226 miles further than Myrtle Beach, which at that point we were considering only as a secondary option. But who cares! It's Savannah. Only the most gorgeous/adorable/freakin' awesome town on the planet.

I've been scheming for a way to get back down to Savannah for years now, ever since the first (and up until now, only) time Steve took me there in October 2006. Steve used to live there for a few years before we met, so I guess this was a way of introducing me to a big part of his life (aka Waffle House, Krystal, Bojangles, the finer things in life). Unfortunately, I may have driven him so crazy during that two-day drive there and back that he swore he'd never again endure that long of a car ride with me. (Long story- I wasn't feeling well.) Apparently, it's been just long enough that he's completely forgotten that statement, and I'm going to take full advantage!

Ahh, young love...Savannah '06

If we were going to make this trip worthwhile, we damn well had better save some money along the way. Steve found a state park that allows camping called Skidaway Island State Park. For $28 a night. There was no way we were going to find anything cheaper, that's for sure. The great thing about this park is that it's pretty close to everything -- downtown Savannah, beaches of Tybee Island -- yet it's also secluded at the same time, if the reviews on TripAdvisor are anything to go by.

Now, not only am I excited about returning to Savannah, but also I can't wait to visit all our "spots" along the way. Finally, our trailer is going to get to see all the beautiful kitsch that I-95 has to offer. Like this!

Yep...you better believe it!