Symphony by the Fire

The flames were dancing as I sat by the fire, the night sky filled with twinkling stars, and a shining moon peeping through the tall pines beside me.

All was still, or so I first thought, then I slowly became aware of nature's orchestra serenading me:
The harmony of the singing crickets, the hoot of a nearby owl, the occasional barking of a dog, the rumble of a jet taking off , a squirrel screeching, the soft voices of people walking by, the sparks bursting from the fire,....
All sounds of nature - ours, other animals, constantly creating a never ending symphony.

As Gwen, a beautiful, wise and loving mentor, often reminded us;
"ALL IS WELL!"

wild oats

 

"Doubt is an uncomfortable condition but certainty is an absurd condition" Voltaire

RV Living: Pleasures and Challenges

RV living definitely has it's benefits.
If I don't like a place, I can move on to wherever appeals to me.
Although wonderfully freeing, it's not always easy to make plans of where to go next.
The experience at Myrtle Beach State Park has been great but I am now ready to continue south and plan to drive to Chesterton, South Carolina for their Festival of Lights which Carol told me about and where she is at the present. The reservations were easy to make and luckily there were some camping spaces available. 
After that, things become more complicated since American Thanksgiving is on Nov 27th and many campsites are already booked fully. Will I have to spend Thanksgiving at a Walmart parking lot?
Plan ahead vs spontaneity? I've always loved the feeling of freedom that results from being spontaneous, going where the wind blows me but have discovered the price to pay is not always camping exactly where I want to and needing to make compromises.
Planning ahead provides a lot of security, knowing there is a campsite waiting.
Being spontaneous results in uncertainty and requires a test of faith and trust that there will always be a campsite or a place to spend the night somewhere.
Given my gypsy spirit, I decide from one day to another where I'll go, requiring considerable time exploring the options.
Within that decision, several things have to be taken into consideration such as a place to dump my tanks, where to get water or propane, laundry, groceries, etc
This is definitely a large learning curve!

There continue to be challenges such as how to communicate when there is no wifi or when out of cell phone range, where best to get supplies , what to do when the tank monitors don't read properly,
what to do with mail, how to hook up my DVD player, and the list goes on. 
I've spent considerable time talking to other RVers, reading all the manuals and becoming more familiar with how everything works such as the water heater or furnace: things I never had to think of when living in an apartment. Places like Camping World stores provide RV supplies as well as service but there is a steep price to pay to have anything checked or fixed ( $125/hr US)
With time, I hope to learn to service these things myself.
So far, most things are working well but I do need to have a seal replaced along my slideout since water gets in when it rains. Duct (or is it Duck?) tape works for now.

The benefits definitely outweigh the challenges!
I remember that when walking along a beautiful beach or sitting at a camp fire.
Each day is a new day and life is never boring.
I wonder what adventures await?

Snakes rarely seen now :hibernating

                                                   

Delighted to see flowers in November

"It is not how much we have but how much we enjoy, 
that makes happiness" Charles Spurgeon

whyknot staying ahead of the snow

The drive south along the east coast of US seemed along at times.
Reports of snow followed me but didn't catch up.
The weather got gradually warmer although the nights were quite cold and sometimes close to freezing, requiring the use of the furnace. The RV is not well insulated as it's meant to be a summertime camper and therefore doesn't hold the heat in for long.
I had to remember to keep the propane tank filled.
Bypassing New York city, I faithfully followed the GPS and because it takes the fastest route, took me on a short cut which was  beautiful, gentle highway with not too much traffic.
Suddenly I saw flashing lights and a siren behind me and, like a good driver, pulled over to let the emergency vehicle pass. I became aware it wasn't passing and that it was a police car. Oh dear! I knew I wasn't speeding (drive about 10mi/hr less than speed limit to save on gas as well have a more relaxing drive)
after a few minutes a young policeman knocked on my window informing me that trucks are not allowed on that highway. I had not noticed the sign. He told me the reason was because of low bridges (I need 12ft clearance), to take the next exit and wished me well.
There are still many kind people in this world!
After another night of boondocking at Walmart in Sturbridge, Mass.I drove most of the day to my friend Mary's place in Winchester, Virginia, visiting for 2 days. It was fun to see her and we spent Sat, Nov 1 going to the Gourd festival nearby.I had no idea how many wonderful things could be made with gourds including jewellry. 
I decided to leave earlier than expected due to snow at some campsites in southern Virginia, North and South Carolina and even Tennessee!
8hrs of driving later, I finally arrived at Myrtle Beach and met Carol who is also traveling in an RV after retiring. It felt good to meet someone else with similar experiences and we've been sharing many stories and things we have learned about living this way eg finding propane, boondocking issues, how to live in a small space, etc.
Myrtle Beach State park is wonderful with its beautiful beach and proximity to the town. The park has hookups, TV reception, wifi, laundry and showers. The campsites are large with many trees at each site. There are RV's of all sizes and makes from small vans to large Class A's (look like a big bus). Everyone I've met so far has been very nice and helpful.People that come to these State Parks are usually nature lovers and peaceful.
We've been walking on the beach, cooking over campfires, and relaxing. I finally feel like I'm getting a holiday after so much driving and didn't realize how tired I was. I'm staying here for 12 days then  on to Charleston just 80 mi from here for their festival of lights (Christmas lights).
The weather has been warm the past few days with cool nights and about 70F today.
Tomorrow we're going to a yoga class in town then maybe Starbucks for coffee and get some supplies.


                                                                                   
                                                                         

Boondocking at Walmart

All is well!

cooking dinner at Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach  Nov 5/14

whyKnot having fun

"Skipper" eating peanuts out of my hand at Port L'Hebert, NS
Oct 24/14

Gourd Festival at Middleton, Virginia  Nov 1/14
Those penguins are made out of gourds!

whyKnot be prepared!

Although I was never in Girl Guides, I've been learning the value of being prepared.
Living spontaneously can be fun but then unexpected problems can arise such as spending 3 hrs searching for a place where I can get my propane tank filled. I has assumed most big gas stations had propane and discovered such is not the case. I was in Halifax at the time, preparing to "boondock" (parking my RV at a free site overnight such as a Walmart parking lot, a visitor's centre, a truck stop, or a rest stop  ) It saves money but there are no hook ups for water, electricity or sewage disposal.Planning ahead means carrying enough water and propane, making sure the batteries are charged, and dumping the black water tank before it's filled.
Propane is important as it runs the furnace (necessary in cold weather) as well as the fridge and stove.
Another helpful preparation is to plan the route to avoid unnecessary driving, low bridges (I need 12ft clearance), and interesting locations to visit.
My route took me from Halifax to Moncton NB where I stopped to visit my niece Ria, then to St John and finally to cross into the US at St Stephen.
I was lucky to get a very pleasant and respectful guard who did a quick check of my RV since I was planning to be in the US for a few months. He told me the max time in US for Canadians is 6mos
rather than 7 as some people think.
It was now Oct 29th and the weather considerably colder, close to freezing some nights but the fall colours still beautiful.
A long drive down hway #9 "Airline Rd" then #95 to Bangor where I finally got a tracphone for $10 and a SIM card for minutes, simple to use.
No contract, just get another card when my minutes run out. 
I love it!
Now I still need to sort out internet access.
As my friend Liz told me, it would have been easier to get all this done before my trip:another lesson on being prepared!
Lots of toll booths to go through but easy driving except for the heavy traffic near cities and always many trucks.
 After Maine, it didn't take long to get through New Hampshire,Massachusetts (gas $2.99/gal!), Connecticut, New York,New Jersey,Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and finally a longer stop at Winchester, Virginia to visit Mary, a long time friend. Prior to that I had been staying at Walmart parking lots which are quite safe since some staff are there all night, the lot is well lit and there are security cameras. Most of the time my RV was the only one there and I rarely saw others on the road because I was so late leaving.
Mary took me to a "Gourd festival" which was fun, followed by a delicious dinner at a Thai restaurant.
On the way to Virginia I did run into an unexpected experience that I'll describe on my next blog.

whyKnot resting

The last day in Pictou was spent taking care of my water system and the tanks.This is something I never had to deal with while living in an apartment and I've been becoming more aware of how much water I'm using.

The fresh water tank holds 95L, the grey water tank (sinks, shower) 122L , and the black water tank (toilet)  102L

I have a panel in the kitchen where I can monitor the levels of the tanks as well as of the propane (37L tank) and battery power (2 batteries in coach area).The truck engine and solar panel keep the batteries topped up.

It takes some planning to deal with the tanks when not staying at campgrounds:

Carrying a full tank of fresh water gives me many days of water but is also very heavy, resulting in poorer gas mileage.

The other tanks need to be emptied when almost filled and there isn't always a place that has a dump site (check on-line or ask at RV stops). Some places provide free dumping service

 eg the Irving gas station where I had to pull up to the site, move the heavy lid, take out my sewer hose , attach it to my black tank outlet, then open the tank with a lever and let it drain. Then then open the grey water tank and drain that through the same hose, rinsing the hose in the process. Put the hose away, replace the cover , then flush the toilet a few times to get some water in the black water tank and add the appropriate solution of waste digestion and tank cleaner.

Luckily this doesn't have to happen more than about once a week depending on usage.It makes me want to conserve as much water as possible.

Oct 20 and temps down to about 4C. I had the furnace on during the night and was keeping an eye on the propane (used for furnace, fridge when not hooked up, hot water heater and stove).

The fall colours continue to be beautiful although less colourful in Pictou as it's on the harbour.

More visits, and the next day I left for Bedford near Halifax after getting my flu shot and a 6mo vacation supply of medications.

Health care is an issue when going to the US for a few months and I have extra travel medical insurance for the time I will be there.

Catch up with Helen in Bedford and parking on a residential street near her as could not park in the parking lot.I think they call that "stealth parking". No one seemed bothered by me doing that as I was beside an empty lot.

I'm loving having my little home to sleep in  while visiting friends.

I had an unexpected challenge when i couldn't find my medication.

After searching high and low, I remembered I had left the pill bottle on my bathroom cabinet and realized it had probably fallen into my garbage can below. I had disposed of my bag of garbage in Helen's dumpster the night before. Well, nothing to do but hope to check it!

So, off we went for some "dumpster diving" and luckily were able to recognize the bag in question. Going through that wasn't pleasant but my bottle of pills were there and sealed. A good handwashing and several wipes to clean the bottle did the trick. 

Helen won't forget this visit!

The lesson for me from that experience is to make sure everything is secure before driving away! I feel like I'm still at the kindergarden level for RV living.

On the 23rd I drove on to the south shore of Nova Scotia in the countryside near Shelbourne to stay with another great friend for a few days of rest before the big journey south.  The rain began and became quite heavy, resulting in a small leak at the edge of my slide-out...not an uncommon problem but needs to be fixed. 

The drive was wonderful with the beautiful colours.

It's now Oct 25th and the rain finally stopped today. There was flooding in many areas so it's good I got here when I did.

It's been wonderful to just be in one place again for a few days to catch up on e-mails (yeah for being able to get her wireless internet!) and hook up to electric. 

Today I helped her clear a path through the forest after a fun walk to the shore. She carried bear spray which I've never seen before but a good idea since there is a bear living in the area and that she has seen from distance.

I have an appointment in Halifax on Oct 28th to get an oil change 

(I've driven well over 6000km) and get the RV checked over, including repair of the leak).

Time to organize the kitchen cupboards and thern do some reading.

Ahhhhh, the RV life!

Is whyknot a mountain goat?

It was with some apprehension that I began my journey to Cape Breton with its beautiful mountains.
Would my RV make it up those steep inclines? Would my brakes hold going down the other side?
It was a perfect fall day with sunny sky and about 20C, vibrant fall colours.
The road was busy with tourists, many stopping for photos, and on their way to take part in the Celtic Colours festival of music and dance.
I couldn't take the Englishtown ferry due to the overhang on the back of my RV so that meant an extra drive via St Ann's. whyKnot drove up smokey mountain without the slightest hesitation and the lower gears helped me gently drive down the other side.
Lots of twists and turns, past Neils Harbour and Cape North,finally arriving in Bay St Lawrence and the Jumping Mouse Campground.
How good it felt to be "home" and reconnect to  family and friends!
Then the work began of emptying some boxes I had stored there and the decisions about what to take and what to leave behind, how to decorate the RV (not much wall space for pictures)
Another fabulous turkey dinner followed and we celebrated with some champagne, keeping a bit for christening the RV the next day after a thorough wash.
The odometer now had 85000km on it, meaning I had driven 6200km since Sept 24th when I left Calgary. Yikes!
The Cabot Trail certainly lives up to its reputation as a tourist attraction and the fall colours make it even more appealing.
I left on Oct 15, met a friend in Port Hawksbury, then on to New Glasgow where I met more music friends ,finally parking at Walmart as was too tired to drive any further. I managed to get the Mcdonald's WiFi and watch a movie.
Internet access is difficult to find and something I need to sort out.
The next day I did some errands and had dinner with another good friend. I'm very fortunate to be loved by so many people!
Off to Pictou, NS and free parking at the docks.
My time in Pictou was busy with appointments, swimming at the pool, and catching up with even more friends.One of them offered their driveway and electrical hook up for my use.
When not hooked up, I can use my batteries and the solar panel helps but there are limits.
I've been trying to sort out the water and waste tanks and was amazed to learn how much water I've been using. In an RV, you have to be much more sparing with water as it doesn't take long to empty the fresh water tank. Even a brief shower uses several gallons. I became aware of how much water I wasted while living in an apartment.
How to dump my grey water tank (from shower, sinks) and the black water tank (from the  toilet)?
I found out some gas stations have dump sites and had to drive to New Glasgow, first to one station to fill up with fresh water then to an Irving station to dump the grey and black water tanks.They did not charge anything but I know some places have a fee for this.
The RV felt heavy with a tank full of fresh water (25 gal).
It will take a while to learn how long the tanks will last before needing to take care of them and where to do that.
The temp dropped last night to about 4C with rain most of the night and there was a lot of moisture inside my windows.
I have to be careful to keep the interior dry, to avoid mould developing.
At this time of year, I've had to have the furnace on during the night. Because this RV is not winterized, there is little insulation and it cools off quickly. The furnace heats it up well and it feels nice and cozy.
Tomorrow, I'm leaving for Halifax and perhaps drive along the south shore.
Hopefully the weather will remain above 0C

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton

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