Wednesday, October 31, 2012

           As we waited to pick up the repair part for the brakes we traveled south on the Blue Ridge Parkway and saw some of the most beautiful clouds, but we knew that they were the leading edges of two storms that were coming together. After we made the repair we decided to move closer to home and ended up In Gettysburg. Good thing as the KOA we were in which is up in the Blue Ridge Mountains is now covered with 2 feet of snow. During the storm we were prepared for the worse as we have experienced a 72 mph northeaster in the Outer Banks three years ago. Our luck was good for we had all the wind and rain here but we did not loose power . There was a 30 second blip but it came right back and we were able to watch the storm unfold on TV. It is a little heart breaking to watch so much destruction in areas that in some cases we had been there only a month ago. As for the Jersey shore , when they showed the pictures those were areas where  I had spent many a summer day in all those devastated areas. Many a summer evening on the Seaside Boardwalk and on the Point Pleasant beaches. Very sad. I have seen a few pictures from the Virginia beach area and just two weeks ago we were fishing in the State Park that was under 4 feet of water. I'm still looking to see if the Army Corp Bridge on 12 south going into Cape Hatteras is still there as the news reports were that route 12 was closed in many places. When we saw the pictures of the HMS Bounty sinking off of the Cape it made us sad to see her go down in the Atlantic grave yard of ships and with loss of crew. Our prayers go out to all who have lost their homes and in some cases loved ones.                                            G
Last Saturday morning on Blue Ridge Drive by Front Royal

The trees are loosing leaves fast

Leading edge clouds of western storm

These flowers are now under two feet of snow, they were at the three thousand foot level

Clouds from the feeder bands of Sandy

More clouds from Sandy

That is a wall of clouds that look like the mountain tops from Sandy

Add captionMore clouds coming over the mountains

more feeder bands from the western storm

Saturday, October 27, 2012

         We left endless caverns yesterday to return to Center Valley and go to Laurens Step Dads' birthday party so we thought. The RVs breaks had a different take on the 6 hour Trip. When I hit the first big hill and started down the RV started to push the truck.That is not how it supposed to work. As soon as I found a spot to pull over I got out of the truck noticed a smoky smell from the front storage area and that is where the brake controller is located. When I opened the the door there was the smell of something that had burned. After pulling out the storage containers I found a burned pair of cotton gloves and started to look for the source of the heat. What I found was that when the new brakes were installed they used an open style fuse that you would use under the hood of a car. In my thoughts why would you do that in an area where stuff will be stored. Anyway I had placed the steel bar to raise up the front tripod jack in that area and the bouncing coming out of the RV campground moved the bar and it shorted out the exposed fuse and over heated the wiring and started the little fire. So we now sit in a KOA campground about twenty miles from where we started yesterday. It is very nice here and I have replaced  the damaged wiring and just need one small part for the total repair. Will pick that up in Harrisionburg around noon and we will good to go. Have installed an enclosed fuse so nothing can short it out and have installed a smoke detector in the storage area. All will good to go by tomorrow.But as we look at the weather forcast for the next few days I believe we will find another RV park and wait out the storm .You all stay safe .      G                                                        

Thursday, October 25, 2012

           Didn't do much the last two days. Went for some groceries and did a few minor repairs inside the RV. Sat outside last night and had a nice campfire for a few hours. Had to wait for the sun to start going down as it has been in the 80's during the day but when the sun goes behind the mountain the temp drops into the 50's in less than and hour but it makes for good sleeping with the windows open.We haven't planned anything for today so we will see what the day brings.             G
On the way into the Camp ground

The picture does not capture the vibrant colors

Our view from the front of the RV

He visits the cats every day

A fire a chair and a beer, life is good

The sky at sun down

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

         We have seen some really beautiful trees over the last few days as we have traveled a good portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway and some really cool unpaved roads in the George Washington National Forest. The trees are just beautiful and the weather has been sunny and clear the whole time. On Saturday night /Sunday Morning we arose at 4:30 to watch the metor showers. They were just awesome. The tails on some were really long and all of them were very brite. Made for some good viewing. We only stayed outside for an hour as it was the only night so far that dipped down into the 30's. The RV park was almost full over the weekend and there were a lot of Kids and Saturday afternoon they had trick or treat here. It was nice to see the small kids in costume coming around and we had a number of them come by over the two hours they were allowed. Now we sit in the park with four other RV's and it is really quite. Very nice I must say.                                          G
Leaf peeping in the Blue Ridge Mountains VA, Blue Ridge Parkway and George Washing National Forest

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Saturday, October 20, 2012

                            We have finally moved off the beach in Virginia. Laurens' Dad did well with his minor procedure and we had some time to visit with him and Laurens' Brother Jay.  A very nice visit.  We are now in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Virginia for some leaf peeping. The colors are really sharp as this is their prime week here for the trees. Some of the trees we saw on the way in over the mountain were so colorful I wish I could have stopped to take photos but the traffic wouldn't allow it. We seem to have moved into the RV Parks big Halloween weekend  so for the first time in some 30 years we will have Trick or Treaters come to our door. How ironic that for all the years we were in Center Valley we had none and now by looks of all the children in the park we will have quite a few so we will have to go and get some candy for them. Plan on doing Sky line drive this week, the trees should be something to see. Tonight we hope to have clear skies as it will be best time to see the meteor showers as there is no light pollution here so it should be a good show .  G                                        
Our new home for seven days at Endless caverns RV Park

Autumn in the Blue Ridge Mountains

A view from our window

Had to open door to do justice to the colors

Thursday, October 18, 2012

        Laurens' Dad was still feeling a little sore yesterday so we took in a few of the local sites. We went to the Mariners Museum in Norfolk VA and it was awesome. We went to see the recovered Turret from the USS Monitor, the first Ironclad ship of the Norths Navy during the Civil War. We did not know that there were also artifacts from the CSS Virginia on display.also. The pictures I put up were a small percentage of what we saw and to be able to touch one of the deck plates gives you a real feeling of history. The fact that these items are on display just a few miles from where the Virginia was built and their Historic battle took place is just to ironic. The Museum has many other displays on many different time periods all doing with the use of the oceans for exploration and war and commerce. A quick five hours and didn't see it all. The conservation of the artifacts from the Monitor and Virginia , especially the fibre materials and leather goods is just to cool. As part of the drying out process they freeze dry some of the items. I tried to get good pictures of the turret and gun carriages but the motion in the water tanks won't allow a good picture.                           G
What I woke up to yesterday

Yesterdays Sun Rise From the RV

Just beautiful

Looking out towards the bay from the RV

Where we went

Anchor fron the Monitor

Cannon from the CSS Virginia

Ships Lantern from the Monitor, the last thing anyone saw before the monitor sank off of Cape Hatteras NC

Ships wheel from the CSS Virginia

This tells you that you are going to touch one of the actual deck plates of the Monitor

touched it and it gave me a chill

Just the same way the crew had their pictures taken during the Civil War

Me too

One of the monitors cannons being stabilised

This is the veiw of the reproduction Monitor at the Museum, it is full sized

Monday, October 15, 2012

       Well we have finally left the Outer Banks and have moved up to Virginia Beach. The weather was great and the water was still in the 70's. We are now in the First Landing State Park and it is nice. The site is large and we are once again only one dune away from the Chesapeake Bay and we have a good view of the Bay Bridge and tunnel. It is really something when it is all a glow at night. We will be here until Friday when we will go either west for some leaf peeping or up the coast for some more fishing. We came to Virginia Beach because  Laurens'  Dad will have some minor surgery this week and we can have a little visit without all the activity of the Family time at SeaScape. We will head back to Center Valley the first week in November to vote and do a few upgrades on the RV. Will add more solar panels and a minor repair on one of the front landing legs. Also need to see whats left from the last auction. Hope Less and Ginny are still talking to us. The work shop and the garages had to have been a nightmare to auction off. Thank you two for all your hard work!                G
Corolla Lighthouse in the Outer Banks

Fort Story Lighthouse in Virginia Beach

Original School House in Corolla in the Outer Banks is still in use

Original Light house on Cape Henry in Virginia beach 1792

Cape Henry NP where the first European  Settlers arrived and the British fleet was defeated by the French Fleet during the Rev War

Replica of first Landing Cross placed by the DAR in 1934
Marble relief of French Fleet defeat of the British fleet during the Rev War


Bronze Statue of Admiral DeGrasse placed by the French Government during the Bi Centennial of  our Independence

Hard to see Bay bridge and tunnel on the Chesapeake Bay