July 2019 - Big Guy Tiny Trailer

Delaware Camping at Cape Henlopen

Delaware Camping

Delaware camping was very new to us. Neither of us had ever been to the area before. We were there as part of our Long Summer Trip 2019. It is a lovely state, but not exactly what I expected.

Crossing the Chesapeake Bay

To begin Delaware camping, we crossed the enormous Chesapeake Bay. I found the Bay very beautiful and quite interesting. It is an estuary, which means it is a mix of saltwater and fresh water. It is the largest estuary in the United States and the third largest in the world. The surface area is approximately 4,480 square miles. It is quite shallow with an average of only 21 feet, but a six foot person could wade through more than 700,000 acres. However, an area near Annapolis is 174 feet deep. As an estuary, the Bay supports more than three thousand species of plants and animals.

Bridge to Delaware camping — Crossing the Chesapeake

The Bay Bridge opened in 1952 and is 4.3 miles long. There is a toll crossing it eastbound only. We crossed it on a Monday and all the traffic was going the other way where it was very slow and congested. Consequently, it was a was cool experience for us to cross this amazing body of water. When we crossed leaving Delaware, the same was true. It was on a Thursday and there was very heavy traffic going into Delaware. Timing is everything.

Cape Henlopen State Park

Our Delaware camping was entirely at Cape Henlopen State Park , where we spent three nights. We had an electric and water site near the front gate, site 27A , and it was not a bad site. It was quite hot, but we had a little shade, plus the important A/C.

Delaware camping at Cape Henlopen — Site 27A

Cape Henlopen has some extraordinary attractions! There is a fort with a unique history. Additionally, there is a beautiful beach, well-stocked store, single-user bathhouse, fishing pier, nice laundry, and fabulous bike trails. I loved this campground!

The Beach

The beach is accessible by walking. Additionally, there are places that can be reached by car or bike. The water was a bit cold for my Deep South blood, but it was very pretty.

There is also a place called The Point, which was isolated and relatively unpopulated. You can see a lighthouse, the Delaware Breakwater East End Light built in 1885, in the distance. There are benches and it is a great place to just sit and enjoy the view.

Lastly, there is a less populated beach by the fishing pier.

Delaware camping at the beach — Beach by the pier

Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area

Fort Miles is like no other fort we have seen because of its interesting history dating to before WWII. Funds for the fort were approved in 1934, but construction did not begin until 1941. The gun batteries at the fort were to defend the Atlantic Seaboard against the German Navy. More than 2,500 soldiers were stationed there in a high alert status.

There were a series of observation tours designed to spot approaching enemy ships. We saw two of them in the park and were able to climb to the top of one.

View from top of observation tower — View of top of observation tower

There are still six barracks buildings on the site, plus many types of armaments and the Artillery Park.

The most fascinating piece, however, is Battery 519. It is a 15,000 square-foot fortified underground building. We took a tour that explained how they built the battery and the complicated process used to determine how the gun should be shot. It was a part of our history of which I was totally unaware.

At the end of the tour, they demonstrated an example of 1/10th of the fire power. We both both heard and felt the blast!

The tour was free and I recommend it to anyone interested in history.

Loaner Bikes and Bike Trails

Cape Henlopen has some of the best Bike Trails I have seen at a State Park. There is a 3.5 mile paved trail through the park and to the beach and pier. There is also a much longer loop, but we only did the shorter one.

We stopped to check out the pier. Many were fishing and the beach had a few sunbathers as well.

While the trail is excellent, for me the special thing about this park is the loaner bicycles they provide at the Nature Center. There is a program ran by volunteers which loans a bike for two hours, free of charge. You must return the bike within two hours, but you can borrow it again. We really appreciated this because we do not bring our bikes on a long trip like this and do not have a way to transport them if rented offsite. We had a nice morning on the bikes. Rain threatened, but did not materialize.

Delaware camping and Bike Trail — Bike Trail

The Town of Lewes

The State Park is in the Town of Lewes. It is a quaint little town with a population of around 3,000. The thing about it is that it is so old. It began as a Dutch colony in 1631! It was the first European settlement in Delaware. I really wanted to go inside the Zwaanendael Museum, but it was closed. The unusual building below was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the settlement

The other interesting thing in the town was how the cemeteries closely surrounded the churches. In the South, it is not unusual to see a nearby cemetery, but these churches had the cemetery all the way around the building.

We observed two downtown churches that had the same situation with the cemetery, so it must have been a custom. However, it is not something I have seen in the South.

I could see from looking at the headstones that some were quite old. The sign below states that the cemetery is over 300 years old. Very interesting!

Plaque regarding graves — Plaque regarding cemetery

On the subject of cemeteries, we also noticed a very large one as we drove through the area. It looked strange at first to see such a large cemetery in such a small town, but this small town has been around for almost 400 years and that would create a need for far more graves than the typical Southern town.

Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth is a nearby beach and boardwalk. You can bike or hike to it from Cape Henlopen, but it is much further by car. The City of Rehoboth is also old. It was incorporated in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal Church as a “permanent camp meeting ground and Christian sea-side resort.

Today, Rehoboth Beach is one of the most popular resorts on the Atlantic coast.

Crab Cakes

I only mention food from on our travels that is extraordinary. Maryland crab cakes were something I had several times on the trip and they were very good, but the ones I had in a place in Delaware was hands-down the best I have ever tasted. They were at The Surfing Crab. Wish I had some right now!

In Conclusion

Delaware camping at Cape Henlopen State Park was one of my favorite stops on our trip. It is the second smallest state, but it is a great place to visit.

Virginia Camping, State, City and National Park

Virginia Camping

Virginia camping was new to us, but we have previously visited the state. Some of the best experiences of our Long Summer Trip 2019 were in Virginia and each stop was a different variety of camping. We stayed at a State Park, a City Park, and also mooch docked with friends.

Claytor Lake State Park

Claytor Lake State Park was an amazing campground—one of our favorites! We had an unassigned, but guaranteed, water and electric site. Upon checking in, I learned that they have reserved sites as well, but they fill up quickly. We had our choice of at least ten sites, all okay, but I loved the one we chose.

Virginia camping at Clayton Lake — Site # 11

Our site was large, level, shaded, and secluded—some of my favorite things in a campsite. The surrounding forest had a heavy layer of pine needles and for some reason, I found it quite appealing.

Virginia Camping in the Forest — View of our back yard

Hiking in the Forest

There was an entrance to a trail at the back of our site. The trail was mostly shaded and level and also wide. It was a very pleasant walk in the woods.

Virginia camping and hiking at Clayton Lake — Hiking Trail

The Lake

We liked the campground so much, we spent our free full day there. The lake had a beautiful marina and a very nice beach, complete with lifeguards.

Marina at Claytor Lake — Claytor Lake Marina

We spent several hours at the beach because it was a comfortable temperature in the shade. I briefly got in the water, which was very clear for lake water.

Virginia camping on the Beach at Claytor Lake — Beautiful beach at Claytor Lake

There were a few picnic tables with grills in shaded areas. We grilled hot dogs and had our lunch there. It was beautiful and peaceful.

Virginia Camping on the lake — Lunch on the lake

We had a relaxing tine at Claytor, which is definitely in the top ten campgrounds we have visited. Everything about the campground was well-maintained and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

Virginia Camping with Friends

We met Heidi and Mark at a Tiny Christmas Campout a couple of years ago and they offered to let us camp on their property near Shenandoah if ever in the area. We had Shenandoah National Park as a stop on our trip, so we took them up on their offer. They have hookups on their beautiful property and we spent three very comfortable nights there. This was Virginia camping at its finest and they were amazing hosts!

Their property is so beautiful and it has Shenandoah National Park as a backdrop.

Virginia Camping with friends — View from the property

Shenandoah National Park

One of our two full days was spent at Shenandoah National Park. Heidi and Mark guided us to things we would like. We saw Skyline Drive and views from an amazing lookout, plus a hike to an incredible Overlook.

Heidi and Mark took us on the Stony Mountain trail because it was not too strenuous in deference to my husband’s knee replacement. It was a very pleasant experience because it was quite cool. It felt good to move around to get warm.

Couple hiking Stony Mountain Trail — Hiking Stony Mountain

The payoff for our efforts was an incredible view that overlooks Shenandoah Valley, the town of Luray, and the Massanutten and Allegheny mountains. Heidi and Mark’s home is also down there.

We had lunch at the park and it was quite good. After that, we went back to Heidi and Mark’s and spent the evening playing Mexican Train Dominos, drinking adult beverages, and eating Amish cheese and sausages.

Montpelier, James Madison’s Home

Montpelier is an hour and a half away from Luray, where we were camped. However, we decided to make the drive because it was something we really wanted to see. It was the home of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, and his wife, Dolly. The home, built in 1764, has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Our docent was very knowledgeable and painted a vivid picture of the life and times of this famous couple.

James Madison is considered the architect of the Bill of Rights and he shaped the ideas that would become the U.S. Constitution. His wife, Dolly, was a very popular lady and a warm, gracious host. She was gregarious, while her husband was a quiet intellectual. But, they seemed to offset each other well.

Statues of James and Dolly Madison — James and Dolly Madison

I remember studying the constitution in college and reading a couple of books about the men who influenced the formation of our country. Madison, of course, was very prominent in those books. It gave me great pleasure to see his home and to hear about his life.

Guest Room in Montpelier — Montpelier Guest Room

There were always guests at the home during the time the Madisons lived there. The most fancy room in the house was for guests.

The Dark Side of Montpelier

Certainly, the issue of slavery was prominent in the tour of the home and there are exhibits dedicated to the enslaved population who lived on the property. The suffering that resulted from slavery was openly acknowledged.

The Montpelier home and tour also did not sugar-coat the personal history. Madison’s stepson was a gambler and drinker who was always having money troubles. He brought them much grief. The Madisons paid so much related to his actions that after James died, Dolly lost her home.

The Home After the Madisons

Consequently, the home was sold in 1844 and was occupied for many years by private owners. The DuPonts purchased it in 1901 and kept it till 1983. They made several changes to the house and dedicated the land to horses. One room in the house was ultra modern in their time. The room below is a replica of how one of the major rooms looked under their ownership.

duPont Art Deco Room at Montpelier — DuPont Art Deco Room

Lastly, when Marion DuPont Scott died, her estate transferred the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation It provided funds for restoration to the house to make it look the way it did when the Madisons were there.

This was a great way to spend our second day in the area.

Newport News

Our last camping in Virginia was in Newport News. I like to visit small to medium cities while camping. It helps me know more about the culture of the area. In addition, there is always something of interest to see. We searched for camping near Newport News and were happy to learn there is a city campground.

Newport News Park covers over 8,000 acres and, consequently, is one of the largest city parks in the United States. There is a lake and golf course, plus a very large campground. It also has an archery range and a field for remote controlled aircraft.

Newport News is very near the Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. However, we visited there several years ago and wanted to do something else this trip.

The Campground

We liked everything about the campground except the maintenance of the bathhouse. Our visit was in the middle of the week and there were very few campers. However, the bathhouse was filled with bugs and spider webs, inside and out. A utility door was open with ugly maintenance things strewn about and a light was on the entire time we were there. I had to kill a big, scary spider in order to take my shower!

Virginia camping at Newport News — Site A 12

Other stuff—the site, the park, store personnel, and laundry facilities—were great. I don’t know what happened on the care of the bathhouse.

The Mariners’ Museum & Park

Mariners’ is America’s National Maritime Museum and is so worth the time and effort to see. For example, there isthmus Nolan Trail, a wonderful trail around the museum and Lake Maury. It is beautiful, wide, and shaded with birds and turtles to see. We walked a good part of it. It is a popular place; there were lots of hikers and runners.

The museum itself has so many artifacts and lots of information related to maritime topics.

Within the museum is a 3D movie, model ships, and artifacts from ships dating back to the 1700s. There is a wooden anchor from 1783. The racer from the America’s Cup was in display with videos about the team and training. There were so many other full size boats as well.

Boat at Mariners Museum — Boat at the Museum

Lastly, the museum’s biggest claim to fame is major pieces of the actual USS Monitor, the Union Navy’s iron-hulled steam-powered warship used during the Civil War. The wreck of the Monitor was discovered in 1973. The story about the Union and Confederate clash of iron-bulked warships is very interesting. In addition, there is a replica of the monitor and a very compelling dramatization of the battle between the two ships.

Replica of the Monitor — Replica of the USS Monitor

Lastly, we visited the City Center, which has beautiful fountains, restaurants, and shopping. So, we walked around a bit and had some delicious ice cream.

In conclusion, Virginia Camping was a delight! We are so glad we were able to be there.

Maryland Camping Adventures

Maryland Camping

We included Maryland camping in our Long Summer Trip 2019 and it was one of our favorites. Neither of us had been there before and were happy to visit two very different campgrounds, Cunningham Falls and Assateague State Park.

Cunningham Falls State Park

Cunningham Falls is a very nice state park and we had a good site with water and electric. We arrived on a Saturday night though and the campground was very crowded. There were lots of loud, unruly children producing much yelling and screaming. They had also trashed the men’s bathhouse. No one appeared to be providing any supervision. It was so unappealing that we closed our shades and spent the afternoon and evening in our camper.

Maryland camping at Cunningham Falls — Site # 20

The Lake and Falls

Sunday was Fathers Day and we checked out the swimming area at the lake. It was nice, but we did not get in the water.

The Falls were more of an attraction to us. We took the easy hike to the falls. The path was wide and though there was a bit of a climb, it was not too steep. There were lots of families on the path.

The waterfall was pretty and well worth the effort to see it. We stayed there for awhile just taking in the view and watching the people.

Back at the campsite, all the people with the unruly children had left and it was so pleasant to be there. My husband heard from all our children, wishing him a Happy Father’s Day. That made him very happy.

Gettysburg

Gettysburg is not in Maryland, but it was only a thirty-minute drive from where we were camping. We had the afternoon and I was afraid if we didn’t see it at this opportunity, we might never. Gettysburg was the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War with over 40,000 casualties. We have wanted to visit it for some time. So, we drove to Pennsylvania to visit the Gettysburg National Military Park.

We did not get to do everything, but toured the museum and saw exhibits and a movie. There was an enormous Cyclorama Painting depicting the battle. The canvas is 42 feet high and has a circumference of 377 feet. It took the artist, Paul Philippoteaux, and a team of assistants a year to complete. There is a show with lights and sound effects. I really preferred seeing the painting with full lights on though.

There was a bus tour of the battlefield, but we did not have the time for it. However, we saw part of it as we were leaving. It was worth the drive to visit this historic site.

Sachs Covered Bridge

The Sachs Bridge is very near the Gettysburg battlefield. It was built in 1852 in Adams County.

The truss bridge was standing during the Civil War and was used by both Union and Confederate soldiers. It has been designated Pennsylvania’s “most historic bridge”. It is also reputed to be severely haunted.

Maryland Camping at Assateague State Park

Assateague State Park was my favorite Maryland camping. We could only get one night there, but were nearby and very much wanted to see it. It is on a barrier island inhabited by approximately 150 wild horses.

Assateague Visitor Center — Visitor Center

Most importantly, the island is natural and undeveloped, a rarity for such a desirable vacation spot. The northern two-thirds is in Maryland and includes Assateague State Park and Assateague Island National Seashore. The remaining third is in Virginia and is managed by the National Park Service.

Conditions at Assateague — Conditions at the State Park

The park has a very nice gift shop and a restaurant. They warn you about the wild ponies—no food should be left out or taken to the beach. Plus, you are told to stay at least forty feet away from them.

Maryland camping at the state park — Site H302

We arrived at our site at about 2 p.m. There are very few sites with electricity, so we we dry camping. However, we were good for everything except the lack of A/C. It was very hot with zero shade. The wind was very high though, so it was fairly comfortable to be outside. However, inside the camper was hot.

The bathhouse was right behind us and was the nicest I have ever seen in a state park because it was very new and immaculate. The path to the beach was right in front of us, so we had a very good location.

The Beach

We spent some time on the beach. It was certainly windy. Our umbrella blew backwards and consequently, we had to retire it. I did put my feet in the water and it was a bit cold. While at the beach, we kept an eye out for ponies, but no luck.

Maryland camping at the beach — Testing the water

Wild Ponies!

I read reviews of the park and sometimes people come and do not see ponies or they see the from a great distance. We had been in several areas of the park for a couple of hours and no ponies. I told my husband to be prepared for a visit without them. While he was in the restroom, I saw four walking along the road on our loop. Quickly, I got the phone to take some photos. While I was standing on the step at the door, they started towards me. I quickly ducked inside. The park information stated that they bite!

Wild horses at Assateague — Wild Ponies!

As my husband headed back to the camper, I signaled him to look a couple of sites down at the ponies. I did not want him to miss them. Later, I had to keep on him not to touch them.

Man and wild horse — My husband getting too close

The ponies stayed in our area all evening. One also came back and visited our site. We loved seeing them! It made our visit to Assateague so special!

Maryland camping with wild ponies — Wild Pony in our campsite

Maryland Food

Generally, we had good food on the road, but we had some particularly good food in Maryland. Before entering the park, we had lunch at Crabs to Go Seafood Market in Berlin. Everything was good, but the fried scallops were divine!

We also had an extraordinary lunch in Annapolis at Red Hot and Blue. I believe it is a chain. I had barbecue and my husband had one of his top ten ever hamburgers.

Lastly, I had a delicious seafood dinner, including crab cakes at Rik’s Cafe in Hagerstown. However, the absolute best crab cakes I had was in Delaware, near Cape Henlopen at The Surfing Crab.

Maryland Camping was superb!

West Virginia Camping in the Mountains

West Virginia Camping

West Virginia camping was part of our Long Summer Trip 2019. This trip was the first time in the state for both of us. I expected mountains, but was surprised that we did not encounter any relatively flat areas as we made our way through the state. I learned that WV has an average elevation of 1,500 feet and the highest elevation of any state west of the Mississippi. So, we were always going up and down some pretty big hills.

Kanawha State Forest Campground

I chose Kanawha for several reasons: it was a State Forest, on our pathway to üCamp 19 in Ohio, and near a city we wanted to visit. It also had a Google rating of 4.3.

The drive to the campground was somewhat daunting. We went through multiple neighborhoods with very curvy, narrow roads. I was grateful we did not have a big camper. Sadly, the last neighborhood before reaching the campground was very economically depressed.

We were happy to see that once we were in the forest, it was lush and beautiful. However, there was a pretty long drive to the campground and absolutely no cell signal.

West Virginia Camping at Kanawha — Site # 27 at Kanawha

As we drove through the campground, I was alarmed at the small and uneven sites we saw along the way. I was afraid we would have difficulty making a lot of them work for us. As it turned out, we had the best site in the entire park; large, level, secluded, and utterly beautiful.

There was a road above us on both sides, but no campsites in our little wind in the road. The area surrounding our site was very green with a creek flowing nearby.

West Virginia camping at Kanawha Sate Forest — Our little part of the forest

Unexpected Power Outage

Though isolated with no cell service, we had water and electric at our site. It was rather hot despite the immense shade. While spending the late afternoon planning cards, we noticed our air conditioner had stopped coming on. We first thought there was an issue with it, but discovered our power was out. Having no nearby neighbors, we did not know if it was an problem with our site or the entire park. So, we went to the bathhouse and discovered it too did not have power. As there was nothing we could do about the situation, we settled in that night with no power. It was a bit warm without the A/C, but not too bad. Out T@B Boondock provides lights and television through the batteries, so it was not a big deal. The power was restored mid-morning the next day and we were glad to see it.

Charleston

As this was our first visit to the state, we wanted to see one of its major cities. Charleston was perfect because it is the largest city in West Virginia and the capital. The capital building is very beautiful, but we did not get to see it in its full glory because of work being done on the dome. The building was open to the public however, so we went inside and roamed about quite a bit. The building was dedicated in 1932 and has a very retro feel on the inside.

The grounds in the area were incredible! Beautiful flowers and amazing green grass and foliage. The city’s groundskeeper is doing an amazing job.

Grounds of WV Capital — Beautiful grounds of the Capital

The West Virginia State Museum is in the same area as the capital. It is free to the public and well worth taking the time to see.

West Virginia has a rich history of coal mining which is honored with the statue below and with multiple exhibits within the museum.

The Company Store was an major part of life in coal mining areas for many years and this exhibit has examples of what they were like.

A fact of which I was unaware. Our Civil War resulted in only one change of territory. West Virginia separated from Virginia and became the 35th State.

35th State of the Union — Civil War Change of Territory

The Origin of Mother’s Day

Mothers, you can thank West Virginia for giving you your day of honor. Before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis formed Mother’s Day Clubs in an effort to improve health and sanitary conditions and they raised money toward those goals. During the war, the clubs remained neutral and treated both Union and Confederate soldiers. I love the way that Mother’s Day began! She was such a hero!

Mother’s Day Origin — Mother’s Day Began In WV

Downtown

The city of Charleston was lovely as the photo below shows. We had lunch at an excellent restaurant, Pies and Pints. We ordered Char-grilled wings and they were unlike any other we have had . . . in a good way. Also, we had a large pizza, half Chicken Gouda and half Pine and Swine. We had lots of leftover pizza, but it did not go to waste. The pints were also delicious! I was happy to learn that this is a chain and we have one in our city. We will definitely be visiting.

Our one day in Charleston was great. West Virginia camping was so much fun! The state is beautiful with its own unique character. We loved our time there!

Happy Camping!

North Carolina Camping, Mountain, City, and Coast

North Carolina Camping

This was our first experience with North Carolina camping. I like that we were able to visit mountains on the west and the Outer Banks on the east, plus the area near Raleigh. It was certainly three very different experiences. We visited North Carolina as part of a longer trip, Long Summer Trip 2019, with Friends Old and New

Mount Pisgah

Mount Pisgah is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. It is almost six-thousand feet at its highest elevation. The attraction for me was the cool weather and the Blue Ridge Parkway, which we have not previously experienced.

Mount Pisgah Campground

We were dry camping at Mount Pisgah, but it was very easy because our 400 batteries can handle everything except the air conditioner and the microwave. We were very comfortable our two nights at the campground because of the high elevation and our shady site. However, the area to park the camper was very narrow and short. We barely fit.

North Carolina Camping at Mount Pisgah — Mount Pisgah Campground Site B16

The campground provides picnic tables and fire rings, but they are not typically next to where the camper is parked.

We met a very interesting couple, Walt and Casey, from Maryland while sitting in the chairs above. As we were going to Maryland in about a week, we planned to meet them for dinner. You meet such nice people while camping.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway has been a National Parkway since 1936, covering 469 miles. However, we only covered about 50 miles of it while in North Carolina. There are many scenic spots along the way and eight campgrounds, but they do not have hookups. There is no commerce on the parkway, no gasoline, food, advertisements, etc. They designed the Parkway to provide a beautiful drive with only nature to distract you.

The parkway has many tunnels that were carved right through the mountain. Some, like the one below, were not long, but we saw one that seemed quite long.

Across from the campground is the Pisgah Lodge. It features a restaurant and gift shop, but its greatest asset the breathtaking views.

Mount Pisgah Waterfalls

There are many waterfalls on Mount Pisgah, but we only had time to visit two, Sliding Rock and Looking Glass. Both were an easy walk from the car.

Sliding Rock is a popular spot to slide down a sixty foot waterfall. There are three paths down, slow, medium, and fast, all of which which drop into an eight-foot deep pool. It looked pretty scary to me, but there were lots of brave souls taking the plunge. Supposedly, thousands do the slide each summer. I spoke to one young woman who had done it once and her boyfriend was trying to get her to do it again. She was not interested! I understand it is also quite cold (approximately 60 degrees).

North Carolina Camping and Waterfalls — Sliding Rock Waterfall

Looking Glass was beautiful and you could hear and feel the water from the lookout. They named the waterfall Looking Glass because it looks like a mirror when the water freezes and glistens in the sunlight. There were quite a few people in the water and climbing among the rocks. This Waterfall is also sixty feet tall.

A Problem

On the last night of our stay, we arrived back at the campsite at about 4:30 pm to discover that one of our tires had a screw in it. Because we were leaving early the next morning, we were concerned about finding a place to fix the tire before everything was closed.

We drove to Asheville and happened upon Discount Tire about ten minutes before they closed. Thankfully, they agreed to take care of our tire. While we watched through a glass, the technician removed our tire and went through all the predictable steps. They offered us water and were very gracious even though we kept them past closing.

The technician, who we were surprised to see was a young woman, completed the job pretty quickly. Amazingly, there was absolutely no charge, despite the fact that we did not buy our tire from them. We were told it is their policy to fix tires free of charge. We were very impressed! I hope there will be a Discount Tire in our hometown when we are ready to buy our next set!

Days and Nights In Rodanthe

I am a huge fan of the writing of Nicolas Sparks so the Outer Banks (OBX) has been a desired destination for quite some time. Additionally, a post some time ago on a camping Facebook group included some extraordinary photos taken at Rodanthe Water Sports and Campground. Rodanthe Water Sports became my goal and we booked several months out to secure a waterfront site. It would be a very different version of North Carolina camping.

Getting to Rodanthe, Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Outer Banks has a very cool attraction in Kill Devil Hills, the site of the first flight and the Wright Brothers Memorial. It is a must see while in the Outer Banks. Below is a replica of the plane used for the historic flight. The original is at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

Replica of Wright Brothers Plane — Replica of the Wright Brothers plane

Wight Brothers Flight Path — The Flight Path

Rodanthe Water Sports and Campground

The campground is small, as are the sites, but the view of the sound is extraordinary! The water is very shallow and as warm as bathwater. The campers were a younger crowd who enjoyed kayaks, surfboards, and paddle boards on the calm waters of the sound. We were a bit more sedentary, but I can say that the hammocks in the background are extremely comfortable in the late afternoon as the sun is going down.

North Carolina Camping In Rodanthe — Site # 12 at Rodanthe Water Sports

We witnessed the most beautiful sunset that I have ever seen. However, I am not much of a photographer so these photos do not do adequately represent its astonishing beauty.

North Carolina Camping Sunset — Sunset over the Sound

North Carolina Sunset From Rodanthe Water Sports — Sunset at Rodanthe Water Sports

For me, it does not get much better than this!

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, circa 1870, is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States at 198.49 feet and 269 steps. It replaced a shorter lighthouse that did not meet the needs of ships in the area. I was a little hesitant of the climb as it is known to be quite strenuous, but am happy to say I made it to the top.

The view was certainly worth the climb. Also, it was not as bad as I feared. Taking it slowly made the climb very doable.

In 1999, they moved the lighthouse to a site 2,900 feet away. The move was completed in 23 days and the lighthouse reopened for climbing the next year. The move included seven historic structures that were placed in the same relationship as the original site.

View from Cape Hatteras Lighthouse — View from the Top

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station

The sea along the OBX has long been very treacherous for ships because of the shifting landscape and shallow waters. The hundreds if not thousands of wrecks has caused it to be called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The life-saving service concept began in 1784 and the U.S. Treasury standardized it in 1871. The stations were manned by local men trained to rescue those in danger in the sea. The station provides a history of the life-saving station and biweekly live demonstrations of the process. We were lucky to see a live drill. It was very informative and included a canon shot.

Chicamacomico Life-saving drill — Live life-saving drill

Interestingly, the life-saving services, along with other services, was later rolled into what became the United States Coast Guard.

There are many artifacts at the station, including a house from 1907 that I really enjoyed seeing.

Midgett House 1907 — Midgett House circa 1907

The Inn at Rodanthe

No trip to Rodanthe would be complete without checking out the inn from the movie, Nights in Rodanthe. The exterior of the inn is an iconic image in the movie, though they shot interior scenes elsewhere. Sadly, the shifting sands of the area put the house in danger several years ago. It is my understanding that same company that moved the lighthouse moved the house. I believe it is now a vacation rental house. The new location is not as picturesque, but I was still happy to see it.

North Carolina Camping Near Raleigh-Durham

On our return south, we camped near the center of the state at Falls Lake Recreation Area in the Rollingview Campground. Our site was very long and partially shaded. The site was nice and peaceful and the nearby bathhouse was clean.

North Carolina Camping in Rollingview Campground — Rollingview Campground

We spent one day in the campground and nearby area. The campground had an area for swimming and a marina. It would be a wonderful place if you had a boat, but alas, we had none. There were also paddle boats and kayaks for rent, but it was miserably hot.

North Carolina Camping at Rollingview Campground — Rollingview Campground Swimming Area

Stagville State Historic Site

We decided to visit Stagville State Historic Site, a nearby plantation. It is actually the largest pre-Civil War plantation in North Carolina with a rich history that spans many decades. The docent provided a thought-provoking account of life on the plantation from both owner and enslaved population perspectives.

The house was built in the late 1700s and by 1860 was on almost 30,000 acres of land with an enslaved population of nearly 900. Currently, the historic site is on 71 acres and also includes four two-story, four-room enslaved family dwellings and a massive barn. Stagville represents a time in history that I believe it is important to know and understand.

Raleigh Attractions

We spent our second full day in Raleigh, a city we haven’t previously visited. It would have been nice to visit the courthouse and Governor’s Mansion, but they were closed for the weekend. However, we did get to see a great museum and visit another historic site.

North Carolina Museum of Art

Raleigh has an excellent art museum, the North Carolina Museum of Art. It opened in 1956 and the state legislature created and funded it, a first for a state government. The Museum is free to the public, though it requests donations. Two buildings buildings contain the art, which includes several Monets, countless Rodan statues, and works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Pissarro, and Boudin. I loved it! There were more works by German and English artists than I have typically seen. They were quite good as well.

The museum also includes many outside exhibits on a trail, but the heat made that not so desirable.

Mordecai Historic Park

Mordecai Historic Park was somewhat similar to Stagville in that it was a plantation that began in the late 1700s, though at 5,000 acres, it was much smaller. The home is similar to Stagville in size and style. The family built the house in 1785 and it is the oldest residence in Raleigh.

Mordecai has an added historic building, the birth home of Andrew Johnson in 1808. Johnson was the 17th President of the United States. His mother worked in the home, which was originally at another location. Johnson became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and he was the first impeached president.

Birth home to Andrew Johnson — Home In which Andrew Johnson was born

In Conclusion

North Carolina camping was diverse and quite amazing! Mountains, plantations, lighthouses, and the amazing eastern coast. We enjoyed it all, but I must say that the Outer Banks was my favorite.

North Carolina camping, check it out!

Atlantis Ocean at Rodanthe — The Atlantic at Rodanthe

Long Summer Trip 2019, with Friends Old and New

Long Summer Trip

We like to head north for a long summer trip each year. Summers in Alabama are sweltering and it is good to get away for awhile. For two years in a row, the highlight of our trip has been the nüCamp rally in Sugarcreek, Ohio. As we head there and back, we visit states where we have not previously camped. This year, we were fortunate to also be able to connect with Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs and Friends and to reconnect with friends along the way.

Over the course of five weeks, we pulled our camper almost 3,000 miles and camped in seven states, five of which were new states for us and camping.

Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs and Friends

This Facebook group, managed by Jeff Lackey, is quite active and we joined them at Vogel State Park in Blairsville, Georgia. It was the first stop on our trip. Also, our friends from Florida, Peggy and Chandler, met us there. We were so happy to be able to spend time with them. They are the best camping buddies ever!

Long summer trip at Helton Creek Falls — With friends Peggy and Chan at Helton Creek Falls

It was great getting to know other nüCamp owners who are also relatively close to home. We hope to camp with members of the group often. We spent time with three couples from the group; Diana and Jeff, Victoria and Fred, and Lois and Gary. We also spent time with two single campers, Allison and Karen. All were very nice. There was a potluck one night and the food and company was amazing. We hiked with Jeff, Diana, and Karen, plus her dog, Cashew. We had not for planned a long hike, but Jeff and Diana offered water and snacks, plus loaned us hiking poles and a hat. They are both so nice!

Potluck at Vogel State Park — Potluck at Vogel

Long summer trip at Vogel — Potluck at Vogel

nüCamp Rally, Focus of Long Summer Trip

The üCamp 19 event was awesome, despite some challenges with the weather. It is clear that nüCamp still engenders tremendous loyalty from its customers because of the service it provides and how its people treat the customers. One person this year, Robert Yoder, went out of his way to take care of a minor problem that was our creation.

Winklepeck was lovely and we had a spot with some shade that did not flood too badly.

Long summer trip at üCamp 19 — Our happy place at Winklepleck

We did the factory tour and saw the new, larger camper, the Avia. It was really nice, but we still are happy with our 400.

NüCamp Avia assembly line — New Avias assembly line

It was great to see Kevin, Gloria, and Sheryl, our neighbors from the 2018 rally. Two couples and one single lady we met at Vogel were also there. We had great neighbors again this year, especially Rosa, who was so generous with her homemade pumpkin cookies.

Five New States

Five new states will be added to our map from this trip: Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and North Carolina. We had some great times! Below is a post for each state.

Delaware Camping at Cape Henlopen

Maryland Camping Adventures

North Carolina Camping, Mountain, City, and Coast

Virginia Camping, State, City and National Park

West Virginia Camping in the Mountains

Reconnecting With Friends

We met Mark and Heidi at a Tiny Christmas Campout in 2017 and have really enjoyed their company. They offered to let us camp on their property if we were ever in the area. It so happened that we wanted to visit Shenandoah National Park and they live just a few miles away, so we took them up on their offer.

Long summer trip Mooch docking — Our mooch docking site with hookups

Heidi and Mark live on a beautiful piece of property and we loved spending a few days taking in the views.

Heidi and Mark live closely to nature with a minimalist attitude. It is inspiring to be around them. They were wonderful hosts! Mark prepared a meal for us and they gave us honey and blackberry preserves they cultivated and prepared. We also played Mexican Train Dominos. We hauled the game around for five weeks and were glad for an opportunity to play.

One passion both Heidi and Mark share is their dog, Tru. He has a great life with them as his parents.

Heidi is an amazing woman. She completely built the house that is behind them. All the labor! I am blown away by her skills and because there doesn’t seem to be anything she won’t tackle.

Summer trip in Virginia — Heidi, Mark and the House Heidi built

Long Summer Trip and New Friends

Lastly, we met a lovely couple, Casey and Walt, at our campsite in Mount Pisgah. They are both charming and we really enjoyed their company. They are from Maryland and we were visiting there later in our trip. So, while camping near them, we met for dinner.

Long Summer Trip meeting friends — New Friends, Casey and Walt

It is so nice when you meet people along the way that you really enjoy and have a rapport. Not everyone you meet falls into that category, which makes those who do so special.

We can go to new places and enjoy them without knowing anyone in the area and without really connecting in a significant way, but it is really good to enjoy travels with people who are special to you.

Delaware Camping

Crossing the Chesapeake Bay

Cape Henlopen State Park

The Beach

Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area

Loaner Bikes and Bike Trails

The Town of Lewes

Rehoboth Beach

Crab Cakes

In Conclusion

Virginia Camping

Claytor Lake State Park

Hiking in the Forest

The Lake

Virginia Camping with Friends

Shenandoah National Park

Montpelier, James Madison’s Home

The Dark Side of Montpelier

The Home After the Madisons

Newport News

The Campground

The Mariners’ Museum & Park

Maryland Camping

Cunningham Falls State Park

The Lake and Falls

Gettysburg

Sachs Covered Bridge

Maryland Camping at Assateague State Park

The Beach

Wild Ponies!

Maryland Food

West Virginia Camping

Kanawha State Forest Campground

Unexpected Power Outage

Charleston

The Origin of Mother’s Day

Downtown

Happy Camping!

North Carolina Camping

Mount Pisgah

Mount Pisgah Campground

Blue Ridge Parkway

Mount Pisgah Waterfalls

A Problem

Days and Nights In Rodanthe

Getting to Rodanthe, Wright Brothers National Memorial

Rodanthe Water Sports and Campground

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station

The Inn at Rodanthe

North Carolina Camping Near Raleigh-Durham

Stagville State Historic Site

Raleigh Attractions

North Carolina Museum of Art

Mordecai Historic Park

In Conclusion

North Carolina camping, check it out!

Long Summer Trip

Southeastern T@Bs, T@Gs and Friends

nüCamp Rally, Focus of Long Summer Trip

Five New States

Reconnecting With Friends

Long Summer Trip and New Friends

Safe Travels Everyone!