The Long Hot Road North

It's been a long hot summer, perhaps the hottest on record for our part of west central North Carolina.   For the most part Dorcas and I have stayed close to home.  Except for a 2-week trip down east and a short 4-night trip to Mt. Airy, the coach has not moved since we returned from Florida in April.  

In the meantime, we have been doing home chores and other local activities. I have been playing pickleball regularly at one or the other of a number of new pickleball venues in Winston Salem.  All of a sudden: so many courts, so little time!  Meanwhile, Dorcas goes to yoga at the Robinhood YMCA almost every day.  

Ginger says "I'm ready to go!"

So now it's time for a trip.  Faithful readers will know that we head north and west about this time every year for our annual Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness adventure.  I packed up all our wilderness gear, while Dorcas prepared our meals for 14 days, with numerous trips to the grocery store and ran the dehydrator non-stop for a week.  

On Monday, August 21, we set off. Our plan is to work our way to Hinkley MN, where we have a reservation for 7 nights at the St. Croix River Resort. Then we will spend a few nights in Duluth MN, a few nights in Ely MN and then put in to the Boundary Waters for 13 nights.  Coming out of the wilderness we will spend a few more nights in Ely and then head due south to attend 3 back to back to back RV rallies in Missouri sponsored by the Newmar Kountry Klub, the owners club for our Newmar Dutch Star.  Finally,  we head due east, returning home the 3rd week of October.

We fit right in with the big boys

A man and his dog at the rest area

Our first driving day was a long one.  Normally, when we are on long trips and need to make some miles, we find a place to park for the night at some place like a highway rest area or Walmart.  However with 90° plus temperatures that idea was not very appealing.  Dorcas searched along our route and found a county fairground near Dayton OH that had RV spots, and she made a quick online reservation at the Greene County Expo Center in Xenia OH.  From our camp I could see and hear pickleball play a few hundred yards away.  However, the temperature was still over 90°, and I was weary after driving 388 miles, so I settled for a margarita.

So close!!!!

We didn't have an opportunity to explore Xenia, but driving through town it appeared to be very scenic and quaint.  Xenia is nicknamed "The Bicycle Capital of the Midwest".  A neighbor said the whole town is one big bike trail.  Dorcas and I both have Catrikes, recumbent 3-wheelers.   Catrike will be exhibiting at the 2023 Cycle-Con event at Greene County Expo Center in Xenia in September.  Cycle-Con is the nation's largest gathering of recumbent & specialty cycling brands.  Too bad we won't be coming back this way then.

Day 2 took us through Indiana and Illinois.  I have had a strong interest in buying a Rivian, an EV vehicle from a relatively new EV company.  The Rivian factory is only a few miles off our route in Normal IL. In September last year we stopped by the factory on our way home from Minnesota, but it was a Saturday when we passed through, and things there were mostly closed.  Although some production was occurring, we weren't  able to really see much.  I had been trying for a week to schedule a factory tour, but I wasn't getting any feedback.  We stopped in anyway, but couldn't find a place to park, so we split. 

About 1 1/2 years ago I submitted a deposit and a reservation for a Rivian R1T pickup.  I was actually offered one this spring but the timing was wrong: We were in Key West at the time, and the truck was shipped to Richmond VA, the nearest delivery option to Winston Salem, so I passed on that particular vehicle.  In the meantime, we have changed our thinking and are now considering the Rivian R1S, their SUV.  Unfortunately, neither Rivian model is towable 4-down behind the motor home, which would necessitate hauling it on a flat-bed trailer if we wanted to travel with it, which is a severe inconvenience.  Rivian initially concentrated on production of the R1T, which can now be acquired fairly quickly.  The R1S is currently in short supply, with a long wait time for delivery.  They have consequently ramped up production of the R1S such that now they are producing 70% R1S vs 30% R1T. I have subsequently changed my delivery address to our home in Florida so I can take delivery and get service in Orlando, only about 40 miles from our winter home.  There is also some information suggesting the drive train can be modified to allow for towing.  We will ponder the options over the fall and perhaps be prepared to take delivery in the winter in Florida.

Dorcas found us a nice camping spot at Comlara Park in Hudson IL, about 10 miles north of the Rivian factory in Normal.  We had 50A electric so we could run both roof airs at full blast.  It was a very nice park on a large lake for only $28/night.  In the meantime I'm talking to my Rivian guide, Aaron, about the possibility of a factory tour or any other reason to loop back to the factory the next morning.  A Rivian guide is basically my personal contact with Rivian as I negotiate the reservation and delivery process; I had been communicating with Aaron for over a year.   Aaron said he would love to meet us and talk.  He was still working on a factory tour for us, but the prospects were doubtful since there was a special event occurring, with lots of VIPs on site this day.

Site #8 at Comlara Park in Hudson IL

Aerial view at Comlara Park

So, the next morning we looped back to Normal to meet Aaron and see what there was to see.

The Whitleys with Aaron, my Rivian guide

Notice the Rivian trademark formed in the flower bed

Free charging at Rivian!

Even the mowers at Rivian are electric!  On every grassy patch these electric robotic mowers were hard at work.  Click HERE to see one in action.

From the lobby area at the front of the factory, vehicles could be seen coming off the assembly lines and queuing up for final quality checks.  We got a good look at Rivian's EDV (Electric Delivery Vehicle) being produced for Amazon.  Amazon has contracted for over 100,000 EDV's and so far more than 5000 units have been delivered and are on the road.  

Rivian EDV

The RDV has a range of ~150 miles, very suitable for use as a local delivery van.  Currently Amazon has an exclusive contract for this vehicle, but Rivian is hoping to open it for sale to other fleet customers.  Could RV builds be around the corner???!!!

After a few hours at Rivian we doubled back to the campground, packed up the coach and by noon were northbound again.  Through Northern Illinois and into Wisconsin the temperature soared to over 100°.  Even running the dash air and both roof airs, it was still hot in the coach.

On Day 3 Dorcas found us another nice city park just 1/2 mile off our route in New Lisbon WI.  It was on a wide meandering river, had 50A electric and was only $25 for the night.  Sweet!  The park was nearly deserted, the hosts were cordial and the temperature was dropping.  We drove only 260 miles today, and then had a fine happy hour!

Site #24 at Riverside Park CG in New Lisbon WI

Aerial view at Riverside View Campground

On Day 4 the heat spell seemed to break and the temperatures became quite pleasant.

We arrived at St. Croix River Resort in Hinkley MN around noon and settled in to a nice pull-through site with 50A electric, water and sewer.  We are here for 7 nights for FREE!!!  We had scored 3 coupons for 3 separate weeks of free camping when we visited a sister resort in June, also for free.  Life is good!

Site 58 at St. Croix River Resort

We have no over-the-air TV reception here.  Our Dish Network satellite probably would not work due to heavy tree cover, but I never raised it to find out.  However, we do have our new T-Mobile 5G Gateway router, which is displaying 3 bars signal strength, thanks in part to our on-board cellular booster amplifier. With our plethora of streaming apps we have all the programing TV we care to watch.

Ginger is happy to be stationary for a while

We had planned to paddle some local rivers while here with time on our hands.  The St. Croix, Namekagon, Kettle and Yellow Rivers are all nearby and all represented great opportunities.  In the end we did not paddle at all.  We would have had to do a moderately long bike shuttle to do anything, and I wasn't sure I had the energy.  Also, it was nice to simply hangout and do nothing and enjoy the cool weather, which is what we did for 7 days.  We did break bad and drove to town to see "Barbie" at the Timbers Theater in Siren WI.

A trophy buck in Danbury WI

Our route to date showing camps

We have traveled 1188 miles since leaving home.  Tomorrow we will move north only 70 miles to Duluth MN where we will spend 3 nights.   On the way we will buy some groceries and top off the diesel.  Speaking of diesel: We had thought this would be a cheap trip fuel-wise.  In July we paid $3.04 per gallon using our discount fuel card.  Currently, in Duluth, diesel is $4.09 and seems to be going up about $0.20 every week.  Oh well, but I guess we have been partially offsetting the high price of fuel with cheap/free camping, at least so far.

As we were packing to leave Hinckley we found this fungal mass enveloping our fresh water hose:

Nature says it's time to move on

What We Did On Our Summer Vacation

I have been a bit lax in the maintenance of this journal for the last many months.  Faithful readers may think that Dorcas and I drove our motor home off the edge of the world and disappeared forever.  But no, we are both alive and well!

We departed from our winter home in Titusville FL and arrived home in Winston Salem on April 22.  In the following weeks one or the other of us had a doctor's appointment about every other day.  We maintain a busy travel schedule, but we try to be home for a month or two in the spring and the fall, when North Carolina is at its finest.  So that's when we schedule all our doctor's visits.  Heaven help us if one of our doctors has a sick day or otherwise takes a day off, and we have to reschedule!

In June we took the coach down east for a 2-week trip.  Our first event was the Newmar Kountry Klub (NKK) Carolinas State Rally in Fayetteville.  We stayed at the Fayetteville RV Resort & Cottages just north of town right off I-95.  I don't often mention this, but I was born in Fayetteville.

Our camp at Fayetteville RV Resort & Cottages

While at the rally we visited the US Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum.

I love my folding bikes!

We lunched one day at Gaston Brewing Company, where I found a very interesting and unique plumbing fixture.

Recycling at its finest: returning fluids to their source

On another day we visited the Cape Fear Botanical Garden where we enjoyed a private guided tour.

Our next stop was at Sycamore Lodge in Jackson Springs for 5 nights.  Sycamore Lodge is a membership camping and cabin resort associated with Travel Resorts of America (TRA).  We had a coupon for 3 nights free camping, and we acquired 2 more nights relatively cheaply.  After attending a very low-pressure sales presentation, we were presented with a coupon for 3 more weeks of free camping at any other TRA resort.  (Spoiler alert: We didn't buy the membership.)  There are 3 such resorts in Minnesota, so hopefully we can use at least one of these coupons when we head north in the fall.  

Sycamore Lodge: A Resort With a History. The Loverings, a Boston family, purchased the property, that would become the Sycamore Lodge, in the early 1900s.

They planted trees along Sycamore Lane, hence the name of the estate.  The Loverings planned to grow Peach Trees here, but the sandy soil in this section of North Carolina doesn't support this type of tree. Undeterred, the Loverings decided to farm trees.  Pine, Sycamore, Dogwood, Oak and Magnolia Trees were planted on the property.

The first building on the property was a barn with living quarters on the second floor. It is now the the Registration Building & General Store.

The 6000 SF lodge was built around 1905

On one day we paddled with the Lumber River Canoe Club on a nearby section of the Lumber River.

Our final leg of this trip was for a campout and gathering at the Little Pee Dee State Park near Dillon SC with the Lumber River Canoe Club.  Here we paddled, biked and told tall tales and lies around the campfire with old friends and new friends.

At Little Pee Dee State Park, while riding my RAD Power Bike I stumbled upon a Rivian Adventure Network (RAN) charger.  Go figure! Rivian is placing chargers specifically at trial heads, parks and other places to facilitate the outdoor enthusiast.

My RAD by the RAN

In July we attended another NKK rally, the Mayberry Rally in Mt. Airy.    CLICK HERE to see the video.

Dorcas, Andy and Opie

This guy brought 2 Lamas in the back of his mini van.  Then he went back to the farm and brought 3 more.  Check out the video to watch lamas exiting the mini van.

Aerial view of Mayberry Campground

In the meantime we have been doing home chores and other local activities. I have been playing pickleball regularly and Dorcas goes to yoga at the Robinhood YMCA almost every day.  

Exciting news!!! Three local public parks have opened dedicated pickleball courts: Joanie Moser Memorial Park, Oak Summit Park and Sedge Garden Park.  All of a sudden: so many courts, so little time! 

The City of Winston Salem converted 2 existing tennis courts to 6 dedicated pickleball courts at Oak Summit Park.  They left one tennis court to placate the other riffraff .

Oak Summit Park

The City of Winston Salem converted existing tennis courts to 10 dedicated pickleball courts at Sedge Garden Park.  CLICK HERE to see a short video clip of the new courts at Sedge Garden Park.

Sedge Garden Park

The two Winston Salem city parks described above opened quietly and with little fanfare.  For several years we had been playing pickleball at Joanie Moser Memorial Park, which is a Forsyth County Park, on tennis courts using portable nets. On August 18 there was a major ribbon cutting ceremony at Joanie Moser Memorial Park for nine new dedicated pickleball courts.  County Commissioners, county park staff, the general contractor and members of our Winston Salem Pickleball club made remarks, which altogether lasted way too long ... and then we played PICKLEBALL!!!!  I'm proud to say I won the 1st 3 games I played at the new Joanie Moser Park.  And of course I launched the drone and made a video. CLICK HERE to view the video.

Joanie Moser Memorial Park

Two more Winston Salem city parks are scheduled to convert tennis courts to pickleball courts.  One is Old Town Park, only 11/2 miles from my house, where we will have 8 new dedicated courts. 

In other news, we have finally "cut the cord", so to speak, and disconnected our Spectrum cable TV/internet service, and have begun streaming.  We picked up a T-Mobile 5G Gateway router that provides pretty fair cellular internet service, generally 50-100 Mbps, which has proved to be adequate for our internet and TV streaming needs.  Additionally I installed a TV antenna on the roof, and we get all our local programming over-the-air.  I bought a Tablo device which is a DVR with a local programming guide for over-the-air TV viewing. We have subsequently subscribed to a number of streaming app services: Netflix, Prime Video, AppleTV, Paramount+, all at no cost.  By dropping Spectrum and going to T-Mobile the sum of our monthly bill for cable and cellular services has dropped from ~$330/mo to $130 mo, but with enhanced service.  Best of all, we can take our T-Mobile router with us on trips.  The T-Mobile plan has unlimited data usage, while previously we had been limited to about 5gb/mo by Spectrum Mobile using the personal hot spots on our iPhones when traveling.