Video of the Week: Watch Them Sparks!

 On our most recent trip to Stone Mountain I broke out our Solo fire pit for the first time.  The Solo fire pit is engineered to burn hot and to be essentially smokeless .... but apparently not spark-less.  Watch here as Dorcas enjoys our first fire. Ouch!!!

The fire also threw a spark that burned a hole in my GCI RoadTrip Rocker, a not inexpensive chair.  I guess my next investment will be for a good spark screen for our Solo fire pit. 

On the Road Again. A Jaunt Through the Mid-Atlantic States. Part 1: Stone Mountain State Park

My knee surgery was successful and physical therapy has been going well.  My surgeon has released me to do whatever I feel like doing, so there's only one sensible thing to do: Road Trip!!!

Country Coach International was having a rally in Lancaster County, which is Amish country, in southeastern PA.  We had not previously seriously considered attending, but now it seemed like a good destination.  We made a plan to first visit a favorite state park, Stone Mountain State Park, then head north for a week in Pennsylvania for the rally, and finally spend a week at Brunswick Maryland.  The only downside to such a plan was the extreme heat forecast for the month of July, and the record high prices of diesel.  But what the hell, you only live once and you can't take it with you.

First stop: Stone Mountain State Park, where we camped for 4 nights.

Stone Mountain has a beautiful campground.  There are two loops with large paved sites with water and 50A electric, very suitable for RVs.  There are also a number of primitive sites great for tent camping. 

Site #62

Dorcas enjoying our new Solo fire pit

We did a hike to the Hutchinson family homesite at the base of the mountain.  The hike was only about 2 miles with moderate elevation gain, but my post-surgical knee was feeling it later.  Ice is good!  Drugs are better!

Stone Mountain is a 600-foot granite monolith

Dorcas is perpetually happy

While we didn't carry a boat on this trip, but our paddling friends Tom and Diane joined us for this segment of our trip.

Tom, Diane, Dorcas and Myron

The Hutchison family homestead circa 1850

I did some easy biking around the campground.  At first I had to raise my seat pretty high in order to bend my knee on the up stroke, but after biking a while I could lower the seat and pedal comfortably.  This suggests that biking is increasing my flexibility.

On Thursday, July 14 we left Stone Mountain and headed north towards PA.  We had made a reservation at Endless Caverns RV Resort near New Market VA.  This would break up our trip to Pennsylvania into two short travel days, 247 and 223 miles respectively.  Endless Caverns RV Resort is, you guessed it, at the Endless Caverns attraction.  It is a Passport America park, which means the Whitleys score half-priced camping. Passport America parks are not always the best, but we were pleasantly surprised with this one.  It is built on a moderately steep hillside, with well graded roads, but the sites are large, level and very attractively terraced with large rocks.

Site E-40 at Endless Caverns, a nice pull-through with satellite access

While at Stone Mountain we had met a couple traveling in a Newmar New Aire motor home. Our Dutch Star is made by Newmar as well, so we tend to talk to other Newmar owners.  The New Aire is a shorter luxury diesel pusher, and we seriously considered buying the New Aire before we bought our Dutch Star.  Click HERE to read why we didn't buy the New Aire.  Anyway, we saw this New Aire at Stone Mountain, and I spoke to the owners.  Then, just across the road from our camp at Endless Caverns another New Aire was parked that looked suspiciously like the one we had seen at Stone Mountain.  It turns out that is was one and the same.  We spent the evening with Dean and Susie, knocking back some cool ones and sharing tales about our travels and our Newmars. It's a small world in the RV community. 

Nice terraced sites on a steep campground

We did not tour the caverns this trip, but this seems to be a very pleasant resort, so maybe we will come back again.  Northward to Pennsylvania!

A Short Trip to Stone Mountain State Park

We arrived home from Florida on April 22.  We lost Matilda on April 29.  I had knee surgery scheduled for May 17.  So, it was time to get out for a little R&R and relief from grieving before my surgery.  On May 8 we dashed up to Stone Mountain State Park, just north of Elkin and only 60 miles from home, for 5 nights of camping.  We did some easy hiking and a little biking, but mainly we just hung out by Wayne's campfire. 

Our friends Wayne and Lynda joined us for a few nights. 

A small waterfall on Bullhead Creek

Biking at Chestnut Creek on the New River Trail

After 5 nights of rest and relaxation we drove home and began prepping for my knee replacement surgery, scheduled May 17,  just 4 days hence.

A Week at Silver Springs State Park - Part II

 The adventure continues!  

Folks sometimes ask what camera I use.  Until this trip I have used primarily 2 different cameras:  a CoolPix AW110, a waterproof compact camera and a Nikon CoolPix B500, which has a super long 900mm (equivalent) lens and excellent image stabilization.  I also own a Nikon D300S DSLR with a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 G ED lens.  I have not often used the DSLR on the water, because it is bulky, heavy and very susceptible to expensive water damage.  I used this camera for a project a month or so ago and remembered how much I like it.  It will focus and fire much more quickly than my other cameras, which is very handy for bashful wildlife that refuse to sit still and pose.  The 300mm lens is also very suitable for shooting riverside wildlife and sports excellent vibration reduction technology. I used this camera for most of the wildlife shots while traveling this month, and I will be taking the DSLR on most future trips where I expect to see good wildlife.  And then sometimes I break bad and fly the drone ....

The photographic arsenal

The next series of photos are from 2 days paddling different sections of the Ocklawaha River.  The Ocklawaha borders the western edge of the Ocala National Forest.  Click HERE to view the video, which also includes images from Alexander Spring Run.  The video features music by John Prine, one of my favorite singer/songwriters.  John Prine succumbed to COVID-19 last year at age 73. 

Ocklawaha River Gore's Landing to Eureka    9.02 miles

Ocklawaha River Ray Wayside Park to Gore's Landing     10.71 miles

A motley crew

We frequently see folks in a canoe using a kayak paddle, but seldom see a kayaker using a canoe paddle.  But one does what one needs to do to get down the river.

Mitch using half a paddle

This trip is going to the dogs

Great egret on the wing

Red shouldered hawk

Another little blue

Another gator

Belted kingfisher

It's really hard to take a picture of such a small bird moving so fast.  Particularly while kneeling in a moving, bobbing canoe.  Damn Myron, you're good!

Belted kingfisher on the wing

Pair of immature white ibis

Monkeys are also seen on the Ocklawaha:   

Red shouldered hawk

Swamp lily

On Sunday we put in at the CR 445 bridge about a mile below Alexander Springs and paddled Spring Creek aka Alexander Creek aka Alexander Spring Run in the Ocala National Forest.

Alexander Spring Run   5.33 miles

The upper reaches of Spring Creek are characterized by wide prairies filled with vegetation.

 

Tom and Diane on Spring Creek

After 8 nights at Silver Springs State Park we return home to TGO after a three week ramble around central Florida.  Our trip home was uneventful, but we did see one interesting vehicle on the road.  We passed a vintage Newmar Dutch Star.  

Vintage 1996 Newmar Dutch Star on I-95 southbound