We Really Should Get Out More or Perhaps Not . . .

We got away from the facility a bit after 11 AM yesterday morning.  I had told myself I’d be happy if we left by noon, so we were good.  Made through the toll plaza in PA just fine, no sweat.  Highlights – if that’s what you want to call ‘em – of our day.

• I prefer refueling at truck stops simply for ease of maneuvering the rig.  Dave really doesn’t like them.  Wanting to not drop us much below half a tank and liking to start the day with a full tank, we refueled twice.  First was a truck stop.  During that exercise, we exchanged a few words in tones of voices we rarely use with one another.  Towards the end of the day, we exited the interstate and followed the sign to a station that had diesel, this in an effort to oblige Dave.  Turns out it was a wee hole-in-the-wall convenience store, which would have been really fairly easy except . . . there was a vehicle blocking access to the diesel pump with owner nowhere in sight, getting our rig’s butt off the road put us at a tight angle for getting to the pump (eventually) and . . .  well, it was stressful for yours truly.  “Am I going to miss the flowerpot on your side?”  Dave afterwards said he’s okay with my pulling into truck stops from now on.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hanging with the big dawgs at West Virginia rest stop

• Saw a fast-traveling car on the interstate in front of us pass an 18-wheeler on the shoulder.  Insane.  Scary.
• This is the first time we have carried cargo in the bed of the truck, including a plastic bag with chocks, etc.  I periodically scan the truck bed, rig sides, etc. in my mirrors.  At one point the bag started creeping up the side of the truck bed.  Yoinks!  “Umm . . . okay, the bag’s climbing out of the truck.”  We slowed down quite a bit with flashers on and then stopped as soon as we safely could exit for Dave to secure that puppy.  Amazing what wind can do, eh?
• Always before when traveling, we made sandwiches the night before and had them in the cooler of the truck for snacks.  Did we remember to do that this time?  Oh no, she says.  We had a few drinks and a bottle of peanuts.  As of this morning, we had gone a bit over 24 hours without eating. “Why?  What happened to dinner?”  See next bullet.
• After arriving at our site at this KOA last evening and setting up the rig, it was time to put out the slides.  Bedroom slide open.  Check.  First living room slide.   First living room slide.  Hello?  Motor running, but no movement.  Oh  crap.  Long story short, we sat outside at the picnic table until almost 10 PM, when it dawned on me, “Duh!  The slides can work independently.  Let’s see if the living room superslide will open.  At least we  can get to the kitchen and I can clean up the flour that’s everywhere.”  I hear you saying, “Flour?  Flour?  Everywhere?”  See next bullet.  Again.  Checked the outside slide control panel.  Oh.  Dear.  In my routine pre-trip safety checklist, I always turn off the slides at the control panel.  Oh.  My.  Yeah, well.  My bad.  Turned on the switches for those two slides and they opened.  “Better cancel that call to Good Sam Roadside Assistance . . .”
• You might be wondering about the flour by now.  In all our journeys with this rear kitchen, we have never had a cabinet  pop open.  On climbing over furniture to get to the kitchen last evening to get me a Dr.  Pepper and Dave a much-deserved beer, there’s this white stuff everywhere in the kitchen.  All cabinet doors closed.  Heck, looked like someone’s baking attempts went very much awry.  Or a cocaine party that was just way too wasteful.  After we got the slides open, I did a basic clean-up, leaving the details until this morning.

Site #20 at the Harrisonburg, VA KOA

• The couple across from us have two large dogs.  One wandered over into our site and started barking at us.  Skeered the bejesus outta me.  Black dog in the black night; hard to see until he is right there with ya and barks with a deep voice.  The guy came over and got him.  Heard them saying, “I thought you were watching him . . .”
• Said dogs are the only barkers in the entire park.  And their site is right across the drive from ours.  And their people are gone and the dogs have been vocalizing ever since.  Could be worse.  They could be constantly barking yappy small dogs . . .
• While in the office arranging to stay over tonight, the office cat got sick and started throwing up.  You guessed it.  Didn’t notice it had already done so right by the counter apparently during the time I stepped away from the counter and went back.  I stepped right in it.  Oh yay.  Cat vomit on my shoe.

Finished cleaning up the kitchen this morning.  We decided to stay an extra day here to rest from yesterday’s adventures.  Dave is out on a short bike ride, adding Virginia to his tally of states he has cycled.  Originally planning a one-night stay here, Dave hooked up our water and sewer this morning before heading out on the bike.  I figured I might as well do a couple of loads of laundry before it becomes a mountain.  Since our travel schedule has been severely modified, we may have only a one-night stopover right before getting to our work site in South Carolina.  Looks like we may have a two-night layover at our next stop tomorrow in Emporia,  Virginia due to possible bad weather Monday.

States traveled through yesterday:  New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia.

Total mileage:  290.1,  which is more than we usually do, but it worked out that way.  We survived and have shorter travel days ahead.  Hopefully,  they will be less eventful and less stressful, too.

I’m going to chill on the daybed with Maggie now.  Oh yeah, Maggie was her usual trouper self.  She was so excited, she couldn’t bring herself to focus on that pre-departure pee and tugged me straight to the truck!  In her crate in the truck (except for periodic walks) until almost 10 PM last night, she uttered nary a whimper and was in no distress.  We couldn’t ask for a better full-timing doggie!

One of the many KOA chickens here, this one visiting us at our site this morning.

Thanks for stopping by!