Born on a mixed subsistence farm in rural Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Moved to Ontario in 1967 to attend University at what was then Waterloo Lutheran University and moved to Oakville, Ontario in 1971. Without intending to live up to the name became a letter carrier the following January and have worked for Canada Post ever since. I retired in August of 2008.

Friday, November 16, 2012

On the Road South

Haven't written much lately as I've spent the summer reading especially getting to know my new tablet, listening to music, watching DVD's, taking hikes in the nearby ravines, trying to lose weight, and working out in my home gym. The price of fuel and campground fees make staying at my home which is already paid for the most desirable option.

The last month has been spent getting ready for my now annual trip south. Packing and unpacking the RV, medical insurance, vehicle maintenance, shopping, planning, medical checkups, the whole enchilada. Even stopped in across the road for my second pedicure. As the review sections of this blogsite show I've spent a lot of time this summer watching DVD's and reading.

After my dental checkup on Tuesday finally got off at 4:00 AM Wednesday, November 14th as planned. So far I haven't discovered anything important I've forgotten, unless you include my sanity. I may have left a sliver of Parmesan in the grater on my kitchen counter. Got underway with no major glitches and at that hour encountered little traffic. For reasons I didn't discern traffic on the Northbound Burlington Skyway was stopped making me thankful I was headed in the other direction. I'd never been to Fort Erie and since I passed through it at 5 in the morning I still haven't seen it. The rather short agent at American Customs had trouble hearing me due to a great deal of background noise in the area but chose to let me through with only a few of the usual questions asked. The Peace Bridge Toll which I had ready applies only to Northbound traffic it seems.

There's still a toll on I-91 in New York State and it cost me $5.95. The gal collecting it just about to come off shift looked and acted beat. Dawn occurred just as I approached the Pennsylvania Welcome Centre. Only the washrooms were accessible at that hour. There were glimpses of Lake Erie at this point but the Interstate heads inland through Ohio before heading south on the outskirts of Cleveland. I stopped in Austinburg, Ohio for a break and filled my gas tank before heading inside at the truck stop for Brunch at Denny's. It proved to be the worst such outlet in that franchise I've stopped at. None have good coffee but my Ultimate Omelet was missing several key ingredients and the serving of hash browns that came with it was niggardly. The remainder of my drive to Cross Creek RV Resort in Delaware north of Columbus was unremarkable. Overcast and cold. Got in around noontime.

For the record Cross Creek gets my recommendation as a great place to camp. Pleasant helpful staff, clean facilities, quiet site, and rural atmosphere. Great Wi-Fi. My first night in 4 months in the RV trying to sleep with a propane furnace fighting a low of 22ºF was not pleasant but I can't blame the campground for that. A walk along the hiking path introduced me to Hedge Apples, an alien species I'd never before seen.

Got off next morning at 6:00 AM after packing up a cold balky landline. The road south to the Interstate was a narrow rural suburban two-lane with little lighting. Dawn slowly brightened the sky just short of Columbus. While I beat rush hour traffic there I certainly hit it in Cincinnati, a much larger metropolitan area. At least there were no major collisions to stop traffic. Stopped just south of Louisville, Kentucky to get fuel before I ran out and had brunch at a Waffle House. The place is short on ambiance but it served good coffee and supplied fast service. A slice of process cheese does not make a gourmet omelet. During this day's drive I encountered a great deal of frost and sections of dense fog, at least it wasn't frozen fog. After Cincinnati I shared the road with heavy truck traffic. At least there were sufficient lanes to allow traffic to get by.

I was amused to discover that Kentucky's Welcome Centre is closed for the season but Tennessee's was open when I got there. Sometime I have to stop and tour Mammoth Cave and possibly see Fort Knox. Jim Beam distillery is another possibility. Drove 400 miles this day. Boring is good.

You drive by Nashville KOA before you get off the highway and drive over a mile back the way you came to find the place. At check-in encountered catch 22. I wanted to know if I could get to the Opry before I signed in but the Opry Agent wanted my site number to sign me up. Got that sorted and was conducted to my site. Discovered later I could have attended the Nashville Symphony but I'm booked into the Opry now. Thanks to entering the Central Time Zone today I arrived around 1:00 PM local time. Had a chance to catch-up online and go for a stroll around the park before the sun set around 4:00. The noise from the expressway is all-pervasive but quiets somewhat at night. Barking dogs and noisy neighbours notwithstanding.

The sun streaming in my back windows Friday morning served to highlight the dust and dirt on the glass. Cleaned them as best I could until I get some newsprint. Had to wait for the office to open before I could get some coins to purchase Nashville's The Tennessean.

Republican Governors hoping for a Republican Administration are now suing for more time to implement Obama Care. The USPS has lost 15.9 Billion Dollars and are talking about ‘boosting worker efficiency'. The beatings will continue until morale improves. Say goodbye to Twinkies. Hostess Employees are on strike and the company is shutting down operations and liquidating their assets. The stockpile of Twinkies should last into the next century.

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