Spring 2018 Travels

Sunday April 29, 2018

After slogging 18 loads over three days down to the RV amid locked doors, the elevator and Saturday’s rain finally had a soak and went to bed last night. Was up again at 4 and off after carefully backing out of the parking lot at 5 AM. First stop half a mile to gas up at $1.37.9/L at Petrocan where I was greeted by a local cop. This station is 24/7. Traffic was light at this hour on a Sunday but the gusting wind blowing snow flurries was not welcome though it wasn’t strong enough to be a bother on the two Skyways.

Getting my new camera registered at Canada Customs was a pain, even getting there a challenge. When I finally reached US Customs the middle—aged agent smiled and welcomed me to the US. After 10 years an agent with a sense of humour. Not all Trump’s Minions take their lead from the boss. This one winked at the idea of Trump getting a Nobel Prize. Was there ever a border crossing not under construction? The Peace Bridge is reduced to 2 tight poorly marked lanes.

At the Pennsylvania Welcome Centre the agent was in her office on the phone and never appeared. Along the way was surprised to see daffodils in bloom. The Ohio Welcome Centre was open but no one showed up. Outside a Phoebe was announcing his name and Red-Winged Blackbirds were busy setting up housekeeping in the marsh. Vineyards adjoined the area.

Astabula had escaped my notice until today. Stopped at a very busy Dennys in Austinburg for Brunch. The background noise covered most of the squeals from a table of 10 unruly imps accompanied by a Junior woman who lived in a shoe. W. C. Fields would have found them vastly underdone. I did not linger over coffee.

[I did linger over the letter k while I had a 3 hour restorative nap there.]

When I looked outside a large full moon was rising just over the horizon.

Realized when I reached my campground that I should have topped up my tank at the Pilot beside Dennys. Got a low fuel warning as I arrived, I’d been more concerned with whether the GPS would find the place than looking at my Fuel Gauge. Somehow feels like deja vue all over again. Fuel in New York State was $3.09.9/USGal. In Ohio around $2.65.9.

Trees are in flower in the park.

Monday, April 30, 2018

Made it to the gas station without having to walk. After driving around Columbus, Ohio set out along I-70 amid heavy truck traffic. The saving grace is the fact that on flat prairies one doesn’t get caught behind two transport trucks trying to pass one another on a grade.

Stopped at a Loves Truckstop in Knightstown for Lunch at Subway before braving Indianapolis. Seems the place was the filming location for the Gene Hackman movie Hoosiers. Rest of the day was mile after tedious mile. The Indiana Welcome Centre was unmanned and simply a rest stop with coin operated bandits and a rack of advertising.

Every time I stop at Terre Haute the interchange seems to have been changed and the route to the KOA is different. Getting there was a nightmare that saw me driving around in circles. The young people at the counter didn’t know how to handle the KOA system and bungled my sign-in. However I can forgive a lot when I get a good Wi-Fi signal.

After supper I ran into Dan, a Chippewa from Bermidji, Mn whose parents own the park. He lives in a tent on site. Sat at his picnic table in front of a fire and talked, well I talked. I enjoyed his perspective but it didn’t get my e-mail read. Tomorrow I gain an hour as I enter the central time zone. 

 

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

First thing this morning downloaded and installed Windows latest Feature Update, a massive file that took considerable time to download and install. While I was waiting took advantage of the pleasant sky-blue morning to visit the donkeys and take some pix. It was warm enough last night that my own hot air kept the RV Warm. Discovered the hard way that the entrance to I-70 Westbound has changed since I last traveled these parts and has moved to the opposite side of the road. Drove up and filled my tank at Pilot for $2.54.9.

Heavy truck traffic until I headed South on I-57. Didn’t bother to stop at the Illinois Welcome Centre and drove through to Whittington. Stopped at a Restaurant/Gas station at the corner and found a walk in beer fridge, a wall of pop coolers, aisles of chips in the gas station store front. The Restaurant has “entertainment”, a games/party room, and a family restaurant so marked.

Whittington Woods RV Park is in a hardwood forest as advertised and the trees are just beginning to bud out. The place is quiet. 

 

Went for a walk in the woods before settling in.