Monday, July 11, 2011

July 11, 2011 Arriving Home But Not Without Incident

This morning we left Bulltown campground and continued our travels toward home.  The day was hot and humid and the traffic was fast moving.  About noon we were just east of Hancock, Maryland on I-70 when a loud bang occurred- we had blown a tire.

From 2011-07-12
From 2011-07-12
  Luckily, it was a rear tire and not a front one but that was scary enough.  Tom quickly pulled to the side of the road close to an entry ramp.  After getting out and seeing which tire had blown- the inside duel on the driver’s side- Tom called our road service.  As luck would have it there were no mile markers in sight and we weren’t sure of the ramp that we were at .  After taking the necessary information road service said they would locate someone and call us back.  When we were called back we were told someone from Interstate Tyre would be out within 30 minutes.  As Tom was placing the caution triangles outside the truck pulled up- less than 15 minutes.  The young man quickly went to work changing the tire having us back on the road by 1:30 pm.  The basement compartment near the tire was damaged with a large raise area. 
From 2011-07-12
From 2011-07-12
From 2011-07-12
From 2011-07-12
We were home by 3:15pm without any further problems and without lunch so we made a trip to our local Pizza Hut for a late lunch/early dinner.

We received a phone call from Larry this evening.  He and Joanne were in Natural Bridge last night and then they came home also today.  They also had some problems with tires.  A tire blew out on the 5th wheel trailer in Virginia causing a need for road service and then just before getting home another trailer tire went flat but Larry was able to get it pumped up and get home with it.  We’re just thankful that with these incidents that damage is no more than it is and that there was no personal injuries.

July 10, 2011 Heading Home

Last night, Saturday, we enjoyed a show at the “New Barn” at Renfro Valley Entertainment Center.  David Church was the main performer singing many songs much like the late Hank Williams.  His wife and granddaughter also did some singing.  The 2-plus hour show was very entertaining.

This morning we got back on the road again.  Larry and Joanne decided that they would stay out on the road a few more days so they went a different route from Tom and me.  Tom and I were going to return by the same route that we came to Kentucky although we would not be going up into Pennsylvania but across I-68 to I-70  through Maryland and onto home.  Tom has been teaching a computer class at the local Senior Center so we felt a need to get home in order to not have to cancel a second week of classes.  Tonight we are staying at the same campground, Bulltown campground of the Corps of Engineers on Burnsville Lake, we had stopped at last Monday.  This is a beautiful campground and it seems to have a high occupancy rate.  We drove around the grounds this evening and a little fawn complete with spots ran out in front of us.

Some thoughts about Renfro Valley-  We were surprised that the campgrounds were so empty.  We thought for sure that the weekend would bring in campers filling the sites- while there were a few more on the weekend there were many vacant sites.  The entertainment was very good.  Every day but Sunday there is a show with local performers.  The shows that we saw on Thursday and Friday are formatted differently but featured some of the same talented performers.   We had to question local folk about things to do during the day-there seemed to us  that there is a need for tourism promotion in this area.  We found that the prices in restaurants and the shops were very reasonable.  Prices for shows ranged from $12.00 to $25.00- Thursday’s show was $12.00, Friday’s was $15.00 and then the David Church show $25.00 on Saturday.   This area is in the pretty green mountainous area of Kentucky with locals that still talk with a southern twang- how wonderful that there are still parts of this country that has its own uniqueness.

July 9, 2011 Last Day in Renfro Valley

This morning we went out for breakfast at the Historic Lodge Restaurant that we had eaten dinner at last evening.  We all enjoyed our meals and were well fed – they had mistakenly made a 5th  meal which was brought to our table if we wanted it- some, not all, was eaten from it.  We then drove south to the town of London to a large flea market.  As most flea markets there were all things for sale including puppies, kittens, pot bellied pigs, chickens, ducks, and rabbits.  The animals did not seem to be taken proper care of, some were in need of water and to be out of direct sun.  We returned back to the campground and then walked to the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center.  We first walked about the Bitter Sweet Cabins, old log cabins that were relocated here and made a museum depicting life in this area some years ago.  We enjoyed a late lunch at the barbeque restaurant in the Entertainment area- another nice meal of local barbeque style food.  After eating we walked about the area of the shops seeking bargains or whatever.  After the rain of yesterday, today has been sunny and less humid but still quite warm.  Tonight we will be going to our final show which is a headliner show in the “New Barn” with David Church.

Friday, July 08, 2011

July 8, 2011 Renfro Valley, Kentucky

On Wednesday, July 6th, we continued our travels through West Virginia and into Kentucky, a very pretty drive through the Appalachian mountains.  Most of our travels were west on I-64 until we were near Lexington, Ky. where we then took I-75 south to Renfro Valley.  We were surprised that the campground was so sparsely inhabited.  We had stopped for lunch at a Cracker Barrel restaurant so we just chilled out once we got situated in our campsite.  We did walk to the Renfro Valley Entertainment area thinking we might find an ice cream store opened in the evening but was unsuccessful.  A music store was opened so went into that store and talked with the clerk about the area.

Thursday morning we stopped at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
  Many well known country musicians have roots in Kentucky and now are in the Hall of Fame.   We, then, drove up to the town of Berea a little north of Renfro Valley.  We had seen signs for Boone’s Tavern along the highway on Wednesday.  Our thoughts were that this was probably some historical small building which it wasn’t.  It is an old hotel and restaurant still in operation.  A beautiful white building with wide porches adorned with flowers.
From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
  We decided to eat lunch in the restaurant.
From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
  The food was real good.  Tom and I both had a dish called Hot Brown- turkey on sour dough bread with a cheddar cheese sauce over the top-that Tom remembered hearing Diane Sawyer, a native Kentuckian, on TV talking about at one time.  It was delicious. We were told at the restaurant that a craft festival was being held nearby but after driving out to the location we were told the festival would not be until Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  We drove around a little more finally finding a Wal-Mart where we stopped to pick up a few groceries before returning to the campground.  In the evening we walked over to the entertainment center for a show in the “old Barn”.  The show, “Front Porch Pickin’”, was an hour long with 6 local musicians taking turns singing or doing an instrumental solo much like a jam session.  Very entertaining.

Today, Friday, we awoke to rain and the rain showers continued throughout the day.  We did return to Berea to the Berea Craft Festival that was held at Historic Indian Fort Theater- not sure of the history of the area but the theater was a amphitheater and the festival was staged through a wooded area.

From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
  There were well over 100 artists from 20 states selling their wares of pictures, jewelry, pottery, clothing and other unique items.  Some artists were demonstrating their craft as dying yarns with plant dyes, working with pottery and black smithy.
From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
  We had a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and stopped to listen to musicians that were performing throughout the festival grounds.
From 2011-07-07 Renfro Valley
  A nice day even with the occasion showers of rain.  Before leaving the Berea area we stopped in the “old town” section where there are shops selling area crafts of local artisans.  One lady made Santa Claus’ by making the head and face from polymer clay which is attached to a body form and then attired in Santa clothing- very detailed and interesting.  After returning to the campground and catching our breath, we went to  the Historic Lodge Restaurant across the street from the Entertainment Center and all of us ate the catfish special- catfish, hushpuppies, fries, Cole slaw and biscuits.  The catfish was especially good and plentiful.  After dinner we went to the Entertainment Center to see another show called Tribute to Legends.  Some of the performers from Thursday nights show along with others performed singing familiar songs of well known artists- another enjoyable evening of entertainment.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Tuesday, July 5, 2011- A Day of Traveling

This morning Tom and I along with Joanne and Larry left Buttonwood Campground and travelled a southwestern route through picturesque hilly Pennsylvania.  We were headed for Renfro Valley in Kentucky.  We went 30 couple of  miles on the Pa. turnpike before dropping down to Cumberland, Maryland to pick up I-68 that took us into West Virginia where we then caught I-79 that travels south.  After about 290 miles of travel we stopped for the night just north of Charleston, West Virginia at a Corps of Engineers campground- Bulltown campground on Burnsville Lake.

From 2011-07-05
From 2011-07-06
  Since we have Senior National Park passes the camping fee is 50% of the costs so we are staying here for $13.00 for the night with full hook-ups that include 50 amp. electric.  Quite a bargain- and the sites are spacious and fairly level and the campground is beautifully located along the lake.

We did stop on the Pa. turnpike for a lunch break about 11am.  For dinner this evening we ate in our RV’s.  After dinner we walked about the campground and Sadie, Larry’s dog, got a chance to swim in the lake.

From 2011-07-05
  We are unable to get television reception so Tom and I sat outside until it was getting dark before coming in to read and write the blog.  Tomorrow we plan to get to Renfro Valley, Kentucky.

July 4, 2011- Celebrating the 4th

Happy 4th of July!!

Friday, July 1, we left Taneytown and travelled north almost 100 miles to Mifflintown, Pennsylvania and Buttonwood Campground for a weekend with the Traveling Americans.  Six club units were in attendance plus 4 of Thelma Higgins’ family and friends.  On Friday evening Larry, Joanne, Tom, Linda and Ken Rouzer and I went to a local diner Juniata Junction restaurant for dinner, not a fancy  place but good food reasonably priced.

The Higgins family and friends, having camped previously with this group, had requested to be the hosts for the weekend.  On Saturday morning a breakfast of sausage patties and pancakes were prepared for the group.  And then for dinner a good old 4th of  July picnic dinner of hot dogs, hamburgers and salads with ice cream and cookies for dessert was fixed.  Then Sunday morning everyone helped with preparing breakfast as it was pot luck.  After that we were on our own for meals.

Buttonwood campground is located in a beautiful area of Pa. with rolling green hills surrounding it.  The campground has well maintained grassy areas and beautiful flowers.  This is a rural area with small towns and farms which many are owned by Amish folks.  Tom and I went out riding around the area and stopped at a couple of country markets that had large assortments of cheeses, meats, produce and bulk  foods.  Our coffeepot quit working Monday morning and we had had to go about 15 miles to a town with a KMart- Walmart was 10-15 miles further- to find a replacement.

Today, Monday, the 4th the campground has emptied out and now there are a few RVs scattered throughout.  We, along with Larry and Joanne, the Woodruffs and the Perrys, are staying until tomorrow.