ST Marys GA. August 2015

 One place we wanted to visit was St. Mary’s  GA., while staying at Walkabout RV Park. We stopped at the visitor center were we met a wonderful 85 year old volunteer. More about her later.  At the center there is a small but interesting GA state Radio  Museum. 

We sign up  for golf cart tour of the historic part of the town.

   

         The tour was given to us by the visitors  bureau manager as she had no volunteers that day.  We also visited the Cumberland Island museum.

    Our plan was to visit Cumberland Island National Seashore, but because of the extreme heat we decided to put it off for another time on the advice of a park ranger. Of course we had to find a good restaurant, as a good road trip includes FOOD. When in a Small fishing town, seafood is on the menu

   Then it was back to the RV. The next day we visited Orange Hall.  Orange Hall House Museum circa 1830-38. 9,500 square feet on 3 floors with 12 fireplaces.

 

    The tour was given to us by the same 85 year old volunteer we met the day before. She was wonderful. She told us so many things about the mansion and the area history.  She said we were like family listening to her. 

     We then took a walking/ driving tour of the town.  There is also a small Submarine Museum in town that we didn't get to visit. There is also  a large submarine base in town which employs 9,000, the towns largest employer.  

The fishing fleet is in for the day.

We came across a few of the old churches in the area. 

     Then again it was time for Food.  There was a old sail boat docked that we were told was open from 5 to 9 so visitors  could go aboard. So after dinner we went down to the dock. As soon as we stepped on we had that feeling we had been here before. When we took a few steps we knew we were on her before, but where. We started walking around and met the captain and told him we were on the ship before, but not sure were. Then it came to me. It was in 2007 in Brunswick GA. Sure enough, the ship was there being refurbished. Talk about coincident

 

 

On our driving tour we came across The Tabby Sugars Works. Tabby was a type of building material made from burning oyster shells to create line, then mixing the ash with sand water and oyster shells. These remnants still standing unprotected since 1825.

We saw building supplies being taken to the island. The pontoon barge is being pushed by a pontoon boat,

On the road to Pennsylvaina

Finally on the road. It is a trip back to Pennsylvania  to visit with Family and friends. We left on July 4^th. We figured most folks would be where they wanted to be for the holiday. We stayed 2 days at The Oaks(review in a earlier post)  and left on Monday. It was just a hoe-hum drive up I 95. We spent the next night at Carolina Crossing RV Park, review also in a earlier post. Drove about 30 miles and headed east on route 58, in Virginia. The reason for the turnoff from I 95 was to take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  We never took this route home so it was a little bit of a change.  The charge for us was $31.00. We enjoyed the change, but not the fee.  The bridge/tunnel brought us to the other side of Virginia  on the Eastern shore.

Is it safe, we are going under that large container ship.

Down we go.

 

Clear sailing till the next tunnel

Large bridge ahead

It was a smooth flat ride which we hope to explore some day. We then crossed the border of Maryland and soon into Delaware.  Our next planned stop was to stay at the Delaware State Fairgrounds. The state fair was the next week and all empty 100 or so sites were being held for vendors, so we couldn’t stay, even for an overnight.  The fairgrounds is attached to a race track and casino. So we checked with security at the casino to see if it would be ok to stay in the parking lot over night. No problem, so we stayed in the back of the large paved flat lot. Sorry no pictures. Of course we spent time in the casino and ate at their good buffet. We did have to run the generated several times during the night  to run the AC.  The next morning we headed to PA. Our next stop was in the Amish country at Spring Gulch RV park.  See the review in a earlier post. The reason for our 4 day stay was to visit Linda’s brother.

The pace got a little slower.

A giant marshmallow farm

   While visiting with the kids we had a great picnic, it was more like a feast with clams, shrimp, steak, corn on the cob and all the fixings. 

 

 

After  everyone’s  bellies were full we were introduced to a new outdoor game called “stump”. Move over corn hole. The stump is a tree stump. All players are given a large nail. The object of the game is to be the last nail standing. You get the hammer and flip it into the air and catch it and hit an opponents  nail. However  you catch it is how you use it to strike a nail. So if you catch it by the head you use the handle to hit a nail. There are many other little rules of the game so search it out on line if interested. It is listed on Wikipedia  Amazing the game lasted into dark and grabed everyone’s attention.  Now we aren’t backwoods folks, but I think this is were the game originated, or a bunch of carpenters on their lunch break.  

Our son Erik explaining the game

 

Our three sons with Linda looking on. Just two out of ten left, our oldest son and Linda

Linda checking to make sure it is a fair hit. You'd think he let her win. But no, he hit his mothers nail in.

 

      After a wonderful visit with our kids of 2 plus weeks of mooch docking at our sons it was time to head back to Florida and a few doctor visits. 

     For non Rver’s, mooch docking is staying for free at  a friends or relatives  driveway , as opposed to a RV park. While There we did attend a regional Camping club rally.  We also had a get together at our favorite buffet, Shady Maple. Next it was down the all to often traveled route  I 95. But we  planned to make a few stops.  On the way  south we found a great little RV park only 5 miles off the interstate.  The park was Jolly Acres; see the review in a earlier post.  Along the way we stopped for a brake at JR’s, a large retail store/cigar outlet/cigarette store. We usually stop  here just to walk around and stretch our legs and check out the merchandise.. Then it was off to the Walkabout RV park in Woodbind GA.  Again a review in a earlier post. We choose this park because it was central to some areas we wanted to visit.  We ran out of time, so we didn’t get to visit them all.

Check back shortly for the “rest of the story” stops in ST Mary GA, ST Augustine FL and Amelia Island FL.  Thanks for following along.

 

Delware State Fair Ground and Race Track and Casino, Harrinton Delware

Sorry no pictures. Just picture a large paved parking lot. We stayed at the back of it. We planned to stay in the fair grounds, but the fair was the following week  and they were saving the sites for vendors. So we stayed in the casino lot. It is a large complex. The girl in the office said the price to stay there was $35.00. A little high for a fair ground.  The town was Harrington, about 20 miles south of Dover. It did get hot during the night so we needed the generator to run the air conditioner .The first Smoke Free Casino we ever visited. A very nice buffet.  

Walkabout RV Park, Woodbine GA

The cost was $10.00 per night with our Coast To Coast membership.They also take Passport America, and that rate is about $16. per night.  The sites are narrow on grass and gravel all pull thru. No privacy between sites. We used the park as a central location to tour several things in a 30 miles radius. It worked out well. The owner is very friendly.  A clean park about a half mile off interstate I 95. It is dog friendly. There is a nice swimming pool. Date of stay Aug 2015. Sorry no photo's.

Jolly Acres RV Park ST. George SC

Jolly Acres.  This is a great find about 5 miles off interstate  I 95.  Very quite. We had a long pull thru site with W/E, so we didn’t have to unhook. There is a dump. The shower/restrooms are very clean.  The laundry is very nice. There are many very well kept permanent sites. Overall the park is very clean and well kept. Call ahead for a reservation, as the transient sites filled up when we were there. Very friendly owners.  This park is worth the extra 5 miles off I 95. We will stop here again. $16.00

 

 The rate is Passport America.  Dog friendly. Date of stay Aug 2015

ST. Johns RV Park, ST. Augustine FL

 

This is a great location about ¼ mile off interstate  I 95. It is about 7 miles from historic downtown ST. Augustine.  The park is divided into two sections, one for transient Rver’s, and the other for more permanent Rver’s.  Some of the permanent section is a little unsightly and detracts from the rest of the park. The transient section is very close sites on grass, gravel or broken cement. There is no privacy between sites other then the utility post.  The park is attached to a flea market. After the flea market closes and the gate to the public is closed many of the vendors leave thru the RV Park. All this being said it is a great value for location with a full hookup site plus cable TV.  We would stay here again. $24.00 The price reflects the Passport America rate. It is dog friendly.  Date of stay Aug 2015

 

The Oaks RV Park Yemassee SC

The Oaks  is a park in need of a lot of work.  Some of the worst pot holes we ever encountered going into and in the park itself. Pots holes full of water and very muddy throughout. The site we were on we needed about a 30 foot sewer hose. So be prepared.  The pool was green.  We had a problem with the cable.  The reason we stay in this park is that it is right off I 95, and we pass through here at least twice a year, and with our Thousand Trails membership it is free for us.  Most of the sites are long enough that you don’t need to unhook, also making it convenient. I just hope some upgrades can be made very soon. They also except Passport America. It is dog friendly. The pictures do not show the pot holes, my boo boo.

 

 

 

Carolina Crossing RV Park Roakoke Rapadis NC

 

This is a very nice park just off interstate I 95. Nicely place hookups. We have a paved site fairly level. There are some gravel site. The pool area is very nice. Site long enough so we didn’t have to unhook.  No privacy between sites, sites fairly close. That being said it was great for us for a overnight while traveling I 95  Cost $21.25 The rate reflects Passport America.  There is a large enclosed dog park. We had a full hookup pull thru site with cable TV.