camping – Julia A. Keirns – Author, Blogger, Writer

RV Life Daily Blog – 12/29/2023

Friday, December 29, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

I haven’t journaled much about the last three days in the RV. I’ve been inspired to write about other things. We took a hiatus from sightseeing for a few days and stayed inside doing nothing too interesting.

Wednesday, the 27th, we drove to Walmart in Foley, picked up some groceries, and ordered our monthly prescriptions for refills.

Thursday, we drove back to Walmart to pick up our prescriptions and decided to get the oil changed in the car. Seems it was past due.

Today is Friday and we are moving across the street. Originally, we were scheduled to only stay in this campground for one month, so we were camped in a spot that was already reserved for January through March.

If you look at the main photo above, you will notice that there is an empty spot beside us, and the people coming in are traveling together and wanting to camp side by side.

When we asked to stay for another month our only option was if we moved to a single spot across the street. Yes, that is fine with us. It makes us feel as if we traveled to a new place.

Previously we were facing west which allowed us to watch the sunset at night when sitting outside under the awning. Now we are facing east and will be viewing the sunrise in the morning with our coffee.

The two empty spots are ready for the new neighbors. I wonder who they are and where they are from.

It is quite chilly here today but the sun is shining and the blue sky is practically cloudless.

We have more shade on this side of the street. That can be a good thing when it’s hot, or not so good when it’s cooler.

We were completely moved and set back up by noon.

I dug out some yarn and decided to crochet while watching television.

I love making things like this. Maybe next year for Christmas everyone will get placemats.

Thanks for letting me share my day with you.

Camping at Whispering Oaks Campground

October 30, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

A quiet retreat in Manchester, Tennessee

We set out from Kentucky and drove south on I-65, eventually arriving at Whispering Oaks Campground in Manchester, Tennessee. The campground boasted a reputation for peace and quiet, and it didn’t disappoint. The only sounds we heard above a whisper were the acorns pattering on the roof of the RV.

The wooded area was lush with beautiful oak trees decorated in the colors of fall. Squirrels scampered about gathering the nuts for winter. Our spacious gravel site offered a picnic table, rug, and campfire ring.

We had beautiful weather at the end of October. We did a little sightseeing, but mostly we sat outside in the lawn chairs listening to the breeze knock the acorns off the trees.

Our pull-through RV site was large and equipped with 50 amp electric, water, and sewer. The water pressure was good and we had no problems. Neither one of us checked out the public restrooms, laundry, or game room facilities so I can’t speak for those amenities, but from our experience, this was a nice relaxing place to spend our three days in Tennessee. And all at a reasonable nightly rate.

Whispering Oaks Campground gets a thumbs-up from Rich & Julie. Thanks for coming along with us as we travel south for the winter.

(all photos were taken by me)

Longview RV Park in Elizabethtown, Kentucky

October 27, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

I do a lot of calling around and researching when I’m looking for places to stay as we travel around America. I have always been fortunate enough to find some of the best places at the most reasonable prices.

As soon as we pulled into Longview RV Park we were greeted by a nice man on a golf cart who led us straight to our site. We would much rather stay in a smaller campground than a larger one. The people are so nice and glad to have you.

The lots are decent length, with room enough for the tow dolly to remain hooked up and park the car in front of the RV.

The only complaint Rich had is that the sewer dump is up by the front of the RV so he will have to wait and dump when we pull forward to leave.

There is a nice pond in the rear of the campground. The water level looked low. They must need rain. They said they had seen bald eagles here. Wish we would see one.

With it being the weekend before Halloween, it was nice to see the decorations.

They even had a bowl of free buckeyes! We are from Ohio, the Buckeye state. Of course, I will take a free buckeye!

The laundry facility was extremely nice and clean and just look at the wonderful private bathrooms!

Another important factor for us RVers is the water pressure. Great water pressure here and the water tasted really good to us. That is a big plus for us.

Longview RV Park in Elizabethtown, Kentucky gets 5 stars from us. If you are ever in the area, we highly recommend it.

Thanks for traveling with us.

No Makeup in the RV

September 20, 2023 – Traveling With Rich & Julie

(Photo by Nick Noel on Unsplash)

I completely stopped wearing makeup when we moved into the RV full-time. I didn’t wear a lot of makeup anyway, but I wouldn’t be caught dead without eyeliner on.

I worked in an office and rarely had to go out front to work with the customers. I wore the minimum to work — eyeliner and maybe some lip gloss.

Of course, I did go through the years when I wore makeup regularly, but I am 59 now and don’t really remember much about those years.

In recent years, eyeliner was always my one required item. I think because my hair is light which makes my eyebrows and eyelashes light. I haven’t worn much mascara for several years because I always wore contact lenses, and it bothered my eyes. But eyeliner made my eyes pop out. It is my favorite piece of makeup.

I never wore much makeup in high school either. I was never into makeup that much.

Living in an RV and camping a lot gives me no reason to wear makeup daily. Rich has always said I look fine without it. My makeup is put away in a shoebox tub in my closet and I only pulled it out when Rich’s mom died in April. I wore makeup for the funeral. But just eyeliner and lip gloss.

I bet every bit of the makeup I have in that tub is expired. But what would be the purpose of buying new makeup? It would just expire too.

The Accidental Friends We Make Along Way

September 19, 2023 – Traveling With Rich & Julie

The best part of RVing is the people you meet along the way.

One of the things Rich and I love most about traveling around to different campgrounds is meeting new people and making new friends.

Rich is always walking around the campgrounds and talking to everyone. He finds out where they are from, what they do for a living, and where they are going.

I am usually the quiet one, just listening.

But there was one time when I made a friend. We were in the state of Washington at a state park campground. Neighbors pulled into the site right beside us. The dogs didn’t seem to like each other and were barking the entire time these people were trying to set up.

Eventually, when the dogs calmed down, the man came over and introduced himself and it was as if we had always known him. Soon his wife came over and she and I hit it off immediately. We talked for hours.

We spent a couple of days getting to know each other and spending time together. I believe when you feel an instant connection with someone you need to listen to that feeling and embrace the connection.

Rich and I still stay in touch with this couple we met in Washington and hope to get back out there to see them.

Before we left the state, they invited us to their home and fed us steak and crab legs. We had a wonderful visit with them, and they will always be important to us.

I can’t wait to head south in a couple of weeks and see what new friends we will meet this year.

Back at Home

July 28, 2023 – Traveling with Rich & Julie

Leaving a campsite is a lot of work but after 15 months we have it down to a science. Well, almost. One thing I never did, that I always say I should have, is make a checklist of things to do. It seems like we always miss something. Usually it is something minor, but I think I will make a list.

Back at home in Convoy, Ohio, the kids were glad to see mom and dad, but sad to leave Grandma and Grandpa. I think they had a memorable vacation that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

It stormed in Northwest Ohio several times in the past few days. As I write this we are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning and I can see a tornado spotter sitting in a vehicle on the road when the lightning flashes. The wind rocks the camper back and forth making me feel like I am back on that ferry boat. At times like this you wish you had a basement to go down to.

Okay, back to bed. Tomorrow is another adventure. Thanks for stopping by and checking in on us. Safe travels.

Seneca Caverns – Bellevue, Ohio

July 27, 2023 – Traveling With Rich & Julie

Yesterday morning we began our day at a small local restaurant for breakfast.

The Amsden House Restaurant on Main Street in Bellevue was a super nice and clean establishment. The kids were given coloring sheets, and the food was good. The meals were large portions for a reasonable price. We always try to support the small town businesses, especially restaurants. If you are ever in the area, we highly recommend this one for a good family breakfast.

On to the main event for the day – Seneca Caverns. Rich and I have lived in Ohio most of our lives and have never been to this one. This was one event the grandkids will never forget.

Seneca Caverns was discovered in 1872 by two young boys who were out hunting with their dog. The dog fell into a sinkhole, and the boys followed him down into a cave. Interesting fact about this caverns is that it is actually a bunch of fractures in the earth. It was not formed by water movement, but rather cracks in the earth. There are places where you can see how the floor you are standing on simply broke away from the ceiling and fell down.

It is one of the largest underground caverns and is definitely a trek underground you will not soon forget. It is important to note that this climb down to the Ole Mistry River on level 7 is not easy. I would label it as moderately difficult. I did it, but every muscle in my body felt it afterwards.

We were fortunate to catch it on a drought year when the water level was low and were able to go all the way down to level 7 – 110 feet underground – where the water table was. The problem is then you have to climb back up out of the cave. Some of the crevices are tight and narrow, but if I can do it, most anyone can.

I did not take very many photos because both of my hands were busy hanging on to the rocks and walls.

**********

After making it back out of the cavern alive, we headed to the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum. The grandkids did not want to go inside and walk through all the trains but we spent some time in the gift shop and took some photos.

Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum Entrance

Tickets are available across the street in the gift shop. We enjoyed seeing the trains from a distance. After the caverns we were hot and tired. It was near 90 degrees outside with high humidity. We came back to the campgrounds and swam in the pool until thunderstorms blew through the area and we spent the rest of the evening inside watching movies and playing with toys.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s adventure.

Gotta Getaway RV Park

July 26, 2023 – Traveling With Rich & Julie

Yesterday we headed east on Highway 30 from Convoy, Ohio to 53/67 North exit toward Tiffin. Highway 20 then took us to Bellevue, Ohio and our final destination at the Gotta Getaway RV Park. The motorhome ran fine and we didn’t have any issues. The grandkids all traveled well and we didn’t have any problems with them either. They pretty much had devices in their hands and earbuds in their ears for the whole two-hour drive.

Two lane highway between a green corn field and a green bean field.

Highway 53 North is a nice two-lane highway in good shape – compared to some of the roads we have driven. There are a lot of small hills in the road which made the ride fun for the kids. It was a beautiful sunny, 80-degree day. What a wonderful beginning for a grand (grandparent/grandchildren) vacation.

North central Ohio is green this last week of July. Beautiful fields of tall corn stand about four or five feet high. Some of the corn is already beginning to tassel here. The beans are green, but the wheat has already been harvested, the straw has been baled, and the golden fields left behind are empty now.

Gotta Getaway RV Park in Bellevue, Ohio was our destination. I booked this park for only $50 per night for three nights. One piece of advice – make sure to put 20 E on the address. If you just put 4888 US-20 as listed on Google Maps, the GPS will take you to the wrong place. The correct address is 4888 US Hwy 20 E. The campground is on the east side of Bellevue.

RV sites contain electricity and water only, there are no sewer hookups at the sites. There is a dump station, or a honey wagon service if you need to dump while camping. We were parked in site 4, which was a nice level pull-through site facing the pool and playground.

The kids were excited to see the pool and the playground. These are very nice and clean. The store has a fun arcade in the back where kids can play games, play pool, and play ping pong. The store is small, but well-stocked with necessities. The workers were helpful and polite.

We went swimming in the pool, played on the playground, won prizes in the arcade, played games at the picnic table, and ate hot dogs on the campfire. It was a great day at Gotta Getaway RV Park in Bellevue, Ohio.

Stay tuned for day 2 of our grandparent/grandchildren vacation adventure.

Camping With Grandchildren

July 25, 2023 – Traveling With Rich & Julie

We are getting ready to pull out this morning with three grandchildren in tow – ages 15, 9, and 5. We have already accumulated a ton of toys, games, clothes, pillows, blankets, and snacks. Oh my goodness, the snacks. These kids will probably eat us out of house and home (or RV motorhome) while we are gone.

Stay tuned for the adventure as we take them to Seneca Caverns in Bellevue, Ohio and a few other places.