I've been found! Here is a map of where I've been all week. (Click to enlarge)
(A) Last Wednesday my monthly rent finished at Carthage Gap RV Park in Coolville Ohio. I spent a month in that lovely campground. This family owned campground is well maintained with superb hosts. No wonder many folks snatch up sites for the season. My special treat was eating okra, tomatoes, bell peppers and hot banana peppers from Teresa's garden. If you ever stay there, be sure to buy produce from her wonderful garden. Harley had a blast over Labor Day when the campground was full with loads of visiting dogs. We had to walk often, so he could meet and greet all he could. 
(B) My friend in Jackson, Ohio invited me to come park (and plow...) her backyard in Jackson, Ohio, so Harley and I showed up at the wrong house of course. We had already made a few wrong turns, but miraculously found the street we should be on. I even used a tiny intersection of residential streets, to turn my rig around. I thought my friend said her house was the 4th on the left, so imagine my surprise when a stranger answered the door.
I stammered an apology, while Harley watered her grass. I explained my situation but she didn't know my friend. Back in the motorhome, my cell phone miraculously worked so I called my friend, finding out, I needed to be 3 blocks down, 4th house on the left.
Phew. Made it.
We had three fun filled days and two cool nights, visiting my friend and her two dogs. All three dogs happily played together, sharing their toys and food. My friend took me shopping for a ceramic heater
that runs off of electricity. This is super handy, as my main furnace runs off of a propane tank that is built into the side of the motorhome. When the propane runs low, I have to drive to a propane filling station. Sometimes campgrounds sell propane, but it's often more budget friendly to buy direct from a propane company. The ceramic heater, would be cheaper to run than my furnace. Also, sometimes, I just need some heat to keep my feet toasty warm. Mermaids grow feet, once they get too far inland. Keeping my Caribbean feet warm, is always a problem. I get cold pretty easily, my blood must have really thinned out from my past 22 years living in the tropics. As my friend pointed out, electricity is usually included in the flat rate fee charged for camping, so buying the ceramic heater would pay for itself pretty quickly in propane savings. The Ceramic Heater I bought, is cylindrical shaped and only 7.6 x 14.4 inches tall. It is cool to the touch but puts out some powerful heat rather quickly. That size is just perfect for my little motorhome. It stores easily when not in use. Right now I have it under my desk, keeping my feet toasty warm, as it pushes out heat with the built-in fan.
(C) On Friday I did circles in Circleville, when I made a wrong turn, but eventually made it back on track. I headed for Jackson Lake Campground and Park. I found Cedar Hill Road, the correct street, but I never found the lake nor the park. I ended up driving through miles of corn fields in the country while calling the campground repeatedly from my cell phone, which was miraculously working, but the number for the campground was busy every time I called. I gave up. Plan B. I am used to making sudden changes in my plans. Out the window goes the old, in with the new. It sure pays to be flexible. I would rather travel onwards, than to backtrack when lost.
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| Lost in the Corn Fields on Cedar Hill Road |
(D) Planning one thing, doing another...
Next I set my sights on Rippling Stream Campground in Baltimore. I know you are thinking BALTIMORE??? Isn't that in Maryland? Well apparently, there is a Baltimore in Ohio, and I found it. Rippling Stream Campground doesn't appear to have a website, and no one was answering their phone. But I felt a good omen, driving there anyhow. When I arrived, the office was locked up. I was puttering around, messing about with the dog, when the manager showed up to take my rent.
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| Rippling Stream Campground (click to enlarge) |
It turned out to be a beautiful and relaxing camp. I spent Friday night there, then Saturday gave the interior of my motorhome a super good cleaning, plus emptied out some drawers for my guest to use, making sure there was extra room in the closet and so on. Since I don't own many clothes at all, this was pretty easy. Less is best.
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| My guest loft is all made up and ready for use. |
(E) Saturday the puppy dog and I drove to the Port Columbus Airport but their parking garage was too short for my motorhome to park in without knocking off the roof air conditioining. I began doing slow creeping loops around the airport arrival lane. The security guards wouldn't let me stop, even though no one else was around. However, they didn't complain about my turtle slow pace.
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| On the way to the airport, we got stuck in construction again. You can see the steamroller working in the middle of the intersection. (All pictures click to enlarge) |
I stopped at each pedestrian crossing, as long as I possibly could, hoping somebody would cross. I was in the truck lane they had designated. I think this is because they have put up "slow" signs on either side, that no matter how careful you drive, you hit one or the other with the big side mirrors on the motorhome. The signs were the floppy kind, so they flopped and plopped each time I hit one. This creeping around, puzzled little Harley, who thought we were setting up camp again. He couldn't understand why I just didn't park already. On my 5th or 6th crawl through the arrival lane, (I was by now on a first name basis with the security guards) my friend miraculously appeared with his luggage, jumping into the front passenger seat. Harley was thrilled to give up his seat, in favor of seeing his old buddy again.
(F) We drove to Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio, spending Saturday and Sunday night there. Saturday the park was nearly full to capacity, we were very lucky to get a nice spot since we had no reservations. Sunday, it emptied out to about 10% capacity. Monday we hiked over to see the Old Man; hermit Richard Rowe. Apparently he died over a hundred years ago, but we toured the huge cave he made much of his lifelong home, aptly named Old Man's Cave. He is buried beneath the ledge of the main recess cave.
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| Camping at Hocking Hills, Harley is trying to tow the camper! |
(G) We saw a Walmart Supercenter, so we stopped in, stocking up on a load of fresh produce and groceries until the fridge and freezer could hold no more. A shoe store next door, was having a sale, so I ended up with a nice pair of fakenstock clogs, (my name for Birkenstock knockoffs) for a fraction the original cost. These are super comfy walking clogs with molded cork and rubber soles. My feet needed more than just sandals for the sometimes 40-50F degree weather we are experiencing up here.
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| Old man's Cave |
(H) While heading to our next undiscovered campground, I saw a Propane Dealer. I made a quick turn into his place. He was locking up for the day, but decided to re-open for us. What luck! We topped up the propane tank. I use propane for my stove, oven, hot water heater and furnace. My propane tank is built into the undercarriage of the motorhome, so I have to drive it right up to the big fill tank.
(I) We were looking for Rauch campground, which we never found, but we did find Landing's Family Campground, however, it was in town near an industrial area. We were looking for something with more nature, less metropolis.
(J) We found it at Leith Run Recreation Area in Wayne National Forest near Newport, Ohio. We camped on the Ohio River, Monday night. The park host was gone. A piece of paper instructed us to slide the money in an envelope though a slot in the office door. I just loved this peaceful slice of heaven. I could have easily stayed all week.
(K) Tuesday we continued to follow the Ohio River, then on a whim, crossed over to West Virginia. We camped at Tomlinson Run State Park in New Cumberland, West Virginia. It was up on a ridge on a small mountain surrounded by forest. Again, no host around, so we set up camp on a nice semi-sunny spot, surrounded by forest. While dining by candlelight on Shrimp Creole, the park host and his young son came by to collect the camping fee.
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| Camping in the Forest at Tomlinson Run State Park |
(L) Wednesday, we traversed 3 states; West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. We showed up at Lampe Marina Campground. No park attendant in site, so we picked a nice spot on Lake Erie and set up camping. This place had coin operated laundry machines. The next day while it stormed, we dashed to and from the laundry, catching up on the dirty clothes and stuff. On one of our trips, the office was open, so we paid up our camping fees.
A neighbor ran over to warn us of an impending tornado and storm. That was mighty nice of her. I guess we are the only RV in the campground without a TV antenna cranked up for use (no TV) and all our shades were open. She mentioned "I don't know if you have seen TV or radio, but there is a tornado spotted, heading this way."
We checked the radar, and everywhere we had been all week was experiencing extreme weather. The storm arrived in strong force, but thankfully the 60mph winds that others experienced, did not hit us. Angels must be watching over us.
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