August 28th, Tuesday – Home Is Where We Park It, Raccoon Valley RV Park

This morning we awoke to the normal shroud of fog blanketing the whole park in Fort Chiswell.  It didn’t, however, stop many from leaving in the early hours.  We were in no rush so we decided to wait until it burned off.

While waiting we had a great breakfast, two eggs on toast, fried spam, juice, and a couple of cups of coffee.  Our tummies full we got to work packing up the last few items and disconnecting ourselves from the mother ship.  We had plenty of company as this is basically a transient park.  They leave in the morning and stream in between noon and three in the afternoon.

Soon enough we were out the front gate and on the road headed south.  Today was a day to test and learn regarding Graybeard.  Throughout the past year we’ve usually left the

AC off from the dash, oh I don’t know why, just felt it would be easier on the engine.  Not on this trip it was just too hot.  I could have started the generator and turned the basement AC on but I needed to know, would the dash air keep us cool in the 90 degree weather, would the engine begin to run hot.  The answer to the two questions is yes and no.  We were comfortable the whole way and the temperature gauge never budged above where it normally sits.  Now we know.

Next, in the past I’ve usually kept the cruise control on.  Yet, I was becoming more

uncomfortable with the way it managed our speed, especially when climbing mountains.  Oh yes, this was a trip of climbing mountains, some short, steep grades and some really long pulls.  So today I left the cruise off and drove with my right foot.  What I discovered is I could, in most cases, climb every hill in fourth gear at about 3200 rpm.  I might, by the time I crested the hill, be at around 55 mph but that was not a problem since I was in no rush.   Only once or twice when caught in the right lane behind a really slow moving truck would I have to drop down to third gear and run at 4700 rpm.   Also, by controlling the speed myself I was always able to kick it up into overdrive a lot sooner than usually happened with the cruise control.  Lessons learned that will be remembered.

OK, some four hours later – we stopped for fuel and a lunch break – we were on Raccoon Valley Road and there in front of us was the entrance sign for Raccoon Valley RV Park.

This is an Escapees RV Park of which we are members and it is in my opinion one of the

best deals going.  Our FHU with 50 amp is only $13 a day plus electric.  OK, no WiFi, but we have the Hot Spot,; and, no pool, but I haven’t gone swimming in over a year.  We’re in site #28, hard packed gravel, level, all utilities conveniently located.  It’s a great spot (it’s just to the left of the listing for the Off-Air TV Channels list).

So, since Home Is Where We Park It, here we are all settled in for the next month.

So that was our day, a great one in that as always we traveled along down The Road of Retirement, hand in hand, singing our song.  Thanks so much for joining us and it was great having you along.  We hope you also had a great day.  In closing a thought for each of us to think upon:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before