2017-8
Black smoke is never a good sign.....
Petersburg Campground COE, Augusta Georgia |
Vidalia Georgia
Augusta Georgia
Sweet Onion Rv Park |
Campground: Sweet Onion Rv park. $18
full hookups, though electrical is 50amp only service. No limit on
stays, 4 over the air TV stations. Good Verizon signal. Large
campsites.
Campground: Petersburg campground,
COE. Senior rate: $13.00 Water/Electric. At Strom Thurmond Dam,
Augusta GA. Lake side views are awesome. From each paved camp loop
it's a bit tricky attempting to wind down and around the gravel side
roads leading to these campsites with water views. Well worth the
effort.
From North Florida to NE Georgia |
Vidalia Ga
I've stayed at this city park in the
past, it's a great stopping point, close to town and a Walmart. I
arrived a day before the Vidalia Onion festival and was able to get
one of the last to campsites available. I'm within walking distance
of part of the festival activities and on Saturday I'll attend the
theater production “ Tales from the Altamana, “Fiddlin, Feudin,
and Foolishness”. I'm doing the matinee since the temps are going
to be in the low 90's this afternoon.
a large cast of performers and backstage help |
The matinee was fun, telling tales of
the beginnings of this county, describing the early days when land
was often stolen from neighbors by changing the site lines marked on
tree stumps. And general everyday life happenings. An enjoyable way
to spend a hot and steamy afternoon, indoors in a/c.
Vidalia Onion festival The Chuck Wagon cook off as well |
baking a Georgia peach pie |
Chuck Wagon cook off |
follow that receipt |
and of course sweet Vidalia Onions for sale |
I think this means I'm in Georgia |
Distance Traveled: 185 miles
Augusta Georgia
It was supposed to be a simple drive up
US 1, a most pleasant Georgia county road, often being a 4 lane
divided highway with little to no traffic in either direction. Even
the two lane sections were just fine. Then it happened....
15 minutes from my next destination,
traveling along hwy 221 heading into North Georgia. The scenery
becoming very wooded and the road becoming more of a roller coaster
ride as it traveled up and down along the foot hills as I got closer
to the Georgia uplands.
Suddenly, I see a faded red truck on my
left, flagging me down. The universal RV signal, flapping of hands
in all directions along with a look of dire concern on the other
drivers face, indicating something is very very wrong with either my
camper or truck. I pull off the road quickly, with the red truck
pulling off the highway as well. Jumping out of the truck, I round
the corner of the truck to check out the passenger side.... black
smoke is billowing out from one of the back camper wheels/tires.
I quickly open the camper and grab for
the small fire extinguisher and smother the wheel with a spray of
white power. No flames were evident as the driver of the other
vehicle and myself kept an eye on the now smelly remains as wisps of
black smoke gradually die out. Brakes, wheel bearings, something
either locked up or caused damage.
fortunate to get in for repairs and an overnight stay on-site |
After a few minutes to calm my nerves
and get some good advice from my road warrior angel, I was directed
back about a mile and a half to Cushmans RV. I was able to get there
without further incident and after talking with Angelo, he was able
to get me in the shop. Almost unheard of these days, as most RV
shops are usually booked weeks if not months in advance. They have
only been opened for about three years and are gradually building
their business. All would not go smoothly, as they have had to order
a new wheel bearing assembly and have it overnighted.
repairs being made, parts ordered |
life on the road includes repairs on occasion |
In the meantime, they were able to
check out, repack and grease all the other wheel bearings and check
them out in the process. Along with discovering a good sized nail in
one of the tires. They of course installed a plug and at least that
was fixed. I was able to drive into Augusta to another rv shop in
search of a new gray tank handle which had mysteriously fallen off
along the way. Of course I have three such handles for the thee
holding tanks and only one is positioned outside the the basement bay
area. That would be the one that fell off. Happily tumbling down
the road on it's own journey of discovery. The Rv supply store gave
me two handles (free of charge) as they were not a part of their
normal inventory, but not the bolt to screw it on with, so a short
drive to Loews, and for $1.27 I had two replacement handles and
enough bolts to secure them for a lifetime. A spot of super glue
should hold the bolt on while bouncing down the road of life.
My adventures for the day were almost
at an end, except I needed to have my GPS redirect me off of the
interstate heading back to Cushmans, as the traffic was backed up for
about 10 miles due to lane closures on hwy 20.
Finally relaxing inside my camper,
inside of a service bay at Cushmans, as I spend the night here,
waiting for the completion of my campers wheel assembly to be
installed tomorrow. My lakeside campsite will have to wait for me
one more day. What a day.
A minor delay. The second wheel/brake
housing was also the wrong one, so the guys at Cushmans have
reassembled as much of the working parts, minus the brake assembly on
the one wheel and I'm off to my campsite at Petersburg campground.
After a chat with the camphosts checking me in, I head to the
campsite and am blown away by the awesome views. I've scheduled a
weeks stay but may try and book another week. It isn't often one
finds such great campsites with views worth a million dollars.
By the way, the parts for the camper
are now being ordered directly from the manufacturer and will be
installed at the end of my weeks stay here at the park. I'm even
adding a new brake controller, as mine is 13 years old and they've
made huge improvements on their design over the years, which should
reduce any stress put on the brakes and wheel bearings from ill
adjusted brake controllers.
Maryland Fried Chicken down home southern cooking at its best |
After setting up, I head back two miles
to a four corners restaurant, Maryland Fried Chicken, and even though
it is a chain restaurant, this one is housed in an old farm house,
with a screened in front porch for additional dining. Southern fried
chicken, a choice of sides, which I selected a medley of tomato,
okra, and rice, and a sweet potato casserole and ice tea. I am
beyond content being able to sit out on a shaded screened in porch
and enjoying a true southern meal. This.... is what I call good
livin....
Back at the campsite, I set up my
lounge chairs up in two shady spots and will be content to read a
book, enjoy the views and soak up the natural surrounding I'm blessed
to have made it too. And of course documenting it all on my blog so
I can never forget the moment.
not just a summer book, it has lifes wisdom wrapped up as well |
While all of this is going on, I've had
a few recent inquiries regarding my two Rv lots for rent. So even
though it is a bit unusual to be doing business transactions while on
the road, it looks like I have one of the RV lots rented for 6 months
or possibly longer. A second inquiry from someone local looking at
the second RV lot and I hope to hear something on that one as well.
If all goes well, it will be a nice little return on my two
investments. Much better than the stock market for sure.
In the mean time, I'm busy scanning and
sending files and forms to future tenants. Setting up a new wireless
printer/scanner to work with my new laptop. I think my timing on
getting the new laptop and printer is going to work out nicely.
Though the learning curve with purchasing any new electronic
equipment is enough to make a person pull out some hair.
Fortunately, I have little of that left and it's cut way to short to
enable any pulling out of hair follicles.
a number of lumber yards are in Georgia, though up here, the campground is also dealing with an infestation of pine bark beetles |
views from my campsite |
shopping on the outskirts of Augusta GA |
evening comes to the campground |
one of the other campsites near mine |
lake is low they say due to need for hydro power from the dam |
normally would be under water |
normally this would all be under water, right to the campsite still an awesome view |
and why do I love to travel so much.... |
my little home on wheels |
Windy weather and some rain have made
it difficult to enjoy the outdoors, but the views remain perfect just
the same. And that book I'm reading, “Hitchhiking with Larry
David” by Paul Dolman is a gem of a find. Billed as an accidental
tourist's summer of self-in Martha's Vineyard, I found the book at
the dollar store and I can tell you it's worth so much more as the
author shares life confirming insights wrapped in a veil of summer
hitchhiking adventures and discovery. What a fun and elucidating
book.
more photos:
Lyons Georgia, almost a ghost town (no story, just the pictures)
1 comment:
You sure found some very nice campgrounds....and not too expensive either!!
What fun at the Vidalia Onion Festival!! Hope you bought some of those delicious onions!!
Glad your rig is all fixed up!!
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