3 Years Around North America, Plus a Few More
- Thread starter Umnak
- Start date
Umnak
Adventurer
Thank you for reading. We are heading out for an outer banks trip in the next couple of weeks, so more to come.
Umnak
Adventurer
Fantastic and very enjoyable read to fill my morning. Inspirational might sum it up! Funny thing is, I don't recall seeing the van dirty, it always looks like it came out of a car wash!
We had a difficult time finding a car wash that was tall enough for us to get under. Found one after coming down from Yellowknife and then another in Cape Briton. It rained enough to keep the van, if not clean, at least an even amount of gray. Right now, after coming off a blizzard and the Outer Banks we are in need of a wash.
Umnak
Adventurer
Carolina Revolutionary Battlefields
Battlefields of the American Revolutionary War are scattered around North and South Carolina, and we’ve found them to be interesting places to visit. Kings Mountain and the Cowpens are designated as national battlefields. Both were big wins for the Americans, and seen as turning points in the War for Independence. And both have unique elements worth learning about.
In King Mountain, the British and Loyalists held the high ground along a narrow ridge line. Their Major Ferguson was not well liked by the Scotch-Irish who had settled west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The majority of them had stayed out of the war until Ferguson was heard to say that unless they quit opposing the British he would “march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword”. This pissed them off. Essentially, they traveled 300 miles over the mountains, joined the Patriots and went on to Kings Mountain, where they killed Ferguson and either captured or killed his entire army. Then they went home. They were known as the Overmountain Men. The Overmountain Man Trail is worth a ride out of Kings Mountain heading west back over the Blue Ridge.
In January of the next year at Cowpens, a joint Patriot force of militia and Continentals trounced a larger army of British regulars, Dragoons and militia under the command of Banastre Tarleton. His army had killed hundreds of Patriots prisoners following a battle the previous fall, and was hated by the Patriots. The American commander Daniel Morgan successfully used a double envelopment to trap the British and win the battle. We went to the reenactment on the 235th anniversary of the Battle in early January.
Battlefields of the American Revolutionary War are scattered around North and South Carolina, and we’ve found them to be interesting places to visit. Kings Mountain and the Cowpens are designated as national battlefields. Both were big wins for the Americans, and seen as turning points in the War for Independence. And both have unique elements worth learning about.
In King Mountain, the British and Loyalists held the high ground along a narrow ridge line. Their Major Ferguson was not well liked by the Scotch-Irish who had settled west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The majority of them had stayed out of the war until Ferguson was heard to say that unless they quit opposing the British he would “march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword”. This pissed them off. Essentially, they traveled 300 miles over the mountains, joined the Patriots and went on to Kings Mountain, where they killed Ferguson and either captured or killed his entire army. Then they went home. They were known as the Overmountain Men. The Overmountain Man Trail is worth a ride out of Kings Mountain heading west back over the Blue Ridge.
In January of the next year at Cowpens, a joint Patriot force of militia and Continentals trounced a larger army of British regulars, Dragoons and militia under the command of Banastre Tarleton. His army had killed hundreds of Patriots prisoners following a battle the previous fall, and was hated by the Patriots. The American commander Daniel Morgan successfully used a double envelopment to trap the British and win the battle. We went to the reenactment on the 235th anniversary of the Battle in early January.
Umnak
Adventurer
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks are an almost 200 mile series of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. The islands separate the Atlantic Ocean from three large sounds which offer a varied and abundant habitat for birds, sea mammals and a lot of fish. We probably wouldn't go there in the summer, except perhaps to Ocracoke, which seems somewhat less touristy than the other communities. But, we did explore the area for the better part of a week in late January.
I did a short recon of the area of Brodie Island (which isn't an island any longer as the opening into Oregon Inlet has been closed off) and the large vacation house rental community of Nags Head after dropping Eve off at the Raleigh Airport for a week-long visit with her parents in Port Townsend, WA. The national seashore and park campgrounds were all closed for the winter, so my first night was spent in a RV park with a view of the ocean in Kill Devil Hills. It was cold, in the teens and a wind was blowing hard off the ocean. The off season rate of $40 a night came with water, which would have frozen in the hose if I had used it, and a 30 amp plug-in that allowed for the use of the ceramic heater. I had that puppy running all night. The morning broke clear with my first ocean sunrise since Nova Scotia.
The communities of Duck and Southern Shores are at the north end of the island where the paved road ends and beach access begins. I spoke with a carpenter who had a T1N Sprinter about the beach roads and was told that in winter it would be possible to drive without 4WD, but the police and rangers would prohibit access and ticket you if caught. He said the beach was like concrete, except at the entrance points where people do silly things with their vehicles. I decided not to risk a ticket. Ramps along the beach provide access to the ocean. A permit is required and there are certain standards expected of vehicles.
The Wright Brother's monument in Kitty Hawk is worth the visit just to hear the park interpreter explain how Orville and Wilbur solved the problems of control, lift and thrust. He was able to hold the attention of 6 year old boys with model planes and 60 year old commercial airline pilots. I got a Junior Ranger Badge for knowing the animal that made the first ascent in a hot air balloon.
I headed north to Solomons, Maryland after a second night on Bodie Island. Taking blue highways most of the way offered a view of rural Virginia that isn't seen from the main trunks of I 95 and I 85. I arrived in Maryland a day before the Great Blizzard. A family gathering had been planned for the weekend, but the snow came and that was cancelled. So instead, I had a quiet visit with my sister and brother-in-law as the region prepared for 2 feet or more of snow. It was fascinating to watch the continuous television coverage of the storm. And it was impressive that the meteorologists got it right almost a week out.
A couple of days after the storm hit I drove back to Raleigh. This time taking the major highways, which were almost devoid of traffic largely due to the fact that the secondary roads were still covered in deep snow. And there was snow at the visitor center on the North Carolina border, with remnants along the highway all the way to the airport.
We drove another 200 miles to Nags Head arriving to a full moon and ocean surf out our hotel window. The hotel, by the way, cost $12 more than the campground site from the previous week. The next morning two high school girls and their fathers were out surfing in front of the hotel. I learned later that the girls had made state finals in surfing and were using what was left of the storm for practice.
We spent the rest of the day hiking the beaches south of Nags Head on both the ocean and sound. I tried to get a beach fire permit from the only open visitor center at the Brodie Light House, but neither of the staff knew where to find one. It turns out that there is no fee for a fire permit, but one does have to sign a document stating that you won't burn the sand into glass or use any wood belonging to the vessel of the pirate Blackbeard.
The Outer Banks are an almost 200 mile series of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. The islands separate the Atlantic Ocean from three large sounds which offer a varied and abundant habitat for birds, sea mammals and a lot of fish. We probably wouldn't go there in the summer, except perhaps to Ocracoke, which seems somewhat less touristy than the other communities. But, we did explore the area for the better part of a week in late January.
I did a short recon of the area of Brodie Island (which isn't an island any longer as the opening into Oregon Inlet has been closed off) and the large vacation house rental community of Nags Head after dropping Eve off at the Raleigh Airport for a week-long visit with her parents in Port Townsend, WA. The national seashore and park campgrounds were all closed for the winter, so my first night was spent in a RV park with a view of the ocean in Kill Devil Hills. It was cold, in the teens and a wind was blowing hard off the ocean. The off season rate of $40 a night came with water, which would have frozen in the hose if I had used it, and a 30 amp plug-in that allowed for the use of the ceramic heater. I had that puppy running all night. The morning broke clear with my first ocean sunrise since Nova Scotia.
The communities of Duck and Southern Shores are at the north end of the island where the paved road ends and beach access begins. I spoke with a carpenter who had a T1N Sprinter about the beach roads and was told that in winter it would be possible to drive without 4WD, but the police and rangers would prohibit access and ticket you if caught. He said the beach was like concrete, except at the entrance points where people do silly things with their vehicles. I decided not to risk a ticket. Ramps along the beach provide access to the ocean. A permit is required and there are certain standards expected of vehicles.
The Wright Brother's monument in Kitty Hawk is worth the visit just to hear the park interpreter explain how Orville and Wilbur solved the problems of control, lift and thrust. He was able to hold the attention of 6 year old boys with model planes and 60 year old commercial airline pilots. I got a Junior Ranger Badge for knowing the animal that made the first ascent in a hot air balloon.
I headed north to Solomons, Maryland after a second night on Bodie Island. Taking blue highways most of the way offered a view of rural Virginia that isn't seen from the main trunks of I 95 and I 85. I arrived in Maryland a day before the Great Blizzard. A family gathering had been planned for the weekend, but the snow came and that was cancelled. So instead, I had a quiet visit with my sister and brother-in-law as the region prepared for 2 feet or more of snow. It was fascinating to watch the continuous television coverage of the storm. And it was impressive that the meteorologists got it right almost a week out.
A couple of days after the storm hit I drove back to Raleigh. This time taking the major highways, which were almost devoid of traffic largely due to the fact that the secondary roads were still covered in deep snow. And there was snow at the visitor center on the North Carolina border, with remnants along the highway all the way to the airport.
We drove another 200 miles to Nags Head arriving to a full moon and ocean surf out our hotel window. The hotel, by the way, cost $12 more than the campground site from the previous week. The next morning two high school girls and their fathers were out surfing in front of the hotel. I learned later that the girls had made state finals in surfing and were using what was left of the storm for practice.
We spent the rest of the day hiking the beaches south of Nags Head on both the ocean and sound. I tried to get a beach fire permit from the only open visitor center at the Brodie Light House, but neither of the staff knew where to find one. It turns out that there is no fee for a fire permit, but one does have to sign a document stating that you won't burn the sand into glass or use any wood belonging to the vessel of the pirate Blackbeard.
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Umnak
Adventurer
Outer Banks 2
Our first experience with a KOA was very positive. We were one of two vehicles at the 300 plus site in Rodanthe on Hatteras Island, with a site that backed up to the dunes. The wifi worked, the bathrooms were clean and there was no one else around. No one.
We spent another day on Hatteras Island around the communities of Buxton and Cape Hatteras. Most everything was closed and there were far fewer shops and houses here than on Brodie Island. The almost full moon and storm surge had closed some of the access points to the beach and covered a few of the roads, but we did enjoy a walk in the Buxton Forest and along the lee of the Sound.
Our final day on the Outer Banks started with the ferry ride from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island and from there another 2.5 hour ferry trip to Cedar Island. Ocracoke is far less crowded that the northern islands, but it is clear that it survives on the summer season. Most of the town was closed. We saw some of the ponies that have roamed the island since they were left there by the Spanish, and ate at the Oyster House while waiting for the ferry. The crossing was calm and gave one a sense of the size of Pamlico Sound, which is second only to Puget Sound in size in the U.S.
Once across, we spent that night close to the Sound in the almost empty Forest Service campground at Cedar Point. The next morning we walked along a trail and boardwalk system which is part of the National Forest. Great views and a lot of birds.
I doubt we would endure the Outer Banks in season, but would definitely return again for a winter visit.
Our first experience with a KOA was very positive. We were one of two vehicles at the 300 plus site in Rodanthe on Hatteras Island, with a site that backed up to the dunes. The wifi worked, the bathrooms were clean and there was no one else around. No one.
We spent another day on Hatteras Island around the communities of Buxton and Cape Hatteras. Most everything was closed and there were far fewer shops and houses here than on Brodie Island. The almost full moon and storm surge had closed some of the access points to the beach and covered a few of the roads, but we did enjoy a walk in the Buxton Forest and along the lee of the Sound.
Our final day on the Outer Banks started with the ferry ride from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island and from there another 2.5 hour ferry trip to Cedar Island. Ocracoke is far less crowded that the northern islands, but it is clear that it survives on the summer season. Most of the town was closed. We saw some of the ponies that have roamed the island since they were left there by the Spanish, and ate at the Oyster House while waiting for the ferry. The crossing was calm and gave one a sense of the size of Pamlico Sound, which is second only to Puget Sound in size in the U.S.
Once across, we spent that night close to the Sound in the almost empty Forest Service campground at Cedar Point. The next morning we walked along a trail and boardwalk system which is part of the National Forest. Great views and a lot of birds.
I doubt we would endure the Outer Banks in season, but would definitely return again for a winter visit.
Umnak
Adventurer
Repairs
Repairs
We've put about 21,000 miles on the Cabin on the Road in the past 15 months (as of February, 2016) and it now has just over 36,000 miles. The first run from Austin to Olympia was in December of 2014. The van stayed in Washington State through May, 2015 when we drove it from Seattle to Skagway where it went by ferry to Juneau. From there it has traveled to Yellowknife, Newfoundland the Atlantic Provinces and down the east coast to western North Carolina. Our average highway mileage has been around 24 mpg and overall it is at 22 — these are results from my math, not an on board computer. The best return on fuel is when driving around 55 mph (26 mpg), the worst is a couple of weeks of driving around town including the 2 miles to and from Eve's work each day. However, even city driving results in around 19-20 mpg.
The oil has been changed four times since the purchase. The first in Austin, then in Juneau, Halifax and just recently here in Shelby, N.C. Synthetic oil isn't cheap. Our least expensive service was in Halifax, but that was with the 30% favorable exchange rate and a credit card that doesn't charge for those transactions. The others were about $160 for the 10 liters of oil, filter, fees, and service. The oil being the greatest cost. I guess those synthetic dinosaurs are getting harder to find and turn into oil, as the price hasn't dropped with that of a barrel of oil. And, as an Alaskan I know at what price a barrel of oil is trading.
Alternator
Although there are not many miles on the van, it is getting somewhat long in the tooth at 10 model years old. The alternator and battery had to be replaced in December. The battery warning light came on after starting the van on a very cold morning. Being the optimist, I assumed that it was just an indication that the battery was having some problems with the cold (I can tighten bolts and change tires, lamps and oil, but know little else about automobiles), so I assumed it would go away after driving Eve to work. It didn't. The next morning the van started easily but the light remained. We drove 25 miles and went for a long hike, then back to the van, which started up just fine. Stopped for fuel and the van started again with no problems. Parked that evening and woke the next morning thinking we would drive about 40 miles to Charlotte, NC. Made it about 3 miles when a slew of other lights dotted the instrument panel and the van went into Limp Home Mode. I had read about this, but was amazed just how limiting it was. It ran, but not fast or well. We made it home and I called a couple of friends who know of these things and both suggested it was the alternator. I called a truck repair shop nearby Monday morning, but they didn't work on Sprinters and suggested another place a bit farther out of town.
Bivins Diesel Service is old school truck repair, and a most welcoming place. That same Southeast Alaskan mentality that knows the price of oil, also assumes that parts will take a long time to be found and shipped; minimum three days. And that the price of all of this will be exorbitant. Before leaving home for the shop I called Enterprise and asked about a car rental, assuming that the alternator would take a couple of days to arrive. I had to be jump started, which got the van going, though still in Limp Home Mode all the way to the garage. Once there, I was greeted by a couple of mechanics who started testing while I spoke to one of the owners. The mechanic came in and confirmed the need for a new alternator and that the battery was in need of replacement. I told the owner that I could arrange for Enterprise to come by with a car, and could they keep the van for a couple of days on their lot. He looked at me like I was a little crazy and said to hold off on the car rental. He then phoned NAPA and in a few minutes an alternator was on its way. I was dumbfounded. He offered me a Sun Drop and some some Christmas candy and told me to hang around. I also got an invitation to the First Baptist Christmas Eve service, which we ended up accepting as part of our cultural experience of the South. That's a different story, but it does give a hint of the hospitality we have received in western North Carolina.
I looked around the garage and saw two dump trucks, a Sprinter, an Isuzu and a very large Freight Liner. There were two more big rigs out front waiting for parts, and another having a mud flap replaced. A F450, owned by the local Salvation Army, came in for its annual DOT inspection. Dan, the mechanic, put our van on small ramps and started taking things apart. The alternator and battery arrived shortly thereafter, and everything was back in place and running by late morning. I asked if they could do a tire rotation, and with that I was back home in time for lunch. I called my friends in Juneau to gloat about the part being in town, the relatively inexpensive price of the repair, and that the Bivins also had the contract for repairing a specially made German post hole digger used in building solar farms. Everyone was impressed with the availability of the alternator. Total cost for the alternator, battery and tire rotation was just over $600.
Sway Bar
I'm impressed with how well the Sprinter rides on two tracks and highways, but not as happy with the problem of yaw when going over ruts, bumps, gutters and around sharp curves. From my reading on the matter, it seems that the best fix would be to install a heavier sway bar than the OEM.
I read an article in the local paper about a new shop MaxxDrive that had opened here in Shelby, NC whose owners had a lot of experience in building 4x4s, specializing in lifts and wheels, as well as diesel performance. I drove by and spoke with Jason Edmonson who was familiar with Sprinters. He looked at the sway bar on the van and chuckled, then gave his approval to the one out of the Oregon based Sprinter Store. And he said he would install it for a flat $100.
I talked with the guys in Oregon and ordered their sway bar for the Sprinter 2500. I braced myself for the freight charge, again that Southeast Alaska mind set, and was happy to hear that it would be about $20, for a total of $412.
The sway bar was delivered in a week and I was in the shop the next morning. The first thing you notice at Maxx Drive are the three built vehicles parked out front. A lifted Cadillac, a lowered Chevy and a tricked out Hummer. Once inside there is the smell of good rubber from the huge tires, and a visual playground filled with shiny wheels, lights, bull bars and other big boy toys.
The three bay garage is spotless, there is even cardboard on the floor where an engine might drip during work. Jason and co-owner Rod got a tour of the Cabin and then backed the van into the first bay for the job. Jason was under the van removing the original sway bar while I was still gawking at tires. I gave him a few minutes then asked if I could photograph the old sway bar against the new, but he already had it partially mounted, so the comparison can't be made directly, but suffice it to say that the new one makes the original look like something off a Fiat.
Old Bar
The van drives better with the new sway bar, and not just when coming out of supermarket parking lots. It is also better/tighter on corners.
New Bar
For Sprinter drivers, or anyone else with unusual vehicles, I can recommend both Bivens and Maxx Drive for service and hospitality.
Repairs
We've put about 21,000 miles on the Cabin on the Road in the past 15 months (as of February, 2016) and it now has just over 36,000 miles. The first run from Austin to Olympia was in December of 2014. The van stayed in Washington State through May, 2015 when we drove it from Seattle to Skagway where it went by ferry to Juneau. From there it has traveled to Yellowknife, Newfoundland the Atlantic Provinces and down the east coast to western North Carolina. Our average highway mileage has been around 24 mpg and overall it is at 22 — these are results from my math, not an on board computer. The best return on fuel is when driving around 55 mph (26 mpg), the worst is a couple of weeks of driving around town including the 2 miles to and from Eve's work each day. However, even city driving results in around 19-20 mpg.
The oil has been changed four times since the purchase. The first in Austin, then in Juneau, Halifax and just recently here in Shelby, N.C. Synthetic oil isn't cheap. Our least expensive service was in Halifax, but that was with the 30% favorable exchange rate and a credit card that doesn't charge for those transactions. The others were about $160 for the 10 liters of oil, filter, fees, and service. The oil being the greatest cost. I guess those synthetic dinosaurs are getting harder to find and turn into oil, as the price hasn't dropped with that of a barrel of oil. And, as an Alaskan I know at what price a barrel of oil is trading.
Alternator
Although there are not many miles on the van, it is getting somewhat long in the tooth at 10 model years old. The alternator and battery had to be replaced in December. The battery warning light came on after starting the van on a very cold morning. Being the optimist, I assumed that it was just an indication that the battery was having some problems with the cold (I can tighten bolts and change tires, lamps and oil, but know little else about automobiles), so I assumed it would go away after driving Eve to work. It didn't. The next morning the van started easily but the light remained. We drove 25 miles and went for a long hike, then back to the van, which started up just fine. Stopped for fuel and the van started again with no problems. Parked that evening and woke the next morning thinking we would drive about 40 miles to Charlotte, NC. Made it about 3 miles when a slew of other lights dotted the instrument panel and the van went into Limp Home Mode. I had read about this, but was amazed just how limiting it was. It ran, but not fast or well. We made it home and I called a couple of friends who know of these things and both suggested it was the alternator. I called a truck repair shop nearby Monday morning, but they didn't work on Sprinters and suggested another place a bit farther out of town.
Bivins Diesel Service is old school truck repair, and a most welcoming place. That same Southeast Alaskan mentality that knows the price of oil, also assumes that parts will take a long time to be found and shipped; minimum three days. And that the price of all of this will be exorbitant. Before leaving home for the shop I called Enterprise and asked about a car rental, assuming that the alternator would take a couple of days to arrive. I had to be jump started, which got the van going, though still in Limp Home Mode all the way to the garage. Once there, I was greeted by a couple of mechanics who started testing while I spoke to one of the owners. The mechanic came in and confirmed the need for a new alternator and that the battery was in need of replacement. I told the owner that I could arrange for Enterprise to come by with a car, and could they keep the van for a couple of days on their lot. He looked at me like I was a little crazy and said to hold off on the car rental. He then phoned NAPA and in a few minutes an alternator was on its way. I was dumbfounded. He offered me a Sun Drop and some some Christmas candy and told me to hang around. I also got an invitation to the First Baptist Christmas Eve service, which we ended up accepting as part of our cultural experience of the South. That's a different story, but it does give a hint of the hospitality we have received in western North Carolina.
I looked around the garage and saw two dump trucks, a Sprinter, an Isuzu and a very large Freight Liner. There were two more big rigs out front waiting for parts, and another having a mud flap replaced. A F450, owned by the local Salvation Army, came in for its annual DOT inspection. Dan, the mechanic, put our van on small ramps and started taking things apart. The alternator and battery arrived shortly thereafter, and everything was back in place and running by late morning. I asked if they could do a tire rotation, and with that I was back home in time for lunch. I called my friends in Juneau to gloat about the part being in town, the relatively inexpensive price of the repair, and that the Bivins also had the contract for repairing a specially made German post hole digger used in building solar farms. Everyone was impressed with the availability of the alternator. Total cost for the alternator, battery and tire rotation was just over $600.
Sway Bar
I'm impressed with how well the Sprinter rides on two tracks and highways, but not as happy with the problem of yaw when going over ruts, bumps, gutters and around sharp curves. From my reading on the matter, it seems that the best fix would be to install a heavier sway bar than the OEM.
I read an article in the local paper about a new shop MaxxDrive that had opened here in Shelby, NC whose owners had a lot of experience in building 4x4s, specializing in lifts and wheels, as well as diesel performance. I drove by and spoke with Jason Edmonson who was familiar with Sprinters. He looked at the sway bar on the van and chuckled, then gave his approval to the one out of the Oregon based Sprinter Store. And he said he would install it for a flat $100.
I talked with the guys in Oregon and ordered their sway bar for the Sprinter 2500. I braced myself for the freight charge, again that Southeast Alaska mind set, and was happy to hear that it would be about $20, for a total of $412.
The sway bar was delivered in a week and I was in the shop the next morning. The first thing you notice at Maxx Drive are the three built vehicles parked out front. A lifted Cadillac, a lowered Chevy and a tricked out Hummer. Once inside there is the smell of good rubber from the huge tires, and a visual playground filled with shiny wheels, lights, bull bars and other big boy toys.
The three bay garage is spotless, there is even cardboard on the floor where an engine might drip during work. Jason and co-owner Rod got a tour of the Cabin and then backed the van into the first bay for the job. Jason was under the van removing the original sway bar while I was still gawking at tires. I gave him a few minutes then asked if I could photograph the old sway bar against the new, but he already had it partially mounted, so the comparison can't be made directly, but suffice it to say that the new one makes the original look like something off a Fiat.
Old BarThe van drives better with the new sway bar, and not just when coming out of supermarket parking lots. It is also better/tighter on corners.
New BarFor Sprinter drivers, or anyone else with unusual vehicles, I can recommend both Bivens and Maxx Drive for service and hospitality.
Last edited:
Umnak
Adventurer
Charleston and the RV Parking Garage
Charleston, South Carolina is one of the oldest cities in the country and certainly it's historic downtown is one of the best preserved in terms of 18th -19th century architecture. It is also known for its food and fun. We spent a weekend exploring the historic downtown market area, King Street and the so called French Quarter. The area had a Huguenot population, but it also had a lot of Scotts-Irish dock workers, slaves and prostitutes, but that doesn't sound as good or fit on the top of street signs. And we stayed in a municipal garage.
The garage, which has attendants, is located across from the Visitors Center on Meeting Street, with the RV entrance on Mary St. It is just a block from the restaurants and bars on King Street. The Charleston Law School seems to be housed within the complex. A deli that serves breakfast and lunch is just outside of the Ann Street entrance near the fountain.
There is designated parking for 10-12 RVs and the daily fee is $16. And the expectation is that you will be spending the night. It's boondocking, and being on the ground level our solar panels were not charging, but it was mostly quiet ( bars seem to close around 2 am) and clean. The garage has four levels, with the top three having a height limit of 6'9”. There is an atrium with palm trees offering light and a fresh breeze. A heated restroom is located across from the attendants and is open most of the night. It seems to be used by the bus drivers who stop at the entrance of the garage. The visitor center restrooms are open during business hours and are newer and more plentiful. There is a water spigot at the far end of the RV parking spots close to the up ramp.
I like to think that we are not cheap, but frugal. This RV garage defines that statement, especially compared to the $300-$400 a night room rates in the neighborhood for the weekend.
We arrived late on a Saturday morning and found most of the spots taken by busses — the reserved sign says for RVs Oversize Only, but as is often the case, many people don't read. Separate bus parking is around the corner near the exit. There were two pick-up trucks among the busses and Vans. We parked, checked out the immediate area then walked across the street to the Visitor Center, where we picked up some information about the Market farther south along Meeting Street. We then spent the next 6 hours walking under Live Oaks and looking at the ante-bellum architecture. When we returned toward evening, the busses and vans had left and one RV had arrived.
There are free bus routes that leave from the Visitor Center for those who don't want to walk to the Market/Waterfront Park, The Aquarium or the western end of downtown. We used them the next day to return from the Battery Park since we were running out of time.
The Market was formerly known as the Slaves' Market. That name is in the same sense as a Farmers Market, not a place to buy slaves — that's a few blocks away — but rather as a place where slaves sold their masters' wares. Unlike Pikes Place and other large city markets, this one doesn't sell food. I had hoped to find seafood and produce, but found instead block after block of crafts and clothing.
Gullah basket makers held sway at the entrances, and there were a few more inside the buildings. I've been trying to find baskets throughout this trip and had hoped to purchase a Gullah seagrass basket while we were in Charleston. Unfortunately, I don't like the uniformity of the designs, and feel they are way overpriced given the abundance of product. I've seen better quality basket making in different parts of the country, and certainly those that are made in the Blue Ridge and foothills are more attractive to my eye. A 9” open basket was selling for between $250-$350.
We ate on the roof of the Charleston Crab House. The seafood was good and well prepared. Afterwards we took an hour-long carriage ride with a knowledgeable driver and a French draft horse. Matt's talk focused on the Civil War with tidbits of information about the architecture and social history of the Market to Battery Park area. Then we walked for a few more hours and eventually ended back at the garage for a short break before going to dinner on King Street.
I guess we should have noticed the influx of cars starting around 6 pm as a need for a reservation. The only openings at Coast and the Chop House were after 9 pm, once I started looking using the map app on my phone. So, we walked around and found a nice restaurant called, of all things, Fish. There was a Thai theme to the seafood and we both ended up ordering bouillabaisse with coconut broth and lemon grass following a shared order of calamari. Afterwards we went into a few galleries that stayed open late, then went back to the garage.
We had learned at a ferry terminal leaving Labrador that by closing the blinds we can stay anywhere. This was the case in Charleston's municipal garage. Traffic eased from 10:30 - 2:30 am, then a flurry of partiers were heard on or near the garage. Shortly thereafter a few quick police sirens blasts quieted everything down and we slept through the rest of the night.
I made tea and oatmeal around 8 am the following morning as cars started to arrive for church and yoga, or both.
We took the bus to the Aquarium and then walked along the waterfront to Battery Park before returning to the garage and heading back to western North Carolina.
More Charleston Photographs here https://www.flickr.com/photos/umnak/albums/72157662929301943
Charleston, South Carolina is one of the oldest cities in the country and certainly it's historic downtown is one of the best preserved in terms of 18th -19th century architecture. It is also known for its food and fun. We spent a weekend exploring the historic downtown market area, King Street and the so called French Quarter. The area had a Huguenot population, but it also had a lot of Scotts-Irish dock workers, slaves and prostitutes, but that doesn't sound as good or fit on the top of street signs. And we stayed in a municipal garage.
The garage, which has attendants, is located across from the Visitors Center on Meeting Street, with the RV entrance on Mary St. It is just a block from the restaurants and bars on King Street. The Charleston Law School seems to be housed within the complex. A deli that serves breakfast and lunch is just outside of the Ann Street entrance near the fountain.
There is designated parking for 10-12 RVs and the daily fee is $16. And the expectation is that you will be spending the night. It's boondocking, and being on the ground level our solar panels were not charging, but it was mostly quiet ( bars seem to close around 2 am) and clean. The garage has four levels, with the top three having a height limit of 6'9”. There is an atrium with palm trees offering light and a fresh breeze. A heated restroom is located across from the attendants and is open most of the night. It seems to be used by the bus drivers who stop at the entrance of the garage. The visitor center restrooms are open during business hours and are newer and more plentiful. There is a water spigot at the far end of the RV parking spots close to the up ramp.
I like to think that we are not cheap, but frugal. This RV garage defines that statement, especially compared to the $300-$400 a night room rates in the neighborhood for the weekend.
We arrived late on a Saturday morning and found most of the spots taken by busses — the reserved sign says for RVs Oversize Only, but as is often the case, many people don't read. Separate bus parking is around the corner near the exit. There were two pick-up trucks among the busses and Vans. We parked, checked out the immediate area then walked across the street to the Visitor Center, where we picked up some information about the Market farther south along Meeting Street. We then spent the next 6 hours walking under Live Oaks and looking at the ante-bellum architecture. When we returned toward evening, the busses and vans had left and one RV had arrived.
There are free bus routes that leave from the Visitor Center for those who don't want to walk to the Market/Waterfront Park, The Aquarium or the western end of downtown. We used them the next day to return from the Battery Park since we were running out of time.
The Market was formerly known as the Slaves' Market. That name is in the same sense as a Farmers Market, not a place to buy slaves — that's a few blocks away — but rather as a place where slaves sold their masters' wares. Unlike Pikes Place and other large city markets, this one doesn't sell food. I had hoped to find seafood and produce, but found instead block after block of crafts and clothing.
Gullah basket makers held sway at the entrances, and there were a few more inside the buildings. I've been trying to find baskets throughout this trip and had hoped to purchase a Gullah seagrass basket while we were in Charleston. Unfortunately, I don't like the uniformity of the designs, and feel they are way overpriced given the abundance of product. I've seen better quality basket making in different parts of the country, and certainly those that are made in the Blue Ridge and foothills are more attractive to my eye. A 9” open basket was selling for between $250-$350.
We ate on the roof of the Charleston Crab House. The seafood was good and well prepared. Afterwards we took an hour-long carriage ride with a knowledgeable driver and a French draft horse. Matt's talk focused on the Civil War with tidbits of information about the architecture and social history of the Market to Battery Park area. Then we walked for a few more hours and eventually ended back at the garage for a short break before going to dinner on King Street.
I guess we should have noticed the influx of cars starting around 6 pm as a need for a reservation. The only openings at Coast and the Chop House were after 9 pm, once I started looking using the map app on my phone. So, we walked around and found a nice restaurant called, of all things, Fish. There was a Thai theme to the seafood and we both ended up ordering bouillabaisse with coconut broth and lemon grass following a shared order of calamari. Afterwards we went into a few galleries that stayed open late, then went back to the garage.
We had learned at a ferry terminal leaving Labrador that by closing the blinds we can stay anywhere. This was the case in Charleston's municipal garage. Traffic eased from 10:30 - 2:30 am, then a flurry of partiers were heard on or near the garage. Shortly thereafter a few quick police sirens blasts quieted everything down and we slept through the rest of the night.
I made tea and oatmeal around 8 am the following morning as cars started to arrive for church and yoga, or both.
We took the bus to the Aquarium and then walked along the waterfront to Battery Park before returning to the garage and heading back to western North Carolina.
More Charleston Photographs here https://www.flickr.com/photos/umnak/albums/72157662929301943
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Umnak
Adventurer
NC Forests
Forests
There are a lot of national forests within a couple of hours to the north and west of Shelby. Along with the national and state parks, this area has a lot opportunities to play outside. We’ve been able to take advantage of these over the past few months given the amazing weather and, lately the increased evening light.
The better known forests — The Pisgah, Nantahala and Cherokee — are in the Blue Ridge Mountains and easily accessible from the Parkway. We’ve hiked and camped in each of these since arriving in this part of the country, but given the elevation (3500’ - 5000’) and ice, have been drawn to the more accessible forest lands off the Blue Ridge.
We’ve been back to Linville Gorge a couple of times, spending the night on the eastern rim, which has a better road than the one on the western side of the gorge. Neither would pose a problem for driving, but a few of the turns on the west side might are tight for the 22 foot van. On our last visit we saw a Jeep pulling a SUV out of a steep track where it had high centered. Surprisingly, a Sprinter had made that same descent and was parked in a primitive camp site. The hiking trails are steep and rugged along the gorge rim. We walked straight up Tablerock Mountain before finding a slightly gentler way down. The views into the Gorge and across the Blue Ridge are well worth the effort.
We’ve also backpacked and car camped in South Mountains State Park, which is the largest of the NC system and is buffered on the south and west by state game lands, almost doubling its 16000 acres. We backpacked the south western trail system in the end of February. As is the case in most places, once we got two or three miles from the parking lot there are very few people on the trail, and those that are walking typically will be spending the night. We’ve been fortunate to meet some nice people while backpacking and primitive camping in the forests. I always have a fire for dinner and evening entertainment, and that seems to break the ice for the backpackers staying within sight.
Surprisingly, there are a national forests east of Charlotte. We stayed in the Croatan National Forest on our return from the Outer Banks, and the Uwharrie National Forest following a trip to the Guildford Courthouse Battle reinactment. The Uwharrie includes a large reservoir and and small mountains within its 50,000 acres. There are a lot of two-tracks along with an extensive horse and hiking trail system. The Uwharrie Off-Road Training Center is located in the small settlement of Big Creek within the Forest.
Forests
There are a lot of national forests within a couple of hours to the north and west of Shelby. Along with the national and state parks, this area has a lot opportunities to play outside. We’ve been able to take advantage of these over the past few months given the amazing weather and, lately the increased evening light.
The better known forests — The Pisgah, Nantahala and Cherokee — are in the Blue Ridge Mountains and easily accessible from the Parkway. We’ve hiked and camped in each of these since arriving in this part of the country, but given the elevation (3500’ - 5000’) and ice, have been drawn to the more accessible forest lands off the Blue Ridge.
We’ve been back to Linville Gorge a couple of times, spending the night on the eastern rim, which has a better road than the one on the western side of the gorge. Neither would pose a problem for driving, but a few of the turns on the west side might are tight for the 22 foot van. On our last visit we saw a Jeep pulling a SUV out of a steep track where it had high centered. Surprisingly, a Sprinter had made that same descent and was parked in a primitive camp site. The hiking trails are steep and rugged along the gorge rim. We walked straight up Tablerock Mountain before finding a slightly gentler way down. The views into the Gorge and across the Blue Ridge are well worth the effort.
We’ve also backpacked and car camped in South Mountains State Park, which is the largest of the NC system and is buffered on the south and west by state game lands, almost doubling its 16000 acres. We backpacked the south western trail system in the end of February. As is the case in most places, once we got two or three miles from the parking lot there are very few people on the trail, and those that are walking typically will be spending the night. We’ve been fortunate to meet some nice people while backpacking and primitive camping in the forests. I always have a fire for dinner and evening entertainment, and that seems to break the ice for the backpackers staying within sight.
Surprisingly, there are a national forests east of Charlotte. We stayed in the Croatan National Forest on our return from the Outer Banks, and the Uwharrie National Forest following a trip to the Guildford Courthouse Battle reinactment. The Uwharrie includes a large reservoir and and small mountains within its 50,000 acres. There are a lot of two-tracks along with an extensive horse and hiking trail system. The Uwharrie Off-Road Training Center is located in the small settlement of Big Creek within the Forest.
bearwoodbrown
New member
Surely u took a few pix of the mannequins.?
GI_Jeepin"
wander looking to get lost
Jeez I do envy you guys. My wife will only go camping if there is a hotel near by for her to sleep in.
