November 28th,

Have not been able to post for sometime as we have not had internet. At present we are sitting on the side of the highway in Panama City Beach Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico. We have been staying at state parks for the last 12 days or so. Hope to get on some sort of internet soon so I can update. Our trip thru Florida has been good, although, it is chilly, not as warm as we want. Further up dates to come, just want to let you all know we are fine.

November 9th, and Hurricane Ida is heading our way

We have been at Myrtle Beach since the 4th and have lovely sunny warm weather. Have walked the beach for a couple hours everyday and just basically relaxed. Dave and Donna (friends from Van and Mexico) arrived on the 5th so we have been having our dinners together and visiting.

Hurricane Ida is heading into the Gulf of Mexico, where we are heading, so we will hold back for a few days. We are going to feel the effects of it with rain starting tomorrow for a couple days. They are not sure how much rain we will get in S. Carolina, but because they have had so much rain in the last couple months the ground is soaked so really cannot hold too much more.  The photos attached: number one is the sky we are experiencing now as the storm approaches,  two is the beach on Sunday, far more crowded in the summer, three is the sky we have been having for the last 5 days, the last is us on our beach walk.

We are leaving Myrtle Beach on Wednesday and heading down to Charleston, it is supposed to have alot of Civil War heritage to tour.

We have arrived at the beach and sand and sun

We finally got out of the rain and will spend a week here to unwind after all our driving. The blog is updated to today Nov 5th so there is alot to read and many photos, hope it was not too boring. We now have to find a place to lay low over the USA Thanksgiving longweek coming up, do not want to be out on the highways and byways.

Our campsite at Pirates Land Myrtle Beach S.Carolina

Wolf having his wine, who could tell!!!!!!

Sun and warmth and seashore

Nov 4th we finally got to into South Carolina and Myrtle Beach area. Now this is a busy place, we were amazed at how large it is, but the beach goes forever and of course so do the highrises hotels and condos. One T-shirt shop and restaurant after another, we were a little concerned as to what we would find for the rv park. We found the parks at the south end of town and there are three in a row, all very large, like they hold over a 1,000 units, which compile of transient RVs, full time rv's, rental rv's and cottages, indoor and outdoor pool, laundry, store, etc. It takes a while to walk about them for sure. The first one we went to had a great deal, stay for 7days pay for 5 days at $27.00 a night, nice spot, but as we were reading thru the brochure of does and don'ts one items in bright red "NO ALCOHOL PREMITTED IN CAMPGROUND", OK not for us. Went next door and got 7 days pay for 6 and wifi and you are allowed to have a drink in your spot, but do not display it on your table, be discreet.
One thing for sure in this area, very very Christian.

Beach is lovely, nice long hard sand. One fellow behind us goes out in the morning and does his surf fishing and has a big heron standing right near him waiting for a treat.

Not a very big ferry, but it holds over 50 vehicles when full loaded. We took this one for 25 min from Cape Hatteras to Oracoke Island, and then the same type from Oracoke Island to mainland, a 2.25hr trip. Good thing it is all in inside waters, pretty protected

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Nov 1st, was a rainy day which kind of put a damper on things we wanted to do. We drove to Fredericksburg, Virginia but did not stay because it was raining so hard. We decided to head south, so backtracked a little to the east and south towards Chesapeake Virgini,a. Enroute we did stop at Yorkville, Virginia. This lovely little community was bombarded by the American Fleet at the end of the American Revolution in the late 1700's. The significant thing is this is where the final surrender of the British to the Americans took place. About 80% of the town was damaged by cannon balls and it was rebuilt to it's former glory. Still pouring rain so we headed for the Walmart hotel in Chesapeake!!!!!!!

Next day it was into N.Carolina and Hatteras Island. Now this was an interesting place to travel, you are right at sealevel.  If the water comes up even a metre from global warming, the houses on the beaches are going to be gone. They are already built up on stilts. The road was being cleaned by graders as there was a very high tide and high winds so the road was covered in sand. Miles and miles of houses along the beach on either side of this very narrow barrier island, it is known as the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and also the Outter banks. There is a free ferry from Cape Hatteras town to Ocracoke Island, 25 min, and it is all through a very winding channel, not alot of water so it is well marked. You could see people surf fishing all along the sand banks. We spent the night at a private campground called "TEETERS" in Oracoke. Not fancy for sure, even had your basic cockroach in the bathroom, no shower that night, but it was only $20.00. The town is very tourist orientated with loads of shops selling "STUFF". We were catching the ferry next morning for our 2.25 hrs trip across to Cedar Island and then heading south. Nov 3rd we caught the ferry at 10:30am and drove along another very narrow strip of land where the homes had sea water right up to their driveways. All had boats in their yards, wonder is that for a quick get away when the hurricane comes or the tide really rises!!!!!!!! This little island is linked to the mainland by a bridge and then we were back to some higher ground. The whole area is in deep rescession, no one seems to be working, all seem to be fishing off the roadways. Not alot of boats in the water, but there are alot of boats about, hard to figure.
We arrived at Wilmington S. Carolina around 5pm and parked at the Walmart Hotel again.  People here seemed a little better off judging from their clothing and just the way they carried themselves and the vehicles they were driving. Great deal on wine at Walmart as well!!!!!! There were 4 other rigs parked for the night along with us.

Dove

The 1600's replica of the DOVE used to bring supplies from England to St.Mary's Maryland.

Chesapeake Bay

Oct 31st, we headed over the peninsula between the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, about an hour drive. Enroute we stopped at Charlotte Hall,  for a market. The first part of the market we saw was a resemblence of Mexico, everything you could want from socks to extension cords, we were a little disappointed thinking that was it. As we walked around the back we found the Amish had their own area with fresh produce, eggs and baking as well as furniture. We stocked up with our veggies and fruit at a very reasonible price. Two fellows were selling puppies and they were sooooo cute, I told Wolf we needed to get in the grove of things and have a dog like all the other rv'rs!!!!!!! NOT.
The drive was basic with alot of little towns and a couple of bigger ones, we nearly got wiped out in one larger town next to a mall, some jerk decided he was going to pass on the right when the lane ended and he hit a sign post, shearing it off, and it came across the front of us and we could not swerve out of the way because of a vehicle on our left, so we ran over the base and sign. No damage to truck but had we been a little further ahead of him it would have hit the passenger side door.
The next town we visited was St. Mary's and it has alot of 1600's history but not alot there. It was actually the capital of Maryland in the 1600's. A very protected port where the English brought in supplies. Not alot written about the place but they are doing alot of archeological digs and finding some very interesting things. The town is now a college town and that is about all that is there, just the dorms and school buildings, all  very old and well looked after. They have also built a replica, to the best of their knowledge, of a 46 foot tall ship, the DOVE.

We found a state park at the tip of the peninsula, Point Lookout State Park, and it is right on the point, sites were large and private.


This State House was reconstructed from material found close to building site.

Puppies for sale

there were two fellows selling puppies,they, the puppies were so cut. The wagon in back is the mode of transportation for the Amish, no vehicles and hydro to their homes, very green!!!!

Amish market

Product of the day, chicken or duck, notice sign above cages.

Blog update Nov 5th

Charlotte Hall Virgina, Amish market.