This trip is shaping up to be way different from the others which we've shared with you. Our past trips have been about seeing America... lots of America...up close... so close you can smell it... sometimes wishing we hadn't got quite that close. This is different. First off, it was never planned as a sightseeing trip. At least not this portion of the trip. We are "in transit". We've got a place to be (Maryland) and a time to be there (tomorrow). We haven't added the time, nor are we quite in the mood to stop in places like Lumberton and Dunn, North Carolina both of which we passed through today. I'm sure many of you have made the pilgrimage to Dunn on your own already since it is recognized as "the dump truck body capital of the world". Go ahead, smart guy... Google it. If you've been to Dunn yourself then anything we would write would just be over Dunn... sorry... I hope you'll forgive me for that. We certainly had no intention of stopping at "South of the Border". We've made that mistake before and would rank it as one of those spots in America where getting too close will leave a smell-memory that's hard to get past. When we saw a billboard advertising their new campground I told Mrs. C' that I'd rather sell the Airstream and sleep under an I-95 overpass. No thank you! Secondly, it's hotter than a teenage romance in the south right now. We saw a little relief today versus yesterday but it's too hot to leave the dogs in the trailer while we go eat with the locals or explore the place where General Grant designed and constructed the first Union Army General Officers' Privy (don't Google that... I made it up). On this trip Kailey the wonder dog will celebrate 130 dog years. She is more willing than able at this point. During a potty break today she literally walked into the side of the truck. We just can't leave her or Romeo the Puggle in the truck or trailer in this heat. So we hang out and drink coffee and read in the morning, then we drive, someone stays in the truck with the dogs while someone else makes lunch to bring to her, then we drive some more. Eventually we apply ourselves to the business of cooling the trailer at the next campsite and relax for the evening. I'm afraid I'll run out of anecdotes to keep that routine interesting starting about... oh... tomorrow.
At least I got a few pics in today. Here is our current camping spot on the shores of Kerr Lake:
Here is a link to Google Maps to show you precisely where we are. Remember, set Google maps to "satellite view" to see the terrain then zoom out to see the larger picture: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.5295343,-78.3158123,37m/data=!3m1!1e3
I'd rate this as one of the better campsites we've stayed at. It was a challenge to get into and required snaking the Cliche' around a couple of trees, but the privacy and view are well worth it.For tonight we have a lakefront vacation home.
And here's a panorama of approaching dusk taken from that seawall in the pic above:
As for Kerr Lake itself, it's another fine product of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Wikipedia says of the John H. Kerr Dam: "The dam construction started in 1947 and took 2,100+ workers in three shifts, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, more than four years to complete" That a big dam project. It is partially in North Carolina and partially in Virginia. The Virginia portion is the largest reservoir in that state.
So instead of sightseeing along our route across America we are stopping in places like this and enjoying what we see. Tomorrow we take on one of the toughest challenges in trailer driving. We've taken the Cliche' across the Rockies... a breeze. We've gone to sea on ferry boats... a snap. We've braved heavy rain and flooding along the Gulf... no problem. Tomorrow we take on the dreaded Washington Capital Beltway. The Secretary of Transportation says "The recent improvements in the Capital Beltway make travel around Washington efficient, safe and pleasant". That's reassuring since we all know that cabinet secretaries are people whose word means something. Despite that reassurance, we are preparing for the worst and shooting to traverse the dreaded Tyson's Corner stretch during the 30 minutes between 11:42 AM and 12:12 PM that are currently believed to be free of rush hour traffic. From there, it's across the Potomac into Maryland. Wish us well!
Our visit to Maryland is mostly about helping our daughter with her project list. I may take a few nights off from blogging, but if I do I'll be back once travel begins again.
Later!
SC'
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