A Three Rail Shot

That’s Macon, GA to Rochester, NY by way of Savannah, GA and Charlottesville, VA. Yes Savannah is out of the way altogether, but as I explained that is where the good guys of Dick Gore RV do their thing and so we went there. If you then line up a direct route to Charlottesville, you will pass through a lot of “there ain’t no way to get there” places. We went up I 95 to Florence where we turned more northerly on 52 and then, wonder of wonders we were on US 1, a portion we had not laid tire on yet. We passed by Darlington Race Track and knew we were in serious NASCAR country. Shortly before that I started the usual search for a campground to spend the night.

Having had 6 days of dry camping in Perry we really wanted the comfort of a water and electric. I found the only campground on our route, the Frontgate RV at Rockingham Speedway. I called ahead to make sure there was room and to verify the directions because the book was not really clear. Phyllis greeted us like a long lost friend and eventually said she would await our arrival even though we were going to arrive an hour after her normal office hours. She described the location as “across the highway from the NASCAR track.” What do I know? When we got there, on one side of US 1 is this mammoth stadium surrounded by grass. On the other side is a grass field with a small cluster of buildings. We had already taken a detour into a campground that was not expeting us as was not suitable for us, turning around required my guidance on foot and was accomplished with inches to spare. There was no sign of a campground, literally no sign and no RVs glistening white in the setting sun. There was a small American car poised, apparently, in the grass. Carol slowed and we passed the driveway as we rolled. The car gave chase and met us as we turned into the next driveway. A picture is worth many words.

Aone at Front Gate RV

We stayed alone until the next morning as they started preparing to run trials with three dragsters on the quarter mile strip just over the berm from us.

We left at our usual time, between 9 and 9:30 and set out for Malena and Dan’s house. The route was made up of several roads that look like a straight run on the map. By lunch time we were settled in their driveway after a minor contretemps with a fence. Most damage was to the fence with my ego coming in a strong second. The piece of garden I have been using to complete my turn in the cold of winter had turned into mud. The front wheel slid into it and I went sideways into the fence, taking out a couple of boards and the remains of my ego. The fence is mendable, the marks on the coach are on the same panel the hit and run driver messed up so Gee 2 is no worse off and I will slowly recover the belief that I can place the motorhome anyplace I want to with in a couple of inches. Our visit lasted from Wednesday afternoon until our departure on Sunday morning we attended a school assembly and helped prepare a new garden. I walked up and down the hills that are called the road and driveway and Dan and I took a wonderful hike up Humpback Rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

When we first arrived I called Bill Freedman, a classmate of ours from 23 school and Monroe High. He came over on Wednesday night and we had a grand time reminiscing. I hope on another visit we will get to meet his family. We told him the story of meeting the Robbs in Austin Texas and Bill was fascinated, he asked us to tell Ed that we had met him. Saturday night we went out with the Robbs and as soon as I mentioned Bill Freedman, Ed first asked if there was anyone we didn’t know and then he told us of his relationship to Bill. Charlottesville really is a small place and 3 degrees of separation might better describe it. We went out to dinner with the Robbs and we went to Staunton in hopes of avoiding contact with the public since Ed is very well recognized on C’ville. We almost made it, there was a party at a table near us and several of the participants were retired State Troopers who knew Ed.

Sunday morning found us mounted up and ready to roll to our fixed base in Rochester. An uneventful trip was broken in Painted Post, at the new Super WalMart, where we spent one last night on the road before driving into Rochester. The food is in the house, the clothes are in the washer and the outside of Gee 2 glistens with the wash I gave it.

This is the end of the Winter ‘05 blog. Spring is here and our next major trip will be in August, if gas prices don’t go over $3.00 and gallon.