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Spring Trip 2011
1. (3/30-4/2) Well, we finally got on the road an hour later than we wanted to because George still had a lot of minor things to finish up packing before we left. The day before he was told his mom was not doing well so he went to visit her and we didn’t know what we were going to do. He called me from her Hospice around 8:30 at night and said that an hour before she was dying and that now “she was eating like a pig and thriving” so our trip was back on. Left around 9:30 in the morning and headed out 84 through CT, NY, and PA. Interesting because in all the times we have taken 84 through Scranton, there has always been tons of traffic but this time we were in Scranton around 2 in the afternoon and there was hardly any traffic. There were a number of “snowbirds” with their RV’s or 5th wheelers heading north towards NY and New England. They were headed home from their winter down south or the southwest and wanted to get home before the storm hit and by April 1. We must have seen on interstates 84 and 81 at least 400 plus headed home in these two days traveling. Also, 84 and 81 in PA are always under construction with pot holes everywhere but the construction signs were up but no one was working so we made good time. Arrived at the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, PA around 2:30 and went into the casino, ate at the buffet and then came out to take quick naps. We had planned to stay in the parking lot the first night but with the snow storm expected to come in that night and the next two days we decided to drive on at 6 that night to get below Harrisburg so off we went.
Down 81, the driving was good until we hit Harrisburg when a mixture of rain and snow started to fall so it was hard to see in the dark. Stopped at 8:30 p.m. at a 24 hour Super Walmart in Shippensburg, PA and stayed in their parking lot. Nice Walmart and there was another camper that stayed the night so we felt quite safe.
Right now 81 is under major construction from Scranton to the MD line – we were lucky because we drove during the night and when a big storm was expected so no one was working but I would not plan on traveling this interstate for a year or two.
The next morning (March 31) we left and continued down 81to MD and then picked up 70 and 68 heading west through the mountains of MD to West Virginia. It was cloudy with temperatures around 35 degrees. We were planning to stay at a Walmart in Cumberland, MD or in Savage River Forest where the sites are $5 a night but again because of the weather and the storm expected we decided to travel over to Morgantown, WV. Beautiful drive through the mountains with temperatures just above freezing but because this crosses the Allegany Trail and mountains – up/down the whole way. In the late spring and fall this drive must be beautiful and that is why it is a National Historic By-Way.
We stopped and drove through Hancock, MD. Cute town definitely still has the civil war look to it. Visitor center here for the bike trail and tow path. Also stopped in Cumberland, MD where we visited the National Park Visitor Center for the Cheaspeake and Ohio Canal Towpath. Interesting and well worth the stop with the museum, train station, canal, towpath and bike trails. There are two bike trails that meet here – one from Pittsburg (Great Allegheny Passage, 149 miles and growing) and then the C&O Canal Towpath that goes from Cumberland,MD for over 184.5 miles to Georgetown in DC. If you wanted to ride both trails the total distance it is over 320 miles. There are hiker/biker campsites every 30 miles along the way with water and restrooms and this trail follows the canal all along the way. One can even stay in Bed and Breakfast’s along the route. It is quite level but I don’t know how with all the mountains we crossed. In Cumberland at the National Park Visitor Center during the summer time, they still give rides on tow boats along the canal with mules pulling them and National Park rangers walks and talks. We also went across the street to visit the Allegany museum which is in the old court house (worth a visit). This shows the history of flooding in the area before the COE came in and it gives the history of the Goodyear Tire Company that started in the area and the many glass companies that were here and eventually all burned down. The museum is run by volunteers from the area and they explained all the town has now is one federal prison and one state prison to provide jobs. It seems the families of the prisoners come to the area and decide to stay and their crime rate has gone up with theft, murders and problems that they never had before when they were growing up. While we were still here a huge chartered bus pulled up and another truck and out comes about 40 bikers who were going to ride all the way to DC in about four or five days. They had their tents and sleeping bags tied to their bikes and were ready for an experience staying at the campsites every 30 miles along the trail. It took them about three hours to get ready – checked out their bikes, blow up tires and to make sure they had everything they needed water, food etc. The bus and truck then took off to meet them in DC and might have met them at other stops along the way. These bikers ranged in age from 20 something to some that might have been over 70. I don’t think I could do it!
Continued on to Morgantown, WV where we wanted to visit the University of WV where Justine has been going to graduate school in the summer for her masters. We were warned by many people not to take the RV through the campus. Morgantown is a typical coal mining town – dirty and hills, hills, hills everywhere. We drove through the downtown with the University on the right and it was so congested and confusing that after stopping on hills at every light we just got back on the interstate. Even the houses around here are on hills – the garage on one hill and the front porch on another. The University has a monorail system to take the students up and down the hills to their classes. Students love WVU but I don’t know if I could take it with those hills. We were going to stay at another Walmart in Morgantown overnight but still keeping an eye on the snowstorm we decided to drive another two hours to Roanoake, WV where we were planning to stay for the weekend at Stonewall Jackson State Park Campground and Resort. So off we went and drove 79 going over and through many mountains and hills and going by one coal mining town after another. Also went by Clarksburg where Stonewall Jackson was born and that is why everything is named after him here. We arrived around 5pm with snow just starting to fall our last six miles of driving and plan to stay April 1 – 3. On Friday it snowed, sun came out and then it snowed again. It’s beautiful to watch when you are not driving.
Stonewall Jackson State Park campground (Briar Point Campground) and resort is interesting. The state turned this resort over to a private group to manage and run so the price reflects that. On the medium high side for a campsite but we did have electricity, water, restrooms/showers and a great site overlooking a lake with views of the golf course and Stonewall Lodge. There are 40 RV sites all with water views and 5 walk-in tent sites overlooking the lake. The resort has a marina, an Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, spa, hiking, swimming pool, Lakeside Villas, Conference Center, Lodge, restaurants, fitness center, boat tours, and one can bike around the complex. There is a 10% senior citizen discount and WV residents over 62 get a 50% discount from after Labor Day until four days before Memorial Day. Sundays through Wednesdays are cheaper (not much). One can pay $15 extra per day per site for four to use all the boats – paddle, water bikes, canoes, kayaks and bikes, pool, fishing equipment, fitness center, and boat tours. Good deal in the summer! We did not do any of that but we did hike the golf course and walked to the lodge. The golf course is hilly and difficult, since the fairways are narrow, there are many sandpits and the lake winds it’s way through most of the greens. They have 5 places to tee up at most holes for women and then to expert. Tough course but beautiful! Toured the lodge – really quaint with big fireplaces, indoor-outdoor heated pool, outdoor firepit and many things to keep yourself occupied. Spent three nights here with temperatures in the low 30’s to high 40’s mixed in with a snow storm, clouds and a little sun. This was a good stop where we were able to relax, hike and catch up on some sleep. When we arrived there were seven other campers and more were expected for the weekend. A number of Canadian snowbirds come in for a night heading north. They can be home from here with one more day of driving. We would go back but in the spring, summer or fall. No TV reception here which didn’t please my husband since the Final Four semi-finals were being played on April 2nd so we might hike to the lodge to watch it in their bar since we don’t tow with our 25ft Fleetwood Pulse.
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