South Trip 2010 LAST Day's

Good morning from Bridgewater, NJ (HOME!)….

Sorry for the laps in blogging, but I decided to take a few days off and enjoy the beach. After arriving the first day I had some work so Patty and the boys went to the beach. They were there maybe 1 hour when the skies opened and we got a tropical storm that dumped several inches of rain. Patty and the boys got SOAKED beyond words…for a change I was happy I had to work, LOL! On the tail end of the storm my friend Dave came by and we hung out the rest of the day. He took us for a tour of the area and made us all laugh since he has developed a condition called Old Man Geezeridace (he is my age for the record). The kids absolutely loved hanging with him! The day ended with grilling some steaks and shrimp, and for desert we decided to cruise what Dave dubbed the “Red Neck Rivera”… now this was a sight, but I have to back track for 2 minutes…

When Dave showed up earlier in the day he was telling us when he left the night before he was “Stuck” in traffic out of our loop for 40 min in a sea of golf carts. We thought he was crazy and pulling our legs, so after dinner we decided to take our golf cart for a ride….Wholly crap he wasn’t kidding! This was the craziest thing we have all been part of ever! Basically ALL the golf carts at the camp ground drag the main strip hooting and hollering for 3 hours. A mix between when we would drive our Hot Rods down at the strip at Seaside Heights in the 80’s and Mardi Gras combined! It was CRAZY funny!

The next day was a day at the beach with Dave and his wife Bonnie, and then Pizza back at the Motorhome and of course desert was another cruise on the Rivera. Bonnie needed to experience this as well. Dave and I stayed back while Michael drove Nicholas, Bonnie and Patty. The trip was short, since Bonnie and Patty were getting hit on the whole trip by the DRUNK bystanders who lined the road to high five the golf cart occupants. They came back laughing their butts off! Sorry for the bad images, but after laughing so hard for the 2 occasions I remembered I had a camera…but when I went back to take the shots the cameras were cold from being in the MH, and it was HUMID out, so the shots are not the best, but you can get a sense of the craziness. We all loved the time with Dave and Bonnie!

We decided to leave Myrtle Beach Late Saturday afternoon, but prior to leaving we stopped by Dave’s Flooring store. WOW what a showroom! The store was closed for the day so it was nice to be able get the back stage tour with no customers. Bonnie and Dave were once again the consummate hosts and we all loved their company and cannot wait to go back for another visit.

After a LONG and traffic filled day of driving from northern Virginia we arrived home late Sunday afternoon, and are once again BLESSED AND GRATEFUL beyond words at what a wonderful trip and experience this was. The boys truly enjoyed this trip and loved seeing family and friends along the way. Michael says it was a real cultural experience for him since we saw so many different cities on this trip opposed to vast National Forests.

The family has now been in 45 states (I say 45 but it is really 44 because we missed Michigan, but I will get there this year even if I need to go for the weekend…LOL!) and have really had a once in lifetime experience seeing this vast and great country. The Motorhome has 51k miles and has truly become a member of our family…she treats us fantastic and we are all ready for our next adventure!

So until the next adventure Be Well, Be Safe, and most important Be Blessed!

Really Large Campground.... 

When will the rain stop? 

A mother and her boys....

Pizza Delivery 

View from our camper 

Redneck Rivera! 

Until next visit.... 

Dave's store.

A sunset in Richmond taken by Nicholas!

South Trip 2010, Day 15

Good morning from Myrtle Beach….

Yesterday we begrudgingly left our beautiful camping resort and wonderful friends we met Michael, Aliah, and their dog Shali.

Michael and Aliah, if you are reading this THANK YOU for welcoming our family into your lives as much as you did…we look forward to meeting up with you again!

As for their dog Shali…she had to be one of the cutest dogs we have ever seen. She is a Maltalier, who Nicholas absolutely fell in love with and is now obsessed with getting one…actually it’s the first dog we all loved and could see as our pet…too cute for words.

Well after a short 300 mile drive we landed at our new home in Myrtle beach. Very LARGE campground and very different than what we just left…LOL!

We are very close to the beach so and it will be a nice way to un-wind the trip.

The main reason we came here was to see one of my dear friends Screwy (aka Dave) who lives here. He stopped by last night for a few drinks and will be hanging with us today at the beach...What a blast seeing him. For all the family and friends who know Dave, he sends his love!

Shali....

The Exit of our Camping Resort

The new campground....

Sunrise this morning...what a way to start the day!

Well until the next blog…Have a Blessed Day!

South Trip 2010, Day 12

Good morning once again from Hilton Head Island….


Yesterday was a chillaxin day which ended with a “sunset” cruise just the four of us on a 34’ catamaran. As soon as we boarded a storm decided to start rolling in. As you can see from the pictures we sailed into it, and then hurried out of it. There was no sunset but the storm was really spectacular to watch build. Our Captain, “Bob” literally raced the leading edge back and got us docked minutes before the skies opened.

There were tons of dolphins…but they really get camera shy. Bob said one of his friends is convinced they sense cameras and stop coming up. I can say it seemed that way, because as soon as I would put the camera down we saw several…then camera goes up none….LOL!

Great experience for the family…

Well once again hope you enjoy the pictures, and until the next Blog have a Blessed Day!!!!

South Trip 2010, Day 11

Good morning from Hilton Head


Yesterday we pushed out of that place they call a KOA early and dashed some 320 miles to Hilton Head. The drive was un-eventful and the scenery was…Florida…LOL!

As you will see from the before and after pictures of what a dumpy campground, with sand roads…I am still burning mad about that dump…looks like to what I would consider a real campground, you will instantly see where I would prefer to stay…

The place we are at is actually interesting, people buy the lots and live up to 6 months on them, then rent them out in the off season…which is actually now. Beautiful gated community with all class “A” style motor homes. This will actually be the first we are chillaxin’ and not traveling…

So until the next Blog (probably won’t be until we get to Myrtle Beach) Please have a Blessed Day!

Sand roads for gosh sakes...what are they thinking...I was sinking while driving!

NOW THIS IS A CAMPGROUND!

I hope they never change!!!!!

South Trip 2010, Day 10

Good morning from Tallahassee Florida (actually 25 miles east, but who’s counting…)

Yesterday was a day of sightseeing and driving. We left our little prison campground (which I cannot stress enough was absolutely GORGEOUS inside the walls) in down town New Orleans around noon and took the Rt. 90 scenic tour through the Gulf. Extremely picturesque beaches and very Bahamas’ like sands, except for all the Tar Balls. Yes we saw the disaster first hand and its effects. There are hundreds of workers all along the beaches trying to pick the tar up, and the beaches were desolate. The devastation on these little communities has got to be un-believable. In addition to this latest disaster, you can still see the remnants from Katrina especially the bridges connecting the Gulf towns. There was one bridge on 90 going into Mississippi that was totally destroyed and pieces still in the water. The new bridge must have just opened since it looked brand new.

After the beaches we decided to stop and see the USS Alabama (a battleship, and air museum), very cool! It was the first time on a Battleship for us and it is astounding the size of this ship. You can only imagine what it was like when all the guns were firing! The shells where bigger than Nicholas and there were TONS of guns. The men who manned these ships back in WWII were “real men”! The metal coffins they called gun turrets gave me claustrophobia just looking in, I cannot image for a second what that was like in the heat of the Pacific, in a battle, firing those 16” guns…the 8” cannon turrets were worse! My God, all I can say is those were real brave men!

Every time we visit a US memorial or museum regarding our service men and women, it feels great to be an American knowing we have such brave people protecting us! God Bless America!

Well, after 10:00pm we decided to pull into a KOA off of Rt. 10, well much to all of our surprises we pulled into the BIGGEST crap hole of a campground we have yet to drive on to date…needless to say we will be out of here early and be in Hilton Head earlier than expected….

So until the next Blog Please have a Blessed Day!