We’ve Started Our Migration North!! – Tuesday – June 11, 2013

Nancy here:
 
Well, it has become apparent that our blog will never be up to date.  Since Bill has weaseled out of writing the blog, if I want a record of our travels…  I will have to do it myself.  So when time permits I will do the catch-up blogs from the middle of February to the middle of June!!!  But for now, I will try and stay more current with our summer travels. This effort will probably last a week;o))
 
We’ve spent the last 10 weeks in the Murrells Inlet, SC area.  My mother lives there and we return for extended stays several times a year to visit and help her out with things.  But now we are headed  north until the day after Labor Day when we once again can enjoy the beach area with less crowds!!

We traveled today to Rolling View Campground in the Falls Lake Recreation Area just north of Raleigh.  Unfortunately, that means we had to travel on an Interstate Highway:-(  It has been some time since we traveled on an interstate.  Have I mentioned…
 
I  HATE  DRIVING  ON  INTERSTATES…  I-95 is one of the worst!!!
 
Since we cannot tow the Tahoe 4-down, we still drive in separate vehicles. 
I lead and Bill follows… exactly the way it should be;o))
 
This was my view on I-95 today!!!01 - I hate Interstates
Just in front of the tractor-trailer on the left is an oversize boat. 
 
I watched in my rear-view mirror and it just squeezed by Baby!!
 
Of course, they are all traveling way over the speed limit;o(((
 
 
 
Occasionally, you do see some lovely and unique things along the way.
02a - Pretty Flowers  03 - interesting cargo wearing seat belts
Anyone have an idea where the huge statue might headed??  It is on a Pennsylvania truck.
 
 
Since we will be traveling mostly interstate to get to Maine,
 
I need to find a way to make it manageable and less nerve wracking.
 
I believe I may have stumbled on to the answer…   WAL-MART!!
 
 
Have you ever notice that Wal-Mart trucks never travel over the speed limit??
 
I got behind a Wal-Mart truck and left enough room that I was comfortable,
but not enough that other’s would try to squeeze in and cut me off.
04b - Walmart safe drivers
From mile marker 50 to about 90 (the I-40 interchange) this was my view:o))
 
Oh, the speed demons continued to whiz by,
but they didn’t cut in front or they would have to slow down for the Wal-Mart truck!!
 
However, there is a flaw to this plan…
Wal-Mart trucks don’t always go the way you want;o(
 
 
As we approached the I-40 exit, I kept hoping he was headed to Raleigh!!04c - Walmart safe drivers
Well, he didn’t go my way, but it was real nice while it lasted.
 
 
We muddled along I-40,  past a sign that always makes us smile!!05 - Funky Sign - Special Friends
We can’t pass this sign without thinking of our very “Special” friends;o))
 
 
 
Eventually, we got off of interstates….Yeah…. and onto the kind of roads we like.
 
Who knew there was so much horse country just north of Raleigh?!?!
06 - Off Interstate and through Horse Country  07 - Right turn to Rolling View
 
 
Finally, the road to Rolling View Campground on Falls Lake.08 - Road to Rolling View
 
 
We arrived about 2:30 and got all set us on our favorite site… #17 or so we thought??09 - Rolling View Site 16 & 17
 
The best part of this site is its backyard.
 
There’s a nice path to a wonderful swimming spot.
10 - Best part - path to the lake  10b - Best part - path to the lake-alittle closer
 
 
Yep, we call it “The Rock.”                                                Just can’t beat this view!!!
 
 
Once we got settled,
we had to grab a quick bite of dinner and head to see the grandkids swim meet.

We arrived just shortly before it started.
There were about 200 children ages 5-18 scatter everywhere.
 
We found our gang and had a great time watching
all the kids having fun and doing their best!!
 
 
Julie was helping to get the young girls organized.11a - Swim Meet - Julie
 
 
Daniel decided not to swim on team this year, but is there to cheer on his siblings!!11b - Swim Meet - Daniel
 
 
First one to swim was Samantha, she just turned 6.11e - Swim Meet - Samantha
 
 
Emily, who will be 8 in October, was next off the starting blocks!!11c - Swim Meet - Emily
 
 
Andrew will be 13 in August and is a very strong backstroker!!11d - Swim Meet - Andrew
 
 
While we did get to see them swim most of their events, we had to leave early.
 
The state parks in North Carolina locked the gates at 9pm.
 
There is no code to get in or out???
 
So, you need to be back before they lock it or walk in the dark
a long distance to your campsite.
 
In the case of an emergency, you dial a number to get them to open the gate?!?!?
Seems like they could come up with a better plan;o((
 
 
While we hated to leave, we will have several more days with the kids.
 
They will be camped right next to us on Thursday, Friday and Saturday!!!
 
 
 
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
 
Remember when I said we got set up on our favorite site #17, or so I thought…
 
Well, we got out early this morning and set up our screen room and a few other things.  Just about the time we finished, the ranger stopped and asked what site we were suppose to be on.  I said site #17.  He said you are on #18 and someone has it reserved starting tomorrow!!!  So we had to move EVERYTHING over one site;o((  My bad, I guess I just didn’t pay close enough attention when making the reservation.  It’s not a big deal, we still have access to THE ROCK from this site as well:o))
 
Note to self… Best site at Rolling View is Loop B – Site 18, not 17.
 
 
Here we are on site 17… site 18 is on the left.
Julie and Family will be in site 16 on the right. 09b - Rolling View Site 18-17-16
 
Looking forward to a fun weekend with the Family!!!!
 

10 comments:

  1. Nothing better than family time. We hope to travel to Maine some time in the future. The traffic on the east coast scares us, a little. Maybe we'll drop down from Canada :-).

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  2. Love the site number story! I do so many "notes to self" that I have to write them down in a "Notes to self" file. Thanks for the Wal-mart truck tip. I always just stay in the right lane on those interstates and let the zoomers whiz on by. The one thing I like about those I roads is that the lanes are a bit wider than the back country roads. I hate it when we are on a two lane and a truck comes flying by in the other direction. We're right behind you heading north tomorrow.

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  3. We did that one time. We were supposed to be in site one and we accidently got on site 10. We had a trailer and by the time we realized our mistake I had consumed a few drinks. Actually, I backed in to the new site first try - must have been the wine :).

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  4. You're heading North? No wonder I felt the earth tremble... ;c)

    I see your cute grandkids are part fish. Good to see them so active and learning the fun of competition. So neat that you are there to cheer them on!

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  5. Please please bring the sun and warmth with you when you come!

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  6. Oh, that wasn't a good comment by Karen! I was hoping Maine would be sunnier than MD, PA & NY have been so far. Next week we try VT. I hear it's sloshy there too. Here's hoping it all dries out by July 1. In the meantime, enjoy your family time and say "hi" to Falls Lake for us. See you soon!

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  7. Um...that huge statue is a replica of Dan and I for his Mom's flower gardens. NOT!!
    Hee hee. Enjoy Falls Lake and get your keischters back on the road heading "norther" soon! :-)

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  8. Love the couple on the back of the truck trailer! Yes, that Clayton, Fuquay Varina sign makes us smile too.
    Sure hope the storms pass by you and you have a wonderful time with the family.
    Syl

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  9. I think the couple is a cake topper for a giant wedding cake! Bryce says you shouldn't be taking pictures while you drive!! lol - I make him do that for me when we are travelling, since he's my co-pilot! Have fun with the family - the kids look like natural swimmers!
    Locking up the campground at 9pm is kindof crazy . . . the sites look nice, though!

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  10. Love the Walmart tip, genius! Really like the statue. Almost looks like it could belong at Disney. Have fun!

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