We had plans to meet my friends Russell & Amy for lunch in Savannah GA and had planned to leave Waldo at 8:00. Before I went to bed I assured Mom and Dad that I’d be up in plenty of time. Well…not so much…I woke up at 7:37! yikes! I quickly made coffee, showered, dressed, cleaned things up since I was having guests later and was mostly ready to go by a little after 8.
We were debating what was up with my tanks – the black tank was saying it was 1/3 full some of the time and 2/3 full some of the time and the grey tank still claimed to be empty. No idea why the grey thought it was empty – we have some theories that I won’t go into here. Dad decided I should dump at the campground since I had a sewer connection right there. It didn’t take long to fill up with water and dump the tanks and we were ready to roll at about 8:30.
When we were ready to roll I pulled out of my site and to wait for them to pull out and go around, it took them a very long time and I was wondering what was going on. When I looked out the back I saw that they were stopped, mere feet from the campsite! Then I saw the door open and both Mom and Dad cam out…not a good sign. Dad pulled out of his site and quickly got into some trouble. He didn’t see the telephone pole and got his coach, with his tow vehicle attached, wedged in. The only way to get the coach out was to back up. The only way to back up the coach was to take the car off. Of course the car was jack-knifed and it was very hard to get the pins in the towbar off and free the car, but eventually they did and were able to get the car and the coach out and we were on our way!
We didn’t stop till Savannah and we made it there by Noon! I called Amy and Russell and they came right over for a lovely lunch at Hoolihans! It was great to see them and talk “Road Trips”! So nice to stop and see friends along the way – might be enough to make driving back to FL another time appealing!
After lunch it was full steam ahead – we were aiming for North Carolina! We made plans to stop for fuel in South Carolina at exit 82 which was going to be early for Dad and pushing it for me.
At about mile 50 Roxy went down to 1 bar left and the fuel light came on and the bar started blinking…I kinda panicked! I radioed Mom and Dad and said I was getting off to get fuel (we’d gotten separated and they were more than a few cars ahead) and that I’d catch them at their fuel stop. I got off at exit 53, which is probably the only exit in the whole state that doesn’t have at least 3 options for diesel fuel. I tried the BP, no dice, so I went to the Horizon’s station. I pulled into the gas station and turned off the propane, then set out to find the diesel pump so I could make sure I went in going the right way and all. There was a big pick up truck towing a 5th wheel so I figured he was diesel and went to look near him – couldn’t find the pump, so I went in to ask and the clerk pointed me in the right direction. I went back out and went to pull the RV to the pump and luckily remembered just in time that the fuel tank is on the opposite side from my car! Around the gas station I went turning several tight corners and being even more happy that I’d gotten such a small little RV! Finally I was at the pump! I opened the fuel door, took off the cap, put on my diesel gloves and went to pump. Only it wouldn’t pump. No pay at the pump or anything. Hmmm… I figured I needed to pre-pay or leave my card…so I took off the diesel gloves, closed up the tank and walked in. Sure enough she needed my card. At last I went back out to the RV and pumped the fuel! I put in 19.5 gallons! It’s a 25 gallon tank, so I didn’t need to panic quite so much, but I didn’t know that!
I met up with my parents at exit 82 where they’d aborted plans to get fuel and got DQ Blizzards instead. We went on up the road to a Flying J close to the border of NC for them to get fuel. It was 6:00 when we got there and the parking area was already full of RVers bedding down for the night!
We pushed ahead to Lumberton, NC (avoided a stop at the tackiest place on I-95: South of the Border!) where we parked up at Wal-Mart. We are one of about 10-20 RVs here! When we pulled in I jumped out to snap a picture of both of our RVs and the Wal-Mart sign and when I did I met a local drunk redneck. He told me that he and his buddies were leaving and we could have the spot where they’d parked their cars because it was safer at that spot than it was where I’d parked – the security was better and I could leave my stuff out if I wanted to! Then I went to my parents RV and was standing in the door when “Wille the Pimp” (of “People of Wal-Mart” fame) came by in his beat up panel truck and asked if we wanted him to Rainx out tires and wash the bugs the off the windshield. I remarked as to how must have gotten the “full service” Wal-Mart!
We went to dinner at Fuller’s BBQ which was just one exit back on the highway. It was a yummy southern buffet – they had BBQ but they also had lots of veggies – well, they started as veggies anyway, I guess I should call them side dishes. It was a yummy dinner! Now we are back at the Wal-Mart all snuggled into out coaches – I made sure to get close enough to get the wifi! They are predicting a chance of thunderstorms and showers tomorrow so it could get interesting!
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