Another outing in the van - and teaching an in-person audience

We were booked to give an in-person presentation to the Sun City Center computer club Sun City Center computer club on Wednesday May 8. It's a 4 hour drive from home and we usually stay at the Elks lodge over there. But this time we decided to take 2 nights and stay at a nearby state park - Little Manatee River. Once again, we had to tear ourselves away from our homey comfort zone, but once we were on the road we felt that old familiar thrill of freedom!

We got to the campground about 6 and Jim got right to work setting up camp for dinner. What's for dinner? Well we didn't feel like doing any shopping so we brought whatever we could find in the freezer … lobster

Delicious and delightful. 

We were backed in to the site so there was no need to close curtains on the back window. So cool to be in bed and look up at the stars they the palm trees. 

Next morning got up early to take a walk before it got too hot. Too late. Summer has arrived. The coolness of the last few weeks is gone. We were so grateful for the electric hookup and the good air conditioner on the van. We just stayed in our respective offices (Jim in the front seat turned around, me in the back, on the bed. Both of us with our computers on lap desks. Comfortable, quiet, productive. I spent all day picking out just the right set of smartphone tips to present to the group that night-here's the slides I came up with slides I came up with …

We broke camp about 4:30 in time to drive in and meet our hosts for dinner. It's weird to drive away and leave an empty campsite. We leave a "This site is Occupied by Geeks on Tour" sign …

Good dinner and nice conversation

About 60 people attended and it appeared that everyone brought their phones. I picked tips that were easy for them to try right there. SO much fun. You could hear the gasps when they discovered something they had never seen before on their phones. As usual, I ran over time. About 15 minutes, but no one left! One of my tips was about making your phone into a hotspot. Then Jim opened the wifi settings on his computer to show 30 some odd networks in the room! I think they got it.

When we showed the magic eraser feature of google photos there was a unanimous WOW. 

It was so fun and I was so jazzed. Will I even be able to sleep tonight? Oh yeah. We drove back to the campsite and were so cozy. Next morning we got more work done. 

During the 4 hour drive home we listened to the book Path Between the Sea about the building of the Panama Canal. What a story! We're taking a cruise thru the Panama Canal in October.

Relax, take it easy, don’t stress

We got back to LBI on the Jersey shore on Labor Day weekend, so we decided to sit tight until that was over before hitting the road to go back home. I can never get enough of the beautiful sunsets from our driveway parking spot at Jimmy's house.

For the trip back, we decided to do the Blue Ridge Parkway. We've been there before, but it's been a long time. We know it's beautiful and we're up for it. We started with the Skyline drive that turns into the Blue Ridge Parkway. So here's our whole route ...

Skyline Drive - thru Shenandoah National Park

I can feel it in my muscles and my bones. Traveling on the skyline Drive with solid green scenery, no traffic, no cell service, and no electricity at the campgrounds. Your one choice is to just be. The driving is sometimes steep, always curvy, but it's still relaxing because it is so beautiful and so little traffic. This is not just a scenic road, it is The Scenic Road. It was built for the stated purpose of providing access to scenic beauty and it runs the length of the Shenandoah National park. Trucks are not allowed and, if you know what's good for you, you don't drive a big rv here either. No commercial traffic at all, no trucks on the road, no businesses beside the road, no billboards or any signs other than directions. There is a scenic overlook it seems like every mile or even more.  Our little camper van is so perfect. 

The campgrounds are beautiful, and empty. We stayed at Mathew's arm , the northernmost campground on the skyline and at Loft Mountain, the southernmost. I even found a perfect spot for some of moms ashes at loft mountain. Right in our campsite, a beautiful old oak tree with a cubby hole in it and I could just heart her say, "I wish I could just curl up and go to sleep in there", so she did.

Our comfy bedroom is so nice when we can leave the back curtains open and see forest

Outer banks

Ocracoke campground on the Hatteras National seashore holds a special place in our RVing memories. 

 See blog posts from 2004: Ferry to Ocracoke  One month on the road - yep, the first time we were here it took us a month to get here from Fort Lauderdale! That's what fulltime RVing is all about. This time we've taken 5 days. 

The first time we were here is when I had my panic attack about living on the road - I got over it pretty quick! We both loved the fulltime lifestyle. Wherever we parked the RV was home. Today I'm also in a quandary - at the other end of the spectrum. We love our townhouse in Fort Lauderdale so much that we really have to push to leave it. We've replaced the big RV rallies with an online audience, so we don't need to travel by RV much. The "Rhythm of the Road" and The Open Road no longer holds the same appeal. I just wouldn't write those posts today. I mean, it's OK - I'm even quite comfortable driving this little van - and it is the only time we listen to audible books - right now it's Life by Keith Richards (what a TRIP!)  

Maybe that's why I was intent on taking a route with Ferries this time. Break up the highway driving. We took the Cedar island - Ocracoke ferry to get to the Outer Banks. It's over 2 hours on the water. We stayed in the camper most of the time and could imaging we had a houseboat! We get another ferry ride today, headed north thru Hatteras, and the plan is to stay on the coast and take the Cape May ferry to New Jersey.

Once we got to the other side, it was just 10 minutes to the campground. I had made reservations just a couple hours before - no problem! It appears that there are some electric sites now (not in 2004) but, we were prepared for a dry camp night. The temperature was in the 70s, so I got a campsite right at the base of the sand dunes by the beach. So cool! And cheap - $28/night with -14 for our Golden Age National Park pass! So, just $14 to stay here ...

And, I slept so good that I even woke up with the sunrise, took the short walk over the dunes and got some beach-at-sunrise photos!

More Outer Banks

More Outer Banks We took another ferry ride today ... from Ocracoke Island to Hatteras

  

 We're seeing this sign a lot ... must be a national park thing? 

 Next on the agenda was the Cape Hatteras lighthouse: 257 steps to the top: 

 Now we're in a campground - with electricity - and we're watching TV. So strange. Watching TV in the same home we've been in for 9 months now. Familiar surroundings .. I have to really think to be aware of where we are ... outside. I like it.