KOA - Deerpark/NYC/NW - 04/21/17 --> 04/26/17

90 miles - 1 hr. 30 min.

Left early afternoon with very overcast, drizzly skies but the travel along I-684 to I-84 to NY 17 was fine with no rain and light traffic. As expected once you're on Rte 17 or any of exit/side roads you're reminded of the extent of depressed areas in existence.

Cuddebackville, just ten miles north of Port Jervis,  is one of the hamlets of Deerpark and named after William Abram Cuddeback who served as a colonel in the militia at the time of the War of 1812. Although with a population of between 7,500 and 8,000, Deerpark and its hamlet does boast of being the second largest town in area in Orange County. Routes 209, I-84, the Hudson & Delaware Canal and the Neversink River (Alquonquin phrase for "mad river") either run through or parallel to Cuddebackville. The 55-mile Neversink River with its two branches converge just south of Port Jervis and flow into the Delaware River and is considered by many to be the birthpace of American dry fly fishing.

My site B37 backs into shoreline of the river.

Winnie in site B37. Neversink River beyond wall in rear.

A 360° view from in front of RV

Looking north; distant RV from Florida

Turning to my left, plenty of empty sites.

The cabin rented by a family of four
whose trailer was set up on the site just to
the right of the picnic table in the foreground.

Facing south. Office/store on left

The fast moving Neversink River flowing north to south.

Facing south

Facing north. Bridge is another roadway into the campground.

A view directly across. Spring has yet to arrive.

Temps will only reach the mid-50's this week.

The Direct TV dish on top of this pole provides the signal.

Each cable is just laying on the ground for whomever and

long enough to reach their RV. Users may have to
obtain the required box to receive the signal in their RV.

Sunday's appearance of the late morning sun was a welcomed sight. The rest of the day turned out delightful and I took advantage by sitting first at one of the picnic tables overlooking the river and later, on my lounge chair to continue my reading of The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks. Each of his three novels in the Lightbringer series is over 650 pages. I finished The Black Prism in Saugerties and will be finishing this one tonight. Fortunately, I have the third novel, The Broken Eye with me; it's another 750 pager. I'm amazed at how such large novels can hold my interest. True, one novel continues into the next but I guess this speaks to the ability in writing style, creativity and prolific imagination of the author. He does tip the scale, however, in the blood, guts and violence category. It was a quiet, serene sunny day with a slight breeze; with classical music piped to the speakers on the outside of the coach,  my gin and tonic for happy hour,  I was a happy camper.

The peaceful afternoon did have an interruption, a strange one at that.  Out in the roadway, maybe a hundred feet in front me stood five couples. They spoke either French Canadian, Russian or one of the Slavic tongues. With campground maps in hand they spent close to two hours gesturing, pointing, raising their voices, debating and trying to make a decision about which campsite they were going to select. There were no RV's around and have not returned with any since. "Huh?" My guess is that for their Sunday outing, a trip to this KOA by the group was going to be a scouting adventure for some future excursion together. As an avid people watcher,  I observed personalities emerge. Two women soon dominated the conversation. They spoke the loudest and did the majority of arm waving and pointing but soon, of the two, one appeared to be the 'alpha female' and have the final say; Their male counterparts did have input with similar gestures but seemed to be ignored by Alpha Lady. In the end, the males didn't seem to care. The ol' "whatever" posture and body language displayed the resignation. I'm interested in seeing if and when they will arrive. I want to see Alpha Lady in action.

Another "Huh?" event observed was the family of four that pulled into a site diagonally across from me. The SUV was pulling a trailer. They however have rented and are staying in the cabin behind them.

Before you knew it, poof, Wednesday arrived at the end of my short, five day stay. Because of the inclement weather, not much had to be packed away as far as outdoor equipment went. Easy in, easy out; the ride home was familiar and past quite quickly. I arrived home around 2:00 pm and slipped nicely back into reality eager to use the week for 'catching up', restocking and heading to my next stop, the Unadilla / I-88 / Oneonta KOA in Franklin, NY. With the encouragement of two dear friends, one in Honolulu and one in Florida, I'll be making my first stop, a lunch stop at Brooks' House of BBQ in Oneonta. Take a peek here at what Rachael Ray tells me what's in store for my first lunch at Brooks' BBQ 

Take care and see you in Oneonta/Franklin, NY the week of May 5th.

KOA - Saugerties/Woodstock - 04/07/17 --> 04/14/17

KOA SAUGERTIES/WOODSTOCK

75 miles - 1 hr 20 min

If you've read my previous blog, you'll understand that I may make this KOA my "annual first trip." I've been very fortunate with the little mishaps that come with normal wear and tear of an RV. Of course, I don't expect such good luck in the future, but it's still good to know I'm near help if I need it. It has also given me an opportunity to see how well I plan everything for one-week excursions. Not so good this time. I left my mouse for the laptop at home. You may have heard my cursing while using the touchpad...can't stand them. More beer, gin & tonic, sauerkraut, books, soy sauce, baking pans for my cornbread and desserts to name a few. You can save your comments; the word "excess" is not in my vocabulary...unless applied to sushi.

As expected, I found the campground near empty and those that were here upon my arrival on Friday have left and replaced with a few others. As I write this I can see just seven other rigs spread around this flat, wooded campground. Tall pines dominate and in some spots the tough winter has taken its toll with downed trees and muddy ruts where machinery removed the damage. Owners, Warren and Gail, run a pleasant and efficient operation. Along with their son, you can tell they're hard working, dedicated people.

So far, the highlight of my week long stay has been the weather. After a day or two with temps in the 40's and a night with it dipping to 29°, beautiful weather set in and I'm enjoying 80+° weather; warmer than for my many Florida friends. With days like this you'll find me outside in the sun reading. I've finished the first of three novels by Brent Weeks, The Black Prism. And it's only Tuesday.

This environment has been to my liking and the reason why I so enjoy my trips. Sounds that surround, abound. The wind, be it breezy or gusty, has a soothing, relaxing magical sound as it blows through the pines. Woodpeckers, song birds and night time toads and frogs are out and about making their presence known. Robins dominate the area but with my bird feeders set

Red-bellied Woodpecker

up, it'll take awhile for the nuthatches to find them. These sights and sounds are all you attribute to a night in the summertime woods. The annoying "chitter" or "bark" of the resident tree rat (squirrel) and the distant gun shots at what must be a neighboring range do detract but so what? There's a high-risk warning for fire in the area. The gusty winds, low humidity, and warm temps make it just right. The local siren, dispatching volunteers has gone off  at least once a day...three times today.

While outside reading yesterday, an SUV pulled up. The driver lowered the passenger window and asked, "Excuse me, do you mind if I pick your brain?" "Pick my brain?" Ha! I knew this would take but a minute. Chris and family were driving past
the KOA campground and decided to check it out. They're in the market for a new RV and want to check out Winnie. They're from New Jersey and camping in Maine at Bar Harbor is part of their future plan. A pleasure meeting a beautiful family and showing off Winnie. And, yes, they made it to the Wall of Fame.

Christopher, Chris, Annabella & Daniela

As my week quickly draws to a close, I'll return home refreshed and excited as I anticipate the trips that will follow. I'm glad I chose KOA with whom I'll be booking my future excursions. By season's end I will have visited 26 of them across the country. I will be like many of the folks that I've seen come and go while here in Saugerties. There have been only four in my area of campsites that have remained for more than two nights. The opportunities were to few to get to meet and greet neighbors. My future 'adventures' will be predominantly "one-night stands" as I travel to my destinations. There are two schools of thought on this matter:

This makes me a poor camper....

This makes me a Happy Camper

See you in two weeks at the KOA Deerpark in Cuddebackville, NY. Never heard of it? Hmm, guess it'll be another adventure. Take care and safe travels.

KOA - Saugerties/Woodstock

DID YOU EVER HAVE A

"THANK GOD" EXPERIENCE?

Well, I guess we've all had an occasion where an unexpected and undesired event was thrust upon us unannounced and at an inopportune time. I believe they call that "life." But when you survived it relatively unscathed, you looked back on the event, sat back and said, "Thank God" or "Thank goodness". That whispered phrase of relief was uttered because we were saved from a more distressful turn of events; it could've been worse.

That about sums up the saga of my maiden voyage into the RV season yesterday. I'm here in the KOA Saugerties/Woodstock campground. The history of events that led up to my proclamation of "Thank God" began in the beginning of January of this year.  It was a good time to leave Winnie with the good folks at the Kingston, NY, Camping World, the dealership from which I purchased back in 2014. During the winter, their pace is not as busy and I had a number of 'annoyances' that I wanted taken care of before the expiration of my warranty.

I picked up Winnie a week before leaving on this first adventure and  I began restocking items into the RV when I decided to try the newly repaired AC. It didn't work. Panic thinking set in and I called Shaniqua at Camping World's service department. Shaniqua has overseen the repair/warranty work being done. She worked some magic that enabled me to stop in to have it checked on my way past the dealership. The very next exit off the Thruway was my destination, KOA Saugerties/Woodstock.  Long story short, the technician that worked on the AC neglected to plug my power cord back into the converter outlet located in the rear storage compartment. I never checked because I've never had it disconnected. The AC/heater ran just fine. Thank God, Camping World was on my way just 10 minutes from my destination.

At site #23, I began hooking up electricity and water. I had to flush the water lines of the RV antifreeze. Upon entering the RV I hear dripping and see water on the floor. A quick shutoff and panic thinking set in once again.  Another call to Camping World. Ellen, this time as Shaniqua was off. The braided, flexible water hose connecting the water line to the faucet snapped. A simple hose replacement, I thought.  This time Ellen worked her magic, called me back and said, "C'mon down." Another hour at  CW and the result was a new kitchen water faucet. Once again, warranty work saved the day. The $261.31 job cost me $69.36. "Thank God", I was just 10 minutes away from Camping World. It was the second time that day I had the pleasure of meeting Allen who alerted me to the solution of the AC problem, corrected the faucet problem and moved my awning two inches to avoid rain spilling over the edge and down the inside of my open door; a three season annoyance. What one technician said was not possible was accomplished by Allen. In addition to all this, he dried out underneath the galley sink, mopped up and cleaned the floor.

My day started  at 10 a.m. and even with a couple of hours at CW, I ended it with my own Happy Hour. I sat backed, reviewed the day and was able to utter, "Thank God, it could've been worse." Now any of my RV buddies can attest to the fact that when it comes to having an "emergency" tended to by any repair facility "here and now" is a virtual impossibility. Having two issues taken care of in one day is nothing short of a miracle to me. I am truly blessed. On Monday, each of the ladies at CW will receive a flower arrangement with a note: "Thank you for making me a Happy Camper."

Next up, more thoughts about Wayne and Gail's KOA here in Saugerties. A reminder to click on the tab above labeled, "2017 Summer" for my itinerary.







 

A Prelude to the Summer of 2017

Greetings and a warm welcome back to my friends who have shown an interest in receiving the ramblings of "Travels with Charlie." It's been 5 months and 7 days since I posted my last blog. From one point of view, the time has flown by. From another, when you stand in the present and look back into the past, yes it's flown by. But back in October as I winterized Winnie and looked to the future, I thought the day of my first excursion would never arrive. But here it is, April 6th and I'm leaving Friday, the 7th. On Saturday, the 8th, it's Happy Birthday, Chuck.  This "kid" is all grown up doing well in his career at Facebook. He continues to make his parents proud and happy. This year he joins the likes of J.K. Rowling, Ben Stiller, Brooke Shields, and Charlie Sheen. Good age group...wish I was there.

As I considered the subject matter for my first blog, I thought I'd use the notes I jotted these past 5 months. That idea was immediately dismissed with the comment, "Who cares?" (that's the politically correct phrase.) Instead, I decided to condense the five page diary into a listing of events I've experienced. Photos and details are yours for the asking as there is no way I could include them in this blog.

• A memorable Thanksgiving. Carlo closed his restaurant, Cosimo's in Poughkeepsie for his family. With 54 in attendance and 10 unable to attend, the event brought the meaning of "family togetherness" into crystal clarity.  Each brought a dish of classic Thanksgiving fare that was served buffet style.
• Chuck and family in for Christmas.
• My dining experiences continued throughout the hibernating season.
• At Sakura, my visits twice weekly have enhanced my appreciation for "edible art" as photos on my Facebook page have demonstrated. Tony's hard work and dedication to the restaurant has resulted in an expansion that adds another thousand square feet to his popular Hastings establishment. I was an honored guest at their Chinese New Year after hours dinner January 27th.
• Cosimo's in Poughkeepsie, Ruth Cris', in Tarrytown, The Somers Diner, Joe Willy's Seafood in Wappingers, Spacarelli's in Millwood, Zero Otto Nove in Armonk, Julianna's in Cortlandt Manor, Tendga Japanese in Katonah, The Bean Runner, The Hudson Room and Iron Vine in Peekskill, all in the company of dear friends were just some of the pleasures of my dining experiences.
• Enjoyed the festivities that surrounded Dr. Peter Hoffman and his 50 years of service in education.
• Sundays and Thursdays afternoons were spent in Fishkill keeping my mother company and playing word games like "Scrabble" and "One Up". Mom turned 98 on March 13th and her spelling remains as good as the day she achieved a gold star in elementary school.
• In Florida, there's good news of a new baby for Scott and Kori Thomas due in May. Scott, is a sheriff in Boynton Beach and is the grandson of cousins Larry and Norma.
• Then there was the election. I need not elaborate as you know my thoughts on that matter.
• Our first light snowfall occurred on December 5, 2016. The blizzard occurred March 16th

Perhaps the greatest amount of time was spent reading and with it a wonderful sense of achievement and entertainment.

The C.J. Floyd series of Dr. Robert Greer,

The fantasy/sci fi series of Michael J. Sullivan and

The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

As this blog is a prelude to my 2017 Summer Adventure, I'll drift toward a conclusion by sharing another author's trilogy (Night Angel) by Brent Weeks.

This 1,300+ page trilogy got me hooked on his 3 novel series.

If you've gotten this far, thank you for joining me. Please note the tabs at the top of this page. My 2017 Itinerary is listed and there are new folks that have joined the Hall of Fame as a result of stopping by to visit Winnie.  My next blog will be written from the KOA Saugerties/Woodstock campground where I'll be for a week.