Branch Brook Campground 10-23-15 to 10-27-15

I hadn't planned on posting anything for my short, four night stay here at Branch Brook Campground.  But I updated my tabs above. The "Winter 2016" has my latest itinerary beginning January 16th, 2016 (hopefully). My "Visitors" tab has everyone up to date, and the two maps of "States Visited" during the winter in the right panel reflect my travels. Another reason for posting is to share with you the ride up to Thomaston, CT, just 84 miles from home. It was a picture perfect day and one of the reasons why I decided to have one last hurrah. So, to share some of the views seemed appropriate.

 

 

This campground, as expected, was pretty much vacant with only overnighters and weekend folks stopping by.  There are a lot of Class A and Fifth wheelers that look like they're seasonal and right now being stored for the winter. And, on my first night, it was winter that greeted me with the temperature flirting with the freezing mark.  Needless to say, it was the perfect time to use my new heated fresh water hose.

At no time did any tree have to jump out of the way
to avoid my backing into the site.

The campground itself is a little run down. There doesn't seem to be a service crew to tend the grounds but all services worked fine;  that is, after I moved from my first assigned site. I couldn't get power to the RV. My electrical power management digital readout indicated an "open ground" error.  Fortunately, I was able to move to the site next door, site #23A and everything worked fine.

My immediate surroundings are picturesque.

Directly behind my site

My neighbors.
A young couple from Texas.

Other views of the campground:

The almost dried up pond directly behind Winnie

My favorite shot as I took a walk
around the campground this morning.

So in spite of some minor setbacks and inconveniences, I close the season as a 'happy camper.' What setbacks and inconveniences, you ask? I don't know if I was just in a rush to get outta Dodge and neglected going over my "checklist" or that I convinced myself that, for only 4 nights, don't go crazy and pack everything only to have to cart it back into the apartment in 5 days. I forgot my Day Clock,  the indoor/outdoor thermometer, my checkbook, a loaf of bread, and the ricotta I wanted for one of my meals. Then there's that big bag of pita chips that would have gone nicely while reading my latest Brandon Sanderson novel, Shadows of Self.

HAPPY CAMPER!

I did eat well; Baked shells with mozzarella
in a Rossi doctored sauce.  Delicious!

And yes, I will survive in spite of the inconveniences. Take care and see you in January, 2016.

Goodbye 2015 - Hello 2016

As the temperature dipped below the freezing point earlier this week, my plans for the "open road" slid into the state of compromise and revision. Travels as far north as Lake George with a return route that included VT, NH, MA, and CT have shriveled to a five day stay in Thomaston, CT at the Branch Brook Campground only 90 minutes away just off of I-84; my last hurrah for the 2015 season.  It will be here that I'll winterize Winnie for the brief 2 month hiatus. As of this posting, there are 2 months, 28 days, 01 hours, and 57 minutes to January 16, 2016 when I hope to hit the road again.

I've been doing my homework researching campgrounds, making the calls, and reserving where I can and have pretty much fleshed in the details for my 2016 Winter Adventure. Learning from experience (Virginia Beach last winter), I've added a new item to my storage area (see below). This will assure my readers that I've prepared for the worst, so now your winter here in the north will be a mild one and I won't need it.

25' Heated Water Hose

WINTER 2016 ADVENTURE

3,458.5 miles

55 Days
55 hours of driving

10 States

16 Campgrounds (7 in FL)

DATE	DAY	CAMPGROUND & ADDRESS	TRAVEL TIME
1/16/16 thru Leaving 1/17	Sat thru Sun	Bay Shore Campground 4228 Eastern Neck Road Rock Hall, MD 21161	From Cross River, NY 237 miles - 4 hours
1
1/17/16 thru Leaving 1/18	Sun thru Mon	Holiday Trav-L-Park 1075 General Booth Blvd Virginia Beach, VA 23451	From Rock Hall, MD 237 miles - 4 hours 38 min
1
1/18/16 thru Leaving 1/19/16	Mon thru Tue	Cabin Creek Campground 3200 Wilmington Hwy Jacksonville, NC 28540	From Virginia Beach, VA 218 miles - 4 hours
1
1/19/16 thru Leaving 1/24	Tue thru Sun	Hunting Island State Park Sea Island Parkway St. Helena Island, SC	From Jacksonville, NC 343 miles - 5 hours 21 min
5
1/24/16 thru Leaving 1/26	Sun thru Tue	Nova Family Campground 1190 Herbert Street Port Orange, FL	From St. Helena Island, SC 290 miles - 4 hours 20 min
2
1/26/16 thru Leaving 2/1	Tue thru Mon	Space Coast RV Resort 820 Barnes Blvd. Rockledge, FL 32955	From Port Orange, FL 64 miles - 1 hour
6
2/1/16 thru 2/3	Mon thru Wed	Manatee Hammock Park 7275 S. US 1 Titusville, FL 32780	From Rockledge, FL 20 miles - 22 min
2
2/3/16 thru 2/9	Wed thru Tue	Elite Resorts at Citrus Valley 16246 Citrus Parkway Clermont, FL 34714	From Titusville, FL 66 miles - 1 hour 11 min
7
2/09/16 Overnight 2/10	Tue thru Wed	Ray's Resort & Passion Cove 2613 Caithness Way Clermont, FL 34714	From Clermont, FL .5 miles - 10 min
2/10/16 thru Leaving 2/17	Wed thru Wed	Disney Ft Wilderness Campground 4510 North Ft Wilderness Trail Buena Vista, FL 32380	From Clermont, FL 18 miles - 32 min
7
2/17/2016 thru 2/22	Wed thru Mon	Coastline RV Resort 957 Highway 98 Eastpoint, FL 32328	From Buena Vista, FL 292 miles - 5 hours
5
2/22/2016 Leaving 2/26	Mon thru Fri	Kountry Air RV Park 2133 Hwy 82 West Prattville, AL 36067	From Eastpoint, FL 257 miles - 4 hrs 30 min
4
2/26/16 Leaving 3/1	Fri thru Tue	Possum Creek RV Park 1845 Lee Pike Soddy-Daisy, TN 37379	From Prattville, AL 250 miles - 3 hrs 40 min
4
3/1/2016 Leaving 3/4	Tue thru Fri	Laurel Lake Camping Resort 80 Robert Blair Road Corbin, KY	From Soddy-Daisy, TN 181 miles - 3 hours
3
3/4/16 Leaving 3/8	Fri thru Tue	Little Coal River Camp Ground 101 Tunnel Rd Julian, WV  25529	From Corbin, KY 362 miles - 4 hours
3
3/8/16 Leaving 3/10	Tue thru Thu	Happy Hills Campground 12617 Seavolt Rd  Hancock, MD 21750	From Julian, WV 284 miles - 4 hrs 16 min
2
3/10/16 Leaving 3/11	Thu thru Fri	Mount Pocono Campground 30 Edgewood Road Mount Pocano, PA 18344	From New Florence, Pa 238 miles - 3 hrs. 45 min WINTERIZE IF NECESSARY
1
3/11 Arrive Home	Fri	Winnie at Home 853 NY 35 Cross River, NY 10511	From Mt. Pocano, PA 133 miles - 2 hrs 30 min