Ready to Volunteer at Creation Fest NE-updated Friday

Monday
Up this morning and packing the last few things into the MH for the trip.  We want to pull out around noon.  Dish washer is running and we are tying up the loose ends we can think of.  I have backed up the compute and hopefully packed all the cords and chargers we may need.
One last check, oops almost forgot Bonnie's clothes still in the bedroom (note to self put all the totes in one area).  Time to pack up the computer put the bedroom slide in and fire up the diesel.
We pulled out of the driveway right after noon and I forgot to shut the engine doors but Elizabeth got my attention while still in the driveway and we fixed that.  Then we got on the old 17 in Salamanca and that is a bone jarring ride.  It jarred the screws out of the door that covers the fuel tank and that started flapping in the breeze.  I pulled into an ATV shop and they gave me a couple screws and a screw gun and we were back on the road in 20 minutes.

Just finishing up the repair

  The rest of the trip was uneventful, except we pulled into a Sheetz and they did not have diesel.  But we found a station nearby and filled up 3.99 here in PA.
Arriving at Creation Fest we were sent to our site and assigned a nice level lot.  I had to go to the staff tent and register and then we finally ate after dark.

Not much of a back up and this is just staff

The campground gets quiet at midnight and I had a pretty good nights sleeps.  I am having problems uploading Pictures.  I finally got the system to let me upload pictures.

Tuesday
Woke up to the sound of rain this morning, just a gentle rain.  Breakfast is underway and then we turn the generator off for most of the day  Well it turned into a very hot and humid day.  No events were planned for today so everyone got their wrist bands and then we took it easy.  I worked one of my shifts keeping traffic moving where everyone turns off the highway from 4pm until 10pm.

This was my crew and our shelter

Here are just a few of the campers ready to turn off the highway

We enjoyed the sunset

Then came back and the campground quieted down around 1230 and it cooled off enough to sleep pretty well.

Wednesday
Got up this morning and after breakfast and a bit of relaxing I went on shift again with traffic control.  Again lots and lots of cars.  The once empty fields are filling up fast.  I got off at 4pm and tried to upload pictures again but no luck.  The girls are all in the arena and the bands have starting to play.  Its a ways a way and I can pretty much hear every thing they are saying.  I will post this just to update, so glad I got the pictures to update.  I will try to update more often this week and next.

Thursday
I slept good last night nice and cool and quiet since we could shut the windows.  The folks here are pretty well behaved, I think they are tired by the end of the day also.  Music started at 9am this morning but not as loud as last night.  My shift today starts at 7pm and is a roving patrol.  My shift went well and the groups were fun to listen to.  I was a long way off and it was still loud.  We had a few lost teens and children but by 11:30pm all had been reunited with their family.  Its been hard to connect to the internet but I will keep trying.  Here are a few pictures from today (I hope).

This was the girls view in the afternoon

You can see about half the people in this shot plus the woods are full under the trees

This was my view from the area I patrolled

The girls headed over in the afternoon.

Friday

When technology lets us down it is hard to keep up.  The sheer amount of people here is overwhelming the cell phone systems.  The companies brought in COWs (Cell on Wheels) but even so over 60,000 users swamp the system.  But I will do my best.  I have taken it easy today and will be in the arena again tonight from 730-1130 to watch and report.  This certainly has been an experience.  The weather has been great.  Its was a bit humid the first day but thats it.  Tomorrow is to be in the 90s so that may be a little much, but we can pretty much staying the shade and my volunteer duty ends tonight.  the nights have been cool so we are able to sleep well.  Now if the water in the MH holds out and the holding tanks don't fill we will be in good shape.
The Skillet concert ended well after 11 and we still had about 6 people missing, but by 1145 everyone was reunited and we were off duty for the night.  Again a cool night and we slept good.

Saturday
I was able to sleep in until 9 this morning and it was still quiet in the campground.  Today is the last day of Creation 2011 here in Shirleysburg, PA.  Not many pictures because its all mostly people, tents and campers.  The weather has been dry and it is now very dusty with so many people walking around.  We have enjoyed our time here and tomorrow we will head southwest for Tennessee.
Once the tent dried we took it down and then it really got hot.  It was up to 91 in the shade and of course very humid.  I played an Amish game with Alexus and then read some.  Then we all started a game of Trivial Pursuit.  Then it started to sprinkle and the then a downpour.  We stayed dry and it did not last long.  Elizabeth decided it was too wet to stay for the concert and so left for home around 6, its about 5 and a half hours.  We had supper and Bonnie decided to take one last walk around the grounds.  Oh we ran low on water today so we carried 5 or 6 gallon and dumped into the tank for the trip tomorrow and have been conserving most of the day since then.  It is starting to cool down so we should be able to sleep well tonight after a quick shower.

Liz cooking lunch

Part of the Extreme games area they had a climbing wall also

Chill-in after lunch

Sunday
The girls made it home safe last night so we slept better after hearing from them.  Around midnight the festival was closed with fireworks that we were able to sit under our awning and had a perfect view.  Enough of the campsites around us cleared out by 9:15 this morning and we were then able to back out and head down the road.  We cut across the mountain and some pretty narrow roads to connect to I 81.  We made a brief stop at a Food Lion to resupply.

Resupply

Then we were on I81 and headed for the Cracker Barrel near Christianburg, VA.  We had plans to meet our long time friends Frank and Shirley.  Frank and I met when we first were in the Navy and Basic Electronics School.  We have kept in touch over the years and now hope to be able to RV some together.  We met them around 4:30 and had dinner and it was like we had seen them last week instead of several years ago.

Frank, Shirley and Bonnie

Frank and I

After Dinner we high tailed it for Bluff City, TN and the Lake View RV Park.  We arrived around 8:45 and had to hurry to get hooked up before dark.  While I hooked up Bonnie did some wash.  At 9:40 there was a nice fireworks display down by the lake put on by the campground.  I belong to Passport America for discount camping and this full hook up site was on $19.00 on the night before the 4th of July, you can not beat that.  We are just a mile or so from the Bristol Motor Speedway and this campground was build for the race weekends.  It is really nice and it is very clean.
Tomorrow   its already the 4th.  Happy birthday America.

Thanks for checking in.

Countdown 4,3,2,1

Thursday
Up early today to wait for the State Farm adjuster to come and look at my torn tonneau cover.
Hey with the tarps down we got our front porch view back.

No call yet and its 11:00am.  Finally checked my cell phones voice mail from the home phone and there was a message that he would be here this afternoon.  So I went out and checked out the splitter and ran the old gas out of it by splitting up a little wood.

Ready to go (hey the MH is in the background)

A good start on part of a tank of gas

Then some lunch and finally the adjustor came.  He also found a small dent caused when the wind ripped off the tonneau cover.  He wrote up the estimate and I think I will be able to get a different style that will be much more durable.  I got a shower after that and headed to Warsaw to pick up a couple pair of pants and shorts that fit.
Then home and time to relax.  Then the phone rang.  My FIL more trouble with the Gator, now it appears the battery quit while he was moving wood.  So I will fit that into tomorrows schedule, along with cutting the grass and hopefully doing some wash.  Time to get some rest

Friday
Up early so I could get over to my FILs to work on the Gator.

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After a quick breakfast I put some tools into the truck and headed over to see what was not working.

No power the dump body would not go down and it would not turn over

I got the meter out and could see that the battery appeared to be fully charged.  So I took off the seats and plastic dust shields  so I could get at the battery easier.

Dad Maynard did a good job of supervising

I gave the battery terminals and cables a good wire brushing, checked the level of the water in the battery and put it all back together and everything seems to be working fine again.  While I was there I put the new fuel filter on and took it for a test ride.  So it looks like it is good to go.

Nice and dry in the barn, good thing it started to rain.

I ran up to court for a quick stop and then home for lunch.  It is raining off and on but I am going to try to cut some grass as it needs done before we leave Monday morning.
We are hoping to have dinner with our camping group as they are out in our area for a weekend campout.  I did cut a little but the heavy mist started feeling a lot like rain, so I quit before I got soaked.
We met our Chapter 12 Holiday Rambler Club at The Hole in the Wall reastraunt in Perry for dinner.  I had the fish fry and it was very good.  Now time for some reading.

Just finished eating time for conversation

The other half of the table

Saturday
Woke up this morning to the sound of rain, there goes my plan to cut the grass this morning.  Bonnie left early to get her hair done and do some shopping.  I worked on my domestic duties and then went up to court to wrap up a couple lose ends before the trip.  Then I came home because we were going to a party for a 1st birthday.  Bonnie was running late so I worked on printing the route maps for the trip and the schedule for Creation Fest North East which is our first stop on the trip Monday.
Bonnie made it home and we headed to the party for Gracelyn.

The birthday girl

Her very own cake

Mom and Dad help her eat her cake

Proud Grandma

It was quite cool today but the rain held off all afternoon so that was good for the party.  We got home and I got a quick cat nap.  Bonnie was cleaning the house so I went out and cut a lot of the grass.  Hopefully I can finish it up tomorrow.  Now a little TV time.

Sunday
Up early for oatmeal and coffee and then off to church.  Bonnie stopped at Tops supermarket for a few things for the trip.  Then home for a quick lunch and she took off to shop with Elizabeth.  I got another cat nap and watched the start of the NASCAR race.  Then I started to lay out all my clothes, cameras and other things I want to take on the trip.  Also all the maps and tickets.  The rain finally stopped and I went out and finished cutting the grass.
Bonnie got home an packed things away in the MH.  Now all we have left to do is to pack our clothes and then finish loading the MH in the morning.  We plan to leave around noon.  We are supposed to enter the campground between 6pm and 10pm tomorrow night.

I hope my cell phone will work on the internet there so I can make my post on Thursday.  If possible I will update everyday but only send the email on Wednesday.  I also hope I can post pictures, all depends on the network.

I will go ahead and post and continue to pack things up.

Thanks for checking in, see you on down the road.

A week to regroup, repair and prepare

Monday
Got up early today and did the wash from the weekend.  Then trying to catch up and prepare for the two week trip.  I put the mail on hold, and the paper.  Made some reservations for September that were due this week.  Checked on my RX's that need to come in the mail this week and called the bank about a new service charge on my statement.  I had to switch to e-statements or pay 2 bucks for a paper statement.  I asked what happens if you are older and do not have internet.  They waive the fee if you are over 65, so if younger they expect you to pay or get internet.  I have been using a new todo list program called
Wunderlist that syncs to all my devices.  It works good and is pretty easy to use.
My John Deere Gator that is over at my father-in-laws won't start.  I looked at it last night and the carburetor is flooding so guess I will go over and try to clean it tomorrow, hoping that is all it needs
Now its about time to head up to court.  Finally home and ready for bed.

Tuesday
Up for another busy day.  I was ready to leave the house shortly after 9 this morning.  I headed to the bank, then filled the truck up with gas, then to the post office.  Then I headed over to my Father in laws to work on my Gator.  I tried spraying carburetor cleaner through the fuel line and that seemed to help a lot.  So we decided to go for a test ride.  It ran good but not great.  Then we got stuck in a mud hole way up in the woods.  So I walked back to the barn and got the tractor.  With that we pulled it out and headed back to the barn.  I drove the Gator back and ran it around in the field some.  When I stopped to see if it would idle it flooded out again.  So I managed to get it started and headed back to the barn.  I took the carburetor off and opened it up and cleaned the needle valve and fuel bowl.  Now it seems to be running great and has not stalled at all.  So we had a quick lunch and I headed up to court to catch up on paperwork.  Then home did some online research to find a NAPA fuel filter for the Gator and wiper blades for the MH.  Also checked on my RX's at Walmart they shipped them today, I also payed some bills online.  Then into WW and yes I lost some again.  The guys came by while we were gone and cut up the rest of the logs in to blocks to be split.
We had supper at Elizabeths and Bonnie's strawberry dessert, very good.  I stopped at NAPA and picked up the blades for the MH and the fuel filter for the Gator.
Finally home after a busy day, that also involved working on a sewing machine.
So busy I did not take any pictures.  Time for a little reading and sleep.  I have to be at Alexus's school at 9:00am.

Wednesday

Today is a special day, Happy Birthday to my wife, thanks for sharing your life with me.

Today was also special for Alexus, it is her 8th Grade Moving Up day.  Here are a few pictures.

Class of 2015

Waiting in line

Congrats received from the principal

Getting yearbook signed

With a few friends

On to High School

The ceremony was nice and I was able to take her home after it.
Now home to work on a few things.  Most all the stuff is off the porch so I can take down the blue tarps and put them away.

Tarps to block the rain

I also want to put the new wiper blades on the MH.  It rained almost a half inch over night and rained some more this morning, right now it still looks like rain.
The rain stopped but wow is it humid even though it is in the 70's.  I went out and put the new wipers on the MH.

New blades

Then I decided to grab some of the screened dirt and reseed some of the winter damage.  Just 4 buckets of dirt but I was soaked it is so humid.

Just need a little rain now

It is Bonnie's birthday and she picked going out for Mexican for dinner.  We had a good meal and we both did a little shopping.  I picked up some dicor lap sealant for the MH, also got a toaster for the trip, and some plastic scrapers to clean the old sealant off the roof.  Then we stopped at Walmart and I picked up a new road atlas and Bonnie picked up some food for the trip.
Elizabeth was with us and by now it was time to head to school to pick up Alexus from the dance she was at.
So another busy day but a great day.
Thanks for checking in, one more update and then we will be on the trip.

Red Rock Ponds-Shake Down Trip

Thursday
First off Happy Anniversary to my sister and BIL hope you have many more.
Up early and preparing for the camping trip.
Well I got on the road a little after 1pm and was on my site by 2:30PM, a nice short trip.  No problems with the drive up here.
I got set up and relaxed a little.  Then I got on line.  As I was sitting at the table zip a mouse ran across the floor.  I grabbed a trash can to smack it with but no luck.  We played cat and mouse for a while but I gave up.  I walked up to the campground store to see if they had any traps.  No luck for tonight but they are picking some up and will have them up there in the morning.  With any luck it will just leave.....right!
I noticed it had started to sprinkle so I went out to put up the awning and ran into this problem.

Where did that tree come from?

I had moved the MH when I first pulled in to make sure this tree was not right in the way of the door.  So tomorrow I will probably lift the jacks and back up a little since we are here three nights.  I also have a little leak by the front window.  It leaked here once before, not sure if it is the window or perhaps the clearance lights. I stored our clothes and other things we take out of the MH for the winter.   Time to relax a little and do a little reading, plus the US Open is on.

Friday
Woke up to bright sunshine this morning and nice temperatures.  Had my breakfast and read some blogs.  Then I got out and took a walk up to the Erie Canal and around the campground.

Erie canal looking West

Looking East

  Lots of activity around here today.  There are a lot of seasonal units here and they take good care of their spots so many are sprucing up today and cutting grass. Here are a few pictures.

The view as you pull in

The clubhouse and store

One of the ponds

Spruced up site

Our site lots of room on the left of the MH

Thats us way down at the end

I stopped by the office and they had picked up the mouse traps and gave me one.

 So the trap is set, now I need to take a walk, so maybe the mouse will come out.

Well the mouse has not appeared all day so perhaps he left the MH, lets hope so.  I just talked to the girls they are about to leave Varysburg so should be here in about an hour.  Its cooling off some so it might be a good night for a fire.  Guess I will catch some news and then read until they get here.  Everyone is here now let the fun begin.

Saturday
We turned in early last night as the girls were tired from a week of work.  I watched some of Swamp Loggers but got tired and turned it off and went to sleep also.
We woke up late this morning and the first thing Bonnie said was "This is a very comfortable bed"  So it looks like the sleep number bed is a keeper.  I slept over 9 hours last night and I wake up with no back pain.
We had a leisurely breakfast and enjoyed cereals and fruit and some good Dominican Republic coffee that Bonnie brought back from her trip in January.  Now getting ready to head out to
Browns Berry Patch some want to pick straw berries and some want to just look around.
So we had a good time and the girls picked 8 quarts of strawberries and we got some good pictures.  We also watched the goats feed them selves.

The Picking Crew

In the fields

They pull the can with the food up themselves

Guess we will head up to the pond to fish some now.

A little one

Row row row your boat

Biggest of the day

We had a good time fishing caught a lot of little ones and also did a little boating and I went out in a canoe.  Then back to the MH and we cooked chicken on the grill.  We finished that up just in time to make it for BINGO.  One family one 5 games out of the 10.  Alexus one once so she made out good.  Then it was time for a campfire.

Only the sweetest person got bites

Getting her nails done

Just came in from that to catch up here a little.
Time to hit the hay now and get to sleep.  Looking forward to a pancake breakfast for fathers day.

Sunday Fathers Day
We were up and got ready for the Fathers Day pancake breakfast at the campground.  It started at 9 and were were just a little late.

The owner getting the pancakes ready

The pancakes, juice, sausage and coffee were good and Dad's ate for free.
After breakfast we leasurly packed up our stuff and pulled out of the campground a little after 11am.
Everything is unloaded and we just finished lunch.  Bonnie prepared strawberries and made a couple strawberry pies.

Preparing the berries

Just add the gel and chill

Well I will get this posted and then relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
Just had a call have to go check out why my Gator at my father-in-laws won't start.

Thanks for checking in

PS
We caught the mouse last night.