SPENCERPORT NY TO LEWISBURG PA TO FALLING WATERS VA TO ‘CRACKER BARREL’ TO LEXINGTON VA

I WAS FEELING TOO SICK TO EVEN GET OUT TO PUT GAS IN THE RIG SATURDAY

We haven’t really figured out why I became so sick yet but if it was food poisoning it shouldn’t have lasted so long and if it was the flu then why hasn’t Kelly picked it up.  It’s very close quarters inside these RV’s.  Hadn’t been feeling up to par for a couple days which I blamed on the cold and wet bleak rainy weather back in Spencerport NY a few days ago.  Friday night I was standing by our kitchen sink when I suddenly began shaking.  Within seconds it seemed like every muscle in my body was going in a different direction.  I had shivering tremors going up and down my abdomen with muscles tightly contracting.  Arms and legs shook and I couldn’t believe how my wrists and hands were shaking so badly.  My arms were jerking uncontrollably.  This lasted about 20 minutes then thankfully subsided and from there I just went right down the tubes.  I’ll spare you the details but let me say that over the next 3 days I pretty much wore a rut into our Motorhomes floor between my recliner and the overworked washroom.

IT WAS RAIN SOAKED HIGHWAYS ALL THE WAY TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE LINE

‘BETTER DAYS AHEAD-BETTER DAYS AHEAD-BETTER DAYS AHEAD

With a poor night’s sleep Saturday morning came way too early.  It was time to go.  Luckily the rig drove across the grass just fine without sinking in and minutes later under a street light I painstakingly hooked up the Jeep in a cold drizzle.  A few quick goodbyes and we had the big wheels rolling at exactly 8 a.m.  Kelly’s Mom is a Triple AAA member and had them do up a TripTik route map from Spencerport NY to Sarasota Fla to Congress Az.  That triptik really helped us out over the next couple days.

A SCENIC STOP AT THE PENNSYLVANIA WELCOME CENTER

Poured rain from Spencerport all the way to about the Pennsylvania State line.  Because it was a Saturday morning traffic was very lite and that is why we always prefer to start our travels on a week end with Saturday and Sunday being the best driving days of the week especially Sundays.  By the time we pulled into the Pennsylvania Welcome Center for a break roads were dry, skies had brightened but no sun yet.  At this point I had not eaten anything since Friday afternoon at the Bad Apple Bistro.  I had no appetite but thought I’d try some tomato soup and grilled cheese Kelly whupped up.  An hour later I threw it all up.  The next few hours was a really tough drive for me because I felt so sick but I did notice how absolutely beautiful the scenery was going by.  We were traveling through the Allegheny Mountains with their Autumn colors at their finest.  Even with no Sun to fire up their crimson colors the forests put on a great show for us.  I was reminded of Ontario’s Beaver Valley and Collingwood’s Blue Mountain areas.

MOTORING THROUGH THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS

HERE’S KELLY SHOOTING RINGS AROUND ME AGAIN WITH HER BLACKBERRY DTEK

By the time we reached Lewisburg Pa I knew I couldn’t go much further and here’s where we caught us bit of luck.  I remembered one of our blog readers (Connie) had given us directions to a friendly and easy to get to Walmart in Lewisburg and following those directions we found that Wallyworld behind Sheets gas station.  And just in the nick of time as I went into my second session of shakes and tremors.  Same as before but lasted only half the time.  From this point on if I wasn’t in the drivers seat I was in my recliner and how thankful I was that Kelly had insisted we get that nice leather recliner for the rig last summer.  Guess you could go as far to say I have been living in it these past few days.

STOPPED AT WALMART IN LEWISBURG PA

Skies began to clear early Sunday morning as we rolled out of Walmart following our TripTic instructions through a series of off again-on again highways winding our way down to and around Harrisburg Pa.  It was about here when Aunt Jean phoned to see how we were making out.  A bit further on past Chambersburg Pa I began feeling very bad so we knew it was imperative for us to quickly find an RV Park and hole up for a day or two.  Needed to take on some water anyway so Kelly found us a little campground near Martinsburg West Virginia.  Falling Waters Campground

FOLLOWING ALONGSIDE THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER

HAD TO PASS US HALF A DOZEN SLOWER MOVING ARMY VEHICLES

Only a mile south of I-81 ‘Falling Waters was easy to find.  We’re packed pretty tight in here.  This was now over 2 days with no food in my stomach and I was feeling very weak.  I had trouble hooking up the water, sewer, and power lines and Kelly had to pretty much take over.  I was having trouble with my balance and worried anyone watching would think I was drunk.  I was so glad to get back inside the rig and into my recliner where I was to basically remain until Tuesday only venturing outside once to take a photo of our campsite location.

NO NOT A BACKWOODS BALARINA BUT YOUNG FELLA LEADING US TO OUR SPOT AT THE FALLING WATER CAMPGROUND

The thought of eating anything since Friday night absolutely repulsed me but late Sunday afternoon I thought of Chicken Soup and that thought agreed with me but of course we did not have any chicken soup with us.  There is a bit of a camp store here so Kelly walked over to see what she could find and sure enough they had one lonely little can of chicken soup sitting on the shelf all by itself.  What a piece of luck that was for me.  Kelly heated up a small bowl and ohhhhhh how great that tasted.  And here’s the best part, it stayed down.

OUR SPOT FOR A 2 NIGHT STAY

PHEEBS EXCITEDLEY WATCHES FOR MOM TO RETURN WITH A CAN OF YUMMY CHICKEN SOUP FOR DAD AND OH HEY HERE SHE COMES NOW

KELLY ON HER PHONE TALKING TO HER MOTHER THIS AFTERNOON AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE HER MOTHER KNEW OF THE CAMPGROUND WE WERE IN BECAUSE IN HER AND KELLY’S DAD’S RV SNOW BIRDING YEARS THEY HAD ACTUALLY STAYED AT THIS VERY SAME PLACE

So nice to see sunshine streaming through the windows Monday morning.  During the course of the day Pheebs took Kelly for a number of walks around the Park while I spent all my time sleepily anchored to my chair under my favorite blanket.  It was around noon sometime that I felt a slow change beginning to overtake me.  Kelly had made me a bit of porridge earlier that seemed to agree with me and I noticed I had a craving for ice cream.  Back to the Camp Store Kelly went coming back this time with an orange Creamsicle.  Perfect!!  Creamsickles were a favorite of my mine as a kid.  She gently melted it in the micro wave and it was the absolute best Creamsicle of my whole life.  And a word here to say how helpfully patient Kelly has been through all this.  She had to take on the Lion’s share of duties even gassing up the rig twice and one time in a cold rain.  Taking Pheebs for her outings and walks.  She did everything I couldn’t do while slumped in my recliner with hardly enough energy to blow my nose.  And then there was darling little Pheebs who was so concerned when Dad was not acting his usual self.   Knowing something was wrong she would jump up on my lap and shower me with smooches then lay there just looking at me before falling asleep while I petted and reassured her Dad was going to be Okay and soon us guys would be getting ourselves a Jeep ride going complete with a coffee and shareably delicious carrot muffin.

THAT’S US DEAD CENTER…..CAN ANYONE GUESS WHY WE DON’T FREQUENT RV PARKS DESPITE ALL THE NICE PLUSES LIKE WATER, SEWER, AND ELECTRIC

My interests began returning and I was soon into my music again.  Out came my laptop for the first time in days and I read all the comments and emails from readers and of course that spurred me on to write a short post Monday night.  Feeling better I remembered the chicken soup in the fridge so Kelly heated that up for me and all of a sudden I seemed to be on a feeding frenzy.  Kelly was having some left over turkey and dressing and here’s where I went overboard and made a mistake.  I ate way too much and chased it down with some Yogurt.  Now I was immediately into a new set of problems.  Stomach cramps!!  From having no food in my stomach I had gone and dumped down a big cannonball of food.  Now I was dealing with cramps as well as bloating.  My rumbling stomach sounded like Mount Vesuvius about ready to blow and turn my belly button inside out.  Not good:((

Okay so that finally brings me up to date today Tuesday October 25th.  I know this is an already a grudgingly long post so I will try to keep today short.   My day started at 3:30 a.m. and compared to the past 3 days I felt a big improvement but soon found out I wasn’t out of the woods by a long shot yet.  The nausea, headaches and constantly running to the washroom were easing nicely into the past but I found myself scarily low on energy and sluggish.  Felt like I was living in a slow motion movie.  Anything I did seemed to take me awhile to do. 

SLOWLY GETTING PACKED UP TO HIT THE ROAD

We were on the road by 9:10 and headed south on I-81 through the beautiful Appalachian Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley.  Although too early for Fall colors I marveled at the sweeping vistas laid out before us.  We seemed to be running parallel with the Appalachians off to the East.  My mind kept going to things I have seen and read about the Appalachian Trail etc.  So much Civil War history in this whole area as well.  The scenery sure had my imagination in gear.  Probably drove right on by a million photos today.

HEADED SOUTH UNDER CLEAR BLUE VIRGINIA SKIES

By the time we reached Harrisonburg I was feeling poorly again but it wasn’t the same flu like problems I had earlier.  I felt shaky and I wasn’t my usual confident self behind the wheel.  I had not brought my A-Game to the table.  Traffic was moderate and fast moving.  Maybe I have spent one too many days just lolly-gagging along our sparsely traveled quiet back country roads.  At one point I saw a dirt road below off to the left and on that road I saw a pick-up truck ambling along slow with just a wee whiffle of valley dust chasing up it’s backside.  Wondered if it was a farmer and did he have his dog alongside him on the seat.  I wanted to trade places with that guy.

PHEEBS AND I ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A GOOD NAVIGATOR OR ELSE US GUYS WOULD JUST BE LOST LIKE CRAZY

Only thing I had for breakfast this morning was peanut butter and honey so Kelly suggested something reasonable to eat would perk up my strength.  She always has the greatest ideas.  Twenty minutes later we rolled into a Cracker Barrel.  Now that was a ‘Yahouie Louie’ moment for sure.  Oh what a welcome port in a storm that Cracker Barrel was.  We both had the daily special and oh how wonderful those mashed potatoes and gravy tasted with meat loaf and green country beans and biscuits.  It just tasted sooooooo darn good.  Waddling back to the rig I rested for nearly an hour and definitely feeling better we headed out again but only to look for an overnight Walmart location which we found maybe half an hour later in Lexington Virginia.   Signs said ‘No Overnight Parking’ so we slipped next door and found us a nice spot in a Lowes parking lot.  And of course that is where we are now as I type this.

WE DO LOVER OUR CRACKER BARRELS WE DO

 

YESIREEEEEEE IT’S CRACKER BARREL ALRIGHT

EVERY CRACKER BARREL HAS A BIG WARM COZY HEARTH LIKE THIS AND WALLS ADORNED WITH MANY THINGS LIKE BELOW

HERE’S A CERTAIN LITTLE DOGITTY DOGSTER WAITING FOR HER CRACKER BARREL SNACK >>>>>>>>

One of the difficult realities of aging is the fact one does not bounce back as fast from illnesses or injuries and I’m having to deal with that little subtlety at the moment.  Okay so I got over the flu yesterday so how come I’m not feeling like Jack the Raging Bear today??  Aw yes the realities of life and the patience to understand them all eh…..

OUR QUIET PEOPLE FREE SPOT IN LOWES PARKING LOT……BY THE WAY OUR MOTORHOME HAS BEEN RUNNING TOTALLY PERFECT SO FAR 

NO IDEA HOW FAR WE’LL GET TOMORROW……IF I’M FEELNG ON TOP OF MY GAME MAYBE WE’LL MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO SARASOTA FLORIDA (YA RIGHT) AND IF NOT MAYBE WE’LL JUST MAKE IT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF LOWES PARKING LOT…………….NOW AINT’ THAT JUST THE TRUTH………….

WHEN I STEPPED OUT WITH PHEEBS TONIGHT BESIDE THESE COLORFUL BUSHES I COULD HEAR CRICKETS CHIRPING AND A ROBIN SINGING…….NICE:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man stumbles up to the only other patron in a bar and asks if he could buy him a drink. "Why of course," comes the reply. The first man then asks: "Where are you from?" "I'm from Ireland," replies the second man.
The first man responds: "You don't say, I'm from Ireland too! Let's have another round to Ireland."
"Of course," replies the second man. I'm curious, the first man then asks: "Where in Ireland are you from?"  "Dublin," comes the reply. "I can't believe it," says the first man. "I'm from Dublin too! Let's have another drink to Dublin." "Of course," replies the second man. Curiosity again strikes and the first man asks: "What school did you go to?" "Saint Mary's," replies the second man, "I graduated in '62." "This is unbelievable!", the first man says. "I went to Saint Mary's and I graduated in '62, too!" About that time in comes one of the regulars and sits down at the bar. "What's been going on?" he asks the bartender. "Nothing much," replies the bartender. "The O'Brian twins are drunk again."