Time to hook up and head to the warm!

Becki and I on a recent visit to Shipshewana, Indiana

I think I named this blog incorrectly. When Michael was alive we heard a phrase that described our lifestyle well - 'Our plans are carved in . . . Jell-O!' Ten months after his death, his spirit must be delighted that those words still hold true - though I can hear him screaming over my being in Michigan through some healthy snow - which he abhorred, passionately!

My most recent plan was to leave for Florida early Sunday, alone. On Saturday, my daughter, Becki, thought a trip down with me might be doable after all - if I could postpone my start time until Monday afternoon.

No problem!

Everything is just about set. There will be time before she arrives to fill up the truck, pick up a few travel groceries, and hook everything up, so we can leave as soon as she arrives. Fortunately, I still have two open-end return tickets on DirectAir, so she can fly home in about two weeks, and return at the end of February and drive back up with me.

The weather will probably be cold still, but it will give me a few precious weeks of family time before I head to the Catskills for 6 month. In the meantime, Florida family and friends will be delighted to see Becki again, and others to meet her.

This trip has been wonderful, other than Stephen not being able to join his sisters and me at Zoorooni in Kalamazoo on Friday night. We try to get together at least one night per year. Still, there's been quality time with my Michigan and Indiana family and grandchildren, which made the cold temperatures well worth ignoring. Parking in Sarah's driveway worked out well for all of us, especially with all the grandparents here for Christmas!

Florida here we come!

Green River Lake State park, Campbellsville, Kentucky

My next adventure has begun. After hearing so many daunting reports about Amazon.com, concerning the number of miles most employees walk every day (one woman actually logged 56 miles on her pedometer in one week recently), I decided to respond to their ad in Workamper News, after noting they were still taking new hires into November.

After leaving the Catskills last month, I spent three lovely weeks visiting my children and grandchildren in Michigan and Indiana, before hooking up and heading south to Campbellsville, Kentucky - my home through Dec 23rd.

Amazon.com deserves credit for their seasonal Camperforce hiring process. There are 4 basic areas we're hired into. During the telephone pre-hiring interview, we are candidly advised of the most grueling aspect of our positions. I thought 'picking' might be an option, until I heard that it could consist of, gulp, up to 18 hours of walking each day. That was a wee bit more than this old girl is comfortable with. I opted for 'packing', and was assigned to 'singles' - only one item is packaged per box at my station.

Amazon breaks us in gently, with 2 weeks of half days. Smart people. We're off tomorrow, and after only 2 1/2 days at our stations, we're ready for the breather! If anyone knows some GOOD back exercises, please let me know!

Amazon.com also lets us choose our own campground, which they pay for. Almost inadvertently, I ended up at the Green River Lake State Park Campground. Yep - the photos in the layout above that I created for a challenge at Moo Two Designs this month. The views and sites are terrific. We even get mail delivery to our sites, a honey wagon once a week, internet, and propane delivered to our doors. Can't beat that.

I'm carpooling with another couple. After passing some of the other RV parks, who are enjoying the boost in their revenue during an otherwise-slow season, we agree that we're at the best park in the area. Some of the others have converted parking lots for dry parking, and most sites are so close together that there is absolutely no privacy. No thank you. We'll take the 7-mile commute -- gladly!

The temperatures are dropping, so it's time to watch our rigs to keep from freezing. I don't have a major issue as I only work of my fifth wheel's fresh water tank, filling it as needed. By not staying hooked up to the outside water source I won't have an issue with freezing pipes. I'm working the night shift, so I leave my propane heat thermostat set low to kick in just enough to keep my water lines safe. When I get home, I turn that off, and use my ceramic electric heater and everything's fine.

One advantage of being here is that we work 4 ten-hour days and have three days off. With my schedule, I'm off Tues - Thursday. That means I can go up to Michigan to see family more - once I adjust to those 10-hour days, that is! It's about a 6-hr drive each way.

Woodridge, New York , to Marcellus, Michigan

October 13, 2011, Elkhart, Indiana

I doubt that I could have had two better, or prettier travel days to Elkhart. The colors are really turning now, and the weather remained clear and warm until this morning.

There was a considerable amount of road construction along my 690-mile journey from the Catskills. Traveling by day made it a minor inconvenience. I rather dislike road cones at night on single-lane thoroughfares. The top photo was taken on Martinfeldt Rd, just past the campground, when I stopped to put up my mirrors, which I forgot to do before pulling off my site. (That was the only thing I forgot, not bad!!!)

 The photo on the left shows part of my House on Wheels and the Ranger Station, where I worked. Oliver, the wire-hair dachshund, belongs to Michael's daughter, Ivy, who came to visit for a few days a week before we closed. It was a special visit for her as she was able to see the area where her dad used to enjoy his summers with his parents. She enjoyed sharing some of the memories with her aunt by phone who had not realized just where her late brother spent two recent summers.

My timing was great for arriving at Elkhart Campground. Bob gave me a great rate on my site through my departure date. There was plenty of time to set everything up, tidy and sweep the inside and even take a leisurely shower before heading to Marcellus to watch my grandson, Miles, play soccer for the first time. He's become quite an aggressive soccer player, not inhibited at all by taller, older players on other teams! For awhile it seemed that he was having more fun playing INSIDE the opponent's net when they scored! He's one of the few who is short enough to stand up in there. In the bottom right photo, sister Annika passed out treats when the game was over. Combos and Orange Minute Maid. Miles was a happy young man.

Miles ran over to me for hugs as soon as he saw me, mindless of cars pulling into the lot. Scared the dickens out of me. At 6, he's still a cuddler.  Annika, now 8, has reached the point of 'you-can-hug-me-all-you-want-GrannieMonster - only-NOT-out-in-public. That's just too embarrassing'. I knew that time was coming . . . she did let me sneak in two hugs anyway - and gave me bunches more after we got to her house, with the two of them happily riding in my big black truck with their Aunt Becki!

It was a fantastic first night back!

Time to get Rolling

Right now, I'm 629 miles from Elkhart Campground in Indiana. Everything's close to being ready to hit the road tomorrow morning - Tuesday. I just finished organizing the inside, and took care of most of the outside yesterday - other than checking my lights and hooking up.

At 2pm this afternoon, Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Woodridge, New York, was officially closed for the 2011 season. One Workamping couple was gone by 2pm, leaving two other couples and me. Ralph and Val, our housekeepers, will be leaving in their motorhome about the same time as me tomorrow. They hooked their car up tonight. Carol and Boyd, who celebrated his birthday today, will leave on Wednesday, so they can have a bit more quality time with Ron and Jean, who they often travel with in the Fall and Winter. We've all been here three years, but Carol and Boyd have decided to go to Wall Drug in South Dakota next year. They bought a new, 4-season Stone Ridge fifth wheel - all season - so it will handle the hot summer months easily.

Closing today was a bit bittersweet. James, our amazing cashier, who was here for his second summer, is returning to school next year. After weeks of cold and rain, the temperatures broke this weekend. Cold nights and warm days brought out the Fall colors. Just 4 days ago, on my last day off for the year, I drove up twisty windy Rt 97 past Hawk's Nest, hoping to see some color - only the merest titches of color were visible. Now the colors are bursting, and I'm hitting the road. Hopefully I'll capture some of the colors at rest areas on my way to Indiana.

Even James admitted that the sudden turn in the weather made today feel like we should still be open. The three-day weekend finale was a HUGE success, with many of our guests reserving their spots for the Columbus Day Weekend, 2012, including a large number of first-time visitors.

Owner, Michael Zalkin, was so pleased with the way our season ended that he came to dinner with all of us who are still here, bringing his charming wife, Martha. We all went to the Rock Hill Diner and thoroughly enjoyed our evening together. The Zalkins truly appreciate their Workampers, and our core group has been one of his favorites, as he admitted this evening. We already knew that in the way he stands behind us. We don't feel as much that we work FOR the Zalkin family, as that we work WITH them. It's a great feeling to be appreciated this way.

It's close to midnight and I want to be on the road at a decent time tomorrow. I have to be in Marcellus, Michigan by 5 pm on Wednesday to watch my 6-year-old grandson, Miles, play soccer. I've missed my children and grandchildren and am looking forward to spending 3 weeks with them before heading to Kentucky to work at Amazon for their online holiday sales. Another new adventure!

Natural Bridge Station, Virginia

When I use the phrase 'Scenic Detour', it really has another meaning - i.e., I got lost, or turned about - again!  Over the years I've discovered that simply carrying a camera often opens some unexpected doors  - literally!

Last year, while Workamping at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Natural Bridge, Virginia, a coworker told me about a unique house by the James River. Rumor had it that the owner was planning on opening an old-time ice cream parlor and had a yard filled with antique cars. Now, that definitely called out to my camera. Getting to the location proved to be a bit more 'entertaining' than I expected, as I found myself taking a switchback turn on a one-lane road that was never designed for a 3/4 ton, long box, 4-door pickup truck. Going down wasn't TOO hairy. My return was another matter. I was sure I was going to tip the truck, but finally got around the tight turn, swearing that I would never go see that house again. Fortunately I misunderstood the directions and later discovered a much easier way to go.

The James River has seen some amazing changes over the years. Oddly, when I first reached the house, I was distracted by a train bridge, then noticed another train track  that parallelled the river's edge. An odd structure nearby definitely had me baffled when I turned to admire all the old cars and amazing bric -a- brac on every wall of the building.

Apparently the owner had been watching me with my camera as he came over to me from behind a closed garden gate. First I asked him about the unusual placement of the train tracks, and the Happy Historian knew he had my full attention.

In the 1800s, summer visitors generally reached Natural Bridge Station by train. It was less costly to create the dual level tracks. Travelers arriving from the  lower track would board a lift housed in the odd structure I previously noted and be hoisted to the upper track level where they would board waiting carriages to take them to the Natural Bridge Hotel or they would walk across the street to another hotel.

After the brief history about the former passenger trains, I asked him about his auto collection. it turned out that he collected anything pertinent to the region's 'Golden Area' of the late 1800s to mid-1900s. He restored everything he could - most of which was given to him. He invited me inside the former depot and general store.

Over the past few years he has been purchasing much of the area around the former train with the hopes of restoring is with period pieces. Many of the items are donated to him. Several were received in pretty poor shape, but he happily tinkers around with them in his spare time.

Even though he has no intention of opening the rumored ice cream parlor he has collected  all the parts that would be needed to do so, and has an impressive display assembled from glassware, counter top, dishes, napkin dispensers, silverware and even the soda fountains and ice cream case. A soda jerk stands ready to serve customers behind the counter - barefoot.

Throughout the main floor of the structure are fascinating pieces, pot belly stoves from the original depot, juke boxes, Coca Cola machines, antique bicycles, including a Penny-Farthing, or High-wheeler, miniature dioramas, Station Master's desk, a great assortment of tools, signs, a portable bookkeepers desk, stencil-making press, a butcher's display case and many other intriguing items. He even knows how each piece operates.

My visit was all too brief but he courteously allowed me to take as many photos as I chose as long as he wasn't in any of them, nor did he want his name used. To me, he was cordial and affable. Others tell me that he is extremely reclusive and rarely allows anyone inside his work-in-progress. He is more apt to discourage visitors, yet he invited me to return, much to my coworkers' amazement.

Special Moments with Special Friends

I have a few minutes before heading to work - right across the street in the building above. This is one of our two Fall 'Thank You' weekends here at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Birchwood Acres, New York. This weekend we are honoring Firemen, EMTs, Nurses and Teachers. It's so much fun making reservations for new visitors to these semi-annual events (every May and September), as they keep waiting for the 'catch'. No catch. For tenters, or those with their own RVs, the site is absolutely free. All rental units are 2 nights for the price of one. They fill up fast at those rates. Next weekend we'll be thanking Policemen, Corrections Officers and Active Military personnel.

The Zalkin family has been doing this for several years. It was originally on one weekend, but became so large that we had to separate it into two weekends. For the free sites, we only ask one thing - to let us know asap if you cannot make it as there is always a large waiting list of hopefuls who would like to get away for a fun weekend away from work stress. Heaven knows, after Irene and Lee came through this year, these weekends are a blessing for a two-day reprieve from the clean up.

Boo Boo Bear participated in the flag-raising this morning. It's a special part of our weekend here. In spite of the suddenly-chilly weather

Coffee Break

View of bridge along Rte 28, from Buttermilk Falls, Ulster County, New York

Welcome to my travels. I chose this image for my background and as my lead post for several reasons. As a full time RVer, I'm always found with one or more cameras in hand.  New York's Catskill Mountains are always beautiful, but this year the terrain is undergoing many unexpected changes.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene, landed along New York's East Coast in August, quickly followed by Tropical Storm Lee. Three weeks later, the area is still a mess, and will be so for some time to come. The bridge in the photo is gone, washed away by massive erosion caused by the two powerful storms and the unrelenting rains that undermined roadways and even new, temporary bridges.