OUR TRAVELS SO FAR - SEPT 29 - OCT 13, 2025


OUR TRAVELS & TRAVAILS

If you've been following along on my Facebook page about our travels, you know we've run into a few bumps in the road.  Our plan, last July was to come down to Cave City, Kentucky and spend some time with my brother and his wife.  We got here on July 9, 2024.  We enjoyed time with my brother and his wife, checked out the trails at Mammoth Cave.  We've been to the caves before so we did not check them out while here.  I'll be sharing some interesting places to check out while in the area in another blog post.

In late July we headed to Dale Hollow Dam, which is a Corps of Engineers campground.  It was wonderful there.  Spent 10 days, and enjoyed every minute.

Dale Hollow Campground - COE


We headed back to Rock Cabin camping so that I could fly into Cleveland for a couple of weeks.  I had some minor surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.  I stayed with my sister and got to visit with Tiffany & Brad.  Went to the zoo, down to the lake, and to a Guardian's game to see them clinch the Central Division title.

Time in Cleveland with Rita


At the end of September, we started heading east toward the Virginia Atlantic coast, with stops along the way.  Since I needed to fly back to Cleveland for a follow up visit at the Clinic we figured we could make the most of it, head east, end up in Norfolk and I could fly out of there.  Then we'd continue south and west.  Best laid plans are often put to rest.

We traveled to Carter Caves in Kentucky first.  Unfortunately, they had a bad storm move through and they lost power.  Bath houses were closed, we were moved from our original site.  The place was packed with campers and it looked like a big parking lot.  We did not enjoy our time there.  It was also there where, upon driving up a huge hill to enter the campground, Sir Didymus over heated.  We had a company come out and they diagnosed that there was a leak in a hose.  He fixed the leak and we were told we were good to go.  

We left Carter Caves (never to return) and headed to Little Beaver State Park in West Virginia.  It was a lovely park with a beautiful lake and a walking trail all around the lake.  Sir Didymus overheated again but we made it to the park.  We really enjoyed our time there.
James River State Park


On October 10th we headed to James River State Park in Virginia.  On our way there Sir Didymus overheated again.  Luckily we were able to make it to our campsite.  We called a Mobile Repair Technician (Tri-City Truck) who came out and checked Sir Didymus.  We were told it was the radiator cap.  We replaced it.

We left James River State Park on October 13 headed to Pochahantas State Park.  Unfortunately, Sir Didymus broke down on the highway.  We called Tri-City and they asked us to get Sir Didymus to a gas station nearby where he knew the owner.  We made it there - the owner he knew no longer owed the station.  However we did stay in a parking lot next to the station for two nights, while Tri-City replaced the water pump and sensor for the radiator.  OK, we are good to go.  I needed to get to Norfolk no later than the 16th!  

We headed out again and, 20 minutes into our drive we overheated!  We pulled into a Walmart parking lot and called Tri-City.  They came out and replaced a sensor.  Again, we're good to go.  Headed out and 20 minutes in we overheated again.  Steve and I were just about in tears, and very aggravated.  Called Tri-City and they told us they'd meet us at the Love's Travel stop that wasn't too far away.  Try-City checked it once again and this time we were told it was the fan clutch.  They had to get one.  They came to install the fan clutch the next day.  They worked on it for 2 hours, then told us they didn't have the right tool to remove the old one and that they had to go to Harbor Freight to get it and they'd be back the next morning at 8am.  8am came and went and we hadn't heard anything.  We finally called and they said they were on their way.  We told them to forget it.  At that point, we had spent 3 nights in a Love's Truck parking lot.

We called Excel Truck Service in Chester, VA and they said they had the part we needed so we headed there, pulling over as needed if we started to overheat.  We got to Excel and were told they couldn't look at Sir until Monday, it was Friday - YES, I missed my flight to Cleveland. We went to the Cracker Barrel in Chester, VA and stayed Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Monday we were driving Sir to Excel, I was following Steve in our car.  Not even 10 minutes down the road Sir shut down completely.  We waited on the side of the busy road, near the highway exit and entrance for 6 hours - yes 6 hours - before Sir could be towed.

TO BE CONTINUED...See Chester, VA blog post - coming soon!

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