Our contracted time at the Newburgh/New York City North KOA came to a conclusion near the end of September. We headed out on Monday morning, September 26. Yes, in a way, it was sad to leave. After all, the Mid-Hudson region is beautiful. As Byron always remarked, the river is wider and deeper than we imagined and the hills (mountain foothills) on rising on either side by several hundred feet give true meaning to the word “valley.” We enjoyed traveling throughout the area and felt we were leaving a part of ourselves behind. Even several members of the church we regularly attended wished us well and thanked us for making it our church home for the summer. Gardnertown United Methodist Church, though small, has a large heart.
We traveled through New Jersey and into Maryland to visit one of Martha’s aunts and uncles just north of Washington, DC near College Park. We parked at a very nice campground called Cherry Hill Park, which is also in College Park. We had stayed there two years ago and knew it to be a fine location. That it was less than three miles to the home of her relatives made it quite handy. This time, however, we didn’t have the time to experience all that Cherry Hill has to offer.
After leaving Cherry Hill, we headed out on Wednesday morning for the fall convention of GMC Motorhomes International. The club is one of the larger Family Motor Coach Association clubs. He has designed their convention graphics (two per year) since 2010. Though we no longer have a GMC motorhome we have retained our membership and do enjoy renewing friendships when able to attend. Since the fall meeting was in Mansfield, Ohio, we had a long day of travel ahead for us. It didn’t help that we encountered rain and two traffic accidents while leaving metropolitan DC during the morning drive time. We arrived at Mansfield in time to get settled and go to bed.
By the way, the graphic (shown above) features an image of the classic GMC motorhome. Having a GMC on the graphic is an unwritten requirement. Also shown are a state flag, an illustration of a Wright Brothers plane, a cardinal (state bird), and an image representing buckeyes and a leaf. Not so obvious, on the horizon, is a silhouette of the penitentiary used as the filming location of Shawshank Redemption.
On Monday, following the GMCMI convention, we returned to the Louisville area. For three weeks we stayed at Add-More RV Campground in Clarksville, IN which is about five miles north of the Ohio River and downtown Louisville, KY. Though the campground is far from being a four-star RV resort, it is very handy for us and the managers are familiar with us and seem to treat us with well. For sure, we are able to be among some mature oak trees for shade.
While in the Louisville area we got the opportunity to visit with daughter Candice and son Jeremy, which is always welcomed. We also visit our physicians and take care of other business essential to maintaining our residency in Kentucky. We also attended Sunday School and a service at St. Matthews Baptist Church and a worship experience at Highland Baptist Church. Highland’s pastor is Joe Phelps who performed our marriage ceremony in April of 2004.
As the end of October approached, it was time for us to “hit the road” and head toward Kissimmee where we spend the winter months. We first headed toward Fairfield, Illinois to visit with a few of Byron’s cousins at the home of Michael and Margery Simpson. They live across the street from the parking lot of Cumberland Presbyterian Church where we park the motorhome for a one-night visit.
We next journeyed to the home of Danny Songer, Byron’s brother, in Lone Oak, Kentucky just south of Paducah. The next day (Tuesday), we drove to Henry Horton State Park near Chapel Hill to spend the night in the campground. While there, we visited with Jacque Songer, Byron’s sister-in-law.
Back on the road again, we spent one night north of Atlanta at a KOA next to I-75 and one night just across the Florida line at Lake City RV Resort. On Friday, October 29, we arrived at Great Oak RV Resort in Kissimmee. The first order of business was to pressure wash the concrete parking pad and the attached patio. After it has dried, we then park the motorhome and start setting up. Then comes our walk through the resort with the dogs and checking on who has arrived and who has yet to come. This year it felt like “welcome home.”
So, we have “landed” in our winter surroundings. This will be our third season here. It will also be Byron’s third season of working at Walt Disney World in the Magic Kingdom. Martha was welcomed back to work Chick-fil-A where one of the managers remarked: “When she left, she took a part of our hearts with her. Now we’re whole again.”
