2020 Continued

 August 2020

In reviewing pictures as a means of recollecting the year I came across a series of videos I took at the Pedigo house in Konorock Virginia. They were all created on August 20th, so obviously we were there, but for the life of me I can’t recall any details of the trip.

Millie and Betty

I’m thinking this may be when we started seriously thinking of downsizing from the motorhome to a travel trailer because I found a picture of our pickup truck backed up to a Travel Trailer in the storage lot where we keep the motorhome. I was eye-balling the RV behind our standard cab truck to see how it looked. The Rockport Trailer was the same model as we had been studying online as being small enough for towing behind our truck, yet still having a floor plan with all the amenities we desire.

Just trying it on for size!

Millie continues her early morning beach walks; I went with her one morning something I rarely do as her walks conflict with my morning coffee drinking. We also visited the Warbird Park at the airport, another safe public place to get outside but space yourself from other people.

A10 Warthog with its 40 mm rotary cannon

September 2020

We had found our desired model Rockport travel trailer at our local Campers World. It was only two years old, but way overpriced, in our opinion. It did give us the opportunity to actually walk inside of one and confirm the floor plan was practical and roomy enough for us. 

This began an earnest internet search for a travel trailer. The recreational vehicle market was exploding during this time as families were looking for Covid safe travel opportunities. It was a frustrating search because every RV that I found online that fit our needs was junk or overpriced or sold before I got to it.

One morning, one of those occasional days where I am wide awake at 5am and get out of bed before six. I made my pot of coffee and opened Facebook Marketplace on my computer. There it was, a one-year-old Keystone Passport Travel trailer at what appeared to be a very reasonable price. Remarkably it had the exact same floor plan as the Rockwood brand we had been searching for, it even looked the same on the exterior. 

I messaged the seller right then at 6:15 in the morning. I was astonished when he immediately messaged me back. He had just posted the ad and I was  the first responder. The RV was just across the North Carolina border near Calabash, I said I was coming to see it as soon as I could get my wife out of bed! A little after 8am we were rolling up Hwy 31 heading to Calabash when the seller called me, Oh No I thought he sold it. He was just making sure I was still coming to see it as he had 4 more callers waiting in line. 

The Keystone was titled as a 2018 but it was literally brand new. He said he had bought it and on the first outing they included their two grandsons, he and his wife agreed it was too small and they bought a large 5th wheel RV. 

Millie and I discussed the purchase for all of a minute and we bought on the spot, a cash deal, I didn’t even try to bargain on the price. I told him I’d have to come back after I got the required towing gear and he offered to deliver it. Before the sun went down that day our new RV was parked next to our motorhome at A&A Storage.

We moved the motorhome to the front sales lot of A&A Storage, my friend Larry who is the owner told me to raise my price because RVs were selling quickly. I soon was inundated with phone calls, by the time the first caller met me at the lot I had over twenty potential buyers waiting for a return call from me. The first in line, a nice family from North Carolina bought it.

That’s how wild the RV market was in 2020.

October 2020

We took our first trip with the new travel trailer in the 2nd week of October. We went west to Cherokee North Carolina on the south side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We stayed at the KOA campground there, it’s a nice park and big. I imagine they are full during the summer season. We went on a couple short hikes to waterfalls, but the highlight of the trip was going to Clingman’s Dome in the National Park. 

Hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is Great Smoky Mountains National Park's highest point. It is the highest point in Tennessee, and the second highest point east of the Mississippi. Only North Carolina's Mt. Mitchell (6,684 feet) rises higher.

The observation tower at the highest point in Tennessee

Located along the state-line ridge, it is half in North Carolina and half in Tennessee. The peak is accessible after driving Clingmans Dome Road from Newfound Gap, and then walking a steep half-mile trail. A paved trail leads to a 54-foot observation tower. The Appalachian Trail crosses Clingmans Dome, marking the highest point along its 2,144 mile journey.

{Clingman’s Dome started a high-point quest for us, and we’ve hiked to several more state high points since this trip.}

November 2020

We took a trip down to James Island County Park campground for a couple days. The park which is near in Charleston has a large drive thru Christmas light show every year. We walked around the colonial waterfront of the city during the day and drove thru the Christmas light display that night.

Downtown Charleston

December 2020

Like a lot of the world, we spent Christmas at home this year.