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Back from Roseland!
We're back from our final camping weekend of the season at Roseland Campgrounds in West Virginia.
This is probably one of the most relaxing weekends we've been there: the campground will close for the season next weekend so most seasonal residents have already winterized their trailers and left. In all, there were perhaps a dozen campers with three staffers on hand. With so few others around, there were fewer pressures to join folks for cocktails, go hiking, etc.. It didn't help that it was cold & rainy most of the weekend, keeping us indoors.
Friday night, while listening to the rain on the roof of the trailer, I repeated several times how delighted I was that we were not camping in a tent. We were dry, we had heat, we didn't have to worry about the tent blowing over in a strong wind, etc.. And then the furnace used up the last of the liquid propane around 2 AM.
Fortunately, the temperature didn't get below 40 degrees F, we had brought heavy blankets, and our mattress has a built-in electric heating pad --did I mention I was glad we weren't in a tent?-- so we were a little chilled getting out of bed in the morning but otherwise fine. At lunchtime, we drove into New Martinsville to refill both 30lb tanks, have lunch and do a little shopping (Kent wanted a new jacket).
The local Tractor Supply Co (TSC) is the place to go man-watching in New Martinsville. Oh. My. God. So many hot (clueless) men! It was like Walmart without the wives & baby carriages! Kent got his jacket, I bought a couple of western shirts for square dancing and we both had a delightful hour of drooling over the local meat. This is why we go to West Virginia.
Co-trash Jerry & David drove out from Columbus, OH, to visit with us Saturday afternoon & evening. Because of other commitments early on Sunday, they weren't able to even stay the night but we did have a nice visit and a really hot time (both thanks to the refueled furnace and, well, you figure it out. BTW, did I mention I was glad we weren't in a tent?).
Sunday was largely spent winterizing the trailer. Water was drained from the entire system and replaced with non-toxic antifreeze. The anode of the water heater had incredible levels of corrosion: it was half-dissolved. We already have the new one ready for de-winterizing in the spring. With all of the food removed, paper products & linens stowed in sealed plastic bins, the gas turned off, the water & power disconnected, the bbq and fireplace wrapped in tarp and the battery removed to take home to keep from freezing, we said our good-byes, paid the final monthly tab and headed for home around 2:40 PM.
I'm already looking forward to seeing most of the seasonal regulars at our reunion weekend, February 4 & 5, this year in Columbus, OH.
Traffic was mercifully light: in 5 hours, we were home again and busy catching up on laundry, missed e-mail and a multitude of little activities before my sister & her family come to stay with us tomorrow.
This is probably one of the most relaxing weekends we've been there: the campground will close for the season next weekend so most seasonal residents have already winterized their trailers and left. In all, there were perhaps a dozen campers with three staffers on hand. With so few others around, there were fewer pressures to join folks for cocktails, go hiking, etc.. It didn't help that it was cold & rainy most of the weekend, keeping us indoors.
Friday night, while listening to the rain on the roof of the trailer, I repeated several times how delighted I was that we were not camping in a tent. We were dry, we had heat, we didn't have to worry about the tent blowing over in a strong wind, etc.. And then the furnace used up the last of the liquid propane around 2 AM.
Fortunately, the temperature didn't get below 40 degrees F, we had brought heavy blankets, and our mattress has a built-in electric heating pad --did I mention I was glad we weren't in a tent?-- so we were a little chilled getting out of bed in the morning but otherwise fine. At lunchtime, we drove into New Martinsville to refill both 30lb tanks, have lunch and do a little shopping (Kent wanted a new jacket).
The local Tractor Supply Co (TSC) is the place to go man-watching in New Martinsville. Oh. My. God. So many hot (clueless) men! It was like Walmart without the wives & baby carriages! Kent got his jacket, I bought a couple of western shirts for square dancing and we both had a delightful hour of drooling over the local meat. This is why we go to West Virginia.
Co-trash Jerry & David drove out from Columbus, OH, to visit with us Saturday afternoon & evening. Because of other commitments early on Sunday, they weren't able to even stay the night but we did have a nice visit and a really hot time (both thanks to the refueled furnace and, well, you figure it out. BTW, did I mention I was glad we weren't in a tent?).
Sunday was largely spent winterizing the trailer. Water was drained from the entire system and replaced with non-toxic antifreeze. The anode of the water heater had incredible levels of corrosion: it was half-dissolved. We already have the new one ready for de-winterizing in the spring. With all of the food removed, paper products & linens stowed in sealed plastic bins, the gas turned off, the water & power disconnected, the bbq and fireplace wrapped in tarp and the battery removed to take home to keep from freezing, we said our good-byes, paid the final monthly tab and headed for home around 2:40 PM.
I'm already looking forward to seeing most of the seasonal regulars at our reunion weekend, February 4 & 5, this year in Columbus, OH.
Traffic was mercifully light: in 5 hours, we were home again and busy catching up on laundry, missed e-mail and a multitude of little activities before my sister & her family come to stay with us tomorrow.