September 1 – 7, 2026 Most Recent Posts:
Greenfield Mountain Farm My Last Week In Vermont
Rough Week
I left Moose River on Tuesday morning to begin my 766 mile trip back to the farm. I prefer to drive during the week, Tuesday to Friday if I can. I got gas in Southern Vermont for $4.259. Thanks Trump!
It rained most of the way to Traveler’s Woods Of New England in Massachusetts. Stressful drive especially the last 4 miles on a rough 2 lane road.
Of the 3 parks I stayed in, each for one night, this was the nicest and most reasonably priced. I would come here again but it is difficult to get to if you are over 12’ tall you cannot come the shortest route. There always seem to be trade offs.
$45 for a wet grass pull through with full hook ups.
Next day I was up and out. Stopped in Hartford, Connecticut for gas again. Though I wasn’t near empty, I couldn’t get to my next over night and beyond to another gas station on what I had. Today gas was $4.299. It rained hard again and I was again exhausted when I got to Tri State RV Park in Matamoras, Pennsylvania.
$55 cash for full hook ups in the site above with the view below out my windows.
Tough sleeping here with I-84 road noise. But there are virtually no RV Parks near I-84 the entire way. So I take what I can get. It’s an OK place for an overnight but bring ear plugs.
My third day was the most stressful. I was slowed down in a work zone on I-84, one lane, concrete barriers when my Engine Light came on. Luckily there was a emergency pull out not too far ahead. I pulled over and looked up the light in my manual which said if it’s flashing it’s serious if it’s steady solid it could be lots of things.
David had a code reader and I have used it before but it took me nearly 45 min sitting along the interstate to find it and another 15 to locate the connection under the dash. The result was O2 sensor bank 1 sensor 1.
Of course this means nothing to me and I now know that I should have called Tony for advice before I spent 3 hours calling everywhere to try to find the sensor and someone to install it. After 3 hours with no mobile service that could or would come, I decided to take a chance and pulled out onto the interstate and limp along to the next exit. But happy SURPISE, Winnona ran just fine.
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I made it to Western Village RV park where I called Tony who reassured me I was doing no damage by driving on. Sure wish I’d called him first. I paid $73 for a mud gravel site with OLD OLD hook ups at Western Village RV Park in Carlisle PA. I didn’t see the park that was in their website pictures but I suppose it was there somewhere although I did walk around through many of the streets. But I couldn’t find another choice at the right distance nd needed to empty my tanks before staying at the farm for 2 months.
I can’t really highly recommend any of these parks. They were OK but I will use them again because they are easy on and off on my route though I think $73 for an overnight at Western is excessive and will try not to use it going north again. I may try to see if I can route myself to the West Virginia Walmart next time and save some money. Going to Vermont that would be fine since the end of my trip is at Moose River with septic but coming back I have to have a way to dump the tanks. All part of trip planning
I left Western Village and stopped at Tom’s Brook Virginia Love’s for the final gas fill up which should take care of any travel beyond the farm and to my first stop on the way to Florida in November.
When I got to the farm gate a tree was over the drive. SIGH……so close to the end. Luckily one of my neighbors on the front of the road came out with a chain saw and cleared it for me. I wish I’d thought to get his picture working but I was so tired and anxious to be done with driving, I didn’t think of it.
We were all very happy to be back in the barnyard.
Everything in the house was working which was a relief since I will need the AC soon. Sorry the picture is so dark that you can’t see the porch swing and rocker.
A beautiful sunset over the Blue Ridge greeted me for my first night back.
Saturday September 6th was reorganize day. Bring the food from the RV fridge into the house along with any other food that might spoil over 2 months. Brought the other things I use constantly, phones and chargers, current book I’m reading, BP machine etc.
Luckily Shannon put in a 30 amp box for Winnona so she has AC in case it gets hot. I’ve been very lucky with the temperatures. It was in the upper 90’s here the past 3 days but today when I needed to be outside, the high was only 84. Still a huge change from the constant 70’s in Vermont.
Outside just after sunset I saw what I think was a group of Common Green Darner dragonflies which were zooming all around. They were huge and zooming so fast in the dusk I couldn’t get their picture but here’s one from the internet that shows their size. I would have loved for one to land on my hand but they weren’t landing on anything they were seriously zooming. I read that the the common Darner is 3” long and one of the most abundant dragonflies in North America. I’ve never seen them here before but they were wonderful to watch, a real joy. Have you ever seen them?
Not much reading going on this week. Far too busy but I did listen to Agatha Christie’s Crooked House on the drive home which was great of course and I started The Rennovation by Kenan Orhan on my Kindle. It is on the Booker Long List for this year.
Hope you’ll let me know in the comments what you thought of my first first week of September and what you’ve been doing and reading.
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