# 34 It's about damn time!!

Well it’s almost a year and a half since I put the whaler into the wind (camper for you nautically challenged folks). I’m trying to remember all the things I liked about pre trip prep and blocking out all the things I hated about pre trip prep, it all comes flooding back as you do it. No matter how long before a trip you start 1 week 2 weeks you’re always up late the night before and scrambling the morning you leave, and you always forget something important. Towels, food, alcohol all the essentials. Oh well, we made our camping bed now we have to sleep in it. Our first overnight stop will be a Harvest Host, Lamberts Vintage Wine in Weston WV. I wished we could have walked around and enjoyed the grounds unfortunately we battled rain on and off, they have a beautiful underground church for weddings with a reception hall and a breezeway with a fire place that campers are more then welcome to use after hours as long as they turn it off when they turn in. If you’re wondering it’s gas with wood logs. That's what we call an FYI in the business. Our next destination was Mountain Lake Campground Summerville WV. But to get there we had to negotiate some very narrow roads to get back to the interstate not easy but GOM is a professional. Professional that remains to be seen since within 15 minutes of leaving the winery we turned onto a 3 lane one way street. You should have seen the look on those people faces and Mrs. GOM when everyone realized at the same time what the professional did. Luckily white hair gives you a pass. So we regrouped and backed up the RV and the tow vehicle very very slowly to once again get on course no worse for wear. Once we got closer to our destination I started thinking of toping the gas off. Remember GOM is a professional he passed a few stations offering gas at $4.29 a gallon. So you ask what did he do? Well he waited too long and paid $4.79 a gallon. Yep professional.

We arrive at our destination and start setting up. Everything is going smoothly 1 slide out, 2nd slide out, whack, minor inconvenience no worries 3rd slide out cross your fingers 4th slide no go, grinding-sluggish-crooked, well needless to say that slide didn’t go to the market.

No problem, start a fire and have some cocktails. Fire started cocktails started oh I forgot rain started and it got cold, out of a 4 day short trip 3 were that way, hit and miss, that's camping. One other interesting tid bit everything is on, propane engaged no hot water and no stove huh what could be wrong Mrs. GOM was the stove igniter double huh anyway 1/2 a tank of propane maybe a valve not working? 10 or 15 minutes more of farting around and I try the stove she lights huh. One problem solved still no hot water. Mrs. GOM says she's going to take a cold shower I wish her god speed and go back outside for another cocktail. After her shower she lets me know that it was extremely unpleasant. So as I knew my eventual fate I pondered did I engage the in use valve for the hot water tank or leave it on bypass. Huh, I did, switched it and enjoyed a wonderful hot shower. Which in turn led to a cold shoulder (ha ha) remainder of the evening. Oh well Que Sera Sera. (Doris Day reference for you boomers) Now for the best day, we spent the day at the New River Gorge Bridge. Starting off at the visitor center is the way to go. We took a walk to the observation deck which is basically facing south looking at the bridge pretty impressive. FYI walking down to the observation deck is a hell of a lot easier than walking back up to the visitor center (no kidding). Spectacular view well worth it. Back at the center your best bet is to talk to one of the park rangers to get your bearings and points of interest to see. Although we only had one good day to explore anyone could easily spend a week exploring. We took the suggested 8 mile drive descending all the way to the bottom to the New River then back up to rt 19. Fantastic views of under the bridge structure and the river below. Again only a portion of the areas offerings. Off to lunch at the Secret Sandwich Society in Oak hill for a great lunch. We ended our day at Summerville Dam which regulates Summerville Lake. Back to the campsite for cocktails and fire. Tomorrow heading home. Great first short trip in a long year and a half wait. What's next? Stay tuned who knows I sure don’t.

Happy camping!

Mr. and Mrs. GOM

QTL!

Copy right June 2026