It’s Seven years of Travel and Camping, and still going

Apr 15
Rick

Well hello every one (all 12 of you).  I cannot believe it has been over a month since my last post here. I guess we have been spending too much time with travel and camping.  It seems like every day closer to retirement is taking a months’ time! Funny how time stretches for some things and retracts for others.   Anyway, an update on our activities.  Akela and I that is, along with the Aliner. Which makes me wonder, should I name the Aliner?  Slim named his Abner.  Its license is GNWF.  I will have to consider that in the next few videos!

Well I have been to many places since my last update. In addition, the videos are coming slow because of so many things.  I guess I discussed Cloudland Canyon trip, which I was amazed that Slim went over to also do a video after we were going to meet there and he unfortunately went down to Florida and was following my video trip to Sinclair lake Campground, and the Okefanokee Swamp.  So apparently, I am Slims trip planner.  Good to know! The big difference, I think, is I get US senior rates at many campgrounds and he does not.  I think he should ask because Tennessee just gives a discount for anyone over 62, and some of the US Forest service does the same.   Slim?!?!?  Are you reading this!?  

Well after Cloudland and the Unclaimed Baggage trip, we were tied up with the new deck project and my son’s final PhD dissertation.  If you want to see how 9 years of college can turn plumbing into something really very technical, you can see the entire 45minute dissertation here: <-Click this.  

But I did take a trip down to Macon Georgia to the Cherry Blossom festival to see the largest collection of Japanese Cherry trees in the country.  These are the same trees that Washington DC has and they have a big deal when theirs open.  So I figured there was other things in the area I wanted to see,  And there was a nice campground nearby that would make for a decent trip less than 6 google hours away. So I invited a friend from Florida to meet me and we camped out at High Falls State Park

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which was pretty nice, and had some nice trails and facilities. We were a little early in the season so the boat rentals were not yet open or the visitor center.  But, we did some running around and explored an old plantation and a Potential Boondocking site (video will be up in May, still editing it).  I also had a interesting situation with the Aliner roof vents catching the wind just right and causing the roofs to “Burp”.  It just opened a crack to let the wind blow through (No windows or anything were open) and closed right back up.  The Gas Spring Struts might have held it tight, or the bungees kept it together.  In any case, I warn everyone to be mindful of strong winds and having a roof vent or single window open on just one side where the wind can get in but not out.  Always open an exit(window, Door) anytime the wind can blow in, so it can get out without forcing its way through the roof.   Safety Tip for the Month.

We also traveled over to Tennessee to Frozen Head State Park and had an Amazing time there.  While the campground is really small and cramped, the facilities were 1st class, with one minor design issue.  The shower was a good size box with hooks and a bench, but no place to place anything you didn’t want to get wet.  So, the resourceful Rick laid his clothes over the top of the shower wall, which apparently hadn’t been cleaned in several years.  So they got dirty and gross the first day, but the second day I had the sense to clean it off before throwing my clothes over it.  Funny the things you learn through failure.  I’m not sure who advised me to go to Frozen Head, but I watched a couple Youtube videos on it and decided it was a sure thing to get there asap.  Unfortunately it was still freezing at Frozen Head and we used the furnace A LOT.  But we had a ball.  Hiking and exploring around the area is awesome.  There is an old prison, Brushy Mountains State Penitentiary, to visit and tour around, well set up with lots of artifacts and information boards like any good museum. However, best of all there were several former inmates and Guards that gave tours or just hung around talking about their time there. Super friendly and informative.  It made me think how it would have been really interesting to talk to old soldiers from WWI  or WWII. 

We also took a major hike, 3.5 miles up hill one way, then 3.5 miles back all down hill. It wasn’t anything bad uphill or down. A mildly steep trail went to a lookout tower built by the state on a site that used to have a fire tower.  The hike was a fantastic garden of freshly blooming wild flowers and small water falls and forest views.  There were even a number a really wonderful sticks along the way!  Akela was happy!  We did get just a little lost, as we came to a sign that said “Tower This way”, and so we followed that trail.  But being a fast thinking old guy,  about 10 minutes later it occurred to me the sign indicated too many miles and so we whipped out the Map and realized we were on the wrong trail.  Poor Trail management in my opinion.  There were two trails both had the same name  “Old Mac Trail”.  But one was the north, and one was the south,  both signs said this way to the tower.  So of course we took the first one, and it went the long way around. Luckily I realized Akela doesn’t know how to read the map.  So we got it right before going too far.   That Hike is the Exploring Frozen Head Mountain video that will be out April 21st

April 11th I posted my 7th Anniversary video.  I’m not sure if I still have any of the 200 people from the first 2 years, but I know I do have 9000 people subscribing and watching my videos.  Most of my videos only get 1-3000 views, but that okay. I’m all over the place in subject and content information.  I get so excited when I get a real winner that gets 30-45,000 views.  It gives me goose bumps and I have to quick plan another trip like that one!!  I’m a YouTube Junky!!    See what you have done to me!!  Lol

Well, I have things to do, thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you on the trail!

 

Rick and Akela!

GoingNoWhereFast

 

21 thoughts on “It’s Seven years of Travel and Camping, and still going”

  1. Always nice to see your blogs even if it takes me awhile to get around to reading them….just too much to do sometimes. I especially liked the bit about the penitentiary. We haven’t been in that area at all yet. Getting ready to travel to Maine this Spring…yeah, I’m aware how cold it is right now 🙂
    Wanted to tell you we passed by your home the other day. Our granddaughter had a baseball game down the road, and we were so surprised to see your 4Runner parked outside your place along our route to the ball field. What a pretty place you have to hike about. Have a great week, Rick. See you on the Tube!

    1. Karen, That is so cool you saw my car. Ya, I love where I live. I had originally made an offer on a house on the other side of 77, but then I saw this one and I forfeited the “earnest money” to get this one. I have thrown a lot of money into it, but that just makes me love it more. We walk the greenway trail almost 3 times a week. And Akela has made friends with the Skunks and the copperheads. Near have tried to deter him from coming over and saying hi when he sees them. (I on the other hand have nearly fainted both times) And, no, I don’t care who knows where I live. The more good people know the less chance a bad person will try to take advantage of it.

      I will be heading up to Maine next fall 2023. I want to go to the very top and enjoy the real wilderness in the Northeast I grew up in. If I can get there early enough I might try to go to Quebec or find Slim and check out his cabin. He and I have crossed paths about 3 times like ships in the night and never got a chance to sit and share a campfire. Anyway, Akela is working on getting a blog post out, so I better say good bye. And If you ever drive by and see us out in the yard throwing the ball or scolding the grass, feel free to stop for a bit. I’ll pull out some chairs and we can sit in front of the Aliner!! – Rick & Akela

      1. Will do, Rick. I hope you get a chance to meet Slim….I thought he was in the New Brunswick area or Nova Scotia. That would be so fun to talk with him. We old aliner fans are certainly birds-of-a-feather 🙂 Take care.

  2. Well written blog post. Various name suggestions: The Wet Dog, (The) Good Boy, (The) Lost Dog,
    (The) Alpha House or Alpha Trails (playing off the “A” in Aliner),
    (The) Milk Bone… oh, btw Slim maybe trolling you in his own way lol.

    1. Ahhh..maybe, Doesn’t seem like enough “Flare”. I’m working on something. We will see.

  3. The time does drag the last few months to retirement! Only problem is then the time really flies by too fast. Keep showing all your adventures to the happy “12”. Dogs keep us young and moving.

    1. Totally agree on the Dogs comment. I’m pretty sure I would be 300lbs and covered with cobwebs playing video games if it wasn’t my boys! There is a reason if you spell them backwards they are very special!

    1. YA, well, that’s what it is, but that’s not an appropriate name. I need to make it something like Dalina or Faline. I’m working on it !!

  5. I’ve been a quiet observer. I’m really bad about adding comments on videos. I’ve followed you for about 5 years. Ran into your channel when I was researching Aliners (Bought a 2018 Scout in early 2018) I’ve followed you since. The blog isn’t a waste! We really do read and enjoy it! I’ve just done so quietly.

    I’ll work on adding more comments. I’m glad you’re considering another dog, and I look forward to “meeting” her!

    Thank you for all you do! I really enjoy your hikes, campground views/reviews, Aliner mods, and all!

    1. Thanks Annie,

      Don’t feel any obligation to comment or anything. This is a no judgement zone where I just want people to enjoy and find it relaxing and maybe a get-away place by following my trips. I don’t live off this website or YouTube, so it just all done in pure fun (maybe you’ve seen my don’t buy and Aliner video). I love chatting and visiting with viewers, but I have been doing this with just 100, and now its at 9000, its all the same for me! So please do what it takes to enjoy it and I’ll be here for a few more years!!

      Rick & Akela

  6. this is my first visit to your website/youtube videos- So happy I found you. We are retiring this Summer and considering taking the dogs and an Aliner and exploring the world . I really enjoy watching your content,- thank you for posting . cheers

    1. Well good for you! Let me know how retirement is, just not to soon as I have another year to go!!

    2. Well R, Welcome. There are shopping pages here if you need to get anything, I have most of my favorites on one of the several shopping pages. Also I try to link the Videos as I discuss them. I’m not really very good at adding a lot of extra information, but I’m working on getting better at that. Anyway, you are now in the “friends and family” discount program. No Discount, but if there ever is, you’ll be among the first to know!

      Thanks for you participation, and never feel any resistance to ask any questions that come to mind. I’m pretty open to information if I know. And I’ll tell you if I don’t.

      Rick and Akela

  7. I will try to send warm temps your way!! God knows it will be way too hot here in another month. Pet the Aliner, give some encouraging talk, and make sure everything is ready when the time comes! I just “De-Winterized” mine today!

  8. One of twelve here Rick. Always good to hear of your exploits, related to camping or not. Of course you asked the age old question….naming your Aliner. I too have thought about it, but so far have failed to think of something that trips my trigger. Since we bought it right at the start of the pandemic, it seems something related to such might work, but perhaps that is too depressing.

    Enjoy your last few years of work. They do fly by fast, or as you said very slow at times. Still waiting for the warmth of the camping season, here in the North.

    1. I may have to just refer to it as the folding Dog house, though that’s not really a name. It really isn’t in my brain cells to name object of functionality. I’ll have to work on it I guess. Warmth is on the way! Though we will be complaining about the heat soon enough. I do love the Fall the best!! I already have my first mosquito bite!

      Stay safe,
      Rick and Akela

  9. Hey, Rick!
    Congratulations on 7 years! I’ve been following you channel since I bought my Aliner in 2017…hmmmm…maybe before?
    Yes, speaking from experience, retirement is good! FYI…as a Canadian, I’ve had a PA senior’s pass since 2016, when I was camping in my old tent trailer at a PopupPortal rally at Elk Neck SP. That’s were I saw my first Aliner! I think that it was also in 2016 that some PopupPortal friends said they saw you when we were camping at Winhall Brook VT. It’s become our annual end-of-year rally and is posted— (https://www.popupportal.com/threads/2022-vermont-fall-foliage-rally.137857/ You should join us, if you’re in the area. You’ll find a bunch of us in the basin at the convergence of the rivers…Sites N29-N36. My site will be easy to spot, of course!
    Safe travels, and stay well!

    1. Yes, I would love to go back to Winhall Brook!! I would have stopped by and communed with the group if I had not misplaced my keys and spent most of the time looking for them. Also there were a couple dogs there that didn’t look like they were going to play nice with the boys. But that isn’t a good excuse, because the boys were fine just hanging out.

      I will be going through the area in 2023, so I will put it on the itinerary!! Great Hearing from you Pat !

      Rick

  10. Excellent, Rick!

    Glad to know I’m in august company of 12!

    Rest assured your posts here are always welcome…and the videos are outstanding…love your humour and delivery!

    Only 19degF here in Medicine Hat today, but soaring in the next few days…finally (?) time to get the Aliner out?

    Thanks for all you do…

    Cheers,
    Tom in The Hat

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