High Point, NC

High Point's market week starts next week.

We had a great time at Stone Mountain visiting Doug and Louise.  Not sure if Doug and Louise had a good time, but I think their dogs did.  Harolda and Randy made it over, and we got out a couple of times with them, too.

So after a week's stay at Stone Mountain, we've moved to High Point, NC to visit Donna and Craig.  We had a good trip up.  However, the combo washer/dryer didn't survive it.

The Stone Mountain Depot

According to Splendide, the various flashing lights are codes that they can use to determine the problem.  The lights we have flashing stumped the Splendide tech.  Yea us!  We stumped the experts!  Anyway, we're searching for someone that may can fix it, but it's looking kinda unlikely.  Guess we'll replace it as we pass through Elkhart, IN.

So we're here.  Tonight Donna goes to a women's sister something (that what she says).  I think I get to go eat with the guys while the women are at the "sister something".  Anyway, that's what we hear.

If all goes well, we'll move to Fredericksburg, VA on Monday.  At least that's the plan. David

Stone Mountain, GA

Stone Mountain Park's Campground

We're back at Stone Mountain for a week visiting Donna's brother (Doug) and his wife (Louise).  We may also get a visit from Randy & Harolda before we leave (if things work out).

We've gotten a good look at Doug & Louise's home improvements built since out last visit, and they look great.  There's a nice patio in the back and a nice rework of the front steps.  The driveway is wider.  We can even park our truck in their driveway now!  It looks like all the improvements will work well for them.

It's been a busy day and a half for us since we arrived yesterday.  We got in two dinners with Doug & Louise, two visits to groceries stores, lunch out, a visit to a local Ford dealer for diesel fuel additive, and a visit to PECO Campers.  PECO is a family run RV sales and service center.  Think of it as a cross between an old-school hardware store + RV store and you get the picture.   My main goal this time was to try some more LED light bulbs.  Now you have to try these LED bulbs carefully - they're expensive as heck.  Our trailer came with four indoor light fixtures with  LED bulbs.  We changed two more ourselves over our first year with the trailer.  And after our last stay dry-camping in Big Meadows Campground (Shenandoah Natl Park), we decided to try a few more of the LEDs as they use significantly less power to operate.   The problem, though, is that LEDs are typically too "white" for our trailer's living-area decor (my opinion).  But LED manufacturers are aware of this, and they've created a "softer white" and a "warmer" LED bulb.  And this is where PECO came in.    

PECO has a display that demonstrates the current three "colors" of indoor LED bulbs.  We saw it last time we were here, and I played with it for quite some time.  So we decided to go out on a limb and try some "warmer" (or yellow) LED bulbs this time in two light fixtures that we leave on a lot.  The picture at the bottom is of the "warmer" LED bulbs in the left light fixture while the right light fixture has the traditional "white" LED bulbs we bought a couple of years ago.  You be the judge.  It's not as "warm" as a traditional 921 bulb, but it's close.

Either way, I bought all four 921 replacement "warm" LED bulbs PECO had.  Not as many as I wanted, but at least we now know what to order for LED bulbs to replace our normal 921 bulbs when they burn out.  I still got a half dozen regular 921s on hand, so it may be awhile.

So that's been our day and a half here at Stone Mountain.  Based on what I hear, there's still a lot of dinners to be eaten together before we leave next Wednesday.  Next stop is High Point, NC...if nothing breaks.  Later, David.

"Warner" (or yellow) LEDs on the left; standard "white" LEDs on the right

  

Birmingham, AL

After stops in Orlando, FL (flight instructor refresher course); Lake City, FL; and Ozark, AL, we finally made it back to B'ham.  Only had rain on one day, so we did well.

We here visiting Dad & Anna.  They took us to the American Village near Montevallo, AL where they're to attend a wedding on Sunday.  Nice place built

to look like buildings from the late 1700s.  Reminded me of Mt Vernon.  The room to the right is designed to look like the East Room of the White House.  You could hold your event or wedding reception there, but the people giving us a quick tour noted most people do that at the on-site barn.  Nice, nice place.

Other than that, we're all fine.  Just catching up and eating too much.  Plan to move to Stone Mountain, GA Wednesday.  Later, David

Cape Coral, FL

Well, we stayed in North Fort Myers, but we were visiting Mark in Cape Coral.  We stopped for a couple of days visit as we begin our slow trip north to Voyageurs Natl Park for the summer.  We had only seen Mark for a couple of hours last year.  So we stopped to get a better visit & had a great time.  Mark took us on a day trip on the SS Kaitlyn

(named for one of his daughters who passed away a couple of years ago).  It's a great pontoon boat custom renovated by Mark (and his brother). Mark took us north along Pine Island to Cabbage Key for lunch, then returned by traveling south on the gulf side of

Captiva and Sanibel Islands, swing east at the southern end of Sanibel Island (see the lighthouse in the last picture), and then back north up to Pine Island and his home.

We also met Diane (a friend) and stayed an extra day to see Mark's daughter - Jennifer, her husband - Phil, and their daughter Kennedy (who has a strong resemblance to the character "Boo" in "Monster, Inc.")

Good times and good food was had by all, I believe.  But it's time to head further north.  The severe weather has passed through southern Florida, so it should be a drier trip from here.  Next stop is Orlando for a weekend AOPA FIRC (class) for me.  Then it's back on the road to Birmingham.  At least that's the plan.  David