RV Tire Blowout and Replacing our Sewer Valves

Last trip of the Season. Just winterized all the tanks at Country Acres in Lancaster and got RoadAbode ready for storage. We were about 30 minutes from RoadAbode's storage home when Amy noticed the oven rattling more than usual. "Did you forget a pan in the oven?" I asked. Just after she checked and was making her way back to her seat when there was a loud BANG from the rear drivers side of RoadAbode. Another blowout! We had just experienced one on the guys trip back in July, and was planning on replacing the rest of RoadAbode's tires during the winter.
 As safely as possible I moved to the right to get out of busy Route 202 traffic. I pulled to a stop on a median area between an on ramp and traffic lanes. I did a quick check of damage. The fit we were towing was fine, the tire itself was shredded, and to add to the damages, the sewer valves were totally missing! I could see some of their parts already knocked by traffic curbside, but most of both grey and black tank gate valves were nowhere to be seen. From previous blowout experience I wanted to find a safe place for service to change to RoadAbode's spare. So gingerly with hazard lights flashing I made my way off the next highway exit. Not familiar with the roadways but knowing that there are plenty of business parks in the area, Amy used google maps to find the closest off the exit. Being Sunday, their parking lots were empty. We pulled in and called our service - Good Sam - to contact a local company. After being on hold for 15-20 minutes as they tried to find a service. They were able to contact someone, but it would be five hours till they could arrive! Our location was actually 30 minutes from RoadAbode's storage, and from our home, in different directions.I let the dispatcher know this. They conferred with the tire service, and after making sure RoadAbode was parked safely, we all agreed to have the work done Monday morning. I moved RoadAbode to the far side of the parking lot, but visible to the roadway. We disconnected the Honda Fit, gathered our essentials to go home with and left a sign in case police checked on why an RV was parked in the business park.

Not where I left her for the night - but looks good - since you can't see the flat tire

On Monday, I let my boss know I would be taking the morning off, then set off to sit with RoadAbode and wait for the tire change. Rush hour traffic was a bit more than it had been on Sunday. While sitting in traffic, I got an early call from the repair guy verifying the address and location, and that he was on his way. Then 20 minutes later - got a call that he was done! His only issue was that he could not get the spare to go up underneath RoadAbode again.

De-treaded and split tire failure

When I got to RoadAbode, I threw the tire in the back of the Honda Fit, hooked up to RoadAbode, and drove her to storage. Later in the week I setup an appointment to get new tires installed. 

What to take-away from this?

• Do have a Road Service. Even though it took an extra day, it would have been even more cumbersome without a starting point to work with. It's worth the investment.
• Keep your head about you. Pull to a safe place and take time to assess the problem. As long as everyone is safe - you'll get through this.
• Along with the above, remember it's an inconvenience. Maybe you lose some time and it will hit your pocketbook, but it's really is not that bad sitting in your RV - with a bathroom and plenty of food and drink - and waiting it out. Maybe you need some reflection time!
• Make sure to communicate well with the dispatcher and service. If they tell you a long wait time, see if you can find alternatives. Can they check with another service? If safe to move, can you limp along to another spot that is closer or safer? Or like us, can you arrange to do it at a more convenient time/day?

Not the adventure I prefer to have in RoadAbode, but still galad to be out and travelling with her!

RoadAbode RoadTrip ~ Snowy Travels to Lancaster County PA

Packing for the Trip

Friday: Snowy Travel Adventure

There is a first time for everything, and this time it was the first time the RoadAbode Crew left for a weekend in a full fledged snowstorm! What the forecasters were saying to expect - a dusting to an inch of snow - ended up being around three to five inches in our Philadelphia neighborhood. Our destination, Lancaster County PA, was also expecting snow from the same storm system, and from their local forecasts it was either going to be a dusting, to about the same as our hometown.
I Guess this was one of the "Adventures" of RoadAbode.
Since we store RoadAbode outside the city, we are limited to what we can cram into our Honda Fit - our current toad. The girls did their best to fill it's small trunk area to the top, and I added a snow shovel to the mix.
Thankfully because of the timing of the snow the roads were mostly just a slushy mess, but the trees did look pretty!  For those not familiar with Philadelphia, one of the things we love about the city are the parks. Philadelphia has one of the largest city parks, and our neighborhood connects to one of the largest sections of parkland. We need to drive past farmland and woods before we even LEAVE the city! Fairmont Park is listed in our top hikes in Pennsylvania for a reason.

Driving through Philadelphia's Fairmont Park in the Snow

The snow continued to fall, but we took our time, and were thankfully ahead of rush hour traffic. RoadAbode is in a storage facility roughly 30 minutes from our home. The storage yard is on a main route. this was purposeful for us so that we could connect easily to major highways and byways. By the time we made it to RoadAbode's spot, snow had become about three inches deep. One of use had to enter RoadAbode from the Passenger truck door as the deadbolt on the "house" door was frozen! Once inside the lock and house door could be gently opened from the inside. While the girls finished stowing our gear, I started shoveling some snow, taking off RoadAbode's tire covers and checking tire air pressure. Fortunately all RoadAbode's bay door locks were unfrozen, so I could use one of our patio pads to knee snow-free while I took care of the tire covers.

RoadAbode next to our big blue bus "neighbor" in storage.

Hooking up the Honda Fit to the towbar was not problematic, but the towbar components sure were cold! Everything connected and worked first try, so all packed up off we went for our slushy, snowy drive to Lancaster Pennsylvania.
Our drive was slightly longer than usual, but that was due more to road construction delays on Route 202 than the weather. Once we checked in at Country Acres Campground, we found out we were the only campers in their upper section. All by ourselves next to the showerhouse!

Country Acres Upper Section ~ all to ourselves

Saturday morning was blue skies and rising temperatures. We could see the snow melting fairly quickly off RoadAbode's roof, which left a bit of an icy, slippery mess on the outside step. Molly is always first up when in Lancaster, excited to take in the new smells and sights of the campground. Views for us over Amish farmland were beautiful and serene!

The wintry morning view from "Camp RoadAbode"

Saturday: Tasty Stop at McClure's Bakery

We let our girls sleep in a bit and Amy and I headed out to pickup some breakfast treats. A short drive and we ended up at McClure's Bakery. Industrial looking on the outside, the welcome was warm and friendly inside. We perused the tempting goods and decided on walnut encrusted Cinnamon buns and a traditional wet-bottom shoo-fly pie. (Don't know shoo-fly pie? You need a Pennsylvania Food Primer)

A cinnamon bun breakfast

While waiting to complete our sale we were able to chat with another customer who was picking up a huge frosted cake for her own 50th birthday celebration. Looked like it would be a big hit for her party!
We wanted to stop at McClure's not just because of the glowing reviews we had read, but also because of their online webstore presence ~ faithhopeandshoofly.com ~ which was formed with the intent of making an impact on kids in need. A portion of the profits from every on-line sale would be earmarked towards the greater cause of helping in need kids. Currently Faith Hope and Shoo Fly supports The Kids Camp at Old Mill and Block Club Federation. We wanted to chat with Doug Kauffman the owner of McClure's to learn more, but unfortunately he was out during our morning visit.  We left the bakery, stopped for a coffee down the road, and then brought our delicious finds back to RoadAbode. We all agreed that the shoo-fly pie is the best we have ever had! flaky but not overly crumbly crust, with dark and sweet, delicious filling. Warmed up for a few seconds in the microwave, and our cinnamon bun and pie where truly delicious gooey treats. We'll be back to McClure's!

Saturday: Two Unique Shopping  Experiences

The girls wanted to do some outlet shopping, while Amy and I felt like having a more local shopping experience for this trip. Now that the girls are older, we could split and do both! We dropped the girls at Rockvale Outlets, and we continued on to Lancaster City, specifically to check out Central Market.
Rockvale covers many of our girls favorite stores. Make sure to stop by and get the coupon book from the Roackvale office for even more savings! If the girls wanted, they can stop for a break from shopping for lunch, nine eateries are conveniently located right in the complex. This is an outlet shoppers paradise.

Central Market: Fresh Produce

Sampling Organic Cheeses

Central Market: A View from the Balcony

Central Market, located in Lancaster City, is the oldest continually running farmer's market in the United States. For Amy and I, the Central Market reminded us of a more open, less congested and better maintained version of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal. Perhaps slightly smaller, with less on-site eating establishments, there are still plenty of fresh and ethnically diverse items to taste, buy and enjoy. The place was hopping on a Saturday morning in March, I can just imagine how popular it is in the Spring and Summer months! Parking is available for patrons in garages and lots, but we had no problem finding a metered spot on Queen Street, just a block from Central Market. Two hours of parking cost three dollars, a bargain compared to the surrounding parking lots or garage.
Central Market is the centerpiece of a beautiful downtown shopping and arts district. Window shopping along the surrounding streets, we could see plenty to interest us, and a good bit of revitalization going on as storefronts were being recreated and updated. We discovered beautiful glass art pieces at Lancaster Art and Glassworks on Queen Street, and plenty of options to eat from upscale cafes like Commonwealth on Queen, to the funky doughnut shop Fractured Prune right across the street! Next time we travel to Lancaster City, we need to go hungry!
Lancaster City is worth another visit. There are so many ways to shop, RV and experience Lancaster County we enjoy.

Saturday: Relaxing at Country Acres and Evening Meal

Japanese Pan Noodles with Shrimp

For our afternoon, we relaxed, strolled, read and napped at Country Acres. It felt wonderful to just watch geese fly overhead, and walk the perimeter of the Amish farmland the campground is neighbor to. The girls took care of some homework, and I enjoyed a camp chair in the warmth of the sun. It can be revitalizing to your soul, and not often are we able to take a few moments and do - absolutely nothing. When's the last time you were able to?

For our evening meal we opted for one of the offbeat chain selections in the area, Noodles & Company. It's a special eatery to us because we do not have one in our hometown. Each person could enjoy something a little different for our meal, and feel we chowed down on something better than from some bland and tasteless (and bad for you) fast food chain.

Sunday: Breakfast, a Hike and Pack Up

As quickly as it came, it went. The snow is gone! Not really a trace at all that we had traveled up to Lancaster in a snowstorm. We were pretty lazy on Sunday morning, so we raided our on board food staples and Amy created a delicious breakfast stir fry. After a great morning walk with Molly, I decided to explore one of the Lancaster County Parks close by. So we grabbed her leash, some water and doggie treats, and pointed the Honda Fit to Money Rocks Park on Narvon Road. On the way we enjoyed beautiful panoramas of the surrounding farms, on relatively quiet back roads twisting through the Amish farmland.

Money Rocks Park Overlook

The oddly named park, according to the Parks and Recreation department:

"was so-named because farmers in the Pequea Valley allegedly hid cash among the rocks. The ridge offers beautiful views of farmland, towns, and distant wooded hills. Cockscomb is another appropriately named outcropping of rocks a bit farther along the ridge. In the winter, the view from this precipice is equal to that of Money Rocks".

 The hike from the parking lot to the rocks is easy, with a slight incline. once at the rocks the trail follows the ridge along the rocks, and you must be careful with your footing. For a short hike with an overview of the beautiful country in Lancaster, Money Rocks was perfect. Did not find any hidden farmer money though.

After Molly and I returned from our hike, it was time to slowly packup and go. A great start to our RVing season, and another beautiful,relaxing weekend in Lancaster County.

Winterizing ~ Keeping RoadAbode the RV in the Pink

Come November, the RoadAbode Crew gets a little melancholy. Late fall means getting ready for all the exciting things happening to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, & the New Year. We get to see friends and family over the holidays, and prepare for special services and events at Roxborough Church. But even though we are enthused for all the joy occurring during the season, for us November also means the last RVing trip of the season. Our tradition is to put RoadAbode to "sleep" from the end of November to mid-March.  The winter months are just too busy for our family, and too cold for our bones in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
There are a few things needed to be done in the mid-eastern US to protect an RV over the winter months. The process includes draining tanks, prepping the water heater, getting special antifreeze in the water lines, checking the roof and a few other things to protect our home on wheels. One year we winterized too late and fortunately only lost our kitchen faucet to a hard enough freeze. When reviewing our process, understand that each manufacturer is different, and valve locations and processes can be dissimilar to what we do for RoadAbode. It's best to check with any owner manuals and manufactures directions you have. This list should give you a good starting point of what needs to be done to keep on RV "in the pink" over the cold months. Here's a look at our process for making sure RoadAbode is snug over the winter.
Each year our last November RoadTrip is usually to Country Acres Campground in Gordonville PA. We've written about Country Acres as one of our top spots in the past. Since we don't have adequate connections at storage or home to winterize, the RoadAbode Crew selects this RV park for a few reasons that help in the winterizing process.

What we look for in a "Winterizing" Campground

• We make sure the campsite we select has full hookups and is level. This helps with flushing out the black (sewer) and grey (waste-water) tanks. 
• We select a site close to the restrooms. Country Acres has modern and very clean restroom and shower areas, and an added bonus are heated floors. This really makes us happy on brisk November mornings!
• We can stay till 2pm.  This is still a family outing, so don't winterize until our departure day. It's great having plenty of time to finish the winterizing process. Some campgrounds want you to leave by Noon or 1PM. The extra hour or two let's us still enjoy our morning, and maybe a quick shopping trip or quick adventure out.
• The views are great. We're still RVing, so even though some would think of this a working weekend, for us it's all part of the adventure of owning a motorhome. In reality the work is only a short time of our weekend, so we like to make the most of it. Country Acres is right next to beautiful Amish farmland. If we pick the right weekend, the farmer and his team of horses will be tilling under his fields for next years crop. It's interesting and beautiful to be in Lancaster in the fall! Even when working on winterizing, we try to enjoy as much of our weekend as possible. We wait to do the work of winterizing until Sunday, preferably late morning. When we work together, it takes no more than an hour and half. Before that time, we are out enjoying all the shopping, flavors, and sights of Lancaster County.

Our winterizing process is done in this order:

Drain and Flush all Tanks -

We start by emptying all our tanks.  The process is pretty simple. Since we are working with sewage and waste-water, and items that touch these products, we always wear rubber gloves when working with the hoses and connections to these tanks. The Black and Grey tanks have individual gate valves with manual pull handles.

Sewer Hose and Flush King setup

The two connect together at a built in wye connector. We use a "Flush King" clear fitting that has it's own gate valve, and a connector with a ball valve to turn on/off a connector to a water hose. The water hose connector also has a built in back flow preventer, which is important so you don't accidentally contaminate your water supply. We do not use our white fresh water hose for this job, so there is less danger of cross contamination.  We use a gray-colored water hose so that there is a distinct differentiation between the two This is important for keeping our fresh water sanitary - all our fresh water connections and our waste or sewer connections are stored in separate bins.We connect our expandable sewer hose, one side  to the Flush King, and the other to the campsites sewer connector. We like the Rhino flex hose because the connectors are easy to grab and lock together, and the hose is sturdy and built to last. Once everything is connected, wee open the gate of the black first. Once we see the black tank is not releasing any more waste-water, we do an extra back flush (or sometimes two) of water from our gray hose to help clear the tanks of any solids clinging to the inside walls.We rarely have issues with our sewer tank, as we flush it out once almost every trip. After the black tank is complete we close it's gate valve, and we repeat the process with the gray water.
For the fresh water tank, we access valves under our rear queen bed. These valves allow the fresh water tank to empty from underneath RoadAbode. Depending how much water is in the tank, the process to empty  the fresh water can take  a few minutes to an hour.
Empty the Water Heater -

Water Heater

RoadAbode has a six gallon water heater. Preparing it for winter is a two step process, but relatively easy. The water heater is located under the kitchen area sink. First, we go outside to the access panel, twist the spring clasp (which oddly looks like a flip-top from a soda can) and lower the access door. We use an adjustable wrench to open the nylon drain plug. I recommend picking up a pack to have as backup, the spot is tight and I seem to mess up the head of the plug after a few times emptying the tank throughout a season. To quicken the release of water, I flip up the release on the hot water pressure valve and open the hot water faucet in the kitchen. Both let air into the tank help displace the water. Once empty,  I close the faucet and pressure release valve, and tighten the water heater plug back in place. Close the access panel, and on to part two under RoadAbode's kitchen sink. First I have to open the access panel underneath the sink. Once this is lifted out of the way we can peek past the "house" heater duct work and see a single plumbing valve. I set this to the "up" position, which is important for our next part in winterizing. The valve causes any water in the pipes to bypass the water heater. Once we are finished our next set, I reset it back so that the water heater will be ready for use when we de-winterize in spring. As a reminder, I just lay the access panel to the side for now.

Fill Freshwater system with RV antifreeze -

Important safety tip - RV antifreeze we use is specially formulated for fresh water systems. Never use vehicle coolant/antifreeze in your fresh water or waste water systems! Even small amounts of the wrong stuff can make someone sick. No matter what you read in a RV forum or some RVing old-timer (and I think I'm actually an old-timer!) tells you about using automotive antifreeze, don't. Not good for the environment, not good for septic systems, not good for pets or people, and it's not even cheaper!

We are fortunate to have a setting on our water control panel located in the road-side basement, allowing us to add RV antifreeze right from the jug! Some RV's have to use a second pump or hand pump antifreeze through their fresh water inlet. Whichever way it needs to be done, the importance is to displace any water in the system with the "pink stuff". Fresh water antifreeze is a bright pink. You won't confuse it with the neon green of automotive antifreeze.

RoadAbode's Water Works

With RoadAbode, we open the basement door, flip the valves to the correct position, and connect the "feeder tube" to the winterization inlet on the water control panel, it's other end goes into a bottle of RV antifreeze.. Then we go inside, flip the pump switch on, and open faucets one by one until the water coming out is bright pink. We do this for our kitchen, shower, and restroom faucets - hot and cold, and the toilet. We shut off the pump, and retrieve the bottle of RV antifreeze from the basement. Into each drain we pour some of the antifreeze to displace any water in the drains "P" traps. Last job of the "pink stuff" is to pour some into the toilet and let it sit in the bowl.

We usually have about a third of a bottle of RV antifreeze left. This we leave in RoadAbode and use in case someone needs to use the toilet while visiting RoadAbode December through March. We don't "de-winterize" until April in the Philadelphia area. The RV Antifreeze is usually listed as working until -50, which is plenty fine for our area. Dilution with water does not worry us as it is so concentrated. In ten years we have only had one issue, and that because we waited to winterize because of an outing with friends. Fortunately, we only lost the original kitchen faucet, and replaced it with a much nicer from Home Depot in just an hour.(It was so easy even I could do it!)

Check the Roof - 

Installing more Maxx-Airs on the roof

If not this weekend, then a week or so before or later we like to get on RoadAbode's roof to check for tears, cracks separating seams, or broken vent covers. We are pretty diligent and do this throughout the year, but it's always good to check before putting RoadAbode to bed for the winter. If we find an issue with the roof, we repair either with Lap Sealant, or Eternabond Roofing Tape. We now have all our vents covered with Max-Air vent covers. These are installed over the existing vents, allowing us to leave them open, even in wet, windy weather. The Maxx-Airs seem to be more UV resistant than the vents were. Maybe we should post how that install went (I didn't even do it, Amy did!)

Last Few Things - 

Before we close up for December through March, we do a few other items to keep RoadAbode happy and safe.
Check and Disconnect the Battery - We have a knife switch (a quick disconnect on the pole of the battery) on RoadAbode's house battery that we disconnect. We do this every time we go to storage after a trip. On our last trip, we also look for any corrosion, or if the battery is leaking. So far, we're in 10 years we are on our second house battery.
Have Service Done on RoadAbode's Chassis -  Pennsylvania requires a state inspection, so we usually take RoadAbode in October or November for this annual checkup. Besides the state inspection, we have an oil change done, and all fluids checked or replaced as needed. All hoses and belts are checked. We take RoadAbode to a shop that specializes in truck repair, so they can put her on a lift and check her underbelly and suspension.
Clean - I'd be remiss in not saying that we give RoadAbode a through cleaning before heading back to storage. We take all the rugs out, (matching, various size bath rugs with rubber bottoms are perfect for us as area rugs) sweep the vinyl floors and clean all inside surfaces. All bedding come home to get cleaned. Any stored food items (we always have extra snacks!) are removed and carted home. It's almost sad RoadAbode's so barren!
Cover RoadAbode's Tires - When she's finally back in the parking spot  in storage, we put wheel covers on RoadAbode's wheels to keep the sun and weather off them. This helps keep the tires from prematurely aging, and having the chemicals in the rubber leach out.

For now, RoadAbode is all set for winter. December through March, we visit, perhaps do a few update projects, run her engine and generator a few times, and shovel snow if there's a lot. Mostly though we dream and plan for our next RVing adventures come early spring! We enjoy our RVing lifestyle!

Items Mentioned in this blog post
Below are some of the products we mentioned while winterizing RoadAbode. If you click on the Amazon links below and purchase, the RoadAbode Crew get a small commission and you pay the same price. These are items we use in keeping RoadAbode healthy and fun to be around. Read our disclaimer for more info. If you can use anything below - thanks in advance for helping us out.

• RhinoFLEX 15' Sewer Hose Kit with Swivel Fitting
• Valterra Flush King RV Flush Valve
• Valterra W01-4300 Gray 1/2" x 25' Flushing Hose
• RV Antifreeze Concentrate - 36 fl oz (Pack of 2)
• Camco Water Heater Drain Plug - Pack of 2
• EternaBond White Roof Seal Tape
• Maxxair White Vent Cover
• Camco Wheel & Tire Protector, 2 pack Arctic White)

RVing Lancaster County, Pennsylvania ~ Three Campgrounds, Three Unique Experiences

Amish Family in buggy - Lancaster, PA

Lancaster County is one of our favorite places to travel with friends and family. We visit so often, it could be considered our second home - a great base camp for RoadAbode Adventures.
Frequently called Pennsylvania Dutch Country,  the naming of Lancaster actually receives its roots from England. The area was actually named after the city of Lancaster in the county of Lancashire in England. Lancaster is both the name of our Pennsylvania county, encompassing over 980 miles of land, and also the largest city in the county. We love the area for the breathtaking views of Amish farmland. Besides it's agricultural roots, Lancaster seems to draws a diverse mix of industrial, retail, and eclectic artisans to the area. Just as diverse are the people of Lancaster. The county is known for it's quiet long-standing religious communities of  Amish and Mennonite. Lancaster City has a growing population of Hispanic immigrants, and the entire region is quickly becoming a place where retirees from across the country come to call home.
Below are just a few of the wonderful places we've visited. If you have a favorite we missed, please tell us about it in the comments section below - we're always looking for more Adventures with RoadAbode.
There is so much to experience in Lancaster, we enjoy different adventures, depending on what area we want to explore during our visit. For more information on all the happening in the Lancaster area, check in and Discover Lancaster.
Here are our three "go to" campgrounds, and how each affords us a different flavor of Lancaster.

Lake in Wood Camping Resort ~ Narvon, PA

A short drive through farm and woodland from Route 23, Lake in Wood is a beautiful wooded campground. Highly rated by Woodalls and Trailerlife, it features an indoor/outdoor pool, cafe, and store featuring all the items a RVer may have forgotten, and some items they never knew they needed! All the main roadways within the resort are hard-coated and smooth. The RV sites have full hookups and there is free WiFi available on the premises. If you bring children along on your travels, there is plenty to keep them occupied. Fun stuff like paddle-boats, bikes, and pedal-carts are available to rent. Also there are two great playgrounds and a nice mini golf course if they want to play a round. Most months have planned kid and family activities so you can get out, have fun, and meet your neighbors. There's even a play yard for your "furbabies" if your four legged kids like traveling by RV. If you have friends or family that don't RV, they can try out one of the unusual rentals available. Who wouldn't want to stay in a converted double-decker bus, teepee, ship-wreck or tree house? There are other units just as interesting for their camping options. One thing that you will find either cute or creepy are the "gnomes", little men and women in red, pointy shaped hats abound  throughout the landscaped gardens, and pathways of the resort. The cafe is even called "The Gnome Cafe" and the decor takes the Gnome obsession to a whole other level. We think the gnome theme is really cute, but more jaded tweens and teens seem to just roll their eyes.

Maple Grove Raceway

What we visit when at Lake in Wood ~ If you're in the mood for cool cars and catching some drag racing, head just five miles up the road from Lake in Wood to Maple Grove Raceway. Every weekend from April to November (the months we most like to RV!), you can catch NHRA Drag Racing and other Motorsporting events. There has been a track at the site since the 1930's, and it has been operating continuously as Maple Grove since 1960. The track is a quarter mile drag strip with the viewing stands close to the action. Lots of fun, food, and cool things to see for all ages, but be warned - it gets LOUD!
Lancaster is famous for it's smorgasbords, and one of the best is just a few minutes away from your campsite. Shady Maple has been a favorite of church groups, bus trips, and families since the erection of the first produce stand at the location in the 1970's. It's possible to spend your whole day at the Shady Maple complex. There are a variety of shopping experiences, and even an RV dealership. Lancaster County's largest smorgasbord features plenty of mouth-watering treats, including some delicious and authentic Pennsylvania Dutch specialties. Foodie Tip - If you want to sample good Dutch cooking, but want to save your waistline and budget, try one of the two other eateries in the complex; The Dutchette is located in the huge gift shop below the smorgasbord, and the Maple Leaf Cafe is located inside the entrance of the Farmers Market. Both offer healthy portions of Dutch cooking with a casual friendly dining experience.  When shopping in the Shady Maple Farmers Market, you'll find it specializes in products from local farms, but is also a full fledged supermarket. Check out the goodies in the large bakery, extensive meat shop, and find some very interesting medicinal selections in the pharmacy. I marvel that for locals, this is their regular grocery spot!
Good's Store is another local gem by the Shady Maple complex. Describing it as an "Amish Walmart" does not do it justice, but it's the best visual I can give. When we visit, our family is keen on perusing the large fabric and sewing department, gardening section, and shop among the interesting kitchen items. Clothing, shoes, and the handmade toy aisle also are favorites of ours. Be warned, we rarely leave without buying something. As the Pennsylvania Dutch community says, "Come Onct" to Good's Store!

Spring Gulch Resort ~ New Holland, PA

Spring Gulch was the first campground that we stayed with RoadAbode way back in April of 2005, so this resort will always  holds a special place in our hearts. The campground is large, split into a lower and upper campground. Both areas have their own large pool, playground, restrooms and shower facilities. In the lower section, is a hall where bands and DJs entertain campers on many weekends. Individual sites (especially those in the upper campground) are roomy with full hookups. The main roads into the resort are hard surface, but most side roads are gravel. With plenty of activities for the kids, this park has a fishing pond, mini golf, and planned arts and crafts. Adults can take advantage of the day spa located on premises. The campstore is well stocked, and will have what you may need while RVing. Gone with the Wynns, one of our favorite RVing bloggers, even made a video featuring why they enjoy this resort.
What we visit when at Spring Gulch ~ We love to go thrifting, and when staying in this section of Lancaster County, it's a short trip to hit the Goodwill store in the town of East Earl. The store offers two floors of sometimes new or gently used clothing and household items.For buried treasure, dig through the clothing bins in the lower level. More upscale than Goodwill is the Re-Uzit Shop in New Holland. Run by the Mennonite Church, the proceeds provide food, health, school, and relief supplies for people in need both locally to the Lancaster area,  and throughout the world. This store is neatly organized and has the feel of a small department store rather than a thrift shop. Beautiful glassware, unique furniture and current fashions can be found easily, and at great prices. For those that like to dig through to find a treasure, there are opportunities in their bookstore, Christmas, and household item areas.
We always enjoy taking a ride through the countryside for a sample of local fare. One stop we love for a bite to eat is Yoder's Country Market. Yoder's offers a great variety of comfort food and local favorites. For those not afraid of expanding their waistline, try the lunch or dinner buffets on for size. They even have a gluten free menu. Besides the restaurant, they have a full grocery store to stock up on essentials and Amish goodies like smoked meats and shoofly pie. Take a stroll, let your meal settle in, and check out the cute gift shops they share space with.

Country Acres Campground ~ Gordonville, PA

Country Acres Campground is located right off Route 30 For the RoadAbode Crew, it's the easiest and closest campground to travel and arrive within an hour of Philadelphia.. Having a smaller footprint than either Lake in Wood or Spring Gulch, Country Acres still offers ample amenities, and a few that the other two campgrounds do not. Nestled between Route 30 and Amish farmland, the campground has all gravel roads and sites. Some of the campsites are located right next to the fields, and many have views which allow you to see the Amish working the soil. Of the three parks, the restroom and shower facilities of Country Acres are our top rated. Well lit with heated floors, ample shower stalls, and clothing hooks, are appreciated especially during the colder months. The campground has a small playground and arcade. The camp store is not stocked as fully compared to the other resorts,  but it is just a few minutes drive to pickup needed items in a local convenience store. Part of the reason we love this campground is the smaller size. With less children's activities, it seems to be a quieter experience for us.
What we visit when at Country Acres Campground ~Since it is part of the Smucker Family's Bird-in-Hand Corporation, in winter months you can use the Bird-In Hand Inn's indoor pool. They also offer informative and fun shuttle bus tours year round led by locals  - for no charge - to guests of the campground and Inn. The occasional seasonal packages including breakfast or discounted meals at the Bird in Hand

Restaurant and Smorgasbord. Local favorites and scrumptious desserts are on the menu, and plentiful. Although I enjoy the variety of vendors lining the aisles at the authentic Farmers Market located next to the Bird in Hand Inn, the rest of the RoadAbode Crew like our relatively close proximity to the Rockvale Outlets. This shopping experience boasts over 90 outlet stores, and close to a dozen eateries to keep your strength up while hunting down deals. Other interest shopping venues include Tanger Outlets further west on Route 30, and the uniquely Pennsylvania Dutch Kitchen Kettle Village, located east of  Bird in Hand Restaurant on Route 340. If we don't even feel like driving, right outside Country Acres Campground, on Levens Road is the Almost Paradise barn, packed with statuary, knickknacks and home decor. Sometimes it's nice to stroll from our campsite and take a peek at the offerings there. In warmer months, they also offer locally grown produce. A great addition to a meal made in RoadAbode.

There's So Much More!

These are just a few of  our favorite options we enjoy when touring and relaxing in Lancaster County. There are plenty of other adventures to experience in Lancaster, that we do while staying at either three of these campgrounds. A couple that we have done in past years:
You can check out Rail Roading at Strasburg Rail Road, and The Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania. For a feel of Christmas all year round, check out The National Christmas Center
For entertaining theater, Sight and Sound Theater, Rainbow Dinner Theater Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, and American Music Theater include performances for all ages.
 If you have a favorite we missed, please tell us about it in the comments section below, we love to learn about treasures worth visiting in Lancaster County.  For more information on all the happening in the Lancaster area, check in and Discover Lancaster.

Back from Another Awesome Lancaster Weekend

We were able to enjoy an early weekend starting Thursday with our friends the Garcias.  Though a bit rainy we still able to enjoy some great meals, sights, and conversations. 
After getting RoadAbode settled in Thursday, was able to hit a new favorite for dinner, the Oregon Dairy Restaurant. Recommend trying their buffet for a great meal including some regional favorites.  After a simple Bagel and Cream-cheese breakfast Friday was a full day of taking the Lancaster tour provided by our campground,  Country Acres.  Our guide was Ed, a local "english" farmer. Ed was quite genial and knowledgeable about the history and heritage of the area. After stopping at an Amish goods store and a quilt store, we headed out on our own to The Green Dragon in Ephrata, PA , a large flea market. Plenty of unique things (and people) to see, and fresh food to be enticed by. Enjoyed a sausage sandwich at a small Amish food stand, and fresh berries for some dessert. On the way back to RoadAbode, we stopped for some outlet shopping at the Tanger Shoppes  Did more browsing than shopping. We stopped back to RoadAbode for a short rest, then Out for Pizza at Paradisio Pizza in Paradise  Pa. John, the owner was not there, and something seemed off without him or the kids there.Pizza was good (chicken ranch) but the vibe of the place was not right. After dinner conversed and snacked into the night. Was a great time of getting to know one another better.

Got a late start Saturday morn (8am) and had eggs and home-fries for breakfast. took a walk around the campground, dreaming of having a church camping trip - perhaps in 2014? Then checked out the eclectic Almost Paradise Barn - where the Garcias marveled at the age and construction of the building. We packed up RoadAbode after our walk, then hooked up the toad and headed to the Rockvale Outlets for some more shopping. After a few hours of shopping Amy warmed up some nachos and chili for a pre-ride-home snack. RoadTrip home was uneventful, so much so that Ray even had the ability to take a short nap on the bed in back while we trundled along. 

Amazingly fun, though simple, weekend RoadTrip to Lancaster. Great to be out with friends!

Balloon over Country Acres, Lancaster, PA

Hot Air Balloons Overhead

Saw a hot-air balloon  while out for Molly's walk just hovering in the stillness of the morning. Hearing nothing but some songbirds at this time of the day.

Another view

Another view as we head out from RoadAbode for the day from County Acres Campground.

Amish Farmer tilling behind RoadAbode

A Lancaster Weekend

An Amish family working the fields next to RoadAbode

Taking in Lancaster

In Lancaster at one of our favorites, Country Acres in Gordonville. This time we have along Brenda, Amy's cousin from Kentucky. We decided to try the tour offered by the campground. The Tour leaves from the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant and Inn, and takes about two hours.

When Amy first reserved, we tried to get the 11am Tour, but the 25 passenger tour bus was already full. We opted to go to the earlier 8:45am tour. We were all glad we decided to go!

Chris Lapp, our tour guide was a young man who is a Mennonite. He brought along his young daughter who was an angel, and very well behaved ( a good singer too!). When not giving tours of the Lancaster area, he is a teacher at a Mennonite school. He taught us a lot about the area, and history of the Amish, along with a lot of antidotes from his own family background growing up in the area. Chris showed and explained some of the differences of the Amish lifestyle, and how to tell an Amish farm from an "English" farm. Things we learned we did not know before included that the farm wagons cannot have rubber tires (must be steel) that diesel or air driven machinery can be used, and that the Amish can have cell phones for business use. These rules are set by the particular bishops for their area. On the back roads and routes that Chris chose, we were able to see many examples of the beautiful and simple lives of these faithful people. We also stopped at a few farm and family run stores, including the Quilt shop owned by Chris' mother. He explained the intricate details of these works of art. One one or two quilts are created by a woman in a year.

Dolls on the shelves at the Quilt Shop

We also stopped at a candle shop and petting zoo, and a farm bakery, where we had fresh-made pretzels and homemade root beer! Was a great treat! We had fun talking with Chris, the other passengers, and seeing the beautiful Lancaster Countryside!

After our tour, we had lunch at Bird-in-Hand, a great buffet including some local specialties. Then we walked around the Farmers Market - which was very crowded, and checked out their wares. Then a quick trip to the Quilt Museum by the Kitchen Kettle complex. Finally around 1pm we headed back toward home base.

Right now resting up to go eat later at Stoltzfus Farm Restaurant for dinner. A busy but great day!

On a Amish tour today

Country Acres

A walk with Molly - stopping @ the playground.

First Weekend Out

This was Molly the Pup's first Camping Trip. This weekend, we headed up to Country Acres in Lancaster Pa (Gordonville). The weathermen were calling for rain, and for once they were right. Most of it though was during the night, so I was able to sleep to that soothing "popcorn" sound on the roof of RoadAbode. Molly enjoyed her longer walks, and trying to figure out how to catch a robin...though she never even came close.
We did our usual Friday night pizza (Chicken ranch from Paradiso Pizza in Paradise) and enjoyed watching a bit of cable. I tested out my crazy "Using a monitor for a TV" idea, The picture was beautiful with the External ATSC/QAM TVBox I had connected. But it would not pick up in either mode the "default" cable channels - like Discovery, History, Nickoloden, or Animal Planet. Guess those are broadcaste by the cable companies in NTSC. Will return that, and guess I'll need to try the TV/monitor Route. If I do that - I'll post (with pictures) the install process.
With the overcast days, was nice to just sit back and read a bit. I made a nice fire, and sat by it, keeping my feet and legs warm, as I delved into the world of William Least Heat-Moon, writer of "Blue Highways", a bestseller from back in the 1980's. A great book for those who travel through those little-known towns of the US - or those that wish to... I've been to a few of the back roads of "Blue Highways", and hope to one day travel many more of them. The book is a chronicle of Heat-Moon's 13,000 mile journey, the people he meets along the way, and the discovery of himself, as he steers clear of cities and interstates, avoiding fast food and exploring local American culture.
This weekend, our meals were pretty simple fare. Egg, sausage, bacon and bagels for breakfast one day, cereals the next - Chili over pasta for dinner, with pretzels and pistachio's as snacks in between. We only left camp once - and that was to check the Black and Decker Outlet for a "Welders Glove" (didn't have any) and to pickup dessert (mix of cookies) from the Pepperidge Farm Outlet.
New Table worked great! Everyone likes how it works, too.
Travels home were pleasantly un-exciting, Molly and Em slept, while Kimberly read, and Am and I listened to an old "fiddle music" CD found on board RoadAbode. When we got home, and unpacked, hear on TV that there were tornado warnings in Lancaster! missed that excitement by a few hours - which was fine by me. We did see the storm move in at home - and Em even captured some pea-sized hailstones.
A restful weekend - only checked in once to work, and didn't even really post or surf til home.
A Few Pictures:














Molly Getting ready to go out and chase Robins.
















Molly's "room" between the driver and passenger seat. While on the road, we moved it to under the dinette table.














Molly and Am having a game of catch in the "hallway"
(Not really a hallway. more like Am is at the base of the bed, with the shower to one side, and the bathroom to the other, and then starts the kitchen. Gives "cozy" a new meaning)

Em and her mis-shapen strawberry. Reminded me of something from the Simpson's
(Like their three-eyed fish)

Double, Double Toil and Trouble....

A quick update on some issue we had.

The overhead Cab window moulding we had services - fell out. Media Camping Center made good on this - and first did a temp install - so we could enjoy the weekend in Hershey, and this week did a total repacement and redo. Hopefully it will last a lot better.

While using Roadabode at the Annual RPC Hayride, and Towing RoadToad, We've been having a problem with the the Evenbrake - the Braking system when towing. The clamp that grips the brake pedal no longer will stay on during test mode. I've called the manufature, and they are sending a replacement - which they've changed the design of. Since the part hasn't arrived yet, and we are in Lancaster - Counry Acres - for the weekend, Had to figure out a way to still tow safey, so it was duct tape to the rescue! Used duct tape to attach the clamp. Worked like a charm!

Since it's Halloween, we didn't want to Drive RoadAbode thru the neighborhood this time around, so we loaded up RoadToad, and drove up to storage. Added 30 minutes or more to our travels, but at least traffic was light, and the weather was good. As we got close, since it was so late, Amy gave a buzz to our favorite pizza shop Paradiso Pizza, and Ordered our usual, Chicken Ranch Pizza, but for takeout.  As Amy picked up, I unhooked RoadToad with Kim's help. Then Amy drove RoadAbode, and me Toad the last mile or so to the Campground. We reversed roles basically, me leading to the campsite, and directing, and Amy backing in. Worked pretty well, even level RoadAbode's front end on blocks. 

So we hooked up, and watched cable, with some pizza. 

A good simple Friday night with Family

Hmmm... Water pressure is low this morning. Looks like it got colder than I thought last night - outside line froze. Just have to wait til it warms up a bit.

Note to Campground Owners

Who knows, maybe a few campground owners read this ...


One of my "Pet Peeves" at campgrounds is the care, cleanliness, and quality of their restrooms and shower house. Country Acre Campgrounds, in Lancaster, really know what they are doing in this area (The whole campground is great) Modern, up kept facilities. With the amenities I'm looking for when I go to take a shower.


I've included some pics from the men's room in their upper "newer" area, but the lower "older" area is just as nice.
Ample room, with an anterior changing area - What you can't see - Heated floors
Easy to use (one handle) to adjust the water, an adjustable shower spray, and lots of hot water! Surfaces that are not covered with any types of growth. (The surfaces here are all easily cleaned - and appear that way.
A bench in the Anterior room - No so much to sit on, but a place to put shower needs and items.
Hooks for my towel or clothes. Big enough to hold a few items.
And one thing I didn't get a pick of, in the shower - a shelf of some sort to hold my washcloth, shampoo and soap.
Kudos to Country Acres for having all these things - plus the other things you expect (like soap in dispenser by the sink, paper towels in the towel dispenser, and toilet paper - things I've found missing in other campgrounds). Country Acres really have what I wish I found at ALL the campgrounds we visit.

In Lancaster

@  one of our fav campgrounds Country Acres in Lancaster, PA. Out to breakfast @ Bird-in-Hand. Then to minigolf!

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Lancaster - Country Acres

Saturday Fun

Decided to have a treat and go to the local Bob Evans for breakfast this AM
Had the girls out and moving by 9:15 or so. The place was hopping, but we were seated pretty quickly.
After breakfast, wandered over to the Rockvale Outlets. The younger two hung out at the nice playground setup there, while Mom & Kim went searching (and found) socks for Mom (we always forget something) Stopped at a few other stores and just enjoyed people watching.
Girls picked up some early Christmas presents.
Headed back to camp, and stopped by the little farm stand and trinket shop by the campground...picked up some tomatoes, apples, and cider as additions to dinner.
At camp - girls just ran between our site and the playground - really enjoyed each other
Kim hung out at RoadAbode - with a little homework and reading.
Amy and I took a nice handholding walk around the campground - checking out other rigs and setups. Was a great time just to be together for a short time - without life's interruptions

Had Dinner around 5:30 - simple meal of pasta, sauce, cheese, bread, and tomato salad.
Girls played, we cleaned up - then had a roaring fire - haven't built a big fire in a long time. Made plenty of S'mores, and watched the stars come out.
Girls headed in to watch TV - I continued to enjoy the warmth of the fire...and the amazing sky overhead. Need to have more weekends filled with days and nights like this.
Too much going on these days between work and church. Just can't fit everything in - and don't want to feel guilty for weekends that I enjoy my family.

Lancaster Weekend

Decided to head Up to Lancaster - to one of our favorite campgrounds there - Country Acres.
Have a nice site right next to the playground - which is nice for Em & her friend that she brought along from school. We got in pretty late - leveled RoadAbode, Hooked up Electric and went out for our usual Friday nite dinner round these parts - Paradise Pizza's Awesome Chicken Ranch Pizza!
After dinner, we headed back to camp
Set up everyones beds - a little tv and bed.
Stars are So plentiful out here!

Camped @ Lancaster

Morning Fun in Lancaster