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.

Lancaster Weekend

Beautiful Lancaster! We love this place - makes for a quick getaway!
Got out of work early - 12:30pm on Friday. Amy already had RoadAbode home and mostly loaded up. I connected the towbar and added some of my own "essentials" After the girls and Amy were done @ the After School Program, We headed to a quiet street behind RPC to hook up RoadToad. Only problem I later figured out - that the Evenbrake receiver had problems picking up the EvenBrake signal - because we were under the Radio/TV transmitter Tower! Added 20 mins. to our Start figuring out that kink.
Ride up was nice - though driving in the dark (already at 6pm!) takes a higher level of concentration.
Spot @ Country Acres is beautiful - perfect for a cold weekend - on the upper level right near the bath/laundry building. This is perfect because besides doing some Christmas shopping @ the outlets, we are also going to be winterizing RoadAbode (No using the plumbing onboard after that) . The pad is nice and level, with a nice covering of gravel - so things won't get muddy when we empty the fresh tank during winterizing. We setup electric for the fridge, and put out our welcome mat, and jumped in RoadToad for a quick ride down the road to Paradise Pizza. This place has great pizza, and nice people working there. If you go - try the Chicken Ranch pizza for something different!
After dinner, we headed back to the campsite, kicked on the heater, and watched some cartoons on cable. Bedtime came around quickly! One disappointment @ Country Acres is the WiFi is weak - slow and disconnects. I connected to work once - and then had issues after that. And I can see the antennae on the roof of the bath house from my window - 50 feet or less away!
Love the view though -Plenty of Stars are out tonight!
Saturday Morning made coffee, took showers (not all that cold out) and headed out to Bob Evans for breakfast. Once filled and raring to go, we headed out to the outlets , hunting down gifts for friends and family. As the day wore on, it looked like lots of people had the idea to start Christmas shopping early. We headed back to RoadAbode around 1pm - and started in on winterizing her. After a little confusion on which way the fresh tank valves were to be placed, we got her all drained and filled with the bio-safe antifreeze "pink stuff" in under two hours. Amy took a tour of the roof, deemed it properly sealed, and we were all done. Since there was still some daylight left, we decided to head east and tour. One of the places the girls wanted to visit, and a place that I really enjoyed, was the The National Christmas Center
At first I thought it would be ho-key but it ended up really helping me to get in the "Christmas Spirit" The most favorite parts for me were the 5&10 Store, and reading along with the girls in the storybook village - and the very end - where you walked thru their lifesize, realistic nativity. Very inspiring!
After our trip to long ago and down memory lane, it was getting dark, and we were getting hungry. We did stop at "Basketville - which is closing. Even at 30% off - they were still overpriced!
We continued on - past Country Acres - and planned on eating @ Dutch Haven. unfortunately, it now only makes Shoo-Fly pie and other desserts, and holds a large gift shop - no more diner.
So we went to an another standby - Cracker Barrel! Was a short wait - but dinner was great! (I love their grilled catfish and fried okra!)
After dinner, headed back, and relaxed with some desserts from the Pepperidge Farm Outlet and some Disney Channel (and some History Channel later for me!)
Sunday Morning Sat outside with some coffee - beautiful morning! Chilly - but not cold, there is no breeze to put the chill across your skin.
Hit the shower, and then had breakfast that Amy prepared, English muffins, sausage, egg and Cheese sandwiches - yummy!
Slowly packed up - and pulled out with RoadToad connected by 11am. Took it nice and slow, dropped off RoadAbode to storage, and made it home before 3pm.
A great, relaxing weekend - and got some work done too!

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.

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.

Wonderful Rainy Weekend Away....

Sometimes its just nice to be in another environment, even if the weather is not the greatest. Left work early - 2pm - and drove to RoadAbode. Amy and the girls arrived with our weekend "stuff" loaded into RoadAbode with some basic comfort foods, and got on the road by 3:30pm. Traffic was heavy, and we got to our campsite by 6pm.
We are nestled in at Country Acres, located on Route 30 outside of Lancaster. We did things a little different this time - I drove Roadabode with Kimberly and Amy followed in the Honda with Emily. It's nice having a car to 'tool' around town in. We went out for Friday Night Pizza, and then drove to Rockvale Outlets to take a walk , pickup socks for Kimberly, and a little dessert, and just window shop.
Country Acres has free WiFi - but it is not secure (Wep) so I am having difficulty connecting thru the VPN. Able to connect and check mail via outlook Web access at least.
tomorrow we plan on meeting the RPC Youth @ Gain/Project Carelift late morning, helping out, and then heading back to relax at the campground. Maybe I'll be able to post some pics tomorrow too.

The Case of the Missing Catalytic Converter and Repair Drama

Actually, not much of a case. Someone took it, and we didn't catch them. So this is more of the story of discovery, Working with Good and bad mechanics, figuring out what to do, and getting replaced.

Yup, something's missing

In March, we visited RoadAbode to get ready for our first trip of the season. We are always excited, because, well - first trip of the season, and we almost always head to our "home" campground. We call Country Acres our home campground because it's only an hour away, and we usually camp there first and last trips of the season.
We have a basic checklist of things to do. Check battery, look for leaks or pest infiltration, and start RoadAbode up. Usually when I start RoadAbode, even first time of the season, all I do is walk up from the house part, bend over, stick the key in the ignition and give a turn. Don't even need to touch the pedal and the fuel injectors do the rest. This time instead of the usual low throaty rumble we usually hear when I turn the key, we were greeted with a terrifyingly loud roar as the engine came to life. LOUD ROAR. Amy was putting linens away in our bedroom. Our eyes met and said everything in that knowing couples look. "THAT ain't good!" I quickly shut down the engine, fearing something was wrong with it. Hopped out and laid down on the ground and took a look. Sure enough, something was missing. "Hey Am, someone took part of our exhaust pipe!"  I bellowed incredulously from underneath RoadAbode. I laid there on my back , ticked, wondering why someone would cut a four foot piece of exhaust pipe out from under an RV. The other part that was upsetting is that though I had not visited RoadAbode In January and February as I usually do (busy at work with travel) Our storage place is behind a gated facility - with codes to get in.
We packed up and headed home still thinking why someone would cut out a four foot piece of pipe when I came to realization someone had not cut out just exhaust pipe - it was our catalytic converter!

What's missing? A Catalytic Converter!

I was not totally aware that removing catalytic converters from vehicles was a "thing" , but a quick Google confirmed the the metals found in the part are what make it an easy target for unscrupulous scrappers to make into quick cash.
Now that I identified what was missing, I had to find out if we could get it fixed before the next weekend. Then I remembered "hey, there is a truck repair place right next door" - convincingly called Jim's Truck Repair - they could probably fix it, and I wouldn't have to drive too far either. I called and spoke to what I believed was the owner, and though not 100% thought he could do the repair, but not by next weekend. So still a plus, I asked for an estimate. He asked for the Make/model, and would get back to me by end of day. Next day, I called in the afternoon since I had not heard back. An older, perhaps gruff sounding gent answered the phone, told me to hold on - and sounded like he threw on the counter - maybe even clattering to the floor. The owner got on the line after some time, and apologized for not getting back, but that he needed the VIN number as well. I said I needed to hunt that down, and asked If we could meet up at RoadAbode so he could take a look. He stated the next day at around noon or 1pm would be good for him. I let him know I needed to check with my boss, but would call back as soon as I got the VIN. Later that day I found the VIN in some paperwork, and called back. Mr McGruff answered. I had to repeat to him a several times the long sequence of numbers, either because of my speech impediment (I don't have one) or a bad phone line, or perhaps his short attention span to inane things like letters and numbers. I let him know that I still didn't know what time I could meet up with Jim (had not heard back from my boss yet) Mr McGruff bellowed into the phone "I don't know what's the BIG DEAL about meeting and gettin' him to look at this thing? It's sittin' RIGHT NEXT DOOR!" Taken aback I stopped for a moment, then proceeded to let him know that I work during the day, and to meet on Jim's schedule I needed to get approval to get the time - does that make sense?!? He grumbled yes into the phone and hung up. Later I called that I could meet the next day, Jim answered, and said no problem.
Next day I picked up Jim at the front gate, and took him to RoadAbode's spot. He took pictures, and measurements saying it seemed like he could refit a catalytic converter in. I drove him back over to his garage, and he said he'd call me with an estimate. Two day's later I hadn't received a call, and called there. "Are ys' sitting down? Mr. McGruff chuckled into the phone it's gonna be $2500 dollars! I thanked him and said if I would call back if I wanted done.
Amy canceled our March reservations, and kindly Country Acres let us reschedule at no loss for April.
I Googled the part and found that the Catalytic converter alone was $350-$400 dollars, depending on what site I visited.
I decided to call Bergey Truck Center - who up to this point has done all my yearly work and inspections. Since RoadAbode is a Ford, I was referred to the Bergey Ford Shop. The gentleman there was very helpful, and told me he would get a price, but he believed that since they were a Ford Service Center, that they would have to do replace from the headers by the engine block, all the way to the muffler. He called back in a few hours with a price of $2900, and confirmed that would be from the headers to the muffler. He also stated what I was already thinking. If it was his, he's get the part and get a muffler shop or independent garage to weld the part in.
At this point, I ordered the part online including shipping for $371 and figured I would find someone who could weld it on.

Bought it - Can I get it installed?

I knew I had until April to find a place to get the new catalytic converter installed. Just needed the time to call around, get prices and find places willing (and big enough for RoadAbode) to install my aftermarket part.
Unfortunately, I now was travelling more for work, which afforded me little time to lookup and call places.
It was a bit fustrationg - and stressing too. That's When Amy came to the rescure!
While I was in LA for work, she managed to find a place that was only a few miles from RoadAbode, and could weld in the part. So without letting me know she drove RoadAbode to Dependable Auto Service in Hatboro, There, they treated her very well and showed here what they needed to do, and took pictures for her to boot. I think we found a new dependable place for future RoadAbode work!

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Windblown in Lancaster

Quite Windy in Gordonville. Got settled in at Country Acres after an uneventful travel up. It's colder this weekend than our First Day of Spring Outing in March to Spring Gulch. Still, looking forward to a great weekend - even if we just sit, watch some cable, or read a few books. 

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

relaxing, reading in a almost empty Country Acres

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)

Great Guys Weekend

Had a great time with Frank and Kev in Lancaster. Stayed at Country Acres, in Gordonville. 

Left work early, picked up Frank, then Kev, and then to storage to pickup RoadAbode. Hitched up RoadToad - then headed to the turnpike. Scooted over route 100 to Route 30, and followed that to the campground. Ride up was easy, traffic relatively light,  and setup easy, didn't even to need to level. Setup the basics, and then headed to Paridiso, as usual for a Friday night. Pizza was good as always. Enjoyed a nice fire and conversation, then readied for the next day. For a change - Kev tried the bunk. Think this may be his new spot from now on. 

on Sat, got up, put the jackknife sofa back in place and made coffee.  we all hit the showers, and then headed out to the Bird-in-Hand buffet - but just had entrees. filling breakfast, and then went over to the farmers market located right next door. Only picked up some moon pies, but need to take the girls here sometime. Then just to check it out, we went to the Rhubarb Festival at Kitchen Kettle Village. Was fun to watch the band, kids making and racing "rhubarb derby" cars, and just check out the different wares available.

We headed out toward the PA Railroad museum, but made a stop at a unfinished and outdoor furniture store - somewhere Kev wants to check out on another trip. We continued on but missed a turn for the museum - not a bad thing as we got to ride thru and see some farmland. Made a few turns, and ended up behind the musem on a gravel road.

Once at the RailRoad Museum, we got to see the variety of equipment, learn about some history - talk to volunteer staff, and meet an auto of a book on teens that rode the rails in the 30's and 40's. He also presented a very well done documentary on the subject, done by his son and daughter-in-law (it's on PBS as part of the "American Experience" series) I picked up a copy - which he signed - for Granny, who use to do a little boxcar jumpin' in her day.

After the museum, we headed back to RoadAbode - check out some of our purchases, and then headed out first for a stop at the Mount Hope winery stand, and then for dinner at Stolzfus Farm Restaurant. One of my favorite Lancaster area eateries, we enjoyed farm made sausage, ham loaf, pepper hash, sweet and sour, and tons of other things. A real Lancaster style meal. Our bellies full, we headed back to the campground, picked up some firewood, and sat around the fire, enjoying some fruity after dinner wine and the warmth of the fire. Definitely a bit of chill to the air. Clouds started moving in, and I started to get some thunderstorm warnings from the web on my cell.  We packed up and headed in just as the raindrops started to fall. Got out snack, and started to watch some of the "Bourne" series, and read a bit.

Sunday, we made breakfast - egg, sausage and cheese on bagel or bread, and a freshly made fruit salad of bananas, strawberries, and grapes. We took ride to the city of Lancaster, past the prison (didn't know there was one) and into the center historical district. Had to pull over when I got a call from work for a few minutes. Partially resolved, I then turned back toward our camp. 

We packed up and got moving back on the road homeward bound by about 1pm. 

One odd thing - lost a fresh water hose - it formed a bubble and had a pinhole. Caught it before it did any damage - but do need to pick up a replacement.

Another great weekend out.

A few pictures below from the PA Train Museum:

A Train Crane

Front of a train

Panaramic shot

Bird eggs hidden on one of the trains - but we found them!

Out front the winery