Routes
STS Hop 9: Charleston SC to Madison GA
270 miles via I-26, SC 6, SC 178, I-20 and US 441. This was supposed to be a 256 mile hop, but we got embroiled in a battle between Google and our Rand McNally GPS. Usually when I plan a route with Google the GPS agrees with it, more or less. Not this time. When … Continue reading
STS Hop 8: Myrtle Beach SC to Charleston SC
94 miles via mostly US 17. The only thing difficult about this trip was ignoring the GPS when it told us to make a U-turn. I don’t know what is going on with our (relatively) new Rand-McNally GPS, but on the last two hops it has insisted that we make a U-turn when none was … Continue reading
STS Hop 7: Stony Creek VA to Myrtle Beach SC
302 miles via I-95, US 117, I-795 (through Goldsboro NC), I-40 and US 17, with a refueling stop near Sharpsburg NC. It is true: the night is darkest before the dawn. The plan was to do a 20-mile test drive, hauling the RV, around 8am. If the check engine light came on we would book … Continue reading
STS Hop 6: Petersburg VA to Stony Creek VA
27 miles via I-85 and I-95. Well, you guys obviously did not wish hard enough. We made it just over 10 miles into our planned 300-mile trip before the “check engine” light reappeared. We limped (which turns out to be exactly the right word – more on that later) to a truck stop just north … Continue reading
STS Hop 5: Lorton VA to Petersburg VA
128 miles, mostly via I-95. This was not the hop that was planned. We had to abort about 100 miles short of our intended destination (Wilson NC) when the “check engine” light came on just north of Petersburg VA. Accompanying the light was an alarming loss of power: I had difficulty maintaining 45 mph going … Continue reading
STS Hop 4: Manheim PA to Lorton VA
161 miles via I-76, US 15, I-270, I-495 (MD and VA) and I-95. This was, for the most part, a familiar trip on familiar roads. We have done it before, most notably on our GTW way back in 2012. US 15 in MD is memorable as the site of our very first (and very traumatic) … Continue reading
STS Hop 3: North Scituate RI to Manheim PA
341 miles via I-395 (CT), I-95, I-287 (NY and NJ), I-80 and several PA routes, with a refueling stop in northern NJ. This hop was much longer than originally planned and way beyond our usual daily limit of 240 miles (which is our towing range on a single tank of gas). But we were forced … Continue reading
STS Hop 2: Berkley MA to North Scituate RI
51 miles via MA 24, I-495, I-95, I-295 and US 44. This was a very short hop, but a crucial one. It was our first test of hauling with our repaired truck using the adjusted hitch setting (raised for a more level ride). Fortunately, all went well. We picked up the RV at 4pm on … Continue reading
Second Trip South (STS) plan
In 5 days we will embark on our second trip south, to Florida. This will be the first long-distance journey we have taken since getting off the road to sell our house in the fall of 2014. And our first trip in our new Big Horn. I am looking forward to it. Jett, as always, … Continue reading
QTN Hop 5: Foxboro, MA, to Littleton, MA
This was the delayed ending to the QTN: two short travel days separated by a 2-week stay at Circle Cg Campground. QTN Hop 5, Day 1: Foxboro, MA, to Bellingham, MA 14 miles via US 1, I-495 and MA 140. This trip took about 20 minutes. Tearing down and setting up took much longer. This … Continue reading