10-09 NC Arboretum

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

We left Salt Lick and had a long day's drive to Hendersonville, NC. The trip was about 290 miles, about 40 miles more than we like to travel in a day. Plus it rained much of the way. Midway, the driver's side windshield wiper started tearing apart. So we made several stops looking for a replacement. We finally found what we needed at a Camping World in Knoxville. I need to remember to replace those things about once a year. These were about 18 months old.

It continued raining while in Hendersonville, but Tuesday cleared off. So we went to the NC Arboretum which is on the south side of Asheville, about 20 miles north of the Lakewood RV Resort where we were staying. We have visited the Arboretum before, and it is now a favorite stop when in the Asheville area. What better place to go see fall leaves than an arboretum. (Although we were about a week early for peak leaf color)

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

The NC Arboretum has some pretty flowers as well.

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

They have an area they call the "quilt" garden which they arrange like a patchwork quilt. They change the plants several times during the year to reflect the current season.

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

I always stop to photograph bees of flowers when I spot them.

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

One of the highlights is the outstanding Bonsai collection.

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

You can see fall leaves and color in miniature.

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

There is a large Bonsai display near the entrance parking lot. But additional Bonsai are in the greenhouses, which are down a pretty woodland walk from the main buildings. Be sure to visit them. (You can also drive to them.)

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

The greenhouses have some other plants and flowers like this Bird of Paradise.

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

Here is a view of the mountains along the woodland path to the greenhouses:

From 10-09 NC Arboretum

As we were walking back from the greenhouse, we met a nice woman who was walking a beautiful red golden retriever. We struck up a conversation with her and found out that she had just adopted Bruester from golden retriever rescue about four months ago. Bruester leaned on us and was very happy to let us pet him.
Bruester is about eight years old. We gave his new owner the bed that Clay had used, a Furminator (grooming tool that gets rid if excess fur), and a small cloth bowl we had used to give Clay water when we walked or went for a car ride. We were glad to find a sweet dog who could use these items.


Be sure to visit the Arboretum when in Asheville. Allow several hours to tour the grounds, greenhouses and buildings. There is also a very nice sandwich shop in the main building. We have enjoyed lunch there on tow occasions.

10-09 Salt Lick Campground

From 10-09 Salt Lick

After leaving Scenic Hills RV Park and Berlin, Ohio, we headed west about 180 miles to Celina, Ohio to attend the Gypsy Gathering Rally. It is put on by Nick and Terry Russell who produce a RV monthly newspaper called the Gypsy Journal. We enjoy the newspaper and Nick's daily Blog.

We had a nice time at the Rally. It was smaller than others we have attended but still had over 120 RV's or about 250 people attending. We met some nice folks and enjoyed various seminars. I especially enjoyed learing more about Picasa and Blogger from the Geeks on Tour.

We arrived on Monday and left Friday when we traveled south to a campground just south of Louisville for two nights. Then we moved to one of our favorite campgrounds, Salt Lick.

From 10-09 Salt Lick

It is a COE campground on Cordell Hull Lake about 15 miles east of Carthage, TN which in turn is about 50-60 miles east of Nashville. We have written about this campground before. We have a full hook up site with a very large lot.

From 10-09 Salt Lick

Only a few people are here during the week, but it is expected to be almost full this weekend, the last before it closes for the season.

On Monday October 12th we head further south to Flat Rock, NC for three nights to tour a bit around the Ashville area. Then we move on to Columbia, SC for a month.

09-09 Berlin, Ohio and Scenic Hills RV Park

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

On September 8th we left Apple Island RV Resort in Vermont and headed to Berlin, Ohio in the heart of Ohio Amish country. Although you hear more about the Amish around Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this area has the highest population of Amish in the US. This would be the 3rd place we have visited near Amish settlements (Strasburg, PA; Bath, NY; Berlin, Ohio).

Just before leaving Apple Island, we had a brief visit with our friends Kent and Carol Roberts. We met Kent and Carol at "Life on Wheels" several years ago and have kept in touch via email and our respective travel journals/blogs. It was great to cross paths and see the Roberts again. Just wish it could have been a longer visit.

We had a pleasant drive across NY stopping two night on the way. However we were really tired by the time we reached Berlin. We decided three days of driving is the maximum for us without stopping for at least two nights to take a rest break. Full time RVers all have different preferences. Some only stay a night or two in one place and cover a lot of territory and seldom make any reservations. We much prefer to plan ahead with reservations and stay several weeks to a month in the same spot. That has been our mode all this year. We would move about 250 miles and stay at least a week before moving again. This seems more restful to us, and we get to know each area. Almost every time we got ready to move, we would comment to each other that we could have stayed longer. We have enjoyed each stop.

Berlin, Ohio was just such a stop. We were there three weeks in Scenic Hills RV Park, a very nice campground. We had a good spot right across from a fenced pasture where deer were being raised.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

All the campers enjoyed walking down to view the deer when they came out in the late afternoon to graze. However it is a bit sad to know these are being raised as prize bucks to sell to a hunting camp somewhere. They stay here until 3 or 4 years old and then are sold for a healthy profit to a hunting camp for some city hunter to come a claim a big prize. Does not seem like much sport to me. Here is a buck that I imagine will soon be sold.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

Our visit coincided with harvest time as indicated in the picture at the beginning of this post where hay is being gathered. Seeing all the horse drawn farm equipment once again reminded me of time spent as a child with my Grandfather Thompson who always farmed with similar equipment only he generally used mules rather than horses.

Likewise seeing the dairy farms reminded me of Grandfather since he was also a dairy farmer.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

It was interesting to go to the local market and see all the Amish buggies parked along with cars.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

The best part of our stay in Berlin was the week long visit we had with our son Ward who drove over from Chicago. By his driving over, we did not have to drive the RV to the Chicago vicinity. That was a great help to us since we have not found a campground we like in that area. Nor do we like big city traffic.

A few of the following posts will cover some of the places we visited around the Berlin area.