Waiting out a Storm in West Virginia

[emam]

Well Cindy and I finally shoved off yesterday from Michigan

We left with some nice weather, but pulled over just north of Cincinnati because it started to get dark and was just starting to rain.

Woke up to pouring rain and strong winds, but the weather forecast was saying that the temperature was going to drop by mid-afternoon, so we wanted to hightail it out before we got stuck in a Flying J in a Ice Storm

Drove the entire day dodging rain clouds and getting blown around by some fierce winds.

As we passed through Charleston West Virgina, the sky was pretty Black to the North, and by the time we got about an hour south, we pulled over for the night.

Just in time to have those black clouds catch up with us. We're sitting in a Lowe's parking lot right now waiting out some of the strongest winds and rain I've every seen. Tornado warnings on the radio and power outages all around us.

Hopefully by morning this storm will have blown through, and we can get back on the road to get someplace warm!

I hate just blowing through states without stopping to smell the roses, but winter up here in Appalation country is something crazy.

Wish us luck, and for those that followed along with the blogs, we should be keeping them updated from here on out

Take care all

Pat & Cindy

 

[Tweety]

It would sure pain me to blow by the areas just souith of Charleston, WV...some of our favorite places that are within driving distance of PA. The New River Gorge has so much to do. Then there's Grayson Highlands State Park - just fabulous. You can hike to the balds and say hey to the wild ponies. And the New River Trail. Probably all shut down at this point though. Enjoy the trek and we'll be following along...safe travels.

 

[emam]

Hey Pam, if you were to be here right now, with 40 mph winds, hiking is out of the question

I've been paying attention to the weather, and it looks like we're just going to keep heading South to try to get away from some cold weather approaching.

Mid-30's isnt all that much fun to camp in when a state or two away is sunny and warm!

I need to get this pastie white Michigan skin of mine in some sunshine!

 

[nasa42a1]

Hmmm! Tweety, Kitty, Emam......

I tend to think of North-country winter camping w/ recreation as the "X-Games of RVing".

And as with my views of other X-Sports, I'm willing to extend plenty of respect and absolutely no envy!

Happily hooked on sunlight and warmth!

Frank

 

[ROC-REQS]

Pat & Cindy,

Glade to see you’re back on the road again.

We’ll be following your blog.

Safe travels.
Hutch

 

[HappyCampers-SUN]

Welcome to West by God Virginia. The Charleston area is the homestead of my family. My Grandparents live just off of I-77 outside of Charleston. West Virginia has soooo much to offer it is a shame to skip it. They also have a summer home in Gauley Bridge, a beautiful little town that is located where the New River and the Gauley river join. This is located just a handful of miles from the famous New River Gorge Bridge. The New River boasts some of the best white water rafting in the country, as well as miles of hiking trails.
Another must see, in my opinion, is Blackwater Falls State Park. Lots of nice hiking and wonderful scenery. The Cheat Lake area is another beautiful place to visit.
You definately have to be very carefull on the I-68 corridor between Cheat Lake and Cumberland, MD. Especially in the winter. Cheat Lake, Negro Mtn., and Big Savage Mtn. have some of the steepest grades on the East Coast.

 

[emam]

Happy Campers, you must recognise this waterfall then!

One of my favorites and just up the road from Gauley Bridge

Thanks for the well wishes Hutch, it'll be fun to be updating the blogs on a regular basis again. Way too long just sitting still.

That Gypsy life is the life for me!

 

[RanCarr]

Just in time to have those black clouds catch up with us. We're sitting in a Lowe's parking lot right now waiting out some of the strongest winds and rain I've every seen. Tornado warnings on the radio and power outages all around us.

Pat & Cindy

----------------------------------

Eeeeek! I hope you guys are alright. We had a terrible storm blow through here heading east yesterday.

How are you connecting to the internet and posting from on the road?

 

[Mark-SUN]

Good luck on your travels, this might have been a good time for a fixed sail on the ol'e Sunline?

My Honda EU2000 in powering my parent's basic needs right now, and we go tonight, to install a bypass (transfer) switch so they can run the furnace blower form the genny. There is has not been power since Wednesday night.

In the counties surrounding Pittsburgh the there were up to 90,000 homes with power.

Luckily, were are still basking in the afterglow of a Superbowl win

 

[HappyCampers-SUN]

Absolutely breathtaking. Thank you for the wonderful picture. West Virginia has some beautiful scenery.

 

[emam]

How are you connecting to the internet and posting from on the road?

We just use a Verizon Broadband card, and have a wilson amplifier which gives us a very strong signal 90% of the time.

http://www.everymilesamemory.com/wilson_electronics_page.htm

There is a link to a review we did. It's a great product!!

Thanks everyone for the warm wishes, we've made it safely to Virginia and are staying with a couple who contacted us on the internet and offered a place to park to wait out the winds.

They even used to own a Sunline!! RV'ers are the nicest people!

 

[Honda03842]

We also use a Verizon Wireless Broadband card. It is expensive but since we're on the road 8 months of the year, it's worth it.

We do not have an amplifier but have considered one.

Amazingly we have been able to connect to broadband when our cellphone didn't work, both are Verizon.

In October we were camped in the badlands on an Indian Reservation, far from any where, stranded for five days by a snow storm ahead, yet though there was no cellphone signal we were able to get on the Internet.

An amplifier would certainly have provided a stronger Internet connection and brought joy to my wife and her cell phone, life line to family. This year I will probably make the leap to an amplifier.

In our 8 years of travel, cell phone and broadban connectiability have improved by leap and bounds.

One advantage of being near full timers is that we can dispense with cable and phone service at home, using our Verizon broadband year round, mitigating some of it's cost.

Our next technological leap is a second computer, one of the so called netbooks. This year many of the wireless broadband providers will be offering netbook computers for nominal amounts when you signup for a two year broadband contract. This is something to keep you eye out for if you're considering a broadband contract.

Great RVing to all,

Presently in Florida, swimming every day in an 80 degree pool. Also getting a kick out of everyone who's amazed that we've survived for 8 months this year in a 12x7 space. Love reigns supreme on Valentine's Day.

Norm and Ginny Milliard
2004 Honda CRV
1982 Sunline 15.5 SB

 

[Mark-SUN]

Thought I would chime in the Wilson Electronics amplifier discussion. I will eventually post a longer review....

Based on EMAM's link, I investigated a Wilson amplifier for my camping needs. I bought mine over the internet for these best price I could find---from reputable reseller.

WITHOUT A DOUBT, these things work, not like those fly-by-night devices you may see advertised.

As EMAM and I have discussed privately, they are a bit pricey, but what is this increased signal/connectivity worth to you?

-In an accident?
-Staying in touch with loved ones?
-Attending to business/private matters when on the road?

They make so many different combinations, you will find something to suit your needs. And for those of you with bad cell phone service at home, they have units for there too.

 

[emam]

Hey Norm & Mark, great to see you're both having good luck with the Broadband cards.

My mom uses the Sprint model, and has about the same download and upload speeds as we do with our Verizon, just incase anyone already has one of those service providers. Havent heard anything about any of the others.

One thing I've been checking out, but havent bought one yet, is a Broadband Router that allows you to plug in the little USB Broadband thingy into a wireless router.

This allows you to use multiple cpu's from one card. Something that Verizon wont or doesnt want you to do. I friend of mine has one of these routers, but has it for the older PCIA model card.

When home this summer, we upgraded to the new 3G USB type card, and there is only two routers currently that will broadcast this type of signal. They're quite pricey still because of their newness.

When we get down to Myrtle Beach to visit Cindy's brother, I'm gonna go scout around for one of them and see if I cant talk with a sales person to see if it will work smoothly.

We figure this will speed up our updating the site and time spent on the cpu if we can both be doing it at the same time, rather than waiting around for the one card.

I'll try to keep everyone posted on the results

 

[Honda03842]

Wireless Router

I'm also interested in a router for Verizon. If I find anything I'll post it. They are relatively expensive but compared to another line they are a deal.

Norm

 

[Honda03842]

CradlePoint MBR1000 Mobile Broadband Router

I've bveen looking at the Cradlepoint Router. I've been looking at http://3gstore.com/

It's presently available on line for for $199 and outputs in Wireless N.

Still a little high for me but I don't plan to buy until the fall.

Norm Milliard

 

[Mark-SUN]

For anyone interested how simple an install is, take at look at this Wilson install video:

I did not like the interior antenna, althougth it came with my set. the cradle I mentioned earlier embeds the antenna in the back of the cradle.

 

[Mark-SUN]

Looked at the Cradle point link, it is only a Router correct, not a booster?