Nov 2, 2012 - Advance, NC

We were having a family get together the last weekend of October, but; Super Storm Sandy interfered with our plans. With all the nasty weather forecasts, Ralph and I decided to leave Saturday, October 27th instead of Monday and get below the hurricane and the western front coming through with snow. This was a good decision and we spent Saturday night in Virginia, and Sunday had us in Advance, NC for a few days. While in Advance we saw a sign that advertised the RC Racing Museum, so Ralph said our son Ralphie really likes radio controlled...

Nov 21, 2011 - 1000 Trails Forest Lake Advance, N.C.

Chris and I arrived at 1000 Trails a week ago today, Nov. 14th, 2011. I have had a bad cold now since we left Ohio, but it is starting to ease up somewhat. I wanted to stop here because a friend of mine who I served with in the Philippines and Viet Nam lives in Randleman, which is less than 30 miles from our location. Dale Sperling, whom I've known and kept in contact with for around 40 years now even has the same initials as I do. I forget what his middle name is, but it does start with an E also. My middle name is Earl for anybody out...

Oct 23, 2011 - Forest Lake TT

Wow...got soooo much done on the coach thanks to my friend Casper...the kitchen vent was removed, cleaned up and reinstalled with all new weatherproofing. the generator oil and filter were changed. the entire big awning attachment to the coach was recaulked and reinforced with screws and the leveling system control box was reinstalled and recalibrated and now levels the coach. the driver and passenger seats were adjusted w washers to sit flat instead of sloping down towards the middle of the coach...will be soooo much better for the spine...

Oct 26, 2010 - Fancy Gap

From Forest Lake Thousand Trails Went with our friends to meet two other couples in Mount Airy. Had another pork chop sandwich in Snappy’s which we all enjoyed. We walked around and checked out some shops. Then we all went up the mountain to see Ken and Vernell’s possible new cabin. Unfortunately, it was very foggy which made for a very scary drive but we finally made it. They told us it had a beautiful view of the mountains but we had to take their word for it. Went to their current place in Fancy Gap and had a drink and cookies. After a...

Oct 25, 2010 - Mount Airy with Esther

From Forest Lake Thousand Trails We went back to Mount Airy today to meet with Esther Johnson. We arrived at 11:20 and she drove us all around Mount Airy until almost 5:00. Mount Airy is close to the Virginia border which we crossed. We went into Patrick County which is where Bill’s grandparents lived before they moved to Amelia. We also saw the birthplace of Gen.J.E.B. Stuart. I was talking to my brother and said I always thought he was from VA. I forgot that we had crossed over the VA line. Went into a beautiful church that had big...

Oct 18, 2010 - Mount Airy, NC

From Thousand Trails Forest Lake We left DC yesterday and arrived at TT around 8:30. We have another couple from our resort in VB here also and another couple will join us tomorrow when we go up to Winston-Salem for the FMCA Rally. We spent today in Mount Airy which is where Andy Griffith grew up and used as a model for Mayberry in his show. Bill’s anctestors are from this area and one of his cousins works at the visitor’s center. I had met her online through Ancestry.com when we were in Charlotte but never had a chance to get up here. It...

Sep 18, 2010 - Advance, North Carolina

After leaving Hershey and spending a few days on the road we arrived at the Thousand Trails Campground (Forest Lake) in Advance, North Carolina. This would be our home while we awaited word that our new motorhome had been scheduled for production. He we lived as we would have if we were still living in our stick built home. We shopped, went out to eat, made meals in the RV, and did odd jobs around the motorhome. It is important to note that Advance is just down the road from Lexington, North Carolina. Lexington is one of the barbecue...

May 3, 2010 - Advance, North Carolina

We got to Advance, North Carolina, on Monday, April 26. We stayed at the best Thousand Trails park ever, with frequent visits from Eastern Bluebirds (God's version, not motorhomes) goldfinches, and thrashers. While on our morning walks through the nature trails, we usually saw groups of white-tailed deer. The place was awesome! The Blue Ridge Mountains and Hanging Rock State Park were near enough to ride to, and so was Mt. Airy, the birthplace of Andy Griffith and the setting for The Andy Griffith Show. We took pictures of Linville Falls on...

Apr 27, 2009 - Advance, NC - Forest Lake Thousand Trails

We spent a few days here catching up on chores. Jim washed both vehicles. We had tons of pine pollen on the roof and covering everything else. This is the only negative we can find about following spring all the way north. We find ourselves in the pollen season from January through June!

Jun 20, 2008 - Left Raleigh early, for a change

Forest Lake is in the suburbs of the hamlet of Advance, NC, within 1/4 mile of the Yadkin River in Davidson County. It was about a 2 hour drive from Raleigh. We left at about 9:30 AM, instead of our standard 2 PM departures. It was an easy trip. We had two stops on the way, in Greensboro. Bob has shamed me (Gary) into buying a new ice chest. On the previous evening, Thursday, I searched Raleigh to find a Coleman steel belted ice chest, to no avail. Thursday eve, Bernadette and I went to REI, here in Raleigh and asked if they had one at...

Mar 22, 2008 - Advance, NC - Thousand Trails

The friends (Bev & Ted, Margaret & Harold, Dodi & Don) we met in Fair Play were all here. We had lots of good times together playing Mexican Train, Pegs & Jokers, sharing meals and taking walks throughout the preserve. While here Ingrid celebrated her 56th birthday by visiting her brother's family in Chapel Hill. It was great - even our niece, Samantha, was able to come home for dinner with us. We also celebrated with our Thousand Trails friends by going to Red Lobster where Ingrid was treated with a huge lobster tail (note she stayed...

Nov 23, 2007 - Gloucester, VA to Advance, NC

Friday, November 23, 2007. Thousand Trails, Advance, NC Gloucester, VA to Advance, NC We got up around 7:30 this morning. We had breakfast then started getting the RV ready to pull out. It would have been fun to stay but we are expected in Tennessee on Saturday night. Rich had said something last night about taking Jonathan for a truck ride this morning when they went to get their mail. That sounded like fun. We needed to track our mail down too. We found out that the slip had been delivered on Wednesday to the office but we didn't get it....