this is how we roll: Pennsylvania

Showing posts with label Pennsylvania. Show all posts

12.12.2012

Allentown and Bethlehem, PA

Happy to be traveling in our RV again. Feels like coming home! Most campgrounds in the area were closed, so we boonedocked in a parking lot again. This time, though, we were low on running water as many places in the area had their water supply turned off for the winter. We ended up having to drive about 40 miles to a campground and pay $40 for water and to dump tanks (this usually costs about $5). Also, while we were out eating one evening, Matt's rental car for work was hit by a tractor trailer and destroyed. On the plus side, because needed to drive him to work and pick him up, we looked for and found a really nice park to stay at during the day just around the block from where he was working. It was cold, but the kids enjoyed the playground anyway, Pablo enjoyed the space to run offleash, and I even got to go running.

Razz adjusted quickly to riding in the RV

Using a sleeping Seth as a perch

Just enough space inside for a yoga mat!

Our temporary "backyard"

We went to nearby Bethlehem, PA where Matt and Riley went to the skatepark and then we all overindulged at the amazing Vegan Treats Bakery.

12.11.2012

Slow, Grey Day

We traveled with Matt to Middle-of-Nowhere, PA; but our RV is in the shop for repair work on the heater/hot water pilot, so we're in a hotel. Had hoped to catch up on reading The Hobbit with the kids since we have the dog and cat at the hotel with us and can't really go out to do much. The movie release is later this week, and we wanted to finish the book by then. Maya was up late last night and ended up sleeping in really late today, so we we haven't gotten to read as much as we had hoped. It is cold and gray and rainy; one of those days where you can't seem to really wake up and can't get warm, even indoors.

I played Set online this morning while the boys cuddled with the dog, played with the cat, read/played online, and ate breakfast.

The three of us entertained ourselves while Maya slept:

Read about the history and traditions of various winter solstice holidays
Did a couple of logic exercises/brain teasers from Khan Academy
Watched an episode of Destinos Introductory Spanish
Wrote Christmas Cards to send to a little boy who is trying to break the Guinness World Record for receiving the most Christmas cards
Wrote & solved math problems for each other

After Maya woke up, we read The Hobbit for a bit, then paused for lunch, warm showers (did I mention we cannot get warm today?!), and hot coffee (for me). Everyone did their own things -- guitar or Minecraft -- for a while, but they're ready to read again.

Sss, sss, so long for now, my precious.

8.09.2012

Allentown, PA

June 2012

We stayed at a KOA near Allentown, PA in the beautiful Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. This was our first experience with hooking up during a downpour! Let's just say we aren't looking forward to our next experience with that! We spent our days exploring the creek, playing mini golf, and enjoying the novelty (to us) of campground life. We visited two amazingly good places for vegan food: Cali Burrito and Vegan Treats bakery.

I think he was considering buying one of everything.

The beautiful spot by the creek where I studied and wrote papers for my nutrition class. I still love picturing that place and imagining the sound of the water.

7.30.2012

On the Road to Allentown, PA

June, 2012

Grove Skatepark, Columbus, OH

Southpark, PA (near Pittsburgh)

Southpark, PA

Southpark BMX track

Beautiful views all along the PA Turnpike

Back to Oil City, PA: Grey, Drizzly Days

Maya working out something in a workbook while Seth jumps rope outside in the drizzly rain

Seth with Riley

Morning cuddle time

Field guide for bird watching, campground map, and some games

with Love,

Holly

7.29.2012

Our First Trip: Oil Creek Campground, PA

classic backwoods campground sign

May 2012
First trip was a little scary. New RV drivers trying to maneuver the winding, hilly backroads of PA; lots of rain; road to the campground closed and no GPS signal to find an alternate route; trying to suppress horror movie thoughts as we trusted a person (who was perfectly kind and helpful after all) who offered to show us an alternate way to the backwoods campground; and, when we arrived, this sign (above) brought all the B horror movie thoughts right back to the surface! Warning from the campground staff as we paid for our site: Be sure and bag up your trash, we've had a bear getting into the dumpster.

We were nervous, uncomfortable, had no idea about most of how the RV worked, and in a whole different world than traveling by car and staying at the Holiday Inn; but it was also exciting and pretty funny!

All of our misgivings about the campground were totally uncalled for. It was a great place to stay! It had an awesome frog pond teeming with wildlife. We listened to the loudest frogs in the evenings. It was remote enough to be pitch black at night, and we could see so many stars in the sky -- we loved looking out the back RV window as we were going to sleep. The campground staff were so nice and helpful, especially to us noobs who killed our battery and just generally had no idea what we were doing!