Starting off on our second adventure did not go so smoothly! Ken and Sharon were headed to a vacation rental on Hilton Head so we had planned to start with a few days at a campground near them on Oct 5 (also my birthday!) - but a big spoilsport named Hurricane Mathew was due to hit South Carolina on Oct 7. So Ken defected to the gulf coast, but I still wanted to see friends in North Carolina and get to the Outer Banks. So Linda and I packed the car and we're heading to the RV, parked at Jen's since it got out of Camping World jail (5 1/2 weeks for warranty repairs and simple oil changes to engine and generator). Unfortunately, we were rear-ended in my Honda while driving out to the RV - just sitting at a stoplight, but the hit cracked the bike rack on my hitch, and threw the bikes in the rear window, shattering glass all over poor Sara. So we took time to make arrangements to drop car at collision center (thanks to USAA finding an immediately available shop that would store it under cover) after pulling all our supplies out of the shattered glass and transferring them to RV, unloading our bikes at Linda's (to be dealt with at a later date, rims are bent), and getting on the road at 5pm in Atlanta rush hour traffic. We feared our good luck rainbow of the last trip had worn off! But, we travelled on, since we already had reservations and now I didn't have a car! Our reservations were at South Cove Park on Lake Keowee near Clemson, South Carolina. Problem was that arriving at 9pm in total dark, with an unattended park gate, meant finding our way to site 70 with flashlights - the sites were VERY poorly marked, we nearly ran over a tent of campers to get into our "pull through" site and reach our hookups! We believed we were close to the lake, but couldn't tell in the dark. A few more Advil and we called it a night - being pleasantly surprised next day to find ourselves on a peninsula in the lake, with spotty rain starting due to the hurricane. But we got in a quick walk, viewed the lake, and then drove out to meet friend Kim and family for brunch in Clemson. Clemson has grown so much since I was there last so we stocked up on some groceries for the road. Then about 2pm, we were on the road to Fort Mill, SC - just south of Charlotte, NC and just west of Indian Land, SC where we were visiting Ted and Magda. The rain was coming heavier as we approached Charlotte and as Hurricane Matt hit land north of Charleston. We were lucky to get a campsite as they had all filled up with evacuees and the roads were packed with traffic leaving the coastal areas. We mainly hit the heavy traffic as we approached Charlotte, but pulled into Crown Cove Campground, Fort Mill, SC as the torrential rains let loose. Unfortunately, our cable TV did not work at that site, so we really didn't hear much about the storm except to hear it raining for 12 hours solid. The next day we had to unhook in the rain, to go visit Ted and Magda - we were a bit drowned by the time we made our appearance, but we had such a great visit. Magda had spätzle (a personal favorite of mine), a grated beet dish, and other European delicacies. She showed us their new house in the Del Webb Community and all the activities they are involved in - pottery, tennis, "Porsching" in the new toy, and still traveling. So glad they are in such a good place and doing so well! Sunday morning the skies had cleared, we had brunch with T & M, then explored Mathews to see Jane C's family home that is now the town museum - we loved the house and the historic district of town. Monday morn we set out for Durham, NC to visit Lauren and Morgan (and dog Ollie, too!). Lauren has recently purchased a new house in a beautiful neighborhood - but best of all, is the only house inhabited on the street so far - a perfect street for the RV! Her house is beautiful and we had such a great tour of Durham with Lauren driving - even Sara got to go since it is a dog friendly town! Lunch at the pub, seeing Duke Medical Center, and the botanical gardens, the Tobacco Factory district, and walking the neighborhoods to see old and new homes. Hurricane was past, but apparently east coast was flooding due to the rains, so Lauren recommended some places along the Blue Ridge Parkway instead of Outer Banks. Wednesday we set out for Boone, arriving much later than planned due to a bad crash off the mountain road and then 3 loose horses running on the highway. We were shocked at the amount of traffic and "city life" around Boone - Walmarts, Lowe's, restaurant chains, 4 lane roads... And very disappointed to not see any sign of leaf changes on Oct 12. First night we were at Flintlock Campground, nice creek, but nowhere to walk. Next day we moved to Grandfather Campground (on Grandfather Mountain), but could only stay 1 night because it was weekend of Wooly Worm Festival, so all booked up!! We hiked to Elk Knob summit and were rewarded with the beginning of leaf color and a gorgeous view from the top. Friday we moved to Julian Price National Pk campground (without hookups) but close to a beautiful lake with lots of hiking and an easy drive to Blowing Rock. Morgan and Lauren drove over Saturday to join us in the RV - yeah, we got to be chauffeured in her car to Blowing Rock town, Boone, and the south end of the Blue Ridge Pkwy! The leaves are getting prettier every day, but the parkway is packed with traffic and difficult to drive in an RV (narrow roads with curbs and no shoulders). We also got onto Shull Mill Rd due to a GPS directions - 6 miles of harrowing driving in the RV!!! Linda said it was a beautiful road with gorgeous homes and inns, but I couldn't describe anything except the lines on the road!! We did the Julian Price lake trail with Lauren and Morgan, then shopped in Blowing Rock, tested the Pumpkin Ale at the local brewery, then shopped at Mast General in Boone (a huge outdoors clothing store). After return to RV, we grilled out (thanks to Lauren's help on the fire), and enjoyed asparagus, flat iron steak, and black rice salad. Also enjoyed the Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer that Lauren found! L & M shared the front room of the RV (sofa and upper bunk) and pulled out early Sunday am. We enjoyed the day by having breakfast outside, reading a little, then did a 5 mile hike on the Boone Fork trail to Hebron Falls. That trail was very busy with foot traffic, so we veered onto the Mountain-to-Sea Trail, then cut down Old John's Farm Road where Sara had a chance to run free since we were well off the beaten path - a great hike!! Monday, Oct 17 we headed out to Linnville Falls. Weather was gorgeous, leaves are stunning, still lots of traffic though. We wasted some time trying to find our way into the back entrance of Linnville Falls trails, had to backtrack to the front entrance, but it was a gorgeous hike - river, waterfalls, gorges - would love to do it again! We missed seeing the caverns due to short time, but had many people tell us this was the best leaf color they had seen on the parkway for many years! We were so fortunate and awed by the beauty of the drive. Then headed to Rutherfordton, Four Paws Kingdom Campground, for Sara's sake - advertised as an adult and canine campground with very high ratings. Nearly impossible to find, GPS was worthless, but after 3 phone calls for directions, we found our way in just before dark. Definitely an A+ campground - beautiful sites, easy to pull through, flowers, trees, so well kept that we couldn't find kindling wood, spotless facilities (bathrooms, laundry, and dog washing stations), cute cabins, about 7 dog parks, pavilions for groups, agility areas, dog classes, a hiking area, and very helpful owners (showing us to our site, loaning us a longer cable line, multiple directives for fun places to go - near Lake Lure and Chimney Rock). We stayed a second day since we barely made it in before dark, relaxed among the trees and our fire pits, hiked with Sara on their many acres. I've never seen such a spotless facility and enjoyed such peaceful calm amongst so many travelling dogs! Definitely plan to return here again!! Leaving here Oct 19, heading back to Atlanta, but didn't want to hit rush hour, so stopped at Tugaloo State Park on Lake Hartwell in Lavonia, GA - gorgeous campground and waterfront sites!!! Lots of hiking on site, a long waterline to explore (thanks to drought that has created a lot of clay beach!), and not many people currently. All is good for our last night, but time to get back and check on the car/bikes. Turns out St Mtn Campground is completely full, so will have to park Bertha at Jen's til I can get into St Mtn next week. Until the next trip...