Maiden Voyage of the ShoreXplorer (October 12-14, 2013)

After several weekends of camping in our driveway and learning how to use our new (to us) 6 year old motor home, the ShoreXplorers first road trip was to family property on the Rappahannock River near Topping VA.  Yes, the first adventure was to a familiar place along familiar roads.   

The Place

Locust Lodge (aka The Rivah) is located on the shores of the Rappahannock River a few miles from where the River meets the Chesapeake Bay.  It is quiet and beautiful with sandy beaches edged by woods of tulip tree, locust and holly. 

The Adventure

We arrived at the end of a Nor’Easter and the beach was impassable, so we, our friends, and accompanying dogs explored the woods instead.  Along the path the dogs ran past this rather brave turtle who never withdrew into his shell.  I guess he didn’t smell as interesting to the dogs as the scent they were following.  We also saw this Indian Pipe plant just emerging from the leaves.  That was a special treat! 

The next day we went to the Deltaville Maritime Museum.  Located on the banks of Mill Creek, the museum has restored boats you can board, a lovely sculpture garden, a children’s garden, sheds where boat restoration is taking place, a trailer with an historical exhibit and a butterfly bush alive with monarch butterflies (we were in luck).  The museum suffered a tragic fire a few years ago and is in the process of rebuilding its exhibit hall and meeting area.

The Motor Home

As new RV’ers, every new trip is a learning opportunity.  This trip we learned just how big the ShoreXplorer is.  It is wide and long and tall.  During the drive to the Rivah we passed through a town where a 2-lane road had been re-purposed to 4 lanes without actually widening the road.  Not only were the lanes themselves very narrow, the telephone poles were right at the curb and leaned toward the road.  Even if we could have fit into the tiny right lane (which I doubt) we would have surely clipped a pole.  After a harrowing ride in the right lane on the way there, we drove in the left lane on the way back, straddling into the right lane to move ourselves a few inches away from oncoming traffic on the left.  This must not be an uncommon occurrence as the other drivers were very courteous, hanging back and letting us pig up essentially both lanes until we were through the worst of it.  Then (of course) they sped around us as soon as the road opened up and we got over into the right lane again.  Rookie RV Drivers!

The road into The Rivah is a one-lane gravel road laid out to gently curve around every sizable tree.  Negotiating a 29.5 foot long vehicle through the frequent curves around large trees was painstaking – the rear end had not yet passed the first tree, before you had to move the front end out of the way of the next one.  The branches along the road are regularly trimmed so that cars and pick-up trucks can drive through without scratching sides or roofs.  Not so for 12.5 foot tall motor homes!  Our friend walked in front and cut the branches that could be reached from ground level.  Some of the branches were at the height of the precious equipment that is attached to the roof of the motor home.  Russ rode on the roof holding on to the satellite dish and trimming branches as Dana inched the vehicle down the road.