Hard-Learned Lessons From an RV Newbie: Part II
Day Five | Luray, Virginia
If you missed Part I of this series, be sure to check it out here: Hard-Learned Lessons From an RV Newbie: Part I
Despite my husband’s original plan to push through the pouring rain and drive in the dark to our destination in Virginia on the heels of the towing setback, common sense prevailed and we made the (loud and bright) Walmart parking lot our home for the night. The next morning we prepped the RV again for the trip and piled the family into the newly “fixed” truck.
We were 30 miles south of the previous day’s breakdown since the insurance-covered mechanic was located in North Carolina. We made our way back onto the highway filled with renewed optimism that in four short hours we would be settled in our main destination along the Shenandoah River for a relaxing week of fishing and nature immersion.
The boys sat quietly in the backseat, headphones and gaming devices keeping them gleefully occupied, while Matt and I listened intently to Malcom Gladwell on Audible. And then, the bucking commenced. I held my breath and continued to focus on the stories coming through the radio, sure that we would be able to make it up the treacherous mountain range this time. As the truck slowed to 15 mph and fell slowly from there, I silently prayed for our safety. There were plenty of beautiful campsites around this area. Finding another home for the week wouldn’t have been a problem. Rolling backwards on the highway would have!
This time we decided not to pull over and endure another round of towing and repairs. We white-knuckled through as the steep mountain climb finally came to an end. The truck started to regain momentum and we joined the rest of the full-speed traffic. Something was definitely still wrong with the truck, but we figured we could make it to Luray and have it checked again once we were settled.
HARD-LEARNED LESSON: Ensure the truck you’re driving is capable of handling the terrain with the weight being pulled.
As we rounded the final bend to our destination—just ten miles from Outlanders River Camp—we all perked up. Cheers and giant exhales of relief filled the cramped truck. Of course the last few miles couldn’t possibly be so easy! This wasn’t a vacation, after all, it was our maiden voyage into the world of RVing, and we were finding out that “rest and relaxation” weren’t necessarily part of the deal.
As fate would have it, the entrance into the 100-acre plot of farmland-turned-campground required another hefty excursion through steep mountain roads. Not only did we have to endure many miles of incline, but this time the path was narrow and windy. Cue my son’s car sickness. He managed to breathe through this one, thankfully!
Somehow—maybe it was the angel’s wings I envisioned on the front hood of the truck carrying us to safety—we made it up that stretch of mountain and to our new site in good time and were able to set up camp before the next two days of rain stifled our plans.
Days Five through Seven | Luray, Virginia
Our reserved spot was gorgeous (pictured above)—Super Site #8 at Outlanders River Camp. Situated at the end of the row of brand new paved sites, it offered complete privacy on the side of the camper where all of our windows happened to be and was a few steps away from the fenced-in dog playground.
What we didn’t realize was that fly season was in full swing. Though we didn’t put the pieces together at first, we later realized that the window of time needed to open the slides was just the opportunity these dryness-seeking pests were looking for. We kept a close eye on the door, but failed to notice the temporary opening to the air from the moving slides.
Proud of ourselves for marking off all the steps on our set-up checklist before the first wave of rain, we all got comfortable inside only to find ourselves swarmed by flies!
The problem with these pests was two-fold. One: As funny as it was to watch Pippin make a sport out of fly-chasing, his innate hunting impulses kept him in full panic mode whenever we were trapped inside (due to the torrential downpours). His nervous system was essentially stuck in fight-or-flight and he couldn’t calm himself at bedtime. Even with a blanket covering his crate to block the visual stimulation of the flying bugs, his other senses remained on high alert… and the rest of us couldn’t sleep with his crazed banging and extreme panting.
Two: Waking up to incessant buzzing in our ears (after finally falling asleep!) and having to micro-manage our cooking and eating to avoid mouthfuls of winged black bugs put a dent in our leisurely (ha!) vacation.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a hard-learned lesson here. We learned very little. Every homemade fly trap—from vinegar and dish soap, to sour milk and sugar, to sticky traps and even an electrical bug zapper—failed us. The owner of the campsite gave us some sort of poison granules to put on a high shelf (out of reach of the dog) that the flies didn’t touch. Hundreds of flies in our enclosed little house were too much for our (mostly) natural remedies, and I wasn’t willing to spray any toxic chemical concoctions. We don’t blame the owners of the camp. They assured us they take all the preventative measures they can in the spring. We happened to arrive at the peak of the season and the flies were just as anxious to seek respite from the rain as we were.
Day seven was spent enjoying the magical Luray Caverns, just a few miles down the road. After feeling as though we had been transported to a land out of Lord of the Rings, we grabbed some local beef and veggies from Willow Grove Farm and headed back to the RV. That night, the rain let up and allowed us to enjoy our dinner in the fresh mountain air.
Outlanders River Camp | Luray, Virginia
The continuation of our journey—including a beautiful day in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a few college tours, another death-defying travel moment, and a brush with Covid-19—can be read in Part III and Part IV.
Would you like to receive these types of posts in your inbox? Never miss a week of my practical tools to help you live a more vibrant life by signing up for my newsletter. You'll receive my Mind-Body Healing Starter Guide for FREE just for signing up. Win-Win!
