Back in NC & Home!

The Seamist Campgrounds was on the intercostal waterway near a jetty that opened to the vast Atlantic. The pull thru sites had a view of the water just over the 3 rows of more permanent trailers and 5th wheels. Kevin's inner Pisces was longing for an unobstructed view as well as the sounds of waves crashing into the shore.

The location was just a short drive up and around the Shallotte River to visit to Oyster Harbor. This is a place where the Smits purchased a .5 acre lot back in 1998, thinking it would ultimately be a place to build that was close to water. The concept seemed to make sense back then, and the gated community is very well kept, has all the right amenities ( dock, pool, pickleball courts, gym, meeting rooms, etc) However it is very under populated. Only a few very nice houses dot each road. Not sure this is the place to build, but they do offer a place to store the RV for free! So the plan was to utilize this storage (included in the homeowners dues paid each year) for the few months until the next adventure. 

It was reassuring that after 4 years since the last visit here the key card to the main gate still worked as well as the key to RV storage. However, the keys to the pickleball courts nor dock area no longer worked. After a quick walk around the wooded lot, Kevin and Theresa could still envision a nice single level 3000 square ft 3-4 BR house with a nice big back deck with a Jacuzzi for Kevin and a fire pit for Theresa. Ahhhhh. The beach dreamers then drove to dinner at The Mermaid Bar and Grill (pretty much the only place open on Holden Beach) for some local seafood.

The next day a drive to the local HOA management company resulted in new keys for Pickleball court and dock gate as well as an assigned a spot in the RV storage area. 

Jack (keeper of the Tasman home front) was at he real residence, just down the road in Wilmington but after all day driving around in the toad Kevin was just not able to muster any more gas for another trip out. Time to relax and strategies for the next Smitanic trek(s). Tomorrow will be the finale of the trip. As the Smitanic navigates the last 200 miles and off loads it's provisions and is made ready for off site storage for a few months.

The Grand Finale

Theresa had sent a warning email the prior week to the Tasman Ct neighbors informing them of the impending Smitanic arrival that would consume a large portion of the Cul de Sac. The arrival was mid afternoon on a Thursday and all was quiet. Theresa guided Kevin into a spot that would allow the slides to open as well as not block any driveways or delivery vehicles. Ahhhh home at last! Zin was released from the confines of travel and ran around the yard and house at full speed, stopping only to reacquaint her nose with the familiar smells. 

The yard looked terribly neglected as well as the front water feature had a thick layer of slime. The house was unlock and all systems were brought back to life as needed. Water was turned on and thermostat adjust. Everything inside was in great shape thanks to Jack and Terry! The only evidence of any occupants were the 5 Bags of reserve mail items from 9 months that were neatly assembled in bags in the dinning room.

The unloading of the RV began, followed by a good cleaning inside and out of every nook and cranny of the beast! 3-4 loads of laundry were done as Kevin and Theresa collapsed on the sofa and attempted to reinstate internet and TWC TV. The service had been turned on 'seasonal' to minimize cost while no one was there. Theresa had called the week before and scheduled the service to be reinstated for the arrival date, but it was very obvious that had not been done. Several calls to TWC and all systems (minus the family room TV) were back online. 

A few essential groceries were procured to get thru the next AM and then Theresa headed for a long hot shower! Nice to be home!

On Saturday the Neighbors gathered at the Katie and Larry Wu's house to welcome the two travelers back and share stories of the trip as well as what was going on in the home front. Everyone agreed it was time to reinstate the Sunday cul de sac gatherings as the weather getting nicer, so the parting may continue! What a great neighborhood!

The next morning, Easter Sunday, the Toad was connected for the final time and the Oyster Harbor destination was entered into the GPS. Rain was on and off during the drive putting a new coat of road grime on the freshly washed RV exterior. The drops did slow down as the RV was parked in the assigned spot in the storage area. Wheels, AC, and mirrors were covered as well as aluminum foil put on the interior of all exposed windows to deter sun damage. 

Kevin made one last walk around to ensure his RV baby was safely tucked in for the 5 month stay in this new exposed home.

The trip home was full of planning ideas for the remainder of the year as well as the more immediate tasks on the home front.

The trip was beyond awesome and yes Kevin and Theresa are ready to hit the road again! Hope you have enjoyed the blog posts and pictures of the Smitanic adventures. As a conclusion here are just a few fun facts about the trip.

Trip Facts:

Mileage RV 9305

Mileage Toad 5000 (additional)

diesel gal 1348 yes that is a whopping 7MPG

# of campgrounds(stops) 52

# of posts 67 (have you read them all?)

Countless friends, family, and new folks along the way!

What we used most that we never thought we would? Printer

What we did not use at all and we thought we would? Bikes, work cloths

What should we have brought more of? Wine