Birthplace of the Gus Bus!



Freightliner chassis backing into Tiffin plant.

 It's a rainy day in Gaffney, South Carolina.  We got up very early (realize that we lost an hour Saturday when we changed from Central Time to Eastern; then on Sunday we lost another hour to Daylight Savings!) The clock said 7:30, but it felt like 5:30!  The gradual change didn't help, but we were thinking of friends from BT who left Sunday and lost the two hours immediately.  Oh well, that is why they invented naps!
We got up early to tour the Freightliner Custom Chassis Factory here in Gaffney, South Carolina.  Couldn't take any of our own pictures, so here's one we borrowed from Tiffin.  We missed our chassis coming into the Tiffin factory when we went to Red Bay last Fall to see the Gus Bus assembled, so it was our chance to see the first stages.  They also build school buses and delivery (like FedEx) trucks at this plant.  It was really interesting, but we didn't get as close and interact with the workers like at Tiffin.  We did decide to come back sometime for "Camp Freightliner" and learn about maintenance.  Our tour guide gave us some tips we didn't know, so there's a lot more to learn.

We are camped ( I use the term loosely) at the KOA in Gaffney.  It's fairly standard for KOA's which is why we like them...they are predictably average.  But, of course, IT IS NOT BELLA TERRA!  In fact, we thought we would be overlooking a pond, but it is empty.  Again we have a roomy site, with good hook-ups.  Our parking space is not level so our automatic levelers have us jacked up on the front passenger's side making the first step in our entry almost impossible for Vada and me...we must get a stepping stool to assist the aged midgets!  I have been managing and Larry hauls Vada up the steps using her new harness with handles.  We will manage and move on tomorrow to Chapel Hill North Carolina.  We had planned to visit another "Diner, Drive-ins, and Dives" location here in Gaffney, but we are so stuffed from overeating shrimp that we are staying in to eat lighter tonight.  But we heard about an outstanding ribs place for our next visit.  Our plan to eat our way across America, needs some dieting interludes.   KB

Too-Early Spring in Pine Mountain, GA

We found a few flowers blooming!

We were hoping to see the azaleas blooming at Callaway Gardens, but it was just a little too early.  Luckily, we were there on a beautiful, warm day and we enjoyed an exciting raptor demonstration where owls and vultures flew over our heads.  The butterfly house was also a delight.  We could tell that the gardens would be gorgeous in a few weeks and just the drive around the grounds was relaxing and a treat.  We had lunch next to a pretty lake and agreed that we would come back when we could see some blooms.  While at Bella Terra, we met some folks who are members of Larry's favorite online friends the Tiffin RV Network (TRVN.)  They told us about a rally they are planning in Pine Mountain in the Fall.  We will be there!

Speaking of Bella Terra...we stayed at a nice campground in Pine Mountain.  We were in a new section built for big rigs.  We had a nice roomy pull-thru site with good wi-fi and satelitte reception, and a nice place for Gus to play,  but  IT WASN'T BELLA TERRA!  We have made this a joke now...finding something that's slightly disappointing and labelling it "not Bella Terra."  Even Vada has been affected; she comes out of the coach in the morning and looks around for the lake.  You can see her thinking "it's not Bella Terra."  But, of course that doesn't stop her from sniffing around!   We have been spoiled...but, we will get over it!  And we are on a mission to find more Bella Terra's!  KB

Leaving Bella Terra



Sunset over the driver's side and Bella Terra fountain. 

 Last Friday night, as the sun set over the driver's side, we packed our gear and prepared to leave our winter home.  It has been glorious and we had a taste of Spring in the last few weeks.  The grass was green and the magnolias were blooming.  Hard to believe that in a few days we will be back in Winter.  We had one last shrimp feast at Mikee's on Thursday with some of our favorite BT friends.  Will we come back next year...hard to tell.  We have so many places to see!  Of course, we will be comparing every campsite to Bella Terra.

We plan to take our time getting back to New Jersey.  To try to wean ourselves away from Bella Terra, we promised ourselves a fun trip back.  We'll be stopping in Pine Mountain Georgia to visit Callaway Gardens and our next stop will be in Gaffney, South Carolina where we will tour the Freightliner plant.  That's where it all began for our Gus Bus.  Then on to North Carolina where we will stay for two days in Chapel Hill to visit Carrie (Karuna) in Cary; then to Rocky Mount to visit Elise, Kevin and the Webb Boyz.

Will we be glad to be back at our house...probably not. Our good friend Barbara sent pictures of the damage to our screen room caused by ice and snow.  Definitely, not a pretty picture.  There will be a lot of work to be done, but it will be good to see our friends and neighbors!  KB

Whale Watching at Bella Terra



Big Newell rig towing...

 I hate to sound like a snob, but it has been wonderful staying at an all-Class A resort. Watching these big beauties maneuver around the roads of Bella Terra is like whale-watching...everyone stops to look and you hear "wow, look at that!" as the huge, beautifully-painted body passes.   We are in Tiffin heaven and have not seen this many of our favorite brand since we were in Red Bay watching the Gus Bus being born. And we were happy to give rave reviews about ours when asked...a lady traded in her old rig for a new Allegro after talking to us. A favorite pastime is an evening stroll to see what new rigs have arrived.  Whale watching is a favorite topic of discussion at Club House cocktail hours.  Everyone has stories about motorhomes past and present.  And we have gotten a lot of valuable advice at parties!

While some of the older coaches don't have the flashy paint jobs, they have well-planned and cozy-looking interiors.  Many people are like us...we can't imagine ever trading in our coach; it fits our lifestyle perfectly.  But, there seems to be a bug that bites after a few years and the itch to trade for something newer and better seems to be almost inevitable.
At BT, we have had the privilege of seeing some of the most beautiful high-end, custom-built coaches on the road.  During our stay, we were parked next to a gorgeous Foretravel from Maryland.  And a local FMCA rally brought in more million-dollar-plus Prevost's than we will probably ever see again.   Being immersed in this Class A environment has been a delight and an education.



...a Porsche with  red "trike"  above on lift!

 But, the star of the season was not a coach, but what it was towing.  For my brother Jim, this is how a Class A becomes a "toy hauler".  One morning we noticed a huge trailer in the storage area...what was it?  It was so tall that we couldn't imagine what had towed it...it was Mardi Gras...maybe a float was in it!  But, being the curious small community that is Bella Terra, we quickly learned that it had come in with a big Newell and was transporting a Porsche and two "trike" motorcycles.   The unusual height accommodated a lift that raised the trikes over the car for transport.  Now we have seen it all!  I happened to catch a few shots of the trailer being loaded near our site...they left just before us...making it an extraordinary whale watching event!  KB

Vada von Belikoff, BH*, TOG**

* Begleithund (Schutzhund title for traffic-ready dog)
**Tough Old Girl


T.O.G... "green eye" corrected by Photoshop Larry



Vada was very sick two weeks ago.  She had diahrrea that wouldn't quit no matter how much Pepto we pumped into her or how much rice she ate...then she stopped eating.  Vada never stops eating, so we knew she was very sick.  A sick dog and we are away from Dr. Suzanne!  What to do?  Fortunately, I knew where there was a vet.   Since we've been at Bella Terra, we've had to buy prescription food for Vada that is only available at a vet's office.  Luckily, I happened to pass a place just outside of Foley that looked like a good prospect...lots of cars in the middle of the day.  So, I stopped there twice for food. The staff was very nice and the patients and their owners looked happy. 

I decided to try there for an emergency appointment for Vada, hoping that this busy, probably good vet, could fit her in.  And they did fit us in!  By the time we got there, Vada was very lethargic and we were very worried.  She's 12 and a half years old and has a few problems including degenerative spinal disease and some kidney failure.  Our vet was a young guy, Dr.Adam Langston, who examined her thoroughly and strongly suggested that  Vada stay overnight for tests, Xrays, and IV infusions.  He suspected kidney failure.  Vada was so sick that she left me willingly to go with the Vet Tech.  I cried all the way home.

The following afternoon, Dr. Langston called to say that Vada was fine and could come home.  The tests showed that she was suffering from an irritation and infection of the stomach and intestinal tract probably caused by the anti- inflammatory medication she takes for arthritis.  When we picked her up she was her old perky self and we came home with many medications and different food. 



Vada fully outfitted with "handles."



On the way out of Dr. Langston's office, she took a drink out of the decorative waterfall...that should have been a clue to what happened next.  She drank water constantly for the next couple of days and the overflow leaked all over the coach...wherever she rested.  We tucked puppy training pads under her, thinking it would stop after 48 hours...sometimes she drinks a lot after a kennel visit.  But, it didn't stop!  So, we went back to the vet.   Dr. Langston repeated the tests, thinking that she had had some sort of declline, but he pronounced her "fit as a 2-year old" on the inside! The diagnosis:  PSYCHOGENIC EXCESSIVE THIRST.  It is Vada's latest manifestation of her obsessive-compulsive disease.  She was treated for compulsive licking and a few years ago, almost had her tail amputated from the infections it caused.  Now,  her water has to be rationed and she has a new pill to prevent "leakage"!



Vada is back!  She's her old self except for back legs that don't always work.  Dr. Langston said the xrays showed severe degeneration of her spinal nerves...he was surprised that she walks as well as she does.  But we are determined to keep her going so, she now has handles!  We can help her whenever she has to go up or down steps of just to cross a slippery floor.  Tripping, even falling down, doesn't stop her.  She's a tough old girl and we expect to enjoy her company for as long as we can.  Every day with her is a gift!   KB