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RV
Vacation: Escaping the Heat in Boone, N.C.
By Jack Kean
Posted August 2011
 We lived in the land of hot and hotter through June and July. We stayed inside mostly, getting outside only very early in the morning and very late in the afternoon. My small yard was divided into sections for cutting. Our English bulldog remained in the air conditioning. We discussed the fact that it wasn't this hot when we were growing up. I don't know if that is true, but it sure seems hotter this year.
Finally, we could take it no more so we packed the RV and fled to the mountains of North Carolina. Boone, North Carolina, is often mentioned as a good place to be during the hot summer months. I'm writing this from an RV site next to a creek a few miles outside of Boone. We are at an elevation of about 3,500 feet. That's the good news. The bad news is, it is hot everywhere and pretty warm even in Boone. Though I hasten to add that the 80s sure beats the 90s, and we won't even mention triple-digit days. It is made even nicer by nights that dip into the 60s.
One of the great things about camping in this day and age is that you can do it without any of the discomforts associated with sleeping on the ground in a tent. We have a microwave, refrigerator, shower and much more in the RV. We also have two television sets. Thankfully, the people who run RV parks realize we want our Internet as well, and they most often provide Wi-Fi.
An RV park such as the one we are in is much like a small community. People come here for the season or for a month or at least a week. They walk their dogs and talk to each other. We sit by the creek and visit with neighbors. There are half a dozen rocking chairs on the front porch of the office, and people gather there.
We talk about RVs and the advantages and disadvantages of trailers and fifth wheelers and small ones versus large ones. We talk about where we've been and how hot it is ‘most everywhere but here. We probably won't be lifetime friends, but for now, we share life experiences.
Kids run around with big toy guns playing zombie; we used to play cowboys and Indians. Someone had to explain to one of the older campers what a zombie is. The younger families mostly are tent campers who come for a long weekend. We watch them come in and set up and light their fires. We watch them leave a few days later.
We live with modern conveniences in relaxed surroundings and mild temperatures. We walk the dog around a beautiful lake and shop in quaint towns with names like Blowing Rock and Banner Elk. For now at least, we are the fortunate ones.
Hopefully, you have been here or to a similar location; maybe you were raised in a place without the need for rush-hour traffic. It is a nice blend of the old and new. If you are not planning a trip, take a few minutes to remember the best one you ever had. You didn't make those memories for nothing.
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Jack's RV website is: http://www.rvfunandfacts.yolasite.com.
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