Introducing Adagietto

January 2018

We need to introduce Adagietto, a 2015 Roadtrek Class B RV, based on Mercedes Benz 3500 Sprinter.  The RV will allow leisurely trips back and forth to wherever we leave our Nordic Tug Adagio.  Also, the RV makes visiting granddaughters easier and more fun, with a chance to visit new locations along the backroads.

To break in Adagietto, we took two trips to south Florida, staying in state parks and Everglades National Park.  We learned our batteries needed replacement.

 

April 2018

With new coach batteries (8 AGM Golf Cart) installed, we headed to Ft. Pierce for the MTOA Spring Rendezvous.  All our friends were on their boats or in hotels, but the RV was convenient.   It was a great time meeting up with friends, we really enjoyed ourselves, attending several seminars & programs.

 

May 2018

In late May we loaded up with all the gear we took off Adagio last summer.  We followed a meandering route to Nashville, never once using the interstate.  We camped at the highest spot in Alabama, also Georgia.  In Nashville we had an all too short visit with Josh, Jessica, and little Leah.

 

Hitting the road again, we headed to Cherokee NC and the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP.)   First proposed during the Great Depression as The Appalachian Scenic Road to connect planned Shenandoah National Park (Skyline Drive) and the Great Smokies National Park.  Early supporters of the road were FDR and Senator Harry Byrd.  The complete 469-mile Parkway was not finished until 1987 when the Linn Cove Viaduct was built.  We could not drive this section as it was under re-construction.  We were a little worried about the first section north from Cherokee.  There are several tunnels with just over 11’ of clearance.  Our Roadtrek measured about 10.5’.  We cleared with plenty of room, low height is measured at the edge of the road not the center arch, like the low steel measurement for waterways.  We camped at two spots, a real bargain at $10 night.



Becky playing - lunch at Peaks of The Otter

 

Crossing north across Interstate 64 you leave the BRP and enter Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive.  We stopped early at the Loft Mountain campground.

After the easy navigation of the BRP and Skyline Drive, we began meandering again, using Google Maps “avoid highways” setting.  We found ourselves in the middle of major Civil War sites including Antietam & Gettysburg.  Next came Amish country around Lancaster and a drop-in visit with Ron’s high school friend.  We found our way for a visit with Ron’s sister Denise & her husband Brian.  We’re very grateful to them for handling our mail forwarded while we tramp around on the RV and the boat.

June 2018

We continued north, camping in High Point State Park NJ.  Leaving NJ, we followed the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway into NY state, stopping at Whetstone Gulf SP.  We arrived in the middle of a weekend, but there were very few sites occupied.  Sunday night there were only 3 or 4 other campers there.

Duke is not sure about this

High Point SP, Sawmill Campground

 From there we headed for Winter Harbor Marina, the boat storage yard in Brewerton where we had left Adagio 9 months ago, arriving a day early.  Somehow bottom painting was omitted and we had to wait an extra day to launch while the paint dried.  Cousin Dave’s in-laws have a nearby campground, so we decided to visit them for our last night on Adagietto.

 

The launch went well.  But while getting Adagio ready for our summer cruise problems popped up.  First, the freezer wouldn’t freeze.  Then parts for the galley sink taken apart last summer, could not be found.  Fixing those issues, we finally parked Adagietto inside the boat barn and cast-off Adagio’s lines on Saturday June 9.

Headed for paint shop