The North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh has been a very
convenient place for Julia to arrive and depart from. It’s only about
twenty minutes from the airport and offers full hookups for $30/night.
Showers and bathroom are a bit of an issue. Almost everyone here is
self-contained. We are too, but showering takes some effort in the Brew
Hut with the small wet bath. Camp-ground showers are always
appreciated, especially from Julia’s perceptive.
On my first visit, I talked to the security guard about potential
showering opportunities. He told me that there were some off-site
showers, but I never did find them. On my second visit, however, I got
clearer directions. The bathroom and showers are at the H6 gate. Drive
up towards the first horse barn on the right. There’s a bathroom on
the far side of the building. There’s a door inside the bathroom
leading to three shower stalls.
I’m pretty sure these are for the horse people, but there was only
one other guy taking a shower there during the entire time that I was
there shaving, etc. One caveat: don’t do what I did and park to close
to the horse barn. When I came out, the truck was parked in by a long
horse trailer. I managed to get out with the help of some spotters.
But it took a lot of wriggling back and forth. Julia was worried
because she needed to be dropped off at the airport, and I was late.
Visit with Friends
We combined our second stay with an opportunity to visit with one of
Julia’s graduate school classmates who lives in nearby Chapel Hill.
Jane and Julia spent an afternoon sightseeing, and then the husbands
joined in at dinner time at
Kitchen.
A good time was had by all. After dinner, we picked up some pie and
spent time at the residence, meeting their teenage daughter and the
family’s crazy but friendly dogs. Callie would not have been amused.
I
stayed at the Fairgrounds two more nights in order to get some errands
done. I’m not sure how long I’ll take on the return trip, but the plan
is to make a couple of multiple day stops in Virginia and Kentucky. The
rest of the way will depend on the weather, which has been hot, humid
and dry. That’s going to head the other direction at some point in
October.
It’s been so hot that Callie and I get up to take our long walk before and during sunrise when the temps are the coolest.
Comments