Dave's shirt gives a hint to heat and humidity one morning in the park While we successfully avoided most of the summer heat during our travels this up north, we were not spared its full force upon our arrival in southern Virginia. Two weeks of temps in the 90’s and “feels-like” temps in the 100’s caused us to seek shade (or better yet A/C) whenever we could. And, of course, the reason we were back in the park this early was because we needed to turn up the heat on the work on the CCC Group Cabin project to take full advantage of our Lowes 100 Hometowns grant. We had a lot to do, and we were ready to dive in.
Dave and Fred check out a cabin porch at 2nd Branch Making the Most of Lowes Grant
The Lowe’s grant allows us to turn our attention from fundraising to the actual work on the project. However, the work covered by the grant must be completed by Oct 31, the day before the Cabin Work Week event begins. So, our pre-Cabin Work Week activities have been ramped up as we are using the grant to prepare two cabin sites and obtain the necessary supplies for a productive 2 weeks this fall. Our attention has been split between recruiting volunteers, promoting and holding Cabin Work Days, assessing the work needed, researching materials, ordering supplies, and responding to the administrative requests for the Lowe’s grant.
The Lowe’s grant allows us to turn our attention from fundraising to the actual work on the project. However, the work covered by the grant must be completed by Oct 31, the day before the Cabin Work Week event begins. So, our pre-Cabin Work Week activities have been ramped up as we are using the grant to prepare two cabin sites and obtain the necessary supplies for a productive 2 weeks this fall. Our attention has been split between recruiting volunteers, promoting and holding Cabin Work Days, assessing the work needed, researching materials, ordering supplies, and responding to the administrative requests for the Lowe’s grant.
Dave and a volunteer on Cabin Work Day We lose almost no opportunity to promote the project and recruit volunteers. Whether it be a chat with a camper during our evening walk, responding to inquiries forwarded from the volunteer office or chance encounters in the park, the conversation starts with “how long are you here” and frequently ends with an exchange of contacts. Every few conversations results in a volunteer sign-up. We’ve posted flyers throughout the park, and participated in 2 Cabin Work Days as well where Dave answered questions and gave tours as requested to encourage return visits. And that is working as well. In the meantime, the cabins are getting scraped, primed and painted, the decks are getting stained and screen trim is getting painted. This will all make it easier to focus on the many repairs that take place during Cabin Work Week.
Jim inspects one of the cabins at Paspahegh Shortly after our return, Jim and Jamie came for the day to review the cabins for leaking roofs and other repairs. Our review was made easier by the heavy rain that came through the day before. We identified 3 roofs that were leaking, and we gained the park’s approval of using a new composite material that will resist the moss that forms on roofs that see little sunlight. A week later, Fred joined us to walk through the last 2 untouched cabin sites – 2nd and 3rd Branch at Swift Creek – to review their state and document the needs to repair them.
With the assessments done, we took advantage of some hot afternoons to retreat to our computers and turn this information into orders for wood, paint and other supplies. We met the local Lowe’s store contacts, taking them on a tour of the site, answering questions about our first supply order, and scheduling 2 “Red Vest” days that will bring Lowe’s employees to volunteer at this year’s work site.
With the assessments done, we took advantage of some hot afternoons to retreat to our computers and turn this information into orders for wood, paint and other supplies. We met the local Lowe’s store contacts, taking them on a tour of the site, answering questions about our first supply order, and scheduling 2 “Red Vest” days that will bring Lowe’s employees to volunteer at this year’s work site.
Primed boards drying at Swift Creek well house And, of course, we actually did some work ourselves. In our absence, a load of wood had arrived. Much of this needs to be primed and painted, preferably before Cabin Work Week, so that the carpenters will be ready to go day one. Also, we need an almost endless supply of screen molding, so we continued to make more by ripping scrap wood, then priming and painting it. Perhaps the most “skilled” work, we accomplished was to make a frame for the Lowes 100 Hometowns sign that was to be posted near the park entrance. After a miserable attempt to hang it without a frame, we constructed one that made a more respectable display to honor the contribution we’d been given.
RV Stuff
We had little time to do RV projects, but one problem forced us to pay attention. Our Watchdog power monitor / surge protector started alerting to a high voltage problem and would turn the power off to protect our rig. We discovered that we could turn off our A/C and minimize the disruptions, but this was not a solution that was easy to live with. After several checks confirmed it wasn’t our problem and wasn’t the Dominion Energy power coming in, we were about to change sites when the problem went away. Assuming it was a nearby camper that had recently left, we decided to stay put for the next few days until the end of the month, when we would be moving sites anyway. However, just a day later, the problem reappeared and we quickly decided that moving was our only recourse. Later assessments determined a problem with a breaker that needed to be replaced.
With the impromptu move, we settled into the site where we will stay until the project is over. We were both pleased at how quickly we were able to get in and settled. Maybe all that traveling improved our docking skills a bit.
We had little time to do RV projects, but one problem forced us to pay attention. Our Watchdog power monitor / surge protector started alerting to a high voltage problem and would turn the power off to protect our rig. We discovered that we could turn off our A/C and minimize the disruptions, but this was not a solution that was easy to live with. After several checks confirmed it wasn’t our problem and wasn’t the Dominion Energy power coming in, we were about to change sites when the problem went away. Assuming it was a nearby camper that had recently left, we decided to stay put for the next few days until the end of the month, when we would be moving sites anyway. However, just a day later, the problem reappeared and we quickly decided that moving was our only recourse. Later assessments determined a problem with a breaker that needed to be replaced.
With the impromptu move, we settled into the site where we will stay until the project is over. We were both pleased at how quickly we were able to get in and settled. Maybe all that traveling improved our docking skills a bit.
Troy, Taylor and Bonnie share a light moment Family Time
One of the perks of being in southern Virginia is the proximity to family. We eagerly accepted an invitation to visit Bonnie and Troy for an afternoon barbecue, in exchange for some small chores around the yard. And Adam and Droz joined us for supper one evening at the park, where we enjoyed some time catching up, showed them around the cabins, and ended by listening to Adam’s guitar-playing.
One of the perks of being in southern Virginia is the proximity to family. We eagerly accepted an invitation to visit Bonnie and Troy for an afternoon barbecue, in exchange for some small chores around the yard. And Adam and Droz joined us for supper one evening at the park, where we enjoyed some time catching up, showed them around the cabins, and ended by listening to Adam’s guitar-playing.
Work Amid the Trees
Thanks to the work of the CCC, shade is abundant at Pocahontas. On our hottest Cabin Work Day of the summer, attendance suffered from the day’s forecast, but the workers who did show universally commented that the heat was not as brutal as they feared thanks to our green covering. Unfortunately, sometimes tree limbs (and trees) fall. To our surprise, this one fell on the road near us on a calm, sunny day. It makes you keep looking up, especially on windy days.
Thankfully, the heat that greeted us on arrival would not last indefinitely. As Ida’s remnants moved north toward us, the forecast finally contained some relief and fall seemed a possibility at last.
Thanks to the work of the CCC, shade is abundant at Pocahontas. On our hottest Cabin Work Day of the summer, attendance suffered from the day’s forecast, but the workers who did show universally commented that the heat was not as brutal as they feared thanks to our green covering. Unfortunately, sometimes tree limbs (and trees) fall. To our surprise, this one fell on the road near us on a calm, sunny day. It makes you keep looking up, especially on windy days.
Thankfully, the heat that greeted us on arrival would not last indefinitely. As Ida’s remnants moved north toward us, the forecast finally contained some relief and fall seemed a possibility at last.
