Staying In touch

How do we stay in touch with our family and friends while on the road?

Answer… phone, text, email, blog post, Instagram, Facebook post and messenger, video chat (Facebook, Skype and Zoom).

Our blog, Instagram and Facebook post are social media platforms we use to keep our family and friends informed about our adventures.  We regularly text, call and email our family and friends every couple of weeks.  But our favorite is video chat with my parents and brother’s family.

I’ve attended a happy hour with the people I use to work with via Teams.  My friends invited me to play Cards Against Humanity via the internet.  We scheduled a Zoom meeting, which I setup on my computer and then we all downloaded the app on our phone or tablet to play.  The game apps let us setup a private group play.  Playing games remotely through the internet is fun.  When the game was over we had time to video chat. 

The internet and technology offer so many options.

How do you stay in touch?

E Pass Xtra

Why E Pass Xtra?  One pass for all states that except E-ZPass, plus Florida and Georgia toll roads.

What states does E pass XTRA work in?  Manage one toll pass account for travel on all toll roads and most bridges throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

It is a one-time fee of $18.50 (plus tax) for the transponder. There is no annual contract or monthly fees, but you will need to provide a credit card or debit card to fund it with a minimum of $10 of prepaid tolls.

After you set up your account you will receive the transponder within 7 – 10 business days in the mail.  Place it in your windshield, then when you drive under the toll collection station, an antenna reads your transponder and the charges are deducted from your account. When your account balance reaches the minimum threshold you have selected, the account balance is replenished by charging the amount you specified with your linked credit card or debit card.

Go to the E-PASS site (https://epass.cfxway.com/EpassWeb/) to open an account and request a transponder.  You can purchase an E-Pass Xtra no matter your home state, including Canada.

You can tow a vehicle and use the E Pass Xtra, just register all of your vehicle license plates (tow vehicle and trailer) on your toll pass accounts. If you have an RV and towed vehicle, you do not need two transponders, just list both license plates on your transponder online account and you can move the pass from the RV to your other vehicle. The system will know (or should know) when you are towing and not, so you only need one pass.  If you do get charged incorrectly you could call customer service.  Monitor you statement as a double check.

Myrtle Beach, SC

On March 15^th we were headed to Myrtle Beach SC for a Grand Design Rally.  We arrived to find out the rally was cancelled.  We went to Lakewood Campground and Resort anyway, as did some of our Grand Design friends and other Grand Design owners.  The “un-rally” as we called it, had restrictions; keep 6 feet apart, no more than 10 people together at a campsite, no touching (shaking hands or hugging) and there was plenty of disinfectant to clean all surfaces.

Mike and I got to visit with our friends (Grand Design Family), Pam and Craig, Mark and Carol, Victoria and Keith, Tanya and Phil; plus make new ones, Dave and Carol from Tennessee, Keith and Linda from Georgia, Richard and Shelia from Florida. 

The location was amazing.  Our campsite was a two minute walk to the beach, which we did daily.  We even got to witness God’s amazement in a sunrise.  Even saw a jellyfish on the beach.

With the corona virus outbreak, we could not sight see.  But we did go grocery shopping, pickup take-out dinner and lunch and had our camper repaired from a torn slide seal.

We look forward to our visit next March.