4/21/26

Location: Magnolia Lane Campground, Pollocksville, NC

Prepared for departure by loading items into the truck, cleaning inside, dumping the tanks and hooking ChILL to the truck. The truck tailgate came down on its own at the campground. We assumed it was caused by pushing the button on the key fob from our pockets in error but WAIT there’s more!

Using the improved route that Skip had researched and that avoided the Hampton Bridge Tunnel, we headed out, with me as the first driver, for Anvil Campground in Williamsburg, VA. About an hour into the trip a nice driver slowed down to tell us the tailgate was open on the truck, which of course means it was laying on the trailer hitch as we were driving along the highway. At the stoplight Skip hopped out and closed it. We both removed the key fobs from our pockets in case that was the cause of the issue.  Fortunately the problem has not occurred again. Praise be to God!

Skip brought up the audible book he bought about Colonial Williamsburg which occupied us for a half hour or so. Then it became too boring for my tastes with excessive detail about furnishings and the reading of letters of political politeness. It did have some good information but not enough to continue listening to it and was not stimulating enough content to increase my driving focus.

Another hour later we took an exit because I needed a bathroom break even though nothing was noted at the exit, no gas stations or fast food places. However I did find an area that I thought was part of a nearby church parking lot. Turned out to be a small and busy local recycling center. After we used the bathroom in ChILL, the nice attendant allowed us to loop around where we easily returned to the highway and our planned route with me still in the driver’s seat.

Location: Virginia State Line Welcome Center

Here we took a selfie with the Virginia sign, picked up a couple of brochures about Colonial Williamsburg and enjoyed our previously prepared lunch from inside ChILL.

Skip took over as driver on what turned out to be the hardest part of the trip. Several quick exits happened in succession for the route Skip chose in advance. Many miles of construction also kept him on his toes. The roads for most of the time Skip drove were bumpy with a lot of traffic. Thankfully Skip handled it very well.

Location: Anvil Campground, Williamsburg, VA, premium site 77, full hookup

Anvil Campground was founded in 1954 by Ralph Jump and is still owned by the same family to this day. John D. Rockefeller, Jr hired James Jump and his son Ralph Jump in the late 1920s and early 1930s as master blacksmiths to help restore Colonial Williamsburg to its 1700s appearance to preserve history. In 1953 Ralph purchased a soybean farm that eventually became the campground. Inspired by their blacksmithing history the campground was named Anvil. A huge water wheel made by Ralph Jump in 1978 is still in operation today. The Jump family’s legacy lives on both in the campground and in their efforts over the years to restore Colonial Williamsburg.

Chris Jump, the owner of the campground since 2011, called us enroute to confirm our intention to checkin, confirmed our site number and told us to go ahead and setup upon arrival. An information packet was available for us at the Welcome Center containing the transit schedule and a suggested app for conveniently getting around the area. Armed with a QR code the campground provided for discount tickets, we purchased a multiday ticket for Colonial Williamsburg.

We have one of the premium sites with a large gravel pad. Our site is shaded and has a polywood porch swing with center cupholders, a polywood picnic table, a fire ring, a polywood privacy wall between the neighboring site’s porch swing area and close proximity to a sliding board. 

The transportation pick up is practically at our campsite and will take us to Colonial Williamsburg. The bus runs to and from frequently. Very convenient way for us to let someone else be responsible for navigating the local area and no need for us to find parking.

Had a freezer meal from ChILL of enchiladas I had made before we left along with raw vegetables. A tasty end to a good day!