Crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel with an RV

New experiences make me nervous, and I assume that holds true for most of us. Towing our fifth wheel through a major tunnel for the first time was such an experience. To top it off, this tunnel was one of the biggest I know of: the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, or simply the Bridge-Tunnel, when speaking with locals.

The Bridge-Tunnel is quite a site to behold for those of us who appreciate enormous engineering projects. It is a 20-mile-long bridge on US highway 13, linking the Delmarva Peninsula to the Virginia mainland over Chesapeake Bay. Of the 20 miles, two one-mile segments submerge to the bay floor, allowing large ships to pass above.

For new RVers like us, the tunnels hold a few challenges:

• Determining if propane is allowed
• Having to tow RV over two narrow lanes
• RV traffic is disallowed in winds of 40 mph and over, which was a distinct possibility in January

Despite these issues, we added the Bridge-Tunnel to our itinerary in order to avoid winter weather in the mountains along the western coast of the bay.

We left the RV park near Ocean City, Maryland, early in the morning to outrun the approaching thunderstorm. With only a half hour to go before reaching the Bridge-Tunnel, it was looking like we managed to stay well ahead of the storm. Until, that is, a driver decided to knock over a power line and halted all lanes of traffic for an hour.

Just as traffic started moving again, the wind began to blow fiercely. By the time we reached the Bridge-Tunnel toll booths, heavy winds and rain were buffeting the truck and trailer. Our hopes of crossing the bay before the storm vanished.

A few days before our trip, we contacted the CBBT Commission to make sure they allow propane through the tunnels. They informed us that as long as the propane is shut off at the bottle, we were free to cross. As we approached the toll booths, we were looking for the rest area they told us about so we may pull over and turn off the propane. Due to the cold weather, we wanted to run the furnace as long as possible to prevent the pipes from freezing. A few hundred feet from the gates a sign pointed left into the rest area, but to us it appeared as if it was pointing down a dirt road. At that time we did not notice that the parking lot was a bit further, just before the gates.

Thinking that I missed it, and having heard stories of stiff fines if caught with the propane running, I decided to pull over on the right shoulder just before the toll booths. It only took a few seconds for me to jump out and turn off the propane bottles, but that was enough for the truckers to make unkind comments over the [an error occurred while processing this directive] about my inappropriate parking. Looking back at the situation, I can't imagine a problem with me pulling up to the booth and explaining to the attendant that I missed the turn and still needed to turn off the propane.

As expected, the attendant asked us to take the U-turn lane into the parking lot (the one we missed earlier) until the high winds subsided. We pulled into the parking lot and joined a few RV's that have already been diverted. In a short time the parking lot was full of RV's and trucks without loads.

We had a quick lunch and decided to take a nap. Both of us had mild cold symptoms and the break from driving was welcome. It was difficult to sleep in the rocking trailer and with the noise of heavy rain, but it felt refreshing nevertheless. Four hours after stopping in the parking lot, the winds calmed. Officials with flashing lights and sirens came through the parking lot to let us know we may cross. Talk about a traffic jam! Hundreds of RV's and trucks headed for the single exit from all directions. Despite the number of vehicles, the parking lot cleared surprisingly fast with the aid of a couple of officers directing traffic.

Choppy gray waves stirred by moderate winds made the crossing eerie. Gusts of wind could still be felt as they hit the side of the fifth wheel, making us thankful for not having to cross at the height of the storm. Five hours behind, we finally arrived on the Virginia mainland.

I'm not sure what it is about Norfolk, but despite the fact that I have driven through it several times in the past, I always manage to take a wrong turn; this time was no exception.

At our disposal we had printed directions, trucker's map, and a GPS, yet we still managed to take a turn that took us into the north part of town. As we worked our way deeper into town against our best efforts, our agitation rose.

No offense to the good people of Virginia, but something about Norfolk caused us both to lose our map reading abilities and we were making our situation worse at each turn.

It was time to take a break. We pulled into a store parking lot and took some deep breaths to regain our calm. Patiently we reviewed the maps again and planned our egress from this trap. At last we were leaving Norfolk behind, resigned to the fact that we have lost half a day of travel. As we headed into the setting sun, a fiery red sunset melted away our remaining worries.

Charles Kerekes is a fulltime RVer traveling the US with his family and maintains the ChanginGears.com web RV site.

---

Your Horses Back May Not Be the Same Next Month

A saddle is a static object, but your horse is... Read More

You Might Be An Ultralight Backpacker If...

If you you find yourself saying "Hey, that's a good... Read More

Amazing Trek Across TIbet!

Today Bookpleasures and Sketchandtravel are pleased to have as our... Read More

Visiting Whistler in Summer

It is the end of the season for the year... Read More

Unforgettable Cape Cod Vacations: The National Seashore Gift

Take a captivating trip through the Cape Cod National Seashore... Read More

The Classy Way to Do WA

Western Australia ? South-West Coast driving holiday. Great Australian Road... Read More

Kerala ? Holiday in Gods Own Country

Touted as one of the world's fifty destinations of a... Read More

Bird Watching Tips

Simply sitting and watching birds is a popular hobby around... Read More

Great Indian Holidays

Holidays in India, awesome in her size and diversity. This... Read More

Holidays in Goa

Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More

Sleeping Pads For Ultralight Backpackers

Ultralight backpackers want to give up weight, not comfort. Sleeping... Read More

Whitewater Rafting Trip

For the dedicated water sport enthusiast there can be no... Read More

Three Places to Interact with Dolphins in Hawaii

Visitors to Hawaii frequently see dolphins from shore or on... Read More

Samoa, Heart of Polynesia

The islands of Samoa are emerging as an exciting new... Read More

Stay Out of That Old Mine!

It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world.... Read More

Inflatable Pontoon Boats

Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and... Read More

Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More

Kerala Backwaters - Gently Down the Stream

The quaint little balcony was large enough to accommodate two... Read More

Packing a Backpack - A Guide

With so many different designs, packing a backpack will vary... Read More

The Benefits of One Day Hiking Trips

Do you like to take one day hiking trips? Do... Read More

Shark Attacks! How Common are They? Where do They Occur?

Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could... Read More

The Lumemo Trail - An African Wilderness Experience for the Practiced Hiker

The Udzungwa Mountains National park was created primarily for the... Read More

Protection from Lightning - Smart Strategies for Hikers and All Outdoor Enthusiasts

Prevention is your best protection against lightning. Be sure to... Read More

How to Repair an Inflatable Boat

The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing... Read More

Its an Alien World in Every River

When you look at a river, what do you see?... Read More