Ahhhh.. The Keys - John Pennekamp State Park

Oct 26 -  3 nights at the state park.  It has some nice beaches, clear waters and full hookup (rare for a state park).  If you get a chance spend some time there.  Book early as it tends to fill up.

We did some beach time, some kayak time and some iguana time.

Isn't that a great smile!



This guy was 6 foot long and had a few smaller girlfriends following him around.




Our next door campers were great and made sure we made it to all the happy hours at their site.  Don and Joanne, a good time was had by all.

Next, down south to Sunshine Key(aka Ohio Key- previously Little Duck Key) and Key West.  Someone said something about a fantasy fest or small party going on down there this week.  Wonder what all the hubbub is about?

Home Again - Home Again, Jiggety Jig

It's amazing how much stuff there is to take off the coach.  It filled the car and we have to go back for more..
So, finally back at home, all is well, thanks to everyone who took care of things while we were gone - Kendra, Greg and others.
Back to reality with a box full of mail and a box at the front door...  
which contained our glass efforts from Corning

Aren't they great.

Still had to fix the stabilizer controller board.

And figure out everything. 

3800+ miles, 23 nights, 10 campgrounds (1 twice), 70+ hours of driving and a lot of fun.
Also, a lot of next times
     -Less one night stands
     -No 400+ mile trips
     -More warm clothes (it got cold many nights)
     -Less pre planned food (lots of grocery stores on the way)
     -Be more flexible
     -Check tow bar prior to taking off
     -Goo into SC empty and leave full (diesel is really cheap there)
Some lessons learned :
     -Use a map as much as the GPS
     -Check the tow bar prior to taking of
     -Beware, just beware, crazy drivers are everywhere
     -It's easy to dry camp and we will plan on more of it
     -Be flexible

We leave in ten days for the Florida Keys for a 7 day trip.  With this one under our belt it ought to be a breeze.   Check back and we'll let you know.

Fort Yargo - GA. Oct 13 & 14

We had an overnight planned in Durham NC and after following the GPS took the scenic route thru the town to Birchwood RV Park (if you go there ask for directions and disregard the GPS).  It's always an experience pushing 50 feet and 35,000# thru streets based on buggys and carts. Then off to Fort Yargo on Tuesday morning for two nights and some visits.
A beautiful state park with large spots, many of them right on the lake.  We arrived too late for a lakeside site but glommed onto a super large drive thru that was excellent.

Liz's ex-husband and his wife joined us for hot dogs and wine around the fire (yeah, I know a bit strange for dinner guests) and it was a bug free evening with fine fare, good wine and great friends.

The morning after was crisp, bright and calling me to go for a ride around the lake. It was 7 miles of hills, rocks, roots and just a great ride.  Took me an hour, wore me out and this loop was the easy one.  Not that there wasn't a nice spot or two,  the deserted beach is great place for a breather.

Off to Chateau Elan, really - a chateau in Georgia, just north of Winder, where we had a lunch and a wine tasting (try to taste 8 wines, it's hard but we did it).  They import all the grapes (other than the Muscadet) from California and make all the wines on the premise.  Liz's loves the grounds and the fountain and maybe the wine.

Then off to the ex's (really) for his birthday celebration and a chance to visit her daughter and grandson.

Dianne put together a great meal for the six of us, the cake was marvelous and Larry was another year older (less a day).
We thought about staying another night at Fort Yargo, but decide to plow on back home, 490 miles ugh.

Lums Pond, Delaware - Oct 9 thru 12

Driving, that's my new full time job, though Corning to DE is not far it is a heck of a drive.  Instead of going S we backtracked on the interstate ended up on I81 and around Philadelphia.  Toll city and traffic plus. So we get to the Philly connector turnpike and it a $4.75 toll,  three (3) mile later there is another $4.75 toll.  I begin to think about taking out a mortgage, I never figured out why the 2 quick tolls and the rest of Pennsylvania cost another $22.40.  Some great views travelling across bridges that seem way too narrow for us, but we hold our breaths and travel on.

Delaware is a respite in comparison, we manage to find the camping ground at Lums Pond State park, after driving around the day park for a bit, and settle into a nice sight.  No water, no electricity, no sewer,  But it's a great park and we have never tried dry camping (boondocking).  Amazingly, everything works and the batteries are more than up to the task.  Hurrah. Three days and no power (well we gave it an hour of generator but it didn't need it).

The park has a couple of great trails and I get a chance to take a couple of bike rides, it is a wooded wonderland 8 mile loop, lots of fun, not too challenging, and pretty well deserted.

Liz's brother, David is the purpose of this leg and we get together over the next few days to see the nieces and nephews, have some good food and some good beer.  David was very generous with both.

Liz had a great time seeing everyone, especially Kalie and Mason. 

Mason just had fun.

We did a great trip to the Brandywine River Museum of Art that houses a large collection of all the Wyeth's work.

A great two days Liz had a hard time saying goodbye to her brother and we hope to visit soon.  

David makes great pie crust and wants to go sailing again soon, we'll see what we can do. Pies for sailing???  It just might work. 

Wonder if this clip will work on the blog?  It's under the bridge on the Bradywine river.

CMOG - an OMG for all.

Wow, what a place, Corning Museum of Glass.   Thursday was a day that went too fast and even though we arrived earlyish (9:30) before we knew it it was 4:45 and we were walking out the door (the museum closes at 5:00).

Liz was excited as we approached the entrance and couldn't stop chatting with the lady taking our tickets.  I was also impressed with the large Chihuly Glass hanging from the ceiling as we entered and the expansive area that seemed to spread outward in all directions, even from the ticket desk.

We chose to start with hands on, Liz wanted to blow a pumpkin and I thought it would be nice to make a flower.  We hooked up with Jameson who said we were going to be great, Liz already knew that.

It was a great time, we'll receive the glass after we get home as it has to anneal prior to handling (a 12 hour process) and they will ship the pieces to us.  If the blog is still going I'll be sure to post them.

We checked out a couple of hot glass shows, flame working, fiber optic cable, 3500 years of glass, contemporary glass and the contemporary exhibition for a short list.  The Contemporary Art and Design Exhibit is worth the visit just on its own.  When you enter the space you sense of area is challenged due to the gradient of whiteness on the walls, ceilings and floors.  It was hard to tell where the walls began and ended.  Very surreal, but it allowed you to be drawn to the glass as each display had a reason to be there.

Liz wants to go back, so do I, and we hope to someday soon.

The market Street of Corning called us and we had a quick walk and beverage before shopping for some groceries at Wegman's (what a store) and then heading back to the coach.

Off tomorrow to Lums Pond State Park, where, due to a missed reservation, we will be dry camping for 3 nights.  An adventure in itself as we have not yet tried this.

Connect the dots

It was a lot of driving, Belfast to Haverhill, Haverhill to Littleton and Littleton to Corning.  Tuesday and Wednesday, but all went well, except the fiasco with the tow bar getting jammed up outside the True Value, the diesel splashback , the water filled trunk and the traffic on I495.  Talc hates stop and go traffic.

Off to Haverhill, but first a side trip back to Belfast to get another growler of beer from the Marshal Wharf Brewery.  The owner came out, along with Samatha (cat), and we chatted while waiting for the staff to open, he talked about the growth in Belfast and how its getting hard to 'know' everyone as more business', stores and people move there.

A stop for diesel on the way where I ended up wearing about a gallon when the hi speed delivery splashed back on me, shoes, socks, shirt and pants all in a plastic bag waiting for a good cleaning now.

Mom's car is showing its age.  Hmm, hole in the muffler, weak battery connections and 20 gallons of water in the trunk.  Really, 20 gallons of water in the trunk? Seems she had a leak due to twigs and leaves damming up the water around the trunk seal and never knew there was 20 gallons of water in the trunk.  So, we drained and cleaned the trunk, cleaned and checked the battery and told her to visit a muffler shop and maybe the tire shop and maybe the car wash. Moms, gotta love them.

Then off to Boston Minuteman RV park in Littleton, one of our favorites.  Alas, it was just for the night though we did see Bill again, he coached my brother in hockey 40 years ago and remembered some of the times on Spectacle Pond Road.

Off to Corning, this was the prettiest drive, through the mountains - no bill boards, the leaves changing, the light on the hills.  It was a 6 hour drive but it had to be one of the most colorful and pleasant hours on the road we have spent.  Liz kept commenting on all the colors, the traffic was light, and the coach behaved through all the ups and downs.

Settled in at Ferenbaugh Campground, Corning NY.

Last Day in Maine - Monday, Oct 5

We are so relaxed and disconnected that I had to look up the day and date, but that made me realize it was our last day here.  Rats...
Route 1 South took us to Camden today, Camden Hills State Park that has a great view of the whole Penobscot Bay from Mt. Battie, quite the view.

We took a quick tour of the town of Camden, it was so busy we couldn't find a parking spot for a quick walk.  The town is a definite yes for a visit though.








Back to the Park for a nice lunch in the sun,  even Talc came.  He said we are all having a bow-wow time (really),

I had a yearning for some clams, but the flats they are harvested from are closed because of the big rains that came just prior to our arrival.So I settled for some cherrystone (littlenecks) from Shute's Seafood in Searsport.  Back at the coach I couldn't wait, steamed them up and had them with some butter and lemon, another great item of food checked off.  Plans to take a pic of the snack were forgotten as mom and I savored the tasty morsels.

Near the end of the day another nice sunset.

Sunday Sunday Sunday - without the football

It was great sitting out in the sun with coffee, jackets were an option not a requirement.  Some bacon, some laundry and then off for a trip to the Penobscot Narrow Bridge.  Last time was a bit cloudy and we wanted to try the observation deck so today is the day.  

There is an elevator right to the top where you are surrounded by glass on all four sides.  447 feet below the Penobscot river glows in the fall sun.

Right below the bridge is one of the two Fort Knox's (without the gold) it is extremely well preserved and dates from 1861.  Never fired upon it remains a great example of granite work which Maine is famous for.  Every October the volunteers,Friends of Fort Knox, put on a great haunted house.

All in all a great day wandering around followed by some down time waiting for the sunset.

Sunny Saturday - Belfast

We wake up to sunshine and everyone is smiling.  It's still in the low 50's and the wind is blowin' but it's SUNNY.  The tide is out so I decide to have coffee on the beach.

Kudos to anyone who identifies the artist of the image.

Belfast proper is only 3 miles away.  Surprisingly nice, a lot of style, less kitsch, and did I say it's SUNNY?  The town is still open and we have a great time walking around and check off another food item - fried clams - at Rollie's.
 
We find the local brewery, Marshall Wharf, and pick up a growler before heading back for a nap (just me).

Friday - Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park

Ugh, another grey windy day - but no rain.  It's not a really bad day but some sunshine would be greatly appreciated by all.

We decide to take in Bar Harbor and see if we can enjoy a few of the sites in Acadia National Park.  It's a nice drive, about 60 miles from here.  Along the way we get to cross the Penobscot Narrows Bridge a very cool looking bridge, my picture -

Pic copied from Google images.  Hmm, maybe I should be doing more of this plagiarism.

Bar Harbor, more kitsch shops than you can shake a fist at, Liz and mom are having a great time.  I did find a nice piece of glass that would have looked great on the mantle, Randi Solin is the artist, it was well priced I thought, but I sadly decline.  The lady in the shop said we might catch some of her work in Corning when we visit the glass museum.

Lobster rolls and a beer sound good to mel, and it's time to warm up so off to a lunch.  We chat to the waitress who says the the whole town will be shutting down around Nov 1.

On to Acadia, we decide to just drive through and take a side trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the view was great, the wind was blowing near 40 mph and it was cold.  Everyone is thinking 'why am I standing out in this wind and cold??'

Back to the coach for dinner and bed.

Belfast, Maine. Moorings RV

We are right on the water, it's a bit cool but it's not raining and a great site, we even have a rushing creek, running over slate, right behind our coach.

Tomorrow the sun is going to shine (hahahahaha),  we are looking forward to a crisp day and a chance to explore.

Liz and Mom are hoping it gets a bit sunnier - at least warmer - tomorrow.  The three of us are looking forward to some clams, lobster and shrimp.