May 8
It's Saturday night and our adventure begins...WOOHOO!
We left Saint John around 6:15, shortly after Sheila finished up at the office. We hit the road not really knowing how far we'd get. Just outside Bangor, ME. we stopped at Dysart's Truck Stop for some sandwiches and drinks. Cool store! Lots of neat stuff, and judging by the number of trucks parked nearby, the attached restaurant must be great. We'll have to keep this place in mind.
We decided to stop for the night just outside of Augusta, ME. We found a great "campsite" right on I-95. Nestled among tractor trailers, we went to sleep serenaded by the soft sounds of diesel engines and refrigeration units. :-)
Went for a drive through the business district of Stroudsburg and got back just in time to see Amber (and Boston Rob) win a million on Survivor. Now the viewers are being asked to vote for their favorite Survivor, and CBS will award that contestant with another million! Go Rupert!!
Hate to leave this lovely place, but we're off to visit the Amish tomorrow.
We decided to stay at Roamer's Retreat Campground in Paradise, PA. (really, it is!!) just outside Lancaster. What an amazing contrast in cultures and societies. As we entered the campground we found ourselves, quite literally, between two worlds. The hustle and bustle of big city life was left behind with the peaceful, non-industrialized life of the Amish, laid out in front of us. This small, fully serviced campground offers quiet, relaxed camping under tall maple trees with a panoramic view of Amish farmland. We would definitely come back here again!
We only plan on staying here one night, then tomorrow it's on to the horse country of Lexington, KY.
We had burgers for supper, then watched as Rupert picked up a cool million as the viewer's choice on Survivor!!
Adjacent to the campground is a complex called "The Kentucky Horse Park" which pays tribute to man's lifelong love affair with the horse. It features a museum, a racetrack, and huge pastures. We had read so much about it, we were quite anxious to see it. And we weren't disappointed! We caught the 11:00 "Parade of Breeds" and it was quite a good show. It was a great opportunity to get up close to the horses, and the staff at the Horse Park encouraged you to ask questions. We also walked through their museum. Very interesting. It talked about the evolution of horses through the years. The history of work horses and race horses. It also had an excellent display of antique horse drawn wagons and carriages.
After our visit to the aquarium, we picked up the puppies and took a drive through the Smoky Mountain National Park. It was beautiful, but we were amazed at the number of people who would drive off to the side of the road and just stare into the woods. I guess we just take the beauty of nature for granted because we're surrounded by it all the time back home. Some of these people have probably never seen so many trees.
The sign says..."DO NOT PARK OR STOP ON CAUSEWAY. FEEDING ALLIGATORS PROHIBITED BY LAW". We thought "HA, this must be a joke!". Just then I happened to glance out my window and spotted a couple of logs floating in the water - and they blinked at me! COOL! We checked in at the campground office then drove to our site and set up. Talk about roomy sites, our nearest neighbor is at least 100' away! I'm going to like this place. And we have one of the closest sites to the beach. The pathway to the beach is directly opposite our trailer.
Sheila baked some chicken for supper, then after we cleaned up we took the puppies for a walk around the campground. Checked out the beach...it's beautiful! White, fine sand, hardly anyone on the beach and the water is so WARM!!
We left Saint John around 6:15, shortly after Sheila finished up at the office. We hit the road not really knowing how far we'd get. Just outside Bangor, ME. we stopped at Dysart's Truck Stop for some sandwiches and drinks. Cool store! Lots of neat stuff, and judging by the number of trucks parked nearby, the attached restaurant must be great. We'll have to keep this place in mind.
We decided to stop for the night just outside of Augusta, ME. We found a great "campsite" right on I-95. Nestled among tractor trailers, we went to sleep serenaded by the soft sounds of diesel engines and refrigeration units. :-)
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| Our first night - at an I-95 highway rest area |
May 9
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
Woke up early and took the puppies outside for their morning ritual. Quite cool this morning. Stopped at a highway Service Area just outside Portland, ME and grabbed some breakfast at Burger King. I can see that sticking to our low-carb diet is going to be tough over the next few weeks! Gassed up and we were on our way again. For lunch, had an excellent salad at Fresh City at the Charlton Plaza.
Just before suppertime we decided to stop at Otter Lake Camping Resort in Marshall's Creek, PA. Very nice place. We needed to follow a long, winding, zigzagging road to get here but was well worth it. The entire campground surrounds the lake with a mixture of lake front sites and wooded sites. We splurged and paid the extra for a site directly on the water. Beautiful spot! We are actually situated on a bit of a peninsula that extends out into the lake. We spent a little while outside this evening just enjoying the scenery then took the dogs for a stroll. Some natives of the campground - ducks and geese - swam by, then later came back to raid Kelly and Chloe's dishes. The dogs were not amused!!
Woke up early and took the puppies outside for their morning ritual. Quite cool this morning. Stopped at a highway Service Area just outside Portland, ME and grabbed some breakfast at Burger King. I can see that sticking to our low-carb diet is going to be tough over the next few weeks! Gassed up and we were on our way again. For lunch, had an excellent salad at Fresh City at the Charlton Plaza.
Just before suppertime we decided to stop at Otter Lake Camping Resort in Marshall's Creek, PA. Very nice place. We needed to follow a long, winding, zigzagging road to get here but was well worth it. The entire campground surrounds the lake with a mixture of lake front sites and wooded sites. We splurged and paid the extra for a site directly on the water. Beautiful spot! We are actually situated on a bit of a peninsula that extends out into the lake. We spent a little while outside this evening just enjoying the scenery then took the dogs for a stroll. Some natives of the campground - ducks and geese - swam by, then later came back to raid Kelly and Chloe's dishes. The dogs were not amused!!
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| View of boatdock from our livingroom window |
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| Our backyard |
Went for a drive through the business district of Stroudsburg and got back just in time to see Amber (and Boston Rob) win a million on Survivor. Now the viewers are being asked to vote for their favorite Survivor, and CBS will award that contestant with another million! Go Rupert!!
Hate to leave this lovely place, but we're off to visit the Amish tomorrow.
May 10
Arrived in Lancaster, PA late this afternoon. The thermometer in the truck hit 33o C as we drove into town!! PHEW, it's getting warm already and our trip is just getting started!
What a fascinating town. We have Amish folk living right next door to non-Amish folk. Main Street is unlike any other Main Street I've ever experienced. Mixed in with modern day motor vehicles you'll see a horse and buggy taking an Amish couple to town. There are several shops in town owned and run by the Amish where they sell their quilts, crafts and other handiwork. We really must stop at one of these stores and purchase some of their wares...and of course, some Shoo-Fly Pie!
What a fascinating town. We have Amish folk living right next door to non-Amish folk. Main Street is unlike any other Main Street I've ever experienced. Mixed in with modern day motor vehicles you'll see a horse and buggy taking an Amish couple to town. There are several shops in town owned and run by the Amish where they sell their quilts, crafts and other handiwork. We really must stop at one of these stores and purchase some of their wares...and of course, some Shoo-Fly Pie!
We decided to stay at Roamer's Retreat Campground in Paradise, PA. (really, it is!!) just outside Lancaster. What an amazing contrast in cultures and societies. As we entered the campground we found ourselves, quite literally, between two worlds. The hustle and bustle of big city life was left behind with the peaceful, non-industrialized life of the Amish, laid out in front of us. This small, fully serviced campground offers quiet, relaxed camping under tall maple trees with a panoramic view of Amish farmland. We would definitely come back here again!
May 11
We thought this would be a good day to discover all we could about the Amish, so after breakfast we started out by touring the back country roads, taking in the scenery and admiring the houses and farms of the Amish. We witnessed Amish farmers plowing fields with horses, irrigating fields with horses and cutting and bailing hay with horses. It was amazing to see the wide variety of farming implements that have been modified to operate without a tractor. The houses ranged from the very modest to the very fancy, but they all have several things in common - the properties have very well manicured yards, they always have a garage (or barn) to shelter their buggies, and no overhead utility lines are connected to their buildings.
At this point we decided it would be a disservice to anyone reading this if we didn't stop by the Bake Shop in the community of Bird-In-Hand to scrutinize some Amish goods. We picked up some Apple Streusel (yummy), raspberry filled cookies (again, yummy) and a Shoo-Fly Pie (very yummy).
Once we had our fill of sweets (there goes the diet!!), we dropped off the puppy dogs at the trailer and took in an Amish house tour which was followed by a film about the Amish way of life.
These people seem to be very much misunderstood by the general population. It's not that they oppose modern day things, but rather, any new tools or technologies must demonstrate a significant benefit before their community leaders will allow their people to start using them. The religious leaders, or bishops, across the community hold council twice a year to discuss and decide on any potential changes to their standardized way of life. Many people assume that the Amish shun the "modern world" after seeing their buggies and also the lack of electricity. This is not true. There is always an underlying reason for their behaviour. Right now, the only acceptable mode of transportation is horse and buggy. The reason for this is simple enough - to keep the community close together. Members of the community must not be given too much freedom to travel. Without motor vehicles, community members are unable to stray too far. Regarding electricity, it is very important that there are no physical links to the English (that's what we are called - "The English" or "Englishers"). Physical links being power lines connected to our power grid, telephone lines connected to our telephone network or even water or sewer lines connected to our municipal systems. An interesting twist: cellular phones are becoming acceptable among the "New Order" Amish because they are not "physically" connected to us in any way. Obviously the Amish must rely on alternate sources of power. Typical homes would contain coal burning furnaces, propane fridges, oil lamps and anything that runs on battery power. A new "toy" that has recently gained popularity is the solar panel. As a matter of fact, during our travels, we saw several homes with rooftop panels.
The founder of this way of life, Jakob Ammann, was persecuted and eventually killed by his country's (Germany) military for his teachings. Seeking safety, his followers fled to Colonial America, known for it's religious tolerance. They first landed in Philadelphia, but then moved to the wilderness of Lancaster (pronounced "LANG-ki-stir" not "Lan-CAS-ter") County. They have since also taken up residence in Ohio, Indiana and most recently Wisconsin.
At this point we decided it would be a disservice to anyone reading this if we didn't stop by the Bake Shop in the community of Bird-In-Hand to scrutinize some Amish goods. We picked up some Apple Streusel (yummy), raspberry filled cookies (again, yummy) and a Shoo-Fly Pie (very yummy).
Once we had our fill of sweets (there goes the diet!!), we dropped off the puppy dogs at the trailer and took in an Amish house tour which was followed by a film about the Amish way of life.
These people seem to be very much misunderstood by the general population. It's not that they oppose modern day things, but rather, any new tools or technologies must demonstrate a significant benefit before their community leaders will allow their people to start using them. The religious leaders, or bishops, across the community hold council twice a year to discuss and decide on any potential changes to their standardized way of life. Many people assume that the Amish shun the "modern world" after seeing their buggies and also the lack of electricity. This is not true. There is always an underlying reason for their behaviour. Right now, the only acceptable mode of transportation is horse and buggy. The reason for this is simple enough - to keep the community close together. Members of the community must not be given too much freedom to travel. Without motor vehicles, community members are unable to stray too far. Regarding electricity, it is very important that there are no physical links to the English (that's what we are called - "The English" or "Englishers"). Physical links being power lines connected to our power grid, telephone lines connected to our telephone network or even water or sewer lines connected to our municipal systems. An interesting twist: cellular phones are becoming acceptable among the "New Order" Amish because they are not "physically" connected to us in any way. Obviously the Amish must rely on alternate sources of power. Typical homes would contain coal burning furnaces, propane fridges, oil lamps and anything that runs on battery power. A new "toy" that has recently gained popularity is the solar panel. As a matter of fact, during our travels, we saw several homes with rooftop panels.
The founder of this way of life, Jakob Ammann, was persecuted and eventually killed by his country's (Germany) military for his teachings. Seeking safety, his followers fled to Colonial America, known for it's religious tolerance. They first landed in Philadelphia, but then moved to the wilderness of Lancaster (pronounced "LANG-ki-stir" not "Lan-CAS-ter") County. They have since also taken up residence in Ohio, Indiana and most recently Wisconsin.
May 12
It's another hot and hazy day, with predicted temps in the high 80's. Time to move on...the open road is calling! We packed up and pointed the truck toward Kentucky. By suppertime, we decided it was time to stop for the night. We found a rustic campground in Milton, West Virginia called Fox Fire Camping Resort. And believe me, it is rustic! In all honesty though, it's quite nice...if only they'd mow the grass!
We only plan on staying here one night, then tomorrow it's on to the horse country of Lexington, KY.
May 13
Slept in this morning as our next campground was only about 2 1/2 hours away. Had some breakfast and got on the road about 11:00.
It's another hot one...temperature hit 33o C again today!! As we followed the highway through West Virginia and Kentucky I had a tough time keeping my eyes on the road as the mountain scenery was fantastic! At one point we were driving along at an elevation of 2800 ft. and the mountain vistas and valley views were breathtaking! Not only did we drive over mountains, we also drove through them. On three separate occasions, the highway tunneled through Blue Mountain. Not short sections either. Each tunnel was almost 1 1/2 km in length...amazing!
At 2:00 we arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park Campground of Lexington, KY. Lexington is known as the "Horse Capital of the World" and appears to be a nice place so I'm hoping to do lots of exploring!
Once we were set up, we decided to spend the balance of today just resting and relaxing in the campground. With lots of paved roads, we'll be able to take puppies for lots of walks. So we did just that. The campground is beautiful, with well manicured lawns, large sites and it's nestled between huge horse ranches.
It's another hot one...temperature hit 33o C again today!! As we followed the highway through West Virginia and Kentucky I had a tough time keeping my eyes on the road as the mountain scenery was fantastic! At one point we were driving along at an elevation of 2800 ft. and the mountain vistas and valley views were breathtaking! Not only did we drive over mountains, we also drove through them. On three separate occasions, the highway tunneled through Blue Mountain. Not short sections either. Each tunnel was almost 1 1/2 km in length...amazing!
At 2:00 we arrived at the Kentucky Horse Park Campground of Lexington, KY. Lexington is known as the "Horse Capital of the World" and appears to be a nice place so I'm hoping to do lots of exploring!
Once we were set up, we decided to spend the balance of today just resting and relaxing in the campground. With lots of paved roads, we'll be able to take puppies for lots of walks. So we did just that. The campground is beautiful, with well manicured lawns, large sites and it's nestled between huge horse ranches.
We had burgers for supper, then watched as Rupert picked up a cool million as the viewer's choice on Survivor!!
May 14
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHLOE!! Our puppy has turned one year old today! <sigh>...they grow up so fast!
We got up early this morning, had some breakfast and headed out to check out the scenery around Lexington. Once we got back to the trailer, I sat down at the laptop hoping to describe how beautiful this area is...but I can't. I just can't convey the beauty that this region has to offer. When we arrived yesterday, we caught a little glimpse of the scenery and I can remember thinking "...it seems like a nice place...". What an understatement!! Regardless of the words I might choose, it would fall well short. Imagine following a country road with white (and sometimes brown) plank fencing and lush green pastures as far as the eye can see. Then imagine horses of all sizes and colors - brown, tan, grey and white - filling the pastures. Now imagine coming over a crest of a hill and seeing in the midst of a field, a mare and her foals. Not only that, but in an adjacent field there's another mare, this time with an extremely young foal. I'm talking so young it's still learning to stand up. So cute!! The ranch houses are also something else...the horse business must be very good!!
We got up early this morning, had some breakfast and headed out to check out the scenery around Lexington. Once we got back to the trailer, I sat down at the laptop hoping to describe how beautiful this area is...but I can't. I just can't convey the beauty that this region has to offer. When we arrived yesterday, we caught a little glimpse of the scenery and I can remember thinking "...it seems like a nice place...". What an understatement!! Regardless of the words I might choose, it would fall well short. Imagine following a country road with white (and sometimes brown) plank fencing and lush green pastures as far as the eye can see. Then imagine horses of all sizes and colors - brown, tan, grey and white - filling the pastures. Now imagine coming over a crest of a hill and seeing in the midst of a field, a mare and her foals. Not only that, but in an adjacent field there's another mare, this time with an extremely young foal. I'm talking so young it's still learning to stand up. So cute!! The ranch houses are also something else...the horse business must be very good!!
Adjacent to the campground is a complex called "The Kentucky Horse Park" which pays tribute to man's lifelong love affair with the horse. It features a museum, a racetrack, and huge pastures. We had read so much about it, we were quite anxious to see it. And we weren't disappointed! We caught the 11:00 "Parade of Breeds" and it was quite a good show. It was a great opportunity to get up close to the horses, and the staff at the Horse Park encouraged you to ask questions. We also walked through their museum. Very interesting. It talked about the evolution of horses through the years. The history of work horses and race horses. It also had an excellent display of antique horse drawn wagons and carriages.
May 15
We woke up to a torrential downpour. YUCK! With that being said, it seemed like a good day to eat out for breakfast...so we did. Good news - we found a Waffle House just down the street. WOOHOO...I love Waffle House! I ordered the breakfast special with eggs, sausage, grits, toast and a humongous waffle while Sheila ordered the patty melt sandwich. Delicious.
After we rolled ourselves out to the truck, we decided to tour one of the local bourbon distilleries. Kentucky is world famous for its bourbon, and it's been produced here since the 19th century. We toured the "Woodford Reserve" distillery of the Labrot & Graham company, and it was quite informative. "Jack" was our tour guide and he did a great job! First stop was the distillery building where we could see several 7500 gallon vats made from cypress wood. In these vats contained a mixture of yeast, sugar and ground corn that was in the process of fermenting. In this same building we were shown how the white oak barrels are created, then filled. Next stop was the building in which the barrels are stacked on shelves and left to age. As we stepped into the dark damp building, we walked into the most delicious aroma of 5-7 year old bourbon, After that came the bottling section, where the "just right" barrels are dumped into a trough, then bottled and packaged up. Neat stuff!! Once the tour was done, we were brought back to the gift shop and restaurant where we were given a free sample. It was tasty, but a little strong.
After leaving the distillery it was time for supper, so we stopped at a Outback Steakhouse. Being at an Outback, we absolutely had to have a "Bloomin' Onion"! Delicious! For our entrees, I ordered the 14 oz. Rib Eye while Sheila ordered the Royal Port (white fish fillet covered with a mixture of mushrooms, shrimp and crawfish). Everything was yummy and highly recommended.
Got back to the trailer and finished off the day by taking the dogs for a walk, then had a small campfire.
After we rolled ourselves out to the truck, we decided to tour one of the local bourbon distilleries. Kentucky is world famous for its bourbon, and it's been produced here since the 19th century. We toured the "Woodford Reserve" distillery of the Labrot & Graham company, and it was quite informative. "Jack" was our tour guide and he did a great job! First stop was the distillery building where we could see several 7500 gallon vats made from cypress wood. In these vats contained a mixture of yeast, sugar and ground corn that was in the process of fermenting. In this same building we were shown how the white oak barrels are created, then filled. Next stop was the building in which the barrels are stacked on shelves and left to age. As we stepped into the dark damp building, we walked into the most delicious aroma of 5-7 year old bourbon, After that came the bottling section, where the "just right" barrels are dumped into a trough, then bottled and packaged up. Neat stuff!! Once the tour was done, we were brought back to the gift shop and restaurant where we were given a free sample. It was tasty, but a little strong.
After leaving the distillery it was time for supper, so we stopped at a Outback Steakhouse. Being at an Outback, we absolutely had to have a "Bloomin' Onion"! Delicious! For our entrees, I ordered the 14 oz. Rib Eye while Sheila ordered the Royal Port (white fish fillet covered with a mixture of mushrooms, shrimp and crawfish). Everything was yummy and highly recommended.
Got back to the trailer and finished off the day by taking the dogs for a walk, then had a small campfire.
May 16
Today we moved on to our next stop...The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. We packed up and got on the road by 11:00. It was pretty much an uneventful trip as most of the driving was on flat straight interstate highways. We arrived at our new campground, River Plantation RV Park in Sevierville TN., around 2:30. Nice place. Well maintained, clean, roomy park with concrete patios at each site. We paid a premium and got a river front site. We set up, then relaxed for a bit with some cold drinks. Took the puppy dogs for a good walk around the place, then decided to jump in the truck to explore.
There are three towns that sit in a row at the base of the Smokies - Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg - with one major highway connecting them together. From the campground, it was probably a 45 minute drive to pass through all these towns to reach the entrance to the National Park on the far side of Gatlinburg. But what a drive! It was like driving through a mini Las Vegas! There was every conceivable hotel, restaurant, museum and attraction known to man! There are theme parks. There are wedding chapels. There are music shows. There are comedy shows. There are restaurants with music shows. There are restaurants with comedy shows. I'm sure you could drive that road a dozen times and still not see everything! We're only staying here for two nights, but we would need 2 months to experience it all! After all that, my head is spinning...I think I need to lay down. Maybe tomorrow, we'll get to see some of the attractions up close.
There are three towns that sit in a row at the base of the Smokies - Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg - with one major highway connecting them together. From the campground, it was probably a 45 minute drive to pass through all these towns to reach the entrance to the National Park on the far side of Gatlinburg. But what a drive! It was like driving through a mini Las Vegas! There was every conceivable hotel, restaurant, museum and attraction known to man! There are theme parks. There are wedding chapels. There are music shows. There are comedy shows. There are restaurants with music shows. There are restaurants with comedy shows. I'm sure you could drive that road a dozen times and still not see everything! We're only staying here for two nights, but we would need 2 months to experience it all! After all that, my head is spinning...I think I need to lay down. Maybe tomorrow, we'll get to see some of the attractions up close.
May 17
Another warm day - temperatures hovering 90o F (about 33o C) and lots of sunshine. We decided that we had to visit at least one attraction in this mini Vegas, so we headed out this morning on our "adventure". Stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Yum! We both had a "sampler" that included eggs, a slice of bacon, ham and sausage, hash brown casserole, fried apples (delicious!) and of course, you can't have a southern breakfast without GRITS! Our waitress was Laura, and I think she was shocked when we told her we had never eaten at a Cracker Barrel before because a few minutes later, this very nice lady, Barbara (hostess maybe?), sits down to chat with us. She just wondered why on earth we had never been to one before! After explaining to her that we were Canadian, all was forgiven. She even gave us a menu to "study" because she was sure that we would be coming back for supper.
After breakfast, we decided to check out the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies...what an amazing place! They have just about every kind of sea life you can imagine and the aquarium itself is absolutely beautifully maintained. The most amazing part of the visit is the walk through the Shark Lagoon. You walk through this 340-ft acrylic tunnel that runs under the aquarium and you come face to face with snappers, sting rays, sawfish, and very large sharks! It was so cool to have them swimming right over your head! There was also an exhibit called Stingray Bay where you could actually touch the stingrays. They seemed to be in a teasing mood today...they'd come up close, but there weren't many people who were actually able to touch them. They are supposed to be very gently and affectionate creatures.
After breakfast, we decided to check out the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies...what an amazing place! They have just about every kind of sea life you can imagine and the aquarium itself is absolutely beautifully maintained. The most amazing part of the visit is the walk through the Shark Lagoon. You walk through this 340-ft acrylic tunnel that runs under the aquarium and you come face to face with snappers, sting rays, sawfish, and very large sharks! It was so cool to have them swimming right over your head! There was also an exhibit called Stingray Bay where you could actually touch the stingrays. They seemed to be in a teasing mood today...they'd come up close, but there weren't many people who were actually able to touch them. They are supposed to be very gently and affectionate creatures.
After our visit to the aquarium, we picked up the puppies and took a drive through the Smoky Mountain National Park. It was beautiful, but we were amazed at the number of people who would drive off to the side of the road and just stare into the woods. I guess we just take the beauty of nature for granted because we're surrounded by it all the time back home. Some of these people have probably never seen so many trees.
May 18
Another travel day. This leg of the trip will take us to our ultimate destination...Myrtle Beach, SC. Slept in a bit this morning as we stayed up late last night to watch the handoff from "CSI:Miami" to their new spin-off "CSI:New York". Gotta love all these CSI shows!!
Left Sevierville around 10:30am and arrived at Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina at about 6:30pm. After we entered the park we approached a long causeway. As we drew near, I noticed a sign alongside the road:
Left Sevierville around 10:30am and arrived at Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina at about 6:30pm. After we entered the park we approached a long causeway. As we drew near, I noticed a sign alongside the road:
The sign says..."DO NOT PARK OR STOP ON CAUSEWAY. FEEDING ALLIGATORS PROHIBITED BY LAW". We thought "HA, this must be a joke!". Just then I happened to glance out my window and spotted a couple of logs floating in the water - and they blinked at me! COOL! We checked in at the campground office then drove to our site and set up. Talk about roomy sites, our nearest neighbor is at least 100' away! I'm going to like this place. And we have one of the closest sites to the beach. The pathway to the beach is directly opposite our trailer.
Sheila baked some chicken for supper, then after we cleaned up we took the puppies for a walk around the campground. Checked out the beach...it's beautiful! White, fine sand, hardly anyone on the beach and the water is so WARM!!
May 19
Today we took an early morning walk on the beach. Chloe went for a swim - she loved it when the waves crashed on her! Kelly, on the other hand, was not impressed. Guess she's not going to be a beach girl.
Watched some news and weather from Canada on the satellite dish. I had to chuckle when I realized that our night time temps here (between 18 and 20o C) are warmer than the daytime temps back home!! Later in the morning we went for a drive into Myrtle Beach. WOW, is that place ever wild! And tacky! It seems to be a never ending string of hotels, amusement parks, mini golf establishments and T-shirt shops. Also during our little foray, we came across one of the biggest campgrounds I've ever seen. "Ocean Lakes Campground" is HUGE!! 9000 sites!! It was unbelievable...not our cup of tea. Way too much going on! I noticed that on average the site fee is around $50.00 a night. That's almost twice what we might normally pay when we travel. We did a quick little drive through. It was full of top-of-the-line motorhomes and 5th wheel trailers. I noticed a lot of the motorhomes were built by a company called Prevost. We're talking big money. For those not familiar with these particular rigs, they are upwards of 1 and 2 million dollars each!
After that experience, it was time to head back to our modest little home-away-from-home. We stopped to pick up some groceries and stumbled across a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop. We had never had them before. So in the interest of fair reporting, we felt an obligation to inspect their product. OH MY GOD...ARE THEY EVER GOOD!! I had a New York Cheesecake and Sheila had a Strawberry Shortcake. Delicious! I sure hope we'll "accidentally" stumble across some more Krispy Kreme shops on the way back to New Brunswick!
After supper we watched as Jasmine was eliminated on American Idol. Poor Jassie. And of course, Fantasia cried. She seems to be very emotional. She'll be a wreck if she actually wins!
Watched some news and weather from Canada on the satellite dish. I had to chuckle when I realized that our night time temps here (between 18 and 20o C) are warmer than the daytime temps back home!! Later in the morning we went for a drive into Myrtle Beach. WOW, is that place ever wild! And tacky! It seems to be a never ending string of hotels, amusement parks, mini golf establishments and T-shirt shops. Also during our little foray, we came across one of the biggest campgrounds I've ever seen. "Ocean Lakes Campground" is HUGE!! 9000 sites!! It was unbelievable...not our cup of tea. Way too much going on! I noticed that on average the site fee is around $50.00 a night. That's almost twice what we might normally pay when we travel. We did a quick little drive through. It was full of top-of-the-line motorhomes and 5th wheel trailers. I noticed a lot of the motorhomes were built by a company called Prevost. We're talking big money. For those not familiar with these particular rigs, they are upwards of 1 and 2 million dollars each!
After that experience, it was time to head back to our modest little home-away-from-home. We stopped to pick up some groceries and stumbled across a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop. We had never had them before. So in the interest of fair reporting, we felt an obligation to inspect their product. OH MY GOD...ARE THEY EVER GOOD!! I had a New York Cheesecake and Sheila had a Strawberry Shortcake. Delicious! I sure hope we'll "accidentally" stumble across some more Krispy Kreme shops on the way back to New Brunswick!
After supper we watched as Jasmine was eliminated on American Idol. Poor Jassie. And of course, Fantasia cried. She seems to be very emotional. She'll be a wreck if she actually wins!
May 20
Headed for Charleston, SC. this morning to do a guided tour of the city. Back in 2001 we toured Savannah, GA. and liked it very much. Charleston is a comparable town so we thought we might tour it if we ever got back down this way. Stopped for lunch at a "Sticky Fingers" restaurant just before we arrived in Charleston. As soon as we got out of the truck, the most delicious barbeque smell hit us in the face. If that was any indication of the food, it was going to be great! Cameron was our waiter and he was hilarious! I ordered the Wing & Rib Combo ($12.95 + tax) while Sheila had the Barbeque Sandwich and Rib Combo ($6.95 + tax). As always in the South, copious amounts of iced tea is served up to your table. Southerners sure do know how to make good iced tea! Everything was delicious! We highly recommend this restaurant!
By the time we reached Charleston, we had decided on a carriage tour. We stopped in the free parking lot reserved for Palmetto Carriage Tours and lined up two seats on the next scheduled tour. Jim was our tour guide and he was great. He masterfully steered Assault & Battery, the two mules hauling us around...yes, MULES!! Unfortunately, we were only able to see a small part of the city center as the animals are only allowed in certain parts of the city, but it was still very informative, nonetheless. Jim covered a great deal of the history of the city. He covered slavery, the Declaration of Independence and the Civil War, among other things. He did a great job!
By the time we reached Charleston, we had decided on a carriage tour. We stopped in the free parking lot reserved for Palmetto Carriage Tours and lined up two seats on the next scheduled tour. Jim was our tour guide and he was great. He masterfully steered Assault & Battery, the two mules hauling us around...yes, MULES!! Unfortunately, we were only able to see a small part of the city center as the animals are only allowed in certain parts of the city, but it was still very informative, nonetheless. Jim covered a great deal of the history of the city. He covered slavery, the Declaration of Independence and the Civil War, among other things. He did a great job!
May 21
Not much to report today. Sat around the trailer this morning. Spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach. Took Chloe for a swim. Kelly still hasn't acquired any sort of liking for the water yet. Went to "The Seafare Restaurant" in Murrell's Inlet for supper. Very cheesy restaurant. Everyone was dressed as buccaneers or pirates. They even had a swimming pool full of mermaids! Tom welcomed us at the door while Mike was our server. They even had live entertainment...a fellow softly played his guitar in the background. Sheila and I started with margaritas, then we both ordered the buffet. The buffet was expensive (about $22) but was very good! The margaritas were excellent as well! The crab legs were yummy. Lots of delicious seafood dishes, a pasta bar where the chef prepared your sauce to your liking, and wonderful desserts. In fact I'm sure I had 7 or 8 helpings of dessert :-) After letting our supper digest for quite some time, we managed to walk back out to the truck and returned to the trailer.
A quick observation on the weather - this may be the first day we didn't have an afternoon rain shower - sunny all day!
A quick observation on the weather - this may be the first day we didn't have an afternoon rain shower - sunny all day!
May 22
Today was...ummm...interesting, but not necessarily in a good way. More about that in a minute. It started out innocently enough. This morning it was time to turn the truck around and begin working our way home. We packed up and hit the road around 9:00. We stopped into a Cracker Barrel restaurant for breakfast. Since we had breakfast at a Cracker Barrel just a few days before, we knew exactly what we wanted - the Sunrise Sampler - yummy!!
Another warm one today - we've had quite a run of hot weather. Since the day we arrived in Pennsylvania, I don't think there's been a day that's failed to reach 90o F (33o C). But today we set a record for our trip. Just about the time we crossed the state line from North Carolina into Virginia, the thermometer in the truck hit 99o F (37o C)!!
Now getting back to our adventure. After experiencing the beaches of South Carolina, we decided we should experience a beach in Virginia...as in Virginia Beach. So we looked at our choice of campgrounds in our Woodall's Campground Directory for Virginia Beach...a Trav-L-Park and a KOA. We don't care for KOA's so we popped into the Trav-L-Park. Our first impression as we entered was that it seemed to be very nice. So after being assigned an RV site (which was toward the back of the place), we headed back to see where we'd live. It was awful!! It was wet, it was mucky, it looked like a cesspool!! Thanks, but no thanks! We cancelled and left. So, as a last resort we drove further down the road to the KOA. As always, the KOA was expensive, but we were getting tired and so wanted to stop regardless of the cost. We were assigned a site and a gentleman came out to lead us there. The site ended up being quite small and there were trees with very low hanging branches. There was no way we'd be able to get our trailer in there. We need a roomy site as our trailer is quite large...37 feet long and 13 feet tall. With our truck attached, our total length is about 50 feet. The next site just happened to be vacant, was nice and would have worked out much better. Perhaps we could park the trailer there, then I'd bike over to the office afterwards and straighten out the paperwork. I mentioned this to our guide. "GEE, I DON'T THINK I CAN LET YOU DO THAT.". Huh? Do what? "SWITCH SITES.". He must be joking. I wanted to keep our towing to a minimum as the truck and trailer are quite cumbersome through tight narrow campground roads. So I called the campground office on the cell phone, got Heather, and proceeded to tell her about my dilemma. "YOU MUST BRING BOTH TRUCK AND TRAILER BACK TO THE OFFICE IN ORDER TO SWITCH SITES". Oh, come on...you're not serious? "YES". Well, I thought to myself, that's being flexible...NOT! I wouldn't exactly call that "good customer service"! So I drove back through the maze of roads. I'd had enough. I was going to cancel. I walked in and informed them that I wanted my money back. As I'm waiting, I happen to mention that we've had several bad experiences at KOA campgrounds. "OH, IT MUST BE A CONSPIRACY!", Heather says to me. On that note, I grab my money and leave. We end up driving to Williamsburg, VA and find a no-frills campground there, "Williamsburg Pottery Campground". It was quite nice actually...and much cheaper than the KOA!!
Another warm one today - we've had quite a run of hot weather. Since the day we arrived in Pennsylvania, I don't think there's been a day that's failed to reach 90o F (33o C). But today we set a record for our trip. Just about the time we crossed the state line from North Carolina into Virginia, the thermometer in the truck hit 99o F (37o C)!!
Now getting back to our adventure. After experiencing the beaches of South Carolina, we decided we should experience a beach in Virginia...as in Virginia Beach. So we looked at our choice of campgrounds in our Woodall's Campground Directory for Virginia Beach...a Trav-L-Park and a KOA. We don't care for KOA's so we popped into the Trav-L-Park. Our first impression as we entered was that it seemed to be very nice. So after being assigned an RV site (which was toward the back of the place), we headed back to see where we'd live. It was awful!! It was wet, it was mucky, it looked like a cesspool!! Thanks, but no thanks! We cancelled and left. So, as a last resort we drove further down the road to the KOA. As always, the KOA was expensive, but we were getting tired and so wanted to stop regardless of the cost. We were assigned a site and a gentleman came out to lead us there. The site ended up being quite small and there were trees with very low hanging branches. There was no way we'd be able to get our trailer in there. We need a roomy site as our trailer is quite large...37 feet long and 13 feet tall. With our truck attached, our total length is about 50 feet. The next site just happened to be vacant, was nice and would have worked out much better. Perhaps we could park the trailer there, then I'd bike over to the office afterwards and straighten out the paperwork. I mentioned this to our guide. "GEE, I DON'T THINK I CAN LET YOU DO THAT.". Huh? Do what? "SWITCH SITES.". He must be joking. I wanted to keep our towing to a minimum as the truck and trailer are quite cumbersome through tight narrow campground roads. So I called the campground office on the cell phone, got Heather, and proceeded to tell her about my dilemma. "YOU MUST BRING BOTH TRUCK AND TRAILER BACK TO THE OFFICE IN ORDER TO SWITCH SITES". Oh, come on...you're not serious? "YES". Well, I thought to myself, that's being flexible...NOT! I wouldn't exactly call that "good customer service"! So I drove back through the maze of roads. I'd had enough. I was going to cancel. I walked in and informed them that I wanted my money back. As I'm waiting, I happen to mention that we've had several bad experiences at KOA campgrounds. "OH, IT MUST BE A CONSPIRACY!", Heather says to me. On that note, I grab my money and leave. We end up driving to Williamsburg, VA and find a no-frills campground there, "Williamsburg Pottery Campground". It was quite nice actually...and much cheaper than the KOA!!
May 23
We watched the Monaco Formula One race this morning. It was a good race. Glad to see Jarno Trulli finally pick up his first win!! It's been a long time coming.
After our short stay in Williamsburg, we moved on to the Blue Ridge Mountain region of Virginia. We left this morning at about 11:00 and arrived at Country Waye RV Resort in Luray at about 2:30. It's beautiful here, with the campground completely surrounded by the mountains. It's very quiet and peaceful here. We just plan on relaxing today, then maybe we'll go check out some sights tomorrow.
We decided to go the Wal-Mart and pick up an old fashioned charcoal barbeque. We had barbequed steak with potatoes for supper. Yummy!
After our short stay in Williamsburg, we moved on to the Blue Ridge Mountain region of Virginia. We left this morning at about 11:00 and arrived at Country Waye RV Resort in Luray at about 2:30. It's beautiful here, with the campground completely surrounded by the mountains. It's very quiet and peaceful here. We just plan on relaxing today, then maybe we'll go check out some sights tomorrow.
We decided to go the Wal-Mart and pick up an old fashioned charcoal barbeque. We had barbequed steak with potatoes for supper. Yummy!
May 24
Judging by the large mound of dirty laundry, I'd say wash day has arrived. Decided to cook up some ham and eggs for breakfast first. Spent part of the morning doing laundry.
In the afternoon we visited the Luray Caverns in Luray, VA. This place is unbelievable. These HUGE underground caves were discovered in 1878 by a tinsmith and a photographer. They suspected an underground cavern may be nearby when they came upon cold air rushing from a sink hole. So they started digging. And what a discovery they made!! These caverns are incredible! We were led along a path of about a mile and a quarter through these interconnecting caverns to its deepest point of about 160 feet below the surface of the earth. The largest of the caverns was about 40 feet wide with a 100 foot high ceiling! And in the center we found the most interesting musical instrument. In 1935, a fellow by the name of Sprinkle created "The Great Stalac-pipe Organ". By tapping on the various stalactites that grew down from the ceiling, he was able to recreate a great number of musical notes. By connecting tiny electrically driven hammers to a traditional organ keyboard, he created the world's largest musical instrument. The entire organ encompasses about 3 acres. Our guide played the organ in automatic mode. It was a classical piece and it had the most haunting sound as it played within this natural amphitheatre. We strongly suggest visiting this attraction...it's quite amazing!
In the afternoon we visited the Luray Caverns in Luray, VA. This place is unbelievable. These HUGE underground caves were discovered in 1878 by a tinsmith and a photographer. They suspected an underground cavern may be nearby when they came upon cold air rushing from a sink hole. So they started digging. And what a discovery they made!! These caverns are incredible! We were led along a path of about a mile and a quarter through these interconnecting caverns to its deepest point of about 160 feet below the surface of the earth. The largest of the caverns was about 40 feet wide with a 100 foot high ceiling! And in the center we found the most interesting musical instrument. In 1935, a fellow by the name of Sprinkle created "The Great Stalac-pipe Organ". By tapping on the various stalactites that grew down from the ceiling, he was able to recreate a great number of musical notes. By connecting tiny electrically driven hammers to a traditional organ keyboard, he created the world's largest musical instrument. The entire organ encompasses about 3 acres. Our guide played the organ in automatic mode. It was a classical piece and it had the most haunting sound as it played within this natural amphitheatre. We strongly suggest visiting this attraction...it's quite amazing!
May 25
Day Two in the Blue Ridge Mountains saw us tackle Skyline Drive, located in Shenandoah National Park. We left our campsite early in the morning and grabbed breakfast at "Mom's Country Kitchen" in Front Royal on the way to the park. Good old fashioned home cooking! Delicious pancakes! After breakfast we entered the park and spent the rest of the morning following a beautiful winding road that took us through the mountains and offered many scenic lookouts. "Scenic" was understatement! Right there just beyond our feet were countless farms, houses and villages. Chloe and Kelly marveled at just how far you can see! We continued to drive, climbing quite steadily until we reached the highest point of the drive - 3700 feet. Gorgeous!
The rest of the day was spent unwinding at the trailer and spending "quality time" with the puppy dogs.
The rest of the day was spent unwinding at the trailer and spending "quality time" with the puppy dogs.
May 26
Another travel day, and we were on the road by 8:30. We've decided to add one more stop to our itinerary before going home. For the next two days, we plan on checking out Hershey, PA. We had passed through Hershey during another trip, but never took the time to explore it. This time we will. We arrived at the Harrisburg East Campground in Harrisburg, PA around 1:30. I love it when we're able to get settled into a campground early in the afternoon. Gives us ample time to set up, relax, then get acquainted with our new surroundings.
It's not fancy, but all things considered, it's a nice campground. Sites are a bit on the small side (there's only about 20 feet between campers), but there are lots of shade trees, easy access to Highway 283, and it's relatively small (about 50 sites) so not a lot of traffic through the park. And cheap! Three way hookup was only $23.00 with Good Sam discount!
After we set up, we ventured into the city of Harrisburg and drove around for a while. On the way back to the campground, we stopped at Bob Evans Restaurant and we both ordered the Sirloin Tips and Noodles. Delicious! That was followed by dessert - Hot Fudge Cake a la mode. Again, delicious!
Tonight we experienced a bit of a puppy emergency (or so we thought). For a good part of the day Chloe, our Golden Retriever, was not opening her left eye much. During the day I'd noticed that something seemed kind of strange with her eyes, but I had thought all along that she was closing both eyes more than normal, like she was really tired and fighting to stay awake. But that was not the case! We looked at her quite closely tonight, and keeping in mind just how aggressively she plays with our other dog, Kelly, and their love of sticks and twigs, I started thinking the worst and thought she may have taken a bad poke in the eye. After checking with the folks at the campground office, we were able to find a veterinarian who offered emergency evening service. Fortunately, it turned out to be a very painful but fairly minor problem...a scratched cornea. He prescribed some eye drops and life was good again.
After that little episode we crashed in front of the TV to watch Fantasia Barrino win it all on American Idol!! Excellent! We felt that the runner-up, Diana DeGarmo, was also great, just not quite as polished or as professional as Fantasia. Considering that Diana is only 16 she has a huge future! I think Sheila is as emotional as Fantasia...she cried almost as much as Fantasia did!
It's not fancy, but all things considered, it's a nice campground. Sites are a bit on the small side (there's only about 20 feet between campers), but there are lots of shade trees, easy access to Highway 283, and it's relatively small (about 50 sites) so not a lot of traffic through the park. And cheap! Three way hookup was only $23.00 with Good Sam discount!
After we set up, we ventured into the city of Harrisburg and drove around for a while. On the way back to the campground, we stopped at Bob Evans Restaurant and we both ordered the Sirloin Tips and Noodles. Delicious! That was followed by dessert - Hot Fudge Cake a la mode. Again, delicious!
Tonight we experienced a bit of a puppy emergency (or so we thought). For a good part of the day Chloe, our Golden Retriever, was not opening her left eye much. During the day I'd noticed that something seemed kind of strange with her eyes, but I had thought all along that she was closing both eyes more than normal, like she was really tired and fighting to stay awake. But that was not the case! We looked at her quite closely tonight, and keeping in mind just how aggressively she plays with our other dog, Kelly, and their love of sticks and twigs, I started thinking the worst and thought she may have taken a bad poke in the eye. After checking with the folks at the campground office, we were able to find a veterinarian who offered emergency evening service. Fortunately, it turned out to be a very painful but fairly minor problem...a scratched cornea. He prescribed some eye drops and life was good again.
After that little episode we crashed in front of the TV to watch Fantasia Barrino win it all on American Idol!! Excellent! We felt that the runner-up, Diana DeGarmo, was also great, just not quite as polished or as professional as Fantasia. Considering that Diana is only 16 she has a huge future! I think Sheila is as emotional as Fantasia...she cried almost as much as Fantasia did!
May 27
Got up early, had breakfast, and went into Hershey.
First stop was Chocolate World. Cool Place! There's a 3-D movie (for kids), and a reproduction of the factory (for kids). AND THEN THE STORE!! It is a chocoholic's dream...anything and everything that Hershey makes. As a matter of fact I made quite a scene as I drooled throughout the entire store!
Also at Chocolate World, we came across a booth selling trolley tickets and we felt that would be the best way to tour the city. Nick was our tour guide and he was excellent!! Not only did we learn about Milton Hershey, but also all about the company and the town that bears his name. Fascinating story...
The founder of the city, Milton Hershey, was fascinated by candy making at an early age. After several failed attempts he was finally able to create a semi successful business in Lancaster, PA in 1896 - The Lancaster Caramel Company. After a few short years, his business skyrocketed when he began coating his caramels with chocolate. Intrigued by chocolate, he set out to develop his own recipe and his own brand of chocolate. In 1899 he created the Hershey Chocolate Company and sold the caramel company to further finance the chocolate business. Now needing a parcel of land to locate his growing business, he acquired a large piece of farmland, far from any major center, in Derry Church, PA and built a huge chocolate factory. As his employees needed housing, Milton Hershey hired contractors to build houses in the surrounding fields. To further accommodate the needs of his employees, he also supplied a trolley to allow the town folk to travel to and from work, to school as well as providing a means of getting some of his chocolate making supplies, like milk, from the neighbouring farms to the factory. After that came a recreational center, barber shop, and so on. In 1903 the town of Hershey was incorporated. Although they loved children, Milton and his wife Kathryn were unable to have any of their own. Wanting to do something special for orphaned children from the surrounding areas, they built a private school in Hershey where all of the students expenses were covered - they supplied them with housing, food, clothing - everything they needed.
After Kathryn's death, Milton continued to develop the town of Hershey, PA but secretly turned over a vast majority of the company's stock to a trust fund set up to look after the children in his school system. Following his death in 1945, and continuing to this day, the proceeds from all Hershey sales are used to fund the school (with a current enrollment of 1500), supplying the children with all necessary supplies and also assisting with their post-secondary endeavors. His generosity is amazing!!
While in Hershey, we also took in the museum. Very interesting. Lots of stuff on display from the early days of chocolate making. Also lots of info about the history of the town and company.
On the way home, we grabbed a bite at "Ruby Tuesdays". I had the Peppercorn Sirloin and Sheila ordered the Triple Play - fried shrimp, chicken tenders and ribs. Everything was exceptional!
Tomorrow we'll be saying goodbye to Pennsylvania as we head north. We could probably make it home in one day, but I'd prefer to break it down to two days. Memorial Day weekend begins tomorrow night, and all campgrounds will be full so it's likely we'll spend the night in a rest area or truck stop. That's fine by me as I can't see the point in paying for a camp site for just a one night stopover.
First stop was Chocolate World. Cool Place! There's a 3-D movie (for kids), and a reproduction of the factory (for kids). AND THEN THE STORE!! It is a chocoholic's dream...anything and everything that Hershey makes. As a matter of fact I made quite a scene as I drooled throughout the entire store!
Also at Chocolate World, we came across a booth selling trolley tickets and we felt that would be the best way to tour the city. Nick was our tour guide and he was excellent!! Not only did we learn about Milton Hershey, but also all about the company and the town that bears his name. Fascinating story...
The founder of the city, Milton Hershey, was fascinated by candy making at an early age. After several failed attempts he was finally able to create a semi successful business in Lancaster, PA in 1896 - The Lancaster Caramel Company. After a few short years, his business skyrocketed when he began coating his caramels with chocolate. Intrigued by chocolate, he set out to develop his own recipe and his own brand of chocolate. In 1899 he created the Hershey Chocolate Company and sold the caramel company to further finance the chocolate business. Now needing a parcel of land to locate his growing business, he acquired a large piece of farmland, far from any major center, in Derry Church, PA and built a huge chocolate factory. As his employees needed housing, Milton Hershey hired contractors to build houses in the surrounding fields. To further accommodate the needs of his employees, he also supplied a trolley to allow the town folk to travel to and from work, to school as well as providing a means of getting some of his chocolate making supplies, like milk, from the neighbouring farms to the factory. After that came a recreational center, barber shop, and so on. In 1903 the town of Hershey was incorporated. Although they loved children, Milton and his wife Kathryn were unable to have any of their own. Wanting to do something special for orphaned children from the surrounding areas, they built a private school in Hershey where all of the students expenses were covered - they supplied them with housing, food, clothing - everything they needed.
After Kathryn's death, Milton continued to develop the town of Hershey, PA but secretly turned over a vast majority of the company's stock to a trust fund set up to look after the children in his school system. Following his death in 1945, and continuing to this day, the proceeds from all Hershey sales are used to fund the school (with a current enrollment of 1500), supplying the children with all necessary supplies and also assisting with their post-secondary endeavors. His generosity is amazing!!
While in Hershey, we also took in the museum. Very interesting. Lots of stuff on display from the early days of chocolate making. Also lots of info about the history of the town and company.
On the way home, we grabbed a bite at "Ruby Tuesdays". I had the Peppercorn Sirloin and Sheila ordered the Triple Play - fried shrimp, chicken tenders and ribs. Everything was exceptional!
Tomorrow we'll be saying goodbye to Pennsylvania as we head north. We could probably make it home in one day, but I'd prefer to break it down to two days. Memorial Day weekend begins tomorrow night, and all campgrounds will be full so it's likely we'll spend the night in a rest area or truck stop. That's fine by me as I can't see the point in paying for a camp site for just a one night stopover.
May 28
Packed up and left the campground by 9:00. I was hoping to reach the Maine border by this evening. According to our mapping software on the laptop, it would take about 10 hours.
Not much to report on for the rest of the day. We stopped for an early lunch at the Milford Diner in Milford, PA. I had the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich (it was okay) and Sheila had the Cheeseburger Special. She said it was quite yummy! For supper we both had the Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Salad at the MacDonald's Restaurant in the Charlton truck stop just outside Sturbridge, MA.
Today's trip took quite a bit longer than expected as we ran into a HUGE traffic jam in Hartford, CT. There must have been a lot of folks getting a jumpstart on the long weekend. We've seen traffic congestion in Hartford on many occasions, but never like this. Four lanes going each direction and nothing was moving for miles! Solid gridlock at 3:00 in the afternoon!
We reached Maine by 8:30pm. I wasn't all that tired just yet, so we soldiered on for about another hour and a half 'til we reached the Burger King truck stop just outside Augusta, ME. Parked the truck and went to bed.
Not much to report on for the rest of the day. We stopped for an early lunch at the Milford Diner in Milford, PA. I had the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich (it was okay) and Sheila had the Cheeseburger Special. She said it was quite yummy! For supper we both had the Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Salad at the MacDonald's Restaurant in the Charlton truck stop just outside Sturbridge, MA.
Today's trip took quite a bit longer than expected as we ran into a HUGE traffic jam in Hartford, CT. There must have been a lot of folks getting a jumpstart on the long weekend. We've seen traffic congestion in Hartford on many occasions, but never like this. Four lanes going each direction and nothing was moving for miles! Solid gridlock at 3:00 in the afternoon!
We reached Maine by 8:30pm. I wasn't all that tired just yet, so we soldiered on for about another hour and a half 'til we reached the Burger King truck stop just outside Augusta, ME. Parked the truck and went to bed.
May 29
Decided against having breakfast in Burger King. Instead, we hit the road in search for something a little better. Just outside of Bangor, ME we stopped at Dysart's Truck Stop. I had the Steak & Eggs (very good!) and Sheila had "Dave's Favorite" - corned beef hash, eggs, toast, hashbrowns and baked beans.
We are home now, just a little tired from all the driving (especially over the last two days). Nevertheless, already looking forward to our next outing. Total distance this trip - 8200 kms. A bit less than our last trip to the South in '01, making for a more relaxed vacation. On average, we only traveled 4 to 5 hours between campgrounds, and typically stayed for at least two nights at each location. A little less hurried and a lot more enjoyable.
I'm always depressed after we get home from a camping trip. No more adventures for a little while. Just the mundane routine of working for a living...day-in and day-out.
I can't decide on one favorite spot from our travels. Two locations come in as a tie - the back country roads of Kentucky and the beaches of South Carolina. Sheila would choose South Carolina as her pick.
During this trip we didn't even scratch the surface of what this great continent has to offer. There's still so many mountains to climb, country roads to explore and hidden treasures to discover.
Even as I type this I can hear the open road calling my name - but <sigh> it will have to wait.
We are home now, just a little tired from all the driving (especially over the last two days). Nevertheless, already looking forward to our next outing. Total distance this trip - 8200 kms. A bit less than our last trip to the South in '01, making for a more relaxed vacation. On average, we only traveled 4 to 5 hours between campgrounds, and typically stayed for at least two nights at each location. A little less hurried and a lot more enjoyable.
I'm always depressed after we get home from a camping trip. No more adventures for a little while. Just the mundane routine of working for a living...day-in and day-out.
I can't decide on one favorite spot from our travels. Two locations come in as a tie - the back country roads of Kentucky and the beaches of South Carolina. Sheila would choose South Carolina as her pick.
During this trip we didn't even scratch the surface of what this great continent has to offer. There's still so many mountains to climb, country roads to explore and hidden treasures to discover.
Even as I type this I can hear the open road calling my name - but <sigh> it will have to wait.
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