The road MOST traveled....

 

We were on it.  Left on 91 SOUTH (!) down the side of Vermont, through the middle of Massachusetts, Connecticut then 84 West through NY.  I have NEVER seen so much traffic—bumper to bumper, mirror to mirror.  Big trucks; little trucks; cars., left lane closed; right lane closed; merge right; merge left…It was a nerve breaker for me.  But he handled it like a pro.  Everyone is in a hurry.

 

Much construction, major and minor.  From real road work to limb trimming (which had the other side of the freeway completely shut down for 5-6 miles or more)  Interestingly, at each “construction” site all along the freeway (and many right in the middle of the cities) and on the exit/entrance ramps, there were two state troopers.  One at the beginning of the work and one at the end..just there with their lights on.  Some of the 4 million newly created jobs..IMHO.

 

One thing we noted while in Canada, Nova Scotia for sure, was the lack of troopers/police.  No one was speeding, everyone was polite on the roads and NO ONE was talking on their cell phones! 

 

Finally, finally…(beginning to think we were back in Canada), we located a truck stop/fuel station just over the NY line.  It was in town.  Packed with trucks.  But we were able to fill up and go into the RV and eat lunch and sit in the peace and quiet for a bit.  Now when I say peace and quiet in a truck stop, that should tell you something of what the road was like.  I long for our wide, open spaces.

 

 

 

The colors of the trees slowly started fading out the farther south and west we got.  They are just barely beginning to turn in NY…which, by the way, is a beautiful state. 

 

 

 

                         We eyed the Catskills off in the distance at one point.   

 

And as we progressed west in NY towards Pennsylvania, the traffic cleared and it was a much better drive.  Good roads .  Beautiful countryside.  Until we got to PA…bad roads, beautiful countryside.  Bad roads.

 

We put our destination into the GPS last night and he (and Google Maps, also) routed us down to I95 right through NYC….George Washington Bridge, no less.  I couldn’t believe it…this is supposed to be a GPS unit made specially for RV’s.  Why would anyone take an RV through NYC on purpose unless they were staying there.  Crazy.  We picked another route and got him to go our way.  And to avoid toll roads. 

 

Got here at Tobyhanna PA (something like that) around 3.  Oh my goodness.  If you like trees, this is the place to be.  Trees, trees, trees.  A pretty big park, but it’s like a little road cut thru the forest with “seasonals” dotted along it.  We had to go to the very end of the park in order to get turned around and  back to the front where our site was.  To look at it, you’d think it was very level, but it took us 45 minutes to get it level enough to use.  We have the largest, easiest to get into? site so we are grateful for it.  We saw another Fifth wheel come in later longer than us…he went toward the back where the “seasonals” are and never came back out….dunno.  It’s nice if you like tight trees and once you get in, it’s pretty to look out the windows at woods.  In the morning, we have to leave and go back to the back again in order to turn around and get back out to the front entrance again.  Interesting.  It does have cable and wifi. 

 

Tomorrow we’ll be at Artillery Ridge RV in Gettysburg for 3 nights.  This seemed like the longest hardest day we’ve done….The traffic and bad roads (bone jarring roads) will make for a long, hard day.

 

 

On the road again...

 

 

Woke up to pouring rain again….was NOT going to stay another night so we just started getting ready to go.  Just about the time we had to do outside stuff, the rain eased up to just sprinkles and we hit the road…..10 minutes later, we were in rain and fog again.  All day long. 

 

The trees are absolutely beautiful in Maine.  Even with the rain and fog, they just glow…they would be out of this world with the sun shining on them.  It was another non-eventful driving day.

 

We stopped at a Rest Area in Maine for lunch.  Huge, clean, efficient place.  Hookups for truckers to rest overnight and keep their a/c; heat going.  Huge gas/diesel pump areas.  Burger King.  Nice, clean and plenty of room to maneveur  around

 

 Now, having said that:  Evidently, Canadians don’t pee.  All of our driving along the Trans-Canada highway (fantastic road), there were no Rest Areas; few towns; no pulloffs.  The only rest area sign we saw was for a Circle K truck stop and they had no diesel pumps….he had to squeeze into the car lanes to fill up.  There was truck parking (as in rest), but that was it.  We drove for miles and miles before we found a place to pull off (on an exit ramp to nowhere).  The Canadians could learn a lot from Maine and its Rest Areas/Welcome Centers.

 

We were  in Maine most all day .  With a short jaunt across New Hampshire and into Vermont where are staying the night.  Lovely states.    But there are just too many people up here.  On this cool, rainy, foggy day,  the freeways are packed.  Where are they going?  And there are hands sticking out everywhere….tolls, tolls, tolls.  I think we stopped 5 times to pay a toll….and the tolls ran from $2.50 to $7.00….they seem to think a dually truck  has 3 axles because it has 4 back tires.  Expensive but good roads.

 

Just as we exited the freeway and began across New Hampshire, it stopped raining and we glimpsed the sun a little.  The trees were beautiful.  My pictures don’t do the colors justice. It’s hard to take a good picture on the fly. We were on a winding two-lane road through the back country of NH….gorgeous drive. 

 

We got to Hidden Acres RV, Dummerston, Vermont….okay spot.  No cable, no wifi.  It’s quiet with only a few people here.  Nice staff.  It started raining again just as soon as we got the RV off the truck….no satellite. 




We drove out to a local covered bridge over the West River.  The highway out to the bridge meandered along the river.  The bridge is the longest in Vermont. 

 

Then off to a grocery store for a few items. Had to take this big butted truck down through this little, little Vermont town of Brattleboro.  Twice.  Crowded, small streets, lots of people even in the rain. 

 

 Edra, we’re having nachos tonight.  Then will just sit and read and listen to the rain.  It’s just like rain on a tin roof….I do hope it’s not raining again in the morning when we get ready to leave. 

 

 

Pumpkin Patch again

The ultimate in laziness.  We have absolutely done nothing today....well...we did vacuum but that takes all of 5 minutes.  It's rained, misted, and been an all around dreary day...loved it.

Found the Arkansas ballgame on the internet and listened to another tragedy.  Oh my.  I read a book, Ronnie took a nap, got on the computer...just did nothing.  It was wonderful.  And now we are ready to hit the road again tomorrow.

We're off toward Dunnerston Vermont for an overnight.  We have altered our plans a bit and are going on down south...there's too many people up here. LOL.  One more one-nighter and we will then stop at Gettysburg for 3 nights.  We've been there before and loved it, so we'll see it all again. 

We've planned a couple of 3 nighters on the way to Crossville TN.  Three nights there and will visit with our friends who we'll caravan with on the way to Crossett on October 13 for my High School Reunion. 

We finished up the taco soup for dinner and R will watch the Alabama-Ole Miss game...he's gonna pretend the Alabama red is Arkansas....

I'll read some more.

Pumpkin Patch RV Park, Hermon, Maine

A rather nice, quiet, relaxing day.  We slept in a bit...I cooked the birthday guy a huge breakfast...eggs, bacon, biscuits  (well, I popped the can open!).  Then we walked over to the laundry and did laundry....all clean clothes, clean sheets, and towels now.  Nice laundry.  I did do the kitchen floor...looks brand new.  LOL. 

We sat outside in the beautiful sunshine and read while  waiting on the clothes.  We took another walk around the park....wonderful trails to walk although they were short. 

   Ronnie went to fill up and get our Canadian money changed back to US Dollars to be ready to leave in the morning. Then the clouds started rolling in and the air really turned cool.   So we came inside and read a bit more. 

I looked at the radar on my phone and the forecast said 70% rain tonight and tomorrow and there was a huge green blob heading this way.  I told him that and he looked over and said..."what are you thinking?  Staying another night?"  I said that it sounded good to me.  So we went up and paid for another night.  It's really good to do nothing for a change.  This is a nice quiet and big RV park...the nicest we've stayed at ( and cheapest--$18 with our Passport America card) and we'll just sit and read while it rains rather than get out and get wet while getting things ready to go.   

He wanted taco soup for his birthday, so it's been in the crockpot all day...smells wonderful.    We'll watch ballgames tomorrow altho we won't be able to watch Arkansas...is that a good thing or a bad thing??? 

He's appreciated all the well wishes for his birthday.  I think he's enjoyed his "not driving" day. 

A rather boring blog, huh?

USA USA USA

It is SO good to be back in the USA.  Gas is a gallon; not a litre.  Miles are miles; not kilometers.  And the flag has stars and stripes and not maple leaves.  Canada is nice; people are nice; beautiful scenery, but we are glad to be home. 

Crossing the border was not so bad.  We answered questions and they looked inside the RV, but we didn't have to open the slides like we did when we went over.  We didn't have anything to hide, but we've heard horror stories.

We got here at Pumpkin Patch RV Park outside of Bangor Maine around 3.  Forgot about the time change so we got an hour back....we need it.  We've decided to stay two nights here and just rest up.  Ronnie's birthday is tomorrow and he wants to NOT drive for a day.  LOL.  It's a nice park.  The weather is nice...supposed to be in the 30's tonight, tho. 

As soon as we got into Maine, the trees began to show color....reds, oranges, yellows.  Pretty.  We are still a little early, but it is what it is.

Not much else to report....We did go to a local grocery store to stock up on food items.  Wow....a really, really nice supermarket...huge....my wonderful Kroger times 10.   Ronnie's grilling burgers tonight and tomorrow I will do laundry and clean the floors...with all the rain, the kitchen floor is looking a little grungy.  I'll either clean or watch "Hoarders"...either way I'll feel better about the RV.

 

Green Gables PEI

A blustery, windy day...all day.  Not too cold, just a cool wind.  We left the RV about 9:30 and drove over the Confederation Bridge onto Prince Edward Island.  The bridge is 8 miles long.




There are 3 driving loops on PEI 1) the North Cape Coastal Loop 2) the Central Coastal Loop 3) the Points East Coastal Drive.  We chose the Central Coastal Loop which is also the Green Gables loop and took us through the area where Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote the book, Anne of Green Gables.  We drove through beautiful farm lands and touched the coast on occasion . 

The fields meet the Atlantic. Farming, especially potato farming, is huge here.  Lots of huge farms, agri businesses.

 Evidently, they are doing well.  The houses are all very, very nice.  A pretty high standard of living here, I would think. 






We saw the home that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery to write the book.  The actual home  was owned by the McNeil family, who were cousins of author Lucy Maud Montgomery.  The farm's name is derived from the rich dark green paint of the gables on the farmhouse. The main exterior walls of the farmhouse are painted white.

Montgomery visited the farm as a young girl and based her best-selling Anne series of books on the Green Gables farm. She drew romantic inspiration from the house, as well as the surrounding area, including the "Haunted Woods", "Lovers Lane", and "Balsam Hollow."


Upon Montgomery's death, her wake was conducted from the living room of the Green Gables farmhouse for several days prior to her funeral at the local Presbyterian church and burial in the nearby Cavendish Community Cemetery.

We enjoyed seeing the house (after finally finding it), but the entire area around Cavendish (the local town in the book)  has commercialized  Anne, Green Gables and Lucy Montgomery to the point where everything is named Green Gables something; Anne something; Cavendish something.  You can't tell the historical from the commercial.    The gift stores are so trinket oriented it's just sickening.  Cheap stuff.  We walked through the house which is decorated as it would have been done in the 1800's....quickly.  It smelled of old things and I don't especially like that sort of thing.

We continued on around and touched the southern coastal area.  The dirt here is red (makes good potatoes, I guess) and the ocean has a distinct red tint for hundreds of feet out.   

One stop around Charlottetown port showed a cruise ship was docked.

We stopped at Gateway Village, but most of the shops are closed up for the season.  We went into a couple and it was more tee shirts and tacky souvenirs.  We drove onto the bridge to come back to the RV.  There is no charge to ride the bridge over, but to get off the island, it's $22 per axle.  That's why we left two of our axles on the mainland.  

Overall impression:  Glad we went, but it wasn't exactly like I expected.  Maybe the North Cape Coastal would have given us the rocky wave scenes we had imagined.  Except for a couple of places, most of the water we saw was a protected bay or strait.  One of the things I've loved about Nova Scotia and PEI is the beautiful churches.  Most that we've seen in the Cape Breton and PEI area are Anglican Churches. 

This was the eastern end of our trip....now we turn around and head back home.  We are READY to get back to the states.  But I do dread the long drives ahead of us. 

Silver Sands RV Cap Pele NB

Now I know how Columbus must have felt...as he sailed off the ends of the ocean....that's where we are now.  Right at the edge of the Atlantic.  Beautiful view....another strange park.  Couldn't find anyone around when we got here (no reservations) so R knocked on the door of the house (?) ...a little lady said just go pick a spot.  They are all supposed to be pull thru, but if we pulled through this spot, we'd take out another fifth wheel in front of us....will be interesting when we leave.

It's very cool  here.  The wind is howling...not off the ocean, but from the opposite direction....gonna be good sleeping weather.  

About the only thing that happened today of note was when Ronnie decided to give the satellite a go.  He'd been reading up on the east coast settings, so he tried resetting it and ....wow...we have satellite.  We will watch Fox News tonight!!!  And when the little guy came by to collect, he gave us the WiFi key and we have a decent wifi.  We have felt really isolated w/o any home connections.  Thought this was gonna be a long two days.

Tomorrow we go over Confederation Bridge into Prince Edward Island...it has 3 loops ...one on the north side, one on the south side and one in the middle sorta around Charlottetown.  We chose the middle.  It goes along the coast a bit and is the area where the story of Anne of Green Gables was written.  We both fell in love with that series a few years ago.  I highly recommend it...just a really good family movie.  Anyway, that's on for tomorrow.  And that will be the turning point of our trip....we head back home through Maine, Vermont and south.  A long way to go.

Ronnie is feeling back to normal today.  Thank goodness.  He keeps telling me I need to drive "just in case".  I may on a freeway somewhere, but we'll see. 

We ate the last of the food tonight...pork chops, rice & veggies, salad.  We can't take any fruit back over the border, so we'll be eating one last apple tonight.  Tomorrow night we'll have to finish up the one last tomato. 

New Brunswick, Nova Scotia....really pretty places and in a lot of ways are like home, but in a lot of ways different.  Home is different for everyone.  I prefer the USA...it's my home. 

Our next trip in the RV will be to a place where we will stay for days/weeks and make day trips.  We have done in 3 weeks what others say they did in 3 months.....because we drove a lot, sometimes with the RV/sometimes without.  Either way, we were in the truck, sitting and that's a little hard on two old people. lol. 

It's 7:15 and getting dark....and cool.  We need to get out and walk a bit.  Hope we don't get blown out to sea.