Dorcas and I left this afternoon bound for Florida. This is the first winter since we both retired and our first real snowbird experience. We have gone to Florida for a week or so each winter for many years, but this will be the first time that we can really stay a while. Our plan is to bounce around in Florida until near the end of February and then head to Mississippi to visit my mother before returning home. About 2/3 of our destinations are known; the rest we'll figure out when the time comes. Our first destination is Lazy Days, near Tampa, where we are having some fogged windows replaced. Then we will move to Thousand Trails Orlando, a membership resort which we belong to. Then the day after Christmas we will meet some paddling friends at Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest. Shortly after New Year we will move south to Thousand Trials Peace River near Wauchula. We have a week planned at Hillsborough River State Park near Tampa. Near the end of January we will be attending an RV rally near Clermont. In February we will meet some friends from home at Blue Spring State Park, which is an excellent manatee viewing area. Near the end of February we are attending another RV rally near Tampa. At some point we hope to get to south Florida and the Everglades area. We did bring some camping gear, so we can do an overnight paddle if we wish. Whew! Life is good!
We left home about 2:00 pm and had made arrangements to meet my Aunt Sarah for dinner in Charlotte at 5:00. We had plenty of time and had allowed for Friday afternoon traffic right? Wrong! Normally it takes about two hours to get to Charlotte from home. We elected to go down US 52 and I-85, rather than I-40 and I-77, since that was closer to our meeting place. Near the Kannapolis exit on I-85 traffic ground to a halt. Chatter on the CB revealed a wreck in our lane about 1 mile ahead and another wreck in our lane about 16 miles ahead. Traffic was stopped the whole way between the two wrecks. Dang. We decided to jump off at exit 63 and took the Old Salisbury Concord Road to the center of downtown Concord and then US 29 to I-485. We finally arrived at the Arboretum on Providence Road, only 15 minutes late. We dined with Aunt Sarah at the Cajun Yard Dog, a small Cajun restaurant recommended by my cousin Steve. We hadn't seen Sarah for several years and had a very nice visit. We were on the road again by about 8:00 pm. We bought 125 gallons of diesel fuel in Rock Hill (ouch!) and spent the night at a rest area on I-26 near Orangeburg SC.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Quote of the Week
"If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
Will Rogers 1879-1935
Following is a link to a very touching essay by Tampa Tribune writer Michelle Bearden on the loss of her friend Foxy to cancer. "Eulogy for a Big Red Mutt"
Will Rogers 1879-1935
Following is a link to a very touching essay by Tampa Tribune writer Michelle Bearden on the loss of her friend Foxy to cancer. "Eulogy for a Big Red Mutt"
Monday, December 3, 2007
Lee State Natural Area and the Lynches River Nov 29-Dec 2
We had decided that we wanted to take the coach out one more time before we left for Florida in mid December. Our first thought was to go to the outer banks for about a week in mid November, but that never happened. Our second thought was to go to Stone Mountain State Park, but that never happened either. Finally we decided to join a group of friends and members of the Lumber River Canoe Club for a four-day weekend at Lee State Natural Area on the Lynches River, near Bishopsville, SC. 
When we arrived at the campground at Lee State Natural Area and State Park about lunch time, Wayne and Lynda were already there and had a nice fire going. No fire ban for those devil-may-care South Carolinians! Jim and Ann arrived about an hour later. The campground offers large level sites in tall pines and has water and 30A electric. Every day Ranger Lester brought a new load of free firewood. The place was practically deserted. For much of the day we sat around the fire, listened to Christmas music and talked with our friends. Later we walked to the river and onto a boardwalk into the wetlands.
On Friday we decided to paddle a section of the Lynches River. We were not familiar with the river, but we knew the level was low. Ranger Lester suggested putting in on a section well below the park. Being "Dumb But Tough" and not trusting the judgment and opinions of non-paddlers, we elected to paddle the section from US 15 to the park, a distance of about five miles. This section is above the first section described by Able and Horan in "Paddling South Carolina". Ann was feeling poorly with a cold, so Jim and Ann didn't paddle. Jim dropped Wayne, Lynda, Dorcas and me off at the access at US 15, with a promise to pick us up at the state park access. The river was more of a piedmont river than a blackwater river. It was 30-50 feet wide with 4-6 foot banks and a clear sandy bottom. The going was pretty easy. We had about 6 fairly easy pullovers and portages. We arrived at the take-out about three hours after putting in. We called Ann, who was very surprised we were finished so early.
She had told Ranger Lester of our route and he had predicted we wouldn't be back until dark. By the time we returned to the campground Mike and Liz had arrived. Don and Sandy arrived shortly thereafter. Later we again enjoyed the campfire, with good Christmas music and good friends.
On Saturday we paddled the section from the park (our previous take-out) to US 401, a distance of about 8 miles. This section was very similar to the upstream section, but a little wider. Consequently we only had about two drag-overs. Ann was feeling better today, so we had ten paddlers in 5 boats. The weather was perfect and a good time was had by all.
On Sunday we took it easy and lounged around the campfire. Everyone began the routine of packing up their campers. We outlasted everyone else and left the camp about 1:00. Before leaving the park we explored the artesian springs, for which the park is known.
Here is a link to Don's report of the same trip.
When we arrived at the campground at Lee State Natural Area and State Park about lunch time, Wayne and Lynda were already there and had a nice fire going. No fire ban for those devil-may-care South Carolinians! Jim and Ann arrived about an hour later. The campground offers large level sites in tall pines and has water and 30A electric. Every day Ranger Lester brought a new load of free firewood. The place was practically deserted. For much of the day we sat around the fire, listened to Christmas music and talked with our friends. Later we walked to the river and onto a boardwalk into the wetlands.On Friday we decided to paddle a section of the Lynches River. We were not familiar with the river, but we knew the level was low. Ranger Lester suggested putting in on a section well below the park. Being "Dumb But Tough" and not trusting the judgment and opinions of non-paddlers, we elected to paddle the section from US 15 to the park, a distance of about five miles. This section is above the first section described by Able and Horan in "Paddling South Carolina". Ann was feeling poorly with a cold, so Jim and Ann didn't paddle. Jim dropped Wayne, Lynda, Dorcas and me off at the access at US 15, with a promise to pick us up at the state park access. The river was more of a piedmont river than a blackwater river. It was 30-50 feet wide with 4-6 foot banks and a clear sandy bottom. The going was pretty easy. We had about 6 fairly easy pullovers and portages. We arrived at the take-out about three hours after putting in. We called Ann, who was very surprised we were finished so early.
She had told Ranger Lester of our route and he had predicted we wouldn't be back until dark. By the time we returned to the campground Mike and Liz had arrived. Don and Sandy arrived shortly thereafter. Later we again enjoyed the campfire, with good Christmas music and good friends.On Saturday we paddled the section from the park (our previous take-out) to US 401, a distance of about 8 miles. This section was very similar to the upstream section, but a little wider. Consequently we only had about two drag-overs. Ann was feeling better today, so we had ten paddlers in 5 boats. The weather was perfect and a good time was had by all.
On Sunday we took it easy and lounged around the campfire. Everyone began the routine of packing up their campers. We outlasted everyone else and left the camp about 1:00. Before leaving the park we explored the artesian springs, for which the park is known.
Here is a link to Don's report of the same trip.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Quote of the Week
There is a concrete monument at the NC/SC state line on the Lumber River south of Fair Bluff. As we paddled across the line into South Carolina, one silly paddler, who shall remain anonymous, remarked:
"The average IQ of both states just went up 1%."
"The average IQ of both states just went up 1%."
After-Thanksgiving Weekend Lumber River Canoe Camp
Laziness is habit forming. First I plagiarized (maybe it isn't plagiarizing if you give credit to the author?) 
Andy's report on the Morrow Mountain hike. Then Wayne wrote an excellent report on our Thanksgiving canoe camping trip on the Lumber River, so I am repeating it here. I will agree with Wayne: it was Almost Perfect!
Almost Perfect! This description is one that I use for our annual after-Thanksgiving canoe camping trip that Lynda and I (Wayne Charles) did, along with Myron & Dorcas Whitley, on 11-23 to 11-25- 07. The 36.1 miles of the Lumber River from Boardman, NC to Rice
Cove Landing below Nichols, SC was almost perfect. The river was 50-100' wide and very clear with a good current. There were no portages or pullovers and around every bend there was a beautiful white sandbar that was almost perfect for camping. The weather was cool but not cold, almost perfect for a early winter camping trip. At the put in there was another group of campers starting their trip (they were not carrying gear, and told us that they were camping at the Princess Anne campgrounds). We visited with park superintendent Neil Lee for a few minutes near the Pea Ridge rest area a few miles below the put in. Other than at Princess Anne we would see no one else on the entire trip. Almost Perfect! We made camp at around 4:00 PM on a sand bar a few miles below Princess Anne. We had steaks for supper. There was a full moon and the river was very pretty in the moonlight. Almost Perfect! We arose with the sun and had omelets and grits with bacon and coffee. 
We went by Fair Bluff at 2:00, and by the marker separating NC and SC at 3:00 and made camp on a large white sandbar a little after 4:00 PM. Since South Carolina doesn't have a fire ban at this time we built a nice campfire. We solved all of the world's problems while roasting marshmallows and catching up on our adventures with the Whitley's. Almost perfect! We all had a good night sleep in the cool weather and again rose with the sun, (O.K. it was cloudy, but still almost perfect). We took out at Rice Cove Landing at 2:30. We saw deer, otter, turkeys and hundreds of ducks. All in all, an ALMOST PERFECT TRIP.
Andy's report on the Morrow Mountain hike. Then Wayne wrote an excellent report on our Thanksgiving canoe camping trip on the Lumber River, so I am repeating it here. I will agree with Wayne: it was Almost Perfect!Almost Perfect! This description is one that I use for our annual after-Thanksgiving canoe camping trip that Lynda and I (Wayne Charles) did, along with Myron & Dorcas Whitley, on 11-23 to 11-25- 07. The 36.1 miles of the Lumber River from Boardman, NC to Rice
Cove Landing below Nichols, SC was almost perfect. The river was 50-100' wide and very clear with a good current. There were no portages or pullovers and around every bend there was a beautiful white sandbar that was almost perfect for camping. The weather was cool but not cold, almost perfect for a early winter camping trip. At the put in there was another group of campers starting their trip (they were not carrying gear, and told us that they were camping at the Princess Anne campgrounds). We visited with park superintendent Neil Lee for a few minutes near the Pea Ridge rest area a few miles below the put in. Other than at Princess Anne we would see no one else on the entire trip. Almost Perfect! We made camp at around 4:00 PM on a sand bar a few miles below Princess Anne. We had steaks for supper. There was a full moon and the river was very pretty in the moonlight. Almost Perfect! We arose with the sun and had omelets and grits with bacon and coffee. 
We went by Fair Bluff at 2:00, and by the marker separating NC and SC at 3:00 and made camp on a large white sandbar a little after 4:00 PM. Since South Carolina doesn't have a fire ban at this time we built a nice campfire. We solved all of the world's problems while roasting marshmallows and catching up on our adventures with the Whitley's. Almost perfect! We all had a good night sleep in the cool weather and again rose with the sun, (O.K. it was cloudy, but still almost perfect). We took out at Rice Cove Landing at 2:30. We saw deer, otter, turkeys and hundreds of ducks. All in all, an ALMOST PERFECT TRIP.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Morrow Mountain State Park Day Hike
Today we hiked in Morrow Mountain State Park. My friend Andy writes a pretty mean trip report so I am taking it easy and repeating his report below.
EIGHT YEARS GONE
A couple of weeks ago, Bob suggested getting together for a hike. It was early November, so I suggested something at a low elevation, so we could catch the last of the fall colors. We settled on the Uwharries, but we still needed a specific destination. I did a bit of research, and remembered that I'd enjoyed a hike at Morrow Mountain State Park a couple years earlier. At the time, I had planned to
return in a few months to explore some of the trails I'd missed on that initial visit. Somehow, a few months turned into a few years. How many years? I checked my notes, and was shocked to discover that my previous hike had occurred in 1999. Eight years! How can eight years go by that quickly?
To put this in perspective, I've taken multiple hiking trips to Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington in the years since I last visited Morrow Mountain. And Morrow Mountain is only a 1-hour drive away.
So, I decided to correct this little oversight. Bob, Laura, Myron, Dorcas, Ann, Colleen, and two dogs, Saucony and Sunshine, elected to join me. We met at the park's visitor center on Sunday morning, and planned out our route. Our hike would take us to the summit of Morrow Mountain, which at an elevation of 900'+, is part of the Uwharrie Beyond 600' list.
We began our hike on a nature trail behind the park's museum. This path connected with the Morrow Mountain Trail, and after a bit of confusion and nearly a wrong turn, we were on our way. The hike started out easy, as we rolled along through varied terrain. It was a chilly morning, but as usual, most of us overdressed. The first half of the hike looked like some sort of weird burlesque show (featuring far more fleece than silk), as people shed random articles of clothing all along the trail. Even I had to join the fray once we hit the surprisingly steep final climb to the summit. By the time we reached the top, most of us were down to shorts and t-shirts.
The summit of Morrow Mountain features a picnic shelter, a bathroom, a parking lot, and almost everything else you'd expect at a state park. We arrived shortly before noon, so at least we were able to avoid the worst of the crowds. We had a pleasant early lunch in the sun on the viewing platform behind the picnic shelter. From here, there is a nice view of Lake Tillery and the Uwharrie Mountains.
After lunch, we circled the peak on the summit loop trail. This path provided some additional views that were worth seeing. Aside from the lake and the ancient Uwharrie Mountains, we were treated to some pleasant fall colors.
We headed back down by the same route initially, but diverged from that path in search of variety. We followed a series of horse trails down towards Lake Tillery. For the most part, these trails were fine for hiking. The only annoyance was a group of horseback riders that passed by on several occasions. For some reason, they were doing most of their riding off-trail. I can't imagine the park approves of riding off-trail, as it can certainly cause serious erosion.
We avoided the horses by hiking out the Rocks Trail to a viewpoint just above Lake Tillery. Fortunately, the Rocks Trail is designated for hikers only. At the end of the path, we found a minor cliff where a handful of boulders provide a fine view of the lake near the confluence with the Uwharrie River. After a bit of maneuvering, almost everyone was able to find a seat with a view.
While relaxing there, Dorcas offered everyone Giardia Chocolate. I politely declined. The last thing I needed was Giardia Chocolate. Then Dorcas clarified her statement. She had meant to say Ghiradelli Chocolate, which is a very different thing! Congratulations to Dorcas for making the trip report.
We packed up and backtracked to the horse trail. From there, a short hike led to the campground, which is quite attractive. We followed a path through the campground, before cutting over to the visitor's center. Here we found about a dozen deer grazing. Apparently large numbers of deer move into the state park during hunting season.
I enjoyed our hike, and it was nice to get together with other hikers for a change. The weather ended up being ideal, and the wildlife and fall foliage added a lot to the hike. I'll definitely hike at Morrow Mountain again sometime. Hopefully it won't take me 8 more years though!
EIGHT YEARS GONE
A couple of weeks ago, Bob suggested getting together for a hike. It was early November, so I suggested something at a low elevation, so we could catch the last of the fall colors. We settled on the Uwharries, but we still needed a specific destination. I did a bit of research, and remembered that I'd enjoyed a hike at Morrow Mountain State Park a couple years earlier. At the time, I had planned to
return in a few months to explore some of the trails I'd missed on that initial visit. Somehow, a few months turned into a few years. How many years? I checked my notes, and was shocked to discover that my previous hike had occurred in 1999. Eight years! How can eight years go by that quickly?To put this in perspective, I've taken multiple hiking trips to Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington in the years since I last visited Morrow Mountain. And Morrow Mountain is only a 1-hour drive away.
So, I decided to correct this little oversight. Bob, Laura, Myron, Dorcas, Ann, Colleen, and two dogs, Saucony and Sunshine, elected to join me. We met at the park's visitor center on Sunday morning, and planned out our route. Our hike would take us to the summit of Morrow Mountain, which at an elevation of 900'+, is part of the Uwharrie Beyond 600' list.
We began our hike on a nature trail behind the park's museum. This path connected with the Morrow Mountain Trail, and after a bit of confusion and nearly a wrong turn, we were on our way. The hike started out easy, as we rolled along through varied terrain. It was a chilly morning, but as usual, most of us overdressed. The first half of the hike looked like some sort of weird burlesque show (featuring far more fleece than silk), as people shed random articles of clothing all along the trail. Even I had to join the fray once we hit the surprisingly steep final climb to the summit. By the time we reached the top, most of us were down to shorts and t-shirts.
The summit of Morrow Mountain features a picnic shelter, a bathroom, a parking lot, and almost everything else you'd expect at a state park. We arrived shortly before noon, so at least we were able to avoid the worst of the crowds. We had a pleasant early lunch in the sun on the viewing platform behind the picnic shelter. From here, there is a nice view of Lake Tillery and the Uwharrie Mountains.
After lunch, we circled the peak on the summit loop trail. This path provided some additional views that were worth seeing. Aside from the lake and the ancient Uwharrie Mountains, we were treated to some pleasant fall colors.
We headed back down by the same route initially, but diverged from that path in search of variety. We followed a series of horse trails down towards Lake Tillery. For the most part, these trails were fine for hiking. The only annoyance was a group of horseback riders that passed by on several occasions. For some reason, they were doing most of their riding off-trail. I can't imagine the park approves of riding off-trail, as it can certainly cause serious erosion.
We avoided the horses by hiking out the Rocks Trail to a viewpoint just above Lake Tillery. Fortunately, the Rocks Trail is designated for hikers only. At the end of the path, we found a minor cliff where a handful of boulders provide a fine view of the lake near the confluence with the Uwharrie River. After a bit of maneuvering, almost everyone was able to find a seat with a view.
While relaxing there, Dorcas offered everyone Giardia Chocolate. I politely declined. The last thing I needed was Giardia Chocolate. Then Dorcas clarified her statement. She had meant to say Ghiradelli Chocolate, which is a very different thing! Congratulations to Dorcas for making the trip report.
We packed up and backtracked to the horse trail. From there, a short hike led to the campground, which is quite attractive. We followed a path through the campground, before cutting over to the visitor's center. Here we found about a dozen deer grazing. Apparently large numbers of deer move into the state park during hunting season.
I enjoyed our hike, and it was nice to get together with other hikers for a change. The weather ended up being ideal, and the wildlife and fall foliage added a lot to the hike. I'll definitely hike at Morrow Mountain again sometime. Hopefully it won't take me 8 more years though!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Where Do Pets Come From?
We still miss Izaak tremendously. Every day I think of him, and it makes me sad. Someone sent us this story. I don't know who the author is, but I found it very amusing and it touched me.
A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer to "Where do pets come from?"
Adam and Eve said, "Lord, when we were in the garden, you walked with us every day. Now we do not see you any more. We are lonesome here, and it is difficult for us to remember how much you love us."
And God said, "I will create a companion for you that will be with you and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves."
And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve.
And it was a good animal.
And God was pleased.
And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail.
And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal."
And God said, " I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."
And Dog lived with Adam and Eve and was a companion to them and loved them.
And they were comforted
And God was pleased.
And Dog was content and wagged his tail.
After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well."
And God said, "I will create for them a companion who will be with them and who will see them as they are. The companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not always worthy of adoration."
And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam and Eve.
And Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat's eyes, they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings.
And Adam and Eve learned humility.
And they were greatly improved.
And God was pleased
And Dog was happy.
................. and Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.
A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer to "Where do pets come from?"
Adam and Eve said, "Lord, when we were in the garden, you walked with us every day. Now we do not see you any more. We are lonesome here, and it is difficult for us to remember how much you love us."
And God said, "I will create a companion for you that will be with you and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves."
And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve.
And it was a good animal.
And God was pleased.
And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail.
And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal."
And God said, " I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will call him DOG."
And Dog lived with Adam and Eve and was a companion to them and loved them.
And they were comforted
And God was pleased.
And Dog was content and wagged his tail.
After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well."
And God said, "I will create for them a companion who will be with them and who will see them as they are. The companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not always worthy of adoration."
And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam and Eve.
And Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat's eyes, they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings.
And Adam and Eve learned humility.
And they were greatly improved.
And God was pleased
And Dog was happy.
................. and Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Home At Last
We arrived home from Mississippi late last night after spending the week with my mother. We are finally home for a month or two.
Mom seems to be doing pretty well after the death of Nelson, her husband of fifteen years. She also seems to be doing pretty well with her lung cancer. Her last PET-CT scan on October 1 indicated some shrinkage (or at least no growth - depending on how one interprets the doctors' doublespeak) of both tumors. Her hair has come back and she looked much better than she did when we saw her in August. She is continuing chemotherapy, but they are no longer giving her radiation. She continues to exhibit an extremely positive attitude.
It is good to be home at last. It has been a busy year we have been home for only about 12 nights since mid May. The lawn has not been mowed since early August, but it's really not too bad. This drought has at least one positive aspect. There are a lot of sticks and acorns on the drive and in the yard, but the homeplace is actually in pretty good shape. We have a lot of house and coach projects to complete before we leave for Florida in mid December. We have no long trips planned before leaving for Florida, but we will probably do some day trips and a few overnighters. We haven't paddled since we left the Adirondacks. I'm looking forward to some canoe time,. If only we could find some water! Next weekend we plan to go on a backpacking trip with our friends Jim and Ann and their family.
Mom seems to be doing pretty well after the death of Nelson, her husband of fifteen years. She also seems to be doing pretty well with her lung cancer. Her last PET-CT scan on October 1 indicated some shrinkage (or at least no growth - depending on how one interprets the doctors' doublespeak) of both tumors. Her hair has come back and she looked much better than she did when we saw her in August. She is continuing chemotherapy, but they are no longer giving her radiation. She continues to exhibit an extremely positive attitude.
It is good to be home at last. It has been a busy year we have been home for only about 12 nights since mid May. The lawn has not been mowed since early August, but it's really not too bad. This drought has at least one positive aspect. There are a lot of sticks and acorns on the drive and in the yard, but the homeplace is actually in pretty good shape. We have a lot of house and coach projects to complete before we leave for Florida in mid December. We have no long trips planned before leaving for Florida, but we will probably do some day trips and a few overnighters. We haven't paddled since we left the Adirondacks. I'm looking forward to some canoe time,. If only we could find some water! Next weekend we plan to go on a backpacking trip with our friends Jim and Ann and their family.
Monday, October 22, 2007
A Death in the Family
Within an hour of returning home we received some sad news. My mother's husband, A. Nelson Campany, passed this morning. Dorcas and I will be leaving early Tuesday morning for Shelby, MS. The funeral will be in Shelby on Wednesday afternoon.
Fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We left West Virginia on Saturday, but we didn't go straight home. We had received a message from our friend Andy that he would be hiking in the Harper Creek area on Sunday, and would be camping at Julian Price Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Saturday. We had wanted to camp on the BRP once more before they closed the campgrounds for the season, and Andy is always fun to hike with, so off we went. It's nice to be mobile and have no commitments! We drove the BRP about 90 miles from Fancy Gap to Price Park and the fall colors were fantastic. We checked in at the campground just before dark. Andy and Christy joined us later at our campfire. It was a brisk evening. The low that night was 33 degrees.
On Sunday morning we drove south on the parkway headed
for the trailhead. The colors on Grandfather Mountain and the views from the Linn Cove Viaduct were prettier than I had seen them for years. We pulled in at the Linn Cove Visitor Center and discussed a change in plan. We decided that we couldn't pass up a hike here when the colors are so gorgeous. Plan B was to hike from the Linn Cove parking area on the Tanawa Trail to Rough Ridge and return. This is a very easy hike of only about 4 miles. We hung out on Rough Ridge for over an hour enjoying the views of Grandfather Mountain and the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Parkway. It seems that I have never hiked to Rough Ridge without seeing someone I know. This time it was Ken, who I had worked with at DAQ. 
After the hike we drove over to Valle Crucis and visited the original Mast Store. We then drove to Blowing Rock and walked around Bass Lake at the lower end of the Moses Cone Park.
We awoke this morning to fog and rain. We had considered spending the the last night of our trip at one of the Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Kerr Scott Reservoir near Wilkesboro. Need to break up that two hour drive, ya know. Considering the weather however, we decided to come on home. Of course, we found the weather in Wilkesboro and at home was fine. In any case, we are finally at home for the first time in five weeks.
On Sunday morning we drove south on the parkway headed
for the trailhead. The colors on Grandfather Mountain and the views from the Linn Cove Viaduct were prettier than I had seen them for years. We pulled in at the Linn Cove Visitor Center and discussed a change in plan. We decided that we couldn't pass up a hike here when the colors are so gorgeous. Plan B was to hike from the Linn Cove parking area on the Tanawa Trail to Rough Ridge and return. This is a very easy hike of only about 4 miles. We hung out on Rough Ridge for over an hour enjoying the views of Grandfather Mountain and the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Parkway. It seems that I have never hiked to Rough Ridge without seeing someone I know. This time it was Ken, who I had worked with at DAQ. 
After the hike we drove over to Valle Crucis and visited the original Mast Store. We then drove to Blowing Rock and walked around Bass Lake at the lower end of the Moses Cone Park.We awoke this morning to fog and rain. We had considered spending the the last night of our trip at one of the Corps of Engineers campgrounds at Kerr Scott Reservoir near Wilkesboro. Need to break up that two hour drive, ya know. Considering the weather however, we decided to come on home. Of course, we found the weather in Wilkesboro and at home was fine. In any case, we are finally at home for the first time in five weeks.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Exploring Pocahontas County, WV
We are still camped at Watoga State Park near Marlinton, WV. 
Yesterday was a somewhat dreary day with intermittent showers. Rather than bike or hike, we took a drive. We drove north through Marlinton and connected onto the Monongahela National Forest Highlands Scenic Byway. From there we drove across Big Spruce Mountain and Black Mountain at elevations of about 5000'. Up here the fall colors were finally peaking. We stopped in at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center and then walked the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. The Cranberry Glades are a 750 acre area with a series of mountain bogs 3400') that contain Arctic plant species that survived here from the last ice age and are now only found in the far northern US and Canada. We then hiked to the Falls of Hills Creek, a series of three waterfalls. There are 382 steps to the lower falls. I counted. The lower falls is 63', the second highest in WV. Don't ask me what the highest falls is. They were nice, but not terribly impressive, 
due to the very low water flow. These falls probably would not rate honorable mention in NC.
It rained some more last night and is still dreary and spitting some rain today. Ranger Chuck came down and told us the governor of WV just declared a fire ban. It has rained the last two days here and now a fire ban? Chuck is a funny fellow and I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. I hope lightning doesn't strike our fire pit and accidentally start a fire! Today we are driving around exploring the villages of Pocahontas County. Tomorrow we will pack up and go home. We have been away almost 5 weeks on this trip. We have been home only 14 nights since May 20. I think I am ready to be home for a little while.
Yesterday was a somewhat dreary day with intermittent showers. Rather than bike or hike, we took a drive. We drove north through Marlinton and connected onto the Monongahela National Forest Highlands Scenic Byway. From there we drove across Big Spruce Mountain and Black Mountain at elevations of about 5000'. Up here the fall colors were finally peaking. We stopped in at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center and then walked the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. The Cranberry Glades are a 750 acre area with a series of mountain bogs 3400') that contain Arctic plant species that survived here from the last ice age and are now only found in the far northern US and Canada. We then hiked to the Falls of Hills Creek, a series of three waterfalls. There are 382 steps to the lower falls. I counted. The lower falls is 63', the second highest in WV. Don't ask me what the highest falls is. They were nice, but not terribly impressive, 
due to the very low water flow. These falls probably would not rate honorable mention in NC.It rained some more last night and is still dreary and spitting some rain today. Ranger Chuck came down and told us the governor of WV just declared a fire ban. It has rained the last two days here and now a fire ban? Chuck is a funny fellow and I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. I hope lightning doesn't strike our fire pit and accidentally start a fire! Today we are driving around exploring the villages of Pocahontas County. Tomorrow we will pack up and go home. We have been away almost 5 weeks on this trip. We have been home only 14 nights since May 20. I think I am ready to be home for a little while.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Watoga SP and the Greenbrier River Trail
We are camped at Watoga State Park near Marlinton, WV. We arrived Sunday night just after dark. This is a place you just can't get to from central MD and I-81, particularly driving a 33,000 lb motorhome. We apparently didn't make the wisest choices picking our route. We drove across four mountains and entered the park at the north entrance, which is at the other end from where we were meeting our friends. We then drove about ten miles on a single lane road through the park, running only one on-coming vehicle off the road. When we arrived at the Riverside Campground on the banks of the Greenbrier River our friends were there and had saved us a nice pull-though site. We fired up the convection microwave oven and cooked pizza for the crew.
On Monday everyone piddled around camp until "Chuck" a state park service employee showed up at our campsites. Chuck had some issues about our respective campsite registrations. One of our party had claimed a WV senior's discount, but had used a NC address. Another had signed up for five nights but only paid for one. The third party had not yet paid at all. Chuck pegged Wayne as a trouble maker right away. Actually Chuck was very agreeable. He cut us some slack and gave us all the senior's rate ($10.00/night, a great deal). As he was leaving I asked if he had any Greenbrier Trail brochures in his truck. He said no, but there were some in the office. About 10 minutes later he brought a variety of brochures for local points of interest to our campsites. Service above and beyond the call of duty. Attaboy Chuck! After lollygagging the whole day, about 3:00 we rode our bikes north up the Greenbrier River Trail towards Marlinton. There was almost
no one on the trail, even though the weather was perfect and the fall colors were approaching their peak. The joys of being retired and able to play on weekdays! It is likely that on the day before there were hundreds of people on the trail. About 3 miles outside Marlinton we came upon a paved section of trail and did see some folks taking their after-work strolls. We stopped in at the visitor center at Marlinton, which is a restored railroad depot. Next door to the depot was an old timey hardware store where we found a glass dome for our coffee percolator. We had been trying to find that part for weeks. C.J. Richardson's Hardware is second oldest on-going business in Pocahontas County. I don't know what the oldest business is.
We had hoped to do some paddling on the Greenbrier while we were here. Everyone brought a canoe. However, the water level was impossibly low. Even the trout had a hard time getting down the river. So, on Tuesday we biked south on the trail instead. There are no services that way, so we had no hope of finding an ice cream cone along the trail. Dang. Our destination was the Droop Mountain tunnel, one of two tunnels on the Greenbrier River trail. We arrived at the tunnel, drove through in the dank and dark and turned around to return. We had a nice picnic lunch at one of the bike-in campsites along the trail. This day we saw only two other bikers during our 35 mile ride.
On Wednesday Wayne and Lynda had to return home for a family commitment. At breakfast we all congregated at their site to watch them pack and break camp. Today we plan to explore some of the towns and attractions in the area.
On Monday everyone piddled around camp until "Chuck" a state park service employee showed up at our campsites. Chuck had some issues about our respective campsite registrations. One of our party had claimed a WV senior's discount, but had used a NC address. Another had signed up for five nights but only paid for one. The third party had not yet paid at all. Chuck pegged Wayne as a trouble maker right away. Actually Chuck was very agreeable. He cut us some slack and gave us all the senior's rate ($10.00/night, a great deal). As he was leaving I asked if he had any Greenbrier Trail brochures in his truck. He said no, but there were some in the office. About 10 minutes later he brought a variety of brochures for local points of interest to our campsites. Service above and beyond the call of duty. Attaboy Chuck! After lollygagging the whole day, about 3:00 we rode our bikes north up the Greenbrier River Trail towards Marlinton. There was almost
no one on the trail, even though the weather was perfect and the fall colors were approaching their peak. The joys of being retired and able to play on weekdays! It is likely that on the day before there were hundreds of people on the trail. About 3 miles outside Marlinton we came upon a paved section of trail and did see some folks taking their after-work strolls. We stopped in at the visitor center at Marlinton, which is a restored railroad depot. Next door to the depot was an old timey hardware store where we found a glass dome for our coffee percolator. We had been trying to find that part for weeks. C.J. Richardson's Hardware is second oldest on-going business in Pocahontas County. I don't know what the oldest business is.We had hoped to do some paddling on the Greenbrier while we were here. Everyone brought a canoe. However, the water level was impossibly low. Even the trout had a hard time getting down the river. So, on Tuesday we biked south on the trail instead. There are no services that way, so we had no hope of finding an ice cream cone along the trail. Dang. Our destination was the Droop Mountain tunnel, one of two tunnels on the Greenbrier River trail. We arrived at the tunnel, drove through in the dank and dark and turned around to return. We had a nice picnic lunch at one of the bike-in campsites along the trail. This day we saw only two other bikers during our 35 mile ride.
On Wednesday Wayne and Lynda had to return home for a family commitment. At breakfast we all congregated at their site to watch them pack and break camp. Today we plan to explore some of the towns and attractions in the area.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Chocolate Town USA, Hershey, PA
We are camped tonight at the Thousand Trails preserve near Hershey, PA. This afternoon we toured some attractions at Hershey's Chocolate World. 
Specifically, we did a free Disney-like ride through a simulated chocolate factory, complete with animated singing cows, and a trolley ride through the town of Hershey. On the factory ride they gave you a pack of Hershey Kissables at the end. We took that ride twice. All during the trolley ride the conductor passed out different varieties of Hershey kisses and mini Reece's cups. Essentially it was all-you-could-eat-and-stuff-in-your-pockets before-you-embarrassed-yourself for the duration of the tour. At the end you got a Hershey bar. Great fun. Our only mistake was to attend on a beautiful Saturday afternoon when what must be the largest antique car show in the world was in progress at the site. 
It seemed to be a continuation of our bad luck/bad timing from yesterday.
Milton Hershey actually failed during four initial attempts to make a go of candy making. Ironically, his breakthrough came at making caramel, not chocolate. He pioneered a recipe which used milk to make a creamy caramel that was a huge success. He sold the caramel business for a million dollars before he ever made an ounce of chocolate. When he started making chocolate he recycled the milk idea and invented milk chocolate. Another huge success. Hershey never had any heirs; he and his wife Kitty could not have children. Consequently they started an orphanage. That orphanage eventually evolved into a school for under underprivileged children, the Milton Hershey School. Kids that are admitted to the program are provided with a K-12 education, including room and board, at no expense. Currently there are about 1700 students in the program. Each student that goes on to college is granted the first $77,000 of the cost towards their college expenses. Truly a wonderful opportunity for kids who might not otherwise ever finish high school. The foundation that funds and administers the program owns 77% of the Hershey stock, essentially making Hershey a non-profit organization. I had no idea.
Tomorrow we will leave for Watoga State Park near Marlinton, WV. There we will meet some friends and do some biking, hiking and paddling.
Specifically, we did a free Disney-like ride through a simulated chocolate factory, complete with animated singing cows, and a trolley ride through the town of Hershey. On the factory ride they gave you a pack of Hershey Kissables at the end. We took that ride twice. All during the trolley ride the conductor passed out different varieties of Hershey kisses and mini Reece's cups. Essentially it was all-you-could-eat-and-stuff-in-your-pockets before-you-embarrassed-yourself for the duration of the tour. At the end you got a Hershey bar. Great fun. Our only mistake was to attend on a beautiful Saturday afternoon when what must be the largest antique car show in the world was in progress at the site. 
It seemed to be a continuation of our bad luck/bad timing from yesterday.Milton Hershey actually failed during four initial attempts to make a go of candy making. Ironically, his breakthrough came at making caramel, not chocolate. He pioneered a recipe which used milk to make a creamy caramel that was a huge success. He sold the caramel business for a million dollars before he ever made an ounce of chocolate. When he started making chocolate he recycled the milk idea and invented milk chocolate. Another huge success. Hershey never had any heirs; he and his wife Kitty could not have children. Consequently they started an orphanage. That orphanage eventually evolved into a school for under underprivileged children, the Milton Hershey School. Kids that are admitted to the program are provided with a K-12 education, including room and board, at no expense. Currently there are about 1700 students in the program. Each student that goes on to college is granted the first $77,000 of the cost towards their college expenses. Truly a wonderful opportunity for kids who might not otherwise ever finish high school. The foundation that funds and administers the program owns 77% of the Hershey stock, essentially making Hershey a non-profit organization. I had no idea.
Tomorrow we will leave for Watoga State Park near Marlinton, WV. There we will meet some friends and do some biking, hiking and paddling.
Friday, October 12, 2007
The Drive Through Hell
We visited the main LL Bean store this morning for one last round. We could have walked around the store for hours, even if we didn't buy anything. There's just so much interesting stuff. Then we went down the street to the LL Bean outlet to see if we could find some more can't-live-without-that deals. We did.
At about noon we finally left Freeport in a pouring rain. Our plan was to detour through Milford, CT to meet Dorcas' friend Sylvia and her sister Liz for dinner. This took us through some of the more populous corridors in the northeast. After we got into Massachusetts, we experienced a series of unfortunate traffic episodes. You would expect the traffic in the commuting zones around Boston and New York City to be congested on a Friday during rush hour, but I think this was way beyond the norm. We heard truckers using words on the CB that embarrassed even other truckers. First, we had intended to avoid the Mass Turnpike by taking I-290, but there was a flashing message saying that I-290 was blocked by an accident, "SEEK ALT ROUTE". OK, we'll take the turnpike and pay the toll. When entering the Mass Turnpike from I-485, there was a solid wall of cars being funneled down through the toll plaza where you pick up an entry ticket. We were forced through a gate for EasyPass vehicles, and consequently didn't pick up an entry ticket. This caused us to pay a much higher toll when we checked out at the other end. Bummer. I did subsequently learn that a 33,000 pound motorhome driven by an irate driver with an attitude, can basically go anywhere he wants to. Kinda like Dale Sr. back when he went around and around on Sunday afternoons. After clearing that mess, we came to a standstill on I-91 south of Hartford. Some semi-trucks got into it, got sideways and spilled some fuel. All lanes were blocked in both directions.
We actually came along just about the time things started moving, but it was 5 mph for about 1.5 hours. We finally arrived in Milford where Sylvia and Liz treated us to dinner at Stonebridge Restaurant. It was an excellent meal and a wonderful end to what had otherwise been a very stressful day. We left Milford about 10:00 and planned to pull off in an hour or two. The shortest route was I-95 through NYC, but the way our day had gone, we had no intention of going any closer to the city. Plan B was to cut cross country to I-84 at Danbury. Back roads, late evening, no problem, right? Wrong. On route 25 about 5 miles before intersecting I-84, we came up on an accident between two cars that had occurred only minutes before. The cars were still steaming and smoking and folks were calling the police. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. Unfortunately, the road was totally blocked and we could not back up or turn around. So we turned off the engine and sat. It took almost 2 hours for the police, FD and the tow truck guy to get things cleared up. By this time it was tomorrow. We drove another two hours and pulled off at a rest area on I-84 near Middletown, NY. Surprisingly, we slept rather well. I was just glad this slab of highway was behind us.
At about noon we finally left Freeport in a pouring rain. Our plan was to detour through Milford, CT to meet Dorcas' friend Sylvia and her sister Liz for dinner. This took us through some of the more populous corridors in the northeast. After we got into Massachusetts, we experienced a series of unfortunate traffic episodes. You would expect the traffic in the commuting zones around Boston and New York City to be congested on a Friday during rush hour, but I think this was way beyond the norm. We heard truckers using words on the CB that embarrassed even other truckers. First, we had intended to avoid the Mass Turnpike by taking I-290, but there was a flashing message saying that I-290 was blocked by an accident, "SEEK ALT ROUTE". OK, we'll take the turnpike and pay the toll. When entering the Mass Turnpike from I-485, there was a solid wall of cars being funneled down through the toll plaza where you pick up an entry ticket. We were forced through a gate for EasyPass vehicles, and consequently didn't pick up an entry ticket. This caused us to pay a much higher toll when we checked out at the other end. Bummer. I did subsequently learn that a 33,000 pound motorhome driven by an irate driver with an attitude, can basically go anywhere he wants to. Kinda like Dale Sr. back when he went around and around on Sunday afternoons. After clearing that mess, we came to a standstill on I-91 south of Hartford. Some semi-trucks got into it, got sideways and spilled some fuel. All lanes were blocked in both directions.
We actually came along just about the time things started moving, but it was 5 mph for about 1.5 hours. We finally arrived in Milford where Sylvia and Liz treated us to dinner at Stonebridge Restaurant. It was an excellent meal and a wonderful end to what had otherwise been a very stressful day. We left Milford about 10:00 and planned to pull off in an hour or two. The shortest route was I-95 through NYC, but the way our day had gone, we had no intention of going any closer to the city. Plan B was to cut cross country to I-84 at Danbury. Back roads, late evening, no problem, right? Wrong. On route 25 about 5 miles before intersecting I-84, we came up on an accident between two cars that had occurred only minutes before. The cars were still steaming and smoking and folks were calling the police. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. Unfortunately, the road was totally blocked and we could not back up or turn around. So we turned off the engine and sat. It took almost 2 hours for the police, FD and the tow truck guy to get things cleared up. By this time it was tomorrow. We drove another two hours and pulled off at a rest area on I-84 near Middletown, NY. Surprisingly, we slept rather well. I was just glad this slab of highway was behind us.
Photo of the Week
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.....
OK, she didn't really live in a shoe. She lived in a luxury motor coach.
But what kind of story would that make ...?
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Leaving Acadia NP, Arriving Bean Town (Freeport, not Boston)
We had planned to get moving early and make a dash for Freeport and LL Bean. However, the weather had cleared and it was a beautiful day. We had not been to the top of Cadillac Mountain this trip, so we decided to spend a little more time on the island before heading south. 
There were a ton of people on the summit, thanks to the cruise ships, but it was worth it. The views were stunning. 
Later we walked on the waterfront at Bar Harbor for a while. We finally got on the road and enjoyed the fall foliage down scenic US 1. I have come to the conclusion that the porcupine is to Maine as the 'possum is to the southeast and the armadillo is to the southwest. The roadkill of choice. There was one on the side of the road about every other mile. When we arrived at Freeport in late afternoon, it had started to rain heavily (great shopping weather--Dorcas). We visited the North Face and Patagonia outlets and then went to LL Bean. This is my fourth trip to LL Bean since 1986 and it is bigger every time. The first time I went it was all in one HUGE store. Now it is in four HUGE stores. There is the "Flagship" store, the Hunting and Fishing store, the Bike, Boat and Ski store and the Outlet store. We shopped until after midnight and spent the night in their parking lot. We were actually very frugal. We only bought a handful of sale items.
There were a ton of people on the summit, thanks to the cruise ships, but it was worth it. The views were stunning. 
Later we walked on the waterfront at Bar Harbor for a while. We finally got on the road and enjoyed the fall foliage down scenic US 1. I have come to the conclusion that the porcupine is to Maine as the 'possum is to the southeast and the armadillo is to the southwest. The roadkill of choice. There was one on the side of the road about every other mile. When we arrived at Freeport in late afternoon, it had started to rain heavily (great shopping weather--Dorcas). We visited the North Face and Patagonia outlets and then went to LL Bean. This is my fourth trip to LL Bean since 1986 and it is bigger every time. The first time I went it was all in one HUGE store. Now it is in four HUGE stores. There is the "Flagship" store, the Hunting and Fishing store, the Bike, Boat and Ski store and the Outlet store. We shopped until after midnight and spent the night in their parking lot. We were actually very frugal. We only bought a handful of sale items.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Acadia Park Loop Road
We had planned to bike another day, but it was overcast and dreary. We just weren't in the mood. We went into Bar Harbor with the intentions of eating a seafood brunch at the Thirsty Whale. The librarians had turned us on to the Whale. It turns out that there were two large cruise ships anchored in Bar Harbor. When one cruise ship is in, it doubles the population of Bar Harbor. When two ships are in, you guessed it: quadrupled. We couldn't get a table at the Thirsty Whale; we couldn't even get in the restroom. We decided to drive the Park Loop Road instead. The good news is that cruise ship passengers don't have cars to drive on the Park Loop Road. The bad news is that the cruise lines charter buses to take then around the island. You couldn't cross the road without getting run over by tour bus. All of the most popular features, such as Thunder Hole were clogged up with tourists, so we spent a lot of time walking on the rocks near the water and poking into the tide pools. Dorcas was fascinated by what she called "skunk ducks". The skunk ducks were black and white, with a skunk-like pattern, and would flock in rafts just off the rocks. In short order, we figured out they were Eider ducks. After our Park Loop Road tour we ended up back at the Thirsty Whale for a late lunch/early dinner. This time the place was nearly empty, and we enjoyed lobster rolls, fish sandwiches and clam chowder. We came back to camp and enjoyed some of our free fire wood.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Biking Acadia
Acadia has many wonderful features, but perhaps the most unique are the carriage trails. John D. Rockefeller built the carriage trails and their stone bridges prior to giving the land to the park. Today they are used primarily for biking and walking. One of our objectives for this trip was to spend some time biking on the carriage trails. 
I had convinced Dorcas that the trails were flat, but it turns out that they are hillier than I had remembered. Nothing terribly steep, but definitely rolling terrain. Today was a great day for biking: sunny and clear, with temperatures in the 50s. We put in at Jordan Pond, headed north on the Around-Mountain trail, went by Aunt Betty's Pond, around Eagle Lake, and south back by Bubble Pond. When he came to Day Mountain I coerced Dorcas into going up. Day Mountain is the only summit with a carriage trail to the top. While it is only just under 600', it does offer good views of the island. When we returned to Jordan Pond, we had biked almost 17 miles. After biking we went into Bar Harbor to check our e-mail. We have had great success in New England accessing the internet at public libraries, and Bar Harbor was no exception. In fact, Bar Harbor's Jesup Memorial Library is the most impressive library we have been in. The exterior is brick with intricate carved stone highlights. Inside it is an open space with two levels of balconied book stacks along the outer walls with oak and walnut paneling. Very majestic. The librarians at New England libraries have been very friendly and accommodating, Additionally, they have been a font of information about the locale.
I had convinced Dorcas that the trails were flat, but it turns out that they are hillier than I had remembered. Nothing terribly steep, but definitely rolling terrain. Today was a great day for biking: sunny and clear, with temperatures in the 50s. We put in at Jordan Pond, headed north on the Around-Mountain trail, went by Aunt Betty's Pond, around Eagle Lake, and south back by Bubble Pond. When he came to Day Mountain I coerced Dorcas into going up. Day Mountain is the only summit with a carriage trail to the top. While it is only just under 600', it does offer good views of the island. When we returned to Jordan Pond, we had biked almost 17 miles. After biking we went into Bar Harbor to check our e-mail. We have had great success in New England accessing the internet at public libraries, and Bar Harbor was no exception. In fact, Bar Harbor's Jesup Memorial Library is the most impressive library we have been in. The exterior is brick with intricate carved stone highlights. Inside it is an open space with two levels of balconied book stacks along the outer walls with oak and walnut paneling. Very majestic. The librarians at New England libraries have been very friendly and accommodating, Additionally, they have been a font of information about the locale.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Touring Acadia National Park
It rained a bit last night and it was a good morning to sleep in. Eventually we got up and cooked pancakes and sausage. It was overcast and cool, so we weren't anxious to start biking too early. 
We decided to go out on a wood scavenging run, thinking that since many folks are going home, maybe they would leave their firewood. We had picked up a few pieces near our site in A loop, when a guy pulls up in a van and asks if we want some kindling. Sure! Thanks! He was a contractor and had a large box of wood scraps that he gave us. He said they were closing B loop today for the season, and everyone is checking out there. He had just left there and said folks had left a lot of wood on the sites. We got in the car and drove to B loop and hit the jackpot. We found a ton of dried split wood. We filled up the back of the Honda, went home and dumped it, and returned for another load. We have enough wood now to last a week or more. 
After lunch we drove to Ship Harbor for a ranger-led walk along the coast to explore the tide pools. Big fun! Then we drove to Bass Harbor to see perhaps the most famous lighthouse in Maine. Normally one must shoot into the sun when photographing Bass Harbor Head Light, but today was cloudy, and we could take pictures without looking into the sun.
We decided to go out on a wood scavenging run, thinking that since many folks are going home, maybe they would leave their firewood. We had picked up a few pieces near our site in A loop, when a guy pulls up in a van and asks if we want some kindling. Sure! Thanks! He was a contractor and had a large box of wood scraps that he gave us. He said they were closing B loop today for the season, and everyone is checking out there. He had just left there and said folks had left a lot of wood on the sites. We got in the car and drove to B loop and hit the jackpot. We found a ton of dried split wood. We filled up the back of the Honda, went home and dumped it, and returned for another load. We have enough wood now to last a week or more. 
After lunch we drove to Ship Harbor for a ranger-led walk along the coast to explore the tide pools. Big fun! Then we drove to Bass Harbor to see perhaps the most famous lighthouse in Maine. Normally one must shoot into the sun when photographing Bass Harbor Head Light, but today was cloudy, and we could take pictures without looking into the sun.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Acadia National Park
Today we drove a whopping 30 miles to Acadia National Park. We had planned to stay at Blackwoods Campground, one of two campgrounds in the park. The other, Seawall CG, is closed for the season. However, when we drove onto the island, we saw a sign that said Blackwoods CG was full. Dang. Normally on a Sunday, campgrounds begin to empty out, but this is a holiday weekend. It was early yet, about 10:00, so maybe there would be spaces later. We went to the visitor's center and it was a zoo; you could barely get in the door. Screw this, let's see the park! We avoided the Park Loop Road as a route to Blackwoods CG, because there are four bridges on that route between 10' and 12' high. Faithful readers will remember that our coach soars to 12' 1". We took route 3 to the CG. When we arrived at Blackwoods, the ranger said they were just finishing their morning sweep to see what was available. She was certain that sites were available, but was concerned about the size of our coach.. They have a size limit of 35' long and 11'8" tall. Our coach is a 33' model, but she said we were almost 35' long. I didn't quibble, because we did fit in the 35' lines they have on the pavement at the check-in station. They apparently rigorously enforce the length rule, but not the height rule. I told her our height was 12'1", and she said they only prune trees to 11'8", but she would let us in if we wanted to risk hitting or brushing tree limbs. Cool! By this time, they had completed their sweep and she offered us two sites that she thought would suit us. Most of the sites in Blackwoods are pretty small, but there are two rows with pull-throughs designed for trailers and motorhomes. We walked in to check out the sites to make sure we could get through without hitting any vertical or horizontal obstructions. A-48 was perfect, so we took it. We will probably stay until Thursday before leaving and turning south. We spent the rest of the day driving around the eastern section of Mount Desert Island. We went to Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor and back up to Bar Harbor. We looped back to the visitor's center about 4:00, and it was nearly deserted by then, so we watched the park orientation video and talked to a ranger about some things we wanted to do. There are many things to do at Acadia, but I was particularly looking forward to riding our bikes on the carriage trails. After dinner we attended the very last campfire program of the season: "All Things Furry" about mammals in the park. The ranger was very entertaining and it was a fun program.
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