Coming to you from Ocala National Forest

We are in the Big Bass National Forest Campground.   Great little place.   More about that later.

In the last blog, I told you we had stayed overnight in Clayton, NC.   Prior to that we travelled from West Chester, PA through Washington, DC on I-95.   Washington was grey, rainy, full of traffic and cold.

It was nice to get going south to Virginia and North Carolina where it was supposedly warmer..

At one of our MANY fuel stops.   We are getting 7.7 mpg.

 

When we reached Savannah, GA we decided to drive downtown - to relive an experience from many years ago.  It didn't disappoint.  The streets were narrow but we got to see the waterfront.

We even decided to cross the Rte 17/25 bridge north over the Savannah River.  It was the steepest climb that we have had in the whole trip so far.   Maybe we can climb mountains because going up that bridge felt like we were mountain climbing.

After the bridge, we headed south again on I-95 looking for warmth.  We found it as we crossed the Georgia-Florida State line.   We wheeled into the Florida Welcome Station and sure enough, they had free orange or grapefruit juice.   Sheryl went for the OJ while I took the grapefruit juice.   Oh my, we were almost to warmth.

I liked the clock entitled Florida Time.  Notice the hands, the lack thereof.

We left the Florida Welcome Center happy and loaded up with pamphlets.   We were in warmth and headed for more.  We traveled on I-95 until we got to Daytona Beach and then turned the truck west in search of the Big Bass Campground in the Ocala National Forest.   Traveling west out of Altoona, FL, and following the directions from Fred and Suzi Dow's website and watching my DeLorme Topo 9.0 map running on the laptop, we eventually arrived at this little National Forest Campground.   There are 18 really nice sites.  There is a dump site and there are water spigots throughout the campground.   We found a site that had a huge paved area for the travel trailer.   It was even paved under the picnic table and had a grill.   How sweet it is.

 

We got set up just as the daylight was fading.   I quickly gathered some downed wood and in no time, we had a campfire for roasting marshmellows.

 

 

A perfect ending to a great day.   We had finally found warmth.   We woke up the next morning to rain around 4:30 a.m. I guess it was about 9:30 a.m. that we decided to make breakfast - OUTSIDE under the awning in spite of the rain..   

After breakfast, we sat outside under the awning, drank our coffee and read our Bibles.  What a nice day.   Then the sun came out around 1 p.m. and we got out the charcoal and proceeded to cook all kinds of grill-able meat.. some for lunch and some to put in the refrigerator to be warmed later.

We might watch a movie later.   We can have the generator on until 10 p.m., but we try to keep it quiet.  There are only 3 other units camping here.   And, there is a campground host for added security.  It's a great place to camp.   And did I mention the price:  $5 per night with our Senior Pass.  We might stay a couple more nights or a couple more weeks.   Who knows.   We are here in warmth.

It's getting warmer

We parked last night at Sheryl's brother's place in Clayton, NC.   Everything worked out great getting the rig into Jim's driveway and it was a nice overnight in the front yard.   Very quiet neighborhood.   Got to visit with our grown up nieces and nephew - Nathan,  Ambyr and her son Aiden, and Angela, her husband Nathan, and their two kids, Landon and Kenzie.   We had a great time getting caught up after not seeing them for a long time.  Jim lives in Pontiac and just retired from GM.   He bought the house in Clayton and Ambyr and Aiden live there.   Ambyr is studying to be a veterinarian technician.   Angela home schools.   Nathan is busy working a variety of jobs.

After a peaceful night's rest, we spent the morning fixing breakfast and getting hooked up.   I should have taken pictures, but I was pretty busy.   The strangest thing was a bush on one side of the driveway that I was afraid might scratch the trailer when I pulled out.   I got a couple of ratchet straps out and tied them around the bush.   Problem solved.   We pulled out without any difficulty and then I released the bush back to it's natural habitat.

We made a quick stop in town for a couple of things and had an interesting discovery:   Not all Murphy Gas Stations are connected with Walmart.   It has to say Murphy USA on the sign in order to use the Walmart gift card and get the $.10 per gallon discount.  But we catch on quick.   Now when we call for permission to park overnight at a Walmart, we also ask if they have Murphy gas. 

We are in Pooler, Ga at a Walmart tonight, along with a number of other rigs, all headed south.  It's a 24-hour store so it might be a little noisy, but so far, so good and it's supposed to get down to 40 degrees tonight.  Today got up to 60 degrees and tomorrow it's supposed to be nicer and we are headed farther south so it's got to get warmer, right?

Visiting Relatives

We left the Boston/Cape Cod KOA yesterday around 11 a.m. with a stop at an RV parts place for a new electric brake controller.   The electric brake controller activates the electric brakes on the travel trailer - a wonderful thing 'cause the truck has difficulty stopping itself and the trailer without the trailer brakes.   I found a Walmart parking lot and installed it in place of the old controller.   I thought it was going to solve the "issues" I was having.  Not completely.   The trailer braking issue isn't resolved yet but lets just say I'm not tailgating in the least.

We drove all the way from the KOA to a Walmart near Trenton, NJ and stayed overnight.   I'm glad that part of the trip is over because New York and northern New Jersey tend to be very congested.   The traffic is a bear and too many people can't wait to cut in front of you so they can get 10' further ahead - and then they hit their brakes.   They have no clue to the struggles I'm having with the brakes.  Oh well!

We met up with my niece Lori.  She and her husband Cliff live in the Trenton area so we got to meet her for coffee this morning.  It was nice visiting.   Then it was off to West Chester, PA just west of Philadelphia to visit with my sister Belva and her husband Clayton.    Clayton and Belva "mentored" me while I was growing up through junior and senior high school.  They took me to church and youth group.  Belva was a sounding board for me when I thought my parents didn't understand me.  They lived on my paper route and I was always "raiding" their refrigerator while I was delivering papers.   I learned to play the organ while I was baby sitting her kids.   Clayton got me interested in amateur radio, even loaning me a receiver to get me started.  They are doing okay but it's hard watching people you love getting older.   Belva especially had a good day and we enjoyed our visit.   But it was time to press on.   We're tired of cold nights and not so warm days.   Like the blog says:  "The Trip to Warmth."   We're not there yet, but we soon hope to be.

We walked the Freedom Trail in Boston

Sheryl and I caught the 9:44 a.m. train to Boston from the Middleboro/Lakeville station - only 7 minutes from our KOA where we are parked.  We didn't know what to expect.   When we got there, we paid $5 to park and got on the train when it arrived.   

We started into Boston and it wasn't long until a conductor showed up to collect our fare (cash only).  $15 round-trip for two.   A bargain.   We just sat and enjoyed the hour-long ride to the South End Terminal.

And that began our walking experience.  Walking the Freedom Trail.  Rather, we walked some of it..  it was a LOT of walking.   

We passed the waterfront first.

From there, we headed to Paul Revere's house, and then the Old North Church (one if by land and two if by sea).   

The British were going to send out troops to put down the upcoming rebellion.  The colonists needed to be warned of their coming.   They needed to know if the British were coming by land or sea.   Two lanterns were hung in the steeple of the Old North Church to warn Paul Revere that the British were coming by sea.    

Then Paul warned the colonists that "the British were coming" and coming very soon.  And the first battles of the revolutionary war began in Lexington and Concord.

The inside of the Old North Church is interesting.  The gentleman speaking to a tour group is speaking from a lectern.  The pulpit is high about is head (notice the thin microphone).   And yes, the church is still active today.

Notice that the people are sitting in little cubicles.   Those were rented out to the parishioners.  The best cubes were in the front and center.   In today's dollars, they would have leased for about $25, 000 per year.   But for that, you could decorate your "cube" however you wanted.   You might want to have a little iron box at your feet in which you would place hot rocks during the winter and maybe some pillows and chairs from home.

The Old North Church is not contemporary in worship.   The organ is in a loft in the back where it has been since the revolution AND it's used every Sunday for worship services.

After the Old North Church, we visited Copp's Hill Cemetary that dated back before the revolutionary war.   According to the gravestones, people died at a lot younger age back then.

We went to Boston expecting that each historical site would be surrounded by green space and "stand out."   It just isn't so.   Almost every historical site is crowded out by buildings around them, just like the picture of the Old North Church Church.

The "Old Meeting Place" was where the Sons of Liberty met to plot and plan. Sorry, no picture.

We saw Boston Common, walked along the waterfront AND did you know that some of the historical sites are located in the north part of Boston which is home to a lot of Italian Americans.  Here are some images.

About 2 p.m., we decided to take a break, get a coffee and figure out the rest of the day.  It sure tasted good and it got us out of the wind and cold.

We met some very nice people on the train this morning from Denmark who were travelling via a rented motor home around the northeast.   We found out they were staying in the same KOA we were in.   They had been in Boston for three days so they were able to give us some tips.

People were friendly as we walked around.   Some even offered to help as they saw us standing on a street corner looking dazed and unsure of which way to go.   It was a positive experience.

By 3:30 p.m., we were tired of walking.  We had just seen Boston Common so we headed east, back to the train station, got inside and waited until the 4:40 train back to Middleboro was ready to board.

Everybody is watching the "big tote board" to see what trains are in, ready to board, and on what track.  But after taking the train once, I'd say it's pretty easy, now that we are "veterans."   While we were watching the tote board ourselves, Sheryl said she was going to check out the McDonald's menu.  A few minutes later, she came back with a styrofoam box - I knew couldn't be from McDonald's.  Inside was Chinese sweet and sour pork with noodles.. Yum, yum, yum.   We finished that off just as they announced that our train was boarding.

Tomorrow we leave the KOA and head out.   Along the way, I'm hoping to find an RV store to get a proportional braking unit for the trailer.   The one we have isn't "cutting it" at all. 

Until later....

Sheryl said: Our clothes caught on fire!!

That was what I heard as I pulled up at the laundry at the Boston-Cape Cod KOA Campground near Middleboro, MA this morning.  A beautiful campground south of Boston, we rolled in here about 10 a.m. after spending the night in a Wal-mart parking lot about 20 minutes away.  We got set up without any trouble, ate an early lunch, and Sheryl washed a couple of loads of clothes in the trailer (in our miniature washer).   But since we don't have a dryer, we thought we'd just use the one on the grounds.   Sheryl was watching that while I was emptying the grey water tanks when things went crazy.  About $80 worth of clothes ruined.  They couldn't reimburse us for the clothes, BUT we did manage to get 2 nights of free camping for our trouble.

After re-washing but NOT DRYING the clothes that were still usable, we headed to Cape Cod.   We stopped at Sandwich, MA and found a great spot to head out to the beach.   Our walk took us for a couple of hundred yards across the salt-water marsh on a nice boardwalk.   Let me tell you:   We smelled the smell that sailors smell when they know they are near land.   And it's not a pretty smell.  Once on the beach, the view was spectacular.

 

After the beach view, We left Sandwich and headed south for Falmouth and Woods Hole.  Sheryl had wanted to see Martha's Vineyard Island and Woods Hole, MA seemed to be the best place to see what we could see.  Woods Hole is also the location of a certain very famous oceanographic institute by the same name.

Sheryl is standing in the front yard of the Nobska Point lighthouse we visited with Martha's Vineyard in the background. We thought about going over to Martha's Vineyard, but at $29 each one way per person, that was a NO!!   We figured we didn't need to drive on it - just see it. 

The Light-keepers cottage at the Nobska Point lighthouse.

I took a round-about way of getting back to Plymouth 'cause we wanted to see the rock the Pilgrims set foot on.  The round about?  I chose not to believe the GPS.   Found some of the curviest back roads in Massachusetts but we made it.   Even though the rock is ensconced in a Roman type portico, it's not lit at night.  And it was settled on what rock the Pilgrims actually landed on until 120 YEARS after they had landed.  Being out east, I'm wouldn't have been surprised if they had to pay a toll when they landed.

I was getting directions this morning and the guy told me to go to the "rotary" and go right at the second turn.  It's a round-a-bouts or traffic circle in - they call them "rotary's" out here.  

And we're not back where we started this morning.  The laundry.  Sheryl is working a picture puzzle and I'm typing this blog.   We're hoping to get by without a fire this time.   We're going into Boston by train tomorrow - got to catch the 9:45 a.m. run -  to walk "The Freedom Trail."   It's the places in Boston history leading up to and through the Revolutionary War.   We can almost hear Paul Revere yelling out:  "The British are coming!"

A guy at the beach overlooking Cape Cod today said that Massachusetts is expecting wet snow in the western part of the State tomorrow.  We've got to get further south.   More on that later..

Trip to Warmth?

Our blog is entitled:  "Trip to Warmth."   It hasn't been warm, so far?   But the scenery is great.   We enjoyed out time at Acadia.

Our campsite.   A lot of the flora and fauna reminds us of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.. even some of the rocks.   But we haven't seen the mountains like this in the U.P. 

Sheryl is standing atop Mt. Cadillac - 1530 feet - the highest point on the East Coast.   The mountain is named after the famed French explorer who named Detroit.

This is how we climb the mountain in 25-30 mph winds and 55 degree temps.   It was an experience.

Overlooking some of the shoreline.

We were in town on Friday and Sheryl mentioned that she had seen some adds for an early bird special at some of the restaurants...   Lobster for $17.   We checked around and found a very nice restaurant called Gaylans.   The meal and the view from the enclosed veranda was great.  Yum! Yum!

On Saturday, we were in the nearby town of Ellsworth at the Walmart getting one of the trailer tires repaired.   A sharp stone had punctured it.  Sheryl, being the frugal shopper she is, was checking the sale items.   Live Lobster was reduced from $13.95 a pound to $8.95 a pound.   We bought two of them, took them back to the trailer, steamed them and enjoyed them.   What a treat. 

We are now south of Boston in a Walmart parking lot.   Tomorrow morning we will be going to a KOA, unhooking the truck, driving to a subway station for an all-day or until-we-are-tired trip to downtown Boston.   We are going to take the Liberty Trail, whatever that is.   Tomorrow we find out.  Pleasant dreams and see ya.

Oh yea..  it's going down into the mid-30's tonight.  I'm sure glad the trailer furnace is working.

Here we are at Acadia National Parkk

We have arrived at the Blackwoods RV Camp inside of Acadia National Park on Thursday.   We got here at 5:57 p.m. and were the last people to register for the day on Wednesday.  We got our pull through spot – and parked in the dark, aided by flashlights.  The trailer is level, the truck is unhooked and Sheryl prepared dinner – it was yummy.  There isn't much CELL SERVICE in Acadia - we did manage to make a call to our son from the dump station this morning.   There is excellent cell service in Bar Harbor but not at our camp sight.  It is really quiet, except for the rain.   Even though I’m thankful for the Walmarts and Pilot Travel Centers that let us park free, I don’t miss the diesel trucks running and cars going back and forth in the parking lots were have been parked in.

We got up this morning and pulled out onto the road by 7:30 a.m.  We travelled north on I-95 through Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and into Maine.  A video at the visitor center about lobster in Wells, Maine peaked Sheryl’s interest.   It was only a little way off the interstate SO, off we went in search of adventure.   The Maine Diner has been featured on Guy Fieri's “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” show on Food Network.   We ordered their Lobster Pie special – their signature dish.   It was okay – the lobster was a little tough but it was neat to do something special.   The cup of chowder was yummy.

The map showed that we were within 10-12 miles of Kennebunk, Maine, which is close to Kennebunkport, Maine.  With our tummy's full, we turned the rig to the land of the George Bush’s, just so we could say “we were there.”

Back on I-95 we discovered how poor the signage is for Acadia National Park, which is one of the most highly visited National parks.   We see a sign on the freeway telling us the exit was coming in a few miles or at a certain exit number.   But no confirming sign at the exit.   There were MANY times we wondered if we were going the right way.   Yes, I had my GPS but sometimes they make mistakes.  We finally got off the interstate and there was a sign – “Acadia National Park 100 miles.”   That was it until we were about 10 miles away.   When it’s raining and starting to get dark, it would be nice if the National Park Service would put up enough signage on the main road into the park to let people know they are going the right way.

By the time we got there, the Visitor Center was closed.   And it was raining pretty good as  I stood there, outside the center, looking at a map and trying to figure things out.   It didn’t take me long to discover that if I went the perimeter route in the park, I’d risk taking the roof off the trailer due to a low underpass.  Great!  It was then we noticed a park ranger running in the rain to the only car left in the parking lot.   At Sheryl’s suggestion, I interceded with him for some information and I was sure glad we did.   He told me what road to take.   We took it and in spite of some VERY TIGHT TURNS in Bar Harbor, we found the campground and here we are, parked in spot A-50.    We really don’t know what it looks like, ‘cause it’s dark and rainy.   Maybe we’ll get a “lay of the land” in the morning.  

I’m realizing that this is the “shake-down cruise” for the truck and trailer.   We only drove it up to Sugar Springs, near Gladwin.   So we’ve only now learning to only use as many lights as absolutely necessary, how long the battery will last, how much we can run the furnace, how much water to use or not use, how much propane will it take, etc..   it’s part of the camping experience.   We can use the generator here in the park from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m and we did use it this morning.

With $10 we purchased our Lifetime Senior Pass for the National Park system which gives us a 50% discount on camping in most National Parks and National Forest Campgrounds.   I read today that seniors on social security are being granted a social security cost of living increase of 3.6% starting in 2012.

Got up this morning to discover that the tire on the trailer that looked soft in the dark was FLAT in the daylight.  Removed the flat tire and replaced it with the spare in the rain this morning.  We discovered a severe leak in the skylight over the shower.   That has got to be fixed tomorrow when the sun comes out.

Sorry we don’t have a lot of great pictures of driving into the park.   We’ll get some before we go.   It’s supposed to rain all day Thursday - today - but change to sunny weather on Friday.  We're seriously thinking about early bird lobster at one of the many restaurants in Bar Harbor.   Happy trails.

More "adventure" at Mystic Seaport, CT.

Had a restful night at the Waterford, Ct. Walmart parking lot again.   Left the lot around 10 a.m. for Mystic Seaport.   Had a great morning checking out the displays and buildings that we didn't get to see the previous day (didn't have to pay again - our payment the previous day covered our entrance for today).  The weather started out overcast but turned beautiful and sunny.

Sheryl is standing with the large anchor at the entrance:

Here we are in the lobby next to a fresnel light from a lighthouse.

We visited a ships wood carving shop.  They carved everything necessary for trimming out the ship, including the name plates for the ship.  By law, there had to be five of them to identify the ship.

We saw where sails were made and where the iron items for the ship were created.  It was all very interesting.  Here are some more pics:


We took in a cooking demonstration circa 1850 in one of the homes along the shore.

 We found this in the sail shop.

Got back to the travel trailer in the parking lot about 1 p.m. to have some lunch. 

The main slide wouldn't extend.  I shifted from tourist to "mechanic mode."  The mechanism was making noise but the slide wouldn't go anywhere.   After praying about it, I made a phone call to Randy at Philips Camper back home.  We determined that the slide was stuck and if I turned the manual slide extender rod, it would pop free.  It did.   Problem solved.   We could go back to being tourists again.   Thank you Lord for making Randy available and knowledgeable.  Lunch was great - chicken and dumplings.  Umm, Ummm, Ummm.. Yumo. 

Went back into the park around 2:30 p.m. and had a great time.   By the time we left around 5 I was whipped, but Sheryl was still going strong.  Made a pot of coffee - drank same and called our son in Florida.  After the coffee drove 15 minutes to a Pilot Travel Center for a free overnight.   So far, the truck next to us has only started his engine twice in two hours.  We are hoping he quits or leaves - as I'm writing this, he left.   Yea!

Tomorrow is our travel day to Acadia National Park.   We are so looking forward to parking the rig and kicking back.   Maybe some lobster on Thursday. :)

Mystic Seaport

It's October 17th and we finally got here - Mystic Seaport - a place I visited on a trip paid for by the Detroit News when I was 14 old - - a long time ago.  

When I was 14, a bunch of us newspaper boys won a trip to the U.S. Navy Submarine Base at New London.   Mystic was part of the travel itinerary.

Before we got to Mystic this time, we didn't get there without "interesting adventure.   After we left the Lock Haven Walmart in Pennsylvania, we drove on Interstate 80 - not a bad road pulling a heavy travel trailer (TT for short).   But the road changed A LOT when we hit New Jersey.  Lot's of dipsy do's.  

The walk up the hill to the New Jersey welcome center was a workout.

I was very FOCUSED on the driving.

But back to the trip through New Jersey.   They have some interesting exits and entrances to freeways.   So interesting that we went around three times at one exit before we got on the freeway going the right way.  We were on I-387 going north toward the Tappan-Zee Bridge to get across the Hudson River on our way to Connecticut.   

 Headed across the Hudson

 The Main span..

Only 12 miles and suddenly, we were looking at  4 lanes of wall-to-wall stop and go traffic.   Only when we were within 6 miles of the bridge did it suddenly all "speed up."   And I've had to readjust my driving to become way more aggressive than normal.   That's interesting with a TT behind the truck.

We would not recommend towing a travel trailer on I-80, I-387, or I-95 in New York State, and the first part of Conneticut.  The road is being worked on AND ISN'T smooth at all.  It was so nice to get to the Walmart, even if I had to do some work to get us situated for the night.

When we pulled into the parking lot of the Waterford, CT Walmart, the first thing we noticed was the flashing error message on the refrigerator.  It wasn't getting propane.  I knew the tanks were full.   I tried to light the gas stove and turn on the furnace..  nothing..  ummm.   Outside I went...

The place to check the "fullness" of the tanks indicated they were both EMPTY.  Not so, I thought.   I made sure the tanks were full and theorized that somehow all the "shaking" and "dipsy doing" had messed up the regulator. 

Out came the generator and with it chained to the trailer frame, we saw the temperature start back down on the fridge.  Today we made an unplanned side trip to a RV shop to buy a new regulator..  now everything is fine again.

We finally got to Mystic Seaport today around 3 p.m.   It is an old whaling and fishing village that has been preserved and rebuilt.   The whaling ship Charles W. Morgan is in dry dock undergoing an 8-10 million dollar renovation.

Here are some pics of us around Mystic:

 

 

There's a lot more to Mystic.   All of the village places and occupations that supported a life at sea - fishing and whaling and everyday commerce.   We visited the "coopers" store and learned how barrels were made.  Everything in America before the invention of the fork-lift was shipped in a barrel.   You could make a pretty good living, IF you could make a good barrel.   And it was all done by hand and eye - no plans or templates.   It took 7 years of apprenticeship to become a barrel maker or a "cooper."

We at supper in the parking lot of Mystic Seaport and since we got here so late today, the $22 each that we paid to get in (of course I got the senior discount), will allow us to come back tomorrow.  The big decision right now is:  Do we head right for Acadia National Park from here OR do we first stop in Boston, then go to Acadia stopping in Boston on the way south from Acadia.   I guess we'll figure it out.