November 12 - Falling into winter

Rob doing homework and Rocky chewing his toy

Apex Trail Ride

Chicago Creek Trail

Glenwood Canyon



Hanging Lake

Trail near school

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Time has passed so quickly since our last entry so long ago. We have packed the camper away for the winter, and hung our winter jackets and gloves at the front door. Fall has lingered and we have been spending a lot of time outdoors. Rocky is a great incentive to get out and walk every day. He is giving the family so much joy – we are lucky to have him. He is very affectionate and patient with us all. He also loves to chew his toys (pic).

Robert has discovered that riding his bike on the mountain trail near the house is tones of fun. He convinced Ant and a friend to ride with him, while Mike, Rocky and I walked. It is really challenging but they had lots of fun (pic).

To celebrate the fall colors the boys and I did a lovely hike above the campground at Chicago Creek. Bella (the dog Rob walks each afternoon) joined us on the trail(pic).

To save us the driving trip out to Utah, mom flew out here during our mid term break. Rich decided that we needed to get away so he booked two nights at Glenwood Springs. We did some wonderful bike rides up and down the canyon, hiked up to Hanging Lake and soaked in the hot springs (pics).

I went hiking with two girlfriends on Sunday. We were exploring a trail near the boy’s school. It looks west towards the continental divide (pic). We must have dropped about 1000ft to the river below us and then had to climb back out about 500ft to the car park at the end of the trail. The scenery and company were great. We plan to spend more time exploring the rest of the trail – 8 miles long in all.

September - Day to day

The boys run a pet walking and care business. We currently have three dogs on the roster along with Rocky. Walk times are quite a handful! (pic)

The elk mating season is here again and last week we were marveling at the amount of elk bugling we could hear in our neighborhood. We have been watching beautiful 6 point elk strolling through our yard surrounded by their "harem" of ladies. Nature can be so majestic. Over the weekend we were shocked to discover that most of the bugling was recordings and hunters were in the neighborhood. They brought down one of our males Saturday morning but after the outcry against them I do not think they will be back again. The bow hunting season ends next weekend. I can hear another male out there at the moment - life goes on.

We had a great bike ride through the lower trails of Elk Meadow on Sunday. Mike took a major tumble but showed great courage and hopped straight back onto his bike.

September 19 - Mt Evans

We live within 25 miles of the peak of a 14er. During the summer one can drive all the way to the top on a paved road - the highest paved road in North America. At this time of year the peak has snow, the road is not plowed and one can only drive to about 13000 ft. We also recently discovered that some of the bristle cone pines at tree line are about 1700 years old. School were closed on Friday so we decided to do some hiking up to the trees. We parked at a trail head at about 9500 ft and ventured into the forest. After hiking for two hours we realized that the trail was not going to take us up to tree line, so we turned around and returned to the car. We drove up to tree line (11500 ft) and took a short walk through the bristle cone forest. The texture and shape of the trees was really beautiful (pic). We continued further up the road and had a birds eye view to the west. Groves of aspen created a lovely patchwork in the distance (pic). The sleet on the road became too scary so we turned around and headed home. All in all another good day in Colorado!

September 12-14 - Chicago Creek

Another lovely campground close to home! Six miles up the Mt Evans road from Idaho Springs, followed by three miles of gravel leads one into a quiet, beautifully situated campground. The sound of the creek and the rustling aspen make this a great place to relax. Rocky, Ant and I enjoyed a sunrise hike up the "Hells Hole Trail" (pic). The boys discovered a fort in amongst the willows along the creek. It was a large complex of connected "rooms" and they loved conjecturing the use of each room. They each claimed a personal room, and declared a room for meditation, Rocky's sun room, the weaving room, a treasure room and others I cannot remember the details of. They were busy in their complex for hours(pic). Rich and I were able to go for a peaceful walk along the creek (pic). On our return to the camp ground we tried ambusing them but their defences were good and we could not penetrate the fort.

The chill in the air is quite refreshing and the aspen are changing color. We may return to see the colors at the beginning of October.

September 7 - Bergen Peak so close to home

10 miles from our house there is an Open Space park where we did our first ever "hike" in Colorado. The boys were two years old and we walked approx. 1/2 mile into the meadow. It was very pretty and quite exciting. Since then, I have always loved the park and have returned there often. There is a great meadow loop and I have done it under all conditions. Dry, wet, icy and snowy. If one ventures a bit further along the trails one can climb pretty high above the valley below. During the week one of the boy's friends convinced us that a hike to the highest peak in the park is quite achievable. We wanted to do a hike with the kids so we decided to do it instead of attempting a 14er. We were on the trail by mid morning and spent the next three hours slogging to the top, almost 2000ft above the car park. We kept hearing the chant that "the view from the top is worth it". It really is worth it! One can see Denver and gaze over the plains to the east.(pic) Looking west are endless peaks.(pic) After completing the 10mile hike we treated ourselves to great milkshakes. We returned home exhausted and I was so pleased to drop into bed early.

August 31 Grays and Torreys

Last year a friend of mine introduced me to two ladies from Aspen. We spent the day hiking Mt Bierstadt. It was a great achievement because it was the first peak over 14 000ft I had hiked. Today we got together again and we conquered both Grays and Torreys Peaks. (14 270 and 14 267ft high) (pic) The weather was fantastic, the hike was enjoyable and we reached both summits before noon. The hike was especially good because I had the company of Rocky - our new dog.(pic) The trail was full of hikers but I have come to expect so many people and it is fun seeing the different groups all working towards a common goal. I cannot wait until next years hike!

August 22-24 Clear Creek Campground

With the rising cost of gas we are determined to find campgrounds closer to home. After searching the topographic maps we discovered a campground near the head waters of Clear Creek. It is called Mizpah - There are only 10 sites and one cannot reserve sites. Rich went up early Friday morning to ensure we would get a site. He found a lovely secluded spot with a great big camp fire area. We arrived mid afternoon and all but one site was occupied. We could hear the cars on Hwy40 - a small price to pay for the convenience of the campground. The river was 50ft from our camper and the boys spent a lot of time exploring there. An old decaying log cabin was a source of rusty tin containers. We spent Saturday morning volunteering with the Forest Service at the headwaters of Clear Creek(pic). The weather was a bit wet by late afternoon, but we were able to spend the evening around a huge campfire with friends from Lookout Mountain. On Sunday morning we could not resist a hike up to Hassel Lake(pic). The short drive home was a great end to a good weekend.

August 8-10 Colorado still astounds me

We have just returned from a few days of camping in the Colorado mountains. I have learnt that there is always another canyon to discover and explore. This time we went south to Colorado Springs and then west to Lake George and Eleven Mile Canyon. We camped near the mouth of the canyon. This section of the canyon was quite wide and the camp sites were spacous. There is no well water - just a tank - so we had to fill the camper tanks at the water district supply in Florissant. All the campgrounds in the canyon were filled by Friday evening.

We enjoyed climbing the small peaks surrounding the canyon. The boulders are huge and a great challenge for the boys. The Platte River flows strong and it is well stocked with trout. The section of river we were on was very tame and the boys were able to float it in their dingy.

The boys took turns sleeping in a tent with their friends, but on Sunday night a huge down pour and lightning storm had them scuttling back to the camper.

We plan to return to the canyon for more camping.

August 4 - Colorado and an end to an epic journey

Crossing the state line into Colorado was accompanied with cheers of joy from the kids. It has been a long, but enjoyable trip for me. I know the boys enjoyed it but they could not wait to get home, call friends and have some play dates. We have been together 24/7 since June 2nd. We had a few battles but everyone got on so well considering we were living in such cramped conditions. I am proud of them for always been ready to explore and deal with so many different situations.

Seeing the Rockies in the distance really ended the trip. We were home. We had travelled 8150 miles, seen so many wonderful places and met many people. Time goes by so quickly but our memories will always be with us.

Highlights for me:
1. The beauty of West Virginia and the Adirondacks - actually the whole of the east coast is wonderful. It is compact and has so much to offer
2. Camping in State Parks
3. Swimming lake at campground near Appomattox
4. Visits from Mom and Rich
5. Ocracoke Island
6. Harper's Ferry
7. Cape Cod tidal flats
8. Mass transit in big cities
9. Seeing John Williams and Stephen Spielberg live
10. Visiting friends in Annapolis and Toronto
This list could go on and on!

Disappointments:
1. Assateague Island - too many insects
2. Washington DC. - too many people

I hope you enjoyed following our travels - I hope I inspired you to take a break and do some exploring yourself. I am already enjoying looking back on this journal and I am so glad I persevered with the blog.

August 3 - Hot days on the plains

Since we left the Chicago area we have been passing incredible volumes of cornfields. There are many other crops which we do not recognize, but everything is so green and growing so well. The crop dusters are out and it is fun to watch how low they fly over the fields.

We found the Bermuda Triangle of Iowa. We were rolling along the interstate and just as we got to the top of a series of small inclines the car over heated. We took the off ramp and found a spot next to a corn field. We all took bathroom turns behind a bush and then settled down on our camp chairs to wait for the engine to cool off.(pic) The next moment, a group of bikers pulled off the highway and one was swearing profusely - he had run of gas. A little while later a chap strolled up to us to say he needed to jump start his car which had stalled a little way down the off ramp. Rich and I push started his car and he was on his way. Once our car was cool we returned to the highway but not before we saw four other cars towing travel trailers exiting the highway - one with steam billowing from his engine. What an unlucky place on earth!

Once we entered Nebraska the scenery started looking like home. We could see wide expanses and the vegetation was not as lush as the east coast. I really started feeling like the holiday was coming to an end.

The car and camper are showing signs of strain. We are driving through incredibly hot conditions, the roads are not smooth, and the high speeds are battering the camper. After driving all day we found a state park alongside the Platte River. The mosquitoes were awful, but the lake was cool and refreshing. We only got to bed at midnight but we were so relaxed we slept till 11am.

August 2 - Plot a route west

While we were out exploring yesterday, the campsite next to ours was occupied. Rich and I noted that both the camper and car were brand new. It made us think back 59 days to our first night in our camper. We had struggled to get everything working correctly. We later discovered that our neighbor was experiencing the same teething problems we had had. We spent an half hour helping them get water pressure in their pipes. Once we finally got on the road we were not really concentrating on our route – we were just following the prompts from the GPS. Before we knew it we were crossing back into Canada. We drove across Ontario and exited just north of Detroit. The border guards seemed to ask fewer questions each time we met them. Gas prices in Michigan are so much more affordable compared to New York! What a joy to pay only 3.77 a gallon!
Keeping up with the blogging has become a breeze. Rich does all the driving which leaves me free to type and prepare pictures. We still struggle to find WiFi connections to upload the content to the web.
We planned to overnight just before Chicago, only to find out that all campgrounds were full. Finally we resorted to pulling off in a rest stop and settling down for the night. It was incredibly quiet and by morning we looked out the door to see numerous cars and trucks had overnighted as well.(pic) It seems a pretty common way of getting some sleep.

August 1 - Special friends

We decided to extend our campground booking by an extra night. Being a Friday our prime site was already booked for the weekend so we had to move our camper to a site towards the back of the campground. We then crossed back into Canada and drove towards Toronto. We met up with friends at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.(pic) It was wonderful to see each other and catch up on their news. The boys enjoyed playing with a new friend and a border terrier puppy. Later we made some extravagant purchases at a shop selling South African goods. We then enjoyed a swim, braai and more socializing before returning to the US via the spot lit Niagara Falls.

July 31 - A shower under the falls

We woke with a haze free view across the Lake. The water was a beautiful shade of blue – so inviting. Rich and Rob cooked up a full English breakfast. At about noon we drove the few miles south, up the escarpment, to the Niagara Falls. The aspect one gets from the American side is of looking sideways along the length of the falls. The pile of rock at the bottom of the falls creates some wonderful spray back. While looking over the edge we saw the tourists walking the boardwalks at the base of the falls. This really appealed to us so we bought tickets to the Cave of Winds. We were kitted out with disposable ponchos and sandals, and took the elevator to the base of the falls. The boardwalks along the edge of the falls are rebuilt each spring when the ice melts. One walks progressively closer and closer to the spray. The force of the water pounds one by the end of the walk. We enjoyed the feeling so much we did the walk a second time. After this experience we decided that the Maid of the Mist boat trip would just be an anti-climax, so we skipped it. We then crossed the border into Canada so that we could see the falls front on. After that we moved on to the Welland Canal. We watched a cargo ship entering lock 7, and spent the next three hours following its progress until it passed through lock 3 and under the vertical lift bridge. I think they enjoyed watching the process as much as Rich and I did.

We returned to the USA and our campground quite late. I went to sleep enjoying the view of the Toronto skyline from my bed.

July 30 – 12 years old today

We woke the boys up with a treat of cup cakes and coffee.(pic) They thought this was a grand birthday celebration. A friend they made here at the campground joined them. After packing up and saying our goodbyes we decided to return to Treman falls for a swim. The water was 66 F. Very refreshing. We all jumped off the diving board into the pool below the falls. The boys enjoyed climbing in the spray of water along the base of the falls.(pic) We finally got on the road by mid afternoon and got to Niagara by 5pm. We detoured along the Niagara gorge to see the power generation plants and the Whirlpool. We tried to imagine what the river would look like if all the water were allowed to pass through the gorge instead of being diverted to both the Canadian and US power plants.
Our campsite is right on the shores of Lake Ontario. While watching the sunset we saw a yacht race off in the distance. The wind picked up during dinner and a few rainsqualls past by. The temperature here is just perfect.

July 29 – Glass in all sorts of forms

The town of Corning is south west of Ithica. Home of famous pyrex and corning glass. The museum is wonderfully interactive with many demonstrations going on all day. We spent seven hours there and still felt like we needed more time. There is a section showing the history of glass and some modern art works. Some of the pieces were astounding. We learnt how Cameo glass is made and the difference between regular and lead crystal glass. Mike got involved with breaking glass – he loved that. We saw artists blowing glass and using flames to make figurines.(pic) The boys decided to do some sandblasting so they chose glasses, created their designs and watched the sandblasting.(pic) I know there will be many tears when those glasses get broken.

We returned home via the Buttermilk(pic) and Treman waterfalls. Both have swimming holes below them but one can only swim there during lifeguard hours. We will go there tomorrow morning.

July 28 – Syracuse canals – where have they gone?

We rose early – well in terms of our habits – to get to Syracuse by 10am. We anticipated a 2hr drive and got in 5min before Rich arrived. We then drove into the center of town expecting to see a canal system rivaling Venice. All we were greeted with was a road called Erie Blvd – the filled in passageway of the original Erie Canal. It has been rerouted and does not even pass through the city any longer. Existing lakes and waterways are being utilized now days. We did enjoy the museum and old weigh station. When the canal was operational each boat passed into a lock, the water drained and the boat weighed on a system of balances. A toll was paid according to the weight of the goods being transported. We then tried, unsuccessfully, to find remnants of old aqueducts. This is the second time we have been unsuccessful in this quest. We decided to return to our campground via Seneca Falls. When we inquired about the falls at the visitor center we were told that the original falls had been wiped out because that portion of the river had been flooded and two locks had been built ¼ mile downstream.(pic) Disappointing – but off to the locks we went. We arrived just in time to see a small pleasure boat passing through the two locks. The lock keeper was wonderful and answered every question the boys asked. The gain in height over the two lock was about 50ft. The biggest we have seen so far. All the boys loved seeing the “locks in motion” – I cannot wait until they see the Welland Locks near Niagara. They will be astounded over the size of the boats passing through those locks.

Just before returning to the camper we detoured to see the namesake falls of the State Park we are staying in. They are really high and tucked into a pretty gorge.(pic)

July 27 - Catskills from a distance

When I emerged from the camper this morning all the tenters were wringing out their belongings. The storm that passed over us in the wee hours dumped a lot of water. After only getting to bed at 1am I struggled to rouse the boys for breakfast. We only got on the road at noon. I was sad to leave the area because I knew we had missed so much of what there is to see. I particularly missed seeing the Norman Rockwell museum.
To get through to Ithica, NY we skirted the northern edge of the Catskills. I think it may have been fun to expore there for a few days. Oh well, we are running out of time and still have a few more places on our agenda. We are staying on one of the Finger Lakes and although the campground is quite crowded and noisy I am looking forward to doing some walking and wine tasting with Rich. He arrives tomorrow.

July 26 - Lee, Lenox and Tanglewood

The towns here in the Berkshires are really bustling with tourists. First thing in the morning we joined the throng of visitors heading to Tanglewood. Most were attending the morning rehearsal, but we had to collect our tickets for the evening performance of the Boston POPS. We were going to attend - “Evening at the movies”. I discovered that kids 12 and under are free, and they were gracious enough to give me a refund on three of our tickets. I was really excited and looking forward to an evening picnic on the grass followed by a live performance. We returned to Lenox to do some desperately needed laundry. Finding parking was quite the challenge. While the clothes were drying Mike and I strolled through the arts and crafts market hosted by a local church. I was amazed to see such intricate and original art. It would be easy to spend a fortune buying wonderful gifts. We did meet an author of teen adventure books. Mike chatted to him for a while and purchased an autographed copy of one. We raided the local grocery store in Lee for all sorts of treats for our evening picnic and finished up at the library before heading back to the camper. I had a quick afternoon nap after prepping our picnic. We headed back to Tanglewood so that we could be there when the gates opened at 5:30. We found a spot on the lawn and settled down for a long wait. We read and played card games in the sun. All too quickly the rain clouds moved in and we had to hide under our tarp while the heavens opened up. Our dinner was great and the treats that followed kept us in good spirits while we waited for the show to start. As more people arrived the seating on the lawn became quite cozy. The boys talked to many of our neighbors. At 8:30 John William’s walked onto the stage to conduct the orchestra. We were enthralled with the sounds of his and other composer’s music scores. The boys recognized quite a few pieces that were played. After the intermission things really became exciting. Stephen Spielberg walked onto the stage and spent the next hour narrating and introducing pieces of music from his Indiana Jones movies. It was wonderful to watch movie clips on large screen and know that we were hearing the music live, and in the presence of these two talented people. What an evening! (pic)

We got back to the camper at midnight and crawled into bed after warm showers.

July 25 - In the Berkshires

We woke up to wonderful sunshine and the warmth feels so good on our skin. The whole place looks different with the sun out. Mike and I enjoyed reading our books sitting next to the shore. We are sad to be leaving this beauty today. (pic)

As soon as one leaves the Adirondack region the commercialism that has been absent, returns. Strip malls and stores everywhere. We are moving into the Berkshires for a few days and hope the rain stays away.

We are in a state forest, so we have our solar panel out and enjoying being without the comforts of 120V.

July 24 - Adirondacks are still under rain clouds

It is still raining! So peaceful and pretty. In order to escape the wet we have holed up in a library at Long Lake. The surest way to get WiFi. Rob also wanted to play a strategy game on the computer so I am sure we will be here a while. Our late lunch at a diner on the lake was good. The sun came out briefly.(pic) Mike ate more than I could ever imagine. During the brief dry period we explored a waterfall - Buttermilk Falls.(pic) There was so much water in the river. We also went for a great ride along the trails around the campground. We kept getting bogged down in all the mud.(pic)

July 23 - Adirondacks

It has been raining for more than 24 hrs now. It does not look like it will stop soon. I really am glad we are not living in the pop-up. We have discovered that if we pull in the slide out while it is raining we get huge puddles on the sofa and table seat cushions. We need to figure out a way to prevent this in the future. Our clothes and towels are sodden. We have not been able to find a laundromat to dry anything. The Adirondacks are really quite rustic.

To get from Vermont to New York we used a ferry. It was fun driving the camper onto the boat.(pic) The pilot came and chatted to us and told us he has a similar camper. He was intrigued to see our towing configuration. While crossing the lake he allowed the boys up to the bridge. They had all sorts of questions for him - he seemed to enjoy their enthusiasm. The view of the Adirondacks, in the west, was impressive. The dark clouds hanging over the mountains looked ominous.(pic) We stopped alongside a small lake for lunch(pic). We passed many small towns on our way to Blue Mountain Lake. The ski jump at Lake Placid was a startling sight. It is on a tall tower right next to the road. I had imagined a prettier setting. If you want to spend any time in this area you need to bring a kayak. There is water everywhere and it seems like a wonderful way to explore. The Adirondacks museum at Blue Mtn. was recommended to us but we have not had the enthusiasm to tour it.

July 22 - Vermont ice cream is good

We left Boston area today to make our way to Vermont. We passed through New Hampshire. The south portion is a pretty dull drive but as we got closer to the White Mountains the vistas were lovely. We saw many hamlets with the traditional steeple churches in the center of town. It is so green here – I bet the fall colors are wonderful. Vermont is wonderful. Not only for the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream but also the scenery. The clouds are low and many valleys are filled with mist. We enjoyed the factory tour and the boys over indulged on the ice cream samples.(pic) It was fun watching the production line – quite amazing when the lids stopped aligning with the tubs and the operators had to pull many tubs of ice cream off the conveyors and dump the ice cream in the trash. Tubs and lids are recycled. We bought dad a tub of “Image Whirled Peace” in anticipation of his arrival on Sunday.
We found an incredible State Park for the night. It is on the edge of a reservoir, which is surrounded by trees. The views were wonderful.(pic) It reminded me of the film “On Golden Pond”.

Rest stops along Vermont interstates have WiFi - how convenient!

July 21 - Back to Boston

Rob wanted to complete his junior ranger badge and finish the freedom trail so we returned to Boston on the metro. We picked up the trail where we had left off and visited Paul Revere’s home and the church from which the lanterns were hung on the historic April night in 1775.(pic) We past an interesting Holocaust memorial near what was once a Jewish area of North Boston. We returned to Faneuil market for more food, Rob got his badge and we then made our way to Borders books. We were out of reading material because the boys read so much when we are in a campground without TV or WiFi. (Another reason I like State Parks) A rainstorm hit while we were in Borders and although the humidity is high the temperature has dropped a bit. I almost felt like I needed a sweater. We walked through Boston Common and saw the Swan boats in the lake in the Public Garden.
With all the rain and heat we have experienced our bikes are starting to show signs of neglect. Mine was making some terrible noises so we got some lubricant from a bike store and I have sprayed it into every moving part. It sounds better but I wonder how long it will last and whether I am doing any lasting damage.

July 20 - Boston Harbor Islands

The National Park Service has acquired a network of islands in the bay. One can take ferries out to the island and explore them. Many people camp there. We caught the island hopper service from Hingham out to Georges Island. We then connected to Spectacle Island on another ferry. Spectacle hosts free jazz concerts on Sunday afternoons.(pic) We settled onto deck chairs to listen to the music and eat our picnic lunch. We watched the Boston skyline fade out of view as storm clouds gathered. A huge downpour forced everyone into the visitor’s center. The lightning show was spectacular. After returning to Georges Island we explored Fort Warren.(pic) The walls are incredibly thick and there are huge cavernous rooms to explore. Just like a rabbit warren! The boys loved walking down the pitch-dark passages to see where they led. We decided that a flashlight would be a good thing to have if we ever we returned. On our return journey to Hingham the boys made friends with the captain and park ranger.(pic) I enjoyed the peace from the back of the boat.

We found a laundromat and spent an hour there before getting home to dinner. This is our first campground without laundry facilities. It rained most of the night.

July 19 - Red Sox home town

Our campground is south east of Boston. We are surrounded by what looks like a very affluent area. The houses are large and spaced far apart. Gardens are beautiful. I think a lot of water is used to keep the grass alive in this heat. I knew not to drive into Boston so we asked for directions to the closest metro rail station. We followed route 3 for a short portion of the drive - route 3 is the main highway south to Cape Cod. The traffic jams on the southbound lanes were awful. What a nightmare! I am pleased we are off the cape for the weekend. The metro took us from Braintree to downtown Boston Common. The boys traveled free and the round trip cost me only 3:40. Once in Boston we picked up a guide to the Freedom Trail and started walking.(pic) We enjoyed the historical buildings, graveyards and sights along the trail.(pic) Weekends are really busy and the boys loved watching the buskers perform. We picked up fresh fruit from a sidewalk stall and lunch at Faneuil Hall – a market place on the docks. I am amazed at how much landfill has been done to expand the city into the harbor. We skipped a portion of the trail so that we could take a ferry ride to Charlestown. The USS Constitution was a disappointment(pic). It is undergoing renovations and will not sail again until 2010.

July 18 – State Parks have their benefits

To beat the heat we got up early and cycled down to the local beach. We are on the bay side of the Cape and because it was just after low tide the mud flats were exposed.(pic) We walked out to the water and were amazed at how quickly the tide was moving back in. We were soon on little islands of sand and had to wade back to shore.

To get off the Cape we traveled along highway 6A. The old road across the Cape. There are bookshops, cafes and stores lining the road. I really felt that the area we had stayed in – Brewster – was the quaintest.

Driving north to Boston we passed Plymouth. We stopped at Plimouth Plantation only to discover it was very similar to the Jamestown and Yorktown living history museums we visited in June. We decided to skip the attraction and continued on to the campground. We are in a State Park and surrounded by trees. The campground is huge but we are on the outer loop so our trailer faces out to the forest. Our neighbors are not too close so we feel like we are on our own in the forest. As soon as we were settled we cycled around picking up wood previous campers had left in their fire rings. We found enough wood to have a least two fires. Once we got the AC going in the camper I could not resist an afternoon snooze. The boys settled down with their books.
Rob made a huge fire for us after dinner.(pic) It was good to relax while they burned sticks. A huge thunderstorm has just passed over us. Lightning and thunder crashed overhead. We switched off all the lights and enjoyed nature’s “fireworks”. Even though it is a full moon the clouds have blocked out all light. The rain came pouring down and this prompted us to have a shower – right outside the camper just as nature intended! It was great fun. I hope Cape Cod also got some of this storm. They really need it.

PS. We have finally found internet - we are sitting outside a public library in the car park. Library is already closed at this time of day.

We are have such fun here in Boston. Will write soon.