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.

July 17 - Cape Cod Rocks!

The heat here is challenging us. When we woke up and stepped out of the camper all thought of exploring was curtailed. I could not bear the thought of getting into the car to go anywhere. The boys disappeared to play war games with their Nerf guns, I relaxed, blogged and snoozed. WiFi here is good. By 3pm I had cabin fever and it had cooled down marginally. We decided to find a swim beach. We traveled from Brewster towards the Atlantic side of the Cape and then north from there. The water was cooler than the Nantucket surf, but very refreshing.(61 F) The boys made some friends and built a ball race down the beach towards the waves.(pic) I wanted to explore further north before the sunset so the boys reluctantly cycled back to the car. We explored the coastline by stopping at each public beach along the road. The dunes form “cliffs” and one must hike down to the beaches.(pic) It is popular to have fires on the beaches at night. We watched quite a few groups settling in for an evening on the beach. One lady passed us with a dinner of pizza. The smell was glorious. It was nice to see how little development there is along the coast. No hotels, just houses. We stopped at Marconi point. The place where the first transatlantic telegraph transmission was made between the US and Europe in 1903. While we were there we watched the moon rise.(pic) By this time we were very hungry and I could still smell those pizzas! We found a pizza hut and ate the best pizza I have ever tasted.

July 16 - Nantucket Island

The high speed ferry to the island was great - but very expensive. The harbor is full of sail boats. Tourists and residents are everywhere. By 9:30 we started our epic cycle across the island. Getting through town was a challenge. Cars continually jump onto the pavements to pass each other. The roads are too narrow to pass the cyclists so one always has a motorist right on ones tail. The main street is cobbled and very bumpy to ride along. The burley sounded like it was going to fall apart. Once we were out of town there are proper bike paths and that made it easier to relax. Our first goal was to get to Siasconset. We passed a pretty cottage covered in rose bushes.(pic) After 10 miles we were overjoyed to find kids selling lemonade. The beach at 'Sconset was steep and waves were pretty rough but once again Mike headed straight in. The water was 65 F - not too cold. After a swim and sand digging we discovered that there were no showers to rinse off in. We improvised showers in the public restrooms using a water bottle. The local grocery store had good fudge and ice cream. We saw an article about a great white shark someone found on the beach the day before. The town of 'Sconset was pretty.(pic) The bike path back to the harbor was quite dull but we did find more ice cold lemonade stands. After a rest in the shade we decided to find another beach. We rode out to Surfside. We got there just as they were clearing the water of swimmers - there was a "big fish" nearby. Somebodies overactive imagination I think! After half an hour we went back into the water and enjoyed the surf. This time there were showers but they were freezing cold. Rob was the only one brave enough to use them. The rest of us used warm water from the restroom basins. We returned to the harbor and a quick burger before catching the last ferry off the island.(pic) We were all exhausted after cycling 27 miles. On our way back to Cape Cod on the ferry our view of Jupiter and the moon, rising in the east, was spectacular.(pic)

July 15 – A stressful day

After an efficient start in the morning we left the campground just after 9am. While trying to simultaneously drive and navigate we came perilously close to having an accident. All we managed to do was connect with a street sign. We were lucky to come away with only minimal damage to the camper.

After driving most of the day we confirmed that there is no direct route between Newburg, NY and Cape Cod, MA. We zigzagged across Connecticut and Rhode Island – what a small state - and then hit the awful traffic in Hyannis. After securing ferry tickets for our day trip to Nantucket Island we found and settled into our campground. The vegetation and grass is a lot drier here. I think some rain would be appreciated.

I have installed a new brake cable on my bike, packed tools and spare tubes, swim suits, and snacks so we are ready for our day of cycling the island. While eating dinner we watched an almost full moon rise - a peaceful sight.

Dictated by Elder of the Tribe Typed by Wise One

July 14 - Tired explorers

It seems that every day that we go exploring, it takes a day to recover. We can no longer explore for days at a time. I had hoped to visit West Point but we slept in and relaxed instead. We had rain all night and it only cleared up at lunch time. As soon as the sun comes out the humidity is noticeable. We also did some house cleaning and blogging. This blog is really taking up a lot of my time. I just keep thinking that it is a good record of the trip. The only place to link to the web was the local library again. Campground WiFi is notoriously unreliable.

July 13 - The Big Apple

After a few attempts to see New York City in past years we arrived to a sunny, warm day – no rain, mist or snow. The 60 mile train ride on the Metro-North railroad down from Newburgh to Grand Central was very pretty – following the Hudson River. The rail system is really easy to use and very economical. Being 11, the boys got in as children - really good ticket prices! It would be a great place to live and then commute into the city. We had a look around Grand Central. Rob loved the constallations on the roof and Mike felt it was easier to navigate than and agreed that Union Station in DC was better. After arming ourselves with a map of Manhattan Island and a subway map we bought a day pass and started exploring. We made a beeline to Battery Park only to find out that all pass to go up the Statue Of Liberty had already been handed out. As an alternative we decided to take the free ferry to Staten Island. The views of Ellis Island, the Statue and Brooklyn Bridge were wonderful. We then passed the World Trade Centre site on our way to Wall Street. The old buildings really have some character. We strolled past Brooklyn Bridge so that we could get a better view of the waterfalls – some artist has erected these for the summer. The lines to get up the Empire State building were long but the view was worth it. The map we purchased was useless – what a waste. What we really needed to do was take up a real good Manhattan map. We discovered that both State of Liberty and Empire State Building tickets are available on line – which would have saved us disappointment and time. Sunday is not a good day to see the NY Library – it was closed. Times Square is busy and the boys were overjoyed to find Nerf guns in a Toys-r-us store on the square. They had not stopped talking about them since playing with a friend in Annapolis. We moved on to Central Park so that I could relax and the boys could play war games. Just before it got dark we returned to Grand Central and caught the train home.

July 12 – Death by chocolate

Each weekend the KOA has a themed set of activities – this weekend is all about chocolate. After starting the day off with a pancake breakfast Mike was revved up and ready to do every activity on the calendar. The chocolate slip ‘n slide - yes real chocolate syrup all over the slide and kids, with a little water thrown in as well. What a sight and smell. Rob and Ant also enjoyed the slide.(pic) After cleaning up that mess the kids moved on to a chocolate eating contest. Quite the grossest thing to see. I was surprised - Mike was pretty close behind the winner(pic). He just ate small pieces at a time. The kids who stuffed it all in at the same time choked and were quite an unpleasant sight. Ant and Rob did not participate but did enjoy watching round after round of eaters/stuffers. The least repulsive activity was the chocolate milk relay. It got the kids running and did not involve any eating/drinking. Mike got the whole jug of choc milk dumped on his head even though his team did not win(pic). He loved that. The day ended with us watching a movie out on the lawn - Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory. Bars of chocolate were handed out to everyone. Overall a fun day!

July 11 - KOA's are OK

Our campsite is located in amongst the trees again. My impression of KOA’s has had to be revised. Whenever one sees one in the west they are really not very appealing but here on the east coast they are very nice. We are looking forward to being stationary for a few days. The weekend is going to busy here – the are all sorts of activites planned for the children.

July 10 - Liberty and Government

We drove over the Delaware again - this time on the majestic Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The Old town was full of people but we parked under the visitor’s center and were immediately close to everything on our list to see. Independence Hall was an impressive place to stand. I tried to imagine the bustle in the building at the times the Declaration and Constitution were written. Congress and the Supreme Court both resided in buildings nearby. The Liberty Bell looked very out of place standing in the middle of a hall, but it was good to dwell on what it stands for(pic). Even Nelson Mandela has made a stop there. We saw the Mint. Had a great lunch of Philly Cheese Steak. Saw the area where Ben Franklin lived and his grave site. The highlight of the day was our walk through the submarine Becuna. Active through both the Second World War and Cold War. We also enjoyed the Cruiser Olympia.(pic) A steel warship launched in 1892. It was active during the Spanish-American War and brought home the remains of the Unknown Soldier from France, now at Arlington.

July 9 - Over the Delaware River

We could not find a PA campground close to Philadelphia but there was one in NJ, so we had to cross the Delaware to get there. Our view of the river from the Delaware Memorial Bridge reminded me of the great Mississippi. The bridge is beautiful and the river wide and brown. We are staying in New Jersey but will not be touring it at all. We have also missed the state of Delaware. I wonder what we have missed out on. Our campground has a duck pond and many little babies waddling after their mother. The batting cages were a great success because the machine pitching the balls did not switch off after our allocated number – Mike and Rob both came away with blisters on their hands.(pic)

July 8 - Amish and covered bridges

Today we spent time criss-crossing the Amish farmlands looking for covered bridges. It is fun to be able to drive through the structures. Finding a place to pull off next to a bridge proved to be problematic because people do not like it when you go near their manicured lawns. After seeing our fourth bridge of almost identical design we decided that we could end our search and go home.(pic) But, not before getting a treat. Yet another round of milk shakes!

We stopped at a grocery store to get some supplies. It was fun to see the car park - automobiles and Amish buggies. It is clear which streets are most used by the Amish - horse manure on the asphalt.(pic)

It is always nice to be staying at a campground with a pool. It is a good way to relax at the end of the day.

July 7 - Heavy Rain

It has rained almost every day since the end of June. Usually afternoon showers which are followed by high humidity. I am loving this weather!



We decided to go exploring this morning. We cycled down to the lake and then along part of the Appalachian Trail. We took a lovely detour through a swamp. The moss and green foliage is wonderful. We discovered a spring with a good supply of crystal clear water. After purchasing chocolate treats at the general store we strolled up to the youth hostel and used their WiFi. Hikers on the trail use the hostel. Amazing to find internet in such remote areas. It reminded me of Seneca Rocks in WV. We were caught in a downpour on our way back to the camper. Wonderful!



After packing up we moved east to Lancaster - the middle of Amish country in Pennsylvania. We drove through severe rainstorms and I was glad when the rain stopped before Lancaster county. Our campground is on a small creek. There is a covered bridge crossing the creek and an old grist mill within the park. We have Amish farms surrounding us. We frequently have Amish buggies passing on the road behind our campsite. (pic) They never acknowledge us when we wave - I believe they are taught to not acknowledge outsiders.

Places to see in DC.

Post office Bell Tower- Especially if you can not go into the National Monument. (view's from it)

The Cathedral

The Supreme Court

July 6 – Gettysburg

Traveling through to Gettysburg from Pine Grove Furnace we passed many fruit farms. The orchards are so pretty and the trees are full of fruit. As we passed through Gettysburg we saw the old buildings and train station. It took us a while to find the new visitor center but it was well worth it. The museum is very well conceived and I learnt so much about the three-day battle. We discovered an audio CD that you can play while driving through the battlefields. It was an excellent guide. It took us 5 hours to do the auto tour and even then we felt that we rushed it at times. The boys loved seeing Little Round Top (pic) and the field where Pickett’s charged took place. They completed another Junior Ranger Badge. It was nice to return to the tranquility of our camper in the woods. We are getting rain daily and nothing dries properly. I am glad we are off the ground and our sleeping bags stay dry.

July 5 – A great spot in the forest

We moved on to a State Park in Pennsylvania today. We are surrounded by forest – quite different to being surrounded by interstate highways. We have once again intersected the Appalachian Trail. It is great to be able to explore the trails in the park. The boys are building a fort. (pic) There is also a lake for swimming. The old iron furnace has been partially rebuilt so it is interesting to explore.

July 4 – On the Mall

It was good to spend the morning relaxing at the campground. We all needed the break and we wanted to conserve our energy for the trip into DC in the evening. We caught the metro rail at about 5:30 and were amazed at how empty the coaches were. We strolled onto the Mall and easily found a place to sit. (pic) The problem with setting up a picnic spot is that you are tied down to a single spot and everybody cannot go exploring at the same time. We also spent quite a bit of time under our tarps because of the rain. If we ever did this again we would arrive later and just wander around to see all the activities. By the time the fireworks started there was still a lot of space on the Mall. Maybe the rain scared everyone off. The fireworks started at 9:10 and were over by 9:30. They were impressive – especially with the Washington Monument in the foreground. Rich and I were both quite shocked that they were over in twenty minutes. I think we have been spoiled because the fireworks at Gunnison last year lasted for 1 hour and they were just as spectacular. We followed the masses back to the metro, but found that the trains were not particularly full because each line was running every 2 min. We were back at the campground earlier than expected.

July 3 - Further explorations of DC

We enjoyed the old post office pavilion. On the way up the tower we passed the bells and clocks, and the view from the top of the tower is great. Mike liked the gardens on the tops of the adjacent buildings. The National Cathedral is beautiful. Arlington was interesting and the view from Lee's mansion was unexpectedly good(pic). These few stops took us all day to complete and we finished up at Union Station by about 6:30. The boys found more Warrior series books and have been glued to them ever since.