B-14 Rally in Williamsburg, VA, May 19 – 21, 2017

Wednesday, May 17, 2017: CruzMobile to B-14 Rally in Williamsburg, Virginia
We leave home at noon in CruzMobile, Advanced RV’s luxury rental, heading for the B-14 Class B Motor Home Rally, starting Friday, just north of Williamsburg. Cruz is built on Fred Ahlgren’s design, with a large, rounded bathroom and shower towards the front of the cabin, wider kitchen countertops, and so many cupboards and drawers we filled only half of them. The real mahogany wood cabinets are stunning, and with the plank flooring, it feels like a high-end yacht.


About 8PM, we get to historic, downtown Frederick, Maryland, a place we have been through before, but always wanted to explore. Off Patrick St., Mike pulls into a private parking lot behind a string of downtown law offices, planning on “camping” there for the night. As Mike attaches the bed extension with the back doors open, the driver of one of the last cars in the lot pulls up and asks Mike if he needs help.  Mike says that he is hoping no one minds if we park there for the night.  The driver says if any one objects, we should move over to one of his spaces, behind his law office.  We thank him and he tells us where to find a sports bar to watch the Cavs vs. Celtics game, Game #1 in the Eastern Conference Playoff.

After he leaves, we deploy the E&P automatic hydraulic leveling system with a push of a button. This is our first time using it, and we are amazed at the stability the four, large stainless pads give the parked camper.  It is like putting it on a concrete foundation.  Also, we appreciate level sleeping, drains not puddling on one side, and the peace of mind from knowing that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to tow while we watch the game.

We walk down Patrick St to Market St. and find Brewer’s Alley, located in the old city hall. Here, in 1864, the Confederates demanded $200,000 in ransom to not sack and burn the town of Frederick.  The town fathers borrowed the money from five local banks, paid the ransom, and the town was spared.  The town made the last payment on the bonds in 1951.

Tonight, the Cavs win easily. As we walk back to the camper, we ask a couple on the street where the best breakfast place is and we scope it out for the morning.


Thursday, May 18, 2017: Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
After a good, undisturbed sleep, we walk down Patrick St. to Nola Café and have an excellent breakfast. We deliver croissants to the office of the kind lawyer from the night before, and then move the camper to on-street parking near Carroll Creek Park.  We walk the path along the creek from end to end, enjoying the flowering lilies in the creek, stone and wrought iron bridges, old brick buildings, fountains, and plantings.  Back at the camper, Mike goes for a short run.

Spontaneously, we decide to go west to visit Harpers Ferry. About five years ago, when we were on a bike trip from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath, we passed up a stop at Harpers Ferry.  We planned our October trip to see the turning leaves, but it rained nearly every day, the temperatures stayed in the 40’s, and we often were pedaling through inches of water.  At the turnoff for Harpers Ferry, we decided to keep pedaling to more quickly end the day and get warm and dry.


At Harpers Ferry, we drive up the hill to the Park Administration Headquarters and find parking up there. We walk a few blocks to the Appalachian Trail Headquarters, where we chat with a helpful person who directs us to the section of the Appalachian Trail that takes us down to the lower, historic town of Harpers Ferry.  Here, at the confluence of the Potomac River and Shenandoah River, we poke into the historic buildings and museums, learning about abolitionist John Brown’s raid of the US Armory here in 1859; the 1862 Battle of Harpers Ferry; the first manufacturing of rifles with interchangeable parts; the establishment of Storer College, which admitted freed slaves; and, the founding of the Niagara Movement, a precursor of the NAACP.


After lunch at the Potomac Grill, the waiter asks if we have done the Maryland Heights Trail. Across the river and high up on a cliff, he points out a clearing where we see a few people.  He tells us that if we take the foot bridge across the river and find the turnoff from the towpath, we will climb about 600 feet along a 2 ½ mile trail to an amazing vista.   It was a beautiful day, so we bought some water bottles and set out.


Across the river, we come to the junction with the C & O Canal towpath, where on our bike trip we had decided to skip Harpers Ferry. We walk up the towpath along the Potomac, find the Maryland Heights Trail, and start climbing.  The trail is steep, but well-marked and groomed. After about an hour, we arrive at the clearing overlooking Harpers Ferry.  It is an amazing view of the town, the confluence of the two rivers and the surrounding hillsides.  It starts to rain on our way down.

 

About 6PM we get back to the camper, and our watches tell us that we have walked 15 miles today. We set out for Fredericksburg, Virginia, about 1 ½ hours away.  It starts to storm, with gusting winds, hail and blinding rain.  Shortly, the road is completely blocked by a downed tree and electric wires.  The local ahead of us in a pickup truck, tells us to follow him.  We drive through flooded gravel roads and finally pick up the highway we want.


We arrive in Fredericksburg about 8:30PM, exhausted. We park in a downtown municipal lot, along the Rappahannock River, where the sign says, “Parking Prohibited between 5 AM and 8 AM.”  We decide to ignore it.  We have a salad, smoked salmon and cold beers from the refrigerator and are asleep at 9PM.

Friday, May 19, 2017: Fredericksburg, Virginia and arriving at B Rally
This morning, once again, we experience the advantages of “sleep-stopping” in the center of interesting towns. We walk downtown historic Fredericksburg, admiring the well preserved historic buildings.  One of our favorite shops was called “Sorry Mom Tattoo.”  Our Irish friend Harry loves amusing public signs so we texted this photo to him.

We join the locals lined up for coffee at the Hyperion Café. We chat with the couple ahead of us about what Hyperion means.  They guess he/she is a Greek god and then the barista chimes in to say that Hyperion is the Greek god who carries the sun across the sky.  Now, the mural on the wall makes sense.  Outside, drinking our coffee, we talk with a city commissioner about everything from politics, parking rules, and historic preservation to health care.   On the first couples’ recommendation, we walk back to Caroline Street to Irene’s, a bakery in an old church, where we enjoy quiche, wraps and a delicious apple fritter.


Back at the camper, we turn on the AC and take showers in Cruz’s luxuriously large bathroom. We are on our way by 10AM.


We arrive at the American Heritage RV Campground in Norge, Virginia before noon. We park amid the other Class B’ers at the Rally. It is already 90+ degrees so we turn on the AC.  We set up the Clam Shelter in about three minutes, put our folding camp chairs and table in there, and enjoy a bit of shade and no bugs. At this Rally, there are over 40 campers and seven of them are Advanced RVs.  The Rally Tavern opens at 3:00PM and it is great to see old friends and make new ones.

We learn that tonight everyone is asked to bring a side dish or dessert to add to the Barbeque Dinner. Mike and I, busy with Advanced Fest, had neglected to check the Rally website, so we had nothing to bring.  One of our good friends with an Advanced RV gives us cupcakes to bring, since she had a salad ready, too.  So kind and generous, feels like family.


Saturday, May 20, 2017: Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
The temperature has dropped 20 degrees to a comfortable 70, with a breeze. We have breakfast with the Rally group and take the 10AM shuttle to Colonial Williamsburg.  We walk the colonial village, stop at the silversmith, blacksmith, and pottery store.  We enjoy lunch at King’s Arms Tavern, with delicious peanut soup, corn chowder, and chicken pot pie.  We are served by a Chinese waitress in colonial garb, who came here as an exchange student and returned to live.  We join a tour at the Capitol Building, with possibly the best
guide we have had anyplace. She delivered a fascinating script, like a stage actress, describing the founding of Virginia as an independent state, and helping us hear Thomas Jefferson’s language that later evolved into the U.S. Declaration of Independence.


Tonight, for the Rally dinner, we are asked to wear something representing colonial times. I buy a wide brimmed straw hat with a ribbon and Mike buys a T-shirt printed like the uniform of a Revolutionary War soldier.  Back via shuttle at 3PM, we have a cold beer in the Rally Tavern.  Dinner from a local Greek restaurant is excellent. For entertainment, we enjoy an eclectic range of songs from two talented singers and a good keyboardist.  They inspire lots of dancing.


Sunday, May 21, 2017: Back home in a day
We are up at 6:10AM and depart for home at 6:30. We arrive home at 3:30, glad we made this trek to the B-14 Rally.

Florida December - January 2017

Wednesday, December 28, 2016:  Snowbirds to Florida

At 6PM, Mike and I leave home in Runaway, our SuperStealth demo model, with a goal of Sarasota, Florida by noon New Years’ Eve. The Christmas tree is down, the holiday things put away and the RV packed.  We are tired from getting ready and this is a late start, but we want to make it to Chattanooga for lunch tomorrow with family.  We stop for the night at a Flying J between Columbus, Ohio and Cincinnati.

 

Thursday, December 29, 2016:  Running on DC only

Up at 5:30AM and on the road in 12 minutes to beat the morning traffic in Cincinnati.  We do, but then crawl for about an hour when a semi is overturned on I-75.  Traffic is heavy through Kentucky and Tennessee.  In Chattanooga, we meet my nephew’s wife and two girls for a late lunch. It’s always fun to see them on this drive south after Christmas. Traffic continues heavy.  We stop at a Flying J south of Atlanta among trucks, trailers and RVs.  These truck stops are crowded at night!  We watch two episodes of The Crown, which Mike had downloaded on our iPad Plus, which we use for the entertainment system.

 

Glitch today:  When we were slowed for the accident this morning, we noticed our inverter had failed. Runaway has a lot of new technology that we are testing.  We have a new inverter model, with new software, which the guys seriously stress tested.  This evening, Frank helps us trouble shoot, but it continues to fail.  Instead of his shipping us a new inverter, we decide to go without.   No microwave, hair dryer or air conditioning, but everything else is DC.  We’ll do a post-mortem when we get back.

 

Friday, December 30, 2016:  Renaissance Vinoy, St. Petersburg, FL

This morning, Mike turns on the heat, gets coffee, and we both shower and have breakfast.  Traffic is stop-and-go from Georgia to Tampa through messy rain and sleet.  We stop at a truck wash to get Runaway cleaned up. Back on the road, using Open Table, we make a dinner reservation in St. Petersburg at the Marchand, Renaissance Vinoy, a historic hotel on the harbor. Mike tells the valet that we are “staying the night,” without saying we are staying in the RV.  After a delicious dinner, Mike tips the valet well, tells them to keep the key since, again, we are “staying the night.”  We locate the RV at the loading dock, use the keyless entry and sleep the night there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, December 31, 2016:  New Years’ Eve in Sarasota

About midnight at our Vinoy loading dock campsite, Mike hears banging and clattering of a party tent either going up or coming down, but I sleep through it.  We have coffee on the hotel veranda and the valet brings the RV up.  Mike gives them a tour of Runaway.  We decide to stay at the hotel for breakfast.  In an elegant, sunny breakfast room, I am grateful for Mike’s adventuresome spirit and my learning to trust it. 

About 10AM on New Year’s Eve, we arrive in Sarasota at our friends’ house on Lido Key.  At sunset on the beach we have a champagne toast, with lots of other happy people of all ages.  We leave half the bottle with a large, multi-generation family celebrating in front of their motel.  For dinner we go to Selva Grill and then wander around downtown where a carnival is set up.  Families are playing games and enjoying the rides.  A lighted pineapple is high on a pole, ready to drop at midnight.  Home by 11PM, we hear fireworks as we drift off to sleep. 

 

 

Sunday, January 1, 2017:  New Years’ Day and abandoning plans

I wake up with a sore throat, cough and aches.  This flu/cold has gone through our whole family and tends to last three weeks.  We don’t want to give it to our friends here or at our next stop in Fort Myers, so we set off back to Cleveland.

 

We take I-75 to I-95 to Savannah and then Rt. 21 to I-26 past Columbia, SC.  We stop at Panera for chicken noodle soup and then stay the night at another truck stop.  It rains all night, a peaceful sound.

 

Monday, January 2, 2017:  Back home to recover

It rains all day as we drive, listening to Pandora and trying to guess the artist before we read the name on the iPhone.  At 7:30PM, I am grateful to be home. 

 

Tuesday, January 10, 2017:  Back to Florida

I’m feeling better, so at 4PM we set out again for Florida, with our goal the Tampa SuperShow the next week.  We have a new inverter and the failed one is being autopsied.  In Cleveland, it is 35 degrees, with about 4 inches of snow.  We drive I-77 to about 60 miles north of Charleston, West Virginia where we stay at a rest stop.  We eat dinner from home and listen to President Obama’s farewell address.

 

Wednesday, January 11, 2017:  Escape to the movies

At 6AM, it is 35 degrees and raining.  We have breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  In Virginia, between Bluefield and Wytheville, we stop at a Visitor Information Center where we pick up flyers on things to do in the area:  the New River Trail State Park; Crystal Springs Recreation Area; and Abington, VA, as well as schedules for bluegrass music in Galax and along the Blue Ridge Parkway Heritage Music Trail.  On our last trip through this area, we hiked the New River Trail and vowed never to come through here again, without doing this beautiful trail along the New River.  The other sites sound good, too, but it is cold and raining, so we keep driving.  Late in the afternoon, in Columbia, South Carolina, to escape both the dreary weather and too much politics on SiriusXM radio, we stop at a movie theater and see Hidden Figures.  This is uplifting.  In Orangeburg, South Carolina, we sleep-stop at a Pilot Truck Stop.  Mike and I both work on our computers.  I love my adjustable footrest, which makes the turned-around passenger seat into a comfortable chaise lounge. 

 

Thursday, January 12, 2017:  Savannah and St. Augustine

The sun comes up through the fog and we continue south.  At Savannah, we get off for the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, where we drive the 4-mile observation loop through what was a rice plantation starting back in the 1700s.  We get out and walk when a park service man waves us over to see a 14-foot alligator, sunning itself on a bank.  We take a short walk through the former slave living compound and start to hike the Plantation Island Trial, but the mosquitoes make us retreat.  From the RV, we see hawks, ducks, and a pileated woodpecker.  We now push to Crescent Beach, south of St. Augustine to meet our friend John, who has been a steady supporter of Advanced RV from the beginning, and his wife. From the second story of South Beach Grill. we overlook the ocean and enjoy a delightful dinner of southern fried fish with cheese grits.  We spend the night close by at a Flying J. 

 

 

On this beautiful clear night, with a nearly full moon, I realize something I miss about campgrounds:  enjoying an evening walk in a natural setting, sometimes with a “water feature,” and saying hello to other campers.  Here at this huge truck stop, we nod to the one trucker who is out doing laps, but the massive trucks, most parked with their engines running, and some careening in and out of the parking area, are intimidating.  We do two laps, but soon retreat to the camper to shut it all out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, January 13, 2017:  Stopping to see friends and family

We drive down to Palm Beach Gardens and enjoy a late lunch with a friend at the PGA National Resort and Spa.  This place is amazing:  spread out, with five golf courses, gorgeous landscaping, and views from the hotel patio of multiple pools and fountains.  Our friend takes us on his golf cart around the course where they are setting up for the Honda Classic in a few weeks.  From here we drive back north a bit to Jupiter, where we get a 2-mile walk around Riverbend Park and see lots of birds, including a wild peacock. Then, we meet a cousin in Jupiter for a lovely dinner, overlooking an intracoastal waterway.  We drive south again to Fort Lauderdale and sleep-stop behind the Original Pancake House, where we are to meet a friend for breakfast the next morning.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, January 14, 2017:  Alligator Alley and Fort Myers

We get an early walk on the streets of Fort Lauderdale, enjoy breakfast with our friend, and then park near Fort Lauderdale Beach.  We walk the beach, enjoying the lively Saturday crowd, playing volleyball, sunning and people watching like us. 

We have a picnic lunch out of the camper and drive across Alligator Alley, stopping at Recreation Areas to see many birds and three alligators. 

 

About 5PM, we arrive at the mobile home park where our friends Dave and Carol reside when they are not traveling. They are models for traveling in a Class B motor home and connecting with friends and family along the way.  As they say, the Class B off-the-grid features make visiting easy since we bring our own bedroom and bath. We park between their home and their Advanced RV SuperStealth.  For dinner, we go to Pinchers, in downtown Fort Myers, where the view of the lights across the river is lovely, the service is fun, and all our dinners are good – ahi tuna, mahi mahi tacos, and blackened grouper.  We stay the night in our camper at their place.

 

Sunday, January 15, 2017:  Venice Beach and Sarasota

After breakfast with Dave and Carol, we head north to Venice Beach.  Mike uses their YMCA for a workout and shower, while I walk the parking lot, putter in the RV and get some rare alone time.  We have a good lunch of southern cooking at Darrells and then walk Venice Beach.  We drive up Casey Key Road, admiring the beautiful homes overlooking the Gulf.  In Sarasota, we get groceries at Whole Foods and drive out to Lido Key, where we park on the city street next to the beach.  We get another long beach walk, enjoy the sunset and have dinner in the RV.  We settle for the night right there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    

Monday, January 16, 2017:  To the Florida RV SuperShow

Lovely morning, in the low 60’s.  We walk to Lido Beach Hotel for coffee and the newspapers.  Back in the RV, I get out our new NutriBullet Max and follow the directions to make a healthy and delicious smoothie for breakfast.  Easy.  The essential parts fit on the bottom shelf of the entry cabinet.  We take a long walk to St. Armand’s Circle and back down the beach. We clean up and have lunch in the camper.  Several people walking by stop to see the RV.

We drive to Tampa and park at a Flying J on Rt. 4 just minutes from the show.  We walk across the street to LazyDays  “RV resort” to see if they might have a spot for us tonight.  They are completely booked, with a waiting list of 300!  We walk their RV Resort, which has a huge, luxurious indoor swimming pool, a workout building, and rows upon rows of gorgeous Class A’s, most towing a car.  We talk to the couple in the one Class B we see, a bright red Winnebago Travado.  They are camping out, waiting at LazyDays for a part to come in.   For dinner, we meet friends from Cleveland, and their friends from Switzerland, who are all going to the SuperShow.  We “camp” at Walmart close to the fairgrounds.

 

Tuesday, January 17, 2017:  Industry Day at the Florida RV SuperShow

When we registered for the SuperShow, campsites with services were full, so we reserved “dry camping. ” This turns out to be a tight parking lot next to the registration office, but that is OK.   At the show, we meet our friends and explore the Class B’s and the assorted RV items for sale in the huge expo hall.  We meet several suppliers and other RV manufacturers.  We have dinner with our friends at the Hard Rock Café in the Seminole Casino across the street from the show. 

 

Wednesday, January 18, 2017:  More SuperShow, Orlando and Jacksonville

Early in the morning, we drive to Flying J, dump and fuel.  In the parking lot of the SuperShow, we show Runaway to potential clients.  We tour the rest of the Class B’s and meet an Advanced RV client for lunch.  Next, we head to Orlando and show the RV to another interested couple.  We then intend to make it to Savannah for dinner at Elizabeth’s on 37^th, but traffic through Jacksonville is slow, so we stop for dinner at a new Thai restaurant there, Pat Thai, recommended on Yelp.  It is good and fresh and we enjoy the young, recently immigrated Thai woman who attentively waits on us.  We sleep-stop at a Pilot truck stop, near St. Mary’s, Georgia. 

 

Thursday, January 19, 2017:  Savannah and Kiawah Island

After sleeping 9 ½ hours, we catch up on emails and phone calls.  At 11:30AM we arrive at the Savannah Visitors Center and get recommendations for a walking route and a place for lunch.  We walk north on Bull St. to the Savannah River, enjoy a Cajun lunch at Huey’s, walk Emmet Park, and return on Abercorn, stopping in the Colonial Park Cemetery.  All along the way, we read the plaques and study the monuments in the lovely squares, shaded by live oaks, to get a bit of the history of Savannah.

At 4:30PM, arriving on Kiawah Island, we park in the parking lot at our friends’ condo, surrounded by lush vegetation.  They give us a quick driving tour of the island, where we see the elegant homes, golf courses and clubs.  We have dinner at their home, marvel at the density of the stars in the dark sky over the ocean and sleep well for the first in nine nights out of the RV. 

 

Friday, January 20, 2017:  New River Trail State Park, Virginia

At sunrise, we walk the beach at Kiawah, then have breakfast with our friends, and set off again, grateful for this luxurious break in our RV travels.  On SiriusXM, we listen to the Inauguration ceremonies. Late in the afternoon, just into Virginia on I-77, we stop at the New River Trail State Park and walk the beautiful path along the New River.  This walk, plus our morning beach walk, makes this an 8-mile day.  We sleep-stop at Cracker Barrel near Princeton, West Virginia. 

 

Saturday, January 21, 2017:  Back home

We eat breakfast at Cracker Barrel and set off, arriving home mid-afternoon.  We’ve had another good RV adventure, seeing lots of friends, family and interesting places, new and old.

 

Adirondacks, Quebec City, and East Coast: October 2 – 16, 2016

Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016:  Running away in Runaway

We depart from Mike’s Mom’s 95^th birthday party about 3PM, glad to be on the road for a long-awaited “runaway” in Runaway.  We are heading to a conference in Quebec City starting October 5, but have built in extra time to hike in the Adirondacks and enjoy the fall colors along back roads. We stop for the night at a rest stop near Rochester, New York 

 

Monday, Oct. 3, 2016:  Discovering the Adirondacks in the fall

We drive east past Utica, New York and head north on scenic Rt. 30. We wind along country roads where the fields are golden, after the cutting of hay and corn, and pass many lakes, large and small. On this sunny day, the colors are spectacular.  Pass Malone, New York, we camp at Fish Creek Public Campgrounds on South Pond, southwest of Saranac Lake.  Being able to be off the grid, we don’t use any services, but we enjoy the lake view. Our neighbor is Mike from Watertown, a retired teacher, who has been coming. here to fish for 30 years. 

 

Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016:  St. Regis Mountain
 

 
It is a gorgeous sunny morning.  At 9AM, we arrive at the trailhead for St. Regis Mountain, elevation 2,874 ft. According to the Adirondack Mountain Club guidebook, at the top we will have “the best view in the Adirondacks.”  We start out the 6.6-mile roundtrip in dense forest, marked by massive boulders.   After alternating steep rises and easy flat land, we rock scramble the final ascent, 1000 ft. in one mile.  About 2PM, we reach the granite dome summit. We eat the last of our energy bars and fruit, and then climb the fire tower.  The 360-degree view is spectacular:  lakes and ponds; trees in brilliant reds and yellows; hills and mountains, near and far. At the top of the fire tower we meet a guy from Saranac Lake, who pond-hopped here in a 16 lb. Hornbeck canoe, built not far from here.  He points out the landmarks. 

 

O
n the way down, we meet Randy and Michelle from Philadelphia.  His interior flooring company was just bought by a company in Medina, OH, not far from us in Willoughby.  They had seen our camper in the parking lot.  We make a slow descent, with Mike taking many pictures of mushrooms.  Back at the RV, Randy and Michelle soon show up.  She has a cross-shaped gash in her forehead where she was wacked by a branch on a steep descent.  She refuses any first aid while they take a quick tour of the RV.  They head to an emergency room, but promise to visit Advanced RV.   

 

We camp at High Falls Park Campground in Chateaugay, NY, east of Malone, on Rt. 11. Again, we have no need to plug in, but we the campground.  We walk to the falls, which has very little water after this dry summer.  We read David Brooks’ new book, The Road to Character, by a campfire and listen to the Vice Presidential debate on Mike’s Ipad.

 

 

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016 – Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016:  Quebec City

We head east on Rt. 11 into Vermont, and cross into Canada, east of the first finger of Lake Champlain, at the Alburg/Noyan Border Crossing, very quiet and easy.     We take back roads through lovely farmlands and well-maintained small towns to Quebec City.  At the Chateau Frontenac, the valet parks our RV in the front courtyard.  We have a great conference.  With the group, we tour the Ile D’Orleans, a beautiful agricultural island on the St. Lawrence River; the Citadelle, a fortress along the first line of Quebec’s fortifications; and walk the surrounding historic park and Old Town.  At noon Sunday we depart.  Because the hotel courtyard was shaded, there was no solar charging, but after four days of  running the refrigerator, freezer, and occasional lights unplugged, we had 37% remaining in our batteries.  

 

Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016:  Burlington, Vermont

From the Quebec City conference, we make it to Burlington, Vermont for the evening.  We walk this college town and eat a delicious farm-to-table dinner at the Farmhouse Tap and Grill.  We “sleep stop” off the grid at the boat launch parking lot on Lake Champlain.

 

Monday, Oct. 10, 2016:  Ben and Jerry’s and the White Mountains of New Hampshire

After breakfast at the Healthy Living Market and Café, less than a block from our “campsite”, we take Scenic Rt. 302 east on another sunny day, with lots of yellow birch and hills dotted with red.  We’ve hit the peak of the fall colors on this trip.  We arrive in Waterbury, Vermont, at opening time for tours of Ben and Jerry’s factory.  We join a group of about 40 people for a 30-minute guided tour, including a movie about the history of the company, a walk through production, and samples of the day’s experimental flavor (green apple and cinnamon – OK).  We enjoyed the playful atmosphere and the commitment to family farms, no GMOs, and sustainability. 

We take Rt. 112 east into the White Mountain area of New Hampshire, where near Franconia Notch we hike the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves. We stop in Glen, NH on Rt. 302 at the Red Parker Pub for dinner and to watch the Indians play the Red Sox for the American League Division Championship. We sit next to an Irish immigrant from Boston, his wife and twin 6-year old boys.  They are Red Sox fans, of course, but know our team well, too.  Everyone is kind to us Clevelanders, even after we win in a Division sweep.  We “camp” that night in the parking lot of the pub.

 

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016:  Mt. Washington Cog Railway and Demo glitch

 

We are up early to head northwest on Rt. 302 to the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  We arrive at the 8:30AM opening, but we cannot get seats until 12:30.  I had assumed that since school was back in session we would not need reservations, but then three busloads of  “leaf peepers” arrive and I understand.  This gives us a chance to hike some of Mt. Washington, the highest point of the Northeast at 6,288 ft.  We set out on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail right behind the train station.  It is gorgeous, with waterfalls and pools along the river, but tough rock scrambling.  We hike 2 ½ hours and cover only 2 ½ miles. 

We have a perfect, clear day for our ride on the Cog Railway to the top of Mt. Washington, where we have one hour to explore the Visitor Center and summit.  We learn why this mountain has the reputation as the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather,” with hurricane-force winds and blowing snow.  We enjoy the views of some of the other Presidential mountains, scramble the rocks of the summit, and chat with other visitors from all over the world. 

 

Back at the camper, we decide, after about 5 days of using the RV, it is time to empty our tanks.  This RV is a demo model, right?  Because of a power failure in the utility closet, the macerator valve actuator is without power, so the macerator does not work.  Mike, looking on the bright side, decides it is good to test out the manual back up.  We go to Walmart, and in their RV section, find a 3” sewer hose.  Behind a hotel, we locate a dump station (for the tour buses) and, with me holding a flashlight because it is now dark, Mike is able to gravity drain the tanks in 20 minutes, start to finish. 

We go south on Rt. 16 to Jonathan’s Seafood in Conway, New Hampshire.  After dinner, Mike asks the foreign-born hostess if we can spend the night there.  She looks alarmed at the couch in their lobby, and says, “Here?”  After we explain about the RV in the parking lot, her manager gives the OK, saying, “You can guard our restaurant.”


 

Wednesday, October 12, 2016:  Squam Lake, New Hampshire

We hit the road early and stop at our new favorite place, Dunkin’ Donuts.  It is clean and friendly, the coffee is good, and they have great WiFi.  We have a scenic drive down Rt. 16, past White Lake, to Rt. 25W and 3 to Holderness, New Hampshire.  We hike around Squam Lake “the most beautiful lake in New Hampshire.”  We make a novice hiker’s mistake:  planning on a 2-mile hike, we take no food or water.  The trail, although challenging, is enticing, and we end up hiking over 5 miles.  We are glad to get back to our camper. 

 

Late in the afternoon, we arrive in Pawtucket, Rhode Island at my cousin’s house, where we park the camper on a narrow city street and move into their house for two days.

 

Thursday, October 13 – Friday, October 14, 2016:  Pawtucket and Newport, Rhode Island.

We relax with my cousin and her husband, as we always do, and visit my 105-year old aunt. We enjoy exploring the harbor at Newport, including visiting the IYRS School of Technology and Trades, where they are restoring the Coronet, a 131-ft historic Schooner Yacht, launched in 1885.  We hike in the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge nearby. 

 

Friday, Oct. 14, 2016:  Train to New York City

Today we head to New York City to see our son, his fiancée, and her parents, all in from Hong Kong.  Our plan is to park the RV at the Stamford train station and take the train in.  We call the station about needing 10ft. clearance and are told that an attendant will show us where to park.  After many round and rounds, we finally find the attendant and the garage she directs us to, but the attendant there tells us that no garage can accommodate our height.  We drive around the neighboring area and find a Hilton where we leave the RV with a kind valet who promises to take care of us.  Their driver takes us to the train station.  It’s an easy train ride to the city. 

 

Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016:  Low bridges on Sawmill River Parkway

We have a great stay in the city and take the train back Saturday afternoon.  At the Hilton, the valet brings out our RV and does not want to charge us!  Grateful, Mike leaves a generous tip. 

We head towards the George Washington Bridge and GPS guides us to the Sawmill River Parkway.  As we enter the parkway, we see a sign saying “No Commercial Vehicles, Trucks or Tractor Trailers”.  Why? Does that apply to us?  Don’t think so.  Soon, we see why.  Ahead, above us is an arched stone bridge, with clearance of 9’4”.  Mike slows down, moves across three lanes of heavy, honking traffic, and gets in the lane going under the highest point of the arch.  We make it.  But, we have about 10 miles and 6 more bridges to go.  Clearances range from 9’6” to 10’6”, but using the same center lane technique, we clear them all.  When we cross the George Washington Bridge, Mike has a headache.  We drive to just east of State College, Pennsylvania, wash the RV at a Flying J and stay the night in the truck stop. 

 

Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016:  Back home

Back home safely, we are grateful that we had such good weather, saw the colors of the Northeastern foliage at their peak, stayed healthy and had fun. We did not hurt Runaway and she was a champ of a demo.