Cape May - Lewes Ferry - July 17, 2009

This morning started early as we had to dump both the grey and black water tanks, hook up the tow dolly, load the Chrysler and head out of the Campground, all before 9:00 am. We arrived at the Ferry about 9:15 am, parked and headed into the terminal where we both had breakfast sitting beside the Bay. Summonded to our vehicles at about 10:00 am, we were guided onto the Ferry. Amazingly, the professionals took all of this is stride and guided us into the spot where they wanted us to park the Silver Lady for the trip across the Delaware Bay. On our trip there was a much smaller RV, a car with a trailer but all of the other vehicles were regular sized cars. The loading process was very fast and we found ourselves under way in about 20 minutes.

Pooh Bear, Sue and I headed topside for the trip. He was greeted to lots of hugs and pets during the 80 minute trip. We found ourselves dealing with some rolling of the ferry because of the surf and the tide, but being outside, with our faces into the wind, helped with our balance. It was somewhat hazy during the trip and we could not see the Delaware shore until we were almost upon it. We had been told that trips yesterday had seen dolphin in the water, but we had no such greeting. What a wonderful experience.

Disembarking the ferry, we drove across Delaware, Maryland, the Virginia Eastern Shore and on into Virginia Beach. We stopped once for fuel and once to buy some fresh produce at a roadside stand. Sue bought squash, corn and peaches that were wonderful. It was good to drive the Eastern Shore. We have visited here a number of times at a place called Cherrystone Campground near Cape Charles, Virginia, so it was like coming home.

Stella, the GPS, took us across Virgina Beach in rush hour traffic to the Campground. I am certain there was an easier way, but we thankfully arrived without incident at the Holiday Travel Park. We walked into the Office to register and a downpour errupted. We had seen the storm coming for miles across the Bay, but hoped we would beat it. At least when it hit, we were already off the road and in the campground. We found our campsite with no difficulty and after parking, I hooked up the water and electric in the rain so we would have A/C and water. After a nap and after the rain abated, I took Pooh Bear for a walk and we settled down for the evening.

This is the most busy campground we have ever experienced. I know the rain added to the confusion last evening and it was Friday evening, but we are back in "civilization."

Cape May, NJ - July 16, 2009

This morning started out uneventfully with waking up slowly and taking a leisurely walk with Pooh Bear. Afterwards, I was in the process of placing the bicycles on the bike rack on the Chrysler when Sue fell off my bike. She did it with such grace that it seemed as if it was very minor. I helped her up and she headed back into the Silver Lady. I finished packing the bikes and went looking for her. She was laying down and I decided to let her sleep. About an hour later, she woke up in great pain and asked me to take her to the hospital for an X-ray. From the campground secuirty guard, I got directions and we drove about 20 minuted to the nearest hospital. Sue was taken into for examination relatively quickly. While she was being treated, I got caught up with the office. Upon Sue's return we discovered that she had fractured her 9th rib. The Doctor told her no white water rafting or rugby for 8 or 9 weeks. All of this took more than three hours.



Heading back toward the Campground, we stopped at a Walmart to have a prescription filled and while waiting, purchased some groceries. Afterward, I took Sue back to the Silver Lady and got her settled in. Once she had taken her medicine and was resting as comfortably as possible, I headed out for the Cape May Ferry to ask questions about the trip tomorrow morning and any special arrangements that I needed to make. For them, apparently the Silver Lady was not unusual and they assured me that there would be no problem. Heading back to the Campground, I found a grocery store and bought some produce and other items that we could not get at the Walmart.



This was a very low keyed day. After a welcomed swim, I began the process of putting away the chairs, folding up awnings and generally getting ready to travel tomorrow. Sue rested most of the afternoon and evening. Her medicine combined with a Fuzzy Naval helped ease her discomfort.

Cape May, NJ - July 15, 2009

We headed out this morning to drive around Cape May. We found our way to the Cape May Lighthouse on the Delaware Bay and while a group of your kids washed the Chrysler, Sue and I headed for the top of the Lighthouse. It was 199 steps to the top and upon arriving we had a most wonderful view of the entire South Jersey area. I took my camera with us this morning after lots of difficulties with Sue's new camera and it let me down. I thought I had charged the batteries but when I needed it most at the top of the lighthouse, no pictures. A once in a lifetime experience.



On these trips over the years, Sue and I have climbed the Cape Hatteras, North Carolina Lightouse, the Lighthouse at St. Augustine, Florida and now this one in Cape May, New Jersey. Each are different in some ways but all represent the efforts to keep sailors and ships safe over the years. All three are still fully operational but with electic lights and computerized operations.



Recovering the somewhat less dirty Chrysler, we again headed into Cape May and stopped at a place called Washington Square. We parked the car and wandered around, in and out of shops, museums just trying to soak up the history of this "First Seaside Resort in America." The Victorian charm of the town is priceless. There is a careful regulation of development and preservation of the historical past that should be copied by all towns. I'm sure there are political and other issues behind the scenes, but they have truly done an excellent job of perservation. We had lunch in a small Italian restaurant in the Square and the food was wonderful.

Heading back to the Campground, we took a nap and headed for the swimming pool.

Lake Laurie Campground, Cape May, NJ - July 14, 2009

This morning, we were up and about rather early. We walked Pooh Bear, had breakfast and then headed south again after calling ahead to the repair garage in Stanford, CT about the tow dolly. On the drive south on 95 in Connecticut I dealt with heavy traffic, particularly in the western part of the state. Arriving in Stamford, we trusted Stella, the GPS, to get us to the garage. Instead we found ourselves in a very old industrial area of the City. I don't think this was really Stella's fault. I called the garage and they directed me to a place where I could park and they said they would come to me. They also told me that they had had trouble getting parts for the tow dolly and they were still working on the repairs. We waited and while we were doing so, I took the bikes off the Chrysler, took the Chrysler off the trailer and disconnected the U-Haul trailer from the Silver Lady. Help arrived soon after with our tow dolly, which they helped me hook up and get the Chrysler hooked up. All in all, we were stopped for about two hours.



Heading south again, I took route 287 across the Tappanzee Bridge into New York and then the Garden State Parkway south in New Jersey all the way to Cape May. Our campground was only a short distance off the Parkway and we were able to find it and get set up with a minimum of difficulty. This Campground did not have a pull through site for our unit so we had to drop the Chrysler off the tow dolly, and then drop the tow dolly before backing into a very nice site.



Afterward, we headed for the swimming pool and while swimming, Sue said, "let's go watch the sunset and then get something to eat." We got cleaned up and headed out. We found our way to the edge of the Delaware Bay and parked the car. We watched a magnificant sunset from a large pile of rocks reached by walking along a wooden breakwater that was covered with moss and wet sand. What a great experience. We held each other, prayed and sang praises to our God as we watched the sunset.



Seeking to fulfill the dinner promise, we headed out looking for a place called Harboon Henry's on the waterfront. A lady in the campground had recommended this place and it was great. We had only a very short wait, an excellent dinner and live music to serenade us. I even took Sue in my arms and we danced as our dinner sat waiting on the table. A glorious end to a long day of travel.

Mystic, CT KOA - July 13, 2009

With reluctance this morning, we finished packing up and began the trip back south. We stopped first to dump the grey and black water tanks of the Silver Lady and put the Chrysler on the tow dolly. We headed out of Bar Harbor, a little before 10;00 am. The trip south was uneventful except that Stella, our GPS, did not like my route around Boston. She kept wanting to take us west off 495 and I only knew to take 495 to 95 to 295. In any event, we were able to find our way back to the KOA in Mystic (North Stongington), CT.



We checked into the Campground and were led, as is the usual KOA practice, to our site. It was immediately obvious that we were not going to be able to get the Silver Lady, plus the trailer with the Chrysler, onto the site they had assigned to us. We asked about bigger sites as we knew from the experience of earlier in the trip that they had bigger sites but we were told there were none available. We ended up out in a field with only water and 30 amps of electric service. Fortunately, it was a cool evening and we did not need the A/C. Before dinner, we decided to take a swim and to go into the office to complain about the site. This produced what I found to be a nasty confrontation when the clerk told me that I should be satisfied with what I had as they could have charged me for the 4 sites I took up in the field.



This is unlike any previous experience with KOA. Travelling with a unit our size, and towing, in this case a trailer that we could not remove, gives few options in terms of camp sites. This KOA knew the size of our unit and gave a large site to a smaller unit than ours and then would not and apparently could not make good on their reservation for us. Ultimately they gave us a refund of $3.00 for the night as we had no sewer. I will never again look first to KOA for campgrounds. There are several books available for "Big Rigs" and I will always look here first when making reservations.



All of thaat aside, we slept well and as always, we were very comfortable in the Silver Lady.

Belfast, ME - July 12, 2009

After the rain of last evening, there was a fog covering the ground and the water this morning. We would never have been able to see the sunrise, so our trip to Cadillac Mountain of yesterday proved to be a wise decision. Today, we tried to go swimming in the KOA pool only to discover that the rain had triggered a massive water loss and we were not able to swim. After walking Pooh Bear, Sue headed for the laundry and I began the process of hooking up the trailer and putting things away as tomorrow, we must head south. We got cleaned up and with Pooh Bear headed out to drive south along the Maine coast. We stopped first at an LL Bean store in Ellsworth where Sue purchased some sandals and I purchased a fleece jacket.

We then headed west and south driving through a number of small towns that were built on the edge of the ocean and its many inlets here. In Bucksport, we passed over a huge new bridge that was built with center suspension falling from twin towers much like one of the new bridges in Boston. Travel was in both directions on the bridge with one lane on each side of the suspension towers and cables. It was a beautiful sight but not nearly as majestic as the scenery our God has created here.

We found our way into Belfast, Maine and dropped off the highway to explore the town. To Sue's delight we came upon a craft fair and together with Pooh Bear we wandered around the craft fair and the harbor. In our wanderings, we found a small watrerfront restaurant (Weathervane Seafood) that would permit us to sit outside near the water with Pooh Bear beside us. Sue ordered Lobster Pie (a cassarole with lobster and crab meat stuffing) while I ordered their special - two one pound lobsters. The meal was outstanding as were the senic views all around. The waitress even brought Pooh Bear a bowl of water with ice cubes. We had been told on the trolley in Bar Harbor that it was the law in Maine that you had to eat at least three lobsters while visiting or you could not leave the state. We both willingly complied with this law this trip and would do so again on any occasion.

Heading back to the Campground, we stopped again in Ellsworth for homemade ice cream.

Cadillac Mountain - July 11, 2009

Our morning started very early today. The alarm went off at 3:30 am as Sue had decided that this was the morning to see the sunrise. We were on our way to the top of Cadillac Mountain before 4:00 am assuming that we would be the only ones headed that way. To our surprise, almost an hour later when we parked the car near the top of the mountain, we were greeted by many other people seeking to likewise see the sunrise. Pooh Bear went with us and as we awaited the moment, he made many new friends. The sunrise was awesome. From this vantage point, it is claimed that you are the first people in the continental United States to see the sunrise. Cadillac Mountain is just over 1,900 feet tall and dominates the entire landscape of the Island.

By 5:15 the sun was fully up and we headed back to the car. We prayed and sang praises to our God as we reflected of his care for us and for the very predictable demonstration of his care in this event. I was very grateful for Sue's encouragement to do this. Heading back to the Silver Lady, we both found our way back to bed for a long nap.

This was a lazy day but we headed back into Bar Harbor in the afternoon for a Native American Festival and a trip to a bike shop for a tai llight for Sue's Bike.

It was fortuitous that we made the trip up Cadillac Mountain this morning becasue as we slept this evening, there was a significant storm that came through dropping lots of rain.