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.

Acadia National Park - July 10, 2009

Today, we headed off to drive around Mt. Desert Island, taking Pooh Bear with us. We planned to drive all the way around the Island, but found that there was so much to see and so many fascinating places to stop, that we ran out of time and energy. These pictures represent a small sample of what we experienced.

We got as far as Bass Harbor on the south shore and made our way to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse pictured above. This Lighthouse was first seen by an easy walk down a path with Pooh Bear. After that, we found another path that led to our being able to see the Lighthouse from beneath it. We climbed down steps and rocks almost to the water in order to be able to look up at the site.

Heading back toward the core of the island we found our way to Jordon Pond in Acadia National Park, arriving just in time for tea. We were able to find seats in the Restaurant and on the recommendation of our friend, Meade Gwinn, and a fellow camper, we savored lobster stew and popovers. Both were wonderful. We washed that down with a blueberry cobbler. This resatuant has been in existence for about 50 years and it was truly worth the experience. We bought a book of receipies and purposed that we would try to duplicate both the lobster stew and the popovers with friends back home.

Arriving back at the campground, we took a short nap before heading off to the grocery store. Again, we returned in time to watch a magnificent sunset over the ocean at our campsite.

Bar Harbor, ME KOA - July 10, 2009

"To journey without being changed is to be a nomad.

To change without journeying is to be a chameleon.

To journey and be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim."

----Mark Nepo, The Exquisite Risk

We find we are all three at various times on our trips but we do stay in touch with pleasure and fun, with the passionate engagement that we all manage, as children. Seeing this beautiful country in bits of a few weeks at a time gives us such appreciation for what we truly have as Americans. We are truly blessed to have the opportunities to revel in God's natural beauty and man's efforts to create beauty in various forms whether in homes, buildings, sailing ships, works or parks.

Its Friday morning and the sun on the calm water in front of the Silver Lady is glistening as it reflects off of each tiny wave. We are safely in Bar Harbor. More correctly, we are on Mt. Desert Island staying at a KOA. The town of Bar Harbor is about a 20 minute drive down the coast of this island.

Wednesday morning, we headed south for Rhode Island in search of the trailer for the Chrysler. The tow dolly was still not fixed and we decided to head north anyway. I took the wrong exit off of US 1 and it took more than an hour to go about 18 miles. Once we found where we were to go, the people at the U-Haul store were great. We loaded up the trailer onto to the Silver Lady and then the Chrysler onto the trailer and headed north about 2 hours later than we had hoped for the 6 hour trip to Bar Harbor.


It rained a good deal of the trip. Just south of Bangor, ME, I started having a problem with the air system on the Silver Lady. I called Billy, my mechanic, for advice several times and finally just east of Bangor, we pulled off the road. We were able to find roadside service. A young man, Nick, came out. He first tried to fix the obvious issue and then found that we had a leak in the valve that dumps excess air pressure. He fashioned a bypass to that valve that he said would service us for the rest of our trip. About 2 hours later, we were back on the road. We now have a noise when the engine is idling, a vibration of some sort, but everything with the air system seems to be working. Since the Silver Lady has air brakes, this service was critical to our trip.


We arrived at the Bar Harbor KOA, just at dusk and found our site. Its right on the edge of the water of Western Bay of Mount Desert Island and I parked facing the water so we had to run the electric and water lines under the coach to hook them up to the campsite. We have no sewer at this site, first time we have ever dealt with that. Our bed was very welcome this evening as we were both exhausted from the trip and the events of the day. We had also heard that the water heater at the office had burst and there was a mess at the office. (What is it with water heaters this year?!!) I'm glad I am here. I have enough on my hands and others will need to solve the office issue.


Yesterday morning started slowly. We walked up to the office to check in and purchased tickets for Oli's Trolley for a 2 1/2 hour tour of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. With some difficulty, we were able to get the Chrysler off the trailer and I solved a water leak problem on the water hose which connects to the Silver Lady. After that we prepared for our trip to Bar Harbor. We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant right on the harbor in the heart of town. Sue had her first lobster roll , I had an oyster sandwich and we both had New England Clam Chowder. We enjoyed the meal on a deck over the water as we watched whale watching boats coming in to dock to unload and reload passengers. The setting was gorgeous!

Heading over to Oli's Trolley, we were part of a group of 22 people for this tour. Our Guide was most interesting. He took us around Bar Harbor, told us much of its history and then headed for Acadia National Park. We made several stops in the pristine National Park the most memorable of which was at Cadillac Mountain. We have been having problems with Sue's new camera so pictures are few and far between. We were able to take a number of pictures with Sue's cell phone so we now need to download those. The trip was full of information and we must pay attention to what we remember because what we choose to remember is a great clue to what is important to us, where our passions lie. Sometimes we don't so much discover ourselves in the journey as we uncover ourselves.

Bar Harbor was populated with the "rich and the famous" in the early 20th century but few remnants of those mansions still exist. The fire of 1947 burned about 70% of those homes. The village has rebuilt into a charming tourist mecca to make the most of the water sports, scenic attractions, and outdoor adventures. There is a college here that teaches only one course but has 43 faculty members. The course is in environmental ecology and costs about $40,000. Maine takes its enviroment seriously. Cadillac Mountain is the highest, most eastern point on the US coastline and we plan to observe the sunrise at 4:50 am on Saturday morning. (Sue insists on seeing memorable sunrises everywhere we visit.) We will see it before anyone else in the country. It is reputed to be a "not-to-be-missed" experience. Jackson Laboratories is on the island. This lab produces genetically altered mice for use in medical tests and trials. The tour guide stated that they have found a cure for cancer--in mice---now they are working on locating the gene that corresponds to humans. We have something new to add to our prayer list. Acadia National Park is on land that was donated by philanthropists,the then president of Harvard and a Mr. Door, who wanted to preserve the green mountain for posterity.

Afterwards we walked around Bar Harbor for several hours heading in and out of various shops, including a Tea Shop where Sue purchased some Blueberry Tea. The shop's top seller, for obvious reasons of Maine and its renown for blueberry production.

Returning to the Silver Lady, we took a break before heading out for a grocery store and some needed items. We returned just in time to see the last of a beautiful sunset over the water. We have been told that the last week has been very wet with lots of rain, clouds and fog. Apparently yesterday was the first really nice day. It was sunny, warm with lots of blue sky and a few puffy white clouds. We crashed into bed last evening at about 11:00 after turning on the heat in the unit. The clear day was followed by a cool night.

Today, we plan to do a driving trip all around the island, stop at Jordan Pond and find lobster for dinner.

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Normandy Farms Campground - July 7, 2009

It's Tuesday, and its raining in Foxborough. According to the weather forcast, we are in for an all day rain. Sue is off doing laundry and enjoying reading, 11 Indispensable Relationships You Can't Do Without by Leonard Sweet. I've walked Pooh Bear and have just completed a reservation for a car trailer with U-Haul for the trip to Bar Harbor on Wednesday and south to Stanford, CT next Tuesday where we hope to recover our repaired tow dolly for the remainder of the trip to Cape May and Virginia Beach.

All who wander are not lost. Yesterday, we had a true adventure. We were up and out early for us (8:15 am) and headed for Martha's Vineyard. We followed my Sister's directions down Route 495, 25 and then 28 into Falmouth and parking. As soon as we parked, there was a shuttle bus to take us to Woods Hole for the ferry. We bought our tickets and immediately boarded a freight ferry for the Island.

The ferry ride over was a delight with warm breezes and temps in the low 80's.

We arrived on Martha's Vineyard at Vineyard Haven a bit windblown and ready for our next adventure. We purchased tickets for a tour of the Island and had about an hour to wander around before the tour departed. We went into The Black Dog Bakery for coffee and tea, saw the two tall ships owned by The Black Dog, which were told is second only to Hard Rock Cafe in the sale of t-shirts, and had our pictures taken by a willing sun bather. Many beaches on the Vineyard are labeled, "clothing-optional", which means it is a nudist beach. This was not such a beach.

Boarding the tour bus, we were taken to Oak Bluff where we stayed for over an hour. Sue and I again wandered around in and out of a number of shops. We bought lunch at a place called Skinny's Fat Sandwiches, Sue had a "fat"tuna salad sandwich and I had a "fat" Turkey Gobbler (a large slab of turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and gravy on a hard roll). Both were great. We even found a Christmas Shop before we headed back to the bus for our tour of the Island where we just had to have a souvenir ornament from MV (no doubt made in China :)

Along the trip, the driver pointed out various homes of stars such as Michael J. Fox, James Taylor, Ted Danson and Mary Steenbergen, Doris Day, Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols, Caroline Kennedy Strausberg, Gloria Swanson's home when she was alive-bought for her and her husband by her then lover, Joe Kennedy, the summer home of Jim Belushi and the grave of James Belushi, which we were told is still a tourist attraction. We also saw the beach where the Jaws movie was made and Sheriff Brody's house. One beach was named after a very wealthy spinster who was also once the town librarian. She was so conservative that she would read each new book and cut out any words that she deemed objectionable. The land she bequethed to the Vineyard on her death was turned into a "clothing-optional" beach...now that's just too funny!

The tour lasted about 2 1/2 hours. The highlight was a stop at a 150 yr. old Lighthouse made of red brick at the GayHead Cliffs. We were able to stay there about 3o minutes and take many pictures. This portion of the Island is owned by the Aquinnah Indian Tribe. They charged us 50 cents each to use their rest room. I guess, since they can not have casinos on the Island, they have to make money in other ways. Completing the tour, the driver dropped us back at Vineyard Haven where the ferry docks.

We had about an hour to wander around this little town (Sue even bought a couple of Christmas gifts...172 days early...we didn't compute this, there was a sign at the shop) , eventually heading to Mad Martha's Ice Cream Parlor for ice cream. We then headed for the ferry to return us to the Massachusetts mainland. This ferry was for vehicles and would hold up to 1,200 passengers. We found our way up to the highest deck and reveled in the 45 minute trip back to Woods Hole. The views were spectacular and we said to each other that on our next trip, we would rent motor scooters and tour the Island at our pace.

We arrived back at the Silver Lady at about 7:30 pm, walked Pooh Bear and headed for the swimming pool and then the hot tub and sauna (tough life, but we suffer through it) What a wonderful day! Martha's Vineyard is certainly a beautiful place we would like to see again.

Normandy Farms Campground - July 5, 2009

We arrived safetly at Normandy Farms Campground in Foxborough, MA on Friday, July 3rd about 2:00 pm. Checkin time was 3:00 pm. We were put in a storage area to await the departure of the people who had previously been on our site. The wait was worth it. This is a beautiful campground with three outdoor pools, an indoor pool, two hot tubs, a sauna and numerours other facilities. While I set up the Silver Lady, Sue headed for the laundry facility for 4 or 5 loads of laundry. After she was done, we rode our bikes, walked Pooh Bear and showered and changed clothes.

Friday evening, we journeyed to the home of my Sister, Cheryl, and Brother-in-Law, Gene Mally in nearby Hingham, MA. We had a wonderful time visiting with them and having dinner. It was almost midnight when we headed back to the Silver Lady, a distance of about 40 minutes. Sue slept most of the way home, but I was able to navigate. After walking Pooh Bear, our beds came quickly as did our sleep. We are blessed that we are always able to sleep well in the Silver Lady.

Saturday, July 4th, we arose slowly, walked Pooh Bear, did some minor repairs on the Silver Lady and then heaed off on our bikes to tour the campground. We were amazed at all that we saw. After our tour and a belated breakfast, we took a nap. After the nap, we headed for the pools and the hot tub for several hours. We never left the campground on the 4th and it was a welcomed break. As the sun was setting, we could hear fireworks in the distance. We turned on the DVD of the Gaither's God Bless America from Carniege Hall in New York City. This was recorded and produced in early 2002 not long after 9/11. A most moving tribute on this July 4th and a very fitting end to Independence Day. Freedom is expensive.

Today, I made Cranberry Orange whole grain Muffins for our breakfast. Then we headed out to walk Pooh Bear, and made some changes to previous postings on this blog. After getting cleaned up, we headed for downtown Boston. We parked the car at the Quincy Adams T station, bought tickets and headed into town. We had been given a gift certificate for a Duck Tour of Boston. Calling ahead we were told that the first available tour at the station we had planned on using was at 6:00 pm. We headed for the other station at the Museum of Science near MIT University on the Charles River. Arriving, we bough tickets but they also were for the 6:00 pm tour. We had lunch in the cafeteria of the Science Museum and them had 3 1/2 hours to kill before our tour. Going outside, Sue struck up a conversation with a gal from Duck Tours and she was able to get us on a tour at 3:00 pm taking seats of people with tickets who did not show up.

We had a most unusual tour guide who called himself "Meatball." He was informative and clearly a performer who loved his "job." A Duck is a World War II landing craft that is capable of driving on land and also in the water. We were told that these were manufactured by GM during the war in Pontiac, Michigan. There are still about 1,000 of these in use around the world. I am sure that they have been modified and upgraded, but its a very pleasant break from modern vehicles.

Our tour started off on land. We were taken all around the old areas and the heart of the Boston business district. Things happened so very fast and there is so much to try to take in. Unfortunately, I had failed to charge the battery of Sue's new camera and we only got a couple of pictures. After a drive by of Old Ironsides - USS Constitution, the Duck headed into the Charles River near the Route 93 Bridge. We cruised the Charles River for about 30 minutes before heading back to the Science Museum.

After this, we decided we wanted to see more, but came to our senses and headed back to the T, back to Quincy Adams Station for the car and then back "home" to the Silver Lady. We arrived back to be greeted by Pooh Bear at just before 7:00 pm. A welcomed trip to the swimming pool, hot tub and sauna was just what our tired muscles needed.

After all of this excitement, Sue and I enjoyed a brief respite on the patio next to the Silver Lady and watched God's magnificant full moon rise into the cool New England sky

We have been bless by the experiences of these days, the privilege of being together and the opportunity to reflect on God's wonderful care for the two of us.

Excellent Adventure V - what a gift from our God and to each other.

We sat outside this evening remembering a bit of each previous trip, the Reunion Tour to Florida; the ReVitalization Tour to Sacramento, CA that brought home the Silver Lady; the Recovery Tour after my spinal surgery two years ago to Gatlinberg, Tennessee, Asheville NC and the Outer Banks of NC; the Rocks and Rivers Tour of last year (Excellent Adventure IV - see blog) and now this Revolutionary Tour in 2009.

We have been given an amazing gift in this Country, a gift of untold beauty, abundant resources, an industrious people and an ever present God. Our days as a Nation called to fulfill God's purposes are not over. This current economic cycle will pass. Let us strive to hear God and learn the lessons He wants us to learn in these days so that we can once more move forward in His purposes.

Mystic, CT KOA - July 3, 2009

Tuesday moring, we pulled out of the KOA in West Chester, PA and headed towards Connecticut. We travelled into New Jersey, took the New Jersey Turnpike toward New York and then headed north on the Garden State Parkway. Lots of tolls but no issues with height restrictions anywhere. We then entered New York and finally into Connecticut.

Shortly after merging onto the Connecticut Turnpike, a driver motioned to us about some difficulty. We stopped at the very next rest stop to discover again that we had burned up the bearing on the right side of the tow dolly. I had brought along some parts from last year's similar event on the same side of the tow dolly but this time the damage was more extensive. Good Sam Club sent out help but it took them over two hours to arrive. In the meantime, a Connecticut State Trooper stopped to check on us and to advise us not to spend the night in the rest stop.

We felt very protected by the Trooper's visit and were treated well by the men who arrived to help. Since it was nearing a holiday weekend, we were concerned about the availability of parts. We had already taken the Chrysler off the tow dolly and finally decided with the mechanics that they would tow the tow dolly back to their shop and try to obtain replacement parts. We headed on to Mystic, CT with Sue driving the Chrysler and me the motor home.

We arrived at the Mystic KOA to a great surprise. This is possibly the nicest campground we have ever stayed in to date. Our site has a large patio, a very nice tall table and four swivel chairs, a rocking loveseat and a very nice Weber gas grill. After we settled in, we had wine and cheese on the patio and them prepared dinner with me cooking chicken on the gas grill. All in all a delightful end to a hard day.

Wednesday morning, we were up early as we had reservations for a tour of Newport, Rhode Island at 10:00 am. We found our way to Newport and found our tour guide. We enjoyed a two hour tour of the island, saw the grounds for one of the mansions and saw a number of places that we intended to see in the afternoon after lunch. At the end of the tour, we began to walk through the City.

At the recommendation of our tour guide, Peter, we stopped for lunch at the Brick Alley Pub on Thames Street. We had a wonderful lunch. While dining, a rain storm moved in. We delayed our departue from the restaurant, but the downpour continued. We finally decided to head back to the car and then back to the campground. As it turned out the storm stayed located over the region for most of that day and into the night. All in all there was more than 6 1/2 inches of rain. We made the right decision to come back to the camper.

Yesterday, we slept in and then headed off to visit Mystic, Connecticut. We had lunch in the original Mystic Pizza, "a slice of heaven," made famous by Julia Roberts first movie and then wandered around town taking pictures and dropping into shops. It was a beautiful afternoon. We then headed back to the Silver Lady to walk Pooh Bear and prepare for our evening saling trip.

Heading back into Mystic, the sun was shining and we were looking forward to a wonderful evening. In the less than 20 minutes it took to arrive back in town, fog had moved in and the temperature chilled. We arrived at the dock for our sailing trip on the two masted scooner, Argia. She was manned by a crew of young -20 something- ladies who were very experienced and were very willing to answer any questions. Leaving the dock, we went throught the Mystic drawbridge dating to 1922, past a railroad bridge that swung open to permit our departure and out into the outer reaches of the Mystic Harbor. Sails were hoisted, the diesel engine was shut down and we were sailing. I was thrilled and even helped hoist one of the sails. What a great experience. I was even permitted to captain the ship for a brief period as we returned to port.

After the trip ended, we stayed in Mystic to have dinner at the S and P Oyster Company. I ordered oyster stew that was unlike any I had had before and very delicious. After dinner, we returned to the Silver Lady and quickly fell asleep.

This morning, we need to pack up the unit and break camp as we are heading for Foxborough, MA. Sue will drive the Chrysler and I the Silver Lady as our tow dolly is not fixed yet. We will only drive about 75 miles today to Normandy Farms Campground. We've been told it is also very nice.

West Chester KOA - June 29, 2009

Today, we went with a tour group from the Campground into Philadelphia. I was so very pleased not to be driving. Our tour guide was one of the Campground employees and was very knowledgeable. After arriving in the heart of the old area of Philadelphia, she gave us our tickets to Independence Hall and then turned us loose for almost 3 hours. We saw the Liberty Bell, read its story and then crossed the street to Independence Hall.



After a brief wait, we were escorted into Independence Hall. We first visited a very functional 18th Century Courtroom. Our Park Service Guide asked and answered a number of questions. After that, we were taken into the Chamber where the actual debate leading to the Declaration of Independence occurred. The Chamber was simply furnished and yet very elegant. Our Guide pointed out where many of the Founding Fathers sat during the debate. Afterwards we were taken upstairs to a restored formal entertainment area. I questioned the guide about damage to the building during the British occupancy of Philadelphia. She told us that they used the building as a headquarters but that as they were leaving Philadelphia, they did extensive damage. We see about 70% of the original woodwork and about 90% of the original brick. This was a most moving experience for me.



Immediately thereafter, we went next door to see the original chambers for the House of Representatives and the Senate. Again, a very moving experience.



From there Sue and I walked around the restored area and had lunch at Campos - claimed to be the original Philly Cheese Steak Restaurant. We met back up with our group to see Christ Church. Sue and I sat in President Washington's personal pew. The Church has roots back into the 1600's and it was from its pulpit on July 7, 1776 the Pastor read from the Anglican Prayer Book deleting all references to the King and substituting in its place reference to the new nation. This was an act of treason, yet the feelings in the City were so strong that many lined up behind the new identity.



A number of times today we were confronted with what the fight for independence cost our Founding Fathers. One of the most wealthy gave everything he had for the fight for independence. He eventually was broke and a debtor, inprisioned for failure to pay his bills. A group of citizens banded together and paid all of his debts. He was buried in Christ Church.



We learned much about William Penn and some about his Quaker beliefs. Pennsylvania welcomed all faiths into the Colony. He designed the master plan for the City with its north/south and east west streets and five major parks.



I think we drove around the downtown area so many times, I actually became somewhat disoriented. In the process, we visited the Betsy Ross house and had a wonderful tour of this very small but fitting tribute to a dynamic woman. As we headed out of the downtown area, we drove past the Museum of Art and saw the statue to Rocky Balboa at the foot of the Museum steps. For those of you who may not remember, he was a movie boxer from old Philadelphia about whom Sylvester Stallone has made 5 movies.



From there, we drove along the Schukill River to again visit Valley Forge. Since Sue and I had visited there yesterday, we had already seen most of the sites. Each Guides perspective is different and we learned new things about the Encampment today. We ended up heading back to the Campground a very different and beautiful way. Sue and I arrived back at the Silver Lady exhausted.



It ws a very profoundly emotional day for me. I found myself praying a number of times that God would have mercy on America and that we could yet achieve the leadership in the world that our Founding Fathers envisioned.

West Chester, PA KOA June 28,2009

Today is Sunday the 28th and Sue and I are safely sitting in the Silver Lady in a beautiful KOA Campground. We arrived yesterday afternoon having driven here from our home in Manassas, Virginia.

We brought the Silver Lady home from storage on Friday afternoon and began packing. It was extremely hot and humid and the task was somewhat slow. The packing was interrupted by the welcomed arrival of Bruce's sister Cheryl, her Husband Gene, his brother, David and his Wife, Paula. We had a wonderful dinner with the four of them. Dave and Gene helped me put the Chrysler on the tow dolly so that come Saturday morning, we only had to pack clothes and food.

Packing for this trip is different from last summer in that we are bringing additional clothes to fend off the cooler temperatures we expect when we arrive in Maine later in the trip.

We left Manassas about 10:45 am and arrived at the West Chester Campground about 3:30 pm. A welcomed nap was in order after we hooked everything up and turned on the a/c's. Last evening we watched "The Wrestler" a movie which created a string of conversations between us about life.

Today I made muffins and served Sue tea and her muffin in bed before we took Pooh Bear for a long walk. This campground sits along Brandywine Creek with sites there and for us up the side of a long hill. This area is much more hilly than we expected. Although its not really true, we feel as if we are very much off the beated path. We are about 7 miles from Route 1 just off a small winding road that was a challenge driving in the Silver Lady.

We headed out this morning for Valley Forge National Park. We drove through the area of the Barndywine Battlefield Park on our way to Valley Forge. We arrived at the park to see an extremely busy Park with lots of horseback riders, bicyclist, joggers and families. It is magnificant in its natural beauty and awesome in its historical meaning for us as Americans. We walked through the Visitor's Center, watched a movie about the 1777-1778 Winter Encampment and then took a trolley tour of the Park. We were able to stop at two different places on the tour, a reproduction of an encampment of ordinary soldiers at which we were able to watch three reenactors demonstrate the firing of muskets. We learned that their purpose was not to aim but to put lead in the air to simply hit whatever. We aslo saw inside of several of the huts and got a very small taste of how the soldiers lived. The tour continued through the Park, past various monuments errected by the various States. Our last stop was at Washington's Headquaters where our guide and a Park Ranger combined to tell us about the house, the grounds, the people who lived and served there during that long winter. We were even told that Martha Washington came to be with her husband for most of the winter. The house was very small and probably occupied by about 30 people most of the time.

There was so much to see that we really just scratched the surface. There was also a self guided car tour with a CD. I suspect that I could have spent all day wandering around here. We had a great day. I have long been interested in Colonial and Revolutionary War history. The more I see of places like we experienced today, I stand amazed that as a "nation" we survived the War. God just seemed to send Washington the men, ideas and materials he needed at just the right time. Today we understood more about the arrival of Von Steuben and how he standardized everything for the troops. Here in this long hard winter was the birth of the American Army. This war went on for almost 10 years. Washington was able to hold an "army" together and to stay in the field against the largest Army ever put together by the British Empire to that time. With each defeat, things were learned and with the few victories came more and more confidence.

Our Country is a miracle. Please Lord, don't let us forget that. Please Lord fulfill your purposes with this People. Please Lord, fufill your purposes in us in these days as you did with others in their days of trial. Give us more George Washingtons and the men who served with him.

Returning to the campground, we again napped and then went for a swim. Tomorrow, we head for downtown Philadelphia as part of a tour run by the campground. I am pleased not to be driving.

It is so good to be away with Sue and to be off on this our 5th Excellent Adventure.