so, we've had a few really nice comments lately about how nice it must be to be doing this airstream adventure thing. professions of jealousy and the like. i know. we're pretty grateful that we can do this. i won't pretend to be naive, and admit openly what an incredible opportunity this has been and continues to be. but in the interest of fair and accurate reporting, i have to say...life continues to march on. life can be mundane. life can be frustrating. it can be happy one moment, and sad the next. it's surprising. joyful. disappointing. thrilling. it's not a vacation every day.
i think this is the biggest misconception about what we're doing, this living-life-on-the-road thing. and i can see why. hey folks! we're headed to the cape! big plans for new orleans! send recos for austin! we don't, however, blog so much about the stupid trailer stairs that broke. again. or the fact that two adults are working full-time jobs monday through friday, and sometimes won't even get to step outside during that time except to let the dog out. nope. i don't write much about our tiny "contortionists-only, please" bathroom. nor do i write about how 150 square feet gets cluttered up really fast. other blog titles you aren't likely to see include:
"ohh, that gassy dog! we can't catch a breath in here!"
"laundromats! live like you're in college again!"
"mystery unsavory camping neighbor who actually lives at the campground year-round!"
not that we're trying to hide any of these details. it's all part of the experience. i guess it's just more fun to talk about powdered sugar of epic proportions at cafe du monde, bluegrass street jams at country stores and the honky tonk heaven of nashville, tennessee. but that's after hours and on the weekends. the other hours of the day, we're working chumps, just like you. (unless you live a life of fabulous retirement like my mom. sheesh. the nerve of that lady!)
nope. this isn't a year-long vacation. it is, however, a different way of living; living with less "stuff" and making do with more. it's a new front and backyard every week. it's stiff bones during long rides in the truck and hefty gas bills. it's the discovery of just how varied and truly special this country can be. it's stepping out of your comfort zones and trying something new, all the time. it can be tiresome. it can be rejuvenating. it's constant togetherness. it's missing your family and friends. it's the prescription for the life-is-passing-you-by blues. it's not having enough room for pretty-girl shoes and having one table, which is both a desk and a dinner table.
as you probably could have guessed, we wouldn't trade it for anything.
October 16, 2010
October 12, 2010
BLUEGRASS HEAVEN: FLOYD, VIRGINIA.
we're fans of bluegrass music. the banjos. the fiddles. it's an instant foot stomper and gets in your belly and makes you just wanna move and clap your hands. a couple of years ago hubs and i had the opportunity to visit floyd, virginia and what we found was a sweet little town not far from roanoke and the mountains of western virginia and north carolina. we knew we'd pass back through at some point and made a point to stop in on our airstream adventure. i'm glad we did.
needing to break up the drive from the cape to western virginia, we stopped for one night in front royal, va., which is the northern terminus for the breathtaking skyline drive. by sheer luck, we came across a campground called poe's southfork, and let me tell you what an absolute jewel this place was. right on the banks of the shenandoah river, nothing but open green spaces and sky. it's not fancy, but i'll take room to breathe and riverside camping any day over an overpriced jammed-in RV resort. the man that owns the land doesn't advertise, and they come around in the morning and collect money (cash and check only) for your stay. talk about an honor system. it was a great place to spend an evening and for pickles to stretch her legs off-leash. we could have stayed longer if we'd had more time.
once near floyd (copper hill, VA, actually) there is a lovely little airstream only park (that's right! all aluminum, all the time!) nestled up in the mountains with spectacular views. this little gem is called highland haven and the hosts that run the place could not be friendlier. when i called to make the reservation, they said, "well, we'll see ya when you get here! y'all have safe travels!" – no credit card required to hold our spot and no pesky check in and check out. pretty refreshing since most campgrounds are pretty stuck on their rules and varied policies. we were invited to have some rhubarb pie down at the clubhouse and were always met with smiles and waves. ahhh, the hospitality of the south, God bless.
on friday nights the place to be is the floyd country store bluegrass jamboree. standing room only, folks. music lovers and musicians alike come from miles and miles (states, even) to play at the floyd country store. it's legendary and is celebrating its 100th year in operation this year, and the friday night jamborees happen every week, rain or shine. the store itself is an old-time country store with 5 cent candy barrels, jams, books, lotions and even an ice cream parlor. it's a step back in time and i truly enjoy that magical place every time i walk through the doors.
there are some other cute places in floyd – it's not all country store. we enjoyed a tasty lunch of brick oven fired pizza and locally brewed all natural root beer at dogtown pizza. the town has grown in the past few years and we noticed new shops and restaurants had popped up, although there are some local legends, too. we had supper at the historic pine tavern restaurant and it was classic southern family style fare. meats and threes to the max.
one of the most interesting stops was the hillsville flea market, which is touted as being one of the largest flea markets in the southeast. being flea market junkies, we didn't mind the hour plus drive to get over there. WOW. the streets were filled with booth after booth of junk, junk, junk. crappy t-shirts, knock-off purses, confederate flags and the like. eek. and let's not forget the miles of food stalls...funnel cakes, corndogs, polish sausage, frozen lemonade, etc. it wasn't until after we got there and walked around for a bit did we learn that the real goodies were inside a gated area sponsored by the local VFW post. by the time we made it inside most vendors were packing up their wares, but we did manage to see a few interesting tents and i was able to ooh and ahh over some old tin packaging, which i'm kind of a nut for. i know. weird. but i love it.
a week was plenty of time to relax and take in some local sights. by the end of the week we were ready to move on and get on down the road towards our next destination, although we enjoyed the slower pace of floyd and copper hill. nights were filled with the sound of crickets and clear starry skies and metal taps on old wood floors. what's not to love?
next up...honky tonk and southern soul: nashville, TN!
needing to break up the drive from the cape to western virginia, we stopped for one night in front royal, va., which is the northern terminus for the breathtaking skyline drive. by sheer luck, we came across a campground called poe's southfork, and let me tell you what an absolute jewel this place was. right on the banks of the shenandoah river, nothing but open green spaces and sky. it's not fancy, but i'll take room to breathe and riverside camping any day over an overpriced jammed-in RV resort. the man that owns the land doesn't advertise, and they come around in the morning and collect money (cash and check only) for your stay. talk about an honor system. it was a great place to spend an evening and for pickles to stretch her legs off-leash. we could have stayed longer if we'd had more time.
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| blue skies and open space at poe's southfork. yes please! |
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| much needed ball-time for miss pickles. |
once near floyd (copper hill, VA, actually) there is a lovely little airstream only park (that's right! all aluminum, all the time!) nestled up in the mountains with spectacular views. this little gem is called highland haven and the hosts that run the place could not be friendlier. when i called to make the reservation, they said, "well, we'll see ya when you get here! y'all have safe travels!" – no credit card required to hold our spot and no pesky check in and check out. pretty refreshing since most campgrounds are pretty stuck on their rules and varied policies. we were invited to have some rhubarb pie down at the clubhouse and were always met with smiles and waves. ahhh, the hospitality of the south, God bless.
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| highland haven airstream park. love! |
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| pretty flowers on every site. |
on friday nights the place to be is the floyd country store bluegrass jamboree. standing room only, folks. music lovers and musicians alike come from miles and miles (states, even) to play at the floyd country store. it's legendary and is celebrating its 100th year in operation this year, and the friday night jamborees happen every week, rain or shine. the store itself is an old-time country store with 5 cent candy barrels, jams, books, lotions and even an ice cream parlor. it's a step back in time and i truly enjoy that magical place every time i walk through the doors.
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| clogging taps on old wood floors...how i love that sound! |
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| i'll take a scoop of that, please. |
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| old timer at floyd's. seriously impressive. |
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| musicians gather and have impromptu jam sessions in the street. |
there are some other cute places in floyd – it's not all country store. we enjoyed a tasty lunch of brick oven fired pizza and locally brewed all natural root beer at dogtown pizza. the town has grown in the past few years and we noticed new shops and restaurants had popped up, although there are some local legends, too. we had supper at the historic pine tavern restaurant and it was classic southern family style fare. meats and threes to the max.
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| all natural, no preservatives and 100% delish. 5 penny root beer from dogtown pizza. |
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| i love mason jars for drinks like they serve at dogtown pizza. they're simple, big and beautiful when the light shines through. |
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| people watch you while you eat at the pine tavern. |
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| old school. |
one of the most interesting stops was the hillsville flea market, which is touted as being one of the largest flea markets in the southeast. being flea market junkies, we didn't mind the hour plus drive to get over there. WOW. the streets were filled with booth after booth of junk, junk, junk. crappy t-shirts, knock-off purses, confederate flags and the like. eek. and let's not forget the miles of food stalls...funnel cakes, corndogs, polish sausage, frozen lemonade, etc. it wasn't until after we got there and walked around for a bit did we learn that the real goodies were inside a gated area sponsored by the local VFW post. by the time we made it inside most vendors were packing up their wares, but we did manage to see a few interesting tents and i was able to ooh and ahh over some old tin packaging, which i'm kind of a nut for. i know. weird. but i love it.
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| street food at its not-so-finest. |
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| love all the decorative type and color of these bygone relics. |
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| one of my favorite tins, dixie queen. |
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| more dusty treasures. |
a week was plenty of time to relax and take in some local sights. by the end of the week we were ready to move on and get on down the road towards our next destination, although we enjoyed the slower pace of floyd and copper hill. nights were filled with the sound of crickets and clear starry skies and metal taps on old wood floors. what's not to love?
next up...honky tonk and southern soul: nashville, TN!
October 11, 2010
BOSTON and THE CAPE. (and hurricanes, too!)
greetings dear friends!
due to some technical difficulties (meaning, technically, life on the road has been busy, and technically, i just learned how to auto-batch photo exporting thus making my blogging life much more enjoyable) we've had a teeny lapse in posting. no more, i say! we're back in action and ready to roll out some airstream adventures.
i'll admit, our time in bar harbor, maine was a tough act to follow. the sights were beyond beautiful and memorable places were around every corner, but there's still much satisfaction in visiting places we've been before, and our time in the boston/cape area was no exception. we decided on a RV resort – normandy farms – that we have stayed at before even though it's a bit on the pricey side. our site was fantastic. then the rains came. and came and came. four days of rain with no end in sight. so much rain, in fact, that our front window seal sprang a leak and soaked our mattress. now that's a fun time.
the best thing about normandy farms is the proximity to handsome hub's family in warren, RI and my old stompin' grounds of boston, MA. after the monsoon subsided we enjoyed a cookout on a cool (and dry!) late summer night with the mageau clan and caught up with richard's best friend, too.
we wanted to spend some time on the cape since we were in the area. we decided on a campground in bourne, MA called bayview campground, of which, interestingly enough, we had no bay and no view. (their mascot, in case you are wondering, is "clammy the clam"...really? clammy the clam? OY.) we found the campground to be cramped and the security gatekeepers to be a bit overzealous. you'd think the campground options would be better in such a popular and scenic area, but we didn't find a ton of great offerings. the sites weren't great and there were a good many seasonals (translation: lots of assorted lawn decor in varying colors, shapes and sizes. think plastic woodland creatures).
in our usual fashion, we did seek out the little moms-and-pops and enjoyed some good seafood and summer treats. i'd been excited about these few days on the cape – although my visions of the ferry to martha's vineyard, ice cream at mad martha's and sun-filled days on scooters were not meant to be. hurricane earl (dangit, earl!) tracked his way up the eastern seaboard until it came time for us to make a tough, stressful decision: stay or go? weather forecasters were predicting a direct hit on the cape, and without knowing for sure which way the storm would turn, we opted to head inland to circle CG campground in bellingham, MA. better safe than sorry when we're talking about our home on the road for the next year. ehh. bummer. you win some, you lose some.
next stop: western virginia, land of bluegrass and friday night jamborees. now we're talkin'.
xoxo.
due to some technical difficulties (meaning, technically, life on the road has been busy, and technically, i just learned how to auto-batch photo exporting thus making my blogging life much more enjoyable) we've had a teeny lapse in posting. no more, i say! we're back in action and ready to roll out some airstream adventures.
i'll admit, our time in bar harbor, maine was a tough act to follow. the sights were beyond beautiful and memorable places were around every corner, but there's still much satisfaction in visiting places we've been before, and our time in the boston/cape area was no exception. we decided on a RV resort – normandy farms – that we have stayed at before even though it's a bit on the pricey side. our site was fantastic. then the rains came. and came and came. four days of rain with no end in sight. so much rain, in fact, that our front window seal sprang a leak and soaked our mattress. now that's a fun time.
the best thing about normandy farms is the proximity to handsome hub's family in warren, RI and my old stompin' grounds of boston, MA. after the monsoon subsided we enjoyed a cookout on a cool (and dry!) late summer night with the mageau clan and caught up with richard's best friend, too.
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| burgers, dogs and string lights. good times, good times. |
 |
| cozying around the fire. |
we wanted to spend some time on the cape since we were in the area. we decided on a campground in bourne, MA called bayview campground, of which, interestingly enough, we had no bay and no view. (their mascot, in case you are wondering, is "clammy the clam"...really? clammy the clam? OY.) we found the campground to be cramped and the security gatekeepers to be a bit overzealous. you'd think the campground options would be better in such a popular and scenic area, but we didn't find a ton of great offerings. the sites weren't great and there were a good many seasonals (translation: lots of assorted lawn decor in varying colors, shapes and sizes. think plastic woodland creatures).
in our usual fashion, we did seek out the little moms-and-pops and enjoyed some good seafood and summer treats. i'd been excited about these few days on the cape – although my visions of the ferry to martha's vineyard, ice cream at mad martha's and sun-filled days on scooters were not meant to be. hurricane earl (dangit, earl!) tracked his way up the eastern seaboard until it came time for us to make a tough, stressful decision: stay or go? weather forecasters were predicting a direct hit on the cape, and without knowing for sure which way the storm would turn, we opted to head inland to circle CG campground in bellingham, MA. better safe than sorry when we're talking about our home on the road for the next year. ehh. bummer. you win some, you lose some.
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| the bourne bridge, gateway to the cape. |
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| fried clam sammie. delish! |
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| magoo bringing the goods. betty ann's dairy freeze, buzzard's bay. |
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| sweet summertime treats. |
next stop: western virginia, land of bluegrass and friday night jamborees. now we're talkin'.
xoxo.
September 12, 2010
AIRSTREAM ADVENTURE GOES MOBILE.
perhaps it's the inner ad geek/art director/designer in me, but i can't resist a well-branded concept. our airstream adventure is no exception. i hardly needed an excuse to design some snazzy cards with our travel blog information on them, and when we wanted to spread the word even further to the masses, nothing but an outdoor decal for wally's windows would do.
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| metallic silver on kraft cover. |
thanks to the fine folks at imagers in atlanta, we now have two sporty weather-resistant decals for the front and back windows. love, love, love! we've received a few honks and waves traveling down the road, and get such a kick out of the idea that our wee little blog can find its way to anyone that's interested enough to check us out.
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| shameless self-promotion? why yes! thanks for asking. |
September 8, 2010
DEAR MAINE, WE LOVE YOU.
we know. it's been far too long since the last post but if you had ANY idea how many images i had to sort through from our bar harbor jaunt you'd take pity. where to even start?
maine is one gorgeous, wild place. it's the kind of place that just oozes fresh air, nature, crisp evenings in front of a fire and blueberries just picked that morning. (it's also the kind of place where cell signals can be awfully lousy, but let's not dwell on the negative.) our first trip to bar harbor did not disappoint, even though we had some issues with the local KOA where we were staying.
let me start by saying that this campground, location wise, can't be beat. if you choose to stay on the oceanside part of the campground (and really, why wouldn't you?) you're in for a treat. gorgeous sunsets and ocean breezes are plentiful and the sites feel spacious.
we had some major issues with the wifi and after getting into a pretty heated verbal stand-off with the manager (who stated that just because they offer it doesn't mean they guarantee it will work, to which i responded you might as well offer water to the thirsty but not guarantee it's drinkable) it seemed to resolve itself the next day. odd, yes? we knew better than to depend on a campground's wifi and always carry a verizon aircard to keep us connected, but even that was kind of useless in our location. poor richard spent a few work days in the next town over (and when i say next town over, i mean in his truck...in a mcdonald's parking lot...in the next town over) in order to have dependable internet/cell service. umm yeah. not great. but part of life on the road is learning to adapt and just make it work.
we dined at local lobster pounds, bought blueberries from roadside stands, went for bike rides on country roads and gawked over the beauty of acadia national park...and speaking of acadia....OH, ACADIA! seriously one of the most striking, beautiful places we have ever seen. it's a dynamic place filled with cliffs, ocean and mountain and at almost every turn there was another amazing sight to behold. if you don't believe that national parks are vitally important to this country, i invite you to spend a day inside a place like this and i double dog dare you to not leave feeling refreshed, inspired and thankful that we live in a country that has so much natural beauty to offer, and that these lands are preserved for everyone to enjoy.
we stopped at the famous jordan pond house for popovers and strawberry jam, which is kind of a century-old tradition dating back to victorian days and a must-do when visiting acadia. after a day of walking and seeing the sights atop the summit of cadillac mountain those popovers were delish. so was the blueberry cobbler. gaaaaaaahh. we also made a breakfast stop at the ever popular jordan's restaurant (no relation to jordan pond house) and ordered what you're supposed to order: blueberry pancakes, of course. they were delicious as promised. i'm pretty sure i'm rockin' some good antioxidant levels because i sure did eat me some blueberries. so what if sometimes they accompanied ice cream and cobbler. don't judge.
fascinating fact about acadia and your history lesson for the day: at the turn of the century when all of the richy riches (rockefeller, henry ford & family and assorted oil and business tycoons) vacationed in their maine summer "cottages", much of the land that is now acadia was in development. philanthropist john d. rockefeller realized the importance of solace and retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, and constructed an interior system of carriage roads that were off-limits to the automobile, despite this newly invented luxury being a more efficient and high-class way of travel. throughout the park, these carriage roads still exist and are only open to horses, bikers and hikers. we suspect bears and moose use them too, although we didn't encounter any. regardless, a concept ahead of its time.
there are so many pictures to share from this leg of our airstream adventure, so i'll quit tapping the keys and let a few more images speak for themselves. enjoy.
maine is one gorgeous, wild place. it's the kind of place that just oozes fresh air, nature, crisp evenings in front of a fire and blueberries just picked that morning. (it's also the kind of place where cell signals can be awfully lousy, but let's not dwell on the negative.) our first trip to bar harbor did not disappoint, even though we had some issues with the local KOA where we were staying.
let me start by saying that this campground, location wise, can't be beat. if you choose to stay on the oceanside part of the campground (and really, why wouldn't you?) you're in for a treat. gorgeous sunsets and ocean breezes are plentiful and the sites feel spacious.
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| seriously? seriously. |
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| afternoon delight. |
we had some major issues with the wifi and after getting into a pretty heated verbal stand-off with the manager (who stated that just because they offer it doesn't mean they guarantee it will work, to which i responded you might as well offer water to the thirsty but not guarantee it's drinkable) it seemed to resolve itself the next day. odd, yes? we knew better than to depend on a campground's wifi and always carry a verizon aircard to keep us connected, but even that was kind of useless in our location. poor richard spent a few work days in the next town over (and when i say next town over, i mean in his truck...in a mcdonald's parking lot...in the next town over) in order to have dependable internet/cell service. umm yeah. not great. but part of life on the road is learning to adapt and just make it work.
we dined at local lobster pounds, bought blueberries from roadside stands, went for bike rides on country roads and gawked over the beauty of acadia national park...and speaking of acadia....OH, ACADIA! seriously one of the most striking, beautiful places we have ever seen. it's a dynamic place filled with cliffs, ocean and mountain and at almost every turn there was another amazing sight to behold. if you don't believe that national parks are vitally important to this country, i invite you to spend a day inside a place like this and i double dog dare you to not leave feeling refreshed, inspired and thankful that we live in a country that has so much natural beauty to offer, and that these lands are preserved for everyone to enjoy.
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| blueberries make it better. |
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| the road to the summit of cadillac mountain, the highest peak on the eastern seaboard. |
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| magoo. happy. |
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| ocean meets mountain. |
we stopped at the famous jordan pond house for popovers and strawberry jam, which is kind of a century-old tradition dating back to victorian days and a must-do when visiting acadia. after a day of walking and seeing the sights atop the summit of cadillac mountain those popovers were delish. so was the blueberry cobbler. gaaaaaaahh. we also made a breakfast stop at the ever popular jordan's restaurant (no relation to jordan pond house) and ordered what you're supposed to order: blueberry pancakes, of course. they were delicious as promised. i'm pretty sure i'm rockin' some good antioxidant levels because i sure did eat me some blueberries. so what if sometimes they accompanied ice cream and cobbler. don't judge.
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| i'm a believer. |
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| pretty dang good with pancakes. extra lap on the bike. |
fascinating fact about acadia and your history lesson for the day: at the turn of the century when all of the richy riches (rockefeller, henry ford & family and assorted oil and business tycoons) vacationed in their maine summer "cottages", much of the land that is now acadia was in development. philanthropist john d. rockefeller realized the importance of solace and retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city, and constructed an interior system of carriage roads that were off-limits to the automobile, despite this newly invented luxury being a more efficient and high-class way of travel. throughout the park, these carriage roads still exist and are only open to horses, bikers and hikers. we suspect bears and moose use them too, although we didn't encounter any. regardless, a concept ahead of its time.
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| lovely old bridges everywhere in acadia. |
there are so many pictures to share from this leg of our airstream adventure, so i'll quit tapping the keys and let a few more images speak for themselves. enjoy.
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| atop cadillac mountain. |
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| only in maine. and salmonella free! |
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| if it comes from the sea, it's for me. dinner time! |
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| mt. desert island ginger...local brew. |
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| another end to a gorgeous day. |
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| country roads. |
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| boy scout at play. |
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| home sweet home. |
August 19, 2010
SACO/OLD ORCHARD BEACH, MAINE
evenin'.
well, after all of the "excitement" we experienced on our journey northbound to the wooly wilds of maine, we were more than ready for a little R&R. okay, maybe some blueberry pie, too. and a lobster roll. we're so cliche. (but seriously, isn't that why you come to maine? it sure ain't for the mosquitos.)
we pulled into the saco/old orchard beach KOA just before dusk and were pleasantly surprised at the grounds. KOAs can really be hit and miss, but it seems that they've been putting some effort into cleaning up a bit and beefing up some amenities. that doesn't mean we'll always stay at them – after all, we're really not interested in the "choo-choo" that makes its way around the campground (seriously?) or the bouncy moon jump. but what KOAs do offer is some degree of knowing what you'll get, and that can be comforting when you've been driving a long time and are ready to just get there.
with that being said, our site was, well, not great. there were a number of narrow trees, making it impossible to pull out the awning, which is always a bummer. there were also a number of rocks and roots and the site was far from level. i'm not sure it was really suitable for anything larger than a pop-up trailer, but it was doable for just a few nights.
the best treat we encountered was a short drive over to cape elizabeth where we discovered the lobster shack on two lights road. nothin' fancy, and that's how we like it. you order your seafood, wait to be called and dine al fresco at picnic tables next to rocky cliffs overlooking the sea (our choice, even though the seagulls are very well fed and very persistent) or inside. we got fancy and ordered a whoopie pie...and OH MY. those things are crazy. crazy decadent and crazy delicious!
we also took a drive into old orchard beach just a few miles away and that place is like a throwback to old school 1960s beach towns, complete with a ferris wheel, old-timey amusements, lots of neon, funnel cakes and the usual tacky tourist traps. not sure i'd want to stay directly in the old orchard beach main district, but it was fun to cruise through the main drag. we spotted lots of frankie valli's gone bad.
we made the three hour drive into bar harbor on tuesday morning and are now at the bar harbor KOA. (we're quite possibly getting a little KOAed out, but more on this later.) we'll be here until sunday, so stay tuned for an update on our time here. more seafood eats, acadia national park and a few unexpected curveballs. always an adventure!
happy trails,
jen
well, after all of the "excitement" we experienced on our journey northbound to the wooly wilds of maine, we were more than ready for a little R&R. okay, maybe some blueberry pie, too. and a lobster roll. we're so cliche. (but seriously, isn't that why you come to maine? it sure ain't for the mosquitos.)
 |
| that thar water is cold. |
we pulled into the saco/old orchard beach KOA just before dusk and were pleasantly surprised at the grounds. KOAs can really be hit and miss, but it seems that they've been putting some effort into cleaning up a bit and beefing up some amenities. that doesn't mean we'll always stay at them – after all, we're really not interested in the "choo-choo" that makes its way around the campground (seriously?) or the bouncy moon jump. but what KOAs do offer is some degree of knowing what you'll get, and that can be comforting when you've been driving a long time and are ready to just get there.
with that being said, our site was, well, not great. there were a number of narrow trees, making it impossible to pull out the awning, which is always a bummer. there were also a number of rocks and roots and the site was far from level. i'm not sure it was really suitable for anything larger than a pop-up trailer, but it was doable for just a few nights.
 |
| see those roots? they're even more fun at night. |
the best treat we encountered was a short drive over to cape elizabeth where we discovered the lobster shack on two lights road. nothin' fancy, and that's how we like it. you order your seafood, wait to be called and dine al fresco at picnic tables next to rocky cliffs overlooking the sea (our choice, even though the seagulls are very well fed and very persistent) or inside. we got fancy and ordered a whoopie pie...and OH MY. those things are crazy. crazy decadent and crazy delicious!
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| the lobster shack at two lights road |
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| yes, please. |
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| order up. nom nom nom nom. |
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| scoping us out. |
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| magoo hated every bite. |
we also took a drive into old orchard beach just a few miles away and that place is like a throwback to old school 1960s beach towns, complete with a ferris wheel, old-timey amusements, lots of neon, funnel cakes and the usual tacky tourist traps. not sure i'd want to stay directly in the old orchard beach main district, but it was fun to cruise through the main drag. we spotted lots of frankie valli's gone bad.
we made the three hour drive into bar harbor on tuesday morning and are now at the bar harbor KOA. (we're quite possibly getting a little KOAed out, but more on this later.) we'll be here until sunday, so stay tuned for an update on our time here. more seafood eats, acadia national park and a few unexpected curveballs. always an adventure!
happy trails,
jen
August 15, 2010
MAINE-BOUND...WITH A FEW BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.
whew.
with another long day of traveling the interstates, we are grateful to have arrived safe and sound in old orchard beach, maine. what a day, folks.
one thing we have learned from other airstreamers is to "expect the unexpected", and i can't think of better or more true advice. pulling a 27' travel trailer can be nerve-wracking at times on its own accord, much less when you're in not-so-familiar territory. another word-to-the-wise: the GPS is not all-knowing. (can you guess where this tale is going?)
first thing's first: on our way to maine, we knew we'd have a quick stop along the way to break up the drive. we decided upon freehold, new jersey at the pine cone resort. pretty uneventful, which is exactly what you want for a quickie one night stop. the roads/sites were a mix and grass and dirt (mostly dirt from what we could tell, which makes for some serious mess if it rains) but the guy who checked us in was friendly. we didn't even unhitch as we knew we'd be leaving in the morning; makes for a quick and hassle-free getaway.
the trip from new jersey to old orchard beach was, in theory, supposed to take about six hours. it involves passing through new york, connecticut, massachusetts, new hampshire and maine. (whew. good thing those new england states are small.) after passing through some pretty backed-up traffic in new york city (the bronx, to be specific...ahhh, the lovely bronx) via the george washington bridge, our GPS (we affectionately call her "mappy", her nickname might be changing) instructed us to veer towards albany, NY. okay. seems like a logical route. what we didn't know, errrr, is that particular westchester county highway isn't suitable for anything taller than your average toyota camry. ruh roh.
for the record, i did feel like a few of the underpass bridges (while very quaint and made from stone) seemed a little....ohhh...what's the word?...LOW. when we somehow passed under a bridge with a clearance of 9'7", i am convinced it was a bonafide act of god himself. what chew talkin' 'bout willis – not more than 5 minutes later we spotted the dreaded flashing blue lights in the rearview mirror and ARE YOU KIDDING ME were being pulled over by one of new york's finest. huh? for what? i remain convinced of a few things. 1) we are lucky people 2) that lady cop was sent from above 3) we are lucky people. she informed us that we had no business being on that road and were lucky to have cleared the few bridges that we already had passed. she also informed us that there was a bridge ahead that we never would have cleared and it was non-negotiable to exit at the next ramp, from which we were to find our way to I-95. she proceeded to stop traffic to a slow crawl behind us, motorcade style, so we could pass under the middle of the bridge at its tallest point. not only were we idiots but we looked like important idiots. sweeeet. a few stressful wrong turns later, we made it to I-95, and let me tell you, i have never been so happy to see a boring, truck-driver laden piece of interstate. all hail I-95, glorious land of nothingness with no bridges.
it never seems in the cards for us to actually arrive at a campsite before nightfall, so after unhitching in the dark maine night on a site that seems OK at best, we are sending out a big, gracious high five to our road angels that are so obviously looking after us. thanks for making that policewoman pull us over and stop us from ripping the top of our beloved airstream off; that would be a real crappy way to start the first week of our airstream adventure.
the KOA campground here at saco/old orchard beach, ME looks pretty cute despite our less-than-stellar site. we'll scope out the details better in the light of day and be sure to report on just how many lobster rolls and blueberry pancakes we manage to scarf.
happy trails no matter where you roam,
jen
with another long day of traveling the interstates, we are grateful to have arrived safe and sound in old orchard beach, maine. what a day, folks.
one thing we have learned from other airstreamers is to "expect the unexpected", and i can't think of better or more true advice. pulling a 27' travel trailer can be nerve-wracking at times on its own accord, much less when you're in not-so-familiar territory. another word-to-the-wise: the GPS is not all-knowing. (can you guess where this tale is going?)
first thing's first: on our way to maine, we knew we'd have a quick stop along the way to break up the drive. we decided upon freehold, new jersey at the pine cone resort. pretty uneventful, which is exactly what you want for a quickie one night stop. the roads/sites were a mix and grass and dirt (mostly dirt from what we could tell, which makes for some serious mess if it rains) but the guy who checked us in was friendly. we didn't even unhitch as we knew we'd be leaving in the morning; makes for a quick and hassle-free getaway.
 |
| pine cone "resort", freehold, NJ. eh. |
the trip from new jersey to old orchard beach was, in theory, supposed to take about six hours. it involves passing through new york, connecticut, massachusetts, new hampshire and maine. (whew. good thing those new england states are small.) after passing through some pretty backed-up traffic in new york city (the bronx, to be specific...ahhh, the lovely bronx) via the george washington bridge, our GPS (we affectionately call her "mappy", her nickname might be changing) instructed us to veer towards albany, NY. okay. seems like a logical route. what we didn't know, errrr, is that particular westchester county highway isn't suitable for anything taller than your average toyota camry. ruh roh.
 |
| the george washington bridge, new york. aka: the gates of hell. p.s. uhh, nice dent, audi. |
for the record, i did feel like a few of the underpass bridges (while very quaint and made from stone) seemed a little....ohhh...what's the word?...LOW. when we somehow passed under a bridge with a clearance of 9'7", i am convinced it was a bonafide act of god himself. what chew talkin' 'bout willis – not more than 5 minutes later we spotted the dreaded flashing blue lights in the rearview mirror and ARE YOU KIDDING ME were being pulled over by one of new york's finest. huh? for what? i remain convinced of a few things. 1) we are lucky people 2) that lady cop was sent from above 3) we are lucky people. she informed us that we had no business being on that road and were lucky to have cleared the few bridges that we already had passed. she also informed us that there was a bridge ahead that we never would have cleared and it was non-negotiable to exit at the next ramp, from which we were to find our way to I-95. she proceeded to stop traffic to a slow crawl behind us, motorcade style, so we could pass under the middle of the bridge at its tallest point. not only were we idiots but we looked like important idiots. sweeeet. a few stressful wrong turns later, we made it to I-95, and let me tell you, i have never been so happy to see a boring, truck-driver laden piece of interstate. all hail I-95, glorious land of nothingness with no bridges.
it never seems in the cards for us to actually arrive at a campsite before nightfall, so after unhitching in the dark maine night on a site that seems OK at best, we are sending out a big, gracious high five to our road angels that are so obviously looking after us. thanks for making that policewoman pull us over and stop us from ripping the top of our beloved airstream off; that would be a real crappy way to start the first week of our airstream adventure.
the KOA campground here at saco/old orchard beach, ME looks pretty cute despite our less-than-stellar site. we'll scope out the details better in the light of day and be sure to report on just how many lobster rolls and blueberry pancakes we manage to scarf.
happy trails no matter where you roam,
jen
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