Ichetucknee Springs State Park

November 10, 2013

The only thing memorable  about our stay at River Run RV Park was the little girl riding her bike around the area. She stopped and asked to pet Tucker; then pondered for a monument and drawled, "He shooore es cool."

From May to mid-September, the Ichetucknee River near Fort White, Florida is a mecca for tubing and flows through Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Its best-known feature is the Blue Hole, an underwater cave where cave certified scuba-divers can explore from October through March.

http://forums.scubadiving.com/showthread.php?97301-Diving-Jug-Hole-Ichetucknee-Springs-State-Park

Okefenokee Swamp

November 9, 2013

Primary access to the Okefenokee Swamp is via the Stephen C. Foster  State Park in Georgia. Gates to the National Refuge close at 5:00pm and we ran in the Parks door at 4:59. Due to our late arrival we had our pick of two handicapped sites; not bad for being disorganized. 

The darkness descended quickly and Tucker needed a walk so we put on our headlamps and headed down the road with the swamp bordering one side of it. If you shine your lights on the water, yellow orbs reflect the light and then slowly disappear beneath the water. One official estimate is that there are approximately 12,000 alligators in the 402,000 acre swamp. 

In the morning a young girl on her bicycle rode through our campsite with twigs in her hand and asked if we needed a fire built.  She explain that she had been practicing building fires but her family had an electric starter so her services were not necessary. We declined her offer but hope she located someone to warm.  Before packing up we took advantage of a couple trails for a bike ride. 

Georgia

November 8-10

Tucker clearly expresses how I feel about driving all day- although sometimes it is necessary. 

Due to a late start and a stated arrival time, I tried to take a photo of the cotton fields through the window on the way to Locust, Georgia to visit friends. However, the shot does not capture the acreage devoted to its cultivation.

Upon our arrival, I let Tucker out of the car and he immediately snuck off into the neighbor's yard. In my pursuit to catch him before he finished eating whatever he had located, I stepped on some innocuous-looking vines that grab your legs and and chew them like barbed-wire. (Question-When did my legs become freckled?)

Our friends have a beautiful cabin on Shulin Lake, the same lake in Alaska that we have ours, and it was fun to visit their winter "crib" in Georgia.

The Smokies

December 18, 2013

Preface:
I am determined be up-to-date on my blog by the end of 2013-if I can avoid being distracted by  contemplating the purchase of new travel accouterments; the most recent are foldable shoes highlighted on http://www.bookofjoe.com  
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November 4-5, 2013 

It drops below freezing in November in the Smokies so we have foregone filling the water tanks in our trailer. The upshot is that campgrounds must have a separate bathroom facilities for those campers with limited amenities. We arrived after dark at a private campground relatively close to the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We selected a space, parked and then Tucker and I walked around to see if we could locate the "comfort station". In the interim, Steve contacted the campground owner and learned trailers needed to be self-contained and no additional facilities were available. Soooo, we unplugged from the power source, retracted the four stabilizer legs and traveled to another campground recommended by the previous campground owner.  With little light, a brown picnic table turned on its side is difficult and inflicted an unwanted souvenir on Steve's shin. Otherwise, Pride RV Park met our criteria.

Steve loves to fly fish and had read that Native Brook Trout lived in a stream in the Park called Straightfork. Tucker tried to fish too but his enthusiasm diminished Steve's so we decided to hike instead.

There are several trails that intersect with the Appalachian Trail but unbeknownst to me until reading the trailhead sign, dogs are prohibited. Plan B led us to a closed road and a chance to enjoy the autumn colors.

The Outer Banks (OBX)

November 1-3, 2013

The Outer Banks is 100 miles of ocean shore line on the east coast of North Carolina. Looking at the map it appears the coastline is one long string of towns but in reality there are miles with no development. 

Outer Banks of North Carolina

It was after dark when we pulled in a campground in Kill Devil Hills and while setting up for the night, Tucker snuck off and jumped in the canal behind the trailer. Not a surprising event but some of those waterways are homes to alligators. 

The following morning we struck up a conversation with a Canadian couple who were driving a 20 foot van purchased from the same company where we bought our Alto trailer. It was the first time we have seen another Safari Condo vehicle on the road or in a campground and we spent an hour comparing notes. (Note: They introduced us to our favorite app, All Stays Camp and RV and is one that we use multiple times a day when we are on the road).

Ten miles south of Nags Head, is the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. As an Atlantic Flyway, this area is well known as a "Birder' s Paradise" and is  also home to numerous species of mammals and reptiles. In 2011 Hurricane Irene reeked havoc along this coast but also opened a new inlet.

Steve remembers visiting Cape Hatteras when he and his parents  lived in Virginia and took a family vacation. One of his most vivid memories was the visit to the Cape Hatteras Light Station but due to the lateness in the season, we were only able to see it from the ground level. When reading the informational plaques, we discovered that the lighthouse, the tallest in the US, and accompanying buildings had been moved  from the original site by the National Park Service to the place we were standing. 

Cape Hatteras is a National Seashore with over 70 miles of coastline unspoiled by development. The vistas are incredible walking opportunities almost limitless. A couple near our ages were throwing a ball for their dog and Tucker went to investigate. As anyone who knows Tucker, once he finds out there is no food, he quickly loses interest in the game. 

In an initially casual conversation, the woman told me found out that they had been visiting the area for years as a  family and now as a couple. She was concerned the predicted rainfall would shorten their visit as her husband was discussing an early departure. Then she shared it would be the eighth anniversary of the death of her then 18 year old son who succumbed to heat stroke; she could not bear to go back home and be surrounded by the memories. 

Bike Riding and the Wright Brothers

We enjoyed a picturesque bike ride along Virginia Beach. Our ride started at First Landing State Park, site of the Jamestown colonists first toe-touch on Indian Land and then continued  on a cypress-lined trail and opens up to Chesapeake Bay.

Of course we had to visit the Wilber and Orville Wright Memorial and park when we arrived in North Carolina. The bronze replica of the first flight makes it a worthwhile stop whether you are interested in aviation or not.

Tucker sending fear through a flock of geese at the park

Williamsburg

Continuing our history tour, we spent a day touring Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum in Williamsburg, Virginia. In the 18th century it was the  capital and seat of government for  Virginia. Costumed interpreters depicting diverse population reenact everyday living situations and historical events. Tucker toured the streets with us and managed to find a sandwich and cookie when our focus was diverted.

Pillary

Stocks

Reading of the Declaration of Independence

One of my favorite stops was at the wig-makers. Women, men.children wore wigs and the more gentile population had them custom-made. To achieve the correct fit, heads were shaven and measurements taken to create a block head. The wig was then woven on the block head from the hair of a goat, horse, yak or human.  To wear the wig required a close-shave head and was one of the reasons men and women wore bed caps. Periodically, the wigs were returned to the wig-maker to be deloused.

I also poked my head into  a clothing shop and an expert on colonial clothing was talking with visitors. Examples of dressing gowns with brocade flowers designed for men hung in the shop and it was not uncommon for men to walk the streets or conduct business before 10:00am in these gowns.

Charlottesville,Virginia

October 26, 2013 

Out of the mountains and into Charlottesville,Virginia for a two day stay. Upon our arrival, we realized that it was Halloween weekend at the RV park. The celebration fills the RV Parks and people come from miles around to celebrate Halloween and let their children trick-or-treat at the park. Of course we had no idea of the tradition and thus -no candy. To avoid being Halloween scrooges, we darkened our trailer and enjoyed dinner at a Thai restaurant returning only when the young children were in bed. 

In the morning our neighbor in the RV park, suggested we visited Carter’s Apple Orchard for apple picking day. Cars were ushered up the steep incline and we joined hundreds of others to eat and take a few apples with us.  By the time we finished, we had picked about 15 pounds of four different varieties and tasted some of the best apples we have ever eaten.

In the afternoon we toured the Monticello home (a replica is on the nickel)  and plantation of Thomas Jefferson. We came away with a greater appreciation and understanding of a man with an insatiable curiosity and proponent of free thinking yet a slave owner until he died. 

Replica of a sun dial created by Thomas Jefferson 

Shenandoah National Park

October

Motorhomes cannot negotiate the curves in Shenandoah National Park but our small trailer took the curves like Danica Patrick. We spent one night in the Matthew Arms Campground, an off the grid campground with access to numerous trails but a couple designated as dog-free. I guess not all dogs are as environmentally aware as Tucker.  Temperatures were a few degrees above freezing in the next morning. Campers staying in tents attempted to prepare breakfast in a brisk wind e. Although there is almost no R-Value in the trailer, the propane heater allowed us to have coffee and breakfast in comfort-ahhh.

In the morning, we hiked a couple miles on a fire trail that purportedly ended at a waterfall. We did not find the waterfall but did step over some bear scat. 

Gettysburg

The chapter in our high school history book could never convey the Battle of Gettysburg like our guide did on a cold windy morning in October. His grasp of the history and ability to place the audience in the Battle of Little Roundtop was like being part of a staged production.

Our second tour in the afternoon focused on battle artillery. Our guide had a good grasp of facts  and passion for his subject but he could not compete on the delivery with our morning guide.

To warm up, we stopped at an Irish pub in downtown Gettysburg for an Irish coffee. Sitting next to us was an Irishman who now lives in Boston; his brogue was so thick it required totally concentration to converse with him. I better go to Ireland so I can practice:)

The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor's Center is a day's visit in itself and would be a good place to begin a visit to Gettysburg rather than an end to it but worthwhile whenever it is visited. The short film narrated by Morgan Freeman provided an overview of the Civil War and the importance of the Gettysburg battle.

Following the film is the opportunity to view the Gettysburg Cyclorama Painting, one of three created in the 1880s by French artist Paul Philippoteaux. It is over 40 feet high and its circumference of 377 feet depicts Pickett's Charge, a battle the third day in the Battle of Gettysburg. The canvas is part of a diorama  and the building was designed specifically to display them.

After spending two days at Gettysburg, rereading the Gettysburg address penned by President Lincoln is a humbling experience.

Pottsville and Ticks

10/22-25/2013

History also comes in liquid form and we stopped in Pottsville, Pennsylvania for a tour of the lodes brewery in the US. We neglected to check the times of the tours and by the time we arrived the last tour group was entering the tasting room to sample the products. We joined them and enjoyed  several samples of Yuengling Beer.

We found several more ticks on Tucker that hitch-hiked with him from New York and they had settled in for a long stay. Initially I thought they were one of Tucker's old dog warts when I was petting him but I was wrong-yuck! Hoping to avoid a repeat of  uninvited travelers, we used a product on Tucker called Frontline. Steve had also found ticks on himself but opted for a shower rather than a tick deterrent.

Friends

October 19-22

After living in Alaska for over thirty years, Steve and I have friends who have relocated all over the USA. Ed, a rugby pal of Steve’s was our next stop after Boston where he and his wife, Kim and delightful daughter, Bernadette treated us like royalty. Of course Ed was still calling bullsh*# on Steve’s stories while Kim and I got reacquainted and Bern enjoyed a Halloween festival. 

~ ~ ~ 

When Steve worked for the Anchorage Fire Department, he was on the Water Rescue Team. It can be dangerous work, especially when diving under the ice so one of the top public safety  instructors in the world, Butch Hendricks, was hired to train the team members. After the training he and Steve continued to correspond and we stopped by to visit him and his partner, Andrea’s home in Hurley, north of New York City in the Catskill Mountains. The property was previously a rest area for General Washington’s soldiers and there are still remnants of a bathing pool used by the men. The four foot stone walls erected to keep the pigs contained are still visible. 

A few miles down the hill is one of the homes of George Washington. The town of Hurley, briefly the capital of New York, is on the National Register of Historic Sites and claims a building where a reception for President Washington was held.

Mixing it up a bit, we stopped for coffee in the town of Woodstock. The concert site is outside of town and not accessible to the public so I could only hum a few notes of the Joni Mitchell song, Woodstock, and take a photo of a garish sign.

Boston Commons

Visiting an historical landmark is an opportunity we could not forgo and we spent an afternoon in and around Boston Commons, the country's oldest public park. In 1634 it was sold to the Puritans and provided a convenient place to graze cattle and hang those who failed to adhere to the Puritan doctrine.  Later it was a center of Revolutionary War activity although the version we heard from our guide differed from that espoused by Sarah Palin.

Touring is thirsty work and we stopped for lunch at a replica of Cheers. On the show, the service was much better and the characters more "three dimensional" but hey- we're tourists.

Our last stop for the day was a self-guided tour of the USS Constitution often referred to as Old Ironsides because the cannonballs would not penetrate the hull of the ship. It was built after the Revolutionary War and saw action before and during the war of 1812. 

Photo from naval today.com

Arrival in Boston

10/17/2013

We were waiting for the mailman to deliver our two-day express license plates for the Alto in four days but the Columbus Day holiday messed up delivery; yet another reason to eliminate it as a federal holiday. Steve and Carla were expecting us in Boston so we left anyway and I will pick them up when I return to Maine for a few days in November.

Because of our late start, we arrived in the Boston vicinity after dark and one wrong turn took us through the heart of Boston at 7:00 pm in the evening. I am using Google map to direct Steve but by the time I determined what turns are required, it is too late to change lanes. Steve told me to put my hand out the window to let the driver in the other lane let us in but it was not effective. The streets seemed about 12 feet wide-for both lanes and an hour late to our destination and a planned birthday party I was a candidate for a jacket with long white sleeves.

After a dinner of curries, wine and chocolate cake (Tucker snuck into the kitchen and licked the side of the cake before anyone could stop him), conversation turned to Alaska. Steve and I initially met our host Steve in Alaska but this was the first time we had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Carla Kaplan. Coincidentally, one of Carla's high school classmates and best friends is on the Board of Trustees for Alaska, a nonprofit environmental law firm I worked for the previous five years in Anchorage.

In anticipation of our visit, I purchased Carla's newest book, Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance. I regretted that there was not time for her to show me how she organizes and researches material for a book of that caliber but I hope to make a return visit for a longer stay.

Fast Forward-a closer look at the Alto

For  a small trailer, the Alto has an amazing number of features, but it was not until we were in Charlottesville, NC  and met Joe that a video was recorded. Joe, author of the the blog, bookofjoe, used Google Glass to create two videos; both are posted on YouTube and on his blog.

http://www.bookofjoe.com/2013/10/south-from-alaska-in-an-alto-safari-condo-through-google-glass.html

          http://www.bookofjoe.com/2013/11/alto-safari-conda-through-google-glass.html

While Steve and I were still in Maine and "outfitting" the Alto, I snapped a photo of the outdoor shower. Thus far we have not used it as we have been staying in campgrounds and with friends but we are headed to a warmer climate and will try it out.

Backing up a trailer has never been one of my strengths so Instructor Steve took me out for my first lesson. He is a good teacher and I am better than before, but then the bar was set pretty low.

Turkeys, Pumpkins and Monhegan Island

October 13, 2013

About a two hour drive from Orono, Maine is Monhegan Island, home to artists, fisherpeople and incredible views. It was dark when Steve and I traveled on winding rural roads to catch a 9:00 a.m. ferry at New Harbor, Maine. Wild turkeys feed along the roads although I have heard they are not not the species Americans associate with the Thanksgiving turkey.

For the view and my stomach, I sat in the open deck of the ferry. Along the route, hundreds of buoys mark lobster pots. From a distance, some of the buoys look like gray seals and a couple of the passengers got pretty excited but quickly deflated when they discovered the seals were pieces of floating plastic. Not far from Monhegan is Southern Island owned by Jamie Wyeth and who continues to paint in his studio.

Not only is the island spectacular, but the fish and chips and a pint from a local brewery are alone worth of a visit.

While on the island, a couple stopped to pet Tucker and mentioned it was the last week for the pumpkin festival in Damariscotta, a few miles north of us. We did miss the pumpkin regatta but captured a few of my favorite pumpkins.