Month 2 - THE AMERICANA KITSCH AND CULTURE TOUR

 

Day 29 – May 31st – Tuesday

We went to Collins Diner. Then the covered bridge at Cornwall. Kent Falls waterfall. Then the Cider House. Then Lamothes Sugar House… had a big row.. came back to the campground at Litchfield.

Collins Diner. Love these places

 

Day 30 – Jun 1^st – Wed

Drove to Southern Connecticut to Mystic. So utterly pretty. It is charming. Had fish and chips for tea and a lobster roll. Felt shocking all day with a dreadful sinus headache. Nice campground we are staying in.

Lobster roll. Yum!!

  

Day 31 – Jun 2^nd – Thur

Went into Mystic seaport and ate lunch. Watched the bridge come up and down. Then headed up to Pawtucket, CT. Stopped at the campground there for a couple of hours, then drove over to the Pawtucket Red Sox, McCoy Stadium. Watched a game between Red Sox and Norfolk Tides the Triple A feeder team for the Orioles. Great food there – crisp hot fried, lots of them. Pottles of chilli dog sauce and liquid cheese. Hot dogs. Fried Dough.. Yum… Good seats between home and 1^st base. Good game.

 

This game played for over 30 hours I think. I have to look up my notes. Very cool to at this stadium

 

Day 32 – Jun 3^rd Fri

Drove south again to Newport, RI. Stopped and looked at the round stone thing in the village rectangle/square in Newport, then walked down the hill into the township, brought some fridge magnets and came back up to the camper. Drove to The Breakers Mansion and did the tour. Just gorgeous. What a fantastic place. I wish we could have taken photos… It was lovely. So opulent and lavish. The Vanderbilts summer ‘cottage.’ Then we came to the campground nearby at Middleton – ugh. No toilets or showers, 45.00 a night and practically touching other campers. Awful. But never mind. We went and had dinner at the Atlantic Beach Club restaurant and that was very nice. We had the best Lobster Newburg and Lobster ? – yummy sauces. Mine was classic cream and sherry. Aarons was mushroom, cream and brandy… OMG.. soooo good. Tried Quahogs… big clams – nothing earth shattering but nice. Sweet, like most clams. Had a trio playing, piano, double bass or cello and drummer… Very nice music. Had a young crooner guy singing – very fun. We both agree, we are not that keen on the Northerners,  and are not enjoying it that much. Also, the server said that Northerners are much more stand offish and cautious. Not working for us at all.

The Vanderbilts Breakers Mansion. Gorgeous place

Day 33 – Jun 4^th Sat

Ate at the Blue Plate Diner in Middleton. So cute. It was lovely. Had Eric the waiter who was a Lord of the Rings fan and film student.. He was madly in love with NZ. Went and saw the green animals place in Portsmouth. Quite pretty. Then pushed on to northern Massachusetts. Went through Boston, and stopped at a very nice camp site in Cape Ann, in Gloucester. View of the water, on a hill… very nice. Peaceful. Went and saw Clynton and Theresa at their sons little League game. Had a gin and tonic. Talked to Clyntons mum Bronwyn – nurse – worked in Manteca, knows the Modesto Kiwis. Then went and got very very average Chinese and came back to the camper.

 

At the Green Animals place, they also had delicious roses which I love

Day 34 – Jun 5^th Sun

Had a horrible morning getting the fucking rental car. What a fiasco. Rude guy. Got sorted EVENTUALLY but threw out the whole day. We had an argument… horrible.. Then we sorted it out and went to Gloucester port and had lunch there. Very pretty. Ate at Lat 43 and had a fantastic lunch. I had green pea bisque with crème fraiche…Yum.. Then this huge cod cake fried in butter.. with a sauce.. absolutely delicious. Aaron had oysters and salmon.. Great meal, outdoors on the wharf. Then went to Rockport for a wee look. Much busier. Came back here.

 

The extremely picturesque Rockport in MA.

 

Day 35 – Jun 6^th Mon – END OF WEEK 5

Had the car, so went to Salem, Ma. Had lunch at the Regatta Bar. Quite nice. Had horseradish cheese with wonton strips.. good. Went to the memorial for the hanged people and the wee graveyard there, dating back to 1692.. Wow.. Then went to the Salem Witch Museum. A bit cheesy.. but okay. We were a bit short of time. So missed the second thing at the Witch museum… and rushed to get the T to Boston. Got everywhere on time.. thanks Guides. Got the T into Boston. Got off at North Station and then caught the train to State on the Orange line. Got off there and walked down to the waterfront where the Aquarium is and Long Wharf. Took a harbour cruise that was very good. Saw some good sites and had a good time. Then went to Quincy Market and got a corn dog. Came back on the T and met Clynton on there. Then went to his and Theresas house for drinks and dinner. It was nice.

 

Day 36 – Jun 7^th Tues – WEEK 6

Awful day. We fought all day. Gruesome. Got to Portland and hated it. Had a big blow up. Turned back and stopped in Wells, ME. Stayed at a nice RV park, 31.00 a night. Walked down the hill and got lobster, scallops, clam chowder, lobster roll.

 

There are lobster things EVERYWHERE in Maine. So good!

 
Day 37 – Jun 8^th Wed

Woke up today and felt much more human. Thank god. Was going to go and leave New England. But felt better and decided to go to Bar Harbor in Maine instead. Had a good drive up here. Ate at the Maine Diner. Had cod cakes egg benedict for breakfast – really good. Then went to the PO, then off up north. Stopped at a couple of wee towns. Really pretty. Camden, very pretty harbour. Then stopped at a lobster shack and had a really good dinner. Lovely people there. From Texas. Had lobster, they had the steamers there. We had scallops, and the best Texas BBQ.. Yummmm.. Great ribs. So nice. Had the most horrific thunder and lightning storm. Was right on top of us for ages. Aaron made helpful comments like: Well, at least the camper next to us is a bigger target. Leo was weirdly calm throughout the whole thing?

Cooking our dinner in the steamers

 

Day 38 – Jun 9^th Thu

Got a convertible mustang. Went for a drive over the Pensnobscot Peninsula. Not very exciting but the nice drive. Then came back, ate lunch at the BBQ place – had the smoked salmon spread and the smoked mussels. So good. Then went to the Bar Harbor Peninsula – Desert Island… again, very pretty but not very exciting. Nice though. Drove all day with the top down… very fun. Doing some great outdoors stuff.

 

The Lobster Pound we couldn't stay away from. They also had Texas BBQ, a fabulous combo

 Day 39 – Jun 10^th Fri

 Went up in a Waco bi-plane and flew over the Bar Harbor area. Really fun. Aaron and I both went in the front cockpit. Excellent. Flew with Dave. Went back and got more BBQ, Baked beans with pulled pork in it. Yummm. Then drove to North Conway, New Hampshire, just over the border, to the White Mountain Area. I was not feeling that well, so Aaron went to see the X something movies just up the road. I hoped he wouldn't run into a bear on the way back. 

 

Aaron looking a wee bit nervous, before we go up in the Waco Bi-plane

 Day 40 – Jun 11^th Sat

Had a great day today. It rained all day and we couldn’t control the weather gods… oh well. We went to just out of Lincoln, to Franconia Notch State Park to the Flume. It was lovely. We got rain ponchos and it was a 2 mile walk. But really beautiful. Gorgeous stuff. We then went back to the Clarks Trading Post and saw the bears… Omigod, just fantastic. So well looked after and so much like people to the Clarks. It was fantastic. We got bear stamps on our hands. The bears were just adorable. We were enthralled and enchanted. And the commentator and trainer Murray Clark was really funny as well. We saw Maureen, the sister trainer, kiss the bears a few times. Just like children… so lovely. The rest of the place was very cute too… but the bears were totally worth the visit and the price… Just gorgeous. Then left there and went to St Johnsberry, VT and found a very nice RV park, called Moose River Campground. By the river and exploding moose stuff everywhere, but very nice. The township is rustic, reminiscent of Whistle Stop, Alabama and banjos.

Oh, these bears were so special. They ate ice cream off teaspoons and their owners kissed them on the nose.

Day 41 – Jun 12^th Sun

Drove around depressing Vermont in the rain. Deaf weather gods. Went to the sugar house in St Johnsburg, VT. Also the Dog Chapel, nice place but snotty people. Then went to the Cider House and BBQ pub… okay.. but the server Laurie Ann was a classic. Real West Coaster type person. Lots of cousins… 65 relatives in the wee town of Waterbury.. .Hmmm. Then drove to Burlington, VT on Lake Champlain.

This is an old sugar shed at one of the Maple Sugar houses

Day 42 – Jun 13^th Mon – END OF WEEK 6

Started the drive across New York. Grotty day. Stayed at a nice wee campground at Herkeimer, NY.

 

I love things that are 'The Giant...'

Day 43 – Jun 14^th Tue – START OF WEEK 7

Drove to Lockport, NY, near Buffalo, NY. Stopping here for a couple of days. Went to the Crazy Otto’s diner in the wee town this morning. Nice old diner, that was fun. Then drove here.

Another diner, this one a lot friendlier than Collins

 Day 44 – Jun 15 Wed

Went to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. Fantastic. So green and so powerful. It was fantastic. Great views no matter where you looked. We went on the Maid of the Mists boat that goes up to the falls.. and wowww.. the power and the spray.. you got drenched.. very fun. We had blue plastic ponchos on… Very fun.

 

The spray coming off Niagara Falls was astounding.

 

Day 45 – Jun 16 Thu

Had the day ‘off.’ I went and got my hair done with Jessica at Pesarona or something.. excellent job. And also my toe nails. We ate at Shamus afterwards and it was good. Their lobster bisque was sooo good… as was their blackened scallops with caramalised onions.. yummmm.

 

These were fabulous!

 

Day 46 – Jun 17 Fri

We started the drive to New York City. Seemed to take ages, got 2 new pairs of shoes for me. Then the long slow drive… we ended up in Podunk, Upstate NY… Monstrose.. that’s right. Half the time, we don’t’ even know where we are anymore. We need to come off the road. I am ready for our money and our house in the South now.

Day 47 Jun 18 Sat

We drive most of the day, mucking around in PA, finding Walmarts and Burger Kings. We arrive in Jersey City, NJ around 5.00. We drive past Carlos Bakery in Hoboken, NJ and it’s crazy busy. People line up outside the shop and across the street. The  streets are teaming with cars going to the Holland Bridge. It’s very busy, but strangely exhilarating. Our RV Park is at the marina, but like a car park with showers. Still, it’s surprisingly quiet for being in a big city and it’s close to the rail and PATH to NYC. We walk up and go and have dinner at the Brownstone Diner in Jersey City here. Nothing flash but okay.

 

It looks just like it does on TV. LOL.

 

Day 48 Jun 19 Sun

We get up early and catch the light rail to the where the PATH runs from… on the waterfront. Took the PATH train one stop under the harbour to World Trade Centre stop. Got out there and wandered around, got breakfast at a local place. Had a very evocative photo of 9/11. Then caught the subway uptown to the Met museum. Had to walk about 3 blocks to get there but all very easy. Went in and saw the Met… not very exciting in some ways. The art did not wow me much. Then had a hot dog and walked through Central Park, all around the Green Lake where people were boating, to Strawberry Fields and the fairly uninspiring John Lennon memorial. Then we walked to Zabars on the Upper West Side. Got some wonderful cheese at Zabars and a Knish… yummmm. Had fun at Zabars. Then caught the subway to Mid Town. Walked up to the heart of Broadway and the theatre district. Went up the top of the Rockefeller Centre – called Top of the Rock.. Great view across NYC.. and central park. Could see the Empire State building clearly from there but not the Chrysler building. Then, my feet were so sore, that we limped back to the subway, got a donut each and caught the subway downtown and back here.

 

This was an amazing photo in the Deli we got breakfast at. Just out those doors is the Twin Towers site. An exhausted New York cop, catching a breath.

Day 49 Jun 20 Mon

NYC again. Went on the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty in the harbour. Then caught the train uptown and went to the Harry Potter exhibition in Times Square. Very good. Then to Carlos Bakery Café at the Exhibit building. Got some lobster claws and a cupcake. Then back on the subway and came back to Hoboken in Jersey. We tried to go to Carlos Bakery but about a 40 min wait. So, went back to the camper.

The mounted police in New York City

Day 50 Jun 21 Tue WEEK 8
 
Drove from Jersey to Manheim, PA, just out of Lancaster. Went and saw Roadside America. Very fun. A whole huge room/hall filled with miniature villages and characters. Amazing. So well done and lots of details. Quite amazing. We stop at the Hex shop next door, get some souvenirs and ate bad hotdogs and hamburgers, then come to our campsite. Ok… but ye olde freeway RV park – again.

 

What a labor of love this miniature town was. Quite extraordinary.

 

Day 51 – Jun 22 Wed

I am shattered. So Aaron goes off by himself in the car to Hershey. He goes to the Car museum which looks really good. And the ZooAmerica and sees all sorts of American wild life. Later he goes to see Blake practice baseball and see Debbie and Greg. I am so stuffed, I don’t go .

 

 Day 52 – Jun 23 Thu

Went to see the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish. Went to Bird in the Hand, then Intercourse. Went on a buggy ride with Abes buggies, our driver was Irv, a Mennonite. A good ride. We stopped at an Amish farm and bakery. Lovely. Got a pot holder and a cherry pie… very good. And some potato chips. Yummm. Then shopped at Intercourse. Got a Stromboli which I thought was going to be a pizza and some pasta but ok..

 Day 53 – Jun 24 Fri

Went out with Debbie and Greg and the kids. Ate at a good diner. Then went and looked around the Lancaster market. Lots of Amish selling stuff. Good. Then came back to the camper, then back into town to see the Lancaster Barnstormers play with Debbie and Greg and Blake and Gavin. Great night.

 

The Glass family who we met at a baseball game. Lovely family. :-)

 

Day 54 – Jun 25 Sat

Drove most of the day, seemed to take all day. Did 4 states in a day. PA, WV, Maryland and Virginia. Stopped at Dinosaur Land, very old and crumbly but kind of fun. Then on down to Charlottesville in the Blue Ridge Mountains… very pretty.

This place gets the most tacky and Kitschiest award.

Day 55 – Jun 26 Sun
 

Got up early and got to Schyler, where Waltons Mountain is. Saw a video there and went through the museum, it was excellent. It brought tears to my eyes. So lovely. Then we went to Lee and Wendys place in Glasgow and had lunch with them. Groovy house. It was great seeing them too… very nice to catch up. They have their grandson Jay living with them too and he was a good guy. Very nice. Then left and went and ate at the Pink Cadillac, where some hicks from the sticks were, what a bunch of yobbos. Pretty ugly. Aaron has been having flashbacks all day. And not the nice kind… kind of weird energy here.

 

We loved seeing 'Walton's Mountain' and the museum. It was so evocative. Everyone had tears in their eyes.

 

Day 56 – Jun 27 Mon – END OF WEEK 8

Drove out of Virginia… yay.. thank god and into Tennessee. Much better energy.

 

This is Earl Hammer's boyhood home, that the Walton's house was based on.

  

Aaron with Charlie, our camper

THE AMERICANA KITSCH AND CULTURE TOUR - Meg, Aaron and Leo's Excellent RV USA Adventure. Month One.

We'd been living in Kona, on the Big Island of Hawai'i, and I felt like 'going on the road' for a while. So, we did...

This is a memorial and GRAND memory to my husband Aaron. I'm so glad we got to do this trip together. You and me and Leo Ray Jr. our fur child cat.

We had a blast, didn't we? :-) I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone else bub. Aaron was wonderful to travel with. We always had a great time, saw all sorts of things and generally enjoyed ourselves. God, we had some funny experiences. LOL. Such great travel stories!!!

You cannot really put a price on doing a trip like this with someone you love and care about. And I'm glad we did it with all my heart.

AARON BRENT AMOR - here's to you bubba, love you always. xoxoxo

Thank you for some wonderful memories and supporting me the way you did.

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The whole aim of this trip was to do ONE thing at least in each state that WAS that State. Whether it was Kitschy (worst, ancient, as in, old, hadn't been updated since the dinosaur era Dinosaur Park in Virginia. Best - ooh, too many to say.) Or Culture, we had to do ONE thing that represented that State in some way. There's some pretty fabulous stuff out there to see in the American Heartland.  

 

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This is the itinerary of the trip. A rough synopsis of what we did each day. Over the coming weeks, I'll slowly load the blog on here from that trip and some of the photos.

I hope you enjoy our travels as much as we did. We brought our RV 'Charlie' (short for Charlotte) on-line. She was 30 feet and had all the gear, even though she was older. We never did get around to using the shower, but it made a fantastic place for storage! LOL.

Leo Ray Jr. adapted quickly to life on the road and was a complete trooper. He had his wee routine he did every day. Over the cab for his first sleep of the day on the bed up there. Down to the couch for midday. And then down to our double bed at the back when we stopped. The only time he had a meltdown, was when we put Charlie through a car wash. I had to sit in the RV toilet with him between my feet, under my dress. We'd run the generator for him when we got out anywhere and deafened people. Yes, she could have used a slight overhaul, but she worked. She sounded like a tractor starting up. LOL.  

Our first night in her, we ran her on generator in the Wal-Mart car park. And after only a few days, we stopped panicking and began to enjoy ourselves. :-)

This itinerary is written in my short notes form to myself, to remind me when I 'wrote' it up later. And while it's not very inspiring reading, per se, it does tell you what's coming up next in the blogs if you're following along.  I don't want to 'dolly' up my notes, because I want it to be a true and accurate record of Aaron and I's time on the road with each other. Also, it shows me how far I've come as a writer. Even just reading through this for me, is a fantastic memory of each day we did on this tour. I'm glad I wrote this down at the time. :-) ENJOY. :-)

Day 1 – May 3^rd  2011

 

Flew from SFO to Atlanta, GA. Then to Akron, OH. Picked up the camper van. All good. Was too late to book into an RV park, so stayed the night in the Wal-Mart car park. Shopped at Wal-Mart a lot for things for the camper.

Looking from the kitchen area to the front of the camper

 Day 2 – May 4^th Wed

 

Drove to the RV park in Winesburg, OH – Amish country. So tired, slept. Then had an adrenaline burst with ? something… and went to the Amish Country Kitchen for lunch. Then drove to Walmart and got a TV. Drove back through Sugar Creek etc.

 

Day 3 – May 5^th Thursday

 

Went to Winesburg general store and had wonderful proper KFC fried chicken. Got advised by the Mennonite lady at the RV park to go to Kinrod for the market auctions. So did, fantastic. Amish buggies and people everywhere. Brought pots and pans at the flea market. Went to Berlin, had lunch, shopped. Travelled into Kentucky. Stayed the night at ‘ye olde Freeway RV park’ in Crittendon, KY. Not impressed. Horrendous freeway noise and to add to it – a train.
 

A couple of Amish men at Kinrod Auctions

Day 4 – May 6^th Fri

 

Got on the Bourbon Trail. Went and saw Woodford Reserve in Versailles, KY. Lovely. Stayed at Johns ‘Good 'Ol Days’ RV park. Had pulled pork and BBQ sauce… yummmm. Very nice and quiet, lovely spot in the Kentucky horse country.

How a Bourbon Distillery should look - Woodford Reserve Bourbon

 

Day 5 – May 7^th Sat

 

Drove through the Kentucky countryside, very beautiful. Went to Jim Beam first – a bit boring. Then to Heavens Hill – great bourbon tasting with Bill. Phenomenal. Then stayed at the state park in Bardstown – very nice. Had fried chicken for tea, not that nice.

Aaron tasting Bourbon at Heavens Hill

 Day 6 – May 8^th Sun

 

Makers Mark – wonderful place, Aaron became ambassador.  Then to Wild Turkey. Had Peach ice tea – yum. Also lemonade (real) mixed with ginger ale. Very nice people. Aaron had a tasting. Went back to Johns to stay the night.

 Day 7 – May 9^th Mon

 

Went to Four Roses. Very nice. Went and picked up our t-shirts for the bourbon trail in Frankfort, KY. Then drove down to Corbin, KY and had dinner at the KFC original restaurant. Then onto Caryville, TN, at the state park by the lake. Very nice spot with organized ducks.

 Day 8 – May 10^th Tuesday

 

Continued on down through TN. Went to Loudon, TN, had pre-cog in Chinese restaurant. Had dinner at Red Lobster – very good. Stayed the night at ‘ye old Freeway RV Park,' Podunk GA in Jackson

Leo Ray Jr., critiquing his dad's driving, again.

 

Day 9 – May 11^th Wed

 

Tybee Island, GA, lovely spot off the Savannah town. Generator died… battery dead. Had a swim in the pool at the RV park. Lovely. Went by Pirate Pedicab to Stingrays restaurant. Had conch fritters, key lime pie, lobster and crab bisque – yum and Aaron had a huge seafood platter with different crab, shrimp, NZ mussels and crawfish ( not very nice the crawfish). Got pedaled back again by Ben.

Me, being pedaled by Ben, our Pedicab rider.

Day 10 – May 12^th Thursday

 
Went into Savannah on the local bus. Got on the city DOT bus for free and went to Vics for lunch. Lovely place on the river up 4 stories. We had real crab cake, fried green tomatoes, cold cucumber soup with smoked salmon in the bottom and Aaron had Atlantic salmon – medium rare, crushed – perfect. Very hot day, very tiring. Then went on Horse and Carriage ride through old Savannah with Dee and Daniella and Betsy the horse… Saw old town. Then walked through the park squares and caught the bus back to the visitors centre. Then the local bus back to Tybee. Ordered in pizza.

Ohh, these fried green tomatoes were soooo fabulous!

Day 11 – May 13^th Fri

 

Left Tybee and got new battery just past Pooler for RV. Very easy in the end, handy guy who put it in. 125.00 all up. Fantastic. Now the generator runs. Went to the Eighth Airforce Musuem in Pooler. Fantastic museum. Spent a couple of hours there. They have a B-17 they are restoring. Wowwww. Then left there and went into South Carolina and stayed near Beaufort. Had Pork riblet sandwiches for tea. Saw squirrels everywhere.

A gorgeous old B-17 being restored

 

 Day 12 – May 14^th Sat

 

Went into Beaufort and went on the walking tour with Jon Sharp through  Beaufort old town. Absolutely gorgeous place and houses. Took about 2.5 hours. Then went on to Charleston. Stayed in RV park near Charleston. Aaron very tired. I had dreadful sinus headache. Had bacon, eggs, baked beans, sausages and muffins for tea

The whole of Beaufort township is covered in these fabulous old Plantation houses.

 Day 13 – May 15^th Sun
 
Drove into Charleston very early. Got there about 8.30 and signed up for carriage ride through old town. Went with the Palmetto Carriage Co and we had the BEST tour guide. Very clever and very funny – Eric. We laughed and laughed. Loved Charleston, fresh and clean energy. Very pretty place. Different again to Savannah and Beaufort. Then left there and drove about 3.5 hours to Fayetteville. Stopped at South of the Border briefly… Went to the Airborne and Special Forces Museum there. Excellent museum. Fantastic exhibits… Then Wal-Mart and the RV park here at Fayetteville. Having meatloaf and mashed potato and gravy for tea.

 

Kitscharama. The ultimate Kitsch stop

Day 14 – May 16^th Mon

 
Got up really early and drove for about 4 hours to the ferry at Cedar Island in NC. Got the 12.30 ferry, which took about 2.25 hours, arriving in Ocracoke Island, NC on the Outer Banks or OXB as it’s called. Very cute town, then drove to the other end of the island – about 14 miles and waited for the ferry to Hatteras, NC on the Outer Banks. That ferry was free and a 40 min ride away. We arrived in Hatteras about 4.40.  Shopped for souvenirs, then found our RV park at Buxton, Outer Banks, NC for the night. Going to dinner at The Inn at Pamlico here in Buxton, NC

 

This is what the Garmin showed as we were on the Ferry, crossing the Outer Banks. :-)

 

Day 15 – May 17^th Tue

Slept in a bit. Then left Buxton and continued north, through the Outer Banks. All beautiful until you get off Hatteras Island, then it gets very commercial and boring. Had lunch at the Sugar Shack. Fried Green Tomatoes again – yum. Then drove to Kitty Hawk. It was really good. Very interesting. Then on to Williamsburg, VA, stopped at a KOA park for the night.

 

Day 16 – May 18^th Wed

 
Had breakfast at the Pancake House. Then went and walked around Williamsburg. A wee bit boring, other than the horrendously FAT squirrels. Left there and drove to Jamestown, which was a much better display. Saw ships, an old fort and a canon a musket go off. Then to Yorktown but pouring with rain and got there too late. Then drove on to just outside Richmond, name starting with A and stopped the night.

 

Okay, this guy doesn't look very fat, but some of those squirrels were waddling!

 

Day 17 – May 19^th Thursday

Drove about 90 miles into the Washington D.C. and Baltimore area. Stopped at our RV park. Another crappy park on the freeway. Need to stop. Exhasuted. Left here about 3.00 and went into Baltimore, MD. Intense, busy city. Wandered around the waterfront area which is very busy. It’s all busy. Had a bite to eat at the Irish pub place on the waterfront. Then went to the Orioles game in Camden Yards. Wow… what an experience.. It was way cool. The whole experience was magical. Loved it… The Orioles did badly but still riveting to watch. Had a hot dog and some peanuts… very fun. J

Baltimore Orioles pitcher at Camden Yards

 

 Day 18 – May 20^th Fri

I am exhausted, so Aaron has taken the car and gone into Washington D.C. to do some sightseeing.  Aaron saw the African American museum. And the Crime and Punishment Museum. At night we went to Bay Sox Minor League Baseball game at Bowie. Met really nice people, the Glasses. Debbie, Greg, Blake, Gavin and Kyle Very fun. Also had fireworks at the game…

 

A pencil drawing at the African-American museum

Day 19 – May 21^st Sat

Went and saw the Manassas Civil War Battlefield near Washington DC. Then to the Air and Space Museum at Chantilly. The Udzar-Hazy. Wow… very cool.. All sorts of aircraft there. Including the Enola Gay… very cool place.

 
Day 20 – May 22^nd Sun

Went out to Andrews Air Force Base near where we were staying and went to the Joint Airshow there. Very cool. Zillions of people. Lots of aircraft. Lots of military old and new. They had a B17, B25, B29. Wowww… Also F15, F 16 and F18 and the Thunderbirds flying over… very cool. Very loud…. I was exhausted afterwards…  

Me with the flight engineer on this gorgeous old B-25 Mitchell

Day 21 – May 23^rd Mon – End of Week 3

We got going about 12.30 and set off for Delaware. It was only about 2 hours driving time. We made for the shore… very built up.. a bit busy. But settled on one in Dewey/Reboboth area in the end… Ok.. not wonderful. Might go to the State Park near Lewes tomorrow.. close by.. more beachy and quieter..

We've hit the South. We see a lot more of the confederate flag flying, all over the place.  

 

Day 22 – May 24^th Tuesday

We drive around getting increasingly frustrated with trying to get the generator fixed… give up and give up on Delaware. It’s just not happening. We eat at a Seafood Restaurant Jakes and then catch the ferry from Lewes to Cape May in Nu Joyzee… It is much nicer here, more quiet, laid back, we find a really nice RV Park and park up for 3 days. We catch a cab and go into Cape May proper and have dinner at the Lobster House… So good. We get a full American dinner with salad, bread, vegetables all thrown into the price. We waddle out of there. I have the most divinely velvety lobster bisque I have ever had.. it is beyond sublime. Magical.  Aaron has a clam and oyster appetizer. And then we both have lobster. Aaron has the pot with the lobster, scallops, shrimp and mussels in it.. All very good. Leo wolfs down the scallop and prawn when we get home… he inhales them! I have the lobster and steak… also very good. The bread is sooo good… it is all lovely. 

 Day 23 – May 25^th Wed

 

We sit by the pool all day, swim and read. It is so nice. Very warm and sunny. We get talking to Nate and Theresa. Nate comes to sort out our LPG/heater, and Generator for us.. Voila… we have to switch a valve on the LPG/propane… everything starts working. Nate took out the spark plug and put it back in.. magic fingers.. it fired into life… Yay!! And he found the switch for our hot water and it gurgled into life as well… FANTASTIC.. We are so rapt. We are going to have tea with them tomorrow night. Nice. ! They are from Minnesota originally but were up in Alaska for years.

 

This glorious pool was enjoyed enormously by us for several days

 

Day 24 – May 26^th Thursday

We went to Lobster House again for lunch. Had the divine velvet Lobster Bisque. Then went on a horse and carriage ride around Cape May’s old Victorian Houses, which was really lovely. So pretty. Then went back to Lobster House and got some dessert to take to Nate and Theresa's tonight. Cannoli, lemon meringue, Oreo brownie etc. Came back here and sorted out the next stop. It’s Memorial Day weekend this weekend. Went to the Naval Air Station Museum here at Wildwood. Very cool wee museum. Lots of interesting exhibits and fun things. Great stuff. Got some alcohol and went to Nate and Theresa's for dinner at their bus. Very nice. They have a huge bus and it’s all decked out… very impressive. They had a campfire going and ribs on the BBQ.. it was great. Had a really nice time with them, then came home about 9.30.

 

One of the big old Grand Dame hotels in Cape May

 

Day 25 – May 27^th Fri

Got up and drove to Podunk, NJ… er.. I mean Dorothy, NJ.. Staying in the permanent section of the caravan park and it’s not really pretty. More concrete ornaments than you can shake a stick at… and coloured lights which we DO like. We are staying here over Memorial Day weekend as it’s crazy out here… but not enjoying it much… Resting.. hmmm. Watched Fried Green Tomatoes the movie and now can’t stop thinking about them… Damn.

 

Coming up the Jersey Shore, through Atlantic City, they have restored a lot of the old looks. Fabulous.

Day 26 – May 28^th Sat

Did nothing all day. Went to the pool and it was a zoo with screaming kids and dive bombing parents… my head was sinused and I felt like crap.

 

Day 27 – May 29^th Sun

I feel much better today but will be glad to be gone from this place. I want to be on the road again. Nasty showers here with 8 sec ping out reflects… I fucking hate camping grounds that have these types of showers. The fuckers. I fixed it with Duct Tape… and managed to colour my hair, rinse it, shampoo it, rinse it and condition it and rinse it.

Day 28 – May 30^th Mon – Memorial Day END OF WEEK FOUR

Left the camp ground and backtracked slightly to our favorite produce stand to get 2 pds of peas which we ate all day. Also got a fresh strawberry pie… soooooo good. We stopped at Vitamin Shoppe.. in Mays Landing. Then onto the Jersey Parkway – packed all day bumper to bumper, until we got to New York city. New York city is busy and bridges, overbridges, freeways everywhere.. We go into Up State New York for a bit and then cross over into Connecticut. We stopped at Danbury, CT at the Stew Leonards Grocery Dairy store. Very fun. Claim to fame – he released the Paul Newmans salad dressing range. Had fun things like acrobatic lobsters, singing chickens, eggs, butter, milk and orange juice cartons, mooing cow and talking horse. Had lovely food. We got chicken salad, blue brie, guacamole, roasted rosemary lamb chops, chicken tikka marsala and rice, ribs, gourmet hamburger patties, green tomatoes that will go red before I manage to find some cornmeal, lobster for Aaron, tail and nippers for 10.00. Very sweet. Cold water lobster – probably from Maine. Nice cold water up there.  Very red in color. Scoops and bagel chips. Then came to Litchfield here in the Litchfield Hills… very pretty and very bucolic. Quaint villages and lovely house and gardens. Staying at a very peaceful out of the way RV Park. Nice. The frogs here are raucous and varied. I try the Strawberry Pie… divine…. So incredibly good. Short crust pastry and strawberries.. delicious. The best I’ve ever had.

 

One of the many dancing, singing things at Stu Leonard's. So fun!