Day 53. Sept 28, 2013

Camping outside of DC.  Today is National Park Volunteer Day, so we helped with a project here.  We shoveled mulch into playground areas.  Got a good work-out.  Biked to and from...about 5 miles up and down steep hills.

We took the metro to downtown.  About a hour trip, as we are on the far end...in MD.  Got together with several of my ASHHRA and Mayo colleagues.  Great seeing everyone again.  We went to some vendor-sponsored events, then took metro back.  We were a little nervous about safety, but were careful to not carry any valuables with us.

Day 52. Sept. 27, 2013....in Washington, DC

We left Amish country, driving past farmers harvesting their corn and hay  with horses.  Stopped at this  clinic to turn around.  See photo with horse "parking lot" .  Even saw a bank with a horse and buggy in the drive-through!

Then to Maryland.  We are staying in a campsite between DC and Baltimore, so that I can present at the ASHHRA  national conference.  This campsite is on the metro line, so will be an easy commute. It is a national park, so George can use Senior Pass.  $8,00 per night...hard to believe we are in the metro area at that price.  Also, hard to believe that there are dozens of deer peacefully munching away in the picnic area, just off the busy highway.  

We are eating fajitas tonight....grilling peppers, onions, and shrimp in the pie iron, and then serving with tortillas and cheese, with leftover beans and rice on the side.  Another birthday gift was a set f brackets to hold down a tablecloth.  So, tonight we are dressing things up!

Day 51. sept 26, 2013....more time in Amish country

We stayed a second night in the same campsite.  Always nice to not have to take down/put up every day.  We took a hike and foraged for campfire wood on a nature trail.  Then we found a stream where people were filling water jugs with spring water, so we did, too.  

We went into Lancaster to their brewery and filled our growler.  

Went shopping in some Amish stores and bought cheese and meats.  Next to the shops, they have special   parking slots for the horse and buggies...see photo with sign saying "reserved for horse and buggies"

 At the campsite, we talked to a couple who gave us some boiled crabs they had brought.  We had that as an appetizer, then cooked the Amish sausage with some onions in my new pie iron.  Yum

  

Day 50. Sept 25, 2013. In Amish country!

Hard to believe that we have been on the road for 50 days!  Left Scranton, stopping to shop on our way out of town.  George got me a birthday present..see photo.  They are called pie irons.  You can make all kinds of food in them, and stick in the fire to cook.  Meats, sandwiches, eggs, etc...even pies!

We stopped in a pub where they brew their own beer, and make breads and  artisan cheeses.  yum.

Drove on back roads.  This is really rich farm country.  Our destination was near Lancaster, PA, Amish farmlands.  The Amish have interesting names for their towns....Bird in the Hand, Blue Balls, and Intercourse.  Of course, George wanted to stay in Intercourse.  We drove into town, passing about 50 Amish buggies, as we headed for a campsite advertised as being next to Amish farms.  They didn't have any vacancies, about which we were surprised, but actually it was ok as the campsite  was pretty smelly with the adjoining farm's manure, and the roads were full of the Amish horses' "road apples"!

Drove back into town. It looked like the Amish school was having a fall festival.  The buggies were streaming into town, and the Amish town dwellers were walking to the school.  About 1000 kids and adults

were there. The "English" are definitely the minority.  

By the time we found another campsite, it was late and getting dark.  Supper was thankfully easy to prepare.  I just warmed up the dish I had made in the hotel....beans and rice with leftover porkloin, seasoned with cumin, cayenne and chipotle, plus the leftover spinach/arugula salad.  Beautiful fall evening.  We fell asleep listening to the clippity-clop of the horses' hoofs of the buggies returning to their homes.  

Day 49. Sept. 24, 2013. Happy Birthday to me!

We took a drive into nearby Hyde Park to visit FDR's estate and library.  Interesting tour.  Passed by the Culinary Institute of America.  I was surprised at its huge campus.  

Drove to Newburgh, NY where a pub had been recommended.  Like many other upstate NY towns, it is full of old Victorian houses that are now derelict.  Kind of sad.  

Hit the road for the day.  Need to head southwest so we can circle into DC.  Ended in Scranton, PA, as that is where I found a TowneSuites Hotel.  That was my birthday gift to myself....staying in what seems to be the lap of luxury.  We stayed in this same hotel chain in Rochester after our house sold, so earned Marriott reward points that we used to stay free.  I bought some food and cooked up a storm.  Also, took advantage of their dishwasher to double-clean our dishes.  

For dinner, I pan-fried pork loin with onions and garlic.  Served with rice and a spinach/arugula salad.  Nice, peaceful (and clean) evening!

Day 48. Sept 23, 2013.....Fall colors!

Since we have electricity at this site, I made poached eggs in the microwave.  Added a bit of feta...quite nice.  Boiled up more eggs to have hard-boiled eggs on hand.  

George took the car into town to get an oil change.  I stayed at the campsite and puttered around.  Did dishes.  It is about my least favorite thing to do while camping, as typically the water is ice cold.  I usually put the dinner dishes in a bucket of soapy water at night, to wait until the next AM to attack.  

We drove through Vermont.  The trees are starting to turn.  So beautiful.  We continue to drive back roads so see quaint towns with their autumn decorations.  We stopped in a brewpub in Bennington.  Shared a great braut.  Drove on through a slice of Massachusetts.  We passed through the Berkshires....quite luxurious-looking spas, country clubs, mansions.  Looked at Tanglewood where the Boston Symphony performs each summer.  (Garrison Keillor does a show there each year, too)

On though upstate New York.  Drove through the Hudson Valley and the foothills of the Catskills.  Staying near Poughkeepsie (home of Vassar College).  

Went to a nearby brewery.  Usually they close on Mondays but luckily were open to unkeg a specialty beer.  Then back to the campsite for dinner.  We grilled some chicken thighs, and I baked some potatoes, onions, green pepper, and garlic in aluminum foil packets.  I had picked some basil at the brewpub (growing in big pots at their entrance), and added that.  Yum

Day 47. sept 22, 2013

Drove to nearby Orchard beach, ME.  It really reminded us of southern beach towns like Myrtle Beach or Daytona Beach.  Condos, ocean-front motels, amusement park, junk food.  All off Highway 1.  

Picked up some marinated calamari for dinner at a seafood shop.  Lunch in a brewpub in an old mill.  Drove through New Hampshire and now in Brattleboro, Vermont close to where our daughter went to college.

We have been lucky by not having any car problems.  The only issue has been with the bike rack on the back of the camper.  First, one of the bikes poked a hole in the car's spare tire.  Then, a bike knocked against the spare tire and broke the metal that attaches the spare tire.  Now, we just found that the bike rammed into the back of the camper, probably at a sudden stop, and gouged a small hole in the camper.  Duct tape for now.  

We are heading toward Washington, DC, where I will be presenting with my Mayo colleagues next week.  We are trying to get there by avoiding the congested NE USA, by going west, then circling around.  

Day 46. Sept 21, 2013

Got up early to watch the sunrise from the island's highest mountain... THE thing to do here.  Hiked a bit in the Acadia Forest and then hit the road. We followed Highway 1, instead of the interstate, going through cute Maine towns.  Our "1000Places to Go" book mentioned a lobster place in one of the towns.  Supposedly they have the best lobster rolls in the world.  We stopped there, but the line was about 2 hours long.  So, we went to a cute local place in the same town, and had great local-fresh fish quesadilla.  Planned to stay in Portland as it is famous for its beers, but didn't see a good place to stop.  Staying at a beach-side campsite  outside of Portland.  Bought a lobster and clams to cook over the fire and some local beer.  

We are trying to eat local foods, but are passing on a few things.  Here in Maine, the whoopie pie was invented and is everywhere.  It is like 2pieces of cake made into a sandwich itch marshmallow cream inside.  No thanks.  Another food we skipped in Canada is a donnaire.  It is kind of like a gyro, but then has a sweet, honey sauce that didn't sound good. 

After our lobster dinner tonight, we have had our fill for awhile.  

 

Day 45. Sept 20, 2013

Stayed second day in Acadia National Park.  Took free bus  into Bar Harbor.  Clam sandwich for lunch.  Cute, cute town.  Cruise ship in town...same one we have seen along the way.  Went on schooner tour of bay.  Saw a seal.  Bought a lobster roll and took it back to campsite.   

We have a "Maine Beer Trail" map that we are following.  

Day 44. Back to the USA....twice!

We drove through New Brunswick on our way to Maine.  As we leave Canada, I was thinking about USA influence.  Unfortunately,McDonalds is popular.  Once I saw a billboard for "McLobster".  What an abomination!  Subway restaurants are popular.  A few Wallmarts,  and new Target stores being built.  I did not see any Starbucks.  I think it is because of a popular chain called Tim Hortons.  They sell coffee and a menu like Denny's. They are all over Canada.  We met a Canadian couple traveling,and they said they have a Tim Hortons app on their iPad, and plan their trip and stops accordingly.

We made it through the border easily and fast.  We entered in Calais, Maine.  Then we went to Campobello Island, to see FDR's summer cottage.  It is on Canadian land, but administered by USA. So, we had to go back to Canada, and ten re-enter USA.  

Camping in Acadia National Park, next to Bar Harbor.  We stopped in a lobster pound, and bought clams and mussels.  Cooked them in garlic, onion, butter and wine over campfire.  Heavenly!

I

Day43. Sept 18, 2913....enjoying Nova Scotia

We had planned to take ferry to New Brunswick, to save time,but it was too expensive.  So,we decided to enjoy the Annapolis Valley.  It was frosty cold when we got up.  See photo of George bundled  up cooking breakfast....eggs with leftover French fries chopped up and leftover feta.  Really good!

 Warmed up and turned into a beautiful fall day. This blog sounds like I am fixated on the weather,but it really makes a difference while camping.

The Annapolis Valley is full of orchards and farms.  Farmers' Markets about every 100 yards with pumpkins, apples and veg.  We bought some delicious apples.  Then to a winery.  This valley is turning into Canada's wine country.  Drove on to start making our way to USA

Day 42. sept 17, 2013. Touring Nova Scotia

Left Halifax and followed the South Coast.  Went to quaint Lunenburg, another suggested place in my book   "1000 Places to Go".  The British sponsored Protestant Germans and French to settle here in 1700s as long as they promised to build the town according to a set of plans.  They did so, and  they have preserved the same town layout and buildings since then.  We had lunch in a pub.  Due to the German settlers, there is a lot of German food influence.  We had wurst and sauerkraut, both made locally.

Drove across the peninsula to the Bay of Fundy area.  We found an almost empty campground.  Lovely site along a river with our private pit toilet.  See photo with it and the various recycle bins.  

This area is famous for its scallops.  We sautéed them and added to yesterday's leftover shrimp pasta.  Also had broccoli with melted cheese, all cooked successfully over the campfire for dinner.

There is a touch of fall in the air.  We are under an oak tree with acorns falling around us.  Some trees are starting to turn.  Canada geese flying over us heading south....probably to Rochester!! 

Day 41. Sept 16, 2013. Halifax, Nova Scota

We had a great hike along a canal in a park adjacent to our campsite.  Then took a drive along the coast, which had been recommended in our book "1000 Places to See Before You Die. " One place we visited was full of tourists.  They were from the 2 cruise ships docked in Halifax.  We had fish and chips from a "chip truck"---see photo.  Was on George's bucket list

It was a gorgeous day, so I planned a gourmet supper to leisurely cook around the campfire.....best laid plans....started to pour right when we returned.  I had already bought shrimp, so we couldn't go to Plan B..a restaurant.  So, we had to be inventive....

Our site has electricity, which was a help.  We boiled up water for pasta in the electric tea kettle, then cooked in the microwave.  (Another helpful kitchen utensil that has been so helpful is the Pampered Chef microwave cooker with drainer. ). Then we drove to a picnic shelter in the campsite.  George  was able to back in, so we were able to get things out of the back of the car without getting  soaked.  Using the propane grill, I  made a sauce by sautéing the shrimp shells in butter, garlic, and white wine.  Then  we sautéed shrimp, onion, and garlic, added the drained sauce, and poured over the pasta.  Made garlic toast in our handy George Forman grill.  All with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.  Feast for kings!

We met a couple from Massachusetts and chatted with them after dinner.  They came up here to surf.

Day 40. Sept 15, 2013

Ferry landed at 9:00 yesterday.  We gained 30 minutes with time change.  Drove through a different part of Nova Scotia.  We stopped in Truro.  I grew up in Truro, Iowa, and believe my ancestors came from this town and from Truro, England.  Nice town.

As we were driving along, we saw this house with a yard full of Simpson cut-outs.  Weird!

Then on to Halifax, another busy port city.  We are staying in a campsite across the river.  We went into the city and found a great pub that daughter Meredith had found for us on Internet.  See picture of 1 1/2 pounds of mussels we ate for $2.99!  Delish.  Big cruise ship leaving harbor.  Beautiful weather, so the lakes and bays were full of sail ships.  So pretty.

Today was a seafood day.  For lunch, we just pulled over on the road and had smoked mackerel and crackers.  This evening, after the mussels in the pub, we bought and cooked squid over the campfire.  Only $2.00. 

 

Day 39. sept 14, 2013 on ferry

WWe stayed last night at Argentia, Newfoundland, to catch ferry.  Went to local pub.  Very Irish in this area.  Everyone has strong Irish  brogue.  The wind picked up at our campsite....40 mph during the night.  We rocked and rolled all night.  

Did some hiking.  Today is moose season opener, so we really thought we might see some, , fleeing from hunters.  But no.  

Everything is so expensive here, since it is an island, and everything has to be brought in.  I went to a store to buy meat and cheese for sandwiches.  The only reasonably-priced meat was liver wurst.  We had it  for 2 lunches.  See picnic photo

We had to ask our campsite neighbor to help us take down the camper, so the wind wouldn't blow the sides away.

9:00 PM.... We are now on the huge ferry to take us back to Nova Scotia.  16 hours.  We are leaving from  Eastern coast,so it is much longer than our trip to here, as that was the western coast.  

The ferry is kind of like a cruse ship.  The cabin is so cute!  

George is eating the buffet.  I ate a hot dog in the bar.  They roast a baguette in the middle and add a Weiner ...pretty good!  We have seen this all over Canada

Day 38. Sept 13, 2013

Dreary morning so did laundry. I ran into a guy that was in our first Newfoundland campsite.  Small world.  He is from Nova Scotia, and gave me some good tips on places to go there

 .  Went to Newfoundland's only brewery.  Quidii Vidi.  They make Iceberg beer, supposedly made with water from icebergs.

Drove on to Argentia,

where we will catch the ferry tomorrow

Day 37. Sept 12, 2013

Went to a museum called The Rooms.  The building itself s designed like former fisher men's rooms for drying and processing cod.  Drove along the coast and visited marine lab with seals.  For linchpin, we went to a restaurant for which we had a 2 for 1coupon.  I had a fish taco; George had local calamari.  St. John's is famous for its "jelly bean" houses....all painted in bright colors.  For dinner, we cooked at the campsite.  Had our 4th (and final!) meal using the dried cod.  We used a leftover tortilla from my lunch and made of roll-ups.  We added lunch leftover rice with one local veg for a stir-fry.

Day 36. Sept 11, 2013. Whale-watching!

We splurged and went whale-watching near our campsite in Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland.  It was cool...in 50s, and even colder when the boat was moving fast.  But they provided these warm slickers and we stayed toasty.  We saw 3 kinds of whales.  The most exciting was the gigantic sperm whale.  We got close enough to see and hear him blow.  Then, he made a majestic dive, with his tail high in the air, like you see in travel brochures.

On to St. John's, the capital.  Staying in a campsite in the city.  Went downtown.  It reminds me of San Francisco (really steep streets) and New Orleans .kind of gritty and a sailor-town

Someone leaving our campsite left a bunch of food and cleaning/laundry supplies to give away.  We stocked up!  They probably had flown in and rented a camper, and were now leaving.  

Day 35. Sept 10, 2013

Glorious day traveling around Bonavista Peninsula of Newfoundland.  Started with a nice hike.  We ran across a kazillion wild blueberry bushes.  Picked as many as would fit in our only container, and ate a bunch.  Saw bear poop, so they probably are enjoying, too.  

Had lunch at a local restaurant serving local foods to locals.  We had pan-fried Caplin.  It is kind of like smelt.  You eat everything...head, tail, bones, skin.  Interesting!

Then went to the tip of the peninsula where John Cabot landed in 1497.  

The landscape is really rugged.  The homes' architecture and the scenery remind me of Norway.  

Then we visited a town that claims to be the "root cellar of the world".  They use these to keep food from freezing in winter and from spoiling in summer.  Also visited a town that had been built by the fisher men's union in early 1900s.  Only such town in North America.

Then we took a 5.3 kilometer hike.  Some travel magazine called it one of the top 20 trails in Europe and North America.  Skerwink Trail.  All kinds of warning signs about dangers and difficulty.  It was breath-taking.  The trail follows the Atlantic Ocean, with its cliffs dropping down below.  Saw caribou and fox poop. 

Capped the day with dinner in a restaurant (mussels, seafood chowder, and smoked salmon baguette), then a play in a nearby village.  These people have been doing theatre for 20 years.  Hard to believe they can sustain that, even though the town doesn't have a grocery store or other amenities.  

Day 34. Sept 9, 2013. On through Newfoundland!

Drove from central Newfoundland to Eastern side.  It is a big island, much bigger than PEI.  I'm learning about geography!  

We are in a part of the island that was recommended from the book "1000 places to see before you die".  We are staying in this campsite 2 nights, and will explore the peninsula.  This area has cute fishing villages with interesting names....Tickle Cove, Happy Adventure, Trouty, Heart's Content, Heart's Desire, and Come By Chance.  We walked around Trinity which has been restored to look like it did 300 years ago.

For dinner, we wanted to finish the dried cod (3rd meal).  We made cod cakes, which is common here....reconstituted cod, eggs, bread crumbs, onion, and potatoes.  The fire pit was not too good....made from an old washing machine steel tub.  We don't have electricity at this site.  So after trying to brown the cod cakes unsuccessfully over the fire, I put them on the mini George Forman grill and used an outlet in the bathroom.  When we were preparing for this trip, I didn't know what to take for sure.  The George Forman grill seemed a bit frivolous, but has served us well.  The cod turned out quite well, especially with hot sauce! We also made some hard-boiled eggs in the electric teapot for breakfast tomorrow.

Day 32. Sept 8, 2013.....a month on the road!

Hard to believe that it has been a month already!

The last few days have been rough, due to constant rain.  The shelter at the campsite was a godsend. We had breakfast there, protected from the rain.  The other couples commented about our nice cookware and dishes.  Last night, I did pasta with the leftover meat from the restaurant with sautéed garlic and onion. I used the leftover broth from the mussels for the sauce.   They were quite impressed.  Then, this AM, the ranger turned on the power, so we quickly warmed up our scrambled eggs on our George Forman grill.  We brought kitchenware with us from home, rather than   buying  camp stuff.  So, we have nice plates, stemware,etc.  When they break, we will go to Goodwill and buy more.

We had lunch in a log cabin diner called "One Stop".  The sign said....."One Stop:  liquor, moose burgers, and cabins".  We had Newfoundland beer made with water from icebergs and moose burgers.  The burgers were good...like lean hamburgers.  The  waitress/cook/owner told us that her husband and son would each kill a moose this October during hunting season which would supply themselves and their restaurant for a year.  George had a pigeon berry tart with berries she had picked.

We went to an insectarium.  It was surprisingly fun and interesting.  We  walked through a butterfly garden, then saw interesting displays and bugs  from around the world.

It stopped raining about 5:00, so camped rather than staying in a motel.  Great soup over the campfire.  George added cod to his.   

 

  

Day 31. Sept 7, 2013

The ferry is huge and beautiful.  We slept (sort of) in reclining chairs.  Left at 11:45PM and arrived in Newfoundland at 7:15 AM.  They are in an ever farther time zone...with a 30 minute difference, rather than 1 hour.  Odd.  

Newfoundland is like the last frontier.  Very rugged and sparsely populated.  The "Newfies" have their own dialect.  Gas stations have signs telling you how far the next station is.  We are north of the tree line, so it is pretty barren.

Decided to stay in a national park on the coast.  It is next to a town where we thought we would buy seafood for dinner and/or have lunch.  The town was dead, and their  only restaurant was closed.  We found out that it was because the whole town lost power.  So, George asked a fellow if anyone was selling seafood, since there were lots of fishing boats.  He walked George to a neighbor's yard where they were drying cod.  He bought one.  We soaked it and rinsed it several times.  George liked it; I didn't...too salty.  

The campsite had only one other couple-from Nova Scotia.  They have been here 4 nights.  There is a shelter with an old-fashioned pot belly stove.  They said that they had get-togethers each evening there.  Another couple from Vermont arrived, so we all gathered in the shelter and had drinks and dinner.  They shared our cod!  No electricity, except for 3 hours in the evening, with a generator. 

Day 30. Sept 6, 2013

Got up early as it was sunny, but it looked like clouds were coming in, so we wanted to hurry to take advantage of the sun.    Left the camper at the campsite in order to go to the end of the peninsula.  (Road too bad for the camper) We headed toward Meat Cove..."the end of the earth". We learned that it got its name from the early fur traders.  They butchered their catch there...bear,moose, and took the furs and left the meat to rot as it was too heavy to carry.  We drove about 25 miles until the dreaded "Pavement Ends" sign.  Then drove until the road ended.  Scary, bumpy road. Parked the car and hiked up a very muddy, slippery path. Breathtaking view from top.  Shear cliffs,  Very slippery hiking back down.  

Got the camper and drove back toward civilization.  Stopped for lunch in a cafe that was featured in Food Network's show called "ya gotta eat here".  We ate their clam dip specialty.

On to Sydney, where we are catching the 11:45PM ferry to Newfoundland.  We didn't want to drive around town with the camper, so we asked about unhitching the camper and taking the car around.  They told us to call this number.  So George went into a nearby restaurant to use their phone.  He came back with a smile. The friendly people said we could leave the camper in their lot  instead

at no charge and to come back for their 2 for 1 special dinners.  It was like a MN resort supper club, with a dance floor and music.  So, we went into town, came back for dinner and are now in the waiting line to board the ferry.  

Day 29. Sept 5, 2013. Are we in Ireland or Scotland?

We got up early to rush to catch the ferry to Nova Scotia.  I nagged George to buy gas, but he didn't want to stop, and thought gas would be cheaper in Nova Scotia.  Made it to the ferry showing "below empty".  When we landed, we drove through the town looking for a gas station.  An old guy gave us misinformation, and we drove in circles.  The gauge on the car indicated 0 miles left.  Finally found a station.....and it was more expensive than PEI!

Drove along the coast.  We are in the area of Nova Scotia called Cape Breton.   Irish and Scottish settlers here.  Everything is bilingual ...English and Gaelic.  Stopped at a pub for lunch, owned by some  famous local Celtic singers.  Stopped at a single malt whiskey distillery, only one in North America.  Some Scotch fiddlers.  

It started to pour.  We drove along the coast on a high mountain road.  Lots of hairpin turns.  The sea was beautiful next to the shear cliffs.  (I had to hide my head)

Before entering the national park, we asked if there was were any gas station nearby.  A guy said the next town had one... 30 miles away and our tank said we had 50 miles left.  Got to that down, and found he was  wrong....no station.  We would have to go back or try next town.  We pushed onward through the downpour.  

Getting late and no campsites in site.    Finally, like a mirage, we saw a sign for a campsite/oyster bar combo.    Right before we entered, we found a gas station.  Wonderful how things just turn out right!  We had some oysters on the half shell that the owner had just harvested from the bay next to us.  Life is good!

Day 29. Sept 4, 2013

We enjoyed the PEI mussels last night.  I sautéed some shallots and garlic, then added white wine.  Then steamed the mussels for a short time.  Yummy with French bread to soak up the broth.  

Nice staying in a motel, for a change.  

We really like PEI.  It is quite rural, and the people live off farm and sea.  We drove around part of the perimeter of the island, stopping for lunch at a seaside cafe.  We shared some fish chowder.  So good...they made it with fresh cream.  Visited a distillery where they make moonshine.  Only legal one in North America

We bought a live lobster for dinner.  $8.00.  Boiled him up over the campfire with rice I had made in the motel.  Side of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, from roadside stand.

We are staying at a provincial park tonight.  It is adjacent to a country club/golf course and riding stables.  Nice