Second Gig - Second Leg

Well we got an early start on the day.  We got the trailer packed up quickly and headed to Cracker Barrel for Breakfast – we’re really starting to burn through those gift cards!  We got on theroad by 10 am.  Our first break came at Wind Gap, PA. where we made a stop at the worst Dunkin Donuts I’ve ever been at!  Between customers who were not prepared to a staff that was not in work mode it took forever to get a cup of coffee.   We made good time getting to Maryland.  Since we were not do to be at Greenbrier until Sunday we looked for a commercial campground.  I again wanted full hookups so I could flush tanks figuring we would be dry camping again.  I looked in the GPS for Good Sam rated parks and Jelly Stone Maryland came up.  This is a beautiful park with all the resort amenities.  It is also resort priced at $108/ night on the weekends!  Next time I’ll go with the KOA or not look to the GPS while driving.

While close to Greenbrier I thought we would take the short trip there for a visit.  I introduced my self to Brie, the ranger at the contact station, and she set me up with a pass and a temporary gate code. What a beautiful campground though very hilly - the morning runs are going to be tough.  The host campground site is well placed and has full hookups!  We get a golf cart to travel with and the job seems simple enough but I’ll know more after we check in.

Heading to the Next Gig

Today is travel day.  We had a flash flood warning in place for all of today with the potential for torrential downpours.  The plan was to be able to get to the backside of NYC before we started looking for a place to stay and now I was having my doubts we would make it that far. It is not like we are on a critical schedule – we are not due to start at Greenbrier until October 1^st, so that gives us three full travel days to get 470 miles.  The rain started about 7:30 a.m. so we packed up in rain gear and I found that either I did not lace my boots tight enough or they are no longer waterproof. Since most of the truck was packed and the trailer prepped, packing was easy and we were at the dump station by 10

The ride went reasonably well with two stops in Connecticut for breaks.  We hit traffic (as expected) on I-95 near Bridgeport and I-287 before the Tappan zee was slow so I figured I wouldn’t get the 250 miles (my daily goal) I was looking for.  However, the rest of I287 was pretty clear. Once in New Jersey I needed gas and figured New Jersey is pretty cheap so we stopped off of 287 in Oakland.  I was shocked when I got the receipt!  I’ll have to use my AAA gas app in the future because JWN & Sons was getting $3.799 for mid-grade. Since it was after 3 pm we figured we would plug a campground into the GPS and have a place to stop for the night.  The first Good Sams park (I wanted full hookups so I could flush the black water tank) in our direction of travel was Fla Net Park in Flanders, NJ.  So we rerouted onto I-80 and had more backups.  Fortunately the campground was only 27 miles from the gas station.

Once we got to the park and got setup it was time to find a place to eat.  The hostess at the campground office initially recommended Chili’s and Longhorn, which are O.K. but we typically go for more of the local flare – unless its Cracker Barrel ( We are pretty easy to shop for and the kids know it.  Cracker Barrel gift cards are the go-to’s for them.)   I told the hostess that we would prefer something that is not a chain so she recommended Budd Lake Diner.  As I was searching the GPS for the diner an ITC Buffet popped up – I like buffets, plenty of selection, try a little of everything and then go back and empty what they make well!.  We head out of the park and get to the address of the buffet and there’s no buffet there.  So I put restaurants in the GPS and a little before Budd Lakes in the listing is Cracker Barrell.  Guess where we ended up?

I even got back to the campground in time to do a first flush on the black water tank.  Another flush tomorrow and it’ll be on the road to Boonsboro with a stay at a commercial campground since we will be a day early and the host camp site is currently occupied.

Packing Up!

Today is packing day – truck day to the Red Sox fans.  When we stay long term, typically two weeks or more everything comes out of the back of the Ram.  I have a generator and gas cans, a Weber Q grill with 5# and 20# propane bottles, two camp tables and two blue totes – one 23 gal. for the galley gray water and a 43 gallon for the rear tanks.  It is quite a process packing and unpacking.  I obviously unpack less when we are at campgrounds with utilities but dry camping gets everything out!  Because I’m a ‘place for everything and everything in its place” type of guy I like to pack the back of the truck the day before road day.  It makes it easier and neater to find things and to place last minute items in the truck on a travel day.  I also take any unused kiln dried wood along to the next destination.  I figure if Tetrault can move it across state lines so can I!

 Thinking about packing got me to work up an appetite and a slight craving for soup.  It’s 70 degrees here today and sunny so I don’t know where this soup thing came from?  Since Lori was also hungry we headed out to Partners Village Store for a quick bite to eat.  Partners carries an array of gifts, toys, books, cards, candy, specialty foods, and more, Partners is a center for community-inspired events featuring local authors, farmers, artisans, potters, poets, musicians… even local animals and favorite pets.  They also have a café which features deli quality sandwiches and homemade soups. 

While out we decided to hit Dunkin Donuts – the closest one was in Tiverton, RI – to ensure our phones were all backed up.  I had planned to wait until tomorrow night when we were at a commercial campground but you can never count on that.  Even with a WiFi extender in the trailer I cannot always get a good connection.

While making coffee this morning I noticed that I underestimated the amount we had so a stop to Lee’s for a quick replenish was next on the list.

Finally we get to load the truck and get some trailer items stowed.  There are a number of items that will have to wait until after breakfast in the morning or get stowed as we hook up.

For our last night we always eat out that way there are fewer dishes.  Breakfast will also be something that doesn’t dirty pots and pans – oatmeal or cold cereal or something in the bagel/toast family.  Everything will be in paper plates or bowls so we will not have any dishes to clean in the morning.  The dinner decision was easy.  We decided to return to Nick’s for pizza.  It kind of surprised both of us since I love the Fall River style chow mein at Oriental Pearl and Lori is usually nuts about boneless pork!  But hey, it’s the last chance to get linguica and you can get Chinese food anywhere (except in PA where we had it once and it was…well…different).

Tomorrow is a road day so lets see what happens.  Be safe!

Tribute to Immigrants

Today was laundry day plus a day to spend with the grandkids.  We needed to get laundry done since we will have three days on the road and it has been a week since the last time we visited the Laundromat (why does spell check capitalize laundomat?).  As is our normal mode we tried to get as much done as we could while away from the campground.  Our first visit was to Standard Marine Outfitters on Pope’s Island.  I needed a boat hook since the Ram has an 8-foot bed and I’m more like the guy with T-Rex arms.  Climbing into the bed every time I need something just a foot past the tailgate is annoying.  Lori has also been asking for a ‘slicker’ style raincoat and fishing supply stores are the best places to get coats that are impervious to water.  Remember these from grammar school kids?  The staff at Standard was extremely helpful and it was also 30% of clothing sale time so the shopping was pleasant.  Across the street from Standard Marine is Prince Henry the Navigator Park.  The park was a gift to the city from the Prince Henry Society of New Bedford and the Portuguese government.  The main feature of the park is a large granite and bronze statue of Prince Henry looking out towards the hurricane barrier in the harbor. The statue stands as a tribute to the immigrants who came and built America.

Next was a stop at Walmart for a quick exchange and then to the post office to finally get post card stamps and pre-stamped post cards.  Not a store in the area sells souvenir post cards but this post office sells the stamps! Hey, Falmouth post office this may be a gold mine.

From there it was time with the grandkids.  They are growing so quickly and we will miss a lot of their development over the winter.  Thankfully there is FaceTime!

Cape Cod Here We Come!

As predicted, the rains came - and so did the wind.  That’s beach living – the meeting of land and sea always causes for high winds when the storm fronts come.

We decided that we would knock an item off the to-do list – at least partially.  When we get to Southeaster Massachusetts we like to visit Cape Cod.  Especially after Labor Day when most of the seasonal tourist have left and the shops run discounts to clear stock.  Because of our schedule we decided we would only take in Falmouth.  It is the first major shore town over the Bourne Bridge so there are plenty of shops and galleries to visit.  We found ample parking for the Ram in the lot at the intersection of Post Office Rd. and Katherine Lee Bates Rd. behind Eastman’s Hardware.  This put us right in the middle of the downtown section of the city.

Umbrella in hand we headed for the Chamber of Commerce to grab one of those cute cartoon maps of the area.  While there Lori noticed they had postcards and they were only 25 cents apiece – compared to $2.00 each at Davoll’s.  From there it was a stop in Noonan Park just to watch the world pass.  

As we’re sitting there the rain starts to pick up so we decided to investigate some of the local shops.  We first hit Celebrations, a unique gift shop with year-round Christmas items and Cape Cod themed gifts. Next we dodged the rain by ducking into The Gallery on Main.  This gallery has some incredible artwork including some fabulous seafaring pencil art by Barry O’Neil.  Some of O’Neil’s pencil art, including military drawings showing ships and aircraft, was displayed in the back room of the gallery because the gallery was setting up for a show in the evening.  After we leave the gallery and are heading down the street I noticed that most of the local businesses had bowls of water out for four-legged friends.  I always admire places were well mannered dogs are encouraged.  

As we are walking down the street we see Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium and I immediately think of Stowe, VT and the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.  I wonder if Ben & Bill’s can replicate it?  Turns out – close but no cigar – but this is still a great cup of hot chocolate, just not enough to knock off the top guy!

Now the rain is really picking up along with the wind so we decide to wrap up the visit.  We make a stop at the post office to get stamps.  For some reason the Falmouth Post Office does not carry pre-stamped blank post cards or post card stamps?  You would think with all the stores that sell postcards nearby there would be a run on the 35 cent postcard stamps.

As a closing thought we noticed this sign in Ben & Bills’ 

Who sees a display of chocolate boxes and says “Let me taste something in each box until I find the one I like.”?  Do we need to run the park bench scene from Forrest Gump?