OB October 5

Just a few last words on this shortened trip.

Our Walmart stay in Waterdown was unusually loud: people shouting, generators running (all night!), motorcycles and cars roaring by. In the morning, there were two large Prevost buses, and also three large Class A’s right beside us (from Quebec), in a horseshoe with the centre a gathering place. Usually , people are discreet when parked in Walmarts. won’t stay here again.

We unpacked quickly and I spent last night watching news and reading more about the US government. I must let it go!

Short trip for sure, but always great to travel together in our little house. Come on Spring!

OB October 4

Today was just driving, but at least it was some lovely autumn leaves in Pennsylvania and New York.

We’ve seen a lot of “Wawa” gas stations this trip and just noticed that their symbol is a Canada Goose. So appropriate (as you Canadians may note).

Since I had a lot of time to think, I reflected on what Americans were saying about “Obamacare” and other things. The most telling was the woman who said that their “Constitutional Rights” and laws had been broken by this Administration. No time to ask for details. But am I right to guess that the right to bear arms and the freedom to choose (as in the right to opt out of healthcare) might be what she and others seem to be talking about. I find this all so perplexing. I must learn some more (but not from MSNBC or CNN who “lie” according to our patriot friend in Assateague; by the way, he also loves Ted Cruz!).

Anyway, I have noticed that there are a LOT of billbiards for health Insurance providers (way to get in there!).

Okay, enough.

The drive from Lancaster to I81 along Highway 61 would have been great aside from all the construction. There were diners everywhere: shiny ones!

We got to Watertown for a final night in a Walmart. Since I missed last night’s view from my chair, here are two from here:

OB October 3

I just realized calling this blog “OB” for “Outer Banks” is officially a misnomer. Oh well.

We got away early on an other sunny morning towards Lancaster, PA and Amish Country.

First, we stopped and took the Factory Tour of the Harley Davidson Plant in York:

It was okay and we saw some nice Hogs and even got a postcard and pin for a souvenir!

Next, we did our usual quick and fruitless tour of an outlet mall.

But our reward was an amazing tour of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. I’ll let the picture speak for themselves. We were pretty much the only ones there. I noted the differences between me and David in a place like this. I was drawn to all the displays with words and stories and people and artifacts: the social history. David was drawn to the machines, and since he had the camera…

We then found a Walmart after seeing two Amish men on scooters. A little reading taught us that bicycles are forbidden since too “mechanical” and might take young people too far away, but scooters (foot-powered) were allowed (though one of the young men was watching all the action at Walmart).

Nice day. But I forgot to get a view from my chair (but it WAS Walmart!).

OB October 2

Despite the beautiful sunrise:

there has been no movement on ending the government shutdown, so we decided to cut our losses and begin the trek home.

We drove south to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and head back north towards Amish Country and maybe some outlet shopping.

We saw unpicked cotton fields in Exmore and the beginnings of the Harvest Festival at the foot of the bridge. There was a huge State Police presence, and the toll lady told us it was for “the drinking”!

Our attempt to outlet shop in Williamsburg was dumbfounded by the GPS and bad directions (just the beginning).

So we headed north thinking we should have just turned back north from the campground; oh well).

First overnight possibility was a Walmart in Woodbridge, south of Washington, but they didn’t allow overnighters.

Then we decided to get north of Washington. Traffic, weird directions (to avoid the main areas of DC though it SHOULD have been empty!) led us to a Welcome Centre in Maryland with no overnighting. The TA Truck Stop in Jessup was PACKED (and across the road from a jail). So we headed to a Walmart in Columbia. They welcomed us, we got Mexican takeout, and we’re here for the night. What a day.

I’ll post my chair view tomorrow!

OB October 1

Biked 4.5 KM

Despite a beautiful morning, we knew the government had shut down and we needed to rethink our trip.

First we enjoyed the morning horse visits (and David saved the neighbours from destruction):

We hung around for a while and decided to leave for Virginia (we found a Passport America campground for $23.75). After reserving, we left. I tried to get my National Park Passport signed at the Seashore Visitors Centre and at the Assateague Visitors Centre, but staff were leaving (and barricades we being readied). So we headed south.

Some interesting things?

• A billboard with the message “Open-Minded Billboard Looking for Long-Lasting Relationship” (complete with pic of a babe on a diving board!).
• A “Mexican Store” with the sign “Want to Keep Your Guns? Vote Republican” Needless to say, the store was closed down.
• “Savage Taxidermy” (how savage can you be?

We got some chicken and take-out BBQ (North Carolina style; very vinegary) and headed to Virginia Landing in Quinby, VA. It was a long drive down a twisty road to a nice place. We set up, rode the bikes and watched Canada Geese, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Killdeers, and Kingfishers:

Fred and Sharon, who were kicked out of Assateague, showed up here as well.

This place is pretty and resembled an old plantation. I asked, and learned it was a horse farm in the late 1800’s, a “squat” for people in the old horse barns for years after it shut down, a gated community (there are some nice houses just behind our site) until it failed and now a Thousand Trails campground.

Things don’t look promising yet, so we’re still conflicted about how long we’ll stay in the area. But tomorrow is another day.

Despite the promised rising of a moon over the bay (it was foggy), we enjoyed dinner and are watching TV!

Here’s the view from my chair:

OB September 30

Hiked and Biked 12.5 KM

It was a beautiful morning! We had a leisurely morning, chatting with Fred and Sharon. The horses put on quite a show as they scrounged the campsite across from ours. The beagle, Jack, held his own:

We discovered that the family with seven kids actually has 10 here (and four more at home). Yep, and all from the one set of parents. And home-schooled. And very well-behaved. Duggars!

David caught a view of (and pretty good pic of) a new Life Bird, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo:

We rode to the beach, walked and enjoyed the waves and seashells. And, of course, horses:

After lunch, we rode to the bridge which joins Assateague Island to the mainland. On the way back, had my photo snapped by a local newspaper guy who was doing a story on people at National Parks who would be affected by the pending government shutdown tomorrow. Yep, that’s us. Eeks.

David chatted with two Harley riders (I sat quietly, listening at a distance) walking through the campground. In just a few minutes, we discovered that they were everything we weren’t in terms of US politics (and Cable news). They love Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Hannity. They hate Obama (though as a patriot-which he kept saying-he had to respect the role). They were fundamentalist Christians. We agreed to disagree!

Back home we lazed and read then joined Stacy and Mike, Jack’s “parents”. They are very funny and we enjoyed standing around their fire. Fred and Sharon joined us. Back home for dinner and worries about what we’ll be doing as the government shutdown seems imminent.

In the meantime, here’s this morning view from my chair:

OB September 29

Hike and Biked 12.5 KM

We were up early after being awakened in the night by a low-flying helicopter (probably) and a Screech Owl (we think, though Peterson’s doesn’t list a Screech Owl any more).

It was a quick drive to Assateague National Seashore, and we were welcomed right away by some horses:

We paid for two nights (Site C49) since it IS possible that the government will shut down Tuesday and we’ll be S.O.L.

It was early, so we walked the beach for an hour, saw some Gulls and Sanderlings:

some people fishing, and the gathering for the funeral of a local surfer:

Apparently, the ritual is for surfing friends to go out in to the water and form a circle with boards as a tribute. We didn’t stay, but it sounded lovely.

We got to our site, ate lunch, met Sharon and Fred, our neighbours from Seattle, and went for a bike ride amongst horses and Egrets:

Back at the site, we talked some more to Sharon and Fred, met more neighbours with their Hound, Jack-for Jack Daniels, and saw a doe and two fawns (one was hiding):

David found a patch of Prickly Pear Cactus (way out here?)":

then we watched as a horse helped himself to the food on a neighbour’s picnic table (there are seven kids and two adults!). Apparently it got at least one bag of marshmallows:

There was a glorious sunset tonight:

Here’s the view from my chair:

Outer Banks (OB): September 27 and 28

September 27

Loved the Eastern Seashore last fall, so decided on a couple of weeks out here again this year.

We left in plenty of time and had a leisurely drive to Gananoque and a two-second border crossing. We were passed by several police vehicles, including seven motorcycle cops. We’re thinking maybe a funeral somewhere east?

The leaves are starting to change through New York and Pennsylvania. Speaking of New York, have you ever noticed the Greek and Roman names of towns along I81? Cicero, Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Camilius,, Homer, Ithaca and Marathon? Have thought this before but am writing it for the first time.

We stayed in the PA Welcome Center but wouldn’t recommend it (very noisy). Go further south and stay in the Flying J at Exit 211.

It was a good travelling day. Here’s the view from my chair:

September 28

Up early and off to Delaware. We passed a sign for “Quaker Steak and Lube” and two “Bieber” buses (you never know).

In Smyrna, DE, there is a great Welcome Center with an interesting set up for truckers. Since there is  “No Idling”, there are machines in the parking lot and you can pay for heat, cooling and hydro for you vehicle. Very interesting.

We passed through Dover and it was Race Weekend at Dover Downs (race was Sunday). There were RVs everywhere and tailgate set ups and lots of people. And, for some reason, there were scores of Yard Sales set up along Highway 13.

We headed for the Trap Pond State Park and passed another phenomenon: hydro poles (or just tall tree trunks) for TV aerials.

We got to the park, paid our $30, got water and electricity and stayed in a noisy Saturday night place.

Here’s the view from my chair:

NL August 8

Ahhh…a sunset over Reitman’s!

Our little Walmart campground grew and was safe all night.
We were up and away early for the last leg of the drive. Nothing really to report. But we got a picture of this:

THAT is why we call all Moose “Prudence” (often calling her name or singing the song, “Dear Prudence”).
The bridge below Montreal proved again to be stress reliever, though there was some traffic where 20 exits on to 30 (new construction which will be finished soon).
We got back around 7:30 safely.
It was an amazing holiday to a very special place.
Here's an album of all the beautiful wildflowers we saw (and partially identified) this trip:
https://picasaweb.google.com/113390676240612869195/2013NewfoundlandAndLabradorWildFlowers

NL August 7

Great sunny day for driving.

In Nova Scotia, we passed exit signs for Monastery, then Monk (and a little later, for Moncton!).

We now know why we don’t see Moose in New Brunswick. There are signs on the Moose fences saying “Close Gate After Use”. We figure the Moose are very obedient and close the gates on themselves (or maybe the signs are for snowmobilers????).

We’re now in the Walmart parking lot in Edmundston, New Brunswick. Remember how we commented on the unheard of English only or bilingual French and English signs in Blanc Sablon, Quebec (two seconds from Labrador)? And how unheard of those signs would be in the rest of the French-only Quebec?

Well, this Walmart is in New Brunswick (a bilingual province), and all the signs inside and out are French only. Interesting:

This parking lot is like a mini campground, so we feel quite safe. We met two couples from Ontario (they admired the MoHo) and one guy said some kids sprayed his trailer with ketchup at 1:30 in the morning. It was in Quebec. Not sure why it happened, and it’s the first time we’d heard anything like this. Something to think about. But we’re good tonight, and here’s the view from my chair:

NL August 6

Even a grocery store parking lot has a nice sunset:

Seagulls, Newfoundland’s Roosters, woke us up to a sunny/black sky mix. We stopped at the wharf again then headed to the ferry. And, on our way, saw this beautiful rainbow, a fitting end to our trip here:

Saw this in the parking lot. Who would band a Gull, and WHY????

We say goodbye to Port aux Basques (including the local wharf which was struck, and damaged, by the ferry a week ago):

And here’s our last pic of Newfoundland for now:

The seven-hour ride was great. It was sunny and warm and we spent the whole time on deck enjoying the ocean and conversation with Guy and Francine from Quebec, fellow kayakers. No whales, but we did see spouts.

We were welcomed to North Sydney by buildings which would protect our bodies and souls:

Once on shore, we headed to Port Hawkesbury and passed some interesting restaurant signs:

• Lick A Chick (and the side ice cream business Lick A Treat)
• and two derogatory (yet self-named) places: The Spaghetti Benders and The Herring Chokers

We got some KFC and stayed in the Walmart. Here’s the (morning after) view from my chair: