RV Trips: Atlantic Seashore (AS) Days 1-4

We love to get in one more trip before winter, and the ocean usually calls. This is our third trip to the Atlantic Seashore, and the weather looks promising.

September 28

We got away by 8:30 in the sun, so all bodes well. There was a fairly long line at the Gananoque border crossing (25 minutes), but we were at Customs for about 20 seconds (we figure we’re on the frequent driver list!).

The Fall colours are a little less intense here, but becoming beautiful. Mandy wasn’t thrilled to begin with and found her best perch for a Cat’s Eye View:

We stopped at the Flying J at Exit 219 on I81. It was busy and noisy but we had surprisingly good pizza and this interesting view from my chair:

September 29

We were up and away very early and noted the Exxon on northbound I81 for a place to stop on the way home.

We may be fugitives from PA Turnpike justice. We got our toll ticket, drove the North/South distance, then followed the GPS’s advice to “stay left on Highway 476” and missed the Toll Booth for payment at the other end. We expect an envelope in the mail when we get back (not much to be done from here).

We kept passing RV after RV going north in Delaware and wondered what we were missing (like was there a hurricane?) until we kept seeing lime green stickers in their windows and figured that they were heading home after a race weekend at the Dover Speedway. And we were right!

As soon as we crossed into Maryland, we kept seeing “War of 1812” licence plates. Yet another reminder that WE won that war! Ha!

We got to the Assateague National Seashore and didn’t see many welcoming horses. We bought our National Park Pass and booked A22 ($25) for two nights (we stayed here two years ago). We have a bay view.

We got the bikes out and rode some and walked the beach (9.3 km) and saw some horses, a turkey and a lots of Great and Snowy Egrets (and some people!):

Once back, we realized we were beside three campsites that housed a family (two couples with three kids each and Grandma and Grandpa). Of course, the loud gathering place was in the site right beside us. Oh well.

Here’s the view from my chair:

September 30

Turkeys in our campsite!

But no horses. There seems to be fewer, though there IS a lot of poop.

We took a long bike ride and beach walk (20 km). Near the bridge, there were scores of Egrets, gulls, a Willet and ducks feeding in the marshes. We even caught sight of two Tri-coloured Herons:

There was a sweet deer just growing his antlers and a few horses:

Later, I walked the Marsh Trail and saw some aquatic life:

Then two more deer and a lovely “desert” display:

Back to the beach and a guy being pulled along the sand on his Segue!:

It was a good day. Here’s a view of the View (and our awesome screenhouse that was mandatory here; the bugs were terrible):

October 1

We decided to head further south and try Chincoteague and the Virginia portion of the Assateague National Seashore.

On the way, we passed some mid-term election signs:

Bud Church (worshipping beer? marijuana? Nah, he’s running for County Commissioner)
Dale SMACK, running for Orphans Court Judge (two unfortunate names in one)

In Virginia, we were welcomed with the Dixieland Sign (it’s a smoke and souvenir shop) with “The South Starts Here” emblazoned on a Confederate flag!

Chincoteague is a built up tourist town on the water, much like Virginia Beach. We found Tom’s Cove Campground and booked for two nights (eeks, $47.95 a night). But it’s pretty and quiet this time of year.

We drove over to the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and decided to ignore the “No Pets, Not Even In Your Vehicle” sign and drove around. We saw a few horses and a long line of Double-crested Cormorants in a feeding frenzy:

We were feeling bad about the “No Pets” thing (and we’re already Turnpike Bad Guys), so stopped and asked if that was really true, and the Parks people said yes, so we headed back and measured the distance for biking tomorrow (only 2.5 miles to the Refuge then however many miles we wish inside).

We decided to ride around Chincoteague (5 miles) and passed lots of restaurants, gift shops and t-shirt stores, but not many people (but we can imagine what the summer would be like). We stopped for delicious homemade ice cream!

This is where there is a yearly “Pony Swim” from Assateague to Chincoteague after which the ponies are paraded through town and are penned in the fairgrounds where some are sold before the rest of the herd is delivered back to Assateague: