ECS Days 4-6

July 28

After Raspberry Pancakes (ouch), we prepared to leave. Our first attempt to dump the View was a bit of a disaster. It has a complicated system for getting rid of grey water (the shower and sink stuff). It requires pumping, and the pump made noise but didn’t pump. SO, it was a manual release of the water and lots of questions (we’ll look for a Winnebago dealer soon).

But we moved on, bought some sheets for the many beds, and had a fairly foggy drive along the Maine coast to Campobello Island. We had an easy border crossing and got to Herring Cove Provincial Park (Site 40, $25.40) around noon.

It wasn’t a great afternoon and, in fact, poured most of the evening and night (and water ran down the road onto our site and under our brand new and great Eureka Hexagon Screen House WITH WALLS!). But we were safe and dry and enjoyed the comforts of the View.

Here’s the view of the View:

July 29

The prospects for better weather for the next few days led us to book another night on our way to our first (foggy) beach walk together:

After lunch, we took a big bike ride (13.9 km) up and down the hills of the island (we’d forgotten that part!) and enjoyed the coves, especially where the Deer Island ferry comes in. I got a huge handful of beach glass, and we were able to see how the View would fare on the ferry, maybe Thursday:

Before dinner, I went on another, long beach walk (and see what a difference a few hours and some sunshine make on the same views from this morning):

I even found four tiny pieces of beach glass (rare on this pebbly beach). It was a great day!

July 30

Today’s better weather didn’t quite materialize, though it was a warm if foggy day.

We did some more View investigation searching behind and under things, first for any clues to why the pump isn’t pumping and then just to see what is covered.

I went for a bike ride, and, after lunch, we decided to drive the island, First was the Mullholland Point Lighthouse just across from Lubec. Saw some (quick to dive) seals!

Then Friar’s Head and out to the East Quoddy Head Lighthouse (it IS there!). Notice the difference between the ends of the small island:

And finally, Head Harbour:

Back home to pack up, have dinner, take a walk and a enjoy a good end to a nice visit to Campobello Island!

East Coast Swing (ECS) Days 1-3

July 25

We picked up our new MoHo, a 2015 Winnebago View 24V, on Monday and set out today for our first journey in this little beauty. Here’s our first “View of the View”  (at the end of the day in Vermont):

Mandy likes her new home though she yowled a couple of times when we started then found a nice, safe hidey hole for travelling. So, here’s her first Cat’s Eye View in the View:

It’s quiet, drives well (according to David so far) and is VERY good for mileage (it’s Diesel and seems to be getting 20+ mpg!).

We got food, etc. in Alexandria Bay and drove to Grand Isle, Vermont. We decided to stay in this private campground (Goose Point, Site 16, $32.50)with hydro for further testing of the View’s “electrical” attributes. It was a crowded place, right on the road, but it had a nice view from my chair (that’s Lake Champlain in the background):

It was a good first day in the new machine.

July 26

Okay, LOVE our new bed. It’s two Twins with a third Twin-sized centre that folds down. Seriously. From a corner Double to bigger-than-a-King with windows on both sides and behind. On my. Enough room for us, Mandy, tossing and turning, and canoodling. Yay!

We headed to North Conway, New Hampshire, for some shopping (need new linens and things). It was a nice, leisurely drive through the mountains. We even encountered a big charity Poker Run at a rest stop:

We shopped some (I got Crocs and panties) and visited a Camping World to check out surge protectors and awning shades (need to research more before we buy) and ended up in Auburn, Maine at a Walmart for the night (sorry, no “Views” today).

July 27

We left early and it was a short drive to the actual Coast (finally!). Let the real trip begin. Here are some observations:

• Maine has many international town names (Belfast, Palermo and China to name a few)
• In South China, saw a sign for “China Dolls Daycare” which made me smile since I’ve just finished reading Lisa See’s “China Dolls”
• Second Baptist Church (have seen MANY First Baptists, but our first Second)
• Waldo County Democrats with a sign “Office for Lease” (a little early?)
• BIG bridge over Penobscott River (I had to stop saying the “Donald” part)

Got to Lamoine State Park around noon and snagged an awesome waterfront site (Site 56, $27) since someone cancelled. We even had our own raspberry patch (and I got stung in the finger!). We had lunch and I walked the beach (finally) and even found some small pieces of beach glass, a feat in this shells only beach:

Oh bliss: ocean view, red wine, the new Maeve Binchy, my hubby and my cat (not necessarily in that order). AND a MoHo with several seating options (since it rained). I even met a woman from Ottawa who knows a former Fleming colleague!

Here’s the view of the View (with Mandy and rose bushes):

…and the view from my chair:

Spring 2014

We like to take a shorter trip late June, just before the kids are out of school. This year, we took a tour of New York State Parks on the St. Lawrence and in the Adirondacks. We  had a week of great weather and good biking and hiking.
June 17
I love packing the MoHo! It means a new adventure is about to start. We had a nice, easy trip to our first destination: Keewaydin State Park (Site 25), just past Alexandria Bay, NY. It’s a small park (48 sites) with a pool and lots of parking for boat trailers; these parks along the river are all about fishing. After lunch, I strolled the trail through the remnants of the original private estate that once was here in all it’s 19th century glory. It was buggy!

June 18
We travelled only 7 miles to Kring State Park, still on the river. Site 63 may have been the best campsite we’ve ever had for scenery. We were perched high on a hill with a perfect view of the St. Lawrence. We rode our bikes (7 km) and mostly sat in our chairs and enjoyed the sunshine and the river, complete with freighters passing by and a lot of bird action followed by a beautiful sunset.

June 19 and June 20
We left the river and headed into the mountains. It was a nice drive through small towns (we saw a Border Patrol truck near Gouverneur; why?) past rustic, Adirondack-style architecture and lakes and rivers. We stopped at Cranberry Lake Campground. It’s a big park (167 sites) along the shore of a beautiful lake. We picked Site 54 in a wooded loop and enjoyed the quiet.
Next morning, we rode through the park (7 km) and decided to hike (4 miles return) the Bear Mountain Trail. It was a rocky climb but invigorating (hmm…). Unfortunately, the view of the lake from the top was obscured by trees, but it was a major accomplishment. We were tired and returned hoping for beer and peace and quiet. Famous last words. It was the weekend and the four adults and six or seven kids that moved into the site across from us changed the tranquility. It would be time to move on.

June 21
We took Highway 3 further through the mountains, past lots of Lupins, log cabins, 1940’s era Motor Inns, and lots of bicyclists. We arrived at Crown Point Campground located in the shadows of the new bridge that crosses Lake Champlain between New York and Vermont. Another beautiful sunny day for exploring the adjoining Champlain Memorial Lighthouse (the beautiful sculptures are by Rodin) and the State Historic Site with the remains of Fort St. Frederic and Fort Crown Point (battlefield during the French and Indian War).

June 22
Another sunny morning! We drove away from the rustic scenery into the more Colonial structures north along the lake to the Ausable Point Campground. Here we found a sandy beach and “two solitudes”: Quebec campers (LOTS of them) in the campsites along the beach and New Yorkers (well, a very small number of them and us) in the more wooded sites. We rode out to the adjoining Wildlife Management Area and on to Route 9 (with wide bike lanes; NY is great for biking) for 15 km. It was a beautiful ride with Colonial homes, sailboats on the lake, and a view of the mountains.

June 23
Another gorgeous day. We headed back to the St. Lawrence after a final drive through the Adirondacks.
Finally an interesting business: Pet Cemetery and Wood & Pellet Stoves!
We pulled in to Robert Moses State Park (Site 226) and settled in. We took a 20 km bike ride through the park and to the nearby Eisenhower Lock and watched a freighter go through. We also rode to the Moses-Saunders Power Dam (between Massena, NY and Cornwall, ON).  And, for Linda and Denny, there was yet ANOTHER War of 1812 reminder!

June 24
We had intended to stay another day, but it stormed and rained all night and we woke to more rain, so we headed out. We stopped in Gananoque and ALMOST bought a new MoHo (we stayed firm on our offer) and got home safely after a great Spring Trip!