Home Oct 5

And that was it.  Even our last attempted hike the next morning was pretty much scrubbed by a massive mosquito population determined to send us packing!  With no particular hurry to get there, we broke camp and drove the last few miles back to the address officially known as home.

It’s been just over a week now since our return and it’s taken me this long to actually put these finals touches on our last recollections.  Life here moves at a much quicker pace.  With the calendar filling rapidly in the weeks and months ahead, each day fills itself as well.  Doctor visits to catch up on, friends to reconnect with, even sorting through the mail all keep us running. 

We’ve been able to spend time with the kids and Madi has visited repeatedly to our delight.  We’ve spent quality time with friends, attended a few parties and even a gala and it seems that our adventure is already in the distant past.  I have no regrets - for going nor returning.  No regrets, but I can’t help but slip into planning where we head next….

We’ll see you there!!!

The Final Days of Summer Oct 2 - 4

We invited John and Penny to the driveway for oatmeal and fresh baked muffins in the morning before our planned departure of the day.  We were excited when they agreed to join us that evening for a bbq and a taste of RV living at the campsite we hoped to secure just under an hour’s drive down the highway.

The plan was to arrive early enough to secure a first come first serve site at Croatan National Forest.  The park had not answered their phones all morning so we said a quick good bye and see you later to John and Penny and hit the road.  It was a quick drive and we arrived right on time for checkout.  Despite half the campground being empty, I was unable (a first!) to convince the campground host that he could find us a site for the night.

Being that John and Penny had agreed to come join us at our campsite for dinner and get a taste of our life off the grid, we couldn’t go much further away.  The only real option we had was at Goose Creek Campground, a commercial RV park and certainly not the “natural” setting we had hoped for. 

We checked in and picked our site along a nice little stretch of water.   It wasn’t as bad as we had envisioned really.  Being a brutally hot day, the gleaming pool didn’t seem like a bad option nor did the power we hooked up to!  We got ourselves settled, took a stroll around the campground finding a peaceful area along the intracoastal waterway and then put our suits on and headed for the pool.

John and Penny arrived and we gathered under the shade of the awning as the sun took its leave.  After a filling barbeque complete with fresh baked key lime pie, we wrapped up our amazing time together feeling thankful that, once again, this journey had allowed us another long overdue re-connection.

Having moved far enough south and with the high temps refusing to give way to fall, we woke the next morning knowing we were close to home.  Not taking time for much else, we packed up our campsite and started the final stretch south.  We crossed the border into South Carolina before noon and battled our way through the still congested traffic around Myrtle Beach as the sun continued to beat down.

Figuring it was best not to officially arrive back at the end of a day, our final destination was just a stone’s throw from home.  We had camped at Buck Hall plantation just north of Charleston before, using it for a short weekend breather in the last RV.  Thankful to have hookups with the unusually hot weather, we got ourselves set up and the a/c on full tilt. 


Being that this journey truly WAS being measured in friends, not miles we had invited our good buds from Charleston to come up and spend the evening.  Why not?!  They must have been excited to see us, arriving mid-afternoon despite the heat! 

We had had intentions of a solid hike before the day was over.  No chance!  With good friends to catch up with, we wasted no time with healthy habits!  The wine was opened, the snacks brought out and we enjoyed the shade of the awning and the breeze as the day marched on.

It wasn’t long before I started looking at getting dinner ready and we all realized that there was too much fun being had to rush anything.   With the beverages continuing and plenty more to talk about, Dick and Karen accepted our invitation to spend the night.  We shared a momentous last dinner on the road, played some cards and made an all around great adventure of our final night out.

Yet More Fun with Friends Sept 30 - Oct 2

We had a good drive on our hands to reach our next destination.  We met John and Penny in the Keys in January of 2012 during our first year of Moonshadow’s sailing chapter.  Instant friends “back in the day”, we had only crossed paths once since as they sailed through Charleston later that spring. 

Being that our homeward path brought us down the coast, we looked them up for a rendezvous.  Once again, fate would provide not only easy and perfect homesite camping but reconnection with great acquaintances and limitless fun!

We arrived mid afternoon having broken camp early and a long, stop and go drive down the coast.  We had skipped lunch not finding the right opportunity and trying to stay on schedule.  Once again, we were able to maneuver our monster cozily along the driveway and were settled in no time.  We wasted no time catching up and, before we knew it, we were sitting in a waterside bar, drink in hand. 

The rest of the day was spent bar and food hopping through the quirky and quaint town of Beaufort.  Ever the sailors favorite, the eateries and little haunts were not hard to find and we moved about with our long time resident friends who introduced us to one character after another.  Full of food and drink, we arrived back to their home and played the night away with good conversation, a fun game of Blokus (never heard of THAT one before!) and general shenanigans. 

We weren’t hooked up to power but the quiet neighborhood and the night breezes provided a good night’s sleep.  After a lazy morning, John and Penny hit the gym sending Rob and I to hike a nearby trail.  We drove out from Morehead City to  We visited the historic fort built pre Civil War.  Built by Robert E. Lee as a project as a young army engineer, it is beautifully restored and sits on a gorgeous area of shoreline.
Fort Macon State Park.

We toured the fort then hiked the forested and swampy bay side before breaking out to the gorgeous dune trail on the return.  Appreciating the beauty of the area and soaking up the hot but healing sunshine, we were happy to return to the car’s a/c and the ride back. 

Again missing lunch, we decided on a midday main meal and headed back downtown to try out a relatively new Mexican spot.  With darn good margaritas and some of the best guacamole we’ve ever had, we filled ourselves with main   
dishes that continued to impress.  As if that wasn’t enough, we apparently needed to hit a brewery and didn’t stop until trying the local ice cream! 

Needing a break from fun and frivolity, we put our eating frenzy to rest for a short while.  Rob had noticed an open mic happening at a spot downtown and decided he had to make his debut – THAT DAY!  Of course he also decided I needed to be his backup and we found ourselves heading back to the bar hours later with guitar in tow.

We had a fun night watching the other “acts” that ranged from a novice or maybe two to a 13 year old wonderfully talented fiddle player and obviously established local bands using the time for live band practice!  There was We were second to last on the lineup so we got to enjoy everyone – with me feeling more and more like bailing on the whole idea!!  Our time finally was up and the crowd was down to our kind friends and the remaining local diehards who were taking their drinking seriously.  With a bit of a mis-start, we managed to make our way through Rob’s chosen three Johnny Cash tunes before I could jump the stage and RUN!!

John and Penny were ever so gracious to support and took a video of the whole “ordeal”.  Returning home near 11, Rob couldn’t wait to see the video as they played it full screen.  We laughed, critiqued and finally settled down from the high energy of the night and an amazing time with good friends!

Back to the Beaches Sept 27 - 30

We knew we had some serious driving ahead of us being a Friday afternoon in a large metropolitan area.   We were right.  From the start, traffic was congested and red sections were appearing all along our planned route for the day.  Again, we weren’t even sure exactly where we were headed. 

Getting around Philly and into the Delaware peninsula, we could wander the Chesapeake, follow the beaches or just head straight down the middle.  We ended up taking the beach route because it looked to have sections where just driving would provide scenic reward. 

We bussed our way down the coastal highway in the Friday afternoon throng.  With less nature to see than expected, there were other distractions.  We noticed the sound first.  What looked like normal cars were sounding like they were on a race track.  Then we noticed the wheels, the mufflers … calling our son, Matt, he informed us the H20i was happening.  The numbers of souped up cars and crazy drivers was … impressive (for lack of a better word).

Anyway, long story short, we did make it to the border – and a WalMart.  Having missed our opportunity to book a campsite in the area state parks, we gave up and succumbed to our old standby.  We spent the night wandering into the small, depressed town of Pocomoke City not finding it quite what was billed as the “friendliest town on the eastern shore” despite attending the Friday night social gathering downtown.

Glad to get back on the road in the morning, we headed to the Outer Banks.  Neither of us had ever been so we were hoping to get lucky and score a first come first served campsite.  We both thought a latte sounded good and I directed us to the only coffeehouse I found along the way that didn’t have Star or Dunkin in its name!!  We headed for Hickory Trading Co that showed latte art on their website and the added bonus of being filled with local crafts supporting persons with special needs.  Pulling our big lug into another weird parking situation, we went in to find a great concept but a bust of a coffeeshop!

Back on the road with our undrinkable coffee, we headed for the beach.  The highway toward the beaches covered rural areas and there were numerous farmers markets along the way with mass quantities of seasonal pumpkins to brighten the ride as the traffic increased…knowing we wanted to get to near the Delaware/Virginia border for the night, we journeyed on.

We marched our way through the small communities and out to the seashore.  We arrived at the Oregon Inlet Campground just in time to get their LAST site!  And even that was at the mercy of the attendant rangers at the welcome station who had “a moment” deciding if they could fit us in!  We were SO excited! 

The campground was set on the back side of the dunes.  Wide open, un-shaded and open to the elements, we got ourselves set up and primed for a day at the beach.  Our site didn’t have any services so we did our best to utilize the shade of our rig and awning and then headed out to walk the beach.

Having determined myself to now be a mountain girl, I was nonetheless once again entranced with the beach and the ocean.  We walked several miles enjoying the sand under our feet and the sound of the waves crashing.  The Outer Banks surprisingly allowed vehicles on the beach so, being a Saturday, there were a LOT of vehicles lined up with countless people fishing.  We watched several reel in their catches – one lost along the way and the other a good sized ray that put its captor up for a good fight.

The rest of the day was spent in full beach stupor with a lazy game of scrabble in the shade of the rig accompanied by several cold beverages.  Easing into the evening, the wind picked up as the sun dropped in the sky.  We enjoyed an al fresco grilled salmon dinner before losing what was left of daylight and then enjoyed the myriad of stars offered by the clear and near moonless night.

The next morning we learned our site remained available and we decided to stay another day.  With the temps climbing into the 90’s – our first really hot day since heading out in July – and no electricity, we knew we wouldn’t be spending the day in the sun.  We opted to try a bike ride and headed to the Bodie Island historic lighthouse just 2 miles away. 

There was an adequate shoulder on the main road but the sun was seriously hot and the wind was directly against us and building.  The 2 miles and then another into the lighthouse seemed like double!  With lighthouse access limited to 8 at a time, we decided not to wait for the hour plus for our turn and wandered the area and its short nature walk before heading back out.

Wanting to get some exercise, we decided we should try to bike the rest of way back to Nags Head to see what we could find.  Another 6 miles against the wind left us both sweaty and spent when we arrived to Sunday morning in the less trafficked south end of town.  Nothing but the local convenience store was open so we scored some cold beverages and a seat on the shady front porch before the ride back to our beach home.

The ride back was momentously better!  With electrolytes replenished and the wind at our back, we flew back in a surprisingly short time.  We spent another lazy afternoon – lunch in the  
shade, a nap as the wind continued to build and the clouds began rolling in and another game of scrabble for good measure!

With the clouds and wind taking over, the temps dropped and we enjoyed another beach walk.  With the change in weather and the weekend being at its end, the beach was a whole new experience and we walked the sugary sand and crashing waves until we had our fill. 

With the wind blowing in earnest and the air turning cool enough to require another layer, we chatted with neighbors and whittled away the evening.  Each day was becoming more special knowing that our trip was soon to be left in our memories and on blog pages.   

Philly Family Sept 24 - 26

I had almost forgotten to check in with Uncle Bob about our being in the area and was so excited when a plan to connect came together.  We left from Ann and Trav’s house early knowing that our Philly destination would be a long day.  Little did we know!  As was our routine, we planned on stopping midway to stretch our legs and I started looking for a hike along the way.  Enjoying the changing colors as we drove, the distance passed quickly. 

I chose a hike just off the highway and we turned in to realize there was no parking for us.  In making the about face, Rob missed my frantic antics and yelling and took off the bumper (and made some adjustments to the quarter panel …) of another car!!!  Oh my.  We dealt with that and headed back out. 

Somehow, the day got longer quickly.  The next hike – and the next – were more no-goes.  Now with three missed attempts (one with a special memory) and the hour getting later, we were both getting irritable and frankly, sick of being on the road.  We pulled off the road to grab some lunch and found a better hike than we suspected along with a nice spot to enjoy a lunch outside. 

Now later than we had hoped, traffic was picking up and the roads were getting smaller.  We finally made it to just outside our destination and called Bob to get us in the final leg.  Bob lives on my cousin Mary’s property which sits on a beautiful riverfront.  The tricky part was the low arched rock bridge in our way!  Bob and cousin Julie showed up to escort us – DOWN THE BIKE PATH!!! 

After some convincing a by then very irritable Rob, we did in fact drive our monster on a bike path and down to the property – much to the chagrin of several bikers on the path!   We were both instantly thankful we hadn’t given up!  We were set up in the yard in minutes in a wonderfully scenic and peaceful location. 

It was so fun to reconnect with Bob, Mary and Julie and Rob and Mary’s husband, Tom, got along instantly!  It wasn’t long before beers were open and the grill was lit.  Mary’s daughters made appearances and we spent the night eating, drinking and catching up on the 15 years since we last saw each other! 

The next morning, Mary, Tom and Bob joined us for coffee in the rig.  Tom and Mary are talking about trying the RV adventure and that added plenty to talk about!  Mary headed off to work and the guys moved up to the deck as the morning disappeared.  Before long, it was time for us to get on the road – OR NOT!  We opted for taking everyone out for lunch!

With the rest of the day at our disposal, we all got our own “stuff” handled before Mary made it home and I made dinner for us all.  We enjoyed another great meal together before heading to the lower deck and the projection TV for the Eagles vs Packers game – quite the faceoff considering we were in Philly but hailed from Wisconsin! 

Mary didn’t have to work the next day and we had a leisurely morning with conversation still at a fevered pitch.  We still hadn’t come close to catching all the way up!  It was particularly special for me to be with Bob.  Bob has a lot of similar traits as my father who has been gone for 18 years now and also is strikingly like his late father who remained a witty character until his last days at 99 years old! 

Being that we weren’t in a hurry to get on the road, Tom treated us to a river tour on their pontoon boat.  We piled in and wandered the waterway for an hour soaking up the sunshine and enjoying being together.  Needing to get on the road, we shared a lunch of leftovers while making promises to be in touch before another 15 years passed!  And as quick as it came together, we were back on the bike path feeling much richer for the special time we had and headed for points toward home.

NY Fun with Family! Sept 19 - 24

How do I begin to recap 5 amazing days in New York city with my son and his family?  We left Charleston in July with our new and only grandchild just having turned one.  Madison is such a delight – as any new grandparents can easily relate to!  With our son Matt’s birthday falling late September, we thought it might be a great way to reconnect in the midst of our journey so we planned a NYC rendezvous.

The logistics seemed to be working.  With our great neighbor/friends Ann and Trav graciously allowing us to leave the RV in their care and BEYOND graciously escorting us to New Haven to catch the train, we found ourselves comfortably seated on the Metro North train and headed into the city.  The other BIG logistical factor was lodging in NYC with four adults and an energy-filled toddler!  Enter my sister, Joan, who lives in the East Village and – whether out of total selflessness or for self-preservation – gave us total run of her place for our visit! 

We arrived at Joan’s office where she would be camping out during our visit and helped her ready it for her stay before we all headed to our new digs for the next few days.  Matt, Danyelle and Madison’s plane was delayed and they didn’t arrive until after 10 that night.  In the meantime we did some preparation and enjoyed a picnic with her son, Carmelo, and an outdoor Springstein cover band concert in the neighborhood park.

The next four + days were a combination of total chaos and FUN!  Most mornings were spent finding the best bagel place in the area.  We tried Bagel Boss, David’s and Tompkins Square Bagels – who won the overall best breakfast sandwich designation.  Then it was coffee and we found Le Café by Union Square which became our go-to morning destination for talented baristas, amazing lattes and wonderful staff. 

Aside from the morning food and beverage routine, every day was different.  The first found us in endless wander mode putting miles and miles behind us and finding everything from the Italian Festival to some of Matt’s favorite shopping spots.  Midday, Matt and Danyelle scored reservations at a private club and they had a great night out with fun stories to tell and pictures to share while we blissfully played Papa and Lala!

Day two brought the morning routine and then we took off with Madi while they went exploring.  We were able to get pics of Madison on Madison Ave and we introduced her to a custard at the infamous Shake Shack in Madison Square Park.   We met back up with the kids to all head to the Brooklyn Brewery for a tour and ended up with quite a subway headache after repeated attempts to board our large party on one train after another during the late afternoon rush! 

With our plans thwarted, we attempted to find a replacement beer and wandered further until feet and tempers were worn!!!  Needing to regroup, Rob and I had a beer at a Zum Schneider before we learned the kids didn’t have their keys and we headed back their way.  Meeting back up on the street, Rob and Matt headed out to further “recover” while Danyelle and I stopped at a nearby restaurant and ordered up a Greek feast for dinner.

We took the food back to StuyTown to find the guys had taken BOTH sets of keys and neither were paying attention to their phones!  We made the best of it and set up an amazing picnic in the park.  Joni helped arrange for us to get back into the place (thanks, Melodee!) and we were well into Madi’s bath time when the guys wandered in.  We finished our VERY long day with our feet up and everyone back on track!

The next morning, I snuck out early to rendezvous for coffee with Joni, meeting at one of our favorite  After, we hiked back to StuyTown where the daily breakfast routine was happening.  While everyone got ready for the day, Rob and I headed to TKTS to get surprise tickets for Matt and D to a parody of The Office. 

spots, Lucid Café, to enjoy their amazing hot scones.

We were to meet back up at the Central Park Zoo so Rob and I headed there on foot from Times Square.  We all but arrived there when we realized timing was going to be tight and changed plans yet again and turned around to meet everyone for burgers right back in Times Square!  New York is great for exercise! 

The kids went to the show and we stayed busy.  Rob installed a faucet for Joni and Madi and I tested her office for kid-proofing!  The show was over and we met back up at Follia where we were able to connect with our niece Tifannie who lives in the East Village too.  Still full from midday burgers and spent with over 11 miles logged for the day, we sent the kids out for the night while we happily stayed put!

Our final full day was upon us and it was Matt’s birthday!  After another morning of routine and random wandering, we gathered for lunch at Joni’s fav Indian haunt, Saravanaah, for masala dosas and talis.  If you haven’t ever experienced a dosa, I suggest a detour to 26^th and Lex for the REAL  DEAL!  As if we hadn’t indulged enough, we further gorged ourselves with amazing coconut ice cream just around the corner at Van Lleewan.  The birthday was shaping up nicely! 

Just a few blocks away at 29th, Kalustyan’s is a fun experience.  Filled with everything from a full case of authentic halva to a selection of bitters near an aisle long to every dried fruit and I swear any tea you could dream up!  Matt and Danyelle even found some Happy Birthday tea, fitting for the occasion! 

Making up for our missed brewery tour over the subway mishap, we sent the guys off to Brooklyn for a specialty tour later that afternoon.  While they were gone, Danyelle and I went to the famous bakery, Veniero’s, for birthday “supplies”.   We had a fun night celebrating being together and Matt’s birthday with Carmelo and Matt keeping us all entertained.

The final morning arrived.  Carmelo was gone early for school and Joni was at her office and already into a full day.  We each busied ourselves packing and putting things back in order before heading out for the final bagel breakfast together.   We returned to grab our bags and say our goodbyes and before we knew it, we were back on the train with a truckload of great memories and ready to face the final chapters of our journey ahead.

A Change of Scenery Sept 15 - 19

Mom was off to Boston and we had a day to wander before our next “reservation”.  We broke camp early and headed off to another state park – Wells.  As always, we really didn’t know what to expect and were so thrilled when we drove in the crazy-to-maneuver campground and found a site directly on the waterfront!  With a gentle breeze, an amazing view and a full day ahead, we RELAXED!

Of course I needed to hike so I picked the trails we’d follow and we headed out.  About a mile in, Rob realized his hat was missing.  Being bald (by choice of course!), we HAD to find it and did an about face almost all the way back to the start!  Oh well, an extra mile.  The hike was nothing special but was some good exercise and a nice break.  We spent the evening enjoying our site and a great crackling campfire and an exquisite grilled tuna dinner by the waterfront.

The next day opened another new chapter to our journey with our arrival at Ann and Trav’s lovely home in New Hartford, CT.  Our first approach was to a wrong address and we found ourselves on a seriously steep incline (noted by Rob as getting less than 1 mile per gallon on our climb!) before finding yet another wild turn around and an equally steep descent!  Minutes later, however, we arrived at our destination for the next chapter and (after of an even more harrowing mid-driveway about face) we got settled!

The hospitality of friends and family along the way has been beyond comprehension and this was no different.  Ann and Trav who hail from CT, live across the street from us through winters at home in Charleston.  Trav was traveling when we arrived so we spent the next couple days getting to know Ann better.   

From the first moment, Ann was the consummate hostess!  Offering every possible assistance from showers to laundry and more, we had everything we could possibly need at our disposal.  Over the days we spent together we enjoyed numerous cozy meals, fun game nights, Rob’s guitar serenades and a wonderful fire in the fireplace to warm celebrate the increasingly cold nights.  She even took on a Scrabble game with us two crazy competitors! 

It was especially fun to take Ann out in her own surroundings and share our love of hiking with her.  We first tried the Sessions Woods area where we had a great hike to a beaver pond and a waterfall.  A surprise benefit was the exceptional nature center at the trailhead with an impressive selection of stuffed animals and birds as well as quite the array of educational displays.

The next day we hiked up Jones Mountain, a nearby destination Ann had been wanting to explore.  It was a treat of a hike, not too long but with enough challenge to make for a great exercise opportunity.  Donated to the area by the Jones family, it featured an old carriage path complete with lovely stone bridges and house foundations to explore.  Being that the Jones Mountain hike was not too long, Rob and I treated ourselves to a second hike that afternoon in another wonderful state park nearby. 

As if hosting us and our monster mobile housing unit wasn’t enough, Ann and Trav graciously allowed us to leave the rig with them while we took a trip to NYC for a few days.  Ann drove us to New Haven to catch our train while Trav was right there upon our return and we had our final night with all of us in attendance.

With Trav’s return, we had a chance to catch up on our recent adventures as I cooked up a meal of jambalaya.   The laughs increased as did the empty bottles of wine and we made good use of the time together and our final night in Connecticut.   Closing the visit the next morning, we said our goodbyes thankful for a chance to have strengthened a neighborly friendship so far from home.

Making Memories with Mom Sept 10 - 14 (warning - it's a long one!)

My mom is a force.  At 84 years young, she doesn’t turn down any chance at adventure – of course she never has!  I’m certain my travel bug comes from her.  When I left for college just after my dad left us behind for his “new life”, my mom packed up she and my sister and spent 18 months going entirely around the world.  She still works her own business leading a positive aging program she developed and is determined to continue to change lives every day.

Adventures with my mom are some of my favorite times.  We’ve traveled to Italy, the horn of South America and the Mediterranean together.  Inviting her for an RV trip paled in comparison but was momentous in its own right.  She arrived her spunky self, ready to go and we got right on the road.

I was determined to give her a cross section of our life on the road and tried to find good representations of our experiences along the way.  First stop was all I could find in a short-ish drive from Bangor.  It promised a small private campground on a beautiful lake. 

Hmm – first impressions weren’t that great.  The office was closed and we had to wait for someone to come check us in.  It was post season so all of the activities on the website had been stalled until spring and, to top it off, they gave us a campsite that was just plain unattractive! 

Being a world traveler and a positive person, my mom made the best of the situation and we set up our chairs and got ready to set the campfire for the night.  The campfire was much anticipated because coming from 90+ degree New Orleans, the dropping temps in Maine were Mom’s biggest challenge!

That’s when it rained.  Hard.  And unpredicted or expected!  Us spent from our hike and Mom spent from travel, we mixed a few drinks and got cozy inside ignoring both the less than impressive location and the weather surprise.  We played a few rounds of cards and Rob stayed busy in his usual style keeping us all entertained with his busybody antics!

The morning dawned cold but dry.   We had fun travels toward the second chosen campground.  First stop was a craft barn, a favorite “to do” for my Mom.  With crafts from local housewives, it was loaded with lots of goodies to pick through and enjoy.  Next stop was Camden, ME promising a good brewery.  We never found the brewery but did find a nice waterfront walk and more shops to poke through.

Upon arrival, the second night’s campground felt very similar to the previous night!  With high hopes of really special experiences, I was feeling pretty down.  We had another blah site in a blah area in a blah campground.  Ugh.  Repeat night one . . . stay positive!  We set up camp, put up our chairs and planned for the fire.  GUESS WHAT.  Really.  0% in the forecast.  RAIN!!!!

Well, the reason for picking the campground in the first place was that they cooked lobster pounds right there.  With our campsite turning to mud in our field location, we forged out in good spirits to make up for the circumstances.  Lobster has a way of curing pretty much any ill and in this case was no exception. 

With a fun collection of well-versed employees to guide the way, we chose two good sized lobsters and brought our own sides and drinks to make it a meal.  We dug in and dug deeper, finding all the little special places with more of the delicate treasured food with the help of the staff.  Phew – a good meal and a few drinks topped with a shared ice cream rescued the day!

With no reason not to get on the road early, day 3 took us further down the coast headed for a night with Mom’s friends of 40 years plus.  With our plan to generally stay clear of any major cities, we poked around in a couple towns on the way.  I was excited to find a nice hike on our way where Mom and I could manage to enjoy some of the beauty of the state without a rocky trail.  Yet more rain tried to change our plan but we put up our hoods and had a wonderful walk.

Next stop on the itinerary, Freeport and the Maine Brewing Company.  Being that it was just striking noon when we arrived, we ordered a wood fired pizza to accompany our chosen selections of beer.   Mean Old Tom Stout was a hit - DELISH!  Thanks to our son Jacob for the recommendation!

We arrived at Marilyn and Joe’s in the early afternoon after another stop at “just one more” brewery.   With Mom fully distracted by good friends, Rob and I hopped on the bikes and headed for a nature preserve not far away for a great hike
including some time on a beautiful beach.

Mom had a great night with her friends.  We reconnected in the morning planning a bit of hiking for all around the neighborhood before we took on helping Marilyn spruce up their front yard.A simple question to Rob of how to prune a plant turned into an all-out flowerbed cleanup!   With Mom and Joe looking on, Marilyn, Rob and I got down and outright dirty!  We were treated to a delicious sandwich buffet by Marilyn before we hit the road again. 

Having already had lunch, there was no excuse not to enjoy a cider along the way!   North Country Hard Cider made a delicious variety of unique ciders of which we tried six!  Our favorite was the Fire Starter with cinnamon and habanero to keep it interesting!

Tonight’s destination was another Boondockers Welcome location.  This one promising wonderful hosts in a small town right on the train tracks, I thought Mom might like to see how this setup worked.  Not wanting to arrive too early, we took the back roads and happened into a small town with a trio of breweries on the one corner in town! 

Not offering any dark beers in two, we wandered to the newer guy on the block – EP – Empty Pint.  What a nice owner.  And the bartender was a near replica of our own beer loving son, Jacob.  We enjoyed a nice toasted coconut porter and some great, lively conversation before saving ourselves from a big parking ticket and heading for our camp for the night.

Oh my.  The location was Newton Junction which I suspect originated from the train stop there.  And yes, our designated spot was RIGHT next to the tracks!  We pulled into a gravel spot in an industrial site where our hosts ran their commercial sign installation business.  There was really no town and nowhere to go – and THIS is where I brought my mom!

But wait!  Our hosts, Bev and Axel, didn’t disappoint.  Waving us in as we pulled up, Bev had one of those smiles that can light up a room!   Lovely from minute one, they offered power, water and even sewer hookup and made us feel welcome and at home.  Axel was quick to show Rob around their thriving business and Bev showed Mom and I to a small (VERY small) trail at the back of the property. 

We gathered for drinks as the trains whipped by.  As the sun began to sink, it got seriously cold outside!  Forgetting about dinner, we talked as the sun disappeared, a fire was lit and other boondockers joined in for toasting marshmallows.  Mom got colder and colder as Rob drank more and more and I broke up the fun to take us inside.   Rob was beyond being willing to eat and Mom was too cold to do anything but huddle under blankets!  We called it a day and spent the night trying to stay warm!

The morning called for anything hot and fresh and I baked up some muffins, took some to our hosts and we headed out early.  Thinking we could salvage all of our missed calls, we headed into Salem to have an adventurous day of sightseeing before our final night together.  We drove 40 minutes out of our way, made it to town, fueled up with propane … and never could find a way to maneuver through traffic and park!  FAIL!!!!

Almost despondent by now (but still laughing at our misfortune) we gave up and drove back inland to Harold Parker State Park where my sister and her good friend would come in the evening and take Mom into Boston for the next couple days. 

From the minute we settled into our site, all of the craziness of the previous four days disappeared.  The park was quiet   Our site was private and cozy.  The day was cloudy but warm enough.  We took walks and sat watching the rain come down for a quick shower before cooking up a storm, setting a table, preparing a campfire and waiting for our guests to arrive.
and lush.

Joni and Sarah found us just as the sun fully set and we had a wonderful reunion with great laughs, great food, a perfect fire and wine!  It was so fun to eat dinner by candlelight next to the crackling fire.  And before we knew it, they were driving away with Mom tucked in the back seat.  I couldn’t help but feel as I reflected on our time together that our final night wouldn’t have felt so perfect if our previous nights hadn’t been as odd.  Somehow our crazy adventure was exactly what it needed to be.