At this point, the style of our travel has started to change as for the first time we are entering more populous areas.  On Thursday, we arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, a name that we tend to connect with the era of the Salem witch trials of 1692.  The witch folklore was not something we were interested in, even though the badge for the local police says the “Witch City,” so we stayed away from many of the tourist attractions.

There are, however, other points of interest that Salem has to offer.  Our campsite was in Salem Harbor, right up to the edge of the water, and the view was awesome.  So that we could have dinner watching the bay, we did not turn our front chairs around to face the inside of the van. We literally spent a few hours just watching the magnificent harbor and the hundreds of ships docked there.

Next to our campground were the ruins of Fort Pickering, a 17^th century fort operated as a strategic coastal defense for the port of Salem, which by 1790 was the 6^th largest city in the U.S.

The next morning we took a walk around one of the oldest neighborhoods of Salem.  Many of the houses (people are still living in most) have signs giving the date they were built (late 1700s to early 1800s) and who built them.  Among the buildings we saw was the oldest house in Salem, the Narbonne house, built in 1675 and occupied until 1963 when it was turned over to the National Park Service.  At that time, an archeological dig of its backyard garbage pit (today’s garbage is the treasure of the next millennium) was done, and since Salem is a port city and most of the first houses were built not far from the shore, many of the finds were of European pottery that came over on ships – items that people living farther inland would not generally have.

Narbonne House

We also visited the Custom House – built in 1819 and famous for being featured in the introduction to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (he also worked there) – where taxes were collected on imported cargo.  Note the gorgeous wood furniture and bookcases!

Custom House

In the early afternoon we headed to the Circle CG Farm Campground, an hour’s train ride outside of Boston, where we stayed over Shabbat.  We had decided to go to Boston just a day before – it was not on our original itinerary because we had planned to stay away from large cities, but decided to make an exception for what is really an exceptional city – and tried to find accommodations with a community in the city.  It didn’t work out (thank you Heshy for your efforts), so we were glad to have campground reservations about as close to the city as possible.

On to Boston     August 6, 2017

After having a quiet but rainy Shabbat, it was time to head into Boston.  Sunday morning the sun was shining, the air was fresh, we got a ride to the commuter train station from the campground, and we rode a comfortable train for about an hour into South Station, near the city’s financial district.

As we walked out of the station it hit us:  We have been living in Israel for over 20 years and traveling for the last three months in mostly rural America, and we were a bit awestruck at seeing the massive skyscrapers and crowds of people.  Admittedly, the enormity of it all was both intimidating and disconcerting, and it took a while to get used to, but used to it we did (we are, after all, from Chicago).

One of our first objectives was to walk the Freedom Trail, a 2 ½ mile walking tour of many of the famous buildings and sites from the Revolutionary War times.  Conveniently, the city either painted or paved a red line in the sidewalk for tourists to follow the trail.  And what we learned about fifty years ago in history class was right there, in front of us.  Among the highlights:

Boston Common – America’s oldest public park (from 1634) and used by both the British and Colonial troops.

The Old State House – The government seat of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Massachusetts from here on July 18, 1776.

Old South Meeting House – Location of many town meetings, the most famous of which saw Samuel Adams signal the start of the Boston Tea Party.

Old North Church – The famous two lanterns were hung from the church in April 1775, signaling that the British coming to Lexington and Concord.

The Boston Massacre Site of 1770.

Paul Revere House – Where Paul Revere lived and the oldest home in Boston (about 1680).

We followed the trail all the way across the Charles River to the Charlestown Navy Yard and the U.S.S. Constitution.  Old Ironsides (as it is known) was launched in 1797 by President George Washington and is the world’s oldest commissioned ship.  She is known for her involvement in the War of 1812 against England and for fighting the Barbary pirates.  Visitors have not been allowed on the ship for the last two years because of restoration (first two years in dry dock and now in the water but still undergoing repairs), but plans are to allow visitors again in September 2017.

Even today, the U.S.S. Constitution is a formidable ship, and it brought back memories of when I built a mode of this ship as a kid.

Near the U.S.S. Constitution was the U.S.S. Cassin Young, a naval destroyer of the World War II era (and reactivated during the Korean War) with a distinguished record of service.  We were allowed to go on this ship and explore.

During our walk we also came across street performers in Revolutionary era costumes, and two marching bands participating in a parade commemorating a holiday of Italians of Sicilian descent in the Little Italy section of Boston.

Boston Day Two:  The weather report for the day was a strong possibility for rain in the afternoon, so we were glad we visited the sites we wanted to see the day before.  We grabbed our rain jackets, put them in our packs, and headed out to simply walk around and see what we could see, do what we could do.

The first objective was to revisit the Boston Holocaust Memorial which is located on a green patch of land between two busy streets near Boston’s government center.  It is also just a bit off the way from the Freedom Trail walk, and the proximity seems deliberate.  We had seen the memorial the day before, but as time was running late to catch the commuter train back to the campground, we only had time for a quick look.

The Holocaust Memorial is stunning and moving.  It consists of six glass towers, each 54 feet high, along a black granite path; each tower represents a major Nazi extermination camp.  At the base of each tower is a grate over a pit from which steam rises from coals at the bottom – an emotional hit.  Engraved into each tower and covering all of the panels from top to bottom are (random) numbers representing the six million who perished.  Etched in the panels are statements from survivors.

At the entrance to the memorial is a large black granite cube with key historical events of the Nazi persecution from 1933 to 1945, and the word “Remember” in Hebrew, English, and Yiddish.  A quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower describing what he found, and the need for his first-hand witness so that in the future no-one will be able to deny history, was also very moving and – in this day – important.

So effective is the memorial that just about every person that we saw who approached it (and many were not Jewish) read every word written.

Next, we just walked.  We feel we get to know a place by simply walking and, indeed, using our maps, we did get a great feel for the area of Boston we chose to explore – notwithstanding the fact the Boston streets go every which way, designed like spaghetti.  We happened upon North, Quincy, and South Markets, walked to the harbor and strolled along the wharfs, including Griffin Wharf where the Boston Tea Party took place,

revisited Boston Common, had lunch, and walked some more through downtown Boston and the financial district.  As we were heading back to the train station, we saw a sign saying, “Public Observatory on the 14^th Floor” (it was the Independence Wharf office building).  So, up we went for an amazing view of the city.

It was then back to South Station for our train to the campground and we said goodbye to the city of Boston.  We did not see and do everything there is to do; after all, we did not see the Red Sox/White Sox game, but we were left with a very impressed opinion of Boston and the rain held off until we returned to our campsite.

We drove to the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  Every time we enter a new state we keep thinking it is more beautiful than the last, and New Hampshire is no exception: hill after rolling hill (well, compared to the Rockies we would call these hills; they call them mountains) of lush green trees.  We parked ourselves at the Apple Hill Campground for three nights, which we chose because we had heard in Montreal that there was a kosher hotel (for the summer) and a shul there.

Day 2:  The RV needed some electrical work done from a Winnebago dealer, and we found one in New Hampshire who agreed to look at the van the same day.  As it turned out, the shortest (although maybe not the fastest) route to the dealer was via the famous Kancamagus Highway, a 34-mile stretch of road that winds through the heart of the White Mountains.  We stopped at a few overlook sites along the road just to get a feel for the grandeur of the mountains.  There is a reason why the speed limit is so slow on this road as you keep turning your head, for every which way is an amazing view.

We got back to the van and prepared for the fast.

Speaking of food (sort of), we found in New England hummus – for the first time – and excellent pita chips.  The local supermarket in Bar Harbor, Maine had the first “kosher section” we had seen, with grape juice, matzah, candles, gefilte fish, and other products.

We also were introduced to the Vaad Harabonim of New England (thanks again to the Chicago Rabbinical Council app) for some pretty good (not pre-cut) rolls.

August 2, 2017

We left Apple Hill Campground with two destinations in mind: a ride up to the summit of Mt. Washington, and a close-up look at some covered bridges.

At 6,288 feet, Mt. Washington is the highest mountain in the northeast.  Begun in 1853 and completed in 1861, the first vehicle to climb it was an open carriage pulled by six strong, compact horses: a 4-1/2 hour trip up, then a change of horses, and a 2-hour trip down.  After every trip the leather brakes needed to be changed, as the coach driver’s foot was constantly on the brake.

Today, cars or vans take about 1/2 hour to drive to the summit.  As our van, at 21 feet, was too long for the road, we parked at the visitor center and signed on to a 2-hour guided van tour with seven other people.  Our driver/guide was knowledgeable and funny and I was thankful that I did not have to drive this narrow and windy road.

As we drove up the eight miles, we noticed the change in landscape: the trees became smaller due to the colder climate (similar to northern Canada or Greenland), and then disappeared as we rose above the tree line.

Once on the summit, we walked around, took many photos (of course), and looked at some of the statistics: in 1934, the highest wind speed gust ever recorded on the surface of the earth at 231 miles per hour was here (which stood until 1996), the highest temperature ever recorded on the mountain was 72 degrees F, and the lowest temperature -45 degrees F.  Scientists live at the Mt. Washington Observatory all year long, doing research in fields such as cloud physics, mountain meteorology, high elevation climate….  Mt. Washington also hosts races: runners, bicyclists, and high speed cars.

Tragically, 157 climbers have lost their lives climbing this mountain.

From Mt. Washington, we Wazed our way to three (of the 54 surviving – at one time about 400) covered bridges in New Hampshire: Bartlett, Swift River, and Saco River.  Only Saco River allows for vehicle traffic; Bartlett has turned itself into a kitschy souvenir store, and Spring River is only strong enough to be a walk-though.  But the architecture is similar: a roadway supported on each side by a wooden truss and roof, creating an almost complete enclosure.

Bartlett covered bridge

Swift River covered bridge

Saco River covered bridge

Below the covered bridge at Saco River

We ended the day at White Lake State Park Campground.  Ironically, it was the first time in a long time we had good connection to AT&T but no electrical hookups.  We were able to post anyways using our generator.

As we walked along the paths and trails of Acadia, we decided to let the pictures do most of the talking.  It is just that beautiful.

However, a few things about the park:

Acadia, one of the smallest of the U.S. national parks, is situated on Maine’s Atlantic coast and takes up most of the area of Mount Desert Island (pronounced as in ice cream or a slice of pie, not as a place with lots of sand).  Acadia has everything: beautiful granite cliffs, the power of the ocean, the calm of the lakes, forest walks, mountains….  And:

• 120 miles of hiking trails.
• 45 miles of carriage roads (broken stone roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. for horse-drawn vehicles). Today, only walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and horses are allowed on these roads.
• 24 mountain peaks.
• Cadillac Mountain (1,530 feet, the highest point on the Atlantic coast) which, between October 7 and March 6, is the first place in the country to see the sunrise each morning.

Mount Desert Island also is home to several towns and villages, including the well-known town of Bar Harbor.

Afternoon of Day One:  When checking into our campground, we were told of the excellent shuttle service from many of the campgrounds and hotels to and from Acadia’s visitor center and Bar Habor, the largest of the towns on Mount Desert Island.  These buses connect to additional shuttles within the park.

It is a pleasure not to have to drive in traffic, look for parking in crowded lots or along the streets, and of course our favorite hobby of getting lost by just missing the turn-off.  The buses come often and the friendly drivers are willing to drop you off or pick you up at undesignated stops along their route.  The service is free of charge, partially supported by L.L. Bean.

So we decided to take the shuttle in, transfer to the Loop Road shuttle (which is just that, 27 miles that goes through the more popular sections of the park – coast and interior), and then return to our campground.  We made one stop, at the Acadia Wild Gardens, a microcosm of Acadia’s diverse plants – 400 species – in a brookside setting:

This gave us a good basis for the next three days of exploring.

Day Two:  Ocean Path Walk from Sand Beach (cold arctic water), past Thunder Hole (best heard at rising tide with a rough sea), around the peninsula of Otter Cliff (pounding surf and waves), to the Fabbri picnic area – a trail that winds along pink granite cliffs and rocky headlands.

Sand Beach

Sand Beach

Along Ocean Path Walk

Along Ocean Path Walk

Along Ocean Path Walk

Along Ocean Path Walk

Along Ocean Path Walk

Thunder Hole

Otter Cliff

Bar Harbor:  A very nice tourist town; pretty with interesting stores and a beautiful waterfront.  Many of the shuttle buses come through Bar Harbor on their way to and from the park.

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor

Day Three:  Bass Harbor Lighthouse – lighthouse at the southern tip of Acadia.  On the way to the lighthouse we passed Southwest Harbor.

Southwest Harbor

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

Eagle Lake to Bubble Pond – a walk along a carriage road from the lake to the pond.  (We have yet to figure out the difference between ponds and lakes, and when we asked we could not get a definitive answer.)

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake

Eagle Lake

Carriage walk between Eagle Lake and Bubble Pond

Bubble Pond

Bubble Pond

Day Four:  Jordan Pond – a 3-mile walk around the pond.

A little more story here since there is more story to tell.  After taking the shuttle to Jordan Pond we were advised by two rangers that the 3-mile path around the pond was very nice and not too difficult.  We guess their definition of “not too difficult” is different from ours.  The path started out nice and easy with beautiful vistas of Jordan Pond; then, because of soil erosion, it changed to a narrow plank walk along the muddy shore for about a mile (estimated).  Once we were finished with that obstacle and back on a normal path, we found that we had to climb in and out of major rock formations.  But, at the end of the hike we both felt the better for it, an accomplished challenge.

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond rock walk

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond

Friday was a travel day to Two Lakes Campground near Oxford, Maine, where we quietly spent Shabbat.  On Sunday, we traveled to a campground near a kosher hotel (very chassidish) where we spent the next three days, including Tisha B’av.

We’ve been asked about how we travel and what the RV looks like inside, so we thought we’d spend this post covering that subject.  We figure that reading about all the beautiful places we have been to might get tedious – though we are sure the pictures don’t – so it’s time to change the pace.

Some of the subjects we discuss here may have been covered in previous posts, but it might be good putting everything in one chapter.

First, the van itself:  Our Dodge Promaster extended cargo van, 21 feet long, is a pleasure to drive.  It does not feel too different from our old mini-van of the 90s.  There are two mirrors on each side of the front so that there are no blind spots, and though we have minimal line of sight through the back windows, we do have a backup camera.  When backing into a narrow camping spot, Sima gets out of the van to let me know when the van is getting too close to an inflexible object.  This may not always be necessary, but it’s a system that feels more comfortable.  The turning radius of the front wheel drive is impressively short for an extended van.  The van runs on regular unleaded gas and we usually use one level above.

The real negative is the navigation system that came with the van.  It is mostly useless; we are thankful that we have Waze on the cell phones, but it does go out when we lose reception, which happens often in the areas we are traveling.  We have found that the car’s GPS is good only within a limited radius from where we are but even then it has left us in the middle of nowhere instead of our destination.  We should, perhaps, be downloading maps but we have yet to figure out how to do that.  However, the compass on the GPS works very well, so at least we know in which direction we are traveling and we always know which way is east.

There were some rattles in the beginning, but we’ve figured most of them out.  All in all, it is a quiet drive.

Next, the Winnebago part of the Travato is impressively thought out.  Always keep in mind that there is only a limited amount of space in the van, so everything is a compromise.

Storage: It seems that every available space has been designed to use as storage.  We have six overhead cabinets that are similar to those you find on an airplane, two kitchen drawers, a book shelf, a large over-the-cab storage bin, two shelves in each of the driver’s and passenger’s doors, some in-the-floor storage, an under-the-bed storage area, a clothes cabinet for hanging with three drawers beneath it, and an under-the-cabinet plastic storage area – accessed from behind the van – for water hoses, tools, and an electrical hook-up wire.  (At least that’s what we use it for.)  When we buy things, they always seem to fit.  I don’t think we’ve used the capacity of the storage yet as we are still finding unused spaces where items can be put out of the way.

Kitchen: Small, very small, but usable.  There is no shortage of 110 electrical outlets and there are also numerous USB outlets all over the RV, but not much room for the appliances to plug into them.  There is a two-burner stove, a small stainless steel sink, a convection/microwave oven which we hardly use, a 4.3 liter battery powered compressor refrigerator, and two tables that slide out from hidden areas.

We bought an electric tea kettle, as well as a normal tea kettle for those times when we don’t have an electric hookup and must use propane, a bread machine (makes great bread), frying pan, pot, silverware, dishes, and other kitchen utensils (spatula, can opener, potato peeler, measuring cups…).  We have kept the pot and many of the utensils pareve; the frying pan, dishes, silverware, and other utensils are dairy. Though we have a fleshing knife, the only meat we have eaten has been vacuum-packed cold cuts brought from Chicago or Montreal and kept in our freezer.

In addition to the counter, the two tables that slide out offer more work space.  The two cabinets that are above the kitchen work area are for storing non-refrigerated food items.  There is also a large table that can be set up between the two couches.

Sleeping: The two twin beds are really not wide; however, the large table does lower and can be filled in with the two couch cushions to turn into a queen-sized bed.

Bathroom: The bathroom is slightly larger than the bathroom on an airplane.  It is called a wet bath which means a shower curtain surrounds the room so you can take a shower.  If the campground showers are nice – and some have been very nice – we shower there.

Outside the van:  There is an awning, 110 electrical outlets, input for the fresh water tank and city-fill water, and a dump tank pipe.  (You hook the pipe from the black tank (waste from the toilet) and grey tank (water from the shower and sink) to a hose and run it to a waste receptacle in the ground found at most RV parks.  This is called a dump station where, in addition to dumping, you can usually fill up on fresh water (different hose of course).

Power:  In addition to the engine battery, the RV has two 100 watt AGM batteries which are the power source for the living space and  which are charged by: a 100 watt solar panel on the roof, the alternator from the engine as the van is driving, and/or the gasoline powered generator.  In addition, in many campgrounds there are electrical hook-ups that also charge the batteries.

Water:  There are two sources for water: the holding tank, and city water that can be connected directly to the RV.

For all intents and purposes, the RV can be self contained with food, water, and power without any outside assistance for at least three or more days, depending on how frugal we are with water usage.

Shabbat:  Though we learned about making an eruv, we have not yet done so.  I use a Shabbat belt for the non-electrical car key which we had made specifically made for this use.  The rear van door can be disconnected from the automatic door locks so that opening and locking the back door does not affect the system.  This allows us to walk around the campground; often our campgrounds have been in beautiful areas (on the shoreline, for example) and we just sit and watch.

That is all for the mechanics, but in the actual use of living in the RV it is a must to follow the old adage, “there’s a place for everything and everything in its place.”  We can’t imagine being able to function in such a small space in a mess.  Each of us has their own jobs.  I do most of the driving, taking care of the dumping, and most of the RV’s needs.  Sima does the cooking , navigating, keeping track of our needs, and all the finances.

We’re happy on the road as we discover new challenges and explore new places.  This is a grand retirement adventure.  We miss the family and friends and look forward to being back home, but for now we are following a dream.

Sima:  I have four first cousins in Montreal, the children of my father’s eldest brother.  I have not seen them for many years, and our trip was the perfect opportunity to visit, talk, and for us to enjoy Shabbat in a community.

Arriving a bit early on Thursday afternoon at the house where we would be staying, we took a walk and  found a kosher market; the folks there pointed us towards a pizza restaurant – the first pizza we have had since we left Chicago in mid-June, sooo good.

Friday morning we decided to see what Montreal is famous for – Mount Royal, a jewel of a park which gave the city its name.  It is a large (692 acres) volcanic-related hill (or small mountain) created in 1876.  We decided to walk there and back, about 3.5 kilometers each way.  Although we had only vague directions, we simply walked towards the mountain and found it.

We walked into the park on one side and found a small pavilion at which we rested and took some pictures.  Then, following the crowd we walked up to the Chalet, a building at the summit of Mount Royal which has a large interior space that can host events, as well as a few small shops.  From the Chalet we had a beautiful view of the Montreal skyline.

Montreal – at least the parts we saw on our walks – looks very European with some stunning buildings.

We returned to our hosts’ house walking down the mountain on the other side and got ready for Shabbat.  Joining us were other family members: we were 17 for Friday night dinner and 21 for Shabbat lunch.  Chicken for the first time in weeks, cholent, kugel…. And good conversation and singing.

Day 2:  Shabbat in Montreal

The neighborhood we stayed in is one of two neighborhoods that has a religious community: lots of shuls and schools, a kollel, and kosher stores.  It seems to be a close-knit community – kabbalat Shabbat was held in someone’s house as he cannot get out; a women’s Tehillim group provided an opportunity for women to visit an elderly woman who also has a hard time getting around.

Being with relatives who I have not seen for many years was wonderful.  My cousin showed me a picture that I had never seen of my grandfather.  We talked of my father.

Day 3:  After stopping at the kosher store to stock up on a few things – hard cheese, cold cuts for the freezer, diet hot chocolate mix, pitot … we were on our way.  As usual, we decided not to take the interstate but to drive the scenic route: through Quebec eastward, and we entered the U.S. at a small border crossing at Coburn Gore, Maine.  Our fourth crossing (two into Canada and two into the U.S.), and all were quick and easy.

We stopped at an overlook soon after entering Maine:

We then drove a bit until we reached the Cathedral Pines Campground, an absolutely beautiful campground on Flagstaff Lake.

After spending the night in Walmart’s parking lot, well worth the money (and, actually we did go shopping twice), we drove a short distance to Fort Ticonderoga on the shores of Lake Champlain – a real slice of American history.  And the sun shone.

There we experienced the refurbished fort and heard its interesting story: built by the French in 1755, taken by the British in their second attempt in 1759 (after failing in their first attempt in 1757 even though they greatly outnumbered the French), and then captured by the Americans in 1775 by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold.  It was decommissioned as a fort by George Washington in 1783, as the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War was signed.

Throughout the morning, costumed actors related what life and war were like under its various owners, and how events affected the local Indian, French, English, and American soldiers and settlers (did I say settlers, oops).  Fife and drum performers marched and played and explained how music was used to communicate with the soldiers.  A musket demonstration showed just how slow and unwieldy these weapons were. The officers’ barracks and troop barracks showcased weapons and how the troops lived.

The grounds are both immense and beautiful.

From Fort Ticonderoga we drove a short distance to the Ticonderoga ferry, a platform pulled by a cable across a narrow section of Lake Champlain.  In seven minutes we reached Vermont.

The best word to describe Vermont is lush.  Vermont is called the green state, and the winding roads we traveled surely attest to that.

We camped in Branbury Vermont State Park, at the foot of Mt. Moosalamoo and along the side of a rocky stream – in the middle of the woods but within walking distance of a beautiful lake and beach: peaceful and relaxing. The Green Mountains National Forest borders the park to the east.

Day 2:  Goodbye to Branbury Vermont State Park, one of the more beautiful places we’ve stayed in (among a host of beautiful places).  Hello Green Mountains.

Our first goal was to drive through the Green Mountains, up over Brandon Gap and back down, ever so slowly.  For nine miles the road was all small stones that were laid in preparation for new pavement.  Very steep and very slippery, not feeling we had total control of our traction, but there were few cars on the road, and once we were able to really look around, the views as we got deeper into the Green Mountains were breathtaking.

We traveled on scenic Route 100 that wound through and around the eastern part of the Green Mountain National Forest.  And it is so true: the mountains are totally covered with trees and vegetation.

We stopped at Warren Falls on the Mad River, that seemed to be a popular place (though we didn’t know it when we started the trail) for locals to go wading and to cool off.  There we met a group of religious boys and their hiking counselor from a camp a little ways off; the counselor told us they had been hiking on and off marked trails.

Our next stop was the famous Green Mountain Coffee and Visitor Center.  We sampled different types of coffee, had a cup there (the best coffee we’ve had in a long time), and bought some to take home.  As we sat outside the store, enjoying our coffee of choice, lo and behold, right across the street was a laundromat, so of course, we took advantage of that.

Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream factory was just down the road.  Realizing that there was a long line for the tour and an even longer one just to buy some ice cream, we decided it was not worth it.  We can get it back home (and everywhere else).

We looked for a campground and found Little River State Park, beautiful, woodsy and on the Waterbury Reservoir.  A quiet secluded campsite awaited us.  We like state parks: sites are usually set apart and quiet, and although they may not always have all the hookups (they differ even within each state), we often don’t need them as they almost always have fresh water and a dump station, and our solar panels and battery provide electricity.

Day 3:  On the road again, through the Champlain Islands, over numerous bridges, some very long and some very short, lunch on a pier, over the border to Canada once again, and into Montreal to visit family.

After three days in the comfortable and scenic Higley Flow State Campground we drove into the Adirondack Park, home to the Adirondack Mountains.  The park is a mixture of state and private lands, and within its 6 million acres are 3,000 miles of lakes and ponds and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.

It is larger in area than Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Teton National Parks put together.  And it is awesome.

The drive to the Adirondack Park Visitor and Interpretative Center, almost directly in the middle of the park, was – as so many of our drives have been – beautiful.  We stopped at the center (part of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry of the State University of NY) for information; it was also the start of the Peninsula Trail that followed the shoreline of Rich Lake: lots of interesting views, a grand variety of mushrooms and other plants, rocks big and small (see the large boulder below), and a foot and a half, very fast, black with white spots snake.

After the drive and the walk, we could only marvel that this was one very small part of the Adirondacks.  In fact, after looking through an Adirondack hiking guide, this area could surely keep someone busy for weeks or even months.

Once we left the center we started looking for a campground.  One we didn’t like, another was full, and we ended up at Eagle Point State Park, another in our list of NY state parks.  No water or electricity hookups, but we didn’t need those amenities, as we have our own.  What it did have was a beautiful view from our campsite of the Schroon Lake.  Well worth it.

Day 2:  Rain, Rain Go Away

The sun was shining as we left Eagle Point and headed for Lake Placid; we wanted to get into the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains.  The drive led us past beautiful lakes and rivers, lots of trees – with the mountains always in the background or to the left or right.

Just before the turnoff to Lake Placid we turned into the farm of the abolitionist John Brown. The site includes his rebuilt house and barn and story boards telling about his life and the events of Harper’s Ferry.  There was also a group of archeological students with their professor digging shafts in the ground, looking for relics of John Brown’s second wife (the first wife never lived there and John Brown himself spent little time in the house as he was usually away, busy with his abolitionist work).  As the black clouds came quickly over the area, we just made it back to the RV.

Just before we arrived at Lake Placid it started raining, heavily.  We pulled over on the main street to see if it would let up; it did, so we went a little further, hoping to see Lake Saranac.  We changed our minds, turned around, and went back again through downtown Lake Placid, not that big a town, but crowded: lots of tourists, lots of shops.

We found a parking spot on the street, grabbed our rain jackets, and headed on a mission: to buy a Starbucks cup to add to our collection – which the local Starbucks did not have, much to our disappointment!

The rain let up, momentarily, and we were able to get some pictures of Lake Placid and see the Olympic winter training center and those enormous ski jump towers (notice them behind our RV) built for the 1980 Olympic Games.

As we said goodbye to Lake Placid, some even more serious rain started.  Driving down the mountain road, twisting and turning was fine sport, not worthy of the Olympics, but it could be.

On the road in the rain

We arrived in Ticonderoga, NY, needing supplies, and with the rain still coming down, we went to our favorite hangout, Walmart.  While shopping, I found the store manager and asked if he allowed overnight parking.  He said that it was no problem and told me to just park in the far lot and that’s where we are as I write this post.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is called “boondocking,” parking in an unofficial spot overnight.  Walmart is well known for being boondocking friendly as long as you ask permission first.  Other places that are often used, at least according to the blogs I read, are Bureau of Land Management Land (BLM) which is federal government land not being used, and Cracker Barrel; some people have been known to park on non-crowded city streets.  Anything private with permission, or public without a notice of no overnight parking or a city law prohibiting staying in your vehicle overnight is doable.

Personally, we prefer being in the woods in a rustic campground, but with all the rain we’ve had, the mud just doesn’t appeal to us.  Also, at Walmart we have good internet connection.

We stayed last night in Selkirk Shores, a New York State park; a bit crowed but it had a view of Lake Ontario.  It rained almost continuously (well, we wanted a car wash anyway), but the sound of the rain on the RV was very soothing (it wasn’t unrhythmic).

We got an early start in the morning, driving up to the beginning – or the end, depending on which way you look at it­ – of the St. Lawrence River.  In a light rain, we drove parallel to the shore in the Thousand Islands area; the river and the islands that are within it are beautiful (thank you Alan for the great suggestion).  We stopped at an overview park at Alexandria Bay which had a great view of some of the islands.  One of the most prominent islands was dominated by a castle built by George C. Boldt for his wife, Louise, though she did not live to see it finished.

We then drove along the river to Ogdensburg, NY and had lunch at the boat pier.  Continuing along the river shoreline, we found ourselves at the U.S. Eisenhower lock of the St. Lawrence Seaway at Massena, NY.  Completed in 1959 as a joint U.S.-Canada project, the St. Lawrence Seaway allows ships – up to 740 feet in length and 78 feet in width – to pass from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, ending at Lake Superior.

Fascinated, we watched an oil freighter pass through the lock.  To our eyes, the boat was probably as large as can go through, certainly width-wise.  The process took about 30 minutes: tie up the freighter, lower it 42 feet in about seven minutes, untie the freighter.  We noticed on the information board that there was another ship due into the locks within the hour from the opposite direction; this ship would have to be raised 42 feet.

There is no way photos can do justice to the process.

This was the third lock we have seen, as we have experienced the locks at the Chicago River and the Panama Canal.  It never fails to impress, as we watch ships being raised and lowered to become level with the next section of the body of water.

It was getting late and time to head for our reserved campsite for the weekend, but first another stop at a Walmart where we found (from an online search) kosher string cheese at the Potsdam NY store.  It’s the little things in life you learn to appreciate.  When we arrived at Higley Flow State Park, our third New York state park, we started to really appreciate what New York has to offer.  This is another beautiful area in the woods outside of the Adirondack Park.  Our goal was to get back to nature and we have done that.

Day 2:  Just a few words before we go into Shabbat.  In the morning we had possibly the heaviest rains we’ve experienced yet, so it was time to do laundry, clean the inside of the van, and prepare for Shabbat.  It stopped raining in the afternoon, so a short walk was in order and then back to the RV.  Nothing exceptional about the day, until we had an unexpected visitor.  While working inside the van, a deer came within a few feet of us and spent several minutes chomping on the plants at our campsite.  Since we were inside and there was no one else in the vicinity, the deer did not feel threatened and stayed long enough for us to snap a few photos.

We have not gotten tired of experiencing the beauty around us that nature has to offer.  Shabbat Shalom.

It has been one of those days: lots of driving, light rainfall through most of the day, challenging.  But we set out to see Niagra Falls, and we did.

We traveled on Ontario Highway 3 across the province to the falls; a trip which, after a while, turned out to be quiet tedious as we never really knew exactly where we were: we did not have Waze or AT&T in Canada, and our map of Ontario was not very explicit.  After a 3 ½ hour drive, maybe more, we got close to the falls.  Not knowing exactly where they were, or what we would find there parking-wise, we parked on a side street, grabbed backpacks and rain jackets, and started to walk.

We walked about two miles.  We knew we were getting close when the souvenir shops started to become more numerous. Walking through the crowds became more challenging and the stores more grossly plastic.  There were multiple stores of fright and awe, bars and restaurants by the dozens, and an amusement park with a Ferris wheel.  In a few words: not our style.

After all the glitter we finally made it to the falls.  The only word we both can think of is “WOW.”  The beauty and power of all that water going over those rocks is amazing and yes, well worth the drive and the walk to see them (there are two: the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls).  We were told the Canadian side of the falls had better views than the American side and this must surely be correct.

Horseshoe Falls

American Falls

Over 600,000 gallons of water go over the falls every second.

On our trip we’ve been collecting key chains from some of the places we’ve been and, of course, we had to stop at one of the gift shops to buy one.  OK, we’re tourists. Then a walk back to the van.  There was a light rain on and off: sometimes on the way to the falls, sometimes on the way back, sometimes while we were at the falls.  The rain, added to the mist of the falls, provided quite a nice effect.

Back at the car we followed the signs to the Back to the USA Bridge; we made a wrong turn but lucked out and found a Tourist Information Center which pointed us in the right direction.  We also got an Ontario Map, not that we needed it anymore, but we like collecting maps of the states/province we’ve traveled through.  We found our way onto Highway 18 which borders Lake Ontario (our fifth Great Lake), and ended up at 4 Mile State (N.Y.) Campground, a beautiful place: nice, clean, friendly.  We had internet and cell phone reception, a hot dinner, and all is well with the world.

Day 2:  We decided to stay here another day, Shiva Asar B’Tammuz, and take it easy.  Our campsite is in a beautiful location, right on Lake Ontario, and we are spending the day relaxing and reading.

To top it off, a beautiful sunset just behind our van on Lake Ontario.

Day 3:  A travel day as we wanted to get closer to the Thousand Islands at the St. Lawrence River.  More on that in the next post.

On Thursday, July 6^th we settled in for the night at a small county campground just outside Lexington, Michigan.  Our neighbor at the campground was a retired theater/speech teacher from Aurora Illinois; he is also a performing musician who plays the drums and sings.  We sat over a campfire that night telling war stories of our teaching careers.

Lexington is a small town; the business district has perhaps a four-block radius with some interesting tourist-type stores, a grocery, a laundromat, a hairdresser, numerous antique stores, and a beautiful beach with a pier walk.  We explored Lexington on Friday as they were getting ready for their 4^th of July celebration (celebrated on the weekend after the 4^th).  We were told there were to be fireworks on Friday evening at the harbor and a parade down Main Street on Saturday.  We decided to take advantage of the day and did our shopping and our laundry, and Sima got a haircut.

Shabbat at Lexington Campground was nice and quiet, exactly what we wanted.  Our second neighbor had an antique Volkswagen camper in amazing condition that brought back memories of the 60s.  Though there was not a large area in which we could walk, we made our rounds of the campground at least three times to stretch our legs and breathe the fresh air; it really does smell fresh.

Sunday morning we left the United States and crossed over to Canada; the border crossing went smoothly and quickly.  Our first stop in Canada was Port Stanley on the northern shore of Lake Erie.  We walked to the beach in order to see number four of the five Great Lakes.

Lake Erie at Port Stanley, Ontario

The waves of Lake Erie were choppier than we had seen in Lake Huron.  While walking on the pier as we were taking pictures, we heard a woman scream – she had gotten drenched by a giant wave that had come high up on the pier.  I was standing at least five feet behind her, but also got soaked.  A good laugh was had by all.  Gratefully, it was fresh water and it was a warm day.

As we walked the streets we saw more unusual cars than we’ve ever seen: vintage cars and trucks in pristine condition, new sports cars in the very highest price range – there would not have been a greater variety in a museum.  According to a woman who works in one of the shops, the locals of this city like to cruise around the town to show off their cars.

She also recommended Springwater Conservation Area, not far from Port Stanley, as a good place to camp for the night, and she was right.  The conservation area is natural and beautiful, and leads into the Springwater Forest.  The trail we walked was what we would call an “absolutely perfect trail.”

It wound around Springwater Pond (that is what it’s called, but it looks like a small lake) and went through the forest.  After walking in part of the forest (we couldn’t know how large it actually is) and completing the pond circle hike, we returned back to the campsite for dinner.  It was a most beautiful and enjoyable two-hour walk.