July 23-24, 2021
Lantern Resort Campground
Jefferson, NH
$70/evening
$140.00
Pull through/full hook up
Our travels today started with sunny skies and smooth roads. Not long into our travels the GPS guided us to the Grand Isle Ferry! ($44.00) An RV on a ferry? Yes, indeed. It was soooo cool. The ride across Lake Champlain to Grand Isle was a mere 10 minute, very exciting ride! After we departed the ferry we were guided to a bridge that took us off the isle and onto Route 89 S for 44 miles. Nice roads carved out of the side of a mountain. Spectacular views, flower and berry farms are abundant! Here comes a three minute down pour! Hoping those compartments stay dry! We said goodbye to 89 and were directed onto Route 2 E and experienced the worst 33 miles ever today! Awful roadway full of pot holes and frost heaves. Today’s towns are tiny…a gas station here and there, no markets, no banks, no big box stores…no nothing but farms, long winding hilly roads and amazing scenery. Finally we crossed over into Lancaster, NH, that has an old charm, brick building-filled Main Street. Lots of the establishments were closed…heartbreaking 😩. And, wait for it…another blast of a down pour! Once we crossed over the Jefferson town line we came upon Santa’s Village. The main parking lot and the over flow parking lot were packed to the gills! People are out and about enjoying their vacations! Yay!
We pulled into Lantern and upon checking in I encountered two of the most amusing receptionists. They wanted to play the name-guessing game! After several tries, they got it! The park is beautiful…but not so much site #61. RV, Miss Sandy, was not happy because she was listing to the right and actually refused to make an attempt at leveling. With absolutely no other available sites the troops were sent to assist! Gravel sites shift and this one was was not an exception. The staff was called to assist. Old picnic table benches were tucked under the tires, Barry drove up onto them and success! Sandy was content and allowed the jacks to come down! Let’s move on!
The compartments are nearly dry! Just one small spot of dampness was noticed. Perhaps the cleaning and lubricant did the trick! The water gauges, on the other hand, still will not cooperate, but Barry is determined to make that happen 😁!
Lantern is hosting “Christmas in July” and tomorrow evening there will be a contest for best decorated site. There are hay rides every evening and tomorrow evening “Candy Bar Bingo” where a candy bar is the entry fee and the winner gets to take home all the candy bars! Wow…what a sugar high!
We drove back to Lancaster to shop at the state liquor store, Shaws Market, a very need car wash, then back to the RV for dinner. Big day tomorrow!
Saturday morning we awoke to a crisp 57*, with an expected high of 71*…pretty day!!
Today is the Cog Railway up to Mt. Washington. Everyone had reservations and assigned seating…a must because thousands of people were visiting! ($79./pp weekend rate). We and 69 others boarded the Cog and our very funny “brake man” said he didn’t know what made us so fortunate but it was a calm, sunny 61* day at the summit; virtually unheard of! Not only that but the visibility was 80 miles. Spectacular! The very amusing, one-hour ride to the top was amazing! He gave us a bit of history on how Sylvester Marsh was twice laughed at by the zoning board until finally given the go ahead. Peppersass was the first steam engine to travel the cog and rack mechanism and is still maintained and on display at the entrance. Two steam engines, both over 100 years old, still bring patrons to the summit every summer and fall. Each requires 3/4 ton of coal, shoveled by the “fireman”, for each run and at mid point also takes on 850 gallons of water to cool the engine. We were not on a steam engine, but did get to see one go by as we were descending the mountain! Very cool!
I have not been to The Mt. Washington Hotel in about 40 years, and Barry had never been. We took the short 15 minute drive to see this historic site and it is still amazing! We were fortunate to snag a table and chairs on the veranda with breathtaking views of the mountains. Another couple sat down next to us, George and Nancy from West Bridgewater, MA. We enjoyed a couple of cocktails and an appetizer…along with great conversation with these very lovely people.
A suggestion from our “brake man” was to visit Littleton about 1/2 hour away. Well worth the ride to walk around the main street of this very eclectic town. We took his suggestion and went into Chutter’s General Store that is chock full of every and any penny candy you can think of from your childhood and most recent newer items. The 126 foot penny candy bar was overwhelming, to say the least. Grab a glove and a bag and dig in! We made our way along picking and choosing a little (at least I did) from selected jars. They also offered fudge and truffles! Ut oh! Barry indulged…to say the least. $60 later and him saying, “nothing to see here!!” he walked away with licorice, truffles and I know not what else! Lol! It was fun. We grabbed a coffee at Crumb Bum Bakery and started our drive back to the RV. We are exhausted! Tomorrow…Bar Harbor, ME!
Honda fuel
Shell
Lancaster, NH
10.27 gallons
$3.03/gallon
$31.10
July 25-27, 2021
Narrows Too
Trenton, ME
$104.33/evening
$313.00
$250.00 deposit
$91.17 upon arrival
$341.17
Pull in/full hook up
What a miserable freaking day! We packed up in the rain, traveled in the rain and set up in the rain.
We set out and came upon Six Gun City amusement park that Barry remembers frequenting as a child! Unfortunately, another business down the tubes…in 2014. Bummer 😩
About an hour into our dreary day we crossed over into Maine…no surprise that the weather has not changed and did not most of the day. We noticed many homes, businesses and property up for sale.
Today was a bit of a different ride. We had some long, winding roads but the GPS guided us onto 106 miles of 95 northbound. Our four and one-half hour drive in the rain ended at 2:30 at the door of Narrows Two. It felt good to stop!!
Jan was very welcoming and a wealth of information, to say the least! She gave me some excellent advice as to dining places and suggestions for Acadia National Park…just a few miles up the road. I was in the office for so long Barry thought I was kidnapped! She also informed me that the internet was absolutely useless, and she tell no lies…it certainly is what she advised! Yesterday’s campground was the same so it’s very difficult to update the website.
This park is on the water (we have a bit of a view) with 500+ sites! Ours is 808, a pull in, on gravel with grass surroundings. Barry set up, checked the basement compartments and they were absolutely soaking wet from all the rain! We have got to find a solution to the WHY! In the rain, everything gets pulled out, the wet vac comes out and an hour later most of what we pulled out was returned to its respective home. This is ridiculous ☹️.
Barry needs to investigate and get the lay of the land for tomorrow, but dinner first. Not far down the road is The Beacon Bar and Grill (Jan’s suggestion). The food was excellent! Lobster bisque (the best we have ever tasted, with hunks of lobster), steamed mussels, broiled haddock and a lobster roll. The lobster roll was a bit skimpy for $25, but very tasty nonetheless.
Afterwards we took a ride to Bar Harbor and whoo hoo…it was pack with people shopping, dining and just walking around (in the rain)!!! Then we cruised around a bit in the park itself. Totally deserted. Tomorrow is another day, but for now…we are spent!
Monday morning we awakened to thick fog…not good for Cadillac Mountain. The weatherman says warm (82*) and sunny by 2 pm, and I’m sure by then the park will be crazy full with visitors, us included!
We also awakened to the basement compartments wet again…so frustrating! Everything gets pulled out, more wet vac action and fans in place to dry things out…again. Dampness is getting in somehow. We need time away from this ☹️.
So, we headed to the park…and as suspected hoards of visitors on foot, on bikes, in cars and on the shuttles. Every parking lot is full, along with the sides of roadways where parking is permitted. We drove to the entrance of Cadillac Mountain only to be turned away. Reservations are now needed to get to the summit?? So, instead we took a ride to Northeast Harbor and found (incredibly) a place to park and took a walk trying to find a place that offers public WiFi so we could make a reservation for the Mountain. Our cell service, TMobile, absolutely SUCKS! Barry signed up because they offered a great hot spot plan. We knew the service wouldn’t be great, but it’s horrific. More than not…no service. Main Street was packed with people and cars and nowhere offered WiFi.
Back to the car and on to The Travlin Lobster (another Jan-recommended restaurant). Boy, did this place disappoint. A 3 oz. lobster roll…$22!!!! What!! I refuse to patronize that 🙁. We ordered a couple cups of excellent chowder, a pound of steamers and two drinks…$38! Pretty crazy.
We went back to the RV to make the reservation and work on “the mess.” The only difference between sides of the RV getting water in the compartments is silicone on the gaskets. So the passenger side gets the same treatment. Fingers crossed.
We enjoyed a great campfire, much-deserved cocktails and bed…what a day!
Tuesday was Acadia and Cadillac Mountain! Yay! With our 12:30 reservation ($6) awaiting we returned to the park. It was a very orderly entry, and I can see how a reservation would be in order. The parking is limited. Letting just so many people up (3.5 miles to summit after the ranger station) and assuming they will visit for an hour or so works. The day was absolutely glorious with views for miles from any aspect of the mountain. We took lots of pictures but they will never justify what we had the pleasure of viewing. The 1,528 feet elevation is the highest peak in the Park and on the east coast of America.
Another attempt at downtown Bar Harbor was a success! We found a parking spot on the end of Main Street and were happy to get a good walk in for some exercise. About mid downtown we popped into the Ivy Manor Inn. Their outdoor seating area with a gentleman playing guitar and singing pleasant tunes was so inviting. We stayed for an hour or so listening and sipping a cocktail. It was great! We finished our Main Street walk and made our way back to the car.
The Beacon Bar and Grill was our destination once again because the food was so satisfying Sunday evening. It once again did not disappoint. Captain’s Platter and Fried Clams…scrumptious.
We stopped at a home selling fire wood. $10 for a large sack of hardwood was a bargain for another great evening campfire 🔥, unfortunately it’s green so we added in some seasoned and all was great…until the rain came. Night all!
July 28-29, 2021
Chewonki Campground
Wiscasset, ME
$74/evening
$160.00
Pull in/full hook up
Diesel fuel
Moose Crossing
Trenton, ME
46.89 gallons
$3.08/gallon WHOO HOO!
$144.37
It was an absolutely beautiful day when we got up this morning. Blue skies, mid 70’s and no humidity! Winner of a day 😁. The roads were mostly decent, the sun continued to shine and all is well for our short 2 1/2 hours ride.
Chewonki Campground is a bit off Route 1 and at a dead end. Owners, Pam and Ann, are an older, sister duo, two-man band cause…they can’t get help! They are celebrating their family-owned, 60 years in business in 2021. Good for them! When we arrived Ann was mowing the massive campgrounds fields, and single-handedly moving large picnic tables around! The views are jaw-dropping, the sites are quite roomy and 34 of 47 sites have full hook ups…each with its own stunning views. It has a hilly terrain with long views…it truly is a gorgeous site to behold. Your stay includes a pool, bath house, horseshoes, tennis, volleyball and a playground. All of the necessary balls and racquets are free to use at the asking! Also available is a store and dump station. The tent sites are quite impressive as they are tucked away within the wooded areas of the grounds. Also offered are kayaks and canoes at a nominal fee. We also received an update that the Campground as of 2022 will have some grand upgrades that sound amazing! Come here! You will embrace the serenity 😌. Our only complaint…NO WIFI 😢
Let’s explore! Boothbay Harbor, a touristy little town, is just 30 minutes away! We are on it! The windy, hilly roads are so much fun to ride on passing by many seaside, seasonal shops filled with nautical finds. Several restaurant options line the main road of this small town. Then there are those lucky enough to own/rent are on the waterfront with exceptional views. There are a few options for boat excursions so, yes, we picked one! 10:00 am tomorrow for a 2-1/2 hour Puffin Tour ($50/pp). We will spend our day here tomorrow 👍😁.
It was an early morning so we could be on the road well ahead of time for our 10:00 reservation. We absolutely cannot trust the traffic and possible delays. The only possible route to anywhere is US 1, so it’s imperative to allow extra time. And, sure enough…guess what happened? Tree trimmers along Route 1 and delays. Fortunately, we did remember one little detour, from yesterday, that got us around the long line of traffic. We arrived with plenty of time to spare, parked the car ($8), walked to Pier 7, and joined the already growing line of people getting on the same boat. The sun was shining, it was mid 70’s, and we scored a couple of seats on the top deck. It was a nice to be on the water…flat calm seas and very little wind. In an hour we came upon Eastern Egg Rock where the puffins and many other birds migrate in the summer months. The Rock was inundated by birds of many species! There are also three researchers who remain on the Rock from May to mid August collecting data for the Puffin Institute. They also get severely harassed by the birds protecting their domaine…such as dive-bobbing and pooping on them when they need to move about outside of their covered areas. Barry got some great shots that hopefully can be put on the website soon!
Our next thought was to explore the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, a few short miles from downtown. It really was really disappointing to see so many cars that filled the parking lots, along with many busses, so we passed not wanting to fight crowds of visitors.
So, we moved on heading to Rockport. A bit of a ride, but well worth the time. The roads are similar to Boothbay…crooked and hilly and the homes (of which we could see) were stunning and so beautifully manicured. We stopped by the marina for a few snapshots and then to Rockport Diner. Highly recommended on Four Square, and a family-owned business for 30 years. It was a very nice find! Fish chowder with a haddock sandwich for us both. Then we spotted a special, after ordering, for a lobster roll for $17.95…we had to get it! It was the typical grilled hot dog roll…stuffed with lobster salad! It was fabulous, as were the chowder and haddock. If you are in Rockport find this gem and enjoy some great food at extremely fair prices. Elsewhere, we have seen lobster rolls for $30+ and nowhere near the amount of luscious lobster!!
Just a short few miles away, we also stopped by Samoset and the Samoset Resort in particular. Another jaw-dropping thing of beauty. The Resort, built on a steep hill offers magnificent views of the ocean and a breach way, probably a mile long, that many chose to walk. There is a meticulously cared for golf course that many were certainly enjoying. Gorgeous place to vacation ⛳️🍸👙.
The ride back to the campground, one hour, turned into 1-1/2 hours due to…yep…traffic and more rain!
July 30-August 1, 2021
Newfound RV Park
Bristol, NH
$55/evening
$177.00
Pull through/full hook up
We, sadly, left behind beautiful Maine along with all the antique stores, pottery crafters and blueberry stands 😩. Our three hour ride, of course, turned into almost four due to heavy traffic on several of the many highways we drove along today. (Route 1, 295, 95, 101, 93 and 104)
We arrived at Newfound RV Park about 3:00 pm and were directed to the very worst site we have ever been assigned. It literally is along the side of the road. The area behind the driver’s side of the RV is lovely but to exit the RV we take our lives in our hands! We step out of the RV directly onto the road. Thankfully, we are here for 3 days only and we will be out on adventures most of our time here. As we were settling in, trying to connect to the fabulous WiFi their website brags about (NOT!) and hook up satellite I glanced out the window and got a glimpse of five chickens walking around our site…now that’s a first for us! So many options for campgrounds and rentals in this area…if there is a next time it will not be here.
Speaking of adventures, we are out of here! We headed a few miles back to Bristol and an adorable general store named Cardigan. The store is also attached to a small restaurant with a limited menu, but including smoked brisket…smoked on the premises. Yum! Not today. The store is full of crafts, many from from locals, such as jewelry, jams, jellies, cheese, homemade yogurt, cards, etc. You get the picture 😀. We will be back.
A quick Hannaford Market run to provision some needed essentials. There’s a farmers’ market tomorrow and my preference is to patronize the locals, so we picked up only what we absolutely needed.
Across from Cardigan is the Very Excellent Chinese Restaurant…lol…really? So, we sat for a few minutes and watched a steady stream of people in and out…for take-out. We decided to take a chance. We were the only customers for dine-in. We ordered and were exceptionally happy with our choices…the food was excellent and portions extreme. We were happy to see a few other couples arrive for dine-in service and it was obvious they frequently dine here…the servers knew them all. Our leftovers are enough for another meal! For now, back to our roadside site 😞.
A farmer’s market was our first destination on this fine Saturday. Every Saturday from 10-2 several bring their crafts and wares for sale. We purchased some homemade soap, farm-fresh chicken and smoked bacon from Hermit Brook Farm, Sanbornton, NH.
Saturday was also Laconia/Lake Winnipesaukee day! The Lake is the largest in the US located at the foothills of the White Mountains and the views are breathtaking! We decided it would be a “come what may day.” Being Saturday we could only assume it would be swarming with visitors. It was a pretty quick half-hour drive from the campground. The main road along the lakefront was pretty busy…no parking anywhere, but we managed a spot just one block up from the main road ($10) and walked to check out the Sophie C Mail Boat tour. ($40/pp). This two-hour tour literally included mail delivery to six islands located around the Lake. The boat was, much to our surprise, empty! Two other couples shared the enclosed lower level with us and perhaps a dozen more up top! It was a gorgeous, pretty-calm ride. Two of the six islands, Bear and Birch, we stopped at are run by the YMCA and home to youth summer camps. The others are occupied by privately-owned homes of which offer summer rentals. Two of the docks we stopped at had several people awaiting the boat’s and mail arrival. Once the boat docked the interior of the boat was rushed by the island inhabitants to purchase a sweet treat! This was not their first rodeo. Everyone knew where the goodies were stored! One of the island stops (Birch) had a bit of a surprise in store for us on the boat. Every piling was climbed on by one of the children and as we departed, one by one, they did a flip into the water for our entertainment! 👏👏👏👏. We returned at 4:30, so our two hour tour turned into 2-1/2 hours…fine by us.
A quick drink and guacamole at Bar Salida and back to the bus! Perfect day 😃!
Sunday was another magnificent day. It was overcast, but in the mid 70’s, so time to get out and get things done! It’s a provisioning day. Barry’s on a mission to find Happy Camper brand holding tank chemicals, but that was not in the cards for him today.
We saw a Job Lot (a New England based chain) yesterday not too far from the campground so we took a ride and browsed through the “pretty much anything you could ask for” large store. I love Job Lot 😍! Afterward we stopped at Traveling Texas Smoked BBQ for a bite to eat, then onto Wellington State Park ($10). A short path leads to a beautiful, long beach along Newfound Lake. There are picnic tables, grills, a snack bar, bath houses, a swing set and walking trails…what a great place to spend a day! The beach wasn’t quite full but there were several families enjoying the beach and amenities. From there a walk around downtown Bristol…an adorable little area with a few eateries, antique shops and a public butterfly garden set along a rushing river…beautiful!! A final stop to finish off the shopping list and back to the bus! Tonight we experienced absolutely torrential downpours, lightning and thunder…I had to turn up the volume on the TV! Tomorrow we move on to VT!
August 2-3, 2021
Kampfires Campground, Inn and Entertainment
Dummerston, VT
$54.99/evening
$116.58
Honda fuel
Achille Agway
Brattleboro, VT
$3.09/gallon
11.84/gallons
$36.68
Our travels on Route 118 we absolutely dreadful as the road was full of pot holes. The road was also winding around the mountain, of course. Not my favorite, for sure. There’s always a Dollar General nearby for your shopping pleasure and here is no different. Once we were guided onto 91 S the roadway was much more pleasurable.
We arrived at Kampfires at 12:30 with plenty of time to explore for the afternoon. In my opinion, Kampfires is definitely a place we would return. Lots of opportunities for fun with a pool, mini golf, fields, horseshoes and badminton or tennis. They have a small store and a Hershey’s ice cream shop where there is always a line!
Activities in this area are not many. A search brought up Madame Sherri’s Forest. Gulf Road took us on a dirt road up the mountain and through a very nice neighborhood of lovely homes, but I can’t imagine living here during the winter🥶! Madame Sherri was born in Paris and was a theatrical costume designer. She and her husband built a French-inspired chateau as a summer residence in Chesterfield. She was infamous for her lavish parties. Eventually her fortune declined and the castle fell into ruins and vandalism. The home completely burned down in 1963 and she never returned. The only thing remaining is the set of stone stairs and the foundation. It was acquired by Anne Stokes who used the remains to host elaborate parties until she finally donated it and the 513 acres of forest to the Society for the Protection of NH Forests.
>> After visiting the ruins we decided to take the 1.5 mile hike along the Anne Stokes Loop Trail. The Trail was so, so very poorly marked that 1-1/2 miles turned into four miles and two hours of up and down steep hills. We just kept going in circles! We came upon another hiker and her dog who gave us directions on how to get out of this maze! She did mention it gets a bit “gnarly” in spots…really, a bit gnarly was putting it mildly! There were many areas of glacier-type rocks that required sitting and sliding….we were bewildered as to how she and her dog we able to climb up these rocks! She had to be a seasoned hiker. Good bye and good riddance. Definitely a been there done that moment for us and not to return!😱
Glutens for punishment that we are Barry found another trail at the end of a cul de sac in a neighborhood. It promised to be easy, with little elevation (unlike yesterday!) and we did find that to be true. The trail was 2 miles, wide, very-well marked and had some very doable hills. Our only negative about this hike was the mosquitoes 🦟. My goodness they were rampant and feasted on my flesh!
A bit of cruising around and shopping at a couple of farmer’s markets. Walker Farm had some pretty nice looking fruits and vegetables but, wow, the prices! $16.00 for a knob of ginger, 1 plum, a box of fresh figs and a block of cheese. Geez….farmer’s markets are supposed to be reasonable. They were also offering sunflowers (1 stem for $2.50!) and various other flowers, plants and herbs. The prices certainly didn’t deter people from shopping here because patrons were many!! We moved on to Dutton Farm where the prices were much more reasonable on many items (sunflowers for $1.00). I picked up some micro greens that were a delicious addition to our dinner!
We are very happy to be moving on to RI and a month of non-travel. A much needed respite, along with visiting family and friends 😊.
August 4-September 4, 2021
Ginny B Campground
$750.00
Diesel fuel
Star Gas
Foster, RI
23.74 gallons
$3.16/gallon
$75.00
What a day! We traveled horrible roads today. I 90 and I 91 were the worst. Thankfully our drive was only 2-1/2 hours today. I found a gas station on Route 6 in Johnston, RI for $2.95/gallon. I called to be sure we could get in there before traveling out of our way and the owner said we would fit…he lied. We could pull in, but there was no way out unless we unhooked the car, and backed out onto the road. This place was a bust. We headed west on Route 6 where there was an easy in and out station. Barry topped off the tank and we were on our way to Ginny B. We are certainly in the boonies! No cell service, no internet/WiFi, no cable, and so many trees…no satellite. I was told, when we checked in, that TMobile would not work here…surprise, surprise! So unacceptable to Barry. Our site would be great if we could situate the bus far enough out from the foliage to connect to the satellite, but then we would be too far away from the sewer. Now it’s time to try to rectify these issues. We head out to Verizon to buy yet another hot spot and another sewer hose to extend the length to reach the sewer. Success! We now have WiFi and internet. Barry is still brainstorming on satellite 📡. I’m sure he will figure it out.
Satellite is not a happening on this site, not even with a portable dish. Barry bought an app that verified it will not be possible. Very disappointing, but grateful to have the ability to communicate with others with our hot spot.
Time to enjoy family and friends!
