Visiting Acadia National Park (ANP) was a much anticipated part of our journey.  So many people we met said we simply MUST go there during our travels.  Most of the park land was donated by private owners and the nearly 50,000 acres include Mount Desert Island (near Bar Harbor), the Schoodic Peninsula, and 16 smaller islands.  A little known fact is that the donor of the Schoodic Peninsula did so only if name of the park was changed from Lafayette to Acadia, because the estate owner disliked the French. 😳

We camped in between the two main regions of the park in a town called Sullivan, away from the high traffic areas near Bar Harbor, so most of our adventures involved driving into the park rather than hiking and biking.  However, what made driving through the park nice was the fact that most of the Park Loop Road and the Schoodic Loop Road are one way traffic only, so it’s a lot less chaotic.  The only negative is that if you miss something, you can’t just turn around and go back.  And though we didn’t get to hike as much as we would have liked due to Matt’s injury, here is a sampling of the other activities we got up to during our stay. 

Mount Desert Island

The Wild Gardens of Acadia

Right before you reach the Park Loop Road in ANP, take a right and go to the Wild Gardens of Acadia, which is home to over 300 native plant species, several hiking paths and a boardwalk.  One of my favorite parts was seeing the showy lady’s slipper in bloom, which happens to be the Minnesota state flower (where I grew up).  We walked on the boardwalk for a little while north into the marshlands, and then south to a pond called The Tarn, which has stunning views of Cadillac Mountain.

Thunder Hole 

Another park attraction that everyone says you must visit is Thunder Hole, so named because of the thunderous sound the waves can make at high tide when they crash into the inlet carved in the rocks along the seashore.  Parking can be challenging, and often you end up walking quite a ways just to get to it.  When we arrived, it was not so thunderous, so we weren’t impressed. 😂 However, there are several short trails that lead down to the rocky shoreline and provide excellent views of the cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean.  Plus, there is a hiking path that heads down to Otter Point and up to Sand Beach, so another option is that you can walk the shoreline and see Thunder Hole along the way, giving you more parking options and a 4.5 mile round trip.

Cadillac Mountain

Because Matt couldn’t hike yet, we opted to drive up to the top of Cadillac Mountain and check out the stunning views.  Please note that there is a reservation system now in place to drive up Cadillac Summit Road.  The total cost is $6 per vehicle with fees included and requires that you have a national park pass, but it was well worth it.  Cadillac Mountain is the tallest mountain on the eastern coast at 1530 feet of elevation, so the views of the ocean, Bar Harbor, all of the islands off the mainland, and farther inland are pretty spectacular.  It is fairly windy and exposed at the top, so be sure to bring a jacket and/or sunscreen.  

I couldn’t resist taking a few hours to hike up this mountain.  The south and western sides are steeper and require more scrambling, so I did a tamer hike since I was doing it solo.  Matt dropped me off at the Gorge Path trailhead and I did a loop up Gorge Path and down North Ridge.  The hike up Gorge Path was mostly stair stepping and then scrambling up boulders for the last half mile. I gained over 1300 feet in just under 2 miles and was glad I didn’t go down the Gorge Path, as it would have been tricky in the boulder section. 😯

North Ridge was more gradual, with a lot of slab rock and great views of Bar Harbor and the surrounding areas along the way.  I was glad to have a more leisurely and less technical descent.  All in all, the loop was 4.8 miles, about 95% rocky surfaces, and took about 2 1/2 hours.  The trails are well marked and maintained and reasonably trafficked, so I was happy with the route I chose.

The Nor‘Easter Pound & Market

On our last day in the park, we tried to visit the Jordan Pond House to try some of their popular popovers (a favorite of mine growing up).  Plus, there is a network of carriage roads, built with the help of the Rockefellers, that are now used for for walking and biking, etc.  However, among the four large parking lots nearby, we couldn’t find a space and finally gave up.  It was simply too busy for us to deal with.  Instead, we headed out of the park to Northeast Harbor and enjoyed a late lunch at the Nor‘Easter Pound & Market. 

This turned out to be a great choice.  It was so much more relaxing than what we would have had to endure to get into the Jordan Pond Restaurant (JPR).  I imagine wintertime might be a better time to get popovers from JPR. 🤷🏻‍♀️ At the Nor’Easter there was ample parking nearby, the staff was friendly, great views from the patio, and the food was satisfying.   Matt and I indulged in some fish tacos with fries.  I especially loved the sea salt and rosemary fries.

Schoodic Peninsula

Day 1

Closer to where we camped is the lesser known part of ANP, called the Schoodic Peninsula.  According to one tour guide, only 10% of ANP visitors go there! We loved the fact that it was so much less crowded that we went there twice, and thought the views were equally as stunning, albeit without the birds eye views you get from Cadillac Mountain.

It is not mentioned in a lot of the park guides, but there is a place along the Schoodic Loop Road called the Ravens Nest with just a few parking spots.  It’s only .25 miles to hike to the viewpoints off of this cliff, and it is beautiful, so check it out if there is parking available.

At the southernmost part on the peninsula is Schoodic Point, where the former naval base and now the Schoodic Education and Research Center resides and is open to visitors.  We loved the wide open views along the rocky shoreline, peering into puddles of water developed from high tide looking for little creatures, admiring the beautiful irises growing among the rock crevices, and talking with other travelers staying at the Schoodic Woods Campground. 

After driving the park road, we went to the small town of Corea for Lunch on the Wharf based on Pete and Terri’s recommendation, the folks that run the campground where we stayed.  This is an active wharf, so you can see the fishing boats in the harbor, the lobster traps on the docks, and know you will have fresh seafood to enjoy for lunch. 🙂 Matt had their lobster grilled cheese and I had their lobster BLT and a cup of chowder.   

Day 2

We enjoyed the low-key vibe of Schoodic so much the we decided to go back and bike from the Schoodic Woods Campground parking lot.  It was a great test of Matt’s foot, which did surprisingly well! 😃 Along the ride, we stopped to admire the views of the Winter Harbor Light on Mark Island, used until 1933 and now privately owned.  

Another small parking area with gorgeous views is Blueberry Hill, just before you head north and out of the park.  It is often packed with cars, so it was nice to roll up on our bikes and not have to worry about finding a place to stop.  This spot affords views of Little Moose Island.  Although you can access the island at low tide, it is discouraged because it’s a refuge for the birds that occupy it.  

We left the park and arrived in Birch Harbor, where we circled back around on Highway 186 to the parking lot where we started for just over an 11-mile loop. It was a pleasant bike ride and I highly recommend it.  We felt safe the whole time, especially with two lanes and a one-way road, so cars could easily pass us.  Afterward, Matt decided to head back to Birch Harbor and get ice cream at Me & Ben’s, which features Giffords ice cream, as well as shakes with soft serve, hot dogs and other treats.  We earned our ice cream that day. 🍦

Though the traffic and crowds are always a challenge when visiting a national park, overall we enjoyed visiting and hope to come back again when Matt’s foot is healed to do some of the things we missed out on during this trip.  The views of the rugged coastline, the deep blue waters, littered with a plethora of small islands and several lighthouses is breathtaking.  The food was equally as satisfying and people were friendly, making our time here such a positive experience.  Come see what all the fuss is about. 

One of the great things about the northeast is that everything is so close!  We had a few extra adventures south of us while staying in Scarborough, Maine.

Saco

Just south of Scarborough is a town called Saco (pronounced saw-coh).  I am a HUGE fan of the cartoon Bob’s Burgers, and have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to see the movie.  Now that we were over Covid, and Matt was still a bit immobile, it seemed to be the perfect time to see the Bob’s Burgers movie.  We headed out in the late afternoon to a movie theater in Saco and went to dinner nearby after that.

In the middle of the Saco River is an island called Factory Island, and the restaurant Pacifico is located in a government building that used to be the site of a water powered sawmill and iron forge.  I think it’s wonderful when historic buildings are preserved, repurposed and given new life rather than tearing them down, forgetting the roots of the small towns where they preside.  

Pacifico has an outdoor patio, but the inside is wonderful as well, with an impressively large wooden banquet featured in the center of the room.  And the food there is AMAZING.  The latin-inspired tapas were all incredible as were the cocktails.  I had their Boy from Ipanema drink and Matt had their Killing me Softly drink, both refreshing and delicious. For food, we chose their yuca cheese puffs, tiradito halibut ceviche, seared scallops, NY strip steak with chimichurri sauce and a side of fries.  

The first three dishes were outstanding.  The steak was OK, but could have used more sauce.  The cheese puffs are ooey, gooey on the inside, the sauce with the scallops was so tasty that we sopped up as much as we could with bread, and the leche de tigre sauce on the ceviche had an irresistible burst of flavor.  Between the mouthwatering food, fabulous drinks and wonderful atmosphere, I highly recommend this restaurant.

Kittery

When we were staying in New Hampshire, we visited Portsmouth, which is just south of Kittery, Maine, but had one very important reason why we wanted to make it here during our journeys: Mama Lil’s Peppers! 😋 We discovered these jarred peppers while living in Portland, OR and have been hooked ever since.  Their web site has a list of stores that carry their products, and Maine Meat in Kittery was one of the last places we could get them for quite some time.

This whole animal butchery carries quite an extensive line of Mama Lil’s products as well as several other condiments, not to mention some excellent cuts of meat, poultry, cheese and handmade sausages.  Shannon and Jarrod, the people that run Maine Meat, were so welcoming and delightfully enthusiastic about Mama Lil’s.  We also picked up a variety of sausages from them, and they were all excellent.  If you are passing through, come check out this gem of a place and meet Jarrod and Shannon.

After acquiring our bounty, we drove to the Fort McClary State Historic Site.  We have visited several forts set up to defend the United States’ eastern coastline from attack, and enjoyed the coastline views in the process.  This fort was set up originally by William Pepperell, but because he was a loyalist to the crown, it was taken over by rebels and eventually given to the federal government to defend Portsmouth Harbor and the Piscataqua RIver. The fort includes a blockhouse with a draw bridge, internal powder magazine, and officer’s quarters.  Also on the property are a battery of cannons, a rifleman’s house, more powder rooms, and a defensive bastion.

After exploring the grounds, we headed back to downtown Kittery for an early dinner at The Black Birch.  This place was recommended by Beth and Roy, and was a wonderful choice.  We ate outside in their back garden, which was sheltered from the afternoon breezes and had a relaxing atmosphere.  To start, we had their deviled eggs, the sweet potato borek (Balkan savory filo pastry), and the fried halloumi and arugula salad, all of which had unique flavor combinations.  To finish, Matt chose their pork belly, which came from Maine Meats down the street, and I had their coffee-rubbed ribs, which were tender as could be.  They packed a lot of creativity into a delicious and satisfying dinner and we would eat here again. 👍👍

Next, we continue to the northernmost destination in our travels: Acadia National Park!  Everyone we talked to whom we shared with our desire to see Maine said we MUST go to Acadia, and many said we should try to spend as much time in Maine as possible while we had the chance because of its natural rugged landscape and its beauty.  Now it’s time to see what the hubbub is all about.  

We have been looking forward to visiting Maine for months.  Not only were we getting an opportunity to see our sister city, Portland, Oregon’s namesake, but we also be visiting friends made earlier on in our journey.  While in Savannah, Georgia on an architecture tour we met Beth and Roy, who are from Portland, Maine.  Coincidentally, we ran into them twice more during our time in Savannah, which solidified our resolve to meet up again when we finally made it to this point in our travels.

With Matt’s foot injury, however, our plans were going to have to change.  On the plus side, this unfortunate event forced us to approach our site seeing in a different way, with less walking, hiking and biking, and more destination-oriented exploration.  For those of you who aren’t big hikers and bikers, this is geared toward you.

Downtown Portland

We covered a decent amount of ground while visiting, starting with the Eastern Promenade. It is a 68-acre waterfront park offering grassy areas to relax, a playground, sports courts, a 2-mile trail, and has several food trucks nearby.  Matt had a hankering for a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, so we chose Vy Banh Mi.  We both picked lemongrass beef, Matt’s in sandwich form and mine in salad form, and both were excellent.   

Just on the southern end of the promenade is Fort Allen Park.  The fort was originally built to defend Portland against the British in the War of 1812.  Today this 9-acre park commemorates the contributions of those who fought, and preserves structures built on this land spanning times of conflict through World War II.  

Farther inland across from Kennedy Park is Austin Street Brewery, and the Rising Tide Brewery.  As we approached, Rising Tide had live music outside, which we could easily hear from Austin Street.  We enjoyed their refreshing summer offerings and a shady spot outside on what turned out to be a hot, sunny day.  

Southeast of Kennedy Park along Washington Street are several shops and restaurants.  Izakaya Minato Japanese restaurant came highly recommended, along with the suggestion to show up early before they opened and get in line.  Indeed, there were already a handful of people waiting at 4:45.  We got a table quickly, and within 15 minutes the entire place was full. 😯 Everything we ate was incredible, and the service was excellent.  I really don’t think you can go wrong with any selections on the menu, but my favorites were their broiled oysters and duck udon.  

When Matt was getting his foot looked at by an orthopedic clinic, I walked down the street to Thompson Point, and discovered there is a music stage for summer concerts put on by State Theatre Portland.  If scenic views or live music aren’t enough to entice you to this part of town, perhaps a visit to the Children’s Museum or Cryptozoology Museum, or to a brewery, wine bar or distillery will.  We went to Bissell Brothers Brewing Company, and listened to live music happening next door at the Rosemont Market and Wine Bar.  

We could not have picked a better time to visit the Portland area, with outstanding weather and plenty of activities to enjoy.   Our excursions in Portland are just a sampling of all that this peninsular city in the Casco Bay has to offer. 

Wild Duck Campground

The Wild Duck Campground is located in Scarborough, about 25 minutes south of downtown Portland.  This is an adult campground, so no kids are allowed.  We thought it would be an interesting experiment to see if it changed our camping experience.  It turned out to be a moot point, as we ran into a variety of other challenges staying here. 😕 

But first, I will discuss some of the benefits.  It is a quiet, tucked away campground, it is conveniently located, and the staff were out every day doing ground maintenance, garbage pickup, and cleaning the laundry and bathrooms.  The laundry was conveniently located in the middle of the grounds and was decent.  You are also surrounded by marshland, so if you are a birder, this might be a nice place for you to check out some of the common shorebirds.

However, there were also things we didn’t like about this place.  There is a single lane road that leads into and out of campground that has troughs in two sections of the road for water to pass, but they are ruinous on your vehicle’s suspension.  The campground itself is one of the tightest ones we have camped in.  Yes, you can get a 5th wheel or travel trailer in there, but it’s cramped.  It is definitely a better option for vans and other smaller rigs.  

The sites are primarily sand and a bit sloped, so trying to get level was tricky.  Our normal leveling chocks simply sunk in the sand, so we had to dig out our traction boards and drive onto those instead.  Plus, sand gets everywhere.  If it isn’t sand that gets you, the pine needles, seeds and pollen will.  It was one of the messiest sites we have experienced and required constant cleaning even with two outdoor rugs to reduce tracking so much crud in the trailer.  

Finally, I know this is completely random and nothing you can plan for, but we had unpleasant neighbors on both sides of us. 😫 It just made our camping experience altogether that much worse.  If we had to do it all over again, we would consider a different place and sacrificed being a little farther away from Portland.

Outdoor Activities

I didn’t get out hiking as much here given I didn’t want Matt to be stuck without a vehicle for too long; however, I couldn’t resist getting out a few times to clear my head, explore the natural surroundings and take advantage of the beautiful weather we were afforded. 

In downtown Portland there is a 3 1/2 mile gravel loop around Back Cove that gets frequent use by cyclists, runners and walkers.  There is ample parking on Preble Street next to the trail.  Vetches, lupines and rugosa roses rule the region here in Portland, Maine along the waterfront, and the views of the city are spectacular.  I was also fortunate enough to spot a windsurfer and see an incoming storm pour down across the water from me.  Aside from a few flooded sections just south of Tukey’s Bridge, the route is in great condition.

Closer to where we camped is another popular multi-use out and back called the Eastern Trail, which collectively has 65+ miles of trails from Kittery to South Portland.  I drove about 5 minutes to the trail’s intersection with Highway 9 (aka Pine Point Rd), where there is a parking lot just north of the highway.  From here I walked north through the vast marshland, observing crabs, shorebirds, and plant life.  Given more time in the area, I would have loved to come back for a bike ride.

Finally, Matt and I went on a “tour” of local lighthouses based on this post.   It was a bit laughable though.  First off, this post talks about going to Two Lights State Park to check out two of the lighthouses, claiming you can get views from the park.  This is absolutely false and not worth the $7 per person entry fee into the park. 😒 You cannot see either lighthouse from the park and it is small, offering some nice ocean views, and otherwise just a few short trails  and picnic areas.  It is likely a better option for locals with state passes.  Plus, these two lighthouses are privately owned, so we felt a bit awkward trying to snag a few photos. 😳

In my opinion, the Portland Head Light is the most beautiful lighthouse in the area, which we admired the two times we visited Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth (see image in Cape Elizabeth section).  North of here is the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse.  There is ample parking nearby and a trail that leads down to the rocks on which the lighthouse sits; however, with Matt still crutching around and his foot in a boot, we settled for a few views from atop Fort Preble.  

Finally, just a few minutes up the road is the Portland Breakwater (aka Bug Light) Lighthouse, located in Bug Light Park.  It was getting cold and windy at this point and an event was setting up in the park, so I walked over from the parking lot to snag a few shots of this small statured building that features Greek-inspired architecture, including scalloped decoration and Corinthian columns.  If you are really into lighthouses, the eastern coastline is a great place to explore a wide variety of them and their history.

Cape Elizabeth

Our friends whom we met in Savannah, Beth and Roy, were gracious enough to share several suggestions for things to do and see while visiting the area, and they invited us to dinner at their house in Cape Elizabeth.  They have a lovely home with incredible ocean views, and invited us to sit on their patio with a delicious glass of wine and cheese plate to start while we caught up on our adventures.  Then they served up an amazing feast of grilled salmon, tomato salad, and corn succotash and I brought a blueberry buttermilk chess pie for dessert. 😋  

Their niece Anna was staying with them and had also done quite a bit of traveling in her van.  She is not only a sharp person, but an incredible story teller and writer.  Between her infectious laugh and her hilarious tales from the road, I encouraged her to write about them since she has such a knack for setting the scene and pulling you in.  All five of us traded stories for quite some time before we finally called it a night, but we absolutely loved seeing them and hope to do so again.

One of the great attractions just south of Portland that I mentioned earlier is Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth.  This 90-acre park features the Portland Head Light lighthouse and museum, maritime and wartime historic sites, trails, gardens and a delicious food truck called Bite Into Maine that serves different variations of lobster rolls.  Neither Matt nor I are big fans of lobster, yet these rolls were fabulous.  Given the price, they damn well better be! 😯 

Bite Into Maine has three locations in total, with their one brick and mortar location close to where we were camped in Scarborough.  That place has a larger selection of food offerings, so we visited them again during our stay and picked up some lobster bisque to freeze and enjoy later on.  They also bake whoopie pies out of the Scarborough location, so it smells heavenly in there. 😍

Beth and Roy told us about an event that was being held in Fort Williams Park the following weekend during which Roy and his band were planning to perform.  Their band, called Ocean House Road Band, features classic rock and blues tunes, and we were excited to see them play and get together once more.  The events from earlier had been winding down and the wind was kicking up, but we were determined to stick around, not only to say goodbye, but also because there was a fireworks show planned for later on. 🎆 

As the wind picked up and the temperature plummeted, we all hunkered down in our chairs, and those with blankets had them steadfastly wrapped around themselves. Yet, the children ran and played, some still in shorts and T-shirts, seemingly impervious to the cold.  We put our chairs back in their carriers and said our goodbyes to Beth, Roy and Anna. Looking forward to taking cover from the elements in our truck, we ambled across the lawn and sat comfortably inside the cab while we waited for the fireworks to begin. We were fortuitous enough to be faced in the direction of the light show and had a fantastic view in our cozy seats set up high in the truck. 

The fireworks show was fabulous, and I managed to capture some great shots of the action despite the low light.  It went on for about 30 minutes before we saw their grand finale.  Thankfully, there wasn’t anyone behind us in the lot, so we easily backed up and got out of dodge before traffic jammed up the only road leading out of the park.  This seemed a fitting end to our time in Portland: enjoying the company of new friends in a celebratory atmosphere.  

Grilled fish and leeks with citrus salad

Normally, I write about all of the things I make on the trip; however, since getting Covid I have not been as motivated to cook.  Matt took the reins for a while, which I truly appreciated. ❤️ Matt picked out a refreshing fish dish, which is great for a hot summer day since the only cooking required is on the grill.  In addition to this recipe having a great combination of flavors, the list of ingredients is small, it is simple to put together, and it doesn’t take a long time to prepare.  And, for once, we are not cooking salmon. 😂

I’m not the biggest fan of swordfish, so we picked up some mahi instead, and I bought both navel and blood oranges for a little variation in color and taste.  The richness of the fish, contrasted with the brightness of the oranges, tanginess from the olives and vinegar, and herbaceous zip from the dill were brought together with the aromatic charred leeks.  We loved how this all came together and think you will too.

Venison bolognese

When we visited my folks during the winter holidays last year, my mom shared some of her canned goods to take with us, one of which was canned venison stew meat.  Matt never had this before, and thought a bolognese would be an ideal way to try it.  I found this Food and Wine recipe, and decided to give it a go.  

I halved the recipe, since we had a pint jar of venison, which is around 1 lb.  It’s not ground meat, but it’s very tender, so I broke up the meat as I cooked off most of the excess moisture.  We had spiral pasta (fusilli bucati) on hand, which worked well.  Since the venison was already tender, I only cooked the sauce for about 30 minutes instead of 1 1/2 hours, and that was still sufficient time to develop plenty of flavor.

If you love venison or are curious about trying it for the first time, this is a fabulous way to prepare it.  You can’t go wrong with a mirepoix base (celery, carrots and onion), a red wine reduction, herbaceous notes from the bay leaf and oregano, and a creamy finish with the addition of butter and parmesan.  They all add a little something to the flavor party, making this a dynamic sauce and some of our favorite leftovers. 😋

Creamy chicken and kamut casserole

In my continued quest to experiment with different types of whole grains, another grain I wanted to try was kamut, a species of wheat called khorasan with grains twice the size of modern-day wheat.  In searching for recipes, I did not find very many; however, there are so many wheat-based grains to choose from that I think you could easily substitute one for another and simply adjust cooking times.  

This casserole caught my eye because it incorporates collard greens and bell pepper, but has a creamy element with the addition of a small amount of milk and flour, and a toasty cheesy topping to round out the dish.  To cook the kamut I used my instant pot, a 3 to 1 ratio of water to grains, a pinch of salt and set the pressure cooker on high for 45 minutes.  During that time I prepared the rest of the dish, which came together quickly, and by the time I needed to add the kamut to the casserole, it was ready to incorporate.  

Because everything is already cooked and you are just looking to brown the top cheese layer, I used the broiler function in my oven.  However, the broiler took a while, so I left the casserole in the oven for about 20 minutes.  If you are going to use your broiler, I recommend setting a timer at 5 minute intervals to ensure you don’t scorch the top.  Oven broilers vary, and you don’t want to risk an oven fire or wrecking your meal.

Matt loved this dish, and for me it felt like a guilty pleasure with its cheesy top layer and creamy consistency.  The flavors worked very well together, and the whole grains and vegetables satiated me as well, so I wasn’t left feeling the need to snack after dinner.  😋👍

Blueberry buttermilk chess pie

Matt and I were going to visit Beth and Roy, whom we met in Savannah.  They invited us over for dinner once we arrived in Portland, Maine, and we simply could not come empty handed.  I was inspired to try this recipe, having never made a chess pie before.  The supposed reason it’s called “chess pie” is because someone misheard another person who had said “just pie” and the name stuck.  It’s a custard based pie, and this one was dressed up with buttermilk, blueberries, vanilla and orange zest.  

Because I had to pre-bake a pie shell and didn’t bring pie weights with me, I improvised. I was going to line the inside of the pie with foil anyway, so I found medium sized flat rocks outside, washed them, and covered the bottom of the pie with them.  It worked great!  The resulting pie had delicate textures and flavors, and received rave reviews. 😍 If you like custard pies and are in dire need of a creative use for your blueberries, give this one a try. 🫐

Grilled gochujang pork shoulder and bibimbop bowls

Matt bought a pork shoulder roast a while back and stuck it in the freezer, but recently we needed to free up freezer space for other things.  I get daily emails from Food and Wine, Bon Appetit and Epicurious, one of which was a lengthy list of pork recipes.  I LOVE gochujang (fermented chili paste), so this grilled gochujang pork shoulder steaks recipe was perfect.  Once my marinade was blended, I reserved some of it as a dipping sauce for later.  After Matt cut the pork shoulder into 3/4 inch steaks per the recipe, we let the steaks soak up the marinade in a covered bowl in our refrigerator while we went out for the afternoon.

I always want to balance out a hefty portion of meat with some veg, so this vegetable bibimbop recipe was a great complement to the pork.  Matt doesn’t like bean sprouts and I don’t like mushrooms, so I substituted radish and wakame seaweed.  In addition to garlic and sesame oil, I added 1 1/4 teaspoons of gochujang as a stir fry sauce to the veggies.  Pulling it all together, I used some short grain Japanese rice, and dressed the bowls with all of the bibimbop components, adding some of the reserved marinade for the pork to provide a bit of heat to the dish.  

It was a big meal, but everything tasted wonderful!  If I were to make it again, my only change would be to add a hint of salt to the spinach.  However, if you mix everything together before you eat it, then you likely won’t need that extra bit of salt since the dipping sauce, pork, and seaweed all have plenty.  The creamy egg contrasted well with the sauce, and the rice added great texture to the party.  Though each component takes a bit of individual attention, this is a wonderful combo and gets 4 thumbs up from Matt and I. 😋👍👍👍👍

With Matt’s injured right foot, he couldn’t really do much of anything, let alone drive or handle departure and arrival chores.  For this reason, we are so glad that we decided to share all of our tasks from the get-go and ensure both of us were comfortable taking care of all that needs to be done.  If I didn’t know how to hitch up, wasn’t comfortable towing the trailer or backing up into a site, we could have been stranded because of this accident. 😬

I made a point of getting comfortable driving the trailer right from the beginning.  After a few months, I stopped getting so nervous and at one point in time everything just sort of clicked and it was no longer that scary.  Less frequently but still part of my learning process, I also have gotten better at hitching up.  We have a Pro Pride hitch, and like many weight distribution hitches, it is complicated.  It requires multiple steps to the hitching up process and precision when backing up to get the hitch into the receiver.  And backing up with a big ass trailer is also challenging and requires lots of practice, especially when you’re often in tight campgrounds.  Anyone who has backed up with a trailer or a boat knows what I’m talking about. 😂

All this to say, there are a few pointers that I think might help couples as they embark on any long-term trips or a full-time on-the-road lifestyle.

• A checklist. Having a punchlist of items to take care of for departure and arrival has really helped.  We have a shared note through Apple Notes that both of us can reference on our phones and keeps us on track.  Though we don’t refer to it as frequently now (we have been doing this for a year, moving once a week on average), it is helpful, especially when you are first starting out.  You don’t want to forget anything important.
• Practice, practice, practice.  It makes a world of difference when taking on each task.  Some of the biggies, like hitching up, driving while towing, and backing up your rig take time to get comfortable enough where you aren’t stressed out about it.  It does get easier.
• Communication.  There are certain things that Matt does more than I and vice versa.  If we see someone doing something wrong, we speak up to ensure it’s done right the next time.  Swallow your pride, learn something in the process and know that you’re helping each other to stay safe and reduce risk of injury to yourselves or your rig, both of which can be costly.
• Attention to detail. This has also been a key ingredient to our success.  Double checking that you locked the doors on your rig, turned off the water heater and water pump before a move, turned off the gas (if your refrigerator can run on electric), and checked tire pressure before hitting the road have saved us from roadside emergencies.  If you’re unsure, check again.  It’s better to be safe than sorry!

These four pointers have really helped us successfully and safely travel all of this time, and without them we could easily have had a major emergency that could have stranded us or ended our trip.  Don’t let this happen to you! 😃

Because we had been sick earlier on, we chose to head back down to Boston during our time in New Hampshire.  Neither of us had ever been, so we didn’t want to get so close and not take the opportunity to see this historic city.  It took about an hour and a half to drive down, and we found an open lot at Sullivan Square to park for just $9.00 for the entire day.  We walked from here, but there are also public transit options nearby, including multiple bus lines and a subway line.  

Our main goal for the day was to walk the 2 1/2 mile Freedom Trail, which takes you through multiple parks to 16 sites of significance in US history. We did things in reverse, starting at Bunker Hill in Charlestown and culminating our tour at Boston Common in downtown.  Though you can purchase guided tours, and we certainly ran into many along the way, we wanted to do things at our own pace.  Here are the highlights.  

Atop Bunker Hill is a monument honoring those who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought against Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War.  From here we walked through a few smaller parks to the beautiful five-acre Paul Revere Park that sits along the Charles River.  I liked the decorative mosaic tile and undulating benches, which seemed to be a nod to Gaudi’s Parque Guell.  The views from the top of this layered park are also outstanding.

From here we walked across an impromptu pedestrian bridge to the North End while the main bridge was under construction.  It flexed a lot under foot, so I can imagine that anyone afraid of heights or going over bridges might freak out a bit.  😬 We walked up to the Copps Hill Burying Ground, the second-oldest burial ground in Boston where many of the North End’s residents of lesser means were laid to rest. 

Down the street from the cemetery is the Old North Church, where Paul Revere’s signal lanterns were hung to warn Americans of the onslaught of British troops.  A statue of Paul Revere stands behind the church in their courtyard.  By this time, we were getting peckish.  The North End is Boston’s oldest residential community, and is filled with gorgeous historic buildings and dozens upon dozens of Italian American restaurants.  If you love Italian food, you really can’t go wrong here.  😋

After lunch, we continued to several more sites, including the Granary Burial Ground, Boston’s third-oldest cemetery. Therein lie the remains of notable figures, including Paul Revere, the five victims of the Boston Massacre, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine to name a few.  For us, it was interesting to see commemorative plaques on the walls of the surrounding buildings, which made me wonder where their bodies were actually buried.  Our tour ended at the expansive Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, dating from 1634.  It is a beautiful park, bordered by the state capitol building to the east.  

Finally, we took a cab across the river to Harvard and walked around their campus grounds before deciding to “call it” and head back toward our truck.  Our feet were worn out by this time. 😑 We had parked on the northern edge of Boston and were conveniently located next to the freeway entrance, so we had a relatively speedy exit during rush hour.  Though we couldn’t live in such a densely populated area again, Boston is a beautiful city, very walkable, filled with history, and worth going to see for yourself.  

We had read a lot of positive reviews about New Hampshire and more specifically the Nashua area, so were curious to spend some time here.  New Hampshire has been lauded as a more affordable place to live, with lower taxes and an entrepreneur-friendly environment, as well as a plethora of educational opportunities for people of all ages.  What we found was that the people of New Hampshire were some of the friendliest we have encountered thus far during our travels through the northeastern United States.

Downtown Nashua 

With another hot, sunny day on the books, we headed into Nashua to run a few errands and have some lunch.  After picking up a few things, we walked along Main Street looking for a place to enjoy lunch outside.  There weren’t a lot of places open for lunch, but we found the Odd Fellows Brewing Company.  Matt had a brown ale and I had a key lime sour, and both were tasty beers. 🍻 I wanted crab cakes, but they were out, so I had a their cod sandwich, and Matt had their fish and chips.  Both were good, but it was a LOT of food.  

Afterward, we walked along the Nashua River, soaking in the sunshine and the views.  There isn’t a large greenway though, so we drove over to Mine Falls Park to take a stroll.  This 325-acre park is great for boating, fishing, walking, biking and skiing, with a decent network of trails and waterways.  We saw the historic gatehouse, built in 1886 to expand the previously smaller guard gates, which demonstrated more utilitarian rather than decorative architecture.  The pollen was very thick in New Hampshire, as was demonstrated by the marbled effect on the water in one of the pictures below, but it did not deter people from taking advantage of a statewide free fishing day.

We had hoped to loop back around the Mill Pond, but the bridge is closed until July 2022.  Between the bridge closure, pollen impacting Matt and us both still recovering from Covid, we turned around and called it a day.  There is so much more we could discover in Nashua, but we are trying to pace ourselves and not overdo it.  

New Hampshire Coast

One really convenient feature of New Hampshire is that it’s small, so you can easily drive across the state for a day trip.  There are 18 miles of shoreline bordering the Atlantic Ocean, and we headed east in search of lunch, sand, sun, and ocean breezes. 

First, we stopped for lunch at Tuna Striker Pub located off of the Seabrook Harbor. This place turned out to be a fabulous pick.  We had an outside table, the service was excellent and the food was even better.  We had a cup of lobster bisque, a cup of clam chowder, crab cakes, olive tapenade and a big salad.  It was a wonderful way to start our day on the coast.  

Next, we stopped at the Hampton Beach State Park, strolled along the shoreline, watched people bare their skin in hopes of turning bronze, but mostly turning pink or red instead.  We saw a beautiful New Hampshire Marine Memorial and a family of ducks buoying on the waves.  It was fun to simply observe and walk off our lunch while enjoying the breeze and the dance between the sun and clouds overhead.

With plenty of daylight left, we went to Odiorne Point State Park, which is just south of Portsmouth.  From Hampton Beach the drive was relaxing as we saw a variety of houses along the coast, everything from small shanties to grandiose mansions.  When we arrived at the park, I found a myriad of paths to explore.  We saw a bunch of groundhogs hanging out in the park’s gardens on our way toward the Seacoast Science Center.  Then we saw this large cement structure, which turned out to be Battery Seaman Gun #1, built in 1942.

As we looked at this relic from the past covered in graffiti, a man came over from the trail asking us if we knew what it was.  He then shared that he and his friends used to bike over there when they were children and run through the amass of subterranean tunnels and rooms inside.  His name is Chris, and he talked at length about how some of the lowest rooms were flooded, others still had furniture and papers in them, and the powder rooms had some substance hanging down from the walls, possibly used to prevent a spark from blowing the whole place to kingdom come.  

He said that when the state took over the land, they closed off the access points to the rooms and tunnels by welding the doors shut, but that did not deter curious explorers.  Eventually, the state put large blocks of rock in front of the doors.  This battery was part of Fort Dearborn, built during World War II, and you can check out more of the fort’s history here.   We thanked Chris for sharing the significance of this place both for him personally and historically.  

Finally, we headed into Portsmouth, in search of dinner.  After wandering the streets of this wonderful little city, we went to the Portsmouth Brewery.  The beers were excellent and the food was decent.  Had we not still been trying to be cautious and eat outside due to our recent Covid infection, we would have opted for one of the many great restaurants in the area that only had inside seating.  This town is definitely worth visiting, between the views, the great food scene, and several islands nearby with historical sites to see.  

Palmer-Bartell Forest and Culture Bread 

There were several trails and the Potanipo Lake nearby us in Brookline.  First, we went to the Palmer-Bartell Forest.  We tried to use this route, but the trailhead listed appeared to be on someone’s private property!  Instead, start at Bartell Trailhead, and then connect to the route from AllTrails.   

As we hiked toward the Powerline trail, I heard a squeak coming from the side of the trail.  I stopped, trying to locate where the sound was coming from.  Matt pulled back a few leaves and a dead branch, and lo and behold, it turns out we accidentally freed a wood frog from the jaws of a garter snake. The snake was NOT happy with us. Whoops!  😳🐍 However, the wood frog’s cries worked and it got to live a little longer.

On the Powerline trail there were several flooded sections, where I observed several different frog species before we went up Hutchington Hill before circling back to the Brookline Rail Trail, which is also used by cyclists in summer and snowmobiles in winter.  There are several bodies of water along this stretch, and I discovered new flora growing nearby.  The only major challenge was the fact that there was SO much pollen in the air.  My pant legs were coated in it by the time we got back to the truck.  It was definitely wreaking havoc on Matt’s sinuses and coating everything in a fine yellow layer.  I’m looking forward to the end of the massive dumps of pollen so we can finally wash the trailer. 😂

Afterward, we went north to the town of Milford and ordered sandwiches from Culture Bread.  I got their BCGC, a grilled broccoli, cheddar and cream cheese sandwich, and Matt picked out their B-Real, a pulled pork sandwich.  Both were incredible! 👍 The staff was super friendly and I wish we had time to go back again.

The Big Oops

Even closer to us was the Potanipo Hill and Sculpture Park that features local artist’s works.  Earlier that day it rained, but the afternoon was sunny and beautiful, so we headed over there to check out the outdoor art display.  We had gone a 1/2 mile and were looking at a sculpture called Bones of the Earth when I heard Matt yell.  He had slipped on a rock and was on the ground gripping his leg.  He yelled, “I broke my foot,” so I hurried over to try and help.

Unfortunately, I’m too short to help support his weight, so he had to peg leg on his heel to get back to the truck.  Off we went to the St. Joseph Urgent Care in Milford.  They were so nice and got him in quickly for X-rays and an examination.  The X-rays did not show any broken bones, so they simply gave him crutches and sent him on his way.  

That being said, he could not put any weight on it, so that meant our plans were going to change pretty drastically.  No!  Not right before Maine!  Maine was the leg of our trip we had been anticipating for months, and many of the things we had planned to do were now out the window. 😩 However, it’s a good thing this happened late in our travels, because had it occurred early on, we may have been stuck for a while!  Thankfully, I was comfortable enough with driving the truck, towing, departure and arrival tasks to take over. 

Field and Stream RV Park

The park we stayed in is called Field and Stream RV Park.  Their web site states that it’s “Peaceful, Quiet, and Restful,” and I completely agree.  It’s a small park with a number of full-time residents, and has several amenities.  You are given a QR code to enter the campground, so hang onto that piece of paper and keep it in your vehicle.  We saw one person try to use a picture of the QR code on her phone, but the scanner would NOT accept it, just FYI.

Their campsites are fairly level, the laundry facilities were some of the nicest we have encountered, there is propane on premise for refills, and there is a small fishing pond and play area for outdoor entertainment.  We got to know some of our neighbors, Lynne and Hank, who moved from Massachusetts to Greenville, South Carolina a few year ago, so we gabbed for a while about their experience living there compared to the northeast.  Our conversation was instigated by Matt’s crutches…Hank has been dealing with a foot injury for years now, so those two commiserated on this painful similarity.  

If you are spending time in New Hampshire or Massachusetts, I highly recommend this park.  It was an easy jaunt to the Atlantic and to Boston due to its central location, and provided the respite one looks for when trying to get away from it all.  

Our adventure will be interesting from here on out.  Matt plans to see an orthopedic specialist once we get to Portland for a second opinion and we will simply have to play things by ear for a while.  Wish us luck! 😬🍀

One of the draws to visiting Massachusetts for us was seeing one of my long-time friends Bre, with whom I used to work for many years at GU Energy.  We have stayed in touch over the years and I was excited to reconnect.  However, with Covid having gripped us, we had to change our plans and find other ways to spend our time.  We wanted to socially isolate as much as possible until I tested negative, so going to a more populous area such as Boston was out of the question.  Instead, we laid low during the Memorial Day weekend and did a variety of more relaxed activities during the subsequent week.

We had a fairly brief travel day, but as we neared our destination we ended up on a road with a “Road work ahead” sign.  This was the only road through to our destination that we could find. We didn’t see any construction workers though, so we continued down what was essentially a repaving project in mid-swing.  Pretty quickly we saw a construction crew and police standing around, but were offered no guidance until we stopped next to a dump truck driver whose response was “Yeah, you’re good.” 

As we cautiously continued, manholes and other obstacles were raised above the surface all over the road. So we ended up playing manhole slalom with our travel trailer while competing with oncoming traffic. We’d seen similar construction zones in places like Belize, but didn’t expect such a chaotic situation in Massachusetts. 😂 Thankfully, we made it through the construction zone unscathed and it all worked out.

Northampton/Springfield KOA

In central Massachusetts, we stayed at the Northampton/Springfield KOA, which is actually located in Westhampton.  This KOA is one of the larger ones we have booked during our journeys.  We were way in the back, and this turned out to be great for us.  It was less crowded and thus quieter, had a decent amount of sun, but we also had afternoon shade.  Our site was grass and slightly sloped, so for more level sites on rock I recommend those at the front of the KOA grounds.  However, the frontmost sites are closer together and see a lot more traffic since they are also near the office and general store, pool, play equipment, and mini golf.

This KOA offers firetruck rides for kids, which we saw on several occasions doing laps around the park.  In fact, they provided a whole itinerary of activities happening over the Memorial Day weekend.  There are facilities with laundry, bathrooms and game rooms both in the front and back of the park, and another bathroom in the center of the park.  Unfortunately, the laundry facilities near us were really grimy, with dead bugs all over the floor, and the arcade next door was locked.  But, we took a peek at the front laundry facilities and they were much cleaner by comparison and the game room was open.

Two issues we experienced were extremely low water flow and frequent power outages.  Since we usually fill our freshwater tank, water flow isn’t a huge issue for us.  However, we kept having power brownouts, as did our neighbor, so I don’t think they are set up to handle the number of people staying there, even though it wasn’t even completely full.  There are a number of full-time residents in the middle of the park and trailers that remain there permanently as vacation getaways.  I’m not sure if that affects the power issues, or if they just need to redo their entire power grid.  Finally, the KOA general store was pretty barren, so the Outlook Farm Barn and Eatery just a few minutes down the road is a great option for prepared food and groceries.

Downtown Northampton

We wanted to see downtown Northampton, but still keep our distance so we didn’t get anyone sick.  The weather was really nice, so we parked on the edge of town and went for a stroll.  

The first place we encountered was Smith College, a private liberal arts women’s college.  As we continued toward the town center, we enjoyed the vivid art on the streets, sidewalks and walls and saw a pedestrian bridge overhead.  That bridge is part of the Northampton Greenway, one portion of over 52 miles of bike/walk paths branching out in several directions from downtown. We continued along that path and then circled back, enjoying some older buildings, including the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church. 

Eventually, we decided to stop at Jake’s Restaurant, since they had a decent menu and outside seating.  I had their Eggs in Purgatory bowl and Matt had the house burger.  My lunch was especially good and quite filling, so I saved half for breakfast the next day. 😋 I was really warm at this point in the day, and this being our first real outing since being sick, we didn’t want to push our luck, so we headed back.  All in all, we thought Northampton was a cute little downtown.  Had we been feeling better and not concerned about being contagious, we would have definitely spent more time down here enjoying the restaurants and the bike path.

Hiking/Walking

As we slowly started getting out more, I was itching to get on a trail to see how my lungs could handle a little bit of elevation.  Nearby was a place called Mineral Hills Conservation Area, which has trails and views of an abandoned rock quarry.  I figured it would be a great place to enjoy some nice views.  Starting out, it was incredibly buggy, so bug spray is recommended.  We didn’t catch any views on the main part of the hike, but did get a decent little workout.

On our way back, the quarry is right next to the trailhead, so if you want to skip the hike and just see the quarry, you can easily do just that.  We saw from atop the cliffs that there was quite the ecosystem down below: a pond filled with fish, frogs, turtles, and among the dry parts of the quarry there were plenty of birds and blooms visible.  As such, we went into the quarry.  

Not only did we see all of these things, I surprised a large snake, and the frogs gave us quite the little concert.  I have never heard bull frogs with such deep calls before!  Check out this video and turn up the sound to listen.  At 13 seconds and 34 seconds you can hear the low, guttural calls from what I suspect was a really large bull frog.  😯🐸 This was a really cool experience, and as far as enjoying wildlife, it was one of my favorites on this trip thus far. 👍👍

Before we left the area, we went on one more walk through Nonotuck Park in Easthampton.  This place gets plenty of use, having facilities for to play soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, basketball, swimming, bocce ball and more.  We stuck to the trails along the Broad Brook and Nashawannuck Pond, and I finally got to see one of my favorite flowers in bloom: the Pink Lady’s Slipper.  This wild orchid is native to the northeast and reminds me of the Showy Lady’s Slipper, which is the state flower of Minnesota, where I grew up. 😍 

Springfield

Just 30 minutes south of us is the city of Springfield.  It also happens to be the home town of famed children’s author Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Seuss Geisel).  The weather was going to be a hot, so we thought it would be a good idea to go check out the Dr. Seuss museum and beat the heat.  While looking for things to do in Springfield, I happened upon this blog post.  It was hilarious that the 15th idea on the list was to not go to Springfield at all, but go to Boston instead. 😂 Talk about terrible advertising for a city! LOL

We discovered that Springfield has five museums together in one area, so you can buy a ticket to see them all and they provide a map of each location and type of museum.  The options include museums of science, art, fine arts, Springfield history, and Dr. Seuss.  You have to select a time slot to go into the Dr. Seuss museum due to its popularity, so we chose to start at the science museum since it was right next door.

We walked through sections displaying both a variety of mammals and dinosaurs as well as a synopsis of earth’s geologic and natural history broken down into time periods.  Upstairs we saw an exhibit of African artifacts and cultural history, showing how many of us originated from this area when the continents had not yet separated into their existing locations.  I never realized just how massive the continent of Africa is until that moment! 😯 Finally, we wandered the Earth Hall, which displays different meteorite remnants, rocks, gems and minerals from all over the world.  The variety of materials found on this earth are awe-inspiring.

Next we headed over to the Dr. Seuss museum.  You walk through different rooms dedicated to different subjects, such as his early and late childhood, his years as an acclaimed author, and the period after he retired from writing.  The basement and first floors of this museum are mostly geared toward kids, including many interactive sections, but the second story shares artifacts, his drawings, and correspondence with loved ones that provide more insight into the man behind the popular children’s books.

Outside you can wander through the small Dr. Seuss memorial sculpture garden, all figures designed and created by Dr. Seuss’s step-daughter Lark Grey Dimond-Cates.  

It was getting late, so we only had time to visit one more museum.  Across the way we took a brief tour of the fine arts hall, which included paintings, furniture and sculptures from periods including some 15th century Medieval period and 16th century Renaissance art, 17th to 19th century European art, and Modern or Contemporary art on the bottom floor.

Afterward, we walked around downtown in search of an open coffee shop, and discovered La Fiorentina Pastry Shop.  They have a small grocery of Italian goods, cafe, bakery and gelateria, with some gorgeous cakes and other delectable pastries on display.  Matt got an affogato and I chose a small cup of strawberry gelato, which we enjoyed as we walked toward the truck.  I wish we had more time to visit the city’s Forest Park, but it was getting late, we were tired and needed to head back to prepare dinner.  If you like visiting museums and/or are a fan of Dr. Seuss, this is a great place to enjoy both.

Though we would have loved to explore this area more and see friends during our stay, we were still in recovery mode after being sick, trying to distance ourselves from others and regain our energy.  What I loved about the area was how relaxed it was.  We didn’t feel rushed or stressed and really enjoyed the pace of life here, the scenery, and the lovely late spring weather.  Come see for yourself if you are traveling through New England.  We head to New Hampshire next for another week-long stay.  

Throughout our travels, we have been so fortunate to remain healthy, which makes moving around a whole lot easier.  Well, our luck ran out! 😐 I started hearing from friends and family all over the country that they had recently gotten sick from Covid, and knew cases were on the rise again.  In Washington DC we experienced large crowds indoors for the first time in quite a while, so I resumed masking up indoors.  We also spent a day in Philadelphia, during which time I masked up indoors to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.  However, two days later, Matt got sick. 🤧 We think it was while waiting for sandwiches at Campos, since he was inside this small deli, packed to the gills with people for 30 minutes while I was outside.

I wasn’t experiencing any symptoms, so he wasn’t sure if he had a sinus infection or if it was something else.  As such, we laid low for the remainder of our stay in Pennsylvania and moved to Connecticut.   Although Matt’s symptoms were starting to subside, we were concerned about spreading Covid, so it was decided to go get a drive-through Covid test to be on the safe side.  By this time, Matt had been sick for 5 days and I was still fine.  Our test results came back quickly: I was negative and Matt was positive.  Crud.  

The day after we got our test results I started getting symptoms.  No!  Not now!  We were so excited to explore western Connecticut.  My friend Tali and her sister had shared so many great places to explore: Kent Falls State Park and Steep Rock Preserve, to name a few.  Another friend of ours had recommended a few spots in New Haven to eat as well: Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria and Louis’ Lunch, the supposed birthplace of the hamburger sandwich.  We even had grand plans to visit Rhode Island since it was just a few hours away.  In the end, we didn’t see any of these places. ☹️

I had been so worried about getting Covid, because of complicating factors.  When I turned 30, I got mononucleosis for the first time, and it went undiagnosed for 5 months, during which time I was still training and racing bikes.  The virus that can cause mono is called Epstein-Barr, which remains a latent virus in your body and can resurface again if your immune system is severely compromised.  This virus combined with a late diagnosis led to four years of chronic fatigue last time, and I have been so fearful of ending up with chronic fatigue again.  It was horrible, because it took away my active life, many people told me it was just all in my head and I became severely depressed.  Though I am trying hard not to dwell on the fact that I might get chronic fatigue again, it’s hard to quiet that voice in my head. 😬

Asking friends and family about their Covid experience, I thought it might not be that big of a deal.  Well, I was wrong.  I haven’t been that sick in over 10 years.  By day four, both Matt and I were concerned that I might need to go to the ER, because my symptoms kept progressing.  Basically, I felt like death warmed over. 🤒 Thankfully, my worst day was also the day when I turned the corner and my symptoms started to subside.  We are now asymptomatic, but still more tired than usual, trying to be patient as we slowly recover.

During most of our illness we stayed in a lovely place called the Cozy Hills Campground, just outside of Bantam, Connecticut.  Though we did not use many of their facilities since we were sick, this place did live up to its name.  Most of the sites were spacious, especially ours: Site 370.  The grounds have three ponds and several amenities, including a well stocked general store, firewood bundles, and activities for kids. It was so peaceful during our stay as I convalesced in the trailer, watched the turtles sunbathe, waterfowl paddle across the water, and listened to the trees rustle in the afternoon breeze.  We could not have asked for a more relaxing stay, to be honest.  

It was fortuitous that Matt and I had somehow staggered our sickness so we could take care of each other.  We had plenty of food in our pantry, so we didn’t have to leave the trailer or spend unnecessary effort on meals.  Plus, the weather was warm enough that we could open the windows and doors to get fresh air and not feel so cooped up inside.  We didn’t have any raucous neighbors stressing us out either.  This wasn’t the experience we were looking for, but we were thankful that it went as smoothly as it did.  The jury is still out as to whether I will have any long term effects from Covid.  As is often the case, only time will tell. 🤞

After some stormy, gray days near the Atlantic coast, we headed north and farther inland.  We got a healthy dose of sunshine on our journey and were excited to change it up for once, taking a longer lunch break to see Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just over the Virginia border.

A Lunch Stop in Gettysburg

Gettysburg is known for the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the most significant battles during the American Civil War, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which was given to commemorate and acknowledge the sacrifice of fallen soldiers and to dedicate the Soldier’s National Cemetery.  The National Park Service preserves the 6000+ acres of battlefield grounds and American Civil War artifacts.  We parked and walked over to the battlefield, where we saw countless plaques, statues, and other memorials to the commanding generals and their military units who fought in this battle.  

Reading about the brutal battle and everyone involved, including those charged with medical care under ghastly circumstances, you cannot help but feel the eeriness and haunting nature of this place.  Our tour culminated at the Pennsylvania State Memorial, which commemorates the nearly 35,000 Pennsylvania soldiers who fought during the Battle of Gettysburg.  After climbing the steps, there is a spiral staircase access in the southwestern column that leads to an upper level.  From here, the views of the surrounding valleys and the battlefield are incredible.

If you are a history buff or want to honor and remember those fallen in battle, this is a peaceful place to accomplish both.  For us, it was the perfect place to stop for lunch, walk it off, and learn more about one of our country’s most visceral moments in history.  There isn’t more than a few hours worth of activities here, so I recommend visiting if you are already planning to pass through this area or perhaps a picnic spot for lunch.

A Day in Philadelphia

We couldn’t visit eastern Pennsylvania and not go to the city of brotherly love.  Fun fact: The reason why it is called the city of brotherly love is because the founder, William Penn, aspired to create a city of religious tolerance and without religious persecution.  Philadelphia comes from the Greek words Phileo (love) and aldelphos (brother).  It was hot the day we went, and we experienced powerful contrasts in sights, sounds and smells while walking around.

We spent most of our time in the city center, parking near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and walking toward Independence Hall.  In addition to seeing some of the historic sites, we were focused on getting some lunch in our bellies.  Philly is known for its cheesesteak, and although it’s not something I would typically eat, we decided to go for it since we may not get a chance to come back here again.

The first place we wanted to go was Sonny’s Famous Steaks, but discovered they were closed temporarily when we arrived.  Instead, we went down the block to Campo’s.  Even though it was already close to 2pm, this place was packed…likely due to Sonny’s closure driving more business their way.  We ordered inside and I grabbed a table on the sidewalk while waiting for our food.  Matt waited inside for our order, which took over 30 minutes.  Was it worth the wait?  Not really, but we dug into our cheesesteaks anyway since we were ravenous at this point.  Though it satisfied my hunger, I don’t think I’ll be having another cheesesteak anytime soon.

One of the places we wanted to see during our time here was Independence Hall.  The National Park Service has instituted a reservation system to limit the number of people entering the hall at any given time to 45 people or less per time slot, so you will have to go online to reserve your spot.  It only costs $1 per person, but they do not have tickets to purchase at the hall, so you have to take care of this in advance.  

After lunch, we walked back to Liberty Hall to see the Liberty Bell while we waited for our reservation time at Independence Hall next door.  The Liberty Bell originally symbolized American independence from the British monarchy.  It has since been adopted as a symbol of freedom by many groups, including abolitionists during the Civil War to end slavery, suffragists fighting for women’s right to vote, and several others who have visited the bell because it represented their fight for political, religious and personal freedom from persecution.

Next, we walked over to Independence Hall to see where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were agreed upon and signed by our nation’s founding fathers.  It was originally built as Pennsylvania’s State House where all legislative, executive and judicial branches of government met.  The person leading our tour mentioned that they are still learning more about historic accuracy of events.  For example, they used to think three judges presided over the court for judicial hearings, but more recently discovered that there were four judges.  We were only allowed to go into the two rooms that comprise the downstairs of the hall for 10-15 minutes, so the tour was brief.  Our tour guide had a very confusing delivery and it felt like he was just rambling off the cuff, so how great of an experience you have may depend on who leads your group.

Next up, we decided to walk down to the Delaware River along the waterfront and take a moment to relax at Liberty Point.  This restaurant has outdoor seating on two different levels, and we opted for a high top downstairs away from the music to enjoy a refreshing drink and some people watching.  After wandering along more of the riverfront, we chose to get an early dinner.  Our friend Tali had recommendations since she and her family used to live in Pennsylvania and visit Philly.

Along the way to dinner we walked through one of the city’s several historic districts and saw some of the many landmarks in the area, including President James Madison’s residence and A Man Full of Trouble Tavern, the only remaining tavern from Colonial Philadelphia.  During all of our walking around the city, we noticed that it is incredibly pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly with a lot of public parks.  Runners, bikers, strollers, and park goers were all taking advantage of the gorgeous weather that day. 

Before heading back, we had dinner at Fat Salmon Sushi, which was perfect after a hot day.  The restaurant had a relaxing ambiance, a large selection of items on the menu, and everything we picked was tasty and satisfying.  We swung by Trader Joe’s on our way back to pick up some of our favorite snacks and left the city tired but fulfilled.  It was an action-packed day and provided us a glimpse into what everyone talks about when they say Philly is a great city.

French Creek State Park

Eastern Pennsylvania was another area where we had trouble finding a decent campground or RV park.  So many of the reviews were absolutely terrible, primarily due to difficulties getting to the campground (narrow, winding roads, low hanging branches, or low clearance overpasses) or extremely muddy and uneven site conditions.  In the end, we decided to stay at French Creek State Park, about an hour and a half northwest of Philadelphia and a little over an hour southwest of the Allentown/Bethlehem area.  And, we ran into all of these issues anyway. 😂

The routing to get there was really wacky, taking us up and down all sorts of narrow, winding roads, and at times having to navigate some dicey right turns.  If you do decide to come here, the best way to enter is from the north, taking highway 724 to either highway 345 or Shed Road.  Once you arrive, there are four loops in the main campground and some more remote group camping sites elsewhere in the park.  We were in Loop B, and unfortunately picked one of the “not so great” sites which was muddy and sloped.  You can run the risk of damaging your RV’s slide(s) and/or refrigerator if you try to operate them while your RV is not level, and we maxed out our available blocking trying to get our rig level.

We did a walk through the other loops and here is what we found:  

• Loop A is mostly shaded and has some sites that appear to have been repaved more recently and are more level (sites A1 through A20), but a lot of the inner sites on the backside of Loop A have varying degrees of sloping issues.  
• The rest of Loop B is fairly shaded as well, and sloping issues are hit or miss.  
• The sites closest to the entrance of Loop C get the most sunshine and are fairly level, and the rest are shaded with varying degrees of sloping issues.  
• Loop D is currently closed while they do maintenance, including tree removal.  

Basically, unless you can scout sites out before you choose them, it’s a total crap shoot. 🙄

The bathrooms are run down, and the showers are a push button operation, so you cannot control the water temperature.  I had to hit the button three times before I got any warm water, and then the water got too hot with no way for me to cool it down unless I just stood there and waited for 10-20 minutes. 😠 This was not ideal or efficient, so I didn’t use them again.  But, the bathrooms do have an outside sink for washing dishes, which is nice.

For trail access from the campground, you have to walk 1/2 mile to the campground entrance for the nearest trailhead.  I found one trail entrance from loop A, but you would have to walk through someone’s campsite to get to it, so it’s not always accessible.  Because we were there in the springtime, most of the trails were really muddy and insect repellent was essential.  There are also two bodies of water nearby: Scotts Run Lake and Hopewell Lake, both which offer boat launches and docks for fishing, boating, etc.  

Caterpillars were everywhere during our stay, trying to cocoon on anything and everything we had outside.  In the end, I don’t think I would return to this campground.  It was remote, buggy, muddy, run down, and most of the trails lacked any views and/or needed maintenance.  Unless you are coming here for water sports, I would camp elsewhere.

Trexler Nature Preserve

One of the last activities we did was visit Trexler Nature Preserve, just outside of Allentown.  We combined hiking with seeing some of the many historic covered bridges nearby.  Thankfully, the park’s web site gave us a heads up on a covered bridge closure, so we could plan our hike and parking accordingly.  We drove to the South Range trail head parking lot along Jordan Rd, 1/2 mile south of the Geiger covered bridge.  Since the bridge is out through June, only local traffic is coming through, so it’s pretty safe to walk along the road to the trail.

We saw so many gorgeous spring blooms and birds as we walked along the Covered Bridge Trail.  The trail ends at the Jordan Creek water crossing, where we saw several school buses coming from the zoo nearby.  The road goes through the creek instead of above it, so we heard the kids squealing as the buses made big splashes driving across the water.  From there, we continued on the Elk Ridge Trail and across a pedestrian bridge to view the Schlicher’s Covered Bridge.

Matt was feeling ambitious, so we took the steep Elk Ridge Trail up along the game preserve.  We saw a brief glimpse of the elk as we huffed and puffed our way up to the ridge.  There are several access points to the preserve fence line where you can try to spot the elk herd.  At one point we had nearly a 360 degree view, and this is where we saw ominous clouds west of us.

The radar showed a nasty storm headed our way, so we didn’t dawdle.  Back down the ridge to the Jordan Creek we went, and back across another pedestrian bridge.  The rain began about 1/4 mile from Jordan Rd, so we tried to pick up the pace.  We made it back to the truck just in the nick of time.  As we shed our muddy hiking shoes and wet jackets and got inside the cab, the skies opened up and dumped buckets of rain.  Despite the weather cutting our hike short, we really enjoyed our adventure here and highly recommend checking it out.

There is so much you can do in eastern Pennsylvania, from touring the big city of Philadelphia, to traveling the country roads and seeing countless historic structures among the verdant rolling hills.  I would like to come back to bask in the beautiful natural spaces this area has to offer, perhaps later in summer after the mud subsides and the caterpillars are done cocooning.  Our time here was so brief, but as we continue northeast it has been interesting to see the unique attractions each state has to offer.  Goodbye Pennsylvania and hello Connecticut!