Saturday 9/7/13

Up at 5:45 AM.  Then a quick trip to McD’s (only about two blocks away) for breakfast.  Then back home for some last minute items and load the clothes and grub.  With beautiful blue skies this morning we were loaded up and ready for the road by 8:30.

Just as we were ready to pull away two of our neighbors, Mary and Ruth, came out of their cottages to give us a sendoff.  That was kind of special; it meant a lot to both of us.  A couple of loving hugs and off we went.

 

Traffic was light and the trip through PA uneventful.  It is always amazing to me how in the Pocono’s you are driving along a ridge and on the side of the road is a 50 acre swamp! We didn’t see any alligators this time!

 

We crossed into NY and only went a couple of miles when a Bald Eagle crossed over the highway ahead of us.  It was as if it were saying “Welcome to New York”.

 

We stopped at a rest stop in West Fishkill, NY and noticed the beautiful view through the trees to the mountains that skirted the Hudson River Valley.  Linda said “Just think, the people stopping across the road can’t see this view”.

 

The farther we traveled the more evergreens were present.  We traveled through thick forest with an occasional vista of the mountains.

 

 We arrived at Wilderness Lake Campgrounds near Willington CT, just after 4:00 PM.  The lake appears to be 25 to 30 acres and the site they gave us was right on the water.  They have canoes that you can take out on the lake and some young people were having a great time paddling around.

 

Wilderness Lake Campgrounds:  41°55’08.28”N   72°16’46.90W

Sunday 9/8/13

Woke up to a bit of overcast but the temperature is comfortable.  I said to Linda “One night down, only 41 more to go”.  We wanted to get an early start so breakfast at Burger King.  If all goes well we should make it to Island Falls, ME tonight. 

As we crossed into Maine the sign said “Welcome to Maine…The way life should be…Open for business”. 

 

We were only about 30 miles into Maine when we saw our first Moose Warning sign.   The Interstate here is well maintained with wide shoulders and manicured fairways about 50 yards wide.  There was a pull-off on I95 with a view of Mount Katahdin - Baxter Peak.  It was a breath taking view.

 

 

Mount Katahdin in the distance.



 We arrived at Birch Point Lodge and Campgrounds on Pleasant Lake, near Island Falls ME around 3:30 PM.  They gave us a site right on the water.  The wind has been blowing about 25 to 30 gusting all day so the air off the lake was quite cool…Correction; Downright cold!  But being the rugged individualist we are we proceeded to enjoy burgers on the grill.  Later I found some leftover camp fire wood that was still burning and rolled it about 30 yards down a hill to our fire ring.  Hey I’m on a fixed income, so one must take advantage of every opportunity…Fire wood cost $5.00!





Birch Point Lodge and Campgrounds 



Our view of Lake Pleasant.

 

 

 

 

Cheap Campfire

Birch Point:  46°02’07.48”N   68°11’58.83’W
Monday 9/9/13

 



Brrrrrrr....

Froze our butts as we made breakfast on the camp stove.  We were on the road around 9:00 AM.  The wind is still blowing. We are only about 25 miles from the Canadian border. 

 



Canadian Border Inspection Station 

We cleared customs in about 5 minutes.  It would have probably been quicker but Linda gave the customs official her "Adorable Look" and I think he thought she was suspicious. 

 

Welcome to New Brunswick

Shortly after we stopped at the New Brunswick Welcome Center and the lady there was quite helpful.  She directed us to a bank where we could get Canadian currency from an ATM.  Their new currency is actually a very thin sheet of plastic the same size of the paper currency.  Hey, it all spends the same…In a hurry… as we found out at our stop at Walmart!   

 

The trip through New Brunswick was beautiful.  There were forests in every direction as far as the eye could see; and that was quite a distance since the air is so clear.  Visibility must be over 50 mile. (sorry, 85Km…Everything here is metric and most signs are in both English and French).

 

We crossed into Nova Scotia around 4:30 Atlantic Time and set up camp at Loch Lomond RV Park, Amherst, NS.  This place is really first rate.  Beautiful grounds, clean shower rooms and friendly staff.  I'm glad we are staying here tonight.

Linda's first chance to Email home.

Trevor McLaughlin and Linda at Loch Lomond RV Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the people we met at the campgrounds tonight is Trevor McLaughlin.  What an amazing young man.  He rode his bicycle across Canada from Vancouver, British Columbia to Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Trevor’s Ride for Parkinson’s. Now is on his way home.  This young man was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award, and the Kinsmen Award in recognition for his making a change through his volunteer efforts.   Later this year he will be joining the military and will be traveling all over Canada and the world.  We wish him God’s blessing on his life’s journey.  Click on this link Trevor’s Ride for Parkinson’s for a Google search on his adventure.

Loch Lomond RV Park:  45°48’06.49”N      64°12’10.66” W