Sept 23
East on I80
Mr. SMT is ready to move, and I look at him bleary-eyed, "Where?"
"Wherever you want to go."
What an interesting thought experiment. We have a week to kick around before we are due on the coast. Where to?
We head for Hickory Run State Park to see if we can get a campsite.
Along the way, west of Bellfonte, a trucker loses his left rear tire when it blows, taking his under-ride/DOT/Mansfield/safety crash bar with it. Man, that bar was blown straight for us, and himself steered beautifully out of the way. Metallic clangs rang out each time it hit the ground. And we followed in awe as pieces of tire flew 40+’ high and then rained down upon us! Wow!
I’m thinking, "Does he need to go back and get that bar? What is its final end use in my lifetime? Does it become salvage for someone - is there a homestead fenced with DOT bars somewhere?" Weeks later, and I am still curious about this.
First campsite 218, electric only hookup
I really like the shade offered by this dog friendly camp loop, as PA is breaking high temp records left and right this September.
There are LOTS of dogs over the weekend, which I feel is good for our pups. The exposure to all manner of dog reactions: wanna play, wanna kill the trespassers, utter disregard, etc.
And the showers are quite nice (if you ignore the interesting colors growing on the grout!)
Sept 24
Move to full hookup site, 283 - much less shade, fewer dogs, fewer sites, fewer people, more space.
So, it really is a tossup as to which area you might prefer.
Sept 25
Drive into Bethlehem to spend time with my friend Arby and her family.
We walk a portion of Lake Nockamixon with her furbabies and hubby. It is a lot of fun. And the pups drink so much water from the lake surface! Remember - PA heat wave!
We then retire to Arby’s place to relax the day away. She lets us do laundry, and shows off her root cellar and freeze drier! She lives in an 1800s era rock wall house. So cool.
And the pups play, and play, and play.
And the woodwork in her place is fabulous.
Sept 26
This is our errands day.
Walmart
Home Depot
Aldi (my first visit)
Wegmans
I spend most of the day in air-conditioned comfort (I.e. holed up with the dogs in the Jeep while the engine idles 🙄).
Mr. SMT shops. And it is always hilarious to see what he buys. We have COMPLETELY different ideas about food pyramids. I am vegetarian verging on vegan, while my other half is omni verging on vegetarian.
My four food groups are: hummus, peanut butter, dark chocolate, and fruit. Spices of choice: cinnamon and cumin.
His four food groups are: chips, crackers, cheese, and tortillas. Spices of choice: salt and Tony Chachere’s seasoning (the first ingredient is salt).
So what does he buy? Chips, crackers, more chips, more crackers, cheese, cola, yogurt.
We often make two runs to the grocery store when we are traveling with pups - he buys his 4 food groups while I hang with the pups, and then we switch places.
He did not go into the Aldi’s. I found frozen organic fruit, organic hummus, and baking powder. They had organic peanut butter, but creamy only (in my world creamy peanut butter does not exist, go crunchy or go home!)
Needless to say, double shopping takes a while.
We return to the camper and thirsty pups inhale the water, we cannot always get them to drink enough out and about ... too much going on around them.
And my boy jumps up on the bed, and promptly spits up water (ugh). Guess what we are doing tomorrow?
Sept 27
Clean house
You never realize how intensively you use a small living space!
I think I’ve already cleaned the camper more than my house!
And Mr. SMT cleans the truck, jeep, and camper exterior.
The pups get a bath -that PA water is icy cold, and I do not think the pups enjoy their experience.
But we ALL appreciate the result.
I run with the pups this evening. They are really settling in well.
Sept 28
Boulder field. This view is amazing - like calving glaciers, but with rock instead.
Boulder field boundary ... those trees have to work hard for their anchors!
Laundromat. Wow! This has gotten expensive! $7.00 for one load of bed clothes.
I make biscuits back at the camper, my first real mixing and baking experience. The new cookie sheet is a success. The spelt flour makes tasty biscuits (along with the coconut milk).
What else could you ask for?
Packing to leave tomorrow.
Sept 29
Up and out by 10, later than himself wanted to be exiting (all my fault).
Drive through PA, NY, CT, and RI
I like NY, we’ve been through 4 times at least.
Connecticut is pretty, but a little too controlled for my tastes.
And it does not feel very welcoming ... for some reason.
I just can't put my finger on why???
RI is ... expensive! Campground $65/night + $3/dog/day ... needless to say, we are staying the minimum before heading out. I’m looking for coastal campgrounds as Mr. SMT really likes watching water.
So, here we are at Wawaloam Campground in Richmond, RI in site 77, which is at the corner of Squirrel and Sunset... and the speed bump is right outside our dining room window, which does require everyone slow down. As of now, not too bad. The pad is a touch sloped, but offers 30 amp, water, and sewer.
They have showers, charge showers, so bring your money. They do have trash containers, but they are outside the campground. They have WiFi, but, again, outside the campground. On the positive, the WiFi and dumpster have given us a great walk excuse before bed.
There’s picky little rules, such as "no dumping before paying for your site." Even though they take one night’s down payment when you make reservations.
They seem to want to keep seasonal/full timers and short stoppers far from each other, even going so far as to send you on the LONG way around to your campsite. Apparently, we aren’t supposed to dirty the full timers air.
And, like I wrote, $65 a night. Sorry Rhode Island, you just are not that cool.
Campground site arrangements and camper amenities ...
Who decided to position the outdoor shower right where the sewer outlet and electrical cords extend from the camper? Come on, people SAFETY. Who wants to shower, or wash the dogs, right next to 30 amps of electricity? Not I.
And I wanna gripe about my kitchen window, it is halfway between the sink and stove top, and since the stove cover is always up, I can never reach the kitchen window locks to open it! Arg. Planning. Kira needs to plan better.
Sept 30
The engineer half attends the Yankee SteamUp at New England Wireless & Steam Museum while I take the pups to Petco for food (Canidae) and then to the parking lot of a local grocery store. We are hitting the a grocers every 3-4 Days, especially for fresh produce.
The day is drizzly and the temps are cool. This is the first time I’ve left these two pups in a locked vehicle without supervision. We are always concerned that they will be stolen and thrown in to bait fighting dogs (horrors, honestly).
Needless to say, I shop in a hurry. When I returned to the car, they were comfortably curled up underneath blankets. They have yet to adapt to the cooler temps.
Back to the campground where I avail myself of the moderate WiFi.
The kids are loud, the fireworks louder, and (I realize this is troubling for a camper) the fire pits are constantly in use and I despise the smell of campfire in my hair. Long hair + campfire smell (or perfume, or cologne, or perfumed shampoo, or well, basically anything that smells) + my pillow at night = gag city and Kira completely unable to sleep.
As a result, I’m washing my hair even though it is not dirty, but because it stinks!
The rain does not let up until later in the day, after I’ve picked up the engineer, and I’m too hungry to think of running. Poor pups. They have to have dinner, instead of exercise. They do not mind.
Time to head elsewhere. RI campgrounds are not our thing.
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