Myself, Alice and our 3 Yorkies (Benny, Tootsie, Muffy) left Ohio on September 22nd 2016 for a New England Vacation. Our route took us though 5 states for a total of 2800 miles. We towed our little teardrop camper and used a 12 x 12 foot canopy to give us a nice private shelter while camping. Our goal the first day was to get just into southwestern Vermont. After driving, stopping for gas and letting the dog's stretch we finally stopped in Middleburgh, NY after riding for 10 hours and camped at Twin Lakes Campground. We were placed in the middle of a grassy field on a hill. After an Italian supper at Hubies Restaurant and Pizzeria it was back to camp for a little campfire. The stars were bright and beautiful.
Friday 9-23 we hit the road and arrived in Bennington, Vermont. We had breakfast at the Blue Benn Diner in a stainless steel building that resembled a railroad passenger car. Excellent food. We went to the Chamber of Commerce to get information on the southern Green Mountains and to let the dogs poop. We had to do that very often. I wanted to drive across the Green Mountains but the lady said I shouldn't. I didn't listen to her and before I knew it we were on a stone road heading uphill. The trees kept us from having the views I was looking for but we did cross the Appalachian Trail. We stopped and hiked about 200 yards just to say we were on the trail. The dogs had a great time smelling the new smells and it was busy with 6 other people hiking out to the parking lot. It was real peaceful and quiet up there and some of the leaves were starting to change colors. We drove around the country side after leaving the stone road and saw what I was looking for, old churches with tall steeples. In the town of New Fane it was just like we stepped back into the early 1800's. We took St Rt 100 which was very scenic and crossed a covered bridge. There are lots of covered bridges in Vermont. Our home for the evening was at the Molly Stark State Park. We were 736 miles into the trip. The dogs and I hiked to the top of Olga Mountain, a 2 mile round trip and the exercise felt great. It started to rain just as we were eating our steak and mashed potatoes and we didn't set up the canopy which was a mistake. We got in the camper and Alice read while I played with the dogs and rested. The rain stopped at 10:30 so we took a much needed bathroom break then went to sleep.
Saturday 9-24 it was cold in the morning. We took showers, packed up and hit the road again. A few miles from the campground there was a place called 100 mile view. You could see for 100 miles from Vermont into Massachusetts and the leaves there were really starting to show their colors. We drove around Brattleboro and into New Hampshire enroute to Monadack Mountain. We could see it as we drove closer but it was in a state park that did not allow dogs. They gave us permission to use the restrooms then we were off to southeastern New Hampshire near the town of Salem and Americas Stonehenge. It was a nice spiritual trip thinking of the people 4000 years ago that built the place out of huge 7 tons rocks. They think it was used for sacrifices and for astronomical purposes. The early settlers did alter the place and many stones were removed for other uses. We later headed north looking for a campground. In Epping N.H. we saw an Applebee's so we stopped for food and drinks. While surfing my phone I found a campground 1.5 miles away called 3 Ponds Campground. We had the pleasure of camping in an open field again and most every campground we stayed in cost between 30 to 40 dollars. There were a lot of permanent campers there and we heard a lot of Spanish language spoken. I called the place "The illegal Mexican Campground." Everywhere we stopped people wanted to see and talk about the teardrop. A guy came up to me before I even finished setting up and talked until almost dark. A nice fellow but he kept me from getting finished. We did have another small campfire and the dogs were still doing great.
Sunday 9-25 we left Epping headed for "Castle in the Clouds" up near Moultonborough, New Hampshire. Castle in the Clouds is a stone and timber house built by millionaire shoe maker Tom Plant in 1914, on top of a mountain. The road up to the home was very steep with sharp turns. The guy at the gate was leery about me pulling the camper. I assured him I could make and I did. Part way up the mountain is a beautiful waterfall call "Falls of Song" and the views of the surrounding country side were great. The castle was really neat and we could go back many times and still not see all the neat woodwork. After viewing the castle we had a picnic lunch on the grounds before leaving for the great state of Maine. Driving due east brought us to Sebago Lake and the Family and Friends Campground. No one was home when we arrived so we just set up camp, got firewood and ice from the unlocked cooler and relaxed with a fire and drinks. And we actually camped in the woods not in a field.
Monday 9-26 we packed up and I went to the office to pay for everything. The owner was a wonderful friendly man who didn't care at all that we helped ourselves. He said he used to like to camp but he hasn't been camping since buying a campground. We drove into Portland Maine and what a busy place it was and very hard to get around. The one way streets reminded me of Marion, Ohio. We saw a huge cruise ship docked but that was about all we did in Portland. Having the dogs kind of put a dampener on seeing much in a big city. My Garmin GPS that Alice bought me for Christmas last year broke and I could not navigate with paper maps and drive so we looked for a Wal-Mart. In Falmouth, Me we found one so I bought a new Garmin and we stocked up on groceries and beer also. I like trying the new beers that we can not get in Ohio. Freeport, Maine and LL Bean was next. I bought a new backpack and Alice went to a Sperry store to get the girls new shoes. We took turns holding the dogs on a grassy area near LL Bean and all kinds of people had to come over to see and pet the dogs. They were a big hit almost everywhere we went. The Maine Beer Company was located in Freeport and we stopped for food and flights of beer. No food served so after the flight we went to Gritty's Brewery down the road and found good food. Freeport is a very commercialized area drawing lots of tourists. We headed up St Rt 1 along the coast seeing the ocean and bays along the way. In Camden we found the Camden State Park and camped for the night. Very nice tree lined sites and quiet place.
Tuesday 9-27 I awoke at 5:00am with the dogs. I could almost set my clock to 5 with the dogs needing to go out. Rain was coming our way so we tired to beat it but it started as we were taking the canopy down. We drove up to the showers and got cleaned up then headed further north. We stopped in Belfast for breakfast and found Tracie's Diner. A wonderful place with a great cheddar-sausage- potato cake. We took the dogs to a city park on the shores of Penobscot Bay as the rain had stopped and they just ran around having a good time stretching their muscles. Next stop on the trip was Arcadia National Park in Bar Harbor. We stayed at Mt. Desert Campground the first place we spent more than one night. After setting up camp we drove to Southeast Harbor site seeing and saw lobster boats unloading their catch. We went into the park and stopped at Jordan Pond House. I had read where the rich folks in the early 1900's would have tea and popovers in the afternoon. I just had to do it so I had tea, Alice had coffee and we had popovers while viewing the beautiful mountain in the distance. It was fun acting like rich people of yesteryear. And no I did not raise my pinky finger while sipping tea. The leaves this far north was much further along in the color selection and the hills were coming alive.. We tried to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain but the fireman would not let us. There was a car on fire and the road was closed so we drove into Bar Harbor instead. While walking the streets I found the Atlantic Brewing Company but they would not let the dogs inside. They were an outlet store for the brewery which was located closer to our campground. We drove to the brewery but got there too late for samples. The BBQ place next door sold their beer so we had drinks there before getting ice and heading back to camp. We had a great relaxing fire with the two of us and the 3 dogs really enjoying vacation. I tried to make up a song "You and me and dogs make 5, we're just trying to stay alive." It's not a hit yet.
Wednesday 9-28 we toured the park. Arcadia is a very beautiful place and the scenery was spectacular. We started at Cadillac Mountain and you can see for miles. The day was in the 60's and sunny but windy. Lots of traffic in the park and this was the off season. I can not image what it's like in the summer. Next was Sand Beach and it looked like South Carolina just colder. Here we are in the mountains and there's a sandy beach. We went from 1530 feet to sea level in 15 minutes. Driving on around we came to Thunder Hole. The shore line is now very rocky and the surf beating on this certain rock wall sounds almost like thunder. One item I had to learn was about low and high tides. It could change the shoreline as much as 12 feet. Otter Point was next with stone cliffs and the waves beating against them. Big water, big waves, beating big rocks. After touring the park it was off to Thurston's lobster Pound for seafood. One lobster, a bowel of lobster stew, 2 crab cakes and two beers cost $66.00. Maine lobster is not cheap like people said it was. It was a beautiful fall evening, no wind, warm and very fall like. Our plan was to get up early and watch the sun rise on Cadillac Mountain.
Thursday 9-29 we were up and on the road by 5:30am driving to the mountain. Leaving the campground we were the only car on the road. By the time we got to the mountain turn off the road was crowded. Seems everyone had the same idea. It was very windy and cold at the summit, kind of cloudy and lots of people standing around. It was kind of spiritual seeing the sun rise and the tequila sunrises made it more spiritual. Back at camp we packed up and left Arcadia for western Maine. Stopped in Old Town to shop at the Old Town Canoe Factory but all I bought was a ball cap and a sticker. Stopped in Bangor to cash in all the returnable bottles we had. You have to go to a redemption center to cash in and after waiting in line for 15 minutes all I got was $1.30. Duh! I wanted to see the Rangeley Lakes area but we were 2 days behind schedule. We were to meet up with the canoe club in the Adirondacks so we skipped the lakes area. Mental note to go back some day. Took St Rt 2 west towards the border and as we were driving past a little strip type mall I saw a sign that said brewery open. U turn and I was at the Tumbledown Mountain Brewery. Had a quick beer and bought a growler for later and the brewer told me were to find the Stonybrook Campground. Nice campground but very cold in the morning.
Friday 9-30 we took showers and froze when getting out. Bought ice and breakfast sandwiches from the campground store and hit the road for the White Mountains. Western Maine and eastern New Hampshire are beautiful. Saw Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain in the New England states at 6288 feet and the windiest measured place on earth at 231 MPH. We didn't try to drive to the top, just viewed it from below then drove around seeing the other mountains in the area. This is a place I would like to come back to. In the town of North Conway we had supper at the Sea Dog Brewing Company OK beer but not great. We drove over the Kancamagus Highway and man is that a lovely drive. Not enough time to stop and hike but someday... In Lincoln N. H. we got a motel room at the Franconia Motel. An old type tourist motel but nice and after 8 days in a teardrop a motel was nice. At last a real bed and hot showers that you were not cold when getting out.
Saturday 10-1 we left Lincoln for North Woodstock and the Home Run Laundromat. It was time for clean clothes. Heading north we stopped in the Franconia State Park and saw the "Basin." This park is where the old mans face was on the mountain and New Hampshire has that logo on all their license plates. The old man rock fell down back in 2003 but the park still draws lots of visitors. We didn't have much time to spend here but the mountains and the leaves are really wonderful. We left New Hampshire by way of Littleton on 302 south to Woodstock, Vermont. On the way we stopped in Bradford and saw a nice waterfall and their town Library. Neat building. We crossed the Connecticut River into Vermont and followed St Rt 5. There are some really neat houses along the route and now more fields and livestock. On south into Quechee and the Quechee Gorge. Talk about a deep gorge out of nowhere, it's 165 deep and standing on the bridge that crosses it my palms were sweating. It was very beautiful and the leaves are now mostly changed. We drove on looking for a place to camp driving thru Woodstock, Vt and into the Long Trail Brewing Companies parking lot. After beer and appetizers we picked up a pizza and found a campsite in Coolidge State Park. Yes it was named after the president as it was his old stomping grounds. This was the most secluded campsite yet and there were even bear warnings. Only saw one other car in the whole place. The fire wood we bought was very hard to keep lit and I cut my hand using the axe, in the dark and half buzzed trying to get smaller pieces of wood. The fire sucked and it started misting so off to bed we went.
Sunday 10-2 it was still misting and cool when we awoke. The canopy wasn't set up so we drove to the picnic area and used a shelter to eat breakfast. After feeding the dogs we were on the road to see the upper Green mountains. The leaves are really good now and we drove the scenic routes of St Rt 73 and St Rt 125 back and forth across the mountains. Saw the small towns of Middlebury, Hancock, Rochester, Brandon and Rutland. In Middlebury we found a city park and let the dogs roam and run. They loved it and while mapping the city on my phone I found the Otter Creek Brewing Company just up the road. After some great beers, a wonderful panni sandwich and the best chili we ever had we went back to Rutland. We wanted to get another hotel room before getting to the Adirondacks and we found a Holiday Inn Express that was dog friendly in Rutland. We relaxed, showered and caught up on the world news.
Monday 10-3 after getting supplies we headed to Fish Creek Pond Campground in the Adirondacks, New York to meet Liz, Chuck, Harold, Laurie, Ted, Connie, Larry and Sophia for some canoeing. We drove in and out of rain as it seemed the mountains stopped the rain clouds then we drove into them. At least it was dry at camp. Now we get to camp in the same spot for four days. Alice is happy about that as she is not a nomad like me. We arrived around 3:00 pm, had drinks, a potluck and campfire for some good times. We partied, played poker and laughed with our friends until bedtime. Fish Creek Pond Campground is huge with around 300 campsites but it was very quiet.
Tuesday 10-4 we had biscuits and gravy thanks to Ted and Connie. Ted, Connie and Alice stayed in camp reading and playing with 2 dogs while us canoe folks and Benny paddled from camp up Fish Creek into Little Square Pond to Floodwood Pond. Everything must have been named by the British as all the lakes are ponds. We stopped at the St. Regis Outfitters outpost to shop. We then canoed back the way we came. Sunny, still, colorful day. We were back to camp by 2:30 and relaxed and socialized. Alice and dogs doing great.
Wednesday 10-5 we canoed up to Fallsenby Lake where I did some portaging into Horseshoe Pond, Little Polliwog Pond and Polliwog Pond before portaging back into the upper section of Fallsenby and reuniting with the others. They were finishing lunch on an island when I arrived. We paddled back to camp and drove into the Town of Saranac Lake for supper and shopping at St Regis's main outdoor store. Supper was at Downhill Grill a nice bar and grill which is right up our alley. We stopped at a recommended Italian place but they didn't take credit cards and wanted to put everyone on the same check. After food it was back to camp where another great fire was had. Chuck, Alice, the dogs and I stayed up late enjoying the evening.
Thursday 10-6 was not a canoeing day. Alice and I went to a place called The Wild Center. It was a learning center based on the formation and history of the Adirondack region from the time of the glaciers until the present, show casing the animal and plant life. Cool place. The rest of the group went to Lake Placid and took a train ride through the hills. It was our turn to cook supper and we had our hotdog noodle casserole with biscuits. After supper it was play time with everyone playing the left, right, center game. This was our last night of real vacation. We wanted to break up the 10 - 12 hour drive using two days to get home.
Friday 10-7 we had a group breakfast then started packing the camper. We said our goodbyes and were on the road around 10:00am heading west. We were really admiring the leaf colors at this time as everything had changed a lot since we started 16 days earlier. We drove into the city of Watertown NY and while slowing to stop at a red light we got rear ended big time. The young man said I stopped real quickly (lie) and he hit us square in the ass end of the teardrop. It hit so hard that the trailer hitch on the camper bent and unhooked from the Jeep slamming into the bumper. The propane tank had a scratch on it showing how close it came to getting punctured. The safety chains held but the poor camper was sitting on a busy street not going anywhere. A fire truck came, then the cops and all the paperwork was filled out. A towing company had to flatbed the camper then it was off to their shop about 10 miles north. The owner said they were a 24-7 shop and would get us back on the road. Alice and I were looking for a bathroom before the accident and now were busting. We passed a golf course and I said they have food, beer and a bathroom. After relaxing and watching frustrated golfers throw their clubs we headed to the garage. The camper was unloaded and the owner said they would start on it soon after another wrecker run. We found a dog friendly hotel in downtown Watertown at the Best Western and collapsed on the bed. We did get to see the Cleveland Indians play their play off game which we were hoping to see closer to Ohio. I didn't sleep well that night thinking about how we were getting home.
Saturday 10-8 I was up early to walk the dogs and it was raining. Now we hopefully get to drive home in rain. I called the shop after 8 and was told the camper was road worthy enough to pull home. We went out and after a few modifications and $769.00 later we drove away in the rain. 80 miles later we drove out of the rain and had an uneventful run home. I wanted to get there before dark so we stopped very little and pulled in the driveway around 6:30pm. Had just enough time to unload the car and part of the camper before darkness fell and we settled into our wonderful home life routine again.
In conclusion, we had a great trip, mostly great weather, beautiful scenery, lots of driving as in 2,800 miles and Alice had way too much Tony time. The 3 dogs did really wonderful but you could tell they missed their home. Someday we will go back and finish what we missed. Now we have memories and 1500 pictures to edit. Until the next adventure!!
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