Day 345 (Croton-On-Hudson, NY)

Day 345 (Croton-On-Hudson, NY)
25 May 2009
Memorial Day week-end did pretty much fill up the camp ground. We are leaving tomorrow and need to plan our route to Boston because there are a lot of overheads that don’t exceed 11feet. We have figured out that Interstate’s are about 14ft. So less than 11 feet eliminates a lot of none passenger car traffic – including us. We have checked out a couple of routes to the interstate and after excursions into construction and low underpasses further North, we are opting for additional mileage by going back the way we came (South toward the Tappen Zee bridge) to Interstate 287 East through Connecticut.

Day 344 (Croton-on-Hudson)

Ruthi went into the city a couple of times and loved every minute – even the blisters from hours of walking about up and down Manhattan. She ate her way across East and West Greenwich Village, saw the Guggenheim (Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit – way too crowded to get inside), Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MOMA – not so crowed there), browsed the street vendors on the soon-to-be-closed Broadway from 42nd and Times Square to Central Park South, had lunch at Carnegie Deli (didn’t see Harry nor Sally) and mostly just watched the city inhabitants going about their busy lives.

We talk about what we would do when the other partner dies. We both had thought about smaller “C” RV versions for our nomad life. But after getting back to the city she loves so much – Ruthi thinks she would find a small (what could be smaller than the 8 by 30, the three of us currently live in now) place in Manhattan and people watch until the end. Maybe she’d get a “B” RV for those winter months in warmer climes.

Day 343 (Croton-On-Hudson, NY)

We’ve explored the little towns/villages along the Hudson river – like Ossining where Sing Sing prison is. While coming back from the city on the train, Ruthi overhead a tourist comment that they put the prison on prime real estate and the prisoners much have great views of the river – locals corrected him about the views prisoners have there. Sleep Hollow is a real town. Washington Irving lived in Islington near by. We drove and shopped in Peekskill, White Plains, Yonkers, Port Chester, (all in New York) and Greenwich Connecticut.

We have a small pretty yellow finch trying to mate with our windows. He much be gay as his reflection would indicate that he was trying to mate with another male. We have had a lot of robins and wrens but today we saw a bright red cardinal.

Day 332 (Croton-On-Hudson, NY)

Traffic has been getting busier and busier as we have driven through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and now New York. No matter what time of day or the direction “to” or “from” the city, traffic is heavy and going way over the posted speed limit. Also, fewer and fewer trucks. It’s the city! The roads are twisty and turning like animal tracks or Indian trails.

This is a county (Westchester no less) camp ground - lots of grass spaces and trees. The spaces are on the small side and we get neither internet connectivity nor satellite coverage - boo hoo. It’s not very crowded yet but we expect Memorial Day week-end to fill the empty spaces. For the first time, we were able to completely back in and park all by ourselves. Once the “help” left us alone; we did fine. We are very proud of ourselves!!!

Day 330 (Jonestown, PA)

We saw another water tower with a design showing apples in a bowl. We crossed the Shenandoah River which puts in the valley. We passed through 4 states today – Virginia, West Virginia (25 miles), Maryland (10 miles) and Pennsylvania. You can tell when you pass from one state to another by the road surfaces. Sometimes it’s better and sometimes worse

Day 328 (New Market, VA)

OK, we found a sign better fitting for Thomas Jefferson’s state . . . “No one is free as long as anyone is oppressed”.

Western Virginia (not West Virginia) has a lot of caverns and vineyards. While neither of us are particularly interested in either it is an interesting fact. This camp ground is in the process of being constructed right next to Endless Caverns. They have about 30 RV sites currently functioning with another 270 on the drawing boards. The sites are large both long and wide with nice picnicking grounds set in the woods. The cost per night is fitting for the extra room. We are finding that as we move East and North the rates are going up.

Day 327 (Hillsville,VA)

We continue our rolling hills ride from Alabama through Georgia, South/North Carolinas, now in Virginia heading through West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey into New York. Last night we had lots and lots of rain but little lightening/thunder. We lost power about 10 or 11pm and flipped to our batteries that are solar charged. By morning, the power was back full force.

RVing full-time is a small world. This morning, Boots, Karma and I were heading out to “Aunt Bea’s” (yep from Mayberry RFD fame) for lunch when one of the camp workers stopped to chat. Seems he remembered us from our stay in Summerdale, AL. We were parked right next to each other. Which reminded me. When we were in Mesa, Arizona at Fiesta at Val Vista RV Park we were in a row of Alaskans from Anchorage and Kenai and in Quartzsite, Arizona at Holiday Palms RV Park we met fellow travelers from Juneau.

Today’s ride around the country hillside, we encountered our first deer since the Mule Deer in Quincy, CA. This was a small one but we think it was full grown and quickly got out of the roadway. We also ran into a local Christian hate message on a billboard 6’x8’ that said “ABOMINATION Homosexuality is unnatural inhuman perverse wickedness Call 800.309.0092” sponsored by the Omega Coalition Church.

Day 321 (West Jefferson, NC)

Speaking of tobacco crops, there are “tobacco” outlets (in North Carolina) just like the Tangers clothing/shoe outlets (across the South). With cartons costing around $40+, I can see why smokers would be looking for outlets.

We saw a water tower in the shape of a Peach. It sort of looked like it was right out of James and the Giant Peach children’s story by Roald Dahl.

“Wash” became “draw”, then “hollow” and now “holler”.