Tour de Pollen!

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Today's post title is courtesy of Greg the biker! We have been following Spring since the flowers began to bloom in the desert Southwest in February. As we've crossed the country from west to east and south to north, we are driving in and out of Spring. The beauty of Spring has been refreshing, especially after a desert winter. Flowers, trees, grasses, they all need to pollinate. So, we sneezed our way back home to Maryland. I have to say that dogwoods are one of my favorite flowering trees. We have been in and out of their peak in each climate region as we've moved northward through North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and now Connecticut.

After leaving the Army Corps campground at Lake Kerr, VA, where we spent three nights, we drove to Kaylin and Eli's in Rockville, Maryland. Lots of mail and boxes waiting for us! I had four pairs of hiking boots sent from zappos.com to find a pair to fit my long narrow feet. Yay! I found a good fit and sent my old poorly fitting pair to Goodwill, and the three other pairs back to zappos. I love that company! We sorted through a few other boxes and lots of mail. Greg rigged up another set of tail lights that hook on the outside of the bike cover on the back of the rig. The cover blocks the brake lights and license plates. After subjecting the uncovered bikes to the desert for months they needed lots of maintenance in North Carolina. Now they can stay covered and we can feel safer.

Dinner with the kids, a day with my parents, dinner with brother Steve and wife Margie, and a night dry camping in the retirement community parking lot and we were ready to drive north. A “quick” stop at two favorite food stores and a refill of the propane tank and FINALLY we drove up Route 15 out of Maryland and into Pennsylvania. We are now north of the Mason-Dixon Line for the next five months!

We crossed over the Delaware River into New Jersey and immediately got off the interstate and drove on a narrow one lane road along the river into the Worthington State Forest. There were no hook-ups and we were unable to discover that ahead of time. No problem. It was a beautiful meadow area with some trees, surrounded by woods, and a few tent campers. We dry camped and spent a quiet night along the river. 

The Delaware River deep in the Delaware Water Gap. Looking at PA from NJ

 Monday, May 6^th we drove east across the northern part of New Jersey and connected up with the interstate that would take us over the Hudson River into New York on the Tappan Zee Bridge. The traffic picked up considerably, and we had to re-route once we crossed over the river. The old Merritt Parkway we usually take in a car, has beautiful stone bridges built by the CCC during the Depression. Unfortunately, they are too low for our 11' RV. Our alternate interstate route dumped us into a construction traffic jam. That made twice in one week. We also got stuck an extra two hours on the Washington Beltway on our way to Rockville. Both times I “entertained” Greg by singing, “Give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above. Don't fence me in...” 

Crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson River

Looking South down the Hudson toward Manhattan

 We arrived in Stamford, Connecticut at Greg's brother Rob and his wife Joanne's house. The rig made it down the driveway in their wooded lot, and is having a rest for a few days. Lindsay and baby Tyler greeted us and toured the rig. Yesterday we went out on the boat with Rob and Joanne. What a beautiful day! After a picnic lunch on board, we sailed out of Stamford harbor and over past the the huge waterfront houses in Greenwich and the yacht club, then back to their harbor marina. We could see Manhattan in the distance across Long Island Sound. Then they drove us through Greg's old hometown of Darien and past the house he grew up in, and his schools. We saw some new construction of houses on piers, the result of damage by Sandy in the low lying shore areas.

Lindsay and Tyler

Stamford Harbor

Joanne, First Mate

Stow Away or Ballast?

Yacht club in Greenwich, CT

Modest Greenwich Home

Lobster traps

Racing Shells on the Mianus River

Cap'n Rob

The old homestead in Darien, CT

 Today the rain found us again so I am writing and doing laundry, it never ends! I keep telling Greg he is not allowed to make any more dirty clothes! Tomorrow Greg's sister Cindy will be visiting, then we will leave Friday morning. We are watching the rain making weather system and the cold that will be pushing down from Canada after that, so we haven't made a decision yet whether we will head up the coast or over to Upstate New York. We want to go back to Acadia National Park in Maine, but the National Park campground will not open until May 17, due to the Sequestration funding cuts. At least we are finally moving north!

(Next chance I get, I will continue my series detailing our first two months on the road. Stay tuned!)