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| Driving through a river valley in New Hampshire on a bright, sunny day |
Our
last day in Canada was July 1 - Canada Day - which we spent in St. Andrews, New
Brunswick. The next morning we crossed
the border back into Maine. There was
only one small hiccup. When the border patrol agent asked "What did you
buy in Canada?" Mike answered "nothing." Technically, that was true. He hadn't bought anything that we were
bringing back into the States, but his answer, obviously, raised a red
flag. When the agent asked the same question for the third time, he added "I'll bet if I looked in your trailer I would find
something." Belatedly, I chimed in
with the items I had purchased: earrings,
books, a few other souvenirs. Over to
the inspection area we went, unlocked the door, and opened the living room
slide so the agent could have a look. He
glanced briefly in the bedroom (that slide was still closed) and the bathroom,
then opened the refrigerator. Satisfied
that we were both harmless and boring, he welcomed us back to the United States and let us go. Mike learned that morning that buying
"stuff" is the Americans' passion, and if you don't come back with
something to show for your travels, you are automatically a suspicious
character. As for me, I'm just doing my
duty as the consummate consumer and maintaining the American stereotype.
The
bucolic drive through Maine and New Hampshire was lovely. We had made all our reservations by February -
and quite frankly, had been surprised that we were able to get a one-night
reservation on a holiday weekend - so we felt secure about our overnight
lodging. We arrived at a lovely
campground (which shall remain unnamed) festooned with American flags and urns of
flowers celebrating Independence
Day. It was a charming place - until we
were given our assigned site. The "pull-through"
site had a sprawling pine tree at one end.
Mike decided he could try to back in, even though that would have meant
straddling a two-foot-deep ravine in the center of the site. As we were surveying the situation, it became
evident that not only was there a tree and a ditch, but the space would be a
least four feet too short. So as the sun
got lower and lower over the White Mountains, we began calling every RV park in
a 40 mile radius, looking for a site for one night, on the Saturday of a
three-day holiday weekend. As you might
imagine, we had no luck.
And
that is how we ended up happily parked in a Walmart parking lot. The store manager told us we were most
welcome to stay overnight. We joined
another fifth wheel, two class C motor homes, a class A from Florida, a vintage
Airstream, and, later, were joined by three restored Volkswagen Vanagon campers
from Montreal and a pick-up truck camper for our first "Camp Wally"
experience.
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| Two of the three Volkswagen campers that spent the night on the Walmart parking lot in New Hampshire. The third one, which is behind the blue one, was painted with 1960's-era flowers and peace symbols |
That
might have been the end of the story - but not quite. While Mike and Sophie were getting to know our
new neighbors, I decided to hike across the parking lot, over a little grassy
knoll, and across a street to pick up sandwiches from Panera Bread. I was approached in the Panera parking lot by
a policeman in uniform who identified himself and inquired if I was okay. I assured him that I was fine. He then asked if I had been in a car accident.
Thinking to myself that I must be
looking pretty disheveled, I explained we were in an RV at Walmart. He commented that he noticed that my glasses
were missing one lens, and asked if anyone had been "mean" to me. Only then did I remember that I was wearing my
glasses which, indeed, had only one lens. (I had had cataract surgery on one
eye before the trip; the other eye was scheduled for surgery when we returned,
but until it was done, I still very much needed a lens to see out of that eye.) I assured the officer I was fine and offered
a short explanation of the contributing circumstances that made me appear disorientated
and pathetic-looking. I appreciate how
observant the police officer was and how kindly he treated me and told
myself that someday, this would be a humorous anecdote around a campfire. With sandwiches in hand, I went back to our
little Walmart campground.
After
an uneventful (thank goodness) night on the parking lot, we "broke
camp" shortly after sunrise on Sunday morning and headed to New York and a week of fun activities and fireworks with more FROG friends at Lake George, Buffalo and the surrounding area, and, as a fitting finale to our wonderful Canadian
adventure, visits to both the American and Canadian sides of Niagara Falls.
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| A foggy Sunday morning on the road in New Hampshire |
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| Looking out over the Merrimack River Valley in New Hampshire with early morning fog hanging above the river |
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| Magic Forest Family Fun Park. Uncle Sam proudly displays Old Glory for Independence Day, but apparently Santa decided to photo-bomb him |
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| Magic Forest Family Fun Park, Lake George, across the street from our campground. We pulled in here to wait until our site was ready. Our truck and trailer can be seen behind Mighty Mouse and Dumbo |
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| At an elevation of 2,030 feet, Prospect Mountain offers a panoramic view of Lake George |
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| Another view from Prospect Mountain. The furthest mountain range that you can see in the distance is in Maine |
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| Lake George Village at the foot of Prospect Mountain |
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| With our friends Dave and Lori, waiting for the bus from the summit back down to the parking lot, some 500 feet lower on the mountain |
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| The Sagamore Hotel. The original hotel was opened in 1883 by Myron O. Brown. 100 years later, in 1993, Philadelphia builder and real estate developer Norman Wolgin purchased the hotel and completely restored it. |
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| The rear of the hotel, taken from the area of the outdoor pool. The hotel is located on an island, accessible by a causeway. |
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| Lobby of the Sagamore. The hotel was named after "the Sagamore", an American Indian character in James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 novel The Last of the Mohicans. |
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| The Sagamore Hotel at Bolton Landing has been featured on the TODAY show as one of the top 10 most haunted hotels in the United States. |
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| A Lake George Marine Patrol boat overtakes the excursion boat The Morgan, a replica of a 19th century steam vessel, owned by the Sagamore Hotel. |
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| Sunbathers around the pool deck of the Sagamore Hotel on the 4th of July. |
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| One of the many small islands on Lake George, seen from the rear lawn of the Sagamore Hotel. |
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| The excursion boat Adirondac makes her way down Lake George. |
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| There are scores of small islands on the lake. Some are privately owned, but many are part of the New York State Park system and offer primitive camping. |
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| This is a fairly recent reproduction of a barrel-back Chris Craft from the 1940's. It still evokes images of a time when "yachting" was only for the wealthy. |
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| Mike and Sophie watch a boat pass through a set of locks on the famous Erie Canal. |
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| Having cleared the locks, this trawler, home-ported in Austin, Texas, continues west on the Erie Canal. Before we sold Horizon Dancer, our last boat, Mike talked about making a trip like this. |
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| This old church in Saratoga Springs, NY is being renovated and converted to a cultural arts center. I love the old iron work on the doors. |
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| Darwin and Isabelle Martin commissioned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design both their Buffalo mansion and country home, Graycliff, on Lake Erie. |
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| Wright designed the home with transparent glass walls in the center section, allowing one to see through the house to the lake beyond, giving the appearance of being outside in nature. |
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| Back yard and rear elevation of the house. When the Martins held parties, they were often held outdoors, and they would have an orchestra playing on the balcony. |
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| Wright designed this sunken garden. After the Martins passed and the house changed ownership, it was filled in. It has now been restored as part of the on-going restoration of Graycliff. |
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| Rear elevation of Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna, NY. The front is even more imposing, but this view gives a good perspective on how big the church actually is. |
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| When the Basilica was built, Father Nelson Baker, who had done so much for children, was depicted on the church, surrounded by children. Fr. Baker was chagrined and embarrassed by the attention. |
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| Interior of the Basilica. Angles are everywhere in the church, including this one, holding the font of Holy Water. |
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| Interior of the Basilica of Our Lady of Victory |
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| The marble work is stunning, Craftsmen were brought in from Italy to work on the Basilica. The first Mass was held in the church on Christmas of 1925. |
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| Father Baker's many charitable works included establishment of a school, an orphanage and a home for unwed mothers, all housed in these decidedly military-looking buildings situated in the blocks around the church. For more information about Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica and the work and legacy of Reverend Nelson Baker, go to www.ourladyofvictory.org |
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| The cantilever observation deck on the US side of Niagara Falls, directly over the pier for the Maid of the Mist excursion boat. The spray is from the American Falls. |
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| American Falls, taken from the Canadian side |
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| The excursion boat Hornblower, passing in front of Horseshoe Falls. The flow of water over the edge of the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls, (combined) is in excess of six million cubic feet per minute. |
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| Aboard the sightseeing boat Maid of the Mist. Ponchos are a must! |
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| Cave of the Winds on the US side. You are almost directly below a section of the American Falls, and you will get wet. |
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| The Hornblower, which operates from the Canadian side, makes her way past the American Falls. |
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| Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side. Horseshoe Falls drops about 188 feet (57 meters) to the river below. |
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| The Skylon Tower, on the Canadian side features an observation deck, revolving restaurant and exterior elevators. |
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| Horseshoe Falls, lit with laser lights at night, from the Canadian side. |
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| On our last night with Dave and Lori, we had dinner at Elements on the Falls,overlooking Horseshoe Falls. |
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| We had a memorable trip through Canada and the Eastern United States but Sophie said she was tired after six weeks on the road. |
Sometimes
it's the journey, as much as it is the destination, that lends itself to some
fun (and funny) Road Stories.
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| We wish you a Happy Halloween! (Photo taken at a farm on Augusta Bottom Road, just north of the Missouri River at Washington, MO) |
