Travel w/the Stocks to SD, ND, IA, NY and New England

Day 28 September 28, 2015 Trenton, Maine (near Bar Harbor)

We made reservations for a 2.5 hour long ***** (Five-star) trip on the lobster boat Lulu with Captain John ($30 each).  We departed at 10:00  and were given great motion-sickness bracelets, which were 100% effective despite churning seas.  We saw double-breasted cormorants (Pic. 1/5865) and two types of gulls. 

These grey seals (Pic 2/5871) are the heaviest of all seals by far, and they were spy-hopping, which I thought only whales did.  Others were relaxing and eating, not disturbed by our presence at all.  They shared rocks with the harbor seals, a real marine Mutt & Jeff.  Harbor seals are about 5 feet long max.  The greys are up to 8 feet long and weigh over 900 pounds.

The Egg Lighthouse (Pic. 3/5881) is fully automated and runs on solar power.  The only lighthouse still manned is in Boston.  Senator Edward Kennedy got a bill passed that it would be manned forever.  It got its name of "Egg" because there are many ledges there that birds use for nesting.  The Native Americans used to take their birchbark canoes out to this rock and gather the eggs for their food.

The captain had to work to keep us from being sprayed by the rough seas, but these eider ducks and gulls are adapted to it. (Pic. 4/5884)  We saw a large, thick fogbank out there.  The captain cancelled the 3:00 cruise, so we're lucky we got to see this at all.

On our way back in, we oohed and aahed at this $2 billion yacht with a helipad.  (Picture 5/5906) It is owned by a hedge fund manager.  I tried to research its flag with the Union Jack in the left corner and what looks like islands on the lower right side, but all I can say for sure is that it's not Canadian.

Captain John talked non-stop for the whole trip.  He taught us all about the anatomy of the lobsters, how they are trapped, how they grow and molt, the proper way to eat a lobster, and how the industry is protected.  While other fishing industries are in terrible shape from over-fishing, Maine started protecting theirs 100 years ago through strictly enforcing their laws and licensing and education, and it is growing and thriving.  If they find a female with eggs, they notch her tail, and she is put back and may not be re-caught for 5 years until the notch re-grows.  There is a minimum and maximum weight.  They throw back 1/3 of their catch.

Lobsters are able to regenerate their claws when they are torn off in battle or when they are unable to molt completely and so they remove them.  It takes 5-6 years for them to regrow their claws.  Look at the disparity between this lobster's two claws. (Picture 6/5919)  China buys over 50% of the Maine lobsters because cold water lobsters are the best.

There is a wonderful genetic research facility here called the Jackson Institute that is studying these marine animals and how they regenerate limbs in an attempt to help our returning injured vets.  Capt. John says he has been on tours there many times, and he saw a mouse who had an ear growing out of his back.  Their scientists say that it's not a pipe dream--it will really happen, and it's not too far away.  They are researching many diseases, too. After the trip was over, Dean & I went to the Chamber of Commerce to try to schedule a tour (they give them twice a week), but the season is over.  I think a visit there might have been a highlight of my whole trip.  I wanted to spend time on their website learning, but you have to accept cookies, so I didn't.

Did you know there are fewer calories in a large 2-pound lobster than in a skinless chicken breast?  You just have to skip the drawn butter.  In my dreams, this is my new diet! 

We had lobster for a late lunch/early dinner at the West St. Cafe, which was reasonably priced for the area.  Their warm blueberry pie was wonderful.

We drove to the Abbe Museum in downtown Bay Harbor.  It was a waste of $16.  Their building is beautiful.  Their focus is not on teaching about the Native Peoples and how they lived.  It was about how their tribe has not been recognized by the federal government and how wronged they have been, which I'm sure is true.  There were many storyboards, but we were in and out in 15 minutes.  We do get free admission to their museum in Acadia National Park, which supposedly has relics.

We enjoyed the scenery as we drove the Acadia National Park's Park Loop.  We were trying to find the Abbe , but we never did, so we went up to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard.  (Picture 7/5935)  It's hazy because the day was hazy.  The wind was blowing so hard that it was hard for Dean to walk.  We were going to wait for the sunset, but Dean decided he didn't want the picture that bad.  We're in for some rough weather for the next 4 or 5 days.

Staying  at Timberland Acres RV Park--$38  FHU  Good satellite or forested, you pick, great hosts

Day 29 September 29, 2015 Trenton, Maine (near Bar Harbor)

I've been looking forward to seeing all the carved birds in the Wendell Gilley Museum.  He was a master carver and did good work, such as the long-eared owl (Pic 1/5937), the curlew (Pic 2/5940) and a surprise picture by Dean (Pic 3/5942).  It was good, but not great.  We've been fortunate to see so many wonderful sites, such as the Bird Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.  The carvings there were astounding. 

The Acadia National Park Nature Gardens had about 10 small gardens, representing each of the areas plant life grows in--forest, beach, etc.

Next door was the "old" Abbe Museum, and it was so good.  The ticket taker was a very knowledgeable anthropologist, and there were many relics with excellent descriptions.  We went in with low expectations, and both of us would give it a 9. 

Can you imagine wintering in this birchbark home?  (Picture 4/5948).  The shape is the same as an igloo, and the anthropologist says it was even warmer than the longhouses of the Pacific Northwest.

The English wanted fish, furs, and land. The English kidnapped, robbed, cheated, and killed the Wabanaki. They even let their livestock eat the Wabanakis' gardens!  They refused to learn the Wabanaki language, so the whole burden of diplomacy was on the Wabanaki.

The French treated them with respect.  They gave the chiefs great respect, as if they were royalty at home.  They were primarily interested in trade the converting the Wabanaki to Catholicism.  The Catholic missionaries brought Wabanaki spiritual beliefs into their teachings. They learned multiple languages and the Wabanaki learned French.  They intermarried with the Wabanaki.  Their children played important roles in alliances.  The French traded firearms, shot and powder, and they avoided trading alcohol.  The English did just the opposite.

The Wabanaki Confederacy was formed by five tribes who had been meeting together for centuries for social contacts and to fight their mutual enemy, the Iroquois.

Tonight we ate at the best lobster restaurant by far, the Union River Lobster Pot.  It was located on a knoll with lovely trees that led to the pretty Union River. The lobster was amazingly sweet and tender. Everything was delicious, and the prices were reasonable. I brought home enough for more than one more dinner.  I'd rate this a 10--don't miss. (Picture 5/5949)

Staying at Timberland Acres RV Park

Day 30 September 30, 2015 Richmond, Maine (near Augusta)

We had a short, easy drive on good roads.  Then we went to the movies at Regal's Augusta 10.  Only $8, large reclining seats, with a convenient movable tabletop, and just as in live theatre, you choose your seat!  We didn't enjoy the movie, "Black Mass," but the theater was very comfortable.

Staying at KOA--$38, FHU, everything works well, including WIFI, forested so no satellite, spacious sites, terrible, deeply rutted, potholed roads  To be fair, the rain has been coming down hard.

Day 31 October 1, 2015 Richmond, Maine (near Augusta)

Today we visited the Capitol .  My notes said that they had tours on the hour, but since it is October, they only offer morning tours.  We had stayed at the RV making plans and the only tours we could make, the 11:00 and 12:00, had 4th graders on field trips, so we tagged along.  The kids were great; the guide, not so much.  We've found that volunteer docents are much more interesting.

As we approached the Capitol, I noticed that the flags flying over it were the U. S. flag and the POW-MIA flag, and there was no Maine flag.  That's a question I'd like to have asked about.  The Lady of Wisdom stands atop the dome.  She's covered in gold leaf.  She holds a pine bough torch in one hand and a pine cone in the other. (Pic 1/5965)

We skipped the 2nd floor because there was a big Capitol Employee Recognition Day being held there with a large crowd of people, so we didn't see the Governor's Office and Hall of Flags.

The terms for both Senators and Representatives are 2 years.  They meet from December to June (6 months) in the year they are elected, and from January to April in the non-election year, and they are paid less than $15,000/year (not a typo!).  They do receive medical insurance, but it's only for the time they are in session.  They have no office and no staff.

There are 151 representatives, and Maine is the only state to have Native American representation in the House of Representatives (Pic 2/5956), but they can't vote.  California, where I live, is a very diverse state, so I couldn't help but notice that all 186 elected members appeared to be Caucasian, and there were no Hispanic surnames.  However, this may be representative because 99% of the people we've seen in Maine are also Caucasian.  There are 45 women representatives.

Members have electronic voting, and they must vote yes or no; they can't abstain.  But, there was one very interesting feature--they can call in their vote.  They don't have to be there.  The House sessions are streamed to the web.  State Representative Richard Pickett (R), who represents the district that the visiting students live in, joined both tours to give the House explanation to the kids.  What a savvy man, especially in a low-population state!  He had his picture taken with both groups, too.

The Senate (Pic 3/5958) has 35 members, 8 of whom are women.  There is no lieutenant governor.  The President of the Senate is an elected position, and if the governor can't govern, he steps in.  This is especially interesting because the governor and the president of the Senate have been feuding.  According to the newspaper, Governor LePage went so far as to call Sen. Thibodeau a "liberal."  And, they're both Republicans!

Seating for the public is along the periphery of the Senate, right there on the same floor, just a few feet away from the senators.  There is a gallery on the floor above, but visitors can't year what's being said because of poor acoustics.  The State Seal is in the Senate carpet (Pic 4/5962).  There's a shield, a pine tree with a moose laying down at the foot of it, a farmer resting on a scythe, and a seaman, resting on an anchor, a crest, the North Star, and the motto, "Dirigo," which means I direct or I lead.

This capitol appears to be very efficient and streamlined.  I know it had more stories to tell.

The State Museum is next door to the Capitol and had some interesting displays.  Admission was only $1 each.

We went on a leaf-peeping drive to Belgrade Lake.  There's more color each day, but the leaves still haven't popped. 

We returned to Regal's Augusta 10 to see "The Intern," which Dean and I both enjoyed very much.

Staying at KOA-- The terrible, deeply rutted, potholed roads were not filled in today, despite there being no rainfall and the sun being out.

Day 32 October 2, 2015 Auburn, NH (near Concord)

We had an easy, gorgeous 2-hour drive on interstates most of the way.  There were pretty trees that are getting serious about fall, and we saw the most intense color we've seen, though it's not near peak yet.  We saw "MOOSE CROSSING" signs twice.  What havoc that would play with cars doing 55.

Daytime highs have been in the mid 50's, and lows at night of about 40?, and I was bundled up in a blanket for most of the drive because the coach was cold.  Dean discovered that our heater wasn't working when we arrived, and he worked for two hours on it.  It's an Aqua-Hot, and it said the fluid was low, but Dean could see lots of fluid in the tank.  He will contact a repairman tomorrow.  The Aqua-Hot offices are closed until Monday. 

Staying at Calef Lake Camping Area--30 amps, FHU, pretty, heavily forested, no satellite reception, iffy cell service (one bar), nice hosts, 2:00 checkout time $111/3 days

Day 33 October 3, 2015 Auburn, NH (near Concord)

BRRRR!!  We both slept well in our warm blankets and sweat shirts last night, but everything we touch from the tile floor to the toilet seat to the tables is super cold.  Getting heat is our objective today.  Dean wanted to get a recommendation from the RV park, and their office didn't open until noon.  When he did get one, the phone just rang and rang.  So we decided to go to Dunkin' Donuts and use their Wifi.  On the way there, I got cell reception and found 2 places.  We got a nice gentleman at one who needed to contact a worker who works on heaters.  Long story short, he never did reach the man, and we spent a couple of hours at DD.  But, he did diagnose the problem over the phone, (it's a float that senses how full the tank is and acts as an emergency shut-off) so we're hoping that Camping World will have our part tomorrow.

Everything is closing earlier now, so we didn't have time to sightsee.  We went to see "The Martian," a great movie, at the local Regal, which has the same reserved lounge chair seating set-up as in Maine, which is very comfortable.

Today we saw regular gas at $2.01, and we saw Mobil at $2.08.  But, they go up 25 cents for each grade, whereas in California, the difference is usually 10 cents per grade.  Here they have a 93 octane super-premium, which we don't have at home.  Diesel is  $2.29 (lowest) to $2.45 (at Travel Plazas on the toll roads).

I was dreading another cold night in the coach, and necessity is the mother of invention.  I suggested to Dean that we stop at the Home Depot across the street from the theater and buy a heater.  What an idea!  I can't believe that neither of us thought of it before.  We are still dedicated to repairing our heater tomorrow, but tonight will be more comfortable.  I really want to see a couple of sights, too.

Staying at Calef Lake Camping Area

Linda,
I giggled at your being cold. We have an All King electric heater that runs almost all the time to take the chill off.  It oscillates and  has 3  levels of heat.  We could not be without it!  If you shut the door to  back it  heats up the small space in no time at all.  Of course it does not work when  you are not hooked up to power unless you run the generator.

Stay warm you two! We also saw and loved the movie Martian.

Good to hear from you, Betty!  We saw the temps in Boston this AM when we were at 39?, and it was 50? there.  Dean said, "Positively balmy!"  And, it's supposed to hit a high of 70? on Wednesday!  We are heading there now!

Day 34 October 4, 2015 Auburn, NH (near Concord)

We had a much more comfortable night with our new heater, though it's still chilly.  After spending the morning working on repairs, we had an enjoyable afternoon at the Currier Museum of Art.  It was high quality and just the right size.  Dean isn't big on art museums, and even he liked it.  They had several paintings by renowned European masters, but just one painting of each.  They had works by New Englanders and a special photographic exhibit on veterans of the war in Afghanistan.

There were good, short explanations by each painting.  This painting (Pic 1/5973) is of Anthony and Cleopatra.  They were disputing who spent more on their banquet, and she is removing her earring.  She plunged it into vinegar, causing it to dissolve, and thereby winning the argument by making her banquet the most expensive.  The other people in the painting are the painter's family.  Within one year, all of them but one were dead from the plague.

Most of the paintings had attractive bright, crisp colors.  In Picture 2/5976, the priest is reading a letter to the higher priest. (Picture 2/5976)  The bright red stands out.

Grandma Moses did this picture of the checkered house with amazing detail. (Picture 3/5979)

We saw small pieces by Paul Revere II (the famous rider), his father, who was also a silversmith and who mentored his son, and the master silversmith who taught him.  Each was of progressively higher quality.

We had a quick cup of soup at their nice cafe, and it was not only good, but warm (unlike the cafe).  Will I ever be warm again?

Staying at Circle CG Campground--30 amps, FHU, open air or forest, satellite-friendly

Day 35 October 5, 2015 Bellingham, MA (sort-of-near Boston)

Today we took advantage of our 2:00 checkout time and got out early.  We  went to the capitol in Concord, NH.  (Pic 1/5983) On top of the dome is the Peace Eagle, who replaced the War Eagle about 50 years ago.  (Pic 2/5984)

There was no security check, something of which they are proud.  They told me earlier that they don't give tours, but we went to the Visitors' Center and asked.  The volunteer there arranged for someone to cover her, and by the end of the tour there were about 15 of us enjoying listening to her.

Concord's claim to fame is that they were the first state to adopt a state constitution, on January 5, 1776, 7 months before we declared Independence.  They are also the longest continuously operating capitol in the U. S.  In the Civil War, volunteers came to the Tour Office where we were standing to enlist.

Dioramas depicted important dates in their history.  One showed the British surrender of Ft. William and Henry on December 14, 1774.  Paul Revere II made his successful ride here when he rode to tell the colonists that the British were stockpiling arms and ammunition.  They attacked and captured the  goods, using them later to attack the British.  On Revere's later ride for which he is so famous, he was captured by the British.

There is a case dedicated to Alan Shepard, the first astronaut in space who took New Hampshire's flag to the moon and the only astronaut to fly both Apollo and Mercury missions.  He brought back chips of rock and another claim to fame.  He made the longest golf drive ever hit by anyone (he did it on the moon).

They love their generals, soldiers, and battles here.  They have a whole Hall of Flags with battle-worn regimental flags dedicated to their citizens who have fought.  They are especially proud of the 5th NH Regiment, who was the "most bloodied" regiment of the Civil War.  General John Stark is famed for his military prowess and saying, "Live free or die, for death is not the worst of evils."  Harriet Dane, a nurse, followed her New Hampshire boys.  At the end of the war, the veterans gave her a pension.  With that money, she bought land for the veterans of The Grand Army and built a regimental building to have reunions and vacation quarters for veterans.  They have honored her by putting up a painting of her.

Proud that they are truly "The People's House," New Hampshire pays their house members and senators $100/year, a government email address, mileage for up to 45 days, and no other perks--no medical insurance, office expense, etc..  They serve a 2-year term, with no limit.  The house has 400 members, the largest state legislature, with one representative for every 3,000 people.  Representatives sit in chairs reminiscent of my college days in lecture halls, but without the pull-up desk,  smaller than those in the theatre we were at last night.  They have just three buttons in front of them--one white one that they press to show their attendance and red and green buttons to vote.  (Pic 3/5986)  If they want to ask a question, they make a ? in the air with their hand.  If they want to talk, they make a quacking motion with their hands, and they walk down the aisle to stand at the front and speak into the one microphone, facing the rest of the assembly.  This seems very inefficient.

Both the house and senate are Republican, and they have a Democratic governor.  The House works on Wednesdays and the Senate works on Thursdays, plus committee meetings on Fridays, from January to June.  Men are required to wear a jacket, tie, and an official nametag.

In the House, they honor John P. Hale, an ardent abolitionist.  Franklin Pierce is the only New Hampshire citizen to become President of the United States.  He was a strict constitutionalist, and slavery was permitted in the Constitution, so he did not go along with the abolitionists, despite New Hampshire being very much an abolitionist state.  When he retired, he encountered a lot of resentment from people, and you have to hunt to find the small state of Pierce, which was not allowed to be on Capitol grounds.  However, Daniel Webster, congressman from New Hampshire, U. S. Senator, and U.S. Secretary of State, has a place of prominence at the front of the Capitol.(Picture 4/5985)

The Senate has 24 senators.  They share a small clerical staff. (Picture 5/1991)

Dartmouth, their well-know university, was originally and Indian education school.  Even now, if you are an Indian of any tribe throughout the U. S. and you meet Dartmouth's requirements, you can attend for free.

Governor Maggie Hassen announced her candidacy for the U. S. Senate on the day we were at the Capitol, so ABC news was at the Capitol.  She often comes out of her office to greet schoolchildren.

One very unique feature of this state, is they have a 5-member elected Executive Council, (Picture 6/5996) which acts as an additional balance to the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.  They must unanimously approve any appointments,  bids or contracts over $5000, or gifts of land.  The British had done all those, and those colonists were adamant that it would not happen again.

New Hampshire has the first presidential primary where they elect a candidate by secret ballot instead of caucusing .  Each candidate has to come in person and apply at the Secretary of State's office and pay the $1000 fee.  One of the perks for the volunteers is getting to shake the candidates' hands.

We drove an hour-and-a-half of tree-lined, beautiful highway.  When we got here, Dean immediately tackled our heating problem once again.  One of his calls yielded a suggestion that he by-pass the float-control thingie by re-wiring, and he scheduled a permanent fix at our next stop.  HURRAH!  REAL HEAT--not just partial heat!  I am a happy camper!  I usually have the thermostat set for 70?, but it's at 74? until I thaw out.

Staying at Circle CG Farm Campground--30  amps, FHU, satellite friendly.

Hi Linda, we are enjoying your trip log.....keep it up!

Just to make you feel better (or not), we left Thayne, WY and are now in Durango, CA; a long circuitous route back home to California.   But Tim has been wanting to ride the Silverton/Durango railroad, so we are here until Friday morning then are hoofing it back home.

For the last few days it's been pouring down rain with heavy snow on the mountain tops surrounding Durango.  Lows in the mid 30s and highs in the high 50s.  Our heat pumps have been running; along with our furnace.  (BTW, I thought you had heat pumps on your coach?)  However hiking around Mesa Verde Nat'l Park in this cool weather means bundling up.

During the middle of September we had actually thought of heading to the east coast for the fall colors; but changed our minds.  I need more planning time than just "hit the road".

Stay warm!
Marsha~

Marsha/CA said:

For the last few days it's been pouring down rain with heavy snow on the mountain tops surrounding Durango.  Lows in the mid 30s and highs in the high 50s.  Our heat pumps have been running; along with our furnace.  (BTW, I thought you had heat pumps on your coach?)  However

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Thanks for the kind words.  We had two days that hit 70?,  Dean hexed that by wearing shorts, so today, the high was only 62?.  But, we can bundle up, and our coach is warm.  You brought interesting questions with your reply.  Dean says that it says "heat pump" on the heater, but he doesn't know if this model has one and he hasn't ever tried to use it.  We may explore that more, as I value being warm.  Thanks.  All is good now.  I have TV and heat.  We are working on internet, just need to download some updates to hopefully have it humming along, too.

Stay warm and dry.  I hope your train trip is everything Ken hoped it would be.

Happy trails,
Linda

Day 36 October 6, 2015 Bellingham, MA (sort-of-near Boston)

Today was a bright, warm 70?.  So Dean and I headed to Concord's Impoundment Area at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge to see native plants, and hopefully animals.  The 2-mile walk around the impoundment yielded a huge beaver lodge (Pic 1/6011), and while we heard a splash, he didn't come out to greet us.  A lady we met on the trail said that she's seen him a few times, but she walks this or snowshoes this year-round.  We saw a spider web with a spring-like bottom on it made of the spider's silk.  We saw cute frogs who jumped on the trail ahead of us, and a shiny black-shelled turtle.  The ravens, great white egrets, and Canadian geese shared the impoundment and enjoyed flapping their wings vigorously while bathing in the same area.

It was a nice change of pace, and we enjoyed the day tremendously.

Staying at Circle CG Farm Campground--30 amps & water, clear skies so we have satellite

Day 37 October 7, 2015 Bellingham, MA (sort-of-near Boston)

We spent the morning working with our satellite provider and downloaded some upgrades.  We now have heat, TV, and Internet! 

We changed out plans and drove 30 minutes to Rhode Island's Capitol in Providence.  I figured that tiny state would mean small capitol.  Not so!  It was absolutely spectacular.  From afar, we could see the gleaming dome (Pic 1/6042).  The figure at the top is Independent Man.  He clutches a spear in one hand and rests the other on an anchor.  Originally, it was supposed to have a statue of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, but no one could agree on what he looked like.

At most capitols, the visitors enter through a beautiful lobby.  The handicapped entrance/exit is a little less elaborate and offers a different view. (Pic 2/6041)  In this case, it was a sub-basement, and we could see two more floors below it.

It took 9 years (1895-1904) to build the Capitol and has 15 million blocks of marble.  It has the 4th largest self-supporting dome. (Pic 3/6014) The others are at St. Peter's in Vatican City, the Minnesota State Capitol, and the Taj Mahal.  The interior base of the dome, in raised gold letters, says "Rare felicity of the times when it is permitted to think what you like and say what you think."  All the gold in the Capitol, and there is a lot of it, is 24K gold leaf, so thin that it's applied with a small paintbrush.  High within the rotunda is a beautiful mural (in gold, of course) of Roger Williams colonizing Providence Plantations surrounded by fellow colonists and Narragansett Indians. (Pic 4/6040)  There are 4 large medallions under the dome featuring 4 women depicting Education, Justice, Literature, and Commerce. (Pic 5/6019)

Our next stop was the Royal Charter Museum & Library, (Pic 6/6015) where they usually keep the Royal Charter of 1663 granted by King Charles II.  It guaranteed Rhode Island settlers freedom of religion and the freedom to govern themselves.  It is written on sheep or goat skin, and it is currently out being restored, so we saw  a fine imitation.  It is so valuable that its value can't be assessed.  This library is open to the public.

The Senate (Pic 7/6021) has 38 members, most of them Democrats and 10 women.  Senators receive $15,000/year and work from January to June on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Since most of them hold full-time jobs, they convene at 4:00 P. M.  At the beginning of the session, they may only meet for an hour, but at the end, it's no unusual for them to be still meeting at 10:00. A senate president is elected by the members. Both senators and representatives serve 2-year terms, with no limits. They are already 60% paperless.  The desks in both houses are originals.  The room is the original color, a light green.  Restorers removed 26 layers of paint to get to it.  The state seal is woven into the carpet. (Pic 8/6031)

The State Reception Room is where the governor holds all media and official functions.  It is the only room without a skylight.  It has a hand-painted sky scene on the ceiling.  The original Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington (Pic 9/6032)  in an elaborate gilded frame is on the wall, seemingly unprotected.  I had a print of this in my classroom when I taught 5th grade.  It is one of the few pictures of him standing.  Stuart was a Rhode Islander and was the leading portrait artist in America during Revolutionary times.  Also, there is a large painting of Major General Nathanael Green, a Rhode Islander who was Washington's second-in-command during the Revolution.  Every Inauguration Day , the Chief Sheriff, dressed in early 1800's clothing, reads the formal Proclamation of Election of the Governor, followed by a 19-gun salute on the State House lawn.

The House (Pic 10/6038) has 75 members.  It is also Democratic, and has 21 women.  The walls are covered with hand-woven tapestries.  In both houses, members must either vote "yes" or "no."

More pictures

Neat library!  Looks like a really nice capitol.

ArdraF

What a coincidence, we were in Providence today. Spent a good part of the day at Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA then on to the pumpkin festival at the zoo in Providence. If you're still in the area, Battleship Cove is worth a visit. We're at Fishermans Memorial state park in RI though Monday.

Hi, Happy!

We'd love to meet up with you.  We're in Circle CG Campground in Bellingham, about 30 minutes from Providence.  But, we are going to do the Freedom Trail tomorrow (Sunday) in an attempt to avoid some of the crazy Boston going-to-work, going-home, going-to-scare-me-to-death traffic, complete with crazy pedestrians, construction, and drivers. We'll be here through Wednesday, and then move on to Plymouth.  We're going to be in Cape Cod and Connecticut, too.  Maybe we can connect at another site.  Where are you heading?

ArdraF said:

Neat library!  Looks like a really nice capitol.

ArdraF

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We really enjoyed it.  What a pretty capitol!  But, our favorite capitol library is the one in Des Moines.  That one was jaw-dropping awesome.  This library was very impressive, though.  My favorite part of the Providence capitol was the Gilbert Sullivan painting of George Washington.

CG's not far from our old stomping ground at Normandy Farms CG where we had several multi month stays when I was working as a consultant to a company in Attleboro.

Day 38 October 8, 2015 Bellingham, MA (sort-of-near Boston)

We wanted to go into Boston to the AAA at 125 High St. Mapquest said it would take 45 minutes and we left at 8:00.

The traffic on the drive in was awful, and the lanes expand at the toll booths and 8 toll lanes become 3 freeway lanes in about 500 feet.  Oh, and the exit we needed was on the extreme right about 100 feet after the tollbooth. The whole city of Boston is under construction--both buildings and streets.  Everyone double-parks because there is so little street parking, including the cops, whose cars were two deep blocking the street in front of their station, leaving only one traffic lane, with 3 streams of cars all heading for it.  Drivers use their horns first, gas pedal second, and brakes last--real games of Chicken are going on!  Pedestrians totally ignore the signals and dart out from between cars constantly without even looking.  Truly crazy!

We thought it was odd when the same address letter-by-letter came up in our  Jeep's GPS, so we put it in my i-Phone's Mapquest, too.  They both took us to this residential area with scrunched wooden homes.  I looked at a parking sign and it mentioned Charlestown, which it turns out is a section of Boston.  I called AAA, and they told me they were downtown and gave me directions as if we lived there, starting with "Go to the South Station...," and I couldn't get her to stop talking because she had a 5-minute script and she was going to read every darned word, whether I understood it or not.  I think it's rude to hang up on people, but I finally did, and she was still rambling.  We put in the second 125 High St., and it got us there, but there was no parking except one public parking garage.  They charged $9 every 20 minutes.  But, we needed to know how to do the Freedom Trail and it couldn't be done on the phone, so we bit the bullet and ended up spending $27!  We were poorer in the pocket, but much richer with information, so it was money well spent.

By this time, it was after noon--4 hours to make a 45-minute drive and a 10-minute consultation with AAA, so we decided to go to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, in Boston, but away from downtown.  The building on the U Mass campus is gorgeous, sitting on a point jutting out into the bay.  I thought this would be an A+ site since I really admired the man, while acknowledging that there were weak points in his character.  There were lots of displays and videos, and they made you realize his many accomplishments in such a short period of time.  They showed nothing of the battle he fought with Addison's or of his liaisons, no signs of weakness, and in doing so, they failed to capture the total man. There were lots of displays about Bobby, Jackie, and Caroline.  I'd say it's a "Don't miss" attraction, but I expected it to grab my heart and bring back the feelings of loss that I had when he was assassinated. 

Don't eat lunch in their cafe'.  I had the saddest, driest panini ever, served on regular bread.  I tore it apart and just ate the slice of turkey inside.  Dean's hot dog was also just put in a piece of bread, but he had relish and mustard.

Day 39 October 9, 2015 Bellingham, MA (sort-of-near Boston)

The Internet was down again, so we decided to call our satellite provider and get it fixed for once and for all.  We started at 8:00 AM and finally had it resolved at 9:00 PM.  Hughes made a change in what satellite we should be using at 6:00 AM yesterday morning and didn't notify their customers.  What a nightmare!  They'd have us follow instructions, then wait 45 minutes.  We spent all day on the phone or waiting for 45 minute to expire. 

However, we were going to have to do this anyway, so we chose the right day to do it.  At noon, strong, cold winds came up, and they brought rain from 3:00 until 7:00 that pounded down pretty good.

Dean has to go up on the roof when it's dry and change the setting for our Bird-on-a-Wire still.  So, now we have Internet but no TV.  But, at least we have heat!