The Maine and Eastern Seaboard Trip, Just the Facts, Maam!

We used EZpass on our trip out to Maine, etc. last month and it was SO much more convenient just to zip through the EZpass lanes than wait in line to pay cash to the attendants.  Ours was actually the Illinois Ipass, but it was accepted on all the EZpass toll roads.  Not sure how much we saved, because the discount in most states is not nearly as significant for RVs towing cars as it is for just a passenger car, but the convenience was totally worth it.

That was part of the problem with some of the toll roads we have been on. If you are towing you can't just zip through the EZ Pass lanes. You have to go through the attendant lanes. The automated pass doesn't work.

SargeW said:

That was part of the problem with some of the toll roads we have been on. If you are towing you can't just zip through the EZ Pass lanes. You have to go through the attendant lanes. The automated pass doesn't work.

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I have both the car and Motorhome registered to my I-pass Illinois version of EZpass  (compatible with all EZpass toll roads). I always go through the EZpass lanes, including rolling toll lanes. They always manage to charge me for 5 axles when towing. I use it for just the car and get charged for 2 axles. I know in the past the NY thruway required a different EZpass for towing, but I used mine in NY many times with no issues.

ken

SargeW said:

That was part of the problem with some of the toll roads we have been on. If you are towing you can't just zip through the EZ Pass lanes. You have to go through the attendant lanes. The automated pass doesn't work.

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When my car is being towed behind the motorhome it is charged as a trailer and it is less than when driven. They instructed me to remove the transponder from the windshield in the car when it is being towed. They gave me a special shielded bag to store it in.
The easiest way is to go to one of the walk in EZ Pass offices.
I recommend getting one because it saves money and how much you need to have (cash) on hand. When I was going North the George Washington was $76.00 Cash only if you didn't have a pass.
Bill

SargeW said:

That was part of the problem with some of the toll roads we have been on. If you are towing you can't just zip through the EZ Pass lanes. You have to go through the attendant lanes. The automated pass doesn't work.

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Hmm, not sure about that.  We successfully used the EZ Pass lanes in IL, IN, OH, NY, ME, NH NJ and PA on our trip a few weeks ago.  The first couple times we entered a new state I went through the attendant lane at the first toll plaza just to make sure it worked in the new state, but as soon as I pulled up the light turned green and the attendant waved me through.  After that, I just went straight to the EZpass lane and got the green "approved" light.  I believe the cameras determine how many axles you have and bill accordingly.

We have been through a few in other states (I can't remember which) where posted signs said "Vehicles with trailers must use cash lanes".  I have been through too many states and highways to remember where that applied though.

From Boothbay we drove 160 miles north to Southwest Harbor. This is the furthest north we will be going in the country on this adventure.  Southwest Harbor is on Dessert Island, and is right next to Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor is on the opposite side of Dessert Island from Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor is the touristy side of the island, and Southwest Harbor is the ?quiet? side.  We picked Smuggler's Den as Diane's research was the best park in the area.  The sites are decent size, but the interior roads are a bit narrow.  One issue here was that the hookups were all way in the back of the site, so extra sewer hose is a good idea here. 

We had a premium site that was a paved back in with patio.  The trees were a little thick, but we managed to get satellite by using my cell phone app to locate the Direct TV satellites. I find that I am using this app nearly every stop here in the northeast.  Due to the location of the satellites, I parked towards the front of the site, even further from the hookups.  The restrooms were clean, but not handicapped accessible. High thresholds and small doors would make it impossible.

We paid $67 a night which is a bit pricey, but this is one of those places where location is key. This park is in close proximity to Acadia National Park, and we went into the park several days in different directions.  Our National Park Pass saved a good bit of money.  I think we paid $80 for the annual pass, and if you are traveling and visiting several of the parks is is well worth it.  This area is amazingly scenic and we did a lot of driving and hiking to take in the fabulous vistas. Exploring Bar Harbor was also a lot of fun, we sampled some of the local eateries. And while a lot of the country was sweltering, we were enjoying cool 75 degree days with light breezes.  This won't last when we head south!

We had an end site, #122 which is also right across from the pool. Sometimes a site near the pool is noisy, but we never had a problem even though the pool was popular all day long.  The campground offers good strong WiFi, which was important as the Verizon air card struggled during the day. We used the park WiFi during the days and at night like after 7 PM I could switch back to our WiFi for more sensitive issues like banking.  Even with the antenna mast extended, response from the distant cell tower was slow. Without it, most of the time the web sites would time out before a connection could be made.

One unusual feature here was that the area's municipal bus line ran into the park to pick up and drop off passengers.  If you were a bus rider it was convenient, but seeing the bus go by our site several times a day was a bit odd. I got used to it after a few days, but being from CA I think we ?entertained? some of the bus riders as we worked out, or had cocktail hour with Heidi relaxing on the patio. 

I did get the parts from Thetford for the seal replacement on the toilet. It took about an hour but all is back to normal in the throne room.  The patio awning is still intermittent, but I am still trading emails with Carefree. 

From here we head south to our last stop in Maine. 

It sounds all too familiar (and special)!  It sounds and looks like you are enjoying Maine. We are returning to Maine tomorrow after making our way to South Dakota to visit George, Thomas, Theodore and Abraham and though we have seen some beautiful parts of the country, we are happy to call Maine home. Have a great time with the rest of your visit in Maine and safe travels.

PS. I have had a New York EZ pass for years. After I inquired, they sent me a special one to use in our pickup when towing the camper. We used it for every toll booth including in Illinois - never had to stop!

Yep, Rushmore is one of our favorites too. Seeing pics of it just don't do it justice.  We are still investigating the EZ pass to see if it will be worth investing in.  Maine has been great. We love the coastline up here with it's rocky shores and surf.

When I was there last summer I was talking to a ranger at Cadillac Mountain. Did you know if you are on Cadillac Mountain when the sun comes up you can be the first one in the US to see it? I looked at the times schedule posted and where I was camped and how long it took to get there. Well I decided to be the first person in the US to see lunch!
Glad you are having a good time.
Bill

Too funny Bill! Yeah, the ranger told us that info too.  I decided that I could wait until the sun got a little higher in the sky to avoid the crush of folks rushing up the mountain. 

WILDEBILL308 said:

When I was there last summer I was talking to a ranger at Cadillac Mountain. Did you know if you are on Cadillac Mountain when the sun comes up you can be the first one in the US to see it? I looked at the times schedule posted and where I was camped and how long it took to get there. Well I decided to be the first person in the US to see lunch!
Glad you are having a good time.
Bill

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Ditto.  When I did the math and realized I'd have to be up by 0300 to make it to Cadillac to see the sunrise, I decided I was on vacation and could see the same sun any time of the day.

We did make it up there one year and the sight is really something as daylight reaches all the islands.

What time of day did you have to get there?

SargeW said:

What time of day did you have to get there?

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Boy, I think when we were there in late June (longest days of the year) sunrise on Cadillac Mtn was around 0420. It was posted on the whiteboard in the visitor's center.  Since we were staying on the Schoodic Penninsula, an hour's drive away, it was a no-go.

Smarty I beleive we left Hadley's Point around 4:00AM. :

I haven't done 0400 mornings since I retired!  Used to be by 0400 I was already leaving for the train...

Thanks Diane, very much enjoying your blog.

And another installment of Diane's blog just posted!

Another nice entry.  My wife's only disappointment in our stay in Down East Maine is that she didn't hear any Maine natives say "ayuh."  (Just my daughter and me, as we started saying it incessantly, to my wife's great annoyance)