New England and Eastern Canada

[ArdraF]

If you recall the name of the place where you stayed, let me know.

Gary, as my dear Mother used to say, "Too much time has gone over the dam."  Too many years ago and it might not even exist any more.  I haven't kept logs like the others so no references to help.

Now that I reread Marsha's comment, most of the good stuff is closer in on the Cabot Trail so most people stay near the start and do the loop in the car.  It might be more enjoyable that way because you'll have the car.  We didn't back then.  I do recall a couple who did the Cabot Trail in their truck and it was a rush around.  In other words a long day.

ArdraF

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Grassy

>>Too bad they missed NS.  I enjoyed  her blogging..  I was hoping to here her comments about the cabot trail.  I live in he Annapolis valley which is becoming the napa valley of canada ...I think we have 9 vineyards..my fav being Gaspereaux valley.<<


I guess you didn't read all her blog... Cabot trail is mentioned on page 9.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,17467.240.html


We toured all of the Maritimes... Read the whole blog, you might enjoy another persons perspective.

 

[Hfx_Cdn]

    Gary, I'd recommend staying in Baddeck when doing the Cabot Trail, and use your toad to do the loop.  Although it is doable with the coach, it is so much more enjoyable in a smaller vehicle.  Also, you will want to go into the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck, he was an amazing man who invented so much more than just the telephone.
    We likely will be at our summer place near Shediac in July, so keep in touch.

Ed

 

[garyb1st]

    Gary, I'd recommend staying in Baddeck when doing the Cabot Trail, and use your toad to do the loop.  Although it is doable with the coach, it is so much more enjoyable in a smaller vehicle.  Also, you will want to go into the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck, he was an amazing man who invented so much more than just the telephone.
    We likely will be at our summer place near Shediac in July, so keep in touch.

Ed

Just read Betty's post that Terry mentioned.  If it's not raining, we'll take the toad.  I'll send you a PM when we're in the area.

Gary 

 

[garyb1st]

Gary, read all the trip logs in the library re the maritimes.  By the time you get done, you'll have a great idea of what you want to see and do.  I also have an excel spread sheet of our locations, mileage, cost and rating of the places we went.  However we did not boondock or look for the least expensive  ....just things we wanted to see and do.

 

Wasn't really planning on boondocking much on this trip.  My concern was finding a spot to spend the night if we the parks are all booked.  As of now, my plan is to not reserve.  . 

 

[garyb1st]

The last time we were in Canada, we got zapped with a substantial charge by Verizon for the phones and air-card.  If I recall correctly, they said an 'International', or some such plan that included Canada, was available which would provide unlimited use in Canada.  At the time, mid 2009, it cost about twice as much.  For those of you that travel in Canada, what do you to reduce the cost of your cell service? 

 

[docj]

Be careful of Verizon's Canada Plan.  The last time I checked it reduced the voice call charges slightly (69 cents vs ~89 cents) and it made the data costs slightly less egregious but still quite awful. 

We have a prepaid dumb cell phone we bought from Bell.  If you bundle it with some messaging (even if you don't use them) it brings  the per minute charge to <30 cents a minute (in Canada).  You can buy additional minutes at many grocery stores and pharmacies.

As for data, there aren't any simple solutions.  My suggestion is to call around to cellular resellers like Fido to see if someone is willing to open an account without a credit check or a Canadian address.  Be persistent and if one store says no, try another.  You may be lucky enough to find one that will help you.

If you have any usable internet connection (including park wifi) you can also use your laptop to make free Google Voice calls to the US and within Canada.  If you don't already have a Google Voice phone number, it's easy to get one.

 

[garyb1st]

Joel, thanks for the suggestions.  Good to know that persistence continues to pay off.  We've used Skype in the past and will need to make sure we're up to date.  Google Voice is on the list.  I see you use WiFi Ranger.  We're thinking of trying it.  Which of the devices do you recommend?  I'm in need of a new computer and will likely pick up a new Mac in a few days.  My current one is about 9 years old and I'm never sure if my connectivity issues are due to reception or my aging Imac. 

Gary

 

[Jeannine]

The last time we were in Canada, we got zapped with a substantial charge by Verizon for the phones and air-card.  If I recall correctly, they said an 'International', or some such plan that included Canada, was available which would provide unlimited use in Canada.  At the time, mid 2009, it cost about twice as much.  For those of you that travel in Canada, what do you to reduce the cost of your cell service?

We were in the Maritimes and Newfoundland last summer.  We added Canada voice and texting to our plan.  Instead of unlimited service,  we had an upper limit which was plenty for us.  Data was a different story.  We disabled it on our phones and used public wifi.  Every public library in Newfoundland has free wifi, usually with a strong signal that reaches outside.

The only time we make reservations while traveling in Canada is for the long weekend holidays.

Jeannine

 

[docj]

I see you use WiFi Ranger.  We're thinking of trying it.  Which of the devices do you recommend? 

The ultimate WiFiRanger system is the new exterior-mounted Elite either coupled with a Go2 inside your RV or used by itself.  The Elite has enough power to ensure that you'll be able to connect to any RV park access point.  Having a Go inside is important if you need a USB port for a modem or Ethernet ports for network devices that lack wifi.  When I'm in Canada, for example, I plug my Canadian modem into the USB port and can then share it throughout my network. When the two devices are used together the Elite become slaved to the Go2. 

Joel

 

[garyb1st]

Been on the road just over a month.  Enjoyed getting together with the group in Palo Duro Canyon State Park last month and then the I-40 drive through Oklahoma, Arkansas andTennessee dodging Tornados and Thunderstorms.  Actually I didn't enjoy that drive much but was glad we didn't have any severe weather.  We're at Kring State Park in New York at the moment.  Kring is part of the 1000 Islands area along the St. Lawrence River (Seaway).  It is absolutely beautiful here.  Before commenting on this area I'll write a bit on our journey to this point. 

Our first stop after Palo Duro was a Rest Area at Erick OK.  Don't really like Rest Areas but the weather was nasty and we discovered the lighting on our toad had major issues.  So we pulled in and spent a long night next to trucks that kept stopping and running their engine for what seemed like hours.  Did I mention I don't like a lot of noise when I'm trying to sleep.  Our next night was at the Oklahoma City Camping World where we had the oil changed and the lights worked on.  We were parked next to the only light standard with electric so enjoyed having power in their well lit parking lot.  Did I mention I don't like a lot of light when I'm trying to sleep.  After spending what seemed like forever in a Camping World bay getting a 1 hour problem fixed in 6 hours, we took off at 4 PM and drove until dark and found a Walmart with minimal noise and light.  After being up for two straight nights I slept fairly well despite the Walmart lights. 

While the previous 3 nights were great at lowering the average campground fee, they leaves a lot to be desired in terms of enjoying the RV lifestyle.  That said, we drove to a Corps park in Maumelle Arkansas and enjoyed two nights parked along the Arkansas River.  Thanks Kim Bertram for the heads on this gem.  Two nights at $13.00 geezer rate further helped to reduce the average camping fee.  After Maumelle, we continue on our I-40 journey over what feels like some of the worst roads in the country.  Actually, if I had to pick a worst state I'd be in trouble.  They're all bad.  After a long day, we ended up at a small campground in Parkers Crossroads TN were we spend two nights and did some laundry.  Actually that was a lot of laundry.  Two weeks worth with fur ball laden very hairy bedspreads.  The cats think we're all family. 

Our next stop was at a Corps park close to Nashville.  We had a service engine light on the way so stopped at a Ford Truck service center .  That proved to be a waste of time.  I guess they were just tooooooooo busy.  In any event, we went to the Corps park which fortunately had a mechanic who was camping nearby.  The host mentioned our problem to the mechanic and he came over within the hour.  Put a gauge on the Aerbus and said it was running rich.  That sounded like a condition we could live with so did nothing until we got to our current location.

After Nashville we drove to a TVA site near Sevierville.  That's about a half hour drive to the entrance of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.  Never reserving and being close to Memorial Day weekend makes finding a spot a bit of a challenge.  We were lucky got a tent only spot along the river.  Actually it was large enough to back a 40 footer if you didn't mind backing up about 1000 feet.  Our 32 footer was able to make a three point turn and got in just fine.  It was such nice spot we stayed 4 days. 

Our next stop was at another rest area half way to our next destination, Akron OH.  Now as mentioned, i'm not fond of rest areas and all the noise but at about 5 minutes before dark, we needed to get off the highway.  So we found a spot.  I thought I had the rest area routine figured out.  I moved close to the last spot before the pull out.  I thought the noise level would be tolerable.  I thought wrong.  Rest areas are the pits. 

Akron is not high on my list as as destination.  But when you have family in the area, stopping is a must.  We spent 3 nights at Portage State Campground.  Don't bother putting it on your short list.  Unless of course you have family in Akron.  We actually had a nice stay and saw parts of the city that most travelers would not see.  Unless of course they had relatives in Akron. 

So after Akron it's blue sky.  We have no more commitments where we need to be at a specific place at a specific time.  That's really the way to travel.  Now unless my daughter decides to get married in August, we go wherever/whenever. 

Stay tuned for a description of this amazing area. 

 

[garyb1st]

If it wasn't for the horrific road conditions I wouldn't mind paying the toll on I-90 in upstate New York.  However after bouncing around for a few hours, we decided to take some secondary roads a bit closer to Lake Ontario.  That was a smart move.  The roads are much better, don't have a ton of over the road truckers and the scenery is pretty nice.   

If you've seen upstate New York but haven't been in the Lake Ontario and the St. Laurence River areas, think about putting them on the list.  While we?re just at the southeastern end of the area,  it's simply beautiful.  The last time we were in the Niagara area was about 5 years ago.  We got there after spending a week at Watkins Glen on the southern shores of Lake Seneca.  That in itself is another area you might want to add to your list.  It's beautiful, has some interesting hikes and is near one of the New Yorks several wine regions.  Vineyards sprinkled around the Amish farming community.  In addition to some pretty good wines, you'll find some great fruit and veggies at the Amish roadside stands. 

Our first stop on the shores of Lake Huron was Lakeside Beach State Park.  The first of three New York parks we?ve stayed at this past week.  While most of the parks don?t offer full service, the grounds are quite nice and the views exceptional.  At least for the 3 we?ve been at.  Our second stay was at Long Point Campground which is near the beginning of the 1000 Island region.  It is a smaller park which sits on a peninsula.  Depending on which side of the campground your parked and the weather, you?re either facing Lake Ontario with a good chop or a bay that is relatively calm.  It rained for the two days we were at the park but we still enjoyed two peaceful evenings.  We were unwinding from the first 3500 miles of our journey over a short 4 week period.  Long point is a short distance from Cape Vincent and if you are ever in the area, take time to visit this delightful town on one of the bays.  Our third and current stop is Kring State Park.  This is one of the most amazing parks we?ve been to.  It is literally surrounded by crystal clear waters and I don?t believer there is a campsite without multiple water views.  None of the campgrounds have any parking pads and for the most part it?s grass or gravel.  It?s also a bit of a challenge to find a level spot.  But from my perspective, it?s worth it.  According to one brochure, the area also has some of the best fresh water fishing in the world. 

Geographically the 1000 Island area begins near or a bit North of Cape Vincent which is about 30 miles from Watertown NY.  Actually there are a total of 1,864 islands which range in size from 1 square foot to over 40 sqare miles.  Many of the islands have lavish homes that were built in the late 19th century.  Some refer to the area as millionaire?s row since many of the homes were built by self-made millionaires of the late 19th and early 20th century.  We took a 2 &1/2 hour boat tour yesterday and after seeing some spectacular homes were dropped off at the Bolt Castle. 

George Bolt built this enormous place, which sits on a heart shaped island, for his wife.  Sadly his wife died of consumption shortly before the home was completed.  Bolt never returned to the island.  He sent a letter to the workers telling them to discontinue construction, his wife was dead. 

After the self guided tour of the castle, I helped Maria eat a cup of raspberry ice cream.  We then waited for the next shuttle to the state side of the St. Laurence.  They warn you avoid boat flying a flag with a maple leaf.  If you do, you would be in a bit of trouble if you don't have a passport with you. 

 

[Jeannine]

Dan's family spent their summer vacations at Cape Vincent.  His brother has a trailer there and we spend a month or so there every few years.  Glad you are enjoying the area.

Jeannine

 

[garyb1st]

Ten days at New York State Parks.  Two nights at Lakeside Beach which is about 40+ miles east of Niagara, two at Long Point near Cape Vincent and five at Kring Point which is in the Thousand Islands area.  The last was at Cumberland Bay which is on the New York side of Lake Champlaine.  It was raining at Cumberland so not much to do.  In spite of the weather, there was a young man kite-surfing in the waters which were stirred up a bit by the wind.  We thoroughly enjoyed each park and highly recommend visiting them if ever in the area.

On our drive from Kring, we stopped at the Eisenhower lock near Messena.  Messina is near the top of the state.  We just missed a freighter that had passed through the lock and was heading toward the great lakes.  Beginning with the St. Lawrence Seaway, these vessels can travel all the way to lake Superior.  As a young boy, I visited Duluth MN with my family many times.  Each time watching the large ore boats float through the canal under the lift bridge was very exciting.  I had no idea that came from such a distance. 

Our drive then took us east to the Lake Champlaine region.  Before turning and heading south along the lake, we went through two check points maned by local police who were searching for the two inmates who pulled off a Shawshank style escape from a prison maybe 25 or so miles south of us.  After another 30 or 40 miles we drove past what must have been 50 heavily armed police who were scouring an area directly south of the prison.  I was a tad hesitant to look for a local campground in the area. 

After leaving the Champlaine region, we hoped to find a park near Lake George.  The State parks in that region are different.  For the most part, they are primitive and have no hookups.  They also are not suitable for larger rvs.  Our 32 footer would have fit in one spot but it was raining so hard we just kept going.  As it turned out that may not have been the best idea.  We ended up spending the night in a Walmart Super Center in Catskill NY.  That was after a very long drive which included a not so fun pass through Albany.  It was not our intent to drive through the center of town and dodge a bunch of cars double parked on narrow two lane roads.  We were just trying to avoid I-90 which was one of the worst road we traveled over during the first 5,000 miles of our journey.  Big mistake.  We made it through without running into anything but it put my anxiety level over the top. 

After a not so restful evening at Walmart, we headed to our current destination, the Wolf Den Family Campground in East Haddan Ct.  Now the Wolf Den is not a resort by any stretch of the imagination, but for an east coast campground it is a real bargain.  There are about 240 sites and most of the campers are seasonals.  Local residents who come up and spend a weekend or longer between late spring and fall.  It is a very large place with generous grass sites.  Minimal leveling required and lots of shade.  Of course lots of shade equal spotty Internet connections.  A Passport park, the charge for the week is $185.50 plus 12 grocery items.  About 1/2 what I was expecting to pay.  The grocery items is a way the campground helps the needy.  They give us half off for a day in exchange for the groceries.  The groceries are  distributed to needy families.  The site has water electric and gray waste.  The gray waste was a new one to us.  The black tank will not be drained until we leave.  Hopefully our new black tank is up to the task.  While we were told it?s a 65 gallon tank, we?ve never had a chance to test it.  Time will tell.  As will the color of the water at the bottom of the bowl.   

It would have been nicer to be on the beach, but at $50 a night for dry  camping at a Connecticut State Park we opted to do a bit of driving.  After our first day in the area, I think we did the right thing.  It?s a beautiful area with lots of lakes, rivers, state parks and, drum roll, the Gillette Castle.  Never heard of the Gillette Castle?.  Neither have we.  Don?t believe it?s connected to the Gillette Company.  We'll check it out before leaving the area.  Tomorrow we do some serious exploring.  Heading to Bridgeport and then ? ? ? ?. 

 

[HappyWanderer]

Gillette Castle was the home of the actor William Gillette, most famous for playing Sherlock Holmes. It?s now a state park, and a multi-million dollar restoration of the castle and grounds was recently completed.

Right next to the swing bridge over the Connecticut River is the Goodspeed Opera House. You can park in their lot and use the picnic tables in back of the theater to enjoy lunch by the river. Their musicals are legendary, but have become pricey in the last few years.

If you?re into trains, the Essex Steam Train is just south of you on Route 9. You can tour the rail yards and go for a short ride. They also offer a train and riverboat ride, and maybe a dinner cruise.

 

[ArdraF]

we went through two check points manned by local police who were searching for the two inmates who pulled off a Shawshank style escape from a prison maybe 25 or so miles south of us.  After another 30 or 40 miles we drove past what must have been 50 heavily armed police who were scouring an area directly south of the prison.  I was a tad hesitant to look for a local campground in the area.

RVing can be more exciting than planned!  We were on I-25 in the area north of Denver where they're trying to find a Serial Shooter.  Needless to say we were very alert to any passing cars that might have held someone wanting to shoot us!  They're still hunting for the ones in NY.

ArdraF

 

[garyb1st]

Gillette Castle was the home of the actor William Gillette, most famous for playing Sherlock Holmes. It?s now a state park, and a multi-million dollar restoration of the castle and grounds was recently completed.

Right next to the swing bridge over the Connecticut River is the Goodspeed Opera House. You can park in their lot and use the picnic tables in back of the theater to enjoy lunch by the river. Their musicals are legendary, but have become pricey in the last few years.

If you?re into trains, the Essex Steam Train is just south of you on Route 9. You can tour the rail yards and go for a short ride. They also offer a train and riverboat ride, and maybe a dinner cruise.

We're going back to the castle since it was closed when we got there.  Looks interesting.  Thanks for the info.

 

[garyb1st]

RVing can be more exciting than planned!  We were on I-25 in the area north of Denver where they're trying to find a Serial Shooter.  Needless to say we were very alert to any passing cars that might have held someone wanting to shoot us!  They're still hunting for the ones in NY.

ArdraF

Ardra, when we were heading south on NY 9 or 9N, don't recall which, we stopped along side the road where a left turn would take us across a bridge to Vermont.  The road we had been on had some steep hills and lots of turns.  While we were there, a police offer stopped to inquire while we were illegally parked.  When I explained our situation, he suggested continuing down the 9/9N to Lake George.  Said it was mostly flat.  I guess flat has different meanings for those that drive passenger cars vs motorhomes.  As I was consulting the Mountain Guide, I realized we needed to negotiate some pretty steep hills no matter what we did.  The guide is great.  Only problem is my sifter like memory and a travel plan that doesn't include a plan. 

 

[johnandcarol]

I-90 in MA (Mass Pike) is in good shape for the most part.  New York interstates can be crap in places.

 

[garyb1st]

Now I know why it never rains in Southern California.  It?s because it?s always raining here in New England.    Well at least it seems that way.  Hopefully, this wet spell won?t last too long. Since we can?t bring any of this water back to L.A., we?d prefer a bit more sunshine. 

Speaking of water, I can?t believe all the lakes and rivers here in the Northeast.  And trees, where did all the trees come from.  I saw a before and after picture of Manhattan on the internet this morning and couldn?t believe the entire island was covered with trees at one time.  It must have been an old picture. 

I was at the New York Worlds Fair in 1964 and don?t recall seeing any trees other than in Central Park.  The other thing that is totally mind boggling are the hills.  I had no idea there were so many hills in this part of the country.  I guess my numerous business trips FLYING to New York and Boston prior to my transitioning to the RV lifestyle didn?t prepare me for this hilly adventure. The old Aerbus drops out of overdrive so many times going up the long grades I?m thinking of keeping it in 3rd until we?re in Canada.  Hope there aren?t many hills in Nova Scotia. 

After a week at Wolfs Den, we drove a short distance to Bourne MA.  Bourne is just past the canal on hwy 28 at the beginning of Cape Cod.  We ended up at a similar family style campground in Bourne.  Family style campgrounds are quite popular here.  This time we had full hookups.  The campground is called Bay View.  Not sure why since there?s not a drop of water anywhere in sight.  Price seemed a bit high but I guess it?s all about location.  $53.00 a night for 50 amp service.  The Aerbus only has 30 amp service.  Didn?t have any of those so we paid an extra $24.00 for the 4 nights we were there.  Somehow that doesn't seem quite right. 

The last time I was in Cape Cod was 1967.  I was with a high school friend and we drove out from Minnesota.  We were on our way to Provincetown after a short stop at Hyannis Port.  Didn?t see any Kennedy?s so we just left.  After ten minutes heading up the coast, my friend said he really didn?t want to go to Provincetown.  I was a bit disappointed but didn?t argue.  So at the next turn around, we?re heading back down the Cape on our way to New York City, our reason for the long road trip.

Now I?ve always wanted to return to Provincetown and see what I missed so was looking forward to the visit.  I even read that self-contained RV?s can camp on the beach.  Sounded like fun.  Since Bourne is only an hour and a half from Provincetown, we decided to drive up in the HHR and have a look see.  I?m sooo glad we did.  Quite honestly, Provincetown proved to be disappointing.  To be fair, it?s just not my cup of tea.  It reminded me of our visit to Key West in 2010.  I had not been to the Keys since 1971 when I drove from St. Paul and camped in a pop up tent trailer.  Key West was beautiful.  Boy, how things changed.  I?m just not big on crowds and as much as I love my kids, I prefer to be far far away from young people when they?re in their partying mood.  And more trees.  I was hoping to see some water on the way to Provincetown.  Boy, don?t hold your breath.  It?s there but you don?t see much until you?re well into the Cape.  So Provincetown in the Aerbus is off the short list and it?s back to the mundane adventures of Bourne and the surrounding areas.  Places like Sandwich and Plymouth.  Actually those areas are quite nice.  Well worth the visit if just for driving through or doing some light shopping.  Narrow streets with lots of shops.  The best part is the relaxed pace.

Before leaving the Cape, we took a Ferry to Martha?s Vineyard.  I guess we should have done a bit more research since we really didn?t get to see much of the island.  At first we thought we?d bring the bicycles.  Then we decided we?d rent bikes on the island.  Not sure how that would work since the island is quite large.  Next we considered renting a car.  At the end of the day, we took the bus.  I figured we could do a quick bus ride and then decide where we wanted to go for a closer look see.  That didn?t turn out too well.  Before getting on the bus, we stopped at one of the few restaurants we could find.  Actually restaurant is probably giving it more credit than it deserves.  A cafeteria style sandwich shop.  I ordered a breakfast burrito and Maria had a sandwich.  We then headed for the bus.  We were on the bus for almost two hours going from Vineyard Haven to Aquina (sp).  Now it?s possible to catch a bus from almost anywhere on the island in 15 minutes.  Anywhere except Aquina.  That takes an hour.  That is, the bus leaves every hour.  If you miss one, you have to wait another hour.  Not wanting to spend two hours on a chilly and somewhat windy beach with no real restaurant in sight we decided to head back to Vineyard Haven.  So without accomplishing much of anything other than looking at maps, we got back on the Ferry and headed back to Bourne.  By the time we got home via a short stop at a local pizza rest., it was almost 8:00 PM.  The pizza was pretty good but we were both dog tired. 

My suggestion for anyone wanting to visit the island, pay the fee and bring your car.  If we ever return that?s what we?ll do.  That said, I doubt we?ll ever go back.  I?ve been to the Virgin Islands, Macinac Island, Catalina and Bermuda.  Save your money for one of those. 

We circumvented Boston both on our way to the Cape and on our way to our current location, Hampton Falls, NH.  Hampton Falls is one of the prettier places we?ve been to.  While there are areas of the Connecticut Coast and the Cape that are quite nice, nothing can compare to the short stretch of the New Hampshire Coast.  It?s simply beautiful.  More on that later.