Fifteen mile bike ride around Echo Lake this morning pulling my Boo. Rode upon a library with boxes of free books. Maine has so many darling little libraries. My new hobby is to photograph them.
Sitting at the Kents Hill School now reading a book about Jimmy Buffet losing his Wyoming Ranch ironically.
Back to camp for a quick dip in the lake to cool off before comforting all my homesick little campers.
After working 8 long days in a row I am finally feeling confident that the health center is mostly ready for the kids to roll in on Saturday. The majority of the camp staff had a much deserved day off today!
We started our "off time" last night in the town of Hallowell along the Kennebec River dining at The Liberal Cup and drinking local brew.
Today Tawny and I and our new friend Lila drove to Reid State Park just south of camp. We literally had the whole beach to ourselves. I am in love with New England's coast.
Today has been a roller coaster of emotions for me. I can't sleep. Today I received gut kicking news that Silver Aspen Ranch will be sold in the next year. I feel like my guts are being ripped out as I write this. How is this happening?
"Feels like fall" is the quote of the week here in New England. Pleasant days and cool mornings and evenings. Today is the first day I feel home sick. It must be summer solstice. I long for a hot summer night barely clothed, riding bikes around the Sugarhood with my SH friends drinking cold beverages and eating beets.
Camp life is very busy setting up the health center, preparing for the 480 campers to arrive next week and treating the 200 plus staff already here.
I paddle boarded for the first time on our lovely lake. Sooo fun!!! Tawny enjoys the water too. I am looking forward to warmer days so we can spend more time in the water. There are frogs living all around the lake. I remember when Silver Lake had frogs. What happened to the frogs at Silver Lake?
Tawny is getting along with the dogs and the horses! Yay!!! Sadly I pulled an engorged tick from her yesterday. Grotesque. I am sure I will have much expirence removing ticks this summer from Tawny and campers.
I've been at camp for 31 hours and I feel right at home.
My cabin is a 5 minute stroll among horses, trees, lilacs, a climbing wall and a big open field to reach the Health Center.
Tawny is pretty happy with my 2 breaks and my lunch. Never before has she received 3 walks during my work hours! She has even made a friend- Mr. Io dog (like Jupiter's moon, Io). He lives with the welder next door.
I saw my first patient today and feel good about starting patient care in this supported environment. I look forward to mentoring and teaching the novice nurses.
My life in SLC seems like a life time ago and even my journey getting to Maine seems a like another world away. I guess this is good as I am comfortable in my new digs.
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine!
After driving approximatley 2,500 miles, camping 4 nights, 1 night in a quirky B & B and 3 fabulous nights on the ocean- Tawny and I have reached our final destination.
We are at kids camp! Let the banjos play!
Spent the day in the saddle cruising around Essex and Ipswich making our way to Crane Castle, famous for the crane toilets and pregnancy photo shoots.
Enjoyed steamed littleneck clams at the apparently famous Woodmans seafood house.
Best part of today was hiking Cranes natural area and losing ourselves in the sand dunes.
Tomorrow I will drive 4 hours up the cost and report to camp. Sad to be leaving my dear friend Eduardo but ready for my next adventure.
Drat! Another tick crawling on me just now!
Costa Rican coffee, fisherman's memorial, Cape Ann, Rockport, sail boats, drawbridges, meeting a fellow Ute, lobster, crab cakes, live music. Long walks on the sparkly granite infused beach. Feeling very welcomed by my dear friend Eduardo.
But most of all...The sunsets....oh the sunsets!
NY to Gloucester, MA via the Mohawk trail hwy 2 east.
257 miles covered in 5.5 hours. That is the price I am willing to pay for the scenic route. I made it to the Atlantic Ocean without a single toll fee. Enjoyed every mile of the scenic Mohawk trail. Black beauty reached 100, 000 miles today in route to Gloucester. She is a fine vehicle.
Now I relax contently with my Costa Rican friend Eduardo at his rustic beach house in Gloucester a fishing town made famous in my mom's favorite movie The Perfect Storm.
Tawny is a beach girl, only I forgot my camera to prove so. In lieu I will post a photo of a female blue bird perched upon my bike as well as a photo of my new friend Helen who still mows her 27 acres in her eighth decade of life.
Gloucester is a cool town. I hope to spend a few days here with Eduardo before reporting to camp on Tuesday.
P.S. The seafood dinner was fabulous!
Good-bye Ohio, yes Laura I did talk the manager into breaking up the 12 pack of Dortmunder gold...just hope it will last till September.
Drove through a torrential downfall through Western Pennsylvania. I didn't see PA at all. Entered NY via I-86 E. Absolutely stunning Seneca Nation Territory and Allegany State Park. So many trees, rivers and lakes. I get the same feeling here that I get in the desert...old native spirts abound.
We drove and drove today with two s-voice mishaps costing me about an hour (Dale!!!).
I reached my destination Max V. Shaul State Park and decided it was not the best idea to stay there with the muddy mess as it has been raining most of the day. I found this darling one room B & B in Middleburgh, NY where the Schoharie River that runs through the town flows south to north. One of only two rivers in North America that does so. Helen said her guest canceled 3 minutes before I knocked on her door. Friday the 13th works for me!
Helen made me a lovely dinner and told me of her travels to Scotland. While in Scotland she learned of a government program that helped widowed women run B & B's. Widowed herself at age 59 she decided to turn her home into a B & B. She has a cat and weaves wool rugs. I am looking forward to breakfast with her in the morning.
Seems strange not being in my tent tonight. It has become my home this last week and a place of relaxation. I kind of miss my tent.
P.S. It is still raining.
It rained all night in Pokagon Park. I woke at 10:40 this morning and remained in my tent for another hour till the rain stopped. Such a warm late spring rain. Tawny and I went for a quick dip in Lake James before hitting the road again.
I am in love with highway 20 east. Darling cottages, bungalows and farmland. We didn't get many miles in today but enjoyed the peacefulness of the scenic route.
We are now camped at Geneva on the Lake State Park, Ohio. Tawny and I took another dip, in Lake Erie this time, mostly in attempt to get the awful neem oil off. It is a natural bug repent that also works as an near emetic in my case. I'd rather get bit than have to smell neem again...gag. Thankfully the bugs are not as bad in Ohio as they are in Indiana.
Once again, I am the only tent camper in the park. Secluded in my own tent area.
Sasquatch!
Tonight I stumbled upon a group of cyclist staying in the park. The group is "bike the US for MS". They are riding their bikes across the country to raise funds for MS research and causes. They started 15 days ago in Maine and will finish on August 4th in Seattle. Check out the website BiketheUSforMS.org
Perhaps this will be how I spend next summer...
Iowa into Illinois. Crossed over the mighty Mississippi River. Good bye Illinois, onto Indiana with my Boo in the back seat.
Avoiding toll roads, loving the scenic byways. Indiana highway 20 east is lovely Amish country. Horse and buggy and almost as many bicycles as Salt Lake City. I regret not stopping at the Amish bakery.
Camped at Pokagon State Park now. Tawny, we are not in the desert anymore! This is certainly sasquatch country, grateful I am on their side (thanks Tris).
Wishing I had some deet. To hell with Burts bees! I am getting eaten alive with mosquitoes. Drat! I just found a tick on my leg. Better do a tick search on Tawny then it is headlamp out and nighty night.
P.S. it is raining again. Hard.
Once I crossed the boarder to Iowa via I-80 the speed limit changed from 75 mph to 70 mph. There are so many semi trucks on I-80.
I am enjoying the Midwest more than I anticipated. Several rivers- wide rivers and it is so green!
I slept in late today and am grateful I did as I am mostly over my cold. Today I feel like I've got my groove on. Coffee, walk Tawny, break camp, drive, make camp, cook, walk Tawny, sit in tent studying maps, planning tomorrow by headlamp has all become routine at day 3.
Tawny dog is sleeping by my feet. I am blogging in my tent and it is lightly raining. We are camped at a KOA in Oxford, IA next to a soybean field. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. Hoping to make it to Indiana.
So many state parks to choose from so I selected a familiar name. The mormon pioneers wintered here on their trek West to Utah.
Yes I slept well thanks to my cough syrup and was warm and cozy thanks to the 6 hand warmers stuck throughout my clothing. It was hard to leave Vedauwoo, it is a special place. Thanks Rod for the tip.
SLC to Vedauwoo, WY. I caught my little niece's cold so the drive was tough today.
Vedauwoo is beautiful. At 8,000 ft in elevation it is COLD. Good thing I have my superhero Tawny to keep me warm. 40 degrees and droping...
