Got distracted by life, so forgot to do my last post. Actually, I’ll do one more with stats, books, and maps. But it may be a while.

Our camper is made by Safari Condo, a small company in Quebec. Jim first heard about it while exploring small, light trailers when he was retiring. He joined the Alto (our model) Facebook group and saw a post by a new owner bringing his Alto home to Maine. We recognized the spot where the photo was taken. This was November 2019. Since we hadn’t seen one in person and there were no US dealers, Jim got in touch and asked if we could see it when we were visiting Tom. In January 2020, on our way to visit for MLK weekend, we got a text from the owner asking if we were still interested in the camper. Turns out, they were going to sell it and were we interested? We took a ride to Poland Springs and really liked the brand new camper, sitting in the snow. Back then, the wait after ordering was over a year, and the owners’ situation had changed. Hmmm, went back to Tom’s, thought about it and decided sure, we could have a camper now, not in a year. Little did we know the world would change in a few months and make our decision seem brilliant. Prices went up, parts were hard to find and wait lists were over 2 years, but we had our Alto. We took our first trip in mid-February 2020, got home the day before the world closed. That year we also brought it up to Falmouth and parked it in Tom and Laura’s driveway for two months, watching the boys while T&L worked from home. It gave them an extra room to work in and us some space, plus the boys loved it. Anyways… It’s a great camper, five years old and probably could sell it for close to what we bought it for. It has exceeded our expectations.

We couldn’t find a place closer to Morgantown, WV to camp, so ended up in far southwest Pennsylvania in Ryerson Station State Park. It was a very quiet park. We arrived on a Monday and there were only two other folks camping until Wednesday, leading into Memorial Day weekend. It was a bit of a wild ride to the campground. We got off the highway in Wheeling, WV and took back roads, up over hills, down into hollers, and around. It was definitely country roads and different than any part of Penn we had ever been in–I think I heard banjos at one point. We hit a stopped line of traffic along the way. As cars ahead of us turned around, we got closer. No chance for us to turn around on those narrow roads. It appeared a truck went off the road on a curve and knocked out a telephone pole, leaving wires across the road. The campground was small, quiet and no cell coverage. Finally talked Jim into a card game!

So, we’re still working on our map. The easiest route east is I-70, across Kansas, Missouri etc. We’ve camped in those states, so Jim figured a route a little out of the way, taking I-80. We left Grand Junction early, down off the mesa and headed east toward Denver. We’d never driven that route and drove through Glenwood Springs and Vail. There were exits for Aspen, Breckenridge and Golden, but we had a ways to go. It was fun to hit snow and evergreens and aspens. We crossed the continental divide in a tunnel at about 11,000 feet. From there it’s downhill all the way to the Mississippi!

Another new state for my map! It was a fairly quick trip from Dead Horse Point to Grand Junction, Colorado. Thirty seven years ago, when we were moving from NH to MA, we didn’t have a place to live, hadn’t sold our house and so couldn’t buy one. I got a summer job at Clara Barton Camp for Girls with Diabetes in Oxford, MA. The whole family moved into camp for the summer. I met a young nurse from the midwest who was just out for the summer and we struck up a friendship. I think she liked little three year old Tommy… Anyway, we’ve sort of stayed in touch, Kathleen was out for a few nursing conferences over the years and we would get together. Well, I found her again and knew we’d be in the area, thus our visit to Grand Junction. It was a crazy weekend for her, she and her mom had just moved the previous week, and she had just moved to a new office, and needed to get stuff organized. She is a DNP, has a doctorate and Nurse Practitioner, and has her own practice in GJ.

My first thoughts in these rocky, canyon areas, with huge rocks clinking to the edges is an old Harry Chaplin song, called The Rock. I’m sure you can find it on Youtube.

Moab is an interesting city, kind of rough and tumble. Many outdoors-related businesses—rafting, canyoneering, four wheeling, mountain biking, etc. There was a thriving main drag with shops and businesses. It’s about four miles from the entrance to Arches National Park. Jim was able to get us a spot in the park at Devil’s Garden campground. It’s at the very end of the main road about 18 miles from the entrance, and a lovely 18 miles it was. Our elevation was 5000 feet, so it was cool. There was no water, so we came with a full tank. Also no electricity, our solar panels worked like a charm. Finally, no showers….we did the best we could. The park limits entry, so if you’re not staying in the park, you need to book a time to visit. It didn’t affect us, except the roads were not crowded and most spots had places to park.

We were here 26 years ago with the boys. We stayed at a KOA a few miles up the road. The campground is still there. My most vivid memory was returning after a day at the park and there had been a sudden storm with wind and rain. We were closed up tight, but awnings were askew and many campers and tenters were wet. There were dead rattlesnakes on the road that had washed down. One older couple was trying to get all their wet stuff out of their tent to dry. I said to Jim, when we are that old we won’t be sleeping on the ground. Looking back, I’m sure they were younger than we are now.

I’ll leave it to Anne to tell about our visit to Bryce and Zion National Parks. I was disappointed but not surprised by the experience at Zion. We visited in 1999 and I remember it as being by far the most crowded place we went. Looking at the numbers, visits have increased by over 50% since then. Zion Canyon is very small, with only one way in or out so the fundamental problem—too many people in too little space—can only be solved by severely limiting the number of people allowed in. And of course there’s no constituency for that. I plan to make my own little contribution to relieving overcrowding by never returning, unless it’s on a cold winter’s day sometime.

We had four nights in the canyon. Jim booked us in Trailer Village, an RV park run as a private concession. It was nice to be so close and not to have to enter the park each day. The campground did not have showers, but we could go to Camper Services down the road and take one for $2.50. Since we had full hookups, we decided to use our shower. We have a small “wet bath”, with a toilet, a curtain that can go all the way around and a shower nozzle. We have only used it once or twice before, because our water tank is small as is the dump tank. With full hookups we didn’t need to worry about that, so our shower worked well for us!

Well, we’re back in long pants and sweatshirts or jackets. We even dug out the puffy coats one night, that’s what elevation will give you! Our little camper is heated and toasty. We visited Flagstaff for an afternoon two years ago, driving up from Cottonwood. We visited a college friend of Jim’s and did a wee bit of Route 66, but didn’t have time then to do much. This time we have a few days to explore. It was a short hour and a half from Cottonwood to Flagstaff. The San Francisco Peaks are majestic and snow covered! Mt Humphrey, the tallest peak in Arizona, is over 12,000 feet tall. The nearby National Forest campgrounds don’t open until May, so we’re at the KOA in Flagstaff at the base of Mt. Elden. It was a busy, fairly crowded campground, but close to stuff and good enough. Getting there early and having an afternoon free, I noticed Walnut Canyon National Monument was only 10 minutes away! We took the Island Trail down hundreds of steps. The river had formed an oxbow type of canyon with the island in the middle. Hundreds of years ago, indigenous people lived in cliff dwellings built into the caves along the island. It was a fun walk and interesting structures, and we made it back up! To celebrate, we took Route 66 into Flagstaff and had a brew at Mother Road Brewing.

We took the scenic route to Cottonwood, going up into the mountains. Tonto National Memorial looked interesting, but not enough time to climb up there.. We shall return. Roosevelt Lake was lovely, the first big body of water we’ve seen in a long time! Then the weather turned and the elevation kept going up. We started in the 70’s in Tucson and got to the 50’s in the mountains. As we watched the elevation go up, the temperature kept going down, and it was raining, then sleeting, then snowing. It was sticking to the ground but not the road. When we hit 7000 feet we took a left to Cottonwood, the right to Winslow was higher still, and cars coming from there had significant snow on them. I was set to go to the Spanish Good Friday service at 6 PM, but it was raining so hard that we didn’t disconnect the car from the camper until morning, so I said my prayers there. We are camped again at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. we were here two years ago. It is delightful. We really like this area.

We’re now officially gone a month. Time for an oil change in Tucson. We’ve been 4454 miles on the Hyundai, 3780 with the camper. The weather has hit a few highs. I have three pink days on my temperature scarf, which is high of 96 or more. Three long driving days to get through the rest of Texas, New Mexico and into Arizona.

Jim found a fun state park, Rockhound in Deming, NM. It’s the only park you can collect and take home rocks. We just had one night, 15 was the best campsite in the park, up high with mountains behind and the valley below. We took a walk to explore and find a few geocaches. We were disappointed that the sunset wasn’t the best, but still not bad. Off bright and early with the time change.

When we entered Texas from Louisiana on I-10, the sign said “El Paso 880 miles”. Yup, we did it all. I got to thinking, 880 miles from Brunswick, Maine would get me almost to Raleigh, NC. That gives you some perspective: Texas is big. Someone once told me it’s different in Texas–they don’t have a state line, they have a border. Texas, where the speed limit is 80. Another interesting fact I learned was motorcycle riders must have either taken a safety course or prove they have health insurance to be able to ride without a helmet.

Left St. Pete early Sunday, heading North. Once we left subtropical climes things became woodsy and spring-like and a little hilly. We camped at our second harvest host of the trip, a winery in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. This is on the panhandle west of Tallahassee, it was about a 400 mile travel day. The winery, Chateau Le Couer, was rather rustic, and not like the ones in Mass, or Finger Lakes. The hosts were from Oregon and Gwen wanted to come home to the South. They were using their Oregon Grape juice, and had vines to plant and very ambitious plans. There were three other HH couples staying over, so a group tasting was planned for 6 PM. We ordered a charcuterie board, which was lovely. A nice man came by to say hello, he had noticed Jim’s ham radio license plate number and was also a ham. The wine was actually quite good, we made a quick dinner afterwards and with no showers or hookups, made for a quick getaway in the morning.

Time flies when you’re having fun. We had a good second week at DeSoto. We went to Gulfport and met cousin Krista to walk the outdoor market, crafts, food and so many vegetables that we won’t see in Maine until July! I spent a day geocaching with Shirley, my friend from our Worcester days. We took the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to Bradenton, stopping along the way at all the rest areas to get the caches. The views were lovely, but lots of trash and homeless type folks ‘camped’ for the day. We ended up at the DeSoto National Memorial, which was pretty much destroyed in the hurricanes last year. The park ranger and volunteer were at a tent outside, so able to get my book stamped. Shirl and I walked the trail and completed an AdventureLab Geocache. A very fun day with a good friend! Jim and I went to the Chihuly Exhibit at the Morean Art Center in St. Pete. He’d never been to a Chihuly exhibit. I had in Seattle and at MFA in Boston many years ago. They also had a glass blowing demonstration, which was quite warm on this hot day! We enjoyed a couple of sunset walks along Fort DeSoto Beach. Saturday Mass and a final dinner with Aunt Judy before heading out on Sunday morning.

We arrived at Fort DeSoto Campground mid-afternoon on Sunday, 1800 miles from home. It is part of a Pinellas County Park located in St. Petersburg. It suffered pretty catastrophic damage from two hurricanes in a row last fall. I was talking to a camp host (from Maine) who said there was 4 feet of water across the island. The park didn’t open until sometime in January and the campground mid-February. All electric hookups had to be replaced, as well as every washer and dryer and any furniture/equipment below water level. They were able to rescue some of the picnic tables but many needed replacing. The tree cover and palms are sparser, but will grow fast in this tropical climate, unless they are dead. This is our 5th stay here since 2020. (We didn’t make it 2021.) Jim’s Aunt Judy (his mother’s sister) lives in St. Pete and four of her five children live nearby, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to visit with family and enjoy lovely summer Florida weather.

Crooked River State Park was delightful, small camping area, lovely hiking trails and 5 geocaches! I found them all and had 15,000 steps at the end of the day. There was an area that had a recent controlled burn, the ammo can was intact, but the contents were cooked. We had a chat with a couple in a converted school bus, they travel full time with their (gulp) 8 children. Oh my… All seemed quiet on their site. After hiking we went into St. Marys, explored historical spots, found a brewery and went to 5 o’clock Mass. Interesting Mass, many young folk and a few old with mantillas. Then the priest faced the tabernacle instead of the congregation. I haven’t seen that since I was 6 or 7 years old… Anyway, I have added this area as a place to return to and stay for four or five days, so we can go to Cumberland Island, Jekyll Island and Amelia Island. We got an early start today and drove 269 miles to Fort DeSoto Park. Looking forward to seeing family while we are here. We’re finally somewhere for a while, two weeks at the beach!

Happy Spring–it felt like it yesterday. We started Wednesday off by visiting the Booker T. Washington National Monument in Hardy, Virginia. He was born in 1856 to a slave, his mother was the cook at a small tobacco plantation. He was freed there after the Emancipation Proclamation, taught himself to read, went to school and became an educator and founder of the Tuskegee Institute. It was a pretty day and a quiet peaceful spot. This was a shorter drive day, we headed to Vass, North Carolina to visit Jim’s childhood friend and neighbor, who was also his college roommate. Bob and Marianne both graduated from Dartmouth with Jim. They live in a horse community, their home is a hunt box, with a stable underneath for their four horses.

I have a lot of folks who want to keep up with our travels but aren’t on Facebook, so I thought I’d try this.. maybe a little more content here. Jim will add on if he wants and he’ll format for me. So here I go!

We’re a month later leaving this year, as our plans take us further north in the Southwest, and we’re hoping for warmer weather. First a two week stay in St. Pete, at Fort DeSoto County Park, which is near to Jim’s Aunt Judy and many of her children.

So it’s been a long time without a post, so I guess it’s time I got back to work. In my defense, the reason I haven’t written more is that we’ve been busy. And as I mentioned before, I don’t write quickly.

Anne has done a good job with the chronicling our travels on Facebook, so I thought I’d write a bit about the places we’ve stayed. We’re currently at Fort Pickens Campground in Gulf Islands National Seashore, but in order to get this post finished, I’ll save writing about our last couple of stops until my next post.

We traveled from South Carolina to Faver-Dykes State Park in St. Augustine, Florida, arriving today. Saturday night we stayed at another Harvest Host. This one is at Debellation Brewing Company in Richmond Hill, Georgia. The beer was good, but the food selection was limited and we’d eaten out the last two nights, so we ate in the camper. The only downside was that Debellation was backed up to I-95, so it was pretty noisy. We had a little mishap when hitching up to leave Huntington Beach yesterday, so I thought I’d talk about that and some other travel and trailer-related topics.

Ah, warmth!

Actually, more like “Ah, not cold!” We’re at Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina, and it was 64 degrees this afternoon, with a forecast low of 54 tonight. It was in the twenties and snowing when we left Maine Sunday morning, so this is quite an improvement. We made it to my brother Pete and sister-in-law Kathleen’s in time to watch the Super Bowl with them and our niece Sara. We took our time getting moving Monday morning and headed off. I wanted to avoid the I-95 corridor from Philadelphia to Richmond with the camper, so we decided to head down the Delmarva peninsula and cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. We stopped in Middletown, Delaware for a nice lunch with my high school friend Dave Mumford. We didn’t leave there until almost 3, so we ended up crossing the bridge in the dark. Bad planning on my part! We’ll have to try another time to get the views.

Back on the road

We’re heading off to warmer climes! This has been our travel blog since 2015, and hasn’t been updated since out trip to Scandinavia in August 2019. So I’ll try to filling in a bit of the last two and a half years for Anne and me.

I retired in November 2019, and in January 2020 we bought a Safari Condo Alto F1743.