Almost Boondocking

North Scituate,  RI

A trip that should have taken 5 hours took us 7.5 on Monday.  We left Saylorsville, PA at 10 am.   We drove about 40 miles on Rt 209 to find the remaining 15 miles to connect to I84 was closed due to flooding and downed trees.  Really would have appreciated some signage warning of us this.

We got turned around.  A few miles up the road the Pressure Pro warned us that a trailer tire was losing pressure.  We found a service station to air up only to find they had no electric.   Len got out our compressor and generator and aired the tire.

I used our GPS to find the nearest entrance to I84, about 22 miles away.    It was up a narrow winding road.   About five miles later, off goes the Pressure Pro again.   This time we found a closed restaurant and pulled into the parking lot where Len changed the tire.

Eventually this narrow road turned to PA402 which was not bad.  We connected with I84 and headed East.  In Newburg, NY we pulled off and found a Firestone Store.   The problem with the tire was that the valve split.   Cost to fix only a little over $15.00.

Off we go again.  After stopping at a rest area in CT for a late lunch, we finally made it to our exit from I84 only to find a detour sign.  We pulled over so I could look at a map.   As we pulled over a car stopped in front of us and a nice gentleman came back to us and asked where we wanted to go.  He said to follow him and he would get us back on CT 74 which connected to Rt 44 our destination.

When we got to the light at our turn off, he again got out of his car and came back to us to be sure we were then okay and knew to turn.  How nice of him.

We finally got to Camp Aldersgate a little after 5:30!    Two of the other couples were already here.  One couple was visiting nearby relatives.  The other couple came out to greet us and tell us soup and grilled cheeses sandwiches would be waiting for us after we got set up.  SUPER!

Another couple is to arrive today.  They left VA yesterday morning.

We found most of our route in PA took us through areas with no power.   Few people in this area have power, including us.   We were told yesterday the earliest would be Monday.   Our generator is being put to use for sure.   The campground every few days will hook up a generator to their water pump so we all can fill our potable tanks.

Yesterday we spent the entire day picking up and piling fallen branches and cutting down trees about to tumble and clearing paths in the woods.   OUCH on the sore muscles.

I am getting a good Internet connection this morning for the first time.   Took pictures but no time to post.   Phone coverage comes and goes.   Almost time to start another work day.   Weather is great.  The camp director's (husband and wife) are great.   Last night they grilled turkey and potatoes and made a salad and corn for a much appreciated meal.  I contributed some  brownies I quickly made.

Time to head to our morning meeting and start another day of "heavy working".   Take care everyone.

I think I made a wrong turn.

Saylorsville,  PA

We decided on Thursday we needed to get out of CT/RI.   So, in my infinite wisdom I plotted a route west.   We ended up in the Pocono Mountains of PA.  

What do we have?     Trees down.    A swollen river that was a stream when we arrived right behind us.  Lots and lots of rain.   A steady breeze with occasional gusts.  What don't we have?  Electric, water, WiFi.     We still have sewer, but hey that could change.  Let's see tomorrow morning when we attempt to dump.

We now have the generator running for the next two hours.   I wanted online, Len wants TV.  To clarify, we do have water.   I suggested we fill the potable tank before we left CT, just in case.   So to my thinking it's a draw.    I chose to come here; I chose to fill the water tank.

Tomorrow we will call Camp Aldersgate in RI and see if it is clear to come over to start our project.   Hope so and that we have electric there.  We are told it will be 5-7 days before power is restored here.

I have lots of pics but fear it would just take too long to upload.  Leaving that for another day.

Got outta Dodge

Saylorsburg, PA

Just when you think you are organized here comes another challenge.  (And more expenses too).

 We were due at Camp Aldersgate in Rhode Island today to get prepared for a NOMADS project on Monday.     So where are we?   About 255 miles southwest.     We decided last night after watching frightening weather reports regarding Hurricane Irene headed up the east cost, that we needed to pack up, pick up and move on down the road.

First we drove over to the camp this morning and talked to our contact.    We also called the other team members and told them to find a safe place and stay there until further notice.    Hopefully we can head back that way on Monday.

We got on the road at 11 am.   We headed south on I395 to I95 (after missing the route we really wanted to take).   From I95 in New Haven we picked up Rt 34  to  I84 west to Port Jervis NY.   We then took Rt 209 south into Pennsylvania to our present location, arriving at 4:45 exhausted and stressed.

We will keep a check on the weather forecast here to see if we need to move again as I just checked  and saw where to center of the storm  has moved to the west side of Connecticut instead of closer to Rhode Island which was predicted yesterday.

Did we move only to have this thing move along with us?    It is now starting to rain.  We drove through several heavy rainfalls on the way here.  

I am concerned about my daughters and their families in NJ and MD.   I keep hearing frightening predictions about the southern New Jersey, around the Atlantic City area.  My NJ daughter and husband live just 40 miles from there.

Keep safe all.

The road ends.

West Thompson Lake, CT

No, not our road.   So there was an earthquake in the northeast yesterday.   We hear on the news that people in Providence, RI felt it.  We are about 30 miles west of Providence.  Never felt a thing.  And  I do know what earthquakes feel like.

 In 1992 I was at a Human Resource Conference in Las Vegas.  One hit in the LA area around 3 in the morning.   Woke me up.  Another one hit in northern Nevada around 8.   I sure felt that one too.

After hearing about the one yesterday I called my daughters.  The daughter who lives in NJ had been trying to call me but could not get a cell connection.   She was in her Eddystone PA office and felt it.  My MD daughter felt it in MD.  She lives about 50 miles from DC.  The granddaughters were taking their naps and it did not wake them.   This daughter lived in the San Francisco area in 1989 when the World Series quake hit.  So she really knows what they feel like.

The road ending I am referring to is the road that used to be where Lake Thompson is now.  We took a walk along that path yesterday.

You can see the old asphalt.

The path juts into the lake about 1/4 of a mile where it stops.

 There are signs of where it continued on what used to be dry ground.

And that, friends, was our most exciting part of the day  - we never left the campground.

We did take our usual short walk around the camping area.   We had noticed a couple camping in a tent ever since we arrived.  They were outside and we stopped to talk.   They are not just camping here - they are homeless.   COE parks only allow a two week stay at a site.  So they move their tent and few belongings every two weeks.

The man works part time as a care taker for a man with Lou Gehrig's disease.  We invited the woman over to our site while we sat around the campfire last night.  She is just 53 years old.  She had worked but was laid off a few years back. Once her unemployment ran out, she found herself homeless.  She told us she has been in psychiatric hospitals in the past.     This park closes in two weeks and they don't know where they will be staying.   They said probably will be sleeping in their car.   I have to wonder about their road.    Where will it end.   And I reflect on how fortunate most of us are and what it would be like to be in such a situation.

We leave tomorrow and head to Rhode Island.   We will be keeping an eye on the tracking of Hurricane Irene.  Should she head up into the New England area, we will pull up stakes and head as far inland as possible.

Until next time.

Drawing up plans

West Thompson Lake, CT

Yesterday we attended this church in nearby Putnam CT.

How good is was to see an almost full church.  The pastor gave a good sermon and the people really sang.   After the service we talked to a few members and gave them  NOMADS brochures.    We briefly spoke to the pastor and gave her one too.

We took a short drive after lunch and stopped for ice cream.   On the drive we saw these structures and wondered what they once were part of.

Then we talked about where we would head once we were done with our NOMADS project in Rhode Island.  (Hence part of the reason for today's title - drawing up plans).     We had thought about moving further up into New England but we are finding so many campgrounds are closing in October and some even early September.

We are now thinking of West Virginia for a spell.   I see they have several COE parks down there.  Some appear to stay open until late November.  However, not all COE parks have water and electric hookups or can accommodate a 38' rig.  

Today we felt it was time to finally take a long walk down to the lake from our campsite.  The walk took about an hour and a half.  Good up and down hill exercise.

The dam.

The lake.

The amphitheater

The other reason for today's title.   We really like the picnic tables here.  On one end, room for a wheelchair.  On the other end, a child's seat.

Len spent the afternoon taking measurements and drawing up plans.  These plans will go with others he wants to built at some future time.

While he was daydreaming of building the table, I made our dinner of meatloaf, mac and cheese and collards.  YUM!

We spent the early evening around our campfire until the mosquitos got to us.  Tomorrow is another day.  Life is good!

Chillin and grillin

West Thompson Lake, CT.

Today was just one on those lazy, lazy days here at

 

 In the morning we went to Walmart for Len's prescriptions.    We tried to get a refill while in NY.    They said they would fill it but the remaining 4 refills would be cancelled.   This is an accordance with NY State Law.

Even though we have our prescriptions through Walmart, in NY the prescription must originate at the Walmart where it is filled.   Sheesh!  We've filled prescriptions in AZ, TX, LA, GA, NJ and never an issue.   Needless to say, we waited until we got to Connecticut to get it filled.

Then we took a ride over to RI and found the camp we will be working at starting on the 29th.  It is only about 22 miles from here.

After all that morning excitement this is what one of us did.

In the meantime, Lucky was content just waiting for something to fly by.

While one of us did this:

All was not lost because later in the day he did this:

Our last few days in the Adirondacks.

Lake Thompson, CT

Welcome to Jeff Simmons our newest follower!   Good to see you here.

As usual, Sunday we sought out and attended to local United Methodist Church.   This is Whitehall, New York UMC.

Like so many other nice churches we've attended, it is disheartening  to see a lovely church with such few attendees.   By my count there were around 22 people in attendance.    Sad!

In the afternoon we took a short walk up to look at the locks.   We were just a bit too late as a boat had just gone through.   This is lock 12 of 12 on the canal that connects Lake George with Lake Champlain.

This is the marina that is part of the RV park.

For most of the afternoon I sat outside watching the Kingfishers dive in the water for their meal and this young Blue Heron prancing around.   Have to look close - he's in the middle of the picture.

 It rained, sometimes quite heavy, all day Monday.  All we did was drive over to Lake George to the Walmart for supplies.

On Tuesday we went to

For the time spanning the French and Indian War and the Revolution, this post of Lake Champlain guarded the narrow water highway connecting Canada with the colonies.  Whichever nation controlled Ticonderoga controlled America.

Demonstrating the loading and firing of muskets.

The fort fell into ruin after the Revolution. The rebuilding of the fort was started in 1908 by the Pell family.

Outside the actual fort, they planted the Kings Garden.  I especially liked this.  It is an area of child size Adirondack chairs nestled in Sunflowers.

We spent most of Wednesday visiting again with our friends Ginny and Chris at their lake home in Crown Point, NY.

From left Ginny, her friend from NJ Kathy, Chris and Len.  From their deck overlooking Lake Champlain

We left NY this morning at 10 and drove 205 miles to a COE park Lake Thompson in northeast Connecticut.   This is a very small campground - just 11 sites with water and 30 amp and 11 primitive sites.   I am getting great Internet connection but unfortunately there are too many tall trees and we are unable to receive a satellite signal for our TV.

We will see what the week brings.