Travel Diary Three

Day Three

Travel distance, 14 miles! We are staying overnight at the Grace Community Church in Frederick. Today is a workday. I am working on my presentation for a conference that happens in Tennessee right after we return from this trip. CJH is working on books but slowly as the internet in SC where our bookkeeping program is hosted is very slow. Not surprisingly. We are in a nice coffee shop called the Baltimore Coffee & Tea. Really nice with amazing selection of both coffee and tea and free re-fills. Not sure what will happen for dinner but I guess it will not be too much as we are eating a great sandwich and salad here at the coffee shop. 

Another Viewpoint!

What is wrong with my guides for this trip? We barely moved at all today. Maine is still as far away as it was yesterday. So, we did arrive at a decent place for dinner last night after an interminable trip through yet another battlefield. However, we ordered the special. The “special” was not a filet and, of course, that is the bare minimum order for proper steak. I’m traveling with Philistines. The single bright spot so far is that I finally have WiFi and a decent latte today. 

Exhausted

So what’s one more bad pun among friends? This locomotive was just returned to the roundhouse for the night and the smoke was still rising from the cooling process. You could feel the heat radiating from six feet away. Steamtown is a must visit for those who love trains, machinery or just a neat part of history.

Quiet Street

Don’t want a lot of crowds, try a rainy day in mid-September, at least it worked for us. A nice street scene in Harpers Ferry WV (National Historic Park). They now charge $10 to get on a bus to arrive here. Free with a “You Are Really Old” pass. Musty buildings in need of a bit of care.

Travel Diary Two

Day Two

We have a bonus day in the trip today. Since we are at a campground and have the trailer parked, we chose to go to visit two National Parks that we have seen but both of them long before a camera, Harpers Ferry and Antietam. They are only about 20 miles apart. Harpers Ferry is a beautiful spot and has much more history than John Brown’s Raid but that event does dominate. The weather was very dark grey and rainy; it added to the musty atmosphere of many of the old stone buildings. We thought the place needed a bit of life in the shops and exhibits. Antietam was the site of the bloodiest single day battle in America’s history until June 6, 1944. The same grey day at Harpers Ferry was actually interesting at Antietam because we visited three days from the 156th anniversary of the battle which was also reported as taking place in mist, heavy atmosphere, rain, and fog. Not ideal for photography. 

Another Viewpoint!

I am so bored. Cannons! I have seen cannons in 75 states. I don’t need to see another cannon but we did. Where is the buffet? Where is the lido deck? What is a lido deck? And I cannot believe they almost sent that airhead, Christmas Moose in my place. She hates to travel, does not know the difference between a Napoleon and a fruit tart and has no relatives in Maine. North Pole Moose are barely even moose. We tolerate their abhorrent eating habits but travel with her, unthinkable. I hope we find a nice place for dinner tonight.

Travel Diary - One

Day One

(Reminder, we are working with a couple of days delay to try and be consistent with posting because we do not always have internet access.)

Left Raleigh two days early to get ahead of Florence - and while it made preparations hectic I think it was a good decision. It was driven in part by our intention to be at the first anniversary of Collective, a church our organization planted in Frederick, Maryland. Trip up I-85 and I-95 was unusually easy, not much traffic and no delays the entire trip. Shocking! We had no specific destination in mind other than north but the lack of traffic kept us going until we arrived a few miles from Frederick at Little Bennett Regional Park just of I-270. CJH located this place using Campendium a great app for finding camp sites. The site is a bit pricey but very nice. You can read about it in “Camping” section. We were surprised to be just a few miles from where our wedding reception was held. Still going!

For several years, we have traveled with a small stuffed moose that our youngest granddaughter purchased in Maine. It is a bit of a game now that she is older but we all participate. Leaving early prompted Cindy to send a note telling EB to pack Cadillac’s suitcase but she was not home so her parents and sister found a different moose and brought it to our house. EB’s Dad showed up a couple hours later with Cadillac and his suitcase full of snacks and camera with the news that Dancer, the substitute moose, was not a good traveler and Cadillac was really counting on seeing his relatives in Maine.

Another Viewpoint!

I am NOT a “small stuffed” moose. Perhaps a bit petite for my species but quite in the range of moosedom. And there is no way I can be stuffed on this trip. EB did not send my spending money so I have to rely on “frugal Dave” one of my guides on this trip so no chance to ever be stuffed. My palate has been finely tuned and I am not munching grasses in the marsh when there are fine steaks and organic carrots. So far this trip is a disappointment. Can you believe we had to drive 50 miles out of our way to see if, IF, the inn where my guides had their wedding reception was still there. Remarkably it was (rebuilt eight times I guess.) We are barely into Maryland and I expected to already be nearer Maine and I have not had WIFI at all. I think I will eat a few of my suitcase snacks. 

Glen

A picture of the definition, a secluded narrow valley. This shows the smallest of Mr. Rockefeller’s bridges deep in Acadia National Park. It was quite a long hike to this spot a three or four years ago. We are headed back to Acadia in a couple of weeks and look forward to finding more new spots to enjoy.

Hoping for Blue Skies Next Week

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park

Missed being posted on the 14th. Oops.

Not Switzerland

I don’t even know if this is what Switzerland even looks like except in my mind. This is the lodge at Many Glacier in Glacier National Park. We actually stayed here, our only night not in the Rialta a few years ago traveling in the northern Rockies. It was an interesting place built years ago by the Northern Pacific Railroad to enhance their business by bring tourists to the wonders of Glacier. A distant relative, Tomar Jacob Hileman (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._J._Hileman) who was well-known for his Native American photos was hired to shoot photos of Glacier to entice folks to the region.

Adjustments Needed

I asked rhetorically the other day, what does the hurricane mean for the trip. The answer is now a bit more clear. We are leaving early Thursday morning instead of Saturday to stay ahead of the storm. We still plan to be in Frederick MD on Saturday and Sunday but not sure where we will be the next two nights. We may or may not stay in the trailer, depends if we find an open hotel or a safe spot for the trailer. If the current expectations hold, NOVA and the area of MD where we are traveling ought to be lightly affected. But no one really knows. 

So, it has been hectic here, work later in the day and then packing and house preparation at night. Lots to do before we can leave but we are close to a manageable level. If all goes well or close to well we should be north of the major issues by Friday if we leave about the time this posts on Thursday AM. 

We are doing what we can to secure the house, we are low and have lots of drains around the house. So that is a concern. I am creating some dams to move water to where I would prefer it goes. Very grateful to have family nearby that does not mind checking on things and picking up after the storm. I hope we do not have to return but that is a possibility to park the trailer somewhere are drive back. 

So, we completed the packing of the trailer with everything except fridge food, cameras, computers, and medicines. Truck is 90% done as of this morning, Wednesday, about 6:45. 

Another change is we will be doing our daily trip diary a bit earlier. So, the first post will be either Monday or Tuesday instead of Wednesday. We intend to post with a three-day delay because often we will not have WI-FI and we would like to be consistent. So when we post Monday, for example, that would cover the trip on Friday (and Thursday). I am sure we will miss a couple of days. 

Please be cautious where you might be, storms are often worse than they seem and everything is so saturated that it will not take much to topple more than a few trees. Blessings.

Seconds Before Dawn Breaks

Lancaster Pennsylvania farms just north of Bird in Hand.

Do NOT Forget

Crunch Time

We are under a week for our scheduled trip and now things accelerate. Also time to pack the camera bags - plus a hurricane is probable. How does that change things?

So, in preparation for the trip we did a short run  a month ago and found out most of what we did worked well with a couple of minor tweaks but the fresh water had some “sludge” in it which meant a clean out was needed, actually overdue. So we did the purge however, yesterday we found out it did not work completely, almost, so - and I hope when you read this it is done, another round. This consists of half filling fresh, adding some cleaner designed for this purpose, driving around, filling balance and then emptying after 30 minutes. Refilling with clean water. 

Sunday I am installing our new monitoring system for the LPG tanks. Already set up outside of the trailer tank holder and both are working well. This is a real relief as we were always guessing how much propane was left in the tank. When it gets to 35 degrees one night in Bar Harbor we do not want to run out of gas! Already tried camping in cold weather with no heat, twice was enough. If they work over the whole trip I will add them to the “Things that Actually Work.” I also have to replace a hook and a towel bar that the 3-M tape did not hold. Command Strips are up next. 

The potential hurricane is a challenge. We are planning to leave on Saturday for Frederick MD. I have an appointment at a church plus the first anniversary service at Collective, a new church is Sunday. So I guess we will pack early and be done mostly by Wednesday night - at least to avoid packing some of the stuff in the driving rain and make a decision then. We can, if we get to Frederick ahead of the storm on Thursday work remotely on Friday but that is not ideal. We would rather stay here, make sure everything is fine at home and leave Saturday with most of the storm ahead of us. Or that is the current plan. 

I also will finish Sunday preparing my camera equipment. I take everything from my main bag, clean it out and repack. Counterintuitively, then I take each lens, filter and some other things out one at a time and clean them. Then do the same with the camera. Next, take each SD card and reformat all of them along with fully charging each of my four batteries. I then check out the tripod and make sure I have the allen wrench and correct plates and everything works. One non-Fuji battery I have goes in a charger in the truck so I have an emergency battery if needed. I can also put regular batteries in that charger. The 110 volt charger is then put into the trailer. I also check to make sure my insurance is correct and that I have instruction books on hand (iPad is great fits a library). I actually go over the guide at home before and always learn something new. I will go over settings in the camera before we arrive in PA for Steamtown National Historic Park. 

I have a second small bag, recommendation from Dennis Mook of The Wandering Lensman, that I will use in many of the places especially if I know I will not use my long lens or if it is a short walk to the truck. For example in Steamtown I will pack camera, cleaner, second lens, extra battery and extra SD card for walking around the train displays. The key is to return the lens and camera to the main bag when I am finished at a site. The other stuff stays in the bag.

Monday I will also plan alternative routes based on the storm potential. 

Tomorrow the first “Things that Actually Work” post.

Mists

Barely visible in the heavy morning mist is the sailboat at anchor along the down east coast of Maine. 

"I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.”  Isaiah 44:22 NLT

Checklists, Yay

So checklists. Wow, the fun never slows down here. I actually have several checklists and they are not infallible for making certain everything is where it needs to be when it needs to be (because of operator error!) but they go a long way to solving problems before they occur. 

We have a packing checklist for getting equipment, food and clothing to the trailer. We have a “to do” list that includes most everything we need to accomplish before we leave for a trip, a list for both inside and outside of the trailer anytime we move it from camping sites or storage, a checklist specifically for camera gear and one to remind me of the order of operation for the generator. Oh, and one that specifies what goes in the front and back of the truck. 

I hate to get on the way and then remember that the grill is still in the garage or I didn’t bring the hiking sticks or worse, the battery charger for the camera is still plugged in at home. You cannot easily replace everything and, besides, you don’t really need duplicates of equipment or the extra expense. So make sure you have packed carefully and the way we do that is with these lists. The primary packing list for trailer and truck is generated new each trip with whatever adjustments we need. For example we added walkie-talkies that we use to help me avoid trees and tables and low flying aircraft while backing into camp spaces and they are great. So, add new items or subtract things you no longer need to take. The items on this list are crossed off only when they are  in place not just stacked by the door to go out. Lesson learned! 

The checklist for preparing to move the trailer is really important to me. I think because I have done it a lot that I know how, but the more familiar you are the easier it is to do something without really thinking and that can lead to disaster. For example, our list says check the five points at the hitch: emergency brake, two chains, electric and hitch lock. Easy right? Well one day I did four but did not latch the ball just dropped the trailer and drove off. Fortunately I only drove to the dump station in the campground but still, stupid. I was distracted and did not read the list. So, CJH does the inside list, I do the outside list and she checks the outside. 

I will write about the camera gear and what I do to get ready in a couple of days but the checklist is so helpful when I am getting gear from two bags, a bin and a few other spots. 

Checklists have really helped us be safer, be more ready for a trip and to enjoy more time doing what we want to do because we have remembered hiking boots and bug spray and binoculars and…. 

Add write yourself a checklist to your checklist - worth the effort.

On The Way

Trail to Redrock Falls in Glacier National Park beyond the Many Glacier Lodge. Snow, wind and very cold temperatures forced a shortened walk to see birds with the ranger in the morning. Impressive place. 

Ornate

This is not what I think of when someone mentions a fire escape. Delicate and beautiful somewhere in NYC.

The Tredegar was a large industrial complex that made most of the weapons and canons for the South during the Civil War. This is the primary visitor center now for the Richmond Battlefields comprising over 700 acres in several places and battlefields like Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill, and Cold Harbor. This, one of the last buildings standing, is beside the James River in downtown Richmond. It is now a beautiful place with several islands and a pedestrian bridge across the rapids of the James River. You are a short drive from several neat spots in American history including the church where Patrick gave his "liberty or death" speech. 

Let's Talk More Money (Part 2)

I wrote a few days ago about the actual cost of a trip considering the hidden costs of ownership of the trailer. Because it is really money! Yet that is not how it feels and on some level not how it actually works. The costs are real and substantial. In our case they are incorporated into our living expenses across the year. Insurance and storage are paid monthly and I put aside a bit each month for property taxes, license and maintenance. So it is a household expense like the electric bill and cell phone. When time comes for a trip like we are preparing for now, those sunk costs are not really felt.

We will leave for this trip with the first two nights stays at no cost, one night in a friend’s church parking lot and one night at a casino - we like contrast! We will have no outside electric or water but that is fine we can operate for 3 or four days on the water we carry and a combination of driving and solar restores the batteries. The next two nights are in a KOA we like chosen because it is central to what we want to see, close to the interstate for an early morning exit on Wednesday and because the cost is a reasonable $37 with full hook-ups and pull through site. Even cable TV! Membership with KOA costs $25 a year. For that you get 10% off any stay, earn free nights, get good reservation system and more consistent campground experience. 6 or 7 nights pay for the annual fee. 

Then we have two nights yet to be determined where we stay followed by 3 nights in a state park near Boston. Again very reasonable ($22) with water and electric at the site. After one more unknown stop we do 6 nights in Acadia National Park for $90. In the first two weeks of travel we will spend under $300 or about $22 a day. The week across central NY and across PA to home likely will be a bit more, figure 35 each for the last 7 days and you have 500 for three weeks of lodging. And that could reduce because we have found what looks to be one good free site and the state parks we are looking at are about $28. 

We have NP lifetime passes, so no charge to enter parks and we will eat 15 or 18 meals out depending on what we find and how we feel. The meals in the trailer are no different cost than eating at home so no extra expense there and you begin to see why travel is not too, or at least does not feel, too expensive in the Oliver. Fuel for this trip will be about 600, lodging a bit under 500, add another 1000 for meals, ice cream, parking, tolls, other admissions, and a few odds and ends and you get about $100 a day for a 21 day trip. 

By comparison, a short trip to a near-by state park we took to make sure everything was working well on a site with power cost $109 total (gas and food included) for two days. A trip to Disney is 110 a night just for the campground. 

That is why the travel trailer seems like a bargain. When we travel for these three weeks the out of pocket expenses are very reasonable. Again, we realize we have an initial investment (discussion for another post) maintenance and annual sunk costs. If we drove fewer miles we would have less expenses, gas being our largest or next to the largest expense, but I seem to be incapable of not driving a lot. You never know what is over the next mountain until you go.  Next time Checklists, wow this is exciting stuff. 

You have to buy groceries! Abandoned store in north central Tennessee.

Power (2 photos)

On a hike to Nevada Falls at Yosemite National Park, we saw this falls in the distance from the trail. We only got a brief glimpse of the actual falls that is on the left side out of the frame but I stopped to take this shot of the spray and vapor flowing up the opposite side of the narrow valley that the heavy snow pack produced last spring. Even from this distance we could hear the roar of the falls. What a glorious place. 

This is with my Fuji 100-400 lens

Here it is with a short lens, about 75mm

Labor Day

This is the odd holiday. Most folks simply celebrate the end of summer with hardly a thought to why we even have Labor Day. It became an official holiday in 1894. At that time most people still worked on farms but industrialization was rapidly taking over. Steel making, mining, ship building, cotton mills, iron works, railroads, wheel wrights, and building trades were all physically intensive tasks with long hours, few benefits, fewer rights and significant dangers. The organized labor movements were crucial in improving conditions eventually for workers generally. Now their value is more remembrance than necessity with the laws enacted in the land. But if you want to remember the value of hard work and the striking benefits accrued to us today, look at these small workbenches that were the backbone of innovation and invention. This one like countless others begat - with very hard work and tenacity - the vision of the owners, here the Wright Brothers' first airplane began. Read the book by White: "Wright Brothers." It is an astonishing American story. And enjoy your BBQ.