Friday, Saturday, Sunday - VT

Friday;
we checked our a few kayak/canoe launch sites along the Winooski river that are near Burlington's North End. The one at Ethan Allen Homestead is about a quarter mile from parking and down a hill to get to the river. The one at MC Crae farm looked ok but we were almost carried off by the mosquitoes. The one at the 127 crossing also doesn't do well. To steep of an entry. The river is quite high and that is the likely the cause of the access issues.

After that exercise we went to Hannafords to some groceries. Hannafords is only about a mile from the North Beach campground. You can also get there via the bike path.

The rest of the day was tinker and resting.

Saturday;
Son James arrived about 8:45 and we had breakfast. After a breakfast we visited, showed Jim our new camper and talked over build plans.

Suzette started a pine needle basket and Jim and I went for a bike ride to the waterfront. See map.We stopped at the boat house, sailing center, andLois McClure before returning to camp.

We had some snacks and visited while I added air to the bike tires. Then Jim and I headed towards the Winooski River crossing on the bike path. Never made it. Can you believe that 19 year old tires failed? Yep the side wall of my front tire let go. No big bank but flat just the same. Jim rode back to get his car or my truck to transport me and the bike back. He suggested to his mother that he just take her front tire for me to use to ride back, but he just brought his car. On our return we did stop at a couple of places to purchase new tires and tubes. We didn't like what we saw so that may be tomorrows task.


Sunday;
Jim returned, a little earlier that yesterday, so I cooked breakfast again. Steak eggs and hashbrowns. The steak and hashbrowns were yesterday's dinner left overs. We then releveled the trailer and headed out to see what we could find for tires, tubes and some other items. Wally world, Dicks, Home Dumpy, Earls. Gotta help the local economy.

As we were returning Jim had a call on his cell and made a lunch date so that left the tire changing to me. Oh well. As I was working on my bike I noticed that Suzette's bike's front tire was flat. After I had my front one done I took a look a her's. It wouldn't hold air. I removed the tire and found a split tube. Also the side wall's of the tire are showing signs of failure. More tires and tubes tomorrow.

With my new tires I rode to Hannafords to get some fruit and slaw for supper. As I was returning the shift lever for the rear broke. Damn. Second time that has broken in as many years. Plastic crap.

After dinner we sat around and waited for the live Buffet concert on Sirius. No margaritas, just beer here. No weed either, but still a good concert.

See pictures of North Beach and Burlington here.

Vermont

We arrived at North Beach yesterday and got all set up and such. We just chilled and kicked back.

Today we went our for some shopping. I found a remote wireless speaker system that I liked so we bought it. Suzette found a few things, picnic table cloths, ... With the shopping done we went to Al's for lunch. Gotta have them fries.

Since the remote speaker was meant to be used with an Ipod or similar device and I wanted to use it with my Sirius receiver it was an O s.... when I realized the output from the Sirius unit needed a preamp. So what to do?

I figured that the Kenwood radio that is in the camper must have an extra speaker output that I could feed into the wireless speakers transmitter. So I found the manual and the special widgets that are used to remove the radio from the case. I pulled the radio an sure enough there is an extra speaker out. I drilled a hole to get the wire from the wireless transmitter to the radio speaker output. That worked. Rather neat too.

Tonight was ballgame night. We met the Stein's at the old Trinity College parking lot and walked to the game. The Lake Monsters lost.

Vermont Bound

We left for Vermont on Monday and arrived at Chenango Valley State Park that evening. Pictures here. The site we picked was almost impossible to get into since the Pine Bluff camping loop was quite full. With the help of our neighbor camper we moved the fire ring and his tow vehicle and we got the rig in. We don't think it is quite the way the park planned but we could reach the power pedestal.

There were about 6 families camping near by. Loud but not obnoxious. One thing about camping is your neighbors change like weather. If you are not happy with them either you or they will leave in a day or two. They left today, Tuesday.

Our campsite

Today, Tuesday, we awoke to rain about 0530. Suzette got up and closed a some of the windows. The temperature was about 60 or so. We took our time with breakfast and watched the campers start packing up. We headed off to find the Candle Factory. Lots of sweet stuff as well as candle's. We got some of both. We decided to go to Chenango Forks for some more shopping. We were looking for something to put on a corner of the cabinet of the bedroom and found some weather seal that will work. We had left the campground late enough and killed enough time that we decided on lunch out. Spiedies at the Spiedie and Rib Pit. Now that we are fed it was time to hit the grocery store and pick up a few things then back to camp.

Corn. Gotta have corn. Talked to our neighbors and asked where the closest farm stand was. We got directions and headed out on another adventure. Easily found the stand and the corn looked excellent. Butter and Sugar. So tonights dinner will be Spiedie's, Corn and patato salad. Yumm.



Tomorrow we will be at North Beach.

We need a break

Yes we will be leaving for Vermont and Maine in a week but we need to get away for a long weekend. We had stopped by Glen and Sue's to see their new camper and that lead to a plan for a weekend at Belle Isle with 4 families. A good plan.

The best laid plan's .... Well you know how it goes. One family had forgotten that they had a commitment. Ok so there will be 3 of us. No? Can you believe it another one bites the dust. Seems that they would rather watch the Redskins play. Ok ok so they did get free tickets and are DIE HARD fans. So now we are down to 2.

We left home on Thursday about 0930. On our way we stopped at Sneads Asparagus Farm Stand for corn, berries, melon and peaches. YUM.

When we arrived at Belle Isle we were the only one in the campground. A while later a Class A arrived and took pull through site 9. We are in site 10.

We got things set up and toured the park by truck. Checked out the new visitors center.

Friday while walking Logan we noticed another class A in site 12. Hummm they got in late.

A while later Doug came wondering by with Brandi, Athena's dog. Yep that class A, Gulf Stream Sun Voyager, in 12 was them. Got in around 11PM.

The park manager, Willian Sharder III, stopped by for a visit. He is the husband of Kathy Sharder who is the volunteer Coordinator for the Virginia parks. Basically Kathy keeps trak of what parks need hosts and works to fill any openings. He was not sure when Kathy could stop by since her parents were coming to visit for the weekend. Since the host site was empty we were offered the opportunity to use that site for the weekend. We declined since we were al l set up.

Larry went on a search for pine needles. Found a bunch. We soaked and preped a basin full. Went off to check out the park and visited with Linda at the office and obtained a map of the river sections near the park. Then back to the campground and visit with Doug and Athena in their Sun Voyager. Just a relaxing day.

Then to prepare supper, dutch oven chilli, cornbread, peach cobbler with vinilla ice cream. Ummmm good. Since the interpreter made the rounds of the campground to invite everyone to the campfire we decided to attend. It was only the five of us, Doug, Athena, Suzette, Larry and the interpreter. We told camp host stories.

Saturday.
We had a cooked breakfast and then off to paddle. We got in just before the Kayaking 101 group. We explored some more of the back waters across from the park. Saw a couple of old wrecks, 1 egret, 1 eagle and a lot of osprey. Heading back we came upon the class and they were heading in so we started to paddle up the creek a ways but decided to head back also. We were out for about 3 hours by the time we took the kayaks out.

Back to the camper for some snacks and head out to do some shopping for sea food at Capt'n Tom's. He was out of scallops so we bought 2 packages of frozen bacon wraped scallops. Went to the end of the road just to say we had been there.

Suzette had worked with Athena yesterday to get her started on making a pine needle basket, restarted today. Since it was getting near show time, "music by the rivah", we went to Doug and Athena's camper to prepare our own foil meals before heading off. Once at the picnic area we got a charcoal fire going and started one package of the bacon wrapped scallops. Once the last of the scallops came off the grill the foil dinners went on.

One of the foil dinners

Athena works on starting a pine needle basket.

Sunday
After breakfast it was off to the office so Doug could rent a canoe. We trucked down the the car top launch and put in. We went up the creek as far as we could. It seemed that Doug and Athena's canoe was having some problems in the turns, tight in loose off. Needed a track bar adjustment, wedge and maybe some other work on the rear. I tried to help the turning by bump drafting the rear of the canoe but just couldn't get it right.

Up a couple of the bays we missed yesterday, Suzette and I just hung out while Doug and Athena headed for the river proper. Way out. Kids have boundless energy.

When we got back we found that Kathy had been by and left us a couple of pastries. Boy they hit the spot. I gave her a call on her cell to let her know we were back and would be packing up for the next hour or so. After about a half hour of getting things ready for the trip home Kathy came by. We had a nice visit.

On our way back we hit rain around New Post. It was bad enough that we pulled off and waited it out. We got home about 7 pm. Backed in and after a quick pit stop we headed out in the car to have a pizza. I figured I could unhook tomorrow. We did put power on so the fridge would keep working.

No camping in July?

What's up with that?

Well we painted the inside of the house. We figured since most everything was either sold or in storage this would be a good time to paint. So we worked for a week. Enough of that. Time for a trip to Vermont in the Equinox. We looked a several lots and found a couple that interest us but we didn't make an offer. We also visited with Jim, the Hamels and Steins.

Then it was back home to finish painting. We decided before leaving for Vermont that we would paint the ceiling. Not a fun job. You see the ceiling in the great room and dinning room are trayed so there is an extra foot of reach. Also with the open plan we have there is no end. Yeah you get to paint the ceilings in the hall, entry way, dinning room, great room and kitchen.

After that job we needed another break so we got in touch with our friends in Seaford and went down for a visit that included several days of kayaking, eating, playing auction double deck pinochle and Mexican train dominoes. Good times, good eats, good friends.

The last 3 days at SML

All of our SML pictures can be found here.

Work, Work, Work. Really it's not that bad. We are having a good time and meeting lots of folks. We are into a good routine and things flow rather smoothly for us. Breakfast, clean the bath house, clean sites as needed, welcome new campers.

This week has had afternoon and evening thunder storms. Sometimes having 2 or 3 storms starting as early as 1 PM. One usually hits around supper time. We feel for the tent people.

We did have a good one that hailed at the visitors center, a little a the campground. One that blew over the main life guard tower at the beach and took down a tree in the cabin area, and one blocking the entrance road to the park. Not all the same storm or day.

We usually had the computer on and browsing weather.com with the radar loop active. That along with the weather radio set to the S.A.M.E. code for the county kept us well aware of the dangers. However we did have one storm that formed over the lake and the radar and weather radio didn't give any warning.

We also accepted a camp host opening for October at Lake Anna SP.

On Saturday there was the "Great American Campout" activity at the park. Our neighbors had told Lauri, park interpreter, that we were well versed in dutch oven cooking. That resulted in a challenge that was billed as Dueling Dutch Ovens. We choose to make a desert, peach cobbler. Desert always wins when topped with ice cream.

We declared the duel a draw and fed cobbler and ice cream to anyone would stop by. I took the las to a camper who spent several minutes attempting to back his pickup camper and boat into his spot with no luck. I figured he needed something to soothe his nerves.

On Sunday we helped break camp for the "Great American Campout" as well as our regular cleaning chores. There were lots of folks leaving and we had quite a time keeping up with cleaning the vacated sites.

Monday was our last day as camp host. We did our usual cleaning chores and made sure the chase was well stocked with supplies so our replacements would be off to a good start. We went around to say our good bye's to the park staff.

Dinner was cooked over a wood fire. First fire we had while at SML.

Great time.

SML The rest of the story...

Ok OK, I have been remiss in not posting what has been going on. So I will do that in the next few posts.

Wednesday June 25 was our last day off at SML. We biked in the morning, had lunch and rested a while before going for a swim. Then it was out to dinner. We stopped at White House Restaurant and had an appetizer then went for pizza.