New England was my dream destination. I had hoped to be able to stay in Canada long enough to return through New England in the fall when the colors are on display, but if the summer weather is this bad, I can't imagine it won't be raining in the fall months. Have I said I hate rain? I can't say it enough.
I have discovered this part of the country has a weather pattern: it heats up slowly to the 90s with horrible humidity, gets hit with thunderstorms which reduces the humidity and temperature decreasing to a perfect low 70s, then over the next 4-5 days it gradually heats again. This cycle repeats all summer, so I've been told. I've been told Massachusetts is worse than Maine and Maine is worse than Vermont and New Hampshire. I decided to do all my sightseeing now in case I don't return. If I do return in the fall, it'll be a nice drive through and gaze upon rather than stop and go attractions.
The next morning I headed to VERMONT! So excited! Even though the distance looks to be about half an inch on the map, it took three hours to go north around Lake Champlain and down the other side.
Lots of cute towns along the way: Chazy, Rouses Point, St. Albans, and Richmond. Love the architecture! I'm trying very hard not to take too many photos of buildings, but both New York and Vermont had so many old houses and every town had their own steep-steeple church that made me drool. Some of the churches had two steeples. One church had EIGHT steeples (place on the corners)! They love their steeples! I could fill this blog with just photos of churches!
All four of these churches are in Brattleboro, Vermont, within a couple blocks of each other. The white one is the congregational church. During a museum tour I was told back in early history (1600s-1800s) if the community wanted to become an official town, they first had to create a "congregational church". The menfolk would elect a pastor. I wonder what the criteria was for this? The most humble man? The most generous? The most holy? The richest? The poorest?
Again, white is the preferred color for both churches and homes. The big houses are often lined up close together on a street...they don't have yards! Maybe one driveway on the side and that's it. The house fills the lot. It's a different look for sure than what I'm used to, and I'm sure a lot of this is because families were bigger back then due to social standards. I don't think a lot of single people had their own house. Again, many of these old, white houses are in various states of disrepair: dirty, discolored, peeling, or just falling apart. White on buildings is like white clothes: if you aren't rich enough to take care of them properly, you probably shouldn't choose white.
Richmond was an adorable town and it had The Round Church built in the early 1800s:
My next stop in Vermont: The Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury.
It just seemed like something fun to do even though I don't eat Ben & Jerry's. Why you ask? They have few flavors without chocolate and most of their ice creams have "natural flavors" as an ingredient. What is "natural flavors"? During the tour I happened to ask the tour guide that very question. The tour guide was clearly uncomfortable, but after listing some odd things they label as "natural flavor" like DYES, she quickly gave her pre-rehearsed explanation how everything that is dumped in "natural flavors" is totally natural. Good god. Isn't that illegal to hide ingredients? Don't we have labeling laws in this country? I wanted to say to her, "gluten is considered natural and poison. That doesn't make it safe!" In the world of gluten-free, "natural flavors" is code for gluten because gluten is in everything so we have to assume it's hidden so we stay safe. I'm assuming their marketing department doesn't know this, but they have ice cream they guarantee is gluten-free. I assume their use of "natural flavors" only includes DYES or other toxic ingredients they need to hide from public view. LOL! I don't know why they would worry - consumers are pretty stupid. Needless to say, I didn't partake in free samples. I love the graphics: very bright with dazzling patterns and it was fun to see the assembly line like I was looking at a scene from Willy Wonka only without little orange people.
I headed to Rutland, Vermont, next to see the Wilson Castle and made it just in time before they closed.
It was so DROOL-ABLE! Beautiful brick work! The interior just inside the front door was amazing with original furniture and so much architectural decoration. I love these big, old brick buildings. Unfortunately I walked into the reception area and the stench of mold hit me like a brick. The tour was also $20. Seems a little spendy, but they are renovating those bricks so I'm sure they need the money! I did NOT take the tour. I left with lung pain and coughing for the next half hour and that was only after five seconds of breathing mold. EEEEEWWWW. This is pretty typical with old buildings so I have to be careful.
I headed south to find camping and I read one of the state parks was free. Ah, no. But the woman at the park's kiosk told me where to go for free: Mt. Tabor in the Green Mountain National Forest. I drove up the mountain and discovered not only were most sites taken, but all were incredibly dark and shaded. I kept driving up and over the mountain and found a lovely clear spot on the side of the road with sunshine and a big, open sky! Unfortunately the dusty dirt road right next to me had pick-up trucks racing up and down it all night. Why are they hanging around up in the woods at 2am on a Monday night? Don't these people work?
I awoke early freezing my ass off wrapped in thin summer blankets at 45 degrees! I took one of my reflective silver window screens down and wrapped it around me that's how cold I was! I have my wool comforter with me, but I am not leaving the van in the dark to try to dig it out of the back. I got up early, packed, secured everything and headed out continuing on the dirt road in the wild because I saw a sign that said "Manchester...that way". That's one of the villages I wanted to see. I encountered a Y in the road, signs were all kinds of numbers and letters, nothing I really recognized, but I opted to take the downhill route which usually takes one to civilization. Nope! After five miles of beautiful sun-streaming woods, I found myself at a dead end. The road was blocked by a locked gate. I drove back, hesitant to take the other road at the Y, drove another five miles praying it wasn't a dead end or I wouldn't end up on the top of a cliff. When I saw the first house, saying I was relieved is an understatement. The little towns way out in Vermont have the most beautiful HUGE houses and bigger barns, but no paved roads! Interesting!
I finally found Manchester, had breakfast at Bob's Diner which was wonderful, and then left for a tour of "historic Vermont." I drove through gorgeous little towns called Arlington, Shaftsbury, Bennington, Wilmington and Brattleboro. Brattleboro had a wonderful downtown area that was all old brick buildings. (My phone battery was charging or I might have taken more photos...of architecture!) It also had a Spice & Nice Health Food Store that was wonderful. I stopped at the parking lot of one of the post offices to re-seal the screws and joints on the roof. For some odd reason the solar guy and his assistant failed to put sealer on the inside of the joints. No wonder why it leaks when the water is pounding and flowing off the roof! I'm surprised it didn't leak in more places. Damn. Can't trust men to do anything right! Hopefully this fixes it!
I continued to NEW HAMPSHIRE! I notice these people love their chickens. Lots of houses have giant, brightly-colored metal roosters in the front yard and many mailboxes have a chicken sculpture on the top. Gas is cheaper here as low as $2.58 a gallon which surprises me because I always thought the east was more expensive. I meandered through beautiful country lanes winding in and out of gorgeous villages with British names: Hinsdale, Winchester, Peterborough, Jaffrey, Plymouth. One confusing geographic aspect is some of the towns in different states share names. I was a bit confused after driving through Bennington in Vermont when Google Maps indicates I'm approaching Bennington...in New Hampshire! I thought I got turned around. The two towns are not that far apart! Ashulot, which is an unincorporated part of Winchester, had a covered bridge!
Outside Peterborough was the Cathedral in the Pines. It had a nice hike, some outdoor places of worship, gardens, and a monument and cemetery dedicated to military personnel. The church bell played patriotic music piped through the woods. I wasn't that impressed in fact maybe a little disappointed it wasn't more emotional or awe-inspiring.
Meredith was next on the list and I strolled through the town with a map in hand searching for the works in the Sculpture Walk. The town had a very nice park and boardwalk on Lake Winnipesaukee where many of the sculptures were located. I liked the cows.
It was fun, but the town had way too many tourists and too much traffic. New Hampshire has a grocery chain all over called Hannafords. Great selection of gluten-free products and the brand of blueberries I can get in Tucson was only HALF the PRICE here!
I stayed at the Walmart in Plymouth that night, but New Hampshire Walmarts don't have water refill machines! This is only the second state without them. (Alaska was the other.) A Walmart employee suggested I go to Crystal Springs not far away. OK, I expected to find a company...had flashbacks of the horror of chemicals added to water like I encountered in Alaska. Instead, it's a mountain water well off the side of the highway! FREE! Very popular with the locals and tested by the city of Plymouth every month.
It tasted so good and was SO COLD! I filled all my empty gallon jugs and even dumped out the water in other jugs to refill it. Yum
I headed for the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves that were 30 minutes away. OMG! I had so much fun! It was like a giant treehouse with wood walkways and a lot of stairs winding in and out of the rocks and trees. The price was $28 which initially I thought a little high. One can get a discount ticket for $24 online, but I really didn't know when I would get there. I understand the price now. The site is so beautiful and well-maintained.
The Lost River ran through it with waterfalls and crystal clear pools.
BUT THE CAVES! OMG! There are about nine or ten caves with names like "Cave of Silence", "The Devil's Kitchen", "The Dungeon", and "The Judgment Hall of Pluto". First, they were very dark with just a tiny bit of light from the small openings from above or below where the river ran. Some caves were pitch black. A few you had to crawl on your hands and knees to get in or out. Some were so skinny I had to take my pack off, throw it ahead and squeeze through the skinny slit between rocks...in the dark. There were quite a few tourists who were sitting outside caves waiting for family members or walking past refusing to do the caves due to serious claustrophobia. One cave in particular I didn't think I could do it physically or mentally, but the woman in front of me was being encouraged by her big, pot-bellied husband who was in front of her. He did it then she did it so I threw all caution to the wind! It was creepy, terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time with the sound of a raging river and the smell of dampness in the darkness. Eeeewww!
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| Look at that opening! I kept chanting, "Other people are crawling down there! Be brave and just do it!" LOL! |
In the photo below is the entrance to the one cave I did not attempt. It's called The Lemon Squeezer. I just didn't think my butt would fit and I was too embarrassed to try! What would happen if I got stuck?? However, at the exit two men came out and they fit! They were at least 6 feet tall, but slender. I'm not good with small, dark, underground spaces, but I did my best to be brave and did all but this one cave. Near the end of the trail, my strength started giving out and I could barely hoist myself up over the rocks. There were over 1,000 stairs to climb.
I crossed the border into MAINE and drove to Bridgton to see the Rufus Porter Museum. Porter was an early 19th century traveling artist and inventor. It's amazing the things he invented. He was way ahead of his time, but few people have heard of him.
My first impression of Maine is the roads are not in very good shape. They are horrible. This is an early assessment so maybe later I'll rethink this. (No, my first impressions were spot on!) The drivers aren't any better either, but their bad driving is purposeful. Here is where I will confess and disclose I think Google Maps will kill me one day. I am puttering down the highway, too slow for most people as I have vehicles behind me eager to pass but no place to pass which always makes me nervous. The problem with these little country roads is there is no where to pull off especially driving a big van. Siri announces I am to turn left in a quarter mile. I start slowing and watching for it, but I don't see it. Looking left I failed to see the stop sign at the right! I ran the stop sign as I continued to drive the curve. The curve was the left turn. A pick up approaching laid on the horn. Thank god he had good reflexes. I was so embarrassed. This is not the first time I've almost been in a wreck, but it is the first time it was my fault! That shook me...
I've seen several covered bridges. They are all over. I don't stop and take photos of all of them.
This one is the most often painted covered bridge throughout history: The Sunday River Bridge.
I stayed at the Farmington Walmart that night, totally exhausted. View as I ate dinner:
It was a wonderfully quiet night in Farmington. Loved it. Got up early, did two laps around the Walmart parking lot. This is another reason I love staying at Walmart - I can walk and not worry about being attacked by a bear.
My plan the following day was to see Acadia National Park, but I confused the reservation requirements. I thought one had to reserve for the whole park as some other national parks, but the reservation is just to drive to the top of Mount Cadillac. I made the reservation for 3pm at a cost of $6.00 which gave me plenty of time. They failed at sending me a QR code as a ticket, but I took a photo of my email confirmation.
Before leaving Farmington, I dropped into the Ford dealership, asked questions, whined about the van still not running well. The service person made an appointment for Monday so I have about five days to kill.
Acadia National Park was beautiful...but crowded. There was a long line up for parking at the visitor center. All the pull-outs and other parking lots along the park loop were full. Beaches, trailheads and tourist sites all full. It was very disappointing. If I had realized my reservation wasn't for the whole park which would have limited the number of people, I wouldn't have bothered. At my appointed time, I drove up to Cadillac Mountain and there was parking at the top. It was like ants on a hill with people all over the place. Blah. I just don't do well with hoards of humanity. Nice views from the top:
I drove to south to Thomaston and parked at the Walmart. Nice and quiet, very kind employees welcoming nomads to their parking lot. I like feeling safe.
The next morning I hit the coast of Maine! Cute villages: Boothbay Harbor, Cape Elizabeth, Kennebunkport, Wiscasset, and York. Unfortunately, too many tourists and bumper to bumper cars! Most of the time there was no parking to be found anywhere! UGH!
At the Cape Elizabeth Portland Head Light, I was faced with hoards of humanity with every parking lot filled...and they had a lot of parking lots!!! So I just did a drive-by. LOL!
My patience was rewarded at York with parking at the Nubble Lighthouse. Unfortunately this lighthouse is on an island off the coast so inaccessible. York has great beaches. I considered swimming, but then remembered I don't have access to a shower and saltwater drying on my sweaty body did not sound appealing!
I looked at the map and realized Massachusetts is only one hour away...I dipped south. First, Massachusetts people are horrid drivers. I do say that about nearly every state, don't I? People are just thoughtless, rude, and self-centered most of the time. I don't mean they do stupid things or make mistakes (although I'm sure they do), but they purposely do stupid things. I have never seen so many people on the freeway speeding far above the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic during rush hour! It was too crowded for me.
I decided to see Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Witch Trials have always fascinated me. I didn't arrive until 5pm so the visitors center was closed, but I walked around the city. First, for some reason I thought Salem would be a town. On the map it's so small it was hard to find. It has a nice pedestrian mall...FILLED WITH TOURIST SHOPS! Like Roswell and its aliens, Salem is fixated on witches. Leave it to Americans to capitalize on the trauma of others. I thought it was offensive. Lots of tourist temptations for witchcraft paraphernalia, tarot readings, nightmare tours, and witch wax museums. Unfortunately, most of them reeked of incense or scented candles so I was limited to window shopping.
I found the Salem Cemetery which I overheard is the second oldest in the country.
Outside the cemetery is a touching memorial to the twenty victims of narrow-mindedness who were wrongfully accused of witchcraft and hanged, or in one case pressed to death! It never ceases to amaze me how cruel humans can be!
As I walked back to Big Blue (lost in the neighborhoods, of course), I discovered the murals in Salem. Wow! There were many and some were whole buildings!
Most of them were in the lower income neighborhoods perhaps to beautify these areas. Salem was uncomfortable for me. There were lots of vagrants milling about. It had a unsettling feeling having nothing to do with its history and everything to do with its present. The Walmart was ugly and I was rather thankful they didn't allow nomads to park overnight. Although I really wanted to see the museum, I didn't want to wait until the next day. The hoards of people and traffic added to my discomfort so I left.
I drove back to Vermont which is just west and north over the Massachusetts border. I attempted to stay at the Walmart in Brattleboro. The management gave approval, but I could tell when they asked me if I was in an RV they didn't want larger vehicles. I was approved for only one night. Not very welcoming. I was told to park on the perimeter, which is a typical Walmart request. Late at night people were racing in and out of the parking lot. Two cars pulled up right next to me. I have no idea what they were doing. One woman got out of her car and into the man's pick up. I waited...waited...waited for them to leave. I pondered, How long does it take her to give him a blow job? I have no idea what they were doing, but after too long, I just wanted to leave. So at midnight, I left! I hate driving at night in a strange place down unfamiliar roads! I drove to a public parking lot in the middle of downtown that only charges from 9am to 6pm. Several people on iOverlander said they parked late at night had a quiet night. That's what I did!
The next morning I got up early walked the fog-covered town, and took the above photos of the churches, then headed for the Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge just north. It is the longest covered bridge in the country. The driving height restriction was 9.2 feet. Ah, no way! I don't go under anything under 10 feet as I don't want to decapitate Big Blue especially since she's already experienced a similar trauma in her past. She parked outside and I walked the inside.
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I then made a run for the border! The heat and humidity are too much. I can't wait around for van repairs then be told I'd have to wait another week for an appointment to get them done. It's too hot to sit in one place. The online weather reports say Canada is cooler! It took about nine hours to get to Calais, Maine which is right on the border. I parked overnight at the Walmart hoping for a better experience than last night's!
Are you wondering why I'm staying in so many Walmart parking lots? First, I'm tired of dusty dirt roads way up in the middle of no where with ignorant men racing their pickups back and forth. What do I do if my van breaks down in the middle of no where? Second, Starlink loves a wide open sky. Most boondocking is tree covered in this part of the country. Third, I like waking up, going for a walk without fear of bears, using a real bathroom instead of a tupperware-like bucket, buying yogurt for breakfast, and hanging out for the morning using the internet working or emailing. Being alone up in the middle of no where is a little stressful, and I'm not prone to sleeping soundly when I am stressed.
New England is over and out! Canada is calling me back!
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