I've been spending time at our camper in a spot in Vermont where I've been off the grid and where I'd have to travel thirty minutes to find free wifi.
I don't own a smart phone with a hot spot or whatever, so haven't been able to access the internet very often. So I haven't been keeping up with you bloggers out there.
I've gone five days at a time without checking email - can you imagine! And to tell you the truth, its been nice. And I haven't always had my camera handy, so don't have many pics to post today.
Have been hiking and swimming au naturel with the dog as one can do in Vermont, but not in stodgy Connecticut, and working on my book: "Did You Ever See A Horse Go By - A Coming Out Memoir" which is in it's final edit. So, it's been good and summer is flying by.
Where I really want to be is in Provincetown, at the campground there, but that is way too expensive for a prolonged stay. We will be going later in the summer for week or two.
Leon and I and Benni our 110 pound Weimadore took off on Sunday, August 26th from New Mexico in our small 5th wheel RV (no slide-outs) and headed East. Leon has been working practically non-stop for months and accumulated almost 5 weeks of Comp-Time. So we decided to go for it. It can be a grueling drive but we think it's worth the trip...to see friends and relatives and to camp near the beach in Provincetown, MA.
Since moving to New Mexico we've been to California beaches but something about Cape Cod and the beaches in P-town is just comforting and familiar and carefree.
The first leg of the trip included only two overnights. Because it was brutally hot and humid we needed electricity to run the AC, so decided against "dry" camping. The first night was at an Indian Casino in Oklahoma (free) and one night in Ohio at a city park ($25). Both had hookups.
At the Casino in Oklahoma
Somewhere Near Where We Fueled Up
In Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio we saw green once again. Vast acres of green grass that people spend all weekend mowing. Nice. But we weren't in Ohio to take pictures so pressed on for many more hours of driving to New York State and Vermont.
Dinner at Greek Diner in New York
Complete with a 12-page Menu and
Lots of Stainless Steel and Mirrors
Not Quite Sunset at the Greek Diner
We Were Thrilled to See the Green, the Trees and Lakes
Lots of Grass to Mow
The Home of Some Friends in Vermont
Bob and Laura
Bob and Laura
We Parked the RV at Their Place -
Free and Full Hook-ups (Water, Electric, Sewer)
I Made Pasta Sauce with Meatballs and Sausage - Our Contribution
Along the Road in Vermont
We spent a day at Lake Harriman, Otherwise known as The Ledges. Enjoyed lake swimming "au naturale" in clear fresh water. As is always the case, it requires a decent hike to get to the swimming area.
Hiking Back to the Parking Lot
A Vermont Barn
The Connecticut River between Vermont and New Hampshire is considerably wider and deeper than the Rio Grande.
The Connecticut River
Between Vermont and New Hampshire
A "Babbling Brook"
Along the Road in Jacksonville, VT
View Along Route 9
Some photos of a Vermont farm and some typical New England stone walls, barns and cows.
We then checked in at Mountainside Campground - an all male gay camp - for the Labor Day weekend and took a day hike to the Rock River where Leon and I met 30 years ago! Hard to believe, 30 years. We met young guys there who weren't even born 30 years ago.
Mountainside
Leon and Me
At Mountainside
(Oops, how'd he get in there)
OK.
Abandoned House
Informative Sign Along the Rock River
It's a 45 Minute Hike Along a
Sometimes Challenging Trail
This Marks the Spot
Where Leon and I Met 30 Years Ago This August
Today we went to the Flea Market.
That's all for now.
On Tuesday morning we head to Cape Cod and Provincetown. I'll be updating with photos and commentary in the coming days and weeks. Thanks for checking in.
Went with the hubby and the dog, Benni, today to a BLM wilderness area called Bluewater Creek, near Grants, New Mexico. The hike along the river was a little over three and a half miles out and back.
The creek gets its name from Bluewater Lake which is upriver. I’ve never been there so I can’t vouch for whether the lake is blue, but the creek is not blue by any stretch.
Brown water creek would be more accurate. Much like every other river and stream I’ve seen in New Mexico, except maybe Sitting Bull Falls down near Carlsbad which is in an earlier post.
The waters, both lakes and streams, in New Mexico are mostly murky, silty, brown; but hey, water in the desert is a gift.
These waters are fast flowing and make pleasant babbling sounds here and there or louder rushing water sounds as they spill over rocks and ledges.
The trail crosses the stream at three points (maybe a fourth but the trail kind of gets lost at that point) and the engineers did not do a great job of placing nice flat rocks to walk on...so plan to have wet shoes if you cross the stream. Bring water, lunch, a walking stick, phone, camera.
The stream runs through a canyon with high rock cliffs on both sides in
some areas. The contrast between the rocky cliffs, the desert plants, and
the more lush vegetation and varied plant specimens along the river is
very striking.
I was especially fascinated by the wide variety of vegetation and the fact that many of the plants are not seen very often in New Mexico. Some remind me of plants native to my New England woods.
The area along the river is a micro climate and micro botanical garden.
I am not a botanist but I will take a stab at naming a few of the plants we saw. There are dense stands of small willow trees, almost bamboo-like along the river. Along with the ubiquitous Junipers, some Piñon, a few species of Oak, wild Iris, Prickly Pear, Cholla, Maidenhair Fern, Dandelions, wild Verbena, etc.
Here are a few photos: (If I have mislabeled any or if you have a better description, please leave a comment and I will make corrections).
Click on photo to enlarge:
Wild Roses (A Smaller Version of Cape Cod Rose)
Benni Fetching a Stick - Willow Along the Stream
Indian Paint Brush?
Cliffs
Wild Geranium
More Wild Geranium
I really want to know what kind of Juniper or Cedar or (?) has these yellow flowers
Unknown - These flowers are on a tree, similar to a Juniper
(Readers suggested Mexican Cliffrose or Mesquite)
Sad How People Can Ruin a Beautiful Spot - This came down off a cliff
Some Variety of Maple
Pin Oak?
Another Variety of Oak
Virginia Creeper
Claret Cup Cactus - Certainly not too rare in New Mexico
I think this is Horsetail
Wild Geranium
A Display of Cholla Cactus
One of Three Crossings - Plan to get your shoes wet
