Vermont

The beautiful weather in Vermont I’m now experiencing is why I came on this trip. Finally after 5 weeks on the road, the temperatures range from lows in the 50’s to highs in the 70’s. Following four days in Vermont, I’ll head to the Maine coastline. The first stop will be in Saco/Old Orchard Beach and the second stop is near Rockland, just south of Bar Harbor. I’m guessing Rockland has lots of rocks.

The smaller RV I had before was much more flexible than the one I am traveling in now. That RV could go just about anywhere. After over a month on the road, I now understand I can’t just wing it like I did in the smaller one. Planning ahead for campgrounds large enough for a 42 foot RV is essential. I need pull-through sites as backing up is still very difficult for me. I also prefer gravel or paved sites. No more getting stuck in mud for me. Looking ahead on Google Maps for truck stops is also important. Most gas stations are too small to pull into with this behemoth.

Straying too far off interstates is usually not good. I now look for campgrounds that are easy to get in to and easy to get out of. Interstate driving has become much easier, but the access to campgrounds is challenging. Kind of like what pilots talk about when flying, the dangerous parts are taking off and landing.

Google maps is also good for finding Super Wal-Marts along the way. Finding Wal-Marts is key not so much for their prices, but the parking lots are big enough to park in. Ubering to a Super Wal-Mart in Lake George NY was very convenient. The Uber driver was very nice to me as I loaded up his car with bags full of groceries and supplies.

I’m missing my little RV, if you can call a 26 ft long, 12,000 pound vehicle little. The bigger RV is so much nicer to live in. Mostly I’m staying in places nearly a week and only driving 150-200 miles between places.  Maybe the trade-off between comfort and flexibility is worth it. The coach is about 42 feet x 12 feet, or around 480 sq feet with all four slides opened up. My home is only 1000 square feet.

The cats are very comfortable. One even figured out how to turn on the passenger side fan. Ok, maybe she just stepped on the switch that controls the fan. They even curled up together on the dinette bench. In six years I’ve never seen them laying on top of each other.

Finding locals and talking to them is always good. Most folks are very proud of where they live, and will tell you all kind of interesting stories and facts.

For the most part the trip is going well. Some mornings I wake up and wish I was home. Other mornings I wake up and never want to come home. This is just my life for now. One cannot live in a constant state of excitement and fun. There is a great quote, “The sign of a true adventure is when you say to yourself, look at this mess I have got myself into, I wish I was sitting quietly at home on my sofa.” A few days I felt like that. Most days are more like Charles Kuralt’s famous line, “I keep thinking I will find something wonderful just around the bend.”

Lord Huron “Ends of the Earth”