Driving thru NYC & New Jersey Capital building

65º at our KOA campsite near West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Click on photos to enlarge.
Yesterday morning we got up a little earlier than had been doing.  Pulled our rig to the campground dump at Wolf's Den near East Haddam, Connecticut and headed west.  It rained before we got up, but let up to mist while we packed up and emptied the tanks.

This scene, as we were still in Connecticut, is like much of our drives in the New England area -- lots of trees, and winding roads, and most always going uphill or downhill.

 Because of regulations regarding propane tanks in the tunnels near New York City, our RV GPS directed us off the tollway and kept to bridges instead.  I had shut off the propane before leaving our campsite, thinking would go through the tunnels anyway, but followed the GPS.  We had been on the road several hours and it was necessary to look for a spot to pull over and use the restroom in the trailer.  Pulled off twice, but could find no on-street or off-street place so

ended up back on the I-274.  Finally, somewhere in the middle of things found a gas station and was able to park for enough time.  We had run out of the rain by then.  Being some 39 feet in length it is not always easy to maneuver with all the traffic. 

We were delayed a little over an hour with stop and go and the signs above the Interstate said their was an accident ahead.

We believe the tall building in this photo is the one built to replace the World Trade Centers destroyed on 9-11

Skyline of the skyscrapers in Manhattan

 This photo and the one below are of the Brooklyn Bridge.  I have read books on it's construction and wanted to stop and see this more, but not with all the traffic and the 39 feet of length to my rig.

 This Brooklyn Bridge was quite a structure, built many years ago.

Closer look of Manhattan as we drove by.

After some 240 miles, rather arduous, though all on tollways ($29 at one bridge, $16 at another and some $35 on roads) we reached Tenton, New Jersey (drove 300 miles for the day - a long day)

This photo from Earth Google shows how NJ Capital has a dome in the middle of several additions made over the years.

This photo is taken from the side of the building.  We had a very good tour-guide who explained that the building was added on to many times over the years.  And, they made no attempt to match the new addition with any of the other additions or the original.

This is the door to Gov. Chris Christie's office.  We got to his outer office, but not in to his office since he was in Iowa at the State Fair campaigning for President - 2016.



 Got to our KOA near West Chester, PA about 7:30 pm - very isolated in the country.  Quiet this morning, but last night the many family with kids had it really noisy.  Going to take off and drive 25 miles or so to the Lancaster, PA area today, return here for the night and then move closer to Harrisburg, PA for Sunday and Monday nights.

Later, Lynn

Capitol of Rhode Island and the Mark Twain House

70 degrees here in the Wolf's Den south of East Haddam, Connecticut at 9:40 PM ESDT
The other day we went to Providence

Rhode Island for a tour of the Capitol.

 It was some 80 miles from our trailer here south of Hartford, CT to there -- a nice day's ride over and back.  Lots of valleys here - you are always climbing 500 feet or so over a series of hills and back down.  And on all curvy roads.

 Today we drove the 35 or so miles north to Hartford, CT and toured Samuel Clemen's home (Mark Twain)  Very interesting tour -- no photos allowed inside.  He was quite a man and led an interesting life.  I have read many of his books, but bought one more - FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR (published in 1897) which was written during and following his around the world trip as he regained finances to pay off huge debts he had occurred.

A Lego Mark Twain

He died in this house, in his bed, in 1910.






We are heading to Trenton, NJ to tour that capitol tomorrow and then have a KOA for the weekend at West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Later, Lynn

Capitols of New York, New Hampshire

83 degrees here at East Haddam, Connecticut (About 30 miles south of Hartford)

We left Old Orchard Beach, Maine on Monday morning.  Had stayed at that Sun Community Park (that accepted Passport America) 4 nights and drove some 500 miles on various day trips out from there.  That included driving south to Boston Friday.

Drove to Concord, NH and found they did not have guided tours of the state capitol.  Were

 given pamphlet to follow.  This capitol and the one in Vermont did not have any security to go through, somewhat of an anomaly.

Their House of Representatives has a large number of seats.

There Senate was quite small.

Across  the street from the
Capitol was this huge
clock.

The large pendulum hung almost to the street level and a bell the size of the liberty bell is struck on the hour.

 While driving through Vermont while on way to Albany, NY when saw this car on a used car lot beside the highway.  Had to find a place to turn around and go back to take pictures.  This is a 4-door sedan, 1957 Chevrolet exactly same (including color) that Phyllis learned to drive in.

It was a long drive on to Albany, NY.  We had quite a time finding the capitol -- using GPS coordinates off several websites gave us several places, non capitol.  Finally put in State Museum and came within a block of the capitol.  The neighborhood near there is less than desirable with very narrow streets and a lot of people

 standing on street corners and curb sides -- not Caucasians.

Since it was 5 pm and workers were leaving the area we were able to park in a huge visitor-employee lot some 4 blocks from the capitol (after explaining twice to the attendant that we did not intend to camp overnight.  He just couldn't believe we were there with a trailer)

 Website had said the capitol was open until 7 pm for visits, but I hadn't noticed it said the last guided tour was at 3:30 PM.  However, as luck would have it, a State employee was conducting a tour for a private group (Lawyers from NYC and other parts of New York) and allowed us to join the group.  It being late, some of the lights were not on in some of the places.

 One interesting story was the $1.2 Million cleaning of the huge 4-story stairs a few years ago.  A special gel-like material was developed that was coated on all the pink granite, let harden and then peeled off bringing the gunk with it.
They left about a 1-foot wide area on one railing that was not cleaned and it was noticeably darker.  I took a photo of it, but it was fuzzy.

State Seal

Original State House was torn down and this current one built.  The clock in center of this photo came from that building.  It had been there when Abe Lincoln spoke in that chamber before becoming President and the clock was there when President Lincoln's body lay in state there in 1865.

We went on from there to a Passport America RV Park just southwest of Schenectady, NY.  Was nearly dark and we ate our lunch at the trailer about 8:30 PM that night.

Below are photos of the clouds as we drove between Albany and Schenectady.

 Gotta run - going to Providence, Rhode Island for the day.  Will fill in earlier part of the week, later.
Lynn

On the South Coast of Maine

68º at 7:41 am EDST in Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Been a few days since I have posted -- and we have done a lot.  This is Sunday morning and we are going to slow down a bit; 12 to 14 hour a day touring can be wearing on old people!

We spent last Thursday afternoon with Callaway, Nebraska High School friend Carla (Kugler) Rigby who lives near South Berwick, Maine.  Though she was one grade behind me in High School I can't say I knew her well then.  She was most gracious in showing us her place and all around the York, Maine area.  We spent a pleasant evening at a local eatery and re-acquainted each other.

 Carla with me as we stopped at "Nubble Light House" Cape Neddick Light Station which is near one of her residences right on the Atlantic Ocean.

"Nubble Light House" Cape Neddick Light Station

Phyllis and myself at the same location.


We enjoyed our time with Carla and even tho we had planned to leave the area the next day, after hearing of many interesting points in this area we extended our stay here at Old Orchard Beach, ME from one night to 4 nights so could see more things in the area.

Thursday morning we had driven to August, Maine to their State Capital.  We were the only ones on an 11 am tour so got a personal guided-tour.

We spent almost an hour with the guide and was given a lot of history of the building and the way their legislature works.

Senate Chamber

House Chamber


Boston was something else as far as driving in.  After about a half hour trying to find a parking place we ended up at a small surface lot for $20.  Walked a mile or so on a red line in the sidewalk to several buildings.  It was about 85 mile drive to Boston with tons of traffic.  Returned well after dark to our trailer.

The red line in the sidewalk we walked for a mile or so. 

Click HERE for Boston historic walk

Old South Meeting House -   Photo at right.   Go to link above to see all the buildings we walked by:  Faneuil Hall; Paul Revere House; Old North Church are a few.

Yesterday we drove some 77 miles north to Boothbay Harbor, Maine.  We stopped at various places along the ocean on the way up and back. 

  We got a 1:10 PM boat cruise from Boothbay Harbor out in to the bay and up to where the Kennebeck River comes out of the mainland near Bath, Maine, and back down it around to Boothbay.

 Posting some of the 426 photos we took yesterday.  Most are self-explanatory - click on them to enlarge.

 These boats were all heading to a swivel-bridge that was rotating for us, and them, to go under.

 That swivel bridge, after we passed through.

All day there were amazing clouds to the north and west of us.

An osprey on nest.

A raised-bridge that is now used only for trains on the lower level.

 This U.S. Navy’s DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer is one of three being built.  Read about them HERE

The Captain/Pilot narrated during much of the three-hour cruise about the area we were in and the history of what we were looking at.

 Clouds were building north of us.  We didn't get any rain out of it, but drove through areas on the way back south that had gotten rain.

It was after 4 PM when we got off boat and we ate lunch/supper at one of the local restaurants - had terrific Clam Chowder and Cod Fish with fries.

Wondered through some of the shops on way back to the pickup.  Had found a lot for $5 for all day-- as apposed to parking in 2 or 4 hour spots on the street.  Don't know how much they check the time on cars, but didn't want to worry about it.  And, we were parked almost 7 hours.

Yes, this is true.

We explored a little bit on this footbridge leading across the bay.

At left - these guys were  heading out in kayaks.  There were a lot of rental kayaks in the area. 

Just out of Boothbay Harbor we stopped at a Blue Berry Stand and got couple containers of fresh wild blue berries.

Probably not everyone knows how much work this type of touring is, so need to rest some today.  Intend to not drive too far today, maybe up to Portland, and maybe south to Kennebunkport.

Later, Lynn