Once again, way behind on my blog, so I'm gonna post more pictures than narrative, I suspect that is of more interest to you anyway!!
May
29, 2018
Moved
to the Desert of Maine Campground. In the middle of the campground is several
hundred acres of sand dunes, the result of a glacier receding several thousands
of years ago and leaving behind a very fine silt like sand. In Maine of all
places!
While
here, we walked through the LL Bean Store in Freeport, ME. One full block and
two stories tall, lots to see, had lunch in their café. Plus they have a
separate building for the home store and another for the outdoor toys like
kayaks and paddle boats.
June
1, 2018
Drove
to Trenton, ME to meet up with our Caravan Tail Gunners, Jim and Theda Collier
and their friends, and caravanners, Randy & Stephanie Corbin. We have eight
days to get everything ready for the Maritime Caravan which starts, officially,
on June 8th. A lot of our members will be arriving before then and
we are looking forward to meeting everyone!!
June
8, 2018
Our
official start date, most of our members are here and ready to go! One couple
was delayed by a wedding they needed to go to and will hopefully be here on
Monday. Another couple had their toad catch on fire and are on hold in West
Point, NY. Things are never dull at a SMART event!!
Our site at Timberland Acres, Trenton, ME. Looks like the rig is terribly off level, but it really isn't
Chain saw art at the Rec Building at Timberland Acres
SMART flag on the road in front of the RV park
Phil smoked ribs for those that were there before the official start!! Sooo Goood!!!
June 8, 2019
Our official start date, most of our members are here and ready to go! One couple was delayed by a wedding they needed to go to and will hopefully be here on Monday. Another couple had their toad catch on fire and are on hold in West Point, NY. Things are never dull at a SMART event!!
We
had a great day, welcome meeting this afternoon, followed by a great lobster
dinner put on by the Timberland Acres RV Park ladies, and a wonderful job they
did!!
June
9, 2018
Our
first caravan event today. We carpooled to the Penobscot Observatory and Fort
Knox on the Penobscot River. The Observatory Tower is taller than the Statue of
Liberty, 42 stories tall. An elevator takes you most of the way up, then the
last two floors are by steps, or individual lift if needed.
The
views from the top were amazing and we were very lucky to have a clear
beautiful day for this outing. Half of us went to the Observatory and half to
the Fort Knox tour. We met for lunch after our tours, where the Wagon Master,
Phil and Tail Gunner, Jim, made burgers for everyone. They were delicious!!
After lunch we switched tours.
So,
we went through the fort which was built for one of the wars against the
British, but the war ended before the fort was finished, so it never saw a
battle. It has been used off and on for training facilities, but was eventually
handed over to the state, and is now overseen by the Friends of Fort Knox. They
also oversee the Observatory.
June
12, 2018
Today
we crossed the border into New Brunswick, Canada. Easiest border crossing we
have ever done. Usually there are long lines and long waits. Today there was
one person in front of us, so we were through the border in under 10 minutes.
Amazing!
Our
campground in St John, New Brunswick is Rockwood RV Park. The RV park is part
of a huge city park that includes a large lake, a zoo, a public garden, golf
course and extensive walking and bike trails.
June
13, 2018
Today
we did a bus tour of the city of St John and the surrounding area, including a
drive out to St Martin’s where we had lunch at the seashore.
From
there we drove into Fundy National Park and visited one of the water falls. On
our way back to St John, we passed by where we had lunch, at which time the
famous Fundy Bay Tide was in, or at high tide. At the time of our trip back,
the tide had gone out, far enough that the cave along the cove was now
accessible by foot. The difference in the tide here is amazing, it fluctuates
40 to 60’ from low to high tides, twice a day. That’s a lot of water!!
Happy People!!
St John, New Brunswick, not to be confused with St John's, Newfoundland!!
St John, famous Farmers Market, in door, covers nearly a full block. Everything from fruits, vegetables and meats to hand crafts
Lunch at St Martin's
When we were at this beach in St Martin's in 2012, the tide was out and we could walk into the cave in this picture.
One of the many water falls in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick,
To get down to the falls, some of our brave soles hiked down these stairs, which were cut logs, tied together with rope.
Back in St John, we drive past the site of the reversing falls, where the tide is coming back in.
June
16, 2018
Our
next campground was Camper’s City in Moncton, NB. From here we traveled back down
the road a little bit to visit Hopewell Rocks. One of the top things on
everyone’s bucket list is to walk on the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks in the
Bay of Fundy. The tide shifts here are amazing and they shift up to 40-60 feet
at each tidal change, making it possible to walk on the ocean floor.
Met up with some 'old' friends at the visitor's center.
Looking down at the ocean floor at the rocks or sometimes called the flower pots
Decision time, what goes down has to come back up...how badly do I really want to go down???
Down I went
Watch where you are walking, the mud on the rocks is very slippery, sometimes will suck you in like quick sand.
It was cold and raining, but we had a good time
Theda and I put our toes in the cold water of the Bay of Fundy!!
Then it was time for a nice cup of something warm at the snack bar.
June
19, 2018
A
move to Scotia Pines Campground in Truro, Nova Scotia. While here some of our
members got together for a rafting trip on the Tidal Bore as the tide for the
Bay of Fundy comes in on the Nova Scotia side. Phil and I opted out of this
adventure as part of the tour is getting splashed by the muddy waters of the tidal
bore as it mixes with the shoreline along the way.
Camped in the trees at Scotia Pine, Truro, NS
Our campsite
The sunset at Scotia Pine
The viewing platform into the river at East Hants, NS where we went to see the tidal bore
The clean and dry rafters
The big tidal bore...look closely, see the wave?? That's it!!
Wet tired and dirty, our rafter's return
Slipping and sliding in the mud along the shore
Muddy waters of the 'bore'
What's a rafting trip without a man overboard? Yep, that's one of ours, Tom Pearcy.
