May 16 and forward - Home to N. Oxford, MA

  We arrived home today!  Thankfully, my next store neighbor is letting us park the RV in her driveway, as it is the only level place around.  It is amazing how spacious the condo seems.  It is also amazing how much stuff the RV holds!  When I realize that we have been virtually living in it since Jan 2019, with just a few months off hear and there, it makes sense.  However, I decided that we needed to empty the RV out completely, and wash everything, before putting back the items we may use again on our next trip.  So, I have been washing lots of loads of clothes, pots and pans, dishes, and storage containers.  Thank goodness my house cleaner, Sandy, came to clean out the RV for me!  We've cleaned out the sewer bin, and unloaded all of the "extras" that we kept in the car all this time.  My car now has a back seat again. 
  It's nice to be home, but it's also sort of sad that our whirlwind tour of the US has come to an end.  It started with a BANG, and ended with a drizzle, thanks to the Corona virus.  Maybe our next trip will cover the areas we didn't get to see. 

Home again photos:

 

May 15 - Raymondskill Falls, Delaware Water Gap, PA

  Our last full day before heading home.  Sigh.  Computer morning, lunch outside the RV, then headed out to the Raymondskill Falls.  This is a three tiered waterfall, that is only 0.3 miles from the parking lot.  So, unfortunately, there were a LOT of people walking the trail, and then NOT social distancing at the lookout decks.  So, we ended up not staying, or going to the lookout areas.  We instead decided to go to the Southend beach area, along the Delaware River.  This too, turned out to be a little disappointing.  The McDade Trail starts here and runs along the river all the way up the Delaware Water Gap, about 12 miles.  So we walked it for about 1/2 a mile, and decided to turn around.  It didn't actually run along the river, as you couldn't see the river from the trail.  And the "beach" wasn't really a beach, but an area by the water.  Again with too many people.  So, we came back to the RV and enjoyed the pleasant day sitting outside among the trees.

Raymondskill Falls photo:

McDade Trail photos:

Hanging out at Delaware Water Gap KOA photo:

May 14 - Visit from Peter's brother and Hidden Lake, Delaware Water Gap, PA

  We had a very nice visit with Bob, Peter's brother, who drove up from New Jersey.  We sat outside, social distancing, and chatted for a few hours.  It was really nice to have the time to catch up.  I am surprised that the older they get, the more they look alike.
  Since it was such a beautiful day, and late in the afternoon, we drove the 15 minutes over to Hidden Lake and walked the 2 mile loop trail around the lake.  Quite pleasant.  Although, we kept commenting on their need for trail maintenance, as there were several large trees that had fallen over the trail, and looked like they had been there for a long time. 
  Returned to the RV, ate dinner outside, and watched a Paul Newman old movie--The Absence of Malice. 

Visit with Peter's brother, Bob photos:

Hidden Lake trail photos:

View of our campsite front yard photo:

May 13 - Delaware Water Gap, East Stroudsburg, PA

  We had an easy 2 hour drive to our last RV campground, before heading home.  This one is at the south end of the Delaware Water Gap, where PA, NJ & NY all come together.  We are on the PA side.  We are staying in a KOA campground, which is rather expensive comparatively.  But, it is nicely spaced.  In order to stay here, you need to be self-contained, as all of their bath houses and other facilities are closed.  Since our site is full hookup, that is no problem for us.  We set up at our site, but found out the water was shut off.  Turns out they had a leak in the pipes, and were in the middle of fixing it. 
  At the entrance to this campground, there is a Beware of Guinea Fowl sign, and a "hoard" of Guinea fowls just walking about.  I also loved the sign by the road, with the silhouette of Sasquatch walking in the woods. 
  We ate lunch, and headed out to see the Dingman's Falls.  Usually you can drive up to the visitor center, then walk the 1/2 mile to the falls, but they closed the road to the visitor center.  So, you had to park at the entrance to this section of the park, and walk the mile down the road to the visitor center, before walking out to the falls.  The road went along the river.  It was a beautiful day, and a nice walk.  The National Park Service certainly does a nice job in its parks.  The trail out to the falls was all along a nice boardwalk.  There were actually two waterfalls.  Silverthread falls was very tall and slender, nestled in a crack in the rocks around it.  Then, Dingman Falls was delightful.  There was a nice bench across from the falls, at the bottom, which we just sat on and enjoyed the view.  There is definitely an energy surrounding a waterfall that is invigorating and uplifting, and this one had it in spades.  All the senses are activated--smell the air, feel the mist, see the waterfalls crashing to the rocks,  hear the water crashing and flowing, not sure about taste.  All the elements are in this view--earth, water, fire, air, and I add trees.  What a delight.
  We returned to the RV and running water.  Since we had stopped at the nearby grocery store on the way back, we also picked up a pizza from the store in the same mall.  So we had pizza and salad dinner outside.  Very nice day.

KOA entrance photos:

Sasquatch-behind the tree

 Dingmans Fall and Silverthread Falls photos:

Dingman's Falls

Silverthread Falls

Dinner at our RV site photo:

May 12 - Jonestown, Pennsylvania

  Today is a day of rest.  No plans to go anywhere.  The weather is cloudy and in the low 50's.  Good day to "stay at home", especially since any places we'd want to visit are closed.
  We did go for a walk around the campgrounds after lunch, and again before dinner, just to get out and about.  And, to move our bodies.
  Getting home, and being at home is starting to occupy more of my mental faculties.  Cleaning out the RV, sanitizing it, getting it to Tamara's for storage, when and where will be go in it next, what to do with all my time in our condo, etc.
  But, we have one more sight-seeing adventure before we get home -- tomorrow is the Delaware Water Gap. 

AOK Jonestown RV Campground photos:

May 11 - On to Jonestown, Pennsylvania

  We are slowly making our way through Pennsylvania, heading home.  The route today was beautiful, going through the Pennsylvania mountains.  The views were gentle on the eye -- lots of mountain valleys, many green pastoral farms and towns.  These mountains are so different from the ones out west.  They are more gentle, rounded, tree-covered, with pastures everywhere. 
  The stop-over campgrounds are OK.  Older, but nicely spaced with trees and grass in between.  Although, we don't have anyone on either side of us, so it makes the site feel more open and bigger.  Not a place I'd like to spend a lot of time at.  But, there are many, many, what look like permanent residences here.  I think lots of full time RVers actually live in them live mobile homes.  Or, at least seasonally.  Not for me.
  We set up, and I went to do a quick grocery run down the road.  This was the only grocery store that I have been in that had NO sign indicating it was a grocery store, on the building or by the road.  And it was rather big, too.  There was an old white board sign  by the road, with Bg and a bunch of missing letters after it.  Turns out the name of the store is Bg.  Strange.

No photos today.

May 10 - Bedford, PA and Mother's Day

   It has finally warmed up a bit, sunny and 60 degrees, but with a chill wind.  After lunch we walked around the campground.  1.75 miles around the site.  A small lake/large pond, two long ponds, and a river.  And, about 300 RV and tent campsites, and seasonal and monthly rental sites, mobile homes, and cabins.  Very well maintained.  Much better than our Thousand Trails campgrounds.  Of course, this place is pricey, in comparison. I am surprised, there are more RVs here than in any recent RV campground.  They are all at least 6 feet apart, but the RV sites are right next to each other, instead of putting at least one empty site between them.  And no one is wearing a mask. 
  I had a nice call this morning from Gabe, wishing me a Happy Mother's Day.  Since we were traveling out west last October, when we usually visit Colorado, and since Tamara's wedding next July will now be postponed, it will be more than a year since seeing Shanti and Gabe's families.  With no visits in site.  Not pleased about that.  Thank goodness for social media.
  I also got a little Happy Mother's Day video text from Cheyenne and Savannah.  Very cute!  And, a  very beautiful e-card from Georgette.  We had a wonderful Mother's Day Zoom call with the kids, and then a delightful 12th Anniversary Zoom party with David and Lisa.  This is a nice way to participate with events when we can't be there in person, even without the virus issues. 

Friendship Village RV Park photos:

Lisa and David's 12th Anniversary Zoom call photo:

May 9 - Bedford, Pennsylvania

  Last night is was a record low for Washington, PA in May of 24 degrees.  We needed to keep the water running, just a bit, all night, and hoped that the heat inside the RV seeped through the floor boards to the tanks below.  Fortunately, we do have a fresh water tank heater, which we put on. 
  This morning, it was snow flurries when we woke up.  Wrapping the stiff water hose was a challenge.  And we went through more snow flurries on our trip to Bedford, PA.  Snow in May ??  The highway went through the Pennsylvania mountains, so it had nice views, and lots of green fields.  This next campground is big, and nicely laid out.  But it is still in the high 30's, maybe low 40's and very windy.  Stay "home" for the remainder of the day.  Relax and enjoy.  This part of the country is starting to feel like home--familiar terrain, familiar trees, cold weather. 
  We have started watching the Prime Video TV series called Upload.  Interesting concept and entertaining.

Friendship Village RV camp photos:

Cold, windy skies

May 8 - Washington, PA and Cheyenne's birthday

 Rainy day, all day.  I'm glad we decided to do the grocery shopping and laundry yesterday, when it was sunny.  So, today, we can just sit tight, nice and dry, all day.  Although, tonight it is supposed to freeze, and our RV isn't really prepared for that.  We will need to keep the water on all night, dripping continuously.
  Cheyenne is 12 years old today.  Wow.  They are having her favorite foods, going for a drive, and having a virtual sleep-over.  They will use Netflix Party (or something like that) to all watch the same movie, and they can pause it and chat throughout the movie, then chat some more before all going to sleep, then more in the morning.  Fun alternative during isolation.
  For me, today is blogging, listening to Podcasts about AI and robotics, and finishing up Anica's tax return.  For Peter, computerdom, as usual.  We actually started thinking of what needs to be done to return home.  We are getting near to the end of our current journeys--with mixed emotions.  It will be good to get home.  Even if Massachusetts is a hot spot for Covid-19.  But, we will miss our RV life too.  More so if all of the sight-seeing places weren't closed.  I will need to figure out what to do with all of my time staying at home.
  We decided to give up on doing the trail maintenance on the MidState Trails.  The work was getting to be a lot of heavy duty cutting of brush, which was taking too heavy a piece of equipment for us to use.  Also, after Peter contracted Lyme Disease, we thought it might make sense not to incur it again.  Walking in the woods on trails is one thing, but stomping through the brush and grass to trim and cut the brush is another.  So, we contacted our boss there and let him know.
  Also, I called my next door neighbor to see if we could park our RV in her driveway again, when we get home.  Her drive is the only level spot around, that is big enough for the RV to fit in.  She is still in Florida, it turns out, and is very gracious to let us park there.  This way, we can empty out all of our stuff and clean it, before parking it at Tamara's until we use it again.

Rainy day in the RV in Washington, PA photos:

May 7 - Washington, PA

  We are only here for two days, and the weather report for tomorrow is supposed to be unseasonably cold and rainy, so we decided to go into Whole Foods just outside of Pittsburgh in the morning and do the laundry back here at the campground, in the afternoon, while the weather holds. 
  The Whole Foods had a line of people waiting to enter the store.  There are marks on the sidewalk indicating where people need to stand, to stay 6 feet apart, while they wait.  We wanted to do a take-out meal from their deli.  For $8.99 you get an entree and two sides.  It a good deal.  However, with the Corona virus issues, they have drastically reduced their offerings, and while Peter could easily find a meat entree, I couldn't find a vegetarian entree.  I wouldn't have believed it.  No decent vegetarian entrees at Whole Foods.  So Peter got his, and I ate my leftover seitan spaghetti from last night. 

Waiting in line at Whole Foods photos:

That's Peter in the mask

May 6 - Travel to Washington, PA

  We visited for a short good-bye with Joy before heading out.  The road to Pennsylvania took us through southeastern Ohio, a little of West Virginia, back into Ohio, back into West Virginia, and finally into Pennsylvania.  I really didn't realize how back-country this part of Ohio is.  Really pretty, with lots of big rolling hills and many valleys.  And, the flowering bushes were in bloom along the highway.  Purples and whites bushes, mostly in the woods.  Very pretty.
  Our Pennsylvania campground is about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh.  This area has very big hills, or small mountains.  Out campground is on the top of one such hill.  Nice feel and OK place to spend a few days.  It is a KOA campground, and we don't usually stay at them.  They tend to be expensive, and don't give a discount to the memberships we have.  But, with all the rescheduling we had to do to get home, with the Covid-19 issues, the location worked, and it is open.  We set up camp, made dinner, and relaxed.

Washington/Pittsburgh SW KOA campground photos: