US Trip Part 6 October 7-October 17

Day 47 Friday October 7
Left Hide a Way camp and continued On I-88 to Albany then took I-87 North. We went on I-87 North to Exit 15 going East to highway 4. This took us into Vermont. Stopped at the visitor center to get a state map and a bunch of information. Once in Vermont took 22A North paralleling lake Champlain. In Vergennes, took highway 7 North to Shelburne Camp taking spot P5. Set up and then called sister Joan. Things were hectic there so decided to see them on Saturday morning. Also, I had to go to Wal-Mart to see about getting my prescriptions filled. Came home and had dinner. Judy’s ear was still bothering here so we went to a clinic and she saw a doctor who prescribed some medicine. She was such a good girl we stopped for ice cream on the way home. (Cheers

Day 48 Saturday October 8
We had to move the motor home this morning to a new place as our place had been reserved for Saturday. The place is busy because of the leaves turning. We went to Wal-Mart to get Judy’s ear medicine then went to Joan and Ron’s house. Spent the afternoon and evening there. Joan had to leave to go to Lara’s restaurant to help out for the evening. Their son Michael and kids came over and had dinner with Ron and us two. A very nice day.

Day 50 Sunday October 9
We went to Joan and Ron’s. They took us to a big yard sale in Waterbury where we spent a couple of hours on our way to Stowe. At the Trapp Family Lodge in the Stowe area, we had lunch with a pretty view of the mountains with the leafs turning. Afterwards we went to one of the gift shops. There was a big arts and crafts event in Stowe. We could not find it so we walked around town a bit. Ron then started to drive us up into mountains to Smuggler’s Notch with rock cliffs and pretty trees and we found the crafts place. Unfortunately we were too late and it was shutting down. On to the Notch which was very pretty place. We then drove back to their house for dinner, laundry and lots of talk.

Day 51 Monday October 10
Joan came over in the morning and took us to downtown Burlington and the water front of Lake Champlain. The day was beautiful, warm and sunny. Ate lunch on a sidewalk café. Judy and my sister Joan
Later in the evening, Joan and Ron, their son Michael and the two kids Elizabeth and Bud came over for dinner. We ate chicken fajitas outside with the mosquitoes. Since it was a school night Mike and the kids went home early. An enjoyable day and evening.

Day 52 Tuesday October 11
We went with Joan and Ron to Barre, VT where there is the Rock of Ages granite mine. It has been used as far back as native Americans making tools. The massive of rock is several miles wide and across and deep and is called Barre grey. We took a tour of the mine and manufacturing plant where they make grave stones and monuments of all kinds. It was a very fun trip. Wanted to look for a lunch spot in the state capital Montpelier but could not find it. Instead we ate lunch a a nice small diner and headed back to Joan and Ron’s house where we had a scrumptious pot roast dinner with potatoes and gravy.

Day 53 Wednesday October 12
Joan came over and we went rock hounding. We went to the islands in Lake Champlain. One place I could not find. The second place, on South Hero Island, was a quarry but the owner did not want us to rock hound there. We then went North on hwy 2 to the bridge between the North and South Hero . A lot of the approach was made out of material taken from the quarry we were not allowed to search in. We climbed down the back of the approach to the bridge and found the shale. After a little while we found our first pyrite “sun”. Unfortunately, the shale was very hard and did not split to release the pyrite, but we got some nice samples anyway. Ate lunch right there along the beach. We drove back towards Burlington and stopped at another place but found nothing interesting. Also, we had to get back. For dinner, Joan and Ron took us to Sonoma Station, a restaurant their daughter Lara’s partner owns. The food was very good. Went back to Joan and Ron’s and chatted.

Day 54 Thursday October 13
Judy and I went to the store to get a few things. Did some laundry and in between loads went to a few antique stores. One called Shed Antiques was the most amazing place with tons of stuff. We cleaned up the motor home. Joan and Ron came for dinner of spaghetti. We had sat around talking and had a fun time.

Day 55 Friday October 14
Left beautiful Shelburne, VT after a night of thunderstorms and rain. Headed South on I-89 into New Hampshire. At Concord, took I-93 North a few miles and headed East on US 4 to Epsom Circle. Then we went south on highway 28 a quarter of a mile to Circle 9 Family Campground taking space 117. Continued raining. We just kicked back the rest of the evening. Beautiful leafs colors going through the mountains.

Day 56 Saturday October 15
Rain and thunderstorms all night but bright and sunny in the morning. We went to Portsmouth then north on I-95 to I-295 to US1 and the city of Bath. There was the Halcyon Yarn which Judy had done business with over the internet. Big place with lots of stuff for knitters, weavers and such. After looking around and buying a few things, we went to lunch at the Kennebec Tavern along the river by the same name. We each had lobster. The whole lobster and Judy was not impressed as she was expecting just the tail. She did not like the lobster feelers in the butter. We got home a dark. PS. Forgot camera so no pictures.

Day 57 Sunday October 16
We drove into Portsmouth, NH and went to Forts Constitution and Stark. Fort Constitution started out as Fort William and Mary in 1662 when it was just a earthen works fort. It continued as a fort with modification up to WWII where it was a base to mine the Portsmouth harbor. In 1774, Revolutionary American soldiers overtook the fort from the British and took all the powder and two canons. This was two years before the declaration of independence. Fort Stark had a similar history starting with the War of 1812 to protect the harbor. There were a series of seven forts protecting the harbor. On the drive we went through area of very old well taken care of homes. We at lunch with a nice view of the harbor then off to the famous Kittery shopping outlet stores. We got a few clothes.

Day 58 Monday October 17
Today we went to Franconia Notch, New Hampshire. Just before entering the park is a figure of an indian head formed out of rocks high on the mountain. This is similar to the “Old Man of the Mountains” which was the symbol of the state of NH which collapsed in 2003. The Flume Gorge is a area where water has carved a path through granite leaving walls up to 60 feet high on each side of the narrow water channel. We took the two and a half mile hike loop trail, the first half mile through the gorge itself. It is a very pretty place. There are water falls and covered bridges too. The leafs here in Northern New Hampshire were well past their prime. The day was mostly sunny with temperature in the mid-50’s and a breeze. It was a pretty drive on I-93 going to and from the notch.