The Home Stretch

Aug. 26 – I’m writing this after getting home and it feels weird.  But I do want to come Full Circle with this adventure.

Aug. 9 – Newfane, VT.  I stayed a couple of nights at Townsend State Park and spent the whole day of the 9th with my old friend Linda who used to live in NC.  She lives in an apartment attached to one of the beautiful old homes with no room for guests, tho I did find out after seeing it that I could have parked camper in the large driveway.  The State Park was great tho, another old CCC built state park, and I took Linda out to see it and my camper.  She was curious, as so many people are, about the ALiner.  They’re just not that many of them out there and so uniquely shaped – a curiosity, I’ve given many tours of it.  More pressure to keep it neat and clean.  🙂  It was a wonderful visit, catching up and discovering the adorable little typical VT village where she has lived for the last 10 yrs or so.  Much remembering and telling of new life stories, as always happens with old friends.

Aug 10 – From VT, I drove down the Hwy to Huntington, MA where we set up camp for several days on the beautiful land of friends Judith and Carol, surrounded by fully flowering perennial gardens!  They have several acres out in the country, it was perfect,  plus I got lots of those hard to do while camping things done: laundry, internet, shower. Then went into East Hampton to visit another friend, Jean.  More great time catching up and reminiscing with old friends.

I have several friends in Western MA and when I contacted them about visiting in Aug, some were planning to go to an OLOC/mini Michfest campout.  OLOC – Old Lesbians Organizing for Change! – one of my favorite acronyms.  mini Michfest celebrating the Michigan Women’s Music Festival, which happened that week for many many years.  I wanted to go?!   It was great fun, such a change from being primarily in the company of strangers or new-found friends with nothing in common but traveling and adventuring, to being surrounded by women who were friends and others with so much present and past life experience in common. And in a great place in the east with abundant familiar green and a lake for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, etc.  Sharing meals, nightly fire circles, singing women’s music and music from the 60s, listening to daily Carolyn Gage sermons!  And a delicious last night dinner out.  A very delightful easing back into my life off the road.

I didn’t remember to take many pictures so I’m stealing some from Emily Greene.

Aug. 17 – From Western MA, a long drive to Maine, first to meet up with landmate Doreen who had been traveling in her camper up from Full Circle Farm, and Amy, another FCF sister who lives in ME til she builds and moves to the farm.  After we settled in for another night camped on the land of a couple of women who have a beautiful farm, we went to a local brewery/fire-roasted pizza joint and a visit to LL Bean outlet where I blew some $$ and got those new waterproof hiking boots I’d said I wanted.  50% off!!!  Keen!

Aug. 18 – Next day the 3 of us were off to Acadia NP.  This adventure started with me deciding to join another Women Aliner Campers campout at Acadia, then asking Doreen and Amy if they’d like to join me.  It was really good, we enjoyed spending some time with the WACS, and the 3 of us had a great time with each other and especially hiking some not so challenging trails as well as some challenging ones with beautiful views for reward. They are much younger than I and they very graciously helped me on the challenging one over some rough spots, taking Xena’s leash when I needed both hands to climb rocks, lending me a hand up, and in general slowing their pace.  I’m sure they would have finished these hikes much quicker without the old lady slowing them down.  At one point I was ready to kill Doreen for “accidentally” leading us into the “Cadillac Cliffs” (there was a choice!) on the trail to the Gorham Mtn summit, but in the end I felt grateful for the challenge and that this old body had done it!!  All the times I hike alone, I would have never attempted it.  Pats on the back!!  But I won’t be doing it again!  BTW – those new hiking shoes were great.  3 days hiking, clung to those rocks like suction cups, 1 blister.

Views from the top.

I didn’t take too many pictures hiking, I was too busy clambering over boulders, but thankfully Doreen did, so I’m stealing some from her here.

After I left, Doreen and Amy “accidentally” took another hike, one they had deemed too difficult the day before.  You know – ropes and ladders type!  That last picture is on that hike.  The Bee Hive.  Nope, not me!

There is so much diverse beauty at Acadia – the mountains, the ocean, the harbors, rocky beaches, the quaint towns.  A drive around the scenic loop and up to Cadillac Mountain, more views from that top.

 

Aug 21 – Xena and I left Acadia and drove south, the final leg home.  Staying away from the cities as usual, drove through ME, NH, MA, Conn, to Newburgh, NY for a Walmart stay.  Met a wounded vet and his wife from Roxboro, NC, on their way to a family funeral.  Small world.

Aug. 22 – another long driving day on I-81 through Penn, Maryland, WV and to Shenandoah NP in VA.  Camped at one of the campgrounds on the Skyline Drive, how delightful that was for my last night on the road.  My eyes rested on the beautiful Smokey Mountains again at last.  Not as dramatic as those western mountains, but just a magnificent and beautiful in their own way.  Heard cicadas for the first time this summer.  Very warm and welcoming signs of home.  A soft landing.  It’s good to be back in familiar territory.

But I still didn’t want to stop, want to keep rolling.

Drove out to one of the overlooks to catch the sun set on our last day on this magical journey.

Aug 23 –  Set out early and took a long slow drive on the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah, stopping at many overlooks, stopping to walk a mile or so of the AT whenever it crossed, something I’ve done for years when I’m in the mountains.  Once we were back on the highway, horse headed for the barn!  Arrived home at 6pm.  Circle complete.

Thanks for rolling with us on our journeys.  I appreciate all who read this, I especially like comments, whether here or on personal emails or texts, and “likes”.  Helps when we start missing our homefolk, even tho I may not see them for weeks, and then not be able to respond.    I also like to hear about your life and travels.

And yes, we will keep rolling.  You’ll have to stay tuned for the next adventure.

“I’m quite ready for another adventure!”  Bilbo Baggins

Til then, Happy Camping,

Lynn and Xena