Tag Archives: David

DAY 15 – 09/29/2012 The Maine-ahs

Posted on September 29, 2012 | 1 comment

That’s “Mainers” with a down east accent!

After a pleasant travel day, we arrived in the Augusta area to visit with family in Sidney (brother Bob, nieces Rachel and Amanda) and Farmingdale (nephew Andrew, his wife Hannah and our little adorable grand-niece, Grace).

Darling Gracie having her fav snack – Cheerios!

At the Harvest Fest, looking at silly Mommy in the rabbit cage

On the way to Augusta, we put in the Connecticut River for a short kayak. (see David’s description, below) Actually, a short paddle is about it for us. We stay close to shoreline to observe the animal and plant life and enjoy the scenery. Biking and hiking are long, strenuous and glorious but kayaking is relaxing and slow.

In Sidney with my brother Bob, we visited and played a fast game of Beatles Monopoly. Fast, because the Ravens game was on! Funny how our Maine relatives are much, much bigger fans of the Ravens than we, the Baltimoreans are.

Rachel, David, Bob (hmmm, he’s not really insane. Just poses that way for a pic!) and Amanda

I so love visiting family. It’s so warm and nice. Feels like home. I find myself wondering why we aren’t up here 3 or 4 times a year. Life is happening, that’s why and as David would remind you, it’s a busy sport. That’s what’s so great about the Tramper Voyage. We can travel and do fun things but also we can spend time with people we love.

Hannah gives David a much needed haircut

Hannah and Rachel at the Harvest Fest

Grace’s grandma, Marty, with David. I think she looks quite happy holding the baby!

– Jane

Bridge over the Connecticut River

We hear the Connecticut River is tidal, but had yet to confirm that from where we were at the VT/NH border along Route 2.  The bridge was a steel truss, a character laden and rusty old thing.  We parked at a Valero gas station where long, empty logging trucks sat.  A dirty grey gravel lot, but we saw it dip in one corner toward the river.  Sure enough there was a boat ramp, not paved until the last 30 feet into the river.  Of course all we want for a kayak is the sandy beach found next to the ramp.  Dark and clear the river was smooth with a just-detectible current Southward.

Almost mirror-smooth Connecticut River in New Hampshire

We paddled North for 20 minutes or so.  It was cloudy.  We felt guilty just driving so we were happy to get out and “do something”.  Odd that today we saw no birds, no fish jumping or any other sign of life.  The road crew onshore barely gave a glance as we finished tying the boat on the roof of our hard-working 4Runner to get back on the road.

– David

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Barriers: The truck

Posted on September 29, 2012 | Leave a comment

I would “normally” have driven and tested a vehicle for months before an adventure like this.  The new 4Runner got about 150 local miles only.  They tend to look “front high” even at rest (rear fenders are cut 3″ lower), but ours, loaded and under the tongue of the Tramper looks so tired.  I always test “emergent” capabilities of vehicles in non-emergent places (like snow handling in a parking lot).  So it was some surprise that the front wheels will skid in hard braking.  I hope to re-weigh the loaded rig soon, but I want to get the truck to sit more level.  I have ordered new rear coil springs (to go with the already installed new brakes, shocks, muffler, rear wheel bearings, wheel cylinders, plugs, wires, hoses and belts that comprise my faith in this 1995 beast with somewhat unknown 150,000 miles on it).

The biggest safety feature, of course is thought and forethought, but the second biggest is the “low speeds” we are traveling.  40-50 mph offers far more reaction time and stopping ability than what many people use “on the Interstate”.

Meanwhile we roll slowly, remembering “You could fall off a cliff and die but you could also stay home, fall off the couch and die”.

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DAYs 10 and 11 – 09/24-25/2012 – East Burke Vermont

Posted on September 26, 2012 | 3 comments

Travel, by nature, means we have to leave places to get to new ones.  Leaving family in Stowe was not easy.  Although each person or family we visit, will in some way, sigh some amount of relief as they get to go back to their rhythm and get things done again, or get a little more sleep.  We do get interesting quotes:  I’m jealous, or, I want to do that trip-I can homeschool and come along!

As we contain our “leaving” sadness there always seems a sight or prospect of future fun.

Leaving a high Vermont pass in early morning, blue sky above, but headed into a Valley full of clouds (we promised everyone a “Pretty day was coming” as the fog burned off)

KINGDOM TRAILS, East Burke, VT.

Map highlighted by someone with a little more stamina in her “2 hour ride” than we Southerners

The name seems to come from the Northeast Kingdom.  This cooperative Mountain Bike Area gets rights from private property owners and “snowmobile clubs”.  The map boasts >100 miles, but what I found is Something for Everyone.   Imagine you like to ride your bike in the woods.  What would you look for?  Some would want gentle, smooth trails meandering near a brook throu

This one is smooth and inviting

gh meadows near farms.  Some would want a MountainDew commercial with berms, jumps, gaps, walls, and features abounding from the top of a ski mountain to the wrist-pounding bottom.  While others would seek classic twisty-turny single track leading along topographical features with a few bridges, roots and rocks mixed into interesting spots along the way….

WOW, my two favorites were “Burnham Down” and “Tap and Die”.  I took no pictures of either because all I could do was say WEEE,  WEEEEE,  like the little Geico pig.  (I know, You either love him or hate him).

Suffice to say, once we start working again, we will vacation in the Kingdom Trails.

Perhaps the highlight of each place is the stories and people we meet.  Tom and Berryl are a couple we hope to see again.  Their Ellsworth Tandem has enough technology I’m sure we can talk about as long as we oogled the tramper this morning.  Tim and Maggie were gracious hosts as they let me tag along on trails like “Coronary” and “Coronary Bypass”.  Both plied uphill with the ease you might expect from veterans of this place.  We hope to see them in Maine…

– David

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DAY 7 – 09/21/2012 – Stowe VT, Cradled in the Arms of Family

Posted on September 25, 2012 | 1 comment

You never know how you’ll be received whenever you call a relative by surprise.  They have their busy schedule, need to work etc.  But, you’ll know whether they really want your brief company.  Perhaps bringing our own bedroom where ever we go will help?  Here we feel welcome.

Jane, Caroline and David at Huntly & Doug’s beautiful home. Mt Mansfield in the background

Huntly, Doug and Caroline help us feel at home in their home.  We slept in late (anything after 8 is late for me) and sat around for lots of coffee and pancakes. We ate their home cooked food, had long showers and did laundry. Great hosts, eh?!

Jane, Huntly, David and Amber, our host dog cousin.

Later we rode into Stowe and up/down the “Rec Trail”.  A beautiful 5 1/2 mile paved ribbon between Downtown Stowe’s Blinking Red Light and the Top Knotch Racquet Club along the river all the way.  Idylllic, safe and peaceful, but we yearn for single track.  Won’t be long.

– David & Jane

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DAY 6 – 09/20/2012 – Vermont or Bust, Vergennes/Verizon

Posted on September 23, 2012 | 6 comments

…enough said!

We started with “Second Breakfast” at a diner:  The Hot Biscuit in Ticonderoga or Ti as they call it.

Here was a breakfast we’d share as we’d already eaten. Homemade biscuits with sausage gravy.

Finally receiving good news buoyed our drive out of New York.  We really don’t want to leave, but Fall moves fast up here.  (We want to move North to Maine and New Brunswick at a modest pace so we can turn South and travel as slow as our overall experience and  entertainment suggests.)

Jane has romantic childhood memories of Ticonderoga, (a game that we’re having trouble researching) or a place she’s never been. We saw this as a reason to explore and plunked down about 17 bucks each for the fort museum.  Despite my frenetic ways, independence, and ability to read display signs, I gently lobbied to wait for the tour.  Boy was I glad.  Dan the presenter in period dress, herded about twenty of us to a flat below the ramparts.  A very good speaker, he skillfully painted the times that these places flourished.  A new nation, French and British interests…very lively and informative.  Looked like a great job for a History Major or actor.   We really enjoyed it.  But as will be our way, our feet were soon aching to make some miles toward Vermont.

Dan had us feeling “Revolutionary sentiments”…

Oddly, the brief “service” our phones had given us, they also irritated us.  However much our phones said “looking for service” and we enjoyed being out of touch, what we lacked most was a way to blog.  This feels like an important part of our adventure.  Surely if we only fitfully jot a few things and posts, it won’t capture the immensity of the country or the privilege we’ve stolen to travel within it.

We saw the Big Red Check Mark:  Verizon Store in Vergennes, I pulled right in.  Picking phones and service plans can be pretty tedious stuff.  In Maryland the stores are so busy it can be over half an hour before anyone notices you are there.  Not so in Vermont.   Chase was gracious, informative and entertaining.  Nick too got involved and we couldn’t help telling them about our adventure to explain why we needed a “hotspot” or something to connect for blogging.  We are 4G!   Both of us picked “dumb phones”.  I see an image of people everywhere, standing, looking down at something in their hands.  I see many parents so engrossed in their swiping and texting, they miss excited toddlers crying up for attention.  I don’t want to miss the world around me.  We want to see and hear all we can.

My cousin, Huntley returned my call, sounding almost like she was jumping up and down.  Wow, you’re up this far already?  You’ve got to visit!  We can make Stowe before 930 PM…more nice back roads then about 20 “icky” miles on Interstate 89.  I think it was the 40mph “Minimum Speed” that confirmed our disdain.  My poor little V6  4Runner can’t decide which gear to kick down into and seems to struggle more trying for 60 on the highway than whatever we roll on those back roads.  (Wonder how long it will last?)

– David

I remember having, as a child, a game called “Fort Ticonderoga”. Or was it Fort Ticonderoga Lincoln Logs? It’s pretty hazy. Maybe Nancy or Bob can refresh my memory. Anyhoo, that’s why I wanted to go to the fort. We also took Iris, our little stuffed bunny who travels with us. We have pics of Iris from all over the world.

– Jane

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