Manny and I are on our second trip. I wish I could say that we were just starting, but we have already reached the turn-around point and this is the first chance that I have had to write about the trip. We plan to travel northwest from Texas through New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California and Oregon. This trip we will intersperse sightseeing and visiting friends. First a few comments about getting organized.
I spent the winter ordering items from Amazon to make this trip go smoother: A 30 A to 15 A adapter so I could use an ordinary extension cord a people’s houses; A circuit tester and
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
31 July 2018. I was on the North Shore of Boston visiting friends and preparing for a long RV trip north up the coast of Maine, then to Nova Scotia and west from there until I got tired and drove home to San Antonio TX. A friend and I were at a restaurant in Salem MA waiting on our third companion for dinner. We were discussing dogs and I mentioned that I knew of no breeds that might adapt well to condo living in San Antonio. His response was that I ought to look at the Blue Heeler otherwise known as the Australian Cattle dog. It would be his choice for his next dog companion.
I had no intention of getting another dog for some time. I wanted to travel, starting with the United States and then various places overseas that I had liked during my many years of travel for business. I thought I had a companion for these trips, but as the time drew closer my companion drew further away. So I Googled for Blue Heelers on various dog rescue sites. That’s how I found Manny. It’s his name and seems a good one. Here is the posting I read from Critter Cavalry Rescue:
For 2 ½ months this perfect dog sat in a shelter in Tennessee because his owners brought him and left him there. The reason? “We don’t have time for him”. A very typical excuse these days. This boy is the dearest and best dog in the world. Blue Manny is a Cattle Dog that is about 3 years old and weighs 40 pounds. He adores all his human friends and other dogs and could care less about ever chasing a cat. He is a friend to all he meets. This handsome guy loves the great outdoors and despite the fact that he doesn’t have ALL his toes on his back left leg, he runs like the wind on his three good ones and then balances himself with the toeless foot like a ballet dancer doing “Toe”. He is a prize for someone or some family that loves the breed and the complete charm and intelligence that they have for life. He is housebroken, crate trained and does not destroy things he should not be messing with….. You want the perfect dog in your life? Look no further…Blue Manny is the guy for you!
That very evening, I contacted the rescue by email and the next morning I submitted their application. It was Wednesday and near the end of my time on the Boston North Shore. If I was going to see Manny, it had to be Thursday. That morning I walked to Wingaersheek Beach. The picture was taken at low tide. I had a guest at about 12:30 and then broke camp and set out in the RV for Augusta ME. Here is a picture of the RV just outside Gloucester MA.
There was an accident and quite a bit of traffic so the trip took 31/2 hours. Manny was with his foster Dad and his dog. Manny was off leash and stayed close. The two dogs got along quite well and no fighting over bones or milk bone treats. He wasn’t much interested in me and only let me pet him for a short time before he let me know it was enough. Wondering how I would help Manny make the transition to a new dad, I opened the side door of the RV and got in. Manny followed immediately and got on the passenger captain’s chair quite ready to go and all my worries dissipated. Manny is a traveling dog.
29 August 2018. The big day had arrived. I flew into Manchester NH the previous night with three cardboard boxes of mostly stuff for Manny and a few clothes and toiletries for myself. I met Manny’s foster dad near Saco ME. Maurice is a great guy. Here is a picture of him with his dog Big Mac, Manny, and me posing in front of the RV just minutes before I took Manny to start his new forever life. You can see that Manny had bonded completely with Maurice.
Manny would have a lot of adapting to do. We stopped at a pet store and purchased a dog bed, dog food, and training treats then we stopped at a park for a walk and a grocery store for milk and cream. We arrived at the Cape Ann Campsite just at dusk and backed into our site. It was so dark that I couldn’t unlock the compartment with the electrical cable without a flashlight. Manny and I had a walk and then he got dinner of the food that Maurice gave me and I had a Moscow Mule. I was most concerned with the sleeping arrangements. Manny had been sleeping with Maurice for months, but I don’t like to sleep with my pets. At midnight Manny lay on his new bed and I climbed into my bed alone but quite relieved. Manny and I were off to a great start. He rides shotgun wearing the harness you see in the picture. When we are traveling, the seatbelt goes through the back of the harness.
2 September 2018. Lots has happened in less than 4 days, our first dog park and our first encounter with the Atlantic Ocean are just two. We had the good fortune to be in Goucester Massachusetts at the beginning of the annual schooner festival with lots of fascinating boats like this one.
The dog park was at one end of the harbor and after an hour there we walked along the water and across the drawbridge at the Blynman Canal.
Without knowing, without training, Manny performed his role with perfection, starting a conversation with a stranger every few hundred yards. I’m a reclusive person, But Manny gets me out of my shell and into conversations with interesting people. I’m even learning to do it myself. Yesterday we took a very nice hike with a good friend and his dog Roy. The way in, Manny on his leash, was normal for day 3. But at this midpoint of the hike we met a couple with a white Australian Cattle dog. The woman picked up her dog because the dog was afraid of other animals and displayed that fear as aggression. I begged her to let her dog down and allow Manny to perform his Magic. With his personality he was guaranteed to make friend quickly and that’s just what happened. All the dogs got off leash, ran around like crazy, but stayed close enough for comfort. That’s all I needed to decide that Manny was ready to hike off leash where permitted and he hiked the mile or so back like the great Cattle Dog he is, roaming above and below, left and right, but always keeping his people in sight. When we could hear the road it was back on the leash, in the car, and home again with stop at the local farm stand.
4 September 2018. We’ve been hiking every day and I hope Manny is as tired as I am. The best off-leash trails that we found near Gloucester were at Ravenswood Park where there is great variety ranging from easy road walking to moderate hilly trails. Here’s Manny at Ravenswood.
Walking around the Cape Ann Campsite was often interesting with lots of interesting people to talk to and wildlife to observe. The wild turkeys were moderately used to campers and allowed one to approach moderately close.
We extended our stay in Gloucester a day in order to see the Vet. Manny needed a heart worm check and medicine for both heart worm and flea and tick. So first we took care of dumping our waste and filling the fresh water tank and then we ran errands the remainder of Tuesday. First the Vet, then L.L. Bean, and finally the grocery store. It was really dark when we backed into our spot and we still needed propane and diesel. That would have to wait for the next morning.
5 September 2018. Enough procrastination. Manny and I are both anxious to get going on our trip. We stopped for diesel and propane in Gloucester and then headed north on routes 1 and 1A, passing through Essex and Ipswich, crossing New Hampshire, and entering Maine at Kittery. Our first day was short and the location was gorgeous so we decided to stop for two nights to find some off-leash hiking and stock up on groceries. After taking a quick look at our spot and its fabulous view
we parked close to the harbor and hiked the fisherman’s walk through the harbor area. We exchanged picture taking with a nice couple at the beginning of our outing.
Here’s the first day track of our travel. It’s a start and we passed through truly beautiful country.
9 September 2018. I can’t believe that 4 days have past since I last updated our trip together. We stayed 2 nights at Libby’s Oceanside Camp. On our free day, we hiked the circle trail at the top of Mount Agamenticus. Unfortunately, dogs were required to be on leash and there were lots of people and dogs around so we followed the rule. We stopped at a specialty grocery and an ordinary grocery. I got a wonderful ham, Brie, and fig sandwich , a salad with fresh lobster, and then fruit and other staples. We were all set for the next few days. On the 11th we moved on and stopped that evening at Megunticook campground. The campground was extremely pleasant and wooded. A short walk took us to the ocean. Manny would have to be content that evening with making everything he could find smell like Manny.
Occasionally I can actually get him to look up at the camera. This is my attempt at a portrait.
The iPhone intentionally blurs the background. The effect is called Bokeh. It can be done wit a DSLR and a large aperture, but the iPhone uses its two lenses to differentiate the foreground and background and applies the blur digitally. Because we missed our hike on the travel day, we hiked first thing in the morning at the Beech Hill Preserve, only a mile from Megunticook. We spent an hour on a shady trail with little elevation change.
Back in the RV, we headed for our next stop and somewhat of an unexpected adventure. When I planned the trip, I had picked out a possible RV camp in Winter Harbor near Acadia National Park. When I called to make a reservation, they were full so I reserved a spot at Acadia Seashore Camping and Cabins. Somehow I got mixed up and went to the camp in Winter Harbor anyway. They were equally unobservant, rented me a spot and I get set up. The neighbors were really nice so I made myself a Moscow Mule and sat down with two couples to enjoy the afternoon sun. I had just finished the drink when the RV whose spot I was occupying showed up. I had to break camp, get my fees refunded, and head to Acadia Seashore. Fortunately, we arrived before dark and despite having to set the RV up twice that evening, all was well. Manny let me know that he didn’t like all the traveling but was happy to see that hiking was our priority the next day. We didn’t go to Acadia, but instead found a great trail only a mile away in the Baker Hill Preserve. There were no views, but one of the nicest forest trails I have been on. Manny was very happy with the short trip and long hike.
A high pressure front has moved through. It is quite nice and in the mid 60’s at mid-day, but drops to the mid 40’s over night. I had to turn the heat on this morning about 5 AM because the RV was too cold. We are going to barbecue tonight and Manny will enjoy his piece of the steak. He is finally eating regular dog food meals so I feel comfortable giving him a little people food after I finish my dinner. He doesn’t beg at all. Tomorrow, we plan to take the ferry from Winter Harbor to Bar Harbor. We’ll explore the town and may hike in the National Park. The updated trip route passes within a few miles of Manny’s foster home near Augusta ME.
15 September 2018. I’ve adopted Manny but he hasn’t fully adopted me yet. Late this afternoon after buying food at the farmer’s market in Annapolis Royal NS (Canada), after sharing scallops on the sunny patio next to the dock in Digby NS, at the start of a pleasant hike around a lake in the salt marsh, Manny saw an open car trunk belonging to a family just completing their hike and jumped in. Could I entice him out? Not a chance. I had to put on his leash and tug gently to convince him of the proper course of action, but once on the trail he returned to normal behavior. Getting in the small station wagon by jumping on the tailgate was a way of life for Manny in foster care and it will take a while for me to win him over thoroughly.
We had a terrific hike near the campground but outside Acadia National Park. The next day we took the 15 minute drive to Winter Harbor ME and the small ferry to Bar Harbor. The ferry trip took 50 minutes and was the highlight of the day. Here we are on our way to Bar Harbor.
We arrived at the dock of the College of the Atlantic where this moose sculpture was located.
Then we hopped on the free shuttle bus and were soon in the town of Bar Harbor itself. I wanted to find a cafe with outdoor seating for brunch. We walked along the central square to Main Street and the very first store we saw was a shop selling everything for your dog. Of course we went in and Manny, who had never shown much interest in dog toys picked out a rawhide bone and ripped the price tag off it, so I purchased it for him. Some days later I found it in our shoulder bag and gave it too him. Much to my surprise, he promptly at one of the ends off the bone. He really had picked out exactly what he wanted. I am saving the bone for a rainy day in a campground somewhere. Although I wanted to take Manny to Little Long Pond for some off leash hiking, there was too much iffy transportation involved, so we spent the day exploring Bar Harbor. Hear is the view of the port itself.
You can’t see them in this shot, but there were two huge cruise ships anchored outside the harbor and the town was overrun with tourists enjoying their day of shopping in the multitude of clothing and curio shops in the downtown. The ferry ride back was a little less pleasant as it had cooled down considerably and on our arrival at Winter Harbor we drove directly back to the campground to prepare dinner. We took off the next morning for Canada and a campground about an hour north of St John on the New Brunswick coast. It rained hard all day and the travel was miserable as was our entry into Canada. Here’s the weather map showing the storm we drove through.
On entry to Canada, we stopped at a toll booth like structure and showed our passport and rabies vaccination certificate. The interview turned up that I was carrying Mace, which is illegal in Canada depending on the advertising printed on the can. I was told to proceed through lane 7 and bring my papers and Mace into the main building. When I exited the RV I found two customs agents approaching the RV – I had made a grievous mistake by not leaving the RV in the lane and parking it instead. They made Manny and me stand in front of the RV in the downpour for half an hour while they went through all the inside storage in the RV. When they exited, they told me they were confiscating my small Mace, which I carried while hiking as protection against bears, and allowing me to keep my large Mace which I kept in the RV as protection against home invaders. Why? The large Mace was labeled as bear spray, but not the small one. I offered to open the outside storage compartments so the kind agents could stand in the rain and inspect the larger exterior storage space, but they declined the opportunity. After walking back and forth to the main building in the downpour so that I could sign a paper acknowledging the surrender of the can of Mace, we continued our journey. Canadians seem very nice in general but customs agents are the same the world over.
We stopped in an RV park in St. Martins a small town that is a gateway to the Fundy Trail where again we found more great hiking. Here are two photos. The first a view of the beach from the all use trail and the second a view of the flower pot rock from the hiking only trail. Manny loved every minute of it.
Here’s my best attempt of a portrait of Manny that day. He’s still not smiling. I guess he’s enjoying himself but remains confused about what is going on.
I’m quite happy with the advanced planning that I did before the trip. I am staying on top of all my bills and mail using Paytrust bill pay service and MailBoxForwarding mail service. I brought a fair amount of TV accumulated over the last several years and downloaded to my iPad, but it was not enough. I wanted to use Amazon Prime which worked fine in Maine and stopped completely in Canada. So I had to sign up for a VPN service to fool Amazon into providing a service that I pay for just because I traveled into Canada. Makes no sense to me. My planning for the RV trip had also been good and I was on schedule through Maine. I am still staying at the places that I picked out months ago, but staying longer to explore and hike more and drive less. Also, blogging about the trip and just buying food and cooking dinner is time consuming. I met a camper in St. Martins who advised me to look at the closing dates of the Canadian RV parks and I immediately learned that everything is closed sometime in October. We have to see Niagara Falls and travel somewhat south before November 1. Nevertheless, Nova Scotia is enchanting and I find that I am spending more time than I thought at each location. This morning I made my next two reservations which will complete my stay in southern Nova Scotia and Halifax and then Manny and I will head north.
I had the good fortune to pick an RV park in Annapolis Royal a quaint village that was the first settlement by both the French and British in Canada. We have hiked various parts of the French Basin Trail in addition to enjoying the town of Annapolis Royal and Digby, which is the scallop capital of the world according to Nova Scotians. Here is the lake formed by some of the original dikes that were used to block the seawater and claim new farmland for agriculture.
Today we’ll explore town some more and hike again before making dinner. Here is the latest track of our trip. As you can see, we took the ferry across the Fundy Straits from St John to Digby.
We took a final hike in Annapolis Royal, a different path in the French Basin area. I was able to get a pretty good picture of Manny. This is September 18.
19 September 2018. Just in case you were starting to believe that the RV lifestyle is idyllic, don’t forget that it comes with all the chores and responsibilities of living at home. The rugs have to be shaken out, the floors have to be swept and mopped, the truck cab has to be vacuumed, the toilet has to be cleaned, and of course, the clothes have to be washed and dried. Remember (yes you too Sam when you re-read this after the trip) everything is harder than it is at home. Upon arriving in Annapolis Royal, I discovered that both tires on the driver’s side rear were nearly flat. Fortunately, I had an air compressor with me, so I topped off all my tires. This will become a recurring theme.
The next morning we were off to the east coast of Nova Scotia. We stopped in Kejimkujik National Park to hike the trails that originate at the Visitor Center. The Cattle Dog in Manny loves to hike and I think this is the fastest way for me to gain his trust and bond with him. I got a selfie of us at the Park. I hate selfies but you have to take time to get a photo of a dog and I don’t want to try to put that on someone that I pass on the trail. You can see that I got my hair cut much shorter in Annapolis Royal.
The Park was quite beautiful. We hiked both sides of the river and this is the best photo that I took.
That afternoon we arrived at the RV park near the town of Mahone Bay. We hiked two trails. The first was a former railroad bed, while the second was a town cross country ski trail. It wasn’t great, but there were some interesting late fall flowers and other interesting flora.
19 September 2018. Tomorrow morning we are off to Halifax. I’m not sure this is a good idea. I guess I’ll find out if there are any places that I can take Manny in the city. We will be close enough that we can take a Lyft or Uber or perhaps a city bus. Well, before leaving Mahone Bay, we put the dog bedding in the laundry and then cleaned the camper and checked all the tires. I could hear air leaking from the valve stem on the driver’s side rear, so I resolved to find a tire shop in Halifax. There would be no better place during this phase of our trip.
Friday morning in Halifax we went immediately to the truck tire shop. Of course, they did not have the parts and had to go out for them so we spent the entire morning and early afternoon resolving the problem (I hope). We also had a short hike and lunch in a rather good neighborhood cafe, so when we got back to the RV campground (Shubie Park) we were faced with the decision to either Uber to Halifax for a short walk around the downtown with no place to take Manny in the uncertain weather or stay in the 3 lakes area, hike and relax with an early dinner. We opted for the hike. Unfortunately, the weather was windy and rainy on Saturday morning as well so Halifax made no sense once again. It will clear up this afternoon and we will get our hike in and have an early dinner. But I am learning. I had already figured out that I had to move south before November 1 or I would be caught with no RV camps to stay at. Now I have learned that I have to stick to camping and hiking. Dog friendly restaurants and cafes are also a summertime thing when it is pleasant to sit outside and table service is still possible. We will be at the tip of Cape Breton Island at what looks to be a very nice seaside campground and that is about as far north and east as we are going to get on this trip. It is right next to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park and we will have our last three sunny days for a while. Should the weather turn for the good, we will probably stay longer. The one advantage of the lateness of the season is that RV camps that I would never have been able to stay at a month ago are available without advanced reservation giving Manny and me a lot of flexibility.
Meanwhile, I have to reassess the two possible alternatives – stay in Canada and come southwest down the St Lawrence seaway or re-enter the US and traverse Maine, New Hampshire, and New York. The destination is Niagara Falls in either case. I just finished my coffee. That is one of the great pleasures of bad weather in the RV. The coffee is as good as anywhere in the world. There are patches of blue sky so it is time for two hours of hiking!
Manny shows interest in the wildlife
26 September 2018. We set out from Halifax crossing Nova Scotia from East to West in a northerly direction. Watching the local news, either from New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, I saw a local interest segment about a chocolate shop called Peace by Chocolate operated by Syrian immigrants in the town of Antigonish. I have been having dark chocolate for dessert almost every evening so stopping was a must for me. The dad is the master chocolatier and the daughters help out in the store, which is open seven days a week. I have just been eating chocolate with 70% or more cacao and no nuts or fruit because when these things are added, the they no longer tell you the cacao percentage. I found 78% cacao dark chocolate with cashews at Peace by Chocolate and purchased two bars to try and it is the best chocolate that I have ever enjoyed. The RV park was nearby and Manny and I enjoyed walking along the coast although there were no nearby hiking trails.
The next morning, before breaking camp, I checked my tire pressures and much to my dismay discovered that there appeared to be no connection between one of the valve stem extenders and the tire. I could neither read the air pressure nor add air to the tire. I called the tire shop and found out where on my trip route, broadly construed, there are other members of the same chain, and then we set out for Cape Breton Island. An hour later, we were bought a one-year pass and entered the National Park. Almost all the trails allow dogs on leash but I managed to pick Skyline trail and after walking half a kilometer from the RV parking to the trailhead discovered that this is one of the few trails that forbids dogs. Too late, I wasn’t going to disappoint Manny and we hiked for an hour and a half on leash. We were scolded by a few tourists, but ran into no park officials so we were both very happy on returning to the RV. From there to the small town of Dingwall was very difficult. As driver of a class C RV, you concentrate of the road and don’t get to enjoy the gorgeous scenery. It’s safe but boring. And it is the start of the off season for tourists and the high season for roadwork so there were numerous delays crossing the hills. The sign approaching the RV park read “Don’t despair, you’re almost there” and despair was close to the emotion I felt. But, as I told my friend Brenda in a text that evening, the trip has its ups and downs. This place is called Hideaway Campground and Oyster Farm and true to their word, they grow, harvest, and serve their own oysters. The oysters were a great pick me up for the end of the day and along with the first of my bottle of Macallan completely dispelled my sense of despair.
I did carry them back to the RV since Manny and the owner’s Brown Lab couldn’t relax with one another and had to be separated. They were perhaps the most delicious oysters that I have ever enjoyed. On Tuesday September 25 the weather was beautiful and we hiked around Jigging Cove Lake. We extended our stay a day since the weather forecast for Wednesday was for rain and dangerous winds. There were many things on my indoors todo list, this activity among them, and there are some trails near the campground so an extra day at the tip of Cape Breton Island is welcome. I called the tire shop in Sydney and a nearby campground and they both welcomed me without reservations – simultaneously good and bad signs. Tomorrow we are off to Sydney and right now the only tourist attraction I’m aware of is Disco Tirecraft, but adventures await and the unexpected ones are often the best.
1 October 2018. The first adventure in Sydney was Disco Tirecraft. Just like Miller Tirecraft, the repair took 3 hours. It wasn’t all time wasted. First of all it was raining so there was little Manny could do. I purchased and downloaded the largest list of low clearances and loaded them into my own map of the US and Canada so I can see if there is a low bridge blocking my use of a route that I want to take. They are loaded as points of interest in Google Maps and it’s a little funky with the problem points showing up at some resolutions and not evident at others. Examining the days route before setting out seems like a good idea. When the new extensions were installed on the dual drivers side rear wheels, I thanked them very much and went out to the RV. But I didn’t make the same mistake again. Getting my tire gauge, I checked the two tires and there was still no connection between the inner tire and the gauge. This time I went back inside and got the service rep and showed him. To make a long story shorter, the technician had not installed the valve stem. He came out and did it in 10 minutes and all was well.
After stopping at PetSmart and the grocery store, we proceeded to the RV park. Fortunately, the rain had stopped and we got to take a nice walk. Manny was overjoyed. He dashed up and down the trail showing me how fast he is despite having only 3 working legs. The sunset was nice as can be seen in the background behind Manny.
The next morning it was raining once again and the forecast was for three full days of bad weather. Since I really want to see Niagara Falls and the RV parks at this latitude are almost all closed by October 15 when I need to be in Pennsylvania or Virginia, we set out to drive. We departed Cape Breton Island, crossed Nova Scotia, and traveled west across New Brunswick. As we drove across Nova Scotia we came to a bump in the road due to a poorly executed road patch. There was a sign and I just had to smile. In Boston, it would have read “Your Tax Dollars at Work” but in Nova Scotia it was a beautiful hand crafted custom sign that read “Excuse the Bump.”
As we traveled west from Moncton, NB we observed something I had hoped to see. The forests were at their maximum colors. A lot of yellow, red, orange, and pink with some purple as well. First the trees were lining the sides of the road, but then as the land became hilly, entire valleys of color were visible. Unfortunately, I saw it all at 60 mph. But I did take a picture while we were hiking in a little community park near our route.
Today, we reached the St. Lawrence river. We are at a nearly empty campground about 3 hours drive north of Quebec City. It’s interesting that the signs are in both English and French in New Brunswick and French only here in Quebec.
From our campsite, it’s about 3 days to Niagara Falls where we will be able to dawdle a little and then drive due south to Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania.
7 October 2018. Manny and I took an extra day traveling to Niagara in order to have time to take care of household chores. We stopped at an RV park south of Montreal called Camping La Cle des Champs. The weather was off and on rainy, but there was one day that was just overcast with no rain forecast. I did all the laundry and cleaned the RV. They even had a propane tank and I was able to fill with propane. I’ve been using the furnace at night and the propane drops quickly when you have to do that. Once we get further south where the night time temperature doesn’t drop below 45 F the propane use will be minimal since we can use the heat pump to warm the interior at night.
Camping La Cle des Champs was amazing. Most of the park had full time RV’ers. They had lawns, gardens, and buildings. It was a mini suburbia. Talk about taking all your responsibilities with you when you vacation. I don’t profess to understand but some day I will get a chance to talk to similar campers and get their perspective. It was the end of the season at La Cle and there was no one to talk to. Manny and I seem to be good if the Apple health app says that I have walked at least 10,000 steps or 3.6 miles. We walk in the RV park before leaving, find a spot to hike in the middle of the day and walk again in the evening after we have reached our destination. In September, we averaged 10,000 steps but the last week we have been averaging 12,700 steps. This has almost always worked out well for us. We stopped in a park near Kingston ON where we had an adventure and the next day we headed out to Niagara. The RV park near Kingston was huge. On arrival, before nightfall, we took a long walk that led to the shore of a small lake.
Before going to bed we were just going to to take a short walk around the loop where we were parked. I forgot my map and took a wrong turn somewhere. We were soon completely lost with no hope of finding our RV. Almost everyone was asleep, but we found a full time RV with a group of older men talking in the screened porch. I knocked on the door and asked if they had a map. I guess they were done for the evening and one of then, his name was Jim, offered to help us get back home. Fortunately, we were near the boat dock so he knew where to go. Jim, Manny and I hopped in his golf cart and off we went until we were fairy well lost once again, but covering ground much faster than I had on foot. As Jim turned this way and that in search of the boat dock, I got a glimpse of our RV and we were soon home. Lesson learned.
The last leg of our journey to Niagara was a little longer than normal, about 3.5 hours.. I found a park near Toronto for our mid-day hike. I was a little concerned that it was on the east side of Toronto and I didn’t want to get caught in the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, Friday afternoon traffic. But, I thought that if we finished hiking by 2:30, we would be alright. WRONG. When we started to hike, we were 1.5 hours from Niagara and when we finished we were 3 hours away. I should have been more careful. Here is what Trip Advisor has to say about traffic in Toronto:
“In Toronto, the main freeway is Highway 401, which is the busiest highway in the world. The highway runs through Toronto as a quadruple carriageway (express and collector lanes). Most exit ramps are only accesible from the collector lanes, and both carriageways are linked by sliproads. The highway can be incredibly congested; it is recomended to check local traffic reports or the Ministry of Transportation website before using it.“
I could have avoided the extra 1.5 hours, but had no way to use the special toll roads. When we finally reached the RV park in Niagara we discovered that there was the constant banging of the propane powered grape cannons. Of course, Manny is scared to death by the sound, which is meant to keep birds from eating the grapes. I could barely get him to walk long enough to empty his bladder before going to bed.
The first day here, we went to see Horseshoe Falls. First, we stopped in a park and Manny got to go off leash for an hour. Then we went to the Falls. It may be off season, but there were still large crowds. I couldn’t get a spot in one of the close in parking lots, so I kept on going until I found the RV parking at the National Park. The gates were open although the park was closed for the season. We drove in, parked and then took the long walk down to the Falls.
Manny was unimpressed, didn’t like the crowds, and was on a mission to walk. At least he enjoyed a break from the constant sound of the cannons.
It was supposed to be nicer today. But it has been raining fairly continuously. Our plan is to go to Niagara on the Lake and one or two dog friendly wineries. At one point I had hoped to eat a meal at an outdoor cafe, but I doubt if that plan is going to work this weekend. Here’s our trip route from Strava.
Manny and I visited the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake today. We walked all around to get some exercise. It was really Manny’s first outing of the day since the cannons drive him into the RV except when he is in dire need like first thing in the morning. The little town is a very ritzy community with a large number of tourist shops along one street. We stopped for a beer at an Irish bar that had outdoor seating.
9 October 2018. Never was a dog happier than Manny to be leaving the campground at Niagara. He stayed in the RV hiding from the bird bangers until I was ready to leave for the day. I would take him out after it was completely dark and the bangers were off, but he still wasn’t comfortable. We took the Queen Elizabeth Way and crossed back into the US at the Peace Bridge without any trouble. I was glad to be back in my own country for all its faults. Maybe it was the guy who asked me how I could stand President Trump (Perhaps we’ll do better in 2020). Maybe its all the people who said they were going to go to Canada when Trump was elected and then never did. Maybe its just knowing that you don’t really belong. But it felt good when the border agent said welcome to the United States.
We stopped off at a FedEx office where I printed my Texas voter registration application and then again at a Post Office where I sent it by certified mail. It was the last day for registration by mail and I hope it goes smoothly because I haven’t missed voting in a national election since I was old enough to vote for the first time.
Manny and I stopped at the Eternal Flame Trail for our daily hike. It sounded great but eventually deteriorated into a completely unmaintained path blocked by trees every few feet and horribly muddy due to the frequent rainstorms. We persisted and another hiker took this picture of the two of us at the eternal flame.
You will notice that I have given up looking for barbers to keep my hair trimmed. I took my electric shaver and shaved everything to about 5 mm. I’ve been wondering what I would look like if I shaved my noggin and now I know. We stayed at a no frills park that evening, but there was a nearby trail. Here’s Manny on the trail just a mile from our campground in Pennsylvania.
And this is how happy he is to be away from Niagara.
Yesterday was just too much hiking and it was hard to avoid cramping up in bed. Manny was exhausted. The sun set over the RV and we went to sleep.
We hiked again this morning…enough for the entire day and then set off for a campground just north of Pittsburgh PA. I selected a route that was not the most direct in order to drive through the Appalachian National Forest. Google complains mightily when you do this and I had to reject its selected shorter route 3 times until the need to backtrack made it no longer shorter than the route we were on. I as rewarded with a great drive through the forests and small towns of northern Pennsylvania. Manny could care less. I swear I could sense him thinking “an extra half hour of driving so you can look at more trees?” We’re settled into our new campsite trying to decide whether to stay here an extra day so we can take it easy and grill steak for dinner? Time will tell.
15 October 2018. We kept driving south from Pennsylvania through West Virginia and into Kentucky. All three states were heavily wooded and quite rural for the most part. We did drive through Louisville KY and it was quite different. We saw highly manicured horse pasture that made me think of the Kentucky Derby, but subsequently we entered the Daniel Boone National Forest. We stayed in the town of Salt Lick and there was very little about that part of Kentucky that seemed different from what it probably was 200 years ago. I don’t remember any details, But I did occasionally watch a 1960’s television show about Daniel Boone starring Fess Parker.
On travel days, we stop at places that Google says are hiking trails, but it’s not terribly reliable. Here is the sign from one place we stopped. It was a city park with a nice walkway about 3/4 mile long. Not the trail I was hoping for and not too dog friendly either. Since we stopped during a brief pause in the rain, we were the only ones in the park and simply ignored the warning.
The nicest thing about the Daniel Boon National Forest was that it seemed completely dog friendly or maybe just unconcerned. Here is the sign from one of the trails that Manny and I hiked.
The first day we went left from the gravel access road. The trail eventually reached a small lake. We were among the very few forest users and saw absolutely no one on the trail.
Our second day in the area, we turned right from the gravel access road. It was a nice trail but very muddy. It seems like the rain and mud has been with us on and off since Halifax. We are always dodging the rain to get in our outdoor activities and it’s nigh impossible to keep the mud out of the RV.
We drove from Kentucky into Tennessee bypassing Nashville, a city I have no love for, and stopped at an extremely nice RV campground in the center of the state. Last night I was browsing Google and read about the Natchez Trace Parkway. It sounds like the perfect way to continue our trip southwest. The parkway follows old hunting trails and passes through the small towns and cities of three states – Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi in its 400 mile length. We have already passed the start of the parkway but will pick it up by the most direct route. So I decided to stay here an extra day. I hired someone to wash and wax the RV while I cleaned the floors and the toilet and did the laundry. It started to rain at mid-day and continued until 6:00 but the mud is momentarily off the inside and outside of the RV. Manny and I managed to get in our minimum 4 miles locally and once I wash the dishes I will wake him up for his final walk before we go to sleep for the night.
This is what he usually does while he waits for me to clean up after our dinner.
17 October 2018. We got a reasonably early start although I had to dump and fill the passenger side rear tire. The day was sunny and dry. We backtracked on a side road to get to the Natchez Trace Parkway and then immediately found a hiking area. We stopped and hiked 4 miles on a loop trail that included some of the original Natchez Trace. Here’s Manny all set to go.
The start of the trail is the spot where Meriwether Lewis (Lewis and Clark expedition) died in an Inn next to the trace. There is a monument, but the Inn is gone.
We finished hiking about 2:00 PM and decided to stop at a nearby campground, catch up on a few things and relax. We met a nice couple at the end of our hike and discussed our respective trips. Later in the day, we discovered that they were camping just 100 yds from us in the campground.
20 October 2018. Manny and I are sitting behind the McDonald’s in Gulfport MS. I’m drinking a decaf coffee and Manny is snoozing in the passenger seat. Why McDonald’s? Well I can’t find T-Mobile service nearby and I needed to catch up on my bills, email, and this blog. After I am done writing, we will head for Piggly Wiggly to stock up on food. I have only one dinner left and am very low on Milk, cream, fruit and salad.
The Natchez Trace is just the most amazing parkway that I have ever seen. It is 444 miles long with nary an advertisement or commercial business. You have to get off the Trace to camp for the night and to find fuel. We are stayed in the Meriwether Lewis Campground our first night and the next day transitioned from Tennessee through the corner of Alabama into Mississippi. We stayed in the Choctaw Lake Campground. They had nice hiking right in the campground and we should have stayed longer, but I was well rested and got up early, hiked with Manny, and we were on our way. We were up early enough to catch a picture of the sunrise.
While hiking we discover many interesting mushrooms. Here are three from our journey through Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi.
The forests are really changing with more shrubs and brush and fewer tall trees. The ground is frequently covered with vines. The other really noticeable change is the abundance of Mosquitoes. There were none at Choctaw lake, but 150 miles south and you can’t go into the forest without insect repellent. Manny is lucky. He takes a pill once a month. We stopped to hike many places between Choctaw Lake and Grand Gulf were we are staying. This is Manny relaxing at one of them.
Grand Gulf used to be a town, but like Rocky Spring where we hiked, the town has disappeared. The story of the two places is similar. A combination of several disasters that can be chosen from the menu of epidemic, tornado, flood, drought, and the Civil War. Our campground is a former Confederate embattlement. There are signs of where the artillery was located up on the hill and a museum at the entrance. There are several other historic buildings that have been moved to the site including an early settler’s cabin and a church. I spent quite a bit of time taking to the campground ranger and he advised me on how to drive to San Antonio, but I don’t want to go directly home yet. Manny and I are having a great time and I want to see the Gulf coast so we will plan that.
25 October 2018. We crossed the Mississippi at Natchez, a town that I would really like to see, but not with Manny. We stopped for the night near Leesville once again dodging the rain and hiking muddy trails. I did get to add one more mushroom photo to my collection. Apparently, they change colors like the leaves of a tree.
The following day we crossed into Texas and stayed in the Sam Houston National Forest near the town of Coldspring. Before setting up for the night, we found a trailhead and hiked for a while. The next day was our worst day of driving. I have Google Maps set for no highways and no tolls. We spent the first half of the day twisting and turning on small back roads that Google had decided were the fastest route. I would have paid for a slightly longer simpler route that didn’t involve changing highways every two miles. We finally stopped for the day at a woodsy RV park just off the route were Manny met a distant relative.
It took a while to get everything hooked up and working so we didn’t go anywhere that afternoon. The drive the next day was easier. I stopped at a grocery just 2 miles before the RV park that I planned to check out. It is located at Port Aransas just at the tip of Padre Island. I was confused by Google Maps, which said 2 miles and 30 minutes until I discovered that there is no bridge and we needed to take the ferry across the channel to the island. The RV park seemed quite nice and walking distance to parks, beaches, an restaurants. These last four days are the vacation part of the trip and I hope to not move the RV until it is time to head for San Antonio. Last night we walked to the park and then made myself cocktails before dinner. This morning we walked to the beach. We had accomplished our minimum daily exercise (4 miles) before we returned for breakfast.
29 October 2018. Manny is happy with our vacation routine. Here he is smiling in his seat in the RV.
Our first day was cloudy all day. We just went to the city park next to the ferry terminal. This is a freighter going by and a ferry just to the aft of the freighter.
The park was home to quite a few pelicans and once the weather cleared up the fishermen came out in large numbers.
Manny and I probably went to the park three times because the walk wasn’t too long. We also walked to the beach, which was a much longer excursion. The two times we walked to the beach were early in the morning. The first time we saw a number of vultures.
The last time we were there was before dawn. This is the eastern sky just before the disk of the sun rose above the horizon.
One day we had to get two documents printed and one mailed a very uninteresting walk. But on the way back, we stopped at a nice bar on the marina. I had Gulf flounder and French fries for dinner. Manny met quite a few dogs and shared my flounder before eating his own dinner in the RV. The day before we left was Sunday. I did a rough clean of the RV and then we went out to walk to the park. But, we walked past one of the residents who I had met while checking in. It turned out that he was a chef at a local restaurant. Based on. his recommendation, we went to La Barataria. Dinner was fantastic for both of us. Manny had a cow leg bone cut in half lengthwise and frozen. He spent more than an hour getting all the marrow. I had Chilean Sea Bass and two glasses of Pinot Noir. I got to meet the owner and the whole experience was a great conclusion to a wonderful adventure.
Today we drove across the causeway to Corpus Christi on our way to San Antonio. This will be our last night in the RV. Tomorrow, I will pack the necessities to transfer to the Condo – Manny’s stuff, my medications, and the contents of the refrigerator. I have arranged covered storage for the RV so we will drive there, sign the contract, leave the RV with the essentials and take Lyft or Uber to the condo. We will return the next day or so and get the bulk my clothes and some other items.
I haven’t written much about how Manny is progressing with his training. That he is not completely trained is my fault. I haven’t spent enough time teaching him the seven most important commands. He has partially learned three of them – sit, stand, and down. Part of the reason is that there was so much to do on our trip and part of the reason is that the RV is too small to work on stay and come. Manny is smart but plays dumb. He is so focused on treats that he can barely listen to the command. He has such a high desire to please that I think that he will soon be well trained. The training activity can be a much larger part of our activities than it has been and the Condo is a good place to work on commands without external distractions. And now, it is time to get Manny our for his before dinner walk. According to the Apple health app, my walking has increased from 6,000 steps per day in August before Manny, then 9,800 steps per day in September as we started to develop our routine, and now 12,500 steps per day so far in October. That seems to work for us. Manny and I are both tired at night and sleep well. It has been early to bed and early to rise for us for at least the last month.
End of Trip
Home at last.
After staying south of San Antonio in an RV park, we drove to the storage facility the next morning. Of course, we had to stop and hike in Brackenridge Park on the way. Manny and I took a Lyft from the storage facility home, picked up the car, and returned to the RV in our Ford Escape to empty the refrigerator. Living on the 31st floor will be a new challenge for both Manny and me. Having Manny with me will change my life style. My vision was to hardly use my car at all. Now we will drive to one of San Antonio’s many parks each day for our mid-day walk. Manny has two basic activities in life: hiking and resting up for the next hike. Right now he is doing the latter, which lets me get something done. I was going to do my mail, but the mail service web site seems to be down, giving me a little time to finish the story of our first trip together.
Travels with Manny 