Ginger Goes Glamping

Boondocking in Southern Utah

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Carol

We didn’t know if we would continue the blog after losing its author and adventurer extraordinaire… Ginger. But then Utah happened.

And the blog just didn’t seem complete without a post about our wonderful adventure there, even if our best buddy isn’t with us anymore except in spirit.

In the 3 years we’ve been on the road full-time we have yearned to camp Southern Utah but the seasonal timing hadn’t worked out. It’s best to go in Spring or Fall, as the Summers are very warm with monsoonal storms. So this past May we set about correcting that.

Having driven this area before we knew it was perfect for boondocking and started researching spots before we left. Luckily we came across the perfect website, Adventurous and Affordable RV Travel. Marianne and Randy are the authors of the “Frugal Shunpiker’s Guide” and have individual editions for 5 different Western states and Ontario, Canada. These guides are wonderful, with very accurate GPS coordinates for dispersed camping sites on BLM and National Forest Service land.

Though we never shy away from an adventure and have boondocked before is daunting to drive down a dirt road looking for the perfect spot without knowing if you’ll be able to turn around. Been there, done that! And pre-scouting takes a lot of time. With these guides you can rest assured you will not get stuck. Marianne is very detailed about what size rig can fit in each spot with great descriptions of the astounding views that await you. This guide is worth every penny!

Our first stop was Zion National Park. We came in the west entrance and though there are free spots on both sides of the park we were a little trepidatious as we hadn’t used the guide before and it was a holiday weekend so we opted for a private campground. FAIL!!

But we did scout the sites they recommended and they were great. So from then on we just went directly to their suggested spots.

After Zion we continued east to Bryce Canyon National Park. Again the nearby free spots were great AND all the park campgrounds were full.

We tried to get into the campground at Kodachrome Basin State Park but again, FULL, so we were very happy to have the GPS coordinates to this great free spot nearby.

The next day we snagged a spot in the park campground but liked our free spot better.

Next up was Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument with its 2 million acres of BLM land. The view from this free spot was incredible (our rig is shown in the first photo).

We explored the area on the few dirt roads that traverse it. About 12 miles down Hole in the Rock Road we visited Devils Garden with lots of hoodoos, arches and spires. Further down were various hikes to slot canyons.

At the northern edge of Escalante is the Burr Trail Scenic Backway, and yes, we had another great spot all to ourselves.

The Burr Trail is paved for 30 miles but turns to dirt with tight switchbacks. If you have 4 wheel drive, a small rig, and good weather you could use this route as a short cut to Capital Reef. We unhooked and went just far enough to have a great view of the Capital Reef Waterpocket Fold.

We went the long way to Capital Reef National Park (on the highway) and stayed at the Fruita campground as the boondocking spots were a bit far away.

Right outside the campground is the Gifford Homestead barn with this great view!

From Capital Reef we headed south on Highway 95, the Trail of the Ancients, and using the guide found yet another great free spot!

We were right beside the 80 mile long Comb Ridge.

This area is teaming with Anasazi ruins and petroglyphs. We hiked about 2 miles round trip to get this shot of the “House on Fire” ruin. You have to get there at about noon for this effect. This site is unmarked and hard to find but of course there were detailed instructions in our guide!

From here we headed to Moab, one of our favorite areas.

It’s harder to boondock in this popular and crowded area but not impossible. We scouted out a couple of sites from the guide not far from town and they were great. We hit most of the hot spots; Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.

Canyonlands National Park – Mesa Arch

Delicate Arch – Arches National Park

Double Arch – Arches National Park

We loved the Rock Art.

Our favorite was the birthing scene.

There are so many fabulous sites to visit in Southern Utah, and we only did about half of the places detailed in our guide. Ginger would have loved it ):

Speaking of Ginger, I have a question. Should I change the name of the blog or leave it?

Coming up Next – High In The Colorado Rockies

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Glamping, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, Arches National Park, Boondocking, Boondocking in UT, Bryce Canyon National Park, Burr Trail, camping, Canyonlands National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, double arch, free camping, glamping, Grand Staircase Escalante, House on Fire Ruin, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Mesa arch. Delicate arch, Moab, Rock Art, Trail of the Ancients, Utah, Zion National Park | 32 Comments

Ginger’s Last Adventure – Carnival Cozumel

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Carol

I have loved every minute of my glamping adventures and I’m so grateful that my humans “convinced” me to come along. I really didn’t want to leave all my creature comforts behind to hit the road in a tiny tin can (ok, a tiny aluminum can). How did they expect me to just give up my life as I knew it? I had cool tile floors to lounge on, my own pool, a private yard, three dog beds scattered around the house, a basket full of toys, walks at the top of the cove, all my besties… did I mention square footage?

But it turned out to be the best thing I ever did. I got to run with the buffaloes, live on a Caribbean beach, chase crabs, go fishing, eat lobster, ride in boats, see dolphins, whale watch, climb mountains, chase off bears, swim in glacier lakes, hang with the seals, go surfing, well at least I watched the surfers. But I did go kayaking.

A woman asked the Dalai Lama what is the meaning of life and he replied right away “that’s an easy question… happiness. But how to achieve it, that is the hard question”. For me it was through travel.

Traveling made it easy to learn that less is more. It encourages a decluttering of your life and hence your mind. Because possessions really do hold you back – they’re actually heavy. I learned that when you let go of “things” it’s easy to let go of other things, like expectations. And when you let go of expectations then your worries disappear and when the worrying stops you experience… happiness in the moment. Happiness cannot be found in the future, or in the past, it can only be found in enjoying the here and now.

I was lucky to love and be loved. A big shout out to all my homies and to my boy, who I love more than anything. To my Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins who I love and who I know love me. And love and kisses to my crazy humans (the mommy and the daddy) who took me on the greatest adventure of my life.

And now for the good part, the pictures! When you see my how I spent my last days on this glorious earth you’ll understand why for me… life’s a carnival. Oh, and life is a beach too!

“One day your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” -Unknown

And remember, BE HERE NOW!

And of course the best one of all, me as the queen of the Sol Sisters float!

Our great friends, Kent and Lynn, arranged this spectacular experience for me! And love to Dierck and Vera for always being there for us!

Ginger died peacefully on March 7, 2014 after returning from Carnival Cozumel. She was fourteen and a half years old and was the most amazing dog that ever lived (at least to us, her humans).

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Glamping, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, carnival, Cozumel, cozumel carnival, dogs, glamping, liveriveted, On the road in Mexico, RVing in Mexico, the meaning of life, Travel | 37 Comments

The Road To Paradise

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Carol

Happy New Year everybody!

As you know I’m on the Riviera Maya in Mexico once again. I am a lucky dog! And boy have I been living large, lots of tacos Al Pastor and fun on the beach.

Looks yummy, right?

But in case you think all I do is lounge on the beach and east tacos all day I wanted to share our stops along the route south so that anybody who wants to go… knows how to get to paradise.

We crossed the border at Laredo, TX using the Columbia Bridge. We personally think this is the easiest and safest crossing, but another option would be Nogales, which is just south of Tucson, AZ.

Choosing between these two crossings is often a matter of where you’re going and where you’re coming from. If you’re heading to the West Coast of Mexico from the Southwest US you should cross at Nogales and then go south on the 15D south. If you are coming from the East Coast of the US you can take the Laredo crossing for either the Yucatan Peninsula or the West Coast of Mexico. We take toll roads all the way (or cuotas as they are called in Mexico and are designated with the letter D after the highway number). The money is worth it for the condition of the roads and safety (please visit my earlier posts “South of the Border part 1 and 2” for more details about driving in Mexico and other stops along the these two routes).

After crossing the border in Laredo you take the 85D to the 40D (the bypass around Monterrey) then you head south on the 57D to Matehuela. This is a one day drive from Laredo and gets you way south and away from any border issues. The Las Palmas Hotel and RV Park in Matehuela is a popular overnight spot for most travelers heading south. From there it is an easy drive to San Miguel de Allende in the mountains where we stayed for a few days to break up the trip.

Two art schools were established in San Miguel in the 1940’s, changing the future of this beautiful colonial town. After World War Two, US veterans were allowed to study abroad on the G.I. Bill and the Instituto AllendeEscuela and the de Bellas Artes in SMA attracted many. Artists and writers started flocking here and many of the veterans who studied came back to retire. San Miguel is now a world famous cultural center with an ex-pat population hovering around 10%.

The La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel is the neo-Gothic church that dominates the skyline.

The cobblestone streets in the historic center are fun to explore.

From San Miguel we continued south on the 57 D and exited onto the Arco Norte, which is a fabulous bypass road north of and around Mexico City. When it ends you hang a left onto the 150D to Puebla, arriving in just one day from SMA. Puebla is one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico.

Like San Miguel it’s a World Heritage Site with tons of historical and cultural value. I will spare you the details but the food, the art, and the culture are all fabulous (you can Google it). The markets are also fun to explore!

Puebla and it’s suburb of Cholula sit in the valley of the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt with beautiful views of the nearby volcanoes. The only RV park in the area, Trailer Park Las Americas, is located in Cholula.

Within walking distance of Las Americas is the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios sanctuary which sits atop the Great Pyramid.

Though it looks like a hill, underneath is the largest pyramid base in the Americas, four times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. It has been overgrown for centuries but the south side has been somewhat excavated so you can wander through some tunnels. From the top you can see four different volcanoes.

The town of Cholula.

And some local entertainers.

From Puebla we took the 150D east, a road that winds through the mountains and plummets some 8000 ft to the balmy Gulf Coast region of Mexico. Do not leave Puebla before 8am because you don’t want to get caught in the fog on this crazy but well engineered road that seems to descend from the heavens. Once at sea level you hang a right on the 145D.

The 145D is not my favorite cuota, though they work on it all the time, half is usually good and half is covered in huge pot holes. After Acayucan we take the 180D towards Villahermosa to overnight in the “Balneario” RV Park which means water park (real name Recreativo El Gordo y San Pancho, but the sign says Balneario) at around K 158. Unfortunately there was too much construction this year to do the necessary retorno so we stayed at a Pemex gas station #9107. Staying at a Pemex is SOP in Mexico as there aren’t always RV parks nearby. There is usually a guard that you tip to keep an eye out but this particular Pemex was a bonafide trailer park for all the truckers. They charged us 100 pesos and gave us a nice spot complete with grass right out our door.

If you were heading straight to the Riviera Maya you would turn on the 186 outside Villahermosa heading towards Escarcega (you can stop in Palenque to see my favorite Mayan ruins). In Escargeca you stay on the 186 heading towards Chetumal. Just outside of Chetumal you go north on the 307 to either Tulum, Playa Del Carmen or Cancun. Or you could go north from Escarcega to see Campeche, and Merida before heading east to Cancun. It takes 5 days to arrive in Playa Del Carmen from the border if you only overnight along the way.

But we decided to take a side trip north from Villahermosa to see Isla Aquada, a tiny fishing village on the Gulf Coast. We stayed at the Freedom Shores RV park and had a great view. Excited about having more stone crab claws, which they served in the park’s restaurant, we scoured the local fish stores in the area but couldn’t find a single one.

We were going to head north to Merida to visit all the wonderful Mayan ruins in the vicinity but circumstances with the cuota (teacher’s strike demonstration) and the heat (best to explore the Yucatan in the winter) convinced us to head straight for the Riviera Maya and its cool ocean breezes.

And then we arrived in Paradise…

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Glamping, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, Cholula, dogs, El Fogon restaurant, Isla Aguada, Mexico, On the road in Mexico, Puebla, Riviera Maya, RVing in Mexico, San Miguel de Allende, Villahermosa | 8 Comments

California Here We Come….

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Carol

Before I get to my California summer adventures, how do you like my new sunglasses?

Since I was hoping to go back to the Caribbean beaches of the Riviera Maya I just couldn’t bear to wear the same glasses from last year. I needed to CHANGE IT UP, you know… be fresh. Besides, I knew that my fans and the beach paparazzi would expect more from me. So I started shopping around.

I considered the Louis Vuitton Evasions ($1200) and I really loved the Chrome Hearts Kuffannaws ($1350). I checked out the Moss Lipows ($3800), but I thought the Bentley Platinums were ridiculously overpriced!

Bentley Platinum $45,276.

But when my humans saw the price tags they told me in no uncertain terms, “if you want new glasses, you’re going to have to pay for them”.

What? I have no income! But being the resourceful glamper that I am, I searched the internet and found the perfect job! Camp hosting at the Little Bear RV Park in Blairsden, CA.

It was an easy job for me, all I had to do was greet the guests when they arrived. But my opposable thumb slaves had to do all the real work. Haha, I think I got my humans good!

Little Bear is a gem of a RV Park, lovingly cared for by its owner Todd, and located just an hour north of Lake Tahoe in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. The Lakes Basin Recreation Area nearby has 30 gorgeous alpine lakes within a 10 mile radius.

Our first weekend camping trip was almost a disaster. We decided to check out Lower Bucks Lake. The entrance sign said “self contained RV’s only” so we thought it was safe to go in without a pre-check. Classic mistake! We inched out way down the narrow road and every site was taken by a tent camper. It wasn’t until the end of the road that we realized there was not going to be room to turn around. Backing all the way out was not an option. AHHHH!

My humans debated and debated but it was me who finally came up with the best plan. We backed the trailer up a hillside at a 90 degree angle, then unhooked the truck and brought it around to the other side, re-hooked and managed to squeeze ourselves out of there! Pheww! Crisis averted.

Safely back on the main road we drove a bit further to the next campground, Sundew. There was plenty of room and we got the best site there.

I loved just chilling and looking at the view.

A few weeks later though we did stay at Lower Bucks Lake, this time pre-scouting and finding the very first spot open, which once we backed in, was an easy pullout a few days later.

Our view at Lower Bucks Lake!

In the Lakes Basin Area our favorite spot was Lower Sardine Lake

The fishing was wonderful! Our friends, Rob and Peri, caught more than they could keep.

The town of Graeagle was only 2 miles away, and boy do they take their July 4th festivities very seriously! There were barn dances, and parades, and fireworks.

The Mill Pond in town was my favorite hangout.

And I liked to visit Chief Graeagle.

I never saw a bear but I did make some other friends.

Another favorite, Upper Sardine Lake.

We took a trip north through Lassen Volcanic National Park to Mount Shasta

Because the fishing was so good my human eventually forgave me for making him work so hard all summer.

And we loved the Plumas County Barn Quilt Trail.

Here are some of our favorite guests at Little Bear, The Trailerettes!

But the best part of the summer was getting to hang out with my fellow Airstreamer and homie, Sparky and his humans! We had so much fun together, you can check out his blog at Tranquillatime.blogspot.com. Very soon he’ll be sailing to the West Coast of Mexico from California and you can follow his aquatic adventures at Sveltiburon.blogspot.com

By the end of the summer I realized I didn’t really need a fancy designer pair of sunglasses. So I went to Pet Smart and bought a practical pair of K9 Sunglasses, you could say they were custom made just for me. See the straps?

Now when I get up to greet my fans on the beach, they don’t fall off! Looking good, huh?

It’s our third year wintering south of the border in Mexico so please stayed tuned for some new adventures. Oh, and I’m going to learn Spanish this year!

Coming up Next: The Colonial Towns of San Miguel Allende, Puebla and Cholula

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Glamping, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, Blairsden, Bucks Lake, California, dogs, flyfishing, glamping, Graeagle, Graeagle July 4th, Lakes Basin Recreation Area, Little Bear RV Park, Lower Sardine Lake, Plumas County, Plumas County barn quilt trail, Portola, Quincy, Sierra Nevada Mountains, trout fishing, Upper Sardine Lake | 10 Comments

South Of The Border – Part 2

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Carol

After tearing ourselves away from the Riviera Maya we headed south to the Costa Maya coast of Mexico. This area is very undeveloped with just two towns, Majahual and Xcalac. There was no electricity until just a few years ago when a cruise ship dock was built.

In 2007 the area was devastated by a hurricane, but since that time it has been rebuilt and the sleepy little fishing village is now a small town. When the cruise ships are in it’s busy with lots of tourist shopping along a very nice promenade. We saw nary a ship and it was lovely!

We stayed at the beautiful Blue Bay Resort in Majahual where the owner and staff were very accommodating. The usual RV parking is behind the bungalows but we got to park right by the restaurant since it was off season.

The beach was great!

Xcalac to the south is much sleepier and feels more like Belize, complete with a mangrove shoreline. Ambregris Key in Belize is only 4 miles south by boat.

There is a nice paved road slightly inland From Majahual south to Xcalac and a very bumpy dirt one that parallels the waterfront. Adventurers beware… even though the maps show the dirt road connecting the two towns, that is no longer the case.

We did a pre-scout to Xcalac without the trailer, thank goodness. Since I was manning the GPS I calmly pointed out that half way down (15 long bumpy miles) the dirt road veers into the ocean. But since the GPS is frequently wrong in Mexico (even with the latest maps loaded), my humans didn’t listen to me! So off we go and sure enough, after an hour and a half of brain numbing jostling there was no more road. And even worse… no way to turn around. But as usual they figured it out and got us back south, where we took the paved road home in silence. By the request of my humans the pictures I took of them “negotiating” their predicament will not be published.

It was finally time to leave the coast and head inland to the beautiful Mayan Ruins at Palenque. These ruins are unique because of their jungle setting and much smaller crowds since it’s a full day drive from the tourist areas.

They have just built a new international airport in Palenque that is due to open at any time but nonetheless there were plenty of tourists even in May. We met a lovely group of RV’ers from the Netherlands at the very nice Mayabell Campground right by the ruins. They were on a Pan American tour, having already traveled most of South America, then shipping their European rigs across the Darien gap, and caravanning all the way north through Central America to Mexico. Their final destination, Alaska. Now these retirees are the real adventurers! A big shout out to our buddies Willemijn and Cornelis wherever you are!

But back to the ruins! We loved our guide who was very knowledgeable and spoke perfect English having lived in the States only to return to his Mayan roots. In its heyday this ancient city encompassed almost 50 sq miles. We were there during the burning season which he explained to us is signaled to start by the Spring equinox. The temples are positioned so that the seasonal solstices and equinoxes line up exactly and shine through the tops. The fields were burned, planted and harvested accordingly. The local farmers still follow the same tradition.

The museum was fascinating with lots of interesting artifacts!

After a day at the ruins a dip in the nearby Aqua Azul Falls was a real treat. The light blue water was a cool but comfortable temperature, perfect for my aching knees after climbing up and down all those temples.

Oops, somebody forgot my glasses… here’s a better shot without my mug in it.

After yet another days drive we arrived at the volcanic town of Catemaco, just off the Gulf of Mexico, on a beautiful lake at 1000 ft elevation where it’s cooler (relatively) than the flatlands. This is where they shot the movies “Medicine Man” and “Apocalypto”.

The area is also known for it’s brujos or male witches. You can easily consult with one and buy herbs or charms but I decided I didn’t need to since I’m already the luckiest dog on earth! We stayed at the wonderful campground, Villas Tepetepan and RV Park, which isn’t on the lake but instead overlooks the Rio Grande De Catemaco. You might recognize these falls, Cascada Salto de Eyipantia, from the movies.

We were re-tracing our steps home now, the 45D to the 50D, then back on the Arco Norte which rings Mexico City WAY on the outskirts. Our destination, the third largest pyramid in the world! The largest pyramid is actually in the nearby Puebla suburb of Cholula, which was just a few miles back on the 50D. It was raining too hard on the way down to visit and now we were on a tight schedule to get home to see my boy, Sece, before he left for Spain.

Anyway… Teotihuacan!!!

Can you see my humans on the very top, they’re waving at me!

This culture was born, grew and fell between 200BC and 700 AD. Nobody knows their real name but the Aztecs who discovered it 600 years after its decline were so impressed they gave it the name Teotihuacan, which means City of Gods.

The size of this ancient Mesoamerican complex is mind blowing! Only 3- 5% has been excavated and Avenue of the Dead, the main thoroughfare to the pyramids, is 2.5 miles long.

While there you must stay at the Teotihuacan Trailer Park in Centro San Juan. It’s a lovely spot and the town has lots of shops and restaurants. Here’s one of our neighbors.

We saw these Expedition vehicles everywhere we went in Mexico. These babies will go anywhere, even across the Sahara desert. They will run on anything including cooking oil and some even have their own water purification systems. It’s not as glamorous as our Airstream and a lot more expensive but I sure would like to have one!

In yet another day’s drive we were in Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara, at rush hour! But it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. We found our way to the San Jose Del Tajo Trailer Park, which has literally been there forever. Well, at least a really long time. Being off season it was pretty empty but we met some great people, including Juan our neighbor who had us over for cocktails and some lively conversation. There are lots of permanents here but instead of palapas they have real brick and mortar houses surrounding their trailers. Over 25,000 Americans and Canadians live in this area including Lake Chapala, making it an ex-pat haven.

In order to break up our 4000 mile trip home we had decided to stay on the West Coast for a few days, landing in yet another ex-pat hangout, Sayulita.

It’s a bit like Disney Land but we loved it, and the Sayulita Trailer Park and Bungalows were fantastic and right on the water. It’s a bit difficult to find a spot here in the winter but luckily because it was off season we got a site just off this gorgeous beach. Another shout out to the owner, Thies! A fascinating German who has lived in Mexico for decades.

The restaurants were great!

As were sunsets on the beach!

And great people watching!

After a lovely visit it was finally time to head north towards home. Getting back to the 15D took us a little longer than we thought due to this accident.

Nobody was hurt but we had to wait a few minutes for them to pull this truck out of the ditch. We were always amazed by how fast the Mexicans clear accidents and get traffic flowing again. On our rainy drive down I mentioned some accidents. Most we saw would have closed down a US highway for hours yet we were never delayed more than 30-45 minutes. The ambulances would come, depart, and the road would be quickly cleared of all debris. Then we were on our way.

Over 20 million Americans travel safely to Mexico every year but the rule of thumb for RVers in Mexico is never to drive at night for various reasons. The main one being debris in the road, you just can’t see it in the dark. In Baja that would include livestock as it is free range. Another reason, it increases your chances of getting lost as the signage can be hard enough to see in the daylight. And because sometimes bad people come out at night, just like anywhere in the world. And of course you don’t want to have mechanical issues in the dark, so just don’t do it.

It would take us two more days from Sayulita to reach the border just south of Tucson AZ. The first night we stayed at the Villas Tortugas RV Park in Celestino Gasca. It was a great spot with just 8 sites behind their villas on the Pacific Ocean. We loved the easy access to the 15D.

Our final stop in Mexico was the Totonaka RV Park in the town of San Carlos. An easy days drive from Arizona, this seaside town gets a ton of RV business. It looks just like Arizona on the water, right?

The tropics were long gone, sadly! We had an easy uneventful border crossing and before you knew it, we were back in the US of A.

Coming up next: California Here We Come, Right Back Where We Started From…

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, caribbean, Catemaco, Costa Maya, dogs, glamping, Mexico, Palenque, Pyramids, RVing in Mexico, Sayulita, Teotihuacan | 12 Comments

South Of The Border – Part 1a

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Carol

Here are a few more reasons why I didn’t want to leave the Riviera Maya!

Beach clubs…

Sunsets…

Coco Locos…

Beach walks…

@ 2013 Richard Broadwell

Shady hangouts…

Fine dining…

Crab hunting…

The warm water…

Sea gazing…

Souvenir shopping…

Kite surfing…

Fishing fishing fishing…

Stay tuned for Part 2 of South Of The Border!

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, dogs, flyfishing, glamorous camping, glamping, Mexico, On the road in Mexico, Playa Del Carmen, Riviera Maya, RVing in Mexico, Tulum | 9 Comments

South Of The Border

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Carol

Ahhhh, Mexico! I’ve missed you so much since our wonderful visit to Baja last year. What a jewel of a country. But before I get to the good stuff here’s a brief summation of our route to the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast. We used Bill Bell’s “On the Road in Mexico” comprehensive guides and I highly recommend them. Also their Facebook Group is a wealth of information!

It took us 3 days to reach our chosen border crossing at Laredo, Texas from Southern CA. We crossed the border early on New Year’s Day when everybody was still sleeping then traveled south on the 57D bypassing Monterrey and Saltillo on toll roads, what the Mexicans call cuota roads. They can be a little pricey but worth every cent.

We stopped the first night in Matehuala and stayed at the La Palmas Midway Inn and RV Park, a well known respite for all travelers driving south. Because of rain we did not detour to San Miguel de Allende as planned instead continuing onto the beautiful Arco Norte cuota bypassing Mexico City and stopped in the beautiful city of Puebla the second night. The roads were good but because of rain we did encounter quite a few accidents.

From Puebla we headed east on the 50D, catching the 45D south and overnighted at a Pemex station just outside Acayucan. This is SOP for RV travelers when there are no RV parks nearby. Pemex is the Mexican state owned petroleum company and their gas stations are considered public property. Most have guards and are usually very safe.

We pushed on to Escarcega where we camped at the Campestre Restaurant in the jungle overlooking a beautiful lake. For the price of a good but cheap meal you are welcomed to park overnight. I loved the peacocks and though it was still raining at least it was finally warm!

On our fifth day in Mexico we arrived at our destination just south of Playa Del Carmen having traveled some 3000 miles. It was time for some serious decompression!

There are only a few RV parks along this beautiful coast, the most popular being Paa Mul RV Park just south of Playa Del Carmen. It’s located right on the water with a nice open air restaurant and a seaside swimming pool. There are around a 100 full hook up sites, though the waterfront spots are occupied by annual renters who have built elaborate palapas over and around their RV’s.

Since my humans have flown to the eco chic town of Tulum for years they knew the area well and opted to stay in a secret location. I would tell you where but then I would have to kill you. And I don’t want to do that!

I’m just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Okay… I’ll say a few words. Bliss bliss bliss!

My human loves to hunt bonefish. Though not edible they are very fiesty; it’s like catching a trout on steroids!

I quickly settled into the beach life like a pro, making lots of Mexican friends and soaking up the local culture. Here are some of my homies. Together we perfected the art of… just chilling!

Blondie

Lieka

Yoko

Diego

Our secret little spot!

Oh, and I made some other friends too.

Even stormy days were beautiful.

Even though the beach in Tulum has no electricity there are scores of little palapa-style hotels and restaurants run by solar and wind power. It’s grown tremendously in the last 5 years but hasn’t lost it’s charm, for me at least.

The Mayan ruins right on the Caribbean in Tulum are spectacular.

We spent a weekend in a beautiful but very rustic palapa in Tulum and boy was it fantastic!

I could get used to living here!

Here are some interesting infrared pictures of the same spot from a previous visit to Tulum during a tropical storm.

Playa Del Carmen used to be a sleepy little fishing village, but no more. There’s been rapid development in the last few years but the building restrictions limit structures to no more than 4 stories. Well, since it’s Mexico… maybe 5 stories. It’s a very popular international tourist destination with tons of boutique shops, chi chi hotels and fabulous restaurants. It’s here that you can catch the ferry to Cozumel.

This mermaid sculpture in “Playa” is a great example of the fabulous public art throughout Mexico.

No! I don’t want to leave here, ever!!

I did NOT want to leave, but after 4 months it was time to explore more of this beautiful country.

Stay tuned for Part II of “South Of The Border” where we visit the village of Majahual just a few miles from Belize, the best (IMO) Mayan Ruins in Palenque, the great pyramids of Teotihuacan, some aqua waterfalls, and the charming bohemian town of Sayulita.

Before I sign off I want to address the safety concerns about Mexico. We traveled some 5000 miles in the interior of the country and did not have one negative experience. That is not to say others haven’t been so lucky. You can certainly be in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like anywhere. But on the whole I found it to be a lot safer than Los Angeles where I lived for years.

Hasta Luego!!

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged beach camping, Bonefish, Caribbean coast of Mexico, dogs, Escarcega, glamping, glamping in Mexico, Laredo TX, Matehuala, Mexico, Nuevo Laredo, On the road in Mexico, Playa Del Carmen, Puebla, Riviera Maya, RVing in Mexico, Tulum, winter airstreaming, winter camping | 15 Comments

The Long Winding Road Home

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Carol

It seems enquiring minds want to know why the Canadian Maritimes look so green in January… well, it’s because I’m way behind in my postings. But I have a good excuse.

I had a few nips and tucks, nothing serious, so no worries. I’m already back on the road and wintering near lovely Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. But before we get to my latest adventures in Mexico I must finish up the final chapter of our summer/fall 2012 East Coast expedition. Every red pin was a stop along the way.

Have you ever tried chasing the fall foliage in search of the perfect display? That was our quest as we headed back south from Canada.

First stop was Squam Lake in Holderness, NH where they filmed the movie “On Golden Pond” with Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda. And Golden it was!

Our good buddies, Wanda and Rick, have the cutest summer cottage right on Little Squam Lake.

And what fabulous hosts they were! We were treated to a boat trip where we hung out with the loons.

(Now this is the perfect way to commute to your lake house!)

We took country drives, stopping to shop for cheese and the perfect ginger ice cream (named after me of course) at the tiny Sandwich Creamery.

We drove the Sandwich Notch Road through the White Mountain National Forest which is essentially unchanged since the 18th century when it was the main trade route from the sea to the north.

But alas, no peak display yet. Checking online it looked like Vermont’s leaves were ripening faster than New Hampshire’s so we sadly moved on in search of the so far elusive fall fireworks. Unfortunately the weatherman was doing us no favors.

Vermont’s Route 100 is one of National Geographic’s “World’s Most Scenic Drives” so our goal was to drive the entire length from north to south. We started in Eden Mills, VT where we stayed at the Lakeview Camping Area.

A little soft focus on the right patch of leaves works wonders.

As you travel south on Route 100 you pass the famous Stowe ski area. The narrow two-lane road weaves in and out of beautiful canyons as the Green Mountain State Forest rises up on your right. Ski resorts abound as you pass through Warren and Hancock. We pushed south past Ludlow and lovely Weston, through the Wardsboros and all the way to Wilmington. We covered a lot of ground in one day as the sun was out for the first time in days and it wasn’t going to stay that way.

But the further south we got, the greener the leaves so we headed north again, this time to Lake Placid, NY where the higher elevations would surely yield the most spectacular colors. But it was cold and raining cats and dogs. Trying to dodge the weather yet find the best fall foliage was proving very difficult. Camping in the cold rain is just no fun. So after almost 3 weeks of waiting and searching we sadly gave up and headed back south to Gettyburg, PA.

The battle at Gettyburg had the largest number of casualties in the Civil War and is often described as the war’s turning point ending Lee’s invasion of the North.

It was haunting in the rain and mist.

But the sun was out in Washington DC! I went to the White House looking for Bo, but he didn’t seem to be home at the time.

A beautiful day at the United States Capitol.

And a visit to the Museum of Natural History.

Elephants sure are big! Of course he’s the biggest one on display anywhere in the world.

We meandered through Virginia, to West Virginia (all in the rain). The nice thing about off season camping is you can have an entire campground to yourself.

We arrived at the Airstream factory in Jackson Center, OH for 2 days of necessary repairs and then made our way to Lexington and Mount Sterling, KY where my human’s peeps hail from.

We stayed at the Kentucky Horse Park Campground outside of Lexington, a working horse farm and an educational theme park.

And we enjoyed a lovely dinner with beloved family; Uncle Bob and Susan, Joe and Jeff.

And a wonderful brunch at Aunt Mary Lynn’s before we drove to the small but famous town (in our family) of Mount Sterling, KY. Though the population is a mere 6,000 we arrived on Court Day when around 150,000 visitors descend to buy, sell and trade at the giant town-wide flea market. The tradition began in the 18th century when Mount Sterling was the trade center of eastern KY and continues to this day on the 3rd Monday of October.

We had a fabulous lunch with Betty and Jack and visited various family historic sights including the Mount Sterling/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce where my Super-Awesome Papa Stew is in the Hall of Fame.

And of course we had to visit the famous Ruth Hunt Candy factory. Ruth used to serve her homemade candies to her bridge club and in 1921 decided to open her own store. Her cream candies have been a tradition in my family for generations!

Next up… Nashville, TN to spend some quality time with my brilliant singer, songwriter and recording artist cousin Joe Turley and his lovely wife Marie and their son James (check out Joe’s music at http://www.joeturley.com). They took us to see the “Doyle and Debbie Show”, described as “…a gloriously tacky send-up of a washed-up country duo.” according to The New York Times. And boy were they right, my face actually hurt from laughing so hard! I wasn’t even offended when they sang “Fat Women in Trailers” cause I knew they most certainly were not referring to me.

We had to pry ourselves away from our Kentucky family to finally head west on US 40, the old route 66. But before we crossed the Mississippi River we made a quick pit stop in Memphis, TN to visit with my brotha from anotha motha, the amazing and talented Corey Parker. And I got to meet his beautiful wife Angela and their wonderful son Baker over some amazing BBQ!

And before you knew it we were back out west, in Santa Fe, NM (well, a 1000 miles later).

While staying at the lovely Trailer Ranch right in town I was actually recognized by a fan of my blog. “Is that Ginger? From Ginger Goes Glamping?” I humbly replied I was indeed the famous Ginger. And I didn’t even have my glasses on at the time!

I had a wonderful homemade dinner at my Uncle Lenny’s house and another marvelous evening at my buddy Inca’s beautiful Tesuque compound.

After filling our bellies we headed north to Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa where they have a basic campground with hookups. We watched the cottonwoods shimmer as we soaked in the hot arsenic pool. Don’t worry, it’s good for you. Ojo is the only hot springs in the world with four different types of mineral water including lithia, iron, soda and arsenic.

We continued north to Heron Lake State Park at an elevation of 7,186 ft but it was cold cold cold…

so we headed west again on US 40, where we stopped at the world’s best preserved meteor impact site near Winslow, AZ – before standing on the corner…

Soon we were surrounded by the Red Rocks of Sedona, AZ where you must do the Pink Jeep Tour. We stayed at the lovely Dead Horse Ranch State Park in nearby Cottonwood, AZ.

We stopped for a yet another superb dinner at Aunt Kathy’s in Phoenix before crossing the border into California. I was in such a hurry to see my BOY and we arrived just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with him.

We certainly had so much to be thankful for. The last 18 months and 50,000 miles on the road has been the most amazing journey! We couldn’t wait to spend the holidays with our wonderful friends and with our special, loving and supportive family without whom this incredible experience would not be possible!

Coming up next: South of the Border!

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged Cottonwood AZ, Dead Horse Ranch State Park, dogs, Gettysburg, glamping, Green Mountain State Forest, Holderness NH, Kentucky Horse Farm, Lexington KY, Meteor Crater, Mount Sterling KY, Nashville TN, Pink Jeep Tours, Route 100 VT, Sandwich Notch Road, Santa Fe NM, Sedona AZ, Squam Lake, Vermont, Washington DC, White Mountain National Forest | 10 Comments

The Canadian Maritimes

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Carol

I hope you’re ready for more Lobsters and Lighthouses!

We were excited to cross the border into Canada as we love the people and the scenery. Our first stop was the Seaside Tent and Trailer Park in St Martins, New Brunswick on the Bay of Fundy. Here they have one of the biggest tidal fluctuations in the world, up to 55 ft. As the tide recedes you can walk the ocean floor and go right into the sea caves.

Here’s a picture of low tide and high tide.

We got a spot smack on this bay where I met a new friend, Honey and her wonderful humans. We traded camping stories and enjoyed the view.

The village of St. Martins, with it’s scenic covered bridges, is at the beginning of the famous Fundy Trail. This area is one of the last coastal wilderness areas between Florida and Labrador. It has towering cliffs, waterfalls, and panoramic vistas of unspoiled beauty.

We pushed on to Prince Edward Island. PEI, as it’s called, is Canada’s smallest province and has 1100 miles of coastline and 63 lighthouses. That’s one lighthouse for every 34 square miles. Oy vey!

From past experiences we knew there was no way we would find availability in a Provincial Park, the Canadian equivalent of our State Parks. Why? Because if it’s camping weather the Canadians are “oot and aboot”. We found a wonderful private campground, Twin Shores near Darnley, and settled in to explore the island.

We drove the North Cape shoreline, with its red sandstone cliffs. The iron concentration in the soil is very high here and oxidises when exposed to air. Do you think it actually turns the water rusty? Looks that way to me.

Next we visited the tallest Lighthouse on the Island (see, I am being discriminating).

And this next Lighthouse is on the “seldom seen” list.

But moving on… The Central Coast Drive near Cavendish was beautiful.

We drove the PEI National Park Drive, stopping to see the Covehead Harbor Lighthouse.

Boy, they sure are serious about their “Anne of Green Gables” here. For those of you that don’t know, this was a book written in 1908 by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. It’s been translated into 20 languages, sold over 50 million copies, spawned numerous sequels and turned into countless TV shows, movies and plays. I haven’t read the book but it looks like everybody else has, especially in Japan where Anne is an icon. Japanese tourists dream of getting married on Anne’s farm in Cavendish, and actually do. Some even arrive at the airport wearing red pigtails. Now that’s dedication.

When my humans first tried to convince me to put on the Anne pigtails and hat I refused but their bribe of turkey treats convinced me and I must say I look pretty cute. When in Rome…

Unfortunately our schedule didn’t allow us to do the Points East Coastal Drive cause it was time to move on to Cape Breton Island.

Cape Breton is known for it’s traditional fiddle music and it’s spectacular coastline. First stop was MacLeod’s Beach and Campsite. We loved this place immediately even though we arrived during a big blow.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell - MacLeod's Campsite

And one more picture because I loved this place so much.

From there we hit the Cabot Trail which is 185 miles long and loops around the northern tip of the island through Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

The highlight for us was Meat Cove. It felt like the end of the earth even though Newfoundland lies just 500 miles to the north. This spot was worth the 8 miles of well graded dirt road as it’s rated one of the 10 most scenic campgrounds in Canada and deserves the distinction.

The dirt road dead ends right at the family owned Meat Cove Campground. The McLellan family have lived and fished in Meat Cove for 6 generations. And what a beautiful spot! Grassy cliffs right on the ocean.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell - Meat Cove Campground

But you do have to be careful, duh! A couple of days before we arrived a lone tent camper who had pitched his tent on this rock protruding from the cliff fell to his death.

The local news was full of demands to erect a fence… but it would be a shame to mar such a beautiful spot. You just have to use common sense; don’t wander around in the dark, and tie up us crazy dogs fosho.

On our second night a full moon rose right in front of us. We would have stayed longer but the weather turned.

So we headed back to the Cabot Trail and continued along the east side of Cape Breton in the rain. Luckily we found a great campground to wait out the weather, Joyful Journeys, right before the ferry to Englishtown. I hung out with some new buddies; Simon, Broadway, Faith and Shiloh the cat while I waited for the sun to come out.

Nearby was Sydney where the ferries to Newfoundland come and go. I had heard stories from my buddy Honey about the size of the moose there, and I really really wanted to see an eight foot moose. But a hurricane was barreling up the coast so we headed south to Halifax instead.

We arrived at the very nice Halifax West KOA in the pouring rain, just as the outer bands of Hurricane Leslie were now hitting Nova Scotia. We hunkered down and waited. Finally it stopped raining and we headed to the famous fishing village, Peggy’s Cove on St. Margaret’s Bay, just southwest of Halifax.

This is a beautiful shoreline steeped in lore about the brave fisherman who’ve had more than their share of maritime disaster rescues from the Titanic to Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into the Bay in 1998.

We camped at the beautiful family-owned and operated King Neptune Campground on Indian Harbor just minutes from Peggy’s Cove.

It was a lovely spot, and right next to a lobster pound too. Yummy! And though we did go into Halifax for lunch, by this time we felt allergic to big cities after being in the wilderness for so long .

We explored further down the coast to the scenic port of Lunenburg but decided it was time to head back to the USA to await the fall leaves.

Just in case you haven’t seen enough of Lobsters and Lighthouses I will leave you with two more pictures.

Coming up Next: The Long Winding Road Home

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged airstream, Anne of Green Gables, Bay of Fundy, Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Cape Breton Island, dogs, Fundy Trail, Halifax, Joyful Journeys Campground, King Neptune Campground, MacLeod's Beach and Campsite, Meat Cove, Meat Cove Campground, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Peggy's Cove, Peggy's Point Lighthouse, Prince Edward Island, Twin Shores Campground | 10 Comments

Lobsters and Lighthouses

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Carol

After the horrible destruction of Hurricane Sandy this fall the weather we experienced this summer on the East Coast made more sense. Climate change is here. It wasn’t our imagination as July 2012 was the hottest month ever on record. It was close to 100 degrees almost every day and the storms never stopped, even as we headed north to NYC after a stop in Annapolis, Maryland to visit my buddy Wyatt and his very special human, Cheryloni. Oh, and those crabs were delish! Though the weather didn’t cooperate (so no pics) we also had a great time in Annapolis visiting my cousins Kristy and Allie.

It was so stormy we only ventured into the Big Apple once, and that very night yet another Durecho (straight line thunderstorms) headed directly for us. A tornado touched down in the city as we all hunkered down on my buddy Truman’s porch in New Jersey.

I must take a moment to remember my friend Truman, as he has since passed. He was not only incredibly handsome but he was a “true man”, dearly loved by his humans and all who met him. He will be sorely missed. RIP Truman.

Truman and I bonded instantly as we huddled together commiserating because our silly humans insisted on sitting outside on the porch as lightening danced all around. We would look at each other as if to say, “really?”. Then we’d chuckle when a bolt hit a bit too close and they’d scream like banshees!

We left our buddies in New Jersey to visit my friend Ace. We had to drive like mad to get there ahead of yet another huge storm. We had yummy cocktails and a fabulous dinner with long time friends while we waited for the weather to pass.

We made a quick stop at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut to see the tall ships and then it was on to Newport RI. One of my humans had never been to New England before so the next few weeks were all about… lobsters and lighthouses.

There are very few RV parks near Newport, but the closest one is Meadowlark Trailer Park in Middleton. It was tight but adequate for touring the area. This fabulous beach was just down the road.

We drove the scenic 10 mile Ocean Drive and walked the famous Cliff Walk. If these are summer cottages then what the heck is my trailer?

We also took a harbor tour to look at all the beautiful boats.

Though we arrived in Cape Cod in the rain the weather quickly improved. We stopped for 2 days in the lower Cape so we could tour Hyannis, Barnstable, Sandwich and Falmouth. We really wanted to take the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard but the only RV Park on the island doesn’t allow dogs. My nerves!

We headed out to the tip of Cape Cod to stay at Horton’s Campground in Truro. It was near the dunes and the sun was out to stay, at least for few days. We took Art’s Jeep Tour of the Dune Shacks where many famous artists have lived and worked during the summers with no electric or water, including playwright Eugene O’Neill, Norman Mailer and Jackson Pollack.

Now I have seen the movie “Jaws” numerous times and so I wasn’t thrilled about swimming on those beaches. There had been a great white shark attack just days before we got there though the signs on the beach only said “recent shark sighting”. Sighting my *#*, the brave man and his son survived, but his bite was determined to have been from a great white.

See how unhappy I look.

You all know by now how much I love to swim but you have to admit, I look just like a seal in the water and I had no intention of being shark bait, fosho. Lots of humans were swimming (along with the seals) so I kept a sharp eye out… but from a very safe distance.

Luckily the Old Harbor Lifesaving Station was nearby though I later found out it had been de-commissioned in 1944. These stations were positioned up down the Cape and were manned 10 months of the year to rescue stranded sailors at sea.

I couldn’t wait to get to Provincetown; it’s such a colorful town but has changed a lot over the years. It’s year round population of 3000 people swells to 60,000 during the summer. It’s an artist colony and has the highest concentration of same -sex couples of any zip code in the US.

We had a fabulous lunch at the Bookstore Restaurant in charming Wellfleet with one of our favorite humans on earth, Gayle. We got to meet her then fiancé, now husband, the fabulous Al. Congratulations to you both!

We were sad to leave the Cape but we had a schedule, based on the seasons. We wanted get to the Canadian Maritimes by the end of summer before it got too cold. So we made brief stops in the beautiful coastal towns of Gloucester and Rockport, MA.

Then it was on to Maine!

The first stop was York where we stayed in Libby’s Oceanside Campground. Seasonal campers took the best sites but we managed to squeeze into an overflow spot with a peak- a- boo view of the ocean. From here we toured Ogunquit, Kennebunkport and north to Cape Elizabeth.

© 2012 Richard Broadwell - Nubble Light Cape Neddick

© 2012 Richard Broadwell - Portland Head Light

Next we scooted up to Boothbay Harbor and stayed in a wonderful spot, Shore Hills Campground and RV Park. Though we had wanted to stay at Grey’s Homestead Oceanfront Campground, it was full. But Shore Hills was beautiful, sitting on a wonderful inlet just above Boothbay and convenient for travelling the peninsulas.

The drives along the many “fingers” are all stunning, one beautiful vista after another. We tried to do them all. We visited The Cuckolds Lighthouse at Cape Newagen in the fog.

And then had a wonderful lobster lunch at Robinson Wharf Restaurant outside of Boothbay Harbor.

One of our favorite areas was Pemaquid in the Bristol area. There was a very small campground, Sherwood Forest Campsite and Cabins, in New Harbor that would be a great place to stay for the season. And they have a lighthouse!

© 2012 Richard Broadwell - Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

From there we moved up to Saltwater Farm Campground overlooking the St. George River near Thomaston where we could explore the Camden/Rockport Area. The Saint George Peninsula is not to be missed, it was there we found our favorite lighthouse at Marshall’s Point.

As one of my humans has relatives from the area we also visited the Union Fair and watched some tractor pulls, visited with the livestock and went to the Moxie Museum on the grounds. Known for their smart marketing campaigns this Moxie bottle is 33 feet tall, and was designed to be easy to take apart and put back together to tour trade shows and amusement parks a century ago as a Moxie vending booth.

Moxie soda was one of the first mass produced soft drinks in the US. It’s creator, Dr. Augustin Thompson, was a relative of ours. His granddaughter, my Aunt Virginia, used to tell us stories of how Ed Wynn, the famous actor, would stay at their summer house on Friendship Island and later coined the term “to have a lot of Moxie” meaning a lot of spunk, on Broadway. The drink is somewhat bitter and has a kick, which comes from its secret ingredients of sassafras and gentian root, which was used in the original nerve tonic. The use of sassafras was outlawed in the 1960’s and the formula was changed making it sweeter to compete with other sodas but it’s fans were outraged and it was changed back to gentian root and wintergreen in the 1980’s. It is still sold today.

We had a great lunch in beautiful Camden, famous for being the setting of the TV show “Peyton Place”.

The view of Camden from Camden Hills State Park.

Next it was on to Bar Harbor and the famous Acadia National Park that comprises 47,000 acres (73 sq miles) of mountains, lakes, woods and shoreline. We stayed at the Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA, a very well run place right on Western Bay. The sunsets were gorgeous.

We drove the 20-mile loop road to the top of Cadillac Mountain. What a view!

And of course we had to stop at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse.

The loop road was beautiful.

We also took a lobster boat tour with Island Cruises out of Bass Harbor and explored the islands off Mount Desert, learning a lot about the lobster business and the lengths they have gone to sustain the lobster population. It’s worked so well there was an overabundance of lobsters last summer and the price reflected the glut: around $2.00 a pound in the grocery stores where they will cook it for you.

Besides lobsters we saw seals…

And eagles.

And glacial erratics like below. An erratic is a boulder transported and deposited by a glacier having a lithology different than the bedrock upon which it is sitting. I googled it.

We also explored the Blue Hill Peninsula down to Stonington, a sweet little fishing village.

On our way north from Bar Harbor towards the Canadian Maritimes we stopped in Eastport, another quaint fishing village and saw the Fisherman’s Statue.

Don’t worry, in case you haven’t seen enough lighthouses by now there are more to come! Stayed tuned for Part 2 of Lobsters and Lighthouses in the Canadian Maritimes. It’s coming right up, you won’t have to wait long, I promise!

Posted in Airstream, Camping, Dogs, Travel, Travel photography | Tagged Acadia National Park, Bass Harbor, Boothbay Harbor, Camden, Cape Cod, Cape Neddick, dogs, Easport, glamorous camping, glamping, lighthouses, Maine, Marshall Point, Mystic Seaport, Nubble Light, Pemequid Point, Portland Head Light, Provincetown, Rockport, The Cuckolds, Truro, York ME | 12 Comments