Casita Trip Archive from 2000

To Stratham NH to visit my sister and her family. Our second trip in our 16 foot travel trailer. The first had been to Winter Haven Florida for Cleveland Indians Spring training. We pulled Casi with our new Honda Odyssey known as Mesabi because of its Mesa Beige exterior. This was all recorded one hand-written letter at a time on my Palm Pilot-like Handspring PDA. The software is supposed to recognize you printing as long as you adhere to the rules of graffiti -- or as we say in the real world: not so much.

From Casita

New England Camping July, 2000

Saturday 7/15 to Salem, Ohio
Mesabi pulls the Casita, with little complaint, except at the gas pump where highway mileage is cut in half from 30 to 16 mpg. Navigator lady does a good job with the routing, but we had been there a time or two before. The big news is that we are finally on vacation, without any trace of jet-lag. We hook up to 20 amp electricity in the Mother's house, and find that needing the air conditioner to dry out the humidity, that is sufficient.

Sunday we set out east at 7 am, after dealing with Navigator Lady's lack of knowledge of local streets. But then all is well. Our stops are a lot more frequent than the 500 plus miles that would normally come with the 20 gallon tank in Mesabi, but with no jet-lag, that is a minor inconvenience.

Sunday afternoon, Lynne gets familiar with the AAA Camping Guide, by directing us to the Huesatonic State Park campgrounds in Northern Connecticut, while thinking that it was only a mile from I84 in the southern part of the state.

Site was far from level, and after many tries, we pulled in a couple of places down slope, and had a fine time.

Leveling the camper is critical to refigerator function, and I read that a little stationary operation without being level, can cause a major repair experience.
 England 7/16-18 Sunday

Needing hook-ups, we head further north yet, to East Canaan and the Lone Oak Campground arriving around 5. Rates are a pricy $39, but that includes a lot of amenities. Met a friendly Ann Forrester, running the store, and camping there also. Just recently retired, they had crossed the country twice already, and were settling in for a spell. Need to look for them on the Compuserve RV forum. Tried to reach Mary on the cell phone from the campground, but the hassel of roaming credit-card calling proved just a tad too difficult, and who-knows-how expensive.

Up early on Monday with showers and yogurt. Only have a couple of hours travel to the coast. Drove through some of the prettiest towns of the Berkshires on the way to the Mass Turnpike.

Finally reached Mary on the cell while driving. Actually a suprisingly clear connection.

Got to Mary's a little after 1, Danny was napping, but Julia and Mary had a bite of lunch for us.

Shel-Al Campground in North Hampton was found by Navigator Lady getting close, and Lynne, figuring out the rest. Nice quiet place  under the shade of big maple trees. Had to try a couple of times to get level, but then all was fine.

To the Lobster Pound for dinner. $8 per pound, really increases one's shellfish appetite to about 2.5 pounds. Unquestionably the best taste ever.



New England 7/22-23 weekend

We arrived at the Gloucester Cape Ann Camp site right on time, and so did Barbara. We toured the city, the had dinner, and walked the small beach. On Sunday, we saw Rockport, and the most famous Motif Number 1 fisherman's shack decorated with lobster trap floats. Really enjoyed the walk through the fillage shops. Saw som scuba divers coming up the rocks with the several large lobsters. Given the local prices and freshness, it is difficult to understand the appeal or cost effectiveness of this practice, but they did seem to be enjoying themselves. They even had the proper tool to place the heavy ruberbands on the claws.

Went on the Yankee Spirit whale watch and  saw 17 humpbacks lounging about after a morning of filtering out their ton of food for the day. Some mothers and babies along with a unwelcome escort that had the mother trumpeting her blows. Barbara saw more than ever before, even though it had been a staple in the vistor itinerary of hers for years.

New England 7/24 Monday

Draggin from a busy pace over the weekend with Barbara. Set out for the Rusnik Family Campground in Salisbury, Mass.

Looked over Seabrook NH with its rusted out nuclear reactors. Beach towns were quite ghetto-ish. Saw the entrance to Plum Island and Newburyport, and understood how its Martha-Stewart-ness appealed to Barbara.

Stopped in downtown Newburyport for lunch, and marvelled at the efeciency of a quaint but touristy small town. Cops on cell phones keeping traffic out of the construction. Lots of places to eat, but Angies is where the locals and observant tourists stop. The county sheriff has a $75m anti-graffitti rig staffed with two deputies and three "workers" who look more than able to take care of themselves.

This is a very effecient and secure camping area. Gate access is controlled with coded cards. Everything is clean and tidy. Will swim as soon as the sun dips a little.