On Friday July 17^th we arrived in Twin Mountain, NH staying at Twin Mountain Motor Court and RV Park. The site has wonderful views and a very fast internet connection, cable and sewer so we are comfortable for at least a week.  When we arrived we tried to find a “fix for the alarm” that would not stop beeping inside the motor home caused by the failure we had with our front jack. After some research we finally fixed this issue.

On Saturday we worked on emails from our office trying to get caught up. The blog was behind due to lack of internet service in the last few weeks so that was another top priority. After lunch we started laundry and went to the pool for an afternoon swim, hoping that the water was warmer than Vermont.  Well, no such luck but after about 10-15 minutes you were numb so you did not mind the cold water. We decided to open our new chairs and sit outside and enjoy the views of the mountains, unfortunately the mosquitoes and gnats had other ideas. Since we had no bug spray we had to go back inside and enjoy the views from there. The boys enjoyed the fact that we had cable which included the Nickelodeon channel.

Sunday was a day of well deserved rest and relaxation along with an afternoon walk stopping every other trip around to talk with our neighbors in the park. After three walks around the park, talking to neighbors and becoming dinner for mosquitoes we decided to go inside.

On Monday we decided to take the auto tour of Mount Washington which has the highest elevation, 6822 feet, in the Northeast. The eight miles up the mountain would have been very nerve racking to someone who was afraid of heights.  There were several alternatives for going to the top of Mount Washington, by car, by hiking or biking or by the Cog Railroad. The Cog Railroad was the world’s first mountain climbing Cog railroad running since 1869.  The railroad still has a coal burning steam engines in addition to the diesel engines which will soon take the place of the remaining coal burning engines.  Since we read mixed reviews of the train ride and the cost of the ride which would have been $196, we decided to take the auto road to the top of the mountain.  The cost was $43. The drive up the mountain is approximately eight miles and should take 25 minutes with no stops but we stopped at several overlooks to take pictures. The views were magnificent along the ride but the driver is not allowed to look since there are no guard rails and there was little room for error on either side of the road. Once we arrived at the top we visited the Mount Washington Observatory, which monitors the weather of one to the most extreme places on the planet, Mount Washington. Mount Washington has been given the extinction as having the nation’s worst weather since the weather can be very erratic. The mountain gets an average of 314.8 inches of snow per year and wind speed clocked at 231 mph in 1934 and the average daily wind speed is 34 mph.  The temperature at the base of the mountain was 67 degrees when we started our drive and it was 51 degrees when we reached the summit, we did not see any snow but snow has been recorded at the summit in July. The average daily temperature is 34 degrees with the coldest temperature ever recorded as -47 degrees. While at Mount Washington we decided to venture onto one of the many trails. Down the mountain over rocks, across a train track and then over more rocks which offered truly breath taking views. The last area on the trail was a very tricky climb on rock; we took pictures and started back up the mountain. The boys had no problems scaling the rocks as quickly up as they did down leaving their parents behind.

On Tuesday we did our weekly grocery shopping and trip to Wal-Mart.  We stocked up (8 packs) of our favorite RV toilet paper that we can only find at Wal-Mart.  When we got home we put away all of our purchases and then went out for a walk. It was misting rain but the down pour did not happen until around 9:00pm. The walk was very relaxing and helped curb the urge to overeat at dinner. The rest of the night was used researching Maine which will be our next stop.

On Wednesday, we spent the morning researching Maine and emails with the office. Rain was expected for most of the day so we decided not to attempt a hike. Later in the afternoon when the rain stopped we went outside with Zachary, Carson and Bella to play kickball; the grass had just been mowed so Bella ended up a light shade of green after 30 minutes of chasing the soccer ball.  When it started raining again we decided to sit outside underneath the awning but the boys decided to run around and chase each other in the rain, at least they were getting some exercise and fresh air. While they were running in the rain we decided to organize our stuff in the underneath bay areas so we could easily find anything we may need. This area is used for dirty laundry, extra supplies such as trash bags, tools and also our winter clothes and shoes. After this chore was complete we prepared dinner which was hamburgers on ciabatta bread with Swiss cheese, grilled onions and mushrooms with light mayo with sautéed green bean and fresh corn on the cob. It was mentioned during dinner that we needed to go moose hunting (of course we went moose looking), so we cleaned up really quick, grabbed the camera bag and out the door we went. We rode about 15 minutes from the campground looking for moose and the first one to spot one was the winner of fifty cents.  We got lucky, after a few minutes we spotted a moose and turned around in the road to get a closer look and take pictures. It appeared to be a female or cow moose eating vegetation along the tree line about 30 yards from our car. She could barely be seen since it was almost 9:00pm and almost completely dark.    The moose in New Hampshire average around 5-7 feet high, 8-10 feet long, and can weigh 800-1500 lbs and both males and females have dark brown or almost black fur which can make them hard to see at night.  The female or cow does not grow antler only the bull moose who shed their antlers each winter and grow a new set each spring. There are signs along moose populated roads to brake for moose and moose crossings indicating to drivers to slow down and look for moose in these areas.  There are over 200 accidents each year involving moose and vehicles.

Thursday was good weather so we went hiking on one of the many trails near our campground. The hike was to see the tallest waterfall in New Hampshire. The hike was really muddy and most of it was uphill over rocks and small streams.  The sign at the trail head stated this was a one hour hike but we took some detours, took lots of pictures and had a snack so the total time was closer to 3 hours from start to finish.  Carson was a trooper as he walked the entire trail without having to get a “free ride” on someone’s back. We made it in and out of the trail without any scrapes, bumps or bruises only a few bug bites. Since we only had a snack for lunch we ate an early dinner of homemade chicken pot pie and smores for desert.  The hike exhausted everyone so Thursday night was an early to bed night.

The rest of the week was mostly spent hanging out at the motorhome enjoying high speed internet for a change.

On Sunday, July 26^th we left New Hampshire and headed to our first stop in Maine.  We will remember New Hampshire as the place we rested.

Please check out our video below!!

Follow Our Journey:

Please subscribe to our blog.
Add Brian Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Add Polly Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Follow Brian Godwin’s daily post on Twitter.

Bookmark It

After leaving the Burlington, VT area on Tuesday, July 14 we headed a little east to Williamstown, VT.  This was very close to several tourist attractions.  We stayed at the Limehurst Lake Campground which was a small campground with a small lake for swimming and fishing.

After arriving at the campground we left and went to the Morse Family Maple Farm which is the oldest working maple farm in Vermont.  While there we learned how real 100% maple syrup is made and was able to taste test the different grades of maple syrup.  We decided we liked Grade B the best because it had a more rich taste than the other grades.  We purchased a pint of the Grade B ($12.95).  After tasting and learning more about the “fake” stuff we will have a hard time not using 100% maple in the future.

While at the Morse Farm we asked about local eating places and was suggested a place called the “Wayside Restaurant”. It is a place that serves local Vermont food and had been in business for over 90 years.  We stopped there on the way back to the campground and was not disappointed.  The food was absolutely delicious.  It is one of those places where you savor every bite.  Everything was fresh and cooked just right. I had a ham and cheese omelet with pancakes and 100% Vermont maple syrup.  Polly had Vermont ham steak and homemade mashed potatoes.  We knew we had to go back again before leaving.

On Wednesday we got up and went to Rock of Ages granite quarry.  Rock of Ages is a large company that quarries Vermont granite and uses it to produce everything from headstones to monuments.  We took a tour up to their largest quarry and learned how they extract the granite from the pit.  We then walked through their processing plant and watched workers cutting, grinding, polishing and sandblasting monuments and headstones.  We also watched a video on the history of the company and how they do business.  It was very interesting.

After leaving Rock of Ages we had to stop at the Wayside Restaurant once again for lunch.  Oh it was so good.

We then headed to Waterbury, VT to the Ben & Jerry’s factory.  We first walked through the Flavor Graveyard and then headed inside for the short tour.  The tour consists of a short video on how the company was started.  You then walk onto a platform where you watch the ice cream being made and packaged. I was actually surprised at how small the production area was.  Lastly you visit a small room where you sample some ice cream.  The tour is very short and cost about $2 for adults (kids free).  We purchased a couple pints in the store and ate some near the playground area they had.  I must admit I rarely eat Ben & Jerry’s as it is a little to costly for me.  And after going to the factory I certainly wouldn’t make a special trip to go there as there really isn’t that much to see.  But Ben & Jerry’s has done a great job in branding their products as a cool ice cream to eat.

After leaving Ben & Jerry’s we headed into Waterbury to the Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center.  It is a very small place which gives a little information about how coffee is harvested and where it comes from.  We were so full from eating ice cream that we didn’t even get any coffee.  After leaving here we headed back to the motorhome for the night.

Thursday was one of those do little days.  We went out to get a maple creemee and spent some time swimming in the lake.  We had a great time in the lake as it had a diving board and a small floating island you could swim out too.  I was able to do a back flip off the diving board which I had not done in over 10 years.  I felt like a kid again.

That afternoon they were calling for some strong storms to pass through so we closed up our awnings and put all our chairs up.  A little while later it started raining and then hailing.  The hail started getting bigger and coming down heavier.  Before long the ground was almost covered.  This continued for a few minutes and then everything cleared up.  The hail was about the size of marbles as you can see in our image gallery.  In talking to some of the locals in the park they had never seen it hail like that before.  We also heard on the news that night that a tornado touched down in the small town we were staying in.  It was definitely some excitement.

Friday morning we packed up and headed to our new location in Twin Mountains, NH.  We will certainly miss Vermont as it has been one of our favorite spots so far.  We have been glad to get away from some of the big cities we have been in.  The people here have been very friendly and the mountains remind us of the Asheville area.

Follow Our Journey:

Please subscribe to our blog.
Add Brian Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Add Polly Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Follow Brian Godwin’s daily post on Twitter.

[Show as slideshow]

Bookmark It

July 10^th, we arrived in Colchester, VT outside of Burlington, VT near Lake Champlain. The campground is a really nice large grassy open area and thank goodness the site is fairly level since we have not had the front leveling jack replaced yet. After we setup we debated for almost an our hour on what to have for late lunch or early dinner and the decision was finally made to have leftovers of steak, buttered noodles and corn instead of spending money on a restaurant that had marginally reviews.

After our early dinner we made our weekly trip to the grocery store – this has become a family affair when all four Godwin’s venture to the local grocery store, Polly with a list in hand and everyone else with a “wish list” in their head. Zachary and Carson have to help decide which cereal is the least expensive and will fit into the weekly budget. This week we completely blew away our budget since we bought a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. The cost of food in Vermont is slightly more expensive than Asheville on some items and relatively the same on others.  The family is eating six pounds of apples, a gallon of milk and at least one box of cereal, and one other breakfast food along with other staples of bread, cheese and sandwich meat.  We usually cook several large meals a week and eat leftovers or use the leftovers to fix another meal. The adventure at the grocery store took too long so we rented a movie from a Red Box (a dollar a day DVD rental) and went back to the motor home to watch movies.

We have had a shower issue for several weeks which we thought was contributed to water pressure but after four showers using a cup on Friday night we decided that it was a faulty product not the campgrounds water pressure. On Saturday, we then proceeded to remove the old faucet only to have forgotten to turn off the water therefore water went everywhere. We found a local RV dealer online that had a comparable part and took a family trip to see if it would fit in our shower. The part was purchased even though it was a cheap bright chrome color and did not match the original.  It rained off and on all day so we spent the day fixing the broken shower faucet and cleaning the inside of the motor home. The replacement of the faucet took several hours since the opening underneath the motor home was approximately two feet wide and you had to lie on your back to see how to attach the hoses.  This was another one of those “spring cleaning” days which usually takes a large portion of the day especially when it is raining. After inspecting the motor home from top to bottom for any leaks, missing or loose screws and anything else that may need repairing Saturday day had turned to Saturday night.  The boys did get some time to play on the playground between showers but most of the day was spent inside watching Jurassic Park (one, two or three). We had homemade pizza for dinner and ice cream for desert- yummy!  Early to bed since we had planned a 15 mile (round trip) bike ride planned for Sunday.

On Sunday everyone was up, dressed and breakfast eaten by 8:30 and off to the bike trail which was called the Burlington Bike Trail. The Bike Path rides along the Lake Champlain shoreline, offering wonderful views of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains to the west. The Festival celebrating 400 years of Lake Champlain was taking place so we dodged people walking, other bicyclist and cars along the trail. There were beautiful views of the lake which made the ride much more enjoyable for everyone and helped the time to pass quickly.  The trail took approximately 3 ½ hours which included a stop at the end for a quick snack of cheese crackers and water.

The next adventure for the day was to find a beach access spot and go for a swim in Lake Champlain. Please remember that our trip in New England has not been as warm as everyone in the South, and it was only 70 degrees when we left for the lake. We found a beach access spot at Mallets Bay, parked, walked what felt like two miles down a path in a natural area to arrive at the beach which had very cold water. I believe that the people in New England must have very thick blood since the water in the lake was so cold that Carson’s hands and feet were purple within approximately 15 minutes.  Polly went in the water just enough to cover her feet and decided that she would take pictures of the family as they bravely swam in the frigid water.

I guess due to bike ride everyone stared getting hungry around 4:30, so we started preparing dinner. We ate sautéed chicken with onions and green peppers, fresh corn on the cob and red potatoes, another delicious family dinner.

Another weekly chore is washing clothes, this week we washed sheets and blankets too and we required six washers and three dryers.  The washing took 3 ½ hours to wash and dry and another hour to put everything away.  Who knew that one family of four messed up so many clothes in a week, this week the faucet fiasco wet all the towels that we had in the motor home. As a reminder to everyone we have a very limited amount of clothes – approximately a week and a half for each person depending on the article of clothing  (such as shorts and t-shirts); so it is not possible to go longer than a week without washing unless we started recycling clothes for several days wear.

On Monday our daily adventure took us into Canada. The Canadian border was about 45 minutes from the campground so we decided to ride into Canada, ride around, have lunch and leave. When crossing the border into Canada we were asked the following questions:

1)      Where are you from?
2)      Where are you going?
3)      What is your purpose in Canada?
4)      What is your license plate number? Of course this is something that we do not know off the top of our heads – so luckily the registration card was handy with that information.
5)      How long to do plan to be in Canada?
6)      What do you have in your car besides articles of clothing?
7)      Are you carrying any alcohol or tobacco?
8)      How many passengers are with you?
9)     Roll down the back window so i can see in!

After answering all of the questions the border officer scanned the passports and handed them back and told us to have a nice day. We did not even get a stamp in our books; everything is electronic now so we only have pictures to prove we went into Canada.

We rode into a small town, all the signs were in French and we learned a few beneficial French words from the road signs. We found a restaurant called St. Hubert in St- Jean- Sur-Richelieu which we figured by the sign had chicken. The inside looked like a Ruby Tuesdays or Applebee’s nothing fancy.  The waitress asked us our drink order in French but at our request asked again in English.  The prices were slightly more expensive than Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesdays; for a comparable meal. The menu was in French and English so were able to figure out what to eat since the waitress did not seem too interested in helping non French speaking Americans.  Our meal consisted of rotisserie chicken with broccoli, carrots and a side of gravy along with unlimited coleslaw, chicken potpie with French fries and a side of gravy. Zachary had a chicken tender sandwich with carrots and broccoli with a side of gravy.  Carson ate fries and bread from our plates.  The meals came with a beverage and desert which the boys really enjoyed – of course it was sweet.  After lunch we ran through the parking lot in the pouring rain and turned on the heat in the car – it was only 60 degrees. We made one last stop before passing back into the US border at a small duty free shop to buy a couple of things including a Lindt orange chocolate bar.  The young lady at the counter asked for the license plant number and it took three times for her to understand our Southern English accent.  Plus she could not find “North Carolina” in her computer.  The rest of Monday will be spent working and looking for another campground since we are leaving Colchester on Tuesday to take the motor home to have the leveling jack replaced.

On Tuesday we left Burlington, VT and stopped at a local RV dealer to replace the front Hydraulic Jack that stopped working in Cape Cod, MA.  Our next stop was Williamstown, VT a little more than an hour east of Burlington.

INFORMATION NEEDED: As we were leaving Canada we saw a cloud that looked like it was about to form into a tornado.  We stopped on the side of the road and watched it for a while.  Review the picture below and let us know if you think it was the beginnings of a tornado or not.  It eventually broke apart and went a way.

Follow Our Journey:

Please subscribe to our blog.
Add Brian Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Add Polly Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Follow Brian Godwin’s daily post on Twitter.

[Show as slideshow]

Bookmark It

On July 6^th we left Littleton, MA for our travels to the Adirondack Mountains where we would be camping at Adirondack Camping Village for four nights. The drive took us onto the Mass. Turnpike which was an extremely long toll rode but thankfully the rode was not as bumpy as some on our travels. We stopped at one of the travel plazas and lunch consisted of Boston Market and Honey Dew Donuts. We did not leave until lunch from Littleton, MA so we did not arrive in Lake George until around 5:00 pm. We finished our Boston Market lunch leftovers and worked on plans for the rest of the week in Lake George.

After arriving in Lake George Brian found an Urgent Care center to have the stitches taken out of his head.

On Tuesday we rode into Lake George and walked around Lake George Village having lunch at Monte Cristo. Our lunch consisted of a cheeseburger and a Monte Cristo sandwich with chips, nothing really fabulous but a nice lunch. We walked along the beach in Lake George that was closed due to a sewer line that burst but we were hoping the beach would reopen before we leave the area. We took the boys to the pool until a small thunderstorm approached and ended pool time. Zachary and Carson watched the nightly movie at the campground office while Polly decided to do a couple loads of laundry while the boys watched the movie. At 10:30, all the clothes for the week were finished and it was time for bed.

On Wednesday morning we took a boat ride (it was called a cruise) on Lake George and had the fortune of seeing some really beautiful home along the small islands in Lake George. Just before the cruise ended it started to rain and thankfully there was an enclosed area so we stayed dry. After the cruise we walked into town to see if we could find any local favorites for desert. We went into a small chocolate shop where Zachary and Carson picked up some handmade sweets at the Adirondack Chocolate Shop for their afternoon snack.  The parents ate a cinnamon Belgium waffle with butter pecan ice cream, Belgium chocolate topped off with whipped cream. This small shop had opened 11 days ago and hopefully he will have great success with his unique treat. Our guilt started after the sweet treat that we decided to go for a bike ride. We rode back to the motor home to get helmet and water bottles for a family friendly bike trail outside of the Village of Lake George. We loaded everything in the car, rode to the trail and found out that we did not have the keys to unlock the bikes which were securely locked on the bike rack on the back of the Toad. Well, our bike ride turned into a nice walk along the bike trail and hopefully try to bike the trail the next day.  We had dinner at the motor home and worked on finding a campground in Vermont which we will be arriving on Friday, July 10^th.

On Thursday, we were able to do our bike ride on the Warren County bike trail. The entire trail was nine miles but the last of the trail was partially on a very busy road so we stopped at the intersection and started back. We probably rode approximately 6- 6 /12 miles of the 9 mile trail, so our total bike ride was somewhere between 12-13 miles. This was the longest trail we have accomplished without much training with a ten year old and a six year old. We wanted to visit the beach before we left but it was still closed due a sewage leak, so we opted for the pool at the campground even though the outside temperature was only 67 degrees. After the pool we had dinner and decided to go back into the Lake George Village for a concert and fireworks. The local symphony planned for two hours and the fireworks over Lake George started at 9:30. Even though these fireworks were on a smaller scale than Boston the circumstances were less crowded and more comfortable with a mega mat to lie on and snacks to eat. After the fireworks we enjoyed a cone of ice cream from one of the local vendors.

On Friday we left Lake George for Colchester, VT near Burlington, VT. The drive throught the Adirondack mountains into Vermont were absolutely beautiful.

Follow Our Journey:

Please subscribe to our blog.
Add Brian Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Add Polly Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Follow Brian Godwin’s daily post on Twitter.

[Show as slideshow]

Bookmark It

On July 1st we headed to the Boston, MA area and stayed in a campground in Littleton, MA.  Our adventures in Littleton included a lot of rain, mud, and mosquitoes. We were staying at the Minuteman Campground which was approximately 30 minutes from Boston. Our campground here did not have sewer hookups so we had to conserve on our shower and toilet waste use.  We can store 40 gallons of “black” waste (toilet) and 60 gallons of “Grey” waste (shower and sink water) on the motorhome before we have to dump. We can usually go pretty good 3-4 days with restricted use before dumping. Luckily most campgrounds have sewer at the site so we don’t have to worry about it.

Thursday we spent working around the motorhome and letting the kids rent free movies from the camp store.  The weather was rainy and it was a good day to do nothing.

Friday was a special day as it was Carson’s birthday.  He wanted to go to Chuck E Cheeses for lunch so at around 10:00 we were eating pizza and playing games.  We had a good time.

After the party we made our first trip into Boston.  We drove to the closest parking lot for the public transportation called the “T” and the ride was another 30 minutes into Boston.  We went into Boston to explore the Freedom Trail to learn more about the history of Boston. The night before we downloaded online an MP3 walking tour of the Freedom Trail to listen to the historic points on the trail on our BlackBerry instead of taking a group tour. We visited Dunkin Doughnuts for an afternoon “pick me up” and to keep the boys from complaining. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday there was also an open air market where you could find all types of produce. The street was lined with small markets selling meats including local seafood, cheese and breads. These shops were slightly cleaner than the ones in Philadelphia but you still wondered the “freshness of the food”. The boys were no longer enjoying the walk after about 3 hours so after we looked at the building where Paul Revere once lived we decided to find the closest “T” stop for our ride back to the packing lot.

On the way home from Boston we stopped at a grocery store and picked up cake and ice cream to have a birthday party for Carson.

We left the campground around 10:30 on July 4^th to travel into Boston to see the July 4^th Celebration. We arrived in Boston around 12:30 and decided that we would stay in the Esplanade area where most of the celebration along with fireworks would take place. Lunch consisted of pizza slices and chicken tenders with fries eaten next to the river and it was really nice to see sunshine for the first time since we arrived in the Boston area.  The Pops concert started around 8:00 pm but the fireworks were not scheduled to start until 10:30pm. The Boston Pops along with Neal Diamond started in the Esplanade which you needed a wrist band to save a spot. Since the fireworks could not be seen from the same area where the Pops were playing we decided to try to find a place to sit along the Hudson River bank to watch the fireworks. We were extremely lucky when a large group decided they did not need all the area that they had roped off and we were passing by when they un-roped an area that was an excellent spot for viewing fireworks.

The only small details was that fireworks did not start for another 8.5 hours. We took turns walking around to stretch our legs so that the time would pass quicker along with playing Uno and Rummy. In order not to completely blow our dining out budget we carried snacks with us along with peanut and jelly sandwiches to eat for dinner. This was a huge savings since our lunch was expensive for the amount of food they ate. After all the anticipation the fireworks started at exactly 10:30 not a minute earlier and it could not have been a minute later or Carson would have been asleep. The fireworks lasted until 11:30 and then thousands of people began to file out of the downtown area. There were Boston police officers keeping everyone orderly as they walked through one exit toward the nearest “T” station. Carson was getting a free ride on Brian’s back and everyone else tried to pull together every ounce of energy to walk to the nearest green line for our long ride back to the packing lot. Some guys at the station offered us a Red Bull Cola which was a backup if it was needed for the drive home.  The train ride was very crowded and took almost an hour to get back to our parking lot and as you can imagine Carson went to sleep as soon as there was a seat available. We arrived back in the campground at 1:45 am, exhausted, hungry and in great need of a shower. Both Zachary and Carson were asleep in the backseat and needed help getting in the bed. Finally, at 2:30 am we finally went to bed and made sure that there were no alarms set and we could sleep as long as possible.

At 10:30 am on Sunday morning our day started with a walk to Dunkin Doughnuts for donuts and a large black coffee. Yes, we have had Dunkin Donuts in every city we have visited since we left North Carolina, not by choice but due to convenience. There is one on almost every corner including next to our campground in Littleton, MA. To be honest, we rather have Krispy Kreme any day!  Our Sunday was spent sitting outside, a visit to the pool and playground along with cleaning up for our move the next day.

Monday, July 6^th, we loaded up and headed west to Lake George, NY for several days in the Adirondack mountains.

Follow Our Journey:

Please subscribe to our blog.
Add Brian Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Add Polly Godwin as a friend on Facebook
Follow Brian Godwin’s daily post on Twitter.

[Show as slideshow]

Bookmark It