Issue #12 -- 2017 - Maine, A Great Place To Spend The Summer

April 28 - Scarborough, Maine
Each time we drive into the State of Maine, we get such a feeling of calm ... it's like returning home. Our first campground is one we found last year, Wild Duck RV Campground. The campground is an adults only, no one under the age of eighteen, campground. It is nestled in the pines and surrounded by a marsh.

My sister's dog, Kuualani

We liked Wild Duck Campground so much that we reserved two weeks for this year.  We arrived on April 28th.  May 12th  we'll head up for the opening day and season at Timberland Acres RV Park. Our season at Timberland Acres will be May 12th - Oct. 15th. But, lets not get ahead of ourselves, we have two weeks here in beautiful Scarborough.   

       

Old Orchard Beach:

One of the best known beaches in this area of Maine, is  Old Orchard Beach. If you don't like large crowds, this is a good time to come. Maine is a very seasonal State.  From about the end of May to the middle or end of October the beaches and National Parks are heavily visited by all kinds of tourists.  If you're someone who likes to do a little work-camping while you travel, Maine is a great place for that, in the spring or summer.  So long as you have a place to stay, i.e. an RV or camper, you can find all kinds of work here in Maine.

My sister, Linda, came up to check out the prospects. It didn't work out for her, but only because she's not quite there yet as she doesn't have an RV or bumper tow to utilize as a home. She did get to check out the area and thinks it's the type of lifestyle she'd enjoy.  David and I have been living the RV life long enough to know that we love it.  We choose not to work-camp as we enjoy just exploring the area and meeting both new and old friends.

Always time to check out the local restaurants, looks like T-Bear was in the mood for something Italian.

 

 But, if "GOOD" seafood if what you're interested in, then a really good place would be Ken's Seafood Place, 209 Pine Pointe Road in Scarborough, Maine. (Sorry no link because they only have a Facebook link and I know not everyone likes going through Facebook).
They have a very large seafood menu.  David and I tried the Haddock sandwich and also the Lobster Roll. There are other seafood restaurants, but Ken's is the one most recommended by friends and local Mainers.

No, No, No, those are not David's legs!

Kennebunkport:

Everyone knows you can't come to Maine and not check out Kennebunkport.  It is a charming, upscale coastal town that is also the summer home of former President George H.W. Bush & his lovely wife, Barbara.

The Bush Compound

There's a lot of construction in the main area of town this year, but we did visit the area in 2015 and captured some nice photos.

It's a beautiful little town with shops and eateries to explore, or just a pleasant afternoon to walk around.

Meeting up with GOOD FRIENDS

Friends Coming Together:

We had two weeks in the Scarborough area. While there, our summertime neighbors were making their way up the coast from Florida.  We were all lucky enough to meet up in Wells, Maine at a really neat pub, Litchfield's Bar and Grill. Rick & Cheryl are good neighbors and they both have "Green Thumbs," often providing neighbors with fresh vegetables & other goodies.

Haven's Candies
One of David's most favorite goodies is; CANDY!  I guess I should say, not just candy, but CHOCOLATE CANDY. Well, it just so happens one of the oldest candy companies in Maine is Havens Candies.  Haven's Candies has been handcrafting premium confections in Maine since 1915, using timeless recipes and only the finest ingredients. Haven's owner, Erin Collins, is the daughter of a good friend of ours, and Erin was gracious enough to give us our own private tour of the candy factory.

             

Just a side note for anyone who may be thinking of coming to Maine and spending a season at Timberland Acres RV Campground:  When you check in, you are greeted by the most friendly folks around and you also receive some Haven's Candies to enjoy at your campsite. 

Timberland Acres

Our season began on May 12th, at Timberland Acres RV Park.  We arrived around noon.  It always feels so good to check in and get the rig set up. Oh yes, true to course, we received Haven's candies when we arrived, not like David really needed more chocolate. 

Our first day is spent visiting our friends that camp in the area close to us as well as other friends within the park.  Next it's time to get the flower garden planted. David's is always a big help.  I do not have a green thumb, but I am getting better at it, and enjoy picking the color scheme we'll plant. I think David goes to the nursery for the sole reason that pulling the wagon makes him feel very young again.

Once the garden is done, it time for a campfire and a glass of wine!

David's Buddy Stops:

David says this link is a great explanation of government investigations, hope you enjoy it as much as he did!

Issue #11 -- April 24-28, 2017 - Pennsylvania & Connecticut

We left Virginia's beautiful State on April 24th and headed to Pennsylvania.  We booked two nights at the Allentown KOA.  The park is open seasonally.  It is small, but clean and the staff is very friendly. T-Bear was very excited.  This traveling thing is new to him.

Allentown, Pennsylvania was originally named Northhamptontown by it's founder, Chief Justice of Colonial Pennsylvania's Supreme Court, William Allen. Allen drew up plans for the rural village in 1762,  Despite its formal name, most called it "Allen's Town."  Because of its location along the Lehigh River, Allen hoped the town would turn into a commercial center.  River trade was impractical because of the low water level most of the year.
In 1838, the city officially adopted the name Allentown.  There is a lot of history to Allentown, to learn more just click on the link. As we travel through some of the Eastern small towns, it's tough to see how depressed they have become. The buildings and warehouses that used to be home to thriving American businesses, are now just abandoned buildings.  It's very sad, and yet to read a little of the history helps you see the towns as they once were with their beautiful architecture and hard American workers.

A couple of the Top 10 Things to Do in Allentown are: attend a baseball game at Coca-Cola Park and tour the America on Wheels Museum. We didn't have time for a baseball game, but we did find time to tour the car museum, America on Wheels Museum. If you're in the area, it's well worth your time.

      Always time to PLAY!

      They even allow the boys to play!











My favorite area of the museum was the collection of restored kid's peddle cars.

I think this was David's favorite part of the museum, MUSCLE CARS! (Or as David says, "Big kid's fast peddle cars").

Back on The Road:
After two nights in Allentown, we were back on the road and heading to Connecticut.
If you ever plan to visit Connecticut you should be forewarned, this is not an RV friendly state. You can find a few places to camp, however, they are most likely not with FULL hook-ups. So that means they'll have water, electric and gray water only.  You can not get sewer hook-ups. You'll have to pay extra for the "Honey Wagon" to come and pump you out. This can be a little expensive if you plan to stay very long.
Our goal, in traveling to Connecticut, was to visit our daughter and grand-kids. We traveled on April 26th, which was also our anniversary. We were able to locate a Cabela's in East Hartford.
Cabela's are always a nice place to stay a night or two as they have an area just for RV's.  They have put a lot of thought into RV's stopping at their stores. Most have a nice area for you to kennel your dogs while you shop.  Some stores even have corrals for a horse.  There is also an RV dump and water area, (if you have a Cabela's credit card, there is no fee, otherwise the cost is $5.00).  We have found that most Cabela's also have their own restaurant, which came in handy, as I already said it was our anniversary.  Happy Anniversary, with many more to come!














Our second night we were able to visit our daughter, Melissa and two of her children.  Our granddaughter Kate's birthday was Saturday, April 29th and she turned six. Our grandson, Jacob is now three.  We went to Bertucci's, for supper, which is in Avon, CT. You know your grand-kids are growing up when they don't want to go to Friendly's Restaurant for their birthday dinner with Oma & Opa. We all enjoyed our dinner, but the real fun kicked in when we got home.  Kate was very excited to show us her desk, where she does her homework and her bedroom.  I almost forgot the best room of all, she and Jacob had to take Oma & Opa to see the basement, that was really cool and spooky.

Kate made sure her Mom took a photo the next morning, so Oma & Opa could see her in her new clothes and the necklace Oma gave her.
Happy Birthday Kate!








David's Buddy Stops:

2015 - Wisconsin

Wisconsin 2015

COMING UP NEXT:

Maine, we finally arrive!