October 29, 2007

Hello!!

We are finally camped in a place with reliable cell service and internet! We are in Natural Bridge, VA, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We spent two days driving along Skyline Drive, with many overlook sightings and trailheads to explore. I never knew it could take 2 days to go 105 miles!

We had a great time in Acadia - we camped near Bass Harbor Light for a few days, where bike riding and walking the dog were at the top of my list...Allie was very joyful!... and then we moved up closer to Bar Harbor for a couple of days; we went on a four masted schooner, without Allie. We found out the carriage rides were closed but the carriage roads were open, and found a small Herkimer diamond, not in matrix, for sale for $75.00. Hang on to those herks , they're gold apparently!

We went to Schoodic Point on the advice of Eric and many others, and are really glad we did. Its not even listed/shown on some of the maps we had as being part of Acadia... But a very lovely drive, and we spent hours with Allie chasing seagulls on the rocks. On our way to the White Mountains, we actually drove through Cherryfield (again, Eric mentioned it- but we took the road cuz it went where we were going!) and it really was flaming red over all the low bush blueberry fields. It was also the first town where we pulled over to let cars go by us slow folk, and then had a cop pull up. He was a statie, who stopped because he thought we were in trouble, and he was really quite helpful...told us which roads to take to get to Bangor and onward.

The next day we were driving through Bethel, Maine, about to re-emerge in NH, when we drove by this incredible looking antique/junk shop. The whole front yard was filled with amazing artifacts. I was driving, and said that I wanted to turn around and go back! So, Ken and I looked for a place to turn around for at least 5 miles. Viola! - theres a place! and back we went. Three hours later...

It was an amazing collection. Signs told us to go into the barn first ("Dont come inside the house til you have gone in the barn!") There was at least half of everything I have ever thrown away in the place, literally. A collection of Bates Hotel keys, anything your 1940-1960 Chevy could need, player piano rolls, all the toys that were the rage in 1960, block and tackle from every era........4 floors of barn. Then the house - I really wanted the gorgeous trunk with the inside shelves intact....ooops, it does not fit into an RV!

Then the house - where there were collections of locks and keys and dolls and old film everything, and vintage posters. It was really fun. So, the name of the place was Rusty Cobwebs, and the owner was an interesting fellow. It was the best three hours!..From there we stopped briefly in Keene, and headed to NY State. I will tell you all more about NY state through Natural Bridge, VA next time...Love you all, Mindy and Ken and Allie