We left New York and got to Vermont July 3rd and boy was it hot….so hot that you didn’t want to do much if it didn’t include soaking in water of some sort! My niece, Lindsey Anderson, lives in Bennington, Vermont. We had a very enjoyable 4th of July with her boyfriend’s family after picking up Shannon in Albany, NY!  The next day we found a river to cool off  in under a covered bridge – how appropriate in Vermont! 

                        We left Lindsey and Vermont and headed for Maine feasts on                                                               lobsters and clams! 

It was so much fun having Shannon join us, just wish it could have been longer!

We left Watkins Glen and headed a bit south and east to Bowman Lake, great campsite and refreshing kayaking!

We left the Lake Erie area and headed to  Four Mile Creek State Park in Youngstown, NY in Niagara County and spent the next day at Niagara falls! What a fun experience feeling the mist of a powerful waterfall hit your body – or any part that was not covered. We took the Maiden of the Mist tour boat and got so close to the base of the falls (blue poncho)and then hiked down the Cave of the Winds and felt the spray as it fell over the precipice (yellow poncho)!

Headed for the North Eastern Part of the USA. Neither Gary or I had spent much time there so all is pretty new. Gary was born in upstate New York but left when he was 10, little recollection of the area. I worked in Philadelphia and spent time on the Jersey shore in my early 20’s but certainly seeing it much differently this time. We left Chicago and spent one night one Lake Erie not too far from Toledo and enjoyed it so much! We stayed at East Harbor State Park which sits on a peninsula on the waters of Lake Erie – just a bit of geology –  Lake Erie began as glacial sheets, which left a deep depression and this depression was filled with melting water, and that formed the Great Lakes. Just can’t quit being the science teacher:-) OH… I almost forgot about the mayfly hatch at the campground, that is what is all over the side of our camper!

Lake Erie

Campsite at East Harbor State Park

Mayfly hatch….incredible!

We are in Acadia National Park and it is so gorgeous, if they didn’t have winter here I probably would consider living here! The Atlantic Coast with all the cliffs and rocks are breathtaking, the weather can’t be beat (highs in the 70’s, lows the upper 50’s) and the lobster is delicious. Bought 2 medium sized live lobsters, half a dozen oysters and half a pound of scallops yesterday for $32. Life is good! Pictures are from a coastal hike and from Shannon’s visit here last week!