Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is
Maryland
Maryland was one of the original 13 colonies and became the 7th state on April 28, 1788. The capital is Annapolis and the largest city is Baltimore.
Although we traveled to Maryland multiple times before our RV’ing days, back then we spent most of our time visiting family and seeing the sights in Washington, D.C. Way back in the early 1980’s we wandered around Baltimore touring the National Aquarium, the B&O Railroad Museum, and enjoying the beautiful harbor.
B & O Railroad Museum (early 1980’s)Tall Ship in the Baltimore Harbor (early 1980’s)
After we started traveling in the RV, we enjoyed camping in Rocky Gap State Park on Lake Habeeb. The birds in the trees and the chipmunks on the ground kept us entertained when we weren’t enjoying the lake.
Lake Habeeb in Rocky Gap State ParkThis chipmunk visited our campsite at Rocky Gap State ParkGreat Crested Flycatcher in Rocky Gap State Park
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is
Maine
Maine became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820 and the capital is Augusta.
Twelve years ago, in our pre-RVing days, we flew to Maine to visit our daughter’s family while they were living in Biddeford for a short time. We arrived during the mud season, just before Easter. We stayed with them a few days and then took off in our rental car to explore a little bit of New England and Canada. We circled back to have some more grandson time before flying home.
On Easter Sunday, our then one year old grandson had his first Easter Egg hunt in the snow. Later we drove through the countryside to Ridley Farm for Maine Maple Sunday. In addition to raising dairy cattle, this family owned farm produces maple syrup. Our grandson got to see the cows up close and we got to see how the syrup is produced. We loaded up on bottles of their syrup to take home to Georgia.
Maine Maple Sunday at Ridley Farm
Biddeford is located on the coast and we loved the rocky coastline. Even though it was cold, we had a great time enjoying the coast with our grandson.
Biddeford Pool
We wandered around the coast of Maine, eating lobster rolls and blueberry pie, and finding lighthouses.
West Quaddy Light is located on the easternmost point in the U. , MES.
Bass Harbor Light
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, ME
Portland Head Light, ME
We spent some money at the LL Bean store in Freeport and stopped at several of the LLBean outlets along the way.
L. L. Bean Store in Freeport, Maine
Our journey took us across this Cribstone Bridge to Cook’s Lobster House in Harpswell where we enjoyed lunch. If you guessed we tried their lobster rolls you would be correct.
Cribstone Bridge connecting Bailey’s Island and Orr’s Island
A Bed and Breakfast in Bath was our home for a night. Dining at a waterfront restaurant and watching the ice flow down the river was a great way to end the day. A couple of the locals told us they make bets on when the ice will start to break up.
Ice on Kennebec River in Bath, Maine
We visited Acadia National Park before it was officially open and had the park almost to ourselves. We walked along the ocean path above the water and listened for the loud boom of the waves crashing at the Thunder Hole.
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park
Sand Beach at Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park
At the Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park
We passed through miles and miles of forest as we traveled through the north Maine woods on our way to Kent and the beginning of U. S. Highway 1. I was on moose alert the entire time but the only we one we saw was crossing the road so far ahead of us to get a good look.
We drove through North Maine Woods to get to Kent
Beginning of U. S. Route 1 in Fort Kent, Maine
Wandering around Maine was such a great adventure. One of my favorite memories, though, is the sound of the Easter eggs cracking as our grandson dropped them one by one into his basket.
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is
Louisiana
Louisiana became the 18th state on April 30, 1812 and the capital is Baton Rouge.
Ever since I started working on this post about Louisiana the following lyrics from the Hank Williams song “Jambalaya (on the Bayou)” have been going through my head.
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo ‘Cause tonight I’m gonna see my ma cher amio Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o Son of a gun we’ll have big fun on the bayou
Each time we visited Louisiana we tried as much of the delicious local food as we could get. We sampled everything – boudin, crawfish etoufee, gumbo, dirty rice, cracklins, shrimp po’ boys and more! Chef Paul Prudhomme’s K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans served up one of the most amazing meals I’ve ever had. Is your mouth watering yet?
Acme Oyster House in New Orleans
Poche’s Meat Market and Smokehouse
Ralph and Kacoo’s in Bosier City
Lunch was delicious Boudin from the Tabasco food truck
Our meal at Poche’s – Crawfish Etoufee, Dirty Rice and Slaw – Sooooo good!
We’ve visited New Orleans three times – twice to watch our Georgia Bulldogs play in the Sugar Bowl and once to take our children when they were young. We wandered around the French Quarter, attended a performance of New Orleans Jazz at Preservation Hall, rode a streetcar to the Garden District, took a riverboat ride on the Mississippi River, chowed down on amazing Cajun food, and of course had coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde.
New Orleans Jackson SquareCafe du MondeCalle D Borbon
There is so much more to Louisiana than food and music. Our lake front campsite at Lake Bistineau State Park was perfect for watching the wading birds search for food among the huge cypress trees on the banks of the lake.
Great Blue Heron at Lake BistineauGreat Egret in Lake BistineauLake Bistineau
The rain didn’t stop us from enjoying our campsite on one of the ponds at Poche’s Fish N Camp. After a delicious meal at Poche’s Meat Market and Smokehouse I stocked up on Cajun goodies like homemade boudin, Andouille sausage and tasso ham to take home.
Poche’s Fish N Camp
We are one of the families who always has a bottle of Tabasco sauce on the table along with the salt and pepper. A visit to the Tabasco Factory on Avery Island was a must for us.
The world’s best known hot sauce
We even took a tour of the Duck Commander headquarters in West Monroe.
Duck Commander Headquarters, about 3 blocks south of I-20 in West Monroe, LA
I started writing this post right before Mardi Gras and have been hungry for Cajun food ever since. On Fat Tuesday I made a big pot of Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo using Alton Brown’s recipe (I added okra ). Yesterday I made Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Jambalaya (I left out the oysters). Now if I could just find some crawfish tails I’ll make that crawfish pie.!
“We have more fun than anyone.” – Sisters on the Fly® motto
We have more fun than anyone
Some members of Sisters on the Fly® recently gathered together at River’s End Campground on Tybee Island, GA. A quote from their website says:
“ “Sisters on the Fly®” is the largest outdoor women’s group in the United States with currently over 8,100 “Sisters.” This membership-based community supports women in their journey to get up, get out and become more adventurous!”
Sisters on the Fly
When they visited River’s End campground they opened up their campers for a tour. I had too much fun looking at all the unique trailers and talking to some of the “Sisters”. They shared their stories, answered questions, and everyone laughed a lot.
SerendipityRun-A-MukHappy Trails
They came from as far away as Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Many were dressed to match the theme of their trailer and some were decked out in Mardi Gras colors to march in the Tybee Mardi Gras Parade later that afternoon.
Vintage 1968 Trailer1968 Vintage Trailer kitchenBarbie Camper and SkatesRed and White theme inside and outSisters on the FlyCowgirl Condo IVintage Shasta TrailerVintage Shasta TrailerBless your HeartGirls Raised in the South
When the “Sisters” have an event, the husbands and kids stay home. If someone has trouble backing up their trailer, another Sister is always there to take over and do the backing for them. One member said you can laugh away 10 pounds at one of their events.
Home is where you park itWelcome
The “Sisters” often travel in caravans and stop to help each other out if there are any problems. If you ever see any of these campers in a campground, be sure to stop and say hello. I guarantee you will have fun.
Welcome to the next post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I hope you will enjoy coming along for the ride!
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next state is the Bluegrass State –
Kentucky
Kentucky became the 15th state on June 1, 1792 and the capital is Frankfort.
When I think of the Bluegrass state I think of horses, bourbon, and Colonel Sanders famous Kentucky Fried Chicken. We never got a chance to visit the original Kentucky Fried Chicken but we did get to experience horses and bourbon and a whole lot more.
Late one fall we set up camp at the Kentucky Horse Park State Park near Lexington. Seeing these magnificent horses was the highlight of our visit to the area.
Kentucky Horse ParkKentucky Horse ParkOn the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
One very overcast day we left the horse park for a scenic drive by many beautiful horse farms and a tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery located right beside the Kentucky River.
Bridge over Kentucky River at the Wild Turkey DistilleryWild Turkey Bourbon is aged these barrels
Until we visited the Elk and Bison Prairie in the Land Between the Lakes I never knew that bison once roamed in this area of the United States.
Elk and Bison Prairie in the Land Between the Lakes
The Land Between the Lakes has been a perfect stop over for us several times in our wandering. It doesn’t get much better than camping near a body of water and Canal Campground in the Land Between the Lakes is one of our favorite Corps of Engineers park.
Sunrise over Lake Barkley, Kentucky from Canal Corps of Engineers CampgroundRushing Bay on Kentucky Lake
Located in central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system known in the world. There are many options for guided tours of the cave. Above ground the scenery is beautiful with hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.
Wandering Dawgs 