greetings from Paris.

Dec5

Well I’m in Paris but I don’t know that it really counts. I’m sitting is the AirFrance Skylounge having an espresso and a croissant. That’s about as French as this trip will get I think. I’m joined at my table by a couple of Norwegian men and a lady who won’t talk to any of us. It is crowded and feels very European. I have slept about an hour and a half in the past 24 and have one more flight before arriving in Norway later this afternoon…. hopefully if I confuse my body enough it will automatically adjust to Norway time and boom I’m a rockstar.

Again I have been delinquent in my postings but rest assured I have been out and about. Charleston was great and I enjoyed catching up with old co-workers. I loved Savannah and can see why people end up staying after a visit. Thanksgiving in Florida was lovely and it was great to be able to spend it with family.

I have left Gordy in the capable hands of able bodied Floridians and am off to Europe for a couple of weeks. I’ll try to reflect more later but until then… enjoy the photos.

Look….. it’s a Bulldog in front of a Bulldog. We’re in Charleston.

Folley Beach… I guess we have the place to ourselves!

That is not a treat Gordy…. it’s a horseshoe crabshell.

Just chillaxin with the Gordy. I was going to write down my reflections but did this instead. You can imagine how deep my thoughts were.

Looking out the rear.

Downtown Charleston.

Gordy Wasn’t sure what to do with the water fowl.

These are the best people a guy could have shared a weekly phone call with for the past couple of years. The group at MUSC that worked with the data for the trial I had been working with. It was nice to be able to stop in for a visit and see everyone.

What’s up Emily…. Are you ready for this?

Gordy can be very particular about who he befriends and the time that this may take.

“No. I will not talk to you”

“You are talking to me… I will act indifferent.”

“Why did you stop kissing my ear… you are my new best friend”

Tybee beach in Savannah

I like to see the different groups of people that gather to share a beach at sunset.

The first in my series of “people taking selfies”

Am I out with Miley?

These two are obviously awesome.

She’s jacked.

Miley and friends again.

Savannah Kubb nights.

Hanging on the porch enjoying the evening.

Then the circus came to the backyard.

This is just how the G-Man rolls. Welcome to the van.

The Spanish Moss was pretty great everywhere. This was headed into a state park.

Just a typical Tuesday in Savannah.

Bike Tours.

HEEEEEEYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Don’t miss Mrs Wilkes’s… it was awesome.

This is totally the meal I should have chosen before trying Bikram for the first time. Kris teaches and invited me to class for the night.

Hanging at the Bean.

Finally making Emily learn a little of the city history on a carriage tour.

If you’ve seen Forrest Gump you might be asking where the feather is….

This was the yard that Emily so generously shared with us during our stay.

And when thrifting in Savannah you might find a 1991 Twins World Series Pennant.

Hanging out at “Old Fort Jackson”

Savannah is a major shipping port in the U.S.

Gordy got on the officer’s bed.

These guys are professionals.

Totally normal to take a walk in the woods in your tux and red had.

Wormsloe is awesome.

Thanks for the memories.

Busch League.

This is a 600 year old oak in St. Augustine.

I need to stop here for now with the captions because my plane is leaving… I’ll edit the post later.

From the Vineyard to Ashville.

Nov20

Again… click a pic to take you into the gallery.

These pictures bring us from Martha’s Vineyard through Ashville N.C.

: Martha’s Vineyard Harbor.

: Although the tourist season had past. These lovelies were still around to welcome outsiders to the island.

: There was a wildlife refuge in the middle of the island that I took some time to cruise around.

: The tide was in so the “Beach Path” was lacking some beach. I took off my shoes and rolled up my jeans before taking a walk.

: There is a lighthouse in this picture.

: One of the old captains’ houses that was in a state of disrepair.

: Gordy and Kaia. Buttercup is always open to visitors .

: Gulstreng.

: It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Buttercup parked outside the Daily Planet!

: The Mark Twain House in CT.

: Gordy loves playing with his toothbrush.

: …and napping in the passenger seat.

: Hey!

: Look at the waterfall!

: Lunch stop.

: There wasn’t a lot of traffic so Buttercup took a little break in the road while I stepped out to snap this picture of an old farmhouse near Brandywine Creek in Delaware.

: Winterthur.

: This reminded me of the Great Gatsby.

: leaving Winterthur. The sky matched Buttercup.

: So I found the sign for the famed Obrycki’s restaurant that was listed in my book of 1001 places. What wasn’t listed was the fact that the location listed in the book had closed. Bi-lingual solicitation and a mugging are likely as you amble down an unlit side street seeking the old address. At least I wasn’t mugged.

: Cobble stone streets of Baltimore.

: Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you

: Away you rolling river.

: Away, I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.

: Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter, Away, you rolling river.

: For her I’d cross, Your roaming waters, Away, I’m bound away, ‘Cross the wide Missouri.

: ‘Tis seven years, since last I’ve seen you, And hear your rolling river.

: ‘Tis seven years, since last I’ve seen you, Away, we’re bound away, Across the wide Missouri.

: Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you, And hear your rolling river. Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you, Away, we’re bound away, Across the wide Missouri.

: Whenever I roll through Winston-Salem I stop for a bite at Sweet Potatoes. It’s a must. http://www.sweetpotatoes.ws/

: Cousins in Ashville.

: And the family.

: More Cousins! and babies! and excellent tacos.

: Old Crow.

: Helluva Spoon spooner.

: Birthday BBQ for Josh.

: Scenic Drive.

: looking glass falls.

: Ashley Erik and Heidi!

: Because living in a van doesn’t mean you’re roughing it.

: Just before Diving into the abyss.

Woah… I learned how to add a gallery.

Nov14

I’ve made my way to Charleston and have found myself of a pretty unpopulated part of Folly Beach in South Carolina’s Low Country. I suppose for locals it’s a little chilly for the beach but I’m enjoying things none the less. As well as chasing the Fall, I’ve probably also been chasing the tourist season, which suits me just fine. Gordy and I just have that much more room to run around. I’ve taken a few extra days off of the road to collect myself and make plans for the next segment of the trip. In less than a month I’ll have been to and nearly returned from Norway already. I guess times keep ticking away no matter where you’re at.

Here’s a little photo update from some of the previous stops.

See you soon!

-E, G and B.

Click on any one of the pictures to open the gallery.

Plymouth Rock

: We had the opportunity to drive through and visit the Pilmoth Plantation.

: It sort of remonded me of a “Murphy’s Landing” with Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians. This Indian was only slightly irritated that he was working and not able to attend the Parade that was being held for the Boston Red Sox. He did a great job and shred some pretty interesting information with those who had questions for him.

: Alson with a traditional Wampanoag village they had a creation of the original English settlement.

: These ladies were making sausage.

: Gordy and the Mayflower II.

: Hey! We found the Rock! Although more symbollic than an actual first step onto the continent…. it was fun enough to see.

: I’m on a Boat.

: Pictures out windows have always sort of fascinated me,

: This guy did a great job with a local scout troop.

: First Church,

: I also like old graveyards. Especially towards the end of the day.

Cape Cod

: “Take one of me and the lighthouse!” -Gordy

: “Take one with me on the bench!” – Gordy

: “Take one with me and the sunset!” -Gordy

: “The Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, Massachusetts, was built between 1907 and 1910 to commemorate the first landfall of the Pilgrims in 1620 and the signing in Provincetown Harbor of the Mayflower Compact. This 252-foot-tall (76.8 m) campanile is the tallest all-granite structure in the United States, and is part of the Provincetown Historic District.” Thanks wikipedia.

: The weather wasn’t as great as we would have liked for exploring the Dunes but we’ll go back a little earlier in the year sometime.

: Unfortunately the weather had wrecked a boat along the shore. There were quite a few emergency vehicles in the area looking for the ship’s crew.

P-Town

Well…. It turned out there was some sort of festival going on in Provincetown the night I was there. I thought I’d share the experience as best as I could. It actually was a pretty good time and obviously the people seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Buttercup does Boston.

Nov12

Why not swing by Boston for the World Series….

I had initially decided that driving an RV named Buttercup through any major city may be ill advised… I haven’t however always been known as one to heed the advise of others (even when that advice is my own) and instead choose to prove the naysayers wrong…. It isn’t often that one just happens to be driving through the city hosting game six of the World Series either. It would turn out that Boston would go on to win game six and clinch the World Series at home for the first time in nearly 100 years in this storied franchises’ history…. we had to give it a try.

Well I’m still driving and Buttercup is in one piece…. Although we did narrowly escape a low tunnel with about 4 feet to spare before the exit when I noticed the “10 foot low clearance” sign ahead. We won’t be attempting this feat again soon.

Enjoy the pictures!

Gordy was excited and dressed for the game early.

So this is my rear view mirror. That is the back door with a small window I look through to see what is behind me. What is difficult to make out is the police escort trailing me because I had propane on board. Apparently this is a no-no when traveling through the tunnel that I needed to traverse on my way to the stadium. Thankfully I was deemed non-threatening and the escort was sufficient.

It turns out that parking an RV is easy in Cambridge. Also, by chance, this is the street that my cousin used to have her office on. What are the odds?

He got her number. How do you like them apples.

By the river.

Great evening for a game 6!

I decided to make the walk to Fenway. The view was pretty great and the Prudential Building was in full support of the home team.

The last time I was in town was the week of the Boston Marathon. The morning I left, the city was on lock-down, and in the middle of a manhunt for the bombing suspects. The scene and atmosphere in the city couldn’t have been more different for my return. The pictures should speak for themselves… What a difference.

Before

After!

Just blending in.

The bike police had a parade! It reminded me of the Shriners!

This is Melissa. She asked if I had an extra ticket to the game… I didn’t. We waited around the park for a while, taking in the atmosphere and energy of the place before I rented a bike and we took off back to Cambridge to enjoy the rest of the game indoors at “Miracle of Science” on Mass Ave with some ginger-beers and other locals.

Before the last out of the game… This local was ready for the victory… they got it and the Sox Won. The place went pretty crazy and I have to say I was glad to be around and be a part of it all.

Visually Salem (and Gloucester)

Nov9

Kennebunkport: Listed in my book of 1001 places to see before you die. Actually there is a B&B listed but the beach was more appealing. After a long drive, it was great to mingle with other locals out for a stroll their house animals. Gordy had a good time running up and down the beach and even played well with others. He also pooped twice.

Woodman’s. Also in the book. Birthplace of the fried oyster. Turns out I don’t like fried oysters.

We stopped at Winter Island in Salem for the night. Not bad for a van down by the river.

There was a nice little walking tour which pointed out that we were staying at old fort. These were the Barracks that were modeled after George Washington’s residence.

A great start to the day with the Fort Pickering Lighthouse.

Gordy found the Moat… or what was left of it.

Gloucester.

Hello Lunch…

Not bad for a Minnesota kid. The waitress thought so anyways.

There was a pie eating contest for Halloween Week. This Gnome won.

This fountain (obviously shut down for the season) is actually a map of Salem. The top layer is the original coastline and the bottom layer is present day. It’s pretty hard to see the layers but they are there.

Salem Graveyard.

This 81 year old man refused to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty (of being a Witch) when accused. This prevented the courts from taking possession of his property and allowed for the inheritance to be passed along to his children. He was placed under a wooden door in a pit in the ground. Stones were piled on top of the door for six days before he was eventually crushed to death. According to local legend, with his last breath, he cursed the town of Salem. Today many continuing misfortunes are blamed on the curse of Giles Corey.

This is an old Jail that Houdini once escaped from.

Notice the gravestone that faces this tree. The gentleman buried here died after being struck by lightning.

According to locals, this same tree that he is facing has been struck three additional times since his burial.

These benches alongside the graveyard are a part of the Salem Witch trial Memorial. As they had been branded Witches, the victims of the trials were buried in graves barely deep enough to cover their bodies leaving them open to the advance of wild animals. Needless to say, the bodies have long since vanished and the individuals were never given a proper burial. This memorial stands as a place for remembrance.

This tree has been growing in the graveyard since the time of the Witch Trials.

The Toy museum in Salem is amazing. I’m pretty sure I had all of these He-Men. The collection is pretty incredible and has been featured on a couple of TV shows but I didn’t pay close enough attention to tell you which ones.

Who Knew?!? Go Salem!

Bewitched did some filming in Salem. A few areas are featured in the TV show and created some buzz in the area for a while.

This is the House of the Seven Gables as featured in the book of the same name by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Many would speculate that he added the “w” to his name to hide himself from his local familial past. His relative, judge John Hathorne, was the only judge involved in the witch trials who never repented for his actions and involvement.

Allison was a tour guide at the House of the Seven Gables. She was able to take some time out of her day to cruise around with me and Gordy sharing some local history. Behind them is the Pickering House. It still houses members of the Pickering family, making it the longest lasting property with the same continued lineage in the U.S. She is currently pursuing a career in the music industry and is planning a rip to Ireland next summer.

$26 - Bad Math$

Someone at WalMart is very bad at math.

Onward.

Nov4

If it seems that I’m jumping around a little here, I’m just backing up and telling about the trip bit by bit… I’m sure you can keep up; there’s only a little to backtrack on.

On Saturday we left Acadia and drove up to Bangor, basically to say that we’d been there. One of the locals at Jaspar’s (our dinner stop in Ellsworth the first night before heading into Acadia. I highly recommend the all you can eat London broil and a cup of seafood chowder.) had mentioned they had a strip club up there. It was much nicer that the old strip club and had all new furnishings… He was pretty sure the previous owner had sold all of the old accessories on Craigslist. The new owner had several other clubs in the South in addition to the club recently opened in Bangor, but they were opened as different entities though just in case one of the establishments got into any legal trouble. This way the other clubs couldn’t be connected and he could stay in business. In any case, in addition to selling the old furnishings, online… the previous owner had also listed “other things” for sale as well. That’s why she got shut down…..well, according to the local anyways. According to the waitresses folding napkins nearby, it wasn’t the “online sales” that were the issue but actually a nasty outbreak of scabies that closed the place down…

So we drove through Bangor with a brief stop to gas up then on through to Augusta and onto Lewiston. Actually Auburn, which is just on the other side of the river about 20 minutes Southeast of Norway. I popped into BuffaloWildWings to catch some of the World Series before overnighting at the local Walmart.

In the morning we headed out and drove past Portland heading South towards Boston. I checked my handy app, which lists all of the camping and rest stop areas in the U.S. and realized we were very close to Salem. This intrigued me as I have always been sort of fascinated by the area. It was also interesting that we could check out the area during Halloween week, which made the area a hot-spot for tourism due to the history of the witch trials. I decided that this would be our stop for the evening and we pulled into the Winter Island camp area and I couldn’t have been happier with the decision. You can read more about the time spent there in the pictures section that will illustrate some of the high points of the stay. (this will be the next post so don’t worry if you can’t find it yet.)

Stay tuned and thanks for stopping by!

Visually Acadia

Nov2

There is no way this small sampling of pictures could in any way represent the park, but its a start..

After leaving Portland, we drove up the coast on Highway 1, this was our first potential lunch stop.

We drove into the night. Stopped at a great place called Jasper’s, then continued on into Bar Harbor. Good Morning!

Gordy and the Boats.

This is a fountain.

Half way up Cadillac mountain provided a nice view of the town below.

King of the Mountain.

Just stopping for a while to take it all in. A lot of the pictures later are from along the coastline in front of us.

1,528 feet

This scenic drive.

Sieur De Monts Spring is the place people often associate with the birthplace of Acadia and one of the founding visionaries George Dorr.

Just a stop by a lake.

The G-man out enjoying another run in the sand.

Smile!

Time to keep going.

Not a bad lunch stop. Jordan Pond. It kind of seemed fake.

Ready or not, here I come! (Buttercup is not very good at hide-and-seek but I always let her pretend that she does a really good job hiding.)

I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!!

Getting better at the hide and seek.

He’d getting into a bad habit of sticking his tongue out at me.

Sunset from the top of Cadillac Mountain

We got there about an hour and half early and not only watched the sun go down but also the crowd gather and disperse.

Sunrise on Cadillac.

Sand Beach. Alone.

It was pretty amazing the amount of time we were able to spend in isolation in the park.

View from one of the hikes I ventured out on.

Tough Mudder.

Overnight, the leaf season had ended.

Yeah….boats….

We noticed some sea-kayakers.

His bad Habit.

Hiking into Wonder Land

This was pretty much the vibe of Wonderland.

There was much more but the camera got packed away. It was a little rainy on our last day at Acadia and we said out farewells and headed out into the night.

What have you been up to this week?

Nov2

I was about to start by apologizing for not having updated things for such a long time and then I realized it’s been just over a week. That kind of blows my mind. I don’t know what it is about time that allows for life to pass by so quickly or sometimes come to a complete standstill. Since last Thursday, Gordy Buttercup and myself have hiked through Acadia National Park in Maine, survived ghost tours and Halloween week in Salem Massachusetts, visited Fenway Park in Boston to witness the Red Sox clinch the World Series at home for the first time in 95 years and now find ourselves just a couple of miles away from Plymouth Rock. It’s been pretty incredible and I’d be happy to elaborate on any section of the trip and maybe I eventually will. For the moment though, I wanted to get some pictures up and jot a few things down before they slip my mind.

I have to say that it has been pretty incredible to have been all of those places and actually feel like I spent quality time at each of wasn’t just rushing off to be somewhere else. Somehow I even managed to find time to take in a real New England barbershop haircut and go see a movie. (I highly recommend Messina’s Barber shop but think you could wait for Ender’s Game to come out on video)

P.S. if you have never navigated the streets of Boston in a vehicle, I would suggest that your first attempt not be in an RV.

Minnesota to Wisconsin to Michigan to Ohio to New York to Vermont to New Hampshire to Maine.

Oct24

After some nights in WalMart parking lots and some state parks and just over 1800 miles, I’m in Portland Maine at a Hampton Inn.

The scenery has been fantastic and a comfy driver’s seat, good music and my buddy Gordy have helped the time fly by. We stopped by Niagara Falls along the way and although it was a bit chilly, the lines were short and the views pretty incredible. It turn out Gordy is not just good at sleeping on a couch in a basement, but he’s also really good at sleeping on one in an RV. There is still some color on the leaves and Fall is still a great season.

You may have noticed my new blog category, “Bleet of the Bleet.” This is my answer to Blogging/Tweeting. I can say what I want, when I want with no character restrictions and there is no schedule for when I need to bleet next so look out

Tomorrow we are off to Acadia National Park and I’m hoping for something good to look at. We’ll see how long we stay as the temperatures are supposed to be not so favorable and we have some fun planned as we head down the coast to Florida. Wish us luck!

I think the following should about update us so far:

Leaving St. Paul.

Perfect place to stop for the night.

Obligatory stop in Norway.

“Nature-Hike” is Gordy’s middle name.

Such an athlete.

Makinak Bridge.

Thanks Ben Erin and Wilson for the hospitality!

Take your dog to work day.

Roomies are forever.

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Heeeeeyyyy….

The Falls.

Good thing I wore the rain parka.

Just another sunny day.

Smile.

Are we there yet?

Seriously, are we there yet?

Mt. Washington

Getting out for a walk.

Appalachian Gordy.

People are totally normal here.

Oct23

Yesterday as I was driving through the Appalachians I thought, “Man, all I have is this stupid iPhone for pictures.” Pretty much the same thought most pioneers had while making the crossing I’m sure.

Also, I had a lobster roll today. It was fine.

Honk Honk.

	lexy zarling on Minnesota to Wisconsin to Mich…
	etmaland on Minnesota to Wisconsin to Mich…
	Karin on Minnesota to Wisconsin to Mich…
	Brando on Minnesota to Wisconsin to Mich…

33goingon20

Living in a van and looking for nearby rivers.