Up a little early and onto the road for the longest distance this trip. West on I-95, NW to I-84 across the Hudson River, then South on I-87 (NY Thruway) and I-287 around Newark NJ. Then onto the NJ Turnpike, over the Delaware River Bridge into DE, and down DE-1 to US-13 and the campground at 4:00 pm. Some 410 miles total.
The trip wasn't all that hard but there was enough traffic to force one to pay attention, and a sufficiency of squirrels doing strange things like exiting to the right from the left lane. Only saw one accident and it didn't look bad.
D's brother Tom and companion Abby had us come to their townhouse for drinks and chats, then we went to the M/V Last Chance, a 65' boat owned by five old reprobates who decided to have fun with a boat. It's going to be beautiful when they finish, and parts of it are beautiful now. I'll go take some pictures of it tomorrow. There's some real work gone into making over that boat.
Then we went to a mexican restaurant for dinner, and chatted some more. Lots of laughs and fun.
We departed when we returned to their house to get home not-too-late. Now I'm doing these notes and will shortly settle in....
6/2/2009 Killens Pond State Park, DE
Nice day - cool in the morning (65*) and warm in the afternoon (88*).
We took off from the trailer for Lewes, where we went to Tom's boat (M/V Last Chance) and took pictures of it so we can show them to the rest. We bought foodstuffs on the way back to the trailer.
Tom called and suggested "Where Pigs Fly" for dinner. We went, and met Richard & Karen with their son Alex, Tom (Abby had a prior appointment) and Carl (whose companion is at home nursing a terminally ill dog). Alex could wear out anyone. We had pig and chicken and tea and chatted and had a good time. Carl can tell stories, and Tom makes it even funnier by egging him on or supplying details.
We finally broke up, then re-convenend outside the entry for another half-hour of chat. Then, reluctantly, we broke up.
Back then to the trailer to settle in. Big day tomorrow - laundry.
6/3/2009 Killens Pond State Park, DE Mostly cloudy, 70's. T-storm watch.
Bacon & Eggs for breakfast, then off to Felton to look for the laundromat. It was there, but only two small machines were open. We went on to Dover Mart in Dover. There, a gang of people were converting the place to a card-operated remote-control operation. Still, we got in and did our clothes with not too much fuss.
When we came out, we found the tailpipe had separated from its hanger and was drooping close to the ground. The laundromat manager came up with some wire for dropped ceilings; I tied it up temporarily. We proceeded to Scotties Exhaust & Muffler and got it repaired. They replaced three hangers with a type wherein the bolt through the rubber that provides vibration isolation can't work through the rubber and drop out. Quick work and $50 - not too bad.
Then we went west on DE-8 to Marydel MD/DE to look at the place where we were married. On to Sandtown DE to look at D's parent's old farm, now subdivided into several residential lots with nice houses. The little house she moved to later is still there and looking ok, next to the house where Tom & Phyllis lived at the time. Memories.
Back into Felton to fuel up for tomorrow's trip. Then back to the little house in the trees for hamburgers, etc., which tasted just right in the forest.
Now we'll just take our ease and prepare to fight the Washington DC area tomorrow.
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