Went to sleep with the corners of some of the windows unzipped a
bit...there was a nice breeze out there and we wanted to bring some of it in to
us. Became aware of rain in the middle
of the night but not aware enough to care about open windows. Woke this morning to the sound of sporadic rain
on top of the tent...must be just dripping off the trees, I thought. Wrong!
It was still raining...we were just being protected by the trees overhead.
The only water in the tent was by the door where we forgot to close the
bottom zipper. A few sheets of paper
towel took care of that little puddle. A
dry-ish tent...what a novelty for us. 😏
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I needed to get up to the office
to pay up for last night’s stay but didn’t know the lay of the land. We
came in after dark so I had no idea where I was going but this I know, the tent
area is always near the back or off to the side in every KOA. The bathroom/laundry building is located in
front of the tent area and there is a row of RVs beyond that. Figured the office had to be that-a-way. So it was just a matter of walking in that
direction...and I was able to check out the campground as I went.
This is a very well done, big campground. No surprise about the big part because we saw
a row of golf carts for rent when we rolled in last night. There is a
playground and pool in the front of the campground, a huge playground/activity
area in the middle, and a really nice pavilion and dog area in the back, both
of which happen to be located right by the tent area. Across the way is a tree shaded open area
with picnic tables. It’s very active also...lots of families,
kids on bikes, kids laughing and squealing, grandparents calling for their
grandkids, people power walking, camp workers driving around doing whatever it
is they do, etc. Of the 17 wooded tent sites, nine
appear to be occupied so far...the rest of the campground is inhabited by RVers
and cabin dwellers.
I was very surprised to find that the tent area is really close to the
bathroom/laundry building. That is
normally not the case. It’s not unusual
for the campers who don’t have onboard bathrooms and therefore need the camp facilities to be located
the farthest away from said facilities. As
I’m sitting in the pavilion typing, I’m seeing a lot of vehicles/golf carts
driving up to use the bathroom or laundry.
And to think we just have to walk across the front yard of our tent. 😊
--------------------
We decided to stay another night here....really didn’t want to pack up a
wet tent. The rain was predicted to stop
by noon and then no rain through the weekend.
Perfect opportunity for the outside of the tent to dry. And perfect opportunity to do some wash. Maybe it’s just time to take a travel
breather.
--------------------
Kim took this extra time to fix some things on the trailer...1. The
chains have been dancing on the road and need to be shortened and 2. The side
frame on the trailer lid has developed a crack and needs to be repaired before
it becomes worse. He’s off to a nearby
Lowe’s right now to get the necessary equipment, in addition to a new
cooler. Our current one is nothing more than
a plastic box that makes things smell funny.
--------------------
I’ve been dealing with some kind of weird itchy thing on my ankles the
last few days; I know it isn’t from mosquito bites. The itching hasn’t been a problem when I’m
riding; it becomes an issue when I remove my boots and socks. Last night not only was it my ankles but the
front and back of my thighs got involved.
Even though I knew I shouldn’t scratch, it was the only thing that
provided relief from the intense itchy feeling; but then welts started
appearing. A couple of the welts even broke open. What in
the world is happening here?! Today when I showed Kim my legs he said,
“Maybe it’s chiggers.” Chiggers, huh? What are chiggers? Time for a Google search.
Yes, there is a wealth of information on chiggers on the internet...and
based on the many posted pictures of legs and ankles that have been the victims
of chigger bites, Kim was right on when he suggested chiggers. All the sites said that chiggers do not burrow...they
are just teeny tiny mites that feed on fluid in the our skin cells, injecting
this and digesting that with the end result being that they leave an irritant
behind resulting in some intense itching which may last 1-2 days. Remedy:
Take a hot shower after being in
an environment that’s favorable to chiggers and use an anti-itch crème if
itching arises. While I planned on
taking a shower later today perhaps sooner than later is a good idea. 😐
--------------------
Last night it was still fairly humid when we rolled in...expecting it to
be the same today. However, when I was
done showering, etc. and walked out of the bathroom door I realized that I was
still dry. And as I’m sitting here I’m
not sweating. Don’t know that it’ll last
but it’s a very welcome change from the last few days.
--------------------
A popular way to entertain the kids seems to be letting them drive
around the park in a golf cart. Don’t
know the age limits for driving but I’ve seen a couple of carts with a teenager
driving three younger kids around...and around...and around. I’ve also seen adults doing the same.
--------------------
We saw two ghost bikes out on Cape Cod yesterday, one in Eastham on 6
East and the other in Wellfleet on 6 West.
Highway 6 is the only main road out to Provincetown and the bikes were
maybe 4 miles apart on opposite sides of the road. We stopped to get a picture of the one in
Eastham but the plaque on it was faded...due to the volume of traffic we didn’t
stop for the other bike. However,
through a little investigative work on Google I managed to find the names of
the two people memorialized by the bikes.
1.
Laurie Sutton was a cyclist killed in a bike/car
accident in Eastham, Cape Cod, on Oct. 23, 2015. She was 61 years old and left behind a
husband, two kids, siblings and other extended family. I like this line from her obituary: She
was an incredible wife, mother and friend; a strong, vibrant woman whose
stubborn strength & huge heart were the glue that held us all together. The
void she leaves behind in our lives is immeasurable.
2.
Miles Tibbetts
was cycling to work on August 17, 2013, when he was hit by a car while
attempting to cross the road. He was 16 years old. His ghost bike was placed in front of the
guard rail near the site of the accident by his best friend, Walter
Rowell. Controversy arose when MassDOT
sent a letter stating that the bike had to be removed. The letter read in part, “Due to public
safety, no items are allowed to be placed within the State Highway Layout that
could potentially distract, obstruct or cause harm to anyone." However, Walter and other supporters pointed out that the
memorial was placed on a straightway, out of the path of vehicle, bike and
pedestrian traffic. A petition asking that the ghost bike be allowed to stay was
circulated and gathered over 1500 signatures.
I saw Miles’
ghost bike yesterday so I’d have to say that MassDOT relented in their decision
to remove the memorial. However, it was
a few feet behind the guardrail so
maybe that was the compromise that allows it to remain 6 years later.
--------------------
We hung around camp most of the day with the intention of heading out
for a ride in the afternoon. Just
waiting to see if the weather held out as forecasted...it did and we left about
4:30 p.m. for a ride to the coast of Rhode Island. A seafood dinner was on our minds. Ended up in Newport, RI, and consulted Google
about the closest seafood restaurant near our location. White Horse Tavern was within walking distance and it's billed as “America’s Oldest
Tavern” having served guests since 1673, so it should be our kind of place. Time to get some seafood and in the process
put some steps on the Fitbit.
--------------------
Two bikers walked into an old tavern looking for a good seafood dinner,
preferably lobster. They were willing to
spend some money. A cheerful young lady greeted them with a
cheerful “Good evening, may I help you?”
“We’re looking for a seafood dinner.”
“Well, we have seafood. Do you have reservations?”
“No.”
“Well, unfortunately our dining
is fully committed tonight. We do,
however, have seating in our bar area.” Then
nervously glancing from one biker to the other, she continued, “But unfortunately,
we have a dress code for the bar area. A
collared shirt is required.”
Silence from the bikers. Then a
surprised “Oh-kay” along with “Are you saying that we’re not dressed right
so we can’t be served here? I’m not trying to start anything, I just didn’t
understand what you said.”
“Yes, we have a dress code....collared shirts.”
“Can we be served out on the patio?”
“Well, you can take your
drinks out there but currently we’re not serving food on the patio because the
weather has been so unpredictable. Now what I could do is make a reservation
for tomorrow night or possibly recommend another restaurant for this evening.”
“Well, tomorrow won’t work so maybe you could point us in the direction
of another seafood place.”
The young lady was pleasant and looked truly apologetic throughout the
conversation. The bikers waited until
they were down the street before one asked, “So seriously, were we just told
that we’re not dressed good enough to sit in a bar?” The other answered, “Apparently not good enough
to sit in that bar. Now which way did
she say we should go?” So ended the saga of the White Horse Tavern.
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Two bikers walked into the Gas Lamp Grille where they were seated
immediately and Don, their waiter, was delighted to be of service to them. They spent lots of money on good food. So ended the saga of the Gas Lamp
Grille.
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Got back to camp at about 9 p.m. to find that there was a drive-in movie
in progress at the pavilion. The park
has a blow up screen that they set up to show a movie. People bring their lawn chairs, blankets or
golf carts to sit back and watch a movie. Popcorn and drinks round out the
experience. Tonight’s movie was “Wonder
Park”. We caught about the last 10 minutes.
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Friday’s miles: 88
Total: 1,510 miles
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