From Downeast Maine to Middle PA

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Friday, July 10, 2009
We loved Mt. Desert Island, but it was time to move on. We headed west across Maine on US 2. The countryside was not as pretty as I remembered, probably due to all the road construction going on. What a rough road, the road construction was needed, but a pain to us travellers. We relished the nice stretches of road. Once we crossed into New Hampshire, the roads were much smoother and we were soon in the White Mountains and enjoying the views of Mt. Washington, the tallest mountain in the Northeast. The top of Mt. Washington also claims the record for the highest land wind speed, 231 mph in 1934.

Saturday, July 11, 2009
We continued west on US 2 into Vermont, where we eventually got on I-91 heading south after getting a scenic tour of some back roads and farmlands (in other words, we got lost.) We then got on US 4 to travel west through the middle of Vermont. It was a beautiful drive with mountain vistas, beautiful rivers and streams, and a few covered bridges. Once into New York, we got on I-87 at Glens Falls south to Schenectady and then west on I-88 to Central Bridge, NY and our campground. Once at the campground, the stormy weather moved in and we waited for the rain to pass before setting up the camper. It rained a few times during the evening, too.

Sunday, July12
This morning was sunny and beautiful as we drove west to Binghamton, NY, then south to Wilkes Barre, PA, before heading west on I-80. This middle portion of Pennsylvania is really pretty, with tree-covered mountains, and beautiful farms in the valleys. There was a lot of traffic on I-81 and lots of construction that narrowed the highway to one lane. Pennsylvania has the dumbest method of dealing with lane closures, they warn you of the closure 2 miles ahead, but the signs say use both lanes to merge point. Once at the merge, the signs say take your turn. It's absurd, the traffic backs up for miles. We're at Bellefonte for the night, near Penn State Univ, a very lovely area.

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Photos

Rumford Falls
Rumford, ME

Mt. Washington
New Hampshire

Ethan in hot tub
After a hard day of sitting in the car

Vermont farmland
off of I-91

This is not Ireland
Sheep at Central Bridge, NY

Comments

[Barbara]

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LIONS!!!!!