hotdogsandcoldshowers

Kevin and I kept going in Maine to Acadia National Park located on Mount Desert Island. Holy smokes, it is gorgeous. The park encompasses mountains, woodlands, tidepools, lakes, and ponds with rocky shores and cliffs along the bays and the Atlantic. Blackwoods Campground was our home for the weekend, and it actually turned out to be pretty empty. It’s in a great location, close to a number of park entrances and trails. I did meet Glenn and Margaret, a couple that has been to almost all the national parks in the U.S. We spent a night around the fire while they told me some cool stories and gave me some great tips for Acadia and beyond. One Glenn and Margaret must-do for Acadia is a really cool 27-mile park loop drive that gives you an outstanding look at all the various landscapes in the park. We drove the loop and stopped off to hike up to Thunder Hole, an inlet in a small cavern that gets a little wild and crazy when the tide rolls in. We also hiked around Jordan Pond, which turned out to be a really neat hike, with a number of changing terrains.

Things are going well so far, except that Kevin hates camping. He loves the hiking and is great in the car, but the nights have not been going too smoothly. The fire is like Kevin’s portal to hell; he sits as far away as his leash allows and constantly shakes. Throw in some strange wilderness noises and the roaming smoke stream, and he is a mess. After 4 nights of unsuccessfully trying to acclimate him, I’ve decided to skip Vermont and head right the Cleveland, where Kevin will be staying for the rest of the summer with my incredibly awesome and helpful parents! A little bump in an otherwise smooth road, so no big deal. I found another “friend” to travel along with me after I drop off Kev, check out the pics to see who I’m talking about. Any recommendations for camping/hiking/fun in Asheville, NC, my next stop after a week in Cleveland, would be much appreciated!

Need some work on my selfie game

Down on the Farm

Kevin and I rolled into Portland, Maine after Connecticut to an outstanding campsite right on the ocean at Recompence Shore campground, located at Wolfe Neck’s Farm. The working farm houses sheep, cows, chickens, goats, and a number of vegetable gardens. It is attached to a state park, so the hiking was fun. Downtown Portland was also neat, and Kevin got to hit the beach for the first time. The campsite was actually located in Freeport, Maine, the original home of L.L. Bean. I checked out their campus as well, and it was giant and pretty cool. Since I’ve been avoiding major highways as much as possible, I really get to see the beauty of Maine. It also means I pass by tiny towns and on my way out, I ran into Top Dog, a cute little hot dog stand that I had to stop at of course. It was pretty bad though and I am already getting sick of hot dogs. So I’m on a hot dog fast for my next leg, Acadia National Park.

June 7, 2016 0

Shake It Fast

I arrived in Mystic, Connecticut this week to stay with my college friend Stephanie, her husband Jonathon, her little nugget Oliver, and her pups Papi and Big Sir. Steph was my Thailand travel partner in crime, and it was so nice to reconnect and also to meet her son. We had a pretty laid back few days; walked the beaches, strolled around Mystic, ate lots of seafood, and hung at her awesome house located on the sound that leads to Mystic River. Thanks for the relaxation Steph!

Oh and we also saw Taylor Swift’s new Rhode Island home. Not bad.

June 4, 2016 5

A Stalker in Central Park

First weekend down, and the bar has been set! We stayed with Benjamin’s great friend Dave in his d’lux apartment in the sky, about 2 blocks from Central Park. The location cannot be beat and the company followed suit. After a Saturday night out that included some serious fried chicken and the midnight set at a classic New York jazz club, we set up shop in Central Park for a Memorial Day picnic on Sunday. It turned out to be the best day I’ve ever had in New York, complete with great food, lots of wine and booze, frisbee, and flying Ben’s 12-foot wide kite in the middle of central park. The kite flying attracted the kids, and like tweens at a Bieber show, they swarmed Ben and the kite. I’d say it was a mighty fine way to start off my adventure, a weekend in the upper west side before I begin roughing it with nature. And because I had to, we ended the night at Gray’s Papaya for my first official hot dog of the trip.

May 30, 2016 3

Stalker, Out!

385117_10100839015433278_1225577183_n After a lot of planning and second-guessing, I am about to embark on a three-month long drive across America, armed with a tent, a good pair of hiking boots, lots of excitement, and a little bit of nerves. I’ll be exploring a whole lot of cities and national parks, most of which I have never visited before. Coincidentally, it’s the 100 year anniversary of the National Parks, America’s best idea! The itinerary for the trip is loosely planned, but the campsites, the specific routes, and a lot of the endeavors are yet to be determined. I would love to take advice and suggestions from anyone willing to contribute; I think this will make for the most unpredictable and exciting trip. If anyone is interested, I’ll be posting about the trip on this blog, and of course keeping track of hot dogs eaten and cold showers taken.

First stop, Memorial Day weekend in NYC, where my boyfriend Benjamin and my little mutt Kevin will join me. I hope to casually run into either Louis C.K. or Susan Sarandon and start my hot dog tally off with one from a street vendor.

May 25, 2016 6

Hot Dogs and Cold Showers

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