After months of talk, planning and preparing, we finally got underway on our Maine to Montana adventure. The schedule didn't go exactly as planned, but we scurried around at the last minute and left only about seven hours later than we originally had in mind. It took 3 1/2 days of traveling to make our first sightseeing destination, Mystic, Connecticut. Now in those 3 1/2 days we saw some beautiful country, experienced some ridiculous traffic, and found out which states spend a portion of their tax dollars to maintain roadways and which don't. It's a wonder the RV, oh yeah, that's Jessie, held together, but she did great! Taking the western route, we passed through more states than I realized we would. Starting in Florida our route was through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York, to Connecticut. In our quest to get to New England, we definitely passed through areas we want to return to for exploration, but on this trip, Mystic was the perfect first destination.
Mystic Seaport has been on my list of places to visit for years. It was actually a last minute addition to this trip at Larry's suggestion when we were planning our route to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. We arrived to the area late in the afternoon and were exhausted after navigating some of the more difficult roadways in eastern PA and NY state. Our campground was located near Stonington, a quaint, beautiful little town adjacent to Mytic, so we found a waterfront restaurant there for an early dinner before checking in. Now, think small town, originally established in the mid-1600's (Florida folks - think St. Augustine with a New England twist), and imagine "Jessie" on those narrow streets. It was quite the sight I'm sure. We got so many inquiring looks, I was concerned RV's were banned from their beautiful little town. Fortunately the restaurant had plenty of parking, and we were early bird diners, so we pulled right in, and backed right into a spot along the bulkhead, hanging the back end of the RV with the bikes over the water. It was a little unnerving to look at, but it worked. Larry did a magnificent job of maneuvering Jessie around. Dinner at the Breakwater was delicious, and we enjoyed unwinding on the deck by the water.
The air quality across PA and through NY reminded me of hot, hazy, white sky, August days in Florida, but the air cleared and brilliant blue
skies returned for our time in Mystic. The weather couldn't have been any better for our visit. We were very thankful. The seaport lived up to all my expectations. The Charles Morgan, a whaling ship, is the crown jewel of the seaport, and we took an overabundance of pictures. The majestic ship with its white sails against the crisp blue sky was just too captivating. There's so much more to see, however. There are a multitude of smaller sailing ships, the restoration of the Mayflower II and all the associated workshops, and there's an entire historic seafaring town with interpreters and interactive exhibits - a lot to see and experience.
We also walked to the business area of Mystic, which was filled with cute shops and eateries. Of course we had to check out the Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream Shop, made sure we found Mystic Pizza, and had lunch at a charming spot on the river, S&P Oysters. I'll say it again, Mystic was the perfect beginning to our Maine to Montana adventure.
Now we're on to Boothbay Harbor. It's a return visit, but our last trip there was short, so we look forward to some extra days this time. To make it all the more special we are going to meet up with my brother and his wife to toast them as they travel across Maine in celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary, and we are going to visit with our dear friend Bev, who we know from Larry's Boston Whaler days. So, the next update will come from Boothbay! 'Til then, good times and happy days!