Into the big Apple

We left Cape Cod with a plan to camp at Mystic in Connecticut but when we arrived the campsite quoted us $42 which i thought was a bit steep so since it was still early we left there and found a local McDonalds to use the wifi for further research. Fiona found a ferry going from New London (about 10 miles away) to Orient point in Long Island, this wouldn't save any miles but in theory should make the ride into our Long Island Hotel easier (which it did)
We arrived on Long Island, found a shop to buy Pasta Sauce and then found the campsite, by this time it was getting dark. I was taken aback when we got charged $52 to camp, no water, no electric just a bit of grass and a picnic table! This was the most expensive campsite this trip and considering our hotel in Cape Cod less per night I did feel a bit ripped off.
The ride into New York wasn't as bad as we'd feared and only a bit of stress when I took a couple of wrong turns. After parking the bikes up for a week we headed into Manhattan to meet up with my Uncle Morris & Auntie May who are here on holiday, great to see them, a year away makes you realise how important family is. A great night had by all and once we'd sussed out the subway not too stressful

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Waiting for another ferry!

Land ahoy, Long Island!

Doing my teletubby impersonation with the go pro camera

We are doing 15 mph over the speed limit and are still the slowest things on the road, lucky the sherrif was onto bigger things

The guy in this Mercedes passed us texting with both hands, steering with his knees no doubt ! IDIOT!!

Just a few wrong turns from our hotel, Fi gets the coffee in!

Empire state building

Catching up with May & Morris

The electric bills here must be high!!

Crabs at Cape Cod

We were lucky enough to get a nice hotel at Cape Cod at around the price of most campsites we've stayed at so that was a bonus. We got chatting to the Manager and his wife when we arrived and like people everywhere  interesting people. Last night we got a knock on our door and it was the Manager with 2 huge pieces of chocolate cake for us, it had been his sons birthday that day, a really nice touch.
We watched a documentary on migratory birds and their ability to learn how to feed themselves on their long journey, one feast some have is when horseshoe crabs once a year wash up on the beach to lay their eggs, the tide flips them over leaving them to die and their eggs for feed. Imagine our surprise when we got to the beach just along from the hotel and saw Horseshoe crabs, nature live as it happens!
Next blog update should be from New York City, stay tuned people!

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face, stars fill my dreams
I am a traveler of both time and space, to be where I have been
To sit with elders of the gentle race, this world has seldom seen
They talk of days for which they sit and wait, all will be revealed
Kashmir, Led Zepplin

Shimmering

A Horshoe Crab that has met its demise (but not been eaten yet)

One the right way up, I'm assuming the eggs were proteted

Sand Sculptures everywhere here

Outside the "Irish" Pub

This daft bird thought it had caught food, realised, spat it out.......

....and tried again

Fiona lapping up the rays along with the sunflower

I had to try it, not bad but as always too much to finish

Quechee, Boston and now Cape Cod

We really had a great weeks motorcycling last week, riding through Vermont and New Hampshire, we stayed in a nice campsite in Quechee for a couple of days. Pleasant during the day but cold at night, we had a fire both nights to keep the cold and insects away. We found a Scottish shop so manged to get Haggis, Oatcakes and Walkers shortbread, braw!! I also got a half gallon of Dewars for under $30 so it was perfect really.
Into Boston on Friday to spend a great weekend with Jane and Ulrich, much catching up, drinking and talking was the order of the day. A nice trip into Boston on Saturday so Fi & I could recreate the Boston Tea Party with tea all the way from Scotland thanks to Gavin from the Gullane Coffee house!
Today we reluctantly left our great hosts and headed to Cape Cod where we will spend some time before heading to the big apple for Thursday. Last week is the best riding we have done for a while, less pressure to pile in the miles so an opportunity to take the small roads and relax, I can recommend this part of the USA for a tour!.

Quechee Gorge

The perfect dinner!!

Bought from here

We had a long chat with these guys, nice to see an Indian!

Those damned Americans about to start throwing tea into the river!

Noce toon!

This is the tea shot, waste of good tea though!

Tea chests being thrown in

With our hosts Jane & Ulrich by the beach

First we have seen the Atlantic since Argentina

More pics of the impressive Boston Skyline

Money money money

Nice

Historic Town house surrounded by huge buildings

A bit further East

We left Niagara Falls on Sunday and crossed the US border for the last time (I think, I said that before!) The Customs guy was a bit confused what to do with our UK plates, seems he couldn't figure out how to enter it into the computer, his colleague suggested entering "no plate" like they do for diplomats, I said that's OK I am a diplomat, that didn't go down well so I stayed quiet!
Most of the day was on the Interstate just to get the miles in but then we turned off onto the back roads towards Herkiner where we were staying in the campsite there, stunning roads and scenery.
Herkiner is famous for its Diamond mines, actually quartz crystals but high grade, our neighbour on the campsite explained it all to us, he is a keen Diamond finder and seller, so the process was explained over a Dram!
It got really cold and during the night the rain started, morning arrived black and dreich (old Scots word for miserable) so we decided after consulting the weather to stay put for another night. We were rewarded as the sun came out in the late afternoon and we spent a pleasant but cold night talking to our diamond hunter neighbour.
Today was glorious and staying on the small roads we made our way the short distance to Lake Luzerne, the campsite was closed so we booked into a Motel which luckily had a small frontage onto the lake so we could cook al fresco again. Tomorrow a bit further East and if all goes to plan Boston on Friday!

 

Nice Campsite by the river

Late afternoon sun catches a branch

Neccisita Whisky!

Preparing Dinner (note fully wrapped up, sunny but cold!)

Where the Eagles soar

And the Squirrels play!

Campfire with moons reflection in the river, I did try to make this artistic but,,,, Damned whisky!

Early morning sun catches the cold river

Stunning colours

Just when you thought Moshing was a new thing, seems its been around a while

Lunch stop at this very nice (and cheap) cafe

Twinned with.........

Riding along the back roads we spotted this and had to stop, knocked on the door and spoke a while with Heather, hubby was at work unfortunatley otherwise it would have been Norton speak all day!

Fiona in the BIG chair

Nice church with spooky house next door

Fact, the waterfall you see here is the narrowest part of the mighty Hudson River, travel with the Rondelli's and get educated

Fi Flying the flag

Passed this lake, nice!

Passed this guy also

Dinner Al Fresco looking at this, not a bad day at all