I was sad leaving our great camp with great friends, but they had to leave too since they had jobs to go to. I sure hope we'll see them again.

It was raining when we got to Niagara Falls, but after a little nap in the car, it lit up and got sunny again so we quickly went to see the world's wonder that's located on the border of Canada. The buildings in this picture are in Canada. The border is still closed so we had to stay put

Mom had decided that we should take the "Cave of the Winds" tour and that started with a 175ft (53m) elevator ride down and then a tunnel ..........so far so good, I'm not scared.

Cave of the Winds is torn down and re-built every year

Mom was given a bright yellow poncho and special sandals which she didn't use because she wanted to keep them as a souvenir. Then we walked a series of wooden walkways to the famous “Hurricane Deck”. As you stand at the railing, you are a mere 20 feet (6 meters) from the billowing torrents of Bridal Veil Falls. The rushing waters loom above you, dousing you with a generous spray as you face the thundering Falls head-on. And it is LOUD

On October 24, 1901, a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor becomes the first person to successfully take the plunge in a barrel.

After her husband died in the Civil War the New York-born Taylor moved all over the U. S. before settling in Bay City, Michigan around 1898. In July 1901, while reading an article about the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, she learned of the growing popularity of two enormous waterfalls located on the border and strapped for cash and seeking fame, Taylor came up with the perfect attention-getting stunt: She would go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

 Taylor strapped herself into a leather harness inside an old wooden pickle barrel five feet high and three feet in diameter. With cushions lining the barrel to break her fall, Taylor was towed by a small boat into the middle of the fast-flowing Niagara River and cut loose.

Knocked violently from side to side by the rapids and then propelled over the edge of Horseshoe Falls, Taylor reached the shore alive, if a bit battered, around 20 minutes after her journey began. After a brief flurry of photo-ops and speaking engagements, Taylor’s fame cooled, and she was unable to make the fortune for which she had hoped. She did, however, inspire a number of copycat daredevils. Between 1901 and 1995, 15 people went over the falls; 10 of them survived. Among those who died were Jesse Sharp, who took the plunge in a kayak in 1990, and Robert Overcracker, who used a jet ski in 1995. No matter the method, going over Niagara Falls is illegal, and survivors face charges and stiff fines on either side of the border.

Power generation facilities along the River, supply more than one-quarter of all power used in New York State and Ontario 

This is very very scary and we both got soaked, I hated every minute of it but Mom just smiled and told me to be brave

I didn't think this was fun at all, so Mom carried me most of the way and thankfully we didn't stay very long. 

Getting wet with freezing cold water ...........I want to go back to my new friends at the camp 

The falls are a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara gorge spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls also known as Canadian Falls, which straddles the international border of the two countries. The smaller American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls lie within the United States. 

 the combined falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America that has a vertical drop of more than 50 m (160 ft). During peak daytime tourist hours, more than 168,000 m³ (six million cubic feet) of water goes over the crest of the falls every minute. Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America, as measured by flow rate. Niagara Falls is famed for its beauty and is a valuable source of hydroelectric power. 

Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in America, established in 1885 as the Niagara Reservation. Over 8 million visitors explore Niagara Falls State Park annually

The birth of Niagara Falls can be traced back more than 12,000 years to the end of the last glacial period.

   Our friends from the camp told us to stay away from surrounding areas because it isn't safe, and from what we saw driving there I believe it was good advice, so we went on our way after we dried up.

Next, we stopped in a town called Jamestown still in New York state I had no clue why and I still don't know other than the fact Mom left me in the car while she went looking at something.

this is where Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911, in a very young age Ball knew that she loved being on stage

Lucille Ball started as a singer, model, and film star before becoming one of America's top comedic actresses with the 1950s TV show I Love Lucy co-starring on the show with her husband, Desi Arnaz. Mom watched this show a lot growing up.

Ball would appear in 72 movies during her long career, including a string of second-tier films in the 1940s that garnered her the unofficial title "The Queen of B Movies." One of the earliest ones, a movie called Dance girl Dance introduced her to a handsome Cuban bandleader named Desi Arnaz. The two appeared together in Ball's next film, Too many girls and before the year was out, the pair fell madly in love and married

here's the set where most of the episodes took place

and her car...........

 In the late 1940s Ball, who had dyed her hair red in 1942 at MGM's urging, was looking at a stagnant movie career, unable to break into the kinds of starring roles she'd always dreamed about. As a result, Arnaz pushed his wife to try broadcasting, and it wasn't long before Ball landed a lead part in the radio comedy My Favorite Husband. The program caught the attention of CBS executives, who wanted her to recreate something like it on the small screen. Ball, though, insisted it includes her real-life husband, something the network clearly wasn't interested in seeing happen. So Ball walked away, and with Desi put together an I Love Lucy like vaudeville act and took it on the road. Success soon greeted the pair. So did a contract from CBS  

As the title of the show indicated, Lucy was the star. While she could at times downplay her hard work, Ball was a perfectionist. Contrary to perception, rarely was anything ad-libbed. It was routine for the actress to spend hours rehearsing her antics and facial expressions. And her groundbreaking work in comedy paved the way for future stars such as Mary Tyler Moore, Penny Marshall, Cybill Shepherd, and even Robin Williams

On April 26, 1989, she died from a ruptured aorta following open-heart surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles

After this stop, we made a quick drive across Pennsylvania and into Ohio where we slept at a truck stop.

Many small towns on the way

How cool is to live in a small town where you can ride your horse to the ice cream shop

Mom finally got her car washed and vacuumed, it had bugged her forever 

these are some really big paws for me to fit into................maybe if I can get more cookies?    Moooooooooooom 

Not much happening in Ohio, we drove along the coast of Lake Eerie and it was pretty but not very accessible since most were private 

we skipped Cleveland and now we are in Michigan, The welcome center wasn't very welcoming since it was closed

talk about private? these signs are on trees in the middle of the forest? Mom said you don't see that in her puppy country.  Too bad we don't have the same rule here, so we can sleep in the woods instead of noisy truckstops

Going to sleep now, and from what I've heard there are plans for tomorrow.............it better not be any more waterfalls ok.........

All is good

Henry

As always we got up early and there were no screaming kids at the pool to make me nervous. We made some awesome friends at this camping that so graciously shared everything they had with us, so we stayed a second night.

I'm pretty sure they dedicated this chair for me.

These guys knew how to camp and cook, and I made myself available to clean and taste everything. They had my favorite drink which they also shared until Mom stopped me from having as much as I wanted.

For the first time in my life, I got to taste Filet Mignon, and that my friends are absolutely scrumptious.................Mom thought it was too good meat for me but what does she know?

They also played a game I wasn't too sure about, but it turned out not to be too noisy and Mom loved it. (because she's good at it) They were shooting on targets and It is an airgun OK

as the evening progressed and the fire roaring it was time for Mom to learn how to make smores.

marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate smooshed together. 

Sweet tooth Mom thought it was delicious, but I didn't get a taste ..................it was messy 

one guy in the party really liked fire and built it real big, which made Mom a little nervous but I wasn't worried at all. I knew these guys knew what they were doing

They didn't live too far from here so they brought lots of firewood and giant axes ..............the kind Paul Bunyan used Mom thought

The guy working here has a pet chicken named Miss Prissy.

For some reason, I didn't get to meet her close up  

A little while ago Mom got up from her seat and left PC open so I jumped up to write a few things myself, but somehow I managed to wipe out everything so she had to start all over......................I could tell it made her unhappy

Anyway, we're going to pack up our camp and continue on for new adventures.

It's cool and it looks like it's going to rain ....................boohooo 

All is well

Finally, a place with good WiFi so I could continue my story. 

So many days and I'm forgetting all the great places and roads so my story may be a little out of order. Right now we are in a town called Lewistown which is not far from Niagara Falls which Mom has been to once before but she promised to show me the falls tomorrow.

We have been driving up and around so many gorgeous mountains in the Appalachian park and seen so many amazing views around every corner.

We finally took a ferry from Vermont to New York

The goal was to get to Lake Placid village.

  As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,303. The town along with nearby Saranac Lake and Tupper lake comprises what is known as the Tri-Lakes region. Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics and will host the 2023 Winter Universiade, so every single site had a lot of reconstructions going on.

We began at the bobsled place, and I thought Mom was going to take a ride, but it looked too much like a rollercoaster and that's not great for Mom

I'm the winner of everything so I will sit on the top one

Next, we visited the ski-jump area, and we watched people training to jump and make all kinds of acrobatics before landing in the water ...............quite courageous thought Mom

Mom noticed the flag from her puppy country was quite tattered, and offered to donate a newer one, but was told they were all to be replaced tomorrow.

Of course, we had to drive up the Whiteface Mountain which is the fifth-highest mountain in the U.S state of New York.. Set apart from most of the other High Peaks, the summit offers a 360-degree view of the Adirondacks and clear-day glimpses of Vermont and even Canada where the skyscrapers of Montreal are 80 miles (130 km) away, can be seen on a very clear day. The view was great but not THAT great.

 the mountain's east slope is home to a major ski area with the greatest vertical drop east of the Rockies, which hosted the alpine skiing competitions of the 1980 Winter Olympics which Mom's home country hero Stenmark won gold for Sweden.

Unique among the High Peaks, Whiteface features a developed summit and seasonal accessibility by car.

Whiteface Memorial Highway reaches a parking area at an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m), with the remaining 267 feet (81 m) being obtained by a tunnel and an elevator. 

The drive-up was a piece of cake according to Mom but the last 81 m became quite hard since no elevator was working.

a lot of huffing and puffing and a couple of times Mom had to lift me up big boulders too high for me but we made it.

Mom claimed she was huffing because of the elevation .....................hmmm?

I met the cutest boy here and he had the same name as me I thought he looked a little like me too 

His brother was great too and I kept tickling his ears to make him laugh

Back down to the parking area, I ordered myself a pork sandwich which Mom grabbed???? 

Ok, I did get a few pieces

Here we met a great couple from Rochester 

After all this hiking and climbing we were both exhausted so we went to a Motel where the lady said she had good WiFi............she lied. Mom did her laundry and we made a very early night.

Up early continuing driving many scenic routes around the mountain, the first town was Saranac .................fog was thick

Many beautiful winding roads and we're following a river

We spent the next night in the forest and that was very nice and quiet

in the morning we drove through many small mountain villages that hadn't woken up yet, except for this diner where Mom went in for breakfast and surprise surprise............There's Darryl the chef from the local diner where we live............the world is small

Lunch was at another gorgeous place where this big guy lived. He didn't care too much about me and I was more focused on Moms quiche.

This would have been an awesome place to go Kayaking, but it was about to rain

In one sleepy town, a deer came to meet us. Mom rolled down the window and he gave me a quick sniff and went on his way.................Mom got so excited she could not get the camera up fast enough to get a better picture

Mom said there's a special animal that builds homes like this for themselves...............I take her word for it

Right now we're sitting next to a pool at the campsite (the only place with great WiFi) and I'm so terrified of the kids screaming and jumping into the water so I'm shaking.

Mom is feeling bad so I will continue this story early in the morning before the kids get up.

Talk to you tomorrow

All is well. ..........................

Yesterday was quite an exciting day, after breaking camp packing up muddy wet stuff we headed to Mt.Washington hoping that this time we'll have a view when the sun rises. HA nope not this time either.

It was a very scary drive with fog so thick you couldn't see a car length ahead of you. As a matter of fact, Mom caught up to a truck that didn't have any lights on and had to brake not to hit him. (she wasn't the slowest on the road)

On the top was no visibility at all, and it was freezing cold and very windy

This is how it looks in the winter.........................we will never visit here in the winter said Mom 

You could hardly see other people in the fog

But all of a sudden lots of people arrived? Maybe there's a tourist bus? how else did so many arrive together....sure there's a cog railway?      It is the world's first mountain-climbing cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway). It uses a Marsh rack system and both steam and diesel-powered locomotives to carry tourists to the top of the mountain. 

It is the second steepest rack railway in the world after the Pilatus Railway in Switzerland. with an average grade of over 25% and a maximum grade of 37%. The railway is approximately 3 miles (5 km) long and ascends Mount Washington's western slope, beginning at an elevation of approximately 2,700 feet (820 m) above sea level and ending just short of the mountain's summit peak of 6,288 feet (1,917 m). The train ascends the mountain at 2.8 miles per hour (4.5 km/h) and descends at 4.6 mph (7.4 km/h). Steam locomotives take approximately 65 minutes to ascend and 40 minutes to descend, while the biodiesel engines can go up in as little as 36 minutes.

Mom said she be more frighten in that since she's completely out of any control at all, and as soon as the train went over the edge it disappeared in the fog

It WAS windy, but not quite this bad

some people got up here on two wheels and several hiked up

We spent a couple of hours up here hoping for a clearing in the fog, it did get a tad brighter but nothing but fog to see, so we started drive down, and I could tell Mom was a little worried. A lot more cars up here now

Visibility got a lot better so Mom stopped often to take pictures and let brakes cool, not that I think they were hot since Mom knew to drive in low gear.

Down on the ground again it was sunny and clear skies, looking up we still couldn't see the top

I wonder if they really use these or just for show/

We are now in Woodstock NH another tourist trap with only souvenir shops hotels and restaurants. We're camping away from it all and today we're going to drive the Kancamagus Scenic Byway that's been recommended by several people. It means that we will drive west again but it's ok why miss it when we're here.

Covered bridges are also an attraction here

 There are 54 historic wooden covered bridges currently standing and assigned official numbers by the U.S state of New Hampshire. There are additional covered bridges extant in the state, some of which are on private property and not accessible to the public. The newest covered bridge known to have been constructed in the state is the Chester Covered Bridge, built-in 2011

these signs are also plentiful around here.............

A train museum that was closed, could have been of interest if open

A short pitstop to get maps and brochures 

It's 8 AM and we're ready to drive on. We're doing great with our setup camping, but I can tell that Mom looks at these RVs with a longing to get one, but much smaller than this one. (couldn't get up the mountain with that)

Maybe next year? 

All is well

Yesterday we said goodbye to Maine and entered New Hampshire. We didn't drive very far before we set up camp in Gorham close to White Mountain which we were supposed to go up today, but this morning the sky opened up again so we decided to stay cuddled up reading..............well, Mom is reading while I keep her warm under the covers.

The last campsite was the first with grass on the ground instead of all mud

only 2 more tents here, the rest live here all season in big campers with all the luxury they have at home

Friday night the ladies had a "craft"evening painting cans to bees and collecting money to send poor kids to camp, 

That's a good cause so we sat down and painted too. 

There was this pug laying under the table who barked at everything passing the door, and the cutest little toypoodle who showed teeth and growled at anyone coming near her.

No manners at all.........................I tried showing them how to behave by sitting quietly on my chair keeping an eye on everything. My Mom was super proud of me when I got all compliments.

Very dog friendly place and great ice cream

It was only a 3 hour drive to next stop Gorham but since we were in no hurry we stopped and explored on our way

Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His exploits revolve around the tall tales of his superhuman labors, and he is customarily accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox.

After his death, his fame probably spread from camp to camp, more tales were added to those told about him, and thus, gradually, he became, in time, an exaggerated type of the lumberjack, and the hero of more exploits than he could possibly have carried out in his lifetime.

One tale told by a lumberjack stated: When Paul Bunyan was driving a large bunch of logs down the Wisconsin River, the logs suddenly jammed in the Dells. The logs were piled 200 feet high at the head and were backed up for one mile upriver. Paul was at the rear of the jam with the Blue Oxen and while he was coming to the front, the crew was trying to break the jam but they couldn’t budge it. When Paul arrived at the head with the ox he told them to stand back. He then put the ox in the old wise in front of the jam. Then, standing on the bank, shot the ox with a 303 Savage Rifle. The ox thought it was flies and began to switch his tail. The tail commenced to go around in a circle and up stream and, do you know, that ox switching his tail forced that stream to flow backward and eventually the jam floated back also. He took the ox out of the stream and let the stream and logs go on their way.

This town had an odor of rotten eggs and that means it's a papermill here, and Mom knew that from a place she was often visiting as a puppy, and will do again next year with me..........

Mexico??? something wrong with the navigation system?

not much else here except this really cool looking church

so we arrived in Gorham (for some reason Gorham makes Mom think of a cartoon? or ?) 

We parked by this gorgeous house.............when will Americans dig their wires underground?

Looking for a place to camp Mom called around and one in the park wanted $108 for a tent???? Noway said Mom 

so we drove back a few miles to Timberlake Camp which is really cool

These phones do not exist anymore and this one didn't work either

After camp was set up we walked a trail along the river and Mom said it could as well be her puppy country except her frinds aren't here.  Still it was super nice so now I'm looking forward going to Sweden

Mom did not like it when I went too close to the edge

There's a lot more tent campers here and not as big rigs, but some looks like they're permanent for the season

Another Floridian lives here

The phrase was adopted from a toast written by General John Stark, New Hampshire's most famous soldier of the  American Revolutionary War, on July 31, 1809. Poor health forced Stark to decline an invitation to an anniversary reunion of the Battle of Bennington Instead, he sent his toast by letter: Live free or die, Death is not the worst of evil.

In 1971 the New Hampshire state legislature mandated that the phrase replace "scenic" on the license plates

some people sleep in hammocks under a tree glad Mom not trying it...........what a circus it would be when she needs to get up to use a restroom in the middle of the night

this is a giant pupa ...........it'll turn into a giant butterfly ..............that's what I think and I'm sticking to it

A mailbox to fit the place 

Mom made great breakfast this morning 

and I did the dishes

lots of these little critters running around here, they're cute but not willing to make my acquaintance

It's almost 4 in the afternoon now, and the sun is back up

Hopefully, everything dries up quickly so we get a great view from the White Mountain tomorrow

all is well

We are staying at many beautiful places the only complaint is really crappy if any, wifi 

As usual, Mom is up way before the rooster and after coffee started to break down our camp only to put it up again a few hours later. (she's getting real good at it. 10-15 min and everything is in place)

We didn't have far to go and it was a real foggy morning and driving slow along the coast we came to Acadia National Park campsite too early to check in so Mom decided to continue on to Bar Harbor only a few miles away. 

Wow, what a cute little town we walked along Main street looked in store windows, and met a lot of early risers walking their dogs and picking up coffee from a small hole in the wall ????

Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island along Maine’s Frenchman Bay. It serves as a gateway to the mountains and cliffs of neighboring Acadia National Park. Towering over the park, Cadillac Mountain has trails and views of the town, the bay, and the Cranberry Islands. Sand Beach is ringed by mountains. From the town pier, the Shore Path winds along the bay overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Porcupine Islands.

It was a great walk and did I say the fog was thick?

Now I know why Mom bought me a life west. Apparently, she planned to put me in one of those rickety boats.

Lucky for me she decided against it because like she said what's the point if you can't see further than the edge of your paddle?

Balance Rock is considered to be a glacial erratic which is defined as a piece of rock that differs from the size and type of rock native to the area. It can be carried for hundreds of miles by glacial ice. Balance Rock was "dropped" on Bar Harbor`s shoreline at the end of Albert Meadow. It has become a tourist attraction as it balances on its perch

Many tried their strength to no avail 

so many different buildings and they all scream "Look at me"

After lots of walking, we went back to check-in at Blackwood campsite in Acadia National Park.  

it is a 47,000-acre Atlantic coast recreation area primarily on Maine's Mount Desert Island. Its landscape is marked by woodland, rocky beaches, and glacier-scoured granite peaks such as Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the United States East Coast. Among the wildlife are moose, bears, whales, and seabirds..............which we have seen none of yet..........except maybe the birds

If Mom considered our last camp "rustic" I don't know what to call this place...........

Still, it was great for sleeping and lots of trails to explore which we did until evening and then went to bed early listening to the sounds of the forest.

Early Thursday morning and again thick fog and even though it would have been a good idea to wait until later for the drive up the mountain we had made a reservation (which was necessary to pass the gate) for 7am.

Mom had figured since we can stay as long as we wanted we could always take a nap and wait out the fog........

It was super windy and freezing and yes we napped until around 9am when more people came up and walked too close to the car for my comfort so no more sleeping and we still couldn't see much

driving down 

Finally got a little warmer and clearer the lower we got 

We then drove the Park Loop Rd, which is a27-mile (43 km) road and the go-to scenic drive around the east side of Mount Desert Island, 

We stopped to look at the scenery often and walked many easy paths 

Thunder hole got its name because waves crash with a thunderous boom & high-flying foam when seas are up. It is a naturally formed inlet caused by the repeated erosion of ocean waves. At the end of the inlet is a small cavern. When crashing waves from the ocean travel down the inlet and into the cavern, air and water are forced out

Beautiful but dangerous if you're not careful

It was getting quite crowded and Mom is hungry so we went back to the cute dog-friendly town for lunch

Oh boy, did the town look different now, Wall to wall people on sidewalks and I hate that, all I see is feet and more feet.

Luckily Mom carries me around the worst crowds so I don't get stepped on

Mom had a lobster cobb salad, not much there for me so she also ordered fries.

Everything here is focusing on lobsters and they sure are fresh and tasty. This was an interesting fact Mom didn't know about....................times change it's now considered luxury food for most

The crowds were getting to both of us and since the Canadian border still are closed Mom decided to drive west....... and we're now on a KOA campsite outside Bangor. The first place where we camp on grass ...........and it has a nice shower, we may stay another night here.

The battery is running out on the PC better save and send quickly.

to be continued 

We both had the best night's sleep and woke up early to a very foggy and damp morning. After coffee (for Mom) we went for a walk in the quiet woods. Mom decided to stay here one more night to rest it's a very rustic place but it's quiet and dark at night.

Along the road, there are many Antique shops....................at least that's what they're called. Mom calls them junkshops, but what does she know?

the owner of this shop said he's been collecting stuff for 22 years and claims he knows where everything is........Mom was tempted to quiz him but since we don't need any junk............

we often stop at the shore for walks we are in no hurry ............ the seaweed is thick in places but it doesn't smell like rotten fish like Mom remember it?

some people are looking for oysters and chucking them right there ............yuck

this guy was sketching and Mom wishes she had brought along her watercolors ......... 

We stopped in a small town named Bath and I don't think there were any tourists at all here....... a band was setting up to play Don Petty in the park but we didn't want to be late for the campsite. They have "first come first served"policy so after a walk we continued on

Many artists of all kinds are plentiful here and Mom was very interested in this home made loom and the creations this lady had. No buying just looking and maybe get inspired for a future project.

The lobster roll is a very popular lunch here in Maine, and we stopped at a roadside wagon where we met this great couple. They live an hour away where they have an alpaca farm, but drive to this place once a week for their lobster rolls. That of course assured Mom that these must be the best there is and they were yummy according to her. Again all I got was few fries

Lots of interesting stuff along our route 

Seriously Mom, do we need one of these? She didn't buy a keg, but bought ME a lifejacket????? I wonder what she's up to now just have to wait and see I suppose

The Penobscot Narrows Bridge is a 2,120 feet long cable-stayed bridge that carries US 1/SR 3 over the Penobscot River. 

The bridge is one of three bridges in the US constructed recently using a cradle system that carries the strands within the stays from bridge deck to bridge deck, as a continuous element, eliminating anchorages in the pylons. Each epoxy-coated steel strand is carried inside the cradle in a one-inch steel tube. Each strand acts independently, allowing for removal, inspection, and replacement of individual strands. The cable-stay system was designed with a system that uses pressurized nitrogen gas to defend against corrosion.

In June 2007, six reference strands within three stays were replaced with carbon fiber strands – a first in the US. Monitoring on the strands will evaluate this material for future use in bridge designs. These engineering innovations helped the bridge appear in the December 2006 edition of Popular Science as one of the 100 best innovations of the year. The total project cost was $85 million.

 Penobscot Narrows Observatory is the first bridge observation tower in the United States and the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. The tower reaches 420 feet (128 m) into the air and allows visitors to the view..........Nope and nope said Mom we were NOT doing that.............and very happy about the decision after reading this: The elevator has had a series of technical problems, including one on July 1, 2014, when 13 people were temporarily stuck in the Observatory due to the elevator doors not opening

At the foot of the bridge is Fort Knox (there's a second FortKNox in Kentucky named after the same General)

located on the western bank of the Penobscot River in the town of Prospect about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the mouth of the river. Built between 1844 and 1869, it was the first fort in Maine built entirely of granite, most previous forts used wood, earth, and stone. 

It is named after Major General Henry Knox (wonder if I'm named after him?) the first U.S Secretary of War and Commander of Artillery during the American Revolutionary War, who at the end of his life lived not far away in Thomaston. As a virtually intact example of a mid-19th century granite coastal fortification, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and declared a Historic Landmark on December 30, 1970

Local memory of the humiliation of Maine at the hands of the British during the American Revolution and again during the War of 1812 contributed to subsequent anti-British feelings in Eastern Maine. The Expedition of 1779 aimed to force the British from New Ireland (Maine) but ended in a debacle. The Americans lost 43 ships and suffered approximately 500 casualties in the worst naval defeat for the United States prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Then in autumn 1814, during the War of 1812, a British naval force and soldiers sailed up the Penobscot and defeated an outnumbered American force in the Battle of Hampden. The British followed their victory by looting both Hampden and Bangor  The American defeat contributed to the post-war movement for Maine's statehood, which occurred in 1820, as Massachusetts had failed to protect the region.

Besides the main fort with 64 guns, Fort Knox had two open water batteries facing the river, each equipped with a hot furnace to heat cannonballs sufficiently that they could ignite wooden ships if the ball lodged in the vessel. These furnaces became obsolete with the adoption of ironclad warships.

There's a lot of steps and spooky cellars where you had to bring a flashlight as a matter of fact Fort Knox was featured as one of the haunted locations on the paranormal TV series "Most Terrifying Places in America" we stayed above ground and the only spooky thing we saw was this gas tank on a bike in the parking lot.

The campsite where we are now is called Quietside and we'll be here for another night. Mom wants to finish the puzzle
in this very very rustic place

all is well

We left the hotel around 11 am and continued North on route 1 following Maines coastline, many small villages start to look much the same but New Caste stuck out not only because there was a 24-hour rest stop nearby. My Mom had just stopped so both of us could take care of business and we met the guy that tended the lot. We asked if we could stay overnight and were told many people do that and it's ok. They kept chatting for 45 min. and when Mom complained about how expensive everything was here in Maine he said that's how it is south of here and he wanted the state cut off by the bridge. We supposed he wasn't too impressed by all the rich tourists visiting.

His name is Don and he came back in the morning without bringing coffee for Mom and a treat for me....................... .what nerve

New Castle is a very nice little town not too crowded and no wall-to-wall T-shirt shops. It appeared to be mostly locals who stopped for a bite to eat have a beer and listen to live music.Great dogfriendly place  

Here we finally got a whole lobster ............well Mom did........... I got some french fries

After supper and a walk around town, we went back to the rest-stop for the night.

Mom doesn't know but I spend a lot of the night keeping watch. That's my job and I can sleep while she drives.

The following day's first stop was Pemaquid Point, with its dramatic streaks of light and dark rock reaching to the sea, shaped by massive movements thousands of years ago, was a fascinating place to visit even without its pretty white lighthouse. The spot is one of the most frequently visited attractions of the Maine coast, receiving about 100,000 visitors each year.
The name “Pemaquid” is said to have had its origins in an Abenaki Indian word for “situated far out.”

It's a cloudy cold day and Mom didn't feel comfortable walking on the cliffs further out, could be slippery she said and I didn't mind going back to the car and curl up in a blanket.

It's raining and it's windy which messes with my hair..............Mom's hair we shouldn't even talk about..............it's called

camping hair she says and she don't care

From here we drove to Camden Hills state park where we set up camp

By now Mom has it all up in 15 min, and I think it's quite cozy

In the early morning, we went for a hike to Mnt Megunticook 1385 ft. Still a slight drizzle and very foggy

Here we are taking a break before heading back to our camp. Mom really wanted to stay another night but our spot was booked by new guests 

I wasn't supposed to share this movie because Mom doesn't want to admit she's huffing and getting tired..................

No dogs are allowed without a leash in the park, but the rebel in Mom let me loose sometimes when she feels I can be trusted...........and I love love love to run

we had to pack up and continue on and made a short stop in Belfast so Mom can do her laundry

The next stop was Fort Knox

I tell you all about it tomorrow, now it's getting dark and time to light a fire. We are just outside Acadia National park camping. As usual, there are no campsites within the park but close enough to get the feel...GoodNight