Road trip 2021, September 21st to October 2nd

[Retired Engineer Bob]

Indianapolis to coastal Maine. Renting VRBO (similar to Air B&B) at each stop. This replaces an ill conceived, and thankfully failed (was unable to book) Memphis to New Orleans Mississippi River cruise. Probably not a good time to hang out with Delta hitting the south so hard.

My husband, the dogs Roxy and Amy, and I will be going.







We’ll be taking the truck. Bought it used in 2016, my dad and I used it for our yearly Canadian fishing trips. Since we are taking dogs, bikes, and an ever growing list of stuff (yes, I need my French press) it’s nice to have room for everything.



Basic itinerary:

Leave home September 21st

Stay 9/21 and 9/22 in Geneva on the Lake, OH. Perhaps an hour east of Cleveland. Lake Erie is in our backyard.

Leave Geneva on the Lake 9/23, arrive Niagara Falls NY. Stay 9/23 and 9/24. My passport is recently renewed, but checking Canada’s Covid website I’m doubting we will cross over. I’m paranoid but I can see us getting stuck at the border, the dogs home alone. Not worth it for a 1/2 day. Plenty of tourists traps on the US side. Anyway, Jose has never seen the Falls. I hear Niagara Falls State Park is dog friendly.

Leave Niagara Falls 9/25, drive to Hampton, NH where we stay 9/25, 9/26. We are just across the road from North Beach. I’m sure we will find something to do.

Leave Hampton 9/26, arrive Harpswell ME. Again, we are on the ocean. We will need to keep an eye on hurricane forecasts. Other than stuffing ourselves with lobster we have no real plans.

Leave Harpswell 9/28, drive to the Finger Lakes area. We have a place rented on the east shore of Seneca Lake. This is where I messed up, we only have one night here. Perhaps a winery tour is in order.

Leave Seneca lake 9/29, drive to Huron/Sandusky OH. We are staying here through 10/2. We have tickets for Cedar Point 10/1, hope the weather is decent.

Leave Huron/ Sandusky on 10/2 for the return home.

[elleng]

1. Sweet!

May be tracking you (a bit,) driving leisurely, from MD. Wanna see RI and Maine. Have done NH and VT.

[Retired Engineer Bob]

2. I have one segment that is 8 hours

But we can and will split the driving.

Enjoy your trip, and have a lobster 🦞 🦞 or two.

[elleng]

3. One trip I/we took to Maine included lobster @ EACH meal!

We'll have brief segments, decided only 4-6 hours at a time.

[3Hotdogs]

4. R.I. Newport is a must. Providence is also nice.

You can take a cruise from Providence to Block Island.

[elleng]

5. Wanna do Providence,

museum and restaurants. Newport mebbe; did it years ago. Block Island might be fun (summertime!)

Checking AAA guide books for maps and tips.

[Deuxcents]

6. Safe travels

[Retired Engineer Bob]

8. Thank you n/t

[3Hotdogs]

7. Hampton is close to Portsmouth. You can get a nice harbor cruise out of Portsmouth.

At the Maine border, be sure to stop at Kittery Trading Post. It is what LL Bean is supposed to be but I like it more.

Definitely stop at Ogonquit Maine to walk the Marginal Way. It is about a mile and a half of the best of Maine coastal scenery. Ogonquit Lobster Pound is also wonderful.

Portland aslo has harbor cruises. They are wonderful.

[Retired Engineer Bob]

9. Really appreciate your input

Checked out Marginal Way. Looks like the dogs can come along, leashed, after September 9th. I think we can handle 1 1/2 miles.

[Retired Engineer Bob]

10. Has anyone been from the US to Canada and back recently?

Checked this site: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/wizard-start

We have our vaccine cards. I have no problem getting a rapid test 72 hours before we would go.

Then things get interesting.

You are supposed to have a 14 day quarantine plan. From what I can see you may be picked at random for 2nd post arrival test. Tests are not 100%. If we leave the dogs at the rental, what should have been 4 hours potentially turns into 14 days.

I’m thinking we will not cross the border. A shame.

[Retired Engineer Bob]

11. It's day three

Now in Niagara Falls, NY. Took the dogs to Niagara State Park. Roxy so much wants to chase squirrels. Damn that leash.



My husband has never seen the falls. It is quite awesome.





Today we will drive down the Niagara River to see Lake Ontario.

[Retired Engineer Bob]

12. Well, time to wrap this up

The home we rented in Niagara Falls had interesting art painted on the walls:







Hampton NH went all out to celebrate our arrival:



We had a great time in Maine. Another photo from our tall ship cruise:



Yummy lobsters:





Wish we had more time at Seneca Lake, NY:



Last stop, Sandusky OH. Cedar Point was open 6:00 pm to midnight.



My favorite roller coaster, Millenium Force. Rode it twice.

I think Roxy was glad to be home: