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While it may seem like I was simply playing all summer, the mind was always at work. With a never-ending pandemic and sheer stupidity on the rise, I had to ponder winter spots to lay my weary head.

Having crossed all of Florida, Georgia and Beaufort, SC off the list, there were few glaring options! The parameters are a warm enough spot where I can play outdoors all day long all winter long, but also one that can be a rental option the other 6+ months to pay for itself. Yes, a few months of indoor sleep and a few more months of continued roaming about the planet!

So, Hilton Head seemed like a fit with high-season typically March through September. Add ocean, 50 miles of bike/walk paths, proximity to three interesting cities, and listings in my price range, and voila, here I am. I signed up for a 6-week Airbnb room that was barely affordable to have time to peruse, sign, retrieve my Maryland stuff, and return for a winter move-in. Very sensible.

In my first week, it took exactly 3.5 hours to see every listing that was a price option. Of the 7, two were interesting but didn't fit the community or rental parameters. Now in week 3, nothing in a new location has appeared, but that's okay.

In very little time, it was obvious that this is not the location for me. If you Google "Hilton Head town center", you'll get a mall listing. There is no town. Rentals are now sky-high so the folks keeping this place running live on the mainland creating daily 2-hour traffic back-ups. The island paths are great for a short walk or ride, but this is not cycling as cars always have the right-of-way; stop and go, stop and go. Is this low season? Plans are to expand to a 6-lane bridge as they continue to develop and develop while marketing their historical reputation. This will be Florida north in 18 months.

Call me crazy because I am. In 2004-'05, when I was planning my Florida exit, I drove the entire East Coast seeking a livable spot and landed in Maryland. Why I remain delusional 15+ years later is a good question. Let's call it optimism.

Part II coming very soon.

It's been 5 years since I pitched my tent at Carolina Beach State Park the first time and fond memories brought me back. While development and traffic continue to increase, this lovely Park is holding its own. Known as one of the few natural habitats in North America for Venus flytraps, the park has sustained 420 acres along the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway. You can walk 9 miles of trails, put a boat in at the marina, and hop on the bike trail at the gate to the southern point of the island.

Just 10 of 79 campsites at this Park have hookups so it's gloriously low-key, and the sites remain private and tree-lined. They haven't paved over paradise here yet! It was very busy all week long, but you could hear a pin drop by 9pm and the ranger presence is notable. I never left my little greenspace except on two wheels, and was continually pondering, "How can I live outside?" permanently. Why can't I?

The town of Carolina Beach is busy with a mishmash of chains and small businesses. Happily, I biked south on the Greenway toward Kure Beach (built but mostly residential) and to Fort Fisher -- a cautiously bike-friendly environment. It was an enjoyable transition week toward God-only-knows-what for the final quarter of 2021. Next stop, the other Carolina.

It's been nearly two months of trolling around northern New York and Western Vermont with the added pleasure of socializing with friends and family in my comfort zone. To add to this experience, I planned travel with a friend for a week including a full day of driving from Saratoga Springs to Smithsburg, Maryland. This is an interesting experience in two cars when one person drives maniacally and the other drives the speed limit. Don't take me there.

So yes, a week in Smithsburg: one square mile with a population of 2,978. Incorporated in 1846, Smithsburg acted as a hospital town during the American Civil War in 1862, treating wounded soldiers from nearby battles at South Mountain and Antietam. Ah, the hook -- this location was chosen for its interesting Airbnb option but also its proximity to Frederick, Harpers Ferry and Antietam.

We stayed in a private 2-bedroom apartment in an Appalachian farmhouse upstairs from a young Mennonite family and their two delightful children. The dad grew up here with his 6 siblings when it was a traditional dairy farm; but at 18, he and his cousin started the Triple-Hil Sires bull stud business. It's a successful business but we also enjoyed the cows, sheep, and 8 of the cutest lab pups that came in pairs of gold, brown and black. The farm stay was its own wonderful experience with the smell of hay in the morning breeze ingrained in my sensory bank.

With one day in town on each end, it was a busy itinerary as we fit in full days at viewpoints on Catoctin Mountain enroute to Frederick (where Lee crossed the Potomac and the Union forces arrived on 9/12), a complete tour of Harpers Ferry (where the siege occurred on 9/14), and a day along the Antietam Battlefield (where the battle began at dawn on 9/17). Too many stories to tell, but of course, many photos exist!

Saratoga Springs is my last northeast stop this summer though I chose not to go when the horses were running and the high-season crowds were about. Yet, Saratoga Springs did not appeal to me -- racetracks and casinos -- with Broadway, the main drag, filled with local and chain stores alongside overpriced restaurants. However, in normal times, I would have visited Caffe Lena, the longest continuously operating folk venue in the country, and the Lyrical Ballad Bookstore, a Saratoga icon for 50 years.

Thankfully, what has made Spa City a destination for over 200 years did make for an interesting week. Congress Park in town center has had visitors since the early 19th century for its "healing waters," but nearby Saratoga Spa State Park , 2,379-acre grounds of mineral springs, classical bath and spa houses, and multi-use trails became my go-to spot for many days of touring by bike and foot. Lucky me, the weather was gorgeous all week long, but with fall just around the corner, it's time to point south before the final quarter of 2021 is upon us!

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Like a Red Rubber Ball

9/12/2021

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From the Green Mountains, it was a quick drive to Guilderland, a small town between Albany and Schenectady, to visit with a friend and his family who I'd not seen in more than 20 years. In reality, they rescued this homeless gal who couldn't find an affordable spot in the area near Labor Day.

On the way, I enjoyed my first ride along the Mohawk River Trail, discovering not only the beauty of it but its proximity to where I'd be staying for nearly a week. The first night was a reunion with familiar faces, new family members, and a grand feast including my first pie of the year (Very Berry Crumble). The visit was a great get together of incredible morning coffee, numerous conversations, and a daily food feast. Thankfully, the Bike Trail is just 7 miles away, and the neighborhood has trails to the Albany Pine Bush, one of the largest of 20 inland pine barrens in the world. There is always something to discover.

On Labor Day, it was time to return to Vermont for a camping reunion with sister, Anne and niece, Karen. A mere hour-and-a-half drive brought me back over the border to Arlington, along the Battenkill River. We enjoyed three days of walking and talking, eating well, another birthday celebration (!), and enjoying the great outdoors. Mother Nature reared her stormy head on the final night, but gave us blue sky to hit the road again. The compilation of our photos will bring you along!

I'm now nearing a week in Saratoga Springs touring this infamous spot and preparing to edge south.

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What Am I Doing Here? Part I

Repeat Business

No Time for Bull****

Not Horsing Around

Like a Red Rubber Ball

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