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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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