So I continued north through some charming Victorian towns - Andover, Newton, and Vernon. I finally spotted 94 on the map that I thought would take me to interstate 84 where I could head east. It was very peaceful and I appeared to be going more downhill than up. It was mountainous farmland and quite lovely as it was nearing dusk. I noticed quite a few campgrounds in the area but wanted to at least get to 84. At Vernon I stopped to be sure 94 would take me to 84. But, "No it wouldn't" replied the gas station attendant. At least he could speak English. They told me to go to Warwick and take 17. When I passed through Warwick another slow down as the police were just arriving to try to get three horses off the road.
Warwick was another charming old town full of large Victorian homes and seemed more populated than the other boros I had been through. I stopped to study my camper folder and located a nearby KOA. I asked the guy inside if he knew where I might find it as the books instructions seemed quite detailed. "Now listen here. Here's a better way. Go to the second light and turn right, go to the second light and turn left. Go to the end of the road and when you come to a T turn right and you will see it on the left."
Rule #1 is don't drive after dark and here I am going along country roads trusting that this guy knows. These were not city blocks but probably a 25 mile trip. By the time I got to the T I couldn't remember to go left or right. I didn't go left for long before I decided I should have gone right so turned around and went the other way. I spotted the sign on the left between two roads as I passed it. I turned around again and took the second road. Nothing there so I turned around in a driveway and when I came to the intersection again I checked in my book. No, it couldn't be on the highway. It was down the road I was on. So I turned around again and pulled in finally to see a closed office and a No Vacancy sign.
Several nice campers were out front and agreed I should just go find a sight as they had already closed the office. I drove around with no luck and when I got back to the gate they flagged me down and told me a young guy that works there had just come up. He did go check out the area and told me that number 11 would be fine. Seems the Good Sam's and another camping group had both planned to be at this KOA on this night. A huge area but $26.95 is the most I have paid to camp anywhere and I don't even know where I am. I am probably paying to be close to NYC which is the last thing I want to be close to.
Well it is getting chilly so I will unplug the powerbook and plug in the heater for a few minutes while I don my cuddle duds and spread my sleeping bag. I shall sleep downstairs tonight where I will have my hat and socks nearby and I can reach the heater knob without getting up in the morning. The coffee will be ready to plug in and I can peer from my sleeping bag and see what the temperature is on my mounted deer thermometer. My glasses and flashlight will be beside me on the ledge in case I need to check the time in the night. It is after eleven tonight so maybe I won't wake up with the chickens tomorrow.Indeed I did sleep until after the sun came up. I rolled along 84 up and down the hills with nice views of what appeared to be mountains. I realized I had not missed the Hudson when I came to a toll bridge. The radio announcer advised me that it was 56 degrees in Central Park at 11 a.m. which is not something I am used to hearing. Ziggy and I just rolled along getting closer to New England. The second leg of my journey was complete. If I ever go to New Jersey and/or New York again I will definately have better maps than an atlas.
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