When I was planning my summer sojourn, I had a feeling I might need some downtime after a busy spring and that European trip. Turns out I was right.
Two Steamy Nights in New Jersey
No, it’s not at all what you might think. I managed to get from Lancaster to the always dependable Mahlon-Dickerson Reservation campground with no problems, stopping once to get gas and take a short break from the plethora of trucks on the highway. Overnight, a thunderstorm rolled through and for a while, I opened the shades and watched the show. At one point, it was almost overhead, with the count between lightning and the thunder less than a second.
I usually leave the A/C on auto mode so it can cycle on as needed to keep the trailer cool and mostly dehumidifed, which means it usually turns off sometime overnight and then cycles back on about 8 or 9AM. I slept in because, well, it was Sunday, so I didn’t notice that the trailer was getting kind of stuffy until I rolled over about 9AM. Hmm. No A/C. I reached up and punched the button but nothing happened. Like nothing at all. Turns out that wonderful thunderstorm knocked out the power in my area. Best estimate from the power company was 2PM. And me with yet another heat advisory on my weather app. This wasn’t going to be a fun day at all.
I would have retreated to the nearest McDonalds or Starbucks but their power was out too. So I put on the lightest clothing I owned, got my little 12V fan out and aimed it in my direction and spent most of the day trying not to move all that much. Starting my new EPP quilting project got a big boost since I could do that by only moving my fingers. And believe me, when it’s 95F and stupidly humid, the less movement, the better. The power finally came back about 4PM. Oh, that A/C clicking on was a glorious sound!
Back to the Hudson River
The next morning I headed north, but somewhere along the way, Google Maps and I got confused and I ended up taking a lovely, but extended, tour of the farm country in northern New Jersey and the New York south and east of the Catskills. I was pretty, but it did add about an hour to my original two-hour trip.
Mills-Norrie campground just north of Hyde Park has become one of my favorite stops, with it’s easy access to the mid-Hudson Valley and nearby grocery and laundromat. Only a handful of sites have power, so it’s best to reserve early. The park has a lot of trails, but the spur that cuts down to the river is my favorite.
ValKill and E.R.
Despite living in the valley back in the 1980s, I had never visited ValKill, the home of Eleanor Roosevelt. This trip, I finally made it, accompanied by my long-time friend and ER supporter, Dr. JAM. We first met on Clearwater back in the early 80s, and have managed to keep in touch for, yikes, more than 40 years now (which makes us sound old, and I guess we are). It was a wicked hot day, and the house had fans but no A/C so it was a tough go, but an interesting visit nevertheless. The photo below shows Eleanor’s desk and the sitting room where she spent a lot of her time. Fun fact: those floor lamps are exactly like the ones in my childhood home.
A Long-Overdue Visit
Another friend who is always on my mind when I am in the Hudson Valley is Michele. I knew her ashes were interred at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery but I had never been there. I did go this time, and it was just as hard as I thought it would be. You can still miss someone so intensely, even after 34 years. As I get older, and lose friends and family, each one reminds me to not waste my time here, but do something with it, whether if it’s calling someone after a long silence or smiling at a stranger in the grocery store.
More Weather Woes
Oh, that hot weather streak continued during my time in the valley. 90s during the day, and the A/C would finally get a rest about 1-2 AM most nights as the temp would finally go below 80 by then. The biggest surprise came on this very road, late one night, as I was returning home from a dinner across the river. The drive home from Kingston wasn’t fun, with stuff flying across the road so I was a big worried for my awning, which I’d left up because there was no storm in the forecast at 4PM, when I left camp. I turned into the state park, relieved to finally be off the road and almost home. Key word in that sentence: almost. A half mile from the campsite, just after the last turn, I almost hit a tree. Not because I was drunk but because the tree was laying across the road, knocked down by the storm. I parked in the nearby playground lot and walked quickly home, my pace picking up as I felt the first of the fat raindrops on my skin. Just after I closed the Alto door, the skies opened and the deluge ensued for the next hour. Never a dull moment in vagabond life!
The weather wasn’t quite done with me yet, though. The next day featured four separate weather alerts, whee! I hunkered down inside, sewing and reading, and trying to wish away the weather. It kind of worked, as the thunderstorm was a brief one and broke the humidity enough that I wandered outside for an evening stroll.
The unpredictable storms and the heat + humidity have made July a challenging month so far. I’m grateful I have solid A/C in my trailer, and campsites where there is some shade at different times of day, to help keep the heat down. It’s also a good thing I’m not seriously claustrophobic, given the amount of time I’ve been spending inside my Alto this month. Let’s hope for cooler weather, although with August ahead, I’m not holding my breath for that to happen.
You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.
E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web
I hear you when you talk about the heat. Fortunately, the power has stayed on for us.
So many beautiful photos, especially the view of the Hudson River from Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. I am glad you made the most of your trip despite the challenging weather conditions. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Mak and I visited in that area a number of times when our younger son was a student at Vassar College. On one trip I went to ValKil to see where Eleanor Roosevelt made her “get-away” cottage. I have lots of memories from those trips there.