Update after a week on the road

 Obviously I haven't been very good about posting my travels.  I'm still really trying to figure things out and haven't really had time to sit down and write/post.  I don't have a routine yet and haven't figured out the whole cooking thing.  Eating has been a challenge for me and find myself hungry a lot.  I usually don't get hungry until around 11ish and I'm either moving on already or about to.  I have to say that I LOVE the salted caramel Kind bars.  I use them for a breakfast when in the above situation, but also take a couple of bites, when I need a dessert.  They are so good and fairly healthy.  The other day, I was going to cook up some eggs and try out my induction cooktop, but then I realized I didn't know how to use it and by the time I learned a bit about it, I was in the above situation.  KIND bar to the rescue!  

After leaving Sue's on Saturday, I went to Tousey Winery, a bit north of Rhinebeck, NY.  This was part of the Harvest Host program that I belong to.  Harvesthost.com if you're curious.  The suggested amount to spend is $30 (was $20 until recently), but I spent almost $90!!!  

Other HH visitors.  140 lbs and 120 lbs in a 23' Airstream and 2 people.  Crazy!

The following day we drove into Rhinebeck.  Zoe and I stopped and had lunch and chatted with a nice FL couple escaping the heat and missing their pups.  They only rescue pit bulls.  😍  It started to rain while we had lunch, but went for a walk and checked out the lovely old homes.  I really enjoy walking around quaint towns like that.  Didn't take any photos though.

Next night was a HH fail.  First, an app took me to the wrong place; to a very sweet woman's home in an amazing spot with views and a pond with fountains too!  We chatted, I said I should just stay there, she said I could, but I didn't want to intrude.  I totally should have!  I went to the HH, which I knew the business would be closed, and the parking area "they offered" was a state owned property, right on the side of the road, with not very level parking.  Had I gone to the business (VT Distillers), I might have appreciated only having to walk across the road to my bed, but since they were closed, I decided that the Molly Stark State campground 1 mile down the road would be a better option.  $22 for a quiet, safe place to stay and a shower!  It was worth it to me.  

I left the campground around noonish and realized I should get gas.  I need to get used to the fact that this vehicle doesn't get almost 500 miles to a tank like the Subaru did.  And the gauge isn't in my face.  I suppose if I was low, it would be, but I have to get used to looking at it.  After filling up, I took mostly 100 north, which was lovely.  It was cool to see the river and how it must have changed with the heavy rains in July.  

I managed to see a friend for a few minutes in Brandon and then only my Boondockers Welcome (homeowner version of HH) host on the Goshen Ripton Road, right near Blueberry Hill Inn.  A rainy/foggy day so not great views, but it was really lovely to be able to walk Zoe off leash on a country VT road.  I really felt a big relief and comfort being there.  It made me wonder if I will end up back in VT.  I really do love this place!

Ahhh, freedom and beauty on a VT country road.

Tiniest adult dog I've ever seen. 3.5 lbs!

We took a walk to a nearby reservoir.  It's so great to allow Zoe to stretch her legs!  And me too - I love it when I don't have to wait around for every sniff.

Enjoying the morning activity on the farm

From Goshen/Ripton, I stopped in Middlebury and weighed my van (with me and Zoe in it).  It was 8440 and the max weight is 9050.  At least I'm under, though I probably could have another 100+ lbs of water.  This is good info for anything I want to add.  If I add an awning, I guess that would be another 100 lbs or so.  I wish it was lighter, but I probably do need to get rid of stuff - already...  I shopped at TJ Maxx for some storage bins, but no luck.  I grabbed a lame wrap from Hannaford's due to my cooking laziness, but it was food.  And then I moved back to my old neighborhood for 5 nights or so.  

Supervising dinner from a higher and cushier vantage point.

I went to my storage unit yesterday and took more stuff.  I think I gotta take much of it back!  I should be sorting through it right now.  All that's left is some dog training stuff I'll take to CHK and see if they want it, some stuff to get donated, and too much stuff to go to Deb's.  She says it doesn't matter and she does have a ton of space in her basement.  It would be really nice to have the last of what I was unwilling to let go until at least next summer.  I figure I have to give this a good run until I am back in the NE next summer for Monika and Laurel's wedding.  If I decide at that point I'm done and do want to have a stable home base, then I can take my stuff.  And if not, then it's probably time to distribute/donate it.

I got to visit with Joanni and Gary and got a top down view of my van, plus the gorgeous view of the green mountains from the NY side of the lake.