This was a get-more-states-on-the-map hop. We stayed just four days at Pohick – and it warmed up after that icy start, fortunately – then did three quick trips to MD, DE and CT. It was an uneventful hop… until the end.
QTN Hop 4, Day 1: Lorton, VA, to Greensboro, MD
105 miles via I-95, I-495 (the Beltway), US 50, MD 404. MD 480, MD 313 and MD 314
QTN Hop 4, Day 1
Getting out of Pohick was no fun, due to the deep mud and the geometry of Site 75 (note to self: next time ask for Site 71 – it is MUCH more accessible) and then we had to deal with the traffic on I-95 and I-495 around DC which was also no fun. Once on US 50 the traffic lightened and the sun appeared, so I relaxed a bit, but things got more interesting after we left US 50. Traveling on MD 313 in downtown Greensboro, the GPS directed us down a road that had a “NO TRUCKS” sign prominently posted. We had to pull over to figure out a detour and to calm Jett’s nerves. Fortunately it was pretty simple: just continue for another mile, then turn right. No real problem, but I still hate those moments when my planned route goes awry. Almost as much as Jett hates them.
At rest at Holiday Park
Our home for the night was the Holiday Park Campground in Greensboro, MD. Because it was a simple overnight stop with a very short trip the following day, we didn’t unhitch.
Holiday Park is an interesting campground. It is one of the most spacious places we have seen. The sites are HUGE. We were adjacent to a playground (which was mostly vacant in April) but the nearest RV site was probably over 50 feet away. We were near a river and were surrounded by trees. The site had a real “in the woods” feel to it.
The park has no WiFi and, surprisingly, no septic. Long-term residents are serviced twice a week by a “honey pot” truck that empties their tanks. This would seem like an inconvenience, but we had the feeling that this would be a good place to hang out for a week with a large group. It was very restful.
The park was pretty lightly populated with RVs, but even more lightly populated with people. I realized, when evening fell, that none of the RVs within sight had any lights! They must have all been used for weekend visits. So we had a very quiet (and slightly spooky) night. We locked our door.
River at Holiday Park
Lots of space
QTN Hop 4, Day 2: Greensboro, MD, to Houston, DE
21 miles via MD 314 and US 13.
QTN Hop 4, Day 2
That’s right: 21 miles. Actually, it was supposed to be 20 but we got lost. Seriously. Our shortest day of travel ever and we got lost. Sad.
We didn’t get totally lost; just a little lost. We ended up making a full loop around the Delaware State Fairgrounds. Not a big problem, but kind of embarrassing that we couldn’t complete our shortest day of travel ever without screwing it up.
G&R Campground
We stayed the night at the G&R Campground in Houston, DE. The “G&R” stand for “Gun and Rod” as the campground is on the grounds of a gun and rod club. It is a small campground which we selected simply because it was open in April, which makes it almost unique in the set of RV parks in Delaware – most are near beaches and open only when the water is warm enough to attract swimmers. It suited out needs for another overnight stay, but isn’t a place we would go back to again. Our impression was: trashy.
This was just an overnight stop, but the following day would be a long one. So we unhitched and refueled. We also got some Popeye’s fried chicken for dinner. A fast food treat.
QTN Hop 4, Day 3: Houston, DE, to East Lyme, CT
310 miles via US 13, DE 1, I-295 in NJ, I-95 and CT 161.
Hop 4, Day 3
Patience at Aces High
I wasn’t looking forward to this day. It would be long and it would take us over a lot of expensive toll roads where we paid for the privilege of traveling some very bumpy, congested and poorly maintained roads – most notably I-95 in NY and CT. We took I-295 through NJ for about 30 miles which saved a few bucks of tolls on the NJ Turnpike. But there was no way to avoid the George Washington Bridge and its $68 toll – $5 more than the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Total tolls for the day exceeded $100. Just to get CT on our map.
Never again. It was an unpleasant and very expensive day of travel. Note to self: stay FAR AWAY from New York City in the future.
The good news, if there is any, is that we didn’t encounter any unexpected low bridges. I was also pleased to discover that diesel fuel could be obtained at a travel plaza on the NJ Turnpike for the relatively low price of $3.86 per gallon.
We made it to our destination – the Aces High RV Park in East Lyme, CT, by 5:10pm – 10 minutes after the office closed. We had to pick a site, set up for the night and then settle up with the office in the morning.
Aces High Campground
Aces High is about 15 miles from the Mohican Sun Casino in Uncasville. I had been there just once before, shortly after it opened many years ago. I was still feeling flush from our slots success in Biloxi, so I decided to go and try my luck. I also had to get some fuel and thought I could get some relatively cheap diesel (which is VERY expensive in CT) near the casino. Turns out I was mistaken on both counts – my luck did not hold and the cheap diesel was only for employees of the casino.
I was surprised to find that Mohegan Sun had EXPLODED in the intervening years. I didn’t recognize the place. It is HUGE – larger than some of the Vegas casinos. I went to one huge casino wing, but there was at least one other wing that I didn’t even see. They must be profitable.
I got the fuel Sunday morning after settling up at the office.
QTN Hop 4, Day 4: East Lyme, CT, to Foxboro, MA
90 miles via CT 161, I-95, I-295 (around Providence) and US 1.
QTN Hop 4, Day 4
A 4th straight day of travel – a new record for us and one that I am not eager to break. Even though this was just 90 miles, the effort of tearing down and setting up caught up to me. I took a long nap once we got to Foxboro.
Our home for two weeks is the Normandy Farms Family Camping Resort, a very nice campground in Foxboro, MA, just about 2 miles south of Gillette Stadium where the New England Patriots play. As usual, I will save the park review until we leave, but I can tell you up front that this is one of the best – and most expensive – places we have ever stayed. More on that later.
We still have to get up to Littleton for the summer, but that will be a series of very short trips over the next three weeks. We are in Massachusetts again and I am once again commuting to my office in Cambridge. We are home.
Though, as we now tell people, we are always home because home is our RV.