camping – Steve Crossland

Hudson Valley NY to Salem MA

July 19, 2021June 26, 2021 by Steve

I last checked in from Croton-On-Hudson NY, in the Hudson Valley north of New York City. I’m checking in this morning from Salem Massachusetts alongside a beautiful bay.

After my two nights at the Croton Point campground and the day trip by train visit to New York City to see Caroline, I continued up the Hudson Valley with stops in Newburgh NY, and a longer stop and New Paltz NY for lunch.

The Hudson Valley area of New York state is picturesque and beautiful. This is home to the Catskill Mountains, with many resorts and campgrounds. The Hudson river itself is a mammoth river, which stretches far north of New York City and is very wide in places.

Up to the Top of Maine

July 18, 2021June 5, 2021 by Steve

I’m checking in this morning from a campground outside Kennebunk Maine. I last posted from Camden State Park.

From Camden, after 2 nights, I moved about 100 miles further NE to to another State Park Campground at Cobscook Bay. This area of Maine has incredible tidal variance, with some of the back bays seeing a 30ft rise and fall of tide depth each day. I was camped right on the edge of the water with a beautiful view of the bay.

Upon arriving at Cobscook I started off on a hike but was soon caught in a heavy rain storm. I took shelter in toilet house to wait it out. But checking the weather app, it was not going to let up soon. So after pondering my 2 choices (stay or run), I made a run for it back to the van. I didn’t get too drenched, but it turned out to be a “rainout” stay spent mostly in the van.

The next morning I headed to my ultimate “for no particular reason” point of this trip, Madawaska Maine, at the Canadian border, which is purported to be the furthest Northeast town of the United States.

Vermont through New Hampshire into Maine

July 19, 2021May 31, 2021 by Steve

I’m checking in this morning from Camden Hills State Park in Maine. I last posted from a Burlington Vermont coffee shop the morning I arrived there on Day 8.

I spent most of that morning and early afternoon at Nomad Coffee in Burlington doing some laptop work and chilling, before visiting an REI to purchase some camping soap.

That night In Burlington I camped free at the waterfront harbor downtown in a gravel boat trailer parking area. From there I hiked all around the waterfront and into downtown.

Burlington has a downtown retail and entertainment section where the entire street has been converted to pedestrian-only, and this stretches for blocks. I thought it was a good idea as it allowed lots of space for outdoor dining and walking. It wasn’t very crowded.

Into NY State to Burlington VT

July 19, 2021May 27, 2021 by Steve

I’m checking in this morning from Nomad Coffee in Burlington VT. I last posted from a Kentucky Truck stop where I had overnighted just south of Cincinnati. From Kentucky, I next traversed Ohio in a NE diagonal route toward Erie PA, cutting across the sliver of Eastern Pennsylvania that abuts Lake Erie, then up into …

Austin TX to Dinosaur Valley State Park

July 19, 2021May 20, 2021 by Steve

My vanlife journey has started. Almost a year and a half after I sold my property management business. Covid kind a messed things up.

Building the jeep Camper kept me busy during 2020 Covid and I enjoyed that form of travel but now I have something I can truly live in and go all over the country doing the “old guy on sabbatical” thing. Try to find myself, find a new purpose in life, and all that.

I left out of Austin today, and came up to Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose TX. I went for a long hike this evening and this place is fantastic. A kid’s paradise. But also super awesome for adults who love nature.