So, I was visited by a #ParkRanger this morning at the #NYCampsite… He was a really friendly guy… He told me I should have a #permit… He gave me the phone number of the Park Ranger who issues them… So, if you ever want to come visit beautiful #PeekamooseValley in #Sundown,NY make sure you call Park Ranger #HowardKreft at #845-240-6790… He will come to where you want to set #camp and issue you a permit there… That means you can stay for two weeks with a permit… I may just spend two weeks here in the #Fall… This is my favorite #camping area yet..

I was excited this morning to head to #Manhattan,NY… I was up at 9am and ready to go… Just as I was ready to hop in the shower, I went outside to do something and got talking to my camping neighbors… Boy, was I glad I did… What a couple of great NY people…

I decided to hook up to that #spring and get the #FreshWater… The Park Ranger said it’s fine if you have a #filter… Well, I filter my water directly from my hose… It attaches to the hose I use and then I screw it onto #TheMillenniumFalcon… So, I was eager to hook up… I was going to drive over there but Todd, my new friend camping next to me, told me he can run his really long hose to my #BucketOfBolts… It was so nice of him because it was kind of a pain in the ass…

Then his wife Julie asked me if I would join them for an early lunch… I had to leave soon but couldn’t resist… She sparked up her really nice #grill with all the attachments and threw some #ChickenSausage stuffed with mozzarella and spices… I ate two of them they were so delicious with some potato chips and chased them down with my morning coffee… We sat and talked for like an hour…

Todd and Julie have been married for 10 years now… They both have children and are now GrandParents… They come to #Peekamoose every year and stay for weeks… Todd was at this camping spot before he was born… His Mother actually went into labor at this #campsite before Todd was delivered at the local hospital… And let me tell you, Todd is the human form of #PeekamooseValley… That #calm and #serene feeling this #magical place engulfs you with is exactly Todd’s personality… Very easy going, ready to help where he can, calm, gentle man… The spirit of #Peekamoose has it’s #doppleganger and it’s Todd…

Julie, on the other hand, is a firecracker! Funny, hospitable and full of great stories… She works with disabled kids in the 1st and 2nd grade… When she told me that, I knew I liked her right off the bat…She loves to #cook and will cook for any amount of people… Julie is a great compliment to Todd because she is the one who keeps everything organized, does the family paperwork and worries about the things Todd chooses to be more relaxed about… She joked if she dropped dead tomorrow, Todd wouldn’t know what to do, what to pay and so on… I don’t think you could get a better match… You could see their love for each other as they bickered jokingly while telling me some very interesting stories…

Not only do they camp at this site but on Sundays they will have family and friends over for a big #cookout… they were going to have one this day but the #rain scared everyone away… They told me how once the whole grounds flooded and they were trapped in #Sundown,NY parked on the street… They also experienced a hurricane where their canopy was ripped right from the ground and launched straight up into the air…

Tod and Julie were full of great, hilarious stories… I wanted to stay and just talk to them all day but I had to hit the road… I was thinking of bringing my friend back up to this camping spot… They said they would be there until like July 7th or something… I would love to spend the 4th of July with them because you know they throw quite the #party…

Todd and Julie are one of the main reasons I am on this #trip… I want to meet and know people just like them… They don’t have a #greedy bone in their body, work their asses off but still take the time to enjoy the finer things in life… Julie even has all of the neighborhood kids over for a sleep over… She loves to entertain and is the type of person who doesn’t expect anything back…

I don’t know what my future holds but I hope this is the beginning of a great friendship where ever I end up… I want to surround myself with people like these and forget about all the greedy assholes that have no clue what life is really all about… Thank you Todd and Julie for reminding me there are really good people out there in this shit storm of a world we have created… I told them they should write a book about their camping and lives… I would be the first one to buy it, knowing their attitudes towards life would #inspire me and many others…

So, I took a quick, #SpringWater shower which felt absolutely fantastic on the skin… Then I headed for #NYC… I did need to #dump my #vehicle again and found another #StatePark that allows you to dump for free called #HarrimanStatePark… Folks, I am saving so much money as I learn the ins and outs of this nutty #country we call the #UnitedStates… Thank god for #TheodoreRoosevelt who saved these precious lands from the #Corporate growth… I always hear some people complaining about how these #lands have to much control by the #Government… Well, I’m glad they are controlled because they would not be here if it was up to these #conservative nuts…

Here I caught a picture of a #MommaDeer with her baby… The #BabyDeer didn’t know what to make of me and kept on running away.. The Mother #deer I think was ready to fight if she saw me as a threat… I stopped the #Falcon and took a ton of pictures and got this gem out of the bunch… God, is #America absolutely beautiful… It really brings tears to my eyes when I have moments like these…

I was about 2 hours away from #Manhattan,NY… My friend said I could park in his driveway, which was awesome… If I’m really smart, I don’t think I will ever have to pay for parking again… If you enlarge the picture above to the left, you will see a family of #turkeys… the Mother, Dad and like for little #chickies… Magical folks… That’s all I can say…

I couldn’t find #propane anywhere… I needed to refill my #PropaneTank because it was just above a 1/4 full… I haven’t refilled it in like 3 weeks… If I let it run out I can say goodbye to all of my #perishables in my #fridge… So, it’s a necessary mission when I leave #NYC…

Here I am ready to cross the #GeorgeWashingtonBridge… It said $14 a car but the guy charged me $38 for my #RV… I was so pissed… I told him that’s insane! How much money do they need? The guy didn’t even respond, probably used to such outbursts… I told him they should be ashamed of themselves and continued on… Shit, I could go to #SixFlags for a day at that price… At least have some sort of entertainment for that price… Like maybe discounts to NYC attractions or something… Taking $38 for one vehicle is pure exploitation… Disgusting!

 

The drive through the #city to #Queens,NY was not that fun… If anyone has experienced #NYCDrivers, they would know why… They don’t give a crap about you… I literally just crossed my fingers and barreled over to the lane I needed, prompting horn blowing and cars slamming on their brakes… Look assholes, I’m the bigger one on the road… Either you respect it or you get hit! It was a very effective method to say the least… As long as you can take the crude gestures, horn blowing and profanities screamed out their windows… I find it absolutely hilarious!

There’s #NewYorkCity! Here I am crossing the #QueensBoroughBridge… I didn’t make it to my friend’s house until 9pm… Then after about an hour of trying, I couldn’t get The Millennium Falcon in his driveway.. There was a huge tree that was just a little too big for me to get by… I ended up ripping my pull out tarp… Oh well, nothing some tape won’t fix…

After that complete fiasco, Ray and I headed to #Brooklyn,NY to try out the only campsite there… We got there and couldn’t find it because I think it was on a #MilitaryBase… I wasn’t messing with that even though I did serve…

My poor friends were waiting at a bar… So, we decided to find some parking nearby in #Brooklyn… My friend G was convinced I would find something and he was completely right… I found this great spot where I don’t have to move until Tuesday from 3am to 6am… A small price to pay for parking this monster for free, once again… All I am paying for now is gas and food… I hope #AAA can cover some of that #towing cost and then I will be good to go…

We finally got to the bar around 1am… One of my friends is a Dad and works insane hours, so he had to leave right away… I was very upset with myself but I have to remember I am driving a huge missile on very unfriendly roads… So, I think I have some sort of an excuse here… It ended up being one of those crazy nights though but this #blog is way too long already… We will talk about that tomorrow… Goodnight…