Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Skyscrapers to Soy Beans to Sea Shores

September 20-24, 2018
Monroeville, New Jersey - Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Our departure from Liberty Harbor is much easier than our arrival as we ignore our GPS and take the direct route from Marin Avenue to Christopher Columbus Street to Highway 78. We also avoid tolls taking Hwy 1 to Hwy 295.

Old Cedar Campground in Monroeville, New Jersey, is two hours and a whole world from Jersey City. Surrounded by farmland, it is quiet and peaceful here (at least until the weekend party horde arrive). 


A much different view in our front yard!



Nice to have more room, and some green grass.
After set-up, we run into the little town for a couple errands. It's been a while since my last "small world" moment, but a stop at the post office reminds me once again. The postmaster's son is getting married this weekend. In Temecula, California, near where I lived for several years. I know the winery where they'll be :-) Later at the diner the subject comes up and our waitress says "Oh yeah, Scott's boy is getting married Saturday." Gotta love it!

I chose this location for its proximity to another NFL stadium. We can also check out some historic sites in downtown Philadelphia on Friday.


Bill's team nemesis, Philadelphia Eagles. The wind turbines, combined with solar panels in the parking lots, generate significant power for the large stadium.

Super Bowl MVP QB Nick Foles asks Coach Doug Pederson if he wants the "Philly Philly" - a play that fans of the game will long remember.

Always fun to find my Steelers' QB filling up a wall at the "other" Pennsylvania stadium.

It's a nice stadium with a very industrial feel.

I can't be the only one who thinks this is just asking for "comments".
Attempting to see Independence Hall and the surrounding historic buildings we end up with lots of this. No available street parking, and all the parking garages full, we continue on after getting a glimpse as we drive by.

We do get to enjoy some of the architecture while waiting in traffic.

Limited time parking is available in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art - most known for the "Rocky steps". 

 The Washington Fountain has watched the city grow and change since 1897. 

Uhhhhh?
The Ben Franklin Bridge takes us from the city.
Before the sun goes down all the campground sites fill up. With loud people. Lots of loud people. They party non-stop until after 1 AM, never getting any quieter. It's the noisiest place we've ever stayed. 

Saturday we check out some of this rural area of New Jersey. 


Finns Point Light wrought iron tower kept safe the waterway between Delaware Bay and the Delaware River from 1876 to 1950. Climbing that enclosed ladder with an oil bucket twice a day does not sound pleasant.

With no one else here, Tessa gets to explore a little on her own.

The very wide Delaware River.

Unlike most state borders that are in the center of the river, New Jersey ends at the rocks with all of the water in Delaware.

 100's of acres of soy beans along every road.
San Francisco to Atlantic City - 2286 miles on one highway.
Saturday night is no different - we run the AC all night to block out the noise. Of course they all pull out on Sunday - just ahead of our own departure.


Wish it had looked like this for the weekend!
Not long after we get on the road it starts raining, and continues all the way to our next stop. Delaware is our 37th state, and we traverse the full length of it getting to Delaware Seashore State Park

Checking in, I'm told that if our site is "too deep" to come back and they'll find us one that's dryer. Driving through, we see numerous RVs with their rugs under water and the whole site with 8 inch deep puddles. 


A good, steady rain, it's not too bad for driving.

The lack of traffic is nice.
Across from our site.

Fortunately we have an elevated FHU site with no standing water. Very happy to be parked on asphalt!
It rains more during the night, and we get the first wind we've had in months. It sounds like cooler weather, but the temps are still up there. It's also much quieter than our last two nights!

Our only full day here has continued intermittent sprinkles, but we head to Bethany Beach any way. Tessa is overdue for beach zoomies, and we figure the waves will be wonderful. 

Beautiful, and all to ourselves.

Doesn't take her long to have all four feet off the ground.

So fast!

A quick stop inside the circle she's just drawn.

The waves are mesmerizing.



Fluffy Wind Gauge 

Monochrome layers (not a black and white pic).

A short walk back through the dunes.
Tuesday morning we head to a place I've wanted to see since I was a young girl reading about the wild ponies who call the island home. 



16 comments:

  1. We have yet to visit New Jersey, I'm surprised the 'Garden State' has all that open space. I pictured it as a New York bedroom community with gambling. Your post has it looking lots more inviting!

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    1. Your picture was the same as mine - but there is an amazing amount of farmland. A very diverse state!!

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  2. I never realized that Tessa draws a circle when she does zoomies! That is hilarious!! OMG that campground with the party crowd sounds AWFUL. Good that your next campground was quiet—and not underwater. So funny they told you to come back if your site was too deep! I just hate it when our doormat floats, haha!!

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    1. She often does a figure eight, the loops getting wider and wider! Worst noise we've ever had, give me a train any day over that mess. Another reason to stake down you mat - so it doesn't float away :-))) I kept thinking about having the fold up a soaking rug for travel day...no thanks!

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  3. I am sorry you weren't able to spend more time in Philadelphia. I know you would have loved all the history. The new (well, not so new know) Constitution Center is amazing and this is coming from a non-history person. You needed a couple days. That park is swimming. So glad your site wasn't flooded. So sorry about the party park. Boy, we haven't had that happen since we tent camped with the kids. Tessa's zoomies are so adorable. She does fly like the wind!! Hope you find sunny days soon!

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    1. Philadelphia wasn't on our route so I didn't plan well for the visit. You're right I would love all that history - next time for sure! It's so hard to get pics of Tessa flying by, she loves to go as fast as she can. With another tropical storm on its way to us, sunny skies are once again on "delay" :-(

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  4. What an adventure you've had this summer. Lots of rain hit the area fairly recently. Hopefully you're on your way south and not towards Florida!

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    1. We're headed south and may have to change our Florida plans with this latest storm.

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  5. Ignore the GPS – YES! Nothing but errors IMO. WOW do your neighbors have some long horns. NJ not TX right? Too bad about all the traffic in Philly. You are brave to chance it. I’m a mass transit in big cities girl. IF I ever go to them. Mostlly I see them from your posts. LOL!! SO sorry about the partiers. Doesn’t the campground have “quiet hours”? I’m so grumpy, at 11 I’d have gone and gotten the camp host up. LOL that “all the water is in Delaware”. Tessa looks so happy on the beach. Hope Assateague is as fabulous as every time we’ve been there. Or is it Chincoteague you are going to? Or maybe both – best idea.

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    1. I looked at the rules and it's the first campground we've been to that didn't have quiet hours! Folks really take advantage in the absence of rules :( Both - so happy we saw all of it. Glad I help you get an occasional city fix!

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  6. I'm surprised Tessa even leaves tracks. Bummer about the lack of parking and too much water. Glad you didn't float away.

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  7. Water water everywhere! Glad your site was high and dry. Tessa sure seems to have enjoyed herself!

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  8. Again - so happy you enjoyed my home state! So many people think of it like the commentor above - but there is so much more! You didn’t even see the shore or the mountains! Guess you’ve got to save something for next time!

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    1. The diversity we saw sold us on New Jersey! Having that view of Manhattan is better than living there.

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