Trippin' the Light, FANTASTIC!

&%$@! AOL!! I wrote this entire blog, then the idiot system just shut down and took my entire blog with it. The air is still blue around me. ANYhoo; Uncle Larry and I just returned, as conquering heroes, from our scouting trip (scouting, because it's a precursor to our "Sponge Across America" tour, which we plan to enact in 2008). In one fell swoop, we conquered Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusettes, returning triumphantly to the Empire State about 3 hours ago. Such adventures we had! Waterfalls in Vermont; who'da thunk it? One was right next to the road, and I was dying to photograph us with our bikes, in front of it. Unfortunately, Uncle Larry, ever the party pooper, reminded me that, if the bikes didn't fall off the edge into the gorge, we would probably be hit and killed by the [many] cars on the road. Well, phooey. We met this lovely little family there(I think they were Quakers) from Kentucky. I know they weren't Amish 'cuz they had a camera (The Amish think that the taking of photographs results in a "graven image unto God"). They'd been on the road for 5 weeks, with 3 little kids in a car. YIKES! We then continued on, stopping every so often to rest our weary, well, you know, and take some pictures. We found this splendid place to spend the night, a motel called the Yankee Traveler in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. On top of a heated pool, clean room, a bathtub, and cable TV - all for only $89 - we also enjoyed free morning coffee and a fabulously nice manager. The icing on the cake (and EVERYONE who knows me knows how much I love frosting!) was meeting 3 bikers from Connecticut, who invited us to stay there anytime we want. Jerry gave us his name and address, and I'm sure we'll keep in touch! I have pictures of them, of course..... Anyway, we were thinking of riding the bikes up Mount Washington until Ginny, the helpful manager, advised us that the top was all narrow and steep and gravelly. She recounted to us the sad tale of a woman who sobbed all the way down the mountain because she was so terrified. We elected to postpone that adventure 'til next year, when we have new brakes and tires. I'll write more about the trip after posting this, before @#$%! AOL shuts me down again!