Our Summer Started

May 19, 2020

We found out we could finally go up to Vermont as of the 15th of May, so we changed our train reservations for the 19th and made our final preparations to leave Florida. We showed up and checked in wearing our N-95 masks and gloves and adhering to the 6-foot apart rule to register. We then waited outside until we boarded. The station was full, surprising because they are restricted to 15% capacity but there were still 16 passenger cars and 23 car carriers. We were onboard and in our room by 2:45pm. The first thing we did was to wipe down EVERYTHING. Then we sat back and enjoyed our ride. At 4pm our Stewart, Neil, came into our room, handed us a menu and took our order for dinner at 5pm. Meals on the train were served in our room; no going to the dining car this trip.

The train had to stop several times for freight trains and track maintenance which meant we were delayed 15 minutes or more each time as they had to make sure everyone was clear and off the tracks. Neither one of us slept very well, rough ride and noisy.

May 20, 2020

We were up at 6am so we could be up and ready for breakfast at 7am. Because of all the delays, we were now three hours late. We got in at 12 noon and boy were we glad we opted for the priority boarding for the car because we were on our way by 12:30pm instead of waiting up to two hours for it. We didn’t want to stop more than once along our drive to Vermont from Virginia because of the Corona-19 virus so we just kept driving until it got dark. We ended up at the Comfort Inn in Lake George, New York; 493 miles. Boy, were we beat.

May 21, 2020

We were up at 7am, got breakfast then headed out for a drive of 155 miles into St. Johnsbury, Vermont. We pulled into the campground at 1pm. Mary greeted us from 10-feet away and told me the rules.

Rules: We have to stay at our site for 14-days, wear masks whenever anyone comes near us (but still keeping 10-feet away), and wipe down all hook-ups after we touch them. We can't leave our site?

We need food! Last year I would shop for Mary, the campground owner, because she couldn't leave, so now she's shopping for me! I made it easy for her though, I ordered what I needed on-line and she only had to pick it up. Aren't I nice!

Gary and Jack had our fifth-wheel in our site in ten minutes. All set up and ready to make it livable again. We put peppermint oil all around the fifth-wheel to keep the critters out that works great and the smell was gone.

May 25, 2020

Happy Memorial Day. This is usually the campgrounds busiest weekend, but they are restricted to 25% capacity and there are only nine rigs here not including the seasonal sites. There were no games, no gathering and no bonfire! We didn't even have Larry sing "Proud to be an American". What a disappointment. We put our flags out and waved at everyone that went by.

Jack could still feed the ducks; we were told later, not to feed them. Oops!