Where There's a Will, There's...

 

Poor Will!  He is not so welcome on this trek, but we are finding "a way" to have a nice holiday just the same...

We started our very chilly and gray Thursday with a slow, delish breakfast in the Buglet. Dave steamed asparagus, laid it over a thin bed of proscuitto, then perched a sweet little poached egg atop it all, served with toasted sourdough bread on the side, good coffee. HEAVEN! Our trips are truly mostly about food, glorious food! That which we seek out in areas we visit, and the goodies we make with all delight and seriousness here in the Bug. WE LIVE TO EAT.  

Will licks the plates.

After more morning dawdling and little Buglet chores such as dishwashing, etc., we headed out to Margate City to meet Lucy. That would be Lucy the Elephant Building. She is cool!  She is a National Historic Landmark! And we absolutely loved climbing up her left leg into her rear quarters, and then having a nice little tour of her innards...   viewing the ocean through her big porthole eyes. She is six stories high, and began her life in the 1800's, built by a real estate speculator who was trying to sell property in the area (looking to create another Atlantic City). A big hotel was built beside her, and thousands and thousands of people walked through her up until the 1960's, when she'd fallen into serious disrepair. A "Save Lucy!" group cropped up and had her moved a few   blocks to her present site (she used to overlook the Atlantic ocean), where she has been spiffed and re-opened for visits. Alas, a recent storm hurt her tail, and would you believe it will cost FORTY THOUSAND dollars to repair? For one tail!

Poor Willie was of course not allowed to tour Lucy with us, so we opened all the car windows and the sun roof to give him lots of fresh ocean air (it was only 57 degrees) along with a doggie treat. Still, his outraged roo-roos! followed us everywhere we went, even as we perched upon Lucy's howdah (the basket on her back) checking out the 360 view. When the tour ended, this "nice" guy I'd been chatting with suddenly got very indignant: "You know, if you leave your dog in the car for even 3 minutes, even if you just run into a grocery store, the state of New Jersey will fine you hundreds of dollars!"  Sigh...

We decided, with the cool weather, to take a couple of hours to drive up to Lakewood, where we visited Colonial Airstream, the place where we bought Buglet in 2006. We told ourselves it was to get a few pieces we need (new stove knob, etc.,) but of course the aim was to walk through the new models. And they are cool, Lord, they are cool. One could live full-time in an Airstream, easily, so long as one is willing to keep it to, say, four pairs of shoes total. (Hear that, Dave? Four. No more than four.)

After oohing ahhing and a long stretch of general drools, we decided to end the day, as we were in the area, with a trip to Island Beach State Park. The park is essentially   an 8-mile stretch of road, absolutely straight, that features beach paralleling along the entire way. There are about 30 turn-offs, where people can park and hike onto the sand for a day of swimming, etc. It was sooooo cold  there! But so beautiful. 

And wow, when we entered the gate,   we were told Willie COULD come with us,and the park person gave him a dog biscuit! Yah, Island Beach SP! We enjoyed the beach itself for only a short while - it was freezing! - but were able to have a hike through a thicket area around  the dunes. The crook-y trees there (forgot the name of them) were so pretty, and made the area look to be inhabited by fairies.

In the evening, it was too cold even for campfire sitting, so we huddled in the Bug and watched Survivor. Yes, we did.

 That's what we love about our rig: we can be as "plugged in," or "unplugged" as we like. And of course, Will is always, always welcome.

Comments

[Jessie]

What a riot!!! Willie obviously is in the right family. Little protester... ;-)

[ellen phillips]

oh boy, did that photo make me laugh! love the last one as well... you guys rock!

making the best of it for sure - that breakfast sounded perfect. & i love lucy! & the crook-y trees.

bet there will be more dreams of airstreams. i admit to being intrigued about who has more/is more attached to their shoes. dave? really?

keep it as tuned in as you wanna be. roo roo roo, will!

[Jenny]

Hey Hey Belle and Fuller Nice work as usual. Sorry Jersey wasn't as warm as FLA ;-) but I love my vicarious travels with you. Pictures and Dialog superb. I think every 5 years you oughta put into hard copy maybe publish. Nice escape and educational experience. Well said. Well seen.

[Jane]

I have loved your trip and have really enjoyed taking it with you...hate it about Willie though.
That picture of the beach, oh man what I wouldn't give...when its warm of course!! :)
Love the being able to be wired or not! LOL

[Brain Building Games]

Hmm hehehe so funny XD Hmm cute doggy! Really unfair.. :D