Thursday July 10, 2008

This morning we decide to not be in any hurry. We have a short drive and Vicki & Jay probably won’t be home until after five. Of course, we really haven’t been in a hurry since we started! I do a load of clothes, clean house a bit and Greg washes everything outside. We fill our propane tank and head off about noon or so. Have a bit of problem with the brake buddy. The AC adaptor that you plug in came unscrewed and the fuse and spring inside are no where to be seen. We stop at an auto parts store for parts and hit the road. We haven’t fixed it but really don’t need it until tomorrow when we hit NJ. Found some good sandwiches in a little town in Maryland and took the scenic route that Jay recommended…the countryside is beautiful. People in this area really love big yards and big houses. The little downtown areas are quaint and clean. We arrive at Patapsco State Park at around 4 and set up. This state park is on the outskirts of Baltimore and runs for quite a ways. In the campground you would never guess you were that close to civilization. It is wooded and the campsites are spread out. Very peaceful and the campgrounds are almost empty. We take off for Vicki & Jay’s. They live not to far from here in Catonsville in a big beautiful home. We caught up a little (most exciting news – Janelle is pregnant and due Aug 11 with a girl!) and then headed for seafood at a little place in downtown Catonsville. We ordered some beer, crab soup and a dozen steamed crabs. They really do crabs different in Maryland and they are great. They douse them with rock salt and old bay and steam them then they dump the whole lot on your table, give you a wooden mallet and a plastic knife (I still haven’t figured out what the knife is for!) and set you loose. Much later we are covered with old bay and very, very happy! I explained to some woman in the bathroom that in Florida we boiled our crabs and used crackers instead of mallets…the mallets worked wonderfully though and I think we need to purchase some. We went back to V&J’s for drinks on their deck (saw a deer right behind their house) and more conversation. What a great night. We miss them.