Bicycling - Great Allegheny Passage

We drove into Cumberland and unloaded our bikes. We headed over to the great Allegheny passage trail. It starts in downtown Cumberland and goes all the way up to Pittsburgh. It’s a gradual incline out of the city of Cumberland. We rode a total of 12 miles up just 3 miles short of getting to Frostburg. My battery was getting low and I was afraid I’d be on a dead bike by the time we got home. It turns out we probably could’ve made it because we coasted pretty much the whole way down the hill so it was a total of 25 1/2 mile bike ride. It’s a pretty ride and goes right along the rails and there are some scenic overlooks. It was a comfortable temperature today probably in the 80s and it was shaded most of the way. When we got down to Cumberland, we stopped for an ice cream cone. We had earned it. Back at the campsite Scotty cooked bacon and eggs for dinner. It was a delicious way to end the day and even better after we had a piece of blueberry pie with whipped cream.

Camping - Rocky Gap State Park

 We drove about five hours today to Rocky gap State Park, which is in Maryland just outside of Cumberland. it’s a very pretty park lots of trees and a lake. We are in one of six loops in our loop. It is only us and the camp host. It’s very strange to see such an empty park. I had heard that Cumberland was being revitalised so I thought it might be a nice stop. There are several galleries in the town, but unfortunately they were all closed today. The downtown is filled with old beautiful brick buildings and unique architecture. Even though they’re trying to fix up this town there were many signs of poverty. I saw signs for food stamps, thrift stores, and a recovery centre. The area near the C & O Canal Was very nice. There is a national park visitor centre there but it was closed today and will be closed tomorrow also. Back at our campsite we had grilled chicken and frozen vegetables for dinner.

Camping - Frances Slocum State Park

 It was a driving day and Scotty drove about 5 1/2 hours. We stopped halfway and had egg salad sandwich sandwiches outside the temperature was perfect and it was a nice lunch stop. We’ve been to Frances Locum before, and the main reason is because it’s near the Susquehanna Brewing Company. We loved their new beer which was Called Sandy bottom (cherry and lemon), But they didn’t have any for sale as it was a promotional beer. Darn. Of course we did come out with two cases of other delicious flavours. We had dinner down the street at the tipsy turtle I had fish and chips and Scotty head Mark and cheese with crab. Both were very good. Now we’re back at the camper and it’s lightly raining outside, which is a pleasant sound when we’re in the camper. It will be a good night of sleeping.

Last Day - Thacher Island

 Today was our last day on Thacher Island. It’s always bittersweet but to be quite honest we’re always ready. It’s hard work and very tiring to be outside working on something every day. We did stay a few hours later to train the three new keepers coming onto the island interesting enough,  none of them had been on Thacher Island before except for Christine for a few days a few years ago. Scotty showed them the tractors and the oil house. And then Scotty,  Leslie and I showed them how to work the winch and run the ramp. Good luck. They will be pros by the time they leave. We decided to walk around Rockport and go to the Rockport Art

Association. It’s a very nice art gallery and then from there we walked around Bearskin Neck. All these years we have been going we never saw photos or paintings of Thacher Island. Finally we saw several this time. We then got an ice cream which was a delicious treat. We walked over to the farmers market and we ran into Peg and Dave from the Island as we continued our walk back to the truck, we then ran into Sebastian from the Island. We drove to Leslie’s farm where our Trailer is parked and unloaded our supplies. As we needed to wait for the refrigerator to warmup, we just landed on our beds. I love my camper bed!! We went to Agawam Diner. Scotty had a fish sandwich and I had crabcakes they each came with slaw and Crunch fries. It was the perfect dinner and now as I’m writing this, I’m about to fall asleep so good night.

Thacher Island

FROM THACHER ISLAND LOG

Leslie trimmed around the North Tower and inside the cistern.  Scotty trimmed the north wall of the boathouse and the helipad.  Leslie gave another coat of green paint to the tram carts.  Scotty and Leslie filled the tanks underneath the AKH.  Julie cleaned the AKH.  Leslie cleaned the PKH. Julie helped Scotty traced the outlets on the 2nd floor back to the circuit breaker box.  Julie sprayed poison ivy along trail to North Tower.  Scotty replaced battery in the privy.  Sandy Bay Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program came ashore.  Several kids thanked us for being on the island.  They left a donation.  A whale was spotted between the ramp and the green can, surprising the kayakers who had just left the ramp.

Thacher Island

 It briefly rained in the morning.  Leslie cleaned the museum and Julie started cleaning AKH.  Scotty put air in the front tire of the small green tractor. Leslie put another coat of green paint on the tram carts.  Scotty and Leslie pulled the battery out of the privy to put on the charger, and Leslie made a video of this procedure.  Julie inventoried supplies in 3 houses.  Scotty and Julie completed tracing all 1st floor outlets of AKH and apartment to circuit breaker boxes in the basement. Julie put directions on rocks for campers to place their food in the campground treasure box – to deter our raccoon visitor. Julie typed up winch operating instructions and made a page with photos of positions for choke and throttle. Julie raked in front of houses.  Leslie raked near the boat house. Today we noticed a cormorant trying to follow a flock of geese, but they weren’t having it.  Later, he was at the AKH door trying to push it.  Julie walked up and he jumped off through the railings.  It’s possible, he is sick.   He ran behind the house and we didn’t see him again. Close to 6, 2 kayakers came ashore to camp.

Thacher Island

 When opening the boat house, we are finding lots of Lions Mane jellyfish on the ramp.  The boats started leaving Granite Pier at 7:15. We had 4 boat landings with crew and various other agencies.  Then there were 4 boat landings of visitors.  Leslie and Christine swapped places so that Christine could practice with the winch and working on the ramp; while Leslie experience being boat crew.  We had one minor medical mishap in the boat house.  I (Julie) got stung by a bee just above my eye.  Doc got the stinger out and it turns out that a one-eyed person can run the winch.  Saville, Moss and Narkewiczfinished bed repairs.  Stoddard and Mickus finished AKH roof repairs.  Hoch and Erb finished painting tram and wheels. Scottyremoved the hitch from the old 2-wheel cart and left it on the workbench next to the Kobata. Scotty and Leslie finished labeling wires coming out of circuit breaker boxes below AKH and apartment. And if you’ve never been in the basement, you should know that there are many zombie spiders hanging among the cobwebs above. Leslie raked the campground as 2 campers had arrived.  The elusive raccoon stole some bread and scratched at their tent at 1 and 3 am.  They got a video of the rascal.  We had a delicious lobster dinner!

Thacher Island

 Thacher I left Granite Pier at 7:30 with docents (Karen Maslow & Paula); crew (Krause, Ives, Lovasco) and Leslie’s 2 friends.  Three boats of visitors followed with 17 total visitors.  Syd checked the honey hives and took honey frames back to Rockport. Throughout the day we had other visitors.  In the afternoon, we found various tasks.  Leslie had her chain saw sent over and finished up the larger branches on the trail leading to the Whistle House.  Standing on the tram roundtable, one can now see water at both ends.  Julie painted another sanded ramp board. Scotty weed whacked under the apple tree by Ann’s Way and to the north of the South Tower.  Julie sprayed poison ivy again at the same spots, plants are turning brown.  Julie picked cucumbers, peppers and green beans from the garden which we enjoyed for dinner.  

Thacher Island

We awoke to a surprise downstairs.  A raccoon had pushed through the corner of a screen and feasted on a pack of crackers in a backpack while sitting on the couch.  He tried the stale tortilla chips but left them on the floor where he may have taken a nap on a pillow!  No other food was left out, but tonight we will close all windows and the front door!  Leslie used the DR to trim from the boathouse to the North Tower and from the North Tower to the oil house.  Scotty used the hedge trimmer on these two trails and the Mid Island Trail,and he used the weedwhacker on Wedmore Walk to the North Tower.  Julie mowed the Mid Island Trail and the grassy areas around the helipad.  Midafternoon we checked lobster traps butonly pulled in 2 females so back they went. Julie sprayed poison ivy again around the South Tower and the Whistle House and from the boat house to the North Tower now that the trail is wider.  Leslie completed priming the tram carts.  Scotty fixed the raccoon door and chased a few more wires in the AKH basement.  Julie stained the apartment porch.

Thacher Island

 Keeper Exchange – Gail Zeman off, Leslie Milne on. Leslie trimmed the trail at the end of the tramway and Scotty picked up the limbs to dump at the brush dump/cemetery off Ann’s Way.  They also hedge trimmed and weed whacked from the oil house to the boat house and the tramway, around the boathouse.  Julie concentrated spraying poison ivy around the South Tower and the Whistle House and walked along Bennett’s Trace down to the boathouse.  Julie was at the boat house a lot.  We got lots of kayakers.  Again, kayakers came up from the South Bluff.  One woman swam out alongside 2 kayaks.  North Shore came – all signed in.  Leslie disposed of a gull at the cemetery.  We did a load of laundry.  Julie sanded the apartment front porch.  

Thacher Island

 The first landing brought 2 docents, Doc and we did a keeper exchange (Gail Zeman went back & Leslie Milne came ashore). The next boat brought 4 artists, then 4 landings with a total of 24 scouts. 4 girls swam ashore on the South Bluff and walked around. After a short rest, we did some work.  Scotty used the Kubota to bring up sawhorses, and he and Leslie placed the tram bases on them. Leslie primed the two tram carts and raked goose poop!  Julie sprayed poison ivy with the intent to concentrate on the large patches around the South Tower and the Whistle House.  Scotty epoxied & sanded a new deck board. 5 more kayakers came ashore, then a group of 7 moored coming ashore to camp.  

Thacher Island

We had a very early kayaker come ashore about 8:00. Scotty trimmed Bennett’s Trace and around to the South Bluff.  Julie used the string trimmer to trim the areas around the South Tower and the Whistle House.  Gail attempted to find a full set of stencils in the basement for further work on the tram.  Julie mixed up poison ivy mix and will concentrate over the next week the heavy patches around the South Tower and the Whistle House.  Gail typed up the steps to operating the winch.  A catamaran moored and 5 people came ashore, later a smaller boat with 2 people.  The three of us went out in the skiff – nice sea breeze there and refreshing water, but only 2 lobsters.  Back on land, we were moving very slowly as there was no breeze there!  Gail did take on the never-ending task of raking goose poop in front of the houses.  Scotty was able to remove the cover off the circuit breaker in the basement which may help in identifying wires.  Julie disposed of 1 dead seagull, came back to sweep the PKH.  

Thacher Island

 The first boat left Granite Pier at 8:00 with 2 Docents (Dianne & Joanne).  Thacher I and II transported 24 passengers from the Yacht Club arriving 2 boats close together.  Gail got a refresher onthe winch and she did all landings today.  4 kayakers arrived.  Coastal Discoveries came and unloaded 2 adults and 6 children.  They turned around and went back.  They were on a time crunch and couldn’t get all the kids ashore and the kids wanted to go swimming  J so they didn’t stay.  We had 1 mooring with 5 gentlemen that toured the island.  Scotty trimmed along the sidewalk and later filled up the water tanks in the house.  Scotty screwed 2 more boards down on the dock. Julie gathered more seaweed to mulch the garden and cleaned up coffee cups and pots from yesterday.  Today we were able to turn the water back on after yesterday’s plumbing job. Gail bleached and sanded the tramway carts.  Julie sprayed poison ivy, and collected more seaweed to dry then placed in garden. Gail sauteed Swiss chard for us tonight and it was delicious.  We used our lobster to make a lobster pizza.   Another good day on Thacher!

Thacher Island

 What a busy day! We had three early boats with work crew and docents, followed by four boat landings carrying 24 people from the Council on Aging. They were a wonderfulgroup, and most seemed to love the island. Manyclimbed the tower, and there were plenty of purchases. Seth made a quick touch-and-go delivery with parts for the plumbers. With Thacher I already atthe dock, several of us watched nervously as Scotty and Sebastian went behind the boat at the very bottom of the dock. Peg handed the package to Scotty without a hitch. Watch out,Amazon!  The work crew replaced boards on the tramway.  Jane painted the wheels on the tramway cart.  Lee worked on the small John Deere and the small wheelhorse.  And the plumbers worked on replacing the purification system. The plumbers worked until 3, which left Seth waiting at the dock.  Seth and the crew and Scotty went out to check the traps, but all traps were empty – even after being baited just yesterday.  The plumbers left at 3.  Just when we thought we could rest, 6 kayakers from North Shore came ashore – signed waivers and began their tour.  Their guide, Aiden was very congenial – no problem signing the waiver.  Syd brought out a new, thicker coating to test on the ramp boards, and we’ll try them out this week after they have dried.  8 kayakers came ashore to camp – 4 adults and 4 children (although one adult paddleboarder will go back tonight).  The children in this group ran all over the island – it was nice hearing their shouts and laughter. At 6:00, Gail met 2 more campers that had come ashore – a father and son.

Thacher Island

 We were at the dock at 7:30 to meet with Bob, Sebastian, Lisa & Ethan.  There was a huge Lion’s Mane Jellyfish on the dock. Ethan came out to troubleshoot the whale detection system.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t resolve the issue and believes someone may need to come out with a computer to performadditional diagnostics.  After the crew left, we checked lobster traps – pulling only 2. Mowed and trimmed the campground and cleaned the privy. A family of 5 came out by kayak (signed waivers) and climbed the lighthouse.  I gave them a brief history of the island.  They seemed to be enjoying their adventure.  We continued organizing the bench in the PKH basement.  Raked goosepoop in front of houses.

Thacher Island

 Trimmed some trails.  Weeded around picnic tables and the boathouse walkway.  Once the rain came, it continued all day.  We went to PKH basement and Scotty made a board with outlets to hang tools and place batteries.  I swept and organized the workbench.  We then went to AKH basement and began the perplexing task of identifying outlets upstairs to overhanging wires in the basement.  It is the ultimate logic puzzle to Julie and will take some time!  After taxing our (okay mine – Julie )old brains, Mother Nature provide a reward 

– a spectacular double rainbow out 

Thacher Island

 We arrived at the ramp early during low tide to replace two boards.  Raked goose poop in front of PKH and AKH.  Campers left this morning.  Went lobstering and caught 2 which we’ll eat tomorrow.  We were very cautious with the winch and had no problems.  We worked on the area behind the oil house – moving the buoys in front of the lobster traps.  Used the DR and clippers to cut back overgrowth until one keeper ran away after seeing poison ivy!  Collected seaweed and dried it on the cart, then spread it out in the garden.  Cut up cucumbers to put in oil and vinegar – we’ll have cucumbers all week!  6 kayakers were leaving the island at 7:00 when Scotty was out.  They never called but did sign a waiver.  They indicated that they may come back another time to climb the tower.  

Thacher Island

We had an early departure from Granite Pier due to tides – 6:15!! Welcome to the island life!   Landings went smoothly. Among the visitors were a few descendants of Thacher Family and from Russell Grubbs.  Sharon interviewed all and took photos. We also had a couple get engaged at the top of the South Tower!  Joann got a photo and their names. Also among the visitors was a young man from France and another from Australia. Joanne was very busy with sales today.  Sent ashore merchandise and donation money. After departures, we assessed the office list and the island (looks great) and admired much organization in sheds and closets! Disposed of two dead birds on the South Bluff and saw 2 Oyster Catchers off Bennett Trace.Thank you to the gardeners!  We harvested many cucumbers and green beans and 1 zucchini. Trimmed the Swiss chard.  Much of the lettuce has grown tall and gone to seed.  Scotty pulled the boards out from the AKH basement for replacement tomorrow.

Thacher Island Arrival

 For some reason, I did not get much sleep and it was very hard to wake up at 4 o’clock in The morning. We needed to get to Granite Pier at 6:15 to go out to Thacher Island. Loading up we realized or rather, I realized that we had a lot to go out this year. I think it’s because I packed so many liquids to drink. The good thing is Will have a lighter load to take back. I always love seeing the views you of the lighthouses as we become closer to shore. And it’s always wonderful to see the familiar faces of the Thacher Island association, they always make us feel so welcome. We took our belongings up to the house and should we decided to stay in assistant keeper house Because of the bigger kitchen and possibly be more comfortable couch in the living room, although we never really sit down. We got back to the boathouse and landed six boats, and after that - walked around the island to look at what we needed to do for the week. We did harvest the vegetables and will have green beans for dinner, along with some grilled zucchini and some salad.