Merry Christmas from the Campbells

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   Campbell Christmas Letter 2019


Seasons Greetings from The Escapee’s Saguaro Co-op RV Park in Benson, Arizona. During our five weeks of meandering from Maine, Wally and I parked, dropped the levelers and extended the slide-outs on our 2018 32-foot Tiffin Allegro Open Road Motorhome in 19 different places, each with special attractions. It’s an entirely different procedure than landing our trawler, but we seem to be getting into the rythmn of this new life. Yes, Wally and I have swapped seasons. We will be cruising on Summertime in Maine waters in warm weather and cruising the highways of warm places in the cold weather in our RV.

 As you might expect, some aspects of our home park here in Benson have changed over the six years that we have been away on a boat. The friendships we formed from 2003 to 2013, however, remain firm. We returned trailering our 3-wheel motorcycle. The Can-Am Spyder Roadster has already proven to be delightful to ride in the wide-open spaces of southeastern Arizona.

Wally and I chose to celebrate our 50 years together by bringing Summertime north. We began our four and a half months of cruising in Fort Myers, Florida on February 20th. Twice during our travels we left our trawler secured in a marina and drove a rental car back to New England. We departed  Chesapeake Bay to join the O’Brien family and friends to surprise my aunt on her 100th birthday in early May. Just before Labor Day, we departed the Hudson River to join the Campbell family and friends to say our parting words to Wally’s mother who passed away at age 99 1/2.  It’s comforting for us to see longevity on both sides of our family tree. 

By early June we were cruising the rivers, canals and lakes of New York State and the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec. We saw some of the most stunning scenery of our six years of cruising while making our way along the Rideau Canal. With 46 locks, it allows passage from Kingston, Ontario to Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. The 126-mile waterway is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. It was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007!

By July 1st, Canada Day, we were clearing U.S. Customs at the top of Lake Champlain. We docked just over the border at Rouses Point, New York. With the arrival of Erin, Brett, Emily and Bailey, our 4th of July celebrations began. What a great homecoming! We spent July, August, September and half of October at our cabin on the lake in Maine. It’s a great place to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Our family and friend gatherings are so special there.

Summertime is now tucked away in heated storage. Come spring we will be back in Rouses Point, ready to continue her journey to Maine. Our cruising blog will continue to tell our story.

We send you our best wishes for 2020. May our paths cross soon. We count our blessings every day and praise God for all He sends our way!   Love, Darcy and Wally











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