Some days in the United States... Tour of New Jersey

Among the many trips that a camper dream is to cross the U.S. from coast to coast, the Caravan Club Italy, has organized and we are a member. It was a long time since we talked about it with friends, others, or alone with other organizations, there had been, but always in very limited locations: California, Nevada and Utah, no one knew that we had made the "coast to coast . Given the program, we noticed that was very broad, but limited in time, in a nutshell: you had to run, but could be done. After two meetings in Bologna, home of the club and one in Bergamo, where we had all the details and final costs, and you decide to go. The cost, inclusive (unfortunately not the case) was set at € 12,500. Twenty days before departure there was a balance in favor or against, the value of the dollar / euro and this then has not come true, for about € 400. It 'was decided to do the same for all cost for the camper even though they were of different sizes because not everyone could have the small ones, so it was chosen by lot. The maximum of the participants had to be 20 campers with two executives, would have made two groups, unfortunately one of the two animals for health reasons had to give up, we were asked if we wanted to start with a single charge and we all agreed, however, the cost of the second person had been charged and has not been repaid to the various participants. Many have applied for reimbursement, but there was no response.
To enter multiple photos and make reading faster, I wanted to mention this trip is divided into states, each group in addition to related photos, there will be a diary of the days associated with that state.

 

From New York to Jackson, New Jersey km. 170.

Wake up early, we still sleep. Will be that due to time zone we had a day longer than six hours. For the withdrawal of the means we are divided into two groups.
One for: Moturis RV - 3401B tremulous Point Rd - Linden - New Jersey 07036
And the other at El Monte RV - 11 Rockland Park Avenue (off Oak Tree Road) - Tappan - New Jersey 10983
Arriva bus that will take us to Moturis RV & Camping World of Tappan, a town about 70 km. To the north. We go to Manhattan and take Route 9W north. We arrive after about 45 minutes. The delivery of the camper is quite chaotic, bureaucratic and time consuming. We chose a camper of the longest. Unfortunately, the campers are bad, some are dirty and have not been cleaned since the last rental, I took the excitement of the moment "watered thoroughly to control every little detail, we will pay particularly dear to delivery and a lot of trouble during the journey. The internal layout of the medium is very different from ours, in 9.30 meters. 90 q.li space and weight can put everything and more. We are preparing to begin our journey that will wind from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, for a total of about 9,000 km for navigation we have almost all navigation systems, the Internet, I downloaded the topography of the United States and Canada, PL or whoever he did a good job for each day listed the way to go with the various staging points and coordinates the various sites to visit and spend the night camping, hour did anyone should not be left behind may be lost. And 'much later when we are able to make supplies of fuel and food in the supermarket and many other objects are missing in the camper as a simple broom, the broom in the toilets and many other things we thought needed to be already provided, between the food we realize here that the packages are bigger than ours, is that sugar flour sacks are about two kilograms. Pasta, Barilla, De Cecco and Voiello are packs of 450 grams, we have taken too much and we are brought to the house, mineral water is bidoncini a gallon, or in small bottles, we found the exit that spending is less than that from us, I checked piece by piece, but the total we spent less than in Italy. The other group had many more problems than us, their assets are even more of our broken-down. We join the supermarket and then everyone at the Indian Rock Campground late. We meet for the first time in a U.S. camp, much of our finest, best equipped and with more space, each site is equipped with loading and unloading, first connecting a pipe, provided for the discharge before gray water and then the clear, then the tube to the water that fills the tank with an electric pump, then the current, all connections will stay until we leave, so that we will continue to purchase and download 's without using the water tank.
We have dinner and we deserved sleep in a nice bed, inflatable individually.
Camp Indian Rock Campground - N 40 W 05 53 74 24 57.

From Jackson, New Jersey to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania km 260

8 am departure, now really start to travel in groups. The party chief, Pierluigi us many recommendations, calls for caution, maximum and effective collaboration of all, how and when to communicate with the group on the road, we bought for the occasion of Walkie Talkie, our CB are not allowed in United States. Leading the caravan will leave him and us in 14th position. These positions set, but then later be updated according to the capacity and practice of new media that not all are used to driving. Our trip today will be about 250 km in the direction of Lancaster, through the land of the Amish in the evening and arrive in Harrisburg.
We immediately notice the landscape change color. Soft green hills surround make this delightful place to live this unique community from the very strong social fabric. Here the landscape is made of fields, a gentle, undulating landscape, moved only by sparse residential classic. Are countless farms. The Amish belief is based on strong family ties and even stronger religious identities. Living in the countryside as farmers and artisans taking their places clear of any intrusion that could affect their natural way of living. Such is not allowed to well loved electricity but the energy of wind, sun and water. Are not eligible for polluting cars. To move blacks use carts (called buggies) that have become their symbol. Good horse breeders are therefore essential to pull wagons. And 'humble, extravagant dresses. The men wear clothes with large dark pants off the bottom and top, without buttons and zippers. From married you do not cut your beard grow ever left uncultivated. Women do not wear any kind of jewelry. Their clothes are pastel, the sleeves are long with aprons and caps covering their hair long. The unmarried girls wear black caps, white brides. The community spoke very often economically supporting the difficulties of every single family, especially helping the young couple in the construction of the house or simply working in the fields. Their dialect is primarily German but in fact are trilingual. Speak, in fact, a German dialect family, called Pennsylvania Dutch. They use German in their religious services, but learning English in school and use it with whoever is not Amish. We leave this place popular meeting their carriages blacks who travel easy. We head to Harrisburg, lunch stop at an outlet segnalatoci Italy, women are literally mad, they have unleashed in the various shops and bought all this and more.
Stop at Landys Valley Museum (40 05 33 N 16 50 W 76), old houses brought from various parts of the State and rebuilt for tourists, nothing exceptional.
The problem today was the oil, three campers do not go to gasoline, but not all distributors have the column of oil and during the whole trip was the unknown to find the fuel.
Camp East Campground - N 40 W 13 53 76 47 54.

The end

Many efforts and hard work for this trip that gave us emotions difficult to describe. Every day was unique, unmissable, extraordinary, thanks to the commitment and willingness of all our fellow adventurers. What we remember most? Hard to say. Every place of its kind, it was wonderful. This trip will be memorable. Our thoughts, in order, rushing to the charm of Niagara Falls, the gullies of the Badlands, to the faces of presidents carved into the mountain, the magnificent Dewil Tower, Old Faithful and all the exciting dell'Yellowstone Park (although we did not see Yogi Bear and Booboo), Monument Valley, and its delicate arches and its spire, the light filtered through Antelope Canyon Lake Powell with the legendary Glen Canyon Dam, the proud, the great, the beautiful, the breathtaking Grand Canyon, lights, sounds of Las Vegas to Badwater in Death Valley hot, the very old and very big and General Sherman in Sequoia National Park, the unexpected snowfall, the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge and the skyline of San Francisco saw the romantic Sausalito, and finally, the great New York, its skyscrapers, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty (Distant View). There were many other things to tell that we have not included in this text. Others that we could say but who are in all the guidebooks. Still others, like the most intimate feelings and emotions. ... That can never describe but which will remain trapped forever in us. Now it is all over. It 's time to go home, review friends, continue our lives as usual, waiting for another wonderful trip to enjoy together.