1 July 2008
Our trip may be over, but we still have some accounting to do!
Critter Count 2008
As usual, we saw lots of wildlife on this trip. Here’s a list:
- lots of horses, cows, goats, butterflies, and fish
- many deer, mostly up close
- 2 wild turkeys
- plenty of chipmunks
- 2 snakes
- too many raccoons, some live, some not, and some babies
- several dead possums (at least they looked pretty dead – hard to tell with possums)
- 1 red tail hawk (up close and personal)
- lots more soaring hawks
- ducks, ducklings, and more ducks
- several schools of fish (albino ones, too)
- rabbits
- plenty of donkeys
- a whole barnyard full of sheep, pigs, chickens, goats, ponies, and roosters
- 6 pet dogs, including sweet Quincy (who went with the two cute young men from Vermont), Chase, Buddy, Boo, and Tess
- lots of cats
- a gazillion ground hogs
- lots of bluebirds, as well as some goldfinches and robins, orioles, chickadees, sparrows, and woodpeckers
- ravens
- swans
- a few squirrels
- a trainyard full of Thomas crazy little boys (if you don’t think they are critters, think again!)
- a gaggle of geese
- frogs and tadpoles
- 1 very large, very dead snapping turtle
- many, many June bugs and other flying insects
- a goodly number of very drunk, nicotine addicted, tie-dyed, friendly, and feeling no pain ‘hippies’ (for lack of a better word)
- a camel (really, not a llama)
- alpacas
- a cormorant
- a black bear (really!)
- a herd of ostriches
- an osprey
- fainting goats
- a skunk (real, not just Peppy)
- a parrot
Where’s Peppy?
To liven up this trip, we had a game where we asked our followers to guess where our travel companion, Peppy, was based on a photograph and a clue. For those not familiar with Peppy, he is a plaster skunk who was a 7th grade art project of Kim’s. Our mom dutifully saved him all these years, then gave her to Kim one Christmas. Just after Kim and her kids held a ceremonial going away party for Peppy and dumped him in the trash, Mom called to tell Kim she’d better not throw that skunk away! Needless to say, Peppy lives!
We took him with us on our first Sassy Sister trip, The Mother Road, in 2006 and photographed him at iconic Rt. 66 stops. He is a great conversation starter, allowing us to talk to the strangers Mom told us not to talk to, so there you have it.
There are still some unanswered questions, but I’m not sure we will even remember where some of them are!
Where’s Peppy #1
Hooray! At long last Suzanne has figured out that this was at the USS South Dakota Memorial in Sioux Falls, SD, from last year’s trip!
Where’s Peppy? #2
Congrats to Patty C, who submitted the correct answer! Peppy is with Merlin at Foamhenge, Natural Bridge, VA.
Where’s Peppy? #3
And the prize goes to Patty C (she is so smart!) who knew Peppy was on the tail of a dinosaur at Dinosaurland, White Post, VA
Where’s Peppy? #4
Has Peppy flipped his lid?
Where’s Peppy? #5
This is an easy one…and we have a winner! Patty C correctly placed Peppy at the National Toy Hall of Fame in the Strong Museum of Play, Rochester NY
Where’s Peppy? #6
Babs has somehow figured out that Peppy is at the TePee Trading Post in Cherry Valley, NY. Good work!
Where’s Peppy? #7
Congrats, Babs, for knowing Peppy was keeping secrets in the Secret Garden at the Stone Hill Quarry Art Park!
Where’s Peppy? #8
Cool moove…and MOO! to Suzanne, who knoooo that Peppy was on the grill of the Ben and Jerry’s truck in Waterbury VT!
Where’s Peppy? #9
Rock on! Suzanne has correctly placed Peppy at the Rock of Ages granite quarry. He’s actually in one of the cages that the workers get lowered down (by a huge crane-like thing on a derrick) into the 600 foot deep quarry.
Where’s Peppy? #10
Congrats to Cathy P! Peppy is taking a break on the front porch of the Sugar Hill Inn in Franconia, NH
Where’s Peppy? #11
Slow down!
Where’s Peppy? #12
Which way to Canada?
Where’s Peppy? #13
Once again, Babs knew Peppy was in the mood to talk at Moody’s Diner!
Where’s Peppy? #14
Babs knew Peppy was wanting a ride on an old Ford at Owl’s Head!
Where’s Peppy? #15
Babs was on a roll (thankfully, Peppy wasn’t, even though he was cleverly disguised as a lobster!)
Where’s Peppy? #16
Even me?
Where’s Peppy? #17
Home, sweet home – Anne recognized Sandy’s beautiful roses hanging over her picket fence and correctly placed Peppy in Stonington, CT
Where’s Peppy? #18
Good job, Suzanne! Peppy was not in Madison County, but he is in the covered bridge at Kent Falls, CT
Where’s Peppy? #19
Kim Mc knew Peppy was in the press box at Yankee Stadium!
Where’s Peppy? #20
Like talking to a rock!
Where’s Peppy? #21
Rex correctly placed Peppy under the treads of a tank at West Point
Where’s Peppy? #22
That’s right, Suzanne! Peppy’s standing on Lucy’s toes.
Where’s Peppy? #23
Can you spare a quarter for a tune?
Where’s Peppy? #24
You’re right, Suzanne – Peppy is peeping through the window of the Shoe House in Haddam, PA
Where’s Peppy? #25
I’m not leaving!!
Our Favorites
Each year, we try to come up with some lists of our favorites. Stay tuned!
Best Eats
Favorite Experiences
Biggest Surprises (and Disappointments)
Coolest Icons
Memorable People
Funniest Things
States Visited
- North Carolina
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Maryland
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Vermont (toured the capitol in Montpelier)
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island (toured the capitol in Providence)
- Connecticut
- New Jersey
- Delaware
Friends We Got to See Along the Way (and who were kind enough to host us!)
Thanks, friends! You made our trip the best!
- Lynn & Robert (and kids)
- Katy
- Diane & Louis
- Denise & David (and kids)
- Sandy
- Melanie & David (and kids)
