Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-11-18
TO FLORIDA BY AUTO.
Interesting Story of Trip from Maine
to Sunny South.

| AS the season turns from summer
to fall, the birds return South and the
DAYS get shorter and cooler, thoughts
/ of the sunny South intrude and stir
a longing to follow the birds to
more congenial climate. Unexpected
| opportunity poked it's head around
j the corner and, being recognized by
myself, is Immediately seized with
, real bear hug.
Plans are soon mature for real
trip South Some friends and myself
! talk South, until everybody but those
Immediately interested avoided being
/ talked deaf, dumb and blind by
keeping out of the range Of our voices.
| We do not mind that, and continue
I enjoying ourselves preparing clothes
and other things necessary to long
/ journey by auto into the land OF sun
shine, for, be it known, that the "On
! to Florida" fever still runs high, and
: Florida is our destination. g,
On October 20, at 100 sharp, we
climb aboard our Humobilep, and
our journey begins. We look like
moving van to the folks at home, for
our car is stacked high with baggage,
tents and cots on the outside, and,
having more than could be hitched on
the outside, the inside Is piled with
things that we think will make us
! comfortable on our trip. GoodDyes
are said, and we begin to pound on
the miles.
Much of the scenery In Maine is
still beautiful, but the wind Is raw
and cold. Still, we are comfortable
in robes and pillows, and enjoy the
trip through Maine. Portland is our
first stop, and here we spend
pleasant evening, and gather further
information about the trip. We leave
early the next morning, make lot
of detours, as roads are being re-
paired. We pass Wells Beach,
truly lovely spot, and cross the
bridge to Portsmouth before noon,
leaving Maine to her long winters
sleep.
We next stop at Lawrence, Mass,
where we all have friends, but octo-
Der 22 finds us on the trail again.
We make Hartford, Conn, that
night. The temperature is not as
cold and the foliage and grass are a
little less gray here. Fruits and
vegetables are not SO expensive. we
stop two days, and enjoy the hos
pitality of the city, visit the theatres
and other places of interest. On
Saturday, Oct "a, we drive through
the Catskills, and through very Won
derful and magnificent scenery, INTO
the state of New York. We stop at
the Hotel Budd in Peekskill for the
night, and hit the trail for Philadel-
phia about 10 a. m. October 20.
From Peekskill, through New Jer-
sew. the scenery is wonderful. You old
timers, who travel South each year,
I wonder if each season brings you
the real thrill of travel, and if each
wear YOU enjoy the ever-changing
scenery through the mountains ana
valleys. The farms through TINS sec
ton look more prosperous, and there
are many market gardens. Fruit
stands, camping sites, rooms to rent
sweet cider signs, gasoline stations
and apples! Such apples! Pumpkins,
plums and peaches, all kinds OF lunch
rooms and all Kinds of prices, each
presenting it's own different lines in
the most attractive manner.
We had rainy day October 25,
but drove nearly all day and ate our
noon lunch beside the road while the
rain came down in torrents. Our ap-
petites were good, and shortly after
noon we left the rain storm and came
into the sunlight, but the wind came
up strong and it grew colder.
We decided to stop in Princeton at
Nassau Inn. We retired early, hop
ing to start our journey early Mon
day morning, as we were anxious 10
pitch our tent and wanted to get into
warmer weather as soon as possible.
The grass begins to look like our
own Maine grass in June. The for
ests begin to change from the sou
woods to oak and other hard woods.
At Peekskill, two of our friends de-
cided to travel as one, so Mary ana
| were bridesmaids and witnesses toa
quiet marriage, and from there we
travel as a bridal party the rest OF
, our journey.
| October 26 was spent at Alexander,
Va, in a hotel. 1t is still too cold to
camp. The scenery still holds its
changeful color, and it's very plain
that Maine is not the only place
where the frosts steal in while every
! body sleeps. 1t warmed up bit
! October 27, and we make camp at
Richmond, Va, in the camping
grounds furnished by the city. Here
we set up our new tent and cots, and
start to set up our new camp stove,
! but it doesn't work. We have cold
lunch. The night turns cold and we
go to the rest rooms for heat and
water, and to the camp, where the
night cold and damp seems to be
waiting for us. AS for me, / voted
Richmond the coolest place on earth,
and my ardor for camping was surely
Just nipped that night.
We hit the trail for Oxford, N. c.,
early the next morning, stopping
overnight at a hotel there, and also
at High Point, N. c., as the cold fol-
lowed us so far into the South. We
made Anderson, S. c., October 80,