This blog is about part 1 of my 20,000+ mile car-camping trip with my dogs from DC to Alaska via Labrador. Part 1, in 2011, was to the end of the road in northeastern North America in Labrador and then on to Quebec and Ontario, 7609 miles. Part 2, which took place in 2012, picked up where Part 1 left off in Ontario and was supposed to extend to Banff and Jasper National Parks in the Canadian Rockies, but Leben, my male German shepherd, became paralyzed on the trip so we cut it short. We will finish the journey in 2013, when we will return to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

Day 3, Monday, August 22, Peaks Kenny State Park, Maine, 313 miles

We made it to our destination for today, just in time to do everything we had to do by dark. We are at Wells State Park in Maine, and it has to be one of the best settings I have stayed in. The night sky is clear and filled with millions of stars, a sight I have not seen in years. There isn't a single light in sight except the stars and my flashlight, and everything is quiet. There are no pesky insects, perhaps because the temperature is in the 40s. Finally, I have escaped the oppressive DC heat.

As usual, the dogs are in their element again. Not only is Leben's spirit high, but his energy level, and with it his appetite, has soared. Erde, as usual, is enjoying herself, mostly at my expense.ut

The situation with the defender worsened today. I lost hours today having to deal with it. Even my ways to manage the overheating (or what appears to be overheating) don't work anymore and I have to find better ways. I ordered three different temperature switches from Rovers North today and will pick them up tomorrow at the Bangor Maine FedEx office, which I will pass by. I will also post this posting since there is no 3G here at the park. My assumption still is that it is a gauge problem I have and not an operation problem. When I replace the three new components, I will have put in an entirely new cooling n system, except for the gauge itself, which is hard to find. Steve at Rovers North told me he just got a call from a guy in Saudi Arabia with precisely the same problem, and a new gauge fixed it. At least this problem keeps me alert on the road, takes my mind off the other problems I encounter, and makes me appreciate that it's nothing worse. And this is all part of what this trip is all about.

Postings will probably be brief from here on because the Internet will bescarce, it takes forever to charge the ipads's battery in the car, and the new Targus external keyboard I got with my iPad went on the blink after two days.

Tuesday our goal is to cross the boarder into Canada and head for Mt Carleton Provincial Park in New Brunswick, abut 250 miles. I hope there will be time to post some photos and musings.

Ed
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