The Rhode Island Poop Incident
After a gorgeous drive through the Catskills (& the most unexpected cup of coffee we’ve ever had!), we settled in for the night at the Cape Cod KOA, our base camp for exploring all things Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and Boston!
Despite camping all over the western United States, we began experiencing campground wildlife during our northeastern travels. Our night at a campground in New York led us to a pack of coyotes yipping and howling through the campground, but that was nothing compared to the sound that we heard at 3am on our first night at the Cape Cod KOA.
I was awoken from a deep beauty sleep to the four words from Phil that will put a damper on any car or tent camper in the middle of the night: “I have to pee.” While we typically use the buddy system if one of us needs to visit the facilities in the middle of the night, on this particular night I was very lethargic & left Phil to fend for himself.
I know, I know. We’ve been married for ten years, what can I say?
Within a few minutes of Phil leaving, I found myself regretting that decision when I heard the most gut-wrenching, awful screeching I have ever heard in my life. Was it a mountain lion? Was it a banshee? I did not know, but I suddenly felt VERY guilty for leaving the love of my life all alone to face whatever monster was wreaking havoc on the campground.
I told myself if Phil wasn’t back in 5 minutes, I was going after him.
A few moments later, Phil made it to the car, visibly shaken. Okay, for those of you who know Phil, you know he was NOT visibly shaken. He was, however, like “Huh…that was a weird noise.” That’s visibly shaken for Phil.
Our early morning research led us to discover that the noise we heard during the witching hour was that of a fox. We now know what the fox says and it is creepy as…well…you know.
Running on fumes the next morning, we headed into Providence, RI in search of some additional caffeine. We stumbled upon Borealis Coffee, an adorable cottage that gave us the fuel that we needed for a day of exploration.
If you haven’t had the chance to visit Providence, it is one of the most charming downtown areas in all of the United States (in my opinion…please don’t sue me if you disagree). Providence has incredible architecure, both in the form of beautiful historic blocks and colorful residential cottages. Art students haul easels up and down the streets. Brick sidewalks lead into gorgeous landscaping. Seafood restaurants line the city blocks. It’s the perfect backdrop for a lovely city stroll.
We ducked into Hemenway’s for a delicious lunch where we discovered that it is possible to have zucchini fritte as a side. I may never be the same. This restaurant should be on everyone’s Providence itinerary!
While the weather was warm, we cooled off with tea & coffee from Ceremony and headed to Prospect Terrace Park for a lovely sweeping view of the city.
After a lovely day in Providence, we decided to venture to nearby Newport, RI to catch the sunset at Castle Hill Lighthouse. We took in the picturesque views & were reflecting on just how lucky we were to experience such a perfect day when a pack of seagulls suddenly flew overhead and showered us in poop. We picked our jaws up off the floor (which were thankfully *NOT* open during the pooping incident) & packed out to clean ourselves up & put in a load of laundry back at the campground.
At the end of the day, we realized that we made it 33 years without getting pooped on by a bird. I think that’s pretty lucky if I do say so myself!
The aftermath of the bird poop incident