June 30 - Our explorations continue

The boys and I cycled downtown to continue our exploration. We discovered we were at the halfway point along the Appalachian trail. It is 2100 miles, passes through 14 states and takes the average hiker 5 1/2 months to complete. Many start in Georgia in April and have to get to Maine before Oct 15 (when a park at the north end closes). Many pass this halfway point in late June. The boys chatted to some hikers while they took a break in the lounge.
We also found we were on the canal system that links Pittsburgh to DC. The same one we cycled while at Ohiopyle SP in PA. We saw a few cyclists on the trail who were carrying tent, sleeping bag and gear. I envied them.
The town is full of old and/or restored buildings. There is a marker showing some of the worst floods the town has experienced. 1936 being the worst. The catholic church was impressive. Many steps within the town are carved out of the exposed shales. The masons did a wonderful job of using the local stone to build walls.

June 29 - Harpers Ferry

The short drive through to Harpers Ferry was very welcome. It was fun leaving Maryland, passing through Virginia and entering West Virginia in the space of a couple hundred feet. The Potomac and Shenandoah rivers confluence here and then pass through a gap in the hills as they flow on to DC. The rivers are wide and shallow and there are lots of shale outcrops on the river bed. Many people float down the Shenandoah past Harpers Ferry. The town is on the point between the two rivers. It has a beautiful view east. The town has seen much activity over the years. A ferry was established in 1733 and the town was started in 1775. Became the US Armory and Arsenal from 1790, where many munitions were manufactured. Hosted many water powered industries - one right up until 1930. Meriwether Lewis obtained weapons and other supplies here before his trip out west in 1803. Railroads and a canal arrived in the 1830's. Witnessed the raid by John Brown the abolitionist in 1859. Suffered decline when Stonewall Jackson shipped the weapons production machinery south for Confederate use. Endured a major Federal army surrender in 1862 but later became a major supply base for the army. A college was opened in 1867 to educate former slaves. Through out this time the city was at the mercy of the rivers. Repeated floods caused the continued decline of the town. Now it is a wonderful place to explore. All this history in so small a place!

June 28 - Friends and Fort

I found a cheesy book in the laundry room this morning so I got stuck in to it while I relaxed on the porch overlooking the bay. It was very relaxing. After lunch and yet another swim we drove down to Baltimore to see Fort McHenry. The tunnels under the bay are an efficient way to navigate the city. The Fort was very impressive. We unrolled a flag the same size as the original and had fun learning about the flag that inspired the National Anthem. It had only 15 dancing stars and 15 stripes. 13 colonies plus Kentucky and Vermont at the time of the war with Britain and France in 1812-1814. During the Civil War Confederate prisoners were held there and it was an hospital during WWI. The view out to the bay was spectacular. A huge cruise ship sailed by while we were there. Rob did another Junior Ranger Badge.
By late afternoon we were on our way to visit a friend in Annapolis. We had a wonderful swim in the bay, pulled up some crab nets and inspected the catch, had sun downers on the pier and dinner with the family. It was good to catch up on news.

June 27 – The wonderful Chesapeake Bay

Rich flew in to DC at about 6am, so while we were escaping Assateague he found a RV park north of Baltimore. It is at Bar Harbor and there are few insects. We have a lovely view across the water and the pool is wonderful. A lazy afternoon and evening helped us recover from the heat and stress of the last 24hrs.

June 26 - Goodbye

Mike and I had a great walk along the beach at sunrise. We had hoped to walk out on the pier but it was gated off. Rob’s large trench was filled in with sand – the sea does a wonderful job of covering man’s attempts to make changes. After packing up the camper we had a last swim in the sea. The trip back to Norfolk took us to Kill Devil Hills. The site where the Wright brothers achieved the first ever powered flight in 1903. We also visited Great Bridge. The site Revolutionary War battles. Supply routes from the south cross the Elizabeth River at this point. The US was able to hold off the British and keep the supplies moving northwards towards their troops. A canal passes by and there is a drawbridge and lock to see. We found an outdoor chess table in the shade so while I made lunch the boys battled.

We dropped Gran off at the airport and then drove across the 17 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. An incredible example of US road building ability.The air was clear and we had a good view across the bay. It was a long drive North into Maryland and to Assateague Island. We were assigned a campsite on the bayside of the island along with a million mosquitoes and biting flies. We set up camp and hopped into the camper to escape the insects. After a quick shower and dinner we all fell into bed. Within three hours were getting attacked by mozies – how they go in I do not know. The sound around our heads was awful. I lit the mozie coils and tried to get some more sleep. I was so relieved when the sun rose. The sunrise was very pretty and I saw the wild ponies playing by the waters edge. I seemed to be walking in a cloud of insects. I got the boys up and we could not leave the island fast enough! We did not even get a swim on the beach.

June 25 - Furtherest point south

Driving south on the Outer banks takes one down to the island of Ocracoke. The reason we had to visit was because Ant had just done a school report on pirates. Blackbeard – the most feared of them all - was tracked down and killed here by a Virginian naval vessel in 1718. The best part of the outing was the ferry ride to get to the island. Due to the demand they were running seven ferries simultaneously. The harbor staff packs an incredible number of cars onto the deck of the boat. After leaving the harbor the boat meanders through a narrow channel for 40min. The shallows on either side were sometimes only ½ foot deep. Our first stop on the island was a little pirate store and museum. They directed us to the beach on the island overlooking the bay where Blackbeard was killed. We found a wonderful seafood restaurant on the harbor front. Gran treated us to a lunch of Spanish Mackerel.

We were surprised to find more Civil war sites all along the Outer banks. The inland waterway was a crucial supply route from the south. We also visited the Hatteras lighthouse. The islands are slowly migrating to the SW and shore lines cannot be artificially protected. To prevent the destruction of the lighthouse it was cut off its foundations and moved on rails ½ mile inland in 1999. It is quite astounding that something so tall can be moved as a whole unit.

We decided to skip Roanoke Island. The pamphlets implied it was quite commercialized and it was a bit of a drive from the campground.

June 24 - A day on the beach

The beach is glorious. Especially nice at low tide. Mike is so bold and ventures far out - he can still stand but it is a bit of a worry. He loves the surf. Rob loves to dig in the sand and reacts wonderfully when the waves crash over his cities. The boys went to watch a movie this evening so we are relaxing in the lounge. After one day on the beach I know I have had too much sun - we will have to go exploring down to Ocracoke tomorrow.

June 23 - North Carolina

Arriving on the Outer Banks in North Carolina was pretty shocking. As we drove through Nags Head going south I could not believe the commercial development. It seems out of control. I was glad that as we drove further south towards Rodanthe the development reduced. We are on a narrow section of the island and the campground fronts both the sea and sound.

June 22 - Norfolk

We signed up for a bus tour of the naval base. It was interesting to see the size of the place but I felt that we sped by the docks so quickly I would have liked to do the tour a second time just to get a better look at the naval ships. The aircraft carriers are very impressive!

We also went to downtown Norfolk to see the USS Wisconsin. It was nice to be able to explore the decks of the boat. The Tomahawk missile launchers are huge and ominous. They look like their sole purpose is that of destruction.

We returned to the camper for a snooze and more beach time.

June 21 - First Landing State Park

Our move to First Landing SP was met with traffic delays on the I64 bridge/tunnel. The traffic was particularly bad due to the recent arrival of an aircraft carrier at the Norfolk Naval Base. There seems to be a road crisis looming here in the Hampton Road area. It is the common topic of discussion on public radio.

We were lucky to get a super campsite right on next to the beach access walkways. Some sites are right next to a busy road – stay away from those! The beach is just on the Chesapeake Bay (not actually on the Atlantic). The water is full of pine needles. There are very small waves and the beach is very shallow. When the air cleared after an afternoon storm – one can see the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel crossing 17 miles across the bay. The bay is wide and we cannot see the land on the other side. The view at night is wonderful because the bridge sections are lit up and the tunnel areas are real easy to spot. Many cargo/container ships are moored in front of us. The only time we get some larger waves is when they pass us as they sail on out into the Atlantic. There move really fast! There are fires burning to the north of us and the smoke really obscures the views.
The park has some wonderful trails and a long cycle path. Mike and I enjoyed riding our bikes to the local grocery store. Mom treated us to a seafood dinner – which was most disappointing, so we put a lot of effort into the next dinner in the camper. Rob is struggling with the heat and is having many headaches. I think the irregular meals and lack of sleep are also taking their toll.

June 20 - Williamsburg

After two wonderful days visiting Jamestown and Yorktown we struggled to find the energy to go to Williamsburg. Everyone had said how wonderful it is, so we knew we had to make the effort to see it. After arriving at the visitor center and walking through to the town we were glad to be able to just stroll down the roads looking at the buildings. We did not even bother going into any of the period stores. The church was peaceful and the governor’s mansion was impressive. We found a bakery at lunchtime and ordered all sorts of cakes and breads along with some cider. Rob loved the selection. The archeological digs on the back streets were interesting. The boys were happy to return to the campground to finish their library books and swim.

June 19 - Yorktown

Yesterday was the first English settlement - today was the Revolutionary War. Yorktown is the site where the last major battle was fought. The French blockaded the bay and the Americans blockaded the land. The British could not escape. They surrended in October 1781. We visited the old town and the Victory Center where they have recreated an army encampment and a farm. We were astounded by the crude tools the army surgeon worked with. I would not have liked to have had any dental work done. The barracks kitchen was interesting. Dug into the ground to reduce wood usage and retain heat. We watched the firing of a musket and a mortor cannon. Rob really enjoyed the farm kitchen. Yet again the cooking was genuine and I could see that the employees were ready to get down to eating the fruits of their labor. The tobacco in the storage house smelt so good. The chickens were laying eggs in their coop and the turkeys were wonderfully fat. One old lady was all too happy to have us hold her wood while she tried to chisel out a spoon. It was going to take a long time before it was ready to use in the soup bowl. She was also preparing flax so it could be spun into thread.

By the time we returned to the campground we were exhausted. Mom slept, I blogged and the boys went to the library. They did not even want to swim. The evening ended with a wonderful lightning display and a great downpour. We had a light dinner and then for dessert we made corn bread (remember the corn ground at the mill in West Virginia) and coated it with honey - Wonderful to know where the food we are eating, came from.

June 18 – Jamestown

Life in a big private RV park is unexpectedly peaceful. Although there are so many campers here you hardly notice many because everyone is so quiet and they keep to themselves. All we notice are the big diesel pick-up trucks passing every now and then. None of the scum and barking dogs we found in the Babcock State Park campground. We do not see much of the boys because we discovered the local library across from the entrance to the campground and they keep logging onto the computers to play games.

Our trip to Jamestown was wonderful. We went to the living history museum. There they have recreated the James Fort, a Powhatan Indian Village and have the replicas of the three ship that brought the original settlers in 1607. Susan Constant, Discovery and Godspeed. The Godspeed had just returned to port after a week and a half of sailing. It was interesting to discover that the Jamestown settlement was not the financial success that the Virginia Company had hoped it would be and by 1619 financial backing was stopped. It was not a peaceful place either. Indian skirmishes were never ending.

There are wonderful interpreters throughout the outdoor museum. They demonstrate the skills needed for life at the time. The Indian shelters were beautiful - full of skins, smoked food, bedding and clothing. Pot making, cooking, twining and tanning were being demonstrated. The staff eats the food they make. It looked real good. The ships were great to explore. The beds were so small and quarters very cramped. We learnt about the techniques of navigation and estuary depth measurement. The term knot was first used by mariners who measured how many knots on the line paid out in a given time period when the chip log was thrown overboard. When one travels at one knot that means you are moving at one nautical mile per hour. These boats sailed at approx. 6 knots. A fathom means 'a pair of outstretched arms'. There are 6 feet in a fathom. Rob and Ant measured the depth of the water to be 3 fathoms. I enjoyed the way they got the children involved. The musket demonstration was fun and very loud. The blacksmith enthralled Ant. He took a lot of time to listen to Ant and answer his questions. He had a wonderful set of bellows to keep his fire hot. Mike and I are busy twining yucca. It is quite relaxing and rewarding. I will find a use for the twine here in the camper.

June 17 – Appomattox

Our next stop on the Civil War trail was Appomattox. By the 1830s it was a busy stop on the stagecoach route between Richmond and Lynchburg. There was a tavern, a general store, some law offices, and a few houses. It was the county seat so there was a courthouse and jail. The development of the railway line 2 miles to the south was however causing the decline of the town. In February 1865 the command of the Union forces had been given to Ulysses Grant. He met with Lincoln frequently thereafter and was determined to conquer the confederate forces. During the beginning of the April 1865 Grant and the US army were pursuing Robert Lee and the Northern Virginia Confederate army west. Grant was able to cut off rail supply lines to Lee so his army was starving and exhausted. Grant spent seven days in battle as Lee retreated from Richmond and Petersburg towards Lynchburg. By April 8, 1865 Grant sent a message to Lee to ask for his surrender. On April 9th, Lee and Grant met in a private house in Appomattox to work out terms of surrender. The war was over for these two armies. The confederates were given parole slips with permission to return home. Over the following months troops fighting in other armies to the south would also surrender.

Within a short time the small town of Appomattox had been deserted with business moving to the railway station. Houses decayed and fell down. Most of the buildings have been rebuilt. The old stage road has been preserved. One can stand in the middle of town and get a good feeling for how it may have been living in the town. I could almost imagine the sound and excitement surrounding the arrival of the stagecoach. There were few people there and wonderful informative rangers. We spent the whole morning exploring.

We returned to our wonderful campground and lake to pick up the camper. The boys had another swim while I plotted our course to Norfolk to pick up mom. It was wonderful to see the Atlantic Ocean. Quite momentous really – the boys and I have now driven the full width of the continent of North America. We got to the airport one hour late – we are not too good at being on time for anything.

June 16 - A great campground

Today I found the perfect campground. We are camping at Paradise Lake Family Campground near Appomattox. There are groups of campsites spread out over a large area. There is a swiming pool, play ground and lake. Our site overlooks the lake and the boys have spent all their time in the incredibly warm water. There is a slide, diving board and sun deck floating in the lake. They love it! The price is great and the people so friendly. Yet again I cannot get the wireless to connect - thank goodness Rich threw in a spare network cable.

We drove past Lynchburg today. With all the trees one does not even see any sign of development. The only indicator is the larger roads and increase in traffic. This is such a contrast to cities in the west.

June 15 - Hello Virginia

By the time we were packed up and ready to leave, the boys had finished their Junior Ranger Booklets for the New River Gorge. They wanted to collect their badges so Rich took them back to the Gorge and I got on the road eastwards. They also detoured back to the mill on the chance that it may be grinding. I was able to stop off at the Greenbrier Hotel. It is a wonderful, opulent hotel full of leisurely vacationers. I walked the halls and had a snack there.

The drive through to Natural Bridge was short and set up was pretty easy. The rest of the family arrived and we made a beeline to the pool. After dinner we went to explore Natural Bridge. George Washington surveyed the area in 1750. He carved his initials in the rock. The land is privately owned – King George III originally sold it to Jefferson in 1774. We had to pay a fee to walk down to the bridge – urgh! The walk was pretty and we saw a subterranean river. We stayed for the very disappointing light and music show. A road passes over the bridge so we drove over it as well.

Our weekend with Rich is over, but Mum arrives on Tuesday for one week.

June 14 - Grist Mill, Bridge and unexpected visitor

After setting up at the Babcock State Park we were astonished to see Richard at our camper door. He needed to be in Atlanta next week so he decided to take a little detour for the weekend. Rich did not want to be alone for Father’s Day! We all thought this was a wonderful idea. Rich had driven 5 hours to reach us and he was hungry, so we soon had the grill fired up and steaks cooking. This campground was pretty full with campers and their noisy dogs. Quite different from the previous places we had stayed. Rich, Mike and I went for a nice long walk, while Rob and Ant played yet another game of monopoly.

After reading the Park information brochure we discovered there was a working mill nearby. It was built in 1975 using parts from many abandoned mills in the area. It is next to a stream and has a large water wheel. We hung around until the volunteer was ready to grind some corn, but alas, the grinding stone was jammed. They had done some maintenance the day before and incorrectly positioned something – there are a lot of moving parts in a grist mill. We did purchase some corn that had been ground before the maintenance chaps got there. I am looking forward to cooking some corn bread.

While we were exploring the rain moved in so we took shelter under some rocks down by the river. It is lovely to watch the rain coming down on the water and be huddled under an overhang.

Out next port-of-call was the bridge over the New River Gorge. It is the bridge you see on the West Virginia quarter. It was built 35 years ago and is an impressive sight. Mist and cloud kept moving through the valley while we watched rafters coming down the river through some rapids. We decided to take the old road to the bottom of the valley. We crossed over the river and looked up at the new bridge from way below.

We took a bit of a detour back to camp and almost missed the group campfire. The boys still managed to make s’mores, though. During the night a heavy rainstorm passed through. It was nice to know that we would wake up in a dry camper and not have a flooded tent.

June 13 – A battle field

No matter how far or close we have to travel to the next campsite it still takes us all day to get there. The closer the campsite the more points of interest we find along the road. We passed through Hillsboro – The birthplace of Pearl S Buck. The author of the 1935 book “The Good Earth”. I feel I should read it. Anyone got a copy?

The best site today was “Droop Mountain Battlefield”. This was the site of the last major Civil War battle fought in this area, Virginia then (West Virginia now). November 1863. The Union army was able to force a retreat of the Confederates and regain control of the Greenbrier Valley and a major railway. We found old trenches and walked through the forest trying to imagine what it would be like to fight and die here. We scrambled down to a spring and drank some of the sweet cool water. I wonder if the soldiers too drank from the same spring as they advanced up the hill towards battle. The lookout tower gave one a good feel for how the Confederates must have felt while watching the enemy advance. I was surprised that I actually enjoyed the learning experience. I was worried that battlefields would be rather dull.

As we have traveled south I have concluded that the primary pastime of residents in the Greenbrier Valley is to mow their lawn. With the heat and humidity it probably grows an inch a day. Most owners in the small hamlets are very yard proud and love to have neatly tended yards. Even if the house is rather run down - the grass will be neatly cut! We are seeing some history here - we passed through a town established in 1749. That is a long time ago!

We have completely missed seeing the industry and disturbance associated with coal mining. All coal mining in this area ceased many years ago and the foreests have reclaimed the land.

Driving these back roads of WV takes one past small stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Turning off the road at short notice is sometimes a challenge with this heavy camper. The boys are enjoying their treat money – thanks Lloyd. S’mores and ice creams are their biggest expense.

Ryan Boyer - this is for you

There is this really itsy bitsy town called boyer it is really small you barely notice it. i only noticed it on a map.here's a picture of the old railroad switching.

June 12 - Greenbrier Trail

This morning we lazed about in the campground. I finally finished fixing the burley. My finger tips are sore from all the stiching.

We found yet another rail-to-trail route. The trail is approx 80 miles long from Cass (near Green Bank) south to White Sulphur Springs. The trail runs along the Greenbrier River valley. We chose to do a 5 mile portion of the trail so that we could cycle through a 500ft long tunnel and cross the river on the old railway bridge. We took chairs, books and snacks with us so that we could relax next to the river at our turn around point. The boys swam while I read. The insects make it difficult to concentrate on anything for very long. I had to laugh on our return to the car - Ant and Mike were cycling along and talking so much that Ant rode over a snake without even noticing. Rob also rode over the tail of the snake and did not notice until I said something. I thought it was only me who left behind road kill! We also saw a tortoise crossing the path. Nobody hit it.

I hope we can finish our books tonight so that we can return them to the library tomorrow morning.

June 11 – Catch the wave

Traveling further south south west one travels parallel to the ridges and valleys of the Allegheny Mountains. This was easier on the car engine. We only get the occasional view because the forests encroach right up to the road edge. There are small clusters of homes every now and then with very friendly people. We stopped to use a public phone – could not get it to connect - and one of the residents told us to walk up to his house and use his phone instead. We then noticed that he is a fiddle player so we asked him to tune Ant’s violin. He obliged and joked that a violin player is just a bad fiddle player! Both Ant and he treated us to a song each.

While visiting with them the couple told us a bit of Pendleton County history. People still harbor ill feelings from Civil War times. The local high school has just been closed so now the kids have to bus north to Franklin. Well, this is a problem because the residents in Franklin and the residents around Circleville were on opposites side during the war and they are still in opposite camps today. The rivalry is intense. Jean said he would mail us a CD of the history of the area when he has finished compiling it. We are looking forward to seeing it. We also discovered that this area of West Virginia was part of Virginia until the end of the Civil War. Virginia was a slave state while West Virginia was not. Moving the state line was not altogether popular.

We were unable to book onto the in-depth tour of the Green Bank Telescope facility but still enjoyed the regular tour. There are a number of telescopes there but the major attraction is a 100 x 120m dish. Making it the largest moveable object on land. It is recording emissions from space in the radio wave part of the EM spectrum. Did you know that sunspots are thermally cold areas on the sun but have increased radio wave emissions? Sunspots always sounded “hot” to me. The whole area is wave free – no cell phone coverage, no radio stations, no TV signals. Even leaks from microwave ovens are monitored. One is not even allowed to use a digital camera near the dish.

Our campsite is yet again perfect. Well almost – it took us over an hour and a half to pump the water to fill our holding tank. Thanks goodness for the burley – we used it to transport the water tanks from the pump to the camper. The whole job was a three-man task – but I think Ant and Mike will have a new appreciation for the water when they use it. Rob was busy “rebooting” – he slept for 14 hours straight. The view out our windows is forest – no people in sight. Wait till the weekend – that will all change. There is no electrical hookup here so I have connected up the solar panel and it is busy topping up the charge in the battery. We love having our bicycles with us – why walk when you can ride.

The local librarian is very friendly and agreed to letting us borrow books for the next two days. Mike has already read everything he brought with us, and hopes he can finish the library book before we leave on Friday. Ant found one of his unfinished Warrior books at the library so he too is reading. Rob continues to sleep! The peace is wonderful.

June 10 - Top of West Virginia

Spruce Knob is the highest point in West Virginia. At approx 4800 ft. We went up early hoping to get a good haze free view but alas there is too much moisture in the air. We had to imagine seeing Pennsylvania to the north and Virginia to the east. The spruce branches grow towards the east due to the prevailing winds. It is so much cooler up at that elevation.

We have decided to stay an extra night here at our campsite – it is just so peaceful! And we found wireless internet.

June 9 - Climb the rocks

Weekends are the busy times here so the locals take off Mondays through Wednesdays. Instead of spending time in the Discovery Center we have had to hang out at the local trading store. The boys love the place because the ice creams are good and they were able to purchase rubber band guns – target practice continues throughout the day. There is a fun shortcut through to the store from the campground.

The locals have commented that the weather is unseasonably hot and humid. As a result the hike up Seneca Rocks (900ft elevation gain) was quite a challenge. Afternoon naps are a necessity!
It seems like the Eastern side of West Virginia is wild and mostly untamed. Traveling on the back roads takes one past the occasional farmhouse and fields. The first harvest of hay is being cut at the moment.

June 8 - Move on

I was sad to leave Ohiopyle – we started driving south into West Virginia. It was good to leave the PA toll road system. The scenery did not change much. Hills covered in deciduous trees and not many rock outcrops to be seen. We stayed on the major routes as a result of our overheating and brake problems a few days before. A good plan of action!

Driving into Seneca rocks we were unexpectedly confronted by a large, very high almost vertical outcrop of grey rock. It was a pleasure to see. Our campground is idyllic yet again – State Parks are a great resource. So many have electric hookups, which allow one to run fans to keep the air moving in hot humid conditions.

After getting the camper set up we made a beeline for the local swimming hole along the river. It was so refreshing. Rob then made us a wonderful three-cheese pasta dish.
The temperature at night is wonderful. While stargazing I spotted a satellite crossing the sky. The forests are infested with glow bugs – it is akin to a mini fireworks display.

June 7 - A dream come true

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to see Fallingwater. I was just sad that I was not able to have my brother with me. He is an architect and I still remember him studying Frank Lloyd Wright’s works when he was a college student. I was surprised at how small the rooms are and how low the ceilings hang. The house is suspended over the stream of Bear Run, just before it tumbles over a waterfall. I felt it was too high above the falls – I would have liked to see the bottom level of the house at water level. There are six decks, which more than double the living space of the house. The main house has only four bedrooms. Many doors are very narrow and there are stairs everywhere. Albert Einstein stayed there at one time. After taking many photos I finally agreed to leave.

We discovered a wonderful bike trail system. The Great Allegheny Passage from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, WV. It in turn links up to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath which continues from Cumberland to Washington DC. Much of the PA route follows old railway routes. It seems fairly common out here that when railways were no longer in use – bike trails have been developed along those routes.

June 6 - Ohiopyle

Today we spent time exploring the little town of Ohiopyle. Rafting, cycling and the falls are the big attractions. There is a post office – we finally got some bills mailed – and many places to eat burgers and ice cream. We found one of the local outfitters to be most helpful when I presented our tattered and torn burley to them asking for some advice on how to fix it. Now that we have the straps and buckles I need to start sewing. Where is my sewing machine when I need it?

Our park map indicated some natural water slides so we made a beeline there after a lunch of large milk shakes. We arrived to find a raging torrent of water cascading down some lovely sandstone exposures. We decided that the safest area to swim was in some pools below the slides. The current was swift so I positioned myself to catch the boys if they were swept through the pools. The cold water was lovely.

On our way back to the campsite we discovered the Cucumber Falls. After strolling down to the base of the waterfall, we found a path leading behind the cascade of water. It is so different to see the water from the “underside”.

June 5 - Finally Settled

As we traveled east from Kansas it was interesting to see how green, lush and undulating everything became. About 50% of the fields have not yet been planted, but what is growing is looking good. By the time we got to Ohio most fields were partially flooded from the excessive rain during the last few weeks. We, luckily, have had mostly sun since Wednesday.

Picking up the camper was a good feeling. The anticipation of being in our own beds was good. We were also looking forward to being able to spread out in an unloaded car. We had to overcome a few problems, but found a wonderful Camping World RV center in Akron, OH. With all these unexpected obstacles we had to miss visiting the Amish. Oh well – just an excuse to come back to Ohio. We continued through to Pittsburgh to drop Rich off at the airport. Thank you Rich, for driving us 1600 miles and getting our holiday off to a safe start.

Traveling on the backcountry roads to Uniontown, PA made me feel like I was in the UK. Rolling fields and forests in every direction. The only things missing were the stone walls lining the lanes. We went through a town called “Scenery Hill” and it was just like Lookout Mountain, CO. There were signs everywhere deploring the erection of more transmission towers. The steep climb up out of Uniontown was nearly too much for the car. The temp indicator almost hit red. We used it as a good excuse to stop at a scenic overlook.

After turning off Hwy 40 towards Ohiopyle State Park our new and not yet trusty GPS directed us off the main drag down a narrow side road. My instinct was to not turn but I let it have the last say. As it got steeper I became more concerned because I could feel the brakes getting spongy. We finally managed to stop and continued to peer downhill through a thick cloud of smoke from the brakes. After an half hour layover we finally made it down into the valley below. After orientating ourselves and plotting a course to the campground we discovered it was at the top of the hill we had just navigated down! The campground exceeded my expectations. We were surrounded by forests and the tranquility was wonderful. The peace is only broken by the sound of the occasional train passing through the valley below.

Some rain in the Mid West

Jeannie warned us that we would see some rain but this is incredible. 8 inches in the last24 hours. Our burley on top of the car is a mini swimming pool. We are loving the humidity and warmth. We are still travelling I70 and are amazed at the number of trucks on the road.
The time zone changes have us all out of sync. We almost missed seeing the Indianapolis race track because we got there so late. We were still thinking it was central time. We talked our way into someones suite overlooking the track and had a birds eye view. The 2 1/2 mile circuit is big - a great place to be on race day.
Off to get the camper today. Be nice to have our own beds to sleep in.

Nikki asked about the elevator to the top of the arch. It is a small capsule which just fitted five of us. It moves left, right down and up. It is like an amusement park ride and gets pulled up on a cog type rail. The arch was finished in 1965. It is the shape a free-hanging chain takes when held at both ends. Inverted of course! It is 630 ft wide and 630ft tall.

On the road

Yesterday we travelled all the way to St. Louis. Rich just kept going while I slept almost all the way. When we stopped for lunch ( let it be known we will boycott all further "Denny's" restaurants ) a lady mentioned that there had been a hail storm just to the east of us. We shrugged it off and felt she was being a bit over dramatic. Next moment a pickup pulls into the the car park. The windshield was smashed and the bodywork was peppered with dents. Baseball size hail was reported. I am glad we missed it.



Crossing the Missouri was impressive which heightened my expectation for the Mississippi. What a spectacular sight - the Gateway Arch towering over the city buildings and a river that was flowing 20 ft higher than usual. We took the elevator to the top and stayed there to see the sunset. The museum below the arch was very well laid out. After the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803 Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to carry out a scientific expedition and find a passage to the Pacific. Congress was not very enthusiastic and granted $2500 funding. Jefferson quietly funded a further $36500 before the expedition was completed in 1806. One leaves the museum with a feeling of the excitement those early explorers must have felt as they embarked on their journey west. The Arch really captures the spirit of westward expansion.

The time has arrived to leave

This week was hectic. The boys graduated from elementary school. It is difficult to believe they are halfway through their school careers. I will miss the nurturing atmosphere at their school. I tried in vain to finish up projects at work but had to call it a day by Friday afternoon. Sorry guys! Our breakfast fund raiser this morning was a success - the boys coordinated the children's games and got almost $100 in donations. I am so proud of them. Finally - We leave at 4am tomorrow. We hope to get to St Louis and see the mighty Mississippi. Rich magically packed everything into the car - so we do not need to take a small trailer to Ohio, where we pick up the Camp trailer (caravan). I am really excited.