After another 7000 miles… we decided the blog needs a new name… no, we didn’t ask for this plate it was totally random.
And boy did we go, go, go….47 nights of lodging, 5 national parks, 7 civil war sites and battlefields, and 7 other national park system areas. Here are the collective recollections of the sequel…
It all began on June 19th , 2017…
Mary Bayley was our first hostess. Here we are plugged in the barn in Walworth, WI. Took a rainy pontoon boat ride around Lake Delavan, the only way to see five Frank Lloyd Wright houses, built in the early 1900’s, very impressive. Thanks to Mary and Joanne for sharing the family homestead!
June 21-23, 2017
Our first of many all-day drives… camp in Charlestown State Park, IN. Have close encounters of the first kind…FIREFLYS!! Rory can’t get enough pictures, but it’s tough to get a good picture of a firefly. Had a great salad buffet and ham roll-ups for dinner.
WE DISCOVER NO HOT WATER!!!
As we chased through time zones in Indiana and Kentucky, we arrive at the Hadley Outlet in Louisville, just in time for my birthday…thanks to Rory and Jan for my new ice cream bowls… STILL NO HOT WATER!
Wednesday June 21
Mammoth Cave National Park
It was a rainy day when we walked into the historical entrance, no rain inside, however.
Now we try to take care of our hot water problem after our Mammoth Cave visit. Janis tries to fix it and makes it worse, with water coming out everywhere. The campsite hostess directed us to a repair person that would actually come out to our site and fix it. Two hours later, it’s fixed, including a tutorial on water valve positions. Whew, didn’t cost us any time and we were able to move on the next day to…
Friday June 23rd
The Great Smoky Mountains
First a Walmart stop (one of many) in Pigeon Forge (didn’t see Dolly Parton). At the Sugarlands Visitor Center we take in two movies, buy our stickers, get our passports stamped and break for lunch, watching a guy on a lawn mower go back and forth forever, we observe the grass is neatly trimmed everywhere.
A stop at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to tour the Mountain Farm Museum.
We are waiting for Rory at the Necessary, then head out the Blue Ridge Parkway. We find the Lakeville Resort with a pool and celebrate Karyl’s birthday, the big 69!
Saturday June 24
Congaree
Home of the Champions
It’s the largest intact expanse of old growth hardwood forest in the southeastern United States. Who knew. It is described as a mini Everglades.
We missed the canoe trip by a couple of days, they discontinue it when bugs and the heat get too bad. Saw the movie about the “champions”, the largest of seven species of trees, the loblolly pine, sweetgum, cherry bark oak, American elm, and others. We walked the boardwalk, dodging mosquitos and a barred owl.
I guess you can’t call it a swamp anymore, it’s now called a flood plain, but it still has the same amount of mosquitos! Not a good time to visit in the middle of summer!
Charleston, South Carolina
Had a run in with a brick pay booth at visitor center. Please note***very small lot!! After Police and Fire were called, we were on our way.
Biked to Liberty Square to catch ferry to Fort Sumter. This began our tour of seven Civil War sites.
The Carriage ride took us through Charleston with its and historic houses and 18 churches.
The Magnolia Plantation was established in 1676 and continues in the same family to this day. They originally grew rice, Carolina Gold and is known for its gardens, go in the spring to see the flowers in bloom. The tour took us through a swamp Disney used for the Shrek movie and we saw many crocodiles and lots of wildlife. That cute little peacock below actually tried to attack Rory, it chased her around and forced her to take refuge in the RV.
June 27, 28, 2017 Traveling up the coast, with a quick rest stop at Myrtle Beach…
Rory grills steaks at Flanners Beach Campground in the Croatan Nueuse National Forest, the only time we used the grill.
We have to make a quick trip to the New Bern Urgent Care and stop for breakfast at the Sea Glass Restaurant….umm good.
Thursday June 29
Arrive at Outer Banks and stay for a week!
We were afraid to move on during the 4th of July weekend for fear of booked campsites. We had our most expensive and least expensive sites here.
Kitty Hawk and the Wright Brothers National Memorial
Got stamped, stickered and listened to a Ranger talk about the personalities of the brothers. On the way home we stopped in Nags Head at Austen Fish Company, best seafood market on OBX for scallops and wahoo.
Off to Ocracoke Island
A nature walk to Springer’s Point
On to the Hatterras Lighthouse
Rory and Karyl climbed 257 steps to the top of Hatterras Lighthouse (equal to a 12-story building) for a 360 degree view of the southern end of the Outer Banks while Janis went to the museum and talked to the ranger where she learned that because of the sand continually blowing, the road has been moved four times and that a category four hurricane would totally erase the entire Outer Banks.
A trip to the beach, a ride on the boardwalk and a dip in the Atlantic, lots to do in the Outer Banks.
It’s the 4th of July, we rent this cute blue jeep and head out for a cruise on the beach.
We need to deflate the tires for drive to Corolla, to see the wild horse(s). We drove through the rutted sand and it was kind of scary. We stumbled on one horse, and relaxed by the water exfoliating our feet.
Steamers, a great place for seafood was very busy but they set a special table for us on the porch. The lobster bisque is so good we buy some to take home.
We end the day stuck in a huge, lengthy traffic jam on the way back to Waves and catch a glimpse of fireworks from the RV.
We say goodbye to OBX and the lighthouses. It was fun to stay for a week.
Wednesday July 5, 2017
A driving rain forces us to stop in Emporia VA and boondock at a Walmart…too tired to cook we get a quick bite.
Thursday July 6, 2017
Appomattox
All of the Civil War sites were very moving and sobering and each one made us realize how momentous this war was in creating the United States. Before the war people felt their allegiance to their state, after it was truly a Union. It allowed the Emancipation Proclamation and led to the 13th amendment freeing 4 million enslaved people.
The second stop on our Civil War sojourn, where it all ended was especially moving. Appomattox Court House and the surrounding area are virtually the same as it was in 1865. After a riveting talk about the events leading up to the surrender of General Lee and his army we visit the McClean House. We have to say the volunteers that are at these sites make the history of the Civil War come alive so when one recommends visiting Sailor’s Creek State Historical Park we take him up on it the next day.
Friday July 7, 2017
Visit Sailor’s Creek State Park,VA where we get a personal talk from a volunteer on the last full engagement of the war before Lee’s surrender and Rory and Janis get to hold a musket. Our last stop of the day is the Confederate Museum in the town of Appomattox with many artifacts from the war.
Saturday July 8,2017
Poplar Forest
Thomas Jefferson’s summer home, Poplar Forest where we toured the octagonal house he built. The tour was very interesting in that it delved into how they are going about restoring the house. The film in the visitor center was especially well done with an actor portraying Jefferson using Jefferson’s own words while walking through the actual house and gardens.
Since we were so close, later that day we visited the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. It is a huge and impressive site with every aspect of D-Day represented. We caught the end of the tour and walked the grounds.
Sunday July 9, 2017
Monticello, VA
Thomas Jefferson’s mountain top home and gardens…
Very interesting and organized tour, lots to see and do with a beautiful view.
Another RV problem..GRAY WATER IS BACKING UP IN THE SHOWER
Shenandoah National Park
We drove the 105 mile Skyline Drive along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Stayed at Loft Mountain where we moved from one campsite, next to a noisy group, to another. We didn’t know it was called “jumping”, luckily the camp host let it slide. Saw beautiful vistas and a little wildlife along the way.
Hiked a bit of the Appalachian Trail.
A stop at the Byrd Visitor Center, where we take in not one but three movies.
Tuesday July 11, 2017
Camp at Greenville Family Farm and Campground where Rory tries to get pictures of fireflies again…if you look REALLY closely you might be able to see them.
Civil War sites continued…
Manassas July 1861 & August 1862
Mount Vernon
Took a quick tour of Mount Vernon, home of George Washington, they have one every ten minutes, situated on the Potomac river with its manicured gardens and espaliered apple trees.
Harpers Ferry National Historic Park October 1859
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Harpers Ferry is one of the few places where the Appalachian Trail passes directly through the town.
Antietam September 1862
Gettysburg July 1863
Gettysburg is the largest of the Military Parks we visited. We watch the movie “A New Birth of Freedom” narrated by Morgan Freeman, take a personal tour with a “licensed” guide, visit the museum and see the “Cyclorama” of Pickett’s Charge and sit with Lincoln.
Two of the many monuments to the regiments and battalions of both the North and the South. Janis and Karyl in front of the Minnesota monument.
The cyclorama of Pickett’s Charge, a huge oil painting that encircles the entire room and is enhanced with a landscaped foreground of actual fences, grasses and stone.
Sunday July 16, 2017
Chester New Jersey
- Thanks to Cathy, Bill and Trevor Donahue, our hosts for a few days!
We take this time to relax and visit with Kathy, Bill and Trevor. Great food, both home cooked and out at Benito’s. As a change of pace we take in some Revolutionary War sites with Kathy as our tour guide and visit Morristown National Historic Park and Jockey Hollow. That evening, Kathy, Bill and Janis go to the Outdoor Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey to see a wonderful performance of Midsummers Night Dream on a beautiful night.
July 18, 2017
We take the short ferry ride from Liberty State Park in New Jersey, with the Manhattan skyline and Lady Liberty as a spectacular backdrop.
An example of the stamp and sticker we get for each place we visited and the date we were there, very helpful when we try to remember when we were where.
If you want to climb to the top of the Statue you have to reserve at least a month in advance.
Explored Ellis Island for several hours, taking the free audio tour which gave information and moving stories of people who came through. It was the nation’s busiest immigrant inspection station with over 12 million immigrants coming through for over sixty years from 1892 until 1954. We could just imagine our grandparents there, especially when it became crowed later in the day with all the tourists speaking different languages. A must see!
July, 2017 Boston
Family Time
We arrive in Boston to pick up another sister, Keri, who will continue on with us to Acadia National Park. Bryan, Jess and Gunnison Yates arrive as well. It’s a great get-together.
The last issue with the RV! The electric is not working!
Janis finds the wiring of the power cord has been pulled from the cab. Bryan comes to the rescue and fixes it before heading off to Boston to do the Duck Tour with Rory and Jess and Gunnison for the day.
One beautiful evening Paul takes us to a preserve right across the street where we hike to where you can see the city lights of Boston … very cool.
We have a great time playing with the kids while Rory helps Paul and Beth rearrange their bedroom. They were both happy with the outcome!
The kids love playing in the RV, it’s like a playhouse. Gunnison spends the night in the RV with Abba (Rory), Karyl and Janis.
One last family pic before Bryan, Jess and Gunnison head for home.
… and Beth who unlike everyone else had to work
Sunday July 23
Now there are four of us and we set off to Maine. First a short stop in Freeport to do a little shopping at LL Bean and Janis finds a rain jacket. We stay at Megunticook Campground By the Sea near Camden and the ladies take a stroll to view Penobscot Bay while Karyl makes dinner. The air smells so fresh and clean.
Acadia National Park
July 24, 2017
First stop is the Visitor Center where we see the movie and get our stickers and cancellations. The park was established in 1939.
We drive the one-way Loop Road, first stop is Thunder Hole and view the rocky Maine coast and see scads of people. No place to park the RV so we use a rental car to get around.
Break for a bit of lunch and move on to Otter Cove.
ere are lots of things for old ladies to do in Acadia and it has become a favorite Park. We stop at Jordon Pond for their fabulous popovers and Rory and Janis collect wild blueberries with the Bubble Rocks in the background.
The next stop is Cadillac Mountain with a view of Bar Harbor
On Wednesday, July 26 we embark on a boat ride aboard the Sea Princess for a trip to Cranberry Island to see the Isleford Historical Museum. En route we hear a talk by a Park Ranger who is actually a native. We see lobster fishermen, bird life, and another lighthouse. It is an absolutely gorgeous day.
We head to Northeast Harbor for lunch at (would you believe)…
Our first soft shelled lobster, complete with instructions.
The next activity for the day is a two-hour horse drawn carriage ride to the summit of Day Mountain with spectacular views of the Cranberry Isles. The ride meanders through woods and over granite roads and bridges built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in the early 20th century where to this day no cars are allowed.
After a quick stop in Bar Harbor we order a pizza and head back to Mt. Desert Narrows, our home for the week.
Thursday, June 27th
We keep the car an extra day to make another trip to the ER. While Rory recuperates back at the RV, Janis, Elna and Karyl drive 45 minutes to the other side of Frenchmen Bay to the Schoodic Penninsula. It’s wild, windy and rocky with few visitors.
The ride home takes us past the very busy Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound where we have to have more lobster, of course, when in Maine.
Last day in Acadia
Off on the shuttle today to see the Abbe Museum and the Wild Gardens of Acadia and the Sieur de Monts Spring, all on the 27 mile Loop Road.
A little happy hour with a beautiful view of Bar Harbor
Done in for the day.
Saturday 7/29, 2017
Say good bye to Acadia and stop in Alpine Valley in Concord, Vermont for the night on the way to drop Keri off in New York.
Rochester, NY
We visit with Eric Hansen and his family, my how those kids have grown.
- Eric and Amy in back. Ryan, Olivia, Brendan, in front.
- A quick trip to see the cottage on Lake Ontario
Cuyahoga National Park
Thursday, August 8, 2017
Jeri and Bob Cecil let us boondock in front of their house. It’s a short drive to the Park and we hop on the Ohio and Erie Towpath for a bike ride along part of the trail. We were able to return by train using the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s Bike Aboard! service, and it’s is a deal at only 3$ per bike.
August 5, 2017
We arrive back in Walworth, WI, again for one night on the way home. Rory wakes up in the morning and declares “it feels like it’s all been a dream” since we are back in the same place we started.
Our first night home we have a “farm to table” dinner, with tomatoes we bought in NY, corn on the cob we bought along the trail in Cuyahoga, OH, and apples from the farm in Walworth, WI. It’s great to be home!
Things we learned …
- We were better organized this time around.
- An on-line route planner helped, we didn’t have to tape pages of the road atlas together.
- Did the Marie Kondo folding method in our bins to fit more clothes.
- Two months is too long for us old ladies (Janis missed her chickens).
- Need to stay longer at places to relax.
- Started out with stickers and ended up with a scrap book.
- No breakage with our new hand crafted plate holders.
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