Our stay at our 2018 winter quarters has ended and we have begun our 2019 travels.  Before posting on those just wanted to put out a few details on how we spent the winter.

We stayed at Paradise Oaks RV Park located in Bushnell, Florida.  Bushnell is a rural central Florida city located about a half hour from The Villages, Inverness and Brooksville.  It is a quiet town with the basics (Walmart, CVS, and Winn Dixie are the major stores) and was just what we were looking for.  Paradise Oaks was an RV park where you could be busy all day long with the activities they have.  We arrived December 1st and left March 28th.  We made some great friends that we look forward to seeing again next winter and thoroughly enjoyed all we did.

We spent December finalizing our residency, getting Jeff his drivers license and taking a quick run North for the Christmas holiday.  Below are some pictures of the campground and some activities.

Happy Hour generally starts at 11 am in most restaurants around the Villages and the main mode of transportation is the golf cart.

With the first Christmas happening during our travels we kept with our decorating traditions.

With all the bike trails around we purchased bikes for each other for Christmas.

We had a few visitors while in the area.  The first was a visit with Jeff’s niece Hope who we met at Kennedy Space Center.

The Binkley’s visited.  Cindy, Jeff and I went swimming with the Manatees while Jim golfed.  The following day, and on the coldest day,  we took an Airboat ride from Crystal River to the Gulf of Mexico.

When we arrived in December the cranes below had a teenager, when we left they had had another little one and the teenager had flown the coup.

Numerous photos from the many dances and performances we attended at the park.

Horse Racing was one of the many activities that we enjoyed attending.  Bet $.25, make $1.25 if you win – who can beat it!

This little guy was living in the pond in the back of the park.  Apparently someone started feeding it and so it is no longer there.

On Sundays we attended jam sessions.  These were done by anywhere from 15-25 musicians aged 65 plus.  It was a great way to end the week!  Below are two examples of these very talented people.  One is Pat from Canada, the other was our own Phyliss from Friday night horse racing.

While in our winter quarters we attended the Tampa RV show.  After a year of living full time in our rig we decided, after looking at a rig with a different configuration and more interior space, that we were trading in our old rig for a new one.  Below is just a shot of the larger living interior, more windows, and lighter coloring.

Met Don and Marie at Homossassa Springs Wildlife Park.  They have an elderly Hippo, Lu, that they made a Florida resident as the Wildlife Park only features animals native to Florida to which Lu is not.

Some site and sunset pictures.

Closing out Florida, below are our current travel plans for the 2019 season.  Once done, we will be back in Bushnell for our second winter.

During the month of November we stayed in two campgrounds in Georgia.  The first was located in Perry off of I75, about 45 minutes south of Macon.  One of the first places we checked out while there was the Museum of Aviation located outside the Robins Air Force Base.  This is the second largest aerospace museum in the US.  The mission of this museum is to portray the history of Robins Air Force Base as part of the heritage of the USAF, educate and inspire visitors, and recruit a future workforce.  They had some truly impressive aircraft!

 

We took a ride to Macon intending to see the Hay House but our timing for a tour was off.  We chose instead to tour the Cannonball House which a woman in Perry had recommended.  The house is a Greek revival mansion built in 1853.  It is called the cannonball house because it was the only house in Macon struck by a cannonball during Stoneman’s Raid on Macon in 1864.  It contained furnishings of the period along with a number of donated memorabilia from the civil war.

 

While over by Macon we took the dogs for a walk to the Ocmulgee National Monument.  It is a prehistoric American Indian site.  Indians have occupied the banks of the Ocmulgee River for thousands of years.  It is estimated that civilization had used these lands for over 17,000 years.  The site was valuable during the Paleo-Indian period for its bounty of Ice Age mammals.

 

Camp Sumter in Andersonville was a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp during the final 12 months of the Civil War.  The prison was overcrowded to four times its capacity, with an inadequate water supply, inadequate food rations, and unsanitary conditions.  Approximately 45,000 Union prisoners were held there and nearly 13,000 died.  It must have been so horrible an experience to be imprisoned there.  The National POW Memorial is also housed here.  This memorial covers the history of American POWs.  It was sad and moving to explore the grounds.  We were there during the day and then came back for an evening program.

 

Keeping with our interesting campgrounds, below were our neighbors to our campsite.

Stone Mountain, located near Atlanta, is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock.  It sits 825 feet above the surrounding area and is home to carving depicting three confederate figures.  Lee, Jackson, and Davis.  It is the site of Stone Mountain Park as well.  We were able to visit there just before Thanksgiving.  They had just started their Christmas program at that time.  We took the tram to the top of the mountain, which rides near the confederate carving. Walked around a bit up top and then explored the Christmas programs staged below.

 

We spent Thanksgiving visiting my Uncle and his family.  It had been over 30 years since we had spent a holiday together.  It was a truly wonderful time and one we were very glad we did.  Below are my cousins and Aunt and Uncle along with a Thanksgiving visitor and Tigger!

 

The second campground we stayed at was in Pine Mountain GA.  This was a really nice location which allowed us to continue to explore Georgia and take the dogs on a few hikes.

One of the first places we saw was Warm Springs, FDRs Little White House.  This is said to be the place where FDR found the strength to resume his political career and a positive outlet for his personal struggles with polio.  FDR spent time there almost every year and died there in 1945 suffering a stroke while getting his portrait painted.  The original pools do not appear to be used any longer but the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute nearby continues the rehabilitation work started in FDRs time.

 

Another place we toured while in Pine Mountain was the National Infantry Museum.  This was a really great experience.  It was done to honor the legacy and valor of the US Army Infantryman.  It is located on Columbus GA adjacent to Fort Benning and chronicles the history of the US Army Infantryman from the American Revolution to Afghanistan. It emphasizes the values meant to define the Infantryman as well as the nation: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.

 

Calloway Gardens reminded me a bit of Longwood Gardens.  During the holidays they have a light show they call ‘Fantasy in Lights’.  It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to drive through the lighted displays.  (Pardon some of the pictures was both driving and taking the pics at the same time).

 

Some campground pictures.

 

Next we are onto Florida for some much needed rest and relaxation (maybe?!).

 

 

 

 

As we continue our adventures through South Carolina we took 3 weeks in Hilton Head Island to attend Dave and Kim’s Wedding (where we also got to see the Maniscalcos), visit with the Binkley’s and the Wards as well as checking out the surrounding areas.

Dave and Kim’s wedding and reception took place on the beach.  It was a wonderful service and great party!  We wish them both the greatest happiness!

 

We took a ride with the Binkley’s to Hunting Island State Park.  This park is a barrier island located east of Beaufort SC.  Took a nice hike through the island, went up in the lighthouse which was built in 1873, and walked through the boneyard.

Hike

The Lighthouse

The BoneYard

We had an opportunity to get out on the water a great deal.  We took a boat ride to Daufuskie Island, Dolphin Watching, Beach combing, Kayaking with the Binkley’s (and Corey), Catamaran Ride, and fishing.

Kayaking, where we were able to observe dolphins up close.

Our first attempt to get to Daufuskie Island.  We had to turn around due to massive fog after we almost got grounded on a sandbar.  We did get to see a few birds.

A Great Egret

Great Blue Heron

The Roseate Spoonbill

Later in the week the weather cleared and we were able to go to Daufuskie Island.  On the way we came across some dolphins and various birds.

Daufuskie Island is the setting of Pat Conroy’s novel ‘The Water is Wide’.  The island is accessible only via ferries or boats.  Roughly 400 people inhabit it and it encompasses a rich cultural experience.  It has environmental preserves, private communities, Gullah houses, diverse art galleries and history.  We toured the historic district via golf carts.

We took a boat ride to watch Dolphins and look for shells and sand dollars on an island that only appears during low tide.

Dolphin Strand Feeding

This one is my favorite.  I believe it is a Cormorant.  It seemed to stand guard as we came and went from Shelter Cove.

Some additional birds and dolphin pics.

 

We did not find any sand dollars on the island during low tide, but Jeff had a great time running through the birds and getting them to fly!

 

Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge is on an island between Hilton Head and Bluffton on the mainland.  There are a number of ponds that you can explore with various wildlife.  We rented bikes and rode the trails.

The Binkley’s took us for a tour of the Savannah Wildlife Preserve and Tybee Island.  It was a windy and chilly day on Tybee Island so we did lunch, a quick stop at the beach, and an auto tour to the lighthouse.

Savannah Wildlife Preserve had some alligators, birds, and butterflies.

Rode a two person catamaran out of Shelter Cove through Broad Creek and around a few islands.

Introduced the dogs to the ocean – Charley liked it – Jackie was a little more cautious!

To close out our trip here are some sunset and dinner pictures.  Next up Georgia!

 

 

 

Our time in Charleston flew by as we kept ourselves very busy being tourists.  Maybe you had seen the Allstate commercial that was on TV following hurricane Florence, the one where they show a huge oak tree and mention that it is the oldest living thing east of the Mississippi – we took a ride to see the Angel Oak.  The tree is estimated to be between 400-500 years old, though some have thought it to be 1500 years old.  Regardless of the age debate it is a massive tree and really interesting to see the branches snake down to the ground and grow up from there.  It stands 66.5 feet tall and from tip to tip its longest branch distance is 187 feet.

 

One evening we took a sunset cruise to Fort Sumter.  Our boat left from the pier across from Patriots Point where there was one of Jeff’s favorite views.

The view of the city from the boat was just as nice to see.

 

On the way to Fort Sumter, we passed by Castle Pinckney.  It was built in 1810 and thought to be needed during the War of 1812.  Later during the Civil War it was used briefly as a prisoner of war camp and artillery position.  Located  on the island is the Shutes Folly Cross.

 

Fort Sumter, where the first shots were fired to start the Civil War.  After Major Anderson surrendered the fort, the Confederates moved in and held the fort until Sherman moved into Charleston in 1865.  During those 4 years, the confederates kept the union from retaking the fort.  During our tour we had the honor of being there during the lowering of the flag and the ranger program.  30 people stepped forward to fold the flag and the ranger gave a great message on how the flag and this country belong to the people and not the government.  ‘We are a people with a government not a government with a people.’

We took a tour to see the H L Hunley.  The Hunley was a combat submarine of the Confederacy and was the first to sink a warship (USS Housatonic).  On February 17, 1864, the Hunley attached and sank the Housatonic in Charleston’s outer harbor.  It also sank that day taking the 8 member crew with it.  In 1995, the Hunley was located and it was raised in 2000.  It is believed that it was too close to the Housatonic when it’s torpedo exploded causing its own sinking.  The remains of the crew were still on board, at their stations.  The crew members were laid to rest in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston with full Confederate honors.

 

On examination, a $20 gold piece was found near Lieutenant Dixon.  There was a story passed down through his family that his sweetheart, Queenie Bennett, had given him the coin to protect him.  Dixon had had the coin in his pocket at the Battle of Shiloh when he was hit by a bullet.  The bullet struck the coin, saving his leg and possibly his life.

 

Staying where we were, we wanted to tour a plantation, we chose Magnolia Plantation.  Magnolia is located on the Ashley River and is one of the oldest plantations in the south.  It was originally a rice plantation and dates back to 1676.  African slaves from rice-growing regions created extensive earthworks of dams and dikes for irrigating land for rice cultivation.  The plantation is also known for it’s gardens which were developed in the 1840s by Reverend John Grimke Drayton after he inherited the property.  The house was burned down during the Civil War and a new one was built afterwards and opened to the public.

 

The gardens were not in bloom at this time but they were still interesting to see.

 

A tour of the old rice fields showcased the wildlife abundant on the plantation grounds.  Our guide told us they have over 500 alligators on the property.

Charles Towne Landing is a state historic site where a group of English settlers landed in 1670 and established the birthplace of the Carolina colony.  Contained on the property is a natural habitat zoo of animals that would have been in the area at the time.

 

 

The town was fortified against intruders.

 

The Legere Waring House was built in 1840 and its avenue of live oaks was very impressive.  I wondered if they filmed part of the Patriot here.

 

A replica of the ship that brought the settlers to Charles Towne was also on display.

 

While in town we took a walking tour of the city where we saw the Dock Street Theater.

 

The Old Slave Mart Museum.

The Old Exchange and the Provost Dungeon.

The Powder Magazine.

 

The German Fire Company.

 

A piece of the original city wall and a step for getting into a carriage.

 

The French Huguenot Church

St Michaels

St. Philip’s

 

The Waterfront

 

Jeff’s favorite leisurely past-time.  Not sure how he survived without a smart phone all these years!

To close Charleston – Jackie and Charley hanging out.

 

 

 

 

After all the fun we had in Virginia we headed to North Carolina at the same time that Hurricane Florence was heading there.  We figured staying outside of Charlotte in Statesville would be far enough away that all would be well.  Lucky for us, it turned out to be, though we had our moments of doubt as we drove south on I77 and all the signs said to be cautious heading into North Carolina.  Plus, most of the traffic on the interstate were electric trucks from around the country heading south in preparation for the storm.  We took a chance leaving our rig for the weekend of the storm while we did a quick trip to PA to see family.  When we returned, the only things we saw were our sewer hose had been blown over and every can and jar in the refrigerator had fallen over.  People around us said there was some rain and wind but nothing too bad.

While in Statesville we got to see Jeff’s niece Jessica and her boyfriend Cory twice for dinner.  Both go to UNC Charlotte.  We also made a trip to Charlotte to check out the combined Victory and Southern Tier breweries.  We used to like going to Victory in Downingtown and enjoyed Southern Tier when we traveled through New York.

On our quick trip to PA we had the chance to see our grandson, Arturius, play soccer with his travel team and play some mini-golf with him.

 

 

We took a trip to Asheville one day where we toured the Biltmore and stopped into the Basilica of Saint Lawrence.  The Biltmore House is a Chateauesque-style mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895.

 

The Basilica of St. Lawrence was designed and built in 1905 by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino.

 

On a couple of occasions we took the dogs for a hike through Lake Norman State Park.  Lake Norman State Park is on the largest man-made lake in North Carolina.

 

Jeff is a racing fan and so we took a ride into Charlotte to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame honors drivers who have shown exceptional skill at NASCAR driving.  Jeff had fond memories of watching NY 61 Richie Evans and going to places like the Langhorne Speedway.

 

 

Mayberry was a fictitious community that was the setting for the Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD.  The belief is that Mayberry is based upon Andy Griffiths hometown of Mount Airy NC.  Jeff and I took a trip there one day to reminisce on the show from our childhood.  They have preserved many of the places from the show and offer a map of a walking tour.  They also have a museum to Andy Griffiths lifetime work.

 

After leaving Mayberry, we took a side trip to Pilot Mountain State Park.  Pilot Mountain has been an iconic landmark for Native Americans, early explorers and wildlife.  The centerpiece of the park is a peak known as Big Pinnacle which is one of the most recognizable mountain formations in North Carolina.  It rises to an elevation of 2421 feet.  It was part of the ancient Sauratown Mountain range.  We did not have enough time to hike it that day, but we did drive up and climb up to the lower pinnacle overlook for a closer view.  There we were able to see into Virginia and watch the older men passing their time counting the numbers and species of birds flying by the peak.

 

Continuing on our historical vein, we took a ride to Cowpens National Battlefield where we saw a short film on the battle and then walked the battlefield.  The battle of Cowpens took place on January 17, 1781 and was a decisive victory for us Americans vs the better trained British Army during the Revolutionary War.  In fact, the character of Major Tarleton in ‘The Patriot’ is based on “Bloody Tarleton” and Mel Gibson’s character was based upon a combination of General Morgan and Francis Marion (the swamp fox).  The battle of Cowpens was over in less than an hour.  During the battle General Daniel Morgan effectively used both militia and Continental Troops to envelop and rout the British causing Tarleton to flee after most of his army was killed or captured.

 

Another historical place we visited was Fort Dobbs.  On the day of our visit, they happened to be doing a re-enactment.  Fort Dobbs was used for defense of the frontier during and after the French and Indian War.  It was built to protect the British settlers and served as a vital outpost for soldiers, traders, and colonial officials.  This fort was abandoned after 1766 and disappeared from the landscape.  Archaeologists and historians have recently located the exact spot where the fort stood and are in the process of reconstructing it.

 

Old Salem reminded me of Williamsburg VA.  It is a historic district of Winston-Salem that features a living history museum that interprets the restored Moravian community.  It shows the culture of the Moravian settlement in North Carolina during the 18th and 19th centuries.  The people who work there are dressed in period costumes and they are bakers, gunsmiths, carpenters, etc. using the tools of yesteryear.

 

I would like to leave North Carolina and you with a piece of beautiful music played on an 1800 Tannenberg Organ.

 

 

 

Virginia was a really nice time consisting of cavern exploring, mountain climbing, history exploration, checking out some craft beers, and watching a little racing.  Let’s begin by looking at the various caverns we explored.

We explored three different caverns in the western mountains of Virginia.  First off was Grand Caverns located in Grottoes VA.  These caverns were discovered in 1804 and have been open for tours since 1806.  Located in the cave are over 200 verified civil war signatures.  The most famous is the W. W. Miles signature seen below.

Below are some additional highlights from Grand Caverns.

 

Next up was the Shenandoah Caverns.  Located and included with the admission to these caverns was entry to American Celebration on Parade and the Yellow Barn.  These caverns have been open for 90 years and provide an elevator ride to the bottom.  Below are some highlights.

 

Here are some highlights from American Celebration on Parade which contains over 20 massive full sized floats used for Presidential Inaugurations, Tournament of Roses parades, and other National Celebrations.

 

The last caverns we visited were located in Natural Bridge.  These caverns were discovered just before the turn of the 20th century and have been open since 1977.  These caverns descend more then 34 stories deep into the earth.  Below are some highlights.

 

While in Virginia we were able to get in a number of hikes.  Some of these were on the Rails to Trails, some were up the sides of mountains, and some were through state parks.

The dogs joined us for the rails to trails hike through New River Trail State Park.  This trail goes 57 miles from Galax to Pulaski and follows an abandoned railroad right of way, paralleling the New River for 39 miles.  On this trail we passed through an old tunnel and walked across an old trestle bridge.

 

We also took the dogs with us when we went to Crystal Springs Recreation Area just outside Wytheville where it was advertised they had a couple of mile loop.  The loop turned out to be a bit mountainous but the dogs did really well.  Also, this trail was our first notification of bears in the area.

 

Kaylor’s Knob is a mountain peak near Massanutten VA.  It is about two miles to the knob.  The trail is very rocky.  When we started, the first sign we came across offered two directions to go – one was Extreme Difficulty and the other was Most Difficult.  What a choice.  So we started down the most difficult and after a short time turned back figuring extreme might be better.  It definitely was.  After the climb, it felt good as it rained on us while we descended.  See below for some views of the trail and the views from the trail.

 

During our stay by Massanutten Mountain, we were visited by Sue and John (Mad Dog).  One afternoon the four of us hiked the Massanutten Ridge Trail.  We did not make it all the way to the ski lifts where they supposedly have wild goats but had a great work out on this 4 hour hike.  This trail was really rocky.  Good thing we had Sue in the lead as many trail markers were on the rocks and her eagle eyes really helped to pick them out!  Here are a few highlights.

 

The state park where we were able to see the most wildlife was at Grayson Highlands State Park located in Mouth of Wilson VA.  This park can be accessed from the Appalachian Trail and the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail.  When you first arrive and stop at the Sugarlands Overlook, the view is beautiful.

 

As we continued through the park, we saw these folks just hanging on the side of the road.

 

One of the main attractions of this state park are the wild ponies.  We came across a group of them as we were hiking down a trail.  They are so used to people and so they just continue to do their thing while you are with them.  In the pictures below, the white maned dark colored pony is the leader of this particular group.  It rounds the small herd up and keeps them moving along.

 

Play the video below and hear the clopping of the ponies hooves as well as their calling to each other.

 

While at he park, we also took a hike along their 2 mile Cabin Creek Trail to view the waterfall.  This hike had us fording streams and climbing up next to the waterfall to complete the loop.

 

History has always been Jeff’s favorite subject and there is nothing like experiencing history from someone who has such a love of the subject as they can bring what you are looking at to life.  Plus the Civil War has always been one of my favorite periods in history.  Growing up in the north you have a whole different perspective on the ‘War of Northern Aggression’.  It is truly enlightening to hear about it from the southern perspective.

We visited the New Market Battlefield during our travels.  This was a battle fought during the Valley Campaigns during 1864.  247 Cadets from VMI were part of a makeshift Confederate army of 4,100 who forced Union Major General Franz Sigel out of the Shenandoah Valley.

 

The battle took place on the Bushong Farm pictured below.

 

While crossing the field near the Bushong Orchard, several VMI cadets lost their shoes in the mud – this lead to the field being called the “Field of Lost Shoes”.  During the battle 10 VMI cadets were killed.  There are memorials to these cadets at the Virginia Military Institute.

Another historical place we visited was Appomattox.  This was really interesting as they have reconstructed and restored many of the buildings that were in the original town.  As part of the tour that we did, there was a young man, dressed and representing a confederate soldier from a farm near town who discussed with you what it was to be a soldier in the Confederate Army, what those last couple of days were like and what it was to be in the town during and after the surrender by Lee.   He was able to paint a picture where you could almost see both the Confederate and Union soldiers in town.  The Union soldiers lined up as the Confederate soldiers marched by relinquishing their arms in the process.

Here are some pictures of the town and a marker of Lee’s final headquarters.

 

Just outside the immediate town, there is a Confederate Cemetery.  Nineteen Confederate soldiers and one Union soldier are buried here.  These men were killed in the last two days of war.  Seven of the dead have been identified over the years, the rest remain unknown.

 

Another amazing day was spent at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA.  This memorial takes you on an archival journey through WWII and the politics and perils that embody the time period.

 

 

Natural Bridge, a 215 foot tall limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek, was once owned by Thomas Jefferson.  George Washington surveyed this area and left his initials carved in the side of the bridge.  The Cedar Creek trail leads from the bridge to the Monacan Indian Village and Lace Falls.

 

 

George Washington’s initials.

 

The Monacan Indian Village.

 

Lacey Falls

 

Big Walker Lookout is a 100 ft observation tower located in the Blue Ridge Highlands Region atop Big Walker Mountain in Bland County VA.  The views from the top of the tower encompasses mountain peaks in 5 different states.  The tower is located at a mountain pass used by Molly Tynes, a woman who warned the town of Wytheville of impending raids by John Toland during the Civil War.  Toland was intending to destroy the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad tracks and bridges.  Because of Tynes’ warning, the Confederates were able to kill Toland and minimize the damage.

Views from atop the tower.  The day I took these there was a storm rolling in that can be seen in the pictures.  The clearer pictures are looking towards West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

 

Jeff and I did a night out at the Wythe Raceway – a dirt track in Wytheville VA.  The last picture shows the fog moving in as they were getting ready to race.

 

One afternoon we took a ride to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia.  The ride over and back was a lot of fun as we climbed and descended the mountains.  The 3500 handled the step inclines and snaking roads beautifully!  Blackwater Falls is located in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County WV.  The falls themselves are 62 feet high.  The park has some interesting trees and rock formations as well as the falls.

 

We spent a number of days touring the different places in Lexington VA.  We took a ghost tour which I highly recommend for anyone visiting the town.  I did see Stonewall Jackson’s head move and disappear.  We were not able to eat at the Red Hen – apparently it closed down after the recent events.  Below is my absolute favorite plaque.

We toured Stonewall Jackson’s house.  Where we learned that when he was reviewing his lessons for his students at VMI, he would face the wall and give his lesson.  After that he would close the curtains (being protestant he did not want anyone to know what he was doing) and dance the polka as his evening exercise while his wife played the piano.  There were many original items in his home saved by his descendants and on display in the home.

 

We visited Stonewall Jackson Cemetery both during the day and as part of our ghost tour.  People leave lemons by Stonewall’s grave as it was said he sucked on lemons throughout the day.

 

We toured Washington and Lee University where Robert E Lee became president.  Lee supported reconciliation between the North and South.  He helped to expand the curriculum and recruited students from a reunited nation – both North and South.  He added journalism, engineering, and law curriculums which had always been thought to be technical crafts not intellectual endeavors.  Lee attended the Grace Episcopal Church and lived and died in the Presidents house which was built for him. He is buried on the grounds of the college in the Lee Chapel along with his family and Sorrel (his horse).

 

 

While in Lexington, we also visited Virginia Military Academy.  I was quite impressed not only with the school but also with the respect shown by all the cadets there.  I know, I am probably getting old – but it is very nice to be treated with respect by everyone around you.  Below are a few pictures from the grounds.

 

Throughout Virginia we stayed at three different campgrounds.  The first was indeed our most rustic with the 5 am call of the rooster and his hens who liked to hang around our campground.  Even going so far as to drink from the dog’s bowl!

 

The second one we stayed at was on such a hill that we had to put boards under our jacks because we could not level it otherwise.

The final one we stayed at was roomy.  We even had some wildlife that just looked as we walked by with the dogs.

 

Next, we are onto North Carolina where we spent a few weeks in Statesville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vacationing in Grand Island was very busy!  Our campground was next to a park where they shot off fireworks for the first three nights we were there.  We had a great view from our campsite.

 

Below is a sunset from our campsite.

One of our stops was the Niagara Aerospace Museum.  Both Bell Aircraft Corporation and Curtiss-Wright Corporation had corporate headquarters, research & development (R&D), and manufacturing operations nearby in the middle of the twentieth century, and much of the material on display is from these two aviation companies. Among its many displays are many examples of early to mid-twentieth century piston, turbo-jet, turbo-shaft, and jet engines, as well as several static display aircraft including early Bell helicopters, an example of the World War II Bell P-39 Airacobra, and the Bell X-22 tilt-ducted-fan VSTOL aircraft.  I liked the Rosie the Riveter Display!

 

One evening we took in racing at Ransomville.  The original Ransomville Speedway was built behind Ed Ortiz’s service garage during the mid-1950’s, in order to keep the kids from racing on village streets.  2018 marks the 61st season of stock car racing in the hamlet of Ransomville!  This was stock car racing on a dirt track.

Fort Niagara was another one of our stops.  The history of Old Fort Niagara spans more than 300 years. During the colonial wars in North America, a fort at the mouth of the Niagara River was vital, for it controlled access to the Great Lakes and the westward route to the heartland of the continent. With the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825, however, the strategic value of Fort Niagara diminished. It nonetheless remained an active military post well into the 20th century.  The three flags flown daily above the parade ground symbolize the nations which have held Fort Niagara. Each competed for the support of a fouth nation: the powerful Iroquois Confederacy. The French established the first post here, Fort Conti, in 1679. Its successor, Fort Denonville (1687-88) was equally short lived. In 1726 France finally erected a permanent fortification with the construction of the impressive “French Castle.” Britain gained control of Fort Niagara in 1759, during the French & Indian War, after a nineteen-day seige. The British held the post throughout the American Revolution but were forced, by treaty, to yield it to the United States in 1796. Fort Niagara was recaptured by the British in 1813. It was ceded to the United States a second time in 1815 at the end of the War of 1812.  This was Fort Niagara’s last armed conflict, and it thereafter served as a peaceful border post. The garrison expanded beyond the walls following the Civil War. Fort Niagara was a barracks and training station for American soldiers throughout both World Wars. The last army units were withdrawn in 1963. Today, the U.S. Coast Guard represents the only military presence on the site.  Old Fort Niagara was restored between 1926 and 1934.

 

 

The flag above is the flag that hung over the fort during the War of 1812.

During our trip we went to the town of Lockport NY where the Erie Canal is located.  While there we took a tour of the original locks and made our way down to an underground manmade hydraulic raceway that powered New York’s 19th century industries.  The hydraulic tunnel powered three separate industries with rushing water.  Birdhill Holly designed the tunnel.  We walked through the first part and then took a boat ride through a part of the tunnel that still contains water.  We saw the various escape hatches, there in case the water started coming through while you were in the cave.

We also took a boat ride along the Erie Canal and passed through the locks.  It was at least 95 degrees but well worth the trip to experience being raised up and lowered as we passed though the locks in both directions.

Moving on, next up is Niagara Gorge.  This is the area after Niagara Falls that leads to where the Niagara River meets with Lake Ontario (by Fort Niagara).  We saw this area from above when we took a tour of the highlights in Niagara Falls, from above when we walked the dogs along the rim of the gorge, and on the water when we took a jet boat ride.  If you ever get a chance I would suggest the jetboat ride.  They take you into the class III to IV rapids and you get to experience the rise and fall (really more like dropping 10 feet or so).  We sat inside under cover but you could also sit exposed in the back of the boat where you get very wet as the boat bobs, weaves and drops.  After the 4th time through, Jeff was looking a bit pale.  The motion was making him a bit queasy just like my mountain driving in Virginia!  The video below was taken right next to the strongest rapids which they do not allow the boats to go into.

While on our highlights tour we saw the clock below in the botanical gardens in Niagara on the Lake on the Canadian side.

Next lets move onto the Falls, both the American and Horseshoe Falls.

Accessible from Goat Island, the Three Sisters Islands are located just beyond the Canada/U.S. border in Niagara Falls, New York.  The islands are named after Celinda, Angelina, and Asenath Whitney, daughters of General Parkhurst Whitney of Niagara Falls, New York. General Whitney was one of the more prominent early settlers of Niagara Falls, New York. The General moved to Niagara Falls, N.Y. in 1810 and is best known as the founder and operator of the Cataract House Hotel located near the upper rapids just above the falls. General Whitney’s daughters are believed to be the first settlers to have trekked to the three small islands. Before European settlers arrived in North America, Iroquois shamans made sacrifices of food and gifts on the islands and communed with He-No (Mighty Thunderer), the spirit who dwells in the mist-enshrouded cave at the base of the falls. Modern day psychics believe any one can hear the voices of the spirits if they listen carefully while visiting the Three Sisters Islands.  Each island supports a variety of microhabitats and has its own floristic character. The Three Sisters Islands are connected by bridges, allowing pedestrians to walk to all three for grand views of the raging rapids in the Niagara River right before its descent over the grand Horseshoe Falls.

We started our stroll on Goat Island, walked Three Sisters Islands and then moved onto the falls.

Stroll to Terrapin Point and Horseshoe Falls

Beside the American Falls

Behind Horseshoe Falls

Looking up at Horseshoe Falls

Beside Horseshoe Falls

From Skylon

The Falls in the evening

The Falls under the lights!

Moving onto Watkins Glen, we had a visit from my children and did some wine and beer tasting for a few days.  We did some hiking with the dogs and had lots of rain.  Below are some photos from our hike through Watkins Glen State Park (contains over 800 stairs)!

 

Next up – Virginia – where we spent August and the first half of September!!