Late September 2020 When you say you’re going to New York, everyone’s first impression is that you’re talking about New York City. Granted, NYC is fabulous, but New York State, especially northern New York, holds natural wonders and some very decent wineries and breweries – if you know your way around. The Finger Lakes We have been going to the Finger Lakes area for years, but we used to go the B and B route. This was our first time…
Late-August to Labor Day 2020 With only ten days for our Michigan adventure, we carved out a loop that took us up the eastern side of the Lower Peninsula into the Upper Peninsula, and then back down part of the western side of the Lower Peninsula. We planned to at least dip a toe into each of the five Great Lakes. The map of Michigan looks like a left hand mitten, with the thumb off to the right. In the…
Punderson State Park 8/24/2020 This was a quick, one-night stop on our way to Michigan, but we would gladly have stayed longer. We met a new friend, a special lady who invited us to visit her in Corpus Christi this winter as we start our trek west. We had a great campsite along the water’s edge and a nice dinner in the old-timey Punderson Lodge across the lake. The lodge is rumored to be haunted, but further exploration of that…
August 2020 Kentuck Knob We began our trek to Michigan with a short stay in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. On previous trips, we toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and the Flight 93 Memorial. This time, on a friend’s suggestion, we decided to visit Kentuck Knob, another of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural standouts. The Hagans were friends of the Kaufmanns and greatly impressed by Fallingwater. They approached Wright about this project in the early 1950s. Wright, who was 86 at…
Belle Isle State Park, Lancaster VAJuly 2020 On July 9th, we celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary at Belle Isle State Park on the Rappahannock River. We arrived, set up camp, and then ventured out to find a restaurant with a water view and fresh, local seafood. We found the Horn Harbor Restaurant in Burgess, VA. The restaurant has a small marina, so guests can also arrive by boat. We sat outside, in the shade near the dock area, and enjoyed…
Battle Run Campground, COEJune 28 -30 We felt fortunate to land a campsite at Battle Run Campground, one of the Corps of Engineer managed parks on Summersville Lake. Campsites near water often sell out, so to nab a lakeside spot on short notice was lucky. Our campsite was on a finger of land stretching into the lake, so we had a water view to the left and right. Summersville is east of Charleston, WV, and halfway between Beckley and Sutton….
Babcock State Park, Clifftop, WVJune 26-28 This small state park campground is an oldie. Originally a CCC camp – Camp Lee – remnants of hefty stonework and projects from the camp peek out here and there alongside more recent construction. It’s a popular place, so our reservations barely snagged us one of the last available spots. Sadly, I have to say this wasn’t one of our favorite campgrounds. It’s funny how that works sometimes. On another day, with a different…
July 2, 2020 Like many other full time travelers, we took a break from the road during the Covid-19 quarantine. What we imagined might be a several-week hiatus turned into three months. We are very fortunate and grateful that we had kind family members willing to host us and a lovely place to stay during this time. By mid-June, campgrounds were reopening, with the sort of safety precautions one would expect. We knew that traveling would be different, but we…
We started traveling in late October 2019. As of today, April 24, 2020, we have stayed in eight states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. We have camped at 29 different sites – a combination of state parks, national parks, Corps of Engineers sites, privately owned campgrounds, and Harvest Host sites. Each place has its own personality and lessons to share. We’re very grateful to friends and family who’ve kindly invited us to stay in…
“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien from The Fellowship of the Ring March 25, 2020 We had intended to travel down The Natchez Parkway, from Nashville to Natchez. Our first few days were quiet and interesting. And peaceful. We saw very few other cars on the road. The Trace is one of America’s oldest routes. It was used for trade and travel long before paved roads came into existence. It…