Dorothy Was Right - "There's No Place Like Home"..........

After a wonderful Birthday celebration on Saturday, we arose early on Sunday to begin the last leg of our journey which would bring us home! 

It is a long drive from Breaux Bridge, LA to Port Lavaca, TX, but once we crossed the Texas State line, the miles seemed to pass a lot faster!  We got home in time to watch the Spurs win the NBA championship and to unpack a few things to get us through the night!  The rest of the week has been busy getting the yard and the house back into shape after a long absence and catching up on laundry and grocery shopping.  We still have to finish unpacking the truck and the Turtle, but we are taking our time.  It is amazing what you accumulate on a road trip! 

Once we passed through Alabama on our return trip, the humidity began to hit us, and by the time we got home, it was unmerciful!  We have about decided we will spend our summers in the North from now on!  The temperatures have been in the 90's all week and the humidity has been at least 85% or more each day as well!  We feel really bad about complaining about the cold in the north after hitting the hot south!

We were gone almost two months, and in that time we traveled 8,600 miles plus, used 540 gallons of gas, spent 215 hours driving, got 16 miles to a gallon , passed through twenty (20) states and visited/saw seventy-seven  (77) new lighthouses!  We revisited three(3), for a grand total of 80 Lighthouses!

As always, we had a wonderful adventure.  Our time spent with family and friends was the most treasured aspect of our trip.   Meeting new people and exploring places we have never been was an additional bonus!  We loved everywhere we went this trip.  From the Hudson River Valley to the coast of Maine, we enjoyed the ambiance of being near the water.  From Pennsylvania to Tennessee we enjoyed the beauty of the mountains, and the Great Lakes always beckon us with their serene, quiet whispering waves and beautiful sunsets!  We simply cannot name a favorite place we visited on this trip - they were all our favorites! 

Our plan is to make a few short trips in the Turtle and to map out our plans for next year.  We will spend our time concentrating on the lighthouses of Michigan - primarily the lower pennisular..

We hope you will continue to check back with the blog to see what we are doing and to follow us when we once again hit the road!  We hope you are looking forward to continuing the journey as much as we are..........

Trip Stats

 

 

 

Reflections

 

 



 

65 And Holding........................

So today I turned 65!  That in and of itself is not that spectacular as people turn 65 everyday.........however, most people actually look forward to being 65 years old......I am not one of those people.  I milked yesterday for all it was worth.......I tried to stretch out the last day of being 64 as far as I could, but no matter what I did, midnight still reared its' ugly head and viola.....65 years showed up just like that at 12:01 A.M.!  In reflection, the last 64 years have been good to me.  The trials, tribulations, celebrations, and blessings, have actually helped me become the person I am today.  I am humbled knowing that I am not perfect, that I still have room to grow, that I still have paths ahead of me that will test me as well as bless me,  and that like everyone else who turns 65, the aging process will continue.  My goals for the next 65 years are different than those of the first 65 years.......... As we age our perspectives, priorities, and attitudes change.  I will do my best to live each day to the fullest, be more accepting of others, reach out to those that need help, and continue to grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, and along the way strengthen my relationships with others . Doing these things is not so much for me as it is for those I care so much about............and that pretty much includes everyone and not just my family or those on my "Friends" list!   I am blessed to have a life partner and my Best Friend to take this journey with me, and Jim and I both look forward to more travel, more adventures, more conversation and much laughter for years to come! Maybe 65 isn't so bad after all.........................

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"  Maya Angelou

We are spending the last few days of our two month journey at Breaux Bridge, LA.  We are at an RV park that provides peace and quiet, opportunities to meet new people as well as being in an area of the southern states that is rich in history and Cajun food!  Breaux Bridge is a quaint town -  a lot bigger now than when we first began stopping here many years ago - that is full of specialty shops, cafes, zydeco music and friendly people.  Swamp tours and alligator meat as well as boudin and etouffee are what's on the menu here!

Here are a few pictures for your perusal:

RV Park

 

 Breaux Bridge

 

Swamp Picture



The Evangeline Tree - St. Martinsville

 Some of the local "Flavor"

Sugar Cane Fields

 

Can you find the "Turtle"?

 

How about now?

On The Road Again, And Again, And Again...

We left Harrisburg Sunday and it was again a day full of mountains as we continued to drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Mountain range.  There are so many things to view - dairy farms, vineyards, quaint villages in valleys, mining sites, caverns and again lush forests and beautiful wildflowers.  We spent Sunday evening at a place called Dixie Caverns RV Park in Salem, Virginia, deep in the Shenandoah Valley.

There are actually caverns in the area, and daily tours are available. The caverns was found on the property in 1920 by some local farm boys and was opened to the public in 1923 with one of those farm boys as tour guide. Bill Mc Daniel, or "Mr. Bill" worked at the caverns from the time he was 15 years old until his early 70's.  We were told that he is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for walking around the world seven times underground!  We did not take the cavern tour, but we were told it maintains a temperature of 58 degrees year round.  It is a smaller cavern compared to the ones we have visited (Sonora, Natural Bridge Caverns and Carlsbad), but does get a lot of visitors annually.  There was also a rock shop and antique shop on the grounds which we did explore, and it was a nice change from constant motion on the road!

We hit the road running again on Monday, and made our way through Knoxville and Chattanooga, TN and spent the night in a rustic KOA campground in the mountains of Trenton, GA.  It was a nice respite from the hectic traffic on the interstate. No Wi-Fi, so it was a good opportunity to reminisce about our trip.  This has been a great time for us.  We got to see so much, and do things we had only talked about in the past. 

Tuesday we decided we would go back to Payne's RV in Theodore, Alabama so that we might finally have an opportunity to visit Bellingrath Gardens, which if you recall, we attempted to do at the beginning of our trip, but were unsuccessful due to heavy rains and flooding.  When we got to Evergreen, Alabama it started to rain and it rained all the way to Theodore.  It finally let up enough for us to set up and play a little Frisbee with Lacy, then the dam broke lose and it was torrential rains, thunder and lightening all night long!  Lightening hit the tree two sites down from us, and bounced off the RV on that site, catching it on fire and burning out the electrical system in the RV.  The fire was contained to a small area (where the lightening struck) so the RV is repairable.  It also managed to knock out our TV in the process of striking the other RV.   Being that close to a lightening strike was probably the scariest thing we have ever experienced. It was the loudest sound and the brightest white light ever!  Wednesday we woke up to sunny skies and decided to do our household chores (laundry, cleaning the RV, grocery shopping) and planned on visiting the Gardens in the afternoon.  Well guess what, due to the torrential rains, the roads were again blocked and there was no way to get to the Gardens due to the nearby river overflowing onto the roadways.  So we just took it easy and did some reading and relaxing and prepared for our departure today.

We are now at Poche's RV Park in  Breaux Bridge, LA, and will spend a few days here before our final leg home.  We knew when we left Alabama this morning that it was going to be a hot-humid day and that we were definitely back in the South.  The A/C is cranked full force in the RV, and we are finally feeling somewhat more comfortable!  Seems like only yesterday we were complaining about the cold .......The wi-fi here is somewhat sporadic, so I can't guarantee we will get to blog again before we get home, but we will do our best! 

Meanwhile, enjoy these few pictures taken on the fly........

Lacy is a great traveler!

 

 

 Flowers at the Caverns

 One of many crosses seen along the road!

 

 Red Bird Mission Trailer on its way to deliver books to the needy!

 Shenandoah Valley Mountains

Knoxville, Tenn.

More Mountains

 

Momma Duck and her babies who were only newborns when we visited last!
At Payne's RV Park


Mom, Dad and the Kiddos!

 

"Speedy" Hiding out............

Mississippi - Jim taught Electronics here at Keesler AFB for 10 Years!

Temperatures Are Rising!

We left Sylvan Beach this morning, knowing we would have a long day of driving ahead of us.  Our destination today was Harrisburg, PA.  It was a beautiful driving day, and the temperatures were in the low 80's, a welcome change for us, as we have been in the cold for most of our trip! 

We drove through the valley between the Allegheny and Pocono mountain ranges (which are part of the Appalachian Mountain range) on our travels today, and the views were amazing!  I was able to get a few pictures to share, but since we are traveling the interstate, there are not many opportunities to stop and take photos! (These are taken on the run!) We drove through mining communities and beautiful lake communities as well as land designated as State Park property, which offered nature views at its best.  We imagined that these mountain passages could be a bit difficult in the winter, and we were thankful for today's weather even more!   

Views from the mountains

 

 

We left Sylvan Beach after covering 6,566 miles, passing through 20 states and viewing 75 lighthouses! It was time to start our long trek home.......... but there is more to come, as we continue our journey South.......stay tuned!

Go Army! Go Spurs!

June 5, 2014

Our goal for today was to drive to Fort Drum, (near Watertown, NY) which will be Jeremy’s new “Home” once he returns from Afghanistan, to scope it out.  The day started out beautiful and by the time we returned back to the RV, it was in the mid 50’s, windy and cold!

Because it was convenient, we made a stop in Selkirt ,NY to view the Salmon River Lighthouse.  This lighthouse was built in 1838, and is in dire need of a facelift.  We are afraid that it will not be long before it is on the lighthouse “doomsday” list.  From the lighthouse one can also view the Selkirk Breakwater Light.  It is very similar to the Rochester Harbor light.  In 1859 the Salmon River Lighthouse was deactivated after going through several private owners it was finally purchased in 1987, along with the marina and several cabins.  In 1989, the Coast Guard approved the lighthouse as a Class II navigational aid and relit the lantern.  The early importance of this harbor was the massive migration of Atlantic Salmon, thus a major fishing port. A proposed canal to connect it to the Erie Canal was never built, and the town dwindled in population and trade.

 

Selkirk Point Lighthouse

 

 

Selkirk Breakwater Light

 

On to Fort Drum……..We found the Post to be huge, well kept and relatively new.  The PX, Commissary and Barracks were all very modern and appeared updated.  In talking to locals, the upgrading of the Post started about ten years ago with the Iraq/Afghanistan wars, making this a very important base.  It is home to the Army’s Tenth Mountain Division.  Coincidentally, the area outside the main gate for a radius of about five miles was all fields ten years ago, and now showcases shopping malls, Wal Mart, hotels and car dealerships, not to mention every fast food joint you can imagine.  The main gate is even accessed by an interstate (I-781).  We enjoyed our time at Fort Drum, and we think Jeremy will like it as well!  It isn’t Hawaii, but it is up to date and presentable.  After a tasty lunch at the Food Court, we headed back to the RV



The evening was spent watching the Spurs beat the Heat and catching up on blogs. 

Today, June 6, 2014, we have spent blogging ( finally caught up!), working on a few minor repairs on the Turtle, rearranging “stuff” we have collected along the way, and planning our next few days of travel.

We will depart Sylvan Beach in the morning and head to Harrisburg, PA  where we will spend the night.  We are beginning our trek south, and for now, there are no more lighthouses on our planned route.  However, we are sure we will come across something or someplace to visit as we travel.

Picking Up Where We Left Off - Two Years Ago!

June 4, 2014

We slept in then headed to Braddock Point Lighthouse, just west of Rochester, New York, on Lake Ontario.  This lighthouse was activated in 1896.  It is modeled after the Cleveland Lighthouse and is reportedly one of the most beautiful lighthouse on the lakes.  The lighthouse has been beautifully restored and is now a Bed and Breakfast and private residence.  It is one to be added to our favorites list for sure! 

Braddock Point Lighthouse

 

As early as the early 1500’s the mouth of the Genesse River at Lake Ontario was an important trading port.  As the years went by, it became more congested so a lighthouse was built to guide ships to the port.  In 1822 the Charlotte-Genessee  lighthouse was built .  In 1994 the lighthouse was officially deeded  to Monroe County who in turn leased it to the Historical Society.

Charlotte-Genessee Lighthouse

 

At the Ontario Beach Park, we walked to the pier and took pictures of the Rochester Harbor Light.  It was installed on the pierhead in 1995, to guide ships into Rochester Harbor, because the Charlotte-Genessee lighthouse had been deeded to new owners and was no longer a working light.

Rochester Harbor Light

 

Next we drove to Sodus, New York to view the Old Sodus Lighthouse.  What a treat this one was!  It is located on a point overlooking the lake and the scenery is just breathtaking!  The grounds and gardens were immaculate and well groomed and the flowers in the flower beds were gorgeous.  A beautiful location to have a wedding! Sodus Bay is the largest natural harbor on Lake Ontario.  The lighthouse, built in 1825 guides ships to the bay.

 

Sodus Point Lighthouse



From the grounds of the Sodus Bay Lighthouse, you can see the Sodus Outer Breakwater Light.  While Old Sodus guided ships into the bay, the breakwater light guides them into the harbor. This light was erected in 1938.

Sodus Outer Breakwater Light

 

Our final lighthouse of the day was the Oswego West Pierhead.  This one was not easy to get pictures due to the viewing area from shore was secured government property.  (Many cameras)  The lighthouse itself is located at the end of a pierhead, which did not help.  In 1828, the Oswego Canal was opened linking Oswego with the Erie Canal.  This necessitated a lighthouse to guide ships to Oswego Port.  Over the years, several lighthouses occupied a position in Oswego, the latest having been built in 1879.

 

It was a productive day, and we returned to the RV park in time for BBQ ribs which had been cooking in the crockpot all day!  A great ending to a great day!

 

What We Learned About New England

June 3, 2014

So Tuesday we left the campground and drove to Sylvan Beach, New York.  We had been here two years ago and wanted to return to see more lighthouses in the area.  We decided to stay at a different RV park this time, as the one we had stayed at before did not have wi-fi and the current park advertised wi-fi service.  So we got set up and decided we would spend the day catching up on blog entries, and low and behold, the wi-fi is not located around the park, it is located in a pavilion in the middle of the park.  So we gathered all our information and peripherals and headed to the pavilion.  Needless to say, the wi-fi is the pits.  Very slow and very sporadic at that.  It took us forever to upload the last blog.  So we stopped what we were doing and went to town to dinner.  On our way back there was a bad wreck which occurred in front of us on the bridge over the canal, which takes us back to the RV park.  After waiting three hours, we finally were told of an alternate route back to the RV park and arrived back at the Turtle at midnight.  It was just one of those days…….nothing too exciting to write about so we decided to use this opportunity to share with you what we learned about New England…..

1.       It seems as if every other person owns a snow plow

2.       Everyone has either a bike rack or a kayak rack (or both) on their vehicles

3.       Windmills everywhere – and we are not talking about wind turbines….

4.       Lighted Candles in house windows

5.       No one knows how to merge onto a highway.

6.       All the cross streets have signs with the name of the street on them, except the one you are driving on!

7.       Unusual road signs abound: (As in we never see these in Texas!)

a.       Moose Crossing

b.      Snowmobile Crossing

c.       Goose Crossing

d.      Horse and Buggy on Road

e.      Cow crossing (really)

f.        Watch out for Snow Plows

8.       There are many variations on New England speech/accents depending on what state you are in.

9.       Heat wave in New England is 55 degrees or higher

        (flip-flops, tanks tops and bikinis – oh yeah!)

10.   Boston Red Sox fans are serious!

11.    Ranger Ice Hockey Fans are even more serious!!!!

12.   New England is beautiful and for the most part, so are the people who live there!

In all seriousness, there is an interesting story behind the candles in the windows and the windmills.

The symbolic importance of having a lighted candle in the window has different meanings in different cultures.  Placed at Christmas time, it symbolizes the star of Bethlehem   Other meanings include welcoming home a wayward child, (like a lighthouse light helps steer the ships away from danger). In colonial times, placing a burning candle in one’s window evoked the warmth of home and family.  The candle was often placed in the window when a member of the family was away.  It also signified good news or was used as a beacon to weary travelers.  Mostly, the candles were seen as a sign of welcome to others.  Today, the burning candles are replaced by electric/battery operated candles. 

The windmills are a Dutch transplant dating back to when the city of New York was still called New Amsterdam, and owned by the Dutch.  The windmills were used primarily at sawmills – a very sophisticated operation at the time.  A series of wooden gears would work a shaft hooked up to saws.  The windmills also served as an emergency broadcast system for boat pilots on the East River. 

So there you have it…….for what it is worth…….

And here are the pictures…………………….

 

Snowplow

 Snowmobile Sign

Windmill

 

 

 

 

Up, Down And All Around....

June 2, 2014

Monday we left Newport, Rhode Island early, in hopes of arriving at our next destination by mid afternoon so that we could get a head start on seeing lighthouses.  Well that plan came to a screeching halt as we hit early morning rush hour traffic on I-95 going through Providence.  It took us 1 ½ to go 15 miles.  It reminded us of the traffic we encountered on I-95 in New Jersey on our way to Connecticut ……..not fun! 

When we finally got through the traffic, we drove through the rest of Rhode Island, then  Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and then into upstate New York.  We did not get as far as we had planned due to the early morning traffic, so we stopped in Schenectady, New York for the night.  This afforded us an opportunity to catch up on laundry, relax and reflect on the day. 

Vermont and New Hampshire are beautiful states and full of hills and mountains that are stunning and full of lush trees, babbling brooks and flowers.  Believe it or not, we found a lighthouse in the middle of Vermont! It was in a boatyard on the north end of Harriman Reservoir.

At the Vermont/New York border we stopped at the Big Moose Deli and Country Store for lunch.  We had seen billboards advertising their maple pulled pork sandwiches and we thought we would give it a try.  We were not disappointed.  The Big Moose is an interesting place, full of all sorts of “weird” and enjoyable “stuff”!  Very pricey, but fun to walk through and explore!  One of the most interesting items was the beverage assortment we had to choose from……it included, bacon soda, peanut butter and jelly soda, sweet corn soda, buffalo wing soda…..you get the picture.  We chose Creamy Red Birch Beer (not a beer).  The Big Moose is a popular place, as while we were there a few notables showed up -  Marilyn, Elvis, the Blues Brothers and Superman!

Enjoy the pictures of the day!

 

Mural on highway in Rhode Island

 Heading into Vermont

 

 Lighthouse located on the N. Harriman Reservoir, Vermont

The Big Moose