A new beginning in 2022.  Happy New Year to All!!  Steve and I began our first day of the year on the Playalinda Beach at Canaveral National Seashore.  We’ll be enjoying beautiful Florida a few more weeks, before redirecting to Houma, LA for Mardi Gras late February/early March.  Bonne Annee.

January 4, 2022      South Bay FL

Visited Blowing Rocks Nature Conservancy, where the largest outcrop of conquina (sand and shells cemented together) are found within the Anastasia Formation, located between St. Augustine and southern Palm County.  During particularly high tides, the ocean waves cause blow holes to spray water 50′ into the air.  Path leads through canopy of Sea Grape trees and coconut shells were abundant on the beach.

January 5, 2022    Lk. Okeechobee, FL

For an early evening stroll, we drove to one of 5 dams/locks on Lk. Okeechobee, near South Bay.  The lake is fed by rivers from the north and empties out to saltwater estuaries to the south, which eventually flow to the Atlantic.  While there, it appeared that the estuary waters were flowing into the lake. ?Tides? We saw a fellow catch a BIG Snook fish at the estuary side of the dam, and then watched an alligator swim up and down the tall grass shore of Lake Okeechobee.  

Average depth of Lk. Okeechobee is 9′, with the deepest depth at 12 feet.

January 5, 6 2022   Venice FL

Took a stroll through Historic Town of Venice FL.  This is a fun city, as marked by the recent installation of 20-something mermaids and 30-something seahorses throughout downtown.   Proceeds of the installations went to supporting the local Art Center.

Next day drove to Manasota Beach for shark teeth hunting.  Steve found most of the teeth in the surf and I found one in the seaweed debris on the beach.  It is a relaxing and fun way to spend a day.  Called Cherie Erickson, friend from MN who was staying with her folks in Punta Gorda FL.  We met at Fisherman’s Village and had a great table by the water to enjoy drinks and a gorgeous sunset.

 

January 10, 2022      Punta Gorda  FL

Met Cherie and her folks at condo, drove to Ponce de Leon Park.  Walked the boardwalk and saw small Fiddler Crabs scurrying up the tree branches, eyed an abandoned Horseshoe Crab shell and saw beautiful herons along the mangrove shore of the Peace River.  “The Girls” went to the Peace River Wildlife Center which houses animals unable to return to the wild.  At the center we saw Bald Eagles (did you know FL has the 2nd highest number of nesting BE in the lower 48 states, while MN is #1?), saw eastern screech owls, including an all-white (not albino but a leucistic) screech owl named Luna, local pelicans looking for a handout and a tortoise that was statue still.  Afterwards, went back to the condo and made a marvelous dinner – Steve on his BBQ, fresh veggies from the local farmers’ market and homemade ice cream from Working Cow Creamery.  A special night.

January 11, 2022  Camp Venice Retreat  FL

Our last night in Venice and walked from our RV camp to the local Snook Haven restaurant over- looking the Wild and Scenic Mayakka River.  This was by no means the fast- flowing rivers we see in WA.  Instead, slow is the mode and made for a perfect setting for the restaurant’s old Florida, BBQ and southern style cooking.    

Snook Haven Bay has had a somewhat checkered pass – folks used to make and smuggle moonshine in the 1920-30s, a location for filming exotic jungle movies in the 1930-40s, and later the location for an enterprising New Englander who made his fortune in manufacturing “gentlemen’s products” and providing female “quality control” staff for his private fishing camp buddies.  But in 2022, GREAT BBQ!

January 12-14, 2022  Walks in central Florida

At Fort Island Gulf Beach saw at least 5 species of shorebirds resting on the man-made beach.  The one pictured is called a Black Skimmer.  Gary Maidhof Walk to Nature buts up to an Environmental Science Learning Center.  At Fort Island Trail State Park along the Crystal River, tried to rescue an immature cormorant that had swallowed a fishhook and about 2′ of line.  Even with the help of 2 Fish/Wildlife rangers, no luck.  And the Weekiwachee Preserve had several small bodies of water and miles of walking trails.  

January 14, 2022  Weeki Wachee Springs SP,  FL

We had tried to see the underwater mermaid show when passing through the area last winter, but the facility was closed due to COVID.  This year we had the pleasure of watching three mermaids perform their choreographed underwater dance routines as has been performed for over 60 years at the Newton Perry Underwater theatre.  Watching the show, I couldn’t help but be transported back to summers on Lake Washington at age 9-10, pretending to be a mermaid in the water.  Lots of fun for the magically-inclined.

 

January 15, 2022  Manatee Springs and town of Crytal River, in Florida

Steve and I rented a tandem kayak and spent the day watching 5-6 manatee at the Manatee Springs SP, and then paddling about 1.5 miles upstream on the Suwannee River.  What was noticeable were the abundance of Turkey and Black vultures that hung out in the trees near the springs.  The theory is that when Native Americans inhabited this area, they butchered manatee near the springs.  The vultures have been hanging out ever since.  We ended this great day with a DELICIOUS meal at Vintage on 5th, a renovated 1940 cottage church restaurant that serves really interesting combinations of flavors – 5 spice in a linquine pasta cream sauce with sweet shrimp and spicy LA sausage.   

January 17, 2022  Williston FL

 A bit of a cultural anomaly in this part of central Florida was our visit to Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens.  Created by retired Dr. Raymond Webber, a nearly 20-year clean-up of an abandoned limestone rock quarry to a beautifully landscaped get-a-way including exotic flowers, koi pond and waterfalls.  The orange flowers are called Ngaio and the purple are double blooming purple trumpet.

Sunset at Steinhatchee FL

January 20, 2022   Perry FL

We visited Big Bend Wildlife Management Area.  This is a designated Horseshoe crab nesting area.  We also visited Steinhatchee Falls, got lost in the woods, but then found a “sacred” (proclaimed as such by me) white cypress tree.  She was old, and beautiful, and supported by her cypress knee subjects.  A queen in the forest.

January 21, 2022    Ichetucknee Springs FL

On Friday, we walked around the North end of the Ichetucknee Springs State Park.  There are nine springs within the park which produce 212 million gallons of spring water/day.  Walked to the Blue Hole, and I wished I had pursued scuba diving.  The next day we rented a canoe and explored the southern portion of Ichetucknee River.  Hoping to see manatee, we saw instead LOTS of turtles.  There are 17 species of turtles w/in the park which represent 75% of the state’s turtle population!

Three leafed plant is called Toad Trillium.

January 27, 2022  Jacksonville FL

Our last scheduled stay in Florida and we have identified three beaches for shark teeth hunting.  The weather has been windy and cold, which makes for bigger waves and fewer hunters.  So while hunting along the beach alongside Fort Clinch on Amelia Island, we found two and a half beautiful specimens of sharks teeth.  We were pretty happy with ourselves.  A great day!!

The artwork is wind on sand by Mother Nature. 

January 29, 2022    Ponte Vedra Beach  FL

Drove to 30 degrees and 8 minutes north latitude where historians believe Ponce DeLeon first landed on the coast of Florida on April 2, 1513.  This beach had some of the bigger waves we’ve seen on our trip and observed 2 surfers catching some of the action.  Have you ever heard of the North Atlantic Right Whale?  There are only about 300-350 of these whales left in existence, and they migrate along this shoreline between December and March.  Unfortunately, we did not see any.  We did however see a sea urchin and a zebra-striped Pufferfish.

January 29, 2022     Mickler’s Landing FL

A Nor ‘Easterner is blowing up the Atlantic coastline and we are feeling it.  It is COLD and WINDY, but that is perfect weather for sharks’ teeth hunting.  Steve is the better hunter and found 6 of the 7 teeth, so a good bounty.  It took three blankets, hot chocolate and popcorn to warm me up when we got home.  That Atlantic wind gets into your bones.

1/31/22     Okefenokee Swamp Park GA

We’ve said our goodbyes to Florida, a beautiful state rich with biodiversity, unique flora and fauna, and sunshine.    Onto Georgia, a great destination for the State Park camper.  Alot of diverse and well-maintained parks in beautiful locations.  A little bit of info on Okefenokee Swamp.  It is a National Wildlife Refuge of approximately 400,000 acres.  There are 3 parks near/within the NWR – a privately owned Okefenokee Swamp Park with boat and train rides, and a naturalist presentation; a NWR entrance that takes the visitor to the Chesser Island Homestead with cane sugar production, and lookout tower (where we saw our first Bittern!); and the Stephen C Foster State Park which provide water access to several floating Water Shelters located throughout the swamp. “Land of the Trembling Earth”.

2/2/22 Okefenokee Heritage Cntr., Waycross GA  

Steve played golf and I took my own, sweet time to explore the Okefenokee Heritage Center.  The Creeks and Seminole Indians first inhabited the area.  Early colonialism grew sugar cane and later coffee and tobacco.  A long-leaf pine basket. One exhibit featured Sacred Harp/Hoboken style singing which originated in the New England colonies, but is practiced w/in churches in SE.  And Martin Luther King spoke at the local Greater Mt. Zion church in Waycross GA a few months before his assassination.

2/4/22   Florance Marina SP, near Omaha GA

This state park was pretty remote, so we morphed from naturalists to alcoholics as we explored the area.  We were first introduced to Richland Rum in Brunswick GA, but learned the actual distillery was in nearby Richland GA.  So in 3 days visited Swamp Fox Distillery in Buena Vista (tried Moonshine for the first time at 156 proof), Omaha Brewery in Limpkin, Richland Rum in Richland and John Emerald Distillery in Opelika, AL (very cute town near Auburn University).   Also, at least in Alabama, it’s not required to serve food with spirit cocktails.  Cheers!!

2/7/22  Providence Canyon SP, near Lumpkin, GA

The park was established in 1971 to preserve the erosion-prone “Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon”.  Due to poor farming practices by early settlers, the soft soil began washing away in early 1800s.  By 1850, 3–5-foot trenches formed and currently these trenches have morphed into 150′ plus canyons.  The Providence Formation consists of yellow (limonite), purple (manganese), orange (iron), and white (kaolin) mineral deposits.  

2/10/22  Prattville, AL   Wilderness Woods

This bamboo preserve was planted back in 1940, and displays four varieties of tall bamboo, some of which are considered a timber species.  Some bamboo can grow as much as 4 feet in a 24-hour period.  The varieties at Wilderness Woods include Giant Grey Bamboo, Golden Bamboo, Yellow Groove Bamboo and (Steve and my favorite), the Robert Young Bamboo.  See if you can match the names to the pictures.

2/10/22 Town of Prattville AL, continued…

This is a cute town, with some renovation going on.  Pictured below is the Autauga Creek, the water source used by Daniel Pratt, an enterprising 1830’s manufacturer of initially cotton gins, and later a mill site for his production of corn meal, grits and flour.  The town is currently renovating the old brick mill into apartment lofts, and according to a shop owner, local business is booming.  We purchased Wickle’s Pickles, an Alabama-made favorite, Wickedly Delicious!!

2/11/22   Montgomery & Selma AL

The next 3 days were a crash course in the Civil Rights and Voting Rights of Blacks in the Deep South.  We visited the Equity Justice Initiative’s (eji.com) The Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice.  Unfortunately, no pictures allowed in The Legacy Museum which tracks Black American history from slave trade (nearly 12 million Blacks trafficked to the Americas starting in the 1600s) to the Jim Crow Era of the 40s-60s.  The National Memorial for Peace and Justice depicted names of victims lynched (hung, burned, other inhumane forms of torture) on metal boxes hung from the ceiling.  The experience was both unsettling and revealing.

2/11/22   Selma AL  Edmund Pettus Bridge

On March 21,1965 Marin Luther King Jr. led an initial 4,000 people across this bridge on a four-day march to Montgomery’s capital building to protest unequal voting rights for Blacks living in the Deep South.  In some voting districts, Blacks had to guess how many jellybeans in a jar, or how many seeds in a watermelon before being registered.  At one point during the march, the county sheriff insisted the group reduce in size to 300 so as not to disrupt traffic.  By the time MLK reached Montgomery, he was joined by 25,000 people.  The Alabama River.

2/12/22  Montgomery  AL  Rosa Parks Museum

It was December 1, 1955, that Rosa Parks did not give up her bus seat to a white man.  The Metro bus driver had her arrested and jailed by two white policemen.  Word spread quickly within the Black community and by December 5, 1955, Black citizenry refused to use (and pay for) the Metro buses.  Three hundred eighty-two (382) days later, the Federal Courts declared segregation on Metro buses to be unconstitutional.

Marker at 5 Points, Montgomery AL

2/13-17/22   Clarkco SP, near Quitman MS

Steve and I are enjoying a quiet stay at Ivy Lake front campsite.  Pictures of a controlled burn in surrounding pine forest, with some fires not completely out.   Muscovy ducks that waddle through the site, turtles that sun on the logs, bird-voiced tree frogs that “sing” through the night.  High wind warnings on 2/17, significant to close county schools and libraries.  So far so good.

2/18/22  Enroute to Natchez MS stopped at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel MS.  One exhibit featured a 500-piece collection of Native American baskets from throughout the United States.  I focused on the relatively recent (1985) examples of Mississippi Choctaw Indian lidded clothes hamper and the Choctaw double weave basket; the Louisiana Chitimacha Indian set of double woven storage baskets (1900-1904) and California Yakuts Indian dice (before 1902) made from black walnut shells, asphaltum and abalone shells.

2/19 -21/22  Natchez MS

We chose to visit Natchez MS because it is the southern terminus of the 444-mile long Natchez Trace – a National Park Parkway which extends from Nashville TN to Natchez MS.  According to historians, the Trace was used by bison over 10,000 yo to find salt licks along the Mississippi River.  Following the bison, were the Native Americans, the Fur Traders, the Slave Traders, Immigrants and currently Tourists as it’s a beautiful stretch of scenic roadway.  In the mid-1800s, Natchez MS was home to half the millionaires in the United States.  This is due in great part to the “Crazy Cotton” trade and slave labor in MS.  We visited Under-the-Hill Saloon, a 200 yo building at the former riverboat loading docks along the MS River.  Met Sheriff Clyde Mayfield.  Note the dollar bills on the ceiling.

2/24/22  Houma &Thibodaux, “the boot” LA

We’ve made it to Mardi Gras country.  Over the next 6 days we’ll be seeing parades, listen to Zydeco music, eating crawfish and “Laissez Les Bonds Temps Rouler”.  Today, a bit of cultural reference by visiting the National Park’s Jean Lafitte Nat’l Historic Park and the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center.  Great exhibits on Cajun language and music – the latter a blend of French Fiddle, Ballads, Jazz, Cajun Country, Swamp Pop and Renaissance Cajun (1970-80s).

Ate crawfish, grilled oysters and drank beer at 1921 Seafood and Oyster Bar in Houma.  Steve was in heaven.  Thank you Bucky!!

Daylight hours and we’re starting to take a look at our surroundings.  Hurricane Ida hit this area 8/26/21-9/4/21 as a Category 4 (130-156 mph winds) Atlantic hurricane.  Ida was the second-most damaging and intense landfall hurricane in the state of Louisiana on record, behind Katrina in 2005.   The images of local McDonald’s golden arches brought the impact of those winds to my attention.

2/25-3/1/22  Tibodaux, Houma, Lockport, “The Boot” LA

Mardi Gras is connected to the Roman Catholic religion in that it starts on the Feast of the Epiphany, and ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.  Add to the Catholic foundation, a little bit of Cajun Crazy and ending a 2-year moratorium on social distancing, and you get parades galore, spicy Creole seafood and wild music.  During our one week stay, 8 parades are scheduled by local krewes: Aphrodite, Apollo, Cleophas, Chronos, Cleopatra, Houmas, Kajuns and Gheens.  Here are just a few pictures from our various parades.

2/26/22  Bayou Terrebonne Distillers in Houma

This is a night thoroughly enjoyed and not soon forgotten.  We’ve missed live music soooo much these last 2 years and were excited that the Tyron Benoit Band would be playing at the Bayou Terrebonne Distillery.  Coincidentally, a travelling krewe called the ?Terrebonne Order of Water Buffalos? (Yes, Fred Flintstone) were ordering drinks ahead of us and one young guy with a buffalo-horned fur hat bought Steve and I our first round – a Mud Cat and shot of Whiskey.  After that the night was a romp of good music – Tyron plays the 10-key accordion like an electric guitar, more Cajun/Rock music with washboard players stepping in from the audience, more whiskey, a present of a King Cake – Thanks Randy!, and talk about recovery efforts in Houma.  Great night!!

March 2, 2022     Duson LA

This is our second winter in this part of Louisiana.  This time we had the fun and pleasure of sharing time with friends we’d met in Perry FL, Bruce and Nicki.  We all took the Konriko Rice Mill tour, I purchased a split-oak basket, then we had lunch on Jefferson Island, on the shores of Lake Peigneur, where you’ll recall, in an effort to drill for oil deposits in 1980, a hole was instead bored into a salt dome and the lake water washed houses, barges, trees literally “down the drain”.  Steve and I later went to St. Martinville to see Longfellow’s statue of his famous poem character “Evangeline”, who died of a broken heart when she lost her Acadian love. 

March 3, 2022     Avery Island LA

Yes, THE Avery Island, home of TASBASCO sauce.  Last year, the site was closed to the public for 13 months, but today we thoroughly enjoyed the self-tour and the adjoining Jungle Gardens, created by one of the McIlhenny descendants.  Some Tabasco facts: oak barrels come from Jack Daniels Whiskey; peppers are grown in Mexico, Central/South America; 7 flavors of Tabasco sauce sold in 22 languages and in 180+ countries; 3 ingredients – peppers, salt and vinegar; and Avery Island has its own salt mine.  (Tours of salt mines are now permanently closed due to a 2-person fatality in 12/2021).   After Tabasco tour and a slice of pecan pie that was absolutely delicious, we walked the Jungle Gardens, enjoying the Live Oaks, 12th century Buddha statue and early Spring colors.

March 6, 2022      Natchitoches  LA

The town of Natchitoches was the first settlement of the Louisiana Purchase and dates to 1716.  The National Park Service purchased and operates two Creole plantations along the Cane River as part of their collection of National Heritage Parks.  “A vital branch of the New World culture known as Creole took root in the rich soils of the Cane River in 18th century Louisiana.  It is a culture nurtured by French and Spanish colonialists, steeped in Africanisms, and enriched by American Indian contact”.  The Prud’homme family, which settled the property in the late 1700s, sold the plantation to NPS in 1997.  The Helaire family, originally slaves on the plantation, have also provided stories and artifacts to the Heritage Park.

March 7, 2022  Kisatchie National Forest, LA.   Drove the Long-Leaf Trail, and went for a short hike before the rain started.  Some beautiful views from nearby lookouts, but my favorite was a glimpse of the wild azaleas growing alongside the creek.  Also Trumpeter flower and Red Bud tree.  

March 10, 2022  Hot Springs National Park, AR

This National Park is unique in that the park is located in the middle of downtown Hot Springs, AR.   Spring waters have flowed off Hot Spring Mountain since time immemorial.   In the early 1800s, a series of elaborate bathhouses were constructed at the base of the mountain, including the Fordyce Baths, where the NPS now has their Visitor’s Center and Museum includes elaborate tiled floors, marble tubs, Tiffany glass ceilings.   Superbly elegant for men and women.  Originally designated a “Reservation” in 1832, it was later designated a National Park in 1921. One bath house has been converted into a brewery which uses the 143 degree spring water in its brewing process.

March 11, 2022 Crater of Diamonds State Park

One of the only places in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source.  The day before, 3 diamonds had been found.  Diamonds are smooth, so soil and mud do not adhere.  You’d think it’d be easy to find those sparking nuggets, but we went home with memories only.  Three methods to hunt for diamonds – walk along the furrows and look for shiny objects, dig in the dirt, or use the water troughs to pan for diamonds.  We did get back to the park before about 3″ of snow fell that night.

March 12, 2022   Wegner Crystal Mine, near Mt. Ida, Ouachita Mountains, AR

We waited until the temperatures got above freezing and drove to this family owned mine.  Some of the nicest employees I’ve ever met!!  The site actively mines for a variety of precious and semi-precious minerals, sells wholesale and retail and offers three excursions per day for paying customers.  We found a variety of quartz crystals, but I’ve included some photos of “The Rock”.  Estimated at about 200 pounds, the wife found it, the guide, Lance, helped dig it out, and the husband acquiesced that they could bring in back to Kansas in the family van.  That’s commitment!!

March 13, 2022  T.O. Fuller SP, Memphis TN

Broadening our horizons, we visited Elvis Presley’s Graceland, as encouraged by my cousin Alene.  Elvis was quite extraordinary as a singer and performer, racking up twenty-four Gold Records from 1956-1959.  Graceland takes you from Elvis’ birthplace in Tupelo MS to his being discovered by Sam Phillips and Sun Records in Memphis TN.  His recording career was legendary, plus he started his acting career at age 21, spent time in the army, was a father and continued to do live performances until his death in 1977. A colorful life.

 

 

3/13/22    Beale St., Lorraine Hotel, Memphis TN

One of my favorite performers, B.B. King has a presence on Beale Street – the BB King Blues Club, the BB King Company Store and an array of artist decorated guitars line the street, like his famed guitar “Lucille”.  Beale St. was THE place for Black American entrepreneurs.  Read the history of how Danny Thomas saved the name of the street in the 1950s.  

April 4, 1968    Lorraine Hotel, Memphis TN

We ended our day on a somber note as we walked blocks down to the Lorraine Hotel, where on 4/4/1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot while standing on the hotel’s balcony.  The bullet was fired from a boarding house window across the street from the hotel.  Today, the hotel is adjacent to the National Civil Rights Museum.  Our country lost some good leaders in the 1960s.

March 14, 2022  Chucalissa National Historic Landmark, T.O.Fuller SP, near Memphis TN

When the Civilian Conservation Corps was creating this state park in the 1930-40s, they found a mound site dating back to 1350-1600 CE.  Memphis State University now operates the museum which protects the Chucalissa Mound site, as well as introduces the culture of the Mississippi Choctaw Indians.  

March 17, 2022    St. Patrick’s Day, Tuscumbia AL

On our drive to Coon Dog Cemetery, we passed over Buzzard Roost Creek which was shining “the green” for St. Patrick’s Day.  Coon Dog Cemetery is exclusively for the burial of Coon Dogs, started in 1937 with beloved “Troop”, and now site of hundreds of grave markers, often with distinguished pedigree, of many loved coon dogs.  The most notable epitaph read “If he cooned to a mailbox, you better look, cause he was usually right”.  

March 18, 2022  Muscle Shoals, Florence, Tuscumbia, Sheffield AL  

In the 1960s and 70s, there was a whole lot of music being played and recorded in this corner of the AL/TN world.  FAME studios had Aretha Franklin record her first song “I never loved a man the way I loved you” at the pictured Wirlitzer keyboard. At Muscle Shoals Studio performers like Rod Stewart, Rolling Stones with Mick Taylor, Allman Brothers, Bob Seger, Paul Simon used these small studios to create huge albums.  I’ve included a picture of the drummer Roger Hawkins, part of “The Swappers”, who played drums on Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” album, along with other talented musicians in the area.

March 20, 2022  DeSoto SP,  Fort Payne AL

Another of the many state parks created by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).  Lots of hiking trails including a trail to Laurel and Lost Falls.  Limestone, sandstone deposits.  We saw Mountain Laurel and wild Rhododendron along the way.  

March 21, 2022 First day of Spring,   Little River Canyon National Preserve,  near Fort Payne AL

This national preserve is the longest mountaintop river in the country, running approximately 60+ miles.  Included in the park are the Little River Falls, beautiful overlooks named Hawks Glide, and some of Spring’s early flowers – Bluets, Yellow Trout Lily, Yellow Violet, Rue Anemone.

March 22, 20222    Fort Mountain SP,   near Chatsworth  GA

A beautiful state park that sits on the side of Lookout Mountain.  The afternoon winds while driving through AL/TN/GA let us know that some weather was on its way.  Fortunately, we were able to get situated at camp before the real wind and rain hit.  Sat at night with the flashlight and watched the wind blow particles horizontally in front of us. Next day we took a short walk to Cool Spring Outlook, overlooking the Cohutta Wilderness within the Chattahoocha Forest,  and saw first-hand what the wind had done the night before.  

March 23, 2022  Fort Mountain SP, near Chatsworth GA

Sunnier weather and we are hiking to Fort Mountain, named for the 885′ serpentine-shaped stone wall built along the ridge.  Historians and archeologists have studied this and other stone walls in the SE, and who and why the walls were built remains a mystery.  My favorite theory is the Cherokee Indians’ legend about “Moon Eyes” (see pic).  The fire tower was rebuilt in 2014; southern cypress and white oak wood comprise the balcony.  Unfortunately, the tower was not open to the public.

March 28, 2022  Knoxville TN

It has been about 8 months since Steve had a hair cut, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have him go to John’s Barbershop operating out of an old sea plane parked on the side of the highway going into town.  Afterwards, walked around the historic district, visiting Market Square (established 1853) and then to the Oliver Hotel’s concierge desk to got the password for the Speak-Easy located in the basement.  Great bar, with yummy bourbon and whiskey cocktails and good eats-Peter Kerns Library, established 1876.

March 30, 2022  Pikeville KY

This was intended as a stop-over to get into West Virginia and on our way to touring the North Eastern states.  We discovered however, that Pikeville KY is the location of the nearly 30 year feud between the Hatfields (WV) and the McCoys (KY).  The small Tug River separates the two states, but didn’t seem to stop the families from killing each other’s kin for decades.  The H&M driving tour was an adventure in itself, along narrow, windy roads with asphalt absent along steep hillsides due to a recent flooding of the Tug River.  Quick history: 1878 Randolf McCoy accuses Floyd Hatfield of stealing one of his hogs.  Case was heard at this cabin, and a Hatfield brother-in-law testified the hog belonged to Floyd.  Months later, the brother-in-law was shot and killed.

In 1880, despite all parental influences, Roseanna McCoy fell in love with Johnse Hatfield.  From that union, baby Sally was born.  Shunned by her father and family, Roseanna lived with her Aunt Betty.  So unfortunate, but Baby Sally, Sarah Elizebeth, died of pneumonia at 8 months of age.  She is buried up the hill from Aunt Betty’s house.    In 1882, three McCoy brothers shot Elison Hatfield.  Devil Anse Hatfield, Elison’s father, said the boys would die if his son died.  Sarah McCoy beseeched Devil Anse to return her 3 boys, and he agreed.  Devil Anse and sons returned the McCoy boys to the KY side of the Tug River, but then bound them to PawPaw trees and shot 50 bullets into the bodies.

in 1888, New Year night, members of the Hatfield gang rode their horses over the snow-covered ridges and descended on the McCoy house, burning it to the ground and killing Randolf McCoy’s granddaughter, son and badly beating his wife.  The well is all that remains of the homestead.  The property currently butts against three homes.  One homeowner, Neil, provided us historic information, showed us relic tools, old bullets pulled from the hillside and picture albums of both families.  In 1890, one of the Hatfields, Elison “Cotton Top” Mounts, a bastard son of Elison Hatfield was hung at this site (now part of University of Pikeville).  It was the last lynching in Pike County and marked the end of the Feud between the Hatfields and McCoys.

April 1, 2022  Bob Amos Trail, Pikeville KY

Bob Amos was Pikeville’s Parks Superintendent and one of the leaders in building a magnificent recreational facility, rerouting railroad tracks to minimize coal dust in the growing town and redirecting a river to prevent flooding.  One of the largest civil engineering projects in the Northern Hemisphere.  Our walk was along the sometimes steep hillside, with rock outcrops, flowering Bloodroot and a curious little creature called a Red Velvet Mite.

April 2-3, 2022    Beaver, WV 36th state!

Drove Hwy 119 into West Virginia and our 36th state.  Not as windy and hilly as Kentucky, but still got a lot of knitting done during the 3-hour drive.  Visited Tamarack Art and Culture Center, housing crafts from all over WV, including Fiesta Ware from Newell WV.  The Homer Laughlin China Co. (1870s) originally made porcelain china in OH, but moved it’s operation across river to WV in early1900s.  Fiesta Ware began in Newell in 1930s.  In the afternoon, went hiking on the Laurel Creek Trail.  Saw double-blossomed daffodils, young White Pines and a ground cover called ground cedar.

 

April 4, 2022  New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.  

A 2020 addition to the National Park system, this 53 mile whitewater stretch of the New River flows through rocks dating back 330 million years.  Steve and I took a side trail called Castle Rock, and were stunned by the vertical rock cliffs which displayed various patterns (plant fossils) and fracture points.  This park, like so many others, was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and I think the writing on the cliffs which reads “Observe the wonderful structure of the cliffs” and “Castle Rock” were inscribed by CCC members.  

April 5, 2022  Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine,  Beckley, Raleigh County, WV

This was a unique opportunity – tour an 80′ deep coal mine.  The Phillips-Sprague (bituminous) Coal Mine operated from 1889 until 1953, at which time it was sold to the city of Beckley.  Raleigh County produced 792,055,155 tons of coal from 1891-1991.  Our guide, Mike, is a retired Phillips miner and demonstrated the Carbine gas lamp (which replaced kerosene lamps), and showed us the cages carried by individual miners that housed the canaries which detected methane gas and low oxygen levels.  The display of lunch boxes at the “Dinner Hole” was accompanied by a story of how rats used their tails to twist off unsecured lunch pail lids.  The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine was opened in 1962 as the first historic site wholly dedicated to educating the public about coal mining in Appalachia.

April 7, 2022    Mt. Jackson, VA

Visited and toured the Route 11 Potato Chip Company just down the street from our campground.  DYK – 100 pounds of raw potatoes are baked and seasoned to make 25 pounds of flavored chips?  And Rt. 11 Chips has some great flavors!  I’ve included some of their fun packaging of different flavors.  We also tried the Crab chips (very popular in VA, MD and DE), as well as their Mama Zuma’s Habanero chips.  Beer is required!! 

April 8, 2022  Shenandoah National Park, VA

Our country is so fortunate to have a National Park system that preserves beautiful natural and cultural wonders for our future generations to experience.  Our timing was a little early in visiting Shenadoah NP.  We did not see the hillsides of wild rhododendrons in their soft pink wonder, but we did drive the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, and saw the rolling Appalachian Mountains, groves of oak trees, the small waterfall at Vesuvius, and reconstructed railroad lines (dinky train) from the 1800-1900s when lumberjack families lived in these woods. 

April 9, 2022  Shenandoah NP, northern portion.

My sister Brigid and her husband Paul will be hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) this summer, so Steve and I visited Pass Mountain shelter along the AT and left a little gift up in a tree.  It was very cool hiking along the AT – different terrain and it seems, lots more crossings into populated areas. Even though the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is longer, the terrain (up and down and up and down) and the weather conditions experienced from Georgia to Maine make the AT the more rigorous of the two coastal range hikes.  Or that’s what Google says.

April 10, 2022  Gettysburg National Military Park  Pennsylvania – our 37th state!

If I were to raise a child again, I’d drive them to the east coast to learn American history.  We started at the Visitor’s Center seeing a documentary film on what events led up to the Civil War.  We next visited the Cyclorama viewing room and observed the 377′ long circular oil painting depicting Pickett’s Charge (7/3/1863), “the climatic Confederate attack on the Union forces during the Battle of Gettysburg”.   We chose to do the Auto Tour and spent the rest of the day driving to various locations of battles that took place from July 1 to July 3, 1863, marked by plaques, statues and monuments.  We ended the day at Gettysburg National Cemetery and the site of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address – “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”.

Total casualties (killed, wounded, captured and missing) for the 3 days of fighting were 23,000 for Union army and 28,000 for the Confederate army.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 13-17, 2022  Chesapeake Bay, MD, our 38th state!  We had a gorgeous view of Chesapeake Bay and decided to hang out for most of our 5 day stay.  We did hike to Eastern Neck Island and down along the Sassafras River, but mostly read outside, enjoying the sound of waves and the smell of salt water.

April 19 – 20, 2022  Assateague Island National Seashore, MD and VA

Today we walked the northern (MA) beach of the island, seeing some huge horseshoe crabs along the beach and a Diamondback Terrapin (not a turtle or a tortoise) in a marsh area.  After our explore, we visited the cute city of Berlin, MD and treated ourselves to some of the finest ice cream at Island Creamery.  Saltmarsh Mud, was a favorite for Steve and I –  super-rich chocolate with light caramel and a hint of sea salt.

Next day visited the southern portion of the National Seashore – Chincoteague Island (VA).  Yes, this is the setting for Marguerite Henry’s 1947 book “Misty of Chincoteague”.  Even though small, these wild horses are (likely) the descendants of Spanish horses marooned here over 500 yo.  Their stomachs are extended because of the salt in the grasses they eat and the large volumes of water, often brackish, that they drink.  

April 23, 2022  Killien’s Pond SP, DE

We’re in our 39th state of Delaware, The First State – first of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.  Met some nice folks at the campground and enjoyed a walk around Killien’s Pond.  Out in bloom are the Wild Azaleas, Mayapple plant and the Dogwood trees.

 

April 24 thru May 6, 2022   From Delaware to New Jersey to Pennsylvania to New York.  The eastern states are closely packed, with a surprising abundance of rural and wooded landscapes, especially in PA.  But the roads are hilly, often narrow and wind in and out of small villages with sometimes 3-5 roads intersecting in the middle of town.  Although we’ve added a number of states, the driving is taxing compared to the open spaces found west of the Mississippi.

Just a few comments regarding our most recent travels.  Firstly, we changed computer security systems and misinterpreted the “unable to connect to Wi-Fi” to mean we had a weak connection.  We’ve since learned that not all switches were engaged.  As of 5/6/22, we are a go with WiFi, but that means 2 weeks worth of entries are going onto the computer in one day, so bear with me.  Also, just a word that Steve and I celebrated our 2 year on-the-road anniversary April 23rd.  With this in mind, I think we’re slowing down a bit and taking time to just sit, read, listen, and look.  

April 24, 2022  Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, near Kelliens Pond DE

Saw all sorts of birds on our walk – herons, egrets, bald eagles, osprey, laughing gulls and terns diving for fish.  There was signage about flying squirrels, but they’re generally nocturnal, and we’re asleep by 10:00 pm.

April 27, 2022  Pine Barrens NJ

OK.  Steve and I have been in some sticky driving situations on this trip, but our adventure into the Pinelands of NJ was memorable.  We started out looking for the Lower Forge/Batona Trail and ended up driving deep into the Pitch Pine forest on these 4-wheel drive sandy roads that eventually ended up at the Wilderness boundry.  Visions of the Jersey Devil and Pineys came to mind more than once as we went further into the woods.  Finally turned around and went back to the civilized Batona Trail and enjoyed a 4 mile hike along Lake Batona.  Ended the day at Nauti Spirits Distillery, highly recommended. 

April 28, 2022  Cape May, NJ

Just realized that Nauti Spirits Distillery was not yesterday, but today, in Cape May.  Maybe it was just the memory of that ride into the Pine Barrens that made me want a drink!  Today we explored Higbee Beach and Cape May.  Most of the pics are from Higbee, which was beautiful but cold with 20 mph winds.  We looked for Cape May “diamonds”, clear rounded pieces of quartz on the beach.  Not sure if we found any or not.  Walked the beach from Cape May to the Cape May Lighthouse and then into town for dinner at the Lobster House.  Finished off the day with the last of the sunset at Sunset Beach.

April 30, 2022  Thorndale, PA

Took the SEPTA train into Philidelphia PA today, the City of Brotherly Love.  We saw Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was written in 1776, and the United States Constitution was signed and ratified in 1787/88.  Consider reading through the Great Essentials.  We have to remember what our forefathers committed themselves to and their hopes for future generations of this new country.  Powerful words.  Visited the Liberty Bell and walked to the Betsy Ross House.  We had our first Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich at Sonny’s and that’s where I saw the strength of the City of Brotherly Love.  Philly reminded me a lot of Seattle, very accepting.

May 2, 2022  Lake Hopatcong NJ

We’re back in upstate New Jersey at the Mahlon-Dickerson Reservation, a beautifuly wooded campground with plenty of miles of hiking trails.  We decided to stay put and spent our days wondering through the area.  Saw a non-poisonous Rat snake and two Eastern orange-spotted newts.  These newts were only about 2 inches long, but according to Google, can live to be 12 – 15 years old.  Scenic hikes can be spiritual, like theses polished stones we found on the trail.  Always happier after a good long walk.

May 5, 2022  Gilboa NY

Our 41st state and camping near Schoharie Creek, and within the New York Catskill Mountains which we’ll be visiting tomorrow.

May 7, 2022  Catskill Mountains, NY

Went for a “moderate” hike up Slide Mountain in upstate NY – 5.6 miles RT and 1900′ elevation gain.  We saw some remnant patches of snow, so Spring had not yet sprung, especially on the SW side of the mountain.  But as is nearly always the case, it was great to get to the top and look out over the rolling Catskill Mountains.  

May 8 – 11, 2022  The borough of Litchfield CT, including Bantum and our 42nd state!   

The historic district of Litchfield was established in the 1720s, and boasts of the finest surviving examples of a classic 18th century New England town. (FYI – New England is comprised of the following states – CT, RI, MA, NH, VT and ME).  Since coming into CT, we’re appreciating the proximity to excellent restaurants (Zini’s), and bakeries (Bantum Bakery), plus the world class, in my opinion, farm fresh Arethusa Dairy with big and delicious ice cream cones.  For the 1000s of miles of “food desert”, it is a treat to get back to real foods.  We walked the grounds of the White Memorial Foundation and Conservation Center by Bantam Lake.  Saw the ruins of the old Ice House and small bright yellow birds, either Goldfinches or Warblers.

May 11, 2022  Litchfield, CT   Tapping Reeve House and the Litchfield Law School.  

Between 1774 and 1833 Tapping Reeve and his partner James Gould revolutionized the way law was taught in this country.  Their law school was the first independent law school to invoke “reading law”, study by book and lecture rather than the traditional interning with a law professional.  Lectures covered real estate, rights of persons, rights of things, contracts, torts, evidence, pleading, crimes and equity.  The house and school were declared National Historic Landmarks in 1965.

May 13, 2022  Mystic, CT  Mystic Seaport Museum

The temperatures are starting to get into the mid-70s and humid, so it was pleasant to spend the day along the Connecticut River at the Mystic Seaport Musuem.  This is an outdoor venue through a recreated 1800s CT fishing/whaling town, alongside one of the nation’s top-rated, active shipyards for restoration of old ships, like the Mayflower II.  We toured the replica of the 1901 Brant Point Lighthouse, hemp rope making, the chandlery, the Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, active from 1841-1920, complete with a boiler on board to cook down the whale blubber, and exhibits on ship figureheads and artwork done by sailors, including this crown-of-thorns made from whale bone.

May 15, 2022 Leaving CT for Newport Rhode Island, our 43rd state!

A favorite photograph from our day in Mystic Seaport Museum and a surprise when the grounds crew opened up the campground grill and found a Springtime surprise.

May 15, 2022,  Millpond Campground, near Newport RI.

Newport RI was established in 1639.  The town has many benefactors towards its preservation including The Preservation Society of Newport County which has acquired a number of Gilded Age (post Civil War) “cottages”; the Doris Duke Newport Restoration Foundation’s preservation of Queen Anne Square, and Rough Point museum; and the National Park Service’s establishment of the Cliff Walk National Trail.  We started our tour in downtown, with yummy Clam Chowder soup at the Red Parrot restaurant located in an 1898 brick building, then walking the winding streets around the retail stores of Queen Anne Square.

May 16, 2022  The Breakers – This is one of several “cottages” built during the Gilded Age for the purpose of demonstrating the wealth and opulence of the leaders of the American economy.   The Breakers was built by Richard Morris Hunt for Cornelius II and Alice Vanderbilt’s summer home.  The 70 room, 138,300 sq. ft. home with Great Hall, Grand staircase, Dining Room, Music Room, Library, etc., was styled in the Italian Renaissance style and completed in just 2 years (1893-95).  The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1994.  The grounds are similarly rich in showing the European Copper Beech tree and the Horse Chestnut tree while looking out to the Atlantic Ocean.  The acorn and oak leaf is the Vanderbilt family’s symbol of strength and longevity.  

May 17, 2022  Green Animals Topiary Garden

This is another of the Preservation Society of Newport County’s properties – an historic country estate in Narragansett Bay, RI.  Originally purchased in 1877, the 7 acre property was donated to the PSNC in 1972.  Along with the whimsical animal topiaries, the site includes a fruit tree orchard, bamboo plantings, a cutting garden, vegetable garden and a giant Copper Beech Tree estimated to be 160 years old.  

May 17, 2022  Rough Point, Newport RI. 

Originally built in 1887-1891 for Frederick & Louise Vanderbilt, the 21 room, 38,000 sq. ft English Manor was most recently the residence of heiress, collector and philanthropist Doris Duke.  The single child of James & Nanaline Duke, Doris inherited Rough Point at the age of 12.  Ms. Duke had no heirs, so after living in the house with her 2 pet camels and many dogs over the years, she donated the residence and sizable Asian porcelain collection, plus European artworks to the Newport Restoration Foundation.  J.C. Olmstead designed the gardens and  landscape.

May 18, 2022  Cliff Walk in Newport RI

We enjoyed a beautiful day walking the 3.4 mile Cliff Walk trail with ocean waves hitting the rocky coast on one side, and glimpses of the “cottages” along Bellevue Avenue on the inland side.  The water was crystal clear, and about the temperature of Puget Sound.  There were many people enjoying the walk and sunshine, including a young couple from Switzerland.  It is soooo good to have COVID somewhat behind us, and to enjoy meeting people again, both locally* and from around the world.

*Shout out to Maureen H., a local resident and sweet-hearted woman who graciously offered us a ride back to our truck.  It was a pleasure.

May 21, 2022  Brewster, Massachusetts, our 44th state!  Today we drove up the Cape Cod National Seashore to Provincetown, MA.   We stopped at Coast Guard Beach, with its familiar rocky shore and morning fog.  Next stopped at Marconi Beach where Italian-born Guglielmo Marconi on 1/18/1903 demonstrated his invention of the first transatlantic wireless telegraph with communication between President Theodore Roosevelt and Britain’s King Edward VII.  Also visited  Provincetown, the location of the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims on November 21, 1620.  While anchored, they wrote the Mayflower Compact.  Steve and I climbed the 116 stairs of Pilgrim’s Monument and shot views of Cape Cod Bay and Provincetown, MA.

May 22, 2022     Plymouth, MA

Drove to Plymouth MA, on the other side of Cape Cod Bay.  The National Park Service has a monument built over Plymouth Rock in its historical 1620 A.D. location.  The pilgrims chose Plymouth over Provincetown because of a freshwater spring and better soil conditions.  They set foot on this shore on 12/21/1620, one month after visiting Provincetown.  Statue of Massasoit, the great sachem of the local Wampanagoag Indian tribes.  Massasoit arranged for sharing food with Pilgrims during their first winter.  Cole Hill’s sarcophagus of Mayflower pilgrims’ remains who died that first year (other descendants as well).  The Pilgrim Hall Museum, oldest operating museum in the country, 1824.  Current exhibit – Wampanagoag’s perspective of European settlers.

May 23, 2022  Happy 92nd Birthday Dad!!

We visited Martha’s Vineyard Island today.  Getting there was a bit of an adventure – no parking in the vicinity of the Vineyard Haven ferry dock, so learned Steamship Authority provides shuttle service from a parking lot 3 miles away. No problem getting tickets as walk-ons.  Once on the island, discovered Transit Authority wasn’t quite ready for the early influx of visitors.  Our destination, Aquinnah Cliffs, was on the westerly point of the island.  After waiting about an hour for a bus, the TA arranged for a separate bus to take us and others directly to the cliffs.  Once there, it was beautiful.  Google the legend of Moshup who created the colors on the cliffs.  A visit to the lighthouse and a most appreciated walk along the beach.  Breathe. Beautiful.

May 24, 2022  Brewster, MA

Steve was wise to have given us 5 nights in Brewster MA.  Conveniently located to Cape Cod and Plymouth.  Cute General Store with all sorts of stuff, a summer-only Brewster Scoop ice cream shop.  Shingle and shake-sided homes.  Nice folks, except the rather gruff mailman at the Post Office,  Early American history everywhere.  New England is a treat, and we’ve just started!  

Mashpee Wampanoag Museum has limited hours, but good reviews if you’re in the area.

May 25, 2022  Gloucester, (Glosta) MA

I’d always heard that east-coast persons talked quickly.  Well, I’ve got a theory as to why.  They arbitrarily drop syllables.  We spent 6 glorious days exploring this Greater Cape Ann area, yet I couldn’t correct my pronunciation of Gloucester.  Three syllables.  No, locals have conveniently shortened it to 2 – Glos ta.  Our first evening we went out to dinner sitting deck side appreciating the salt flats and some well-earned cocktails.   Arriving a few days ahead of Memorial weekend, we took advantage of free parking, visiting Half Moon, Cressy and Wingaersheek (Singing) beaches.  Fishermen and Fishermens’ Wives memorials in Gloucester, and note the 1623 Massachusetts Bay Colony plaque on the granite slab.

May 27, 2022  Salem MA

How could one go to MA, and not visit the Salem Witch Trials Memorial?  The adjoining graveyard is now a National Historic Landmark.  In 1692, nearly 200 people were accused of the then-crime of witchcraft.  Twenty were tried and executed either by hanging or pressed by stones.  Every year Salem presents its Award for Human Rights and Social Justice to individuals taking action to protect individuals’ rights and freedoms.  But as you can see, there is all things “witches” in this town.

Check out Konstantin Dimopoulos:The Blue Trees.

May 28, 2022    Plum Island MA

Steve and I had the pleasure of meeting Heather M.’s mother Andrea and Godmother, Dale or Aunt Dolly.  We spent the afternoon sightseeing on Plum Island where Tom and Heather were married, then drove near Salisbury Beach along the Merrimack River where locals neither acknowledge “No Parking” signs nor pay for parking.  Then toured Newburyport (New.bre.por, another local abbreviated pronunciation) and had lunch alfresco until rain, thunder and lightening forced us inside.  A real treat to meet Heather’s Mom and look forward to their trip out West.

May 29, 2022  Rockport MA

There are all sorts of these small coastal towns in the Cape Ann area.  Today, we spent time touring Newport, including Bear Skin Neck, named after a bear which was caught by the tide and then killed in 1700.  This area was the center of Rockport’s commercial and shipbuilding enterprises for 160 years.  It’s now filled with small tourist shops.

May 30, 2022    Springfield VT, Walpole NH

Steve and I had heard that Walpole NH was one of New England’s prettiest villages.  We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, taking in the local craftsmanship at the Walpole Artisan’s Cooperative, including a beautiful inlaid local cherry wood bowl by Wayne Cotton.  Then went across the street to L.A. Burdick Chocolates for coffee and chocolate cake, and finished at the Walpole Grocery’s butcher shop for steaks and cheddar cheese/bacon hamburger patties.  Life is better with good food.

June 3, 2022    North Woodstock NH

Steve and I have discovered there are at least 4 Woodstocks – in NH, VT, the Woodstock of fame in NY and one in GA.  We’ve also discovered that NH is a gorgeous state with rolling tree-covered hills, rivers to kayak and canoe, camping and hiking.  On a foggy, drippy day we drove Hwy 112 – the Kancamagus National Scenic Byway, established in 1957.  We met Rex Wiley, local guide for NH’s Park Service.  While in the 100 yo visitor’s center, Governor Chris Sununu came in for a visit.  That was an unexpected bonus!  We spotted roadside clumps of legendary Pink Lady Slippers (orchid family), and stopped at The Mount Washington Resort, built in 1906.

June 4, 2022     Lost River Gorge and Caves

The weather improved and we were out for adventure.  Cave exploring – sure!  This mile long stretch of boulders/caves/lookouts were “discovered” by Jackson brothers in 1852.  The connecting stairs, flooring, ladders were built by Charles Kimball who did a phenomenal job of maneuvering around rock and water.  There are a total of 9 caves to visit.  Steve and I made it through seven.  We didn’t qualify for the Lemon squeeze gauge, and the Bear Crawl was on hands and knees – no thank you.  View of Kinsman Notch.

June 1-5, 2022     North Woodstock, NH

During our 6-day stay near White Mountains National Forest, we visited several of the nearly 30 covered bridges in this part of NH.  Most were constructed in late 1880s, were designed for full wagons of hay and were built with a cover to protect the wood components.  The Bath-Haverhill is the longest (1827, 256’3″), some are still used as one-lane passenger car only bridges (Saco River), others are pedestrian only (Swift River) and still others have been converted to a business location (Bartlett).  They are all beautiful, but as Steve said on our last day “No more bridges!!”

June 5, 2022  Sabbaday Falls, The Kancamagus Highway, the Kanc, in White Mountains NF, NH

Steve and I agreed these were some of the most striking falls we’ve seen in New England thus far.  A unique feature is a basalt fault that divided two granite slabs and due to erosion over thousands of years, created Sabbaday Falls.  Look for the darker colored basalt in the picture.  We hiked further upstream and found two boulders to sit on in the middle of Sabbaday Brook. Spent an hour just hanging out in the sun, listening to the water run around us.

June 6, 2022 Wiscasset ME – 47th state!

This is the view that welcomed us at the Chewonki Campground.  The salt flats are along  Chewonki Neck and Black River, in mid-coast Maine.  

June 7, 2022  Morse Mntn trail to Seawall Beach

The unique and exquisitely beautiful experience of hiking out of the forest and onto the Atlantic ocean beach.  This is the Bates-Morse Conservation area, 600 acres of land and water donated by the St. John family, which includes a 4 mile hike to the beach, scenic lookout, rental homes and study area for conservation efforts by students and faculty from Bates College.

June 9-10, 2022 Leave Chewonki for Trenton, ME

One last hike in the area at Eaton Farm Preserve.  Much of this mid-Atlantic area has forests hugging the rocky Maine coastline, as was the case during our drippy Thursday stroll.

Following Atlantic Highway 1 North we bid adieu to Cherwonki and headed to our next destination near Acadia National Park.  En route, we stopped at Moody’s Diner where they’ve been serving meals, pies and doughnuts since 1927.  Lots of photos on the wall documenting life of the Moody family and the area over 90+ years.  It was a toss up whether the blueberry or the four-berry pie was best.

June 6-13, 2022    Acadia National Park, ME

Acadia NP comprises about half of Mt. Desert Island, awa the southern tip of Schoonic Peninsula, part of the Isle of Haut and portions of 16 smaller outlying islands.  Acadia (first named Lafayette NP in 1919, renamed to Acadia in 1929) owes its formation to the efforts of George B. Door who negotiated the donation of large acreages to the park by persons such as John D. Rockefeller Jr. and the John Godfrey Moore family.  Steve and I spent one day walking along the Rockefeller Carriage Roads, observing at least two gate houses put in place to prevent automobiles from entering the horse and carriage-only paths.   

On Sunday, we got up at 2:45 AM to catch sunrise at Otter Cliffs in Acadia NP.  Following the sound of buoy bell, we made our way to the steep cliffs and watched a serene and stunning sunrise.  Then found the Otter Cliff Trail and hiked for more views of Maine’s dramatic shoreline.  Then to top of Cadillac Mountain, where we could see down to Otter Cliffs, then to Sandy Beach sticking our toes in the sand and cold Atlantic waves.  We drove to Thunder Hole to see the waves slam against the rocks, and at 11:00 am went for brunch at Jordon Pond House where warm popovers have been served to travelers and rusticactors since the late 1800s. 

Monday was a foggy day, so went into Bar Harbor for some shopping, and then to Schoonic Point for views of the waves.  At Island Artisans saw some Wabanaki “fancy baskets” made more for tourist trade, than for function, in the late 1800s.  Now the style is welcomed as true art.  At Schoonic, note the  dark diabase dike between the lighter-colored granite.  Wrapped in a blanket, watched and listened to the waves.

Three types of ferns observed while in Maine – cinnamon fern, sensitive fen and sweet fern shrub.

6/15, 2022  Lubec ME – the easternmost municipality in the contiguous U.S.  Camped at Johnson Bay, one of the more beautiful RV camps, and watched the sunset.  The camp provides free pots and burners for boiling lobster, so we had a great fresh lobster dinner in ME.  There’s also Monica’s Chocolates across the street.  Good quality chocolates!  And even Steve is commenting on how beautiful the multi-colored Lupine are, and they are everywhere!  A great stay.

Thursday 6/16 – Drove to Quoddy Head SP Lighthouse (originally built in 1808), and the easternmost point of land in the contiguous U.S.  The park overlooks the Bay of Fundy, where tides can exchange 40-50′ in a matter of hours.  We saw a woman having to wade through waist-high tidal waters because she’d miscalculated how quickly the tides move in.  Also visited a unique ecosystem called an Artic Bog.  We saw two of the 3 featured plants – the Pitcher Plant, the Sun Dew and the Baked Apple Berries apparently are visible later in season.  Lubec is one of 34 sites along the ME coastline showcasing granite sculptures as part of the Maine Sculpture Trail.  This piece, titled Beyond the Horizon was done by Valerian Jikia of the Republic of Georgia.  Had a farm fresh dinner at Inn on the Wharf.  Really enjoyed the state of Maine. 

Friday 6/17-18/22, Crossed into New Brunswick, Canada at St. Stephens.  Steve submitted passport and immunization information 3 days ahead, and we had no problem getting into the country.  Drove to the [Bay of} Fundy Trail and saw Fuller Falls, suspension bridge, Salmon River, Walton Glen Gorge and a most interesting flora called Fir Clubmoss.  It is a spore plant and is “older” than ferns.  In ancient times, it was woven into bracelets and the wearer could “hear the birds talk”.  If injested it can cause hypnotic state in low doses but death in high doses.  It’s buds can cause smoke and was used by early stage entertainers to  “disappear” in a cloud of smoke.

June 19, 2022  St. Martin’s Sea Caves

Happy Father’s Day!

Steve and I headed out early to get to the sea caves at low tide, stopping at the very cute coffee house in St. Martin’s village for scones and hot drinks.  The caves are in the red Honeycomb Point Formation, with the grey conglomerate Quaco formation overtop (about 250 MYO).  Fun to explore the various sized caves.

Tuesday, 6/21-22/22  Cornwall Prince Edward Island  First Day of Summer!

Drove across the 8-mile Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island.  We are near Charlottetown and this area is so beautiful with the dark red soil, bright green pastures and blue skies.  Visited Greenwich Prince Edward Island National Park.  We were two of three people on the beach!!  Saw purple jellyfish (?Artic Red?) and the False Potato beetle.  PEI is noted for its potatoes.

June 23, 2022  Sightseeing on PEI

A look out at the beach of the campground, the colorful lupine in bloom everywhere.  Drove about to Summerside for the Eptek Arts and Culture centre featuring local artisans, the PEI Fox Den, more local artisans, the birth home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables, the Handpie Company (Steve’s favorite) and in Charlottetown, on a floating dock met Caron Prins, the Queen of Fries at the Chip Shop (my favorite). 

Friday 6/24/22  Ferry to Nova Scotia

A wet, drippy day to take the Woods Island ferry across to Nova Scotia.  Although relatively expensive with the trailer, it balanced out with saving us an hour of driving at $6.50/gallon for gas.  

Saturday 6/25/22  Burntcoat Head, NS

The Burntcoat Head Park is about an hour drive from Truro, our hotel stay in Nova Scotia.  We wanted to visit because this is the world’s highest tidal exchanges, with todays high/low exchange at about 40′; under “ideal” conditions can get to 53 feet differences.  We visited at 11:06 AM for high tide and then came back a few hours early to explore the area before the 5:22 PM low tide (see first set of pics for contrast).  The ocean floor was like a giant playground, exploring metamorphic-like rocks, caves along the beach and the Atlantic Mud Piddock clam that burrows into the red sandstone and grows until it can’t free itself and then lives out the rest of its life filtering food from the seawater.

While waiting for low tide, we visited the Grand Pre, National Historic Site of Canada.  This is the location where British troops, during the Seven Year War between France and Great Britain (1755-1762), removed 10,000 native Acadians from Nova Scotia and shipped them to New England, SC and GA, as well as to France and England.  The pictured La croix acadienne was originally erected in 1924, but was relocated to Minas Basin/Horton Landing/Viex Logis in 2005.

Scenes from the Maritime Islands.

6/26-30/22 The Ovens, Riverport Nova Scotia

The Ovens, Nova Scotia’s oldest campground dating back to 1860s when gold was discovered in the sedimentary rock cliffs.  Absolutely stunning campsite views of the ocean waves hitting rock cliffs.  The sound of waves, frequent sightings of double-masted schoolers saluted by slide whistles and Scottish bag pipes (“Farewell to Nova Scotia”) played at high tide were all fond memories of our stay.  The campground is privately owned and has a restuarant offering breakfast and lunch.  We took advantage of this after a morning of gold “panning”.  Walked for miles along the beach and discovered a wood structure that was used in Netflix’s The Sinner.  

6/30-7/4/22  Shediac, New Brunswick

During our stay we visited UNESCO’s Joggins Fossil Cliffs, celebrated Canada Day (formerly Dominion Day) on July 1st with an excellent fireworks display, and ended our last day with a visit to Trueman’s Blueberry Farms which featured it’s own homemade ice cream.  While at Joggins Fossil Cliffs, from Paleozoic to Mesozoic to Cenozoic  geologic times, we saw coal seams, and plant and tree fossils on the beach.  Within the Information center was a fossil showing the tracks of an ancient millipede called an Arthropleura – the largest land dwelling invertebrate ever to live.  We do love rocks!

Shediac, NS  Canada Day 2022

It was July 1, 1982 that all 10 Provinces and 3 Territories of Canada were united in one country and celebrated Canada Day.  Back to 1867, there were 3 Provinces – Quebec, Ontario, and what was referred to as Upper and Lower Canada, that celebrated Dominion Day.  On Friday night, July 1, Steve and I stood on the bridge to Shediac city center, listening to the kids’ Ohs and Ahs during the night sky display.  

And why did we choose to come to Shediac in the first place?  Because it is the home to the World’s largest Lobster – brought on site in 1990 by NB artist Winston Bronnum.   The lobster weighs 55 Tons.

7/4-7/22  Nackawic, New Brunswick

Not to be outdone by Shediac, Nackawic NB boasts the Largest Ax in the world, acknowledging the economic significance of logging in the area.  The largest ax instillation was in 1991.  A little friendly competition, eh?

And perhaps setting precedence is the Hartland Covered Bridge, built between 1898 to 1901.  It is the World’s Longest Covered Bridge.  It’s comprised of 7 small Howe Truss bridges, joined together on 6 piers and built over the St. John River.  Steve and I have now seen the world’s longest covered bridge, no need to see any more.

And where else to end the day except at Yum Yum’s dairy bar serving soft and hard ice cream.  

July 8, 2022  Foxcroft-Dover ME, near Moosehead Lake

Well, we’re on the return trip now, back in the states (ME), and this time frequenting inland locations.  Our hike today was to Peaks Kenny State Park.  A rather unique Park Art installation – incorporating picnic benches into the surrounding scenery – were on display during our hike on Birch Mountain Ledge Trail.  I also included two pics strictly from the artist Mother Nature.

July 9, 2022 Monson, ME  Little Wilson Falls

Our second hike in the Moosehead Lake area, a moderate hike to Little Wilson Falls.  This hike intersects the Appalachian Trail and is the common collection of lots of rocks and tree roots, and steep slopes that we’ve experienced on other ME hikes.  Met a nice young couple at the falls and then returned for a locally brewed beer and homemade feta cheese at Turning Page Brewery, near Monson ME.  I thought the Mug Club was a cute idea. 

July 10, 2022  Mt. Kineo, near Rockwood ME

Third hike in three days and couldn’t be happier.  We drove to Rockwood to catch the Mount Kineo Golf & Shuttle to Mt. Kineo SP.   A freight canoe regatta of sorts was on the water.  Motorized deep- hauled canoes used for freighting supplies within New England’s largest freshwater body.  Once ashore at the park, we hiked another typical rocks, tree roots and steep ME trail to Mt. Kineo summit at 1, 789′.  I climbed the 1918 metal fire tower to get the photo of the island-dotted Moosehead Lake from above.  Rhyolite stone is commonly found on the island.  Ended our day with round two at Butterfield’s homemade ice cream – Mint Katahdin Breeze.

July 11, 2022 Franconia NH and Mt. Washington

Mt. Washington is NH’s highest peak at 6288′, and notorious for high winds and unpredictable weather.  Whereas Brigid and Paul had gentle breezes and sunshine for their hiking ascent in late June, Steve and I experienced 40 mph winds and dense fog.  Nonetheless, it is an incredible experience to be at that elevation and above timberline, in the alpine environment.  Note the rock kerns in the last picture.  This was a trail to the summit.  Not my idea of happiness.

July 14, 2022  The Flume in Franconia Notch State Park, White Mountains, NH

Have to say that this geologic divide called The Flume, was a bit of a disappointment.  I think it could be dramatic with water gushing through it, but in mid-July, it was rather tame.  Two types of vegetation were interesting – Foliose Lichen which is both an alga and a fungus.  The mycelium of the fungus anchors the organism to the rock wall, while the alga uses chlorophyll  to provide food.  And  the Jack in the Pulpit plant, a somewhat rare plant that can cause irritation when touched.  Favorite spot was The Pool with the covered bridge which used the legendary white pine tree called the Sentinel for its base.

July 16, 2022  Moss Glenn Falls near Stowe, VT

Our return trip through New England is further island than our trip north.  We also selected Stowe, VT as it is close to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream factory.  But first, we have to earn those calories.  We took a nice 2.5 mile hike through a meadow and up to Glenn Falls and beyond.  A 14,000-step day.  Did you know that some varieties of honeysuckle produce a toxic red-orange berry? We obliged our need for something thirst quenching by visiting the 125 yo Red Barn Ice Cream shop and ordering Vermont Maple Creemes.  Delicious!

July 17, 2022  Waterbury VT

Today is the day, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream!!  But oh so disappointing.  Way too many people.  Our tour guide was sweet, but kind of skipped over the buyout of B & J’s in 2000 by Unilever.  By 2017, the “All Natural” label disappeared and the company started using guar gum and carrageenan as preservatives.  Some would argue these are “natural” ingredients – derivatives of guar beans and seaweed, but after you’ve had farm fresh ice cream such as Arethusa’s Farm Dairy in CT and Trueman’s ice cream in New Brunswick, you can taste the difference.  Check out Google for more on the story of B & J’s buy-out. Stopped at Cabot Cheese (VT company) and made a fine meal from purchased goodies, including their Founders’ Collection cheeses.

July 20, 2022  Adirondack Park, upstate NY

It was 90 degrees and humid, so Steve and I decided to drive in our air-conditioned vehicle instead of hiking in the hills.  Note Adirondack Park is a park, not a State Park or National Park, but a collection of state-owned properties, private landowners and private (lumber) businesses governed by the Adirondack Park Agency, a New York State government agency (similar in management as Moosehead Lake Park, ME). 

Along the way was Hoss’s Store with a live tree growing through the roof.  Every sort of thing you’d need for camping, past and present.   We picked up a hand-carved walking stick.

July 21, 2022  Lake George, NY  Every Thursday night, the Lake George community has a firework display along the waterfront.  It is so fun to hear the kids (in all of us) appreciating the fiery show.

July 22, 2022  Oswego, NY

Food, or more specifically, the tradition of food, struck me in this modestly sized (~115,000) town of Oswego NY.   Our campground was directly across from Bev’s Ice Cream featuring Perry’s (100+ yo) ice cream and authentic custard.  When driving into town, we noticed Vona’s Italian restaurant not 2 blocks away from Capela’s Italian restaurant.  Both apparently are food institutions in the community – Vona’s established in 1946 and Canale’s in 1954.  We had to try each.  Both were good with Canale’s featuring homemade Cavatelli pasta that was delicious.  Bev’s IC was open from 12 Noon to 9:00 pm and there was a continuous line of customers, often peaking just before sunset on Lake Ontario. 

July 23, 2022  Finger Lakes Region, NY

To burn off a few calories, we opted to go for a hike near Seneca Lake, one of 11 Finger Lakes in the region.  Along with great food in the region, there are an abundance of wineries, breweries and distilleries.  After our hike to Burnt Hill, we opted to go to Last Shot Distillery, an out of the way distillery associated with Skaneateles brewery.  Nice setting for drinking alcohol, listening to live music and having community with neighbors.

flora: Indian pipes, fauna: dairy cow

July 23-28, 2022  Sunsets along Lake Ontario

July 25, 2022  Golden Hills SP, NY

A recommended RV stay along Lake Ontario with quiet, spacious sites.  There is also the 1875 hand-carved stone Thirty Mile Lighthouse w/in the park, named such because it’s 30 miles east of the Niagara River.  It’s also allegedly haunted, which is a magnet for me.  60 steps to the top of the lighthouse for a nice view of Lake Ontario.

July 27, 2022 Buffalo, NY

A bit of a drive, but worth seeing a cool city.  The Art Deco City Hall with its east and west friezes by artist John Wade.  The obelisk dedicated to assassinated President William McKinley who in 1901 was “the victim of a treacherous assassin who shot the president as he was extending to him the hand of courtesy”.   Also street art of Shark girl and the Green room at the steps where 19th century immigrants landed in Buffalo, and lastly, but back to the tradition of food in NY, the Anchor Bar where in 1964 a mother named Teressa Bellissimo brought her original Buffalo Wings to feed her bartender son and friends.  The rest is history.

July 28, 2022  Niagara Park, Ontario

Crossed the Rainbow Bridge into Ontario and headed to Horseshoe Falls, one of three falls that comprise Niagara Falls.  The other two falls are on the NY side – American and Bridal Veil falls.  Niagara Park, established in 1885, deserves a full day to explore.  The Floral Clock, Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls Walk, museums, horticulture school and recreation facilities, as well as restaurants and overnight accommodations.  The falls are breath-taking, much more expansive and majestic than we’d anticipated.  Spend time just being there.

July 28, 2022  Seneca Iroquois National Museum, Salamanca, NY  Harvest Host stay

We stayed one night in the parking lot of the museum, listening to live music from a community Hootenany taking place in museum’s amphitheater.  Next morning, visited the museum.  Although equally talented in basketweaving and moccasins, the beadwork by Mohawk, Kahnawake and Iroquois artists really stood out.  The museum included exhibits on creation stories, politics and the recent controversies surrounding Indian Schools in NY and Canada. 

July 30, 2022  Kinsua Sky Walk, Allegheny National Forest Region, Sheffield PA

A former train track that once brought lumber from the Allegheny forests to Pittsburg and other market destinations in the 1800s, the Kinzua Sky Walk is now “One of the World’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Skywalks and Viewpoints”.  In 2003, a F-1 tornado (73-112 mph winds) blew out a section of the trestle.  In its stead, the National Park, Forest Service and Pennsylvania state parks have constructed a 225′ skywalk overlooking the Allegheny Plateau, complete with a one-inch thick “glass” viewing window.  There’s also a fantastic Visitors Center with lots of interactive and informative exhibits.  A recommended visit.

July 31, 2022  Bradford, PA  Zippo/Case Museum

This was an unexpected sight to see, a museum showcasing Zippo lighters and Case knives.  Not surprising upon further investigation, both novelties are created in factories in Bradford, PA.  Zippo lighters is a manufacturing business started in 1946 by George Blaisdell who created the Zippo “windproof lighter that worked and worked every time”.   Case knives started by William Russell Case and brothers began making knives in Bradford, PA in 1905.  Case makes a variety of knives, including pocketknives and kitchen knives. 

8/1/22  Kinzua Dam, within the Allegheny National Forest, PA

The dam was first proposed in 1938 to control flooding in Pittsburg.  Construction by Army Corps of Engineers was finally completed in 1965 after decades of protest by the Seneca Nation of Indians which lost 10,000 acres of their Allegany Territory to the dam.

8/2/2022   Flight 93 National Memorial, near Shanksville, PA

On the morning of September 11, 2001, four commercial airliners are hijacked by al Qaeda terrorists in an attack against the United States – Flight 11 flew into the North WTC, Flight 175 flew into the South WTC, Flight 77 flew into the Pentagon and Flight 93 was diverted and heading to Washington DC when passengers overtook the 4 terrorists and the plane instead crashed at this National Memorial site.  To capture as sensitive an event as this takes knowledge, skill and respect.  The memorial is well done with informative, heart wrenching exhibits inside, but also the Wall of Names, the rock boulder making impact, the Tower of Voices chimes for the 40 victims and the architecture of the building outside provide an emotional reprieve from the impact of this event.

Kooser SP, Somerset PA   Swallowtail butterflies on Sweet Joe Pye Weed.

August 6, 2022  Harper’s Ferry National Historic Park, WV

In October 1859, John Brown and fellow abolitionists attempted to “free all the negroes” from his headquarters in the local firehouse.  During the raid, John Brown’s son was killed and John Brown later hung.  Town of Harper’s Ferry is situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenadoah Rivers, crucial for river trade in the 18th and 19th centuries.  It was also the site of an armory and other industrial innovations.  The Civil War trapped the town between trade and slavery interests.  Later outcomes for the area include Storer College, the Niagara Movement (later to be the NAACP), as well as part of the Appalachian Trail and Potomac Heritage Trail.

 

8/7/2022  Antietem National Battlefield, MD

“September 17, 1862  The bloodiest one-day battle of the American Civil War”.  In the telling of these Civil War battles, it’s not always easy to identify the winner and loser.  In this battle, of the combined 100,000 Union and Confederate soldiers, 23,000 casualties (dead, injured, missing) were declared.  Battle sites include: the Cornfield, Sunken Road (Bloody Road), Lower Bridge.  Final picture is Antietem National Cemetery where 4,776 Union soldiers were buried.  Confederate soldiers were buried in Hagertown and Frederick MD, and Sheperdtown WV.  “Not for themselves, but for their country.”

8/8/2022  Stonewall Jackson SP, near Roanoke WV

It’s been high 80 – 90s and humid through PA and WV.  Thunderstorms are a common occurrence.  Despite the humidity, it was nice to capture the beauty of the West Virginia hills and people enjoying nature.

August 10, 2022  Weston, WV

Who wouldn’t want to visit a haunted insane asylum?  Me.  So, Steve and I took the historic rather than the haunted tour of the Trans-Alleghany Insane Asylum/Weston Hospital.  The building is a National Landmark and on the National Registry of Historic Places.  It is the second largest hand cut sandstone building in the world, second to the Kremlin in Moscow.  It was completed in 1864 and operated until 1994.  It was purchased in 2007 by Joe Jordan who is restoring parts of the hospital but keeping other parts as is.  Originally designed for 250 patients, by 1950s, the hospital housed 2400 patients, including violent men and women, the criminally insane, TB, and geriatrics.  Especially touring the former corridors of the violent men patients, it was spooky.  Masks made by patients in the 1970s, showing their outside and inside selves.

August 12, 2022  Logan, OH

This was a gem, the Paul A. Johnson Pencil Sharpener Museum.  Mr. Johnson started collecting sharpeners after he retired in 1989 and has over 3400 sharpeners in his collection.  Old, new, historic…sharpeners from around the world.

August 13, 2022  Hocking Hills, OH

We spent two days touring rock formations, waterfalls and caves found in Hocking Hills SP near Logan, OH.  Old Man’s Cave and Ash Cave were formed in Blackhand Sandstone by an erosional process called “sapping”.  I stood under the waterfall at Ash Cave.  Invigorating!!  Rock House is a true cave over 200′ long and 25′ high.  Native Americans carved troughs into Rock House floor to collect water, and carved ovens into the walls for cooking. Note some of the dates carved into the rocks.  Older dates existed throughout the cave.

August 14, 2022  Hopewell Culture National Historic Park, Mound City Group, Chillicothe, OH

This National Park was the best representation of Moundbuilder culture that we’ve seen thus far on our trip.  We were amazed at the artifacts recovered from the primarily Burial sites found at Mount City Group, one of 5 Hopewell mound sites in the area.  The Eastern Woodlands Hopewell Culture existed from approximately 500 BC to 200 AD.  The artifacts recovered from these mound sites were constructed with materials found throughout eastern North America, including mica sheets from the Carolinas, copper and silver from the Great Lakes, obsidian and grizzly bear teeth from MT/WY and shells from the Gulf coast.  Archeologists suggest this site was a trading center, awa a place to celebrate significant celestial events.

August 15, 2022  Troy, OH

Making a stop in Troy OH to visit friends and former neighbors- the Keatys.  Their daughters and our Hannah played together as kids and we spent hours talking, laughing and reminiscing about the good old days.  Their “love pig” Belgium shepherd, Mogli was there first thing in the morning to give us big smiles and wet noses.

August 17, 2022  Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park, Dayton OH

Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright were early inventors.  Starting with designing their own toys, they went on to operating a printing press, and owning a bicycle shop.  By 1902 they had designed and built a man-operated glider.  With a contract from the Army for a “heavier-than-air flying machine”, they set out to build an airplane.  After many failed attempts, the incorporation of “wing warping” which allowed for lateral control of the aircraft glided them to success.  On October 5, 1905, Wilbur flew for 39 consecutive minutes, 29 times around the Huffman Airfield, at that time a cow pasture about 10 miles from Dayton.  Currently, the Huffman Prairie Flyng Field is part of the National Park Service.

 

August 21, 2022  Cave-in-Wall SP, Cave-in-Wall, IL

Yes, this is the name of both the park and town in southern Illinois.  It’s named for the huge cave located along the Ohio River, used by Native Americans, but also the nefarious Mason gang who preyed on early river-travelling pioneers.  Sand/Mudstone deposits with quartz/fluorite inclusions.  We visited the privately operated Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum (Marion, IL), with its phenomenal collection of Fluorite crystals, from the very rare black octagon crystal formation called “Bird in Flight”, to the blue, green, gold, clear, purple specimens throughout.  Our camp host, Steve Wheeler, was a character.  We saw this red-shouldered hawk and snake battle it out, and identified over a dozen song birds.  

August 23, 2022  Garden of the Gods, Shawnee NF, near Herod, IL

300-foot high bluffs emerge from the forest to create unique formations like Camel Rock and Devil’s Smokestack.  This area was once a part of an ancient sea (320 MYO) while the Appalachian Mountains were forming.  Most striking were the Liesegang Bands, created by Iron and Manganese deposits eroding at a slower rate then the surrounding Mud/Sandstone.  The patterns are mesmerizing.

August 24, 2022 Cape Girardeau, MO

Trail of Tears – From 1830 to 1850, “Five Civilized Tribes” were forcibly moved from their ancestral homelands in Southeastern US to the Indian Territory in OK.  Among these tribes were the Cherokees from ~TN, who in the fall and winter of 1838 and 1839 had to spend a long cold winter along the banks of the Mississippi River, until the river thawed. Many of the Indians did not survive the harsh conditions due to disease, freezing temperatures, inadequate clothes and food.  The State Park campground is near the former TofT camp, and the nearby Visitors Center does a much better job of telling the story.  Ask for Ranger Steve. 

 

 

August 28, 2022 City of Cape Girardeau, MO

We decided a night in a hotel would be pleasant, so headed into town.  Being a sucker for anything stating “World’s biggest, best, most….” we had to stop at the local Rhodes convenient store and snap a picture of the World’s largest Fountain Cup, capable of holding the record amount of 4,730 gallons (605,555 regular-sized cups) of lemonade.  We’re experiencing some of the mid-90 degree plus humidity days and that volume is tempting.  Also visited the flood wall constructed along the Mississippi River.   A beautifully painted wall depicting the city’s history, plus functioning as a break wall when the MS River floods.  Note recent dates on flood wall gate.

August 30, 2022 Pocahontas, AR

Staying at the Davidsonville (estab. 1815)  Historic Park, a nice setting, but the heat and humidity has followed us.  We did visit the Rudolph County Heritage Museum, with the exhibit of the Crosby and the Black River Button Companies.  Similar to the button factory visited in IA, in late 1880s, muscle shells were harvested along the rivers and punched out at small factories to make buttons.  Hard work for little pay.  A great display of different quilt styles depicted on vinyl banners throughout Pocahontas’ town square. Many quilts made by local grandmothers and great-grandmothers.

September 2, 2022  Buffalo National River Park, near Harrison, AK

Still hot and humid, and now lightening and rainstorms day and night.  We’d hoped to canoe down the river, but our one-day window predicted lightening.  So, a short hike at Buffalo Point where we’re seeing rock formations and mushrooms pushing through the dirt, an abandoned zinc carbonate mine and the ghost town of formerly 5000 people, called Rush.

Enjoyed a Labor Day party at our Shady Oaks RV park in Harrison.  Live music and comfortable conversation.  Good for the soul!

September 4, 2022  Cleona, OK

This particular park is near Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. 90+ degree days, but drier air.  Being outside is becoming bearable.  We did find this pleasant Nature Trail and park, offered to the public by the Har-Ber Village Foundation.  The founders, Harvey and Bernice Jones donated their land, its historic buildings for a pleasant walk under the shade of oak trees.  Drove to the nearby Shangri-La Resort on Monkey Island.  The current owner of the resort, Eddy Gibbs, has in the lobby the 1961 Mahogany Century Resorter speedboat, dubbed “the Restofus” by one of its previous owners John F. Kennedy and family.

September 8, 2022  Pawhuska, OK

Visited the Osage Nation Museum, the oldest tribal museum in country (estab. 1938).   Unfortunately, no pictures allowed inside museum, but observed a memorable medicine man headdress with a woodpecker’s beak which was used spiritually to “dig” into the patient and help extract the illness.  Outside the museum was plaque explaining the Million Dollar Elm tree where Osage oil rights were auctioned off.  First well drilled in 1897 and by 1969, eight billion barrels of oil extracted with estimated 2 billion barrels remaining in area.  Drove into cute town of Pawhuska, where monies from Pioneer woman Ree Drummond and family have brought a building revival to downtown.  Driving back on OK 60, stopped at Osage Nation Heritage Trail with history including Tallgrass Prairies, Ranching, Oil and Osage Nation which formally included parts of KS, OK, MO and AK.  The Osage were one of few tribes that negotiated the purchase of their reservation land (1872) as well as retaining mineral rights.

September 9, 2022  Ponca City, OK

Visited the Ernest Whitworth (E.W.) Marland estate, built 1925-28.  At one point in 1920s, Marland controlled 10% of the world’s oil production by having oil factories in SW states as well as S. America.  By 1929, JP Morgan had taken control of the company which was to become Conoco Oil.  But while the going was good, E.W. built two mansions in Ponca City.  Steve and I liked best the Hunt Kitchen off the Winter Room with overhead mural by Italian Vincent Maragliotti depicting the history of the area from Pre-Columbian Indians to the Cherokee Outlet Land Run in 1893 to the start of Marland Oil in 1917.  

Ponca City, continued…

Visited the Pioneer Woman statue (17′ tall, bronze weighing 12,000 lbs) commissioned by Marland in 1930.  We’ve seen similarly themed Pioneer Woman statues in other parts of the US, but his could be the original due to its early conception.  The Pioneer Woman Museum was nearby, featuring women-firsts like Laura Ella Crews, one of the first women to participate in Cherokee Outlet Run 1893, a rough and tumble grab of Oklahoma land.  Also, a colorful expose of the famous Wild West women sharp shooters like Annie Oakley and Lillian Smith, stage name of Princess Wenona.

Ponca City, OK continued…

Finished our day at Chief Standing Bear Park (1826-1908).  Standing Bear was a Ponca chief who gave testimony to a federal judge which resulted in the judge acknowledging that American Indians were persons under US law, entitled to the same freedoms as other peoples.  Standing Bear gave legal “standing” to the American Indian.  

“My hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain.  If you pierce your hand, you also feel pain.  The blood that will flow from mine will be of the same color as yours.  I am a man.  The same God made us both.”

Steve got a waffle iron, and we’re having waffles for breakfast!  Wish we could have Hannah sitting at the table with us.  A favorite family tradition at 1716 Hoyt, Everett.

September 11, 2022  Boiling Springs SP, OK

This was a beautiful state park, with plenty of trees and in the more arid, rather than humid part of OK, near Woodward.  There was only one other camper, 71 yo Caroline traveling with her 2 dogs cross country to see the Pacific Ocean one more time.  A true adventurer who’d traveled internationally as well as having lived in many places, including Whidbey Island.   Steve played golf.  I gathered Kentucky Coffee Tree seeds and juniper berries, and nearly stepped on a Bull snake!!

September 14, 2022 Palo Duro Canyon SP, TX

“Texas’ best kept secret”, and second (to Grand Canyon) largest canyon in the US.  This is a must see and explore if you’re in the area.  Steve and I had not been able to hike much in the previously humid states, so we spent three days hiking in this semi-desert canyon.  Sunflower Trail highlighted the satin spar gypsum seams in the 250 MYO Quartermaster formation.  The Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) Trail was steep and included 5 gully-bridges built by the CCC in the 1930-40s.  The Lighthouse Trail was 5.6 miles in and out.  We started about 8:00 am @ 80 degrees F and upon our return, 11:30, the temp was 95 degrees.  The previous week a man had died on this trail.  Also, we found a dead tarantula outside the trailer the 2nd morning.  Spooky!

The Collard lizard (?) and the Greater Roadrunner with a lizard in its mouth. The blue flowers are called Widow’s Tears.  The rock formation is the park’s iconic Lighthouse.  There were lots of congenial young people that congratulated us “old timers” on making it to the top.  I love seeing people enjoy the outdoors, it’s invigorating.

September 18, 2022  Clayton, NM

Driving west to Clayton, we stopped in Tulia TX where Steve’s grandparents met and married.  Grandmother Edna’s father owned Crystal Cafe and Confectionery in the 1910-20s.  The Clayton RV park was an oil/energy workers’ community.  Not very pleasant, but it did afford us close proximity to Capulin Volcano National Monument where you can see four states from the top – OK, TX, CO and NM.   We celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary by hiking the ridge and then down to the crater of the volcano.  We Rock!! 

September 24, 2022   Great Sand Dunes NP, Sangre De Cristo Mountains, CO

We are in the land of BIG – big mountains, big skies and big sand dunes.   The Great Sand Dunes are formed from sands eroded off the San Juan Mntns to the west which are blown by predominent winds to mix with the larger, rougher pebbles eroded from the Sangre de Cristo Mntns to the east.  The winds from the west push the sands towards the barrier of the Sangre de Cristo Mntns during most of the year, only to be washed back into the San Luis Valley by rains and strong easterly winter winds.  This dynamic ecosystem creates North America’s tallest dunes.  

Rabbitbrush and Pinyon Pine trees. Blanca Peak at 14,326′ viewed from entrance to Great Sand Dunes NP.

9/25/22  Crossing the Rocky Mountains into Durango CO to meet up with Greg and Cheryle.

September 26 – 29, 2022  Fun times with the Donalds in Durango.  We visited multiple restaurants and bars, including Carver Brewing for really good eats and the speak-easy “The Bookcase & Barber” where you gave a password and walked through a secret bookcase to your table.  Phenomenal drinks and the boys were very happy with the Single Malt Scotch selection.  Took the train to Silverton, although we missed our 8:15 AM departure and had to drive to Rockwood and signal the train to stop to pick us up.  Ended in cute tourist town of Silverton at 9318′ elevation.  The gold and orange Aspen trees heralded that Autumn was underway.

Took a hike at Falls Creek Archeological Area.  Artifacts date to Basket maker Culture 2500-1500 yo.  We started the day seeing a paraglider overhead and Steve fill us in on the Horst & Graben geology.   A great visit and a reminder that old friends are like gold, precious.

September 30, 2022  Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park and a return to Gouldings Campground UT/AZ.

We’d visited Monument Valley in May of ’21, but the park was closed due to Covid.  So glad we returned.  We drove the self-tour.  This is not a drive for a low clearance vehicles, but the views are amazing.  92,000 acres, “the valley is a land without a beginning or an end.”  We saw west and east Mitten formations, Three Sisters, Totem Pole and views from North Window Overlook.  There is something peaceful in the desert.

Ooops, forgot we visited Four Corners Monument, another site that had been closed in May of 2021 due to Covid.

October 4, 2022 Pipe Springs National Monument and Cultural Museum, Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, near Fredonia AZ

This is a monument to commemorate the struggles of the Paiute Native Americans and the Mormon settlers in their battles to survive in this harsh desert environment.  The struggle focused on Pipe Springs, a source of water used by the ancestral E’nengweng people, formed by a fault which pushed water captured by the Kayenta mudstone up to the surface and was capped by the Chinle mudstone.  Indians used it for agriculture, wildlife used it for source of water, the Mormons, under the directive of Bringham Young in 1869, built this brick structure known as Winsor Castle over the top of the springs.  The polygamist wives of Mormons would use milk from tithed cows to make butter and cheese for sale to support building construction in St. George UT. 

A view of the Northern Vermillion Cliffs.  Last year we had toured the Southern Cliffs, which I found to be stunningly beautiful.  Also after several days of trying, we were not successful in getting BLM lottery passes to enter North Coyote Buttes’ “The Wave”.    Disappointing, but worth the try.

October 6, 2022      Squaw Trail, Kanab UT

Another beautiful day of mid-70s, blue skies and sunshine.  A pleasant hike up Squaw Trail to view the distant Zion and Arches NPs from the ridge.   

Pizza party tonight at Dark Sky Campground.  Highly recommend this spot as a comfortable, quiet, well-managed RV campground.  Lots of thought went into the design of this 20-ish site campground.  And yes, you can see the stars at night!

October 8, 2022  Glen Canyon Dam en route to Page AZ

There are two convenient cut outs in the cyclone fence at Glen Canyon Dam, allowing the tourist to take pictures of the Colorado River downstream and Lake Powell reservoir upstream.  While we were looking over the bridge, we noticed movement in the river.  We didn’t have binoculars, but after asking the Ranger, thought we might have observed North American River Otters, a once endangered species on the Colorado River, now given threatened status.

October 10, 2022  Indigenous Peoples Day at Canyon de Chelly (d’SHAY), in Chinle AZ

Steve, the geologist, was captivated by the sand/mudstone walls, cross-bedding and various layers of rock formations.  Our tour took place about a week after heavy flooding, the canyon being closed to all tour vehicles for 3 days.  We saw several Anasazi ruins including First Ruin, Antelope House, Junction Ruin and the spiritual center of White House Ruin.  We also saw petroglyphs and pictographs from Anasazi, and early and late Navajos. Canyon del Muerto was where Spanish conquistadores slaughtered a Navajo village in 1825, and Navajo Fortress Rock where Indians climbed to top and lived for months until starvation forced them into the hands of General Kit Carson’s troops who forced them to join other Navajos in the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo in 1863-1866.

October 8, 2022  Canyon X, in Antelope Canyon, Navajo Tribal Lands

Sorry, forgot to add this after Glen Canyon Dam.  Tours for Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons were booked, so we got tickets for recently opened Canyon X, one of the slot canyons in the area.  A steep walk to the canyon floor, but great views looking up through the eroded rocks.  See if you can spot the letter “X”.  Pictures really depend on what direction the sunlight is coming from.  Fun to contrast with the various lights.

October 11, 2022  Leaving Chinle for Winslow AZ, stopping at the Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado AZ. The site was declared a National Historic site in 1965.  John Lorenzo Hubbell purchased the trading post in 1878 and for two generations, his family traded with Navajo and non-Indians.  Hubbell introduced Ganado Red into the otherwise grey, black and white Navajo weavings.  The Churro sheep’s wool is still used for rug weaving.  

October 10, 2022 Homolovi State Park, part of Hopi Reservation.  This is a treasure of a state park and conveniently situated to two archeological sites of the Ancient Ones, the Hisat’sinom (1200 to late 1300s).   There are abundant pottery shards and flint pieces at Homolovi I and stonewall ruins and kivas at Homolovi II.  Unfortunately, there’s also scattered pits at Homolovi II where years ago diggers have stolen artifacts.  The plant picture is of the Painted Milk Vetch seeds, filled with air.  This was one of our favorite camping spots, with interesting hikes and informative rangers nearby. 

October 13, 2022  Meteor Crater, Barringer Ranch, near Winslow AZ

About 50,000 years ago a huge iron-nickel meteorite estimated at about 150′ across slammed into earth at 26,000 mph.  Not much remains of the original meteorite, other than the pictured Holsinger meteor, but what is impressive is the 20-football fields long crater.  The pulverized meteor fragments below the water table turned into quicksand, thus preventing further exploration of the main meteor body. Meteor scientists from around the world study collision and impact crater-creation at this museum.  NASA trained Apollo astronauts here. 

October 16, 2022  Airport Loop Trail, Sedona AZ

Steve and I had visited Sedona several times, but hiking along this trail provided views of Sedona we’d not seen before, and confirms it as one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country.  Coffee Pot, Cathedral Rocks and the summit at Airport Vortex.  You can’t help but stare in amazement and appreciate the awesome beauty.

October 21, 2022  Red Rock State Park, near Sedona AZ

A short drive from our RV park and lots of trails, not much driving.  We chose to walk along Oak Creek.  Interpretive signage illustrated the differences between Juniper, Pinyon Pine and Cyress trees.  Although not in season, this area supports the very cute Pink Flower Hedgehog cactus.  Look it up, you almost want to cuddle it.

Oct. 23, 2022  Wupatki National Monument, near Flagstaff AZ

Wupatki masonry pueblos are evidence of the 1100s when Puebloan people came together to build vast farming communities.  125 different types of pottery suggested villagers traded throughout the region, the circular community room served as a gathering place, and an open sports arena (?) with spectator wall suggested interactions with other villages.  Unique to Wupatki is a blow hole that travels 24 miles underground and can emit warm/cool air current at 30 mph!  I love how the builders incorporated the existing rock into their 100+ elaborate limestone and sandstone 6-foot-high rock rooms.

Oct. 23, 2022 cont…. Sunset Crater NM

We first heard of Sunset Crater from the ranger at Homolovi SP, AZ.  The volcano erupted about 1060-1080 AD.  Southwest Native American history chronicles this significant event, as it seems to have been anticipated by some villages, the lava blanketed the region with minerals to augment nutrients in the soil and provided farmers subsequent generations of fertile farming.  Pictured are the fluffy Apache Plume plant as well as what geologists refer to as a Spatter Cone – formed when lava is forced up through an opening in the cooled surface of a lava flow, not formed by the magma below.

Oct. 24, 2022  Montezuma Castle National Monument, near Cottonwood, AZ

Montezuma Castle is a five-story, 20-room dwelling dating back to 1100 – 1300, built into freshwater limestone cliff about 100′ above the Verde Valley. Montezuma Castle represents the architecture of the Southern Sinagua who flourished in the Verde Valley.  Southern Sinagua (SS) lived principally by farming, especially corn, supplemented by hunting and gathering.  They mined and traded a nearby salt mine.  SS artisans fashioned stone tools like axes, knives, hammers, woven cotton garments, and personal ornaments of shell, argillite and turquoise.  Check out the 1950s diorama.

October 24, 2022 cont… Montezuma Well, AZ

Montezuma Well is a limestone sink hole formed long ago, still fed by 2 main vents pumping 1.6 million gallons per day into the Well.  Used by Southern Sinagua to irrigate crops, you can still see some of the limestone ditches. Fairly recently, the water was tested and has high (160+ppm) Arsenic levels.  No worries, the SS figured out something was amiss centuries ago, because they noted no fish lived in the well and diverted the irrigation ditches away from the fish-bearing river nearby.  The pit house pictured under the Well’s cliff dated to about 1050.  From 1125 to 1400, about 100 – 150 people lived here.

Oct. 25, 2022  Bridgeport Ruins, Cottonwood AZ

It’s a bit daunting to realize these ancestral ruins are scattered throughout the Southwest.  This ancestral burial mound is right next to our Rio Verde RV Park, and we’ve hiked to the top 4-5 times during our stay.  It has a commanding view of the surrounding area including the hillside town of Jerome, and the shadowed Mogollon Rim.  The site is on private property, as are several other ruin sites in the area.   On one of our amateur archeologist wanderings, we came across this pile of pottery (Tuzigoot(?)) and stone circles.  Your imagination blows with the wind.

October 26, Tuzigoot NM and Town of Jerome

This National Monument features a 100+ room village built about 1000 – 1400 by the Southern Sinagua on a hillside using local river-rock boulders, rather than flat sandstone and limestone.  The CCC excavated the site and the NPS has done much restoration.  By dual agreement with current Native American Nations like the Apache, Yavapai and Hopi, the NPS has agreed not to excavate the burial sites within the monument.   The Tuzigoot Visitor Center, one of the best in my opinion, featured a magnificent pottery display, also a reconstructed wood beam ceiling and had a volunteer ranger answering questions at the pueblo roof top.  Definately worth a visit.

Town of Jerome, a funky old mining town with an eclectic, artistic and down-home nice town folk.  Highly recommended was the Haunted Hamburger for all things interesting – haunted rooms, great hamburgers, great views and cold beer.  Don’t try the drive with a trailer or on a snowy day, but otherwise recommend visiting.

10/28/22 thru 11/30/22  Gila Bend, AZ  This will be the longest stay in one place for our entire 3-year trip.  Why Gila Bend?  Good question.  There’s a bit of history here, as it was en route to California during the Gold Rush migration.  Gila Bend was also the turning point for early pioneers who made the decision to stay near the Gila River for another 120 miles or cross the Forty-Mile Desert.  “Even back then, most folks were in a hurry, and chose the risky short-cut.  Many died along the way.”  The Gila River and Maricopa Indian reservations are nearby, and Mexico just a few hours drive.  We’ll find something to do.

10/29/22  Scottsdale AZ

Visited Matt, Mike and Fergus and as promised had cocktails by the pool.  Really miss family and these two continue to fill their lives with good living.  After drinks, we visited Vu Bistro and was introduced to owner Heidi Hakes.  Watched the sun set, listened to live music and had a precursor Halloween party to top off a fun evening.  

November 2, 2022  Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, BLM, outside Gila Bend AZ

“A sacred traditional place”, the petroglyphs here date 1400 yo, and archeologists attribute many of the petroglyphs, pictographs and geoglyphs to the Hohokum and Patayan cultures, although more recent drawings of men on horseback suggest later contributions.  Designs on the rocks include symbols used by nomads during the ancient Western Archaic period (7500 BC-1 AD) as well as the more local contributors of the Gila Style (300 BC – 1450 AD).  There’re 3800 individual designs on 428 boulders.  See if you can spot the volcano??  Also stopped at Dateland for fresh dates and a date milkshake.  Happy.

November 5, 2022  Desert Shrimp Festival, Gila Bend AZ     Similar to Chicken Days in Wayne, NE this small-town annual event had an eating contest of shrimp, and a local band playing into the night.  Native American arts and crafts and 5 different ways to serve shrimp.  Desert shrimp is a local enterprise of the Arizona Desert Shrimp Company, whose parent company is Royal Caridea located in Avondale, AZ.  Currently the company is switching out raising the aquacultured shrimp from lined ponds in the ground to three-tiered beds in rail cars.  Water is a premium, so innovation is required.

November 7, 2022  Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, 10 miles from Mexican border.

Ninety minutes south of Gila Bend, you’re in the middle of the Sonoran Desert and its stark beauty.  The desert is not for the faint of heart, if you’re a human, animal or plant.  With little water, hot sun and little shade, it takes a while to adapt to this environment.  Once established, the average Organ Pipe cactus lives 100 years, Saguaro cacti live 150 years.  Steve and I took the South Puerto Blanco Drive, a 38-mile dirt loop road within the park, admiring the beauty but also aware of being within 10 miles of “The Wall” and sunset was approaching.   Barrel cactus, Teddybear Cholla and Hedgehog cactus.

November 11, 2022  Rainbow Trail at Estrella Mountain Regional Park, near Buckeye  AZ

A moderate 5-mile hike with views of the city, but also some secluded scenes of strictly desert.  We saw the Saguaro, Barrel, Hedgehog cacti and the Teddybear Cholla.  What was unique about this hike were the rocks – granite, gneiss, quartz, mica and basalt showing up in the desert.  Interesting to note how species of cacti will live in close proximity to one another, and pics of the life cycle of a Saguaro cactus.

November 12, 2022  Saturday Farmers’ Market in Ajo, AZ, forty -three (43) miles from Mexico

The white stucco building in the town plaza was the site of the market.  Many artists, not too many farmers.  A rough history of Ajo – established by the US Calvary in early 1900s to protect AZ, NM pioneers from Apache and Mexican raiders.  Catholic and Federation churches built in 1920s.  The Cornelia Mining Comp. started mining copper in 1911, and John Greenway was the founder of the town in 1916.  Native American tribe is the Tohono O’Odham, formerly the Papagos, famed basket weavers with a traditional themed “Man in a Maze” pattern which depicts the struggles of life.  The Mexican cultural influence is found everywhere.

November 16, 2022  Historic US Highway 80 and the Gillespie Dam Bridge

 The route of US Highway 80 dates to late 1846.  Construction of US Highway 80 started in 1927 and by the mid-1950s US 80 had become the transcontinental highway between San Diego CA and Tybee Island GA. 

The Gillespie Dam Bridge (1927) is a truss bridge and replaced the concrete auto apron constructed above the dam and over the Gila River.  (We observed a big chuck of the concrete apron washed out.)  Petroglyphs were reported in the area, but with vague directions.  One wild goose chase led up boulders to a cliffside with only stained rocks.  Further down one could see petroglyphs from the road, but barbed wire fencing prevented hiking closer. 

 

November 20, 2022    Phoenix AZ

We visited Steve’s cousins Larry and Kristin in Phoenix.  Larry joined Steve and I at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Gardens.  We saw some new cacti including the first cactus planted in the garden 40 years ago – the Creeping Devil cactus, as well as Nichols Turk’s Head cactus.  An anomaly is the crested or fasciated cactus, in this case a Whortleberry cactus.  Fasciation occurs at a molecular level, be it a stem, flower or leaf causing it to grow flat, instead of pointed.  Fasciation is particularly beautiful on the Saguaro cactus.  Incorporating garden art by local glass artist Chihuly and sculptures by artist Rotraut Klein-Moquay.  

 

November 23, 2022  Milton Mine Trail at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, near Ajo AZ

Steve and I decided we wanted to visit the National Monument one more time.  Per suggestion of the ranger, decided to visit a turn-of-the-century Milton Mine, now abandoned.  Originally mining for gold and copper, the only mineral we saw was the blue green Chrysocolla, which looks a lot like azurite and malachite, but is a silicate, not a carbonate mineral.  We were also told about a rather rare Elephant Tree that grows in the granite walled basin, but it proved elusive to our efforts. 

November 25, 2022  Table Top Mntn., Sonora Desert National Monument

Worked off our Thanksgiving dinner by hiking over 18,000 steps.  Unfortunately, the description of the trail to Table Top described a 6.4 mile round trip hike.  The reality was that the ascent from the base was 3.2 miles up switch backs in addition to a 2.1 mile through the valley floor.  We just didn’t give ourselves enough time, and though we got within 900′-ish of the summit, we did not want to be in the middle of the desert after sundown.  Views from our perch included ancient volcanoes and a valley floor of Saguaro cacti.  The solitude of the desert – calming.

 

December 1, 2022  Leaving Gila Bend for Tucson

Fond farewells to the owner and staff at Sonoran Desert RV Park, definitely in my Top 3 list of parks.  Onto Tucson.  This is a KOA park, not always pleasant.  But a big plus is that there are orange, grapefruit and lemon trees throughout the park that you’re welcome to pic fruit from.  Reminiscent of our mornings in FL, fresh orange juice.  Delicious, especially with the rainy weather.

December 2, 2022  Gates Pass, AZ

Spent our day driving through nearby Oro Valley looking for art work.  Intrigued by the Tohono O’odham basket weaving, and especially the iconic pattern titled Man-in-the-Maze.  At 4:50 headed for Gates Pass to watch the sunset.  A fair number of people taking the time to watch the scenic end to a day in the Seguaro laden desert.  Nature is so magically beautiful.

December 3, 2022  Tohono O’odham Cultural Center & Museum, near Sells, AZ

Another drive through the desert, venturing south to the US/Mexican border.  The Tohono O’odham, previously called the Papagos, are comprised of four (?) separate tribes and communities.  Many members of the Tohono O’odham, translated as the “Desert People” Nation have family members across the border.  This presents some unique challenges for voting on tribal policies.  As stated earlier, the O’odham are highly regarded basket weavers and several beautiful examples were in the museum.  Unfortunately, no pictures allowed.  As Steve observed, the museum’s emphasis showed both tribal members and visitors Who the O’odham are as a people.  Masks were required in the museum, and when we tried to visit the nearby Pisinemo Trading Post, no outside visitors allowed.

December 6 – 10, 2022  Met Brigid at SEA/TAC and headed to Whidbey Island to visit Dad.  The prostate cancer he’d been treating had metastasized and he was under Hospice care.  A great visit with Dad, Carol, Brigid and Tom.

December 12, 2022  Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Pima County near Tucson

A unique outdoor museum which offers a little bit of everything desert – walking path to see wildlife like fox, herd of javelinas and black-bellied whistling ducks.  An underground cave featuring the newly named AZ state mineral Wulfenite (turquoise being AZ state gemstone), a reptile and arachnid house and the highlight was an extensive collection of cacti including the Boojam, Totem pole, Mexican lime barrel, Wooly jacket and Cowboy whiskers’ prickly pear, and the Hummingbird Nopal.  Museum looks out to the aptly named Altar Valley.

December 13, 2022  Tombstone AZ

Arranged a tour of the Good Enough Mine, part of Tombstone Consolidated Mines Corp..  Cheryle was our tour guide explaining the hard rock silver mine started by Ed Schieffelin around 1880, employed 50 miners who worked by candlelight 100′ below ground.  Over forty different minerals have been discovered in the nearby mines. The silver mine closed in the 1980s when price of Ag dropped.  The pictured 1880 silver dollar was made from silver mined from Tombstone.  The rock with flashlight behind it is called a ghost rock. Also visited Bird Cage Theater, the site of the longest poker game which ran 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from 1881 until 1889.

December 13, 2022 continued into Bisbee

After walking through the town of Tombstone, we drove up into the hills (and snow) of Bisbee.  A really cute, very artsy town.  Favorite stop was HomeArt which featured the whimsical and colorful furniture designed by Bruce Marsh.  Also, one of the BEST antique and nick-nack shops was Acacia Collectibles.  Fun town to visit.

December 15, 2022 Saguaro National Park West

Why we came to Tucson, to visit Saguaro NP.  The park is divided into a western and an eastern portion.  Today we visited the western portion, following the Cam-Boh trail for a 7.5-mile loop trek.  Met a nice fellow while walking down a dry river wash who told us about the Ringing Rocks and Petroglyphs at Ironwood Forest National Monument.  Intriguing, but for another day.  

Learning about the Sky Islands in southeastern AZ.  Mountain ranges that rise more than 6,000′ surrounded by the desert floor.  Very different ecosystems and strikingly beautiful. 

December 17, 2022  Tubac AZ

Another out-in-the-middle-of-the-desert artistic towns that are so fun to discover.  We visited the Old Presidio Traders Post, met the owner and found our Tohono O’odham Man in the Maze basket, circa 1900.  The shop also featured Effie Calavaza turquoise snake jewelry.  The town boasts the first state park in AZ and has a worthy Presidio Historical Museum.  We had wanted to visit the nearby Mission San Xavier, but it closes early during the winter.  We decided to stay in Tubac and enjoy Elvira’s craft cocktails and “contemporary takes on Mexican favorites” which translates as DELICIOUS food.

December 20, 2022  Titan II Missile Interpretive Center…in the middle of nowhere, AZ

On our quest to find the Ringing Rocks (google search for more info), we got lost in the no cell signal and definitely no internet signal desert.  However, hidden behind some cacti, we met up with these very cool mid-20-30 year-olds who had their Elon Musk Star Link satellites hooked up to solar panels and were working their computer jobs out in the desert.  Fucking brilliant!!  Sammi connected my defunct phone to her satellite connection so I could navigate us back to the Interpretive site, thinking there might be someone there who knew about the Ringing Rocks.  Once there, only to be seen were the abandoned, from the 1980s, nuclear missile silos.  At one point, there were nearly 20 active rocket missile silos.  

December 20, 2022  Ironwood Forest National Monument (IFNM)

As mentioned, we’d heard from a fellow traveler about the Ringing Rocks and petroglyphs in IFNM.  Never did find either the rocks or the drawings because there is NO detailed map* of the IFNM, but what we did find was that solidary bliss and contrasting beauty of the desert.  The quiet, the colors, the unexpected flash of deep green vegetation, the expanse along the desert valley floor.  Picture is the sturdy Ironwood Tree.  I drag my feet every time we leave from a hike in the desert.  *Friends of Ironwood Forest

Can you find Steve in this picture?

December 21, 2022 Saguaro National Park East

Have to say not as impressed by the Eastern portion of the park.  Admittedly, we did not hike any of the abundant day hikes and backcountry trails in the park, and instead just drove the 8-mile loop.  Lots of Saguaro cacti, and I realized that what I like best about the Saguaro is not only are they old and majestic, like sentinels according to Steve, but also each one of them is different.  And that quality is what I most appreciate. 

Last pic is by Javelina Rocks.

December 21, 2022 continued…

One last explore before leaving the Tucson area, we decided to drive to the top of Mt. Lemmon, 9171 feet.  What a geologic treat.  Unexpected gneiss mixed with sedimentary rock, as well as granite, mica, quartz, diabase.  There was snow on top and a ski resort.  Also saw lots of hoodoos, anticlines and faults.  The scenery is so much more interesting traveling with a geologist.

Part of Coronado National Forest and Pusch Ridge Wilderness.

December 24-25, 2022  No denying it, during the holidays you want family and friends nearby.  Steve and I miss Hannah tremendously, but I have a brother and Steve has a friend in Scottsdale, so three hours later we’re amongst family and friends.  Eggnog, Scrabble and a delicious Pozole dinner at M & M’s and eggnog, cookies and laughs at Chris’s house.  Then back to Yuma.  During our hotel stay we visited the local Cocopah Indian Nation’s museum and drove through historic downtown Yuma.    Recommend River City Grill and Mariscos Mar Azul for exceptionally good food.  

December 27-28, 2022  Yuma & Quartzite AZ

In researching things to do, Ducey’s Wall came up.  Former Governor Ducey built two segments of the US/MX border wall out of stacked railroad cars, topped with barbed wire.  One location was in the Coranado National Forest near Tucson, and a shorter section covering the “1000′ gap” near Yuma.  In neither instance did the governor secure any permits, submit an EIS or get permission from the Cocopah to travel over tribal property.  “An invasion into the state of AZ”.

Cargo Muchacho Mntns. (?) in MX, cauliflower crop in Yuma irrigated by the Colorado River.

 

For any rockhound, geologist, gemologist, jewelry-maker, the town of Quartzite is a must go.  In January, there is an international trade show with tents, quonset huts and stores filled with rocks, minerals, stones, fossils, crystals, gems. We were a month early and still the displays were overwhelming.   Bring a small trailer!

Definitely Artistic Quirky.

New Year Eve 2022  Joshua Tree, CA  Today we drove into the state of California, our last state of the lower 48 states which completes our goal of visiting the lower 48 states of the US of A.  We’re staying in the small town of Josua Tree, just outside of Joshua Tree National Park.  The weather has been 50 – 60 degrees with some 15 mph winds at night.  We’ll wait winter out in CA and then slowly make our way North.  Goal is to be back in PNW by mid-April 2023, completing a three-year trip of a lifetime.