Another Non-Travel Post

Pet Photos With Santa

One of the opportunities to volunteer for photographers is with our local animal welfare league.  Each year they have a program designed to showcase the dogs & cats they have available for adoption.

They also use it as a fund raiser, selling books, cakes & cookies, and other stuff.  I volunteer to take photos with Santa.  This year was fairly calm; ferrets were the most exotic animal Santa had to hold.  In past years he has posed with parrots, snakes & various reptiles.

 

I set up a laptop running Lightroom with a small printer (a HP Photosmart A510) which lets me edit & print the photos, stick them in a cardboard frame & hand them to the pet owners in about 3 minutes from taking the image.  We charge $5.00 per photo and it pretty much runs continuously over the 3 hours of the event.

While the cover photo is what we like to end up with, many of the dogs are not all that fond of joining Santa!  This is more typical of attempts to get them together.

In other news, if you listen to NPR and get "Living On Earth", this week my daughter Karin is featured in the "Places Where Your Live" segment. If your local NPR station does not carry Living on Earth, you can read (and hear) the interview here.

That's it for this week.  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, and wonderful holidays.

Chittenango Falls, NY

Chittenango Falls, Chittenango Falls State Park, NY

Another Fall, time for a trip to my favorite waterfall, Chittenango Falls. It is located in the Chittenango Falls State Park about 20 miles east of Syracuse, NY. While not the largest waterfall in New York (I believe there is one called Niagara Falls), it is a beautiful combination of multiple drops and sections. This is the first time I've visited the falls on a Sunday, and I couldn't believe the crowd. The parking lot was full, and you actually had to wait for a break in the foot traffic going across the bridge at the bottom of the falls.

While we have had better fall color, I took a couple of photos of the falls, then headed upstream for one of the creek.  More photos from this trip at Chittenango Falls, 2014.  Even more on my Chittenenago Falls State Park page.

Until Next Time -

Salmon River Falls, Orwell, NY

The Salmon River, Orwell, NY

Another short trip, this time about 35 miles to the Salmon River Falls, the largest waterfall in Oswego County.  As far as I'm concerned, the only waterfall in Oswego County - there is another one, Mad River Falls, however although I have found the Mad River, I have not found any way to access the part of it that Google shows as the location of the falls.

I try to visit the Salmon River Falls and the river below it every Fall.  While not the most picturesque waterfall in the area, I have found lovely sections of the river below the falls.  One difficulty - the path to the area below the falls is a rough 100' drop that involves some narrow paths and uneven steps  that require a cable hand rail to negotiate.  For some reason, it gets harder to climb back out each year!

Here are a couple more photos:

A Section of Salmon River Falls

Salmon River Falls

Until Next Time -

The 2014 CNY Great Pumpkin Festival

Karl Haist's NY Record Pumpkin

Well, not a travel post, but one of the things I do here in Oswego when I'm not on the road.  The 2014 CNY Great Pumpkin Festival was held on a rainy (and cold) Saturday morning.  The weigh in started around 10:30 and ran until 2:30.  Many pumping well over 1000 pounds, and one that set a new (for now) New York State record.  More information and photos here.

Until Next Time -

Back Home in Oswego

Tuesday, September 30, 2014, Oswego, NY 109.5 miles Today, 934.8 For the Trip

Well, the post is a little late, but I did make it home to Oswego on Tuesday.  The trailer is parked for the year (unless something comes up), I spent most of the day unpacking,  & I'll start winterizing it in a couple of days.

I had a good trip, enjoyed seeing some of the faces of those who I only knew through the various fiberglass trailer forums.

Until the next post -

Binghamton, NY

Monday, September 29, 2014, Don & Anne's, Binghamton, NY - 150.8 miles, 825.3 For the Trip

No photos or much of a trip report today.  I packed up & headed north.  I81 most of the way, and stopped at Don & Anne's for the night.  Since I had my driveway top coated while on the trip, I can't get into it to park the trailer until tomorrow, so I'll finish the drive to Oswego in the morning.

Dinner was fried shrimp from Doug's Fish Fry.  Since I'm required to compare it to Oswego's Rudys on the Lake, Here goes.  Fries - about the same.  Shrimp - a plus to Doug's. Coleslaw - Can't compare it to Rudys since I always get the macaroni salad, but it is 100% better than the coleslaw that comes with the otherwise excellent fish dinner at our Oswego Price Chopper.  Finally, I tried a bite of Anne's fish sandwich.  Have to give the prize to Rudys.  Their fried haddock sandwich, whether or not it is, tastes like fresh, unfrozen fish, and is hard to beat. Flakey, large pieces, and great taste.  All in all, I'd have to call it a tie.

Until tomorrow

Twin Grove Campground, Pine Grove, PA, Day 4

House For Sale?

Sunday, September 29, 2014, Twin Grove Campground, Pine Grove, PA, Day 4, 0 Miles Today, 674.5 For the Trip.

I didn't take any photos today, so I used one of an abandoned building on the way to the campground that I took a couple of days ago.  While I wish the orange plastic mesh wasn't part of the picture, I love the color and texture of the wood.

My friends Don & Anne hung around the campsite most of the day, packing up their tent after the dew dried.  They spent yesterday afternoon looking at all the different sizes of Escapes, and concluded that I should buy a truck & a new 5.0TA, then give them my 17B.  I'm not at all sure that is a viable plan!

We had breakfast at the campground restaurant, then watched most of the trailers from the rally leave; one 5.0TA is still hanging out with me until tomorrow.  Other than that we sat around talking & having a good time chasing away the stink bugs.  If you are not familiar with where they got their name, slap one (you will only do it once!)

I had a couple of leaving trailers donate firewood, so I felt obligated to build a fire.  Have to admit it is more fun with a group sitting around it than just by yourself, but still OK.

Dinner was simple - a ham sandwich on a roll along with some chips.

The 1st Annual Eastern US Escape Rally, Day 2

The Pot Luck Dinner

Saturday, September 27, 2014, The 1st Annual Eastern US Escape Rally, Day 2

Today included trailer tours, the traditional Pot Luck Dinner, and some give-aways from Escape Trailer Industries. While not part of the rally, there was lots of other things going on at the campground. A garage sale, a disk golf tournament, and between 3:30 & 5:00 it was early Halloween.

At the pot luck there was plenty of food for all with all kinds of stuff. Afterwards, a number of people gathered around a campfire. I left around 9:30 to post the photos, which are on the 1st Annual Eastern US Escape Rally page at LakeshoreImages.

Until Tomorrow -

1st Annual Eastern US Escape Rally, Day 1

Friday Night Campfire

Friday, September 26, 2014, Twin Grove Campground & the 1st Annual Eastern US Escape Rally, 0 Miles Today, 674.5 for the trip.

Not as cool last night, although 47°F isn't what I'd call toasty.  As usual, the little electric cube heater kept the trailer at 68°F.  

After breakfast, I headed to the Pottsville Giant grocery store for a couple bins of blueberries.   I have some frozen ones, but not enough for two pies.  Since we don't have an exact head count, I figure I'll need to make two pies.  

A bunch of trailers arrived throughout the day, but I'm still the only 17 in the bunch.  Quite a few 21's, 5.0TA's, and a 19' so far.  We gathered at one of the trailers for a campfire.  While there are some still going, I figured it was both too cold, and time to post the page.  Photos of the rally are on a LakeshoreImages page. 

Dinner was a California Cheeseburger & fries from the campground's restaurant.  Highly recommended.

Until tomorrow - 

Twin Grove Resort & Campground, Pine Grove, PA

Site A20, Twin Grove Campground, PA

Thursday, September25, 2014, Twin Grove Resort & Campground, Pine Grove, PA, 125.7 Miles Today, 674.5 For the Trip.

Well, another late post.  No excuse; the park has great AT&T and Verizon coverage, as well as WiFi.  I just got talking with some other early arrivals at the rally here in the park & forgot.

An uneventful drive along I80 & I81 to the park, going from green trees to beautiful fall colors along the way. I reached the park around 12:30 and found they have a gated entrance to the camping area, so I had to wait a bit before setting up.

After setting up I decided to see if I could find a Verizon store to get a replacement battery for my MHS291LVW Hotspot (my cellular data connection).  The battery is swelling, to the point where the back no longer fits on the device.  I drove to Lebanon, the nearest Verizon store, where they said "Wow, I've never seen that!"  And, of course, they didn't have a battery.  Tried a couple of other places, but no luck.

Back at the campground, I met a couple of early arrivals for the rally, both with a new Escape 5.0TA (the latest version of the Escape 5th wheel).

Dinner was store bought fried chicken.

Until tomorrow (actually, later today) -

Delaware Water Gap, PA, Day 4

Resica Falls, DelawareWater Gap, PA

Wednesday, September 24, 2014, Delaware Water Gap, PA, 0 Miles Today, 548.8 For the Trip

I tried for two waterfalls today, but wasn't able to find Shohola Falls. Found the town & Camp Shohola (which is for sale), and a lake with spillway that I don't think was the waterfall. In any case I gave up & headed south to visited Resica Falls.

You can't get to the base of the falls (it is private property) but there is an overlook at the Resica Falls Boy Scout Reservation parking lot that gives pretty good views. I added the above photo & a close up of the bottom section at the Delaware Water Gap page.

After that it was back to the campground to sit & read a bit. A crew came to clean the bathrooms even though it isn't Saturday or Sunday morning.  While they now smell disinfected, the spider webs are still in place.  Maybe they are keeping the fly population down?  

I couldn't make up my mind what to cook for dinner, so I decided to give Pies On a try.  As far as my taste in pizza and wings, it was a mistake.  Way too much sauce on the pizza, and the smallest chicken winks I've had (although I have to admit they threw in a bunch of extras to the dozen I ordered.

I got back to a crowded campground.  We have a large 5th wheel, an Airstream, a Casita, and a small Class C all in the small loop I'm in.  I talked with the Casita owners & gave them a look at the Escape.

So, today brings to a close this visit to the Delaware Water Gap.  While I didn't get to all the area falls, I did find many more than I did in 2001. Again, it would be better in the late spring or early summer when there is more water (and maybe Dingmans Falls would be open) but well worth the visit.

I'll be packing up & heading to the 1st Annual Eastern US Escape Rally in the morning.

Until tomorrow -

Delaware Water Gap, Day 3

Bushkill Falls, Delaware Water Gap, PA

Tuesday, September 23, 2014, Delaware Water Gap, PA, 0 Miles Today, 548.8 For the Trip

After a cool night in the 40's, I woke up to clear skies, which makes for poor waterfall photos, but the weather is predicted to be the same for tomorrow, so I headed out. Today was my "Commercial" waterfall visit - Bushkill Waterfalls. There is an admission charge for the waterfall trails - $12.50, although as a senior, I got a dollar off.

While the map lists 8 waterfalls, I either missed some or 2 didn't have enough water to qualify. I took the Red trail, a 2 mile hike that passes all of them. In any case, it is a well developed hiking trail. Any place that would involve scrambling has walkways & stairs, although one section is a long uphill hike through a rocky dried up stream bed (that is probably well filled in the Spring).

All in all, a comfortable couple of hours of hiking & photographing. I won't try to name each waterfall since I must have missed some, but the photos are in order along the Red trail hiking in a clockwise (for you digital folks who have never seen an analog clock face, around the bases backwards) direction. The first 2 images are of the main falls, which can be viewed without taking any stairs (although not from the bottom!)  (Photos have been added to the Delaware Water Gap page.)

After the hike I headed to a nearby grocery store for some supplies, then 16 miles back to the campground.  I decided that I needed a shower after 2 days of sweaty hiking, so even though the bathroom is "interesting", I headed for it.

Now I generally don't complain about the conditions of campground bathrooms (other than poor design) but the North Bathroom here in the park is pretty bad.  There are 2 showers, one with an anemic shower head. While the shower head on the other stall is great, there is no handle on the cold water valve.  I found that it didn't matter, since the hot water was not hot enough to need any cold water added.  Since there were fewer spiders in the single faucet shower, and a better spray, that is where I headed.  While small & dirty, I have to admit it was fairly well designed.  Shower curtains, a bench, and 3 sets of hooks.  Even had a soap rack hanging from the shower head.

Dinner was the rest of the left over orange chicken.

Until Tomorrow -

Delaware Water Gap, Day 2

Childs Park, Delaware Water Gap, PA

It poured last night; the heaviest rain of the trip.  By morning, it had stopped, but lots of drips off the tree leaves over the trailer.  One interesting thing - the rain seemed to improve my XM Radio reception.  Prior to the rain it dropped out for a short time every minute of so; during the rain it never quit. I would have expected the opposite.

Anyhow, I sat around during the morning, and since it clouded up after lunch, I visited some more Delaware Water Gap water features.

First stop was the George W. Childs Park. While low water levels did make for some limitations, there was enough to get some waterfall photos as well as some riffles in the creek. There is the foundation from an old mill along the trail that is interesting. A well put together park with easy trails on both sides of the stream and a number of bridges get across.

After that I headed to nearby Hacker Falls. A bit longer walk, but a pretty falls. The last stop of the day was at Raymondskill Falls, the highest waterfall in Pennsylvania. Another pretty waterfall, and a very short walk from the parking lot.  I added today's photos at the Delaware Water Gap page.

Since I didn't defrost anything for dinner (I think it was a subconscious plan), I was going to stop at the Pie's On pizza (say it out loud) for dinner.  On the way, I found a Chinese restaurant and changed my mind.  I ordered Orange Chicken & fried cheese wontons.  Very close to the Orange Chicken made by my favorite Chinese restaurant in Oswego.

Until Tomorrow -

Delaware Water Gap, PA

Buttermilk Falls, The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Sunday, September 21, 2014, Dingmans Campground, The Delaware Water Gap, PA 155.8 Miles Today, 548.8 For the Trip

Today was a travel day.  Unfortunately, most of it was boring along I80.  It did get interesting towards the end - a large lump in my lane turned out to be a dead black bear.  I managed to drive around it, but was surprised to see one.

I am spending 4 nights in site 9 at Dingmans Campground in PA. While the $20.00 per night with the senior discount isn't too bad, at the normal $40.00 per night it isn't worth it.  While the site has water & electric, and is quite large & under some nice shade trees (enough that my XM Radio doesn't work) the bathrooms are scary!  They do have showers, although one of the them in the men's bathroom only has a hot water faucet.   The sign on the door says they are cleaned Saturday & Sunday mornings, and they look like the last time was a number of Sundays ago. Anyhow, I'm here.  Very quiet with just a few sites occupied.

The campground hands out driving directions to the area waterfalls, so I decided to try for a couple after setting up the trailer. While the campground is in PA, some of the waterfalls I visited are in New Jersey across the Delaware River.  Like most directions, they only help - for example, the directions say Brinks Road, but the sign says Main Street. The bridge across the river is a very narrow 2 lane bridge with a weight limit of 4 tons. It is a toll bridge - $1.00 each way, collected by someone standing between the lanes on the PA side of the bridge. The even have a sign that there is a charge for bikes.

An even smaller 3 ton, one lane bridge crosses a stream on the way. If they get any smaller, even the RAV4 won't be allowed! For a moment, I thought I discovered a new product (bridge building) of my home town of Croton, NY on the casting on the bridge, however a closer look read Groton, NY...

For anyone interested in visiting the area, late September is about the worst time possible. Too early for good color (although there was some) and far too little water going over the falls. I did see my second black bear of the day, this one crossing the road in front of me but I didn't get the chance to take a photo.

The first visit was to Buttermilk Falls (I believe it is required that every state has at least one Buttermilk Falls (NY has at least two)). It probably looks great when there is more water. The next stop was Tillmans Ravine. Not really a waterfall, but again a stream that would look better with more water. Still, a very pretty wooded area. For the pictures, check my Delaware Water Gap page.

After driving back across the Delaware River I cooked a Bubba Burger & green beans for dinner.

Until Tomorrow -

Sheshequin Campground, Day 2

Saturday, September 20,2014, Sheshequin Campground, Trout Run, PA, Day 2, 0 Miles Today, 393 For the Trip

The big event for today was a trip to  Williamsport to do laundry.  I didn't pack quite enough for a short trip without needing a laundromat, so this was a good day for it.  A Wegmans was only two blocks form the laundromat, so I also picked up milk & a Wegmans salad.  They make very good salad bowls, and they are large enough that they make up a meal.

Other than that, it was a day of sitting outside (weather in the high 60's) and reading.  I did drive over to the showers.  A bit crude, but lots of hot water, good shower head, and shower curtains!

Dinner was a salad.

Until tomorrow -

Sheshequin Campground, Trout Run, PA

Site 35, Sheshequin Campground, Trout Run, PA

Friday, September19, 2014, Sheshequin Campground, Trout Run, PA, 53.5 Miles Today, 393 For the Trip

A short drive to Trout Run today.  I'm not sure why I picked the campground; it is certainly my style with large, open sites & a laid back attitude, however at $35.00 per night, I'm not sure it is worth it. No AT&T coverage, and weak Verizon 3G (with the amplifier).  The campground does have free WiFi that works well.  I'm in site 35, along a small stream, with water & electric.  One problem - the showers (and flush bathrooms) are across the road in another section of the campground; there is an outhouse on this side of the road.  A long walk or short drive to the showers.  Sure am glad my gut has settled down!

Other than driving to the campground, I didn't do much of anything today.  It was a nice warm day (in the mid 60's) so I did get some outside sitting & reading.  No photos other than the campsite one pictured above.

Dinner was a Johnsonville Griller, which I thought was beef, but was a pork hamburger.  While it had built in bacon & cheese, I didn't think much of them.  Unfortunately, I still have 5 more...

Until Tomorrow -

Leonard Harrison State Park, Day 2

"Brick" Church

Thursday, September 18, 2014, Leonard Harrison State Park, Day 2, 0 Miles, 339.5 For the Trip

Sorry for the late posting - it was a combination of a very slow internet connection and being a bit under the weather with a stomach flu.  Not that there was too much to post about.  I didn't do much other than drive to Wellsboro to fill up the gas tank.  I sat around moving the chair with the sun for most of the day.  No photos, so I used one of the church with fake bricks from yesterday.

Dinner was spaghetti & sausage.  I usually have some frozen meatballs in the freezer, but didn't throw some in this trip because it was filled with blueberries.  The sausage was breakfast links - I much prefer real sausage!

Until later -

The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania

The grand Canyon of PA

Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - Leonard Harrison State Park, PA, 24.5 Miles Today, 339.5 For the Trip

I left the Ives Run COE campground around 11:30 and made the short drive to the Leonard Harrison State Park.  I stopped at the Wellsboro Tops grocery store for some supplies on the way. The small campground has 28 sites, 6 with electric only hookups. $23.00 per night with a 20% senior discount (PA is one of the few states that gives a senior discount to non residents). 

Another Escape trailer owner told me to watch for the "brick" church on the way to the campground along PA 660. It is interesting - what looks like a red brick church is actually a painted finish - not real bricks. A pretty church.

After setting up the trailer I headed for the view of the Grand Canyon of PA. It is interesting that there are a bunch of "Grand Canyons" in many eastern states - PA, NY, ME, NC, & GA for example. While they are all worth a visit, they don't compare to the real thing in AZ! In any case, there is a hike to the bottom of the canyon called the Turkey Path Trail, and since there are a couple of waterfalls along the trail, I had to take the hike. 

Like all waterfall trails it included quite a drop, and was easier going down than coming back up! The photos are not all that great - while the sun was covered with clouds when I started down the trail, it broke through when I arrived at the falls. Harsh sunlight & waterfalls don't mix, at least for photographs.  In any case, more photos at my LakeshoreImages site.

Like many of the parks built by the CCC, they have a statue of a worker and signs explaining what the CCC was.  The number of parks built by the CCC during the depression is amazing. 

After returning to the trailer, I sat outside, slapping tiny flies while trying to read. Finally gave up & made dinner - grilled chicken, saffron rice & green beans.

Until Tomorrow -

Ives Run COE Campground, Day 3

The View From My Back Window

Tuesday, September 16, 2014, Ives Run COE Campground, PA, Day 3, 0 Miles today, 315 For the Trip.

A very quiet day.  It rained over night, but pretty much stopped by late morning, although for most of the day it was cool and cloudy.  Other than taking a walk around the campground & to the campground store (which, although sporting an "Open" sign, was closed) I did very little.  I did spend some of the day cleaning up dead links on my web site.  Some mine, but most outside links to other sites that disappeared.

By the way, if you get to this area of Pennsylvania, Ives Run is a great campground.  Some of the sites are full hookups, but I think the Hickory loop is the prettiest & only has water & electric.  The view (pictured above) is great.  There are four individual bathrooms with handicapped showers for the loop.  While they have heaters on a timer, they don't seem to work, although by late afternoon they are warm enough to be comfortable. 

Dinner was Buffalo chicken tenders & broccoli.

Until tomorrow - 

Corning Museum of Glass

City Skyline Bowl, Corning Museum of Glass

Monday, September 15, Ives Run COE Campground, PA, Day 2 & The Corning Museum of Glass - 0 Miles Today, 315 For the Trip

Today I stopped at the Corning Museum of Glass. Even though it is only a couple of hours from home, the last time I visited was around 50 years ago. It sure has changed. About the only things I remember from the first trip was the periscope & the rejected 200" mirror blank for the Hale telescope. What was a small exhibit area tied to the Corning Glassworks has turned into a world class museum with many collections of glass. There are thousands of pieces of beautiful glass from around the world & throughout the ages.

While they no longer have a viewing area around the manufacturing of Stuben Glass, they do have a Hot Glass Show where you can watch a piece being made. I took a few photos, although many of the pieces are behind glass, limiting the quality of the images.  More photos at my Corning Museum of Glass page.

On the way back to the campground I passed a Wegmans.  Actually, I didn't pass it - they are a very good somewhat local grocery chain.  Excellent prepared food as well as a great stock of standard & organic groceries.  I picked up some chicken fillets, a southwest salad, and other good stuff.

It did warm up today, getting close to 70°F, although it has cooled down now that the sun is behind the clouds.  Dinner was an excellent salad & a few Buffalo chicken tenders.

Until tomorrow -

Brunch at Betty's

Brunch at Betty's

Sunday, September 14, 2014 - 154.3 Miles, 315 Miles For the Trip

While the Saturday Pot Luck Dinner & door prizes are the official end of the rally, Sunday brunch at Betty's has become very popular. About 25 of us formed an "auto train" and headed an 11:00 brunch. As usual, the food was great. If you ever get to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls (or even the US side), it is well worth a trip to Betty's. I don't know if they do brunch any other days than Sunday, but I've had dinner there & it was great.

As to the brunch, the strawberry crepes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and many dishes I didn't recognize, but enjoyed, were excellent. A whole table of desserts, including my favorite cake, many pies, brownies, and blueberry cheesecake. The only complaint I have is each time I went up to the buffet, the fried fish (which is wonderful) was gone. The people sitting on either side of me managed to get some, so it was just my timing, and I just couldn't make a third trip (well, other than dessert). Sorry the pictures are not up to the usual standards, but I used my iPhone since I didn't want to haul one of the big cameras. At least this year I didn't have my thumb over the lens!  More photos have been added to the Niagara Wine Escape, 2014 page.

After that I headed back to the Riverside Park Campground & Motel to pick up my trailer & headed for Pennsylvania. A few trailers are staying at the campground for the day.

A pleasant 154.3 mile drive along NY 20A, and US 15 (which is I 390 in NY) to the Ives Run Recreation Area COE campground in PA.  I'm in site 125 in the Hickory Loop (electric & water) for the next 3 days @ $16.00 per night with the senior pass.  Sure beats Riverside Park in Niagara Falls at $50.79 (Canadian), although that was with full hookups in a campground about 15 Km from Niagara Falls.

My site has a great view over the lower sections of the campground & Hammond Lake with lots of afternoon sun to warm up the trailer.  It is still rather cool, but at least the sun came out Last night went down to 41°F; I hope for a bit warmer tonight!

Site 125, Ives Run US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) Campground

Until tomorrow -

Day 2, The Niagara Wine Escape Rally

The Pot Luck Dinner

Saturday, September 13, 2014 -

The weather followed the predictions; rain off & on during the morning & early afternoon, but clearing & a bit of welcome sunshine around 3:00. It was cool enough that I cooked my pies in the trailer, welcoming the extra heat.

After that I took a few more photos of people & trailers, then headed to the Pot Luck Dinner. As usual, lots of great food. After the dinner and the awarding of door prizes, some stayed around for a little campfire gathering. I left fairly early since I needed to post these photos. Actually, that was an excuse. It's COLD! Actually, only down to 52°F, but it feels colder than that even with the warmth of the fire.

More photos added at the 2014 Niagara Wine Escape page.

Until Tomorrow -

The Niagara Wine Escape Rally

Some of the Participants

Friday, September 12, 2014 -

A cool night - down to 51°F overnight, and it only warmed up to 57°F during the day. At least it didn't rain (although that is the prediction for tomorrow). More trailers arrived throughout the day. I didn't do a count, but we have quite a collection of makes & sizes, all the way from a 21' Escape to a Prius with a camping rig attached to the back. Surfsides, Trilliums, Casitas, Compact Jrs, Bolers, and Big Foots (even a couple of "Stickies" or non fiberglass eggs) are among the trailer brands represented.

I walked around and took a few photos (added to the Niagara Wine Escape Rally page).  Other than that, I didn't do all that much today, other than trying to keep warm.  My little cube heater has been running all day, so it is tempting to hole up in the trailer.

Dinner was a chicken breast & rice & broccoli.

Until tomorrow -

Back on the Road

Site 51, Riverside Park Campground, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Thursday, September 11, 2014 - 160.7 miles, 160.7 for the trip

I finished a bunch of modifications & additions to the trailer during the month I was in Oswego, and headed out for a 2 1/2 week trip.  Two rallies, the first at Niagara Falls, and the second at Pine Grove, PA.  I'll spend the time between rallies visiting a couple of PA campgrounds.

While the Niagara Wine Escape Rally doesn't start until tomorrow, I got a head start & arrived on Thursday. So far there are around 5 trailers already here, with more coming. The drive was uneventful - 160.7 miles on NY 104, 21 & US 20. I crossed the border at the Peace Bridge. A little longer than following Route 104 all the way from Oswego to the border, but an interesting drive, and it skips going through Rochester.

I did manage to leave home without one item, my travel kit that has my toothbrush, soap, shampoo, etc.  I replaced it all at the local Walmart.  Boy, the purchase of this kind of stuff is expensive in Canada (as are the taxes!)

After that it was back to the trailer & settling into being on the road again.

Until tomorrow.

Back in Oswego

Not too much to post today.  I said good by to all, and headed back to Oswego this morning.  An interesting drive - 1 1/2 hours to go 3 miles on the Cross Bronx Expressway.  I gave up, and rather than take the usual route across the George Washington Bridge & I84 to I81, I headed up I 87 & crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge & NY 17 to Binghamton.  A much nicer drive, and far less traffic.

I'm not sure when the next post will happen, but I will be attending the Niagara Wine Escape on September 11.

The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, the project was to take Papa Jon (me) and the kids to the Statue of Liberty. The last time I went Karin was close to Valerie's age. We didn't have tickets to go to the crown, but did get up to the top of the pedestal. Valerie developed a headache and burned out part way through the event, ending up getting sick to her stomach on the train ride home. Still, something to talk about when she gets back to Botswana. Brian got a photo of her in front of some tall buildings to make up for the stroller shot at the statue.  Lots more photos at the update of the trip.

So, we now have a bunch of tired kids (and adults, at least one of us) but are back in Oceanside.

Until tomorrow...

A Trip to the New Bay House

Valerie in the Marsh

Tuesday:

Tuesday morning was pool time, after which we went out to the new bay house. Hurricane Sandy did in the original bay house and the replacement is underway. The outsides are pretty near finished, while there is still work to go on the insides. This one is quite a bit higher off the water; hopefully it will survive the next hurricane!

While at the bay house, Zoe got to try her new boots for a walk through the marsh. While Valerie loves the idea & led the hike, Zoe wasn't quite as enthused, particularly after a misstep that landed her in a hole over the tops of her boots.   Photos at Oceanside 2014.

After that it was back to Oceanside an some relaxing.

More tomorrow.

Off to Oceanside

Dinner at Olive Oils

Well, I'm back on the road, unfortunately, without the trailer.  It is sitting in the driveway in pieces (not the trailer, but much of the insides) - I'm doing some wiring projects that I discovered needed doing while on the last trip.  As I mentioned in previous posts, Karin, Brian, Valerie & Zoe are back in the US on a "HomeStay" from Botswana for the month of August.  So, I drove down to Oceanside, Long Island to Brian's parents house for a couple of days.  316 miles, but without the trailer it was much faster than normal.

By the way, don't attempt to make a route without tolls to Long Island from Oswego.  I wondered why the GPS took forever to do a route to their house, found it was 650 miles & 13 hours!  I had set the GPS for no toll roads to avoid the NY Thruway for the trip home from Letchworth State Park & forget to reset it.

The drive down was OK, although far too much traffic for me.  Of course I took some photos:

Valerie & Zoe

Valerie & Zoe

Valerie

Zoe

After settling in, Bert & Pam took us to Olive Oils for dinner.  Right now the kids are asleep & everyone else is settling in watching a Yankee game on TV.

More tomorrow.

2014 Trip Wrap Up

Fallen Roof Ruin, Road Canyon, UT

OK, time for a wrap up of the trip. First some statistics - 304 days, 15,905.6 miles pulling the trailer, 22,888 miles on the RAV4. I stayed in 119 different campgrounds, averaged $22.41 per night (the least expensive was $0.00 at Quartzite, AZ & O'Neill City Park, NB, the most expensive was $65.46 at St Mary KOA at St Mary, MT (outside Glacier National Park's east entrance)).

I took over 11,000 photographs, posted hundreds, and put some of my favorites on the LakeshoreImages Trip Wrap Up  Page.

While it is good to be back in Oswego, I do miss traveling. I keep wanting to go somewhere or do something! I will be driving downstate to visit with my daughter & her family next week, and have two fiberglass trailer rallies in September, so I haven't put the trailer away, but it sure looks lonely sitting in the driveway!

Thanks to all that followed along with my travels, the wonderful people I met on the trip & at rallies, and hope to see all of you again in the future.

Until the next trip!

Home, Oswego, NY

Home, Oswego, NY

Saturday, August 9, 2014, Home, Oswego, NY - 12.4 miles, 15,905.6 For the Trip

While the drive was short, today was one of the busiest of the trip. While it is great to be home, the job of unpacking the trailer & RAV4 took most of the day. Hard to believe there was that much stuff in both! I also went through a 3' high stack of mail. While most of it was junk, every once in a while something important came up such as the release of the lien on the RAV4, etc.

I'll have to get used to sleeping in a huge full size bed, a 20' walk to the bathroom, 8' of counter space, etc. While I love living in the trailer, it will be nice not to have to get out & put away everything I use.

Dinner was a trip to Rudys for a shrimp dinner, a fish stand on Lake Ontario a couple of miles from my house.

After things settle down I'll post a wrap up of the trip.

Until then

Fair Haven Beach State Park, NY

Site 51, Fair Haven Beach State Park, NY

Friday, August 8, 2014, Fair Haven Beach State Park, NY - 94.5 miles, 15,893.2 For the Trip

Very little happening today. I drove to Fair Haven Beach State Park. It is about 12 miles from home, but I've never camped here. For many years in my 20's & 30's, it was our favorite place to water ski, but close enough that it was always a day trip. I'm in site 51, a huge site with electric only for $27.75 (there is an extra $4.00 charge because it is a weekend). It does have the pedestal on the wrong side, which forces you to park a bit closer to the next site than necessary, and puts the picnic table on the wrong side of the trailer.   The site photo is the only one for today.

I spent most of the day either walking around the park, or reading. I had a grilled chicken breast, corn on the cob, and a peach cup for dinner.

Until tomorrow.

Letchworth State Park, Perry, NY

Lower Falls, Letchworth State Park, NY

Thursday, August 7, 2014, Letchworth State Park, Perry, NY - 97.8 miles, 15,798.7 For the Trip

While I could have made it a long day and driven home to Oswego, I decided to take a couple of days getting back. I stopped at Letchworth State Park for the day & am in site 328, a 30 amp electric only site for $23.75. It looks like it rained recently; lots of puddles around the campsites, with standing water in some of them. At Letchworth, when you check in they give you a list of available sites, then have you pick one out, then drive back to the check in to register, so I didn't end up in an underwater site!

After setting up the trailer I drove to the waterfalls. They are not as photographic as some of my past visits (I've been visiting the park since my daughter attended SUNY Geneseo in the early 90's). After a heavy rain the water is too high and too muddy for good pictures. Still, you work with what you get! I also took a couple of photographs of the CCC stature, as well as the Mary Jemison statue (she was the "White Woman of the Genesee.")

There was a crew taking down a large maple tree at the head of the Middle Falls, so I took a couple of photos of it going down.

More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Dinner will be my last Amy's frozen dinner, my favorite, Cheese Enchiladas.

Until tomorrow.

Hidden Valley Camping Area, Jamestown, NY

Site 552, Hidden Valley Camping Area, Jamestown, NY

Wednesday, August 6, 2014, Hidden Valley Camping Area, Jamestown, NY - 219 miles, 15,700.9 For the Trip

After 301 days, I'm finally back in New York. After a long drive across Ohio, and a short one through the northwestern tip of Pennsylvania, I took I86 to Jamestown NY. I stopped at a couple of places to get a NY State Inspection but they either couldn't do one at all, or couldn't do the trailer. Finally, I stopped at KIA of Jamestown and found they could do both the RAV4 & the trailer. I had to wait an hour & one half, but since I did it in & outside the trailer in their parking lot, the wait was OK.

When I talked with our local DMV before leaving in October, I asked how I should deal with my inspections running out while I was out West. Their answer, as usual, was not at all practical. They told me to mail them a letter when I got to the NY border asking for a temporary inspection sticker for each vehicle. They would mail them to me (I explained that I wouldn't be able to get mail at most campgrounds, and wouldn't be at one for more than one day). Their answer was that was the only solution. So, I took a chance & drove 30 miles in NY without a current sticker, hoping that if I got stopped, the cop would be understanding. No problems with the inspections, and I had a good time talking with the guy that cashed me out about traveling.

After that I headed a bit south to the Hidden Valley Camping Area for the night. $30.60 with the Good Sam discount for water & electric. Like the recent sites, on grass, but with a row of pine trees providing shade.

As usual lately, the only photo is that of the campsite.

Dinner will be a couple of cheese brats.

Until tomorrow.

Gotta Getaway RV Park, Bellevue, OH

Site 8, Gotta Getaway RV Park, Bellevue, OH

Tuesday, August 5, 2014, Gotta Getaway RV Park, Bellevue, OH - 176.5 miles, 15,481.9 For the Trip

Another pretty much boring day. Sorry for the lack of interesting places & pictures lately, but since I'm in a hurry to get home to see my daughter, I'm pretty much skipping what might well be great stops. Like yesterday, the only photo is of the campsite.

I spent almost all of today driving US 6, a much more enjoyable section of it than yesterday. I stopped for the day at the Gotta Getaway RV Park, Site 8, $31.50 with a Good Sam discount. A bit expensive for electric & water, but, like yesterday, a huge site on grass, although a bit closer to neighbors. They do have interesting names for the last two campgrounds, although I probably should have found out the history of the name for Starved Rock State Park!

After setting up the trailer I drove to Kasper Toyota in Sandusky for an oil change & tire rotation. Hard to believe I've put another 5000 miles on the RAV4! While the trailer has been pulled 15,481.9 miles so far on this trip, the RAV4 has done 22,385 miles since leaving Oswego in October.

I stopped at a roadside stand for fresh corn on the cob, and the owner wouldn't let me pay for one ear. Back at the campground I took a walk around the place. One interesting thing - the pool & showers are heated with an outdoor wood burning boiler. Probably makes a lot of sense, and with all the campfires, the extra smoke wouldn't be noticed. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading.

Dinner will be a pork chop, and, of course, a grilled ear of corn.

Until tomorrow.

Pla-Mor Campground, Bremen, IN

Site 432, Pla-Mor Campground, Bremen, IN

Monday, August 4, 2014, Pla-Mor Campground, Bremen, IN- 162 miles, 15,305.4 For the Trip

After a very pleasant night, I was back on I 80, US 6 & US 30 heading East. I really dislike the Chicago area; far too busy for me. I thought I would be more comfortable avoiding interstate 80 & take US 30 to get around the city area, but US 30 goes through Joliet, IL, which, while not Chicago, is a big city with terrible roads. Eventually, I was back in corn fields, although still mostly suburbs. I crossed into the Eastern Time Zone, so I no longer have to be sure I'm not calling friends & my son in the middle of the night!

I stopped for the day at the Pla-Mor Campground in Breman, Indiana. The campground is just off US 6 although my site is far enough away that the traffic noise isn't too bad. I'm in site 432, a Water & Electric site for $26.75. Huge open grass site with one other trailer near by.

No photos for the day other than that of the campsite.

Dinner will be a salad.

Until tomorrow.

Starved Rock State Park, IL

Crossing the Mississippi

Sunday, August 3, 2014, Starved Rock State Park, IL - 176 miles, 15,143.4 For the Trip

I got up a bit late this morning after a lousy night's sleep - part brought on by worry about getting the tire repaired/replaced & also the campground. Among the other "interesting" happenings; missed football throws bouncing off the side of the trailer (they did apologise after the third thump). While campgrounds do have different ambiances, both of the worst have been county parks. Of course, some county parks have been great, so I'm not sure what causes the problems. Oh, and one more thing - the only other campground bad enough to mention in my post was where the next door neighbor brought out a chain saw. Well, guess what? Same here. This one was a standard 18" bar saw, but just as loud & out-of-place as the tree trimmer at the Laverne County Campground in OR. Best part about it was after one cut they ran out of gas! By the way, no bad smell from the spilled milk yet. Here's hoping!

I did notice that the other loop of the campground seemed more normal, and planned to move there for the day if I couldn't find a solution for the tire on a Sunday. Fortunately, the Theisen's Home, Farm, and Auto Center in Dubuque opened at 9:00AM, was only 10 miles away, and was willing to check the tire. As I expected, the nail was too close to the edge of the tread, so I needed a replacement tire. While I prefer Maxxis "D" rated tires, all they had available was a "C" rated no name brand. The "C" rated tires are what came on the trailer, and are OK for the weight, but I like the stiffer sidewalls provided by the heavier tire. I had them put the spare on the trailer & the new tire on the back as the spare. Since the Maxxis tires are pretty near the end of their life (well one of them is now past it) I will replace both with "D" rated Maxxis tires when I get home. I'll keep the new tire as a spare since the previous spare now on the trailer is 4 years old. I guess I can't complain about tire life - I've managed to get 53,000 miles out of two sets of trailer tires!

So, I got on the road a bit later than normal, and stopped for the day at Starved Rock State Park in IL. I'm in site 55, sloped enough that I had to unhook to level the trailer, but a very nice site. Large, quiet, and shaded. $25.00 for electric only, but there are showers nearby.

I stopped to take a photo of the Mississippi after crossing into IL, but that & the campground photo is all I took today. I did stop for some supplies, including another half gallon of milk (with a long check for leaks!) Dinner will be a grilled chicken breast & corn on the cob.

Until tomorrow.

Swiss Valley County Park, Dubuque , IA

Site 24, Swiss Valley County Park, Dubuque, IA

Saturday, August 2, 2014, Swiss Valley County Park, Dubuque , IA - 235.8 miles, 14,967.4 For the Trip

It started out as a fairly boring drive along US 20, which, for most of the drive resembled a 4 lane interstate. 235 miles of corn & soybeans. I pulled into the Swiss Valley County Park, and only found one site open. I took it, and soon discovered that I had a new record for the least desirable neighbors. First, 3 cars worth, one of which arrived & parked so they blocked my car (of course, on my site). They evidently had been using both sites until I got here, and seemed really put out that I took it, wandering through the site, etc. To top it off, they burned their garbage in their fire pit, stinking up the trailer. On the other hand, the price is only $16.00 for water & electric, but I'd pay more if I could move...

The next discovery is a nail in one of my trailer tires. I checked the tire pressure & it was down to 28 lbs - lucky I didn't have a blowout. I refilled it, but am either going to have to wait until Monday to get it repaired, or try to jack up the trailer to change it with the spare, neither of which seems like a good option. Maybe another site will open up tomorrow & I can move, and wait until Monday. Probably not my favorite day of the trip!

The only photo is the site photo.

Oh, I forgot to mention, the day started off as a bad one - Getting out of bed I stepped into a puddle of milk on the floor. Seems I had a slow leak in my bottle of milk that ran down the face of the cabinet below the refrigerator, under the refrigerator, etc. I spent about a half an hour & most of a roll of paper towels cleaning up the mess, but there is no way to get at what ever ran under the fridge. I guess I'll discover tomorrow or the next day how well I did cleaning up!

Dinner will be a grilled chicken sandwich.

Until tomorrow.

Sunrise Campground, Storm Lake, IA

Site 706, Sunrise Campground, Storm Lake, IA

Friday, August 1, 2014, Sunrise Campground, Storm Lake, IA 190.9 miles, 14,731.6 For the Trip

Another 190 miles towards home, cruising on US 20. Stopping for fuel in Iowa is confusing. They have all kinds of different ethanol blended gas. Since E10 is the highest blend I can put in the RAV4, I ended up at the wrong pump. They have E10, E15, E20, and E85. My last Town & Country was a flex fuel vehicle, but not the RAV.

That was about all the excitement I had for the drive. I stopped for the afternoon at Sunrise Campground at Storm Lake, IA. I did have to look up the state initials for Iowa - somehow IW didn't look right.

Since i was down to 2 pairs of socks, I needed to do laundry, and the laundromat is not too far from my site (706), and only $1.00 for wash or dry. While a fairly crowded campground, the facilities are nice, clean, and centrally located. Individual bathrooms with showers (push button). $21.00 for full hookups. My site only had 50 amp receptacles available at the pedestal - I have an adapter, so it was no problem.

The only photo for the day was the campsite.

When I checked my mail at the campground I discovered that I had an invitation from another Escape owner for a place to camp for the night.  Unfortunately, I was already here, and will want to go further tomorrow, but they will be attending the Niagara Escape Rally in September, so I'll meet them there.

I stopped at a roadside truck for one ear of corn, and will have it with a steak for dinner.

Until tomorrow.

O'Neill City Park, O'Neill, NB

A Short Stop at Badlands National Park

Thursday, July 31, 2014, O'Neill City Park, O'Neill, NB - 249.1 miles, 14,540.7 For the Trip

I got a reasonably early start (leaving the campground around 8:30) after a nice sourdough pancake breakfast. I stopped in the park for a photograph that included the trailer, headed for a short drive on I 90, then south on US 83 to US 20. Unless I discover something I want to see, I'll follow US 20 across most of the US on the trip home.

I did lose an hour crossing into the central time zone & stopped for the day in O'Neill, Nebraska. They have a great city park that has free camping for 3 days, complete with 30 or 50 amp electric, water, and showers. After three days it is $10.00 per night. What a deal. A campsite photo at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Since I stopped for a late lunch, a fillet of fish at McDonalds, dinner will probably be cheese & crackers.

Until tomorrow.

Badlands Interior Motel & Campground, Interior, SD & Badands National Park

Devils Tower & the Milky Way From the West Side

Wednesday, July 30, 2014, Badlands Interior Motel & Campground, Interior, SD - 176.4 miles, 14,291.6 For the Trip

After putting together yesterday's page, I had an epiphany - since the sun rises in the East (well, I know, it appears to - it is actually the rotation of the Earth) the stars (and the Milky Way) do the same. While I had to wait until 2:00AM to have the Milky Way rotate to a position over Devils Tower, shooting from the west would position it earlier! Very logical, but I didn't think of it until almost too late. At 10:15PM I hopped in the RAV4 & headed back to Joyner Ridge Trail parking lot. There was still one car in the lot - not sure where the owner was, but I was there alone. Very definitely big skies with more stars than I've seen in a long time. Much darker than the campground side, and lots of interesting animal sounds, a few of which I couldn't identify, but they didn't sound big & hungry!

I set up the D700 & tripod & shot away. The first image is a single frame, but the second (the one used for today's photo), while it looks smaller on the web page, is a composite put together with the Panorama tool in Photoshop to form a 4509 X 5029 pixel, 139.1MB file. It is hard to believe it could do it, but it is made up of 8 individual 30 second images that were made from random swivels of the tripod head. No order, but somehow Photoshop put them together. Should be capable of making a pretty good sized print.

I got back to the campground by 11:00, driving with my parking lights to avoid shining up everyone's tent or RV. I sure hope the guy from Quebec didn't take up my suggestion of stopping at the parking lot at 2:00AM; it probably would have been too late. If he did, I'm sorry!

After breakfast I headed to the Badlands with a short stop for a trailer photo on the way out of the park. I've been to the Badlands before, but it has been quite awhile. This time I drove SD 44 to the town of Interior, dropped the trailer at the Interior Motel & Campground (water & electric for $25.13, sites unlabled) and entered the park from the south. The internal park road to Wall is being repaved, and made driving messy & slow, with long waits for single lane sections. I probably added a couple of hundred miles to my tires with the oil I picked up, as well as undercoated the RAV4. Glad I wasn't towing the trailer! I didn't drive all the way to Wall, but turned around in time to get a wait free drive back to Interior.

Lots of photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

Since I have hookups, dinner will be an Amy's Indian Palak Paneer frozen meal cooked in the toaster oven on the picnic table - it is hot enough that I'm running the AC & don't want to cook inside.

Until tomorrow.

Devils Tower National Monument, WY, Day 2

The Milky Way & Devils Tower

Tuesday, July 29, 2014, Devils Tower National Monument, WY, Day 2 - 0 miles, 14,115.2 For the Trip

After posting last night's page, I drove up West Road, a gravel road that is a left hand turn (going up) about a mile from the top. While there is a sign stating it is a view point for the tower, it is small, and easy to miss. If you visit, be sure to take the short drive to the parking area for the Joyner Ridge Trail. A great location for viewing the tower, particularly at sunset.

Last night it was very quiet - almost no one there, and no sound but the wind in the trees. While I was sitting in the RAV4 waiting for the sunset, a deer walked across the view. Unfortunately, as I got out of the car for a photo, it took off. No clouds, and no color to the sky, but lots of changes in the color of the face of the tower.

When I got back to the campground, I programed the CamRanger & D700 to shoot some star photos. I wasn't sure what time the milky way would appear over the tower, so I set it up to take a 30 second photo every 20 minutes. The last image before the camera battery died was at 2:00AM, and included the milky way. I also included a bizarre image made by putting together a stack of all the other images from last night. The shots were too far apart time wise to make a good star circle, but it is different.

I woke up to a great sunrise the next morning, and, although it was east of the tower, I managed to catch part of it in a photo.

There was rain off & on during the day, heavy at times. I spent most of the rain in the trailer reading. I decided it would be a good day to go out for dinner & drove 9 miles to Hulett for a shrimp basket with cocktail sauce that had the most horseradish I've ever had. Almost had my eyes watering!

This evening I went back to the Joyner Ridge Trail parking area, and it was full of vehicles. I found a place for mine, and waited for sunset. Met a couple from Quebec that was taking photos of their RV against the tower. They were doing it for the same reason I have taken photos of my trailer - hoping to get them in the manufacturer's calendar. A much better sunset than last night. It is amazing how fast the colors change. I was ready to pack it in at 8:15 as the shadow moved up the tower, but decided to wait & was rewarded with some good color in the clouds only 20 minutes later.

More photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

There is a real temptation to drive back to the Joyner Ridge Trail parking area tonight for a photo of the milky way from the other direction, but I'm not sure I want to go for a drive at 2:00AM.

Until tomorrow.

Devils Tower National Monument, WY

Devils Tower & the Circle of Sacred Smoke

Monday, July 28, 2014, Devils Tower National Monument, WY - 171.9 miles, 14,115.2 For the Trip

Lots of driving of empty roads, mostly on MT 59 & US 212. I arrived at Devils Tower around 12:20PM, pulled into the campground where both loops were almost empty, and set up in site B17. A great view of the tower from my front window, however I should have taken the next site. The tower would have been hidden from the trailer by trees, however the picnic table location has a clear view. Someone moved into the site, set up a big pile of firewood, so my nighttime photos of the tower may be a problem. We'll see...

After setting up the trailer I drove to the Prairie Dog Village and took a couple of photos, came back to the site to find a Casita 16 a few sites back from me, and talked with the owner for a bit. I drove to the visitor center, bought a "T" shirt (I'm going to have to move the "T" shirt shelf down a notch to fit all my new ones), took a few photos of the tower, then headed back to the trailer to read.

While the movie "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind" made the tower popular to millions of Americans who have never seen the tower in person, you don't need to have seen the movie to be awed by it. It is a scared location for many Native American tribes, and every time I see it I can understand why. Very impressive!

Dinner will be a sandwich made from the leftover grilled chicken, and broccoli.

Until tomorrow.