August 2017

There is so much catching up to do so I will summarize the month.

We left Niagara Falls on July 31st headed to Mountain Top Campground in Tarentum, PA.  I should have had a hint about the location, but we really hadn't seen what westerners consider mountains for a long time.  But we heated up the Tranny getting the Lake House up to the top of the mountain.  We took a rest here, just outside Pittsburg but we just didn't have the energy to do any touring.  So 3 days here and the views were beautiful.  Several trips down the mountain were spent trying to find an alternate route for our departure....no luck, bridge out on one route, road closed on another.  Looks like we just go slow and take it easy.

August 3rd we headed for Alum Creek State Park near Westerville Ohio.  This did have a couple of state lines on the route and  stop for lunch at a winery we had learned about back in Arcadia Fl.  Ravens Glen Winery was a really nice stop.

We did some sampling and some buying, (no we didn't NEED another case of wine, but whats need got to do with it.)  I had called ahead and asked about their parking lot and it had plenty of room for us to pull along the side and get Butter out with water and grass so we could enjoy a leisurely time and have a relaxing lunch.

Then on into Alum Park.  This is a really nice park with electric only, so we filled the fresh water tank and pulled on in.  This is a great local park, especially if you have a boat.  The sites are far enough apart for privacy and everything was very green.  We saw an Ikea store near the park and that was the best idea for dinner....Sweadish meatballs, maybe not gourmet dining but a filling dinner.  Jeff and Kathy were glad to see us and we felt the same, so much catching up to do.  We heard all about the house flipping project and it looked like they had a great set up in the yard of their house while the flip of their sons house was going on.  We went out for 2 great dinners and they took us on a tour of Columbus Ohio.  All in a all a really nice visit and we look forward to catching up in NSB in November.





August 7th hitch her up, pump the tanks and head for Elkhart Indiana.  We scheduled a week and
ended up staying 2 weeks.  This time we needed to get the Lake House serviced. We were having a hydraulic leak, somewhere.  We also wanted to get some new furniture for the dinning area and we had settled on Brad and Hall in Elkhart to do the work.  So we took the rig in for dianostics at Duncan RV repair and they ordered the parts, replace one of the leveling jacks and a part for the slide creep we were having.  Then over to Brad and Hall for measurements, and to make sure they could fit what we wanted under the window sills.  The furniture will take 4 weeks to come in and the jack parts are up in the air.  We do enjoy out time in the Elkhart area.

One day we went into South Bend and toured the Studebaker Museum

Butter likes to clean the frozen yogurt container

One day we went to the RV and camper museum and it was the same weekend as a big RV show, we spent some time looking at new rigs, and decided we still like our Lake House the best.


One day to Shipshawana and Yoders deli, what great sausages and the cheeses are pretty good too.
After waiting on the parts for the hydraulics and not knowing when they would come in we told Duncan RV we would be back in 4 weeks and make us an appointment to get this taken care of and off we went.



August 20 Wayne County fair grounds outside Dearborn MI.  We went to the Henry Ford and bought tickets for the full package.  One day at the museum of Industry and Technology.  This museum could take days to fully tour, I see a return trip in our future.  A guided tour was included in our package and that was a good idea for the first time, it gave us an idea of what areas we would return to for more time and we did.  Still so much more to see.

The next day we tried to arrive early for our tour of the Rouge factory where F-150s are made.  No pictures are allowed inside the assembly plant and I wish I could show you the whole thing.  This was a fascinating and amazing tour.  They gave us a good overview and then left us to walk the catwalk above the assembly flour.  It was a ballet!  Seeing the rucks come in from the paint shop and watch as the doors are pulled off and added t a carrell line then every little part and piece gets added, it was just incredible.  I need a day at the factory and a chair to just sit and watch.  But we have a village to explore.  So we catch a shuttle back to Greenfield Village and find a place for lunch.  We find the Eagle Tavern for ding in 19th Century tavern style.  We decided to split a lunch and then we could enjoy Dessert.  That was a wise decision and we were fueled up and ready to explore the Village.

 We skipped the Working Farm and walk around the Liberty Craftworks neighborhood, see the weaving shop, but nothing is being operated right at this time so we move on the the pottery Shop and the Sawmills, we figure we can pass on the Gristmill since we saw Georges back at Mt. Vernon.  There is glass gallery and they even have a guest Artisan working this day.

Next onto Railroad Junction and the Roundhouse with a roundtable, great place for railroad buffs.  Next stop Henry Fords Model T and we took a ride, the ride gave us a great view of the part of the village we just wouldn't have time for today "Porches and Parlors" Everything from Robert Frost's Home the Hermitage Slave quarters.  All the buildings were purchased and dismantled to be rebuilt her at Greenfield Village.

 This really needed another cycle the museum would be an easy 2 days for us.  The Factory tour, well what can I say, I could just watch the dance for hours as the truck roll along and all the people are up and down and in and out and putting them all together.  That was an amazing tour. And this was a great 2 days.  There is a big star on our map to come back here.











August 24th Off the Wolf Lake Resort (hahahah) in Muskegon.  There was one main reason for going to Muskegon The USS Silversides.  But our first day here was spent redoing our blocks, the tailgate fell down and we lost our blocks again!  But day 2 we did go over to see the Silversides a Gato-class submarine that you can tour.

August 27th  Mackinaw City, MI  We did a little driving the first day here and headed up to Lighthouse Point on Lake Superior to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.  I had no idea there were as many vessel at the bottom of Lake Superior as there are.  Including probably the most famous The Edmund Fitzgerald, and yes we saw her bell.  Then we found a nice brew pub for dinner and called it a day.

On the shore of Lake Superior

After a day to just rest and take in more local sites we went down to Michilimackinac and walked around the Fort.

We found that our park offers tickets for a shuttle into town and the tour of Mackinac Island.  So off we went and we took a horse drawn wagon tour of the island then wandered the streets of town and sent a box of fudge off to my Mom.

August 30th L'anse, MI  Off we go again, across the Mackinac Bridge.   (Now a side not here about the pronunciation and the spelling.  The pronunciation is always Mac i naa.  whether the ending is nap or naw it is pronounced the same.  I don't know why, but I go by what the locals tell me)  So over the brigeand onto the "UP" upper peninsula.

I found a little place in L'anse to spend the Labor day weekend.  Now we could spend hours with this pronunciation and from several locals  lanse, or lonse, or la a niece.  What a great park, and what a great view.  IF it weren't for the fact that they only have electric we could have stayed here for weeks.

Boston and Maine to Connecticut and Niagara

July 9 Sun.  Not up to much today but we decided to go out to dinner and discovered a new chain 99 Restaurants.  We both had a combo meal with Tips and ribs and chicken, and we will have another nice dinner from the leftovers.

July 10 Mon.  Today Dan spends a couple of hours dealing with the truck.  A local Ford dealer gets him in and they can't flash the computer....so we need a new one.  That will take 3-5 days to come in (crap)  but we get the part ordered and I push our trip to Maine out 1 day till next Monday, thats the farthest they can push us.  Our current home can let us stay till Monday no problem.

July 11 Tues Boston Day.  We are up and off early today to catch a train into Boston.  The parking lot isn't far from our campground and I found that I can arrange for a parking pass for the truck on-line.  So we catch the train into town.  Then as I had purchase an on-off bus tour we figured out where to meet the bus and caught a ride down to the waterfront.  We decided to take the full circle tour for an over view of Boston and then back out the the Naval Yard to see the Constitution.  Well we seem to be on a streak with historical ships.  She's in dry dock.  so while we don't get to tour her we do get to see her from a unique perspective.

So we spent some time at the museum and then hoped back on the bus and when the route circled close to the water front again we hoped off and found a nice little fish house for some lunch, and I have to add this was the best fried fish I've ever had.  I skipped the chips, (and they were also great) to be able to eat all my fish.  Then as we had tickets for a harbor tour we wandered back to the harbor and climbed aboard a nice big boat for a science tour of Boston Harbor.  By the time we were back we were worn out and it was time to catch a train back to the car so we could avoid most of the rush.  I really want to walk the Liberty Trail and so we will make our way back here.

July 12 Wed Todays is Danny's birthday, but he really isn't up t doing much of anything except a drive over to Upton, MA.  Now why Upton you may ask.  Well it seems we have landed right in the middle of the Wood family territory and that is Danny's ancestors going back 7 generations.  We find the Upton library and the historical Society, but they have closed for the day, so we will have to be up and doing much earlier tomorrow to see the folks at the historical Society.

July 13 Thur.  Well we made it to the Society and have a great time chatting with the folks there.   When we said we were looking for the Wood family they just smiled and started bringing out books and maps and pictures.  One of Dans ancestors started a box factory in Upton and he made a lot of boxes for the hat factory that was located nearby.  The Area Thayer House still stands and we got directions to find it.  Also we found where the box factory was located and found just a few spare foundations sections located along the creek.  It was really exciting to see family history going back so far, and parts of it still present.

The Box Factory

Workers at the Box Factory

Products....Great delivery process

The Arba Thayer House today in Upton MA

July 14 Fri   Dan tried to find out about the new computer chip for the truck today but...no luck.

Jul 15 Sat

Jul 16 Sun




Jul 17 Mon  Today we pulled out of CG Farms Campground and headed to Maine...Kennebunkport.  First we cross into New Hampshire, then we get to Maine.  We are staying at Cherry Hill Farms and we had a very good reason.  They offer fresh lobster delivery.  Our first night here we are in too late for lobster and I wanted to take Danny out for his birthday dinner, so I ask the owner for a recommendation for a nice place to have dinner.  She takes no time to offer the perfect place, asks me what time we want to eat and then picks up the phone and calls to reserve a table.  We head downtown to Arundel Wharf and start at the bar for a drink before being escorted to our table.  What a great table!  And a great meal.

Jul 18 Tue.  Now today we are ready to order our dinner, yeah...these lobsters are soft shells, literally we opened them with our fingers.

Dinner Arrives

5 minutes later

Jul 19 Wed.   We had arranged to go out on a schooner today.  Now we had fog this morning and we hope it will clear out, and when we board the Eleanor it looks like its going to clear, but NOT.  So when we get out of the bay we find the fog just waiting for us and no wind.  So we head back in and we are only charged a reduced rate for the "sail".  We also had ordered lobster for dinner again.  Double lobster, 2 each.  The weather wasn't as nice as yesterday so we dine indoors.  And the lobster were in need of pliers and knives they must have come from a different place (?)

On the schooner Eleanor

double lobster

Jul 20 Thur.  Didn't do anything.

The lobster delivery truck

Jul 21 Fri.  We head out of Maine today and caught a picture of the delivery truck.  We decided to head to Mystic Seaport for a few days.  After crossing back into Massachusetts we drop into Connecticut.  For a west coast girl this crossing in and out of multiple states in a few hours just feels strange.  after getting settled in at our new campsite we decide its time for Mystic Pizza.  nuff said.


Jul 22 Sat  We head over to the aquarium today, its a nice little place, and we don't completely exhaust ourselves.

waiting for the parade to get started

Jul 23 Sun.  Now to the seaport village.  This is a great place and we could spend days here.  There is an antique boat parade today and so while we get to see the newly restored steam boat, we can't go onboard...but there is so much else to see and do.  We learn about coopers during the time of the whaling ships.  We learn about making rope, and the building they make it in is really long.  We have a really nice lunch and just keep walking.  Fortunately our ticket is good for 2 days here and we head on home to rest for tomorrow.

lining up the parade

turning yarn into rope

twisting all the way down....and back again

I always liked Longfellow.

Jul 24 Mon  Back to the village and we head over to see the restoration part of the village.  They have wood of every type and tools, just amazing tools.  We find the Mayflower, she is here being restored and while we don't get to go aboard we again get a unique perspective.  Maybe in 2 years we will be able to see all this work completed as they reflect her at Plymouth.  We do learn how they take pieces out one at a time and make patterns to copy the wood, and when the new piece is ready it slips back in.  Well not quite that easy but you get the idea.











Jul 25 Tue  Its a road day again, and this time we are headed across New York toward Niagara.  But as we really don't like going much more then 200 miles we stop off in Salisbury Center NY.  Now it is time to cancel to order on the computer chip, we are too far away to go back so we will order it when we are back in Florida.

Jul 26 Wed  Here we are just in the center of where the Erie Canal connected the shipping centers of New York.  While the original canal is pretty much gone and buried, and the second expanded canal is about the same.  We are at a place where we can get a ride on the "barge canal", this was the third version of the Erie Canal.  Great day just relaxing .

entering the locks

down we go

Jul 27 Thur  Another interesting little place we find.  Fort Stanwix National Monument.  We got a nice tour and ended up as part of the firing team, we learned all the commands and how a canon was fired.  Its a wonder they didn't blow themselves up.

Jul 28 Fri  Niagara Falls what is there to say!

Jul 29 Sat We went to Canada and saw it from that side....we went under the falls and over the falls(only digitally),we road the maid of the mist, we got wet and we loved every view and every spray.

Jul 30 Sun Too soon we headed on.

Jul 31 Mon Tarentum PA On down to Tarentum PA and we did a whole lot of nothing for 3 days.  After we made our way to the campground we spent 2 days trying to find a different route off.  Eventually we gave up.