May 7, 2020 - Home Again

2020-05-05. Home Again We reluctantly left Tennessee to start for home The drive to Candler, NC through the Smoky Mountains was spectacular as we drove I-40 through lush mountain passes of layered greens. We decided to spend a night near Asheville to visit Rachel Director to whom I am "Aunt Joanne". She and her family have decorated my Christmas tree since she was born 35 years ago so she, like her parents and brother, are very dear to me. Rachel picked up some great BBQ for us and we spent the evening a socially appropriate distance apart...

Mar 20, 2020 - Washington,Pennsylvania

The Covid-19 virus is gaining a foothold on all of North America. It is becoming quite scary. We will be so happy to get home. All the tv news is consumed by the virus progression. Today we drove about 400 miles and are stopped for the night at the KOA in Washington, Pennsylvania. This campground is a little difficult to get to, the roads are a little narrow, and the topography is a little rough. As we drove north the traffic had been gradually decreasing until it was very light by the time we got into Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania for some...

Dec 6, 2019 - How Peeps Are Made

Tour of Just Born Candy Factory--Bringing Sweetness to People's Lives Our day started with meeting Ross Born of Just Born Quality Confections in the lobby of Hotel Bethlehem. We had breakfast together at the Flying Egg next door. Ross explained our itinerary for the day. We arrived at the Just Born factory and Debbie spied the promotional vehicles in the parking lot: the Peepmobile, a yellow Volkswagen Bug, and the Goldenberg's Peanut Chews van, a vintage VW. We entered the building through the employees' entrance, the same front of the...

Dec 5, 2019 - Christmas City

We are spending the day exploring downtown Bethlehem on foot. There are historic markers on Main Street that explained how the town was established in 1741 by the oldest organized Protestant group, the Moravians. They called themselves this because many of the original founders came from the provinces of Moravia and Bohemia in central Europe in what is now the Czech Republic. By 1747, thirty-six different trades and industries exported their wares from Bethlehem throughout the colonies. In the days of the American Revolution, George...

Dec 4, 2019 - Bethlehem PA

During my holiday visit to Sarasota this year, I made a side trip to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Debbie Downs, Carolyn Simmons, Kim Betz, Leslie Kalin Malkin and I went to visit the town known for its Christmas celebration. We had a special mission. Debbie's love for Peeps, the marshmallow chicks associated with Easter, got her some special notice from Ross Born, the president of Just Born Candies. We'll meet him this weekend and learn more about the product. We flew from Sarasota to Newark on United Airlines, drove to Bethlehem and checked...

Oct 23, 2019 - Back at Hickory Hollow

The trip home is almost done. One more night at our favorite stop over in Western PA, Hickory Hollow Campground. Across the road from the entrance is Haunted Hollow with attractions like the haunted Bruner Boarding House, Hollywood Haunted Hay Ride, Milford Asylum, Toxic Wasteland, and Dead End Cornfield. We didn't visit, but you could see activity in the area after it got dark. Another nice thing about Hickory Hollow is that it is dark at night. It was a clear night tonight so I was able to get some shots of the night sky. We'll be headed...

Oct 23, 2019 - Philadelphia and Layton

The next a.m. we caught the city sightseeing bus and did a tour of town. It was interesting to see the places where so much history was made. Benjamin Franklin was active and responsible for so many firsts from the post office...first American Post Office....to so many buildings. He is printed the first newspaper, signed the declaration of independence, made lightening rods. Etc. There are many memorials to him. From the bus we saw where all this happened...as well as where he lived and worked. Philadelphia is a beautiful city with narrow...

Oct 20, 2019 - Jonestown, PA

This is a nice KOA conveniently located right off I-81. The campground is excellent. Most of the facilities are either new or very well maintained. The leaves in Pennsylvania are starting to turn so the hillsides are pretty. The reason we stay at a lot of KOA's (Kampgrounds of America, a chain of franchises) is because their reservation system is so convenient. Lots of campgrounds you have to call on the telephone, or you make a 'tentative' reservation on the internet followed up by telephone call-backs or emails, and in the off season...

Oct 6, 2019 - Schellsburg

After we left Ives Run on Sunday, we headed southwest through Pennsylvania – a trip of about 200 miles. Much of the trip took place in the rain, but at least we were able to breakdown camp without the rain. We left one day earlier than planned because Monday was supposed to be 100% change of rain. Our destination was Shawnee State Park near Schellsburg. We tried to get the same campsite that we had already reserved for the rest of the week, but it was booked for Sunday night, so we did the next best thing and picked a campsite right next to...

Sep 30, 2019 - Gibson, PA

We headed towards home today. It was somewhat foggy this morning and then sprinkled and/rained off and on. The sun only came out for a few minutes. We started out about 73 degrees and went up to 82. It bottomed out at 60. That felt cold to us. Going to hate to have to wear our jeans tomorrow, but will need them at least to start the day. Just south of Roanoke, VS, we started to see hints of the foliage turning, and by northern PA, there was quite a bit, more than I expected. We paid 2.10 for gas at Pilot in NC. Gas was 2.77 in Southern PA....

Sep 30, 2019 - Ives Run

After a month of fun in New York state, we headed south into Pennsylvania on the last day September. Our destination was a Corps of Engineers park called Ives Run near Tioga Pa. For those of you that are not familiar with the US Army Corps of Engineers (or COE), it is a federal agency under the Department of Defense with up to 37,000 military and civilian personnel. It is one of the world's largest engineering, design and construction management agencies. Where land is prone to severe flooding from rivers, the COE will take possession of...

Sep 28, 2019 - National Public Lands Day

A big finale! National Public Lands Day! UPDE is cleaning up the area around the Zane Grey MUseum to restore it to how it looked when Zane Grey lived there in the first decade of 1900. THe museum is emptied out to restore floors and rehab the old kitchen area so it can be used. THe big barn in the back will be a bathroom and the entrance will be in the back of the building, handicapped accessible! THis will take a few years, I imagine, but it is good to hear abvout these changes! We all worked hard for three hours this morning and enjoyed...