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Private RV Campground

Little Rock & Hot Springs AR May 7, 2017

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20170506_114226Leaving Mississippi behind, we crossed the mighty Mississippi River where we could see evidence of the recent flooding. We skirted around Memphis, luckily passing through on a Saturday morning so the traffic was light.  The roads around Memphis were really rough and full of potholes.  Quickly we crossed over into the beautiful state of Arkansas.  We continued to see a lot of flooded farmland as we traveled towards Little Rock, the capital and largest city in the state.  The last time we were in Little Rock in Oct 2013 a government shut down closed the Clinton Presidential Library, so we were looking forward to checking another presidential library off our list.20170506_114205

We arrived at Downtown Riverside RV Park located right in the heart of North Little Rock.  It is little more than a parking lot with hookups, but wow, what a location!  It is located right on the Arkansas River with views of the Clinton Presidential Library in the distance across the river and a view of the Little Rock skyline.IMG_20170507_092842

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Pedestrian bridge looking toward campground from the Presidential Library

A walkway from the RV park led to the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, which is a pedestrian bridge, so the Library was just a short walk away, no need to even drive your car.  The Park had security and a gated entrance so we felt safe even though we were in the heart of North Little Rock.  At night the bridge was lit up with lights that changed color. IMG_20170508_205345IMG_20170508_205337 Across the Bridge was the Arkansas River Trail, an 88 mile multi-use loop trail perfect for walking or biking.  The Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, dedicated on September 11, 2011, is one of Little Rock’s six bridges and connects pedestrians to Little Rock from North Little Rock.

IMG_20170507_114004On Sunday we decided to make the drive to Hot Springs to visit Hot Springs National Park.   The town of Hot Springs received its name from the rising steam from more than forty boiling springs. Native Americans were drawn to the area during the late 1700s and early 1800s for the healing potions given by the Great Spirit.  People today still come for the therapeutic auras and spas.  It is also the boyhood home of Bill Clinton.

The springs are found along the western slope of Hot Springs Mountain where thermal water, which is naturally sterile, begins as rainwater.  It is absorbed into the mountains and carried 4,000 to 8,000 feet underground where the earth’s extreme heat raises its temperature to 143 F.  The purified water makes its way back to the surface through cracks and pores in the form of hot springs.  The entire process takes around 4,000 years!  The 47 springs have an average daily flow of approximately 750,000 gallons.  The water is collected into one central system where it is distributed to bathhouses and drinking fountains.  Tub baths as well as fancy spa baths are available for a cost.

In 1832, because of the number of people coming to the area for the medicinal benefits, the federal government set aside the springs and surrounding area as the country’s first park-type federal reservation created to protect a natural resource.  In 1921 it became a national park.  The park Visitors Center is located in one of eight bathhouses known as Bathhouse Row.  The popularity​ of the springs began to decline in the 1950s.

IMG_20170507_121136It was definitely the strangest national park Visitors Center we have ever visited.  We parked in a parking garage and walked to the Visitors Center located in the restored Fordyce Bathhouse in the middle of Bathhouse Row.  There we found the usual park rangers, a film, exhibits and a self guided tour of 23 restored rooms furnished as they appeared during the height of the area’s popularity.   Behind the Visitors Center were display springs where we could feel how hot the water was as it emerges from the ground.  We found a couple of geocaches and then wanted to explore more of the natural areas of the park.  We drove to the nearby West Mountain Summit Drive where the car wound around Hot Springs Mountain with some nice views of the town below. A short hike in the park took us to another geocache.IMG_20170507_120202IMG_20170507_112205IMG_20170507_112119IMG_20170507_134002

Sunday morning before heading to Hot Springs I discovered a rash on my thighs that was very itchy.  Bill and I both thought it was bug bites.  During our visit in Hot Springs the rash and itching intensified and at times I felt dizzy and lightheaded.20170508_153446

By Monday morning the rash now covered a larger part of my body, the itching was driving me crazy and I was weak and very dizzy.  Bill took me to a nearby walk in clinic in North Little Rock.  By this time I was so lightheaded I could barely walk from the car to the waiting room.  As I walked to the examining room I briefly passed out and was sick to my stomach.  As the nurse asked me questions I mentioned that eight days earlier I had been bitten by a tick while hiking at Wind Creek State Park in Alabama.  That comment immediately alerted the nurse and doctor who diagnosed my sickness as a tick borne illness.  They gave me a shot at the clinic and i was put on Doxycycline antibiotic, Prednisone and an anti nausea medicine.  It has taken a week of treatment and excellent care from my wonderful husband for me to start feeling better.  The side effects of the Prednisone has been pretty unpleasant as well as the rash. I had no idea a tick bite could make a person so ill.  I have heard this is going to be a particularly bad year for ticks.  Please check yourself after any outdoor activities and check your pets as well!!

Needless to say our sightseeing in Little Rock did not happen as planned.  We drove by places I had hoped to walk around and visit.

IMG_20170509_114917One really beautiful place was The Old Mill at T.R. Pugh Memorial Park a short distance from the campground.  The Old Mill was built in 1933 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It was never a real working mill but was built to be a replica of an old water powered grist mill that was in service in Arkansas in the early 1800s as a tribute to Arkansas pioneers.  What caught my attention was it was used in the opening scene of  the 1939 classic film “Gone With the Wind” and is the last standing structure from the film.  The Old Mill was honored on the 50th anniversary of the film and was the site of the unveiling of the Gone With the Wind commemorative stamp.IMG_20170509_115220IMG_20170509_115313IMG_20170509_115602IMG_20170509_115107

It is truly a gorgeous setting.  I made it to the mill bridge while Bill went inside and looked around.

We drove by the state capitol building, something we try to do in all capital cities.  Constructed between 1899 and 1911, I had hoped to see the six doors at the front of the building up close. They are made of four inch thick bronze fashioned by Tiffany of New York .  In the early 20th century they cost $10,000 each.  Today all six would cost 1.5 million.  The capital grounds also include many memorials and monuments.  All that will have to wait for another visit.20170509_13205220170509_132301

IMG_20170509_130822Bill toured the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.  Located in the historic tower of the Old Arsenal which was built in 1840 as part of a frontier military post, it is the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur and a National Historic Landmark.  MacArthur was born here while his father was stationed at the arsenal.  It houses exhibits of Arkansas military history from Territorial days to the present as well as exhibits about the Civil War, World War I and World War II.IMG_20170509_121955IMG_20170509_121927

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Bill’s Grandfather Robert Tucker served with the Rainbow Division

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The main reason we came to Little Rock was to see another presidential library, in this case the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park.  The original plan was to leave the car at the RV park and walk across the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge with its magnificent river views of Little Rock.  But a tiny little Alabama tick had other plans for me so we drove over instead.  The glass building projects over the Arkansas River representing a “bridge to the 21st century”.  There is 20,000 square feet of exhibition space including the largest collection of presidential archives and artifacts in U.S. history.  Also included are replicas of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room.  There is a penthouse suite above the museum where President Clinton often stays.IMG_20170509_140943

IMG_20170509_151900IMG_20170509_151729We began our visit with a twelve minute film about President Clinton’s life and political career before touring the museum. I sat on a lot of benches but Bill was able to spend time looking at the exhibits.IMG_20170507_161604

We liked Little Rock very much and there is certainly much to see and do there.  It certainly deserves another visit in the future.

Next stop: Bentonville, Arkansas to see my Aunt Shirley!

Oct 21, 2016 Stone Mountain, GA

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After our short stay in Hendersonville NC we headed south. On the way both to and from Hendersonville we passed the Eastern Continental Divide which separates the waters flowing to the Atlantic Ocean from those flowing to the Gulf of Mexico. The divide runs from Pennsylvania to Florida. It crosses Virginia from Carroll County at the North Carolina line to Giles County at the West Virginia border. Rainwater in southwestern Virginia flows to the Gulf of Mexico. Before 1760 it was the boundary between British and French colonial possessions in North America. It was also the line separating the Thirteen Colonies from the west. Sure didn’t know this until I saw the sign and looked it up!
We passed through South Carolina, which had the cheapest gas, and endured gusty winds and a major Friday afternoon traffic jam outside of Atlanta. We were glad when we reached our destination, the Stone Mountain RV Park.
Stone Mountain is an exposed quartz monzonite dome rock 825 feet tall and more than five miles in circumference at its base. It was formed during the formation of the Blue Ridge Mountains around 300-350 million years ago. Stone Mountain continues underground for nine miles at its longest point.

On the north face of the rock is an enormous rock relief carving of three Confederate figures: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. It is the largest “bas-relief” in the world, larger than Mount Rushmore!!20161022_194316
Stone Mountain is surrounded by a family oriented theme park. We were not too attracted to the touristy stuff but did spend a morning riding the train on the five mile scenic loop around the park and then took the Summit Skyride. 20161023_12164320161023_13202220161023_131126The Skyride is a high speed cable car which carries visitors to the top of Stone Mountain. As we rode up we had a nice view of the Confederate carving. 20161023_130904At the top we walked around and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlanta skyline.  It is only a few miles east of downtown Atlanta.20161023_13242520161023_132737
On Saturday evening they had the last laser show of the season. It was very chilly and we had to really bundle up for the 45 minute nighttime show. With videos and high-powered lasers the mountain became a nighttime canvas. With the last laser show completed they began preparations for their Snow Festival season.  20161022_205344IMG_1413IMG_1415IMG_141720161022_20534620161022_205416There were already snow machines making snow and snowflakes hanging from light posts.20161023_114139

Sunday we drove into Atlanta to see the capitol building and visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

The capitol is modeled after the U.S. capitol building. The roof is covered with gold leaf mined in northern Georgia.20161023_171008
In keeping with our goal to visit as many presidential museums as possible, we toured the Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum. 20161023_145748We began with a short film and then proceeded through several galleries beginning with his early life, navy career, political life as governor and president including a reproduction of the Oval Office, and concluding with his life today. 20161023_16092820161023_16095020161023_162008These days he spends a lot of time at the Carter Center, even maintaining an apartment there. The Carter Center, founded in 1982, is a nongovernmental, not for profit organization in partnership with Emory University. The Carter Center works to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering.20161023_162748

We saw this picture of President Carter and noticed how it is made from smaller images to produce the contrast and contours.20161023_162810

Notice here how his head is made from the fifty state flags.

In 2002, President Carter received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work through the Carter Center.20161023_16365720161023_16364720161023_163435

We enjoyed visiting the Carter Presidential Library and Museum and found it was very well done.

I had to laugh at a sign on the door saying “Worst President”. A closer look showed they were advertising a lecture by a guest author who wrote a book on who he thinks was the worst president: James Buchanan.20161023_164126

Oct 18, 2016 Hendersonville, NC

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We left Waxhaw and traveled to Hendersonville, NC located in the western North Carolina Mountains between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains.  Hendersonville is twenty-two miles south of Asheville and fifteen miles north of the North Carolina/South Carolina border.
While in Hendersonville we enjoyed meeting Bill’s friend Alan, his wife, daughter and granddaughter for dinner.  Many years ago Bill and Alan’s family attended the same church in Orlando, FL and Bill and Alan were leaders in the same Boy Scout troop.
Bill and I enjoyed exploring Hendersonville.  Inside the Hendersonville City Hall were very nice statues of General Andrew Jackson, James Knox Polk (11th President and born in NC) and Andrew Johnson (17th President and born in NC).  Johnson was the only sitting senator from a Confederate state who stood with the Union and did not join the Confederate States of the Union.  He became President when Lincoln was assassinated.20161019_134600
The Hendersonville County Courthouse, built in 1905, has atop its copper dome a six foot statue of “Lady Justice”.  The statue is the Greek Goddess Themis, goddess of divine justice and law.  She does not have a blindfold and is holding a sword in her right hand and scales in her left.  It is believed this is one of only three statues of Themis in the United States without a blindfold.  The blindfold is meant to show that Justice should be impartial.20161019_133810
We drove to Jump Off Rock which has a scenic overlook of the Blue Ridge and Pisgah mountain ranges.  There is an Indian Legend about Jump Off Rock which says that over 300 years ago a young Cherokee Indian Chief fell in love with an Indian maiden.  They would often meet on top of the rock ledge.  When the Chief went off to war, the maiden promised him she would wait for him at the rocky ledge.  When she received news he had been killed in battle, she jumped off the rock.  Her body was found by tribal hunters below.  Indian legend says that on moonlit nights you can see the ghost of the Indian maiden on Jump Off Rock.20161019_14370020161019_14373320161019_14404320161019_144502
Another day we visited DuPont State Recreational Forest.  Many scenes from the movies “The Hunger Games”, “The Last of the Mohicans” and “Max” were filmed in this park.  We hiked to High Falls.20161020_12384120161020_130123

We also hiked to Triple Falls.20161020_140227

Scenes from “The Hunger Games” and “The Last of the Mohicans” were filmed at Triple Falls.
The days are warm and the nights cool.  We still are not seeing much fall foliage to our disappointment.20161020_125910

Oct 12, 2016 Mt Airy, NC

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20161013_141409Last month I was thrilled to visit Jamestown, NY, the birthplace of Lucille Ball. We visited the Lucille Ball museum and a re-creation of the Desilu Studios. I was once again overjoyed to learn we would be visiting Mt Airy, NC, the hometown of Andy Griffith and the inspiration for the town of Mayberry. 20161013_105345The Andy Griffith show is one of my all time favorites, second only to I Love Lucy. Bill has his love of Star Trek and Dr Who. I have my love of I Love Lucy and Andy.
We stayed three nights at the Mayberry Campground, just outside of the Mt Airy town limits. Luckily we had a reservation because the campground was full of people escaping the flooding in eastern North and South Carolina from Hurricane Matthew.20161013_104647
We had fun touring Mt Airy. The outskirts of downtown have many chain stores and restaurants. But the charming historic downtown area is like going back in time to the days of Mayberry. None of the show was actually filmed in Mt Airy. We saw in various places in the city: Floyd’s Barber Shop, Walker’s Drug Store (where Miss Ellie sold Andy, Barney and Opie ice cream sundaes), Wally’s Service Station where Gomer and Goober worked, the Darlings’ cabin and truck. Many of these were built for the tourists and resemble the show. We had lunch at Snappys Diner. In one of the episodes of the show, Andy suggests to Barney they grab lunch at Snappys. The diner is known for their “pork chop sandwich” which Bill ordered for lunch. I had a nice BLT for the exorbitant price of $2.25!20161013_12332320161013_12334120161013_12330020161013_13194320161013_12501320161013_13311020161013_13321920161013_13323020161013_13330620161013_13334620161013_13363420161013_13374120161013_13380820161013_13391220161013_13401520161013_133029
We walked to the Mayberry Courthouse where Andy and Barney worked. We were both thrilled to see the inside looked just like the set on the show. And we both ended up in Andy’s jail. We were also thrilled to see the police car like Andy drove!20161013_10443820161013_12010120161013_111818
We also visited the Andy Griffith museum where they had exhibits on Andy’s life and career. They had Andy’s police uniform shirt, and the suits that Barney and Goober wore on the show. They had Goober’s service station hat which had been bronzed. They also had the suit Andy wore as Matlock. At the entrance to the museum they had a statue of Andy and Opie going fishing. Just inside the door they had Barney’s sidecar that he bought in an episode in season 4. Such fun!!20161013_10565920161013_11002520161013_10460620161013_110906We found this production pictures of the making of the TV show’s opening credits where Andy and Opie are going fishing was filmed.20161013_110608

We finished the day by driving by Andy’s home place where he lived as a child until his high school graduation. It is now owned by the Marriott and they rent the house out to tourists! You can go to Mt Airy and sleep in Andy’s house!20161013_135904
Betty Lynn, who played Barney’s girlfriend Thelma Lou, visited Mt Airy during the yearly Andy Griffith festival and loved the town so much she now makes her home in Mt Airy.20161013_104713
We even found some geocaches in Mt Airy!  Can you tell how much we enjoyed visiting this sweet little town?

Oct 10, 2016 Staunton, Virginia

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20161010_145704As we traveled south we passed through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and stopped for a few nights in the area. In keeping with our quest to visit as many Presidential Libraries as possible, we toured the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum in Staunton, Virginia. Nearby was Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace where he was born in 1856, the son of a Presbyterian minister.20161010_14574720161010_150200

There is a nice museum detailing Wilson’s presidency.  In the basement of the museum is a recreated Great War (first World War) bunker.20161010_15124520161010_151340
Wilson was our 28th President, serving from 1913-1921, the first Southerner elected president since Zachary Taylor in 1848. Wilson was seen as a leader of the Progressive Movement. He reintroduced the State of the Union address which hadn’t been done since 1801. During his time as President he oversaw the passage of progressive legislative policies including the Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission, Clayton Antitrust Act, and the Federal Farm Loan. His Revenue Act of 1913 introduced the federal income tax. Wilson favored an international policy of neutrality which some blamed for later causing us to enter into the Great War. Woodrow Wilson won a second term as President, the first Democrat since Andrew Jackson to win two consecutive terms. His second term was dominated by the United States entry into World War I in 1917. He loaned billions of dollars to Britain, France and other Allies, raising income taxes and borrowing billions of dollars through the public purchase of Liberty Bonds. In 1918 he endorsed the 19th Amendment which was ratified in 1920, giving women the right to vote. Like all Southern Democrats at that time, he supported segregation. He pushed for a League of Nations and was in favor of the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was opposed by Republicans and while promoting the treaty he suffered a severe stroke and the treaty was rejected by the Senate. It is said that Wilson’s Presbyterian background infused morality into his international affairs, leading to what is known as “Wilsonian”, an activist foreign policy calling for the promotion of global democracy. Because of his work on forming the League of Nations, he was awarded the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize. After his stroke, many say that his second wife, Edith, ran the White House and made many major administrative decisions. Wilson was initially against equal rights for women and some say it was Edith who actually had the 19th Amendment passed. His illness was kept from the public, but once it became known, concern was expressed about his fitness to serve as President. This led to the 25th Amendment which details the succession to the presidency in case of illness.
Prohibition also began in 1920 during Wilson’s presidency.20161010_155737

Also in the museum is Wilson’s 1919 Pierce-Arrow car. The car was part of the Presidential fleet and when he left office his friends purchased it for him.
After his presidency ended, he and Mrs. Wilson lived in Washington D.C. until his death in 1924 at the age of 67. Mrs. Wilson lived another 37 years, dying in 1961 at the age of 89.20161010_150239
We enjoyed our very short time in Virginia visiting family and friends. With temperatures going down to 36 degrees at night, we hurried towards our next stop in North Carolina.

Oct 1, 2016 Gettysburg, PA

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Our last stop in Pennsylvania was at Gettysburg Farm – Thousand Trails about thirty minutes from the Gettysburg Battlefield.  This campground is a charming working farm and we were delighted to interact with some of the friendly farm animals.  They anticipated being fed and would come running when they saw people.20161001_14003920161001_14005520161001_14004320161001_14011820161005_16252920161005_16232920161005_16241820161005_16245020161005_162458
20161004_154229We were last at Gettysburg in 2010 for a long weekend.  At that time we did an extensive tour of the battlefield using an auto driving tour.  So on this trip we were interested in seeing the Eisenhower National Historic Site.  Dwight and Mamie only owned one home, the Gettysburg Farm they purchased in 1950 at the end of his thirty year military career; he rose to the rank of five star general.  20161004_141319During his two terms as our 34th president they used the farm as a weekend retreat.  World leaders and dignitaries from around the world visited them where President Eisenhower used the laid back charm of the property to encourage friendly talks.  During Eisenhower’s heart attack in 1955 the farm served as a temporary White House.  When President and Mrs. Eisenhower left the White House in 1961, it became their retirement home where the President enjoyed painting and raising Angus cattle.  They gave their home to the federal government in 1967 with the understanding that they both be allowed to live there until their deaths.
After buying tickets at the Gettysburg Visitors Center we rode a bus for the fifteen minute trip to the farm where a guide met us for part of the tour.20161004_141858  The view from the farm was absolutely beautiful.  We saw the helicopter landing field where dignitaries would land and be greeted by Eisenhower in his golf cart.  He would take his guests for a ride around the farm to “break the ice” before heading to the house.20161004_13213420161004_13323720161004_135717
The house today is much like it was when the Eisenhowers lived here, and Angus cattle still graze in the fields.  The house has eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms and Mamie’s favorite color, pink, is throughout the house.  Even though the house has many bedrooms and baths, it did not feel that large and had a modest look. Most of the furnishings are original and the living room showcases the many gifts received by the Eisenhowers in the White House.  At that time of the 34th President, gifts received while president could be kept.  20161004_13351320161004_13345920161004_133530The Eisenhowers spent little time in the living room, preferring to stay on the porch, his favorite room where they watched TV and Eisenhower pursued his hobby of oil painting.  It is in this relaxed homey room that he entertained Khrushchev and De Galle.20161004_134223
The farm also includes a Secret Service Office, a guest house, a small putting green, an 1887 barn, several farming sheds, a cattle show barn and a garage with his presidential limousine, a station wagon he drove around Gettysburg, and several golf carts including the Surrey With the Fringe on Top golf cart he used to show guests around the farm.
One funny story is Eisenhower was always chauffeured around during his military career and presidency.  He did not get a driver’s license until the age of 70 after he retired.  Evidently he was not a very good driver.  Before he and Mrs. Eisenhower would leave to have dinner at their favorite restaurant in Gettysburg, he would call the restaurant owner and have him go outside and block off several parking spaces in front of the restaurant so the President would not have trouble parking.
President Eisenhower died in 1969 and Mamie continued to live at the farm until her death in 1979 at the age of 82.  They are both buried at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas.
20161004_16193720161004_16212120161004_163453After completing our tour of the Eisenhower Farm, we did spend the rest of the afternoon driving around some of the 24 miles of the Gettysburg Battlefield. It is such a beautiful, peaceful place that it is hard to comprehend the suffering and agony that occurred on this hallowed ground. The battle began on July 1, 1863, continued for three days, and the casualties were high. On July 3rd, Confederate General Robert E. Lee lost over 5,000 soldiers in ONE HOUR. When both armies marched away from Gettysburg, over 51,000 soldiers were dead, wounded or missing. 20161004_15461520161004_15472520161004_165404More men died during the Battle of Gettysburg than in any other battle on American soil before or since. At first the soldiers were buried in hastily dug graves, or not at all. Four months after the battle, re-interment began on seventeen acres that became known as Soldiers’ National Cemetery. On November 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg for dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. There he gave a speech which became known as the Gettysburg Address.20161004_15023020161004_150336

The nights are getting cooler and we are anxious to head south!

Sept 6, 2016 Ticonderoga, NY

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20160906_14423220160906_10033920160906_103144Our time in the Adirondacks was drawing to a close so on Tuesday we traveled to nearby Ticonderoga where Bill was ecstatic to visit the newly opened Star Trek: The Original Series Set Tour.  The sets, under license by CBS Consumer Products, recreated the sets of the Starship Enterprise as they were laid out at Desilu Studios Stage 9 in Hollywood.  Visitors are transported back to 1966.  Bill is a huge Star Trek fan and loved touring this set.  He didn’t know that Lucille Ball was instrumental in getting Star Trek on the air when she agreed to film the series at Desilu Studios.20160906_10111220160906_10121420160906_10143120160906_10163120160906_10253420160906_10275820160906_114618
20160906_115101Next we went to Fort Ticonderoga which played an important role both in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.  It was originally built by the French in 1755 and called Fort Carillon.  Located a the southern end of Lake Champlain, it was captured by the British in 1759 and named Ticonderoga, an Iroquois name meaning “it is at the junction of two waterways”.  In 1775 Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys along with Benedict Arnold took the fort from the British in a surprise attack during the Revolutionary War.  This was the first victory of the Revolutionary War.  The cannons from the fort were taken to Boston and helped persuade the British to evacuate Boston in 1777.20160906_11443920160906_11470620160906_12225020160906_12270720160906_122723
20160906_12395720160906_124005The British abandoned the fort in 1781 and it was looted for stone, metal and wood by settlers looking for material to build homes.  In 1785 the fort’s lands became the property of New York state who then donated the property to Columbia and Union colleges in 1803.   In 1820 the fort was sold to William Ferris Pell who first used the property for a summer home.  When more and more tourists came to the Adirondacks, he converted his home to a hotel.  In 1909 the Pell family restored the fort and opened it to the public.  The fort is now maintained by the Fort Ticonderoga Association, a not for profit organization.
We enjoyed touring the fort, soaking up the historical significance of the events which took place here.  It was somewhat disappointing to discover the original fort was wooden, not the stone structure of today.  We asked about this and it was explained that the fort was in such poor shape that only the stone foundation remained, leading the Pell family to mistakenly believe that the entire fort was stone.  It was also pointed out that a member of the Pell family was related to a stone mason so they were able to get stonework done easily and cheaply.
20160906_14422420160906_145725As part of our admission we were given access to Mount Defiance, an 853 foot high hill on the New York side of Lake Champlain.  In the 1777 Siege of Fort Ticonderoga, the British army placed artillery on Mount Defiance, causing the Americans to withdraw without a fight.  The Americans had mistakenly thought the hill to be inaccessible and never fortified it.

World War II Navy aircraft carriers were named after Revolutionary War victories: Lexington, Ticonderoga, Saratoga and Yorktown.
20160906_152522On the way home we stopped to find a geocache.  The short hike led us to a peaceful little waterfall.  We love it when geocaching takes us to such beautiful places we wouldn’t otherwise find.
We enjoyed our time in the Adirondacks.  We were glad to see Labor Day end and with it all the summer tourists.  The campground is now quiet and peaceful once again.  Ahhhhhh!
Next stop:. Seneca Falls, New York

 

Sept 1, 2016 Adirondacks, NY

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20160902_153825After a month in Maine it was time to head south.  We had a long travel day as we left Maine and passed through New Hampshire and Vermont before entering New York State.  As soon as we entered New York I started sneezing.  We are thinking either oak trees or goldenrod is bothering me.  Despite the long day the miles went by quickly and before we knew it we arrived at our Lake George campsite for a week.  We were glad to get checked in and settled before the bombardment of Labor Day campers arrived on Friday for the three day weekend.
20160902_15375320160906_092213Lake George is a 32 mile long lake located at the foot of the Adirondack Mountains.  It drains into Lake Champlain and the St Lawrence River basin.  The village of Lake George has a yearly population of around 900 which swells to over 50,000 residents during the summer season.  In 1755 British colonial forces occupied the region during the French and Indian War and the lake was named Lake George for King George II.  On May 31, 1791, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to his daughter saying, “Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw; formed by a contour of mountains into a basin….finely interspersed with islands, its waters limpid as crystal, and the mountain sides covered with rich groves“.
After the long travel day on Thursday and with Labor Day traffic building we stayed close to home Friday and Saturday.  It was amazing to watch the campground swell to full capacity with campers setting up, kids on bikes and pedestrians everywhere.
20160904_122616Sunday we decided to take a scenic drive through the Adirondack Mountains.  The Adirondack Park encompasses two thirds of upstate New York with over six million acres of private and state (40%) land.  Nearly half the land is wilderness.  There are 46 mountains that exceed an elevation of 4,000 feet.  The Adirondack Park includes more than 2,000 miles of hiking trails, 3,000 lakes and ponds, more than 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, 1,100 miles of highway and 120 miles of railroad.  It was named after the Algonquin Indians.  The Iroquois called the Algonquins “Ha-De-Ron-Dah” or “bark eaters” because they ate certain kinds of tree bark.  After the Civil War the area became a summer retreat for the wealthy.
20160904_183240We followed one of several scenic byways which took us from Lake George to the Canadian border.  We passed beautiful Indian Lake, Blue Mountain Lake and Tupper Lake to name just a few.  We stopped along the way finding geocaches, including one less than five miles from the Canadian border.  We could see the border crossing checkpoint which didn’t seem too busy considering the holiday weekend.  As we headed back south towards home we entered the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation.  We stopped and bought gas which was about 15 cents cheaper per gallon on the reservation.
20160904_184121We stopped by Saranac Lake to see the Robert Louis Stevenson cottage.  The cottage was closed but we did get a picture of the outside.  Stevenson lived here during the winter of 1887-1888 and the cottage has a large collection of Stevenson memorabilia.  The librarian in me was glad to see it!
20160904_185454By now it was getting late.  We reached gorgeous Lake Placid as daylight was fading.  We snapped a couple shots of the lake and grabbed a late dinner.  There is so much to see in Lake Placid, site of the 1932 and 1980 winter Olympics.  It is on our list of places to return to someday.  We arrived home late in the evening after an eleven hour sightseeing adventure.20160904_19013120160904_19004720160904_12255520160904_12252720160904_120624
20160905_12310520160905_13053320160905_145651The next day we decided to take advantage of the Labor Day holiday (therefore no city workers) and drive to Albany to see the state capitol.  One goal we have is to try to see the state capitol building of every state we visit.  We decided to drive first to the small town of Kinderhook to visit the home of Martin Van Buren, the 8th President of the United States.  Near the house was was a tiny “Visitors Center” located in a trailer where we saw a short film on his life.  Van Buren purchased his home and 130 acres of land in 1839 while President.  He named the estate Lindenwald after the linden trees lining the road in front of the home.  He returned here after his presidency ended.  He died here in 1862.
Van Buren was president from 1837 to 1841.  As president he was blamed for the depression of 1837, one of the worst depressions in U.S. history, with hostile newspapers calling him “Martin Van Ruin”.  He also had problems with foreign affairs, denying Texas’ application for admission to the Union because he didn’t want to upset the balance of free and slave states.
In 1840 he was voted out of office when Whig candidate William Henry Harrison won the election.  Van Buren tried to make a comeback in 1844 when he tried to win the Democratic nomination but lost to James Polk who went on to win the election.  In 1848 he ran for president yet again as a third party candidate with the Free-Soil party, a group opposing extending slavery.  His defeat in that election ended his political career.
Before leaving Kinderhook we visited his birthplace (the Van Buren family tavern where he was born burned long ago, no longer stands and is merely noted with a marker) and then his gravesite at the Dutch Reformed Church.

  • Van Buren’s wife Hannah died in 1819 after twelve years of marriage.
  • He is buried with her.
  • He never remarried.
  • They had four sons.

20160905_16115420160905_161829Next was Albany, capital of New York.  The traffic was light and we had no problem finding parking.  Albany was chartered in 1686.  Robert Fulton’s steamboat made the first successful steamboat run from New York to Albany in 1807.  The opening of the Erie Canal between Buffalo and Albany in 1825 caused the city to flourish.  Over the years Presidents Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt all lived at one time in Albany.20160905_16363420160905_165054
The state capitol building was built in the late 1800’s.
We walked to the Governor Nelson Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, a huge government complex.  This was a massive urban renewal project initiated by then Governor Rockefeller.  It was started in the 1960’s and not completed until 1978.  We found some geocaches in the area, including one at the Egg, a performing arts center.  The plaza’s 96 acres includes more than 90 abstract impressionist paintings, sculptures and tapestries as well as the tallest building in New York state except those in New York City.  The plaza also has several memorials honoring women veterans, fallen firefighters, MIA’s and Vietnam veterans.20160905_162716

 

August 25, 2016 Wells, Maine

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We had a wonderful week in Bar Harbor but now it was time to head south.  We have been in Maine for three weeks and we were now headed to the small town of Wells for our last week in Maine.  We are really enjoying our time along the Maine coast.  If you measure the coast of Maine DIRECTLY it is only 228 miles.  BUT, Maine’s SHORELINE is 3,478 miles, which is longer than California’s.  Three fourths of all visitors to Maine stay along the coastline.
We had a pleasant drive except for some roadwork which they DO need.  We settled into our campground and started planning our week.  The week in Bar Harbor had been quite intense and busy, so we decided to make this week more laid back and relaxing, along with catching up on paperwork and the blog.  Even life on the road has paperwork and cleaning and laundry that needs to be done and it sure piles up fast!
Nevertheless we did find time to explore the area. On Saturday we drove to Mount Agamenticus where we were promised a fantastic view of the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the west and far out to sea in the east.  At 692 feet it is not a very big mountain as mountains go, but since it was a beautiful day we decided it was worth the drive.  The view at the top was nice but as summer views often are, it was too hazy to get a great view or picture.

20160829_155535Monday we drove up to Kennebunkport, a popular summer resort and location of one of the homes of the President George Bush family. Kennebunkport is a small touristy town but we loved the view along the beach where we could see the Bush residence. The home is located on a peninsula called Walkers Point. We took pictures from the closest point allowed.   At this viewpoint an anchor was placed in honor of George H. W. Bush.20160829_16101320160829_16113220160829_161326

During our time in the area we spent time in the various little coastal towns of Wells, Kennebunkport and York. The beautiful homes and picturesque views along the water were in my opinion prettier than Martha’s Vineyard.20160829_16055820160830_13041220160830_13042820160830_13175220160830_185925
Next we leave Maine and head to the Adirondacks in New York.

 

August 23, 2016 Bar Harbor & Acadia N. P. Part 2

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We spent most of our time in Acadia National Park but we did go into Bar Harbor a couple times. Bar Harbor was originally incorporated in 1763 and named Eden after Sir Richard Eden, an English statesman. It was renamed Bar Harbor in 1918 because of a sand bar that is visible at low tide. In the 1800’s tourists were attracted to Bar Harbor by the writings of Henry David Thoreau and paintings showing the Maine landscapes by famous painters. The area attracted families such as the Astors, Fords, Morgans, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts. The Great Fire of 1947 destroyed nearly half of the eastern side of Mount Desert Island. Sixty-seven of the 222 palatial summer homes and five grand hotels were destroyed in addition to 170 year round homes. The town’s business district survived the fire. More than 10,000 acres of Acadia National Park was destroyed.
Parking in Bar Harbor is scarce so a free shuttle bus called the “Island Explorer” is available to residents and tourists. The shuttle stops at several campgrounds near Bar Harbor, including ours. There are also shuttle buses that travel throughout Acadia National Park to encourage people not to drive. The shuttle buses are all free and funded by local, state and federal tax dollars, including a sizable donation from L. L. Bean whose flagship store is located in Freeport, Maine.
We usually don’t do many activities geared to tourists because they tend to be expensive, but two activities caught our eye. The first was a horse drawn carriage ride along one of the carriage roads in the park. John D Rockefeller Jr was one of the main contributors of Acadia National Park, donating about a third of the park’s land. In his efforts to preserve the park he had over 45 miles of crushed stone roads built between 1913 and 1940. The roads are sixteen feet wide with crowns that provide drainage. The roads are considered the best example of broken stone roads in the United States. Local workers quarried granite from the island to build the roads and seventeen stone bridges. No motor vehicle traffic is allowed on the carriage roads throughout the park, allowing for a safe and peaceful roadway for hikers, bikers and horses.
20160823_08241820160823_09005720160823_09055020160823_09504820160823_100914We decided to take a one hour carriage ride on a carriage road and made a reservation with Wildwood Stables located in the park. The morning of our ride we arrived early enough to see some of the horses having a morning bath. I must say I have been opposed to horses being used in places like Central Park where they spend hours each day pulling people around in carriages in all kinds of weather. I was very glad to hear that there are 26 horses and only three tours conducted each day. The horses work no more than four hours a day, twice a week. They also only work five months of the year. We were assured they really have an easy life and are very well cared for. There were three families on the tour with us with children ranging in age from twelve years to thirteen months. They were all very well behaved. We really enjoyed our ride along the tree lined shaded road with occasional views of the ocean shimmering in the morning sun.20160823_09501720160823_095153
20160820_14203220160820_14111020160820_13393920160823_144745Our second activity was a two hour excursion on a sailboat. Bill had mentioned he would really like to go on a sailboat while in Bar Harbor, so we were excited to find the 151 foot Margaret Todd, the first four masted schooner to sail the New England waters in over half a century. We knew parking in the afternoon would be hard to find so we took the shuttle bus from the campground into Bar Harbor and then back home after our cruise. So convenient! Our voyage took us around Frenchman’s Bay with beautiful views of Acadia National Park. We saw lobster boats, many many lobster pots, a porpoise and several seals. They are so quick it is impossible to get a picture. We loved our time on the boat!

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All these floats are connected to lobster traps

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The view of Cadillac Mountain from Bar Harbor and our ship

20160824_16031720160824_145428Our last day in Bar Harbor we decided to drive around the “quiet” side of the island. This part of the island is less visited by tourists and is more like what the island was like before Bar Harbor became so touristy. 20160824_160005We enjoyed riding through the small villages finding geocaches and taking a picture of the most photographed bridge in Maine.  We took our last hike of the visit on the Wonderland Trail.  It was an easy trail and we were rewarded with a beautiful ocean view at the end. On the way home we stopped at a restaurant where Bill had a lobster dinner. We left the camera in the car so I missed getting a picture of him with the lobster bib!

Bar Harbor Facts:

  • Bar Harbor and two other Mount Desert towns have light ordinances to protect the quality of the night skies.
  • Bar Harbor was the birthplace of vice president Nelson Rockefeller.
  • The Bar Harbor area was used for naval practices during World War II when nearby Bald Porcupine Island was fired upon by live torpedoes from the submarine USS Piper.
  • President William Howard Taft enjoyed playing golf in Bar Harbor.
  • Current residents include Martha Stewart and Roxanne Quincy, the co-founder and CEO of Burt’s Bees.