Williamsburg and Yorktown

There were more glimpses into early American history for us on Veteran's Day, with excursions to Williamsburg and the Yorktown Battlefield in Virginia. A visit to Williamsburg affords a glance back to colonial times, complete with a speech to the people by an actor portraying General George Washington, and horse-drawn carriages throughout the grounds. The time spent at the Yorktown battlefield and cemetery was much more subdued. Many graves marked the remains as only "unidentified soldiers." Overcast skies and a light rain accentuated the somber grounds.

Jamestowne

Historic Jamestowne, the first permanent English settlement in America, was the site of today’s adventure in Virginia. Founded in 1607, the original town has a rich, storied past, with famous characters like John Smith and Pocahontas honored with monuments on the historic grounds next to the James River. We were there in the afternoon through sunset, and it was gorgeous. Highly recommend!

The View from the Passenger Seat

When you are traveling on an interstate in a 32-ft. RV pulling a 18-ft. trailer carrying a car, pulling off the road to take a photo is not really an option. Circling back around to capture a scene that you just saw whiz by at 60 mph is not going to happen either.

Our trip from West Virginia to Williamsburg, Virginia yesterday was quite a scenic one, as we were blessed with amazing light, as puffy white clouds in the sky providing an ever-changing palette of colors and contrast.

So, these photos were all made from the passenger seat of the RV. Many are through the window, since rolling down the window in time to get a shot can be a difficult task. The scenery was so striking, though, I couldn't not take photos.

West Virginia at a glance

We wish we had more time to explore beautiful West Virginia, but unfortunately we only have one day…so we went to see the New River Gorge Bridge and explored some of the trails near where we are staying in Camp Creek. Even though we are pretty much past the season change, driving the tree-covered hills at a leisurely pace in 70-degree sunny weather was perfect. By the way the second New River bridge photo was taken by my lovely wife…Apparently there is nothing she cannot do well… West Virginia holds a special place in my heart, because it was where my grandfather settled immediately after immigrating from Italy in the early 1900s. He worked as a lumberjack for awhile here before moving on to Detroit.

Tennessee-ing for Two

Volunteering a few observations from our week in the great state of Tennessee:

We have really enjoyed driving in the Smoky Mountains—especially the Tail of the Dragon stretch. Mountain roads here for the most part are excellent.

Liked staying in Gaitlinburg, but the traffic is terrible, especially since it is considered to be off season now. Can’t imagine what it must be like in season! Might opt for a slower-paced locale like Townsend in the future.

People here have been super friendly and helpful, and we love hearing the Tennessee accent.

Made my own version of breakfast nachos in the RV. Not bad...But it is easy to eat out and get pancakes every day here for breakfast. Not recommended though...

Will be heading to West Virginia and Virginia briefly before coming back to North Carolina to catch up with friends there. Onward!

‘Louis’ Stop Signs

Nothing says 'i am not going one step further' than signs like these--Not sure why i have such fear, but i literally cannot walk another step without searching the ground for evidence of the presence of the serpent. Dinah tells me it is too cold and they are all gone. In my mind, my luck would be i run across the one that stayed behind and is mad about it--no spank you...

Smoky, Bears and Bats

Day One of the Smoky Mountain-Tennessee leg of the Excellent Adventure was exciting, since we were able to actually see a black bear cub wandering in the woods in Cades Cove in the mountains. (We were told by a park ranger that the mother bear had already turned him loose, so we were not in danger from her showing up.) A visit to an original cabin also yielded a bat sighting...glad he was still snoozing... (He must have stayed up late watching the Cowboys lose to the Eagles ;))!

These mountains are quite different than the others we experienced out west, and so we are looking forward to going back tomorrow for some more hiking and sight-seeing. The scenic drives here are amazing...Dinah will be taking on the "Tail of the Dragon" later in the week!

A Relaxing State

As our stay in Michigan comes to an end, we have gained a new appreciation for a state and people that we were already in love with. First, we really enjoyed a relaxing visit with our super-fun cousins Jon and Cheri Meyer, as well as good friend Jonathan Thrasher. We were blessed to get to see a real change of seasons, and visit picturesque towns like Frankenmuth, Midland, Grand Rapids, and even…Hell. Yes, there is a small town in Michigan named Hell. A visit there is a bit of a quirky experience, to be sure, but Hell Saloon makes one helluva burger!

As we move on towards the Smokey Mountains, we are so thankful for the people and places that have made the last 10 days so much fun.  

Near and Deer…

The Excellent Adventure has stopped for a few days to see family and friends in Michigan…We are enjoying seeing these guys come through my cousin’s yard every day near East Lansing…what a treat!

Old-Fashioned Fun

Corn mazes, hay bales, apple orchards and pumpkin patches were the scene of some old-fashioned fun for all ages in Grand Rapids, Michigan yesterday at the Schwallier’s Country Basket fall celebration. It looked like a scene from simpler times—kids running and playing in the leaf covered fields, getting lost with friends in the corn field and enjoying homemade donuts, apple cider and assorted other tasty goodies. It was a refreshing change of pace…which is exactly why we have embarked on this trip.

Taking a gander at Michigan

The 320-mile trek through Michigan from Germfask in the Upper Peninsula to Grand Rapids afforded us an amazing glimpse of the change of seasons. From the Mackinac Bridge and Lake Michigan to the rolling countryside as we headed south through the state, we we're treated to some of the most beautiful scenery we have ever experienced. Hope you like it!

U.P. Wonderland

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a fantastic place. In three days, two of them filled with rain, we were still able to see an array of beautiful and amazing places. Since both my parents are from Michigan, I have always had a fondness for the state, and visited many times. But I had never seen the UP…until now…

 Some of the sites included:

Mackinac (pronounced Mack-in-naw) Island—you have to take a ferry to get there. We bicycled around the 8-mile perimeter of the island and visited the town. No cars allowed. Natural landmarks like the Arch are easily accessible, as are the biking trails.

 The Tahquamenon Falls near the town of Paradise. The water in the falls shows a brown hue, caused by tannins from cedar swamps. Because of this the falls are nicknamed “The Root Beer Falls.”

 Big Spring near Manistique is a beautiful pool of remarkably clear water fed from cracks in the limestone floor below, where tourists can ride a floating barge and gaze down through a plexiglass floor to see the fish, and even the water bubbling up through the fissures at the bottom. 

 The “Yoopers” (nickname for people who live on the Upper Peninsula) are quite friendly and helpful, and proud to tell you about their home. Cell service is spotty, which is probably good, because it allows you to spend more time checking out this remarkable remote corner of the country.  

Driving in a Painting

The stay in Wisconsin must end, but we couldn’t leave without emphasizing how spectacular the change of seasons is here. A lot of the photos have been shot while moving in either Sherlock or the Jetta…we just couldn’t stop every time something caught our eye. But Dinah encapsulated the experience perfectly, as we were traveling north from Green Bay to our next stop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, “It’s like we are driving in a painting.”  

More from Door

No trip to Door County is complete without attending a traditional 'fish boil.' We went to one at the Old Post Office Restaurant in the town of Ephraim, and it was amazing. The cold night air, the fire, and the tasty fish made for a memorable and enjoyable evening. The pyrotechnic highlight is when the boil master throws some kerosene on the fire right before removing the food. Have your camera ready!

We also paid a visit to Cana Island to see the lighthouse. The island was only accessible by what I called a "Wisconsin Motorboat," which was a 12-person wagon pulled by a John Deere tractor across the 100-yard shallow gauntlet of Lake Michigan water between the peninsula to the island. The lighthouse grounds were windy but beautiful, and tourists could go inside the lighthouse (though not to the top) to see the living and working quarters. A Halloween scarecrow even was there to greet you at the lighthouse entrance.

Door County, Wisconsin

Spending a few days at a camp in Door County, Wisconsin--perfect timing with the change of seasons in full swing...many thanks to Tom Fox, who passed along all the details on this beautiful region! Info about things like the restaurant with goats on the roof in Sister Bay was a great help!

Enchanting Highways

A recent quick trip into southwestern North Dakota (just so we could say we’ve been there) yielded much more than expected. From Interstate 94 in North Dakota near Gladstone, to the small town of Regent, artist Gary Greff has created an “Enchanted Highway” along the 32-mile stretch of two-lane road also known as Highway 21.

 A self-taught local scrap metal artist, Greff has been creating large sculptures to entertain and amaze travelers every few miles along the road since 1989. Each sculpture has its own pullover area with parking and signboards. Combining his imaginative creations with the natural scenes of beauty already along the way, motorists can have an unexpected “enchanting” experience along an otherwise unspectacular stretch of roadway. 

So Long, South Dakota

South Dakota was awesome. So much to do, so much to see…Here are some of the highlights:

 --Beautiful start to the change in seasons foliage show, and great temperatures—mostly highs in the 50s to 70s, lows in the 30s and 40s.

--Amazing artwork, including the “Dignity” statue honoring Native Americans near Chamberlain.

--Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. A great hike, amazingly still water and breathtaking rock formations.

--The Corn Palace in Mitchell. Murals on the outside are made with corn cobs.

--Miles and miles of sunflower fields; we were too late in the year to see them in full bloom—it must quite a sight during the growing season!

--The Chapel in the Hills and the meditation walk there, a Stave church modeled and built following a plan of an ancient church in Norway.

--Crazy Horse memorial and visitor center.

--The Badlands are a must see!

--Spearfish Canyon is beautiful.

--Mount Rushmore, of course.

--Custer State Park, a must see. Be sure and go on the Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway and go through the tunnels, and keep an eye out for wildlife. Visit in September when they have the annual Buffalo Roundup.

--The Mickelson Trail is an amazing biking adventure, for novice through experienced cyclists. It follows an old railroad track route and has amazing scenery.

--Rapid City is a cool town. Be sure and get some pie at Colonial House.

South Dakota is now in the rear-view mirror. Thanks for being an amazing state. We will be back!

Good Times in the Badlands

Wanted to post some photos—will add some commentary a bit later—These are from a very windy day at the Badlands in South Dakota…

Deadwood

Yeah, it is a bit of a tourist trap, and yeah, the cowboy shooting re-enactments are kinda cheesy, but the town of Deadwood is still a fun stop in South Dakota.

A big theme in the town centers around the legendary Wild Bill Hickok, who was gunned down in a saloon on the main street there in 1876.

If the famous gunfighter were to reappear again on the streets, he would probably chuckle a little at the bordello remake and the curio shops packed with tourists.

But even he might appreciate a small saloon town that has constructed a modern concrete parking garage for tourists.

Breakfast South Dakota-style: Pancakes, Sausage and a Buffalo Herd

Our visit to Custer State Park continues to be memorable. Today the 55th Annual Buffalo Roundup was held, and we watched as cowboys herded over 1,300 buffalo to the stockades for annual checkups, shots, and for some, an auction designed to ‘thin the herd.’

 It was quite a spectacle with a large crowd, including many who passed the time dining on pancakes and sausages while waiting.  About 10:30 local time the buffalo were herded over a hill into full view of the delighted crowd. The animals continued their trek down into a pasture, where they grazed momentarily before being prompted to head towards the stockade.

 Seeing a herd of that size moving as one was certainly visually spectacular, inspiring mental images of what life must have been like here when this was a natural occurrence. We were very fortunate to be here to witness it.