SEPTEMBER 07
USA-New York State- Old Forge
Saturday 1st we have now settled in
until next Tuesday, there is no phone 
or internet. It is now a rest time.
On Sunday Howard went
for a horse ride of one hour, through the woods, it was very
pleasant. Monday
we both went for a walk to a probable Beaver dam, there was no sign of
the Beavers. Tuesday
started with a striped squirrel (Chipmunk) just outside the caravan and
then our journey eastwards continued through the Adirondack Park.
While Howard was checking the map Mervyn spotted two deer in the trees
by the road. Towards the end of the day a large bird was seen
flying up from beside a pond, possibly an Eagle. We then crossed
into Vermont to camp at Dorset RV Park. Wednesday our journey took
us eastwards into New Hampshire and finished at Chichester, just east
of Concord, another forested camp. Thursday we travelled south
to Salem, of witch fame, on the coast northeast of Boston. The
most expensive “car park” camp with water and electricity, the dump is
back on the road and around the corner. We were on the waterfront
with a superb view of the harbour and close to the Boston ferry. Friday Mervyn set off to
visit Boston and Howard started his search for Charles Fox, an old
school friend, using a private investigator, the ten minute walk to the
ferry took thirty minutes, not ten. Mervyn allowed plenty of time
and caught his ferry, Howard was late by twenty minutes for his
appointment with the investigator, it was a very hot day for walking.
Saturday 8th Mervyn set off to see Salem. Again a very hot day. Sunday another day of driving, south through Boston and onto Cape Cod to camp at North
Truro, the most expensive site yet. On Monday we continued to the
end of Cape Cod, sea, sand dunes, beaches and rain, on a grey
day. Turning round we then drove south to cross the Sagamore
Bridge and drove into Rhode Island where we turned south to camp at
Middletown just north of Newport. Tuesday we drove into
Newport for Mervyn to go on the coast walk, he set off, then the
weather turned nasty with a torrential downpour. On receiving an
emergency phone call, Howard set off and rescued him from the
elements. We left Newport and headed west for Connecticut and the
town of Mystic, it was still raining when we arrived. Wednesday turned out to be
fine and sunny for our visit to Mystic Seaport, where we saw a fishing
schooner with dories, the oldest surviving wooden sailing whaler
(Charles W Morgan) with it’s whale boats and another Square Rigger, not
open for a visit. The first two were open to us and very
interesting. We shopped and returned to the camp. Thursday we drove to the
Pequot Indian museum, it was very well presented. After lunch we
travelled northwest to East Hampton to camp, on another sunny
day. Friday and
Saturday were peaceful
rest days spent in the camp relaxing.
Sunday 16th we continued westwards to cross into New York State and camp
at Newburgh. It seems that there is not
much to write about, as we have long distances to travel and few places
to visit. Monday
we stayed at Newburgh Howard’s efforts to find Charlie were
unsuccessful ($750) for a search. Tuesday our westwards
journey continued, to pass through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania, to
stop at Adamstown. Wednesday
was a short journey to Gettysburg of civil war fame. Thursday we visited the
visitor’s centre where Howard bought two Cds, and then we toured the
battlefield in the caravan. It was very well set out with plaques
at the position of all the regiments, and information plaques which
showed the view and salient scenery, the tour lasted two hours.
After the drive we visited the Electric Map, a model of the battlefield
with lights to illustrate the commentary, for the three day
battle. Friday
started with a shopping trip into Gettysburg, a return to the
battlefield to check details and a visit to the Post Office for a zip
code for our forwarded mail from England. We then carried on
westwards to Mill Run to camp.
Saturday 23rd we drove to, and Mervyn visited the two houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. We camped at Farmington. Sunday we started south in earnest, out of Pennsylvania into West Virginia, then east through Maryland and south through West Virginia into Virginia, to camp at Winchester. Monday was a short drive southeast to Fredericksburg where we tried to find Mervyn’s friend Dan, he was there but had popped out for a couple of hours. We next carried on south to a pleasant camp, again among the trees. Tuesday we revisited Fredericksburg to see Dan, we chatted for three hours, seeing old (downtown) Fredericksburg and having lunch, with Dan, in a restaurant. Then he took us to see The Tiffany Stained Windows. The day was sunny and very hot and sweaty. Wednesday Mervyn made an early start, he got up at 0500 to catch the 0700 shuttle to Washington DC, he returned at 1800, a long day with the temperature in the 30s. Howard took a rest day, but still found it very hot, the city in those temperatures had no appeal for him. Thursday we drove back northwest to pick up our mail at Front Royal and to camp there. Friday we made a start on the Skyline Drive, which lead to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace. At one of the overlooks we saw six raptors, one Turkey Buzzard and five Red Tail Hawks. The Drive overlooked the Shenandoah Valley, the scenery was nice but nothing special. We camped at Big Meadow, where Black Bear and Deer were to be seen, but not on a Friday.
Saturday 30th morning we saw a Chipmunk and then we continued southwards and saw a lone deer beside the road. At the end of the Skyline Drive we moved onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, during the late morning we glimpsed a very large raptor before it disappeared behind the trees. Our camp was at Otter Creek (no Otters and no Beavers). Sunday we drove south along the Parkway with The Great Valley on our right. The Great Valley from New York to Alabama was used by the Cherokee and Mohican Indians and later by the explorers to move into the interior. Confederate General, Stonewall Jackson also used this area with his 17,000 troops being undefeated by the 44,000 Union Army, travelling 400 miles in 40 days. He was unfortunately, accidentally shot by his own troops. We spent the night at the Roanoke campsite.
or internet. It is now a rest time.
On Sunday Howard went
for a horse ride of one hour, through the woods, it was very
pleasant. Monday
we both went for a walk to a probable Beaver dam, there was no sign of
the Beavers. Tuesday
started with a striped squirrel (Chipmunk) just outside the caravan and
then our journey eastwards continued through the Adirondack Park.
While Howard was checking the map Mervyn spotted two deer in the trees
by the road. Towards the end of the day a large bird was seen
flying up from beside a pond, possibly an Eagle. We then crossed
into Vermont to camp at Dorset RV Park. Wednesday our journey took
us eastwards into New Hampshire and finished at Chichester, just east
of Concord, another forested camp. Thursday we travelled south
to Salem, of witch fame, on the coast northeast of Boston. The
most expensive “car park” camp with water and electricity, the dump is
back on the road and around the corner. We were on the waterfront
with a superb view of the harbour and close to the Boston ferry. Friday Mervyn set off to
visit Boston and Howard started his search for Charles Fox, an old
school friend, using a private investigator, the ten minute walk to the
ferry took thirty minutes, not ten. Mervyn allowed plenty of time
and caught his ferry, Howard was late by twenty minutes for his
appointment with the investigator, it was a very hot day for walking.Saturday 8th Mervyn set off to see Salem. Again a very hot day. Sunday another day of driving, south through Boston and onto Cape Cod to camp at North
Truro, the most expensive site yet. On Monday we continued to the
end of Cape Cod, sea, sand dunes, beaches and rain, on a grey
day. Turning round we then drove south to cross the Sagamore
Bridge and drove into Rhode Island where we turned south to camp at
Middletown just north of Newport. Tuesday we drove into
Newport for Mervyn to go on the coast walk, he set off, then the
weather turned nasty with a torrential downpour. On receiving an
emergency phone call, Howard set off and rescued him from the
elements. We left Newport and headed west for Connecticut and the
town of Mystic, it was still raining when we arrived. Wednesday turned out to be
fine and sunny for our visit to Mystic Seaport, where we saw a fishing
schooner with dories, the oldest surviving wooden sailing whaler
(Charles W Morgan) with it’s whale boats and another Square Rigger, not
open for a visit. The first two were open to us and very
interesting. We shopped and returned to the camp. Thursday we drove to the
Pequot Indian museum, it was very well presented. After lunch we
travelled northwest to East Hampton to camp, on another sunny
day. Friday and
Saturday were peaceful
rest days spent in the camp relaxing.Sunday 16th we continued westwards to cross into New York State and camp
at Newburgh. It seems that there is not
much to write about, as we have long distances to travel and few places
to visit. Monday
we stayed at Newburgh Howard’s efforts to find Charlie were
unsuccessful ($750) for a search. Tuesday our westwards
journey continued, to pass through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania, to
stop at Adamstown. Wednesday
was a short journey to Gettysburg of civil war fame. Thursday we visited the
visitor’s centre where Howard bought two Cds, and then we toured the
battlefield in the caravan. It was very well set out with plaques
at the position of all the regiments, and information plaques which
showed the view and salient scenery, the tour lasted two hours.
After the drive we visited the Electric Map, a model of the battlefield
with lights to illustrate the commentary, for the three day
battle. Friday
started with a shopping trip into Gettysburg, a return to the
battlefield to check details and a visit to the Post Office for a zip
code for our forwarded mail from England. We then carried on
westwards to Mill Run to camp.Saturday 23rd we drove to, and Mervyn visited the two houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. We camped at Farmington. Sunday we started south in earnest, out of Pennsylvania into West Virginia, then east through Maryland and south through West Virginia into Virginia, to camp at Winchester. Monday was a short drive southeast to Fredericksburg where we tried to find Mervyn’s friend Dan, he was there but had popped out for a couple of hours. We next carried on south to a pleasant camp, again among the trees. Tuesday we revisited Fredericksburg to see Dan, we chatted for three hours, seeing old (downtown) Fredericksburg and having lunch, with Dan, in a restaurant. Then he took us to see The Tiffany Stained Windows. The day was sunny and very hot and sweaty. Wednesday Mervyn made an early start, he got up at 0500 to catch the 0700 shuttle to Washington DC, he returned at 1800, a long day with the temperature in the 30s. Howard took a rest day, but still found it very hot, the city in those temperatures had no appeal for him. Thursday we drove back northwest to pick up our mail at Front Royal and to camp there. Friday we made a start on the Skyline Drive, which lead to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Natchez Trace. At one of the overlooks we saw six raptors, one Turkey Buzzard and five Red Tail Hawks. The Drive overlooked the Shenandoah Valley, the scenery was nice but nothing special. We camped at Big Meadow, where Black Bear and Deer were to be seen, but not on a Friday.
Saturday 30th morning we saw a Chipmunk and then we continued southwards and saw a lone deer beside the road. At the end of the Skyline Drive we moved onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, during the late morning we glimpsed a very large raptor before it disappeared behind the trees. Our camp was at Otter Creek (no Otters and no Beavers). Sunday we drove south along the Parkway with The Great Valley on our right. The Great Valley from New York to Alabama was used by the Cherokee and Mohican Indians and later by the explorers to move into the interior. Confederate General, Stonewall Jackson also used this area with his 17,000 troops being undefeated by the 44,000 Union Army, travelling 400 miles in 40 days. He was unfortunately, accidentally shot by his own troops. We spent the night at the Roanoke campsite.
USA-Virginia- Roanoake