Camp Creek, WV to Berlin, OH - September 14 - 25, 2020

 Camp Creek, WV to Berlin, OH
September 14 - 25, 2020

We arrived at Camp Creek, WV on September 14.

We spent a couple of days relaxing and enjoying the cooler weather.

From there we went to Battle Run CoE Park in Summersville, WV.  After Labor Day we couldn't make reservations so it was first come, first served.  We found a nice spot on the lake.  We had 50 amp hookup which was nice because we needed the air conditioner, water around the campground but none at the site, and a dump station.  We only spent one night so we were fine.

We drove over Summersville Dam and stopped to look at it.

We spent two nights was at a Boondockers Welcome site near Buckhannon, WV.  It was close to town but seemed like we were far out in the country.  The hosts were really nice people and we enjoyed visiting with them.

Our next stop was at Leith Run Recreation Area (USFS) in Ohio for two nights.

We were right on the Ohio River and it was fun to watch the barges go up and down the river.  We were in site #16, once again electric only, water available, and a dump station.

We arrived at Scenic Hills RV Park in Berlin, OH on Monday for 5 nights.  We're in site #122.  It's really nice park with reasonable rates.  They also provide free firewood (looks like scraps from furniture making), which is nice for making s'mores.

On Tuesday, September 22 we went to Historic Roscoe Village in Coshocton.  We got the passes to the museum and historic buildings, the broom making and printing shop, the doctor's home and office, the weaver's shop, and the schoolhouse.  Coshocton was one of the towns where the Ohio and Erie Canal was built.  It was all built by hand, no big machines back then.  They started on the canal in the 1820s and the first boat landed in Roscoe Village in 1830.  Roscoe thrived until the 1860s, when the canals gave way to the railroads.  Although the canal system continued to operate, it declined and in 1913 a big flood swept it away.

  

They built a replica of a canal boat that is 2/3 the original size.

There's a park nearby with a portion of the canal.

You can still ride a canal boat but they are only open on Saturdays, so we didn't get to do it.  Not sure about all that green slimy water.

On Wednesday, September 23 we went to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  It runs the length of part of the Ohio and Erie Canal.  We had a picnic lunch and then did a little hiking.  Unfortunately neither one of took any pictures.  We were just enjoying the beautiful day.  That evening we did enjoy a delicious dinner at Der Dutchman.

On Thursday we went to see "The Good Gut Life" at the Ohio Star Theatre, a play about the Amish.  Holmes County, Ohio is the largest settlement of Amish in the country.  We also did a little shopping at a metalworks shop, a quilt shop, and the flea market.  We have enjoyed our time here.  Tomorrow we move on.

Roving on...

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.  Psalm 19:1

June and July 2020

Lake Greenwood, SC - June 2020

Mayberry Campground, Mt. Airy, NC - July 2020

I'm a little late in getting this blog out but better late than never, right?

In June we took Noelle to Lake Greenwood State Park.  It was hot and rained but we got to get out a little.

We stayed in site #58.

We taught Noelle how to play 3 Up 3 Down and she was vicious!

In July we went to Mayberry Campground in Mt. Airy, NC for 10 days for a mini Montana rally.

Chloe and Noelle joined us part way through the time there.  They enjoyed playing on the playground (in the evening when it was cool), doing crafts, and playing more 3 Up 3 Down.

We took a day trip to the mountains and Mabry Mill for a picnic lunch (no picnic tables).  I'd driven by but never stopped to see it.

Our neighbors, Vince and Kayleen, drove up one day and we toured Mt. Airy.  We had lunch at Barney's Cafe and it was pretty good!  We also went out to dinner with the rally group to The Loaded Goat, which was also very good!  The Loaded Goat refers to the episode of The Andy Griffith Show where they thought a goat ate dynamite.  It was fun to get together with our Montana friends again!

We haven't gone on any other camping trips this summer, partly due to the Wuhan virus and partly that it's so hot and humid in the south in the summer (yuck!).  We very much enjoyed getting out and our time with Chloe and Noelle!

Roving on...

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.  Psalm 19:1

Lake Waccamaw and New Bern, NC

Lake Waccamaw and New Bern, NC

March 2 - 8, 2020

On Monday, March 2 we drove to Lake Waccamaw to visit our friends Larry and Pat.  They have moved their 5th wheel to the Last Chance Campground and we were able to get a site there.  We had a great time seeing the area and meeting their friends, Mike and Abby.  We went to the Lake Waccamaw museum; the history of the area was very interesting.

We also saw some of the locals.

Larry and Pat taught us a new game and we had fun playing it.  It was so nice to see them again and get to visit with them.

I almost got John in that picture.  I need to practice taking selfies.

On Thursday, March 5 we drove to New Bern to visit with Jim and Vickie & John and Shirley.  Vickie took us on a driving tour of the area.  She knows what she's talking about because she was born and raised there!  I was amazed at how many of the houses had been moved; some as many as three times.  Much better than tearing them down.

She took us to the drugstore where Pepsi was invented.

There are a lot of beautiful old churches in New Bern.  Here are just a couple of them.

Friday, March 6 we went on a trolley tour of New Bern.

You can see John and Shirley waiting to get on the trolley.

One of our stops was the Cedar Grove Cemetery.  Some of the earliest graves are from 1798-99 when there was a yellow fever epidemic.  There are many famous North Carolinians buried here.

We saw much more than the cemetery but I just didn't get pictures.  Sometimes I get involved in what I'm seeing and forget to take pictures. 

After the trolley tour we went to the New Bern Academy Museum.  The first publicly charter school was in this building.

There were exhibits of the school, life during the Civil War, and the history of New Bern.  It was very interesting and worth the stop (and free).

On Saturday, March 7 we took a tour of Tryon Palace, the John W. Stanly House, and North Carolina History Center.  We started with the Tryon Palace.  The original buildings were built in 1770 as the capitol of North Carolina.  In 1794 the British were gone and the capitol was moved to Raleigh.  In 1798 the palace was destroyed by fire and eventually a street (the beginning of U.S. 70) was put through and houses were built on the property.  In the 1920s a 30-year campaign to rebuild the palace and restore the grounds was launched by the citizens of New Bern and other leaders and craftsmen.  The palace and grounds were rebuilt and opened in 1959.  They had the original plans and the foundation of the palace, kitchen, and the stables were still there so they knew where to build and what it should look like.  It was a very interesting tour and our tour guide, Alma, was excellent.

Here is the stables and some of the garden.

They kept pigeons in this building and served them for dinner (dinner was served about 3 in the afternoon).  Doesn't sound very appetizing to me.

Here is the kitchen and laundry.  The cook, butler, and servants lived in the rooms upstairs.

From the palace we went to the John W. Stanley House.  George Washington did actually sleep here on his southern trip in 1791.

 Notice the stairway is the same as at Tryon Palace.

From there we went to have lunch at Blackbeard's (very good!) and then to the North Carolina History Center.

They had a quilt exhibit where I got a few ideas.  They also have an interactive section more designed for kids, a regional history section showing exhibits from pre-colonial times to today in addition to an orientation film.  It was very interesting and well worth it.

New Bern is sort of like a little Charleston with all the old buildings and the history.  I would highly recommend a visit of at least two days there.  We had a great time!

On Sunday, March 8 it was sadly time to head home again.  We said goodbye to our friends for now as we will see them again in the fall (Vickie is much better at taking selfies than I am!).  Thanks for letting us moochdock in your driveway!

Roving on (later)...

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.  Psalm 19:1