Massachusetts

Massachusetts

This year's route.

Our view from Sturbridge Resort, an ROD park.

http://adventureresortsofamerica.com/sturbridge/about.php

Springfield Armory NHS.  At its height, there were 14,000 employees 

working to produce over a million guns year.

https://www.nps.gov/spar/index.htm

 

The muskets never shiped.

We found yummy treats at a local grocery. 

 Fresh lobster, corn, and tomatoes--that is enough!

A trip to Salem, the only port that remained 

open during the Revolutionary War.

https://www.nps.gov/sama/index.htm

The Custom House.

On the red line walk to find witches-here is one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials

Some more on the downtown pedestrian mall.

Nathaniel wrote "The Scarlet Letter" while working

 at the Custom House pictured above. 

 Literally, he was fired because he was writing instead of working.

He added the "w" in his last name because his 

ancestor was the judge who hanged the witches.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne

Our 360th National Park visited.  

Happy birthday National Park Service.

https://www.nps.gov/sair/index.htm

Both of us got put work in the forge.

These iron works are the oldest working ones in the USA.

In Virginia a plant was completed before this one, 

but an Indian raid killed most of the people

 and the iron works never operated.

Brimfield is the home of the largest? and oldest?

 Antique/Flea Market in the country.

10 to 12 display areas deep on both sides of the street!  

And it went on for a mile!

We saw it all--well, some of it.

https://brimfieldantiquefleamarket.com/

Western New York

WESTERN NEW YORK

The route so far.

Our Allegany Mountains home base.

Weekend activities-old cars, old songs, and of course,

LOTS of old people!

Lake fun as well as mountains.

Our site.

The large Allegany State Park 

took us a long day to fully enjoy.

The standard pose.

At the lodge in the Red House area.

"Climbing" on Thunder Rocks.

Our Niagara area base, Niagara Lazy Lakes.

  The water current under this bridge is about 28 miles per hour.

The water depth is about 175 feet and in

one minute approximately six billion (6,000,000,000)

        pounds of water cross under the Rainbow Bridge.

From the Observation Tower in Niagara State Park

you can view the American Falls

and the Canadian Falls.

We stayed way past our bedtime.

It is a lot safer using a barrel to go over the Canadian Falls.

After that ride we enjoyed the views

and lunch at the Skylon Tower.

The Erie Canal links back east with the expanding west.

In Lockport a series of 5 locks were built and

were an engineering triumph for the day.

 

The "flight of five" locks on the Erie Canal in Lockport.

These five lock raised/lowered boat 60 feet. 

10 boats, 5 up and 5 down could be handled at the same time.

Very impressive for 1825.

Of course, the pose.

 

Olcott a small fishing village on Lake Ontario.

A relaxing place.

Fort Niagara State Park in Youngstown.

This light house was open,

so of course we climbed to the top.

The French Castle was built to look like a French Chateau

was built in 1727 but the fort dates back to 1679.

Interesting reading.

The Queen and I in the French Castle.

We stayed for a British cannon firing demonstration.

On Lake Ontario there was an ongoing sailing class

and this artillery master said that today's

target would be one of the sail boats, then fired.

Got one!  They were capsizing all afternoon in

order to practice up-righting their craft.

Still, the timing was fun.

We always try to visit presidential sites. 

This one in the Millard Fillmore's home in East Aurora.

Millard Fillmore's tomb in Forest Lawn, Buffalo.

The Anchor Bar was a short trip from Forest Lawn.

The history was worth every penny,

but the wings would only garner 2 or 3 stars.

We enjoyed them anyway!

See.

A picnic stop in the Catskill Mountains

on our way to Massachusetts.

OHIO

The route and stops through Ohio.

https://www.ohiotraveler.com/

http://caesarcreek.com/

A large and interesting market near

Wilmington Thousand Trails.

https://www.thousandtrails.com/ohio/wilmington-rv-resort/

An evening foot soak in the Clear Fork of the Mohican River.

Our site was very near and in the Resorts of Distinction Park,

Wally World River Resort in Loudonville.

http://www.travelresorts.com/wally-world-resort.html

The Loudonville area is home to Ohio's

biggest canoeing, camping, and kayaking recreational spot.  

Even dog kayaking!

http://www.discovermohican.com/

Hiking in the Mohican Memorial State Forest.

On our way to Lyon's Falls.

Judy IS in the photo and has the usual pose.

We were a little disappointed in Lyon Falls,

it was nearly dry.

Harsh lighting almost washes Judy out at the

covered bridge in the state forest.

We also visited Holmes County, the county just to the east.

  Surprisingly, it is the location of the largest

Amish community in the world.

We enjoyed lunch, antiquing, and a beautiful drive.

Except for one thing. 

We left during the afternoon commute and have never seen so many

barns, buggies, bicycles, and bi-pedal pedestrians in our lives.

Enjoyed the rush hour!

http://www.visitamishcountry.com/

Enjoying a pizza and beer in Geneva-on-the-Lake.

http://visitgenevaonthelake.com/

We visited these areas from Kenisee Lake Thousand Trails.

https://www.thousandtrails.com/ohio/kenisee-lake-rv-campground/

http://visitashtabulacounty.com/

The taller bridge (Smolen-Gulf) in the background is the

longest covered one in the USA. (613 feet) 

The one in the foreground is under construction

and is for pedestrians and bicycles only. 

Judy is in the middle of the Ashtabula River,

nearly 100 feet below the Smolen-Gulf bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smolen%E2%80%93Gulf_Bridge

Dennis' pose a little further downstream.

Sunset Park on Lake Erie allowed us to climb down,

wade, and explore.

Judy thinks a new route back to the top is in order.

At Conneuat Harbor, there is a photo op

and a nice view of the light house.

http://visitconneautohio.com/