Travel Journal

Sunday Jan 5th	Dear Coach Tressel, As I absorb and reflect upon the accomplishments of The Ohio State University football program and hear you continue to speak following the fantastic series of events which led to a national championship, I feel compelled to put my feelings into writing. Sir, I am honored to have the opportunity to watch you work and lead our young men. By your mentorship and continuing guidance, many young people are enabled to develop into educated and well-balanced adults ready to accept & overcome life's challenges and positively contribute to our society. The individuals whose lives you touch will continue to pass your influence well beyond any practice field or sports stadium. It feels great to win football games, but what is truly fulfilling is to experience the fruition of a team of hard-working and determined overachievers who defied all odds and fulfilled one of life's dreams: And to know that all of us are better for the experience and winning football games never came at the expense of sacrificing education and decency. Your personal strength of character inspires us all: Humbleness, respect, grace, confidence, trust, perseverance, fortitude and commitment are some of the important characteristics you constantly demonstrate. Watching you strengthens me as a human being. I know I speak for countless OSU alumni and fans when I say that we have watched you from afar for many years and trusted in you from the beginning to restore honor and tradition to our program, but never did we expect that you would bring us so far, so fast. It is an honor and a privilege to have you as our coach. Thank you and Go Bucks! Rodney Dawson, OSU Class of 1994
Friday Jan. 3rd	Fiesta Bowl 2003. The Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Miami Hurricanes 31-24 in double overtime to cap a perfect 14-0 season and become NCAA National Champions... and Jennifer & I were there. It was a fantastic experience that words can't begin to express. We spent a full day in Tempe, Arizona arriving at Arizona State University just before noon. The entire area was flooded with Buckeye fans and the atmosphere was electric. Miami backers were overwhelmed by, at least a 10-1 ratio. The weather was fantastic, sunny with highs in the lower to mid 70's. The crowd of 77,200 was solidly Scarlet and Gray. From the getgo it was obvious that the fans were going to have a positive impact on the Buckeye players. This was by far the most exciting and emotional sports event I have ever been a part of. In my opinion, you couldn't script a better scenario, season or finish for any college football team. I still get chills recapping the events. CONGRATULATIONS OSU BUCKEYES!!!
Friday Dec 20th	Best buffet I've ever had tonight at Bellagio's on the Vegas Strip. In fact, I'd say it was the best meal I've ever had - sorry mom, dad & grandma. Everything was awesome. Here are some of the things I ate (and I'm not exaggerating): lobster bisque, jumbo shrimp cocktail, arugula salad, cherry tomato & feta cheese salad tossed with a vinaigrette dressing, king crab shashimi, salmon sushi with cucumber salad, pickled ginger and wasabi, king crab legs with drawn butter, slow roasted beef tenderloin with horseradish sauce, mashed potatoes & gravy, grilled asparagus spears, fresh strawberries, honeydew & watermelon, foccacia bread with asiago cheese, smoked yellowtail tuna, mahi-mahi, red snapper, wahoo (a white fish found around Florida), beef wellington with hollandaise sauce, more shrimp cocktail & sushi, chocolate & white chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate custard with sliced almonds & toffee chips, chocolate decadence cake with vanilla ice cream. Plus, dinner came with a bottomless glass of champagne - and we got our money's worth on that! I'll bet we only sampled 20-25% of the items that were available. I highly recommend The Buffet at Bellagio's. At $33 each it was a steal.
Tuesday Dec 10th	Spending 2 days in Flagstaff, AZ. Took a day trip to the Grand Canyon. It was absolutely overwhelming in its size and beauty. We visited the South Rim and stopped at 3 or 4 scenic viewpoints for pictures. Afterwards, we stopped in Grand Canyon City to see the IMAX presentation of the Canyon. It would be great to take the mule ride into the canyon and spend the night in the valley. A rafting trip down the Colorado River also looks like alot of fun. If you ever plan on doing those things, make plans well in advance. We here there is about a 2 year waiting list.
Saturday Dec 7th	Rattlesnake skin boots with spurs, 10 gallon cowboy hats and a big ol' belt buckle of the state of Texas... ...welcome to Amarillo, TX. We have been passing billboards for about 250 miles advertising a restaurant here in Amarillo called The Big Texan. Their special is a steak you get for free if you can eat the whole thing within an hour. It is a 72 oz. steak - that's 4 1/2 pounds of meat. We really want to see the steak and find out the cost. But we decided that it isn't worth it because we are afraid to see the kind of people who would even attempt to eat the damn thing! Guess I may never see what a 72 oz. steak eating contest is like.
Friday Dec 6th	Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma!!! It's night and day from AR to OK. What a nice drive, OK reminds me of what I imagine the 1700 & 1800's to be like - Prairies and open fields, evergreen and leafless trees sparsely situated across the small rolling hills. We are staying in downtown Oklahoma City - not the best part of time, but definitely major city. As every night so far we are staying at a Holiday Inn. As an employee I get excellent discounts. We have been very pleased with our stays. The employees have been friendly, the rooms are clean and comfortable. Many of the hotels have pools, fitness rooms and restaurants. That being said, we are ready to get back to the trailer life. It has warmed up but is still a bit cold to be in the trailer. We plan to spend our first night camping again once we get to Sedona, Arizona.
Thursday Dec 5th	Today's travels have brought us to Russellville, AR, an average town about 75 mile west of Little Rock. I-40 through Arkansas has been an absolutely rotten drive. Half of time the interstate is under serious construction with both lanes using one side of the freeway. The majority of the remainder is bumpy extremely poorly maintained highway. Plus, Arkansas is an ugly state. There isn't much to see here, buildings are run down and the landscape is ugly - no farms or livestock just empty fields. Sorry Arkansas, but you are far and away the nastiest state JenJen & I have visited.
Wednesday Dec 4th	Changed plans today. Destination Little Rock, AR was moved to Memphis, TN. We woke this morning to sleet and rain. Everything around including our truck and trailer were covered in a layer of ice. We only drove about 2 hours. The roads weren't that bad after all but was nice to have a short driving day. It is still cold in Memphis but no ice or snow.
Tuesday Dec 3rd	We had a great drive today even though there was a minor setback. We kept taking I-75 when we should have taken I-71. We caught the mistake before much harm was done, less than an hour extra drive time. Kentucky was a very scenic drive. We had sunny skies with many horses and lots of green grass and fields along the way. Staying in Dickson, TN just west of Nashville on I-40. It is getting quite cold tonight and a major storm is heading our way...
Monday Dec 2nd	We departed today for San Diego, CA. It was a rough start as we had to battle lake effect snow squalls on our way out of Cleveland. Snow flurries and icy roads made for a stressful start but the nasty weather subsided within an hour. Our days travels brought us to Cincinnati, not a very pretty stop by any means. But we did have a very nice dinner at Mountain Jack's as we sat by the fire in their comfortable dining room. Tomorrow plans to take us to Nashville, TN.
Thursday May 2nd	Turns out JenJen & I will likely have a week's vacation in Tifton, Georgia. It is a long story, but the part(s) needed to repair the truck are on back-order. Got ourselves a rental car, so we can get around. Tifton is a small town, so there isn't far to go. They have everything we need here, including locally grown vidalia onions, pecans, peanuts and, of course, peaches. Southern hospitality is alive and well here in the south. It is such a difference from our experiences in New England, the Midwest & Florida. Everyone we come in contact with seems very courteous. People go out of their way to hold open doors. Words like "sir", "maam", "thank you", "you're welcome" & "y'all" flow regularly with comfort and ease. It is great to feel welcomed & respected by the people here. You just don't get that many places. We have been doing our part to support the local economy. Do vidalia onions make good gifts?
Tuesday April 28th	We departed Orlando this morning. Made it almost 250 miles before the transmission gave out in our truck. It just started acting up. A few minutes later we had nothing. Had a big wrecker come and hook up the truck & trailer & tow the whole thing together. It made us a bit nervous, but everything turned out o.k. Unfortunately, we missed a great photo op. as the 3 vehicles all connected together was quite a site. We had the camper dropped off at a local campground, which is quaint & comfortable. The truck went to the local Ford Dealership. The length of our stay is yet unknown. The nice thing about living in a trailer becomes apparent in our predicament. No matter where we go, we're at home.
Thursday February 28th	This is why I wanted to spend the season in central Florida (besides the weather, of course) SPRING TRAINING with the Cleveland Indians. Great afternoon at the park, a bit cool for Florida but comfortable none the less. It was nearly a sellout crowd at 3,669. Our seats were behind the dugout about 10 rows up. There aren't any bad seats at Chain o' Lakes park. We quickly moved out into the right field bleachers located directly behind our bullpen in order to get some sun and be closer to the players. They have an area where players sign autographs, and everyone eager to get one, did. Got to see all of the starting position players, 3 starting pitchers and several others from the bullpen. Most of the younger players also played. Lots of people from Cleveland. It was nice to be around, and chat with hometown folk. The players' intensity level isn't at its highest, neither is the crowd's excitement. Otherwise, I rate the spring training baseball ahead of the regular season. Many games to go.
Thursday February 28th	This is why I wanted to spend the season in central Florida (besides the weather, of course) SPRING TRAINING with the Cleveland Indians. Great afternoon at the park, a bit cool for Florida but comfortable none the less. It was nearly a sellout crowd at 3,669. Our seats were behind the dugout about 10 rows up. There aren't any bad seats at Chain o' Lakes park. We quickly moved out into the right field bleachers located directly behind our bullpen in order to get some sun and be closer to the players. They have an area where players sign autographs, and everyone eager to get one, did. Got to see all of the starting position players, 3 starting pitchers and several others from the bullpen. Most of the younger players also played. Lots of people from Cleveland. It was nice to be around, and chat with hometown folk. The players' intensity level isn't at its highest, neither is the crowd's excitement. Otherwise, I rate the spring training baseball ahead of the regular season. Many games to go.
Sunday February 17th	JenJen & I spent a great weekend with my dad and Dawn. Had the opportunity to visit Universal Studios Saturday night. They have a Mardi Gras celebration with a big parade. The ladies ended up with some of the well-known beads - I won't say what they had to do to get them. We had dinner at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (not to be confused with Jimmy's Margarita Buffet). Then Sunday we spent a full day at the races. Dad & Dawn had hospitality tickets with all the frills courtesy of Citgo. We had a nice bus ride from Orlando to Daytona. The Citgo team then treated us to breakfast, lunch, pit tours, lots of souvenirs and prizes, an opportunity to meet their driver, Jeff Burton. It was an exciting race with several accidents and lead changes near the end of the race that made for an unexpected finish and winner - Ward Burton. It is always great to spend time with family and we definitely had a blast this weekend.
Tuesday February 5th	Spent the day at Florida's Gatorland. Lots of gators, giant turtles, snakes, birds and other reptiles. You get a chance to get up close and personal with some of the smaller alligators and snakes. Don't miss the pictures of gator rastlin' - a nutty employee of gatorland pulls an 8 foot gator out of its comfortable environment, climbs on top, and gets it to perform a variety of tricks, including sticking his hand into the gator's open, well-toothed mouth. Since we try experience what our local surroundings have to offer, seeing gators was a must - although eating bites of gator meat was out of the question.
Wednesday January 30th	We both have jobs and have been working for a couple of weeks now. I am working as a manager at Papa John's. Many of you know that I have spent many years working in the food service (mainly pizza) business. While in Cleveland I spent nearly two years working for Papa John's as a manager. Working now between 2 different stores on the west side of Orlando. It has been a great fit with many good people and a professionally run franchise operation. Jennifer is serving at "Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville" located at Universal Studios. She is actually an employee of Universal, a very difficult place to get new employment. Before coming to Orlando we had heard that this was a great company to work for. JenJen had her hopes set on Margaritaville and everything fell into place. One difficulty for us is sharing a vehicle. Our places of employment are not located that near each other and our schedules conflict more than in Bar Harbor. We are considering getting a second (temporary) motor vehicle.
Tuesday January 15th	Visited Disney's MGM Studios today. Had the opportunity to spend the day at MGM two years ago. Mostly the same attractions with a few new additions, including "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". You get a chance to play as part of the audience. They pick participants from the audience and give them the chance to win prizes. It was a lot of fun. Best part has been not having to wait in line. We didn't wait for anything. Actually walked right in to nearly every attraction.
Sunday January 6th	Today we went to Universal Studios in Orlando, a theme park with many attractions based upon their movies. Had a great time, weather was rainy at times but it kept the big crowds away. Some of the better attractions were a Wild West stunt show, Men in Black interactive game ride, Jaws boat ride, Terminator 3-D movie, Earthquake and Tornado simulators. Highlight of the day was JenJen getting her picture with Scooby Doo & Shaggy in front of the Mystery Machine. We would definitely recommend Universal to others. Job search is coming along. We will both likely be working by next week.
Wednesday January 2nd	Spent the day searching for jobs and a campsite for the next 4 months. We decided not stay at our current location for the season. It is a bit out of the way and only senior citizens live here. Everybody is very friendly and outgoing, but we would prefer to be around a more diverse group. The job situation doesn't seem to be as opportunistic as in Bar Harbor, but we will find good jobs. The events of 9/11 have definitely affected the travel and tourism industry.
Tuesday January 1st	The Outback Bowl was great. Unfortunately, we didn't win the game. The Bucks made a great comeback scoring 4 touchdowns in a row to tie it up late in the 4th quarter, then lost on a last second field goal. It was sunny and got up to 70 degrees. Jennifer & I both got a bit of sunburn. Both teams had great fans who made a lot of noise. Overall, just a great experience - as best as can be expected with a loss.
Monday December 31st	Outback Bowl bound - Go Bucks! And guess what? We have cows.
Saturday December 29th	Chapter II. Let me begin by apologizing to everyone who follows our journeys online. Several people have brought it to my attention that I have been too relaxed in my updates. Much has happened over the last 3 months. Jennifer & I departed Bar Harbor on October 23rd and made a bee line for home. It was growing cold in Maine and we were a bit homesick. The tourist season in Bar Harbor had just ended. Being home for the holidays was great. Spent a lot of time with family and friends, also worked while we were there. Jennifer went back to a veterinary hospital where she worked several years ago. I used my pizza making experience at a local family-owned restaurant. The jobs went well. It felt as if we helped the businesses greatly and made a few good friends. During our stay we determined that central Florida would be our next destination. And since the OSU Buckeyes were invited to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, it seemed like a good fit. As I write we are staying at a hotel in South Carolina near Savannah, Georgia. We have not stopped along the way due to time constraints, but some of the things that drew us to central FL were; the weather (of course), a desire to attend Cleveland Indians spring training in Winterhaven, FL (our likely destination for the trailer), the college bowl game, Disney World and other close by attractions, and space shuttle launching. Moses the cat has now joined our adventure. We had found him a good home with my sister when we left in April, 2001. He managed to escape the house and disappeared for 3 months. Then, near the end of the summer, he showed up again. We decided then that he would accompany us for the remainder of our trip. Yesterday was his first day in the truck with us. He was not happy to be there and hid beneath the seat for the entire day. Today, he braved coming out after a while. He seemed to adjust very well in a short time. The rest is yet to be seen, but we are both very happy to have him with us.
Tuesday November 20th	We had a party at my dad's house last weekend with 13 jumbo lobster's shipped from Bar Harbor. It was a blast. Everyone seemed to enjoy making a big mess with the lobsters. These suckers were huge and tasty. It was nice being able to share a bit of what we experienced in Maine with the family. Even Michayla, my 2 yr old niece, was interested in the lobsters. She considered touching them, but not quite.
Friday September 14th	It has been a tragic week in the United States and the whole world. The terrorists' acts have affected everyone I come into contact with. It seems as if there are difficult times ahead for us as a people, yet... the best of who we are has already shown itself in the rescue and relief efforts, spirit of cooperation and unity, and widespread generosity. The attacks have hit close to home, as my step-father and his two girls live very close to where the attacks have occurred. He in Manhattan, and the girls in Baltimore and Washington D.C. Thankfully, they are safe. I am unsure of how we should deal with the continuing terrorist problem. Angry and pride, much of me yearns for revenge. That side is also tempered by a desire to see peace in the world. Something which can only happen if the continuing violence is stopped. Why not here and now? We are enlightened and capable. I am not saying that we let those responsible off the hook, but maybe war on the nations who harbor these madmen is not the answer. That being said, I am prepared to fight, if necessary, to do whatever it takes to ensure freedom and safety for ourselves, our children and all of humanity. I pray that whatever we do, it be God's will.
Monday September 10th	Over the last two months, I have been working on a number of websites - for my mother, my employer and myself. The fifth site, my commercial site at www.rodswebdesign.com, has just been published. My travels have helped make this opportunity. With several more sights already in the works, it looks as if website design and publishing could become a real moneymaker as I travel.
Sunday August 19th	Last night on the way home we were hailed by a couple standing in the middle of the road. There was a nasty accident. A Blazer had lost control and flipped several times. It was totaled with the roof torn completely off, the doors and rear end mostly gone, engine & hood completely destroyed and debris strewn hundreds of feet in either direction. The couple hailing us were first on the scene and we showed up seconds after. Since they didn't have a cell phone, we immediately called 911. There was one person in the car. He was on his stomach facing backwards. His face was all cut up with a broken nose but, amazingly, otherwise seemed o.k. I spent the next fifteen minutes giving all the details to the state police. Jennifer helped take care of the guy by covering him with blankets. We watched the fire department use the "jaws of life" to cut the guy out of the blazer. We found out later that he was a 16 yr old and had to have reconstructive surgery on his face, had a bruised lung & a concussion, but no major injuries. From what we saw of the damage, it looked like somebody should have died.
Thursday August 7th	Mom came to visit for a couple of days. We had a wonderful time. She stayed at the Regency in a beautiful oceanfront cottage. Had several very nice meals together. We visited the park on a warm sunny day. Had a great trip on the Margaret Todd, a 151' 4-masted schooner. There was a nice ocean breeze and mostly sunny skies. It did get a bit cool out on the water, but still a fun time. Played miniature golf at Pirate's Cove just before mom left. Short stay but lots of fun.
Tuesday July 24th	Another day as tourists. Played frisbee golf at a local course where I have recently become a member. JenJen joined the YMCA and has been working out recently. Spent the afternoon at the pool & played toss the beachball with the grandkids of our next door neighbor. Our neighbors on the one side are very friendly and have been here for the entire season like ourselves. Their daughter and grandkids are visiting from Florida for about a week. We had a great time at the pool on a beautiful 90 degree day. After dinner at a popular local restaurant we hit the "Great Maine Lumberjack Show". It was entertaining and meant for the whole family. They train local young men in a variety of lumberjack competitions. The pictures show a few of the events which included tree climbing, axe cutting, axe throwing, tandem crosscut sawing, chain saw cutting and log rolling.
Thursday July 19th	We both had the day off & spent it running around as tourists. First we visited an abandoned quarry. It came recommended by some locals as a great swimming hole. Neat looking place with lots of graffiti, but we decided not to swim. We then took a scenic flight over Mt. Desert Island. It was excellent. Only $68 for the both of us to fly in a single prop Cessna. Dave, our pilot, was a college student and very competent and friendly. He let me fly the plane for a few minutes - executing left and right turns, an ascent and descent. Then we had some fun experiencing positive then negative g-forces. It didn't take much to get JenJen a little uncomfortable with these maneuvers. We were able to get a few good pictures of the plane and the island from an altitude of 2000 feet. After our flight, we had dinner in Bar Harbor and finished the day with Jurassic Park III at the theatre. The theatre is older with lots of character. It has a large balcony area with a great selection of appetizers, entrees and deserts. They also serve beer and wine and have a cocktail waitress who comes to the seating areas.
Saturday July 14th	Jennifer & I got out of work at a decent hour tonight. Since it was a comfortable evening with clear skies, we decided to go star gazing. The back half of our campground is a wide open area with RVs parked all along the outer side of a U-shaped paved driveway. We found a secluded picnic table in the center of field. The skies were clear and beautiful. In about half an hour we got a great look at many stars and constellations, including the milky way. Took out the binoculars to get a better look at a very red Mars, the brightest object in the sky tonight (the moon still a few hours away from rising). JenJen saw a couple of shooting stars. We also got a good look at a quickly moving object high in the sky which was either a satellite, space station or the shuttle - which I am pretty sure is in space now. Even with the binoculars, I couldn't tell what it was except for the fact that it was moving very quickly. Was a great way to end a very hectic day.
Wednesday June 13th	We intended to go whale watching yesterday, but an all day rain cancelled the afternoon trip. Probably try again next week. Instead, we headed to the park and watched the tide roll in. About 1 1/2 hours before high tide, we climbed out onto the granite very near the water. The mildly stormy weather kicked up the waves so there was alot of whitewater as the waves crashed onto the rocks. Turned out to be alot of fun.
Tuesday June 5th	Had our first major ordeal with the trailer. Didn't angle the awning enough for rain water to run off. It collapsed while I was at work. A couple of kind older gentlemen at our trailer park helped me remove some pieces and hoist it out of the way. We need a couple of new brackets and the springs on the ratchet system need rewound (something I can't do myself). Could have been much worse, though. The whole thing is only a minor inconvenience for us and a costly lesson. Our jobs are still progressing well. Always learning something new and sometimes we are amazed at how good the tips are. JenJen has become the major bread winner. She can now provide me with the lifestyle with which I have become accustomed. In fact, I am considering permanent retirement. Not really, I love my new job. It could turn out to allow me transfer next winter to points south or west.
Saturday May 19th	Found excellent jobs. We both filled out several applications and received interviews and offers at every one. JenJen is serving at a local pub called "Geddy's" - good food (fresh lobster, of course), a big bar area, and live music & dancing on the weekends. I took a general manager position at a fine dining restaurant in the "The Bar Harbor Regency" - a premier resort on the island which overlooks the ocean. My job seemed a bit overwhelming at first, and JenJen agreed to help me get aclimated. Things seem to be flowing smoothy now, and Jennifer still works with me a couple of days each week. We have met many great people in a very short time; not just locals, but people from the midwest, south, Canada, Europe & South America. We work in a very touristy area. It makes for a very different, yet pleasant, working atmosphere. Vacationers are typically excited to be here. It reflects on the employees as a positive state of mind. I have never been in a working environment where everyone around seems to love what they are doing on a daily basis.
Sunday May 13th	We have arrived in Bar Harbor, Maine, our summer destination. Jennifer & I went out for a lobster dinner our first night here . It was her first time for a whole lobster, but she cracked it apart like a pro. Wish I would have taken pictures of us wearing our lobster bibs. Still having beautiful weather - sunny and 70's the last few days. Drove around Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. Being near the ocean seems to energize and give me a sense of peace. Found a campground, Timberland RV Park, where we can stay for at least one month, possibly the whole season. Started looking for jobs. It seems like everyone is hiring and employment won't be an issue.
Saturday May 5th	Quechee, Vermont. We had a slight change in plans, skipped Ben & Jerry's and Montpelier, instead ending up near the New Hampshire border. We examined the Quechee Gorge (about 165 feet deep) and hiked into the river valley. Went into the local village to watch glass blowing at Simon-Pierce. Then, headed up one of the local mountains to see a maple syrup farm. JenJen stepped ankle deep in some mud while hiking through the maple tree forest - sorry, but I wasn't quick enough to get a picture. We bought some great items at the farm - Vermont cheddar, raspberry preserves, honey-maple-mustard, and of course, maple syrup. The mountains are beautiful, the water is clean and the air fresh. Even though it has been unseasonably warm much of the last two weeks, you can definitely see the difference in climates between the mid-Atlantic and New England states. The north still has snow on some of the mountains, it is about 10 degrees cooler on a regular basis, many of the trees do not yet have buds, and the grass isn't the bright green color as in Virginia & Maryland, even Pennsylvania. I always knew it was colder, but never experienced the diversity firsthand over such a short period of time.
Thursday May 3rd	Cooperstown has the feel of a throwback city from the 1950's - lots of small shops, restaurants & taverns. The Baseball Hall of Fame has many artifacts from the game, complete player stats and a detailed history of the game. Not many interactive exhibits, but if you are interested in professional baseball and want to learn more about the great players, this is surely place to go. We enjoyed two quiet days in Cooperstown with great spring weather. Stayed at a KOA campground - very clean and comfortable. We were one of only two trailers in a campground of more than 120 sites. Beating the summer crowds has its advantages.
Tuesday Mayday 2001	Traveling today. We spent this past weekend at home. There was a surprise birthday for my father who is turning 50. We decided to surprise our families by stopping home briefly. HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY DAD! It was great to be home and see everyone. As much fun as we are having on the road, there is no substitute for quality time with family & friends, home cooking and a nice bed. Now we are moving quickly towards Bar Harbor, Maine. Next stop - Cooperstown, NY.
Thursday April 26th	Showed up yesterday in Hershey, Pennsylvania, home of the world's largest chocolate producer. The entire city is built around the milk-chocolate factory founded by Milton S. Hershey near the turn of the century. He seemed to have been a very generous philanthropist who took great care of his employees and community at large. We took the virtual tour which shows how they make the chocolate, from cocoa plant to the wrapped candy bar. They make more than 70 million hershey's kisses every day. At the end of the tour you get a free sample. Then, like all well-marketed companies - they take your picture on the ride (which, of course, can be purchased) and drop you off in the middle of their elaborate gift shop. Well, we showed them - we took the tour twice and got 4 bags of chocolate candy! ...and only spent $50.00 in the gift shop.
Tuesday April 24th	I can't say enough about our time in Washington. It is really easy to get downtown and the public transportation is efficient, safe, clean and inexpensive. We again visited several branches of the Smithsonian - The National Art Museum, American Art Museum, American History Museum and the National Archives (home to the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights). The documents weren't very exciting, but Jennifer and I enjoyed much of the American Art. There were so many things that we would have liked to see but didn't take the time. Some of them include the White House, Pentagon, FBI, Supreme Court, Postal Museum & the National Zoo. I have every intention of returning.
Monday April 23rd	Spent the entire day walking through Washington DC. The monuments and museums are truly wonderful. The Federal Park Service takes great care of the monuments and grounds. Some things we saw today were the Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and FDR Memorials. Their design, structure and magnitude was awe inspiring. Even more profound are the accomplishments and ideals of our great leaders. We also walked by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial which has inscriptions of the names of more than 58,000 Vietnam casualties. We visited two of the Smithsonian buildings - The Natural History and the Air & Space Museum. And bonus: All of it is free! The only exhibit we had to pay for was a 3D IMAX movie about the Gallapagos Islands. As it turned out, near the end of the movie we had to evacuate due to a minor fire and received a full refund. Since there are so many things left to see, we've decided to stay another day.
Sunday April 22nd	Jennifer & I have been taking it easy the last couple of days. On Friday, we visited Amish country in Lancaster, PA. The area is the oldest and largest Dutch community in the U.S. We drove through the farming areas and watched the men pull a plow through the fields using a team of horses. I was somewhat disappointed with the extent of commercialization in the outlying regions. There seems to be numerous retail stores for every Amish product and a major trucking route which passes directly through the center of Lancaster. On Saturday, I tought JenJen how to play tennis. She did very well for her first time. We then drove to Gettysburg, PA. There is a national park located across the entire site of The Battle of Gettysburg. We took a self-guided tour and were reminded of some Civil War history. Gettysburg is the site of the most American casualties on our own soil - more than 50,000 wounded or killed over the 3 day battle. The 17-acre cemetary was the site of President Lincoln's famous address. There are many, many monuments located along the original battle lines. It would take weeks, possibly months to stop and examine every one. We are spending today around the trailer - taking care of regular chores. Back to summerlike temperatures in the mid 80's. Tomorrow, we plan on getting started at daybreak to visit Washington.
Thursday April 19th	Went to Cambden Yards for two Indians/Orioles games. Tuesday night was really cold. Thursday afternoon's game was beautiful. Cambden Yards seemed very similar to Jacobs Field. It is a newer facility, about the same size with a similar layout. Many food stands and restrooms which were very clean. They have an area here called the "scalp free zone". It is hosted by the Orioles and held just outside the stadium. The purpose is to provide a forum for second hand ticket sales. A team representative verifies that ticket sellers have valid game tickets. There are two areas separated by a rope - one for sellers, another for buyers. Only rules are tickets must be sold for face value or less. This is where we bought tickets for both games. Had lower deck box seats not far behind the Indians dugout for Tuesday's game. On Thursday, we sat 1st row in the upper deck straight up from 3rd base (awesome $18 seats from a season ticket holder for 10 bucks each). I highly recommend the "scalp free zone" to anyone looking for tickets at Cambden Yards! Another neat difference from many other ballparks is that they have several fully stocked bars throughout the park (Not that we were drinking at the games or anything). The fans were great with the Indians being well represented. Talked to a few different people from the Baltimore area - all seemed outgoing, friendly and interested in talking sports. This has been my favorite sports complex outside of Ohio. I must add though, a 3 game sweep by the Tribe may have influenced my opinion.
Monday April 16th	Made it to Baltimore yesterday. Staying at Patapsco State Park, conveniently located about 7 miles due west of downtown Baltimore. That is the extent of our pleasure with this campground. The limited facilities are rundown, bathrooms are terribly in need of cleaning, only a few neighbors that don't give good vibes and the park is siginificantly overpriced. We have already found a much nicer place to stay starting Tuesday. Went to the inner harbor today. Walked around for the afternoon and had a nice lunch. As we have done almost everyday since we left Ohio, hit the local Walmart for goods. The Tribe will be here tomorrow through Thursday.
Saturday April 14th	Slept in today. Started with a nice breakfast then a round of minature golf. Went up the mountain to go horseback riding. The horses were very cooperative and fun to ride. Saw several deer during the trip. They stood close by and didn't even run away. Most exciting part of the ride was near the end when one young lady fell off of her horse. You could see it coming as the saddle slowly slid down the side the horse. She did not even attempt to jump off. I don't think she hurt anything but her pride. Then, one of the guides tried to tie up the horse, but it got loose. The horse knew enough to catch up to the group and follow along closely. When we got back, all of the stable hands were bent out of shape over the whole thing. It wasn't that big of a deal. No one got hurt. The horses all returned safely. JenJen & I got a big kick out of it and made jokes about the situation the whole way home.
Friday April 13th	Went to the home of Thomas Jefferson today. It was a beautiful house and grounds situated atop a small mountain on the outskirts of Charlottsville, VA. Thomas Jefferson was the author of The Declaration of Independence, served as President, Vice-President and Secretary of State, founded the University of Virginia (also located in Charlottsville) and is pictured on the 2 dollar bill. By the way, Jennifer doesn't care either. Hopefully, someone else will join me inappreciating one of America's most prominent founding fathers. Our drive was about 2 hours each way, so it made for a long day. We had originally planned to take a canoe trip, but as we drove through the backwoods, we were reminded too much of the movie Deliverance again, and thus decided to skip the river.
Thursday April 12th	Alot going on lately. JenJen & I are now in Luray, VA located in the Shenandoah Valley. We are staying at a private campground located at the base of the mountains, 10 miles west of the northernmost entrance to Shenandoah National Park. Got here yesterday. Pretty uneventful drive up. We are starting to get more used to pulling the trailer. I still won't call it easy, though. Went to the Luray Caverns this morning. It was extremely beautiful. There was something very unique that moved me. In the early 1900's a local engineer built an organ deep within the caverns. The organ doesn't use pipes, instead there are plungers which strike selected stalactites throughout the caverns. I was simply amazed at the natural beauty which was brought about by man's genius. After the caverns, we drove up the mountain to take the skyline drive. The highest point is about 3600 feet. The drive winds through the mountain tops in a beautifully undisturbed area. We had a picnic, then stopped at several points along the way to admire the view. Be sure to check out the picture of the rooster farm. We pass it a few times each day. Jennifer & I have found that the people in Virginia are very friendly. Can't say that we have met anyone who wasn't genuinely courteous and helpful.
Sunday April 8th	Howdy Y'all! Another beautiful day, high in the 90's with lots of sun. Went to the Virginia 500 Nascar race. Martinsville Speedway is a great facility. It was very clean and you can see the entire track from nearly every seat in the house. The pictures don't do justice. Unlike most sporting events, you can bring in food, beverages and all the BEER that you can carry. YAHOO! There was plenty of room to store your goods below the seats. The race was very exciting. Dale Jarrett won after 17 lead changes. This was our first Winston Cup race at a short track. We will definitely attend another one. JenJen and I even avoided the nasty sunburn which seemed commonplace among the other fans. Cooked dinner at the trailer and tested the Air Conditioning for the first time. We like the park so much, we've decided to stay, at least, one more day.
Saturday April 7th	What a difference a day makes. Easy travels today, only 3 hours on the road with a beautiful ride through the Alleghany Mountains. We pulled into a beautiful campgrounds at Fairy Stone State Park, about 20 miles outside of Martinsville, VA. Near record temperatures today - party cloudy with a high of 85 degrees. Had the opportunity to meet some of our friendly neighbors. Seems like they're all here for the race tomorrow. Drove around town and did some shopping. Got our water running and fired up the water heater in the trailer for the first time. Now we can use the toilet and take a hot shower. For those of you who have seen the trailer, you know that we can do these two things simultaneously. Jennifer and I have already started to appreciate the simple things.
Friday April 6th	Wow! What a terrible day. Woke up early with the intention of traveling to Douhthat State Park in Clifton Forge, VA. It started raining early in the morning. We had spent the night with our friend, Claire in Lordstown, OH. She lives on 20 acres in a beautiful house set back from the road. We had to turn the trailer around in the back lawn, but proceeded to get stuck. We couldn't even move the truck. Thankfully, my dad was able to arrange for a tow. Not your everyday tow mind you. Check out the pix. This was a serious deal. It took an hour just to get back on the driveway. Our departure time was delayed five hours. No serious events until we hit the hills of West Virginia. The rain started to pound. Visibility was almost zero at times. There were also several patches of extremely dense fog where we couldn't see the road in front of us. It became necessary to stop because we were so stressed. Our stop led us to Miss Anne's, a tiny restaurant/gas station/RV stop in the middle of nowhere. I swear, the atmosphere and locals reminded me of something from the movie Deliverance. After a short break we headed out again. It was 11:00 pm when we got to our exit and Douhthat State Park. The park was several miles from the freeway. We had no idea where to go. The only things we could see were trees which overgrew the road. There was no way we could find the campgrounds, let alone a campsite. We ended up getting back on the freeway and going several exits back to a motel. The motel had rooms but we hardly fit into the parking lot. It is amazing that we made it through the day, but everything ended well. We listened to an Indians comeback victory on the radio, had hot showers and got a good nights sleep.
Sunday April 1st	Today is the final day in the house. We loaded up the camper and took it to Punderson State Park. The park is about a 45 minute drive from our house. Jim and Della met us there in order to help us get situated. They have been extremely helpful, providing us with general advice and specific RVing tips. They also brought several items which we wouldn't have thought to bring, yet were definitely necessary. We also took Moses (our cat) to my sister's house. She and my brother-in-law offered to provide a loving foster home during our travels. Leaving the cat has been the most difficult part of the preparations for us.
Saturday March 24th	A little more than a week until we transfer the house. Had a moving sale today. Only a few things left, most are being picked up by Salvation Army next Friday. We have scheduled to pick up the trailer on Tuesday. Almost finished with the transfer of address and insurance issues. Last day of work is Friday, March 30th.