The purpose of the trip was to travel to see the family in Ohio. We took 3 weeks to get there, a little over a week visiting and 3 weeks to get back.
We stayed at a variety of campgrounds...state parks, private campgrounds and RV Resorts. We like full hook-ups (water, electric, sewer). But will settle for electric and water with a dump station. When picking out a campground, I focused on size and hook-ups. Then we spent a week with limited cell phone service, no Internet and no TV. If you know Brian and I, you will understand how much we depend on our cell phone and Internet. That was our version of "roughing it". From now on, I check reviews to see if there is any mention of those services.
.THE PLANNING
I enjoy planning these trips almost as much as I enjoy the experience. Brian gets to pick the general route. Then I start finding places that are about a 3-hour drive apart. I want a location with some sightseeing opportunities. Next I look for a nearby campground. I check out the campground reviews from several sources. I want to know if it is safe, has level sites and has friendly management. Now I also look to see if it has good cell service. I put all the stops together and then Brian and I look it over. In the end I have a notebook with the confirmations, maps and excursion info.
For me, the benefits of camping is that I am staying in my own home each night and cooking in my own kitchen. Our 30' Shadow Cruiser travel trailer is just right for Brian and I.
Inside there is everything we need...bedroom, bathroom, kitchen. We swapped out the RV sofa for two recliners, directly across from a big screen TV, Outside, we have two very comfortable reclining chairs, often a beautiful nature view and a fire pit. In a small space I have the best of indoor and outdoor living.
ON THE WATER
Brian and I enjoy kayaking and we bought new Vibe kayaks in Ohio. I was reluctant to let go of my first kayak, but the comfort of the Vibe took care of my hesitation.
We kayaked in the St. George Sound, in the Davis Bayou, on the Ouachita River at Catherine's Landing, on Winton Lake near Cincinnati, on the Mogadore Reservoir in Ohio and on the James River in the Powhatan State Park. As much fun as all these were, I still like kayaking in the Florida springs and streams the best.
A highlight of my trip was white water rafting on the Youghiogheny River with White Water Adventures in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. Brian, Mallory, Michelle and I did this trip over 15 years ago. It was a family bonding adventure. This time, Brian took a pass. I scheduled a guide in my raft and ended up with a private guided tour. My guide, Riley, made the trip fun and safe.
In Biloxi we took two boat tours in one day. The Biloxi Shrimp Boat in the morning and the Betsy Ann Riverboat in the afternoon. Both tours talked about the consequences of releasing fresh water from the flooding Mississippi River in the Gulf. It helped New Orleans, but was devastating to the sea life in the Gulf. The captain on the Biloxi Shrimp Boat Tour did a great job teaching about shrimp and how to catch them.
HIKING
I enjoy walking in the woods. I wouldn't be so bold as calling it hiking...more a meditative walk in nature, with lots of picture taking. It goes along with my obsession with the colors and textures of nature...trees, rocks, fungus. I can't stop taking pictures of the outdoors. I have 5000 pictures on my phone and I bet 3,000 are of trees. Don't be surprised when I write a blog of TREES.
Spring Hill State Park in Indiana had beautiful trails with creeks, caves and an old growth forest with trees over 150' tall. You can imagine how impressed I was.
The steepest hike I have ever done was while staying at the Endless Cavern Campground, at the foot of the Massanutten Mountain range. I didn't walk far that day, but my Fitbit measured 51 flights of stairs. Oh my.
The trails at the Garvan Woodland Garden and the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens in Fayetteville were the prettiest. Both had beautiful combinations of manicured gardens and natural woods.
HISTORY LESSON
We visited many historical sites with most set in the 1800s. Near St. George Island, we toured the Orman House, an antebellum home built in 1838 by Thomas Orman a cotton merchant. The Panhandle of Florida was very important in the shipping trade.
We also visited the John Gorrie Museum. Gorrie invented the first ice-making and refrigeration machine in the mid 1800s. He used this discovery to help cool rooms for yellow fever patients. You would have thought it would be a big hit in HOT Florida, but he was never able to turn his machine into a commercial success.
Brian and I visited the City of Vicksburg. The city was an important cotton shipping port before the Civil War, was important to both the North and South for controlling the Mississippi during the war and has lots of history after the war during the Reconstruction. The Civil War Vicksburg Campaign started in 1862 and lasted 18 months. We drove through the Vicksburg National Military Park. The park has over 1300 statues from North and South states. We also visited The Lower Mississippi River Museum and the Civil War antiques at the Old Courthouse Museum.
Hot Springs Arkansas has history and nature blended together. Brian and I visited Bathhouse Row in the National Park. The bathhouses were built in the late 1800 for the rich and famous. The area became a National Park in 1921. We soaked in the mineral pools and drank the water at the Spa at Quapaw.
Roscoe Village in southern Ohio is a restored 1800 canal town. We toured the living history sites on Main Street of the blacksmith shop, the weaver, the schoolhouse and the doctor's office. And finished up with a horse drawn canal boat ride. The Ohio Erie Canal was 230 miles long, connecting Lake Erie and the Ohio River. It was constructed between 1828 and 1831. The system was operational for only 30 years. Flooding and railroads caused the decline of the canal system The canal came through my hometown of Akron, Ohio and many canal sites are featured in nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Even though I was familiar with the canal history, this was the first time I road in a canal boat.
We visited Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello in Virginia. It was another history lesson...this time in the 1700. The home and plantation are lovely. The Foundation does a great job keeping everything authentic.
We visited another famous home...Falling Waters in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvannia. It is a beautiful example of designing a home to fit the landscape. The surrounding Laurel Highlands may be a destination for a future trip.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
In addition to the hikes, kayaking and history lessons, Brian and I found some interesting local attractions.
We saw Lunaro, a cirque-type show at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi.
We were at Hillman Ferry Campground in the Land Between the Lakes during the hummingbird migration. Several places had feeders where I watched dozens of hummingbirds. We also drove through the Bison and Elk Drive, where we saw elk, but no bison. And spent some time at the Kentucky Dam.
While staying near Cincinnati we visited the Trammel Fossil Park. It is a small park in an industrial area where you can collect fossils. The will be a fun place to take my grandkids.
The Jungle Jim's International Market in Cincinnati is a unique place. The store is huge with crazy displays everywhere. Brian and I split up. He spent most of his time in the beer department, trying to pick up a few brews from the selection of 4,000 beers. I enjoyed the Produce Department the best. The fruits and vegetables were fresh and the selection of international produce was amazing.
The "artist" in me enjoyed the Alan Cottrill Sculpture Studio in Zanesville, Ohio. I appreciated the sculptures visually, but I also enjoyed seeing the process of making these beautiful pieces. There are hundreds of pieces of all sizes in the studio.
Brian and I toured an Amazon Fulfillment Center. We are both fans of ordering off Amazon. During the tour we watched how orders were processed. Lots of technology at work there. If you are an Amazon customer, I would recommend the tour.
HEADING HOME
As we got closer to home, the planning got more adventurous. First we had to plan around the Labor Day holiday. It is a big camping weekend. Then we spent a few days hiding out from Hurricane Dorian at A. H. Stephens Historic State Park near Augusta, Georgia. We celebrated the end of our Wanderlust 2019 sitting by the campfire all day.
