We slowed down a bit…Three states, four stops, 800 miles in two weeks
Our East Coast adventure continues…
1-6 October: Huron OH
We chose the Huron area because it was conveniently located between my family and friends, plus we thought we would go to Cedar Point Amusement Park.
The campground…
Huron River Valley Resort was decent. Most of the sites were taken by seasonals and some by folks who clearly had their spots for many years. Their sites were tidy and mostly unoccupied during the week. We weren’t there during weekend, but got the impression it would be a party atmosphere. It was definitely a vacation place for nearby city dwellers. Our site was long with fairly level gravel. We had a decent amount of space between our neighbors. Wi-fi was an additional charge so we didn’t connect, and we had a weak, mostly 4G, Verizon data signal. Our site was open so we received satellite ok. The location along the Huron River, was cool. Some of the seasonals and permanents had small docks and boats, and could be on Lake Erie after a short ride down the river. We liked the wood sculptures spread all over the campground.
General impressions…
We drove through Huron on the shores of Lake Erie, population 7,149 and elevation 584 feet, and some of the neighboring towns, but didn’t explore them too much. The towns were quaint and tidy, each with an inviting town center. The terrain featured rolling wooded hills interspersed with crop fields. Sandusky and Cedar Point Amusement Park were just 10 miles to the northwest and Cleveland was 50 miles to the east.
Adventures…
I was eager to see my Ohio family…it had been 25 years since the last time. We exchanged hugs, told stories, and got caught up on each other’s lives. My cousin, Susie, and her husband, Steve, were outstanding hosts. We ate so well and were so comfortable that we didn’t want to leave! We enjoyed walking with their dogs through the woods and along the shore of Lake Erie.
East Harbor State Park was really nice. There are a few miles of hiking trails traversing a long peninsula. We walked through the woods and along the sandy shore…it was pretty. We watched a couple of graceful egrets glide a few feet above the water. We really enjoyed playing fetch with the crazy weimaraner. At times, it looked like he walked on water!
Uncle Bill and his little friend / My Ohio family: Charlene, Bill, Susie, Steve / Steve and Susie sharing stories with us
Susie, Steve, and their faithful companions
We had a great walk in East Harbor State Park / That is one focused pup!
He walks on water!
We were stationed with John in the late 90s in Alaska. He even visited us Germany! We had never met his wife, Deborah, and looked forward to seeing them both at Maumee Bay State Park near Sandusky. We laughed a lot as we walked the boardwalk trail through the shore grass. We had more fun posing for silly pictures along the break wall and then headed to Tony Packo’s Café for lunch. I struggled a bit in the noisy restaurant, but enjoyed a good lunch, good conversation, and the 1000+ signed hot dog buns.
Deborah, John, and us at Maumee Bay State Park
Tony Packo’s Café made famous by Klinger on MASH / There are well over a thousand signed hot dog buns!
6-9 October: Erie PA
We found a great campground on a scenic harbor and visited Lana’s Little Tea House near Fredonia NY.
The campground…
Lampe Campground was excellent. The paved sites were big and fairly level. There was plenty of room between sites and the views of Lake Erie were outstanding. The campground was 90% empty during our stay. There was no wi-fi, but the cell phone signal was reliable 4G. There were no big mature trees in the campground so satellite reception was good. There was a well maintained bathhouse and laundry building. The location, on the edge of Erie, with Presque Island Bay on one side and Lake Erie on the other, was awesome. We could walk along the shipping channel anytime, and enjoyed multiple sunrises and sunsets. A steady stream of cormorants flew over our home each morning and afternoon. The only issue we had…it was very noisy! The campground was quiet, but there was a litany of loud noises all day and all night from the marina, Coast Guard Station, construction site, and who knows what else.
A beautiful spot on Lake Erie
The ship channel to Presque Isle Bay is on the right
Cormorants flew over our home each morning and afternoon
General impressions…
Erie PA, elevation 733 feet and population 100,671 with almost 300,000 in the metro area, was too big and too busy for us. The campground was on a peninsula and was a sanctuary compared to the rest of the city.
Adventures…
We have been buying tea online at Lana’s Little Tea House since Arleen was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Not only is her tea excellent, but she has sent us many personal emails and made us feel like good friends. She lives in a story book cottage near Fredonia NY. We enjoyed her story, the story of her special home, tasty treats, and four different teas. We swapped stories, laughed a bunch, and relaxed in her peaceful garden…it was a very nice day.
Lana’s garden is a very pleasant place to relax
Now we’ve been to Pennsylvania!
9-12 October: Gettysburg PA
Fall colors in Pennsylvania
We leap-frogged a cold front with heavy rain and finally let it get ahead of us
Neither of us had been to Gettysburg and wanted to experience this important part of our nation’s history. Plus, we expected to see a couple of our friends!
The campground…
Gettysburg Campground was big and packed. Unlike our usual travel, we arrived for a holiday weekend with the crowd. Most of the campground was full when we arrived. Our site was fairly level gravel and just long enough for us to fit. The space between our neighbors was ok. There was wi-fi but we could never connect due to heavy usage. Thankfully, we had reliable 4G cell phone signal. We were in the open part of the campground and received satellite just fine. The campground was just three miles from town.
Arlene and Ron visited from New York!
General impressions…
Gettysburg PA, population 7,620 and elevation 558 feet, was a busy town. The roads were narrow and congested with weekend visitors as were the sites and restaurants. Otherwise, it was a nice with tons of history.
Adventures…
On our first morning, we got up early and went straight to the Visitor Center to beat the crowds. Arleen stamped her national parks passport book and we formulated a plan to tour the Civil War battlefield. Then we drove back into town to see the impressive Gettysburg Diorama. The informative show plays while pertinent places on the diorama are lit up. It was a good overview of the leaders and the battles. We headed to the south end of the battlefield, parked, and slowly walked a five mile loop. We say all the time, “the slower you go, the more you experience”. We proved it again as we read plaques and ducked behind rock walls in an effort to put ourselves in the soldiers’ shoes.
Later that afternoon, our friends, Arlene and Ron, arrived from New York! We gave them a tour of our home and then had a good dinner at Dave and Jane’s Crab House. The restaurant is on the Maryland and Pennsylvania boarder and was packed by the time we left.
The next day we met Ron and Arlene at the Visitor Center, watched the informative film, and toured other parts of the battlefield. My high school friend, Larry, and his son, Dan, arrived from Delaware. The six of us hopped in two separate cars and followed each other around the battlefield. We especially liked the view from the tower on Culp’s Hill and posed for a bunch of pictures. That evening we chatted at our home for a bit and hugged everyone goodbye.
We were glad to experience an important part of our nation’s history and to spend time with our friends.
First visit to Gettysburg / Conversing with Abe
View from Little Round Top Hill…an important strategic position for the Union
View from Culp’s Hill…another important strategic position for the Union
Arlene and Ron at Culp’s Hill / Me and Larry at Culp’s Hill
Confederate soldiers at their camp on Seminary Ridge / Arleen pointing to an artillery hole
Checking out the battlefield diorama
12-15 October: Lums Pond State Park DE
We went to Delaware to relax, get our Delaware sticker, and most of all, to spend time with my friend, Larry.
The campground…
Lums Pond State Park was very nice. We only had electric, but filled up with water on the way in, and dumped our tanks on the way out. The sites were huge with lots of space. Most sites were tucked under big mature trees…we could not get satellite reception. There was no wi-fi, but the Verizon 4G signal was pretty good. The sites long, unlevel gravel and grass. We were there during the week and it was quiet, but the campground host told us it can get a little crazy on weekends. The state park is run like a resort and offers hiking, fishing, canoe and kayaking, zip-lining, a beach, yurts, a dog park, and other things. We especially liked the miles of hiking trails around the pretty lake. A park ranger told us that the campground will be closed until June to add full hook-ups to all sites.
Nice camp spots at Lums Pond State Park
General impressions…
Between Gettysburg and Lums Pond, we paid $31 in tolls on about 25 miles of Maryland roads. The tolls are adding up quickly! The state park is just four miles south of Glasgow and 23 miles southeast of Wilmington. The campground is in a peaceful area, but lots of restaurants and shopping are nearby.
Adventures…
We took it easy. The first day, we took the truck in to address a few issues. My high school friend, Larry, met us at the dealership and took us to an excellent breakfast, and then REI and Cabelas. I relaxed the rest of the afternoon while Arleen walked over six miles on the trails. Some of the trees were turning multiple fall colors. There were also various birds and turtles…it was pleasant.
The next day, we spent the morning with Larry, relaxed, hiked, and picked up the truck. We didn’t see or do much in Delaware, but it was a good place to take it easy.
An osprey circles Lums Pond looking for a fish dinner
Success for the osprey!
A heron waits for its dinner to swim within reach
Lions mane mushroom…good eatin’! / One turtle sun bathes while the other waits for its turn
Celebrating our visit to Delaware!
Next…
We are exploring the Baltimore and Washington DC area for two weeks. After that we go to Stanardsville VA and Shenandoah National Park, then Damascus VA, and then Cherokee NC and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Parting shots…
A great egret flying over Lake Erie
A beautiful evening scene on Lake Erie taken from our front door
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