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| Crossing the Mississippi heading east from St. Louis |
For those who travel the Interstate south around St. Louis, you may recognize this Mississippi River bridge feature. Viewing this bridge when leaving or returning always makes me feel like my current adventure is either beginning or about to end. I think it is because I view St. Louis as the gateway to either direction, east or west. I have read too many novels of the explorers who had those same thoughts. Or maybe it is the mighty Mississippi and the number of states that it flows through that sets off my location awareness alerts. Anyway, these twin bridges are an important road landmark for me.
We camped in several pleasant places during this journey to the east. We try and be on the road by 9 am and off by 5 pm. This way we miss any morning business traffic hassles and we do not have to make reservations.
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| Camping in the trees here |
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| Camping in the open there |
Late spring is a neat time to be on the road if you, like me, are observant of the natural features of the lands you travel through. Everything is awakening from winter and this is reflected in the lighter shades of grays and greens and the promise of growth. There is a fresh earthy smell to the air that also harkens that promise of new beginnings.
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| Dogwood in bloom |
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| Redbud blooms on the open spring road |
It was early in the campground opening season and there was often a
backlog of visitor servicing maintenance needs that begged for attention.
As a nomad who was on the open road workcamping for 8 years, I hear their
call for attention and smile that its not my job anymore. The maintenance needs will be answered in time, but not by me. That makes me smile even more. When I traveled alone I looked forward with anticipation to the various tasks that would involve hammer, saw, and paintbrush. I enjoyed immersing myself in these fix-it activities just prior to the arrival of the recreation-seeking public. It was a peaceful period in which I was able to add my creative touch to the beautification of the natural resources others would be coming to see.
Our first major layover was Blacksburg,Virginia and friends.
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| Cousin Jean hosting us at her house |
Our first night there we tend to always find our way to Daisy's cousin Jean's home in the country. She is always busy with an active schedule, but still has the time and expects us. I think she would hurt me if we did not show. In addition, she has a unique house crafted from many different types of wood. Jean and her late husband constructed the house, and it has great valley views.
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The first course
Oh, and did I forget to mention that she can cook!
The last course...
When
in the Blacksburg area we have a favorite campground that has become
our football season residence. It is right on the banks of the New River.
Campground Entrance
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| Jean helps me plan our Alaskan travels |
During the warm
season months, it is a bustling water tubing launching area. Yet
in early season it is a perfect place for us to enjoy the quiet and
river atmosphere or in late season to relax and plan after observing an exciting
Virginia Tech football contest in Lane Stadium.
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| Beautiful place to visit and relax |
However, when relaxing here you do have to be prepared for several exciting and noisy activities in the proximity.
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We have active train tracks on both sides of the river.
I have discovered that more often than not campgrounds will be located next to or in clear earshot of a rail line, and if you are very lucky, a railroad crossing.
BTW, Daisy loves trains.
Her childhood home was 50 yards from the tracks.
Maybe that explains why she only hears part of what I am saying.
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| Backyard cardinal serenade |
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| Daisy with her also retired colleague Mark and wife Gail |
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While in Blacksburg we visit friends Daisy developed over the 30 plus years she worked at Virginia Tech.
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| Daisy and co-worker Bill |
We also reconnected with college buddies of mine from over 40 years ago who had relocated to the Blacksburg area over time.
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| Here we have Dave and Mickey. Mickey was in Angel Flight when I was in the VT Corps of Cadets. |
This was only a brief layover for us. We make the most of it every time by being as mobile as we can. We saw a few people, but will be back in the fall to see more.
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We rent a car when we have long stays here.
On to Maryland!
Our destination is an annual visit with my kids--Shannon and Michael (of course there are the grand boys and their dad too).
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| Michael stayed in a cabin in the campground near the rest of us. |
Michael flew in from California, and we got there the day before he arrived.
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| Levi came over to inspect our site and checkout our states visited map. |
Levi and Josiah took us all on a hike of the grounds surrounding their campground.
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| Things that died |
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| Things that swim |
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| Things that float |
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| All my kids- I am blessed. |
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| Head down duck had a bad attitude |
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| Tadpoles |
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| Bucket with a few tadpoles for scientific study |
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| Major Matt, my best son-in-law, conversing with Pvt. Levi |
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| Cinco de Mayo dinner celebration |
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| Quesadilla | | |
Of course we attended the boys' soccer practices.
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| Uncle Mike chasing the nephews with camera |
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| This swimming pool is next to their campsite. |
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| The ancient art of fire building requires expertise, |
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| a good woman to cheer you on, |
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| and a grandson to appreciate the results. |
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| Of course there is a need for background music from a muted horn. |
When you live full time in your RV, you use the out-of-doors as part of your living space.
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| A little shared guitar music is quite fitting. |
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| Grilled chicken |
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| and a some pico de gallo |
You cook, eat, and play in your airy living room.
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| Creating a great outdoor feast |
And when it gets dark there is more fun to be had.
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| Smore beginnings |
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| Nothing like flaming marshmallows on a stick for a 5-year-old. |
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| Am I a happy sweat-suited camper? You bet! |
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| They are all smiles. |
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| Matt and his boys |
So how does a daughter surpass a campfire with trimmings, one might ask.
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| Shannon making her dad's favorite |
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| Cherry pie with excellent crust |
In closing, I have lots of memories to cherish...
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| Levi being Levi |
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| Siah is more focused than his brother. |
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| PopPop and his crew |
Daisy and I departed their campground with promises to return in the fall. But we had another stop to make just a short piece down the road to visit the woman who was responsible for our meeting at that 40th college reunion. Her name is Linda and she just happened to be pet sitting for a friend at a historic home.
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| The part of the structure on the right was built in 1720. |
The house was added onto in the mid 1840s and again in the 20th century. The additions were built to reflect the style of the original structure except the most recent addition was of local stone instead of logs. The house is surrounded by stone and brick pathways which flow to landscaped vegetable and flower gardens.
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| Linda took us on a tour so we could select a bedroom. |
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| Notice square log ends |
One unique feature is an enclosed vertical staircase
(almost a ladder) that leads down to a basement. The grounds are rolling and timbered. There is a one-story, gabled-roof, log smoke house southwest of the main
house, and it was also built in 1720.
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| Notice the dutch doors |
Linda also introduced us to two other characters in her life.
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| Jeff and Linda |
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| Of course there is a dog involved |
After the house tour, we went out to sample one of Maryland's noted cuisine items. No filler here.
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| Authentic Maryland lump crab cakes |
Meanwhile back at the cabin...
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| We parked in the driveway beneath towering dogwoods |
We had our choice of bedrooms to overnight in.
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| The stone addition was the most recent. |
Guess which one we chose?
Well it was time to head home so that we could prepare for another adventure. But we had three more nights on the road with interesting sites to behold in between.
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| In Ohio |
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| Unique feature of this campground was the playground |
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| How about a tornado shelter rest area. Made me nervous. |
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| A winery in Illinois that we visited on the way back to Arkansas |
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| They bring in 100% of their grapes from elsewhere. |
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| These vines were just for decoration. |
We had a unique experience in this campground. I encountered a couple I had met on the road over 5 years ago. I had workcamped with them in Washburn, North Dakota at a Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
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| Ever tried getting a squirrel to pose? |
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| Sharon and Kerry are still doing interpretive adventures across the nation. |
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| We were parked behind them. |
And because of our friend Carol in Arkansas, we did make one more special visitation.
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| We made one stop to honor our friend and her late husband. |
Remember that bridge...now we are are crossing it again heading west.
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| Crossing back over the Mississippi on the way home |
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| Baby grapes on the spring vines at a Missouri winery |
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| They would allow us to camp overnight in their parking lot. |
This was the second winery we visited and of course we brought some wine home to share with you.
You just have to come get it!
