We're Baaack! This time we are exploring the Eastern U.S.
For numerology fans we began our journey on 8/18/18 at 8:18 a.m.
August 20, 2018 - First stop was Red Gate Farms in Savannah. It was a working farm and event venue. Sophie met her first horses, goats and chickens. Fred recognized his old tractor.
Dinner complete with Pink Lady at The Olde Pink House. Built in 1777 it was originally a mansion, then a bank and now a very cool restaurant with low country food in downtown Savannah.
Historic Jamestown
August 21, 2018 - The first permanent English settlement in America.
Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
August 24, 2018 - The city was founded in 1632 and was the center of political events leading up to the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.
Fredericksburg, Virginia
August 26, 2018 - The Rising Sun Tavern was built in 1760 as a home by Charles Washington, younger brother of George Washington. It became a tavern in 1792 and is now a museum maintained by Preservation Virginia.
This little rock was at our campsite.
Lancaster Pennsylvania
August 26, 2018 - We changed our plans. Instead of going to Philadelphia we opted to venture into Amish Country. We had a lovely campsite overlooking a creek and farmland. Fred had to actually work so I opted to go to the Hershey factory.
Rhode Island
August 29, 2018 - Cheryl and Bob get to join us on this part of our adventure. Fred and I had some research to do in Boston so we scooted up there for the day and spent the night. Cheryl and Bob babysat Sophie and took her to Jamestown and Newport. While in Boston we stayed in the Union Club which was right on Boston Commons across the street from the State House. It had views of the Granary Burial Ground where Paul Revere, John Hancock, the victims of the Boston Massacre and many other famous people were buried.
We also went to one of Fred's old haunts, the Lennox Hotel. He was rather disappointed with the remodeling they did, but the drinks were still good.
August 31st Bob, Cheryl and Sophie have a RI adventure
Cheryl here: How we wish that we could have joined Fred and Judy for this entire trip. Unfortunately, Bob's spine needs architectural enhancements. So...this was our golden opportunity to hop on for a bit of the trip. We briefly visited Beaver Tail Lighthouse on Jamestown where we were plagued by flies. Off we went to Newport with hopes of exploring the the Cliff Walk -- no luck parking anywhere nearby. Plan B was to seek out the Newport Tower, the origin of which is a mystery. Back home again to the campground Pavilion for my first chowda and clam cake binge. Wicked Good! Oh yeah...somewheah we also had some Del's Lemonade. Ahhh...
All together again, we set out for the old homestead tour. Included was the Rocky Point Clam Shack which has been reduced to a hot parking lot in front of the defunct Ann & Hope. It was decorated with a few, very tired, artifacts of the park including some old fiberglass animals from the haunted house and a period sign. The foodie verdict: Fred prefers Rocky Point Red Chowda. Cheryl prefers Iggy's Clear Chowda. Both Fred and Cheryl agree that Rocky Point clam cakes are superior. Another favorite was buying fresh corn at Morris Farms which has been in the same location for more than 60 years.
The homestead tour included Fred and Cheryl's home on Paterson Ave, Granny's house on Hamilton Ave, Jack's house on Buttonwoods Ave, and Eva and Jack-Ya Dad's house on Hazard Ave. A favorite story is that the Higham boys were once described as, "monkeys junpin outta the second story windows."
We also visited the rock beneath the flag pole at Warwick Veteran's Memorial High School. This rock was excavated from Fred's childhood home. The story -- my fatha wanted to rid himself of this huge rock for years. Somehow he heard about an opportunity to donate it to the school. Deal done...Win-Win!
The homestead tour included Fred and Cheryl's home on Paterson Ave, Granny's house on Hamilton Ave, Jack's house on Buttonwoods Ave, and Eva and Jack-Ya Dad's house on Hazard Ave. A favorite story is that the Higham boys were once described as, "monkeys junpin outta the second story windows."
We also visited the rock beneath the flag pole at Warwick Veteran's Memorial High School. This rock was excavated from Fred's childhood home. The story -- my fatha wanted to rid himself of this huge rock for years. Somehow he heard about an opportunity to donate it to the school. Deal done...Win-Win!
We continued our culinary tour with a trip to Andino's on Federal Hill in Providence. The minute you pass under the pineapples on the hill, you can smell garlic in the air. Most delicious!
Maine
September 6, 2018 - After a long drive of 375 miles we arrived at Acadia National Park. Finally, some cooler weather with lows in the 40's and the highs only in the 60's. The first day we explored the loop road with its stunning views of the rocky coast.
September 8th - Today we wandered around the quaint little town of Bar Harbor established in 1796, and lunched at the Bar Harbor Inn. We have gone from clam chowder and crab cakes to lobstah. It is all about the food.
September 9, 2018 - We toured the Northwest Harbor. It was so picturesque!
Oh, Canada
We have arrived in Fundy National Park on the Bay of Fundy where the tide difference is between 36 and 52 feet depending on the phase of the moon. Here you will see pictures at low and high tides. The park is next to the Village of Alma. It is a cute little fishing town with six restaurants that serve fresh caught lobster, clams, scallops and mussels. They all compete for the best seafood chowder. All the chowders are very different and quite good. Ask Fred how he knows.
September 12, 2018 - We traveled 60 miles up the bay to Moncton on the Petitcodiac River. Here the incoming tide reverses the flow of the river and creates an initial wave called a Tidal Bore. Surfers can ride the wave for miles, today we saw two - Whoa, this was something else.
Our campsite at Fundy National Park.
Shediac, Canada
September 13, 2018 - We are now in the town of Shediac which boasts of being the Lobster Capital of the World. It also has the world's largest lobster. The temperatures here are in the 80's!! We will be leaving the trailer here and going on to Prince Edward Island.
The view from our campsite is great.
Prince Edward Island
September 14, 2018 - Drove all around PEI today. We visited the Bottle House https://bottlehouses.com/ Edouard Arsenault began building the little houses in 1980. The village consists of a six gable house, a tavern and a chapel. The gardens are beautiful.
In another part of the island we found ourselves in Anne of Green Gables territory.
After we checked into our condo we were treated to a spectacular sunset. A special dinner at the Row House Restaurant included famous PEI mussels. Yummy for Fred!
September 15, 2018 - After seeing some more sights on PEI, we boarded the ferry and headed to Nova Scotia.
Our lodgings used to be a bank and most recently the Boathouse Restaurant.
September 16, 2018 - On to Pictou, Nova Scotia. We arrived at our wonderful B & B with more gorgeous views. Sea Cottage owners Frasier and Susan live next door 6 months of the year, great hosts at an incredible location. Sophie and I went for a long walk on the beach and picked up some shells and sea glass. She ran and ran and loved playing tag with the waves. She was one messy, sandy, wet happy dog! It was another great sunset. We awoke to the sounds of seals barking. Unfortunately, they were too far away to take a photo.
Rimouski, Canada
September 18, 2018 - We bid au revoir to Shediac and bonjour to Rimouski. It was a 350 mile trip so we stopped in Campbelton for the night. The drive to Rimouski was very tiring as we had 25 mile an hour crosswinds to fight. Our destination was Camping Rimouski and it was quite deserted which turned out to be a very good thing. A storm front rolled in on the night of the 21st with 25 mile an hour sustained winds and gusts up to 40mph. We went from a high temperature of 82 degrees in Shediac to a high of 48 degrees in Campbelton and Rimouski. Time for long underwear and wool socks. We were fortunate that we had a big hill behind us for a little protection. Sorry, no pictures of that since we were hanging on to our beds! Rimouski marks the northern most point of our trip and almost the halfway point. We have traveled 5000 miles so far.
You might ask why would anyone want to go to Rimouski? I was on the genealogy hunt for Fred's ancestors. We went to the Historical Society and I hit a treasure trove of information thanks to the librarian who pulled out books and files on the Ross side of the family. I now am having fun translating everything since it is all in French. We found out that Fred's 5th great grandfather came from Scotland to New France to fight for the English against the French (he sounds like a mercenary). He was apparently a valiant warrior and zealous and loyal to the government. He was also a river pilot on the St. Lawrence. He died in 1808 "of cold in the the passage of the Bic". He was buried in cemetery of the dead children without baptism in St. Germain Cemetery. His very Catholic wife was appalled.
Quebec City
September 23, 2018 - We took the ferry that is about 13 minutes from our campground to Quebec City and toured it by a hop on - hop off bus. It is just charming! Lunch at the Petit Chateau was amazing, the best escargot and cheese fondue that I have ever tasted! I should probably rename this blog "Eating and Drinking across American and Canada".
The Basilica of Notre Dame has been standing on the same site since 1647. From 1650 until 1898 some 900 people were buried under the church. The first bishop was Saint Francois De LaVal. In 1759 the church was bombarded and burned during the British siege and then rebuilt according to the original plans. It burned again in 1929 and was again rebuilt the second time with the same plan. It is beautiful. We wandered into the Cathedral at noon the next day and a Mass was in progress all in French. Reminded Fred of his grandparents church in Providence where services were always in French.
The old part of Quebec feels like going to Paris without crossing the big pond.
September 24, 2018 - We woke up to 29 degrees outside, 42 degrees in the trailer and frost. We are just not used to this!
On our second day in Quebec City I was still on the hunt for ancestors. Marie Major, Fred's 7th great grandmother was married to Antoine Roy dit Desjardins. He was in Carignan-Salieres company (which were the first trained group of soldiers to come to Canada). He was granted land and 100 livres to remain in Canada. He married Marie Major who came to Canada as a "Fille du Roi" daughter of the King. They were usually single, poor women who were given a dowry to come to the French settlement and marry. Antoine eventually ran into financial troubles and was in and out of prison. He escaped to Montreal leaving Marie and their son in Quebec. On Tuesday, July 10, 1684, Antoine was caught in bed with his landlord who shot him dead. Marie was now ruined by her husbands adultery and murder, and continued financial trouble. She went to live in Quebec proper in poverty. She died in the Hotel Dieu (hospital) on November 16, 1689. She was buried in the Cemetery of the Poor in an unmarked grave. I thought they might have had a cemetery entrance, but apparently they don't, although during construction some bodies have been found. Another relative, Mathieu Choret, Fred's 9th great grandfather who died in 1664 and is supposedly buried at Notre Dame, but again, no cemetery. They were buried in the crypt under the church.
Then we roved around the old city some more and walked the most important streets in Old Quebec according to the walking tour guide. Oh, and french onion soup for lunch, couldn't find boeuf bourguignon.
September 25, 2018 - No frost this morning but it is an ugly day, rainy and cold. Fred made french toast for breakfast, but alas, there are no pictures as it was devoured promptly. We did the mighty tidy, replenished the propane tanks and have been translating all the information I got from Rimouski.
Montreal
September 27, 2018 we visited The Basilica of Notre Dame. It was first built in 1672 and was outgrown by 1824. The sanctuary was finished in 1830, the first tower in 1841 and the second tower in 1843. On its completion the church was the largest in North America and remained that way for over 50 years until surpassed by St Patrick's in NYC. Fred's 8th great grandparents are buried under the square in front of the church. It is quite ornate! The pipe organ is dated from 1891 and has 4 keyboards, 92 stops and 7,000 individual pipes. Parking in Montreal is very difficult and the traffic is horrendous.
After touring the church we stumbled into a really unique place to have lunch (more crepes of course). In the back of the little store front restaurant was a fancy little area with furniture and lamps that looked like they may have come from Versailles.
September 29, 2018 - Today's adventure was to the Botanical Gardens. I think this is the best garden I have been to in North American. It's 173 acres and needless to say we didn't see all of it as the skies threatened to open up on us. The fall season isn't as showy as spring but every season has it's specialness. The Rose Garden still had tons of roses blooming. The Japanese Garden was awesome, they have a bonsai that is 400 years old! And dahlia's are my new favorite flower, so many different kinds! There are 7 greenhouses all with various environments. You can view the waterfall in one of them from both sides. They are having Jardins de Lumiere where the sculptures are all lit up at night. Our guide expalined the design of the ornate Japanese and Chinese Gardens and lead us through the Medicinal Plants Garden some of proven efficacy some not so much. The fall colors are just beginning to show in some of the trees.
Calamity on the way to Niagra Falls
October 1, 2018 -Somewhere between our overnight stop in Clayton, New York and Grand Island the rear trailer window shattered, spraying tempered glass all over the bunkhouse. We did not discover this until we arrived at the campground. Made a temporary repair with a garbage bag and duct tape. Took the trailer to a glass shop the next day to find out a tempered glass replacement would take 7 - 10 days. Too long for us so the shop "crash wrapped" the window. That means they put transparent film over our garbage bag. Undaunted we moved on like Steinbeck's Joads in the Grapes of Wrath.
We brought the the trailer back to the most lovely campsite that we have had to date at Branches of Niagara. It was very overcast and cloudy but we explored the American side of Niagara Falls. I have never seen black squirrels before! We returned home to a beautiful sunset over the lake.
October 4, 2018 - After another rainy morning, the sun came up and we headed for the Canadian side of the Falls. We made a detour to Bird Kingdom. It claims to be the worlds largest free flying aviary in the world. There were many unusual birds to see.
The views from the Canadian side are superior to the American side. And Fred's barrel was delivered just in time. We had dinner at Queen Victoria's Place which was the former home of the Niagra Falls Commissioner overlooking the falls.
Cleveland, Ohio
October 6, 2018 - After it stopped raining the overnight temperature rose 20 degrees. By the time we set out for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum it was 84 degrees out. The museum was fun! It was designed by I.M.Pei and opened on September 1, 1995. It is surprisingly well done and rivals Paul Allen's Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. It contains many music videos and lots of Rock and Roll memorabilia from the 50's to the present. On exhibit were lots of instruments used by performers and clothing worn by the artists including Micheal Jackson's glove, gowns of Dianna Ross and Mama Cass (different sizes of course) and Elvis costumes. The Elvis exhibit displayed a contract for an early performance in Las Vegas in the 50's. Elvis appeared for four nights and was paid a total of $1275 for the gig.
The Museum was crowded with people of all ages, some who like Fred grew up in the 60's and many more who weren't born until much later. No matter the age they all had smiles on their faces.
The Museum was crowded with people of all ages, some who like Fred grew up in the 60's and many more who weren't born until much later. No matter the age they all had smiles on their faces.
Cincinnati
October 9, 2018 - After an overnighter In Delaware, Ohio (near Columbus) we headed into Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Art Museum was delightful. We saw many different kinds of art, including antiquities, beautiful furniture, miniature spaces, tapestries and of course paintings. Fred was surprised to see two paintings by John Henry Twachtman who was the great grandfather of a friend and neighbor of the family.
After the Museum we walked through the neighborhood of Over the Rhine. Found some very unique shops and stopped at Graeter's Ice Cream. Life is uncertain so we had dessert first. They use a process called the French Pot Method. The chocolate chips were gigantic! We proceeded to Montgomery Inn and the Boathouse Restaurant where Fred ordered Cincinnati Montgomery Ribs. Yummy. We watched the tug boats push the triple barges up the Ohio River against the tide.
October 10, 2018 - The American Sign Museum was a serendipitous surprise. It showcases commercial signs over the last hundred years and is attached to a working neon sign shop. Who knew neon electric tubes came to the US from France in the late 1920's? Neon signs were considered upscale when first introduced. They decorated prestigious stores and even churches. They fell into disrepute in the 60's and 70's and were considered tacky. Like an old neighborhood they are now undergoing a renaissance. The museum tour concluded with a demonstration of glass tube bending and gas electrification which was reminiscent of Doctor Frankenstein's lab. American Pickers would be jealous.
Bowling Green Kentucky
October 12, 2018 - The Beech Bend Campground is not only a campground but also an amusement park and water park (it was closed), a drag strip and oval track. The Lost River Cave has an underground boat tour which was a little scary. The river appears above ground only 3 times, the most interesting is the blue hole. When someone tried to measure the depth of the river, the plumb bob was caught up in the current causing the measurement to be 437 feet deep. It really is only 16 feet deep.
On February 12, 2014 a sinkhole swallowed eight corvettes in the National Corvette Museum. Fortunately, nobody was injured. All eight cars were recovered from the hole but only three could be restored. All eight are again on display, some restored some not.
October 13, 2018 - Drag racing was on the agenda today, Fred's first! One of the dragsters had a jet engine and reached over 300 mph! They had to wet down the track to keep it from catching fire. It was extremely painful to hear the car take off. There was a small antique car show also.
Dandridge, Tennessee
October 14, 2018 - We have arrived in Dandridge, just outside of Knoxville. We are staying at the Anchor Down RV Resort on Douglas Lake. Many of the sites have their own fireplaces. This is our view and the fireplace is on the site next door.
October 17, 2018 -After two days of rain and maintenance on the trailer we explored Knoxville today. Quaint old downtown area with some cute shops. We found a true general store with a bit of everything for sale, including a wonderful selection of sweets. Fred was truly a kid in a candy store. We also saw one tree that was beginning to turn, and 4 fall leaves. For many years I have been dragging Fred into Christmas stores. He finally found something that he wanted. It now adorns the trailer.
October 18, 2018 - The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge was our destination for today. It had lots of artifacts from the ship and an iceberg to touch. There was a display of the deck at different angles, the last one being right before the ship broke up and sank. No pictures were allowed to be taken though.
October 19, 2018 - Ventured into the Smokey Mountain National Forest today looking for leaves. We found one tree! Lunch by a rushing river was quite relaxing. When we got back home the view was again spectacular.
October 22, 2018 - The temperature as we left Georgia this morning was 37 degrees. We are back in Florida now in 82 degree weather. We have been to 16 states, 5 Canadian provinces, 21 campgrounds, 3 Air b n b's, and have put another 8,000 miles on the Expedition. Another fine trip!
