Trip to Lynchburg RVP (pictorial)

Sep30

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9.30 -Traveling to Lynchburg RV Park in Gladys, VA
Today, the 30th, we will leave Woodstock and drive 150 miles to Gladys, VA. We’ll be staying at the Lynchburg Thousand Trails Campground.
We arrived in Lynchburg all in one piece. The trip was very pleasant especially a fifty mile segment of it on US 29. It was a 4-lane divided highway which looked like it was carved right through the Shenandoah National Park. In general the roads rated a 9+. On our trip down here we saw highway signs for the President Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Appomattox, VA the courthouse. This would be the location that General Lee surrendered. The picture below is not very clear but is a result of my asking Carla to take the picture in a coach going sixty miles per hour.

The road up is littered with farms both big and small, beef cattle in general.

The views come in so fast, unless you’re riding with a camera in your lap, it’s hard to catch them all in time.

As we traveled south we were in constant view of the Shenandoah Mountain Range and to the west were the Appalachia Mountains. Just prior to our leaving Walmart we met a very nice couple who had just gotten married about a month ago. They were traveling North to attend their daughters wedding. She, in a past life had been a RVer for sixteen years and had talked her new husband into the lifestyle. They mentioned that their home base is in Bowling Green, FL where they spend their winter months. I’m sure we’ll be seeing them again. I think she said the campground there at is Arcadia Peace River RV Park.

Lynchburg RVPrk (pictorial)

Sep30

9.30 Sunday- Lynchburg RVP in Gladys, VA

This is a Thousand Trails RV Park. The roads may not be paved and we do not have 50amp service but the park roads are wide and clear of overhanging branches. We do have satellite service which few sites have since this is heavily wooded. This park covers 161 acres with an eleven-acre lake. The number of sites are 223. It has all the rest of amenities of most parks. This will be a 5-day stay leaving this coming Friday. Pictures to follow. For such a short stay we still have a couple of venues we want to experience.

Upper right hand corner is our site. Hiding amounts the trees. When we arrived here we were scheduled to leave tomorrow morning, but due to a scheduling conflict we’ve decided to extend our stay by one day. This means we’ll be jacks-up on Saturday morning.

Bushkill Falls (pictorial)

Sep24

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9.24 Monday

Temperature this morning is 52 but we will wait until it reaches 59 before we leave the coach. The trip to Bushkill Falls in the town of Bushkill, PA, is only about fifteen-minute ride from our site; a breath of fresh air from yesterdays two-hour trip to NYC.

The nice thing about this venue is the wooden walkways. We will find these covering ninety-percent of the walk we will be taking. Below are the options we have with four trails. Green was the shortest at about 20 minutes. We chose yellow. Yellow, they say, would take 45 minutes, but in actuality took about 75 minutes. Each trail comes with it’s own challenges as you will read in a few pictures from now.

The pictures are in the same order as our walk, hope you enjoy the walk. We came home exhausted just like yesterday, it should not be that hard on you, the reader.

We’re approaching “LOOKOUT MAIN FALLS”. In all I believe we’ll see four different water falls and water basins.

560-Yes, we are as high as it looks in the picture. You should try climbing all these d_ _ n stairs. Going down was not that bad, whenever you go down, you must come up!

577-We’re approaching “THE TOP OF LOWER GORGE FALLS.”

People rarely volunteer so why should this day be any different. So I asked the kind lady and she said yes.

Above is the path we just came down. I think we’re at the bottom, but we’ll see! …Mistaken!

We’re both a little pooped, Good time to stop. This walkway offers few benches. Below is the bottom of MAIN FALLS.

They were so kind to at least warn us of the challenges of the two other trails. Yellow, as you see below was our choice. I could barely handle this trail so we made the proper choice.

There seems to be a never ending array of stairs going “down.” I don’t look forward to the trip up in a few minutes. The picture below is one of the best pictures, I believe, I’ve ever taken.

Approaching “UPPER CANYON.” Did you hear the word “up?”

Above. This portion of the river is called “ADAM’S FLATS.” It’s just that, a very flat area with the river running nicely through it. There’s the sign I’ve been waiting for; but it now means we have to climb our way out of this canyon.

Yup! We’re starting to go up.

We’ve exhaustingly come up a long way, but not there yet. We stop about every fifty feet to catch our breath and appreciate the views.

The walking is starting to get a little more challenging with the gravel and slate path.

Almost there. So tired I’m having trouble pushing the button to take the pictures. Carla’s had it also.

The gift shop and snack bar. The fries we’re awesome, so crunchy!

Trip to Tower NYC (pictorial)

Sep23

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9.23 Sunday
Overcast, cloudy but most of all it’s only 53 degrees. It’s chilly, no it feels cold but it’s a field trip day. We plan to trip to NYC and experience One World Center. We drove to Jersey City to pick up this ferry.

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This picture tells of many stories. First it is cloudy, chilly but were getting very close to our destination; One World Center, NYC. Once we get there by ferry we’ll view the tower, observatory, oculus and memorial.
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Doesn’t this look like Carla has found an old friend? Not so! He made the mistake of wearing a Notre Dame jacket and the two of them are discussing the Savior Touchdown Statue on the ND campus by their football stadium. Our travels do empower us to speak on many topics, this one was powerful on both sides. Turns out he lives in the City and is a devoted sport fan of every kind. Below you see our “yellow” ferry coming into dock to pick us up and bring us to the City.

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I’ve always had an affinity towards marinas and boats, it’s a great lifestyle but expensive.

Above is Governor’s Island then you have the image to the left. Cropping has to be the “poor man’s 200mm telephoto lens.” It was my hope to visit Ellis Island but it’s like the Grand Canyon. You can visit it, view it and then it’s let’s go. We just don’t have the time to afford a visit, possibly next time.

9/11 Museum (Pictorial)

Sep23

SEPTEMBER 2018

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9.23 Sunday
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Below:
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This is the Oculus as seen from the outside. Below: Just a quick view to visualize how deep underground we at.

Not to dwell on what was, but it’s important not to forget how we were defiled.
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These are the original steps that the firefighters and other first responders climbed only to meet their demise within a short amount of time. The painted tiles on the wall are a group effort commissioned to replicate the blue skies on 9-11.

The Box Column remnants: Steel columns, known as box columns for their rectangular shape and hollow center, provided structural support for the Twin Towers and created their distinctive facades. At the end of the recovery period following 9/11, what remained of these columns was cut to a level elevation, leaving the remnants visible here. The North Tower footprint was outlined by 84 columns, but the South Tower footprint had only 75 columns since preexisting train tracks passed across its footprint. ( This text was taken from a plaque I photographed but due to available light did not print well.)

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This is a surly. Its construction was to prevent the Hudson River invading the Towers.

The South Tower Column

Freedom Tower Observatory (pic.)

Sep23

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9.23 Sunday
Views from all the windows of the Tower.

Below is the Oculus of the Freedom Tower.

This is Governor’s Island.

Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, in the foreground and the ferry depot.

Once again, I enjoy boats and marinas. Can’t even imagine what the dock fees might be.

Once you step into one of these elevators you’ll be whisked up 102 stories in 27 seconds and, believe it or not, you’ll never notice you’ve started going up. Once the ride begins the walls ignite with a very fast documentary of what the area looked like from the 1600’s to present; awesome!

Freedom Tower Oculus

Sep23

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9.23.18

A view of the Oculus from the Observatory floor of the Freedom Tower.

Pocono Property (pictorial)

Sep20

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9.19- Wed. We have settled in quite nicely and tomorrow we plan to trip over to Newfoundland. We have some land in that area that I foolishly purchased many years ago, and will probably have to die to get rid of it, but nonetheless it’s worth checking it out again since we’re currently in the Poconos. The property is only about a forty minute ride from here so we should be back in no time. Getting back to an earlier story, of ; how can a big coach fit under a low bridge? Simple answer, I don’t know. I googled the height of the coach on the Internet and it is 12.2 feet tall. This could easily fit through a clearance of 12.8 feet. The problem is that we have a satellite receiver up there as well. It comes in with a height of 1.4 feet. So doing the math the coach, assuming the tires are all inflated properly, has a total height of 13.5 feet. What’s the answer; it had to be a miracle. For sure we were praying hard enough. All for now.
9.20-Thurs. Very chilly night last night, temps dropped to 52 degrees. Today would be a field trip day. Only 62 outside so it’s a good day go travel. We’re off to Newfoundland or Sterling, not sure right now, to witness the property we’ve owned since 2006. This property is in the Pocono Springs Estates. We have frontage of 85 feet and go back 200 feet. The front of this property lies in Lehigh County while the back resides in Dreher County. Confusing, I know!

I believe our property begins at the yellow 15 MPH caution sign and extends to the right. All in all it covers 0.41 acres, not very big by how it looks because it drops down a slight slope from the road and is suitable for a very small home fairly close to the road. Being close to the road is not a problem since the road has very little traffic. I would like to see a small log home with a bedroom upstairs with a full basement much like the log home we had in Maggie Valley,
This was our log home back in 2008. Something we’ll never ever have again, since it was close to half million home. Cobbler’s Cabin was only in our lives for a couple of years prior to the recession of 2008. We had to let it go otherwise it would have sunk us. This property in the Pocono area could not support a structure like this even if we could afford it. I still enjoy the memories from that phase of our lives.

The property does go deeper but it slopes off quite a bit which means having and maintaining a back yard is not an option. Additional pictures of this property. Below is a schematic on the properties around us, we own lot #72. For a stretch of half a mile you’ll find only two other properties with homes on them.

Properties here are all part of the Pocono Springs Civic Association. There’s a beautiful lake which I don’t have a picture of, since my battery was dead at the time. If there’s anyone interested in this area this property is for sale at a very good price.

Timothy Lake Resort (TT)

Sep18

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9.18.18- The Timothy Lakes Resort.
In a couple of days we hope to get an early start and go into the city and experience the new tower and possibly Liberty Island, Statue of Liberty. Below is the site map on the NORTH section of this campground.

On this site map we’re located in the upper section marked in orange of the Southern section of this campground. We should be quite comfortable at this location. We’ve got sewer, cable, electric and satellite line of sight…awesome! Site #92.

In a couple of days we hope to get an early start and go into the city and experience the new tower and possibly Liberty Island, Statue of Liberty.

Vanderbilt Mansion-(pictorial)

Sep14

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9.14

The Mansion driveway, what else!

Above is our host greeting us at the mansion entrance.

The after dinner room for the men.

In this foyer are three doorways. The one to the left is where the men would retreat to after dinner.

The gals, on the other hand, would settle into the room opposite from the men and socialize, the room you see above. Some random pictures of some of the other 50 rooms in this building. Between the two room described above is basically a very elegant gathering area. From here they would gather until summoned to the dining area.

Above and below is the doorway in the middle.

The Grand Dining Room above. Below is a picture of the men’s gathering room to the left of the chair and to the right of the other chair is the ladies room.

Ceiling height on the first floor is eighteen feet. Looking down the stairway of thirty-nine steps to the second level. In the picture below is the upper level.

Some pictures of some of the rooms on this level. This would be the main sleeping area for the one per center’s attending. If you did not qualify you slept on the third level along with any single women and female staffers. Single men would be sleeping in the now Visitor Center.

This would be the Vanderbilt’s sleeping quarters. Not exactly shabby. Myself, I’d probably have a difficult time trying to get to sleep with all the opulence in this room. It did not seem to bother these folks.

Down deep they wanted to shape this new country in the image of England where the upper 2%ers would control properties and industry and provide an opportunity for Amerscans to follow to appreciate their place in this world working for this new class of individuals, as indentured savants.
This is really a bit much. No wonder it could not be sold. Unlike other venues from the past the furnishings in this mansion are all authentic and all was part of the household at that time.

Another bedroom.

Going down to the basement level.

The staffers Dining Room. They ate as well as the folks above. Food was about the same, they drank from crystal glassware and they enjoyed very generous Christmas gratuities. A few worked their entire lives here and many had over ten years employment. They were treated like family.

Frederick Vanderbilt, the owner and builder of the mansion, knew how important it was to keep and appreciate all their staffers. Once electricity became readily available he was asked if he wanted to electrify the freezer closet, which until now, was the privy of the house “ice cutters.” He declined to have it modernized since he would have to lay off the two staffers who maintained the unit.

Views from the back of the mansion. You can see the Hudson River in the distance.

The mansion had fifty rooms and over seven-hundred acres. As big as that might sound it was considered their cottage to retreat to during the hot summer months. As the story goes the Vanderbilt’s were filthy rich and the next generation were fortunate enough to double their wealth. Then came the third generation. They specialized in enjoying their inherited wealth. It did not take to many years for this generation to realize the cottage was expensive to maintain, and quite honestly they were tired of going there. The widowed wife of the grandson to Frederick was left several million in cash which she kept but decided to sell the estate. It went on the market for $350,000. She never got a bite on the property. She then lowered the price to $250,000 with the same results. It wasn’t until FDR, a neighbor not that far away in Hyde Park approached her to donate the land and property to, which would soon be, the National Park Service which she did. Before the NPS acquired the estate, she confiscated all the valuable and aged wines the mansion had acquired prior to turning over the keys to the property.

FDR Homestead – “Springwood”

Sep14

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9.14

The FDR Gardens and some pictures of a few of the rooms in the house.

Above and below; the FDR home library.

The Snuggery “The Dining Room”

FDR was crippled suffering from polio. The family bedrooms were on the second floor. Personally I would have relocated the bedroom to the first floor, not that the house wasn’t big enough, but getting back. In order for him to get to the upper level he had a dumb waiter installed. The contractor installed the unit wanted to electrify the waiter, but FDR said NO! He weighed about 180 pounds and his chair another 50 pounds not to mention the weight of the dumb waiter. Every evening he would move his chair into the dumb waiter and manually use the ropes you see in the picture and raise himself using upper body muscles to the upper level. He was remarkably strong for his age and his being handicapped.

The Chintz Room

The FDR Bedroom

Eleanor Roosevelt’s Bedroom

FDR’s Boyhood Bedroom

Above the back of the home. Below the front of the home.

Springwood as it looked around the time James Roosevelt (FDR’s father) purchased it. He (James Roosevelt) and his wife rally wanted to buy a home with property in Rhinebeck, NY, but homes and land were to expensive so they settled on Hyde Park for the family homestead.
Above and below is the FDR gardens at their home and where FDR and wife Eleanor are buried.

The entrance to the Library.

In the pictures to follow are just a small fraction of the hundreds of posters FDR initiated to spur on the war effort.

The caption above is there to give the reader a small insight into how, even as a President, grounded he was both as a politician and family man.

The FDR Presidential desk.

The 1936 Ford Phaeton. This car came equipped with a gadget that, when initiated by FDR, would deliver a “lighted” cigarette for him while he was driving, yes the car was set up for him to drive even though he had no lower body abilities. FDR was an advid model builder. He had built hundreds in the collection in the Library.

Rondout Valley Park (pictorial)

Sep13

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09.13.18

As you travel the beautiful Mettacahonts Road you exit this road to the campground entrance below. Rondout Valley is Thousand Trails facility.

The entrance to the campground is just a little difficult to understand do to space limitations but the staff is very aware of the situation and do a good job in directing travelers in the right direction. If you’re a regular and possibly weekend camper to this campground this would not be a problem. I find these lift gates a little primitive but at least they don’t have the tire spikes as many camps have. The black magic marker indicates how we travel from the campground entrance to our site just a very short distance. The park is providing us with sewer, water and cable. We’re not utilizing the cable option because our satellite provides greater coverage.

This little bridge is very quaint and is big enough for even coaches. The water below the bridge was bigger than a stream and is a small river. During my absence Carla tells me it was close to breaching its banks. Very happy hurricane Florence is not coming our way.

You can see our site, coach with the orange awnings. It was a very easy back-in site. We have excellent line of site to the SW compass reading for our satellite receiver. Pictures from here on are from a walk we took just because we needed to stretch our legs. Grounds are wet since we’ve just had three days of on and off rain.

Small pond at the far end of our street. Across this small bridge spanning a small stream to the pvillion and, snack bar, arcade and activities center building.

There are so many tent campers, hard to believe. Below is just a simple picture of a tree I thought was so unusual.

Either side of the creek as we cross the bridge.

Can’t have a resort with a pool.

The Pavilion Building.

Little kids are never forgotten.

The Millbrook Stream is just about up to its banks.

The check-in office and general store. Now we walk our way back to the coach.

This is our site.

McCain Funeral (pictorial)

Sep1

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9.1- The John McCain Funeral celebrationFor certain Carla and I were not invited to this historical event. I apologize for the graininess of many of the pictures. I was fortunate, many years ago, to have possessed one of those ultra high definition Samsung TVs, that unfortunately we have no longer. Our present television just does not have the quality picture our old set did, but for this blog it’s passable. At a future time I may come back and insert some comments and subtitles, but for now, it’s mostly pictures.

Ivana and Jared Kirchner were in attendance but not so for her father, the President, Donald Trump. Scoots, our cat, decided early she was not that interested in this event.