Eastbound in the Rain

We be travelin'.

After leaving the Folk-On-Spokes Rally in Ohio Friday, we drove up to Lagrange, IN to have the trailer's semi-annual service.  New toilet, new black & gray tank dump valves & handles, some plumbing fixtures relocated for easier (future) repairs, generator & hydraulic system serviced, and normal safety checks completed for this service appointment.  This morning it was an oh-dark-thirty hitch and move to Elkhart, IN to get the trailer axles aligned.  That's done, and we're spending the night at Circle B Campground just west of Angola, IN before moving on to the KOA in Streetsboro, OH for the weekend.

As seems to almost always be the case, we're following the rain to Virginia.  Last year we were rained out of our reservation at Big Meadows Campground, Shenandoah NP due to a hurricane.  This year we're stuck under a stationary low that's providing rain eastward as we travel east.  As you can guess, truck & trailer not near as clean as we were in this picture back in 2013.  But we have gotten the bugs off the front of the truck's windshield and grille plus Donna cleaned the front of the trailer, so we appear clean from one angle, anyway.

It appears the federal gov't will stay "open", so it looks like we may get a few nights in Shenandoah NP this year.  After that it's our semi-annual stop for doc appts and friend visits in Fredericksburg, VA.  We plan to be there for about a month.  After that, it's a slow trip to Gulf State Park, AL for the winter.  At least that's the plan!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and checking on us.  Until next week, David

We be travelin'.

After leaving the Folk-On-Spokes Rally in Ohio Friday, we drove up to Lagrange, IN to have the trailer's semi-annual service.  New toilet, new black & gray tank dump valves & handles, some plumbing fixtures relocated for easier (future) repairs, generator & hydraulic system serviced, and normal safety checks completed for this service appointment.  This morning it was an oh-dark-thirty hitch and move to Elkhart, IN to get the trailer axles aligned.  That's done, and we're spending the night at Circle B Campground just west of Angola, IN before moving on to the KOA in Streetsboro, OH for the weekend.

As seems to almost always be the case, we're following the rain to Virginia.  Last year we were rained out of our reservation at Big Meadows Campground, Shenandoah NP due to a hurricane.  This year we're stuck under a stationary low that's providing rain eastward as we travel east.  As you can guess, truck & trailer not near as clean as we were in this picture back in 2013.  But we have gotten the bugs off the front of the truck's windshield and grille plus Donna cleaned the front of the trailer, so we appear clean from one angle, anyway.

It appears the federal gov't will stay "open", so it looks like we may get a few nights in Shenandoah NP this year.  After that it's our semi-annual stop for doc appts and friend visits in Fredericksburg, VA.  We plan to be there for about a month.  After that, it's a slow trip to Gulf State Park, AL for the winter.  At least that's the plan!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and checking on us.  Until next week, David

Folks-On-Spokes (Gulf Shores, AL) Miami Valley Area Rally

We're attending our second Folks-on-Spokes, Gulf Shores, AL rally. This year it's being held in Spring Valley, OH and focuses on the bicycle trails in the Miami Valley Area.

We're staying at the Frontier Campground.  It's an older campground.  Rugged.  Hookups can be haphazard depending on your site.  It's not big-rig friendly, but patience will help you get into your site.  There are other big rigs here besides us.

So what do you do at a Folks-On-Spokes rally?  Apparently, you ride bicycles, kayak if you're near a river, and eat - usually ice cream.  About 50 people made it to this year's rally.

The bicycle trails here are excellent.  The rally has focused around Xenia, OH as that town seems to

be sort of a center with the trails emanating out like spokes on a wheel. (We'll skip any puns here.)

Pictures here are from today's ride starting from Young's Jersey Dairy (north of Yellow Springs) and riding south to Xenia.  The covered bridge is just south of Yellow Springs.  As you can see, it gets lots of attention.

The Little Miami River is a pretty river and provides some scenic views as you cross over it.  In today's pictures, we're several miles down stream from John Bryan State Park - almost to Xenia.  Most of the trails we've ridden look similar to what's shown here.

So if you're ever in the area, take advantage of these trails, if you can.  David

Clifton Gorge, Clifton, OH

 Who knew Ohio had a gorge?!

One of the guys from the Folks-On-Spokes (Gulf Shore, AL) recommended this hike for our day off and, boy, was it a great recommendation.  This is the Little Miami River as it runs west out of Clifton, OH.  Information indicated scientists believe it started from glacial melt runoff some 325 million years ago.

The area is known as the Clifton Gorge Nature Preserve and sets just east of the John Bryan State Park (Yellow Springs, OH).  We started from Clifton, OH and walked to the John Bryan State Park Boundary and returned.  Spent just over 1 hr 45 mins to make the full circuit.

Well worth the time if you're in the area.  We've posted a few more pictures here to give you a feel for what we saw.  The water wheel is part of the Clifton Grist Mill.  David

John Bryan State Park

Today we took a day off from bicycle riding and walked a few miles along the river & the north gorge rim in Bryan State Park.  Located just outside Yellow Springs, OH, the park is a nice urban-area state park with a campground and several picnic areas.  Several trails run through the park including an old stage coach trail.  You get a lot of locals walking or running the trails as part of their daily fitness routine.

 If you decide to visit, the trials can be wet & somewhat rugged.  Walking sticks make some of the trails much easier to walk.

The picture to the right is of a dried-up water fall.  I sure it's not uncommon to run across dried-up water falls, but it caught me off guard as it was just off the trail & we had just transversed a very wet, muddy portion of trail.  Anyway, it's not everyday we walk a dry water fall!

If you're in the area, the park is well worth your time.  We didn't notice any fees and there's plenty of parking.  A stop in Yellow Springs to eat and shop is worth your time, too.  And, of course, bicycle trails run by there, too!

South Charleston, OH

Last Friday we moved to just east of Springfield, OH to an area known as South Charleston, OH.  We're staying at Tomorrow's Stars RV Resort.  (Use that "resort" loosely, but it is a nice RV park)  We're here to visit with Jerry & Ellen and ride some of the local bicycle trails before heading slightly further south for

 the Folks-On-Spokes summer rally in Waynesville, OH.

What we found is the Ohio-to-Erie Rail Trail.  As Ellen had told us, bicycle trails

are everywhere and seem to emanate from Xenia, OH.  We decided to park & start from South Charleston - a neat little town with good places to dine and nice parking for bicycle riders.  Pictures here are from our rides to Cedarville, OH & London, OH.

We had a good time visiting with Jerry and Ellen plus we had a neat surprise when Greg & Judy pulled in Sunday night and visited for the evening before they headed further south.  We'll see them, again, when we get to Gulf Shores, AL.

Tonight's our last night here near Springfield, OH.  Tomorrow we move the short distance for the Folks-On-Spokes rally (begins Saturday).  Verizon promises 4G cell phone  & data signal, but we've been fibbed to before.  Based on the next campground's reviews (Frontier Campground) it's a nice park though not big rig friendly, low water pressure, and no TV reception.  Apparently, it is great for bicycle riders to get on the Little Miami Rail Trail.   I guess we'll find out soon!

Anyway, that's it for this evening.  Thanks for dropping by!  Later, David

Howell, MI

Tuesday we moved over to Howell, MI for a few days.  We're at Lake Chemung Campground.  Pictures here are of the lake.

We found a Ford dealer that had a couple of 2017 Super Duties in stock to look at plus it put us with a reasonable drive to visit Chris & Emily.  So it made for a great stopover for us.   We really enjoyed our time with Chris & Emily & family!

A family cooked dinner with fresh veggies from the garden was great, too!

Apparently, the Ford dealer in Fowlerville, MI is a volume truck dealer, so we got most of my questions answered.  Apparently, they sold 11 previously ordered 2017s last week.  Consequently, there was no "high pressure" at this dealership.   I forgot to ask one question and they skillfully answered (like a politician) a different questioned when I asked about the durability of the new fuel pumps.

We plan to move tomorrow (Friday) down to South Charleston - Springfield, OH area for almost a week where we hope to meet with Judy & Greg and Ellen & Jerry.  We then move a little further south for the Folks-on-Spokes rally in Waynesville, OH.  At least that's our plans.

Thanks for dropping by!  Until next week, David

Fire Barn (Firehouse), Hackley Heritage Trail

 As part of our walk along the Hackley Heritage Trail, we found the fire barn built by Hackley.  The fire barn had a free tour, so we took it.  If you have the time, take a few minutes and scroll though and see what we saw.

Before we let ya go, one story on the horses:  The harnesses for the horses were hung in front of the horse stalls.

The horses were trained so that when a fire alarm rang out & the stall door opened, the horses would walk out and stand under their harness.

Hackley Heritage Trail, Muskegon, MI

Hume House

Hackley House

After a week of riding & walking the local bicycle paths and Donna riding from the campground to Country Dairy for lunch & return (38 mi round trip), we finally got out and did something different.  The idea was go and visit the local Polish Festival in downtown Muskegon.  We arrive before the festival began, so we took a walk around found and found the Hackley Heritage Trail.

Side view of Hackley House

So we took a walk.

What we found was a few blocks of some the most spectacular & well maintain old homes representing the time that Hackley was setting up & starting the town of Muskegon.  Just so you know, Hackley was a lumber baron and the other homes were his friend's homes.

So take a moment, scroll through and see what we saw.  And, yes, we ate too much at the Polish Festival!

Local memorial garden

Model railroad at the Visitor's Center

visitor's Center

USS LST 393

Muskegon Model Railroad Club