tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7190322875796865292024-02-21T02:30:25.916-08:00George & Sandy's Great AdventureGeorge & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-59834989857298100932011-11-01T17:43:00.000-07:002011-11-01T17:43:38.897-07:00Many Miles, Alligators, Great Blue Herons and A New Legal Residence -- Oh My!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It has been a very busy past few weeks. We left Maine on October 7 for a 1200 mile drive to Jacksonville, FL to meet up with Steve and Kathy Burnett, to turn over ownership of Moose to this Florida couple. We stayed in JAX for a few days to pack our possessions and then transfer them from Moose into a 17' U-Haul truck. I purposely rented a bigger truck than we really needed because I did not want to stack stuff real high, and risk having boxes tumble going around a corner. It was a smart choice and made the transfer of boxes very easy. On Friday the 14th we left Jacksonville and drove about 150 miles to Inverness, unloaded the truck, returned the truck and then drove another couple hundred miles before turning in for the night. Instead of sleeping in a motorhome we slept at a Country Inn and Suites. Very nice. We arrived in Illinois on Sunday, Oct. 16 and stayed with family. We visited friends and then spent two nights in Chicago at my daughter's house to get to better know Luke, our 9 month old grandson.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ON_8E8WHsVisnanYWWYbXRpqTSo4Zprl0XFnsYjItiE_ga9V4hd2M63OmRY5XBazmMc2CW0mWKTkpaifk7hl-4rFXBUhVXz2Q9SV91el5k_Xhjo306_HBV1Vl0t81ia6qcDWUzNpWVtV/s1600/Luke.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ON_8E8WHsVisnanYWWYbXRpqTSo4Zprl0XFnsYjItiE_ga9V4hd2M63OmRY5XBazmMc2CW0mWKTkpaifk7hl-4rFXBUhVXz2Q9SV91el5k_Xhjo306_HBV1Vl0t81ia6qcDWUzNpWVtV/s400/Luke.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Luke and his Dad, Brad share fun times </b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The following Monday we left Chicago at about 5:30 a.m. to get a jump on rush hour and to begin the final 1200 mile leg of our travels. Leaving early was another good decision, but driving in Chicago at any hour is a wild experience. The speed limit on the Dan Ryan was 55 but we were being passed by projectiles moving at 75 to 80 mph. By Wednesday noon we arrived at our rental home in Inverness and unpacked the car. And by Friday evening we were 99% unpacked and kind of settled in.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">O.K. O.K. What about alligators?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Our rental home is on a connected series of canals and we wondered if there were any gators. Today we spotted a baby alligator about two feel long drifting in the water and looking for a meal. I'll get photos next time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">But I did get a photo of the Great Blue Heron that hangs around the dock and back yard. He and his mate are building a nest across the channel. That should be interesting to watch. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeIBshisLUspBneRn1WQeHjQKth6vsG3tGg351rrUE2fRHAp8dfnSnVrzb7sSuWyMbT1NRwqAGLEtaOdbZNKsFD1HPRvyL42KlKVWM4a05CE5U5GeGAfmObkJnCwUczwPz0z-LbyqNpkr/s1600/FL+Rental+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeIBshisLUspBneRn1WQeHjQKth6vsG3tGg351rrUE2fRHAp8dfnSnVrzb7sSuWyMbT1NRwqAGLEtaOdbZNKsFD1HPRvyL42KlKVWM4a05CE5U5GeGAfmObkJnCwUczwPz0z-LbyqNpkr/s400/FL+Rental+021.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For the past few days we have been busy becoming official Florida residents. We needed to get a Florida driver's license, but to do that you need to have an auto insurance policy with your Florida address. So we got car insurance today with Progressive (Flo is happy) and learned that rates in Florida are higher than in Illinois. Next we had to go to the County Tax Collector's office to get plates for the car and our driver's licenses. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchnoJUg5Syx32KFnGxK2eft_fKyy-l2cliBs3iiTyipigrYMjbbEotZ8j5F0zOp4L4AREvPpb4a8A0HrYX8kivVux2HGQCX6nfLA2lrsUR9lHhB59vi35QiHehYjvw0-dtgpfXaMZ5oG5/s1600/FL+Rental+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchnoJUg5Syx32KFnGxK2eft_fKyy-l2cliBs3iiTyipigrYMjbbEotZ8j5F0zOp4L4AREvPpb4a8A0HrYX8kivVux2HGQCX6nfLA2lrsUR9lHhB59vi35QiHehYjvw0-dtgpfXaMZ5oG5/s320/FL+Rental+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We should have known that dark clouds were on the horizon in having to go to a tax collector's office for plates and licenses. We walked out $550 lighter. Yikes!!!!! But on the brighter side, there is no sales tax on food and the annual license plate renewal is about 45% lower than in Illinois. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here are a couple of photos of our home for the next six months.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GgZ-QVzN5KMSdLbTCl7C2mdr4jlWDwe49nJX02HASV4eS2sQ6TzpFgbittNuJN9FohrXV6413al0Ps9U0jMMDlLh700YZOAltXHI73agT1JCqGypIKwxJ3z0w41Pd1rQTdS5JWJzkrZL/s1600/FL+Rental+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GgZ-QVzN5KMSdLbTCl7C2mdr4jlWDwe49nJX02HASV4eS2sQ6TzpFgbittNuJN9FohrXV6413al0Ps9U0jMMDlLh700YZOAltXHI73agT1JCqGypIKwxJ3z0w41Pd1rQTdS5JWJzkrZL/s400/FL+Rental+026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7iHN2ATBtdVGgb0gwGXr6WWpkO0WiNulFP0-S5khi0LnMOBfbnCP2SoJeHMG2zGVnvR0gSbsNAVjS_8G-MzxLoYGhJPVRL2FMVmCTFXvU7kk5iCBfdGSG5XusR51xDFC1KkxoUdKQmYf/s1600/FL+Rental+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7iHN2ATBtdVGgb0gwGXr6WWpkO0WiNulFP0-S5khi0LnMOBfbnCP2SoJeHMG2zGVnvR0gSbsNAVjS_8G-MzxLoYGhJPVRL2FMVmCTFXvU7kk5iCBfdGSG5XusR51xDFC1KkxoUdKQmYf/s400/FL+Rental+027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sometime early next year we will begin looking for a home to buy in Florida and a small travel trailer in which to begin anew our RV travels before high heat and humidity envelop Florida. Florida will make a great place to winter while we plan our travels for each upcoming year. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile it feels really strange to have so much living space and to not worry about what is going to break next. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned.</span><br />
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</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-86531624023838007842011-10-12T17:40:00.000-07:002011-10-12T18:19:30.676-07:00A fork in the road<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It was a great summer up in Maine. The work was a bit more strenuous than I had anticipated, but it helped me to lose 13 pounds -- not too shabby. Or should I say, not to flabby. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyway we are spending the next six months in Inverness, FL without our motorhome, having sold it today to a great couple from Jacksonville, FL. The amazing part of this sale is that I met the buyer on an RV forum in 2008 and we kinda stayed in touch with each other.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">While we are in Florida we will be looking at buying a small home, a travel trailer and a pick-up truck (yah hoo!) to pull the trailer. Then we'll be back to travelling during those months when it doesn't snow.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It's been a great experience.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I might blog occasionally, so stay tuned. </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-50095968920653339392011-08-18T17:51:00.001-07:002011-08-18T17:51:50.238-07:00Summer vacationI'm taking a break from blogging. See you again in the autumn.George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-27089106386553746382011-07-28T16:44:00.001-07:002011-07-28T17:34:56.616-07:00A 50-Mile Walk in Maine<span style="font-size: medium;">Earlier this week we met Cassandra Curley, who is well into her challenge to walk all 50 states in 50 weeks. She stayed two nights here at Wild Duck as she did her 50 miles in Maine. We spent a little bit of time with her on Tuesday and Wednesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Maine is her 29th state and she plans to complete the contiguous 48 and Alaska before the snow flies. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jMUkr5tGJiQ/TjH0S1A1PtI/AAAAAAAACIo/Q82LB5RzWek/s1600-h/Cassie%25255B5%25255D.png"><img alt="Cassie" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YyhSkgKNx7I/TjH0TQ4prtI/AAAAAAAACIs/xVNyMouVHWU/Cassie_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Cassie" width="189" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Cassie is a bundle of energy, walking 16 to 17 miles per day at a rate of 3 miles per hour. To plot her daily route she uses (you guessed it) app for her iPhone. Cassie has a web site at www.cassandracurley.com</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">It was fun to meet her and we wish her well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">A couple of weeks ago on our way to Cape Elizabeth we drove past this charming cottage clad in river rock. On the way home we stopped and I got a few good photos. The person who did the stone work was a real artisan.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2pkPNFSo7Cs/TjH0USslKVI/AAAAAAAACIw/rTn79IjgHc4/s1600-h/Neat%252520house%252520006%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Neat house 006" border="0" height="286" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f9ZxFKfPDo4/TjH0U8leDmI/AAAAAAAACI0/MdchGfL-atc/Neat%252520house%252520006_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Neat house 006" width="379" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ajgn01w7RXo/TjH0VfN-q6I/AAAAAAAACI4/1O5GcZ1mjws/s1600-h/Neat%252520house%252520008%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Neat house 008" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2D7tbyqVdIIt9EK3IJlLys4a0j82PZnq9FAEDJKcZY4ungMxc_VheQEa98HjYNMDbsKvvZWs96FR6Npfgwg-rlcFnYK7LJxCZiFkMupJtnUxmVN055Rb_lEADJObYfLNvKhUhD0PYzNw/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Neat house 008" width="379" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-80953442266655593532011-07-16T11:27:00.001-07:002011-07-16T19:21:52.768-07:00Whale watching off the coast of Boothbay Harbor , Maine<span style="font-size: medium;">We took a leisurely drive north on U.S. Highway 1 to Boothbay Harbor yesterday morning and noted a few places along the way that we will want to go back and see. Included were a great place for breakfast six miles away from the campground, the headquarters of L L Bean and the main store for DeLorme Maps. I’ll report on those in the upcoming weeks. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Maine is a really beautiful state. The license plates carry the slogan: A National Treasure. Agreed. Our drive certainly lived up to the slogan. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We got to Boothbay Harbor with about 90 minutes to spare and decided to poke around a little bit before having lunch. Before I knew it, I spotted a whale.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KlQkaOlZsgk/TiHXyAn58gI/AAAAAAAACGs/Hiqt8Ot0NPU/s1600-h/IMG_0598%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0598" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FFsN0pX6KLQ/TiHXyVwfmvI/AAAAAAAACGw/USDx7vOuHrE/IMG_0598_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0598" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Just east of this whale is a local eatery called McSeagulls. Expensive, but I had the absolute best fish and chips of my life. The fish of choice up here for fish ‘n chips is haddock. Very light tasting with a nice texture. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This was our table and our view.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VBm13PF4ILA/TiHXzM03TJI/AAAAAAAACG0/hKUeZuL4i40/s1600-h/IMG_0596%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0596" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yMTB_O50WI0/TiHXzS4S_EI/AAAAAAAACG4/EYmLa2e4WF8/IMG_0596_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0596" width="377" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Boothbay Harbor has lots of neat Victorian-era homes and B and Bs and plenty of places to drop a few bucks if you are so inclined. The greater municipal area is made up of five communities with a combined population of 30,000. In the winter the head count drops to around 3,000.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We boarded our ship (no photo, just a typical sight-seeing boat) at 1:30 and got some good views of the harbor and surrounding islands. When we win Mega or Power Ball, it would be tempting to buy one of these homes on the water. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v4u5vDPUWKs/TiHX1LVOITI/AAAAAAAACHE/7rPAR2_-mYQ/s1600-h/IMG_0617%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0617" border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTy3YfW86UAONHAzYWS8acbUD4gBTv0HH4RuKWgoAcVLnvwtQ_GZXetPUU7NoveK6sV_LntJJ9BzbHilduDAYUFCFYrtMO0mTGJeGbUlYioqwcXS-W6QcejiFeqeynPoIjkINWukpgE9Mg/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0617" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-p0tIUCmPY9E/TiHX2e9knYI/AAAAAAAACHM/W90cMs9IaXg/s1600-h/IMG_0626%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0626" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-p1qfA8_IzdU/TiHX20FgnFI/AAAAAAAACHU/vIIcjIIkxtI/IMG_0626_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0626" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This is an area where a lot of lobster fishing takes place as evidenced by the many floating platforms containing lobster traps.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--cnNrEoX2Pg/TiHX3lxiiBI/AAAAAAAACHY/6FFJo9yUONE/s1600-h/IMG_0611%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0611" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HGa8Vx6AzGE/TiHX4eiaivI/AAAAAAAACHc/3KzOjxstbkw/IMG_0611_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0611" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0t_PKvpbk8M/TiHX4wWRtmI/AAAAAAAACHg/ZWpGQ3UEeTo/s1600-h/IMG_0609%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0609" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BpycYa5zJjI/TiHX5SxnaJI/AAAAAAAACHk/V9QQhBA9l7w/IMG_0609_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0609" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IBjL97sZlSA/TiHX8Vh2XYI/AAAAAAAACHo/ONVHztKojTo/s1600-h/IMG_0621%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0621" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Y7GDPdlkXEM/TiHX8wG2elI/AAAAAAAACHs/nbvo0HlpFok/IMG_0621_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0621" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This is Burnt Harbor Light.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The tour boat cruised at about 20 knots for close to 75 minutes and we heard a lot about whales from the on-board tour guide, but we were beginning to think we might have to invoke the “rain check” guarantee if no whales where sighted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The ocean had a slight chop to it which made spotting the water spout of a whale that much more difficult. But finally, someone spotted a whale. In the picture below I have identified a water spout from a finback whale. Look just to the left of the wording. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0vCQB_0akZ8/TiHX9ZZMVaI/AAAAAAAACHw/decTZFPqgeU/s1600-h/IMG_0643%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0643" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2vXPiyd2ics/TiHX97Bi-VI/AAAAAAAACH0/m0zn-BTrqys/IMG_0643_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0643" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SCi2YphvXD8/TiHX-rNhKrI/AAAAAAAACH4/GOznh3zu-jQ/s1600-h/IMG_0693%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0693" border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0S_ZzemlZj74VmRMfzxuIiRNo8YACFymKSBzq_Mi93RQXMd9V1lIbVuwvTex7tLOajs9-xEuPvd7oEgVuF626sN1r3mEWpCBh90ZLlHwN1898ErqaWXQoXy3y_gNnHC-ONTaTTQoRt7B5/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0693" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The next two photos will show more of the giant finback whale as he or she performed for us.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zEfvFZRyptw/TiHX_qKayeI/AAAAAAAACIA/cpfR9OgwwT4/s1600-h/IMG_0650%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0650" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jiNa_vC0DfY/TiHX_w8C3sI/AAAAAAAACIE/S4pK4XRv0Qw/IMG_0650_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0650" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0W9a0T0rRbSweHi-cjbtLzRE1GpRMupfXJuxKgGHABMbcyt94sGUTmVqh_uNbECg6CixTc5IiZhyphenhyphenflh_ugEztHJT-jzkGs_Rc4Bdo6Bp5A3c5n_VkUbBUsCPV2dSF6Pw6mEjPKK9FYgX/s1600-h/IMG_0651%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0651" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-B0RPZGYVTDI/TiHYAysc-II/AAAAAAAACIM/p7lySlJKfNw/IMG_0651_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0651" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">The <b>fin whale</b> (<i>Balaenoptera physalus</i>), also called the <b>finback whale</b>,<b>razorback</b>, or <b>common rorqual</b>, is a marine </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">mammal</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> belonging to the suborder of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baleen_whale"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">baleen whales</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">. It is the second longest whale and the sixth largest living </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">animal</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> after the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">blue whale</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowhead_whale"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">bowhead whale</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">, and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_whales"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">right whales</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">,<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_whale#cite_note-marinebio-2">[3]</a></sup>growing to nearly 27 </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meter"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">meters</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> (88 </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_(length)"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">ft</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">) long.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_whale#cite_note-marinebio-2">[3]</a></sup> The </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">American</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalist"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">naturalist</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Chapman_Andrews"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">Roy Chapman Andrews</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: medium;"> called the fin whale "the greyhound of the sea" because of its great speed when chased and slender build.<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_whale#cite_note-3">[4]</a></sup></span></span><br />
<sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R4GypDxWm-4/TiHYBiGDWbI/AAAAAAAACIQ/TmiNyae4n8M/s1600-h/IMG_0722%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0722" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vMuZvv13RsE/TiHYCBjaGrI/AAAAAAAACIU/UPXpsYsWWJE/IMG_0722_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0722" width="377" /></a></span></sup><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">On the way home we stopped in Wicasset at Red’s Eats, a famous little shack of a place known for its lobster rolls. Sandy had a “lobsta” roll for lunch so we opted to split a shrimp basket. It was not worth the bother.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">But all in all we had a great day and saw four whales. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned. </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-49223369718723213582011-07-06T17:16:00.001-07:002011-07-06T17:16:34.465-07:00A great place to take a walk and a surprise visit<p><font size="4">Leading the life of a retired RVer seems to enhance one’s ability to put on weight.  So whenever we can we try to find a good place to walk.  The surrounding neighborhood is very pleasant with some friendly dogs we get to pet, but the sidewalks and streets are hard surfaces and not kind to feet, knees or hips.  </font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">We much prefer hiking/walking trails that are maintained as these are often built from sand, dirt or crushed stone.  There is a segment here of the Eastern Trail Alliance.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5lFIrxwv2uVIX8pPpudHytdaPTKRMnIMKR0HVdr4yLsj0kOwDTk02cZDKW7bfaSpHvatvlQnzgZz0mTmkSZYixIZ35m9KKFgE9LZY6ucaN7fSyglPZKktl8AVpwEXa_cQ9GnMmCpOode/s1600-h/walking%252520trail%252520005%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="walking trail 005" border="0" alt="walking trail 005" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp0yK0YhN3jdD9cdROBtSB3NAgv9FiHs1WGHsnqR9SFE4bYmGWM_DmZb-of0W8FkYbPt1AeRJ0qbROBL9tWfmUbeqtGMKNPeRAB2U9ajrLIEBojx3NxfyeZZhXIpyohjgHIJF37EzpV9C9/?imgmax=800" width="373" height="280" /></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9H6b6PkfBdppDXVh8oSML8hcJMSAM7Z5U83R7Y0GAgRmOh51yqxdTFeMhsaOzWIbw6XE6GEXLbbmXPFP4nSlPH0uUDB7L3FzvDaZg-9zgnanKvHCxpZn2qJ9Z0f_veWFoHlP2m1yVT2v/s1600-h/walking%252520trail%252520004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="walking trail 004" border="0" alt="walking trail 004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1R2VzEAQ2KA/ThT628woFrI/AAAAAAAACGc/dT61Q1IttfI/walking%252520trail%252520004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="373" height="280" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">One segment of the trail is just over 1.5 miles in length and gives me and Sandy a perfect one hour walk.  We get there often.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Tonight as I was grilling our dinner I took a walk around the coach. I do this frequently and look for anything that is out of the ordinary.  While I didn't find anything, which is good, I met a blog reader. Or more accurately, I met the husband of a blog reader. </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-whsp-8TJx88/ThT63eTLXfI/AAAAAAAACGg/aSiRs376vXY/s1600-h/Blog%252520readers%252520003%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Blog readers 003" border="0" alt="Blog readers 003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LKk3C5xWT84/ThT64UJSc5I/AAAAAAAACGk/Iwzt1OVYZwI/Blog%252520readers%252520003_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="373" height="280" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Bob and Trish Goodstein are at Wild Duck until Friday.  Sim, their Golden Retriever and Augie, the rescue dog with Yorkie and ??? parents are alongside their new Scamp travel trailer.  They are thinking about going full-time in four years -- so I told them about <a href="http://www.rv-dreams.com/">rv-dreams.com</a>.  This is  a website that helped Sandy and me find answers to a lot of questions back in 2006 through 2009. </font></p> <p><font size="4">Friday we are thinking about a day trip on Amtrak to Boston.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Stay tuned. </font></p> George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-29704661341315026912011-07-03T09:01:00.001-07:002011-07-03T09:01:34.478-07:00Saying goodbye to Trixie<p><font size="4">As pet owners know, there comes the day when it is time to say goodbye.  Our oldest PBGV (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen) Trixie was declining rapidly the past week or so and we always said we would not let her suffer.  So this morning we had to say goodbye.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HesIU0mNko4/ThCSUasJqTI/AAAAAAAACFo/bK2SicZ0JSQ/s1600-h/Christmas%2525202007%252520003%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Christmas 2007 003" border="0" alt="Christmas 2007 003" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4KakunA96Wc/ThCSVK2rYRI/AAAAAAAACFs/MMw72A0Y4Us/Christmas%2525202007%252520003_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="377" height="284" /></a></font></p> <p><strong><font size="3">Here she is at Christmas in 2007</font></strong></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4JLDSvRJdmMh0AROXYcODcGkWg_AHD_IulYaCcBLhiGRMqwsjldGf-2H3cYgctd5Mdubuhl7Adbap037gU5j8IlYRtlNjGOC47_pqKQAoIe-GZx3YyouEOLc20yb7R_l9CaCi-OOsKjW/s1600-h/pups%252520and%252520SJS%252520007%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pups and SJS 007" border="0" alt="pups and SJS 007" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-y-2ZMvvapnk/ThCSWSAUBAI/AAAAAAAACF0/PIXqW-OBcSI/pups%252520and%252520SJS%252520007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="377" height="284" /></a></p> <p><strong><font size="3">With her nemesis, Norton</font></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sm30a7dpCOA/ThCSW80CpjI/AAAAAAAACF4/mUOgEFRkVIU/s1600-h/T%252526N%252520004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="T&N 004" border="0" alt="T&N 004" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gsu05owGqL8/ThCSXepVO3I/AAAAAAAACF8/932_TYjTvUM/T%252526N%252520004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="377" height="284" /></a></p> <p><strong><font size="3">And here are Norton (left) and Trixie ready for another adventure on the road.</font></strong></p> <p><strong><font size="4">Both will be loved and missed and not forgotten.</font></strong></p> <p><strong><font size="2"> </font></strong></p> George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-78632618299629395382011-07-01T19:02:00.001-07:002011-07-01T20:03:12.308-07:00Old Port Portland, Eating with the Locals and RVing 101<span style="font-size: medium;">July1 - From Scarborough, Maine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">A couple of tent campers here at Wild Duck Campground mentioned that the “Old Port” section of Portland was really neat. We decided to go take a look today.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Portland is less than 10 miles from Wild Duck so it was an easy trip. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">It’s an old city having its first permanent settlers in 1633 and many old buildings dating to the 1700 and 1800s. Some neat looking places, lots of cobblestone streets , pretty much something for everyone. And it is considered a foodies paradise.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gDPkBbpNRHs/Tg58EIY_ycI/AAAAAAAACEQ/yHv5vo7rqUw/s1600-h/portland%252520007%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 007" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-__pytEUwWb8/Tg58Eq_IMVI/AAAAAAAACEU/muE7EGQ7bZc/portland%252520007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 007" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoxwT6G2jUCblzCtWbMFxeVwl01jil-cCIFDngzLJnw5kyjrKElbJrKDalbLC8sqlFZ8uGRF3Elm5mMeaKPd9LRvV_CW-Ai22xeS_JkTUEEFxQU6w2o5GS1RI4_7hqc5Pqac6S9brCjTA/s1600-h/portland%252520015%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 015" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cn3dKsqQv18/Tg58F8pVhtI/AAAAAAAACEc/RPoJMyDYY1k/portland%252520015_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 015" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wOHVPVa1hvs/Tg58GkL9_lI/AAAAAAAACEg/luneu9iRwgU/s1600-h/portland%252520008%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 008" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RU1HOrVW5OY/Tg58G33Qw4I/AAAAAAAACEk/wEbtpd0ABjg/portland%252520008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 008" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Going up and down the hills gave us an appetite. We spotted a place with a line out the door named Portland Lobster Company and thought about going there. However, having done a LOT of business traveling, I</span><span style="font-size: medium;">‘ve had some great luck with stopping people on the street and asking where they like to dine. I saw two lades taking a shortcut between buildings and asked if they were residents and where they like to have lunch?</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_kX89OV_SKw/Tg58H9YqmII/AAAAAAAACEo/cj5URyPBwsM/s1600-h/portland%252520010%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 010" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EIhHj4IjfUQ/Tg58IYMGQeI/AAAAAAAACEs/Te7l3uy7W8Y/portland%252520010_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 010" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">As luck would have it we just happened to be in front of J’s Oyster. It’s where locals go and the ladies told us the the lobster rolls were outstanding. They were right and the clam chowder was also superb.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dItzTakA5v8/Tg58JYOPrzI/AAAAAAAACEw/r3GJ3LZMpNs/s1600-h/portland%252520012%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 012" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ltj-zGIyD_U/Tg58J2WMXOI/AAAAAAAACE0/b5oZyIsp3M8/portland%252520012_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 012" width="377" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The restaurant is situated at the end of a channel. The boat in back of me on the left is called Barrister. And the owners law firm is on the dock’s edge. Not bad. </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LbgU9NVjoYQ/Tg58K1kAHHI/AAAAAAAACE4/DdmXV4jhKas/s1600-h/portland%252520016%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 016" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Q4-MwApXWEE/Tg58OBR3fYI/AAAAAAAACE8/Ad-vgryjr5k/portland%252520016_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 016" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VIo3dQuWGcs/Tg58Oj5Pt2I/AAAAAAAACFA/aFj1LLJE7Y8/s1600-h/portland%252520017%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 017" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iy72H0Lydho/Tg58PBc_AzI/AAAAAAAACFE/-aIEk68D6Yw/portland%252520017_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 017" width="377" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-X5hDVhurexc/Tg58PgYLaLI/AAAAAAAACFI/9hDEimZCrNA/s1600-h/portland%252520021%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 021" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-orYFQAd-ahM/Tg58QBx4hZI/AAAAAAAACFM/zaOslWB39Hg/portland%252520021_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 021" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">On the map that we see lots of tourists reading I spotted a place called Gorgeous Gelato. We’ll we just had to go there. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dCw_-tKsTGg/Tg58RBREzAI/AAAAAAAACFQ/plDzZUNGKBc/s1600-h/DSCN1106%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSCN1106" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vXfsz0mSlTM/Tg58RmCb_II/AAAAAAAACFU/a9l_x60KtAg/DSCN1106_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSCN1106" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">It was delicious.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">When we got back home I had to do a few routine tasks that included changing the under-the-sink Everpure water filter that gives us great water for drinking and making coffee. I also put in a new whole “house” water filter that traps any sediment and a variety of things you don’t want in your water.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0MqonQLQM3M/Tg58SLGa4qI/AAAAAAAACFY/YuFIIJvf1LY/s1600-h/portland%252520022%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="portland 022" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WkwMw3qP944/Tg58S8EvHaI/AAAAAAAACFc/Zw--GMmt2kU/portland%252520022_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="portland 022" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Then there was the successful conclusion to having the Honda tested to meet the Illinois EPA standards without driving the CR-V more than a thousand miles to get the testing done. Lucky for us, Illinois and Maine have reciprocity for automobile emissions testing. Several weeks ago I took our car to the Honda dealer in Portland where for $24.95 I was given a two page print out that we faxed to Illinois and viola! we could then complete the renewal process. That and $99 got us the little yellow sticker for the corner of our plates. The sticker arrived today. We were only one day late in getting it applied. Whew!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Also from the campground is this picture of momma duck and her nine babies. They make me smile every time I see them.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OjMwBOgt2jA/Tg58TZFnpPI/AAAAAAAACFg/GngT3C_UPzQ/s1600-h/IMG_0579%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0579" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_AiJv26V67Y/Tg58T-_RohI/AAAAAAAACFk/mPIrJdoUPfE/IMG_0579_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0579" width="377" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-43937280278852236342011-06-19T14:44:00.001-07:002011-06-19T16:24:34.594-07:00Father’s Day on the Coast of Maine<span style="font-size: medium;">Today is one of those days that used to occur about three times a year when we lived in Chicago and, invariably, two of those days we were at work. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">It is sunny and about 75F with light winds from the east. A perfect day to take a drive in the country. We headed south toward Cape Elizabeth and the famous Portland Head Lighthouse.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kdGQl6shn1Q/Tf5tiwzgUcI/AAAAAAAACC0/4yIapiMl5Oc/s1600-h/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520026%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Portland light house 026" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ5BsUDODhICPA6ezdDONcGWhgBltEsGYhX2t6nIuEa4TnGkA-RN4KoQLeJzkmK2PyNE46BT3_OtIUL64oAASmo7zrWc0nbx9hyz3JBRq899DKxv3YShuBobCRXcBkN8wRhAAS1m2WCD4/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Portland light house 026" width="386" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I copied this information about the lighthouse from the web:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">The city of Portland took its name from the headland where the lighthouse now stands, but Portland Head is now actually within the present boundaries of the town of Cape Elizabeth. Portland, which was known as Falmouth until 1786, was America’s sixth busiest port by the 1790s. There were no lighthouses on the coast of Maine when 74 merchants petitioned the Massachusetts government (Maine was part of Massachusetts at the time) in 1784 for a light at Portland Head, on the northeast coast of Cape Elizabeth, to mark the entrance to Portland Harbor. The deaths of two people in a 1787 shipwreck at Bangs (now Cushing) Island, near Portland Head, led to the appropriation of $750 for a lighthouse, and construction began.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">The project was delayed by insufficient funds, and construction didn't progress until 1790 when Congress appropriated an additional $1,500, after the nation's lighthouses had been ceded to the federal government.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">The stone lighthouse was built by local masons Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols. The original plan was for a 58-foot tower, but when it was realized that the light would be blocked from the south it was decided to make the tower 72 feet in height instead. Bryant resigned over the change, and Nichols finished the lighthouse in January 1791.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">President George Washington approved the appointment of Capt. Joseph Greenleaf, a veteran of the American Revolution, as first keeper. The light went into service on January 10, 1791, with whale oil lamps showing a fixed white light. At first, Greenleaf received no salary as keeper; his payment was the right to fish and farm and to live in the keeper’s house. As early as November 1791, Greenleaf wrote that he couldn’t afford to remain keeper without financial compensation. In a June 1792 letter, he complained of many hardships. During the previous winter, he wrote, the ice on the lantern glass was often so thick that he had to melt it off. In 1793, Greenleaf was granted an annual salary of $160.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;">(Thank you </span><a href="http://www.lighthouse.cc/portlandhead/history.html">http://www.lighthouse.cc/portlandhead/history.html</a>)<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_VKuKybbP4o/Tf5tlKnKAII/AAAAAAAACC8/roxHvQQHcTs/s1600-h/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520017%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Portland light house 017" border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemsWdD4k6GZ_OQyYQ5J4PCQxZ5m3cYgsP_GPQM1epbk24FG_EPegJuxH10ylWiZI6UZI_knBj1v1G3meqvi9wyE7LYYEy6rxqpFoFaCW4XVmGlmfTm0jAwV9M0_bZCeLYkap9dDrZFdUj/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Portland light house 017" width="390" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (remember him from high school English) was fond of the lighthouse as you can see in the above photo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">But even with the lighthouse there were still shipwrecks.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hfYS1y_pN08/Tf5tnsYGMCI/AAAAAAAACDE/rhxsf1zl88w/s1600-h/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520011%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Portland light house 011" border="0" height="292" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-byxeGrGviPY/Tf5tonp09SI/AAAAAAAACDI/A5wfDwRsCxM/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520011_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Portland light house 011" width="391" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvf7Tldta7mbjDLlC4_Nx5SrX2GOk0psYJqs2A-zi2gG7H-ayZd1J6vgkZzSkGCcApdZsyFaR-R76Fd9vceR4o59saz9rct3cvsxdwtaJTFs0Hj2q1eiUQagtmKcvbLAXickBCUlLXa2u/s1600/Portland+light+house+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvf7Tldta7mbjDLlC4_Nx5SrX2GOk0psYJqs2A-zi2gG7H-ayZd1J6vgkZzSkGCcApdZsyFaR-R76Fd9vceR4o59saz9rct3cvsxdwtaJTFs0Hj2q1eiUQagtmKcvbLAXickBCUlLXa2u/s400/Portland+light+house+030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Here is another view of the lighthouse for which it is claimed to be the most photographed lighthouse in the world. </span><br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--v1qYzqZmeQ/Tf5trqZqZAI/AAAAAAAACDU/tn1mNsjUFOg/s1600-h/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520012%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Portland light house 012" border="0" height="289" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v8GDjnvEszw/Tf5tsVMsflI/AAAAAAAACDY/kGbU-5RUXek/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520012_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Portland light house 012" width="396" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The famous rock-ribbed coast of Maine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">After our trip to Cape Elizabeth we decided to visit The Lobster Shack, which was highly recommended to us. We even found a parking place less than a block from the ocean front eatery, but a line out the door of about 50 people made us decide to come back on a week day. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/----auj_qg9w/Tf5ttg77UYI/AAAAAAAACDc/1IcvOuH9uR8/s1600-h/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520035%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Portland light house 035" border="0" height="340" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gfoI7PQL-pA/Tf5tuovhEDI/AAAAAAAACDg/TORvEqHgGuk/Portland%252520light%252520house%252520035_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Portland light house 035" width="394" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Were gonna end the day with a visit to a local ice cream emporium for something special. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-41595913799333124432011-06-03T13:05:00.001-07:002011-06-03T14:14:41.189-07:00Wild Duck Campground in Scarborough, Maine<span style="font-size: medium;">We made the last leg of our journey from Florida to Maine yesterday. We pulled out of Croton Point Park in Westchester County, NY around 7:30 and some six hours and four states later we were in Scarborough, Maine. We only traveled about 315 miles yet we were in five states: New York>Connecticut>Massachusetts>New Hampshire>Maine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Surprisingly the roads were not too crowded for being in the northeast/New England corner of the country. Below is our new home for the next four months. In exchange for a free site and electricity, we will be work camping here until October 10. Each of us will work four days a week for three or four hours. Sandy will work in the office and I will help with maintenance. Then we are off for the same three days.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-juE5O6Ogf8s/TelOQT4GA1I/AAAAAAAACBs/tRylcURnFA0/s1600-h/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520008%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 008" border="0" height="280" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SKJjt9VJz6c/TelORYF7ZCI/AAAAAAAACBw/_4bgwcQIrQk/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520008_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 008" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Wild Duck Campground is Located in the middle of the Maine Audubon’s Scarborough Marsh. Wildlife includes waterfowls, egrets, herons, ibises, raptors, muskrat, mink, otter, deer and moose. The marsh is the state's largest salt water marsh and can be explored by foot, kayak or canoe. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDC6QqwiEP2k7ab6QtNI2UFGK9dVuy3Rh0VwHx-FwKC2w8fN5T1g9qIBho5irBCYI3Gkm18kTH4lyCT_C58vGLNZ_Yj2Y-8ChHXdAP5pJLdx2GSpRS9-_S2BtXK8LuuXzW-uCf3AKrK4Y1/s1600-h/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520012%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 012" border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrVYiqx2WEWlaKEZXEUS5tpuLIqwjl7McS7bJZAwqJ5SSYHuDvSSJXpvKBhbQxhbW9OeYABcnn8Qm4cRgSOYNqoqz6xViUvYy5RyywfCMWkIjrDy_e2nYOfGrVo6KY4NeEzw6FZCotp8o/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 012" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The campground is adults only and, as you might expect very tranquil. There are only 70 sites which includes an area for tent camping.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tNv1r2uaRLk/TelOU14Fr9I/AAAAAAAACB8/OqMUMidsLgI/s1600-h/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520024%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 024" border="0" height="280" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jgj1-ckuCC8/TelOVi8da9I/AAAAAAAACCA/PWzSLV1RTPM/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520024_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 024" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The grounds are immaculate and well tended. And when the wind blows in the tall pines the sound reminds me of ocean waves rolling onto the beach. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r34VMILxhbQ/TelOXFdSY9I/AAAAAAAACCE/npprlyXIdpc/s1600-h/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520019%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 019" border="0" height="280" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_VY4NoLNG8I/TelOYC2qMDI/AAAAAAAACCI/D-O_sznUT5E/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520019_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 019" width="373" /></a><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bg18zjv_RMo/TelOZW95HhI/AAAAAAAACCM/2s_IvK916r4/s1600-h/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520021%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 021" border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepl6btITCDHAZR-QSOXE0hkyp6qprXfD46GQlSNej1Jbz-ZKo6TtAAaimPhPthn8udpNH1afacF7FSoTnVukU8Tv8Z9i5KkjWZk8Xmb_bH7u1_TE3vOQDCqk5dBcU-BNla2UbJVs6wj7y/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 021" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Flowers add color.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJJGkF-7wsp-VaVCmE3vy0o7mCDaNKRMmjW-rpHQLYWmKr5wO1snQbKq61gOBdW1PnMuZjj1SC3kyHDZ1ROt1YnO59WPqJ_TjsNy1WvlMzkPOlSbgAkgdAYDOYak1aQfvdzZSx6eVLEWC/s1600-h/WDC%252520001%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="WDC 001" border="0" height="280" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KTCwNqLqToY/TelOcLINQnI/AAAAAAAACCY/Kls057H0wGI/WDC%252520001_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="WDC 001" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This view of the marsh is what we see out of our front window.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pCRdgmyQNYE/TelOdQh8zJI/AAAAAAAACCc/ga1XioFA4UE/s1600-h/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520015%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 015" border="0" height="280" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3Nk7eY4AHNA/TelOebY7WwI/AAAAAAAACCk/WuRPPYqENMs/Wild%252520Duck%252520Campground%2525206.3%252520015_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Wild Duck Campground 6.3 015" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And because “wild duck” is part of the camp’s name, it is good to see that Mother Nature is seeing that there is a new supply of duck to swim in the pond.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tMFYraq07nA/TelOf2VxjnI/AAAAAAAACCo/Hn0vRWsbzLo/s1600-h/WDC%252520004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="WDC 004" border="0" height="280" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pR_RiYNx9yQ/TelOgi-8pqI/AAAAAAAACCs/zkZ5243KkAA/WDC%252520004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="WDC 004" width="373" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-59987988318711432362011-05-31T13:36:00.001-07:002011-05-31T13:39:34.328-07:00A few days in New York<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;">May 31, 2011 from Croton Point Park at Croton-on-Hudson, NY</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We’ve spent a few days in the Empire State so that we could go see our first grandson, Oscar, who is now nine months old.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxjLjsVRutkfTb_V68hxfEmHyoQNM_PxWdm_MyIhkJ_6f3VToF6xiccTp16gkdXLcfwc254XT60-gktClF7ZnABjKSx4q85RGdc1RmhvVDNiEt92HZJmvNO1q1ebhvuvYv1Yo5d-2wm2u/s1600-h/Oscar-May-28-2011-0106.jpg"><img alt="Oscar May 28, 2011 010" border="0" height="286" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pPiM-ZjkGb0/TeVRBTtDX3I/AAAAAAAACBA/SI8YzxPoekg/Oscar-May-28-2011-010_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Oscar May 28, 2011 010" width="317" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We got to see him at Christmas and how he has changed in five months. He is a happy and active child with lots of charm.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Oscar is the first-born child for our son, Jamison and daughter-in-law, Jane. They live in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Harlem, NY and commute daily into Manhattan where Jamison is an associate editor at Grove/Atlantic, Inc. <a href="http://www.groveatlantic.com/">http://www.groveatlantic.com/</a> and Jane is on the staff of the American Museum of Natural History <a href="http://www.amnh.org/">http://www.amnh.org/</a> .</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">These two young adults stay slim with a lot of walking, including the 64 steps up to their apartment. Speaking of walking, both days that we were in New York we took long walks around the neighborhood and were amazed at the amount of parks, community gardens and well-tended kiddie playgrounds and athletic fields we saw. We even went past a permanent carousel in the park.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-smg3w7y3vb8/TeVRCl19n4I/AAAAAAAACBE/uhcScNDBtjk/s1600-h/Oscar%252520May%25252028%25252C%2525202011%252520068%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Oscar May 28, 2011 068" border="0" height="286" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xU92DEbS7xc/TeVRDekHW1I/AAAAAAAACBI/VAOc7Hyv6jI/Oscar%252520May%25252028%25252C%2525202011%252520068_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Oscar May 28, 2011 068" width="379" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The carousel is located in Riverbank State Park alongside of the Hudson River.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We also strolled past this work-in-progress on the complete rehabilitation of the only known residence of Alexander Hamilton -- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton</a> The site is officially named Hamilton Grange National Memorial, Manhattan Sites, NY, NY.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LgonIexA_P0/TeVREnnjW1I/AAAAAAAACBM/6Pc44rxARSc/s1600-h/More%252520NYC.Oscar%252520010%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="More NYC.Oscar 010" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnNhMkyPOXqck_YD5RxcPBY5aNcNzEMUPLjyaIqFkRR_fPy7fQAcaSLfQF6qHbgqqkDg812vUm-6JEzsxR5_d7qcmaI1uBMUG7u4iDXoKMO77ZyPI-n4xggvi9VeVdW3E_FfsibeIes5h/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="More NYC.Oscar 010" width="379" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> The park we are in is about 50 miles north of Manhattan. To get into the city we drove 2 miles to the Metra North train station at Croton-on-Hudson where we could park all day for a reasonable price and got half-prices senior tickets for a very fast and very comfortable commuter rail line trip into the city. We caught an express train both days so each one way commute was about 35 minutes. From the train station it was a $12 or $13 cab ride to the kids apartment. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">How many of you remember a scene like this from your working days:</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q47m9JFw3SY/TeVRHeitwTI/AAAAAAAACBU/pR8DYHMIim8/s1600-h/Oscar%252520May%25252028%25252C%2525202011%252520004%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Oscar May 28, 2011 004" border="0" height="286" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CrRufLOd60I/TeVRIDq5lQI/AAAAAAAACBY/KnvmNQ5mC58/Oscar%252520May%25252028%25252C%2525202011%252520004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Oscar May 28, 2011 004" width="379" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We sure don’t miss those trains. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Today we drove 30 miles north to Monroe, NY to stock up on groceries at Walmart and to check out a possible “escape route” from the area. Because this is mountainous country with many winding roads we wanted to check out this route. As it turns out, it will work for us. Bonus: our Illinois Tollway I-Pass works on the EZ-Pass system in the northeast and New England states. Sure beats fumbling for the wallet.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We got this view of the Hudson River which flows right past our park.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VBappwc47f8/TeVRKChMtjI/AAAAAAAACBc/ZBKysqiqDDU/s1600-h/More%252520NYC.Oscar%252520029%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="More NYC.Oscar 029" border="0" height="286" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dj3CX7sBV8Q/TeVRKubX_DI/AAAAAAAACBg/0UlrhdqV8Vc/More%252520NYC.Oscar%252520029_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="More NYC.Oscar 029" width="379" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And here is a picture of where we are parked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zYBDXGedn6FvKpNkL3pmIwK500f4a9o4K4hBGo38wIZf2Sbb4xbMcs1xjYqciZQfnF_CRw2UTuLT0kJSuGcgz0iH_oKSaTOxBj7cCTPhziaYy9TVBTykK9p55kzgpfUl0nZaah_AI9kn/s1600-h/DSCN1014%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img alt="DSCN1014" border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiToS4Qg0rEgX6QhcJvR3dFx5E1TIPjhquiM4GQHMoH0eBrnxokl7GETjwBowqQLyz8gPPoh0l3MtgmJrMj8zgQK5nWk6JWKKx4CM3Vxdmz-eAmNvCZSxqQ1O4vLEnb-nysONo9F3F1sFb/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="DSCN1014" width="379" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Thursday we head for Maine. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned. </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-82044218481955995422011-05-25T03:06:00.001-07:002011-05-25T03:28:10.188-07:00Monticello and Michie TavernTuesday, May 24 --from Charlottesville, VA<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We arrived in the rolling hills of north central Virginia yesterday afternoon and it is truly beautiful countryside.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mecUDuejywOyZIBjCUEKHQIee4dq2zJv67W7Rt-1DQtJ4PE4rMXZIFeyd6JqTC0RiBpKKNjSe2sAJg1Yv1jbpvNCqaItGMGnGFUE2n5TnZmq3EgzGcmJ2QhdZObBs1GRg8jC4Qa-Md3t/s1600-h/Monticello%20034%5B17%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 034" border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg7-9c7PvAdLbHac3lfCAPJdDtRy_VutZo8n_rfpLBB7Q0ZHsfIrooOp8WWhUnsNkJwGttHjrH86Yy0C9Qznh9utu2MDQSCK2E3ePCrvIf0qAEd5Vrol3GEBTpAl23nArVxXhv37Sq7iPA/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 034" width="420" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Today we went to see Monticello. It is not to be missed. As you all know the land was Jefferson’s boyhood home and as an adult he built a remarkable home on the top of a low mountain that today -– some two hundred and forty-some odd years later -- stands as a shrine to our third president. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We took one of the paid guided tours. You simply could not get an appreciation for all of the history there without a tour. As a matter of fact, you can’t see the inside of Monticello without a ticket. And that is good because no tax funds are used to restore or maintain the nearly 3,000 acres of the plantation’s gardens and buildings.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdxi8hZSjxI/AAAAAAAAB-0/9Vq1cnWNw0M/s1600-h/Monticello%20001%5B1%5D%5B1%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 001" border="0" height="259" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxjANepVNI/AAAAAAAAB-4/H6LkW97qZRE/Monticello%20001%5B1%5D_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 001" width="393" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">An abundance of flowers on the path to the visitors center. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The entire estate is one of the most impressive historical sites we have seen in our two years of travel. The visitors center complex is so tastefully done and not at all commercial. No junk in the gift shops, no cigarette butts, no trash anywhere -- just beautiful grounds and buildings that are exemplary in every respect. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Rather than recite a bunch of historical data I’ll let the pictures and brief captions show you what we saw.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxjEWVkBtI/AAAAAAAAB-8/cLNAmR06POw/s1600-h/Monticello%20028%5B7%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 028" border="0" height="298" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxjHt4jsQI/AAAAAAAAB_A/zOw1KZ1s4Tc/Monticello%20028_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 028" width="409" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Monticello from the west lawn.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxjNjEpPaI/AAAAAAAAB_E/LthsbM5cLw8/s1600-h/Monticello%20005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 005" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8CHRi4gfYhz1DQtp67wHJio9YbqpNWco_K42AKIG1GXsHvtuW0b1A2vf63lHKEt9_0ITHiuCTqHbelvcMHKNwRaoOsHx-I19FMPHkiIeSfLyTeYng_s6CA8GrNII_plff2B6RVVEdnZi/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 005" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Thomas Jefferson designed the University of Virginia and from his north terrace he could see the construction of The Rotunda at the University of Virginia which he designed to be the architectural and academic heart of his community of scholars, or what he termed the "academical village."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxjafThf3I/AAAAAAAAB_M/l7gRZNhEZc0/s1600-h/Monticello%20007%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 007" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemd2efDVHUuXxLccG8siiKbofGCFw0l9N_D73c12-hhSSj4-Bpd_bYhQEnd4epOcj0mLJeqbSbWHdjZuCvf5_U7cQGX-3HpseaPFmpk0a3yW72XNjQAk3akwQrxja5YrpE_ImlylG0lcl/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 007" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Another view of the house. There are hundreds of magnificent old trees on the property and not one of them dates back to the time of Jefferson.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5U1YkfHokvO2f1QZ0PzAkYxopgjxkcJFsKix53euwiH2ISTJtbSMA2KG3YINWAKplmG1nR1gAMAw-NoOg9MN0RNeU8zO-SgqNEkwRcEo3CRtmsjev2RQATpRhalzsfISuuxePSpeOWdO/s1600-h/Monticello%20029%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 029" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxkOATErqI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/bnjFerNbEaU/Monticello%20029_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 029" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Archeological research is constantly being done on the estate. Here a group of volunteer scholars search for remnants of the original pathways around the grounds. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7S09tdDkeN4y8L3ZHXQJLdfQSJrJHflRH5-GqMmuZs8TE3W29hfpWhpTy-isM9uJhFqqCxn5pVVnjbzkNlYSyNgdtyHOESSa6dMsWgtq8Us301CS_OumkmZFpvCZmf0QNfYCgPHNhko8/s1600-h/Monticello%20036%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 036" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdxkskoe3fI/AAAAAAAAB_g/c7KKygnQsBc/Monticello%20036_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 036" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Vegetable gardens occupy a stretch of terraced land 1000 feet long by 80 feet wide. Even today as was done more than 200 years ago, fresh vegetables are used in food preparation for guests. Only now the fed guests are visitors who pay to dine in the café at the visitors center. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Along the north and south sides of his home but below grade so as not to detract from the visual beauty of the home, Jefferson designed a series of rooms that he termed “dependencies.” These rooms housed stables, the kitchen, smoke house, wine storage, beer and cider brewing and more. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxnpEmjSDI/AAAAAAAAB_o/5Jp5csFNuFk/s1600-h/Monticello-0143.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 014" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxnsiIeVsI/AAAAAAAAB_s/nPd4fvhi5BU/Monticello-014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 014" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Wine cellar</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdxnwkwgd0I/AAAAAAAAB_w/PK2LJXF2w60/s1600-h/Monticello-0163.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 016" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnrvS3qCq66wTUR0rAgyPiVGqo-WbPq0Imuk7zka7VppmLtOWXBeAoCJ5LnDsiaYGQQ0sWI5TBjiAn73Nf4tqaqAUWJGKtdobXF7aFxiSmqfTrRPuINzAvM3g8O_q5mLQZml2btMGQRVA0/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 016" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This dumbwaiter in the wine cellar is directly below the dining room.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdxn4TmbERI/AAAAAAAAB_4/ppiy2MwEmgM/s1600-h/Monticello-0153.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 015" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdxn7uXbB_I/AAAAAAAAB_8/PLzqjI8OVOw/Monticello-015_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 015" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The wrought iron back of the 2.5 inch thick door to the wine cellar. Theft was a common occurrence on the plantation and keys to food and beverage storage were closely guarded. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdxn_ogtyYI/AAAAAAAACAA/QaAnaqPoeOQ/s1600-h/Monticello-0223.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 022" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxoCXlyCGI/AAAAAAAACAE/xnkmAi451jY/Monticello-022_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 022" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I could not get a photo showing the entire kitchen as it was constantly filled with visitors. But in the section at the lower left-hand edge of the photo is a row of 7 or 8 charcoal fires in grated cast-iron openings that could be regulated more precisely than a roaring fireplace. French cuisine was regularly served to the Jeffersons and guests. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdxoGby5s6I/AAAAAAAACAI/RXzCqYlcl2Q/s1600-h/Monticello-0133.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 013" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQuvNpDBUZY6xL-vHJXhde_cXSKRQ-2SPJsByCHT_5P0o0mLMrEI2vNzxS9NEhp3iIgfSHj9au1wJSCfmiDSeo1ShW8N_ljCEPY_jmOVbIG78g0LtyI0qoGg4H4JiecHxjfNoaSKAz76N/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 013" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The privy.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdzUFz5PjcI/AAAAAAAACAU/KvQM2r-2tDQ/s1600-h/Monticello-0333.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 033" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdzUIr2xjtI/AAAAAAAACAY/GJfAb01KUtc/Monticello-033_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 033" width="244" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">A fresh air vent for the privy located at least 500 feet from the house. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQW34GTskGUe4txsP8Mdg_Oo4a26BlEJ0ExNWVMowylr-1BJqn67Jh5yhJeN-gUmIg-oebfXfisb236VKpwuhNe6NqW-TdiR5FX00tXzPVXvSSi8n5exACjc3F84EYHqCRJVJzzLqXPsr4/s1600-h/Monticello-0123.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 012" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdzUOb9zxVI/AAAAAAAACAg/ZIbMxtccmlE/Monticello-012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 012" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This cistern-like structure was used to hold ice cut from a nearby river. As soon as ice reached a thickness of one inch, slabs were cut and stored inside this cylindrical structure. Among the many uses of ice at Monticello was the making of ice cream.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdzURrgcCQI/AAAAAAAACAk/IaNZ2ImvjEI/s1600-h/Monticello-0407.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 040" border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEbfV6RxW4CNqIyGMWaEQRv2Oh8GdNl6n7C01pVo0zX2PT0AO0y57JBJo9EnX6diHnYRNZXK9s7u2GtcALDUIGIeJiM81zxQADnxcqCb23I7pcoClnFNOpzk2WmeQZ6lxOopfdwooOVKp/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 040" width="184" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our 3rd president is buried in a location of his choice on the grounds of Monticello. The grave is maintained by the Jefferson family and to this day family members may be buried there. Of all his many notable achievements Jefferson chose just these three to be engraved on his tombstone: “Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdzUYduxpqI/AAAAAAAACAs/nLDpx1eQh3Q/s1600-h/Monticello-0473.jpg"><img alt="Monticello 047" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TdzUazLbtZI/AAAAAAAACAw/fTEBqBIM7OA/Monticello-047_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Monticello 047" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Following our visit to Monticello we drove to nearby Michie Tavern (circa 1784) where we had one of the best meals in ages. Then we took a short walk on the tavern grounds and visited this charming old log cabin made of original growth Chestnut that had only recently been moved to the tavern and now houses a gift shop (nothing from China).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">It was a busy day. Tomorrow we head north to Harrisburg PA.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>If you would like to receive an e-mail notification of when I post a blog, send me your e-mail address and I will add you to the list. Your notification would be received as a blind carbon, so your address will not be seen by others. </b></i></span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-4788289173379573702011-05-21T19:58:00.001-07:002011-05-21T20:00:15.779-07:00Tybee Island, GA<span style="font-size: medium;">We spent most of the last two days getting to and from Tybee Island and enjoying some of what it has to offer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We went there Friday to check it out and as we were getting ready to pay our lunch bill our waiter asked us if we were going to take part in the World's Largest Water Fight that would shut down the main street from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.</span><br />
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Our waiter was a young man and I thought he might be exaggerating a bit when he said that thousands of people all armed with squirt guns would take part. But at 1:30 (4 and 1/2 hours before the fun begins) people were already setting up. We saw a pick up truck parked on the main drag on which the owner had lined the cargo bed with heavy plastic and filled the bed with water. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh7sXu8XAI/AAAAAAAAB9w/rSpbx8MbOF4/s1600-h/water%20tank%5B14%5D.jpg"><img alt="water tank" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh7tAZkWeI/AAAAAAAAB90/n9lisi28kQY/water%20tank_thumb%5B10%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="water tank" width="377" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This guy is carrying a huge water supply. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Photo above and below courtesy of Kate Stratman)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh7t7PAvFI/AAAAAAAAB94/iUgA7-qdzDo/s1600-h/look%20out%5B7%5D.jpg"><img alt="look out" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh7uj-BVHI/AAAAAAAAB98/ydYDWQkxuWw/look%20out_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="look out" width="279" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Here an unsuspecting dry pedestrian is about to get very wet.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We returned to Tybee to meet up with Kate and Rocky Stratman. Kate has been a friend of Sandy’s for close to 40 years. After dinner we drove our friends back to their hotel and all of the dust and pollen on our car was blasted away by “friendly fire”. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Saturday morning returning from our walk I came across this Corn Snake. Non-venomous and very pretty. Look carefully in the center of the photo. At the time I took the photo I thought the snake might be poisonous so I did not want to get too close.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtKu49hx-JL04D-gQvN8hz-ZuA6gKAEc9DeC3YX3KqfDMZwdTrsfF3UEE_uAeCCSDNtTJte5E3ttseRXoh_ZWZGrAHg-J6DiCS6ThykFf6nj1TIYW88AzueL3vEbsCa-ehBKlGmAmVrBha/s1600-h/Skidaway%20008%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Skidaway 008" border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3UyJRxjMza_gamaNmbejBUSw8s0bnht2uPb1XUMw-ihUyrE9C0GWHdMGcfAk7NbHKHFKcEZrn0UABPElCEmNYrjHacgEJkhawpBH3UDRhkEgoQlw4_J4JJfi80x-e7dYySD6BGzxmbet/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Skidaway 008" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The park trail we walked Friday morning took us deep in the woods where we came across what remains of this moonshine still. No samples. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh7ybK3yvI/AAAAAAAAB-I/_pRR2uq7kmA/s1600-h/Skidaway%20001%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Skidaway 001" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh7zDPCQnI/AAAAAAAAB-M/XtNKXWw2jFc/Skidaway%20001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Skidaway 001" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We went back to Tybee Island this afternoon to take a tour of Fort Pulaski and then to have an early dinner with Kate and Rocky.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh70LQ-gcI/AAAAAAAAB-Q/3CWdcAcznFo/s1600-h/K%26R%5B2%5D.jpg"><img alt="K&R" border="0" height="222" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh70jLno4I/AAAAAAAAB-U/AsinuboD0vc/K%26R_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="K&R" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Rocky and Kate on the boardwalk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We got lucky on our visit to Fort Pulaski as they were firing cannons today. The park rangers warned and instructed us to fully cover our ears as the sound of the cannon going off would be really loud. It was.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIW-MyaF_R3TaWIczapbhcIufi5XXbNA8iRojZesUaGnoxF2d-NY65wthdERKcqMtAnUdLd18_LfRlkHXvj8B3eYidRI3Q6KjANoMlub3Un76_AvfhsxRtQnQeyhcIvmynpGoZWN5Jaz3/s1600-h/more%20tybee%20006%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="more tybee 006" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh72QAMTPI/AAAAAAAAB-c/-RY3PoXmXvQ/more%20tybee%20006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="more tybee 006" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This cannon was the latest technology during the Civil War. The inside of the barrel has a spiral groove which causes the shell to rotate thereby increasing accuracy. This 30 pound shell contained gunpowder and could travel more than two miles.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The fort has a great 20 minute educational film in the Visitors Center that was well worth the time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We learned that the fort took 30 years to build and about 30 minutes of Union Civil War cannon technology to breach the seven foot thick walls.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHe4TkQHL60JoJ1RNYBNBHWak6uQI6jnG62RTSq_NVUFhiPa_fKsOEnrQcWyLDu_4ibwfbB25iP_xFdXTmt04p11PfQEeVbM1seLcSihm-H-EkdA3aShw2bCusXSxVj6l-oZmwc5J9EoY/s1600-h/more%20tybee%20013%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="more tybee 013" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/Tdh74IvNn1I/AAAAAAAAB-k/xrPHLz6v0s0/more%20tybee%20013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="more tybee 013" width="244" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We had a great time. Tomorrow we begin our slow journey north. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned. </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-48169531564102212632011-05-19T16:59:00.000-07:002011-05-19T16:59:32.172-07:00Georgia on My Mind<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">From Skidaway Island State Park near Savannah, Georgia.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We finally got out of Ocala, FL but not without buying a few groceries for a dental surgeon and a general dentist. Sandy and I have appointments for follow-up visits and procedures that begin in November and won't end until March or April of 2012. We'll get these done in Ocala rather than elsewhere because we can't start the implant process until November. Besides, Florida is a lot warmer in winter than a lot of other states. And I guess that makes us real "snowbirds."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Skidaway State Park is a favorite of seasoned RVers and we can see why. The park is huge and the RV sites are spacious. There are beautiful walking trails, cool breezes and quiet nights. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We've done some neat things in the past few days. First we drove to the old part of Savannah (well I guess most of it is really old) to take a guided tour and walk around and see some of the squares for which Savannah is so well known and to look at the beautiful old homes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The next day we drove to Beaufort, SC and again visited the historic residential section of the town. We walked around, had a nice lunch and more than once raved at the beauty of these antebellum homes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This one is for sale. Below is a typical street in the historic district.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today we drove to Hilton Head Island, SC to visit Joe Distelheim and his lovely wife, Dottie. Joe and I were journalism majors at Northern Illinois University. In my senior year (1962), Joe was sports editor and I was news editor. Joe later became editor-in-chief in his senior year (1964). It is notable that the student newspaper, <i>The Northern Star</i>, earned national acclaim while both of us were on the staff. Joe gets more of the credit than I do.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And here are the four of us: Sandy, me, Joe and Dottie.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After some sightseeing on the island, we visited one of Joe and Dottie's favorite walking paths and took these two photos. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow we visit Tybee Island to catch up with more friends.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-50147985771022527732011-04-27T13:36:00.000-07:002011-04-27T16:53:36.797-07:00A new porch light and a surprise ending<span style="font-size: medium;">Last May the porch light over the entrance door went out. When I put in new fluorescent tubes they failed to light up. So that meant the ballast was burned out and I would have to replace the entire fixture. Replacing just the ballast was above my pay grade. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The new light worked great for about three months and then the bulbs burned out. Another 3 months later and the replacement bulbs burned out. Another three months later and the same thing happened. At $13.00 for two bulbs this was going to be a $52 a year expense, plus the hassle of getting out the ladder and opening the fixture to replace the bulbs.</span><br />
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So I decided to replace the fluorescent bulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs. I found a supplier of LEDs that claims their product will last 100,000 hours. Do the math -- at 4 hours a night that almost eight years. I hope it becomes a problem down the road (grin).<br />
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I had to remove the entire fixture from the side of the coach so that I could work on it more easily. Below is the part of the light that held the fluorescent tubes. The cordless mouse is for scale.<br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">When I removed the plastic ends that held the tubes, there were gaps in the aluminum base that needed to be covered up so that I could affix the ends of the tubes. A Foretravel friend from Fredericksburg, TX made the same change to his light and he sent me a small ABS plastic strip that I used to cut small tabs. First I made templates to size so that I would only have to cut each strip once. Sandy’s cutting board was pressed into service.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">At the end of each LED tube is a small end cap with a self adhesive tab that can be used to stick the light into place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">But just to be on the safe side they also enclosed some of the smallest screws I’ve ever worked with. I drilled a 1/16th inch hole in the end and put the screws in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Next I slipped three sections of clear vinyl tubing over the two sets of wires. I “stole” this idea from my Foretravel friend, Brad Bissonnet. The vinyl tubing helped contain all 4 wires in a neat row and protects the wires where they will touch the side of the fixture when it is totally assembled. </span><br />
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</a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Then I went outside and prepared the two wires that supply 12 Volt power to the light fixture. At the end of each wire I crimped a butt splice that has a special end which shrinks water tight when exposed to a small open flame. I used an Aim-N-Flame gas grill lighter.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDby_Yx4PcQ8qJyxZAcf3vfRv5l0fy5UISZ30v-MkM6p5qY4YELA5YS4m3Q0sP3FBsB6XrZDQSPIA2ha3jRR7LhxM79EupstxBuRx6IVqC5jC1179mNQ3HfIO4G3o4oDeXQ4G_YH9wBk2n/s1600/LEDs+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDby_Yx4PcQ8qJyxZAcf3vfRv5l0fy5UISZ30v-MkM6p5qY4YELA5YS4m3Q0sP3FBsB6XrZDQSPIA2ha3jRR7LhxM79EupstxBuRx6IVqC5jC1179mNQ3HfIO4G3o4oDeXQ4G_YH9wBk2n/s400/LEDs+014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Wednesday morning I began the final installation by attaching the light fixture to the side of the motorhome. Once everything was in place I hooked up the wires and threw the switch and…………. nothing happened. I knew the wires were hot. Upon closer examination the hot wire had become separated from one of the splices I made yesterday. I hate it when that happens. Then the project went south. I determined that I would have to connect new and longer wire leads inside of the coach and push them through the dime-sized hole in the outer wall. But stupid me thought that the hole on the outside of the motorhome was in an exact straight line with the hole inside of the cabinet. So I pulled the one remaining length of old wire completely into the inside of the coach. Well, crap. It was not in a straight line. In fact the outside hole was five inches higher than the inside hole and there was only a 1/4 inch gap between the walls for me to fish new wires in place. But with a bit of ingenuity and Sandy’s great help we got it done.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rTleuiF-VXI3yWHTvrJFunvzVSm3zPqqelznEa5tYcWAMHUsSdmQuBC9lyi4qccEweAJakvg-mF0ZwcgC9lbreecNH_to8aHYme3VU0B2ojLqURDREttgIUO4VPJDCLzWQTtgodEU6Ur/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rTleuiF-VXI3yWHTvrJFunvzVSm3zPqqelznEa5tYcWAMHUsSdmQuBC9lyi4qccEweAJakvg-mF0ZwcgC9lbreecNH_to8aHYme3VU0B2ojLqURDREttgIUO4VPJDCLzWQTtgodEU6Ur/s400/001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Then all I had to do was connect the wires and put the sides and lens of the light into place. That went well.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ei-OStpOWRf_g_Hn44rebebI9t9_qzc8ZusEkIXv4n4b7kzkAD9OBMv86HjVBIVTPXJWvHk7ATWOLF2CXXMMkout_b-tIxPeQKchjvJgFn1ZncRkSObiSVbFBbOaNDDk58VAqJGE52Fi/s1600/lite.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ei-OStpOWRf_g_Hn44rebebI9t9_qzc8ZusEkIXv4n4b7kzkAD9OBMv86HjVBIVTPXJWvHk7ATWOLF2CXXMMkout_b-tIxPeQKchjvJgFn1ZncRkSObiSVbFBbOaNDDk58VAqJGE52Fi/s400/lite.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">This is what the fixture looked like after I connected the wires and secured them in place with ZIP ties, but I forgot to take this picture, so I borrowed the one from Brad Bissonnet, my Foretravel friend, who was so helpful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">And here is our renovated porch light ready for nightfall.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Gz-YBVFxTXwVXYCYf-9Vex-Ka_jVMJQsqmnEY2XIEeBJt34rT7oDoHMyxIzfYZ5fUGu72QsErUrygrqTKFitfqh24ElWZN5NJgDsAfP0pVbkdAYzMmiTzpsa5eTXY_r2qY4rctdk-Z5a/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Gz-YBVFxTXwVXYCYf-9Vex-Ka_jVMJQsqmnEY2XIEeBJt34rT7oDoHMyxIzfYZ5fUGu72QsErUrygrqTKFitfqh24ElWZN5NJgDsAfP0pVbkdAYzMmiTzpsa5eTXY_r2qY4rctdk-Z5a/s400/005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">As I was putting my tools away things took a nasty turn to the south. As I was putting a bungee cord around my telescoping ladder, the cord came apart and flew up and hit me in the mouth. As I type this I am waiting for a 5:30 appointment with a dental surgeon to have one of my two front teeth extracted and a bone graft inserted into my upper jaw. So a $50 upgrade to the light fixture now has a $2500 to $3000 dental bill attached.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Hmmmm. As I remember I started this project to get away from an annual $52 cost for light bulbs. $3000 would buy a ton of light bulbs.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-24441718937634006662011-04-26T18:25:00.000-07:002011-04-26T18:25:36.036-07:00How many people live full-time in an RV?<span style="font-size: medium;">From time to time someone asks me this question and up until today, I didn’t have a good answer. But now I do. Well, sort of, anyway. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I went to the Escapees Forum where I asked the question and got some good estimates. </span><br />
<a href="http://www.escapees.com/"><img alt="Escapees Logo" src="http://www.rvnetwork.com/logo4.png" title="Visit www.escapees.com" /></a><a href="https://www.escapees.com/store/listmemberships.asp"><img src="http://www.rvnetwork.com/join.jpg" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">One member of the Escapees Organization reported that in 2008, USA TODAY said that 8 million U.S. households own at least one RV. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Now that is interesting, but still doesn’t answer my question.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">One of the more knowledgeable Escapee members is Kirk Wood. Kirk said:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">“One major problem with any kind of accurate numbers is that RV owners do not agree on just what a full-timer is. Every time that question comes up there is a big fight over who is and who is not. There are even those who claim to be "part-time, full-timers!”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: medium;">“I hear many talk of 1 million or more full-timers and have heard numbers that large now for most of the time that I have followed that, which is about 15 years now. The most documented report that I ever saw was from Texas A&M and about 7 or so years back. It estimated that there were no more than 250,000 people who owned an RV as their only home and had no permanent parking spot for it.. But do you have to move the RV to be a full-timer? That depends upon the rules! And in what they wrote (working from memory as I don't have the report now) that about 20% or so of those that they found were considered to be itinerant while most were retired. Even they agreed that it is difficult to track just how many people live in RVs because the population is so fluid and changes rapidly.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Clay L chimed in to say that “</span><span style="font-size: medium;">In the 2000 census there was a category called "other non-standard housing" defined as boats, recreation vehicles and other such residences which have no permanent physical address. Based upon the 2000 census that number was estimated to be 260,000 people. <br />
How many in that category are full time RVers is unknown. My best guess would be maybe 3/4 are. That would mean that there are about 200,000 of us.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">So there are probably one quarter of a million of us out here. I’ll go with than number from now on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-7991125732443533132011-04-05T17:16:00.001-07:002011-04-05T17:16:17.089-07:00Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka, FL<p><b><font size="4">North of Salt Creek is the sprawling town of Palatka where we discovered a neat gem of a park.</font></b></p> <p><strong><font size="4"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwkcyt_OI/AAAAAAAAB5s/ECuc9AuGiyM/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20013%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 013" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 013" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRAVectVG-FzRZ_pb-FxJ5FdmuNArtq9fSYXi1V_bqj9RhruuNMyz1kfoxreUgNVLeRmrSI5HNGxH4TUFJV3FWxeaSftW3j3ufHaol4xpBsEFNE_REq7ERY5x6o7vbEUwb6_2va8eGRtr/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></strong><strong><font size="2"></font></strong></p> <p><strong><font size="4">Ravine Gardens State Park consists of 59 acres of trees, trails, suspension bridges, creeks and quiet beauty.  We got there in late March and missed the best time to see the azaleas in their prime, but it was still beautiful.  </font></strong></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg2I1N7U2-_Fd2y-MnvBGNa6nPxyD2bAHPlVq7_BxROHPJDCiXFyFASvW5vtBWxAPwLkiVBxNKRguvBFpL_aFCVcLu1b3iB6CmnePw0KT-WMGkkffZF79iEYc0yTrpTkMHp_MhwDJKA1J/s1600-h/pens,%20burgers,%20ravines%20014%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 014" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 014" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuworXeaYI/AAAAAAAAB58/Q_GuouO5qhY/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><strong><font size="4">Standing 64 feet tall this obelisk was dedicated to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.</font></strong></p> <p><strong><font size="4">The park  was built by the Works Progress Administration in 1933 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.</font></strong></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwqvBGeZI/AAAAAAAAB6A/q20OfHfQrlY/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20026%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 026" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 026" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwrqYuw1I/AAAAAAAAB6E/csGEfDEJxws/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20026_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></b></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwtKuc5-I/AAAAAAAAB6I/dPBM3fGbgFA/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20038%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 038" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 038" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwuG2w40I/AAAAAAAAB6M/je9cTzvs4uk/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20038_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwv5QkHbI/AAAAAAAAB6U/VOuHaQgOlSY/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20022%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 022" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 022" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BEtfO95MrmBpVY_r9H64LnyvZZPp6B8QLiQPA-JuQ6F3O_beAVNtgNWskanmHCU7aBUHCcnbXr6WeaFCzAjRjUp7VV7ukCaEJ4kPEvlelPZnaAXnR7YCma3TF03u2twyiz0FXNKXz478/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZuwy67B36I/AAAAAAAAB6c/Hh8abmTTgfE/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20023%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 023" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 023" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQXOexDyxzfLZzZJqGuv599-pkrFGh6LZMUqDMoJqdVTJ08Bz7azopflZWCeznlYv4FbjT7CWqkRJyKQajD_jAnHEyJKz1okGhDjJa1s0bFYg2VsP3Zdv25M6yfsR6n1uvHlOtmsWPnAdy/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">We drove through the park and fully intended to get back for a leisurely walk, but never got around to doing that.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Admission is $4 to $5.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Stay tuned. </font></p> George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-80353762973427950022011-04-02T18:43:00.001-07:002011-04-02T18:43:10.056-07:00The saga of the water pump<p><font size="4">Our motorhome has -- as do most RVs -- a water pump. The main purpose of this pump is to allow us to have running water when we are not connected to “city water.”</font></p> <p><font size="4">Our motorhome also has a 2-gallon water/pressure tank that serves two main function:</font></p> <ol> <li> <p><font size="4">It smooths out the flow of water. Without the pressure tank, whenever we would turn on a faucet (if not on city water), the water flow would speed up and slow down as the pump cycled. Nothing really harmful, just a little annoying. If you have well water, you have a larger version of this tank.</font></p> </li> <li> <p><font size="4">It keeps the pump from turning on every time we want to wash hands or just run a faucet briefly. Again. Nothing harmful about the pump turning on for a short period of time.</font></p> </li> </ol> <p><font size="4">Recently, the rubber bladder that maintains the pressure inside the small tank ruptured. </font></p> <p><font size="4">Unfortunately, the tanks are very expensive. An exact replacement is about $200 plus shipping. But even if I replaced the tank, we would still have an 11-year-old noisy pump. So I thought that while I am in the water bay taking out the old tank, I might as well put in a new pump. Helping me make this decision is improved RV pump technology. Newer pumps (which operate at a variable speed) eliminate the “pulsing” action and the need for the small water/pressure tank.</font></p> <p><font size="4">So we decided to remove the old tank and install a new variable speed water pump. Sandy and I both read ForeForums, the internet-based forum for Foretravel owners, where we have learned a great deal and we try to contribute when we can.  I learned that there are two major makers of water pumps for RVs.  One is Shurflo, but they have a bad record with some owners on their third replacement of the same model.  The other company AquaJet has a better record – so we went with AquaJet.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQhip2LoI/AAAAAAAAB5E/0iFfFEn5O5k/s1600-h/Pump%20replacement%20001%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Pump replacement 001" border="0" alt="Pump replacement 001" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB39i6n-UfASwih_B-chx6zy8_DWr9wtlxvSAexjRTJeptlqQLRdqWzaLovRpMSzuYPMucRD4gPmjc7eNr9bDGWkKR-RJL_h2kd_EzvVcQap_FhZzkRsul_DsJWSmaaLYUM3BqkyIznzWK/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">This is a view of the storage bay which holds the water pump and a lot of plumbing and electrical connections.  </font></p> <p><font size="4">To get to the pump, I had to remove the panel and shelf. We have learned that Foretravel likes a sleek look and hides many components behind panels and/or in out of the way spaces. Because the wiring is only 12 volts it is not necessary to have wires neatly contained within conduit.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQjnhKC_I/AAAAAAAAB5M/5RF47vOZfQI/s1600-h/Pump%20replacement%20007%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Pump replacement 007" border="0" alt="Pump replacement 007" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQkZm0vmI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/SbP2lTyg5bo/Pump%20replacement%20007_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">The blue tank is the pressure tank that failed.</font></p> <p><font size="4">It took me the better part of Friday and Saturday to successfully install the new pump. I also had to make two trips to Lowe's and each time I bought more stuff in case some issues popped up that I had not anticipated.  I have a huge amount of stuff to return. </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJJvMVXgXAPHEIKdFZU61MwPHEOaD7B-TBzAVnocTS9iYbW0NK2JSvqKm6Scp4fL7rUXlSiRICNHAvvh7ydcAdOLT5MRq-VOUyYuxHlSaWAZ4LXE0B_AhOiko1Pcn2R-xGwWqoug2zyCl/s1600-h/Pex%20issue%20009%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Pex issue 009" border="0" alt="Pex issue 009" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQmIln9-I/AAAAAAAAB5Y/UOUHMsdPe1w/Pex%20issue%20009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">Tank and pump are gone.</font></p> <p><font size="4">At the end of the day on Friday we were not able to run any water inside the coach and the toilet had to be flushed by pouring water from a bucket. Real elegant. And I was beginning to doubt that I could get this done on my own. </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQoFmFm6I/AAAAAAAAB5c/UUO8EN_7ml4/s1600-h/Pex%20issue%20013%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Pex issue 013" border="0" alt="Pex issue 013" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQo84VSiI/AAAAAAAAB5g/LZVTIJElrfg/Pex%20issue%20013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">This configuration of PEX tubing with lots of connections and a solenoid valve became problematic when one of the connections started to leak as I was removing it.  I had to rent a special tool to re-crimp all of the small black bands seen on the blue segments of PEX. That step made the leak go away.  If that had not worked I would have had to do a lot more work.</font></p> <p><font size="4">I got some encouragement and some good advice from other Foretravel owners and by 6:00p.m. today Sandy and I had it completed. </font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZfQqEC57zI/AAAAAAAAB5k/jZKKYyquynY/s1600-h/water%20pump.2%20004%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="water pump.2 004" border="0" alt="water pump.2 004" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPzcWn6Xky0jwZzUQRMqpQt6n6W-OjSgSKHgW-DsL9UaYSso7H21yAXGGU6GOhlb96OzDA8BOPwuBv_-39UTUhY8O2vOxJhZI6r8xwbODFcS9tXCFGtbhdxBVcCY4ReTXQtid3X2tLmA7z/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">New pump in place.  The loop of white hose is called a “quiet loop” and dissipates vibration from rushing water and adds to the quiet operation of the system.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Next we had to sanitize the entire water system and that required 128 ounces of bleach. To get the bleach into the main tank, we would open up the water filter canister and fill it with bleach and then open the valve that permits “city water” to enter the 110 gallon storage tank. We did this 6 times until all the bleach was added. We will let it sit for 24 hours, drain it and then refill with fresh.</font></p> <p><font size="4">While this was another exhausting project it is really worthwhile.  We now have to make a conscious effort to hear the new pump.  It is that quiet.  There was no missing the noise from the older pump.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Stay tuned. </font></p> George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-47166535055281964072011-03-30T16:39:00.001-07:002011-03-30T18:53:26.125-07:00The penultimate day<span style="font-size: medium;">The day before we leave a campground we always do as much as we can to make departure day like, well -- a walk in the park. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And when rain is forecast for the day of departure there is even more incentive to get those tasks done when the skies are clear</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">So today we picked up our 6’ x 5’ patio mat that we place in front of the entrance. It had 3 months of sand and a lot of pollen stuck inside the weave so I blasted it with our new $3 garden hose nozzle. These little nozzles have been around for some time and I decided to buy one at Lowe’s. I thought it might come in handy for removing bugs that will get stuck to the front of the motorhome this spring and summer. Looks like I already found another use. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-H9yKb_I/AAAAAAAAB4c/xKjmzTnmMEE/s1600-h/Nozzle%20003%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Nozzle 003" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-Op4BeoI/AAAAAAAAB4g/zOs1Xx2uSPI/Nozzle%20003_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Nozzle 003" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We also picked up our rope lights, and wiped them clean of sand before stowing them on reels made for electric extension cords.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-dcF4_8I/AAAAAAAAB4k/WT5W3UDmXxw/s1600-h/reels%20001%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="reels 001" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-jOFxxZI/AAAAAAAAB4o/Wr1H2hl0ToE/reels%20001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="reels 001" width="384" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Next we disconnected the water supply hose ad stored it on the built-in reel. Because our freshwater tank holds 102 gallons we have more than enough to last us until we reach our next park within Ocala.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-rA3odII/AAAAAAAAB4s/7EG3b34oqFk/s1600-h/reels%20002%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="reels 002" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-vy0cxrI/AAAAAAAAB4w/r-sFagRg_y8/reels%20002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="reels 002" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Before we disconnected the sewer hose we flushed it out by emptying the gray water tank which holds up to 110 gallons of waste water from sinks and the shower. The “black water” tank holds 54 gallons of sewerage –- again more than enough capacity for at least five days of use. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">So all that remains in the morning is to disconnect and store the electrical supply cord and do the same for our portable satellite receiver that we use when trees block the roof mounted dish. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Tomorrow we are driving only about 35 miles into Ocala to a privately owned RV park. It won’t be as scenic as the Ocala National Forest, but we need cell phone service and a good internet connection to plan the next few months of travel. And we will be closer to the stores we had to drive 30 miles to reach. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We'll miss seeing this guy who likes to sit in an ergonomically correct position for egrets </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgZ7mmQA4uxrzqMZ6Uynj6mJ4SoO4gG_eISaOnWcC2SBMWh6JoIVXdqg49HB0MWP0T626CvsY_didEO64PdcrfGhmDY96H3JKMjysX65gZLt1GiLL7mUyS1WtPpxHOK1ZWZx3QipjUNPx/s1600/limkin+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgZ7mmQA4uxrzqMZ6Uynj6mJ4SoO4gG_eISaOnWcC2SBMWh6JoIVXdqg49HB0MWP0T626CvsY_didEO64PdcrfGhmDY96H3JKMjysX65gZLt1GiLL7mUyS1WtPpxHOK1ZWZx3QipjUNPx/s400/limkin+016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Finally, here is a photo of a butterfly that was collecting nectar from some flowering bushes near the motorhome.</span><br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO-7t7IWvI/AAAAAAAAB40/qgioVJEByxY/s1600-h/IMG_0153%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0153" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TZO_GBTtfQI/AAAAAAAAB44/-IkthIBAXkQ/IMG_0153_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0153" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned. </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-6193998168074451492011-03-24T11:08:00.001-07:002011-03-27T05:41:54.388-07:00Bob Hastings and his railcar<span style="font-size: medium;">I often meet some really interesting people in campgrounds. Bob Hastings easily meets that definition because he is an active railcar buff.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuG6DWy9pI/AAAAAAAAB3s/gbETRk5GWRI/s1600-h/IMG_0132%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0132" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuG-yp8b6I/AAAAAAAAB3w/sY0t6jfB4_Y/IMG_0132_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0132" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bob and his Welch Terrier, Wellington, were glad to pose for a photo. In back of Bob is his auto carrier outfitted with an electric winch and square steel tubes that serve as rails to move his early 1980s railcar in and out of the trailer. “Orange Crush” is the nickname of Bob’s railcar and was originally built for the Canadian National Railroad. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bob is an active member of the North American Railcar Owners Association (visit <a href="http://www.narcoa.org/">www.narcoa.org</a> for more information). NARCOA has about 1000 active members who enjoy taking their railcars out for excursions on railroad lines. These excursions are usually on the tracks of short line railroads vs. such giant carriers as Union Pacific or CSX.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">I asked Bob how he gets his railcar from inside his trailer onto a set of railroad tracks. He was more than happy to partially demonstrate how this is accomplished.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuHPlyg-QI/AAAAAAAAB30/y-DBLh8dxKM/s1600-h/IMG_0139%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0139" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuHW_JMj3I/AAAAAAAAB34/A4LK4x0VqSc/IMG_0139_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0139" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The easy way is to roll out his railcar so that it sits at a 90 degree angle to the tracks. Then he deploys this turntable to the ground and simply rotates his 1100-pound railcar until the wheels are above the tracks. He raises the turntable and the railcar wheels settle onto the rails.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuHkxCTEqI/AAAAAAAAB38/E-U1iSL9YTM/s1600-h/IMG_0136%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0136" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuHpTDu_vI/AAAAAAAAB4A/IuAcVNT1Okk/IMG_0136_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0136" width="391" /></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bob also has the option of manually lifting the railcar and muscling it sideway by using the built in handle bars seen in this photos. The handle bars slide under the car for storage and can also be pulled out the other side where leverage is better because the Onan </span>4 cycle 2 cylinder<span style="font-size: medium;"> 20 HP gas-fueled engine is up front. This little engine can reach speeds of 45 MPH and gets about 30 MPG. but, Bob who is very safety conscious generally cruises in the 20 to 30 MPH range.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">When I asked Bob what was it about owning a railcar that made it so much fun to do, he responded with: “It is the closest thing to being a railroad engineer without owning a locomotive.”</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuH55sdFLI/AAAAAAAAB4E/gDtKrCmlmKA/s1600-h/IMG_0133%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0133" border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPRA3xPDHnIjlVqfhW1cmm8O8bVQHpoJbertKebnNu9eGETMfRT9z37abKn6ijv9muRYcM2Zxf1qL5UTU6u1vvCIV33EuEVP72mu_t3B1u9-FW9iv3wz9k2NpI9AzvYZKwsaUuGFGHZL_/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0133" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bob’s seat is at right and the buddy chair is to the left. Note that Bob has tricked out his cab with a dual cup holder. He also has a CB radio for communications with excursion participants.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuIIS7rrgI/AAAAAAAAB4M/ECjjJJsHVQQ/s1600-h/IMG_0126%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0126" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuIN3_cisI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/ntL_C2EWRG8/IMG_0126_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0126" width="391" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a shot of Bob’s Canadian National railcar being winched out of the trailer.</span><br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuIhTARJMI/AAAAAAAAB4U/vdWtF4pxosM/s1600-h/IMG_0141%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0141" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYuIms0J3gI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/wnW4khth0uY/IMG_0141_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0141" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And here is a rear view of Orange Crush.</span><br />
<u><span style="font-size: medium;">Additional details:</span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Being a railcar owner takes some preparation. To belong to NAROA you need an association mentor and pass a written and a driving test. Orange Crush set Bob back about $2800 four years ago. They are in limited supply so their value increases over time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Before Bob retired he was a production engineer for GE building jet engines, which explains his affinity for all things mechanical.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Bob lives in Cincinnati, Ohio</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">His two favorite excursions are on:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">the West Virginia Central RR out of Elkins, WV up into the mountains where there are no roads and ends where they meet up with a steam locomotive, the Cass Mountain RR out of Cass, WV (and)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">the Finger Lakes RR trip from Geneva, New York to western, NY</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Generally about 30 members make up an excursion which has to be carefully arranged with the owner of the host railroad. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">All aboard!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-31059253525410380702011-03-22T18:04:00.000-07:002011-03-22T18:57:20.456-07:00A few odds and ends<span style="font-size: medium;">For the last week we enjoyed stopping and playing with a Springer Spaniel named Reesie (think peanut butter cup). She was smart and lovable. Her owners Don and Ruth Ann Brown were fun to be with and we enjoyed a couple of campfires and went to dinner one evening. We were sorry to see them move on. </span><br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkxhIA1VuI/AAAAAAAAB2w/TsDz1msS7Vg/s1600-h/stuff%20005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="stuff 005" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkxl0oqNLI/AAAAAAAAB20/KrAXqJxWVnk/stuff%20005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="stuff 005" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">On the subject of dogs. I came across this sign recently.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkx41DHp-I/AAAAAAAAB24/UDW_1XE4y5U/s1600-h/Dog%20sign%20005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Dog sign 005" border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ehfdRH9t5lKEaeoSc21St5ZGPweE-KYGTIEOkS21foFfvU6rnCtym7ZgufudGbCAjyUC-D2lJ8dcxnQ9a7Y0K63S1zevIj0nt3pWUYynok6yj3yyqiGHiFppoi6lcJuBYNdk2Ecuadof/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Dog sign 005" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzpx_5RvKydFbNACXUzYEGN6IZinbwKxhezxsFPHe7liJOmYxMI4dQaidEe8Ng2bAwGGE9GfU7_hMsZ56k2UzydEcCWOTlqEkDrRQzrrqe9zPfy91H2bd9ZKbeb63oxWR5wMiMvMbc_1S/s1600-h/stuff%20021%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="stuff 021" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkyjspcv7I/AAAAAAAAB3I/WHgL8QGcS84/stuff%20021_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="stuff 021" width="391" /></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Yesterday we hiked a nearby trail and came across</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXONl8NpQusyAHmD9poZNdOQY0RgTtJyYW2OJx78-BAaZSSegclnbjQPEwXyxwL1yI0ZJVOBlesO5uoWyk30PVMmKqxJIXXg3_ETLuXYRHBk0ImR1xWZRbYxKTp6vCTLfQwNMCGvg0TF6/s1600-h/stuff%20017%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="stuff 017" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYky2_miG_I/AAAAAAAAB3Q/PvPPm7SFliE/stuff%20017_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="stuff 017" width="391" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">this unique spongy-looking plant. From a distance it resembled clumps of snow.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkzWUYeOBI/AAAAAAAAB3U/aw7aiwqFVhY/s1600-h/stuff%20001%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="stuff 001" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkzbE7Hc8I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/RVsuICng9NE/stuff%20001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="stuff 001" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">We’ve seen this guy before.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhc5aP27RPibdd8-6rPZT7XtXdUrG-bx-HxYC0ABGxcrsgVCEWpmYcudhRfn81JJneWx6VfKw_koKHhmV_n_bJZknDHB4UoYu3gNKi6213jOlac9vSe-uYn9TAfuw-XMFt5ojOvOQm_i9/s1600-h/IMG_012220.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0122" border="0" height="287" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYlQdBkcluI/AAAAAAAAB3o/xZeCxe5HoOo/IMG_0122_thumb17.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0122" width="388" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Often in the evenings a small group of musicians gather in one of the campsites directly across from ours and do some picking. This group is really, really good. Tonight the instruments included bass, banjo and guitar. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And finally and under the heading of Old Guys Rule there is this clever marriage of a golf cart and a leaf blower that camp volunteers use to blow leaves and pine needles off the roads.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ40Ja5YI7Otm-8rIAxBDQJhY4V8UsQtcoG9VwnqCyrP15vlFc1lfhYlAOjReCA2WDTVzXiZuzn2TX_4SLj27Ignr6P18XuSzAaxPd4R2yU8OPrXaE4Uv46mfjX39JKU0P5GiotnM9IsJ9/s1600-h/stuff%20026%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="stuff 026" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYkz9O7pqYI/AAAAAAAAB3g/JvGowyNo5QQ/stuff%20026_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="stuff 026" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-7197967347323130282011-03-18T16:58:00.001-07:002011-03-18T16:58:58.476-07:00Serving burgers since 1932<p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPwVE6dIjI/AAAAAAAAB2I/r6UYDIrSw80/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20010%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 010" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 010" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPwZ1VwL9I/AAAAAAAAB2M/jiGcnEwStBQ/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">New acquaintances here at Salt Springs raved to us about Angels Drive In in nearby Palatka that serves great hamburgers, fries and onion rings.  Angels Drive In has been in business for 79 years. We went there today for lunch.  The burgers were terrific.  Freshly ground beef and hand-formed patties.  The fries have the skins on them, which we love and the onion rings were light and tasty. </font></p> <p><font size="4">The burger plate is $5.45 and soft drinks come with a free refill.  No wonder they were busy.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPwmj2E4yI/AAAAAAAAB2Q/oc0yBvhH7jM/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20009%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 009" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 009" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPwwGlr2aI/AAAAAAAAB2U/dEjbI4cOCBs/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">The diner is in an actual railroad car.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPw-Ylua5I/AAAAAAAAB2Y/CbTvGullcqo/s1600-h/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20006%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pens, burgers, ravines 006" border="0" alt="pens, burgers, ravines 006" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPxMcuFT_I/AAAAAAAAB2c/lhqcrTeLASQ/pens%2C%20burgers%2C%20ravines%20006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">Back at the campground here is a photo of a regional bird called the Limpkin.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD1CE7MFHjh6to7jxpyxleWoa1iuayRNYy3_NNIpVOn-Y-XC6zIuMGelDThD8GNTfUpZ6Ioeq9s18y8YGY7180N9b4N1JCwN2HjRR5fhz-k5RonM_p93riJadSptua3rcMHO3td9yNy0z/s1600-h/limkin%20012%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="limkin 012" border="0" alt="limkin 012" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYPxutNKErI/AAAAAAAAB2k/WWtwXZBubvU/limkin%20012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Stay tuned.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4"> </font></p> George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-74066373222697639242011-03-16T19:34:00.001-07:002011-03-16T19:57:53.001-07:00Florida springs<span style="font-size: medium;">In central Florida we have noticed an abundance of fresh water springs. Today we drove to nearby </span><a href="http://www.uptake.com/blog/family-things-to-do/silver-glen-springs-central-florida_4262.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">Silver Glen Springs in Ocala National Forest</span></a>. <span style="font-size: medium;">It is a day-use only area, so there is no overnight camping.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFwjaHxJNI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/BY1nDI4z5ro/s1600-h/IMG_0075%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0075" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFwn0YkYmI/AAAAAAAAB1U/0hdYSUBpD04/IMG_0075_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0075" width="391" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">It is a small slice of paradise. The water is aquamarine in color and clear. The grounds are shaded by live oaks draped with moss. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFw0WquANI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/a0RuAhMqfXY/s1600-h/IMG_0071%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0071" border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wDfj4ZA57OjllWJVVgODHz1M2vFxFpZFCSDoBbUwM_1VvwLD27fuVqSWRyPP4QnPr3wyzh1RJcVH0itxwsf1QAhLv9zRt0zgGeBqr56EnUOG0BVTyct_AZNSgjtwhvqsVeCQgv0PmnuZ/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0071" width="391" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And we got lucky, A manatee was in the spring. You can see the GPS buoy attached to the manatee when you enlarge wither photo. Manatees are well protected and tracked. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFxQM1bTwI/AAAAAAAAB1g/8jp-SRo072g/s1600-h/IMG_0078%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0078" border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsN9hWh5rbhdjjGUV08MYYytGH1fqVZstBMCCJIwiDuIrimdtqO8ikjFT3oqgvNasc1FnOEjakGtLjmRClfxMCM1GfL1dFQ2kWPj2tX8VyWx0B4wsK699c1ZJ0K6l23NvtpzDdjorVtWwD/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0078" width="391" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">And this boat captain knew where the fish were biting.</span><br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFx65iggDI/AAAAAAAAB1o/pfs5rgoRTcs/s1600-h/IMG_0088%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0088" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFyAsGT53I/AAAAAAAAB1s/ajbJDKgP5BQ/IMG_0088_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0088" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Silver Glen Spring is connected to the larger St. Johns River.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Next we drove to Orange City and Blue Spring State Park where 104 million gallons of water flow daily from the spring into the St. Johns River.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFyEkhTs2I/AAAAAAAAB1w/DdKwHisknnQ/s1600-h/250px-Blue_Spring_State_Park_Thursby03%5B40%5D.jpg"><img alt="250px-Blue_Spring_State_Park_Thursby03" border="0" height="283" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFyK7cB6lI/AAAAAAAAB10/tw6h9aKGgII/250px-Blue_Spring_State_Park_Thursby03_thumb%5B38%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="250px-Blue_Spring_State_Park_Thursby03" width="401" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">There is a bit of history here dating back to 1774 when British Colonial botanist John Bartram paddled into Blue Spring in 1774. But for me the really interesting history was the house and river docks built by former California gold miner Louis Thursby who became a successful citrus farmer and merchant. Thursby arrived in 1856 when he bought Blue Springs and 300 acres for $400. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The scene below is of the Blue Springs Run…</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkL15OTd0fUbXVnstgpthimBZfbC1ozt73WAyR8xhGy8Gs5u_uG8lE3J53BlUvHoUYSmW8rDsmnbNI83AwmeXl3id-Z6k86HWlnj9BMVwhBacrq8BUca3xASxFu5aaaai5KxKWbLaDps_u/s1600-h/IMG_0104%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0104" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFyxlGzstI/AAAAAAAAB18/c3Eg__ww8z8/IMG_0104_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0104" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">….which connects with the St. Johns River.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_I-x802R1qp3CRAEDtKq8S4LYyBRzr_cG34F-BR5AxrHRYtcCdDVTN5-IcvZG-61mczYHrqKDQ2rrMEdz8ovt4BhUJEl8N7ihXJZcNuQ7V3R7kk-Kv4dRKj6RUvm2k4bvoFBTYCGaEi1-/s1600-h/IMG_0110%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="IMG_0110" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TYFzSdXXruI/AAAAAAAAB2E/3zvBYDDyjc8/IMG_0110_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_0110" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">A neat day.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned. </span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-89098393210310808232011-03-14T16:43:00.001-07:002011-03-14T16:43:13.878-07:00Micanopy {mick ah no pee} FL, the town that time forgot<p><font size="4">We drove 40 miles to nearby Micanopy this morning and discovered an old small southern town that is full of charm, cats and antique shops.</font></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6leh7rwCI/AAAAAAAABzs/dnGYsFP8jIQ/s1600-h/IMG_0055_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0055_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0055_1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhS6xHF7HjcimnEI-KXCChggpciEA7IhyZvlUKg75w-CjT5smqpa3vA5LKLluX6udEcn2lfqE6J9H-tq_9zpkAQe38UwPRCwDjb93MEhY4Bwg6VT4WKF0ZeWxjY6Iq82TQ6a0hN2JMvW9/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">Thirty eight buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6ltaocY7I/AAAAAAAABz0/2qD2QGruMNY/s1600-h/IMG_0031_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0031_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0031_1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6lxwg91wI/AAAAAAAABz4/GWwnKfp9nV4/IMG_0031_1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">The Herlong Mansion, ca 1845, and now a bed & breakfast.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6mCCH1ACI/AAAAAAAABz8/hKE1hvCgEZU/s1600-h/IMG_0026_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0026_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0026_1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6mGJ4LN_I/AAAAAAAAB0A/xUIsbIrTLmg/IMG_0026_1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OB7sKywNfag_AoPyauSTEXjE9xp5AwZN3hPyAL2b7VH6n40vXw1FpOfXVK-Lq1GiX2t7Jtwelw9hjud5g131_GxEtiyQ91tDmALdByYnCL9y39saZxUr1yx4X0RB_HWgpAXuTTPPzp7Y/s1600-h/IMG_0032_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0032_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0032_1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxeZxECMHMpJCznf8JURiNpLFQ7v-sZEtvZLjQ_xamllL0KwPDzusFv3dhS_h4fmpiAVK_wzUypR4_UCaTCBo0YyB0487TdDDlAjF6zi85X_IUhEQ23L-Vz-5gJ3hGEqgKOGkav4XekixA/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></font></p> <p><font size="4">Alley ways and streets are tree-lined and shaded.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6me5l8p1I/AAAAAAAAB0Q/HVGy3TF3cL4/s1600-h/IMG_0037_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0037_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0037_1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6mkF2WgNI/AAAAAAAAB0U/vcaRwo8FEDA/IMG_0037_1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">This 1930s truck has become part of the landscape.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6mvncr_ZI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/XPZqXaclBFg/s1600-h/IMG_0040_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0040_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0040_1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Gry-LWHQXnnt65Aukq1Abc_GxG_iBtZwfvxg7JHOKtaehqvC9Fip0nNISyi_XhZSReuCSZSCXMmCpSqdgmcEicdE6sftm3jbSb-r4b5BiDyUzUzjN6kYc6RZpVhLJ6c57nOOVWoxJyRw/?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">The oldest house in town.</font></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8Fc0EvD0HtyiaXGV-zLUbp1fCjQnSzXp_TXdnmTN7kp-yRTxrjTdSOByzpeZe71e4uU_Q9NukTau8mlG8TghIvE4IuwTVqGmP546xxYR_Xwd6WmUHzNJ2lWhbP0gotIXQAqpYaNy6ht1/s1600-h/IMG_0024_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0024_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0024_1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6nB64YfmI/AAAAAAAAB0k/IdPx-CylpE0/IMG_0024_1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Signs that are as good as folk art.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6nM9KhY2I/AAAAAAAAB0o/zH-cNKxBl2Q/s1600-h/IMG_0054_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0054_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0054_1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6nQw18CqI/AAAAAAAAB0s/0deMO9BKsm4/IMG_0054_1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Where we had lunch and petted the resident cat.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6ncZ03dfI/AAAAAAAAB0w/gP_U7jXnxJ8/s1600-h/IMG_0021%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0021" border="0" alt="IMG_0021" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6ng0Cz6II/AAAAAAAAB00/6nlE3vfUX_c/IMG_0021_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMdzQADbW_VWKmtCviD9ZXe-Cs6qKSrlpDbEkMnlbe_R3yoxn-sAaOgyBJrmrIy9hosJotH14sazom0OPIKPwTQaTj53nFpVP5vbJmCWbo2tWjOtaS00GwhjXBMqSajX7zZYgLHv00AM6/s1600-h/IMG_0048_1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_0048_1" border="0" alt="IMG_0048_1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TX6oCbcbj0I/AAAAAAAAB08/Fh4rbJfUjvw/IMG_0048_1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="391" height="294" /></a></p> <p><font size="4">Another neat old mansion.</font></p> <p><font size="4">The town was inhabited by settlers in the 1830s and incorporated in 1889 with 600 inhabitants with schools, churches, hotels, stores, a grist mill and a cotton mill.   Today the sleepy town has grown to a population of 650.</font></p> <p><font size="4">Hollywood has recognized its unique appeal, filming four major pictures here:  Doc Holliday, Cross Creek, Miracle at Clemon’s Pond and The Yearling.</font></p> <p><font size="4">What a unique and charming town.</font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> <p><font size="4">Stay tuned. </font></p> <p><font size="4"></font></p> George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-719032287579686529.post-10889607722674049412011-03-05T05:23:00.001-08:002011-03-05T11:57:58.184-08:00Pens and Flat Panel TVs<span style="font-size: medium;">There are several old timers here that enjoy small woodworking projects in the activities barn. I got to know a couple of the guys when they let me use their saws to cut a few pieces of wood for my TV installation, described later in this blog. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI4YKw4F5I/AAAAAAAAByU/rFcVoElmD2I/s1600-h/Hande%20made%20pen%20002%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="Hande made pen 002" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI4frIbzjI/AAAAAAAAByY/hKg2vrwEWSo/Hande%20made%20pen%20002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Hande made pen 002" width="391" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Roger Stranger (above) is from Saranac, Michigan and his mentor, Charlie, have become artisans by making beautiful hand-turned wooden ball point pens.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXGENWeifyg_9LWNSm6cbYXZAySMVcGeuv5aeMsRf_lFJJLSq1-ZmytVcX1YddyOwbOAQtiOO6Uz8jljJ_bmZYEbc_o54_1j2mxVQi00YfCPHfER39Gz1pjat4yB7b-fXAZ20o9cwW4W2K/s1600-h/pen%20002%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="pen 002" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI4oMECl6I/AAAAAAAAByg/1q8koqM3GMg/pen%20002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="pen 002" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Here is one of Roger’s pens. He only charges $10 for a one-of-a-kind pen that is finished with two layers of wood-workers wax and a special hand-buffed sealer. My photo does not do justice to his art.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NqrhMpuT3fRVPCPKvAsSY53INxSmWCLQ0b0i_m7OPBXbrzLeQtq0mNFcfFnwiRLv6rTuJm8sRLv5W15ZTy0046xJfEiytNtFdtDTqbIoq-dakE817mIuacuav_YQshK5MCYSkJ2lapHj/s1600-h/trim%20piece%20007%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="trim piece 007" border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsACh9uBQxlTMJ-qCglEm9gb-sQTyuhvK2EPPKpLeapxW8uel-p7Fms8mwFN1rlEEL_Szyik02iX8vWJnQBTAQ8YiGMReLu8352j94wWOm186OjexEY5EzFQSnZBwOXGuVoGmtb48_0QS/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="trim piece 007" width="391" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a case of pens made by Charlie.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnBI-7MMwW2QdykIqIMHuX3w3rewktFa_OidD-pfWF-uJpuIqkFL2dYFr3S7pasrLgl7Jg2GUl4bpikZ_i9GAk79qeMz9x1FEjLATwM74RaagnMbT5mHLVC7ugoSAhQvRhEABgG8y9qfx/s1600/limkin+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnBI-7MMwW2QdykIqIMHuX3w3rewktFa_OidD-pfWF-uJpuIqkFL2dYFr3S7pasrLgl7Jg2GUl4bpikZ_i9GAk79qeMz9x1FEjLATwM74RaagnMbT5mHLVC7ugoSAhQvRhEABgG8y9qfx/s400/limkin+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">And here is Charlie (far right) at his favorite place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The saga of our TV began t</span><span style="font-size: medium;">wo weeks ago Sunday when we were watching TV and it quit working. No sound. No picture. No smoke. Nada.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The next day I removed the front of the TV cabinet and removed the TV. I plugged it to see if I could get the blue screen, but nothing happened. So it was time to order a new unit. After doing some research we decided on a Samsung because some Foretravel owners have reported good success with them as opposed to Sony TVs which seem to be susceptible to road shock and vibration. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Our motorhome rides really smoothly, but TV sets are made to hang on a wall in a home, office or store where they do not get vibration from road travel or bouncing over railroad tracks and speed bumps.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Ordering the set from B&H Video in NYC was the easy part. No tax and free shipping was a bonus. I love that store. I found that a 26 inch flat panel TV would fit over the outside of the existing cabinet without interfering with adjacent cabinet doors. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Finding a way to hang a flat panel TV in place of the old TV that was in a cabinet was the challenge. I did not want to incur the cost of cabinet modifications and I certainly did not want to sit at a RV repair facility for two days and pay someone $120 an hour plus materials to do the work.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI47tG35YI/AAAAAAAABys/dsB-jBZGo4k/s1600-h/TV%20install%20001%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="TV install 001" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI5BPZwz-I/AAAAAAAAByw/722pRKmBQeU/TV%20install%20001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="TV install 001" width="391" /></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This is the cabinet that held the old TV.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">The first wall mount bracket we ordered arrived the same day as the TV. The mounting hardware did not include the correct size of metric bolts so I made my first of 4 trips to Salt Creek Hardware. <br />
While this is a small store, they carry a lot of stuff and their employees extremely helpful. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI5G7r_zqI/AAAAAAAABy0/5haNjmhLluk/s1600-h/TV%20done%20001%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="TV done 001" border="0" height="294" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_znEsZh4o_uo/TXI5LEMFSZI/AAAAAAAABy4/5nfprYOX54U/TV%20done%20001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="TV done 001" width="389" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Here is the modified cabinet with the bracket in place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We got the TV installed Wednesday. but it was not without some trial and error. Wednesday morning I drove to Best Buy in Ocala and bought the same mounting bracket that a Foretravel friend suggested. But as it turned out this one would not work with our set. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">So I decided to call the company that made both of the brackets now sitting on the sofa to see if they had something that would work better for us. While talking with their rep, who by the way was the perfection of customer service, he suggested that if the lateral movement was a problem, then why not use a few Velcro tabs to keep it in place? Ding! Ding! Ding!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">So with that in mind I worked with the first bracket. It took two complete “guess installations”, but the second time it was perfection – at least for us. And no lateral movement. We are happy campers. And it fits so snug that we do not need any Velcro after all. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">I am working on a piece of wood to cover up the opening visible at the top of the new TV. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Two final items:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Because I do not post every day some of you probably get weary of checking to see if I have a new blog. If you send me your e-mail, I will put you on a list to which I send a notice each time I blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">Also, if you have any specific questions to ask, you can also contact me at the email shown below:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="mailto:george0139@hotmail.com">george0139@hotmail.com</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span>George & Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781167543303198930noreply@blogger.com2