September 27, 2010 - Reporting from Pueblo, Co.

Great WiFi here at the Quality Inn.

Traveling down the Hwy 50 and the car starts cutting out. Yes, the fuel pump switch is turned to the on position. Not getting gas, indicator reads 3/4. Switch to the auxilliary tank. Works. Back to main tank. Nope. End up at Aamco. They check out the hoses, the connections, the tank. Everything looks good. Problem. The main tank is empty. Good news...Aamco didn't charge us a penny.

Steve's got a bug...I knew he was feeling bad when at Aamco he said he wanted to get a room. He's been a big supporter of boondocking at WalMart and this was to be a WalMart night.

Since the last update we have been through West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Here are a few photos taken along the way.

Thunder and Lightening on the Horizon

No Out Running the Rain.

There were 5x this many before a car scared them off.

Scene in St. Louis, Missouri

Still using the old insulators...

Kansas and Colorado have many graineries like this and bigger.

Probably another day or two traveling in Colorado, then Utah, Nevada, and finally California...Santa Rosa.

September 20, 2010 - Reportiing from Williamsport, MD

Aloha All,

Another week gone by. Amazing. Since the last post we have crossed many bridges...

On the way to Bar Harbor

Steve Dipping His Wheel at Bar Harbor

And Steve has completed his coast-to-coast bicycle tour. Total miles ridden 5600.

Ba Ha Baar (Bar Harbor)

View from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park

Ditto

Evening View at Wassamki Springs Campground, Scarborough, ME

Morning View... just before the geese landed.

Darn - we never did get to see a moose!

As we make our way home, we shall travel many more  roads

The color is starting to come on, but I'm afraid we will miss the full glory.

 and cross many more bridges.

They probably won't be covered.

Yesterday we traveled from Maine, through Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and into Pennsylvania. Today we traveled from Pennsylvania into Maryland. Tomorrow we travel from Maryland to West Virginia. From there we will be taking Highway 50 back to Santa Rosa. With a goal of arriving by October 10 for Chris Loukas' 80th Birthday celebration.


We're traveling further and moving faster so there may be fewer photos...


Love and hugs,
JoAnne, Steve and Trixie

September 15, 2010 - From Camden, ME

TA DA! Today is the day. We will be in Bar Harbor this afternoon!

More later...

Aloha to ALL.

September 13, 2010 - Reporting from Portland, ME

Hard to believe its been eight days since last updating the blog. In that time we have finished with New York, gone through both Vermont and New Hampshire and are now in Maine. Steve rode through both Vermont and New Hampshire each in a single day. Both rides were 80+ each and involved a lot of climbing and of course down hill.

In Raquette Lake, NY we couldn't find an open campground, so we boondocked in the town park. The town is about 1 square block. They have a library, a general store, a bar and a laundromat. When we arrived in town a labor day community gathering was just breaking up. Apparently some folks continued on at the bar and were heading home just about the time we were pulling out the next morning.

One of the nicest days we have had was spent in Vermont at the Shelburne Museum. The place is amazing. From the brochure: "Located in Vermont's Champlain Valley, Shelburne Museum is one of the nation's finest, most diverse and unconventional museums of art, design and Americana. Explore the 220 foot steamboat Ticonderoga. Ride the 1920's carousel. Marvel at a Money or relax in one of our 22 gardens. Over 150,000 works exhibited in 39 buildings." Well - it was great! Steve and I both enjoyed every minute of the six hours we spend there. One of the highlights was an exhibit of quilts - Alzheimer's: Forgetting Piece by Piece. It was "A powerful tribute to the victims of Alzheimer's expressed through textile art." There was also an exhibit of works by Ansel Adams and Edward Burtynsky, and an exhibit of paintings by Jay Hall Connaway. The last two artists were not known to us and I enjoyed seeing their work. Ansel Adams has always been a favorite of mine.

Saturday, in Fryeburg, ME, we had a stroke of luck. Looking for a campground I came upon signs "Good Sam Samboree." Turns out there was a Good Sam Club meet going on at the fairgrounds. Luckily we were able to stay there as the campground we were looking for was a bust. We arrived on the last day, got a warm welcome and a referral for a place to take Lucy for some long overdue work, which we had done today. Now we are calling Lucy Happy and we are happy to be rid of the squeal, the screeching and the gas smell.

Tomorrow we're back on the road and anticipate reaching Bar Harbor on Wednesday. Then we celebrate!

Check out those rocks...those are real rocks.

Scene in the Hamlet of Osceola, NY.

Note: the head gear on Stevie and the guy in the sign.

From the exhibit - Alzheimer's: Forgetting Piece By Piece

Circus Parade carvings - an exhibit 500 ft. in length. Scale 1" = 1' carved by one man and his 5 apprentices. Incredible!

Raquette Lake, NY

Scene off road on the ride from Orford, NH to Fryeburg, ME

No Bridge Restaurant, VT. Home of the BEST pancakes. 

This restaurant is the first restaurant you come to after getting off the ferry from Crown Point, NY.

 
That's all for now folks...be well, stay well. We love you.

Aloha,
JoAnne, Stevie "B", and Trixie.

September 5, 2010 - Reporting From Sodus, NY

Heading into Canada

Since our last report we have traveled through Ohio and into New York. First stop in New York was Barcelona, then onto Niagara Falls. The falls were more spectacular than I had imagined. The town of Niagara Falls and surrounding areas are as you might imagine geared to tourism and there are tons of ways to spend your money. We were disappointed that the Niagara Falls State Park was not pet friendly and we could not take Trixie on any of the features, not even the Trolley.

Niagara Falls - US Side

 

 

Niagara Falls - Canada Side

Las Vegas? No, Niagara Falls - US

Dick and Jenny's outside of Grand Island, NY, wins our Best Restaurant of the Trip Award. Great food, prices, ambiance!

 

For Mom - Who loved player pianos and had a zillion rolls. Miss you Mom.

Fruit Stand on The Way to Sodus - Great peaches, plums, and peach bread - Yum!

The evening of September 2, Bobby and Lisa set off on their own. Details of their plans are not known to us. That we made it together from 5/25 to 9/2, is an accomplishment. Traveling in and of itself carries a certain amount of stress. Being on the road with four people sharing a 7 x 20 RV and all that that entails is challenging for all involved.

Steve and I are enjoying being on our own and look forward to Bar Harbor - the end of the bike tour. I enjoy driving the route and meeting up with Steve along the way. Yesterday we planned to meet for lunch. Surprisingly, along the way ended up meeting three other times. It was fun.

I'm guessing Bobby and Lisa are also enjoying being on their own and wish them well on their new adventure.

Peace and Love to All,
JoAnne and Steve - Trixie too!

August 30, 2010 - Reporting from Cleveland, Ohio

Since my last report we have traveled from St. Ignace, Michigan to Cleveland, Ohio, adding three more states to the list of states visited. Between Michigan and Ohio, there were two days in Indiana.

We had a real boon in Monroeville, Indiana. It looked as though there would be no place - I mean no place for us to stay. Then, Lisa went into the Monroeville Library and was chatting with the librarian about our journey, mentioned the bicycling and BINGO! Judy, says...we have a place for you. Turns out they make the community park facilities available to cross country cyclists. Yahoo! It was a nice facility, shower and laundry - Imagine that.

Here in Cleveland we've been taking a break. Lisa and Bobby found a Bed and Breakfast near downtown Cleveland. Steve and I stayed with Lucy. Trixie is at the Paws on the Lake Resort and Spa. Last night after spending seven and a half hours at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2 thumbs up), then having a nice dinner at La Strada, in downtown Cleveland, we stayed at the Marriott...parking lot that is. No RV parks in Cleveland, so we boondocked in there. We were looking for a WalMart, but the one we found was not to our liking and we headed for higher ground.

Tomorrow Steve gets his bike back from the bike shop (needed repairs), we pick up Trixie and reconnect with Bobby and Lisa - Trixie too. Next stop: Geneva on the Lake, Ohio.

I'm short on photos - tired of taking scenery shots, but here are a few others I hope you'll enjoy.

May you all be well and enjoying life - moment by moment. Big Hugs to everyone.

Pancakes at Java Joe's - St. Ignace, MI

WalMart Recycling Center - Way to Go Wal Mart!

Sandy Beach County Park - Newaygo, MI - Seasonal site next to Lucy

Sunset at Ionia State Park, Saranac, MI

Amish Country - Shipshewana, IN

Sunset - Fire Lake Campground, Bowling Green, OH

Downtown Cleveland - The Old and The New

Rubber Stamp "FREE" Sculpture - Cleveland Ohio

A View of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Building

My Personal Rock Star

At the "Original" Pancake House

Our Server at Luisa's Mexican Restaurant, Geneva, OH

August 17, 2010 - Reporting from St. Ignace, MI

The bike route goes to St. Ignace, where riders take a ferry to Mackinac Island, and then a ferry to Mackinac City. We decided to take a two day respite in St. Ignace. Yesterday after we arrived in St. Ignace, Bobby and Lisa headed over to the island while Steve and I stayed at our campsite at the TIKI RV Campground. We set up the tent, got caught up on laundry then headed to downtown St. Ignace for dinner. Today we got up early and took the ferry over to the island. The attractions were interesting, old buildings, forts, and horse drawn carts and buggies (no motorized vehicles allowed on the island). Oh - I almost forgot zillions of tourists.

Steve takes advantage of WiFi at Naubinway, MI cafe.

Surf's up...on Lake Superior.

Ah! Miss our Hawaii rainbows. Thank you.

On Lake Huron

At the Chuckwagon - Mackinaw Island

Our Island Transportation

Arch Rock

Let's Soar

F

From the Overlook

On the Footpath

On the Ferry Back to the Mainland