Thursday, 8 September.

My high school is gone!  Torn down.  It was a pretty building.

A museum attraction called Erie Canal Village was created decades ago.  My parents contributed an old building to the cause.  Moving it across town was a big event.  The Village grew to be truly village-sized, but now, sadly, it’s a ghost town.  What makes it especially disappointing is that the Erie Canal was begun in 1817 in Rome.  In 1967 the town had a large sesquicentennial celebration, without any Canal Village. Now that the bicentennial is just around the corner, I’d assumed there would be an even larger event.  But with the Village in total decay, I guess not.

Also in my hometown is the grave of Francis Bellamy, author if the Pledge of Allegiance.  It’s nicely maintained in the city cemetery, which is a pretty nice one, as cemeteries go.  I’d never noticed before.

Lastly, in the 1960’s, largely thanks to Senator Robert Kennedy, a recreation of a revolutionary-era fort was built: Fort Stanwix.  I’ve visited about a dozen forts this year, so I can speak with some knowledge that this one is a winner.  People are dressed in period clothing, there is an education center with multiple movies, and the fort itself is excellent.  Anyone interested in the era should make plans to visit.

The drive to Chestertown to see my brother was fun, but not extraordinary. Some of the road curves that once excited the nerves are hoo hum on a bike.  Along the way I noticed that the only establishment I ever worked at that didn’t begin with “U.S. Navy” is gone.  No great loss.

This is a post office, far from any water. I don’t know why it has a light house.

The white house was donated by my parents to the Canal Village. Falling apart. Sad.

The Canal barge also falling apart.

Fort Bull was used the French and Indian War. It was just a piece of land with a gulley (moat) around it. Could find rifle balls there when I was young.

It’s interesting to me that Bellamy was a minister, yet he didn’t put “under God” in the Pledge. Congress did.

The view of Fort Stanwix as it would have been seen from the swamp.

My first childhood house. It’s much prettier today, though it’s 66(?) years old.

My second childhood house. When we went by it on the school bus everyone considered it haunted. Then my dad bought it! Built around 1872. Museums in the west brag about their buildings being built in 1880s. I yawn.

Before California became the place to go, people in New York City went north.

The wind would really make these dinky little things sway.

Wednesday, 7 September.  No pics.

Enjoyable country roads.  Small towns. Stopped by Hamilton, NY. Saw grandfather and step grandmother’s gravesite. Cleaned it up.  Was there only once before, so finding it was impressive. The Colgate University campus is so large now.  New and old buildings mixed together. For the first time on this journey (4,500 miles?) I saw a Clinton sign on a front lawn. There was a woman sweeping the front porch (how cool is that?), so I stopped and told her.  Funny.

If there is one location in Rome that holds nothing but happy memories it is The Savoy restaurant. The adjoining bar was always a mysterious darkness in my youth.  Today I sat there. Had my eternal spaghetti and meat balls. They still have a picture of my dad on the wall, which isn’t saying that much.  Lots of pictures.

Staying in a hotel. After three days in a tent, I needed some luxury.

Tuesday, 6 September.  Stayed in place.  Drove around Seneca Lake, famous for wine.

First took a morning walk along the upper reaches of Glen Creek.  Nature is much better without a press of people.  The work done to build walkways that blended with the gorge is excellent.  It helped that the rock is soft.  Overall, Watkins Glen is worth a visit.  It isn’t the Grand Canyon, but few things are.

The tour around the lake was pleasant. Most of it is done well above and inland of the shoreline, but there are spots that give a nice view.  The wineries are mostly one-hit wonders; Riesling.  The few reds I tasted ranged from bad to okay.  Prices are lower than California, so I won’t complain.  But I had several fun conversations.

Not an unforgettable day.  But it was worth the gas money.

Sunshine, filtered through leaves, hitting the creek.

A few vineyards.

My best side.

Geneva, NY, has beautiful homes!! Incredible. This is just one example.

Wineshop is an old service station.

Not a proud thing, but the monument is still up.

Have not seen a horse and carriage yet, but seen plenty of these signs.

Memorials in the east are obviously older than the west.

203 years of Sunday School!

Hector Falls. It actually continues under the road. Water out of rocks.

Monday, 5 September.

The drive from Millersburg to Watkins Glen was mostly uneventful. Elmira has an old park, was well known 120 years ago, that the city is reviving.  Nice effort to date.  The merry-go-round is reputably the fastest one in the world, though there is no proof.  It does go ’round very rapidly.  It’s one of a number of carousels that has the ring grabbing device, which is where the phrase “to grab the brass ring” gets its origins.

In Danbury, PA I got my closest near-death experience of the entire year.  As a pedestrian, in a legal crosswalk, with the “Walk” sign on.  Driver turning left not only nearly hit me, but took umbrage at my impeding his movement.  “I’m driving here!” he yelled.

Watkins Glen had an Indycar race on Sunday.  The town is all about race cars.  nice paintings and a walking history lesson along the street, which has its own Walk of Fame for racers worldwide.

I got a campsite and then toured most of the gorge cut out of the hillside by Glen Creek.  It’s a really impressive sight with various walkways either right along the creek above it.  The are stone bridges and tunnels cut in to the walls.  It’s really quite a view.  Of course, being Labor Day, it was pretty crowded.  I’ll do more of it tomorrow.

I walked two miles from the campsite into town to do some wine tasting, only to learn that the only one in town is closed Mondays.  Even Labor Day.  Very disappointed.

I’ve mostly included this to show the background. I went from clear view to deep fog and back for about an hour.

Not much of a claim to fame. But you promote what you can.

I include the car. It sounded just like you’d expect.

Who knew?

Pretty, but none of the horses are originals. The rebuilders searched the country for used ones.

Sunday, 4 September.  Brilliantly split the distance between DC and Baltimore.  Didn’t have to get on either beltway.  Visited Mt. Airy, Littlestown, Gettysburg, Carlisle and Millersburg.  Gettysburg cannot be seen in less than a full day, so I essentially skipped it.  Visited one battlefield/cemetery.  Carlisle was good.  I went because I knew Jim Thorpe (famous athlete) had gone to school there.  Turns out it also had some involvement with the Gettysburg engagement.  Millersburg is a tiny little town on the east bank of the Susquehanna River with a 3-car ferry to the west bank, which has a campground.  Took the ferry to the campground.  It was a slow, restful day.  A lot of bikes on the road.

Gettysburg was a very fluid engagement. As this sign illustrates.

Those are 8″ floppy disks. Even before my time!

One of hundreds of monuments at Gettysburg. Most of them identify brigades, regiments, battalions and companies. Really confusing if you’re trying to keep track

Entrance to Cemetery Hill. It was there during the battle.

I was deliberate in showing the artillery in the background.

To clarify: The battle of Monmouth was during the Revolutionary War.

Molly “Pitcher”. She would carry water to the wounded in a pitcher. Hence the nickname. Her husband worked with cannon.  When he was wounded, she pitched in.  George Washington personally thanked her.

I’m a Presbyterian.

Very nice looking firestation in Carlisle.

The car ferry. It’s a sternwheeler houseboat with a barge attached. 16″ draft. The water can’t be more than 3′ deep. People wade across the mile wide river.

When the Harleys start their engines, I have to look at my gages to make sure my engine is running.

Friday and Saturday, 2-3 September.  Attended 40th reunion with the Annapolis class of 1976.  No pictures.  I didn’t consider these two days to be part of the Adventure.

It was a good time and I’m glad I came.  But now, on with the Adventure.  I believe I’ll slow my speed of advance.  I’ll head back to New York tomorrow, seeking a new route through Pennsylvania.

Thursday, 1 Sep.  I thought I’d check out Harpers Ferry before spending the day at the Air and Space Museum in Dulles.  But ended up spending the day at Harpers Ferry.  The Museum will have to wait.

National Historical Park.  Not a National Historic Site.  Read over some of the rules for naming stuff and it’ll make your head spin.  Parking is an issue, so you park away from the town and take a shuttle. The Appalachian Trail goes through town.  There’s an Information Center there about the Trail and I had a good time talking about my walk in Scotland, which is part of the International Appalachian Trail.  There is also a Rail Trail that begins in DC and runs along the Potomac shoreline.  Besides the famous rebellion by John Brown, a lot of Civil War conflicts occurred in town.  Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were involved in some of its past.  I was surprised at the amount of history that is held by the place.  The “Fort” where John Brown was defeated was deconstructed and moved four times.  It’s now 50 yards from its place of origin.

Visited two tasting rooms.  Had one taste at each one.  Virginia’s pours are truly only one ounce. Maybe less.  Hardly a single swallow.  Quite different from what I’m used to in California.  I can only guess that inspectors are particular about amounts.  One Winery, Breaux Vineyards, was beautiful.  Perfect place for a quiet afternoon watching the world turn.  Wine was excellent too.

Had dinner at Mike’s American Restaurant in Springfield with an old friend.  Just as I was putting on the helmet, a typical DC rainstorm hit.  From nothing to everything between breaths.  I got to a covered gas station within a minute, but in that time I became soaked.  By the time I had my rain gear on the rain had mostly stopped.  But spray from cars was intense.  Made it to Annapolis after nightfall, the first time on the trip I drove in the dark.

Here for two days, attending reunion.  Will not be reporting on that, so expect nothing more until Sunday.

John Brown’s “Fort”. The Armory’s firehouse. The building was disassembled and reconstructed at the Chicago Exposition.

Yonder is Maryland. This is part of the Appalachian Trail.

There are people beginning the European tradition of hanging locks on bridges to commemorate a couple’s love.

View from “Jefferson’s Rock”. Thomas Jefferson visited Harpers Ferry and wrote that the view was worth crossing the ocean to see.

Another view from Jefferson’s Rock.

I think this legal tongue twister is at most wineries in Virginia. Find the typo.

Beaux Vineyard.

The view from the front of Breaux Winery.

I was chased this morning by rain.  Traffic and wind patterns kept me right on the leading edge for two hours.  The weather plot would have no rain juuuuust a few miles ahead, but it would move as I moved.  Got a little wet.

The rain didn’t get to Punxsutawney.  No surprise: The town has an absolute fixation on the groundhog.   Phil has his own quarters at the library, though his window needs some serious cleaning.  Gobbler’s Knob is actually several miles outside of town (the movie used the war memorial park.)  A guy gave me a “Happy Groundhog Day” coin.  Fun.

Further south I had no rain.  I very happily drove nearly all the way through Pennsylvania on local roads.  Some twisties.  Hills.  Nice towns.  At times there was a canopy of leaves over the road, other times a wide vista of green rolling landscape.  Historical markers were in plain sight, but most didn’t really say much. Two confederate flags.  Many Trump signs.  One large yellow roadside sign: “Wear seat belts . . . for the next million miles!” Mercersburg (James Buchanan’s childhood home) was worthy of a stop, but I didn’t.

Hotel has laundry services.  Clean cloths!  No continental breakfast, but I’m 30 seconds away from a Waffle House.  Thank goodness there aren’t any near my home.  Nearly every time I visit one the server calls me darlin’ or dearie.  We’ll see.

Sculptures of Phil Are everywhere.

There are many statues like this one. In the background is Phil’s picture window. Very dirty.

Hereeeeee’s Phil!!

The stage is about 3 miles from town (on Gobbler’s Knob, of course).

This was once the Cambria County(?) prison. It’s an impressive building, sitting in the middle of town and right next to the war memorial park. Now the Records Repository. It really ought to be something jazzier.

Restless house.

In a house’s front lawn. I’m thinking he doesn’t need to do much extra work to prepare for Halloween.