Asheville, NC

Yeah I know it has been a few days since my last posting. Not too much going on over the past week as we start making our way south. After leaving Gettysburg, PA we started our journey south to Lexington, VA (about 40 miles north of Roanoke, VA and then moved on down I-81 to Asheville, NC.

The picture was taken at the campground we stayed at in Asheville. It was nice to have the river right behind the RV.

From Asheville we have moved onto Cleveland, GA. The winding roads through the mountains are just amazing. It can be a little scary at times when the turns are so tight as you make your way down a steep hill. Controlling speed and maneuvering the turns can really get the Adrenalin pumping. That said, it is more then worth it as the beauty of the mountains and the change in the colors of the leaves just blows us away.

We will be spending a week to a week and a half here. We chose this campground because of the amenities at the campground and the surrounding area. I will have more details later.

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.

Bushkill Falls, E. Stroudsburg, PA

Yesterday afternoon we attempted to go to Bushkill Falls, but it was so crowded we decided against it. Since it opens at 9 AM we decided that perhaps that is the best time to go. We are really glad we did that. So at 9 this morning we hit the trail. There were only a few other hikers that had the same idea about the crowds. It was quite cool so we were prepared with layers of clothes and even wore gloves. At least in the beginning as it was quite cool at 48 degrees. Even though it was cold, we were working up a good sweat. This turned out to be one of the most challenging of the hikes we have taken to date. Even Angel was plum tuckered out when we were done.

There are several paths to take, and of course we took the most difficult, but perhaps the most rewarding. Because of the topography there are lots of steps that they had to put in. However, the beauty and just raw nature made it all worth while. The trail was 2 miles of up and down along the river. Some of the trails were really challenging, but that is what make it so much fun. There are a total of 12 falls in the park that we were able to see. Oh how fortunate we are to see so many of the wonders that are out there. We look forward to seeing many more. It really amazes me how Andrea is able to hike with the best of them considering the fact that she has had both knees and a hip replaced. Ah, the wonders of modern medicine.

This area of Pennsylvania is where the Pocono Mountains are, and the big attraction is skiing.

We took a ride around the Delaware Water Gap, but there where a lot of pet restrictions so we could not do much since we had Angel with us. We have not come across too many situations where Angel was not welcomed. Most state parks welcome dogs as long as they are on a leash. We are very appreciative of that as we love bringing her every where we go.

Tomorrow we leave here and head to Gettysburg. We will be there for about a week so we can spend more time with Chris, Cheryl and the grand kids. More later.

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.

Montrose, Pennsylvania

As we start making our way south we are doing some re-visiting. We spent some time with my Aunt Del and Uncle Gene. We also met up with my cousin Lori and spent and evening talking about family. Not so much the present day family, but rather some history going back to Europe. They had lots of information that was fascinating to hear.

The weather has taken a 180 degree turn in that a wicked cold front came through bringing two days of rain, really cold temperatures, and was just miserable. We took a ride into town to find a laundromat since there was very little else to do with such nasty weather. When we left Saturday morning (10/13) there was frost all over the car and grass. The temperature had gone down to 34 degrees. It is a good thing that we bought Angel a little jacket to wear for just such an occasion. Very stylish, wouldn't you agree?

Today we went to Bushkill Falls for a hike. I will do a separate blog on that.

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.

Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania

The canyon was formed 20,000 years ago by a glacier that carved out a 1,400 foot deep chasm. We viewed both East and West rims from two different state parks that are in the Tioga Forest region. The chasm is 47 miles long.

We hiked a 1-1/2 mile steep and narrow trail to the bottom. As usual Angel led the way. What a great hiker she has become. Going back up proved to be much more difficult than we believed it would be. We are glad to report that we managed.

We have enjoyed seeing an endless vision of mountain ranges for well over three months now and we are just loving it. We have also enjoyed driving through so many towns. Many of the towns were established back in the 1700's. Truly a joy to pass through history as we move on down the road. More later.

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.

Covington, Pennsylvania

We arrived here in Pennsylvania yesterday. It was a nice drive along Senaca Lake, then through Watkins Glen. It was nice to see once again some of the things we really enjoyed about the area. The trip was only about 2-1/2 hours long so no big deal as far as travel time.

Temperatures are still above normal, but the good news is that by Tuesday a cold front is coming that should keep the temperatures in the 60's (where they are supposed to be).

The campground we are at sits atop a mountain so the leaves seem to be changing a little faster than what we have seen to date.

Later today we are going to a Apple and Cheese Festival located in Canton, PA. In addition there is an Art and Craft show that we will check out as well. More later.

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.

Montezuma, New York

We arrived at the campground in Montezuma NY around 12:30 as it was only a 2 hour ride from Watkins Glen. Montezuma sits fairly close to Cayuga Lake. This lake is 40 miles long and 3.5 miles wide at its widest point. At 453 feet it is very deep although not quite as deep as Seneca Lake which is 632 feet deep.

The campground is pretty empty during the week as the season is pretty much over. Although with the weather being about 20 degrees warmer then normal they could have very easily extended the season had they known it was going to be so warm. Today is supposed to hit 83 degrees. It is crazy weather. It is still cooler then Florida. Also, the nights really do get cool.

The section of the campground that we are in is empty so we have it to ourselves. The view out the front of the coach is nothing but corn fields and grass. The park is spread out so it makes for some very nice long walks. This morning we decided to let Angel run free as we walked. She had a blast. Those of you that know her know that she loves to run. Well run she did. Of course when we got back to the RV she was filthy. We gave her a nice shower and we could not believe the amount of dirt that was on her. We even think she enjoyed it although I doubt she would admit it.

We will be taking a ride along the lake this morning to check out the area. More later.

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.

The Gorge at Watkins Glen, NY

Yesterday we visited the Gorge at Watkins Glen. It appears the Mother Nature has been very busy over the last 12,000 years. It is amazing how the constant flow of water just eats away the rock and creates some rather spectacular sites to behold. The pictures really do not not reflect the real beauty, but it can give you an idea of what we have seen.

After visiting the Gorge we took a ride (about 3 minutes) over to Seneca Lake to watch the sail boats enjoy a most beautiful day. As most of you know Andrea and I love the water so it was very enjoyable to spend a little time just "taking it in". However, we are fast becoming mountain folk and find the mountains give a different kind of calm. The eyes take it in as if we were feasting on a most delicious meal. At times we can not get enough.

Based on what we are seeing here we are most anxious to see the grand daddy of them all when we head out west next March. Next week we will be spending a few days in Pennsylvania at an area known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Of course we will have a report on what we see. Perhaps we will call it a warm up to the "big show".

Miles of Smiles. Happy trails.