Gaston, VA

Friday, August 21 - We left North River Camp Ground in Shawboro NC at 8AM. We drove 3+ hours to our destination, The Club Resort at Lake Gaston, Virginia, an ROD membership park.

We saw a lot of blooming cotton fields, soybean, and corn fields that have dried out and look ready to be plowed under. The yellow corn fields will likely be ground to make feed for livestock and poultry. Some of it will be used for seed for future crops. The Crepe Myrtle trees and shrubs are everywhere in full bloom. The weather was very sunny and extremely hot and the coach heated up to 89 degrees by the time we arrived at our destination, even running the generator and front air conditioner.

We were set up by noon as much as Ray could with the heat. The rest of the outside chores had to wait until the sun goes down. The good news we are expecting rain and lower temperatures in the 80s by tomorrow.

  Club Resort at Lake Gaston is noted for its 20,000-acre Lake Gaston with full service marina. Clubhouse is huge and has an exercise room, sauna, Jacuzzi, movie room, dining area and lounge. Family Fun Center has indoor heated swimming pool, shuffleboard, racquetball, tanning beds, 10-lane bowling alley, arcade room, exercise /weight room and snack bar. There is a fee for the use of these amenities.

This park does not cater to big rigs.  Once you get beyond the clubhouse and Family Fun Center, the park shows its age, with narrow roads and a lot of permanent trailers, some very unsightly. We are in an open area so we can get satellite. We can get Verizon air card to work (4-bars), but no AT&T phone service.

Sunday, August 23 - Beautiful sunny morning in 70s, so Ray decided to take a ride around Lake Gaston. He did 110 miles, lots of farms and he saw the large Kerr Dam, which contains much of the lake.

  The US Army Corps of Engineers operates this 50,000 acre reservoir and an additional 50,000 acres of surrounding land. In the 1950's, Kerr Reservoir, also called Buggs Island Lake, was constructed primarily to provide for flood control and hydropower generation.

Monday, August 24 - We drove into Lake Gaston to grocery shop and see the local area. Not much near the park. Temps are back to mid 90s. Too hot for Ray to do much outside even though the humidity is 79%, but not bad if you compare this to Florida.

Tuesday, August 25 - It is 67° outside and looks like another beautiful day in the high 80s, mid-90s. Ray is riding the Gold Wing today. Some of his pictures:

 

Wednesday, August 26 - Thermometer says it is 95 degrees outside our coach. I rode my bike all the way down the asphalt road to the lake/pool area. It was fun as the hills are not too steep for me to handle.  We can’t use our BBQ stand because the ground is too unlevel for me to cook. The parks tables are very old and not usable.  Oh well, maybe the next stop will work out better for steaks on the grill.

Thursday, August 27 - Woke up to beautiful sunshine off the lake. A huge bright globe of golden yellow. It is 68° and no breeze. We changed our reservations to leave on 8/1 instead of 8/4 since we have no cell phone service.

Technorati Tags: Kerr Reservoir,Buggs Island Lake,Club Resort at Lake Gaston

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Advance NC (Forest Lake Preserve-Thousand Trails)

Monday, September 14 - As the mist rises off the lake we left Lynchburg Thousand Trails Preserve Virginia, around 8 am to drive to Forest Lake Thousand Trails Preserve in Advance, North Carolina. Beautiful sunny day. Arrived around 11 am. We had a terrible time with our setup yesterday. It was 92 degrees, humidity 24 – but Ray still had difficulty with the heat. We started putting our lounge slide out (the widest) and found that we were 2” over the electric box. Not good. So we had to pull in the slides, and reposition the RV so it was well away from the electric box. I didn’t realize that we have two moving parts that extend six inches further than the slide.

We love the spot we got before all good sites were taken. This is the part of RVing that I don’t care for. We had not even repositioned ourselves when a couple came to the door (Mitzy was loose and she tried to “eat” them) Ray had the engine running so they thought we were moving and they wanted this site in the worst way. They took one across from us and down a ways. Looks like they have a Bischon.

Tuesday, September 15 - It started out at 65 degrees and now it is overcast and signs of rain coming. In mid 80s. Friday - Rainy all day until late afternoon.

Sunday, September 20 - Off and on overcast sky. Ray took the Gold Wing into town to run errands. Watched football, although we couldn’t get the Bucs game using our satellite.

Monday, September 21 - Overcast sky again today, with 66 degrees. Vacuumed coach.

Tuesday, September 22 - It is 65 degrees at 7am and the park is shrouded in fog. Fall has come to the Carolinas.

Wednesday, September 23 - Started raining heavy around 5am and has not let up with the rainy weather. Ray left in the truck to visit Boone NC and see our site location at the next park called Honey Bear. Also he wants to see Steven’s property.

Friday, September 25 - We drove into Mocksville to grocery shop at a Super Wal-Mart. Sun was shining for a change. This afternoon we started to feel a change in temperatures as a cold front moves our way. Highs in the 60s tomorrow.

White in Advance, Ray drove over to Lenoir to check out Steven and Gennifer’s land they purchased. This is a view from where their house would be if built.

Saturday, September 26 -It started raining last night and drizzle most of the day. Very gloomy and a high of 64°. With all this rain, we should see a beautiful leaf-changing season in October.

Monday, September 28 - Beautiful sunny skies and cooler temperatures and expecting 40 mph wind gusts this afternoon as a cold front is moving in. Ray took the Wing out for a short ride around 10 am.

Tuesday, September 29 - It is 47° this morning at 7:30 am. Looks like another beautiful day, with high in the 70s. Love the fall weather in North Carolina.

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Gladys VA (Lynchburg)

Sunday, August 30 - Beautiful sunny day as we depart from Club @ Lake Gaston in Gasburg VA to travel to Thousand Trails Lynchburg Preserve in Gladys VA. Actually Gladys is near Rustburg and a more popular location at Lynchburg. We took time last year to visit Lynchburg and it has a lot of history and a great museum.

Puffy clouds adorn the sunny skies and looks like cooler weather. We passed through small historical looking towns, passed through some hilly and low valley areas on Rt. 40. Good two-lane road turned onto Red Hill (Patrick Henry) Road. Nearby Red Hill is the Patrick Henry National Memorial in Charlotte County, Virginia near the Town of Brookneal. It honors Patrick Henry, the fiery legislator and orator of the American Revolution. Henry's law office and grave are preserved at his small Red Hill plantation, along with a reconstruction of his last home. The Red Hill Road turned into a very narrow and hilly road and not made for the RV. Good thing no one was coming in the opposite direction. We saw a lot of farms or mobile homes on five acre lots, some in disrepair and some with nice landscaping. A lot of homes were built in the colonial revival architecture with strong columns on porches.

We arrived by 10:15 am (short trip) and started looking for a satellite-friendly site. The site we had last year was taken and the fellow said he was paid seasonally and leaving in October. It is becoming a real hassle for full-timers with big rigs to find sat-friendly sites that are not taken by six-month members. Ray convinced me to try getting satellite at a beautiful location close to the large lake below. We are surrounded by trees, but there is a clearing in the southwest direction. We backed into the site, plugged into electric and started the satellite location process. Within 20 minutes we were locked into satellite and started our housekeeping chores to set up. The weather here is 10 degrees cooler and tomorrow we are expecting 60 degree weather during the day. What a remarkable change from the heat and humidity at Lake Gaston.

Our site has many types of trees; some I recognize like the maple and oaks. Plenty of shrubs too. Looking forward to using the grill here as the site has a nice picnic table. Not sure how long the low temperatures will hang around.

Ray fixed up a fire in the pit to roast hot dogs. It was too funny! We left our long stainless steel grilling prongs back home, so he improvised. This is our first ever fire and roasting. The soot and black hot dog didn’t look too appetizing to me, so I took my time cooking the next batch, until the end looked like it was going to drop the dog into the fire. We will come up with something better for next time.

The coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina through the month of August turned out to be much warmer than we expected. Most days were in the mid 90s and high humidity, just too hot to do much during mid-day. Even riding the Gold Wing was not fun after 10 AM. Our objective is to be in the Smoky Mountains during the month of October connecting up with family and friends to enjoy the fall foliage. So we have scheduled two stops before the mountains. One in Lynchburg, VA and one in Winston-Salem, NC area, both in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Lynchburg was a good move with an elevation of 700 to 900 feet which helped lower temps 10-15 degrees. I took advantage of the early morning temps being in the mid 50s and rode the Wing a number of days enjoying the local farm roads and taking photos. There are a lot of old barns and old farm houses in this area.

Things got rather interesting when I stop on the road still sitting on the bike and trying to line up a photo shot when I hear coming usually from behind me or from the side the growl from a very large dog, maybe a Sheppard, Pit bull, or pincher running at full bore toward me. Not wanting to find out what happens when these fanged creatures reach their target (Me), I vacate promptly. Hence I have learned to leave the bike running. Talk about protecting your territory, OUCH.

My one trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway was great, cool day beautiful clear blue skies. Just a taste of what is to come in Oct. and the Smokies. The parkway’s elevation near Lynchburg maxed out around 2500 ft. I missed the photo of the day, just as I exited a short tunnel a deer was standing on a nice grassy area only 10 ft. away looking straight at me. I was expecting it to bolt hopefully not in front of me, but it just stood there and watched me go by. I watched my mirrors and it was still there. I turned around ASAP and as I expected it was gone. Oh well that photo is in my mind.

Marsha, Mitzy and I drove to Smith Mt. Lake, 50+ miles SW. This lake is very large with mill$$$ homes on the shore line, really a pretty area. Great drive and great scenery at the lake. We enjoyed the outing. The roads were made for cycles, next time I’ll include a ride to Smith Mt Lake.

Tuesday, September 01 - Beautiful morning and 61 degrees. Should be mid-70s today. Plan to ride out bikes and Ray took the Gold Wing out for a nice ride.

Wednesday, September 02 - It was 57 degrees this am. Coach was at 68°. Almost time to use the small portable heater to take the chill off.

Friday, September 04 - A cool 56° and the lake is shrouded in mist rolling across it. Beautiful sight. We went into Lynchburg to shop at Health Nut’s Health food shop (really nice owner who explained I could give Mitzy raw egg in her diet without a problem. He also suggested to give her organ meat cooked to help with Cushing's.)

Saturday, September 05 - We stayed home today working on projects. Warmer than it has been but people are swarming down the hill to the rec center with kids (grandkids) in tow to enjoy the pool. Park is almost filled up here on our Section C ridge. We met a neighbor that is from New Jersey and new to the motor home they purchased. Thinking of going full-time but he is still working. Sandy is retired from teaching school. She is a Sweet Adeline and travels by air quite a bit to be in productions or competition. Herb is an engineer.

Labor Day! Overcast and prediction of rain here in Lynchburg. Enjoying the cooler temps and tomorrow should be high in mid-70s. Ray took the Honda out for a short two-hour ride. These pictures are of a picnic at the pavilion across the lake for a corporation.

Tuesday, September 8 - It rained a slow drizzle last night and the day was cloudy and cool all day long. Drove into Lynchburg to shop at Target and also stopped by Best Buy.

Thursday, September 10 - It is 63° this morning here in Lynchburg. Looking forward to moving to Advance NC and then to Boone NC for October before heading to Florida for the Winter.

Friday, September 11 - Around 9:30 am, we drove to see the Smith Mountain Lake State Park Huddleston, VA. It is about 40 miles from the park and the day was exceptional, with blue skies and lots of sun. Drove through Gladys on Gladys Road (Rt. 699). Gladys is in Campbell County, in the Lynchburg metro area. Once a relay station for mail brought on horseback. The elevation is 781 feet. As we meandered the very narrow road (at times) we saw plenty of soy bean fields about a foot high. The road was so twisted and s-curved. I was not a happy camper as I terribly car-sick. We took South 29 through Alta Vista. The new Town of AltaVista was created in 1905 during the construction of the east-west Tidewater Railway between Giles County (on the border with West Virginia) and Sewell's Point in what was at the time Norfolk County. Leesville Lake, seen as we drove through Alta Vista, is a reservoir in Virginia the United States used for Hydro-Electric power generation in conjunction with Smith Mountain Lake as a pump storage project.

We arrived at Smith Mountain Lake State Park and found a beautiful scenic view from all directions once you reach the visitor’s office on the Lake.

We saw the RV camp sites during our visit and they are very nicely kept. Large level graveled sites with water and electric, and dump station.

There's nothing better than living along a lake. The water draws us in with its promise of peaceful times and recreational family fun. Precautions have been taken to keep the land in its pristine state. Smith Mountain Lake is known as "the jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains". The most popular lake in Virginia, it has over 500 foot of shoreline.

Smith Mountain Lake was created to generate electricity, and to help manage water flows downstream and nearby. The damming of the Blackwater and Roanoke Rivers formed Smith Mountain Lake in a filling process that began on September 24, 1963 -- and ended almost 2.5 years later on March 7, 1966. Surrounded by mountains, SML's deepest point is about 250 feet, near the dam itself.

Historical Tobacco Barn still standing within the park.

Some other time we would like to visit the surrounding lake communities. Bedford is 20 miles north of the park and Roanoke is 35 miles west.

Technorati Tags: Smith Mountain Lake,Lynchburg,Virginia,Brookneal,Patrick Henry,Target,BestBuy,Health Nut’s Health food,Tidewater Railway,Advance NC,Boone NC

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Shawboro NC

Monday, August 17 - 8:30 am we left OW Williamsburg Campground, Williamsburg Virginia and drove to Shawboro, North Carolina to the North River Campground.

Beautiful sunny skies. We passed through the town of Newport News, VA. Newport News is part of Warwick County, one of the eight original shires of Virginia formed by the House of Burgesses in the British Colony of Virginia by order of King Charles I in 1634. Referred to as "Newportes Newes" as early as 1621. The county was largely composed of farms and undeveloped land until almost 250 years later. A major feature of Newport News, the Mariners' Museum, has grown to become one of the largest and finest maritime museums in the world. Drove across the James River, a new four-lane lift bridge that was completed in stages from 1975 to 1982 at a cost of $75 million. The 415.0 ft lift span over the shipping channel, with a clearance of 145 ft when raised and 59.7 ft. when lowered, is about 1/4 of the way along the 4.39 mile bridge. This allows ocean-going ships to pass en route to civilian port facilities in Hopewell and at the Port of Richmond. The mouth of Chesapeake Bay is one of the world’s great natural harbors at Norfolk/Hampton Roads. We saw huge derricks for boat repairs and even an aircraft carrier was in the harbor.

We arrived at North River Campground in Shawboro around 11:20 am. At check in, the owner complained about our early arrival. The road coming into the park is so narrow, two RVs would not be able to pass. She charged us $5 for the early check-in even though we were never told about it. Regardless, I don’t think we would have waited until 1:00 pm.

Shawboro is an unincorporated community located in Currituck County, North Carolina. Elizabeth City is the closest town about 30- minute drive time. Elizabeth City was founded as the town of Redding in 1793 on land acquired from Adam and Elizabeth Tooley. In 1794, the town was renamed Elizabeth, and in 1801 Elizabeth City. The name change has been variously attributed to honor either Queen Elizabeth I of England, who 200 years earlier spearheaded the colonization of the Carolina and Virginia coasts, or Elizabeth "Betsy" Tooley. The city is located alongside the Pasquotank River, which connects to the Albemarle Sound and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. There is plenty to do in this area for nature lovers.

We rode our bikes around the park on asphalt drive that encircles the pond. It is all flat so it is very easy to navigate. Two circles is ½ mile. The 15” of rain the past two weeks has soaked the ground so the smell is quite musty or moldy. Ugh! Mitzy sneezed as we rode our bikes - she was sitting in her basket with dad.

Weather shows that the hurricane season is certainly heating up. They have Ana and Bill right now. It is certainly hotter here because there are no trees around the RVs. The a/c struggles all day to keep us comfortable.

Tuesday, August 18 - We took a drive to the Outer Banks today on Rt. 158 to see the Atlantic and also visit the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. There are acres and acres of farmland with either corn or soybean.

Crossed over Wright Memorial Bridge to Kitty Hawk in Currituck County. Wright Memorial Bridge crosses the Pamlico Sound and is an amazing view. We passed through the towns of Duck and Corolla. Duck is a favorite vacation spot because of its unspoiled beaches, small-town atmosphere with plenty of dining and shopping opportunities. Duck has classy places such as the Sanderling Resort & Spa.

The Currituck Beach Light is a lighthouse located on the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina. On December 1, 1875, the Currituck Beach Light, after two years, was completed. It is located between Cape Henry Light and Bodie Island. It has the largest of seven Fresnel lens sizes. An example of Gothic Revival architecture, the Currituck Beach Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1973. Now open to the public, The Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc. continue to maintain and restore the structures on the lighthouse property.

We took a driving tour of some of the Atlantic shoreline neighborhoods and saw there were about half of the homes with small “for sale” signs on them.

We crossed over the Dismal Swamp Canal. It is located along the eastern edge of the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia and North Carolina. In May 1763, George Washington made his first visit to the Great Dismal Swamp and suggested draining it and digging a north-south canal through it to connect the waters of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and Albemarle Sound in North Carolina. It is the oldest continually operating man-made canal in the United States, opened in 1805. It is part of an intracoastal waterway, an inland route, which parallels the east coast and offers boaters shelter from the Atlantic Ocean from Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey to Brownsville, Texas. The route runs through bays, lakes, rivers, streams, and canals, and includes the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway running from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Florida Keys.

Thursday, August 20 - We drove to Elizabeth City over the Pasquotank River. Plenty of road work showing that the stimulus dollars for American Recovery Act are being used in North Carolina. Massive project to four-lane miles of road.

We stopped at the Museum of Albemarle on Water Street downtown. This museum was three stories and very interesting with very diversified information.

Through regional collections, historical interpretation and professional assistance, the museum encourages visitors to explore and understand the past, to reflect on their place in history, and to preserve regional history for future generations.

The Ancient Albemarle has a history as old as America's. From the first English colony in the New World to the discovery of powered flight, every American epoch is represented in this museum.

Downtown also notes the 1927 Virginia Dare Hotel that is still standing and has a two-story sky light arcade.

We also stopped by the historical Christ Episcopal Church (Cir.1856). Elizabeth City is home to one of the United States' few airship factories. Many of the nation's commercial blimps are made and serviced here. The current airship station evolved from what was previously a US Navy air station.

Historic homes along tree-lined streets, a picturesque downtown with a scenic waterfront, friendly people and few traffic jams, Elizabeth City offers the best of small-town Southern living within an hour of both southeastern Virginia's bustling Hampton Roads area and North Carolina's famous Outer Banks. Saw a building marked 1703 - First known School in North Carolina.

Technorati Tags: Shawboro,Newport News,Mariners' Museum,James River,Port of Richmond,Elizabeth City,Pasquotank River,Currituck Beach Lighthouse,Wright Memorial Bridge,Kitty Hawk,Pamlico Sound,Duck,Corolla,Museum of Albemarle,Virginia Dare Hotel,Hampton Roads,Outer Banks

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Williamsburg VA

Monday, July 27 - We got up at 5:30 am to get a jump on traffic leaving Outdoor World Sea Pines in Swainton New Jersey to our new park in Williamsburg. It was a long seven-hour drive to Outdoor World Williamsburg in Williamsburg Virginia. We had some very rough roads to contend with, but other than that, the drive was uneventful.
We crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge and had to pay $16 toll. The Delaware Memorial Bridge links Delaware and New Jersey in graceful twin-suspension spans that soar high above the Delaware River, just north of the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The twin spans touch down in New Castle, Delaware, and in Pennsville, New Jersey. The bridge is a lasting memorial to those soldiers who gave their lives in World War II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Each year on Veterans Day, a special ceremony is held at the Bridge War Memorial, which overlooks the Twin Span.
Around 11 am, we crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, where we had to pay $14 toll. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (commonly known as the Bay Bridge) is a major dual-span bridge in Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and at the time, with a length of 4.3 miles, was the world's longest continuous over-water steel structure. A parallel span was added in 1973, giving rise to the bridge's current dual-span nature.  Glad we could help with the upkeep of the bridges and the road repairs paying our toll.
"The name DELAWARE was given to the people who lived along the Delaware River, and the river in turn was named after Lord de la Warr, the governor of the Jamestown colony. The name Delaware later came to be applied to almost all Lenape people. Their ancestors were among the first Indians to come in contact with the Europeans (Dutch, English, & Swedish) in the early 1600s. The Delaware were called the "Grandfather" tribe because they were respected by other tribes as peace-makers. They were also known for their fierceness and tenacity as warriors.
We arrived at Outdoor World Williamsburg in Virginia around 2:30 pm. This park is not large and does not seem to be filled up, even though it is high season. There are a lot of trailers/ campers that look to be permanent vacation homes for the locals to come and relax on the weekends. One site looked good to get satellite and after a lot of on and off and resets, Marsha finally got it to work around 8:30 pm. Our site is C-3, not too far from the entrance. Roads are asphalt and sites are gravel, so not a lot of dust- yeah!
Ray’s Remarks:  In the past we have visited historical Williamsburg from a distance, allowing only a few hours to tour the area. This time we stayed within a few miles of the city.
Williamsburg, outside of the historical district, is very modern with scattered shopping centers in every direction. A large outlet center is located on Rt. 60 just north of town. Another large center is located in New Town, just west of downtown.
Marsha and I drove into Hampton, Va to see Fort Monroe on the Chesapeake Bay. We had no idea the Fort was located on an Army base. License, insurance, and registration were required to get on base, which I truly appreciated. The museum at the fort was well worth the trip, the entire museum was displayed within the fort’s great walls where the soldier’s quarters and the cannon placements were located. I can’t imagine being in that confined area with one of these cannons blasting a 12 lb ball of steel across the bay several miles and recoiling the entire cannon backwards 6 to 8 feet. The red brick walls and interior archways were 3 to 5 feet thick in places. The museum took well over an hour to read about its history and see all of the artifacts from that era. We did not have enough time to visit but a small part of the top of the fort with its surrounding mote. It was very impressive and highly recommend, if you are into old forts. Fort Monroe reminded us of Dry Tortugas 60 miles +/-off the Florida Keys. We still marvel at the construction of these forts during that era. On another day we took Mitzy  to The York River State Park. Beautiful day with the wildlife running free, turkeys, rabbits, deer, humming birds, etc. There was a group of teen canoeist with chaperons preparing to invade the York River.
I rode the motorcycle throughout the entire area and most adjacent roads including the Colonial Parkway from Jamestown through Williamsburg to York Town.  This road is made of concrete with sea shells in it, making it a little rough but OK. I missed a turn and found myself at the entrance of the US Naval Supply Center on the York River. The security guards have very little sense of humor.  Actually they were helpful and gave me directions back to the Parkway. They allowed me to make a U-turn past their gate with a escort after I submitted my drivers license which was returned upon my exit. A few miles down the Parkway along the river I noticed a very long pier jutting into the river. At the end of the pier sat two Navy ships.  One appeared to be a destroyer and the other a much larger vessel, the USS  NEW YORK,  with two very large steel towers at mid-ship. This ship was built with some scrap steel from the twin towers in New York City. This was a neat surprise, kind of gives you goose bumps. I took a couple of photos.

The cities of Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk and Suffolk surround the harbor where the James River, York River and the Chesapeake Bay converge into the Atlantic Ocean. This waterway’s shoreline is dotted with shipyards with huge loading and repair derricks.  Very impressive seaport. Next time in this area we would like to see this up close.    
Wednesday, July 29 - It looks like a beautiful day, although 60% showers later. Ray is taking the Gold Wing out for a drive through and around Williamsburg. We drove to Williamsburg and found shopping to be very close. Stopped at Prime Outlets and Columbia Outdoor Clothing store was having a fantastic sale.
Jamestown began in 1607, when a group of 104 English men and boys et foot on the bank of the James River in search of profits and resources ripe for commerce. In the 13 years before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, they would endure hardships, Indian encounters and the struggles of daily life, but would triumph as America’s first permanent English settlement. The Jamestown Visitor Center features museum exhibits and a multimedia theater presentation about Jamestown’s 92 years as the capital of Virginia. It is quite impressive.
Yorktown is just a tiny village in comparison to Jamestown, but is important in American history because in 1781, the decisive battle of the American Revolution was won there by George Washington.
Monday, August 3 - We drove 27 miles to visit Hampton Virginia. Hampton is a coastal town and is an independent city in Virginia, and therefore not part of any Virginia county. One of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads, it is on the southeast end of the Virginia Peninsula, bordering on Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay, one of the oldest cities in the United States. It has a clean, glistening waterfront and many things to doo and see while visiting.
Our first stop was Sandy Bottom Nature Center - Hampton's premier park is a 456 acre environmental education and wildlife management facility. Born from borrow pits and garbage dumps, the park is truly a success story of reclamation of our natural resources. From the 10,000 square foot nature center overlooking Sandy Bottom Lake to the elusive creatures that inhabit the wetland marshes, there is something for everyone at the Sandy Bottom Nature Park.
Little England Chapel - Virginia's only-known African American missionary chapel, The sanctuary of this chapel holds a permanent exhibit that helps visitors understand the religious lives of post-Civil War African Americans in Virginia. The display includes handwritten Sunday school lessons, photographs, a 12 minute video, and 19th century religious books. The Little England Chapel was built in the late 17th Century and was also known as the Ocean Cottage Sunday School. Emancipation Oak is a historic tree located on the campus of Hampton University. On September 17, 1861, Mrs. Mary Smith Peake taught the first classes to African American children on the grounds of what is now Hampton University at Hampton Roads in Virginia under the shade of the Emancipation Oak. 
Hampton National Cemetery - Through Fiscal Year 2008: 28,003 interments. Located in the vicinity of where the historic Civil War naval battle between the Confederate Merrimac/Virginia and the Union Monitor iron-clad ships occurred in 1862.
The cemetery’s first burials took place in 1862 and the cemetery is among numerous national cemeteries with origins that date to the Civil War. Hampton National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1996.

8/3/09 Historic Fort Monroe - We were not aware that Fort Monroe was founded in 1609 and active since 1803. It is an Army facility. We went to eat lunch at the base café, Old Point Comfort Marina, before taking a tour of the grounds and museum.

Fort Monroe guarded the approach by sea of the navigational shipping channel between the Chesapeake Bay and the entrance to the harbor of Hampton Roads.

Beginning by 1609, fortifications had been established at Old Point Comfort during Virginia's first two centuries. However, the much more substantial facility of stone to become known as Fort Monroe (and adjacent Fort Wool on a man-made island across the channel) were completed in 1834. Completely surrounded by a moat, the six-sided stone fort is the only one of its kind left in the United States that is still an active Army post. Fort Monroe played an important role in the American Civil War. The Casemate Museum, opened in 1951, depicts the history of Fort Monroe and Old Point Comfort, with special emphasis on the Civil War period. http://www.monroe.army.mil/Monroe/sites/installation/museum/Casemate_Museum.aspx

Fort Wool is located adjacent to one of the man-made islands of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and is accessible only by water. The availability of public tours of both Fort Wool and Fort Monroe are subject to Homeland Security Alert conditions.
Friday, August 7 - We drove to see the York River State Park. The Virginia State Parks mission is to conserve natural, scenic, historic and cultural resources of the commonwealth and to provide recreational and educational opportunities consistent with good stewardship of these lands, water and facilities that leaves them unimpaired for future generations.Eleven miles west of Williamsburg, York River State Park offers visitors an opportunity to experience the environment of a coastal estuary. This park is known for its rare and delicate environment, where freshwater and saltwater meet to create a habitat rich in marine and plant life. The main focus of the park is to preserve a portion of York River frontage and its related marshes while providing an area for passive day-use recreation for visitors. The drive to the park is tree-lined and very pretty. Their focus is on the history, use and preservation of the York River and its marshes.
Monday, August 10 - Grocery store called Ukrops. From gourmet recipes to simple snacks, you'll find something fresh every week. Prices are great and the produce is the freshest ever. It was so hot walking across the tarmac and forecasted to reach 102 degrees here in Williamsburg.

Technorati Tags: Outdoor World Sea Pines in Swainton New Jersey,Delaware Memorial Bridge,Chesapeake Bay Bridge,Newport News,Hampton,Ukrops,Norfolk and Suffolk,Williamsburg,York,Jamestown

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Atlantic City-Cape May,NJ

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - Still at Sea Pines Swainton NJ We had read and heard about the Atlantic City region as one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.
Ray's Remarks: We spent three weeks (Outdoor World Sea Pines) in this area and toured from Cape May to north of Atlantic City, mostly the coast line. Marsha and I toured most of Cape May and Atlantic City by truck. I rode the bike a little. The small beach towns and barrier islands were crowded from bay to beach with mostly expensive beach houses. Can’t see the beach for the sand dunes and houses. There are public beaches (no dogs). And public access walks, parking is a problem. We did not go to the beach, just a quick look and left.  The south end of New Jersey from east to west was mostly farm land.  It seems like the entire population of eastern states head to the beaches on the weekend —do not try to travel east or west on weekends.
World-famous beach and boardwalk, luxurious casinos, nonstop gaming action, the hottest entertainers, the best in dining, and quality sporting events. “America’s Favorite Playground” is renowned for all this and more. The boardwalk is six miles long. First built in 1870 and voted one of the best boardwalks in America. Atlantic City is a resort community located on Absecon Island on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic City was incorporated on May 1, 1854. Atlantic City has had its major ups and downs over the years and in an effort at revitalizing the city, New Jersey voters in 1976 approved casino gambling for Atlantic City. On July 3, 2003, Atlantic City's newest casino, The Borgata, opened with much success. Another major attraction is the oldest remaining Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium in the world.
The famous boardwalk was one destination I didn’t want to miss seeing.  It was a very overcast and fog banked day. The sun tried to peek through dense clouds off and on. We drove down to the end of the streets to see the Atlantic Ocean.      Took pictures of the Absecon Lighthouse. It is noted for being New Jersey’s tallest Lighthouse; the country’s third tallest Lighthouse; 150 years old, 1857-2007. For $7 you can climb to the top.
I wanted to see the Trump Taj Mahal. We had a very hard time finding a parking space within easy walking distance to the Trump Taj Mahal. We were shocked to find that their self-parking garage has a maximum height of 6’4”. Our truck would never make it. Finally, Ray saw an Emergency / Fire Department parking lot.  The EMT was very nice and said we could stay in their parking lot for a few hours. Therefore, we didn’t have to pay for parking nor have to worry whether our truck would be in the same condition once we returned. You notice a lot of very old homes and row homes, a lot of them boarded up or falling into disrepair. Also a lot of empty lots everywhere. The community looks plagued with poverty. Scores of homeless addict types scattered everywhere. However, you can see that as a major player comes into town, they are buying up the land and building new high-rise casinos and hotels.





It was close to lunchtime, so we decided to try the “food court” inside Trump Taj Mahal. It is located on the second floor and we were awestruck by the three huge hanging chandeliers that lit up the otherwise dark atmosphere.               At a fast-food restaurant called Burger, we ordered $10 cheeseburgers and $3 sweet potato fries. Figured we wouldn’t find anything any less expensive at the white tablecloth dining rooms around the perimeter. I will have to say the burgers were great - nothing like McDonald’s or Wendy’s. After the long wait for the food, we ate and hurriedly headed out of the hotel to the boardwalk. Smoking is only allowed in the casino area and I read that they are only allowed 25% smoking in the casino area. As we walked by the casino, we could catch the smell of smoke, even though it was contained.
The boardwalk - it was not busy at all yet it was noisy with loud music and/or advertisement announcements over the loud speakers. We saw the “famous” Steel Pier and I’m sure it is fun for the kids that come here on the weekends. It is an amusement park. We walked out to where we could see the beach and there were a lot of people out enjoying the sand and water. The sad discovery I made was under the pier.
There was a “homeless?” man feeding about 15 feral cats under the boardwalk. There are many containers under the boardwalk that house the cats. We were surprised to see that nothing has been done to “clear out” such activity, as it does nothing to attract people to return to the boardwalk.
We saw many of the man-driven carts lined up in a row waiting all in a row waiting for customers.
There was not much activity as most of the people walking around were probably not there as tourists, but locals. The tourists probably come out at night. I would not call it glamorous.
As we drove away from the strip, we saw many of the familiar upscale stores and the scene changes from neglect and poverty to the rich and not so rich that wants to shop or catch a latte at Starbucks. Total transformation one block away.
Friday, July 24 - We passed through Wildwood again and traffic wasn’t too bad. We stopped for lunch at the Lobster House at Fisherman’s Wharf. A Seafood Restaurant, Raw Bar and Take Out, Fish Market and Gift Shop. The interior has a wonderful, nautical atmosphere that we always tend to look for. Since 1922, the Lobster House is known for the freshest seafood available as they have their own supply of ships and go out and return to unload their catch daily.
Today would be out last opportunity to travel to the Cape May area due to weekend warriors that drive the gauntlet to the beaches. It is more than an hour wait from what we hear. Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Being the Southern-most point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the town a popular place to escape the heat.
Cape May began hosting vacationers from Philadelphia in the mid 1700s and is recognized by the United States government as the country's oldest seaside resort. It is noted for its large number of well-maintained Victorian houses — the second largest collection of Victorian-era homes in the nation after San Francisco. In 1976, the entire city of Cape May was officially designated a National Historic Landmark. It is the only city in the United States wholly designated as such. That designation is intended to ensure the architectural preservation of these buildings.

The Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May's only Victorian house museum. We did not take the tour but thought the architecture was worth noting. http://www.capemaytimes.com/history/physick.htmThe Stick Style design is attributed to renowned Victorian architect Frank Furness and features jerkin-head dormers, "stick"-like grids overlaying clapboard walls, "stick"-like brackets on the porch, and corbelled or "upside down" chimneys. The mansion has 18 rooms with several out-buildings. . Back in its heyday, the Physick Estate housed a rather unusual household: Dr. Emlen Physick, who never married; his widowed mother, Mrs. Ralston; and his Maiden Aunt Emilie. Dr. Physick's grandfather, Dr. Philip Syng Physick (1768-1837) was known as the Father of American Surgery. Emlen Physick followed family tradition by completing medical training, but he never practiced. He lived the life of a country gentleman and animal breeder. He is remembered for having the first automobile in Cape May. In the 1970's, after decades of decline, the Physick Estate and the nine outbuildings on the four-acre Cape May estate on Washington Ave. were saved and restored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC).

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We cruised the Cape May Beach area as well. We were amazed at how the homes, bed & Breakfast Inns, hotels, and restaurants all look like they just got a new coat of paint. I love anything Victorian, so Cape May is a beautiful spot to hang out.

Technorati Tags: Atlantic City,Taj Mahal,Victorian,Cape May

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Stone Harbor, Oceanville, NJ

Friday, July 17, 2009 - We decided to visit the Wetlands Institute for Education, Research, and Conservation at Stone Harbor NJ.
It is geared towards children as they are out of school. But we were still able to learn a few things during the presentation on facts about Horseshoe Crabs. The Terrapin Station is the first exhibit in the world that is dedicated to the life history of the diamondback terrapin (turtle). I was not familiar with the Terrapin. I was looking forward to walking the boardwalk into the marsh where unparalleled views of migratory birds, fiddler crabs and other creatures are up close and personal. We also wanted to take a walk up the spiral stairs of their Observation Tower. The most recognizable feature of The Wetlands Institute, the tower stretches forty feet above the building to provide a view of the surrounding wetlands area, and, on a good day, the Jersey Shore from Sea Isle City to Wildwood. The Osprey differs in several respects from other diurnal birds of prey. Its toes are of equal length, its tarsi are reticulate, and its talons are rounded, rather than grooved. The Osprey is the only raptor whose outer toe is reversible, allowing it to grasp its prey with two toes in front and two behind. The Osprey is unusual insofar as it is a single species that occurs nearly worldwide.
Walter Cronkite died at 92. What an amazing career and family man. "the most trusted man in America" because of his professional experience and kindly demeanor. He also liked to have a good time, according to Tom Brokaw.
Saturday, July 18 - Ray took the Wing for a ride 140 miles roundtrip. He ran into traffic from all the New Jersey folks going out to the beaches.  We have 38% humidity and it is 81 degrees. So beautiful here with the trees dappled with sunlight peaking through the leaves. Everywhere we drive you can see beautiful daylilies in lavender, peach, gold, burgundy, apricot, rose, pink, purple, red, yellow, orange, and near-white.
Sunday, July 19 – We wanted to visit the natural wildlife preserve, Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at Oceanville and protects more than 40,000 acres of southern New Jersey Coastal Habitats and tidal wetlands. We enjoyed the Wildlife Drive. It is a one way, unpaved, eight mile drive. The flies were out in major numbers and wanted to get inside the truck whenever we wanted to take pictures. We were constantly killing or driving them back out of the truck.

There are hiking trails for the more able-minded. We saw cars and trucks stopped along the way taking pictures with very expensive  cameras.
We continued to drive along Rt. 9 to visit Historic Smithville. Nothing but shops and closed on Sunday morning. Then on to see Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village. It was disappointing. You have to pay a fee and then browse the shops.b:if cond='data:blog.pageType !="item"> >