Omaha Neb to Lake George NY

 

It's hard to believe but it's almost been a month since our last post.

Since that post from Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, we've continued our leisurely stroll east.

The trip map shows our path from Omaha, to Eastern Iowa, Central Illinois, Ohio, and finally to upstate NY where todays post originates.

Trip Map Omaha, NE to Lake George, NY

Leaving Omaha, we jumped onto I-80, pointed the bus east and crossed the Missouri River into Iowa

I-80 Missouri River Bridge

Our next stop for 5 nights was Scott County Park which is in eastern Iowa just north of Davenport.

Scott County Park Bald Eagle CG #314

The park, like many county parks in Iowa was really nice.   Clean, well laid out, and many sites with full hookups and 50a service.   The park itself is huge and has 4 or 5 campgrounds within.

While here we took a drive into Davenport and parked down by the Riverfront.   Its a decent riverfront but like so many cities on rivers, there is so much more that they could do with the space to really make it special for the community.

There is an old bandshell in the park where they have summer concerts.

After Davenport, we drove along the river to La Croix, another town further upstream.

La Croix is quaint riverfront town with a fair amount of restaurants and shops.

On the way from Omaha, I had noticed a Freighliner Dealer just before our exit.   I'd been considering replacing our chassis batteries as they were 7 years old and since the dealer was so close by I decided to go ahead and do it.   So one of my tasks while here was to pull out the two big batteries and swap them out for new ones.     Better now than somewhere along the road.

We left Iowa and continued east on I-80.    Our next stop was only 2.5 hrs down the road at the Joliet-Hollywood Casino RV Park.    We've stayed here a couple of times before.   It a decent stop in a convenient location.

While here we noticed one of those "traveling hotels".   Run by a German Company - Rotel Tours - the people travel in a bus during the day and then at night they pack into these semi-trailers.

The side below opens up and exposes cooking facilities plus entry into the individual pods.

As the truck leaves, you can see the windows on the other side of the trailer.

First thing in the morning the people were out sitting around drinking coffee and having breakfast.

We only spent 2 nights here, and then moved on about 4 hrs east to just outside of Toledo, Ohio at Maumee Bay State Park.   We've stayed here before and really like the campground.   Located right on Lake Erie, it has convention centers, golf course, beaches, and about 400 camping spaces all arranged on out and back loops, most located one of a series of ponds.

Site 141 Maumee Bay State Park

We would take our daily stroll along one of the many trails down to the water front to enjoy the cool breeze coming in off of the lake.

I needed some parts and there was a hardware store nearby.   When I visited it, I found that they also had a wonderful self service dog wash.    The dogs were clean but I could not pass up an opportunity for a nice refresh.

Phoebe after her bath

Annie gets a wash

The she gets a blow dry

A trail at Maumee Bay State Park

Traveling cross country at this time of year we have been in and out of spring several times.   Getting to enjoy and extended spring with all the flowering trees and shrubs has been fun,

A friend of ours reccomended a resturant - Stellas - in nearby Perrysburg.    About 30 min away it was a quaint downtown.   We went on Weds when the have the farmers market so we ejoyed lunch on the patio and then strolled the farmers market that began at 3p.

Stellas in Perrysburg, Oh

Lunch on the patio

Farmers market in Perrysburg, Oh

Our next stop was about 4 hrs east along I-80 and then I-90.   Located about 40 miles east of Cleveland we spent 6 nights at the Motorcoach Resort at Lake Erie Shores.    It was a unique Class A Motorhome only park.    They first laid out RV sites on very large lots.   Then as people bought the lots they started to build homes on those lots.     About a third of the sites now have homes next to the RV parking spaces.   Unlike many places like this - the homes here are fairly large.   Mostly snowbird RV types who spend some summer time here and then winter somewhere else warmer.

Lot 13 Motorcoach Lake Erie Shores

Lot 13 Motorcoach Lake Erie Shores

View of Motorcoach Lake Erie Shores

View of Motorcoach Lake Erie Shores

While here we stopped at vet in Cleveland.   I had made an appointment a week or so ago.   The US CDC issued some new rules for bringing dogs into the US on May 8 that would take effect on August 1.   We'd be coming back into the US under the new rules.   Previously the rules for getting into the US were very lax and all of a sudden the pendulum has swung the other way.  Even though our EU pet passports were always acceptable documentation, now they no longer are in the eyes of the US.

After a vet inspection  of our paperwork, he issued what he said would be required to get back into the US.    I went around and around with him as I disagreed with what he was giving me.   I said an International Export Health Certificate would be required and he disagreed.

The long and short of it was that I am correct and now have another appointment scheduled this week with a vet who seems to understand the rules and will issue us the correct forms.     This is getting expensive

Waiting at the Vet in Cleveland

The park is just outside of Geneva on the Lake, Ohio (GOTL).   The town seems like an old lake town that has seen better days.  I'm sure a lot of people come here with fond memories of visiting in their youth.   To us it just seemed like a worn out town past its glory days, and in need of a serious refreshing.

Lakeside park in GOTL

Old ferris wheel in the park

Several trips back and forth to the Cleveland suburbs were made going to Vet, Costco and Best Buy.   The latter due to my  43" Samsung Smart TV over the cockpit giving us some troubles.     Everything settled our 6 days were over and once again we were on the road headed east.

This time it was about 8 hrs to Lake George about an hour north of Albany, Ny in the Adirondack Mountains.      This is our old stomping grounds.   We lived near here, and my last 25 years prior to retiring was with a firm based out of Albany.

Site 91 Lake George RV Park

On Saturday we went to the Saratoga Springs Farmers market.   They have a real nice market with lots of farm fresh produce.

At the north end of the market is a 911 memorial made out of steel from the North and South Towers.

SS 911 Memorial

Sunday we enjoyed a visit with my boss Jeff, from my old job at his camp on the lake.   We used to have a cabin here as well.     I got to visit with him and his son Jay who took over the reigns for him in the second half of my career,  (Plus Jay's) family.

Perfect weather to enjoy the day on the lakeside wrap around porch

Lake George is 32 miles long with dozens of islands and tall green mountains tumbling down to the shore of its crystal clear waters.

There are several lake steamers operated by the Lake George Steamship Company who take tourists on scenic tours of various durations.  The company first began taking passengers on Lake George in 1817 and operates 3 vessels of different size.   The Mohican II is the oldest of the 3 having served passengers for over 115 years.

The Adirondac

The Minne-Ha-Ha

We had a great time at Jeffs place.    A beautiful location with great weather.    Its always great to see people that you spent so much of your life with.   I loved my job and the people that I worked with.

We are here for 4 more nights and have a pretty full schedule.    After here our next stop will be Bar Harbor, Me and then onward into Canada.

See you down the road.   🚌🚗💨

Headed to the Maritimes

 

Well we're back on the road.   We've actually been on the move for a bit over 2 weeks now and I'm just starting to get caught up with putting a post together.

We are using Starlink for our internet needs and it is working perfectly.   I have not had to activate my Dish service since we can stream everything no problem.    I have the Starlink antenna mounted on a pole on the back of the Bus that I take down when we move.   I've got it down to about 5 minutes so its not a bit deal at all

As I mentioned earlier, after a short couple of weeks at the house in Tucson, we are now headed to the Canadian Maritimes for the summer.    We are taking our sweet time and wont be in Nova Scotia till June 12 where we will meet up with friends Pat & Rob who will then travel with us thru September.

We left the shack on April 18.   We spent the night in Las Cruces, NM then moved on to Santa Fe, NM for two nights, and our next after that was Denver, Colorado for 5 nights where we pick up this post.

The Map below shows our travels thru today.   We are currently in Omaha, Nebraska.

Trip Map - Tucson to Omaha

Our stay in Denver was at Cherry Creek State Park.    It's a conveniently located park with good access to Denver and the surrounds.   Full-hook ups complete the picture.

Cherry Creek State Park Site # 39

A nice backyard.    The weather has been cooperating with us to date.

You can see our starlink antenna on the back of the bus.

Cherry Creek State Park Site # 39

While in Denver I had some business to attend too.   One important stop was to the facility where I have our wine collection stored.   Its been a while and I needed to take inventory.    We pulled out all the cases from the locker, opened, counted, recorded, and then sealed the boxed back up.

Wine in Storage

Wine Storage Locker

Vino Vault Wine Storage in Denver

Since the wine is being stored at 55° it was a comfortable environment to move all the cases around.

The final tally was 176 bottles.   Most of it now is the extra good collectable stuff.

Every stop in Denver includes a day or two visit with my buddy Frank.    He and I go back about 50 years to our days working in an Electric Generating Station in NJ.

Golden Colorado

One day we took a stroll up along the side of Clear Creek in Golden, Co.    Back in the day Frank & I used to take truck inner tubes further up stream and ride the summer runoff down the rapids.   In retrospect its kind of amazing that we survived.    The water was ice cold since it was most likely snow about 20 minutes earlier.

Clear Creek Golden Co

Our time in Denver passed quickly and we were off to our next stop for 2 nights.   The Cabellas store in Sidney, Nebraska.   It was only about 3 hrs from Denver.    There were forecasts for bad thunderstorms and tornados further east so this was a great place to hole up for a couple of days.    Our decision to stay here was a good one as eastern Nebraska was pounded by tornados for the 2 days that we were here.

Cabellas RV Pk Sidney, Ne

Cabellas RV Pk Sidney, Ne

Saturday a cold front came thru with big T-storms and rain.    

Cabellas RV Pk Sidney, Ne

The Sidney store is Cabellas first, and flagship store.   They have a huge stuffed animal exhibit when you walk in.   Like Noahs Ark, I think there must be just about 2 of every animal on the planet.

Cabellas Flagship Store - Sidney, Ne

Cabellas Flagship Store - Sidney, Ne

Sunday morning we woke up to some light snow, but the temps were mid 30's so nothing was sticking to the roads.   The forcast further east was looking better for a few days so we decided to move on.

Our next stop was just outside of Lincoln, Ne (where the tornados were just 2 days ago) - at the Branched Oak State Recreation Area.    We stayed at the South Campground in site #80.    It was an electric only (50a) site but IMO it was the best one in the campground with water on just about 3 sides.

Branched Oak SRA Site 80

Laying in bed in the morning I was treated to a nice sunrise.    But red sky in morning says sailors take warning...

An hour later some T-Storms passed just to the north and south of us.

One afternoon we packed up the hounds and went into downtown Lincoln to the section of townb known as the haymarket.   Once a thriving haymarket (hence the name) it's now loaded with restaurants and brew pubs.     We walked around taking in the sights and picked a place for lunch on thier outdoor patio.

Haymarket District, Lincoln, Ne

Haymarket District, Lincoln, Ne

The train station has been moved a couple of blocks and this steam engine remains at the site of the old station.

Haymarket District, Lincoln, Ne

While in Lincoln, we had several nights of heavy storms and rain.   Nothing too severe just lots of wind and big boomers.   Fortunately the dogs do not seem to mind it and sleep right thru it.

On Thursday we pulled up stakes and moved a whopping 50 miles or so further east to Omaha, Nebraska.  Our destination was Lake Cunningham Park.   Its a city park campground run by the city of Omaha.   Its a very nice place with full hookups.    We are in site 60.

Lake Cunningham City Campground Omaha, Ne

A view of our site from the northern campground.

Lake Cunningham City Campground Omaha, Ne

An arm of the lake runs up behind our site.

Lake Cunningham City Campground Omaha, Ne

While here I wanted to take Kate to Boys Town.   I had visited here with my family when I was a kid - probably 55+ years ago.

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

For those of you who are not familiar with Boys town the link above tells more about it and the sign below gives a real brief synopsis.

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

Father Flannagan, an Irish Immigrant first founded a home for men trying to get them off of the sauce.   A common theme told to him by the men in his care was that he was too late and should have been around when they were kids.   It was this that gave him the inspiration to open a home for young boys.

Construction of The Dowd Chapel in Boys town was financed in full by Mary Dowd, a prominent Irish Catholic woman from New York after she saw the 1938 film about Boys Town that starred Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney.   

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

Unfortunately the chapel was locked and we were unable to go inside to see it.

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother" symbolizes the spirit of boys town.

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

We did get to tour Father Flanagan's house and were treated to a guided tour.

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

Fr Flanagan's House - Living Room

Fr Flanagan's House - Kitchen

Fr Flanagan's Desk

The pictures of the desk absolutely do not do it justice!

Over 250,000 inlaid pieces of wood make up the designs.   Many of the pieces are so small yet all of them fit together perfectly

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

The intricate designs and craftsmanship by the boys who built this over 3 years was absolutely amazing.

Boys Town Omaha, Ne

Last night another cold front came thru ushering by more thunderstorms, wind, and heavy rain.   

Today - our last day here is cool and clear.    Tomorrow we move about 313 miles across Iowa to a County Park just north of Davenport, Iowa.

Perhaps it's time I let the girls drive the bus. 

Girls gone wild - Party Bus Edition

They really have this travel thing down.   I guess its normal life for them since they've pretty much been doing it for the entirety of their short lives.     Annie is now about 14 mos and Phoebe is 10 mos and they've traveled all of it except for a couple of months.

Well that's pretty much up to date.