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.   🚌🚗💨