Good evening to all. This is the final posting for our Grand Adventure. We started home on Mon. the 2nd, and of course the weather was beautiful...no more rain...it figures. Every river we crossed through Missouri and Arkansas was over flowing its' banks and the flooding was extensive. There is a horse back riding arena outside of St. Louis that has a two story building on the grounds...the entire first story was covered by the water. It is always impressive when Mother Nature throws a fit!

We made it to Apalachicola by Wed. morning. We stayed in a campground on St. George Island outside of the town. To get there you have to go over a series of bridges and causeways that all together total about 10 miles. You know you are going over water when you are getting paced by the pelicans flying next to the car! We sat on the beach and just relaxed that first afternoon...it was nice to feel the warmth. We went to a very nice restaurant in Apalachicola called Caroline's Dining on the River. I had visited there when I was up there teaching a couple of months back.

The next day, we visited all the historical sites in the town, and walked along the main street. Again, the weather was perfect and we ended the day again on the beach watching the sunset.

We got up with the sun on Fri. and pulled up in front of the house just as the sun was setting. It made for a very long day with very numb butts at the end of it! The dogs couldn't figure out why we just kept going and going.

So after 10,150 miles here's what we can say about this ambitious trip...it was everything and more than what we could have imagined. We were swept up in the awesomeness of all the mountains we saw...we were left breathless at the beauty of the changing leaves...we are amazed at all of the friendly people we met in our travels. Plus, we are still speaking to each other! When we look back at the first pictures that were taken at the beginning of the trip, it seems like it was only yesterday that we were visiting these different places. And many of these places merit another visit...but that will be for another time in the future.

Thanks for coming along on this adventure with us. It has been fun sharing everying with all of our family and friends. Now that we are home, the light is on, and we are always up for visitors. But until we get the girls' bedrooms cleaned out, you might just have to sleep out in the camper!

Until our next adventure...Good bye for now.

Terry and Mark

Good evening everyone. The weather gods have turned on us. It has been raining everyday for the last week...bummer. We had some nice days early on, but once we left for Branson and the family reunion it hasn't really stopped. But that didn't stop any of us from getting out and shopping...or going to shows...or eating while we were there. There were 16 of us this year, which made for a pretty lively crowd. A friend from nursing school joined us on Sunday and we had a good time catching up. I saw her at our 35th reunion almost 3 years ago. Our time here has been spent visiting family and some pretty intense game nights. Even Mark is playing the games...and he actually does better then most of us, and he doesn't like to play games! It's just not fair. We were introduced to a website sporcle.com which is lists and lists of trivia. If that is your idea of fun, visit the site.

The leaves here are all but gone...and what is left is the golden yellows...but there aren't many of them. I guess I have been forever spoiled by the vivid reds and oranges of New England.

Before you know it, we will be on the road home. In some ways, it seems that the time has just flown by. When anyone asks how the trip has been, Mark always answers..."Well, we haven't killed each other yet...so I guess that means it is a success!" I married a comedian.

We will spend a couple of days in Appalachicola on the way home. I taught a class there just before we left for vacation and it looked like an interesting town/area to visit. Yes girls, it's almost time to get rid of the demon cat...hang in there!

Talk to you all again later.

Terry and Mark

Good morning all. Well we got to Missouri with no problems...but it could have been sticky if we were one day behind on our schedule. Here's what I mean. On Wed, we landed in State College, Pa...which happens to be where Penn State is located. Their homecoming is this weekend. In looking at the brochure from the campground, it seems there are lots of things in the area to do. We actually thought about it for a while, but decided since it was going to be in the high 30's overnight, it was better just to get on the road. The next morning we woke up to rain...not a nice little drizzle...but RAIN. We got the camper hooked up before it got too bad and got on the road. As we're going along, Mark said...look at these rain drops, they look like snow. It was cold enough to be snow, and there were some flakes, but not a lot. Of course it rained most of the day Thurs., which was appropriate since it was our anniversary 31 and counting!)...who can ever forget the outdoor wedding we had in the midst of a tropical depression???!!! By the end of the day, we were out of the rain and went out to a nice dinner to celebrate the day. Fast forward to Saturday...we are listening to the news before we headed out to Cuba. The weather man said, that State College, Pa had had over 9 INCHES OF SNOW on Th...tailgating for homecoming was cancelled, because the parking lots were under so much snow...they were going to have to bus the fans in!!!! Just think, if we had delayed our departure to play tourist, we would still be in Pa. and buried in the snow!

We for sure have gotten spoiled driving through the mountains and valleys of New England. And we have been there right at the peek of colors for all of the trees, so it has been gorgeous. Once we hit Illinois, it was flat and we were going through lots of farmland. And the colors have only just started turning in this part of the country. Hopefully when we get down into the Ozark Mts. later this week we will see more color again. Believe me, it will be quite an adjustment to come back to everything being just one color...green!

When we got to my sister's house, we were able to let the dogs loose in the yard and they ran around like maniacs for quite a while. It was a nice change from having to be on the leash all the time. Remember I told you all how we had been letting them go off the leash if the campground wasn't crowded...well. We had gotten back to Springfield,Vt. so I could teach one of my classes. Mark took the dogs out for a walk and just as he took them off of the leash, he saw something moving out of the corner of his eye and Kasey took out running after whatever it was. Mark's calling for her to come back and nothing...he came back to the camper and got me and we tried to go in the woods a little bit, calling for her all the while with not luck. I went back to the camper just in case she should come back. Mark is still out looking for her when he ran into some ladies who live and work at the campground, so they joined the search. After about an hour and a half, they went and got their dogs to help in the search. About that time, I heard one of the ladies say...is this the dog? I went out and sure enough there was Kasey...soaking wet and sitting next door at the campsite we had been in the last time we came through for a class. The ladies told us there are a lot of deer in the woods, so they felt pretty sure that was what she saw. There is also a lake about a half mile away that is still on the camp property and that's where she took a swim. What a relief to get her back. Believe you me, she was exhausted that night and slept like a log...of course she attached herself to Mark and wouldn't budge...even when he was on the bed watching TV.

Woke up to frost on the ground this morning...but there is no call for snow in the forecast, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Will be visiting with family through the week and then head down to Branson for the family reunion. One of my friends from nursing school will be coming down on Sunday so we can visit through the day. That will be nice.

So stay warm everybody...will talk at you soon.

Terry and Mark

Hello to all. Well, here we are at the end of the teaching/touring portion of the trip. We had a beautiful holiday weekend here with arts/crafts/antique/apple fesivals all over the place. We visited a cute little town called Quechee where there just happens to be a Cabot Cheese outlet store. Spent quite a bit of time in there sampling cheeses and dips and after that of course we came out with cheeses and crackers. Yummy! Drove through the town of Woodstock and would have loved to walk around but there were so many people, we couldn't find a parking space. So it is definitely on my list of places to visit again.

On Sunday, the campground where we have been staying had a BBQ lunch for the campers. What a nice way to meet with other folks. THe people we sat with were also from Florida, so we compared work/family/camping adventures.

Yesterday we went to the movies in the town of Bellows Falls...another town to come back to and explore. The movie screen is in an old opera house with balconies and everything. It cost $4 a ticket and since it was Monday, they sold the small popcorn for .25! The large popcorn sells for $3.25! You could actually take your family to the movies and not go bankrupt. They aren't first run movies, but you can't beat the atmosphere!

We went to a local orchard yesterday and were able to ride out in the fields in a wagon and pick apples from the trees. The views were awesome. They had a huge supply of pumpkins and gourds...the most unusual pumpkin shape we say was fat and squished down...they call them "Cinderella" pumpkins. They also had a petting zoo on the property with all sorts of goats, sheep, chickens, peacocks, rabbits, and pigs.

What a wonderful adventure this has been. I really look forward to coming back this way sometime in the future to explore the things we missed out this time around. But with the temperature expected to be 28 degrees tonight with a possibility of snow flurries, it is definintely time to get out of Dodge. We pull out for Missouri tomorrow and should be there in time for another arts/crafts festival on the weekend. Then off to Branson for the family reunion. Will be in touch with all after I get to my sister's house.

Bye for now.

Terry and Mark

Hello again. The weather for the Oktoberfest celebration in Lake Placid turned out to be pretty nice after all. They had several different performers on the stage so it was a fun day of music and browsing the vendors boothes. It is official...my name is now Mountain Goat! I got a walking stick that says so!!! We rode in the gondola up to little Whiteface, where it is a vertical drop of only 2,00+ feet. There we were at the start of the ski trails and could really get an idea of what the skiers see as they start out. Not for me by a long shot!

Back to Springfield, Vt. to teach for one day and then we hit the road again. We went over to Cooperstown, NY, the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. What a rush it was for me going through that museum, seeing pictures and memorabilia of players that I had only heard about (like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, etc), and of players that I grew up watching (Yogi Berra, Sandy Kofax, Steve Carlton, Mickey Mantle, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, and Ozzie Smith). There was a nice section dedicated to the women who have played ball through the years, Hank Aarons drive to be home run king, baseball in the movies, and much much more. We were there over 3 hours and realized it was already past 12:30. So we went out for a bite to eat at what has to be the tiniest diner I have ever seen (seats 25 and to get to the bathroom, you have to go through the kitchen and chat with the cook to get there!) The portions were huge and the food was very good. I though I would play it safe and just get a chef salad...left well over half of the salad stuff there was so much meat. Then back to the museum to finish our tour. We went through the hall of fame and when you realize how many players there are and how few get into the hall, it blows you away. YOu have to have played for 10 years and be retired for at least 5 to be up for consideration. Plus you have to be clean as a whistle, which leaves Pete Rose out of contention...even if he has broken several records. There was a display of some of the great broadcasters of the game, plus about 20 actual recordings of key games they called. I got a chill listening to Jack Buck call an inning of the World Series game in 1975, when the Cardinals won the game in the bottom of the 11th inning on a grand slam. I remember that moment as if it was yesterday. If you are a baseball nut, this is a place you have to go and visit.

Today, we are back in Springfield as I have to teach again on Tuesday. But since this is a holiday weekend and the last that most campgrounds in the area are open, we reserved a spot in the campground we have been staying at last week when we were here. Festivals abound this weekend in the area, so we will hope for good weather and play tourist one more time. After the last clss, we will be on our way to Missouri.

More after the weekend.

Take care. And also...welcome to Carson Michael Ellison. Congratulations to Lauren and Geoff (and Tuna, Turbo, Diesel, and the cat). Can't wait to meet him when we get home.

Terry and Mark

Hello everyone. After teaching several classes the past two weeks, we are back on the road again. While traveling from town to town in Vt., we did take some time to explore. We visited Stowe...home of Ben and Jerry don't you know! We were going to stop for a visit and some ice cream, but the line was long and moved slower than the lines at Disney so we opted to go to dinner instead! We came upon the Trapp Family Lodge...yep the folks from the Sound of Music. I was tempted to break into a chorus of "The Lonely Goatherd", but restrained myself. The family still ownes the lodge. The youngest son Johannes is running it now, but at 70, he is getting ready to turn it over to his son. Driving along I-89 and 100 in Vt was an experience. The views were breathtaking and just when you thought you had seen it all, you came around a curve and saw something even better. I told my classes I could see myself living up here except for one small problem...WINTER!!! You know you aren't in Kansas anymore when you see snowmobile crossing/road closed in winter signs.

On Wed., we arrived in Lake Placid, NY and were greated with a temperature of 40 at 2 in the afternoon. The trees are almost at their peak color here and it is gorgeous! We have been the ulitmate Olympic tourists, visiting some of the venues from the 1980 games. When we went to the Olympic complex, it is connected to the complex from the 1932 games. We got to see lots of memorabilia from atheletes through the years including Sonja Heini (1932 winner for figure skating), Dick Button (1950/54 winner for figure skating), Eric Heiden (1980 for speed skating), and lots of stuff from that historic hockey team that beat Russia for the first time ever and then went on to win the gold medal. We actually sat in the arena where this game took place and we could almost see the game playing out in our heads all over again. When we woke up yesterday, we were greeted by snow! Just flurries, down below, but up on the mountains, the snow stuck. It made for some good shots. We went to the High Hill Gorge and climbed around like mountain goats and saw some incredible sights. While sitting at lunch, the snow was coming down so hard, I thought for sure we would have accumulation...but it was too warm. Next, we went to the bobsled/luge/skeleton venue and got new insight into these different sports. Our guide there was a very engaging woman who just happens to be a Disney fanatic, so of course in between the history of the venue we swapped Disney stories.

Today, we visited the ski jump venue where there are 90 m/120 m/30 m jumps. We were able to watch some of the atheletes training from the 90 m hill and all I've got to say about these people is that they are nuts!!! We rode the chair lift (what an experience that was) to the top of the hill. They actually had to stop the chairs for me as I couldn't hike my butt up into the seat fast enough and almost kissed the ground trying to run away from the seat!!! Once on top, we were even with the guys at take off. Then we went to the top of the 120m tower (that's 253 ft) and were able to walk out on the observation deck to get a first hand view of what a jumper sees as they are taking off. We learned that when they hit the take off, they are going 60mph! This afternoon, we were off to the alpine skiing venue at Whiteface Mt. This mountain has a 3400+ vertical drop, the sharpest drop in the Eastern States. There was still plenty of snow at the top of this 4,700 ft mountain, so it made for a beautiful drive, and the scenary when you reached different pull outs really took your breath away.

Oktoberfest hits here this weekend, but tomorrow calls for a full day of rain so it will be a day of lazing around the camper. Hopefully, sunday will be a better day and we can see all the festivities.

Hope everyone is well. Happy New Year to all our friends. It was very wierd not being home and cooking for the holidays. I will have to make up for it at Hanukkah. We should be home by then!!!

Take care...more later.

Terry and Mark

Hello everyone. What a wonderful time we had in New Hampshire. Mark was brave and drove up the Auto Road to the top of Mt. Washington. Believe me, after we passed the tree line it was easier for me to just close my eyes...it was a loooooonnnnngggg way down. Once we were at the top, we were in shrouded in the fog so didn't get the good views that you get on a clear day. But at 6,000+ feet, the weather changes frequently. We went on a moose hunt again...took a tour that started out at 6:30 pm. The van had heavy duty lights and we cruised back and forth on "Moose Mile" until 10:30. During that time we saw 9 of the critters...just one bull with the antlers...and two who crossed right in front of the van. I couldn't get any pictures, but it was fun anyway.

We drove all over the area...again the leaves are just turning, but some pretty spectacular vistas. We visited the Balsam Hotel in Dix Notch...this is where the first ballots are cast in any presidential election. All the people in the district show up at the hotel and within a couple of hours of the polls being open, they have counted the votes and posted the results.

We went hunting water falls and covered bridges and found quite a few. What was funny is that the brochures said...easy walk. Then we got there and the signs say...100 steps down to the falls...but they don't say anything about the rocks/roots you have to avoid before you get to the steps! So most of the falls were 1/4 mile straight down and 1/4 mile straight up. Believe me the views were worth the pain in my legs the next day. We visited the Flume Gorge which if you ever get up this way is magnificent...again, lots of steps but well worth the trip.

Woke up this morning to frost on the ground and the car. Buddy took one step out the door of the camper and looked back at us with a look that said..."Are you kidding me?" But of course once the sun was, the temps got back to about 61.

I can't believe the number of motorcycles we have seen on this trip. Tons in Maine...and quite a lot in N.H. even with the cool temps that we are seeing. Yes, it's driving Mark nuts.

No real touring now for the next two weeks...it's time to go to work. So, more later.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Terry and Mark

The time has come to leave Maine and I am sorry to go. It was really beautiful here and the people are extremely nice. Most of the gas pumps in the smaller towns don't have a slot for credit cards...so you pump first then go in and pay. How long has it been since any of us has encountered that? In Baxter State Park, they sell wood and rent canoes/kayaks on the honor system...if you take some, just leave the money in the jar. At the camp ground where we are staying after Mark filled up the propane canister the guy told him if nobody was in the office to take the money, Mark could get with him the next day! Over the weekend we attended the Trails End Festival in Millinocket. People that we encountered in various restaurants over the last couple of days saw us there and said hello. On Sunday, we took the dogs with us to listen to the music. People came by and offered them dog treats, and brought them water! Many people sat with us just to pet the dogs...it was something else.

They are very patriotic up here too. Many houses have large stars on the outside of their homes and fly the flag. When a service man or woman is killed in the war and is laid to rest, all flags on all buildings are lowered to half staff throughout the state. What a wonderful tribute to our servicemen/women.

We spent our last day with my cousings Rob and Heather and her two children Kaydence and Wyatt. Had a nice dinner together and then everyone (not me) roasted marshmallows in the stove and made s'mores. It was nice being with family.

Tomorrow we are heading a bit south to the White Mountains of N.H. Pretty soon it will be time to go to work...classes in N.H., Ma., and Vt.

More later.

Terry and Mark

Good evening. IT ARE MOOSE!!! We saw our first moose with antlers today. It was a teenager (could tell since he was kind of little...if you can call something that weighs ~800lbs little). We were driving in Baxter State Park where you drive on a gravel road going no more than 20 miles/hr. We rounded a curve and there it was in the middle of the road. By the time we realized what we were seeing he took off into the trees...I couldn't even get my camera focused. But that's okay...we saw it! We had spent the last two evenings cruising the areas that are known to attract the moose without success. The views in this park have been fantastic. The leaves are just starting to turn colors. There is no electricity anywhere in the park...all camping is primitive...they do have cabins, but you have to bring in everything from your bedding to your food, and even your water. Obviously there are no showers, unless you go in the lakes and only pit toilets to use. We visited with my cousin Rob who lives in a cabin in the park. He has a wood furnace to keep warm by and a couple of solar panels to heat his water and some electricity. In the park there is very limited cell service, so for him to use his cell phone in the park he has to be in his cabin with the phone hooked up to a huge antenna. We almost felt like we were back in Alaska! We went for what was supposed to be a half mile walk each way to the area where Mark and I are in the picture. He said...it's pretty flat and an easy walk. So I figured...no problem...I can do a mile. Well...he neglected to tell me we would have to climb around rocks and tree limbs...and walk across some boards that looked to be no wider than a balance beam!!!! A mountain goat I'm not!!! But we perservered and the view was totally worth it. Thank goodness for Tylenol!

The Appalachian Trail that starts in Georgia (on Springer Mountain) ends ~2,100 miles later on Katadhin Mountain here in Baxter State Park. Tomorrow and Sunday they are having a 'Trails End" festival to celebrate the end of the hiking season. We have seen lots of wooly, loaded down hikers both in the park and in the town of Millinocket.

We will be here through Tuesday. My cousin Heather who lives over in Punta Gorda is coming up here with her two kids to visit with Rob (that's her brother). So we will visit with them on Monday. Tuesday, we will head for the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We should be in the peak leaf peeping season within 2 weeks.

Marks is getting the fire going, so time to roast marshmallows. More later.

Terry and Mark

Greetings from Bar Harbor. It has been a delightful 4 days here with absolutely gorgeous weather. We attempted to go on a whale watching tour, but after Hurricane Bill and Tropical Storm Danny, their feeding grounds have been disturbed. We did see one Minki whale, but only for a few seconds. We got a voucher and tried again today, but all we saw was a basking shark. Oh well, both days were fantastic on the water...got to see more lighthouses, some outrageous homes on the cliffs, and the lobstermen pulling up their traps...so not a bad deal all around. The Desert Island Lighthouse was badly destroyed in the hurricane...at least the house itself was. This is a research lighthouse for the students at the College of the Atlantic to study whales, seals, and sea birds. From one angle everything looked fine, then we came around the bend and there is very little of the house left. We explored all over the island, finding little towns and harbors tucked away. Walked the shore walk in Bar Harbor which starts at the Bar Harbor Inn (where we enjoyed lunch on the terrace) and goes for awhile along some of the sea side houses and other inns. Then strolled throught the town of Bar Harbor...a very dog friendly sort of places...it seems like every other person had their dog with them. Plus there were 2 stores just for dogs on the main street!

Explored Acadia National Park, and all I can say about it is that I can fully understand why this is the most visited National Park in the country. The views were breath-taking. Went for a walk (not a hike) of about a mile and as we turned the last bend there was this beautiful body of water surrounded by trees and mountains. WOW.

Tomorrow, we start heading further north to the end of US 1 (yes the same one that is down by us in Florida) and then west. By Thursday we will be meeting up with my cousin Rob who is a park ranger in Baxter State Park. He promised me MOOSE.

Take care.

Terry and Mark

Good morning everyone...Finally back where I have an internet connection. We have sure been busy since we arrived in Maine on Sunday. Mark's brother has been telling us about the Ogonquit Playhouse for years, so we took a chance and were able to get tickets for an afternoon performance. We saw "Singing in the Rain", and I must rave about the performance. There were times when you thought you were seeing the original cast of the movie that's how good they were. Then off to explore the area...down to York where we saw the Nubble Lighthouse (built in 1879) and then to dinner where I tried to tackle a 2 pound lobster.The next day we were up in Old Orchard Beach where for a minute you thought you landed back in Coney Island with all sorts of food and vendors and carnival rides. For the afternoon, we travelled over to Newfield where they have an 1800's village with buildings and artifacts. They had an original 1894 carousel (that still works), an 1849 stagecoach, 1839 school house, a roadable aeroplane from 1926 (it was supposed to take off and land on the road...so you didn't have to go to the airport)...needless to say it never got off the ground, sleighs and carriages of the day and so much other stuff to see we could have spent days there looking at every little thing.

Of course a stop in Freeport is not complete without a visit to LL Bean...what a shopping complex. Store after store (there are 5 different ones here) selling everything you can think of for everyone in the family including pets! We visited the Desert of Maine...yes a real desert in the woods...but if you looked real close, you weren't really in the woods...the sand has covered the base of the trees and the limbs are now the roots of the trees. This happened because of glacial activity a gazillion years ago...but what an interesting place to visit. Headed to Portland to take a boat tour of several lighthouses. The Portland Head Light (was built in 1791 by order of George Washington)...boy we can't seem to escape history can we...is the most photographed one in Maine and with good reason.

We took a break one stay and stayed put in Searsport. This had to be the most beautiful campground we have ever stayed at. Perched on a small cliff overlooking the ocean, we spent the day watching the sailboats and seagulls go by. They even have a small beach and we were able to let the dogs loose to run and run they did...chasing the waves and the seagulls. We ate dinner at a very unique place last night called Young's Lobster Pound...you get your basic meal (lobster, clams, fish, etc.) with maybe a small side of cole slaw or potato salad. Then you sit outside at picnic tables and watch the sunset. What made this different, is that you are allowed to bring whatever else you want to eat/drink with you. People showed up with baskets of salads, breads, chips, beer and wine. Some even brought their dogs!

The weather is great...no rain since Mass...with the high 70's during the day and low 50's at night. The best part...no humidity!

So...for now lobsters and lighthouses down (will probably see more as we make our way up the coast)...whales and moose yet to come. More later.

Terry and Mark

Hello from Sturbridge, Mass. It has finally happened...it got cooler! For the last 3 nights we have been able to keep the air conditioner turned off. Looking forward to many more nights like that! Mark got to fix his first campfire of the trip...I forgot the marshmallows. We spent a couple of days exploring the River Road in Pa...from where Washingon crossed the Delaware up to Ringing Rocks Park. It is a very scenic, windy road...you definitely don't make good time when you are on it. This is the Pedestrian Bridge in Lumberton, Pa. You can walk across the Delaware into NJ without paying a toll. Don't get Mark started on some of the tolls we've paid up to this point. We are now in Stubridge through the weekend. We figured we would stay away from the coast since there is a possibility of some tropical weather this weekend. I thought I wouldn't have to worry about stuff like that since I left Florida! Tomorrow, we will visit Old Sturbridge Village, which an 1800's village with shops, buildings, etc. This is one of my favorite areas to visit when I come up here to teach PALS...I always stop in for a couple of hours. Now I will have more time to really explore not only the village, but the shops as well.

The campground we are in has very few campers. We have a large grassy area in front of the camper and for the first time, we were able to let the dogs go off the leash and they ran all over for quite a while.

Sunday we start for Maine. Whales, lighthouses, and L.L.Bean...here we come.

Terry and Mark

Good evening from Philadelphia. Here's a picture of one of the turkeys that wander around this campground. Dinner anyone? We caught a break with the weather and it only rained on us in the morning yesterday. Today was perfect...in the low 80's with a breeze. We have been surrounded by history this entire trip so far. This was especially true as we entered Independence Hall and there was the chair George Washington sat in during the debates for independence. Of course we saw the Liberty Bell, Elfreth's Alley, Betsey Ross's house, Christ Church, City Tavern (where we had a fantastic lunch) and debated if we were going to run up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum ala Rocky (not a chance!). Tomorrow we start heading north, but will first travel along River Road, which runs along the Delaware River and catch a little more history when we visit the site where G.W. and2,400 troops crossed the Delaware to capture the town of Trenton. Also going to look for the covered bridges that are all over Buck's County.

If anyone wants to see all the pictures of the vacation so far, just let me know and I will send you the link to Shutterfly.

Hello from historic Fredricksburg, Va...yes, girls LOTS of cannons and cannon balls! Don't you wish you were here! :) Here are a few pictures from the trip so far. Kasey is playing "King of the Mountain"...who knew she could climb anything?! Anyone who has ever made the drive from the Northeast down to Florida will recognize "Pedro" from that bastion of tourist junk...South of the Border. It was sad to see so few people in this complex that spans 2 sides of the road and offers everything from shopping to eating to mini golf to an amusement park. In the campground that can hold over 100 campers, there were six of us the night we were there! Fredricksburg was very important in the Civil War as it was half way between Washington DC and Richmond, the two capitals. Today we visited a couple of the battlegrounds in the area (there were 4 staged campaigns in this area in an 18 month period) and the sense of what happened here surrounds you as you walk the grounds. Tomorrow we will head over to Stratford Hall where Robert E. Lee grew up and also visit where George Washington chopped down the cherry tree. Should be in the Philly area by Friday. Here is the FIRST flower picture Danielle and Stacey...but you will notice there is at least a butterfly in the picture!!!

Keep good thoughts for my Uncle Bill who had rotator cuff surgery today.

Terry and Mark

Well, here we are at the end of day one of our grand adventure. We left about 6:45 this morning and stopped for the day in Brunswick, Ga. It took until about West Palm Beach for the dogs to finally lay down instead of standing. But we did take frequent stops so they could get out and walk around. By the time we stopped for lunch, they got into the routine...get out...pee...get back in the car and go to sleep! It was a momentous day...Mark got to sing along with the radio for a change...off key, wrong words and all! Now all he has to do is LISTEN TO THE NAVIGATOR when he is trying to pull into a gas station...we almost took a gas pump along for the ride!

Next stop...South of the Border to visit Pedro!

Terry and Mark

Good afternoon all,

Well here we are 13 days away from setting off on the big adventure. There are already 2 pages of lists of things not to forget...I better make sure Buddy and Kasey are on that list! I know I can buy anything I might forget, but I would at least like to suffer under the illusion that I semi have myself put together the first day out! Starting to look at campgrounds for places to stay the first couple of days. Mark says he doesn't want to drive more than 8 hours a day since it is a little tougher pulling this camper than it was the pop up. With stopping more often so the dogs can get out and do their thing, I'm not really sure how far we will really get in one day. For sure we will get out of Florida the first day even if it takes us longer than 8 hours. It's not officially vacation until you get out of the state!

Terry and Mark

Test

Please let me know if you get this post. I am trying to set up a blog for while we are on vacation.

Terry