Maryland to Illinois

The Big Trip

August 8 to August 24

Rockville, MD, August 8

Starting out on our big trip on Sunday, August 8. Hmmm, a more than full load! We ended up shipping eight boxes back home of things we had bought along the way and things we found we didn't need.

(Click on any picture to see a bigger picture)

Ferry Boat Campsites, Liverpool, PA, August 8

Our first night out, on the shores of the Susquehanna.

On the road again in Pennsylvania . . . .

Buttermilk Falls State Park, Ithaca, NY, August 9 - 10

We stayed here for two nights in the Finger Lakes area of upper New York. The falls were something to see, but it was the nosiest campsite we stayed at the whole trip.

Taughannock Falls, NY

These falls were 215 feet high, higher than Niagara Falls.

Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, NY, August 10

We stopped by Watkins Glen (known for its race track) and hiked through the gorge at the state park. We never knew there were so many waterfalls so close to where we live.

Cornell F.R. Newman Arboretum, Ithaca, NY, August 10

This was a little bit of a disappointment. It was not kept up very well at all. Most likely budget cuts.

Allegany State Park, Salamenca, NY, August 11 - 12

This was one of the most beautiful state parks we stayed in. We went on a beaver walk and saw four beavers in a pond. We heard about the largest beaver dam ever - 3000 feet long!

Mentor Holiday Inn Express, Mentor, OH, August 13 - 14

We were the only guests in the hotel not part of 1000+ people attending a a 3-day wedding celebration. (Maybe that's why the management gave us the second of four "honeymoon suites" -- with a conference table and all those telephones?? -- for the price of a regular room. It did enable us to dry out!)

Punderson State Park, Newbury, OH, August 15 - 17

Ohio has the strangest regulations for campsite reservations and allocations I've ever encountered. (Doesn't seem to favor the camper, either >:-[ ). Ohio also has road construction everywhere! Every town we went into had some construction going on, if not a road closure. Plus, Ohio has numerous nurseries or garden centers; every town seems to have several.

We stayed at this campground for several days, visiting various places around northeastern Ohio.

Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, OH, August 17

This arboretum, which covers over 3700 acres, is the largest in the U.S. They had an unusual and beautiful collection of hedges. Plus its the same last name as Kippi's sister's family.

Hudson, OH

Jack's late aunt and uncle raised their family here in Hudson. There was a bicycle decorating contest on Main Street.

The home (and also the farm) of Kippi's friend and colleague, Rebecca, Dayton and Sidney, OH, August 18 - 22

Drying out, again . . . .

Rebecca's dog Lily.

Mississinewa Lake State Park, Peru, IN, August 23

Ouch!

We went to the "Antique Alley" in eastern Indiana, but it was a big disappointment. The antique stores in Maryland and Pennsylvania are much better.

Kankakee River State Park, Kankakee, IL, August 24

This was really just a stop on the way to Madison, Wisconsin. We didn't spend much time at all in Illinois, but we did go through Joliet and saw the Joliet Prison ("Blues Brothers").

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