Odyssey of the Barth

Williamsport MD Canal Days Aug. 27-29, 2010

2010-08-29T18:34:00.010-04:00

Our destination this weekend was Williamport, MD, about 75 miles from home. As an important port during the heyday of the C&O Canal, they were having their annual Canal Days Festival in town - arts & crafts, music, exhibits and of course, food! We set-up housekeeping at the KOA, about 3 miles out of town.

The town is bisected by the Conococheague Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River beginning 80 miles away in PA and ending in Williamsport - the C&O Canal had to build an aquaduct over it for the canal boats. Our campground was located on the creek's banks.

Andy-the-son was in town, along with his traveling partner Bleu-da-dog, so they joined us for the weekend (free food ya understand....). Andy brought his hand-crafted wood kayak, which got a good workout.

Campsites were kinda close-in, but the facilities were clean, including a nice pool we had all to ourselves. We'll probably go back some day.

Stopped at C&O Canal museum during the Canal Days festivities to look over the exihibits & displays of the canal's history.

Back to Gettysburg, w/boys, Aug.14 & 15, 2010

2010-08-16T11:18:00.028-04:00

Last weekend, we traveled with Raegan & Abby to Gettysburg, PA. The girls seemed to enjoy it, so we headed back with Carter & Drew.

Saturday morning: "Come on Bampa, let's get going!"

Granite Hill Campground even had our same site from last week vacant!

Swinging is always a fun thing to do........

As well as "working in the sand".....

Gymnastics in progress......

"Ta Da!!..........."

Taking a break with Grandmom.....been busy smore eating & flashlight huntin'

Pool time!.........These kids have seal blood in their veins!

Drew gets driving lessons from Grandmom.........

Carter's driving style?.....Pedal-to-the-metal !!

Hayride time........

Sunday morning we drove through the Gettysburg battleground. Bampa's favorite battle leader is General Longstreet.........

We stopped to listen to a group of re-enactors explain how an artillery battery worked, including a live demonstration of the cannon..........

Ka-Boom !!.........Everybody was ready for the noise.........
"Drew, do ya remember how they made this thing work?"...........

The battlefield has several observation towers. The boys and Grandmom decided to make the climb.............

At the top..........

Horse tours passing next to the Barth......

When touring the battlefield, horses have the right-of-way.......

Then it was lunch in the motorhome, mass at the Seton Bascilica in Emmitsburg, an ice cream stop in Thurmont and we headed home.

Great weekend guys!.......Let's take another trip soon !!

Gettysburg w/ the girls - Aug. 7&8, 2010

2010-08-09T10:28:00.018-04:00

Grandmom, Bampa, Raegan & Abby head for Gettysburg PA for the weekend. We returned to Granite Hill Campground, where the gang had enjoyed a crab feast a couple years ago. Weather was perfect! The girls stayed busy at the pool, watching a magic show, trying out the playgrounds, taking a hay ride, checkin' out the DJ's music Saturday night, making mud pies and the always scheduled camp fire & smores.......

Nice shaded campsite....the girls enjoyed meeting our neighbors.

First thing on the agenda - Lunch!

Perfect weather to try out the pool - several times......

Mud pies & sand castles - part of campin'.........

Baby sitting duty by the Hat Lady........

"Hmmmm, wonder what the neighbors are up to ??....."

Bampa supervises the making of gravel-cakes..........

Mass at the Elizabeth Seton basicalla in Emmitsburg, MD. A beautiful shrine, with a large sanctuary and fantastic accoustics.....While the priest's homily may have been an eye-glazer, Abby's burp managed to get everyone's attention :(

Great Cacapon/Berkeley Springs WV, July 17-18, 2010

2010-07-23T17:06:00.012-04:00

Lee & George Ross, his friend of 40+ years, head for the mountains of NE West Virginia, near Berkeley Springs..........Destination is Cox Campground, owned by George's friend......This is definately banjo-music country!!
Cacapon River, flowing into the Potomac River at the little burg of
Great Cacapon, WV - a town that's seen better days.....

Great Cacapon in the distance, with view of the Potomac River. The

C&O Canal follows the river.

Set-up at Cox Campground, carved out of a mountain top

way off the beaten path, somewhere in West Virginia.......

George's first visit to the Paw Paw Tunnel, a C&O Canal shortcut

built in the mid-1800's.....Quite the engineering feat of its day.

West end of tunnel - East entrance is 1300' away....

Berkeley Springs State Park. Hundreds of springs provide clear cool water

estimated at over 50,000 gallons a minute...........George Washington

frequented the springs and owned property nearby.....

Springs feel great on a hot day!

A stop at the waterfall in Cacapon State Park, just outside

of Berkely Springs.......

Harper's Ferry WV - Family Weekend - July 9-11

2010-07-13T21:49:00.023-04:00

Family weekend at Harper's Ferry KOA - easy drive for all.
Now a National Park, Harper's Ferry was an industrial center for military arms, but most noted for the failed raid by John Brown just before the Civil War.

Family Central for two days

Aunt Lorri rented & decorated a golf cart as part of the BIG celebration-

Abby's 4th birthday !!

The Guest-of-Honor for our party

Complete with cake & ice cream (obligatory presents too!)

Drew coaches Bampa in the art of birthday celebrating.....

The pool - ALWAYS a family weekend requirement

Our stroll through the restored part of town......

The kids learn how to do their own laundry

Checkin' out the river just below the town

The travelin' foursome - momentarily at peace......

Abby shows her stuff on the pillow bounce

.......While Bampa attempts to show his.......

Smores - one of camping's major food groups......

2010 Official Family Camp-Out Portrait
(new member: Blue-da-dog)

Coopers Rock, WV, June 11-13, 2010

2010-06-14T08:41:00.023-04:00

Coopers Rock State Forest - about 180 miles from home. At over 12,000 acres, the largest state forest in WV. Named for a fugitive barrel maker, he plied his trade in these remote hills for many decades before being caught. Jon & Terry from OH joined us, as did the Goodspeed clan from Columbia MD.

Looking down on the Cheat River.....further upstream, it's a well known river for white water kayaking and rafting.

Enroute, we stopped at the C&O Canal museum in Cumberland.

Kathy learns how canal boat families lived on board their boats....Not quite as fancy as living in a 32 year old motorhome!

The museum is also the terminal for the Western Maryland scenic railroad.

At Coopers Rock, we ran across a rock climbing school in session. They invited the Goodspeed gang to join them......

"So, who knows the way outta here?"......

Mandy demonstrates her Spiderwomen skills........

A pic of Patrick's good side.........

Jon the tour guide......

A little rain forced a lunch under the awning.

Campfire chatter........

Waitin for the rain to leave......

Some West Virginia music at Coopers Rock

Cordorus State Park, PA, June 4-6, 2010

2010-06-07T11:13:00.018-04:00

First trip of the season with the Heidenberg girls.....Spent Friday night with the Heidenberg gang at their New Market home. Saturday morning it was off to Hanover PA and the Cordorus State Park...about 45 miles.

Lake Marburg, the center point for Cordorus State Park.

Plenty of places to stop for lunch..........

Since the swimming pool was still closed, we scouted out a nice place on the shores of Lake Marburg......but first we need our sunscreen!

Lake was cool & enticing.....wasn't long before Bampa inflated the Sea Eagle for some kayaking lessons.......

Raegan is now qualified to teach Uncle Andy how to paddle his kayak......

Bampa gets left behind.....(Note to the Mom: RELAX!....It was only a foot deep!)

Abby insists she doesn't need a short nap......30 seconds later...........

The light drizzle and our Smore party both started about the same time...

Yep, camping sure is FUN!.........

A fierce game of BINGO.........OUR rules are a little different it seems.....

Powdered sugar donuts......One of camping's main food groups!

On the way to Mass Sunday, we found a dine-o-mite playground to check out. We liked it so much, we returned after church for more play time and lunch.

Horn Point Antique Aeroplane Fly-In, May 21-24,2010

2010-05-25T17:48:00.022-04:00

Headed for the annual Horn Point Fly-In in Cambridge MD. For this trip, Lee will be joined by Sean Hammer, his friend who had also served as Airport Operations Supervisor with Lee at College Park Airport. This was also the maiden voyage of the trailer Lee built to carry the mopeds and the bicycles. With a couple small exceptions, it performed as designed :) First stop: Check for trailer load security and then head across the Chesapeake Bay.....the little trailer added $7.00 to the toll! :(
After checking out Horn Point Aerodrome, we headed for Suicide Bridge in the little town of Hurlock MD. The restaurant is well-known in the region for its fantastic seafood, and we weren't disappointed!

Oysters on the half shell, soft shelled crabs stuffed with crab imperial and house ale.......Don't get any better than that!!.......

We spent the night at the airport....quiet & dark! Now it's time for breakfast!

All kinds of transportation available at the Fly-In......

On display: An 80 year-old Ford Model A, a 28 year-old Suzuki moped and a

64 year-old biker..........All aging just like fine wine :)

All together, about 80 antique, vintage & classic aircraft arrived.

A homebuilt helicopter, designed after the Bell 47 of M.A.S.H. fame

Twin-engined Air-Cam: open cockpit with fantastic visibility and incredible take-off & landing performance.

Brand new Kodiak turbine powered 8 passenger. This aircraft will be using College Park Airport 2-3 times a week in the near future. It's operated as a traffic plane. See what $1.2mil+ will get ya? :)

The Barth received its own share of gawking throughout the day, as we answered questions about it and invited folks to go inside and take a peek.

Sunday morning, after breakfast. Had the whole airport to ourselves again.

Today we'll take a little detour to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, less than an hour away.

The rufuge is home to millions of waterfowl, including Bald Eagles.

Here's one, waitin' for something that's gonna get eaten.........

Miles & miles of wetlands. A 25 mile perimeter road takes you around. There are put-ins for kayaks/canoes every few miles and marked water trails. This is one place you wouldn't want to get disoriented - it would be tough to find your way out.......

On the way home we stopped at Kentmore Marina & Restaurant on Kent Island for some hard shell crabs.....On the way out we stopped along the shore to get this shot of the Bay Bridge........

A Super weekend!.......Old airplanes, great food & beverage, enjoyable company, new sights to see.......Life is Indeed Good !!.......

John Wilkes Booth Escape Route, April 23-26, 2010

2010-05-25T15:44:00.013-04:00

Lee & Tom Palen, his boyhood friend, departed on their third annual Civil War era expedition. This time, they elected to take a 12 hour chartered bus tour which closely duplicated the escape route of John Wilkes Booth after he shot President Lincoln. The Barth spent two nights at a regional park near the Surratt house. Sunday morning was a stop at Fort Washington, then a trip down through southern Maryland, over-nighting at Point Lookout State Park on the Chesapeake Bay - site of a Union POW camp for Confederate soldiers & sailors. Monday's trip home included a trip across the Bay Bridge at Annapolis, a stop at Kentmore Marina for Tom's first exposure to hardshell crabs, and back home. Great trip!.....Lookin' forward to next year! The bus tour started at Ford's Theater in downtown Washington. Tom stands in front of the presidential box. Booth entered from the right side, shot Lincoln and jumped onto the stage near the American flag. While crossing the stage, Booth yells, "Death to Tyrants!" and exits stage left. Leaving Ford's, we went across the street to the Petersen house, where Lincoln expired.

On his way out of town, Booth's first stop was at the Surratt tavern in Clinton, MD. Today it's a historic site, complete with museum & library.

Dr. Mudd's home, where Booth showed up to have his broken leg set. Many claim Mudd was an innocent victim of circumstances. The government thought otherwise, and sent him to prison in the Florida Keys. His medical help during a prison epidemic earned him an early release after a few years. Today, the Mudd family continues an active effort to get his sentence commuted.

Dr. Mudd's first tombstone, on display at the house. His burial plot, with new headstone, is at a church about 4 miles away.

This old house was one of the stops made by Booth. Complete with its own cast of re-enactors, it contained a mini-museum inside. Only museum we've visited that allowed guests to pick-up and play with the weapons on display!Sunday morning stop at historic Fort Washington. On the MD side of the Potomac River and across from Mt. Vernon, its purpose was to protect the capital city from an invasion coming up river. It never saw military action.

The finale of the trip was an aerial tour that Lee had arranged with the county police helicopter. Tom got to see downtown Washington DC from about 300' in the air at dusk....a place he had visited scores of times during his student's class trips over the years........

2010-03-17T07:27:00.000-04:00

The Gang........ Christmas-2009

2010 Season Travel Plans !! On-the-Road-Again!

2010-03-14T18:00:00.008-04:00

Here's our 2010 season travel plans! If you're in the area, stop by and say "Hi!" Just look for the shiny 32 year old motorhome and some happy campers!........

April 23-26: Lee & his boyhood friend Tom Palen embark on their 3rd annual Civil War site trip. This time, they'll follow the escape route of John Wilkes Booth, starting at Ford's Theater in downtown Washington DC, all through southern Maryland and ending across the Potomac River in northern Virginia.

May 7-9: Lee & Kathy head for Fort Frederick near Hancock MD. Right on the C&O Canal, with lots of biking opportunities. Mother's Day at Katie's house.

May 21-23: Lee & Andy Watson, an airport associate, head for Horn Point on the Chesapeake Bay, near Cambridge MD. It's the annual fly-in for the Potomac Antique Aero Squadron....lot's of old planes and pilot war stories with friends.

June 5-6: With Raegan & Abby, we head for Cordorus State Park in Hanover PA. Nice lake for swimming, playgrounds and just plain fun!

June 11-13: Coopers Rock State Park in the hills of far western MD, where we meet-up with Jon & Terry Holland from Stow OH. Relaxation, stocked lakes.

June 25-27: We head for Brunswick MD, on the banks of the Potomac and adjacent to the C&O Canal. Railroad town, with museum. We'll have Carter & Drew on-board....those boys LOVE big machinery!

July 9-11: 3rd annual Family Weekend with Lorri's & Katie's clans....this time in Harper's Ferry WV. Pools, playground, historic town to walk, ice cream, you name it, we'll find something to do.....

July 18-19: Lee & friend George Ross head to Cox's Campground, in the hills outside Berkeley Springs WV. George knows the owner - we're gonna check it out, maybe fish a little.

July 23-25: Lee & Kathy head to Chestertown MD on the Eastern Shore. Historic town, good bike trails, water views, kayaking and hopefully, steamed hard shell crabs!!

August 7-8: A low-key weekend trip with Raegan & Abby to Breezy Point MD, parking in Ed & Pat Hanko's back yard. Swim in the bay, walk the boardwalk at Chesapeake Beach, Breezy Point park & playground and hopefully, MORE crabs!

August 27-29: Williamsport MD, on the C&O Canal. It's the town's Canal Days Festival and we'll take part, plus bike the canal, visit the museum, etc.

Sept. 4-11: The BIG trip! We head north to the Delaware Gap Nat'l. Recreation Area in the Pocono Mountains in northern PA. Kayak the Deleware River, stop in Scranton for RailFest at the National Steamtown Park, then across scenic Rte 6 to Wellsboro PA and the PA Grand Canyon area. hiking, biking, kayaking, mopeds, it ought to be great scenery and lots to do.

Sept. 24-26: Cumberland MD RailFest! With Drew & Carter - Gonna ride the Western Maryland steam train! Downtown festival too....

Oct. ??: Season finale trip plans are in-the-works........

END OF OUR 2009 TRAVELS :(

2010-03-14T17:39:00.004-04:00

"I will build us a castle, fit for you and me, for green days in the forest, and blue skies at the sea......" -Robert Louis Stevenson (and Bampa! :)

The end of another great travel season! Even though the number of trips was abbreviated because of Lee's need to prep for College Park Airport's 100th anniversary airshow, we were able to take the grandkids out for their own special weekends, we had our Jellystone family weekend and we saw new places.

Other than the starter replacement back in April, the Barth ran flawlessly, and gave us our 6th enjoyable year traveling around the mid-Atlantic. The Mothership is winterized and we spend our time pouring maps and travel brochures.......April, 2010 is just around the corner!

Gettysburg Nat'l. Visitor Ctr. & McCadney Birthday - Oct.23-25, 2009

2010-03-14T16:50:00.015-04:00

This weekend's plans included a trip back up to Gettysburg PA for Kathy to see the new museum & visitor's center and for both of us to take the tour of the Eisenhower Farm located nearby. Friday night was an overnight stop at Pat & Katie's place, where we had FOUR little people for a sleep-over in the Barth. Saturday morning it was off to Gettysburg, tour the museum, Ike's farm and drive some of the battlefield. We stayed overnight at Little Drummer Boy campground nearby. Sunday was a slow drive back to the New Market MD area to a pumpkin-patch u-pick farm, where we met the kids and had a 4th birthday party for Carter & Drew, along with some of their friends. You wanna sleep where tonight?!.........

The more the merrier......

Ike & Mamie's house......No pics allowed inside:(

Lunch at the base of Little Roundtop....site of horrendous fighting in the war.

The campground was decorated and ready for Halloween - here's one site.

Playing at the Punkin Farm - lot's for kids to do..........

The Barth has a new role - Birthday Party Central.

Presents!.......THAT's what it's all about!

The Mom prepares the eats for the birthday celebration......

The GREAT Barth DC- Get Together! Oct 8-11, 2009

2010-03-14T16:01:00.013-04:00

Easily the shortest trip of the year (3 miles :), the Barth Washington DC Get-Together was the culmination of a year's planning by various members of the Barth affinity website: Barthmobile.com. Over 16 Barths attended, including one from California. It was held at Cherry Hill Campground in College Park MD. Great bus service from the park made downtown sight-seeing easy for the out-of-towners. Evening campfires, afternoon cocktail hours, potluck meals brought all of together to share our travel experiences and our common attraction to Barth motorhomes. A great four days!

100th Anniversary Airshow !!

2010-03-14T15:13:00.012-04:00

Not a Barth trip, but the reason that our 2009 travel season was somewhat limited.......After more than a year of work, Lee was happy to see his airport's 100th anniversary airshow go off without a hitch. The highly restricted airspace surrounding Washington DC made it a particular challenge. The families showed-up, so it was a special day all around! Lee & his hardworking staff after the show

Best place to get some shade!

FLY Raegan, FLY!

The kids enjoyed Otto the Helicopter's comedy act.

The US Army brought two CH-47's

Drew & Carter getting some stick-time with the Coast Guard

Watch where yer goin' Abby!

Lee-the-AirBoss, with elevated BP I'm sure....

2nd Annual Family Weekend - July10-12, 2009

2010-03-14T14:12:00.012-04:00

Last year, the whole family spent a weekend at Jellystone Park just outside of Williamport MD. We enjoyed it so much we returned this year - two sites away from our last visit. Unfortunately, Lorri had a last-minute medical issue pop up, so we grabbed the boys and headed out. Andy-the-son was in town and joined us. We brought the pop-up camper this time so everyone had a decent place to sleep. Pool, water slides, golf, kid's activities, good weather.....All around, a fun weekend, even though we missed Lorri & James.........

June 19-21, 2009 - Harrisburg PA - City Island Park

2010-03-14T10:17:00.016-04:00

Raegan & Abby's trip with Grandmom & Bampa......Headed for City Island Park in the middle of the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg PA. We stayed at the Pinochet State Park, about 20 miles away. City Island is a recreation area, with train rides, paddlewheel boat, playgrounds and lots of other things for little folks to do or see. The state park had a swimming lake that we also sampled. Rained more than it didn't, but we were able to fill the time with lots of things to do between showers.

Goin' Campin'....I'm SO excited !!

Then again, maybe not......

Sunshine!....Let's get a swim in!

Gloomy rain most of the trip, but THAT didn't stop the fun!

Carriage rides on the island - we took a pass......

A cow says: "Mooooooooo...."

Time for some equestrian training.......

Train trip around City Island Park

Abby: "So, THIS is where milk comes from....."Raegan: "Abby, are you SURE about that?"......

Don't nap when Abby has access to stickers!

Tough to roast'em with wet wood, but we prevailed!!

Rained so hard that a box turtle got wedged in the storm drain grate :(

Bampa to the rescue!

Woodbine, MD, June 5-7, 2009

2010-03-13T16:14:00.015-05:00

This was to be the first trip the McCadney boys took with Grandmom & Bampa without The Mom present, so we didn't want to roam too far from home in case we ended up with a revolt on our hands...As it turned out, The Mom wasn't even missed for a nano-second! We spent two days and one night at Ramblin Pines, a family campground about 20 miles from home. Enjoyable place. The days were filled with ball playing, launching foam airplanes, taking a hayride through the woods, eatin' ice cream, buying toy RV's at the campstore, checkin' out the fishin' lake and the pet goats, playground and just plain old enjoying each other....the very reasons we travel around in an old motorhome!

Now we've got some seasoned campers to join us........Longer travels and bigger adventures are ahead!

Suffolk VA Fly-In, May 30 & 31, 2009

2010-03-13T15:40:00.004-05:00

Ya have to be a dyed-in-the-wool aluminum polisher to really appreciate how beautiful this wing looks!

A Temco Swift, Lee's favorite exhibitor - mainly because of the polish job!

In preparation for College Park Airport's 100th anniversary airshow (Lee is the Airport Mgr.), he and two airport staffers (Sean Hammer & Andy Watson), launched the Barth for Suffolk VA to attend their weekend Fly-In and hopefully solicit exhibitors for CGS's show. Parked right next to the runway with electric hook-up! Weather was perfect and the Barth got a lot of gawkers!

Lee & Tom's 2nd Annual Civil War Trek, May 15-18, 2009

2009-05-26T13:30:00.008-04:00

Last year, Lee & Tom Palen (friends since Kindergarden) toured Gettysburg & Antietam. This year, they headed for the Virginia Civil War sites. Stops included Balls Bluff, smallest US military cemetery, Winchester VA, Romney WV, Rowlesburg WV, the Cheat River canyon, Morgantown WV to visit high school classmates Rick & Paula Briggs, then off to Cumberland MD and thru the Paw Paw Tunnel on the C&O Canal. Unscheduled events included the first ever

breakdown of the Barth, a road service call for a new starter and a stop at the Hagerstown hospital emergency room for Tom's insulin imbalance! In all, a great trip, with plans already being made for next year!

Washington County MD, May 8-10, 2009

2009-05-26T12:39:00.018-04:00

2009 Season Opener !!! Washington County MD is hilly & scenic, with lots of

Civil War history, small towns and large forested areas. Our stops

included the factory outlets at Hagerstown, Greenbrier State Park,

Mass in Boonsboro, Washington Monument State Park and nice backroads.

(Except for the bump that opened a cabinet door and let the laptop

hit the floor and kill it :( [The new one is better anyway!]

Nice campsite.....enjoyed chatting with the camp hosts, who've been

full timing since 2005, mainly in Arizona & points west.

The lake at Greenbrier - lots of fish - none for Lee :(

Greenbrier S.P. had an interesting Visitor Center

Our trip crossed the Appalachian Trail several times - over 2600 hiking miles

from Baxter State Park in Maine to southern Georgia. For those who are already

in shape, plan on 4-6 months of hiking - UGH!

Washington Monument - small town style

Tower entrance

A view from the tower - Antietam battlefield is to the left

A quick stop at Pat & Katie's in New Market MD to visit our kids

Drew prefers pushing rather than riding.....

Raegan the Biker Babe

Carter and his "sincere" smile.....

Abby strikes "her pose" in the pink Mustang......

End of the 2008 Season !!

2009-03-16T15:18:00.004-04:00

Another great season comes to an end.......Mothership Barth is winterized, covered and put in storage. We're already looking forward to 2009 and have got some great trips planned. 2009 will be special, as the grandkids are getting old enough to enjoy traveling and we look forward to taking them along with us (ONE at a time!)......Stay tuned, and remember, we usually regret the things we DIDN'T do rather than those we did........Life is short - Enjoy!

York PA - October 3-5, 2008

2009-03-16T13:53:00.010-04:00

Weekend highlight was a guided tour of the state-of-the-art Harley-Davidson factory in York. The area used to be a prosperous industrial area, but has fallen on hard times. They also have a great rail-to-trail system that we biked several times.

On quick side-trip to Hanover PA to take a tour of the Utz potato chip factory. Hanover is known as the Snack Food Capital, with several factories closeby......

The Harley-Davidson factory tour starts in the showroom, to whet your appetite!

Biker Mama, checking out a ride that could be hers for a mere $30k (Harley factory tour)

Part of York's effort at urban renewal is an "industrial flower" garden, with plants made from industrial machine parts from their early & more prosperous days.

Nice campsite......bike trail is just behind us. Spent the evening around campfire with two Mennonite couples from Lancaster County.....

Campsite was adjacent to converted rail-trail.....great flat ride!

Sunday morning Mass......3 mile bike ride from campground - nice, old church.....

Assateague Island & Ocean City MD Sept. 13-15, 2008

2009-03-16T13:25:00.009-04:00

It's time for George Ross & I to make our annual two-day pilgramage to the ocean. We stay at Assateague State Park and then go into Ocean City for the day to walk the boardwalk and eat junk food. We have an arrangement with a local establishment one block off the boardwalk - they let us park & hook-up the Barth, giving us an air conditioned refuge between walks.

Settled in, ready for warm breezes & a cold beer......

Obviously, you don't leave any food unattended........

Everywhere you went it was ponies and more ponies........

We drove through the National Seashore portion of Assateague and came across a group of windsurfers..........40 years earlier and I would have tried this!

It was Bike Week in Ocean City......George & I kind of stuck out on the boardwalk :(

We didn't have any colors or weapons, so I guess that meant we were welcome!

Lower Chesapeake Bay - Aug.28-Sept.4, 2008

2009-03-16T12:11:00.026-04:00

Seven days around the lower Chesapeake Bay - Perfect weather! Our itinerary included:
Crisfield MD - the annual Hard Shell Crab Festival & workboat competion
Chicoteague Island - "Misty the Pony" fame
Across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, where the Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean
Through Norfolk, up the south bank of the James River
Jamestown VA - the first North American settlement by Europeans - 1620
Williamsburg VA - Colonial shops, including the famous Williamsburg Pottery outlet
Westmoreland State Park VA - on the banks of the Potomac River
About 600 miles in 6 days - just the right pace!

We stayed 3 days at Janes Island State Park, just outside of Crisfield. Easy bike ride to town and lots of time to paddle around in the Sea-Eagle...........Beautiful sunsets too!

What's a festival without crowning a Miss Crustacean?

Hard shell blue crabs, one for every state, race down an inclined ramp.........

It was so hot, even the crowd got hosed-down during the crab races.......

For Lee, Crisfield Crab Festival means crabs & beer !!

From the city docks in Crisfield, it's about an hour's boat trip to Tangier Island in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. Home to a couple hundred families, they survive by fishing and crabbing. The island is so remote, the locals still speak an unusal version of the King's English.

Island citizens use golf carts to get around, so the streets are pretty narrow. We biked the whole island in about an hour, plus crabcakes at the famous Hilda Crockett's eatery.

Because Tangier Island is at sea level, burial is at ground level. Seems like everyone on the island shares one of about four family names......lot's of Pruitts & Crocketts........

Kiptopeke State Park, at the tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore. WWII concrete ships are used as a breakwater at the beach. The Bridge Tunnel is in the background.

The Bay Bridge-Tunnel....20 miles across the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, including two tunnels....In another mile, we'll go under this ship.

Chippokes State Park, on the South bank of ther James River. Originally a large plantation, it was given to the state with the conditions that it remain a working farm and the original staff and their future children have jobs there. Generations later, it still is and they still do !

VA Rte 31 ends at the James River waterline.....Free state-run ferries take over from there.

The Barth on the ferry - about a 25 minute trip across the James River.

Capt. Kathy, on the bridge of the Pocahontas Ferry, enroute to Jamestown.

Once we cross the James River we'll be at the entrance to both the new Jamestown replica settlement and the original settlement site, about a mile apart from each other. We toured both sites.

Kathy learns the ropes of rope-making during our tour of Jamestown settlement.

The indian village exhibited all of the skills needed to survive in those times

The Jamestown replica includes the ships that brought the first settlers in 1620.

Jamestown's blacksmith at work

A "typical" Jamestown soldier & protector

The original Jamestown site is being researched on a full-time basis.

The "Hundred Mile Hill".....Rode our bikes around Westmoreland State Park, including the very L-O-N-G hill from the campsite to the water....Won't do THAT again!

Last night out was at Westmoreland State Park, on VA side of Potomac, about 85 miles from home. Known for its cliff banks, the area is filled with fossils, sharks' teeth and other prehistoric items.

Denton MD SummerFest !! Aug. 15-17, 2008

2008-09-22T19:46:00.024-04:00

This trip took Lee & Kathy, accompanied by eldest daughter Lorri and her twin 2-year olds, to Denton MD, about 75 miles from home. Denton is a small rural town near the Delaware border that hosts an annual SummerFest. Main Street is closed and filled with exhibit boothes, arts & craft vendors, music stages, food of every description, rides and other activities.

Martinak State Park, just outside of town, was home base for the Barth. The park is located on the banks of the historic Choptank River, the setting for Michael Mischner's great classic novel, Chesapeake - a book everyone should read!

Lee's favorite easy-chair......

Like most Maryland state parks, a great uncrowded camping site....

" Are we there yet?"

Choptank River at Martinak.......30+ meandering miles to the Chesapeake Bay.

Waterfront - Martinak State Park, just a mile outside Denton MD.

"Bampa, are you SURE the Wright brothers started this way?".....

Drew, Grandmom & Carter checkin' out the park benches

Drew & Bampa, watching the sandman do his thing

"Hmmm, maybe I could pull this behind the Barth!".....

Grandmom & Bampa taking in the festival sights with Carter & Drew.......

A ride of a REAL firetruck!! Carter & Drew now feel their lives are complete !

One-eyed owl.....Talk about not catching a break in life !! :

Parade watchin' makes me hot & thirsty !

"Whoops....I better not let Dad see the balloon Bampa got for me!"

Watkins Regional Park - Annual Family Campout!

2008-09-22T19:05:00.007-04:00

It's Family Weekend again (August 8-10, 2008) at Watkins Regional Park. An event we've been doing for a few years now. Only about 15 miles from home, Watkins offers a virtually deserted campground, playground, marry-go-round, train, nature center, bike trails, petting farm and lots of things for nephews, nieces & grandkids to do.

Our Lorri with Drew, Carter & Marcus

The Heidenbergs....our Katie, husband Pat, Raegan & baby Abby on the park train.

"Campin' and Corn - Nothin' like it !!"

Mom/Grandmom/Great-Grandmom Brahm

I think there's about four or five clans and two or three generations of the Brahm family here.

Little Orleans MD & Berkeley Springs WV - August 1-3, 2008

2008-08-11T12:01:00.022-04:00

This trip takes us about 125 miles to Little Orleans MD, in the middle of the

Green Ridge State Forest. Our goals are to bike the C&O Canal to see the

Paw Paw Tunnel and a visit to Berkeley Springs WV, a well known resort

since the middle 1700's. Other than getting the Barth into areas designed

only for 4WD vehicles, it was a great trip!

We've biked many different portions of the C&O Canal, but this area is so remotethat we could park the Barth on the towpath.......We have only two directions to choose from to get to the Paw Paw Tunnel......Kathy is trying to figure out which one......

The railroads made the C&O Canal obsolete before it was completed. Here's a

long-abandoned trestle built by the Western Maryland Railroad soon after the

Civil War.....The WMRR is long-gone too.

This is part of the gorge that had to be blasted out for the C&O Canal just before

it enters the Paw Paw Tunnel - about 1000' of wooden towpath.

East end entrance to the Paw Paw Tunnel. When work was started in 1836, it

was considered one of the engineering wonders of the world. Today, it's used

by hikers and bikers on the way to either Washington DC or Pittsburgh PA. A good

review of the tunnel can be found at: http://www.berkeleysprings.com/tunnel.htm

The tunnel is about 3000' long and was built to eliminate about 6 miles of canal

building. The only tunnel on the 186 mile long canal, it was estimated to take two

years to build- in reality, it took 14 years (typical government project!). The

original safety railing on the towpath still exists, worn smooth on the edges by

countless ropes attached to the boats and the mules that pulled them.

Cool place on a hot day! It's estimated that six million brick are installed

on the tunnel lining......

West end of the Paw Paw Tunnel. Since it allowed only one boat either way,

canal boat captains sent a runner ahead to check for traffic before entering.

History records two stubborn captains meeting in mid-tunnel, neither one

willing to back up....After several days and a canal boat gridlock, the lockmaster

started a fire at the upwind end of the tunnel and smoked them both out :)

The maps seemed to indicate county roads, but as we got further in, they changed

to two-tracks, with little room for error.......We don't have pictures of the section

that had bumper-scratching vertical rock walls on one side and a sheer drop-off

on the other because Lee had a death-grip on the wheel and Kathy was preparing

to bail-out the passenger window :(

Finally reaching a clearing in the road, Lee surveys the Barth for damage......

one missing air horn, one bent one, bumper scatches and a missing piece of trim -

NOT the way to treat the Mothership!

Despite the terrible roads, the view at the top was beautiful. That's the

Potomac River, headed for Washington DC, the Chesapeake Bay and finally into

the Atlantic Ocean......Very popular canoeing & flatwater kayaking area.

An hour's drive from Green Ridge State Forest brought us to Berkely Springs

State Park WV, with a history older than the country.

It was obvious that some folks really believe in the healing powers of the springs....

while others were just enjoying the cool water on a hot day.......

The Hat Lady surveys some of the springs.........

The Hat Lady again, checking out a local Arts & Crafts Fair in the

Berkeley Springs park......

George Washington is said to have slept virtually everywhere (So that's where

Bill Clinton learned it!)......But in Berkeley Springs WV, George apparantly

owned land too.....

Boiling Springs, PA - July 25-27th, '08

2008-07-28T15:50:00.011-04:00

Off to Boiling Springs PA and surrounding area....about 125 miles from home. Friday night & Saturday were typical biking, walking, exploring, but late Saturday afternoon we got "duded up" for the Allenberry Resort & Dinner Theater to enjoy a nice buffet and attend their production of Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, one of our favorites.......& very well done!

Left the area after lunch on Sunday and meandered back, stopping in Gettysburg so Kathy could see the new Visitor Center & Museum........Super nice trip with great weather!

Camped at Pine Grove Furnace State Park, about 20 miles from Boiling Springs, PA. We had a great campsite with an uncrowded feel. Park has two lakes for swimming and fishing, plus lots of bike routes along beautiful trout streams. I think we'll be back someday..........

Once a thriving iron-producing community, the town is now a pretty little burg where everyone takes pride in their homes & landscaping. Great place to study residential architecture of the late 1700's to middle 1800's.

Some of the outlets for the local springs have been turned into focal points in the parks.

All around Boiling Springs, there's about 30 artesian springs that "boil up" water to feed local streams. The water supply has been estimated at 22 million gallons a day!!

The lake in Boiling Springs was the perfect place to break-out the Sea Eagle! 90 degree air temp was quickly tempered by the water temp. The lake was about 3-5 feet deep, and 14" Rainbow Trout could be seen swimming all about.........

We spent a lot of time biking in Boiling Springs as well as around Pine Grove Furnace State Park. The area is known for its mountain biking opportunities.

Because the area streams & ponds are fed by springs over 2000 feet deep, the water maintains a temperature of 54 degrees with incredible clarity.......

The area is full of beautifully clean, fast-running streams, and this is what the accomplished fly fisherman can expect (assuming all the planets are lined up correctly...)

Sunday morning Mass was at a little place deep in the woods. Shutters allowed for open-air service, including a passing shower. Very rustic & enjoyable........

Jellystone Park, Hagerstown MD, July 11-13th, '08

2008-07-28T12:54:00.025-04:00

Family Weekend at Jellystone Park, near Hagerstown, MD. Lee & Kathy

came in the Barth, with a Camping Cabin reserved for the Katie's & Lorri's gangs. We were fortunate that Lorri brought a tent, as the cabin was a little bigger than a phone booth! The park is a great family site, with swimming pools, water slides, playgrounds and lot's to keep kids busy. Friday night included watching Charlotte's Web on a large movie screen across the street from our campsite. Saturday's activities included swimming, bike riding, hayride, dancin' at the pavillon, campfire w/ smores, celebrating Katie's birthday, playgrounds and just overall enjoying each other's company. Weather was perfect & we hope to do this again next year!

Organized disorder - What campin' is all about!

Pool Time at Jellystone Park!

"Let's try smores for breakfast too !!"

Time for a bike ride......

Campin' is all about eatin' Good Stuff !!

Grandmom with the men in her life......

Happy Surprise 27th Birthday Mom (& Aunt Katie!)

Carter fights a losing battle with the pool plumbing..

Abby learns the fine art of smore-making......

What's a campout without a good smore and a cheap cigar?

Grandmom giving dance lessons......

Good dancin' Abs....You GO girl !!

Carter & The Mom...

Drew, Lorri & Carter - LUV that pool !

NO!.....It's MY turn to drive !!

See?....I told you I'm having fun !!

Quick everybody!!....We gotta push it back

into the water before it dies !!

Tribal elders....doing what they do best.....

Campsite hostess, chief cook......

.....and bottle washer.... (Thanks Grandmom!)

Drew, our self-appointed camp custodian.

......not even footprints left behind!

As always, a dependable ride & enjoyable weekend abode.......

June 19-21, 2008, DelMarVa Chicken Festival!

2008-06-27T22:30:00.012-04:00

Off to the Eastern Shore to help celebrate the Chicken Festival! About 90 miles from Washington, it was a nice easy drive. Got to campsite at last-light Thursday evening.

Trap Pond State Park, just across the Maryland line in Delaware. Nice campground!

Kathy & Lee have been traveling around in the Barth for five years, but this trip had a new twist to it......Their first camping weekend with a grandkid. Raegan, 3-1/2yrs, made her maiden voyage with Bampa & Grandmom. Gotta tell ya, THIS trip had its own set of dynamics to it!

The "pond" in Trap Pond State Park, a few miles outside of Laurel DE. Lot's of local fishing boats, so it must be good fishing........

The Delaware, Maryland, Virginia peninsula (ie: DelMarVa) is known for it's chicken raising.

The annual Chicken Festival promotes this industry - kinda hokey, but fun! It's biggest claim to fame - World's Largest Frying Pan!..........

....and here it is today, still in use (60 gallons of peanut oil!)

No doubt about it......We got ourselves a future astronaut here!

Raegan & Grandmom......(Bampa doesn't do Ferris Wheels...........)

Not chickens, but ya still gotta watch where you step.............Trap Pond, DE

Major accomplishment - Raegan comes within a nano-second of holding a chick!

June 13-16, 2008 Gettysburg/Antietam/Harpers Ferry

2008-06-27T21:18:00.010-04:00

After a couple years of "talking about it", Lee and his boyhood best friend Tom Palen finally got together for a trip. Tom is a recently retired high school government & history teacher from Michigan and a very knowledgeable Civil War buff. The itinerary included Gettysburg PA, Antietam MD and Harper's Ferry WV - about 270 mi full circle. Artillery Ridge Campground in Gettysburg is a good choice, being 1/2 mile from the new museum & visitor center. Other than supporting opposing presidential candidates and Tom's obsession with his carb intake, the trip was greatly enjoyed by both of them!

Tom at the entrance to the new museum & visitor center. So new, the grass hasn't come up yet!

The new Gettysburg Visitor's Center just opened in the spring of '08. It's an awesome building with great displays. Plan on about 4-5 hours to read & see all that it offers.

Here's how a major newspaper of the day described Lincoln's Gettysburg Address shortly after it was delivered.......Time has a way of changing things, doesn't it?

Lee with Gen. James Longstreet, CSA. One of Robert E. Lee's most valued leaders. Reluctant but loyal in carrying out Lee's orders for the ill-fated Pickett's Charge, giving the victory to the North.........The beginning of the end for the CSA, although the war would last two more years.

Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg MD, about 60 miles from Gettysburg PA. Site of the highest single-day casualty count in the Civil War - after 12 hours of fighting, over 23,000 troops killed, wounded or missing. (Bloody Lane is in lower left corner)

The Sunken Road, in the middle of the battlefield, became a Confederate defensive position.

After being overtaken by Union troops, it became known as Bloody Lane.

Bloody Lane as it looked shortly after the battle. Books say "bodies stacked like cordwood".

Harper's Ferry WV......In the 1800's, a busy industrial town at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenendoah Rivers...Site of John Brown's raid on the U.S. Armory in hopes of starting a slave rebellion. Today, the whole town is a national monument. We camped at Brunswick MD, about 6 miles away and biked into Harper's Ferry on the C&O Canal towpath........

Cheat River Valley, WV - June 6-8, 2008

2008-06-11T06:39:00.015-04:00

Destination: Cheat River Valley, known for it's Class 5 whitewater
and great scenary in the mountains.......about four hours from
home. 9% grades coming down the mountains makes for some
interesting driving!

Rowlesburg WV....little town on the Cheat River. We set-up
camp on the riverbank there, until the owner showed-up and
asked us to move on. :(

Cheat River - a more tranquil portion.............

The kayak crew, really nervous that they might find some

real whitewater..............

Railroad trestle destroyed in the flood of 1985.......

Good video at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=A-ZRF7xolL8

Jon & Terry - the Ohio clan..............

Lee & Kathy - Ever see "Deliverence"?............

We had the campground to ourselves..............

Always the morning fog......................

The Barth and its right-seat driver/navigator........

We thought we had located the cheapest gas in the U.S.

in Kingwood, WV......and we were first in line!......

......but nobody showed up to sell us gas........Maybe they

close early on Sundays? :)

1955 Corvette - "West Virginia" style......

The 2008 Polish Job is Done!

2008-06-03T20:39:00.008-04:00

Historic tags = $26/year....Can't beat the price!

Sure glad polishing time comes only once a year !

Point Lookout State Park - '08 Season Opener !!

2008-05-19T07:39:00.005-04:00

The LOVES of Lee's life (especially the non-shiny one.....)

On this particular day, at this particular time, Lee can officially report that the Chesapeake Bay and all its tributaries contain NO fish........Zero....Zip......Nada......Great weather though !......

Great campsites, with plenty of privacy!

Chesapeake Bay, with relatively unspoiled shoreline & miles of good biking roads & trails.

As you drive around the area, somehow you just know that you're in Southern Maryland !

Monument at the mass-grave site for Confederate soldiers - now a federally owned cemetery.

Point Lookout is a state park today. But in the Civil War it served as a POW camp to intern Confederate soldiers. Poor living conditions and epidemics killed thousands...........

The original Point Lookout lighthouse....decommissioned in the 1960's........

Point Lookout is about as far south as you can get in Maryland. It's at the tip of St. Mary's County, where the Potomac River joins the Chesapeake Bay, about a 90 mile drive from the Washington DC area. We left College Park in the drizzle on Friday afternoon (5/16), beat the traffic with no problem and had a leisurely two hour drive.

Our 2008 Travel Itinerary !

2007-11-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

Here's our travel plans for the 2008 camping season - Let us know if you're gonna be in the area at the same time and we'll throw some extra vittles on the grill!

May 16-18: Point Lookout State Park, at the very tip of St. Mary's County MD, where the Potomac River meets the Cheasapeake Bay. Hiking/Biking/Kayaking.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/pointlookout.html

June 6-8: Rowlesburg, WV, a little town deep in the mountains, on the banks of the Cheat River, known for Class 5 whitewater. Biking/Kayaking/Fishing/Scenic Drives. Plans are to meet Jon & Terry Holland from Akron OH area. Hopefully, won't hear a young boy on a porch playing a banjo :(
http://www.rowlesburgguide.com/

June 19-21: Salisbury, MD, the annual DelMarVa Chicken Festival !! Who could pass up seeing the world's largest frying pan in action?! Crafts/Booths/Stage Entertainment/ & Fried Chicken!
http://www.dpichicken.org/index.cfm?content=news&subcontent=details&id=302

July 11-13: Hargerstown, MD, Jellystone Campground & WaterPark. Meeting Katie & Lorri and families for a weekend of "family bonding" (Essentially, a place where the kids & grandkids have all the fun and Grandmom & Bampa get stuck with the bill).
http://www.jellystonemaryland.com/

July 25-27: Boiling Springs, PA, a little town surrounded by spring-fed lakes. We're told it's the best trout fishing East of the Mississippi. Lee will verify or refute that claim........
http://www.boilingsprings.org/

August 1-3: Berkeley Springs, WV, the famous mineral-bath spot for the rich & famous during its heydays in the 1930's & '40's. Biking on the C&O Canal towpath & typical tourist activities.
http://www.berkeleysprings.com/

August 15-17: Denton, MD, Small Eastern shore town celebrating Summerfest, a two day event of exhibits, food & entertainment with a local flair. We'll be staying at Martinak State Park on the Choptank River, about 2 mile bike ride away.
http://www.carolinesummerfest.com/index.php?pageID=PG260524104059433
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/eastern/martinak.html

August 28-Sept. 4: Five day loop around the lower half of Chesapeake Bay. First stop is Annual Crab Festival in Crisfield MD, ferry boat trip to Tangier Island, kayaking at Janes Island State Park. Then on down the VA coastline through Chincoteague (Misty the Pony country), crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel (20miles), into Norfolk VA. Boat tour of US Navy complex in Norfolk, then on to Williamsburg & Jamestown VA. Up through VA's Northern Neck to see
Strattford Hall (Robt. E. Lee), George Washington's birthplace site, overnight at Westmoreland State Park on the Rappahanock River, across Potomac River on Rte 301 bridge & home.
http://www.crisfieldchamber.com/crabderby.htm
http://www.tangierisland-va.com/
h http://www.norfolkvisitor.com/norfolknavy/ttp://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/eastern/janesisland.html
http://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/index.aspx

Oct. 3-5: York PA, Factory outlets, tours of Peppermint Patty, Harley-Davidson & Utz potato chip factories !! (OK, it's not Paris or London, but the tours are FREE!)
http://www.yorkpa.org/

So if ya see an old (but very shiny) Barth motorhome screamin' along at 52 mph, give us a wave!

See Ya in 2008 !!

2007-11-03T12:34:00.001-04:00

"I will build us a castle, fit for you and me,
For green days in the forest......
....and blue skies at the sea."
-Robert Louis Stevenson

November, 2007

2007-11-02T16:01:00.000-04:00

The end of the traveling season :(

The Barth is winterized and parked.....but lots of memories left behind from this past season.

May 2008 is only a few months away, with quite a few trips already planned - stay tuned!

October, 2007

2007-11-02T15:43:00.001-04:00

Season finale trip…..to Asheville NC, with a side-stop to Mt. Airy NC. Left home during rush hour Thursday evening….crawled around the beltway and then west on Rte. 66 in VA to Rte. 81…Got about 150 miles under our belt and opted for a freebie campspot in the Harrisonburg VA Walmart parking lot……….

By Friday noonish we made Mt. Airy NC….the birthplace & hometown for Andy Griffith and town that Mayberry was based on in the Andy Griffith Show of the 1960’s.
Since Lee is a Andy Griffith Show fan, the afternoon was spent hitting all the sights, including a haircut at Floyd’s Barbershop, lunch at the Blue Bird Café, junk food at Opie’s Candy Shop, a visit to Wally’s Fillin’ Station and a bike ride around town.

Arrived in Asheville Saturday afternoon, found our campground and then biked along the river, taking in dozens of outdoor art objects located along the trail. Used our laptop GPS to locate closet church for 5pm Mass and then back to campground…..

All day Sunday was reserved for Biltmor Estate, about 3 miles away. Spent the morning doing a quick look-see of the house, then drove 4 miles across the estate to meet our guide for a two hour Segway tour of the grounds. Segways are a blast!…..Back to mansion about 3pm, picked up headsets and did full tour of house, including a walk through the formal gardens…..Biltmor is worth a visit!

Monday morning launch, up Rte. 26 through Cherokee National Forest to see fall colors, stopping at campground near Natural Bridge for the night…….Last 150 miles was done Tuesday, hopping across mountains at Luray VA, up Rte 29 to Beltway & home.

Great season-ending trip!

September, 2007

2007-11-02T15:30:00.001-04:00

Off to Grey’s Point, an upscale RV resort on Virginia’s Northern Neck peninsula, where the Rappahannock River meets the Chesapeake Bay. This was a great camping spot, with lots of paved bike/golf cart streets to ride and a pond & water fountain outside our door……..Hummel Airport, about one mile away, was having their annual Open House….planes, show cars, arts & craft booths, etc. Ken & Ellen Rehmann flew down from College Park in their Piper Comanche & had lunch with us.

On the way home, we stopped at historic Urbanna VA on the river and toured the town by bike……then a backroad route home ….Perfect weather – Great trip!

August, 2007

2007-11-01T16:22:00.000-04:00

To Ohiopyle PA.....reputed to be some of the best whitewater rafting in the east.......Jon & Terry met us for the weekend.....Saturday involved renting bikes and riding upstream for about six miles along the river, where we traded the bikes for a 4-man raft and floated back downstream.

It was described as Level One whitewater, but lack of rain made it more like whiteburbles....We had to paddle more than we originally thought :( Fun anyway........

August, 2007

2007-11-01T15:54:00.000-04:00

We toured the Gettysburg battlefields in 2006, liked the area and returned in August '07. This time, we invited the kids to join us on Saturday when the campground featured a crabfeast. Of all the park attractions, the kids enjoyed the Barth water hook-up the most!

July, 2007

2007-11-01T15:30:00.000-04:00

To Romney, West Virginia....small town in the WV mountains that changed hands 52 times during the Civil War!.....Rode the Eagle Train through the valley, known for Bald Eagle habitats (Think we saw one)......Plan to come back to launch SeaEagle on the river......

June, 2007

2007-11-01T11:12:00.000-04:00

To Smallwood State Park, about 45 miles south of Washington, on the lower Potomac. There was a national bass fishing tournament going on when we arrived. This was our maiden voyage for SeaEagle - an inflatable kayak we keep on board the Barth. We finally managed to paddle in a moderately straight line.....Not an activity for marriages in peril :(

June, 2007

2007-11-01T10:53:00.000-04:00

To Johnstown PA......The Johnstown Flood Museum, PolkaFest, Immigrant Museum, Inclined Plane ride to top of hill for lunch.....Met Jon, Terry & Kyle Holland (Kathy's sister)from OH for two night campover at local state park.....On the way home, stopped at Flight 93 memorial.

May, 2007

2007-11-01T10:48:00.000-04:00

To Brunswick MD...Biked the C&O Canal to Harpers Ferry...Camped along the Potomac River....Then north, thru Martinsburg WV, Civil War battlefields and met the kids in New Market for a picnic.

Welcome!

2007-10-31T13:51:00.000-04:00

This entry begins the blog of Lee & Kathy Schiek from College Park MD. Four years ago, we acquired a 1978 vintage motorhome and gradually improved & restored it. It's a Barth, manufactured as top-of-the-line on a custom basis from about 1967-1997. Obviously, it's old, out of date, vintage-looking and kind of quirky by today's RV standards, but we have really enjoyed our travels in it.

As time passes, we'll post a few comments & pics to share with family & friends.

"I will build a castle, fit for you and me....
For green days in the forest
and blue skies at the sea....."

-Robert Louis Stevenson