W. Virginia & Pennsylvania

We spent a couple of nights in Falling Waters, WV because we thought we could get a little bit of warranty work done on the BigHorn. It didn't work out quite the way we had planned, but we did visit Harper's Ferry and the Battlefields at Antietam Nat'l Park. Although I am partial to history that isn't war-focused, it's hard not to get caught up in the stories of the +/-20,000 lives that were lost at Antietam. It is impossible for me to fathom what people endured during the Civil War.

From W. VA we went to Pine Grove, PA thinking we might meet Adrienne there...but she was walking faster than we were driving! We moved to Palmerton, PA to bike the Lehigh River Gorge Rail/Trail.

We have come far enough north that there is a Dunkin Donuts on every corner. I ate TWO(2) jelly donuts and Al had two boston cremes--twice!! I know, I know, the coffee is readily available in the grocery store...but it is just not the same as that heavenly aroma as you open the door at Dunkin Donuts. :)

On to Stroudsburg, PA in the Pocono Mtns. Delaware Water Gap is a quaint little town with beautiful scenery as the Delaware River forms an S in the mountains. We took a little tour on the local Trolley and learned that Jackie Gleason frequented Sam Snead's Tavern to shoot pool. Bushkill Falls is a tourist trap...but the bridges etc. over the waterfalls are quite well done and worth the time. I don't know if the frequent rains have made the Delaware River muddy...or it always looks like chocolate milk...but people are canoeing and swimming and rafting like it is pristine water. The flowers along the bike trail were pretty.

Our good friend Bev stopped in for a visit on her way to Philadelphia. She enjoyed all the comforts of the BigHorn guest room!

Al's mother lives in north central PA. The BigHorn stayed in Stroudsburg while we took a side trip to Treasure Lake in Dubois for a visit. The small mountain towns are beautiful. Al visited some old friends and was treated to his favorite venison sausage! Of course, the elk are incredible to see! While we were visiting, we found a Rail to Trail and biked 36 miles!! You'd think someone might have explained to the fool who wanted to keep going, just how far 36 miles is on a bike. The last 5 miles nearly did me in... Good thing I photographed the flowers along the river early in the day.

The kitties have done a lot of traveling in the last few weeks, but they recover quickly.

We're done with PA. Southern VT is our next stop where we'll spend 3 weeks exploring the Berkshires in western MA and the Green Mtns. in VT.