Day 24 - Galaxy - Blue Ridge Parkway - Skyline Drive - Shenandoah National Park.
Day 24– Sunday 2nd June 2013 - Blue Ridge Parkway – Skyline Drive Shenandoah National Park- Virginia – 251 Miles
My original plan was to leave the parkway for a day or so and head into West Virginia and check out a few of the National Parks, and a Grist Mill I wanted to photograph.
We copped a lot of rain and it was wide spread so we decided to stay on the Parkway and pick up a bit of tine on our itinerary. I would like to come back one day and spend more time in the area. Another road trip.
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Not to be disappointed as we soon arrived at Maybry Grist Mill on the Parkway. We spent a few hours looking around and watched a few presentations run by the National Park Staff. I even managed to get a few photos in before we left.
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We continued on our way and later in the afternoon we left the Blue Ridge Parkway and entered Shenandoah NP and onto Skyline Drive. We eventually made camp at Loft Mountain.
It took around three days to complete the Blue Ridge Parkway. The only time we ventured off was to get fuel. You could easily spend weeks exploring the Parkway and surrounding areas.
It an amazing place and such a variety of people and transport on the roads, motorbikes, bicycles and hikers. All out enjoying nature at its best.
Like all the places on our itinerary, the plan was to visit and get a taste of the area. I think we achieved it here on the Parkway.
I must admit though, Id love to come back in the fall. I could only imagine the colors.
Day 25 - Shenadoah NP- Manassas Virginia
Day 25– Monday 3rd June 2013 – Skyline Drive Shenandoah National Park- Virginia – Manassas, Virginia – 126 Miles
Up at 7.30 am and very foggy a light rain. We continued on Skyline Drive and stopping for photos around every corner. The views were spectacular so the going was pretty slow for a while.
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By lunch time we were out of the Park and off Skyline Drive. Im sure a few days exploring this area would be great as well.
Lunch was at MacDonald’s at Front Royal. A chance to use the internet and catch up with family and friends.
Also to contact a facebook friend, and tell her we were a few days ahead of schedule and were only a short drive away.
We spent the afternoon with my wife’s friend and husband and out to dinner that night. A Chinese restaurant that served frogs legs. Something different that’s for sure.
After dinner it was a visit to the Manassas Civil War Memorial and Cemetery. During our road trip we stopped off at most of the Civil War sites we came across.
Even if only for a few minutes.
It sort of links everything together that you learn at school or read about and a bit more about the country we are visiting.
Well that's the Great Smokey Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah NP off out to do list. It was a wonderful drive and the scenery was spectacular. Im sure we missed a lot of attractions of the area. We picked out what we wanted to see and achieved that, so were happy.
Our little van loved the Parkway and the slow speeds.Fuel economy was good. I did notice after all the mountains and bends over the last few days that the brake pads were squeking a bit.We had then checked out later on and everything was OK.
Day 26 - Manassas - Washington DC - Lancaster Pennsylvania - 188 Miles
Day 26– Tuesday 4th June 2013- Manassas, Virginia – Washington DC – Gettysburg – Lancaster, Pennsylvania - 188 Miles.
We were told no to leave for Washington DC before 10am as the traffic congested before that time. Our friend’s husband left at 8am for work and rang 45 minutes later and was still only 5 mile from home.
Even at 10am it was pretty bad. Our first stop was Arlington War Cemetery. I still can’t get over the size of the place. Being the school vacation time it was packed and very hard to find a parking spot.
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We stayed at the cemetery for a couple of hours wandering around. We visited the grave of President Kennedy before leaving Arlington.
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Our Plan was to look around Washington itself, but the amount of mid day traffic and road works made it impossible to find a parking spot or move around the city.
After a few laps around Lincoln Memorial and the White House we decided to get out of the city.
Our thinking was that Washington DC needs at least a few days or more to explore or even longer.
New York City was originally on our list but now it will be left for another time. Looking at our may we have left a nice little area that we could cover in a six week road trip.
A quick look at the map had us heading to Gettysburg for a tour of the Civil War Museum.
Last tour of the battlefields had left before we arrived but still enjoyed the museum and the fantastic Cyclorama dramatisation of the battlefields.
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Leaving Gettysburg it was a direct drive to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and a motel for the night.
Day 27 - Lancaster PA - Corning,New York State - 256 Miles
Day 27– Wednesday 5th June 2013- Lancaster, PA – Pilot Travel Centre, Corning, New York State – 256 Miles
My interest in covered bridges and the Amish Communities and the Railroad was the focus point in visiting Pennsylvania on this trip.
With only one day we tried to absorb as much as we could. Out of bed early, spend the whole day in Lancaster and head off into New York State in the afternoon.
First stop was the tourist information centre. Armed with maps and good friendly advice we headed off into the countryside and small communities.
In my mind I had a plan of what I wanted to capture photography wise but also take into consideration that the Amish people do not like their photos being taken. So to avoid offending anyone I didn’t go around poking my camera in peoples faces, so I used an old 170-500mm lens that let me capture what I wanted and also remain unnoticed from a distance.
I’m not sure if it was the right way to go about it but it was something I had to capture.
Driving through the farming community was like going back in time. Horses and mules, pulling carts and ploughing fields. Families in horse drawn wagons going about their daily activities and children on scooters and bicycles.
I found a covered bridge by chance and took a few photos, only to have a horse drawn carriage approach from the other direction. What luck, I got two of my wanted shots in one place.
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Getting a little hungry we located an Amish Bakery called “Bird in the Hand Bakery” that was shown on our tour map, we made it there just in time as a few tourist buses were pulling up as we walked out of the bakery.
We sat out in the gardens and drank coffee and ate our shoofly pie, while watching the world go by. Life is good.
Our exploring took us to another destination. Strasburg Railway Museum. Being a railway fan we ended up taking a ride on a steam train form Strasburg to Paradise and back. We went in the first class car where we had afternoon tea. (Afternoon beer anyway) and Whoopi pies.
I can also see us coming back and spending more time in Pennsylvania one day. Such a beautiful place.
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While I was looking closely at this last photo I was suprised to see a rifle laying in the rack on the back of the buggy.Maybe to keep photographers at bay.
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With the day running out it was time to make tracks and head north. We headed to Harrisburg before picking up the interstate 15 and headed towards Corning.
It was such a beautiful afternoon and found ourselves still driving well after 9pm and still not completely dark. The sunset was stunning and the scenery breathtaking. It was a great afternoon for driving and getting a few miles behind us.
It was just on dark as we pulled into a Pilot Travel centre North of Corning. With a quick fuel up and something to eat we were tucked up in bed in the car park.
Another great day in the USA.
Day 28 - Corning,NY - Toledo Ohio 502 Miles
Day 28– Thursday 6th June 2013 – Corning, NY –Niagara Falls- USA & Canada – Pilot Travel Centre Toledo, Ohio – 502 Miles
We woke early to a sound we hadn’t heard for a long time. “Rain”.Not something we wanted on our way to Niagara Falls. But something we had no control over so made the most of it.
On the road by 6.30 am we were early at the falls and were first in line for tickets on the Maid of the Mist.
We found $12.50 a very reasonable price to pay for the privilege. After collecting our tickets we were given our little blue raincoats and herded in the direction of the awaiting boat.
It wasn’t the most enjoyable cruise with heavy rain and not much room to move, but still managed to see the falls in the mist and get a few photos before sticking the camera back under my raincoat.
After the cruise it was off to the gift shop and a walk around taking more photos between heavy showers.
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Our original plan was to stay in Canada for the nigh before heading off again. The weather forecast was for heavy rain for a few days. After discussions we decided to go over to the Canadian side, look at the falls and then back to the USA and head in the direction of Chicago.
It didn’t take long to get through Border Security into Canada and on our way to the Falls.
The rain picked up once we got there and we couldnt find any suitable parking. I couldn’t justify $18 to park miles away from the falls and walk about in the rain. What we did see of the falls from the Canadian side was spectacular.
We drove around for a while without the rain easing, so it was back to the US Border to a long waiting queue.
Greeting us at the Security booth was a unhappy looking guy. He took our passports and started asking questions. He would not believe that we had crossed into Canada and returned within one hour and nor stepping foot on Canadian soil.
He wanted to know why we were back in the USA after being there in 2011. My wife told him we loved the USA and thought it was a beautiful Country.
“Whats so beautiful about it “ he asked. At this time I thought we were in trouble.
Go and park over there he said. Go into that building and sit down.We done as we were told and watched officers going through our van and belongings. It wasn’t long before we were asked more questions before we were given our passports back and free to go.
We didn’t hesitate getting out of there. Im sure the guy in the booth needs a good holiday or something.
Leaving there feeling a bit shaken up but hasn’t stopped us from planning to return one day to see the falls when the sun shines.
We hit the Interstate and headed of into Ohio before eventually stopping for the night at another Pilot Travel Centre near Toledo.
