Tree Tunnel /  by Dave Hileman

The is a portion of the Jessup Path in Acadia National Park. It is a neat area of marsh and transition trees. The birches are dying because the larger hardwoods are growing and blocking out the sun. This is natural. The area was burnt in a significant fire years ago and the birches grew quickly and now that the hardwoods have reached a more mature size the birches are losing out to them. The result for now is a neat landscape of white trunks and - in the fall - of a colorful canopy. Here the boardwalk is nearly a mile long and pretty straight. You can see, maybe, a group of people approaching deep in the trees on the boardwalk.

Meadowlark Primer /  by Dave Hileman

This is a Western Meadowlark. The songs of the Eastern and Western are distinctive and both are melodic- but the visual differences are subtile. The yellow in the Western extends past the beak toward the eye. This Western was photographed in the Badlands National Park.

Jordan Pond /  by Dave Hileman

This is a shot at Jordan Pond but not from the usual place at the end of the lake but at an inlet about 1/2 mile east of the Jordan Pond House. It gives a different perspective on the two Bubbles, South and North.

Going Fishin /  by Dave Hileman

At Lake Mary in the Ricketts’s Glen State Park. The sun was 20/30 minutes from setting and the rain cleared and the sun set the beautiful fall leaves on fire. Simply breathtaking.

Rapids Below /  by Dave Hileman

The rafters could be heard as they coursed through the rapids even from 1400 feet about the river. We were almost to the point that was the goal of this hike when I stopped and waited for these two rafts to go through this stretch of the river. The first raft is into calm water the second is just exiting the turbulent water but past the class 3 and 4 rapids.

Calm /  by Dave Hileman

I thought this image was very interesting. The dark aspects are a reflection of a tree overhanging the river and the leaves are simply some that fell into the river and ended up over the shadows. So the colorful leaves float on the surface and the dark ones just are on the surface but seem deeper. Simple but neat.

Just a Spot Along the Road /  by Dave Hileman

Driving in northern New Hampshire I was looking for some of the ferns that were not green or dead but the rich gold they turn briefly. Most fields were brown or some brown and a scattering of gold. Then I spied this tiny patch along the road with the bonus trees in the background. There were light poles and wires and road and some signs so the focus was a narrow slice of countryside.

The Fall 2021 Trip Recap /  by Dave Hileman

12 new NPS units, now at 305

8 NPS parks re-visited

15 State Parks, all of them new - the standout was Rickett’s Glen in Pennsylvania

We have now completed all the national parks in 25 states - visits and photographs - 25 states, 4 territories and DC still having remaining units to visit

We were gone 71 days across 16 states traveling 10,752 miles. Our Oliver has now been towed a total of 87,500 miles in 5.5 years (total trip mileage is greater). It is holding up very well. Our new batteries allowed us to stay many more nights more comfortably while not connected to power. Coffee with one button pressed in the morning was delightful. We had one repair this trip - a design flaw in the furnace caught up to us. It was repaired and redone by an expert at South Hero, Vermont. 

We stayed in 5 NP/COE sites, 11 state or municipal parks, 16 Harvest Host/ Boondocker sites, 9 commercial sites and 3 misc sites. Our largest expense, gasoline, was nearly double for this trip over the fall trip in 2020. 

We enjoyed seeing friends from Williamsburg and Florida while in Maine. We met another Johnson graduate and his wife (he worked with Cindy in the JU kitchen) in Michigan and stayed in their church yard. I reconnected with two high school friends, one living in NY and one in Springdale, PA. We visited with Cindy’s niece, Judy, in WV and our grandson at Appalachian State U. We met interesting people from China, Saudi, Ireland, Japan and many places across the US. 

What is next? We make plans as if we will keep moving forward on the parks list but that is always dependent on health, finances, and what God unfolds for our lives. Our next plan is a winter trip to Texas (13 parks), NM (12 parks), and AZ (9 parks) with a route home to complete MO (2), OK (2) AR (1) and KY (1). I would like to get to DC when some “hard to see” parks are open and pick up the four in MD we need. 

And figure out what havoc the Moose will caue. That’s the most unpredictable part!

One of about a dozen covered bridges we visited.

Tomorrow is a Long Time -Dylan /  by Dave Hileman

The trip is winding down. We took a short walk this morning at Little Beaver State Park and met the nicest lady who volunteers at the center. She is proud of the park and justly so it is well kept and a nice place to stay. A stop at Tamarack to see the WV crafts and then on to NC and Bandit Roost Campground at J. Kerr Scott Lake. We are here for two days so we can drive over to Boone tomorrow and visit our Grandson, Kellen, who is at App State. We are excited to see him. We intend to be home Friday early afternoon or late morning. I will do a recap of the journey this weekend.

The C will be working on his project and make occasional appearances until we leave on the next big adventure where he “may” take center stage. Or not.

Thanks for following on the trip and watch for the many photos from the trip over the next few weeks that I have not posted, there are a lot to process. I will also be back working on the upgrades to the National Park pages as quickly as I can. The restaurants and the camping posts will begin next week. I intend to get two or three every week to catch up.

Red!

John Henry - Bruce Springsteen (The Seeger Sessions Live on YouTube & you're welcome) /  by Dave Hileman

Busy day in the nation’s newest national park, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia. This is not a new unit for us as it was the New River National Scenic River and we had visited as well as rafted on the New River. But with the new designation we wanted to spend a bit more time. First thing in the morning, after a walk around the meadow we camped at, was to Babcock State Park. The area adjacent to the park has several state and local parks. Babcock is famous for the Glade Creek Mill and I wanted to photograph it even though (or because) it is the most photographed place in West Virginia. That done we went to a 3.4 mile hike to a Diamond Point on the Endless Wall Trail. It was a stunning view and the hike was in a gorgeous forest with just a little touch of color. Then after a stop at the VC we drove the Fayette Station Road Tour that winds down to the river and under the bridge and up the other side. This scenic drive is on a 100 year-old road and was an important link for the many communities that dotted the gorge. Finally we drove to Thurmond - again on a very narrow and winding road to the bottom of the gorge and across a one lane bridge to reach what was once the busiest town in the coal era here and a major stop for the steam trains. Two people still live in the town. We did not have time to explore much as we had to pick up the trailer and move to a state park and you don’t get anywhere too quickly in this area. This is a park with still a lot to explore and it is only four hours from Raleigh. 

Update Cadillac - where, what and with whom — for his fans

My new plan is to develop a full complement of support folks. Lets see, I’ll need a Muse Enforcer, a Personal Assistant, Chef, PR Team, Editer (can’t see why) Publisher, Accountant, Social Media Team, Artistic Team, Staff Photographer, Travel Agent, Ice Cream and Donut Research Team, Masseuse and, of course, a private Barista. That ought to do for the first few months. I wonder how many people will apply for these prestigious positions on the staff of a future Neustadt International Prize for Literature recipient.  

Thunder on the Mountain - Dylan /  by Dave Hileman

Before leaving Salt Fork State Park in Ohio we took a short hike up to Morgan’s Knob. Not much of a view at the small meadow but a very pretty trail in pine and then hardwood forest. And the warm sun and lack of a breeze were welcome in the early morning cool. The drive to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve was uneventful. Just like you prefer travel. We went first to the Sandstone Visitor Center where the ranger was just incredibly helpful - in contrast to the information on the web site which is hard to discover what is where and if it is open. She gave us detailed instructions to several drives and hikes with maps and even showed some personal photos of the destinations. She told us of a free campground a mile away which was not in any info we had and the change of plans to stay here was an easy choice. We had time before dark to go to one spot, the Grandview area, and it was, particularly Turkey Spur Overlook which is on top of a great rock reached by 145 steps. We watched the moon barely visible over the mountains and the valley below. The campground is beautiful, quiet, large spaces and right beside the New River. No services but a trade-off I would take anytime for the serene night. 

Happy Birthday to Geof.

The knob trail

Update Cadillac - where, what and with whom — for his fans

The Driver does not understand the muse situation. I told him clearly the muse instructed me that I needed a dozen donuts of mixed flavors and he said, “Ha!” How am I ever going to win the No-bell prize with his help. I may need a muse translator or a muse enforcer. Yeah, that’s the key!