Ballooning /  by Dave Hileman

We watched three hot air balloons float over the farm adjacent to the campground last night. We were then able to watch them land across the valley.

From Psalm 71: “You will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.”

Last Pass of the Day /  by Dave Hileman

The Amish are known to not waste anything, including daylight. This farmer was hard at work with almost no light left in the day. He was getting the hay into neat rows to bale, likely the next morning. Lancaster County, PA, mid-July.

Milestones /  by Dave Hileman

News and More

News and More

The first milestone is the eighth anniversary of the Two Lane Touring blog, two years as “No Itinerary” and six under the current name. I started the blog as a forcing function to improve photography and can say it has accomplished this as I compare current and earlier photos. I also see more room for growth. Much improvement has come with mentors (aka Dennis Mook) and YouTube instructors along with improving the edit process. Again, lots of ceiling room. In that time I have posted over 3500 entires on the blog, more than 4500 photos and, so far, not missed a day. I have been late, but…

The peak viewing of the blog was in 2019 on our trip to Alaska with a slight decline in 2020 and a slight increase last year with over 2,400 unique viewers, 15,000 page views and 6000 individual visits to Two Lane Touring.

Another purpose of the blog is to record visits to our National Park system. There are 424 parks, and we have now visited 312. Since Alaska in 2019, the pace has slowed rather dramatically. Why? Several reasons:

1. Park closures due to Covid rules is paramount.

2. Web info and park administration. Park websites contain both general info and closures and alerts so finding current open hours is sometimes not straight forward. Some parks are still not fully open after Covid, many are on limited schedules, and some are closed for lengthy refurbishments. This has been the case for our remaining parks in DC for four years. One Arizona park is still officially listed but is closed for the foreseeable future, and another in California is a sensitive location where scheduled trips are rarely carried out. I suggest that current regulations affecting gasoline prices and inflationary issues are also creeping into the mix.

3. Crisis in the Oliver last winter. While in Texas heading for 25-30 parks, we literally melted our electric system requiring a return to the factory and a canceled trip last spring.

4. Long distances, travel time, and expense make very remote parks more challenging. (see also #2): Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, remote Alaska and Hawaii, and some in continental US.

5. They add new parks! After we visited the Natchez Trace near Jackson MS, Medgar Evers’ home was opened in Jackson. Now it is only park we need to see within 500 miles.

So what’s next?

In September, we are again reserved for the 2020 postponed Hawaii trip. There are seven open parks on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island that we hope to visit.

In November or January, we will nearly finish the Southeast with a stop for two Atlanta sites: MLK and a scenic river. In March, we intend to resume our trip to the Southwest with the six remaining parks in Texas and twenty-six more that will complete that portion of the country. No firm plans at the moment but at some point we want to return to Yellowstone, Glacier, and the Tetons and see other few northwestern parks new to our list.

Another milestone is the driver and photographer turning yet another year older. I am so grateful to be able to enjoy life, travel, friends, family, grandkids (yes they are family but need a special spot), go hiking, iand spend day after day with Cindy. I do tire more easily than I did 10 years ago and try to consider that in daily adventures but I still love to go, learn, experience new places and people and an occasional ice cream.  We are trying to stop a bit earlier on travel days, perhaps see fewer places each day, but 600 mile days with four parks are not out of the question - yet. At 74, I appreciate faith, friends and ordinary days more, read more, try to listen more, watch TV and news less and laugh as often as possible. And eat the occasional ice cream!

Cindy took this photo of me taking a photo. She is getting pretty good with her iPhone.

Cindy and I in Colonial Williamsburg at the St. George Tucker House as guests of Pam Tison.

Reconstructed Cabin /  by Dave Hileman

This cabin is in Morristown, NJ and is a replica of the ones constructed by the Continental Army in the winter of 1779/80. The army camped here earlier over the 76/77 winter and in Valley Forge, the most well known of the camps, in 77/78. The winter of 1779/80 was actually worse than the year before at Valley Forge. There were 20 major snowfalls including on over 4 days that left 4 feet of snow. There were about 1000 of these cabins built and each one provided living space to 12 soldiers. Although they were designed to hold 12,000 men, only about 8,000 were here near the end of the winter with death and desertions reducing the numbers. They army used 2000 acres of woodlands to build the needed shelters and heat them. So, while the site is wooded today it would have been only stumps in 1779.

Juxtaposition /  by Dave Hileman

This is the Paul Revere statue in the foreground with the Old North Church in the background. Revere began his famous ride with a signal from the bell tower of the church.

Nimble /  by Dave Hileman

This steel guitar player was fast and sure with her selections. I stopped in Floyd, Virginia one evening on a trip to visit a nearby church. Floyd is well known as a great place to see music performers on the street, at the general store or in actual venues. Located on Route 8 south of Christiansburg, it is a cool tiny town and only minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Modest Home /  by Dave Hileman

This is the house where President J. F. Kennedy grew up on a nice, leafy street in a Boston suburb. It was a rather new area when the house was purchased. The blue structure peeking out from the back is the VC, no idea why it is bright blue. The house was an upper middle class home of the era and it a great visit. Authentic in many details. Parking here is very limited and on street.

Just One More... /  by Dave Hileman

This alligator was lurking under the kayak launch. On the pier about 20 feet out were several wide steps that led to the water easy for two people to carry a kayak down and set off on it. Under the steps was the 7 or 8 foot gator just there. Not moving but watching eyes wide open. I shot this photo in the rather dark space by shooting between the fourth and fifth steps. He did not move and I appreciate that!.

Peppermint Stick Today's Choice /  by Dave Hileman

I have written about Leopold’s Ice Cream in Savannah before, it is certainly one of the top ten ice creams we have enjoyed over the years. Each time we are in Savannah it is a required detour. We camped at a nearby Georgia State Park and came into town for a walk, dinner and dessert. The walk around several of the squares in town is always nice. Dinner was a new place, Savannah Seafood Shack. It is a sort of hole-in-the-wall kind of place with good food. You are shown to a numbered table, closely packed in, but then you order at the counter and they bring it to you after it is ready. The seafood boil was clearly very popular but we opted for fired fish and shrimp with boiled potatoes and slaw. Tasty. Then to Leopold’s. It began in 1919, was closed for several years and then revived by the founder’s grandson who is a successful Hollywood movie producer. It has become the place to go in Savannah as witnessed by the crowds. We waited nearly 40 minutes but when we left the line was well over an hour. A little unknown shop three blocks away, Ben & Jerry’s, had no line at all. Himmm.

I had an excellent Peppermint with a chocolate syrup and Cindy had the Georgian Socialite - Chocolate, pecans and caramel ribbons. Perfect ending for the evening.

Patience /  by Dave Hileman

This gator was not visible when we arrived on the pier to watch the sunset for the third time during our week at Lake Louisa State Park in Florida. But a couple of minutes later it emerged from the depth of the water and just stayed there mostly submerged for about 15 minutes. It never moved until it silently dropped down into the water and disappeared. All it wanted to do was welcome some kayaker back home or, perhaps, it enjoys the brilliant Florida sunsets.

City Hall /  by Dave Hileman

This is the beautiful Savannah, Georgia, City Hall. It opened in early 1906 and replaced one that was on the same site that had been built in 1799. The dome was originally copper but the gold leaf was added in 1987.

The Fourth of July /  by Dave Hileman

Some are apparently not celebrating this holiday, others are actively trashing the United States or trying to do so. Many more will still dress in red, white and blue, have picnics, watch fireworks and appreciate the opportunities afforded them by this most generous of countries. It is not necessary to make the obligatory, but it is “not perfect” statement as no work of humanity even comes close to perfection. Certainly no collective work. The United States has endured and prevailed over more challenges than we see presently and, I firmly believe, will again. I am proud of this land and if you know world history, the United States is as exemplar a collection of diverse people as ever existed. Anywhere. Anytime.

People like General Nathanial Greene who gave so much and endured so much personally are simply inspiring. Had he not died young many historians believe he would have been President, perhaps even the first President, if, as you recall, Geo Washington was most reluctant. The esteem that the Commander of the Continental Southern army was held is seen in the scores of places named for him and monuments, like this in Savannah’s Jackson Square built in 1830, that were raised to him.

I am equally proud of those unknown, like my ancestor, Peter Hileman who served in the Continental Army for a least one year including a stint in the bitter cold winter at Morristown and the battle of Monmouth in New Jersey. His two sons also served in the militia and later as scouts in Western Pennsylvania. I am sure that is why our family settled in the Allegheny Valley.

I celebrate this Fourth of July and if you travel across the country you will find a hard working, diverse, tolerant, patriotic, generous, kind and happy people almost without exception.

God Bless the United States of America.

Nitch /  by Dave Hileman

If you climb the Precipice Trail at Acadia National Park, you can find this small emerging ecosystem. Over the years the rock has eroded until it holds a substantial amount of water, maybe 6 or 8 inches deep and around it you will find grasses, small trees and bushes. Each time I have been here it seems to be a tiny bit larger. All on an otherwise bare rock face.

Passing /  by Dave Hileman

This gravestone is found in the Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. There is a small graveyard not far from the VC where a small number of the original guides are buried. Most of them were African American, slaves before the Civil War and free after but their work did not really change. They were “leased” to those wanting to set up guide services long before it was a National Park and most of them continued after 1865 but were now earning their own funds. Some guides passed the knowledge on to their children who continued to guide people even after it became a park. The guides were highly respected and this graveyard on property was given to them. You can also see some of their names in the candle smoked writing on the ceilings of the historic portion of the cave. This stone is one of the few remaining in situ.

Curious /  by Dave Hileman

This little wren kept pondering why we were not eating at this table in our campsite. He was very disappointed because he had me pegged for a crumb dropper. He may be right. Note how he blends into the color scheme of his natural habitat..