The Journey draws to a close

Sunday

Good thing I posted early at breakfast, we are in another dead zone here in the National Forest.  The registration lady told me we had to drive about 3 miles or so and then the phones should work.

We had a short 57 mile drive up here windy road and up and down hills.  We made a brief stop in St Marys for groceries and then on to Johnsonsburg, Kane and then the campground.  About 30 minutes before we got here Bonnie said those are some mighty dark clouds over there.  About 15 minutes later it started to rain.  It was light until just before we got to the campground.  Then it poured, I had to get my rain coat out of the back just to go in and register.  The lady was very nice and we got checked in and headed for the site.  The side is level front to back but the side to side slope is significant.  The coaches air leveling system worked well and we are nice and level.  It is raining off and on so hopefully this will not last.  Bonnie started a load of towels and we are still running off our onboard water and holding tanks.  When the rain stops or they fill up we will finish hooking up.  Then we can also unhook the car.

The rain would come in waves, every time I would go out it would rain.  I did get the water, and sewer hooked up, now we just need to unhook the car and then we can explore the campground.  No cell, no TV but the radio works and we found Family Life Network so we are good.

Looks like the front has passed it’s a little lighter out and has not rained for a while.  We had chicken for supper with potato salad, cole slaw, deviled eggs.  I unhooked the car after eating and took a drive around the area.  

Got to see the Ospreys

I did get the phone to work in one spot across the lake.  Its right near an active Osprey nest so that’s a bonus.  Now back at the rig its almost dark.  Its cooling off but pretty damp after the rain not sure we will go with the windows open or the AC.  Looks like it might be movie time again.

Monday

No more rain overnight but its pretty wet around here this morning.  The sun has been in and out of the clouds.  Bonnie put in a load of wash and then we will head out and do a little exploring.  This should be our last full day on the road, tomorrow night should find the rig parked in its home driveway.

We decided to take a little ride and see a couple of the main attractions around here.  So we jumped in the car and headed for the Kinzu Bridge State Park.  This is the site of the resorted railroad trestle is.  They called it a viaduct and it was damaged severely in 2003 during a F1 tornado.  They say winds hit it from 3 directions all at the same time and tore it right out of the concrete piers.  So the checked and repaired what was left and made a nice walkway and overlook out of it, best of all its Free.

We had also read about a small distillery in Kane so we pulled in there to see what they did.  They were closed but the owner was there using a small hammer mill to crack rye to get ready to cook up a new batch.  He was very nice and gave us a nice tour and explained things to us.  They are just opening and getting things started.

The distilling column

The owner explaining things to Bonnie

But first before getting to the Kinzu Bridge we had another adventure.  We decided to eat at a little café in Mount Jewett.   As Bonnie pulled in to park she got a little close to the curb, the TPMS sensor hit the curb and we ended up shearing off the valve stem on the right rear tire.  Opening the door we could hear all the air escaping from the tire.  

The valve stem is sheared off

We went in the café and asked about tire repair in the town.  There was a place about a block away.  I called them no answer, so I walked down while Bonnie ordered.  No one was there and a local man told me the guy worked when he felt like it.  So back to the café and I called Coach-Net.  They took all my info and said they would get someone to come and change the tire.  By then my Beef on Weck was ready.  Yes they had Weck rolls way down here in Pennsylvania, the owner said she loves them and gets them from Olean.

After lunch Coach-Net called and said they were having trouble finding someone to come to Mt. Jewett.  I told them I would try to change it myself.  I got the tire and jack out and got to work.  Then the phone rang and Coach-Net had someone on the way.  A nice man stopped also to see if we needed anything, even offered to get us a cold drink.  Shortly after that the truck showed up and they changed the tire, we signed the work order and we were on the way.  One of the guys on the truck told me he uses a guy named Ray Cook back in Kane for his repairs.  It took a while to find Ray Cook but it was a good choice.  They had me call NAPA and another parts house to see if they had a replacement sensor, but no luck.  I talked to the Honda dealer and he said I could use a regular valve stem Until I got home.  So that’s what we did.  Cooks only charged me $12.50 to unmounts the tire, replace the valve stem, remount and balance the tire and then took the spare off the car and put the repaired tire back on the car.

Finally we were back on our way to Mount Jewett so we could then turn off the highway and head for the Kinzu Bridge.

The tornado took out the center section

Headed out to the overlook

A real American Beauty

While were at the Bridge we had good cellular service so we checked out email etc.  Then we headed back toward our rig but first a stop along the way at the Kinzu Dam.

A view up the lake

This was built while I was in high school

They are releasing water from all the rain earlier this week

More of the excess rain still running off the hill

Finally back and Bonnie heated up the spare ribs and added potato salad and coleslaw, boy was it good.  Now maybe a movie and then a good nights sleep, its nice and cool tonight.

Tuesday

We got up and packed this morning and were on the road by a little after 11am this morning.  We took our time and even stopped in Salamanca for fuel and some lunch.  We backed into the driveway right at 2:30.  Bonnie picked up the mail and then she unloaded most of the food.  I hooked up the computers and relaxed a little before going out to unload more of our stuff from the coach.  While I was out there Elizabeth and Alexus pulled in, it was great to see them.  Alexus helped me finish unloading.  Then we ordered pizza and wings for supper and caught up on all the news from while we were gone.  Alexus sorted the mail for us, maybe I can go through it tomorrow.

Our site before we left this morning

A little TV this evening and then early to bed I think.

Wednesday

Raining when I got up this morning so looks like I can rest up this morning.  Bonnie got up and we watched some of the recordings.  I also had time to go through all the mail.  We still have some local papers and the monthly magazines to go through.

I ordered some new smoke detectors for the coach and a few other items.  Bonnie reminded me to call to restart the Sunday paper and the Penny Savers.

Bonnie and I went out to work on reconnecting the vacuum cleaner hose.  There was no access to it so we decided to enlarge the hole that the hose connector comes through.  That way we could pull the hose out and glue it together out in the open.  We tried to sand the hole but it is a full 3/4in board and the Tight Knot Walnut is very hard wood.  The only choice was to use a Saber saw.  Even being careful because of the lack of room to work it beat up the wood some.

All glued together

We think we can repair the wood and make it blend in and look good again.  We will let the glue set up until tomorrow and then put it back together.  I picked up the tools and then went outside to take a picture of the remaining hubcap so we can order a new one.

They call this a 5 tab

We grilled hamburgers for supper and we are still catching up on all the recorded TV we have.
Its raining again tonight and its about time to post this and get to bed.

Thanks For Checking In!

"If Your Dreams Don't Scare You, They Are Just Not Big Enough"

Its all about the ELK

Thursday

We finally got packed up and on the road this morning by 11:15.  Bonnie took the first shift of driving today and drove for about 2 hours.  We went by Woodstock just North of where we were staying and we know some friends who grew up near there.

Woodstock, VA 

Lots of traffic again today and plenty of trucks

Busy Highway

We went to the West of Winchester and then into West Virginia and through Berkley Springs.  Soon we were in Pennsylvania and stopped at the Welcome Center.  We picked up some maps and had a bite to eat.  I took over the driving and we continued on.

When I set up the route in the GPS this morning I did not check it close enough.  I followed it blindly even though I had high lighted the route on the map.  We went right past our turn and the GPS took us an extra 60 miles.  I think it was because it thought we exceeded some of the bridge limits on the side roads.  What a bummer.  Then it tried to get me to turn on a logging road.  Bonnie had the map and navigated us in from the other end of the highway we wanted to be on.  When we missed the turn we were only 8 miles from the campground.  Live and learn. 

We finally made it got checked in and they said go pick out a campsite and come back and pay us.  We were the first ones in the campground tonight, there are 3 others now.  We are on a 30amp site, did not know there were a few 50 amp ones.  They only have electric no water or sewer.  You can fill your tanks somewhere and there is a dump station but we should have plenty for the 3 nights we are here.

We also had dinner at the stores restaurant, it was very good and we will eat there again I think.  They have wifi, other wise down here in the valley we are in a dead zone.  No phone, no TV we have not tried the radio yet.  After we ate we went up to one of the ELK viewing areas.  We saw lots of Elk and even a Bull with Velvet antlers.  I took lots of pictures.  When I put the card in the computer it was blank, somehow they all got deleted.  Well hopefully we will see more tomorrow.

So we are sitting here listening to the peepers and just relaxing.

Friday

What a beautiful peaceful nights sleep we had last night.  No AC blowers running no fan it was just the perfect temperature and it was quiet.  We did not see any ELK in the campground as some do, but we have a couple more nights.  The class C motorhome was gone when we got up but the class A is still here. 

They had a flood here in the CG a couple weeks ago and a man and a small tractor are working to fill in the gravel where it washed out around a small building.  We plan to take it easy today, maybe watch a movie and then go out and look for the ELK after dinner again.  Plus we will visit the ELK visitors center today.  Down here in the valley we are pretty isolated we could not even tune in a FM radio station.

Beautiful day and blue skies

Our site

We got a couple things done today I got out a chair and sat out for a while.  That inspired me to cut my toe nails.  Then I got a screw driver and tightened down the ground wires in my electrical bay.  It made the wipers work a little better or at least different.  Then after a little more sitting I checked the water in the batteries and they were all good.  I also took a peek at the Hydro-Hot reservoir and it is holding its level so that is good.

Then we decided it was movie time and we watched Cold Mountain, it was pretty good as I stayed awake for the whole thing.  Then we both read for most of the afternoon, except I got a 45 nap somewhere in there.

We headed up to the store and restaurant for dinner again.  This time we took our computers and caught up on email, blogs, etc.  I got a message from Elizabeth that she had mower problems but by the time I saw it she had solved the issue, by calling Tony and he got her going again.  I did talk to her once we got on top of the mountain and she said cutting all our grass is hard work.

Dinner was very good again and afterwards we went up and visited the Elk Visitors Center briefly.  We did see one ELK there.  We headed for where we saw them last night.  We were not disappointed, we saw ELK just about everywhere we looked.  Some far away and some close.  Also a turkey and I think its a grouse.  Enjoy a few of the pictures.

Finally a young Bull

We stopped at the store on the way back, parked in the lot and used the WiFi to finish what we had started earlier.  We got back to the rig right at dark and now its about time to head to bed.  We have two more campers in here this evening that makes 4 of us.  We are real spread out and I really enjoy this type of camping nice and quite.

Saturday

Another great night for sleeping, it was in the low 50s by morning.  Nice and quiet again, I got once and looked out just before dawn and the fog was about 20 feet off the ground, no ELK in sight though.  The habitat that the ELK seem to favor here is reclaimed Coal Strip Mines.  The original ELK in Pennsylvania were eradicated by over hunting.  These ELK are from Wyoming and seem to be thriving here.  Each mature Bull needs 20 square miles to roam and browse for food.

Lazy morning again, our last full day here.  After cleaning up we decided to watch another movie again.  After the movie we took a drive around the area an checked out the short route out of here for tomorrow.  We tried to find a dam but did not have any luck.  So we headed back to the store and had a late lunch/early supper.  We took advantage of the WiFi while we were there and caught up on line.

We did go out and watch the ELK again tonight and then came back and turned in early.

Sunday

Another beautiful day in the making.  We are up a little early for us and heading up to the store for breakfast.  Then we will get packed up, hook up the car and head up to the Kiasutha CG in the Allegheny National Forest for a couple nights.  It looks like there is no cellphone coverage up there either so I am going to post this while we are at breakfast. 

We have had a good trip and enjoyed everywhere we have stayed.  Here are a few more shots from last night.

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"If Your Dreams Don't Scare You, They Are Just Not Big Enough"