On the Road Again: West Point Military Academy and New Paltz, New York

It's been a wonderful Summer but the road is calling our names.

It's good to be back on the road again.

In case you can’t tell I’m singing these words.

After a year on the plains and in the desert we were happy to see the beach.

Fred and I had a fantastic Summer in New York.

We camped and had outings with our grandsons, spent time with my Mom, enjoyed the company of our daughters, and spent some time with extended family. We got back to the coast enjoying the beaches of Maine and northern Massachusetts.

These 3 are always ready for adventure

Somehow there was time to dust off our construction and gardening skills as the Lake George house foyer got a facelift and major pruning was accomplished outside.

Melissa and Clay's new deck and flower boxes.

A new deck and flower boxes were completed at the Connecticut country house and the Behemoth got new window treatments.

Fred's new Can Am Spyder

Fred checked another item off his Bucket list when he acquired a Can Am Spyder that he has been wanting for a long time. He even got to attend a Spyder Rally in Queensbury at the beginning of September going on a couple of rides with large groups.

Round Pond

Our first stop was at West Point Military Academy’s Round Pond Recreation Facility where we enjoyed a couple of nights at the top of the mountain. Round Pond is a beautiful site. The roads are narrow, steep and twisty to get there but worth the effort.

We were pleased to meet  neighbors Karen and Bill who are new to the full time RV lifestyle.  We met as they were dealing with a broken cable on one of the slides of their rig. We dragged out Nick Russell’s Guide to RV Good Guys to try and find them some help.  You meet the nicest people in military RV parks and we were happy to read a few days later that they found a temporary solution to hold them over until the needed repairs could be done by an RV Good Guy in Virginia.

We had one day to devote to sightseeing and spent it in the Historic Huguenot district of New Paltz, New York.

The Huguenot’s were Protestants who emigrated from France to the New World in the 1600’s seeking the freedom to worship as they chose.

Twelve families settled in the Hudson River Valley in 1677 after purchasing 30,000 acres from the Esopus Indian Tribes. The 12 families who formed the town of New Paltz are referred to as patentees. Names common to the Capital District and Hudson Valley like Deyo, LeFevre, Hasbrouck, Dubois, and Freer originated here.

A portion of Huguenot Street consists of 6 stone houses built before 1720.  Those houses are protected as a National Historic Landmark. Each home is a museum preserving the history of a  patentee family.

The families built their original homes of wood, replacing them over the next 40 years with stone houses in what is now called rural Colonial Dutch architecture. Gambled roofs and curved eaves in single story houses built of local stone are hallmarks of that distinctive style.

We walked the hilly street along the banks of the Wallkill River admiring the stone structures and beautiful gardens. There is a replica wigwam on the lawn of the Dubois Fort representing the Munsee Esopus people who lived in this region prior to European settlement. The wigwam was constructed using authentic techniques and locally sourced materials to make an accurate presentation.

There is a stone church (reconstructed in 1972) and a small cemetery where some of the early members of the community were laid to rest.

The walking tour was pet friendly since we opted not to walk through the inside of the homes.

Rascal enjoyed it and afterward walked with us up the hill to Main Street for lunch at Mudd Puddle Coffee Roasters. Mudd Puddle is right next door to Paws of Distinction so he enjoyed  chicken and sweet potato dog treats.

Lucky Rascal.

We left Round Pond on Friday morning.  Army fans were already starting to arrive for Saturdays big game against the Rainbow Warriers of Hawaii.  Grills were being set up and long tables were set out under shade canopys. I bet it was a fun weekend at the Academy.

Army won 21-28.

Next stop Amish Country, Lancaster County Pennsylvania.

Platte City, Missouri

7/20/2017

We have driven west across Missouri and are settled in Platte City, named after the river that flows into the Missouri at this point.

The land is rolling hills and well treed. The winding Missouri is our trail and we have crossed its brown water several times. The water runs quickly though we haven’t seen much white water yet. It makes swooping curves where the rushing water pulls large quantities of soil from the banks and later deposits it in sand bars. 

The travelers commented on the muddiness of the river as it made a poor source for drinking water being so full of silt.

“The water we drink or the Comm water of the Missourie at this time, contains a half a Comm Wine Glass of ooze or mud to every pint-” William Clark

Reading this made me very thankful for the emergency water that we carry and the survival straws in our go bag.

Can you imagine drinking the brown mud filled water of the Missouri?

When the river has flooded in the past and changed its course some of the wide curves are cut off from it and become small lakes. Missouri has a lot of crescent shaped lakes called horseshoes.

We passed Glasgow where the Corps spent a night on the river with French fur traders in June of 1804. A hunting party killed a bear for fresh meat. William Clark described the place in his journal.

“A high commanding position more than 70 feet above the high water mark, and overlooking the river, which is here but of little depth.”

He returned here in 1808 in his position as Head of Indian Affairs in St. Louis, to build a fort at the high ground previously identified here. Fort Clark was the first US Outpost on the frontier built within the lands obtained from France through the Louisiana Purchase. It became an important trading post as well as a significant military presence in the region. Fort Clark also called Fort Osage or Fort Sibley is a National Historic Landmark.

Bronze of Lewis and Clark with Sacagawea, York and Seamon.

There is a small park in Kansas City (the Missouri one) that sits on high ground overlooking the river.   Case Park at Clark’s Point has an impressive bronze of the explorers with Sacagawea (their Shoshone guide) and York (William Clark’s slave). This site presents information about the French fur traders that had explored the land before the expedition. Auguste and Pierre Chouteau in particular assisted Lewis and Clark with supplies shelter and information about the lands they would soon travel.

My favorite figures on the statue York and Seamon looking into the distance.

On June 26th 1804 William Clark wrote about this place:

“We set out early the river falling a little...passed the mouth of the Blue water river...passed a bad Sand bar where our tow rope broke twice, & with great exertions we rowed around it and Came to & Camped in the Point above the Kansas River  I observed a great number of Parrot queets”

Indian Mound at Independence Creek

The group stayed 3 nights along the river in what is now Kansas City, charting the area, making repairs, hunting and having to mete out military discipline to two corpsmen who helped themselves to the liquor supply.

Independence Creek

The expedition continued moving up the Missouri stopping overnight in what is now Atchison Kansas. The Atchison area is where they spent July 4th, 1804, celebrating the 28th anniversary of the country’s independence by firing their swivel cannon at dawn and again in the evening. They traveled 10 miles that day and were 6 weeks into the journey.

The group named 2 creeks in Atchison, Independence creek and 4th of July Creek, both of which we located.

4th of July Creek

7/23/2017

There are several places within a 50 mile radius of Platte City that have Lewis and Clark exhibits. Our favorite was the National Frontier Trails Museum in Independence.

Jim Bridger statue at the National Frontier Trails Museum

It is a city museum that features exhibits about the great trails west and the intrepid pioneers that braved the hardships of travel.

The museum staff were having a difficult day as strong storms had passed through Independence the night before. The building was without power but they were open and invited us in if we didn’t “mind a little heat”   We used our phones as flashlights and had a look.

The museum has an exhibit featuring the trail of Lewis and Clark expedition. What we found more fascinating were the displays featuring the western trails that were to follow. The Sante Fe Trail, the California Trail, the Oregon Trail, and the Mormon Trail.

It is estimated that between 1840 and 1860 nearly 400,000 people headed west with hopes for a better life. 1 in 10 of them would not survive the journey.

There is a wall dedicated to the fate of the Donner party as well as quotes from pioneers that kept diaries. The quotes made the stories real.

These words from Lavinia Honeyman Porter as she said goodbye to her sister said it all.

“But in a few moments I rallied my forces, and waving a last adieu to my beloved sister, turned my dim and tear stained eyes westward and soon overtook the slowly moving oxen who were bearing my husband and child over the green prairie. Climbing into the wagon beside them, with everything we possessed piled high behind us, we turned our faces toward the land of golden promise that lay far beyond the Rocky Mountains. Little idea had I of the hardships, the perils, the deprivation that awaited me”

Tomorrow we turn the wheels toward Nebraska.

National Frontier Trails Museum
318 W Pacific Ave
Independence, MO

Case Park at Clarks Point
611 W 8th St
Kansas City, MO

Lewis and Clark Historic Park
1 River City Dr
Kansas City, KS

Independence Creek Site
19917 314 Rd
Atchison, KS

4th of July Creek Site
990 Skyway Highway
Atchison, KS

New Franklin and Boonesville, Missouri

The Corps of Discovery made their way up the Missouri traveling on average 15 miles a day. The troops rowed, poled and when all else failed got in the water and pulled the heavy keelboat upstream using ropes. 

The 2 smaller boats called pirogues were lighter and more responsive in the current and often led the way to point out dangerous places ahead.

There were many obstacles to avoid. Tangled driftwood, logs and whole trees floated toward them as they toiled. Sandbars blocked their way as they rounded curves in the river and occasionally part of the river bank collapsed causing further impediment.

While William Clark managed the crew and commanded the keelboat, Meriwether Lewis traveled on shore exploring the landscape, identifying plant and animal species and making note of things like fresh water springs and suitability of the land for a settlement or fort.

Crew members sometimes joined him ashore searching for game as the boats moved slowly up the river.

Both leaders faced dangerous situations early in their travels. Mr. Clark’s keelboat nearly capsized early in the journey when it became hung up on a sandbar and the current pushed it sideways.

Mr Lewis came close to losing his life when he fell and slid down a steep incline. He was fortunate to catch himself by plunging his knife into the ground before tumbling over a cliff.

view of the Missouri River from Harley Park in Booneville.

7/16/2017

Our travels were much easier. We drove about 3 ½ hours to reach New Franklin, MO where we are staying for three nights. We are close to Arrowrock and Booneville both of which are points of interest on the Lewis and Clark trail.

Boonville is named after the famous Kentucky frontier woodsman Daniel Boone. He had moved in 1799 to a place on the Missouri river near where we are staying. There are records that the members of the expedition stopped here and interacted with the settlers from Kentucky, trading with them. There is no documentation that Lewis and Clark or any member of the corps actually met Mr. Boone who would have been 70 years old in 1804.

The journals of the explorers mention a large projection of rock with flint that can still be seen near Arrowrock. The local tribes used the flint in arrow and tool making. The highly visible bluff was an important landmark to early explorers.

Salt water springs in Booneslick, Missouri

They also made note of salt water springs near what is now called Booneslick after the sons of Daniel Boone. Nathan and Daniel Morgan worked the salt springs from 1805 to 1833 boiling the salt water to crystalize the salt then packaging it and sending it down the river to St Louis.

The presence of indian mounds in this area was also noted. There are 2 protected mounds in the town of New Franklin.

The small towns of Boonville, New Franklin, and Arrowrock have been fun to explore. Our RV park is located on the Katy trail a 238 mile long rails to trails path that winds through rural Missouri. We limited our bike excursions due to the 100+ degree weather that Missouri has been experiencing.

While exploring New Franklin we learned that the region was also the start of the Sante Fe Trail and that Kit Carson lived here in present day Howard County before heading west.

The journals of Mr. Clark note of this area:

“Found the countrey for one mile back good Land and well watered”

“Well timbered with oake, walnit Hickory ash, &c, the land still further back becomes thin and open, with Black and rasp Berries, and still further back the Plains Commence”

The troops certainly had my sympathy in William Clark’s description of their physical difficulties caused by insects and difficult living conditions.

“The party is much aflicted with Boils and Several have the Dicissentary, which I contribute to the water which is muddy”

Stephen Ambrose in his book Undaunted Courage attributes some of these problems to a diet consisting of only meat and cornmeal.

Leaving Pierre le Fleche (the Rock of Arrows) the team passed La Charette the last white settlement on the Missouri.

We are driving west too. Next stop Kansas City.

Arrowrock State Historic Site

39521 Visitor Center Dr

Arrow Rock, Missouri

Boone's Lick State Historic Site

MO-187

Glasgow, Missouri

Clark's Hill/Norton Site

1700 Osage Hickory St

Osage City, MO

Steamtown USA National Historic Site

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Fred and I are back on the road. Our plans include a journey of 23 states and 2 provinces before the Behemoth sets its wheels back in New York.

We began that trip with a stay near Scranton Pennsylvania in order to visit the Steamtown USA National Historic Site.

Steamtown USA is the only National Park whose purpose is to preserve the history of steam railroading.

Central Railroad Co of New Jersey Railway Crane No 5.

Trains are a part of our country.

The steam engine allowed western expansion by carrying passengers and freight with relative speed and safety.

Trains are a part of our history.

The expansion of the rail system allowed the transport of raw materials and finished goods in a timely manner that changed the complexion of United States from an economy based on agriculture to one based on manufacturing.

Those steam engines were converted to diesel many years ago. We now rely more on cars and air for travel and most freight is shipped more efficiently by trucks. But trains roll on.

We still enjoy spotting the iron beasts. Whether crawling through cities or rolling unrestrained on rural rails their whistles and rumbles bring out a smile.

It’s the sound of history and of adventure.

Where are you going?

What are you carrying?

Who will you meet today?

The Roundhouse and 90 foot turntable

The Steamtown USA complex sits on 40 acres of the Scranton railroad yard once owned by the Delaware, Lackawana and Western Railroad.

The collection of engines and railroad cars on display was started by F. Nelson Blount in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He bought the old engines to save them from being sold for scrap. After his death the Steamtown Foundation for the Preservation of Steam and Railroad Americana moved the collection to Scranton where it later became a National Historic Site.

New Haven Trap Rock Co #43

We drove through Scranton, up Cliff Street and into the parking lot where we were greeted with the site of 2 Reading Railroad locomotives on one side and a Union Pacific Big Boy on the other. The #4012 Big Boy is an articulated engine built by ALCO in Schenectady NY. It is 132 feet 9 inches long.  Park Rangers like to point out that its length is 12 feet more than the Wright brothers first flight.

We stopped at the ticket booth to show our senior passes and then entered the Visitor Center where we were drawn to the deck that overlooks the Roundhouse and turntable.

The Roundhouse was built in 1917 after a fire destroyed the first one. It was expanded in 1937 and was once capable of garaging 36 engines for maintenance and repair.

The 90 foot turntable was rebuilt by the National Park Service from original drawings. There are some safety modifications but otherwise it looks as it did in 1917.

Remember that Big Boy from the parking lot? It doesn’t fit.

Lehigh and New England Railroad Caboose #583

Today the right center portion of the Roundhouse is a working garage and maintenance center where a core group of skilled mechanics and craftsmen keep the trains in running order. They also restore and repair engines. When necessary they manufacture parts using precise measurements and pre-computer era computations. There are no computer guided laser cutters here. We were happy to be able to tour the maintenance center accompanied by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteer. Rick’s love of trains was apparent and made him a pleasure to listen to. He showed a great deal of respect for the skills of the maintenance crew.

Lathe filings from a wheel trim

Fred was thrilled to see the gigantic lathe used to trim the train wheels when they develop flat spots. It reminded him of the one his Dad worked on at the Watervliet Arsenal making the big guns.

We learned that the lathe as well as a towering drill press and a metal bender as big as a bus were requisitiond and obtained from US Navy storage facilities.

Original architectural drawings

The far right side of the Roundhouse serves as a museum that has exhibits that include a timeline of modern railroading and an archaeological area that displays items found under the rail yard when the National Park Service moved in and started the restoration.

There are 2 cars showcased in the museum.

The first is  Erie Railroad Business Car, #3, basically a rolling office that included a kitchen and sleeping quarters for railroad executives.

Louisville and Nashville Railroad Post Office Car #1100

The second was Louisville and Nashville Railway #1100, a railway post office car. This was the only car on the train not under the jurisdiction of the Conductor. The rolling post office was part of the US Postal service. The best part of the display was a short filmed interview of some of the men that road and worked on the train as postal employees. It was wonderful to hear them speak about a job they loved and the comradrie that developed from riding the rails and working so closely together. It was interesting to hear them describe how they captured new mail and delivered sorted mail as the train rolled through towns without stopping.

Spang, Chalfont and Co #8 with the side cutout to show internal workings

The left portion of the Roundhouse is a Technology Museum. Here you will find Spang Chalfont and Co #8 a steam locomotive with one side cut away so that you can see the inner workings of the engine. There is also Rutland Railroad #28 a red wooden caboose and a Delaware Lackawana and Western boxcar that you can walk through.

Sand dome and bell

The Technology Museum also has a display of railroad disasters with filmed interviews of rescuers and survivors. You can tell from their expressions that the events still haunted them.

There were interactive exhibits of Train Whistle communication, Hobo symbols and other railroad signals.

Pictures of the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct made me wish that we had planned another day and had time to drive north in order to see it.

The grounds include a loading platform for days when rides are available, an operating sand drying tower and the Old Oil House that now serves as the Museum Shop and Bookstore.

We enjoyed our visit and spent most of the day wandering among the large machines and marveling at the skill and strength that it took to keep them running.

I am looking forward to learning more about early railroad travel as we head west.

Steamtown USA NHS

4 Lackawanna Ave

Scranton, PA

(570) 340-5200

Cave City Kentucky

Next stop Cave City Kentucky.
Kentuckians are proud of their states Karst topography, that geographical wonder of dissolving limestone that leaves it full of caves to be explored and sinkholes to be avoided.
You probably remember that collapse in the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green a couple of years ago. The security video footage of the event was spectacular. The pit that swallowed 8 classic cars was a sinkhole formed when the roof of a cavity collapsed under its own weight.
We tried not to think of this fact as we walked into the Visitor Center at Mammoth Cave National Park and signed up for the 4 hour Grand Avenue tour.
Grand Avenue is the longest tour in the cave system at a little over 4 miles, and it takes you through both wet and dry portions of the cave.
Fred and I have toured several caves including Howe Caverns in our home state of New York and the spectacular Luray Caverns in Virginia. They have all been wet caves so the geology of Mammoth Caves was a new experience for us.

Climbing down to the cave entrance.

The tour was great. It was advertised as difficult but we did not find it any more taxing than a 4 mile hike in the mountains. There were a few steep inclines with stairs where necessary but we made it just fine. I was always at the back of the group but it was because I was stopping to look at and photograph the rock formations and staying too long.

Rock formations in the dry cave

Dry caves are a very different experience. There are no stalactites or flowstone to look at. The beauty you see is in the different kinds of rock and the way that it has eroded to form openings. Creative lighting showed those formations in a dramatic way. 
We were able to see gypsum flowers and snowballs in the dry cave, stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone formations in the wet portion of the cave. 

Gypsum flowers on the ceiling

Mammoth Cave has been open to tourism for decades. When you walk along Gothic Avenue it is possible to read cave graffiti, written with smoke and soot from candles, with dates from the mid 1800's. 

Antique Cave grafitti

We enjoyed the tour as well as a ranger lead discussion at the visitor center. It was interesting to learn of the continued exploration of the cave system and of how a passage was being sought to join Mammoth Cave to a nearby cave system. 

Flow stone in the wet cave.

We had the pleasure of meeting up with RVing friends Brenda and Joe Coates who invited us to their house for dinner. It was a great evening. We had fun catching up on one another's adventures. 
Joe is a fantastic furniture maker. It was a pleasure to spend time in their home and to see all of the custom cabinet work that he has done.
Cave City is also home to one of the few remaining Wigwam Village Motels. It was fun to see the formations as we drove along North Dixie Highway in search of a grocery store. 
Time to put the Kentucky sticker on the map.

Wigwam Village Inn #2