The "Cuz"

As I mentioned in the previous post, cousin Nancy (in the back with the hat???) had come to Columbus for the reunion. In fact she had flown in on a one way ticket. I’ll explain.

In our wanderings and communications with friends and family a visit (when in the area) and continued communication with Nancy has become a regular thing. In our last visit to the Chicago area we even promised her a camping trip sometime. I have a vague remembrance of being kind of roped into it. I think it was a Kat and Nancy thing? So…. This was that promise. We thought a return trip home from Columbus with us in the RV might be kind of neat and it turned out just so! We stopped ‘again’ at the Air Force museum in Dayton, drove through Amish country in northern Indiana, visited the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, and camped at a couple of state parks. The ‘again’ at the Air Force museum was because Kat and I had just been there a week or so earlier and wanted to see some more. Especially Kat, which kind of surprised me. Her dad had been a tail gunner on a WW II B-29 and that may have been her favorite. She even liked the Air Museum better than the RV Hall of Fame. Though it was nice too. They had some real historical and vintage RV’s including one used by Mae West. Worth a stop for any RV’ers. At our first state park Nancy was trying to ‘hit’ (I use the term lightly, and with a smile) on some bachelor school teacher that she met on a morning walk. We even dropped her off at his school in the morning while we had breakfast. All very secretive though! We didn’t hear much more but I do know that she met his class and had a short visit. At a state park in Michigan Kat and Nancy took a drive to Lake Michigan but couldn’t find it. I told them it must have dried up or been moved? They never did find that lake. One can only wonder?

I do need to bloviate a little here. I make light of the girls not being able to find Lake Michigan, but then if it’s like most of the country any water front property is private, developed and most always off limits to the riff-raff. And being from Oregon like I am, it just ‘chaps my hide’. You see, in Oregon we don’t have private beach front property! Not on the coast anyway. The Pacific coast belongs to the people of Oregon and there is access to it all. The same is true for large sections (greenways) of the Willamette River through Portland and up the valley from Eugene. Politically speaking Oregon may seem like the ‘Peoples Republic’ in many ways but you can ‘By God’ get to the beach!!!! Oh! And if you don’t happen to be from Oregon, you’re still invited! All thanks to the late Governor Tom McCall.

We all had a good time and some laughs, built one fire to make it seem like ‘camping’, and dropped Nancy off in Downers Grove just a little too soon for her. But we did get her right to her door step which is better than the airlines would have done and better than she thought we could do. We had no desire to hang around and take a chance on any cold northern weather so for us it was time to ‘beat feet’ and head on south!!!!

The Heart of it All

That is what is on the Ohio state auto license plate anyway. Because I am a native Buckeye I suppose I can go along with it. At least as long as the good people of Ohio don’t get carried away with it. But when you travel and see as much as we do, it’s not hard to get the idea that there are some mighty fine places in all parts of the good ol’ U.S. of A. and I’m also certain the good people of Ohio know and understand that as well.

Our first stop in the Buckeye State was to see J.T and Linda McAdams in Thompson somewhat near the Cleveland area. J.T. use to be Terry and live and work with me at the post office in Oregon. Most of you know the story and I’m not going to go into if you don’t. Suffice to say we were very good friends as were our wives at the time. We both lost wives and then lost touch with each other for a while but that has been corrected. The wives too! It was great to see J.T. and meet Linda. We plan on staying in touch this time and doing some RV’ing together. We spent a few days in their driveway and saw some of NE Ohio. Mostly J.T. and I got caught up and then got to enjoy Ike. Hurricane Ike that is! The remnants came through Ohio while we were there and disrupted things for a time. Thompson had 98 mph winds and knocked out power for three or four days although we left on the second day of that. We only sat in the dark for a short time because J.T. has a generator. And of course being in the RV, we are self contained and don’t have to worry about that stuff.

Then it was off to Columbus and a visit with my family. We did stop at the Ohio state park at Alum Creek long enough to be ripped off by paying for a site with electricity and not having any. It was a small thing and I know that the crews were working hard to clean up the mess from Ike, but I still think the State of Ohio owes us a free night at a state park. Anyway; on to Columbus! As is always the case now, we park in front of sister Sandy’s house in the cul-de-sac and make ourselves to home. Brother-in-law Dom had even wired us up with 30 amp electrical service. Maybe he was trying to make up for the state park system? And as is also always the case, we had a wonderful visit. I’m sure lots of folks think their family is about the best and I’m no exception, except of course …………………... I am right!! Ha! The highlight of this visit was going to a Ohio State football game. Nephew Dom (Donnie) got tickets for Sandy, myself, nephew Mike and his son Garrett. I hadn’t been to a Buckeye game at the ‘shoe’ (Ohio States famous ‘Horseshoe’ stadium) since 1960 when I was dating Janie Biggs. She was the daughter of the then team trainer, Ernie Biggs. That was a while ago and it has changed a lot, which you may, or may not, know? I did not! And I watch a lot of football. On TV of course. Anyway; it use to be that you dressed in something nice, went to the game, watched the game, cheered and applauded as appropriate, maybe had a Coke, watched Woody do a minor (or major) rant, and maybe, if you were fortunate, you had an Ohio State hat. No longer!! Now you dress in everything Ohio State Buckeye scarlet and gray, I think in some cases right down to your underwear. Face or body paint would be acceptable, as would a string of Buckeyes around your neck. You would want to get there about three hours before game time to go to the ‘Skull session’ and see the band and team members and hear something from coach Tressel. You might get your picture taken with Brutus the Buckeye (we did), buy anything Ohio State, or any kind of party or tailgate food at any of the assorted booths surrounding the stadium. It is pretty much insane. Not in a bad way, just wild and crazy and colorful and loud. And then you go into the stadium. A sea of scarlet, with the band, cheering student sections, and waves, and the Jumbotron to show you what you can’t see. It’s just nuts. But it was really cool and I thank young Dominic for the experience. And they won! Beating Minnesota something, something, to something. But I’m still not the biggest Tressel fan.

After the game we went to young Dominic’s for a family reunion. Technically it would be mostly Sandy’s family which is of course is also my family, minus my kids who would be in Oregon. Aunt Mary, our family matriarch was there as were cousins Patti and Nancy from Iowa and Illinois respectively. Mike and Phyllis made it from North Carolina, and I think pretty much all the Columbus folks were there. Mostly all who could be, were there. Sheri was our most gracious host and of course it was a joy to be there. I know that, because of course,…….Sheri told me I knew that! Just kidding Sheri!

So once again we spent some time in Columbus and saw some old friends and places; went to the GUM men’s breakfast, and traded barbs with Phil and Sam (a regular thing now, the breakfast too); spent hours getting up to date with Sandy and Don’ and enjoying their company and hospitality; played a little with Buffy, who is still just sooo cute!; blocked Rose’s view down the street for a couple of weeks; and risked life and limb while Kevin roared in and out of the driveway next to us. It was all good and in time we’ll go back and do it again!

Over the mountains to Niagara

We had a very pleasant journey through the White or maybe the Green mountains to Niagara Falls. I get the White and the Green mixed up but we did them both at some point in our New England travels so I’m not going to look it up just now. We stayed in state parks along US Hwy 2 and the St Lawrence seaway through NH, VT, and NY. They had names like Coles Creek, Sackets Harbor, and Four Creek. It may have been a little early for the renowned ‘fall’ color but it was still a beautiful and relaxing trip. I was in part influenced by the fact that we were headed west. I’ve done this a lot in the past ten years and it always happens that I feel just a little better heading west. Maybe it’s some of what Horace Greeley was talking about that comes out in me. More likely it’s familiarity and comfort level and the calling of home and heart. Anyway! The weather was great, the highways were in good shape, the traffic was light, and mostly it was just us. How bad can that be? Far from it!

I do have one small complaint though. Well, maybe not so small! There ain’t no moose! There’s s’posed to me moose!!! I wouldn’t complain, but this is moose country and every few miles there is a yellow sign that says “Watch for Moose”. Well, I’ve been watching and all I can say is. “Liar, Liar”!
I saw one moose (pictured) but he was a poor specimen indeed.

It was at Four Creek that we stopped for a few days and went in to Niagara Falls. We drove the few miles south into Niagara Falls and parked at some cultural (?) center or something, which overlooked the Niagara river. We didn’t realize but a few minutes later a trolley came by and we ran over to see what was the deal. As it turned out it was a trolley to the Falls. Not only that, but it was free. So we got on for the ride. The trolley dropped us at the Visitor Center and scenic overlooks, and the place where you ride the Maid of the Mist. All this was very unexpected and we thought quite fortuitous. We took the Maid of the Mist boat ride which was quite a ‘kick’. The boat takes you up passed American Falls and into the spray and mist of Horseshoe Falls. Everybody gets a blue plastic raincoat for the trip and as it turns out, it really is necessary. We couldn’t believe how much spray we got. We got on with some folks who were on a tour and they told us that they were told to go to the front of the boat for the best experience. We got right up front and I think they were told right. We had a great view and we got all the spray and mist. I was worried the camera might be ruined but it came through OK. Kat was a little more ‘the worse for wear’. She had trouble pulling her hood tight and really got soaked all the way to her underwear. We did some other things but it really was the highlight of Niagara Falls.

Maybe I should not relate this story but it’s kind of hard to resist. When we bought our tickets, got our raincoats, and walked down to get in line for the Maid of the Mist ride we got behind two young couples who were probably French Canadian. They may have been French or Belgian or something but they were foreign and spoke what sounded mostly French. The guys were wearing their funny little European shoes and what I would call Capri’s, or I have heard them called mud pants. I don’t think these guys would say mud pants though. That would be too masculine I think? I’m trying to set the mood here. They were very European and I think Capri’s is the best term. Anyway, one of them was trying to help the other put on his blue raincoat. These are very lightweight see-through raincoats and I just couldn’t shake the image I was getting. And as too often happens I voice what I’m thinking. Out of the clear blue I said to them, “kind of like trying to put on a giant blue condom huh”? Kat just about pee’d in her pants and said later , she would have “crawled under a rock if she could have found one”; fortunately these guys and girls thought it was kind of cute too. Well maybe, because I think after they had some time to think about it for a couple of minutes they weren’t so sure it was so cute. They kind of shied away from us and we didn’t see them the rest of the trip……… Oh well!