Day fourty-three: New Castle, PA

Yesterday, we drove. From Quebec city to upstate New York. Today, upstate New York to New Castle, PA. Ta dah!

Actually, though yesterday was uneventful, today we made a stop at a major site: Niagara Falls. We pulled into the city of Niagara Falls, which was a little scary, but the Falls themselves were stunning.

After viewing to our hearts content, we continued on down the road. Hungry for a little lunch, we headed back to Buffalo, NY, to have none other than Buffalo wings at Frank and Theresa's Anchor Bar, the birth-place of the tasty all-American snack. We ordered fifty and took home something like four.

After arriving in New Castle and unpacking our things, we headed down-town to search out somewhere to eat. We found Cony Island, a restaurant established in 1923. We had, of course, hot dogs, plus some fries, a burger, and cherry soda. The whole thing was under $20. Not bad, not bad.

Tomorrow, Dad's buisness partner Joe Crawford will take us on a tour of the Kasgro Rail plant, where we'll see railroad cars being constructed. Then, onward to Milwakee.

Jane

Day fourty-one: Quebec, QC

What a day today was! I'm all launguaged out.

Today in Quebec City began at a patisserie, a little bakery. We had croissants, coffee, quiche, and some other things that I'm not sure of. It was great, and the French was not only easier to understand than I thought it would be, but it was easy to communicate and the Quebecois were very appreciative and forgiving of my French.

We roamed around the beautiful and historic down-town, popping into stores and seeing the Quebecois way of life. Lunch in a bistro, more perusing, more French, cha cha cha, and then, we got to witness "un spectacle dans la rue", a street show. There was juggling, unicycling, and humor that I only half understood.

We saw the historic Battery Park and then had one of our loveliest meals yet, at "Le Lapin Satue", or, in English, "The Jumping Rabbit". Even the rain couldn't spoil our day.

Overall, the Quebecois were gracious and friendly, and very kind. However, I will say this : my Grandma Lois, who lived in France, said that after being there a while and speaking the French, you felt a bit like, "OK, that's a fun game, but I'm ready to stop playing and speak English now; I don't want to play this French game any more"; but, of course, you have no choice but to play, because that's all they speak. I mush confess feeling ready to stop playing. Fortunately, unlike France in the 50's, everyone speaks English now, so when I, or even they, didn't want to "play", everything worked out well.

Quebec is one of the places that we would be very willing to come back and visit for a bit longer. Had we not been as advanced in our trip as we are, we may have stayed for a few more days, but we're ready to move on. We'll head south tomorrow, and go along down the road, marking the begining of our drive home.

Jane

Day fourty: Quebec!!

Aujourd'hui, nous sommes alles a Quebec, et je suis super hereuse d'etre ici! C'est un reve realise! Just kidding.

Today, we went to Quebec, and I'm very happy to be here. It's a dream come true!

We left our cozy little motel in Ellesworth and headed up north and...west. We've made the turn towards home, not an end to touring, but a turn towards Montana. We drove for hours through many small rural towns, and finally arrived at the boarder. There, we were sternly questioned multiple times, and even had to pull over while our camper was searched, but we were of course allowed in.

Actually, it was more driving after that. But all the signs were in French, and I could read them! It maybe wasn't as good for everyone else, but I was, and still am, in heaven.

The real test came when we had get a hotel room. I talked to the concierges in French, and they were very courteous, and it was very positive. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant, more French, and are now in our hotel trying to find not-French TV to watch. Tomorrow, we'll see old Quebec and whatever else there is, and I'm so excited I could pop. A Demain!

Jane

Day thirty-nine: Ellesworth, ME

Today went unexpectedly, but not poorly.

Our plan was to see Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, so we hopped in our rig and set off towards town. We soon discovered that Bar Harbor is one of the world's largest tourist traps, and one of the most popular. We didn't even get out of our car, primarily because there was absolutely no parking anywhere. Dad put it very well: "It was like Disney Land on the Fourth of July!"

We headed down the road to Acadia National Park, and unfortunately, it was much of the same story. We took a bus tour and hiked around a while, but left earlier than anticipated because A) we had seen very similar geography on the Oregon Coast many times and B) the hilly, wooded splendor was very similar to good ol' Montana.

Our concierge and the Twilite Motel owner, Chuck, had told us to avoid both places and had given us some alternatives, so we chose one, Stonington. It's a small, authentic lobster village, out of the way and on a poorly maintained highway; it was exactly what we were looking for.

Before I forget to mention it, lunch today was fun and extraordinary. We went to Jordan's Snack Bar, a local favorite, to have home-made burgers and their famous onion rings, which were some of the best we'd ever had.

We drove home, stopped for some blueberry pie, and are getting ourselves ready for...Quebec!! Hurrah! Je suis completement ravie (I'm totally stoked)! Chuck, who seems to know things, said that he and his family loved Quebec City, so we're all looking forward to a cultural experience.

Jane

Outside of Bar Harbor, Maine, not sure what day or where

Folks, it's late at night, I'm tired, we've had computer trouble, and since I want to go to bed I'm going to make it quick.

The biggest, grandest event of the day, and possibly the trip, was the fishing trip. This morning, Dad and Wyatt set off for their fishing trip, and it was total success. They each caught a lot of fish, had a lot of fun, and greatest of all, Dad caught a huge 22lb 36" striped bass. It's the size of a yardstick, to put in perspective. Basically, a toddler-sized fish. Unfortunately, we're having picture travesties, so I can't post a photo, but I will as soon as I can.

We did a lot of driving, and are all feeling a bit ready to head home. We'll see Bar Harbor, Quebec, and a few more stops before heading home. Right now, home is about 2,500 miles away. But, we're still excited to be on our trip, and would feel cheated if it were in any way cut short.

Jane

Day thirty-seven: Still in Maine

Today, after the boys returned from a fruitful morning fish, we headed up the coast to Freeport, headquarters of L. L. Bean. The store was larger than life, and if that wasn't enough, the street was lined with outlet shopping.

After a morning and partial afternoon of browsing, we went off to Kennebunkport, ME, home of former president George Bush, Sr., and many other prominent politicians. There, we had another lobster feast, looked around the village, which was very neat and full of character, and then headed back to our room.

The boys are gathering their gear for a guided fishing trip tomorrow, and the girls are getting ready for yet more outlet shopping.

Jane

Day thirty-six: Boston, MA to Ogunquit

To start, I'd like to remind the Resch family and everyone that we are not home, the 22nd has passed.

After leaving Boston, footies and leggies still aching, we headed down the coast and back-tracked to visit Cape Cod. We poked around that afternoon, looking in bait shops and getting fishing advice, and then we had a terrific burger at the local A&W, a native hot-spot. We slept in a cozy little motel, and set off the next morning to explore the Cape.

The towns, the shopping, the beaches; all were picturesque, but we found them to be a bit touristy for our tastes, with the hoy-paloy paradise reaching a frenzy in Provincetown, the town furthest out on the spit.

At our hotel that evening, we boiled lobsters and cooked some stakes by the pool, making ourselves a lovely and fun little meal. We ate the tails and relegated Wyatt to claw duty, because he had the little mallet and was eager to try it out. He gave the first claw a sizable whack, and it squirted goodness-knows-what lobster gunk all over his front and face. Overall, a very fun meal.

Today, we drove up from our motel to another, tucked away in the woods in a small Maine town called Ogunquit. The boys are planning a sunrise fishing expedition, and when that ends (around 8 a.m.), we'll head up to Freeport, the home of L.L.Bean. After that, onward to Bar Harbor and Quebec at last! My French-senses are tingling...

Jane

Day thirty-three: Boston, MA

Well, I think we all feel like we've pretty much seen Boston. Today, we tramped all around Boston following the Freedom Trail. The trail is marked by red brick or red paint, a stripe marking a 2 1/2 mile long (or so they say) trail that takes walkers to all the historic buildings, monuments, churches, and sites around Boston. We saw Paul Reveres house, two monuments to Benjamin Franklin, and even hiked up all 294 stairs of the Battle of Bunker Hill Monument, which looks a lot like the Washington Memorial in DC, and offers a beautiful view of Boston.

Taking a break from the Freedom Trail, we detoured to visit the historic World Head Quarters of the First Church Of Christ, Scientist, a beautiful Byzantine-style church, an addition to a smaller classically styled church, which was built in the early 20th century. The whole operation, featuring a church, library, and publishing center, covered a vast area, surrounded by beautiful lawns and a gazing pool. We also visited the Maparium, a room in the library; the room itself is a giant glass globe, as the world was at the turn of the century. You go inside to hear a presentation and see the globe as a whole. To our surprise, it was almost 100 years old, much older than we had expected.

We also visited Quincy Market, a building in down-town Boston which features restaurants, anything from Philly Cheese-steaks to Indian Cuisine to canoles. Also, we saw Faunial Hall, one of the best-know buildings in Boston. And of course, we saw Boston Commons. For those of you who don't know, it's a lovely park in the city, similar to but smaller than Central Park in NYC (and we thought of you Uncle Russ and Aunt Suzie!). And, we ate at The Union Bay Oyster House, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America.

After touring the U.S.S. Constitution and taking a water taxi back to the train station, we were thoroughly tired and ready to head home. We'll all in the room trying to find creative ways to keep off of our feet, and are preparing for a fun day on Cape Cod.

Jane

Day thirty-two: Part 2

We spent the rest of the day touring Lexington and Concord, where the Revolutionary War began. We saw a really neat multi-media presentation about the fight and the Minute Men, toured another historic, Revolutionary era home, and watched a musket firing demonstration.

As a bit of fun on the side, Wyatt and Dad rigged up a little fishing pole out of a stick, some line, and a fly, and caught Bluegills right out of the pond next to the historic battle site! It was a lot of fun, and the boys got to go fishing again, which always pleases them.

Tomorrow we'll tour Boston, hiking the Freedom Trail and visiting the Mother Church, the original First Church of Christ, Scientist location. And, hopefully, we'll eat at the Union Bay Oyster House, the oldest continually operating restaurant in the U.S. Now, it's bed time!

Jane

Day twenty-nine through thirty-two

Today is the 19th, and I'll be updating later tonight, but here's what you missed!

As you probably figured out, the last few hotels we stayed in had no Internet service, but fortunately, nothing too monumental happened.

In the last few days, we drove through Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and we're now is Massachusetts, in a suburb outside of Boston.

Here are some highlights: we played in the ocean at Virginia Beach, ate at some fantastic road-side diners, spent the night on Chesapeake Bay (a really picturesque area), and drove the full length of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway (oh boy!).

Today, we're getting ready to set out for Lexington and Concord, where "the shot was fired that was heard around the world"; in other words, where our American Revolution began.

I'm glad to have Internet service again, and I'll be sure to tell you all about our day later this evening.

Jane

Day twenty-eight: Busch Gardens!!

Today, we spent our time at Busch Gardens Europe. It was one of the best days we've had yet. We rode all the rides, biggest to smallest, explored the beautiful Euro-themed grounds, and enjoyed ourselves.

After a day of Colonial Williamsberg and a day at Busch Gardens, we're pretty tire. Very tired, in fact. Tomorrow, we'll head over to Virginia Beach for a relaxing day of fun in the sun.

Jane

Day twenty-seven: Colonial Williamsberg

Today we stepped back into the past (ooh, aah!) and watched history come to life before our very eyes (oh!) at Colonial Williamsberg. We saw the historic exhibits, like silversmithing and clothes-making, and we saw such characters as Patrick Henry and Payton Randolph, all helping us to understand our American Revolution.

As interesting as today was, Wyatt and I are even more excited about tomorrow at Busch gardents. For now, it's back to our funky hotel room for a good night's rest.

Jane

P.S. Where have all the comments gone?

Day twenty-six: History, history, history!

The next few days will prove to be historic, to say the least.

The big event of the day was a visit to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson' home. It served as house, plantation, farm, and an ongoing architectural love-affair of forty years. We learned about how he lived, how he himself designed the home, and how is was constantly renovated to suit his likings. Monticello lies just outside of Charolettesberg, VA.

Tonight, we're staying in another retro hotel, the White Lion Motel. The rooms are spotless and big, with a retro kitchenette and bright blue shag carpet. Fortunately, they have wireless.

Now, yesterday's big mystery: where were we? Mt. Airy is Andy Griffith's home town, and the inspiration for The Andy Griffith Show's Mayberry. It was a real treat for Dad, since The Andy Griffith Show was one of his favorites growing up.

Tomorrow we'll tour Colonial Williamsberg, and the Busch Gardens the next day. We're excited to see some more history, and have a little fun this weekend.

Jane

P.S. New pictures are up!

Day twenty-five: Day twenty-four?

Friends, free high-speed wireless Internet at hotels is something that is easy to take for granted. Last night, we stayed in Boone, NC, in a very retro motel, and we had no Internet.

That said, yesterday was an interesting day. We finished our day in Asheville with a short tour of downtown, in pouring rain, and then we got onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, a highway that stretches across the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Apalachain chain. The drive is green and scenic, with plenty of beautiful valleys and vistas. We ended the day in Boone.

Today, we set of to finish the Blue Ridge Parkway. Our two destinations were Mt. Airy and Roanoke, where we are now.

What is Mt. Airy? Well, it'll be a little riddle. I'll give you some hints: we ate at Snappy Lunch, visited the office of the Sheriff/Justice of the Peace, and saw the inspiration for a classic sit-com town. What is this town's Hollywood name? Who was born here? Try to guess (and try not to use the Internet!)

After Mt. Airy, we got hopelessly lost on country roads trying to reach the Parkway, and finally, when we did find it, we went to the Mabry Mill. It's a historic site but, little did we know, the mill still functions, the black-smith's forge is still hot, and the history keeps on going. We saw a blacksmith improving his bellows system, a man weaving chair-bottoms out of chestnut bark, and a lady weaving willow baskets. It was such a scenic place, other state's have put pictures of it on their postcards! It was really unique and wonderful. Dad kept saying that it was "the sirloin of the Parkway!" We had steak tonight.

We reached Roanoke safe and sound, and are ready to lay back and relax.

Jane

Day twenty-three: The Biltmore Estate

Today was our grand tour of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The Estate belonged to George Washington Vanderbilt, heir to the Vanderbilt family fortune.

The Biltmore mansion, more of a chateau, really, is the largest private home in the United States. It has over 250 rooms on over 125,000 acres. The beautiful home is surrounded by a thick forest, all planted especially for the Vanderbilt home. It is still owned by the Vanderbilt family today.

The tour was a lot more interesting than we had supposed, and we all (even Wyatt) enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We had a lunch on the Estate, which was a fresh, gourmet buffet, and after concluding or tour of the home we headed for the extensive gardens.

Late afternoon, we meandered back to our car and headed to a few stores in up-town Asheville. We lunched on leftovers in the parking lot, played some frisbee, and headed back to our hotel.

Tomorrow, we'll see downtown Asheville, and then head towards Virginia.

Jane

Day twenty-two: Columbia, SC, to Asheville, NC

Today started off with Daddy being chipper and fit as a fiddle. A good omen, by all accounts. We drove to Asheville, stopping at a Chick-fil-A for a bite of lunch and at Dr. Rush's office for a quick chiropractic adjustment. Then, onward, ever onward.

We drove through yet more rain and arrived in Asheville, NC, around dinnertime. Dad asked the concierge where to go for great Carolina BBQ, and without hesitation the man answered that Barbecue Inn was the place to go. So, we went, and it was fabulous Carolina BBQ, and very affordable as far as those places go.

After dinner it was too soon to head in, so we drove around down-town Asheville. Friends, it's like a Southern Missoula, only bigger. Neat shops, cool streets, and the hippie-lite feel of our dear home town. I miss Missoula, I'll be honest.

Tomorrow we'll see the Biltmore Estate, and cruise around town. We've even added another day in our schedule for Asheville, just so we can be sure and see it all.

Jane

Day twenty-one: Beaufort, SC, to Columbia, SC

Today began for the boys at 6:30, and for the girls, at 9:30. The boys got up to go on their guided fishing trip, and Mom and I got up to go tour Beaufort. These are two separate mornings, so here's the boys first.

They awoke early and, despite the bleak forecast, set off. They toured around with their guide, Tucker, and then Dad, who hadn't felt too hot last night, threw up off the side of the boat. On the plus side, Wyatt caught a flounder, the only fish of the trip. Dad is still feeling ill.

The girls got up and, after a leisurely morning, checked out of the hotel at 10:30 to begin our tour. Unfortunately, nothing was open until noon. So we bummed around town, took a walk through the historic neighborhood, and finally were able to shop.

Around three, we met up with the boys, and drove through yet another torrential rain-storm, this so bad the we pulled over. Going ten feet from the car to the gas-station door to use the bathroom totally soaked me. Also, as we were driving along the road, lightning struck a cell tower about 50ft from where we were. Mother and I literally saw it make contact with the tower. It was incredible.

Dad is laying in bed and is improving. Prayers would be much appreciated. The rest of us are enjoying a lovely, quiet evening. Today was not our best, but not our worst, and we're not discouraged in the least. Tomorrow, we head to Asheville.

Jane

Day twenty: Charleston, SC, to Beaufort, SC (again)

Today, instead of bumming around Charleston, we set off to explore some of the surrounding area. The boys have a fishing trip planned for tomorrow in Beaufort, so we've returned there for the night.

First, we set off for Kiawah Island, but upon reaching there, we had extremely limited access, and there was really nothing to see. The same was unfortunately true for Seabrook Island.

We stopped at a Piggly Wiggly (if you'll recall, the first chain of grocery stores with food on the shelves for the buyers to peruse) and got a picnic lunch, and then, things got a little more interesting.

At St. John's Park, we were dining next to a lovely pond, when what did we spy, but a rogue alligator, poking up out of the water. He had likely been fed before and was looking for a snack, but none was to be found. He was, however, great to see.

We spend most of the rest of the afternoon in Beaufort doing chores, like getting an oil change and a car wash. Then, we went to the beach, where we had another interesting and exciting encounter with mother nature.

At the beach, the boys were playing with their new body-boards, and Mom and I were bobbing around in the water. In the distance, we saw the clouds rolling and knew that another storm was on the way. We got out in the nick of time and, as we were pulling out of our parking spot, a bolt of lightning struck not 100 yrds from where we were. The sound was incredible, and we all felt our hearts jump.

So, we drove home in a rainstorm, had some dinner at a Chinese buffet, and the boys are happily working out the final plans for their fishing trip.

Jane

day nineteen: Charleston, SC

Today we explored Charleston and all that lies therein.

We awoke and, after some deliberation, decided to go see Fort Sumter and then downtown Charleston. Unfortunately, we couldn't find Fort Sumter, and looked at Fort Molitare instead. Then, we decided to go downtown.

We cruised around the shops, saw historic Broad street, and took a long walk along the ocean (while looking for our camper). We ate at Hanks, a classy sea-food restaurant, and returned home to our hotel.

We're planning another day of touring and trying to fit in all that Charleston has to see.

Jane

P.S. For the Missoula set, I got my first pair of Chaco's today, so I guess I can be a real Missoulian now!

P.P.S. It's "Africa hot".

Jour dix-huit: Hilton Head, SC to Charleston, SC

What could possibly be better than a lovely time at the beach? Two lovely times at the beach!

Today we set of at a leisurely pace from Hilton Head, and went up the coast to Beaufort. We looked around the picturesque little town, had a wood-fired pizza lunch, and then set off for the beach.

We swam, built a sand-castle, body-surfed, and had another great time at the beach.

After packing up and moving on, we came to the decision that we aught to go to get some fresh-boiled shrimp at a roadside stand and have some shrimp salad or what have you. We stopped at what we thought was a stand, but it turned out to be a restaurant. We have a one meal out a day policy, so we thought we'd move on, but Wyatt, after reading the menu, talked us into staying, and we're glad we did. It was everything we could wish for in a shrimp dinner.

Full and satisfied, we moved on and have come to rest in Charleston. Tomorrow, we'll explore, and the boys are looking forward to a fishing trip on Sunday.

Jane

Day seventeen: Savannah, GA to Hilton Head, SC

Today we arrived in Hilton Head, South Carolina, to spend the day with my aunt and uncle Kathy and Mark, and Uncle Mark's family, the Maidenbergs. They were having a family reunion over the fourth, and had rented two large beach-houses for the crew of 26 to stay in.

We got there in the morning and, after a snack, headed to the beach. We played in the sand, swam in the surf, and did every beach activity that we could have hoped for. The waves were perfect for body-surfing, and though it was warm, it wasn't sweltering (finally!) and it was perfect.

Around three, we returned to the house where we swam in the pool, had a cup of English tea thanks to Adam (thank you again!) and spent time with the family. We had a lovely bratwurst dinner and enjoyed fireworks on the beach.

It's the end of the day, and we're all tuckered out from our day of fun in the sun. Thanks again, Maidenbergs, for having us!

Jane

Day sixteen: Savannah, GA

Today was a fabulous day in Savannah. The weather today was cool and slightly overcast; perfect for a day out.

Our day began in a line in the historic quarter of Savannah. We were waiting for a meal at Mrs. Wilks', which is a restaurant (featured on Food Network, which is how we came to know about) where the food is all home cooked and served family style. We waited for about an hour, from ten to eleven, and finally got in for a wonderful meal.

Stuffed to the rafters, we walked around the historic quarter of Savannah, full of ante-bellum homes and picturesque town squares. Then, we decided to head to Tybee Island.

On Tybee Island we found a lovely beach. The day was cooler, and with the ocean breeze, the weather was perfect.

After the beach, we returned to the river front for a picnic meal, and more exploring in that area.

We've returned to our hotel in love with Savannah, and though we're a little sad to leave, we're excited for what lies ahead!

Jane

Day fifteen: Talahassee, FL to Savannah, GA

The majority of today was spent in the car. We drove from Florida to Georgia, through more sloping green hills and, another torrential rain storm. This one actually caused a car wreck, and traffic was at a stand-still for about a half-hour. Once on the road again, we reached Savannah without a hitch.

Savannah is a beautiful and very historic city. We walked along old cobblestone roads in front of the river (built c.a. 1700's), which was full of people and sailors, in on a short leave. We had fresh sea-food for dinner, then walked down the road for a fresh praline at the praline shop. They have a whole shop devoted to pralines!

After walking around, a very full Blevins family returned home and we're now resting up and prepping for a full day of Savannah.

Jane

Day fourteen: Today is actually day fourteen

I somehow missed a day, and today is actually day fourteen.

Today was a pretty calm day. We drove, had a little lunch by a stream, experienced torential rain-pour and the whole thunder/lightning bit, ate Mexican food for dinner, and went to our hotel. That's about it.

So, I guess, see you tomorrow in Savanah, GA!

Jane