August 28th to September 3rd

August 28th - Sunny and warm and we are off to New York State. Takes forever to drive around Boston and then through Mass. Lots of trees, actually you don't see much else. Campgrounds are scarce in the Albany area so we hope for a Visitor's Centre but no luck we would have to drive into the downtown area, so there is one little tent on the map at Thompson Lake State Park just south of Albany, set our course and twist and turn until we find it tucked away! At first the attendent says they are full then she relents and gives us their overflow spots, not together, not even close but that's okay we only need a place to sleep and leave the rv's for tomorrow.

August 29th - Up at 6 am and drive into Albany, find the Amtrack Station and purchase our tickets to and from New York City. The train leaves at 8:05 and arrives in NY at 10:30. The trip is along the Hudson River and it is a spectacular day! The river is flat calm, there are boats anchored out for the weekend I guess, tugs and barges moving along, and lots of birds! Herons, egrets, hawks, osprey! The time passes quickly and then we are at Penn Station. Haven't had breakfast yet and the first thing we see (in the station) is a Tim Horton's! Excellent, coffee and a breakfast sandwich and we are ready to tackle the city. Walk over to the Empire State Bldg, and two hours later and $20 each we are back on solid ground. Seemed to take forever but I guess we are lucky from looking at all the stanchions placed around this could take all day! The view was awesome not too much haze in the air. Walk down Broadway to Times Square then on to Central Park where I just have to purchase a bottle of water and sit in the shade! It must be 100 degrees. Walk along to 5th Avenue and visit F.A.O. Schwartz (toy store) then just walk down 5th Avenue for a few blocks reading the signs, Versace, Hermes, Gucci you know the ones. Stop at Rockerfeller Centre then time to have an early dinner and catch the train home. Of course we did some shopping, touristy stuff, T-shirts and hats etc. The best are our NewYork Starbucks Mugs! :o) Catch the train at 7:15 and are back in Albany by 9:30ish.

August 30th - Away by 10:30 and it is another warm one. Love the heat but hate the humidity! Heading for Evangola State Park on Lake Erie. Travel through Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, more trees! The Park is okay, sits up on a bluff overlooking the Lake so if you want to swim you have to drive back over to the picnic area, we are too lazy. Have our dinner and listen to the ciccadas (sp?) very noisy. More tolls today, don't think I mentioned that earlier but all of these roads are toll, about $35 so far.

August 31st - Hot again, stop at a farmer's market for some fruit and vegetables. Also saw quite a few vineyards today. Pass through Pennsylvania into Ohio. Past Cleveland and Toledo then on to a little town called Wauseon to do some grocery shopping, our cupboards are bare. On to Harrison Lake State Park, beautiful spot! but at night the bugs really come out!

September 1st - Warm this morning but clouding up as we approach Chicago. We've passed through Ohio, Indiana and into Illinois. Had a few sprinkles, found Chicago Starbucks Mugs at a gas stop. Driving through the outskirts of Chicago it's like a parking lot for semis! Yikes we feel insignificant! Gain another hour! Only two hours behind home. Lots of corn and soybeans growing here. Our next stop Johnson Sauk Trail State Park, this one is really beautiful, the trees are awesome and the kitties like it! We are parked off by ourselves and it is so warm out, excellent.

September 2nd - Rained in the night so drippy this morning but the sun is peeking out. Went for a walk, saw another Cardinal, bluejays and a Bluebird!! Got some photos but not the greatest! Maurice changes the CB radio as the new one crapped out yesterday, the old one goes back in. He notices that we have no gauges on the dash, nothing is working and the alternator doesn't seem to be working! Oh no not again! So the little generator goes back into the truck box, hooked up to the battery so we can make it to the next little town about 6 miles down the road. Kewanee! They are setting up for "Hog Days" we'll have to miss it I hope! Find the Ford dealer and they take the truck right in, $177 later and we are on the road by 2:30. Replace the shifter, a wire shorted out and blew a fuse. It is really hot again, had to plug the 5th in at the garage to keep the kitties cool. We saw two huge praying mantis while we were hanging around the garage, amazing creatures. Cross over the Mississippi River and then drive through a great black storm cloud just west of Iowa City. Rain and wind! but doesn't last too long, we arrive at Rock Creek State Park, sun is out again but it has cooled off only 18 degrees. Find out that Wilson State Park on the Missouris is flooded out so will have to make alternate plans for tomorrow.

September 3rd - Today! Sunny and cool this morning, very windy and gets more windy as the day goes on. Bucking a headwind pretty much all day. Past Omaha and north until we leave Iowa and pass into South Dakota. More corn and soybeans but very hilly and pretty. Arrive Sioux Falls and head for Big Sioux State Rec area, only thing is the road is closed and the gps has just crashed so we pull over to do some manual calculations, then a very kind resident drives up and offers to lead us to the park, when we get there of course they are full (long weekend) so the kind resident offers to lead us to another park, we do get in their overflow. Anyways we have a new aquaintance who also travels south in winter, to Arizona/Texas. Might meet up somewhere along the way! Get settled then into town for dinner and to do the laundry! A long day! Oh and we finally have INTERNET! State Parks do not offer that service!