To New Columbia, PA - #46-01

July 22, 2004 (Thu) Home to Howard, PA (256 miles) - This has been one of those days when we should back up and start again. It started out all right though. We woke up early so we decided to get up and on the road before the crush of New York commuters. It was 6:10 when we backed out of our driveway - clear, humid, and 69°. Traffic on the Garden State Parkway and I-287 was, in deed, tolerable - better than it was most days when I commuted up that way. I-80 west bound was good too. We were well ahead of our schedule so we had some time to do some wandering.

There's a quilt shop in Bloomsburg, let's make a quick stop. In Bloomsburg we turned the wrong way and were out of town before we realized it. We went on. In Montoursville there's a farmer who cuts a maze in his corn field - it might be be fun to see it. Pilot to navigator error - we ended up in Williamsport - where Little League baseball was invented and where there is a museum devoted to it. There is also a museum with a huge model train collection. We chose to go there. We had a hard time finding it and when we finally did, we couldn't figure out how to get into the parking lot. The literature said there was plenty of room for motor homes but the only access we could find sure wasn't big enough for a motor home! We went on. It was then that we discovered we were well away from our corn field destination and going away from it. Since we were headed toward our campground destination, we went on.

In the next two and a half hours we; stopped for gas, ate lunch in a Kmark parking lot, shopped at a Scotts food market, shopped at the second Wamart of the day, and checked in at Bald Eagle State Park campground. While we were setting up it began to rain. Mark then spent an hour trying to figure out why we weren't getting hot water from the water heater. Was the burner? No there was a flame. Was the water heater by-passing the heater (in winter mode)? No. Were we turning the swivel faucet in the right direction? Yes - well yes and no. It turned out that the faucet was improperly assembled - hot and cold were reversed.

We look forward to a restful night and a new day tomorrow.

Q004150 Bald Eagle State Park #53 e $13.00 A

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July 23, 2004 (Fri) Howard, PA to New Columbia, Pa (130 miles) - Now it can be told. Our trip this time is to help Mark's sister Dorcas celebrate her 60th birthday - a surprise put together by her sons Philip and Steven. It's good to be here and to see everyone - good in more ways than one.

Getting here was a continuation of yesterday's travel mode. We only had 75 miles to go so we were in no hurry. We lay in bed and watched TV until 6:30 or so - not the most inspiring programming at that time of the morning - then got up and broke in the new shower. What luxury to have all the extra room! After breakfast and a couple of hours of "puttering" we got under way - our destination, Mt Nittany Winery. Almost immediately we took a wrong turn - against Henry's wishes - and found ourselves on a network of 4 lane, limited access roads that rival those of the New York area in complexity. Henry got thoroughly confused (and his human operators equally aggravated and frustrated).

We finally made it to the winery deep on a continuously narrowing road deep in the mountains only to find it closed. To get back to civilization, Henry routed us onto a wet muddy dirt mountain road with trees closing in on both sides. We probably could have made it the mile or so to a larger paved road but decided not to chance it and backed back down the road until we could turn around. We had quite a serious discussion over lunch about Henry's role in our lives.

Mike and Dorcas were here when we got here as were Steve (their son), Georgeanne and their two children. Phil (their other son), Laurie, three of their kids, and a friend got here later. We have our rigs in a circle and between down pours are having a great time. The rain interludes aren't bad either.

Oh, Henry is our GPS navigator

Q004280 Nittany Mountain Campground #V2 w/e/s #33.00 C+