The Martin's Blog

12/5/2014 – After attending the OAHPERD convention at Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky OH, I drove west along Lake Erie first stopping at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area (ODNR)

and then Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge where I took short hikes and toured the Visitor Centers.

I then continued to Toledo to visit Fallen Timbers and Fort Miamis National Historic Sites in Toledo’s Side Cut Metropark.

After the Revolutionary War and the Treaty of Paris (1783), the U.S. received the Northwest Territory (eventually becoming OH, MI, IN, IL, WI and part of MN).  However, the Native Americans of the area were not part of the treaty and the British did not withdraw from the Northwest Territory.  As U.S. settlers moved west, the Indian Western Confederacy (supported by the British) resisted their expansion.  Indian leaders included Chiefs little Turtle (Miami) and Blue Jacket (Shawnee).  The U.S. suffered early losses against the Indians in 1790 and 1791.  As a result, in 1792 President Washington and Congress commissioned General “Mad Anthony” Wayne to train an American Legion (Army) to secure the Northwest Territory.

In 1793, Wayne marched north from Cincinnati with about 1,500 men and spent the winter at Fort Greeneville.  He then continued to the banks of the Maumee River and met the Indians (about 1,100) for battle on August 20, 1794.  The battle lasted about two hours with the Indians taking shelter around trees that had been felled by a tornado a few years before – hence the “Battle of Fallen Timbers.”

The Indians retreated five miles north to Fort Miamis (on the Maumee River), which was held by a strong British force.  Interestingly, the British would not let the Indians (their allies) in and the warriors continued their retreat!  General Wayne had orders not to attack Fort Miamis and returned to camp.

Fort Miamis was built by the British to prevent Wayne from attacking Fort Detroit.  The fort was turned over to the Americans in 1796, but was abandoned in 1798 and not used again until the War of 1812.  In 1813 General William Henry Harrison had Fort Meigs constructed on the south bank of the Maumee River, at present day Perrysburg OH.  Later in the spring, the British landed again at the Fort Miamis site as a base of operations and were joined by the Shawnee chief Tecumseh.  They attacked Fort Meigs but were not successful.  In October of 1813 Harrison went on the offensive and attacked the English and Indian army at the “Battle of the Thames.”  It was a victory and Tecumseh was killed in the battle.  The Americans had now secured the Northwest Territory.

 

11/14/2014 – 2013 Christmas Gift! – Peter and Heather had given us a gift of a weekend stay in the Smoky Mountains for Christmas 2013.  We tried for ten months to get dates that would work for all four of us.  Peter’s new car top carrier made it possible for all of us, two large dogs, food/drinks and clothing bags to travel together to our Timber Tops Luxury Cabin Rental named “Fifty Mile View” outside of Gatlinburg TN.

Peter and Heather slept in a bedroom on the first floor while we were given the loft with king size bed, TV, pool table, video game counsel and hot tub.

11/15/2014 – Great Smoky Mountains National Park – It was 18 degrees when woke but the arctic blast moving down with us from Ohio had brought us a clear blue sky.  After breakfast (Heather prepared excellent meals for our entire stay), we drove into Gatlinburg to take the Gatlinburg Trail to Sugarlands Visitor Center.  It is one of only two “dog friendly” trails in the park.

We walked a total of about 5 miles, mostly along the Little Pigeon River.

 

There was an old cemetery near the Visitor Center – I believe Martha was speaking to us from the grave –

 

We returned to the cabin to watch football while we ate/drank, played pool, video games and euchre.

 

We returned home (7hr drive) on Sunday just before a 5 inch snow fall.  It was a wonderful weekend!

 

 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park – OH

October 15, 2014 – Arrived at the Inn at Brandywine Falls about 5pm to check-in.  The house was built in 1848 by James Wallace who owned the mills (now gone) at the falls.

It was a short walk from the B & B to Brandywine Falls – note Helen at the gate

Brandywine Falls – 67 ft

October 16, 2014 – 9am candlelight breakfast – the Inn at Brandywine Falls was one of the best B & B’s we have stayed at

We met Dick and Jan at the Botzum RR Station parking lot to start our 20 mile bike ride.  We chose to ride north on the trail from Botzum Station to Rockside Station because it is generally downhill!  The Cuyahoga River empties into Lake Erie.

In 1974 Congress created Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area as an urban park.  It became a National Park in 2000

Though we had some light rain, overall, it was a beautiful Fall day

“Ka-ih-oogh-ha” is the Indian word for crooked – the river runs 90 miles from Akron to Cleveland where it enters Lake Erie but the distance is only 30 miles as the crow flies.

Many interesting stops along the way

Much of the trail is along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath – this location is Deep Lock Quarry

We stopped at the Boston Store National Park Visitor Center

Museum view of canal at this point

Canal boats were made here as well

“On the Trail Again”

Beautiful Fall colors!

Snapping turtle

Great Blue Heron

Most of the trail was crushed stone and very smooth.  However, it did rain a bit so we had some puddles to contend with resulting in water being tossed up on bikes and clothes – see Dick’s back.  This is an example of one of the asphalt sections of the trail, which were OK but tended to be bumpier than the crushed stone sections.

Canal Visitor Center – they sometimes demonstrate lock operation here

“Hell’s Half Acre” – this structure, at Lock 38, was built in the 1820’s and served at various times as a tavern, general store and residence.  It obviously acquired a colorful reputation among canal travelers.

This shows the 308 mile path of the canal from Cleveland to Portsmouth on the Ohio River

Boats were raised 395 vertical feet by 44 locks between Cleveland and Akron

The National Park has a great cooperative program with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad which runs from Summit County Metro Parks in Akron, to Rockside Station in the northern end of the National Park.

There are a total of eight stations along the route.

 

Bicyclists can get on at any stop with their bikes and ride the train as long as they like in one direction for only $3!

We rode our bikes from Botzum Station to Rockside Station (20miles) along the Canal Towpath Trail and then took the train back

 

August 11, 2014 – Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Buffalo NY 

President William McKinley was shot by an anarchist on 9/6/1901 while attending the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo NY.  He died on 9/13/1901 and Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as the 26th President of the United States that afternoon at the home of Ansley Wilcox a local attorney.

Parlor –  inauguration room

Tour guide showing telegraph

Clever display

Reproduction of Roosevelt’s office in the new west wing of the White House in Washington DC

Overnight at Nancy’s home in Pittsford NY

 

August 12, 2014 – I was on the road at 4:30am and Helen and Nancy left for two days of flea marketing around Hamilton NY (Colgate University)

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site – Martin Van Buren helped form the Democratic party and was the 8th President of the United States.  The historic site includes his home and part of his farm called Lindenwald in Kinderhook NY

The original house was built in 1797 and Van Buren purchased it in 1839.

Major renovations were made between 1849 – 1850

Parlor

I was the only one on the 9am ranger tour

Library with bust of Van Buren, another sits in the Red Room of the White House

 

Springfield Armory National Historic Site Massachusetts

The Springfield Armory was a major arsenal during the Revolutionary War and in 1794 the new federal government decided to manufacture its own muskets so that the nation would not be dependent on foreign arms.  President George Washington selected two sites for national armories – Springfield MA and Harper’s Ferry VA.  The Harper’s Ferry Armory was destroyed by the North at the beginning of the Civil War.

Why is that gun pointed at me?!

Organ of muskets

Civil War musket

Magazine rifle – Indian Wars

M14 (1957) – last rifle produced at the armory

Display shows progression of the rifles manufactured at the armory from 1794 to 1968.

Model showing the extent of the armory grounds.  All U.S. arms are now privately manufactured.

 

Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish New Hampshire

Augustus Saint-Gaudens is recognized as one of America’s greatest sculptors.  The historic site includes his home, which he called Aspet, along with studios, galleries, gardens and memorials.

Back of house

Atrium and pool, New Gallery

He is known for his low and high portrait reliefs.

Robert Louis Stevenson, 1888

Theodore Roosevelt Special Inaugural medal, 1905

His public monuments are perhaps his greatest legacy.  This is the Farragut Monument –

Shaw Memorial – monument to the Civil War service of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment of African American Volunteers in Boston

He did many Lincoln monuments

Little Studio

One of his few female pieces, Diana

 

 Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Woodstock VT

After the American Revolution, settlers poured into Vermont and by the mid-1800s most of Vermont’s forests had been cut down, causing severe erosion and flooding.  George Marsh, who grew up on his family farm in Woodstock in the early 1800’s, was a keen observer of nature.  After serving in Congress he became a diplomat in Italy and traveled around the Mediterranean.  He found that human actions had “brought the earth to a desolation almost as complete as that of the moon.”  Marsh distilled his observations into a classic book, Man and Nature (1864).  His careful analysis of the human impact on nature and his eloquent plea for responsible land stewardship made this book one of the founding texts of the environmental movement.

In 1869 the Marsh farm was purchased by Frederick Billings, a Vermont native who had made his fortune as an attorney in San Francisco during the California Gold Rush.  Returning to Vermont he found barren hills, silted rivers and a devastated countryside.  Billings set out to build a farm that would serve future generations as a model of wise stewardship.  After his death in 1890, Billing’s plan was sustained by his wife and daughters and then his granddaughter, Mary French.

Mary French married Laurance Rockefeller in 1934 and brought together two families with a strong commitment to conservation.  The Rockefeller family had generously created or enhanced over 20 national parks and helped make conservation and outdoor recreation an essential part of the national agenda.  Laurance and Mary made the gift that established Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Nationalk Historical Park as Vermont’s first national park.

I first toured the visitor center at the Billings farm.  This model shows the farm and Mount Tom.  The park continues past Mt Tom to the west including reforested hills, pastures, carriage roads, trails and the Pogue, a pond tucked in the cleft of the mountain.

The Marsh mansion was built in 1805-07 and has been kept in the 1800s Queen Anne style of architecture.

“Passing the Torch,” a Tiffany window in the Mansion, symbolizes an intergenerational commitment to conservation.

Terrace gardens

After touring the mansion grounds, I was off for a 5 mile hike.  I started on the Precipice Trail to the top of Mt Tom.

Woodstock from the top of Mt Tom

I then did the North Peak Trail.

the Mount Tom Road passed this pasture,

then proceeded around the Pogue Loop

and returned to the Billings farm by way of the Mountain Road

I then visited the First Congregational Church (1808) and had dinner at Bentley’s in Woodstock.

After dinner I drove to Moreau Lake SP in New York to camp.  However, I got there at 10:10pm and was told that I could not enter because camping registrations ended at 10!  I drove down the road to a boat dealer lot and slept in the Sequoia.

 

August 13, 2014 – Fort Stanwix National Monument, Rome NY

Fort Stanwix was one of five forts that were located at different times at the Oneida Carrying Place.  The Oneida Carrying Place was a portage that was used for thousands of years to carry goods from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes and vice versa.  Goods moved both east and west.  For example, goods would be brought into New York harbor, move up the Hudson and then Mohawk Rivers to the Oneida Carrying Place and then portaged 6 miles to Wolf Creek.  Boats (e.g. canoes) would then be loaded and paddled to Lake Oneida and onward to Lake Ontario at what is now Oswego NY.  Furs etc. would be carried in the opposite direction.  This was a critically strategic location before, during and after the Revolutionary War.

 

It was a rainy morning but made for some good pictures

 

Model of Fort Stanwix

Inside the fort

The following pictures show accommodations in the fort according to rank, from privates to commander.

Continental soldier 1777

 

Women’s Rights National Historical Park, Seneca Falls NY

This historical park highlights an 1848 convention called by reformers in Seneca Falls NY – “A Convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of Women.”  This area of upstate NY was a hotbed of Quaker and abolitionist sentiment and activity.

In the 1840’s, by law or custom, women did not vote, speak in public, hold office, attend college, or earn a living other than as a teacher, seamstress, domestic or mill worker.  In addition, a married woman could not make contracts, sue in court, divorce her husband, gain custody of her children, or own property, even the clothes she wore.

Several women were involved in organizing the 1848 convention, some of the prime movers were Lucretia Mott, Martha Wright, Jane Hunt, Mary Ann M’Clintock and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

The M’Clintock house is in Waterloo and was rented from the Hunts

The Elizabeth Cady Stanton House is located across the Seneca River (Erie Canal) from downtown

Statues on the south side of the canal overlooking downtown depicting the introduction of Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Susan B. Anthony in 1851.  The Susan B. Anthony home is located in Rochester NY.

I like the juxtaposition of the Woman Made Products store and New York City Jewelers!

Women’s Rights National Historical Park Visitor Center

The “First Wave” sculpture group

Woman on left is Elizabeth Cady Stanton, male is Frederick Douglass

Many interesting displays on the second floor

Physical Education

Wesleyan Chapel, site of the 1848 “Women’s Rights” Convention that resulted in a formal “Declaration of Sentiments” based on the Declaration of Independence

 

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor runs 363 miles from Albany (Hudson River) to Buffalo (Lake Erie).  Here is a “packet boat” at Seneca Falls

Most recently called the “Barge Canal,” the Erie Canal is now mainly used by pleasure craft.  Several bikeway trail segments are located along the canal.  A double lock structure (C/S locks 2 and 3) and a power plant are located at Seneca Falls.  The following views are looking west at lock 3 –

Looking east at lock 2

Power plant

Looking west at lock 2, power plant is on the right

 

August 14, 2014 – We stopped in Brockport NY where we lived between 1971 and 1980, except for a year and a half in Iran and a half year in Finland.  Brockport is/was a stop on the Erie Canal.   Do you remember the Erie Canal song Chorus?

“Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge cause we’re coming to a town
And you’ll always know your neighbor
And you’ll always know your pal
If you’ve ever navigated on the Erie Canal”

This is the low bridge going up to allow for passage of a pleasure boat

Remember the Ivory Soap commercials?

This was our first home 1971 to 1977.  Stacy was born soon after we moved in.  It was depressing to go back because the houses we lived in have deteriorated.

We bought a historical home (1845) and barn on 3.5 acres six weeks before we went to Iran

We lived in two rooms and slept on the floor in sleeping bags for six weeks as we put on a new roof and gutters, new septic system, new chimneys, repaired plumbing and electric, cleaned the place up, etc.  That way we were able to rent it while we were gone.  The 20 x 40 pool is behind the small “dairy” building in the middle and there was an apple orchard behind that.

The owner was very kind and gave us a tour inside and out.  This view is looking out of the barn.  At the very back of the house on the left was an attached three seater “out-house” so you didn’t have to go outside!  There was also a secret room and two other secret areas that were used to hide slaves moving north on the underground railway.

 

August 15, 2014 – visited Ashtabula in the very corner of northeast OH with Dick and Jan.  During the late 19th century, boats brought iron ore here.   It was loaded on rail cars and taken to Youngstown and Pittsburgh’s steel mills.  At that time it was the busiest port on the Great Lakes.  Now some coal is being moved in the opposite direction and there are efforts to “clean-up” the river and Bridge Street area with an  emphasis on tourism and recreation.  This is a picture of the Ashtabula Lift Bridge.

There are 17 covered bridges in Ashtabula County!  Here are some pictures of the Smolen-Gulf Bridge

At 613 feet it is billed as the “Longest Covered Bridge in the U.S.”

It was built in 2008 at a cost of 7.8 million dollars

Does that detract from it’s tourist appeal?

The bridge crosses the Ashtabula River

Where we had great fun skipping stones!

 

August 16, 2014 – Driving back home, we stopped at an Amish thrift store that sold primarily outdated and damaged food and drink items.  That didn’t stop Helen from buying $70 worth!

Opps!  I parked in the buggy area and got horse poop all over my front tires!

August 8, 2014

We had a great tour of the exterior restoration of St Raphael and were able to climb the scaffolding to the top of the tall tower (170 ft), perhaps the highest point in Springfield.

June 1, 2014 – Our “real” anniversary is on June 8th but we decided to celebrate in Memphis TN on our trip back from Katy TX to OH.  After a 9 hour drive, we arrived in Memphis about 4pm and went to the TN Welcome Center on the Mississippi River and then did the River Walk.

Unfortunately, Mud Island and its Mississippi River museum were closed.  Flags are on south end of island.

We had “Soul” Burgers for dinner at Earnestine & Hazel’s, a former brothel, then danced to the juke box

We then drove to Beale Street – home of the “Blues”

Had a drink at Jerry Lee Lewis’s club where we were entertained by an Elvis impersonator

We stayed the night at a nice Days Inn right next to Graceland

June 2, 2014 – started the day with a tour of Graceland.  It is an audio tour and you only get to see the inside of the first floor.

Living room

Jungle room

Music room

Pool room

Paintings on display

His racquetball/fitness center has been converted for a nice display of record awards and costumes

Meditation Garden

Plane named after Elvis Presley’s daughter

1973 Stutz Blackhawk in Elvis’s auto museum – my favorite and the one he drove the day he died, August 16, 1977 at 42

Helen’s favorite

In the afternoon we went to the National Civil Rights Museum, which is located adjacent to the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated

We then did the half hour trolley loop of downtown Memphis, riding on two different trolleys

We arrived at the Peabody Hotel about 4pm and relaxed with a drink by the fountain as we waited for the “march of the famous Peabody ducks.”

The ducks live in a penthouse on the roof, come down the elevator at 11am sharp and spend the day in the fountain

At 5pm sharp they march back to the elevator on a red carpet to the music of the “King Cotton March”

This is what you call frivolous nonsensical tourism!  Note the Duck Master following the ducks

Catfish and ribs dinner at the Blues City Café on Beale St.  Our waitress was Serbian and her Serbian friend who worked in the gift shop was from the same small town where Helen was born – Ub, Serbia.  She called Helen last weekend and relayed information from her parents about the condition of Helen’s grandfather’s house and estate.  It is indeed a “small world”!

We then had a drink and danced to a band in the Blues City Café Club, again walked Beale St listening to music and people watching and ended at B. B. King’s Blues Club

Helen is telling people she slept with Elvis – this next picture is proof – it was in our motel room!

It was another memorable anniversary celebration!!!

 

May 19, 2014 – Left Springfield the Monday after Wittenberg’s graduation for our trip to TX.  Made a brief stop in Cairo Illinois, the southernmost tip of Illinois, where the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers meet.

The Tri-state point IL-KY-MO is also located in the water off this point.  We arrived in Hot Springs Arkansas after a 12 hour drive and stayed downtown in the Springs Hotel & Spa.

May 20, 2014 – Started the day with a hike to the top of Hot Springs Mountain (1 mile roundtrip)

Observation Tower on top

View from Mountain Tower

We then visited Bath House Row

Quapaw Bath House

Fordyce Bath House – National Park Visitors Center

Undress – Wrap in Towel

Beautiful Stain Glass Ceiling of Changing Room

Tub for disabled individual (e.g. FDR)

Steam Cabinets

Bath Routine: Tub on right for 20 minute soak in 105 degree mineral springs water, followed by attendant rubbing you down with a luffa bath mitt, then a Sitz bath sitting in 110 degree water (center right), then a steam cabinet for 5 minutes (left foreground), then hot packs for specific joints (table right) and finally a pinpoint shower from all directions.

Pre-Post Activities in Gymnasium

After the visitors center, we went to the Buckstaff Baths and did the traditional Bath Routine!

Hot Springs Fountain

Yes, we’re from OHIO

May 21, 2014 – President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site in Hope Arkansas.  This was actually his grandparents home where he lived until four years old.

 May 22, 2014 – Katy, TX – Chad’s Birthday.  It started with a call from Kate who was in China!

May 23-26, 2014 – Padre Island National Seashore TX.  We stayed in Corpus Christi and drove to Malaquite Beach each morning.

View from Malaquite Visitors Center

We were there early and able to get a shelter each day

Fun Beach Activities

If conditions permit, you can 4 wheel drive to Mile Post 60.  I only went as far as Mile Post 5.  Don’t get stuck!

Seasonal Seaweed was washed up 10-30 feet deep on beach

I took one morning to drive to and tour Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park just north of Brownsville TX

This was the first battle of the Mexican-American War, May 8, 1846

The Republic of Texas had severed ties with Mexico in 1836 (Alamo, etc.).  In 1845 President Polk moved to annex Texas as the 28th state with a southern boundary of the Rio Grande River.  Many Mexicans believed Texas was still a part of Mexico and the Mexican government opposed the annexation.  Polk sent General Zachary Taylor and a 4,000 man army to Texas to secure the border.  The President of Mexico sent General Arista to the Rio Grande to oppose Taylor.  After laying siege to Fort Texas on the Rio Grande River, Arista positioned 4,000 troops across the plain at Palo Alto.  At that time Taylor was resupplying his troops at Port Isabel.  Taylor marched his 2,300 U.S. troops to Palo Alto and attacked the Mexican line.  After this battle and the battle of Resaca de la Palma, the Mexicans were driven back across the Rio Grande River.  The War continued for two years until an American army landed at Vera Cruz and took Mexico City.  The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) established the Rio Grande as the boundary with Texas and also resulted in Mexico selling the New Mexico and California territories.  This amounted to a huge expansion of the U.S. to the Rio Grande River and Pacific Ocean.

On the way back to Corpus Christi I stopped in Point Isabel and South Padre Island

March 7 – Mosaic Staircase in San Francisco

March 8 – Yosemite National Park

Tunnel View Yosemite Valley

Bridalveil Falls

El Capitan

Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls

Merced River and Half Dome

Kate and Tom

Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls

Recreated Indian Village behind Museum

Round Meeting House

Tom & John Muir

Mirror Lake 5 mile Loop Hike

Mirror Rocks

Mirror Trees

Yosemite Grant – 1st U.S. Government protected land.  President Lincoln signed the bill in 1864!  This was before Yellowstone was made the world’s first National Park in 1872.  We had dinner in the Mountain View restaurant at the Yellowstone Lodge, went to an evening program on the geological formation of the Yosemite Valley, and then spent the night in Curry Village.

March 9 – drove to the Badger Pass Ski Area (on the road to Glacier Point) and did a snowshoe hike with Ranger Rick.

 

Mole and Weasel on hat and holding white Ermine

Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias – hiked about 5 miles round trip to Wawona Point (6,810 ft) gaining about 1200 ft in elevation.

Fallen Monarch

Bachelor and Three Graces

 Tree Hugger

Grizzly Giant – one of the tallest in the grove, estimated to be 1800 years old!

California Tunnel Tree

Sequoias and Snow

Fallen Tunnel Tree

Wawona Point Vista

Museum was closed

March 10 – rented a little Fiat from Enterprise and drove to Fort Ord National Monument outside of Monterey CA.  President Obama designated this former Army base as a BLM National Monument in 2012.  We did a 2 mile hike in the eastern part of the park.

Drove south on route 1 to Point Piedras Blancas Light Station.  The beaches just south of there were covered with Elephant Seals.

Mostly elephant seal pups

Dead Pup – hundreds don’t make it, though the total population is up to 20,000

Approaching Morro Rock and Morro Bay CA

Morro Bay harbor

Soupfin Shark, Calamari and Shrimp Special first night and Rockfish Special for dinner the next day

March 11 8am – Drove to Morro Rock

Then drove to the entrance to Piedras  Blancas Light Station.  Our little Fiat rental – unsafe at any speed!

We did a two hour tour of the Light Station with a BLM Ranger

These tours are offered at 9:45am three days a week during the off-season.  The top of the light station was removed and can be seen in Cambria CA just down route 1.

Hearst Castle, San Simeon CA – “The Enchanted Hill”

Start of our tours – after being bused to the castle

William Randolph Hearst was noted for his Newspaper Empire and eclectic tastes –

Front of Casa Grande modeled after a Spanish church

The Assembly Room was the first stop on the Grand Rooms Tour

Refectory

Amazing ceilings!

Billiard Room – billiards and pocket pool

The Upstairs Suites Tour – started with the Doge’s Suite

Library

Meeting Room – office in back

One of numerous bedroom suites

We then did a Self Tour of the grounds

Overlooking Pacific Ocean

Neptune Pool

March 12 – Carrizo Plain National Monument

Looks like water in Soda Lake

View from Soda Lake Overlook Hill

No Water at this time – just a salt encrusted basin (CA has received only 0.3 of it’s normal rainfall this winter)

“Salt” Storm – blowing from Soda Lake

Cover your face!

Driving across Carrizo Plain – not possible when it rains

Approaching Temblor Range

Wallace Creek Trail – hiked about 2 miles

Hiking along the San Andreas Fault

Very Windy!

Earthquake Sensor

Cesar Chavez National Monument – Declared a national monument by President Obama in 2012.  It commemorates the struggles and accomplishments of the farm worker movement.  The graphic on my T-shirt is the symbol of the movement, strikes and boycotts to establish the country’s first permanent agricultural union.

Re-creation of Chavez’s office and a migrant worker’s room in Visitor Center

Memorial Garden

1927 – 1993 (66) – note rosary on headstone

Tehachapi Loop – one of the 12 Railroad Wonders of the World

A long train can pass the end of it’s own cars as it circles around the loops

March 13 – Drove from our motel in Tehachapi to the south end of Carrizo Plain NM and entered by way of the Elkhorn Grade Road

South entrance on Soda Lake Road

Erosion Gully

Former Traver Ranch

Temblor Mountain Range across plain

Goodwin Visitor Center

Arranged for special permit tour of Painted Rock with Ranger Ryan

Caliente Mountains in background

About 1.5 mile round trip hike

Remains of Chumash Indian rock art can be seen many places on rocks

Looking out from Painted Rock

South outside of rocks

Rattlesnake – watch your step!

View from Southwest

Amir, Helen, Afsaneh, Tom at Negeen Persian restaurant in Campbell CA

Buffet top arranged for Persian New Year – “Nowruz”

March 14 – Kate off to work

Hiked to Corona Heights in afternoon with Casey for a good view of San Francisco

March 15 – drove to Tomales Bay about an hour north of San Francisco for a picnic

Tomales Bay Oyster Company

Bought a dozen Tomales Bay Medium Gold Oysters, a bag of Clams and rented a “shucker” knife

 

It was about noon and we were lucky to get one of the last picnic table/grills available.  We shared the table with Josh and Marrisa who came about twenty minutes later and discovered none were available.

The first oysters and clams were eaten raw

Then Helen and Kate did their magic on the grill

All the ingredients for Oysters Rockefeller, potato salad, mango salsa, etc. where prepared the night before

Delicious!!

After filling our bellies, we had a short drive to Point Reyes National Seashore 

We did an enjoyable 2 mile stroll along the beach

Casey loves the water!

Tidal pool where she pushed sand around with her nose –

It was a tiring day!  Kate and Casey slept while we watched the final episode of Downton Abby

Vera was visiting and we had Stacy & Brad’s children for an overnight and then the day and evening of Halloween while they were doing trail riding in Indiana.  We went to Marmon Valley farms for pony rides in the afternoon and then did trick or treat in the evening.

Leva

Geert

Hattie

Kitten, Horse and Cowboy hat gifts

Halloween Night

The wicked witch (wind) of the west struck at 11:45pm on Halloween Night.  I was sound asleep and must have jumped a foot out of bed when a huge limb blew off our tulip poplar in the front yard and hit the roof above our bedroom.  Plaster filled the air and I thought one of our windows blew out.  The electricity was out, so I got out my headlamp, flash light and rain jacket to survey the damage.  I checked the attic and discovered one of our chimneys was gone!  The fire department came but was unable to help.  These pictures are from the next morning when a tarp was put over the chimney hole on the main roof.  This is going to be a long term step by step process to get all of this repaired.

As we were driving to TX on July 23^rd we received a call from Chad telling us that Seamus Padraig Martin was born at 11:18am!  He was 7 lbs, 20 in and has red hair!  We drove 13 hours that day (900 miles) and stayed the night in Texarkana.  We drove 6 hours the next day (300 miles) and were at the Martins at 12:30pm.

Liz, Drago, Chad and Seamus

Our job was Watching/Walking/Playing with Drago.  Chad and Liz had just won the “Home of the Month” award for their community.

Drago Man – 21 months

 

8/1/2013 – Big Thicket N PRES, Chad and I drove to the Visitor Center and then hiked the Kirby Nature Trail and Sandhill Loop.

We then rented a canoe and paddled from Hwy 327 to Baby Galvez in the Village Creek Corridor Unit, only 2.1 miles. The water was too low, so we decided to take-out at that point and return to Katy.

 

8/4 – Leaving, the tigress is MaMoe (Drago’s name for Liz’s Mom). She stayed for another week to help out.

Our first stop on the way back to OH was the Natchez National Historical Park Visitor Center in Mississippi.  All of the sites that follow are on or near the Natchez Trace Parkway.

We then did a self-tour of the William Johnson House.  William was a mulatto slave named after his owner.  He was given his freedom in 1820 at the age of eleven.  He went on to be a very successful businessman owning 3 barbershops, a bath house, a farm and having other substantial land holdings.  He died in 1851 before the Civil War.

Interestingly, Johnson purchased slaves and put them to work on his properties

Melrose – “A Cotton Kingdom Estate,” was our next stop

Melrose (1849) was an antebellum mansion (meaning before the Civil War)

We had a great one hour tour from a NP ranger.  Melrose was built by John McMurran , purchased in 1865 by Malin Davis and lived in by his descendants (Kelly family) until 1976, when it was sold to John and Betty Callon.  Public tours began in 1932.  It was acquired by the NP service in 1990.

Front parlor – note 14k gold leaf

Dining room with “pukah” (hanging mahogany fan) that was operated by a slave to shoo flies from food

Master bedroom with day bed, only three families have lived in the home and it has many original furnishings

Child’s room, Melrose is considered by many to be the finest home in the Natchez region

There were three sets of slave accommodations.  These are the houses of the slaves that worked the grounds

We next visited Monmouth (1818), which is now a B & B and restaurant with beautiful gardens

Sunset on the Mississippi River

8/5 – Start of the Natchez Trace Parkway, 444 miles from Natchez MS to Nashville TN

The Natchez Trace originated from a series of Indian trails.  The Trace was economically, politically, socially, and militarily (e.g. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812) important to the U.S. during its early development.  Indians, traders, soldiers, postriders, settlers, slaves, circuit-riding-preachers, outlaws and adventurers traveled the Trace.  Also, “Kaintuks,” river boat men, floated the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to Natchez or New Orleans with their goods and then returned by way of the Trace.

Emerald Mound – the second largest temple-ceremonial mound in the U.S.

Built and used by the “Mississippians” between 1200 and 1730

Mount Locust Inn and Plantation – one day’s walk from Natchez

The first stand (Inn) opened at this location in 1801

The home has been restored to its 1820 appearance

Called the “Sunken Trace” because this sandy section was worn down by travelers

Rocky Springs Town Site

Rocky Springs Church and Cemetery – 1837 Methodist church is preserved by former congregation members who hold regular services here and gather at an annual “homecoming’ each spring.

Mississippi Mud Cake at the French Camp Academy’s Council House Café

Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site – in the beginning of 1864, President Lincoln made Gen. Ulysses Grant the supreme commander of all Federal forces.  Grant now accompanied the Army of the Potomac and Maj. Gen William Sherman was put in charge of the western armies.  Sherman sent Brig. Gen Samuel Sturgis and 8,100 Federal troops to northern Mississippi in order to protect his supply line, the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, from attack by Maj. Gen. Nathan Forrest and his cavalry (3,500 men) as Sherman marched toward Atlanta.  The armies met at Brices Cross Roads on June 10, 1864.

After fierce fighting, the Federals retreated back to Memphis.  There was a bottleneck when a wagon overturned at Tishomingo Creek Bridge and Forest was able to capture artillery pieces, guns, supplies and over 1,000 Federals.  The loss would have been much greater had it not been for the United States Colored Troops who were in rear guard positions and slowed the Confederate pursuit of the Federal retreat.

Brices Cross Roads was a Confederate victory.

Sherman now put Maj. Gen Andrew Smith in charge of the Federals and ordered him to pursue the Confederates.  They marched from Memphis and the armies met and fought in Tupelo Mississippi on July 14-15, 1864.

Knowing the Federals were coming, the Confederates (Maj. Gen Steven Lee and Maj. Gen Nathan Forest) attacked them five times but were unsuccessful – the battle was considered a draw but it prevented the Confederates from attacking Sherman as he “marched to Atlanta and the sea.”

You have just read about two battles.  The Civil War has been an interest of mine since I was young.  However, battlefields and cemeteries are not Helen’s favorite places.  Our next stops in Tupelo were not on my bucket list but were of great interest to Helen.  That’s called cooperation.

Elvis Presley was born on 1/8/1935 in this house, which was built by his father.  He died in Memphis on 8/16/1977.

This is a car similar to the one Elvis’s father drove when the family moved to Memphis when he was eleven.

Ice cream cone at Drive In where Elvis “hungout” – oldest restaurant in Tupelo

Elvis’s booth

On the way out of town we stopped at the Hardware Store where Elvis’s mother bought him his first guitar.  Helen tells me that Elvis really wanted a gun or a bicycle for his birthday but his mother thought that a gun or bicycle would be too dangerous for him.  Now wasn’t that interesting?

After leaving Tupelo we continued on the Parkway through the northwest corner of Alabama and on to Collinwood TN.  The info we had stated that there were cabins there.  Well, there was one cabin and it was taken.  We asked about and found a room in the back of the Video/Game/Hardware store.

Everything at the local restaurant was fried, so we chose a salad for dinner.  Helen ordered hot tea and the waitress said “Great I just made some, do you want sweet tea or unsweetened?”  Helen said “unsweetened.”   Well, she brought a 16 oz plastic glass with warm unsweetened tea.  Check out the sign!

8/6 – Our first stop back on the Natchez Trace Parkway was Metal Ford of the Buffalo River

The stone bottom reminded frontier travelers of stone-surfaced “metaled” roads of the day

Our next stop was the grave of Meriwether Lewis of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Meriwether was only 35 when he was shot or committed suicide (remains a mystery) on October 11, 1809 as he was traveling the Trace back to Washington.

Swan Hollow Falls

The Gordon House (1818) – Gordon was a Captain with Andrew Jackson and served on and off with him from 1812 to 1818. He was able to operate a ferry across Duck River, stand (inn) and trading post at this location by forming a partnership with a Chickasaw Chief.

Double Arch Bridge near the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway and Nashville

Completed in 1994

Stones River National Battlefield Murfreesboro TN, southeast of Nashville

New entrance for the 150^th year anniversary of the battle

The Emancipation Proclamation was to go into effect on January 1, 1863. Lincoln pushed his generals to strike a blow.   In December of 1862 the Army of the Potomac met with disaster at Fredericksburg Virginia and Grant’s Army of the Tennessee was unable to crack defenses north of Vicksburg MS.  Lincoln’s only hope was the Army of the Cumberland in Nashville TN.

On December 26, 1862 Gen. William Rosencrans led his army of about 43,000 out of Nashville to seek victory against Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Army (about 38,000) of the Tennessee at Murfreesboro.

At day break on December 31, 1862 Bragg’s Confederates struck first as the Federals were having breakfast.

The Federal line gave way except for Hazen’s Brigade in the Round Forest

Built in 1863 by Union soldiers, just six months after the battle, the Hazen Monument is the nation’s oldest intact Civil War monument.

Four attacks on Hazen’s position were beat back.  At dusk the fields of Hell’s Half Acre were covered with hundreds of Confederate dead and wounded.

Fierce fighting took place all day across the battlefield and thousands were killed and wounded.

The next day, New Year’s Day 1863, both armies buried their dead and cared for the wounded.

On January 2, 1863 the battled resumed with the Confederates again attacking the Federals.  At one point during the battle, 57 Union cannon killed or wounded 1,800 Confederates in a matter of minutes!  At the end of the day Bragg’s forces retreated and this was a major victory for the Union.  In this picture you can see part of the Stones River National Cemetery.  The Battle of Stones River cost 13,249 Union and 10,266 Confederate casualties.  About one third of each force!