Hi,
We have been away for awhile and as you may know we are behind on our blog.
We apologize for that.
We hope that everyone is doing well and in the next few days we plan on getting to the blog again.
We are currently in Hershey, PA. The weather is great and the humidity is much less.
Look for more updates in the next few days.
Take care, Marv and Ellen
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Hershey Thousand Trails and Dinner out
July 30, 2010
After we arrived we went for a walk to check out the park.
This is one of the nicest parks we have been in. Clean, well maintained, and FULL. Lots of our friends, the Geese are here. They even have a small covered bridge and a lake. In the picture below you can see some of the Tornado damage from a twister that came through 4 weeks ago. 
For dinner we drove into Palmyra, a town only about 10 minutes from our camp spot to have dinner at Funck’s Family Restaurant which advertised good home Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. We were not disappointed as there were lots of choices and the food was excellent. Needless to say we were stuffed when we left.
After we arrived we went for a walk to check out the park.
This is one of the nicest parks we have been in. Clean, well maintained, and FULL. Lots of our friends, the Geese are here. They even have a small covered bridge and a lake. In the picture below you can see some of the Tornado damage from a twister that came through 4 weeks ago. For dinner we drove into Palmyra, a town only about 10 minutes from our camp spot to have dinner at Funck’s Family Restaurant which advertised good home Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. We were not disappointed as there were lots of choices and the food was excellent. Needless to say we were stuffed when we left.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
To Hershey, PA
July 29, 2010
Another travel day leaving West Virginia and traveling through Maryland on I-68. WOW! There are lots of STEEP “rolling” hills. We traveled through beautiful deciduous forests, but when we passed over the Allegany Pass we encountered 10 miles of 6% grade. Thank goodness for exhaust brakes.
In late afternoon we arrived at the Hershey Thousand Trails Park outside of Lebanon PA. We were delighted to see that it is a very beautiful and well-maintained park with a mixture of areas with lots of trees and shade as well as open areas good for RVers like us who have satellite dishes and solar systems requiring some open sky.
Another travel day leaving West Virginia and traveling through Maryland on I-68. WOW! There are lots of STEEP “rolling” hills. We traveled through beautiful deciduous forests, but when we passed over the Allegany Pass we encountered 10 miles of 6% grade. Thank goodness for exhaust brakes.
In late afternoon we arrived at the Hershey Thousand Trails Park outside of Lebanon PA. We were delighted to see that it is a very beautiful and well-maintained park with a mixture of areas with lots of trees and shade as well as open areas good for RVers like us who have satellite dishes and solar systems requiring some open sky.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
West Virginia and a night at Walmart
July 28, 2010
With the completion of work in Kentucky we headed NE on I-64 toward the Hershey and Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. Today was just a travel day, stopping for the night at our favorite overnight place "Wal-Mart" in West Virginia. Thanks Walmart for all you do for us RVers. Again it was a very humid night and we had to crank up the generators and run the air-conditioner all night to be able to sleep.
With the completion of work in Kentucky we headed NE on I-64 toward the Hershey and Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. Today was just a travel day, stopping for the night at our favorite overnight place "Wal-Mart" in West Virginia. Thanks Walmart for all you do for us RVers. Again it was a very humid night and we had to crank up the generators and run the air-conditioner all night to be able to sleep.
Monday, July 26, 2010
To West Virginia for Solar work
July 26, 2010
After a breakfast meeting at Cracker Barrel with our friends Greg and Deb Holder of AM Solar, we said good-bye to Louisville and headed to a solar installation job in Lawrenceburg KY. The person who had hired the job lived out in the beautiful countryside on acreage, so we were able to boondock in his field.
It made it nice to be nearby to return to the trailer for lunch and to cool off a bit. The weather was extremely hot and humid. We were lulled to sleep at night by the song of the tree frogs and various other critters.
After a breakfast meeting at Cracker Barrel with our friends Greg and Deb Holder of AM Solar, we said good-bye to Louisville and headed to a solar installation job in Lawrenceburg KY. The person who had hired the job lived out in the beautiful countryside on acreage, so we were able to boondock in his field.
It made it nice to be nearby to return to the trailer for lunch and to cool off a bit. The weather was extremely hot and humid. We were lulled to sleep at night by the song of the tree frogs and various other critters.Sunday, July 25, 2010
'The Rally" in Louisville, KY
July 20-25th, 2010
We are attending The Rally. Greg, the owner of AM Solar is giving daily seminars at the rally and if anyone wants a system installed while they are here, Marv is doing the installations. The weather has been ridiculously hot (98 – 100), so it is not a fun job in the blistering sun. He has at least one job to do after the rally and then perhaps we’ll head north to see if we can find relief from the heat and humidity for a while. We’ve enjoyed the vendors, who always have enticing things to sell us to make our life on the road more comfortable.
We have also enjoyed nightly entertainment such as the Monarchs (an old band from the 60s), a night of comedy with Bob Newhart, and an evening of country with Tanya Tucker and her up and coming singing daughter Presley Tucker.
The upside is that this is a huge fairground facility and everything is indoors with air-conditioning. Usually we love the outdoor rallies, but in this case we are grateful that we can go to RV classes, the rally dog show and other events in comfort.
We are attending The Rally. Greg, the owner of AM Solar is giving daily seminars at the rally and if anyone wants a system installed while they are here, Marv is doing the installations. The weather has been ridiculously hot (98 – 100), so it is not a fun job in the blistering sun. He has at least one job to do after the rally and then perhaps we’ll head north to see if we can find relief from the heat and humidity for a while. We’ve enjoyed the vendors, who always have enticing things to sell us to make our life on the road more comfortable.
We have also enjoyed nightly entertainment such as the Monarchs (an old band from the 60s), a night of comedy with Bob Newhart, and an evening of country with Tanya Tucker and her up and coming singing daughter Presley Tucker.
The upside is that this is a huge fairground facility and everything is indoors with air-conditioning. Usually we love the outdoor rallies, but in this case we are grateful that we can go to RV classes, the rally dog show and other events in comfort.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Heading to "The Rally" in Louisville, KY
July 11, 2010
We headed out today to make our way back to Batesville IN for a few days of rest before Marv needed to be in Louisville KY for Good Sam’s “The Rally”. We covered 5 states in one day. Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana. While Marv got ready to do solar installations at the rally, Ellen flew back to Idaho for her 40th High School Class Reunion. When she returned on Monday, Marv had moved into Louisville.
We headed out today to make our way back to Batesville IN for a few days of rest before Marv needed to be in Louisville KY for Good Sam’s “The Rally”. We covered 5 states in one day. Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana. While Marv got ready to do solar installations at the rally, Ellen flew back to Idaho for her 40th High School Class Reunion. When she returned on Monday, Marv had moved into Louisville.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Red Hill
July 9th, 2010
“Give me liberty or give me death.” We probably all learned these famous words spoken by Patrick Henry. Henry was more outspoken and direct in his opposition to Parliamentary taxation than many others. He quickly established a reputation as an uncompromising opponent of imperial policy. Henry attended the first session of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in September 1774 as one of Virginia’s seven delegates and initially received several important committee assignments.
Red Hill is the plantation of this voice of the revolution, located near Brooksneal VA. It is a beautiful plantation with the original home, the cabin of the coachman, Harrison and his wife Milly who cooked for the Henrys’, the smokehouse, the blacksmith shop, the carriage house and the family burial sites. There are beautiful gardens which attract the most gorgeous butterflies, and a 300 year old Osage Orange Tree that is 65’ tall and 90’ across that was there when Patrick Henry lived there.
We also walked a path to the sorting field and old tobacco barn where a very huge and very angry mother buzzard would not let us into the barn as she had claimed it as the place to raise her young. There are lots of buzzards flying overhead in this part of the country. They are very ugly and very large.
“Give me liberty or give me death.” We probably all learned these famous words spoken by Patrick Henry. Henry was more outspoken and direct in his opposition to Parliamentary taxation than many others. He quickly established a reputation as an uncompromising opponent of imperial policy. Henry attended the first session of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia in September 1774 as one of Virginia’s seven delegates and initially received several important committee assignments.
Red Hill is the plantation of this voice of the revolution, located near Brooksneal VA. It is a beautiful plantation with the original home, the cabin of the coachman, Harrison and his wife Milly who cooked for the Henrys’, the smokehouse, the blacksmith shop, the carriage house and the family burial sites. There are beautiful gardens which attract the most gorgeous butterflies, and a 300 year old Osage Orange Tree that is 65’ tall and 90’ across that was there when Patrick Henry lived there.
We also walked a path to the sorting field and old tobacco barn where a very huge and very angry mother buzzard would not let us into the barn as she had claimed it as the place to raise her young. There are lots of buzzards flying overhead in this part of the country. They are very ugly and very large.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
A Day with Thomas Jefferson and Monticello
July 3, 2010
Saturday we drove north to Charlottesville to spend the day at Monticello, the home plantation of Thomas Jefferson.
It was interesting to tour the home he had designed and built as a self-taught architect. The design is really ingenious; not only the home itself, but the extensions off either side containing root cellars, ice house, stable, kitchen and cook’s room, wine and beer cellars and other storage. You are not allowed to take pictures inside so we don't have any.
As we walked through the house you really get sent back in time and we all should be grateful for what we have and the freedom we enjoy! It is a must see for everyone.
See the web site http://www.monticello.org/
We took another tour of Mulberry Row, the stretch of the grounds lined with Mulberry trees that shaded the enslaved, free, and independent workers and craftsmen who lived and worked on the plantation.
Most of the 17 buildings that were located here are now gone since most were log or wooden structures. The tour guide however, brought this area to life with pictures and her vast knowledge of the workings of the plantation.
Ellen also took a tour of the gardens and landscape, yet another passion of Thomas Jefferson.
He had personally landscaped the flower gardens, various groves, a vegetable garden and orchard, all of which he cataloged, tried different plantings and traded seeds with Europeans and others. As with architecture, he was a self-made botanist with much zeal for his various projects. After hiking down the hill to the former president’s burial site (along with many other family members) 
we continued the 1/3 mile down to the museum, visitor’s center and education center. Of course there is also a very nice gift shop, theatre, café etc.
It was long day and we left exhausted, although we learned a lot and really enjoyed the experience. Tomorrow is the 4th of July! We are going to avoid the crowds and take a rest day, barbecue hamburgers and catch our breath for further adventures.
See our schedule at www.precisionrv.com
Saturday we drove north to Charlottesville to spend the day at Monticello, the home plantation of Thomas Jefferson.
It was interesting to tour the home he had designed and built as a self-taught architect. The design is really ingenious; not only the home itself, but the extensions off either side containing root cellars, ice house, stable, kitchen and cook’s room, wine and beer cellars and other storage. You are not allowed to take pictures inside so we don't have any. As we walked through the house you really get sent back in time and we all should be grateful for what we have and the freedom we enjoy! It is a must see for everyone.See the web site http://www.monticello.org/
We took another tour of Mulberry Row, the stretch of the grounds lined with Mulberry trees that shaded the enslaved, free, and independent workers and craftsmen who lived and worked on the plantation.
Most of the 17 buildings that were located here are now gone since most were log or wooden structures. The tour guide however, brought this area to life with pictures and her vast knowledge of the workings of the plantation.Ellen also took a tour of the gardens and landscape, yet another passion of Thomas Jefferson.
He had personally landscaped the flower gardens, various groves, a vegetable garden and orchard, all of which he cataloged, tried different plantings and traded seeds with Europeans and others. As with architecture, he was a self-made botanist with much zeal for his various projects. After hiking down the hill to the former president’s burial site (along with many other family members) we continued the 1/3 mile down to the museum, visitor’s center and education center. Of course there is also a very nice gift shop, theatre, café etc. It was long day and we left exhausted, although we learned a lot and really enjoyed the experience. Tomorrow is the 4th of July! We are going to avoid the crowds and take a rest day, barbecue hamburgers and catch our breath for further adventures.See our schedule at www.precisionrv.com
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Poplar Forest
July 6th, 2010
Monticello was not the only home Thomas Jefferson owned and designed. About a year after he married, his father-in-law died leaving his plantation, Poplar Forest to his daughter and her husband. Jefferson redesigned this home as well. It was about 100 miles from Monticello and is the place he and his family escaped to when they wanted peace and quiet. At Monticello they entertained almost nightly, so things were much more laid back at Poplar Forest. It is still in the process of being restored, so going through partially restored rooms was very interesting as we were able to see the different stages of construction that would take place during the original building of the home. They are still doing archeological digs on the site, so it would be interesting to go back in a few years to see what else they discover about the place.
Jefferson even did a fine job of designing the most spectacular outhouses we’ve ever seen. They are octagon and bricked, just like the house. There is even a child’s throne.
Monticello was not the only home Thomas Jefferson owned and designed. About a year after he married, his father-in-law died leaving his plantation, Poplar Forest to his daughter and her husband. Jefferson redesigned this home as well. It was about 100 miles from Monticello and is the place he and his family escaped to when they wanted peace and quiet. At Monticello they entertained almost nightly, so things were much more laid back at Poplar Forest. It is still in the process of being restored, so going through partially restored rooms was very interesting as we were able to see the different stages of construction that would take place during the original building of the home. They are still doing archeological digs on the site, so it would be interesting to go back in a few years to see what else they discover about the place.
Jefferson even did a fine job of designing the most spectacular outhouses we’ve ever seen. They are octagon and bricked, just like the house. There is even a child’s throne.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Civil War History
July 2, 2010
We’ve spent a couple of days absorbing history. On Friday we drove into present day Appomattox. We were too early for the museum which is housed in the old Appomattox jail in Courthouse square.You can learn more at www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm
We’ve spent a couple of days absorbing history. On Friday we drove into present day Appomattox. We were too early for the museum which is housed in the old Appomattox jail in Courthouse square.You can learn more at www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm
These buildings were built in 1897 and the museum said it contained memorabilia from days gone by. There is a war memorial there for military folks who lost their lives in WWI, WWII, Korean and Vietnam wars.
There is much more to do in the area, but not enough time to do it all. We continued on to Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. 
This site is the original village of Appomattox Court House and has been preserved exactly the way it stood on April 9, 1865. Along the way you come across a cemetary where 12 confederate and one union soldier are buried. Also is a view of the exact road that the union army blocked basically trapping the confederate army in Appomattox.
In the parlor of a local merchant, it was on this day that General Robert E. Lee surrendered the army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant, essentially ending the civil war. 
We enjoyed listening and interacting with both a confederate and a union soldier as they told us the story from their perspective, 
staying in character as though they were truly soldiers of the civil war that had just ended a few weeks before. More to come: Visit http://www.precisionrv.com/ for our schedule
Thursday, July 1, 2010
North on the Blue Ridge Parkway day 2
6/28 - 7/1
You can also visit http://www.precisionrv.com/ We left Asheville NC traveling once again on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
It is interesting to note that the Blue Ridge Mountains (part of the Appalachians) is older than the Alps. We just missed the riot of rhododendron and azalea blooms and other spring flowers that were covering the hillsides only a couple of weeks ago.
The best time to travel the Blue Ridge is early to mid June for flowers and in the falls for the turning of the leaves. We stopped at the Linn Cove Viaduct visitor’s center and took a short trail to look up underneath the viaduct, an engineering marvel to avoid cutting into the mountain.
We stopped at a visitor center and took a 1 mile hike to a view of the falls. Along the ways we came across a snake having a salamander for lunch.
We looked forward to visiting the Blue Ridge Music Center north of Cumberland Knob. Unfortunately they had just moved all the exhibits out as construction for the new exhibit was to start the day we were there. They do have live music every day during the summer season.
The next big stop was at the famous Mabry Mill,
formerly run by E.B. Magry and his wife Lizzie from 1910 - 1935. There is the old gristmill, sawmill, blacksmith ship,old still for Moonshine 
and other exhibits. Old time skills are demonstrated on the week-ends. We purchased some fresh ground corn and followed Lizzie’s recipe for corn muffins, except that we didn’t have any lard with us.
North of Roanoke Mountain we took off to the northeast toward Lynchburg Virginia. We are currently at the Lynchburg Thousand Trails Park near Gladys VA. It is a huge park and would be wonderful if it were maintained. They are having a lot of water and sewer problems. The ranger said the winter was the most severe in 25 years with 2 months of sub-zero weather. The evidence of high winds is evident as there are broken trees as thought a hurricane came through. The weather is a bit milder here with less humidity so we enjoy our evening walks dodging frogs who scream at one another, and the largest fire-flies that we’ve seen so far. We are caught up on busy work so are ready to head out for some exploring tomorrow.
You can also visit http://www.precisionrv.com/ We left Asheville NC traveling once again on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
It is interesting to note that the Blue Ridge Mountains (part of the Appalachians) is older than the Alps. We just missed the riot of rhododendron and azalea blooms and other spring flowers that were covering the hillsides only a couple of weeks ago. The best time to travel the Blue Ridge is early to mid June for flowers and in the falls for the turning of the leaves. We stopped at the Linn Cove Viaduct visitor’s center and took a short trail to look up underneath the viaduct, an engineering marvel to avoid cutting into the mountain. We stopped at a visitor center and took a 1 mile hike to a view of the falls. Along the ways we came across a snake having a salamander for lunch.We looked forward to visiting the Blue Ridge Music Center north of Cumberland Knob. Unfortunately they had just moved all the exhibits out as construction for the new exhibit was to start the day we were there. They do have live music every day during the summer season.
The next big stop was at the famous Mabry Mill,
formerly run by E.B. Magry and his wife Lizzie from 1910 - 1935. There is the old gristmill, sawmill, blacksmith ship,old still for Moonshine and other exhibits. Old time skills are demonstrated on the week-ends. We purchased some fresh ground corn and followed Lizzie’s recipe for corn muffins, except that we didn’t have any lard with us.North of Roanoke Mountain we took off to the northeast toward Lynchburg Virginia. We are currently at the Lynchburg Thousand Trails Park near Gladys VA. It is a huge park and would be wonderful if it were maintained. They are having a lot of water and sewer problems. The ranger said the winter was the most severe in 25 years with 2 months of sub-zero weather. The evidence of high winds is evident as there are broken trees as thought a hurricane came through. The weather is a bit milder here with less humidity so we enjoy our evening walks dodging frogs who scream at one another, and the largest fire-flies that we’ve seen so far. We are caught up on busy work so are ready to head out for some exploring tomorrow.
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