New York City and Beyond

Monday: We drove to Freehold, New Jersey. We visited Hopwell Furnace National Historic Site, an iron furnace that was built in late colonial times. Such a difference from  the Sloss iron works we visited earlier that was built around the 1930’s.

Tuesday: Our first day in New York City. We went to the temple, and started learning about their subway system. We’re staying in the best place to see New York if you have an RV or tent: Liberty Harbor RV Park & Marina in Jersey City, New Jersey. The ferry to Manhattan is 100 yards from our RV, and the Red Line #1 subway is only a couple of blocks from the dock on the other side. Besides, we can see the Statue of Liberty from here.

Wednesday: We went to Times Square, and Rockefeller Center where we went to the Top of the Rock and had a marvelous view of the entire city. We took in the play Anything Goes. It was nothing like I’ve ever seen before. In Times Square, they have a TKTS kiosk where they sell left-over tickets at up to 50% off for the same day. While Dan was looking to see what was available, he heard someone call his name. It turned out to be some dear friends from Poway, Dave and Susan Clark. He was once our bishop, then stake president. We went to the same play because they didn’t have any tickets for our first two choices. We also sat in Bryant Park for about an hour and watched jugglers and acrobats. It was nice to take a break.

Thursday: Our last day in New York. We started the morning by walking from the ferry stop to the 911 memorial. It brought me to tears. I couldn’t help but remember where I was that day. Those feelings all came back. After that, we walked through Battery Park on our way to the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. The museum is closed, but we still walked around it. She is bigger than I imagined. What an emotional day! We also saw Ellis Island, but didn’t stop there. My American ancestors came in the 1600’s for the most part, and Dan’s came from Mexico. It would be interesting, but we don’t have time for everything. Lastly, we took the subway to Greenwich Village.

Friday: Connecticut. We spent some time wandering around Mystic Harbor. They have an old draw bridge and early 1800 houses to look at too. It was a fascinating place to visit.

Saturday:  Rhode Island! We had a nice quiet day at Judith Point watching the Atlantic waves roll in. After that we walked to Worden Pond next to our camp ground.

Lots of History

Monday & Tuesday: Colonial Williamsburg. We only planned on staying one day, but it was so outstanding we stayed 2 days, so much history to see and feel. The highlight both days was the program that made me feel like I was there. The actors in the reenactments portrayed their parts well. We saw both those who were loyal to the crown, and the rebels. They covered what the slaves were going through in a way that was factual. No “yammering” about how terrible things were, simply portraying the slaves and what they were going through. There was no promotion of one side or the other. Naturally I knew which side I was on, but the way it was presented was awesome. I wish every American could witness these presentations. Today’s world has different circumstances, but people, and how they feel about politics is the same. As I watched the characters I thought this person is just like that person in today’s world. No, I won’t give names.

Governor's Palace

Wednesday: We drove through Lovely Maryland today, and visited the Washington DC temple. There were horrible driving conditions for Dan on narrow streets with barely enough room for Dan to drive the RV through Washington DC to the Wal-Mart in Virginia afterwards. The temple was simply fabulous, though. We’ve been to Washington D. C. twice with our children, so we skipped going there this trip. We want to go places we haven’t been.

Thursday: We drove to Lums Pond State Park in Delaware, a nice relaxing day after the difficult driving of the day before. I can’t get enough of this green. Of course they pay for it with the hot humid summer weather, and rain/snow all year around.

Friday: We thought the streets in Washington DC were narrow. Philadelphia was even worse. I have no idea how Dan drove through the streets with inches on each side and cars parked on both sides of crooked streets. Busses don’t seem to have any trouble. We eventually found a place to park “the beast” on a side street, and took a bus into town. More US history: we saw the Liberty Bell, Christ’s Church, and a few other historical sites. We had to have a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich which was delicious. No dinner for us that night, we were too full.

Betsy Ross' House

Saturday: A relaxing day of driving. Until the GPS device started going out anyway.  It did get us to Daniel Boone’s Homestead first. The people there told us how to get to the nearest Wal-Mart so we could buy a new one. We almost forgot how to follow written directions. The homestead was interesting. We drove to French Creek State Park campground. I’ll never get tired of the green landscape.



Sunday: Delightful contact from our children, and a good church meeting. They had priesthood do ALL of the teaching so the sisters could all attend Relief Society. Our poor Gospel Doctrine teacher—he did a great job, but is much more comfortable sitting in his office as financial clerk. It was good for him. After the meeting they had desserts and veggie trays set up in the cultural hall. The women had first dibs then the men and children had some.

Back to the Beginnings

Monday through Wednesday: I’ll spare you the details of our delightful stay with our good friends in North Carolina. It was nice to take a couple of days off from traveling. We went to the Columbia temple with them on Wednesday—always a highlight. I've included a picture of their house and one of their cats.

Thursday: We drove through Virginia to Beckley, West Virginia and visited Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. Those poor souls who worked the mines in the early days: Backbreaking work for practically nothing. Then they had to buy everything from the company store. The song “Sixteen Tons” kept going through my mind. Every man had a canary. Canaries are sensitive to oxygen levels, so when their canary died, they scurried out of the mine. Those birds saved many men’s lives. That was all the company supplied the minors; they had to buy the rest of their own tools. Notice the difference between where the minors had in their homes to eat, and where the supervisor ate. The minors had to pay rent, but the supervisor did not. Along with original homes and such that have been moved to the property, they have a display of log cabins also.

Friday: A driving day. We drove to Richmond, Virginia and stayed at a Wal-Mart.

Saturday: So much history, so little time. In the morning we visited Historic Jamestowne. This was the first English speaking settlement on this continent. It barely held on through famine, fire, and Spanish opposition. Water was one of the major problems. The town sits between two rivers where they meet Chesapeake Bay, so the water was salty, and not drinkable. Even the wells had seepage from the salty water making it bad. The love story about John Smith and Pocahontas is fictionalized, but she was a real Indian princess, a friend to John Smith, and valuable help to the settlers. It was an amazing experience to walk where these early settlers lived. There is a mock settlement close by where the visitor can see how they lived, but we couldn’t do everything. The historic site is a working archeological dig, and is getting better year by year. It rained the night before we got there, so actual digs were covered with black plastic to protect the artifacts they are finding.

In the afternoon we visited Yorktown Battlefield, the turning point of the Revolutionary War. I learned about Cornwallis (the British), George Washington, Lafayette (French), and so many others in details I have either forgotten, or never learned. I developed an understanding of the siege I could never have from a book. It was explained on the grounds where we could see the terrain of what they told us about. It would take more room than I have here to explain it, and without being there, it still wouldn’t have the full impact. We often think of July 4, 1776 as being the birth of our nation, but in reality, this siege, October 6-18, 1781, with Cornwallis’ surrender was when our nation started becoming a reality, and not just a note on a piece of paper.

George Washington's Tent

Moor House where Cornwallis Surrendered to George Washington

Sunday: We went to church in Williamsburg to finish out the week. I love that the church is the same where ever we go.