Summer is over

October
Making our way south

Well, the summer trip was FANTASTIC.  We still have the Open Range Rally stop off on our way back to Florida as our trip draws to a close.

It is a summer we will remember......Florida to Alaska and back to Florida once again.

The animals.....

The views......

The Glaciers

The memories......

I'm a working gal

Jeeze Louise😩  How am I supposed to catch my ZZZ's with all that ooohing and ahhhhing going on?  Momma and Dad, I know as soon as you park our home on wheels, you'll be taking off and leaving me on guard duty....and EVERYONE knows a good guard needs to be rested!!

We exchanged our St Lawrence Seaway view 

for the colorful fall landscape views as we traveled south through NY and into Pennsylvania today.

Yeah, I get it.  It's fall.  I'm well aware that it is fall.  Every morning when my paws hit that cold, wet, bone chilling ground for my morning 'duty' walk, I am reminded that it is definitely fall! 

Okay, so there may be some colorful scenery in the area, but that color comes with a definite chill.

I'll admit it's not so bad when you are gliding down the highway in the comfort of the Dodge Ram wishing the sun was shining to enhance Mother Nature's colorful show.

  

But could you in the front seat try to enjoy the colors without all the racket?

We arrived mid afternoon

 And M & D took the recommendation of the campground owner and headed out to Starrucca Viaduct to view a marvelous architectural creation of 1848. 

 Awesome!!

And to think it only took 2 years to complete.  The trains still travel on the train tracks on the top.

Even the country road trip to the Viaduct was impressive......or so I was told....when M & D returned to where they had left me on guard duty.    

But I have to admit, guard duty sure has its perks.  I do LOVE the cookie bone treats I earn.

Hickory

.....on the road again

Robin Hood captured and stowed under the bed

October 5, 2017
Kingston, Ontario

You might be thinking that Momma and Dad headed our nose north in search of fall colors.  You would be WRONG..although that would be a nice bonus.  They were in search of Robin Hood.

It all started back in the summer while shopping in a Canadian Walmart.  Momma needed to restock her bread flour supply and alas, all she could find was a Multigrain bread flour so.....she tossed it in the basket.  It wasn't until we were back in the lower 48 that she broke out that bag of flour and produced 3 loaves of bread that Dad fell in love with.  What a marvelous compilation of grains.  Not finding that same flour in the lower 48 stores, Momma began an Internet search.  You can buy anything on line now a days.  Well....almost anything. It seems that Robin Hood flour is sold in Canada and they are unable to ship to us in the lower 48 as she was informed when she called the toll free number.  It was established that the only way to secure the Robin Hood Mulitgrain Bread Flour is to have a friend who is departing Canada and heading your way or go to Canada yourself.  

I am happy to report after a small detour swing back north, Robin Hood has been secured   

and is now residing under the bed.

Do you think they would make a small detour to secure a special Dog Bone Treat?  It's a good thing Chewy delivers to the door so I don't have to find out.  And with only a two day shipping turn around, I haven't missed a shipment yet!!  

Hickory
......on the road again

GPS have you lost your mind?

October 4, 2017
Clayton, NY

Dad wanted to know if we were back in Alaska but Momma assured him it couldn't be an Alaskan road. Our GPS had sent us on this road

We were traveling at 24 mph and being bounced out of our seats.  The Alaskan roads we traveled were in MUCH BETTER condition than this road ....for sure.  So the question remains.  Why did our GPS send us this way?  EGADS  

After 2 miles, we crossed a county line and breathed a sigh of relief.  The road smoothed out, we were able to accelerate and we successfully navigated the rest of the way to our midway stop.

 When we were traveling in the Mohawk Roamer caravan last month, we stopped at this place

where some enjoyed a late breakfast while others enjoyed lunch items from the great menu.  We were a large group.  The priority was to serve hot food so not everyone received their food items at the same time with only one cook in the kitchen.  There were no complaints from the group but the staff wanted us to have a good feeling about our experience so they served everyone a free ice cream cone for being so patient.  Well, we left with a good impression....great food and a staff that aims to please...so we didn't have any problem settling on our midway stop today.

Dad decided to try one of their homemade pies to complete his meal today....sour cream apple pie a la mode.  Momma had a cone with creamy, chocolate ice cream.  And I had..... a drink of water.  WHAT!!  Hey, I know we hit a rough patch of road, but my stomach was solid.  I could have handled a full plate of 'people' food.  Just think, if we had arrived a week later, everyone would have been having a drink of water.  You see, the summer is over and the drive-in closes down for the winter.  October 9th will be their last day for 2017.  

Our timing was right on target.  We settled into our campsite at Merry Knoll Campground in Clayton, NY, bordering the  St. Lawrence Seaway (1000 Islands area) before the late afternoon rain storm hit. 

I'll get Momma to take a few pics tomorrow when it is not so wet.  

Hickory

.....on the road again

New York

Just in case you are wondering.....our summer

excursion is far from over.  We have another month coming up...just to be sure the temperatures are more agreeable in the south when we finally return...and because we still have a few adventures on our schedule.

We did locate some fall color when we camped with the Mohawk Roamers at Oswegatchie, NY

But our current area in NY is very green yet.  We are at the Marina Campground in St. Johnsville, NY where it has been about 10 degrees warmer than usual...in other words, temps in the mid 80's until today when the high was mid 60's.  There are some leaves that have fallen and the kids next door raked them into a pile to play in.

The weather has been ideal for dog baths, truck washing and rig washing.  We sparkle once again.

We didn't find any color in Bath, NY either when we joined other Open Range owners at the NE Wine Campout.  The weather was perfect for daytime excursions and cooled down for great campfire weather in the evenings.

The Fingerlakes region of NY is perfect for grape growing...thus it is loaded with wineries.  And.....

Would you believe, grape pie?  Not very exciting.  Rather blah tasting actually.

We are now in apple county.  Pie is much more exciting here  as well as cider floats. Yum!!

We have enjoyed a few games with our friends.  You can sure collect a fist full of cards playing Dirty Uno....Right Bob??

It's a good thing he has large hands!

More fun in Ohio

August 27  28
Berlin, Ohio

Hey, I recognize this place.  We have been here before.  And I recognize Ruthie and AJ.  They were camping here when we were camped here last year, but our sites were much closer together last year.  Imagine that, we are a month later than last year and we still managed to be here the same time.  They love the area as much as we do.

Not only do they provide fire rings for each site at Scenic Hills RV, they have free campfire wood.  An arrangement has been made with a local woodshop who drop off their end cuts. Sure makes a nice fire!

Poor Dad about had a heart attack when he was wandering around Keim's Lumber.

He had sticker shock at the $1500 price tag for this piece of wood....and then he saw

a $3000 price tag.

They always say measure twice, cut once.  In this case, I think you might even want to measure more than just twice!!

I wonder how much cheese I'll get to sample?  Dad and Momma got to sample enough different flavors to make a meal!  Then they went across the street and enjoyed more samples at the bakery.  I think I need to be a service dog who needs to test every bite before it is ingested.  Now that would be one terrific job and I'd be GREAT at it!!

I have to admit, I ALMOST got to sample the marble rye when the bread basket was on the floor on moving day, but Momma is getting too alert for me or I'm losing my stealth mode technique.  I was sooo close to a special treat.

This area is known as an Amish Area.  I think they need wider countryside roads.  There are so many hills that it is hard to pass the buggies because you have limited line of sight.  I sure feel sorry for those horses tugging those buggies up the hills.  It really makes me appreciate my luxurious back seat that I can stretch out in while we zip down the road.  I'm glad I wasn't born as a horse.

Hickory

.....on the road again