We are on the road again but only until August. Instead of heading for Alaska at the end of our winter sojourn we had returned home from Florida in order to take care of my teeth. Well things didn't work out to well, so we hung around until June 19th and I have to be back by August 1st. Our goal this trip is to see some land in New Mexico. Actually it is also an excuse to see Colorado, New Mexico and Texas before heading for Wisconsin and a visit with Michael, Jennie and the kids. After we visit these three states we will have visited all of the lower 48. Of the 45 that we had visited some might say that visits to three of the states really didn't count since we had only driven through Nebraska, spent one night in Idaho and flew into Louisiana. On this trip we will spend several nights in Nebraska but Idaho and Louisiana will have to wait. This is a beautiful country and there is always something new to see.
On the 19th we got up early, drove through Pennsylvania and camped at the Mar-Lynn campground in Streetsboro,Ohio. We stayed two days giving us a chance to again visit the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (http://www.nps.gov/cuva) and walk on some of the 57 miles of tow path. Summit County, Ohio (http://summitmetroparks.org) also has a very extensive system of bike paths and we walked several miles on this path as well. Mar-Lynn campground has wireless internet and I took the opportunity to finish and post the rest of the winter trip south.
Sorry you can't make out the per gallon price because it's $0.29 but not as sorry as I was that I couldn't fill my tank.
From Mar-Lynn we headed West on Route 80 and and spent the night in a campground near South Bend Indiana, in the morning we drove into Illinois and revisited Starved Rock State Park. starved Rock is located west of Chicago on the southern bank of the Illinois River.
"Starved Rock derives its name from a native American legend of injustice and retribution. In the 1760's Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa tribe upriver {from the park} was slain by an Illiniwek while attending a tribal council in southern Illinois. According to the legend , during one of the battles that subsequently occurred to avenge his killing , a band of Illiniwek, under attack by a band of Potawatomi (allies of the Ottawa) sought refuge atop a 125-foot sandstone butte. The Ottawa and Potawatomi surrounded the bluff and held their ground until the hapless Illiniwek died of starvation -- giving rise to the name "Starved Rock."
When we arrived we set up the trailer and went for a hike. We climbed up to the rock for which the park is named and then we continued along the river trail, returning by way of the lodge and cabins. Many states have very elaborate state parks with lodges, cabins and developed campgrounds with electric and water. For years New York and New Jersey have sent more money in tax dollars to the Federal Government then they receive in return. Many of the states that receive more then they send were able to spend money on developing state parks. I would recommend visiting state parks in various states. They are the equal of private resorts and give the visitor a chance to sample some of America's beauty.
The next morning we stopped at the Michigan - Illinois Canal on the other bank of the river and walked close to 6 miles on the tow path.
After the walk we ate breakfast and drove to Eugene Mahoney State Park just past Omaha in Nebraska.