(39) We made it!

Well, it didn't quite look like this.

We Did it

Heading for New York City

We awoke on July 1 at about 5:15 AM. We were eagerly anticipating our day and we were anxious to get underway, ahead of the crowds. We were happy that we had not been asked to leave the park at midnight and we assumed that the Governor and the Legislature had worked out a compromise that allowed the government to continue in New Jersey and us to get a nights sleep.

As it turned out, a compromise had not been worked out but the state of New Jersey decided to let campers remain at their campsites until 10:00 AM. No problem for us, we would be long gone by then.

 One more test

Not so Fast!

A padlock glued shut

We broke camp, took the top down on the car, and made our way for the night gate, making sure that we had the combination to the lock so that we could let ourselves out. When we got to the night gate saw another early riser, a motorcycle camper, from Ontario, Canada fumbling with the padlock. Linda got out with her piece of paper with the combination on it to see if she could help. As it turned out the problem was more  serious than a poor memory. Someone, it seems, had poured glue into the padlock mechanism. The motorcycle camper speculated that it was work of a disgruntled employee who was upset over being furloughed. I don't know if he was correct, but it was reasonable speculation.

We used the emergency telephone number and called for assistance. While I was on the phone with the dispatcher, help arrived. New Jersey Parks employee, probably a supervisor, told us to go around to the main gate. This was easier said than done. Our car and trailer was on a steep hillside and a tight corner. After a couple of tries I was able to turn the Mustang and trailer around and drive to the main gate.

Scott wit the "Master Key"

The parks employee, Scott, met us at the main gate and discovered that whoever had sabotaged the first lock had done a thorough job as a padlock on the main gate was glued shut as well.
At this stage, Johnny's words came back to me: "You skwewed!"

Scott ran to the maintenance shop and came back with a large pair of bolt cutters. The lock was cut off and we were on our way after only a short delay.



Off to New York City

The night before we had programmed 42nd and Broadway into the GPS. We were guided over a spaghetti maze of freeway to the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. After passing through the Lincoln Tunnel we emerged in New York City.

  

Times Square! The end of a very long trip. 

"If we can make it there, we'll make it anywhere!"

We made our way to Times Square. I was glad we had taken the top down as it facilitated Linda being able to take pictures of downtown Manhattan. While the freeways which took us to New York were a little hairy, I have to say that driving in New York City at 7:00 am on a Saturday morning was no problem at all. The streets were not empty, but they were not what I would call crowded either.

A wonderful drive!

"Hey, Where's the Lincoln Highway sign?"
"It's on the other lamppost, Bill."

After driving around and seeing some sites it was time to leave the city. We went back out through the Lincoln Tunnel and emerged in New Jersey.

This effectively ended our trip. We made it!

Stickley Farms

Stickley Farms National Historic Monument

But there was a little more sightseeing to do. We drove to Morris Plains, New Jersey to visit the Stickley Farm and Museum. We got there too early for a tour, but Linda and I were able to walk the grounds and peeked through the windows. (The first tour was not until 12:15.)

The back screen porch looking out to the farm

In 1911Gustav Stickley wanted to be remembered as more than just a furniture designer and home designer. He wanted to be the head of the movement that would change the way Americans lived. Basically, the movement was one to simplify people's lives. It was kind of a forerunner of the back to nature movements of the 1970's. Stickley's furniture and his home designs were first-rate. He used quality materials. He didn't count on others following his lead with cheap knockoffs. He also didn't count on the changing fashion. Stickley Farms was sold at a bankruptcy auction within ten years.

After leaving Stickley Farms we made our way to Taunton Massachusetts to stay with our son-in law's aunt and uncle, Wally and Georgia. Wally and Georgia are the exceptional New Englanders; that is they like to travel. I have a distant relative from Maine who told me that even though he was over 90 years old he had never been west of the Mississippi. I know other Mainers who seldom travel south or west of Boston. I could never understand this. After driving to Taunton,  I now get it. I have never been on such crowded highways in such poor condition as I experienced in the Northeast. If I lived in New York, New Jersey or Massachusetts I might give up auto travel as well!

A pleasant respite with Wally and Georgia

Linda and I will be taking a few days off and performing some much needed maintenance to the car and trailer, laundry, and re-arranging of the car (Linda's Fiesta Ware finds), before we start heading west on the Yellowstone Trail. It has been a great adventure, one that I would not trade for the world.

(38) Sleeping (We Hope) within sight of our goal.

June 30, 2017
A Pleasant Ride in the Country

John, our driver and tour guide shows us a little of  the Pennsylvania countryside

Today we left our campground by 7:30 and headed into town for breakfast.  As we packed and folded up the tent trailer I chuckled to myself that here we had the worst of both worlds. We had the smell of the horses from the Amish farm adjacent to the campground and we had the traffic sound from US Highway 30. I don't mean that to sound as bad as it does, it really was a nice campsite.

Campsite which looked onto a cornfield in Amish Country

But it's amazing how the sound of the traffic travels spoils and otherwise splendid scene. As for the smell of the farm, that's to be expected.

Oh Boy! Shoo Fly Pie.

Bird in Hand, Pa.

We had breakfast and then headed for the town of "Bird in Hand" where we took a wagon ride to an Amish farm and received a tour. John, our guide and teamster gave a nice tour and was very capable and an expert with the horses.

Hardware store, perhaps the oldest in America.

Amish Rules prohibit riding a Bicycle,

but these scooters are fine.

Oh no! Here come more tourists.

When we noticed the alfalfa was harvested wet and in rolls I asked John how that was accomplished without modern machinery. John explained that the Amish have relaxed some of their rules with respect to machinery in order to help keep Amish working on the farm.

Just woke up.

High Tech Amish Solar Powered Clothes Dryer

Contented Cow

The farm was very neat and orderly. The cows looked contented.  All in all, it was a very interesting visit.

1865 Barn showing peg and beam construction.

"The Corn was  as High as an elephant's eye...

NEW JERSEY

Trenton Postcard

Trenton's Lincoln Motel

We then got on the highway and headed for New Jersey. We travelled through Trenton, then stopped at the Edison Museum in Edison Township, New Jersey.

Edison Memorial Tower

Last Night before hitting New York City!

We are within 30 miles of New York City. I guess you could say that we are sleeping within sight of the city, if only I knew which way to look. Actually, our view was obstructed by the thick forest here at the park. Tonight we will sleep with most of our belongings packed so that we can break camp in a hurry. It is our plan to leave the campsite by 6:30 AM. We will then drive into New York City and see Times Square. Then, I want to get the heck out of there!

When we checked in to the campground we were told that if the New Jersey legislature does not pass a budget for the next fiscal year by midnight, that the state will run out of money and that we will be asked to leave the campground regardless of the hour. We were told that we could apply for a refund should this potentiality become a reality. Maybe we will get an even earlier start for the city.

Sleep well!

(37) Highway of History, Part 2

June 29 2017
Highway of History, Part 2

Gettysburg National Battlefield

This morning, we left the Lincoln Court Motel in in Manns Choice Pennsylvania and proceeded east. We quickly found ourselves in some very mountainous country with twisting roads. Though the driving was tough, the scenery was spectacular. As we went through Bedford and Everett I remembered that I had some postcards of this country produced during the early days of motoring.

In some ways the scenery had changed very much, but in other essential ways not so much. The terrain was recognizable even if the roadway and businesses were not.

Along the Juniata River today

We kept driving east through Chambersburg and made a stop in Gettysburg. The country we are passing through is rich in history. I am mindful of the fact that we are not doing it justice. We passed many towns rich in colonial history, Revolutionary War history, Whiskey Rebellion history and, in the case of Gettysburg, Civil War history. At least I know that I will be back here again in the next couple of years and will visit many of the sites in more detail.

Pictures with Abe

I wonder if Lincoln ever tires of this?

In Gettysburg we drove through the battlefield. Last fall my brothers and I did a more extensive tour the battlefield with an audio tour CD to guide us. I would highly recommend buying that audio tour CD to anyone planning to drive through Gettysburg.

A young soldier

From Gettysburg we drove the Lincoln Highway to York and then on to Hallam to see the Haines Shoe House.

Haines Shoe House

The Haines shoe house was the creation of Mahalon Haines  who had a chain of shoe stores on the East Coast and was the self-proclaimed shoe wizard. Haines himself never lived in the house, he reserved it for his guests. Many times he would allow young honeymooning couples to stay in the house and would provide them with a driver and a maid, all at no cost.

Darrel and Carissa who toured the Haines House with us.

Haines, it seems, was a very generous and good man and in his estate provided for the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts and his church. When he left this world he had done much good.

Mahalon Haines, "The

Shoe Wizard."

We are spending the night in a campground in Gordonville Pennsylvania. Tomorrow, we plan to tour the surrounding area and then make our way to New Jersey. We have reservations at a County campground approximately forty-five minutes from New York City. We have the reservation for two nights and if we don't make it by tomorrow night, we will surely make it by Saturday night. We are considering going into the city early Saturday morning or early Sunday morning when there will not be much traffic. If we can't get into the city when the traffic is light, we will abandon that part of our journey.

Amish wife working with her husband.

Amish Farm in Pennsylvania