2 MORE NATIONAL PARKS

yesterday found us going to 2 more nationa; parks the first one was the johnstown flood back in 1889..where a dam broke and took 2,2009 people with it...there had bee warnings but the residents just didn't listen or the line of communicaton was't like is it today--none the less the warning were't listened to...the flood wiped out sevferal small towns along the way but the most famous town was johnstown...heard the history of the place..

then several miles away was the alleghany trail portage park..we knew nothing about the place but soon found more about it..it was started as a canal across pa. designed after our famous erie canal..but in pa there are the alleghany mts which needed to be crossed..so some smart person said lets bring the canal bpats so far then put them on a train to take them over the mts which they did..it was quite a feat to do...then when it was finally finished and some boats were taken up and over the mts with rope and the rope broke on some of the boats --again someone said why not use chain so they did for awhile..in the mean time there was someone else making bigger and better trains so instead of the boats gong along the canal then up and over the mts by train it was decided to use oly train..so the canal boats in pa were out of business...oh well progress is our most important product so we think...anyway again most interesting and we spent 2 1/2 hrs...oh i even got another junior ranger patch..so i'm happy...

SOBERING EXPERIENCE

We decided to change our travel route and not sure what it was to begin with anyway but the new one found us heading to the flight 93 memorial in shanksville, pa...what an sobering experience it sure was...we can relate to it like the viet nam memorial-oklahoma federal building..anyway you get the picture...the government is in the process of building a hugs memorial for those who lost their lives saving many others...to look out to see where the plane crashed and why didn't it go several more miles and crash into homes and building no one ever will know..

we talked to a lady who has the park surround her property and wasn't able to return home for 2 weeks after the crash was most interesting to talk to..the whole area lives sure have been changed forver...and we can say that we were lucky and the good lord was watching out for us..

i also got a stamp there...

we are in a campgropund with very poor wi-fi so i am not going to try to add any pictures so maybe when we get home i will...

BEREA, KY

we spent the day touring around berea, ky...it is an arts and crafts community that has a college in the middle of it...the students can attend without paying any tutition but of course have to qualifty...their income has to be in a certain range and also their grade average has to be in the top of their class a great deal for the students...there are several majors that they can take...but what is most interesting they also have to work in the crafts dept..learing woodworking-weaving-pottery-and also blacksmithing.....when they arrive for the freshmen year they are assigned a job and learn the craft...they have to pay for their room and board and that is also income based..the young lady who took us on the tour says she only has to pay 2,500 a year for her education...it is also engouraged that they travel abroad one of their semesters...there are only 1,600 students...and nice little campus and most interesting...

first we took the historical tour then the craft tour...each was free...berea seems to be a nice quiet town and has alot of history..it is just tucked away in kentucky...

moving on tomorrow and not sure where we will stop for the night...and who knows about wi-fi.....

OK HERE IS THE PLANE

FOR SOME REASON THE PICTURE DIDN'T GO OR I CLICK ON THE WRONG THING...AND IT WAS PROBALLY ME HAHAHA...

MORE PICTURES

finally i got the picture of my camera so how i can show you the traffic build up also som of the other things we've been busy doing...i am standing in front of john kennedy presidental plane...it is the same one that transported his body after dallas and lar was stationed at andrews at that time and saw them take the casket off the plane...he als did the dishes from it when he was on KP duty back in the 60's......

WE'RE HERE

it has been some time since we've had some wi-fi but tonight we happen to be in a campground with it...as a matter of fact we are in berea, ky...it is an arts and crafts town and tomorrow we plan on going on a tour given by the college students...we have spent some time in dayton, ohio touring the wright brothers flying national parks..i even go more stamps along with a teddy bear...but the bear had to do with going to 6 out of 9 dayton ariplane places...and a cute little bear it is...

spent some time with pete and stehpanie in marysville, ohio school friend of lars...had a good visit and went to an old farm store that had about anything you might need or want..we did buy a couple of things but didn't have room for everything we needed hahahahaah...some of you might get their catalouge. LEHMAN"S BROS..

then on to anchorage, ky where we spent the weekend celebrating birthdays..lar's is the 19th and his brother doug was the 18th and he was turning 60 so he needed lar there to help celebrate it...and a fun time we all had...on sat doug and iris daughter karen and her childrens came over for a cookout...fun having kids around..lar even had a sword fight with a 10 yr old..not sure who won...olivia who is three was a cute as a button and most entertaining...then yesterday we went to william roger clark brother of lewis clark homestead and had a private tour (no one else was there at the time)..so it was longer than most..we got to go in the house which is normally locked and i must say i'm glad i don't have kour house painted nor wall paper form that period of time...not anything i liked..then on to ice cream for the birthday boys..

left this morning and headed south-north-west-east and ended up at a bourbon factory or distillery..this one made four roses and of course after the tour we got samples it was before noon so it just happened to be 5 o'clock somewhere so we had a taste or two...must say the more expensive was the better...not to worry it was really only a small taste not a whole shot...then on our way to berea..

that's where we are now...now i will back up to tell you about the trip to pete's...we left columbus after getting gas only to get on the interstate and oame to a complete stop..it then took us 3 hrs to go 14 miles..there was an accident ahead and the took us off the interstateand rerouted us..must say that is the worse we have been in any traffic tie-up...heard later that one of the truck drivers had died it was a truck loaded with paper and the firemen were having a heck of a time getting it out..

this is almost like traveling in july..it is hot...

MITCH'S FRIEND

WE HAVE STARTED OUR FALL TRIP..oops...first we visited fram lar's mom for a couple of days then on to outside Pittsburgh to visit jake-sally and jon ..it is lar's younger brother house and they have lived in it a couple of years and this is the first chance we've had to visit them there ...a nice pleasant place out in the woods and you'd never know pittsbrugh was only 15 min away....when we were there the blue angles were doing an air show at the airport...one of the pictures is of the planes...we could see some of the show frm their porch....moved on sunday and headed to zanesvills, oh...there is alot to see here and it is the home of zane grey and there is a museum here..we have been so don't think we will go again...also it is a big pottery area and amish..

then a wee bit later today we are heading to marysville,oh so lar can vist an old school friend....after a couplkf of days there we are heading to the yellow spring area as there is suppose to be a great bike trail in the area and the bikes need to come out of the rig so we can go on a ride...

we need to be in kentucky for the weekend so the brothers can celebrate their birthdays... oh before i forget the great dane with mitch is moses jake's dog..they always seem to play together good...not sure which one it the dominate one...

have noticed some trees are beginning to get some color so i guess fall is on it's way...

enjoy fall