RAPEA - Day 12 - Dayton OH to Dwight IL

Today was a banner day! We traveled through three states - OH, IN, and IL and crossed over from EST to CST thereby gaining an hour. It was all Interstate this time as the trip would have taken too long on the backroads. So the scenery was somewhat similar to yesterday's with a few notable exceptions and a stop along the way.

When we stopped in Aliquippa my brother asked me to be on the lookout for some Buffalo Trace Bourbon during our travels. I don't know if it's Covid related but evidently there's a shortage in the greater Pittsburgh area. Who knew?! So when we spotted a billboard shortly after crossing into IN which said Crown Liquors was one of the largest purveyors of alcoholic beverages in the state and it was just off the next exit in Greenfield, we decided to make a pit stop to see if they had any. 

We passed right by it on the first attempt due to heavy road construction and had to make a u-turn but found it on our second attempt. I asked the clerk and she said they normally stock it but they were out and to try Walmart across the street. Say what?! Evidently in Indiana Walmart has a full liquor license. Will wonders never cease?!

We left the cold weather and clouds back in OH and the temperature climbed steadily as we headed southwest. For a couple hundred miles all we saw was vast farmland on both sides of the interstate occasionally accompanied by a farmhouse and barn along with the ever present silos. There were single silos and silo clusters. Tall narrow silos and short wide silos. But one silo stood out from the crowd. It was massive and very near the road and it had a flat top with a large green tractor on top. How the hell that got up there is beyond me. The side facing the interstate had a large banner completely covering it. The banner read, "Farmers for Trump 2020".

The number of Trump signs had diminished in OH but reappeared in IN and now IL. In IN we added a new item to spot in our car game. Wind Turbines. We drove through the middle of an exceptionally large wind farm near Chalmers IN. We drove through a much smaller one just outside Kankakee IL and there's a single wind turbine on a slight rise behind the motel where we are stopped tonight in Dwight IL.

If you are eager to become one with nature, you're going to want to make a note of these next two points of interest. For the last two hours of today's journey we exited the interstate to travel the backroads the rest of the way. Right off I65 on State Route 10 lies the sleepy little burg of Roselawn IN, population 3,954. What, you may ask, is their claim to fame? Well this non-descript little village boasts not ONE, but TWO naturist camps right across the road from one another! Is that crazy or what? And get this...one of them claims to be a FAMILY camp! The Ponderosa Sun Club is excited to announce they're reopening 15 MAY and the 4th of JULY Celebration includes a golf cart and bicycle parade. They bill themselves as a full on nudist resort. While across the road the Sun Aura Resort is billed as "clothing optional". Come to Indiana and let your freak flag fly, ladies and gentlemen and bring the kids and Grandma too.

To me the greatest sight all day has been when I spotted this one little sign. Running parallel to the road was a short stretch of cracked asphalt under assault by Amazonian weeds intent on its total destruction but it's beacon still shone through. We had discovered the Mother Road. The iconic trail followed by many a wanderer in search of a new horizon. And tomorrow my friends, we join them.

By the way we literally blew into town here in sunny, 77 degree Dwight IL. The wind speed when we arrived was 29mph! The temperature has dropped to 73 now but the wind speed is still at 19mph. To say I am blown away by the prospect of embarking on Route 66 is an understatement right now.

RAPEA - Day 11 - Marietta OH to Dayton OH

This one will be short and sweet. We drove from point A to point B with little to report. We saw some heavy rain in the distance now that we're traveling on more flat land but we only experienced a light mist. Dayton was mostly blue skies when we arrived.

It felt as though we were in the heartland of America. We passed huge agricultural farms interspersed with cattle, goats and even sheep. The highlight of my day was doing a doubletake as we passed a pond out in the country with a life-size concrete elephant standing in the brush at the water's edge dipping his trunk in the water as if he's taking a drink.

One observance is troubling though. From SC to Dayton OH every motel, convenience store and restaurant manager or worker has stated the same complaint. Employees are scarce. Openings are left unfilled. No one wants to work. Many are being paid more tax free than they brought home when they were working. Some are single parents or dual working parents who can't work because their children can't attend school and after-care programs. Even some of the schools that have reopened are only doing so part time. Motels have no one to clean the rooms and do the laundry. Restaurants who are now able to reopen fully find themselves operating limited hours because they don't have the staff to reopen fully. 

Everyone is on the gravy train headed to the end of the tracks. What happens when they reach it? Will they be able to reverse? Will there be anywhere to reverse to? If it's completely derailed who's going to put it back on the right track? Just something to think about...tomorrow - Route 66. Nostalgia is looking better and better.

RAPEA - Day 10 - Amish Country Ohio

 Miz T took us on a full day trip to Amish Country for our final day in Marietta. First we went to Sugar Creek OH and stopped at Swiss Country Lawn and Craft. They sell patio and lawn furniture and gazebos outside and inside they have many unique items for house decor.

Next we stopped at Walnut Creek Cheese in Walnut Creek OH. The place was large and the parking lot was packed and once we got inside we knew why. In addition to a smorgasbord of Amish produced meats and cheeses there were a variety of bulk seasonings, flours, grains, fresh churned butter and other baking needs. Every type of vintage candy you could name and a few I'd never heard of filled two whole aisles. And I do believe they had dipped pretzels in every flavor imaginable! There were infused olive oils, jams, butters, sauces, relishes...all with the Walnut Creek label and everything with with that label was produced just down the road. We loaded up the car with bags of meat, cheeses and sweets and headed off to lunch because now we were starving.

There is a restaurant upstairs at Walnut Creek Cheese but Miz T really wanted us to experience the massive buffet at Mrs Yoders Kitchen in Mt Hope OH but by the time we got there they were packed and the line waiting to get in was too long. Oh well, there's always next time.

We decided we'd eat at Cracker Barrel but that was on the 2hr ride back to her house and we still had one more stop to make. So we stopped at a little store for tea and juice drinks, broke open our goodies from Walnut Creek and had an impromptu picnic in the car while sharing all the meats and cheeses with a box of Triscuits just to hold us off until then.

Our last stop in Amish Country was the piece de resistance or the best part of the trip in case you don't speak French. We went to Lehman's in Kidron OH. This place is incredible! It's part hardware, part vintage, part museum, part amusement park and all fantastic. The first thing it said on the little flyer I picked up at the entrance with instructions on how to tour Lehman's was to allow two hours to get the full effect. I could have stayed for an entire day if I had an unlimited budget and a U-Haul truck. They sold everything under the sun. 

But I believe the one thing we were most affected by was the display in the old barn to the right just as you come in. I had read about it but I had never seen anything like it and my pictures just don't do it justice. But I found this video on YouTube by Mr Lehman himself and maybe you'll get a better idea of why it affected us so deeply.

MTC considering a new laundry device.

An upgrade for the one holer.

Laundry Day

Is it just me or does that look like Rosie from the Jetson's on the top shelf?

I want these for my kitchen but I can't decide...red or white?

RAPEA - Day 9 - Marietta OH - Part 2

From Lookout Point we could see where the Muskingum River meets the Ohio River. We could also see the Marietta-Harmar Bridge which carried the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad over the Muskingum River between Marietta and Harmar, Ohio beginning in 1873 when the 900ft covered bridge was replaced with an iron superstructure that included a central swing span. That swing span enabled the passage of larger steamboats along the Muskingum River.

The B&O abandoned the Harmar bridge in 1962. The non-profit Harmar Bridge Company was formed in the 1980s, which fundraised money to add a pedestrian walkway alongside the railroad bridge.

On February 29, 2020, the crossing was closed to pedestrians because of the bridge’s structural deterioration and liability to the Harmar Bridge Company. It has been estimated to cost between $2 million and $4 million to build a pedestrian walkway within the iron superstructure of the bridge. 

That was a sad day for the local pub crawl set who used it frequently to bar hop on both sides of the river on any given night.

And last but not least is the beautiful Valley Gem Sternwheeler which I couldn't get a good shot of but you can read all about it online.

From the overlook we headed to the waterfront to see the most important piece of history in town in my opinion. It's the Memorial to the Start Westward of the United States which was sculpted for Marietta's Sesquicentennial by Gutzon Borglum. For any of you history buffs out there who think that name is vaguely familiar, he's the sculptor who is most widely known for the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The Memorial to the Start Westward of the United States commemorates the Northwest Territory’s creation in 1787. It also celebrates the courage, character, and perseverance of those pioneers who wrote the ordinance and started the new settlements in this territory. It was the first territory under American government outside of the original thirteen states. It was a large tract bordered by the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and the great lakes. Marietta, settled in 1788, was the first city in the new territory.

The Ordinance of 1787 which created the territory is considered an important document in early American history. It was a landmark prototype for American governance. It guaranteed citizens many civil liberties now in the Bill of Rights, including prohibition of slavery and freedom of religion. It served as an enduring model for the admission of all new states since 1787.

Our final stop of the day were the stables where Miz T's two horses, Prada and Cobalt are stabled. Prada is an Arabian mare she picked up for a song because of her fascinating beginnings. After she was conceived, her embryo was transplanted from her Arabian mother into a Belgian surrogate. When she was born she was nursed by the surrogate whose milk was so rich it caused Prada ortho issues because she is much taller than the average Arabian. She's a tricky little wench. The minute Miz T turned her back she tried the stall latch to see if it was re-locked. Cobalt was a feisty stallion who was very excited to see Miz T and really wanted to be let out even though Miz T's husband had only left the stable shortly before our arrival.

                    

Bottom line is if Marrietta OH isn't on your bucket list, it needs to be added. It's a great town with lots to do indoors and out. I'm sad to leave it but the road is calling and I must answer. And thanks to an old friend I have a new friend. I'm going to miss you Miz T!

RAPEA - Day 9 - Marietta OH - Part 1

When I was going to school History was a snooze fest for me. I could have given two figs about memorizing all those boring dates and events that took place in places I had never heard of by people who were long since turned to dust. But today history came alive for me thanks to the knowledge and eloquence of our gracious host I'll call Miz T who is MTC's lifelong friend.

We started our day with a tour of the Bridges of Washington County. Over 50 covered bridges were once scattered throughout Washington County. Today only nine remain as reminders of the ingenuity of the past. Today we saw three of the remaining bridges which are scattered along ST RT 26 and the Wayne National Forest Scenic By-Way: HILLS COVERED BRIDGE (also known as the Hildreth Covered Bridge c.1878), HUNE COVERED BRIDGE (c.1877) and the indomitable RINARD COVERED BRIDGE (c.1876). The original Rinard bridge was washed from its piers by floods in 1913 and 1938 but still remained intact to be placed back on its piers. It was destroyed in a flood on September 19, 2004, and was rebuilt and re-dedicated on October 21, 2006 with as many trusses and timbers as could be salvaged.

Next we visited a small country cemetery on her family's land. It was filled with many Union soldiers who died during the Civil War. I was happy to see each of the veteran's graves were marked by a small US Flag. While tiptoeing between the headstones we noticed the metal flag holders contained either the initials GAR or FCL. 

Of course I had no reception out in the boonies (Thanks T-Mobile!) so I made a note to look them up later and here's what I found out: 

Following the Civil War, a number of state and local organizations were formed for veterans to network and keep in touch with each other. Initially established for camaraderie, these groups later gained significant political power. The most influential organization between 1868 and 1908 was the Grand Army of the Republic.

Founded in 1866, the GAR was based on the principles of “Fraternity, Charity & Loyalty”. Fraternity represented the brotherhood of those who served together, Charity referred to the organization’s work to ensure the well-being of veterans, widows and children of veterans, and Loyalty to the Constitution and the American flag.

During its tenure, the GAR helped elect several United States presidents, from Ulysses S. Grant to William McKinley. The organization was also active in pension legislation and establishing retirement homes for soldiers. In fact, the GAR’s influence led to the creation of the Old Soldiers’ Homes of the late nineteenth century, which later evolved into the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

After the death of the organization’s last member, Albert Woolson, in 1956, the Grand Army of the Republic was formally dissolved. However, the principles on which it was founded still hold significance today.

Next on our tour was the Mound Cemetery which is an historic cemetery developed around the base of a prehistoric Adena burial mound known as the Great Mound or Conus. The city founders preserved the Great Mound from destruction by establishing the city cemetery around it in 1801.

The city of Marietta was developed in 1788 by pioneers from Massachusetts, soon after the American Revolutionary War and organization of the Northwest Territory. Many of the founders were officers of the Revolutionary War who had received federal land grants for military services. Among high-ranking officers buried at the cemetery are generals Rufus Putnam and Benjamin Tupper, who were founders of the Ohio Company of Associates; as well as Commodore Abraham Whipple and Colonel William Stacy. The cemetery has the highest number of burials of American Revolutionary War officers in the country.

Then it was on to the imposing Washington County Courthouse which has the most incredible grand staircase and unique floor tile design. At first I was like, "Whaaat?!" but then Miz T explained to me that the design was not reversed Swastikas but actually an Indian motif which you can read more about here. Throughout the second floor can be found old photographs of the courthouse and surrounding area after the flood of 1937 when a canoe was the most useful transportation available.

   

TO BE CONTINUED...

RAPEA - Day 8 - Point Pleasant WV Day Trip

Ladies, let me tell you of a must have addition to the arsenal in your purse...get yourself a Gerber multi-tool. I personally carry a Gerber Suspension without the sheath because my flea market pocketbook has a handy dandy pocket on the side that was just made for it. Why should the guys be the ones who are "always prepared"? Shouldn't we be prepared too? You just never know when the need may arise to screw, stab, poke, saw, chop, cut or pull something out. Why just this morning I looked in the mirror and said, "Dang! My bangs are too long!" No problem. I got out my Gerber and released those tiny scissors and just trimmed them right up. Kelsey (my hair stylist), if you're reading this don't faint. They'll be just as long by the time I get back home.

As I strolled around the parking lot having my morning nicotine fix I came across this car with a decal on the back glass that made me laugh out loud. Laughter is a wonderful start to any day. I always gag when I see these cars driving around with all these stick figure families plastered across the back glass.

Point Pleasant WV is the home of the Mothman legend and only an hour and a half from the quaint little burg of Marietta OH where we are currently staying. We set off for WV in cold and rainy conditions that never improved until late in the afternoon when we were back in Marietta. And much to my dismay I forgot my raincoat in my room and didn't discover it until I stepped out of the car in Point Pleasant to take pictures. By the time I returned to the car I was chilled to the bone which is rare for me.

If you were under a rock somewhere in 2002, you may have missed the release of a supernatural horror-mystery film titled The Mothman Prophecies, a movie starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney which was based on the 1975 book of the same name written by parapsychologist and author John Keel. The film claims to be based on actual events that occurred between November 1966 and December 1967 in Point Pleasant, as described by Keel. For over a year, citizens of Point Pleasant were witnesses to UFOs, strange government and military-related activity, and the Mothman itself. At the crescendo of these sightings, the town suffered a bridge collapse killing 46. Today, Mothman has become a patron of Point Pleasant and is honored with a statue, a museum and research center, and an annual festival.

I don't know who Mothman's personal trainer was, but let me tell you he definitely had buns of steel! I didn't enter the museum but I walked around the gift shop which was chock full of the type of kitsch you would expect to find catering to the paranormal. My favorite was a sticker with 'Mothman for President' printed on it.

Just before our final turn on the way to the motel we stopped at the Riverfront Park which though tiny packed a wealth of information about the area through historical markers. It also provided a clear shot of the Ohio River which we had been riding alongside all day. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent settlement of the new United States in the territory Northwest of the River Ohio. 

  

  

Across from the park sits The Historic Lafayette Hotel. The Lafayette Hotel draws its name from the visit in 1825 of the Marquis de Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution. A plaque near the Hotel marks the spot where Lafayette came ashore in Marietta and today the locals boast that the first tourist to visit Marietta was Marquis de Lafayette.

The Bellevue Hotel was built in 1892 where The Lafayette Hotel stands today. It was 4 stories tall, had 55 steam heated rooms, a bar, a call bell system in every room and advertised hot and cold baths. The rate at the time was $2-$3 per night! The Bellevue was destroyed by fire on April 26, 1916 and pictures of the fire are on display by the Lafayette's Gunroom Restaurant. After the fire, the hotel was rebuilt by a Marietta businessmen, opened on July 1, 1918 and renamed as the Lafayette Hotel. Various rooms within the hotel hold interesting artifacts that all come together to tell a fascinating, historical story.

We grabbed a bite to eat, ran the van through a sucky car wash and returned to the hotel. We decided to walk off our meal by circling the two motels that are side by side and then on to a local Aldi's where I discovered my favorite treat in stock...Pizzelles! Staci (my sister), they're not from Stangl's Bakery (a bakery near my hometown), but they're a pretty reasonable facsimile. So much for walking off dinner.

I came back to my room to down load my photos from today and decided to start my blog early. That's when I discovered I must have had a brain fart when I finished yesterday's blog late last night because I forgot to hit the publish button. Oh well, yesterday's blog was pretty boring anyway because there was nothing much to write about. Hopefully today's is a little more interesting.

By far the best part of today happened after we returned to the motel. The main reason we're here in Marietta OH is because MTC's life long friend and her family reside here. I had spoken to her briefly on the phone in January from MTC's house and had only texted with her a couple times since then. But I felt an instant kinship from the time we first conversed. That was only strengthened when I actually got to meet her when she stopped by the motel after work. Our actual visit days with her are slated for tomorrow and Saturday and after our official meet and greet I know we're going to be thick as thieves and I'm greatly looking forward to the weekend.

We finished the day by going next door to an establishment I haven't entered in nearly 30 years...a laundromat. But honey this ain't yo mama's laundromat! This place was high tech! The washers were sized by pounds. They came in 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 60 and 75 pound sizes along with 2 'old style' commercial top loaders from back in my day. All the multi pounders weighed the clothes as you loaded the machine and wouldn't start until you removed some if you overloaded. They ranged in price from $3 to $8.50 per load with the 2 top loaders going for $2.50. The dryers in back came in medium with 7 min for a quarter, large with 5 min for a quarter and jumbo with 4 min for a quarter. Although the pre-requisite change machine that dispenses quarters was present, all of the machines take Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. If you're a frequent flyer you can even purchase a pre-loaded Fascard with either cash or a credit card as well. But here's the cherry on this laundry cake...both the washers and dryers pump ozone into your clothes to sanitize both your clothes and the machines between each use. Ozone is a natural purifier. It sanitizes machines and clothes, so you don’t have to worry about what was washed in the machine before. Blood, contaminated linens, smoke or water damaged items, viruses, bacteria, ozone handles it all. That’s why hospitals and nursing homes use ozone. And yet their drop off wash, dry and fold service is only $1.49 per pound. The last time I used that type of service it was fifty cents a pound. And that was over 30 years ago.

Well this is definitely the longest post with the most pictures to date. It's also the first one I finished before midnite. Just in case the weather doesn't cooperate for our planned tour of the Covered Bridges of Washington County or trip to Amish country over the next couple of days this one may have to hold you off until we hit the road again on Sunday.

RAPEA - Day 7 - Aliquippa PA to Marietta OH

You may have noticed that our final destination for today isn't where I said we were going on yesterday's blog. That's because MTC reserves the right to change the itinerary as he deems necessary and he does it quite often. I think he's just trying to keep me on my toes as navigator so I don't get bored and decide to take a nap. Naps are good. I miss naps.

I have always loved fresh fallen snow...from a big picture window...while sitting in front of a huge fireplace...while drinking a steaming cup of gluhwein. But now I see snow and my mind immediately goes to calculating how much time it takes for a broken hip to heal. Or helplessly sliding on black ice while driving. Lucky for us the dusting on the car and the flurries we had to drive through were minimal and we didn't encounter any ice.

But we did encounter two nuke plants and multiple nameless factories belching white vapor into the atmosphere. These plants are all along the WV side of the Ohio River on a road called Energy Drive. That was our view as we tooled along the Scenic Byway on the OH side of the river.

Beginning tonight we'll spend four nights at this location but we may be taking day trips from here beginning tomorrow morning. The Mothman legend has me intrigued and it's only an hour and a half away so we'll head there in the morning. 

Nothing truly interesting happened today unless I count seeing a large flag flying at someone's house with a picture of Rambo's body holding an AK with Trump's head and Trump 2021 in large print. I hope Rambo doesn't sue!