Tygart Lake State Park – Grafton, West Virginia
May 20, 2013
Yesterday I drove the motorhome the about 30 miles from Clarksburg to Tygart Lake State Park near Grafton, West Virginia. As soon as we left Clarksburg, U.S. Highway 50 dropped from four to two lanes.
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
The grades, both up and down became steeper and curvier as we advance into the Appalachian Mountains..
Leaving highway 50, the route to Tygart Lake State Park took us on streets with only inches to spare between telephone poles and vehicles…
After what seemed like forever…we finally got there. Between the small, tight campground and the unevenness of the ground it took about an hour to finally get settled in…
Here’s the usual dinette window photo…
Here’s what my neighbor had to do to both front wheels to level his rig…
Of 14 campsites, there were only three RV’s…
In the end, it proved to be a very quiet and relaxing spot. The lake was not visible from our campsite…
In the below Google Earth image the X shows our location…
We will move along later this morning.
Enjoying pretty state parks is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of West Virginia. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Clarksburg, West Virginia
May 19, 2013
Yesterday I drove the motorhome the about 60 miles from Parkersburg to Clarksburg, West Virginia. 99% of the drive was on U.S. Highway 50. Basically a four lane, mostly straight east-bound with lots of ups and downs…
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
As we go further east the cities are getting older and the streets narrower. They were not made for a wide-body motorhome. When I drove drove this street, I barely had room to get past the parked cars…
We parked in an alley next to VFW Post #573…
Here’s the usual dinette photo…not exciting. I wondered how many years ago it was built…
After settling in, we went inside for lunch…
During lunch we asked the locals what’s to see and do in Clarksburg. They all replied…not much. It seems the VFW is the hot spot in town. So we decided to walk around a bit and discovered this was the birthplace of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson…a famous Confederate General who stood his ground like a stone wall…hence the name. He died at the Battle of Chancellorsville…
Here are some of the other photos I took during our walk…
Downtown Main Street…
A nice clean city.
We will move along later this morning.
Enjoying very friendly VFW Posts is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of West Virginia. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Parkersburg, West Virginia
May 18, 2013
Yesterday I drove the motorhome the about 60 miles from Point Pleasant to Parkersburg, West Virginia. I began in West Virginia and ended in West Virginia, but because of the way the Ohio River zig-zags, most of the drive occurred on Ohio State Highway 7 that had very light traffic and ran alongside the Ohio River a good part of the way.
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
Before leaving Point Pleasant we had some morning fog so I went outside to see what I could see…and this is what I saw…
We crossed back into Ohio over this pretty bridge as seen from a Wal-Mart parking lot…
Going across the bridge…
Along the way we passed through Pomeroy, Ohio with the Ohio River on the right…
On this bridge we crossed the Ohio River into Parkersburg, West Virginia…
Where we ended up at a very friendly VFW Post #1212…
Here’s the usual dinette window photo…
Getting up close to the dinette window and looking down I could see a small stream and told Mary we are parked on waterfront property!
Other than the excessive heat and humidity we enjoyed a nice stay.
We will move along later this morning.
Enjoying very friendly VFW Posts is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of West Virginia. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
May 17, 2013
Yesterday I drove the motorhome the about 65 miles from Ashland, Kentucky to Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Most of the drive occurred on Ohio State Highway 7 that had very light traffic and for the most part ran alongside the Ohio River.
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
Leaving Ashland we crossed the Ohio River on this blue bridge into Ohio. The green bridge on the left carries the traffic from Ohio into Kentucky…
On Highway 7 with the Ohio River on our right…
From Gallipolis, Ohio we crossed the Ohio River on the Silver Memorial Bridge…
which replaced the Silver Bridge…
which collapsed in 1967 killing 47 people due to a failure of these components…
You can learn all about the Silver Bridge collapse by clicking this YouTube link…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpGVP5yU6c8
Point Pleasant is at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. The below Google Earth image shows the area. X marks our camping spot at Krodel Park and M the Point Pleasant River Museum which we visited. The Silver Memorial Bridge is lower left…
Here’s a 180 degree panorama view of the Ohio River looking across at Ohio. The Silver Memorial Bridge is on the far left…
Here are some of the photos that I took at the Point Pleasant River Museum which, by the way, was excellent…
The below two photos are of live fish swimming in a large aquarium containing fish that came from the Ohio River…
After the museum we looked at the large murals painted on the flood wall…
Looking south down the Ohio River with the Silver Memorial Bridge in the distance…
Downtown Point Pleasant…
A view from the past…
After our Visit I drove the motorhome the about two miles to Kordel Park, a Point Pleasant city owned park where we parked for the night while it rained hard for the remained of the day…
Here’s the usual dinette window photo…
To see the other 53 photos that I took you need to click this Picasa Web Album link which is best viewed in full screen mode…
https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/PointPleasantWestVirginia
You can read all about Point Pleasant by clicking this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_Pleasant,_West_Virginia
We will move along later this morning.
Enjoying interesting museums is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of West Virginia. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Ashland, Kentucky – Day 2
May 16, 2013
The motorhome is still parked at Eagles Club #2329 in Ashland, Kentucky. We will depart later this morning.
Yesterday I drove the Bronco the about one mile downtown to the Highland Museum, Here’s their official website link…
http://highlandsmuseum.com/
Here are some of the photos that I took…
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
Since Mary is still having problems regarding stairs, we rode the only manually operated elevator remaining in Kentucky to the second floor…
Some thoughts from Daniel Boone…
Kentucky long rifles…
A replica of a one room schoolhouse…
There was quite a display about the women’s suffragette movement…
And displays about the Civil War…
The biggest display was about the history of Country Music from Kentucky…
Their biggest claim-to-fame is that Ashland is the birthplace and home of The Judds…
Other famous Kentuckian’s include Loretta Lynn born in Butcher Holler near Van Lear, Kentucky. Here’s a photo of the cabin Loretta was born in that I took when I visited Butcher Holler in 2000…
Patty Loveless is also from Kentucky…
And finally a painting of the City of Ashland on the bank of the Ohio River…
You can read all about Ashland by clicking this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashland,_Kentucky
Enjoying interesting museums is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
In the afternoon Mary had a one hour massage and then a visit to a Chiropractor trying to relieve her pains. This morning she reports feeling a little wobbly and sore. He’s hoping she will feel better as the day progresses.
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Kentucky. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Ashland, Kentucky – Day 1
May 15, 2013
Yesterday I rove the motorhome the about 125 miles from Lexington to Ashland Kentucky.
Before I talk of that further…I want to talk about the day before yesterday…our last full day at Keeneland Horse Racing Track. Once again we had breakfast at the track kitchen, then walked through the stable area and then to watch the horses at their morning exercise runs on the track. Here are some of the photos I took…
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
When you are in the aura of these beautiful animals…you cannot seem to get enough photos.
Okay…it was time to move on. I stared yesterday with the intent of driving on U.S. Highway 60 all the way. But after only about 25 miles…it proved too narrow, windy up and down with too many low overhanging tree branches…
Since it had nothing spectacular to offer…I abandoned it and as much as I dislike them…got on Interstate Highway 64…
About 100 miles later we ended up parked at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Airee #2329 in Ashland, Kentucky…
Here’s the dinette window photo…
We expect to depart from here tomorrow.
Enjoying beautiful thoroughbred horses is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Kentucky. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Lexington, Kentucky – Day 3
May 14, 2013
The motorhome is still parked at the Keeneland Horse Race Track at Lexington, Kentucky. We expect to depart later this morning.
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
Yesterday I showed photos of the stable area. Today you get to see the horses being exercised and some of the Keeneland grounds…
Enjoying beautiful thoroughbred horses is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Kentucky. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
Lexington, Kentucky – Day 2
May 13, 2013
The motorhome is still parked at the Keeneland Horse Race Track at Lexington, Kentucky.
As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…
The X marks our parking site at the track in the below Google Earth image. You can read about Keeneland by clicking their official website link…
http://www.keeneland.com/
Even though it is not racing season, there are still horses here which we got to see yesterday morning. I took so many photos that I’ve decided to show the photos taken in the stable area today. Race track photos can be seen tomorrow.
The day started with a delightful sunrise…
Then to the track kitchen for breakfast. Since it was a Sunday morning traffic was light…
The people walking the horses to cool down after an exercise run are called Hotwalkers. The people taking care of the horses are called Grooms. As a teenager back in New England I did both jobs over a three-year period part-time at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts, Rockingham Park in New Hampshire and Lincoln Downs in Rhode Island. Wandering around the stable area brought back lots of long-ago memories…
I just cannot resist photographing patterns…
Returning from an exercise run…
Many thanks to Greg Burchell of Crossroads Stables for allowing us a close-up opportunity…
Tomorrow you get to see the horses get their morning exercise and some of the Keeneland grounds.
Enjoying beautiful thoroughbred horses is another joy of the full-timing lifestyle!
The red dot on the below map shows our approximate location in the State of Kentucky. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2013
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust




















































































































































































































































































