The Flamingo Has Landed

We are at Pomme De Terre Lake in Missouri, staying in the same area we visited in May.

We're in a seasonal camp ground. The sites are contracted for the months of April through November, but we got a break for the short time left. The rent is such a good deal we're thinking we'll make this our summer base next year.

Pomme De Terre is a good size lake, big enough to have a good time in a boat but not so large that it attracts the huge cruisers.

The shore line isn't over developed and the lake is usually smooth.

Our campground is generally for weekend campers. By 6:00 on Sunday afternoon it's a ghost town and the few other full-timers settle in for a quiet 5 days.

We are located in the middle of Missouri on the western side, about 2 hours south-south-east of Kansas City. It's an easy trip if we have a Dental appointment like I had last week, and our family and friends can visit. Amber and Coen came this week and he found everything he needed to have a good time.

A guy can't have too many toys.

Togged up and ready for the water.

Sand can be tricky footing.

Note that the swimmer diaper is not wet yet.

The problem with having a lot of toys............

They can be difficult to control alone when you won't share.

Turns out rinsing your feet is as much fun as being in the lake with the added benefit of not chasing noodles.

Big fun!

Check out the diaper now - huge.

He could turn the water on and off by himself, and having control was the best!

Only one thing could tear him away from the water........

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(S)wings!!!!!!!

Tearing him away from the 'wings was another story - and an ugly one.

The marina/restaurant/bar at the campground.

Our cove. We are next to the dam, close to Hermitage.

This party will obviously make the blog.

See the birds on the dam tower? They're vultures, and you know what they say about creatures being instinctively aware of impending doom? Earthquake? Tsunami?

We ARE above the dam.

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We're in a rather remote area. I would say the biggest drawback here is how far we have to drive to shop.

The closest supermarket of any size is a Walmart in Bolivar about 23 miles away.

Warsaw Missouri also has a Walmart 25 miles north.

Springfield MO is the nearest town of any size 45/50 miles away.

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Our closest town is Hermitage MO, population 411.

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Check out the jail!!

O K - that's the old one.

City Hall is a modest building, but this is the county seat of Hickory County so-

The County Court House is really pretty cool.

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I have been saving the best for last.

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Brace yourselves!

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John left to wash the dually last week and returned with the exciting news!

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He has found...

THE BEST CAR WASH IN THE UNITED STATES!!!

It may look unassuming but my husband (who is a true connoisseur of car washes) assures me

"It's amazing!"

John is ecstatic with this place.

It's easy to find if you want to make the trip -

just west of Hermitage on 54 highway right across from Dollar General.

John highly recommends the Power Glow setting!

It's A Shoe Tree

Leaving Gettysburg headed west on 30 Highway we came upon a roadside art installation.

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For about 200 yards the trees were loaded with flip flops and the occasional visor.

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In the lake area of south-western Missouri there is a power line crossing the road with tennis shoes, their laces tied together, flung over by the dozens.

I've often wondered if a saturation point could be met and the line pulled down by the weight of the shoes.

Here we have a whole new genre - art without the threat of electrocution.

This can easily be found just east of

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(I'm not making this up)

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Mr. Ed's Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium!

"Fresh Fudge Made Everyday"

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www.mistereds.com

Gettysburg

We first came to Gettysburg 10 years ago.

John became interested in the Civil War while recuperating from surgery - watching Ken Burns' documentary - and has become quite versed on the subject.

The above plaque is affixed to many buildings here in Gettysburg, testifying to the fact that the structure was here during the Civil War. Many of the buildings have bullet holes. The entire town was involved in the battle. One civilian. Jenny Wade, was shot and killed while making biscuits. In her apron pocket was a photo of her boyfriend who, unknown to her, had died a week earlier.

Part of the Lutheran Seminary, referred to in the Seminary Hill Battle.

Gettysburg has taken good care of her historic buildings.

There are businesses and private residences remaining 150 years after the war.

Another building at the Lutheran Seminary.

On the first day of the battle the Union Generals watched the fighting from a cupola here.

The next day General Lee watched from the same room.

Cemetery Hill overlooking the battlefield. Five months after the battle Lincoln came to dedicate the National Cemetery, standing somewhere across the street behind me.

There are 1328 monuments in Gettysburg, erected to honor the soldiers who fought here.

There are two smaller monuments in the field ahead.

The monuments are scattered throughout the battlefields, placed where the company of men fought and died for their country.

They're next to busy streets and hidden in trees, facing many different directions.

The tall one in the right foreground is a cannon barrel, marking an artillery unit.

They honor fighters from both North and South.

Some are understated and austere, and some are grandiose.

This is the most ornate structure; honoring, of course, the fighting men of Pennsylvania.

If you click on the photo you'll see a person standing on the upper level of the monument.

It's very quiet here. People are sobered by the visit.

There were 51,000 casualties at Gettysburg, the biggest battle of the war.

Of that 51,000 there were 8,000 deaths.

Families were torn apart.

Brothers fought against each other.

It's impossible to visit here and not be affected by our country's loss.

Newburgh New York

Driving across the country we stop at a lot of Harley dealerships.

We have to pick up t-shirts for our grandson, Coen, and shop for our next bike. Here in Newburgh , N Y is THE motorcycle shop known to every viewer of the Discovery channel.

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Orange County Choppers is the total opposite of Picker's Antique Archaeology.

It's way bigger than it looks on TV!

The front isn't quite as tall as I thought, but the shop in back is really large.

Around the edge of the showroom are most of the custom bikes built on the show. I have to admit that a few I didn't like on the show are far more impressive up close.

The details that don't show on television become obvious standing in front of the bike, and the longer you look the more you see.

John hadn't seen this bike and sidecar. A gurney is available for the passenger, so I'm assuming this is for a really quick patient transport.

Click on the picture for the tank detail.

Custom wheels are in front of a counter loaded with information about the production bikes.

I was surprised to find no production bikes available for purchase. A large portion of the interior was empty, but oil spots on the carpet told the tail. Bikes had been there at one time but are missing now. O C C has remarked about financial "adjustments" on the show and it looked like cash problems were afoot.

There is an area where shoppers can watch the men working in the shop, and we saw several people we recognized. They were working on a bike, but only one was apparent.

By far the biggest part of the store was devoted to souvenir sales, and the Paul Sr. bobble heads were marked down.

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Down the road in Rock Tavern, N Y is the shop of Paul Jr.

Not nearly as impressive as O C C but still a nice shop, with more cars in the lot.

I didn't really want to meet Paul Sr as I have no respect for him.

I would like to meet Jr but knew that probably wouldn't happen.

Who I really wanted to see was Mikey!

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Mikey, who did nothing but amuse people and avoid any work at all.

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Mikey, who drug himself in to work and spent the day sleeping on a sofa in the office.

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Mikey, who has shown himself to be the most insightful member of this horribly dis-functional family.

It wasn't meant to be.

I suspected as much when the web site had no address listed, but a contact number and a form for ordering t-shirts.

Yesterday was the last day to vote on the Cadillac custom bikes built by father and son.

When I last checked on line, Jr's bike had triple the votes of Sr's.

Sr's bike had a bid in the $40,000 range, and Jr's bike was at $120,000.

Maybe all the people were here for a victory party, but it would have a bitter taste I think.

A Last Look at Newport

A view from the Newport Bridge showing

a charming little lighthouse ......

on a precious little island ......

in a darling (but rather large) Narragansett Bay.

In the background you can see the bay side (read ghetto) of Newport.

Looking just above the land you can see a thin line of Atlantic Ocean, the preferred view of the rich and famous.

We were camped in Middletown, Rhode Island; the more middle-class step-brother of Newport. Next to our campground was a small park with an unusual windmill.

The grist mill was built in 1810, and it's the only one of it's kind still existing in America. The top of the mill can rotate 360 degrees to catch the wind. One of the old millstones is shown in front. Looking to the left of the mill you can see an ornate tower on the grounds of a private school. Bella and I would come to the park for the walking paths, and the last evening we surprised a doe grazing just behind the mill.

I've got Moxie!

Moxie soda is the official soft drink of Maine.

I'm serious here!

One of the first carbonated drinks, it was created by Dr. Augustin Thompson in the 1880's as a patent medicine. According to the good Doctor a rare, unnamed South American plant was discovered by a friend of his - Lt. Moxie.

The resulting elixir could cure "paralysis, softening of the brain, nervousness and insomnia".

Since I have suffered from all the afflictions named above I'm willing to give it a try.

I plan to look at the six-pack for a while though.