Hello, to our dedicated readers, and so many humble apologies for our delayed update on the blog. It has been an utterly unusual Summer for the world at large. This lifestyle's flexibility was truly tested during the roller coaster of 2020. After a lengthy stay in Florida curtailed our travel plans and our exploration of the nation throttled back to slow the spread of Corona, we decided to snake our way North around hot spot cities and high case towns. We stayed in place for three to four nights in some locations and shot through tough areas in mere minutes. Then, add in the civil unrest surrounding minorities and law enforcement. It truly turned into a gauntlet as we made our way back to Upstate New York.
Despite the closures and limitations to exploring the areas we travel, it has been interesting to find as much as we have without the need for expensive tour guides or well orchestrated settings. Every place we traveled to had some hidden treasure tucked deep into its geography. Our cruise through the states brought us face to face with a steel God and a magical grocery shopping mecca. Even with our short stays, we got the opportunity to sit down to southern Bar-b-que with family.... thank you Patty and Gary for a long overdue visit. Our day trips took us to miniature monk artistry and a civil war museum wrought with the reality of a war long since past but alive in the hearts of those we met. We found serenity in the simplicity of staying at the old ranch where I used to live in Ohio.... thank you, Kenny and Christina for the conversation and the recharge. This nation of ours is replete with discovery and we have no concern with running out of adventures.
During our stay in New York, we were flooded with family. The time spent was welcoming and, at times, painful; painful to our hearts and our cheek bones... thank you Courtney for making us laugh so hard, that our faces hurt. It has been sad to hear the process of Dad's transportation business being slowly dismantled, but to actually witness the quiet and motionless buses is awful. To see little activity where once drivers and maintenance personnel pounded the pavement leaves an empty feeling in our soul. We parked our rig on the Coachmaster property while we stayed in Endicott. so our presence there brought some activity to the otherwise motionless lot. While we were there, the rig got a cleaning and the tired graphics were removed from the driver's side. Now only a blank canvas remains while we wait for the right conditions to finish the graphics that we created to go on. Some minor repairs were also made before we set out again onto the open road.
Pennsylvania was our first destination. Though we had been there before, it was the responsible choice of travel given that our daughter, Courtney and her husband traveled with us to vacation at the same campground. Courtney works in childcare, so it was required by her employer that she abstain from traveling to a high risk areas, otherwise be subject to quarantine. So we dragged family along as far as we could until our continued travel forced us to part ways.
"Courtney, BYeeeee!"
Now we are settled in Northern Ohio on our way to Michigan and points west. We are soaking up as much of the Summer as possible before the cold chases us South. In our trek West, though, we will attempt to make it to South Dakota where we are planning to change our residency. We have a number of chores to accomplish, but we are confident that we have time to complete our tasks and explore, as well. It seems weird changing our home to South Dakota, as we have always been New Yorkers, right down through to our ancestry. It seems we will have the added task of keeping New York close to our chest and holding on tight to keep us feeling less like homesick foreigners.
See you all in the great North!
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