February 2026 - Blairsville, GA

 Surprise, surprise...we went back to north Georgia, but instead of staying at Morganton Point, we went to Track Rock Cabins and Campground in Blairsville.  It, too, is a Passport America park, but one we have never stayed at before.

Established in the 1960s, Track Rock is a multi-generationally owned campground on 250 acres with cabins, campsites, stables, and a small lake suitable for fishing and swimming.  This is a view from our spot.

The land around here is basically rolling hills.  This is the closest I felt I could safely make it down to the lake and still get back up, and rolling down the hills was prohibited in the camp rules.

Their newly renovated rec room sported a snooker table.   Bob was thrilled.  But, wouldn't you know, this was the only time we didn't bring  his pool cue, and the ones here were not in good shape. The next day, as luck would have it, it poured, so we spent most of the afternoon driving around in search of an inexpensive cue stick he would still be able to use at home.  And the camp had one more thing that you don't see every day...

 
a phone booth!

 We spent our other two semi-sunny days stopping at a few shops and restaurants we like.  Bob got to shoot on the snooker table.  We took Poochie for a lot of walks to enjoy new sniffs. We enjoyed a campfire, and then it was time to get back home.

Christmas and a New Year - Dec 2025 and Jan 2026

 Christmas this year was pretty much as it has been for the past several years.  Bob and I celebrate it by yourselves.  Christmas Eve we do have the traditional Wigilia dinner, and Christmas Day we have fun with our grab bag. 

Old traditions are still followed, loved ones are remembered, and Christmas decorations that have become heirlooms like this one abound.

And in January we got a light dusting of snow to make the winter complete.

Yet another camping adventure - November 2025

 More or less as a birthday celebration, we usually take a trip mid November.  We are once again at Morganton, but this time we will explore Bryson City which is in North Carolina about 70 miles north.

Why Bryson City?  Same reason as why the bear went over the mountain...to see what he could see.  And we saw this Christmas tree with some pretty big balls!

And golden reindeer.  Santa had evidently made a stop at the Chamber of Commerce.  But seriously, Bryson City is famous for being at the doorstep of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Nantahala National Forest...

..and the Nantahala River, famous for white water rafting, kayaking, and trout fishing.

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On the edge of the river bank is The River's End Restaurant

Looking thru the window, it felt as though we were on a riverboat.

The next morning back in Morganton, we saw a coffee shop named Common Grounds.  We decided to have breakfast there.  We didn't know it was also a GOP gift shop...

...with a replica of the Oval Office!

 
  

Back Home- October 2025

 Once the camper was emptied, Bob lost no time getting to his next To-Do...

...tearing down the pool deck and pool.  The wood deck had become warped and deteriorated.  The pool needed a new liner, and I wasn't spending as much time in it as before, although Bob was still spending a lot of time, energy, and money to keep it clean.  So, we decided to get rid of both.  Poochie is Project Manager, but I think she is keeping an eye out for the neighbors whose son and family have temporarily moved in while their new home is being built further down the road.  They've parked their vehicles in the empty horse pasture.  Unfortunately, Oklahoma died last August.  It's difficult to look out and not see him anymore.

Within a few days, the deck and pool were dismantled.  I must admit I missed it from the moment Bob took down the first panel.  I don't know what we will put in that area, but whatever it is, it won't be until at least next spring. 

  

One day, I went with my friend Ruth to the genealogy library at the Art Center in Anderson.  Ruth has spent years tracking down the branches of her family tree.  While there, I saw this unnamed sculpture which was created in the spirit of remembrance and reconciliation.  It represents the five hangings of black persons in the area from 1894-1911.  Five jars with soil from the ground where the hangings took place are suspended above the burnt timbers.

Second Leg - Ohio October 2025

 It is too long of a drive to get to Mt Gilead, Ohio, where Gwen and Julie live in one day.  Half way was in Clarington, PA where there was another Passport America campground, White's Haven.

It was a beautiful fall day, and the park was very well maintained.

The next day we toured the area. Nearby is Cook Forest, known for its "old growth".

And, The Pickle Barrel, a roadside general store.

We got a chuckle out of this sign in the store.

We got to Julie's the next day, only to learn that she and Tony had separated and would be filing for a divorce.  Quite the shock, but it is what it is. 

So, now Julie is the sole owner of the tin man Bob made for them.  Julie has dubbed him Tin Diesel.

There is a large Amish community in this area.  We stopped at one of the stores and stocked up on Amish foods, and at an Amish nursery we bought a variety of multi colored and shaped gourds and a dwarf red maple which Bob may try to make into a bonsai.  

The last night there, we took the ladies out to a steak restaurant for dinner...Julie, Jodie (Tony's mom), and Gwen. 

 
The drive home didn't start out well with a blustery rainstorm and backed up traffic on I-71 outside of Columbus.  But once we got moving again, we didn't have any further problems and got home the following afternoon.
 

 

First Leg of Two Week Road Trip - NJ September 2025

 Although I said I wouldn't drive back to NJ, we found ourselves doing just that on September 24th.  Uncle Mike's 103rd birthday would be on September 27th, and I felt I needed to see him.  I had also made plans to meet with some School 13 friends, and then go from NJ to visit Bob's family in Ohio. 

Fortuitously, one of our Passport America club campgrounds at Buena Vista, VA, is almost half way to NJ, and has been a stopping place for us at least twice before.  The only downside is that it is off I-81, and even the park attendant said traveling on I-81 was taking your life in your hands.  

And the woman must have been clairvoyant.  The next morning, we were in a 3-lane shut down due to a horrific accident that had occurred just two miles from us.  We were stopped for over 2 hours only to finally be able to get reach the next off ramp, which was about a quarter of a mile away, take a detour of a few miles, and get back on 81 past the wreckage.  But, we knew we were lucky...at least we got to drive away and tell the tale.

It is a white-knuckle ride on the interstates, especially towing a trailer, but thankfully we made it to Mahlon Dickerson Reservation and to our favorite campsite without further incident.  In fact, when we crossed over the Delaware River on I-80, I asked Bob if we were in the Twilight Zone....there was almost no traffic!!

Uncle Mike's health had been failing, and he needed more care than the family could provide.  He went into a nursing facility and a few months later he moved into the New Jersey Veterans Home in Paramus.  This is where Adele arranged to have the party for him on Saturday the 27th.  Above are some of his first-generation family:  Barbara and Joe, Carol and Nelson, Adele and Michael, and me.

And here are some of the second and third: (top row) Alexis, Matt, Al, Dean, and Sean. (bottom row) Tallulah, the guest of honor, Annie, Jill, Jonah, and Abram.

Adele performs the traditional Polish birthday song, "Sto Lat", and in flawless Polish!

Later most of us went to Annie and Dean's house for some food, drinks, and good cheer.

On Monday, Bob and I paid our respects at the cemetery before meeting up with friends at Allwood Diner.  Nance displays her School 13 centennial -shirt.

Plish, Nance, Francie, Mike and I have known each other since kindergarten in School 13.  For some reason, there is a very strong bond among those of us who went to school there...one that has lasted over 70 years. The two guys at opposite ends of the table, John and Tom, are honorary 13ers being married to Plish and Nance.  Bob didn't want to break the camera, so he took the photo. 

We left the next day to head to Ohio.  But, I'm glad we did make the drive one more time.  Sadly, Uncle Mike passed away January 9th of this year.

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Lake Hartwell July & August 2025

 July 14 - 17 we camped at Twin Lakes Army Corps of Engineers park on Lake Hartwell.  We had a washout two days, so there wasn't much to blog about.  My friend, Myra, who lives nearby was to come to our site for a picnic, but she didn't feel well, so we cancelled plans.  We did drive around Pendleton a little, stopping at a "meat and three" restaurant in the older part of town.  But, the newer section was disappointing in that it was giving way to franchise shops like in almost any other city, and had lost the small town feeling it once had.

In August, we went back for our third (?) stay at Wadstatdler, another  Corps park, for a 3 nights.

Yep, rain again.  And, boy did it pour.  We decided to drive into Anderson, about 20 miles north, to do some shopping and have a bite to eat.  That turned out to be a bit chancy since the rain had produced severe ponding on the roads.

The next day was overcast, but at least the rain had stopped.  We drove into the town of Elberton, about 10 miles south of us.  It is known as the Granite Capital of the World.  It boasts having produced more granite monuments than any other city in the world.  Granite deposits were found about 9 miles below the earth's surface measuring about 35 miles long and 6 miles deep.  There are 45 active quarries in the area.

 
We had talked about visiting their granite museum before, and we decided to do that on this trip.

One of the reasons is my fascination with the mysterious Georgia Guidestones (see post from May 2022 if you are not familiar with the Guidestones).  I was hoping to get more information about who was behind their construction, but there wasn't anything more than I had already found out.  We didn't go away totally empty handed.  I did get a few free post cards of the monoliths plus a souvenir piece of granite.  I guess there is plenty of that to give to the museum visitors.

The sun made its appearance on our last day.

And in the evening, the moonlight was magical.