Kristen’s Nirthday Hike and Cake

The colorful sunrise started off Kristen’s special day.

Kristen wanted to go for a hike at Bald Eagle State Park. Red and Oakli were ready.

A great walk and ice cream cake afterward. Happy Birthday, Kris. Love you.

Kristen’s 50th Birthday Train Ride

For Kristen’s 50th birthday, she wanted to take the train ride to the Curtin Apple Festival. Here we go.

The Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens

Tonight’s stay was at the Ernest Warther Museum and Gardens. This museum was the works of a master artist. Ernest, who was nicknamed Mooney which translates to Bull of the Herd in Swiss, found a pocketknife at a very early age. He picked it up and began to whittle and didn’t stop for 82 years.

His first carving was a pair of plyers from one block of wood.

He hand sculpted over 60 works that focused on the steam engine. This earned him the Master Carver. Most of these sculptures were made out of walnut wood with moving parts. Quit amazing to see.

This is one of our most interesting Harvest Host spots.

Falls Campground in Fallsburg, KY

We got a late start today, so didn’t get too far … Fallsburg Kentucky. We were lucky to find a campground. Not many in this area. We are in the hills of eastern Kentucky.

The campground is quiet and right on the Falls Creek. Our view is

The host is definitely ready for Halloween

Tomorrow we will make it to New Philadelphia, Ohio. Was hoping to bike a little bit there’s a 70% chance of rain.

Storytelling Festival

What a wonderful week it’s been. Jonesborough came alive with so many visitors from all over. The weather was perfect. The stories were funny, enlightening, some unbelievable (those were the Bill Lepp ones) and some were emotional.

We laughed till we cried at Bill Lepp’s stories. Shiela Arnold told us stories about the underground happenings… not the ones that were able to escape slavery but the ones that didn’t. Siloam is a Russian immigrant who told us stories about his culture. Then John Borling, a POW prisoner for 6.6 years told us about a few of his experiences, how the prisoners created a code to tap messages and poems to each other after the guards were asleep.

Donald Davis who is an internationally acclaimed storyteller had his 3 sons interview him about his (and their) lives. Bothe the John Borling and Donald Davis stories were told in the newly renovated Jackson Theater.

I could go on and on because we heard so many. There wasn’t one story this year that didn’t resonate with me.

Sunday night, Sandy always has clean out the fridge night. As always, there was a lot of delicious food and people catching the last bit of conversation with friends until the next time we see each other.

When we were getting ready to leave, Abby and Sadie said goodbye through their doggie door! Parting is such sweet sorrow.

Jonesborough’s Storytelling Festival

Arrived in Jonesborourgh Tuesday, a day earlier than planned but Sandy and Terry were ready for us. Parked Belle in their yard.

The town of Jonesborough is almost ready for the influx of people that come from all over.

I helped Sandy and the rest of the Old Towne Quilt Guild set up their booth of quilts and crafts. All the money goes to the local food bank.

Terry and Sandy had a special visitor on Thursday. One of my favorite storyteller/musicians, Josh Goforth, brought Terry’s fiddle back to him after being repaired. This fiddle was built in 1892 and one of Terry’s relatives played it and will be passed on to Molly to learn.

Josh explained what was repaired and how to care for it. Terry and Sandy’s daughter, Molly is going to learn to play it.

I walked around town to check out all the stores.

Cute idea for old doilies.

When I got back to Terry and Sandy’s, Terry was showing us his new instrument… an upgraded washboard.

Friday night the Novelty Band played for Storytelling Kickoff at the Beer Garden.

People sang along because we all knew the words. Fun time.

New River Trail

Before we left Hagerstown, we had this vivid sunrise to get our day started.

Then continued southwest to Dublin, Virginia. Stayed at Claytor Lake State Park so we could ride the new River Trail. Unfortunately we only road about 13 miles until it rained too much to enjoy the ride.

The trail runs along Claytor Lake for several miles through woods and some lake front homes.

called Sandy to ask if we could arrive a day early since it’s supposed to rain most of the day tomorrow. So we’ll be staying in Jonesborough from Tuesday through Sunday.

South to Hagerstown & the C & O Trail

Left Jim Thorpe and drove south to Hagerstown to ride the C & O Canal trail. The canal originally was for the mules to walk along the canal as they “towed” the canal boats along the waterway.

Tonight we stay at the Thick and Thin Brewery.

Before we had a brew, we drove to the C & O Canal National Historical Park to get my stamp for my Passport Book and to ride the trail. The trail was along the canal on the right and the Potomac on the left.

Since we got a later start, we only rode 15 miles this time.

Tomorrow we’ll keep driving south towards the New River Trail.

Day 3 in Jim Thorpe

Today is the Lehigh BBQ. So drove back to Bethlehem. Good food, desserts were the BEST.

After the BBQ, drove back to the RV in Jim Thorpe and took the bikes on the D & L trail again. This time we rode to Sladington and back for a 30 mile ride. This ride we had the canal on our left and the Lehigh River on the right. Another nice and relaxing ride.

Tomorrow we drive to Hagerstown to ride the C & O Trail. We will stay at the Harvest Host, Thick and Thin Brewery.

Jim Thorpe - Day 2

The rain has stopped and we have blue skies. Time to ride. Drove to the trailhead in Jim Thorpe and started our ride on the D & L (Delaware and Lehigh) Rail Trail.

The leaves are changing their colors but not as vivid as other years.

Rode about 30 miles on the nicely maintained gravel trail along the Lehigh River in the Lehigh Gorge.

For dinner we met Nathan and Andrea at the Flying Pig in Bethlehem.

Tomorrow we have the Lehigh tailgate BBQ.