Indiana

October 7, 2008
The last stop on my whirlwind midwest trip would be Indiana which I was pre-empted by rain the previous week. Indiana was always a state I went through a small piece of when traveling I-80 between Chicago and Ohio. In recent years I had become more familiar with it as my friend Roger took me to Purdue University alumni weekends. Visiting West Lafayette I got an entirely different picture than my previous visits. My impression was that it stood for everything honest and decent about America. If I thought about the heartland, it was the people of Indiana. I had actually painted in Indiana during one of those Purdue weekends but it was not one of my better moments so I felt I needed to return.
From I-80, I headed down route 15, then 13 and immediately began to see Amish buggies and beautiful paintable farmland. As often happens, my ability to jump out and paint just anywhere was limited by narrow back roads with no parking shoulder. I could tell my time was limited before the rainstorm that was predicted moved in so I quickly found my last barn of the trip and did another little 6 x 8 just as the winds started to whip up. As my flu fatigue finally caught up with me at the end of the day, I drove through the rain to I 70 just east of Indianapolis to find a hotel within striking distance of the airport. I was thoroughly glad to be headed home for a rest before my final group of states in the east.

Illinois

October 7, 2008
From Geneseo in western Illinois, my plan is to outrun the storms moving in from the west and get to Kankakee by 9 AM, allowing me an hour to paint before the rain arrives there. I successfully get up and eat breakfast early so I get out the door before it starts to rain. I am sad because Geneseo is a cute town and I would have like to paint there. The great thing about the RV is that you don't have to schedule so much. When you have a return flight, a number of days to paint and weather interfering, you become more determined. My cold, which seemed to be waning, was now staging a comeback, so I made a plan to finish painting Illinois and Indiana today and head home a day early.
I am sorry to give Illinois such quick attention. Like New York, it is a state made up of much more than one large city which dominates it. Chicago is an interesting city and I have spent some time and I must get back during warmer sunnier weather. But today I am headed due south of Chicago to Kankakee - I remember the name from the song 'City of New Orleans' sung by Arlo Guthrie. "The train pulls out of Kankakee, rolls along past houses, farms and fields..." It reminds me that just outside the shadows of our huge complex cities are the most serene spots.
One of these serene spots is Kankakee River State Park. I picked it out on the state map with hope for my gut instinct and was happy to find it is a pretty wooded area with small bluffs by the river. The sun was just starting to get clouded in, so I was quite happy to get a little painting done with the light from the rapidly disappearing sun reflecting on the water.

Iowa

October 6, 2008
I am dodging sprinkles as I head into Iowa but it looks like it might be temporary if I head south. I've learned not to be very picky about finding a painting site when bad weather is on the horizon. So even though it is somewhat cloudy, I stop and paint an autumn orange colored field on a hillside. It is strange to be due east of Scotts Bluff, Nebraska where I was over a month ago. Like Minnesota, Iowa is very rural and full of great barns, herds of horses and beautiful color.
Even though I lived in Wisconsin for 4 years, I barely ever crossed over the border into Iowa which I attribute to my own ignorance of what it had to offer. It is another place I promise myself I will come back to under better weather and health conditions.
At Prairie du Chien I cross briefly back into Wisconsin to paint my third study of the day before heading south to Davenport and I-80. I make it across the line to Illinois before stopping for the night.

Minnesota

October 6, 2008
I have been to St Paul and northern Minnesota before, specifically on the shore of Lake Superior in winter for the only thing resembling real skiing you can do in the midwest. All I remember from skiing there is how bitterly cold Lutsen Mountain was and that it boasted an 800 ft vertical drop and a gondola. Lest you western skiers scoff at 800 ft., Olympic skier Cindy Nelson got her start there on what used to be her grandfather's land and I challenge any of you to deal with a headwind off Lake Superior when you are coming down that slope. Today I will only visit the southeast corner and fortunately it is seasonably warm. I get on scenic route 6 west of La Crescent and the sun is peaking through the clouds enough to light up a barn. I take advantage of the weather while it lasts to do a quick painting. Route 6 is very pretty and full of picturesque barns and hills, so I stop and take pictures where I can, always keeping my eye on the weather. I need to get another painting done the same day in Iowa. The next 3 days have rain forecast.

Wisconsin

October 6, 2008
I enter Wisconsin from the Illinois border at Beloit. My plan for painting Wisconsin is based on some faulty weather info that says the weather will be better to the north. Just about the time I cross the border the rain moves in. Having lived in Wisconsin, I feel I have lots of reference photos in my files at home so I pick up the interstate in a downpour and head west to La Crosse. I travelled through much of Wisconsin when I lived near Madison and there are beautiful and varied spots from Door County in the northeast to the dells and bluffs in the west. We used to go skiing near those bluffs at La Crosse mountain. It is very pretty country and the sun finally comes out in the late afternoon. I see a neat farm with a corn maze, goats and cows so I stop and ask permission. I get all set up and discover my brushes are missing, so I pack up again and go into town. I find a Michaels and buy a couple of okay brushes but by now it is cold and the light is gone, so I get a hotel for the night. Upset that I have lost about $300 worth of brushes somewhere in the last 3 states, I get in a very foul mood. I try to get a healthy turkey dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel but it is worse than a Swanson TV dinner. I start to feel like the whole trip is a mess: the weather, a cold, no brushes. Why am I doing this? My studio seems very inviting. My painting of Wisconsin will have to wait for a better mood at the end of the next day. When I loop back through Wisconsin from Iowa at Prairie du Chien, I find an old hotel on the Mississippi, the refurbishing project of an older gentleman who envisions tourists arriving in trains fron Madison. Apparently he has been working on the project for many years and the local man who tells me about it doubts it will ever actually be finished. But I am moved by the vision of someone who sees the beauty in the same building I do and dares to have a dream for it. It reminds me of why I am doing this trip and how my little problems end up leading me to places where I may not have come to paint otherwise. Sometimes you have to push through issues of weather and inconvenience rather than expect inspiration at every turn. Wisconsin history is full of people fighting against harsh conditions to carve out the beautiful farms that became "America's Dairyland"

Michigan

October 4, 2008
Driving north a short distance I cross into Michigan, the one state in the continetal US that I have never visited. When I envisioned this trip, my plan was to go across the Upper Peninsula into Wisconsin.
My first stop is to get some medicine for what is apparently going to be my only traveling companion - a cold. I hate zinc tablets but I am determined to fight this at the onset, popping tablets and eating french fries to avoid the inevitable stomach ache they cause. (So begins my healthy travel diet) I divert onto several side roads and take pictures but have not found that perfect painting setting. As I feel the congestion getting worse and begin to battle a headache, I decide to just find something to paint while it is still warm outside. Heading northwest I begin to enter rolling hills and vineyards and after some treks down dirt roads, I find a good place to park and a neat little road next to some fall colored vineyards to paint. I only do a 6 x 8 because I am feeling very tired but I am not too unsatisfied with it. Finding rolling hills and vineyards was such a surprise and it adds to my belief that the US has these wonderful secrets in every state that you can only find by seat-of-your-pants travel. I go further northwest to South Haven on Lake Michigan and then turn south through Benton Harbor continuing to take pictures for later paintings. I would stay an extra day but the forecast is for rain and I know my sunny days are limited. Michigan will have to wait for another visit to see the north which I hear is remarkably beautiful. I have to get around Chicago and hope to get far enough to paint Illinois and Wisconsin the following day. It feels good to get to a hotel, knock myself out with Nyquil and get a good night's sleep.

Ohio

October 3, 2008
There are 7 midwest states left in my painting to do list so, with cold weather approaching, I decided to fly into Indianapolis and rent a car rather than taking the extra days to drive the RV. It is a part of the country I am fairly familiar with, having once lived in Wisconsin. Charting my course according to the forecast expecting 3 days of rain out of the next 7, I head first for western Ohio. It is farm country and I go north towards Van Wert and find the late afternoon sun and the first of many barns I will paint on this trip. I haven't had time to buy turpentine yet so use one of the carry-on travel size shampoo bottles I filled with odorless turpenoid. It is just enough to get me through an 8 x 10 study. I continue to snap pictures as I head north suddenly realizing that I am close to nowhere and I have to look for a hotel for the night. The nearest town of any size is Fayette just north of I-80 so I go a little further east to get gas and ask a local if there are any motels nearby. He directs me to the only option which is a bed and breakfast also owned by the local pizza place. The pizzeria is pretty empty for a Friday night so I ask about the bed and breakfast only to find his wife Jane runs it and she is at the opera house. First of all, I think it is really cool that there is an opera house in such a small town and that i have stumbled upon one of its volunteers. I also think it is pretty amazing that a town can have an opera house and no motel, so I am intrigued. I order a pizza and wait for her to return. When she does, I follow her 2 blocks to the Red Brick Inn, which is very cute and clean and a great deal for $50 which includes her coming to fix breakfast in the morning. There is no TV so I am glad not to subject myself to the election news for the night. I feel the beginnings of a cold and nod off to sleep immediately. In the morning, Jane serves fruit, juice, coffee and delicious french toast. We have a nice chat and she is very excited to see my painting from the previous day and we take pictures of each other. If you are ever in Fayette, Ohio this is THE place to stay (and not just because it is the only place to stay)

Missouri

September 10, 2008
This was our second turn through Missouri, the first included our entrance through St Louis and the arch on our way west. I really like Missouri and I intentianlly wanted to see the southern part of the state. After spending the night in an RV park near the Interstate in Springfield, we got back on Rt 60 to head across rural southern Missouri to find a place to paint. The only trouble was that 60 which was supposed to be a rural road was in the process of becoming a divided highway. Just west of Poplar Bluff, I finally saw a road and barn as we were coming out of the hill country. So I appropriately did my little painting in Fluekville. (no fluke) As we crossed into Kentucky, I had to drive the Minnie across what I thought was a one way bridge. Locked into my lane by a construction stop which I had not judged correctly I was horrified when I saw the opposing traffic including massive tractor trailers coming toward me. One missed me by inches, then just when I was out of the woods, I saw that there was another identical bridge to cross. I began to exhale when we got on I-40 outside of Paducah. We were now on our rapid return route to Florida and stayed on interstates the rest of the journey. We got back to Florida in 2 days, just in time to feel the winds from Hurricane Gustav which was coming ashore in Louisiana.

Oklahoma

September 9, 2008
This time through Oklahoma, the weather is better than last spring when I was dodging hailstorms and tornados between Arkansas and Texas. We head out Rt 60 to Pawhuska where I paint my favorite painting of the trip. Some nice folks on a farm let me inside their gate for the painting and their teenage daughter watched the whole process. I'm glad I got to paint a horse trailer and farm. It reminded me of Joe and Mary, a lovely couple whose horses I had painted out in the mountain trails of New Mexico.
After painting we went to Bartlesville where Roger discovered the only Frank Lloyd Wright high rise ever built and something he had always wanted to see. There were no tours available but we did get to go up to the top and see a lot of the interior as well as meet a sympathetic docent who gave us a lot of information. Another case of serendipity. By late afternoon, we were on our way to Springfield, MO.

Utah

September 3, 2008
We finally leave Rt 50 at Delta and pick up I-15 down to Rt 20 which takes us through the pass to route 89. By the time we get to Panguitch, it is dark and we turn in early so we can get up before sunrise. The next morning it is still dark when we get to Bryce Canyon and Sunrise Point. A large crowd gathers as the sky lightens but it is very quiet. After the sun comes up and floods the canyon with light, we walk down the trail through the giant formations. After walking for awhile we decide to head back to the rim, find a campsite and to stay an extra day in Bryce. We have been pushing pretty hard and need a rest day. The next day we use the bikes to ride down to Swamp Canyon where I find a somewhat less overwhelming landscape to paint. At night we go to the visitor center where they have telescopes set up to view Saturn’s moons.
After leaving Bryce, we head up Rt 12 to Capitol Reef National Park. We have seen a lot of "scenic" roads on this trip but Rt 12 has to be the winner for sheer grandeur. Unlike the reds and oranges of Bryce, Capitol Reef has more varied and subtle colors.
Hundreds of pictures later as we get closer to Colorado, the canyons give way to buttes and finally the Rockies appear on the horizon.

Colorado

September 6, 2008
We arrive in Colorado and begin to look for a campground. This would not seem to be a problem in Colorado but finding one not too far off the beaten path on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park turns out to be a challenge. We head up Rt 131 toward Topongas and a state park we have in our guide. Once we to the two small ruts heading down into a forest, it is already getting late. We decide to move on to Kremmling rather than risk getting stuck in a field. I call the campground from 5 miles away and they have one site left and we take it. It was a long day but our extra drive puts us very close to the Rocky Mountain entrance. We get an early start the next morning to Trail Ridge Road. We have lucked onto an absolutely perfect day with bright clear blue skies and puffy clouds. At the top, the air is cold and thin and we warm up with some hot chocolate in the RV. We have our picture taken by another hiker at 12,000 feet then continue on the trail to follow the many streams and meadows. We finally find herds of elk and a very active bull courting his pick of the females right next to the road. We came out in Estes Park and headed to Boulder to stay at the home of Roger’s daughter. The following day we headed back through Kansas to northern Oklahoma. This painting is from the Rist Canyon area during my Colorado trip the previous year for the Richard Schmid auction.

California

September 1, 2008
Following Rt 199 from Grants Pass we cross into California near Redwoods National Park. We stop at Stout Grove an ancient stand of redwoods to take a short hike through the giant trees. Heading south to Crescent City, we get on coastal highway 101 and stop to paint a beautiful scene overlooking the rocks at Two Sisters. Later we follow the coast only down to Arcata since RVs are discouraged further south. So again, I must truncate my dream of painting along the famed California coast until I am in a different vehicle. For the first time in weeks, we head east. On previous trips to California, I have visited San Francisco, Los Angeles and Yosemite National Park. I would have to say this is my favorite part of the state. Even though Yosemite was phenomenal, the path less traveled gave us great beauty without the tail lights. Rt 299 to Redding is a twisting ribbon of road through the coastal range and we must slow our progress not only to enjoy the breathtaking views but to keep Minnie under control. We catch glimpses of Mt. Shasta to the north. At Redding we decide to briefly get on I-5 south before taking 36 east to go to Lassen Volcano. By early evening we are in Susanville and camp within striking distance of Nevada.

Nevada

September 2, 2008
In the morning we head down 395 to cross into Nevada near Reno. Just east of Reno is Sparks, where we stop for some travel info and to gas up. Lucky stop, for we notice we have a dual rear tire flat. While Roger takes care of the repair, I look for a place to take advantage of the stop to paint. While a perfectly fine town, Sparks is not exactly the most scenic place in Nevada, especially walking within earshot of the interstate. But I begin to walk down the ordinary looking streets with a belief in serendipity. After walking for about 20 minutes I am about to get discouraged when I decide to try some alleys. There within 2 blocks of the tire garage is a sunlit pink vintage VW Beetle that would make a perfectly fine subject. After about an hour, the RV is ready and I have a little 6 x 8. And they did not even charge us!
We head to Rt 50, which will take us all the way across Nevada on the "loneliest road in the America". We stop at the famous shoe tree as well as a few historic markers along the way that chronicle the pony express riders and stands. The job of pony express rider used to seem glamorous when I was a kid – grueling would be more like it. The Nevada landscape is surreal as Rt 50 snakes out in front of you like a never-ending thread. The distant mountains appear on the horizon and take forever to reach. We get to Eureka at sunset and find that both the campgrounds and the only hotel are full. After debating whether we should just stay in a parking lot, we opt to drive the additional 73 miles to Ely.
The following day we go to Great Basin National Park and Lehman Cave. We loose a little time because the cave tours are booked for the next 2 hours. Our plan was to get to Bryce Canyon that night but we will not make it. The cave tour is well worth the delay and is full of great stories of how the enterprising Lehman capitalized on owning a cave. For a dollar he allowed visitors to stay overnight have campfires and take souvenirs they could break off from the giant stalactites and stagmites. Fortunately the park service is now protecting the site the slow process of their formation is visibly continuing.

Washington

August 28, 2008

Hopping on I-90 through Spokane we take the quick route through eastern Washington to Ellensburg before picking up 821 through the Yakima River Valley recommended by a painter friend Gene Costanza in Oregon. It is a good tip on a beautiful drive and I snap pictures all along the route. Coming out in Yakima on Rt 12 we begin to look for a stopping place near Mt Rainier. Along the road, I find a late afternoon lit view of an old red apple truck – JACKPOT! The light is quickly fading so I work as quickly as possible on a little 6 x 8. With little light left we find a national forest campsite and do our best to level the RV. The next morning under clouds closing in, we head to Mt Rainier. On the road we catch a partial glimpse of the peak, which as it turns out will be our last view. The park is stunning even without the mountain view and we take the scenic drive anyway. While at the park we get some information on Mt. St Helens which is just to the south. We were going to head down the east side but armed with better information we decide to head to I-5 and take 504 to the Visitor Center closest to the crater. It is well worth the trip. No pictures can capture the size of the volcano. Just seeing the number of dead trees, stumps and massive lava fields attests to the scope and power of the eruption. The visitor center is filled with testimonies of survivors who were on the mountain either by necessity, accident or ignorance. A ranger thane gave an amusing account of an eruption warning that resulted in the largest influx of visitors in the park’s history.
Traveling through the northwest among all the still active volcanoes dwarfs any idea that we tiny humans have much say in "saving the planet." When the planet wants, it simply can shake us off like so many pesky fleas.
The mountain clouds in and we decide to wind our way back down and head south to Oregon.

Oregon

August 29, 2008
Heading down I-5 through Portland, we get as far as Woodburn by dark, so we are happy to have one of those parking lot type RV parks conveniently off the interstate. We mistakenly opt for a DQ for dinner where a chili dog turns out to be a corn dog with chili sauce - apparently some sort of language barrier. The following day we head to Eugene to visit Gene Costanza. It is wonderful to take a break from the road for a day. Gene is a great guy as well as a fantastic painter and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and his wife Rhonda. We found a pasture south of Eugene to do a quick study. The following day it was back on the road to head to Crater Lake. At this point, I am becoming concerned with how much grandeur my brain can hold. We spend the afternoon on the perimeter of the crater and take the long hike down to the lake access. (My legs still ache from Yellowstone but I reluctantly follow Roger knowing it will only hurt on the way up…) The water is cold and amazingly blue and a few kids take a dip just to say they did – I’m ok with just observing.
In late afternoon we head west to Grants Pass for the night.

Idaho

August 27, 2008
It is a beautiful drive across Rt 2 from Montana to Idaho. We come into Bonners Ferry as some rain clouds threaten from the northwest. This is the part of Idaho I had heard was a destination for survivalists 20 years ago but now seems to be under assault from realtors. We head down Rt 2 and find many great painting sites dotted with beautiful old barns and farms. I hope to find my destination before we hit Couer d’Alene which is my exit point to Washington state. Although I am seeing relatively little of Idaho, I have heard this is an especially scenic part. The rain lets up as we head south and we decide to stop for the night at Farragut State Park. Named for the Admiral, it is a former Navy training base on a beautiful lake. After getting to our site, we walk down to the lake to enjoy the sunset. The following day, I find a sunlit field of hay bales to paint while Roger goes for a run. Later we stop in at Dana Gallery in Couer d’Alene but unfortunately we are about 10 days early for the OPA western show.

Wyoming

August 18, 2008
By late afternoon I am back through SD to Devil’s Tower, WY. Coming in the back way on Route 24, I have underestimated the gas stations I would find and as I get to the national park campsite, my low fuel light comes on. The late afternoon light on the monument is brilliant so I ignore the warning and drive up to the trail instead of going for gas. The most impressive thing about the formation of Devil’s Tower is the shape and size of the columns. Massive pieces that have broken off during the formation litter the trail and the resulting structure is made up of hexagonal columns which remained because of the structural strength of the hexagon. The sunset hike around the perimeter is beautiful but halfway around I notice that I am the only one left on the trail. I get a little skittish being in bear country at twilight (no one to outrun except the bear) so I quicken my pace to finish the trail and head back to the campsite.
In the morning I stop down the road to buy $12 worth of gas at $4.41 per gallon becoming the most I have ever paid for gas. I head southwest to Casper where I am to meet up with Roger, noticing along the way that I have lost my convex mirror on the passenger side. I figure I have some extra time so I will have someone look at the persistent wheel squeak which has gotten progressively louder. Once in Casper I find out it will be 3 days until anyone can look at the RV. I check out 3 campgrounds and all of them look just awful. Casper is dry and industrial looking – I decide to move further west to find a more pleasant place to camp. A county park at Pathfinder Dam has a small RV campground and that night Roger and Cat rolled in for a late dinner.
August 19, 2008
I had been talking to Rita Cirillo for a few days about meeting up with her in WY. Rita is a painter from CO who loves to paint in the Tetons. We meet up inside the park in the afternoon and go down to Colter Bay to try to capture the light on the peaks. Rita is happy to stay in the RV rather than in a tent, even if Boo decides walk on her head. The following day we head to Jackson to get the brakes looked at. Holly becomes famous on several tourist home videos by barking at a stuffed bison outside a store in downtown Jackson. After spending an afternoon there, the mechanic finds nothing, charges me $150 and we head back to camp, this time staying at Signal Mtn. Rita heads home in the morning and we head on to Yellowstone.
August 21, 2008
We plan to stay 3 days in Yellowstone which I have heard is not nearly enough. We reserve a campsite at Canyon Village and spend the day exploring the road from the South Entrance, through West Thumb, past Lake Yellowstone and up to the Canyon. We make many stops at the geyser basins and take the hike down the trail at the Lower Falls. The canyon and falls are magnificent and well worth the 500 ft climb. The geyser basins have their own surreal beauty.
We arrive at our campsite and cook dinner. Holly is enjoying the cool weather and is full of energy during her run. The following day we head north to Tower Falls and climb part of the way up Mt Washburn after questionably driving up the narrow dirt access road. After another night at Canyon we head over to the Norris Geyser Basin, and find a campsite before going south to the upper and lower geyser basins and Old Faithful. We make numerous stops along the way but decide to take a pass on the swimming at Firehole Canyon. The geysers and hot springs are amazing – it is like watching the earth breathe. Roger and I wish we could come back in 10,000 years and see what happens if the caldera erupts. Our campground is on the edge of a beautiful meadow that should be full of elk but so far the only wildlife we have seen are bison. We planned to go to Norris Geyser Basin before sunrise, but laziness does in our plans and after a more leisurely morning we head off to Mammoth Hot Springs. While the main area featured on all the brochures has become inactive, there are plenty of new springs forming. Again we see beautiful meadows with elk droppings but no elk. By early afternoon it is time to head north to Montana.

Montana

August 24, 2008
We head north, crossing the state line just outside the park exit and head toward Bozeman for a brief ride on I-90 before heading to Helena. We decide to take a break from the RV and splurge on a nice hotel for the night. Helena is one of the smallest state capitals I have seen. There was not a lot calling us to stay so we headed north after filling the propane tank. The scenic road north was under heavy construction and after a short time we began to smell gas. We stopped and shut down the valve but could not trace the smell. After awhile it seemed to dissipate and we figured there must have been a little overfill on the tank. We wound our way north through Choteau and entered the Blackfoot reservation at Browning. With all our political correctness, we could not help but laugh at the local high school mascot "Home of the Indians"
It was a short drive to East Glacier and the entrance to Glacier National Park. We stopped to pick up a rental car since the main road through the park is not open to RVs. We then dropped the RV at the campsite before heading up to the Road to the Sun. We were advised to take advantage of the good weather since it was to be rainy the next day. The park is magnificent, looking like a scene from Lord of the Rings. The approaching storm clouds to the northwest west added to the drama of the scenery and we were lucky to almost complete the road before the rain finally came. After a rainy night in camp, we drove up to Manny Glacier Lodge the next day, then returned the rental car and headed west on Rt 2 before the severe weather moved in. We stayed in Kalispell that night where I painted a quick sketch of the river.

South Dakota

August 16, 2008
Today I planned to see several of the highlights of South Dakota, including Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands. First I stopped at Jewel Cave which I had heard was a great cave tour. A lot of other people must have heard the same thing because the tours were sold out until late afternoon. I chose not to wait and went on to Mt Rushmore stopping for a quick look at the progress on the Crazyhorse monument. The RV restrictions prevented me from taking the scenic tunnel approach to Rushmore – I was one inch too wide – but I was no less impressed by my first look at the monument. Photos do not do it justice. I walked the trail that takes you closer to the faces and past the sculptor’s studio. One of the original carvers was at the ranger presentation showing the small tools used for the carving. In the afternoon, I continued on to the Badlands heading east on I-90 to scenic route 240 which goes through the National Park Loop. By evening I was headed back west on I-90 to a campground in Sturgis, the motorcycle capital of the US. I was a week late for "Bike Week" when the town is overwhelmed with motorcyclists.

North Dakota

August 17, 2008
In the morning I head north through Newell, the sheep capitol of the US. The landscape is flat with bluffs and a few small volcanic hills. It is a beautiful warm day as I pass fields of sheep and sunflowers. I pass one large herd of sheep with a burro in the middle. As I cross the border into North Dakota, I look for a place to paint. I decide to go to Bowman to see what a small town has to offer. At a tourist info station, a young woman directed me to a sod house and old church downtown. I decide to put my awning out for shade and include a John Deere tractor in the picture. My stay in North Dakota is brief, as I have to meet up with Roger and Cat the following day.

Nebraska

August 14, 2008
There is a great sense of relief at having out maneuvered (or at least out-lucked) nature. Roger and Cat were facing severe weather coupled with snowstorms in the Rockies for their camping trip. Forecasts to the north were warmer so I moved on to Gering, NE for the evening. I had a beautiful view of Scotts Bluff National Monument and Mitchell Pass from my campsite and a beautiful sunset to end a day of intense driving. In the morning, I painted the monument under cloudy skies. Mitchell Pass was a significant progress marker for settlers on the Oregon Trail. The forecast was for more rain so I continued my northern route, detouring through Alliance to see "Carhenge" the junkyard tribute to Stonehenge.
The weather was much better in South Dakota and I spent the evening in Angostura state park, just south of the Black Hills, painting the lake view the following morning.

Kansas

August 13, 2008

Due to the weather, I decide to paint in Missouri on the way back and we push west into Kansas. We stop in Colby, Kansas at a little campground just off the interstate next to the Prairie Museum, home of the largest barn. The Bourquins also have a wonderful little restaurant where we enjoy a steak dinner and the best bread pudding I have ever had. We take along a loaf of homemade bread for the journey. The evening brings thunderstorm warnings and in the morning I paint a sunrise picture of a little barn & horse corral. We arrived in Denver in the afternoon where Roger met up with his daughter Cat for a camping trip in Colorado. I was in a hurry to move on because the skies were looking very dark and the forecast was for more severe storms. I headed NE towards Nebraska, trying to get north of the approaching system. Unfortunately I was little late. As I headed up 2 lane route 71 N with 50 miles to the Nebraska border, the weather band began issuing warnings of tornados, 2 inch hail and up to 70 mph gusts. Of course they issued them by county and I had no idea what county I was in. (Ignorance is not always bliss – sometimes it is just ignorance.) I began to panic as I passed one of the county signs they had just announced where people should be taking cover. Even my small RV seemed suddenly to be a very big target. The sky looked like Armageddon approaching but I got in line behind 2 horse trailers also fleeing north figuring I might follow them if they turned in at a farm. Really I had no options because there was nowhere to turn around and the strengthening storm was headed south. Tornado scenarios began to play out as I envisioned having to ditch the RV, find a culvert and hang onto the cat and my little dog too. (I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, but I was still pretty close.) The bad part about the geography in these storms is the RV slows down approaching hilltops and I was really trying to limit my time being the tallest metal object on the hill. As I crossed the border into Nebraska, the sky began to lighten and I pulled over and breathed at the I-80 intersection.

Kentucky

August 12, 2009
Heading up through Land Between the Lakes to Kentucky, we stayed at another state park at Hillman Ferry where I painted the following morning. Later we stopped for lunch in Paducah before heading through the southern tip of Illinois on Rt. 3.
By late afternoon we make it to St Louis and stop at the arch. It is my first view of the landmark and I never knew it was possible to go up into the top of the arch. The ride is somewhere between the angled elevator ride of the Eiffel Tower and an enclosed ferris wheel. The tiny rounded capsules only carry 5 people and the slanted windows of the arch walkway offer a dizzying view of the river and the city below. Leaving St Louis in the early evening we encounter our first rainstorm and stop at a campground in Columbia.

Georgia

August 9, 2008
Another Turn
At the encouragement of my friend Roger, I took another look at completing the journey I had started almost a year ago and we set off together to get to the west that was my earlier goal. From Florida it was necessary to retrace a couple of previous states, but since I got to see a different part of them, there was no problem of boredom.
Our first stop was in Providence Canyon in Georgia, a surprising geography in the south that was recommended to me by Natalia Andreeva, my painter friend in Tallahassee. The red and white cliffs are a foreshadowing of what we expect to see out west.
The following day we pass through Columbus and stop in to see the Civil War Naval Museum. I had never realized how big a role the Navy played in the Civil War from blockades of supply routes to point blank range river battles. In addition to the blue water and green water navy classifications of the oceans, there was the brown water navy of the inland rivers. Although less prestigious as an officer appointment, their decisions were critical to the war. The museum has a wonderful display of actual remains of original vessels and reproductions and is a very worthwhile stop.
Picking up route 27, we head to northern Georgia, staying in Cloudland Canyon State Park just south of Chattanooga. In the morning we stop at a high point in route 189 to see a popular hang gliding location. Fortunately we decide to stick with driving as an adventure. Roger has always wanted to "See Rock City" at Lookout Mountain since passing by the numerous billboards as a young boy. The trails through the rock outcroppings are interesting even without the ceramic gnomes and goblins that are peppered along the way.
Since I have visited the tourist locations of Tennessee in previous visits to Nashville and Memphis, we headed to a historic corner west of Clarksville. I stopped to paint in Fort Donelson, where a critical Civil War battle was won by General Grant.

Texas

March 31, 2008
Leaving DeQueen, Arkansas listening to the weather band, I decide to take the shortest route to the Interstate. Forecasts are calling for flash floods & severe storms and hail. My goal was to
get around them but the forecast seemed to expand the geographic area as I drove. I went west to OK and then south on Rt 259, through Broken Bow. As soon as I crossed into Texas the weather improved and the sky looked lighter. It would not last.Despite the lousy weather, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas have beautiful country which I have to come back and paint under better conditions. I hit several more downpours and threatening skies before I got to my halfway point in Corsicana. There the skies were blue and it was warm enough to have to use
the AC!I found the RV park, and Johnny, the manager on duty invited me to join a group for a catfish dinner. I met some lovely folks from Michigan who prepared all the food for everyone. Left to right are Abel and Evelyn Canales, Tommy Simpson (who caught & cleaned the fish), Richard and Carol Allred, and Johnny, the manager with the beer.
March 31, 2008
I drove down to San Antonio to meet up with Gladys Roldan de Moras. Gladys is a wonderful painter and I have been trying to catch up with her busy schedule for a few months. She just moved into a new house and has a great studio on the second floor. Since the weather was still uncooperative, we painted in the studio and planned to go to San Jose Mission the next day. Unfortunately her family responsibilities occupy her the next day so I went to the mission to paint. It is still fairly grey outside but occasionally the sun peeks out. The mission dates to the 1700's and was a community of over 300. It is located on the banks of the San Antonio river several miles to the south of the earlier mission, San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo).
A quick return
My journey comes to an abrupt end when I receive a phone call that my mother has been rushed to the hospital. I leave San Antonio immediately for the 1100 mile trip back to Florida. En route I hear that my mother is stable and will be okay. She will be home from the hospital on April 6 so I schedule a flight to help with her recovery. I have 3 days to get the RV back to Florida. The travels are temporarily on hold.
Life is what happens while you are making other plans
I learned about the 'critical moment' in an undergrad photography class many years ago. It seemed to be an argument for having a rapid fire shutter or a video camera just so nothing falls through the cracks.My own moment came while I was parked in the driveway of Gladys Roldan de Moras' house in San Antonio. I got a call from my sister in Pennsylvania that my Mom was being rushed to the local hospital then life flighted to the regional medical center. I never felt so disconnected as sitting in a big tin can with a half finished painting, imagining life slipping away from the person who had given me more than I could ever repay. I credit her for my stubborness among other things and at this moment I was glad for her ability to never give up.She hung in there and was to be in the hospital for several days. I knew where I had to be. I turned the motor home around the next day and headed directly east on I-10. The grueling drive landed me back in St Pete on the third day, I had a day to figure out the animal situation and then fly to Pennsylvania. Enormous thanks to Brenda and Mark Hofreiter for taking in Holly for a week at great expense to their little Roomba robot vacuum cleaner (you can imagine the obvious outcome of nervous dog and robotic trajectory). But here is Mark's humorous photo after the cleanup.I arrived at my parent’s house 3 hours after she got home from the hospital. Mom was very bruised & swollen from a fall the previous week. It was not related to the medical emergency but it affected her mobility and she needed 24 hour care. My Mom would tell you I was a good nurse, but let me assure you I did not miss my calling and I have newfound respect for those who do nursing care for a living. But the happy ending is that in two weeks she strengthened enough to care for herself with my Dad's help and I guess I get some good karma points or something.I returned to Florida and re-evaluted my plans. I tried to envision my recent emergency had I been unreachable by cell phone in the mountains or on the west coast. Gas is now $3.50 a gallon and it costs $150 to fill the RV tank. And I had learned that riding out the storm in bad weather was not so easy as finding a place to park. And so I have concluded that this is not the time to complete this journey. I have not decided to permanently ditch the whole idea but I will suspend the blog for now until I can give it another look in a few months. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes and I will keep you posted.not last.Despite

Arkansas

March 29, 2008I almost changed my plan to go to Arkansas due to the forecast. There were stories of rivers cresting and more rain on the way. The Mississippi was very flooded but it was not raining so I decided to head out staying on the interstate to avoid problems. South of Little Rock I took Route 70 to Hot Springs. I decided I was tired and that I would try the national park campground. It was a beautiful place with a waterfall right out my back window - a shame there was no sunlight. I ran on battery power for the night as a light drizzle started at sunset, I hoped for paintable weather the following day.Bad plan. The next day was even more grey so I decided to go a little more southwest. I was chasing the light but never really caught it. I finally painted a pasture scene adding some of my own sun. I stopped in DeQueen, just a few miles from the OK border. There is a man made lake that had very nice campsites so I settled in for what I thought was a quiet evening. The storms began about 1 AM. Ferocious hail storms moved in at about 2 AM and thunder and lightning continued till 4. I could not see the size of the hail but it sounded like a load of stones were being dumped on top of us. I bunked with Holly and Boo, not sure who was comforting who.In the morning I was sure I would see dents, but even my bike which I had left outside was unharmed. The campers across from me had their skylight broken and I counted myself lucky.On to Texas.

Tennessee

March 23, 2008
Natchez Trace - AL to TN
Minnie woke up with a flat tire. So my morning was spent in Tupelo getting it fixed. Fortunately it was a valve extender problem that only cost $6 and I got all the tires checked. My heater seems to be having some glitches which have to do with the electric system also causing the step to malfunction sometimes. I have that looked at but it is nothing life threatening so I decide to live with it till I get back to Florida.I also discover Tupelo Honey is not from Tupelo, MS but from the bees feeding on the tupelo tree in northern Florida.The Natchez Trace cuts through the NW corner of Alabama then heads NE to Nashville. The picture shows a segment of the Old Trace which you can still walk for up to two mile segments at a time. (Or 4 miles for Holly because she has to sniff it from side to side.) As I end my 444 mile journey I see a bobcat cross the road in front of me, reminding me that it is getting to be late afternoon and I have an hour to go. I want to get off the parkway before animal feeding time - I have seen too many dead deer. The parkway leaves me off about 15 miles from Nashville and my serene trip ends as I get on I 40 at rush hour.I head to the Two Rivers Campground near Opryland. The next day I discover I have lost my vent cover somewhere on the parkway and go next door to the RV store to get a new one. My bike comes in handy as I zip back and forth till I find the right match. I also ride the bike the 2 miles down to the Grand Ole Opry building where I take the tour. Earlier I had taken the tour to the Ryman and downtown in one of those must do tourist things. There are many cool places to paint downtown - little bars like Tootsie's & the Bluebird that have so much music history. But I am part of the herd that prevents more than a snapshot view. I have an embarrassing picture taken on the stage of the Ryman. Gotta do it.

March 25, 2008
I got to Memphis yesterday afternoon and had been in contact with the Graceland people about painting on the grounds. I painted a late afternoon group of trees including the Bradford Pear tree which I have seen so much of in Tennessee - tomorrow it is supposed to rain so I take advantage of the late afternoon. The next day they called me and turned me down to paint on the grounds - and it was very cold and grey so I am just as happy not to. As Paul Simon sang "for reasons I cannot explain" I wanted to see Graceland. I took the first morning tour before leaving Memphis and was surprised at how much I liked it. I was never a big Elvis fan but there was something intriguing about Graceland. I was surprised at what an ordinary house it is - but I found myself feeling that he was an extraordinary person - something very decent and sad about him that comes through on the tour.

Mississippi

March 22, 2008
I headed north west to Baton Rouge, took a break and did some shopping, then (finally!) got off the interstate to head up Highway 61 (yes, Dylan fans, it is one and the same) to Natchez, MS. The campground was just across the river in Vidalia, LA. On Easter Sunday I drove back to Natchez to paint a riverboat on the Mississippi. After getting Easter dinner of chicken, cornbread stuffing and green beans, I got on the Natchez Trace parkway for a scenic trip through history.
The Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace was a trail used by all kinds of traffic in the 1800's, from settlers to slaves to armies. The parkway follows the route between Natchez and Nashville, TN. I dry camp for the evening at mile 54, Rocky Springs. The remnants of the town of the same name are at the top of the hill. There were once 2600 inhabitants in what now looks like a rocky wooded path. It feels amazing to walk the same paths.
I love surprises. I happened across the Natchez Trace Parkway in the welcome center, and decided it looked too good to miss. I also love to learn about history and this 444 mile route has plenty. It is estimated it started as animal paths, then was used by hunters from the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. By the 1700's it was used by French explorers like DeSoto. In the 1800's it was used by settlers, traders, armies and thieves. Today it is home to us recreational explorers. I did the Mississippi riverboat painting in Natchez. Large parts of the old trace are still very intact and very walkable. Reminders of the history are frequent and varied. I highly recommend at least a short trip on it. The sacrifices made by those who traveled that route were incredible when a simple injury such as a broken leg could be a death sentence. It is a reminder that many things we take for granted are a result of many years of sacrifice and hardship. (And people call me adventurous for braving a paved highway with a heater, ac, microwave and fridge!)As I was leaving a picnic area at mile 159, a herd of wild boars took off into the trees, about half of them babies. I had never seen them in the wild and was glad I had not seen them when walking the dog the night before.I traveled through Clinton, MS where I had a nice chat with the volunteers at the Info Center. We spoke of Katrina and the hardest hit victims. Not to minimize New Orleans, but Mississippi bore the brunt of the storm and got very little attention. Even the hardest hit areas are back on the map. I have been very impressed by Mississippi and its residents.

Louisiana

March 21, 2008
The causeway across Lake Pontchartrain was long and very rough. I could only go 40 mph in places - it was like a piece of ribbon candy. The sheer size of that body of water is an argument against building below sea level. It is so wide the other shore is not visible. New Orleans is divided by I-10. Lake Pontchartrain and all the low lying areas are to the north and the Mississippi River and the higher ground of the French Quarter, Business Centers and Garden District are to the south and were largely unaffected by Hurricane Katrina. Curiosity begged me to see the other side of the city, but time and good sense prevailed. Neither walking or driving an RV through seemed like a good idea and it is an extremely large city to see in one day.They have an RV park right outside the French Quarter. It is a bit pricey at $62 but if I was going to paint in New Orleans I needed the RV to be air conditioned for Holly and Boo. And parking within walking distance in a safe neighborhood is an issue even if you can find a space. I set out walking with my painting backpack down to the heart of tourist central. Jackson Square is a beautiful place but it is flooded with people at midday so I kept looking. I eventually wandered up the Esplanade and found a quiet shady spot to paint. All in all, I think New Orleans has some very beautiful locations but I found myself wishing I had been there about 25 years ago. Tourism is fierce and the money is certainly flowing into the city again. How much of it is ending up to the north of I-10, I don't know.

Alabama

March 17, 2008
With winds at 20 mph and forecast to strengthen, the Minnie became a little hard to hold in the road. I stopped in to visit John Ball and his family in Pensacola. His kids and wife have been trying to convince him to get a dog, so they all enjoyed playing with Holly for a little while. What a nice family and John is an excellent painter. I would have liked to stay and paint with him, but due to the weather I could not stay long. The storms were building up in Texas and moving northeast bringing threats of tornados and hail so I decided not to go too much further. I got off at the first exit in Alabama where there was an RV park. As luck would have it, it was called Hilltop and that's exactly where it was. It would have been good to have one called 'Valley' given the forecast. But this was a nice place and there were no trees to fall on anything so I settled in. It would be my home for 3 days until the storms completely cleared out. Fortunately we got strong winds but the severe weather was to the north. March 20, 2008
It was a short drive to Mobile where I got directions to the Garden district. I drove down lovely tree lined streets absolutely convinced that one of those branches was going to claim my air conditioner but I arrived in one piece at Oakleigh House and got permission to paint on their lawn.My master plan was to head directly to Louisiana and save painting in Mississppi for the northern part of the state, so I drove through the small strip of MS with a quick stop at their welcome center. (They win the welcome center contest hands down, with lots of info and free soda and coffee) I arrived at Slidell, LA, at 6 PM and made plans to go to New Orleans the next day.

Florida

After the Holidays
Boo and I have been laying low in Florida and I have heard from many of you that I have been negligent in keeping up with the travels. The truth is I could not go in any direction over the holiday season and I am finishing up some studio work now for entry into the shows that seem to all pop up this time of year. M Gallery has been selling well for me and are also asking for more work. So I spend some time in the studio and then make plans to get back on the road at the end of this month.
I enjoyed Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania with my family and then made another brief trip up before Christmas. I have also had some business to take care of and of course have to wrap up the year end tax stuff left over from the gallery last year.The RV is getting a little sedentary looking and can't wait to get back out there. I also have no desire to travel in winter weather and Florida seems pretty nice right now. Once I get going again I will begin the trek west with my first extended stay being in the San Antonio area. On the way there I will visit Mississippi and Louisiana, probably staying along the gulf coast.

Boo and I took a few days to go down to Venice as a short trip before our next big venture. Mary Erickson and I went painting in Cortez and painted these three boats at the Coast Guard station. It was a good warm up for the Venice paint out which was the following week. At the paint out I received a Merit award.
I was also pleased to have a painting accepted into Salon International again this year. "Lisbon Castle" will be their 2008 show in April in San Antonio.

Holly joins us
I had to make one more trip to Pa. to pick up Holly, a 9 year old Brittany Spaniel. Holly was rescued by National Brittany rescue in Michigan and I thought she would be the perfect dog for my Dad. When he decided a dog was not a good idea for him, I was happy to make her my dog. She is a great traveler and a sweetheart and is getting used to Boo being the queen bee. Holly has had a volatile few weeks. Following the sudden death of her owner, she was put into the rescue program and was transported across the country by volunteers to my Dad's house. She became attached to my Dad very quickly and I was sad that he could not keep her.

Off we go
March 15, 2008
After leaving St Pete March 10, I spent a few days in Winter Park with Brenda & Mark Hofreiter. It is the shake out journey for Holly & Boo to see how I manage with the two together.So far Boo seems happy to have a 4 legged friend.Two years ago Brenda & Mark went on an overnight sailing expedition with me from St Pete to Key West and we still laugh about the death defying 2 foot seas we endured. After discovering we were not sailors, we decided painting might be a better venture. Brenda and I went to downtown Winter Park for an afternoon. The following day we visited with Morgan Price and Cynthia Edmunds. You can see Brenda's wonderful landscapes at www.brendahofreiter.com.Holly found a soft place to fall with Mark and Brenda who took to her right away. Mark got out his guitars on my last night there and we sang a few back and forth. Mark is a prolific songwriter and it was great fun hearing him. Also it was great catching up, telling stories and chatting about painting. On the 13th I headed out to Tallahassee and called Natalia Andreeva. Check out her work at http://www.andreeva.com/ She graciously invited me to stop in and I found out her parents were visiting from Russia. Apparently I had hurt myself the days before because I began having severe back pain. I was about to cancel the trip and go home, but Natalia persuaded me to rest up, I made a quick diagnostic call to my sister, got some Aleve and have made enough of a recovery to go forward. Eight years ago I had back surgery so I've learned that when it tells me to slow down I must listen. I am the only one in the house who cannot speak Russian but we have communicated through the universal language of food. They are wonderful warm folks and Natalia's 2 boys had fun playing with Holly. Tomorrow it is off to St Mark's to paint and then it is time to head west.

South Carolina

November 3, 2007
I travel on to South Carolina to the Lake Hartwell. I go down to the lake to paint a late afternoon view. The red clay banks are showing due to the drought. I decide to visit my brother in Aiken, SC the next evening after I cross into Georgia. I travel down routes 17 and 78 past some beautiful farmland before getting to Augusta. In Augusta, there is a historic church next to the old train station. A gate to St Paul's is backlit and catches my attention to become my Georgia painting.I get to Aiken in early evening and have a good, if short, visit. My push to Florida will take the entire next day so I leave as soon as the sun is up. I will be taking some time off the road, leave the RV in Florida for a few weeks and drive my car back to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving.

North Carolina

November 1, 2007
Leaving Lynchburg, VA I drove south through the rain to North Carolina, glad I did not have much distance to cover. As soon as the rain lets up I get off the interstate and head just south of Winston Salem to route 64. I get to my campground in the late afternoon and luck onto a site that is level and has internet reception. The rain ends and the next day I find two beautiful little canoes by the lake. While I am painting I get a small group of kids watching me. One of them asks me to paint her - her name is Paris and she is from Yadkin, NC. I do a small painting of her and give it to her after she lets me know my painting prices are "a little ridiculous".

West Virginia

October 26, 2007
I head to Morgantown, WV to camp for the night after a quick painting at Coopers Rock. The next day it is raining so I elect to travel on the Interstate for the first part of the trip, getting off for the back roads when I see the sky lighten to the east. I travel down route 219 from Elkins, surprised at how great the road is. What a beautiful mountainous state it is. I end up at a Walmart parking lot in Lewisburg, my first Walmart camping experience. Not too bad, but the parking lot lights are really bright!The next morning I planned on doing another painting but it is absolutely pouring, so I take the Interstate to Virginia and head toward Lynchburg. There is a tornado watch so I decide to take my bike inside for the night and batten down the hatches for a downpour, glad that I am safely hooked up in a campsite for 2 days.Hi ho Hi ho...

Pennsylvania

October 20, 2007
I took a month break from driving to take care of business, do some studio painting for a galleru show, and have another visit with my parents in Pa. since the weather has been outstanding.... a perfect fall, day after day. I also took the opportunity to help Dad redo his WWII Navy wall with pictures and memorabilia. I also had a visit from my daughter who came in from NYC for a day - always good to see her.But finally I am on the move again. I head down to Allentown to visit a friend, Cheryl, and we reminisce about being in our 20's and all the stuff we got away with that we could never do now. A quick RV repair to the door and I am off to Hershey & Thousand Trails campground - my visit is extended due to bad weather. My electric bike arrived a week ago (the first one arrived broken) has now been adjusted and outfitted with a new comfy seat. I just got a chance to try it out - a shame the camp speed limit is 5 mph! I have been finishing up paintings for a Nov 1 show so my studio is indoors for the time being. My plan is to head south through western PA, WV, VA, the Carolinas, GA and FL. It feels more like fall and some bands of thunderstorms moved through last night, rocking the RV a bit, but today is sunny and warm again.
October 25, 2007
I had a wonderful trip through western Pa. on route 30 west of Chambersburg - probably one of the most beautiful roads I have been on due to the foliage being at peak color and the perfect weather.At the end of the day I went through Shanksville to see the United 93 memorial. A temporary wooden wall is at the impact site. People from all over the world have left mementos and messages. The site itself is tucked in a hillside you cannot even see from the main road and there is a waiting line to see the photo book. While standing in line I spoke to the daughter of one of the passengers, Hillary Marcin. She speaks of friendships that have formed among the families. To donate towards a permanent memorial, go to http://www.honorflight93.org/I head to a campsite just as the light fades.The next day I head south towards West Virginia, stopping at Fallingwater to see the Frank Lloyd Wright house I swore I would visit. I can only tour the grounds since it is Monday but get many close up views of the house. It is much more spectacular than the first photos I saw in art school 35 years ago.

New York

September 24, 2007
In the morning it is fogged in so I will wander down to the lake to see if there is anything I can paint. I had just decided to move on and paint NY another day when I stepped out of my camper and saw the scene right in front of me. There is a young girl at the pop up camper next door and the sunlight had just come out catching the edges of their camper and the American flag. I quickly set up and start painting and after about 45 minutes I am "discovered" by the family and I ask if they mind that I am painting their campsite. Dad Scott and his 2 kids are quite happy to represent NY. They are from Poughkeepsie and are on their way to be a chase crew for the balloon festival starting in Lake George. I promise to email the finished painting. Very nice people.

Vermont

September 23, 2007
The next day I find another painting waiting for me at Joe's Pond, Vermont.
Between Maine and Montpelier, I could paint for weeks - around every turn is a street or a farm or a lake that I would like to stop for. I finally head south of Burlington to pick up a ferry across Lake Champlain. Boo sleeps through the whole experience as usual. It is a good way to end a fantastic few days of perfect weather and great sights. I am humbled by the shear beauty of this country tucked away in the small towns and the back roads . I head down Scenic Route 9N at the end of the day. I ride up and down the hills along the lakes until the light goes and it gets a little too scenic. A deer jumps out in front of the RV. I fortunately am not going very fast but I am ready to pick up the interstate for the last 10 dark miles to avoid any more surprises. I arrive at Lake George with a campground reservation, get connected and quickly fall asleep.

New Hampshire

September 22, 2007
The next day it is time to leave Maine so I head west and pick up Rt 2, determined to stay off the interstates. I cross the New Hampshire border at Shelburne and find a wonderful little campground. The owner gives me a couple of possible painting locations and I end up with the long afternoon shadows and last light at the Shelburne church. There are spectacular vistas in New Hampshire but there are even more quiet scenes like this that you can miss on the highways. Shelburne has about 370 residents but today it is representing the entire state.

Maine

September 5, 2007
I arrive in Mount Desert Island in Maine, having vibrated through PA, NY, CT, and MA. (our interstates are crumbling and are being pounded by trucks and bad drivers!) I was invited by Richard & Judy Carrell to informally paint the Big Lobster Croquet Tounament in Southwest Harbour. I parked my home in the back yard of Ann Bright. Ann is a wonderful summer resident who opens her home to me, feeds me and lets me use the facilities and the internet & phone. I drive each day to the Claremont Hotel. The scene looks like a John Singer Sargent painting with the players all in their whites against the beautiful harbor in the background.

September 12, 2007
We are fortunate to have 3 sunny warm days but the cool nights signal the end of summer. At the end of 3 days I have sold a few paintings, the weather turns rainy and I am thinking it is time to go. I spend 2 more rainy days waiting for the sunshine so I can go out and take some more photos. I have gotten a few commissions for later and lots of great material.I pause on September 11 and thank those who have made it possible for me to have such freedom.The following morning the sun is out and I do a quick study in Seal Cove. There is a van in my view and as I am about to be irritated by it, a man steps out and
starts playing the bagpipes. WOW. The sun, the ocean, the 25 knot winds bouncing the boats and bagpipes - can it get any better?I head southwest on Rt 3 and 202 to Turner to visit some old friends and catch up on the last 10 years, kids, aches and pains... Gerry and Angela Maloney were there when my kids (now 25 & 26) were born. I enjoy the comforts of home for a few days before heading back on the road.

September 21, 2007
My internet system has not worked so I am dependent on Wifi locations which have been few and far between. I spent 4 nights in the Camden Rockport area to catch up with Mary Erickson. She is visiting Maine from North Carolina so we met at the campground and went painting after a quick visit to the Farnsworth Museum to look at the Wyeth paintings. Mary is the hardest working painter I have ever met - she will stop to paint on her way to go painting and is one of very few people I will get up at 5 AM to hang out with.
On the 18th we met up with Don Demers and Gary Davis to paint on the Olson farm where Wyeth painted Christina's World among others.
I have horned in on a reunion paint for the other 3 who met in an Ireland workshop of Don's. But they are all great people and don't mind the intrusion.
( I show my cluelessness at the end of the day by being the only one not drinking Guiness.) I dashed out a little 6 x 8 of Mary and Don painting together which they both liked.