The trip is over

July 27, 2010

Since the 23rd we have visited another day with Jill and then went to Cincinnati to see our friends, the Carls. Spent two delightful days there. Saw both of their daughters and grandson.

Lara, the youngest daughter, is enrolled in a Pastry School. She makes the greatest desserts as well as being a great cook. Her goal is to become a Pastry Chef at a high class eatery. I think she has a great chance of succeeding.

Becky is still managing a Hallmark store and really likes what she is doing. She used to be Joyce's head nurse but when they moved from Charlottesville she changed careers and has never regretted it.

Rick is still working for GE in their IT department. He is also recovering from a severely broken leg which resulted from a fall.

Monday we left and ended up near Beckley WV in a small campground we had camped in on our way back from Alaska in 2006.

Left early this morning and arrived home this afternoon. While we have enjoyed ourselves we are very glad to be home. We have missed our friends and family.

This finished David and Joyce's Fine Trip. Ya'll come see us or call.

Looking for Ancestors

The Pierce School

July 21, 2010

We got the tires replaced on the camper and started south toward Manchester around 11:30. We skipped Washtenaw and decided to come to Maumee and camp for 3 nights instead of two and I would go back to Michigan to search for the ancestors. Called Jill and as it worked out she is off this week. She came over and we had a good visit. It was decided that Joyce would spend the day with her and I would go hunting by myself.

July 23, 2010

Today was a really good day. Jill came and picked Joyce up and I went to Manchester where my great grandfather had died. After talking to some people, by telephone and in person, I went to what was known as the Old Pierce Farm on Parr Road. Talked to the present owner and found out that he had purchased it in 1952 and the previous owner was a William Pierce. Took some pictures and went back to Manchester for lunch. Stopped at the Whistle Stop Cafe for lunch. As I was eating an elderly gentleman approached the cash register and I asked if he knew a community called Sharon in the area. He wanted to know if it was I that had called him earlier. It was. His name is Harold Parr, age 90, and active in their Historical Society. We went to the Blacksmith which was now the historical society's office to look at an 1880 atlas that was published with items about each township within the county.

He was unable to locate it there but said he had one at home and invited me to come look at it. The Atlas was of no help, but he pulled out a 1915 map of
Sharon Township that show all the parcels of land and the owners. I found my grandfather, Edward M. Pierce, on the map. There was also a school on the property called the Pierce School. It seems Henry Ford bought out all the landowners in that area, tore down all the buildings and converted it to a huge Mega Farm. Mr. Ford took a liking to the school and left it standing. It is in disrepair but made of Manchester Brick and still stands. So I was able to find his farm. On the way back to town we stopped at the Gillet Cemetery to look at the headstones. We were amazed but I was able to find my Great Grandfather Mowry Pierce, both of his deceased wives. Also found his brother's (Myron Pierce) with wife and 4 children. Myron outlive all his children and died at the age of 112.

Like I said, it was a good day and I actually succeeded my expectations. Tomorrow I may go back up toward Ann Arbor and try to find my Great-Great Grandfather Nathan Pierce. Joyce will spend the day with Jill helping her prepare food for her son's birthday party that evening.

For the last several days I have been extremely tired even tho I have been sleeping well. Getting off the road early yesterday seems have done wonders for me. Even felt like I had a little spring in my step.

Today has been an easy day. We are at Pinny Park Campground in Pinconning, Michigan. On the edge of Lake Huron. Today we have seen Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Tomorrow I have to see about getting tires for the camper. Was sitting outside this evening and the tires are in terrible shape. Flat spots, no tread. Its a wonder I have not had a problem with them. But I must say, those tires have been thru Hell. Over 14,000 miles and some of the roughest roads you can imagine. Plus mileage I have put on them in the last two years. So I don't think I can complain too much. Just hope I can find what I need and get down to Washtenaw at a reasonable time. It is 145 miles from here.

I have given up on locating my half-brother, as I think he may be deceased. What I would like to do now is to see if I can find out where my Great Grandparents are buried. I have found some info that goes back to the 1600's.

From Seney, Michigan

July 19, 2010

Well, we did slow down when we got to Michigan. Yesterday, in Wisconsin, we turned off Rt. 2 and took a scenic loop up the shores of Lake Superior. We were headed toward the Apostle Islands but the road was closed so we had to detour around them.

Crossed into Michigan in the afternoon. Decided we would take a scenic route that went along the lake shore. Ended up in a Township Park in Ontonagon, Michigan. They had electricity and pit toilets. What I really wanted was a good shower and hair washing. But it was OK for the night.

During the day, at one of our stops, I found that the pin that locks the hitch to the ball(as well as holding the electrical cable off the ground) was missing. Either I had forgotten to put it in or it had pulled loose. The cable had been dragging on the ground and some of the wires were showing. Wrapped it with electrical tape, found a way to keep the cable off the ground, and kept going.

One thing that I have learned on this trip. Try to have as many spare items as you can. Already I have had to buy fuses and bulbs for the brake light on the camper.

Today I stopped at an RV store and bought two pins. One to use and one for a spare. Hope I won't have to use the spare.

It has been a rather slow day today. We have continued taking the scenic route and are now in Seney, Michigan. Had dinner and then went and drove around the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Saw lots of trumpeter swans, a few beaver and ducks. Lots of insect life.

We have now been in the UP of Michigan for two days. Tomorrow we cross down into the Mitten.

From Saginaw, Mn

July 17, 2010

Last night we stayed at the Larimore Dam Recreation area in one of the nicest campgrounds we have been in. For $20 we got electric and water and a huge grassy area to put the camper on. Larimore is west of Grand Rapids, ND.

On the way to Larimore we went through an area with lots of Oil wells. At several we could see flames where we think they were burning off the gas from the wells. I wonder why they can't capture that?

Today we are a few miles west of Duluth, MN. The morning started off with an approaching thunderstorm. We packed everything away and lowered the camper in record time. Did not want a wet mattress again.

Drove thru rain for most of the day. No heavy downpours but roads were wet. We crossed the Red River, the St. Louis River and the Mississippi River. We actually crossed it twice. And both times it was about half the width of the Rivanna River that runs thru Albemarle County. We were in the headwaters near Lake Itsaca.

The broken window in the car is holding together. Since we are already in Duluth I will cancel my 2:30 appointment on Tuesday. There is no way we will stay here 3 days. Will probably slow down when we get to Michigan. I also want to go to Sharon, which was my mother's birthplace. After that we plan to go to Toledo and Cincinnati to see friends.

From Williston, ND

July 14, 2010

It's been a few days since I updated this so here goes. Arrived in the 'Land of purple mountains and amber waves of grain' on the 14th. Went as far as Havre, MT and stayed at the Emporium RV park. Opened up the camper and found out the bed was wet. I won't bore you with the details, but we got everything dried out.

This campground was right on the highway and behind it was a railroad switching yard. It was not quiet but I slept better than I did in the motel in Nanton.

July 15, 2010

We are now in Williston, ND and the Central Time Zone. While we have been moving east, and not doing in stopping except for bathrooms, food and gas, we have noted that the 'Amber waves of grain' are becoming amber. Lots of grain fields and hay fields. They are in the middle of 'hay season' and the fields and roadsidhes are littered with hay bales. They even mow and bale the shoulders and medians of the highways here.

We are traveling RT 2 east and while it is a two lane road, with speed limits of 65-70 mph we are making good time. Our only problem yesterday is a shattered window on the car. Evidently as we were passing a bush hog, a rock was thrown against the window. Can't get it fixed until Tuesday in Duluth, MN and we are afraid it will drop out and get glass all over the car. We have taped both the inside and outside of the window. While it may drop out, it will not put glass over everything. Moving on today.

From Jasper in the snow

July 11, 2010

Joyce and I have been playing this dumb “Punch Dub” game. It is unfair because you are not allowed to punch the driver. And I am the driver. As we were coming thru Burns Lake I called a “Flowerdy One”. It was an old Beetle that had live flowers planted all over it. Unfortunately Joyce could not get a picture.

We continued thru lots of beautiful farmland. They must raise hay as a cash crop because there was a lot of it being cut and baled. There did not seem to be enough livestock to feed it to.

We made an early day of it and stopped at Purdon Lake Provincial Park and camped for the night. By the time we arrived the temperature was about 80 degrees. Had supper then a campfire with toasted marshmallows.

July 12, 2010

Well the pleasant temperature came to an end. 46 degrees this morning and a light drizzle. Packed up and on the way. Stopped down the road a couple of miles with the intent of getting gas. Pulled up to the pump and across the front was a handwritten sign saying gas was $2.00 per liter. That works out to $7.60 per gallon. I had more than enough to get to McBride and got gas there for 1.09 per liter.

We continued on to Jasper National Park. On the way we noticed that some of the mountains had a new dusting of snow on them. We could see it on the trees near the top. We have been driving thru rain off and on most of the day. Shortly after we entered the park we changed time zones. We are now on MDT, only hours difference from home.

We arrived at Whistler Campground and got a site and set up. This campground has 781 sites and 177 of them have electricity. They were all taken so we are “Dry Camping” again.

We had forgotten to get milk and needed an onion also. So we went into Jasper itself and it is nothing but shops, restaurants and Adventure stores for the tourist. Must have been a least 50-75 RVs of one description or another parked there. Found a grocery, made out purchases and headed back to the car. Overheard someone saying that they had arrived 20 minutes before the snow. He said that heard that there was a half inch of snow on the highway.

I hope to get this posted in a couple of days. We are either going to Lake Louise or Yoho National Park tomorrow. I will decide sometime or the other.

July 13, 2010

Well, the weather decided for me. We awoke to a steady rain. And we could not believe we had slept until 7:45. I blame it on the time change. We were indecisive about what we wanted to do, but did not want to stay there another day. We packed as much as we could do without loading the car. To make the story shorter, we took the camper down in the snow. It was mixed with the rain and left a slushy mess on the canvas.

We left the campground at 11:00 and by that time it had turned to all snow and was beginning to cover the ground and the trees. We drove over 100 miles in a really good snow storm. They even had snow plows scraping the road and spreading sand.

As a consequence we did not stop at Lake Louise or YOHO National Park as I had wanted to. In fact, it has rained or snowed on us all day.

We are in Nanton, AB south of Calgary in a small roadside motel. We plan to be in the Lower 48 tomorrow.