Vol. 22 No. 6 - 31 August, 2018

Travelling from Niagara Falls, New York to Hot Springs, Arkansas with a wide load.  In Indiana we were permitted off the Interstate Highway – possibly lanes were narrow due to construction on the interstate.  US Highway 40 parallel the interstate highway to the south.

There are beautiful small American towns on Historic US Route 40.  Driving through Cambridge City, Indiana – an 'antique' shopping destination.  I noticed a couple of murals on buildings.

Internet – The Weekly View from Sept 10, 2015.

At 4.15 am on April 30, 1865, the Lincoln funeral train steamed slowly through Cambridge City.  Although no official stops were scheduled, the train halted briefly three times there.

In commemoration of that passing 150 years ago, Cambridge City Main Street raised funds to create a mural of Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral Train on the eastern wall of the Vinton House Hotel block. Painted by a local artist, Pamela Bliss it was dedicated by a ribbon-cutting at the City’s Annual Canal Days festival in Sept 2015.

Pamela also created the mural that depicts legendary harness racehorse, Single G, also in Cambridge City. 

Single G was a local harness racehorse.

The horse named Single G (named for the white G mark on his forehead) was foaled in 1910.  He took part in 434 heats, winning 262 and placing in 418 heats.  He is the only pacer in the history of harness racing to win over $100,000 in contested races – winning in 14 years a total of $121,125.  (100 years ago!)

We had two Shakerton barge sections, 10 foot 6 inches wide (12 inches over on each side of the trailer)

Niagara Falls, New York to Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Delivered to Hot Springs State Park on the east side of the city. A big project there.

There is a truck stop 30 miles south of Hot Springs, so we unloaded the motor bike there early Thursday afternoon and spent the afternoon in Hot Springs.  We had been through the city a couple of times in the truck and always hoped we would have a chance to have a look around.

Hot Springs National Park has been valued for its beauty for many years.  Hot Springs National Park is the home of Hot Springs Mountain which is part of the Ouachita Mountain chain.  This mountain’s western slope is where the thermal springs are.  It is believed the water has healing properties.

Also known as “Spa City”, there are eight bathhouses from the 19^th and 20^th centuries that form Bathhouse Row.

The bathhouses are on one side of Central Avenue are inside the Hot Springs State Park, the back up against Hot Spring Mountain.  There is a Vistors Centre/Museum as part of the Rangers Station.

During the early 20th century, people flocked to Hot Springs in the hope of improving their health.  Major league baseball Spring Training camps originated because of trips to Hot Springs.

The bathhouse industry went into a steep decline during the mid-20th century as advancements in medicine made bathing in natural hot springs appear less believable as a remedy for illness.

Bathhouse Row was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 28, 1987

The bathhouses are a collection of turn-of-the-century eclectic buildings in neoclassical, renaissance-revival, Spanish and Italianate styles aligned in a linear pattern with formal entrances, outdoor fountains, promenades and other landscape-architectural features.

The present bathhouses are the third and fourth generations of bathhouses along Hot Springs Creek and some sit directly over the hot springs.
Hot Springs Creek flows from Whittington Avenue, then is underground in a tunnel beneath Bathhouse Row (Central Avenue).  It emerges from the tunnel south of Bathhouse Row, then flows through the southern part of the city emptying into Lake Hamilton, a reservoir on the Ouachita River.

The Grand Promenade is a wide, half mile long brick walkway that runs alongside Hot Springs’ Bathhouse Row and Central Avenue.  Standing at a raised elevation, it gives visitors a look at the backs of the bath houses. Along this promenade are some of the cold and hot springs the city is famous for.

I walked past the above spring and could feel the warmth of the water - it comes out of the ground at and average temperature 143 degrees F (62 degrees Celcius).

Across the street from Bathhouse Row, on Central Avenue, we stopped at Bubba Brews - Spa City Taproom.  A nice place!  In an old Bank building.  Very 'homey' with comfortable seating and spectacular antler chandelier.

The Medicial Arts Building is a 16 story structure with Art Deco styling, rising 180 feet (55 metres).  It was built in 1929 and was the tallest building in the state until 1960.
Several interesting murals along Central Avenue:

In September 1913 a fire destroyed a large part of the central business area - numerous homes, at least a hundred business, four hotels, the Iron Mountain Railroad facilities and the Crystal Theatre were destroyed.  Rebuilt using brick and metal.

Several 'bath' or 'soap' themed stores in the downtown area.

Our choice for dinner was the Ohio Club on Central Avenue - it claims to be Arkansas' oldest bar, (continuous ownership) opened in 1905 as a bar and casino.
When the casino opened it was a legal casino.  It didn't become illegal until 1913 when anti-gambling laws were passed.  The casino and sports book remained open until 1967.

Website:  The Ohio Club has been a stop off for many a celebrity: Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, Bugs Moran, Lucky Luciano, just to name a few of the gangsters and it was also visited by many Major League Ball players since they had spring training in Hot Springs in the early 1900s.  Babe Ruth was the most famous to visit.  Because of all the gambling that went on, many headliner talents were brought to Hot Springs.  In 1915 Al Jolson performed at the Ohio Club.  Mid '30s saw Mae West perform and an entire host of Blues and Jazz performers played throughout the '60s.  Live entertainment is still the mainstay at the Ohio club with music seven nights a well. 
A life size replica of Al Capone sits on the bench in front.
There was a live Blues Band playing while we were there.

1926 was during prohibition and the Ohio Club turned into a speakeasy in the truest sense with the name changing to Ohio Cigar Store.  about 10 foot of the front was walled off to contain the cigar store with two doors that led into the bar and upstairs casino.
The bar / mantle was carved in the late 1800s from one single piece of mahogany with ships figureheads each end and three horse heads in the top centre.
 

Back to the truckstop, I took a few photos of the sun setting.

 Lake Hamilton, south of Hot Springs.

DeGray Lake.

Friday morning, 3 August we left the bike at the truckstop. and loaded rolled roofing at Siplast Inc in Arkadelphia.

Arkadelphia, Arkansas to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Back to the truckstop mid morning and headed off on the motobike to Petit Jean State Park.  Rode north of Hot Springs, through Hot Springs Village and into the park.
The natural beauty and ancient geology of the legendary Petit Jean Mountain inspired the creation of Arkansas's first state park.

The Ouachita National Forest stretches over 1.8 million acres between Arkansas and Oklahoma and is mostly located in the Ouachita Mountains.  This is a multiple use, working forest with managed wood timber harvesting, wilderness management, minerals leasing and spectacular recreation.

Stopped at an overlook west of the park.

Stopped for a walk to Cedar Falls Overlook.

Cedar Falls in Petit Jean State Park are one of the tallest continually flowing falls in Arkansas.  There are hiking trails to the bottom of the falls.  Not much water was falling when we were there - must not have been much rain recently.

We did a circuit of about 120 miles - all curves and sweepers, great road conditions and very little traffic on a hot Friday.
It was a hot, sweaty day and no relief even in the mountains, so we were thirsty when we got back to Hot Springs.
Previously abandoned for thirty years, the Superior Baths building took a a new life in 2013 as a craft brewery.  Superior Bathhouse Brewery is the first brewery in a US National Park and the first in the world to use thermal spring water as its main ingredient.

Our view out the window.

The Mountain Valley Spring Water:  This stately structure, a fine example of Classical Revival style, was originally built over a spring in 1910.  Historically authentic renovations were completed in 1988, adding to its popularity among Hot Springs residents and visitors.

Spring water bottled in Hot Springs, it has been bottled continuously since 1871.
Their slogan:  Proudly Non-Crafted since 1871.  Deep inside our great land, beneath preserved, protected soil sits a majestic natural spring.  Where pure, premium spring water rises naturally to the surface.  We don't mess with it, fuss over it, or add anything to it.  We simply bottle it.  As is, as we have for over (now) 147 years.  And officially label it, 'natural', because that's exactly what it is.
... the naturally detoxifying high alkalinity, 7.8 pH, and unique blend of rich minerals of The Mountain Valley Spring Water; the fact that it's naturally ionized, sodium-free, bottled in glass to maintain purity, and was named 'Best Tasting Water in the World" twice ...

The last tour of the Gangster Museum of America was at 6pm.
Before there was a Las Vegas, Hot Springs served as a hotbed for illicit activity starting in the 1920s.  Notorious gangsters like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano were drawn to Hot Springs as a respite from New York City, basking in the ample gambling halls and luxuriating in the bathhouses.  The entire town was in on the corruption, including law enforcement, which makes for a lot of super twisted tales.  Any trip to Hot Springs would be incomplete without a stop at this fun museum.

The gift shop and foyer of the Gangster Museum, The Hatterie.

Internet:  Alvin Karpis (1907-1979) was America’s last official Public Enemy No. 1.  – by virtue of kidnapping for ransom, robbing banks, and an occasional train robbery, he became the planning guru for John Dillinger, the Barker Gang, Harvey Bailey, Freddy Hunter and numerous other mid-western bad boys.  His common law wife, Grace Goldstein managed a house of prostitution above The Hatterie   Karpis found sanctuary in Hot Springs, as did many of his ilk.  Doing most of his strategizing in the spa city unarrested, due to the fact the Hot Springs police shared a common interest with Grace and her girls.

There is a guided tour and the museum is several 'themed' rooms.

Website:  Take yourself back to the days of the 20s, 30s, and 40s when mineral water, gambling, bootlegging, and other extreme pleasures brought visitors from all over the world to Hot Springs, Arkansas.  The Gangster Museum of America is an historic and entertaining account of some of the most notorious criminals in America co-existed with the quaint population of this valley town in the mountains of central Arkansas.  The audio-visual experience of the seven galleries is in itself worth the price of admission.  Play in the antique casino and hear the historians relate who, what, when and where stories that are fascinating, informative and educational.

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Hot Springs was one of the first locations used for baseball spring training, and hosted the likes of Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner and Jackie Robinson. Players and teams were attracted to the hot mineral baths, raucous night clubs and beautiful scenery.

Antique casino rooms and gaming equipment.

A change in government, and the arrest of some of the 'gangsters' in Hot Springs, closure of illegal activies and ousted corrupt law enforcement.  

Bugsy Siegal took what he learned from Hot Springs and took over The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, it opened in December 1946. (He was murdered in 1947)

The Flamingo became the mafia's first major foothold in Las Vegas.

That is a great museum and tour, we both thoroughly enjoyed it! Very entertaining and informative.

Now to the Copper Penny Pub for some Irish food.

Friday evening and the city centre was coming alive!  Haunted Tours, horse drawn carriage rides, live music in many restaurants and bars.  It was dark when we headed back to the truck!

Saturday morning we wanted another look at Hot Springs, and a local restaurant for breakfast.  Phil's Family Diner across from the horse racetrack Oaklawn was fantastic!  A delicious breakfast that was way too much food!  The walls were covered with antique/old plates, vases, lights, clocks, kitchen utensils.

We had not had the opportunity to enter the bathhouses because it was after 5pm the previous two evenings we were in Hot Springs.  There are two buildings still operating as bathhouses:  Buckstaff Baths, and Quapaw Bath and Spa.  Buckstaff has been in continuous operation since 1912, and is one of the best preserved structures on Bathhouse Row.!

The Fordyce operated as a bathhouse from 1915 to 1962, then later reopened as the Hot Springs National Park visitors centre.  It's the largest bathhouse building on Bathhouse Row and offers exhibits about the springs' history, going back to native Americans who were the first to use the water for healing.  Other exhibits explore what relaxation meant to visitors in the early to mid- 20th century.
Visitors were allowed to wander through the bathhouse at their leisure, and also Park Ranger guided tours each hour.

Fordyce Bathhouse Park Ranger Visitor Centre and Museum.

The Fordyce has always been fancy.  The exterior showcases find details such as moldings around the windows, awnings, patterns made with the bricks.  It is gorgeous, but still nothing quite what you experience when you walk inside.
Accommodations for men and women were separate.

The steam baths were usually administered for specific maladies - such as syphilis, jaundice, rheumatism and obesity.  Vapors between 110 and 140 degrees F were administered within the cabinet with nothing but one's head protruding from within for sessions up to 30 minutes.  As you can imagine, it caused profuse sweating,

 The men's bath house was quite elaborate with a sculpture, stained glass ceiling and a lot of marble, and a whole lot of plumbing!.

This fountain statue of Hernando de Soto receiving the gift of the thermal waters from a Native American maiden. 

The stained glass skylight is meant to represent Neptune's daughter and marine life, and there are more than 8000 pieces contained in the matrix. 

Running parallel with Central Avenue and Bathhouse Row is the half-mile Grand Promenade.  Views of historic downtown, behind the bathhouses, several hot springs, quartz veins in the sandstone cliffs.  The brick promenade has been a National Recreation Trail since 1982. 
Very quiet, and few people.

The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa opened in 1875 as the area's first luxury hotel. It was razed about two decades later to make room for a new property. The third and current Arlington Hotel opened in 1924 and has hosted guests including Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Yoko Ono, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, and gangster Al Capone, who favored room 442, US Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, George H W Bush and native son, Bill Clinton have luxuriated at the Arlington.

We learned from our Gangster tour that there are secret doors and entries from the Arlington Hotel to tunnels under Central Avenue for gangsters to hide or participate in illegal activities. Speakeasies, gaming, gambling, there is also remains of a bowling alley underground!
Central Avenue covers a small creek that the springs feed into, the length of Central Avenue is above the creek with several tunnels branching off it.
If Federal agents were seen trying to sneak into Hot Springs to stop the activities or look for criminals - locals would ring bells all along the roads until they were heard in the city.  Giving people warning to clear the tables and/or hide before the agents got there.

"A Girl With Her Kite" statue in central Hot Springs.

The City of Hot Springs has a beautiful collection of donated and purchased art and sculptures in the downtown area.
Back to the truck and loaded the motorbike and were trucking by 2 pm.  An easy run to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Coming into Cincinnati, Ohio from Kentucky.

Monday, 6 August northbound from Kentucky on Interstate 71 into Cincinnati, Ohio early morning.  Delivered the rolled roofing to a distributor in Cincinnati, then back to Lexington, Kentucky to load at Trane, air conditioners.

Lexington, Kentucky to Charlottesville, Virginia.

Delivered at Virginia University Medical Facility.  All the units had to be lifted to the top of the building.

South to Blackstone, Virginia to Fort Pickett and loaded one army truck.

Fort Pickett is a Virginia Army Guard installation.  It is named for the US Army officer and Confederate General, George Pickett, a Richmond, Virginia native whose ill=fated charge at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania during the US Civil War, holds a unique place in the history of warfare.

Fort Pickett, Blackstone, Virdinia to Fremont, Nebraska.

Hot travelling, some fog each morning.

Iowa truckstop sunset.

Delivered to a Nation Guard compound in Fremont, Nebraska, which is north east of Omaha, and mostly farming communities.

Loaded and tarped metal decking at Vulcraft in Norfolk, Nebraska for Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Norfolk, Nebraska to Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally had been the previous weekend, so saw lots of bikes and bikes being trailered.  The were up early with the rising sun and fog in Minnesota on Saturday.

Jim required 34 hours to include two nights off to restart his log book, so we found a truck stop early afternoon near Merrill, Wisconsin and took the bike off and headed west to Chippewa Falls.
Our reason for visiting Chippewa Falls was the brewery.

Website:  Leinenkugel was historically distributed only in the Upper Midwest, but is now available throughout all 50 states.  The company is the seventh oldest brewery in the US, and oldest business in Chippewa Falls.

 The brewery was founded in May 1867 by Prussian immigrant Jacob Mathias Leinenkugel (1842-1899) and John Miller.  Making this year 2018, the 151^st anniversary.

After several attempts to bring the beer to national US markets, they succeeded in 2007 with the addition of a Summer Shandy ale to the Leinenkugel product line. The company has since become well known for its sweeter beers and shandies, with nine out of ten shandies consumed in the United States being brewed by Leinenkugel.

The Chippewa River next to the brewery supplies the water for beer making.

The Brewery was packed with people, so we only stayed for our samplings.  In the historic downtown was a car show.  It was late when we got there, but some cars were still in the street.

August 11, the last of the shows for this summer.  Historic downtown Chippewa Falls is clean and beautifully maintained.  A lot of these old bicycles at the street corners.

Saw the Mason Shoe store - started in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
Internet:  During the late 1800s, lumbering dominated life in the city of Chippewa Falls and the Chippewa Valley creating thousands of jobs.  These jobs spawned numerous area businesses that provided support to the lumbermen and the timber industry.  One such industry was the boot and shoemakers.

Mason Companies has been owned by the Mason Family for more than 100 years,  Mason Shoe was founded in 1904.  In 1922 the company produced its first salesman catalog, the Mason Catalog.

We had a wander through the store.

We had a late lunch / early dinner at Max's Bistro - Baja California and Mexican fare with a strong focus on seafood.  We had a delicious meal - Shredded beef nachos, and red snapper tacos.  And a margarita and Jim had a beer.

A two + hour ride back to the truck on the south side of Merrill.  In Merrill Jim found a bar called Jimbo's - stopped there for a break and met some locals intrigued by the moto guzzi le mans!

A cool old building in downtown Merrill, Wisconsin.

Sunday morning was thick fog when we left the truckstop on the motorbike.  We were meeting guzzi friends, Chris and Judi about 2 hours south.  They drove about 2 hours north and me met them in Ripon.  The country roads we travelled went through some interesting towns.  Ripon is a quaint town with old buildings.  Unfortunately the brew pub we had planned to have lunch was closed on Sundays, but it was fun running around to find somewhere open!  Found Millers Tavern, a place for locals, and we had a lovely lunch and catch up with Chris and Judi. Lots of stories as they have been on some trips over the past couple of months.
Then back to the truckstop and load the bike for us.

Early start for us to deliver on the north east side of Green Bay on Monday morning,  The steel decking went to construction at Baird Elementary School.
South to Berlin, Wisconsin and loaded 5 mobile generators at Generac Power Systems, Inc.

Berlin, Wisconsin to Charlotte, North Carolina.

More farm equipment moving down the highway in Wisconsin!

Delivered the 5 generators to a ware house for telecommunications company T-Mobile, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The south to Gaffney, South Carolina to Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation.
Website:  Established in 1995 and trusted by some of the most respected names in RV, walk-in van, commercial bus and school bus industries, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) is a leading manufacturer of premium vehicle chassis.  As part of the Daimler family, Freightliner Custom Chassis shares the heritage and engineering excellence of Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz – leveraging expertise in heavy-duty durability and precision performance to infuse each of our chassis with the best of all worlds.

As the world’s largest manufacturer of diesel walk-in van chassis, nearly two-thirds of all diesel walk-in van chassis sold today are made by FCCC.  We also hold more than half the market in Class A diesel motorhome chassis and more than a quarter of the market in conventional school bus chassis.

There was a large inventory in the yard and they were very busy loading trucks. Two motor home chassis were loaded onto our trailer.  Had a big overhang, and were a little nervous about the load, but it didn't move on the 700 miles trip to Nappanee, Indiana.

Gaffney, South Carolina to Nappanee, Indiana.

Delivered on Thursday morning to Newmar Inc., manufacturers of the Class A coach motor homes.  A large crane structure hooked to each one and lifted them off the trailer, and set them down beside us.

 An employee fitted a steering column and wheel to it, started it.  I didn't see what he sat on, just the top of his head as he drove away.

 A short deadhead to Goshen, Indiana and loaded axles at Lippert Components in the afternoon.

Goshen, Indiana to Fitzgerald, Georgia.

Mid-afternoon on Friday, 17 August we parked at the Speedway Truckstop in London, Ohio.  It was the weekend of Admiral Merchants Driver Appreciation BBQ on Saturday 18th.  We had scheduled the loads so we could attend.  We had been to the two previous years and enjoyed the gathering.  Quite a few head office personnel, agents and drivers were there on the Friday evening.  A group went to the town of West Jefferson to Ann & Tony's Restaurant for Italian/American food.  Great food and a lovely catch up with old and new faces.
A good crowd for the Saturday BBQ, awards and prizes.  Admiral Merchants always extend their gratitude and thanks to drivers and agents for doing great work.  It results in all working together and all making a living and profits.

Jim and I had a motel room for Friday and Saturday nights, so caught up with people again at Dick's Bar that evening.  Most had an early start for Sunday flights and travel.  Jim and I were in the truck and rolling at 6am on Sunday, headed south to Georgia.

Delivered at a Lippert Components facility early - the bulk of the axles went there.

Website:  Lippert Components works with you to develop custom product solutions in a broad range of categories including towing, leveling, awnings, chassis, axles, slide-outs, storage, waste management, electronics, windows, doors, mattresses, furniture plastics, e-coating and more.

The second part delivered to Forest River Inc. in Ocilla, Georgia.  People there were very friendly and I got a bit of a tour of what they manufacture.

Website:  Forest River, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway Company – one of the largest manufacturers of quality RVs, pontoon boats, cargo trailers and commercial vehicles.

The Ocilla facility was the “cargo division”, so mostly trailers – small to large.  Customized to suit any requirements.

The axles with the 8 lug nuts are for these car hauler trailers.
Tuesday morning was an early start - into Brunswick, Georgia via US Highway 17 over the Sidney Lanier bridge.  I have taken many photos of and from this bridge because it is spectacular, but this was the first time over it at sunrise.

There was an 'in house' move, we moved freight from outside a building to inside.  Met a crane at Jered Inc. / PaR Marine early.  The elevator was standing on end outside.

Website:  Jered is part of PaR Marine Group and has a long legacy of providing engineered equipment and systems for defence, commercial, and industrial applications.  PaR Marine focuses on providing marine customers with specialty equipment, cargo handling systems, and deck machinery while combining its strong engineering with comprehensive heavy fabrication capabilities.

The piece we handled is an elevator system for Navy ships.  To move freight between decks. 

70 miles north to Pooler, Georgia and load at JCB, Inc. - a forklift and a backhoe.

Pooler, Georgia to Ocean Springs, Mississippi and Webster, Texas.

The backhoe delivered on Wednesday to a Sunbelt Rentals in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, the the forklift to a Sunbelt Rentals south of Houston, in Webster, Texas on Thursday morning.

Then north of Houston to Conroe to load.

Website:  CST, the world’s largest tank and dome manufacturer, builds on 125 years of technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing population and energy needs while increasing the quality of living through the products we manufacture.

Bit of a weird load.  The plastic on the crates was mostly gone in the first 100 miles!  Had to stop several time to cut off the flapping parts.

Conroe,Texas to Rotterdam Junction and Niskayuna, New York.

Way back when we were contracted with Bekins Van Lines – a driver couple had “Cut ‘n’ Shoot” on the side of their truck.  I thought it was their CB handle …  found out it was the name of the town they live in, in Texas.  Today we drove through Cut and Shoot, Texas, north of Houston.  I was excited!  

Easy drive east, though early mornings each day.  Interstate highway 40 - crossed the Mississippi River at Memphis, Tennessee over the Hernando de Soto bridge..

Research:  Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who led the first Spanish and European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States.  He is the first European documented as having crossed the Mississippi River.

Hernando de Soto bridge, I 40 east into Memphis, Tennessee.

I 40 to past Knoxville, Tennessee, then Interstate 81 north.
Internet:  Interstate 81 is a beautiful highway, running along Virginia’s western edge in Shenandoah Valley, bull of picturesque curves and hills, offering stunning views of the mountains in the distance.
Saturday morning, 25th - another early morning and the changing sky, scenery, weather conditions as we drove through the mountains.  Photos taken 10 to 15 minutes apart.

Our delivery for Monday was near Schenectady, New York.  Discovered a new New York Welcome Centre on I 81.

 Checking the load, we discovered two tears in the tarp.  Did not think the wood crate would tear it, but had to get the tarp patch materials out when we delivered.

Late Saturday afternoon, we parked the truck 100 miles south of Schenectady, NY at a small truckstop in Otego, and unloaded the motor bike.

 A quick trip into the town of Oneonta for dinner at Roots Brewing Company.  Opened in 2014.

Website:  Our eclectic food menu focuses on using regional, organic and sustainably produced ingredients and products when possible.  A relaxed place to get a bit and enjoy a pint. 

Oneonta is home to a State University of New York (SUNY) and Hartwick College. Students make up a significant part of Oneontas' population.  A lovely city, and the downtown area is being revitalised.  It is located on the western side of the Catskills Region of south eastern NY state.

Internet:  As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas close to or within the borders of the Catskill Park, a 700,000 acre (2,800 km2) forest preserve forever protected form many forms of development under New York state law.

The Catskills are well known in American culture, both as the setting for many 19^th-centure Hudson River school paintings and as the destination for vacationers from New York City.  The region’s many large resorts have countless young stand-up comedians an opportunity to hone their craft.  In addition, the Catskills have long been a haven for artists, musicians, and writers, especially in and around the towns of Phoenicia and Woodstock.

We stopped in the town of Hunter for a coffee and bagel.  Saw this nice triumph side car rig there.  A bit flash!

 Nice motorcycling roads, rolling hills.

The Catskills are where the legendary of Rip Van Winkle resided.  Rip is one of the Great Northern Catskills best-loved figureheads – a link to the past, as well as a present reminder of the region’s unique place in American history.  

His tale goes something like this (from the internet):

Set in pre-Revolutionary New York, Rip Van Winkle lives a life of ease – much to the chagrin of his wife, Dame Van Winkle. Rip's passions include wandering through the Catskill Mountains and old-growth forests, being idle and enjoying life. He doesn't work for long however, and though itinerant, he is well loved by all in town. The children especially love the fanciful stories he tells.

One day, Rip wanders off into the woods to escape his nagging wife. Hearing thunder, he unwittingly follows the ghosts of Henry Hudson's men deep into the wilderness. As the men play nine-pins, Rip imbibes a "magic potion" - quietly falling into a deep sleep. He wakens 20 years later, his beard grown long and his beloved dog, Wolf, nowhere to be found. Rip makes his way back into the village and discovers that the American Revolution has taken place. He is no longer recognizable, nor does he know any of the townspeople who greet him.

Rip's luck holds out and it isn't long before he finds his place among his grown children – though much of his family has passed on – and resumes his habitual idleness. His tale is repeated and solemnly taken to heart by hen-pecked husbands who wish they could have shared in Rip's good fortune and slept through the atrocities of war. 

For nearly two centuries, the myth of Henry Hudson’s ghost and Rip’s lengthy slumber have endured, adding to the delightful enchantment the Great Northern Catskills hold for many contemporary visitors.

Rip Van Winkle in a park.

We continued past Kaaterskill Falls, way too many tourist to even find a park.  People were walking down the road, cars stopping in the middle of the road - a bit nuts!  It took a couple of photos as we rode past.

Kaaterskill Falls is a two-stage waterfall on Spruce Creek in the eastern Catskill Mountains, between the hamlets of Haines Falls  and Palenville.

Beautiful highway along streams and mountains.

The town of Catskill, NY has Rip Van Winkle Brewery!

  I loved the staned glass lighting.

The town of Catskill is lovely!  Totally enjoyed our walk up and down the main street of historic Caterskill village. Catskill is located on the Hudson River and on the eastern side of the Catskills Park.  Lots of eateries, galleries and antique stores.

Coming into the down town area, I noticed CATS!  Statues of decorated cats.
The Heart of Catskill Association has a summer promotional program "Cat'n Around Catskill", this is the 12th year of running it.  The cat statues will be removed after the Labor Day weekend, and auctioned at the end of September.  There are 45 of them around the town, I photographed some of them in the area we went through.

I loved the detail of this one!

 Oh, a Harley Davidson snuck into this photo! 

A few photos of the historic main street of Catskill.

A cat on the way out of Catskill, near the waterfront.

Further south along the west bank of the Hudson River is the town of Saugerties.  Just a drive through, then ten miles on to Woodstock - a drive through at first it was absolutely packed with tourists!  A few miles outside Woodstock in the town of Phoenicia is the Woodstock Brewery!

We had one beer each, they were good, but higher alcohol content than we like to have especially  while motorcycling.  Went back to Woodstock for a look around.  Found Rip Van Winkle!

There was a Flea Market on, and we took a stroll through it.  Jim had to have a hot dog!

I wanted a t-shirt from Woodstock - found this one!  I didn't see any that were NOT tye-dye!  Really awesome shirt!

Woodstock, New York is definitely an interesting town!

We continued on back towards the truck, stopped for an early dinner at The Inn Between in Margaretville.

Back to Otega to the truck before dark to load the bike and an early night.  The shipment we had on the truck was for two deliveries - first one in Rotterdam Junction, the second in Niskayuna. The Naval Nuclear Laboratory - very high security there!

Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Niskayuna, NY.

After delivering and patching tarps, we headed south to National Pipe and Plastic in Endicott, NY for a load of pipe going south to Colfax, North Carolina.

Endicott, New York to Colfax, North Carolina.

Delivered that the next day to another National Pipe & Plastic company; then reloaded in Salisbury, North Carolina - at Boral Building Products. - composite siding.

Salisbury, North Carolina to Auburndale, Florida.

Down to Auburndale, Florida to deliver early afternoon the next day (Thursday, 30th).  Then to the house in Daytona Beach late afternoon.  Been on the road for 6 weeks, time for a break.