Pennsylvania - Again

Monday we returned to Pennsylvania, my birth state. I always feel like I'm "coming home" when I do return here even though I've lived more years out of the state than I did in it.

The drive from Lockport was long, almost 400 miles, but not a bad drive. Most of it was on US 15 and I was surprised to find more four lane portions than two lane. It was a very pleasant drive with lots and lots of pretty scenery including trees that are beginning to turn to fall colors.

The Pennsylvania Welcome Center we stopped at was really very nice - it rivals the one in New York that I had posted about earlier. Here again, would love to be able to camp there and enjoy the views.

We are settled in at Artillery Ridge for at least a week. I guess we are lucky because they have several horse associations coming in the end of the week and I was able to get us one of the better sites where we can use our King Dome and our sat. for internet. I thought we would have to move on Friday but yesterday I was told that we could stay put. We will be in the middle of the group but as long as they don't mind, I won't either. The gal in the office warned me that Saturday evening it may stay "busy" quite late. In other words they may party - I told her that as long as I had a heads up I didn't have a problem, that I would go introduce myself and join in - HA!

Yesterday we drove to Harrisburg to visit with my great-uncle Ben and my aunt Carolyn. Suze hasn't seen them since 1998! My uncle turns 95 next week and still gets around fairly well and lives alone in his own house. My aunt is in her 80's and still drives which around Harrisburg is a feat in itself!!! Traffic is horrific! We went to lunch with my aunt then took off to Wal-Mart (how come they end up in every blog?) for some artificial flowers since we were going to go to the cemeteries where my grandparents are buried.

We did make a short stop so Suze could visit with her natural father. She hadn't seen him since 1982. From what she said, she had a nice visit. No, I didn't go in, Dean and I waited in the car.

Suze wanted some Penn State items so we went off in search for them and found most of what she wanted at the local mall. From there is was a stop at two cemeteries and then back 50 miles to the campground.

Today we are going shopping for Tastykake's for Suze to ship back to Alabama - can't buy them there. We will probably go into Gettysburg to look in some of the shops early afternoon. Then later we will be driving to Thurmont, MD to Mountain Gate Restaurant to meet Suze's friend from high school, Donna. Promises to be a good meal tonight : - )

That's all for now - catch you on the next round...