Crossing the USA, May 5 - 10

Expecting birth of our first granddaughter, sometime shortly after May 8, 2014, we have been planning a road trip to Pendleton, OR for a few months now.  Christina's parents will be there for the birth, and we plan to arrive about the time of their departure back to Canada.  The Van der Camps also have a son to marry-off before the end of month.
As before when we have driven across the US, we take our time and try to see a sight most days. We used to rely on Woodall's books and AAA guides, and trip tics - all free from AAA. Beth does the driving and route planning.  I navigate, update planning and prompt of scintillating conversation. We used have at least a book and a road map per state.  Rural navigation was easy but negotiation of metro-traffic was intimidating when you are the only one who doesn't know some miles ahead in which lane to take position [in :) ].  Usefulness of GPS has improved over the past 10-15 years. I think we have had 3 of them.  Google Maps and a number of Maps based applications have become the best tools, not only for finding roads, but for finding attractions.  Dave and Judy McClelland recommended the sites Roadside USA and Roadfood as resources to find local interest and food. Places like Parker's BBQ (Wilson, NC) and Virginia Diner (Wakefield, VA) can be found on Roadfood.
Anyway we started on May 5.  Rebecca is taking care of 16 year old Annie (dog), Matt and Danielle (great neighbors) are taking care of watching our home and details that would be our worry while we are gone, and Gloria (another neighbor and friend) is making sure the strawberry crop doesn't go to waste.  We camped the first night at Rocky Gap State Park in Maryland near our first tourism destination, which we visited May 6.
OK this doesn't look like much, but there it is.

Ft Necessity national Battlefield. OK, this doesn't look like much, but there si a great museum and educational center.  Here south of Pittsburgh,  George Washington Started his military career at 21 as an officer  in the British army, built the beginnings of the first National highway (now Rt 40), started the French and Indian War, and became a British Army colonel.

May 6.  We spent the night at the KOA in Washington, PA  a little town on the National Highway.

May  7.The following day, we stopped in Cambridge Ohio and visited Mosser Glass Company and  Cambridge Glass National Museum.  Twenty-some Mosser employees makes hand pressed glass.  We took the factory tour and got to see each step in the glass pressing operation. Don't think we have pictures, so reference www.mosserglass.com.  Camped at Future Stars Campground in Ohio.

May 8:  Toured National Museum of the USAF at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton OH (home of Wright Bros). Starting with observation balloons and Wright Bros, there were hangars of full size planes associated with WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Cold War  eras.  There were also experimental aircraft and airplanes used by Presidents Roosevelt through Clinton.

Wright Bros planes

Wright Bros bicycle

100-block quilt was presented to the Air Force to commemorate its fiftieth anniversary in 1997. The blocks represent Air Force commands around the world

WWI planes saw engine HP increase form 0 HP to 450HP

Beth and I both photobraphed this three engine wooden WWI bomber

Into WWII. Lots of fighters, But these big boys were awesome

Bockscar delivered payload to Nagasaki

Here's a Russian MIG from Korean War

Korea.  many jet fighters were on display and this huge transport

Nam era party suites. 

Saw couple stealths

Beth Perkinson boarding Air Force One.  the hanger was filled with Air force One Planes.  This one  was used by Eisenhower through Clinton.   A lot to see here. Example: where cabin was cut to allowing Kennedy casket and where Johnson was sworn in.

May 9.  We planned to stop today at the Indianapolis Speedway, but because of a scheduled weekend race  we decided to speed right on by.  Spent the night at Lake Story City Park in Galesburg, IL.

May10.  We visited the John Deere World Headquarters in East Moline, IL.  Many large farm machinery were on display and open to climb in.

Visited equipment displays at John Deere  headquarters and at John Deere Pavilion

never saw a road grader this big back east

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a Mississippi River  view from the John Deere Pavilion

After seeing the John Deere Pavilion in the downtown East Moline, we crossed the Mississippi and traveled up the Great River Road on the west side of the river.

Now driving up Mississippi

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Seen near #12 Locks

Locks are associated with dams on the Miss which keep it's water deep enough for year round navigation.  Sure would have been nice enough to go out on it and look around

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Overlook of Miss from Balltown, Iowa (pop 70)

We spent the night in a great Iowa state park called Pike's Peak.  It's named for the army engineer Lt. Zebulon Pike of other Pike's Peak fame.  This place was a scenic overlook of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers.

Mississippi above confluence, viewed from overlook