Heading West

When we left Pohick Bay I discovered that I could ask Garmin Gertie to find us a route that avoided traffic so I used that setting and although we made a slight error in choosing an off ramp that saw us practically drive up the backside of the Lincoln Memorial, she recalculated our error and with a left turn at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts had us back over the Potomac and cruising along the scenic George Washington Parkway

until it was time to join up with the first of the interstates of the day. At one point the road signs offered us the alternative of the I-68, the National Freeway, rather than the I-70. A check of the map saw that this routing we eliminate the tolled stretch of the Pennsylvania turnpike so we choose this option and were pleased to discover a beautiful, green, mountainous, countryside of Northern Maryland (much of this territory had been the scene of civil war battles noted by highway markers).

Once we did get back to I-70 we were reminded of a more recent hostilities, as the opposite side of the highway was blocked for several miles as hundreds of motorcyclists (many wearing colours as Vietnam Vets) paraded by carrying US and POW/MIA flags.  Once through West Virginia (actually our route took us through two different parks of West Virginia separated by Pennsylvania) we made it to our campsite at Barkcamp State Park just over the Ohio border. This would be the first of several successive state parks of this leg which were remarkably under-utilized. 

The next day was a long slog all along the I-70 (dominated by truck traffic) through Ohio, Indiana, and just across the state (and time zone) border to Lincoln Trail State Park in Illinois. Here fewer than 25 of the more than 200 sites were occupied. The camp hosts who did the check in were decidedly laid back (no book of rules given out with the receipt), the sites were spacious, treed, with power and close access to water, the shower building clean and well maintained for a cost of $20 per night. We found the similar site for the same price at Pere Marquette State Park on the other side of Illinois – although given that it was a Friday, perhaps about half of the 80 sites at this park on the banks of the mighty, muddy, Mississippi were occupied. We are not sure if it’s the economy or the lack of interest in this mode of camping that has resulted in this situation but it works for us although cell or wifi coverage is iffy or nonexistent in these locations.

This was a short travel day which allowed us a relaxing afternoon and the opportunity to give Mazy another shower (the first had been at Barkcamp) having discovered she had been chewing away at a hotspot and had much matted fur that had to be cut out and cleaned to try to dry out the sores. Poor girl.