Thursday, July 25th, we finally put the “big boat”, Harry’s Citation, in the Maumee River to make sure it would run as it is the toy of choice for this next wandering of ours! All was well on the Maumee and we even saw 2 eagles soaring high over one of the islands! We brought the boat home and proceeded to get her and the tent packed for our venture to the Allegheny National Forest and Reservoir for a week of camping and exploring the wild and beautiful long curvy reservoir which runs from Pennsylvania up into New York.
Tuesday July 28th was another good day to be on the road and it was an easy trip to Pennsylvania via route 90, past Erie and on to New York and Jamestown. The rest area there was on a high hill overlooking the 16-mile long beautiful Chautauqua Lake, which we are hoping to come back to and spend some time on. Just past all the Jamestown exits we headed south, back into Pennsylvania and the Willow Bay Campground. The camp spots are nicely spaced and this campground is less than ½ full.
After we got the tent and screen room set up our first objective was to find the boat ramp – by walking thru the other 2 campground loops, thru a pine woodland area with a shaded path that lead thru rock strewn fern clumps growing by the bay. Supper done and we were ready to pack it in since there were NO TV stations and only 2 radio stations. The sun set and our eyes closed but then the clanging started at the dumpster down the way!!! As we found out the next day - - - - a bear had enjoyed his late evening snack and then distributed the remains all the way to the creek!
Weds July 29th brought gray skies and promise of rain so Harry flipped his dice and elected to go explore the area via truck! We found several other NF campgrounds, the beach area, a marina and the Kinzua Dam. We round about the back roads and stopped for ice cream and then found Bradford Pa but not the Wal-mart. Home for supper and our entertainment for the evening: watching “Frick and Frack” the new neighbors try and back in their 5th wheel trailer. Must have been their first time to back it in. The driver of the truck is old, walks with a cane and hunched over. His son didn’t have a clue as to what he was doing. NOT A CLUE!!
