To Ives Run, Pennsylvania

As we travel from the prairie into the northeast, Jan and I see a number of Amish farms and horse and buggies.


We note a number of Mennonite families(referring to the order that allows more modern conveniences) camping in the Ohio parks.

From Findley State Park in Wellington, Ohio, we drop back down to Route 224 and head east. After skirting Akron, we are still on 224 which brings us to Mill Creek Corps of Engineering Campgorund in Berlin Center.

Mill Creek is a large Corps park, some 348 sites.

We had been here before in 2013 and still find it a wonderful park to visit.  We note that the non-electric sites are much more private and also more available on weekends.





From Mill Creek we continue on Route 224 south of Youngstown, Ohio and into Pennsylvania.

It seemed on the map to be a quiet road, but it turned out to be a very busy section with mile after mile of shopping centers.  We saw stores we haven't seen in over a year!!! Did we stop??  NO!

Just over the line we find Route 376 north and follow that to Route 18 north to Hermitage, Pa.

Here we stop at Shenango Recreation Area.  This is a new COE park for us.  It is quite pleasant with a large number of families enjoying the water and camping.

It is also a park where we saw more groundhogs then we have seen anywhere else.  We did see a number of prairie dogs in the west , but not groundhogs.  And maybe this one is a relative of Bob's, Lucas. What do you think???

Now that we are into Pennsylvania, we decide to try and stay on US highways and state roads.  Not interstates.
There is a nice quiet road from Shenango to Tionesta Corps park. Route 62.
This is on Tionesta Creek which is at the southwest section of the Allegheny National Forest.  Suddenly, it seems, we are into hills and mountains!!  What a change from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri,Iowa, Illinois,Indiana, and Ohio.
Jan says this could be her next home. ???

Looking down at one of the campground loops from the dam.  Sometimes you don't want to think too hard about living at the foot of a dam.  It certainly seemed quite secure---------though they did have a lot of rain recently?

From the town of Tionesta we follow Route 62 north right along the Allegheny River.

This is a pretty drive, but the road did have some sections that were extremely rough.  Luckily not too long a section.  Reaching Route 6( yes, the same Route 6 that used to start in Long Beach, California and runs to Provincetown, Massachussetts), we head east on a better surface to Kane and then north on Route 321 to Kiasutha National Forest Campground.

On a very hot day, not as many boaters as you would expect.

This campground is new to us. About 2 miles away is Red Bridge Campground where we have stayed twice before.  Both campgrounds are well maintained with good sites.

This campground features a larger beach with a good sized bath house for changing as well as a number of tables.

The next stop is another favorite, Ives Run Corps of Engineer in Tioga, Pa.  It is a simple route, following Route 6 east to Route 287.  Jan is enjoying the view from our side windows.The water level at  Hammond  Lake is very high this year.  We are remembering some previous visits where the water level was quite low.  We are going the comfortable route.  Even though we have those great solar panels, we really are enjoying the air conditioning which requires a land line or the generator for electricity. Since it is quite hot, the land line is the reasonable and quieter choice.  Very comfortable while the outside temperatures are climbing into the 90's with high humidity.  And yes, New England, this hot and humid weather is headed your way.