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So we are planning a 7-8 week trip this summer to celebrate our 40th anniversary. Some thoughts for our trip are:

1. The Finger Lakes of NY

2. Wern part of Ohio

3. Madison, WI. We are attending the national convention.

4. Mall of America

5. Mt Rushmore and the Bad Lands

Any suggestions for campgrounds or things to see please post. We are open and the only thing definite is the national convention.

Looking forward to all of your comments.

Dan

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We live in MA just outside of Cape Cod. Can't go any more East without hitting water! :)

As far as what we like we are very different in our tastes so we enjoy many things. We have spent time at quilting museums ( DW loves them, although I truly admire the attention to detail ) to anything history related ( My cup of tea!).

Both enjoy touring vineyards and wine tasting! Most Museums are also appreciated by both as well as nature trails.

Dan

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Just get on the Mass pike and go west. This will take you as far as you can go west without hitting water. Seriously this takes you through the finger lakes past Niagara Falls (if you haven't been it is a must see) to western Ohio and on into Madison WI.

If you continue on it takes you to Rapid City gateway to Mount Rushmore. About another day west is The Custer Battlefield. Then you are only a day from Yellowstone.

I was that way last summer.

Bill

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We have enjoyed the Smithsonian and DC area, spending about a total of 20 weeks over about 10 trips, over the last 38 years, always staying at Greenbelt National park. We've never not found new things to see and do.

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Last summer we stopped at South Dakota' Custer National Park and stayed for a week at the Blue Bell campground. The hosts were very nice and helpful. From there we visited everything there is to see in most of Central and South of SD. Had a great experience!

Enjoy your trip, don't rush and relax!

Jocelynn and Quico Power

Gainesville, FL

28' Concord/Coachmen with tow

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Due to the fact that the week we were going to be at Mt Rushmore is also bike week that has been pulled off the agenda. Looks like we will head south instead. Probably St.Louis, Mo. then Kentucky and work our way back east.

Dan

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Dan, when in Kentucky make time to go to Bowling Green to the Corvette Museum. From what I understand they have restored all of the car that was swept up by the sink hole.

Also you wont be that far from Nashville, Tennessee.

Yes even folks from Massachusetts like Country Music, I think. :D:D

Herman

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I was in Rushmore at the beginning of bike week, by accident we were coming east from Yellowstone and not paying attention to the date. Wasn't bad but could be a problem finding a place to stay if you didn't have reservations.

When you swing through Kentucky if you like horses you should plan on stopping at the Horse park. it is north of Lexington. Also look into The Bourbon Trail:

http://kyhorsepark.com/

is another grate side trip to 10 of the to distillery's in Kentucky.

http://kybourbontrail.com/

Just driving around the area is amazing.

Bill

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Google the National Parks Site. I did this last year, I mean there are hundreds of National Parks, Memorials, Monuments, Historic Sites, Battlefields, etc. There are more than I ever imagined!! I purchased a Park Cancellation Book last summer where you go to the majority of the parks and they have (ink) stamps that you can use to stamp your book with the date & location. If you go to this web address, the National Park service has a state by state list of their stamp locations. Whenever we go on a trip, I always manage to hit a few of them. I don't think I will ever get to every one of them. I did't count them but they claim there are over 600 Cancellation Stations in the USA, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands.... http://www.eparks.com/store/content/863/Passport-Cancellation-Locations/

Have a Safe Trip

Bob Ralston

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We visited the Badlands and Yellowstone areas in different Septembers, good weather, no crowds. http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm and http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm See Wind Cave: http://www.nps.gov/wica/index.htm. If you are in that area around sunset, you'll see many Bison and maybe wild horses and burros. See Mount Rushmore at night and Crazy Horse Memorial in the day. When you are driving the highways in the area, you will see Mt. Rushmore in the daylight along with spectacular sights. http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm http://crazyhorsememorial.org

We were in USAF just east of STL, it's a great city. Be advised, it is very hot and humid in July and August! You have to do the Arch, check out the museum while you wait for your ride to the top. http://www.nps.gov/jeff/index.htm It and the Budweiser brewery were mandatory tours when we had company! Check out the public library, they don't build them like that anymore.

Check out Pictured Rocks National Seashore in MI. http://www.nps.gov/piro/index.htm We stayed at a city RV park just west of Munising Falls. It's about fifteen minutes to town and the tour boat. It was amazing! Who knew that leaching water could paint rock faces? After the south end of Lake Superior, go to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Be sure to hike UP the dunes after you view the lake, not DOWN the dunes at the lake's edge! We never made to the top, not as young as we used to be! http://www.nps.gov/slbe/index.htm

Have fun!

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Come in to Canada for a little while for goodness sake. We'd love to have you over! If as you say you're tired of "water", skip the maritime provinces and head west to Quebec City, Montreal and Ottawa (Canada's Capital). Continuing west, you can take in Toronto and Niagara Falls and then head back in to the USA for your ongoing western journey.

Jake Belisle

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DANDD,

We stayed in Ovid NY for over 12 days to taste the countryside a lot of history there also for you: Pre-Revolution era, Lincolns SOS William Folly house is there and packed with history. also Watkins Glen is nearby and a must see is the town of Ithaca.

If you like water falls this is the place to go we will be heading back that way next year.

Terry and Amanda

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One of the best surprises we have ever run into was Hershey, Pennsylvania. The amusement park and museum built by Mr. Hershey was awesome. What a wonderful man and philanthropist. If you are headed anywhere near Hershey, it is more than well worth your time to drive there, even if it is 100 miles or so out of your way.

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We did Watkin s Glen last fall. Stayed at the KOA, but Clute Park is closer to downtown. Do the wine tour around Seneca. Don't sample too many !!! LOL

From Cape Cod, we went up 495 to 95S to 295 to 146 to Millbury and picked up the Pike. Through Albany on I-90 and then we picked up I-88 all the way to Elmira. We stopped the first night around Schenectady (Frosty Acres). PM me if you plan to go there. There's a low bridge issue that I stumbled upon a way around.

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If your into wine, there is a hugh wine fest at the Watkins Glen race track in late July. Dry camping in the infield of the race track. Great vendors, wine, food cheese, music. On your way out on I-90, NYS Thruway, stop at Turning Stone Casino, exit 33, they have a really nice rv resort. Then proceed west to exit 42, Rt 14, and go south along Seneca Lake. You pass a ton of wineries on your way to The Glen. You wont be disappointed!

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Some tips: use Google Earth if you have not yet when planning your trips. Everytime I see something interesting I decide how interested I am and use Googel Earth to mark it. Purple is really want to see, Green I would like to see and Light Blue stop if in the area Yellow or White just something I'm mildly interested in. That just happens to be the order of the colors of the placemarks. It makes it easier to see where I want to visit when I'm looking for a trip to take.

In the Mount Rushmore area. Bear Country but not in the middle of the tourist season to hot and lots of people. Needles highway (but not in your motor home use the tode), Pioneer Auto Show http://www.pioneerautoshow.com/ (if you like cars it will take you 4 hours to see them) Spend the night there. You are less than 400 miles from Cody Worth the extra week to go there in my book. Besides the Buffalo Bill's Historical Center (if you want to look over all of the guns it is a two day stop) take in the Irma hotel http://www.irmahotel.com/ wild west gunfight spoof. Recommend you stop in and purchase reserve seats that put you in the front and do not cost a lot. But a highlight often missed by people visiting Cody is the Old Trail Town http://www.oldtrailtown.org/ out west of town.

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So we are planning a 7-8 week trip this summer to celebrate our 40th anniversary. Some thoughts for our trip are:

1. The Finger Lakes of NY

2. Wern part of Ohio

3. Madison, WI. We are attending the national convention.

4. Mall of America

5. Mt Rushmore and the Bad Lands

Any suggestions for campgrounds or things to see please post. We are open and the only thing definite is the national convention.

Looking forward to all of your comments.

Dan

Dan, sorry I cannot help you with your question...but I have one for you if you do not mind.

Have you ever stayed at Normandy farms, if so what did you think of it? We are discussing a possible trip up north next summer, Cape Cod etc, I didnt want to stay on the cape, due to its always packed or so I was told, do you have any recomendations? Maybe on the Cape but a better time to cross over the bridge?

Thank you,

Joe

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We frequent the Finger Lakes almost every year (gotta replenish the wine cellar) We stay at Klute Park right in downtown Watkins Glen. The state park is 1/2 mile away,the walk thru the gorge will take a couple hours, but well worth it, the lake is right across the street.

Get a schedule of events, There is soo much to do and see, you need a week, but a couple days will do. The scenery is beautiful, the wines are fantastic, the atmosphere is very relaxed, and the people are very friendly .

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