Yankee Springs State Park In Michigan, Findley State Park In Ohio & Cuyahoga Valley National Park In Ohio, Warrior State Park In Tennessee

From Wisconsin, on to the 49th of the 50 states that I have visited.  Only Alaska is left to see and that trip, well, that trip is to be announced.
Michigan is a beautiful state with the now all familiar country roads and all that is associated with them; farms, live stock and beautiful scenery.  I stopped at Yankee Springs for a few days of relaxation and discovery of the surrounding area.Next planned stop was to Findley State Park in Ohio. This stop was planned as it was the closest camping place to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. No camping in this National Park. Cuyahoga is the most unsual National Park I have so far visited. The park is more like a recreational area that winds its way from Garfield Heights on the North to South of Akron on the South. There are farms, towns, a continous biking trail, hiking, boating,a train, and wild life all along the Valley. You don't actually have an entrance to the park so you are not really sure when you arrive. It took a little getting used to the idea that I was in a National Park while I was in the town of Peninsula, where I was to take the scenic train ride along the Cuyahoga Valley to Akron and back. I enjoyed three days at Findley State Park in Ohio and then proceeded on to Great Smoky Mountain National Park in North Carolina & Tennessee only to stop for a few nights at Warriors Path State Park in Tennessee, where I am now.
Next post and probably my final post will be from Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Stay tuned. Enjoy a few photos. TC..

                                                                

Harrington Beach State Park, Wisconsin, Milwaukee & Harley Museum, & More

The drive on I-94 to route 29 East to I-43 South to Harrington Beach State Park on Lake Michigan was beautiful and pleasurable as it dissected Wisconsin from West to East. I have never witnessed so many working farms. Even as you passed the major towns of Wausau and Green Bay you could still see hundreds upon hundreds of dairy and crop farms. The smell of cows was a constant. Not the stench as in Kansas or Colorado as you passed feed lots, but a slight pleasant odor of cows to let you know you were indeed in a dairy state. After all, Wisconsin in know for cheese, and cheese comes from milk, and milk comes from cows. Lots of corn too, which was a surprise. Cows of course have to eat so corn should have been obvious, but still surprising, maybe even more corn than Nebraska.
When in Hudson, getting my laundry done, I was told about cheese curds. As I never had a cheese curd, I was compelled to stop along the way at the Laney Cheese Store for cheese curds, and other goodie too. I wonder now how I ever have lived with them?  Awesome.
Harrington Beach State Park is located in the small town of Belgium, off Lake Michigan, which is just a short 30 mile drive to Milwaukee and the new Harley Davidson Museum and the main reason that I choose the location. The park itself is not new, but the camping addition is. The sites were quite large and the camp well planned out with private shower rooms and modern bath facilities in an accessible location.
There once was a limestone quarry here which supplied it’s product mostly for roadbeds and was also a major source of revenue for the town. As limestone used out it’s usefulness for roadbeds so did the quarry and it was closed. Years later it was made part of the State Park System with a beautiful lake and recreation area and an easy hike along the perimeter to enjoy.
I enjoyed the park for three nights, it’s camping and quarry trail, but mostly enjoyed the Harley Davidson Museum and even the hustle of the city of Milwaukee. The Harley Museum is chocked full of history, and displays the progression of an American icon that has won its way into the hearts of million of riders in just about every country in the world. Enjoy the photos, there’s a bunch. TC…
                                            The Ride

My three day camping home

                                                  Lake Michigan   

It looks like the ocean.

                                               The Quarry Trail  

                                             Harley Davidson Museum

The very first Harley-1903

And the hits just kept on coming.

                                      100 Year Anniversary colors

Hey Dad, that Evil guy has two sets of hair! How'd he do that?

The Duo Glide-one of my favorite bikes.

                                       Do you remember these movies?

I thought this wall was great and shot individual pictures of some of people that were interesting to me.

                                                           Milwaukee