Traveling to OH

Our southern road trip officially launched on May 15 from NH to FL and will return to NH by the last week of June or first week in July. We plan to stop in as many states as possible within a limited timeframe. It's impossible to see everything in all of them, but we will try to visit interesting or unusual places in as many as possible.

Since leaving NH, we've been on interstates in MA, NY, PA, and OH as well as a couple of scenic back routes. Sometimes, the GPS will select an alternate route it has determined will save time and it does provide a break from the fast highway driving, much to Grenville's relief.

Traveling mid-week often means there are less congested roadways as well. Luckily, there were only a couple of intermittent rain showers. 

The Hamilton Fish Newburgh–Beacon Bridge is a cantilever toll bridge that spans the Hudson River in New York State. It reminded me of my brother's childhood Erector set.

Driving through PA there's some really impressive roadway hills. We stayed overnight in Williamsport, but there wasn't time for sight-seeing in this city known as the birthplace of little league, which was founded in 1939 as a three-team league. Nearby South Williamsport is the headquarters of Little League Baseball and annually hosts the title League World Series in late summer. In the late 19th century, Williamsport was known as "The Lumber Capital of the World" because of its thriving lumber industry. 

Currently, we're in Centerville, OH, near the site of the largest amateur ham radio gathering, Hamvention® at the Green County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center in Xenia. Thousands of ham radio operators from the U.S. and worldwide, including Grenville, are attending this annual event, sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA). Grenville, a first-time attendee, is already planning to return next year.  That's also means another road trip for us.

Internet source: United States Air Force Museum

Before leaving OH, we're visiting the National Museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton. 

It's the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world, with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display. It's a bargain as well with free admission and free parking and photography is allowed too. A future post will have more details on our visit which is sure to be long based on the number of exhibits and aircraft on display.

Also in Dayton, we plan to visit America's Packard Museum. It was founded in 1992 and has  taken the name of the original dealership, The Citizens Motorcar Company. The museum is housed in an original 1917 Packard dealership building and has a large collection of Packard Motorcar Company automobiles and memorabilia with over 50 cars in the restored Art Deco showroom and service department. Car Collector magazine named it one of the "Top Ten" Auto Museums in the U.S.

Internet source: Citizens Motorcar Company

The Packard Motor Car Company was a major U.S. automaker in the first half of the 20th century and has been credited with introducing the modern steering wheel and 12-cylinder engine. These luxurious vehicles attracted some of the wealthiest auto buyers worldwide. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899. The last Detroit-built Packard was the Packard Predictor in 1956 .

Auto museum visits are high on our list of must-see places and always offer a look-back in time. On last year's cross-country road trip, we toured the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, IN and the National Auto Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, NV. 

After OH, we'll travel through KY and TN. We're not sure where we'll be stopping, but Dollywood, singer Dolly Parton’s Appalachian-themed park, won't be a stop because this type of attraction isn't our thing. We prefer museums, state capitols and roadside oddities. Sometimes, that includes touring a prison like last year in WY and IN.