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We visited Harper’s Ferry in 1983. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia meet, it is the easternmost town in West Virginia. It was the site of the 1859 raid led by abolitionist John Brown on the U.S. armory. During the American Civil War, the town became the northernmost point of Confederate-controlled territory, and changed hands several times during the war due to its strategic importance.
On a visit to New York in 1983 we visited the Stature of Liberty and Castle Clinton National Monument.
Castle Clinton located in Battery Park is a restored fort originally completed in 1811 was the first American immigration station and also served as a beer garden, exhibition hall, theater and public aquarium.
On our way to the Phoenix area in 2022, we pulled off I-40 in Arizona to pay a short visit to the Petrified Forest National Park. Portions of the Painted Desert are contained within the northern part of the park. It was a stunning vista
Old Route 66 ran through what is now the park. Remnants of the old highway can still be seen, with an old, rusted-out Studebaker located for effect.
On our way to San Diego in May we took the opportunity to visit Zion National park. Our first stop was the Kolab Canyons entrance off of I-15
From there we continued down I-15 and turned off onto Highway 9 to make out way into the southern entrance. By this time it was about noon and there was heavy traffic at this end of the park
After leaving the park there were still some great views on our way to our hotel.
Cabrillo National Monument is dedicated to Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the firs European to set foot on the West Coast in 1542. We visited here in 2023 on a visit to San Diego for a Naval Academy Reunion. The monument is on Point Loma and overlooks San Diego Habor and the Naval Base.
The Old Point Loma Light House is also part of the park and was open for visiting.
Also part of the park are the tidepools on the ocean side.
On our second trip to California in 2023 we decided to visit Death Valley. When we arrived at the visitors center the temperature was 102 degrees. Little did we realize that that was a cool spell. Later in the summer daytime temperatures were well into the 120’s.
There are two resorts in the park. Both seem like oases in the middle of the desert.
Our next stop was a visit to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, some 282 feet below sea level
During the 1800’s the mining of borax in Death Valley was a commercial venture and the borax was transported originally in wagons hauled by mule teams. There is now an outdoor museum with some of the equipment used during those times.
To view the sunset, we drove about miles to Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes
Before leaving the next day, we got to observe sunrise at Zabriski Point
On our visit to LaQuinta, California, we took a short drive to Joshua Tree National Park. The park is located at the juncture of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. We drove from the southern entrance through the park to the north end and returned to LaQuinta through the Yucca Valley
