Nothin' better than camping at a good Bluegrass Festival, I'll be camping at the Huck Finn Festival in California next month, can't wait. A couple of friends that play a little music will be coming along as well. Second trip of the season, did a short one out to the desert last month. That was a wild trip! I usually a get a NOAA weather forcast before leaving and it was calling for wind 15-25 mph for the first day then calmer over the next few days. The first night it blew 45 with gusts to 70 that flatten my daughter's nylon tent and blew the door out. I've been in some crazy weather with my wall tent but I think this was real close to the limit. Anyway we had to put the camping on hold while the tent is getting a couple of holes that chaffed through repaired. Hope it gets back in time for that festival.

dedtired, Hints for seasickness... 1.) Look off the stern instead of the bow; 2.) Fix your eyes on the horizon instead of looking a few feet ahead of the boat (you'll be out of sight of land); 3.) Sip on cold Diet 7-Up; 4.) Many people do fine underway; but when drifting they start feeling queasy. Whale watch boats stop frequently for whale sightings. While drifting, stand at the gunnel stanchions & hold on to a rail if it's rough rather than sitting down...much better. Actually, more people get seasick in calm water than in rough seas (within limits, of course!) When there's good wave action your body gets into a rhythem. In calm seas, there's just a slight up/down, up/down that gets to some people. Beam seas are the worst! That side-to-side motion can do in even the saltiest of seamen! Since I've been a boater, I can't imagine WHY people stick babies in cradles! Inhumane punishment, IMO! Also, if you're focused on looking for the blow spouts of whales your body won't notice the rolling sensation nearly as much. We need Lori. She's more local to Newport...I'm about an hour away. But here's a place to start...a fun lunch spot in Newport is the Red Parrot. Allow about an hour just to read the menu & make your selection. It's also a great place to people watch. And go hungry! Parking is tricky. Don't be a hero & try to find a parking spot on one of the side streets...it's mostly "Residents Only". Just pay your $15 & chock it up to a good day in Newport. You can also rent the most adorable two-seater scooters in Newport. The shopping is one of two things...either touristy or very expensive boutiques, gallery quality art, designer jewelry, home decor, etc. There are also some great bookstores. History lesson on Newport: Did you know that most of early Newport was built with slave labor? Most people don't realize the extent Newport relied on slaves. The wonderful granite cobblestone roads, the houses, the ships...all slave labor. By 1770, the entire workforce was slaves mostly from Ghana. They came as children & were different than the southern plantation slaves. In Newport, most slaves lived in the same house as their owners often slept in the same bedroom as the owner's kids. They were taught skills & became highly trained. By 1830, most Newporters had freed their slaves. They went on to found businesses, become councilmen, teachers, policeman, fireman, & held high offices. But they came to America as slaves. End of history lesson. Follow the signs for Ocean Drive/Mansions & go to Brenton Park. It's right on Ocean Drive. On weekends, it's a popular place to fly those huge kites in different shapes. The water is right across from the parking (free). Actually, you could just sit in your car & stare at Newport Channel for hours watching the boats. You'll see many huge international & corporate yachts. The rocks at Brenton Park are also a popular dive spot. Look for small boats with a red flag floating in the water near the boat. The red flag means, "Diver Down". When's your trip? /tricia Here is a link that might be useful: The Red Parrot

Sharon, thanks for the response. I will have to see how far that would be from us. We are meeting in Fredericksburg at my sister's lake cottage. I think it would be doable as I take 81/83 from Camp Hill and I remember seeing signs for Chambersburg. I am not super familiar with the area and my sister won't drive on anything but a 2 lane country road so it will be up to me to do the driving/piloting! Again, thanks for the suggestion. Satine

My husband and I have been camping and hiking in the various Pennsylvania State Parks. Recently, we decided that we would be having a lot more fun if we found other active seniors that shared our love for camping and hiking. If you are an active senior citizen and you enjoy camping and hiking in Pennsylvania, we invite you to join our group. We especially enjoy the freedom of camping mid-week when parks are less crowded. https://www.facebook.com/groups/SeniorPACamping/ There are no dues - all campers secure their own campsite/cabin with the park visited. During park visits there will be some planned group activities. Each person may choose what they would like to participate in. We encourage other campers to plan camping trips/activities too. The more trips/activities to choose from the more fun. This is our opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with other senior nature lovers. Each camper/hiker is responsible for their own welfare. Camping and hiking do entail some risks - each person is responsible for their own safety and well-being. The group will assume no liability. We do ask that pets and smokes remain at campsites for all group activities so those with allergies have no problem. All park rules must be obeyed - especially the park quiet hours. Sorry but extended families (children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren) are not invited. These activities are for active senior citizens only. We would love to have you join us: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SeniorPACamping/