(RV 18) We take Steven and Joy for a ride. (Washington DC and New York City)

Steven was 16 and Joy was 14. On June 22, 1987 the four of us set off on a trip. We were to drive through the South to New York. With stops at places of historic interest. Tour New York City and then put Steven and Joy on a plane home. For four weeks the four of us bonded. That was a full cab in our pick up. I could hear the music from the kid's earphones. All day long. It was a delightful time, long remembered.

Off to Ashdown, Arkansas. 375 miles. All the tread came off a trailer tire in the middle of the day. We went into Texarkana to get it replaced.

On to Cherokee, Tennessee. 357 miles. This picture is the entrance to our campground. Joy, Steven, and Jackie lined up for me.

To Nashville. Tennessee. 217 miles. Had fun at the Grand Old Oprey Amusement Park. At that time it had a dozen different music shows. Visited the Hermitage. Toured Andrew Jackson's home.

To Knoxville, Tennessee. 154 miles. We drove to the visitor center for the Smokey National Park. Rode a chair lift at Gatlinburg. Notice the size of Stevens strawberry shortcake.

To a Thousand Trails Park in Lynchburg, Virginia. 344 miles. From here we visited Appomattox. A young National Park employee acted out a scene from the Civil War. We saw the parlor where Lee surrendered to Grant.

From here we went to Gloucester, Virginia. Thousand Trails has a RV park here. It is named the Chesapeake Bay Thousand Trails. It was a great park. Probably still is. We stayed a week. Swimming pool, etc. We had a beautiful space with a view up the bay. We made several trips from here. We visited Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown. Hard to get any places of more historic interest.

We did not get to see John Boy.

To Fredericksburg, Virginia. 100 miles. Stayed here a week too. Saw local Civil War Battlefields. Made several trips to Washington DC from here. Made several tours. Saw the Senate and House. We visited Mount Vernon and Monticello.  Saw Ted Kennedy in the Senate. Had a bowl of Senate bean soup. Watched them make money. Went up in the Washington Monument. A Selfie at the Wall.

315 mile trip to Bergen, New Jersey. Made trips through a tunnel to New York City. Went on one guided tour. The picture was taken at the top of the Empire State Building.

Joy and I went up inside the Statue of Liberty. Two hours up. Ten minutes down. A small tight stairway around a pole went all the way up inside the statue. Joy and I would step up a step every few minutes. Took at least two hours.

We visited Ellis Island. This ghostly picture was taken there. Note the two towers behind Steven

We put the kids on a plane at the Newark Airport on July 19. The space in the trailer and truck expanded.