We've been busy!!!!

Hi everyone!! We have been really busy traveling across the country and have fallen into bed each night exhausted from all our travels! Everything we've seen has been incredible, except for most of Kansas which was just really really big.

We traveled from Ohio through Indiana and stopped at a great little hamburger joint called Mugs N Buns in Indianapolis on our way to Springfield IL to make our Lincoln pilgrimage. The Lincoln presidential museum took our breath away! It was massive and really incredible. Here are some photos. Tim took an incredible photo of Lincoln's tomb.

We hit some really hard rain and severe thunderstorms and just missed a tornedo when we arrived in Springfield. Now that was scary! Have I already blogged this item? We had a great romantic dinner at Saputo's- and I felt like we were in an old 1940's movie- just a really older fashionable restaurant full of lots of people friends, family and tourists. Of course, you all know how romantic Tim can be, and that night, like all so far, are full of magic! We headed to Topeka Kansas where we spent the night finally...at a beautiful Hyatt for a great low price! Off we went early in the afternoon Thursday August 20th to Hannibal Missouri to visit the boyhood home of Mark Twain. Every day has been been beautiful with skies and lands that reach as far as the eye can see, with billowing clouds and gorgeous vistas that give you goose bumps.

Tim and Gail

The Riders Comment

The Riders would like to apologize ,we have been experiencing technical difficulties and have been unable to blog for the last few days. We would like to thank Steve Coppage for his assistance. He has been made an Associate Rider.
The Riders would also like to thank whoever posted the poll. The Riders enjoy a good joke but we did not understand the poll, Cricket is not on this trip with us.
Please remember that the Riders' mothers are following this blog so please keep your comments PG13.

Celina, Ohio, Farms and Family


Today we drove to Celina ,Ohio, but on the way we stopped for an little historic adventure.

In a little town called Fremont Ohio, we found the home of our 19Th President, Rutherford B Hayes. The home is called Spiegel Grove and is also the site of a museum and his library. The museum has some great exhibits about Hayes and his wife Lemonade Lucy. She was called Lemonade Lucy because she refused to serve liquor in the White House. There are not many of our friends who would be happy at one of her parties.

Celina Ohio, by the Grand Lake, is the home of Mary Ann Coppage's, mine and now Gail's relates, hundreds of them. We met a bunch, at a local restaurant called Pullman's, great pie.

Gail was treated to a tour of the family farms. The farm my Mom spend her childhood. The one the Coppage boys used to visit every summer. Gail even saw the building we built one summer and that Jeff spilled a pot of glue on his cousin Gene's head, he was never the same since, Jeff not Genie. There are hundreds of Celina stories to tell.


Tomorrow we head for Springfield Ill. and the Land of Lincoln.

Niagara Falls, Slowly I turn

"Niagara Falls, Slowly I turn, step by step" That quote is for all you Three Stooges Fans out there.
Today was filled with water, lots of water. The falls were very impressive. We got there early and immediately booked the Maid of the Mist cruise. Gail suited up with her blue dry cleaner bag, and had it cinched around her face. She looked like Kenny from South Park, but very cute.

We walked through the downtown of Niagara Falls, Ontario and met some new friends which I

posted. Lunch consisted of sitting on a bench overlooking the Niagara river eating cold cuts and fruit. We both thought it was very romantic.

People kept asking us if we wanted our picture taken. Canadians are so friendly, it is unnerving for an old Yankee like me.

Dinner was in a place called the Old Stone Grill, it is located in an ugly shopping center but was very nice, even thought there was no airconditioning on a 85 degree night. I had mussels and frites and a small duck. Gail had the mussels and the soup. Of course there was wine.

PS re:Romantic dinner at Peller Estates!

Hi! Just a note that we had an incredibly romantic dinner last night! This winery was wonderful, and even though it was very warm, we sat on the patio at sunset which overlooked a large expanse of the vineyard. The meal was great, and we shared a perfect Lobster Linguine which melted in your mouth. The chardonnay was luscious. Tim enjoyed a great veal chop and I had atlantic salmon wrapped in duck prosciutto. Yum! Here are some of those shots. We loved the winery so much we stopped back today to get some shots during the day. Enjoy!

Tim & Gail

A wonderful day at Niagara Falls!!

Today we spent a great day visiting Niagara falls! The weather was beautiful but very hot. Here are a few pictures.

The First Day

Today is the first day of our travels. We left around 9:00 A.M and found that between Albany and Buffalo there is not much to see if you don't stop in Cooperstown. We did take a picture of a boat which we will post when we can figure out how to do it.


We are staying our first night of our USA tour in Ontario, Canada. Niagara on the Lake is beautiful and has lots of vineyards therefor has lots of wine. I know everyone will find this hard to believe but we had some. We had dinner at Peller Estates, a beautiful winery, and it was great. We told everyone we were on our honeymoon so we got a free dessert. Unfortunately we cannot eat for three days without blowing our budget. Tomorrow we see the falls and go on Maid of the Mist. Will keep everyone in touch. We are tired it is almost 9:00 and we cannot party any longer. Will post pictures tomorrow.


Tim and Gail