Mike and Beth's Adventures

June 10, 2025 Beth in Harper's Ferry, West Virginia Nestled at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, has long stood at the crossroads of American history. Originally inhabited by Iroquois peoples, the area was first settled by Europeans in the early 18th century. In 1747, Robert Harper, a Quaker millwright, acquired the land and established a ferry service, giving the town its name. Its strategic location and abundant water power made Harpers Ferry a natural hub for industry and transportation. In 1799, under the direction of President George Washington, the U.S. government established a federal armory and arsenal there, which would later supply the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  The arrival of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the 1830s further cemented its importance as a transportation and manufacturing center. The bridge which utilized these old piers was washed away in a 1936 flood But Harpers Fe...

When visiting new towns I always look for what defines the community's personality.  Chemainus's personality has a strong element of "The Arts".  The town is very proud of having over 60 individual art installations in town.  Some go back many years and have been refreshed and maintained.  Clearly, they work to buff and polish their reputation and perception as an art center.  Boys on a Snipe Hunt First Nation Sculpture Water Wheel Park We devised a bit of an unusual transportation scheme for our visit.  In a way, we "killed two birds with one stone".  We also wanted to visit Telegraph Harbor on Thetis Island.  We were unsure of where we could leave the boat in Chemainus, so we looked at public transportation options from nearby towns.  Buses and ferries were considered.  We checked schedules and found ferries operate more frequently than buses, especially from Thetis Island.  So we berthed the boat there and explored that island fo...

The Ferry Building and Coit Tower The crew of Amy Marie took to the rails for a two-night visit to San Francisco.  We patterned our trip on a technique we often use while boating.  Public Transit!  In the bay area, it is better than ever.   We live ~ 50 miles north of San Francisco, in Santa Rosa, in the middle of the wine country.  In fact, Amy Marie is currently docked on the Napa River adjacent to a vineyard.  After booking a room for two nights near Fisherman's Wharf, we discovered the hotel parking fees were $65/night.  That is a little steep. Time for a new plan.   Smart Train Santa Rosa is served by a light rail system called the Smart Train.  The southern terminus of their system is in Larkspur in Marin County, but still north of the Golden Gate bridge.  From Larkspur, you can catch a ferry which will whisk you to the Ferry Building in San Francisco.  The cost for a roundtrip adult ticket, from Santa Rosa to San Franci...