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...

Amy Marie meets Lady Liberty New York City!  We made it!  Pinch Me! A major milestone on our voyage, by boat, around the eastern portion of the United States.  The last couple of days have been one some of the most memorable of the entire trip.  I would suspect the  last time we felt anything close to this was when we completed the 22 hour crossing of the Gulf of Mexico from Apalachicola to Tarpon Springs.  That was more of a milestone.  This was bigger.  Coming into the harbor from the Atlantic Ocean, under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and seeing "Lady Liberty" holding her torch high just covered us with goose bumps and puts a lump in your throat.   Thinking about all it represents, it's symbolism, it's location adjacent to Ellis Island were so many came to America seeking a new beginning.  All those thoughts and more wash over you.  Our country, which means us, are custodians of a set of  principles and values that proj...