Summer 2009

Bill and Jane were happy to be back in New York and are enjoying a wonderful summer. They continue to use the KOA in Canandaigua as the home base and are working part time as Goodwill Ambassadors for the Camping World stores in Churchville and Bath.



Elijah William Lefort gets baptized



Little Eli was baptized into the Catholic faith at St. Patrick's Church in Chittenango. Keith and Kate Bryant were the godparents. After the ceremony, everyone congregated at Pete and Colleen Hilts home for a delicious spaghetti dinner.




Eli with parents and godparents

Now a gang of eight!

Eli with the proud parents and grandparents

Doused with water and never made a peep - what a good boy!

Memorial Day in Waterloo, NY

Bill and Jane made the short trip to Waterloo to celebrate Memorial Day. It's a big deal in Waterloo because that is the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is a big parade, craft show, food booths, and a Civil War Re-enactment Campout.

It's official - they got a blue sign!

Union Doctor displaying the medical tools used during the Civil War

Fire truck in the parade

Union Artillery Sergeant demonstrating the types of shot used in Union cannons

Troops moving the artillery piece from the camp area. They camp here for the weekend and live as the soldiers did in the Civil War.

Greg's Birthday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame - Canton, Ohio

Greg chose a day trip to Canton, Ohio to celebrate his 28th birthday. The Hall of Fame is an awesome place and very fan-friendly. It has been renovated four times in its' history. It tells the history of pro football in America as well as recognizing the great players over the years.

Tracy, Greg and Bill at entrance

Jane waving near the entrance

These benches were removed from Rich Stadium during the renovation and are used in a viewing room at the Hall of Fame

Van Miller has been inducted into the broadcasters section of the Hall of Fame

Jack Kemp's jersey - he quarterbacked the Bills to two AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965 and later ran for Vice-President of the United States

Jim Kelly's bust in the Hall of Fame - they are grouped by year of induction

There is a whole wing dedicated to the history of the game

Kelly's jersey - the only QB to take his team to four straight Super Bowls

Bruce Smith plaque and photo - he and Ralph Wilson are being inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer during Hall of Fame Weekend to open the pre-season

Ralph Wilson - original owner of the Bills - this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the franchise

The Taste of Syracuse

Bill and Jane did the Taste of Syracuse with Dave and Pam Hachey. Besides outstanding food, the festival featured the Kevin Costner Band - he was pretty good

Bill, Pam and Dave - the square was packed with revelers!

National Lacrosse Champion Syracuse Orangemen recognized on stage

Kevin Costner in concert - that's his brother to the right

Women groupies nearly toppled the stage

Old Narcs Convention in Sylvan Beach

Bill and Jane met with some old narcs at Harpoon Eddies Restaurant in Sylvan Beach. It was a beautiful evening for a reunion and solving most of the world's problems

Junior Laracuente, Neil Walsh, Amy Honors, Bill, Sammy Serrano and Tito Ruiz (my little Tito)

Jonnypalooza in Syracuse, NY

Jon finally closed on his new home in the Strathmore section of Syracuse in May. Bill and Jane spent quite a bit of time there painting, vacuuming, renovating and decorating Jons' new abode. Jon decided to have a house-warming party and dubbed it "Jonnypalooza"

Ping-pong in the backyard

The sign says it all

Tents, games, food, drink, revelers - where else would rather be?

Jon and his friend Rizzy view the festivities

The Tim McGraw Concert in Canandaigua

Jane got two tickets for her birthday to see Tim McGraw at CPAC in Canandaigua. It was a great show and he sang several brand new songs from his upcoming album.

It was a packed house for the show

Cowgirl Jane and Cowboy Bill

Tour of Keuka Lake with Dick and Judy Cagle

Dick and Judy Cagle from London, Ontario stopped at the KOA in Canandaigua on their way to Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. They are Bill and Jane's next-door neighbors in Florida. The two couples toured Keuka Lake and stopped for lunch in Hammondsport. Winery tours filled the afternoon followed by a Mexican fajita dinner and campfire at night.

Dick and Judy at the Bully Hill Winery

Buffalo Bills Training Camp

Bill and Jane met Greg and Tracy at St. John Fisher College in Rochester to get a look at the 2009 Bills in training camp. Terrell Owens (T.O.) dominated the fans attention as he will hopefully bring some punch to the Bills offense. You don't realize how huge some of the linemen are until you see them up close - their monsters!

Jane, Tracy and Greg at the entrance

Ralph Wilson made an appearance in a golf cart - God bless his heart!

T.O. looks the pass into his hands - touchdown Bills!

Greg and Tracy - can't wait for the season to start

That's it for now. Stay tuned for the further adventures of Just Us And The Bus.

AUGUSTA, CAROLINA AND HOME

Upon completion of the Savannah exploration, Bill and Jane packed up and navigated the Bus west on I-16 and then north on US 17 to Wrens, Georgia where they found a good-old-boys campground in proximity to Augusta and Dearing. The next day they made a day trip to Augusta to see what the city has to offer.

AUGUSTA

Augusta was founded two years after Savannah got it's start when James Oglethorpe sent a small expedition up the Savannah River to build an outpost at the point where the navigable part of the river ends. The city fell twice to the British in the Revolutionary War and has also served as Georgia's capital. The Civil War saw over 2000 Augustans fight for the Confederacy, and thankfully Augusta was spared the destruction of Sherman's march to the sea. Augusta is most famous for hosting the Masters Golf Tournament every spring. Like Savannah, Augusta thrived when cotton was king but the downtown area now is struggling to keep its' stores and business' from leaving. Fort Gordon is a huge Army base that employs many of the locals, and Augusta has several large research hospitals downtown. Bill and Jane began their tour on the Riverwalk Augusta, a beautiful renovation of the Savannah riverfront that is actually built on several levels. It includes an amphitheater, an art museum, a marina, a museum of history and links all along to Broad Street, Augusta's main thoroughfare for shops and restaurants. After a long walk along the river, Bill and Jane crossed over to Broad Street for some supper and quality dark beers. Bill got into a long discussion with a local about who is better in the SEC, Tennessee, Georgia or Alabama. Bill eventually had to sheepishly admit that he was an Orange fan from Syracuse.

Downtown Augusta

The Riverwalk -upper level

Confederate war monument on Broad Street

Lower level of Riverwalk - Savannah River behind and really nice homes in S. Carolina on opposite shore.

VISIT WITH UNCLE NORMAN AND FAMILY IN DEARING

The next day Bill and Jane put their trust in the Garmin and traveled to Dearing, Ga. about 20 miles west of Augusta and the home of Bill's Uncle Norman Almeter and two of his children. Tom Almeter lives next door with his wife Josie and Joe Almeter lives on the other side with his wife Nau Ghan (sp) from Vietnam. Dan Almeter lives in Augusta and came to the "reunion" and Mary Almeter also lives in the area but was out of town that day. Uncle Norman is 98 years old but is still sharp as a tack and enjoyed telling deer camp stories, the early years of his marriage and family in Hilton, NY, and dozens of other topics. Later the cousins gathered in Tom's house and swapped stories about their children (now mostly gone), life in Georgia as opposed to NYS, and of course, kick the can. That evening Joe and Nau Ghan hosted a Vietnamese dinner which is hard to describe but was indescribably delicious! Nau Ghan was assisted by her 87 year old mother Min who lives with them and her other two sons in America. They all immigrated here from Vietnam after the war. The next day (Sunday) Bill and Jane went to church in Thompson, Ga. which is the closest Catholic church, along with most of the Almeter clan. Afterwards Joe and Nau Ghan put on a blueberry pancake breakfast that was awesome. Next Joe and Nau Ghan took Bill and Jane out to the new property Tom and Josie bought to develop into a beef cattle ranch. Unfortunately Tom fell from the roof while working on it and seriously injured his back. He is on the mend but the accident has slowed the development of the new property. They plan on living there with Tom's daughter and son-in-law who is being discharged from the Marine Corps.

Nau Ghan, Joe, Bill and Uncle Norman

Joe, Jane, Bill and Uncle Norman

Joe, Bill, Tom and Josie in Tom's livingroom

Barn on new property - lower roof is where Tom fell to the ground

Tom and Josie's new house under construction

Tom and Josie's old house in Dearing - soon up for sale

Joe and Nau Ghan's house

REUNION WITH NORM AND MARGE LEFORT

Bill and Jane continued traveling north across the Savannah River through South Carolina and into North Carolina. They stopped in Mooresville, N. Carolina which is the home of Bill's cousin Norm Lefort and his wife Marge. They met at Norm and Marge's beautiful home and did some catching up over drinks in the rear enclosed sunroom. Then they all went out to a fancy Japanese Restaurant for supper. It was a fun evening but unfortunately Bill and Jane forgot to takes pictures - must have been the sunroom! Next, back to New York State.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

Adios St. Augustine, hello Savannah, ya' all. Bill and Jane made the three hour trip to beautiful Savannah, the jewel of the south, and the most haunted city in America.


HISTORICAL SAVANNAH

Savannah was founded in 1733 by a group of colonists from England led by James Oglethorpe.

Jimmy Oglethorpe - founder of the City of Savannah and Colony of Georgia


It was established to act as a buffer between the Spanish in Florida and the prospering colony of South Carolina. Oglethorpe had four prohibitions he demanded of his settlers: 1. no slavery; 2. no hard liquor; 3. no Catholics; 4. no lawyers. Oglethorpe had nothing against Catholics but felt their allegiance would be to Spain if they attacked. He relied heavily on the local Indians and help from nearby Charleston to get started in the New World. Oglethorpe mapped out Savannah in geographical squares, 22 of which are still in existence and make up the historical section of Savannah. The homes, churches and cobblestone streets have been beautifully preserved and are the major tourist draw to the area. Bill and Jane chose Old Town Trolley Tours from among numerous tour companies to see historical Savannah. They were picked up right at the KOA in Richmond Hill and transported to the welcome center where the tours begin. In 1779, Savannah was the site of a major American defeat during the Revolutionary War, the Seige of Savannah, where the entrenched British fought off a French and American attack which prolonged the revolution until Washington's victory at Yorktown in 1781. During the Civil War, Savannah was again under seige as the Union army approached during Gen. Sherman's horrific march from Atlanta, laying waste to a 60 mile swath of Georgia. The leaders of Savannah surrendered the city to Sherman to prevent more destruction, and he gave it as a Christmas present to Abe Lincoln. Savannah in peacetime developed into the leading cotton exporting city in the world. The Cotton Exchange was completed in 1887 on the south bank of the Savannah River, where over 2 million bales of cotton a year passed through. Savannah is actually 20 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, but the Savannah River is deep enough to accomodate the largest ocean-going ships and makes this city the fourth busiest port in the country. It seems every square in Savannah is loaded with its' own history and heroes.



The actual cannon captured by George Washington at the Battle of Yorktown and given to the City of Savannah

Owens-Thomas House - Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette stayed here - good example of the beautiful homes throughout historical Savannah

The Cotton Exchange - Savannah River is right behind it

The Cotton Gin invented by Eli Whitney

Savannah City Hall - dome is made of real gold - built during cotton heyday

SAVANNAHS' RIVERFRONT

The north side of Savannah by the river greatly prospered when cotton was king but slowly declined thereafter. Now the old cotton warehouses all along the river have been renovated and converted to restaurants, shops, pubs and boutiques. There is a beautiful walkway along the river and a new bridge over the Savannah to South Carolina. River Street was originally paved with stones brought over from England as ballast in the bottom of the ships and it is preserved still today although it is a little rough in places. On the day Bill and Jane toured the riverfront a huge rally was being held there in connection with the National Tea Party tax protest. Apparently the protesters were upset over the huge increase in our Federal government, bailouts, incredible deficits being run up, loss of freedoms, and the inevitable huge tax increases on the way. Go figure!

River Street - paved with stones from England

The red brick paved riverfront - Talmidge Memorial Bridge to S. Carolina in background

A glimpse of the thousands of protesters on Tea Party Day

SAVANNAH'S MOVIE HISTORY

Savannah has been the location where many movies have been shot over the years. The most famous was probably "Forest Gump", but others included "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", "Roots", "Glory" and "The Legend of Bagger Vance".

The steeple that the fluttering feather fell from at the beginning of "Forest Gump"

The actual bench where Forest (Tom Hanks) was sitting when the feather landed

HAUNTED SAVANNAH

Savannah claims to be the most haunted city in America, and no less than nine tour companies compete for tourists to see their ghosts. Bill and Jane chose a walking tour and their guide was a transplant from New Orleans chased away by hurricane Katrina. She was very interesting and explained that there are so many haunted houses and ghost stories in this city that volumes have been written on the subject. She explained that the original graveyard established by Oglethorpe and closed in 1750 was built over in the early 1900's by developers. This block alone has hundreds of ghost stories and one third floor apartment has not been lived in for years because no one can make it through one night with the ghosts. In another chilling episode, a deceased Civil War general returned to his home as his wife was on her deathbed with cancer. They were observed by several people walking arm-in-arm out of the home and into the garden where they disappeared forever. Bill and Jane stopped at Churchill's Pub after the tour as this place was alleged to be haunted. They asked their bartender what was so haunted about the place. He immediately became very nervous and related how one night after the bar was closed and locked and he was taking the nights proceeds upstairs when he saw a gentleman in a gray suit seated in a chair. He told this guy that the place was closed and he would have to leave. When the gentleman ignored him, he approached him and the person just vanished. The bartender said he screamed and ran to his manager who asked"Was it a guy in a gray suit?" The manager then explained the same ghost had appeared to him FOUR times in the past.

Commercial building built over original burial grounds - third floor left apartment too haunted for anyone to stay all night

Haunted Laura's Cottage on Columbia Square - notice the Orb by the tree!

Inside Churchill's Pub - here our bartender told his haunted story

GLYNCO, GA

Bill and Jane made a day-trip to Glynco, Georgia which is about halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville. Glynco is the site of a huge Federal training center where about 70 Federal law enforcement agencies send their people for training. Some State and local agencies also utilize the center for training purposes. Bill was toying with the idea of applying for a job there as a teacher. Upon arrival our couple found Glynco to be a high-security facility with tall barbed wire fence all around and checkpoint entrances with armed guards. They tried to enter but once the guard saw Abbie and Bailey as passengers they were turned away - no vicious animals allowed.

They toured Jekyll Island while in the area. It has a beautiful beach facing the Atlantic and some very quaint boutiques and restaurants.

TYBEE ISLAND

Tybee Island is situated 18 miles directly east of Savannah right on the Atlantic. Bill and Jane spent a day there on the sandy beach. They walked to the large pier which juts out into the ocean where lots of people fish, watch for dolphins and observe the large ocean-going ships as they come out the Savannah River and head into the Atlantic. Tybee Island gets real crowded in the summer as tourists fill the beach, pubs and shops, but on this day it was only moderately busy as the season hasn't started yet.

Tybee Island Beach - the Pier is in the background

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHEDRAL

The seat of the Diocese of Savannah is located at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in the historic district. When Bill and Jane stopped to tour there a Mass was just starting so they attended. It is beautiful inside. The Stations of the Cross are hand carved wood made in Austria.

Front of the Cathedral

Hand carved wooden Station of the Cross

PAULA DEAN'S RESTAURANT

A very famous site in Savannah is Paula Dean's Restaurant. She is a self-made local businesswoman who now has her own TV cooking show and has authored dozens of cooking books. The only way to dine there is to personally appear at the restaurant and make a reservation for a later date. There's always a line there at mealtimes!

Next stop - Augusta, Georgia and Uncle Norman's family.