In 2006, it was bought by Larry and Jeanne Kirk who converted it into a fine restaurant and bourbon bar. There are over 600 bourbon selections, including the very rare Pappy Van Winkle - which we got to try!

The bar is beautiful with bourbons displayed in lighted cabinets throughout the room.

The Miller House bourbon bar is on the Bourbon Tour, with its own entry in the Bourbon passport field guide (we’ll talk more about that later). The more popular (and affordable) bourbons are kept behind the bar for rapid access!

We then headed for breakfast at one of our favorite little diners in Rockport, IN - Darlene’s Lincoln Diner. Apparently, Abraham Lincoln lived in this county during his boyhood years. The walls of the diner are filled with Lincoln memorabilia as well as old pictures of historic buildings from the area.

Afterwards we made a stop to visit Tom’s mother, Regina Saffel, at her new assisted living facility before making our way to Bardstown, KY for the next few stops on our bourbon tour!

Addi was our host for our tasting and knew a ton about the Willett bourbons. She seemed a bit young to be so knowledgeable, but then we discovered that her mom is the Willett brand ambassador and both her grandfathers worked for distilleries. Clearly, bourbon is in her blood.

The Heaven Hill barrel houses (called a Rickhouse) were so numerous that it looked like a large apartment complex!

There are many historic buildings in Bardstown with over 300 of them on the National Registry of Historic Places. One of the oldest is now the old Talbot Tavern, a restaurant and bed & breakfast right in the middle of town. In the past, it provided lodging to future presidents Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison and Abraham Lincoln. Other prominent guests were Daniel Boone, James Audubon, Stephen Foster and Jesse James - who is famous for getting drunk and shooting at the birds in a mural on the wall. The bullet holes are still there today!

For now, we enjoyed a tour of the distillery along with a group on guys from California on a “bachelor party” bourbon trail!

The “pot” in the pot-distilling process.

Barrels awaiting transport to the rickhouse.

We got to taste some blends created from the owner’s collection of rare bourbons and whiskeys. Marci Palatella is not stranger to blending libations having grown up in Napa, CA. She and her team have perfected brands such as Very Olde St. Nick, Wattie Boone & Sons (yes, he is a distant relative of Daniel Boone) and our favorite, Rare Perfection. These rare finds will no longer be available when they are gone! So Dana decided to bring home a bourbon that she thinks describes her best … Rare Perfection!

A “must” for every bourbon afficianado … the Bourbon Trail Passport! Some people spend years collecting the stamps for each of the distilleries on the trail. One the passport book is filled, you can send it in to the Kentucky Distillery Association and they will send you a personalized flight board.

Fortunately, the gift shop is open 7 days a week and you can buy some of their more widely distributed products like Buffalo Trace bourbon every day.

The distillery is on the National Registry of Historic Places and the compound is quite picturesque. Next time we head this way, we’ll schedule a tour well in advance!

There is something for everyone, yes … even the children … in the gift shop!

The high-end products, like Blanton’s or Eagle Rare or EH Taylor, are allocated at the gift shop. Each day there is only one allocated bourbon available - limited to 1 bottle per person - until it is sold out. On the day we were there, EH Taylor was the option. We stood in line behind 100 other people waiting to enter the gift shop. By the time we got in, there were only 10 bottles left - and we got two of them. You can get a good idea of which bourbon will be in the gift shop on which day by going to https://buffalotracedaily.com . But they are not always correct.

At the front entrance, “Blenko Man” reclines in a chair giving all who pass by a friendly wave! Tom and I toured the Blenko glass factory 40 years ago during a visit to his grandparent’s home in Cowen, WV. We have several pieces of their Blenko-blue glass that we still use today. Of course, we had to purchase seconds from their outlet store since we couldn’t afford the perfect pieces!

Best not to sneeze too hard in this area! Back in the early half of the 20th century, architects and designers from around the world incorporated West Virginia glass into their most prestigious buildings including the White House, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, and the Washington National Cathedral. It is even used for the Country Music Awards trophies!

The sign in the cabinet below stays that this is a small sample of the over 2400 gas lamps in the collection - all donated by a single individual!

This yellow glass, called Vaseline glass, uses uranium oxide in its manufacturing process.

Under a black light, the glass glows green!

More Blenko glass!

Glass is defined (in the museum) as a hard, brittle substance, usually transparent or translucent, made by fusing silicate (sand) with soda or potash, lime, and sometimes various metallic oxides. The molten mass is cooled rapidly to prevent crystallization. Interestingly, glass is considered a supercooled liquid rather than a true solid.

An impressive glass doll house, complete with glass furniture and figurines!

We discovered that most glass manufactured prior to the 1940s was patterned. The patterns were used to hide the imperfections in the glass. As manufacturing processes improved, smooth glass became more prominent. This case contains some exquisite examples of clear perfection!

The walls of the museum and overlook trace the path of the plane.

This picture captures the moment of impact as Flight 93 hit the ground.

This picture was taken from the crash site back towards the barn as it looks today.

The Tower of Voices is a tribute to the 40 souls who were lost on Flight 93. Set a bit away from the crash site and museum, this 93 foot tower (symbolizing the flight number) is actually a musical instrument that contains 40 wind chimes.

Each chime is a different tone to reflect through consonance the serenity and nobility of the site, and through dissonance the horrific events memorialized at the site. The chimes are driven by wind only and it takes a 10 to 15 mph breeze to create a note. It was breezy enough for us to hear a few chimes on our visit and it was an eerie and awe-inspiring sound!

In the lobby was an antique cigarette machine from the 60’sm that still works! A pack is $11 (don’t know if that is cheap these days or not!).

This is one of many auto junkyards we passed in Pennsylvania!

The home was completed in 1937 and immediately received accolades. Time Magazine called Fallingwater Wright’s “most beautiful job”, and it is listed among Smithsonian’s “Life List of 28 Places to See Before You Die”. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. In 1991, members of the American Institue of Architects named Fallingwater the “best all-time work of American architecture” and in 2007, it was ranked 29th on the list of American’s Favorite Architecture according to the AIA.

Notice how the stack stone walls mirror the natural stone of the surrounding area. The terraces are cantilevered to extend over the waterfall without any visible support to impede the view.

The main focus of the inside is the large open living area surrounded by large glass panes that seem to invite the outside in. The open-living design is common among Wright-designed homes but was 60 years ahead of its time!

There is a fireplace with a red grate in every room, but the fire place in the great room is particularly stunning. The hearth was built around the natural stone of the cliff to a warm inviting entrance to cozy up to the fire. \240The red ball on the left can be swung over the fire to heat soups and stews or hot toddies!

The dining area is compact, but fits perfectly into the corner of the open living area.

A good sized kitchen (in harvest gold) is tucked to the side. The Kauffman’s kept 3 to 4 house servants when they lived at Fallingwater. Each bedroom had a call-button to summon a servant at a whim.

Water intrusion is a constant challenge in a house built in and around a waterfall. \240The house was not designed to stand for 100 years, but with careful attention and generous donations, the house will stand for many years in the future.

View of the walkway from the main house to the guest house.

View of the waterfall from above on the terrace.

Tom was able to remove the dragging flap, stow it in the undercarriage bays and we were on our way!

The Hershey Park Campground sits between parcels of farmland. It was immediately clear that this is Amish country! We thought the 4-in-hand was quaint … until the wind changed and it became clear that the farmer was spreading a manure slush to fertilize the field. The smell was so awful that we couldn’t even go outside the coach. Fortunately, we moved on the next day!

So … we spend the night at the TA Truck Stop. \240It was a very nice truck stop and quite busy. We ate dinner and breakfast in the restaurant before deciding to drive on to Foxboro, MA where we were able to get the tire repaired.

We also added Connecticut to our RV Travel map. \240Dana didn’t get to spend much time in Connecticut as she was at a medical conference in FL for most of the time Tom traveled through. We stayed at Lake Compounce water park campground, right across from the 11 acre ESPN corporate campus. There were plenty of folks to keep Tom entertained as well as some good pickle ball!

View of the walkway to the cape side sunning area.

View from the front door of the inn.

Unfortunately, the electricity went out right as we sat down on the back deck, so we made do with a bottle of wine and complimentary Cape Cod potato chips. A bit later, the chefs fired up an outdoor grill and made complimentary hot dogs and hamburgers for everyone. It was a feast, if not exactly the lobster roll we were antcipating.

The back deck of the beachside dining pavilion.

Sun bathing set ups for guests.

This area of the Cape is well known for having great white sharks snacking on seals (and occasionally people) a few yards off the beach. So, we found it quite amusing that this phone is only to be used in case of “severe bleeding”! :-0

It’s a long hike down to the beach … and even longer on the way back up!

This area is referred to as Marconi beach as it was the place where the first transatlantic wireless telegraph was sent to King Edward VII of England. The old telegraph equipment has long since been swept away, but the view from the cliffs is amazing!

In Wellsfleet, we stopped at Mac’s Seafood Market to pick up some swordfish for dinner.

Fortunately, we carry a cooler in the Jeep just for these occasions as we were a good hour away from our campground back in Foxboro, MA.

Plenty of seafood choices!

Our first picnic on this trip was a success! Grilled swordfish, roasted potatoes and salad … and red wine, of course!

The last time all four of us added a state to the RV travel map was back in 2018 when we traveled through Wyoming together on our way to Yellow Stone.

Another first for this trip … Mary Ann (an avid Starbucks afficianado) tried her first Dunkin Donuts latte! She learned that everything is better with a chocolate donut!

We boarded a trolley to take us to downtown Old Orchard Beach. \240Disclaimer … Mary Ann broke her foot 2 months earlier on a trip to Ireland. \240She did not incur that injury while traveling with the Saffel’s!

Old Orchard Beach is a touristy town 6 blocks long and 2 blocks wide with a nice beach and frigid water framing an old pier full of restaurants and tourist shops.

We watched the crazy New Englanders (or Maniacs as they called themselves) swimming in the 61 degree water while we were safe, behind a wind screen having cocktails!

We ate dinner near Kennebunkport at The Lost Fire Grill. It was a Patagonian steak house in the middle of lobster country and it was fantastic!

Lobster pots at the ready!

The Bush’s Compound is on Walker’s Point. I’m surprised it hasn’t been renamed “Bush’s Point)! All of the homes in the compound are visible from the street with the main home out on the point.

Note the Texas flag! When the Texas flag is flying, one of the Bush family is in residence! We did watch a black SUV drive up to the door, but the zoom feature of my iPhone was not strong enough to make out who is was!

We found scrumptious seafood everywhere we looked! We had appetizers at the Landing Store … a combination grocery store, bakery, and fish deli!

We walked through downtown …

… and across the bridge with a spectacular view of the marina …

… and found our way to Mabel’s for lobster. Supposedly, Mabel’s is the Bush’s favorite lobster place!

Tom finally got his steamed clams!

… and on the other side we found a rare flock of pink and yellow flamingos!

The Portland Head Lighthouse is one of over 60 lighthouses spread along the 3,478 miles of coastline, and it is one of the most important as it is the oldest. The Portland Head Lighthouse was constructed in 1887 and is still operational.

I cannot lie … this is a selfie! (If you look closely in everyone’s sunglasses you can see my arms holding the camera LOL)

The lighthouse is adjacent to Fort Williams Park with acres of ocean-front trails for walking and recreation.

We took an impromptu harbor tour on the ferry boat that hauls passengers and freight to Squirrel Island - one of many private islands in this area. Along the way, we passed a thoughsand lobster trap floats and hundreds of sailboats and dinghies.

This old “bridge keeper’s house is now a private residence. Originally, the walking bridge had a section that could swing out of the way when a larger boat needed to travel through.

A typical lobster boat at rest, with all of it’s pots in the water.

Here is a stack of lobster traps-in-waiting. Per Maine law, a single lobsterman can have up to 800 pots (or traps) in the water at one time.

An old girl in the slip for a fixin-up!

The Booth Bay Catholic Church is visible from all areas of town!

We passed the Burnt Island Lighthouse at close range and got a glimpse of the Cuckolds Lighthouse in the distance. There are a lot of lighthouses in this part of Maine!

We went on a food tour of Booth Bay Harbor with the Maine Foody group. We sampled blueberry muffins, an exquisite lobster chowder at the historic Kaler’s Restaurant and crab cakes made from Jonah crab (also called Peekytoe crab). This crab is the local crab that lobstermen used to throw away as “trap trash” - but is now considered a delicacy! We all agreed that southern crab better fits our pallet, but the Maine lobster is the BEST!

We ended our food tour at a local brewery, tasting a flight of locally-produced beer. \240Turns out the beer tasting was the only course I photographed … I was too busy eating at all the other stops! :-0

Maine is known for it’s lobster! There are more than 4000 working lobstermen in Maine and they haul in 82% of all US lobster. This is one industry where climate change is working in their favor as the warmer waters drive the lobsters into shallower waters, making it easier to trap then and the longer warm season of the past few years allows them to work the traps many weeks longer than in the past

Lobster is king in Maine! Every lobster trap (and there were thousands spread among the harbors and islands in this area) is attached to a float. \240Each float has a specific shape and color combination that is distinct to its owner. Of the 4000+ lobstermen in Maine, each one is allowed to have 800 traps in the water at one time. Trap are set on the sea floor and sit for a length of time ranging from one tide (6 hours) to several days. Most lobstermen check all their traps in one day.

Lobsters are measured by the length of its carapace (the body not including the head, claws, or tail), which must be between 3.25 and 5 inches long to be harvested. Smaller and larger lobster as well as females with eggs or those designated to be a good breeder are returned to the sea. Obviously, this big boy was too big to eat!

And let’s not forget the Maine blueberry! \240Maine’s lowbush blueberry is a wild plant indigenous to northern New England and Atlantic Canada. The smaller berries produced by the wild species pack more antioxidants and vitamins than their larger cultivated cousins. As such, Maine’s blueberries are quite popular and Maine produces around 99% of all blueberries in the US. (We didn’t take any pictures of all the blueberry pie slices we ate!)

Bob and Mary Ann are enjoying blueberry pie and Whoopie pie - a Maine tradition!

Bob is getting ready to dig into a lobstah roll!

The touristy town of Bar Harbor is basically one-street of restaurants and shops running about a half mile from the harbor front.

Most of the buildings are nearly 100 years old and exude old New England charm. There were moose warning signs all along the road into Bar Harbor, but the only moose we saw was on top of Geddy’s restaurant!

Lobsters are everywhere in this town! They are on socks, tshirts, sweatshirts, pajamas, shot glasses, oven mitts, jigsaw puzzles, flags, buttons, pins … you name it! And apparently, this ice-cream store serves lobster ice cream!

A large park leads down to the harbor.

We booked a sunset sail on the 4-masted Margaret Todd.

We passed a lobster boat laden with lobster traps. (Guess they already had their 800 pots in the sea!)

We shared the sailing ship with about 50 other people, but we found the best seats!

The sister ship followed us around the harbor.

Sunset through the sailing rig!

The end of the pier through the lines!

It was a traditional, small-town parade …

Although the lumberjack float was a first …

And the lumberjack theme continued …

Bob and Mary Ann stayed at the Grand Hotel (in the photo) which participated in the parade with a vintage truck.

There were no marching bands in the parade, but this guy kept the patriotic spirit alive with organ-playing any baseball stadium would be proud to have!

Overall, it was a fun morning celebrating the birth of our country!

We had a fabulous guide whose family has been in the area, and worked on the cogwheel train, for over a hundred years. \240She shared that the train was conceived by Sullivan Marsh who patented the cogwheel design in 1858. Shortly after, he approached the New Hampshire legislature for a charter to build the 3.5 mile train track to the top of Mount Washington. No one though he could accomplish it, but they gave him the charter to build it and the rights to build train tracks “all the way to the moon!” But they didn’t provide any funding, so after securing investors, the railroad was constructed at the cost of $135,000.

The first train ride to the top occurred in 1869 using steam engines to propel the cog up the steep grade. \240Today, 2 of the 10 original steam engines are still in use. The other engines have been replaced by bio-diesel engines.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway, also known as the Cog, is the world's first mountain-climbing cog railway (rack-and-pinion railway) - and yes, at was built before all the cogwheel trains in Switzerland and Europe! The railway is still in operation, climbing Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It uses a Marsh rack system and both steam and biodiesel-powered locomotives to carry tourists to the top of the 6288 foot summit. It is the second steepest rack railway in the world after the Pilatus Railway in Switzerland, with an average grade of over 25% and a maximum grade of 37%. The railway is approximately 3 miles long and ascends Mount Washington's western slope at about 5mph.

At the top of Mount Washington, the air was 30 degrees cooler with fog and a 30 mph wind!

But as we returned to the base the sun came out and you could see the White Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain chain, in the background!

23,000 soldiers were killed wounded or missing after the battle. Ironically one of the most noted landmarks on this field of combat is a house of worship associated with peace and love. This historic church was built by local German Baptist Brethren in 1852 on land donated by local farmer Samuel Mumma. The name "Dunker" comes from their practice of full immersion baptism. Although heavily damaged during the battle by rifle and artillery fire, the church survived, only to be blown down by a windstorm in 1921. Rebuilt for the Civil War Centennial, it stands today as not only a step back in time, but also as a solemn reminder of the impact the battle had on the local families.

The lower bridge was a crucial battle point where 500 souther soldiers from Georgia held off 3 attacks by northern units for over 3 hours. This bridge was in use as on the road from Sharpsburg to Rohrersville to the south until 1966 when a by-pass was built and the bridge was restored to its Civil war appearance.

A photo the day after the battle shows dead soldiers lying the what would become known at “Bloody Lane”

Bob and Jan Capps own this spectacular mansion that overlooks Dutch Creek falls. \240Well, actually, the falls are their back yard and the pond at the bottom of the alls and creek it runs in to lap the rocks at the bottom of their mountain ledge and frame the drive to this sequestered paradise!

I took very few pictures of the house, but this family room captures the beautiful architecture of a french countryside home.

We toured the area and made sure we visited the Grandfather Winery! We got two samplers of red and wine wines … to share! \240(Dana did not drink them all!)

All over the area, the barns had “hexes” painted on them. Barn hexes, a Dutch tradition to ward off bad spirits and bring good luck to the family and crops, are common in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and this part of North Carolina.

We also visited the Moses and Bertha Cone mansion, now a National Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park preserves the country estate of Moses Cone, a prosperous textile entrepreneur, conservationist and philanthropist of the Gilded Age. In 1901, Cone built Flat Top Manor, the gleaming white 20-room mansion in the grand Colonial Revival style. Twenty-five miles of carriage trails wind through the fields and forests of the 3,500-acre estate. The Cone Mansion is also home to a Craft Guild with many samples of local craftsmen for sale.