While our motorhome was being serviced, we took a tour of the Freightliner factory. The Gaffney plan is home to several chassis assembly lines. For instance, they build walk-in van and front engine bus chassis, rear engine bus chassis, motorhome chassis (which accommodates single and tandem rear axle designs), and cab. By the way, they refer to the rear engine bus and motorhome section as “RV and Bus Ladder Assembly.” The reason is that the chassis ladder is assembled before mating the rear axles, engines/transmissions, and steering axles. During the process of doing all of this miles of cables that make up the wiring harnesses are put in place. We found that it was an amazing process. Also amazing is that Freightliner has now achieved a “zero landfill” rating.
A glimpse of one of the assembly lines at Freightliner Custom Chassis
in Gaffney, South Carolina.
From Gaffney we drove on to Eastern Tennessee where we stayed at the Rivers Edge RV Campground on the Nolichucky River. We had stayed there last year and did again this year. While there we got to spend time with Byron’s brother and sister-in-law, Lewis and Marcia. On Saturday we celebrated Byron’s 69th birthday.
We traveled on Sunday afternoon to Renfro Valley near London, Kentucky. After one night there we had an easy drive through Louisville to Clarksville and Add-More RV Park where we have decided to stay when in our home area. The campground is five miles north of the Ohio River across from downtown Louisvlle.
We were in time to enjoy Derby Festival time in Kentuckiana. This includes Thunder Over Louisville which is touted as the largest fireworks display in the country. This year was special in that the Louisville Orchestra had recorded a soundtrack used for synchronizing the fireworks display. By the way, the display makes use of what we call the Second Street Bridge as well as three barges up river from the bridge and three barges down river.
To assemble a show the size of Thunder, Zambelli Internationale utilizes eight tractor trailers filled with nearly 60 tons of fireworks shells. The physical setup includes 250 tons of launching tubes in addition to the “waterfall” strings set up on the bridge. Almost 700 miles of wire cable connecting 20 firing boards are tied to the command post for synchronization to the music. As mentioned, this is the largest show the Zambellis perform each year, and Zambelli is the largest fireworks group in the world. The whole production takes 30 minutes from beginning to end. For viewing, hundreds of thousands of people line the Indiana and Kentucky sides of the Ohio River.
No photo can do it justice; Thunder Over Louisville.
While in the area we worshipped at St. Matthews Baptist Church on two Sundays and Highlands Baptist Church on another Sunday. St. Matthews is where we attended while living in sticks and bricks (what motorhomers call a house) and Highlands has always drawn our attention. The problem was, and still is, that we can only be in one at a time. (For those of you that don’t know or need a reminder, the pastor at Highlands, Joe Phelps, performed our wedding ceremony 12 years ago.
April 9, 2004 - Highland Baptist Church with Joe Phelps, officiating.
During our seasonal visits at “home” we take care of appointments with doctors, see to some needs with regards to Candice, get the dogs to the veterinarian, spend some time with Jeremy and Jody, vista a few friends, and take care of other issues. One big issue was getting new tires on the motorhome, which requires planning with respect to both budget and time. As to visits with friends we spent time with Roger and Cheryl Basham as well as Hilario and Sandra Solis and their four children – Mimi, Ana, Miguel, and Antonio. Byron helped Ana with school work one year and we cared for new-born Antonio when Sandra was hospitalized and recuperating.
Sandra likes to cook outside. We don’t mind, especially
when we get to enjoy it. By the way, the boys were
running around somewhere else when this was made.
On Monday, May 9, we took off for our summer in Newburgh, New York and seasonal work at the KOA. To get there we traveled on I-64 to Catlettsburg, KY where we spent the night in the RV area of a Flying J. (The big difference between a Flying J and a Pilot is the RV parking area that’s away from the truck parking). On Tuesday we continued through West Virginia. We had planned to stop near Hagerstown, Maryland and park for the night amid the trucks Pilot. Since we got up earlier than normal, we decided to make the whole trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. This would allow us to have an additional night in the area giving us two, full days to explore. (Normally we consider 250 miles or less a full day unless we have to be in a hurry).
In the Hershey area we stayed at a Thousand Trails campground. It was one of the nicer ones for this chain in that the facilities and sites were very nice. The large lake on the property provided a relaxing feel. Of course, it was still in Pennsylvania Dutch territory which meant lots of barns, silos, and herds of milk cows.
In the Hershey area we stayed at a Thousand Trails campground. It was one of the nicer ones for this chain in that the facilities and sites were very nice. The large lake on the property provided a relaxing feel. Of course, it was still in Pennsylvania Dutch territory which meant lots of barns, silos, and herds of milk cows.
Because of the cold spring, the geese were late in having their young.
This lake was on the property of the Thousand Trails RV resort.
While in Hershey we drove to Lancaster for a self-guided driving tour of the county which still has several covered bridges in use. The roads wind around the hills and creeks between the many dairy farms. At one point we saw Amish farmers working to take up hay. Mules and horses were used to pull the machinery though some had a motor to drive the mechanisms. Though most Amish shun electricity for daily living purposes, we did see some generators near the barns for “productivity” purposes. Apparently some modern ways are best. By the way, “Amish” is being used in a generic sense to designate the ancestral heritage.
A typical barn in the eastern Pennsylvania. Approximately one-third
are built with native stone. All have the cantilevered overhang
to provide protection from winter weather as well as access
for throwing down hay to feed the stock.
Perhaps the most elaborately constructed barn seen on our driving
tour of Lancaster County was this which was made with limestone,
brick (with the inlaid pattern), and wood siding. It sits across
from a shopping area the entrance of which copies the brick
pattern for the fence and entrance sign.
Pictured is one of the many covered bridges still in use on main thoroughfares
throughout Lancaster County. This one, in particular, has been raised
two times to get the floor above flood stage.
Of course, no day in Hershey would be complete without a visit to the factory and related facilities in a and around the community Hershey. While visiting here we learned that a “new” factory was built nearly twelve years ago with all production being moved away from the center of town. Gone is the aroma of chocolate in the air. Still, visitors are treated to a “factory tour” which is near the amusement park in the Visitor Center. The ride takes you through the experience of creating milk chocolate, molding the chocolate, making the kisses, and packaging the product for shipment. By the way, the Hershey plant keeps 50,000 cows busy producing milk to meet the daily quota.
We were quite impressed to learn how Milton Hershey definitely believed that when the water level is raised, all the ships rise with it. Not only did he provide employment for the area while creating a supply-line business for milk production, but he also saw to it that employees could buy houses for a modest price, enjoy the benefits of culture at a large center that housed an indoor pool, bowling lanes, exercise rooms, two movie theaters, and a performance hall. Not to be outdone, Hershey was also responsible for the building of an amusement park that is still open to the public.
Hershey and his wife, who died after less than 20 years of marriage, also began a K-12 school. In fact, Mr. Hershey gave practically all of his wealth to the school making it the majority stockholder in the corporation. The Milton Hershey School, a cost-free, private, co-residential school and home for children from lower income families located, still operates in Hershey today providing opportunity to more than 2,000 students from across the USA.
In addition, Hershey encouraged employees to submit ideas for products or method to improve production. One such suggestion came from a man named Reese who had many children. When Milton was presented with their idea of putting peanut butter inside a chocolate piece, he responded by encouraging Reese to start his own company since Hershey wanted to focus strictly on chocolate. Hence, Harry Reese started making the peanut butter cup. It would be much later, after the retirement of Reese, that Hershey would buy the company and continue with distribution of the innovative product.
What follows are a few photos taken around Hershey. The only thing not directly developed under the guidance of Milton Hershey is the Museum of the Antique Automobile Club of America.
The museum building where the Hershey Story is retold with
pictures, displays, and descriptions of the man, the factory,
and the community that surrounds the benevolent empire.
The Hershey Mansion was built nearly 100 years ago at a cost
of $80,000. The couple furnished it with locally-made furniture
and items ordered from catalogs of the day - Montgomer Ward
and Sears Roebuck and Company - a modest and practical approach.
This view from the Hershey Hotel overlooks the formal gardens.
The hotel, itself, sits on the highest hill in the area.
Our visit to Hershey Gardens happened just after the blooming
of many builds but in time to see the azaleas and rhododendrons
at their fullest. In the summer one is treated by thousands of
rose bushes representing hundreds of varieties as well
as many annuals and perennials displaying their best.
This photo is but of three of the nearly 100 cars and busses available
for display at the AACA Museum.
No display in Hershey would be complete without a tribute to
Milton Hershey. This mural is displayed behind a model of
the rail system built by Hershey to make it easier for
employees to get to and from work.
After leaving Hershey, we traveled across backroads and highways through New Jersey and into New York to make our five-months home in Plattekill, New York. While in Plattekill Martha and Byron will be working in the campstore and office of the NYC/Newburgh KOA. This will be our second year as work kampers for Kampgrounds of America. From our location in the Hudson River Valley it is about 70 mile to The Big Apple where, we are sure, we’ll make a view visits.
