Road trip with a grandson

So now the three older grandkids have all been on a 'road trip' with grandma. This was Adrion's first. Just for a few days and only a short distance, but we had some fun.

 

One place we visited was "The Wilds", the largest wild animal conservation park in North America. Here we are on the open-air safari truck.

These were a couple of rhinos just grazing off in the fields. There were no fences between us and them.

 I really felt like I was in the savannah's of Africa as we drove through the park. Many animals are together in an area, although they don't allow the cheetah's or African wild dogs to roam loose. All the animals in the park are endangered to some degree. When we went through the gates from area to area I kept thinking I was in Jurassic Park.

 

I found a primitive campground in Wayne National Forest. This creek was just down the bank from the camp.

The last big flood a few years back washed out the wooden steps, so now the only way up or down is using the rope.

Once Ohio was known to have the most covered bridges, over 2000, but today PA holds that claim. But we still found one.

We went into Marietta, OH, and visited the Ohio River Museum which has this paddlewheel tug boat.

Above is a picture of it in its heyday pushing a barge.

This is a train bridge over the Muskingum River, which flows into the Ohio River. No longer in operation, this train bridge turned in the middle to allow boat traffic to pass through. Now it is a historic site and they have a pedestrian walkway next to it across the river.

This is the paddlewheel river boat which Adrion and I took a 2 hour scenic cruise on the Ohio River. This is not an old boat, but was built in the 1990s. It is diesel powered steam generator, with no other propulsion or steering than the paddlewheel.

Adrion even got to drive the boat.

This statue was carved by the same man who carved Mt. Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum.

 

Marietta claims to be the first permanent settlement in the northwest territory in 1788.

We also visited a Minors Memorial in the American Electric Power (AEP) Co. ReCreation Lands. "Big Muskie", as this bucket is called, is the largest in the world, being 1 1/2 times as long as a football field and it can carry 325 tons of dirt, the equivalent of a two story house.

Here is a picture of the dragline bucket in action.

Driving through the AEP ReCreation Lands. Over 30,000 acres were reforested back in the 1960s after AEP quit the surface coal mining operations in the area. It is now free for the public to enjoy the 350+ lakes and 380+ campsites, plus many trails and ATV areas. You have to get a permit, but it is a one-time, life-time permit.