1995 Midwest Trip VI (7/1-2/1995)

Saturday, July 1, 1995
The next day began the pleasant sunny and not humid weather. We drove to Columbus, OH, another state capital.

Ohio Statehouse (1839-1861, composite of designs by Henry Walter,
Martin Thompson, and Thomas Cole, in Greek Revival style)

We visited the Columbus Zoo.

Eagle sculpture "In memory of Joe Davis, who
spent 18 years helping create the new Columbus Zoo,
July 4, 1914- February 4, 1980."

Since our RI Zoo membership was getting us free admission to all the zoos and aquariums on this trip, we decided we could splurge and rent a wagon for $5! That way Brynne did not complain about being hot and tired, and we were actually able to move faster.

Brynne and Kent at the Columbus Zoo

This zoo was nicely landscaped, and as we discovered with the wagon, everything was accessible! We saw warthogs (children all pointed at "Pumbaa", a warthog character from Disney's "The Lion King"), white tigers, a bald eagle, petted a baby alligator, and saw one of the largest reptile collections in the US. Lots of snakes!

These Pelecanus erythrorhynchos/White Pelicans
appear to have caught something to eat

Varanus komodoensis/Komodo Dragon on the move

Alligator mississippiensis/American Alligator

Pongo sp/Orangutans

Panthera tigris tigris/White Tiger

Litocranius walleri/Gerenuk

Cygnus sp/Swan family

Boa constrictor/Boa Constrictor

Our next stop was to visit the Cs in Murrysville, Pennsylvania just outside of Pittsburgh. They apologized that their air conditioner was broken, but the nights had been cool. I worked with Anita at my first physical therapist job in Buffalo, NY and knew her husband Yun-ko. Their son Michael is now 18-years old. It has been 11 years since I saw the Rs and Cs.

Sunday, July 2, 1995
On July 2nd, we headed for Harrisburg, PA, another state capital.

Pennsylvania State Capitol (1902-1906, by Joseph Miller Huston
in Beaux-Arts and Renaissance Revival styles)

I was not able to find the house where my family used to live in Mechanicsburg, PA. We drove on to Hershey, PA to visit the Indian Echo Caverns.

Indian Echo Caverns entrance

"The Wedding Cake"

We also went to the Chocolate World tour ride, and ZooAmerica before going out to the M's farm in Annville, PA. Brynne and I had visited the farm a year ago last spring.  Now we saw it in the summer. They are having a barn raised by the Amish. I had roomed with Sue during a 3-week therapy course, and later we traveled together in London, England and through Scandinavia. I met her husband last year. That night the bullfrogs kept us awake! Brynne liked all the animals including 10 cats, 1 dog, and 2 horses.

Brynne feeding the cats

Brynne sleeping with Sue's plush polar bear

Next: Midwest Trip VII.