09-09 Berlin, Ohio and Scenic Hills RV Park

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

On September 8th we left Apple Island RV Resort in Vermont and headed to Berlin, Ohio in the heart of Ohio Amish country. Although you hear more about the Amish around Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this area has the highest population of Amish in the US. This would be the 3rd place we have visited near Amish settlements (Strasburg, PA; Bath, NY; Berlin, Ohio).

Just before leaving Apple Island, we had a brief visit with our friends Kent and Carol Roberts. We met Kent and Carol at "Life on Wheels" several years ago and have kept in touch via email and our respective travel journals/blogs. It was great to cross paths and see the Roberts again. Just wish it could have been a longer visit.

We had a pleasant drive across NY stopping two night on the way. However we were really tired by the time we reached Berlin. We decided three days of driving is the maximum for us without stopping for at least two nights to take a rest break. Full time RVers all have different preferences. Some only stay a night or two in one place and cover a lot of territory and seldom make any reservations. We much prefer to plan ahead with reservations and stay several weeks to a month in the same spot. That has been our mode all this year. We would move about 250 miles and stay at least a week before moving again. This seems more restful to us, and we get to know each area. Almost every time we got ready to move, we would comment to each other that we could have stayed longer. We have enjoyed each stop.

Berlin, Ohio was just such a stop. We were there three weeks in Scenic Hills RV Park, a very nice campground. We had a good spot right across from a fenced pasture where deer were being raised.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

All the campers enjoyed walking down to view the deer when they came out in the late afternoon to graze. However it is a bit sad to know these are being raised as prize bucks to sell to a hunting camp somewhere. They stay here until 3 or 4 years old and then are sold for a healthy profit to a hunting camp for some city hunter to come a claim a big prize. Does not seem like much sport to me. Here is a buck that I imagine will soon be sold.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

Our visit coincided with harvest time as indicated in the picture at the beginning of this post where hay is being gathered. Seeing all the horse drawn farm equipment once again reminded me of time spent as a child with my Grandfather Thompson who always farmed with similar equipment only he generally used mules rather than horses.

Likewise seeing the dairy farms reminded me of Grandfather since he was also a dairy farmer.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

It was interesting to go to the local market and see all the Amish buggies parked along with cars.

From 09-09 Berlin, Ohio

The best part of our stay in Berlin was the week long visit we had with our son Ward who drove over from Chicago. By his driving over, we did not have to drive the RV to the Chicago vicinity. That was a great help to us since we have not found a campground we like in that area. Nor do we like big city traffic.

A few of the following posts will cover some of the places we visited around the Berlin area.

10-08 Rantoul, Illinois

From 10-08 - Rantoul and Farm

After leaving Lake Delton, we traveled south to Rantoul, Illinois to a city park at the former Chanute Air Force Base. We had enjoyed a previous stay at this park. Unfortunately we were not as pleased on our second stay.

Two things bothered us. The first was the worst experience we had all year with biting insects. We were plagued with tiny biting gnats. Someone called them teeth with wings. They were about the size of a grain of pepper, but gave a really nasty bite. The second problem was an unpleasant encounter with one of the camp hosts.

On the other hand , we had a wonderful visit with our new friends Carol and Jim Chaney. We met them in June at the Newmar Rally. They travel most of the year but return home near Rantoul in the fall to help their son-in-law harvest his corn and soy bean crops. We called Jim and Carol when we arrived to see if we could meet them for dinner. They thrilled us when instead they drove their RV over to the campground and stayed several days to visit with us.

The highlight of our time in Rantoul was a visit to the Chaney's daughter and son-in-law's (Suzi and David) farm.

From 10-08 Rantoul and Farm

I loved visiting two of my Uncle's and my Grandfather's farms as a child. Farming has really advanced since those days. Now the huge tractor's can pull multiple implements to prepare the fields for planting. What took two or three passes through the fields can now be done in one pass.

From 10-08 Rantoul and Farm

Another big change is the computerization and use of GPS technology. Several of David's tractors and the combine are set up for self steering. By use of GPS technology, the tractors can be set to street automatically in a straight line and sound a signal when approaching the end of the row so the driver can take over to make the turn. The combine is also set up to interface to a laptop PC to keep track of harvest yields and other data as they work through the fields. It was quite amazing to see. Monique especially enjoyed being able to sit in the cab and work some of the levers - under David's supervision.

From 10-08 Rantoul and Farm

We also enjoyed meeting the Chaney's other Daughter Diana and her children Nicole and Noah whom she is home-schooling. That is something we really have an appreciation for since Monique home-schooled our son Ward for several years.

From 10-08 Rantoul and Farm

While in Rantoul, Monique visited two eye specialist due to some issues she was experiencing with her vision. They ended up recommending some additional tests including a visit to a cardiologist. That caused us to change our travel plans and to go to SC to see our home town doctors. Thankfully no serious problems were found. The eye issues are something Monique will just have to live with and have monitored periodically.