Dale & Debbie Part 52 - From Normal, IL to the East Coast

Our journey from Wisconsin to New York was a mix of convenience, charm, and discovery. After leaving The Dells, we stayed at our first Love’s Truck Stop in Illinois, followed by a peaceful family campground in Ohio. Along the way, we caught up with friends, explored scenic Pennsylvania, and enjoyed bike trails, historic sites, and even a steam-powered cider press. Read on for our favorite moments, lessons learned, and the scenic surprises that made this trip unforgettable.

After leaving The Dells, we made an overnight stop at a Love’s Truck Stop in Normal, IL. For you non Rv’ers, some Love’s Truck Stops are adding areas for RV’ers to stay overnight. This was the first one we tried. We thought it was very pricey at $45 per night with no amenities although we did have full hook-ups. You basically pay for the convenience of a safe place to stay that’s not much, if any, out of your way. This one was right along the highway and the traffic was very loud and annoying all night long, but it sure was nice to hop right on the highway the next morning. So I guess you have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages.

The following night we stayed at a family campground just off Interstate 70 in New Paris, Ohio.

Next we made a quick stop in Marietta, Ohio to visit some friends in nearby Williamstown, WV. Sternwheel boats were beginning to arrive in Marietta for the annual Ohio River Sternwheel Festival the following weekend. Shucks, we were a week too early.

Next we headed to New Stanton, PA where we met up with RV friends from Indiana ~ it was nice catching up. Below are some highlights from this area.

We went to a steam show in New Centerville.

They made apple cider on a steam powered press, which Dale thought was very tasty.

This is one of many historic buildings in downtown Butler.

The Westmooreland County Courthouse is located in Greensburg, PA. Its dome resembles some state capitol domes.

The countryside is very scenic in this part of PA.

Chain link sculpture

We walked around this lake where the above sculpture was located.

Here’s yet another pretty lake we walked around.

And we rode Moraine State Park bike trail, which partially ran along a much larger lake.

Our next stops were in Quakertown, PA and then on to Jackson Township, NJ. The latter is where we parked our motor home at a campground while visiting Brian & Dana in Brooklyn.