Salt River Bay National Historical Park....

The landing spot (more later)

...Saint Croix Island, U S Virgin Islands, is the only place...
..Columbus landed on US soil, during the explorer race;
it is widely known more for it diving tours,
than the place where Columbus landed on U S shores.

So, we could say this is where it started,
the explorers came, and tobacco departed;
I think the natives used tobacco, in their native tongue,
to pay back the white guys, and I think they won.

What the divers see, very nice.

A nice beach on Saint Croix Island

More of Salt River Bay

We may be done with the "Saint Croix" name, for a while.

Saint Croix Island International Historic Site....

It's on the right - click

...Maine, another river named Saint Croix, who knew?
this one has history, it's important to me, and you.
Pierre Dugua's party spent the winter in 1604-1605,
but there wasn't very much that kept them alive.

It was the native people (again) who pulled them through,
so the French got here first but the Pilgrims never knew;
it's a nifty site, go up and look around,
and maybe keep in mind, that this is hallowed ground.

Mr. Dugua

The early settlement map

The approach to the Island from the south, it's on the right, this is US Route One.

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway.....

A peaceful day..

...Wisconsin and Minnesota, time for a trip in a canoe,
I don't know if I can paddle one, can you?
It's a great chance to see some fantastic views,
and if you tip over, you might make the six o'clock news.

Rolling along on the Saint Croix River,
just find out what scenes it will deliver,
all sorts of waterfalls, dams and small towns,
this just might be the place where no body frowns.

Falls in Osceola, Wisconsin - click

Taylor Falls - click

It all started with a Fur Trading Post, it's still here! - click

Saguaro National Park...

A park road = click

...Arizona, home to the Lesser Long-nosed Bat,
and the Mexican Spotted Owl, and more than that;
it's the desert country - it's drier than a bone,
and probably the kind of place, not to wander alone.

There are some views in here where long distances are seen,
but at my age the edge is fuzzy, my eyesight's not too keen;
all that aside, there are terrific sights,
I've included one - to you can see how it is on nights.

A barrel cactus - click

Some Hohokam Petroglyphs-click

All dressed up, and no place to go - click

Rosie the Riveter National Memorial....

Representing all of the "Rosies"

..Richmond, California, you can talk about icons whenever you will,
but each or any of these ladies would fill the bill;
called up to duty as a World War waged on,
they filled the jobs of the men who were gone.

A lot of them worked here on San Francisco Bay,
working long hours for minimal pay,
we owe our thanks to them every one, they're the best,
all through the country from east to west.

Two Rosie's in an aircraft plant

Rosie the Riveter Memorial Sculpture



SS Red Oak Victory, a Rosie the Riveter floating Museum, it was
recently painted, after this photo was taken



Roger Williams National Memorial...

Spring

...Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,
that's the real name of the State, a first among nations;
Mr. Williams is the father of this freedom state,
got thrown out of the other place, because he thought freedom was great.

No National Church for this guy, not in any form,
so because of Roger, Freedom of Religion was born,
they've created this nice park, and named it for the man,
it's up here in New England, come visit when you can.

Summer

Fall

and a winter walk

Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area...

The area to tour..

...Pennsylvania, way down the the Southwest corner of the state,
lies the River of Steel area, the people are great;
they came from Scotland, Hungary, Poland, Estonia and Latvia too,
they mined the coal and made the steel, no much they couldn't do.

Mr. Carnegie started it all and sold it to J. P. Morgan for real,
that was the beginning of the biggest of all, U. S. Steel;
there was a lot of money to be made, before the rust belt came,
free trade killed an industry and thousands of jobs - shame!

Reduced to rust

This crane no longer lifts..

Hot steel in the making