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Bothan Taistil - Maureen Kelly/Robert Tait

Maureen Kelly/Robert Tait "All those who wander are not lost". Maureen Kelly and Bob Tait comprise the crew of the Bothan Taistil. Bothan Taistil is Irish Gaelic meaning "cottage for travel" and this is the name of our RV. We are retired Pittsburghers and enjoy travel, outdoor activities, learning new things and meeting new people. This Blog is about our travels throughout the U.S./Canada/Mexico (for now). We have a mission to travel the scenic highways, climb the highest point in every state, hike in every National Park, canoe/kayak the countries national scenic rivers, and bike everywhere we can! We invite family and friends to follow us. From time to time we post pictures and a brief account of our adventures. Thanks for following us.
December 2008
Dear Family and Friends, As we begin to write our Christmas cards the weather in Pittsburgh is blustery and cold and we hope you are well and cozy. 2008 has been a year of adventure for us. Our motor-home was shipped to Europe early in April and we found it on the dock in Belgium waiting for us. Like a turtle, we carried our home with us as we visited and explored France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, England, Wales and Ireland. Many of the touristy places were on our list, but we especially enjoyed finding “out- of- the- way” places and “communicating” with some of the local folks. Enjoying the different foods and finding our way around various towns, were but a few of the joys and challenges of this trip. We feel fortunate to have experienced Europe from our own hiking-biking style of travel. The motor-home is in Germany waiting for us to return and finish our journey next Spring.


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Joined on: December 21st 2004
Last Login: January 4th 2009

Blog Entries: 301
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Blogs & Travel Journals

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“Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories” Canaan Velley Resort Canaan Valley Canaan Valley Resort,West Virginia, is where we spent out Thanksgiving Weekend. We spotted an ad for a Thanksgiving Package, and the price was right. This, of course, is "off season" since the down-hill trails don't open for several weeks. The lodge was only 1/4 full. On Tuesday the area had 12 inches of new snow, so added to the snow already o [View Full Entry]

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210 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 13 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: December 5th 2008 | 66 Views | [diary=350735]

Blackwater Falls
Falls with lots of ice
Kelly making her way to the falls.

Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. St. Francis of Assisi We participated in the 5K Walk/Run Festival of Light at Hartwood Acres on November 19th. It was great! This is the only night folks can just walk and enjoy the lights and music and share the excitement with kids and adults. Driving through the park had been interesting in previous years, but this was awesome. Point of interest, each year brand new lights are used to avoid time consuming replacements. Click here to learn more. [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wi [View Full Entry]

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122 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 13 Photo(s) | 1 Video(s)
Published: December 1st 2008 | 382 Views | [diary=348282]

Santa on a Harley
The tree light-up was impressive.
The Mansion at Hartwood

We visited the St Nicholas Croatian Church in Millvale PA with the Ramblers on their weekly walk. We were enlightened on the Millvale Murals of Maximillian Vanka. We cannot do justice to the meaning of these murals. You must click on the links and read for you self. He painted the front and side in 6 to 8 weeks and he did most of it by holding a brush on the end of a pole. If you are ever in Pittsburgh, call and make sure the church is open. It is a hidden jewel. These are just some of the many [View Full Entry]

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156 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 21 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 20th 2008 | 70 Views | [diary=346671]

Artist Vanka
Father Zagar
Mary Queen of Croatian

Quotations Rarchel Carson : Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life. RACHEL CARSON [url=htt [View Full Entry]

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339 Words | 2 Comment(s) | 11 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 15th 2008 | 65 Views | [diary=344835]

Traill Sign
 Trail Sign
Homestead

Greetings Friends, We hope this message find you well and enjoying the Fall Season. Fall is also election time in the U.S. and we are delighted with our new President, Barack Obama! We are still spinning with joy and HOPE for CHANGE. The financial world , both in the U.S. and globally is in trouble. But now with many fresh and open minds, we hope to find a way out of this financial nightmare, as well as the unjust war, global warming, etc. etc. There is no quick or easy fix, but we pray with this new administration and with the [View Full Entry]

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140 Words | 3 Comment(s) | 11 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 10th 2008 | 70 Views | [diary=343748]

Bob is so happy
Bob at Pittsburgh Headquarters
Adrian Tait a beliver

The town of Bushmills, N. Ireland to Dublin, Ireland to Holyhead, Scotland This is day 100 of our trip... and after much discussion, today we begin our trip back to the US. This has been a amazing adventure, with many challenges, wonderful people, memories, and experiences, but for Kel (Maureen) it is time to Go Home. Not to bore you, our "subscribers"-- that have followed us on this trip, but we want to let you know how we managed to find our way home. It will take some doing, but we plan to store the Bothan in Leese, Germany. Bob worked [View Full Entry]

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313 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 3 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: August 1st 2008 | 78 Views | [diary=305196]

This is where they they make it
Kelly Bob with Martain having a German dinner.

County Antrim, Northern Ireland This area of Northern Ireland is beautiful with its coastal views and greenery everywhere. This campground has the local bus stop right at the reception office, so we hopped on and got a special "Hop on Hop Off" ticket for the day. The Giant Causeway was our first stop, and this is a fascinating area of ancient rocks. The scientific explanation is...the over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns are the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is both a World Heritage Site and a National Nature Reserve. The tops of the columns form stepping stones tha [View Full Entry]

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378 Words | 2 Comment(s) | 15 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: August 1st 2008 | 82 Views | [diary=305195]

Antrim Coast
Antrim Coast
Antrim Coast

July 15, 2008, Tuesday Derry into Londonderry (or Derry), on to Bushmills, Northern Ireland Ballyness Caravan Caravan Park We shared a taxi, the first one this trip, with our fellow campers into Derry/Londonderry(?). A walking tour of this historic walled city was our first introduction. Martin, our guide, although fast talking, was very knowledgeable about the city and its history. The "ups and downs" of Derry read like the NY stock market. There has been lots of blood shed, and lots of anger and violence over the centuries; English lords and poor Irish farmers, catholic and [View Full Entry]

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293 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 7 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 29th 2008 | 99 Views | [diary=300582]

Much fighting took place on these streets in the late 60
A innocent victim of the violence, Bernadette
The Guild Hall of the Marching Orangemen, note the paint spots on the wall

July 14, 2008, Monday Castlebar, County Mayo Republic of Ireland to Sligo, to Londonderry, N. Ireland Sligo was our first stop, this is the place W. B. Yeats, Ireland's best know poet, was born into a prominent local family. Strolling around the town we came across the metal sculpture of WM Yeats. ( The road today was very do-able and a big improvement) It was a long drive today from Castlebar to Londonderry, Northern Ireland. ( I hope my Aunt Mildred isn't turning over in her grave, Maureen in N. Ireland??) The only campground in Londonderry is a part of [View Full Entry]

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164 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 1 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 29th 2008 | 61 Views | [diary=305194]


July 13, 2008 Galway to Connemara to Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland Oscar Wilde described Connemara as a "savage beauty", and its patchwork of lakes, rugged mountains and windswept bogs certainly give a sense of splendid isolation. Ireland, but especially NW Ireland is a fisherman's delight. This is for you Dave Geis, you would love the fishing... the lakes, the rivers and the ocean fishing is incredible...from trout to salmon and many others in between. Irish is the everyday language in this area, folks send their children here to learn Irish (Gaelic) in the summer. Many [View Full Entry]

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205 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 4 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: July 29th 2008 | 99 Views | [diary=300579]

National Park
Peat
Hillside



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