Update Tuesday 27 September — WOW power of the internet.  I had 63 visits to my posts yesterday with 22 alone (over one third) to this page.  Thank you, as always, RAY

Good afternoon.  This past week has been tough because I missed writing and sharing

here.  Also I have had very little business this past week and had a hard time starting one of my many projects, but I’ve make progress at least with the planning and thinking about those projects.

I have spent some time learning about the Rideau Canal which I will soon be visiting for an informative and educational excursion.  On the way there (staying at an 1877 Hotel in Jones Falls, Ontario, Canada) I plan to stop at Fort Stanwix and the Oriskany Battlefield in the Mohawk Valley.  I first experienced this area when I took an Erie Canal trip in the fall of 2008.  So much to learn in the area I vowed to return, and this will be my first opportunity.  Having become fascinated with the French and Indian Wars and the early part of the American Revolution that was fought in the North, I am looking forward to visiting these two sites.  You may not realize that in the summer of 1777 the British planned a three-pronged attack to cut New England off from the rest of the colonies.  Burgoyne was coming down Lake Champlain (he lost at Saratoga).  General Howe was supposed to advance to Albany to meet Burgoyne, but instead went to engage Washington in Pennsylvania.  Less known was the third part of the plan with an attack coming from Lake Ontario down the Mohawk Valley to Albany.  The Battle at Oriskany was one of the bloodiest of the American Revolution, and Fort Stanwix was the site of a 21 day siege which finally saw the retreat of the British General St. Leger.

Not being sure what route I would travel to get home, I pulled out all my maps and brochures (just ordered another bundle of storage cartons for my growing collection) and kept reviewing them, and all of a sudden the right solution came to me.  Once I leave the program I will continue East along the St. Lawrence River, cross back into the States and work my way through the Northern part of the Adirondacks to Saranac Lake and Lake Placid – two places I have not yet visited.  It should be a pretty drive, and you will get the report.

One of the things I do every day is to look at the number of visits to Shunpiking with Ray, and the referrers and search engine search terms used.  I have now (in just a few months) had over 2,300 visits, and my most visits on one day was 57 on Monday, August 27^th following the conclusion of my Via Rail trip across Canada on The Canadian.  My previous highest number of visits followed my return from Italy.  Today, all of a sudden, I have had 32 visits to my pages, again looking at my train trip on The Canadian.  I certainly hope that those visitors enjoyed my pages, and have learned something to help them in their travels.  If you read this far on this page, I would love it if you would leave a comment telling me what you liked, and if my comments helped.  Thanks !!!

I mentioned my projects.  I have started working on this year’s production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL again reviewing Dickens’ original work to see if there are any small additions or changes to make.  Tara and I talked yesterday and thought of one strong vignette that we can add.  If you have not seen our production – it is truly amazing with 12 unique scene changes in 1 hour and 20 minutes – and a powerful message is delivered as Dickens intended.  Our production benefits local area food shelves.  I also plan to carefully catalogue my Dickens and Christmas history book collection, now numbering about 50 volumes, as I begin work on the 12 page booklet that I have done each year as a history keepsake for all attendees.  And, finally, worrying about my Shunpiking this winter I am working with my collection of titles on the history of roads, and roadside Americana to armchair travel, and hopefully get some articles and books underway.

Well, time I guess to “get serious and back to work.”  Catch you soon, RAY