BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITIES

New York,  New York!!

New York in October - an exciting prospect!  We spent four days camping in the Hudson Valley town of Newburgh, about an hour and a half train ride north of New York City.  Our campground was rustic and colorful with lots of Halloween and other fall decorations, and an easy drive to the train to New York.



Campground in the Hudson Valley

Our first day in New York we just walked around enjoying the energy and sparkle of the city.  We went to Central Park, and walked up Fifth Avenue poking in the shops, and went up in the Empire State Building to admire the panoramic view on this sunny clear day.  We were the quintessential tourists!  For the next few days we covered the city from north to south and east to west, riding trains, subways and buses, and walking walking walking . . .from Wall Street to Canal Street to Harlem, from Times Square to Central Park to Rockefeller Center, from Ground Zero to Little Italy to Fifth Avenue . . .

In Central Park

One day we took the boat out to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, this time on a windy, cloudy day.   The National Park Service has set up Ellis Island to give visitors a good idea what it felt like to be an immigrant to the United States in the 1800's and early 1900's.  Many of them arrived not able to speak any English and didn't have any idea what was happening as they were shuffled through the lines at Ellis Island, given physical and psychological exams and asked about their skills.  Mark was able to do some quick research on his mother, who came over from Norway on a ship in the 1900's - found her name and the ship she came over on in the records!  On the way back our boat passed by the Statue of Liberty just as the sun came out . . .very dramatic, with the background of lower Manhattan glittering in a brief moment of afternoon sun. 

Ellis Island 

Statue of Liberty

Lower Manhattan



Rebuilding at Ground Zero



Rockefeller Center

George Washington Bridge and Central Park

From the Empire State Building

Anybody Need a Taxi??

Each morning we took the train into Grand Central Station - a bustling, crowded cauldron of people going every which way, hurrying to catch trains, or to get to work, or to meet a friend . . . .chaotic but purposeful . . .

Grand Central Station

On our last day in the City we started at the southern tip of Manhattan and walked up Broadway, past Chinatown, on our way to Little Italy.  On the way we came to Canal Street - a riotous free-for-all of shopping with vendors in little open storefronts selling knock-offs of Tiffany jewelry and Coach and Gucci bags as well as scarves, backpacks and other items.  If you're interested in the big brand name stuff they take you into these little rooms in the back of the shops where they hurriedly show you what they have - they're always worried about getting busted by the police that cruise the street.  It was like being in Bangkok all over again!  We had fun and bought a couple of things . . . .We did finally reach Little Italy where we had a delightful dinner, with canolli for dessert.



Little Italy

Times Square at Night

Goodbye to New York!  We had a fabulous time . . .



As we were getting ready to leave for Philadelphia our rogue slide decided to act up again after behaving itself perfectly since its repair in Maine.  This time its gears slipped off the track, causing the worst trouble yet.  Bob and Mark were able to figure out what had happened and what needed to be done to fix it, but had to recruit a squad of um, boys to help lift the slide into position.  What a thrash!

Lots of Help With the Rogue Slide

Philadelphia

With our new-found interest in early American history we decided we should go to Philadelphia to see the places we'd read so much about.  The city of Philadelphia has done a good job preserving the important buildings and offers walking tours of the main historic area,  including Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence  and the Constitution were debated and signed, Congress Hall where the first Congress met and where John Adams was sworn in as our second president, and the Liberty Bell.  It was fascinating to see these places and imagine how our founding fathers felt as they debated important new concepts, like liberty!

Liberty Bell

Independence Hall

Congress Hall

Bob and I are on a mission to visit all the states by motorhome (well, not Hawaii!).  At the beginning of this trip we had five states remaining - Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Delaware and Oklahoma, and we really wanted to visit all five of them on this trip . . . .you never know for sure if you'll get another chance!  So our next stop was Delaware, which turned out to be small but charmingly rural and serene.  We stayed out on the coast where we took a long walk on the ocean beach and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset.  Now we only have Oklahoma left  . . . .

Delaware Beach

Delaware Sunset

Moshi and Kibo are now seasoned travellers and don't get excited when they get to mark off a new state . . .they don't even wake up!  They now have been in 28 states, the District of Columbia, seven Canadian provinces, and one Canadian Territory . . .they've earned the Roadcats name!

Travel is SO Exhausting!

Even for Kibo . . . .

There Are Too Many BUGS on This Windshield!!

Washington, DC

Next stop, Washington DC.  We stayed a ways out of town in College Park, Maryland, where we could take the train into Washington and not have to worry about traffic or parking.  We had enough time in Washington to really do some exploring, mostly on foot.  One of the highlights was a private tour of the Capital Building guided by one of Patty Murray's interns, a delightful young man who is a student of government at Claremont-McKenna College in California.  This tour is available to anyone, all you have to do is call ahead.  We got to see Senator Murray's office,  ride the Senate subway from the Russell Senate Office Building over to the Capital, and see the Senate floor and Capital Rotunda. 

United States Capital Building

In Senator Murray's Office

We had hoped to be able to see the Supreme Court in session, but they weren't hearing any cases when we were there so we had to be content with seeing the courtroom where the cases are argued.  It's very impressive . . .

The Supreme Court

It turns out that if you want to tour the White House you have to write to your Senator or Congressman at least a month ahead so the proper security clearances can be put in place . . . .which we hadn't done.  But it was fun to see it, and imagine the Obama girls inside decorating the place for Halloween . . .

The White House

In Front of the White House Lawn

Our call to Patty Murray's office also got us a tour of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, including the Presidential Box!  Yo Yo Ma had been there the night before . . .

The Hall of Nations at Kennedy Center

The Presidential Box at Kennedy Center

We rode the subway out to Arlington Cemetery, a very beautiful and solemn place, and watched the impressive and affecting changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  For 85 years the Tomb has been guarded in this way, day and night every day of the year . . .the Unknown Soldier is never left alone and forgotten . . . .We were told that after the Vietnam War a woman whose son had been missing in action came to visit the cemetery and to watch the changing of the guard ceremony.  As she was watching she was overcome by the certainty that one of the three Unknown Soldiers buried there was her son.  Distraught, she begged the Army to disinter him and check his identity somehow, but they wouldn't do it - no doubt thought she was understandably grief-stricken and delusional.  She kept after them for years, finally hiring an attorney who managed to convince them that she was serious, had resources, and wasn't going to go away.  By this time DNA testing was available, and sure enough when they tested him they found that it was her son!  So now the grave of the Unknown Vietnam Soldier is empty . . .

Arlington Cemetery

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Lincoln Memorial was overrun by a huge group of high school students in town for a leadership conference.  It was encouraging to see so many bright youngsters interested in leadership and government - hope for the future . . .

The Lincoln Memorial

We spent many hours in the various Smithsonian Museums, learning lots of interesting things about history, space and flight, and Native American cultures.  Bob again had a chance to celebrate his Menominee heritage . . .

Bob at the Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institute

On our last day in Washington we took a night tour of the city.  It looked so different at night - all the monuments and memorials were dramatically lighted, and the moon rose magestically to shine over it all.

Washington Monument by Moonlight

The White House at Night

Farewell to big cities . . . .next, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Mountains . . .







NEW ENGLAND

Autumn in New England - what could be better??!!  From New Brunswick we drove down the Atlantic coast to Bar Harbor, Maine, in perfect weather.  Our campground was just a few miles away from the fabulous Acadia National Park, so on our first day we took the Loop Road around the Park, including the side road up to the top of Cadillac Mountain with its panoramic view of the town and the harbor below.

Bar Harbor from Cadillac Mountain

Further along the Loop Road we stopped at Sands Beach, then continued on to Jordan's Pond where we had chowder and their famous popovers for lunch - yum! - followed by a bit of biking on the carriage trails through the Park. 

Sands Beach in Acadia Park

Bar Harbor has a very active waterfront, with cruise ships, fishing boats, private yachts, and small boats - even a sailing schooner on a beautiful day.  The three cruise ships in harbor made the downtown area a bustling place, but there are plenty of shops and restaurants for everyone!

Schooner in Bar Harbor

One of our favorite afternoons was spent kayaking on Long Pond, admiring the rustic cabins in the trees, the  loons on the lake, and the leaves turning colors on the shoreline.

Kayaking on Long Pond

One evening we had dinner at Captain Nemo's, a truly funky bar near Bass Harbor.  The food was quite good though, and we were close enough to catch the sunset at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. 

Captain Nemo's

Sunset at Bass Harbor Lighthouse

Our next stop was the small town of Farmington, Maine, which was our headquarters for an expedition an hour north to the spectacular Sugarloaf Resort and Golf Club, set in the mountains amid gloriously colorful leaves.  The golf course itself was demonically difficult, with a large river running across a couple of holes, a green in the MIDDLE of the river, steep hills and acres of sand traps, but one of the most fun courses we've ever played, we all agreed.  Our scores, however, were atrocious . . . .

Sugarloaf Golf Course

From Farmington it was a short trip into New Hampshire to our camp in Shelbourne, just a mile or so from the Appalachian Trail.  We took a short hike to experience this renowned trail, and it was beautiful.

Fording the Creek on the Appalachian Trail

Tropical Storm Nicole was making her presence felt in the Northeast and we had one entire day of pouring rain, but the next day was perfect, the air washed clear by the rain and wind, so we took a trip up Mount Washington.  At 6,288 feet it doesn't sound very big to us Northwesterners, but it's the tallest thing around here and deserves a lot of respect for its beastly weather.  It holds the world wind record at 281 mph . . .pretty incredible!  The road to the top is 7 miles long with an average grade of 12% - really steep.  There are no shoulders and no guard rails so it's a thrilling ride, both up and down.  At the top it was very windy, and the temperature was well below freezing, so we didn't stay long.  Why didn't we hike up it, you ask?  Some of us would have, but got voted down . . . .

Fair Warning!

White-Knuckle Driving!

Foliage on Mt. Washington

On the Top

Also in New Hampshire is the famous Kangamagus Highway over the White Mountains.  We saw some stunning mountain scenery and beautiful leaves, but sadly no moose . . . We saw "Watch Out For Moose" signs everywhere, but saw no moose in New England at all - skunked!  Well, I did see one, but he was a dearly departed moose on a tarp alongside the highway, not the way I wanted to see a moose . . .

River on the Kangamagus Highway

Near our campground in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, is the small town of Danville which has a great autumn celebration complete with toe-tapping music, lots of quilts, baskets, jewelry and apple butter for sale, and yummy choices for things to munch on while you browse.   On a perfect crisp fall day we joined in the fun - shopped, ate and browsed with the best of them! 

Autumn Celebration in Danville

Danville Church

The tiny town of Peacham wins the "cemetery with the best view" award, looking out over the sweeping panorama of Vermont hills, farms and bright leaves.  Peacham dates back to the 1700's, so there are some folks who've been enjoying this view for a long time . . . .

Peacham Cemetery

Vermont has many excellent trails, so Bob and I took advantage of another perfect fall day and hiked to the top of Mount Pisgah.  We definitely earned the beautiful views we had of Lake Willoughby below and the entire Northeast Kingdom of Vermont in the distance.  That trail was steep!

Bob on Mount Pisgah

The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont

Lake Willoughby

What You See If You Look Up in Vermont

Tropical Storm Nicole wreaked havoc with the leaves, but there were still enough left to make a glorious collage of color.  

Panorama Near St. Johnsbury

 Road to Sugar Ridge

Lucky Horse!

Sugar Maples

In Massachusets we took the ferry over to the island of Martha's Vineyard, a delightfully quiet and peaceful oasis not far from bustling Boston.  The day was clear, sunny, and very windy, so we had a thrilling ferry ride with big waves sending spray flying over the people sitting on the front deck.

Ferry to Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard was the center of the whaling industry in New England in the 1800's, and judging by the beautiful and substantial homes of the ships' captains it must have been quite lucrative.  Many of these homes have been lovingly restored and  lend charm to the waterfront.

Captain's Home

Edgartown Lighthouse

We were lucky enough to be in Barnstable on Cape Cod to witness a sensational sunset, followed by a crab cake dinner at a tradional Cape Cod restaurant - fabulous!

Cape Cod Sunset

Travelling in New England we've become very interested in early American history.  We've  read David McCullough's book John Adams and have watched the PBS series of the same name, so we were anxious to visit the John Adams National Historic Site, which includes the birthplaces of John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams.  These two homes are close together, both small and simple - obviously the Adams family was not wealthy.  We then visited the "Old House", a bigger, grander dwelling with many original furnishings on display which the Adams moved into in 1788.  It was quite extraordinary to see John Adams' actual desk, and glasses, and bed, and couch, and even the wing chair in his study in which he was sitting when he died.  As we climbed the stairs we held on to the same banister that John and Abigail grasped as they climbed the stairs 240 years ago.  In the corner of the kitchen stood the big clock owned by John and Abigail, still ticking away, measuring time just as it did back then.  This detail above all struck me, making me realize how continuously the thread of time stretches across the years and how 240 years is as nothing. A rose bush and some lilacs planted by Abilgail STILL GROW in the garden . . . . but John and Abigail have gone on . . . .

Birthplace of John Adams

On our last day in New England we drove south to Newport, Rhode Island, where we toured the Vanderbilt's mansion, the Breakers, perched on the bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  The opulence of the Breakers is almost unbelievable - it's really hard to grasp the reality of a family living in such splendor.  

The Breakers in Newport

Sailboats in Newport's Harbor

As a young lad Bob served in the US Navy on the submarine USS Diodon, and as a former submariner he was most interested in visiting New London, Connecticut, to see the first nuclear submarine Nautilus.  We all enjoyed touring the Nautilus, marvelling at the tightness of the quarters and the lack of privacy on board.  And we had fun imagining Sailor Bob in his cute uniform . . . . 

Bob on the USSNautilus

Kibo and Moshi love fall . . . they especially like it when I bring them bright leaves to play with.  They love to pounce them and chase them around in the motorhome, then chew on them for a bit before cuddling up for a nap.   

Catching a Few Z's

Kibo with his Favorite Leaf

Both Navigators Asleep at the Switch!

Now we leave New England heading for the Big Cities of New York, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.   Time for some city fun . . .