One Step Over the Line … no, make that 540+

July 29, 2014

Been doing some thinking about the adventures Quinn and I have taken for the last three years. During those adventures, we have chased every dang critter that I can imagine. We were within feet of capturing a dinosaur one year. Then, we were inches away, I am sure, of getting our hands on Sasquatch. We had Black Bart in our grips until he turned those cowboy beans against us. I was thinking we could use some extra help … thinking Barrett might be willing to give us a hand. And she said "Yes".  

We would kinda be like the three musketeers, except we didn't have those swords or big hats with the ostrich feathers. Instead, I thought we could just get some funny hats and weird glasses to wear. That ought to do it.

Another change I thought about was that we might be "doing" something, rather than "chasing" something every time. Our record of catching the things we were chasing was none too good.  Not sure if Quinn would agree with me on that quite yet … but he'll come around.

I also thought I should keep our destination a big secret. Well,  that was a mistake. Seems like my musketeer partners, Porthole and Darn Tanyon, are none to keen on being in the dark. I guess I am a little more experienced at spreading my wings without a safety net. But, they'll get the hang of it soon enough to thoroughly scare the pajebbers out of their parents.

I got up early this morning to check on my directions. This would be my first solo flight with the kids in the car for an adventure. I'm not saying certain parent-like people might be scrutinizing my ability to make adult decisions and such. I will say they had furrowed brows when I drove drove away with their kids and were clutching their hearts and tearing at their clothes. Or were they dancing a jig? It is so hard to tell in the rearview mirror.  

Let it be said that we packed our gear and flew the coop.

I need to say right out front that my musketeer comrades, Tar Dandelion and Porpoise, are not exactly morning people. Getting them moving in the morning is a job to say the least. Add to that, they stayed up late telling secrets to one another so loud that their parents heard them. I realized that if we tried to eat before we left, we would still be there eating right now. The decision… breakfast on the road. I chose Poppa's Breakfast Nook in Spartanburg, open 24-hours a day. Okay, I did think it might be one of those truck stop kinda places where you eat horrible food and say "eat where the truckers go" when you really know that truckers don't know squat about good food. And I know what you were just thinking. The answer is "No",  I did not think it was one of those other kinda truck stops that I don't know nothing about no how, even if the coffee is good there. 

I am going to take a little, what you call, diversion here. Not like a court diversion ... more like a detour in the storytelling. By the time we got to the restaurant (in fact, by the time we got in the car), my musketeer buddies, Porky Chops and Darn Companion, had lost their zeal for those hats and glasses. Seems to me they were wondering what other people in that restaurant might think of us coming in there in with that glasses and hat combination … the three of us … the three musketeers. You need to know that "got your back" and "we're right behind you" are two entirely different wordifications.  The second, I'm saying, actually means "we left our stuff in the car". I suppose these new-breed kids are more used to worrying about what people that see them think and are all hung up on them gaiters and foxes and polo players all over their clothes where the only thing ever written on my jeans was Husky.  You guessed it. I paraded right in that restaurant looking like a lizard in a hat while they paraded after me looking like Tommy Middlefinger and Myley Cyrus with her tongue in her mouth … with no hats or glasses.

                     

Back on the main road again. We checked out the menu in Poppa's and unbelievably everybody found stuff they liked. 

Fact is, my musketeer sidekick, Porterhouse, got the waffles and said they were even better than the ones she had at home last night. Fact is, that waffle at home was Anne's recipe. Fact is, Porterhouse was sitting right next to the chef that cooked her that waffle last night.  She is on her own trying to talk her way out of that comment. I'll just keep on whittling on my ten foot pole.

My other sidekick musketeer, Darned Tame Horsehead, ordered scrambled eggs and bacon. Now, I have been knowing him before his eyes ever opened and he let out his first mew and I think his mama might have been considering naming him Bruce to begin with … knowing him all his life that is to say … all seven years. In all that time, I have never seen him eat an egg for breakfast to the best of my rapidly fading recollection. This morning, he practically licked the eggs off the plate. Explain that if you can. 

We get back in the car all gassed up from our diner food and I happen to look in the rearview mirror. Take a guess what musketeers, Portuguese Stew and Darned Socks, are doing. They are sitting there, big as you please, with those hats and glasses on. Excuse me for getting ahead of the horse with the cart, but I got to tell you right now, they ditched them hats and glasses quicker than shuckers at a corn roast as soon as we got to Chimney Rock. 

I don't recall, well yesterday comes to mind, but other than that, I don't recall whether I told you that it was hot as blazes for the last few days and the weather cooled off and was absolutely beautiful today. As a result of that, every person in NC that has a wife like mine that looks at the weather channel incessantly, decided to go to Chimney Rock today. To the tune of 15 cars in line ahead of us when we arrived.

Finally, we got our ticket and leaped out of the car to head up Chimney Rock. Maybe I shouldn't have said so much about all those steps to climb. A certain musketeer, I shall not mention his name, got out of the car and before get got to the first stair said, "I want to ride the elevator … I  am tired already." Luckily, I was a former counselor and knew exactly what to say … "NO WAY".

Instead, I uncoiled my bullwhip and sent those musketeers scurrying up the steps.

Here is where I endeared myself to the parents. Once a school teacher, always a school teacher.  We did some math.  They had a counting lesson by counting the number of steps. The lesson stopped when they quit counting at 540 … when I surprised them with more steps to climb to the very top of the mountain. That is when they seemed to lose interest in counting. Perhaps, instinctively they knew to conserve their breath. 

I busied myself with a math lesson as well. I counted the number of times a certain musketeer asked me if we could take the elevator down the mountain. I also quit counting at 540.  I caved in and said "Yes", but was really against the idea all together since downhill is so easy that you can fall all with way with no effort at all.  Lucky for us all, I did not know where the elevator was and missed it when we were getting ice cream to cool off. The result being that we did not take the elevator and ended up walking. I was not-so-secretly glad about the whole thing and only had to suffer being a big fat liar which I already knew. 

Anyway, it was not about the walking in the first place … it was about the seeing and we saw some cool stuff.

… like the view of Lake Lure

… and the view from the top of the chimney

… and about being in the Opera Box

… I was too tall to even stand up in the Opera Box

We did do a little extra climbing to get to the rock formation called "The Devil's Head".  I took a picture, but can't say for sure which head belonged to the devil.

There was one other spot we just had to see … and it was only a few more steps to climb. It was called, "The Exclamation Point". I am a little disappointed that seven year olds don't know what that is. Seems to me we ought to be teaching them that there is a whole bunch of stuff to be excited about in this world by the time they are seven, and they ought to be putting those exclamation points at the end of most every sentence they write.

There. We had done it. No matter how tired we thought we were. No matter if we couldn't believe we had climbed all of those steps.

In fact, we seemed to have enough energy to climb around under the rock ledge and even to run down the steps when I mentioned ice cream.

Finally, we reached the bottom again. We took a vote and my musketeer BFF's, Porta-Potty and Darth Vader, cast the deciding votes to head for home … to not pass Go … to skip Hickory Nut Falls … to not stop for lunch.

I thought to myself … no lunch? … what about the Gem Stone Store? … what about the miniature golf? … WHAT ABOUT THE SOUVENIR SHOP?  Well … that is what you call living in a democracy. Then I realized … what the heck,  there is always more to see if you go looking for it. 

In fact,

 there might very well be

 another adventure lurking

right at the top 

of that very next hilltop.

Along the Hudson - Anniversary 43

June 7, 2014

It was our 43rd anniversary. Since we retired, we have tried to do short trips to celebrate. This year we decided on the Hudson Valley as a destination. For quite a few years now, I have tried to do a commemorative sculpture as well … usually on a body of water. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do that this year, so I created by sculpture on the Rock River behind our house several days earlier. It contained 43 objects and one for good luck. I tell people that I do not know how long I can continue this tradition. Every year, I get older and the rocks get heavier. 

We headed out early on the day before our anniversary in order to reach our first target activity just as it opened for the day.  We had a three hour drive ahead of us and a long list of things we intended to do. Anne snoozed in the passenger seat and let the Garmin do most of the navigating. By the time she really woke up, we were already in cruising through the small towns lining the banks of the Hudson. The farm scenery along the way was beautiful.

Our first destination was Olana. Olana was the home of Federic Church, a leading landscape artist of the period. Church was the only artist to actually be taught by Thomas Cole, the head of the Hudson River School group. Church's interest in both Persian and Mexican cultures inspired him to build the Persian mansion on his estate overlooking the Hudson. 

Directly across the bridge, from Olana was the studio of Thomas Cole.

There is no better example of the Persian style of Olana than the main entryway.

I particularly like the use of natural wood fencing and seating around the grounds to compliment the mansion, but still make the mansion the focal point of the grounds. 

Although the flower gardens were minimal, there were some interesting offerings there.

Following our tour of Olana, we headed into nearby Hudson for lunch. It had a small Main Street that was well worth the time to explore. We, on the other hand, had little time to spare and chose American Glory BBQ for lunch. For some inexplicable reason, I ordered the BBQ turkey leg. Last year at the Medieval Fair we attended, I had a delicious one. Perhaps the leg, I had at American Glory was left over from that fair. It appears that the waitress forgot to include a hammer with my utensils to break through the turkey leg skin. I have made better choices in my life. I thanked my lucky stars that I had not broken a tooth on the leg and we were back on the road.

Millbrook, NY was our target. I had read about two artists who built a castle, 85% of the building material being salvaged goods. As we drove along the driveway to the castle, I noticed a somewhat strange sculpture in the treelike. I slowed to take a picture and realized that was exactly in the right place … or, I was so in the wrong place.

We pulled up to the castle only to find signage indicating it was closed. It seems that you had to call in advance in order to tour the castle. Oops!  A picture out of the car window was all we would glean from this stop.

Better luck in Poughkeepsie.

Along the banks of the Hudson, just outside of Poughkeepsie, is Locust Grove. Locust Grove was the home and estate of Samuel Morse. Besides being an artist, Samuel Morse was an inventor. In fact, the inventor of the telegraph and Morse Code need to use it. 

The tour of the house was interesting and informative. Outside, unique gardens complimented the views of the Hudson. I particularly enjoyed the huge trees surrounding Morse's home. 

                I

t was back on the road again … this time to Newburgh, NY. Despite Anne's fears, having read some less than sterling reviews, the Ramada Inn was fine. I chose Billy Joes Ribworks for dinner. Maybe I am overdoing the barbecue, but it was located right at the marina on the Hudson.  It was a little loud and boisterous ( pounding like a heart about to explode ) and I have to say karaoke is clearly not my thing. Perhaps the pounding I was hearing was the pounding of our hearts … it was our anniversary trip. I made a mental note to check my pillbox back at the room to be sure I have taken my bp medicine. Nevertheless, the ribs were great and being right on the Hudson was definitely the place to be. Anyway, how can you go wrong for ribs when you see a faded, white pig painted on the brick wall of the dining room?

We awoke refreshed. Yesterday had been a long day … but fun. Today, however, was the day … the anniversary … the 43rd roundup. Perhaps, I let my imagination get the best of me.

                                       

Anne was helpful in bringing me back to my senses. Off we went!

First stop of the day was the Dutch Reformed Church. It a National Register site and is begin restored. I didn't really know what to expect here. Turned out that we could not get inside due to locked fences all around. Even in its current state, it is a formidable structure and should be magnificent when the restoration is completed.

I couldn't help but notice the building just down the street from the church. I loved the ornate architecture. It had once been the town library, but now house a church. Beautiful building. 

It was  straight shot across town for our next site, George Washington's Headquarters. We and about an hour to kill before the first tour and were directed to a coffee chop across the street. One of the wonderful things about exploring in a city or small town is finding unique little shops. Macciachio served specialty coffees and pastries and was decorated with an Indian theme, complimented by lots of local art. Very relaxing and welcoming. 

After coffee, we walked back over to Washington's Headquarters  to take the tour. The site includes a visitors' center, the building where Washington was housed, and a monument. All of this strategically, sat on the high ground overlooking the Hudson. We learned that over the period of the 8 years of the Revolutionary War, Washington had 165 different headquarter sites and that his stay here was the longest. 

It was here he rejected the idea that he be made King after the war, he outlined the format of what became the constitution of the Sate of New York an slater the model for the US Constitution, and he create the first military award of honor for regular soldiers, which was the forerunner of the Purple Heart.

Checking out where George and Martha Washington slept makes a man powerful hungry. We drove across the river to Beacon, NY.  Main Street was  great spot for just browsing.  Lots of small galleries, a small sculpture park, and restaurants lined the street. 

We chose Max's on Main for our lunch for typical American fare and it was exceptional. The place was absolutely packed with locals watching the World Cup match with Germany and cheering on the US every time the players did anything. Perhaps the massive consumption of alcohol had something to do with their exuberance.  Lots of fun.

We spent the afternoon in Beacon, at Dia: Beacon, a huge contemporary art museum. The exhibit spaces are huge, rivaling those at Mass MOCA. I love the space, but I must admit that I don't have a clue what 99% of the  exhibits were getting at … strange, strange and more strange. I did recognize that one piece was a spider. It was very similar to pieces I saw in Ottawa and Bilbao and possibly is the same artist.

I was drawn to one particular piece that spoke to me and seemed strangely familiar, but try was I may, I could not figure it out either.

We finished up a little early at Dia: Beason. Confusion doesn't take that long. Decided to try out the Roundhouse Hotel to sit and relax before dinner.  The hotel is located at Beacon Falls and has a seating outside along the river.  Beautiful setting.

We drove back across the Hudson to Newburgh for dinner. I had found a Peruvian Restaurant for us to try  and it proved to be a great choice. Unfortunately, the Peruvian tamales are not available (I really wanted to try them). The meals were authentic and delicious. Best eats of the trip for sure. Anne had a baked flounder with a Peruvian sauce to die for. I chose n old style Incan meat stew over rice with some of the hottest sauces I have tasted in years … one drop to light you up.

The next morning, we were so full still from the Peruvian meal that we neglected to do the senior citizen snatch and run at the hotel breakfast. That's when the old timers see a basket or bowl of fruit on the buffet and grab multiple apples, pears, oranges, etc.and shove them in their purse saying they are taking them to someone else in the room. Saw a bushel basket of apples emptied by a senior citizen bus group at thePutney Inn once in less than three minutes … then they asked if there were any more apples.

We checked out and headed for the cars. Funny, Anne's purse seemed suspiciously heavy and she appeared to have to use two hands to carry it. Destination Germantown and Clermont, the Robert Livingston Estate. Home to seven generations of Livingston's, including Robert of the Clermont steamboat invention with Fulton. 

The grounds were great and we rambled around, ending up in a great conversation with the gardener. Originally, the estate here was 165,000 acres along the Hudson. They eventually added another half a million acres across the river. In seven generations if was virtually all gone, the remainder finally donated to the state when the family could not afford to keep it up. The house tour was enjoyable … but we really liked roaming around the grounds.

It was getting late in the afternoon. Louis and Susan and Peyton were scheduled to arrive in Williamville at 5:30PM to stay with us for some vacation time. We decided id we hurried just a bit, we might be able to see one more site before our anniversary adventure would be over. So be it. We sped to Kinderhook, NY to visit the 8th President of the US, Martin Van Buren  Museum and Homestead.

Afterwards, we raced home.

The Childrey's were in hot pursuit.

We were about one exit on the Mass Turnpike ahead of them.

But we beat them home

and were at the ready to receive them.

Like the good hosts we are!