Wedding Day, looking back posted 9/1/2012

In the morning, we decided to take a walk over to the Magic Kingdom for a look around during the day. Maybe because it was Sunday, there were fewer people there, and a bit more room to move around. After a few rides, we headed back to our htoel for a light lunch, and to get ready for the wedding.

We had allowed lots of time, so we did not have to rush getting over to the Floridian where we were to meet Alex for pictures at 3:30. So we were, for the most part, ready to go at 2:30 for the 5 minute ride to the Floridian. Except. The last thing to put on (for me) was a fine chain necklace with a cz stone. I picked it out of its container, and...I discovered that the chain to my necklace had become hopelessly knotted. While we had left ample time for dressing, we did not figure on having to untangle an unruly chain. I took it in hand, and we left our room, headed for the wedding. We stopped at the front desk because we needed to inquire about transportation, and while we waited, I casually (and desperately) asked if the hotel had an "expert" at untangling chains. I was blown away by the young man who came to my rescue. It turns out that, yes, he was something of an expert at untangling chains. Apparently he had previously worked at a jewelry store (I think). At any rate, he managed to untangle what both I and my husband could not. Such a small thing, but, wow, that's service!

That morning, we had inquired about transportation from the Contemporary to the Floridian. The concierge told us our options (monorail or taxi), and then mentioned that perhaps the hotel would have a "runner" car available to take us the 3-5 minute ride there. He told us to ask at the front desk when we were ready to leave. So, we did just that. But, no, there was no car available. The concierge then graciously gave us a chit for a complimentary taxi ride to the Floridian. Within minutes, we were there. 

Pictures taken, we walked over to the wedding pavilion where the wedding would take place. There, we waited in the groom's waiting room with Alex and his groomsmen. Mike (Alex's best man) inquired about the whereabouts of the rings. "Not to worry. They're in the chapel". The wedding began, and at the time of the ring presentation, the minister turned to Mike and asked for the rings. Flummoxed, Mike shrugged and said he didn't have them. The minister turned to the groomsmen--no, they didn't have them either. But then--to the strains of "When you wish upon a star", the rear doors opened and a fairytale footman strode down the aisle with the rings on a pillow. SO cool.

It was a lovely, meaningful wedding ceremony.

The ensuing reception was a blast. The music and dj was good, the food, wonderful. Everyone danced. And part way through the festivities, Mickey and Minnie made a guest appearance, and danced and had their pictures taken with guests. I had to laugh when Cale, one of the groomsmen boogied with Minnie and dipped her. In the corner of the reception room, the photographer had set up a camera and 60" (approximate) screen, where guests could have their pictures taken, and write on the screen (with their finger), a note to the bride and groom. What a novel guest book! The pictures could then be printed, and both the guest and Alex and Jenna got copies. Alex and Jenna will also get digital copies as well. Sweet!

What a wonderful day! We are blessed to have another addition to our family. Welcome, Jenna!

The day before 8/25/2012

This morning, we opted to visit the hotel restaurant for breakfast, and took part in a lovely buffet. This was the first restaurant we had ever visited where juice was served in a 16 oz. tumbler, and refills were offered. As usual, the waitstaff was over-the-top, Disney-helpful and the service was Disney superb. At Disney, no matter the type of restaurant, it seems that the servers had been told to give service before patrons ever ask for it. I could get hooked on that...

After breakfast, we set out for Epcot again. This time, we stopped at Mission for Mars, Captain EO (a 3D movie), and something called "Soaring". This was a neat bit of entertainment that has you sitting in a simulated airline seat. You are then presented with a full vision screen that shows a movie of what the pilot sees when flying--swooping down over a river, buzzing through canyons, soaring over NYC. It was really exhilarating. We stopped for a light lunch, then headed back after we received a call from Alex telling us that we needed to be at the rehearsal in 45 minutes. Uh-oh. That was news to us...We booked it back to the room, changed clothes, and boarded the monorail headed for the rehearsal. Only 20 minutes late. We did great!

Then we traveled over to the Polynesian Hotel, and the restaurant, Ohana, where we would host the rehearsal dinner. At this restaurant, courses arrive family style, with the ability to order more of any dish that is served. We started with a caesar salad, then, chicken wings and dumplings, then grilled chicken, steak, pork, grilled shrimp, and broccoli with noodles. We topped all this off with apple crisp and ice cream. Alex and Jenna presented us and Jenna's parents with some thoughtful gifts. It really was a wonderful dinner.

Our last stop for the day was the Magic Kingdom (again) to get a replay of the fireworks show. Since we did not really see the "Magic, Memories and You" precursor to the fireworks, we got to see that as well. It was fabulous. The castle was transformed into a giant canvas of special effects. This was a completely awesome display that left us convinced of the genius that is Disney today. The ensuing fireworks were splendidly choreographed, and a delight.

Tomorrow: the big day!

Animals, China, and Dessert! 8/25/2012

Woke up early today, and we decided to take a jaunt over to Animal Kingdom, Disney's animal park. It was promising, as usual, to be a hot and humid day. We set off on the bus to get there, probably a 25-30 minute ride. On arrival, we went directly to the more popular rides in the park, the Safari, and the Kali Rapid ride. The first is a truck ride through a Disney built African landscape. There were some pretty cool animals along the way, most notably, white rhinos, giraffes, and hippos.  The Rapids is a water ride where you sit in a round tube type boat that bounces off walls, and rushes down a stream. Of course, everyone gets wet. The waits for both rides were short, a nice surprise.  Then we opted for a bird show that featured some beautiful African birds. The trainer had the birds fly over the audience in many cases, quite low over the audience. The best was a crowned crane. It's feet nearly brushed Ray's head...

Since we had to get back to Alex's hotel for Ray to try on his tux, we headed out at about 12:30. we met Steve there. It turns out that Alex and Jenna had to vacate their room (along with everyone else in their hotel block), because some visiting bigwig needed to have the security of  no one else in the building.

We and Steve headed back to our hotel, where we grabbed some lunch, and set out for Epcot. There, we met up with Alex and Jenna, and some of Jenna's family. Together we visited a few of the Epcot "countries of the world"--especially the ones that had air conditioned attractions. By the time we reached the China exhibit, the skies were darkening, and suddenly, the skies opened up, and there was lots of thunder and lightning. Surprisingly, the downpour lasted for at least a couple of hours. Since we had reservations for the Chinese restaurant, we arrived for dinner right on time, only having to run through the rain for a short distance.

By the time we were done our dinner, the rain had stopped and the sun came out. Such is Florida in the summer.  Ray, Steve, and I met Alex again at the American pavilion, the site of Alex and Jenna's "Welcome Dessert Party". There, we mingled with Alex and Jennas friends, and Jenna and Ray's family. There was everything from fresh fruit to cake, to cookies, to ice cream bars, to apple crisp and LOTS more. The party was a huge success. At about 9:00, we moved to a privately reserved, front-row-seat viewing stage for the Epcot fireworks and lighting spectacular. In the beginning of the show, one of the effects was a raging fire. We must have been more than 100 yards away, but we could feel the blast of heat where we sat.Very, very cool.

By the time we left Epcot, the park was closing, and Steve, Ray and I took the Monorail back to our hotel. Steve continued on back to his digs. But the day was not done for Ray and me. We decided there was still time to take a dip in the pool, so we did just that in the warm evening. Disney Day 2 came to a close.

When you wish upon a star 8/24/2012

Outside the hotel

Our digs for this weekend

After a relatively short and pleasant flight, we arrived in Orlando right on time at about 10:30 a.m. We had marked our luggage so that Disney would pick up our bags at the airport and deliver them to our room. That way, we could skip baggage claim and go directly to Disney transportation to our hotel, the Contemporary. Directly after stepping off the bus at the hotel entrance, a young lady approached us, and asked if we were Mr. & Mrs. Blank. Upon confirmation, we were greeted warmly and given our checkin documents, and then led to our room--no standing in line to check in for us! We found our room after a bit of a trek, and upon opening the door, figured we had come to the wrong place. What we had confirmed for was a standard room. What we got was a suite with king bed, 2 sleep sofas, 2 baths, 2 refrigerators, and a water view from 2 sides, windows on 3 sides (it was an end unit. In addition, we have a spacious living area, 2 tvs, 4 clothes closets. Very nice. Once we settled in, we checked out the hotel's workout area (we'll visit there tomorrow), pool, and restaurants, and had lunch. We figured we'd kick back for a bit, then go into the park for dinner and the light show and fireworks.

Dinner was great at an Italian restaurant in the Magic Kingdom, and the light show was sweet. But I must say that the music that accompanied the light parade was like the "It's a Small World After All" sing-song variety that makes your ears bleed after listening to it over and over for 20 minutes. The floats in the parade were festooned with LEDs, as were the characters that rode the floats and walked and danced the route.

But the highlight was the fireworks that followed the parade. The theme was "Wishes". Set to music from various Disney movies, the fireworks and lighting effects on the Cinderella castle synced well. It was a fantastic show. You can see the finale here.

Rather than take the monorail with the thousands of other people herding out of the park after the fireworks, we decided to take the pleasant 10 minute walk back to our hotel.

July 14, 2012 -- A change in plans

When we woke this morning, it was pouring rain. The weather forecast was for continued off and on rain throughout the day. We had originally planned to attend the Bastille Day celebrations in Philadelphia, and tour some of the historic sites. But with rainy, muggy weather on tap, and the fact that we were only a 45 minute drive from Philly, we made other plans.

We headed north to the winery that sells our favorite Chardonnay, Brimstone Valley Winery, in Pine Bush, NY. A 3 1/2 hour drive took us there, where we purchased a case.

From there, we headed home, arriving at about 7 p.m.

From this eclectic selection of destinations, we took away various musings and facts:

• We will probably never visit places east of the Mississippi ever again in the summer. Not because we don't appreciate the beauty and history of the places here. But---it's too hot and humid to walk around without sweating your brains out. On every single walk/hike we took, I needed to take a towel to wipe the sweat from my head and neck, or it would run into my eyes, and/or soak my shirt. This is an area best appreciated in the fall.
• We were pleasantly amazed at the lack of bugs on our hikes. We had fore-armed ourselves with 2-3 containers of bug spray for this trip, and didn't need to use any of them for any hike.
• All the Appalachian states are incredibly beautiful. As steep and craggy as the Rockies are, these mountains are a series of steep green hills and valleys. You can really understand the concept of "hollows" here. 
• Hotels would be doing their patrons a BIG favor by locating shower heads higher up on the wall.

We learned all kinds of cool things.

• Like the fact that during the American Civil War, the common term used in the United States was "sharpshooter", which is a reference to and a tribute to the Sharps rifles that were commonly used by Civil War "snipers". Those rifles could shoot accurately to 1000 yards.
• Cannon fire during the Civil War could reach 2 miles.
• To create Shenandoah National Park in 1935, they created a commission to investigate the people in that area. The "findings" were that the people were ignorant, non-religious, and probably unable to care for themselves adequately. So the federal government moved in to "help these people", by moving them out of the desired lands to property outside the proposed park. Never mind that the people had farmed and raised their families on this land for generations. 
• When Great Smoky Mountain National Park was established in 1934, 2/3 of the land had been clear-cut. Though Congress had authorized the park in 1926, there was no nucleus of federally owned land around which to build a park. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. contributed $5 million, the U.S. government added $2 million, and private citizens from Tennessee and North Carolina pitched in to assemble the land for the park, piece by piece. Slowly, mountain homesteaders, miners, and loggers were evicted from the land. This is the only National Park with no entrance fee, because it was mostly paid for by the citizens of North Carolina and Tennessee. 
• People who anchor the news on southern TV stations don't have the same accent as the people to whom they broadcast.
• West Virginia's governor was a shoe-in for the post, just based on his name: Earl Ray Tomblin.
• Robert C. Byrd, the longest serving member of the US Senate in history, has more stuff named for him in the state of West Virginia than anyone else in any other state: it brings new meaning to the words: pork barrel politics.
•  There's nothing quite like being in the woods, with no one around, and listening to the bright sound of wood thrushes singing to one another.

So, all-in-all, a wonderful trip.   2,912 miles, 104.73 gallons of gas at an average of $3.256 per gallon (highest in Rochester, NY at $3.499/gallon, cheapest in Gatlinburg, TN at $2.999/gallon). I'll be sending invitations to the pictures as I post them.  Thanks for coming along!                    

July 13, 2012 -- Flowers, trees, and light

After a drive from York, through Dutch country, and past numerous signs on local roads to "Avoid aggressive drivers", we arrived at our destination, Longwood Gardens. The day was, as usual for this trip, hot and humid. We were psyched for this visit, because at this time, there is an exhibition on Longwood grounds that has been created by light designer, Bruce Monro. We had seen pictures, but nothing prepared us for the impact of this "show".

Part of the Flower Walk

We arrived at the gardens at about 11:30 a.m., and were shocked that, for really the first time in our experience, there were few cars in the parking lots, and visitors in the garden were scarce. How lovely to be able to walk the garden paths and feel like we were strolling in our own personal garden. Longwood is the creation of Pierre duPont, who purchased a piece of property in 1906 to save an arboretum established 1798 from being sold for lumber. Subsequently, duPont developed the estate and added to it extensively. He added flower gardens, fountains and conservatories. Today, the gardens are comprised of 1077 acres, 20 outdoor and 20 indoor gardens, 4.5 acres of heated greenhouses (the conservatories),and 11,000 types of plants and trees, including 68 champion trees.

 We decided to tour the flower gardens during the day, go back to our hotel for a break and get dinner, and then go back for the light exhibition in the evening. The gardens are fabulous, a wonderful display of color, and texture, obviously perfectly professionally arranged. The 600 foot long "flower walk" takes you down a brick path lined on each side with flower gardens in successive hues of the rainbow. There are ponds on the estate, and part of the light display is arranged around them. Floating tranquilly in one lake, is one of the exhibits: comprised of foam disks topped with thousands of recycled CDs, the installation mirrors the changing hues of the surrounding landscape. Each disk looks like a lily pad.

Since the day was heating up, and I was beginning to melt (literally), we went back to the hotel and enjoyed a cold beer, then went for dinner at a local cafe. After a sensational dinner and an even better dessert, we set off for the light exhibition. Holy smokes! Nothing could have prepared us for the emotional impact of this show. In the greenhouse, during the day, we saw the installation called Light Shower. During the day, you can see teardrop shaped glass forms suspended from the ceiling. At night, this transforms into what appears to be a shower of diamonds that is reflected in the water covered sunken marble floor.

Hanging above one conservatory's green lawn, "Snowballs" features six large glass chandeliers that illuminate the indoor garden in a kaleidoscope of colors that change in unison.

Ouside, the magic continued. After a walk down a low-lighted path, we came to "Water Towers", 69 structures built of recycled one-liter water bottles filled with water, wood layers, and fiber optics connected to an LED projector and sound system. We strolled among the towers, entranced.

A small part of Forest Walk

But best of all, was an installation called "Forest Walk". The only word to describe this, is "WOW". Forest Walk is a dense area of tulip trees, oaks and maples, whose understory is the setting for 20,000 illuminated glass spheres that line the pathways. The points of light seem to spread out before you forever. The walk in the forest took at least 30 minutes, and everyone who walked the path had the same remark: WOW. It was magic; it was wonderful; it was like fairyland. So beautiful! Pictures can't do it justice.

These are just a few of the light installations. The light exhibition is there til September 29, 2012. If you can, GO!!

July 12, 2012 -- Gettysburg

The battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, and the war's bloodiest battle, with 51,000 casualties. 51,000 casualties in 3 days! Although we have visited the Gettysburg National Military Park before (2-3 times), the park has been renewed and renovated in recent years. Much of the nasty commercialism (billboards within sight of the cemetery) has been removed. Each time we have visited and have stood at the field where Picketts charge took place, a sense of reverence, and appreciation for the sacrifice given, an amazement at the sheer courage (or was it idiocy?) takes hold of us.

Behind the wall where Union forces waited for Confederates to attack from the tree line in the distance (3/4 mile away)(Picketts Charge)

We stopped at the visitor center after having slathered up with sunscreen. The day was hot and humid (par for the course on this trip). Our first order of business was to walk over to the National Cemetery where the Gettysburg dead were buried, and then over to the place where the Union forces met a force of 12,500 Confederate soldiers that had marched over open fields for three-quarters of a mile (see photo above). The Confederates suffered 50% losses on this one battle. This was at a time when Sharpshooters had rifles that could pick off an enemy within 1000 yards, and cannon fire could reach 2 miles. Amazing.

Up on Big Round Top hill at the Union position looking down to Devils Garden (the rocky area in the distance) where the rebels were

Then we decided to take the auto tour of Gettysburg, that takes you to all the significant places in the 3 day battle. We were able to stand at the top of Cemetery Ridge and look down across the fields to the tree line where the Confederates (a mile long attack line) emerged to try and take the center of the Union line.  Open fields, fences running across them, trenches and berms make it hard to believe the Confederates thought they could succeed.  A few rebels and their commander actually made it over the stone wall at the top before they were repulsed.  Also looking up the hill from where the Confederates charged was sobering, "What were they thinking?"  There were many stops like this, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Devils Garden to name a few.

To those who believe that the Civil War is a chapter of our history that is done and closed, an incident occurred that proved otherwise to us. As we were coming back from viewing Culp's Hill, one of the stops on the auto tour, a man approached Ray and asked him to take his picture. Sure! No problem! Absolutely! The man handed his camera over to Ray, and then proceeded to his trunk and pulled out a large Confederate flag. He stretched it out with his arms, and stood in front of one of the monuments there with a big grin, and ready for his picture. Snap! The south lives, and the civil war lives on--not as bloody, but just as real.

Getting towards evening, we decided to leave Gettysburg and head for our stop for the night at York, PA, about 45 minutes away. The GPS took us down a back road that took us through small towns and rural rolling farmland-very picturesque. All of a sudden, a large sign appeared telling us that the road was closed ahead. Since there were no detour signs, we figured it must just mean that a side road was closed. Over the next rise, we discovered that, no, the road we were traveling on was closed--no detour signs, no optional roads to follow. So, we turned around and took a side road a little way back off the road we had traveled, and let the GPS take over. Sure enough, we were routed back to the main road and were on our way. BUT--a few miles along, the same "Road Closed" signs loomed. And again, there were no detour instructions. Again, we took a side road, meandered through farmland, and then, thanks to GPS, came back to the main road. I guess they just assume that if you're on these roads, you must know how to get around. We're just thankful that the ways around the closed road sections didn't take us many miles astray of our destination.

Tomorrow: Longwood Gardens!

July 11, 2012 -- An unepected jewel

We started the day, as usual, by going to the lobby and taking the motel breakfast of english muffins, cereal, and coffee. While we were there, a man came into the breakfast room, and noted the Boston College t-shirt I was wearing. He mentioned that he was a BC alumnus. Pursuing the conversation, we discovered that he had graduated in '70 (Ray in '72). We talked about our travels, and, oddly enough, found that he was from Littleton, MA, had just stayed at the same motel as us in Roanoke, and had driven the Blue Ridge Parkway, as we did, and was going to Gettysburg in a day or so, as we will. He was traveling by motorcycle. Small world.

Great Falls of the Potomac

We set off for Great Falls Park, about 12 miles outside of Washington, DC. This is a place where the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks, and flows through Mather Gorge. One of the country's first canals was here. Construction, urged on by George Washington, began in 1785 and took 17 years to complete.

In 1966, this place was put into the management of the National Park system to protect and preserve the ruins of the Potowmack canal. And it is such a surprise! A short walk from the visitor center, we were treated to the sight of the wide Potomac River, rushing over and around rock piles. So beautiful and so wild! We watched as kayakers maneuvered around the falls, then carried their kayaks up to repeat their feat. Then, we took a trail along the river, that, in spite of the heat and humidity of the day, offered cooling breezes from the river. Along the trail, every so often, we had glimpses of the Mather gorge, and the river flowing through it. We were able to see remains of the canal and locks, and the ruins of the village of Matildaville that grew up to support the workers that built the canal.

After our hike, we headed north to Thurmont, MD, where we will be spending the night. The traffic was horrendous. I can't imagine dealing with this every work day: 4 lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic. For dinner we looked to advice from tripadvisor.com, and chose a local Chinese restaurant.  Let me just say that, from our experience, it didn't deserve rave reviews...




Heading to Gettysburg tomorrow.

July 10, 2012 -- Shenandoah

Skyline Drive picks up where the Blue Ridge Parkway leaves off in the south. Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935 after the federal government forced resettlement of 465 families. Skyline Drive runs along the spine of the park, offering fabulous views of the mountains and valleys beyond.

View from an overlook on Skyline Drive

Our trip started in the rain, but once we were within 15 miles of Shenandoah, the rain stopped, and the skies cleared. The day turned warm and comfortable. Today, as yesterday, along the Blue Ridge, we had little company on the road. We stopped at many of the overlooks and enjoyed the expansive quiet, broken only by bird song. All along the roadside were large stands of wild sunflowers, cow parsnips, asters, milk weed, thistle, columbine and cohosh. So beautiful. We stopped and had lunch under a dogwood tree at one of the overlooks. It was an incredibly relaxing day.

What appears as stalagmites (growing from the ground) are just a reflection in the water

We traveled about 75 miles of the road, and exited at Luray, with our final destination as Luray Caverns. Discovered in 1878 by a local photographer, Luray Caverns is a huge tourist attraction for this area. Privately owned, they are so commercialized, we both had reservations about visiting. The $24 per ticket fee for an hour's tour seemed exorbitant. But earlier, we had read online that you get a $5 per ticket discount with a local store frequent shopper card. So we stopped at a store, bought the bread and snacks we wanted, and picked up a card. Reviews of the caverns were generally very good, so we decided to go. Boy, are we glad we did.

These caverns are truly natural wonders. The "rooms" are huge and dripping with limestone formations. There are pools so still that they are mirrors for the stalactites above (see the photo above). The effect is that it's almost impossible to determine where the water stops and the rocks begin. It's hard to stop looking at the illusion. There are huge formations that look like cloth draperies, massive columns, and even what they call a "Stalacpipe Organ". The tour was very informative, and the tour guide didn't hustle everyone along, but let people take their time to appreciate the caverns. If ever you are in this area, it's worth a visit.

Tomorrow, we head for the Great Falls of the Potomac.

July 9, 2012 -- Along the Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south to Shenandoah National Park in the north, where it morphs into Skyline Drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The roadway is not maintained in the winter, and sections which pass over especially high elevations and through tunnels are often impassable and so are closed from late fall through early spring. The speed limit is never higher than 45 mph, but we found that even if the limit is 45, you can't safely drive that speed. The road is narrow and winds like a snake around the mountains, so in many places, you really can't go more than 30-35 mph. But that provides a better view of the spectacular scenery that you're passing.

Huge stands of pink and white rhododendrons framed the road for much of the ride. And there were many overlooks along the way that invited us to stop and enjoy the quiet beauty of the area. It surprised us that we really did not have a lot of company on our drive: there was hardly any traffic, and we frequently had the opportunity to sit in the quiet of an overlook and enjoy the sound of the birds and the wind in the trees without the interruption of any human company.

It's so hard to believe that as little as 80 years ago, much of this area had been largely clearcut. The trees grew back with a vengeance, and now the hills are carpeted with green. As a matter of fact, many of the overlooks were overgrown to the point that the vista that originally was visible from the spot was completely obscured by trees.

In the afternoon, we stopped at the Linville Falls area along the Parkway, and took a short hike to a few viewpoints of the falls, which sit in a gorge carved by the Linville River. When we started our walk, the skies were darkening, and we heard the rumbling of thunder. Storms were due to roll in. We trusted that we'd be done our walk in time, and we were right. It held off until early evening, after which the temperature dropped by at least 15-20 degrees.

Tomorrow, we head up Skyline Drive in Shenandoah.

July 8, 2012 -- The largest residence in the America

It took 6 years to build the unbelievable creation that is the Vanderbilt mansion in Asheville, NC called the Biltmore. Finished in 1895, it has 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 175,000 square feet (4 acres). We couldn't leave the Smoky Mountain area without visiting the Biltmore estate. At the time it was built, the property, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead,  covered 125,000 acres. Over the years, a large parcel (85,000 acres) was sold to the US government, other parcels sold, and the property now comprises 8,000 acres that is administered by the remaining Vanderbilt family. Vanderbilt's only child, Cornelia continued to live at the home til 1956 when the home was turned into a museum open to the public. It's hard not to be overwhelmed by the grandeur of the place. During the tour we saw the 70,000-gallon indoor swimming pool, 2 bowling alleys, early 20th century exercise equipment, a two-story library, and other rooms filled with artworks, furniture and 19th-century novelties such as elevators, forced-air heating, centrally-controlled clocks, fire alarms and an intercom system.  It's amazing: we saw maybe 42 areas of the house, and it took about 4 hours! There are 250 rooms! The grounds include 75 acres of gardens, a winery and an AAA 5 diamond hotel (doesn't it figure...).

They don't permit photography in the house, so I got a few pix of the outside. It was so hot, that after the tour, the thought of touring the gardens in 93 degree heat with 86% humidity with no shade, did not especially appeal to us. So we skipped the gardens and went over to the air-conditioned winery, where we were treated to a tour of the winery and a wine tasting. The lady giving the tour was especially entertaining and informative. The winery replaced a very successful dairy on the property in 1985. It is now the most visited winery in the United States.

We'd like to do a bike tour some other time in the fall. Tomorrow, we head up the Blue Ridge Parkway towards Shenandoah NP.

July 7, 2012 -- Rhododendrons and rushing water

While checking out of our motel this morning, we asked the owner the question that had occurred to us yesterday as we toured the auto road: Is he related to Ephraim Bales whose farm buildings have been preserved in the National Park? Sure enough, he, the owner of the Bales Motel, was the grandson of Ephraim. Pretty cool.

We set off for the National Park, hoping that the Cades Cove area might be open today. Upon arrival, we saw the portable sign indicating that , no, that area of the park was still not accessible. Apparently the storm on Thursday took down some large trees that fell over the access roads, and they still had not been cleared. So, we opted to head south on the road that bisects the park. Our first stop was the Alum Cave Trail. The trail crosses over streams several times, and traverses old growth forest of hemlock and yellow birch. Most notable to us, though, were the giant stands of flowering rhododendron. There are two species of rhododendron here: rosebay (white) and catawba (pink-purple). We saw massive flowering displays of both on this trail. Its hard to describe the sight of these towering stands (I'd guess 20 feet high) all along the hillsides that flank the rushing streams. Absolutely gorgeous. We followed the trail along to Arch Rock, a large slate black rock that has formed over the millennia, a natural arch. There is a set of steep stone stairs that take you down through the arch. A steel cable has been set into the rock as a handhold. The trail was easy to hike, and the air in the forest and by the rushing streams, cool enough. But the humidity was very high. And, as usual, I sweat up a storm.

We continued down Newfound Gap Road and stopped at a few overlooks to enjoy the splendor of this place. Did you know that the mountains are misty because the huge amount of foliage causes evaporation? In these times, pollution also adds to the haze.These mountains are so different from the Rockies. Their allure is more low key, not like the flash-bang , slap-you-in-the-face brilliance of the mountains of the west. We'd love to come back in the fall.

July 6, 2012 -- Waterfalls and forest

Along Roaring Fork Road

We had heard that the Cades Cove area of the park was closed because of downed trees on the roads due to yesterday's storm. A stop into the visitor center proved that to be correct. Since we would be heading to the southwest part of the park tomorrow, we decided to redo the auto tour on Roaring Fork Road, and take a few trails. Stops along the road today were considerably longer as we enjoyed the coolness of the forest, and the lovely breezes near the picturesque waterfalls that punctuated the tour along the road. This area was home to people who had tried, unsuccessfully, to farm the land. And many of the buildings they lived and worked in are still standing, many restored, along this road.

We were amused at the number of people who would just drive by a lovely spot, lean out the window, take a picture, and then move on. And we remarked several times to each other how happy we were that, in spite of the wetness of the ground after yesterday's deluge, there really were no mosquitoes to speak of. 

Along the Grotto Falls trail

Grotto Falls

A little later in the afternoon, we decided to take the Grotto Falls trail, an easy 2.4 mile round trip walk. The trail was lined in towering, flower-laden rhododendron. And the trail's pay-off was the falls at the end. Unfortunately, there had been many people on the trail, a large number of which were loudly splashing and climbing all over the rocks. What could have been a wonderful quiet retreat had to be shared with others. We'll have to return sometime in the fall or when there are fewer people there. But the walk back was just as delightful as the ascent. 

Views on the trail back--lovely rhododendron

We decided to walk into Gatlinburg from our motel to check out the zoo--aka tourist spots. OMG. Is it possible that people come here just to take part in this bizarre spectacle? It's like Times Square, only REALLY tacky: bumper to bumper traffic and crowds of sweaty people 4 abreast, tramping up and down the parkway dragging their children with them.

If I never experience Gatlinburg again, it will be too soon.
Tomorrow we may try again to visit the Cades Cove area. Then we head east to Asheville.

July 5, 2012 -- Storm!

After a leisurely breakfast, we set off south through the steep treed hills of West Virginia, and the more rolling hills of Virginia into Tennessee and toward Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Along the way, we ran into a pelting thunderstorm that stopped as quickly as it appeared. And we both got a kick out of the what seemed to be frequent billboards along the way for businesses like Southern X-Posure, the Lion's Den, and the Mouse's Ear Gentlemen's Club. A few Adult Bookstores were thrown in for good measure.

We can really appreciate the utility and beauty of the interstate highways that allow such easy access all over this country. They, like Fallingwater, probably never could be built today with all the EPA regs, environmental surveys, and eco-nuts.

4+ hours later, we checked into our motel in Gatlinburg, and headed for GSMNP. At the Visitor Center we watched a short movie that explained that the park was heavily logged in the 19th century to the point where 2/3 of its trees were taken down. That's amazing considering the lush growth that fills the park now. After scoping things out, we opted to take the Roaring Brook Auto Tour, a one way, one lane road that has stops along the road,that invite you to take a trail and/or investigate the history and natural beauty of the park. We did stop at one place and ventured down the trail, only to =retrace our steps when the trail disappeared. Besides, the skies were darkening--and not because of the lateness of the hour. we stopped at a viewpoint to snap a tripod photo of the 2 of us, when fat raindrops started to pelt us. Lightning snapped behind us as the shutter clicked. Then the deluge.I'm not talking just heavy rain here. The rain was coming down horizontally for the strong wind that accompanied it. The trees were bending in the wind. The rain was coming down so hard, we thought there was hail. we waited a while in the car, and then thought that maybe we should get out of there. If a tree blocked the road further down, it might be a while before we could leave. As a matter of fact, as we vetured down the road, there were tree branches in the middle of the road. I had to get out to remove the branches so we could proceed. And further down the road, a tree had snapped in two and was 90 degrees across the road about 20 feet up. The rain continued. By the time we got back into Gatlinburg, the temperature had dropped from the 90s to the mid 60s.

Ah yes, Gatlinburg, TN. A crazier tourist trap has never existed.With streets lined with Ripley's Believe it or Not, The Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show, and the best of all, Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens. If they can make money from any idea, they've tried it here. Car museums, Lumberjack Feud dinner and show, NASCAR speedpark, Rainforest adventures, Forbidden Caverns, winery Tours, Zip Lines, Magic shows, Haunted Adventures, Mini golf, Ripley's Aquarium, and this just scratches the surface. Hungry? Take your pick of any and all of the chain restaurants you wish, and add a few hundred independent barbeque, family,, steakhouses, and donut restaurants. All this lies at the doorstep of one of the most beautiful places in the country. And when I say doorstep, I mean doorstep. It's like building your house right on an 8 lane superhighway, so that when you open your door to step out, a car might run over your foot. At the park entrance, the craziness stops immediately, and you are greeted with wildness. The city of Gatlinburg is developed right up to the entrance to the park.

For dinner, we couldn't stomach the idea of eating intown. So we drove about 5 miles out of town to a little local barbeque place. The food was good, and the place quiet, except for the low country music in the background and the low buzz of talk from the other few tables in the place. Very low key--kind of like the beauty of the Smokies.

Tomorrow we'll see more of the park.

July 4, 2012 -- Hills

New River Gorge in southeastern West Virginia was our destination today. The drive down was quite beautiful--through the forested, rolling hills of West Virginia. And the day was going to be another hot, humid one, with temps in the 90s and humidity in the high 60% range. It took about 3 1/2 hours to reach our first stopping spot, the northern visitor center of the New River Gorge National River Park.

We stopped at the northern visitor center to the park, hoping to use the rest rooms, and take a small hike to an area where you can view the New River Gorge Bridge. Unfortunately, when we approached the visitor center, we discovered that it was closed. Violent storms raced through this area on Saturday leaving 50% of the state without power. Since there were few people there, we had no trouble using the local shrubbery in lieu of formal facilities. Thank God for tissues and hand spray. We then took the path down to the viewing platform for the bridge.

New River

The new River Gorge bridge is one of the longest steel single arch bridges in the world. It is the 5th highest vehicular bridge in the world, and the 3rd highest in the Americas. Set in the lovely West Virginia hills, it is impressive.

We then headed down to the southern terminus of the park at Grandview. I had to laugh when the GPS told us to take a right turn on "road" to access it. Again, the visitor center had no power, and was closed. We set off down a 3 mile round trip trail that takes you along the edge of the gorge. Trees were all deciduous, and much of the understory was old growth rhododendron that had recently finished flowering. It must have been quite a beautiful sight in full bloom. Occasionally along the trail, there were openings in the forest to see the river gorge below. We finally decided to leave the trail and walk up the road toward trail end. There we saw downed trees that had fallen on the walkway and destroyed it. The views were lovely -- looking out to the misty hills and down to the river.

As usual, by now my head and shoulders were soaking wet from sweat. Although the walk was not particularly difficult, it was just extremely warm and humid out. So our next move was to head to the hotel in Beckley where we had a couple of beers, and showered. After dinner, we headed over to the Beckley fireworks display. I must admit, it wasn't up to par with the Harrisville, PA show from a couple of years ago, even though Beckley has 5 times the population (17,000). But Harrisville was pure Americana, and Beckley feels more urban.

On tap: Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

July 3, 2012 -- A jewel and some history

There's a reason why Fallingwater was judged in its day (1937) by Time magazine as "Wright's most beautiful job", and is listed by the Smithsonian in its List of 28 Places to Visit Before You Die. Fallingwater is the former home of the Kaufmann family, located in Mill Run, PA, southeast of Pittsburgh. It was designed and mostly furnished by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Edgar Kaufmann was  the owner of a large department store in Pittsburgh. The Kaufmanns owned property outside Pittsburgh with a waterfall and cabins they used as a rural retreat. When the cabins deteriorated, Mr. Kaufmann contacted Wright. The result is an absolutely stunning building that seems to grow out of the natural beauty that surrounds it. It is built into and on top of ledge over which the Bear Run stream flows. The house rises over the waterfalls. It is a cantilever design: one in which beams are supported on one end only. The end result is a house that has no visible means of support, allowing for large rooms whose frameless windows open to an unbroken view of the surrounding forest.

We were treated to a tour of the house given by the separated-at-birth twin of Barbara Lambert (our niece). Some highlights: the living room is a huge expanse with slate floors and window walls. There are a set of stairs that lead down from the living room to a platform by the stream below. The owners would fish there. Floating shelves are all built into the rock walls. There are rocks in a walkway over which a trickle of water flows. The house is built so that that trickle flows back down to the stream. Corner windows are engineered so that when they are open, the frame disappears, and the view of the gorgeous forest is unspoiled. The pool is not chlorinated. The water in the 6 foot deep pool flows from the stream, and then drains back into the stream. ((Do NOT pee in this pool.) There is a guest house above the main house that is equally as spectacular. We will return sometime in the fall of the year.

After leaving Fallingwater, we headed south toward our lodging for the evening, and passed Fort Necessity, a unit of the National Park Service. We figured we'd just check it out. What a nice surprise! The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal of French power from North America. The stage was set for the American Revolution. So this place was pivotal to the development of the US. There is a replica of the original fort here and we saw a period character soldier who talked about the battle and the history of this place. Very cool place. We also stopped at the Mount Washington Tavern, a tavern built about 1830 on the National Pike, the first major improved highway built by the federal government. And we then stopped at the spot when Major-General Edward Braddock was buried (in the middle of the (then) Braddock Road. He was buried there at first so that the Indians and French would not dig up his body and desecrate it. later his body was moved a short distance away. Traces of the Braddock Road still exist. Standing where George Washington had passed, and where significant history had happened was moving.

Tomorrow we head south to West Virginia, an area that had severe storms a couple of days ago. We're hoping that all services have been restored. As of yesterday, the hotel had power, but no cable.

July 2, 2012 -- Solitude and Ledge

After a leisurely greeting to the day, we fixed our lunch pb+j's (of course), slathered oursleves with sunscreen, put on our sneakers and set out to explore Cuyahoga. Ready for the sunny, hot day to come, we headed out to the park with a plan suggested to us by the ranger we spoke to last evening. He recommended that we start at Brandywine Falls, then check out the Brecksville Station, a Towpath area where eagles were nesting, then head over to a trail called  The Ledges.

Brandywine Falls, one of the most popular places in the park, is, during times of more rainfall, a sight to behold. But this part of Ohio is in drought, and the falls are a fraction of their springtime volume.

Brandywine Falls in late spring.

Brandywine Falls as we saw them

A combination of boardwalk and steps brings you into the waterfall's gorge and lets you view the waterfall head-on (a boardwalk option without stairs is also available). The trail was pleasant and an easy walk.

Arched concrete bridge

From here we headed to Brecksville Station, for a stroll down the towpath, along the Cuyahoga River, and under a beautiful arched concrete bridge (that's posted to the National Register of Historic Places). The day was very warm (temps in the 90s), and a slow stroll made it easier to check out the trees and bushes, listen to the cardinals and thrushes, and look for the eagle's nest we were told could be seen along the trail. Not only did we find the nest (at quite a distance), but we saw the eagle perching, and then take off from a tree not too far away. Pretty cool.

We drove over to the Canal Visitor Center where we sat in the shade and ate lunch, then stopped into the center. There we perused its display explaining the growth of civilization in the Cuyahoga Valley. The display made me think about how easy it is for us to forget all the human development it has taken to bring us to our lives today. It prompted me to wonder where, in the scheme of history, our own chapter will fit.

On the ledges trail

After lunch, we took a very roundabout route to arrive at a spot in the park called The Ledges. The trail winds around an area of 30-40 foot high banks of rock. About 320 million years ago, there were fast moving streams that flowed into this area from the north and east, into what is now Ohio, and what was then an inland sea. Sand, gravel and quartz pebbles were carried by the water and deposited in a wide delta. After millions of years, these materials compacted to form this conglomerate rock. Over the years much of it eroded, but these rock ledges remain. In the midst of the forest, these rock sentinels are striking. The shade of the trees was a welcome respite from the heat of the day, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stroll among the rocks.

We headed back to our air-conditioned room, and a couple of cold beers.

July 1, 2012 -- To Ohio

A fairly uneventful day-- we headed out on the interstate towards Ohio. 4+ hours later, we arrived at our hotel in Hudson, OH. After a mid-afternoon break at the hotel, and a glass of wine, we decided to head out to check out the area, and pick up some literature for Cuyahoga National Park, which we will visit tomorrow.

Cuyahoga Valley NP preserves and reclaims the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. Actual park development began in the 1910s and 1920s with the establishment of Cleveland and Akron metropolitan park districts. In 1929 the estate of Cleveland businessman Hayward Kendall donated 430 acres and a trust fund to the state of Ohio. Kendall's will stipulated that the "property should be perpetually used for park purposes". It became Virginia Kendall park, in honor of his mother. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built much of the park's infrastructure.

Although regional parks safeguarded certain places, by the 1960s local people feared that urban sprawl would overwhelm the Cuyahoga Valley's natural beauty. Active citizens joined forces with state and national government staff to find a long term solution. Finally, on December 27, 1974, President Gerald Ford signed the bill establishing the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. It wasn't until 2000 that the name of the park was changed to Cuyahoga Valley National Park to make it more recognizable as a unit of the national park system.

A 1920s-1930s gas station still in operation, located next door to the park Visitor Center

There are many trails for hiking and biking throughout the park. The Towpath Trail follows the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Before the canal was built, Ohio was a sparsely settled wilderness where travel was difficult and getting crops to market was nearly impossible. The canal, built between 1825 and 1832, provided a successful transportation route from Cleveland, on Lake Erie, to Portsmouth, on the Ohio River. The canal opened up Ohio to the rest of the settled eastern United States.

The park Visitor Center

After stopping at the visitor center to get this and trail info from the helpful ranger there, we stopped back at our room for another glass of wine, and then went to dinner.

Tomorrow, we will explore. Can't wait!

June 30, 2012 -- Alex and Jenna

The 6+ hour drive to Rochester to visit with Alex and Jenna was uneventful. Traffic was average, and there were no hold-ups. We visited for a bit, then went to dinner. After, we came back to their house, where Alex and Jenna took the dogs, (Miley and Minnie, both yorkies), out for a run in the yard. Miley has to stay on the leash because she tends to "roam" when allowed off-leash, but the diminutive Minnie rocketed around the yard chasing Alex. Hard to believe something that small can go so fast.

Later, we relaxed in the living room where Miley tried to get to know Ray better. I'm not sure Ray was wild about her efforts.

Alex and Jenna are sharing in the excitement of making their house a home. And we are so proud of them for it. Tomorrow we head out to Ohio and Cuyahoga National Park, just south of Cleveland.

On the road again 6/29/2012

Tomorrow we set off for a new adventure that will take us to a new National Park, over one of the oldest rivers on the continent, through America's most visited national park, on a tour of one of the most unique homes in the world (it's in PA), and lots more (we'll storm a modern day Bastille!). Come with us!