2010 US Road Trip

Introduction

Instructions and Tips

We suggest you view the Highlights and Specialty albums, at least. The Albums-by-Site contain all the highlight pictures, and more. The Blog and Specialty Albums may contain photos not in the Highlights or Albums-by-Site.

Highlight slide shows (about 11 minutes each):
    1st Half
    2nd Half

Specialty Albums (1- 5 minutes each):
    Artifacts, Art, Museums
    Buildings
    Churches
    Crowd Scenes
    Gardens and Flowers
    Landmarks
    Lighthouses
    Night Scenes
    People
    Statues
    Calendar for 2011

Albums-by-Site: (less than 3 minutes each):
    Parke County and Covered Bridges
    Shipshewana
    Along Lake Erie
    Niagara Falls
    Along Lake Ontario
    Adirondacks
    West Point
    Catskills
    New York (6 min)
    Philadelphia
    Valley Forge
    Gettysburg
    Washington DC (11 min)

Saturday, June 19 - Fly to Illinois

Mary’s mother, Phyllis, picked us up at the airport and we headed out.

Sunday, June 20 - Parke County and Shipshewana

Parke County, Indiana, covered bridge capital of the world (at least they say so – 37 covered bridges). We saw nine and called it a day.

Parke County and Covered Bridges album.

We drove to Shipshewana, an Amish town, in Northern Indiana. Stayed in a bed and breakfast. At night we heard the clip clop of the horse drawn carriages.

Subway was the only food place open in town on a Sunday. They had individual pizzas, first time I have seen that at a Subway – the pizzas were actually good for fast food. We saw two young Amish girls in Amish dress on roller blades. That seemed a little out of place.

The circuit breaker in the bathroom of the bed and breakfast blew out (actually, probably fuses). Fortunately, there was enough light, barely, anyway.

Monday, June 21 - Shipshewana and drive along Lake Erie

We enjoyed the Amish area and shops and Mary and her mom shopped for quilt fabric, and we enjoyed a flower quilt.

Shipshewana Album.

We drove along Lake Erie to see some lighthouses and enjoy the scenery. Visited one lighthouse today, it was closed (too late in the day).

Along Lake Erie Album.

Tuesday, June 22 - Drive along Lake Erie

Continued drive along lake Erie.

Stopped at Lakeview beach park and wandered the great rose garden and spent some time taking pictures of the beach.

Stopped at two more lighthouses, also closed – wrong day.

We ate dinner in Niagara, Canadian side, at our hotel (Embassy suites). The restaurant overlooked the falls, but we were too far from the windows to see well.

Wednesday, June 23 - Niagara Falls

At breakfast we sat right next to the windows. Great view, with lots of mist clouding the view. Niagara Falls is very impressive.

We went on an all day tour which was excellent. We had a good tour guide and a good group of people. Best part – the Maid of the Mist boat which goes right up to the falls. Someone said it should be the maid of the shower (they give you rain gear).

Also good was the tunnels that lead to a deck right next to the horseshoe falls and tunnels that open to the back of the falls.

We walked along the river below the falls next to the rapids. No river rafting here – too dangerous as it is rated 5’s and 6’s.

Also saw a great clock with a living (flower covered) face. The face changes periodically with some changes to honor local big the events. They had a display of photos from previous years including the one with the Olympic rings the year the Olympics were in Toronto.

We had lunch at the Sheraton, with an even better, though farther away, view of the falls.

Niagara Falls Album.

Thursday, June 24 - Drive along Lake Ontario

We drove along Lake Ontario.

Nice small lakes along side the road with people fishing.

Mary’s mom lives in the small town of Colusa, not too far from Nauvoo. At Big Sodus Light (below), we met the first people who knew where Nauvoo was (they were Mormons, so they would know). Nauvoo was where the Mormons had a settlement before they travelled to Utah. Now there is a historic area of the old Mormon buildings, plus a relatively new temple.

We had lunch at Sodus Point, Abe’s Waterfront Grill.

Along Lake Ontario Album.

Saturday, June 26 - West Point

Mike and his family took us on a tour of West Point and some surrounding areas.

Army takes the football rivalry with Navy very seriously, had lots of signs, and a tunnel dedicated to the football games. Air Force rivalry is taken less so, although they did have this sign on the roof of a building so the fly boys could see it.

West Point Album.

Sunday, June 27 - West Point area

We toured Boscobel Mansion, on the other side of the river from West Point. It is a grand home with lovely gardens, including a vegetable garden with quaint bee hives.

Monday, June 28 - Catskills

We drove through the Catskill Mountains, a slight detour on way to NYC. This old stone school house was built around 1820.

Catskills Album.

In NY, we ate dinner at Mesa Grill, owned by Bobby Flay (Iron-Chef). Excellent food.

Wednesday, June 30 - New York

We took the ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island. We took the elevator up to the first level deck but didn’t go all the way to the top of the torch - you need reservations in advance for that.

New York Album.

Drive to Philly.

Mary took us on the scenic route next to the Delaware River. She was too busy looking at scenery and missed a turn. Cost us about ½ hour, but the benefit was pretty country and another covered bridge. We had dinner on the patio at a restaurant in Buck’s County that Mary had eaten at before on one of her business trips through the area.