Although I took this photo in Ketchikan, it really is applicable to ALL of the cities along Alaska’s south coast: Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. If it’s simply cloudy, and not raining heavily, well, that qualifies as a great day.
In Sitka the probability of rain was quite high so we were glad we had opted for a whale watch. Marine life doesn’t care whether it’s raining or not, so we figured we’d get some good viewing.
When I booked, I had NO idea that we were going on a VERY small boat. I THOUGHT it would be like the one in Seward. Nope.
Our vessel could only hold 6 passengers. Okay, maybe that meant we could get closer to the wildlife. Nope again.
I’ll be honest, the marine life viewing was disappointing. These next photos are about as good as it got.
We DID see some sea lions hanging out on a buoy, but the viewing was MUCH better in Seward.
For our last excursion, we chose the sea plane to Misty Fjords National Monument. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans…like women, they sometimes go astray. And THESE women, PLUS their plans did exactly that.
Shortly after I took the photo of her by the “liquid sunshine” sign, Jean tripped, managed to land on her nose, and proceeded to bleed profusely. Fortunately, it happened right next to the ship, so Viking’s excellent staff immediately sprang into action. She was whisked down to the medical center where they quickly staunched the bleeding. Their rapid treatment probably prevented Jean from returning home with a huge black eye.
That meant that I would be “float planing” solo. At least THIS time, I knew what I was getting into. Sorta.
I knew the plane was going to hold no more than 6 passengers, and that it would briefly land somewhere. I just didn’t realize that “somewhere” was on the water, and that we wouldn’t be getting out on land at all!
The waiver I signed before boarding specifically absolved the company of any liability should I fall in. I had thought that applied to getting into and out of the plane at the dock! I didn’t realize there would be OTHER opportunities to fall into the water…without a life jacket…with no life preserver or a potential rescuer any where in sight.
As you can see, there wasn’t much of a margin for error!
But hey, our young female pilot walked what looked like a tightrope to get from one side of the plane to the other. The line is so thin, it’s barely visible in the photo, thus, the red arrows. Those thin boards in yellow and black were the ladder into the plane.
Spoiler alert, I managed to complete the flight without mishap, but you probably already figured that out…otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this blog, right?
The scenery was beautiful, but I have to be honest. It wasn’t as much fun without my buddy by my side.
I’m pleased to say that Jean’s spending the day resting paid off, so we were able to party hearty for the celebratory “next to last night” on the ship.
The last day is spent sailing thru the inside passage to Vancouver, then back to reality.
I’m so glad I was able to make so many wonderful memories with my bestie.
Once again, we are sharing the port with only one other mid sized ship, Silverseas. We each had our own dock, so Icy Strait Point was very peaceful and uncrowded.
My day started early, on the deck with Richard, the naturalist. Although we spotted some porpoises, they only briefly popped out of the water, disappearing before I could capture their image.
Viking offers one free excursion in every port. For THIS port, we got a ticket to the red gondola, which allowed us to go to the top of a mountain and enjoy a panoramic view.
Earlier that day, Jean and I chose what was described in the cruise literature as a “ demanding” hike through the Tongass National Forest. Demanding, like beauty, is definitely in the eye (or feet) of the beholder. It was less than a mile, and although there were a few slight inclines, the hike was mainly flat. But Tess, our guide, made it really special. Not only did she know about wildlife and vegetation, she also took great photos.
Thanks to Tess, we can now look at bear droppings and immediately determine the gender of the bear.
The first pile was deposited by a female, because the ladies STOP to relieve themselves. The males, on the other hand, don’t waste any time. They are “full speed ahead” so their “torpedoes” are scattered all along the trail.
Bet you didn’t know this post was going to be so educational.
But wait…there’s more!
We saw this plant EVERYWHERE.
It looks a lot like Queen Anne’s lace, but it’s not. If you touch it, a substance on the plant reacts with sunlight to produce a somewhat nasty rash. Tess pulled up her sleeve to show us how she came by that knowledge.
At the end of our hike, we were left off by the Hoonah Cannery, near the green “free” gondola, which provides one way to get from one dock to the other.
Or, you can opt to walk along the beautiful nature trail, which was a little longer than our “demanding “ hike.
My reward for taking the road less traveled? I got to watch this eagle hang out on a branch WAY high up in a tree. Yeah, I know. The zoom wasn’t great, so I had to crop the photo a lot, but you get the idea. That bad boy was swiveling his head and looking every bit as regal as the one on our dollar bill.
Eagles are plentiful in Juneau. One guide estimated there are about 30,000 eagles in Juneau alone, which makes them as common as a sea gull. Still, seeing this guy on the nature walk was really special to me.
Did you know that Southern Alaska gets a LOT of rain? We sure didn’t. Brett, our guide in Juneau, told us the area averages only about 30 sunny days per YEAR!
I’m so glad we took full advantage of the great weather in the other ports. Another difference when we got to Juneau— we also are no longer one of only two ships visiting the area. Take a look at Juneau’s harbor. The enormous cruise ships — Princess, Norwegian, Crystal, Holland America all docked at the port. We were moored in the bay and took a tender in to the port.
We lucked out with the morning weather for our “hike” with Brett in the Eagle Crest ski resort. This “hike” was only about a fourth of a mile long, but at least we got to see lots of wild flowers.
Jean and I were concerned about being late for our helicopter ride to the Herbert Glacier, so we got off the bus and walked the mile into town, arriving with enough time to grab lunch in a waterfront restaurant.
Although it rained during our ride and while we were in the glacier, it still was a pretty spectacular experience. I got to sit up front with Tom, the pilot.
The colors were brilliant.
We were cautioned to only walk on the ice, not the snowy patches, because you didn’t know what the snow was covering. It could be a 20 foot hole!
I’m signing off with two last now and then photos— taken 50 years apart.
The LAST time we spent more than a week together was in my first apartment in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. (I stuck this shot in especially for Tom, Jean’s husband, who didn’t know us way back then.)
Those are the only photos I have from the pre-cell phone, film era.
Sometimes I’m delighted when the weather report is wrong, and that was clearly the case when we visited Valdez. The probability of rain was pegged at an unambiguous 100%. Luckily, the only thing that was 100% was the inaccuracy of that report!
Jean and I decided to forgo the recommended visits to the museums and convention center, opting instead to walk to a viewing platform in what turned out to be a rather futile attempt to see some wildlife.
Because both of us are “map challenged”, we checked with a local guide to make sure we were heading in the right direction. His tone of voice when he told us the viewing platform was a MILE AND A HALF away clearly expressed his doubt in our ability to go the distance. (What the hell? TWICE in two days?! Are we looking particularly decrepit??)
We learned from the lovely ladies at the cute little visitors’ center that we were a few weeks ahead of the bears, but we thoroughly enjoyed the 3 mile walk (round trip) under the cloudy, but rain free skies.
Visitors’ center
Sadly, when most people hear of Valdez, the Exxon Oil Spill immediately comes to mind, so let me give you an alternative image for this lovely area.
The balance of the day was spent enjoying Viking’s incredible spa. All guests can take advantage of the sauna, steam room, snow cave, whirlpool, cold plunge pool and hot tub at no additional charge. I decided to “detoxify” the way the Scandinavians do, so dutifully sat in the sauna, spent about 20 seconds in the snow cave, followed by the steam room, before experiencing the whirlpool. I’m not sure I was “ detoxified” or even what that is supposed to feel like, but I DID very much enjoy the experience.
On Sunday, we spent the morning on one of Viking’s included Skagway tours—a very beautiful bus ride to White Pass Summit.
Although Valdez had a bear deficit, we spotted one on our Skagway excursion . He was outside the range of my iPhone and by the time I got my camera zoomed out, all I got was a butt shot. That’s okay. The image of him sauntering through the rocks was permanently imprinted on our brains. It was truly thrilling.
I did much better photographing Skagway’s more stationary subjects. It’s hard to believe that beautiful flowers bloom between rocks in this cold climate.
Our bus driver//guide saved us from horrible selfies.
We weren’t all that impressed with the town of Skagway.
The lure of craft beer, tee shirts, and gold mining memorabilia wasn’t strong enough to keep us from the ship’s outside hot tub. Hard to believe that there are over 900 guests on this cruise. We had the hot tub completely to ourselves.
Here’s to long term friendships. We’ve been doing the pool scene for more than a half a century, and I have the photo to prove it!
Jean’s and my Alaskan adventure is off to a fantastic start. Our direct flight from Newark to Anchorage was exactly what we hoped it would be—uneventful. Best part: the seat between us was unoccupied, which, for an 8 hour flight is a real bonus.
We spent the night at the Historic Anchorage Hotel, chosen because of its proximity to the train station. When I asked the 30-something woman at the front desk for directions to the train station, she said “it’s either a short cab ride or an ARDUOUS walk to the train station and you need to be there an hour before your 6:45AM departure.” Well, the last thing Jean and I wanted at 5:45 AM was anything that could even remotely be described as arduous. That morning, when I spotted the taxi outside our hotel, I told the 60-something driver we wanted to go to the train station. She pointed to a building in the distance and said, “ There it is”. Talk about an “ah ha moment”! The young clerk looked at us and saw two feeble old ladies incapable of walking very far. The taxi driver, who was closer to our age, saw two competent, healthy women perfectly capable of handling our luggage the .4 mile (I googled it) between hotel and station. And we did. So there, young desk clerk!
And what a train ride it was. Absolutely spectacular! We opted for the gold dome service, which was $129 more expensive than the adventure class, but it was SO worth it.
Not only do you get an almost 360 degree view, you also get a fantastic sit down breakfast, with a choice of four entrees, and access to a viewing platform that allows you to take “glass-free” photos.
Who knew? Those innocent looking mud flats are actually quite dangerous. The volcanic soil acts like quicksand, then turns into a concrete- like substance, trapping the unwary.
We saw our first glacier on our train ride.
Yet another welcome surprise—the train and Viking coordinated delivery of our luggage, so we were able to walk from the train to the ship unimpeded.
Check in was a breeze. Viking allowed us to print a boarding pass before we left home, so we were aboard the ship in a matter of minutes.
We quickly made an early dinner reservation at the Chef’s Table, one of Viking’s two specialty restaurants, for our first night on board.
Maybe we shouldn’t have had that glass of Prosecco before dinner…
It is a 5 course, fixed menu with every entree paired with a complimentary wine. Obey, our waiter from Zimbabwe, described each course and explained that the accompanying wine heightens the dining experience.
I won’t bore you with too many food photos, but I HAD to show one example of how beautifully the courses are presented.
We had an early morning departure for Wednesday’s Kenai (pronounced KEEN-eye) Fiords cruise so we were in bed by 8 PM.
Most of Wednesday was overcast and chilly, but we didn’t mind because we were dressed appropriately.
We saw humpbacks and orcas,
sea lions, puffins, otters and bald eagles.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t fast enough to capture the whales breaching, but I got a lot of good tail shots.
Not everyone was as fascinated by the wildlife. While I was outside, trying to get the perfect shot, Jean photographed this woman taking what our Dutch table mates described as a “very expensive nap”. But she wasn’t the only entertaining Homo sapiens on the cruise.
We all loved watching this young man groovin to music only he could hear. What was he listening to, we all wanted to know. Beyoncé ( Jean asked…)
All in all, it was a tremendous first day.
We had heard about the Seward Mountain Marathon, so expected to see crowds of people after we got off the ship at 2 PM, but nope. We walked from the dock to the cruise terminal without seeing many people at all.
Thursday in Valdez, will be a “self guided” tour, so Jean and I decided to stay up late, to enjoy the fantastic music (and dance) on the deck, by the pool.
My lifelong friend, Jean and I will be experiencing our 49th state —also known as “Seward’s big icebox“ — for the first time, via a cruise on Viking’s Orion.
We are flying to Anchorage a day early, taking Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic train to Seward.
Because of the 4 hour time difference, I expect our 6:45 AM departure will feel like 10:45 AM to us. After what has been billed as an exceptionally beautiful train ride, we will arrive in Seward at 11:20 AM, and will be able to board the ship. Our cabin won’t be ready until 2, but in the meantime we will be able to have lunch and familiarize ourselves with the ship.
Helpful hint for future cruisers: don’t wait too long to book your excursions. I booked in March for a July cruise, and I wasn’t able to get the bear viewing tour I wanted. I had made the mistake of waiting till Viking opened their bookings.
Many of the Viking offerings had already been filled by the time I was allowed to book, although I still had my choice of times for the included (free) offerings. Bookings are staggered, with the most expensive cabins booking first. Not a problem. I simply booked directly with port vendors.
Although we will arrive in Seward early enough to take the Kenai Fjord cruise, I decided it would be better to board the ship and save the cruise for our second day in port. In my younger days, I would have tried to cram everything in.
I liked the fact that Alaska Shore Excursions knew the times Viking would depart from each port. That prevented us from living my nightmare—returning from an excursion just in time to watch the ship slowly disappear on the horizon.
Although Alaska Shore Excursions had offerings for Juneau, by March all the ones I wanted were filled. Fortunately, Juneau Adventure Tours had availability for one of their helicopter tours to a glacier.
Full disclosure: I wrote this post so that I would have a permanent reminder of four fun filled days with three dear friends, because quite frankly, my memory just ain’t what it used to be. But anyone thinking about visiting Traverse City might enjoy duplicating parts of the itinerary that Sally had so thoughtfully put together for us.
Jeannie, Laurie, Sally and I met during various Global Volunteer Projects over the past 11 years. That’s one of the best parts about volunteering— you make some amazing friendships. This was the first time that all four of us were together, (although we have had various combos of three), so our main objective was to relax and enjoy each other’s company.
Sally lives in Traverse City’s historical district, within walking distance of downtown’s restaurants and shops. The homes are charming, (all shapes and sizes) and the gardens are breathtaking. Even if we had only hung out on Sally’s front porch, sipping coffee (then progressing to wine) that would have been quite enough to make our trip super special.
Our first evening started with before dinner drinks at the Beacon Lounge atop the Park Place Hotel. At 10 stories, I think it is the highest vantage point in the entire downtown area, providing a spectacular view of Lake Michigan.
On our way to the bar, we encountered some local color – this Colonel Sanders look alike, standing outside the local bookstore, hawking his many literary works. This was the first time any of us had seen an author OUTSIDE a bookstore, which convinced us we should just “walk on by” as that old Dionne Warwick song suggested.
Our dinner was at Amical. I don’t remember what I had–I just recall every one of us being quite happy with our choices. Had we been millennials, we would have whipped out our phones and given the restaurant five stars on Yelp.
The rest of our time together was spent taking advantage of only some of the many area delights. We started with the “Magic Shuttle Bus” which transported us to four area vineyards. Jonathan, our driver/ guide was every bit as colorful as his wardrobe and as magical as the bus.
Hawthorne Winery, Bowers Harbor, Chateau Chantal and Benovo were the wineries we visited, in that order.
Jonathan told us that Hawthorn Winery’s high altitude forces the grapes’ roots to grow deep, something that is supposed to produce excellent red wines, so of course I ordered a flight of reds.
Hawthorn’s pours were, to me, very generous. Unlike California’s wineries, Michigan’s do not provide spit buckets, so the expectation is that you will finish your entire glass(es). With three more wineries to go, it didn’t take long for smart gals like us to figure out we needed to start pacing ourselves.
We also determined that if Hawthorne had the area’s best red wines, we might want to stick to the whites, and if the amount poured was typical of the area, we should only go for a glass, instead of a flight—which we did.
Although the weather was uncooperative, our spirits were not dampened by the mist and rain drops. It just provided us with the perfect opportunity to catch the Barbie movie at the nearby theater. General consensus—it was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. We all loved the movie.
That evening, we cruised across Lake Michigan, enjoying “sea shanties” performed by this group. We had all hoped to be able to see the stars, away from city lights, but the skies were uncharacteristically cloudy. That didn’t stop us from having a wonderful time. And of course, the fact that we could buy adult beverages while cruising absolutely added to the enjoyment.
We couldn’t leave the area without visiting the famous dunes at Sleeping Bear National Park. One would think that this sign at the top of the very steep incline would dissuade everyone from venturing down to the water’s edge. One would be oh, so very wrong.
It was difficult to capture the steepness of the slope in one photo, but if you look closely, you can see those on the upward route were bent over, using their hands (and sometimes knees) to make it back. Even watching others struggle to get back didn’t stop those intent on traveling to the bottom.
But please don’t think that we lacked the spirit of adventure. We just chose a somewhat tamer way to enjoy the area’s offerings. Here’s visual proof.
Undoubtedly you are wondering what in the world we are doing. Well, we are kissing the moose. Why, you ask? When we did, a bell was rung in our honor, and the entire restaurant cheered. We also were entitled to buy this tee shirt. Hard to believe, but we both resisted that impulse purchase, contenting ourselves with a photo of us doing the deed. And yes, we DID have to climb on a stepladder to reach Bullwinkle’s snout.
My next adventure will be a visit to the countries that once were a part of the former Yugoslavia. I hope you’ll come along. Although I don’t anticipate kissing any dead animals on THAT trip, I’ll try to find some equally compelling activities for your reading pleasure.
I had no idea when I picked up my “long distance” Tesla Model 3, on March 6, 2020, that it would be 5 months before I found out how far I could drive without stopping to recharge. In the 22 weeks that I have owned my hot wheels, I’ve driven less than 1,500 miles, which averages out to less than 10 miles a day. Our longest excursion, so far, has been our drive to the Delaware River, which is about 70 miles round trip. Yes, I lead an exciting life.
But all that is about to change. Shortly, my Tesla and I will be embarking on our very first long distance drive. Let me stop you before you conjure up a coast to coast road trip. In the age of covid, I define long distance as any drive that requires recharging somewhere other than our garage. My first trip will be to visit family in Massachusetts. That was the main reason for purchasing the long distance Tesla– my frequent family visits.
Foolishly, I thought a range of 322 miles meant that I could drive the 260 mile trip on one charge. Nope, the 322 miles is the EPA estimate, and like all the EPA estimates you see stuck on new car windows, it doesn’t consider speed, hills, weather, use of air conditioning, etc. Knowing my tendency to press the pedal to the metal, even starting fully charged, I would expect a 260 mile trip to require a stop.
First let me confess that prior to purchase, I was very concerned about the availability of charging stations. That fear was put to rest when my friend Laura gave me a tutorial from the front seat of her Tesla Model S. She showed me that all you need to do is type in your destination on your display, and the computer not only maps out the route, but it also tells you where to stop to recharge, how LONG you will need to stop at the station, and how much of a charge will remain once you reach your destination. You want to see what the display looks like? Check out the header photo of this post, which maps a route from home to the Fairhaven Library, assuming a starting charge of 80%. (WordPress just “improved” its software, so in the off chance that you can’t see the heading, here it is again.)
As of March, 2020, Tesla had 25,000 charging stations in the USA. Only Tesla owners are able to use these stations, which generally are located along major highways, and in places where you would want to stop, with bathrooms, food and/or shopping. But Tesla owners are not restricted to just these superchargers. The Tesla comes equipped with an adapter ( CHAdeMO –no I have NO idea what that means — just think of it as a piece of equipment named Chad) which allows you to connect at OTHER public charging stations that use”Chad” for hooking up.
Because there are a couple of EvGo stations that are located more conveniently than the Tesla Supercharger, in the area I’ll be visiting, I signed up for an EvGo account. I found the EvGo website VERY user friendly and informative, especially for a non-engineer like me. After reading its tutorial, I finally understood the three different levels of charging–which was formerly a mystery to me.
EvGo offers two plans: a monthly membership, or a pay as you go option. You also can choose between “super fast” or “faster than plugging into a standard wall outlet” chargers. Obviously, the faster one is more expensive. These numbers are approximate, calculated from the estimates on the EvGo page: $.30 per minute or $18 per hour for 180 miles of charge ($.10 per mile) versus $1.50 per hour for 20 miles of charge (or $.075 per mile). Because no one in my family has a charging station (or a garage), I expect to be using that EvGo charging station at least once while in Massachusetts and will describe the experience in my usual painstaking detail.
Back to my obsessive compulsiveness. As my friends and family know, I am a planner, at least when it comes to travel. Although I can do many things from my phone’s Tesla App, it doesn’t allow me to do any navigation or trip planning. That can only be done from the car’s display. Maybe some people enjoy sitting in a parked car, but I don’t happen to be one of them. Fortunately, the Tesla Motors Club website has very helpful and friendly posters who directed me to A Better Route Planner (which can be downloaded to your phone from the app store, or even viewed on your desktop.) Let me tell you, it’s much more fun planning imaginary trips from the comfort of your couch than from the front seat of your car! At least it is to me.
The information on ABRP (A Better Route Planner)is much the same as what you get from the Tesla Display, except that it also includes public charging stations, and provides estimates of cost and length of time for charging. You start by inputting the your destination, % of charge (called “SOC” or state of charge), and the application does the rest. Here’s a screen shot from my phone.
You can include the desired “SOC” for when you arrive at your destination, and can plot out your stops for your return trip, but you’ve seen enough shots of screens, haven’t you?
For some reason that is clear to the technical members of the family, but not to me, the battery should be kept between 20% and 80% charged. I don’t need to know why. I went to Catholic school. I do as I’m told. Well, most of the time, or maybe some of the time, and this was one of those times. Tonight, however, that sucker is getting charged all the way up to 100%, so tomorrow, I’ll be charged up and raring to go.
I know, I know–there has been a bit of a gap between Western Pennsylvania’s Part 1 and Part 2. That’s what happens when you follow a lazy blogger.
So, to review: my last post pointed out our mistaken belief that Fallingwater would be the only attraction the Ohiopyle area had to offer. Were WE ever wrong. Instead, we discovered multiple highlights, many of them located at the Nemacolin Resort.
If you have never heard of the Nemacolin resort, join the club. Neither had we. The Fallingwater website listed several area hotels, beds & breakfasts and inns. Because this trip was an anniversary celebration, a Ramada, Holiday Inn Express or Days Inn was not what we had in mind. Okay, the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort was a splurge, but was it ever worth it!
First some background information: The resort is privately owned by 96 year old Joseph Hardy III, who still has a home somewhere on its 2,000 acres. He leaves its day to day operation to his daughter Maggie, who also is the CEO of 84 Lumber, the source of Joe’s wealth. You can read all about Joe’s history in the lobby of the Lodge.
We stayed in The Lodge, one of several hotels on the property.
Well, not exactly ALL. You need to go to Wikipedia to learn that he had FIVE wives instead of the three the display fessed up to. His first marriage to Dorothy lasted more than 50 years, which means that from his 70’s until now, he made up for lost time by wedding 4 more lovely ladies. Three of his brides were in their 20’s, which made the 50 something woman he wed (wife #4) appear age appropriate. Unfortunately, THAT marriage went the way of the three before, and Joe’s last (possibly current?) Mrs. Hardy was under 30 when he married her. The display tells about his founding of 84 Lumber and its financial success, but somehow I find his marital history far more intriguing. Admit it, you probably do too.
Joe’s interest was not confined to women. He also was fond of classic cars, which are displayed in a “museum” on the property. Here are just a few of Joe’s toys. Notice the motorcycle? That is a replica of Peter Fonda’s wheels, built from parts of the motorcycles used in the movie “Easy Rider”. The Captain America helmet is perched on the back.
Right by the private airstrip is a hangar containing classic planes, including Steve McQueen’s, from a movie I didn’t see and don’t recall. Sorry. THAT museum was locked up, but if you have a burning desire to get up close and personal with those babies, you can call security from the phone helpfully placed by the entrance and they will let you in. We weren’t that curious, so the photo was shot through the window. I’m confident you get the idea.
Although there are many diversions to thrill children and teens, we didn’t partake in any of those.
Instead, we rode the “free” shuttle to the Frank Lloyd Wright “tribute” restaurant located in another hotel (each room at THIS hotel comes with your personal butler. If you are anything like me, you probably are wondering “what does the butler DO??? Hand you your slippers, floss your teeth? ). Lunch outside was lovely, but probably not worth the price.
The view from the outdoor restaurant
The walk back to our hotel, however was pretty delightful. In addition to stopping to visit the two museums, we enjoyed looking at the extensive sculpture collection scattered along the walkways.
My favorite thing, however, was our anniversary dinner. Pricy, yes, but very delicious and quite an elegant experience. Can you tell from the photos below which was the main course?
I chose the Wagu Beef, which is shown in the upper right hand corner. Makes one recall that commercial “where’s the beef”? Yes, I am old enough to remember both the original commercial and the political ad that used the phrase.
Enough about Nemacolin. I’m sure you’ve gotten the idea by now. ANOTHER big area attraction is Fort Necessity. I’m married to a man who never saw a fort that he didn’t love. Although this Fort Necessity isn’t very big, and is a replica of the original, the visitor’s center is fantastic.
I probably was taught this in either elementary or high school, but I had forgotten this fort was where George Washington started the French and Indian War. Here’s what happened: either the French or the British fired the first shot at Fort Necessity. The well done video makes it clear that each side claimed the other was the aggressor. What is important was the way the battle ended. The British had to surrender, and the terms were written in French, a language Washington didn’t understand. his translator wasn’t all that fluent either, and to make matters worse, it had been raining and the ink had run.
What Washington didn’t realize was that he had admitted to assassinating the French commander, and the rest is history.
One final note: if you are visiting the area, The Bittersweet Cafe is a great choice for breakfast. Don’t miss it!
Do you know where you find a section of the Berlin Wall, Peter Fonda’s motorcycle with Captain America helmet, Steve McQueen’s airplane, the Fort where the French and Indian War started, several Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces, and a five diamond restaurant? Hint: check out the map above, specifically the Ohiopyle area. It doesn’t look like there is much in the area, does it? At least that’s what I thought till I got there.
Did you ever plan a trip, thinking that it would be all about a particular site, then discover that the area had a whole lot more to offer? Enough for two posts, even?
We were drawn to the area by a newspaper article I had clipped about Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater decades ago. It sat in my “Fun Things To Do” folder until earlier this year, when I figured we either needed to visit the damn place or throw out the clipping. If I had done the latter, you wouldn’t be reading this post.
A quick internet search uncovered a special Fallingwater experience–a sunset tour, lasting three hours, ending with appetizers on one of the decks. The tours are only offered on Friday and Saturday nights, are limited to 10 participants, allow interior photography, and include parts of the house not shown on the other tours. For $150 per person, you can pretend that you are a guest of the owners. Just our kind of gig.
The newspaper article included a photo similar to this one
So how was it, you ask? Well, the house was quite fascinating, especially given that it was completed in 1937. As you can see from the photo above, the house was built over a waterfall. When the windows are open, you can definitely HEAR that water falling! Closing the windows successfully shuts out most of the noise…and also the cooling breezes. Fallingwater, you see, is not air conditioned. Did they even HAVE AC back in the late ’30s?
You’re probably thinking “What’s the point of living over a waterfall if you can’t stick your 10 little piggies into it”? Right? Well, Frank was also thinking just that, so here’s what he did.
The stairway leading down to the water is pretty cool, but what is even more impressive is the way the glass panels slide away.
Do you think he accomplished his goal, which was to bring the outside in?
Here’s another example. You are out in the middle of nowhere, so window coverings are not needed, but in the bathroom, why not have planters built into the window to form a natural curtain?
When we first entered the living room, it looked like the corner was completely open. It took a while to see what is obvious from the reflection on the window–that two panes of glass are joined in the corner.
Wright not only designed the building, he also created all the furniture throughout the house. I was surprised to see a king sized bed in the master bedroom. Our guide explained that it was actually two twins pushed together and united by a single headboard and bedspread, something TV in the 1950’s would never have shown. (It isn’t that visually interesting, so I didn’t bother posting a photo of it–everyone knows what a king sized bed looks like.) How surprising that it took about three decades for that great concept to catch on!
The kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms are all very small. The focus is on the large living/dining room and the outside balconies. Check out the banquettes in the living room. Not what I consider the most comfortable seating, but maybe if you imbibe enough from those nearby bottles, you won’t notice.
At the other end of the living room is the dining area. Are you expecting the tour to turn left or right into the kitchen? Well, it doesn’t. The kitchen is a tiny space down a flight of stairs and through a very narrow hallway. The owners clearly didn’t spend much time there. That was the domain of the servants. There are no photos, because the kitchen was so tiny, I couldn’t figure out how to frame it.
I was quite happy that our appetizers were not served in the dining room; instead, we enjoyed our hummus, crackers, cheese and veggies on one of the decks.
A staff member was getting everything ready for us. You can see from that blue pole in the foreground of this photo that necessary repairs are being made on the building.
While enjoying our appetizers, one of the other guests strongly recommended that we visit another of Wright’s nearby buildings. Kentuck Knob was built about 20 years later, for friends who were frequent guests of the Kaufmann family, the owners of Fallingwater.
Okay, so I know this is heresy, but I actually liked Kentuck Knob BETTER than Fallingwater. It has all of the usual Wright features, but it just seems more LIVEABLE. Interestingly enough, it is considered “usonian” (Frank’s term for his “middle income” houses.) This “middle income’ house was built for the Hagans, the owners of the ice cream company in Uniontown PA, and was sold to its current owner, Lord Peter Palumbo, who, since 1996, when not using it as his vacation home, opens it to the public.
A photo of the Lord and Diana (wearing her “screw you, Charles” dress) appears in the house. I grabbed this from the internet
Take a look at the cutouts under the eaves. They are a source of light into the living room and supposedly repeat design elements found in the building. (I’m taking that on the guide’s word. I couldn’t spot any of those elements.)
Notice how the carports–Wright’s invention — are nestled into the landscape. The hill behind forms a partial roof.
Although we weren’t allowed to take photos INSIDE the house, there was no rule against shooting through the windows into the interior, which is what I did.
Now take a look at the role the cutouts play in the interior space.
The wall opposite the banquettes is all windows and glass doors, offering access to a walkway and a spectacular view of the valley below.
The price of your admission allows you to wander through Lord Palumbo’s spectacular sculpture meadow. I was particularly taken with the part of the Berlin Wall. His collection also includes three red British phone booths at the visitors center.
A Section of the Berlin Wall
I don’t think these phone booths work!
I’m tired of writing and you are probably tired of reading so the rest of the area attractions I promised in the first paragraph will have to wait until the next time I post.
Okay, so you’ve decided to visit Yellowstone and the Tetons. Now what?
Hint #1: Jackson Hole and the Tetons
If you are flying in, it’s a good idea to spend your first night (or more) in Jackson Hole. By the time you arrive and pick up your car, you will probably be tired. Jackson Hole is great place to catch your breath, rest up and enjoy the scenery. It is also much easier to get lodging, and because we were visiting outside of ski season, the hotel rates were quite reasonable.
So, what does Jackson Hole have to offer? Museums, scenery, shopping, and great restaurants! We particularly liked Gather, which was only a couple of blocks from our hotel. The food was delicious, creatively presented and reasonably priced. Chicken with pancakes and berries plus flourless chocolate cake were just two of our choices.
chicken with pancakes
flourless chocolate cake
If you have a sweet tooth (and as you can tell from the photo above, I do), then you will definitely want to stop at Moo. In addition to great ice cream, they also offer truffle animals that are almost too good to eat.
Did I mention shopping? Every man needs at least one of these hanging in his closet.
Nature lovers can’t miss with a hike in the Rockefeller Preserve. Follow this linkfor trail maps, hours and rules for visiting.
Be forewarned. To get there, you have to travel on some unpaved roads. And some of the trails are a bit rocky, but the scenery is magnificent and oh so peaceful.
We spent our first two nights in Teton Village, then headed for Yellowstone early in the morning, stopping for breakfast in Jackson Hole. If you follow my advice from my last post and stay in Jackson Hole at Springhill Suites, you would be able to enjoy a free breakfast (they start serving EARLY) and would get to Yellowstone even earlier than we did. If, however, you choose to experience the Teton Village, check out the Mangy Moose for breakfast, and Osteria or Spur for lunch or dinner.
Hint #2 Take a Tour Be sure to reserve your tours WELL in advance, especially if you are visiting during peak season! If you visit Yellowstone during non-peak season, some activities might not be offered. For example, none of the boating activities were available on Yellowstone Lake, but there was still more than enough to do. The Event Plannerwill tell you what is available, when.
We booked two tours–the “Circle of Fire, and “Wake Up to Wildlife”. The Circle of Fire tour lasted all day, and was a very good value at $86 per adult. Every seat on this large tour bus is a good seat, with excellent views wherever you sit.
We paid $100 per adult for Wake Up to Wildlife. We did NOT book in advance, so we ended up taking this tour on the day we were checking out of our hotel–not ideal, but it was all that was available.
The “historic” yellow buses used for Wake Up to Wildlife can only seat 13 people, ( three rows of 4, plus 1 beside the driver.) The tour is supposed to start at 6:15 AM and last until around 11:30.
Both tours charge half price for children under the age of 11; both tours pick up and drop off at several park hotels, and for both tours, the bus driver is also your tour guide. Both of ours were retirees who thoroughly enjoyed their jobs. Their love for the park, its history, animals and lore was obvious. While driving, they kept us entertained with stories, jokes and oh so much valuable information.
Hint #3 The Wildlife You don’t need to take a tour to see wildlife. It didn’t take long for us to encounter our first of MANY bison and elk. These animals are very comfortable strutting their stuff along the roads, in the roads, pretty much where ever they want. That does have an impact on travel time and traffic, so keep that in mind, relax and enjoy the show.
The park literature does a great job reminding visitors that these are wild and potentially dangerous animals, so we kept a safe distance, but we DID observe others who got dangerously close.
We didn’t see any bears, and although we theoretically DID spot some wolves, an osprey, pronghorns, some mountain goats and a badger community, most were way too distant to see without binoculars.
Can you spot the mountain goat in this photo? Neither could I, but I was TOLD there was one to the left of that snowy patch, near the bottom.
On the Wake Up to Wildlife tour, our guide supplied the scope, and some of “wolf watchers” we encountered along the way were kind enough to share their equipment with us. But even with powerful scopes, I never was able to see the wolves.
Even with the very good zoom on my camera, this photo of badger butts was as good as I could get–so you can imagine what the deleted ones looked like!I had better luck outside of our hotel in Mammoth Hot Springs, where several of these little guys were cavorting across the street.
My opinion, based on my ONE experience, was that we would have been better served to skip “Wake Up to Wildlife” and explore on our own. (Others who have experienced the tour are encouraged to weigh in). Here’s why: on our own, we could have stopped when we wanted, for as long as we wanted. The bus was unable to stop when animals were sighted along the way, so, for example, we SAW many “red dogs” (the locals’ name for baby bison) during our tour, we weren’t able to stop and watch them, or get a good shot.
photo taken from the yellow bus on Wake Up to Wildlife
Because of its size, the bus was limited to parking in specific areas.
On our own, we could have left when we wanted and returned when we chose. Despite being in the lobby on time (at 6:15 AM!!!), the tour bus didn’t leave the parking lot till 6:40 AM. If you think that made me grumpy, you’d be right. Oh yeah, one more thing: There is no coffee making paraphernalia at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, and nothing is open at 6:15. You DO get a bottle of cranberry juice and a muffin, but that’s it until your return at around 11:30. We knew that, so stocked up at the nearby General Store the day before.
There WERE positives: The bus driver’s stories and his telescope for viewing animals.
Hint #4 Yellowstone is MUCH more than Old Faithful I was completely blown away by the incredible geological features of this amazing park. The Circle of Fire Tour takes you to the main highlights, such as Geyser Basin at West Thumb. This area, bordering Yellowstone Lake is fascinating. Check out the colors from the mineral deposits!
When the Park first opened, visitor were able to board a ferry in West Thumb that would take them across the lake to our hotel. While we were there, no boats were sailing or chugging across the lake, probably because the ice wasn’t completely gone until May 21 (according to our guide). Even though the ice was about 30 inches thick, it is hard to understand how the lake can remain frozen with all the smokin’ hot activity close by. Okay, I am going to TRY to insert a video of the boiling mud. Hope it works.
We stopped at a couple of waterfalls as we made our way to Old Faithful, arriving at the complex with about an hour and a half before the geyser was expected to erupt, just enough time to get lunch, before the show.
I decided to avoid the crowd, take a seat under the trees, and watch from the distance.
The only place where we encountered crowds during our tour was at Old Faithful.
If I had to choose a favorite spot, it would be very difficult, but I guess I’d choose the Fountain Paint Pots. I just loved the stark landscape.
The male bisons travel solo. I’m wondering how he manages to saunter over this hot area?
I could keep going with photos from the Circle of Fire Tour, but you get the idea. The geological features are jaw dropping! And it is great to have the guide explain what is going on.
Hint #6 Getting hungry? The choices pretty much boil down to amusement park quality food, fine dining or “do it yourself” from purchases at the General Stores. We tried all three and for us, it was easy to determine that fine dining was the way to go. Because we are used to New Jersey and New York restaurant prices, the food did not seem all that expensive to us.
I would NOT recommend eating in the Yellowstone cafeteria! The food resembles airplane food, except at least airplane food is not served and consumed in the midst of chaos. To be fair, it WAS fast. In retrospect, I wish we gone with the slower, but probably better, restaurant at Old Faithful Inn.
The entryway of the Old Faithful Inn
If you want to have dinner at the Lake Hotel, (and I hope you do), you will need to make reservations well in advance. I made reservations for both nights we stayed there, figuring we could cancel if we didn’t like the food. We liked it so much, we ended up having all our meal there.
At Mammoth Hot Springs, you can’t make a reservation; it is first come, so beware if you see a bus loads of tourists pulling into the parking lot.
An unexpected bonus? All of the waitstaff were knowledgeable about the park and were happy to share information with us. Their tips led us to some wonderful spots we might not have found on our own.
Our waiter told us where to go to catch the perfect sunset on the lake. We had the place all to ourselves.
Tip #7 Don’t miss theTravertine Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs The view from the top of the terraces is pretty spectacular.
Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.
We celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary at the Mural Room, Jackson Lake Lodge in the Tetons. Where else could your butter be shaped like a moose?
Although I could go on and on about the glories of Yellowstone, I think you just have to experience it for yourself.
Although you CAN drive and there is a parking lot at the top, it is so much more fun to walk up and down. It is roughly the equivalent of 26 flights of stairs (according to my fitbit), but there is plenty to see along the way. You can stop, gawk, and catch your breath.
Destination NOW 