Road Trip 08: The End

Day 11-18 of our road trip got lost in my writing with our progression west. We had less access to the internet and much more activity so my blog suffered. But here are the highlights:

The Finger Lake District of New York

Wow! I had no idea this place existed. If you are looking for beauty, relaxation and wine then this is a little bit of heaven on earth. With scores of wineries offering free samples and deep blue lakes streching for miles, you'll be nothing but happy.


Niagara Falls

We've all heard of the Falls, we've seen the photos..but if you haven't experienced it for yourself then make it your next holiday plan. The magnitude of nature will leave you in wonder. (And hopefully encourage you to work to perserve our nature through reducing waste, campaigning for our earth and recycling.)


Zanesville, Ohio

It may not be on the list of most interesting destinations, but it's my hometown and I appreciate her a little more each time I'm home. H and I went to a Zanesville High School football game. It was H's first high school football game and my first game since I graduated 10 years ago!


Gettysburg, PA

It's 150 years on from the Civil War, but the impact of war still resonates throughout American culture. The Gettysburg Battle is well known because of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, but I had never understood what this battle encompassed until I stood looking of the vast vast land that the battle was fought on. This wasn't about a hundred men against a hundred men, this was about thousands of men fighting hand to hand with thousands of men.

The museum was very well curated, taking the visitor day by day through the battle with small video clips, interactive screens and artifacts.

Road Trip 08: Day 6-10

Oct 2 Day 6
Lots and lots of lighthouses! Woohoo=)! Up the coast to Rockland and then a leisurely drive back down to Brunswick, with a little fruit wine tasting in between.

Oct 3 Day 7
Acadia National Park is breathtaking. We were wowed and amazed.

Oct 4 Day 8
We had a tire problem! Luckily, the tire shop we went to was cheap, friendly and so helpful. We drove down to Portland to check out the hippie University scene. Great historic downtown and two lovely lighthouses.

Oct 5 Day 9
A lazy Sunday afternoon. Church, donuts, walks on the beach and seals. Maine is one of my favorite places on Earth.

Oct 6 Day 10
A proper road trip day. We drove from Maine, all the way across Massachusetts, and into the mountains of New York State.

Road Trip 08: Day 1-5

Sept 27 Day 1
We left Europe for the other side of the pond. It took many hours and a crazy Hungarian airline to get us here..but we arrived. We ate McDonald's at 3 in the morning and found a hotel to crash in.

Sept 28 Day 2
Mystic, CT is one of America's treasures. What a quaint little fishing village! We walked around and reveled in the local atmosphere. Cape Cod was right where we left it. We found our favorite inn and settled down.

Sept 29 Day 3
We wandered around the Cape checking out all our favorite places and making some new memories. It's still magical here.

Sept 30 Day 4
A ferry boat to the island of Martha's Vineyard left us feeling energized and full of expectation. Martha's Vineyard was perfect. There are three towns, each with its own personality. We had our first lobsters and connected with the locals.

Oct 1 Day 5
On the road again. We drove up to Brunswick, Maine. The trees are full of color and vibrance. Maine makes me want to live in hiking boots and LL Bean for the rest of eternity, blissfully walking in nature.

Massachusetts: "So, where are you from?"

Conversation overheard on the ferry between Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard Island:

Man: "So, you guys are visiting Cape Cod? Where are you from?"
Woman: "We're from South Dakota. We're on a tour of New England."
Man: "South Dakota?! You are a long way from home. I have a buddy whose second wife's family lives in South Dakota. I don't remember where but he's been to visit them a few times."
Woman: "Well, isn't that interesting. The world is small, everybody knows somebody these days."

Since arriving I've heard countless conversations between strangers. This isn't unusual for two reasons: 1) We are going to places where a lot of tourists are, mostly in their 70s. 2) Americans talk to each other. All the time. About everything, anything and nothing.

Most of these conversations are about where they live. Americans are obsessed with location. They ask each other where they are from, they talk about where they come from. It's very pleasant and homey, a bit like Mayberry.

I'm glad to be home.