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New England Fall 2023

September - Oktober 2023
Ein 15-Tage Abenteuer von Amy and Pat Weiterlesen
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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 15

    Top 5 and a Wrap Up

    7. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Well, this is a Top 5 +1
    15 Days
    8 States + A Night In Canada
    16 Events
    1 Trip to the Emergency Room
    2 Trips Down Memory Lane
    1000s of photos – (Posted 604 photos)
    3590 Miles
    65 Hours Driving
    0 Moose
    And I added a New Song to My Favorites List.

    So what was the best and what was … not so much?

    We had a great trip. Every day was wonderful. Every day was a different adventure, even the drive days. We had great weather. The temperature stayed in the 60’s and 70’s. Not once were we hot, and not once were we cold. We had a little wetness one day but not enough to call it rain. The sun was shining when the smoke from Canada didn’t get in the way.

    So let’s get on with it.

    The lows.

    There were no lows. We had a trip to the ER at the very beginning of the trip. But all was good. No broken bones!

    But we had one thing that did not warrant the time. Polly’s Pancakes. The pancakes were fine, but they were pancakes. I only mention it because we had to wait a bit. Not long. And I am not complaining, but in retrospect, I would have flipped my own and used that time elsewhere.

    Honorable Mention – The Plus one.

    The trip to Jamestown (Amy’s Home Town) did not make the top 5. But it was special. Meeting Aunt Linda was great. Watching Amy hug on her was awesome. We went to Pace’s Pizza (which was great) and Amy showed me around the sites of the small town and the things she did, where she grew up. But it was Sunday and several places we closed, and others were closed for the season, and that was a little bit disappointing and one of the reasons why Jamestown didn’t make the top 5.

    Okay. I can’t count. 5+2 Because I have to mention another.

    I have to mention the Franconia Notch too. Fabulous, Fabulous, Fabulous. Just go. Do it. You won’t be disappointed.

    Drum Roll Please!!!!

    #5. Dingman Falls – Delaware Water Gap.
    This is all about emotion and feeling. Seeing Amy’s face when she saw that the house (which she thought was gone) that she summered in while working for the National Park Service was still there. Letting her share a piece of her life with me as she walked me to the falls was special.

    #4. Virginia Creeper Trail Bike Ride
    The VCT was great. Awesome views. A full day of fun. Pictures and video galore. Seeing families be families. People walking their dogs. Young and old living life. It made us feel vibrant and blessed. We took in the scenery and we enjoyed a hot dog. We had a full day and we outran the rain.

    #3. Acadia National Park – Carriage Road Bike Ride
    Acadia National Park is one of the highest rated National Parks and with good reason. The ride in Acadia was more serene than the bike ride on the VCT. The trails are wide, and things were easy. The most awesome views were of the lakes, streams, and ponds. But the trees and the leaves were beautiful too. We picnicked next to a still lake and spoke in hushed tones. The water in the lakes is so clear, you can see the bottom at 45-foot depth.

    #2. Cannon Mountain Tram
    This one is again all about emotion. Seeing the joy leap out of Amy when she walked out of the evergreens and onto that rock face was priceless. That one moment paid for all the driving. It captured the entire trip – not the view (which was spectacular) but Amy. When she gasped, I felt it. The tram ride the walk (you can’t call it a hike) up to the top was beautiful. This stop was only a couple of hours but it was packed with WOW!!!

    #1. Togetherness
    We spent 14 nights in a camper and 65 hours driving, and we loved it. Amy and I share a lot together, but most of what we share is work, chores, or responsibilities. In these 2 weeks, we shared togetherness, faith, and love in an environment which for some could be challenging, and for us, the love grew.

    During one of the drives, we listened to our bible study podcast on ‘Marriage as a Commitment’. After that, we commonly substituted the word ‘love’ with the words ‘committed’ or ‘commitment’. It was silly, and it was fun, but it emphasized how much we tell each other and show each other with our actions, how much we love and are committed to each other.

    We had the trip to the ER, and then we headed out to have fun. We had the sunrise that didn't happen. And we had the 'sunrose.'

    We listened to music as we drove. From faith-based music to country, to our beloved 70’s music, to instrumental. Amy would queue up Tim McGraw’s My Best Friend (our song), just to see me smile (I know it wasn’t to hear me sing).

    The new song on my favorites list is also a Tim McGraw song.

    Don’t Take The Girl

    ***Bonus***
    I have to mention this. Amy concurred with this list. But while I was writing, Amy pointed out that Niagara Falls didn’t make the Top 5. I paused and looked at the list again, and that is correct. After re-examining the list, Niagara Falls doesn’t make the list. The falls and the day that we went to the falls were fun. And I am so glad we didn’t miss the Falls. Obviously, if you have a chance to go – go. But this is our list and all the rest was better for us.    Weiterlesen

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 15

    For Ladies Only

    7. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Ok ladies, about a year ago, I quit going to the nail salon. Too expensive and the gel, or maybe it was the removal of the gel polish, had destroyed my nails. It has taken almost a year for my nails to be strong again. I have gone back to "regular polish." This post is to show you my "regular polish" after 2 WEEKS camping! All I have done is add a top coat a couple of times, and on one nail I had a small chip I repaired. I'm shocked it has lasted this long. I use Olive and June polish. This is one of their "long lasting" colors. Super happy 😊Weiterlesen

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 14

    The Bikes

    6. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    The bikes took this trip to the next level. They gave the trip a new dimension.

    Last fall, after camping season was over, we bought the camper. Then, very shortly after that, inspired by watching camping videos (trying to decide where we would go), we bought the bikes. Before that, bikes had not been on our radar.

    The bikes are awesome. They allowed us to see things we would not have seen otherwise. Had we gone to Acadia without the bikes, we would have spent another day hiking instead of the bike ride we took. We would have seen some beautiful views, but in the case of Acadia, we saw those views by bike instead. And the bonus is that we saw 10 times more by bike that we would have on foot.

    In the case of the Virginia Creeper Trail, without the bikes, we would not have seen any of it. The VCT was an awesome day and a great adventure that we will do again. The VCT is 34 miles long and most of it georgeous. No bikes, no VCT.

    The bikes will not replace the hikes, but without the bikes, we will see and do less.    Weiterlesen

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 14

    Committment

    6. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Our Wednesday group is currently doing a Bible study of Ephesians 5 on Biblical marriage. One of the central points is that marriage is a commitment, not a feeling ...though there can be those , too!
    We have taken to saying "I am very committed to you"...it's silly, we laugh, but it's true. I love this man. I am very committed to him.    Weiterlesen

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 14

    Hellbender's in Taylor Valley

    6. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    We took our lunch, but when we got to the party at Hellbendersm's, we'll, we just had to have a hot dog and some lemonade! It was really good, everyone is in such a happy mood.

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 14

    Virginia Creeper Trail...our take

    6. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    We were uncertain about going today, due to forecasted rain. However, we knew if we didn't it would be a while before we got back here and we had been looking forward to this for months. So we packed our rain gear and took our chances.

    We had previously gotten permission from St John's Episcopal Church to park our rig in their parking lot for the day. It was only a block from the shuttle pick up in Abingdon VA.

    We met our shuttle driver, Hughes, who is 75 years young...boy he really knew those curvy, narrow mountain roads. He's been doing this for years. Not easy hauling a trailer loaded with bikes. He was quite talkative, and we enjoyed getting to know him. He dropped us safely at Whitetop , at 3500 feet. It was cool and overcast, and the trailhead was busy.

    We rode all the way down ( and a little back up) to Abingdon. Our odometer said 36.5 miles. We hit the trail at 11:27 am and arrived at the other end at 5:07 pm. In between was a marvelous ride!!

    Once we began riding, the trail was not too busy. Much of the time we were alone. Occasionally, we would pass a group. Or one would pass us. The sun came out and it was beautiful. Much of the ride felt like a magical tree tunnel. Colors are changing. There was one valley that looked every bit as colorful as NH! We followed a river most of the way. We passed over almost 50 tressel bridges! This is, after all, all rail-trail. Some short, some long, some curved.

    The halfway point, Damascus, was a small town that took a bit to get through and was ok...kind of boring. But once back out in the country it was lovely again. It was different than the first half. Coming down the mountain changed to biking through rolling pastures and forests with mountains in the distance.

    Toward the end of our ride...maybe 5 miles from the end, we started to feel misty rain. We really didn't want to have to break out the rain gear, so we put our bikes on assist 4 and raced for the finish line. We did 70% of the ride with no assist. We got the bikes loaded and headed for our last campsite just as the rain started.

    We really loved this ride and would love to do it again.    Weiterlesen

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 14

    The VCT...what is it?

    6. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    A destination for visitors from across the US and a cherished asset for local residents, the Virginia Creeper Trail is best known as a biking trail, but in reality, the VCT is a multi-use trail with opportunities to bike, walk, run, fish, horseback ride, people watch, cross country ski and geocache, along with chances to observe and learn about the native fauna and flora, as well as the fascinating historical and economic role the railroad played in southwest Virginia.

    The trail got its unusual name from the early steam locomotives as they struggled slowly up steep grades, carrying lumber. Having failed to turn a profit since the Great Depression, the Creeper ran its last train on March 31, 1977. The trail gained new life in 1984, when it was designated a National Recreation Trail.

    Over 150,000 people use the trail annually, and in 2014 it was inducted in to the national Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

    From Whitetop Station near the top of the second highest peak in Virginia, the Creeper Trail meanders (mostly!) downhill through and over some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable – open farmlands and fields, dense forests, Christmas tree farms, rushing streams and creeks. On your way, you’ll sail across nearly 50 wooden trestles as you glide above this stunning scenery and travel through small, charming towns and past restored railroad depots. The VCT will intersect with the Appalachian Trail at a few points along your journey and, between Damascus and Whitetop, you’ll find Whitetop Laurel Creek, one of Virginia’s largest and most beautiful wild trout streams, just feet from the trail.

    The elevation change along the 34-mile trail is moderate. Near the top of Whitetop Mountain, you’ll find Whitetop Station at 3500’ and Damascus (the half-way point) clocking in at a little over 1900’ – an elevation change of almost 1600’ in 17 miles. From Damascus to the trail head in Abingdon, the trail inclines slightly, with an elevation increase of less than 300’ that includes a moderate climb from the Holston River confluence to Abingdon. View Elevation Profile.

    Heading down from Whitetop to Damascus takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on your pace. Add another 2 hours or so to travel from Damascus to the trail head in Abingdon.

    The diverse landscape, the elevation variability and multiple access points all combine to make for a design-your-own Creeper Trail adventure and a chance to individualize your experience according to your time constraints, what portions of the trail you’d like to see, or whether you’re riding with very young children or energetic teens. Most folks opt for a shuttle from Damascus or Abingdon up to Whitetop Station and then journey the entire 34-mile trail to Abingdon or down to Damascus, located halfway between Whitetop and the trail head, though you can also head to Abingdon directly from Damascus or, for a more challenging route, bike up from Abingdon or Damascus to Whitetop Station.    Weiterlesen

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  • ReisenderNew England Fall 2023
    Tag 12

    DWG NRA Dingman's Falls

    4. Oktober 2023 in den USA ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    I (Amy) worked at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area for 2 seasons when I was 19 and 20 as a volunteer the first season, and an official (stetson and all) interpretive Park Ranger the 2nd. I loved every minute of it. I did a lot of different things, but my favorites were canoe trips on the Delaware River, doing guided nature walks to Silverthread and Dingman's Falls, and working in the living history village. Pat and I rode our bikes from the campground up to the visitor center at Dingman's Falls. My 2nd year I lived in the house at Dingman's Falls with Jeanette McGeehan from Baltimore. I've tried to find her through the years on FB but have never had any luck. I googled the house A few years back....and it was gone. In its place was a new visitor center, parking lot ,and restrooms. It made me sad. I wanted to show Pat the falls and the place of so many great memories. We rounded the last bend in the road and the visitor center came into view. And right behind it....the house!! Shrouded in trees. It must have been hidden from satellite view by the trees. I was so overcome, I teared up, almost cried. It made me so happy to see the little house still sitting there after all. We stood on the porch and I showed Pat where we once pulled 3 picnic tables up to the house, put them end to end, covered them in newspaper and had a party. Jeanette's BF came up from Baltimore with coolers full of still-warm Baltimore steamed crab. It was heavenly. Pat and I walked to the falls. Silverthread was running a little heavier than normal. It was beautiful. We walked on to Dingman's Falls and found the boardwalk closed. Several people were there sitting and chatting. They said the storms a few days earlier had done some damage to the trail. It's very unlike me, but I had to try, so we ducked under the tape and kept going. We were almost to the falls, could kind of see it through the trees, when the path was blocked completely. Disappointing, but we turned around. Had a nice conversation with the group back at the closure. One couple lived in Franconia NH where we just came from! I was still just so happy the house was standing! We rode our bikes a few miles on the McDade trail and spent a few minutes on the beautiful riverbank.
    ***UPDATE***
    As we left DWG, I searched Facebook again and found someone who lived outside Baltimore and looked like I imagined Jeannette might look like today. I messaged her. It took a few days before she saw the message and responded! See pictures below... I immediately called her and we reconnected for the next 40 minutes. She has a great memory! They are headed out west with their camper in a couple weeks and are going to try to come thru Nashville...I can't wait to see my sweet friend from so long ago!    Weiterlesen

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