Italy

May 4 – 14, 2026

This is the second year we have utilized Megan Hall as our travel agent. She is amazing and makes us feel so relaxed when planning our trips because she takes care of all the details so expertly. She gave us multiple options to consider before we decided on a trip to Italy!! 

Our tour company for this trip is Tauck. The tour itself is seven nights. We are adding an extra night at the beginning of the trip and an extra night at the end. Thus, we will have three nights in Venice, three nights in Florence, and three nights in Rome. For the second consecutive year, Harry is driving us to the airport.

Monday, May 4
We have a 7:35 p.m. nonstop flight from Philadelphia to Venice. The time in the air was eight and a half hours. 

Tuesday, May 5
We arrived at 9:55 a.m. at Marco Polo airport in Venice. Italy is six hours ahead of the USA, so it feels like it’s only 4 a.m.

 We scheduled some tours through Viator for our extra day in Venice. The first was:
Venice Like a Local: Food, Wine & Spritz Tour with Traghetto Ride. We had this tour the evening of our arrival. We stopped at five different local restaurants for both food and drink. It was a fabulous way to explore the area and enjoy amazing culinary delights. 

Wednesday, May 6
Our second Viator Tour was The Real Hidden Venice. A local took us on a very interesting tour of the individual neighborhoods of Venice. 

Our actual Tauck tour began tonight with a welcome reception and dinner. We had cocktail hour at the hotel Sky Bar. There are twenty-six people in our group. We learned a lot about our travel mates during a session when everyone told of their passions. It was helpful to make connections with those we will be spending time with during the next week. 

Thursday, May 7
We enjoyed a guided walking tour featuring the iconic St. Mark’s Square. The exterior of St. Mark’s Basilica is adorned with domes, columns, and spires. The inside is majestic and contains beautiful mosaics. 

We also toured Doge’s Palace. This was once the seat of power in the Venetian empire. The palace is now a museum of art treasures and a work of art itself in every intricate detail.

We had the perfect day for our gondola ride through Venice’s maze of water lanes. It was so relaxing and breathtaking. 

We were able to attend an informational session and demonstration of glass blowing. Our minds were “blown” by the artistry we witnessed. 

Friday, May 8
A high-speed train ride whisked us to Florence for a three-night stay. Upon arrival, we had a private talk by an art historian.  Later we had a guided walking tour of some city sites including a visit to the Galleria dell’ Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David.

We had dinner at the local restaurant, “Dei Frescobaldi”, this evening. We’ve been thoroughly enjoying the cuisine in Italy.

Saturday, May 9
Our day began with a visit of the Uffizi Gallery (“the offices”) conceived in 1581 as a massive government facility, converted ten years later to a public museum which today holds some of the most important artworks of all time. Our guided visit to this remarkable institution, with its 45 exhibition halls and thousands of masterpieces, was an amazing art immersion.

We had free time to explore on our own this afternoon. Steve and I went to the Galileo Galilei Museum. The museum had an extensive collection of scientific instruments dating back to the 13^th century. 

Next, we headed to the Ponte Vecchio bridge which is famous for stores lining the bridge selling jewelry, art, and souvenirs. 

We ended our afternoon excursions with a trip to the Boboli Gardens. This entailed quite a hike, but the view of the city from these amazing gardens was breathtaking!! 

Our dinner was at the Ristorante Boccadama. The food was delicious, but even more important, I was able to have my first Espresso Martini in Italy!! It did not disappoint. 

In the evening, we enjoy an exclusive after-hours visit to the Opera del Duomo Museum. We saw original masterpieces of art from Michelangelo to Donatello, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, and countless others.

Sunday, May 10
Today we left the city of Florence and traveled through the Tuscan countryside.  We visited the ancient monastery of Badia di Passignano in the Chianti Classico region, where the monks are known for their love of learning (Galileo taught here in 1587) and their cultivation of grapes. We toured the wine cellar with a sommelier, learned about its famous Chianti, had some extra-virgin olive oil tasting, and had lunch at Osteria di Passignano which is a Michelin star restaurant. 

In the evening, we explored Florence on our own and shared an Italian panini and had some beer. 

Monday, May 11
I started with some ear pain yesterday which worsened throughout the night. I believe I developed swimmer’s ear from so much use of ear buds during all the guided tours we’ve been taking.  My tour guide and I headed to the local Farmacia. We were able to obtain antibiotic ear drops without seeing a doctor or having a prescription. We showed them the doctor notes from when I had swimmer’s ear last year and were very surprised that they did provide them for me!! I have a checkup scheduled for when I return home. 

We packed our bags and traveled via train to Rome. We had lunch at a local restaurant and embarked on an insider’s tour of Imperial Rome with a local guide. We passed by iconic landmarks and explored hidden gems of ancient Rome. 

Due to a scheduled evening tour tomorrow night, we enjoyed our farewell cocktail hour and dinner tonight. Our group consisted of twenty-six lovely people. We thoroughly enjoyed our wonderful guide and spending time with these fabulous individuals. 

Tuesday, May 12
Today we enjoyed a visit to Vatican City. We had a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, home to a vast collection of art treasures. We were able to see the Sistine Chapel and gaze in amazement at Michelangelo’s masterpiece ceiling.

Then we went to St. Peter’s Square and enjoyed a guided visit to one of the most famous houses of worship, St. Peter’s Basilica. This house of worship is breathtaking!! And I never tire of seeing the Pieta. This marks the third time I’ve seen it. They had it at the World’s Fair in New York City in 1964. I also saw it when I was in Italy in 2003. 

This afternoon Steve and I walked around the city. We visited a variety of sights. Our favorites were the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. 

After our long hike, we had our one and only serving of Gelato during this trip! Yummy!!

Tonight, we were able to enjoy a private visit to the Borghese Gallery. We saw sculptures and paintings by Bernini, Canova, Caravaggio, Titian, and other masters of art. Highlights were the representation of Pauline Bonaparte by Canova and the Caravaggio room with paintings such as David with the Head of Goliath and the Boy with a Basket of Fruit. We also saw Raphael’s The Deposition and Lady with a Unicorn, along with sculptures by Bernini, including his Apollo and Daphne and David. 

I can’t imagine what the cost was to Tauck to have this Gallery open just for us. Of course, there were guards to pay for as well as our tour guide. We had an interesting end to the tour. They struggled to unlock the iron gate for us to exit. We literally thought we were going to spend a night at the museum. 

Our Tauck tour ends tonight. Most of our group is traveling home tomorrow. We had some dinner with some members of our group at a restaurant called Alfredo’s. You guessed it! Fettuccine was featured.

Wednesday, May 13
This afternoon we scheduled an additional tour through Viator to see inside the Colosseum arena floor, Palatine Hill & the Roman Forum. We’re grateful that we stayed the extra day and took this tour. It was so very informative. Seeing the ruins of Ancient Rome right next to the modern buildings is quite an experience!! 

We had our first Italian pizza tonight. We enjoyed the musician in the square who entertained us. 

Thursday, May 14

Arrivederci Roma!!

We fly back from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport to Philadelphia today.  Our flight was delayed a couple of times, but we were still able to have a safe trip albeit about an hour behind schedule. Here is what I chose to do at the airport while waiting.

It was a life enriching trip, but as always, it will be wonderful to be home! 

Boothbay Harbor, Maine: August, 2025

Perfect weather, perfect location, perfect hospitality!! That’s the summary of this week. 

Steve asked what I wanted to do while here, so I made a list at home. I completed all of it within the first 48 hours!! 

We had my favorite lobster roll dinner at Boothbay Lobster Wharf at the end of our travel day. 

On our first full day here, we walked around town, had drinks at both the Footbridge Brewery and the Boothbay Craft Brewery. All five of us gathered outside and enjoyed live music and dinner. Jean and I were filled with joy as Steve, Chris, and Lee sang along. 

I always like to go on a hike. Chris, Lee, Steve, and I had a glorious adventure. We went to Plummer Point Reserve (part of the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust). Jean treated us to an amazing swordfish dinner upon our return. 

The guys went on a Reggae cruise. 

Steve and I spent a day in Freeport. LL Bean is undergoing some major construction to be completed late 2026. The renderings look amazing. One of the store areas is under a tent during renovations. We’ve never seen such a structurally sound tent. After a productive shopping day, Steve and I had enjoyed lunch in the outside patio area at the Lobster Cooker in Freeport. 

Steve and I also discovered a new brewery outside of Wiscasset. My new favorite brewery is the Bath Ale Works!! 

Of course, the best part of the week is always the time spent on the porch sharing stories and laughter. 

As always, thank you dear Jean for your generous hospitality and abundant love. We love, treasure, and adore you!! 

Grenada Blog

June 2025

Other than our yearly trips to Maine, we haven’t traveled since 2019. We felt that a celebration of our 20^th wedding anniversary was the time to change all of that. 

We were lucky enough to snag a fabulous new travel agent, Megan. We wanted to go to a different island from the many where we had already visited. Megan did not disappoint. She planned a fabulous vacation to Sandals in Grenada for us. 

Saturday, June 21

For the first time, we had a driver take us to the airport. Yes, please!! Megan connected us with Harry who has been fabulous!!

After our long, albeit smooth travel day, we unpacked, explored the resort (nice and compact, everything just a short walk to whatever you need), and had an amazing dinner at Spices, the resort restaurant specializing in Caribbean cuisine. I enjoyed a coconut shrimp appetizer and a jerk lobster entrée. Steve had a cocoa and coffee encrusted sirloin. We both had ginger pumpkin pie for dessert. 

The resort is GORGEOUS!! The food is AMAZING!! The service is FABULOUS!! 

There are many room options. Steve chose perfectly!! Our room is spacious and cozy. The balcony is perfect for us. Below is the view we wake up to each morning.

Sunday, June 22

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast buffet at Cucina Romana on our first full day. We checked on our excursions and dinner reservations while out. We also were spontaneous and played a rousing game of bean bags. I know that none of my grandkids will be surprised at the game outcome . . . I lost, but thoroughly enjoying playing!! 

Then we stopped by the resort library. They had a variety of books and games amid a very calming atmosphere. 

Since we’re going on an early morning excursion tomorrow, a visit to Café de Paris was in order. We stocked our room refrigerator with specially made crepes, fruits, and yogurt so we can have breakfast in our room prior to leaving our trip. We’re lucky to find room since they keep our refrigerator well stocked with beer (they know what we like). 

The balcony of our room overlooks the main swimming pool which enables us to enjoy fabulous DJ/musical entertainment daily.

This afternoon we took an orientation tour of the grounds to be sure we’re not missing anything. 

Tonight, we went to dinner at Le Jardinier restaurant which specializes in French Cuisine. I had tuna sushi as an appetizer, salmon for dinner, and a molten chocolate cake for dessert. Steve had an escargot appetizer, a duck entrée and a caramel baked custard for dessert. 

Monday, June 23

We really enjoy taking excursions off the resort property. We feel it’s a wonderful balance to explore the island while also enjoying the perks of the all-inclusive resort. 

Today we embarked on a daylong excursion, Discover Grenada by Land and Sea. Our first stop was the Grenada Yacht Club when we embarked on a scenic sail across the western coastline. Then, we snorkeled at the Carenage and Molinere Bay. Our snorkeling included an underwater Sculpture Park which was unique and amazing. I really enjoyed this!! The Caribbean water was mighty fine!!

Next, we boarded a 4 x 4 open air jeep for a panoramic view of the beautiful landscape of the island. We were also able to take a refreshing dip at the Concord Waterfall. Throughout, our tour guide would point out the wide variety of fruit and nut trees that grow on the island, and pick tree leaves as we were driving along. He would give us samples to smell. Grenada is known as the spice island. It certainly lives up to its name. The leaves of the clove, cinnamon, lemongrass, allspice, etc. were so fragrant!! The photo below is a nutmeg.

Lunch was in the fishing village of Gouyave followed by a tour of the Diamond Chocolate Factory.  We were able to taste samples of the local chocolate, Jouvay. It was delish!! 

We ate dinner at the Tipsy Turtle Pub tonight. We both enjoyed the quintessential fish and chips dinner. 

We stopped by the Café de Paris for our dessert. We received multiple recommendations to try the nutmeg ice cream. It did not disappoint!! 

Tuesday, June 24

Today was a very relaxing day!!  We had a breakfast buffet outdoors at the Spice Restaurant. 

Later, we donned our bathing suits and set out to explore some new parts of the resort. There is a small pool right below our room that we relaxed in for a while. When we left the pool, I was commenting to a groundskeeper about the great job they’re doing on the property. Well, that was all it took to acquire a new friend. Kelvin told us great stories about the island. He also sent some of the staff to get us some coconut water. I expected that he would come back with bottled water. He came back with actual coconuts!! They took a machete to provide a flat surface on the bottom. They also cut off the top, made an opening in the center and inserted a straw for us to drink the coconut water!! It was delicious!! 

We took our coconut water down to the pool near the beach as we reclined and relaxed. We also took a beautiful beach walk. We were able to walk out onto piers and sit to enjoy the tranquil sea. 

Later, we had our vacation portraits taken. We really had fun with the photographer. We have been able to have great exchanges with a lot of the staff. They are so very friendly and kind. Other favorites are the director of our orientation program and our waiter at the pub.

We had an ocean front view at dinner tonight at Neptune’s restaurant. Both Steve and I had the Mediterranean Seafood Sampler (octopus and shrimp) as an appetizer. I had a Mahi Mahi dinner. Steve had linguine with mussels, clams, calamari, and shrimp. I had Baklava cheesecake for dessert. Steve had a citrus cake for his dessert and chased it with vanilla ice cream at the Café de Paris later. 

After dinner we went to view our photos. We found some we liked. I was very appreciative that they weren’t pushy. We were able to pick out some favorites, but we can go back later in the week to make our purchases. 

Wednesday, June 25

Happy 20^th Anniversary to Us!! 

Both Steve and I began the day with the receipt of beautiful anniversary cards. Do you believe that both of us remembered to pack them? 

Our day began with our second excursion, a 4 x 4 Jeep Historical Sightseeing Experience. We had a driver for our Wrangler vehicle, who was very knowledgeable about the history of the island. 

The people of Grenada are very humble, proud, and kind. They are sincerely appreciative of the aid that the United States provided them in fighting communism in 1983. 

Driving on the island is on the left side of the road. The roads are not wide and many of them don’t have dividing lines. It was quite the experience. We rode through the capital, St. George. There we were able to see the Georgian style architecture as well as the beautiful natural harbor. We saw the refurbished House of Parliament which was designed after a nutmeg!! 

Later we were given a tour of Fort Fredrick that served to protect the coastline. My favorite tour of the day was Westerhall Rum Factory. We were required to wear hard hats for this tour. We never realized how complicated the production of rum is and how many varieties of rum they produce on the island. We were allowed to taste test five of their numerous flavors at the end of our tour. I tasted mojito, cranberry, and had two servings of their chocolate rum. 

Our tour ended at the Grand Anse Craft and Spice Market where we were able to experience the true flavor of the island.

Our anniversary dinner was at Butch’s Chop House. “Butch” Stewart was a Jamaican hotelier and businessman. He was the founder, owner, and chairman of Sandals Resorts, Beaches Resorts, and their parent company Sandals Resorts International. 

My dinner included oysters Rockefeller, surf and turf, and Oreo cheesecake. Steve had mushroom soup, filet mignon, and carrot cake. 

Thursday, June 26

Our excursion today was the Safari Explorer and St. Margaret’s Falls Experience. Although all the tours have been great, this was our hands down favorite!! 

We stopped at an overlook in the Grand Etang nature reserve as we embarked on our trip today. 

We then proceeded to a marketplace that featured mona monkeys. One of the guys on our tour had bananas on his shorts. You should have seen how the monkeys reacted to that!! It was hysterical!! They had us put bits of bananas on our hands and the monkeys would come and eat it and then perch on us for a while. Yes, I touched an animal!! My new friend, Hunter, is in the photo with me. He was hesitant to try as well so we did it together!!

There was a very challenging trek to St. Margaret’s Falls. It was extremely steep and very muddy. The tour guide, “Beetle”, was amazing and helped immensely to be sure I stayed safe. 

There was a pool of water for swimming once we arrived. Our tour guide jumped from atop of the cliff into the water below!! Note his orange trunks as he jumps in the second photo below. 

Our next stop was the Morne Labay lookout. Oh, the views!!

We also walked to the Grand Etang Lake, formed in the crater of an ancient volcano, and enjoyed the beautiful view while eating our lunch. 

We revisited the Spices restaurant for a lovely dinner later in the evening. 

Friday, June 27

Today is our last day in paradise. It’s been a wonderful trip. We’re doing some relaxing as well as preparation for our travel day tomorrow. We spent some time in the hot tub. We also spent some time in the pool and the swim up bar. We couldn’t leave without that experience!! 

We had our second dinner at Butch’s Chophouse tonight. I’m planning to have mushroom soup, leg of lamb, and crème brulee. Steve had a crab cake appetizer, a rib eye steak, and carrot cake for dessert. 

Saturday June 28/Sunday June 29

Today we’re leaving the resort and arriving back home in the wee hours Sunday. 

We were so lucky to be able to experience such a fabulous week!! But it will be wonderful to be home. 

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Alaska

I DID IT!!

I had high hopes in 2012 when I set off on this venture, but it has far exceeded my expectations!! I completed my objective to see all fifty states in a much shorter time frame than I anticipated! Grouping states together and taking a road trip each spring and fall certainly worked out well. I am feeling so blessed to have been able to accomplish such a lofty goal!!

Alaska – State #50!!

From our first takeoff until our final landing, it took us twelve hours in the air to reach our destination (Philadelphia to Anchorage with connections in both Chicago and Seattle). The first part of our day was challenging: we had a dark, rainy drive to the airport after our alarm went off at midnight. We had a terminal change and two gate changes prior to our first flight. Thus, we ascended an hour late. The pilot put the pedal to the metal and fortunately we were able to make all of our connecting flights. Others, weren’t so lucky.

We rented a car when we arrived in Anchorage, checked into our hotel (even though they didn’t have our reservations), and after exploring the area a bit, settled in from our travel day. Our hotel was The Lakefront Anchorage which is on the shore of Lake Spenard next to Lake Hood. There are daily flightseeing plane and fishing trip pickups from the dock. You can view the floatplanes with the majestic Chugach Mountains as a backdrop.

 The next day we set off for a 120-mile drive to the seaport town of Seward. The Seward Highway provided us with breathtaking views of wilderness, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, wildlife, as well as avalanche areas. This drive actually took us close to four hours to complete as it wound around Turnagain Arm and through Moose Pass. There were a multitude of pull off areas which enabled us to savor the beauty and tranquility of the area and to take pictures in order to preserve our memories.

When we explored the town of Seward, we saw preparations underway for their annual Mermaid Festival. It is a celebration held at the beginning of the tourist season for the area. The area reminded me of Musikfest with food vendors, music tents, crafts, and my perennial favorite, the beer gardens. Many women donned mermaid outfits to fully experience the theme of the festivities.

We stayed at the Seward Windsong Lodge for two nights. This resort is a combination of many separate buildings added on as the facility continued to expand. Each building is named after a flower; we checked into the Lily building. JPaved trails, wildflowers, ferns, and spruce trees adorn this temperate rain forest property. Not far from the lodge is the entrance to Kenai Fjords National Park with foot access to the Resurrection Trail and the Exit Glacier trail system.

After checking into our hotel, we had an IdidaRide sled dog tour and kennel visit. Anyone who knows me knows that I am afraid of any animal so this may sound like an unusual event for me to schedule. My desire to actually get a feel for the area outweighed my fear.

Fourteen Iditarod sled dogs harnessed to wheeled sleds mushed us through the Alaskan Wilderness to the base of Resurrection Mountain and along Box Canyon Creek. This tour was chosen as one of Alaska’s Top Twenty Attractions. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is known as Alaska’s Super Bowl.

We also learned a lot about the race itself. The route spans over 1,000 miles and takes over eight days to complete. A single driver travels with 16 dogs; the extra ones take turns riding inside of the sled in order to rest. The driver sleeps very little himself during this expedition.

We also saw the clothing worn by both the driver and the dogs. The sled itself weighs very little so the challenge for the dogs is more of endurance than strength in pulling the sled. The Seavey family that runs this IdidaRide has claimed several Iditarod race victories. They provide these rides to keep the dogs in good shape during the summer months.

The following day we had a 120-mile day long cruise to the Kenai Fjords National Park. We saw walls of rock, lush forests, and abundant wildlife on our journey up the coast.

The wildlife we saw from the boat included:

• Humpback whales
• Sea otters floating around near the rocks at the edge of the bay
• Stellar sea lions
• Harbor seals
• Puffins bobbing on the waves
• Bald eagle

A nearby boat also saw an orca (killer whale).

We had a delicious lunch of salmon and prime rib on board. Our trip was enhanced with guides and a captain who have an infectious love for this area.

This cruise turned out to truly be an Alaskan adventure. It rained for the greater part of the day. Our understanding is that this area gets little sunshine so the weather was typical for them. We met a woman on the airplane that lives in Alaska. She said we were traveling at a very good time of year since the area will soon be infested with mosquitos. Her mantra was “rain doesn’t bite”.

Unfortunately, the inclement weather created a great deal of rough waters. We heeded strong advice to take motion sickness medicine which I believe helped us tremendously. Not all of the passengers fared as well. At least twenty percent of the passengers got sick (even the ranger didn’t feel well).

Alaska only has about six hours of darkness this time of year (roughly from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.). Due to the time change (they are four hours behind eastern standard time) and our exhaustion, we never saw anything other than daylight.

The following day we saw the Exit Glacier prior to our drive back to Anchorage. This is one of the most accessible valley glaciers in Alaska. It’s a visible indicator of climate change. Park scientists continue to monitor and record its accelerating recession. It received its name because it served as the exit for the first recorded crossing of the Harding Icefield in 1968.

Steve and I really enjoyed our hike to the Exit Glacier. As is our norm, I accompany him for about ¾ of the treks we take. There are always some extra challenging segments of the hikes that Steve wants to take that I am uncomfortable doing. I support these ventures because I know he will be cautious. I am really glad he is able to have such amazing adventures!

We continued our drive back to Anchorage stopping at various lookouts and a beautiful wildlife boardwalk at Potter Marsh. The return of our rental car, the cab ride to our next hotel in downtown Anchorage, and hotel check in were seamless.

 

We ventured out into downtown Anchorage for dinner. It was a Sunday night and the area was quiet until we got close to our choice for the evening, the Glacier Brewhouse. Steve does an amazing job of researching area restaurants and choosing truly amazing spots. The Brewhouse was bustling and we had to a wait for a table. We occupied our time at the bar and later had a most delicious meal. I had rockfish for dinner. So far not a single day has passed in Alaska that I didn’t have seafood (all of it delicious!!).

After leaving Anchorage, we took a day long glass-domed luxury rail ride to Denali National Park. The train was roomy and very comfortable! We were on the last train car which is where the open air platform was. I really enjoyed standing out there. The view was incredible and I wasn’t even scared!!

We had unobstructed views of the Alaska wilderness during this trip. The views of the snow covered mountains, lakes, and forest areas were simply breathtaking! The skies were clear enough to allow us a fabulous view of the two peaks of Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), a sight only visible twenty percent of the time. We saw moose, osprey, and porcupines along the way. We passed by the cabins of many “homesteaders”, self-sufficient people who live off the land in these remote areas.

We ran into a hitch at the end of the train ride. Our luggage was nowhere to be found. Many people associated with the train and our hotel worked hard to rectify this. Our luggage was eventually found at a different hotel than where we were staying. We were reunited with it a few hours later.

We spent two nights in Denali Park Village. This lodge is at the entrance of the park. A walk to a glacial fed river was just outside our door. We had beautiful views of the river from the hotel dining room.

Our full day narrated Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park took us fifty-three miles into the Toklat River area (some of it along a windy mountainside road). The scenery which included Denali viewpoints and magnificent vistas was breathtaking! We saw caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose, porcupine, arctic ground squirrels, snowshoe hares, a falcon nest,and various birds including several Willow Ptarmigan, which is Alaska’s state bird. The driver took footage of animals along the road and projected them on a screen so we didn’t miss a single view.

 

Our magnificent trip ended with a train ride to return to Anchorage airport for our flights home.

People often ask me what my favorite state has been in this quest. Previously, I could only list multiple states that I really like. Now, I know why. I definitely saved the best for last. Alaska was like being in another world. It has earned the title of “my favorite state”!

 

 

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Wyoming National Parks

The focus of our trip to Wyoming, state number #49, is the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Yellowstone National Park is a nearly 3,500 square mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot. It features dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs and gushing geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. It’s also home to hundreds of animal species, including bears, wolves, bison, elk and antelope.

After our driving stop in Cody, Wyoming, we traveled to the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone Park by way of the scenic Chief Joseph Highway. We were a little nervous about this route, since the local news reported that a short section of one lane had collapsed down the mountainside just a few days before.  We saw the work crews as we went by in the other lane, but had no trouble getting through.

As we crossed into the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone, we saw bison, elk, deer, and even a black bear.

Our first stop in Yellowstone was at Tower Falls. From an overlook we were able to view the 132-foot drop of the water framed by eroded volcanic pinnacles from Tower Creek.

We continued our Yellowstone drive through the upper terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs. After an overnight stop in Gardiner, Montana, just outside the North entrance of the park, we returned to Mammoth and hiked around the hot springs.

After covering the northern half of the park, we headed south. We saw the Norris Geyser Basin which is the hottest, most dynamic geyser basin. It includes the world’s tallest geyser as well as a variety of many types of geysers and hot springs. We walked through the Porcelain Basin which was one of my favorites.

 

Did you know that Yellowstone has its own Grand Canyon? There are overlooks and walkways to view the upper and lower falls of the Yellowstone River.

 

Continuing south through the park, we drove through the Madison River area which is formed at the junction of the Gibbon and Firehole Rivers. In this area, we viewed the Gibbon Falls and toured the area of artistic paint pots and mudpots, which are small bubbling thermal features.

 

Our next stop was the Old Faithful section of the park, located in the Upper Geyser Basin. We spent several days at the Old Faithful Lodge inside of Yellowstone Park! In fact, we could watch Old Faithful erupt right outside of our hotel room window! We were lucky enough to be able to witness about half a dozen eruptions of Old Faithful. It never got old!

Midway Geyser Basin hosts two of the largest hydrothermal features of their types found anywhere in the world. Grand Prismatic is Yellowstone’s largest and most brilliantly colored hot spring. It is 200 feet across and has a temperature of 160 degrees. Magna from an active underground volcano heats water that rises to the surface in fissures in the rocks. The result is a hot spring that pours almost 500 gallons of hot water each minute into the Firehole River. Minerals dissolved in the hot water are deposited and gradually form to build the edges. The central blue color is due to sunlight being scattered by particles suspended in the water. The yellow, orange, and brown colors are microorganisms that thrive in the intense heat.

Excelsior Geyser is one of the largest geysers. The steam from both the Grand Prismatic Spring and Excelsior Geyser was very heavy on the day we visited so we only had sporadic glimpses of its beauty. But, somehow Steve was still able to get some fabulous photos. The winds were high on the day we traveled to Midway Geyser Basin as well. After we were there, a tree fell onto and damaged three cars that were driving in this area. Steve also saw a parked car that had extensive damage. He thought it might have hit an animal, but upon closer inspection discovered that it also was hit by a tree.

 

We also strolled around an area known as Fountain Paint Pots in the Lower Geyser. The ingredients list for these mud pots is heat, gases, water, volcanic rock, minerals, acid, and living organisms.

After a drive to the West Thumb Lake, we had a lovely picnic lunch (being sure to keep our food closed when not eating so we didn’t attract bears!) and then toured the Lake’s Geyser Basin area. We also crossed the Continental Divide during this drive!

 

Our longest hike was back at the Old Faithful area to view its many geysers and springs. In addition to not realizing how large the park was, we hadn’t realized how prevalent the volcanic areas were in Yellowstone Park. Yellowstone definitely has something for everyone. Fishing, boating, camping, hiking, animal and nature enthusiasts will all find a wealth of wonderful experiences awaiting them!

Steve didn’t think I smelled enough sulphur or saw enough geysers so we made a couple of extra stops before leaving Yellowstone. We walked through both Biscuit Basin and Black Sand Basin. Then we left Yellowstone via the South entrance. As we approached Jackson, Wyoming, we stopped at the Snake River Lookouts in order to view the Teton Mountains and Snake River. I found this drive to be a bit intimidating. There were electronic signs warning of bear and cub crossings for a span of eight and a half miles. Rangers also placed temporary signs warning of elk crossings. Additionally, permanent signs warned to watch out for elk, bison, and moose on the roadway. We saw some elk in the distance, but fortunately no wildlife near the road.  For the next leg of our trip, we stayed in Jackson, Wyoming, for two nights.

Grand Teton National Park is in the state of Wyoming just south of Yellowstone. It encompasses the Teton mountain range, the 4,000-meter Grand Teton peak, and the valley known as Jackson Hole. It’s a popular destination in summer for mountaineering, hiking, backcountry camping and fishing.

Unfortunately, the day we had dedicated to exploring the park turned out to be filled with both rain and snow showers. Although we were unable to explore this area as much as we hoped, we certainly were able to enjoy its beauty. We followed the Teton Park Road Drive. Our favorite highlights were the areas of Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake dam, and various overlooks. Steve took a short hike around Jenny Lake and spotted a mother moose and her baby.

 

We also enjoyed downtown Jackson. It was a lovely area to explore filled with restaurants, shops, and galleries. Here are Steve and I posing in front of the elk antler entryways to the downtown park.

 

 

Denver, Colorado

I have been really excited about this trip because Steve is accompanying me. He took the lead on all of the plans as well. We are adding states number 48 and 49 on my quest to see all 50! Isn’t that so very cool and amazing!! We will be spending time in both Colorado and Wyoming.

The traffic was heavy leading to Newark airport, but the flight into Denver went smoothly. Unfortunately, our luggage didn’t arrive with us. It was on a different plane that departed Newark for Denver. We opted to wait at the airport for its arrival instead of waiting for its delivery to our hotel. This was the right move. We arrived at our hotel to snow flurries while there was a 90-degree heat wave back home. We donned our winter coats to set out for dinner and tasting of the local craft beers. Although the downtown area where we stayed was spared, the nearby Rocky Mountains got 2 ½ feet of snow on the first night of our trip! And, yes: the snow covered Rocky Mountains really do look just like the picture on the Coors Light can!

The snow that hit the area ended up working out in our favor. There were multiple high school graduations scheduled for the Red Rocks Amphitheatre which were cancelled due to the inclement weather. The snow covering the Amphitheatre didn’t prevent us from having a breathtaking visit to this venue, though. The Amphitheatre is 6,450 feet above sea level. It is in a transitional zone between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains. This geological phenomenon is the only naturally occurring acoustically perfect Amphitheatre in the world! From the Amphitheatre, you have a panoramic view of downtown Denver. The monoliths on each side of the theatre are taller than Niagara Falls! The theatre once was listed as one of the seven wonders of the world!

In addition to seeing the Red Rocks Amphitheatre area itself, I really enjoyed the museum displays that told the story of all of the famous musical acts that have graced this stage since its opening in 1906 (The Beatles, The Allman Brothers, Sting, The Grateful Dead, Willie Nelson, U2, etc.).

After returning back to our hotel area, we embarked on a multi-hour walking tour of downtown Denver. We saw Sports Authority Field at Mile High (home of the Denver Broncos football team), Coors Stadium (home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team), a cool REI store which was in a former power plant building, Confluence Park (where Cherry Creek and the South Platte River meet), Union Station, the Lower Downtown area (known as Lodo), and the Denver Millennium Bridge. This bridge is unique in that it has steel masts connected to the bridge deck by steel cables. This footbridge crosses above the regional rail system. It is one of three pedestrian bridges that connect downtown Denver to the Highland neighborhood.

Pike’s Peak is the highest summit of the southern front range of the Rocky Mountains. We were able to postpone our Pike’s Peak (Colorado Springs) trip until our second full day in Colorado when the weather improved. We were very fortunate, indeed. Our trip up the Cog Railway to the top of the peak was the first excursion to be able to reach the summit in three days! There were plows ahead of us clearing the tracks. It was 30 degrees cooler at the summit than at the base of the mountain. That made it 14 degrees with a wind chill of 3 degrees for our trip. Thankfully, we had lots of layers packed. We learned that there are only three cog railways still running in the United States. (We traveled the cog train on Mountain Washington in New Hampshire which is the oldest in 2015). Pike’s Peak has the world’s highest cog train. We ascended 14,115 feet (visitors also have a driving and a hiking option) and saw breathtaking views that inspired the song, “America the Beautiful”.

After leaving Pike’s Peak, we went to the nearby Garden of the Gods. We weren’t sure what to expect, but we absolutely loved this area! There are beds of deep red sandstone that were tilted vertically by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains and Pike’s Peak. This public park allowed us access both by car and by hiking trails through some of the most majestic creations of nature.

Next we had a driving day which took us from Denver, Colorado to Cody, Wyoming. The Wind River Canyon scenic roadway in particular provided us with some breathtaking views.

San Antonio

LBJ Ranch

It was cool and quite windy when I left Dallas. I had a long travel day ahead of me. My goal was to drive to San Antonio. I made a stop along the way to the LBJ Ranch. As I mentioned with the libraries, I don’t feel political affiliation is as important as a respect for history. Personally, I don’t remember liking LBJ very much. Maybe we would have had a negative view of any man who tried to fill JFK’s shoes.

The Ranch is still a working ranch. Thus, we had to close gates after opening them to be sure the livestock remained where they were supposed to stay. We were able to drive our own cars through the National Historical Park. In addition to the metal buffalo signs marking the route to take, buffalo were literally roaming the fields. I also had to wait for a group of cattle to complete their cross before I could continue my exploration.

I was able to see the one room school house where Lyndon Baines Johnson learned to read at the age of four. He returned to this school house while president to sign the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

I saw the home where Johnson grew up as well as his nearby final resting place. Both he and Lady Bird are buried here in the Johnson Family Cemetery.

The most spectacular sight was the Ranch House in which you could only gain entry through a guided tour. This became known as the Texas White House during LBJ’s term of office. They said he spent over a quarter of his presidency at this location. He was known as a workaholic so a great deal of presidential work was completed here. The secret service lived in a home nearby. There was also a runway just outside of the home that Johnson used for travel between Washington, D.C. and his ranch. The airplane he used is on display. He affectionately called it Air Force One Half because it is so small. The regular Air Force One plane was unable to utilize the small runway.

A few of the rooms contained three televisions all in a row. You guessed it! At the time, we were only able to get three channels: ABC, NBC, and CBS. He would have all three stations playing at once. This is what you do when picture in picture in picture technology is unavailable! They said it wasn’t unusual for him to call the station if he didn’t approve of their coverage of his policies.

The Johnsons’ had separate bedrooms. His included a massage table for nightly therapy on his back as well as his three TVs and several phone lines. He actually died in this bedroom. He summoned the secret service when his nitroglycerin prescribed from earlier heart attacks wasn’t helping. They found him dead on the floor next to his bed when they arrived. He passed away at the age of 64 due to a personal and family history of heart issues and dietary and smoking challenges.

Lady Bird’s bedroom was lovely and inviting. Her embroidered pillows gave me pause though: I slept and dreamed that life was beauty. I awoke and found that life was duty. I found this to be quite negative. Our tour guide chose to view it as her positive duty and responsibility to help others.

What made me really chuckle was the saying on the pillow that rests on Lyndon’s office chair: “This is my ranch, and I do as I damn please!”

San Antonio Drive and Arrival

The drive leaving the ranch and heading to San Antonio was lovely. I saw abundant vineyards and wildflower farms. I drove through Waco and Fort Hood. The army base was really impressive. It is the largest military base in the entire world!

I arrived in San Antonio at rush hour which wasn’t fun, but all is well. I was surprised to learn that San Antonio is the 7th largest populated city in the US! I am staying in a hotel right on the RiverWalk for three nights! The RiverWalk is a landscaped walking and biking path lining the San Antonio River. It includes numerous hotels, restaurants, and shops. Strolling musicians and partying makes for a festive atmosphere.

Botanical Gardens

I toured San Antonio’s Botanical Gardens first thing in the morning. I was blessed with another perfectly sunny, warm day to savor the beauty. The gardens are a unique 38-acre living museum. Included with the colorful floral displays, are a serene native forest walk, exotic specimens from around the world, futuristic glass pyramids, and historic log cabins.

RiverWalk

When I returned to the hotel area, I took a boat tour of the Riverfront area of the San Antonio River. This was a great way for me to become acclimated to the area and its history. San Antonio is a populated area in one of the most flash flood prone regions in North America. Flood control engineering projects combined with tourism goals established a system of dams and tunnels and allowed the RiverWalk project to be the success it is today.

Alamo

Next, I walked to the Alamo. I decided to take an audio tour of the facility. I didn’t find myself as enveloped with the history here as I oftentimes do so I limited the time I devoted to it.

Hemisfair Park

Then, I ventured toward Hemisfair Park. HemisFair ’68 was the official 1968 World’s Fair held in San Antonio. The theme was “The Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas” celebrating the many nations which settled the region. The fair coincided with the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Antonio in 1718. (San Antonio has a lot of construction going on presently because they are preparing for their 300th anniversary next year!) The Tower of the Americas was the theme structure. Like the tower in Dallas, it has an observatory and restaurants with a spectacular view!

Finale

I started my final day in San Antonio with a run. I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to jog around the RiverFront because the paths are narrow. It worked out fine (there are a lot fewer people out at 8 a.m. than 8 p.m.!) It was a beautiful day for a run; I throughly enjoyed it and felt reinvigorated!

I’ve really enjoyed my time in Texas! But, I am really looking forward to my trip next month because Steve will be traveling with me!!

Stay tuned: States #48 and #49–Colorado and Wyoming are on tap! 🙂

Doubling Back to Texas

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don’t like to repeat things. I don’t watch movies more than once, and I don’t like to visit the same place twice. There are too many unique excursions to take! I’m making an exception for Texas. I visited the Lake Austin Spa Resort in 2012. It was a week of sheer relaxation and rejuvenation. This time, I am returning to Texas to do some sightseeing. Thus, you won’t see my number of visited states increase on this trip.

1963 and 2001 – What do they have in common? Globally, they were years when a horrific event impacted our country. For me personally, they were also years that I received earth shattering news while in the classroom. In 2001, my high school principal knocked on my classroom door and told me that the twin towers were hit by airplanes.

It was the 1963 knock on the door that led me to want to visit Dallas. I was eight years old and in third grade. The building principal came to each classroom to tell us that our beloved president was shot. School was quickly dismissed, and we were sent home to grieve with our families. I’ll never forget when I walked into our family’s restaurant. Even the burly truck drivers were sitting at the counter in tears over the news.

Thus, a main goal of this trip is to see the historic sites in Dallas that tell the story of President Kennedy’s assassination. The other is to see the area of San Antonio that so many of my friends have told me is so very lovely.

Severe storms hit the Dallas area during my travel day. Our plane circled the airport for quite a while before having an extremely, turbulent landing. I witnessed the storm aftermath as I drove from the airport to my hotel. Metal and wooden electrical poles were downed and across travel lanes. Other lanes were flooded and impassable.

Downtown Dallas

I am staying in Dallas for three nights. I embarked on a walking tour of the area the day I arrived. I discovered a familiar site just a few blocks from my hotel. I was stunned to see the area where JFK was assassinated. Dealey Plaza, the Grassy Knoll, and the 6th floor Museum of the Texas Book Depository appeared in stark reality right before my eyes! I was so familiar with this view from the footage I had watched repeatedly in the days following his murder.

I stopped at the Old Red Courthouse (what an amazing piece of architecture!) which houses the Tourist Center of Dallas in order to get information to use during my stay.

I also walked to the JFK Memorial Plaza. There is a work of art honoring our 35th president. I can’t say it was the most impressive tribute I’ve ever seen, but I have a business, not an artistic background.

The city and my hotel were both jammed with people and activity. The Women’s Basketball Championship games were being held in Dallas. I think I’m supposed to begin following basketball! Both the Women’s and Men’s Basketball Finals were being held when I went to Louisville a few years ago. Wild nights in the cities!!

George W. Bush Presidential Library

My first full day in Dallas was sunny and warm. I started it with a drive to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. I always feel strongly that presidential libraries are a treasure regardless of your political affiliation. I find them extremely interesting from a historical point of view.

The museum and urban park reside on the campus of Southern Methodist University which was the alma mater of Laura Bush.

The museum allowed exploration of the important issues and events of the Bush administration including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; the September 11, 2001, attacks (two of the steel beams are displayed); hurricane Katrina; domestic programs such as No Child Left Behind; etc. There was also a replica of Bush’s Oval Office and a spectacular video wall montage of the 44 U.S. Presidents.

George’s paintings were also on display in another section of the building. I always thought of his paintings as a bit silly. But, I have to admit to being quite impressed. The exhibit was entitled, Portraits of Courage (reminding me of JFK’s book, Profiles in Courage). The paintings were of American servicemen. It truly was an inspiring tribute to those who have fought for our freedom.

Dallas Gardens

Following my time at the library, I traveled to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. It features 66 acres with lush display gardens that offer seasonal color all year long. The Gardens overlook the beautiful White Rock Lake which made for a relaxing, thoughtful day enjoying nature and the great outdoors.

Kennedy Museum Tour

Later in the afternoon, I spent three mesmerizing hours at the Sixth Floor Museum (photography was prohibited). It chronicled the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. There were documentary films, photographs, and artifacts. A live feed from the museum webcam features a real-time view from the sniper spot and areas in the museum were recreated to appear as they did in 1963. I was particularly enraptured with the news footage of those perilous days. This is in stark contrast to how I felt 54 years ago. I remember being so frustrated at the age of eight that there was no regular television programming for four straight days. Instead, there was 24-hour news coverage of the tragedy.

What a View!

Reunion Tower is part of my hotel complex. I ended my first full day in Dallas traveling up the observatory in order to see a fabulous view of this huge city.

Highways Everywhere!

Although I am making this trip alone, I would never be able to handle it without the innumerable hours that Steve dedicated to my mapping and reviewing the areas with me. This had to be the most challenging city I have ever had to navigate! I would be lost without him. Just take a look at these highways!

Cowboys’ Stadium

I had a tour of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (home of the Dallas Cowboys) scheduled for my last day in Dallas. As with political affiliations, you don’t have to be a fan of a particular sports team to appreciate a magnificent stadium! It is one of the largest NFL stadiums in the country, it boasts an 85,000 seat capacity and a retractable roof.

Jerry Jones is the only NFL owner who is also the general manager of the team. He has a booth and also a suite in the stadium. He is only in the suite during half time. He spends the games in his relatively small booth accompanied by his two sons: Steve (who will take over for him when he steps down) and Jerry Jr. Game days are work days for these men; it is only occasionally that others are invited to join them.

The stadium is almost eight years old. It was built during a time that our economy was spiraling downward so it didn’t cost as much as it might have in better times. Jerry Jones spared no expense, though. It is much more lavish than any other stadium I have ever toured! I found the high definition video screen which hangs from one 20 yard line to the other to be most impressive!

We also toured the office and display areas for the Cotton Bowl Classic (American college football) which has been held in this stadium since 2010.

The Dallas Cowboys were in the news just as I was on the tour! Tony Romo announced that he is retiring and will become an NFL analyst for CBS.

Off to LBJ Ranch and San Antonio in the morning . . .

Florida

It was a pretty calm winter until we planned to travel. Our first big snowfall of the season was scheduled to hit the day that Steve and I planned to go to Florida. My in laws moved to Haines City, Florida, three years ago. We were finally planning a trip to visit them!

Our flight boarded on time, but right before takeoff we were to learn of our first travel complication. It was stated that the runway at LVIA wasn’t totally cleared of the snow. We weren’t surprised because the wind was blowing furiously making it appear that there was a blizzard brewing outside. The plane would have been too heavy to safely take off from the shortened runway if they filled it with enough fuel to get us to Florida. Instead, we took off for Harrisburg and got a full fuel tank there. This made our arrival about an hour and a half late, but my dear in laws took this in stride and were eagerly waiting to greet us when we landed.

We were awakened the next morning with Oldies tunes. This was a nice way for Gary to let us know that we needed to get moving so we could have our planned day at Disney’s Epcot. Lynne and Gary did ALL of the planning. They set up fast passes and an efficient schedule so we were able to cover all of the major aspects of Future World’s eight pavilions and later World Showcase’s eleven world nations!

I was able to manage most of the rides at Future World if I kept my eyes closed sometimes. LOL!! The updated Soarin’ ride, Spaceship Earth, and Mission: Space were lots of fun!

My favorite part of the day was visiting the different countries. Once I checked in on FaceBook, a friend of mine (Linda) recommended getting a Schofferhofer beer in Germany. I willingly accept beer advice anytime! The beer turned out to be pink grapefruit which I LOVE! As I began to think about this, I had this beer locally and loved it! Another friend of mine (Steve) told me at the time that he had the same beer in Epcot. I came home to discover I also had this very beer in my own refrigerator since my son bought me a six pack for Christmas (he said he remembered me liking grapefruit when he was a kid and knows I like beer so it was perfect). Now that I have all of the connections, I’m going to remember this beer in the future for sure! It really hit the spot!!

We also enjoyed a street performance in France. The Serveur Amusant duo was an acrobatic act that included a comical waiter and a wine steward. It was very impressive, indeed!

Note the similar shirts that Lynne and Steve are wearing without any prior planning!  Like mother, like son! I thought this was adorable! Lori and I do this often as well. There definitely is a connection between kids and their parents on full display in our families!

The final country we visited was Gary’s favorite, Mexico. I would have to agree with him. The atmosphere was fabulous, and we enjoyed a leisurely boat ride through the exhibit.

Our second day in the sunshine state was more laid back. We woke at our leisure and had a nice walk throughout the lovely gated community where my in laws reside. The weather was absolutely perfect as it had been our entire trip!

During lunch, we were told that we had to leave the house promptly at 1:25 for a surprise. We knew that Lynne and Gary took their grandchildren on surprise trips, but they had never done this with us before. I asked if I was dressed appropriately and if I needed my sneakers. They said we would not need sturdy walking shoes, but that we might want sunscreen. I was wondering if they were going to put me out in an orchard to pick oranges! As we walked out of the house, Lynne offered me a hat. I told her I looked terrible in hats, but she strongly suggested I take it. I was also instructed that I wouldn’t need my purse. I said that’s okay, I’ll just keep it in the car. I was then told that we weren’t driving! The mystery was certainly intriguing!

After a short walk, we entered the dock area of the community. Friends of my in laws were there to welcome us onto their boat for a day out on Lake Henry! It was absolutely glorious! The boat trip was followed by a lovely time sunning on the floating deck back at the dock. Of course as they had been doing all along, Lynne and Gary thought of everything. They had cold beer in the cooler to aid in our relaxation.

All good things must come to an end. We were set to head back home after a wonderful visit. Lynne and Gary were spectacular hosts and had taken care of our every need.

We anticipated an uneventful flight home, but it wasn’t to be. The plane boarded on time again, but we got a message just as we were ready to take off that we had to deplane. They discovered a large dent in the cargo area of the aircraft. They sent for another plane and again our arrival was about an hour and a half delayed.

It was a wonderful trip! Lynne and Gary did make one huge mistake, though! They spoiled us so much that I’m sure we’ll return to invade their lives again! We love you both!!

 

 

North Dakota

Although I had planned to travel to Fargo in April, I never made it. I was supposed to travel in and out of the Denver airport, but my flights were cancelled because Denver received over twenty inches of snow.

North Dakota is the 47th state on my bucket list. It’s the last trip I’ve planned for this calendar year. I will be limiting my time to the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio so I can hug my growing number of grand babies!

I flew from Philadelphia to Chicago and then to Fargo. The flight into Fargo was beautiful as I could see the many lakes of Minnesota (known as the land of 10,000 lakes) as we entered North Dakota. This plane was very small. There were two seats on one side of the aisle and only one on the other. As you can imagine, the Fargo airport was small as well. I made a couple of very quick stops between the airplane and baggage claim. When I got there, the baggage carousel had stopped and was empty. While waiting for my bag, I completed the paper for my rental car. I commented to the Enterprise clerk that I never got my suitcase. He suggested that I go to information. I did, but it wasn’t open (11:00 a.m.) I ended up going to the United Airlines check in area. The clerk opened a locked door behind him and produced my suitcase. I quipped to him; I wouldn’t have looked for it in there! LOL! He stated that they only allow luggage to circulate on the carousel two or three times and then they lock it up. Welcome to small town, USA!

The land area of North Dakota consists mainly of the Great Plains, thus I saw a lot of flat, prairie land. North Dakota is known as the Peace Garden State to commemorate the International Peace Garden on its border with Manitoba, Canada. Fargo is the most populous city in the entire state.

The area where I am staying is a busy commercial area. There aren’t any sites I can walk to, but all sites are comfortably accessible by car. I stopped by the Fargo-Moorhead visitor’s center which is in an old grain elevator. Fargo makes many people think of the Coen Brothers’ movie made in 1996 starring Frances McDormond, Steve Buscemi, and William H. Macy. The visitors’ center displays the wood chipper used in the movie. It also has a celebrity walk of fame with handprints and autographs of famous visitors.

A favorite stop of mine was Lindenwood Park. This is a haven for walkers, runners, hikers, and bikers because there is a paved loop along the Red River. I LOVE crossing bridges from state to state so I was in my glory. I found a pedestrian bridge that links Fargo with Gooseberry Park in Moorhead, Minnesota. The 168 foot bridge can be lifted 45 feet in the air if needed in the event of flooding. Campgrounds, playgrounds, and hiking trails can be found in this area as well.

A hometown celebrity is Roger Maris. He grew up in Fargo. He played baseball for four seasons in the minor league and twelve seasons in the major league. His fame peaked when he played for the New York Yankees. He surpassed Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record in a season by scoring 61 home runs in 1961. His record has since been broken by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in 1998. I visited the Roger Maris Museum while in the city. I especially enjoyed watching historical footage of his years playing with Mickey Mantle. I actually sat on authentic Yankee stadium seats installed in 1930 while I learned about the history of this famous athlete.

Western Fargo is know for Bonanzaville and the Red River Fairgrounds. Bonanzaville is a historic museum complex comprised of 47 buildings set on 12 acres. The Red River Valley Fair is being held this week. It reminded me a lot of the Kutztown Fair.

The downtown area of Fargo was a bit challenging to navigate. In addition to summer road construction, many streets are being closed down in preparation for a street fair set for tomorrow.

The Fargo theater is a vintage movie palace with a vaudeville stage. It is registered as a historic landmark. It was build in 1926 and restored in 1999. It includes a pipe organ dubbed the “mighty Wurlitzer”.

The downtown area was lovely. I chatted with Lori while I was exploring. I told her this was probably the place where I have felt safest in all of my travels. Three cheers for the Midwest!