Lots of Water

I pen (?) this from the beautiful state of North Dakota! However, before I begin waxing eloquent on the beauty of this least visited state in the Union, I need to share the beauty of the trip here.

First stop, Green Lake State Park outside of Syracuse, New York. As a card-carrying, born in the City of New York Citizen, I must confess I did not know much about this region of the state. This park had two meromictic lakes. Yep, this is your trivia for Jeopardy. Meromictic means that these lakes have no mixing of top and bottom waters which means that they are really pretty! A turquoise that will make you stop in wonder. Okay, it has a more scientific meaning but you have Wikipedia access. The main reason to stop was to visit some friends, Val and Emil. Here's a helpful hint when chatting with me at a party. If you say, " you should drop by", chances are I will. The good news is I now have a traveling home so no need to ready the guest room. This is really a warning to California and Northwest friends. Next year we will be in your hood, stopping by.

Pretty, right?

 

From there we headed to the Finger Lakes. WOW!!! Waterfalls and gorges galore! And a Wine Trail. So many small vineyards and tasting rooms. Our accommodations were on Seneca Lake in a state park that once was a Naval Training Facility then an Air Force Training Facility. So in addition to beautiful walking and biking trails, we were able to visit the museum and learn a bit of history. Since we had only a few days, we selected the top tourist sites. Watkins Glen State Park is a must see. You can walk behind a waterfall!

 Seneca Lake

 

One of many incredible views at Watkins Glen

 

We also hiked Enfield Glen in Robert H. Treman State Park. This is a wild and rugged area but well worth the effort. There is also a swimming area under one of the waterfalls. Luckily, after the hike, diving into the cold water was no problem for me.



After a few days, we packed up the Jauchmobile and headed Southwest to fulfill an oft talked about destination, Fallingwater, perhaps Frank Lloyd Wrights most famous design. Because John's nickname is Mapman, he plotted a course that used back roads the entire trip. Our goal is to see as much of the USA as possible, and while the Interstates are wonderful, two lane roads through small towns can be so scenic, as was this drive.

 

Fallingwater is located in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. Another WOW!!! What a beautiful area this is. An outdoor adventurers dream. Lots of hiking, biking, kayaking and white water rafting happening here. We indulged in some biking one day along a picturesque trail, but day one was all about the home Mr. Wright designed in the 1930's that hangs over a 30 foot waterfall. It did not disappoint. There are many interesting facts about the construction and design that give you insight into our famous architect. The fact that the Kaufmans', who hired Mr. Wright to design their summer home, were surprised by the location, speaks volumes about the man. 

 

A view from the site the owners thought the house should be built







 

 

You could dangle your feet in the water while drinking your morning coffee

 

 

A view from the bike path

 

After three full days, it was time to say good bye and turn the Jauchmobile towards the Northwest and the final leg of our journey.

 

Bye for now

The Adventure Continues

It is hard to believe that we are midway through September and the last weeks of our travels for this year. John and I have been feeling really blessed. The Jauchmobile has taken us through some awe inspiring scenery and reminds us that we live in a beautiful country with a variety of landscapes filled with wonderful people. Sometimes we can let perceived differences taint our beliefs about others and this trip reassures me that there are many wonderful people in this world.

So, to condense our last few weeks in Maine, we visited Campobello International Park and got to drive through the town of Lubec, ME which is the eastern most town in the United States. Just trying to help you out with some trivia next time you chose geography for $200 while playing Jeopardy. Did you catch the "International Park" reference because it is unique. The island is part of New Brunswick, Canada and is administered jointly by the Canadians and the US. I know, you are going to rock at Trivial Pursuit. Put this park on your bucket list.

View from Campobello International Park(taken from one of many hiking trails)

 

While Downeast we visited quite a few small towns and villages and loved them all. But, alas it was time to move south. We set up in the Greater Portland Casco Bay region and embarked on our mission to see as much as we could. Freeport is home to LL Bean and a lot of outlet shops. We did stop by and stroll one morning because I heard about a giant boot.

 

Brunswick is a lovely city that holds a major art show every August and we were able to enjoy the work of artists from around the country. This city boasts that it has the widest Maine Street in America (please note the spelling). It was wide and on that street we were able to enjoy the sounds of Erica Brown and the Bluegrass Connection. Please go to Youtube and listen to anything they play after you finish this missive. And, as an added bonus, we had maybe the greatest gelato EVER (Jessica Bryant you must visit). Harriet Beecher Stowe lived and wrote here while her husband was a professor at Bowdion University.

 

We headed to Portland on a Sunday morning and fell in love with this city. A funky downtown with unique shops and restaurants on Casco Bay. We strolled and passed a donut shop that makes their product using mashed potatoes as a base. Please note: REAL mashed potatoes not powder. I was tempted, but am normally not a fan of the donut. So, we passed it by, but, as we wandered, we saw a group of people eating the donuts. I inquired as to the level of deliciousness and we turned around and went back and each had one. John, a bacon cheddar and me a chocolate salted caramel and my, oh my, ever so wonderful! Lite and filling at the same time. Today, as I write this I am smiling as I remember this sublime experience. A second visit to Portland saw us on a ferry ride through some of the islands of Casco Bay. Glorious!

 

In his perusing of maps, John found a lovely walking trail off the beaten path, Potts Point.

 

The area of Kennebunkport was a great day trip. Cute little downtown and a beautiful drive along the water where we stopped to see St. Ann's Church.  

 

Looking out from the church is a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean. There is an outdoor Service every Sunday in the warmer months.

 

The time was spent exploring beaches, small towns and hiking and biking. One of the trails we biked had this lovely rest stop.

Leaving Maine was bittersweet. So onward and downward we went to New York State, but not before seeing one last work of art.

 

 

Me and the BFI - The Big Freeport Indian (although rumor has it the locals have a different word for the letter f)