Excursions Part 2 - Historical

When I thought about how to blog our Excursions there was enough content to split into at least two posts.  Hiking seemed one theme, and historic sites another.  But of course travel is never so neatly cleaved.  Historical sites have great beauty even if there's no hiking, and our hiking excursions traversed historic footprints as well.

Historical Excursions

HISTORICAL TRIPS
Robin's and my first excursion together was to meet Mark, a graduate school friend of Robin's who's since has become a dear friend of mine as well.  Mark is very well read, has similar dark humor, and a love of astronomy and politics.  He is also a repository of music trivia.  Mark frequently travels from his home on Vancouver Island to the East Coast for long stays. He only periodically has to be in NYC so he stays in a quintessential New England town, New Canaan, CT where he and his family previously lived (along with Martha Stewart and others).  All three of us being architects, he arranged for us to make the pilgrimage to Phillip Johnson's Glass House.

Classic International Style Glass House

Interior view overlooking manicured "natural" landscape

The property has many Phillip Johnson foibles

Architecture is a great hobby!

Another trip I've planned several times, but never executed, was up the Hudson River Valley for "Leaf Peeping in New England.  Monitoring web sites to determine the optimum time for color, I decided this year was October 9 - 11.

Leaf Color progress for our trip.

We invited Teigan to join us since we travel well together and, like her mother, she's a bit of a work-a-colic so hadn't gotten out of the city yet.  On Friday I rented a car at my now favorite spot on the UWS and headed across GW bridge, though this time we headed north along the Hudson on the Palisade Parkway.  After a few scenic overlooks we got caught in our first deluge here.  This was not showers or drizzle of the PNW, but a true frog-strangler and gulley-washer.  It came down so hard that the windshield wipers on high speed could not keep up.  Robin wanted me to pull over, but we continued to make progress, albeit at a much reduced speed.

View from the Palasaides down the Hudson to GW Bridge

Before the Deluge 

Fortunately, by the time we reached our first stop, Hyde Park, we drove out of it and were back to just overcast and a light drizzle.  Hyde Park is the location of two National Parks and historic homes of FDR and Vanderbilt.

Both FDR's and Vanderbilt's home are located on an original Crown land grant from the 1600s that extended from the Hudson to Connecticut.  FDR's father bought the property and enlarge an early nineteenth century farmhouse to the Italianate style seen today.  FDR was born here and, although it was always owned by his mother Sara, lived here most of his life when not in government provided lodgings.  He loved the property with its view across the Hudson, and stayed here frequently throughout his presidency; entertaining Kings and Queens, Churchill and many other heads of state.  He created the first presidential library on the grounds, and oversaw its construction.  Every president since has a library built in their home town.  Prior to this tradition presidential papers were haphazardly left to heirs and many were subsequently lost.  Additionally, he and Eleanor are buried on the grounds.

FDR's Hyde Park home in Italianate style

First Presidential Library

The Vanderbilt house was not built by the famous steamship and railroad entrepreneur Cornelius Vanderbilt but by one of his profligate grandsons.  Despite amassing the largest fortune of its time, all grandchildren spent the inheritance like a US aristocracy they aspired to be.  Though they left magnificent edifices including this site, several in Newport, R.I., and the Biltmore in Ashland, by the fourth generation they were all bankrupt.  Anderson Cooper of CNN is a descendent.  His money is his own.  "Rags to Rags in three generations" holds true.

Frederick Vanderbilt's house in Hyde Park

Classic English Country "man-cave"

Just come by for Tea.

After visiting these two historic homes on a grey day we headed north in earnest, passing through Connecticut and Massachusetts, and into Vermont.  We stayed in the charming New England town of  Manchester, VT in the Green Mountain National Forest.

Classic hotel in Manchester (we had drinks here, but didn't stay)

Saturday dawned clear and crisp.  Perfect for a lazy day of driving, photography, and taking in the splendid mosaic of nature in the fall.  We understand from the locals that this year was average for color.   Like wine, the best color is based on the terroir, and a quick cold snap at the start of fall.  So, like at home, we enjoyed a nice $15 bottle of fall color.  More than good.

Teigan and Robin at Fall Fair

with their Maple Syrup jugs

Some kids never grow up.  

The three leaf-peepers at a Vermont Covered Bridge

Norman Rockwell

(We also visited his birthplace)

Beautiful - leaves aren't bad either

Rural (isn't it all ) country side

During this election year, particularly with people feeling the Bern from Vermont, my last observation is about this state's fierce independence.  The state has the second smallest population, is the most homogeneous (more than 94% white), and the most contrarian in their voting record (one of only two states that did not vote FDR for any of his four terms - among other examples). I can only summarize based on my limited interaction that they have generationally struggled hard with physical labor (logging, maple syrup, subsistence farming), in a difficult climate; relying on themselves, and rejecting consumerism.  I think that makes one self-reliant and independent of thought.  Not a deep analysis, but the best I can fit into a word-limited blog.

During another of Robin's business trips back to Seattle (or was it Nashville?), I decided to take a trip down memory lane - and stretch for another geographic landmark.  Through the 70s my college girlfriend and I had a long distance relationship for several years after; before the inevitable.  She worked for the National Park Service and was stationed in the Everglades, FL; Fire Island, NY; Olympic National Park, WA; and Glacier Bay, AK.  I managed to visit her at three of the four locations.  One of my favorites was Fire Island off Long Island. I took the train out and stopped at Patchogue, LI to see it again.  Unfortunately, the park ferry wasn't running as the park was closed for the season.  So I took my obligatory photo of the train station, rented a car, and drove to the eastern most end of Long Island - Montauk.

Train Station on Long Island

During my drive I stopped in the Hamptons to discover that while the Dutch settled NY city, the first British settlement in NY state was at the Hamptons.  While the homes are beautiful and the landscape serene, one has to conclude that living here in these oversized houses is merely for status.  Why in the world would one live 3 hours by train while working in Manhattan.  Don't get me started on the guys working, while the family stays in the Hamptons.

Hedges blocking any view of the estates in S. Hampton

Estates in S. Hampton along the inlets from the Atlantic

At the far eastern end of Long Island is an eighteenth century lighthouse.  Built while George Washington was President, the lighthouse stood a football field from the crashing surf.  I was impressed that their plan considered erosion and projected a 200 year lifespan. They pretty much hit it right on.  Now a historic site, rockery and drainage have recently been installed to protect it from further erosion, but it survived its expected lifetime.

Montauk Lighthouse at Eastern most end of L.I.

Attempting to relearn watercolor painting.  Jeesh, difficult.

Largest surfcasting destination

The town of Montauk was mostly shut down as their main business now is guided fishing during the tourist season.  Only one restaurant was open - and that was bad pizza.  While out at land's end I popped our friend Mark from CT a note and by golly he had a bit of music trivia.  He suggested I check out the Memory Motel in Montauk as it was made famous in a Rolling Stone song.  But said it was one of their worst songs.

Memory Motel.  Why they'd write a song about this dump is past me.

Final bit of trivia, after the slaves on the ship Le Amistad revolted, instead of heading back to Africa, the Spanish crew misled them and sailed north landing near Montauk.  They were captured and the Owner claimed them as his slaves while abolitionists claimed them free.  The event is significant in the movement to abolish slavery in the US.  The Supreme court decision was they were free men and not slaves having never made it to the US.  They returned to Africa.

For my birthday we decided to go to Washington D.C.  Wow, so much to write about this, but I'll leave it to pictures.  I'll just say that four days was clearly not enough.  While at this time in life I wouldn't want to live there, it does needs a minimum of a week and preferable two weeks to enjoy all its offering.  Two highlights.  If you go be sure to see the Newseum right on the Federal Triangle.  Also, check out the Ford Theatre where Lincoln was shot.  They still run plays there so any tours are scheduled around rehearsals and performances.  Across the street in the apartment where Lincoln was taken and where he died early the next morning is also a fabulous museum for any Lincoln buff.

Grand Central Terminal before heading to Washington D.C.

AIA lobbying headquarters in D. C.  An embarrassment of architecture.

Vietnam Memorial

Reminders from Veteran's Day the day before

Haunting Korean Memorial

M.L. King's Memorial

Quotations are moving, the sculpture less so

The Pentagon where Flight 77 struck

Memorials to Victims of the Pentagon Attack 

Benches are oriented in direction of flight path

looking toward plane or occupant victims.  

Changing of the Guard

Unknown Soldier

Washington Monument and Arlington Cemetery 

American Indian Museum

Newseum

Best non-art museum

Lincoln's Chair in Ford Theater.

Gun was 6" from his head 

View towards the President's booth

15,000 books have been written about Lincoln.

This is a tower of them in the Apt where he died.

Georgetown Architecture

George Washington University

After our dinner with Barack.

Before we return to Seattle we'll have one more excursion referenced above.  While the kids are here for x-mas we are going to take the train out to Newport R.I. to see some of the other fantastic homes of the Gilded Age.  The summer "cottages" of the wealthy from NYC after Saratoga became so yesterday.

Excursions Part 1 - Nature

A short drive from one of the most urban cities in the world the landscape is pastoral and sylvan; covered with footprints of our history.  

When I left Seattle in 1980 to attend Graduate School in Milwaukee my plan was to move to the east coast after I finished.  I grew up in Chicago, explored seven years in the PNW, and wanted to experience all the nature and history of New England and New York.  Alas, love had other priorities.  Amy, my Seattle girlfriend then, joined me my second year at school.  When I finished in 1983 we returned to Seattle instead of going east.  However, we did highlight more "blue highways" and states on my dog-eared Rand McNally road atlas.

But the desire remained.  There is so much out there (here) that was older, and different, from the West.  More than 3-day business trips or week long visits can provide.  Part of my plan during this four month "sabbatical", was to take excursions from the city to these refuges of nature and history.

New York and New England

NATURE
My first trip was to the Adirondacks.  This park in upstate NY is larger than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined.  I planned to go when Robin was away on business so our time together would be focused in the City.  The good news was I'd still have a companion.  This past January when my good friend Mark and I took a trek to Patagonia we met Bill Lawler.  A retired IT salesman and former ballet dancer with a laconic public personality that becomes voluble with friends.   The three of us hit it off.  (See first blog for photo of Bill with Mark and me in Patagonia). Bill is from the west coast, but now lives in NYC where he shepherding his gifted son Diego to become a fashion designer. (That's a longer story, but at 16 Diego is attending Parsons college here in NYC and interning with Brandon Maxwell - renown stylist for Lady Gaga and recent fashion designer for the stars).

On September 21st, the autumnal equinox, I rented a car on the Upper West Side to minimize driving in Manhattan.  In a few short blocks we were on the H. Hudson parkway to the George Washington Bridge and crossed into New Jersey.  There we drove four and a half hours due north along the Hudson River, back into NY, past Albany, and into upstate New York wilderness.  We stayed at a classic Adirondack lodge called Ampersand Resort on Saranac Lake.  It was a scene out of "On Golden Pond".  The nearest town of substance is Lake Placid, of the 1980 Winter Olympics, about fifteen minutes away.  We arrived in the off-season and things were shutting down.  We were the only guests at the resort, and restaurants closed early.  The fall weather was clear, cool and crisp; and the leaves on the trees had just a breath of color condensing on them.

Saranac Lake from Mt. Baker Summit 

Afternoon hike on day of our arrival

Our "resort" is at far right on lake

Lake Placid at Sunset

Bill and Bill on Summit of Ampersand Mt. 

Saranac Lake in background

Trail to Algonquin Peak

Second Highest in State

Bill L descending steep granite slabs off Algonquin Peak

Shoreline of Ampersand Resort and Saranac Lake

Motoring "On Golden Pond", Saranac Lake

Lodge at Ampersand Resort before hauling boats for season

The Adirondacks are part of the Canadian Shield, the basement rock of North America about 3.5 billion years old - about the age of Earth.  Once sporting peaks over 10,000' and higher (some say higher than the Alps or Himalayas), glaciation and erosion has worn them down like old dogs teeth.  Now the park contains only rounded hills, the highest not reaching 6,000'.

From Summit of Algonquin

Note landslides from Hurricane Sandy exposing 

Canadian Shield granite basement rock 

For my second adventure into nature, I literally made a last minute decision to visit long time friends in Maine.  When I found out Robin was going to be tied up for multiple days/evenings in a conference here in NYC I emailed David and Sandy to see if they were free - that evening!  Fortunately Sandy was online at the time and enthusiastically said yes.  Half hour later I was on the train to Newark for a flight to Portland, Maine where they picked me up.

I've known David and Sandy since the mid 70s when they lived in Seattle.  They now live on Arrowsic Island just off Bath, Maine, about 45 minutes from the airport.  When they left Seattle they bought 90 acres on this island with a 1736 salt box house - in original condition.  They are the second owner occupants from the original builder's family!  When I visited them in 1979 I helped David survey a foundation for a new mortise and tenon barn for their flock of sheep.  Ever since then I've always enjoyed my visits to this beautiful and historical place.

1736 Salt-box house - from original entry road

Sandy walking their 90 acres

Cat and tombstone in family cemetery on site

Besides our social activities back then, David and I were active climbers.  One particular climb turned into an adventure in 1977.  We planned to climb two peaks, with an intervening ridge traverse, at Snoqualmie pass, all in one day.  While we were successful, we needed every last minute of twilight to complete our final rappel off the mountain.  We hiked out with headlamps in the dark on the longest day of the year.  The girls back home, being nervous about the late time, had called mountain rescue.   MSR advised the only thing they could do at that hour was to see if the car was still in the lot.  We had just left after 11:00 pm - there were no cell phones then to advise we were fine.

For my brief stay David arranged an impromptu hike on the only coastal mountains in Maine.  The hike, about an hour north, was in a state park very similar to Tiger Mountain in Issaquah, WA relative to elevation gain, distance, and the network of trails from all sides of the summit.  Like the spokes of a wheel, a slightly different trail down from the summit can lead to the other side of the park. It reinforced how on even a simple hike, if you are unfamiliar, things can get confused.  After discovering our loop route was contouring in the wrong direction, and not wanting to go back up and over, we added a couple more miles to reach a road and then hitched a ride back to the car.  This being fall it was twilight by the time we got back home.  Sandy had to remind us that things haven't changed after almost 40 years.  But she only called our cell this time.

Bill(s) in Panorama on hike

(Note Bill is on Left and Right)

David at Summit - we conquer again!

Islands in Gulf of Maine, Atlantic Ocean

My final trip before the snow flies I again relied on my friend Bill for companionship.  This would be a day-trip to the Catskills, only a two and a half hour drive from the city.  NYC's water supply comes from the Ashokan dam and reservoir in the Catskills. Those who watched Ken Burn's Civil War may remember the haunting waltz throughout the documentary: Ashokan Farewell.  Click here to listen - it's worth it.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDkQ4FeooLA

The Catskills and Adirondacks are similar in that they are soft, round, rolling hills knitted together by long fingers of lakes.  Unlike the PNW, NY forests are primarily deciduous, which makes for such fabulous quilts of fall color draped across the landscape.  In addition, these trails are rocky.  In many ways more difficult hiking because of the constant checking of balance and potential to twist an ankle.  We did this final day-hike in mid-November.  The trees were bare and sparse. As we started on the trail, thin ice covered puddles of water, and wet leaves on the trail crackled underfoot from the overnight frost.  Though crisp and clear, the air was noticeably cold in the shade all during the day.  Back at the car by 3:30 the low glancing light told us winter is finally coming.

Bill and rock escarpment

Last of the Mohicans on Giants Ledge

Frozen puddle at noon

Very rocky terrain.  Hard to tell, but this trail is UP