Enveloped in Northeastern Wonder: Discovering a Gem Hidden amidst the Rain

Soon after Departing From Saratoga we crossed the border into Vermont, the first new state of the trip for both of us!

Sunset shortly after crossing into Vermont

We spent our first night in the Green Mountains at Woodford State Park. It was dark when we arrived, but we were still able to enjoy dinner and a nice fire while looking up at the stars overhead. Somewhere in the early hours of the morning it began to rain. We both awoke several times to the sound of rain in the early hours of the morning, but I was sincerely hoping the storm would soon pass over and we could go on with our plans for the day. When I checked the forecast the day before we left it had showed no chance of rain that early on our trip, but apparently the weather gods had other plans. It did not stop raining.

About 8:30 we ran out of the tent to the car and drove back to the entrance to the campgrounds where we could pick up enough cell phone service to try and look at the radar. This only served to further prove that the rain was not planning on leaving any time soon. So we returned to the campsite and enjoyed the pleasure (not for the last time) of breaking camp in the rain. We actually managed to do pretty well. I even succeeded (more or less) in taking the tent down while leaving the rain fly up, which helped to keep the actual tent mostly dry. Despite the rain we were still able to appreciate the color around us, though it was really only just beginning to make its way into the southern end of the Green Mountains where we were camped. 

Once we had everything back in the car we continued on our journey through the Green Mountains. As we passed through Wilmington, VT we came across this bookstore, which was especially fun as Alison’s parents have a Scottie named Bartleby! 

We also came across the Paradise Farm Sugarhouse stopped to partake of some hot apple cider, freshly made apple donuts and maple candy. 

Since it was raining our ability to explore the mountains was limited so we decided it was a good opportunity to check out the only National Park Service site in the state of Vermont, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. What is the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park you ask? Good question. I didn’t know either, and we would not have gone to see it were I not such a National Park nerd. Since it is the only site in Vermont and we were not that far away, we went to find out exactly what it was and why it had been preserved.

It turns out that there is quite a lot to the park, most of which we were not able to take advantage of due to time constraints and the rain. But even in the time we were there I realized that this is one the largely unknown gems of the National Park system. The park preserves the site of a farm that was owned by three different men over the course of three generations.

The Marsh-Billings House

Each of these men (George Perkins Marsh, Frederick Billings, and Laurance Spelman Rockefeller ) played key roles in advancing conservation and expanding the National Park system. The latter is the grandson of John Rockefeller (and son of John Jr) and continued the work his father began of trying to use the family money to preserve beautiful and unique American landscapes. The interpretive opportunities at this park are unparalleled. The connections at this park include (but are certainly not limited to) strong ties to the Civil War, the early preservation movement, the founding of the Park Service, John Muir, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Acadia, westward expansion, Manifest Destiny, the Industrial Revolution, and sustainable farming.  Among the 397 units that currently make up the system I have yet to encounter one that offers such a variety of interesting stories and possibilities for interpretation.

After departing from Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller we headed northwest, back across the Hudson River, to Fort Ticonderoga. This fort is unique in that it played key roles in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. It is also unique because it is still standing!

About 2/3 of the way to the fort we finally drove out of the rain and enjoyed several hours of precipitation free weather (though the rain would come back later that evening). We didn’t have much time and they charge admission fees as if you were going to Disneyland, so we elected not to pay to go into the fort itself in hopes of returning with more time to properly appreciate it.

 Instead we headed up to Mount Defiance (which was free) where we found ourselves overlooking the fort from the same position that Johnny Burgoyne and the British occupied when they captured the fort in 1777. This recapture of the fort for the British came after two years of colonial occupation following its famous capture by Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain boys in 1775.

When we first got to the top fog had rolled in and obscured everything below.

 

Even as we looked from above we saw the fog move off and had a splendid view of the fort, the end of Lake Champlain, and the edge of the Green Mountains. We didn’t actually take the fort, but we certainly appreciated the power of the vantage point from Mount Defiance!

Firing the cannon

 

After crossing back into Vermont we ended the day with a walk around Burlington, the largest city in northern Vermont, which sits alongside Lake Champlain. It was a fun city and we enjoyed walking around and observing a variety of oddly colored bears.We also took advantage of the boardwalk alongside the waterfront park to partake of a splendid sunset over the lake.

All told, it was a good introduction to a new state.

For more pictures of Vermont Click Here

Enveloped in Northeastern Wonder: Our Journey Begins with a British Defeat

Fall has officially arrived in Northern Virginia. As I drive out of neighborhood on my way to work in the morning each day bring new color in the surrounding trees and more leaves fluttering down around me. The Virginia Creeper on the freeway walls now shines forth in brilliant red as a waypost for travelers headed west to the mountains.

I grew up in Phoenix where fall means cooler temperatures, but nothing like the changes I have experienced here on the East coast. Here fall looks very different than what I am used to, and I love it! During each of the past two years Alison and I developed three special fall traditions in each of the three closest states to where we live: the National Apple Festival in Pennsylvania, the Lawyers Moonlight Corn Maze in Maryland, and visiting the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. As we made plans to actively appreciate the wonder and beauty of fall this year, we had the added pleasure of including my mother as she would be visiting us the week of Columbus Day.

As we considered our options we decided that this year had the potential of not only offering the chance to share the mid-Atlantic fall with my mom, but also the opportunity of extending our autumn experience north into New England. Since so much of the work of my office had been centered on the 150^th anniversary of the battles of Second Manassas, Harpers Ferry, and Antietam, there was a natural lull in our workload at the end of September.  This offered the perfect opportunity to journey north and experience fall in New England before my Mom arrived to enjoy it with us here in Virginia.

Neither of us has spent much time in New England in general, and neither of us had been to the northernmost states at all. After our honeymoon and subsequent journey across the country our official states tally had risen to Alison: 43/50 and Garrett 45/50. We decided this opportunity was too good to pass by and began to plan a trip that would take us through a total of 12 states including 3 new ones for Alison and 4 for myself. The primary goal was to enjoy the colors of autumn, but we quickly identified two additional objectives: 1) sample some tasty New England cuisine and 2) visit a variety of historic, cultural, and National Park Service sites along the way.

After whittling the potential list of destinations down to a simultaneously manageable and variable itinerary we set forth on our adventure.     

In order to avoid tolls and see a new part of the country we decided to begin by heading north through Pennsylvania and into the Catskill mountains of New York 

We started to see color in Pennsylvania but it wasn’t long after we crossed the border into New York that we were enveloped by a wide array of color surrounding us in the Catskill Mountains. These pictures were all taken by Alison as we drove through the Catskill’s in New York. Even through the window of a moving vehicle the beauty we passed through is pretty impressive!

This is one of my favorites. :) The delay on the camera was just enough for this truck to drive into the picture and completely obscure the vista!

This hill was simply too picturesque not to pull over and try and capture in more detail.

We skirted Albany and journeyed a little further north to our first historic destination: Saratoga National Historical Park, site of the first major colonial victory in the American Revolution. It has long been on my short list of places I wanted to visit, so we designed our route to accommodate a journey through the battlefield.

We were excited to find that the visitor center came equipped with dress up opportunities, which anyone who saw our “save the date” card knows we love to take advantage of!

Our tour of the battlefield took us through both the American and British lines, which were clearly designated with signs reminiscent of Berlin after WWII.

The battlefield came complete with cannons so I was right at home. 

Memorial to Polish engineer Thaddeus Kosciuszko

It also had some interesting memorials, including these three. 

Pay special attention to the wording on the first which reads:

Saratoga 1777

Here Morgan

Reluctant to destroy So noble a foe was Forced by patriotic Necessity to defeat and Slay the gentle and

Gallant Fraser

These words describe the mortal wounding of British General Simon Fraser by Daniel Morgan.

Another especially interesting memorial is this one, which consists of a downturned cannon upon which is hung a single boot. This memorial commemorates the brave gallantry of General Benedict Arnold at the Battle of Saratoga, but also clearly communicates the forfeiture of honor resulting from his later betrayal of the American cause.

Our visit to the battlefield offered an excellent ending to our first day of northern adventure.

We continued on from Saratoga, crossing the border into Vermont where we camped in the Green Mountains. But for that story you will have to wait for Chapter Two!

For more pictures Click Here

Finding a New Appreciation for a New Home

I am nearly 29 1/2 years old. By most standards such an age more than justifies my consideration as an adult. Yet there are still often times when I feel very childlike indeed and am keenly aware of how hard it is to grow up.

The past three weeks have been filled with adventure and much more will soon be coming concerning our exploration of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Virginia. But before I embark on an attempt to describe our trip I want to try and capture some of my current feelings.

The National Apple Festival

Alison and I have established a fun fall tradition in each of the three closest states to where we live: the National Apple Festival in Pennsylvania, the Lawyers Moonlight Corn Maze in Maryland, and driving and hiking in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  This year we got to share all three of our fall traditions with my Mom who spent this past week visiting Alison and I at our home in McLean. It was great fun and a wonderful introduction to fall. More detail will be coming soon. :)

Shenandoah National Park

The Corn Maze

We were able to spend a lot of time together, but Alison and I both had to go to work later in the week and I still had to go to class on Wednesday night. It was pretty funny to see my mother and my wife sitting at the table together when I walked in the door that night!

It also turns out that the visit from my Mom also brought to light a series of emotions I was not prepared for. It started yesterday afternoon when I took my Mom to the airport. This seemingly innocuous activity was actually quite a poignant moment. I wasn't aware of how significant the moment was until I went to drive away. I had just dropped off one of my parents after she came to visit me at my new home with my new wife. That was a very new experience. I have lived in a fair number of places in the past seven years (San Diego, CA: Oroville, CA: Hot Springs, SD: Washington, DC: Falls Church, VA: Luray, VA: and now McLean, VA) and at least one member of my family visited me in each of those locations. But in each instance I was living with other people and knew that my stay would be temporary. For the first time one of my parents came to visit me at the home that I have created with my new family. It was a strange feeling.

It really threw me off. It was a very simple action, but it felt like a pivotal moment in my life. Tomorrow Alison and I celebrate nine months of marriage. We have spent nearly all of that time away from either of our families (except for the few days after the honeymoon before we headed out on our cross-country drive from California to Virginia) and this visit from my Mom marked the first time we have seen any of our family members outside of the immediate context of the wedding. I hadn't really considered how significant that was until my Mom was leaving.

I was dropping my Mom off at the airport to fly across the country back to the place that I have considered to be home for over 29 years. I have lived in 16 different places since I left home to go to college in 2001. Each one has its own unique memories, but none have truly felt like home. No matter how normal it felt to go back to where I lived each night, home was always back in Phoenix. As I drove away from the airport, leaving my Mom behind, and returning to my wife I realized that something profound had changed. My mom was going home and I was going home... but we were not going to the same place.

So this is what it feels like to grow up...