Marvelous Mount Washington

From the summit at 6,288 feet, Mount Washington in New Hampshire affords beautiful views in all directions. And best of all, (at least for us), you can drive a small vehicle to very near the top. The road up and down is one of those mountain roads with many precipitous drops to the side, with no guard rails as you go, so it is not for the faint of heart--but it is definitely worth the effort. You can also take the Cog Train if you don't want to drive. We enjoyed a delightful afternoon there with Bob Carey and Sharon Carey.

Enjoying the Green State

We have enjoyed a week of relaxing outings here in Vermont with Bob and Sharon Carey, and now we will be moving on to New Hampshire. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here—the lush greenery and cooler temperatures were topped only by the calming beauty of Lake Champlain, combined with maple-flavored Creemees (soft-serve ice cream cones). Here are a few final glimpses of this beautiful state.

On to Vermont

We have arrived in Vermont and are enjoying the cooler weather and amazing scenery. It is still very green here, and we are just starting to check out the state with our friends Bob and Sharon Carey, as we await the change of seasons. It won’t be long…

The Office in Scranton, PA

Being big fans of the TV show “The Office,” we had to make a quick stop in Scranton, PA to pay homage to Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert, etc. on our way to the northeastern states. Since most of the show was actually filmed in a building in California, there is not as much of a visual ‘Office’ footprint in Scranton as you would hope. But at Cooper’s Seafood, a restaurant featured on the show occasionally, there is a HUGE Office-related gift shop, and cutouts of most of the show’s characters are displayed prominently both inside and out. We also went and saw the iconic Penn Paper Tower that is featured in the video opening of each show. Overall, our visit there wasn’t much, but we still enjoyed it. As Michael Scott once said, “I would not miss it for the world. But if something else came up I would definitely not go.”

The Amish Adventure

Lancaster, Pennsylvania is home to a large Amish community, so we took a bus tour to see what their lifestyle looks like in the 21st Century. Turns out they seem to be doing quite well, despite not using many of the modern conveniences we often take for granted. From a tour bus we were able to see families living in nice homes and farms, with abundant crops and gardens. Their use of solar panels helps power their homes, but they still turn to horses and mules to facilitate their transportation and crop production. We didn’t get much of a chance to interact, except for purchasing some delicious desserts and a couple of souvenirs. It was an interesting look at a lifestyle that has endured through many generations.

Gettysburg

Almost don't know what to say about our all-day visit to the Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania. It was immensely sad, breathtakingly huge, and historically fascinating. I had no idea the battlefield was spread out all over the town and surrounding landscape. It is essential to get a guided tour to understand the sequence of events that led to the ill-fated Pickett's Charge, which essentially concluded the battle and changed the direction of the war, and our democracy. The tour guides include poignant stories and details that will enhance your experience, and your understanding of this moment in history.

One Last Look

As we move up the eastern seaboard to our destinations of Vermont and Maine, here are a few other things we have seen:

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia—Thanks to a tip from our buddy Albert Dickson, we made a stop at this picturesque town after leaving Baltimore. The town is best known historically for a violent failed effort in 1859 to initiate a slave revolt by abolitionist John Brown, who raided a government arsenal there. Now quaint buildings line the main street, and the Appalachian Trail passes directly through the town.

Shenandoah National Park—A spin along the winding Skyline Drive through this park affords great views of valleys and forests, and a variety of interesting plant, animal and insect life.  

Fort McHenry, Baltimore—Site of the penning of our national anthem by Francis Scott Key, the fort sits in the gateway to the port of Baltimore, and you can walk around the grounds and imagine what it must have been like being there under the “rockets’ red glare.”

Camden Yards baseball

Bucket list item accomplished--Seeing an MLB game at Orioles Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Never got the chance to photograph a game there, so Dinah agreed to build a day into our trip so I could see one--and for a bonus, MLB sensation Shohei Ohtani happened to be in town with his Los Angeles Angels teammates, so we got to see him play. The stadium is amazing, with Eutaw Street and the Camden Yards building providing a great pre-game experience behind right field, including some of former Orioles legend Boog Powell's BBQ. One unique feature thwre is a baseball marker placed at the point of impact along Eutaw Street for every home run that lands there, for both the Orioles and their opponents. A classy and fascinating touch. Only a little over 8,000 fans showed up--mostly to see Ohtani. So thankful to get a chance to go there...

Picturesque West Virginia

We decided on last year's adventure we would to return to West Virginia, and once again we thoroughly enjoyed our time there, even though we were rained on almost every day. The drive on winding Highway 60, alongside the New River, was a treat, and a wonderful glimpse into this state and its' people. From our camp in Babcock State Park we road-tripped to watch the kayaking at Kanawha Falls, and enjoyed stops in Boomer, Hawks' Nest and Beckley, where we toured a coal mine. And of course we had to check out the New River Gorge Bridge again. Toss in a fun visit with a vacationing Amish family and a stop at Cathedral Falls, and all we can say is--thank you again, West Virginia.

Kentucky caves kickoff Phase Three of ‘Louis and Dinah’s Excellent Adventure’

Constant rain did not detour us from the initial activity on Phase Three of our journey around the US, as we checked out the Carter Caves near the town of Olive Hill in northeastern Kentucky. We enjoyed underground views of the Cascade Cave and the X Cave, which featured an underground waterfall and a variety of small bats and salamanders, as well as impressive stalactite and stalagmite formations. We are headed for West Virginia tomorrow, on our way to the northeast region of the country to catch the change of seasons. We would love for you to follow along with us on this leg of our tour of the States, either on Facebook, Instagram or at our website: www.ldadventures.com  

Stage Three Starting Soon

It is August 2021, and almost time to go! We are preparing Sherlock for Stage Three of “Louis and Dinah’s Excellent Adventure,” and will be embarking soon—Stay tuned for more details…

…to be continued

Part Deux of “Dinah and Louis’ Excellent Adventure” has concluded, but we are far from done on our continuing journey through the United States. We will be heading out in late summer to explore the east coast all the way to Maine, also catching the northeast change of seasons in the fall. Some quick observations from our swing through the southwest this spring:

--Arizona is the roundabout capital of America.

-- Goblin Valley and Wild Horse Canyon are not publicized like other Utah attractions, but they are well worth your time.

--The Valley of Fire in Nevada is an easy trip from Las Vegas and is an amazing visual treat.

--Jerome, Arizona is a small, quirky mountain town that is worth a visit.

--Texas has the best Mexican food. Hands down…

Quirky Cortez

Starting our return trip to Texas, we passed a rare white bison grazing along the roadside outside of Cortez, Colorado. Then, as we passed through the town, there were many examples of quirky roadside art decorating places of businesses along the street. Kudos to the local artists, and the white bison, for making this random pass through a visual treat.

So long Utah!

Here are a few more scenes from our stay in Utah, as we leave the state to start our trek back to Texas. We both liked the Wild Horse Slot Canyon hike best because it was an experience like we have never had before. It was more physical than probably either of us envisioned, but in the end that is one of the things that made it extra special. Thanks for the great time, Utah!

Slot Canyon Part Deux

These slot canyons can be a bit tight for us fuller-figure types. Photo by the much skinnier Dinah DeLuca.

Run Forrest Run

While in southeastern Utah, we had to make a stop at the legendary spot near Mexican Hat, Utah where, in the movie Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks finally stopped running across America. It was quite a cinematic moment. And we weren’t the only ones who stopped there for a look at the iconic scene. Apparently, it is a popular attraction, even though it is literally in the middle of nowhere. At least some local horses enjoyed the company.

Slot Canyon Journey

We spent a fun late afternoon hiking in Little Wild Horse Canyon, a slot canyon not far from Goblin Valley in Central Utah. In some places the walls were so close you had to turn sideways to get through. There are long stretches of extremely narrow, winding passages. We only hiked 1.5 miles, then turned around and went back because it was getting dark. If you like traversing slot canyons, this 8-mile loop is worth the trip. 

Capitol Reef National Park

Our visit to Capitol Reef on Sunday completed our quick circuit of the “Big 5” National Parks in Utah, which was one of our goals of this trip. Capitol Reef had a different vibe. We felt more of a human element, like we were visiting an area that was once home for pioneers and such over the years. Several buildings were still preserved, and there were fruit orchards planted in various spots throughout the park. There was even a store/cabin that sold freshly made fruit pies…which were delicious! Also, of note were the petroglyphs, or ancient carvings, that were seen occasionally throughout the park. One of note was “the Registry,” where explorers from as far back as the late 1800s had etched their names and dates high on one of the canyon walls.

Do do that Hoodoo that you do so well…

Goblin Valley State Park was an amazing find for a quick sunset visit after seeing the Capitol Reef National Park on Sunday. The ‘hidden gem’ is a three-square mile landscape of mushroom-like rock formations, where park visitors can wander at will throughout the strange landscape. The formations are called hoodoos, and it is a dreamlike environment that is quite an experience. Well worth the time to find it…it is a little off the beaten path. On the drive in and out, you may even see some deer and a gorgeous sunset. 

Arches National Park

Arches National Park in Utah is indescribable. Everywhere you look there is something that catches your eye. Obviously, the arches are the main attraction, but there is so much more to see and do. We are not able to go on some of the more strenuous hikes, but even with our limited stamina we have experienced the exhilaration of being in this place up close, while marveling at the intricacies of this amazing creation.