Repeating Visits to Our Grandchild
One of our joys as we are getting older is having grandchildren. No one has a better time with Christmas or birthdays than young kids. And as grandparents, we can give them back to their parents whenever we get tired.
We again traveled to the Northeast in December (2024) and February (2025) to visit with our grandson as well as seeing our kids. It is good for us to go as often as we can. We enjoy the visit and the area. I also went up in May to run a 5k in Rhode Island, but I really went to see my family.
We were able to get outside almost every day in December and February and explore some of the local hiking we have done in the past. We visited our son in Rhode Island, and I even played disc golf in February. It was neat to see the ducks walking on top of the water because of the ice. The thawing and freezing did make the course more challenging. And water hazards appeared on the course in some unexpected spots.
Hiking is different now that our grandson is four. He can walk and run. That does not mean that after a while he is not tired of walking and running. In order not to carry him, we all try to make being out for an adventure, a fun game for him and for us.
We are easily entertained playing inside, in the winter, with our grandson’s new toys. And if that was not exciting enough for him or us, we bundled up and enjoyed dropping by the local playground.
Our grandson has a new favorite game. We will see if he is still playing it the next time we go back. After turning four, the number four became his favorite number. He has fallen in love with playing UNO Junior and always looks for the Hippo as it has the number four on it. Each card with the number four is a hit, especially the blue hippo, as blue is also his favorite color and that card has his favorite number. We are happy he will play other games as well as with other toys.
Other fun:
We are fortunate to explore sights on the way to and from New England.
At Christmas (2024) on our drive up east, we stopped at the Cascades Valley Metro Park. We needed a break from driving, and on our hike at the park, we saw a couple carrying pumpkins. It is Christmas time and not Halloween; we were curious. They shared with us that throwing pumpkins toward the water was a fun time and a good way to get rid of the pumpkins. We agreed that the wildlife would be happy, and it was fun to watch. We also enjoyed the decorated trees along the path.
In February, we stopped to take a driving break at the West Branch State Park near Ravenna, OH, on the west branch of the Mahoning River. It was good to enjoy a walk and stretch our legs. It was near sunset and cold, and it did make us appreciate the partially frozen water on our walk around the boat dock.
On our way back home in February, we stopped in Schenectady, PA. We enjoyed walking the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail and happened to start at the entrance of the Scranton Riverwalk at the Olive Street Trailhead. We were happy to enjoy a walk of a few miles and take a break from driving. It is fun to explore along the way and discover new paths.
In May, I flew to New England for a 5k run with my two oldest. I was able to enjoy walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, even in light rain. My flight arrived early in the day, and everyone was in daycare or at work. So, why not. It had been years since I walked the Freedom Trail. I walked from the USS Constitution into Boston. I know that this is the opposite of most walking tours which properly start at the Boston Commons. I enjoyed getting to Boston Common and seeing the swan boats. I also went a little further and took in the magnificent downtown Boston library to get out of the rain for a few minutes. Since I was in the library, I walked upstairs to enjoy Bates Hall and tables as well as the architecture of this beautiful public space. Not many books were open; however, the library was busy with what looked like students.
I enjoyed spending the day with one of my sons on Narragansett Beach. It is not often I go to a beach in Rhode Island, especially as the year has been cool and rainy. The weather was good (mid-70’s) and lunch at Monahan’s Clam Shack was delicious.
See you on the road.
Running the Pig Again
The first half of the year, when the weather is “frightening” outside, I want to stay fit and in shape. Every year is a push to maintain good health; I am not getting younger. One of the ways I work on staying in shape is by running. To push myself, I again signed up to run the Flying Pig (half) Marathon in Cincinnati.
Over the years I have learned that I do better at sticking to a training plan when I am in a group. I am so happy to have once more signed up to run with the Tri-State running group. They keep me sharp with a good running plan and a series of events leading up to the event, the Flying Pig (half) Marathon.
I did spend several days in January running on a treadmill as it was icy on the sidewalks and streets. I am happy to have an alternative place to run, although I enjoy running outside so much more.
We follow a training schedule as part of the group; February has the first event to renew our familiarity with running in a crowd of runners and walkers. The local minor league hockey team sponsors the Frozen 5k/10k run. For me, back in 2020, it was one of the first times I started and ran in a crowd. I participated in the Frozen 10k run. It was a cold day, but the streets were clear.
While I was in New England, I went running with my oldest son in Rhode Island as a part of my training plan. We went for an eight-mile run along parts of the East Bay bike path and into India Point Park. This is part of a run we will do together in May as well.
Training does not stop for us older guys when we are out of town. I even trained on a cinder track in Massachusetts for part of my training program in February. It was good to do the 400 repeats on a track.
The long run for March is the Heart Mini Marathon. It was cold and raining. We started late due to lightning in the area. I have not had good weather in the five years I have run the Heart Mini. We all took off our hats, and the skies opened up just as the Start Spangled Banner was sung, so we were all soggy for this run. Looking back, I am glad that I completed this rainy Heart Mini, a 15-k run in Cincinnati, as a part of preparation to run the Flying Pig. Training in the rain was good.
We stopped in the Charlotte area to visit my daughter and son-in-law on the way home from Florida in April after our anniversary trip. It was good to go for a few runs with my daughter and one of her running buddies.
A few days prior to the run, Cincinnati hosts the Flying Pig expo. It is a nice way to pick up the race day packet and see various vendors. With over thirty thousand runners at the weekend events, it is great to walk around and get excited about the run. The run organizers do a wonderful job in having exciting things to do, not just picking up the packet for the run. This year I was able to make a bobblehead.
The Flying pig starts at 6:30 AM; by the time I get to the starting line it is almost 20 minutes later—due to the crowd and my slower pace. I had a great run and set a PR. I was hoping to finish under 2 ½ hours and I finished just over 2 hours and 25 minutes. Yes—it was about 48 degrees, misting/raining the whole time I was running. So, the training in the rain paid off.
Running fun:
I did several runs while we were in Florida for our anniversary celebration. I did find a good place to run on the sidewalks, although I went longer than expected on the first day as I was not sure how the roads all connected. Google maps are handy.
We did a long practice run in mid-April, running most of the course with the running group. Here I am overlooking the Ohio River. I went by this spot on the event but did not stop to take a picture during the race.
My two oldest children and I ran the Rhode Island 5k and half marathon in May, two weeks after the Flying Pig. I ran the 5k, having already participated in a half marathon in May. My buddies tell me it would be no problem for me, but I was happy to run on the bike path and streets for a 5k and not the half marathon.
Next stop, a few 10ks and other fun events. See you on the road.
Celebrating 40 Years Together
We were married in the early springtime 40 years ago. It is hard to believe how quickly the time has gone. We are living our great love story, my wife and me. A great love story is sweeping and dramatic. This is a simple travel blog. We decided it would be delightful to travel to celebrate our 40 years of marriage in Florida so we could bike ride together. We are happy to celebrate, and we feel excitement in reaching this milestone. Together, we are also looking forward to other milestones to celebrate.
It was enjoyable planning this trip so that our 40th anniversary would be special for the two of us. My thought was to look through some old pictures, write a little about each year from our 40 years together and put it in a book for a gift for my wife. I ended up giving her a page a day, with each page representing a specific year, leading to our leaving for our trip. On each page I wrote what was going on in the world that year, in our lives that year and one thing we could look forward to doing on our trip. I started just before Valentine’s Day, and my wife looked forward to opening a letter each day. The letters ended one day prior to our driving to Florida.
So, every day, for 40 days, my wife received a letter and pictures about each year of our marriage. It was gratifying to put together and even better to share. I enjoyed the daily rhythm of the look back at each year of our time together.
We drove on this trip, bringing our bikes. Our first stop, just south of Atlanta, was to McDonough, GA. We could not drive all the way to the Orlando area from our house, and this was a good stopping point. Also, I wanted to be mostly through Atlanta traffic starting off on our drive to Florida.
In my letters I spoke about the nice weather we anticipated in Florida. It was very nice. For the first few days it was almost exactly twice as warm in Florida as it was back home. That was a great change for us.
One of the first anniversary activities was to go into Orlando to see a show. We had a good dinner and appreciated the Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Show “The Show Must Go On.” The action was entertaining, and it was an amusing evening out and something we talked about for a while.
My wife really enjoys kayaking. We had never been kayaking at night; we had a blast kayaking on Lake Ivanhoe, right near downtown Orlando, in clear kayaks. It was highly entertaining to be on the water at night. Although we were right near downtown, it felt as if we were miles away. I did not take out my phone to take pictures on the lake; I wanted to have a phone the next day. Thank you Epic Paddle Adventures for an epic encounter with nighttime paddling.
We took the idea of biking on this trip from our last tour in the Winter Garden area. It was near Christmas, and we thought Winter Garden was dressed up nicely for the occasion. We re-did several of the bike rides that we had done in and around the Winter Garden area at the end of 2023. Our last trip to the area is outlined in the blog: Biking the Central Florida Rail Trails. We were partial to peddling on the West Orange trail and biking in and around Winter Garden. We went for a bike ride every day. The weather was great, and the roads were good for our road bikes.
In our prior travels, we noted several pickleball courts in the area. We decided to learn so we could play in Florida. We had a blast playing together and will look to repeat the experience.
One of the things we cherish is to walk while holding hands. We took several walks. We found several places to go walking in the area.
Other Fun:
One of the benefits to the Orlando area for me was seeing my best man from the wedding. It was good to catch up with my brother and learn how he is getting ready to retire.
In one of the letters to my wife, I talked about looking forward to seeing sunrises and sunsets together. It did rain some, so, it was not always possible. However, we did have some good views from our balcony.
Once we arrived in Florida, we felt as if we were in a different world. Signs that warn about alligators and snakes are not common where I am from. Also, no snow was seen in Florida in the early springtime.
We stopped in the Charlotte area to visit our daughter and son-in-law on the way home from Florida. It was good to go for a few runs with my daughter and to see our daughter and son-in-law happy in their home. They only have about 37 years to go to catch up with us.
While in Cherryville, we took a tour of the Beam Truck Museum. Carolina Freight was one of the largest employers in Cherryville; its headquarters leaving town after it was purchased crippled the local economy for a while. The museum was very well done and the stories told by the guide made you think you were part of the company.
After we arrived back home, we went to see the trees start to blossom at the Boone County Arboretum. The heat in Florida felt to similar summer, so, we again changed seasons coming back to spring when we got home.
See you on the road.
Cherryville in the fall
The fall was a great time to visit the Charlotte area. The oppressive summer heat was over. We were fortunate to leave town just prior to Hurricane Helene hitting the Charlotte area. We made it out of town prior to the hurricane that hit Asheville. We travel right by Asheville on the highway. On our next drive to Cherryville, we will need to find an alternative route. Our daughter and son-in-law lost power for a few days and were otherwise well off compared to several in their area.
We enjoy hiking, and one of our daughter’s favorite hikes in the area is Crowder Mountain. We had a good day for a hike, although it was foggy. We went several miles, and since we had been on the trail before, we knew what we were missing in the background. I am sure we will get back to hike this trail again.
We saw the murals again walking in downtown Cherryville. We delighted in the historical park just off downtown and again took advantage of delicious ice cream as a family prior to heading back home.
We did a side trip to Shelby, NC, and walked the newest rail trail. It does not go very far. We also stopped at the Earl Scruggs Center. A lot to see and do in Shelby.
Other Fun:
I was able to play a round of disc golf at the home of the college disc golf championship, Winthrop University, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
I did not know a lot about the Revolutionary War history with Charolotte. We took the Charlotte Liberty Walk and had the bonus of it being an art weekend. When we were done with the walk, we felt we knew a little more about the area’s history and had a better appreciation for the art culture in the area. The Liberty Walk was good, and we recommend you go if you have a chance. It was like a scavenger hunt to find the markings that the website displays.
My daughter and I were able to go running again in Cherryville. A few more sidewalks are in the downtown area, so we began and ended our running there.
Back at home I was able to play taps as a bugler for Bugles Across America for Revolutionary War heroes. Madison, Indiana, was having a 250-year presentation by the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution.
No biking on this trip. We did go biking on Labor Day in Loveland, Ohio.
See you on the road.
Alumni Band Weekend!
The Alumni band weekend was a perfect September weekend at Michigan State University. Someone asked me recently if I ever played in front of people, and I was able to reply that I just played for 78,000. Of course, they were not in attendance to see me or my friends. It was a football game, and we were the half-time and the post-game show.
I shared with my fellow E-flat cornet player friend Bill the saying “you cannot go back.” However, this is the only event we can do on campus that we did when we were in school. It was great to connect with my friends and fellow band members.
We started with a rehearsal on Friday night and then a reception where we looked at the memorabilia from the star of the show this year—Dave Catron. Professor Catron was my marching band director and held the position of director of the Spartan Marching Band (SMB) for many years. It was great to see him and be able to honor the legacy of his time in the program. It was fun to see some of the memorabilia and charts. My fellow-E flat cornet player friend Tom told us how he (as a part of the band communication team) drew cover pictures and other items on the display table.
The alumni band organizers had Saturday well planned, and registration was a breeze. We all met and watched the SMB run through their rehearsal; they sounded great! We had a run through of our combined program: imagine 575 alumni members joining 300 SMB members on the field. It took a few minutes to get us going into the designated spots.
After the combined rehearsal, we heard from Dave Catron and the Athletic Director and then the University President. It was great to see them all. Of course, one of my friends reminded me that we are all potential doners.
After the morning rehearsal, we enjoyed lunch and visiting prior to lining up for the march to the stadium.
One of the best moments of the weekend comes when we are marching to the stadium from the music building. The 575-member alumni band gets to march and play just like we did when we were students, except without the hot uniform and inspection. Dave Catron was on hand to watch us and cheer us on. The alumni band marches first and a little later the SMB marches separately. This moment is when most think we are back at school with the crowd along both sides of the street and the drum cadence from our playing days. We strike up the fight song and the crowd cheers. They are as excited as we are.
We perform this march to the stadium in good order; before we enter the stadium, we sing the alma mater at the entrance. It takes a while for 575 of us to find our seats. We enjoy the warm fall day and admire the band’s pre-game entrance wondering if we were ever that good.
It is awesome for us to be back on the stadium turf. Entry to the playing field takes several minutes of the second quarter and we get to see some of the action at field level. I also get to catch up with some of my buddies from last year as we get ready to perform. The highlight of our marching is to spell out “CATRON” in honor of the former director of the SMB. If you look closely, I am on the left side of the “A.”
After the half-time performance, we had our traditional apples, played more pep band songs, and played again on the field for the post-game show. We then are left with our memories of another fun day on campus as we march and play on our way back from the stadium to Demo Hall.
Lessons learned:
- Marching with the band was a great experience. Each year marching with the alumni band continues that great feeling. I can go back and experience some of the fun as an undergrad.
- Live and in person at a Big Ten football game is an energizing experience. Win or lose all season, this is the school I graduated from and the weekend at the stadium with 78,000 other fans is terrific.
- Meeting and spending time with friends and over 575 alumni is an experience like no other I have had in retirement. I practice my trumpet so I can continue to play with this awesome group.
Other fun:
Running on campus. My training plan called for a four-mile run and I did it on Sunday morning in and around campus prior to driving home. I had never been to the Lewis Landscape Arboretum (dedicated three years after I graduated). It was great to explore the garden a little while I was running. I also managed to walk along campus after eating breakfast at Brody Hall, where I ate as a freshman and sophomore. They had re-done the building and the experience, but it was still a quiet place to eat on Sunday morning. I understand it is one of the largest if not the largest non-military cafeteria in the world.
On the way back from Michigan, I decided it would be interesting to visit the Neil Armstrong Museum. I have seen this museum on I-75 going to and from Michigan. It is a fascinating museum and has more than just great Neil Armstrong memorabilia. It did make a great to stop; I am glad I visited on my way back home.
No bike rides on campus, although I did ride as a student.
Marengo Cave—What is a National Natural Landmark?
On our travels on Highway 64 between Louisville and St. Louis we see signs for Marengo Cave. We have passed by this several times over the years. Every now and then, you must get out of the car and explore what the attraction has to offer. We were glad we did. The tour and the caves are worth the time to stop in and see.
My first thought in seeing the entrance sign was “What is a National Natural Landmark (NNL)?” I had to look it up. From their website: “The National Natural Landmarks Program recognizes and encourages the conservation of sites that contain outstanding biological and geological resources.” Marengo Cave has been a NNL since 1984. It is privately owned. The NNL designation was interesting, and in reading about it, I discovered that over 600 sites are designated as of July, 2024.
I apparently have been to a few of the NNL’s and did not know that I had been in one. One is on a frequent bike ride route: Big Bone Lick State Park.
My next thought after seeing the entrance to the park was: “Why the name Marengo?” According to my research, eleven cities/towns in the US are named Marengo after the “Battle of Marengo.” I also had to look up the battle and Napoleon’s victory in the Italian city of Marengo which apparently (according to the internet) sealed the success of his Italian campaign in 1800.
The cave tours were informative and the caves themselves were impressive. I am glad we stopped. You cannot take many pictures in a cave. It was hot outside but the cave temperature is a constant 52 degrees all year around. So, we were comfortable on our tours. We are experienced cave walkers and did have a sweatshirt with us—and we used it.
Marengo Caves has two tours, and we walked both Crystal Palace and the Dripstone Trail. Each one was captivating. If you have the time, the continuous line from Crystal Palace to Dripstone makes sense. We were fascinated by the tours and did the Crystal Palace tour second. This arrangement allowed us to really enjoy the differences in the cave formations. I enjoyed the mirror lake feature the best; it is viewed on both the Crystal Palace and Dripstone Trail tours.
There are attractions outside of the cave that look like fun for kids. We did the Miner’s Maze and went in and around The Crawl, which was a replica of caving. I was just short enough (under six foot two) and thin enough (40-inch waistline or less) to get through, although it is best left to people younger than I am. I will keep this place in mind as a good spot to take a grandchild in the future.
We also walked around the nearby town of Corydon, IN, on our way back to the interstate. In for a penny, in for a pound as they say. We enjoyed walking the small downtown area and discovered it was the first capital of Indiana.
We would have explored the Battle of Corydon site except that it is only opened on the weekends. It looks interesting. It is a Confederate Civil War victory and we have ridden by a similar site in Ohio.
Lessons learned:
Be ready to explore on a road trip, especially one that we have taken before. I am sure on some weekend car trip we will stop back at the Battle of Corydon site.
Look for the National Natural Landmark sites. With over 600 of them, we must be passing one every now and then.
No bike riding in the caves. See you on the road.
Vermont is Green
We left a hot and humid Kentucky, where it had not rained for a few weeks, and traveled to Vermont, where we hoped the weather would be cooler. It was not. But it was green and it had rained. The green landscape was a big contrast to our brown lawn at home.
In telling a friend about the trip we had planned to Vermont, he remarked, “Well, at least it is flat.” I said he was incorrect and asked if he had heard about Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys from the Revolutionary War. Apparently, he missed that class.
Vermont is not flat. It has the Green Mountains. They are not in any way near the height of the Western State mountains, with a high point of Mount Mansfield 4,393 feet above sea level. Although we did not bike in the mountains, the terrain was still hilly as we climbed them on regular bikes. It was fun and hard work all at the same time. It did threaten to rain at the beginning of the bike trip, but the weather held out and we did not get too much rain while riding.
We participated in a self-guided bike tour in Vermont sponsored by VBT. It was a good set of daily rides, and the accommodations were wonderful. Every day we saw the Green Mountains or the Adirondack Mountains. We also rode to and from Lake Champlain. I was reminded of my travels to the Rocky Mountains as the views were great. We also saw farms and cows, as expected.
We stopped at the monument for Benedict Arnold and his Revolutionary War victory on Lake Champlain at Arnold Bay. It was good to read about this victory and see him in a positive light. Arnold is also talked about in the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum we visited (pictures near the end of this blog).
We learned in our orientation for the bike rides that the state animal of Vermont is the Morgan Horse. We had a stop at the farm on our first and last day of riding. I had to look it up and found that the Kentucky state animal is the gray squirrel. I had no idea we had a state animal, let alone what it could be.
My favorite day of riding and relaxing was the day at the Basin Harbor Resort. We had a charming bike ride along Lake Champlain and enjoyed kayaking on the lake. We were taken in by the beauty of the lake as well as the resort.
Our ride to the Basin Harbor Resort was a long and hilly ride on a hot (over 86 F) and humid day for Vermont. We rode over 45 miles and climbed over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
We were part of a group; however, as it was a self-guided tour, we used Ride with GPS and were following the routes and prompts using that app. We frequently saw the other riders, although we did not ride with them as often as we had on our guided bike tours, which also used the Ride with GPS app. It was good to know that other riders were around. I would do a self-guided ride again since my riding buddy, my wife, likes these tours as well.
The scenery was amazing, besides the mountains. We enjoyed the open roads, not too much traffic, and the destinations.
Biking or Disc Golfing?
Before traveling to Vermont for this biking trip, I looked for ways to play some disc golf. Did you know that two of the top ten courses in the world are in Vermont? Prior to starting our bike tour, I was able to play them both as they are conveniently located at Smugglers’ Notch Resort. Adding to my fun, I also played Maple Hill in Massachusetts after the bike tour was over, allowing me to notch three of the top-ten disc golf courses in the world in one trip.
The first course I played was Brewster Ridge. It was not raining at the first tee box, but we got out raincoats as it began raining on the way to the second tee box, and rained for the rest of the 17. It was a great course, although I would have enjoyed a little less water. I made the most of the time I had to play this top course.
The next morning, I played the companion course, Fox Run Meadows, another top ten course. It was an excellent disc golf course. Fox Run was a little more open (less woods) and it was the day after all the rain, so I did enjoy the experience a little better. Fox Run does not have the cement or pavers for the tee pads.
It was quite a treat to for me to go out and play Maple Hill, one of the best courses in the world. One of the reasons this and the other courses I played on this trip are so good, is that for a player like me they are accessible. I played Maple Hill a few years ago with my son and we played the red, white, and blue option, rotating from easiest (red) to a harder (blue) configuration. Maple Hill and the other courses I played also have a professional level option, all on the same course, with some different configurations.
After reflecting on playing these top courses, one of the reasons they are so good is that I was able to play them well at my level of play. I can say I played the same course as the top touring professionals in Disc Golf. Each round was enjoyable because it was challenging for me but not impossible for me to play. For the record, I played all three of the top courses at the white (novice not beginner) levels. Next time I think I will have to play at the blue level.
I also played the Basin Harbor 9-hole course. I was happy to find disc golf at Basin Harbor, but this course will not make the top 100 anytime soon.
A highlight for me was spending time with our grandson. He loves to run, and we all did a lot of that with him. He also learned to fly a kite and play baseball with a tee.
We were able to spend time with two of our kids while visiting. We enjoyed walking in Providence, and having ice cream was a bonus for us.
Other fun
We rode through a covered bridge (twice) and got to view the Middlebury Falls from a big chair.
We were excited to see the Vermont Jazz Ensemble performing near our hotel at the Middlebury Festival on the Green and took advantage of learning a swing dance from the free lesson during the performance. We enjoyed dancing on the street in Middlebury.
Near the Basin Harbor Resort is the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. We arrived after the museum closed, but we were able to walk around the museum’s outside exhibits. Some in our group went through during the day and enjoyed the exhibits; I am sure we would have as well. I am glad they had so many outdoor exhibits open for us to explore.
We rode past a road sign about Silas Wright who was known for being from the area, although he was born in Massachusetts. This was a big monument and area. I learned about him reading the sign. He would be an important early figure forgotten to history for me if not for the sign we encountered.
I did some biking with friends in Kentucky prior to starting my bike adventure. It was good training to ride with a group of friends and tackle the hills near the Ohio River.
What a fun couple of July weeks. I was able to run, kayak, bike, and swim while away from home. I participated in the Red Legs 10K in Cincinnati in June as part of my preparation for the Big Ten 10K that I ran virtually in Middlebury in July on the first day of our bike rides. I should have chosen a flatter course for the Big Ten virtual 10K.
Our two hour kayacking cruise on Lake Champlain was just what we need to contrast with the bike riding. We did enjoy kayacking from Basin Harbor. We went a few miles, saw an island, enjoyed the breezes and perspective of being on water, so different from being on a bike.
I joined one of my sons and his training buddy for an early morning swim at the YMCA. It was a different experience for me as the pool was much wider than my normal pool. This event completed the weird vacation four sport activity of swimming, running, kayaking and biking.
Vermont has a “creature” called “Champ” and we were challenged to find Champ on our rides by our local host at the start of the biking adventure. We only “saw” bigfoot. We did come to learn that Champ was the sea monster of Lake Champlain and is like the Loc Ness Monster from Scotland.
See you on the road. And as the Basin Harbor sign says, try to have a little fun every day.
Cherryville Express
Our daughter and son-in-law moved to a cute little town in North Carolina. We thought it was great that they just happen to be near a train track that runs through town. This was our first visit to their new place. Being retired, we can go anytime. It was great to go over Memorial Day weekend as the kids were able to spend time with us without needing to take time away from work, kind of like us!
We were delighted with the town of Cherryville. The downtown area boasts of several murals painted on the walls of the buildings. We had a first-rate walking (and running) tour of the downtown area.
We were also able to hike Mt. Crowder, a moderate trail nearby. The scenery was wonderful and the hiking was pleasing. We hiked about 6 miles. It is awesome to see the kids in such great shape.
In looking for a place to run, we ran on the campus of the Cleveland County Community College. I discovered the most interesting mascot–the “Yetis” or as I like to say, big foot.
I did run with my daughter at the college. However, we liked running downtown better due to the sidewalks and interesting murals. We managed to run a little over 8 miles while I was in town. It is fun to run with family members.
We did several projects with the kids around the house; their new home is looking super. I am sure that we will see them both again before too long.
Other fun:
I managed to play a round of disc golf at a short course nearby. It was satisfying to play.
We had ice cream in a few locations in town. It is refreshing on a warm Memorial Day.
No bike rides this trip. See you on the road soon.
Bike Riding in Full Bloom
Imagine a whole countryside of farmers’ fields planted with tulip bulbs and all the colors. We saw acres and acres of tulips in full bloom as we biked along the northern two provinces of the Netherlands.
Besides the pretty tulip blooms, we enjoyed spending time with four other couples we had met on other bike rides. Thank you, Cecilia, for getting us all together. It was a lot of fun.
We were in the Netherlands as part of a bike and barge tour organized by VBT. We say to our friends and family who ask, the weather was cool and rainy, and it was windy from the North Sea. And, we enjoyed biking and exploring this beautiful country.
We wanted to be acclimated when the bike and barge tour began, so we went early. Our trip began in Den Haag (The Hague); we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the city on bike, foot, and tram. We also got out to see a little of the area around Den Haag.
One of my running buddies asked about the trip; when I told him we were starting at The Hague, he asked “Who plans to go there?” Den Haag was a perfect introduction to the Netherlands, and this was a good place to begin our visit. That is part of the beauty of the arranged travel. We would not have set out to see The Hague, but we are glad we visited and explored this place. We were joined with our friends Bonnie and Adam in biking and walking in The Hague and learned a little more about the Netherlands.
The national legislature and the Prime Minister work out of a giant complex in The Hague called the Binnenhof. The Binnenhof is under re-construction so we toured The Hague’s Historic Museum and learned the history and saw great pictures and models of the legislature in action.
This picture typifies our visit to the Netherlands. We were at the beach, so sandals were appropriate. Next to the sandals for sale you will notice wool hats and scarves. The temperature changes often, and it is windy and cold near the North Sea.
We made a side trip to Delft. Delft is known for the blue pottery, and we did see it quite a lot. Delft is a quaint town, and to an American tourist it looked perfect. This was one of the places that we had ice cream.
Other fun in The Hague:
All over The Hague we saw the iconic image of the “Girl with the Pearl.” We spent several hours touring the Mauritshuis art museum and saw the actual painting of the “Girl with the Pearl Earring.” The museum has a lot to offer, including the building itself as well as the Rembrandts and Vermeers. My tip: bring your ear buds to hear the narration from the app—I wish I had brought mine. One of the paintings was actively being restored.
We were sad to leave The Hague, with more to experience, yet excited to begin our biking and barge tour from Amsterdam. Once on board we were given a quick tour of our boat, assigned a room and got settled in for a ride to our first stop. We did a warm up short ride to ensure the bikes were all working and we understood the rules of the road, keeping in mind that there are more bikes than people in the Netherlands.
Thinking of Holland (we were in the provinces of North and South Holland, in the country of the Netherlands) I thought about tulips, windmills, and wooden shoes. One of our memorable stops was biking into Zaanse Schans, a living history museum with working windmills. We experienced a guide making a pair of wooden shoes and explaining why they are still in use today (and not just sold to tourists). We spent the night moored outside a windmill, and at the beginning of our next day’s ride we explored a working windmill that saws lumber.
For the tour, our group of 10 friends met up with our traveling companions, 14 more riders who were in country to celebrate Sue’s 85th birthday. We also had two wonderful guides. We did have a great time with the group, and it was good to meet our fellow riders. The weather was cold, rainy, and sometimes very windy. Greg, one of our friends, told us that 100 bad days make for 100 good stories. Regardless of the weather, we had a fun time biking in the Netherlands.
I did see a windmill daily and I am pretty sure we also saw tulips blooming every day as well. However, we did not see too many people walking in wooden shoes.
Tulip fields and bulb growing was everywhere. Imagine driving through Nebraska, Illinois, or Indiana, and instead of corn and wheat fields there are fields of red, pink, purple, and yellow flowers. As far as the eye could see, sometimes on both sides of the road, were fields of blooming tulips. What a site! We learned that the farmers were bulb farmers and cut off the flowers to help the bulbs grow. Still, these fields were part of the reason to come, and they did not disappoint.
One of the bike ride tours was to the Hortus Bulborum, a historic garden with thousands of varieties. We learned that the lovely two-color tulips have a virus. The growers now know how to eliminate that virus. But the multi-colored varieties were once highly prized in the tulip mania.
A highlight for us was biking to the Keukenhof gardens and seeing the annual two-month exhibit with more than 7 million bulbs on display. It was a terrific presentation; this was a showcase event for growers and distribution companies. It was not a museum. We were at the Keukenhof about 4 hours; it rained off and on. The crowd did not diminish. We heard they average about 10,000 visitors a day, rain, or shine, and we believe it. It was a spectacular view all of the colors.
Other Experiences:
Our barge tour ended in Amsterdam and we spent a few days after the barge tour walking around Old Amsterdam. We saw the highlights, and missed some as well. We had a fun time and enjoyed the beer at the Heineken experience.
We were fortunate to experience the Anne Frank house. It was a very moving tour, not to be missed. It can happen anywhere. Thank goodness that good people helped hide these families for as long as they could.
We did a cruise on the Amsterdam canals. We enjoyed them as a scenic backdrop on our walks though the old city. Amsterdam apparently has more canals than Venice.
We saw several museums, and could have visited several more. Each one was well done. You can find any interest and it likely has a museum somewhere in the Netherlands.
Lessons learned:
- I can ride at less than 55 degrees F, provided I have the proper clothing. We had packed appropriately for the biking experience.
- Traveling on a barge with a small group of dedicated bikers is fun. Riding in a hailstorm and a strong wind is not fun, and I do not have to continue riding after reaching a natural resting point.
- A biking tour and a walking tour after arriving off the plane is a good way to be acclimated to the new city.
- Ferry crossings are a good way to cross the water. The Netherlands is full of water. It is amazing the amount of land reclaimed from the water. We began several bike rides at less than sea level.
- We took more than one ferry across a canal or river, always, it seemed, bringing us back to tulip fields.
A country with a tradition of biking everywhere is a good place to share the road. Land is at a premium. The bike lanes were sometimes marked. We rode on some bike paths. There are more bikes than people in the Netherlands, so the country knows about biking. This is an example of a typical two-way road. Some have canals on both sides. As you can see, there is not a lot of room.
We were sad to leave the Netherlands. All good things eventually have an end. Seeing Amsterdam at the end of our travel was a good way for us to say goodbye to the Netherlands.
See you on the road.
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