Eastern Trip -- Day 9

Today concluded our eastern trip!  It was very nice to sleep in until about 7:45 since we didn't have a long drive today.  After breakfast (cereal, a biscuit, banana, milk), we were on the road and heading west toward home.  We stopped in Effingham, Illinois, for fuel.  A rest stop just a few miles west of there was our intended spot for a picnic lunch, but it was closed, so we went on to a lovely little park in Altamont.  That worked well because after our lunch (chicken wrap, clementine, nuts, watermelon-strawberry juice), we walked to the Dairy Bar, a neighbor to the park.  Everyone got some sort of shake/sundae (I got a hot fudge milkshake) to enjoy in the 95-degree weather as we finished the drive home.  I'm used to the cooler, drier weather of the northeast, and I like it a lot better!

We arrived at our home around 3:30, immediately followed by a quick visit to my horses before unloading and organizing.  Thankfully, my two college classes on Monday have been cancelled due to the eclipse, so I have an extra day to get everything in order before beginning my sophomore year of college!  There are undoubtedly many more adventures to come for myself and the whole Kelpe family, so make sure to check back.  This was yet another incredibly special trip; I continue to be grateful for everything and everyone that made this a possibility.  From seeing beautiful Niagara Falls, to climbing Mt. Washington, to swimming in the ocean, to experiencing Gettysburg battlefield and everything else in between, I have a gazillion more memories to cherish in the weeks, months, and years to come.  Thank you so much for "joining" me on this journey...sometimes, making blog posts at 11:30 or midnight means I don't get the sleep I want, but it's all worth it when I hear from happy readers.  So please keep reading, enjoying, and following along, and I'll keep posting!  As always, feel free to share my blog with anyone interested, and I'm also quite happy to provide recommendations/suggestions for anyone considering a trip in the direction we went.

Blessings and love in Christ,

~Anna  

Eastern Trip -- Day 8

Today was a bright-and-early morning at 6:15 so we could get ready, load up, have breakfast (a sausage-egg English muffin, powdered doughnut, banana, orange juice), and get to the National Riding Stables for our 8:00 tour of Gettysburg battlefield.  We spent two hours traversing just a small portion of the 6,000-acre park, and the tour included exceptional views of Little and Big Round Tops, Pickett's Charge, structures and trees that existed when the battle took place, military perspectives, and more.  We stopped several times for our Licensed Battlefield Guide to explain what, when, and where things were happening.  He did such a great job of giving us the overall picture, interacting with everyone, and making sure every question was answered.  Experiencing part of the battlefield on horseback is such a special opportunity; it really makes you feel like you've stepped back in time.  Specifically, National Riding Stables has a great operation with friendly, helpful staff and reasonable rates.  All of their trail mounts are rescues, quiet and steady, and perfect for newbies.

Our next stop was the Gettysburg Visitor Center & Museum ($9 admission per person...well worth it).  Although our time was somewhat limited, we enjoyed approximately two hours perusing the extraordinary exhibits.  The path of the museum takes you logically through the war in a chronological order, from the first stirring tides of secession to the Gettysburg Address and emancipation.  One-third of the museum is dedicated the battle of Gettysburg, naturally, and practically every artifact on display is from the 1860s or earlier!  The collection is impressive and there are lots of great signs to learn the background behind each item.  While we skipped sections of the museum for time purposes (and we didn't watch the video or cyclorama), we still got a lot out of the museum.  I also highly recommend popping in the bookstore -- maybe not for the cheesy kid's toys, but there are a ton of fascinating books.  I ended up walking out with one book about Civil War medicine and the second season of Mercy Street, and Matthew got an eyewitness account of the battle from a bystander.

Finally, we ate lunch (tuna wrap, raisins, mixed nuts, Rice Krispie treat, white-grape juice) as we drove all over the battlefield.  There is a 24-mile self-guided driving loop you can take, reading short paragraphs at designated areas from a guide map, which we mostly did.  Again, it's another great way to see major spots on the battlefield and get the big picture.  If you had more time, it would be a lovely bike ride, especially in cooler fall weather.  We did stop at an observation tower and Little Round Top, the latter being where Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain led the 20th Maine Volunteers in a heroic bayonet charge up steep, forested hills.  To walk on and see the place where that happened 154 years ago is very moving.

From Gettysburg we drove straight to Zanesville, Ohio, for fuel and supper at Tlaquepaque, a Mexican restaurant.  I had grilled shrimp in a spicy sauce, rice, beans, chips and salsa, and water.  From there, it was about an hour over to our Quality Inn & Suites in Cleveland.  Tomorrow is an easy drive home and the conclusion of our summer trip!

Trail riding on the battlefield (I'm second from right on the palomino, Elliot)

The barn we are in front of (first picture) was standing during the battle; you can see the hole left by a shot in the brick right below the diamond shapes in this photo.

Two bullets fused in the air around Culp's Hill

Some of the casualties of the battle

Ulysses Grant used this pen when Lee surrendered at the end of the war

Little Round Top (left) and Big Round Top

Little Round Top, in front of the monument to the 20th Maine

~Anna

Eastern Trip -- Day 7

We are not known for doing "touristy" or kitschy things when we travel, but today was somewhat of an exception...a sweet exception. 😃  We woke up around 7:30, had breakfast (a cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese, potato cubes, orange juice), loaded the car, and drove to Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  It was just over an hour, and we arrived just a few minutes after they opened at 10:00.  Hersheypark is a Hershey-themed amusement park (there's also a water park, but we didn't visit it) with a diverse array of rides.  We rode several roller coasters, running the gamut from semi-slow cruisers to 75-m.p.h. blasters that rattle you to the core.  We also rode the monorail, which encircles the park perimeter; the Kissing Tower, a rotating observation tower that gave a lovely bird's-eye view of the park; a mini Corvette track ride (like the Moon Cars at Six Flags-St. Louis); and a log flume-type ride that thoroughly soaked my shoes!  Within the park is ZooAmerica, home to many North American animals (baby pronghorn are CUTE!), and we even caught a short sea lion/harbor seal show.  Lunch was purchased in the park (corn dog, fries, fried cheese curds, water) -- terribly unhealthy, I know, but at that point we were hungry, dehydrated, and ready for anything!  We concluded the day with a quick stop in Hershey Chocolate World, just outside the official entrance to the park and on the way back to our car.  We did the (free) tour that showed how the beloved chocolate is made, start to finish, through a variety of songs, virtual demonstrations, and candy bar characters.  At the end, everyone gets a free mini Hershey bar!  The building also houses the self-proclaimed "world's largest candy store," and it is certainly enough to overwhelm you.  The budding inner dietitian in me was calculating all the calories, fat, and sugar in the thousands of items spread throughout the mammoth-sized store, but the reasonable part of me also helped select a few goodies to enjoy during the drive and once we get home...Reese's Pieces, mini white Reese's peanut butter cups, Hershey's Cookies 'n' Cream drops, and a couple kinds of Twizzlers (my horses love those last ones too!).

We had a short drive to a very nice Best Western in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where we are spending the night.  Dinner was salad, leftover pizza, and a little vanilla Frostee from Wendy's...and of course, a few samples from our goodies!

Sea lion show

Alligators (ZooAmerica)

Prairie dog kisses (ZooAmerica)!

Riding the Kisses Tower...notice the observation windows

Cupcake the calf on the Hershey Chocolate World tour

Hershey Chocolate World tour

A sweet message as we exited!

~Anna

Eastern Trip -- Day 6

Today was another wonderful day full of fun times and memories to cherish!

• I was grateful to sleep in until 8:20 today, very much needed after a rigorous hike and late night yesterday.  We had essentially unpacked our entire car to reorganize everything, so it took a little longer this morning to regroup and repack everything.  Breakfast was delicious -- cereal, strawberry yogurt, a small cinnamon roll, an apple, and milk.
• Our next destination was Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey.  The drive to get there took us past New York City (and technically even through part of it...the Bronx!) and Newark, so we got to see tons of industry, a bustling airport (Newark), the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, the George Washington Bridge, and more iconic spots of the east coast.  Once we got close to the peninsula that the lighthouse sits on, the vibe was very much "small town beach," with quaint little shops and homes.  We got to tour the lighthouse, which was built in 1764 and is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in the United States -- all 95 steps on the spiral staircase!  Recent rain in New Jersey worked to our favor, since the heat and humidity had not had time to ramp up, so we were able to see 19 miles across the bay to New York City, Staten Island, and Coney Island!  The keeper's house, built in 1883, houses a small museum with more information and history.  Sandy Hook Lighthouse has seen many a storm and prevented many a collision of ships with land, including the devastating Hurricane Sandy in 2012, yet it continues to stand boldly and solidly.  Tours and the museum are free, but it does cost to get into the Gateway National Recreation Area, which the lighthouse sits in.
• Since we were out on a peninsula, surrounded by sandy beaches, and the temperature was in the mid-80s with sunshine, we decided to spend the afternoon at the beach!  After a quick lunch (tuna wrap, Pringles, water) in the beach parking lot, we changed and traipsed out through the soft, warm sand.  My dad, Matthew, and I (my mom just waded) had a blast splashing, swimming, body-surfing, and getting soaked by the crashing waves and salty Atlantic Ocean water.  We spent about two-and-a-half hours having so much fun, I can't even express how great it was.  Sometimes some lighthearted, relaxing, carefree time at the beach is just what you need after climbing a 6,288-foot mountain!
• Swimming made us hungry, so ice cream was in order from Gracie and the Dude's Homemade Ice Cream in Long Branch, New Jersey.  I had mint chocolate chip in a chocolate-dipped and sprinkle cone.
• Finally, we reached our Hawthorn Suites in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, to spend the night.  The hills/mountains of Pennsylvania were beautiful in the sunset light!  Just a brief walk from our hotel was the Mediterranean Cafe and Grill, an adorable and delicious stop for supper.  Falafel patties (made from fava beans, chickpeas, and spices), rice, a salad, and water with lemon made for a lovely meal.  All of the staff were super friendly, too.  I highly recommend it if you're ever in the area!

George Washington Bridge crosses the Hudson River

Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Keeper's House

It's very cramped at the top, so sorry for the bad photo...but it had a rare historical gem, a third-order Fresnel lens!

Views from the top of the lighthouse...New York City is way off on the horizon.

~Anna

Eastern Trip -- Day 5

Why would we wake up at 6:00 in the middle of the week on a summer vacation?  If you're climbing the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River and north of the Carolinas -- that also happens to be home to the "world's worst weather" and highest recorded wind speed in the world (231 m.p.h.) -- you'd better get an early start so you're not caught in any bad weather!  That's right, my family and I were blessed to be able to climb Mount Washington in New Hampshire, all 6,288 feet of it.

As I said, our day began early with lots of loading; packing; preparing; and a quick breakfast of Cheerios, a piece of whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, and milk.  We drove to the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and were on the Tuckerman Ravine trail at 8:25.  If you go to my May 31, 2012, post on this blog, you'll see something quite similar to what I'm about to say, because I finally accomplished my five-year dream and goal today!  When I first climbed the Tuckerman Ravine trail, I was 14 years old and hiking with my mom, brother, and godmother.  I had a sprained ankle, wasn't nearly as into all-around fitness as I am now, and could only imagine about the years and years it would be until I could return and summit.  By the grace of God, that opportunity presented itself today.  And I fully mean every word of that sentence, because when you consider what kind of a trail this was and all the elements that could have gone wrong (but didn't), it's impossible to say anything other than Christ was watching over us and protecting us, as He always does.

The summit of Mount Washington is 4.1 miles from the start of the trail, which on most of the other trails I have hiked is a nice, fairly-easy jaunt.  But this is Mount Washington, and no norms apply.  The first two to three miles are fair enough -- not at all an easy hike, but way better than the final mile or so -- and are just a steady climb over small boulders/large rocks.  Imagine walking up about 102 home-sized staircases (sans railing) with average-sized steps, occasionally larger than average, and that's what we had.  Once we got above treeline, however, the rocks grew substantially; each one was equal to three or four stairs.  It was time to literally climb, shamelessly leaning down to scramble up the face of each one with my hands for stability, and many moments it felt like the climb would never end.  Our leg muscles and lungs were rebelling, warranting frequent mini-breaks for water and a snack, but ultimately we conquered the mountain.  About three hours after we started, we had officially summitted, and what a glorious feeling that was.  Of course we waited in line for the obligatory summit shot, quickly looked at the beautiful panorama, and headed into the day lodge/museum building for lunch (salmon wraps, Vermont white cheddar, Pringles, chocolate-chip cookie, white-grape juice) before making our descent in about two-and-a-half hours.  Although the descent is obviously easier, care must still be taken to not take a wrong step -- towards the top, it could cost you your life; farther down, there's still danger of slipping, falling, twisting, or breaking something.  Fortunately, as I said, the Lord was definitely watching over our every step and movement.  Climbing this mountain meant so much more than I could ever express through words, and I honestly never dreamed it would be five short years after my first introduction that I would come through on my goal.  I'm just so grateful and in awe, and I'll remember this moment for a long time.  Even better, my whole family joined me for it.  I know it wasn't really in their league, especially the last mile, but I so appreciate their willingness to jump out of their comfort zone to support my dream.  The sweetness of success at climbing such a tough, challenging mountain on my own two feet is made even sweeter with the love and intimacy of my family.

We celebrated the 8.2-mile round trip with chocolate bars (and trust me, we more than earned them!), raisins, and Rice Krispie treats on the way to the New England Ski Museum.  This adorable little spot is nestled right next to the Cannon Mountain tram in Franconia Notch State Park (New Hampshire) and has tons of information, photos, and relics of the history of skiing in the east, development of ski areas, racing, Bode Miller (a native of Franconia, N.H., and frequent Cannon Mountain racer growing up), equipment, the 10th Mountain Division, ski patrolling, and more.  We only had about 45 minutes until they closed, but it was the perfect amount of time and well worth the stop.  Free admission, too!

That brings me to our final stop for today, a Comfort Suites in Plantsville, Connecticut.  We got her just a few minutes before 9:00, filled our starving tummies with pizza and garlic bread from a local restaurant, and are now ready for well-deserved rest.

This was the "trail"!

Summit victory

Every tough moment was worth it with views like this.

Happy to be safely done -- no bad weather or injuries!

New England Ski Museum

Bode Miller's Olympic medals

~Anna  

Eastern Trip -- Day 4

It was another eclectic, interesting day on our eastern adventure -- we started this morning in Ottawa, Ontario, and ended in Carroll, New Hampshire.  Two Canadian provinces, one border crossing, and three states...all in a day's work!

We got up around 6:40 to load everything up, have breakfast (a turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, pancakes, muffin, banana, orange juice), and head for Montreal, Québec.  Unfortunately, there was a lot of traffic leading into downtown, which is where we had to be, so our time was affected substantially by that.  Our goal was to get to the Montreal Biosphère, originally constructed for Expo 67, which my mom attended when she was a little four-year-old.  Although we only had about an hour, we got to quickly see most of the exhibits, which focus on the expo, sustainability, the environment, power generation, and related topics.  It's such a unique structure and museum.  There was even a little garden right in the middle of the museum, plus a vertical wall garden.

We had lunch (tuna wrap, cheese stick, crackers, apple-berry juice, water) on the way back to our wonderful home country.  We crossed the border at Trout River, a tiny little station; we didn't have to wait at all!  From there, it was a very brief drive to the Almanzo Wilder Homestead near Malone, New York.  If you've just started reading my blogs, I highly encourage you to go back and read my entries from July 2014, which is when my mom, brother, godmother, and I took a "Little House" sites tour throughout South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa; in September of 2014, I rounded it out with Missouri and Kansas.  New York is naturally the farthest and most difficult for me to get to, so I had always assumed it would be a long way off -- if ever -- that I got to see the last real home site related to my favorite book series.  It's always amazing how things work out, since today I got to check that off my list.  Our tour guide was incredibly friendly and informative, constantly challenging those of us who had an extensive knowledge of all things "Little House," yet at the same time keeping it simple enough for people who didn't have as much knowledge (for example, our tour had a couple from Japan).  We were shown three replica barns, built on the exact location and to the exact specifications of the original barns; the barnyard where Almanzo trained Star and Bright, his oxen, to drive; the well pump house (we got to hand-pump refreshingly-cool water...not the original pump); a sugar maple that stood when the Wilders lived there; and of course, the farmhouse.  The beautiful red structure is the only home mentioned in the "Little House" books standing in its original position.  Naturally, over the years repairs were warranted; however, they have worked to keep as much authenticity as possible.  The house is gorgeous, both inside and outside, and we were given detailed information about every single room -- kitchen, dining room, parlor, dirt room, pantry, master bedroom, and upstairs (where the boys and girls had separate rooms).  I was allowed to take as many pictures as I wanted, but am not permitted to publish them, so I would be happy to privately show them to anyone interested!  If you ever happen to be near Malone -- or even within a few hours, for that matter -- I would highly recommend visiting.  It's an incredible preservation of a beloved part of our country's history.

After spending over three hours exploring there, it was time to make our way across Vermont (a favorite state of mine since the views are spectacular).  We stopped quickly in Montpelier for fuel and a light supper (tuna-macaroni salad and a peanut-butter shake), and arrived just after 9:30 at Carlson's Lodge in Carroll, New Hampshire.  I wonder why we are staying here....?  You'll have to come back tomorrow to find out! :)

Garden at the Montreal Biosphère

Montreal Biosphère

Almanzo Wilder Homestead

Replica barns at the Almanzo Wilder Homestead

Trout River, where the Wilders washed their clothing and cut ice in winter.

~Anna

Eastern Trip -- Day 3

We had a very full, active day!  I decided to bullet point everything we did since there were so many places we went and things we saw!

My parents and I woke up at 7:15 to go running (my mom walked) on a nearby trail.  It was such a lovely sunny morning, the trail wound through trees and past marshlands, and it was a great way to start the day.  When we got back to the hotel, we grabbed a quick breakfast of turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, muffin, cinnamon roll, banana, and orange juice.

We went to church at St. Luke Evangelical Church.  That's something we never get to do on ski trips, just because the service times don't usually work out with our schedule.  It was nice to meet everyone -- they were quite welcoming and interested in our travels. 

We drove across the Ottawa River into Gatineau, Québec, to the Parc Jacques-Cartier.  We had lunch in the shade (tuna wrap, cheese stick, Rice Krispie treat, apple-peach juice, water) before enjoying an amazing floral exhibit called MosaiCanada150.  Canada is turning 150 years old in 2017, so this massive collection of flowers (32 "entries" total) highlights their history and culture.  There were animals, including Canadian horses, muskoxen, and foxes; a locomotive; a giant piano; "Mother Earth: The Legend of Aataentsic," with striking facial features and a waterfall coming out of her hand; and lots more.

Back across the river into Ottawa, we enjoyed a couple hours at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.  From the earliest, primitive airplane to modern helicopters and jets, there was an incredible amount of history and information.  My favorite was the Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador, a massive yellow helicopter used for search-and-rescue missions.  It was huge!

Québec called us again, so we drove back over to take a lovely hike in Parc de la Gatineau.  We walked about three miles through forests, to a waterfall, and by a lovely overlook that looked way down into an agricultural-rich valley.

Final time (for today) to cross the river back into Ottawa!  We walked right up to the parliamentary building (Ottawa is the capital of Canada), which has beautiful architecture.  The surrounding setting is lovely and peaceful, too, with large green lawns and a nice view of the river and other parts of the city.

Dinner was at D'Arcy McGee's Irish Pub.  We shared spinach & artichoke dip for an appetizer, and I had chicken tacos with tortilla chips for my main dish -- good food to end a good day.  We're staying in the same Holiday Inn tonight.

MosaiCanada150 (Anne of Green Gables)

MosaiCanada150 (bison and horses)

MosaiCanada150 (Mother Earth)

MosaiCanada150 (locomotive)

Canada Aviation and Space Museum (Boeing Vertoe CH-113 Labrador)

Hiking in Parc de la Gatineau

Parliament building in Ottawa

~Anna

Eastern Trip -- Day 2

It felt very nice to sleep in until 8:00 after a late night!  We had a breakfast of waffles, muffins, and juice, then drove back to the falls to see them in daylight.  They were just as amazing!  We parked away from the falls and crowds, then walked about a mile to get to a great place to take more photos.  We also bought tickets for the Journey Behind the Falls, which takes you down an elevator to several passageways that go behind or right next to the crashing water.  Mist sprayed down on our faces and hair; it was so fresh-smelling and beautiful!  We spent the morning enjoying that, then proceeded on toward Ottawa.  We stopped for fuel and a late lunch (tuna wraps, chips, a cheese stick, and strawberry-watermelon juice) around 3:00, arriving in our Holiday Inn in Ottawa just before 7:00.  My parents are celebrating their 28th wedding anniversary today, so after cleaning up, we walked to a nearby French restaurant, St. Martha's Brasserie d'Orleans.  Everything was delicious and so artfully arranged.  I had Coq au Vin, chicken braised in white wine and served with potatoes, baby carrots, and Brussel sprouts.  Dessert was almost too beautiful to eat, and we each ordered something different so we could have a taste of everything -- Crème brûlée, Pavé au chocolat (a dark chocolate ganache with caramel sauce, orange zest, and almond brittle), Pouding chomeur (maple pudding cake with maple cream sauce), and tarte au citron (a lemon tart with
Chantilly cream, pistachios, and a raspberry sauce).  Everything was very delicious and a nice way to 
celebrate my parents' anniversary.

This scow almost went over the falls in August 1918.

Water approaching the falls.

Journey Behind the Falls (my parents)

Journey Behind the Falls view

Matthew and I stand with the falls behind us.

~Anna

Eastern Trip -- Day 1

Hello, everyone!

I am writing from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on the second evening of our nine-day summer road trip to the east.  This is such a special getaway since the last "real" summer vacation all four of us took was to the Grand Canyon in 2009!  Matthew and I both took college classes over the summer, and before they start up for the fall semester, we decided to get away for a long-awaited, much-deserved adventure.  I did not blog yesterday, even though it was the first day of the trip, so this post is for Friday, August 11.  We were up just before 6:00 to do final packing and loading of the car, pick up my dad from work, grab some breakfast at Panera on the way out (blueberry bagel and an iced coffee!), and then just check off mile after mile on our way to Niagara Falls (the Canadian side).  We stopped briefly in Illinois at 11:45 for fuel and to get lunch ready (we take lunch fixings with us on summer trips since it saves so much time, money, and our health!) -- almond butter on an English muffin, blueberries, a few other snacks, and water.  Unfortunately, there was a ton of road work in Indiana and Michigan, leading to closed lanes and super-backed-up traffic.  Nothing we could do about it other than wait and enjoy the beautiful forests and farm fields!  We crossed the Canadian border near Point Edward, Ontario, and stopped for fuel and supper shortly afterwards.  When in Canada...you have to partake of Tim Horton's at least once, so we did!  Grilled cheese sandwich, potato wedges, water, and a sinfully delicious s'mores donut wrapped up the day's meals, and then I drove (first time ever in Canada even though it's far from my first visit!) all the way to our Howard Johnson Express motel in Niagara Falls.  It was late (11:00 P.M.), but we had arrived safely!  Since the falls are illuminated at night, we decided to drive just a few minutes from the motel to see them.  The thundering water, mist on your face, crisp night air, and every shade of illumination made for an incredible ending to the first day.  I was even satisfied with a few of the many pictures I took; it's not easy to capture a good one at night!  We enjoyed them for awhile before returning to the hotel for showers and a very-welcome bed at 1:00 A.M.

Niagara Falls at night

~Anna