Texas Ranger Museum, and Dr. Pepper Museum -- Mum & Dad Visit Texas – March 2007 (Part 3)

DAY FIVE:  Monday, 2 April 2007

With a good breakfast in us, which helped pass some of the time of the morning rush hour traffic, we headed north on Interstate 35 to the city of Waco.  The first target in mind was the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.  We weren’t really sure where it was, other than it was “off of the interstate” according to the Visitor’s Center.  It ended up being rather hard to miss.

Most people know the Texas Rangers either from that chap who yelled “Hi Ho Silver!” or more recently from Chuck Norris.  The complex was designed both to show the history of them enforcing the law out on the range, to their actions during Prohibition fighting gangsters, and more modern actions, as well as noting the achievements of specific individuals.  I really liked the exhibit on what was done to bring in Bonnie & Clyde.  It was getting near lunch when we’d seen just about everything there, so it made sense to locate some food before heading on our next target for the day.

You’re always going to some odd people and ghouls show up no matter where you are.  When we’d been at the Visitor’s Center, and people who’d gone in right before us wanted to know where the Branch Davidian compound was (or where it had been before the Feds burned it up).  We could tell the lady at the Visitor’s Center had to deal with this question many times, and she handled it well, even though she looked exasperated when she mentioned that’s not a normal tourist destination (and it’s private land to begin with).

Whenever you go some place which isn’t your normal stomping ground, always ask the locals where’s a good place to eat.  Sure you’re going based on what they define as good, but it’s a fun way to find something you may not normally find.  Our directions sent us some out-of-the way location which had really good brisket sandwiches.  With our bellies filled, we made out way to the Dr. Pepper Museum.

This building housed the Dr. Pepper manufacturing and bottling from it’s inception until it was acquired by the Coca-Cola family.  For me, this was a holy pilgrimage, considering how much of the stuff I drank.  The kids I played “Vampire: The Masquerade” with back in Queensbury (NY) said if they cut open my veins, I’d bleed Dr. Pepper because I drank so much of it.

The museum showed a lot of old logos, truck which were used to deliver the stuff during the turn of the (previous) century, and soda fountains where “soft drinks” were served.  It was also interesting to see the old television commercials back from the 1970s where people were dancing down the street signing “I’m a pepper, you’re a pepper.”  I’m not sure what was funnier, the ads or the then-current fashions people were wearing.

There were about four floors filled with lots of different stuff, and since there was hardly any one there, we were able to take our time going through looking at the exhibits.  The fourth floor had a nice stained-glass picture of Waco, with the logo for the Museum.  At the conclusion of the tour, we went to “soda fountain” where we could sample many variations of Dr. Pepper.  In addition to the regular cane sugar recipe (the “Dublin Dr. Pepper”), we could get floats or milkshakes made with DP, or even variations with “flavour shots” added to.  There was so much to drink, I knew I couldn’t do it all in one visit.  I would have to come back here at some time in the future to enjoy this further.

On the way back from Waco, we got off the interstate in Round Rock, and took some time to show Mum & Dad why this city is named what it is.  In the middle of what is known as Brushy Creek sits a squat, circular-shaped stone.  It quite literally a “round rock.”  It’s placement in the middle of the creek served as a way to gauge the depth of the water, and if it was safe for the wagons to cross.

You can also see the ruts of the wagon wheels that make tracks in the creek bottom, some one-hundred years earlier.  I found it very interesting that natural erosion hadn’t erased all traces of these.  The settlement which grew up around this area was initially called “Brushy Creek,” but it was changed a few years later to “Round Rock,” probably because more people knew it by the latter.

Right near the “round rock” was a small park with statues of steers and settlers who used this crossing point.  Of course I had to have some fun with them.  We walked a bridge which took us over to a larger city park on the other side of the interstate, and then came back “up river” to a small falls which fed the creek.

We then returned home for a nice dinner and some more relaxing time, as Mum & Dad would have to catch a plane for the next leg of their journey.  For Lee and I, it was back to work.  Short vacations like this sometimes do wonders to recharge the mental batteries, especially when you spend the time with family. 

More information on the places we visited can be found at:

            Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum:  www.texasranger.org

            Dr. Pepper Museum:  drpeppermuseum.com

            The Crossing (Round Rock):  www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=1529

*** 30 ***

Fredericksburg -- Mum & Dad Visit Texas – March 2007 (Part 2)

DAY THREE:  Saturday, 31 March 2007

When Mum & Dad had come down to visit the first time (back in March 2003), we’d finished our trip to Johnson City be driving just a little further westward to Fredericksburg, now we’d explore the city proper.  The drive out was very nice, and we passed the little restaurant near Johnson City that Mum liked a lot.  It’s called Hill Country Cupboard, and the sign says it has the “world’s best chicken-fried steak.”  It must be so, because the sign also says “nearly three dozen sold.”  Back in 2003, it was still “nearly three dozen sold,” too.

Once we arrived in Fredericksburg, what we thought was a single World War II museum was actually three different parts.  One was devoted to Admiral Chester Nimitz (who was born in Fredericksburg), one was sculpture garden with a lot of plaques dealing with those who served, and the last part was a recreation of a World War II-era battlefield (called the “Pacific Combat Zone”).  Additionally, there was a museum dedicated solely to the Pacific Ocean portions of the War which was in the process of being built.  As that wasn’t close to completion yet, we knew there’d be something for us to come back to another time.

We started with the Nimitz Museum, which was interesting in itself, as it focused specifically on the life of the man who became the great Admiral.  We didn’t spend much time in there, not because the exhibits weren’t interesting, but it was a nice day to be outside.  We decided that we’d work on the sculpture garden for a bit, and then head down to the battlefield recreation (as that had shows set to start at specific times).

In addition to the tranquil Zen-like Japanese Garden of Peace, there were many plaques showing ships and air groups which had taken part in the Pacific campaign (like the U.S.S. Saratoga, which had that hometown connection).  One of the most interesting things was the Ring of Presidents.  This was a picture of the past ten Chief Executives (starting with George H.W. Bush, and working backwards) who had all served in some capacity during World War II.

We were told the Pacific Combat Zone was only a “short distance” down one of the side streets, so it made sense to walk it.  The map they gave us was misleading, as it ended up being three blocks over, then four more down.  Had we realized that, we would’ve just driven over, and by the time we figured it, it just made sense to continue forward.  I didn’t mind walking, as it was extra miles on my pedometer, but this was not Mum & Dad had been expecting.

At the entrance to the Pacific Combat Zone was a replica of Little Boy.  As I stood in front of it, and showed that it was far longer than my spread-out arms, that gave a sense of how massive of a bomb this would’ve been with conventional ordnance.  Once we went inside the main building, there was a PT Boat, and light-show which simulated the sights and sounds of shelling.

Exiting the main building to the main grounds of the battlefield recreation, a guided tour showed us a Japanese tank, machine gun placement, and one of the pre-fab hospital buildings the Americans used during the campaign, among other pieces of equipment scattered about.  There were even empty shell casings embedded in the walking path.  It was more of a walking tour outside, which was a little exhausting after trekking the number of blocks we did to get here.

Once we’d seen what we’d wanted to at the Pacific Combat Zone, everyone else waited as I walked back to where we’d parked so I could just drive over to get everyone.  When we’d driven out here, Mum had noticed the number of wineries here, so we stopped at one on the way back so her and Lee could do some wine tasting together.  Dad and I watched them sample the various types.  I caught them trying to sneak some extra glasses from a giant cask also.

We ended the evening with dinner at Texas Land & Cattle, which was one place Mum & Dad liked to go when they were here. 

DAY FOUR:  Sunday, 1 April 2007

Today was just a day to hang at the house, as Mum we didn’t need to be doing something every day.  She was right, but I do like to be able to get out and about doing stuff.  Besides playing around in the back yard, the main thing we did today was to go to one Mum’s other favourite restaurants in Austin.  Located off of Barton Springs, we’d discovered Shady Grove back on Mum & Dad’s first visit back in March 2003.  It was a nice place we’d gone a number of times since.

No fooling, we really didn’t do much today.  There were a couple things in mind that we still wanted to do, but we thought he could logically hit them the next day when most people would be at work.  Besides, tomorrow would be Mum & Dad’s last full day here, as on Tuesday they’d be heading on to Tampa to continue their vacation. 

More information on the places we visited can be found at:

Hill Country Cupboard:  hillcountrycupboard.com

Nimitz Museum:  www.realestate-herber.com/nimitz-museum.php?fredericksburg-museum

Pacific Combat Zone:  www.fredericksburg-texas.com/cwt/external/wcpages/wcevents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=4866

            Shady Grove:  www.theshadygrove.com

Mount Bonnell, and Star of the Republic Museum -- Mum & Dad Visit Texas – March 2007 (Part 1)

DAY ONE:  Thursday, 29 March 2007

My parents came for a few days, as opposed to a full week the last time they were here.  This time they would be heading on to Florida after leaving Austin, so they had a full schedule here.  Instead of getting a hotel room, it made more sense to have them sleep in the front room, the one Aislynn uses when she stays over.  Ignoring the fact that it’s cheaper, it’ll give more quality time.  Instead of having to take them back to hotel when they’re ready to turn into pumpkins, and meeting them once they’ve gotten ready in the morning, we’ll be able to socialize for some extra time.  With that in mind, there was no need for them to get a rental either, as we’d just chauffeur them.

As with the earlier visits, Mum figured out some places she wanted to see, and I had a couple of suggestions to take them too.  She did make the comment that we don’t always have to be doing something, which is true.  But we can chit-chat in the car on the way to someplace just as easily as we can hanging out at the house.  After getting Mum & Dad at the airport, the day was cloudy and over-cast.  That also meant it wasn’t too hot or humid either, so it made sense to hike up Mount Bonnell.

Located in the middle of Austin, it provides an excellent view of both the Austin skyline and the Colorado River (which becomes Town Lake, as it intersects the city).  Driving up to where it’s located is an adventure in itself, as the roads have steep hills and sharp curves, and this is all residential.  Once you reach the point where you can pull off and park, there’s a series of steps which will take you to the top of its 780 foot elevation.  Not very high for northern New Yorkers, but it is the highest point in Austin.  Looking upriver, you can see the large number of wealthy homes on this waterfront property.  The various dams along the upper sections of the Colorado River (like Mansfield Dam my parents visited on their very first trip here in 2003) help manage the water levels to cut down on flooding.

Because of the haze in the sky, the visibility was poor.  While the skyline of Austin was visible, it wasn’t very clear.  There are something like sixteen places on the outer edges of the city which you’re supposed to have an unobstructed view of the dome of the state capitol.  In this shot, you can see it on the far left, as well as the Fortress of Solitude-like design of the Frost Tower, and a bunch of other buildings whose names I can’t recall.  But considering Mum & Dad were in transit all day, this was all the excitement they could for today.  After a nice dinner, and some social time, they crashed out so they could have the energy to explore tomorrow.

DAY TWO:  Friday, 30 March 2007

            When Mum & Dad came to visit Austin the very first time, they went to the Bob Bullock Museum.  There were a lot of exhibits on the Independence of Texas, which they found fascinating reading.  And as many of those places are within day trips of Austin, Mum & Dad have wanted to hit them one or two at a time on their trips down.  After going south to hit Gonzales last time, this time we’d be going east.  In the vicinity of Navasota (where the Texas Ren Faire is held) is a place which has the distinction of being called the “birthplace of Texas.”

This is named such because the site used to contain a town named Washington which was located along the Brazos River, which was to be the capitol of the Republic of Texas back in 1836.  The town was sacked by the advancing Mexican army after all the residents fled.  Once independence was gained, the capitol was later moved to present-day Austin.  The county which this area was in was named Washington to honour it, even though there was pretty much nothing left of the original capitol.  (As Argyle is located in Washington County, New York, we all got a little amusement out of this.)  What is left of the grounds where Washington once stood was created into a historical park.

Most of the park is a bunch of dirt paths laid out in a grid, with the remains of a few foundations.  As this was supposed to be the capitol, it’d had been marked out for future growth.  Also on the grounds was the Star of the Republic Museum which gave a lot of information of the War for Texas Independence, and the historical figures involved.  The Museum was also filled with lots of artifacts, clothes, and room re-creations to show what life was like during the period.  One of the things which was really interesting about the Museum was it was in the shape of a star.

After there, we drove over to nearby Brenham, where Lee’s mom (and her husband) had come out to meet us.  Brenham had a display of large eggs scattered all over the city, each with a different design.  These were similar to the ones we’d seen in other places (the horses in Saratoga Springs, NY, and the guitars in Austin).  It was a nice afternoon as the families got to spend time with each other.

Once we’d wandered around Brenham a bit (having fun going into the random stores and such), Lee’s parents headed back to Houston, and we returned to Austin.  We couldn’t stay away too long, as there were three dogs waiting at home to be let out of their houses to do business.  With the pooches taken care of, the rest of the evening was relaxing.

More information on the places we visited can be found at:

Washington on the Brazos:  birthplaceoftexas.com

##  30  ###

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory -- Dave & Lee Visit New York State – August 2006 (Part 4)

DAY SEVEN:  Friday, 11 August 2006

Our day started very early today, because we had a long drive ahead of us, and I wanted to get to the destination as soon as possible to maximize the time we’d spend there.  Although things in the northeast are relatively close to each other, not everything is connected by a nice highway system, or even direct roads.  As our destination was in central Vermont, we’d have to take what seemed to be a round about way to get there, even though that was the most direct.  I’d MapQuested this before leaving home, so we’d have an idea of how long it would take.  Today was the destination that Lee wanted to go.  We’d be leaving New York State for the Green Mountains of Vermont, and a specific little ice cream factory.

There was no direct route, and I think we got there just before 10 am, so we made pretty decent time.  Lee commented that she knew when she entered Vermont, because not only were the mountains greener, but the “air was different.”  She said she was having some difficulty in catching her breath.  Okay, the Green Mountains might take one’s breath away, but I think it was more of a change in altitude that she wasn’t use to.

The Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory can be found off Interstate 89, about half-way between Montpelier and Burlington.  On the route I plotted, I considered taking the Northway to Keesville, use the ferry to cross Lake Champlain to Burlington, and then cruise down that way.  I decided to give Lee a chance to see a different set of mountains, because there was a second stop we’d be making in Vermont after this, and the Northway was going to be the way we were coming back (when I expected it to be after dark).  No, let’s enjoy the scenery while there’s some natural light.  From Argyle, we went to Whitehall (NY), crossed into Vermont, and took Route 4 to Rutland.  From there, we headed towards Stockbridge, and then went north on a country route which would take us right to Waterbury, where Ben & Jerry’s was located.  This also allowed Lee to look at the ski resorts of the area, and generally got a good look at the Green Mountains.

The entire factory is probably the size of an elementary or middle school, so it’s really not that big, but it houses everything.  The tour started with a show about the history of how the company got founded, then we were walked around to see the actual ice cream making process.  There were only two extruder-type machines to produce all the flavors, and each machine was tooled for a particular batch.  After making a million pints or so, the machine was thoroughly cleaned, and then set for the next batch.  All Ben & Jerry’s ice creams are a base of chocolate or vanilla, it’s just what gets injected into it.  From there, we went into an area which showed all the various products they had, and got to try some of the new flavors that were in the testing phase.

Certain flavors were more popular than others, or had greater impact.  Those had specific displays.  One specific was for the flavor I liked the best, which was Phish Food.  At the conclusion of the tour, we also got a small dish of ice cream to enjoy, and had fun picking up some stuff at the gift shop.  When you’re flying home, there’s limited quantities of stuff you can bring back.  Much of the items they had there had the cow silhouettes which are part of their logo and décor.  Even the picnic area had all the tables painted in that particular white and black pattern.

Like any business, new products get developed all the time, and some products either just don’t do well, are meant to be a limited run, or get retired for other reasons.  Ben & Jerry’s being founded by hippies meant they decided to have some fun with it.  All the products which they no longer produced were memorialized in the Flavor Graveyard.  On the hill overlooking the factory was a fenced-off area, and each flavor no longer produced had its own headstone.  The headstones had the pint covers, the year the flavor was in production, and a little limerick about it.  I had shed a tear for Rainforest Crunch, as that was Cara’s favorite, and I noted that in my novel’s original draft with the character I based on her.  Lee had to honor Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz Buzz, as that had been her flavor of choice.

When we’d done everything we could at Ben & Jerry’s, we then hopped on Interstate 89 to Burlington, and then shot north for Grand Isle.  Part of the plan, as we were going to be relatively close by was to drop in on Glen and Amy Stegner, old friends of mine from the college days at SUNY Plattsburgh (which ironically, wasn’t too far from here).  Taking the bridge across Lake Champlain to Grand Isle gave Lee a chance to look at this deep murky lake, but no site of the creature that is supposed to dwell within.

After dinner with the Stegner’s, and a lot of catching up of old times, it was time for us to head back to Argyle.  We picked up a ferry to get us back to New York, and after feeding the car in Plattsburgh, we hauled ass back to Mum & Dad’s.  It had been a long day in the car, and we wanted to get one more good night’s sleep in before we’d have to fly back to Texas.  We had one more day in New York to enjoy though.

DAY EIGHT:  Saturday, 12 August 2006

Today we packed our bags, so we would’ve have to do it tomorrow morning when we were trying to make an early flight out of Albany.  A pavilion had been set up in the back yard the previous day, with a large number of picnic tables, so we could have a gathering of friends and family.  It was very much like the departure party I had back in 2002, but this was a chance to see people I hadn’t been able to see on other trips.  Of course, when you get large numbers of the McWhorter’s together, strange antics are bound to happen.  For example, a picture of a squirrel was posted in a place for all to see, and we made comments about that.

During the time there, the temperature had dipped down to the mid 70s, so most of us were wearing shorts and t-shirts.  Lee had her hoodie on and wondered why we were cold.  Lee showed restraint in one amusing moment.  Donna had been talking about how when she’d done to Houston to visit her sister who lived near Corpus.  Donna made the comment that seeing Houston was nice, but she wanted to see “the real Texas.”  Houston is one of the three largest cities in Texas, you can’t get much more real than that.  I think what Donna had meant was she wanted to see of the “cowboy” areas, which were out in the western parts if the state (and was what most people think of when they think of Texas).  Now to put Donna’s phrase in perspective, it would be like Lee having said that all this time she spent in New York State, she didn’t see New York City.

The afternoon was filled with a lot of good conversation, and maintaining connections which those I hadn’t gotten to see in a while.  Lee also had fun being introduced to everyone, and they looked forward to seeing in many future engagements.  This was also one of the few times that a number of my friends’ had been in the same location since my departure party.  Jeff tried to look as innocent as possible, and Shawn supervised, as Jer and John decided to have some fun at my expense.

Eventually the part wound down, and goodbyes were said.  We got treated to one final pretty sunset.

The next morning, we made our way down to Albany, turned in our rental vehicle, and had a nice flight back to Austin.  It was a great ending to a fun week we had, essentially the first vacation Lee and I spent together.  It was a very enjoyable time in New York, and especially how Lee got to see some of the places which helped form who I am today.  I look forward to bringing her back to New York and showing her more.

*** 30 ***

Fort William Henry, Boat Tour of Lake George -- Dave & Lee Visit New York State – August 2006 (Part 3)

DAY FIVE:  Wednesday, 9 August 2006

I’d been on vacations before where everything had been planned out, and I essentially ended up just being a tag-a-long on something which was advertised to me as an “our trip.”  I made sure that wouldn’t be the case, as I wanted this to be as much Lee’s trip as it was mine.  There was one specific thing she wanted to do, and that was worked into the plan.  The plan which I speak of was based on when specific people would be free.  There were specific people which, in order to maintain tradition, I needed to see on Wednesday.  Hence it made sense to take the all-day trip to Blue Mountain Lake yesterday, and the next all-day trip on Friday.

Today, we’d stay in the area to experience Glens Falls.  We went to The Hyde Collection to see all the various Italian and French antiques and paintings which were available.  We had lunch at Giovanni’s Pizza, where I had one of my old standbys, a BBQ chicken pizza stick.  Lee wondered how I could eat something so greasy.  I did have to keep in mind my diet had much in improved since arriving in Texas, so I generally avoided food with high grease contents.  This was just a treat for me.  We also were able to go to the landing platform to get a view of Cooper’s Cave.  That was something I’d looked forward to, as that had only recently been opened.

After lunch, we headed back up to Lake George to take advantage of what was available there.  I’d previously told Lee we’d wander around there not on a weekend, when there would be less tourists to deal with.  Since we’d just visited Cooper’s Cave (which was featured in Last of the Mohicans), it made sense to head on to Fort William Henry, as it was also featured in that story.  We had a nice tour of the Fort, and enjoyed soaking in the history of the place.

Near the Fort was the miniature golf course, so we needed to play a game.  Miniature golf (called “put-put” in Texas) was something I did a lot on this course, so I wanted to be able to share that memory with Lee.  Even though I have fun playing the game, Lee thought I was taking it too seriously.  I wanted to have as good of a game as possible, so I saw that as challenging myself.  One of the holes on the “Around the United States” course focused on Texas (and even had a sign for Austin).

The hole for the Texas one was on an incline, and the trick was hitting hard enough to get up the hill, but gentle enough that you could use the Austin sign to bounce back towards the hole.  Lee succeeded in getting a hole in one there.  She made sure to bust my chops about it by saying I was stuck in San Antonio, as I had some difficulty in getting the proper shot.  It really didn’t matter, because we had fun on the course, and walking the boardwalk by the lake.

Once it hit in the afternoon, it was time for the Wednesday-specific meeting.  Inez Lord had opened her home up to her son’s gamer friends, and it became an extended family of mine.  Whenever I came into New York to visit, I always made sure to swing by and visit.  Even though not all of the old gaming group were still around, whoever was in the area would still show so we could hang out a bit.  It ended up being another evening of catching up.

DAY SIX:  Thursday, 10 August 2006

Today would be another trip with Mum & Dad in tow, and be relatively close by today.  Sure it is nice to be able to spend time with them and do things with the immediately family, but I wanted to make sure Lee had her enjoyable time too.  A plan was made for us to have dinner with Dean & Laurie that night, as this was the only night they’d be free.  That meant the big day trip that was to be done as “Lee’s special request” would have to be done on Friday.

Not to sound repetitive, but today we’re returning to Lake George.  The focus would be to take a boat tour around the lake, which is something I don’t recall ever actually doing.  So this would be a treat for me as well as for Lee.  We had our choice of boats and tours, but we decided on the specific one we wanted, got our tickets, and boarded the Minne-Ha-Ha.

Since the day was nice, we were able to sit outside on the deck.  It was going to be noisy no matter where we sat, so we chose to sit in the middle, near the covered section.  The clouds looked like they might want to rain, so that’d put us close to shelter if we needed it.  During the trip we got to pass other boats which gave tours on the lake.

Our tour went up the east side of Lake George, which was more sparsely populated.  While there were homes and camps along the shore, it was more nice to see the unspoiled wilderness which came right up to the shore (or in some cases, the rocky cliffs).  Each little section had a name, and a little tale about.  One section we got to watch some high-schoolers (or perhaps college-aged kids) jump off a rocky ledge into the water about twenty or thirty feet below.  The people I knew that had grown up in Lake George had probably done that when they were young, just like so many before them.

We reached a certain point on the lake (close to Bolton Landing), and the boat made a wide-arc to work its way back southward.  Past this section, as we looked northward, it was nice to see the forested mountains off in the distance.  This is one of the things I like the best about the Adirondack Park, the terrain is so beautiful.  Living in Texas I don’t miss the New York weather, but I do miss the scenery.

Heading back south now, we passed the Sagamore resort.  That’s where a particular graduate of Lake George High School worked in the kitchen during the time she was hosting cooking segments on one of the local TV stations out of Albany.  This perky local girl has gone on to make it big nationally, and she comes back to the Sagamore every now and then to recall her roots.  While the region refers to her as “the local girl who’s done good,” most know here as Rachel Ray.

The western side of Lake George is a bit more commercialized, but it was no-less nice to see.  At one point, the tour guide pointed out a particular mountain where you could drive to the top of.  Yes, that was Prospect Mountain which we’d gone up a few days earlier.  The shot I took of Prospect from the boat should contrast nicely with the shot I took earlier of Lake George from the top of the mountain.

After the tour had concluded, we stopped to get a snack on the boardwalk area.  We then returned to Argyle to hang out a bit before it was time for dinner.  Once Dean and company arrived, we enjoyed a nice family gathering at the Anvil Inn, located in historic Fort Edward.  The Anvil used to be a blacksmith shop a couple hundred years earlier, and much of the original structure can still be seen.  I believe it was a few decades ago, the building was restored and turned into a restaurant.  It’s been a restaurant for as long as I can remember.  More recently, it’d been purchased by one of my former high school classmates, who continues to operate it.

Back home, we got treated to a fabulous summer sunset.  Looking westward off of my parents’ patio, the clouds had a pink tint which the camera limitations can only partially capture.  Once the sun was down, and as there were even numbers, the girls faced the guys in a game of MOLO.  The name is an acronym for Mum’s relatives which created this back when she was a little girl.  You have ten small beanbags which get cast into a nine-hole grid, each with different point values.  I know this wasn’t the original MOLO set, but a recent recreation (not sure who by).  It’s been set-up in the family area of the basement for a number of years, and has been very popular during gatherings.  Lee and Dean were the weak links on the teams during the many rounds which were played.  It didn’t matter who won, because we had fun doing it.

###  30  ###

Champlain Canal, and Saratoga Racetrack -- Dave & Lee Visit New York State – August 2006 (Part 2)

DAY THREE:  Monday, 7 August 2006

Today, Mum and Dad were going to travel with us, as we showed Lee some other historical highlights of the area, the Champlain Canal system.  Mum & Dad had spent a lot of time travelling up and down the canal with Patti & Bill, so they were quite familiar with it.  Because it’d been many years since I’d gotten to spend any time around the historical sections of the canal, it was nice to enjoy being a tourist (so to speak) in the very area that I grew up.

The canal was constructed in order to a means of commerce to the parts of the state north of Albany.  (Another major canal system, the more famous Erie Canal stretches west from Albany all the way to Buffalo.)  As the elevation changes, there are a series of locks in place which can raise or lower the water level as needed to allow travel to the next section of the canal.  I’m sure it’s a good type of flood control, too.

Once the road became better improved to allow motor transportation (as opposed to horse-drawn vehicles), use of the canal system was greatly reduced.  Somewhere along the way, someone got the bright idea to use the canal system for pleasure craft.  It’s been a great attraction ever since.  In the process of travelling down to see all the various locks, we probably crossed the bridges over the canal a half-dozen times or so.  There was a method to our madness, as we ended the journey in Saratoga Springs.

We had lunch at a nice restaurant known as The Olde Bryan Inn.  It was a special treat for Lee, as the Bryan name was part of her family.  While I don’t recall the exact history, the Bryan family lived in this very house back in 1773.  At some point, the residence got converted into an actual “public house” (a “pub”), with some rooms which travelers could stay in.  During the years, it was updated to fir the times.  Eventually, it was restored to its original look and made into a restaurant.

One of the nice things about Saratoga (and this section of New York in general) is the large quantity of buildings that have lasted through the trials of history, and now been preserved for future generations to enjoy.  Of course Texas has its own share of historical buildings too, just not as old as the ones here.  That’s not a slight on Texas’ part, just the fact that the European colonization and early American history just happened on the east coast first.

From there, we walked down to the City Park to see a carousel which Mum remembered from her childhood, and generally looked at the nice plants and fountains.  Once of the things Lee found interesting was the chipmunks running around.  I never thought much of these little brown tree rodents, but you don’t find them in Texas.  Lee tried to get a picture of one, but none of the tiny bastards would stand still long enough.

As we walked down the streets, we noticed there were a bunch of horse statues all over the place.  Due to the horse-racing tracks which operate all through the month of August in Saratoga (and have for about a hundred years), it’s really not that surprising to see them.  I didn’t recall seeing them before.  Mum mentioned they were a relatively recent addition.  There were a couple dozen statues scattered throughout the city, each one different.  Some had funky crazy patterns, and some looked more natural.

Perverting just about anything I can get my hands on, I had to have fun with one as we went by.  There were some people working in the street, and I asked to borrow their shovel for a photo opportunity.  Lee’s comment was that we had to pay for the trip somehow.

We made our way to the Saratoga Racetrack, and got to see some of the horses being walked around.  None of us were big into that sport, so we had no need to go inside the track itself.  There was a racing museum on site which was of more interest.  It was filled with the history of horse racing which had taken place here.  It was very informative, and had lots of exhibits.

One of the things they had there was a jockey simulator.  Sit upon a mechanical horse and feel what it’s like to be a jockey.  I like trying weird things, so why not.  I felt stupid putting on their racing helmet and flak vest, but that was for “safety reasons” if you fell off it.  I knew this would jerk me around a bit, but nothing like the intensity of those mechanical bulls in those seedy country-western bars.

I think the ride (using the term loosely) was only about five minutes long, but it was enough to screw up my knee.  My knee had been kind of squirrelly for a while, and my regular walking had helped make it better.  But every now and then, it would spasm out on my, so I had the foresight not only to bring my knee-brace with me on the trip, but it was in the car today.  After being shaken, not stirred, I needed it, so Lee went out to the car to get it.  As not to be the only one who was abused that day, Mum decided to try her hand at it too.  She was only on it for about a minute before she’d had enough.

We then headed over to Ballston Spa to a little establishment called The Whistling Kettle for some tea and scones.  Mum and Lee enjoyed having some tea together.  Once we returned to Argyle, Lee and I headed out for dinner at one of my old haunts when I was a Glens Falls resident … Davidson’s Brothers brew pub.  Some of the people from Tribune were suppose to meet us there, but wires got crossed and only Keri showed.  Still, it was a great evening catching up. 

DAY FOUR:  Tuesday, 8 August 2006

Today was a trip to something to give Lee some history of the Adirondack region, Blue Mountain Lake Museum.  Located within the Adirondack Park, about half-way to Lake Placid, I first recall Mum & Dad stopping by there on the way back from the camp once.  I went up there in the mid 90s, and then again in the later 90s, and noticed how much it had changed between my visits.  From the pictures I recall Mum took, there appeared to have been more to see on the later ones.  Since we all hadn’t been there together, I thought it would make a nice day trip.  Immediately we noticed how much had been expanded and added since our prior visits.  Lee was too busy enjoying the majestic view of the lake this area was named after.  Can’t say that I blame her.

The major structure (past the visitor’s center) used to be an in during the mid-1800s, where people from New York City would “come north” to be re-invigorated by the mountain air.  Much of the museum was designed to show what life was like for the people living in that time, and what they did to enjoy themselves.  One of the things was a “stilt”-like pole which would help you’re your balance.  Mum seemed to be the best at this, while I able to do it in a very ungraceful manner.  Dad ended up being good at the wooden hula-hoop.

Within the visitor’s center was the main portion of the museum with displays about prospecting and surveying in the mountains here, the saw mills, and the transportation which was used.  One “winter taxi” (for lack of a better term) was a sleigh with many rows of seats and lots of fur blankets.  As I grew up experiencing the biting cold of the New York mountains, it’s hard to imagine that people actually stayed warm in contraptions like this.  We just have to keep in mind that heating and cooling of homes was very different then, so people were better adjusted to the climate changes.

After going through some replicas of cabins and other mountain-dwelling structures, we saw there was one of the towers which was used to spot forest fires which could plague this heavily wooded region.

The tower obviously was safe for visitors to climb on, otherwise it would’ve been allowed, but it seemed like it was constructed from some re-purposed metal and thin wire mesh.  Lee had a healthy fear of heights, and quickly went back down the ladder when she realized the only thing between her and the ground was chicken-wire.  The rest of us went up to the top, and still tried to convince Lee that it was safe to come up, but were unsuccessful.

After we returned back to Argyle, Lee and I then headed out to O’Toole’s in Glens Falls in order to meet some old friends of mine from college.  It seemed appropriate to meet at this pub, as many nights after working at Tribune we ended up there.  It had been nearly a decade since I’d seen Jeremy Rosenthal, and this was the first chance I had to meet his wife Laura.  It ended up being a great evening of catching up.

###  30  ###