I titled this blog entry with a few lyrics from the song, "Push It," by rap duo, Salt-N-Pepa, because it actually defined what I did - I "pushed it real hard." Oooh, baby, baby.
Due to conflicting and busy schedules we only had a weekend to pack in some quality time and I'm pleased to say that we were able to squeeze a lot of fun things into that short time span.
Our first stop was to Sweet Spoons, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop. I witnessed several gummy worms, crushed Reeses bar, hot fudge, whipped cream and nuts being sprinkled over different flavored yogurts, but I stayed with my favorite - Salted Caramel Pretzel - sans toppings.
My Sweetie with Papa George.
Cooper
Summer
9/22 "Triumph - "umph," added to try. How appropos.
On Saturday, 9/22, we took a trip to "Go Ape," a ropes/adventure/zip line course. Although we opted for the Junior Course, it was still a challenge for my old and out-of-shape body. We all made it through and my fear of heights was averted, because instead of looking down, I kept looking ahead at how the kids and Joan were doing. For me, walking off the edge of a platform in the trees was the most difficult part, but the (too short) zip line ride was worth overcoming that "drop-off" fear. Like George warned me, the kids would have no fear. They ran off the platform...I hesitated, grabbed my rope tightly and slowly slid off. This is something I had been wanting to try and I'm so happy I pushed myself past my comfort zone to accomplish the deed.
The "Zippers" minus Summer (hiding behind the mascot).
Savannah and mommy, Joan
Monkeying around before the course.
I followed Joan throughout the course and was encouraged by her shirt!
"The Bird" and I.
Getting harnessed up and instructed.
Each checking our rope and pulley.
First victim, uh, participant, Summer.
Low, practice run.
Cooper starting off.
Joan and I thinking, "We got this." But forgot to look up at the real course.
Does anyone else see "What's wrong with this picture?"
Getting higher into the tall trees.
Jumping off the platform.
Joan, with me, bringing up the rear. Getting higher each obstacle.
One step at a time and two-stepping each board.
Our official certificate stating that we completed the course.
George holding a coupon - He was our photographer.
For Sunday, I had booked an Escape Room at Cipher Escape. Neither George or I had never done an escape room, but the kids have done a couple prior to this one. We were not successful in getting out of the room in time, but we solved several difficult clues on our own and got three hints that helped us get further, but in the end, it was too difficult of an escape room for us. Some of the clues were quite obscure and I don't think it was meant for their age level. But, it was a new experience that I will probably attempt again.
She loves to bake. Peppa Pig Cupcakes.
On Sunday night, we regrettably bid our farewells. Hurricane Florence caused schools to be closed for two days the week before, so instead of having a scheduled break, the kids needed to make up those missed days. We weren't sure of the route we would be taking home at this point either, because Interstate 95 southbound was closed from the exit we needed to access it well into South Carolina.
Luck was in our favor, because after planning an alternate route that would have added a whole extra travel day, I-95 reopened in the morning. We had smooth sailing the entire way. George got to "push it real good" on the ride back to our FL home with only one overnight stop.
We arrived safe and sound at Elite Resorts to find weeds bursting though our pavers and stones. With temps in the 90's, we will have our work cut out for us.
Deep thought for the day: When push comes to shove, I'd rather push myself - it's easier. ~vc
We arrived in Raleigh, NC on Thursday, September 20th with no problems to speak of, which was fortunate since we headed down in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. We were lucky to get a site at the Raleigh State Fairgrounds as it was already packed with Coastal Evacuees, First Responders and Insurance Adjusters.
This detour on our journey south is to get in some much-needed "Grand kid" Time with our North Carolina Crew. These kids are always doing fun and wonderful things with their family and friends, so I tried to think up some exciting things to do together with them. I chose two experiences I have never done, but have wanted to try. The first one is a visit to an "Escape Room." For those of you who don't know what that is, it's similar to the game, Clue, where you need to g a bunch of clues to solve the mystery that will get you the "Key" to get out. You get an allotted amount of time to accomplish the task in order to "Escape," or "Survive." They have done escape rooms before, so I feel quite confident that we will survive.
My beautiful inspirations. Cooper, Summer and Savannah.
The second adventure is a trip to a zip lining - ropes course. This is a "pushing it" activity for me as I'm afraid of heights. I booked the "Junior" course that is geared for first-timers and kids figuring that if a 5-year old can do it, so can I. George reminded me that 5-year-old kids have no fear, so I'm questioning my decision...but I will give it a try anyway. My three NC kids inspired me to go on a very high water slide on a Carnival Cruise Ship, so I'm depending upon them to help push me to new heights once again.
I've started a new "bucket list." This one consist of things I want to do before I collect Medicare - things that I may regret not trying before I'm too old to do them. I did see where a man jumped out of an airplane for his 100th birthday, so I guess it's never too late to attempt fate, but I can guarantee you this - skydiving is NOT on my bucket list.
Here is a link to the places we will go...("Oh, the places you will go...")
Cipher Escape, we're doing the "North Carolina Photo Hunt Escape."
So, let the fun begin with three kids who are growing up way too fast. Another item on my bucket list, "Do a third daring challenge with these three before they are all taller than me."
Deep thought for the day: This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Whenever I read it, I get chills:
“Come to the edge," he said. "We can't, we're afraid!" they responded. "Come to the edge," he said. "We can't, We will fall!" they responded. "Come to the edge," he said. And so they came. And he pushed them. And they flew.”
Revision in italics. No trip documentation is complete without including a photo of the cutest member of our trio, Lucy Lu. While we see the sights during the day, Lucy sleeps. When we return home, she entertains us and demands "lap" time and she divides herself between her mommy and her daddy, equally. She definitely enjoys spending time AT our destinations much more than the journey. Once we are settled in, she peers out the windows and takes in the all the sights. Sadly, she has lost her hearing, so she misses out on the sounds of new birds and outdoor activity.
There is something wonderful about coming home after a long day of sightseeing and being greeted by her laying under the dinette and meowing loudly as we enter. It's usually dinner time and she knows the time of day better than anyone who owns an iPhone, iWatch, Fitbit, Timex or Rolex.
On this journey, Lucy managed to add a sticker to her map of Veterinary Hospitals/Clinics/Vets that she has visited in her travels. I am very grateful for the apps, Yelp and Trip Advisor, since the reviews are helpful when deciding upon one vet over another. A further "Google" search provides me with even more reviews and information, thus allowing me to make as informed a decision as possible. This time, it was Dr. Campbell at the Watkins Glen Veterinary Hospital. He was a great vet and he provided her with an allergy shot with no hesitation after seeing all the medical history I brought in with me. Easy, this time.
Okay, for all of you "non-pet owners," I'll end here and just share a few of the photos that never made it into the previous blog entries.
Canadian Botanical Gardens - Butterfly Conservatory
A rare moment, "sleeping on her back."
I took this photo at the Aquarium in Niagara Falls, US side. I was angered at the ignorance of whoever is responsible for overseeing the flying of our flag that I uploaded a negative review of the aquarium on Yelp. When I worked at Hendrick Hudson School District's Buildings and Grounds Department, I became very familiar with American Flag Etiquette. What this photo depicts is, "How NOT to display the American Flag."
I took a screen shot of the proper way to display the US flag, but it is difficult to read, but here is what is wrong with this photo: First, it should have been hoisted on the center pole and second, it should have either have been a larger flag or flown higher than the other two flags. Had we been on the Canadian side, this would have been acceptable, but on the US side - a huge NO NO.
The exploration of a bit of Ontario, and Western and Central New York began on August 1st and it ended on the 21st. We spent countless hours on the road traveling from location to location, we ate at many different restaurants, we did things we had never done before and each juncture along the way introduced us to new experiences and unforgettable moments. I am truly grateful for these beautiful bits of time spent with my husband and our cat in our "move-able home."
Deep thought for the day: Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. ~ Buddha
The 4th stop of our Exploration of Western and Central New York State found us at Cool-Lea Campground just outside of Watkins Glen, NY and once again in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region.
Upon our arrival we were surprised to find Watkins Glen and surrounding towns under a State of Emergency due to heavy flooding from a recent stretch of torrential rains. Roads and bridges were collapsed or at risk for collapse and many homes were surrounded by water. Having survived flooding myself, my heart went out to the folks who would be piling up their damaged items for the insurance adjusters to evaluate. It's a sad feeling to lose precious belongings. Money can replace the necessities, but mementos and photos, while being the least expensive, are priceless gems that are gone forever. The video below shows the "water-fall" spillover in Montour Falls gushing water at a tremendous rate. Many people were stopping along the road to capture the site.
It was fortunate that we were booked at Cool-Lea, opposed to the nearby KOA, because they were preparing to evacuate
due to their close proximity to the overflowing banks of Lake Seneca.
Cool-Lea was a pretty, rustic, immaculately groomed park
situated directly on Cayuta Lake (not a Finger Lake). There were many seasonal RVs situated all
along the coastline and we were very happy to have a site poised at the top of a rise, well away from the encroaching water of the little lake. As we experienced throughout our entire journey, we found ourselves with a lack of cell service and extremely limited park WiFi.
That didn't bother me too much since I was able to get my final "fix" at a couple more wineries. We found a terrific store in town where I was able to find a great pair of Sketchers to wear on the Disney Trip. I am constantly looking for that perfect pair of "wonder shoes" - the shoes that are so comfortable you don't want to take them off. The Sketchers seem to be working fine so far. My feet are spoiled by 12 months inflip flops and sandals.
While walking through the cute town of Watkins Glen, I was able to snap two interesting photos....definitely unexpected and interesting.
The Smallest Diner
A 1956 Suburban Wagon.
One of my prerequisites for this trip was that we would NOT eat in any chain restaurants. We often ventured out in search of restaurants throughout the
Our dinner at Jerlando's.
State either with or without the help of Yelp and Trip Advisor. This time, without any assistance, George found a great place right in Watkins Glen, Jerlando's Pizza. It looked good from the outside and we were able to find a parking space, so Jerlando's it was. We were quite surprised to find the place packed with many locals and a short wait found us perusing an interesting menu. George opted for the pizza, which is always risky business whenever my cousin, Maurizio, is not creating one of his mouth-watering creations. The pizza, while very good, could not hold a candle to what we know pizza should taste like, but it sufficed in a pinch. My Steamed Clams were just okay, but my Caprese Salad was perfect.
The two wineries I got to visit here were Barnstormer and Lakewood. Both had highly rated wines worthy of adding to my growing collection. The Glen Iris Inn served the Lakewood wines so I was already familiar with them.
Lakewood was a large winery that offered indoor and outdoor tastings. We opted for the outside tasting, despite the heat, and were glad we did because the view of the vineyard was amazing. I didn't snap any photos at Lakewood, but we won't forget meeting the owner's dogs - two very wet chocolate brown labs who had just been hosed down due to the hot and humid day.
Barnstormer - nice tasting room
Barnstormer was a young winery who was just releasing their first red wine ever. It takes a vine five years to produce a "drinkable" wine. While their Cabernet Sauvignon was going to be amazing in about five years, I had to pass on getting a bottle. Living in an RV is not condusive to long-term wine storage. Naturally, I wouldn't leave empty-handed, so I opted for their tasty un-oaked Chardonnay that was crisp and light, and a Pinot Gris, again, light, but full of flavor.
Montour Falls
Lake Seneca from the south
As I was editing photos and uploading videos, I noticed that neither George or I had many photos of Lake George. The lack of pictures started in Watkins Glen and from that point on, except for the unforgettable one below, we will have to rely on what I write here.
Floating Tiki Bar on Lake George!
We stayed at King Phillips Campground in Lake George and it was another of many campgrounds that catered to seasonal campers. It was a nice, quiet place, close to the main drag (yet far enough away) and served the purpose of a place that provided full hook-ups and the place to come "home" to each night.
Lake George is a beautiful area. The lake is clean and provides a multitude of water sports like kayaking, jet skis, boating and parasailing. The restaurants have begun to scale back on their menu options and quality of food. Most provide lots of fried items, burgers and pastas. Even my favorite restaurant overlooking the lake, which at one time had been more "exclusive," downgraded to plastic silverware, paper plates and paper cups. No offers for free drink refills and help was either in short supply or lazy. The only thing they didn't scale back on were the prices.
A funny coincidence occurred when I received a text from friend, Kathy, who wanted to know if we were still in Croton, because she was walking her dog at the park and wanted to visit. When I told her we were up in Lake George, she texted back that she would be in the area the next day to bring her daughter to college. What a terrifically, unexpected surprise.
We decided to pick her up at her motel in Bolton Landing and take a chance at getting a table in that area on a Saturday night. Bolton Landing is a town just a bit north of Lake George where we discovered nicer restaurants and got much better quality food for the same price. So, on our next visit, I believe we would look for a campground closer to Bolton Landing to enjoy that quaint, little, less commercialized town.
The end of our journey began a day earlier due to the weather forecast that was predicting heavy rains the following day. Neither of us were disappointed - I think we were "away" long enough.
I'll end this adventure with an epilogue to follow in a future post.
Deep thought for the day: Expect the unexpected and when you least expect it, it will make your day (or night) exceptional. ~vc
For Sunday, I had booked an Escape Room at Cipher Escape. Neither George or I had never done an escape room, but the kids have done a couple prior to this one. We were not successful in getting out of the room in time, but we solved several difficult clues on our own and got three hints that helped us get further, but in the end, it was too difficult of an escape room for us. Some of the clues were quite obscure and I don't think it was meant for their age level. But, it was a new experience that I will probably attempt again.
