Fall Update: 9-5 through 11-5

For those of you that follow us from time to time, it has been a while since providing an update. As has been the habit, during the decreased time of travel we relax from posting information every three weeks and take a breather. Still, since leaving the Mid-Hudson River Valley we have experienced some things we’d like to record here.

Our contracted time at the Newburgh/New York City North KOA came to a conclusion near the end of September. We headed out on Monday morning, September 26. Yes, in a way, it was sad to leave. After all, the Mid-Hudson region is beautiful. As Byron always remarked, the river is wider and deeper than we imagined and the hills (mountain foothills) on rising on either side by several hundred feet give true meaning to the word “valley.” We enjoyed traveling throughout the area and felt we were leaving a part of ourselves behind. Even several members of the church we regularly attended wished us well and thanked us for making it our church home for the summer. Gardnertown United Methodist Church, though small, has a large heart.

We traveled through New Jersey and into Maryland to visit one of Martha’s aunts and uncles just north of Washington, DC near College Park. We parked at a very nice campground called Cherry Hill Park, which is also in College Park. We had stayed there two years ago and knew it to be a fine location. That it was less than three miles to the home of her relatives made it quite handy. This time, however, we didn’t have the time to experience all that Cherry Hill has to offer.

After leaving Cherry Hill, we headed out on Wednesday morning for the fall convention of GMC Motorhomes International. The club is one of the larger Family Motor Coach Association clubs. He has designed their convention graphics (two per year) since 2010. Though we no longer have a GMC motorhome we have retained our membership and do enjoy renewing friendships when able to attend. Since the fall meeting was in Mansfield, Ohio, we had a long day of travel ahead for us. It didn’t help that we encountered rain and two traffic accidents while leaving metropolitan DC during the morning drive time. We arrived at Mansfield in time to get settled and go to bed.

By the way, the graphic (shown above) features an image of the classic GMC motorhome. Having a GMC on the graphic is an unwritten requirement. Also shown are a state flag, an illustration of a Wright Brothers plane, a cardinal (state bird), and an image representing buckeyes and a leaf. Not so obvious, on the horizon, is a silhouette of the penitentiary used as the filming location of Shawshank Redemption.

On Monday, following the GMCMI convention, we returned to the Louisville area. For three weeks we stayed at Add-More RV Campground in Clarksville, IN which is about five miles north of the Ohio River and downtown Louisville, KY. Though the campground is far from being a four-star RV resort, it is very handy for us and the managers are familiar with us and seem to treat us with well. For sure, we are able to be among some mature oak trees for shade.

While in the Louisville area we got the opportunity to visit with daughter Candice and son Jeremy, which is always welcomed. We also visit our physicians and take care of other business essential to maintaining our residency in Kentucky. We also attended Sunday School and a service at St. Matthews Baptist Church and a worship experience at Highland Baptist Church. Highland’s pastor is Joe Phelps who performed our marriage ceremony in April of 2004.

As the end of October approached, it was time for us to “hit the road” and head toward Kissimmee where we spend the winter months. We first headed toward Fairfield, Illinois to visit with a few of Byron’s cousins at the home of Michael and Margery Simpson. They live across the street from the parking lot of Cumberland Presbyterian Church where we park the motorhome for a one-night visit.

We next journeyed to the home of Danny Songer, Byron’s brother, in Lone Oak, Kentucky just south of Paducah. The next day (Tuesday), we drove to Henry Horton State Park near Chapel Hill to spend the night in the campground. While there, we visited with Jacque Songer, Byron’s sister-in-law.

Back on the road again, we spent one night north of Atlanta at a KOA next to I-75 and one night just across the Florida line at Lake City RV Resort. On Friday, October  29, we arrived at Great Oak RV Resort in Kissimmee. The first order of business was to pressure wash the concrete parking pad and the attached patio. After it has dried, we then park the motorhome and start setting up. Then comes our walk through the resort with the dogs and checking on who has arrived and who has yet to come. This year it felt like “welcome home.”

So, we have “landed” in our winter surroundings. This will be our third season here. It will also be Byron’s third season of working at Walt Disney World in the Magic Kingdom. Martha was welcomed back to work Chick-fil-A where one of the managers remarked: “When she left, she took a part of our hearts with her. Now we’re whole again.”

Summer's End - 8/15 - 9/5

At Labor Day weekend we passed the three-quarter mark for our sojourn in the Mid-Hudson River Valley. Though the temperatures and humidity have been higher here than our location of a year ago (Wisconsin Dells), we have found it to be very tolerable making it a pleasant summer. Yes, there were a couple of weeks that we didn't get out much on our days off but, in general, it was cooler on us that had we been in our home state of Kentucky. We've also had much less rain than the Louisville area.

The biggest event of this reporting period was the brief trip back to Louisville for the wedding of Jeremy and Jody. It was something that likely would have never come about had it not been for the changing times in which we live.

Jeremy Songer (left) and Jody Caldwell (right) exchange vows

in a ceremony conducted Saturday evening, August 20, in the

presents of family, friends, and neighbors.

Jody and Jeremy each comment about the cake and

the joyful feelings the evening brought.

Our weekend began by driving to White Plains, which is on the eastern side of the Hudson just north of New York City. Since we weren't familiar with that airport, we figured we needed to plan to arrive two hours ahead of flight time. The White Plains airport, as we learned later, caters to business travelers since IBM's Armonk office is nearby. It doesn't cater to the general public. By that we mean that the ticket lobby, TSA security line, and waiting lobby were all be within 20 or 30 steps of each other. Even though there were two people ahead of us for the security scan when we arrived, getting through took less than ten minutes. (Later we found that the average is twelve minutes). Since the four gates all share the same lounge, the announcement of flights was funny. It went something like this. "We are now boarding flight 1234 for Atlanta. If you've not yet come through security, please do so now to avoid further delay." The announcement is made over two or three speakers since the space is so tight. In other words, there was no need to be at the airport more than twenty minutes before boarding. That was quite a change from the procedure in Orlando or Louisville. The convenience, however, came with a cost since parking was $30 per day with four hours constituting a day (a business expense for companies but a high price for individuals).

Since Byron enjoys planes, trains and other forms of transportation, we went to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. It was a pleasant drive across the Mid-Hudson Bridge and northward through rolling countryside to the historic town of Rhinebeck. Though the website stated they had an admission we were pleasantly surprised to find there was no one to collect money. Apparently the admission policy only applies on weekends or busier times of year. Though there were a couple of personnel around and a handful of other visitors, we were able to tour the four museum buildings housing the static displays of aircraft.

Some of the hangars are used for static displays of models of early

aircraft while others are used for those flown regularly in the air shows.

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome was started nearly 50 years ago by a World War I aviation enthusiast. He had acquired a few planes (mostly of German origin), purchased a grass airstrip on the outskirts of the small city, and set out to create a flying museum. And fly, they do. Nearly every weekend several of the planes (all are still operational) take to the air for a show. Not only does it have one of the world's largest collections of early "aeroplanes" but it also has a few automobiles, motorcycles, and memorabilia spanning the period from 1900-1939. In fact, several of the planes restored there are now on loan to the Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian in Washington. They even have a full-scale and flying model of the Spirit of St. Louis, Lindbergh's famous plane. According to their website they will even fly the 1909 Bleriot (the oldest flying aircraft in the United States) on Saturdays if it isn't too windy. The Sunday shows feature a World War I dogfight.

In addition to models or refurbished antique planes, the Aerodrome

also has some antique vehicles available for viewing.

The Friday before Labor Day Weekend we took off for a hike around Storm King Art Center. Storm King, as it is commonly referred to and named after its proximity to Storm King Mountain, is an open-air museum located in Mountainville, New York about a 30-minute drive south of our campground or one hour north of Manhattan. It contains what is perhaps the largest collection of contemporary outdoor sculptures in the United States. Founded in 1960 by Ralph E. Ogden as a museum for Hudson River School paintings, it soon evolved into a major sculpture venue with works from some of the most acclaimed artists of the 20th century. The site spans approximately 500 acres and is divided in two with a north and south field for the structures.

A view of the South Field from near the Visitor Center. And, yes, the structures
would be classified as contemporary art.

The southern boundary is marked by a rock wall. As rock walls, created
by moving the stones from the fields, are common in New England the
logic thing was to make it decorative by winding it around the trees
after it rises from the lake.

One of the larger "objects of art" is the Three-Legged Buddha.

For the disabled, a tram will take visitors from sculpture to sculpture. Able-bodied people, however, are allowed to walk the paths on the 500-acre grounds; not enjoyable on a hot day with widely scattered storms -- which is what we encountered.

As to Labor Day Weekend, the campground was filled to capacity. Since we're off on Thursdays and Fridays, we worked the weekend.

More from Newburgh - 7/19-8/14

Has it been nearly a month since the last post? Yes, it has. Time does fly when you’re working and having fun. So, how about some essential highlights and a few photos of the last three weeks or so?

Our first trip was to Kaaterskill Falls (kill comes from the Dutch language and means “body of water”). It is New York State’s highest waterfalls in terms of elevation from sea level. The falls became one of the most celebrated scenic sites in the early 1800’s and is still a popular vacation area to this day. It has been painted several times by Thomas Cole and nearly all the famed artists of the Hudson River School. It was also a favorite spot for American writers starting with Washington Irving’s first mention of them in his story about Rip Van Winkle. Kaaterskill Falls is a two-stage waterfall located in the eastern edge of the Catskill Mountains of New York. The two cascades total 260 feet from the top (on Kaaterskill Creek) to the bottom of two pools.

To get to the base of the trail to Kaaterskill Falls, we parked

up a steep hill at a pull-over along the highway. From there

we hiked along the highway’s edge (no designated lane) to

the entry point. The climb upward is through a boulder field.

The double cascade of Kaaterskill Falls in the eastern portion of the Catskill Mountains.

Though cold, teens enjoy playing in the pools of the falls. Older adults, such

as ourselves, were too exhausted from the climb to experience a dip in one of the pools.

From Katterskill Falls (with Haines’ Falls immediately below them on Katterskill Creek, we drove on west through the touristy town of Tannersville before turning southward for our return to the KOA at Plattekill. During the winter there are ski slopes giving life to the town and the small hotels and resorts. During the summer, visitors come to stay for days and weeks to escape the heat of the lower elevations and territory of the South.

Downtown Tannersville has sought to maintain the turn-of-the-century

look and feel. The buildings are quite colorful.

This is a view of the other side of Main Street with all it’s shops,

eateries, and boutique hotels.

In an open area on the west side of town stands All Souls Episcopal Church.

It is characteristic of many structures in the area since it is made of native stone

which was in plentiful supply when built more than a century ago.

Our second jaunt was to Goshen, New York which is on the western edge of nearby Orange County. Goshen is also the county seat. Newburgh, by contrast, is on the western edge of Orange.

Our destination was the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame. The museum collects and preserves the history of harness racing and serves as a hall of fame for The American Standardbred horse. Orange County is the birthplace of Hambletonian 10, the ancestor of all American Standardbred horses. Many of the early Hambletonian races were held in Goshen at the Good Time Park mile track. Established in 1838, the neighboring half-mile Historic Track is a National Historic Landmark, the oldest harness horse track still in use in the United States. Stables still operate on the grounds and races are held annually. The museum opened in 1951, during Goshen's Hambletonian Stake era.

As an aside, for a while the Hambletonian was held in Southern Illinois at the DuQuoin State Fair. DuQuoin is not far from Byron’s hometown of Fairfield. Byron and his dad went to one Hambletonian race in the early 1960’s. He and his dad enjoyed going to their county fair to see the harness races.

In the event you were wondering, the American Standardbred distinguishes the harness horse from other horse breeds such as Thoroughbred and others. The term identifies a horse’s ability to trot or pace in a “standard” time, as specified in the Standard of Admission to Registration. It means that a horse must be capable of trotting or pacing a mile within a prescribed time. Today, the top horses can regularly do the mile in under two minutes, faster than Thoroughbreds who aren’t gaited.

The half-timber building that houses the museum was built as a stable in 1913.

It houses artwork by famous equine artists and racing memorabilia dating back

to the start of trotting. Exhibits include more than 1,700 paintings,

lithographs and sculptures, a ton of photographs, hundreds of drivers’ uniforms,

racing sulkies, and a preserved stable which serves as a

walk-through display case for racing equipment.

Was horse, real Martha. In general, Martha like a fence between

her and a horse. One of the attractions is a racing simulator

where you sit in movable seating and watching a 3D film

from the vantage point of the driver. The simulator also

thrills you with sand and dirt flying at your face as well

as a thrown horseshoe.

In a prominent location near the town square is First Presbyterian Church.

The tall steeple as well as the whole edifice is built of native stone.

Visitors to the KOA come from all areas of the USA and Europe. Some arrive in vans and sleeps in tents on the property. One such group is Adventures X which seems to be attractive to adults of college age. Families from Europe tend to rent motorhomes from Cruise America or El Monte for touring the US. The most unique group of travelers, however, come from Germany traveling in a self-contained “hotel” capable of housing 27 guests. We have witnessed two groups who visited our KOA. The company provides tours of the lower 48 states as well as excursions to Alaska. The busses are housed in the US.

The front half of the bus has seating for the tourists while the back

half has births; three levels of nine each. The births are accessed

from a folding platform.

The groups are led by a driver and tour host who oversee the cooking

and commentary on the tour. All travelers assist with set-up and

take-down of the self-contained kitchen and dining equipment.

Our final trip for this post includes photos and commentary from our visit to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, about a three-hour drive from our KOA. The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic, it’s formal name, is said to be the largest maritime museum in the United States. It includes a collection of sailing ships and boats, and provides visitor with a living display of the many crafts and related enterprises of an entire 19th-century seafaring village. Housed on the campus are more than 60 original, historic buildings. Most of the rare, commercial structures were moved to the 19-acre site and have been well preserved or restored. Established in 1929, the seaport was one of the first living history museums in the United States. In 1941 they acquired and restored the only surviving whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan.

The whaling ship, “Charles W. Morgan,” sits in the harbor and may be

boarded to get a feel for the small space for crew and cargo.

The village contains nearly all the types of general and specialized trades associated with building and operating a sailing fleet. They include a chandlery, sail loft, ropewalk, cooperage, shipping agent’s office, printing office, bank, general store, church, school and others. Also included is The Spouter Tavern. Each building is used both to show the original activity and to display multiple examples of objects sold or constructed; for instance, the nautical instrument shop displays sextants, nautical timepieces, and the like. Demonstrations at the cooperage show how casks are assembled. Visitors may also walk through the building where on-going restoration work is performed.

One of the three streets in the village at Mystic Seaport. The building on

the left is the office for the doctor and the apothecary.

One building displays the heads of several sailing ships. All have been faithfully

restored and include images of the ships for which they were fashioned.

The lighthouse, though not original to Mystic, was relocated from another

area of New York. The size, however, is correct showing that not

all lighthouses were tall. It always depended on the location.

A panoramic view of Mystic Seaport. The photo does not begin to demonstrate

scale of this living museum.

A final and closing thought: One is never far from home in one way or another. While seated at our table in Cracker Barrel in Fishkill, Martha noticed that the photo by our table was taken in from of the historic Kentucky Central Life Assurance Company in Anchorage, KY. While living in the Louisville area we were never more than three miles from this building which still stands beside the railroad tracks. The photo was made in 1917 at a convention of sales representatives.

 

Mid-Hudson Summer Days – 6/27 - 7/18

We continue to be amazed at the number of travelers from outside the USA coming as guests to NYC North/Newburgh KOA. Some rent motorhomes on the west coast and come through the Mid-Hudson Valley on their way to Boston and others go the opposite direction. One couple, with two children, actually flew into Dulles in DC and found they were unable to secure a rental RV there. They took the train to suburban NYC where they were able to get a rental from Cruise America then drove to Newburgh for a few days.

On average there are two tours per week into the City. With our KOA serving as facilitator, a minimum of 14 is required to make it financially feasible to charter a bus and hire an approved guide. The KOA doesn’t own the equipment or provide the tour guide. Our first trip to New York City was with a tour group (see the previous post to this blog).

One of the perks of working here is that we get to take the tour at no cost. Since that is the practice, we took advantage of the opportunity to take the bus to Battery Park (first stop) and get off for a self-directed day in The Big Apple on Friday, July 1. We met with one of Martha’s cousins and a niece who is at a medical school in Manhattan. The cousin grew up in Oklahoma and the niece grew up in Georgia.

After leaving the tour group at Battery Park we took off on foot for the National September 11 Memorial (9/11 Memorial for short). After traversing the odd-angled corners and many streets, we approached from the southeastern corner after passing by a church under construction. The Greek Orthodox edifice was the only church destroyed in the 2001 attacks.

We arrived at the Memorial at around 10 AM. As we approached we saw signs reminding visitors that the solemnity of the memorial calls for a respectful attitude. The the two pools and waterfalls are located diagonally from each other. The names of those who died are inscribed on marble walls. The seemingly bottomless waterfall is a stark reminder of the loss of life, that at one moment the lives of many were suddenly changed.

One of the reflecting pools and waterfalls at the 9/11 Memorial.

The quiet surroundings are contrasted but the new World Trade Center

buildings and those still under construction.


A fresh, floral wreath at one of the pools provides a respectful sentiment.

From the Memorial we made our way to St. Paul’s Chapel of Trinity Church near Wall Street. In the the tradition of the time, a fence and cemetery surround the one-block grounds. The building, of native stone, is well maintained. The property was originally surrounded by fields set aside by England prior to the Revolutionary War. The building was erected between 1764 and 1766. The wooden steeple was added twenty years later. It is the oldest church building in continuous use since erection.

We had no idea what to expect upon entry into the chapel. Immediately following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the chapel, located just a few hundred feet east, became a shelter and comfort center for the many people who assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts. The old pews became a place for prayer and rest, its fence was covered with posters and snapshots of missing persons, and a kitchen was set up for the many volunteers. Some of those photos and notes have been preserved and put on display within the sanctuary. Another display nearby has been assembled to remember the New York firemen and policemen and other volunteers who served at Ground Zero the weeks following the aftermath. As far as we’re concerned, these homemade displays make for an authentic memorial to that period of New York’s history.

Still hanging from where it was originally placed is the banner

from residents of Oklahoma City. By the way, the plaques

on the wall list the names of donors for the original

construction of St. Paul’s Chapel at Trinity Church.

Today, all the original pews (except those used by George Washington and the governor) have been removed to storage and the chapel has become a center for meditation with chairs replacing the gated pews. (As a reminder, New York City served as the country’s capital for two years, which is when Washington attended services here.)

The Washington family pew in St. Paul’s Chapel at Trinity Church.

The painting of the Seal of the United States is said to be one

of the earliest renditions with the eagle looking strangely

like a turkey, which was Ben Franklin’s preference

for our national bird.


On the west side of the church building stands the Bell of Hope. A gift
from the Lord Mayor of London and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
It was presented on the first anniversary of the September 11 attack.
The bell was cast by the same foundry that cast the Liberty Bell
and Big Ben. The inscription notes the significant link between
the City of London and the City of New York.

From Trinity Church, we walked to Stone Street for lunch with Vanessa and Kyle. Stone Street is the oldest paved street in Manhattan. It now has the honor of being the shortest street thought it carries no automobile traffic. For lunch, the restaurants on either side of the street set out tables and umbrellas to serve the patrons. We ate at Stone Street Tavern enjoying the open air lunch and mild temperatures on the edge of the Financial District.

Quadra-selfie: Martha, Kyle, Vanessa, and Byron after lunch

on Stone Street in the Financial District.

After lunch, Kyle assisted us in getting on the subway to make our way up to Central Park in Midtown Manhattan and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We took an express train to 86th Street Station which is a few blocks east of the Museum.

Since we needed to meet the bus at 5 PM and we still wanted to walk through a portion of Central Park as well as stop by St. Patrick’s Cathedral before having NY style cheesecake at Junior’s, we only had about an hour to spend in the expansive building. With the weather changing, we were advised to go to the roof for a view of the City and work our way through several areas on our way down. Like any large museum, an hour just doesn’t do it justice. The time did give us a good sense of the permanent holdings, especially the Impressionistic paintings of several French artists, in spite of the brevity.

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, many food vendors set up daily

for the opportunity to make a living. The space around the Museum is

allocated and open through a bidding process.

The Medieval Court, as it is called, is located in the center of the museum.

The cathedral-style wing is decorated by an 18th-century Spanish choir screen.

From the museum, we headed south through the southeastern part of Central Park. Our path took us by the Alice in Wonderland sculpture which stands eleven feet tall and cast in bronze.

Alice is surrounded by the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and a few of her other friends.

Just beyond the sculpture is the Lewis Carroll boat pond where a motorized

and remote controlled sailboat can be rented. Also obvious are the
low-hanging clouds on an overcast day.

Just northeast of Times Square and south of Central Park is St. Patrick’s Cathedral
where we stepped in to see the beautiful windows along with hundreds of other visitors.

On one of our free days, we took a drive around the area to our south and west. The loop took us to Museum Village in Monroe and the Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville where we had lunch and a nice tour of the oldest winery in America still in continuous operation. We also had lunch at the restaurant on the property though not owned by the winery.

The Village Museum consists of a number of historic buildings from the 19th Century that were purchased by a collector of memorabilia from the 1800’s. Some of the buildings include a log cabin with a bed of the time (along with an explanation of “sleep tight don’t let the bugs bite”). Other buildings depict the old school days, candle making, broom making, a printing press which is still used today, a hardware store, general store, and a drugstore. All are furnished with items from the period.

The front of the candle and soap shop at Village Museum at Old Smith’s Clove.

Our guide conducted a demonstration of candle making. Participants
took a string, dipped it in the hot wax, then walked around the room
to let the candle cool before dipping in the wax again to build
the layers and size of the candle.


The interior of the general store at Village Museum.

After the morning in Monroe at the Village Museum, we drove to Washingtonville for a lunch and a tour of America’s oldest winery still in operation, the Brotherhood Winery. It was founded in the 1800’s under another name and was later purchased by a religious society. During Prohibition, the winery continued production with “altar wines” for use by the churches that preferred wine over grape juice for use during communion.

Entrance to Brotherhood Winery.


During the tour, guests are escorted into a cellar to see the large casks that were
once used for production. Today, smaller oak barrels are used. Most of the
grapes are grown in other parts of New York then shipped to Washingtonville
for final stages of bottling and distribution.

We have passed the half-way point of our commitment to working at the Newburgh KOA. We still have much more to see while in this beautiful and historic area of New York.

June in NYS and NYC – 6/06 - 6/26

We have settled into our normal work schedule here at the NYC North/Newburgh KOA. We are learning our way around and feeling comfortable with suggesting sightseeing opportunities that exist for visitors to this part of New York. Of course, with each week, we’ll be visiting other places on our bucket list while adding new ones as we go along. We have even revisited one spot so we could take more time and learn more about some of the history of the area.

The KOA here at Newburgh isn’t on the “beaten path” in that we’re a few miles from exits on Interstate 84 or New York State Thruway (Interstate 87). We’re even a few miles from US-9W that is the western north-south route parallel to the Hudson River. Though the campground is the closest campground to NYC (with grass and trees) it is still 65 miles or so from “the Big Apple.” By contrast to other KOA’s in the system, this one attracts a great deal of campers from the region who make this their weekend home. In fact, more than half of the census on any given weekend are residents within a thirty-minute drive. To accommodate the frequent campers, we have many activities for the various age groups through the week and especially on weekends.

On many days the firetruck makes a run through the campground

drawing riders of all ages.

We’ve enjoyed getting to see three groups of young Canada geese

lose the fluffy down as they gained their feathers. In fact,

the whole flock left the park for several days as one, lone

goose kept watch. Upon return, we noticed that a few

were missing. Apparently, they didn’t survive the

trip since they were too young to fly.

On our visit to the US Military Academy at West Point we learned much about the institution, it’s history and some of the illustrious graduates. The USMA is on the edge of the small city of West Point, New York. It was founded in 1801 soon after the inauguration of President Thomas Jefferson. Prior to that time, the federal property was one of the several forts used during the Revolutionary War.

The Point sits on high ground overlooking the Hudson River on the western shoreline.

Though just 50 miles north of New York City, the scenic area gives no hint of being
so near such a highly populated area. During the American Revolution,
a heavy chain was placed from West Point to Constitution Island to block
the flow of British ships up and down the Hudson.

Today, the entire central campus is a national landmark and home to many historic sites, buildings, and monuments including a military cemetery. Most of the campus’ Norman-style (military gothic) buildings are constructed from gray and black granite. The visitor center and museum are open to the public. A variety of escorted tours is available.

Tours are conducted by a vendor under contract with the Academy. Tour buses with driver and guide are used to travel around the grounds. We elected to take the longest tour known as the “cemetery tour.” On this tour were three stops; the Cadet Chapel (Protestant), cemetery, and parade grounds (for a walk to the northern view of the Hudson).

This aerial view of the Academy provides a comprehensive view. Most of the buildings, including the dormitory (barracks), are clustered along the southern portion of the campus on the hillside.

The athletic fields, parade grounds, cemetery, and faculty residences lie across

the flatter, northern portion. The Cadet Chapel can be seen rising on the left.

This view also provides an excellent perspective of the high and scenic hills

that line either side of the Hudson.

Our first stop was at the Cadet Chapel. It is the largest chapel on the campus and

serves the Protestant community. The flags hung on the sides represent the various

regiments as well as flags used during the history of the US.

There is also a Catholic and Jewish chapel as well as an Orthodox chapel and

an Interfaith Center. Each is located separately from the others.

No visit to this fine edifice would be complete without a look

at the massive organ console. The Cadet Chapel houses the

largest pipe organ in the world used for religious purposes.

Originally built by M.P. Möller of Hagerstown, MD. Today, the

instrument consists of 874 stops controlling 23,236 pipes

distributed across 12 divisions.

Our second stop on the tour was at the Old Cadet Chapel. It

now serves as the office for the cemetery though the

interior still appears as it did when first constructed.

One of the more unusual monuments (and the reason size restrictions

were enacted) is this mausoleum of Egyptian influence.

Probably the most photographed monument is

this one erected on the final location for the

remains of General Custer.

 Immediately across from the large parade grounds is a park-like setting on the northern edge of the campus. From here one can see straight up the Hudson for several miles. From this point the river makes it’s relatively narrow curve around the rocky point southward.

Several links from the chain that was stretched across the Hudson
are displayed in the park that also displays cannons used
in wars throughout American history.

Looking across the parade grounds, an open view of the barracks is available with

the Cadet Chapel in the background.

The Coat of Arms of West Point U.S. Military Academy

prominently displays the motto of the institution: Duty, Honor, Country.

The year of 1802 is displayed in Roman numerals.

Our next jaunt was on the northern loop of the Shawangunk Scenic Byway. Though the drive is less than forty miles it can take a while to cover since there are several interesting stops along the way. The Shawangunk Mountains are a relatively short chain separating the Adirondacks from the Catskills. The northern loop surrounds the Mohonk Preserve and goes through the city of New Paltz, which is on the northeastern edge. Also within the northern loop of the Scenic Byway is the Minnewaska State Park and Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.

On the northern edge of Mohonk Preserve is the resort known as Mohonk Mountain House. It began operation in the late 19th century. Though we didn’t visit the Victorian-era resort with its castle-like appearance, we did drive past the old, now defunct, gateway that was used from the early 1900’s through the 1930’s.

Testimonial Gateway, as it is called, once served as the

official gateway on the drive to Mohonk Mountain House.

The private road was approximately ten miles in length

stretching across the valley to the Mountain House

which sits high atop the Shawangunk Ridge. The Gateway

is in the process of being restored although most of the

roadway was abandoned many years ago.

With the mountain on the northern edge and the valley and Mohonk Preserve along the south, Shawangunk Ridge may be viewed many miles away since it is so prominent in the landscape.

On the drive, we stopped at one of the farm businesses to get some fresh strawberries. Since the land isn’t appropriate for large fields of corn or soybeans so other forms of farming are prevalent. There are  many vegetable and fruit farms. To say the least, this is “apple country” since dozens of orchards are scattered throughout this portion of New York State.

We also stopped in New Paltz to visit Historic Huguenot Street. A visit to this area will be covered in more detail near the end of this post since we returned there for a follow-up visit. 

Finally, on June 16, we made our way into the City, “the Big Apple.” Along with nearly 30 other visitors from the KOA, we took the escorted tour by motorcoach. After weeks of telling registrants about the trip, we finally got to experience it for ourselves. (During the summer months the KOA hosts two or three trips per week into NYC using a bus and tour guide from West Point Tours).

As an aside, we need to fill in a few blanks. First, the many references to “kill” in the names of locations. The term comes from the Dutch language and references a body or water or creek. Second, “Big Apple.” During the Roaring 20’s when gambling, horse racing, and the rise of the stock market was prevalent, any major increase in winnings was referred to as “getting the big apple.” At the same time Jazz music was spreading in popularity from its base in New Orleans. When it hit New York many Jazz entertainers wanted to get to the City to “take a bite” out of the big apple; a piece of the action. Perhaps the most famous of these was Louis Armstrong who certainly took advantage of his turn at profiting from appearances in a few nightclubs.

Leaving the campground at 7:30, we journeyed down the New York State Thruway into New Jersey entering Midtown Manhattan through Lincoln Tunnel. Once in Manhattan, we traveled along the eastern shore of the Hudson to Battery Park. At that point, we exited the bus to catch the ferry to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The day-long tour doesn’t allow for time at the museum on Ellis nor does it provide time to visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. However, we were provided 45 minutes to walk around Lady Liberty once arriving on Bedloe’s Island (Liberty Island).

This was the first time for both of us to see the Statue though we had each been in New York City as children. Talk about thrilling! Seeing the Statue in person from the ferry boat is a heart-warming experience. One thing for sure, we weren’t prepared for the great variety of foreign languages to be heard on our walk around the Statue. We’re rather proud of the fact that the USA is still a land of opportunity.

It was, indeed, a pleasure to be on Bedloe’s Island for a visit to the Statue of Liberty. This has to be one of the world’s greater monuments if not the greatest.

The Upper Bay around Statue of Liberty is busy with boats and ships.

This photo was taken as we were going from Liberty to Ellis Island

on our Statue Cruises ferry which was built in California.

The Jersey City skyline serves as a backdrop to Ellis Island. Around the base of the island are the buildings that comprised Ellis Island Hospital and Morgue. To the right can be seen the Main Building of the former immigration station complex. It now houses the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and tells the stories of the 12 million immigrants who entered America through the golden door of Ellis Island. Today, the descendants of those immigrants account for almost half of the population of the United States.

From Battery Park, we traveled through Lower Manhattan past the Hamilton Customs House and Trinity Church where the community services were held following the 9/11 attack. Though the distance from Battery Park to Grand Central is just over three miles, through the crowded streets of Manhattan it took our bus nearly 90 minutes.

At Grand Central Terminal our tour guide ushered us to a hallway where he talked about the building, the subway and train system and how important this location was to the commuter system. After his talk our group scattered for lunch to the food court located on the lower level. Following our lunch, we headed up to the main lobby to take some photos and gaze at the expanse and admire the architecture. On one end of the Terminal is a large Apple store that Byron felt we had to visit.

Two gentlemen in business attire took time from their

lunch time to get this photo of us in Grand Central Terminal.

That was an unexpected pleasure in that one asked

us if he could provide assistance.

From GCT we headed to the Empire State Building. Our group entered the building and rather quickly made our way to the elevators that took us to the observation area on the 86th floor. Our guide was surprised that the number of visitors on this particular Thursday was somewhat less than the Tuesday’s trip of that week. He mentioned on days when there is a chance of rain that tourism seems to drop. The path to the elevators takes visitors through a winding display that tells the story of the building and the modernization effort of recent years to make it a more efficient space for the 21st century. Also of interest is that the many hosts and hostesses are dressed in uniforms based on the style of the era in which the building was erected; something a Disney employee appreciated since it makes it part of “the story.”

The two-story visitor entrance to the Empire State Building.

Looking south from the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building one can easily see

1 World Trade Center, now the tallest building in the US. To the left is

Verrazano Narrows Bridge on the horizon. To the right are

Liberty Island and Ellis Island. Though cloudy, it was still a spectacular sight.

After the Empire State Building we boarded the bus for a brief tour around Midtown Manhattan. After going past Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the lower portion of Central Park, we arrived at our final stop; Times Square.

Late in the afternoon, we arrived at Times Square, our last stop for the day.

Of course, this photo doesn’t show the complete spectacle to be

observed at this famous intersection. “The Ball” can be seen

immediately above the 2016 lettering near the upper center.

One afternoon we decided to drive northward through Kingston to Saugerties. One of the employees at the KOA suggested we have lunch at Ole Savannah Southern Table and Bar. With a name like that, we had to give it a try. After all, who would give a restaurant that name unless they were really from the South? The restaurant is located in an old shipbuilding warehouse on the edge of the Wallkill River near the its entry point to the Hudson.

Ole Savannah offers great Southern cuisine and seasonal dining

on the dock in Kingston.

What a relaxing feeling – waiting for lunch to be served at the

dock of Ole Savannah Southern Table and Bar.

At Saugerties we drove down some twisting, curving streets to see one of the

lighthouses on the Hudson. The structure is on a point that juts out into the river

in a fashion similar to West Point. The lighthouse can only be reached by

foot across a marshy path through some wetlands. Optionally, the

bed and breakfast can be reached by small boat. This and one other

lighthouse on the Hudson are surrounded by water having

been built on a man-made island.

Just south of Kingston is a small town called Port Ewen.

It is the community in which a young slave girl lived

from the time she was separated from her parents

as a pre-teen until she was nearly 40. At that age she

changed her name to Sojourner Truth and became

a popular speaker for equal rights of both

African Americans and women.

We’ll end this lengthy report with a few photos taken on our return trip to Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz to learn more of its history. We took a walking tour with a rather new guide who did relate several facts about this group of Calvinists and their struggles before leaving France to find a place of acceptance in Colonial New York. The original twelve families purchased land along the Wallkill River from the Esopus tribe, natives of the area.

Huguenots were French Protestants of the 16th–17th centuries who suffered severe persecution at the hands of the Catholic majority in France. Many thousands emigrated from France through Belgium before eventually coming to Colonial New York. By the time they came to America the group had dropped French as their language and adapted to using the Dutch language. As a result, they were able to assimilate with the Dutch in the area as well as the Native Americans with whom they experience no hostility.

The original church structure for the Huguenot immigrants was

moved to this location at the cemetery.

Bevier House is one of six or seven buildings preserved for visits to

Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, New York. Originally, this house

began as a small, single-family dwelling built by one of the original patentees.

It was later doubled in size to accommodate another family as well as

a slave couple. A third addition was added to provide

more living space and a root cellar.

Another of one of six homes preserved for visitors. This dwelling

also served multiple families as well as a store. Native stone

was used in the construction of the houses.

— The End —