We left Richmond at about 7 am on Saturday, June 19 for the drive up to Boston. With backups on the George Washington bridge in New York and along the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut, it ended up taking us about 12 hours. We pulled up to my brother-in-law’s house exhausted, surviving the confusing streets and hairy Boston traffic.
John and Bea have lived in Jamaica Plain for over 20 years. At the time of our visit, John was in Castle Park, and periodically Evanston, to look after his mother. JP is a very cute town; very ‘crunchy’ liberal….maybe something like Evanston in Chicago or Takoma Park in D.C. On Sunday morning, Bea took us on a walking tour around Jamaica Pond and we admired some of the houses. Bea’s son, Jay, along with his wife, Jenna, and son, Jamey, came over for lunch. Nice discussion. Jay is an intelligent guy and well informed.
That afternoon we drove to downtown Boston to walk around. It was uncomfortably hot, so confined ourselves to the tree-shaded Commonwealth Avenue, then wandered in the car around Cambridge stopping to 'Facetime' with Patrick and Nathan, who were in Guatemala.
Monday we started the drive up to Maine, driving through Portsmouth, NH and finally into Bar Harbor. It was crowded with tourists. Martha described it as Saugatuk on steroids.
We found Balance Rock Inn down a lane in the center of town. It faces the bay with a wonderful walkway along it. Had an ingratiating welcome from the conscierge and porter and settled into our room (207). Getting dinner in the Inn was not possible, so we scoped out some other places and landed on Havana, down Main Street, where we reserved a high table in the bar overlooking the street.
We’d purchased the “Adventurer’s Package” with the hotel that included a bike and kayak rental. On Tuesday, after a superb breakfast at the Inn, we stopped in a local grocery store for supplies and picked up our bikes at a local shop. Had a nice discussion with an older fellow who worked there and helped us - and heard about his RV travels and part-time work. He helped with the bike carrier and we headed into Acadia. It is laced with ‘carriage trails’ that the original Mr. Roosevelt wanted constructed all through the park. Supposedly more level, but Martha and I had to walk our bikes up several sections. At one point, Martha passed a couple kids and as she pedaled past them, the girl turned to her younger brother, exclaiming, “that old lady just passed me!!” And promptly jumped on her bike to catch up. All-totaled, we did 16.5 miles - according to the watch.
Exhausted, we returned the bikes, rested/napped in our room and got ready for dinner. We’d made reservations in the Inn restaurant, which has a stellar reputation. It did not disappoint. It was, by far, the best and most creative meal I’ve ever had. A complementary starter was a mixture of soft-boiled eggs, tasty greens and a light meat(?). The appetizer was a served in a stone carved bowl with a trout blend of herbs and pearl onions, etc. Even the rolls were to die for, with a spiced oil and pepper coating. My pork loin entrée with confit was fall-off-the-bone succulent.
After dinner, under darkening skies, we walked along the waterfront and got caught in the rain and had to sprint back.
On Wednesday, after another nice breakfast, we strolled down the lane to town and bought some stone vases in a shop the Inn uses for decorations. While we’d scheduled a kayak rental and tour, we decided to cancel it - though couldn’t get a refund. We needed to see more of Acadia itself….and we already have kayaks, so they're no novelty. Instead, we discovered there are shuttle buses from the Village Green in Bar Harbor to various sites in the park. We decided on Sand Beach, which turned out to be crowded. So we trundled down the road/path along the shore and started up Gorham Mountain. It was very rocky and we were surprised by how challenging and difficult it was. This was climbing up and over boulders and along rock ledges. Not a stroll down a mountain trail. We were rewarded with a spectacular view at the top and found a slightly easier route back down - getting down around 4:00 and catching the last bus back (!). For all that effort, we'd only hiked about 3.2 miles. Just hard slogging.
The day before, I’d made reservations at a place called Galyn’s - a traditional tourist seafood restaurant; but the reservations was not until 8:30. The restaurant scene was crowded and competitive. After getting cleaned up from our hike - and starving - we first decided to see if we could get in a nearby waterfront hotel….but also packed with a two-hour wait. Marth suggested we see if we could get into Galyn’s early and -surprise! - we did. A nice, fairly mediocre meal with lobster, crab and scallops. Afterwards we went into some clothing shops where I could pick up some shirts.
On Thursday we checked out and said a sad farewell to Balance Rock. Though Bar Harbor was a tourist mess, the Inn was an elegant sanctuary right nearby. Before leaving, we drove up Cadillac Mountain, one of the main attractions in Acadia. It is the first point in the U.S. that sunlight hits in the morning and hundreds crowd there to watch the sunrise (4:30 am when we were there). The top offers spectacular views of Frenchman’s Cove and the surrounding islands and mountains. Rocks here, like many parts of the park, have a pinkish hue, and smooth, like melted, layered granite.
After leaving Acadia, we headed to Moltonborough, New Hampshire and Squam Lake to stay at Jeff and Anne Hibbard’s lake house. They live in Winchester, near Boston and bought this house as a family gathering place - a Castle Park East - three years ago and have been gradually fixing it up. On entering, it felt like the house had been picked up in CP and dropped in New Hampshire. Knotty pine walls, cozy elegance and family touches - a kind of personalized Pottery Barn flavor. After getting settled we made a run down to the local store in Center Harbor and picked up some supplies and dinner for that evening.
On Friday morning, Jeff came up from Boston - arriving at precisely 9:30 - the ever-accommodating host - to show us around. We were their first visitors (!) and he was proud to show us around. We sat and chatted and he answered our many questions about the house, their family and his work. He took us to a short trail with an overlook of Squam lake and the countryside. Stunning! This area is like northern Wisconsin with mountains. We then went to a local diner/restaurant his family frequents. Very homey with Haddock, which seems to be the local favorite. Getting back to the house, he took out his paddle boards and kayak for us to use and fired up his motorboat to give us a tour of Squam Lake. We flew out to Church Island and walked around a non-denominational community church setting in the woods. Getting back in the boat, he took us up by the house where “On Golden Pond” was filmed. This setting certainly fit the ethos of the film. It’s idyllic, with beautiful woods, lakes and mountains.
Jeff left around 3:00 and we cobbled together a dinner of leftovers and made a point of re-watching “On Golden Pond." Filmed in 1981, it takes on a different perspective watching it at 64 instead of 24.
On Saturday we choose to tackle one of the trails Jeff recommended behind his house on Red Hill. We went up Eagle Cliff Trail with a goal of reaching the fire tower on the top. Once we got started we realized how grueling and hard it would be. Mostly uphill and littered by boulders to climb over and around, I was drenched in sweat. We pushed on and fortunately Martha had picked up some screen hats to keep the bugs away…..but there were ticks everywhere and a constant worry. Finally making it to the fire tower, we were rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding lakes and mountains. The breeze at the top was both a relief and slightly chilling against a sweaty t-shirt. The climb took about two hours, so we didn’t stay at the top too long. The return - down - was much quicker; though it was still tough on a different set of muscles.
We relaxed - and napped. Martha tried out the paddle board and jumped in the lake while I watched from the screened boathouse. It really is a majestic, peaceful setting. We made reservations for a restaurant called Canoe in Center Harbor for that evening. Crowded, as usual, and fairly typical fare - and a bubbly young waitress. (“Would you like to meet our sons?”).
Sunday, the 27th, our last day at the Hibbards, we were in no mood to tackle any great physical challenges. Marth had come across a place nearby called “Castle In The Clouds” - a marvelous old estate on a mountain-top built by a shoe magnate at the turn of the last century. Fascinating construction and technology for its day. Almost seemed like a little Biltmore. Now run as a non-profit museum. The shoe magnate, Tom Plant, who coincidently had his factory in Jamaica Plain, constructed this place with his wife, Olive, featuring beautiful architectural design and some advanced features for its day. It included a 'needle' shower, advanced refrigerating equipment in the kitchen, and echo chambers above and below the house for Olive's enormous pipe organ; allowing it to be heard across the lakes below. The estate also included miles of trails….which we weren't about to tackle.
On the way back to the house we stopped at the store and picked up something for dinner. In our waning hours that afternoon we got the paddle board and kayak out for a cruse and I jumped in Squam Lake a few times. Bracing and invigorating.
The next morning, Monday, the 29th, we started the next leg of the trip to Watkins Glen at the southern end of Seneca Lake - one of the Finger Lakes in New York. It was a long drive, punctuated by brief periods of intense showers. We pulled into Idlwild Inn - an old mansion bed/breakfast and met Marcus, our host. We'd approached at the wrong door and he swung it open with bare feet, shorts holding a cup of coffee. After giving us the grand tour that included an impressive array of games, puzzles, books and novelties (including an original "Operation" game), we settled into our room. The place was decorated in an early to mid 20th century style and had its quirks. One of which was that our bathroom was across the hall from our bedroom. But the room had a nice view of Seneca Lake.
After settling into our room, we ventured down(!) into town. Idlwild Inn is up a steep hill that would be a challenge to walk down - let alone up. We headed to an Italian restaurant in the town. It was packed, as most places have been in this post-COVID summer. People have been closed up for over a year and they're desperate to get out. That surge, coupled with the problems restaurants are having in hiring staff, have made dining out a challenge. Sitting at the bar while waiting for a table, we ordered a chardonnay (our go-to drink) and cringed at the first sip. Seneca Lake is surrounded by wineries and breweries that are the main tourist attractions. The glasses we'd been given were local; and we resolved to avoid them. Maybe it's our taste or we're spoiled by Virginia wineries, but we had no interest in visiting any of the NY vineyards. The meal at Jerlando's that evening was mediocre served by a disinterested waitress. But with limited choices and crowds, we were grateful to find a spot. We wandered over to the lakefront with a pier and watched as a tour boat pulled into port with a crowd bouncing to loud disco music.
Reading up on the region, Watkins Glen looked to be the hot-spot of the Finger Lakes. If so, it hasn't yet lived up to its potential. While it has the attraction of the Lake, it has a distinctly run-down feel; a bit like Berkeley Springs, WV. Some natural beauty, but it can't seen to escape its hickish origins or hasn't figured out how to capitalize on the location. The main attractions are the state park and a NASCAR track (which says it all!). There was no fine dining and the main hotel was a step above a Motel 6.
Nevertheless, we decided to make the best of it. The morning breakfast at Idlwild was a treat. The staff that Marcus and Elin (his wife) served us outside on a lawn decorated with games and a gazebo was delightful. Tuesday, the 30th, was hot in Watkins Glen; as it was around much of the country.
Martha is wonderfully resourceful in finding interesting regional attractions. So to avoid the heat, we drove 15 miles south to visit the Corning Museum of Glass.
While it doesn't sound like it, the place is fascinating - and huge. It covers glass as art, its history, industrial and home use, as well as glass-making demonstrations. It could easily take up two full days of wandering. And the town of Corning has a quaint, vibrant main street that reminded me of Traverse City.
That evening I'd picked out a local 'bistro' - 3812, that appeared promising. It turned out to be a newly built, winery-related room along with some associated cabins (not a good sign) The two waitresses were overwhelmed and half the menu was unavailable. Another sign of Watkins Glen's immaturity as a serious vacation spot. And this place was touted in the local guides.
Storm clouds were opening up occasionally and more could be seen coming over Seneca Lake, so we perched ourselves on the grand wraparound porch of Idlwild Inn and watched it pour; so intensely that the lake, ridgelines across the lake and even trees disappeared in the wall of water. Marcus came out to say hello, but as a respectful host, simply made a few comments and went back inside.
July 1 - Predictions called for slightly cooler weather - but just. After another delightful breakfast on the Idlwild lawn, we resolved to explore the main attraction in Watkins Glen - the state park and it's waterfalls - before the heat of the day. The park is a longish gorge wrapped around a series of waterfalls and surrounding cliffs carved over the millenniums. 832 steps to the top.
But after our recent hike up Red Hill, it didn't seem too intimidating. Beautiful rock and water formations. We took a separate trail along the rim to go back. It's not actually a very big park, though; so we finished up and headed back to Idlwild.
Looking for some more variety - and a lunch spot - we went through the town of Watkins Glen and started up the eastern side of the lake, which was much less developed, with some pretty views. The destination was a brewery listed as having good food. But when we arrived, it was closed. This was a Wednesday. Much like several other restaurants in the area, they were only open Thursday to Sunday. Was recovery from COVID the reason…..or is Watkins Glen just a backwater vacation wannabe? Ultimately, we picked up some food in the Walmart and ate in a local park overlooking the lake. Somewhat disappointing.
Dinner for the evening was at the Seneca Harbor Station; what passes for a nice restaurant. Overlooking the water, the meal was satisfactory (prime rib for me) and afterwards we wandered out on the rocks around the marina - and heard Marcus and Elin call to us from their boat! We met a woman from Maryland who was there with a herd of girls on a tour of their own. Together, we marveled at a stunning sunset beyond the hills that reflected off the lake.
The next morning we had our breakfast and prepared for the drive to our next stop; Tom & Joan Smith's home in Indiana. While we were loading, I fell into an interesting discussion with Marcus and Elin. I was curious about them. They'd owned this place for four years, after living in Los Angeles for 30 years. Elin had been CEO of a major gardening company, but her elderly parents were nearby and needed support. So they bought Idlwild from an elderly couple and set up shop. Their son lives in D.C. and they had friends in various places we knew as well. Elin even continues to work another job in addition to Idlwild. Clearly, another high energy couple.
I'm not usually a very social person, but I do find it fascinating to chat with people who have interesting backgrounds, unconventional stories and especially those who are bold enough to take risks in forging a new life.
The long drive from Watkins Glen to Bristol, Indiana was interrupted by occasional downpours and ultimately took us over 10 hours. As usual, Tom and Joan were gracious and welcoming. Laura was there to greet us as well. She'd moved there from New York last year and was living with her parents while her own house was being remodeled. We opened up the obligatory bottles of wine and Joan cooked up something unhealthy and comforting. We had the the usual room. Over the years, they've become like family. They, the house and the visits are always heart-warming.
The next day - July 2 - my big chore was getting a haircut. But first, after a Joan breakfast at that teeny table in the kitchen, Laura led us over to her new house, which caught fire during remodeling and was only now coming together. It's a beautiful setting right on the St. Joseph River in Elkhart, along with other houses. Three levels and she's having it completely and very tastefully redone. Some reconstructed back porches over the river and a sloping lawn down to a small dock. I'd take it…..though Martha reminded me; it is Elkhart, Indiana.
The five of us went to a local diner for lunch. Laura left us. We took Tom home. Then Joan, Martha and I headed out to drop me off for a haircut and they could go to The Depot - a thrift store that Joan is enamored with. She's notoriously cheap. The haircut took longer than expected; but that finished, we returned for dinner and to turn in. Saturday, July 3….Said our goodbyes to the Smiths and headed out. Tom & Joan are both in their 80s and having more difficulty. Driving away I always worry about how they'll fare until we see them again.
The drive up to Castle Park was only a couple hours, broken up by a frustrating fast food lunch break.
Events in Castle Park on that evening were the main reason we made this road trip. It was timed for departing Richmond, making all our stops and arriving in CP on this day. Martha had been part of a team that was producing a Castle Park history book celebrating its 125th year. Because her dear friend Carie had cancer, Martha was left to produce the entire layout of the book; which included learning the software involved. It was a five month, 6+ hour/day project that included Zoom calls and very detailed management. And I helped with some of the editing.
The book was finally printed and bound and we were Castle Park for the formal unveiling in the Amphitheater. I dropped Martha off there so she could help with the setup while I went into Holland to check-in to our hotel. Betsy and company were occupying the cottage. We'd used John's cottage several times and were reluctant to impose again -- and it was only two nights - so this seemed like a better option.
The unveiling in the Amphitheater was well attended and I was proud of Martha. We handed out books and went back to the cottage for dinner with Betsy & Cathy. The evening was capped off by a get-together with friends of Martha's, a dance and get-together in the Old Timers Room.
The next day, Sunday, I was in a funk, so stayed at the hotel while Martha tended to some affairs in CP. Early Monday morning we got up early for the long drive back to Richmond. Probably because it was technically July 4th holiday, the traffic was heavy. Post-pandemic and folks returning from celebrations. It took us a mind-numbing 14 hours to get back, most of which I drove. Time to rest for the next excursion.
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