Marblemount, WA is one of those Amazing Places in America you would never experience unless you had a good reason to go there. I was fortunate because I actually had two good reasons, Shelli and Kal. (You'll remember Shelli from Trip News 30: My Friend Has A Very Cute Caboose. :-)) This remarkable, loving and gracious couple invited me to come visit them and so I did. And WOW! What a beautiful area and what interesting people. (Hint: Read "The Boys In The Band" on Chapter 18: Some Of My Favorite Stories. to see what I mean.) Below you will see some photos of them, the talented band, Jumbled Pie, the Gorge Dam, North Cascades National Park and one giant wood carving of Bigfoot raising his hand to ask if anyone's been looking for him.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I have never driven across the northwest of the US, so I didn't know what to expect. Need-Les to say I was pleasantly surprised. There are huge parks with streams, vibrant cities with crystal clear lakes, and diverse landscapes that range from mountains to plains. But the biggest takeaway for me was finally understanding why people love living here. There is something about being surrounded by all that natural wonder that is just soothing to the soul. And once you experience that sense of peace and awe, it makes you grateful to be alive.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories Harvey, ND is a town of about 1800 people. And as I talked about in Trip News 35: Getting Hugs And Mugs In Harvey, ND. it is remote enough that getting there by car requires nerves and buns of steel. But once you are in this quaint little town, it is a very rewarding trip. The people - like my buddies, Lesley Love and Brett Sitz - are very friendly. It's a close knit and family oriented community. The shops and restaurants are welcoming. There's a great coffee shop called the Grain Bin Coffee where everyone knows your name - even if you are just passing through. The art is everywhere. And if you really love it, you can buy a bar there that can actually predict the future for some folks called the Hangover.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I talked about my trip to Mosinee, WI to visit with Babs and Jack Fabry in Trip News 38: I Found This Woman Shocking. :-), Trip News 39: Getting Life Lessons On Living And Loving. and Trip News 40: Taking A Cue From Little Miss Muffet. So now I want to focus in on how warm and welcoming their comfortable home is. Adjacent to their house is a garden they've grown that looks like it is straight out of a whimsical fairy tale. It looks out over a calm, shimmering lake that rests the eyes and calms the spirit. And not far from their home are lakes that beckon for relaxing boating trips for friends and family - and occasional lucky guests like me - to enjoy.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories Ever since I saw how Grand Rapids, MI responded to a Newsweek snub by making the famous The Grand Rapids LipDub video, I wanted to visit that city. So I managed to talk my frequent vacation buddies, Patti and Gerry Congleton from Trip News 45: Patti And Gerry Are Seriously Fun. into joining me. While the city itself was truly impressive, what was really mind blowing was the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
I think the website does a great job of describing it's wonder, grandeur and relevance. "It’s not just the masterpieces of art and nature that delight your senses. Or the surprising silhouettes and endless kaleidoscope of colors and textures that inspire you most. It’s the one, brief, shining moment of clarity about what matters most to you that will bring you back time after time." So if you find yourself in need of a place that has a great sense of humor, a loyal community, wonderful shops and restaurants, natural beauty, robust economy, and an enchanting garden, they come no grander than Grand Rapids. Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories When I went to visit Pat and Mickey Vidakovich (the stars of Trip News 50: Still Crazy After All These Years.) in Harwich, MA, the only thing I knew about Massachusetts was that it was hard to spell. But after touring the area with my most accommodating hosts, I began to understand why the residents find it so hard to live anywhere else. First, there is the beauty of the coast, the flowers that adorn everywhere, and the houses so unique the the locals give them names. Secondly, there are 47 light houses in MA alone. Thirdly, there's that wicked awesome vernacular and cool names like Nor'easter. Lastly, there is the rich history of New England being settled by the Pilgrims who were passengers of the Mayflower.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories If you didn't already guess it when reading, Trip News 51: What Sounds Fun IS Fun With These Two!, Rick and Joan McFarland are a good time just waiting to happen. So when I visited their home in Norwalk, CT, that's precisely what happened. They were kind enough to spend a couple days showing me the ocean side restaurants, eclectic stores, shore side parks and favorite piers. And with their backyard being the home of Rick's Bar with Cocktails by Joan (photos below) the fun never stopped.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories In Trip News 52: Say Hello To My Little Friend. I talked about my enjoyable visit with Peggy and Mark Buckley in Williamsburg, VA. So now I want to focus more on the two historic locations Peggy was kind enough to show me.
Jamestowne was the first successful English colony in North America. It's most famous resident was the legendary Pocahontas, who married Captain John Smith. While the Disney movie paints a romantic picture of their lives together, survival in Jamestowne was anything but pleasant. It is by luck and fortitude that they lived long enough to become heroes of early America. Colonial Williamsburg is the world's largest living history museum. It is designed to take you back to the dawn of America where the ideas - and the ideals - of America were born. And as one great site explains it, you can..."Step back in time and meet the people who made America—sing with them, dance with them, eat with them, and have fun with them. For every person who wants to understand this country, this is your place." Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories I think I summed up my feelings about not wanting to visit the Reptile Lagoon in Trip News 54: Nope. Nope. Nope. And Nope. So here's my take on the rest of South Of The Border. In a word, it is bizarre. It's like Taco Bell and Disney World had a baby who wanted to live in the South. Now granted, after driving lots of miles, it is an entertaining experience. But I gotta confess, I'm still scratching my head on this one.
Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories One of my favorite Willie Nelson songs, My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys begins with the lyrics, "I grew up a-dreamin' of bein' a cowboy, And lovin' the cowboy ways." I think those words truly sum up how I, and many men of my generation, thought life might be like when we got older. Well, not many of us actually took to herding cows for a living, but we never lost that love of the old West. So when my friend and host, Millie Carter suggested we visit the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA as I described in Trip News 56: Happy Trails To You Until We Meet Again., I was the quick to saddle up. I could spend quite a bit of time talking about all the amazing art, sculpture and exhibits, but I think this video does a great job of it.
I can't talk about cowboys without sharing this memory. When my Mom was still with us, she and my sisters, Norene and Vivian and I went to see the movie, The Electric Horseman (now on Netflix). It starred Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Willie Nelson and one incredible stallion. We all loved it. And we all loved the fact that we got to share that experience. Since it was the last movie we all saw together, it now has a very special place in our hearts. Cover Contents Books Home Hire Stories |
|