Category Archives: My Favorite Things

5 1/2 Months – Week 5

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We got out of Bangor just in time!!! There is another, BIGGER, snowfall due Monday. We departed Bangor Airport  at 7:45am Sunday morning, arrived St, Louis at 2pm. After lunch and nice visit with Brent we were in the car at 4:15pm and on the road. Thanks to Mary for storing some of our winter clothes until we get back in town.

By Monday night, with the help of Paul Simon, Paul McCarthy, Tony Bennett, Lada Gaga, Jerry Garcia, Ray Charles, and Frank Sinatra, we traveled nearly 600 miles to Shamrock, Texas.

We passed the Big EGG (?) three times on the Hyway and then the egg driver truck happened to stop for the night where we did. He said he was not allowed to tell us what he was carting but it was traveling from NY to LA and we’ll see it on National TV soon.  Let us know if you figure out this mysterious package or if you see it on television.

We had a great steak dinner at an authentic Texas steak house– BIG VERN’S

Long drive today from Shamrock, Texas  to Flagstaff, Arizona. We had one interesting stop in Winslow, Arizona. Have you ever hear of the Harvey Girls? We stopped by to see La Posada, the last Great Railroad Hotel built by Fred Harvey. Never heard of Fred Harvey? Neither did we. Apparently, Fred Harvey was quite the entrepreneur in the 1930-40’s. He built luxury hotels along the railroad routes. Teddy Roosevelt, Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper were among the many celebrity guests at the La Posada.

The drive from Kingman, Arizona to Las Vegas through the Kaibab National Forest was awesome. We stopped briefly at the Hoover Dam. It is an amazing building accomplishment but not worth the stop, in my opinion, because of the tourist traffic is horrific.

We spent two nights in Las Vegas and took advantage of the O”Rourke’s new swimming pool and hot tub. The picture, taken by Nettie, is of my lifelong friend Terry and his wife Jo, Sandy and me. Terry and I have been friends since kindergarten. He and Jo, their dog Stella and Jo’s mom Nettie live in a beautiful Mountain View home. Jo had prepared our bedroom and bath like it was a high-end hotel. We enjoyed prime rib dinner at the South Point Casino and then we played a few games of chance at the Silverton Casino. I lost $35 and Sandy won $6 at the penny machine. We left the O’Rourke’s hospitality and friendship Friday morning for the drive to San Diego. The six hour trip through  the Mohave Desert, Death Valley, was highlighted by a lunch stop at Peggy Sue’s Diner located off Ghost Town Road in Yermo, California.    

5 1/2 Months- Week 4

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Nancy Dunn, my sister-in-law, gave us a really nice practical gift. It’s a National Geographic Book- Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways. The book lists “the best 275 drives in the U.S.” Most of these byways are off the beaten track. They are literally the roads less traveled. And, although Sandy and I have been to all 50 States I could not count more than 40 of these “best” scenic drives that we have traveled.

Yesterday and today were special days. We left the main roads and traveled bumpy, pot-holed backroads of Maine to discover heaven. Monday we drove up through Ellsworth to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor to find the road to the top of Cadillac Mountain and the Jordan Pond were closed for winter. In fact, most of the restaurants and shops are closed too. So, we skipped the downtown walk along the beach for a scenic drive to Schoodic Point. Schoodic Point is a 2,266 acre reserve with a six mile drive along the windswept granite shores of the Schoodic Peninsula.  Awesome drive and amazing scenery—the pictures will not do it justice.

Tuesday was an equally fun day of driving and stopping for photo opps. We made the Deer Isle Drive. Departing Blue Hill on Hyway 15 we headed straight for Stonington which is a very small old fishing harbor town. There was little to see and not many stores open but luckily the main café was open. Crab soup, coffee and water is all we needed to sustain ourselves until dinner.

For the next few hours we rambled around the Penobscot Bay, Deer Isle area finding one quaint town after the next. The best find for sure was the Tinder Hearth Bakery located somewhere near Brooksville. We bought a round loaf of Maine whole wheat bread and a cookie for my afternoon pick-me-upper. This place must survive on the tourist season because it offers pizza only on Tuesday night if you call ahead to place an order and then come in to pick it up. There is no seating area for the Bakery….you walk in the door and there is the fired up hearth and all of the goodies for purchase. No one takes your money. You pay cash in a tin box and take change if you need it.

Oh, another highlight, we had a huge bald eagle circle in front of us at the tips of the trees as we started our drive south. This a clear sign from heaven that today is going to be a good day. And, it was!!!

I’m writing this from the Blue Hill Library. This afternoon Bangor is supposed to get hit with 10-18 inches of snow. We are looking forward to our first nor’easter since our days in Boston. Flights all up and down the coast are cancelled including our March flight connecting in Philadelphia. We feel like little kids. This will be FUN!

We got 15 inches. Snowed in. Our flights – 4 of them on March 8, were  cancelled. We can’t get out of Bangor until Sunday, March 11. So, we get more beautiful drives and more beautiful photo’s opportunities in Blue Hill, Bar Harbor, and Ellsworth. Today, we took advantage of this inconvenience by traveling to North Harbor, Maine which is located on Mountain Desert Island. We are now back to the Blue Hill Library because it is the most convenient place to get WiFi and have an opportunity to get all of our messages.

15 States, 3 Provinces, 4750 miles in 23 days

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Last year we traveled for 8 weeks, 56 straight days, more than 7,500 miles by car, and more miles by train, plane, bus and van. I documented the trip day by day. I didn’t think I would ever do that again. But, here I am. This time it’s a shorter trip, 23 days, all by car, but so interesting and wonderful that we have to record it for our memories. If I don’t, I will forget it all, or least significant parts, by next Monday. That’s the way the minds works these days.

August 7- 9am, we are on the road anxious to arrive at our Indiannapolis destination. I invited ourselves to visit our  friends Ted and Julie Bates. They were gracious hosts allowing us to spend the night on their beautiful new downsized home, 5000+ square feet,  located on a man-made lake. Julie prepared a scrumptious meal, salmon, asparagus  and mashed potatoes. Yummy!  In the evening we attended a Beatles consert at a local park. There must of been 10,000 people on the hillside in lawn chairs, blankets, carting baskets of wine and food. We had all the best, prepared by Julie, of course. The look like and sound like Beatles band provided nostalgic entertainment . Great night with good friends. Thanks Ted and Julie. Hey, Ted, how are you doing in our weight loss challenge?

August 8- this was an adventurous day with a slight mis-hap. We were traveling at 70 miles per hour following a semi-trailer truck when all of sudden a huge truck tire shows up in the middle of the road. We drive straight over it, shredding the tire to pieces and the car didn’t flinch. My Subaru Legacy was so steady that I kept driving despite Sandy’s suggestion that we pull over to check for damage. A few miles more, 40 minutes later, I stop for gas and then make a car damage assessment. More damage than expected. I call my insurance company to file a claim. I also call my nephew, Mark Politte. He owns Stanley Subaru in Ellsworth Maine. This is where I bought the car. I tell Mark I’m coming up to Ellsworth needing more than a free oil change.

August 9- we ended our day yesterday, in Grantsville, Maryland. This is a small mountainside village community. Nice clean lodging accommodations and a buffet dinner at some Mennonite/German restuarant. Our destination today is Willmington, Delaware. We have a picnic style lunch at a neat little park outside of the main town square. Delaware was on my buckit list. This is my 50th State visited! Mission accomplished. Without much fanfare we spend the next few hours driving on to the Jersey Shore. We visit Long Beach, Ship Bottom and Beach Haven before deciding we can’t afford to stay on the beach. $279 per night is beyond our comfort level. The Holiday Inn – few miles from shore is just fine.

August 10- we show up at the door steps of the Sobecki’s new home at Little Egg Harbor. John and Ginny have retired in this very nice community. The home is a perfect size for two people who will occasionally get a daughter with grandchild for a visit. After John shows us around town we end up at Panini Bay for a delightful meal and a great view. John and Ginny seem to be super satisfied in retirement. We are so happy that we stopped to see them. It was definitely worth doing. Good people , good friends.

By 1:30pm we were on the highway battling traffic through NJ, NY and then Connecticutt. Finally, we arrive at our destination, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. We get lucky, as we often do by exiting randomly and locating a Public House. What a great place to stay. The quaint restuarant had a marvelous setting and the food was sensational. Best of all Sandy discovered she was caring a discount coupon book with a $59.99 offer from Public House. Sandy was as happy as a kid in a candy store. I didn’t care about the discount but I was more than happy with the great meal and ambiance.

August 11-16 we arrived in Blue Hill, Maine by 3pm to do some grocery shopping before showing up at Mary’s house in time for Evan’s birthday party. Evan is a 5’11” fifteen year old grandchild. His sister’s Olivia and Ella and my son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Nicole are visitng the Politte family for a one week vacation. We show up, as a surprise to Evan, but I dont think he was surprised at all.

On Wednesday my car goes to Stanley Subaru for evaluation. The underbelly looks like I drove over a huge truck tire. Black marks everywhere! The accident cracked the catalytic converter (whatever that is) and tore up the front and back fender gards. Fortunately, Mark was able to get me on the priority list at the local body shop. They had everthing fixed up by Saturday morning so we could continue the trip.

We had a great time with Craig’s family and Mark, Samantha, Madison, Ben and Chloe. Too many great dinners and laughs to document here. Sandy’s sister Mary owns a beautiful home in Blue Hill on the ocean bay. We shared the home with Craig, Niclole and the kids, making this the most affordable part of our trip. Thanks to Mary.

Saturday we had a day trip to Acadia National Park with lunch in Bar Harbor. We’ve been there before but these places are defintely worth a second visit. With better plannng and more time we could have done a few hikes in Acadia.

August 16- we leave Maine with Canada on our minds. We were driving through a small town of Amherst when Sandy spots a B&B. It so happens, this place has been open for two weeks! We find it. It was fantastic. If you’re ever in Amherst, Nova Sotia look up the Apothic Inn. We recommend it.

August 17- we are headed to Halifax to spend the day and night. We ended up spending two hours on the waterfront and changed our minds, pushed on to Lunenberg. But first, we stop at Malone Bay for a brief walk and lunch at Mug Anchor pub, 17 beers on tap, and great seafood chowder. That night we discover the Boscawin Inn B&B. This was another great place to stay. Originally the place was a private home built by the govenor in 1875. Today it is a fantastic B&B over-seeing this quintessential little town of Lunenberg. If you are headed to Nova Scotia we recommend the Boscawin Inn and Salt Shaker Deli for lunch or dinner.

August 18- another random act, we decide to go to Prince Edward Island. Its only a few hours away. We cross an enormous bridge and then tour the central part of PEI before finding our B&B. This place was off the beaten track, in the middle of farm land with a distant view of the ocean. We were two-hundred yards away from the ocean but we did take a short walk to enjoy the sight, the smell and the gentle breeze of the ocean. By the way, breakfast was scruptious!

August 19- after paying $45.50 bridge fee to get off the Island we have a long drive day through New Brunswick to River DuLoop, just outside Quebec.

August 20 After an uneventful day we end up in Quebec City for brunch at an outside resturant. Then, we walked this beautiful french speaking European-like city. In the afternoon we drive on toard Montreal. Our plan was to have dinner at Saint Gabriel, my favorite resturant, discovered when I was marketing director for the St. Louis Blues.The NHL held annual meeting there following each season. So, I was in Montreal every June from 1978-83. This plan never materialized because we ended up in a huge traffic jam caused by a burning car stuck in the tunnel leading to downtown Montreal. We got off the highway spendng the night in Bouschville, Quebec, Province.

August 21- beautiful weather for a walk up and down the cobble stone steeets in Old Montreal. We found Saint Gabriel’s despite the resturant change of names. It;s now called Bergi on Saint Gabriel street. The ambiance looks the same. The restuarant wasn’t open at 10am when we were there but the owner allowed us in for a nostaligic visit. We went to a French speaking 12:30pm mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral before lunch and more sight seeing.

August 22 – we are approaching the United States border and we have $32 Canadian and $1.50 American money in our pockets. We spend most of the Canadian money on gas at the last city in Canada before crossing. I figure I can get cash at an ATM in Port Huron. As we are getting our Passports ready for the crossing we notice that first we have to pay a $3.50 toll. As we are approaching the toll gate we frantically search for change. This so funny but I can’t capture it properly. Just imagine Sandy and I holding up traffic trying to explain that we have NO MONEY. We dont have $3.50 even if we combine all left over change Canadian and American. Finally, the frustrated gate keeper takes what we have and waves us through to the United States. We keep re-telling that very funny story. i showed the guy my empty wallet. Sandy says, “I found two pennies, will that help?” The gate keepers expression on his face was priceless.

August 23- after spending the night in a very forgettable,Travelodge, we decided to drive to our location in Douglas, Michigan. The plan was to meet some of Sandy”s family at a rental house from the 24th-31st. We arrive Sunday night in a rain storm and found the keys to the house. The accomodations are good. We have rented a 4 bedroom house with a great view of Lake Michigan.

August 24-30 – we had a great time hanging out with Tom and Sallee, Nancy, Mary, Jack and CeCe, Katie and Mimi-Mimi. I think we saw all you can see in Saugatuck, Douglas, South Haven and Holland, Michigan. Sunsets were cool or non-existent because of clouds. Good restuarants all over. Tom and I had our favorite, M&M’s. We had three breakfasts and one dinner at a place most people would drive by. The outside looks like a place to avoid. The food and the service was outstanding.

August 30 – on we go to Springfield, Illinois to have dinner with Craig and Nicole and visit with our grankids. These are the same family members that we just saw in Blue Hill, Maine. This time we are in thier comfortable home and dinner at a wonderful Italian restuarant….best bartender and hostess/waitress I have ever seen at any restuarant.

August 31- we are back  home, watching a Cardinal game. Enjoying our15th floor view- over-looking Forest Park. Back to the routine we enjoy and the friends that we look forward to seeing soon. Safely home and very grateful.

Carpe Diem!