Full Circle ~ Back in Georgetown

September 9 ~ 28

My mother is looking and seemingly feeling great.  We spend our time together in Manheim, PA catching up, looking at our photos, going out to eat and dedicating Sunday to watching football.  She remains a die-hard Steeler fan.

Heading towards Georgetown, we start to feel a bit odd....it's been almost a year.  Our dear friends, Betsy and Ed, have graciously lent us their home while they are in Europe and we have a full plate of dinners, lunches, brunches, teas, coffees and drinks all laid out.  But, I wonder, can you go home again?

Fortunately the answer is yes!  After spending two days at a College Park, MD RV resort, Cherry Hill Park, (cherryhillpark.com), packing two weeks worth of clothes and getting Tor ready to put in storage for that time we drive into town and finally exhale!

We get to spend a couple of days with our hosts before they take off.  Try out a new M Street Mediteranean
restaurant called Morso (no website yet) and it's a terrific if you're into small plates which we are.  Had a variety of good dishes, but the hands down winner is called a Lamb Pide....in essence a lamb pizza on flat bread....wonderful. 

Went back to what used to be my favorite DC restaurant, The Source, (wolfgangpuck.com) Wolfgang Puck's sleek eatery in The Newseum. Again we opt for small plates in the bar. The Tuna Tartare "cones" are still unbelievable....however, everything else has been notched way down.  The former Kobe sliders are now made of undistinguished ground beef and cooked beyond belief.  We all agree we wouldn't go back again....this is not an inexpensive place and mediocre just isn't good enough.

My birthday falls during this time and Rick makes a wonderful brunch which we eat in the garden.  Then "Skype" (my new favorite thing) with Kelly, Chip and Ian while we open presents.  I have followed Kelly's tradition of putting all bows in her hair...not particulary attractive at this age, but always gets on laugh!

Spend the day at the rejeuvenated American History Museum and are meeting friends for drinks at their place before we go out to some new hot place in the West End.  Or at least that's what I thought!  Rick and Cecelia have cooked up a surprise dinner party and what a treat to see my good friends after such a long time.

Spend the next days in a total Bacchanalian revelry....party on!  What fun.  

What a treat to just walk all over town.....hitting the familar hangouts like Martin's Tavern (martins-tavern.com)  The Georgetown Waterfront Park is as special as ever.....and so glad to see the incredible granite markers finally unveiled and made "skateboarder" safe. 

  

Our time here is growing to a close and exhilaration mixed in with a sizable amount of fear begins to set in.  We are heading to Wilmington, NC to look at property.  We have been there several times and have thought this might be a place where we would consider settling down.  We are now about to begin our next Great Adventure!

Driving East to Newport, Rhode Island

August 24~September 9

We’ve been in an electronic black hole. My PC laptop self-destructed….Rick’s Mac is schizophrenic…..the printer is having issues…..my camera is suffering from a droopy iris. This, plus the dreary landscape and long, long boring drive to Newport has put me in a snit. Bought a new laptop and trying to get in the groove again.

Leaving Chicago we made the short trip to Elkhart, IN…..why?....because that is where Tor was “born” and Rick wants to take a factory tour to figure out exactly how these coaches were made. We’re very surprised just how unfactory-like it looked. Very much like a cottage industry; a very successful cottage industry….guess that’s why Berkshire Hathaway bought it!

Stayed at Elkhart Campground (elkhartcampground.com) seemingly whose only reason for being is for the throngs of people who visit the huge number of RV factories here.

Stopped in Shaker Heights to visit my former sister and brother in laws from another life.  I'm so very fond of them and their daughter, great to see them after a very long time. Tried  to get Tor in their driveway, but that was a losing battle before it began.  Parked it in a large city lot.  Had cocktails in Tor so they could see it, then they took us to a wonderful, kind of funky restaurant, Felice Urban Cafe. The pictures I took are so bad that for everyone's sake, I'm not going to post them!

Trying to find a next stop that would be a fun place to stay for a couple of days rest.....thought the Poconos would be good......wrong!  Thought we could play golf and go to the Mount Airy Lodge, which I've always heard was a lovely old hotel.  Well, found out the hotel closed a few years ago and was razed to make way for a casino.  Looked at two places to stay; one was so scary we opted out....they other, Mount Pocono Campground (mtpoconocampground.com) at first also looks very scary, but if you can make yourself get past the "seasonal" sites, the others are bearable.  Went to the casino....gave back a lot of our former winnings.....but had good calamari and sliders at Red's Bar.

Just two more days to Newport!  Stop in East Lyme, CT at Aces High....have no idea why they call it that...(aceshighrvpark.com).  It's billed as a luxury resort....wouldn't go that far, but it is perfectly  fine and  probably a good base if visiting Mystic and New London.   It also offered Rick a chance to get out his fishing gear again! It was a good thing we weren't planning on fresh fish for dinner!

Finally get to Newport and it's so good to see our kids and their new home. We have a souvenir night...these from San Francisco Chinatown.

A lobster dinner.....Kelly really didn't eat all this, but it is her fav!

 

Spent two days on the beach...some "surfing".

Sand castle building.

Due to the Hurricane Earl which churned up the sea, we found the beach different each time.  One day it looked like a jellyfish farm with eggs all over the sand and in the water.

The next, a huge clam buffet for the seagulls who got very, very aggressive in attacking their prey.

Since we will be visiting here alot, we bought a season pass to the Newport Mansions operated by the Preservation Society.  We did two this time.....Rosecliff and Marble House. Unfortunately you can't take interior pictures, but the exteriors certainly presage what's inside.

The Newport Polo Club, located in the town of Portsmouth, hosts a wildly popular Internationsl Series.  We were lucky enough to catch the home team win over England.

Ian's favorite part is always the divot stomping and the half time football tossing on the field.

Dinner at 15 Point close to the polo grounds....pretty view but hugely disappointing....bad food and terrible service.

"Did" the shops in Newport twice.....adorable  and perhaps the preppiest town in the universe, which suits Kelly and me just fine....but mostly we just enjoyed our time with the kids.....Ian started his new school and soccer team....both seem to be working out really well....proud grandparents need to say he scored two goals in the first game!

The only disconcerting thing we discovered during our stay was that our visitor from Park City, "Stuart Little" not only didn't leave us weeks ago as we thought, but he also had a wife!   Had is the operative word because the traps we left in hidden compartments got them.  We also discovered they were setting up housekeeping under a floorboard and under the sink made of shredded toilet paper and paper towels, Q-tips and......rigatoni!  They're gone now but it still creeps me out!

I so hate to leave, but our great adventure is coming close to full circle.  We'll stop in Pennsylvania to see my mother, then back to Georgetown.

Chicago

August 21~23

Chicago isn’t “Second City” to any place. This is one beautiful, livable, well-planned and cared for town. I may be a little prejudiced since I grew up in one of its suburbs; but I haven’t been here in 20 years and it is better than ever.

We only have one day and our main destination is Millennium Park (millenniumpark.org). It is glorious. Many cities should take note…..particularly our home town of Washington, DC. The National Mall, which is sorely in need of a makeover, would shine with some of the elements found here.

The focal point of the 24 acre park is the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. This outdoor concert venue is a triumph of architecture, sound and accessibility. I’m not a fan of Frank Gehry architecture; but this one really works for me. The 4,000 fixed seats and a lawn that can hold 7,000, seem all tied up in a big stainless steel bow. The overhead lattice work is a state-of-the-art sound system that distributes the sound evenly over the area, like an indoor venue. We heard a noon concert….the sound system works!

"Cloud Gate"  is the most fascinating outdoor sculpture I’ve ever seen. This highly polished stainless steel artwork is reminiscent of liquid mercury reflecting the skyline and clouds above. There’s not an angle that’s not completely fascinating….all 66 feet of length and 33 feet of height. You can also tell why locals call this piece “The Bean”.

There are gardens and ponds where people sit and cool their feet. The most astonishing water feature, though, is The Crown Fountain. Two 50 foot glass block towers, that sit on either end of a shallow reflecting pool, project images of a broad spectrum of Chicago residents. And with a nod to humor and gargoyles, the artist has inserted an outlet that spits water out of the photos mouths.

A walkway, that again utilizes stainless steel, carves an interesting path out of the park supposedly to Lake Michigan. It’s a wonderful structure, but the fact of the matter is you can’t really get to the Lake….just to Lake Shore Drive.


We are trying hard to get a Chicago “dog” for lunch…can’t find one anywhere. There’s a nice outdoor/indoor restaurant, very much like The Promenade Café at Rockefeller Center….this café also turns into an ice rink in the winter…..but we don’t want to take time to linger. There’s an International Festival of Chicago Sister Cities in the Park…..lots of vendors and food….find a good beef satay to share. We’re saving our appetites for dinner….,and this time I know the place well….Lou Malnati’s (loumalnatis.com) which, in my opinion, serves the best deep dish pizza in town.

Took a drive up “The Drive” The apartment buildings that line the street are handsome and have a stunning view of the Lake. There are beaches everywhere; we walk a bit. Drive Michigan Avenue; then State Street….sad to see the wonderful old flagship Marshall Field’s wearing a Macy’s sign.

I haven’t had a Malnati’s pizza in 20 years and I’ve built it up so much, Rick is also salivating at this point. Can’t wait…up to North Wells Street. Nowadays, I’m a real thin crust fan, but this decadent, thick, deep-dish pizza piled with tomato sauce, cheese, sausage, onions and peppers served in a cast-iron skillet is still extraordinary! Happy campers!

Staying in Joliet, about an hour out of the city, because it’s close to the highway we need to be on and we’d rather drive the car into town than Gigantor. The Empress Casino (empresscasino.com) has an RV Park that at first blush looks acceptable…..when we hook-up, much to our surprise, we find there are no sewer connections…very inconvenient to pick up stakes and drive to their dump station. Nevertheless, we play awhile at the Casino and come back with a bit more than we started with.

Elkhart, Indiana next. Why? This is where Gigantor was “born” and Rick is chomping at the bit to take a factory tour to see how these things are made.

Heading Home ~ Omaha

August 18 ~ 20



This is a very, very long drive. Today is the first all day drive in deadheading home. Stop in North Platte, NE whose claim to fame is the 500,000 sand cranes that descend on town each year during their April migration. We’re descending for one night only at the Holiday RV Park (holidayparkne.com).

Never been to Omaha; and while reading up on it, find it is billed as the eighth wealthiest per capita city in the country….guess when you throw Warren Buffet in the mix, it gets a bit skewed!

We’ll spend our rest day poking around town….I’ve plotted some sights that I think should keep us occupied for the day....we had a hard time keeping busy for just the afternoon.

The Chamber of Commerce or somebody has come with a really cute way to identify points of interest. Giant pushpins mark the spot.






Went to the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge that connects Nebraska with Iowa across the Missouri River. It’s visually striking.

Rick is most intrigued, though, with the pretty substantial vibrations on the suspension wires. It’s not very windy, but the bridge is noticeably vibrating. Walk halfway across and figure we must have made it to Iowa.

The Old Market District is supposed to be “Omaha’s Jewel”. It’s a small attractive area with shops lining cobble stone streets. Find the shops surprisingly bohemian; nothing really interesting to us.

It’s too late to go to the zoo which I understand is very good. It’s too early to go to dinner, so we stop at the Upstream Brewing Company (upstreambrewing.com) for their happy hour; nicely priced drinks and a very good coconut shrimp appetizer.



The one thing we’ve really been looking forward to, is a great steak house. Two books, “1,000 Places to See…” and “Roadfood”, both recommende Johnny’s Café (johnnyscafe.com), supposedly an Omaha institution since 1922 located in the old stockyards. It was truly the worst meal I have ever eaten. Every single thing including the Chateaubriand was inedible. Not surprisingly, the waitress never asked us how it was, since our plates were nearly as full when we were finished.

Stayed at the "West Omaha" KOA (koa.com).  Not a fan of these places, but there are very few choices....at least this one had some premium sites that offered a nicer patio and furniture.  But to call this "Omaha" is a real stretch.....it's in Gretna and 23 miles from town.

Thank heavens we’re stopping outside Chicago tomorrow. Ready for some fun!

Boulder Threedux

August 11~17

It will take us two days to get to Boulder….two very, long, boring days. We stayed in Rawlins, WY on the way west and opt to do that again……Western Hills Campground (westernhillscampground.com) is bare bones, but it’s a bearable one night stand and at least we know what to expect. Can’t stand some of the surprises we encounter.

Make it to Boulder in time for cocktails…..that is, after getting Tor in Jim and Linda’s driveway…..always a nail biting feat which Rick is getting amazingly good at.

We’re very comfortable in Tor….we don’t seem to notice how limited the space is….until you arrive at a home where you can walk more than a few feet and not run into a wall! Feels so good to have room, a garden where you can eat outside and a shower that feels absolutely huge!

We always have such a good time at the Boulder Cunninghams’….party hearty! And it’s so good to spend more time with "Big Jim".

Rick occupies most of the daylight hours working on Tor….big surprise! He takes Tor to the spa for an oil change and tire rotation, but the bigger deal is putting in a new kitchen vent and fan.

We had a minor episode on the way to Park City. One of the hatches on the ceiling decided to open itself while we were driving…..I cranked it down, but not too long later, it not only opened, but pieces of the cover ripped open leaving us with a hazard that could blow off completely and land on someone’s windshield. There was nowhere to pull over, so we were forced to drive the rest of the way to Park City with our fingers crossed. No one got hurt! Made it to the RV resort where it promptly blew off in a gust of wind. Rick configured a temporary fix with towels, cardboard and duct tape! Unattractive, but functional! We picked up a new cover and this time added a fan to help with the kitchen heat…..better than new!

Mostly caught up with family and life chores during our week in Boulder, but got out a few times. Ate at a neat restaurant, Bacco Boulder (baccoboulder.com), a trattoria and mozzarella bar…..never heard of that one before.

To an Asian/Pacific festival on the mall.

Followed by margaritas on a roof deck.

Took a picnic to Chautauqua (chautauqua.com), a National Historic Landmark built in 1898, to hear a Neville Brothers Concert.

We didn’t have tickets so we were just going to sit outside. Then nephew Jason, walks in with four tickets in hand that he scored from a radio station doing a promotional feed. Tres cool.

Leaving in the morning….1973 miles to go until we reach Newport, RI. Fashioned a route where we drive two days, then rest for a day or so. If all goes as planned, we’ll arrive Newport September 1.

Tahoe via San Jose

August 4 ~ 6

Have wanted to go to Tahoe forever.  Too bad we've really got the itch to get east, so we decide to only spend a couple of nights there.  But we waylay to San Jose for the night to see some of the guys Rick used to worked with and they're anxious to see Tor.

We have to stay at a pretty miserable place, Trailer Tel RV Park (trailertel.net), but it's the only place right in San Jose.  We don't want to the guys to come here, so we go to them.....park Tor in their office parking lot and have a little cocktail party.

The road to Tahoe is pretty uneventful except for a couple of steep climbs, particularly the one through the infamous Donner Pass.  Arrive at Coachland RV Park, (coachlandrvpark.com) to this little surprise.  Don't know how long we've been dragging Pearl (the car), with a hurt foot, but discover a very flat tire with a big screw lodged in it. Coachland is billed as a four star facility....don't believe it....who makes this stuff up!

Having only one full day in Tahoe, we decide to start off at Squaw Valley (squaw.com) which proudly showcases its role as host to the 1960 Olympics.

 

Stroll around the village which is very, very quiet and decide to take the 80 mile drive around the entire lake to get a good overview of what Tahoe is all about.  Find Soupa  (squaw.com/soupa), a tiny little restaurant in the village and get what turns out to be the best sandwich I've ever eaten....called a Caprese.  Rick orders a Thai Peanut Wrap and we set off on the drive.

We stumble upon a fast moving stream filled with rafters and consider renting a raft...that's until we see literally  hundreds of rafts fighting for water space...looks like a ride at Disneyworld.....no thanks!

Find a great spot on the Lake for a wonderful picnic.  The Caprese is a whole wheat ciabotta roll slathered with pesto and piled with heritage tomatoes and mozzarella.....marvelous!  The thai peanut comes in a distant second.

It has been said the 25 mile miles from State Line, Nevada north on the east side of the lake is one of the most beautiful drives in America.  If that's all you do, you will be missing the very best part.....Emerald Bay, on the northwest corner of the California side.

This is in no way an educated recommendation, but it seems the north shore is far nicer.....the south filled with t-shirt shops and the like.  At the two state lines between California and Nevada, the traffic is abysmal....perhaps because of the casinos at the very edge of each border.  It also seemed that Incline Village and King's Beach were perhaps the nicest places along the way.

It would be great to stay and have a beach day, but we are really anxious to get back east and to our kids.....trying to find places to stay along the way to break up the very long 2900 miles ahead.

We'll go back to Park City, Utah tomorrow.....missed a couple of things at Olympic Park that we'd like to see.