More Trips This Summer?

It has been a busy summer which actually started in the spring. This year, in addition to the various day trips around the area, we have been to Hershey, Pittsburgh, Stone Harbor, and all over Virginia. Additionally, I took a short trip to Atlanta. It has been a lot of miles, provided us with a few challenges, and also been a great experience with our son. The question now is whether or not we want to continue traveling during the remaining summer months?

My wife and I have discussed taking a few day trips to revisit some places and introduce our son to some of our favorite spots. At the same time, we obviously have to take into consideration the fact that we are no longer traveling as a couple but as a family so some of our previous adventures are incredibly impractical at this point in our lives. We have been so busy this summer that it has been nice not having to be anywhere during our weekends. August is already well underway and there aren’t many days left before things get busy at work.

However, while it may not be this summer, there are a couple of spots that we will visit again and show our son some of the places that we have enjoyed over the last few years. Jim Thorpe is definitely on the list as it provides us with a nice relaxing place to walk and I am sure our son will enjoy riding on the train through the mountains. Maybe we should hold this off for the fall so we can finally experience it with the trees burning the horizon.

Gettysburg will definitely be another family trip. In addition to being a great place to walk there are a lot of things that we didn’t get around to seeing when my wife and I drove down there last time. However, with so much open space, this isn’t going to be the best place to go during the heat of August. This will, most likely, be a trip that we take in the spring.

The last place that immediately came to mind when we were thinking about other places to bring our son was Knoebels… didn’t really have to think hard about this one. It is a great way to introduce our son to an amusement park without the intensity of the huge crowds or the cost of parking and general admission. There are so many thing that he can look at and new experiences that we want to expose him to. I expect to be riding the small train quite a few times whenever we are able to get up there. I am thinking that this will be perfect for next summer.

Of course this doesn’t really answer the question of where we will be taking our son this summer but at least there are a few places planned out for the future. What can I say, he likes to travel and be out and about so we need at least a few of these things planned ahead of time. I guess you will find out where we bring our son this summer shortly after we return from our brief travels. Sometimes, that is the best way to plan out a summer anyway.

TMI Tuesday: Still Recovering

Recovering from vacation could be worse!

It has been just over a week and we are all still recovering from our summer excursion. While our feet have recovered and our schedules seem to be back to near normal there are still times of adjustment throughout the day. Also, having now been able to think about the trip and trying to get back to our routine, for the record, our son’s maximum vacation length is eight days.

Since our return there have been times when we don’t want to do anything or go anywhere and there are other moments when we look for things to do and places to go. The same can be said for all three of us as, every once in a while, I catch those looks on my son’s face when I know he wants to be out seeing something new. Of course, he still has the occasional moment of “where the heck am I” and “where are we going today?”

There are a lot of things that are back to normal but there are the hiccups that come with change. There are moments when our son is a little more temperamental with his eating or stubbornly not wanting to go to bed. And, with how much he grew during our week away, there are other things that need to be adjusted as well. However, all in all, he has been great getting back into many of the usual routines that he enjoys. It is definitely easier on my wife not having to carry so much stuff around and find new places to feed and change him.

It has certainly been an adjustment from seeing new things every day, being with each other all day, and not having to go to work in the morning but we are working through the change back to normal. Thankfully, in addition to being able to get caught up at work, much of the house work has been done that we put off until we got back. It is looking pretty good actually. Coming home to some of the messing things after being in clean hotel rooms was a bit of an eye opener… we are working on a better daily/weekly routine to make sure that doesn’t happen again!

While this summer has gone about as smoothly as we could have ever hoped, I know that there are few things that we have learned along the way and that next summer will be structured quite differently. It has been good to get away and spend time with family but the length and frequency of the trips will have to be adjusted moving forward. This most recent trip was a tad too long while the other ones could have been extended by a couple of days. All lessons that we will apply moving forward.

Firearms Friday: Buying Local

Photo from our brief detour along Skyline Drive. 

Usually when preparing for a trip I pull up Google and search for a local gun shop where I can stop by and look around. Not the Bass Pro Shop, Gander Mountain, or Cabela’s nearby but the small family owned shop like my shop up in Jamison, Tanner’s Sports Center. Besides being a much more inviting place to stop and relax, the prices are usually better and we all have to do our part to support these small businesses.

This has become part of my travel routine. When I first drove out to Elizabethtown I found Trop Gun Shop. When I ventured to the other side of the Commonwealth, I stopped by the Keystone Armory. It is a fun and relaxing way for me to take a break from the road and the usual agenda of these trips. And each time I end up walking out with at least something small that I had been meaning to pick up.

However, the last couple of trips this summer, I didn’t plan on making such a stop. Our weekend getaway to Hershey wasn’t my weekend, which was a couple of days dedicated to my wife and making her happy… this is my hobby and I wasn’t going to let it interfere with her weekend. The drive to Pittsburgh was already a bit of a challenge and had so many unknowns that there wasn’t a moment to be spared. And, finally, the current trip to Virginia is all about family… it has been too long since we have taken this journey together and there are too many other things that we need to see that adding another stop just for me doesn’t make sense.

Instead, the detours that we took on our way down were for practical and bucket list purposes. We managed to pack the car (10 in 5) and get out of the house on time and hit little traffic on the first leg before stopping at a Waffle House along the highway. In addition to it having been a long time for each of us since dining at a Waffle House (with the exception of a quick stop in Arizona a couple of years ago) it was also the first time that our son had been to one and it was also his first experience in a high chair.

After lunch we continued on the highway which would take us directly to the Red Roof Inn in Troutville, Virginia. We had a dinner schedule for tonight so we did have a bit of a schedule but we also had plenty of leeway so we took a little detour (the first of many during this vacation I’m sure). It was a brief bucket list trek off the highway and over the mountains to Skyline Drive. The views were spectacular but the 30 mph speed limit wasn’t going to work for us so after a short while we turned around and back tracked to the highway.

In the end, while it is nice to stop by local shops and I encourage the practice, family has to come first. We can’t do everything that we want but we can chose the best experiences to have in life and by taking the time and enjoying new experiences with family rather than indulging in our own hobby, we will be much better for it. Of course, there could certainly be a few stops to local shops in the future.

Even with an overcast sky and hazy valley the views were still stunning.

Lessons Learned

We have now traveled with our son a few times with this past weekend being both the greatest distance that we have traveled from home and also for the longest duration. I can’t say that everything was perfect during these weekend adventures but we were able to get there and back in one piece each time so I would call them successful. However, there have been a few takeaways from our travels thus far and here are just a few of them:

• Rest Stops Are Your Friends – Always be cognizant of the rest stops during your drive. Know when you pass one and how long it is until the next one. You may not need to stop at that exact moment but things can change in a matter of minutes.
• Stick As Closely To His Schedule As Possible – The last thing you want is your son being in a different and unfamiliar place and have his schedule messed up. Keeping to a feeding schedule as much as possible and repeating the nighttime routine can make things a lot easier.
• Don’t Underestimate The Number Of Wipes You Need – this is both for the obvious reasons but also because you’ll have other uses for them as well. If you are like our family you will be out and about all day… use the wipes to clean your hands regularly. They are also convenient for the occasional road trip spill in the car.
• You Are Going To Forget Things – Begin with packing the things that you can’t readily replace. Everything else comes after. It is pretty much guaranteed that you are going to forget things so make sure that they are items that you can pick up on the road.

Of course, there are countless other lessons learned during our explorations but those seem to be the four that most readily come to mind. While those might be the things that didn’t go as smoothly as expected, there were also things that we were very thankful for as we drove down the highway. Most notably is the fact that we upgraded our cars over the past few months. While absolutely possible to travel in our former vehicles, having the Outback and the Cherokee have made things a heck of a lot easier.

So this is just the beginning. I am sure that we will make more mistakes and overlook things in the future but we are at least keeping things moving in the right direction. The true test will be next month as we significantly extend our vacation…. I even took time off from work for this one. While there is always going to be some trepidation, I am looking forward to rediscovering a place (and reconnecting with distant relatives) from my childhood and sharing that experience with my wife and my son. Of course, you can read all about that trip next month so stay tuned.

Diners, Spelunking, And More Chocolate

Following a great first day away from home and a surprisingly uneventful night of sleep, we woke up early on Mother’s Day knowing that there were a few things that we wanted to see before we headed home. In addition to our room including tickets to Hershey Gardens, we were also given tickets to the Milton Hershey Story Museum which is where we ventured off to after we checked out and packed the car. Only about 5 minutes from the lodge, the museum was in downtown Hershey were we were able to park for free just behind the building. Having not eaten yet, we pushed back our exploration of the exhibits and instead grabbed a small breakfast at the café attached to the lobby (nothing special about the food here).

The museum itself was an interesting timeline of the Hershey story which covered the entire life of the entrepreneur and the legacy that still thrives today. For those of us that enjoy reading all the information posted with the artifacts, it is a nice place to stop while in the area. Of course, being surrounded by cocoa, our son decided to make some chocolate of his own and he wasn’t too happy about the results. Needless to say, the second half of the museum went by much further than the first half. However, we were still able to find our son a job on the first floor so at least we have already started planning for the future.

With our son now a little fresher than before, we picked up a few little items at the gift shop and ventured back out into the lobby where we had our son’s picture taken and we discussed the rest of the day. We were already planning on heading over to Indian Echo Caverns but we decided to stop by a diner for some lunch before our little spelunking adventure. While it fell short of the food from the night before, the lunch we had at the Soda Jerk Diner was pretty darn good (and it was a heck of a lot cheaper). The home made Moussaka is something that shouldn’t be passed up if you happen to stop in (save room for salad before and ice cream after which are included in the price).

From the diner we drove over to the caves just around the corner. While the wait was a little misleading (you can only say 10 more minutes so many times before people get annoyed), the tour was one that I am glad we were finally able to see (this stop has been nearly two years in the making). While there is an interesting story behind all the rooms and tunnels, it is probably best if I just include a variety of picture below that give you a pretty good sense of the spaces and tunnels which we explored during the 45 minute tour.

By the time the tour came to an end, our son was not happy. With all the traveling we had gotten him off of his schedule a bit and he was having nothing of it. Before the rest of the group could block our escape, we scurried up the 71 stairs and walked straight over to the car where we could change him and feed him. It was also a good time for us to rest. Once our son was satiated we got back on the road and began the slow trek back to the house.

Not wanting to make too much progress, too quickly we took the back roads across much of Lancaster County including slow coasting through Ephrata and Lititz. I am sure that my wife would have taken some picture but she was asleep for most of the time. It had been a long day and I would have done the same thing had I been a passenger. As we slowly made our way back east we made one final stop for a slightly early dinner at the Windmill Diner and Family Restaurant. Some place familiar and not too far from home… it was a nice way to end our weekend getaway and our son’s first, albeit short, family trip.

Chocolate, Flowers, And A Full Hotel

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, my wife and I took our son on a little getaway this past weekend. With everything that has happened, we wanted to do something special and get away from everything for just a night. We didn’t want to go too far and we wanted somewhere family friendly were we could walk around. After all, this was his first trip and night away from home so we wanted something a little easier on all of us. That list of simple criteria lead us to Hershey.

Even though I was a little late in scheduling the trip, I got lucky and found a room available at the Hershey Lodge for Saturday night. With the hotel booked, we headed out late Saturday morning amidst the mist enveloping the highway. Just over an hour later and we were checking in at the front desk as the cocoa aroma flowed through the lobby. After a quick lunch at the Bear’s Den (decent burgers but I suggest you have the salt ready) we walked out front, hopped on the free shuttle, and made our way to Hershey Gardens (free tickets included with our room).

Not the greatest view.

The gardens proved to be a nice little walk despite the overcast sky. However, having spent more time at much larger places (i.e. Longwood Gardens) we covered the entire grounds pretty quickly. While not as impressive as many other horticultural attractions it was still a nice walk with a decent variety of plants, paths, and views. Here are just some of the pictures that I took with my phone during our walk (also the one at the beginning of the post):

Now much later in the afternoon, we walked back to the shuttle and enjoyed a nice conversation with the driver as we made our way back to the lodge. After unpacking everything in our room and taking a little break, we spent some time outside with our very happy baby.

It was nice to have the quite time to enjoy the cool breeze and people watch as prom goers and military officers convened at the same time to attend their respective events (this is in addition to the countless little cheerleaders scurrying about the building).

When we walked over to the Hershey Grill afterward, we were nearly turned away by the hostess. Given the busy weekend there was limited seating and we were about to turn around when the manager escorted the three of us to the patio and sat us at a very nice table near the ducks playing in the water fountain. The meal that we had here was excellent… I suggest the mushroom bruschetta, the smoked trout lettuce wraps, and the eggplant parmigiana (a little different than what we were expecting but good nevertheless). Tired and full we slowly meandered back to the room so that we could put our feet up, and put out baby down, for the night. Thankfully, he slept through the night in the strange room.

Planning For The Summer

Coming to a blog near you in July 2015!

Now that spring is here and the weather is beginning to warm, we are all getting a little antsy and wanting to get out of the house. It happens the same time every year and, even with the new baby, this year is no exception. So, with that in mind, my wife and I have begun discussing where we will be headed off to this spring and summer. This also included planning or this weekend which I haven’t got a clue about what direction to travel.

At this point we have some of the broad strokes in place beginning either this month and progressively extending those trips through July. April and May will consist of a few day trips to destinations unknown at this point. There might also be an overnight trip in May just to get our son used to this important part of traveling. So far we are thinking of places relatively close to home like Hershey, Gettysburg, or Jim Thorpe. All places that you have read about on this blog before. There are also loose plans for at least one trip to the shore during the summer as well.

Right now June could be a slightly longer trip as the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania will be taking place in Pittsburgh toward the end of the month. Given my experience last year in Erie, this trip is a definite possibility but it is probably going to come down to whether or not our son is used to the long car ride by that time and if he needs some rest before the family vacation in July. Hopefully we will be able to make it as it is an experience that I want to share with my wife and son especially with the presentation that is currently scheduled to occur during the meeting.

While everything else is pretty much in a fluid state at this point, the one thing that we have locked into our schedule is the aforementioned family vacation. For the first time since 1987, I will be heading down to the family reunion which will be taking place in Natural Bridge, Virginia. This is not your usual reunion where a few dozen people congregate to one place, this is an event where anyone who can trace back to the original ancestor that arrived in Philadelphia on 27 October 1764 is welcomed as family. I am really looking forward to attending and introducing my wife and son to family members from all over the country.

Even though the plans aren’t completely settled, it looks like it is going to be another active summer. We want our son to see as much as he can and this is at least a good way to start. Now all I have to do is figure out what I am going to present in July. Any suggestions for occupying an infant during a 6 hour car ride would be appreciated. Also, any requests from family regarding what you want to learn more about would be appreciated as well and considered for my presentation topic during the reunion.

Summer Travel Planning

With spring in full swing I have been giving some thought to where my wife and I should go this summer. We enjoyed getting away last year on the weekends and it would be nice to continue that and really spend some more time together. We both really enjoy the time away from the apartment, getting out, and taking plenty of pictures as well.

We had quite the list last year and managed to check off a lot of places on the list so this year it is a little harder to think of towns and destinations that we haven’t been to. Of course, we are happy to return to some of the places we visited previously but new places will definitely take precedence. We might even venture beyond the Pennsylvania boarder although we are still averse to venturing into the states that begin with New.

So far, there are a few places already on the list but, again, it is much more difficult to come up with places and this would be in addition to any work and lodge travel that I have coming up. Here is my list as it stands today (still have to discuss everything with my wife and get her input):

• Jim Thorpe – This would be our third time visiting the small mountain town and we look forward to seeing a few things that we missed previously including the Butterfly Sanctuary.
• Scranton – I have to be up there in June for a Masonic function which is when I will look for different things to do and places to see.
• Hershey – Smells like chocolate! Haven’t really been there in a while so it might be time to finally get back over there and visit… maybe a trip to the park is in order too.
• Lititz – The small Lancaster County town was on our list last year but was cut when we began slowing down toward the end of the summer.
• Yuengling Brewery (Pottsville) – We tried doing the tour last year but arrived too late. We will be planning ahead this time.
• Bushkill Falls - We passed this up last year as we didn’t want to pay the admission price and we had already walked around Raymondskill Falls. Hopefully we go there on a day when it is not mobbed by those venturing across the river.
• Indian Echo Caverns (Hummelstown) – The spelunking was a big hit last year so it is time to explore another cave. We will be sure to save this trip for the peak of the heat during the summer.
• Winterthur (Delaware) – Another hot day destination. I have always wanted to visit this DuPont estate but something would always come up and prevent it. Maybe this time I can actually check it off my list.  

As I said before, the list isn’t very far along but it’s a start. I’m sure that we will fill this in as the summer approaches. Any suggestions of where to go? Any great deals that you know of floating around out there? What to meet up or serve as our tour guide? Let me know in the comments or by emailing me at timetokeepitsimple@gmail.com.

 

Time To Get To Work

For the second day in a row, I drove eastbound on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and made my way to the Hershey Lodge. While yesterday was an all-day affair, the reason behind today’s journey was much more focused. This morning provided me the opportunity to see the party nomination process first hand for the first time. While annual and campaign budgets were discussed, platforms and bullet points were outlined as a means to focus the messaging for the coming year. Not surprisingly, the messaging is in line with one of my previous posts.

Of course, the culmination of the morning was in the official nomination and backing of Governor Tom Corbett in his bid for reelection in the fall. While some may look at the calendar and see almost an entire year in front of us, this is a short period of time which will prove difficult to get everything done that we want to accomplish. Difficult but not impossible. Unfortunately, every one of us in that room know the difficulties that are been cast in our path every day, we know what the opposition has done and wants to do to us. But what really motivates us, is that we know what the other side wants to do to this state as a whole, what they want to do to all of us. That is what will propel us to victory.

While a naturally reserved person, there is a sense of excitement that comes over you as songs from "Rocky" echo across the hall as the Lieutenant Governor and then the Governor enter the hall and make their way to the stage. The same people with whom I was speaking just yesterday in a relaxed reception. The meeting when a bit longer than expected (which I didn’t notice until the balloons were release and I went to check my messages) but I was still able to stop for coffee and get out the door before noon. It was another new experience and one that I am glad I took the time to do. For those of you that have never been to a political rally of some kind, it really is an experience that is difficult to explain.

 

There has been much debate among friends, family, and numerous other people regarding the work that has been done in the Commonwealth by this administration, there is no question in my mind that we have made tremendous progress since they took office. With spending down, jobs created, industries pulled from the brink, businesses brought into the state, and taxes under control there is no other person that could accomplish as much in Harrisburg. In the end, promises were kept and we are better off now than we were four years ago.

Off To The Governor’s House

As I mentioned yesterday, I was out of the office all day today. I still got up at the same time, left the apartment around the same time, but instead of heading east on the Pennsylvania Turnpike I made my way west. While the travel time was twice what I am used to in the morning it was a smooth trip with little traffic on the road. In fact, I made it to Hershey in well under two hours.

What brought me to Hershey? While I don’t go to a lot of event of this type, more than some, a lot less than others, I was given a unique opportunity during this meeting of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. While I had to drive to the Hershey Lodge, it was only a temporary stop during the morning as I was soon on a limousine bus on my way to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
 

  

We arrived at the Governor’s Residence in the middle of numerous discussions started as soon as the bus began to move. As we chatted our way toward the main gate we all put our points on hold as we had our names checked off by security.

Once in the door, we checked our bags, got our nametags, and were warmly greeted, one by one, by Governor Corbett. By the way, the Governor seems to be getting in shape for the campaign tour.

After a quick chat, it was time to get a cup of coffee and walk around the house a little bit. iPhone in hand, I took some photos of the many rooms including the stairway…

…the two sitting rooms…

… the formal dining room…

…and a couple of pictures of the Governor’s office (this is what I would like my office to look like).

Heading back to the reception area I noticed that US Senator Toomey had just arrived so I made my way over, introduced myself, and exchanged a few pleasantries. While I may disagree with Senator Toomey on some issues, I give him credit for being consist and his office credit for always responding to correspondences in a timely manner.

Not wanting to hold up the building line, I went back into the reception area, poured a second cup of coffee, and stood around one of the small high top tables and had a nice conversation with Lieutenant Governor Cawley.  

 

Noon snuck up on all of us and before we knew it, we were all retrieving our coats and bags and we making our way back out the door, through the gates, and onto the last bus heading back to the Hershey Lodge. When we arrived, we picked up our lunches, sat around the tables, and either worked on our computers (including me) or continued conversations started early this morning. Following an abbreviated meal, I took advantage of the quiet time while everyone was in the first session to get some work done. Once a number of items were taken care of I joined them in the middle of the second session. I only attended one more after that, got a few more last minute items done on the computer, and made my way back out the door to meet my wife for dinner before heading home. But, before I left, I pulled out my phone and took one last photo of the event.