New York trip
New York Trip Day 8
We stayed at a Best Western hotel because we thought that it had a nice pool. Not only was it closed when we arrived, and there were no towels there when it opened in the morning, it was so cold that even Ada didn’t want to swim.
Our stop on the way home was at Pirate’s Cove miniature golf.
New York Trip Day 7
The handshake the was worked on for days
After that we said goodbye and began our long trip home. We made our first Dunkin Donuts stop to get a large order of Munchkins. I thought that we could save some for home, but Ada and Liam took care of the whole thing by late afternoon.
We did stop at the Ponderosa for dinner in western Pennsylvania where Ada didn’t quite seem to mind standing on the wrong side of the buffet.
New York Trip Day 6
Last full day in New York. We went to Queens so that we could see Dori one last time before we left since she had to work. We did watch the Portugal beat Wales at a beer garden that was pretty empty before walking to the river before collecting Dori.
On the way back home we went to the beach one last time.
New York Trip Day 5
Waterpark Day
Unfortunately, I didn’t get Peter and Libby coming down the same slide because they flipped over as the reached the bottom. I only got a still of the aftermath.
New York Trip Day 4
Pie Face game – seems to be right up Sofia’s alley. Jake not so much. Dori was a sport, though.
For the day we went to a park where the girls played in the sprinklers. When they closed it down for the day, the park staff took the girls’ shoes that were still in there and locked them up. We couldn’t get them until the next day.
Peter, Liam, and I played soccer with an Italian family that was there which may have been Liam’s highlight of the trip.
New York Trip Day 3
New York Trip Day 2
New York Trip Day 1
After a long day which ended with Ada’s final track meet at City Championships and Liam’s soccer game, we left Minneapolis at about 9:30 and headed for New York. Just two half-hour nap stops for me, but we made it all the way through.
The second photo was taken in New Jersey just before arriving in New York. That storm became an absolute nightmare to drive through while on Long Island.
New York Trip Day 8
The next morning we drove back to Gloversville to visit some others. We did get to see Mary and Ryan and then Susan.
Before that, we went and walked around Johnson Hall and saw the Johnstown Battlefield nearby. We also went to the house where I grew up where we walked around the back yard some. I even think I may have found one of my mother’s pots from so many years ago.
After that, it was time to get back to Minneapolis.
That night we stayed in Erie, PA and by ten the next night we were back home in our own beds. But along the way, we had one success – Ada finally got something in her chopsticks. I guess by the time I had taken a photo, she had already eaten it.
New York Trip Day 7
We spent the day at the racetrack in Saratoga. Between Liam, Helena, and I, we didn’t even lose $30, so we’ll consider that a success.
The spring water was quite a hit!
Dad showing the kids how it is done.
Trackside – Ada is there, too!
Liam watching the television screens to watch another of his losing horses. Judging by this photo, there was at least one point in time when he thought that he had a chance.
In the last race, there was a horse by the name of Plainview, which is where my car broke down a few days earlier. It was another loser.
We watched a couple of races upstairs, too.
Saratoga is a nice place to get real close to the horses. From the literature there, it is the only track where the horses have to walk through the crowds to get from the paddocks to the track.
Later we drove to Lake George where we saw the (closed) Fort William Henry, Lake George (the lake) and played miniature golf – 36 holes worth.
New York Trip Day 6
In the morning we had to say goodbye to Libby, Sofia, and Jake. Sofia took it a little harder than the other two, unfortunately. But here they are playing.
We left a little later for upstate where we ate Garlic White pizza at House of Pizza and drove around a bit looking at my old houses and schools. Â We did get to visit Linda and Carl, then Mike and Ambyr, and finally Dan and Margaret before heading back to our hotel. Which smelled like smoke I heard over and over again.
New York Trip Day 5
We began the day by a trip to the store because Jeanette and I were going to make dinner for everyone. But Jeanette has been eyeing the Baskin Robbins’ for a couple of days by now so she had to stop.
Then it was another, and longer, day at the beach. The waves were just a tiny bit larger today, so we spent a heck of a lot of time being knocked over by them. By the time we got home, we found lots of sand and rocks in places that you usually don’t.
Once home and after dinner, we had a short birthday party for the August birthday girls Ada (the 10th) and Sofia (the 15th).
And Ada and Sofia went to bed late this night, too.
We also said a goodbye to Dori and dad who left for New York City that night.
New York Trip Day 4
We got off to a late start because Ada and Sofia stayed up too late the night before watching a movie, but eventually we made it out to Montauk despite the busy road.
There we went up the Montauk Point Lighthouse, except for Jake who was too little to be let up.
This one is atop the lighthouse, but it was so bright in the back that it is difficult to see, although you can tell it was a little breezy.
After that it was off to get lunch and then to Hither Hills beach. There was some confusion as to whether the beach was closed once the lifeguards went off duty so we didn’t stay too long.
We spent some time laughing at Jake, who doesn’t like the water too much, but did enjoy chasing the seagulls around.
If that wasn’t enough excitement, Libby and Peter treated the kids to ice cream on the way home.
New York Trip Day 3
Just 20 minutes away from Libby’s house the inside car lights and other electronic doo dads suddenly went out so I knew that my alternator just bit the dust. Unfortunately, it was 2:00 am and we were on the Northern State Parkway at the time.
Almost!
Jeanette and I ended up having to push the car up into a Holiday Inn parking lot while Helena steered the car into a parking space. Luckily she has practiced her driving at Valleyfair this year so she did pretty well.
Anyway, Libby was called and came to get us in her van and we arrived at her place around 3:00 am.
Later that day my father and Dori also came to Libby’s. I have no idea why, but I have no photos of us that day. We ate, played badminton and basketball, got a bit of sleep and played with Sofia and Jake.
New York Trip Day 2
We stayed in London, Ontario, about two hours from the border crossing and two hours from Niagara Falls where we would cross back into the United States.
Another car like ours was parked adjacent to ours and we posed in front of it because it seemed so much nicer.
After only a slight detour because of a missed highway, we arrived at Niagara Falls.
Ada found the tourist pamphlets that she likes so much and loaded up.
Once back in the United States, we made our way to Rochester to see where I went to college and to where I used to work – Salvatore’s Pizza on East Main. It has changed a lot but they have photos up of what it looked like when I was there. We also had our first half moon cookie there.
From there we went to the Erie Canal in Pittsford.
And whenever I go back to New York, I end up missing the grocery stores there because they are so poor here in Minneapolis.
We left Rochester after 7:30 pm to begin the last leg of the drive to Long Island. It was all going so well until ….
New York Trip Day 1
We left the house at 7:00 am, but an hour later the kids were already sleeping.
We drove to Manitowoc, WI to take the ferry across Lake Michigan. Here we are before the kids knew that we were going to take the ferry. Actually, while waiting in a line of cars to get onto the boat, I was complaining to the kids about the traffic jam.
The SS Badger
While waiting for departure on a nice afternoon, we found the drainage for deck water which we threw apple slices down to see where they would shoot out.
Once the ferry began moving, it was a little rainy and a bit windy so we spent most of the time indoors. Dad “found” two coupons for free sodas (the kids kept going back for illegal refills with no problems) and we had snacks, so we were set for the trip. We even got to see a storm in the distance.
Ada appreciated the outdoors more than the other two.
Arrival in Ludington, Michigan. Warm again.
From there we drove through Michigan. Right at midnight, we crossed the border at Port Huron into Sarnia, Ontario.