Newport Tower

Posted on April 9, 2013April 9, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Our Mystery photo from Monday was the Newport Tower. Located in Touro Park in Newport, RI. The tower masquerades under many names : Round Tower, Touro Tower, Newport Stone Tower and Old Stone Mill.

I got to thinking about this tower because it was recently featured on a program on the History Channel called America Unearthed. In AMERICA UNEARTHED, forensic geologist Scott Wolter, trys to reveal that the history we all learned in school may not always be the whole story.

For years the tower was thought to have been built in the 17th century as a windmill but more recently there has been speculation that the structure is really centuries older. Some of the current theories are that the tower was built as an observatory.

Another theory by the author Gavin Menzies is that the tower was built by a colony of Chinese sailors and concubines from the junks of a Chinese explorer. This theory is said to have been debunked.

There’s also the theory that Portuguese navigators built the structure as a watchtower.

But my favorite theory is not the most popular but maybe the most “romantic” and it is the theory that Scott Wolter tries to prove in his episode about he tower. That theory is that the remnants of the Knights Templar came to the New World and built the tower as a signpost for other to follow. He highlights the astronomical alignments and draws comparisons with known Templar built structures .

I have a soft spot for the Templars and would love to have this theory proved true however remote the chance. But even if the tower is eventually proved to be something as mundane as a windmill it will have been fun speculating about its origin.

Mystery Monday

Posted on April 8, 2013April 8, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on April 7, 2013April 7, 2013 by Dusty Roads

As many of you know The Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield is one of my favorite places to go for wildlife photography.

I have never been there at dusk without seeing deer…plenty of deer. I have also seen muskrats, turtles, glossy ibis, swans, rabbits, and tons of birds, more than I can go into right now.

One year we even had an otter family pass through and I got to see them…briefly as they raced across the path to the pond. So you can see this sets the bar really high for other sanctuaries.

Since last year I have been hearing about another wildlife sanctuary that seems really popular, Allens Pond in Westport, MA. Daniel Webster and Allens Pond are both Mass Audubon sanctuaries so that means they are kept in really good condition.

In the week since the layoff at work I’ve been concentrating on rearranging furniture, cleaning out my storage area and just making changes to my living space. The weather hasn’t been great so I haven’t been out to shoot any photos. But finally we got a sunny day and according to the weather report we might break 60 degrees. I looked at the boxes of stuff I was trying to arrange and looked outside and the choice was made…I’m playing hooky!

Camera bag on my shoulder I decided to try to find Allens Pond to check it out. Westport is quite a bit south of Taunton but it was a nice day for a drive. The address I had for the sanctuary was 1280 Horseneck Road. I know Horseneck beach is a very popular beach in the summer so I wasn’t surprised when I saw the parking lot for the beach. Beyond the parking lot were some amazing dunes!

The sand here is so fine, like grains of sugar.

But as I continued on I was surprised to see the road was completely buried by stones.

These were smooth round stones…thrown up by the ocean in the series of storms we had this year? I don’t know because I’d never been this way before but it made me think of the roads on the Big Island of Hawaii that abruptly stopped, buried under lava flows.

The road followed along the beach by Buzzards Bay then made a sharp turn left and there was the entrance to a small parking lot.

Right away I noticed the field house was different. There were people inside, even a dog and cat and a rest room. No port-a -potty. I can see why that alone would make it more pleasant. But now the big test…what kinds of animals/birds will I be able to see here.

Whittier

Posted on April 6, 2013April 6, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Whittier is the end of the line for the cruise and the beginning for the Denali portion of the trip. We should get into Whittier at 12:30 am (midnight) and we won’t need to meet our train to Denali until 5:45 pm. The leaves us open all day.

Once again I turned to the shore excursions. We want to be sure that whatever we do we will make our connections so we chose to explore with the cruise line vendors.

The tour we settled on here has me really excited because it starts with a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.

Like most places with the words wildlife conservation center in their titles, this where animals unable to survive in the wild are given refuge in spacious habitats. Here, you can safely get close, observe and photograph some of Alaska’s biggest land mammals, including moose, bison, bears and musk ox.

This is right up my alley!

But as an old commercial used to say…But wait, There’s more!

30 minutes away our tour will take us to the base of mighty Mt. Alyeska, home to one of the most breathtaking year-round destination resorts in the world. Ride Alyeska Resort’s Glacier Express Tram and take in panoramic views of Turnagain Arm and the surrounding valley from 2,300 feet above its floor. Woo Hoo! Can’t wait!

The last leg of the tour is the return to Anchorage (Whittier) along the Seward Highway-Alaska’s “Scenic Byway.” We should be back at the Welcome Center with plenty of time to make it to the train station at 5:45 to head to Denali.

Of course these tours are all subject to change. I’m pretty sure we’ll do them all. The only one I really want to confirm with the excursion desk is this one. The special notes say you have to be staying in Anchorage because you have to get your luggage from the ship. I might try to call Princess to confirm but if I can’t get through there is an excursion desk on every cruise I’ve ever been on so we’ll have plenty of time for adjustments if necessary.

So our trip is all planned. Excursions booked. It’s just a matter of counting down the days. I can’t wait to share our actual experiences and of course…my actual photos.

The pictures I’ve used in these recent posts have all been on the internet with no copy write information. I was careful not to knowingly pirate any other photographers work.

What about Skagway?

Posted on April 5, 2013April 5, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Port of call # 3 is Skagway. Skagway is billed as the Gateway to the Klondike; a place where “the romance and excitement of yesteryear linger around every street corner, every bend in the trail”. With that kind of build up it was pretty clear we’d have lots of excursions to choose from. We finally settled on a combo that includes The White Pass & Yukon Railroad and

The Yukon suspension bridge , ending with a gourmet lunch. The official tour description follows.

Travel aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad, renowned as the “Scenic Railway of the World.” Against all odds this iron trail was forged through some of North America’s most rugged terrain. Relax in vintage railcars and marvel at the spectacular waterfalls, cliff-hanging turns, tunnels and historic sites you pass on your journey to the summit of the White Pass and beyond to Fraser, British Columbia.

Your trip continues by motorcoach as you travel just a few miles north en route to the Yukon Suspension Bridge. Some of the most magnificent scenery on earth greets you as you step outside, breathe the pristine air, and feel the thrilling sensation of a swaying walkway 57 feet above the churning rapids of the Tutshi River (pronounced TOO-shy). Observe Mother Nature in all her glory from the main platform, then walk through the museum-quality displays that detail the areas unique human and natural history.

Reboard your motorcoach for a scenic drive along the historic Klondike Highway. Discover the area’s amazing landscape from a different perspective as you return to Skagway. Along the way, your guide thrills you with stories of stampeders as you trace their footsteps along Brackett’s Wagon Road, Pitchfork Falls, Dead Horse Gulch and the infamous Tormented Valley. You’ll stop for photo opportunities along the way.

Continue your nature-filled tour to Jewell Gardens, site of pioneer Henry Clark’s family farm. The Clark farm grew produce for the thousands of miners on their way to Dawson City and the Klondike Gold Rush. Stroll the gardens and look for hand-blown glass, created on the premises, artfully placed among nature’s creations and the playful, G-Scale model railroad, built within a model town that looks a lot like Skagway did 100 years ago.

Considered the area’s premier organic flower and vegetable garden enjoy a gourmet lunch overlooking the spectacular blooms. You’ll savor a seasonal soup, organic garden greens and homemade quiche along with a freshly baked dessert. Many ingredients for your meal come from the edible landscape around you. Ample time is provided for you to browse the quaint gift shop before returning to your ship.

The only problem I have with this tour is that I don’t like quiche. Who would have thought that in the heart of lumberjack country that the main course would be the food that earned the saying “real men don’t eat quiche”. I may not be a man but I haven’t met a quiche that I liked either! I hope the salad is good.