Category Archives: Travel

Yes I’m still Florida Bound

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Heading to Florida In Spite of Irma

I’m Florida Bound after all. I really thought my trip would be cancelled not just postponed. I had this nightmare vision of lounging at the pool while  all around me work went on to repair the hurricane damage. I’m feeling guilty before I even get there! But several things came into play in my decision. The first thing is an all day tour to swim with Manatees.

The Manatees are still at Crystal Springs

manatee and snorkeler

I called the tour first. A very pleasant young woman assured me that the damage wasn’t that bad. They were still running the tours. She promised I would have a great time. She said around Central Florida it was just like a bad rainstorm. The winds weren’t that bad and the biggest gusts were only about 70 mph. She said getting the tourist dollar back into the state was really important too. She was very convincing. Besides I really want to see these gentle giants up close and personal.

Diamond Resort Logo

We Love To Say YES!

Next Call, the Marketing Department of my Resort

My trip was a promotional trip. I had tried to cancel it before but would have incurred huge fees to do so. I was pleasantly surprised when the marketing rep immediately agreed to reschedule. The only problem, he didn’t have anyone to do my “update” (aka sales pitch). Finally he suggested I call another department to see if I could use my points to get a resort. That call went very well. So many people were canceling that they had tons of rooms available. Once more I heard how getting the tourists back was a real necessity. He set me up with another 4 day block. I called back the marketing department and they canceled that trip and agreed to refund my $150.00!

Delta, can you help me?delta airlines

I held my breath as I called Delta Airlines but I shouldn’t have worried. I got a former “Tauntonite”. We compared notes on the changes in Southeastern MA and Logan vs T.F. Green before we tackled the reason for my call. I had a non-refundable ticket that I needed to change. To my pleasant surprise she immediately offered me a new itinerary that worked perfectly with my new dates. Even better she gave me the hurricane waiver so there were no charges or penalties for making the change.

All the little details

Now that the big things were done all of the little details began to fall into place from rental car to pet sitter.

Rocky my cat

 

To have all of this work out this easily must mean I am meant to take this trip. Can’t wait to see the Manatees!

And along Came Irma

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Hurricane Irma takes Aim for FloridaMickey Mouse

As Hurricane Irma heads for Florida even Disney is not immune. The World famous home of Mickey and Minnie is closing for only the 5th time since it opened in 1971. Why am I talking about this? Because it looks like I may be heading for Orlando just as Irma leaves the state.

A Mini Vacation in Jeopardy

About a year ago I had a chance to grab  a quick visit to Orlando. By quick I mean only 4 days. Fly down, spend a couple of days and fly back. The cost, just $150.00 so I jumped at the chance. The only problem was that I had to use the trip before September 30. I usually avoid vacations before October because of my work load but the price was too good to say no. So now I find  myself watching the weather channel nightly and getting updates from my friends in Orlando.

Saturday Morning Update

storm track

 

According to the weather folks, Irma’s hurricane strength winds are going to begin to reach Orlando tonight. On Sunday Orlando should be in the thick of it but as the pitchmen say-But Wait! There’s More!-. They just announced that Irma’s winds are going to hang around through Monday before the storm moves on out of the area.

So what about the trip?

I continue to monitor conditions. My resort is expected to be open for business on Tuesday. It’s been closed as of yesterday. Disney World is planning to welcome visitors again on Tuesday. Everyone is planning to bounce back quick. One can only hope the optimism is well placed. I guess it will all depend on the planes. If they are flying into Orlando I guess I’ll be going. House sitter/pet sitter is on standby so everything is in place if I get to go. I guess I’ll have a new adventure. I usually run away from disaster zones not toward them. I know my limits. In the meantime, keep your eye to the sky.

UPDATE

Just announced Irma is shifting to the West. Bad for the coast good for Orlando.

Oh No! Where did the Summer Go?

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Summer’s Last Gasp

Picnic table

It’s still summer. August is still summer and it’s only August 31. According to the weather folks tomorrow, September 1, is the first day of meteorological fall. Oh boo hoo! Fall in New England is nice but I miss summer already. Labor Day weekend is the last long weekend, our last chance for summer fun.

Fall leavesSigns of Fall are all around us

The seasons change and the signs are there. School has started. I got stuck behind a school bus on the way to work. The turkeys are getting restless. I saw two big turkeys by the side of the road on my way home tonight. A big maple tree on Route 140 has begun to turn colors! Already! The nights are cool and mornings have a crispness to the air. A sweater or jacket might be in order. I can open a window and turn off the air conditioner. Football is top of mind as the boys of summer fade away. Another fall sign that’s not so nice is the ragweed. Seems like we have a bumper crop this year. Excuse me while I sneeze.

Road trips are callingWaterfall

Along with the cooler nights will be the fall colors. Leaves will be changing. Our roads will be filled with leaf peepers but even I plan to be one of them. Maybe a trip down the Mohawk Trail or back to New Hampshire to visit a place called Diana’s Baths. They are a series of waterfalls and cascades. I have it on good authority that although they are lovely any time of year, fall is especially pretty.

 

Cranberry Harvest Festivals

In Massachusetts, home to Ocean Spray, fall means the cranberry harvest. From mid- September until late in the fall,  cranberries reach their peak of color and flavor. The landscape is dotted with the bright red cranberry bogs as they wait for the harvest. Cranberries can be harvested wet or dry. Interested in visiting a cranberry bog? We’ve got lots of farms for tours or products.

Down on the cape the cranberry harvest season begins around Labor Day and usually runs into the middle of November. The Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association has created a cranberry harvest trail guide.

Cranberry bog

I love cranberries. Maybe fall’s not so bad after all!

The Wire Bridge in New Portland Maine

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The Wire Bridge in New Portland MaineThe Wire Bridge

The Wire bridge is worth visiting. This Maine bridge may be the last wire-supported bridge of its type in the world! If not the world at least in the United States. Crossing the Carrabassett River  is a unique experience one car at a time.

A Bit of History for this Bridge

Don’t you just love a mystery? The origins of this bridge go back before the Town of New Portland kept financial records. The only thing we can know for sure is that by 1866 there was a Wire Bridge in New Portland.

It was right around this time that 4 bridges were built  in Maine, with timber-on-granite tower structures at each end, a wooden plank roadbed in the middle, and cables (or “wires” – hence the name) holding everything up.The Scenic Wire Bridge in New Portland

The other three wire bridges have since been torn down and replaced, and bits of this one has been restored and preserved over the years. The planks of the roadbed have been replaced at least once, but it’s still the same wire holding everything together.

Wooden Planks and wire struts

The bridge spans 198 ft.  Between those 198 feet are timbers and towers that have carried 150 years of horses, carriages, Model T’s, pick-ups and minivans through the splendor of deep woods Maine.  And as far as anyone can tell, it’s the only one of its kind left and I drove over it! I watched a car pass over the bridge before I gave it a try. Bouncy, bouncy , bouncy. Oh yeah, had to give it a try. It actually felt much more stable driving over it than walking. You just don’t feel the bounce that you see when you watch a car drive over it.

walking across the wire bridge in New Portland MaineIf You Plan to Go

Follow the signs off Rte 146 in North New Portland, you will eventually come to Wire Bridge Rd.

New Portland is in the Maine woods, about half way between Bangor and the Canadian border. Only about 725 people live there, and every one of them could probably point you to their showpiece – the old Wire Bridge.

 

Credits

Many Thanks to the Atlas Obscura for the history of the Wire Bridge

Downtown Rangeley and the Red Onion

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Downtown Rangeley and the Red Onion

Main St Rangeley Downtown Rangeley is a little, tiny downtown. When I was growing up we used to say our town was so small that if you blinked you’d miss it. That’s Rangeley.   Rangeley is the center of the Rangeley Lakes Region, a resort area. Surrounded by lakes, woods and streams, the emphasis here is on outdoor activities all year round. Gives new meaning to neither rain nor snow, well you know the rest.

Small but Varied

The Red OnionIn spite of it’s small size, Rangeley has  a variety of shops. There’s an outdoor clothing store, the mandatory antique shop, a Real Estate office, a snack bar and ice cream stand and several restaurants. I parked in front of a photo gallery but it was closed. No worries, I was more interested in food at that point than pictures. The local eating establishments have a varied schedule according to the hand out I received  at the resort, but the Red Onion was definitely open.

Outdoor Seating at the Red Onion

 

The Red OnionRed Onion Swashirt

The Red Onion seems to be a landmark in the area.

It’s advertised as a pizza restaurant but I didn’t see anyone eating pizza when I was there. They have really cute t shirts and sweat shirts so of course I had to get one. My one and only souvenir from my trip.

My lunch was a buffalo chicken salad. It was made with a lots of different greens, onions and tomatoes and really spicy buffalo chicken. It was quite yummy and really hit the spot.

The interior of the restaurant is simple but nice with booths and tables and a rustic feel. They also have outdoor seating but it was a little cool so I stayed inside. There’s an upstairs too but the waitress said they didn’t use that since it was hard to regulate the temperature up there with the sun coming in through the windows.

They had a large dessert menu and even though I shouldn’t I had to try the strawberry rhubarb pie. It was worth the sugar and calories. I have to give the Red Onion a 5 star rating.Tables in the Red Onion

booths in the Red Onion