Road Junkies: New York

Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Day 55: Hamburg, NY to Cranberry Township, PA
Leaving Hamburg this morning, we headed for the southern shore of Lake Erie, which is the gateway to wine country in western New York and Pennsylvania. Some 20,000 acres of grape vines blanket Chautauqua County in southwestern NY, making it the country's top largest grape-producing county outside of California.

We were doing a bit of letterboxing along the coast when we realized we were only 20 miles from Jamestown, New York, the hometown of Lucille Ball. Since 1996, Lucy’s hometown has welcomed visitors from all over the world to the Lucy-Desi Museum. On exhibit are costumes, awards, photographs, and other memorabilia from the estates of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

Next door, the "I Love Lucy" Museum showcases items related to the famous original sitcom. Among the most recognizable are replicas of the sets for the livingroom and kitchen in the Ricardoes' New York apartment, and the Hollywood hotel set where Lucy burned her nose while meeting William Holden and re-enacted a famous movie scene with Harpo Marx.

In Pennsylvania, we stopped in the historic community of Harmony to seek a letterbox hidden near the Harmonist Cemetery. The Harmonists came from Germany in 1805, where they had been persecuted for their beliefs. Believers devoted themselves to communal living, hard work, and prayer to prepare for the second coming of Christ, which they expected to occur in their lifetime. To purify themselves, they gave up tobacco and adopted a celibate lifestyle. They were an agricultural community that wished to grow grapes for winemaking.

During the ten years the Harmonists were in Harmony, Pennsylvania (before the community moved to New Harmony, Indiana) , one hundred members were buried in the commune's cemetery. The Harmonites did not mark their graves with headstones or grave markers, because they thought it was unnecessary to do so. Today, their graveyards are fenced-in grassy areas with signs posted nearby explaining this practice.

In 1869, Mennonite stone workers were hired to wall the Harmonist cemetery with stones quarried nearby. The unique Mosaic tablets gate weighs more than a ton but can be opened realatively easily by pushing either tablet to rotate the gate on its pivot.

Our journey southward has begun. We'll probably spend another night in the Pittsburgh area before setting our sights on West Virginia.

Daily Stats
Miles driven: 261
Letterboxes: 5
High temp: 74° F
Grapevines: 84,216
Souvenirs with Lucille Ball's image: 2,139
Harmonist headstones: 0

Day 54: Bowmanville, ON to Hamburg, NY
All rested up from yesterday's break, we were ready to face Toronto's rush hour this morning on our way around Lake Ontario to New York. With the G8 and G20 Summits slated for the Toronto area later this week, preparations for these events and their costs have been the focus of many news reports.

Portions of the city of Toronto are being turned into a fortress. A 10-foot high fence has been constructed around the two-square mile area in Toronto surrounding the convention center where the G20 will be held. This area includes not only the center but office buildings and condo towers. Security officials have warned people who live and work in or near the summit zone to be prepared to show identification when asked and to expect long lines to get into the fenced area during the summit.

Some highways in the area will be subject to rolling closures as the leaders make their way downtown from the airport. With signs on the highways warning of "significant delays" during the summit, we were happy to zip through the area today in just an hour.

Once we escaped Toronto's maddening rush, we sped toward Niagara Falls, filled with aniticipation and dread. Just before we reached the Niagara area, a shipwreck near the freeway drew our attention and we couldn't resist the urge to investigate.

Strangely, it appeared to be a steel-hull sailing ship. We inquired of several people at a nearby marina before coming across a local salt who knew the tale and was willing to tell it. Several years ago, the ship was brought down from Montreal by an entrepreneur who planned to dock it in Niagara-on-the-Lake, a nearby town, and operate a restaurant in it.

Having difficulty getting the necessary permits for the restaurant, he stored the ship in the Vineland marina until all was in order. Before this could be accomplished, the gentleman died of a heart attack, leaving no heirs. The ship continued to sit in the harbor in sparkling condition until one fateful winter night when teenagers who had crossed the ice to board the ship to explore decided to build a fire on board to ward off the cold. The wooden deck and veneer went up in flames and only the shell remains. Not really a shipwreck but a ship wrecked by careless intruders.

At the marina, we saw a pair of swans and their young cygnet feeding on seaweed in the harbor. Although the adults kept a wary eye on us as we watched from nearby, they seemed pretty tolerant of human company.

At last we made it to Niagara Falls, where we found exactly what we expected, thousands upon thousands of tourists. Our research had informed our plans, so we skipped the very commercial Canadian side of the Falls area and headed to the state park on the U.S. side.

Although there were numerous activities one could choose, with a special combo ticket for all the thrills, we opted to walk across the Rainbow Bridge where we had a terrific view of the falls that completely satisfied us. The falls were as spectaular as we had expected, we were glad to have seen them, and we left. Later we learned that while we were gazing at the falls from the bridge, an earthquake centered near Ottawa affected the Niagara area for a few seconds. We were too busy gaping at the sights to notice.

As we drove through the city of Niagara Falls on our way out of town, the glitz of the dozens of hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, and other attractions near the falls contrasted sharply with the urban decay of the city. Many stores were boarded up, factories idle and empty.

Desolate, abandoned homes sat boarded up in the midst of others which seem to be headed for the same fate. As in too many other American cities, deindustrialization combined with middle class flight to the suburbs has left Niagara Falls with an isolated urban poor unable to maintain a decaying infrastructure.

Daily Stats
Miles driven: 200
Letterboxes: 4
High-rise condo buildings around Toronto: 1,906
Tourists: 35,932
Tour buses: 65
People riding Maid of the Mist boats under the falls: 157 per minute
Ships wrecked: 1
Swans: 3

More Photos from Today

Tarrytown, NY to Lenox, MA
In the late 19th century, the beauty of the Hudson River Valley lured such wealthy industrialists as Gould, Rockefeller, and Vanderbilt to build summer homes in the area. Many are now open to the public. Another popular attraction is Sunnyside, the home of Tarrytown's favorite son Washington Irving. Our plan to visit some of these great estates of the rich and famous in the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow area was disrupted by the weather this morning.

As we set out for Sunnyside, rain arrived in a sudden downpour. While we were safe and dry in our car, we saw a young woman at a bus stop who was getting drenched, so we gave her an umbrella. What a feel-good moment to be able to help someone with exactly the thing they most need at the moment they need it!

As we drove north along the river, the weather cleared. We letterboxed a bit on both sides of the river.

Having lived in the Atlanta area most of our lives, we have become accustomed to buildings being torn down when they become a bit dated and replaced with something shiny and new. It has been such a pleasure to see some of the historical sites in this area. Even the public libraries are housed in the most impressive buildings. Many have benefitted from generous philanthropic bequests, such as the Tarrytown Public Library.

Salisbury, Connecticut's public library is also a majestic structure and has also benefitted from generous local residents.

We ended the day in Lenox, Massachusetts, in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains. We plan to spend a couple of days here before continuing northward.

Daily Stats:
Miles: 153
Letterboxes: 3
High Temp: 72 degrees

Tarrytown, NY & Vicinity
To enter Tarrytown from the west yesterday, we crossed the Hudson River on the Tappan Zee Bridge. The bridge, which carries seven lanes of automotive traffic, was built in the early 1950s to last just 50 years, and it's right on target as evidenced by the cracking concrete columns, rusting superstructure,and deteriorating deck. The bridge is three and a half miles long, and the state is trying to figure out how to salvage or replace it.

We have been fascinated by a huge tree growing on the grounds of the Tarrytown House, where we are staying. Hotel employees inform us that this giant is a linden tree, though we haven't located photos of any other lindens whose shape and bark look like this one.

Today while letterboxing at a state park on the former summer estate of William Rockefeller, we encoutered another gargantuan specimen like our Tarrytown House tree.

Unfortunately, this tree's trunk has been the victim of many thoughtless initial carvers.

Another place we went letterboxing today was cemeteries-- a total of four.

It was quite surprising to learn that Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth are buried in bordering cemeteries. For two great legends, their grave sites are rather humble compared to some in the area.

Both graves had New York Yankee caps and other baseball memorabilia left by fans. Both these legendary players achieved great accomplishments in relatively short lives. Gehrig died at age 37 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). And Ruth died of cancer at age 53. Though they were teammates, these two were estranged for six years over a comment Gehrig's wife made about a dress worn by Babe Ruth's daughter. Just before Gehrig died, they resolved their differences.

The Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne, NY, where Babe Ruth is buried, was established in 1917 as a Roman Catholic burial site. The cemetery is as densely populated as the villages which surround it.

In Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, we frequently find ourselves on Broadway. What a surprise to learn it is the same Broadway that extends the length of Manhattan, ending at Battery Park.

Gas prices jumped significantly when we entered New York from New Jersey, thanks to the New York fuel tax of 64 cents (combined federal, state and local)-- second only to California at 67 cents.

We did get the cheap price in Chappaqua today by going self-serve. For $3.69 per gallon, we could have had full service.

Daily Stats:
Miles driven: 70
Miles walked: 5.25
Letterboxes: 7
High temperature: 67 degrees
Destination for tomorrow: TBD

North Brunswick, NJ to Tarrytown, NY
Our first rainy day, we awoke still a bit tired from the accumulated effects of travel. We drove north, but not far, stopping at Tarrytown, NY, in the Hudson River Valley. We booked a room at Tarrytown House and Estate, a beautiful facility on 26 acres overlooking the valley. Tarrytown House features two impressive 19th-century mansions, a carriage house and a cottage, as well as a contemporary atrium-style building with conference facilities and other buildings with guest rooms.

Since Tarrytown is famous as the home of Washington Irving, we followed the lead of his character Rip Van Winkle and rested at the hotel most of the day.

High temperature here for today was 46 degrees!!

With our flight not leaving until early afternoon, we had the opportunity to return to Central Park to search for a letterbox we had been unable to locate earlier in the week. The park was extremely busy on this chilly Saturday morning (30 degrees) with runners, cyclists, dog walkers, and people just out for a stroll.

After finding the box, we wandered down to Trump International at Columbus Circle.

Among our observations in New York this week, especially Manhattan, we have seen many very thin women. Anorexia clinics every few blocks might not be excessive.

Conversely, we have also observed a good number of women who appreciate the qualities of spandex.

We wondered whether this rather bizarre ad which we saw in many subway stations contributed to either trend.

A final farewell to our home away from home at 150 W 47th Street and we were off to LaGuardia. Only 3 miles walked today.

Another day in Manhattan began with a visit to Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side. Home to Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the New York mayor (though neither Michael Bloomberg nor Rudi Giuliani lived there), this 15-acre gem overlooks the East River. The park's waterfront promenade is actually a deck built over the FDR Drive freeway.

This location affords a great view of some of the East River bridges. The Triborough Bridge is a complex of three bridges connecting Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens. Construction on the bridge was begun in 1929; it opened to traffic in 1936, with construction costs exceeding those of the Hoover Dam. Factories from Maine to Mississippi provided concrete for the construction, and an entire forest in Oregon was sacrificed to build the casings for the concrete. Behind the Triborough, Hell Gate Bridge connects rail traffic between Queens and Manhattan. Completed in 1916, Hell Gate was said to be the inspiration for Australia's Sydney Harbor Bridge.

Ward's Island Bridge is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting Manhattan and Ward's Island. This unique bridge is 12 feet wide and 857 feet long, with a middle section that lifts to allow ships to pass under it. The bridge is open to pedestrians during daylight hours from March through October. During the winter months, it remains in the "open" position and cannot be accessed.

Later we visited the Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television and Radio. The center houses a permanent media collection containing more than 140,000 television and radio programs and advertisements, available both in New York and Los Angeles. Visitors can search for and request specific programs and view them in the screening room. Ken watched an episode of Have Gun, Will Travel with Richard Boone and a hilarious Newhart show.

Dianne opted for Captain Kangaroo's first Saturday episode from December, 1955, and a 1968 special with the Supremes and Temptations. What a great ride down memory lane!

Our final dinner on this visit to New York was at Scarlotto on W 47th. After admitting we did not have reservations (which shouldn't have been an issue since it was early and the restaurant was virtually empty), we were reluctantly shown to a table. The server was friendlier and the food was adequate, not a place to revisit.

As we're about to leave, we're finally learning to understand the language of the theater. We've always had good results seeking suggestions from the TKTS "advisors". When we asked about The American Plan, which had received positive reviews, the TKTS person we talked to this afternoon kept saying, "Well, it's Mercedes Ruhl." By the end of the performance we understood what she meant. Next time....

Our last evening in New York, we bid goodbye to the excitement of Times Square before returning to the quiet of Peachtree City.

Not a bad day for Friday the 13th. The weather was beautiful with a high of 45 degrees. We walked a total of 5.8 miles today.

Staying in Manhattan today seemed almost like a treat. It's more familiar, it's easy, subway goes everywhere. The weather was extremely windy today with gusts to 60 mph. Fortunately the temperature was in the upper forties or it would have felt much worse. We definitely felt the effects of fighting the wind as we walked. Our letterbox search today took us to Central Park where we came across a bench that would seat most of our family and friends.

We arrived in the area just as a preschool class from a Montessori school on Central Park West was headed for a walk in the park. These little ones were so adorable as each grabbed their position on the rope in preparation for crossing the street. Later we saw them in the park watching a tree chipper crew at work. They were delighted with the entire process, cheering as each limb exited the machine as wood chips.

Even though the letterbox there turned out to be missing, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial at 89th Street and Riverside Drive in Riverside Park was well worth a visit. Dedicated in 1902, the monument commemorates Union Army soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War.

In the current economic crisis, the city is doing what it can to cut costs. For example, a group of local volunteers was recruited to keep the grass clipped at this Riverside Park ballfield. They don't even use power equipment!

We again stumbled upon an Italian restaurant for dinner. 44 SW is a family-owned establishment on... yep, W 44th. Service and food were both very good. The owner was actively interacting with customers, making everyone feel like a "regular."

After walking more than 25,000 steps today, we finished off the evening with a performance of Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps. Whereas most of the plot points of Hitchcock's 1935 film are incorporated into the play, this is more zany comedy than suspenseful mystery, with the cast of four playing a total of more than 100 roles, sometimes several roles simultaneously. (photo from 39stepsonbroadway.com)

Walked today: 11.5 miles

Populated by only about a half million people, Staten Island is considered the most surburban of New York's boroughs. The island is connected to Brooklyn and New Jersey by bridges, but we traveled on the venerable Staten Island Ferry, the island's link to Manhattan since the 1700's. The five-mile trip took a little more than 20 minutes and was free of charge.

Upon our arrival we headed to Staten Island's Moravian Cemetery, the location of our first letterbox for the day. The cemetery was established in the 18th century on land donated by members of the Vanderbilt family who lived on the island and wanted to discourage the use of family burial plots in their farming community.

Our letterbox clue provided the names of a couple of lanes within the cemetery as well as the first names on a pair of tombstones. At first we tried the dummy method-- wandering around the cemetery hoping we'd stumble across the lanes we needed. A half hour later we came across a maintenance worker and asked for help. He couldn't tell us where to find the intersection we were seeking but did inform us that the cemetery encompasses 113 acres, advising that we go to the office and check the map located there. Finding this method far superior, we located the intersection, the headstone and the letterbox in short order and moved on to Willowbrook Park, the site of our next search.

We were hoping to have a picnic in Willowbrook after finding the box there but the park was so inundated with Canadian geese and their droppings that we decided to move on to Snug Harbor. Once a home for aged sailors, Snug Harbor on the northern shore of the island is now a city park and cultural center, blessedly free of geese and a much more suitable place to picnic.

On the bus traveling back to the ferry terminal, we encountered a very talkative Staten Island resident. A retired 66-year-old nurse as she informed everyone, she considers herself "elderly" and was quite entertaining. Having polished off her lunch of fried chicken with (at least) one cold Budweiser, she could easily expound for 20 minutes on a one-minute topic, such as what she perceived to be inadequate safety standards on newer public buses. Her conversation was peppered with her two favorite phrases: "Think about it" and "You know what I'm talking about." She made the 40-minute bus trip seem much shorter.

After a simple dinner in the apartment, we walked to the Barrymore Theater to see the revival of David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow, a satirical look at the Hollywood movie industry. The title is said to come from a traditional English song extolling the virtues of industry: "Industry produces wealth, God speed the plow." William H. Macy and Raul Esparza were terrific in their roles as film producers eager to please the studio head with a new blockbuster. (photo from speedtheplowonbroadway.com)

With sunny to partly cloudy skies, the temperature reached 60 degrees today, quite unseasonable for mid-February in New York. Total walking today= 6.5 miles

Of the five boroughs that make up New York City, Queens is the largest in area, the second-largest in population, and the easternmost. With a population that is almost 50% immigrants, Queens is the city's most diverse borough. Since subway service is limited in Queens, we changed to bus transportation, which was very frequent, extremely busy and quite efficient. The intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt in Flushing, Queens, was like a bus terminal with many lines constantly coming and going within a couple of blocks.

Kissena Park, a 235-acre Queens jewel was our first stop. The city purchased Kissena Lake in 1904 from a resident who had been operating an ice cutting and manufacturing company on the lake. In addition to the ubiquitous Canadian geese and mallards, the park was well used by local residents. Even on this cold day (in the low 30's when we arrived at the park mid-morning), we saw a good number of people exercising, walking and running.

Coming from Atlanta, which is notoriously bereft of public parks, we were amazed by the amount of land set aside for park and recreational areas in New York. Only two of Atlanta's parks cover more than 200 acres. Chastain Park is Atlanta's largest at a paltry 268 acres, a good portion of which is devoted to its golf course. In contrast, Chastain would not rank in the top 25 parks by size in New York.

Covering 843 acres, Manhattan's Central Park ranks fifth, with each of the top four parks exceeding 1,000 acres. Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx covers almost 3,000 acres-- equivalent to two-thirds of Atlanta's total park and green space acreage. It's not surprising that Atlanta has the smallest park system of any major city in the U.S.

Another aspect of New York that always fascinates us is the population density. We find it quite exhilarating to experience the energy of so many people moving in so many directions in relatively close confines. The incredible variety in the languages overheard in conversations around you just adds to the vitality of the city.

After finding nine letterboxes in Queens-- thanks mostly to an eight-box series-- it was back to Times Square for theater tickets for this evening. We've heard so much about the effects of the economic downturn on Broadway. Plenty of shows are currently in production, but more of them seem to have empty seats. We have found a significant increase in the proportion of the shows available at the TKTS booth (half-price on the day of performance). Some of the more popular musicals, which were never available at TKTS when we last visited New York in March of 2007, make their appearance on the TKTS board nightly.

Tonight we scored tickets to August: Osage County, which won numerous 2008 Tony awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Although we enjoyed the play, perhaps if the original Tony-winning cast were still intact, this three-plus hour performance might not have seemed so long. At 2 1/2 stories, the set was outstanding. (photo from augustonbroadway.com)