Saturday, Oct 6, 2012, Arcadia Nat'l Park/Bar Harbor

Good evening, this is my last night at Bar Harbor and I finally got the pictures to upload to the posting. So I hope this is not too confusing. You shoould never let me get near a computer.
Good evening from Bar Harbor/ Arcadia National Park, Maine. Had a good breakfast at the motel in Lee, MA. Left about 7:45 A. M. with cloudy overcast morning in the mid to high 50s. I was asking the young guy on he desk why there were so many people in the little community. He did not know said he just moved here from New York City 2 days ago. When I checked out there was a young girls on the desk from the area and she had no idea why they were so busy. In looking around I found on the bulletin board several announcement about craft sales, harvest festival this weekend so there is no counting is there? I ate in the same room where I had dinner last night. All the windows had a film on them to reduce the glare from the sun so I could not take pictures from inside.

 

 

A Few Colorful Trees

 

Lake Behind Motel Where I Stayed

 

 

Not So Colorful Trees

 

Lake Behind Motel

 

 

Rear View Of Motel

 

 

Hindu Shrine In Corner Of Dining Room

 

Motel Sign

 

Resturant Sign On Side Of Motel

 

 

Motel Sign On Road

 

Front Of Motel

 

Pretty Trees

 





Throughout the day traffic has been extremely heavy. When I stopped people said because Monday is a holiday and the schools are out so families are taking short trips. I believe it. When I got to the Maine State welcome center I had my lunch and ate the leftovers from last night. Very taste even cold. The welcome center is the best staffed and supplied I have ever seen. They recommended a different route than AAA that would give a better shot of beautiful leaves. But no, more of the same they had already changed and fallen or they had not changed yet.

I arrived at the Bar Harbor/ Arcadia National Park area around 4:30 and found the Best Western Motel I wanted to stay in. I checked and they had just rented the last room. While the clerks were calling other best Western Motels in the area to find me a room a " lady/boss/whatever " came in and asked what they were doing to take care of me so I didn't have to stand around. They explained and she told them there was a room that a man who had taken a room earlier in the day had decided he did not want it and she had not shown it as being available. ( something about his mother ). Don't know what that was all about. Any way I got the room. I went to the main Arcadia National Park visitor center to get my passport book stamped and bought a couple of DVDs about the park. Just heard something hitting my windows and looked out and it is raining pretty hard. One of the park rangers drew me maps ( outline route on park maps  of his recommendations on what to see and do. Since I was in the park I decided to to drive up Cadillac mountain where it is best to see the sunrise. This mountain is about 1500+ feet and " if " you are able to see the sunrise you will be the first in the United States. This is suppose to be the highest point on the eastern side of the United States. All that aside about half way up it started getting foggy and the wind just howling. On up a lot of cars were turning around and going back down. On I went and finally made it. It was so foggy I could not see more than a couple cars lengths in front of me and the wind blowing so hard I could not hardly stand. There is visitor center at the top of this mountain and they have a stamp for the passport book. The trees, cars and clothing got wet in just a couple of minutes in the blowing fog. Back down the mountain I came and found the eating place the Best Western folks recommended. Upon checking I discovered the Best Western folks only booked me for one night instead of two so they had to take care of that. What a day. For dinner I had a lobster roll and clam chowder soup. Delicious. But wait the day isn't over. I just hooked up my camera card ( new one ) and it isn't bringing up the pictures I want. I am going to watch some sporting events for a while and think about this. Still no pictures so I will say good night. I will be getting up early in the morning to go up the mountain to see if I can get a sunrise photo.

Good night and I love you. Grandpa Bill

 



 



Friday,Oct. 5, 2012, Lee, Mass.

Hello Everyone from The Quality Inn at 435 Laurel Street, Route 20, Lee MA.01238. This is a quaint little town with a lot of visitors and a lot of local events. This motel is located on a small lake visible from the dining room. For Michael. You would be proud of me. They have an Indian restaurant in the motel and I ordered by myself. Got the same thing we normal. Hugh serving. I ate my fill took about half the left over for my lunch somewhere tomorrow.

I have had a very busy day. Had a very good hot breakfast this morning then I went back to Niagara and must have walked several miles. At least the feet and legs felt like it. It was a cloudy and humid morning with the temperatures in the low to mid 60s. With the humidity it felt much warmer especially with the lack of wind. Got a ton of beautiful photographs but doubt I will be able share them. The Internet server keeps dropping off line so  may not even get this posting out. The view of the falls this morning was much better today. The wind was less so the spray created from the falls was not as bad. It is amazing that right in the immediate area of the falls the moving and falling water creates a lot of wind. Some beautiful rainbows in the flying mist. The constant roar from all the falling water is tremendous.



 

The Plaque Says It All 

 

 

These Boats Take Passengers Up Near the Falls



 

Some Niagara Buildings Overlooking The  Falls

 

 

Viewing Tower

 



 

Niagara Falls

 

 

Horse Shoe Falls Center Of Pictures

 



 

Lots Of Water

 

 

HorseShoe Falls In Center

 

 

Water Rushing Toward The Falls



 



 

Rushing Water About 3 To 4 Feet Deep

 

 

Rapids Made by Smalls Falls And Boulders In Water

 

 

 

Swift Water Rushing To A Fall

 

 

Steel Bridge Crosses Over Rushing Water

It Bounces When You  Run Across It

 





 

More Of the Same

 

 

Very Rapid Water

 

The Bridge Shown Above Goes To Green Island





 



 

Rapids Upstream From Steel Bridge

 

 

Black Squirrel Getting Ready For Winter

 

 

Series Of Rapids

 



See The Size And Amount Of Water Flowing

 



Luna Island Information

 

 

Falls From A Different Angle

 



 

Various Birds Make Niagara Falls Home

 

 

The Only Tree I found At Niagara Falls With Color

 

Generating Plants Alone Side Of River Down Stream From Falls

 



Beautiful Rain Bow

 



Missed This Rain Bow

 



Horseshoe Water Fall

 

 

 

Spray Gets You Wet If Wind Is Right

 

 

Pretty Flowers With Falls Water Spray In Background

 

 

Horse Shoe Falls

 



 

Squirrel Came Up to Me Looking For A Handout



Map Of Niagara Falls State Park

I Walked Every One Of The Trails Shown.

 



I Look And Wonder If There Are Any Fish In There

 



 

School Kids Waiting To Buy Tickets

 



A Jewish Couple Getting Married By The Falls

 

Visitor Center

 

 

Entrance Sign

 



Visitor Center Entrance

 

For general information I put a new card in my camera today and it is working fine tonight. So the problem the last couple of nights may have been the old card. Folks I am tired tonight and have let the picture tell the story I have lived today. You know one of my number " 2 or 3 " main reasons for making this trip was to get some good fall leaves photographs. So far I have seen very few. Across New York on the NY Freeway There were patched of colorful trees but none where I could get close to them. I was also surprised that a lot of the trees had already lost their leaves while others were still green. Tomorrow, the Lord Willing I will head for Bar Harbor Maine and The Arcadia National Park. Some times I am in awe at the majesty of this old earth even bearing the weight of the sin curse. I know we are told to not to fail to gather together to worship God but seeing sights I am seeing says one can worship God on the road. Sometimes I am so filled I feel like I need to stop and rest before I see anymore. Speaking of beautiful country Janice called today and they were on their way to a wedding in Oregon at a beautiful hotel. Years and years ago we ate breakfast there with Bami and Janice at that hotel. Patricia also called today.

 

I think I said I am tired and sleepy so good night and I love you all and hope you have a good night.

 

Grandpa Bill







Thursday, Oct 4, 2012, Niagara Falls, New York 2nd

Well after having a very good pot roast dinner I did not make it back to the falls. I am going to try to show some of the photographs I took earlier today. If that does not work out I may just go to bed. I do have a lot to say and tell about the falls so I may get to do that sometime. One thing for sure there is a lot of water going over the falls and considering that a large percent of it is being diverted for generation of electricity. So if I don't get this download of photos solved this trip blog will end up without photographs.

Tomorrow I may go back by the falls to look at them from Goat Island and  head for Albany, New York or farther.

 

Good night and I love you

Thursday, Oct 4, Niagara Falls, New York

Greetings from Niagara Falls, New York,

I left West Chester at 5 A. M. this morning after buttoning everything up at the house. The weather was beautiful with the temperature in the low 50s. I had my favorite breakfast at Cracker Barrel about 8 A. M. Just south of Mansfield, Ohio the trees started showing beautiful fall colors. The following photographs were taken at about 9:30 A. M. at a rest stop. Interesting that when a group of gorgeous trees would come into view there was no place to get off the road and take a picture. Also, I just noticed the date and time is wrong on the camera. This photo journalism trip is not off to a very promising start

 

Beautiful Fall Colors

More color

I arrived at Niagara Falls at about 3 P. M. Beautiful weather. Bright sun and at the falls extremely windy In fact he wind was kicking up so much spray it was almost impossible to get a good picture of the falls because it was like being out in a rain storm. he wind was blowing directly into my face. It was comical to watch the people rush up to the railing and try to snap a picture and then scurry back to see what the picture looked like. I am going to go back out to the falls tonight after dinner because I want some photographs when the Falls are lighted. The following are a few photographs I took this afternoon. Well I guess not. The pictures are on the card but i can't seem to get them to come over to

the blog. So, I'll go eat, back out to the falls and take some more photographs and see what happens later.

 

Until then, Grandpa Bill from Niagara Falls. I love you.

 

 









Tuesday/Oct 2/2012/West Chester, Ohio

Hello everyone. I have not posted anything for sometime now so I guess it is time to get started again. To start off I had to send out a test post to see if I remember how to do it so it may take a day or two to get back in the swing of things. You youngsters can't identify with this problem but at some age and I think I am there where you learn how to do a certain  thing  and guess what if you don't continue to do it everyday you forget. Youngsters just wait you will get there also.

So what have I been doing for the last few weeks? Mowing the yard, cleaning house a little ( very little from the way it looks ) keeping green things green, watching the Cincinnati Reds win, and perhaps most of all trying to stay cool. The heat has really been rough with high humidity. What I had to do was try to work outside early in the morning and very late in the afternoon then stay inside in the cool. Eventually I had to stay out of the yard late afternoons because of the misquotes and worry about the west Nile virus. The last few weeks we have finally had a break in the weather getting some very much needed rain and lower temperatures and before long you realize it the season has turned over and it is fall. As a matter of fact we had 2 night with very heavy frost which came several days before the normal first frost date. I had to move my elephant ears, banana plants and ferns into the plant room a few days ago before the frost. Everything has really grown this year. My giant elephant ear is over 10 feet tall and the leaves are over 3 feet long and 2 feet wide.  Amazingly after coming indoors it has put out 3 new leaves. It is a beautiful plant.

 

 

Plants in their winter home

 

Giant Elephant Ear Touching the Ceiling

 

Small Elephant Ears Under The Big Guy

 

Some Boston Ferns

 

Recently I removed the summer floral arrangements from Grandma's grave and bought new fall flowers. Pat took them and put them in new arrangement which I placed on the grave.Pat did a wonderful job and I appreciate it.  Following are photographs of the new arrangements.

 

New Fall Colors

 

New Fall Colors

 

After completing my trip to the west coast back in June I started thinking about a trip to see some of the east coast. That is ironic when you consider we spent  many years in Washington, D. C. 3 years in New York City and 1 year in Connecticut in Japanese language school so why go back and see things. The explanation is that for the most part work really kept us from doing a lot of sight seeing and when we did we were usually acting as hosts and really not able to enjoy the sights. So I started thinking about what I would like to see and went to AAA and got the tour books and started reviewing them and making notes. I went back to AAA and started laying out what I wanted to see and they did the trip Tiks for me. When I really started applying dates to the trip it soon became apparent that it was going to take way to much time so I started scaling back my plans so the following is what I finally came up with:

 







10-4-2012 Drive to Niagara Falls, New York and spend the night.

10-5 - 2012 Leave Niagara Falls around noon and drive to Albany, New York. Spend the night.

10-6-2012 Leave Albany and drive to Bar Harbor, Maine. Tour Arcadia National Park. Spend the night.

10-7-2012 Tour Arcadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine. Spend the night.

10/8/2012 Drive to Bath and Portland, Maine area. Spend the night.

10/9/2012 Visit Portland, Maine area. Spend the night.

10/10/2012 Drive to Boston, Mass. Spend the night.

10/11/2012 Boston, Mass. Spend the night.

10/12/2012 Drive to Plymouth Rock and Hyannis. Leave and spend the night somewhere on I-95.

10/13/2012 Drive to 212 Jill Drive, Cheshire, Conn. Then on to 754 Grand Terrace, Baldwin, New York. Stay with my daughter as follows:

In New York I plan to celebrate Joyce's birthday ( we wont talk about which one ).
Charlie got tickets to see the New York Jets football team play.
Visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Take the Circle Line cruise around Manhattan.
Take a fall leaf viewing cruise up the Hudson River.
Some where in this schedule visit Parisa and Dan and deliver Grandma's dinner ware they wanted.

10/20/2012 Leave Baldwin, New York and drive to Valley Forge, Pa. and then Gettysburg, Pa.. Spend the night.

10/21/2012 Visit Gettysburg, Pa. Spend the night there or on the road.

10/22/2012 Return to West Chester.

My e-mail is wdiven@cinci.rr.com and wdiven@gmail.com. I will check nightly.

I will try to post daily on the blog showing photographs and in general telling a story of my travel. Blog is Grandpa Bill and Lady Blue Travel at wdiven.blogspot.com.Your comments or questions are welcome. Feel free to pass the blog address on to tohers who might find it interesting.

This schedule is still very ambitious and does not allow for any major delays. I hope that considering the north/south variations of this trip  I will be able to get some good fall leaf colors to photograph. Also looking forward to some good sea food. I still have a hugh amount of stuff to do before I leave so I must stop for this time.

My final comments are I love you all and ask for your prayers for safe travel.

Grandpa Bill

 

 







 

 

 



10/2/2012, West Chester, Ohio

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