Vacation 2019: Pennsylvania, Maine, New York

The Whomptons alternate who is responsible for planning vacations and 2019 is a Krystal year.  That means, honestly, that Krystal began planning this trip back in 2015 and solidified details over winter break 2018.  Whomptons were headed to Maine!  Driving to Maine allowed us the chance to add other locations too, so we incorporated a visiting friends and cities portion (the front end), seeing Acadia (the middle), and all things waterfall (the end).  Each day's play-by-play is below.  We hope to follow this up with pictures and stories but, frankly, the log is for us to remember as opposed to sharing everything out with you all so ....

Friday

-        Lola at Bobby McCormack – winning awards

-        Raina at Summer Stock; performance at night

-        Krystal and Samantha go visit Mini’s new puppy

-        Finish loading up the van

Saturday

-        Up super early at 4 AM, out by 5:15 AM, install the I-Pass.

-        Eat an Ohio lunch at Gold Star Chili.  Ew.  Oyster crackers are good though.

-        Reach Pittsburgh – wow, it’s a river town!  And an old one with narrow streets and cobblestone!

-        Bryan around 4 PM, meet his boys

-        Walk around Squirrel Hill, ate at a Chinese noodle shop, stopped by a pastry place, played Japanese Bridge and Contact with the group. 

-        Slept in new house with few amenities. 

-        Listened to The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.  Folks were disappointed because there were not enough pranks.

Sunday

-        Out early again, dropped off key at Bryan’s other house at 6 AM.

-        Who knows what breakfast was?  I think it was cereal and bagels.

-        Travel across Pennsylvania

-        Flight 93 Memorial.  Emotional and intense punch in the gut.  Incredibly well done.  Tears everywhere.  Grateful to have the space mostly to ourselves and be able to do the full walk.  Saw little slugs and other marine life. 

-        Mexican food for lunch.  Adequate but no raving responses.  Only two baskets of chips and salsa.  Whomptons need more!

-        Hershey PA amusement park from hell.  Who needs singing animatronic cows?  Getting into the moving Hershey kiss was cool though.  Tempted by all the candy but resisted all impulses.  Must escape the people.  PLEASE LET US LEAVE!

-        Reach New Jersey.  Go to a grocery store; acquire apples and unripe peaches and bread.  Found sandwich thins for Krystal.  Start panicking about New York traffic.

-        Reach the Holland Hotel!  See the Holland Tunnel!  Eric gets yelled at about his credit card.  Grateful that they didn’t cancel our reservation!

-        Dinner was apples and peanut butter jelly sandwiches.

-        Krystal and Eric scout out tomorrow’s plan; everyone else showers and gets ready for New York.

Monday

-        Breakfast was croissants, yogurt, fruit, oatmeal, cereal, and all the tasty breakfast breads.  Krystal walked in on the guy in the bathroom, certain he did not wash his hands before returning to serve.  Ew.  We ate the croissants anyway.

-        Is our I-Pass working?  I don’t think it is!  We owe fines everywhere maybe!

-        Long walk from Jersey City to the Liberty Park to catch the ferry to Ellis Island.  We arrived by 8 AM as requested and finally left around 8:45 AM.

-        Lots of security, emptying out the tissues, Krystal kept showing the medical bracelet. 

-        Top of the ferry, right side is the best, excited to go see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

-        Ellis Island!  Lola breaks her water bottle as opening action.  Oh no!  Ranger very gracious about the spill.  We read all the placards, learn so much, and become Junior Rangers.  Pie charts are not a strength and Raina’s math skills are superior to theirs.  Watched/slept through a video (like usual).

-        Statue of Liberty next.  So hot and crowded.  Climbed to the pedestal, why would we do that?  To escape the people and because we had paid for it.  Tried to figure out what was under her left foot.  (it was chains.)  Searched for the sculpture garden and failed.  Still did the word search and submitted the Junior Ranger booklet.  Lola the Navigator emerged and found the sculpture garden.  The Whomptons escape and grab the ferry to Battery Park.  Let’s go!

-        Hunker in the ferry lower level (so hot!), drink water and reapply sunscreen. 

-        Reach Battery Park, buy a Watkins Glen water bottle for Lola, and go catch the subway going north.  Credit card refuses to buy more than 2 tickets at a time.  Sigh.

-        Subway trip, person next to us starts conversation – New Yorkers are totally pleasant, don’t believe the stereotype – and knows MICDS!

-        Dropped off at 2 PM.  Grab lunch at the Indian Restaurant.  Samantha wins, everyone else disappointed. 

-        Natural History Museum.  Struggled to enter, and navigate within.  Big tree cross section.  Everything seems old, outdated, taxidermied, dark, or dead.  Follow T-Rex tracks but then couldn’t see it!  So sad!

-        Walked to Ethical Society of New York.  Deed Above Creed bracelets?!  Through Central Park and toward Times Square.  Found the $1 a slice pizza.  Eric can’t open a trash can.  Times Square traumatizes children.  PLEASE LET ME OUT!  Up Broadway.  Steven Colbert, we love you!  Big crowds.

-        Walked the Highline.  Woman with photo shoot.  Peanut butter sandwiches.  Crazy stairs to everywhere.  Everyone’s legs are tired.

-        Long Subway ride with no seats so we kept crashing into people.  Walk home through the Newport Mall and grateful to crash.

-        15.7 miles, 34 floors, and buckets of sweat.

Tuesday

-        Breakfast is croissants “with special sauce”, New York pastry, muffins, yogurt.

-        Readjust I-Pass to new location.  Found out it was upside down and fixed that.

-        Holland Tunnel baby!  Let’s do this! 

-        Drive through New York City.  The only challenge was the double merge at the Holland Tunnel.  Not so bad, really.  We did it in silence though.

-        Finish up Frankie Landau-Banks.  Ratio of romance to criminal mastermind is flawed.

-        Begin Andromeda Strain.

-        Tried to do Thai restaurant outside of Boston.  It was closed the whole week for 4^th of July.  Bravely went to a location not on the map, and what a glorious Indian experience!  Bawbarchi Birayani in Chelmsford, MA.  All you can eat Thali.  Deliciousness!  Pink lemonade completely eliminates the spice and clears the palate!  Huh!  Eric, in real time, reviews restaurant on google so that they exist.  5 STARS!

-        Massacusetts drivers don’t let each other in.  Jessie shares later that all Massachusetts drivers are Massholes!

-        Visit New Hampshire lighthouse.  Super disappointing. 

-        Reach Scarborough Maine and Jessie around 4 PM.  Big hugs!  Hang out with Jessie, Retta, Clara, and Julia. 

-        Astrid the Cat does catch and release with chipmunk, phase 1.  Get the butterfly net!  Close the cat door.

-        Dinner is veggie burgers, fish, kale salad, fruit salad, watermelon.  So good!

-        Nintendo switch party all about the Mario Kart.  Eric confused by gaming consule.

-        Krystal and Jessie go for a walk.  No one is invited.  Wait, Samantha is invited.  Catching up with family stories.

-        Jessie invites us to Boot Camp class.  We say yes.  Apparently no one says yes and she is thrilled we’ll join her. 

-        Samantha on couch with kitties; Eric and Krystal in Julia’s room; Raina in Retta’s room; Lola in Clara’s room; Julia in Jessie’s room.

Wednesday

-        Krystal and Samantha go to Boot Camp at 5:30 AM.  Circuit training is fine; moving sleds is great leg work and I love it!  Squats with 25 pound dumbbells is a joke.

-        Jessie suggests getting Maine donuts – made of potatoes, so weird! – but we pass.  Breakfast is oatmeal and fruit.

-        Raina gets up and is greeted by cats.  Julia and Clara rope her into a game of Labyrinth, which dissolves into a game of smashing each other’s pieces.  Raina is rescued by parents returning!  😊

-        Astrid brings chipmunk inside house; chipmunk hides under bench; Whomptons form wall; force chipmunk out door.  Jessie assures Eric that house is clean.

-        Geared up for beautiful Scarborough Maine beaches.  Lots of sunscreen; super cold water; big boulders as a backdrop; sand beaches.  Lola, Clara, and Retta bravely boogie board in the water; Eric, Raina go to an island, find it covered in barnacles, and Raina cuts up her feet; Eric + all kids create Mark ! – 6 versions of a sand mound + seaweed.  Krystal, Jessie, and Samantha wisely stay out of the water and we chat.

-        High tide forces us out; next up is ice cream shop.  Mainers love their dairy shops.  Samantha and Krystal share lemon and raspberry sorbet; Dad got Heath and Cookie Dough; Lola got chocolate peanut butter cup and cookie dough; Raina got peanut butter cup and cookie dough.  Retta almost lost her ice cream – rescued by a cup – and she smeared it all over her face.  One happy kid.

-        Lighthouse at Fort Williams; explore the history stuff; practicing the fog horns but there’s no fog!  Every 30 seconds reply, so offset every 15 seconds.

-        Showers, naps, video games, Clara and Jessie to karate and grocery store.  Make pasta bar from the van options.  + watermelon + kale salad + fruit salad.  Jessie invites everyone outside; she stays inside with Krystal and Samantha.  Kids eat all the fruit salad.  Adults eat all kale salad.  Kids sneak to window and eavesdrop on adult conversation.

-        Astrid and Alice play cat-and-mouse with chipmunk who tries to play dead.  This lasts for a while.  Video footage to come.

-        Jessie pulls out historical records – letters, newspaper clippings, etc., -- and hilarity ensues.  Krystal has no sentimentality for things, but it’s fun to see them.

-        Clara and Retta make brownies – two sets – for home and for parade.  Jessie forgets to remove brownies; Krystal rescues them.

-        More video gaming at night.  Mario Kart never dies.

Thursday

-        Fourth of July!

-        Mario Kart in the morning.  Goodness that’s a LOT of video games.  Jessie dumps out all the frozen fruits to make smoothies, followed by pancakes.  Everyone dresses in their USA attire – everyone being the Humbles – and we set out for the cutest 4^th of July parade NOT RACE ever.  The entire neighborhood is there.  It’s 100% American as apple pie.  Greet the dogs, eat the berries and cherries (not the twinkies or other desserts), and trek back to Jessie’s house.

-        Time for goodbyes.  So sad to say goodbye. 

-        On to ACADIA!  But first, on to LL Bean flagship store!  Lobster dog toys, why not?  Girl backpacks, endless shopping in the clearance racks, too expensive blueberry jam or blueberry chocolates.  Regrettably, did not purchase amazing new tent with mud room OR mosquito tent for our picnic table. 

-        Delicious lunch at food court; Jamaican food: tofu and pork.  Pork had a lot of gristle and fat!  Not enough beans in the rice. Tasty pineapple sauce.  Wanted to eat full bowls of it.  So good.

-        Toured the sweet shop; only ate samples; left before getting Maine mud.  Regret.

-        Really on to Acadia now.  Straight to Seawall Campground.  Arrive at campground; windows open and killing mosquitoes begins.  Krystal and Lola begin Junior Rangers.

-        SO MANY MOSQUITOES!  Try to do sunset views at Seawall; mosquito swarm follows.  Eric goes to fetch van; women abandon Seawall before he gets back.  So many damn mosquitoes. The killing count begins.

-        1^st night of breakfast for dinner.  Everyone eats oatmeal.

-        While in tent for 1^st night, we discuss getting a mosquito tent. 

Friday

-        Where are Lola’s pills?  No one knows.  Lola takes a Krystal pill.

-        More mosquito death.  Beans and rice for breakfast.  Cold beans and crunchy rice.  Why did we do this to ourselves? – Krystal and Samantha, Eric, Raina, and Lola have no problems

-        Let’s begin Benefiber!

-        Ledge trail à across St. Sauveur mountain 679 ft. à valley peak.  Lola feels tired, so we shorten plan.  Thank you, Raina. 

-        Park at Echo Lake and do Beech cliff loop trail.  SO HOT.  Krystal dries her sweaty shirt on the van roof.

-        Everyone changes into swimsuits – Lola tries LL Bean suit – and gets into water a bit.  SO COLD.  Lola plays in water; everyone else reads, naps, or plays games on phone. 

-        The afternoon plan is to buy the mosquito net.  LL Bean outlet?  Bust.  Mardens?  Bust.  Get recommendation for Schoonic.  Walmart?  Sorta bust.  Walk away with citronella candles and a mosquito bomb.  No price but it’s worth it.

-        First stop at Schooner in Winter Harbor, the grocery store to look at water. Lola touches mysterious sea foam, everyone else declines.

-        Second, third stop? (IDK) Rockfeller center to learn about research on Shoodic Peninsula and military operations. Learn morse code, flag signs, and how to triangulate a signal

-        Go on sundew trail, mosquito breeding grounds! We pushed through and reached the coast. KSW tries to lead us astray until the official navigators (Raina & Lola) decided to turn back around.

-        Drive further on scenic drive. SO PRETTY.

-        Stop at picnic area. Watch in awe as a fisher catches four fish at a time

-        Continue drive, why weren’t we here before. We should have camped here. No mosquitoes

-        Stop at a lobster shack for dinner + IGA for apples. Why do all the lobster shops have lobster claw statues outside of their building. Do they mass produce them somewhere? Also, lobster rolls are not worth the $15 we paid. Glad we didn’t stop elsewhere where they cost $30+.

-        Drive back to Seawall campsite.  Decide to go see the Bass Harbor Lighthouse, but get caught in ridiculous long line.  Do 15 degree turns to escape.

-        Go home. Deploy citronella candles.  Mosquitoes still take their blood tax multiple times over. Candles don’t work! Only slows them down. More death ensues

Saturday

-        Channa masala breakfast – SO GOOD!  We should do this everyday!

-        Break down/pack up campsite.

-        Go see Bass Harbor lighthouse.  Kinda cool.

-        Drive around island (one-way streets), including heading up the Cadillac Mountain drive.  MISTAKE!  Go to Hulls Cove Visitor Center.  Hardly anything worth seeing except for crowds of people.  Abandon this pathway too.

-        Listening to Feminasty (doesn’t last) and David Sedaris (doesn’t last).

-        Go set up new campsite at Blackwoods Campground.  Blackwoods has nicer amenities than Seawall and is closer to many things.  It’s supposed to rain and storm in the afternoon, so we set up tent in the early afternoon.

-        Wild Gardens of Acadia, Nature Center, Jesup hike on a Boardwalk near the Gardens. 

-        Wind picks up, back to campsite, super quick dinner and wash up, hunker in tent during the storm.  Lola falls asleep at 6:30 PM, wakes up at 8:15 PM, and gets confused that it’s not morning. 

Sunday

-        Pasta, white beans, tomatoes for breakfast.

-        Trek out to Fabbri picnic area, Gorham mountain, Beehive, Bowl, Champlain mountain trails.  Had planned the route so that we could go down Beehive but that’s not allowed apparently.  Audibled to different trails.  Champlain (I think) had vertical ladders to climb, not just massive step-ups.

-        Catch shuttle to Sand Beach, walk the Ocean Path, climb/boulder rather than walk on sidewalk trail; Krystal falls into water and slams her bottom; get to Thunder Hole.  Not as impressive as we had hoped.

-        Folks are really sunburned; catch the shuttle back to our car.  Krystal is terrible navigator; we officially put Raina and Lola in charge of maps and navigation.

-        After dinner, go walk Jordan Pond trail, see the Bubble mountains, and walk a Carriage trail and conclude with popovers at the local restaurant.

-        Lola is WIPED OUT!   Lots of negotiations to get her through the evening hike.

Monday

-        Hike to Cadillac Mountain from our campsite.  The Cadillac hike was longer in distance but not as steep/challenging as some of the other hikes thus far.  Nice views but the summit is crowded with people

-        From Cadillac, we go east to Dorr mountain, get lost, accidently take the Gorge trail and course-correct on the Hemlock trail, and finally navigate our way back to the shuttle stop at Nature Center.  Gorge trail is a continuous mosquito swarm – arms swatting the entire time.  Krystal fell on the Hemlock trail and bruised up her legs pretty badly.

-        Shuttle back to Sand Beach stop.  Are we getting into the water?  Negotiate for about 30 minutes of what to do next:  some say Beehive, some say Great Head, some say both.  We split for the first time:  Raina and Eric do Great Head trails and everyone else climbs Beehive.  (Beehive, with its verticals, is advertised as being really intimidating but it was not bad at all.)

-        Everyone catches shuttle back home.  Load up the car and go into town to find some wifi access to prepare for Board meeting.  Bar Harbor is a sweet little town and we laze for an hour in a coffee shop.

-        Back to the campsite.  No cell access so no calls into Krystal’s Board meetings.  Pack up everything so there’s an easy exit for next day.  At this point, the citronella smell is growing.

Tuesday

-        Debate getting up SUPER early to go see the sunrise on Cadillac.  Means heading out at 4:20 AM.  Krystal was awake for it but it wasn’t worth it.  Checking out stars instead.

-        Break down camp and leave within an hour.  Nice job, team! 

-        Peanut butter jelly sandwiches for breakfast and hit the road.  We can drive through New Hampshire + Vermont + ferry or go through Canada.  We’re going through Canada!

-        Last rest area before the border was next to a lovely stream.  Learned about being a lumberjack!  Everyone reminds Krystal that there are FIVE people in the car this time.  😊

-        Krystal realizes quickly that she doesn’t know the repercussions for speeding through a different nation.  We stick to the 100 kph rules.  😊

-        Lunch at a delicious Thai restaurant.  Yummy noodles!

-        Start Art of Driving in the Rain.

-        Drive through Adirondacks is simply stunning.  Pastoral views everywhere.

-        Arrive at Wilmington Notch campground in upstate New York.  Unload and hang up belongings so they can dry.  No mosquitoes here!  How novel!

-        Krystal purposefully picked a spot right next to the waterfall trail.  Let’s go see waterfall!  GORGEOUS!  We could also listen to the water all night. 

-        Lola begins a grump-a-dump phase.  Doesn’t want to go see waterfall, but we finally convince her.  Doesn’t want to go on an evening hike in the area.  Eventually Eric stays behind with Lola; everyone else goes into Lake Placid to try the Cobble Hill hike.  Whompton women get lost but still make it out okay. 

-        Family talk in the tent, with listening protocols and everyone sharing their thoughts.  We agree, Lola is going through puberty. 

Wednesday

-        Break down campsite.  Breakfast?  Red beans and rice, maybe?

-        Go into Lake Placid, walk around Mirror Lake, check out the winter Olympic facilities.  Kinda cool.  It’s 60 degrees outside and everyone is wearing tank tops and short-shorts.  Whomptons wear fleeces. 

-        Peanut butter sandwiches in the car, I think.

-        Drive south to the Finger Lakes region and arrive at Treman State Park.  Still no mosquitoes here!  New York is the best! 

-        Finish Art of Driving in the Rain.

-        Family sets up tent, decides to hike the Gorge and Rim trails in the park to see waterfalls.  Lola refuses to go.  Krystal proposes that we cut the trip short and go home, based upon these reactions.  This time, Krystal stays behind with her and everyone else goes.  About 20 minutes later, Lola decides she wants to go on hike, so Krystal and Lola do their best to find the family.  We meet up at Lucifer Falls.  So pretty!

-        There are showers here!  We all take advantage.

-        Back at campsite, another family conversation which ends in a vote.  Should we head home?  Everyone wants to keep going, but no one wants to deal with the resistant and persistent daily drama of convincing Lola to participate.  Commitments are made, and we’re staying.

Thursday

-        Watkins Glen State Park waterfall hikes.  OH WOW! 

-        Begin listening to Redshirts by John Scalzi.  Seriously funny.  Will the codas ever end?

-        Add on National Parks: Seneca Falls and Harriet Tubman’s home.  Of course, we pursue Junior Ranger options at both.  Harriet Tubman’s home has been cared for by the AME church in the area for over 100 years.  That’s serious commitment from the community!

-        Back at Treman State Park.  Swim in the lake, desperately try to get under the waterfall, eventually the trio makes it under the waterfall, jump in from diving board.  Eric and Raina watch while other Whompton women have a blast.

-        Good showers for everyone, warm dinner in our bellies, pack up as much as we can for early release in the morning, begin working on vacation log.  Lots of laughter.

Friday

-        Pack up wicked fast, and start driving to Niagara.  Sandwiches in the car for breakfast, I believe.

-        Reach Niagara, drive through, try to find a parking space, head back to the beginning.  Park, talk with the locals, and then do the ¾ mile to the falls.  Along the Niagara River, begins to churn, American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls.  We see them from every angle.

-        Lunch time, go and find an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet.  We’re the only patrons, and we sing/watch Bollywood music videos the whole time.

-        Back to the car, get our water shoes, and get in line for Observation Tower and Maid of the Mist tour.  EPIC!  Boat ride is so fun, we get soaked, and spirits are super high.

-        Check out Whirlpool State Park, try to get to Power Plant but it closed early, saw Old Fort Niagara, grocery store for fruit, and then camp at Four Mile Creek.  Our campsite abuts Lake Ontario.  That night we eat ridiculous amount of cherries, watch the sun set, and work on the vacation log more.  So fun!

-        No rain fly tonight so we can see the stars.  Gorgeous.

Saturday

-        Break down campsite.  Break our stakes; requires digging a hole with a hatchet to get them all.  In the end, took 1.5 hours to get on the road – our longest amount of time yet.

-        Peanut butter sandwiches and apples for breakfast.  Sandwiches taste like citronella and not everyone successfully eats their breakfast!  😊

-        Listen to Speak.

-        Lunch in Columbus, OH, for yummy Mexican.  They supply beans and salsa to go with chips.  Super large amount of food!

-        Finish Speak.  Begin Oral History of Daily Show.  Keep on driving.

-        Reach Saint Louis in early evening.  Unload van, unpack, begin ample laundry, trip to Schnucks.