Green Grow The Rushes

I come from a place where the hills turn brown in the summer and it can go for months without rain. It’s not a mythical land, it’s California.

I’m amazed to discover places that are very, very green. Dad sometimes complains about the humidity in the eastern U.S., but I think it’s beautiful. The color is restful to the eyes. Also, don’t forget that forests are the “lungs” of the planet.

I’ll Have Everything

It’s a rainy day on New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway. It’s very scenic as it winds through the White Mountains.

So, why not stop for coffee (just for Dad) and bagels? Mine was “everything” I hoped it would be (get it?).

High Points Galore

We “bagged” two state high points in as many days. The first was (appropriately named) High Point (1,804 ft.). The second was Mount Greylock (3,489 ft.). They are the highest points in New Jersey and Massachusetts, respectively. The Appalachian Trail crosses both, too. I now have a total of five state high points under my belt.

Full disclosure: you can drive a car to the top of both, which we did.

Alice’s Restaurant

You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant…

We made a pilgrimage to the former site of Alice’s Restaurant in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It was made famous by a song written in 1967 by Arlo Guthrie, even though the song is not really about a restaurant. According to a newspaper clipping we saw in the window, 18 year-old Arlo was one of the “youths” arrested for illegally dumping garbage on Thanksgiving. The song tells the tale in a funny and exaggerated way. But really, it’s an anti-Vietnam War draft song.

It kind of made local restaurateur Alice Brock (1941-2024) famous. It’s also one of my stepmom Pam’s favorites.

Hospitality

I would like to thank Dad’s stepbrother Mike, his wife Dania, and their son Corey. We spent the night at their home in New Jersey and had some really great company (and pizza). I slept in Corey’s bedroom surrounded by Pokémon characters.

Thanks a million, you guys!

Jersey Shore

Did I mention that I like ferry rides? Did you know you can drive your car onto a ferry? I used to be scared of boats, but now I think they’re lots of fun.

We took a ferry from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey. It was a beautiful calm morning and I explored the entire watercraft (at least the parts where passengers are allowed). The most interesting thing for me was watching the seabirds following in the wake of the ship. I think they were feeding on fish that were being churned up by the motors.

When we arrived on dry land, we headed north through the pine barrens of southern New Jersey. It was a little bit spooky because, according to popular culture, this is the place where the mafia goes when they have a body disposal problem. Who knows, maybe it’s true. The biggest threat we faced were ticks. Dad flicked one off his leg as we were walking around.

Atlantic

Despite leaving on this trip from California, this is the first time we’ve seen an ocean so far. We camped at Cape Henlopen in Delaware and got up to see the sun rise over the water.

In case you were wondering, I’m more accustomed to ocean sunsets.