Coeymans, NY to Croton on the Hudson, NY

Coeymans was an interesting little town. Caroline and I went for a run while we were there to check it out, and I think we were both really suprised. The first three blocks were pretty much dead, like there once was a cute little town, but most of the people left. We went about a mile out of town and came to Ravena, which was very much a typical little northern town, lots of pretty homes, trees changing colors, interesting shops. Discoveries like these make my runs on these trips worth it! Friday morning was absolutely beautiful, and it found me
driving while on the phone (checking in at home), and Caroline enjoying her morning coffee.
It was a perfect morning!There were several of these little lighthouses marking our way along the Hudson, each of them unique in its own way.Midday, we headed into Kingston for fuel and lunch. It was a great little town, definitely one I'd like to visit again, with lots of unique shops and restaurants. After yummy cheeseburgers, we headed back out onto the river and on our way.

One of my favorite things to do on these trips is to sit on the bow, take in the sights, and take pictures. The bow definitely offers the best shot for photos. However, it is not one of the most legal places to ride.

Shortly after passing under this bridge,

we were stopped by this man. He kindly informed us that bow-riding was an arrestable offense, and that technically, he could take our captain and these two young mothers to jail. Dad was exceptionally humble, and he had all of his papers very well organized, so the kind police officer let us off with a warning. Of course not without commenting that he was a pirate, there to take the women with him. Nice. Really, he was very nice, as he could have given any or all of us sizable tickets (or carted us off to jail). After a few laughs and some local history, we said our goodbyes.

And Caroline and I moved to the stern for our photo ops!

We came to a point in the river called the End of the World, and it was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip. I can't explain how unique and incredibly beautiful this area was. The river seemed to narrow, and there were rolling hills and mountains on either side of us. I tried to get a picture that could give you a sense of the beauty of it, but I think it is impossible... I think it is something that has to be seen in person.

As we approached the End of the World, we came to an island with a decaying castle on it. It was a castle that was brought over from Europe and reconstructed brick by brick on this small island in the Hudson. There was a fire that essentially destroyed it, so all that remains are the outlines of several structures. I can only imagine what it looked like when it was being taken care of and what it felt like to live there and be surrounded by the incredible beauty of the area.

West Point was very impressive... it looks like a huge fortress in the middle of nowhere.

Finally we arrived at Croton on the Hudson, a commuter town not far from NYC. Definitely the first sign that we were getting closer to civilization.Just as we got settled, a storm moved in. It was amazing to watch it move across the sky.We were pleasantly suprised by an incredible sunset afterwards.

Even more so by this rainbow that actually went all the way across the sky.

We were driven to town for dinner by the dockmaster, Steve, who was absolutely hysterical and incredibly hospitable. He talked a mile a minute, and he was definitely another indication that we were close to the city! Yummy dinner, good walk back to the boat, and a rough night of sleep... the front that moved through created some good waves that made us feel like we were out in the middle of the ocean! Despite the waves, I enjoyed my time in Croton.

New York City Arrival

We left Croton on the Hudson on Saturday morning and headed toward New York City. We were all anxiously watching the horizon for the NYC skyline, but we were sure to admire the Palasaides on the New Jersy side of the river.

It wasn't long before the quiet, undeveloped riverside was overtaken by development and city hustle and bustle. Yonkers

The "Canyons of New York"... you can see straight down the street for blocks and blocks, each side lined with tall buildings and skyscrapers.

We took a short mini-tour of the harbor as we waited for the dockmaster to find us a slip at the marina. Such a complete change from what we had been seeing for the past few days!

New York City: Day 1

After our mini-tour of the harbor, we headed to the marina so that we could have some time to explore the city. We stayed at the 79th Street Boat Basin, which was on a small park, was 3 blocks from Broadway, and was 5 blocks from Central Park. Once we were settled in, Caroline and I headed out in search of sushi, and Dad headed out to run some errands.
This is a view of some neighboring boats from Progress... there were a TON of houseboats like these that obviously hadn't moved in ages. Many of them were covered with dying plants, bird feeders, and pigeon droppings.
We decided totake a pedicab through Central Park, and I think that was our only mistake of the trip. Our guide was TERRIBLE... most of what we learned along the was from listening to some of the other pedicab drivers talking to their riders!
We did get to see an overview of Central Park, though, and I really didn't realize how huge it was. It was packed with people, running, cycling, picnicing, and even a wedding party or two.
We had instructions that we were to leave the boat at 5:15, appropriately dressed for the "Captain's Dinner" and an early birthday suprise for me. So, after three days of jeans and tee shirts, we dressed apropriately. We took a cab to Times Square to sightsee a bit before dinner. Talk about overwhelming. Everything you see on TV and in the movies showing the hustle and bustle of Times Square was true. However, it was so much crazier being in the middle of it!!

From here, we walked to a restaurant called La Masseria, an incredible Italian Restaurant. We had homemade stuffed mozzarella with tomatoes, basil, and vinagarette, a salad with pears, gorgonzola and walnuts, and I had "Home made fresh caciotta cheese ravioli in a light tomato sauce Capri style". Sooooo good! Dessert sounded wonderful, but I don't think any of us could have fit in another bite, so we headed on with the idea of stopping back in for dessert later. (I asked Dad how he had heard of the restaurant, and he just vaguely answered that a friend had recommended it.) We walked just a few minutes before Dad stopped us in front of the Ambassador Theatre... he had gotten tickets for Chicago! As we were sitting in our amazing seats (five rows from the stage, center of the theater!) and browsing through the playbill, my jaw dropped... my mom's cousin (who Ihave always thought of as my cousin, too), Rob Bartlett, was in the show! With a great part!! I hadn't seen him in ages, and I couldn't believe that I was going to see him perform. All of these suprises had me a bit overwhelmed, to say the least! The show was fantastic, and Rob was amazing. For those of you who have seen Chicago, he played Amos, Roxie's husband. He really did steal the show... it was amazing how the audience responded to him.

To top it all off, we got to go behind the scenes after the show to meet some of the performers, see the stage, and spend some time with Rob. He had actually been in on the birthday suprise... Mom called him to see if he could help Dad, and he helped Dad get our incredible seats, and he was the mysterious "friend" with a restaurant recommendation! Rob has been in the Odd Couple and Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway as well, but he is probably more well-known for being on the Imus in the Morning show (until recently...!).

I was so excited to share all of this with Dad and Caroline... I think it was a night none of us will forget! Dad did an amazing job planning all of this... such a perfect birthday suprise.

Unfortunately it was late, so our time with Rob was short. We headed back out to the still-bustling Times Square, bypassed dessert, and headed back to the boat to crash. It was a long but exciting day, and I think all three of us slept incredibly well.

New York City: Day 2

On Sunday morning, Caroline and I headed back into the city to meet an old friend of hers for a yummy breakfast. It was fun to meet Megan and hear a bit about real life in the big city. After breakfast, we departed the 79th Street Boat Basin and headed for a tour of the New York Harbor and Manhattan from the water.

The Financial District

The Brooklyn Bridge

The Chrystler Building

Unfortunately, our time was running short, so we headed to a marina on the New Jersy side of the harbor where Dad was staying that night so that we could get to our flight back to Charleston. I think both Caroline and I were sad it had come to an end and that we didn't have another day or two to explore the city and the coast. Oh well... something to do and see next time!

Thank You

I really had such a great time and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the trip and the many suprises along the way.

Thanks so much, Mom and Rob, for helping Dad plan my birthday treat. I really was so suprised by all of it... thanks for helping to make it perfect!

Caroline, thank you so much for being my awesome travel companion and incredible friend. I so enjoyed our bow-time conversations (while they lasted), our explorations (minus the pedicab!), and the many, many, many laughs we shared. Who better to share all of the crazy personalities we met along the way than you?? The airport bartender, Barbara at Coeymans, Steve at Half Moon, the police man, the pedicab driver, our TGIF waitress... too funny. I had the best time, and I loved sharing it with you. I will travel with you again any day, anywhere.

Dad, I can't say thank you enough. For everything. For taking on an extra passenger, for the amazing sights you showed us, for all of the laughs, for your hospitality on the Water House, for the exceptional birthday gift. The entire trip was overwhelming. I especially appreciated Saturday night, all of the lengths you went through to find the perfect dinner and the perfect show and the perfect seats. These trips with you have become one of the major highlights of my year... I love dreaming up where to go and what to do next. I so look forward to our next adventure.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jason, for taking such good care of the boys while I was gone. I so appreciated the time away to recharge. You are an amazing father, and I know that the boys LOVED their time with you.

Thank you, Granny, Grandaddy, Lindsey, and Kaila for coming to help Jason for the weekend. I know that he and the boys loved having you here to entertain them... thanks for taking such good care of all of my boys!!

(Good grief... sounds like an acceptance speech at the Academy Awards!)