Back to DC, Again

Being an exceptionally good brother, I took the liberty of driving to Washington DC at 4AM last Sunday to spend the hottest day of the year touring the city for one day with my sister.  Rising at 4AM is challenging enough, but considering the fact that we had attended the Pirates – Cardinals MLB game the night before (and didn’t get our heads to the pillow until 12:30AM), I hope you have an even greater appreciation for my effort / insanity, whichever you prefer.

The thermometer read 97 at 10AM, the moment we arrived at Arlington Cemetery.  Ninety-seven degrees at 10AM should qualify the whole DC metro area as “hell”, literally.  Most of us believe Washington DC is part of hell anyhow, but Sunday had the associated temperatures to go with it.  The only thing that should be that hot at that hour is my breakfast.

I had a plan in my head to make a giant circle in the cemetery to catch the “biggies”… the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers, JFK, and out.  But my plan took a different turn when I lead Lisa and her friend up the wrong road, meaning they were able to take a short cut, but I had to run myself and Amberlee, whom I took along and placed in the stroller, back down the road and around in order to catch up.  We had about 10 minutes to get to the Tomb to see the changing of the guard.  Despite the fact that I was already sweating profusely, the run made it even worse, and I arrive at the guard looking like I had fallen in the creek.

Ironically, I nearly stumbled over the headstone of my employer—George Westinghouse.  If you recall, my blog about our trip to Arlington over Memorial Day this year told of our quest (unsuccessful) to find his headstone.  The heat beat us at that game, and we gave up.  This time, I nearly tripped over the stupid thing.  I wasn’t looking for it, and it was not in the location that the Grave Locator gave me prior to our earlier trip. 

We made it to the Tomb a few minutes before the changing of guard, though, but the heat was nearly unbearable.  The sun, the humidity, even the white marble steps were radiating enough heat to melt lead.  Ironically, I got a sense of coolness once the guards showed up in full uniform—wool, mind you.  And, we had a laugh after the ceremony at their pronunciations for various commands: “forward, march” and “present, arms” were pronounced “phrmaod, ar” and “prsneant, ar”.  We were certain they were using the coded nasal pronunciations to say to each other, “HOLY CRAP, dude, it’s so hot that the birds are using hot pads to pull worms out of ground!” 

We then tried for the Holocaust museum, but it was packed.  I didn’t understand the irony of visiting the Holocaust museum on the hottest day of the year till later.  I know, I know… bad pun.

We went to a couple of Smithsonians, then decided to tour the outside memorials in the evening—when it was supposed to be cooler.

Uh-huh… at 10:30PM, the temp was still 95 degrees.  But, we ventured out anyway, sweating like cats in a Korean deli.

We stayed the night at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill, which was a nice place, provided that you could get out once you got in.  Long story.  And, they failed to let us know of the $41 parking fee for the night.  Oh well.

The best parts of the trip were the Metro rides and the air conditioned cafes inside the museums.  The Metro kept getting delayed, but we were OK with that… it was well air conditioned, too, and tempting to just say, “Lets stay on the metro for a while.”

It was a fun short trip.  It really got fun when we were so hot and sweaty that we got delirious to the point that even the little miniature models in the American History Museum set us into uncontrolled laughter.

Ambie was a gem.  The little thing did not complain at all. 

To add some perspective, while watching the local news that night, we learned that 3 people had passed out at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that afternoon from heat exhaustion.  Walking through the cemetery and around Washington DC was like being stuffed in a pressure cooker.  No breeze and air that seemed to wrap around you.  Everywhere we went, it got worse because as the sweat evaporated off of us, it only added to the humidity that immediately surrounded our faces.  

But, it was fun.  I just recommend to anyone that plans to visit DC in the future… do NOT go there between May and September. 

Pirates at 100 Degrees

We were the fortunate buyers of tickets to see the Pittsburgh Pirates last Saturday at PNC Park.  The Pirates are on a winning streak this year; unfortunately, they got their butt's whipped 9-1 by the Cardinals the night we watched them play.

To add to the misery, the heat was hovering in the mid-90s while the humidity was somewhere in the 80% range.  But at those levels, who is really counting any longer?  In other words, we could have gotten the same effect watching the show in a hot tub.

But, we went and smoldered as we watched the Pirates lose.  It was fun anyhow.  The kids got free (i.e., they came with the tickets) Pirates jerseys, which they promptly donned, and after the game we got to watch the Zambelli fireworks show.  It was awesome.

Sitting 9 innings at any baseball game can get boring.  Sitting 9 innings at a Pirates game can be brutal.  Sitting 9 innings in 95+ degree weather and 80% humidity while watching the Pirates lose 9-1 is almost unbearable.  But, the shirts and the fireworks made it worth the pain.

Such Grace

I'm a klutz.

Today as I was walking out to my truck to go home, I took a small shortcut through the flowerbed rather than walk around it as I was supposed to do.

The flowerbed is only about 5 feet wide.  But, on my second step through it, I stepped on a rock-- probably the only rock in the entire flowerbed.  My ankle twisted.  In an attempt to keep myself upright, I swung my left foot forward to catch myself, but tripped on the curbing lining the bed.  My forward momentum took me out into the parking lot next to my truck, but with a semi-twisted ankle on my right, and a left foot still stunned by the unanticipated concrete edge, I kept falling forward, unsuccessfully waving and thrashing my arms to the truck to catch myself before I fell.

I must have taken 5 or 6 steps to try to keep myself from falling.  I stumbled, flopped and, ultimately, ended up on my face in the middle of the parking lot.

The little box to the left of the building marks the location of my graceful fall to the asphalt.

I'm not a novice by any means.  Four years ago while elk hunting with dad, we drove to the Idaho - Montana border above Henry's Lake when he decided to stop the truck.  I got out and- SPLAT- down I went.  He had parked on a sheet of ice and before I could say, "Ahh!", I was laying under the truck, literally.  "Dad, don't move the truck!  I'm under it!"

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The marker in the map above located the exact spot I found myself suddenly lying under the truck.  I know this because we were right on the border when it happened, realizing we had crossed out of our hunt zone.

I can just imagine the laughter from today's stunt-- security guards watching it on the cameras, people walking to their cars, etc.  

One would think that after 33 or 34 years of walking experience, I wouldn't make a mistake like that.  But, to do it with such flair and production... that takes talent.

Presque Isle, PA

One of our favorite spots is Presque Isle in Erie, PA.

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Its that tiny peninsula that juts out into Lake Erie.  Anyhow, contrary to any preconceived notions you might have, it is very beach-y.

We recently took the kids there and met up with some close friends, had lunch, played in the sand and surf.  It was just for the day, but so nice to have something this close to us.

Incidentally, Chrissa didn't come with us.  "Too cool" kinda thing.

Family Vacation, Take 2 (or 3, or 4)

"When I plan these, I always have visions of grandeur," said Michelle halfway through our latest family vacation.

"You mean, delusions of grandeur," I corrected her.  All this was said after Amberlee bailed over the side of the chair at Applebee's in Buffalo, NY, ending up in a crying ball on the floor of the restaurant.  Ethan was dancing around the tables, and Preston was pretending to shoot everyone with his make-believe gun.

Our latest attempt at family unity came earlier this week... Tuesday, to be exact.  We left for upstate New York for a week of fun and relaxation, to reconnect as a family.  See what I mean?  Delusional.

Again, that was the plan.  Reality always has a way of correcting it, and 4 kids make that correction happen much quicker than anticipated.

Our vacation spots were simple: Niagara Falls, the Hill Cumorah Pageant, Letchworth State Park (hailed to be the "Grand Canyon of the East"), and the Finger Lakes.

We had quite the good omen going to our vacation location... we came upon the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile traveling north on I-79.  Ironically, we passed it in a town called Hamburg, New York... a huge rolling hot dog surrounded by Hamburgers.  What were the odds?  It was a vacation highlight.  Now, Ethan wants me to turn our van into a Wienermobile, too.

Michelle found a rental home somewhere in the middle of all of these points.  The home is located in Wyoming, New York... I found the name of the town odd, until we arrived.  If someone was able to remove most of the trees and flatted out the hills a bit, I could have sworn I was in Burley Idaho.  Farmland as far as the eye can see; tractors pulling all kinds of equipment down Main Street; the smell of freshly turned manure wafting through the sultry night air; the cry of a cow in the distance as it came into direct contact with the 240v electrical fence.  It was out in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by thousands of acres of corn.  If anyone believes that New York is overpopulated, I have some land in Arizona to sell them.  We also found the local LDS ward building out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by acres of farmland, too, just like in Idaho.  There is something about LDS buildings and agriculture...

The home was "sold" as an old cottage to help you get away from it all.  Boy, did we ever.  We got away from water that didn't smell like sulfur (the water in this house did); air conditioning; and easy access to civilization.  The house itself was fine, just a bit more 19th Century than we had anticipated.  Clearly, the house was built for someone less than 6'3", as I kept hitting my head on the ceiling in certain places, and I barely could walk up the stairs without the need to turn sideways.

Our first stop was Palmyra New York-- again (this would be our third trip to this town)-- and the Hill Cumorah Pageant.  The setting was quite amazing.  Clearly, they were going to put on a great show, and they were also expecting thousands of people.  The old lady there said they had set out over 4,000 seats for the show.

After we dropped our things in 6 seats to mark our territory, we left for the day.  We found the anti-Mo's out in full protest to the Pageant... see the photo.  The two guys with the signs were vocally objecting to anything Mormon out on the streets of Palmyra.  The guy off to the right was either Mormon or a supporter of some kind.  The three of them made an interesting show for everyone.  As the anti-Mo's voiced their objection, Mr. Mormon would simply yell, "AAAHHHH!!!" to overshadow their words.  When they all caught their breath, Mr. Mormon guy would then point to each and yell, "Liar Liar, pants on fire!"  Pretty funny stuff.  Mr. Mormon even went so far as to speak to the Mormon families that would walk by and tell them, pointing to the anti-Mo's, that "this is what happens to you if you smoke marijuana / become an alcoholic / live on welfare..." etc.

We left for the Whitmer Farm (an LDS historical site), which is about 30 miles southeast of Palmyra.  We'd never been there before, so thought we'd do it and check it off our list of "places to see".  When we arrived, I knew it was a 30 mile drive for almost nothing.  Just a little old house sitting on the same plot of land as the Fayette Ward building.  It was pretty, though, but not much there.

Again, here was an LDS church in the middle of miles of corn.

The Pageant was quite the spectacle.  The Rotary Club was there selling food at Disneyland prices... and attendees were buying.  Dummies.  Also, the same anti-Mo's that we found earlier in the day in Palmyra had returned, with friends, to protest at the Pageant.  This time, they brought blow-horns, but no one could really understand them due to the music blaring from the church speakers.

Their protesting signs and chant were barely seen or audible... poor guys.

By 8PM, we were back in our seats and ready for the show.

The cops were also out in full force.  I wasn't entirely sure why.  Crowd control?  Traffic control?  Protest control?  Or, maybe they were a little nervous with such a huge gathering of Mormons.  After all, it wasn't that long ago that a far less mass of Mormons forced the local lawmen to kick us out of town for good.  See 'em below, sitting out on the road.

Even the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile showed up... slightly transformed, but still a wienie.

The Pageant was excellent.  Not quite Broadway, but dang close.  Considering they all only had a week to prepare, it was really good.  The evening was also excellent... clear skies, no wind, 70 degrees, full moon.  Couldn't have been better.

The next day we traveled to Buffalo New York and Niagara Falls.  It was our first trip to the Falls... it will also be our last (likely).  I mean, the Falls are beautiful, but the Park is a money-making business.  Everything there cost bucks, and after seeing the Falls or a museum, they would make sure to heard everyone through their gift shops.  We rode the Maid of the Mist ship into the Falls, which was the highlight.

I tried to create a panorama of Horseshoe Falls... click the photo below for full effect.

The funny part of the day: me driving onto the Rainbow Bridge-- all one way, not realizing where I was until it was too late.  This bridge connects the US with Canada.  The Canadian at the toll booth told me that I had to back up and go against traffic to get back out.  Oops.

Next day: Letchworth State Park.  This park is a secret of the area, and in my opinion, better than Niagara.  It cost $8 to get into the park... a fraction of the cost of Niagara.  And, the falls (minus the Maid of the Mist voyage) were better.  The falls had an upper falls, middle falls, and lower falls, and although we all started out on the upper falls hike (a series of stairs, probably 200 of them, to the top... Chrissa commented on it being like we were "stuck in the Indiana Jones movies"...), only Michelle and I were left by the time the lower falls came around.

Upper Falls of the Genesee River...

Middle Falls of the Genesee River...

By the end of Day 4, we were beat and ready to go home.  We were tired of living in someone else's house, tired of no air conditioning, tired of the sulfur-smelling water, tired of living in a suitcase.  So we left for home.

But, not without incident, mind you.  Two miles away from the house, Michelle asks, "Where is my purse?"  After a quick search of the van, I decided to pull over to do a more thorough search.  Out came all the suitcases and bags.  No purse.  Back to the house we went; however, the house was all locked up now (the owners left for the weekend), so I had to break into the house through a window that hadn't been locked (luckily).  Boosting Michelle through the open window, we searched the house.  No purse.  She got the idea that perhaps she left it at the ice cream parlor that we visited in Perry, NY (15 miles south of our rental home), so she called.  Sure enough... it was there at the Charcoal Corral.  Off we went to get it... 15 miles south, 15 miles back to the rental home, and then back on route to our real house.  Ten miles out, Ethan asked where a particular movie was.  A quick search of the van revealed nothing.  I decided to pull over to do a more thorough search.  Out came the suitcases and bags, but no movie.  I made the decision to return, again, to the rental house and, again, through the same window I had broken into before.  A thorough search of the house revealed no movie.  Having no where else to look, we gave up the search and, once again, hit the road for home.

We made a brief stop in Cofu, New York, to visit the Yancey's Fancy Cheese Factory where we sampled and bought our weight in cheese for the ride home.

So, the jury is still out: was it a good family vacation, or a train wreck?  It had its moments, no doubt.  But, I'm sure that we'll be planning the next one soon.

See slideshows to the right...