







Every year in early July, Dad got a week's vacation when Honda's summer maintenance and new model change season began. In July 2014, Mom and Dad got adventurous again. They took me on a 1,300 mile trek, east to northern New Jersey and upstate New York through West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, and back home again. Dad's high school friends had planned a special gathering for him and Mom, Grandma had recently moved to a new apartment in Edgewater, NJ, and Dad's father and stepmother, who'd never met me, were vacationing at their second home in Livingston Manor, NY. I had a new stroller, a luxury model very similar to Ddori's in Korea, and we piled it and our bags into the Odyssey and headed out.
First stop, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Another spot on Dad's list of favorite places to take me. He was deep into a Civil War history book then and had just completed the section on Gettysburg. He'd been there many times since his first boyhood visit. Even Mom had visited the historic battlefield before she met Dad thanks to the generosity of her former neighbors. We got there later than planned. Approaching the town of Chambersburg, Dad had a sudden problem with steering wheel shaking and stopped at a Honda dealer for a quick check of the front suspension. Back on the road, we drove through downtown Gettysburg and the local college on our way to the military park. The streets were chock full of marching bands and re-enactors preparing for the annual celebration the next day. The park had few visitors by the time we arrived, and we enjoyed a slow drive through it. Mom took the first two photos you see, Dad and I with our backs to Cemetery Ridge, the Bloody Angle, and the High Water Mark, and another near the Virginia Memorial, battling the heat of the late afternoon.
The real fun began the next day at Grandma's apartment. If you guessed it involved my stroller, you win the prize! 🎁 That's me assuming my captain's pose in the lobby of our hotel as we got ready to head out. Edgewater is right on the Hudson River, and near Grandma's building, a long brick promenade with a magnificent view of New York City runs for miles. Even though it was really hot, you can see me enjoying the scenic view and showing off my new wheels.
The stroller had a more important function than providing enjoyment, though. Because kids like me were forbidden to enter her building, we used it for concealment whenever we entered and left her apartment, which was often. Taking Grandma shopping at Target, for example, required four smugglings. Up to her apartment and down again, by the parking lot service elevator. Then two more clandestine trips with the bags of goodies on the return. The good news is our subterfuge worked perfectly; we didn't have even one close call. The only bad memory is depicted in the last photo. That's me on the floor of Grandma's apartment, waiting for Mom and Dad to return from meeting his high school friends. 😡
Almost everything changed when we went north to Dad's father's country house. There I had the freedom to roam everywhere except the basement, where Grandma and Grandpa's cats were biding their time. Their house was on a lake and we enjoyed walks in the neighborhood and nearby in the small town of Livingston Manor, a spot famous for trout fishing. One afternoon, we traveled to Liberty and had lunch at a Greek restaurant, everyone outside on the patio and me in my wonderful stroller.
We made the trip home in one long day. Summer vacation was over and Dad returned to work. Mom and I returned to our daily routine of walks and other fun. I'll tell you about another family adventure next time.
Until then, thanks for reading my blog.
Tango
Comments