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29-31 August, 2003 It was about this point in the holiday that things stopped going completely right! We chose a route going south through the Adirondack region with a vague idea of doing some kayaking and finding a motel near a lake the boys could swim in. What we didn't realise (because we'd never been in the US quite so late in the season) that this weekend was the Labour Day weekend, which means that all Americans get in their cars and drive to the mountains or the sea, because after Labour Day, regardless of the weather, summer is officially over and everything closed for the season. It was a pleasant enough drive through the Adirondacks, despite the weather being grey and damp, stopping to look at Cranberry Lake and a river which I spotted from the road as having a beaver dam built across it. We even made it to Long Lake, former home of the famous Long Lake Diesels, as rescued by members of the SEL. In fact, that seemed like a good spot to spend the night, so we tried name-dropping at the local motel, but at the sound of "Dave and Arnie", the shutters came down and we were lucky to escape with our lives! It was about at this point that we realised EVERYWHERE was fully booked for the weekend, and we would have to find somewhere less picturesque to sleep. We'd also had no luck finding anywhere to do kayaking, so Tom suggested making a return trip to the Watervliet Arsenal, so we found a convenient motel just outside Albany. In the morning, again having read motel literature, we went off first on a journey of discovery to find a dolls house shop for me. Although that was a successful mission, it was in an area of Schenectady which made us feel, for about the first time on our trips, very vulnerable, and we weren't sorry to head into Albany. From what we saw of it, Albany was an attractive city centre, as befits the state capital, but we were a little distracted by trying to find our way to Watervliet. Once we finally found it, we had a major disappointment in that the museum was closed, and the guards on the gate weren't too sure if it was open on Sunday either. Now we had a problem. We had half of Saturday, Sunday and part of Monday to kill before our flight home on Monday evening, and nothing lined up to fill the time. I had a quick flick through the only guide book I could lay my hands on and came up with nothing, until I was struck by a rare brainwave. We could do a couple of things we'd missed out on our last tour of New England, so it was out with the maps and point the vehicle in the direction of Groton, Connecticut. Another brainwave was to find the motel we'd stayed at on our first night, last trip, which had a very nice outdoor pool. Amazingly, we managed to find it but, like every other motel in the area, it was thoroughly and completely FULL. By the third motel, we realised this was not going to be easily overcome, but the staff there were very helpful, and phoned a place about half an hour away which they'd heard had rooms. Sure enough, we were able to make a booking, sight unseen. That evening, in our room, I felt I'd let the family down with not having a good bed for the night or enough activities planned. Actually, it was a perfectly good bed, clean and the boys were once again able to have a swim in a HUGE outdoor pool. But the whole place had an air of sadness about it. It had been built in the 1950s, and 50 years on was still being run by the same couple. Everywhere the paint was peeling and plants taking over some of the cabins. Back then, it must have been the perfect holiday place for the perfect American family - little white-painted wooden cabins with a porch, wide open grassy spaces, a tennis court, big indoor games room, fishing lake, barbeque area ... now it just seemed to be filled with the ghosts of happy children, long grown up. We seemed to be well off the beaten track for finding an evening meal, but there was a restaurant in the nearby village ... whose prices nearly made me pass out! On again to the next village, where there was a bar and restaurant - THAT'S more like it! On hearing our English accents, the Italian owner insisted on moving us from the bar to the restaurant, and treated us like royalty all evening. Sunday morning was bright and sunny as we set off for the submarine base at Groton. What a GREAT place that is. The first thing you see outside the main entrance is the cross sections of two submarines, the USS Holland and the USS Ohio. Inside is the history of submarine warfare, from Bushnell's Turtle to the most modern nuclear submarines. The main exhibit is outside, the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear submarine and the first ever submarine to navigate under the North Pole. Back inside were more displays about the working of submarines and the weapons they use, displays of individual heroism of submarine crews and the periscope room, where we could check on the Jeep parked outside! After a morning of subs, we bought some of the edible variety and found a lovely place to eat lunch along a backwater of the river, in an old village whose name was, if I recall, some variation on Mystic / Mistick / Old Mystic etc etc. Another intention was to go to Mystic Seaport, but once again we baulked at the entrance fee which was approaching $20 per person. Instead we discovered another twist on the local theme, which was Olde Mistick Village, a series of shops built in the style of an Early American village. We had a wonderful time, especially in a shop selling all kinds of gifts for every breed of dog imaginable! We also insisted that Jim try the fresh frozen chocolate-dipped bananas :-) Not having spent the previous night in luxurious surroundings, Jim was determined that our last night in America would be spent in comfort. We drove west along the coast of Connecticut until we found a motel which definately fitted our criteria for the night. Not expecting a positive answer, I automatically asked if there was a pool. Yes, was the answer, but it closed at 8pm and it would be cold. It was 7:35pm, and this family has NEVER checked in to a motel, brought the bags in and changed into swimming gear so fast. By 7:40, we were all enjoying a leisurely swim in a warm outdoor pool!
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