Summer Road Trip 2009

I recently returned from a two week summer vacation that took me through Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Indiana. Unfortunately I'm a terrible picture taker (but I am working on improving this) so for highlights we have to rely on my memory, my journals, and my wonderful photographer friends like Anneke whose wonderful blog gives highlights for part of the trip.

Here is a brief synopsis of July 10-24.

First stop was Berrien Springs, Michigan. My cousin Veronica, who also just graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy over the weekend from Andrews University, got married. It was a great weekend visiting with with cousins, aunts, uncle, grandparents.

The drive through Illinois was like navigating a boat through a thunderstorm. Thank God I made it through safely.

While in Berrien Springs I stayed with an old dear friend, Liz. It was fun to visit with her. We took a day to drive down to Shipshewana, Indiana, where there is a large community of Amish and Mennonites.

Thursday July 16 I left for the second leg of the trip, New Carlisle, Ohio. The night before my friends Rachel and Brandon flew out from San Francisco to Ohio where Rachel's parents live. We spent Thursay night hanging out on the family homestead and then headed on the road for Ithaca, New York.

Rachel's greatest accomplishment on Friday was driving straight through the great state of Pennsylvania. Of course it was really just the I-90 E portion that carries you just south of Erie--it's maybe an hour and thirty or forty minutes from the Ohio/Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania/New York border. She got us to the beautiful Lake Chautauqua rest area. (As an aside, you may find the local history of the famous Chautauqua Institute of interest. I wouldn't mind returning there for a vacation.) I have honestly never seen a more lavish rest area with attendants. All in all, after comparing with the other states I stopped in, New York has the cleanest, nicest, most modern rest areas.



Rachel and I in the parking lot of the rest area. That's the beautiful lake behind us. I am not responsible for the odd angle of this photograph. Let's pretend the earth is tilting beneath us like in some apocalyptic sci-fi film.

Rachel's husband Brandon joins us. We look like stair steps. I think Brandon is a full 12 inches taller than me. Maybe more. Don't you love our reflection in the car hood?

We arrived in Ithaca at the home of Anneke and Nick and their fiesty lab Sadie (she and I bonded) in time for a wonderful late dinner. Anneke is an amazing cook and we were treated to the bounty of her CSA. Over the five days in Ithaca we visited the CSA, met Nick and Anneke's closest friends, visited some of the many beautiful state parks including Lake Cayuga, Taughannock Falls, Buttermilk, and Treeman. New York is a beautiful state and right now I'd do almost anything to move there, especially knowing my dear friends are there too.

Sunday I drove south to New York City to visit my friend and former roomie Katie. Katie just finished a masters program and is moving to Cairo, Egypt. I know I'm not making it to Egypt anytime soon so I had to see her. I drove into White Plains and parked my car there and took the train to Harlem/125th Street. Then I took the m60 bus up 125th Street through Harlem to meet Katie. We had a great time. She showed me around her kneck of the woods. We took the subway, spent some time in a few parks--Washington Square, Union Square, Central--we ate great food, saw a movie, and it was just great having quality time during my 20 hour stay.

We had a really good dinner at this cute place called Angelique's. Katie is drinking a delicious basil lemonade. I'll let you know if I find a recipe as good as that lemonade.

I left NYC on Monday and drove back to Ithaca for the rest of the week.

I had a great time there and I'm serious when I say I want to move to Upstate New York. Next year, camping/hiking the Adirondacks.

Thursday July 23 Rachel, Brandon, and I said farewell to our dear friends and headed to Rochester, Indiana, to visit our friends Karen and Eric. They are also amazing cooks and we had really good food and great conversation. On the way to see them we stopped in Ohio for Rachel and Brandon to pick up a car. Friday afternoon I had still another five hours ahead of me before I was home to Iowa City so I said farewell to four dear friends and continued on my own the rest of the way home.

After about 2,980 miles I was home.

Acknowledgements:
This trip would not have been possible without God's traveling mercies. I'm grateful for the generous and hospitable families that welcomed me into their homes.

With the cost of fuel I could not have even planned such a trip without Betsy (yes, I'm trying out this name), my 2007 Toyota Yaris. I bought her 7 months ago but this was the first big trip we've done together. She did her best work between New Carlisle and Ithaca when she averaged 41 mpg which is more than I expected. I am humbly reminded what a blessing a dependable vehicle is.