If it's a valley...it must be The Hudson Valley

We've settled into a very nice RV park in Rhinebeck, NY in the Hudson Valley. We're very close to Hyde Park where we will take in the FDR sites. We have a whole section of the park almost to ourselves. We are traveling in the off season at this point, but never expected to find the park so empty.

The Rhinebeck Aerodrome is a fun place located in the middle of nowhere, especially if you happen to be Ed Kibel. It was established by Cole Palen in 1959 after he purchased the farm. Cole was a pilot and aircraft enthusiatist especially in love with early birds and airplanes up to the 1930's. He used to refurbish and sell early airplanes and then began collecting historical airplanes. His interest in WWI aviation forced him into building replicas as few of the era were found in flying condition. The flight exhibition of the WWI aircraft started in 1960 and continue to date during the summer. The airfield at the farm includes a couple of hangers full of historical aircraft.

This picture shows the flight line of a couple of German WWI aircraft. The red Fokker DR1 triplane and the magnificent Albatross DIII.

There are planes displayed inside the hangers. All are flying replicas of WWI era airplanes.

West Point is located in the Hudson Valley, 50 miles north of NYC. It was established by Congress in 1802 as a cadet school to commission 2nd lieutenants in the U.S. Army. We could not get onto the grounds because of security post 9/11. There is a Visitor Center and Museum outside the academy.

This is the museum. Ed toured while I took Finn for a long walk. I made that decision when I noted the name of the first gallery - The History of War. Ed enjoyed the museum very much for its in depth coverage of warfare from ancient to modern times. It covered American military history beginning with the Revolutionary War.

We took this photo of West Point from on overlook on the approach to the Academy. It sits on the Hudson River which is 200 ft. deep at this point. It was actually a fort during the Revolutionary War.

This is an interesting picture. The Fatboy bomb that was dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
required a B29 bomber to carry just one. This large mortar round which has approximately the same destructive power as the Fatboy, stands only about 4 ft. high.

Ed was taken by this photo of the old West Point Museum circa 1900.

Captain George Patton, during WWI, was a commander of a tank force like this Rennault PT19 light tank.

I got to have a short but sweet visit with my friend Heather Platt. She stopped to meet us on her way back home after a visit to her mom in Canada. We had hoped to spend more time with her, but were pleased to have this time. Finn received the biggest cookie he had ever seen from Heather - and he ate the WHOLE thing!This is the Culinary Institute of America. CIA. We had lunch there - THREE times! On this day - there was a fire drill just as we arrived. I thought maybe it was a receiving party in our honor...but then the fire truck arrived. This is the main building. It's a beautiful campus overlooking the Hudson River. CIA has been there for 60+ years, but the building is older.

Inside the halls are quarter sawn wood with elegant trapping. The students dining hall was once a chapel and the stained glass windows are beautiful. This is the central corridor. The students are working in the kitchens on both sides while we peered at them with our noses pressed against the glass. They seem to be used to it - they just ignored us!

Our first meal was in the Italian restaurant - Ristorante Caterina de' Medici. It was full when we arrived, but we waited to photograph when we left. Wonderful meal, only fair service. We thought it strange when we ordered a cheese plate for dessert, it came with a basket of breads which our waiter immediately took away. We never saw him again...!

Visit number two was with my brother, Bob, and his wife, Sharon. We picked them up at the train station in Poughkeepsie so they could spend the afternoon with us. Poughkeepsie is home to Vasser College. That's where we took this photo.

We had lunch in St. Andrews Cafe at CIA. We waited to take this photo until after lunch. The most handsome and charming Italian man escorted us to our table. He told me he was a lecturer and gave us some information about CIA. This meal was absoutely perfect. Delicious. Beautifully plated. Elegantly served. I could get used to this...

We returned the next day for a quick light lunch in the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe. Ed had a world class BLT and I enjoyed a perfect small salad.

There are two more restaurants there. Next time...

We wanted to see all the FDR sites in Hyde Park. First stop was a photo op with Eleanor and Franklin just outside the Visitors Center. (We've made some very interesting friends on this trip.)

Franklin's mother, Anna, owned the family house which sits on a property that was once the Roosevelt estate.

Much of the land has been sold off. The National Park Service owns and manages the sites that include this home, the museum, gravesites, Top Cottage, and Valkill, and the Vanderbilt estate.

Here's another view of the house. During the tour we were able to peer into most of the rooms on two floors. We found it interesting that Eleanor and Franklin lived here with his mothers bedroom beside theirs. Eleanor was never the mistress of the house.

Outside the home is the rose garden where FDR and Eleanor are buried. The building beyond is the museum.

Inside the door of the museum is the re-creation of the Oval Office. Note all the personal items on FDR's desk.

This is his personal study in the White House. The portrait is of his mother, Anna.

The recounting of a new president's first 100 days began during the FDR administration. He accomplished so much during this short time. FDR took office in 1933 while this country was still in the throes of the great depression. He focused on ways to get people back to work, stabilize the banking system, provide confidence, and guide the country back to solid footing. He began the Fireside chats and became the first American president who spoke directly to the American people.

(Sound familiar...?)

And then there was this new program called Social Security. Thank you, FDR, for making our travels possible.

FDR was quite the speed demon behind the wheel. His personal car - with hand controls - is parked on the lower level of the museum. We heard more than one tale of those who rode with him...in one direction...electing to return by other means.

There's an entire gallery devoted to Eleanor Roosevelts life. She really came into her own after she learned of FDR's infidelity. She remained in the marriage, she began to write, and she pursued her own interests. She traveled the world for humanitarian causes. A remarkable woman...

Each of the Roosevelts had a retreat away from the main house. FDR's was Top Cottage. This lovely stone structure was where he came to enjoy the scenery, birdwatch, and retreat from the demands of his life.

Ed had been trying to get a photo of the wild turkeys we've seen in this part of the country. He finally got one right at Top Cottage. These guys are not small...but they haven't been fattened up for the holidays.

The National Park Service has recreated the interior of Top Cottage to look just as it did during the time FDR used it. No original pieces, but a ringer for the photos.

We sat on the porch with our ranger guide and listened to the silence at Top Cottage. It made it easy to understand why Roosevelt loved to come here. He never stayed here overnight.

Eleanor's hideaway is called Valkill. A kill is an old Dutch term for a stream. (Many of the streets in Hyde Park are named ***kill.) It has two buildings: Stone Cottage where she used to come to get away and the home she lived in after FDR's death until the end of her life. This is the entry over the "kill" up to Stone Cottage.

This is Valkill. It's a lovely home, true to its time with dark panelling and Eleanor's possessions.

The grounds are lovely, with gardens, a tennis court, and swimming pool.

Last stop in Hyde Park - the Vanderbilt mansion. This one is managed by the National Park Service. What makes this one unique is that it remained in the family and the park service was able to purchase it intact complete with some priceless art. No photos are allowed for this reason. Our volunteer guide was wonderful and full of information. That portico on the left looks over the Hudson River.

We both found this display interesting. This is the staff required to keep this house and the grounds going. That Gilded Age was really something... It was hard work getting really for the social seasons.

The grounds are extensive and include formal gardens a short distance from the house. The local gardening club keeps it going for our enjoyment.

The park service always has a visitors center. This one is in a seperate building that was used to house single male guests. We were told the family lived there during the construction of the main house. The stables were a distance away.

We left the Hudson Valley and headed to Washington, D.C. with a stop in Lancaster County, PA.

We bought some local produce at this stand, but the refrigerator in the RV could never handle one of those cabbages.

I think this photo should be titled "All parking lots are not created equal."

I got my fill of quilts. they do such amazing quilting.

Ed spent some time talking with this woodworker. He was planing a table top and they spoke about the hand tools under his bench.

This antique store in an old grist mill became the site of our only purchase so far. We treated ourselves to a spice and condiment set. We've looked at them for years.

On to our nations capitol...