Amish farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They basically live in fear of God and work to suppress their Free Will. Not so sure if the Dude would abide, but hey, there’s always bowling!
After reaching the peak of our trip, we embarked on a southward journey. Our route took us back through southern Massachusetts and into the Hudson River Valley. Along the way, we made two stops before reaching our ultimate destination: Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. Lancaster County is renowned for its Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, particularly the Mennonites and Amish communities.
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
The first night’s stop was in an upscale private resort near Sturbridge. There is a recreation of an 1830s village in Sturbridge that looked interesting. The area itself is heavily wooden part of southern Massachusetts near the border with Connecticut.
The campground was first class with many indoor pavilions. It was set on a lake, and the beachfront was full of Canadian goose poop.
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There were dozens of bright, sparkling, prefabricated cabins— nothing rural here. I didn’t see a single one of them occupied. It gave the place a very eerie feel. However, there was a ring of high-dollar class A motorhomes occupying the front camping area. Starship Excellent Adventure fit right in!
The next part of the journey took us through well-known names like the Berkshires and the Catskills. As we made a sharp southerly turn, crossing the Hudson River, I vowed to actually see the river at our next stop! We passed Woodstock along the way. I asked a local about what was happening there, and she suggested a visit. A missed opportunity.
Plattekill & Poughkeepsie ~ New York
The campground was located in Plattekill near Poughkeepsie. I learned Poughkeepsie is called the “Queen City of the Hudson.” Not sure about that but boy was it a confusing place to drive through! I also learned the city gets its name from a word in the Wappinger tribe’s Munsee language, meaning ‘the reed-covered lodge by the little-water place’, referring to a spring or stream feeding into the Hudson Riversouth of the downtown area. Wikipedia
We set up camp in a nice campground, set up as a destination for the with-children set. Regardless, it was mostly people like me at this point. A local told me summer really doesn’t arrive here until mid-June, and the schools get out.
We set up camp and headed to Poughkeepsie. The roads are very curvy here and in pretty good shape. That, plus an aggressive driving style of fellow road warriors, made for a fun trip! We crossed the bridge and headed for the river.
The bridge dumps you out into a complex traffic scheme full of u-turns and other funnery! We made it safely to the spot called Quiet Cove Riverside Park. We learned from a local hanging out there that it used to be a New York State (Mental) Hospital!
In the series above, both the Pedestrian only bridge and Hudson River Bridge (two large towers) we crossed are shown separately. It was tempting to walk the Pedestrian bridge, but my back disagreed! I doubt Jake would have liked it much either.
We had another thrilling dash back to the campground after confirming that, indeed, the Hudson River met the specifications of a magnificent river!
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
The next day’s drive was a mix of beautiful scenery, heavy industrial traffic (e.g. trucks everywhere), and some seriously fucked-up roadways. After at least one missed turn, we finally made it to our campground about 10 miles east of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The campground was on the side of a hill and has a stunning view of the farmland below.
We arrived at the campground and noticed our first clue that we had left Kansas behind. Unlike most campgrounds I’ve stayed at, this one was clearly designed for older travelers. There were no kid-friendly activities at all. The campground boasted gorgeous green lawns and immaculate gravel. The next thing that became apparent was the subtle wealth. Several million dollars worth of high-end, Class A motorhomes, most of which were towing luxurious cars, lined the campground. Some of the nicest motorhomes I’ve ever seen were there.
So this was obviously a draw for those that enjoy what this place has to offer. A combination of stunning country scenery, food and nostalgia.
The Shopping Experience
I need to resupply, so I found a well rated supermarket about 10 minutes away. I was not quite prepared for what I found. First I drove past a Smorgasbord restaurant that was as big as a Costco. That led to one serious unit of a grocery store. I mean this store was one of the biggest I had ever seen. Everything looked amazing. I bought way more than I should have!
The Pennsylvania Dutch Experience
I left Jake again and headed towards Lancaster. My destination is the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum. The museum is number of buildings hosting different aspects about early life in this area. It was started by the Landis Brothers in the early 1900s to capture what life was in the grandparents days.
I walked the grounds and spent considerable time in the three buildings that had knowledgeable staff about life on the road for men traveling the area and the art of textile and tin metal work.
This area was originally settled after the 30 year war (a nasty-ass religious war) by German speaking people of the Palatinate region of Germany. The first wave of immigrants from this area were the Amish and Mennonites. They were fleeing from religious persecution for their different beliefs. The countryside very much reminds me of that part of Germany when I traveled there in the 1980s.
The second, and much larger, wave of immigration came next. These were primarily Lutherans and other Protestant religions (no Catholics please). Regardless, they all brought a very German-like work ethic as well as traditional Arts & Crafts. To me this is reflected today in the care I saw all around for the land and the homes and buildings on the land. Very cool.
As I drove around I was continually impressed by the scenery. The place really is like a living postcard!
I topped the day off with a most excellent meal made from my earlier shopping extravaganza! Next stop in Harper’s Ferry West Virginia for the Civil War Experience!
