{"id":9459,"date":"2025-06-05T17:23:59","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T21:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/?p=9459"},"modified":"2025-06-27T10:02:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T14:02:13","slug":"southbound-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/excellent\/southbound-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"Southbound Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sturbridge, Massachusetts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Sturbridge Massachusetts<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first night\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canadian Goose Shit Beach: Honestly, these feathered rats that shit like dogs are a nuisance. I mean, live and let live\u2014 right? I vote we deport these nasty beasts!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The campground was first class with many indoor pavilions. It was set on a lake, and the beachfront was full of Canadian goose poop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There were dozens of bright, sparkling, prefabricated cabins\u2014 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plattekill & Poughkeepsie ~ New York<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Plattekill New York<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mid Hudson River Bridge to Pouchkeepsie New York<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Hudson River at Poughkeepsie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had another thrilling dash back to the campground after confirming that, indeed, the Hudson River met the specifications of a magnificent river!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pennsylvania Dutch Country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The next day\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n

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New Holland campground in rural Pennsylvania<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We arrived at the campground and noticed our first clue that we had left Kansas behind. Unlike most campgrounds I\u2019ve 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\u2019ve ever seen were there. <\/p>\n\n\n

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New Holland campground with a view. Come park your million dollar motor home and enjoy the view! You have earned it!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shopping Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Shopping in Pennsylvania in a huge grocery store. Really big!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Eating in Pennsylvania at the really big Smorgasbord. Really big!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Pennsylvania Dutch Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum: Tina demonstrates the process of making linen from flax. I found it fascinating to learn about the names of these techniques and how they have become part of our language. For instance, the term \u201checkling\u201d refers to the process of combing out the rough bits from smooth flax strands using a sharp comb. This explains the origin of the phrase \u201cto be heckled.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum: Frank shows me how tin-plated metalworking was done. Tin plating is non-toxic and used for many purposes, including food storage (e.g., tin can). I was thoroughly impressed by his extensive knowledge, and it was evident that he was incredibly passionate about it!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n

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New Holland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As I drove around I was continually impressed by the scenery. The place really is like a living postcard!<\/p>\n\n\n

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New Holland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Pennsylvania Dutch Fare Dude Style – Traditional Sausage, German Potato Salad and Whole Milk!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Amish Buggy in Intercourse, PA \ud83d\ude33 Here’s the rub – they changed the name from Cross Key. Who knows why? The buggies are very cool, small, and go fast. The horses are magnificent looking! No glue-factory-bound nags here!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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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 … Continue reading “Southbound Experiences”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9495,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[146,79,78],"class_list":["post-9459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-excellent","tag-massachusetts","tag-new-york","tag-pennsylvania"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Lancaster-Clounty.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9459"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9963,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9459\/revisions\/9963"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}