This past March, I celebrated the 8 year anniversary of running The Open Road Ahead. In this blog, I’ve shared climbs up mountains, walks on the beach, strolls through museums, visits to historic ships, meals at great restaurants, close-up experiences with wildlife, and numerous roadside attractions. However, the best part of these posts has been the people I have met, and the adventures I’ve shared with others.
From chronicling a friend’s journey to a million miles to sharing stories about the vehicles of family and friends, cars have played a large role in this blog. So when a friend drew up plans for a roadtrip to the Catskills and the Capital Region of New York to celebrate her Honda Accord rolling 100,000 miles, you better believe my wife and I accepted an invitation to come along on this epic journey!
Join us, then, as we drive to northern New York. Along the way we’ll see one of the earliest iron foundries in this country, see a couple of roadside oddities, witness an amazing waterfall, climb to the top of a fire tower (gulp), cross a bridge almost 150 feet over the Hudson River (double gulp), tour a historic warship, and eat some amazing food.
Let’s begin:
The Catskill Adventure
Friday
Our weekend’s adventure: nearly 500 miles of driving in the span of 48 hours. Let’s go!We departed on Friday afternoon, heading northward. Near the New Jersey-New York border, my wife had me detour off the highway and head to a historic state park. County Highway 511, which snaked through the rocky hillsides of northern New Jersey, was an excellent preview of some of the exhilarating drives I’d take this weekend: full of curves and high speed limits!We made a quick pitstop to check out the Monksville Reservoir. Created in the late 1980s when the Wanaque River was dammed, Monksville holds seven billion gallons of water. I got to drive across the reservoir – it was a dam good time! (See what I did there?)The reservoir was created to help alleviate chronic droughts that New Jersey was experiencing. In addition to being an important source of water for New Jersey residents, the reservoir is also used for water sports and fishing (via Wikipedia).Our destination was Long Pond Ironworks State Park. Once an active ironmaking community, the forges of Long Pond once produced metal to support the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. The site has been a state park since the 1970s (via Wikipedia).A small museum is located at the entrance to the park. The displays focus on the history of iron working in New Jersey. Long Pond is open daily from sunrise to sunset, although the museum is open from April through November on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm.Long Pond was once a bustling community, home to over 500 workers and their families. The ironworks closed in 1882, and several buildings of the village remain standing (via Friends of Long Pond Ironworks).The park features overall well-maintained trails. It was a bit buggy, and the museum staff member said to be careful of ticks, so bug spray is key (as is checking yourself for bugs when you’re finished).While some of the buildings remain standing, others have collapsed and are preserved in their ruined condition. This was once the ice house.This is the remains of the Colonial-era furnace, which provided iron to support American efforts in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The furnace was excavated several years ago, but unfortunately collapsed. According to the museum guide, the plan is to restore the furnace.The much larger furnace from the Civil War also lays in ruins. Owing to the 120 years of iron production and its importance to the early United States, Long Pond is a National Historic Landmark.The park continues deeper into the woods, via this footbridge over the Wanaque River. The original footbridge washed away during Hurricane Irene in 2011 – this is its more recent replacement. After an enjoyable hike, we got back in the TLX and (after conducting a quick tick check) continued northward.About an hour later, we arrived in the town of New Paltz, NY, where we would be getting dinner at the Water Street Market.Our destination was The Parish, a New Orleans-style restaurant and bar. The ambience was fantastic – I really felt like I was back in Louisiana.We started our meal with the Buffalo Cauliflower. Prepared gluten-free, the cauliflower florets are coated in Buffalo sauce and are served with bleu cheese crumbles and ranch dressing. It hit the spot!I ordered the jambalaya, which was tasty, but my wife’s dish stole the show: blackened catfish, served with stone-ground grits and collared greens. After enjoying our dinner, it was time to continue our way northward. As we got into the car, my wife turned to me and asked, “Want to make a detour to the world’s largest garden gnome?”On our way to find the gnome, we stumbled upon the town of… ACCORD! As a Honda fan, this put a smile on my face. If only I still had my 2012 Accord coupe for this photo!Meet Gnome Chomsky! Located on the property of Kelder’s Farm in Kerhonkson, NY, this was the “World’s Largest Garden Gnome” when it was unveiled in 2007. Since then, two other, larger gnomes have relegated Gnome Chomsky to third place. It’s now called “The Original World’s Largest Garden Gnome” (via Roadside America).First place? Third place? No matter – it’s still worth a glamour shot with the TLX!As the sun began to set, we crossed the Mid-Hudson Bridge into the city of Poughkeepsie, where we would be spending the night at a nearby hotel. We got to bed early – the next day promised to be action-packed!
Saturday
On Saturday morning, we headed to our first destination: Kaaterskill Falls, a waterfall in the Catskill Mountains. The drive on Route 23A was an absolute blast, too!My wife and I arrived at the park first, so we chilled out beside South Lake while we waited for our friends to arrive.After fighting through traffic (the park was very busy!), Ash and her boyfriend arrived and were able to snag a parking spot nearby. We all set off toward Kaaterskill Falls. I was impressed by the well-maintained and clearly marked trails.It was a beautiful day for a hike!After a 20-minute hike, we arrived at a viewing platform, and promptly had our breath taken away by Kaaterskill Falls.At 260 feet, Kaaterskill Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls on the East Coast. The falls were a popular subject of the Hudson River School, a group of 19th century American landscape painters (via Wikipedia). After taking in the view, we headed back to our cars… time to get moving!On the way to our next destination, we made a quick stop to grab lunch at the Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Restaurant in Tannersville.Last Chance has been serving hungry customers since 1971. I ordered a chicken caesar wrap, while my wife got a Greek salad with chicken. We got our orders to go, as we had another destination waiting for us!As we traveled to our next destination, we took one of the best driving roads I have ever experienced – State Highway 214. With curves aplenty, blind crests, hairpin turns, mountain views, and generous speed limits, it was a driver’s dream. The TLX got quite the workout!Our next meetup point was the Catskills Visitor Center in Shandaken. Like the Adirondacks, the Catskills are a protected wilderness area, kept “forever wild.”A short distance from the Visitor Center is the Upper Esopus Fire Tower. Twenty three fire towers were built in the early 20th century to monitor the region for wildfires. Six fire towers still exist and are open to the public.Battling my fear of heights, I climbed the 80′ fire tower to the top. Even with my clammy hands and racing pulse, I had to admit the view was spectacular.Don’t look down… don’t look down… don’t look down… gulp.In the distance is Mount Tremper, a 2,740-foot peak. Another fire tower sits atop of Tremper. Climb all six towers within one calendar year to complete the Catskills Fire Tower Challenge.After the climb, my wife and I devoured our lunches. This is where a photo of our food should be… we may have been too busy eating to remember to take a picture.On the drive to the Visitor Center, we passed signs for the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope. Never one to miss a roadside attraction, my wife and I decided to take a look. Ash and her boyfriend joined us for a quick detour to Emerson Resort & Spa. Once a farm, the grounds have been transformed into a shopping area, spa, and conference center. The grain silo now houses a working kaleidoscope, dubbed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “World’s Largest Kaleidoscope.”We ended up having to wait a half hour for the next kaleidoscope showing, so we ambled through the shopping center. A small display of kaleidoscopes included this item, which claimed to be the “world’s smallest kaleidoscope.”When it was time for our show, we were led into a small theater space at the base of the silo. Looking upward, we watched a ten minute visual art display, set to music. It was… ok. On the plus side, at only $5 per person, it was cheap entertainment. On the other hand, the show tried to tell a story that may have been too ambitious for the realities of what a kaleidoscope can (or can’t) do. File this one into the category of “things the Open Road Ahead staff does so that you don’t have to.”After the show, I snagged a couple photos of my TLX sitting beside Cinnamon, Ash’s Honda Accord.Ash also let me fire up the Accord and take a photo of the odometer – congrats on the 100,000 mile achievement, Ash! Based on my experience with my 2012 Accord, I know Ash’s car has many, many more miles left to go!Our next destination would be another adventure to test my fear of heights: The Hudson River Skywalk on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Longtime readers might remember my last weak-kneed stroll across this bridge.I have to admit: the view from 145-feet above the river was simply spectacular, and well worth the walk.We then headed across the river to Olana State Historic Site. The home of 19th century painter Frederic Church, Olana incorporates architectural designs that Church and his wife observed while traveling through the Middle East. Longtime readers might also remember my previous visit to Olana a few years ago.The strong Middle Eastern-inspired design cues never cease to captivate me.The view from the porch of Olana is equally captivating. Imagine having this as the view from your front door! After enjoying the vista, my wife and I said goodbye to Ash and her boyfriend, and we headed to dinner in Albany, while they drove back to the Catskills for a unique dining location.We drove to Salsa Latina, a Mexican restaurant we discovered during a previous trip to the Albany Region.My taco salad was tasty and refreshing.My wife’s order of carnitas tacos, however, was the star of the meal! After a long day of exploration, we got back in the car and headed to our hotel. Meanwhile, Ash and her boyfriend attempted to try out the Cheez-In Diner, a pop-up restaurant in Woodstock serving meals made solely with Cheez-It crackers. For instance, the Extra Cheezburger is served with a topping of large Cheez-It crackers, the Cheez-It Fries are French fries tossed in ground Cheez-It crackers, and the Cheez-It Milkshake is made with vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream and… you guessed it… ground Cheez-It crackers. Owing to the demand, there was a four hour wait to be seated, so Ash and her boyfriend ended up finding another restaurant nearby.We settled in for the night at the Holiday Inn Express near the Albany airport. It was a safe, clean, affordable option, and offered a free breakfast with gluten-free options!
Sunday
The next morning we met up for our last group activity of the weekend: a tour of the USS Slater, a retired World War II-era US Navy warship that is now a museum ship in Albany.The Slater was a destroyer escort, built in response to Nazi German U-Boats (submarines) that took a frighteningly high toll on Allied supply convoys between America and Europe. During her career, Slater escorted five convoys between America and Europe, protecting supplies vital to the American war effort (via Wikipedia). The ship is open for tours Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. We pre-purchased our tickets ($12 per adult), and given how busy the ship was, I would highly recommend doing this if you intend to take a tour.A well-fed sailor is a happy sailor. We began our tour in the galley of the Slater. This small space was responsible for feeding the ship’s 216 crew and officers.While TV and movies about World War II might show an unlucky sailor forced to peel potatoes by hand, the reality is that the US military looks for ways to make tasks more efficient. This device is a 1940s automatic potato peeler, which uses a combination of water and abrasive surfaces to peel potatoes in large quantities.Throughout the ship are lifejackets, stenciled with the names of sailors who served about the ship. The USS Slater is named for Frank Slater, an enlisted man who died in combat while at his station during the battle of Guadalcanal. Frank’s brother Elam served aboard the Slater for the entirety of the war.Near the galley is the officers’ mess, where the leaders of the ship took their meals. In combat, however, this table could also serve as an emergency surgical station to treat wounded sailors. No space on a ship is wasted!Beside the crew’s mess is the enlisted sailors’ quarters. Unlike WWII-era submarines where you would share your bunk with 1-2 other sailors, if you served on the Slater, you got your own bunk and your own storage locker. Cool fact: the straps on each bunk are monogrammed with the names of Slater museum volunteers who have passed away. The radio room is filled with 1940s-era equipment, and is fully functional. Due to the countless hours and efforts of volunteers who keep the ship in tip-top condition, the room can still transmit and receive a variety of radio communications.The Slater is one of the best maintained museum ships I have ever toured, a testament to the army of volunteers who spend hours upon hours ensuring that the ship remains a safe, clean, informative place for visitors. The ship’s wheel on the bridge was polished so well it could have been a mirror!The tour of the crew’s head was fascinating. 150 enlisted sailors shared the aft crew’s head. The showers were equally interesting: a sailor would enter the shower, stand in ten seconds of water, lather up, have 30 seconds to rinse off, and then leave the shower for the next sailor. It’s unsurprising, then, that when the ship was in warmer climates, rain showers meant that most sailors would head topside with a bar of soap…This small office was for the chief engineer, who was responsible for the maintenance and repair of the ship. The filing cabinets are filled with blueprints and plans for almost every part aboard the vessel.The Slater is, ultimately, a weapon of war, and its armament was impressive for its small size. The forward 3″ gun could attack both enemy ships and aircraft, and could fire at targets up to 2 miles away. Unlike larger naval guns, however, there was no protection for the crew members manning the weapon. The gunner sat in the open air on the small seat and wore no protection for his ears. A dangerous job.The Slater’s primary role, however, was finding and sinking enemy submarines. One of the ship’s tools was the Hedgehog. These underwater grenades could be flung ahead of the ship to attack submarines lurking beneath the waves.The primary weapon of the Slater in fighting enemy submarines was the depth charge. A World War I-era invention, this underwater bomb would sink to a preset level and then explode. This was the last stop on the excellent tour that Andrew L., our guide, gave us. If you’re in the Albany area, I would highly recommend a visit to the Slater. Returning to our cars, my wife and I said goodbye to Ash and her boyfriend, and began our journey home.Before getting back on the highway, we traveled across town to grab a quick lunch at The Copper Crow. I love the artwork on the side of the building!Opening in 2021, The Copper Crow is a bar and restaurant in the warehouse district of Albany. We started our meal with the “Basic Green Salad” (their name, not mine). They should call it the “Basic, Green, Fresh, and Delicious Salad.” It was excellent!My wife had an order of the gluten-free calamari for lunch (and yes, she was kind enough to share).I ordered the Kung Pao Chicken Sandwich, and it is no exaggeration to say that it was one of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever eaten. The fingerling potatoes were excellent as well. After a lovely meal, we got back in the TLX and began our drive home.The benefit of traveling on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend: we encountered almost no traffic, positively breezing back to New Jersey.About three hours after leaving Albany, we were home! I continue to be impressed with the Acura TLX. It’s a comfortable, safe, sporty ride, and despite a V6 engine and a heavy all-wheel drive system, it returns excellent fuel economy (even after some enthusiastic blasts around the back roads of the Catskills). 40,000 miles is creeping closer and closer… onward!
Wrapping Up
Typically, the trips you see featured in The Open Road Ahead are meticulously researched and planned ahead of time by my wife and I. This weekend, it was a pleasure to simply show up and follow someone else’s well-planned lead! From scenic views of the Catskills, to touring a warship, to standing high above the Hudson River (gulp), the weekend was absolutely amazing. A huge shout-out to Ash for her planning ability… and congratulations to her for her car’s milestone!
Thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead.
The Open Road Ahead 
Thanks for checking off the kaleidoscope for all of us. LMAO!
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Ha! Thanks for reading!!
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