Welcome back, readers! Life has had me running hither and yon over the past month, but while adult responsibilities have taken up a lot of my time, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t made room for some road trip adventures! Rather than waiting for the next big road trip, I thought I would give some updates on some recent fun mini-adventures.
So please pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, settle in, and catch up on a tour of northern New Jersey, a visit to the Adirondacks, and some updates from the garage.
Let’s begin:
Lions, Tigers, and Von Steuben, Oh My!
On a Saturday morning in mid-January my wife and I set off to explore some more of our home state. Despite not living far from northeastern New Jersey, we have not spent nearly enough time playing tourist there.With temperatures hovering in the upper 20s, it was a chilly, if beautiful, morning to be on the road. One benefit of driving on a Saturday morning? Traffic was at a minimum.After a few wrong turns (even with the support of GPS), we arrived at our destination: the Zabiskie-Steuben House in the town of River Edge.Sitting on the banks of the Hackensack River, the house was original built by the Zabriskie family in 1752. Their property also included a mill and farm. The Zabriskies were loyal to the British crown, so during the Revolutionary War their house was confiscated and used by General George Washington when his troops were encamped nearby. After the war, it was gifted to General Baron von Steuben, a Prussian military officer who is credited with transforming the American Continental Army into a fighting force capable of engaging the British army (via Wikipedia).New Bridge Landing was a strategically important crossing of the Hackensack River. It was here that Washington had his army cross as they retreated from the approaching British forces in 1776. The current swing bridge, built in 1888, replaced a wooden drawbridge, itself a replacement for the bridge that Washington’s forces crossed (via Wikipedia).It’s the little details that fascinate me about old homes, such as this date stone, which has a graphic of a water wheel (for the mill), the names of the owners, and the year 1752.Baron von Steuben occupied the home for five years. He eventually sold the house back to the Zabriskie family, and it remained with them until the early 20th century when the state of New Jersey acquired it as a historical property (via Wikipedia). Baron von Steuben has been something of a silent companion on many of our road trips. We first encountered him after a visit to his farm near the Adirondacks. Since then, we’ve seen his name at Valley Forge, at the American Revolutionary War Museum, as well as numerous other sites around the northeast. I have a special blog post planned about this fascinating figure from American history – stay tuned!The Westervelt-Thomas Barn was moved onto the Steuben House property in 1955. Built in 1889, it was not connected to von Steuben, but remains a cool piece of historical architecture nonetheless (and looked pretty in the snow!). We’ll definitely have to come back in warmer weather when the buildings are open for tours! Our visit complete, we jumped back in the car and headed a few miles up the road…Our next destination was the Bergen County Zoo! The zoo is open everyday from 10:00 am – 3:30 pm, and during the winter admission is free.The zoo displays a range of animals from different biomes in the Americas. While animals accustomed to warmer weather were safely tucked away in heated enclosures, others who are from colder climates were enjoying the sunny day. This prairie dog took no notice of my photographic shenanigans.The zoo houses several animals who are no longer capable of living in the wild. This bald eagle, for instance, lives in an open enclosure, as it is incapable of flight.Perhaps the most interesting animal on display was the red wolf. Native to the southeastern United States, they are listed as critically endangered. These wolves once roamed throughout much of what is now the Carolinas, George, Florida, and Tennessee, and played a significant role in Cherokee mythology. As of 2024, it is estimated that less than 20 exist in the wild. Most survivors (approximately 240) live in captivity, such as the pair who are at the Bergen Zoo (via US Fish and Wildlife Service).The Andean Condor is another species whose survival is in doubt. Between loss of its native habitats, as well as lead poisoning from eating carcases killed by hunters, these majestic birds from South America are listed as Vulnerable on the CITES conservation status report (via Wikipedia).Like Owen Wilson’s character in the 2011 comedy The Big Year, one of my goals is to see a snowy owl in the wild. For now, it was cool to hang out with this guy at the zoo.Both my wife and I really liked this Belted Galloway, a cow which originated in the Scottish Highlands. Named for the large white belt in its coat, the Belted Galloway is used not only for beef production, but also for conservation grazing, where its prodigious appetite can be put to use in keeping invasive plant species in check. After enjoying a walk through the zoo, it was time for us to do some grazing of our own!Our lunch destination was Zest, a cafe that specializes in gluten-free and dairy-free meals and baked goods.I ordered the “973” sandwich (so named after the local area code): chicken cutlet, gluten-free sourdough, homemade pesto, roasted peppers, cashew “cheese,” arugula, and hot sauce. It was really good!My wife, meanwhile, had the best meal: the Avo Control! Egg, rice-paper bacon, avocado, kombucha hot sauce, all served on a sweet potato waffle. So good!Before heading to our last destination for the day, we ordered some smoothies for the road!Our last stop was to the city of Paterson to check out a historic site closely tied to the history of baseball. We parked near Paterson Great Falls; the 77′ waterfall is among the nation’s largest. Longtime readers might remember my first visit to the Great Falls several years ago.While the falls were cool, we were there for a different reason: one block away is a stadium of historical importance. In the background, you can see Hinchcliffe Stadium. Built in 1932, the stadium was home to baseball games for the Negro National League, a league in existence during the period when Major League Baseball was still segregated. Among the most famous players to swing a bat at Hinchcliffe was Larry Doby, the second person to break baseball’s color barrier and the first African-American to play in the American League (via Wikipedia).Hinchcliffe Stadium is one of the last remaining facilities to host games from the Negro Leagues. In 2013, Congress designated Hinchcliffe a National Historic Landmark (via Hinchcliffe Stadium).The stadium fell into disuse in the 1970s and was completely abandoned by the 1990s. However, a major renovation project began in 2021 and the stadium reopened in 2023 as both a museum and also a working stadium. Hinchcliffe Stadium now hosts the New Jersey Jackals, a member of the Frontier League, an independent professional baseball league.An hour after departing Paterson, we were back home. The TLX remains an excellent road trip companion: comfortable, economical, and fun to drive. 53,000 is approaching… onward!
An Adirondack Visit
We also made a recent visit to Adirondack State Park. Last winter, the Adirondacks were warm and dry, hurting businesses that rely on winter tourism. This year, the skiing, snowmobiling, and ice climbing are in full swing – winter has returned!And return winter certainly did! Fortunately, we had Grace, our trusty Jeep Grand Cherokee, shod in Nokian WR G4 SUV tires. An important part of winter driving is having the right equipment for the conditions!The weather meant there wasn’t a lot of going out during this trip – mostly we just spent time indoors. I had an opportunity to fly my drone during some of the heaviest snow, however, and was rewarded with some cool shots.Eagle Cliff, my favorite local destination for a quick hike, looked like something from a scene from Game of Thrones.Let me know if you see any White Walkers passing through these woods…In warmer weather, you can find yours truly standing atop Eagle Cliff, soaking in the views. Not sure I have the right gear to tackle it in this weather, however.I had an interesting experience – I flew the drone far enough that it lost contact with the controller, and began flying back to me on its own until it reestablished contact. Pretty cool!A warm and cozy mountain house during a snowstorm… can you ask for anything better?The next morning, the snow moved out and the cold temperatures moved in – it was 5 degrees when we woke up! It made for some beautiful photo opportunities, however!This view NEVER gets old. It was a lovely weekend in the Adirondacks, but it went too quickly. Before we knew it, we were heading back to New Jersey.Several hours after departing the Adirondacks, we were back home. Grace responded perfectly to her trip to north, handling the snow, ice, and frigid temperatures with aplomb. 120,000 miles is inching closer and closer… onward!
Garage Updates
Before closing, I share some automotive updates, take a stroll down memory lane, and show off a friend’s restored high-mileage Honda.
Check out my new car! Well, temporarily, at least. My Acura TLX went to Bridgewater Acura, my local dealer, for some scheduled maintenance, so I was put into the drivers seat of a 2025 Acura Integra. When I bought my new car in September of 2023, the Integra was the runner-up in my search, so it’s fun to get behind the wheel and have a sense of the road not taken.When I went back to pick up my car, I spotted this gem on the dealer’s showroom floor: a late 80s Honda CR-X. My stepmom had a 1989 CR-X, and I learned how to drive in that car. The owner of the dealership has a collection of classic Hondas and Acuras, and rotates them on and off the showroom floor. It was a cool stroll down memory lane!As fun as the Integra was to drive, I was glad to get back into my TLX. The car needed an oil change, tire rotation, fresh transmission fluid, and new rear brakes. Pricy, but the cost was worth it to keep my prized vehicle on the road. Onward!Longtime reader and friend Kathryn recently had a fender-bender in a parking lot. She took her beloved 2010 Honda Accord to a local body shop, which did a really nice job on the repair.Kathryn’s sedan, which has been featured in this blog previously, is the four-door version of my old Accord coupe. She has done a great job of keeping the car in tip-top shape: it looks fantastic for having over 235,000 miles!Finally… is the new tradition to end each blog post with a shot of our cat Ms. Betty? It just may be!
Wrapping Up
Thanks for joining us for this catch-up episode of The Open Road Ahead! If you’re in northern New Jersey, the Bergen County Zoo is pretty fantastic for kids of all ages, and the Steuben House is a cool spot for fans of US history. Of course, if you find yourself in northern New York, the Adirondacks is an amazing place to visit!
Thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead.
I love seeing the snow pictures. The drone and waterfall pics were especially nice. I only got to see a dusting of snow IRL this winter as so was leaving IL from Thanksgiving. Our wx is going to stay hot here now. It was 91 yesterday…ugh
Kathryn’s Accord looks great! Really nice C R-X at the dealer. I hardly see those now.
The Open Road Ahead 
I love seeing the snow pictures. The drone and waterfall pics were especially nice. I only got to see a dusting of snow IRL this winter as so was leaving IL from Thanksgiving. Our wx is going to stay hot here now. It was 91 yesterday…ugh
Kathryn’s Accord looks great! Really nice C R-X at the dealer. I hardly see those now.
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After last winter’s warm and dry weather, the snow this year has been a welcome change (and I’m glad you enjoyed the drone shots!).
91 in February? Oof. That’s warm!
Thanks for reading!
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