Translate

Thursday, June 3, 2021

The Land of Dirty Dancing is Still Alive and Well...The Catskills!



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ah, The Catskill Mountains. This is one of my favorite places in the world. When most of us hear Catskills, we think immediately of "Dirty Dancing" and all the old resorts from the 50's and 60's. It's easy for us to assume that since the grand old resorts have fallen into disrepair and all but fallen down, that the area isn't nearly as much fun as it used to be.

Not true.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
It's true. Grossinger's isn't what it used to be in those mega resort years where you spent the entire summer away from the city. You can see many of the resorts, or what used to be resorts, as you drive around the area. It's sad that the grand days of the all entertaining resort have gone away in lieu of other expensive locations for the New York elite to travel to. But, if you think that means that there's nothing to do in the Catskills, you're just wrong.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hunter Mountain, location of Hunter, NY and the Hunter Mountain Resort is a great place to be. The resort is open nearly year round and has all kinds of activities, festivals, and oh yeah, you can ski there. Hunter Mountain has one of the most notable Oktoberfests around, it also has a bluegrass festival, sports and music events, and so on. I don't know about the famous Highland Games Festival, but it used to be my favorite.

Hunter mountain has a huge resort and the entire town is devoted to tourists and everything Hunter Mountain. The village has hotels, great food, shopping, art, and friendly people. The main resort is enormous and has all kinds of amenities, including pools that you can swim indoors and outdoors year round in. There are condos too. It's an amazing place.

If you want to do something, you can ski all winter. You can also take a scenic lift ride, go hiking, go biking, or go zip lining on the highest zip lines in the East. The views are amazing no matter what you do, so trust me; it's awesome!





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Foliage season is not to be missed in this region. Keep in mind, everyone in the world wants to see the leaves in the Catskills. It's one of the best places to see nature's beauty in person. Late September to early October is the best time to see the leaves at their peak, and it's also about the time that the Oktoberfest is in full swing. Hotel space might be hard to find during the season, but if you can find a place to stay; the views are worth it. The scenic lift and the zip lines are in full swing during the foliage season, so it's a lot of fun.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
One of my favorite parts of the Catskills are the waterfalls. Any of you who know me, are you surprised? Kaaterskill Falls is probably the best known falls in the park. I've been going there for at least 25 years. This time, I found a surprise.

Before, you had to park your car on a switchback road in a little parking area, hike down the road to the trail head, and then walk a mile or so to the bottom of the falls on a primitive trail at best. That is no longer. The parking area is closed. You now drive around through Haines Falls to the trail that has always been at the top of the falls.

From the upper parking area, you now have a viewing area platform, a bridge to cross the creek, and a trail that goes all over the place and even all the way to the bottom of the falls via 181 steps. It's not an easy trail, but it beats the old way of dodging traffic and climbing cliffs. I really enjoyed it.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Another thing that I did while I was in the area last time, was to take a scenic drive. There are brochures wherever you stay and conveniently signed roadways that you can travel to see some great views, sights, waterfalls, ski areas, villages and whatever. I took the Clove Loop. Beautiful.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Another great thing about the Catskills is the village of Catskill. Close to the iconic Rip Van Winkle Bridge that crosses the Hudson River on your way into town, Catskill is a relaxing place to spend some time. When staying in the area, it's the best place to get supplies. It's also a great place to do a little shopping, get something to eat, or just spend some time in the park by the river. There is also a downtown full of painted cat statues to wander around and look at.

There are other towns in the area. Windham is the other big ski town. They have the Windham Mountain Resort there, lots of shopping, eating and lodging. They also have a scenic lift ride. They are also closer to Zoom Flume Water Park, one of the largest water parks in New York.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There is so much you can get out and do in the area. Both Athens and Saugerties have lighthouses to see. Olana is just one of the many Hudson Valley estates that you can tour. And that Rip Van Winkle Bridge? You can walk that. It's an amazing view.

The New York Parks Department make some of the most user friendly outdoor areas in the country. They highlight the best views, make it easier for you to get to that view. They are amazing, and that's only one of the things that makes it so wonderful to get outdoors in New York.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
But, if waterfalls are your thing as they are mine, you will find dozens of them to look at in the Catskills. I found one this last visit that I'd never found before, and it was the beautiful Platt's Clove Falls in the Platt's Clove Nature Preserve. It was several miles up a death road with some of the most amazing views I've ever seen. It was down a switchback trail and was on the top of a mountain. It was beautiful, a great adventure, and so worth it.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Just remember, the Catskills are an amazing little mountain range the shoots up out of the farmland in upstate New York. They are rugged, beautiful, steep, scenic, and full of adventure from hiking and biking to zip lining and 4 wheeling. There's a lot to do. The huge resorts of the earlier days are gone, but there's still a lot of great places to stay, eat, and recreate. It's a great place to visit, and for me close to home. It's a must see if you like mountains. So, take some time, get out doors in the Catskill Mountains and enjoy!

 

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Jenn's Next Pick...The Autobahns!


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Back to those bucketlists! Next comes one of the most beloved quests in the world, and it belongs to Jenn! Taking a drive on the Autobahn in Germany is one of the best concepts I know, but it is not the Autobahn. It is the Autobahn system.

The 555 from Cologne to Bonn was the first road to be called an Autobahn. It is now a historic road and not the Bundesautobahn that we are seeking to drive on today. It is not a continual four lane highway, and it does have speed limits in a lot of areas.

The longest part of the high speed Autobahn is between Hamburg and Berlin and is one of the best places to get your speed on.

The German Autobahn system is one of the longest highway systems in the world with roughly 13,000 kilometers of roadway within the country. Little known fact. During WWII, the Nazis also built their autobahns in other countries and they are still linked today. Therefore, you can take them into the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, and France to name a few. Germany, however, is the only country in the world to have no speed limit on their super highway system.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There are many interesting places to visit along the Autobahn system, such as the Nurburgring. This legendary race track is open often for people to come and try their skills with track days. If you go to Germany to race around, this could be a great activity to go along with your trip.

Things to remember when driving the Autobahn include; there are speed limits in many urban areas and around most cities, there are many rules that you must follow or you will face penalties, the rules are more strictly enforced because there are no speed limits. You must have an emergency kit in your car. You must carry the proper papers and ID. All rules and laws are strictly enforced along these highways, because there is not a speed limit enforced.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Another great thing about the Autobahn system is that it connects the entire country, and some of its most beautiful areas. This allows you to visit a lot of places pretty quickly. Whether it's Bavaria, the Black Forest or even the North Coast; you get access to some great places along the Autobahn.

Another thing to remember about traveling the Autobahn is that there is a recommended speed limit and that is 130 kilometers per hour. It is a recommendation, not a law. There is a law against going less than 80 kilometers per hour in the unrestricted areas. Something to keep in mind. In the cities, you will see posted speed limits which are strictly enforced. Also, passing on the right is a grave offense, so don't do it. Also, Tailgating is not tolerated.




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There are great attractions that are accessible from the Autobahns. If you want to stop and see a great view or one of the most amazing castles in Europe, you can reach it from the Autobahn. Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most famous castles in the world, and is just a bit off the Autobahn in southern Germany.

It's important to remember that you will have to rent a car to drive around Germany. There are several ways to do it. I would pay particular attention to what make and model you rent if you intend to exercise your right to speed along the Autobahns. If you rent an economy car, it will not handle well enough to go the high speeds that people travel on the Autobahns. My best advice is to rent a German car and it should probably be one that's famous for its handling.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
With that in mind, the Porsche Factory is right along an Autobahn. Some of the other factories are great tourist attractions as well, like the Volkswagon Factory.

There are endless sights to see in Germany, and the Autobahns connect some of the most famous cities in the country. You can check out the capital of Berlin, the industry of Frankfurt, the history of Bonn, Cologne, Hamburg, Nurenburg, Munich, Rothenburg, Stuttgart, or Leipzig, to name a few. Germany is a fabulous country with endless history, beauty, and creativity. The Autobahns are a great way to get around and have a thrill while doing it.

Just one caution; have patience. There are high traffic times on the Autobahns. Rush hours are much the same times of day as they are here in America. Try to travel at other times if you want to exercise your right to drive really fast. There are traffic jams on the Autobahns. Other than that, make sure that you follow the rules that do apply, while you're taking advantage of the lack of a speed limit. Make the most of the freedom to speed as much as you want on ironically some of the safest roads in the world. Just remember to take the time to stop and see the sights and enjoy!