A Quick Road Trip North - Starting With NYC

The Millers were back "on the road" in August for a trip north to visit some family and friends.  The last time we were in NYC was New Year's Day and we hadn't been to Rhode Island since Christmas.  It was about time to introduce Darwin to our favorite people and places!

Leaving Raleigh after work on Friday has worked out for me in the past, because you get to DC after rush hour and into NYC at a somewhat reasonable time.  To our dismay however, we encountered some issues in Raleigh that had to be dealt with before we left and then hit traffic in Richmond, VA!  

 This is not what you want to experience 2 hours into an 8 hour drive!

Instead of burdening friends with a 3am arrival in NYC, we decided to find a dog-friendly hotel along the way. Our options were either the Red Roof Inn or La Quinta Inn.  We opted for a Red Roof Inn in Delaware, resulting in a poor first hotel experience with Darwin.  Not only was he clearly uncomfortable (even in his crate), but the hotel was pretty gross.  After talking with family who has stayed in a La Quinta Inn in northern Maryland, we will likely try that next time we are in a pinch.

Needless to say, we were back on the road as soon as possible Saturday morning.  With the terrible night's sleep behind us and a lovely morning, we were optimistic about the day.  We started the awesomeness 30 minutes into our drive with a stop at the awesome Amish Market in Mullica Hill, NJ for some breakfast.  They have the best breads!!

 The Amish Market breads are amazing!

Getting from Delaware into NYC on Saturday morning was a breeze.  I have never gotten into the city nor have I found a parking spot in Battery Park (lower Manhattan) so quickly! 

No traffic going into the Holland Tunnel

We got into the city by 9am and had the whole day to enjoy our favorite spots.  The first half of the day was spent in lower Manhattan.

Showing Darwin where we would take our lunchtime walk 

along the Hudson River and Battery Park

 

On our way to the World Trade Center site 

(in the distance behind Colin) 

We were amazed at how much has changed in and around the World Trade Center site since we left just  8 months ago!

 Picking up some delicious donut peaches 

from a Farmers' Market near Whole Foods 

Looking south but walking north along the Hudson River 

Taking a break from walking to enjoy the Hudson River on the newly renovated Pier 25.

While living in Jersey City, we sometimes played sand volleyball on pier 25. It had been under construction for the past 3-4 years, and now boasts mini-golf, sand volleyball courts, a small turf lawn, viewing stations to Jersey City and Hoboken, and the permanent seats you see in the photo.

Enjoying the best sustainable burgers and custard shakes from 

Shake Shack's newest location in Battery Park!

After lunch, we headed north along the West Side Highway to meet up with my friend Christina!  It was great to catch up with her and see the changes in her 2 year old daughter Layla.  Darwin also found a buddy in Christina's dog Reilly.

 Here you can see that Darwin's features are not completely that of a true Labrador.  

Darwin's eyes are much rounder.  Aren't they adorable!?

All morning we had stopped at several dog parks in lower Manhattan to allow Darwin to make friends, but he was not interested in any of them until he met Reilly.  When we let the two of them play in the dog park on the Upper West Side, he finally had some fun!

It was also Darwin's first time in elevator!

 Poor Darwin is freaking out in the elevator!

To end a wonderful day in NYC, we ate dinner at the vegetarian restaurant, Quantum Leap, in Greenwich Village with our friend Wei and our hosts for the evening, Colin's cousin Jon and his lovely girlfriend Temple.  Unfortunately, there was no outdoor seating, so dining with Darwin posed a problem.  Ordering food and eating in nearby Washington Square Park was an option, but when we noticed a table at the window we decided Darwin would be okay sitting outside if we watched him.  

The staff at the restaurant was enchanted with our little guy and accommodated his every need.  They even took this photo of him trying to get away from the open sidewalk by sitting on the flower pot.  We were able to make him comfortable by moving the pot away from the building so that he could fit in the space between the wall and the flower pot.  From that spot, he could watch people passing, but not be too close.  So many people stopped to check out his cuteness, take his photo, or even pet him.  What a guy!

Darwin trying to escape the open sidewalk 

at Quantum Leap in Greenwich Village.

The stars aligned for us on this day, allowing us to enjoy every bit of the best NYC has to offer.  We couldn't have asked for better weather, uncrowded streets, great people and delicious food.  Thanks to Veronica and Aldo for offering us a place Friday night and Temple and Jon for being great hosts on Saturday night!

What is your favorite thing to do or place to eat in NYC?

Check back soon to read about our adventures on the Islands of Long and Rhode - even though Rhode Island is not actually an island.

Preparing for Hurricane Irene!

We've been traveling a fair amount the past few weeks so I haven't had time to update ya'll on our travels.  Check back soon to read about our road trip to NYC and RI, a weekend getaway to visit family on the North Carolina coast, and more beach adventures experienced in August!

As we prepare for Hurricane Irene, I want to share with you how ready we are.

1. We aren't candle users, but we do have a bunch of votive candles if necessary.
2. A few years ago we lost our headlamps and bought new ones. While unpacking a box that had been in storage, we found our old ones.  So now we have 4 headlamps in addition to 2 energy powered flashlights.  You shake the light to give it energy to work. If we lose power, we'll have plenty of lights available.
3. We also received a hand-crank flashlight/radio combo.  It takes a lot of cranking to keep the radio and/or light going, so it might not get a lot of use, but is helpful if our other means of achieving news fails.
4. Our laptops are fully charged and will give us about 12 hours of use (between 2 laptops) while not plugged in.  We can listen to music, watch programs on the internet, and keep up with the news on the world wide web, even if we lose power.
5. If we cannot use the stove (ours is electric), we've got a propane tank hooked up to the grill and a mini-propane tank for the camping stove ready to go.  We'll have to cook up our fresh food before it goes bad in the refrigerator.
6. In preparation for our trip to the Outer Banks in June, we bought quite a few canned beans and other non-perishables that can be used if our fresh food goes bad during a prolonged power outage, or if we eat it all before the power comes back on.
7.  We just bought Darwin a new 30lb bag of dog food.  So he should be good to go.
8. Another awesome backpacking item we purchased was a water purifier.  I have never experienced contaminated water after a storm, but if that happens, we can remove all bacteria with our water filter.

The threats for us in the interior of North Carolina are for high winds and rain.  Power outages are possible.  Since this will be the first major storm in our new house, I'm hoping we don't experience flooding, a downed tree, or other major catastrophe.  We've prepared the best we can and hope the storm reduces in intensity before it can wreck havoc on us or any of our friends and family.  I wish all my friends and family in the path of the storm stay safe in the upcoming days.

How do you prepare for a major storm?
Are you worried about Hurricane Irene?

Anniversary/Birthday Escape to the Mountains (July 22-24)

Do you know what happens when your dog is teething?  He chews anything he can find, including SD cards if they happen to be in reach.  I am sorry to report that our 5 year anniversary weekend get-away photos have been destroyed by the developing teeth of Sir Charles Darwin.  There were a few photos taken with our phones, but they do not highlight the best parts of our trip.  I therefore apologize for the lack of beautiful photos to share.

To celebrate our anniversary and escape the 100 degree temperatures in Raleigh, we spent the weekend in the mountains of North Carolina.  My work travels had taken me to the Pisgah National Forest last year, around the same time of year.  If you read that post, you can see photos of the mountains that were similar to what we experienced on this trip.

Each day started beautifully, with sun and temperatures in the low 70s.  By lunchtime, temperatures in the 80s brought thunderstorms that lasted most of the afternoon.  It was nice to get away from the heat, and we did a lot of hiking. But, the thunderstorms halted our attempts at climbing higher or going further on the trails we explored.

On our way into the Pisgah National Forest, we refueled our bodies at the sustainable restaurant Vidalia. With rain showers already in full effect, we semi-successfully sat outside under the awning with Darwin tucked under our table.  He is still such a shy pup!  It's nice that he sits so quietly under the table when we go out to eat, but he is so scared when anyone tries to pet him.  We definitely need to keep working on that!

Above, Colin's BLT with fried green tomatoes (the day's special)

Below, my local farm burger with fried vidalia onions and swiss cheese

For the record, I haven't had tater tots in ages! They are so good but definitely a once in awhile treat.

I could not pass through Blowing Rock without showing it off to Colin.  It's such a cute town.  Photos of the "downtown area" are available on the blog post of last year's trip.  Any trip through Blowing Rock merits a stop at Kilwin's for ice cream, especially when you can enjoy it in a very secluded seating area behind the ice cream shop.

Indulging in Kilwin's ice cream (Blowing Rock, NC)

Since the rain prevented us from hiking Saturday afternoon, we made our way down the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville, NC.  With the rain showers pouring down I would not say it was my "favorite drive" as the Parkway slogan boasts.

Asheville is becoming one of my favorite towns.  They have so many delicious eateries and the culture is so laid-back and relaxed - in a good way!  The last time I was in Asheville for work, my coworker and I really wanted to try the tapas bar Zambra.  I managed to convince Colin we should eat there, which was not the best idea for us.  The small plates were not as filling as we had hoped, especially after a morning of hiking.  Once again, Darwin laid under the table as close to Colin or I as he could.

From Zambra, we made our way through downtown Asheville to the French Broad Chocolate Lounge where I waited in the 20 minute line to get a chocolate truffle torte and a nibby brownie.  The brownie was delicious and I think next time we'll try the quintessential chocolate cake since the torte was not our favorite.  The free chocolate samples and live music in the lounge made for a pleasant waiting experience.

The best part of our trip to Asheville was hanging out in Pack Square Park, meeting the locals and their dogs, and listening to live bluegrass.  We came across two great danes, one of which looks like a huge version of our little Darwin.  The owners of that great dane also had a full grown black lab mix.  I wish we had a better photo of our little 40lb lab making friends with his 70lb and 150lb "twins."  We also quickly became friends with their owners and even had invitations to come to the river to play with them on Sunday!  It's too bad the Asheville culture does not yet exist in Raleigh.

Though not a great photo, you can see how small Darwin looks compared to a 150 pound Great Dane

Since it was going to be rainy much of the weekend, I didn't want to deal with camping. With expensive hotel prices, I instead opted for the vacation rental option and found us a quaint 2 bedroom cabin-like place near Newland, NC - right in the middle of the mountains.  If you are lucky enough to find a last-minute place that is not yet reserved, you can typically get a better deal.  The unit owner knocked $10 off per night, making our "home" much cheaper than any hotel in the area.  Camping would have been the cheapest option, but it is much nicer to have a bedroom, living room, and kitchen.

Speaking of kitchen, each morning we prepared a delicious and healthy vegetable omelet, served with a side of farmer's market fruit.  For our hikes, we packed peanut butter sandwiches, granola bars, and fruit.  One day we even made our own veggie pizza!

I prefer to balance my meals by preparing 2 of the 3 meals of the day.  At home, I know what goes into my food.  The choices I make are to limit salt and fat and add as many vegetables as I can.  While the sustainable restaurants we typically choose use fresh ingredients, restaurants are known to use lots of butter and salt to make their food taste delicious and keep people coming back.  Choosing a sustainable restaurant, or a restaurant that offers sustainable foods is usually more expensive, but I also balance the cost by making meals at my vacation home.

Where do you go to find lodging when preparing to travel?
What choices do you make about where to eat?

Look for my next post about the hiking we did over the weekend!!

Day trip to Topsail Beach (July)

Our journey to find the best beach in North Carolina brought us to Surf City on a hot mid-July Saturday.  After running some errands near home, we packed the car for a possible overnight camping trip and drove the 2-2.5 hours to this beach just north of Wilmington.  Friends of ours had recommended the area, and more specifically, the southern-most beach called Topsail.  We decided to stay in Surf City because it was the first beach we arrived to early afternoon and we were ready for the ocean!

One of my biggest frustrations with North Carolina beaches: I have yet to find one with easily accessible bathrooms and changing areas.  After drinking so much water in the car, I had to walk 10 minutes to find a bathroom at the pier shop that housed everything from bait to water toys to a restaurant.  Walking into a shop with the sole intention of using the bathroom always makes me feel uncomfortable, and it didn't help that the staff stared at me as I walked in and out.

After taking care of my own business and not that of the business where I did my business, I was able to enjoy a great beach day.  Colin and I convinced Darwin to swim for a bit.  He preferred the areas where he was not overcome by the waves - a preference I can understand.  The three of us ran and splashed, and splashed and ran through the shallow water for a while.  Once he was all tuckered out, he found Colin's beach blanket to be a suitable place to relax and dry off.  The Sandman, a friend of dogs too, found Darwin quickly.  Darwin slept so heavily, I doubt he noticed when we left him alone while we went for a swim in the deeper part of the ocean!

Darwin and I enjoying an afternoon siesta in the shade

We spent the entire afternoon and evening at the beach and it was just delightful.  The air was pleasantly in the upper 80s with water temperature comfortably in the low to mid 70s.  As evening drew near and the crowds dissipated, we thoroughly enjoyed the serenity of cool and quiet beach.  Even Darwin kept his yapper shut.

When the last bit of sun dipped below the horizon, we decided to make the 2-2.5 hour drive back to enjoy a restful night's sleep in our own bed.  

I love the beach at all times of the day and in all seasons.  While summer is my favorite because I can sunbathe, cool off in the water, or relax under the beach umbrella, I feel nostalgic on an empty beach with a sweatshirt or jacket on.  Perhaps it brings back great memories of growing up in Rhode Island and having the beach a mere 30 - 40 minutes away.  Or, maybe it reminds me of times Colin and I would ride out to Long Island and walk or run on the empty beach.  Either way, sitting on the beach hearing only the waves crash on shore and seeing a vibrant red sunset is one of my favorite ways to end a day.

Tell me about the best beach you've been to in the U.S.

When is your favorite time of year to visit the beach?

Day trip to Raven Rock State Park, NC (July 9)

With temperatures reaching into the 90s and 100's during July in the Triangle, the best way to beat the heat has been at the pool, lake, beach or mountains.  

A trip to our neighborhood pool on July 4th allowed us to enjoy the teeny-bopper party with a DJ blasting Justin Bieber.  For a moment, I thought Glee was filming in Cary, NC.  To get away from the crowds, we have been searching for a local lake where we could swim.  

We live right by a lake, but like many of the other small lakes in the area, swimming is not allowed.  The two larger lakes in the area, Falls Lake and Jordan Lake boast recreational areas that allow you to swim.  We have yet to enjoy Jordan Lake, but we did visit Falls Lake last August.  The swimming area was a very warm 80 degrees, which did not feel refreshing compared to the 100 degree air temperature.

Through the Triangle Hiking and Outdoors Group (THOG) on meetup.com, I learned about a good swimming area on the Cape Fear River in Raven Rock State Park.  The park is about an hour south of Cary in Harnett County.  On July 9, we made the voyage down there by car and hiked the 2.5 miles to the area called Lanier Falls.  The hike was not strenuous, but we were anxious to swim.  Thankfully, our first view of the river came a mile and a half into the hike.

 Cape Fear River in Raven Rock State Park

A family had clearly been enjoying an all day adventure at the "falls" when we arrived, occupying the section with the largest drop in the falls.  I would guess the drop was a total of 2-3 feet.  Their inflatable mattress made a very fun looking slide!!  To enjoy the area in solitude, we were able to get Darwin across the rushing water and beyond the family of 6.  It felt amazing to take a dip in the cool (but not cold) water!

"Our" area of the river where small rapids exist

Darwin quickly learned that he could swim in the river with us, but I can't say he seemed to completely enjoy it.  For the most part, he would swim to me or Colin and try to climb on us so he wouldn't have to keep swimming.  He is terrified of getting his face wet.  It's hilarious to see him take great pains to keep his head above water.

Darwin swimming out to meet Colin 

On a few occasions, he would leap off the rocks to join us in the water.  And he has proven himself to be a fast swimmer.  We'll just have to keep taking him out so he builds up his stamina!!

 Darwin sits so well to receive a treat!

We had a great time at the lake where the temperature was cooler than in the city.  We were needing another swimming hole by the time we finished the 2.5 mile hike back to the car! 

Where do you take your pet to cool off in the summer?

Camping on Ocracoke Island, NC (OBX) in June

Millers on the Road did not have a rest during the month of June!  First, we moved into our new house, then my dad and brother visited and we all went to DC, and the subsequent week had us camping on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina.  Why would we do this to ourselves?  Well, an out of town friend had made travel plans back in March to visit the third weekend in June.  We had planned to camp on the beach during his visit.

As you probably already know, we Millers love the beach!  It's probably our favorite place to go.  We wish we could be closer to both swimming beaches and the mountains, but alas we are not fortunate enough to live in California.  Ocracoke Island is probably the farthest beach from our home, a 5.5 hour drive from Cary.  You have to go all the way out to Manteo, and follow route 12 south along the coast for 70 miles and take a ferry across the Hatteras Inlet.  We chose a second option, to drive 3 hours to Swan Quarter and allow the 2.5 hour ferry to transport us across Pamlico Sound to Ocracoke.

The weather was almost perfect for the trip.  Temperatures were in the 80's during the cloudless days and dipped into the upper 60's/low 70's at night.  The "almost perfect" was due to lightning storms the second night in the tent.  The flashes of light and humid air made it difficult to sleep.

Darwin did fantastic on the trip.  He was very nervous on the loud ferry, so his tail stayed wrapped under his legs most of the trip.  We are also having a difficult time breaking him of his fear of people who want to pet him.  It doesn't matter if it is an adult or child, his tail immediately goes under and he tries to get behind me or Colin.  When he meets other dogs, he has no problem going to greet them, but runs away the minute the owner tries to pet him.

Do you have suggestions to get him more comfortable around strangers and while in loud places? 

The national park service campground on Ocracoke is amazing!   There are a variety of campsites to choose from - grassy, wooded, or sandy areas and tents or RVs.  Our late arrival on Friday meant all the sites along the dunes were taken, so we chose a grassy site.  I would have liked to hear the rolling sounds of the waves, but I'm not sure anyone could hear waves over the strong winds that were prevalent.  In addition, it is so much nicer to lay on a grassy area than a wooded area!

 Darwin scoping out the campsite

Arriving late on Friday and leaving on an early ferry on Sunday meant we really had one full day at the beach.  Our morning started with a 3 mile trip to downtown Ocracoke.  We people rode bikes while Darwin trotted along with Colin.  By 11am it was really hot and the trip back for Darwin was difficult.  We had to make a few stops along the way.  Our little guy also gave us quite a scare when he tried to chase a bird out into the road and Colin lost his grip on the leash!  Thankfully, cars drive very slowly in this area and they stopped to let us get him out of the road.

The remainder of the day was spent on the beach - and oh how splendid it was!  I could have enjoyed calmer waters, but the air and water temperatures were perfect.  Darwin's first experience with the ocean was sub-optimal, but it was only his first time.  As much as he wanted to be in the water with us, the waves would always force him back out.  It was okay since he was so tired from the morning run! He spent most of the day napping beside us.

I love this adorable little face!

We love going to the beach and very much enjoyed Ocracoke.  It is a place we will definitely go back and visit when the air temperature cools back down to the 80s (and 60s overnight) late summer or early fall.

There were definitely some challenges as well.  Taking a visitor and a puppy camping for the first time means you have to plan ahead.

Here are some tips and lessons learned from our beach camping trip with a friend and a dog:
1. Secure a tent, sleeping bag, mattress pad for your out-of-town guest so they don't have to travel with these.  I am lucky to be able to rent these through the University.
2. Ask about your friend's dietary preferences.  Our friend is a vegetarian, so we included vegetarian friendly foods in our grilling options and stopped at a grocery store on the way to get any last minute choices.
3. Bring extra bug spray and sunscreen. North Carolina beaches have lots of people-eating insects.
4. If you plan to do something fun, be sure to include your friend in the planning process.  We wanted to ride our bikes so we brought a 3rd bike for our friend to use.  During the planning process, the main goal was to go camping on or near a beach and go to the beach, so that's what we did.
5. Decide how your dog will sleep when you are camping.   Darwin normally sleeps in his crate at home, so we tried to make a "den-like" area for him with a tarp.  He was not a fan of the strong winds that resulted in loud noises from the tarp.  He did sleep well in the tent with us, but we did not because it was too crowded.  We'll likely get him his own tent for next time.
6. Pack cool and refreshing things to eat during the heat of the day - lunchtime.  We tried grilling portabello mushroom/vegetable sandwiches on the grill and it just felt too hot to eat them. Take a cooler and ice to keep cold foods cold.
7. Don't plan to do work while enjoying vacation!  It never works for me.  I didn't get to enjoy this trip much because I had a final paper for my summer class due the Monday after the weekend.  With a 5 hour trip to and from the beach, I planned to get some done while driving and some down while hanging out at the campground. Needless to say, the work I did was minimal and not very good.  I should have just enjoyed my time at the beach and settled down to work when I got home instead of not enjoying myself and still working 12 hours when I got home!

Next time I go to the beach, I plan to enjoy the sun, sand and water without distractions!

Do you sometimes take work with you when you travel for fun? 
How do you manage to get your work done?

Celebrating 5 years

Our Wedding Day - July 22, 2006 in Burlington, VT

Five years ago today I married my best friend.  Now that we have been together 10 years, we have finally spent more time together than apart during our relationship.

For those of you that don't know our story, it started at the University of Vermont in Burlington in the spring of 2001.  We were inseparable for most of that semester of college, and then Colin graduated in May.  Our first few months apart saw me in the Dominican Republic on a study abroad trip, while he was in Albany.  But even before we parted for the first time we knew we loved each other and would do whatever was necessary to make our relationship work.

Our first full year apart was only a 2.5 hour driving distance from Burlington to Albany.  When Colin went to law school in NYC, the distance increased to a 6 hour drive from Burlington. And the following year when I went to grad school in Knoxville, we doubled our distance to a 12 hour drive.  I won't say distance is easy, but it works given the correct situation.  We each had our separate lives that we enjoyed, and those lives were enhanced when we were together.  It never felt like we were starting over because we were regular, important parts of each others lives - even from physical distance.

In 2005, after 4 years of being apart, we spent our year-long engagement relishing in time together as we prepared for our "life together."  There were new challenges as we now had a second person to think about when making day to day plans and decisions.  But these challenges were overcome through communication, patience, and love.

Our committment day arrived on July 22, 2006, where friends and family joined us in Burlington, Vermont to celebrate where it all began and see us formally join ourselves to each other.  While a wedding certainly is a commemorative event, we had joined ourselves to each other long before that day.  On that day, we shared our love for and committment to each other with everyone else.

The past 5 years have brought many joys and challenges.  I have learned so much about how ask for and offer help, what is worth fighting about and what is not important.  As we continue to grow and change, we find new challenges and opportunities in our lives.  The most important thing to both of us is sharing in these things together.

In true "Millers on the Road" fashion, I'd like to share the places we've been in these past 5 years.

• We have visited 5 countries: Costa Rica, Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Cancun (Mexico), Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Australia, and New Zealand.

Mt. Cook, New Zealand

Sydney, Australia

• We've seen many parts of 14 states.  Some of these include: Las Vegas (NV), Grand Canyon (AZ), San Diego (CA), Los Angeles (CA), San Francisco (CA), Yosemite (CA), Virginia Beach (VA), Fort Lauderdale (FL), St. Petersburg/Tampa (FL), Jacksonville (FL), Savannah (GA), Denver (CO), Breckenridge (CO), Lake Champlain (NY and VT), Washington DC, Long Beach Island (NJ), Delaware Water Gap (NJ), Philadelphia (PA), Catskill Mountains (NY), Mt Greylock State Park (MA), and Newport (RI).

Grand Canyon, AZ

Many of these trips were taking before the blog begin in December 2009, but Australia, New Zealand and some of the southeastern U.S. trips have been taken since then.  As I reflect on these trips, I know there is no one I'd rather travel with than my husband!  It brings me great joy to think of all the places we still have yet to see!!

Happy anniversary to my best friend, my husband, my love!