Fort Ticonderoga

I appreciate the encouraging words written in the comments about these vacation posts. It is enjoyable to share our blessings.

Today was to be our “New York” day. Though we did not spend a single night on this trip inside New York, we had a lot of ground to cover today between Vermont and our stopping place in Pennsylvania. Thus I was undecided until this morning as to whether we would visit Fort Ticonderoga or not. The site is a bit off our route (requiring a turn north instead of south) and I wanted some extra time for roadside stops on our drive through the Adirondacks and Catskills. Furthermore, the primary significance of Fort Ticonderoga was during the French-Indian War, a period that we did not have the time to study. But as we pulled out of the hotel, I decided that we were just too close to skip it. And I told everyone that it would be a “quick stop.”

I do have a photo with the kids in position, but I like this action shot better.

The problem with my plan was that Fort Ticonderoga is just too good. Over the last hundred years, devoted workers have attempted to make this a full-day stop. To that end they have characters in period costume, musket firings, specialist talks, and a fantastic museum display. It didn’t take long after walking in that I realized that my “one-hour” plan was a joke.

Of course, the happiness was ours, as we had a fun place to explore and learn. We enjoyed a 15-minute video reviewing the history, checked out the kids ‘ crafts (e.g., tricorn hat), and saw an unbelievable display of muskets, rifles, swords, and other military equipment.

Along the way we made a bathroom stop.

(I picked this photo because it was humorous, not because it reflects Jonathan’s normal position. He was quite happy and enjoyed being in the carrier.)

After several hours we simply had to leave. If I’m in the area again, I ‘ll plan to make this a bigger part of the day.

Our drive in the afternoon was one of the most beautiful yet, through the Adirondack mountains in upstate New York. The forested slopes and the blue lakes were ever beckoning. Many people come here to vacation in the summer and we understand why. Along the way we passed by Scroon Lake and saw the Word of Life campus. I see the attraction for Bible teachers and campers to come here each summer.

With six hours of driving in the southward direction, we feel like we are really “headed home” now.