Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for U.S. travel
Swiss Heirs
By Linda Tancs
In 1845 two Swiss residents from the canton of Glarus were sent to the U.S. to purchase land for a Swiss settlement. The prosperous homestead that followed became New Glarus, Wisconsin, a rural slice of the homeland just a hop, skip and jump away from Madison. And for those yearning for the alphorns, yodelers and folk dancers of the old country but unable to afford the real McCoy, this might be the perfect staycation for you. New Glarus is boastful of its observation of the traditional holidays and Swiss-German dialect. And the chalet-laden downtown offers up enough cuckoo clocks, lace, cheese and chocolate that you might even forget there’s no duty-free allowance–or international baggage restrictions–to worry about. For every time there is a season. Yours may be just a hilly, hairpin curve away.
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Do CPAP Machines Cause Baggage Woes?
By Linda Tancs
Statistics indicate that over 12 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from sleep apnea, an obstructive sleep disorder. So it shouldn’t be surprising that travelers want to take their CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines onboard to use during long flights or at their final destination. Needless to say, one must determine in advance of flight whether the device will be considered part of normal carry-on items. FAA regulations, for instance, permit medical devices as an additional piece of carry-on luggage. But if you can bring it on board, can you use it? International carriers’ policies can vary widely on the subject. Some airlines may permit, or prefer, battery-operated devices and not require medical clearance. Others may require medical clearance by their experts in advance of flight regardless whether the device is powered electrically or by battery. Best not to leave this one up to chance, as any delay in flight arrangements may not be recompensed by insurance when it’s the passenger who is delayed rather than the plane.
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Solitary Confinement
By Linda Tancs
In 1732 German immigrant Johann Conrad Beissel sought out solitude in the Pennsylvania countryside in what is now Ephrata. There he established a reclusive retreat dedicated to the pursuit of spirituality, and the Solitary movement was born. The Solitary lived a monastic life dedicated to prayer and worship, eating a single evening meal off of the lands they tended. Although the last of the order died over a century ago and the lands sold to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Ephrata Cloister’s heritage is preserved at various houses and meeting rooms that can be toured on the property. The experience comes complete with guides in the white robes worn by members of the Cloister to hide their bodies. As the song goes, give me that old time religion. Or at the very least, as their website says, a quiet place to visit.
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Garlic is Good for You
By Linda Tancs
That’s what the folks at Two Rivers in Montpelier, Vermont will tell you this weekend at their annual Garlic Festival on Saturday. You’ll even get a free flatbread pizza and salad with your admission. Organized by Food Works, the event includes garlic harvesting workshops, a silent auction, musical entertainment and gardening information, topped off by the Golden Garlic Award, raffle and recognition. Breath mints are optional.
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Fly-In This Weekend at Sheridan
By Linda Tancs
If air flight looks like a distant memory given shrinking schedules amidst rising oil prices, then experience the thrill vicariously in Sheridan, Wyoming this weekend at the Fly-In. Officially starting on Monday, all weekend long over 200 pilots of various craft large and small will delight onlookers at the Sportsman Complex on Keystone Road. Enjoy the action from dawn till dusk.
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The Maine Event
By Linda Tancs
As hurricane Hanna threatens to rumble up the Atlantic Coast, I can’t help but think about how many sailors found safe harbor in the midst of America’s lighthouses along the coast. Although they may have been replaced technologically by radar and other systems, these unwavering oceanic icons represent the adventuresome spirit of those whose lives depended on that guiding light. Did you know that Maine has over 60 lighthouses dotting the coast? West Quoddy Head is the easternmost lighthouse in the United States. You can visit a good many of them just by cruising down Route 1. Now there’s a group of northern lights you won’t want to miss.
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Back on the Farm
By Linda Tancs
Think “late summer” and what comes to mind? For me, it’s towering sunflowers and the waning harvests of sweet corn amidst the bountiful supplies of squash and other autumn fruits, tilled fields and hay rides. Have you visited your local farmer lately? Farmers’ markets have surged in popularity since their start in the 1800s, thanks to a strong interest in fresh and wholesome food and the feeling of community they engender. Many close up shop during the month of October, but some, like the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, are open year-round with limited hours. Check your local listings for a market near you.
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What a Croc
By Linda Tancs
To hear the folks in Denver tell it, the city is full of crocs. Not the scaly kind, but the walkable kind. Great for walking a Mile High. Or take the Crocs ™ city tour, stopping at locations such as the zoo, botanical gardens, the aquarium, Cherry Creek, or the Pepsi Center. This kid-friendly tour includes collectible Jibbitz ™ charms at each stop. Fashion never looked so fun.
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Take it Slow on the Uptake
By Linda Tancs
Does the dizzying array of travel information on the Web have you in a tizzy? Slow down on the uptake before you hit that “book now” button. Uptake synthesizes travel information in a user-friendly format that goes beyond price comparisons. After all, money isn’t everything.
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Lincoln’s Little Cottage
By Linda Tancs
“Cottage” isn’t exactly the right word for a sprawling 34-room estate occupied by Abraham Lincoln as a getaway from the pressures of political life. Situated on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C. and declared a National Monument by President Clinton, the Gothic Revival retreat has been refurbished and reopened to the public. Although elitists clamor for a night in Lincoln’s bedroom at the White House, they may have missed the boat in truly experiencing the man and his times. Lincoln spent the better part of his presidency holed up in his Civil war-era equivalent of Camp David. You can’t sleep there, but then again, the price of admission isn’t nearly as steep.
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 