Maine vacation photos uploaded.

Well, I finaly have all of the photos I took over vacation resized, leveled, sharpened and uploaded to my website. Well, almost all of them. I still have to create some panoramas that I took specific shots for so those will take a little time to tweak and get ready. I should have at least one or two really nice panos up in the next few days maybe. Until then, enjoy the photos.

Updated HIUSA.org design

I was just updating the captions for some of the photos I took on vacation and I went out to the Hostelling International website to get the address for the Hartford, CT hostel and see that they have updated the design of their website. It looks really nice, I think. Still easy to navigate and very informative. I definitely recommend looking at a hostel if you are traveling and don't want to spend an insane amount of money just for a place to sleep. Plus, you will probably meet a number of very nice and interesting people from all over the world.

Turn out the lights, vacation's over...

Well, even though I would have liked another week away this trip had to come to an end. I left New York at about 1:00pm and didn't really run into any problems on the road until just at around 25 miles to Columbus on 71 South. Cars were backed up for miles and we were moving at a good 5mph because of night paving and the road constricted to one lane. Eventually we got through but it added an hour of sitting in traffic. So we got home close to midnight and I was pretty much exhausted between all of the walking, little sleep and driving. So, today I'm resting and taking an extra day off from work and I will try to put up some photos to my gallery today.

Greetings from Boothbay Harbor, Maine!

Good evening!

I'm sitting out on the Boothbay Public Library entrance typing this entry because, luckily, they have public access Wi-Fi! Very convenient so I may be able to actually update part of my review area tomorrow. Anyway, it's late now as it is and I've got some planning to do and some groceries to buy and still a lot of sleep to get so I'll just make this short and sweet.


The trip so far has gone well with no problems. The stay in Hartford at the Mark Twain Hostel was nice. The weather has been wonderful so far. I have to say that Boothbay Harbor is very beautiful but it is a perfect example of a place that I don't mind visiting but I would not want to live here. Nothing but tourists for most of the summer and autumn? No thanks.

Anyway, the Lakeview Inn is nice too. Like their website says, the rooms do offer a great sunset view. We did go out on a whale watch trip today and that was really fun. I have a bunch of photos that I'll eventually get up on my gallery. Maybe not until Bar Harbor or home though. We'll see how time goes.
Well, that's it for now. I hope these couple photos will hold you off until I can get around to putting up more.
Later.

Two more days!

Just 2 more days and I am so ready to go. :)
I've still got my packing to do, have a few things to buy for the trip and have to come up with a more solid list of things that I absolutely have to do but other than that I am reday to hit the road. I had my car serviced last week so it's all set for the trip. I've got my Trip Tik and various maps/directions printed out so I'm all set there. Plus, I just bought some new hiking sandals so I will be comfortable and ready for the New York walking tour.
Here's a basic itenerary for where I'm going and what I have planned as of now:
Friday, August 5:
Leave Columbus at about 6:00-7:00a heading for Hartford, CT. It's a 670 mile drive, mostly through Pennsylvania so assuming about 75mph average, regular rest stops and a probable stop near Scranton, PA at the Steamtown National Historic Site, I should arrive in Hartford no later than about 6:00-7:00p, probably closer to 6-6:30p. In Hartford we're just staying one night at the Mark Twain Hostel, which is supposed to be very nice and located in a nice residential area of Hartford. After all of that driving I'm sure we'll end up walking around the area and having dinner somewhere nearby.
Saturday, August 6 - Tuesday, August 9:
Saturday is the (relatively) short drive up to Boothbay Harbor and there are a few interesting places that we will pass along the way and most likely stop. We'll pass within about 20 miles of Boston, Salem and Gloucester and I'd really like to at least visit Salem so will probably do that but not sure about Boston. Once we hit southern Maine there are a few places I know I will stop including Kittery, Wells, York, Kennebunkport, Protland, Yarmouth and Freeport (gots to shop at L.L. Bean!). I'm going to try to stop at as many lighthouses that I can and am hoping to get some really nice photos. I am definitely going to do a Puffin/Whale watch trip in Bar Harbor and may do it in Boothbay too. The stay in Boothbay will also consist of a visit to Monhegan Island and lots of landscape photography. :)
Tuesday, August 9 - Friday, August 12:
This is an easy 120 mile drive from Boothbay to Bar Harbor so it will leave lots of leeway time for verious stops along the coast and finishing up things in Boothbay Harbor. Stops in Rockland and Rockport are likely. One of the highlights of the Bar Harbor stay will probably be a day spent in Acadia National Park and also the Whale/Puffin watch trip. Since I'll probably have time in those few days, I may drive up further north to Calais on the Maine/New Brunswick border too.
Friday, August 12:
Friday will be another long driving day going down from Bar Harbor to New York City where we'll stay a couple nights at the Hostelling International New York Hostel, the same place I stayed when I went to see the Gates. I'm ballparking that drive to be about 8 hours but I really don't know how the roads back through Maine will be. Once we arrive though, I imagine I'll take a walk down to Broadway and find somewhere to eat.
Saturday, August 13 & Sunday, August 14 (early morning):
Saturday is the day for the hostel's huge 16+ hour walking tour of Manhattan which I will be doing again. I loved in tin the winter and hopefully, the weather will be cooperative so it won't be too hot and humid during the day. We'll see how well my new sandals perform.
Sunday, August 14:
The end of the trip. :( Will probably leave New York by 11:00am and get home around 9-10:00p. The long drive through Pennsylvania again will be nice though.

So, that's the general plan. We'll see how much variation occurs based on what I want to do but I will try to update the blog as I have internet access along the way.

Oh yeah, and I also finally posted my website (www.idliketogo.com)last night (most of it at least). It is usable and I'll try to update while I'm gone or in the couple days after I return.