An Escape to Newport Rhode Island

Last June, I had some time off.  We all know that flying Non-Rev anywhere (let alone out of the country) is damned near impossible.  Because of this, I decided to stay domestic.  It's still difficult, but you have more options in the summer.  I like to take time off in the summer to get a break from the summer travelers, which we all know can be VERY trying at times.  I couldn't decide where to go, however, my family helped make that decision for me.  I got a call from my cousin who informed me that the family was planning to take a road trip from Pittsburgh to Boston.  I'd never been to Boston (and hadn't seen my family since Christmas), so I decided to join them.  I took a flight from Chicago to Boston to meet them.  The flight was pretty nice and had no problems getting on the flight (getting home was another story).  We did all the stuff available in the Boston Metro Area (and I will cover that beautiful city in another article).  We each had a day where we got to pick what we'd do that day.  When my day came about, I suggested we go to Newport, Rhode Island.

I've been to Newport on many of my layovers to Providence.  My crew often rents a car on long layovers and we drive there.  It's about a 30 minute drive from Providence to Newport.  It's about an hour and a half from Boston to Newport.  My family had never been there, so I thought it would be nice to take them there.  Everyone was pretty much burnt out on Boston after the 3rd day, so it took no arm-twisting at all. 

We took the nearly 2 hr drive to Newport.  It was a pleasant drive for all of us.  We even did a diversion outside of Boston to the JFK Presidential Library.  My cousin is a major JFK history buff, so she was in heaven when she learned it was on the way.  Regardless of your political point of view, visiting a Presidential Library is an amazing experience (I want to visit as many as possible being a history buff), but I'll also cover that in a later article.  We arrived in downtown Newport and quickly found a place to park.  It was approx $7 for the entire day.  We walked along the bayfront stopping at every shop that came our way.  It came time to eat.  I've always loved a restaurant called Red Parrot.  It's a nice and well-known seafood restaurant located in downtown Newport.  When you're there, you HAVE to order the local Clam Chowder.  I introduced my family members to it and they are now spoiled for life since it's so AWESOME! I ordered a dish with pasta, seafood (lobster, shrimp, scallops, & clam), Alfredo sauce, sundried tomatoes and vegetables.  That's my favorite thing on the menu. I  Also enjoyed a couple of beers with my meals.  We finished our meals and continued on our journey.

We walked around downtown and checked out the shops along the Main Street area.  The family managed to find a number of souvenirs.  To be honest, I've been to Newport many times, and thought it was really cool to be able to share a bit of my job with my family.  They always joke they live vicariously through me and it made me happy to to allow them to experience some of the things that make me love my job.  The trip even had a more satisfying after we got some iced cream at the place next to The Red Parrot.  We walked back to our van, which was parked next to a beautiful old church.  It was St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.  My cousin read the historic plaque in front of it and discovered it was the church that her historic idol, JFK, was married in.  I can't describe how happy her excitement made me. 

Newport is famous for its mansions that were built during the guilded age.  Many people spend a fortune to tour the inside of those beautiful mansions.  I just can't bring myself to spend upward of $50 to tour the places (especially when you can spend $10 to get a book with pics of the houses).  We drove along the bluff, where the mansions were built, and really enjoyed the beautiful views of the houses and the Atlantic Ocean.  We stopped along the way and waded in the beaches along the bluff.  We also took a lot of pics during that adventure. After that, we decided to visit the official beaches.  The beach had some nice sand (not the quality you'd find in Cancun or along the gulf, but wasn't bad).  There were people 'boarding' and we found a nice place to lay out.  There were also plenty of boulders to lay on if you got tired of the sand.  We swam and spent another 2 hours laying out.  It was a beautiful summer day and we took full advantage of it.  We finally decided to head back to Boston and enjoyed another 2 hr drive back to the Boston hotel.

Being the type who wants the people I'm traveling with to have a good time, I was worried if everyone had a good time and thought it was time well spent.  Well, I was quite pleased to learn that everyone agreed that our day in Newport was the best day of the entire week vacation.  I was quite relieved and very happy. 

So there's my journey to Newport, Rhode Island.  I hope you go there and have as good a time as I have.

Fall Foliage Scenic Drives in New England - Introduction

Fall foliage in New England really begins in August. The shortening daylight hours trigger the deciduous trees to begin the process of shedding their leaves. It happens all around North America, and all around the world.

But in New England it's special.

Why is fall foliage in New England so different and special?

It's a factor of many things but mostly an abundance of different types of deciduous trees, warm autumn days, and cool - but not freezing - nights. When these and a few other conditions are all mixed in the right proportions, then you get the world famous stunning shades of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns on the hills and mountain sides of New England.

Between mid-September to late-October, visitors flock to New England to see the fall foliage. These six scenic drives offer some of the best autumn views available from anywhere on the planet.

This is an introduction to a series of six articles that provide details and routes on each of These tours.

Fall Foliage Scenic Drive - Mohawk Trail Massachusetts

The most popular tour Fall Foliage in Massachusetts are located along the famous Mohawk Trail. This route rolls through the northwestern part of the state on route 2, and winds through the hills and mountains of the Berkshires, touching, picturesque towns such as Williamstown, Deerfield, Shelbourne, Colrain, Charlemont and Shelburne Falls.

Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts, offersspectacular views of the surrounding area and Mohawk Trail.

FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - KANCAMAGUS HIGHWAY NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire has many scenic drives in the White Mountain National Forest but at the top of the list has to be the 34-mile Kancamagus Scenic Highway that runs along route 112 from Conway to White Mountains Visitor Center in Lincoln. This drive is considered by many to be the top fall foliage New England scenic drive. It has beautiful forests ablaze with autumn colors and plenty of photo opportunities with walks along gorges and streams, and with views of the highest mountains in the Presidential Range.

FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - CENTRAL VERMONT AREA

In Vermont nature planted all the high peaks in the south - although the North Kingdom has great color as well. But arguably Vermont's best loved fall foliage drive is in the Central Vermont area, around Killington, and the towns and highways of Woodstock, Rutland and Ludlow. This is deep in The Green Mountain National Forest area, and not surprisingly offers spectacular fall foliage color and scenery.

FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - LAKES AND LEAVES MAINE

Parts of Maine are the first to display peak fall foliage color in New England. With Maine's many driving loops to choose from, it's difficult to single out one. But the Lakes and Leaves drive that touches the shores of Moosehead Lake on Route 15 before heading south on route 201 is ever popular. You'll see unparalleled fall foliage views of the tree-lined banks of the Kennebec River, and the surrounding mountains on this Maine Scenic Highway.

FALL FOLIAGE SCENIC DRIVE - RHODE ISLAND COAST

Fall vacationers in Rhode Island have open roads and coastal drives to satisfy their leaf peeping. The 61-mile Rhode Island Coast Scenic Drive follows the coastline east from Westerly before turning north along Narragansett Bay, and eventually over Newport Bridge on route 138. The Trip ends in the beautiful Ocean Drive in historic Newport. A Twist nice beach with a unit of foliage decline.

Fall Foliage Scenic Drive - Route 169 Connecticut

Not during the autumn leaves the state of Connecticut has its own little corner of the popular autumn leaf spotting sites, some of the best tours are on Route 169 in the age of the ice, are part of the Quinebaug River floodplain are exceeded .

Auto Accidents and Your Legal Rights in Los Angeles California

Have you been injured in an automobile accident? Do you know your rights now that you've been involved in an automobile accident? Your injuries may include brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, skull fractures, temporary amnesia, back and shoulder injuries, disk injuries, leg, knee and foot injuries, and whiplash. You may have suffered internal injuries including a torn spleen, injured bowels, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart. It is important that you contact a reputable auto accident lawyer in Los Angeles, California, specializing in personal injury law, to protect your rights in your unique situation.

Did the car you were traveling in, belong to you? Was the car a rental vehicle? Was the car a taxicab? If the vehicle did not belong to you, and you were injured in that vehicle, it is vital evidence in your case, and must be preserved as such. How do you proceed in executing this task? A personal injury lawyer knows just what to do. Leave all the legalities in his capable hands; it's futile to fight your case by yourself. You need someone on your side to fight for your rights, and to prevent the insurance bullies from trying to deceive you by making you settle quickly with an insufficient payoff. Unscrupulous insurance companies use this strategy before you have had a chance to think about seeking legal representation for your case.

In many cases accidents happen as a result of defective manufacture; therefore the body of evidence is the actual vehicle-and that vehicle has to be examined closely by an expert for any and all clues as to what caused the accident. The vehicle should not be handled or otherwise tampered with by anybody after the fact. An experienced auto accident lawyer is able to handle this situation with ease.

While you are in the hospital, your ability to support your family the way in which they have become accustomed; is drastically reduced or may even come to a sudden halt. As well as the household bills, there are now additional bills, ambulance and/or air-evac bills, emergency surgery and surgeon's bills, including anesthesiologists and consultant's bills, not to mention the thousands of dollars it costs per day while you are receiving medical care in the hospital. Following discharge from the hospital, there will be physical therapy costs, pain management appointments, medication expense, specialist's fees, transportation costs, and constant calls and demands for overdue hospital bill payments. All of this, and more, while you are trying to reconstruct your life; trying to keep your family together, as well as worrying about the future and its, seemingly, bleak outlook.

Take a break from your worries, and consult an experienced auto accident attorney, ready to take your case, and fight for your rights. Your full recovery is paramount; your personal injury claim will be conducted in a most professional manner, thoroughly and with integrity.

Which City Really Does Have The Most Restaurants Per Capita

Travel to most city websites around the net and you'll be surprised by how many purport to have more restaurants per capita than anywhere else. This is claimed by San Francisco; Madison, Wisconsin; Washington DC; and Shreveport, Louisiana. At least Canadian cities stake the same claim.

So which cities do have a legitimate claim to the title of "Most Restaurants Per Capita?" The National Restaurant Association (NRA) does publish a list of restaurants per capita per state. According Association of California has by far the most restaurants with an incredible 87 225 restaurants. State of New York is a wretched 58 027. The top five is completed by Texas (53,631), Florida (41,901), Pennsylvania (31466).

In terms of per capita State, Washington DC, tops the list according to NRA. The capital region of the United States maintains about 0.4 restaurants per 100 people. Secondly, surprisingly, Montana restaurants to 0.354 per 100 people. Rounding out the top five NRARhode Island (0.304 per 100) Vermont (.303 per 100) New York (.301 per 100). If you are a little hungry you might want avoid the three states with the fewest restaurants Mississippi, Kentucky and Utah.
In terms of North American cities, it is a little harder to ascertain who can claim the title of city with most restaurants per capita.

Here are ten cities with more than 100,000 people that have made the claim. But who has the real claim? Who offers the cuisine searcher or just plain hungry shopper the most choice? Who can claim the title of The Restaurant City.

The city of San Francisco is a city of 744,230 people and claims to have 2,662 restaurants within the city boundaries. There is no doubt that the standard of restaurants in the city of the bay is exceptional. If you just include San Francisco properly your density is 279 people per restaurant. But because costs of housing the number of people living in the city proper has declined while the number of businesses including restaurants, San Francisco is a distorted number. If you count the metro area, the number of restaurants climbs to 4,300 restaurants (we won't include hundreds more in the nearby wine country of Napa and Sonoma). If you consider the metro area population of 7,168,176 and divide by 4,300 you get a per capita density of 1,667 people per restaurant.

Winnipeg is a city on the edge of the Canadian prairies that boasts a broad cross section of immigrant communities all of whom have their local ethnic cuisines. If you want French toast for breakfast, perogies and sauerkraut for lunch , and Vietnamese imperial rolls for dinner then this is the place to come. This city regularly claims to have more restaurants per capita than any other city. Some websites claim the city has 900 restaurants but in reality there are just 478. With a population of 619,544 Winnipeg can claim only one restaurant per 1,296 snow-bound Canadian.

Victoria. This city on Vancouver Island and capital city of British Columbia, Canada regularly makes the claim that it has the "second highest number of restaurants per capita," which is perhaps clever psychology as the city has never indicted which is top. With a population of 335,000 the city claims to have 265 Italian, French, Greek, East Indian, Vegetarian, German, Dutch, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai eateries. That means Victoria has a restaurant per 1,264 people. But with its spectacular location halfway between Vancouver and Seattle, you'd hardly care if its claim is a little off.

In New York City no one cooks at home and by the time you've heard of a restaurant it has probably closed. Restaurants open and close with alarming alacrity in the Big Apple. On average, the city of New York can claim 6,650 dining places from the chic Lespinasse to the greasiest corner diner -- the most restaurants in any one place on the continent. Yet with 8,168,338 people, New York can only claim to have 1, 228 people per restaurant. It might seem that every second building in New York is a restaurant but they have to cater to a lot of vertically housed residents. That explains why it is hard to find a table some nights.

The one Canadian city that can make a great claim to have the most restaurants per capita is Montreal in the province of Quebec. With just over 5,000 restaurants in the metro island area, is appears there are at least one restaurant on every street corner. With its diverse immigrant population and French majority, the city has every type of cuisine available from Lebanese to continental French to native Canadian. Some 3,720,000 Quebecois live in the metro area making Montreal the second largest French speaking city in the world. Giving it a restaurant per capita number of 744.

When you leave Austin you enter Texas so the saying goes. This funky city in central Texas has 1,088 eating places to enhance its reputation as Music City USA. That list includes 128 companies in everything, or the University of Texas. growing population of Austin is currently 690, 252, 634th the people their money at the restaurant

Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby, is a small town of just over half a million people. Pap John's Pizza and Yum Brands, parent company of A & W, KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, both make Louisville their corporate home is therefore not surprising that this city on the Ohio River 1,089 restaurants. This makesfor 510 people per restaurant.

Madison owns the rights to the title of "city with the most restaurants per capita" and the capital makes the claim throughout its literature. However, pining down the actual number of restaurants is pretty hard. The best list available points to 437 restaurants that caters to 221,551 people in the Wisconsin city. But that makes for only 506 people for each restaurant. Good for only third on this list.

Wichita, Kansas is not usually a city that leaps to mind when one thinks of cuisine. But with an ethnically diverse work force, the largest city in Kansas has a reputation for cultural diversity and is located in the breadbasket of America. The 739 restaurants in town have only to cater to 360, 715 people. That translates into 488 people per restaurant, good for second on our list.

Dallas. This Lone Star State city has a population of 1,250,950 and a selection of restaurants that add up to 2,666. While the city is known for its BBQ and steak houses there is a surprising mix of great eateries from chic to basic. That means every restaurant, fast food place and steak house in Texas' third largest city can boast an potential pool of just 469 people. Making this city the winner of the title "City With The Most Restaurants per Capita."

Caving in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Dales (UK) is a rather idyllic spot; perfectly quaint villages are scattered across green rolling hills that are dotted with lazy cows and sheep. It has been nicknamed 'God's own county', which frankly is not surprising to anyone who enjoys their caving. There are lots of caves to play in, in fact, the area is home to Britain's largest collection of caves. I was lucky enough to check out a handful of the classic Yorkshire caves and was well impressed.

Caving itself is half the battle and you tend to walk for several kilometers across the moor and gently rolling hills before finally reaching the cave entrance. This was actually incredibly pleasant as the sun was shining, the skies were blue and the surrounding scenery was breathtaking. I am glad however that I spent a few weeks leading up to the trip trampling around my local hills with a backpack stuffed full of lead and got the old fitness levels up. Caving takes a lot of effort, thus the fitter you are the more you can enjoy the experience and the underground environment.

Gaping Gill is probably Britain's most famous cave and we dropped into it via Bar Pot. While it is one of the country's longest and most complex cave systems with over 16km of mapped passage, it is the waterfall that falls into the Main Chamber that is the biggest attraction. The chamber is one of the largest in England and the stream Fell Beck sinks 105m into its depths. Quite a spectacular sight - it is the kind of place that makes you involuntarily gasp 'wow' when you see it. The water plunges down the pitch in dramatic fashion, gently illuminated by the light from above. The thundering waterfall is quite an impressive spectacle, as one would expect of the highest unbroken waterfall in Britain! The water then sinks into the cobble floor and reappears further downstream in the Ingleborough show cave.

The Ease Gill Cave System offers a wide range of passage and is actually the longest cave system in Britain with over 70km of mapped passage. We dropped into County Pot and followed beautifully sculpted streamway passage and a series of underground streams until reaching our destination, Easter Grotto. This was a truly beautiful place, as it has probably the highest concentration of straws in the UK. The trip was worth it to see this chamber alone, but this extensive system had a lot to offer and I was awed by the incredible variety and diversity of passage. Clive Westlake was my guide for the trip through and with 50 years of caving experience and a wealth of knowledge about the history of the cave, I could not have asked for a better guide.

By far the wettest experience was the through trip in between Swinsto Hole and the Valley Entrance, which was absolutely fantastic. A through trip means that you go into one cave and come out another exit, in this case further down the hill in the valley floor. To do this we had to do a pull through, this involves abseiling down the rope and then removing it to use on the next pitch - so the only way out is forward and on. After negotiating a 300m crawl, one I would suggest does not fall into the category of 'friendly crawling,' there are a series of pitches to negotiate. You get rather wet as you abseil down and through the waterfalls. My favorite part was the split pitch, which was quite spectacular, despite the fact that I was thoroughly wet and cold by this point.

The caving in Yorkshire is stupendous and there is an incredible amount of caves to see. Getting to visit a handful of the classics has only wet my appetite for more, so I hope to be back in Yorkshire sooner rather than later. I would like to thank local Yorkshire cavers Sue and David Ryall for their incredibly kind and generous hospitality and fabulous company throughout the week.

Fall Foliage Scenic Drive - Lakes and Leaves Maine

Maine is one of the most heavily forested states in the nation, containing over 17 million acres of natural beauty, hikes, and magnificent summer and fall foliage scenic drives.

This scenic drive is through Maine backcountry. A rugged environment of thick forests and impressive mountain terrain.

The drive is magnificent in summer but not-to-be-missed in fall foliage season.

The route follows a 218-mile loop through central west Maine along the lower western shore of Moosehead Lake, and then runs parallel with the tree-lined banks of the Kennebec River. It's best experienced over a few days rather than a one-day excursion trip, and lodging reservations are recommended during the popular fall foliage season.

Let's get you started...

In the first part of the tour you'll wind your way towards the town of Greenville on the southern tip of Moosehead Lake. Begin the tour in the town of Skowhegan by taking Route 150 to Route 151 in Athens. Follow Route 151 west to Newport where you'll pick up Route 7 to Dover-Foxcroft.

Take Route 6 to Guilford, and then follow Route 6/15 north to Greenville.

At Greenville stop and relax for a bit. Greenville is a center for those seeking the pastimes of hunting, fishing, hiking and boating in the area. It's also home to a number of attractions in the area.

One such attraction is the 110-foot SS Katahdin, a popular steamship that cruises on Moosehead Lake during the summer and through fall foliage. It leaves from the center of Greenville.

A 20-mile excursion east of Greenville takes you to beautiful Gulf Hagas. This is a stunning 3-mile-long gorge, with waterfalls, water chutes, deep pools, and vertical walls 300 feet tall in places. The hike is especially scenic during fall foliage. For those spreading this scenic drive over multiple days this is a must-do side trip.

The Greenville area also boasts splendid hikes along the close-by Appalachian Trail.

If you're intending to stay overnight then Greenville offers your best opportunity for lodging.

The scenic drive continues along Route 6/15 passing Big Squaw Mountain and Ski Area on the left, and winding along the Moosehead Lake shore to the village of Rockwood. Once at Rockwood you'll see across the water the imposing Mount Kineo with its sheer cliff face rising over 700 feet from the deepest point in Moosehead Lake.

Stay on Route 6/15 and head west to Jackman. This 30-mile portion of the scenic drive is all about Maine wilderness. Look out for opportunities to stop and admire the summer or fall foliage views in the hills and on scenic lookouts across the lakes and ponds along the road.

Just south of Jackman Route 6/15 will connect with Route 201, and you'll follow Route 201 south towards The Forks along the National Scenic Byway.

Jackman is a canoeing center, famous for the 42-mile Moose River Bow Trip. The canoe trip takes two or more days and is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts. It's one of the few remaining wilderness canoe trips in the Northeast, and organized tours are run by local operators.

Continue on Route 201 south to The Forks where the Kennebec and Dead Rivers meet. The Forks is base for popular and awe-inspiring whitewater rafting trips on the two rivers.

A few miles west of The Forks is Moxie Falls, at 90-feet one of the tallest waterfalls in New England.

The scenic drive continues south on Route 201 to Bingham. This stretch of the road follows the Kennebec River through Caratunk, offering magnificent views of the river and surrounding hills, and is one of the best fall foliage sections on this tour.

Follow Route 201 back to Skowhegan to complete the tour.

Getting The Best Tour Operator For An Outdoor Vacation

When you are booking an adventure trip at your travel destination, you want to make sure you have the best tour operator you can have. While there will be a number of people who offer adventure tours, the key to having a great outdoor vacation is making sure that the travel guide you have is experienced in working in the area where you will be traveling, and that they specialize in the kind of travel that you are interested in. You can find the best person for the tours you want, with a little research.

When you start your search for the best tour operators for an outdoor vacation, you can't just open the phone book and expect them to pop up in it. Adventure tours are a little more specialized and you will have to take a different route to find them. The internet is your best bet. There are a lot of travel resources out there, and you may well find adventure operators at your travel destination have a website where you can learn all about them.

Before you can properly search for an adventure tour operator, you need to know what you are looking for. What is your focus on the trip? Is it the activities like hiking and rock climbing? Or are you more interested in the culture or environment in the area you are going to visit? Depending on what your focus is, you may need to look for different tour operators. Most tour operators specialize in one area or another, so you need to ask around to find one with your focus.

Next, you need to make sure the person you are going to trust your trip to, knows what they are doing. You need to research your tour operators to make sure they have been in the business for a while and qualified to be conducting these kinds of trips. You don't want to end up out in the middle of nowhere without anyone to help you, and have an inept company leading the way. Once you start to find some of the adventure tour companies on the internet, you will need to look more into those companies and their backgrounds. See how long they have been around, and look for independent reviews of their services.

Next do some price and service checking. Call the companies who are offering adventure tours and ask them to solidify what the outdoor vacation includes and the cost so you know what you are going to get for your money. While a phone call is a good start, if you can, it's better to seal the deal with a face-to-face meeting.

The best way to find out what is a great travel destination and adventure trip to take is by people who have been there. Talk to your family and friends and see if any of them have taken these kinds of trips and what experience they had. They may know of the perfect adventure tour operator to send you to.