Monday, Day 33: Pre-Flight Activities

We had a laid-back day after two full days of chasing leaves and having fun with Jonathan, Susie and the dogs. We all had things to check off our to-do lists before our departure tomorrow morning, so today was partly about catching our breath and partly about getting ready for the next leg of our Grand Adventure.

Janice did laundry while I vacuumed the motorhome and topped off our water supply. Jonathan and Susie both had appointments in the morning, so we each went about our respective chores before regrouping in the afternoon.

And then Jonathan took us on one more spectacular adventure.

We headed out on a beautiful loop along the Salmon River and up toward Titus Mountain, the highest peak near Malone. Once again, we were dazzled by the kaleidoscope of fall colors. Reds, oranges, yellows and greens were all mixed together across the hillsides, sometimes so brilliant that it hardly seemed real.

We stopped for a short hike along the river. It was breezy and cool, and every so often a gust of wind would sweep through the trees and send leaves swirling around us. It was beautiful, but there was something bittersweet about it, too. The wind seemed to carry a reminder that this magnificent display is fleeting. Soon the leaves will fall, winter will arrive, and these brilliant hillsides will be transformed once again.

Perhaps that is part of what makes autumn so beautiful. It doesn't last.

We returned to Jonathan and Susie's house, and everyone shifted back into work and volunteer mode for a while. Jonathan had a board meeting for a community events nonprofit that he chairs. He also hosts a monthly workshop for songwriters. The more time we spend with him, the more amazed we are by the many interests and talents he somehow manages to weave into his life.

Meanwhile, I had my weekly Zoom meeting with Melanie, our Director of Operations at Umpqua Watersheds. It was a productive meeting and gave me a chance to reconnect with some of the work continuing back home while we wander across the continent. Janice also had computer work to do related to her role with the Umpqua Watersheds Conservation Committee.

Even on a Grand Adventure, apparently the world doesn't completely let us off the hook!

Once our volunteer duties were finished, we gathered together again for dinner. Susie prepared another wonderful meal, and afterward we relaxed and watched some of the MLB playoff games together.

Eventually, Janice and I wandered back out to the motorhome and began preparing for our departure in the morning.

It has been a wonderful visit.

For 3 1/2 days, Jonathan and Susie opened their home and their lives to us. We laughed, explored, watched Tad and Sage romp together, chased the brilliant colors of a northern New York autumn, shared meals and stories, and simply enjoyed being together.

Tomorrow morning we'll say our goodbyes, point the Chariot of the Dogs north once again, cross back into Canada and begin another leg of our Fall 2026 Grand Adventure.

Tonight, though, we're still here.

And that's a pretty good place to be.

Day 32: October 4, 2026: touring Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake NY

Early morning brought a crisp chill to the air, and the furnace fan kicked on with increasing frequency as dawn approached. Inside the Foster house, though, it was all warmth and comfort. We sat down to a breakfast of hot coffee, eggs, bacon, and delicious gluten-free pancakes. Outside, the church bells rang on the hour, setting a gentle rhythm for the morning.

After breakfast, Jonathan treated us to a house concert, singing songs we selected and a new one he hasn't released yet called Wearing Rainbows. It really made us feel special and Susie beamed with pride and enjoyment. 

It was a glorious day, sunny and nearly warm enough for a T-shirt. We headed out after our concert to see the countryside and some of Jonathan's old stomping grounds. The geese were vocally signifying the changing of the seasons. Tupper Lake was our first destination. We drove through miles of forested areas covered with the various shades of fall foliage. Jonathan mentioned how we timed our visit at its peak for fall foliage. 

Tupper Lake is a charming town filled with small shops, local businesses, and independent galleries. It's also where Jonathan spent his early post-college years starting out in his first job as a biologist. The village and town is located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Situated along the shores of its namesake lake and the Raquette River, it serves as one of the key central hubs of the Adirondack Park. Adirondack Park is a massive, publicly protected region covering roughly 6 million acres (about 9,300 square miles). Established in 1892, it is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States (larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Everglades National Parks combined). 

Wandering into one of the local galleries, it didn't take long for a few people to recognize Jonathan and Susie. Since building his framing business, Jonathan has become well-known among the area’s creative community. The gallery featured some exceptional craftsmanship, including a few beautifully made wooden tables crafted by Jonathan’s godfather.

The timing couldn't have been better: a plein air painting competition had just wrapped up over the weekend, and many of the fresh canvases were on display. A few of the artists were still in attendance, chatting with visitors and sharing the stories behind their outdoor pieces.

We next headed to Saranac Lake, another charismatic town set in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks region. Located just 10 miles northwest of Lake Placid and northeast of Tupper Lake, it forms part of the "Tri-Lakes" area and is renowned for its rich health history, vibrant arts scene, and extensive water access. It also has the dubious honor of some of the coldest temperatures in the lower 48 states of the US, regularly contending with International Falls, Minnesota, and Fraser, Colorado, for the unofficial title of "Icebox of the Nation." On numerous mornings throughout late fall, winter, and early spring, Saranac Lake logs the lowest daily minimum temperature in the lower 48 states.

We happened to see a few monarchs on some flowers. It is a little late for them to still be around but there they were. We know how at least one local feels about monarchs. We found some milkweed pods that had not opened yet and decided to help them disperse.

Somehow we stumbled into the local brewery and sampled some liquid refreshments before heading back to the car.

On the way to the car, I spotted a dynamic frame and had a little fun with it.

We headed toward Malone with a quick stop at the visitor center and had a dendrology lesson from local expert, Jonathan Foster.

​A short side trip brought us to a well-established beaver lodge resting prominently in a quiet pond. It was a picturesque spot, giving us the perfect opportunity to take in, and capture, the remarkable surrounding scenery.

The sky was just a perfect blend of dark and light.

And more color on the drive.

Glancing at the horizon ahead, it was clear a storm was gathering for tonight. Fortunately, the rain held off as we pulled back into Malone. After waiting patiently for five hours, Tad was more than ready for a stretch, so we set off on a walk just as the daylight began to soften. It was a perfect chance to capture photos of the neighborhood houses, every one of them filled with character.

Back inside, we relaxed with sports on TV. Jonathan did a masterful job toggling between sports talk with Kasey and botany and biology discussions with me while Susie kicked back to nurse her sore ankle enjoying the sports and botany discussions. She had ankle surgery not long ago and is still mindful of the recovery process. With pizza delivered right to the door, it was the perfect end to a fun-filled, action-packed day.

Day 31 - Malone, NY: Frolicking with Friends

Saturday, October 3, 2026 — Day 31

Malone, New York: Frolicking with Friends

We woke up Saturday morning excited simply to be with our friends, Jonathan and Susie, and their five-year-old Labrador Retriever, Sage.

Tad and Sage had so much fun running around the yard together yesterday that Tad could hardly wait to get outside and play with her again this morning. The feeling was obviously mutual. As soon as the two dogs were reunited, the frolicking commenced.

It was a perfect fall day.

After five consecutive days of clouds and rain, the sun finally broke through and welcomed us to northern New York. Jonathan and Susie live only about five miles from the Canadian border as the crow flies, and the countryside around Malone was ablaze with peak fall color.

It feels good to be here.

The Fosters are wonderful hosts. Susie made us a big breakfast, and we lingered around the table talking about the past, present and future while mapping out a plan for the day.

After breakfast, Janice and I each took showers. It felt luxurious not having to unload the motorhome's "water closet" and perform my usual gymnastic routine required to shower in that tiny space!

Clean, fed and refreshed and after giving Tad and Sage another opportunity to frolic, we piled into Susie's car and headed out to explore.

Our first destination was a place I had been looking forward to visiting: the boyhood farm of Almanzo Wilder.

When I was in grade school, I devoured the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her Little House series, beginning with Little House in the Big Woods in 1932, told stories drawn from her family's experiences moving through Wisconsin, Kansas, Minnesota and Dakota Territory during the great westward expansion of the late 19th century. Laura was born February 7, 1867, and died February 10, 1957, just three days after her 90th birthday.

One of my favorites was Farmer Boy, published in 1933. Unlike most of the series, it wasn't about Laura's childhood. It told the story of her future husband, Almanzo Wilder, growing up on his family's farm near Malone. Almanzo's traditionally recorded dates are February 13, 1857, to October 23, 1949, although historical records leave some uncertainty about whether he was actually born in 1859. Laura and Almanzo married in 1885 and eventually settled at Rocky Ridge Farm near Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894. It was there, decades later, that Laura wrote the books that introduced generations of children, including me, to their world.

The period from immediately after the Civil War into the early 1900s has always fascinated me. My maternal grandparents were both born in Missouri in 1890, and they shared vivid stories with me about what it was like to live during an era when everyday life was being transformed at an astonishing pace.

So walking around Almanzo's boyhood farm felt a little like walking back through time.

Even more remarkably, the farmhouse is not a reconstruction. It is the original Wilder family home, the only original "Little House" residence still standing on its original site. Farmer Boy was based on Almanzo's memories of growing up there.

Standing in a place I had first visited through my imagination as a grade-school boy was very special. And sharing the experience with Janice, Jonathan and Susie made it even better.

Afterward, we meandered along the rustic country roads of northern New York, eventually arriving at an apple orchard. With the fall colors at their peak, the drive itself looked like a classic autumn postcard come to life.

The orchard store was quaint and filled with historic photographs of Malone. One photograph immediately caught our attention. It showed Babe Ruth signing autographs at the opening of the Malone Golf Course in 1939. The caption identified another man in the photograph as Lou Gehrig.

Jonathan immediately questioned the caption.

Something didn't add up.

Gehrig had already been diagnosed with ALS and announced his retirement from baseball during the summer of 1939. Could he really have been there with Ruth?

Hmmmm....

A historical mystery!

It was early afternoon by then, so we decided such serious investigative work required cider.

We found a table and sat together sipping our cider and talking. A few dozen locals were gathered there. Jonathan has played music at the orchard and knows the owner, so once again we weren't tourists passing through, we were experiencing a little piece of the community through our friends.

Eventually we headed back to Jonathan and Susie's classic white house, released the hounds, and settled onto the back porch to enjoy the beautiful afternoon.

Somewhere in the conversation, I made the mistake of mentioning cornhole.

The gauntlet was immediately dropped.

Jonathan was undoubtedly still smarting from our fantasy baseball league. We had tied at the end of the season, but I won the tiebreaker and finished third in the championship round, relegating him to fourth.

Clearly, vengeance was required.

Jonathan quickly established his superiority, beating me 21–11 in the first game.

I rallied in Game Two and made things considerably more respectable before losing 21–18.

At one point, on the same set of throws, we each put three of our four bags through the hole.

Perhaps we should go on tour! ;)

Sadly, Susie and Janice are both currently on injured reserve. Otherwise, I suspect the competition would have become considerably hotter.

After cornhole, Jonathan brought out two catcher's mitts.

Now we were entering familiar territory.

We were both catchers in high school. Jonathan was an All-State catcher and a talented three-sport athlete growing up here in the Malone area. Neither of us had played catch in years.

It was great fun.

My knuckleball was working surprisingly well.

My fastball?

Not so much.

Even an All-State catcher couldn't handle a couple of my wild pitches, which disappeared into the bushes.

Apparently the scouts won't be calling.

Around five o'clock, we headed into town for a plein-air art show. Jonathan and Susie seemed to know just about everyone there, and we enjoyed seeing work created by art students from around the state.

Jonathan had even made several of the frames holding paintings in the exhibit.

Once again, it was fun seeing Malone not simply as visitors but through the eyes and relationships of friends who are part of the community.

After the exhibit, we went to Donovan's Restaurant, where Janice and I finally had an opportunity to do something for our hosts by buying dinner.

It was one of the best restaurant meals I have ever had.

I ordered grilled Norwegian salmon served over rice, and it was absolutely delicious. Janice ordered the chicken Marsala and was equally impressed.

As we looked around the restaurant, I noticed that the walls were covered with historic photographs, many of them related to sports.

And then I saw it.

Babe Ruth!

There on the wall was the same photograph we had seen earlier at the orchard: Babe Ruth autographing a baseball at the dedication of the Malone Golf Course in 1939.

But there was one important difference.

This caption didn't say anything about Lou Gehrig being in the photograph.

Mystery solved!

Apparently Babe Ruth really did have a Malone connection. He was here in 1939, and surviving memorabilia from that year includes a Malone Maroons baseball schedule bearing his autograph.

Jonathan's baseball instincts had been right. Babe was here.

Lou apparently wasn't.

We returned to Jonathan and Susie's house and finished the evening watching the Major League Baseball playoffs together.

Baseball seemed like the perfect ending to a day that had unexpectedly woven together so many threads: childhood books and 19th-century history, autumn roads and apple cider, old photographs and Babe Ruth, cornhole and catcher's mitts, art and wonderful food.

But mostly, it was about friendship.

Tad and Sage frolicked.

Jonathan and I frolicked in our own slightly older and creakier fashion.

And Janice, Susie, Jonathan and I simply enjoyed the increasingly precious gift of having time together.

A perfect fall day in northern New York.

Our hearts are full of gratitude.