Part 2:

What can I say about Mohonk Mountain House that a series of photographs of this extraordinary resort can’t say better?  So, here goes:

We were at Mohonk, a full service resort, from Tuesday morning until Wednesday morning.  Upon arriving, we hiked around the lake.  After an extraordinary lunch, we let our huge meal settle by sitting on one of the many rockers on the porch facing the lake.  We finally got the energy to hike the upper trail to Albert Smiley Memorial, where we could take in 360º views.  Glorious!  There are several ways you can get up to the Memorial—either the easy trail (which we did) or the difficult trail, called the Labyrinth, which requires some rock climbing.

By the time we returned to the ‘honk, it was Tea Time.  So, once again, we secured a rocker on the porch and enjoyed a cup (or 2) of tea and some (or lots) of cookies.

The late afternoon was spent sitting in the rockers on our room’s balcony, occasionally reading but primarily absorbing the majestic view.  We followed up on the peaceful afternoon with a sumptuous dinner and a night-time walk around the grounds.

Mohonk has NO TVs in any guest rooms and the Wi-Fi is spotty at best.  BUT every room has its own balcony with 2 rockers.  SO it is the perfect place to unwind.  There are so many activities in which you can participate, you will not miss neither the tv nor your favorite hand-held device.  Obviously, there is hiking, rock climbing but also an amazing indoor swimming pool, a spa, canoeing/kayaking, horse back riding, cross country skiing, ice skating, yoga classes, meditation classes, just to name a few of the year-round activities available.  And they offer specialized weekend activities–Mike and I participated in a Murder Mystery Weekend and a friend and I spent a weekend learning about holistic health.  There is something for everyone, even the very young and the very old.

Wednesday morning, Mike and I spent time walking around the gardens and then did a little shopping at the Garden Shop (I had already spent quality time at their gift shop—Christmas is coming…).  Finally, it was time to head home.  It was a glorious 24 hours spent at a place we find ourselves visiting fairly regularly.

There’s a gazebo hidden within the wisteria.

 

Our trip home was going to be a straight, all-interstate drive.  Unfortunately, a section of  I-81 was closed because of an accident.  So, we took a road less traveled.  Fortunately, it was my old stomping grounds, so I knew these back roads.  We hopped off I-81 at Rt. 93, which eventually took us through the bustling burg of Nescopeck, where I stopped to see the rooster decked out in it’s Halloween finest. (He is always appropriately attired for each holiday.)  Then on to Berwick, where we visited my parents grave.  After that it was a beautiful drive down Rt. 11 along the mighty, scenic Susquehanna River.  Again, a spectacular and fun, albeit short for us, “leaf peepers” vacation!