Cancelled my Tennessee vacation

[BuffJim]

For October. Too much uncertainty with Covid. Rebooked a slightly shorter N.Y. vacation. 2 nights in Skaneateles, 3 nights near Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley and one night in the Finger Lakes to snag a Monica Pie. Celebrating BuffCarla’s birthday. 
 

Anyone have any good ideas for the Hudson Valley?

 

Is it stupid to plan a trip with a terminally ill father?

[BuffJim]

Just now, BuffJim said:

For October. Too much uncertainty with Covid. Rebooked a slightly shorter N.Y. vacation. 2 nights in Skaneateles, 3 nights near Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley and one night in the Finger Lakes to snag a Monica Pie. Celebrating BuffCarla’s birthday. 
 

Anyone have any good ideas for the Hudson Valley?

 

Is it stupid to plan a trip with a terminally ill father?

My Dad isn’t coming with us. He just isn’t expected to make it 6 months. 

[Airehead]

I would say plan but don’t pay nymore upfront then you need too. I know another good pie place in Naples. Get two and test 

[2Far ★]

We’re all terminal. Go for it. 

[Longjohn ★]

8 hours ago, BuffJim said:

My Dad isn’t coming with us. He just isn’t expected to make it 6 months. 

My wife wasn’t expected to make it six months. The doctors don’t know, people don’t come with an expiration date stamped on their foot. It’s been over eight months for my wife. She isn’t getting better but she is hanging in there. She is getting better in one respect, her pain is pretty much gone now. I haven’t given her morphine in two months now.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, Longjohn said:

 I haven’t given her morphine in two months now.

I hope the caretaker isn't taking it  

[MickinMD ★]

23 hours ago, BuffJim said:

For October. Too much uncertainty with Covid. Rebooked a slightly shorter N.Y. vacation. 2 nights in Skaneateles, 3 nights near Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley and one night in the Finger Lakes to snag a Monica Pie. Celebrating BuffCarla’s birthday. 
 

Anyone have any good ideas for the Hudson Valley?

 

Is it stupid to plan a trip with a terminally ill father?

If the terminally ill father can do some things and walk a bit, you might be able to carefully arrange that he doesn't have to do too much. I did it in 1991.

In July, 1991, we knew my father would die of cancer and organ failure, probably in 1992.

He had a sort of remission and felt good, though we knew that was temporary.

I had done the same trip in 1990, so I took dad on a long, driving vacation from Maryland to a hotel in Madison, WI, then out to 3 days in South Dakota: Wall Drugstore, Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, The Mammoth Site, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte (where the Sioux and Cheyenne got their 4 commandments from the Great Spirit), 7th Cavalry Museum, Crazy Horse Memorial and more - we even followed a new B-2B Bomber to Ellsworth Airforce Base, where we were stopped by armed guards!

We went to Deadwood, SD and saw all the Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, etc. stuff.

Dad was up for it all: I carefully managed how much walking he'd have to do and how often to rest.  I had put a couple cases of 6 oz. cans of Apple Juice in the car. They are a great pickup when you are dragging.  We stayed in motels and ate in restaurants throughout the trip.

We then went to Devil's Tower and the remains of Fort Phil Kearny, the sites of the Wagon Box Fight and the Fetterman Massacre and, when we went to check in to a Super-8 Motel in Sheridan, WY, we learned there was a rodeo in town and got there just in time to see it all.

The next day was spent at Little Bighorn Battlefield Park (then called the Custer Battlefield Park) and we had maps, tried to figure out the movements of the various companies, etc. We heard a great Ranger talk, then one by Kitty Bell Deernose, a Crow and then curator of the battlefield. We also drove to where Sitting Bull had his Sundance on what's now the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and traced part of Custer's movements.

We spent that night in a Motel 6 in Billings, Montana, and the next day we reached Gardner, Montana on the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park and spent the next 3 days there.

Afterward, I drove us home, getting a motel one night in SD, then driving all the way to Baltimore the next day - almost a 24 hour drive.

Dad loved it and said it was the vacation of his life.  A few months later, he was hospitalized and his body couldn't filter ions, etc. He died April 9, 1992 after looking at my sister and saying, "I think it's time to check out."

I'm SO glad I took him on that vacation.  We talked about a lot of things, including things he wanted done after he passed away.

 

 

[BuffJim]

1 hour ago, MickinMD said:

If the terminally ill father can do some things and walk a bit, you might be able to carefully arrange that he doesn't have to do too much. I did it in 1991.

In July, 1991, we knew my father would die of cancer and organ failure, probably in 1992.

He had a sort of remission and felt good, though we knew that was temporary.

I had done the same trip in 1990, so I took dad on a long, driving vacation from Maryland to a hotel in Madison, WI, then out to 3 days in South Dakota: Wall Drugstore, Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, The Mammoth Site, Crazy Horse Memorial, Bear Butte (where the Sioux and Cheyenne got their 4 commandments from the Great Spirit), 7th Cavalry Museum, Crazy Horse Memorial and more - we even followed a new B-2B Bomber to Ellsworth Airforce Base, where we were stopped by armed guards!

We went to Deadwood, SD and saw all the Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, etc. stuff.

Dad was up for it all: I carefully managed how much walking he'd have to do and how often to rest.  I had put a couple cases of 6 oz. cans of Apple Juice in the car. They are a great pickup when you are dragging.  We stayed in motels and ate in restaurants throughout the trip.

We then went to Devil's Tower and the remains of Fort Phil Kearny, the sites of the Wagon Box Fight and the Fetterman Massacre and, when we went to check in to a Super-8 Motel in Sheridan, WY, we learned there was a rodeo in town and got there just in time to see it all.

The next day was spent at Little Bighorn Battlefield Park (then called the Custer Battlefield Park) and we had maps, tried to figure out the movements of the various companies, etc. We heard a great Ranger talk, then one by Kitty Bell Deernose, a Crow and then curator of the battlefield. We also drove to where Sitting Bull had his Sundance on what's now the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and traced part of Custer's movements.

We spent that night in a Motel 6 in Billings, Montana, and the next day we reached Gardner, Montana on the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park and spent the next 3 days there.

Afterward, I drove us home, getting a motel one night in SD, then driving all the way to Baltimore the next day - almost a 24 hour drive.

Dad loved it and said it was the vacation of his life.  A few months later, he was hospitalized and his body couldn't filter ions, etc. He died April 9, 1992 after looking at my sister and saying, "I think it's time to check out."

I'm SO glad I took him on that vacation.  We talked about a lot of things, including things he wanted done after he passed away.

 

 

No my Dad isn’t coming. He can’t walk or travel. A short walk across the room leaves him huffing and puffing for 5 minutes. And that’s with full oxygen. My concern is that we’ll get called away to a funeral. 
 

We just watched a PBS special about Woodstock. BuffCarla wants to visit the museum there. 

[BuffJim]

Hey @MickinMD that itinerary included a bunch of the route of my 2009 bike trip. Great country. Can’t wait to get back there. 

[Kzoo]

1 minute ago, BuffJim said:

Hey @MickinMD that itinerary included a bunch of the route of my 2009 bike trip. Great country. Can’t wait to get back there. 

11 years ago!

[Kirby]

Re the Hudson Valley, a couple of suggestions.  Some of these are recommendations I'd make pre-Covid, so you should check and see if they're are any changes in the operations:

1.  Culinary Institute of America  - they have 3 different restaurants and often have special deals (and some of the restaurants are more and some are less fancy).  This is one I'd definitely check re Covid

2. Walkway over the Hudson - fun outdoor stroll

3  Art Museum at Vassar

4.  Walk around the historic parts of New Paltz

5  Minnewaska State Park Preserve (operating at limited capacity, so get there early!)

6. Mohonk Preserve

7. Storm King Art Center is a bit more of a drive, but if you want some artwork in an outdoor setting, this is good

8.  I'd typically recommend Woodstock Animal Sanctuary in the area, but they're not doing any public tours at the moment

9.  My not wild sister recommends Mountain Brauhaus Restaurant for German food.  It's located near Minnewaska if you are going there

 

 

 

[BuffJim]

7 minutes ago, Kirby said:

Re the Hudson Valley, a couple of suggestions.  Some of these are recommendations I'd make pre-Covid, so you should check and see if they're are any changes in the operations:

1.  Culinary Institute of America  - they have 3 different restaurants and often have special deals (and some of the restaurants are more and some are less fancy).  This is one I'd definitely check re Covid

2. Walkway over the Hudson - fun outdoor stroll

3  Art Museum at Vassar

4.  Walk around the historic parts of New Paltz

5  Minnewaska State Park Preserve (operating at limited capacity, so get there early!)

6. Mohonk Preserve

7. Storm King Art Center is a bit more of a drive, but if you want some artwork in an outdoor setting, this is good

8.  I'd typically recommend Woodstock Animal Sanctuary in the area, but they're not doing any public tours at the moment

9.  My not wild sister recommends Mountain Brauhaus Restaurant for German food.  It's located near Minnewaska if you are going there

 

 

 

We’re gonna try to get a meal at the CIA. Other suggestions look good, too. 

[Kirby]

I haven't been there, but a friend recommended Mariner's Harbor in Kingston as a nice restaurant with an outdoor patio.  Plus Kingston has an historic old town area that could be fun to walk around.  The Forsyth Nature Center is also nearby. 

Some of these places are a bit of a drive, but most are within 30-45 minutes.  I also didn't mention all the Roosevelt related stuff in New Hyde, because I assumed that's a given.  If you want more artwork stuff, you can also check out Olana (although that's closer to the 45 minute drive)

[Randomguy]

22 minutes ago, Kirby said:

My not wild sister recommends Mountain Brauhaus Restaurant for German food.  It's located near Minnewaska if you are going there

I went there with Suzie Q a couple of times.  I wish she had time to come here.  Excellent food!